Saint Andrew Tran An Dung Lac (1795 - 1839) - Vietnamese Martyr Saints

Andrew Tran An Dung Lac was born into a Catholic family in Bac Ninh in 1795. Later, he and his parents moved to Ke Cho, now known as Hanoi. He was entrusted to a cleryman for upbringing, education, and baptism, with the name St. Andrew. On March 15, 1823, he was ordained as a priest. On December 21, 1839, under the reign of King Minh Mang, he was executed in O Cau Giay. On May 27, 1900, he was beatified by Pope Leo XIII. His feast day is celebrated on December 21.

He was a persistent missionary who tirelessly used his words and actions to spread the Gospel in various parishes until he was arrested in 1835. His followers collected enough money to ransom him. Afterward, he changed his name from Dung to Lac to conceal his identity and continued his missionary work in different areas.

Initially, Father Dung was sent to assist Father Khiet in Dong Quoi, then helped Father Thi in Doai, and Father Duyet in Son Mieng. Later, when he was 40 years old, he was appointed the parish priest of Ke Dam. Wherever Father Dung went, he was well-liked for his wise and passionate preaching, as well as his frugal lifestyle. During Lent, he observed fasting every day, even on Wednesdays and Fridays. During the period of religious persecution, he had to hide in the homes of the faithful. If they offered him meat or large fish, he would say, "Do not do this; buy shrimp and small fish like others and eat."

Father Dung also had a heart for helping the poor. When invited to visit a patient, he would go alone to avoid other priests being arrested. When he couldn't perform pastoral duties, he would send other priests to visit and counsel the faithful to confess their sins to him.

In 1835, Ly Nham wanted to accuse Mr. Tong Thin, a Christian, and needed evidence, so he sent troops to arrest Father Dung along with 30 Christians attending a religious ceremony in Ke Sui. Tong Thin had to give six taels of silver to Hao Khanh district officials in Don Thu to resolve the issue and avoid being charged. District officials kept four taels and gave the remaining two to their superiors, reporting, "My son came to see a ceremony in Ke Sui, and the authorities arrested him, so please spare him."

Father Dung was released, while the other detainees were imprisoned for 21 days. After that, he had to change his name to Lac because the authorities knew his name. Father Lac often traveled to Nam Dinh province to visit and encourage the arrested faithful. He told others, "Those who die for their faith go straight to heaven, but I have to hide and spend a lot of money to escape the authorities. I'd rather be arrested and die for the faith."

After serving as the priest of Ke Dam for seven years, about four years after his first arrest, Father Lac was arrested again on November 10, 1839, when he visited and heard confessions from Father Thi in Ke Sui. Ly Phap did not recognize Father Lac, so many people advised him to escape. However, Father Lac said, "Let God's will be done. This will be my second time being arrested for Jesus Christ."

When Ly Phap asked if he was a priest, Father Lac boldly admitted it, leading to his restraints. The faithful wanted a priest to minister to them spiritually, so they had to raise money to ransom him. Father Lac used a boat to return home but encountered heavy rain and strong winds, so he sought refuge in a familiar house. At that moment, hearing that Ly Phap had captured a Christian leader, the district officials were on their way. Witnessing this, the people in the house warned the boatmen, "Officials are coming!"

However, the boatmen thought it was a joke and still approached the shore. Father Lac was subsequently stopped and questioned. He admitted he was a Catholic leader, and as a result, he was arrested again. That night, Father Lac spoke cheerfully with the guards and the district officials' family. He said, "The king bans the faith, and God intends for me to be arrested. I am not afraid, on the contrary, I am happy."

The next morning, the district officials had a meal, and Father Lac had a separate meal. The official said, "Eating alone is also like eating with an official."

Before taking him back to the district, the official made a lightweight bamboo neck ring for Father Lac. Upon arriving in Binh Luc district, the official said, "I didn't intend to arrest you, but the accuser keeps insisting, so I had to come."

Father Lac replied, "If you didn't intend to arrest me, then please release me."

The official responded, "Now that it's exposed, there's nothing we can do." The official said this with the intention of accepting a bribe, so the faithful pooled their money, and Cuu Binh also wanted to offer his entire wealth to ransom Father. He wrote a letter to Father: "Dear Father, if you are willing to die, you will go to heaven alone, but if you stay, our faithful people will enjoy blessings. So, Father, please reconsider." But Father Lac forbade them from ransoming him, saying, "I have been arrested three times now; it is God's will for me to die in this way. Brothers and sisters, do not waste your money to ransom me."

Bishop Retord also sent Father Su with five taels of silver to ransom Father Thi and Father Lac. The bishop said, "Both of them are very good; if they can be ransomed, let them be."

Father Lac told Father Su, "Think about it; I am like St. Peter. When I was arrested for the first time, the faithful prayed for me and I was released. The second time, the faithful were also worried for me, but God's will was for me to die like St. Peter. So, tell our faithful not to ransom me anymore."

The district officials tried to persuade the two priests to step on an image of the cross or walk around it to obtain clemency. Father Lac took the opportunity to express his courage: "The faithful people you just mentioned who stepped on an image of the cross were only my followers, and they knew how to choose their duty over life. But what about us, the priests who led them? We lack the courage to follow the path we've set for them. Never, gentlemen, do not expect this cowardice."

The district officials commented to each other, "They are so attached to their religion that it's insane."

Although they were subjected to questioning multiple times, the priests were not subjected to severe physical violence, only a few slaps. Father Lac composed a poem for Father Su to express the Christian spirit:

The officials' true nature is clear now, In their letters, they express their sorrow. They remember the hardships of their fellow man, While thinking of their travels, they lament.

Winter ends, and spring comes again, Suffering for a while, then eternal joy. Being heroes, they manage difficulties, Praying to meet in a peaceful place.

Though they did not endure much physical suffering, the hearts of the two priests were always eager to offer themselves to God. They asked their families to pray to help them remain steadfast while awaiting their death sentences. The officials issued a death sentence for them. On December 20, Father Tran brought the Eucharist to the two priests. The next day, the verdict was brought to Hanoi. Father Dung and Father Thi joyfully sang hymns of truth as they exited the city. Upon arrival, they knelt down to pray, looked up to the sky with tears in their eyes, and waited to be beheaded. Many witnesses saw a large white bird flying over them during their execution. When the execution was completed, Father Dung's head fell to the ground.

Father Lac was beatified in 1900, and his feast day is celebrated on December 26.