Saint Pierre Dumoulin Borie (1808 - 1838) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint
Saint Borie - Cao was born on February 20, 1808, in France. His father passed away when he was young. Despite his mother's deep reluctance to part with her son, she ultimately accepted God's will, allowing him to pursue religious studies.
After being ordained as a deacon, fearing that his mother would be saddened, Borie quietly prepared for his departure. He left a heartfelt farewell letter to his beloved mother and siblings and began his mission to spread the Gospel.
Following his ordination as a priest in 1830, Father Borie embarked on a seven-month sea journey to Nghe An, part of the Western Tonkin Diocese. He quickly adapted to the local climate, culture, and language, adopting the Vietnamese name Cao.
Father Cao enthusiastically engaged in missionary work in the Bo Chinh region, serving approximately 20,000 Catholic faithful. When Emperor Minh Mang issued an edict banning Christianity in 1833, Father Cao had to hide on multiple occasions.
After being brutally tortured, a seminarian named Khang revealed Father Cao's hiding place. He was captured in Xom Tra, within the My Hao parish, in 1838. In prison, Father Cao skillfully responded to the interrogations, often speaking on behalf of two other Vietnamese priests, Father Diem and Father Khoa. He was a steadfast source of spiritual strength for them.
When the authorities forced him to trample on the cross, he replied, "Impossible, a hundred times no. As for me, the higher-ups can do whatever they want, but let it be just me alone." The soldiers subjected him to various forms of torture. In the dark prison, Father Cao continued to pray with Father Diem and Father Khoa.
On July 31, 1838, Father Borie was appointed bishop of the Western Tonkin Diocese at the age of 30 but had not yet been consecrated.
On November 18, 1838, Emperor Minh Mang ordered his execution. Upon hearing his death sentence, Bishop Borie bowed his head in gratitude for the opportunity to bear witness to his faith. On November 24, 1838, he was beheaded at the Dong Hoi execution ground. In 1842, his remains were reinterred at the Chapel of the Paris Foreign Missions Society, where the faithful could venerate him.
Bishop Borie - Cao was beatified on May 27, 1900, and canonized on June 19, 1988.
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