Saint Paul Nguyễn Văn Mỹ – A Catechist Martyr from Hà Nam - The Saints Martyred for the Faith in Vietnam
Saint Paul Nguyễn Văn Mỹ was born in 1798 in the village of Kẻ Non (also called Sơn Nga), Thanh Liêm district, Hà Nam province, into a devout Catholic family. In his youth, his registered name was Nguyễn Văn Hựu and his home name was Hào.

At the age of 15, he was taken into the parish house and given the name Mỹ by the Bishop. Two years later, Father Luật from the parish of Kẻ Đầm requested to take the seminarian Mỹ to learn and assist at his parish house. He stayed with Father Luật for about four years, then entered the Vĩnh Trị minor seminary to study Latin. Afterwards, he returned to assist Father Nghiêm – a missionary priest – and continued working at the bishop's residence until the Bishop sent him to the Bầu Nọ parish to support Father Phan and Father Tân, two other missionary priests.

Those who knew seminarian Mỹ cherished and respected him for his diligence and for faithfully fulfilling the duties of his station: helping the faithful receive the sacraments, exhorting sinners to repent and return, and guiding non-believers to recognize and follow the faith of the Holy Lord God.

When the officials and soldiers surrounded Bầu Nọ village aiming to arrest Father Tân, they detained seminarian Mỹ along with seminarian Đường and seminarian Truật. On December 18, 1838, seminarian Paul Nguyễn Văn Mỹ was executed by strangulation. After the execution, the official permitted the faithful to bury his body. However, once the soldiers withdrew, the faithful brought his body to the village of Kẻ Máy, Cao Mại. Several years later, his remains were returned to his homeland of Kẻ Non.

Catechist Paul Nguyễn Văn Mỹ was proclaimed Blessed by Pope Leo XIII on May 27, 1900, and was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988.