Saint Peter NGUYỄN BÁ TUẦN Priest martyr in Vietnam

Saint Peter NGUYỄN BÁ TUẦN

Priest

(1766-1838)

 

* Judas’ Kiss.

 

Entrusted with the safekeeping of two priests by the pastor of Kim Sơn parish, Bát Biên securely hid the two priests inside his home. A week later, he told the two priests: “I heard that the mandarin knew of your presence here and that the authorities are coming. I have to move you to a safer place.” Then Bát Biên led missionary priest Fernadez Hiền aboard a sampan and sailed away. Later, he returned to take Fr. Peter Tuần.

 

The two priests completely trusted Bát Biên’s words when they boarded the boat to escape, but unknowingly, that considerate and caring gesture was really the “Judas’ kiss.” Mr. Bát Biên’s conspiracy to get the two priests arrested went smoothly. Kisses were always gentle. And behind those kisses were imprisonment, tortures, and finally death.

 

Peter Nguyễn Bá Tuần was born in 1766 in the village of Ngọc Đồng, Hưng Yên province. At an early age, Tuần had already been known for his goodness, piety, and diligence. At maturity, he entered religious life where he diligently studied catechism as well as Chinese language. Seeing that he had the call to vocation, priests referred to the seminary. But he was in the seminary for only a short time when King Cảnh Thịnh issued his edict of persecution, seminarian Peter Tuần had to leave school and went into hiding at various places with Fr. Gatillepa Hoan to whom he became a capable assistant. Fortunately a short time later, the seminary was reopened; he returned to continue his training and was ordained a priest in 1807. Fr. Tuần had carried out his ministry at many places reaping considerable results and was highly regarded by his superiors throughout his 30 years of service.

 

* Paying for Trusting.

 

In 1838 when King Minh Mạng decreed even more severe persecution, Fr. Tuần was pastor of Lác Môn parish in Nam Định province. He not only took care of his pastoral responsibilities, but also paid attention to the Vietnamese Church, and to fellow priests. Hearing that Quần Liêu village was fearful of being incriminated by having in its midst Fr. Fernandez Hiền who was recovering from dysentery, Fr. Tuần had to hurriedly come to intervene and remain there to help villagers feel at ease in helping the sick priest. However this compassionate gesture had linked his life with that of the European missionary.

 

Remaining for a few days, the two priests left Quần Liêu for Kim Sơn in Ninh Bình province, in the west vicariate of Tonkin. However, the authorities were relentlessly pursuing Christian clerics there also, Christians had to hide the two priests in a swamp and under the elements for two days. Concurrently, the pastor of Kim Sơn parish sent for a pagan named Bát Biên, who had received many favors from the pastor, and entrusted the two priests with him. At his home, before getting the opportunity to bear witness to faith in God, the two priests had to pay for their trust in man. Mr. Bát Biên betrayed the priests and turned them into Governor Nam Định Trịnh Quang Khanh of Nam Định. Therefore, the two priests were put in cangues and thrown in jail.

 

In prison, the elderly priest of 72 was always bravely faithful to his belief even though his old body had to endure chains, shackles, and beatings. When the mandarin talked to the priest: “You are too very old to undergo tortures.” Fr.Tuần replied: “It is true that I am both weak as well as old, but God will give me strength to suffer all tortures and even to die for him.” In another appearance before the tribunal, the mandarin had a Catholic, who had rejected the faith, stepping on the cross and told the priest to do the same, the priest responded: “Why do I have to imitate a traitor to my religion? The mirror that I look at is my two bishops whose examples I want to follow.” (Fr. Tuần referred to bishops Henarez Minh and Delgado Y who were martyred on June 26 and July 12, respectively.)

 

* Glorious Death in Prison.

 

At the time, the laws forbid the execution of any person over 60 years of age. But on 7/18/1838, King Minh Mạng still approved the death sentence for Fr. Tuần, but that “unconstitutional” sentence was never carried out. Tortures in prison: beatings, hunger, thirst, humidity, mosquitoes and rep (centipedes) had finished off the executioner’s work. On 7/15//1838, three days before the king’s death sentence signoff, Fr. Tuần had completed the life of giving witness to God’s love in prison.

 

The priest’s path to martyrdom did not end in bloodshed or with drama. It was an ordinary path weaved with normal facts of life that any person could be confronted with: a sick friend, a heartless traitor, beatings, mosquitoes, and bed bugs... But at every “mile marker” on that road, the priest had traveled honorably, faithfully, and completely. He had wholeheartedly taken care of a brother in need. He had put complete trust in man even if that person turned out to be a traitor. He had lived a life of faith under difficult conditions, which at first glance seemed ordinary, but because of its long duration, was not any less treacherous.

 

Loyalty to such “little things,” was as good as loyalty to big things. His faithfulness had brought him the grace of martyrdom even though it was bloodless. He went to heavenly home on 7/15/1838 while he had readied himself step out the execution site to shed his blood to give witness to faith. His body was brought back by Christians to the church of Ngọc Đồng parish for burial, later it was taken to the South and venerated at Lạc An parish.

Done