The
Catholic Weekly
Online
Sydney
21 September 2003
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Heaven
scent floral feast
Welcome
strangers’ call
Bishops:
Fight racism
Bishop
Mayne dies at 75
Senate
‘yes’ to gay bid
Benedictine
nuns gather in Sydney
Tears
of joy at Marriage Sunday Mass
Donor
club
His
Holiness, the poet
Concert
to mark Pope’s jubilee
It’s
‘weakness of faith’
Still
a need for Catholic voice: Dr Pell
Editorial:
Spectre of fear
Letters:
Christian values
Conversation:
Amanda McKenna, Catholic singer and songwriter - ‘God’s messenger’ on a journey
of faith
Opintion:
‘Good mother of all ...’
Voice
of Youth: ‘Most wonderful day’
Insights:
Biblical ancestors?
Religious:
Spirit-ualities are everywhere
North
American, Irish, Australian sisters in historic Loreto reunion
Education:
Decade a day at school
Social
Work degree course at Strathfield
Balmain
kids hit right note
Catechism:
Daytime course
New
bishops ‘help God’s light shine in darkness’
Capacity
to forgive ...
‘Heroic
witness’ to the Gospel of hope
‘Kids
worth dying for’
Inspirations:
‘Schoolies’ faith patrol
Capacity to forgive ...
Cardinal Thaun had a ‘disconcerting’ habit of converting his guards to Christianity
By Marilyn Rodrigues
One of the most remarkable things about Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan was his capacity to forgive his persecutors, says the Archbishop of Sydney, Dr George Pell.
And he had a “disconcerting habit” of converting his guards to Christianity.
Dr Pell was launching a new biography, The Miracle of Hope: Political prisoner, prophet of peace - Life of Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, which explores the spirituality, life and message of the Vietnamese-born cardinal.
It was written by Andre Nguyen Van Chau, a lifelong friend of the cardinal, at the cardinal’s request.
The book launch - at St Paul's Publications in Strathfield - marks the first anniversary of the death of Cardinal Thuan, who was president of the Pontifical Council for Justice, Development and Peace and one of the Church's most inspiring leaders.
Dr Pell said The Miracle of Hope brought back memories of his own conversations and correspondence with the cardinal, a man who was reticent about his experience of persecution, imprisonment and later exile at the hands of the Vietnamese communist authorities.
“I only knew him after he had left Vietnam, I had the privilege of meeting him several times in Rome and in Australia and he was an unfailing source of advice and friendship,” he said.
His was a “deep, beautiful and simple spirituality, very much of a peace with the Gospel teachings of Christ that come down to us”.
“I've got no doubt that the cardinal will eventually be beatified, recognised as a great confessor of the faith and, please God, also be canonised,” he said.
“This biography by Andre Van Chau has certainly done him justice.”
Andre Van Chau was not present for the launch, but in his message said that: “For all those who loved him and admired him, The Miracle of Hope does not simply recount the story of a great hero and teacher of our faith; it shows how they all contributed to his life and now, even after his death, bring hope back to the hearts of so many around the world.”
The cardinal's sister, Anne Nguyen Thi Ham-Tieu, said that Cardinal Thuan had regarded Australia as his second home because she and his mother lived here and his father was buried here.
She spoke of her brother's simplicity of spirit, humility and serenity, which had been nowhere more evident than when he was dying in Rome.
She said that when she asked him for some last words of advice he had answered simply: “Love one another; that is the Gospel message”.