Martyrs of Laos
16 December, various dates for individual martyrs | |
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Attributes | martyr's palm |
Patronage | Laos |
The Martyrs of Laos are seventeen
The cause for their canonization was opened as two parallel processes with one for Mario Borzaga – an
Life
Mario Borzaga and Thoj Xyooj Paj Lug
Borzaga
Mario Borzaga was born on 27 August 1932 in
On 25 April 1960 he and Lug – at the request of some of the villagers of Pha Xoua – began a three-day walk near the border of China and along the path lost their tracks but were later ambushed and killed by guerillas of the Pathet Lao. He was killed on 25 April 1960 in the town of Kiukatiam in Luang Prabang in Laos.[4] It was said that Borzaga was allowed to go because he was a foreign priest but he responded to his attackers: "If you kill him, you kill me. If he dies, I will die". His remains were thrown into a pit with his companion and never identified with precision.
He wrote a diary of his experiences and was later published as "To Be a Happy Man".
Lug
Thoj Xyooj Paj Lug, a Hmong, was born in 1941 in Kiukatiam and was a catechist from the apostolic vicariate of Luang Prabang.[5] He was killed on 25 April 1960 in his hometown and his remains crudely thrown into a pit alongside his priestly companion.[5]
Joseph Thąo Tiěn and 14 companions
The fifteen martyrs are a group of
During the Easter season of 1953, guerillas stormed Sam Neua and many missionaries retreated in order to remain safe while Joseph Thąo Tiěn remained behind – ordained in 1949 – and said: "I am staying for my people. I am ready to lay down my life for my Laotian brothers and sisters". He was then marched to the prison camp at Talang and told weeping people along the way: "Do not be sad, I'll come back. I am going to study ... Make sure that your village keeps improving". The priest was sentenced to death and killed a year later and refused to give up the priesthood and marry as his captors ordered him to do.[7]
On the other side of Laos the priest John Baptist Malo – who served in China – was detained with four companions and died of exhaustion in 1954 en route to a prison camp. Other French priests and religious were killed and others died in captivity.[7]
Martyrs
Below are the names of the fifteen martyrs:[6]
- Jean-Baptiste Malo (2 June 1889 – 28 March 1954) – priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
- Joseph Thąo Tiěn (5 December 1918 – 2 June 1954) – priest
- René Dubroux (28 November 1914 – 19 December 1959) – priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
- Louis Leroy (8 October 1923 – 18 April 1961) – priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Michel Coquelet (18 August 1931 – 20 April 1961) – priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Vincent l'Hénoret (12 March 1921 – 11 May 1961) – priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Noël Tenaud (11 November 1904 – 27 April 1961) – priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
- Joseph Outhay Phongphumi (1933 – 27 April 1961) – layman and catechist
- Marcel Denis (8 July 1919 – 31 July 1961) – priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
- Jean Wauthier (22 March 1926 – 16 December 1967) – priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Lucien Galan (9 December 1921 – 12 May 1968) – priest of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris
- Thomas Khampheuane Inthirath (May 1952 – 12 May 1968) – layman
- Joseph Boissel (20 December 1909 – 5 July 1969) – priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Luc Sy (1938 – 7 March 1970) – layman and catechist, cousin of Cardinal Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pakse
- Maisam Pho Inpèng (1934 – 7 March 1970) – married layman
Beatification
The beatification process for Borzaga and Lug commenced in
The second cause commenced in Nantes and the transfer of the forum came from Savannakhet and other Laotian cities on 6 September 2007. The official "nihil obstat" came on 18 January 2008 and allowed for the inauguration of the diocesan process which started on 10 June 2008 and concluded its business on 28 February 2010; the cause was validated on 15 October 2011. The postulation sent the Positio to the C.C.S. in 2014 and theologians voiced their approval to the cause on 27 November 2014 while the C.C.S. also voted in favor on 2 June 2015. Pope Francis confirmed the group were martyrs on 5 June 2015 and approved their beatification.
The beatification was celebrated in Vientiane Cathedral on 11 December 2016 in which Cardinal Orlando Quevedo presided on the pope's behalf.[8]
The current postulator for both these causes is Thomas Kosterkamp.
References
- ^ a b "The martyrs of Laos, part 2". Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Group of Laotians soon to be recognized as martyrs". 22 July 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Blessed Mario Borzaga". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Venerable Mario Borzaga". Saints SQPN. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Venerable Paul Thoj Xyooj". Saints SQPN. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Blessed Martyrs of Laos". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Martyrs of Laos". OMI Postulation. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ^ Missions étrangères de Paris, La béatification de dix-sept martyrs du Laos célébrée à Vientiane augure d'un avenir renouvelé pour l'Église locale, 12 décembre 2016