Feast Day: July 26
Beatified: March 5, 2000
Venerated: January 27, 2000

Jesuit missionaries came to Andrew’s Vietnam village to preach the Gospel in 1640, when he was 15 or 16. Andrew began to study with the priests so that he could understand what it meant to be a follower of Christ. He was baptized later that year and was eager to begin sharing his faith.

Andrew became a catechist, helping others to learn about Jesus’ life, death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven. He taught with such joy and deep faith that he was an inspiration not only to his students, but also to the other catechists of his village.

The king of Vietnam declared that Christianity was illegal. He ordered the Jesuits to leave the country. The army was given instructions to arrest anyone who was a follower of Christ.

Andrew was the first one arrested. He was told that his life would be spared if he would give up his faith, but Andrew refused. He was sentenced to death. As he was led to his execution, Andrew said these words to the crowd that had gathered: “Let us return love for love to our God.”

Andrew was only 19 when he was martyred in 1644. Andrew’s example helps us to understand what it means to live the eighth Beatitude: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Andrew was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000. His feast day is July 26, also believed to be the day of his martyrdom. His village of Mang Lang in the Qui Nhon Diocese became the center of the Catholic missionary movement in the province and is a destination for pilgrims and the site of Catholic youth festivals.

Connecting to Blest Are We^® Parish and School
Grade 6, unit 4