Memorial of St. Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

Brief Background:

St. Andrew Dung-Lac (1795–1839) was a Vietnamese diocesan priest and one of the most well-known among the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988. Born to a poor family, he was originally named Trần An Dũng. His family moved to Hanoi to escape famine, where he encountered Catholic missionaries. After receiving catechesis and baptism, he took the Christian name Andrew and eventually became a priest noted for his simplicity, holiness, and dedication to serving the poor. His last name Dung-Lac was adopted after he changed residences to avoid persecution.

During the 17th to 19th centuries, the Catholic Church in Vietnam suffered severe persecution under various dynasties. Christians were accused of rejecting traditional customs and loyalty to the emperor. Many were imprisoned, tortured, or executed—bishops, priests, religious, catechists, and countless laypeople. St. Andrew Dung-Lac and 116 companions represent a wide range of vocations and backgrounds, including both Vietnamese and foreign missionaries (especially from the Paris Foreign Missions Society and Spanish Dominicans).

These martyrs are remembered for their extraordinary courage, steadfast faith, and refusal to renounce Christ even under brutal torture. Their witness helped the Church in Vietnam grow stronger and more vibrant in the centuries that followed.

St. Andrew is the patron saint of the Catholic Church in Vietnam, Vietnamese Catholics worldwide and persecuted Christians.

REFLECTION:

Many people have questions about the new OCIA process. In the past, adult initiation often followed a strict schedule — “you must complete two years of catechesis before baptism.” Today, the Church emphasizes accompaniment rather than a fixed program. OCIA invites us to meet individuals where they are spiritually. Someone unbaptized may need more time; someone baptized in another Christian denomination may move more quickly; a young person who has been coming to Mass and learning quietly on their own may already be prepared in ways we don’t expect. The Church recognizes that faith grows at different speeds, and grace cannot be forced into a calendar year.

This flexible, grace-centered approach mirrors the story of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar set a strict plan: three years of training to reshape Daniel and his companions into Babylonian servants. But Daniel proposed something surprising — just ten days of fidelity to God’s way. And in those ten days, God accomplished what the king expected to take years. Daniel and his friends emerged healthier, wiser, and set apart, not because of a lengthy program, but because they entrusted even a small offering to God.

The contrast between three years and ten days reveals that God does not need long timelines to work powerfully. Human systems rely on structure, time, and method. But God looks at the heart. God works with whatever we offer — even when it seems small. The OCIA process honors this same truth: conversion is not a checklist, not an academic course, and not a strict two-year journey for everyone. It is a relationship with God, shaped by grace, readiness, and the honest desire of the seeker. Some journeys are long and steady; others are short and intense. What matters is not the timeline, but the openness of the heart. God works in ways that surprise us, often transforming people more quickly, quietly, or deeply than we assume.

Whether someone needs three years or ten days, whether the journey is slow or swift, God meets each person exactly where they are. Our task is to accompany them, encourage them, and trust that grace does the real work. Daniel’s story reminds us that God can accomplish much with even a little. When someone approaches the Church with even a small desire for faith, a small spark of curiosity, or a small act of trust, God can use it to transform their life. In the OCIA — and in all ministries — we are called to trust that God works in His timing, through His grace, and with whatever we place in His hands.