On Sunday 17 November, Vietnamese Catholics from across the Archdiocese gathered at St Patrick’s Cathedral to commemorate the Vietnamese Martyrs—an annual celebration that both honours the rich heritage of Melbourne’s Vietnamese Catholic community and inspires hope for the future.
The Mass has been a feature of the Church calendar in Melbourne since the early 1980s, traditionally taking place on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, close to the feast of the Vietnamese Martyrs, which is celebrated each year on 24 November.
This year, in an atmosphere that was both solemn and joyful, and bathed in the golden, late-afternoon glow of the Cathedral, more than 2,000 people came together to celebrate the deep faith and resilience of the Vietnamese Catholic community and to honour the memory of the martyrs—estimated at between 130,000 and 300,000 in number—who suffered for their faith in Vietnam between 1630 and 1880.
The afternoon commenced with a Rosary procession led by Fr Peter Hoàng Kim Huy SDB, Coordinator of the Vietnamese Chaplains Core Team. At the head of the procession was the processional cross, followed by community flags representing 16 of Melbourne’s local Vietnamese Catholic communities.
The communion of Vietnamese saints is honoured to be seen according to the only rank that matters, their baptismal dignity.
Representatives of the many youth movements and religious and lay groups that enrich Melbourne’s thriving Vietnamese Catholic community joined the procession, including members of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, Vietnamese Catholic Youth of the Archdiocese of Melbourne (VCYAM), Sacred Heart League and Female Disciples Group, Secular Franciscan Order (lay Franciscans), Third Order of Saint Dominic (lay Dominicans), Confraternity of Christian Mothers, Confraternity of the Rosary, Cursillo Movement, Divine Mercy group and Charity of Fr Francis Xavier Trương Bửu Diệp Group, as well as the outgoing and the incoming pastoral councils of the Vietnamese Catholic Community of Melbourne.
As it wound its way around the Cathedral, the procession reflected the vibrancy and variety of the Vietnamese Catholic community in our Archdiocese, and featured symbols of the community’s faith and heritage, including a Youth Cross (created in 2012 and inspired by the World Youth Day Cross), the statue of Our Lady of La Vang (honouring the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary reported at La Vang, Vietnam, in 1798) and relics of the Vietnamese martyrs.
A handover ceremony took place before the start of the Mass, in which the community’s outgoing pastoral council was honoured and thanked, and the incoming pastoral council was introduced and welcomed.
The Mass was concelebrated by Vietnamese priests of the Archdiocese, including Bishop-Elect Fr Thinh Xuân Nguyễn. Accompanied by soaring strings, the more than 100 voices of the Vietnamese Martyrs Combined Choir filled the Cathedral with song, weaving Vietnamese sacred music into the poignant liturgy.
It is as Christian disciples that we can best be witnesses to Christ’s love for us—given on the cross—that will not be overcome.
In his homily, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli reflected on the profound legacy of the Vietnamese Martyrs, drawing attention to an evocative image often depicted in paintings and mosaics, a version of which had been carried in the Rosary procession.
‘It occurs also in various forms, but usually with the green hills and blue waters of Vietnam in the upper background and the instruments of torture and execution in the lower foreground,’ he said. This juxtaposition, he explained, powerfully symbolises the martyrs’ suffering and their ultimate triumph in faith.
Archbishop Comensoli spoke movingly of the diversity of the martyrs, pointing out that they included lay men and women, priests, bishops and religious, all dressed in traditional Vietnamese attire, even those not born in Vietnam.
‘For me, it is the image of these martyrs, all mixed in together, and not in rows of ecclesiastical ranking, that is most striking,’ he said. ‘The communion of Vietnamese saints is honoured to be seen according to the only rank that matters, their baptismal dignity.’
Archbishop Comensoli reminded those gathered of the shared discipleship that unites all Christians. ‘We, too, are a mixture of lay men and women, religious brothers and sisters, clergy and bishops; but we are all Christian disciples. And it is as Christian disciples that we can best be witnesses to Christ’s love for us—given on the cross—that will not be overcome’.
Do not be afraid! Christ is our hope.
The Archbishop also spoke words of encouragement and hope, urging the community not to fear the challenges they face. ‘For this reason, we do not need to be afraid to walk with Christ, for he walks with us. Like the thousands of Vietnamese saints, Christ will raise up our lives to share in his life. This is our common calling, no matter what walk in life we are taking, what vocation we have been given.
‘Whether we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking what we need, or threatened or attacked, God is on our side,’ Archbishop Comensoli said, pointing to the strength and witness of the martyrs who faced extreme suffering yet remained steadfast in their faith. ‘Do not be afraid! Christ is our hope.’
The Mass also included blessings for the outgoing and incoming pastoral councils and a special blessing for couples celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries.
After the Mass, the congregation gathered for photos—an opportunity to capture this moment of unity and shared celebration.
Banner image: Vietnamese Martys’ Mass. (Photo by: Khoa Vu.)
