The beatification of Father Francisco Javier Truong Buu Diep, celebrated on July 2 in Tac Say, Ca Mau province, has been received with deep gratitude by Vietnamese Catholics and the local population. Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, a 55-year-old pilgrim from Ho Chi Minh City, expressed her emotion: “We thank God for granting such great joy to Vietnamese Catholics with the beatification of Father Diep right here, in his homeland.” For her, this was her most special visit to Tac Say, a place she had already pilgrimaged to on numerous occasions.
The event marked a milestone in the history of the Church in Vietnam, being the first time a beatification Mass was celebrated in the country. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and papal envoy of Pope Leo XIV. Nguyen Ho Hai, secretary of the Party Committee of Ca Mau province, highlighted that “this solemn celebration is not only a joy for Vietnamese Catholics, but also a joy shared by all the people of Ca Mau province, as well as an opportunity to make known the land and people of Ca Mau to friends both nationally and internationally.”
A celebration that united an entire people
Participation exceeded 70,000 people, both in person and online, and transcended religious, cultural, and social differences. Vietnamese state media offered positive coverage, highlighting images of long lines of faithful who came to the tomb of the new blessed to pray, place flowers, and prayer letters. “The pilgrims sang hymns of praise to God and recalled the merits of the new blessed. Everyone shared a common prayer for peace and renewed attention to the positive values of life,” they reported.
The bishop of the diocese of Can Tho, Monsignor Pedro Nguyen Tan Loi, described the event as a “true miracle.” In his statements after the Mass, he affirmed: “Father Diep does not belong only to Catholics, but is also a meeting point of compassion. The fact that millions of hearts belonging to different creeds have bowed with respect before this priest is a great miracle of harmony and unity.” The presence of civil authorities, representatives of other religions, and volunteers from various backgrounds transformed the celebration into a testimony of faith and solidarity.
The bishop also expressed his hope that the spirit of compassion of Father Diep inspires leaders to be “faithful servants of the people, attentive to the peace and happiness of our compatriots.” Addressing non-Catholics, he wished that Tac Say “may always remain a common home of peace, where the boundless love of Father Diep can warm the hearts of all and help them discover God.” The beatification, more than a liturgical act, became a symbol of unity in a world marked by divisions, reminding that compassion and mutual respect can unite people beyond their beliefs.
Original source: www.fides.org (published on July 10, 2026)
Photo: Hưng Nguyễn on Unsplash
