Ball Close to Pocket

 

Cherishing the history and heritage of Vietnamese martyrs

11/24/2025

Matthew 10:17-22 Jesus said to his Apostles: “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

My first brush with the heroic faith and fortitude of Vietnamese Catholics came in seminary when I met Trung Nguyen. Like most Vietnamese men, Trung was somewhat short, had straight black hair, and a sly smile, like he knew something that you did not know.  And Trung taught me how to play pool or billiards.

Like a typical beginner, I liked to hit the cue ball really hard so if the solid or stripped ball landed in the pocket, it made an impressive bang. It rarely landed in the pocket and instead caromed off unpredictably. But Trung taught me: “Hit the cue ball softly and accurately and then even if you miss the shot, the solid or stripped ball would stay close to the pocket for your next shot.”

After seminary and ordination, Fr. Trung earned a degree in canon law, served as rectory of St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston, and is now pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Manvel, Texas. Even though Fr. Trung plays pool with soft hands, his character has profound strength, with far greater power than the flashy pool shots I tried to make (and missed). And the same can be said of virtually all Vietnamese Catholics: they speak softly but have an unshakable faith and fortitude. They always leave the ball close to the pocket, meaning they always stay close to Christ.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions, Vietnamese martyrs. I was still in seminary at the University of Dallas playing pool with Trung Nguyen when on June 19, 1988 Pope St. John Paul II canonized 117 Vietnamese martyrs at St. Peter’s Basilica. I still remember how moved Trung was during those days of the canonization. In fact, he wrote his history thesis for his bachelor of arts degree on the martyrdom of the 117 Vietnamese martyrs.

You see, Trung Nguyen was cut from the same cloth as these heroic martyrs for the faith. They were not flashy Christians but they were unshakable Christians. And no amount of torture, punishment, imprisonment, and executions could deflect them from their determination in following Jesus. Just like Trung kept the ball close to the pocket, so these Vietnamese martyrs stayed close to Christ.

Let me give you a sample of their strength. In the 18th century Dominican and Jesuit missionaries spread out across Vietnam to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty felt the Catholic missionaries were a threat to the empire. To discourage conversions Christians were branded on the face with the words “ta dao” literally meaning “unorthodox religion.” And whole families and villages who had converted to Christianity were obliterated.

I did a quick internet search and discovered this: “In January of 1833 a new kingdom-wide edict was passed calling on Vietnamese subjects to reject the religion of Jesus and required suspected Catholics to demonstrate their renunciation by walking on a wooden cross.” By the way, if someone threatened you with torture, imprisonment, or execution, would you walk on the cross of Christ to save yourself? I don’t know about you, but I can barely give up coffee for Lent as a sacrifice for Jesus.

And many of the Vietnamese martyrs suffered betrayal by family and friends as Jesus foretold in the gospel today: "Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death." For example, Fr. Ignatius Delgado was turned over to the authorities by local villagers and put in a cage for public display and mockery. He died of hunger and exhaustion while awaiting his execution.

And what about St. Andrew Dung Lac? He was born in 1795 and took the name “Andrew” at his baptism. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on March 15, 1823. He was executed by beheading during the reign of the Emperor Ming Mang. My friends, I am just giving you a glimpse of the heroic history and holy heritage of Vietnamese Catholics, like the Vietnamese sisters and parishioners who join us for morning Mass.

Their faith was not tested in the classroom, or courtroom, or in congress, but on the Cross and in martyrdom. And I could sense that invincible faith and fortitude even when I played Trung Nguyen in pool. And he always beat me because he kept the ball close to the pocket.

Praised be Jesus Christ!