THAI BINH (RVA News): The bishops of Vietnam discussed their wish to start the beatification process for Bishop François Pallu and [1626- to 1684] and Bishop Pierre Lambert de La Motte [1624 to 1679], of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris [Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris—MEP].
The bishops’ plenary assembly was held in the Diocese of Thai Binh from April 25 to 29.
The bishops from 27 dioceses, along with Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the apostolic nuncio in Singapore and the non-resident papal representative in Vietnam, and a Vatican delegation led by Monsignor Miroslaw Stanislaw Wachowski, the Vatican undersecretary for Relations with the States, were present.
The two bishops were the first MEP missionaries to the Far East, particularly Vietnam where they were also were also vicars apostolic, making great contributions to the evanglisation and development of the Churches in East Asia.
Bishop François Pallu is mainly recognised as the founder of MEP. He was born in the parish of Saint-Saturnin, in Tours, France, on 31 August 1626. He came from a noble family and his father was the mayor, a councillor, and a lawyer.
He was ordained as a priest in 1650. He was appointed titular bishop of Heliopolis and the vicar apostolic of Tonkin [comprising the northern part of Vietnam, Laos, and five provinces of southwest China] on 29 July 1658. He died as vicar apostolic of Fukien in Muyan, Fujian, China, on 29 October 1684.
Bishop Pierre Lambert de La Motte co-founded the MEP. He was born on 16 January 1624. He was ordained as a priest on 27 December 1655.
Pope Alexander VII appointed him as the first vicar apostolic of Cochin or Cochin-China [the southern part of Vietnam] on 29 July 1658.
In 1699, he travelled with Father Jacques de Bourges and Father Gabriel Bouchard to Tonkin and established a church. He founded the women ‘s religious federation of the Lovers of the Holy Cross in 1670. He died in 1679 at Ayutthaya of Siam [Thailand].
According to the official procedure of the Catholic Church, there are three steps canonisation as a saint. The first one is the title of “Venerable” when a person was formally recognised by the pope for their heroic and virtuous life. The second, “Blessed” comes with the recognition of one miracle the intercession to the Venerable and recognition of a heroic, virtuous life.
Finally is the title of “Saint” wherein the confirmation of a second miracle is needed.
As of 2021, Vietnam has three archdioceses and 24 dioceses, with 26 active bishops and 20 retired bishops, about 3,000 parishes, 6,000 priests, 200 orders, societies, and congregations, 31,000 religious, and over seven million laity. – with input from Patrick Soe Htun
