Saint of the Day

01 · Read · A life to discover

St. Andrew Dũng Lạc

Andrew Dũng Lạc grew up in a poor family in northern Vietnam and encountered Christianity after moving to Hanoi. A catechist provided him with housing and instruction; he received baptism and was ordained a priest in 1823.

His vocation grew through the care of a local Christian rather than an isolated encounter with a foreign missionary. That beginning reflects the importance of Vietnamese catechists and households in transmitting the faith. As a priest, his preaching and simple manner of life became part of the same work.

Believers sheltered priests and raised ransom money at considerable personal risk. His repeated arrests show how precarious ministry had become: release did not mean lasting safety. His martyrdom should be read within this network of lay courage and mutual assistance, not solely as the story of one priest.

During persecution under Emperor Minh Mạng, parishioners secured his release from an initial arrest. He changed his name and continued his ministry, but was arrested again with the priest Peter Thi. They were executed in Hanoi on December 21, 1839. Andrew belongs to the 117 Vietnamese martyrs canonized in 1988. Their shared November 24 memorial is distinct from his individual death anniversary.

This saint is included on this recurring date in the U.S. Roman Rite calendar published by the USCCB. This reading guide gives U.S. calendar saints priority; the Mass celebrated on a particular year’s date can differ because of Sundays, seasons or higher-ranking celebrations.