Saint Anthony Nguyễn Hữu Quỳnh (Năm)

Anthony Nguyễn Hữu Quỳnh was born in 1768 in the village of Mỹ Hương, Lệ Thủy district, Quảng Bình province. He was the fifth child of the family, so people called him Năm Quỳnh, “Quỳnh the Fifth”.

As a young man he was a soldier. After leaving the army, he learned traditional Eastern medicine. He became a well-known healer, sought out by many. But what people remember about him is not his skill, but his heart: he often treated the poor without charge, and even gave them extra money for medicine and food.

His family sometimes worried that if he gave away so much the household would go short. But he believed that those who help the poor will never be in want.

He was also a parish elder and taught the catechism. His house was at once a clinic, a catechism class, and a place where priests could hide in the years of persecution. A home with a wife and children, a medicine cabinet, the sound of children learning prayers, and guests who needed to be kept hidden.

When Emperor Minh Mạng’s persecution reached Quảng Bình, soldiers searched Năm’s house. He was arrested at Kim Sen and taken to Đồng Hới.

The soldiers also seized a ledger listing the names of the faithful. Năm was beside himself with worry. If that ledger fell into the mandarin’s hands, the whole parish would be implicated. He asked his son to do everything possible to get it back. Even in prison, his first concern was not his own life but the safety of the people whose names were in it.

At Đồng Hới he was held with Bishop Borie (Cao), the priests, and the catechist Peter Nguyễn Khắc Tự. The mandarin pressed him to deny his faith. At one point soldiers dragged him across the cross by force. He protested, saying:

“I would rather die than deny God, even for a moment.”

He was held for two years. But he did not sit idle. He fasted, prayed, and went on doing what he had done all his life: healing. He treated his fellow prisoners, and also those who worked in the prison, including a mandarin. A prisoner treating his jailers. Perhaps there is no more beautiful image of charity.

On July 10, 1840, Năm was led to the execution ground of Đồng Hới together with the catechist Peter Tự. Two of his sons came to say goodbye to their father. He was calm, urged his children to stay faithful to the religion, and then said:

“Give my greetings to the elders and to all the brothers and sisters of Mỹ Hương... you will see me again in Heaven.”

Then he spread his arms:

“Long ago the Lord also spread His arms like this to be crucified.”

He was strangled. His body was buried at Kim Sen.

He was beatified on May 27, 1900, and canonized on June 19, 1988. His own feast day is July 10.

Năm Quỳnh gave all his life: medicine, money, his own home as a refuge. In prison he still gave his strength to heal. And in the end he gave his life.

His outstretched arms at the execution ground of Đồng Hới were an image of the cross. They were also the arms of a man whose heart had been open to everyone all his life.