Saint Melchor García Sampedro (Xuyên), Bishop

Melchor García Sampedro was born in 1821 in Spain, into a family that had once been well off and had fallen on hard times. He studied theology and then entered the Dominican Order with a clear desire: to go on mission.

In 1847 he was ordained a priest. In 1849 he came to Vietnam and took the Vietnamese name Xuyên.

He was assigned to teach at the seminary of Cao Xá. He saw to the printing of small catechism books, easy to carry and easy to hide, so that the faithful could learn their religion even in difficult years. He also cared especially for those who did not yet know God, looking for ways to draw near to them.

People still remember a piece of advice he often gave: “Look at the faults of others in order to correct yourself.” Not to criticize others, but to see what you yourself need to change. It is a humble piece of wisdom.

In 1855, when he was only thirty-four, he was consecrated coadjutor bishop at Bùi Chu.

In 1857, Bishop José Díaz Sanjurjo (An), whom he assisted, was beheaded at Bảy Mẫu. The burden of the whole vicariate now fell on Bishop Xuyên’s shoulders.

He could have gone deep into hiding and waited for the storm to pass. But he went on visiting the Catholic communities, only now he traveled at night to avoid the patrols hunting for him. The faithful, confused and afraid, needed to see that their shepherd was still there.

And he did something that shows how far ahead he was thinking: he prepared a successor. In a Catholic home, in secret, he consecrated a new bishop. He knew he could be arrested at any moment. He did not want his flock to be left without a shepherd.

On July 8, 1858, Bishop Xuyên was arrested at Kiên Lao. Arrested with him were two young altar servers, Nguyễn Tiệp and Mai Hiến. The two young men had served the bishop on his night journeys, and now they went with him into prison.

About twenty days in prison. Perhaps during those days the bishop comforted the two young men, and they in turn were his support.

On July 28, 1858, under Emperor Tự Đức, the two altar servers were beheaded. Bishop Xuyên was put to death by slow dismemberment at Bảy Mẫu, the cruelest punishment of that time.

The faithful quietly gathered his remains and took them to be buried at Phú Nhai. Later, part of his remains were taken to Spain and Manila.

He was beatified on April 29, 1951, and canonized on June 19, 1988. His own feast day is July 28.

Bishop Xuyên lived in Vietnam for nine years and died at thirty-seven. A short life. But in those nine years he taught students, printed catechisms, visited his flock by night, and prepared his own successor.

Some leaders think only of today. Bishop Xuyên thought of the Church’s tomorrow, even knowing he would not be there for it. And that is perhaps the mark of a true shepherd: not keeping the flock for himself, but making sure the flock will have someone to care for it after he is gone.