Saint Andrew Trần Văn Trông

Andrew Trần Văn Trông was born in Kim Long, Phú Xuân, near the imperial city of Huế, into a Catholic family. Sources disagree on the year of his birth, some giving 1808, others 1814.

His father died early, and he was the only son. From childhood he worked as a silk weaver at Thợ Đúc to help his mother support the family. Mother and son leaned on each other.

At about twenty he joined the army, but he kept doing the work he knew, weaving silk for the court.

In November 1834, under Emperor Minh Mạng, Catholic soldiers were ordered to come forward. Trông and twelve other soldiers were imprisoned at Trấn Phủ for refusing to step on the cross.

Then the torture began. One by one his twelve comrades stepped on the cross and were released.

Only Trông was left.

Think what that was like: watching friend after friend step on the cross, win his freedom and go home. Little by little the cell emptied, until he was alone, with no one to pray with and no one to suffer with. Only him and God.

On November 28, 1835, he was led to the execution ground. On the way his mother ran to his side and asked:

“While you were in prison, did you owe anyone anything? If you did, tell me, and I will pay it for you.”

She had raised her son alone since her husband died, and now she was about to lose him too. She did not weep and plead or urge him to give up his faith. She only wanted to look after him to the very last.

Trông answered his mother:

“Mạ, do not worry, I do not owe anyone anything at all. Be at peace, Mạ, follow God bravely, and I promise I will always pray for you.”

“Mạ” is the Huế word for mother, and it is very tender: a son comforting his mother before he dies.

Andrew Trông was beheaded at An Hòa market. His mother took his body, wrapped it in her own long tunic and had him buried at the church of Kim Long.

He was beatified on May 27, 1900, and canonized on June 19, 1988. His own feast day is November 28.

Trông’s story is the story of a mother and her son. She raised him alone from an early age, weaving silk beside him. And at the very end, alone again, she saw to his burial, wrapping him in her own garment.

Perhaps Our Lady at the foot of the cross was like that: unable to save her Son, yet staying to the end and holding Him when He was taken down.

For Catholic mothers today, that mother of Kim Long is an example. To love your child is not to keep him for yourself but to walk with him on the road he has chosen, even the road of the cross.