Théophane Vénard

Saint Jean-Théophane Vénard, M.E.P. (November 21, 1829 at Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet, Diocese of Poitiers, France – February 2, 1861 in Tonkin, Vietnam) was a French Catholic missionary to Indo-China. He was a member of the Paris Foreign Missions Society. He was beatified in company with thirty-three other Catholic martyrs, most of whom were natives of Tonkin, Cochin-China, or China. Pope John Paul II canonized him, with nineteen other martyrs, in 1988.

Saint Théophane Vénard
Painting of Théophane Vénard in chains, at the Paris Foreign Missions Society.
Martyr
Born(1829-11-21)November 21, 1829
Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet, Diocese of Poitiers, France
DiedFebruary 2, 1861(1861-02-02) (aged 31)
Tonkin, Vietnam
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
BeatifiedMay 2, 1909, Rome, Kingdom of Italy by Pope Pius X
CanonizedJune 19, 1988, Vatican City, Rome, Italy by John-Paul II
FeastNovember 24
Remains of Théophane Vénard at the Paris Foreign Missions Society.

Life
Théophane Vénard.

Théophane Vénard studied at the College of Doué-la-Fontaine, Montmorillon, Poitiers, and at the Paris Seminary for Foreign Missions which he entered as a sub-deacon. Ordained a priest on 5 June 1852, he departed for the Far East on 19 Sept. After fifteen months in Hong Kong he arrived at his mission in West Tonkin (northern Vietnam). At the time, it was illegal to proselytise in Vietnam.

Shortly after Father Vénard's arrival a new royal edict was issued against Christians, and bishops and priests were obliged to seek refuge in caves, dense woods, and elsewhere. Father Vénard continued to exercise his ministry at night, and, more boldly, in broad day. On 30 November 1860, he was betrayed and captured. Tried before a mandarin, he refused to apostatize and was sentenced to be beheaded. He remained a captive until 2 February, and during this interval lived in a cage, from which he wrote to his family beautiful and consoling letters, joyful in anticipation of his crown. His bishop, Monsignor Retord, wrote of him at this time: "Though in chains, he is as gay as a little bird".

On the way to martyrdom Father Vénard chanted psalms and hymns. To his executioner, who coveted his clothing and asked what he would give to be killed promptly, he answered: "The longer it lasts the better it will be". His head, after exposure at the top of a pole, was secured by the Christians and is now venerated in Tonkin. The body rests in the crypt at the motherhouse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society in Paris, France.

The cause of his beatification was introduced at Rome in 1879, and he was declared Blessed, May 2, 1909. He was canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul II.


References
    • Herbert, Théophane Vénard (London);
    • Walsh, A Modern Martyr; Thoughts from Modern Martyrs; The Field Afar; Vie et Correspondence de J. Théophane Vénard (Poitiers, 1865);
    • Le Bienheureux Théophane Vénard (Paris, 1911);
    • Lettres Choisies du Bienheureux Théophane Vénard (Paris, 1909);
    • Cattaneo, Un Martire Moderno (Milan, 1910);
    • F. Trochu, Le Bienheureux Théophane Vénard. Ouvrage couronné par l' Académie française. Lyon, Paris, Édit. E. Vitte, [1929].

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     This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Bl. Théophane Vénard". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

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