Who exactly is Father Dang Huu Nam?
(Baonghean.vn) - Over the past period, Baonghean.vn has continuously received many opinions and concerns about the actions and deeds of Father Dang Huu Nam.The parish priest of Phu Yen, An Hoa commune, Quynh Luu district. Among them, there are many parishioners from within and outside the province. Most of them are...They were surprised and shocked, not understanding why Father Nam would do such a thing, especially since he was a priest.
>>>What did Father Dang Huu Nam do in Phu Yen parish?
Unprovoked assault and disruption of public order in An Hoa commune, Quynh Luu district.
Nghe An Newspaper would like to publish excerpts of the opinions, thoughts, and feelings of a parishioner about Father Dang Huu Nam.
"...“Living in this life requires a compassionate heart,” the lyrics of musician Trinh Cong Son evoke many thoughts in us as we have witnessed numerous incidents in recent days involving Father Dang Huu Nam, the “good” shepherd of God’s people, who has harmed those around him. We Catholics are puzzled and cannot understand why Father Nam would do such things, when he is, in all his right, a priest. Surely he still remembers the obedience and consent he gave when the Bishop read the following words upon his ordination:
"My dear son, would you like to become a priest, a collaborator with the Bishop in the priesthood, to serve and lead God's people under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?"
- "Do you wish to faithfully fulfill the ministry of the Word of God, that is, to preach the Gospel and present the doctrine of the Catholic Faith according to the tradition of the Church to praise God and sanctify the Christian people?"
- "Do you wish to unite each day with the High Priest, Christ, who consecrated himself to his Father, and with him, consecrate yourself to God for the salvation of mankind?"
Catholics were truly shocked by Father Nam's actions, because a priest is the embodiment of Christ, the head of His Mystical Body, the Church, continuing Jesus' work on earth to govern God's people, sanctify them, and preach the Gospel.
If Saint Paul observed this about himself in his immortal words: "I now live, but it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me," then at least Father Nam must have words and actions that allow him to say: "I now speak and act, but it is no longer I who speak and act through me, but Christ speaks and acts through me."
It's time for us Catholics to ask the big question: Who is Father Nam really? What is his purpose in doing this?
"What did Father Dang Huu Nam do in Phu Yen parish?"
We cannot continue to receive phone calls every day like, "Dad's car has been stopped, Dad's been beaten..." and then rush out with spears, sticks, iron pipes..., engaging in brawls with our fellow human beings, our neighbors, our fellow countrymen, those with the same blood and skin, who have been there for each other in times of need.
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| Father Dang Huu Nam |
Let's take a moment to reflect on how our lives have been turned upside down since Father Nam returned to Phu Yen.
Why is it that we are constantly on high alert for our own brothers and sisters? Doesn't anyone among us notice something amiss? Where has the peace that our people have always cherished gone?
To be honest, we Catholic parishioners in Phu Yen parish haven't had a peaceful life since Father Nam came to the parish. But out of obedience, we haven't dared to say a word of protest. Having witnessed and directly participated in many of the actions Father Nam initiated, we are very concerned. What should we do? Is this how Father Nam is bringing God's kingdom to Phu Yen?
We dare not compare the events of the past few days in Phu Yen to Jesus' Last Supper with the twelve apostles. But we also suspect that Father Nam might become the Judas of that Last Supper. Because Jesus revealed that His death was not a surprise. He knew He would die so that the work of salvation would be completed and the grace of salvation would not be wasted.
The traitor must be held accountable to God for his betrayal. God is never deceived by Judas' actions. God is always there; no matter how secretive the sin, it will eventually be discovered. Let's connect the events and the words and deeds of Father Nam, and we will see that the mission of a priest is not like that at all.
Saint Paul exhorted the Romans with this sentiment: "Submit to the authorities, not only out of fear of punishment, but also out of conscience" (Romans 13:5). Like Jesus, Saint Paul respected established authorities. Yet Father Nam did not submit to anyone, did he respect established authorities? As a priest, Father Nam had the duty to convey the teachings of Jesus to new circumstances, to the current political situation. The Church constantly actualizes the teachings of the Gospel, after all.
Father Nam, do you remember that the Church only places itself within the natural flow of Christian tradition and that this is an inherent requirement in its mission of evangelization? The State provides the appropriate legal framework to regulate its relations with civil society according to the principle of subsidiarity, a fact you surely know better than we do. Therefore, it can be said that the relationship between the Church and the civil government is one in which both sides respect each other and cooperate to best serve humanity.
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| The scene of the unprovoked assault and public disorder incident on November 12, 2016, in An Hoa (Quynh Luu). |
The things you are doing show that you consider yourself to have a personal authority, as if the sky belongs to you alone. The Church respects the legitimate and rightful authority of the State. This respect stems from recognizing the legitimate independence of earthly realities, as the Second Vatican Council affirmed. Also, according to the Second Vatican Council, the Church does not interfere in technical matters, nor does it propose or establish systems or models of social organization. That is not the mission that Christ intended for the Church.
According to Pope Benedict XVI, the distinction between State and Church is an integral part of the fundamental structure of Christianity. The Church respects and recognizes this distinction and autonomy, considering it a great progress for humanity and a fundamental condition for the freedom of the Church as well as for the Church to fulfill its universal mission of salvation among all peoples.
Father Nam, we know that you are currently overwhelmed with many conflicting and superficial thoughts, like someone hanging all sorts of clothes on a single hanger. Please begin by shedding what is unworthy of a priest and retaining only the essence of a priest, as tradition has shown, beginning with Jesus. For the sake of the flock, you should perform the essential duties of a priest: preaching the Gospel, celebrating the Sacraments, and leading the flock entrusted to you by God. Only then will you be able to gather everyone in Christ, build up the community, expand it, and connect it with all communities in the world—in other words, to train and grow the Body of Christ.
Our priests surely all remember the instruction of Bishop Peter Nguyen Soan (VietCatholic News, February 28, 2005): “In pastoral life, in the parish, in the training environment, do we treat our collaborators with charity and constructiveness? Do we allow our fellow priests, the catechists, the parish council members to have initiatives? Do we respect their suggestions? Do we listen in sincere dialogue and decide objectively? Or do we turn them into mere tools, like servants who must absolutely obey their master? Do we stifle all their initiatives, only elevating our own individuality subjectively, considering ourselves the absolute, infallible center?”
In social life, both for lay and religious people, we must be upright in our speech, demeanor, conduct, and even our eating habits. Everything must be done with careful consideration, because through the life of a priest, one must recognize the image of Jesus Christ the Savior. The standards traditionally set for priests are: holiness, zeal, becoming the salt and light of the earth, complete selflessness in their mission, setting an example of virtue, and caring for the flock both spiritually and materially. To achieve these standards, priests need to cultivate generosity, zeal, profound inner life, a simple lifestyle, dedicated service, and a willingness to engage in dialogue without prejudice.
To conclude this article, we, the Catholics, ask Father Nam to reflect on what he is doing. It is time for Catholics to recognize the true God of love and the devil Satan. We also share Father Chevrier's words: "A priest is one who is devoured." Being devoured inevitably leads to physical and spiritual weariness.
Brothers and sisters in faith
