Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan: Man of Joy and Hope

This definitive biography of the heroic life of Servant of God Cardinal Thuan is told by his sister Élisabeth, with Father Stefaan Lecleir, in the context of his family life, priesthood, and prison life, and the very challenging times in which he lived. It focuses especially on his profound spiritual life, his great suffering during a thirteen-year imprisonment by the Communists, his strong capacity for friendship with his enemies, and his deep veneration for Christ in the Eucharist. Élisabeth also reveals moving miraculous events that she witnessed in his life.

This inspirational account tells about the cardinal’s family and how it played a central role in Vietnam’s history, including his grandfather, who was minister to the emperor, and his mother, who was a special assistant to his uncle Ngo Dinh Diem, president of Vietnam. The assassinated Diem is much better understood as the book discusses his deep Catholic faith and strong devotion to his country in extremely difficult circumstances. The rich family history shows how Cardinal Thuan came from a lineage of courageous Vietnamese Christians, martyrs of the past and present.

This is a thorough, well-documented biography of a towering modern spiritual figure. It includes numerous testimonies of those who knew him personally and provides unprecedented material on the life of Cardinal Thuan.

Élisabeth Nguyen Thi Thu Hong, the cardinal’s sister, holds a degree in philosophy and letters. She was a teacher and a school principal in Windsor, Ontario. She remains one of the last direct witnesses to the cardinal’s life.

Stefaan Lecleir, a priest of the diocese of Antwerp, holds a Ph.D. in theology. He was a teacher at the Notre-Dame Seminary in Namur and is currently a lecturer at the Catholic University of Yambio and a parish priest in West Equatoria, South Sudan.