Testimony of Hope : Spiritual Exercises Given to Pope John Paul II

by François-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận

Every year, John Paul 11 selects a preacher for a course of Spiritual Exercises for himself and the Vatican's Roman Curia. For the Jubilee 2000, he chose Vietnamese Archbishop Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan. Testimony of Hope is the complete text of those Spiritual Exercises. In this moving work, Archbishop Van Thuan addresses our need for hope at the beginning of the twenty-first century. As a prisoner in various Communist prisons for thirteen years, nine of them in solitary confinement, Archbishop Van Thuan faced what he describes as the agonizing pain of isolation and abandonment. Recounting the details of those long years, he reveals the secret that allowed him to cling to hope in the midst of despair. Archbishop Van Thuan's message to John Paul 11 is also for the hope he discovered in imprisonment is also our hope for the Church and the world at this momentous point in history. Faced with any darkness, we have a reason for Christ, Hope of the World. Francis Xavier Nguyen Van 7huan was made the bishop of Nha Trang in 1967, and in 1975, coadjutor bishop of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Arrested only a few months after his appointment, Archbishop Van 7huan was imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for thirteen years and then released to house arrest. In 1991, Van Thuan was expelled from Vietnam. He went to Rome and began his work in the Roman Curia as Vice President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Since 1998, Archbishop Van 7huan has served as the Council's President. In 2001, Van 7huan was named a Cardinal. He entered eternal life on September 16, 2002

Genres: Spirituality, Catholic, Biography, Christian

222 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Chapter is # 18

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

El cardenal Van Thuan siempre es espectacular. Ideal para hacer oración por medio de estas meditaciones

[John Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young bishop finds himself a victim of an ideological war and languishes in prison. Considering his life’s mission of service frustrated, he must fend off hopelessness and despair. Wait… there is something he can do. Like his Master and Lord, he can love his enemies. ‘Testimony of Hope’ recounts several of Bishop Francis Van Thuan’s profoundly moving experiences within the context of a set of spiritual talks preached to Pope John Paul and the Vatican curia at the dawn of a new millennium. Having met this bishop made a Cardinal before his death, I testify that he was a man whose very countenance irradiated hope and joy. I am quite pleased to have finally been able to read this wonderfully spiritual and moving book. I most definitely recommend it.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the author discusses his experiences as a prisoner in Vietnam, the book is riveting. When he talks of a springtime of the church, it's less convincing - especially looking back 20 years from when this was published. I, like most Catholics, struggle to hope with the hope of Christ. I certainly place much less hope in dicastries, bishoprics, and organizational structures of the church than I once did. The seeds of a springtime in the church seem to be hidden among the poorest and humblest.

[Francesco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vote: 3,75
Class: P-A1 (FP)

E' la trascrizione degli esercizi spirituali predicati a Giovanni Paolo II nell'anno del giubileo del 2000 dal Cardinale Van Thuan, Francis Xavier Nguyen, la cui storia dei suoi anni di prigonia riaffiora in più punti e aiuta tenere presenti solo ciò che è importante nella vita di Fede.
Mi è molto piaciuto e mi ha aiutato.

[Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a printed manuscript of a series of sermons, and it does read as such. It does leave you yearning for more, but maybe this can be found in the other books the author has since written. Fascinating story and very poignant remarks that Bishops and any lay Catholic should ponder on though they were offered in 2000. Very glad I read this, and now I’m willing to pick up one of his memoirs.

[Julieta Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que puedo decir del Cardenal objetivamente?... No mucho puesto que me encanta su forma de acercarse no solo al concepto de la esperanza sino a otros conceptos como la paz, más viniendo de una perdona que paso muchos años preso por defender su fe. Muy esperanzador, sin dudas le dio calor a mi corazón.

[Robert Federline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent source for prayer and meditation to grwo closer to God. It is also a reminder that whatever our struggles in this world, there are still saints among us. And they suffer more than us, but offer it up for us. They also provide an example to us, and help to guide us along the path of salvation.

[Alberto de Albornoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

«María es el modelo de una Iglesia que sabe esperar y captar la hora de Dios: la venida del Espíritu Santo».Todo se resume en la esperanza en que el Señor no nos ha abandonado, que sigue con nosotros, y que viviremos junto a Él un Cielo nuevo y una Tierra nueva.

[Irene Gómez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy bonito. Formación y oración.

[Gloria Gna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha sorprendido mucho el lenguaje de este cardenal: sencillo, directo, claro. Las meditaciones que contiene el libro están salpicadas de anécdotas de su vida, sobre todo de su larga estancia en prisión y sorprende la naturalidad y paz con que cuenta una experiencia tan traumática, sin caer en ningún momento en la queja, la descalificación de sus carceleros ni la autocompasión.

Muy recomendable.

[Chackopay · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent testimony to the hope. A good spiritual resource.

[Javierdelar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Son 23 meditaciones predicados a la curia romana en el año 2000. Un libro que reúne anécdotas de su vida en prisión con enseñanzas espirituales. Todo ello en un marco de esperanza ilusionante.