North American Martyrs Parish in Lincoln held a celebration Aug. 17 in honor of Our Lady of La Vang. Pastor Father Nathan Hall presided.
Our Lady of La Vang refers to an apparition of Mary who visited Catholics in Vietnam, during the great persecution (1798-1801). Many Catholics took refuge in the jungles, where they experienced hunger and illness, and prayed, preparing themselves for martyrdom. Mary presented herself as the Mother of God, and encouraged and consoled the people. Those who congregated and prayed at this site were able to return to their villages in 1802. In 1961, Pope John XXIII granted a canonical coronation to the statue of Our Lady of La Vang, and in 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized 117 Vietnamese martyrs who died during the persecution in the late 18th century.
North American Martyrs Parish has a large Vietnamese community, and the celebration of Our Lady of La Vang is a way for parishioners to learn about the Vietnamese culture. The celebration Aug. 17 included a reading, hymns, and the rosary, in Vietnamese and English. A meal with traditional dishes followed in the parish hall.
SNR photos | Natalie Bender and Cathy Blankenau Bender
