By: Vicente Ignatius Mate IV, Diane Angeli Martinez
The bones and ashes relic of St. Vincent Liem de la Paz. Photo courtesy of Vicente Ignatius T. Mate IV of The LANCE.
Members of the Letran-Manila Community gather at the Colegio Chapel to commemorate the feast of one of its venerated alumnus, St. Vincent Liem de La Paz, on Friday, November 24, 2023.
During the mass presided by the Vice President of Financial Affairs (VPFA), Rev. Fr. Bejay Namuag, OP. he reminds those in attendance the relevance of celebrating the feast of St. Vincent Liem.
The VPFA reminds everyone of the reason the feast of St. Vincent Liem is always celebrated to be reminded that Letranites are students “na may pinag-aralan”.
“...his life-giving sacrifice and this shows me an identity of Letran that we may have overlooked… Letran is not just an institution that aims in helping people to become “may alam”, but also “may pinag-aralan,” says Fr. Namuag.
He further explains his statement by leaving two points: Letranites are “marunong makiramdam” and “may pakialam." Telling those in attendance that they are not only in Letran to earn medals, diplomas, PhDs, but to learn how to empathize with our fellow people.
“Letran is here to educate people to become leveled here in our society – to become the presence of Jesus in our communities… It is only with the heart that we can see rightly and fully learn.” explains the VPFA
Fr. Bejay ends his sermon by reminding everyone why we truly celebrate St. Vincent Liem’s feast.
“We are celebrating today because we have an alumnus who lived a saintly life...We celebrate with him because we understand that being in this institution gives us an opportunity to become ‘like saints’,” ended Fr. Beejay.
Moreover, the students of the Colegio see St. Vincent Liem as the pinnacle of their identity as ‘Letranites’; inspiring Letranites to practice strong faith and courage.
Chastine Manlapaz, a second-year Nutrition and Dietetics student, shares with The LANCE that St. Vincent’s courage is an embodiment of the Letranite’s identity, “That single thing is more than enough for him to be admired by many. Because courage is not an easy thing to have or build in,” says Ms. Manlapaz.
In another interview, Gerald Servado, a first-year Civil Engineering student, shares that St. Vincent Liem is his inspiration in his academics. He states that he would talk to the saint to ask for guidance.
“He is very important in my life as a student because I see him as more than just an example of someone who values his integrity and dignity. Sometimes, I talk to him to guide me in my academic success and the path I choose,” says Mr. Servado.
Life of St. Vincent Liem de la Paz
Born in the year 1732, St. Vincent Liem de la Paz is a Dominican friar, a martyr, and a saint. He is declared as Letran’s foremost alumnus saint for he studied as a scholar under the Colegio’s elementary and secondary education programs.
Later on, he studied at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for his collegiate education and then entered the Dominican Order together with his three other Vietnamese compatriots. One year after his graduation, he became a priest under the said mendicant order and returned to Vietnam to fulfill his duties of faith.
In the first volume of the book of The Catholic Church in Vietnam, St. Vincent was described as a priest who “exhorted everybody to be courageous, consoled the sorrowful, and encouraged the faithful to be strong.”.
In the midst of his parish mission, however, he was arrested, imprisoned, and punished to death through beheading as he, along with Fr. Jacinto Castañeda, were said to be “priests of a banned religion”. He was given a pardon because he was Vietnamese, but insisted on being given a fair treatment. He was then put to death on November 7, 1773.
The General Roman Calendar announced his Feast Day to be on November 24 as a reminder of his undying faith and sacrifice for the spread of the Word of the Lord. He was beatified by Pope Pius X and was later canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19,1988.
Indeed, the life of St. Vincent Liem de la Paz has influenced the core values of what Letranites truly are: to be an embodiment of the saint himself when it comes to humility, and to always serve others through their Arriba spirit.
St. Vincent Liem de la Paz, Pray for us!