1. Details emerge about man accused of murdering priest in Vietnam

Fr. Joseph Tran Ngoc Thanh, O.P., was murdered while hearing confessions just after celebrating Holy Mass.

A bishop in Vietnam has released a letter that sheds light on the possible motives of the man accused of murdering a Dominican priest on January 29.

Nguyen Van Kien was charged with murdering Fr. Joseph Tran Ngoc Thanh, while the Dominican priest was hearing confessions on January 29.

Stabbed several times, Fr. Thanh was taken to the hospital but died of his wounds hours later.

“He was also paranoid about being bullied and prevented from getting married”

Bishop Aloisius Nguyen Hung Vi of the Kontum diocese, where Fr. Thanh served as a missionary priest, released an open letter to clear up “confusion” about Kien’s motives.

“From the information obtained from his parents, Kien is not insane in the usual sense … he is lethargic and does not practice faith,” the bishop wrote, as reported by VirCatholic News.

“Kien is from a Catholic family. His parents are kind and devout. He has two brothers and one sister, and his sister stays at a Church-run hostel,” he wrote.

The article in VietCatholic News summarized the bishop’s letter:

“Kien could work on farms and repair motorbikes and other things. He would also sometimes get mad, mess around, loudly curse other people, smash television sets — even the altar in his house — and even beat his family members. He was also paranoid about being bullied and prevented from getting married, the bishop added.”

“We hope the confusion surrounding this painful event will soon be brought to light,’ the bishop wrote, in what VietCatholic News said was a reference to rumors circulating the diocese about what motivated Kien to attack the priest.

Dominican community mourns brother

In a letter to his Dominican brothers and sisters around the world, Fr. Thomas Nguyen Truong Tam, O.P., the Prior Provincial of the Dominican Order in Vietnam professed his gratitude for the condolences and prayers the community had received after the priest’s tragic death.

“It was shocking and stunning to learn of the horrific death of our beloved Brother Joseph Tran Ngoc Thanh, O.P., who selfishlessly gave his life to the Lord at his confessional last Saturday night. Even now, it is hard for me to tell you what we have gone through. We have just lost a very nice and holy brother and we did mourn and grieve over his passing away, “ he added.

“With the belief that ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church’ (Tertullian), we hope fr. Joseph Thanh’s blood shall not frighten us but strengthen us instead to devote our life to preach the Word of God and to serve our brothers and sisters in our mission sites,” Fr. Thanh continued.

2. Archbishop Aupetit: Pope Francis asked me to stay in Congregation of Bishops after Paris resignation

Archbishop Aupetit: Pope Francis asked me to stay in Congregation of Bishops after Paris resignation

Archbishop Michel Aupetit said on Friday he will stay on in his position as a member of the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops, after receiving encouragement from Pope Francis.

In an interview with Vatican News on Feb. 4, Aupetit said Pope Francis “renewed his support for me” and again said he thought the former archbishop of Paris had been a “victim of hypocrisy and clericalism.”

“He also wanted to show his confidence by asking me to remain in the Roman Congregation for Bishops, of which, as you know, I am already a member, and where I come every two weeks,” Aupetit told the French webpage of the Vatican’s news office.

The Congregation for Bishops is the department of the Roman Curia responsible for identifying and selecting candidates for bishop, before presenting them to the pope for a final decision.

Aupetit submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in late November 2021 after the magazine Le Point published a report portraying the archbishop as a divisive and authoritarian figure.

The report also raised concerns about Aupetit’s contacts with a woman dating back to 2012, when he was vicar general of the Archdiocese of Paris. The 70-year-old archbishop has said he was not in a relationship with the woman.

Pope Francis accepted Aupetit’s resignation on Dec. 2, but later expressed doubt about the validity of the criticisms against the archbishop.

During an in-flight press conference on Dec. 6, 2021, the pope told journalists he had accepted Aupetit’s resignation because the archbishop had “lost his reputation so publicly.”

Aupetit told Vatican News on Feb. 4 that he and Pope Francis also spoke at length about the situation of the Catholic Church in France, and about the retired archbishop’s plans for charitable projects.

3. Australian police officer stops Catholic Mass to check for masks

Parishioners recalled the incident as “troubling” and “confronting.”

A Catholic Mass in Perth, Australia, was disrupted when police officers stormed in to check if congregants were wearing masks. The authorities interrupted the liturgy after receiving tips about improper mask behavior in St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church, in Mount Hawthorn.

The incident

The city of Perth has very strict COVID-19 regulations, which require masks to be worn at all indoor public events. A photograph circulating among news outlets shows the officer in question standing in the nave to check the details of the parishioners.

Patrick Horneman, who took the photo, wrote in the caption:

“During a Catholic Mass in Perth tonight a policeman allowed himself in, strutting up the aisle demanding correct mask behavior and checking exemptions.”

According to The West Australian, police found five unmasked people in the pews and only one had proof of an exemption. After briefly speaking with the “offenders” the police reportedly left the church and the Mass continued. Still, the encounter was described by some parishioners as “troubling” and “confronting”.

In an interview with Perth Now, a parishioner identified as Matthew recalled the reaction of the congregation:

“Everyone was sort of pretty stunned, I suppose. Then as soon as it started it was sort of over as he left.” Matthew said people were left shaken by the incident. “It’s just pretty confronting seeing police vests and stuff in church,” he noted, adding “He didn’t remove his hat, which is pretty disrespectful in that environment.”

Police statement

The authorities have yet to issue a formal apology to members of St. Bernadette’s. Instead, they have released a statement which seems to attempt to justify the move. Perth Police said:

“On Thursday evening, police responded to a report from a member of the public of people not wearing masks inside a church in Mount Hawthorn,” they said. “Upon attendance, five people were spoken to by police and complied in wearing a mask. One person provided proof of an exemption.”

Archdiocese of Perth

The Catholic Archdiocese of Perth has called the incident “highly regrettable.” According to 7News, Archbishop Tim Costelloe remarked:

“It is my hope that other ways can be found to deal with this delicate issue in future and my office stands ready to cooperate with the police in this matter. It is the formal and very public policy of the Archdiocese of Perth to do everything it can to facilitate compliance with all the government’s requirements in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Archbishop added, “It is a matter of regret to me that the police were placed in a position which led them to take the action they did.”