Élisabeth Nguyen Thi Thu Hong shares memories of her brother, Venerable Cardinal Van Thuan

Élisabeth Nguyen Thi Thu Hong shared memories of her brother, Venerable François-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, as the Catholic Church marked the 24th anniversary of his death on Sept. 16.

In an interview with OSV News, Nguyen Thi Thu Hong recalled an unexpected encounter shortly after her brother was ordained a priest in Vietnam in June 1953. She entered a confessional without realizing he was the priest on duty. When she recognized his voice and asked if he would tell their parents what she confessed, he told her that while wearing his stole behind the screen, he was Jesus, and she could tell Jesus anything.

Nguyen Thi Thu Hong, who is 22 years younger than her brother, also remembered a childhood moment when he babysat her. While walking in a garden, he told her he would soon become a priest and asked how she could help him become a good priest. She promised to pray for him.