Father Giuse (Joseph) Trần Ngọc Thanh, O.P, serving at Sa Loong Parish, Kon Tum Diocese, Vietnam, was killed in a knife attack while hearing confessions. He was treated for his wounds, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. The suspect in the attack was arrested.

Fr. Trần was born in 1981 in Ho Chi Minh City and took his religious vows in 2010. He was ordained a priest in 2018.

A funerary ceremony was held on Jan. 30 at the Dominican monastery in Kon Tum. The mass was presided over by Bishop Aloisio, Bishop of Kon Tum Diocese. Several priests from the Diocese, Dominican Fathers, monks and nuns and representatives of the parishioners attended the Mass.

Bishop Aloisio said during the funeral ceremony, “Through the departure of Father Joseph, I think of a song about priests: 'Let me be a priest and die at the foot of the altar'. When you put the priest in the place of Christ, dying at that moment must be very happy! Our Father Joseph, though he was not celebrating the Mass (at the time of the attack), was also in the person of Christ, while hearing confessions. In this pain we also see the beauty, the nobility of the priest.”

His interment will be held on Jan. 31 at St. Martin Chapel in Biên Hòa.
-Image courtesy - WGPKT(January 30, 2022) KONTUM