On March 11 and 12, 2026, a large number of priests, religious, and tens of thousands of participants, both non-Catholics and Catholics from many places, gathered to take part in a pilgrimage, at the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center where his tomb is located, (the diocese of Can Tho in Southern Vietnam), to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the death of Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, creating an atmosphere of profound communion and overflowing faith.
Numerous Masses and prayer services were celebrated consecutively,
helping the community to remember and give thanks to God for the witness
of faith of the shepherd who is most beloved by many Vietnamese people.
Eighty years after his death, the devotion of believers and even many
non-Catholics towards him has spread ever wider. Many people have come
to visit his grave, and asked for blessings, and then they believe that
they have received blessings and graces from the martyr Diep, who helped
them overcome difficult times in their lives.
Among non-Catholics, many asked to be baptized after receiving blessings through his intercession.
Bishop Peter Le Tan Loi – Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese Can Tho –
also addressed the non-Catholic community: “I know you all love Father
Truong Buu Diep very much, and many of you have received blessings, both
spiritual and material from him through his intercession. That is very
precious, and I want to invite you to go a step further: Father Truong
Buu Diep does not only intercede for you for material or physical
blessings, but perhaps what Father Diep most desires to intercede with
God is to bestow upon you the grace of faith in Jesus Christ, so that
you may then be guided towards eternal life, which Catholics believe
in.”
The Diocese of Can Tho completed the collection of all the testimonies
requested during the diocesan phase of the canonization process in 2017
and compiled a dossier on the sacrifice and miracles attributed to the
intercession of Father Francis Truong Buu Diep and submitted it to the
Holy See.
On November 25, 2024, Pope Francis recognized his martyrdom for the love
of his flock, declaring that Father Truong Buu Diep was killed out of
hatred for the faith on March 12, 1946.
The Mass for the beatification of Father Truong Buu Diep will be celebrated on July 2, 2026 in the Diocese of Can Tho.
"We believe that not only the Diocese of Can Tho, but also many faithful
in Vietnam and around the world who love Father Francis Truong Buu
Diep, are filled with joy and gratitude to God upon receiving this good
news” said Father Peter Vu Van Hai, Vicar General of the Diocese of Can
Tho. The entire Diocese of Can Tho, along with all members of the People
of God throughout Vietnam, are turning their hearts towards this
momentous occasion.
This will be the first time in the history of the Vietnam Church that a
canonization ceremony for a Vietnamese martyr is taking place in his
homeland.
Following the instructions of the Bishop of the Diocese of Can Tho, all
Catholics from the entire diocese are called to cooperate and work
together to organize the solemn Mass of beatification and to pray that
it will bring spiritual blessings to all the People of God.
Organizational measures have already been made to accommodate the
hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected during the beatification.
Many churches along the national highways and close to Tac Say parish have been designated as accommodation points for the pilgrims. The main ceremonial area can accommodate approximately 10,000 participants, with surrounding areas holding another 50,000; the area around Father Diep's tomb can accommodate several thousand people.
The diocese has also worked with the authorities of Ca Mau province and
Can Tho city to ensure the safety and smooth running of the event for
all pilgrims and guests.
From now on, the diocese of Can Tho invites all pilgrims planning to
travel to Tac Say to participate in prayer and prepare their hearts for
this extraordinary event.