Vietnamese Martyrs Parish following a 2010 dedication. The now 8-year-old parish went without its own worship space for six years. (Ambria Hammel/THE CATHOLIC SUN)

Parish facts: (Northern Avenue just west of 27th Avenue)

  • Established July 1, 2004, exactly two months before St. Rose Philippine Duchesne in Anthem was founded.
  • Dedicated in April 2010, a Jubilee Year of the Vietnamese Church, according to an article from AsiaNews. which commemorates the 350 years since the creation of two dioceses (north and south) and 50 years since establishing Catholic hierarchy in the country.
  • Daily Masses offered at 7:30 p.m., a unique time for most parishes.
  • A Vietnamese Dominican priest serves the parish’s 618 families.

Feast facts:

  • Last year’s feast day happened to line up with Thanksgiving Day. Here’s an article from the Diocese of Albany about the local celebration.
  • Gave their lives for the Catholic faith from 1798 to 1861. The first group, who died by 1853, were beatified in 1900. The second group, nine years later.
  • Pope John Paul II canonized 117 martyrs June 19, 1988.
  • It is estimated that between 1857 and 1862, 115 native priests, 100 Vietnamese nuns, and more than 5,000 of the faithful were martyred, according to Catholic Online. The site lists a complete breakdown of priests, nuns, catehists, laity and missionaries.