Customer Reviews

Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison

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I could not put this gripping, haunting, and unforgettable book down! Nguyen suffered a tragedy that no human being should have to undergo. The pain, the emotional trauma, the physical attacks that Nguyen endured will burn in your memory for a long time to come.

You have to imagine yourself in a dark prison to understand the faith of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan. There is no word i can tell you the feeling of reading this book except i know my faith grows. No wonder the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI speaks so highly of the cardinal in his encyclical letter

This book gives you a wealth of wisdom and guidance in brief "doses" so you can actually apply it to your everyday life. Definitely, worth reading!

Everyday I would open the Road of Hope and read a paragraph from the little book that Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan wrote while in captivity. The entire book is full of hopeful messages from someone who we think should not have any hope. One paragraph that I read today begins: "(#532) Holiness does not consist in putting on long faces or being sad and miserable. Holiness is continuously joyful because it is the possession of God."

I am inspired by the book and will continue to read it; passage by passage. It brings me closer to God and I believe it will bring you closer to God too; for our journey will be full of hope, like the Road of Hope.

I've been looking forward to reading Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison ever since I first learned more about Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan by watching the Road of Hope: The Spiritual Journey of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuana few months ago. I can now tell you that the book was every bit as amazing and awe-inspiring as the film about this priest's life. Actually, I believe I have a much greater appreciation for the wisdom imparted in the book through his 1001 short messages written to his congregation while he was in prison because I had already learned so much about his life story, the unimaginable suffering he endured, and the steadfast faith and hope he was given by God and accepted throughout even the darkest times in his life.

There are some people whose writing has a powerful capacity to bring me comfort, inspiration, and resonates deeply with me. Two of the people on that list are Blessed Pope John Paul II and Blessed Mother Teresa. Any book I've read by or about either of them has motivated me to draw closer to the Lord. Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan is one of those people who I'll be adding to my list of persons (likely to be canonized as saints) whose words, actions, and entire life glorified the Lord. His words ring true, emphasize the truth in the Gospel, and ways to live it out in our modern world.

It's certainly possible to read and get a great deal from the insights and reflections in Road of Hope: A Gospel from Prison without other knowledge of this priest's life and legacy, but in my case, they meant so much more coming from someone who remained faithful to the Lord when brutally tested in mind, body, and spirit.

Do yourself, your family, and your ministry a favor and learn about this holy man of God. You are guaranteed to be inspired.

Havent finished reading yet but very good so far. Anything that creates hope in this type of frustrating world deserves a read. My priest recommended it.