July 4
Valentín de Berrio-Ochoa (+1861)
Martyr
This saint, a native of Elorrio, Vizcaya, Spain, was since his ordination by all considered a man of prayer, of extreme mortification and above all with a heart of ardent charity, manifested with the poor with whom he so often shared his food, and with delicate care for the sick.
Biography
Sent along with seven other Dominican companions to evangelize the distant towns of Tonkin (now Vietnam), he was ordained bishop in the year 1858, in the house of a Christian, and behind closed doors, due to the situation of persecution suffered by Christians in the country. Thus began his difficult shepherding, from cave to cave, from barge to barge, without a fixed address, constantly dodging the henchmen of King Tu Duc and his thick network of spies and informers. Finally, in the year 1861 he was betrayed and, together with two other priests, locked in cages and taken through the streets to his martyrdom. In 1988 he was canonized along with 117 other martyrs by Pope John Paul II.
Practical advice
When you begin your work, respond to evil with a concrete work of good without seeking applause or recognition.