Today, the dies natalis & feast of Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung (1895-1944), priest & martyr. Born in Thailand to convert parents, after a number of years of study, he was ordained priest. First, carrying out parish work in Thailand, he was sent to Vietnam as a missionary where he was successful in bringing lapsed Catholics back to the Faith. The Buddhist Thai government was hostile towards the Church, seeing Nicholas’ pastoral success, it considered him dangerous & accused him of being a spy for France. In 1941 he was arrested & committed to prison. Even there he evangelised, converting many prisoners. Enduring harsh conditions & much abuse, he succumbed to TB on 12 January 1944. The authorities refused him treatment because he was a Catholic. As he died, he found solace in the Rosary. Judged a martyr as he had died as a result of his incarceration for the Faith, he was beatified by Pope St John Paul II in 2000.