This is an in-depth, definitive biography of the heroic, saintly life of Servant of God, Cardinal Van Thuan, told by his sister Élisabeth in the context of his family life, his priesthood, his country, prison life and his times. She gives special attention to his spiritual growth, his suffering in the 13-year imprisonment, his capacity to become friends with enemies, and his special veneration for Christ in the Eucharist. She also discusses poignant miraculous events in his life that she witnessed.

Élisabeth writes about her family that played a central role in Vietnam's history with a grandfather as minister to the emperor and a mother as special adviser to her uncle, Ngo Dinh Diem, the President of Vietnam. The much-maligned Diem, the Cardinal’s uncle, is also better understood in light of his deep relationship with the Lord and his strong commitment to the country he served in extremely difficult circumstances. This shows how the Cardinal came from the lineage of courageous Vietnamese Christians: martyrs of the past but also Christian and social politicians of recent times. 

She also looks at the historical events that played a crucial role in Cardinal Van Thuan's life: his growing up near the emperor's palace, the horrors of the Vietnam War, his 13-year imprisonment by the Communists, and his new life in Rome after his prison release as the head of the dicastery on Justice and Peace.

This is a thorough, well organized and documented biography of a towering modern spiritual figure that includes numerous testimonies of those who knew him personally, and provides much new and often unprecedented material on the life and times of Cardinal Van Thuan.

Etched deeply in my memory is the visit of Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyen van Thuan’s sister to New Orleans.  She offered an inspiring account of his life. In this book, the Cardinal’s sister, Elizabeth, joins with Father Stefaan Lecleir in expanding on her account, providing historical and cultural backgrounds.  This man of God recovered his own dignity by treating his jailors with dignity.  His attentiveness to the Word of God, his clandestine celebration of the Eucharist with crumbs of bread and drops of wine in the palm of his hand and his devotion to Mary inspire most.  Read and let him inspire you, too!
— Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, Emeritus of New Orleans

To be a martyr is to witness to the faith, usually to the point of death. There are others, known as white martyrs, who, while not being killed, either by unjust imprisonment, or other indignities, witness, in an extraordinary way, to the truth of the Gospel. The saintly Cardinal Van Thuan was such a man. In this remarkable book, the qualities of a man who will one day be acclaimed as a great white martyr of the Church emerge. Inspirational and moving, this is a book that is needed today.
— Fr. Benedict Kiely, Founder, Nasarean.org

A man of faith, serenity, suffering, joy and hope, Cardinal Thuan is one of the most inspiring Catholic figures in the recent centuries of the Church, which is why three popes have urged the faithful to learn from his heroic example and profound but accessible wisdom. Having had the privilege to know him in life, I am deeply moved by this book, which will give everyone a chance to know him, to be strengthened by his virtues, and, hopefully, encouraged to seek his powerful intercession. 
— Msgr. Roger J. Landry, National Director, The Pontifical Mission Societies

Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan whom I was honored to know, was a priest and bishop deeply in love with Jesus and His Church, who suffered greatly for his faith during years of imprisonment and mistreatment by his Communist captors in his native Vietnam. This inspiring biography captures Thuan's willingness to forgive those who hurt him as he recognized that they,too, were children of God, made in His image. His is a story that deserves to be more widely known, and his sister, Elisabeth Nguyen Thi Thu Hong with Fr. Stefaan Lecleir, do an admirable job in helping to accomplish that goal.
— Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York