The Gift of Freedom, Through the Eyes of Those Who Lost It
- Vladimir Mauricio-Perez
- 4 minutes ago
- 7 min read
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Americans can learn a lot from our brothers and sisters who have found true freedom on our shores.
Warning: This article contains tough subject matter that may be difficult for some to read.
For many of us, freedom can seem as natural as the air we breathe. We assume it has always been there and always will be. Yet for many others, freedom has been something denied or painfully won. As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, their stories invite us to see this gift with renewed gratitude — through the eyes of those who know what it means to live without it.
South Vietnam
The Communist takeover of South Vietnam in 1975 led to widespread religious and political persecution. Young men were forced to enlist in the military, and seminaries were converted into labor camps. More than 1.5 million South Vietnamese were forced to flee their country by land and sea.
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Scars of Liberty: Msgr. Peter Quang
When asked about freedom, Msgr. Peter Quang will smile, instinctively glance at the scars on his thumbs and calmly recall the deep suffering that prepared him for the priesthood.
In 1975, as a young seminarian, he witnessed the communist takeover of South Vietnam. His seminary became a labor camp, and torture followed for those who disobeyed orders, like Msgr. Quang. After refusing to falsify a letter against his bishop, the soldiers cut off his thumbs. He sewed them back together himself in the prison camp. More torture followed, but by the grace of God, he persevered. After spending a whole year hiding in his parents’ attic, he decided it was time to escape.
“The whole country was a prison,” he said. “I couldn’t go on living like this.”
Msgr. Quang escaped by boat with 54 others, witnessing death and surviving tragedy and starvation at sea before reaching Malaysia and eventually the United States as a refugee. He detailed his experience in his book, All Honor to You.
“When I first arrived here, I knelt down and thanked God even though I did not speak English,” said Msgr. Quang, now pastor of All Saints Parish in Denver. “My first experience of freedom was seeing how kind people were here. It was then that I said, ‘I can use this freedom for good.’”
Despite the suffering he endured, his message is not one of bitterness, but gratitude and compassion.
“Freedom is a beautiful gift, but we must remember that dignity is freedom. We must work to uphold human dignity and the right to live, to speak and to worship God,” he said. “We are called to share what we have received and not misuse it. This gift should lead us to have greater compassion for those who have had to suffer much to attain it, especially when we encounter them on the street, at school or at the store.
“The best way to retain and appreciate freedom is by always giving thanks,” he concluded. “When we learn to be grateful, we learn to use it correctly; we make it fruitful.”
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia was under Soviet influence for over 40 years. During this period, the state confiscated property and sought to control and suppress the Church by making it dependent on government authority. The era was also marked by political persecution and pervasive surveillance of citizens.
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Terrifying Freedom: Peter Stur
Peter Stur’s first impression of freedom in America is not what many would expect.
“It was a terrifying freedom,” he said, recalling the moment he stepped off the plane with no money, no place to stay and no certainty about the future.
Born in communist Czechoslovakia, he had always been “handed” things by the government.
“They tell you everything is free, but the money is taken from the labor of the people, and they don’t allow you to choose. You simply need to accept what they tell you is good for you,” Stur explained.
For Christians, the cost was especially high. They could lose their jobs for going to church. It was the birth of his first son and the good of his family that led Stur to plan their escape, risking a 10 year prison sentence. Forced to leave his son behind, he paid a smuggler to bring him to a refugee camp in West Germany two years later. Providentially, his family was granted entry into the United States in 1991.
“I learned that if you have God, you have everything, but without him, you have nothing — not even freedom,” said Stur, founder of In Ipso, an institute of spiritual formation for the laity based in Littleton.
As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, Stur believes it is essential to turn back to Christ in order to preserve our freedom.
“The greatest freedom is the freedom to worship God; if you have God, the principle of your life has a moral foundation,” he said. “We must return to God and obey his law because, as Pius XII said, we can’t talk about peace until every individual, family, society and government acknowledges that Christ is the King. If I don’t want God as my king, then his will will not be done but mine.
“In the face of the threats to freedom we see today, we are called to remain in him, not reacting to the challenges but to God in the midst of the challenges,” he concluded. “This is interior freedom, because the Truth will set us free. Freedom comes from the Truth, from Jesus Christ. This is why he’s the most important part of freedom.”
Myanmar
Myanmar has endured nearly 80 years of political strife and armed conflict. It has been marked by periods of military dictatorships and civil wars. Violence and the crackdown on political opponents and civilians have contributed to social instability and a deep humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced both internally and externally.
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Invisible Responsibility: Father Paul Htut
Father Paul Htut remembers the joy of growing up in a devout Catholic family in Myanmar, but those memories are inseparable from the fear and instability caused by decades of authoritarian rule.
“I grew up in a society marked by fear: fear of authority and instability, fear of what might happen next,” said Father Htut, who has served as parochial vicar of Risen Christ Parish in Denver since arriving in the U.S. in 2022. “I witnessed corruption, abuse of power and people losing their homes. The system was meant to keep people poor and uneducated so that those in power could remain in control.”
Although Myanmar is predominantly Buddhist, Catholics — about 1% of the population — have also suffered greatly under military dictatorships.
“There are numerous examples of churches being bombed, even as they housed people seeking refuge,” Father Htut recalled. “A priest friend of mine was stabbed and beheaded because he spoke up for the poor.”
As a priest, Father Htut saw his mission not as political but pastoral. He had to protect those under his care, speaking and bearing witness to the truth, even if it led to persecution. As tensions escalated, he accepted an invitation from the Archdiocese of Denver to serve the growing Burmese Catholic community in Colorado.
“When I arrived, I realized how blessed America is,” he said. “It has freedom of speech and a secure life. Here you can worship freely.”
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, Father Htut believes that it is essential for people to understand the true meaning of freedom and how to use it properly.
“Freedom is a blessing and a gift, but also a responsibility and a calling. It is not the freedom to do what we want, but the freedom to choose what is good and true, what leads us closer to God. A nation remains strong not only by protecting freedom, but by using it wisely, by not abusing it,” he said. “Freedom is fragile and can become invisible for generations that didn’t have to shed their blood for it. But the most important part is that it should be God-centered. If freedom is guided by God’s love, it becomes something beautiful; without it, it becomes empty.”
Venezuela
Venezuela faced a prolonged human rights crisis under the socialist regime of President Nicolás Maduro. His attack on freedom took the form of political repression and the weakening of democratic institutions. Human rights groups documented reports of disappearances, torture and the imprisonment of political dissidents.
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Perplexed by Liberty: Juan Pablo Galviz
As soon as Juan Pablo Galviz, his wife and his mother entered their hotel room in Miami, they couldn’t help but yell and jump for joy. After months of fear and uncertainty, they could finally breathe.
“The feeling of freedom was indescribable,” he recalled. “I kept thinking, ‘What is this? What am I supposed to do with it?’”
Juan Pablo Galviz’s nightmare began the moment he became a target of the Venezuelan socialist regime.
As a journalist and host of a popular daily radio program, he reported on the suffering caused by the government, giving a voice to victims of political oppression. When protests grew across the country, armed paramilitary groups showed up at his home, threatening to kill him.
He didn’t think he would live to see another day.
Galviz was forced to leave his home and work behind and went into hiding. After a period of hunger, fear and very little sleep, he escaped and received asylum in the United States.
“To know that you can think freely and walk peacefully in this country is wonderful,” said Galviz, who now hosts Viajando con JP, a Spanish-language YouTube channel on local culture. “Yes, we have to work hard, but at least we’re given the opportunity to do it.”
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Galviz believes Americans should remember the sacrifices made to preserve freedom.
“This celebration can help us recognize all the people who gave their lives to protect this freedom. It is thanks to many men and women, born here and elsewhere, that we are able to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s a reminder of the greatness of this country, which, in its diverse cultural heritage, has allowed people from many backgrounds to live peacefully in community.”
Galviz believes that to preserve true freedom, our society must return to God as its foundational source.
“Many people in this country have replaced God with money or success, forgetting that God is the source of all things,” he said. “We need to understand as a society that God is the driving force of life and that all citizens and people in government need his guidance. Only by returning to God will we be able to see others with mercy and remain truly free.”
