Chinese Martyrs

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

Today the Church keeps the memory of 120 martyrs who lost their lives in China because of their faith. In our missal the day is inscribed as the Optional Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions. This might lead one to believe that these men and women knew each other. However, their lives span almost three hundred years of Chinese history. Two thirds of them were martyred during the so-called Boxer Rebellion of 1900. Over the years, different groups of them were beatified by several different popes. Pope John Paul II canonized all of them on October 1, 2000. Consequently, they are now linked together as "companions."

The martyrs range in ages of nine to seventy-two years, were both cleric and lay, secular clergy and religious men and women. Each of them was eventually the victim of persecution because of their faith. Most of them were born in China, but some of them were missionaries to China from other lands. St. Augustine Zhao Rong was a diocesan priest who had served as a soldier before his ordination.

Franciscans have been zealous missionaries of China since the very beginnings of the Franciscan Order. This fact is reflected in the list of martyrs; many of them belonged to one of several different Franciscan Orders including the Friars Minor and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Among them are Bishops Gregory Grassi, Antonine Fantosati, and Francis Fogolla. (Franciscans keep their memory on July 8.) Many of the lay people who were martyred were catechists who assisted the missionaries and were also members of the Secular Franciscan Order which was then called the Third Order of St. Francis.

The missionary character of the Church continues to this very day as we continue to go "ad gentes," to the peoples of the world who have yet to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. CUSANS often use the efforts of missionaries as the intention for which they offer their sufferings and frustrations.