By Anthony Minh Mai, CSJB
When establishing the Congregation of St. John the Baptist, Lebbe pointed out four important types of work that all the members should follow to widen the kingdom of God. These are educational and cultural works, social work, missionary works and works of ministry.[1]
I. Educational Works of C.S.J.B.
While John the Baptist chose the wilderness to be a place to train his disciple, Lebbe recognized that schools are the very good means to introduce God to the people. Lebbe emphasized the engagement in education of C.S.J.B. in the Constitutions of the congregation.[2] He promoted education. He strove to find opportunities for education everywhere and at any time he could. He himself pursued education unceasingly.[3] Lebbe established some schools such as the school of catechism in Zhuo Zhou (涿州). In 1905, Lebbe founded a Modern School for people to obtain knowledge, which contributed to Chinese society some important people. He then went to Tianjin (天津) and established a school of law. He taught sociology and published the first book of sociology in China which led Chinese people to acknowledge Catholicism.[4] He also trained monks and nuns.[5]
On the other hand, any place can become a place for training people. In the first half of the twentieth century, in north China, the C.S.J.B.’s monks taught Bible, catechism, and knowledge of health care to the poor people.[6] Lebbe himself went to France to teach the French language to Chinese students. He also engaged in educational work by helping these Chinese students, as we will see in the next section, the charity works of C.S.J.B.
Following Lebbe’s example, when coming to Hongkong in 1949. Fr. Cao Li Shan (曹立珊 ), a superior of C.S.J.B. recognized that many immigrants had no chance to study. He then established an elementary school named TiaoJingLing TianZhuTang YiWu shool (調景嶺天主堂義務學校) on September 15th, 1950. After a semester this school received high school students and was renamed Hongkong TiaoJingLing TianZhuTang MingYuan Secondary School (香港調景嶺天主堂鳴遠中學) or Catholic Ming Yuen Secondary School.[7] Because the students were very poor, this school offered books and notebooks for free.[8] In 1953, Brother Silvester Liang, a member of C.S.J.B. came to TaiChung, Taiwan to assist a Catholic high school, St. Viator High School.[9]
Because the lack of staff members, the Bishop of Taichung Diocese asked the C.S.J.B. to support. Brother Hei-ye (Hok-cang), a member of C.S.J.B. was sent to TaiChung, Taiwan to help found St. Viator Catholic High School. Fr. Cao Li shan (Li-shan Chao), the superior of C.S.J.B. also became a second chairperson of this school. St. Viator Catholic High School was run by C.S.J.B. on July 1st, 1983. Father Ya-Bo Zhao, the superior of C.S.J.B. was put in charge as the fourth principal of this school.[10]
In 1963, Br. Silvester Liang of C.S.J.B. was sent to Saigon, Vietnam to run the Free Pacific English Language School (太平洋中學) and Vietnamese English High School. The name of the school was changed as Lôi Minh Viễn High School (鳴遠高級中學) or High School of Ming Yuan Middle School.[11] In 1978, Brother Silvester Liang, with the help of Father Su founded the Catholic Ming Yuan Chinese Language School in Queens, New York. In 1984, he founded the First Branch of School of Ming Yuan Chinese Language School in Brooklyn, New York and the Second Branch School in the West Coast city of Monterey Park, United States.[12]
II. Charity Works of C.S.J.B.
After the establishment of C.S.J.B., the congregation was always willing to help the poor. Although they were so poor at that time, every time they recognized a poor person coming to ask them for help, they immediately helped him. Lebbe chose a monk to be a financial administrator because of his kindness to the poor.[13] Lebbe sent some C.S.J.B.’s monks and nuns of The Little Sister of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus to Mongolia to take care of the blind people. Many of them also engaged in social works. Their social works are developed throughout the north region of China. The C.S.J.B.’s monks were the souls of Chinese lay people. Beside teaching catechism, they also taught the new methods of farming to the farmers. They strove to help the poor to improve their quality of life.
For the formation of Chinese people, Father Lebbe supported Chinese students who went to other countries to study. In 1912, Many young Chinese followed materialism, which went against religion. The Federation Franco-Chinoise D’Etudes, an organization of French socialism and communism, strove to collect around two hundred thousand students to train them to play a leading role in this anti-religion organization. This was a very dangerous organization, which will persecute the Church shortly after.[14] Lebbe strove to prevent this danger. He asked Bishop Guang (光主教) to send him to France to help Chinese students. Lebbe strove to assist them in learning the French language, finding jobs, accommodations, and good schools. He also went everywhere to conduct fundraising to support Chinese students to accomplish their studies in France. Eventually, he won many Chinese students’ hearts and minds. Lebbe changed the attitude of Chinese students from enmity to the love of the Church. This contributed to the reduction in persecution of Catholic in the future.[15]
In 1933, when the Japanese invaded Jehol, Lebbe created a group of stretcher-bearers and medical support. Twenty Little Brothers of C.S.J.B. and two hundred and forty stretcher-bearers came to help the wounded soldiers. After being wounded, Lebbe founded a Rehabilitation Center for the war invalids in Ankwo. Through this charity work, many Chinese came to love Father Lebbe and to respect Catholicism.[16]
When C.S.J.B.’s superior, Cao Li Shan (曹立珊) and some monks came to Hongkong, Bishop Henry P. Valtorta sent them to TiaoJingLing (調景嶺), a village with the population of one hundred thousand people, to serve the immigrants. C.S.J.B.’s members started helping the immigrants to improve their poor quality of life. The immigrants had not enough food, clothes and medicine.[17]
III. Missionary works of C.S.J.B.
Lebbe was one of the best missionaries in China. He went from place to place to give speeches, preach the Gospel, and establish catechism classes. His speeches were fruitful because he had a good voice, and his speeches came from his enthusiasm, character, soul and heart. Because of his good preparation, most of his audiences accepted his speeches. He analyzed carefully related thoughts and integrated them in his speeches.[18]
Lebbe established the Catholic newspaper “Yi Shi Bao” and used this means as an effective method of evangelization.[19] This newspaper impacted Chinese society.[20] The newspaper was a means of religious propaganda.[21]
Lebbe also founded some organizations to assist the Church in preaching the Gospel. He founded the Association for the Propagation of the Faith in TianJin, China. This movement was a means for lay people to preach the Gospel.[22]Jean-Paul Wiest pointed out that this association “became the nucleus that eventually led to the formation of a nationwide Catholic Action movement.[23]
One of the greatest contributions of Lebbe was his effort to urge the Church to establish the Chinese local Church.[24] His promotion was fruitfull when six Chinese bishops were ordained, and a new diocese was established.[25] This contributed to the stable development of the Chinese Church. Lebbe then founded Congregation of Saint John the Baptist and The Little Sisters of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus. He trained the members of these two religious orders to become missionaries to assist the Chinese Church in evangelization. Jean-Paul Wiest states, “These men and women, once trained according to Trappist and Carmelite traditions, were sent in small groups to preach the Gospel while at the same time earning a living from the fruit of their hands. Their task and challenge was [were] to contribute to the social renovation of China.”[26]
He encouraged C.S.J.B.’s members to engage in missionary work and sent them to the places where the people needed their help. He sent C.S.J.B.’s monks and nuns of the Little Sister of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus to Mongolia to engage in missionary works.[27]
IV. Works of Ministry of C.S.J.B.
C.S.J.B.’s members are sent to Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Canada, Philippines, and the United States to help the bishops in doing ministry. Some C.S.J.B.’s priests are now put in charge of parish pastors in the dioceses of the countries mentioned above. C.S.J.B.’s monks are sent to some rural areas to help the diocesan bishops and parish pastors. Every member of C.S.J.B who comes to help a diocese or a church is required to obey the diocesan bishop and cooperate with other priests in the diocese for the sake of evangelization.[28]
[1] 雷鳴遠, 耀漢小兄弟會會規 (台中: 耀漢小兄弟會總會台中真福院, 1992), 61, No. 132.
[2] 雷鳴遠, 13, 61, No. 3, 132.
[3] 曾麗達, 雷鳴遠神父：中國教會本地化的前驅劃時代的福傳方法 (天主教耀漢小兄弟會, 2004), 243.
[4] 曾麗達, 244–45.
[5] 曾麗達, 249.
[6] Jacques Leclercq, Cuộc Đời Cha Lôi Minh Viễn, trans. Bùi Văn Tuyền (Sài Gòn: Tu hội Thánh Gioan Baotixita, 1972), 419–20.
[7] 曹立珊, 雷鳴遠神父遺愛在香港 (台中: 天主教耀漢小兄弟會, 2000), 2–3.
[8] 曹立珊, 22.
[9] Silvester Liang, 獻身與主七十載，服務教育六十年回顧 (New York: 天主教耀漢小兄弟會, 2003), 18–19.
[10] “A Brief History of St. Viator Catholic High School Origin,” St. Viator Catholic High School, accessed April 28, 2018, http://www.vtsh.tc.edu.tw/_eng/.
[11] Silvester Liang, 獻身與主七十載，服務教育六十年回顧, 19, 90–91.
[12] Silvester Liang, 21–22, 114.
[13] Jacques Leclercq, Cuộc Đời Cha Lôi Minh Viễn, 418.
[14] 趙雅博, 雷鳴遠神父傳 (Tai Chung: 天主教耀漢小兄弟會, 1990), 320.
[15] 趙雅博, 320–58. See also 曾麗達, 雷鳴遠神父: 中國教會本地化的前驅劃時代的福傳方法 (天主教耀漢小兄弟會, 2004), 246-49; Cf. Jacques Leclercq, Cuộc đời cha Lôi Minh Viễn, Trans. Bùi Văn Tuyền (Sài Gòn: Tu Hội Thánh Gioan Baotixiata, 1972), 316-21; 326-32, 368-75.
[16] Jacques Leclercq, Thunder in the Distance: The Life of Père Lebbe, trans. George Lamb (New York: Sheed & Ward, Inc., 1958), 277–79.
[17] 曹立珊, 雷鳴遠神父遺愛在香港, 1–2.
[18] 曾麗達, 雷鳴遠神父：中國教會本地化的前驅劃時代的福傳方法, 217–22.
[19] 曾麗達, 223–26.
[20] 曾麗達, 227–30.
[21] 曾麗達, 230–34.
[22] 曾麗達, 235–41.
[23] Jean-Paul Wiest, “The Legacy of Vincent Lebbe,” International Bulletin of Missionary Research, January 1999, 35, https://www.scribd.com/doc/115929028/Legacy-of-Vincent-Lebbe?secret_password=h8w23oopnuuoxj1a52z#download&from_embed.
[24] Jacques Leclercq, Cuộc Đời Cha Lôi Minh Viễn, 291–94.
[25] 趙雅博, 雷鳴遠神父傳, 378–83.
[26] Jean-Paul Wiest, “The Legacy of Vincent Lebbe,” 36.
[27] Jacques Leclercq, Cuộc Đời Cha Lôi Minh Viễn, 419–20.
[28] 雷鳴遠, 耀漢小兄弟會會規, 62.