Catholics hold Solemn Mass for Chinese martyrs: Beijing’s advice falls flat

Hong Kong (Fides) – On Sunday October 29, with a solemn Mass in honour of the 120 Chinese martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II in Rome on October 1, Catholics in Hong Kong diocese demonstrated their love for the Church and for China. The celebration was presided by Cardinal John Baptist Wu Cheng-Chung, together with Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Zen, Auxiliary Bishop John Tong and Abbot Clement Kong, of the Our Lady of Joy Trappist Monastery at Lantau. More than 1,200 people attended, mostly local Catholics, as well as 120 priests local and missionary.

Beijing had banned all public ceremonies in China for the new Martyr Saints and also advised the diocese of Hong Kong to keep celebrations for the Canonization "low-key". The government even led a campaign in September and October against the new Saints: "enemies of the people" – the martyred Chinese Christians and "instruments of Western imperialism" men of "dissolute morals" - the martyred foreign missionaries.

No positions were taken and no criticism was made during the Mass in the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Hong Kong, filled to capacity, but the event itself, its impressive solemnity, were an admonition to the Chinese mainland government to examine its superficial vision of history.

Contrary to the image of a Church "attached to Western imperialism" the ceremony to honour the martyrs had a pronounced Chinese style. The blessed relics were given the welcome accorded to ‘family tablets’ with incense, traditional music played on traditional instruments, reverence. A special hymn composed to honour the Martyr Saints, invoking abundant fruits from their sacrifice, was structured in the form of a typical Chinese poem in lines of six characters.

The Church in Hong Kong declares itself a descendant of China’s martyrs. First of all because the Missionary Institutes to which the martyred missionaries belonged have communities in Hong Kong today. Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary, missionaries of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), fathers of the Paris Foreign Missions (MEP), and the Jesuits presently work in schools, hospitals and pastoral activity in the diocese. Moreover, the homily during the Mass was given by a direct descendant Rev. Francis Li, from Taiyuan who told the moving story of the martyrdom of his grandfather Li Zhongyi and his uncle Li Shiyan, both among the 120 canonized. Fr Li’s father miraculously escaped death. His body was found a few days later on a heap of corpses: he was seriously wounded in the head, faint from loss of blood, but he was alive.

Fr Li denied the ideological and political interpretation given by Beijing to the canonization, saying that the death of Chinese Catholics killed during the Boxer Revolution was indeed martyrdom: "if you were ordered to support the Qing Dynasty government, and you were killed for not doing so, this would not be considered martyrdom. However, the Boxers ordered the missionaries and the Christians to renounce their faith. They were killed because they refused to do so. This is called martyrdom."

With irony he thanked the Chinese government for its criticism which served to give great publicity to the event: "This caused everyone in Hong Kong, and in the whole world, to become aware that the Catholic Church was holding a canonization ceremony. Curiosity was aroused among those who heard the news, and they asked questions like, What is a canonization? Who are the people being canonized? Why are they being canonized? And why are people opposed to their being canonized?"

The Liturgy closed with a solemn procession to replace the martyrs’ relics in the Chapel of the Passion in the Cathedral apse. Among the congregation, all visibly moved, many were young people who stayed on after the Mass to pray silently in front of the relics of the new Saints. Attending the Mass was also the proprietor of Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying who recently became a Catholic, and Martin Lee Chu-ming, leader of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong. Not present were Catholic members of the Special Administration Regional government such as Mrs. Anson Chan, Secretary General and Donald Tsang, Finance Secretary.

Martin Lee said Beijing had attempted to interfere with religious freedom in Hong Kong, but that the diocese handled the situation very well. Before the canonization when Beijing came forth with its demands in mainland China and Hong Kong, Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Zen stated that the Church in Hong Kong has every right to celebrate the canonization. He noted that the anti-canonization campaign was a sign that the Chinese government and the Patriotic Association are afraid as they see the official Catholic Church in mainland China draw steadily away from their control and nearer to Rome. The only answer from the Patriotic Association was an ideological indoctrination campaign throughout the mainland and "no" to several planned pilgrimages to China by Hong Kong Catholics.

Bernardo Cervellera, Hong Kong (Fides 30/10/2000)

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* HONG KONG/ CHINA

My mother and father were there…

Homily by Fr Francis Li during the Mass in honour of China’s Martyr Saints

Hong Kong (Fides) - During the Mass on Sunday 29th October in honour of China’s Martyrs, now Saints, 80 year old Fr Francis Li, of St. Margherita Parish gave a moving account of how members of his family were martyred. His homily, in Chinese, was repeated in English. We give here this exceptional testimony in the original English translation sent to Fides from Hong Kong.

"Today’s Gospel tells us that everyone who follows Jesus will not only receive a hundred-fold reward, but they will also meet with persecution. Jesus noticed Peter’s reaction to these words. So at the Last Supper He repeated them to his disciples: "If the world hates you, realize that it has hated me before you…. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:18-20)

The history of the church informs us that the church grows in the midst of persecution. "The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians." This is the reason that the Church in China has been growing.

I feel very honored to be able to give testimony about the martyrs in my own family and hometown. They were really martyrs for the faith. First of all we are happy that the Chinese government gave so much publicity to the canonizations at the beginning of this month in all the mass media. This caused everyone in Hong Kong, and in the whole world, to become aware that the Catholic Church was holding a canonization ceremony. Curiosity was aroused among those who heard the news, and they asked questions like, What is a canonization? Who are the people being canonized? Why are they being canonized? And why are people opposed to their being canonized?

Our Diocese has arranged a series of talks and a Eucharistic celebration in honour of the Chinese martyr saints this afternoon. As long as we make what we hear today part of our lives, we will be able to give satisfactory answers to these questions.

The word ‘martyrdom’ in the context of the Christian faith means to witness to one’s faith and even to sacrifice one’s life for one’s faith. For example, when speaking of the Boxer Revolution of 100 years ago, if you were ordered to support the Qing Dynasty government, and you were killed for not doing so, this would not be considered martyrdom. However, the Boxers ordered the missionaries and the Christians to renounce their faith. They were killed because they refused to do so. This is called martyrdom.

During the persecutions in the year 1900, in Shanxi Province, the names of 2,418 Christians were reported to the Vatican as giving their lives for their faith. In Taiyuan City altogether 69 persons were martyrs for the Lord. From these, only 26 were canonized as saints on October 1 this year. The 69 martyrs gave up their lives on three different days, July 9, 12 and 14. Two lay women died on July 12, and 39 Catholics died on July 14. Among them were my grandfather Li Zhongyi, and an uncle Li Shiyan. Three others were seriously wounded, including my father, Li Shiheng.

What follows here is the testimony of the experiences of my mother and my father at that time.

My mother reported: "At about 4 o’clock on the afternoon of July 9, just as we were reciting our prayers, we suddenly heard beautiful music coming from the heavens. We had never heard such music before. Suddenly we saw an orderly row of large white banners coming towards us from Taiyuan City. When the banners passed over our heads the music got louder and more pleasant to the ear. Everyone clasped their hands on their hearts and knelt down. We began to encourage one another, and to think that this was certainly a sign that the bishops and priests had already given their lives for their faith. Sure enough, the next day a band of soldiers came to our place, and announced that the bishops and others had been killed. Then we all thought that the time had arrived for us to give up our lives for our faith. We all began to prepare ourselves by continuously reciting prayers. After a little while a soldier shouted at us: ‘Do you deny your religion or not?’ Not a sound was heard in response. Then the soldier shouted an order that two of the older Christian women should be strung up in the garden. He did this to arouse a fear of death in the hearts of the younger women. The two older women were not in the least afraid. They continually encouraged the younger ones, saying, ‘Young ladies, don’t be afraid; now the gate of heaven is open; quickly prepare yourselves to ascend into heaven!’

"On July 12, some of the officials came again, and tried to frighten us into denying our faith. Again they were met with dead silence. Then the officials took down the two older women who had been strung up, and brought them outside. In a little while, the soldiers brought in two bowls of blood, and told us that it was the blood of the two women whom they had killed. They did not kill us, but sent us back to the church."

The following is my father’s report. On July 14, Yuxian, the governor of Shanxi Province, issued an order, "All male Christians who are unwilling to deny their faith must gather near the North Gate." When the Catholics heard this order they became very excited, and their hearts were filled with joy. They all began marching towards the appointed place. Along the way they supported and encouraged one another. My grandfather was one of these fervent Catholics. As soon as he heard the order, he said to my fifteen-year-old father and my uncle, "Let’s go, we’re going to go to heaven today!" He then said goodbye to his family, and began walking towards the place of martyrdom. From their home to the appointed place was only about a 20-minute walk, but they had to pass through some winding streets.

When they arrived at the place of martyrdom, many Catholics had already gathered there. Most people knew one another. The place was not very large and the Christians were many. Each one was barely able to find space for himself. Everyone knelt down in a very composed manner and began to recite their favorite prayers. According to the custom of the time, the men wore the pigtail. In order to make it easier for the executioner to kill them, each one brought the pigtail forward over their heads and held it in front of them with their hands. They also bent their backs forward and stretched their necks out as far as they could. In this way there was enough space for the sword to strike them cleanly.

They waited for over three hours in the morning, and there was still no sign of the executioners. The Christians began to become agitated. Is it possible they would be denied the crown of martyrdom? Then about noon, a band of executioners, led by some soldiers, arrived at the place. The volume of the Christians’ prayers grew louder. And they stretched their necks even straighter. At the sound of the command: Kill, the executioners began swinging their swords helter-skelter. My grandfather and uncle were kneeling along the path of the square. Their heads were swiftly and cleanly severed from their bodies. It so happened that my father was kneeling next to a large rock. Therefore when the sword came down, most of it struck the rock, and it only cut open some flesh on his neck. His throat was not damaged. Because the Christians were many, the executioners did not pay close attention as to whether the heads of everyone were separated from their bodies. In this way my father was denied the privilege of seeing God face to face, as my grandfather and uncle did.

The swordsmen had executed only about 10% of the Christians when the commander gave the order to stop the killing. The soldiers and executioners began to return to their barracks. The Catholics who had not been martyred were greatly disappointed. They blocked the withdrawal of the executioners, beseeching them to kill them also. But nothing could be done. The order had already been given. The executioners would not wield their swords again. The Christians fell into each other’s arms weeping.

My grandfather and uncle were among the 39 martyred for the faith that day. My father, was wounded, but survived. He would later say, ‘When the sword of the executioner came down upon my neck, the only thing I felt was the coldness of it. Then I lapsed into unconsciousness. I lay in a pool of blood for two days and two nights. I do not know how much blood I lost.’ On the morning of the third day, that is, July 16, a non-Christian was passing by, and he noticed a slight movement among the corpses. He went closer, and saw that it was someone he knew. Then he heard my father whisper, "I am thirsty." This good-hearted person, realizing that he had lost a lot of blood, took some rainwater from a puddle in a piece of broken crockery, and drop by drop poured it onto his lips. He then ran to my grandmother to report that her son was still alive. She brought him to live temporarily in another village located about 10 miles from the city.

No medicine was applied to my father’s wound, nor did the family have any money to have injections or to buy pills. My grandmother just entrusted my father to God’s care. God will arrange everything, she thought. Miraculously the wound closed and became completely healed. Later when my father narrated the story of his near-martyrdom to others, he always said. "From the time I received my wound up until it was completely healed, I never felt any pain. Doesn’t that prove that God is always with me?"

Hearing about the experiences of the martyr-saints causes us to feel that what St. Paul wrote was right: ‘No creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Our Lord?’(Romans 8:39) Through the intercession of the martyr saints of China, let us ask the Lord to help us to follow their example and to witness to the Gospel in our daily lives by loving God and loving others. May God bless you!