CICM Missionaries: Past and Present, 1865–2006 1. CICM Missionaries: Past and Present, 1865–2006 Gateway to Mainland China Development of the Vicariate Apostolic of Inner Mongolia, 1865–1949 Patrick TAVEIRNE The founder of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae, CICM, 聖母聖心會), Fr. Théophile Verbist (南懷義 1823–1868), was a Belgian diocesan priest, at first the chaplain of a military school in Brussels and later also national director of the Society of the Holy Childhood. His original plan was to establish an ‘orphanage’ of the Holy Childhood in China. Alessandro Cardinal Barnabò (1801–1874), Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide (SCPF) since 1856, obliged Fr. Verbist to change his original plans of establishing an ‘orphanage’ in China and to incorporate the Belgian priests into an existing vicariate apostolic in China. The SCPF insisted on creating a congregation in Belgium and entrusting a vicariate to the new congregation or institute. On 10 August 1861, Cardinal Prefect Barnabò wrote that he could only accept Verbist’s proposal under certain conditions: • A sufficient number of members necessary for the founding of a new mission, but also for its sustained development and expansion. • The necessary financial support should be guaranteed until the mission can count on sufficient local income. • The execution of this plan presumes the creation of a Society to allow some of its members to be sent out as missionaries. • Under the authority of a vicar apostolic, they would do missionary work 1 ©2009 by Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong All Rights Reserved I.indd 1 20/1/2010 16:47:11 History of Catholic Religious Orders and Missionary Congregations in Hong Kong Vol. I: Historical Materials until they are able to take over a definitely established vicariate. The newly created French Societies of the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood—known as ‘Society of the Angels’ Tianshihui (天使會) in China—promised to support the new Belgian mission. Both societies also collected contributions from Belgian and Dutch Catholics. However, Belgian Catholics were asked to support the novitiate to be established at Scheutveld—present-day Anderlecht, Brussels. The popular Dutch name ‘Scheutists’ for CICM missionaries originates from this place name. Fr. Verbist borrowed the Statutes of the Holy Ghost Congregation—approved by the SCPF in 1855—in France to draft the new CICM statutes. On 28 November 1862, the Belgian Engelbert Cardinal Sterckx, Archbishop of Malines (1832–1867), canonically established the Congregation. Its goal is to form and send out priests who want to preach the Gospel among the infidels, especially among those of the Chinese Empire. The Cardinal approved the Statutes and appointed Fr. Th. Verbist to be Superior General of the Congregation or Institute. On 17 April 1864, Fr. Th. Verbist visited Barnabò in Rome and handed over a report, in which he stated that all conditions had been met. Fr. Verbist asked the Cardinal for permission to send three priests of the newly formed society to Hong Kong, where they could study Chinese and prepare for pastoral work under the supervision of the procurator general of the Congregation of the Mission (Congregatio Missionis, CM, members of this congregation are known as Lazarists in French- speaking countries, Vincentians is the popular English name, in Spain and South America they are known as Paules). The general meeting of the SCPF in Rome, on 22 August 1864, entrusted the vicariate apostolic of Mongolia to the CICM missionaries. The Lazarists remained in Mongolia until the Belgian priests were able 2 ©2009 by Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong All Rights Reserved I.indd 2 20/1/2010 16:47:11 CICM Missionaries: Past and Present, 1865–2006 to take over the Vicariate. Meanwhile, the latter were able to obtain Chinese safe-conduct passes or French passports for China (Inner Mongolia). The first group of five CICM missionaries changed ships in Hong Kong on their way to Xiwanzi (西灣子) Village—present-day Chongli (崇禮) County in Hebei Province—beyond the Great Wall in Inner or Southern Mongolia. The Scheut missionaries originated predominantly from rural areas in the Low Countries (Belgium and the Netherlands). The majority belonged to the lower middle-class. In 1887, CICM started a canonical novitiate in Scheut-Brussels and, in 1888, a formation house in Leuven for its students. Besides China, the Scheut missionaries accepted a new mission field, the Congo, which created the need for religious brothers as well. Towards the turn of the nineteenth century, the Congregation established a formation house in Holland and developed its own theologate, instead of attending the Jesuit one. In contrast to their predecessors, the Lazarists, the Scheutists were not in favor of accepting indigenous candidates into CICM. The first Chinese member of CICM was a seminarian from Hanzhong 漢中( ), Gansu Province, Fr. Philip Wang Yuanzhi (王遠志 1873–1940). He took his vows on 19 February 1905. The number of Chinese joining CICM would remain very small. Up to now no Mongolian has ever joined CICM. Within the Congregation, the introduction of the experimental constitutions and perpetual religious vows led to more stability and cooperation among the Scheutists in fields afar. The founder, Fr. Théophile Verbist, did not develop a specific religious or missionary spirituality, but allowed the individual members to fill the religious void with their own spiritual exercises. The individual piety of the Scheutists reflected French spiritual and traditional influences, as well as native popular piety among the diocesan clergy. The introduction of perpetual religious vows—obligatory after five years of temporary 3 ©2009 by Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong All Rights Reserved I.indd 3 20/1/2010 16:47:11 History of Catholic Religious Orders and Missionary Congregations in Hong Kong Vol. I: Historical Materials vows since 1900 only, daily spiritual exercises, fortnightly confession, monthly recollection and annual retreat within the missionary district was considered sufficient and compatible with the Scheut missionary lifestyle. The introduction of the tenth year sabbatical was meant to reinvigorate the waning religious spirit of a growing number of Scheutists in the Chinese Han-Mongol missions. Article 1 of the CICM Constitutions says that CICM is a ‘religious missionary Institute.’ A former Superior General, Belgian Father Omer Degrijse in one of his reflections about the CICM identity said, “Our way of being missionaries in the Church is to be religious.” However, the 13th General Chapter of 2005 still pointed out that “CICM confreres are hard working people and courageous missionaries. Yet religious life and its obligations, quite visible at the beginning and at the end of our missionary lives, become less important, if not to say are neglected, during the missionary’s active life.” (See Revitalizing Our Identity: Acts of the 13th CICM General Chapter, p. 11, Rome, 2005) Since the arrival of its founder and first Superior General, Fr. Th. Verbist in 1865 until the banishment of the last foreign CICM missionaries from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1955, 679 CICM members had come to Southern Mongolia and Northern China. Among them, 244 died and were buried there. (By Patrick TAVEIRNE) Refuge from and Bridge to Mainland China CICM Missionaries in Hong Kong, 1950–2006 In 1950, many CICM missionaries from Mainland China arrived in Hong Kong on their way to other CICM missions or to Belgium. Frs. Louis Van Aert and the new procurator Arthur Van den Bossche assisted them. On 23 November 1953, Fr. A. Van den Bossche wrote to Lorenzo 4 ©2009 by Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong All Rights Reserved I.indd 4 20/1/2010 16:47:11 CICM Missionaries: Past and Present, 1865–2006 Bianchi, PIME, (白英奇 1899–1983) the bishop of Hong Kong, “As only 14 missionaries of Scheut remain in China, it was decided by the superiors of our Institute to close down the Procure in Hong Kong in the near future. But our Superiors are willing to reconsider this decision and to keep a representative of our Institute in Hong Kong, on condition that a small community of two to three CICM missionaries can be engaged in the missionary apostolate or a charitable work in the colony.” Bishop Bianchi answered Van den Bossche’s letter as follows: “I thank you for the generous offer to help. But my co-workers and I think that we cannot find now the appropriate missionary and charitable works in Hong Kong for your Institute. At the moment we have many refugees from Northern China. But, as is shown unfortunately through the experience in daily management of the different refugee centers, these are inextricably mixed with refugees from the southern provinces and with the innumerable poor and needy natives. The knowledge of Cantonese and of other dialects of the southern provinces is therefore essential. There is no lack of priests who speak Mandarin, while there is a great need for priests who speak Cantonese. You would not be able to provide these in the short term, as you never had missions in Southern China.” (Letter of 3 December 1953 in CICM Archives, Rome) Nonetheless, in 1954, Bishop Bianchi granted permission for four CICM confreres to stay and work in Hong Kong. Two years later CICM established the religious CICM Province of Sinica, including the religious districts of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. In Hong Kong district, CICM developed its pastoral and charitable works in Kowloon 5 ©2009 by Centre for Catholic Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong All Rights Reserved I.indd 5 20/1/2010 16:47:11 History of Catholic Religious Orders and Missionary Congregations in Hong Kong Vol.