Take heart!

The epic of the Chinese Rites controversy was decisively resolved by Pope Benedict XIV’s Apostolic Constitution Ex quo singulari on July 5, 1742. The Pope, without consulting dissenters, annulled all permissions for adaptations of rites to prevent superstitious practices. He also mandated a new oath for missionaries, forbidding the practice of Ricci’s rite. Predictably, this decree incited fresh persecutions and hardships, hindering the mission and causing the church to lose many followers due to uncertainty. Those who remained faced impending persecution and torture.

In Sichuan, the Christian community frequently became targets of official repression throughout the eighteenth century, driven by both local and national concerns. In 1746 and 1755, provincial officials, alerted by the court, were particularly vigilant against rebellious sects like the White Lotus. The Christian community, already considered an illegal sect, suffered arrests, interrogations, and judicial mistreatment, leading some members to abandon the community to safeguard their lives.

Paul Sou’s misfortunes began in 1745 when the magistrate revoked his status as an astronomy student, closely monitoring his residence and actions. During the rampant persecution in Sichuan and Huguang in 1746, the city governor of King-tang personally interrogated Christians about Paul Sou rather than their faith. Discovering European books, vestments, and Mass wine at his residence, the governor confiscated everything. As magistrates sought Paul Sou in Chengdu, Bishop Martiliat, three European missionaries, and Fr. Gu fled to Canton, while Paul Sou escaped to Fujian, leaving Fr. Andreas Ly behind.

Notably, the magistrates spared Andreas Ly while continuing to search for Paul Sou, who was well-known due to his public exposure and connections to European missionaries. Persecutions were fueled by rumors³¹ of Christians using foreign money to corrupt people and holding secret gatherings, making it easy for authorities to link Paul Sou to these accusations.

Fujian, where Paul Sou sought refuge, was also unsafe for Christians. Bishop Sanz had been beheaded in 1745, and many Christians and Dominican priests were imprisoned. When Paul Sou arrived in Fujian in 1747, Christians informed him that Sichuan authorities were aggressively searching for him. The vice governor-general of Sichuan, exhausted from the search, requested help from officials in Peking and Canton. Despite being in hiding, Paul Sou continued pastoral work, particularly visiting imprisoned Christians, including four Dominican priests. His last recorded visit was on December 10, 1747, when he informed them of his plan to go to Beijing to confront Prince Joseph Dé about false accusations. The priests, however, advised against it, preferring martyrdom.³²

Determined, Paul Sou planned to travel with Fr. Dominique Yen to Macao in 1748. Before departing, they witnessed the cremation of Bishop Pedro Martire Sanz’s corpse, collecting and preserving bone fragments afterward. The mandarins, noticing Paul’s presence, issued an order for his and Fr. Stephanus Pong’s arrest. Informed of their passage into Jiangxi, Paul had to be increasingly cautious.

Misfortunes multiply

On June 13, 1748, Paul Sou, accompanied by a catechist and his elder son, travelled to Tchang-Tcheou with the bones and ashes of Bishop Sanz, aiming to reach Macao. They were warmly welcomed by the Christian community throughout their journey, arriving safely in Macao after five days. Paul handed over the relics to Fr. M. Mathias, the procurator of the Foreign Mission in Macao. He brought three parcels of Bishop Sanz’s bones, each sealed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, intended for their house in Paris, Bishop de Martillat, and Fr. Mathias.

After settling in Macao, Paul Sou wrote a detailed letter to Fr. de Bras, the Superior General, on June 25, 1748. He described the situation in Sichuan, the persecutions suffered by missionaries, the martyrdom of some Christians, especially Bishop Sanz, and the threats that forced him to flee to Fujian and then Macao. Despite facing severe afflictions, dangers, and sorrow, Paul found courage and consolation in conforming to God’s will. He humbly admitted not being worthy of martyrdom but took solace in providing comfort and assistance to the confessors of Jesus Christ, visiting them in prison, and witnessing their martyrdom with holy envy.

By 1749, persecutions had decreased, and missionaries began ministering in the provinces. Paul Sou saw an opportunity to accomplish a mission entrusted to him by Christians in Fujian to meet Prince Joseph De pèi in Beijing. Despite opposition from four Dominican priests awaiting execution, Paul felt obliged to help them and the Christians in Fujian. The princem, however, refused to see him to avoid revealing his secret Christianity, leading to the mission’s failure.

In late January 1750, Paul Sou returned to Macao, exhausted and disappointed by his failed mission. He sought a meeting with Fr. Miralta, the Procurator of the Propaganda, only to find he had left for Europe. Fr. Guglielmi was the new procurator. Paul met with Fr. Mathias and Fr. Guglielmi to discuss the mission’s future in Hia-Seu- Yang, Sichuan Province. They decided to sell the church’s property to remove obstacles for apostates and tasked Paul with retrieving his adopted son, Laurent, who had harmed the Church. Paul agreed to return to Sichuan to carry out these tasks.

The procurators believed only Paul could accomplish these critical tasks. Paul had to coordinate with three Chinese priests serving under the Foreign Mission: Fr. Andreas Ly, known for his Latin journal sent to Paris, Fr. Stephanus Siu, a Lazarist who had served in Sichuan and Huguang, and Fr. Lucas Ly, a native of Fujian educated at the College de Saint Joseph in Siam. These priests had staffed the church in Sichuan for nearly a decade. Paul’s arrival sparked mixed reactions, especially regarding property and family matters. The procurator of the Foreign Mission instructed the Chinese priests not to interfere with Paul’s tasks.

Instead of immediately going to Sichuan, Paul decided to wait in Macao for Laurent. When Laurent arrived, he expressed remorse, begged for absolution, and swore he had not apostatized, although he had not borne witness to his faith. He admitted squandering Church property and agreed to make restitution despite having no funds or assets.

Around 1754-1755,³³ Paul Sou returned to Sichuan to manage the church’s assets. Fr. Lucas Ly noted in his journal that Paul’s return was for family matters, specifically selling his adopted child’s property. Other Chinese priests held Paul in contempt, believing he contributed nothing to the mission and was preoccupied with personal affairs. Despite a letter from the Procurator of the Foreign Mission, misunderstandings persisted. Paul’s adopted son’s bad reputation, his delicate tasks, his absence during Sichuan’s persecutions, and his temperament led to harsh judgments. Paul became an object of ridicule among Christians.

Realizing the hardened attitudes of priests and the Christian community in Sichuan,³⁴ and with a 1753 decree entrusting Sichuan Province to the Paris Foreign Missions,³⁵ Paul accepted his fate. He decided to return to Macao and retire to the residence of the Dominican friars. In 1756, Stephanus Su also returned to Huguang, ending the presence of Lazarist priests in Sichuan after more than fifty years of service.

Old soldiers never dies, they just fade away

Paul Sou retired with the Dominican friars in Macao, worn out by the years and his relentless activities. Through his letters to the Superior General and correspondence with Fr. Monet,³⁶ one of the three Vincentian priests he met briefly in Macao in 1732, we gain insight into his retirement activities. In Macao, he devoted his time to instructing young Chinese Christians, preparing them either as candidates for the priesthood or as catechists, crucial roles at a time when European missionaries were barred from entering the provinces. Some of these young men were eventually sent to Naples for further study.

Within a year and a half of his arrival in Macao, Paul Sou managed to send four young Chinese seminarians to Naples. He closely followed the example set by his mentor, Fr. Müllener, by seizing every opportunity to train the youth, whether as priests or catechists, reflecting the congregation’s charism of formation.

If Paul Sou had kept a regular diary, we would have a wealth of information about his pastoral work, the situations he encountered, and the Catholic communities he served. This documentation would allow us to compare his experiences with those recorded by Andreas Ly and Lucas Ly, providing a more balanced historical perspective. Nevertheless, the available documentation highlights his courage and perseverance during challenging times, offering today’s generation a valuable example of effective missionary work.

The situation of the church in China, in many ways, remains unchanged. Persecution and oppression continue, as do internal divisions and conflicts within the church, though the actors may differ. Paul Sou’s example serves as a testament to the enduring challenges and the unwavering dedication required for missionary work in any era.

Paul Sou regularly wrote reports to Paris and took the initiative to assist new European missionaries arriving in Macao by teaching them the Chinese language. In our culture, people often cling to a fanatical tenacity for human uniqueness, creating a perceived vast gulf between a hero and an ordinary person. Heroic acts such as martyrdom or establishing new mission regions are among the many qualities that define a hero. By these standards, Paul Sou might seem an ordinary, easily forgotten figure. Despite, however, not being as talented or charismatic as Andreas Ly, Paul Sou deserves more attention and appreciation for his contributions.

The elderly Paul Sou likely died around 1767³⁷ in Macao, in the Dominican friars’ monastery where Fr. Appiani had also passed away. Meanwhile, Stephanus Su had minimal contact with Paris. He left Sichuan for Huguang and probably remained there until his death. The last news about him that reached Paris was in 1762; after that, there was no further information. The deaths of these two Chinese Vincentians marked the end of the first episode of the Vincentians’ history in China. For several decades following their deaths, the Vincentians were absent from the mission in China.

Paul Sou’s dedication, his efforts in teaching new missionaries, and his consistent communication with Paris reflect a life of quiet but significant service. Though not a traditional hero, his steadfast work and perseverance in challenging times provide a profound example of missionary commitment. His story, along with the early history of the Vincentians in China, remains a testament to the enduring spirit of missionary work in the face of adversity.

Yohanes Kusno Bintoro, CM
Source: Studia Vincentiana, Volume 2, Number 2 (2024),
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3531

Footnotes:

³¹ The most prominent figure behind these rumours was Chou Hue-Chien, the Governor-General of Fujian. He was the person who sent the Emperor a memorial full of hatred toward Christianity. The Emperor reacted quickly by issuing an edict in August 2, 1746, ordered all provincial authorities to conduct a rigorous search for Europeans hiding in the provinces to arrest and deport them to Canton.

³² The four Dominican priests are Joaquin Royo, Francisco Serrano, Juan de Alcober and Francisco Diaz, all Spanish Dominicans. On December 28, 1746, the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, Chou Hsueh-chien, condemned them to be beheaded. (See, Joseph Krahl, China Missions in Crisis, Bishop Laimbeckhoven and his times 1738-1787, Gregorian University Press, Roma, p. 51). Their actual martyrdom was in 1749. Along with Bishop Pedro Martire Sanz, they were included among a group of 120 saints known collectively as the “Martyr Saints of China” who were canonized on 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

³³ Cf. van den Brandt, (1937), p. 7-8. Paul Sou left Sichuan for good in 1753. He probably counting that at that time, the Sichuan province officially entrusted to the Paris Foreign Mission, thus ended the service of the priests of Propagation of faith.

³⁴ The persecution just happened in June 28, 1754, the authority discovered a European priest Lefebvre, who just arrived in Chengdu and stayed at Andreas Ly’s house along with Stephanus Siu, Lefebvre’s guide Jacobus Ouang (王), and others. This incident called as “The Lefebvre Incident of 1754” has caused some punishment to above persons, including the deportation of Lefebvre. (cf. Robert Entenmann, The Lefebvre Incident of 1754, in A Voluntary Exile: Chinese Christianity and Cultural Confluence since 1552, Anthony E, Clark (ed.) Lehigh University Press, Lanham, Maryland, 2014. p. 63-71). Apparently Paul Sou came at the wrong time.

³⁵ Charbonnier, Fr. Jean. Christians In China (Kindle Locations 4207-4208). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.

³⁶ The archives in the house of Torino have conserved for us two of his letters to Fr. Monet.

³⁷ Bishop de Saint-Martin, coadjutor of the ap. Vic of Sichuan wrote on 15 November 1785: Fr Sou died in Canton, 12 to 15 years ago; that would put his demise between 1770 and 1773. But judging to Fr. Sou’s letter, he must have died in Macao instead in Canton.

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