# Catholic Magazine and Review/Volume 3/Account of Foreign Missions

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ACCOUNT OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY NARRATOR.
1 —Establishment of the Association for the Propagation of the faith.
In the golden era of France, when Louis XIV. swayed its sceptre, was founded in Paris, under the patronage of his Most Christian Majesty, the establishment called Maison des Missions Etrangeres, the eleves of which were designed to convey the light of the Gospel to the eastern extremities of the world. This foundation, although it survived, severely felt the shocks of those religious and civil turmoils, which, during a large portion of the last half century, agitated the whole of Europe. It still exists, but unfortunately is no longer in the enjoyment of its once ample endowments and resources. No sooner, however, had the turmoils somewhat subsided, than a zeal for the propagation of the faith began to actuate some ecclesiastics and pious laymen of the city of Lyons, who, seeing the deplorable condition to which the foreign missions were reduced, resolved to exert themselves in their behalf. Accordingly, in the year 1822, a society was formed, under the patronage of St. Francis Xavier, the apostle of the Indies, for the sole purpose of aiding by alms and prayers, foreign Catholic missionaries both in the old and the new world, each associate engaging to contribute the weekly sum of one halfpenny to a general fund for the support of the missions, and to recite daily one Pater and Ave, together with St. Francis Xavier, pray for us, to invoke the divine blessing on the association and the missions. The number of associates soon became considerable. From Lyons and its immediate vicinity they spread rapidly through the adjoining provinces, and an eagerness to partake in the pious work was shortly manifested in the capital itself, where the association was joined by many persons equally distinguished by their rank, their learning, and their piety. The bishops, too, with simultaneous accord recommended the association in the most energetic terms to their respective flocks. These again were seconded by the zeal and eloquence of the inferior clergy; and the speedy result was, that scarcely a diocese or even a parish was to be found, which did not furnish members to the association.
​In the month of February of the year 1823, one of the founders of the association was deputed to Rome to acquaint his Holiness, Pope Pius VII. with the origin and progress of this eminent work of piety and charity. The aged and venerable Holy Father, then hastening to the close of his earthly career, welcomed the joyful intelligence, blessed the Almighty for this fresh token of love for his church, and conferred on the association his apostolical benediction, together with the grant of ample indulgences in favour of its members. Their majesties, Louis XVIII., Charles X., and the King of Sardinia honoured the society with their patronage. In the dominions of the latter a branch association was also formed, as well as others in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Savoy. Such a commencement was the harbinger of success worthy of the noble enterprize. At the expiration of six years from the foundation of the society there bad been received in weekly contributions and disbursed amongst the various missions in Asia and America the sum of £37,000.
Who, after reading this brief notice of the formation of the society for the propagation of the faith, can refrain from pausing in grateful admiration of the wonderful ways of that Almighty Being, the author of every good work, who, to accomplish his bountiful designs in favour of man, and to confound the loftiness of human wisdom, often adapts means the most simple and weak in appearance to the execution of his noblest purposes? Thus, when the moment marked out by his eternal decrees has arrived, he inspires into the soul of perhaps but a single powerless individual a pious, strong, active and overruling thought or desire analogous to the effect he would produce. This person communicates to a few other virtuous friends the holy enthusiasm which burns within him. These applaud his zeal, and are eager to become sharers in his merit From that moment all obstacles! seem to be surmounted; the path to the desired end id levelled before their feet, and every step betokens further success, because the hand of the Almighty directs their movements. Such, in the present instance, seems to have been the economy of his Providence. And what a work has been here set in operation! Nothing less than that of wresting from idolatry and bringing into the path of salvation an innumerable ​multitude of beings formed, like ourselves, to the divine image, descended with us from one common parent, and redeemed by the blood of a common Redeemer—yet hitherto infinitely less favoured in every way than we, being, for the moat part, wild and ferocious savages, strangers to the arts of civilization, knowing no other laws than those of brutal instinct, of manners and habits the most revolting to reason, and preserving, it may almost litterally be said, nothing of human nature, but the figure!
It should not here be omitted, that, in the year 1824, attempts were made to introduce the association for the propagation of the faith into England. But it would appear that these attempts were without success. May it not, however, still be hoped, that English Catholics, so liberal in their charities at home, will yet be induced to give them a wider scope, and feel a holy emulation to concur by their prayers and alms in extending the inheritance of the Lord, in unfurling the standard of the cross to the idolatrous nations of the eastern and western hemispheres, and subjecting millions of their fellow-creatures, who are still sitting in darkness and the shades of death, to the salutary influence of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
2.—The missions of Asia in general and of China in particular.
The Parisian establishment of Foreign Missions already noticed maintains five missions in Asia: 1.—That of Su-tchuen in the empire of China; 2.—That of western Tong-king; 3.—That of Cochinchina; 4—That of Siam; 5.—That of Malabar on the coast of Coromandel. The first four are governed, like the Districts of Great Britain, by bishops in partibus, nominated by the Holy See vicars apostolic of these missions. In consequence of the remoteness of the Asiatic missions from the great centre of Catholic unity, and to remedy the inconvenience which would arise from any of them being deprived for a length of time of a bishop, each vicar apostolic has generally another bishop, as co-adjutor. The Malabar mission is also governed by a bishop in partibus, who, however, takes the simple title of Superior of the Mission. The five missions have, moreover, a procurator general, who is a priest and whose office is to conduct the ​correspondence between the several missions, and. to receive the missionaries on their arrival from Europe. His residence is at Macao, a town situated at the mouth of the gulph of Canton, the principal approach to the Chinese empire.
The missions of China are supplied partly by European, and partly by native priests, each mission having one or more ecclesiastical seminaries. The priests, owing to the paucity of their number and their consequent inability to administer to all the spiritual wants of their respective flocks spread over very extensive tracts of country, are assisted in some of their duties and ministerial functions by what are termed lay catechists. These are divided into two classes, viz. resident and itinerant.
The resident catechists are almost all married men or widowers, selected from the best instructed and most fervent Christians. Their office is, in the absence of the priest, to preside at general meetings of devotion, especially on Sundays and Festivals, when they read aloud prayers and some pious book, give familiar instructions on the Christian Doctrine, and announce to the faithful the feasts, fasts and abstinence prescribed by the church. They also, in cases of necessity, baptize new-born infants, and even the children of Pagan parents, as well as adults who are in danger of death. They visit the sick and attend the funerals of the dead, to see that the rites of the Catholic church are observed without any mixture of Pagan superstition. They correct scandals and abuses, comfort such as are persecuted for the faith, and watch over the preservation of peace and fraternal charity. In a word, on the periodical visits of the missionary, they give him an account of the abuses which may have, crept in during his absence, and of the general state of religion.
The itinerant catechists, who during their engagement in that capacity are obliged to live in a state of celibacy, accompany and assist the missionaries in the course of their visits, or go wherever they may be deputed to visit the different stations, to catechise, instruct, exhort and console the faithful, as well as to baptize, regulate Christian burials, and correct abuses. At Tong-king no person is admitted to the office of catechist until he has learnt by heart a work in two ​volumes comprising a refutation of all the idolatrous superstitions, the method of teaching the Christian Doctrine, and that of preparing the faithful for approaching worthily to the Sacraments.
In several of the Chinese missions are convents of religious women, who, without any engagement of enclosure, live in community Under very austere rules. When persecution is an obstacle to the existence of such communities, many pious females devote themselves to a single life im the midst of their own families, where they live in retirement and assiduous application to the exercises of piety and works of charity suited to their sex. Some of these, likewise, keep schools, where they teach female children the elements of religion and train them to the early practice of their Christian duties.
Of all the countries of Asia, China, from its superior state of civilization, is doubtless the finest theatre for the establishment and progress of Christianity. But no where are greater obstacles to be encountered. These arise partly from the systematic and. interested opposition of the idolatrous priests, partly from the pride of the Chinese literati, which is so directly condemned by the (to them incomprehensible) humility of the gospel, and partly from the sanguinary edicts of the emperors. If the latter be inclined to huinanity, the church is left in peace; but should they, as it often happens, be of a cruel and suspicious character, the missionaries are obliged to fly, the churches are destroyed, and the Christians are tortured or put to death. Great, however, as are the obstacles, greater and superior by far is the zeal which faith and charity inspire. The more formidable the difficulties, the more strenuous are the labours of the missionaries. Having, in obedience to the divine call, bid adieu to their friends, their country and their homes, these holy men make themselves all to all, and in order to gain a soul to God hesitate not to encounter hunger, fatigue, the inclemency of the weather, and even death in all its most terrific shapes.
It is the singular privilege of the Catholic faith to inspire its ministers with zeal and charity so disinterested as this—Towards the close of the last century, a British ambassador ​at the court of China, being an eye witness of the devotedness of our missionaries, could not withhold from them this high but just eulogium. "It is a singular spectacle (he writes) to see men animated by motives so different from those which usually actuate human actions, quitting for ever their country and friends, and consecrating their lives to the task of changing the religion of a people they have never seen. In the pursuit of this object they incur dangers of every kind, suffer all sorts of persecution, and renounce all the comforts of life. By means of their address, talents, perseverance and humility they triumph over every obstacle and succeed in making establishments necessary for the propagation of their faith, without using their influence to procure for themselves any personal advantage."
Such has been, and such is to this day the character of our Catholic missionaries. The above is a general outline of the picture which the recital of the labours of these Apostolic men will unfold to the pious curiosity of the reader.—The future detail will shew him thousands of Christians, who compose that interesting portion of the Catholic church, flying from the penal laws of the sanguinary emperors, wandering through unknown forests, and hiding themselves in rocks and caverns without the means of subsistence. It will shew him, too, the zealous missionaries, their fathers in the faith, living in concealment, worn out with labours and tedious journeys, and hastening to premature death through the ardour of their charity for their dear neophytes. What a picture will this be! How sad, yet how consoling! What food will it furnish for meditation no less than for active and beneficent charity!—(to be continued.)