Zhang Xianzhong
The first Roman Catholic mission in Sichuan was carried out by Gabriel de Magalhães and Lodovico Buglio, during the 1640s. After the massacre of Sichuan by Zhang Xianzhong, and consequently, the immigration movement of , a search for surviving converts was carried out by , the then intendant of , and his mother Candida Xu, who were both Catholics. They found a considerable number of converts in Paoning, Candida then invited the priest Claudius Motel to serve the congregation. Several churches were built in Chengdu, Paoning and Chongqing under the supervision of Motel.