Martyrs of Faith: Franciscans in China- Jul 08 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

 

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 08, 2024, on the martyrdom of 29 Franciscan brothers in China during the Boxer Movement in the late 1800s, highlighting their courage and faith.

The Boxers, officially the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, were recruited from those suffering from disasters and blamed Western influence, particularly Christians, for their woes. In 1899, Boxers massacred Christians in Shandong province. Despite initial opposition from the Qing government, it later became supporters, especially under Governor Yuxian. Anonymous pamphlets spread lies about Western missionaries, inciting more violence.

The Franciscans, led by Bishop Gregory Grassi and Brother Andrew Bauer, attempted to protect their community, but many, including seminarians and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, were captured. Despite opportunities to flee, they chose to stay and face martyrdom. On July 9th, 1900, after a mock trial, they were executed by the Boxers. The courage and faith of these martyrs, including St. John Wang and St. Marie-Hermine Grivot, inspired many and led to a rapid growth of Christianity in China after the Boxer Rebellion.

Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyr_Saints_of_China 

00:00 – Introduction
00:16 – Boxer Movement Formation
00:40 – Anti-Christian Sentiments
01:00 – Governor Yuxian's Role
01:26 – Boxer Support for Government
02:00 – Missionary Danger and Response
03:01 – Bishop Grassi's Efforts
04:00 – Franciscan Sisters' Courage
05:00 – Imprisonment of Missionaries
06:00 – Local Support and Loyalty
07:00 – Martyrdom and Aftermath

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Gregory Grassi and companions - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=7229
Readings: Monday 14th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070824.cfm
1st: hos 2:16, 17-18, 21-22
Resp: psa 145:2-9
Gsp: mat 9:18-26

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=671&r=1643

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