The precursor, 1 juillet 1952, Juillet - Août

Vol.XIX, No.4 July - August 1952 Montreal mtMM P recurôor $1.00 a year $20.00 for life Bimonthly magazine published by the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, with the approbation of the Most Reverend Archbishop of Montreal.Subscriptions begin with either 2900 St.Catherine Road, the July or the January issue.Cote des Neiges, Montreal 26, P Q.Vol.XIX, No.4 Montreal July-August 1952 IN THIS ISSUE Elegy of Chinese Cradles.145 One Year With the Progressive Church.148 Prison Memoirs.149 Sister St.Victor Through Mary to Jesus.156 My First Impression on Japan.158 Sister Monica of the Blessed Sacrament Our Lady's Garden.162 Matanzas Eucharistic Congress.164 Sister Martha of the Redeemer Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Caridad.166 Sister St.Colette * Les Coteaux Greets the Queen.169 The Housewife's Rosary .172 Across Cuban Pueblos.174 Sister Irene of Jesus Recruiting Pupils in Africa.178 Sister Frances of Lisieux Katarina.181 .Sister Bernadette of France Come to Kaseye.184 Sister St.Jean de la Lande Struggle Against the Legion of Mary In China.187 The Martyr of Futuna.188 Florence Gilmore Our Beloved Dead.192 baskets suffering, ï'Sï^^vx \ 5&8K wmm, wÊÊSsm &mà O China, beloved Promised Land of mine, what have I done that you should expel me from your borders?Why should you insist on branding me as a criminal.a murderer ?In the glad springtime of my life, to you I came.that your poor, unwanted, abandoned babies might no longer be castaways .Tenderly, I bent over the wicker filled with puny, whimpering, little bundles of sit'5 mmmm SSiSÉS '•Vr/* i/ 3> .-fri.IWïM &&*&>$/*» ifeV |$$Wi oV.M'îyJÎ'AVrf.^vr-é Ü •V->-f-;'~ isfe^ www-jw.*'; .v>:r‘K;jv, humanity .In my arms I cradled their wasted forms .shielded them from harm .With gentle touch, I bathed and dressed their fragile limbs .I laved pain-puckered brows with the regenerating waters that give joy unto life everlasting .How many sleepless nights I spent beside the cots of your ailing babes! .With motherly concern I nurtured them to strength .Soothing lullabies I crooned over the filmy- -*T '.r;y «MW- iëm "Çvs V x .'î' < curtained cradles, where my darlings slept as happily as mandarins in their swaying palanquins .I surrounded their lives with care, and comfort, and joy .At their first cry, I stood beside them as no earthly mother had ever done .O China, beloved Promised Land !.For which of these things are you now shackling my hands, and feet ?.Some day, you will understand .Some day, the baleful glare of the Red Star will grow dim .you will glimpse then the golden glow of the Holy Spirit haloeing the cradles of your abandoned babes .Call me back to your borders, then .You need not cry out aloud .Your faintest whisper will reach my ear .For always, night and day, reecho in my heart the cries my darlings, abandoned now in earnest.M.I.C.WêêÉÊMÈêÊÈM rnssgm ’MmPtâ One Year With the Progressive Church (A.I.F.) One year ago, Mr.Wu Yao-Tsung launched the Progressive Church movement.In spite of all his efforts, this movement has met no support whatever from Catholics and has courted failure all along the line.A serious investigation, based on direct testimonies from nearly every diocese in China, has given the following results.1) A certain number of priests and religious, and about two thousand lay Catholics appear to accept the Reformed Church in a vague manner, in an evident attempt at temporization through extremely difficult circumstances.It must not be overlooked that on the whole, lay Catholics have been forced to become members of the “Church Reform Committees”: they had practically no choice in the matter.2) A certain number of lay Catholics — not one priest or religious — seem to accept the Progressive Church in a precise manner that is, in its ultimate sense of separation from Rome.It must be added that, because of their refusal to cooperate with the Reformed Church Movement, about two hundred and fifty priests and Sisters, and a great number of Catholics have been imprisoned.A few have even pledged with their blood, their attachment to the Church of Rome.3) All efforts to entice Chinese bishops or priests in becoming the chiefs of a National Chinese Church, independent from Rome, have been completely frustrated.In meetings held at Pekin in 1951, measures had been taken to elect a Pope for China.The Communists declared that the Pope of Rome could not be held as the legitimate Head of the Church, because he had not been elected by the people.Nothing was there to prevent the election of a Pope in China, since at certain periods of history there had been several popes at the same time.His Excellency R.R.Joseph Chou Chi-shih, Chinese Vincentian, was approached with the offer of being made the Chinese pope.He replied that the Catholic Church acknowledged only one Head, the Pope of Rome.The same offer was made to His Excellency Jean Chang, then incarcerated at Pekin, with the promise of his liberty, if he accepted.In identical terms, he also refused.(It has since been rumored that he has died in prison, but this news has not been officially confirmed).These then are the facts.They show that the Progressive Church Movement has met with failure.Mr.Wu, the initiator of the Movement, has tacitly been forced to admit that he has failed in the recent article he wrote to commemorate the first anniversary of the Movement.The only allusion made to Catholics in this article, is the picture of a nun standing at the microphone.If Mr.Wu had lengthy things to say concerning the adhesion of Catholics to the Independent Church, he doubtless would not have omitted to mention them. J.Trisoh ^Memoirs Sister St.Victor’s« Account TO KOM HANG CRECHE CONFISCATED BY THE REDS First House Search On December 17, 1950, all Institutions conducted by foreigners were obliged to appoint Chinese directors.Thus it came to pass that the management of our orphanage had to be entrusted to Chan Lo Sail, one of the older orphans.A true heroine was this Chinese girl.When the Sisters were charged with cruelty because of the high mortality rate among the babies, Chan Lo Sail bravely countered, “I am responsible for everything here — not the Sisters.” (1) Germaine Tanguay, Nashua, N.H.___________________________________________________________________________ ^06797^701 150 Montreal THE PRECURSOR July*August 1952 “As far as the direction and administration of the house goes, well and good,” replied the Red leader.“As to the great number of dead infants, the Sisters alone are responsible.” In the latter part of January 1951, newspapers apprised all landowners, Chinese or foreign, that they were to send in to Government offices, their title deeds and ownership papers before the Chinese New Year falling this year on February 6.Sister Superior immediately took measures to secure these titles and papers.She was absent on this business when, on January 26, the Canton officials unexpectedly showed up at the Creche, with a warrant for a house search.The entire personnel was forbidden to budge.Guards were appointed to prevent anybody from escaping; even the sick who had come for medication at the clinic were kept in custody.Rev.Father Casey, S.J., who had been preaching our annual retreat, was forced to remain at the convent.From 9.30 a.m.to 6.30 p.m.he stayed in the chapel, praying for our intentions.Not a nook or cranny in the house escaped notice.The Reds conscientiously ransacked every cupboard, rummaged in every box, ferretted out every jar or bottle.At the clinic, a still more thorough investigation took place.Samples of powdered milk, of baby’s food, of médecines, of distilled water were minutely analysed.While a squad of soldiers searched the Sisters’ premises and their personal belongings, another party of fifteen, vainly tried to inveigle the children into accusing the Sisters of cruelty.As soon as they were able to do so, the little ones fled to us for safety.Questions put to the orphans chiefly regarded their food, clothing, studies and daily relations with the Sisters.“Admit that the Sisters maltreated you,” urged the Reds.“The Sisters are our mothers,” chorused the children, “They love us more than did our own parents who abandoned us.We love the Sisters with all our hearts.” “Shame on you, children! Why do you love these foreign wretches who came over here to kill the children and steal our money ?They pretend that they came to China to do good to the people but they are hypocrites who cover themselves with the mask of charity.” “There may be some bad foreigners among those who live in China, but we know nothing about them.The Sisters rescued us when our parents no longer had any use for us.We love them.They are kind and gentle.We do not want them to be taken away from us.” “They give you only rice to eat while they eat bread.” “They give us rice to eat because we Chinese prefer to eat rice.The Sisters do not want to make foreigners out of us.They eat bread because Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 151 they have been used to do so since they were babies.Bread is eaten in their country as rice is eaten in ours.We are Chinese; we do not want their bread.” “How many bowls of rice do the Sisters give you to eat?” “We eat as many as we want.Besides rice we eat meat and vegetables just as the Sisters do.” “You never have any sweets .” “Indeed we do, and also good biscuits baked by Sister St.Victor.” The house search lasted until half past two.A few soldiers then went out to take their dinner while the others remained to watch our doings.We Our Five Prisoners Enjoy the Four “ Blessed Days” of Fat Yuen.When They Shared a Common Cell.were allowed to go about the house and to send the clinic patients home.Rev.Father Casey, however, was not permitted to go until evening.I served him his dinner under the cold stare of the Reds; seeing that I put only one dish on the table, they voiced their approval.“Do you know how to write the word apostasy?” they asked our orphans.“Yes, we know the character used to write such a word, but we will never write it.” The soldiers then ordered them to recite their prayers.Loud guffaws greeted this recital.In the afternoon, a poor woman called at the Creche, entreating us not to refuse her baby whom she was forced to abandon.The Red chief rudely put her off, telling her we would surely kill the child as we had already killed 152 Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 hundreds of others.Vainly the woman insisted on leaving the infant at the Creche.The Red chief was adamant.Soon after this chief had gone out, other Chinese brought their babies to us.As I did not know what to do, I consulted the officer in charge.He replied that I should take them in as usual.While I was showing him in what condition these waifs reached us, he appeared horrified to see a baby girl, five days old, writhing in the convulsions of tetanus.“ Can you do anything for her?” queried he.Upon my negative reply, he uncivilly dismissed me.Some time later, a crippled, prematurely born baby girl was brought in.Again I ventured to show' her to the officer who turned away in disgust.A six-months-old infant suffering from pneumonia which had followed as a complication of the measles, was the next on the list.“Pneumonia is curable,” swaggered the onlooking soldiers.“Yes, of course, pneumonia is curable.But, please don’t overlook the fact that when it comes as a complication to the measles in such a frail child, her chances may be said to be very slim indeed.” Fearing lest the Reds should accuse us of murdering the baby if we kept her, I urged the father to take her home and give her the medecine as I would indicate.No, he did not want to take his dying daughter home.Who would take care of her there ?He was out all day, attending his business, and the mother also had to work.Two more babies arrived before evening.One, puny and miserable, born of ailing parents was doomed to death; the other, one day old, appeared to be perfectly normal but was nevertheless about to enter the Valley of the Shadow.Her death decree had been signed by her parents even before she saw the light of day.Why waste money for a doctor to attend her birth, when she was to be abandoned immediately after?An inexperienced midwife was called instead.The child was delivered under the most unsanitary conditions.Seeing this apparently healthy infant, the officer taunted, “Don’t try to tell me this one also is going to die.” “She cannot be expected to live more than a few days.” “And why, pray ?” I did not answer but merely lifted up the dirty rags covering the child.Pus was oozing out of a makeshift dressing.Then I made bold to say: “Only about ten per cent of the unwanted children brought to the Creche carry medical certificates.As for the remaining eighty per cent, the parents plead poverty.” This assertion seemed to make the Reds very thoughtful.“We will investigate the sanitation problem and see what can be done,” they proffered.Endless for me seemed the two hours that followed.The officer questioned, and probed, and cross-examined me on the following subjects: the children’s food, the probable cause of the high mortality rate among the babies, the Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 153 common grave in the Catholic portion of the cemetery where the dead infants were buried, the sources of income for the upkeep of the Creche, the work assigned to each Sister.Finally I was asked point-blank, “When are you leaving?” “Leaving for where ?” “For your own country, of course.,, “We are not leaving.The orphans are our children; without us, they would be quite helpless so we have decided to stay.” Sister Superior and Sister Marie Germaine returned to the convent at 6.30 p.m.The Communists were waiting to have them sign a declaration that they had searched the house but had not pillaged it.Still, they carried off the account books, the baptismal register, the record of the children likely to live, and a book containing Father Mateo’s conferences.¦ ill!! Each In Turn, the Prisoners Were Forced to Do Laundry Work For the Communist Chiefs.Sister Saint Germain and Sister Saint Foy Carry the Water, Chinese Fashion.Sister Saint Victor Gives the Heavy Clothes a Tubbing. 154 Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 CHILDREN REMAIN DEVOTEDLY ATTACHED TO THE SISTERS Seeing that we absolutely refused to leave the children entrusted to our care, the Reds tried by every means to annoy us and make our life unbearable.All the orphans were summoned to police headquarters.There they underwent tiresome cross-examinations intended to entice them into making accusations against the Sisters.But especially since they had first noticed that the new masters wanted to expel us, the children showed an ever-increasing attachment.Their forced visit to police headquarters only served to put them on their guard.They had been ordered to report daily the number of foundlings received, and the number of deaths.The older orphan who delivered these reports, indignantly protested against the raillery to which she was subjected on these occasions.“You are a friend of the foreigners, that’s what you are,” scoffed the soldiers.Photographs of each inmate of the orphanage were also requested for official records.Our young idiot was questioned but the Reds were not successful in bribing her to talk against us.A police official daily called at the Foundling Home to make inquiries.He counted the babies to see if their number corresponded to that given on the reports.Determined to wean our young charges away from our influence, he dinned into their ears horror stories of wolves masquerading in sheep’s clothing.Bored and disgusted, the little ones hardly listened to him.After a few weeks of this, they decided to take matters into their own hands.As soon as the policeman showed up, they began to nudge one another, to giggle inanely, to stuff their fingers into their ears .The daily visits were cancelled.We were however accused of encouraging the children in rebellious attitudes toward the government.SISTER - NURSE ACCUSED About the middle of February, Sister Marie Germaine received a summons to appear at the Hygiene Bureau.She was severely rebuked because unable to produce her nursing certificate lost during the siege of Szepingkai, Manchuria.In Red China, it is a crime to care for the sick without any certificate.Sister was forbidden to give any medication, even to our orphans, until she obtained a permit.The Communists had no intention whatever of granting her any.A few days later, a neighbor brought in her baby whom Sister had nursed back to health a year previously.She begged her to save the child once again.Because of the Communists’ interdiction, Sister urged the woman to take the little patient to the government hospital.No notice was even taken of her and her child in this center.The distracted mother then appealed to a police- Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 155 man for permission to have the Sisters give her medicine.He refused, pretexting the prohibition of higher authorities.The infant died a few hours later.STORM CLOUDS GATHER Newssheets of February 7, carried a first series of Communist accusations against our orphanage.Another article followed on February 28, unleashing an explosion of editorial comment in all papers throughout the country.Newspapers demanded an investigation of these “horrors” by the Government.His Excellency Most Rev.Dominic Tang grew alarmed and sent a priest over to examine our position.As we had not read the “news” about our alleged “inhuman treatment” of our charges, we were still perfectly at peace.In the evening, however, Chan Nap Kou, called to warn us that we would probably be led into prison on the very next day.Early on March 1, we sent two orphans over to Father Casey’s residence telling him not to come to the Orphanage for Mass if he deemed it more prudent.Father arrived before the message was delivered.We told him about our fears; he said Mass but left immediately after, taking away the Blessed Sacrament.At 2 p.m., a party of about thirty officers entered our property, in little groups of three or four.Cho Lo Sail was summoned.To her the officers explained that they had business to transact with Sister Superior.In the parlor, where the whole group of officers finally congregated, Lo Sail and the virgin Tsang stood on each side of the Superior as if to protect her.The officer in charge presented the latter with a government letter written in Chinese.As she objected that she could not read Chinese characters, the portent of the message was signified to her as follows, “The People’s Government aware of the mismanagement of the Foundling Home operated by the Sisters, orders them to turn the establishment over to the government which will immediately assume the direction of this work.” A few moments of impressive silence followed this declaration.Lo Sail then spoke “If you wish to assume the direction of the work, we cannot resist you.There is, however, one request we want to make — leave us the Sisters who have brought us up as real mothers.” “Your request is quite reasonable,” answered the Communist, “the Sisters will remain with you.’’The officers then asked Sister Superior what she intended to do.“I cannot give you an answer now; I must consult.” The orphans begged permission to have Mass every morning, which permission was granted.Accompanying the military group were the new Director and Directress, a doctor and a nurse.The whole party led by Sister Superior and Lo Sail visited in its entirety.the property they were confiscating.When the orphans realized what was taking place, they began to cry; their wails could have touched the hardest hearts.The Communist women tried to cajole them into silence but the children only cried the louder. In June 1951, Mr.George Hori, M.D., requested Sister St.Francis Xavier, M.I.C., formerly a missionary in Japan, to obtain hospitalization for one of his compatriots suffering from tuberculosis, thirty-six year old Mr.William Utsunomiya.Admitted as a patient at the Cartierville Sacred Heart Hospital, Mr.Utsunomiya showed grateful appreciation of the considerate care and delicate attentions lavished on him by the Sisters.So deeply impressed was he that he felt it his duty to inquire into a religion that could inspire such charity.He felt drawn to Catholicism in an irresistible way.One October day, as Sister St.Francis Xavier was visiting him at the hospital, he queried, “Sister, could you explain to me about the Rosary ?” He usually listened in to the daily Rosary broadcasts in the wards but did not quite understand what they meant.Sister explained about the simple prayers used in this devotion.He already knew the Pater as he belonged to a Protestant persuasion, but he had never heard the Ave.The explanation of the Mysteries which help the soul ponder over the life of Our Lord and of Our Blessed Mother, the repetition of the same simple prayers, delighted him.“Sister,” he exclaimed, “How grand and beautiful is this prayer which everybody loves!” Thankfully he accepted a booklet on this Marian devotion and a Rosary which Sister offered him.In February, Mr.Utsunomiya’s wife who had also contracted tuberculosis, was admitted at Cartierville.The Sisters’ gentle kindness soon won her admiration.On March 1, husband and wife requested to be baptized without delay.The ceremony, presided by Rev.C.Labrecque, P.S.S., priest in charge of the Japanese of Montreal, was held on March 2.All the Buddhist and Protestant relatives of the family were present as Mr.and Mrs.Utsunomiya were made children of God, in the solarium of St.Michael’s ward.Mr.Maeda from Hamilton, Ontario, served as godfather and Mrs.Courval, friend of Mrs.Utsunomiya, stood as godmother.The nuptial blessing was afterwards given to the happy pair.Rev.A.Labrecque tactfully explained Rev.C.Labrecque Blesses s.-: Mr.and Mrs.Utsunomiya’s Marriage the sense of the words and the meaning of the ceremony to the non-Christian members of the family who really seemed to share in the joy of the neophytes.Deeply impressed by his new dignity as a Catholic, the patient asked to have a Church photo taken as souvenir.By Church photo, he meant the Baptism group.His young sister-in-law, not yet baptized, stood inside this group.“No, no, not you, Yuki! This is the Church,” he forcefully exclaimed.Only seventeen days of life on earth were left to Mr.Utsunomiya; St.Joseph introduced him into the celestial mansions on his festal day, March 19.These seventeen days, the patient lived in a truly saintly manner.How he loved to recite parts of his Rosary! He felt a strong desire to live and recover his health but he had an equally strong wish to comply with the Will of God.One fine morning, he remarked, “The sun is dancing over nature today.It makes one want to get better and enjoy God’s beautiful outdoors.But if it is God’s Will to call me home to Heaven, I am perfectly content.When I no longer have the strength to say my beads, I just press them to my heart and feel comforted.” The funeral was held at Notre Dame Church.Rev.C.Labrecque officiated assisted by a Japanese priest studying at the Montreal Major Seminary.Michael Utsunomiya now awaits the eternal summons, at the Cote des Neiges cemetery, in the section reserved to the Japanese Catholics of Montreal.This conversion and peaceful death have found sympathetic response on the part of the dead man’s friends and relatives.Protestants and Buddhists alike could not refrain from admitting that the Catholic religion had brought great happiness to their compatriot. - ->g \sxv^a S s\ow oxv cs omokv, : mm ym By Sister MONICA OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT ( 1 ) M.I.C.V It really cannot be given a name.Complexity and instability may be said to be its chief characteristics.How can an impression composed of elements as numerous as they are opposed be given a name since a name confers a definite, constant nature?From the outset, Japan twined itself around my heartstrings.We entered Japanese waters late in the evening; even then, in the velvety darkness, I felt the subtle, overpowering charm of its presence.Far away, where the shoreline embraced the horizon, I saw shining through the flickering shadows a tiny red light.To me that light was a symbol.It was like the throbbing heart of my Promised Land, the land of all my childhood dreams come true.Pacing the swaying deck with my companion, I sofly hummed the notes of an exultant Magnificat, thanking God who had led me at last to the realization of my missionary ideal.V Needless to say, I was up early on the following day to witness my first goraiko or sunrise (literally Honorable coming light), in the Land of the Rising Sun.Just then, a mousey grey impression stole into my heart unawares.Have you guessed what it was ?This time it did bear a name — dissapoint-ment.Was this really and truly Japan?Why, this port might have been Seattle .In my imagination, I had always stubbornly clung to a primitive concept of my mission land to be, and here were huge, concrete buildings, paved streets, shining modern cars.1.Monique Cloutier, Ottawa. Montreal THE PRECURSOR July-August 1952 159 But the mousey grey impression not feeling at home in my happy heart, soon slithered away I knew not where nor cared.Crowds of Japanese workmen swarmed about the docks.On their gaunt, tired faces they wore such a sad, wistful expression that my heart went out to them in their soul distress.They reminded me of those shepherdless sheep Our Lord spoke of in the Gospel.Presently I was to learn that the huge foreign-style buildings, were but a brilliant facade too often concealing stark misery or very real poverty.As we were going through the Customs, an old man with a face as wizened as a dried persimmon, courteously bowed before the two of us, then hobbled away.He had gone to tell our Sisters who had come to meet us, that we had indeed arrived.,* :;v » -v: “Hurry,” advised he “There are two honorable ladies over there, dressed just like you.They do not seem to understand our language.” Thanks to our considerate old friend, we had the joy of meeting again with our Sisters sooner than we expected.Our Tokyo convent is situated at of Yokohama.We had reached the ventured to say, “I hope we get into Tokyo soon! ” Of course, the mission veterans beside me could not help laughing at my naivety.Why do I always look at Japan with Canadian eyes?I had fondly imagined that Yokohama and Tokyo stood at about the same distance as Montreal and Ottawa.Not for a moment had I thought they could lie as close as twin cities, their boundary lines overlapping at many points.Well, now I know and will not be laughed at again, at least for this same mistake! As we rolled along, I could see quite a change in the panorama.The huge buildings that persistently reminded one of haughty intruders had about one hour’s ride from the port very heart of the capital when I Sister Monica of the Blessed Sacrament (Monique Cloutier, Ottawa). !