CICM HISTORY Part I

Summary

The video script recounts the founding of the Belgian missionary congregation 'Missionaries of Scheut' by Theophile Verbist in 1868. It details their mission to China, focusing on evangelization and aiding abandoned infants. Despite initial challenges and the tragic deaths of several members, including Verbist himself, the congregation expanded, establishing a strong presence in China and later in Africa. The narrative underscores their dedication to cultural integration and the enduring spirit of their missionary work.

Takeaways

• 📅 Tofil Verbiest, a Belgian missionary, began his mission in China in 1865, with a strong focus on evangelization and helping abandoned children.
• 🌍 The Belgian mission in China was established with the motto 'Of China, For China,' reflecting a commitment to integrating with the local culture.
• 👥 Verbiest was joined by other priests, including Aloise Van Segelt, France Franks, and Remy Verlinden, in the mission to spread Christianity in China.
• 🏠 The congregation known as the 'Missionaries of Scheut' was founded in Brussels, with a strong devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• 🕌 The mission's first residence and training center were established in a suburb of Brussels, with support from local benefactors.
• 🚶 The first group of missionaries, led by Verbiest, arrived in Inner Mongolia in 1865, facing significant challenges such as climate, language, and diseases.
• 🌾 Despite many difficulties, including the death of Van Segelt, the mission expanded and successfully evangelized both local Christians and non-believers.
• 💔 Verbiest succumbed to typhoid fever in 1868, but his legacy lived on, with his remains eventually moved to Belgium in 1930.
• 📈 The congregation grew under the leadership of France Franks and Jerome Von Arta, who expanded the mission's reach beyond China to Africa.
• 🌍 The mission expanded to the Congo in 1888, establishing deep roots and facing similar challenges as in China, with many missionaries sacrificing their lives.

Q & A

Who was the Belgian missionary that died in Luko, China on February 23rd, 1868?

The Belgian missionary who died in Luko, China on February 23rd, 1868, was named Theophile Verbist.

What was the vision of Theophile Verbist for the Belgian mission in China?

Theophile Verbist envisioned a mission that would be 'of China for China,' aiming to live his religious vocation to the fullest by helping abandoned children and spreading the Christian faith in China.

What significant event in 1860 allowed the Belgian missionaries to consider China for their mission?

The Franco-Chinese Treaty of 1860, which opened up the borders of China to Christian religious works, presented an opportunity for the Belgian missionaries to consider China for their mission.

What was the condition imposed by the Church superiors for the Belgian missionary project in China to proceed?

The condition imposed by the Church superiors was that a Belgian missionary project in China would only be possible if an actual Institute were founded with its own headquarters, rules, and training for future missionaries.

How did the Missionaries of Scheut get their first structure?

The Missionaries of Scheut received their first structure when Mr. Jean Brabant donated a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, and Miss Marie François Mass donated a house adjacent to the chapel.

What is the congregation dedicated to and what is its primary focus?

The congregation is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and its spirituality is essentially focused on Mary, who is seen as the ideal missionary due to her complete faith in the word of God.

What was the purpose of establishing a Chinese Museum at the mother house in Scheut?

The Chinese Museum was established to help the young missionaries preparing to go to China to gain some knowledge of the culture, language, religions, and ways of the Chinese people, which was essential for their mission's success.

Who were the first members of the Missionaries of Scheut to set off for China and when did they leave?

The first group of Missionaries of Scheut to set off for China included four priests, Theophile Verbist, Alophe Verbiest, Franciscus Fouckers, Ferdinand Amir, and one lay brother, Paul Spenard. They left in August 1865.

What challenges did the missionaries face during their early years in China?

The missionaries faced challenges such as drought, shortages, lack of resources, a hostile climate, language difficulties, and diseases, which took many lives, including that of Alophe Verbiest.

How did the death of Theophile Verbist impact the congregation, and what steps were taken to ensure its continuity?

The death of Theophile Verbist led to a period of anxiety and disorientation for the congregation. To ensure continuity, the first assistant, France Franks, and others made important decisions, including the construction of a seminary and the organization of theology courses in Brussels.

What significant change occurred in 1887 that provided stability to the congregation?

In 1887, the congregation experienced significant change when it elected Van Erps as the Superior General and discussed new constitutions that provided stability. Also, for the first time, members made Perpetual vows, which added to the stability and continuity of the congregation.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Founding of the Missionaries of Scheut

The script begins with a historical account of the Belgian missionary Theophile Verbist, who, along with four companions, started the Belgian mission in China. Verbist, a priest from Brussels, was inspired to start this mission after becoming the director of the Holy Childhood Association in Belgium. The mission was supported by young priests like Aloïse Van Segert, Francis Foccart, and Remy Verlinden. Despite initial disapproval from Cardinal Sterckx, they eventually received support from the Holy See in Rome. The mission was formalized with the establishment of the Institute of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with its headquarters in the suburb of Brussels known as Scheut. The congregation's spirituality is centered around Mary, and its purpose is the conversion of infidels, with a specific focus on preaching the faith to the Chinese people and caring for abandoned infants.

05:01

📜 Early Missionary Work and Challenges

The script continues with the story of the early missionary work in China. The first missionaries, including Verbist, received training in Chinese language and culture at the mother house in Scheut before their departure. Upon arrival in China, they faced numerous challenges such as language barriers, a hostile climate, and diseases. Despite these hardships, they were able to establish missions and care for orphans. The script also highlights the martyrdom of several missionaries, including Aloïse Van Segert, who died from typhoid fever. The legacy of these early missionaries is commemorated in the mother house in Scheut, which houses a Chinese Museum that was established to help future missionaries understand Chinese culture.

10:07

🕍 Expansion and Growth of the Congregation

The script describes the growth and expansion of the Missionaries of Scheut after Verbist's death. The congregation faced a period of uncertainty but was stabilized by the leadership of France Franks and Jerome Van Aert. They focused on strengthening the organization and developing the congregation's infrastructure, including the construction of a seminary and the organization of theology courses. The script also discusses the congregation's expansion beyond China, with a focus on Africa, particularly the Congo. The missionaries played a crucial role in the evangelization and development of the Congo, building schools and dispensaries, and promoting local leadership. Despite the challenges and risks, the congregation continued to attract candidates dedicated to spreading the Gospel.

15:13

🌐 International Missionary Efforts and Impact

The script highlights the international reach of the Missionaries of Scheut, with a particular focus on their work in Africa and China. In Africa, the missionaries faced harsh conditions but were committed to evangelization and the betterment of local communities through education and healthcare. The script mentions the ordination of Charles Mbuya as the first African priest, signifying the congregation's commitment to local leadership. In China, the missions also prospered, with schools, churches, and hospitals being established. The script concludes by acknowledging the sacrifices made by many young missionaries who died due to wars, sickness, and harsh conditions, yet the congregation's mission continued to attract new members dedicated to spreading the Gospel.

Keywords

💡Missionary

A missionary is a person sent to promote their religious beliefs, typically to a foreign country. In the video, the term is central as it describes the Belgian priests and lay brothers who traveled to China and later to Africa to spread Christianity and provide social services. The script mentions 'Belgian missionary named tofil ver Beast' and other missionaries who ventured to China and later to Congo, highlighting their commitment to evangelization.

💡Propagation of Faith

The propagation of faith refers to the act of spreading religious beliefs and practices to others. The video discusses the establishment of a missionary project in China, which was only possible after the Franco-Chinese treaty opened up the country to Christian religious works. The script mentions the 'congregation for the propagation of faith in Rome,' which played a role in approving the Belgian missionary project.

💡Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a Roman Catholic devotion to the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is considered a symbol of her purity and compassion. The video describes the congregation founded by Ver Beast as being dedicated to this devotion, with Mary serving as the 'missionary ideal' and the congregation's spirituality being focused on her example.

💡Inculcation

Inculturation refers to the process of integrating Christian beliefs and practices into a local culture. The video emphasizes the importance of inculturation as a key to the missionary work of the congregation, as they sought to adapt the Gospel message to different societies and cultures, as exemplified by Ferdinand Amir's complete adoption of Chinese customs.

💡Franco-Chinese Treaty

The Franco-Chinese Treaty was an agreement that opened up China to foreign religious and cultural influences. The video mentions this treaty as a catalyst for the Belgian missionaries to begin their work in China, as it allowed Christian religious works to be conducted within the country.

💡Skir

Skir is the name of the suburb of Brussels where the missionary congregation was founded and is also the name of the congregation itself, the Missionaries of Scheut. The video describes how the congregation's first structure came to life in Scheut, and how it became a center for training missionaries for China and later Africa.

💡Evangelization

Evangelization is the act of spreading the Christian Gospel to convert non-believers. The video's main theme revolves around the missionary work of evangelization in China and later in Africa, with the missionaries focusing on preaching the faith and converting the 'infidels,' as well as caring for orphans and the local Christian communities.

💡Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising that took place in China at the turn of the 20th century. The video mentions the Boxers and how they set off a series of violent revolts against colonial advances, leading to the martyrdom of several missionaries from the congregation.

💡King Leopold II

King Leopold II was the King of the Belgians who conceived a plan for the Congo, which later became the independent state of Congo. The video discusses how he sought the cooperation of the Belgian religious Institute, the Missionaries of Scheut, for his African enterprise, leading to the expansion of the congregation's missionary work to Africa.

💡Perpetual Vows

Perpetual vows are lifelong commitments made by some religious individuals, typically within a monastery or religious order. The video describes how, until 1887, no one in the congregation had made perpetual vows, which was a point of instability for the congregation. The decision to take perpetual vows was a significant step towards ensuring the stability and continuity of the missionary work.

Highlights

The Belgian missionary Theophile Verbist died in China in 1868.

Verbist had a vision for a Belgian mission in China, 'for China'.

He was inspired by his work with the Holy Childhood Association.

The first missionaries included Aloïse Van Ségelt, Francis Focqués, and Remy Verlinden.

The Franco-Chinese Treaty of 1860 opened China to Christian religious works.

The missionaries faced opposition from the Archbishop of Mechelen.

The congregation was founded with the condition of creating an Institute with its own rules and training.

The first structure of the congregation was established in the suburb of Brussels called Scherpenheuvel.

The congregation is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and focuses on Mary as the missionary ideal.

The general purpose of the congregation is the conversion of the infidels and preaching the faith to the Chinese.

The first missionaries received training in Chinese language and culture.

The first group of missionaries set off for Mongolia in August 1865.

The missionaries faced challenges such as drought, shortages, and diseases.

Theophile Verbist died of typhoid fever during a pastoral visit.

The congregation expanded its missionary presence beyond China to Africa in 1888.

The missionaries in Africa faced similar challenges as in China, including disease and harsh climates.

The congregation's work in China and Congo included establishing schools, churches, and hospitals.

Despite the risks, many young missionaries continued to join the congregation to spread the Gospel.

Transcripts

[Music]

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on February the 23rd 1868 in luko China

a Belgian missionary named tofil ver

Beast

died in August of

1865 together with four companions he

had begun his missionary experience in

China but let's step back how did this

adventure begin

[Music]

got

[Music]

[Music]

it All Began here in the suburbs of

Brussels when taopi ver Beast a young

diois and priest had the idea of

starting a missionary experience that

would be the Belgian mission in China of

China for China as he wrote he had been

nurturing this missionary vocation for

some time especially after having become

director of the Holy Childhood

Association in

Belgium this Association concerned

itself with helping abandon children in

many parts of the world including China

ver Beast discovered that this was the

framework in which he wanted to live his

religious vocation to the

fullest this dream was known to some

young priests in the Belgian Capital who

were also attracted by the idea of

committing themselves to being

missionaries in the Far

East they included aloise van segelt

France Franks and Remy

verlinden the opportunity seemed to

present itself in 1860 following the

franco-chinese treaty that opened up the

borders of this immense Asian country to

Christian religious

Works however Cardinal stks the

Archbishop of mecin heartily disapproved

of the initiative so the Beast and Van

segelt turned to monor Gonella Nuno of

the Holy sea in Belgium asking him to

plead their case with Cardinal barnabo

prefect of the congregation for the

propagation of faith in

Rome finally things began to

move but among the conditions imposed by

ver BEAST's Church superiors there was a

new one a Belgian missionary project in

China would be possible only if an

actual Institute were founded with a

headquarters its own rules and training

for the future

missionaries in fact the groundwork was

being laid for the establishment of a

new religious

congregation the Beast and his friends

were at first quite startled but they

were quickly relieved to find that other

priests were showing interest in the

project this convinced them to press on

first they had to find a residence and a

training center for the Institute as

often happens the Invisible Hand of

Providence

intervened in 1862 this statue of Our

Lady of Grace was in a small Chapel that

stood here a place of deep popular

devotion to the Virgin Mary since

medeval

times the chapel belonged to a Mr Jean

sha brabant he he willingly seeded it to

the nent congregation shortly thereafter

a certain Miss Marie franois Mass

donated a house adjacent to the chapel

and so in just a few months the

congregation's first structure came to

life the chapel and house stood in a

suburb of Brussels called skirt and the

congregation became known as the

missionaries of

skirt the congregation is dedicated to

the Immaculate Heart of Mary and The

Institute spirituality is essentially

focused on

Mary Mary is the first and clearest

example of giving one's life to spread

Christ's name her complete faith in the

word of God makes her the missionary

ideal as father ver Beast often wrote

she is the one true moving force behind

their

[Music]

work the general purpose of the

congregation

is the conversion of the infidels and

the specific purpose is the preaching of

the faith to the Chinese and the

salvation of the many abandoned

infants at the same time the articles of

Association were written and were

approved in November 1862 by Cardinal

ster the congregation of the Immaculate

Heart of Mary was founded with ver Beast

as its first

Superior within 2 years the first four

members became 12 meanwhile the work of

training continued in preparation for

the first expedition to

China today at the mother house in skirt

we can find a superb Chinese

Museum right from the start the young

skirs preparing to leave received an

introduction to Chinese language and

culture an essential requirement if they

were to succeed in understanding a

civilization so different from the wests

the idea of the founder was to send

objects of Chinese culture here to

Europe to help those preparing to go as

missionaries to China to have some

knowledge of the culture the language

the religions the ways of doing things

the thoughts of the Chinese people

Etc thus the museum was established

gradually from the beginning in 1862

and finally in August 1865 the first

group set off it comprised four priests

and one lay brother taopi ver Beast

aloise van sefelt France

Franks Ferdinand Amir and Paul

[Music]

Spenard destination in a Mongolia they

were to replace the lazarist priests in

the immense territory north of Beijing

staying behind in skirt were two

important members of the team that had

established the congregation Jack Bank

director of the noviciate assisted in

his organizational and ceremonial duties

by Rie

[Music]

vindon after 2 months of travel by sea

the beast's group entered Beijing on

November the 25th

1865 for days later the missionaries

left the capital going Beyond The Great

Wall to the north and after Crossing

mountain passes they caught sight of the

village of chians they had arrived the

first skir mission could set down

routes a year later a second group

joined them their evangelization work

could Blossom helped Along by some

Chinese collaborators

in 1866 they expanded the territory they

were working in Amma was assigned to the

a district and Van selt to cmio

Ergo along with ver Beast ranks remained

at chansa to serve as director of the

local

seminary in in the years that followed

the congregation spread to other

[Music]

districts initially the missionaries

directed their attention to the local

Christians but with the arrival of new

forces they could begin to concentrate

on evangelizing the non-believers and

taking care of the orphans there

eventually some 400 children were housed

in five

buildings these were very difficult

years marked by drought shortages lack

of resources a hostile climate language

difficulties and diseases that took many

lives including that of aloise Van

sefelt ultimately even the founder

succumbed taken by typhoid fever while

on a pastoral

[Music]

visit his body was intered inside the

little church at Lau

in 1930 his mortal remains were moved to

Belgium where today they lie in the

chapel of the mother house in

[Music]

skirt the Beast was a man of deep Faith

generous and open he was able to mold

the first missionaries by his example he

shared their problems and their Joys

loved and was loved for his boundless

Apostolic Zeal and contributed to make

of the congregation a Unum at anima una

which means one heart and one Soul he

received the light of God's spirit

readily making himself available like

Mary still today the charisma he

received Burns and glows in all those

who have embraced his missionary

ideal soon far more serious problems

associated with the political situation

in China were added to the missionaries

initial difficulties there after the two

Opium Wars that had marked the century

in the late 1800s another anti-western

movement the boxers set off a series of

violent revolts against Colonial

advances into the Chinese Empire and

even the missionaries of skirt would

fall victim to the violence and shed

their

blood seven members were put to death by

Indescribable torture including

Ferdinand ammer perhaps the man who best

embodied the missionary Spirit of

skirt ver Beast describes him in some of

his letters the good Amir is a true

missionary he is a true Chinese the only

one Among Us who fully adopted the

customs and the food his Christians are

fond of him and love him like a

father Amma remains Central to the

congregation story not only because he

is its shining martyr but most of all

because he represents its spirit and

Charisma in the clear EST way through

his ability to adapt the message of the

Gospel to a radically different society

and

culture today this trait is part of the

congregation's deepest identity an

international organization that makes

integration and inculturation the keys

to opening Hearts all over the world to

the word of Christ

[Applause]

[Music]

after ver BEAST's death the congregation

experienced a period of anxiety and

disorientation the organization

structure was still fragile and

uncertain and still too few candidates

had the vocation to enure the burden of

missionary commitment fortunately ver

beasts first two successes France Franks

and Jerome Von Arta were able to steer

the congregation with a steady hand and

saw that it was strengthened and

developed the founder had a council

responsible for the direction of the

[Music]

congregation the first assistant was

also there at the shivans Seminary he

called a meeting with the other

assistants and they took some important

decisions because they were compelled to

do so if they wanted the congregation to

continue

they decided that ranks himself the

first assistant should return to

Europe once in Brussels he asked himself

how to continue

now he informed Cardinal stks in meelan

and the officials in Rome about the

death of the founder

Franks was a person chosen by the Lord

in order to continue the mission of the

congregation he had great organizational

skills in 1870 he began the construction

of a seminary and above the entrance

there was a large stone with the

inscription in Latin seminarium Pro

sinis because he said they need training

that is characteristic of the

missionaries of skirt thus I have to

have them here at

home then in 1877 he organized theology

courses in

Brussels in 1870 Franks laid the first

stone of the Seminary for China in The

Chapel At skirt and later organized the

theology

courses an assembly at AI Shan AO in

1887 was especially important it elected

van ell a superior General but above all

it discussed the new constitutions which

finally gave the congregation some

stability up to 1887 no one in the

congregation had Perpetual vows this

meant that there was something missing

in the stability of the

congregation as long as there was no one

with Perpetual vows there was no

stability for the

congregation so finally in 1887 van

erell the superior General and GOI the

first assistant made their Perpetual

vows here in

[Music]

Brussels up to that time in in fact it

had not been necessary to make Perpetual

vows and this fact obviously opened the

congregation up to the risk of sudden

departures and breakup threatening its

continuity and survival van Ed wanted to

set the right example and was among the

first to make Perpetual

vows vanet is like a second founder of

the

congregation he was a very wise and

skillful

organizer but van Ed sailor's greatest

undertaking was undoubtedly the

expansion of the skirt missionary

presence Beyond China it was 1888 a new

continent was opening up to

evangelization

Africa almost at the same time King

Leopold II conceived a plan for the

people of what was to become later the

independent state of

Congo he understood that to ensure

success of his African Enterprise he

would need the cooperation of a Belgian

religious Institute because there were

already a number of Protestant

denominations present in the

area the king visited the then Superior

General van ell five or six times

requesting the participation of cicm in

the independent state of

Congo however he was not successful

because the few members of the

congregation were already involved in

China later one of his advisers told him

that instead of hounding the superior

General he should direct his request to

the propaganda fed in Rome and that this

is why a letter came one day from the

propaganda fiday addressed to the

superior General and so in obedience to

the Vatican the first missionaries set

out for the Congo in

1888 under van edella the congregation

took over the direction of the African

Seminary which under the sponsorship of

King Leopold II and the Belgian Church

prepared young missionaries going to the

Congo the first group left for the newly

created African state of Congo in August

1888 it consisted of Alber guli

Ferdinand huant Alber de Baker and Emory

Cambier the youngest of

all after a hard dangerous Journey they

reached the village of bangi on November

the 24th of that year other groups

arrived in the years that followed

expanding the reach of the missionary

effort to new antp and casai in the

heart of the

Congo as happened in China earlier in

the Congo too fatigue disease and the

UNH wholesome climate took many victims

in the first 10 years more than 10 of

the 50 missionaries sent to the Congo

died

[Music]

[Laughter]

Emme camba's extraordinary metal was

legendary he went alone to mikolai in

the casai region and founded the third

mission he stayed there alone for about

a year before a few companions joined

him dubbed the pioneer of casai at that

time he was just over 20 years old but

he already had experience and skills far

beyond most he could do it all carpentry

joinery masonry even nursing if

necessary all extremely valuable talents

in places and situations where

everything had to be built and created

out of virtually

nothing at the remote lulua Borg mission

in 1893 Emory Cambier welcomed Superior

General van edeler as part of his long

visit to the African

missions the skirt missionaries were

committed not just to evangelization but

to promoting people especially by

building schools and

[Music]

dispensaries in the years that followed

up until World War I cicm laid down deep

roots the evangelization work yielded

good results with congales teachers and

catechists collaborating in the

work in 1934 Charles mbuya was ordained

as the first African

priest at that time cicm was organized

into four vicariates

leopoldville new ANP Bulma and casai

in China too the missions prospered in

the 1920s and 1930s there were more than

a 100 European and Chinese missionaries

and dozens of Chinese diois and priests

collaborating in the effort everywhere

there were schools churches hospitals

the sick were treated the poor were

assisted children were

educated however in both China and Congo

more than 200 young missionaries in

their 20s and 30s died because of Wars

sickness and the harshness of the

conditions to become a missionary meant

to risk and early death yet despite this

risk and this enormous loss of life

candidates willing to give their lives

for the spreading of the Gospel contined

to present