Beginning in the early 13th Century, missionaries from Europe set off for the Far East. In 1899, seven sisters from the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary arrived in Shanxi province in China to spread the gospel and serve the people. They came from France, Italy, Belgium, and Holland to work in orphanages and serve the poor in hospitals. Despite a lack of supplies and cultural challenges, they were full of joy. The locals called one “The European sister who is always laughing.” When the Boxer Rebellion swept the province in 1900, they were arrested along with friars, seminarians, and lay faithful—113 Catholics in total—and beheaded. They are the Martyrs of Shanxi, and today is their feast day.
CHALLENGE
The day after the Martyrs of Shanxi were canonized by Pope John Paul II, a group of 36 Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary pledged to continue the work of the Shanxi Martyrs. Today, go to www.franciscanmissions.org and look under “Appeals” for the current efforts that could use your support.
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Have you ever wondered: “How did society get so messed up?” Recipient of a Catholic Writer’s Guild 2022 Seal of Approval, Rebellion answers that question using fast-paced storytelling style, telling you the riveting true story of the war between good and evil that started in the Garden of Eden, and continues to affect marriages, families, and society to this day.
