Christianity arrived in China by way of Syriain the 600s. Over the centuries, Christianity in China was free to grow or wasforced to operate secretly depending on China’s relations with the outsideworld. 

Augustine Zhao Rong, is one of a group of 120Catholics who were martyred between the years 1648 and 1930 in China. ZhaoRong was a bailiff of a county jail. During the persecution of 1772, he wasmoved by the words of Fr. Martinus Moye to his fellow Catholicprisoners, and, ultimately converted. He later became a priest, and when in1815 another persecution broke out, he was arrested and tortured. Because ofhis age, he died of the ill treatment. 

Of the 120 martyrs, eighty-seven were Chinese,ranging in age from nine to seventy-two, and four of them were priests.Thirty-three were foreign-born, mostly priests or women religious. Though themissionaries and religious tried to distance themselves from foreign policies,the Chinese government did not differentiate and saw them all as westerners.

The martyrdoms of Chinaare very moving, each person having died heroically though many ofthem suffered torture and cruel deaths. Fr. Francis Li, grandson of a Chinesemartyr, describes his grandfather going to his death joyfully saying to hisbrother and son, “Let’s go, we are going to heaven today!” 

·       Why do you think thepeople in Jesus’ hometown rejected him? How did that make him feel?

·       Share a time when you feltrejected. How did you work through it?

·       Why do you think Jesus wasunable to perform many mighty deeds when he was in his hometown?

·       St. Augustine ZhaoRong was converted to Christianity through the moving words of a priest. Whatwords would you use to share Jesus with someone?

Enjoy this summer salad this 4th of July!

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Freedom is a great gift. Celebrate our nation’s freedom by attending a 4th of July parade or fireworks display. Thank God for the freedom we have in our country and ask him to help you to be his voice. If you don’t have access to a local 4th of July celebration, consider organizing a neighborhood parade. Invite friends and neighbors to decorate bikes, make signs, and dress in red, white, and blue!

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Canticleof Zechariah

The Canticle of Zechariah is prayed every morning in the Liturgy of Hours (a prayer of the Church that marks and sanctifies the hours of each day). The Canticle is Zechariah’s prophetic exhortation about the greatness of God in sending his son, John the Baptist, as the forerunner to announce the coming of Christ. There are many words and themes in this canticle prayer that can prepare our hearts and minds for the work of evangelization.

Blessedbe the Lord, the God of Israel;

forhe has come to his people and set them free.

Hehas raised up for us a mighty savior,

bornof the house of his servant David.

Throughhis holy prophets he promised of old

thathe would save us from our enemies,

andfrom the hands of all who hate us.

Hepromised to show mercy to our fathers

andto remember his holy covenant.

Thiswas the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

toset us free from the hand of our enemies, free to worship him without fear,

holyand righteous in his sight

allthe days of our life.

You,child, shall be called prophet of the Most High,

foryou will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

togive his people knowledge of salvation

byforgiveness of their sins.

Inthe tender compassion of our God,

thedawn from on high shall break upon us,

toshine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,

andto guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glorybe to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Asit was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Amen.

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