Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tai Nan (Agenzia Fides) - “So that the light of God's Word and the Grace of the Spirit can enter people's hearts”: this is the goal of the Verbiti (Society of the Divine Word, SVD) of the Chinese province confirmed in the solemn conclusion of the Jubilee Celebration for the 100th anniversary of the death of two co-founders of the Verbiti missionaries, Saint Arnold Janssen and Saint Joseph Freinademetz. Archbishop Joseph Ti Kang, Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Tai Pei, Msgr Paul Fitzpatrick Russell Coubsellor, and Fr. Frank Budenholzer, Provincial Superior of the SVD, all took part in the concluding celebration, along with many local priests, Verbiti missionaries, religious sisters, and faithful. The celebrations took place on January 17, in the chapel of the Fu Ren Catholic Univsersity, where the Verbiti form part of the faculty.
Fr. Budenholzer said that the secret of the two Saints was in their conviction that “the Lord is with us” and “with this firm conviction, they faced all their challenges.”
This jubilee has been greatly celebrated in the Chinese world from the beginning. One year ago, on January 25, 2008, a Mass was said in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing, opening the celebration. A Conference was given after the Mass, by Austrian Ambassador Martin Sajdik, and the Italian Ambassador.
Saint Arnold Janssen was born on November 5, 1837 in Goch, a small city in Germany. He was ordained a priest on August 15, 1861, for the Diocese of Munster. With the support of several Bishops, on September 8, 1875, Arnold began the missionary house in Steyl (Holland) and began the Society of the Divine Word. On March 2, 1879, the first two missionaries went to China. One of them was Joseph Freinademetz. On December 8, 1889, he founded the congregation of sisters “Servants of the Holy Spirit” and in 1896, a cloistered congregation of “Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration.” Father Arnold died on January 15, 1909. Saint Joseph Freinademetz (1852-1908), named “father of the fortune” or Father “Fu Shen-Fu” was born on April 15, 1852 in Oies, a small village in the Alps of northern Italy, in the “Alto Adige,” which at that time was a part of the Austrian empire. In 1875, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bressanone. On August 27, 1878, he entered the Society of the Divine Word in Steyl, Holland. In March 1879, he left for China with future Bishop Johann Baptist Anzer. The two missionaries were first in Hong Kong and Saikung. In 1881, they founded the mission of South Shantung, with nearly 158 Christians. Fr. Freinademetz remained 30 years at that mission. China became his new homeland, so much so that he said: “I am now more Chinese than Tirolese and I hope to keep being Chinese in heaven, too.” He died on January 28, 1908 of typhus, which he caught after curing poor Chinese people, in Taikia, under an image of the 12th station of the Way of the Cross.
On October 19, 1975, World Mission Sunday, the two missionaries were proclaimed Blessed and on October 5, 2003, they were canonized. Today, the Verbiti are over 6,000 in 63 countries throughout the world. The missionaries Servants of the Holy Spirit are over 3,800 and those of Perpetual Adoration are over 400. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 30/01/2009)
