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02-03-2006, 12:46 PM
May 01
Saint Augustine SCHOEFFLER ĐÔNG
Priest of the Paris Society of Foreign Missions
(1822-1851)
http://gpnt.net/images/Schoeffler.jpg
The Call to Promote the Good News
To Saint Augustine Đông, the mission of promoting the Good News was the noblest apostolic mission, especially in the remote evangelizing fields. That was also a dream of the saint before he joined the Paris Society of Foreign Missions; over family objections, the saint had preferred to follow God’s will to parental wishes. And when he left France’s soil, he said:
“I don’t know what will happen to me, but the worst thing that could happen is being given a saber cut... but I believe that a sinner like me will not be given that great honor.”
Augustine Schoeffler Đông was born on 11/22/1822 in Mittelbronn, in the province of Lorrain, France. At an early age, he had shown piety, diligence, constant praying, and a desire for the religious life. His pastor sponsored and sent him to the seminary in Nancy where his manner, obedience, camaraderie, and intelligence endeared him to everyone. After philosophy and the first year of theology, Augustine Schoeffler felt God’s call to missionary work, so he asked for his parents’ permission to transfer to the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris.
At the time, news coming from the missionary effort in the Far East was not very encouraging. Doing missionary work there meant certain death. Therefore, his parents tried their best to counsel against his going. They used strong words to censure his disobedience, Schoeffler agonized over his decision, but based on God’s words: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,” (Matthew 10:37) Schoeffler decided to join the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris over his parents’ objection. He wrote to a friend: “Alas! Following God is so hard; there are so many obstacles.” The friend advised: “Preaching is serious work, doing it on one’s own without God’s call might put one in danger of losing your soul.” He replied: “Please don’t forget the Gospel: Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God.” (Acts 4: 19)
Not Incriminating Others
Joining the Foreign Missions on 10/9/1846, on 5/29/1847 Schoeffler was ordained into the priesthood. Soon afterward, he was sent to the west vicariate of Tonkin where Bishop Retord Liêu welcomed him with open arms and kept him at the chancery to learn Vietnamese language and customs, then allowed him to go along on pastoral visits to learn about the diocese. He was assigned to Đoài parish. At his new post, Fr. Schoeffler Đông enthusiastically carried out his pastoral duties and evangelization missions converting many pagans into Catholics. When King Tự Đức declared the edict of persecution of 1848, he said: “This time someone among us will executed, hopefully that person is I.” But he continued to work in safety for three more years.
On 3/1/1851 as Fr. Schoeffler Đông was walking through the forest to go to Bản Mộ to lead a retreat after preaching Easter retreat at Bầu Nọ parish, he was arrested. At the time, the rebellion led by Hoàng Bảo (King Thiệu Trị’s eldest son) had just failed, so soldiers were pursuing the remnants of the rebellion. Bầu Nọ parishioners knew of the presence of soldiers in the area, but wrongly assuming that soldiers only patrolled at night, so they sent Fr. Schoeffler Đông on his way during the day. Unfortunately, a parishioner hungry for money denounced him to the authority. They lied in wait and arrested him in the forest together with a Vietnamese priest and two altar boys.
The local security mandarin announced that he did not want to bring the missionary in, and gave a ransom price of 1 gold coin and 100 piasters, but Fr. Schoeffler Đông said that he did not have the money. A moment later, it dawned on him that even with money, the soldiers would still hand him over their superiors, so the priest said: “Because you adamantly demand money, release these persons because only they know where the money is.” Taking the bait, the mandarin freed the Vietnamese priest and the two altar boys. After the freed men had been at a safe distance, Fr. Schoeffler Đông told the soldiers his true intention of desiring to be arrested alone.
Enraged, the mandarin had him escorted to Sơn Tây city. During the trip, he met a Christian to whom he confided: “Go back and tell everyone not to worry about anything, no matter what I will not mention any name.” Arrived in the city, the mandarins questioned about his birthplace, name, time in Vietnam, places of residence, knowledge of the king’s persecution, he replied:
“My name is Augustine; I came from France; I am 29 years old this year; I came here to only preach Christianity. I had known of the harsh persecution of Christianity in Vietnam, but I am not afraid of execution. About places where I had lived, I will not tell, don’t even ask.”
On March 5, summoned to court, Fr. Schoeffler Đông kept to his usual testimony and resolutely refused to step on the cross, so the mandarins sent a petition to the royal capital: “Ao-du-Tinh (Augustine phonetically) is an European who disregarding the law came here to preach and to lure the people. Based on the king’s edict, he is condemned to death be beheading with his head thrown into the river. I had questioned about those who harbored him, but he did not tell. The village chief and those who helped in this arrest will be rewarded 30 piasters as legally required. Individually the security mandarin will be rewarded a little more.” Nevertheless not until April did the king approved the death sentence.
Fr. Schoeffler Đông was kept under tight watch during his month in jail. A catechist disguised as a prison guard came near his cell, but could not say a word. When he saw the priest, he was so stricken to tear that he had to leave for fear of blowing his cover. A Christian, who knew the prison warden, brought in some banana; unfortunately the action was caught by the city magistrate who immediately dismissed the warden. However, even under strict guard, Fr. Phượng dressing as a foot traveling salesperson was able to get in to give him absolution.
On April 11, the sentence arrived in Sơn Tây: “I had reviewed the court papers of the European priest in Sơn Tây. The law had banned Christianity, but Ao-du-Tinh (Augustine) still dared to enter our country to preach and to lie to the people. I order death by beheading, floating his head in the river to scare others.” The sentence set the execution date on May 1, the first day of May Crowning. Fr. Schoeffler Đông hearing the news knelt in happiness to thank God and the Blessed Mother who had arranged for his martyrdom to on the first day of May Crowning.
The Day of Glory
The execution was carried out like a festival. Fr. Schoeffler Đông walked in the middle, accompanied by on both sides by 8 soldiers with shining sabers; leading them were two mandarins on elephants and two columns of 50 soldiers each, a column carrying guns, the other lances. Then a command was given, the two columns of soldiers stopped and arranged into honor guards with guns and lances pointing upward. The witness, his head held high above a cangue around his neck while his two hands held on to the chains tied around his ankles, walked in the middle of the procession, smiling happily as if in a victory parade; he at times closed his eyes in prayer. Bishop Retord Liêu later had to exclaim: “How beautiful was the death of the martyr!” Almost all those who were present at the execution were overwhelmed and inspired.
At the execution site of Năm Mẫu, Fr. Schoeffler Đông knelt and prayed for a short moment, held the cross worn around his neck up and respectfully kissed it three times, took of the habit, then extended his head and told the executioner: “Do your job quickly.” Overhearing the request, the mandarin intervened. After three swings, the head was still attached, the executioner had to slice it off. The head was thrown into the river and lost; the remains were buried at the execution site then exhumed and brought to Bách Lộc parish for burial.
Pope Leo XIII elevated Fr. Augustine Schoeffler Đông to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Augustine SCHOEFFLER ĐÔNG
Priest of the Paris Society of Foreign Missions
(1822-1851)
http://gpnt.net/images/Schoeffler.jpg
The Call to Promote the Good News
To Saint Augustine Đông, the mission of promoting the Good News was the noblest apostolic mission, especially in the remote evangelizing fields. That was also a dream of the saint before he joined the Paris Society of Foreign Missions; over family objections, the saint had preferred to follow God’s will to parental wishes. And when he left France’s soil, he said:
“I don’t know what will happen to me, but the worst thing that could happen is being given a saber cut... but I believe that a sinner like me will not be given that great honor.”
Augustine Schoeffler Đông was born on 11/22/1822 in Mittelbronn, in the province of Lorrain, France. At an early age, he had shown piety, diligence, constant praying, and a desire for the religious life. His pastor sponsored and sent him to the seminary in Nancy where his manner, obedience, camaraderie, and intelligence endeared him to everyone. After philosophy and the first year of theology, Augustine Schoeffler felt God’s call to missionary work, so he asked for his parents’ permission to transfer to the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris.
At the time, news coming from the missionary effort in the Far East was not very encouraging. Doing missionary work there meant certain death. Therefore, his parents tried their best to counsel against his going. They used strong words to censure his disobedience, Schoeffler agonized over his decision, but based on God’s words: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,” (Matthew 10:37) Schoeffler decided to join the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris over his parents’ objection. He wrote to a friend: “Alas! Following God is so hard; there are so many obstacles.” The friend advised: “Preaching is serious work, doing it on one’s own without God’s call might put one in danger of losing your soul.” He replied: “Please don’t forget the Gospel: Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God.” (Acts 4: 19)
Not Incriminating Others
Joining the Foreign Missions on 10/9/1846, on 5/29/1847 Schoeffler was ordained into the priesthood. Soon afterward, he was sent to the west vicariate of Tonkin where Bishop Retord Liêu welcomed him with open arms and kept him at the chancery to learn Vietnamese language and customs, then allowed him to go along on pastoral visits to learn about the diocese. He was assigned to Đoài parish. At his new post, Fr. Schoeffler Đông enthusiastically carried out his pastoral duties and evangelization missions converting many pagans into Catholics. When King Tự Đức declared the edict of persecution of 1848, he said: “This time someone among us will executed, hopefully that person is I.” But he continued to work in safety for three more years.
On 3/1/1851 as Fr. Schoeffler Đông was walking through the forest to go to Bản Mộ to lead a retreat after preaching Easter retreat at Bầu Nọ parish, he was arrested. At the time, the rebellion led by Hoàng Bảo (King Thiệu Trị’s eldest son) had just failed, so soldiers were pursuing the remnants of the rebellion. Bầu Nọ parishioners knew of the presence of soldiers in the area, but wrongly assuming that soldiers only patrolled at night, so they sent Fr. Schoeffler Đông on his way during the day. Unfortunately, a parishioner hungry for money denounced him to the authority. They lied in wait and arrested him in the forest together with a Vietnamese priest and two altar boys.
The local security mandarin announced that he did not want to bring the missionary in, and gave a ransom price of 1 gold coin and 100 piasters, but Fr. Schoeffler Đông said that he did not have the money. A moment later, it dawned on him that even with money, the soldiers would still hand him over their superiors, so the priest said: “Because you adamantly demand money, release these persons because only they know where the money is.” Taking the bait, the mandarin freed the Vietnamese priest and the two altar boys. After the freed men had been at a safe distance, Fr. Schoeffler Đông told the soldiers his true intention of desiring to be arrested alone.
Enraged, the mandarin had him escorted to Sơn Tây city. During the trip, he met a Christian to whom he confided: “Go back and tell everyone not to worry about anything, no matter what I will not mention any name.” Arrived in the city, the mandarins questioned about his birthplace, name, time in Vietnam, places of residence, knowledge of the king’s persecution, he replied:
“My name is Augustine; I came from France; I am 29 years old this year; I came here to only preach Christianity. I had known of the harsh persecution of Christianity in Vietnam, but I am not afraid of execution. About places where I had lived, I will not tell, don’t even ask.”
On March 5, summoned to court, Fr. Schoeffler Đông kept to his usual testimony and resolutely refused to step on the cross, so the mandarins sent a petition to the royal capital: “Ao-du-Tinh (Augustine phonetically) is an European who disregarding the law came here to preach and to lure the people. Based on the king’s edict, he is condemned to death be beheading with his head thrown into the river. I had questioned about those who harbored him, but he did not tell. The village chief and those who helped in this arrest will be rewarded 30 piasters as legally required. Individually the security mandarin will be rewarded a little more.” Nevertheless not until April did the king approved the death sentence.
Fr. Schoeffler Đông was kept under tight watch during his month in jail. A catechist disguised as a prison guard came near his cell, but could not say a word. When he saw the priest, he was so stricken to tear that he had to leave for fear of blowing his cover. A Christian, who knew the prison warden, brought in some banana; unfortunately the action was caught by the city magistrate who immediately dismissed the warden. However, even under strict guard, Fr. Phượng dressing as a foot traveling salesperson was able to get in to give him absolution.
On April 11, the sentence arrived in Sơn Tây: “I had reviewed the court papers of the European priest in Sơn Tây. The law had banned Christianity, but Ao-du-Tinh (Augustine) still dared to enter our country to preach and to lie to the people. I order death by beheading, floating his head in the river to scare others.” The sentence set the execution date on May 1, the first day of May Crowning. Fr. Schoeffler Đông hearing the news knelt in happiness to thank God and the Blessed Mother who had arranged for his martyrdom to on the first day of May Crowning.
The Day of Glory
The execution was carried out like a festival. Fr. Schoeffler Đông walked in the middle, accompanied by on both sides by 8 soldiers with shining sabers; leading them were two mandarins on elephants and two columns of 50 soldiers each, a column carrying guns, the other lances. Then a command was given, the two columns of soldiers stopped and arranged into honor guards with guns and lances pointing upward. The witness, his head held high above a cangue around his neck while his two hands held on to the chains tied around his ankles, walked in the middle of the procession, smiling happily as if in a victory parade; he at times closed his eyes in prayer. Bishop Retord Liêu later had to exclaim: “How beautiful was the death of the martyr!” Almost all those who were present at the execution were overwhelmed and inspired.
At the execution site of Năm Mẫu, Fr. Schoeffler Đông knelt and prayed for a short moment, held the cross worn around his neck up and respectfully kissed it three times, took of the habit, then extended his head and told the executioner: “Do your job quickly.” Overhearing the request, the mandarin intervened. After three swings, the head was still attached, the executioner had to slice it off. The head was thrown into the river and lost; the remains were buried at the execution site then exhumed and brought to Bách Lộc parish for burial.
Pope Leo XIII elevated Fr. Augustine Schoeffler Đông to the rank of blessed on 5/27/1900.
Hoàng Tôn Thất