Posted on 01/01/2021 5:33:17 PM PST by marshmallow
A great scholar, he spent 27 years in a forced labour camp, and later taught at a university. He was also appreciated by prison authorities. Upon becoming bishop in 1982, he divided his time between academic and pastoral work. After 1997 he was under constant police surveillance. He was a supporter of the Legions of Mary and founder of the Women's Congregation of Mount Calvary.
Rome (AsiaNews) – Mgr Andrew Han Jingtao, underground bishop of Siping (Jilin), passed away last night at 11pm (Beijing time). He was 99 years old.
Described by some faithful as “a giant of culture and faith” of the unofficial community, Bishop Han was a great scholar from an early age.
His first studies took place under the direction of Canadian missionaries from Quebec, to whom the apostolic vicariate was entrusted.
His great culture was even recognised by the authorities of the forced labour camp where he spent 27 years (1953-1980) for refusing to join the “independent and autonomous” Church, following Mao Zedong’s directives.
Once free, the authorities hired him to teach English at Changchun University. A few months later he became associate professor at the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilisations at Northeast Normal University.
He taught undergraduate, master and doctoral students, and introduced many Chinese to the study of classical cultures and languages (Latin and Greek).
In 1987 he retired from teaching, but not from his Church and missionary work. Even before his imprisonment, he had focused on educating the laity through the Legions of Mary, pushing them to pray, proclaim and engage in charity work. At the same time he had started a congregation of nuns, later called “Mount Calvary”.
He said that in the 1950s, the regime tried to “get rid of the Pope's interference and expel foreign missionaries. At that time......
(Excerpt) Read more at asianews.it ...
Ping
RIP.
Sentenced to forced labor (in China) at age 62, yet still lived to the age of 99. Most impressive.
Another Covid death.
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