Saint John Gabriel Perboyre was born in France in 1802. Raised in a simple family, he soon felt the call to priesthood and to the Congregation of the Mission. After several years of ministry in France, he asked and obtained permission to leave for China, where he arrived in 1835. He devoted himself zealously to proclaiming the Gospel, forming catechumens and caring for the poor. In 1839, he was arrested because of the persecution of Christians, suffered cruel torture and, on 11 September 1840, was put to death in Wuchang, strangled on a cross. John Gabriel was only 38 years old.
His path to martyrdom is strikingly similar to that of Jesus:
These are not just historical coincidences: in John Gabriel, the life of the disciple was fully conformed to that of the Master. His martyrdom was a true missionary passion, offered in union with Christ for the salvation of souls.
Today, not all of us are called to martyrdom by blood, but every missionary, every Christian, encounters trials, difficulties, and misunderstandings. St. John Gabriel reminds us that mission is not without the cross, but in the cross lies the fruitfulness of proclamation.
St. Vincent de Paul, in his Common Rules, exhorted us to bless God when we are persecuted and to pray for our enemies. John Gabriel lived this to the full: in suffering, he did not respond with hatred, but with faith and forgiveness. His voice today encourages us to remain steadfast: ‘I will never renounce my faith in Christ’.
His example tells today’s missionaries: do not be afraid of persecution, whether great or small, because there you become more like Christ and bear powerful witness to the Gospel.
Saint John Gabriel,
you followed Jesus to the cross.
Obtain for us missionaries the courage to remain faithful,
the strength not to be discouraged in trials
and a heart full of love for the poor and for the Gospel.
Accompany us with your intercession,
so that like you we may give our lives to God and to our brothers and sisters.
Amen.
