Saint Jean Gabriel Perboyre (11 September): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St. John Gabriel Perboyre was a French Vincentian missionary who endured nearly a year of imprisonment and torture in China rather than betray his fellow priests or trample upon the Cross. Born in France in 1802, John Gabriel entered the Congregation of the Mission—the Vincentians, also called Lazarists—and was ordained in 1826. His superiors initially assigned the gifted young priest to teaching, seminary leadership, and the formation of novices. Yet he continued asking permission to serve the persecuted Church in China. His request was finally granted in 1835. After studying Chinese in Macau, Father Perboyre served first in Henan and then Hubei. He instructed converts, cared for abandoned children, and adapted himself to Chinese language and customs in the hope of winning souls for Jesus Christ. When persecution erupted in 1839, a man betrayed him for thirty taels. Father Perboyre was arrested and repeatedly questioned. Officials demanded that he reveal the hiding places of other missionaries and trample upon a crucifix. He refused both commands. For months, he endured brutal mistreatment without renouncing the faith. His captors branded his face with words identifying him as a teacher of a supposedly false religion. On September 11, 1840, he was executed by strangulation and buried near the Vincentian martyr St. Francis-Régis Clet. Beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1889, John Gabriel Perboyre was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 1996. St. John Gabriel Perboyre, pray for missionaries and persecuted Christians throughout the world! Timestamps 0:00 St. John Gabriel Perboyre, Missionary and Martyr 0:17 The first missionary in China to be beatified 0:24 Centuries of persecution in China 0:39 Christians who gave their lives for the faith 0:48 His birth and missionary vocation 0:56 Joining the Vincentians 1:04 Obedience delays his departure for China 1:11 Professor at the Seminary of Saint-Flour 1:20 Rector and seminary administrator 1:27 Formation work in Paris 1:34 Repeated requests to serve in China 1:44 Arrival in Macau in 1835 1:53 Assigned to the Henan mission 2:02 Father Perboyre describes his Chinese appearance 2:24 Winning souls for Jesus Christ 2:32 Rescuing and educating abandoned children 2:41 His work among the children 2:55 Transferred from Henan to Hubei 3:04 Persecution erupts in September 1839 3:12 Betrayed for thirty taels 3:20 Arrested and taken before numerous officials 3:27 Ordered to reveal the other missionaries 3:34 Commanded to trample upon the Cross 3:43 His passion begins 3:52 Twenty appearances before his judges 4:01 Cruel torments cannot break his fidelity 4:17 Branded as a teacher of a false religion 4:25 A Chinese priest secretly visits his prison 4:31 September 11, 1840 4:40 Led barefoot to execution 4:48 Martyred and buried near St. Francis-Régis Clet 4:56 His beatification and feast 5:05 The aftermath of his martyrdom 5:13 The Treaty of Nanking 5:20 Legal protections for foreign missionaries https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/september/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 #JohnGabrielPerboyre #SaintOfTheDay #Catholic #LivesOfTheSaints #Vincentians #Lazarists #CatholicSaints #Martyr #China #CatholicFaith #CatholicChurch #Persecution #Missionaries #ButlersLives #September11 #Hubei #Henan #Macau 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴