COURSE LEARNING PACKETS FM-STL-014

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Saint Louis University Revision No. 01
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Effectivity June 07, 2021
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Church Teaching

Christian missionary leadership draws inspiration from the role played by Jesus
as leader of his disciples and communicator with individuals as well as with the crowd.
Jesus understood his mission and dedicated his whole life to it. Following the footsteps
of Jesus, Fr. Theophile Verbist, CICM tried to understand his missionary project among
the people and the children of China and dedicated his life to it.
As you read what follows, think about what characteristics of Fr. Theophile
Verbist, CICM that are highlighted in the CICM mission statement to inspire present and
future generations of missionaries.

The CICM Mission Statement

At the initiative of the Father,

Sent by the Son,
Guided by the Spirit,
Inspired by Theophile Verbist our Founder,
Who heard the call of the Lord
And left his country
To proclaim the Good News in China,
Enlightened by those who preceded us
And who – like our founder –
Left their familiar surroundings
To follow Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word,
By integrating themselves into a foreign
culture, And by living in solidarity with another
people, Enriched by those we serve,
Especially the poor who reveal to us the sin of
the world
And who help us discover the true meaning
Of God’s plan of love,
We CICM missionaries
Of different races and cultures Rev. Fr. Theophile Verbist, CICM
Live and work together as
brothers
In order to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ
Wherever it is most needed.

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 COURSE LEARNING PACKETS Document Code FM-STL-014
Saint Louis University Revision No. 01
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Effectivity June 07, 2021
Page 2 of 5

We achieve our mission

When we facilitate
The encounter between Jesus Christ and the ‘nations’.
Our mission includes
Enabling people
To experience the coming of the Kingdom
-Proclaimed by Jesus Christ-
In their own God-given context.

Describing Theophile
Verbist Questions for
Reflection:

1. What is the character trait of Theophile Verbist that you admire the most?
2. How did this character trait contribute to the success of his missionary works?

Now is the time to read and understand a few things about the life, writings, and
character traits of Father Theophile Verbist, CICM. Do not hesitate to imagine him both
as a very human person and a great and devoted leader.
Rev. Father Nestor Pycke, CICM, has described the life of the founder of his
congregation with verve and accuracy. The following description is mainly based on his
work:
Theophile Verbist was born in Antwerp (Belgium) on June 12, 1823, in an urban
middle-class family, with seven children. Theophile had a twin brother, Edmond. While
his brother chose to become a lawyer, Theophile was ordained as a diocesan priest on
September 18, 1847.
He was initially assigned as supervisor in the Minor Seminary of Mechlin, after
which he became chaplain at the military school and rector of a community of the
Sisters of Notre-Dame de Namur in Brussels in 1853.
In 1860, he got an additional appointment as National Director of the Holy
Childhood in Belgium; around that time, his longtime vocation to the foreign missions
began to manifest itself more clearly.
After intense correspondence with Church authorities and a gradual clarification
of the project of a Belgian missionary congregation to the Far East, the group received
the Chinese province of Inner-Mongolia as their tentative area of assignment in 1861,
that would be confirmed three years later.

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 COURSE LEARNING PACKETS Document Code FM-STL-014
Saint Louis University Revision No. 01
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Effectivity June 07, 2021
Page 3 of 5

After more consultations and meetings, the statutes of the new congregation
were approved on November 28, 1862. The general purpose of the new congregation
was defined as “the conversion of the infidels”, while specific aims are given “the
preaching of the faith to the Chinese and the salvation of the many abandoned
children”.
Five pioneers (Rev. Fathers Verbist, Bax, Van Segvelt, Verlinden, and Vranckx)
took their religious vows in the hands of Cardinal Sterckx on October 24, 1864.
On August 25, 1865, after succeeding to receive French passports, but with too
little time left to schedule time for learning the Chinese language in Hong Kong, the
first batch of missionaries, headed by Father Verbist himself, left for Chinese Mongolia,
via Rome, where the founder got his appointment as apostolic pro-vicar. With him were
the Reverend Fathers Vranckx, Van Segvelt, and Hamer, and lay helper Splingard.
On December 6, 1865, the team arrived in Xiwanze, their destination, without
most of their luggage that was left in Paris due to a shipment error; they would get
them only in April of the following year, after winter.
In September 1866, the Lazarist Fathers, who had been in charge of Inner-
Mongolia, finalized the turnover of the entire province to the Belgian missionaries.
February 23, 1868: While on a tour of his mission stations, Father Verbist fell ill
at the village of Laohugou and died. While he was not the first European priest to die
early in China in those days, the impact on the new Congregation was significant;
however, history would prove God’s blessing over the young congregation as it
managed to overcome this terrible trial.
Father Verbist can be considered as (1) a pioneer of the foreign mission; he was
(2) compassionate and his actions were (3) transformational, as they led to the
creation of a new congregation in just a few years, and in the establishment of the
Belgian Mission in China, in a region known for its harsh climate, its huge distances,
poor roads, and often unsafe travel conditions.
As a pioneer, Father Verbist had a cosmopolitan interest in the universal church,
as the good news of Jesus is addressed to all peoples. Father Verbist developed a
special interest for the church and the society of China, showing exceptional creativity
and flexibility in the realization of his initial plan just to form a community of Belgian
priests there. His openness of mind was combined with a strong faith in the success of
his plans, his trust in Divine Providence never wavering. This made him also a
pronounced optimist, confident that God would complete his project and bring it to
a good end. This could already be seen at the start, as he expressed this belief: “All in
all, my dear, we have a good and beautiful mission” (Letter 73, to J. Bax, January 14,
1866) and “In

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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.
 COURSE LEARNING PACKETS Document Code FM-STL-014
Saint Louis University Revision No. 01
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Effectivity June 07, 2021
Page 4 of 5

the end, we have found here a poor country, that’s true, very poor even, but really
interesting, where animal life leaves no wish unsatisfied, and where the climate, thanks
to the furs by which one is covered, is very bearable, almost nice even.” (Letter 74, to
Cardinal Sterckx, January 14, 1866).
Father Verbist was also a realist: “What makes the life of a missionary truly
difficult are the huge distances that he has to cross to carry out his holy ministry,
without finding along the road things of basic need, and to have to undergo through the
deserts of Mongolia, not only an intense cold, but twisters of dust and snow that are
challenging his days” (Letter 74).
The news of the death of his fellow-pioneer and good friend Father Van Segvelt
left him devastated, but not hopeless: “God has been so good to us, who knows if in his
love he hasn’t taken the soul among us that was most mature for heaven, to provide
the Mission with a guardian angel, a special protector” (…) “Courage! Let’s accept our
adversities. We know for whom we are suffering, isn’t it?” Missionaries don’t give up, as
their concern for charitable works keeps them going: ”When one is missionary, one
easily learns to accept, my friends.” (Letter 454, to J. Bax, April 24, 1867).
In spite of the hardships, Father Verbist remained compassionate, therefore,
such as when he intervened – not long after his arrival – with the Great Chinese
Mandarin to save a man who was imprisoned to make up for a crime committed by his
brother: “I have thought to be committing an act of charity in soliciting the attention of
the great Chinese mandarin for this innocent man.” Fortunately, Father Verbist’s
diplomatic skills did not fail: “Upon arrival at home, we learnt that the mandarin had
kept his word (…); and that the captive after having been brought to freedom, was
already searching for his brother to convince him to come and turn himself
freely in to his judge.” Father Verbist’s actions were transformational. This was
already manifested both before departure from Belgium and right after their arrival in
Chinese Mongolia. Father Verbist needed a generous dose of perseverance to
convince Church authorities that he was serious about his missionary plans, and a lot
of effort was also needed to find badly needed additional financial resources – from
the Holy Childhood and the Propagation of the Faith, but also from various
private benefactors. Most of all, however, Father Verbist attributed the
transformational impact of his works to God’s grace, upon the intercession of the
Blessed Virgin. Echoing the spirit of Magnificat, he wrote to his spiritual adviser: “I
admit it to you, dear Father, if I open my heart in feelings of thankfulness in front of
him, and if I put before my eyes all happy circumstances, all special favors obtained
until now, needed to realize this conceived project, I am losing

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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.
 COURSE LEARNING PACKETS Document Code FM-STL-014
Saint Louis University Revision No. 01
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts Effectivity June 07, 2021
Page 5 of 5

myself and I am frightened by the faithfulness that I will need to faithfully reply to so
many important favors” (Letter 167, to B. Bossue, May 23, 1866).

(Watch the video clips entitled CICM HISTORY Part I and LOUISIAN MISSIONARY –
CICM (Original Composition) attached in your flash drive to better understand the story
of the beginnings of the CICM congregation and its founder.)

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mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise of any part of this document, without the prior written permission of SLU, is strictly prohibited.