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Also known as: Father Ma;
Papa Chapdelaine; Augustus Chapdelaine
Memorial: 27 February; 28 September
Profile
Youngest of nine children born to Nicolas Chapdelaine and Madeleine
Dodeman. Following grammar school, Auguste dropped out to work on the
family farm. He early felt a call to the priesthood, but his family
opposed it, needing his help on the farm. However, the sudden death of two
of his brothers caused them to re-think forcing him to ignore his life's
vocation, and they finally approved. He entered the minor seminary at
Mortain on 1 October 1834, studying with boys half his age. It led to his
being nicknamed Papa Chapdelaine, which stuck with him the rest of his
life.
Ordained on 10 June 1843 at age 29. Associate pastor in Bouncy for seven
years beginning on 23 February 1844. In 1851 he finally obtained
permission from his bishop to enter the foreign missions, and was accepted
by French Foreign Missions; he was two years past their age limit, but his
zeal for the missions made them approve him anyway. He stayed long enough
to say a final Mass, bury his sister, and say good-bye to his family,
warning them that he would never see them again. Left Paris for the
Chinese missions on 30 April 1852, landing in Singapore on 5 September
1852.
Due to being robbed on the road by bandits, Auguste lost everything he
had, and had to fall back and regroup before making his way to his
missionary assignment. He reached Kwang-si province in 1854, and was
arrested in Su-Lik-Hien ten days later. He spent two to three weeks in
prison, but was released, and ministered to the locals for two years,
converting hundreds. Arrested on 26 February 1856 during a government
crackdown, he was returned to Su-Lik-Hien and sentenced to death for his
work. Tortured with and died with Saint Lawrence Pe-Man and Saint Agnes
Tsau Kouy. One of the Martyrs of China
Born: 6 January 1814 at La Rochelle-Normande, France
Died: beheaded on 29 February 1856 in Su-Lik-Hien, Kwang-Si
province, China
Beatified: 27 May 1900 by Pope Leo XIII
Canonized: 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
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