The "passion" of the House of the Sacred Heart in Peking
summer 1966
This House of the Sacred Heart in Peking, situated in a district reserved for foreign embassies
and having a school for the children of the personnel of these embassies, was the only FMM
house remaining in China after the closures of 72 houses between 1950 and 1953, and the
expulsion of all the non-Chinese sisters. The community of the Sacred Heart was made up of
8 non-Chinese sisters, of whom the provincial, M.M. of the Cross was one, and some Chinese
or Eurasian sisters.
The "Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution" in China was born of the conflict unleashed
between the radical line defended by Mao Tse Tung and a more realistic line of development
seeking to rebuild the economy of the partly ruined country. It had been prepared by the
Movement of Socialist Education from 1962 and was launched in 1966. The principal actors of
this "revolution within the Revolution" were schoolchildren and students, from whom emerged
the élite of the "Red Guards" (about 11 million young people passed in parade before Mao
and Lin Piao!) These Red Guards attacked local surroundings, destroying the "four ancient
values" (thought, culture, morals and ancient customs). This movement was brought to an end
by bloody rivalries and was finally suppressed by the army (1968).
Work guidelines:
1. Try to make a quick summary of the principle facts.
2. Select all that seems to you to be heroic and a witness of faith in the conduct and the
words of the sisters. How did they embody the richness of charism?
3. In this account, what touches you? Does it challenge you?
A RECONSTRUCTED ACCOUNT
OF THE EXPULSION OF THE FRANCISCAN MISSIONARIES OF MARY
FROM THE SACRED HEART CONVENT IN PEKIN
THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION
The account drawn up by the Sisters states that, right up to August 24th, the Sacred Heart School had
not been subject, as others were, to the Cultural Revolution.
Several weeks before the Sacred Heart School was taken over, the Cultural
Revolution had spread rapidly to Pekin. The Professors of various Schools had to undergo
the consequences of this new Progressive movement.
However we, - religious and school - had not been molested. We thanked God that we
were able to end the school Year on June 25th in peace. Two weeks later, we started
Summer Sessions to satisfy the demands of those parents who wanted to have lessons for
their children. These Summer Classes went on without interruption until August 24th.
THE TAKE.OVER OF THE SACRED HEART SCHOOL AND CONVENT (24 August)
This account is from the Mother Provincial.
On the afternoon of August 24th some Red Leaders came to the Sacred Heart to ask
us to take down the big Statue of the Sacred Heart which dominates the Convent. On our
reply that this was too difficult for us, they said « If you cannot do it, we will do it ourselves, or
at least, it must be covered up ». They went off at that; their attitude made us understand that
they would come back.
At 8 o‘clock at night, we were gathered together for a short recreation in order to
explain to our dear Sisters the gravity of the situation. Then we went to the chapel to say the
Rosary and recite Invocations to the Sacred Heart, Our Lady and to Blessed Hermine. While
we were in chapel, the door bell rang, we heard screams etc. Mother Mary Olga Sofia (the
Superior) went to the door with Yana - a very courageous ex-novice who has been with us for
years. - I called out to the Sisters: « Let us each go to our cell ». As a rule, the Reds rarely
enter into the cells; we always told them it was absolutely forbidden. But on this occasion,
every effort was useless they were the Masters of the House and ran all over the place, while
Mother M. Olga Sofia and two or three Sisters tried to follow them. It was then that Mother M.
Olga Sofia was able to save the Ciborium and put it in the box full of old papers and dust.
Poor Jesus! He spent the night there! Next morning, the cook, who did the cooking with
THEM, was able to make up a tiny parcel of hosts and thus each one managed to
communicate secretly. What a consolation, after a night of hell!
FIRST NIGHT (from 24th — 25th August)
Continuation of Mother Provincial‘s Account.
Their chief grudge was against the Crucifix and the Blessed Virgin. On the very first
night they dragged a large Statue of the Blessed Virgin into my room and thereupon they set
about destroying it, telling me to look at my Mother. The bead, arms etc. fell beneath their
blows, the bits covered the whole floor. Each blow resounded in my heart and I thought of the
sorrow the Blessed Mother must have had when she saw her Jesus bowed down beneath the
blows. Next came the Crucifix on my writing table which received violent blows; the whole
night went on like this. I was alone in my room with an old Chinese Sister of 83 years - Sister
Marguerite - while the European and Chinese community was shut up in a big room
downstairs. They endured the same suffering, watching while statues and crucifixes were
broken up. When the Reds‘ saw the Oratory, they made the European and Chinese Sisters
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come in there and sit on the ground to see the destruction of anything which had not yet been
smashed in the oratory.
AUGUST 25TH - LOT RESERVED TO THE CHINESE SISTERS
Detailed account of the Expelled Sisters.
They devastated the house from top to bottom, breaking open doors which they found
locked, destroying everything they came across, especially religious articles. That went on all
night without interruption until 6 o‘clock, Thursday morning, at which time we were ordered to
go to bed. We, the foreigners, were separated from our dear Chinese Sisters and relegated
to a dormitory, with one or two Guards near each bed; and we were forced to remain there in
silence until our departure which was on Sunday night, August 28th.
Mother Provincial‘s letter gives more details
about the Chinese Sisters.
Towards morning, our Sisters were ordered to bed. Only then were our Chinese
Sisters separated from the Europeans. It was heartbreaking! From the very first night our
dear Chinese Sisters had to take off their holy religious habit. The next morning they were
obliged to put it on again, and go outside in front of the Convent to be insulted. Each article of
clothing had to be taken off again, or pulled off in front of the infuriated mob. The old Sister
Marguerite, my room companion, had to go out like the others. She was replaced by Sister M.
Sigisbert, in spite of the Guards. Our Sisters had to plead for a long time, stating that Sister
M. Sigisbert could not remain alone as she was unable to get about on account of her
crutches. Thus, Sister M. Sigisbert remained with me until the evening of our departure on
the 28th, while our other Sisters were shut up in different rooms, with a few Red Guards, and
still forbidden to speak. The Chinese Sisters were completely separated from us. I think that
was the time when they underwent their martyrdom. They were forced to stay in front of the
house or in a room. Without being able to see them, we could hear the yells of the crowd and
the moans of our dear little victims. Mother M. Olga Sofia heard the voice of good Sister
Marie N. D. de Zoce (franco-chinese) who was saying in a voice as plaintive as a lamb
«Jesou ». The next day we saw two or three of them who bore the marks of the blows. « The
dear little Associate - sister Michael - is nearly dead », one of our Sisters whispered to me.
You can guess what we suffered not to be able to relieve them. Beloved Mother, you may be
proud of your little Chinese victims and thank God for having given them His Holy Grace. We
think of them continually and we are greatly consoled to know that so many prayers are being
offered everywhere for them.
IMPRISONMENT IN THE CONVENT FROM AUGUST 24TH - 28TH
The details of four days of imprisonment are taken from several sources;
First: The Account of the Expelled Sisters:
During the four days of our captivity in Pekin from August 24th to August 28th the Red
Guards continued their work of destruction, night and day, under our eyes, breaking up
Statues, Crucifixes and Holy Pictures with the help of hammers and other tools. They
blasphemed against God, profaned the pictures of the Blessed Virgin. They even tried to
make us walk on the Crucifix, but they did not succeed. They shouted against us, insulted us,
and made ferocious gestures to frighten us; but by the Grace of God, we felt calm and
recollected, begging of Him to accept our reparation for the outrages which were being
committed.
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Mother Provincial gives a few supplementary details:
We were in the hands of real maniacs, capable of anything, vulgar and coarse to a
degree, fanatical, hateful, threatening us all the time with all sorts of instruments: scissors,
hammers, knives, stilettos, not forgetting the whip which they used from time to time, but
rather lightly. All that seemed of little account to us, however, compared to the blasphemies
and profanations. On Wednesday the 24th August, on the night of the attack on the Sacred
Heart, I was afraid that I had lost my eye by a blow from a whip on my head, but after two or
three days, there was no longer trace of the mark. As soon as a group of « Little Reds » saw
my eye, they began to shout at the one who had struck me. I then understood that they had
been forbidden to strike. As a matter of fact a few blows here and there, more menacing than
otherwise. I say this because I have seen in the newspapers incorrect statements on this
point. Moreover, more than once the newspapers have, I am sorry to say, published facts
which were not quite correct.
THE 26TH AUGUST
This day was marked by Meetings during which
they were accused, as noted in the general account.
On the afternoon of August 26th, the whole community, both the foreign and Chinese
Sisters, was brought out to face the crowd on the steps in front of the School, to be « tried »
by the People. We were forced to remain standing, bare-headed and bent, while the loudspeakers proclaimed our faults in Chinese. Then we had to kneel down, with our heads still
bowed, until the end of the accusations.
During the afternoon of this same day we were separated from our dear Chinese
Sisters. Each of us was put in a separate room where we were left for several hours at the
mercy of five or six Red Guards, who insulted us to the limit. Then each one was subjected to
a Private Trial before the Representatives of the Police, who tried to convince us that we had
taken part in various activities - above all, religious activities - against the law.
AUGUST 28TH, THE NON-CHINESE SISTERS‘ EXPULSION
These lines are also taken from the general account.
On Sunday morning, August 28th, we were told to prepare a small suitcase containing
clothing of immediate necessity. At 6 o‘clock in the evening, we were called downstairs in
order to meet once more in our dear Chapel, now ruined in a most lamentable manner. At
this sight, our hearts were filled with sorrow, but still we begged God to allow us to come back
and set up again the tabernacle which had just been overthrown. Then, another heartbreaking
sacrifice was asked of us: that of separating from our dear Chinese Sisters who were not
allowed to come with us.
The Mother Provincial relates how one of them thought,
right up to the last minute, that she, too, was expelled.
Sister M. Fintina‘s father was English and her mother was Japanese; but she had been
registered as Chinese. Sister M. Fintina bad been brought up in Chefoo and Tientsin by our
Sisters where she had been a pupil in our Boarding Schools and we always considered her as
English. She scarcely knows Chinese. We had asked the Chinese Authorities to allow Sister
M. Fintina to join us when we were leaving. The Authorities did not answer but at the time of
our departure from the Sacred Heart on August 28th, Sister M. Fintina was there, just like us,
with her small suitcase. Since then we do not know what has become of her! Mother M.
Conleth made enquiries at the British Consul in Hong Kong who replied that he could do
nothing about it, since she had not been registered in their Office. We do not know what to
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think. We are praying for this poor little sister. Where is she? What has happened to her?
May the Sacred Heart and the Blessed Virgin watch over her
Continuation of the general account of the expulsion.
From the chapel, we were escorted to the steps leading up to the School; there an
immense crowd had assembled to witness our condemnation. We were again forced to bow
down our heads in front of the People, whilst the loud-speaker announced our condemnation
in a long speech. We were pushed through the mob, getting kicks and blows on every side,
right up to the Jeeps which were to bring us to the Railway Station. There, happily, there was
no more display and we were able to board the train quickly and quietly.
Knowing well how precarious our situation in Pekin was, we had during recent years,
prepared for this expulsion and, by dint of continuous saving, we had managed to put aside a
sum of money which was to provide for our own needs and for those of our Chinese Sisters
whom we would have to leave behind us. All that money was taken from us and we had to
set out without a penny!
One of the expelled Sisters sums up the feeling of them all.
God grant that my Offering of myself as a Victim and my little sacrifices may obtain the
conversion of so many blinded souls among these poor Chinese people. In truth, they know
not what they do! But what will become of our dear little Chinese Sisters? It is our great
sorrow to know nothing about them. They will surely be martyred! May the Good God protect
them and give the strength and courage to be faithful until death!
JOURNEY FROM PEKIN TO CANTON AND HONG KONG
SISTER M. EAMONN‘S DEATH, MACAO
The General Account is continued.
The Railway journey from Pekin to Canton passed without incident. Although we had
no permission to speak to each other, we managed to pray together and we were happy to
renew our Religious Vows, offering ourselves as Victims for the souls we had just left behind,
and for the Church, especially for that China which had been our Mission for so many years.
The train arrived in Canton on Tuesday, August 30th at 2 o‘clock in the afternoon. We
were taken at once to a hotel where we were treated well. We remained there until
Wednesday morning, when we were led, without any display, to the train which was to take us
to the frontier. It was during this trip of three hours that Sister M. Eamonn began to be ill. The
infirmarian took her temperature twice, gave her an injection and some pills. Sister M.
Eamonn had been well in Pekin and seemed to be well during the journey from Pekin to
Canton.
A few words from Mother Mary of the Cross, Provincial,
gives precise details of the conditions in which
Sister M.Eamonn had made the first part of the journey.
As for dear Sister M. Eamonn, she could not have been better prepared for the Great
Meeting. During the trip from Pekin to Canton, in spite of the order no Speaking we
succeeded in having short conversations, sometimes even jokes, for Sister M. Eamonn, - like
the good Irish Sister she was - had a keen sense of humour and she needed to laugh. But,
above all, we prayed; several times we renewed our Vows for the Church, for souls, and
especially for those in dear suffering China. The four days and nights in Pekin before our
departure were a very good preparation.
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Another Sister gives some details of her own:
We are sad to lose our dear Mission, and very sad indeed to lose our dear Sister M.
Eamonn. R. I. P. I was her next door neighbour during the whole four days of our
imprisonment in Pekin. From time to time we were able to whisper a word or two. She was
very patient, smiling at the insults addressed to her. She received a bigger share than we
(because she was fairly well built). I admired her patience greatly. I thought that it would be a
consolation for you, Mother, to know that we remained silent and calm and I am sure that
THEY were a little touched by our resignation. And even, when we were in the Canton train,
one of the young girls, a Red Guard, came into our compartment to say to Mother M. Olga
Sofia « You are very good » !
The General account continued.
On alighting from the train, we had to pass through the Customs. Then we had to walk,
each one carrying her own luggage, except Sister M. Eamonn on account of her weak state.
As we went along, spectators armed with brooms, gesticulated, pretending to sweep us out of
the country. They shouted against us, and made fun of us, threatening us right up to our
faces. But that did not trouble us as much as did the weakness of our dear Sister M. Eamonn.
For a while two of us held her up and then she fainted. She was unceremoniously picked up
and thrown upon a luggage-carrier and brought thus as far as the frontier, where we were
received with open arms by our dear sisters, who were so good to us, by Reverend Mother
Provincial and Mother Superior of Kowloon, and also by the Consul of Hong Kong who
telephoned at once for an ambulance. Sister M. Eamonn and dear Mother M. of the Cross
who was also ill, were transported to the Hospital where they were immediately cared for by
the good Sisters. But the trial had been too great for poor Sister M. Eamonn; she died
peacefully next morning at 7 o‘clock, fortified by the Rites of Holy Church. Sister M. Eamonn
has gone to enjoy her Eternal rest, but I am sure she will remember her dear China and all
those who helped her in her last hours and who gave her such a magnificent funeral.
Sources of Information:

An Account, drawn up by the expelled Sisters, at the request of the Hierarchy. (in English).

A letter from the Mother Provincial (M. M. of the Cross) to her Mother General from Macao on the 10th
September 1966.

Extracts from letters of two of the expelled Sisters, from Macao, on the 10 th September 1966.
(Chronique intime 1966, S.168-173)
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