A beautiful story of missionary audacity of a hundred years ago...
January 23, 2022 - Betharram. Fr Reegan Vincent Raj SCJ concluded the Sunday Eucharistic celebration at the Shrine with the presentation of some photos of the three missionaries and with the comment of Fr. Pierre Fernessolle SCJ who had delivered the homily on January 22, 1922 the day before the departure of the three Betharramites for China.
January 23, 2022 - Larceveau. It all started with the Eucharistic celebration presided over by Fr Laurent Bacho SCJ (Regional Vicar) who gave the homily. Some priests concelebrated. Among these the head of the missionary delegation of the diocese, Fr Jean Michel Barnetche.
At the end of the Eucharist, a letter was read that the young Fr Erdozaincy-Etchart SCJ had sent to his parents. In the letter, at the age of 15, he insistently asked his parents that he be granted permission to go to Argentina as a missionary.
A grand-nephew, Piarrès Erdozaincy Etchart, presented us the biography of his great uncle in artistic form. After the meal, organized by the family, the round table on the beginnings of the Betharramite mission in China took place.
Franck Lopépé, his great-grandnephew, prepared a very well documented thirty-minute film about the first nine years of the mission in China, Fr Erdozaincy Etchart having died in 1931, nine years after his arrival. An amazing movie.
After the documentaries, the participants (about eighty) kicked off a debate that lasted about an hour and a half. Fabienne, great-grandniece of Fr Jean-Baptiste Magenties SCJ, who is writing a book on the mission in China, also made a presentation. The family of Fr Oxibar SCJ and the grandnephew of Fr Toucoulet SCJ also gave their testimony. Several letters sent from China were read. Thus Fr Erdozaincy-Etchart became more familiar.
It was a beautiful day because the participants got excited by listening to the missionary audacity of a hundred years ago.
The two books by Fr Beñat Oyhénart SCJ were also very successful.
The extraordinary film deserves to be presented in the various meetings that the Vicariate (but not only) will hold during the year.
It was a busy and enriching day. It was a very joyful experience to meet the great Erdozaincy family, the community of Saint-Palais, the Association of "Friends of Michel Garicoits", various diocesan priests, local people and families of our missionaries.
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