When in 1923 Mother Superior Maria Nieves Urizar proposed a plan to go to China to begin their missionary apostolate, it was accepted with great enthusiasm. Of the 53 nuns in Berriz, 26 offered to go to the missions.
Wuhu is a city in China in the province of Anhuei. It is a commercial center with an important port on the Blue River. It was a link between Shanghai and Hunan. French boats arrived as far as Wuhu and it was a business center for the Chinese. The city was an old city with dusty narrow streets and riverbanks crowded with traders.
While the nuns were getting installed in a new house, they dedicated themselves to the study of Chinese, so they could have their first meeting with the Presentandines of the Vicariate.
Presentandines were young women with possible vocations to the religious life, but basically they were consecrated women who dedicated themselves to working with women. Currently, the Presentandines were being trained by the Auxiliatrices in Shanghai, a task the Bishop wanted the Mercedarian sisters to assume. They were a must for the mission. Without them the missionary fathers would not have been able to bring new converts to the faith. But because of the Presentandines, conversions ranged from 100 to 250 thousand.
However, three months after their arrival, Mother Begona Dochao and Sister Josefina Bilbao went to Shanghai, without paying any attention to rumors of war. They left to study, with the Auxiliatrices, and the establishment of the Presentandines, which was the principal task the Mercedarians were to start in Wuhu. The next month on March 3, 1927 the other sisters followed them. Because of a civil war between the north and south, they had to evacuate their house. This was the beginning of the upcoming communist revolution in China. Mother Auxilio de Maria Urizar writes to Mother Margarita: “Let it be whatever God wants. We are in His Hands and He will take care of us…We are peaceful and in conformity with God’s Will…don’t be worried because everything is less than what it looks like from over there.”
The leaving of their house was also admirable. They packed on March 3rd and on March 4th, they celebrated the Eucharist and consumed all the hosts. Mother Auxilio commented: “How sad is our little house, without its Lord…it seems like a cemetery… I tremble on leaving our house, as if we were going to the gallows. Leaving our mission seemed so terrible, and we left only when Father Huarte told us to go.
We headed for the port where, in two boats we reached the ship, which because it was English, was not allowed to make port. Dawn had not yet broken and it was a long way to reach the ship, the Lang Woo. It was difficult to get on the ship because you needed to jump very high. It took a while to board, but the ship was crammed full of passengers, all of them men and women, Protestant pastors, and the majority of them were English.”
By March 4th they were in Shanghai, where they were reunited with the other missionaries in Zi-Ka-Wei. The Auxiliatrices welcomed them. Mother Auxilio says:” When I saw the other missionaries, I don’t know what happened to me but I know I felt immense anguish. Will we return to our mission? This was the question silent on our lips as we greeted one another.”
In Shanghai they had to live the uncertainties of those dark hours of the war. On March 25th, they had to move to the house of the Daughters of Charity, which had been converted into a refuge for all the religious congregations of the vicinity. As many as six different congregations were living in the house, and all the Mercedarians lived together in one room. They stayed with the Daughters of Charity for one month and life was becoming increasingly more difficult, when finally on April 22nd, they were able to return to Zi-Ka-Wei, once again with the Auxiliatrices.
From the first days of March 1927 until November, almost ten months of their first year in China, the Mercedarian sisters lived in exile in Shanghai. They were well received, but without a home and unable to do much. They studied Chinese; Mother Auxilio Urizar practiced the harmonium and Sister Josefina Bilbao worked in the dispensary. There were times when they had hoped of returning to Wuhu. Then again, they saw all those hopes vanish. They were ready to do anything, except to abandon China totally. There was the possibility of an international war, and it might be necessary to go to the Philippines.
But for now, returning to Spain was unnecessary, and no one wanted to abandon Wuhu. As Mother Begona Dochao put it: “Our portion is China and we will not leave here unless we are obliged to by violence or obedience.” The sisters always retained high hopes of returning to Wuhu and Mother Margarita encouraged them to continue with their courageous spirit. In one of her letters she said:” This time of suffering is going to pass soon. May neither you nor we get tired. On the contrary, may we desire to offer a complete holocaust of our entire being to God. Keep on writing a lot, and fill yourselves with generosity to save souls now through prayer and constant abnegation that God is asking of you….”
Mother Margarita knew these were difficult beginnings but while they were being jostled around, they were also chosen by God. She interpreted events through the light of her faith, her experience and her trust in God. They evangelized in secret with the same life energy as from the tree of the cross. They were like stones that had to be well polished before they built on them. Mother continued to encourage them in those dark hours. She wanted the sisters to be happy, even though the war was changing their plans for the school which was seen as too European. But she was also convinced that the effectiveness of the missionaries depended on their faithfulness to the Holy Spirit.
In November they returned to Wuhu, although Josefina Bilbao, Auxilio de Maria Urizar and Aurora Chopitea remained in Shanghai to receive the second missionary expedition on their way to the Caroline Islands. The second expedition arrived in Shanghai on December 10, 1927. Sister Aurora was appointed to join the second expedition.
On the 21st of December, only Sisters Auxilio and Josefina returned to Wuhu, and this is when the community of Wuhu for the Mercedarians of Berriz was established with five members. They had to begin all over again. They found the house destroyed and the occupying troops of Wuhu had stolen everything.
For a long time, their letters echoed the lack of many things. But they were courageous and happy to be in their house again, thinking they would be working soon. After all the time in Shanghai, a new era was beginning. However, even when they were settled in their house and it seemed the wars were over, the situation in China was not a peaceful one. There were continued attacks by bandits, the presence of robbers, and conflicts between armed groups. The work of the sisters in the following years took place in the midst of much uncertainty and worry.
In 1928, the sisters began their work with the Presentandine aspirants. By the middle of February work was done on a provisional house to be used until a large school for this purpose could be constructed. That same year on September 8th, the house was inaugurated under the name “Apostolic School of Our Lady of Mercy.” The house itself was a miracle, because the Mercedarian religious had no money to build it. But Mother Margarita had confidence in God and faith in prayer. As usual, God provided. A wealthy widow in the north of Spain announced her intention of financing a missionary activity. She was presented with several projects, but chose the school in China.
The school opened with twenty-two pupils. Up to 1941, much work was accomplished in Wuhu; Presentandines, Novices of the Presentation, the Mercedists Primary School with an enrollment of 400 pupils, and the School of Saint Joseph. A high school was inaugurated, an orphanage was started and anew a dispensary was installed. A new apostolate was also begun. Srs. Itziar and Teresita, who mastered the Chinese language dedicated themselves to going after the lost sheep-the Christians who had forgotten their obligations. These apostolic journeys were fruitful, and baptisms and other good works abounded.
In 1941, communication became very irregular due to the Communist occupation. Prior to this time, the diaries of Sr. Piedad Gonzalez Luna did not tire of giving news about the process of evangelization. In 1939 the Bishop requested them to help in Seng-mou -yen at the School of Mercy but due to shortage of personnel, money and the war, the expedition never became a reality.
In May 1944, another letter from Mother Isasi, explained what was happening in Wuhu. North American planes bombed the city near Seng -Mou-yen and the schoolgirls were too terrified to return. The priests gave them some space in Tien-chu-tang so they could continue classes with the older girls.
It was in April 1947 that Mother General came to visit the mission of Wuhu. Previously, she made another visit to the missions but was denied entry into China. After the visit of the Mother General, in the letters of that time there were many references to the newly appointed missionaries, which were different than those appointed in 1941. By 1947, the sisters were still suffering the consequences of the Second World War, where Communist struggle continued. In these letters they comment about the shortage of food. But, even in the midst of this unstable situation, in 1947 and 1948, they witnessed the Diocese of Wuhu, pass from being a Vicariate to a Diocese. They even celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their Bishop Aramburu, S.J. Another joy, was that the mission opened a school for catechists called the “House of Nazareth,” and a retreat house named “Loyola.” With all of this activity going forward, it was sad that it was cut short by the Communist revolution and the expulsion of missionaries from China.
Thus, in October 1948, after looking forward to the arrival of more help, and having overcome the obstacles that blocked the opposition; the two wars, that of Spain and the Second World War, the new missionaries finally reached China. They were Pilar Ibanez, Ana Maria Loring, Maria Jose Marin, Rosario Aziptarte, and Gregoria Otaegui.
However, some of the newly arrived could remain in China only a little more than two months. Ana Maria Loring was blessed to make her perpetual vows in Wuhu in October; but in December, she, Maria Jose Marin and Rosario Aziptarte had to leave for the Philippines. Pilar Ibanez and Gregoria Otaegui were the last of that group to leave China. Pilar Ibanez took charge of the dispensary, which was the last apostolic stronghold of the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz in Wuhu.
In 1948, despite all the inconveniences of wars and revolutions, the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz in China were blooming. As Communist domination became stronger, the missionaries thought this would pass like the storms of revolutions they had already experienced. Their letters did not express fear or worry. But the Communist invasion looked so dangerous, and the possibility of maintaining the mission so precarious, that in 1948, the Bishop decided to diminish the personnel of Seng-mou-Yuen. Ana Maria Loring, Maria Jose Marin and Itziar Olabarria, who had gotten malaria, left Wuhu for the Philippines. They stayed with the Auxiliatrices of Shanghai and on January 1, 1949, they left with two other sisters and arrived in Manila where they went on to Zamboanga.
In April 1949, the Communist troops entered Wuhu. We know in detail the reality of the Communist occupation from the writings of Father Pena, S.J., who recalls the events of April 20 to May 18. He says: “We have spent days of uneasiness and anxiety…We have not slept all night…The cannons and machine guns are sounding on this side of the river. Finally, the Nationalist troops could not stop the invasion and on April 24th, the Communist troops occupied the city. They placed signs on the walls, telling people not to be afraid and urging that everything follow its normal course. The city is calm but people are afraid there will be pillaging at night. In the streets they put signs saying that there is freedom of religion and that the soldiers will protect the Bishop and their churches.”
There were many annoyances. The Communists soon occupied the house of the Fathers and other offices of the mission. In Seng-Mou-Yuen, they searched the house, took note of the rooms and imposed an impossible tax on it. But God kept the apostolate of the Mercedarians moving forward. The dispensaries were full. On Pentecost there were numerous baptisms, on Corpus Christi they had the traditional procession, and on the Feast of the Sacred Heart they celebrated the baptism of a woman teacher. As Blanca Calero put it: I don’t know what happens, but it is certain that despite all the sorrows, we notice a tendency to want to embrace Catholicism.”
Things seemed to calm down and the new school year 1949-1950, began normally with an enrollment of 300 girls. They were obligated however to open the school as a co-educational school. Despite all of this, apostolic activity flourished. Many who were alienated from the Church, seeing the danger to their faith, embraced a new life of religious fervor.
Towards the end of September, the Communists began to tighten their hold again. Things changed for school year 1950-1951. The Sisters could not open the school on their own. From the 26th of February on, they did not return to the school and everything remained in the hands of the government.
In December 1950, the Bishop had his house taken away from him, and by 1951, the Communists took over the first floor of Seng-mou-yuen. At this time, there also began a new movement called the “Triple Independence.” It was an economic, political, and religious movement that attempted to bring about a schism among Christians. At the beginning Catholics defended themselves bravely, but there were pressures from all sides, and the newspapers put out lists of priests and Catholics that were joining the movement.
Maria del Sagrado Corazon Acha, was the one who sustained the faith and zeal of the Catholic schoolgirls. Though she couldn’t enter the school, she was able to gather them together when they came out, took them to church maintaining their piety, prepared catechumens, organized retreats and took charge of the Marian Congregation. And the zeal grew. But at the same time, the Communists stepped up their searches and continued to follow the life and possessions of the sisters. They made detailed inventories of all they possessed, keeping them from receiving any help from foreign countries and slandering the sisters in the newspapers. They particularly attacked Maria del Sagrado Corazon and Teresita Elorduy. Accusations of men and women missionaries became rampant and they couldn’t take a step without permission. They could not talk on the telephone and children often laughed at them in the dispensary.
Mother Acha wrote at this time: “There are some who say they are going to imprison me. They don’t realize that Divine Providence is watching over us…With his grace we fear nothing; it is a great consolation to provide comfort to others…Our young women want the Mothers to continue at their side. If God doesn’t determine something else, we will be very happy to remain to share their sufferings with them…We have always loved this mission, but now more than ever.”
The missionaries were ready to endure anything, as long as they could remain in the mission. They were filled with the Mercedarian zeal of the fourth vow, to lay down their lives, if necessary for the salvation of souls. They even said if the Communists put them out in the street because then they might stop their numerous apostolates of Seng-mou-Yuen, and with the school of Saint Joseph closed, they were ready to move to a straw hut, as long as there is a missionary to say Mass and absolve sins. They said they would work in the fields or factories if this was the will of their superiors and that the Bishop knew of their desires.
The Bishop responded by writing to Mother General, admiring the disposition of the missionaries. “Believe me,” he says referring to the desire to go work in a factory, in order to remain in China, “it would be a wonderful example of abnegation and a new and more efficacious apostolate. The religious mixed with the lay women workers, would do more with their presence than with a thousand sermons.”
Things grew worse. Those who refused to sign the campaign in favor of the “Triple Independence” were considered traitors and so many Christians signed it. Others who didn’t sign became heroic cases like Father Shu S.J., who died in jail. He was so disfigured that his fellow priests did not recognize him.
In the spring of 1951, the Bishop writes to Mother General Cecilia Gallarzagoitia, giving her an account of the situation: “We are fully in the Passion. We are the targets of the most jeering defamation in a series of meetings that take place in different parts of the city. Yesterday they had one of these meetings in Seng-Mou-Yuen and brought up the question of the Orphanage. As I told you in my previous letter, if they insist on bringing up this matter, as they have done in other places, bitter days await the Mothers.”
In successive months, these types of meetings continued. They took place almost daily. On July 15, 1951, judgment awaited the sisters. Those present in the vestibule of Seng-mou-Yuen consisted of the Novices, the Mercedists, the teachers and the servants of the house. Those who were to pass down the verdict were Christians who had joined the movement of the “Triple Independence” and some 15-20 members of the Communist party.
Mercedes Isasi writes that once everyone was assembled, she and Mother Vicar Teresita Elorduy, were called up without previous warning, and seated in the middle and questioned about the Orphanage. She related: “The act infused fear but God helped us. The Holy Spirit enlightened us, and we were very serene.” Then came the accusations. The session began at 11:30 in the morning and lasted till almost 3:00 in the afternoon. Two agreements were reached in this session:
1. The Orphanage became the property of the government.
2. The cemetery would be dug up and the remains deposited elsewhere.
The cemetery excavation began immediately, with the hopes of digging up more and more bodies to show the horrible deeds committed by the imperialists. They were accused of putting thousands of bodies there, but they didn’t find hundreds or even a dozen. The accused were obliged to watch the gruesome scene, but after an hour were brought back for further questioning about the same things. Sister Mercedes Isai further wrote: “They tried to frighten us but they didn’t do so because we remained serene, thanks to God and to the prayers offered for us. The pulse beat normally and we were ready to go to jail, to death, to whatever God wished to send us.”
As a follow up, there was going to be an exposition of coffins and a procession of people to see the crimes of the foreign imperialists. A huge number of men and women, children and the student body of the school, passed through Sen-Mou-Yuen on the 17,18 and 19th of July. There were people planted around who eulogized the large multitude of dead children. Mercedes Isai related that no one was moved because there was little to be seen. However, they overheard a school of children, invited by their Director to ask for the death of these foreigners. The press further insulted the sisters, including photographs which showed nothing credible.
On the 19th of July, the whole debacle ended with a series of speeches. The reality was worse than could be imagined. The Bishop said: “Poor Seng-mou-Yuen. What desolation reigns in it!” From the 15th of July, soldiers watched over the house continually. They made detailed calls to the interrogators. On the 19th, Mother Superior fell ill with malaria, and the passports of the sisters were confiscated and permission to go around the city was denied.
The Bishop informed Berriz: “All there is left of Seng-mou-Yuen are the walls and some Mothers and sisters, shut up in their rooms without contact with the people from outside. The Novitiate and the Mercedists have been dissolved, among them there are only about six left and they too will soon be dispersed. The Orphanage will be in the hands of others. Thank God they haven’t lost their chapel or chaplain.”
Then on August 14, preparations were being made for the Assumption, but the Bishop said that this may be the last time they meet. After the Bishop left, police armed with guns and fixed bayonets arrived and a representative of the Communist party read to Mother Superior and Teresita Elorduy, the arrest order, urging them to go to the police station. The community watched them leave, and Father Zamora blessed them. They began walking to the prison about 5 kilometers from Seng-Mou-Yuen. At the jail, there was a crowd awaiting their arrival. Mother Mercedes Isai relates that the crowd was expecting them to resist arrest, and were happy to see them go to jail without resistance. She says they did this not for the crowd, but for Christ, who allowed Himself to be captured on behalf of all.
When Mercedes Isasi arrived at the jail, they immediately began interrogating her in great detail about her work, the positions she held and her date of arrival to China. The key question was the number of children received into the orphanage, to which she responded she did not remember. The judge then told her she would remain in jail until she gave them the number of children received into the orphanage.
From then on, the sisters were separated and put in jail with other prisoners, one who had the mission to serve as a spy. The sisters remained in prison for thirteen months.
Sister Mercedes describes the cell as four meters long and three meters wide. The floor was a black dirty wood, and the walls showed evidence of many insects being squashed, a truly ugly sight. At night rodents ran among the prisoners. They could never leave the cell, and had a bucket with a wooden cover to relieve themselves. But so beautifully accepting the will of God. She wrote: “I sat down, because there wasn’t any other piece of furniture, on the almost cutting edge of what for the next thirteen months was to be my bed. I thank God for the immense benefit of having brought me to jail on account of His gospel and on account of lies.”
The sisters were a beautiful testament to Christ, because from the director to the last errand boy, everyone stopped by to see the foreigners, admiring how they followed their life peacefully; praying, working and eating as if nothing had happened.
After a few days, Mother Sagrado Corazon Acha, with her understanding of Chinese psychology, was able to visit the sisters on the condition they spoke only Chinese. She visited Teresita Elorduy first and then visited Mother Superior in the midst of armed guards. The conversation revolved around the five who had asked for their passports and their own situation in the jail. Sister Mercedes asked for some sewing and the life of Christ, because they had no religious books. Sister Mercedes explained what life in jail was like. It consisted of prayer, and some work sewing clothes of the militiamen employed at the jail. They also had to listen to the radio and its propaganda against American imperialism, the previous government and the missionaries, who were also guilty of imperialism. They also listened to songs praising Mao-Sae-Tong and Communism. In some broadcasts they spoke of Nuncio Riveri, preparing for his expulsion from China, which took place on September 1951.
On the twenty-fourth of August, the jailing of the Mothers reached Berriz by a cable from Father Pena, S.J., who had been expelled from Wuhu to Hong Kong. In “a follow-up letter he tells how he envies the Mothers found worthy to suffer for Christ. He expressed how this incident was “a glory of the Institute of Mercy that two Mercedarians have been found worthy to suffer slander for Christ, to be held captive for Christ…jailed for Christ to save souls who belong to Christ.”
The trip for the five sisters who were to leave China was prepared for September 5, 1951. On the Feast of Saint Raymond Nonnatus, August 31, there was joy, when the five sisters were able to visit the jail to say goodbye. However, on that same day, the imprisoned sisters were told they would be facing another trial on September 4. On that day, before 8:00 a.m., three armed guards with their guns and bayonets appeared and handcuffed the sisters to each other and they were warned to keep silent. When they arrived at the court, the sisters were released of their handcuffs. The jury was made up of five Communist party members from the North of China. The audience was about 70-80 persons. They were all in uniform. The trial consisted of more false and inconsistent accusations. It took over three hours to refute these accusations. Lastly, they asked them if they recognized the authority of the Papal Nuncio, Monsignor Riveri, to which they all gave a firm “yes.” They were returned to jail the same way they came and fasting.
A second trial was held on September 24, the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. They were handcuffed and escorted from their cells. Yet, while they walked in forced silence, they were interiorly rejoicing in the Lord. At this trial the room was overflowing with people. There were accusations made by catechists and servants, like those who testified previously. It lasted eight hours. On the way back to the jail, they commented as to what a beautiful Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, but they were silenced the rest of the way back.
It was September 5th in Seng-Mou-Yuen. The five sisters left, followed by two others a few days later. The trip to Shanghai was uneventful. Josefina Bilbao, who was sick had to be hospitalized in the house of the Franciscan Missionaries and saw the others depart while she remained hospitalized. At the end of September, she was able to travel with Father Bolumburu. Some of the nuns went on to Japan and others to Berriz. In Seng-Mou-Yuen, four sisters remained; Mothers Maria. Del Sagrado Corazon Acha, Pilar Ibanez, and Sisters Josefa Iraola, and Gregoria Otaegui. The house was occupied and they were allowed only some cells separated by a wall and door, which had to be paid for by the religious. They all lived in uncertainty as to whether they might be jailed and what would happen to those sisters already in jail.
The prisoners knew nothing of their fate. They thought they might take them to work in a factory or in the jail, but day passed to day without anyone saying anything. In the beginning there was no way of establishing contact with the religious but in the beginning of October, they allowed them to bring the prisoners a meal. Brother Aguinagalde offered to bring it, a favor for which the missionaries were infinitely grateful, because it enabled them to receive Communion hidden in the basket. This was the bread of Heaven that gave them daily courage.
Then on December 24, the prisoners were led back to court for sentencing. The judge read the sentence, condemning them to three and four years of prison respectively. Four years for the one responsible for Seng-mou-Yuen, and three years for her assistant. Mercedes Isai writes: “Merry Christmas. We received the Christmas present from the Infant Jesus: Four years of prison for me and three for my companion. All for God, for our beloved mission and our beloved Institute.”
After the sentencing the time in the prison improved. They were now allowed to read books from home that they wanted. They had permission to go out freely to the patio and talk with other prisoners and with each other. They could have a visit once a month from the nuns at Seng-Mou-Yuen, and Father Zamora. By February 1952, under the excuse of lack of space the prisoners were moved to the same cell, which was a blessing in disguise, as they were able to pray, receive communion, and write more. Religious practices were still not permitted, but these were somehow overlooked. January 2nd, however, found Mercedes Isai pale and thin, and by February she had no appetite. Mother Acha obtained permission for Mercedes to visit Brother Sierra, a Jesuit and doctor. The diagnosis was asthmatic bronchitis. They could send her medicines and continue the treatment. By August the situation became difficult when they changed the director. Up until August they had the freedom of going out to the patio and continuing to talk to prisoners about Jesus Christ. One woman even asked for Baptism, and was instructed to go to Seng-Mou-Yuen when freed.
Meanwhile, Seng Mou-Yuen had their chapel taken away from them. It had to be transferred to one of the rooms of the community and served as a refuge for the Christians who dared to come and worship. The sisters took every opportunity to support the faith of their Christians. Even with all the restrictions the sisters never lost their zeal for an apostolate with the people of China. The Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz Novices that went to Shanghai were also a concern. Father Bolumburru was trying to send them to Spain. In the middle of August, he received word that one of them, Cecilia Kong had permission to leave the Continent.
Finally, for the prisoners the end of their sentence was approaching. As Mercedes Isai recounts: “The vespers of Saint Raymond 1952, we were called by the judge of the jail to ask us if we had any complaints. We answered, ‘No.’ Then the judge communicated to us the expulsion decreed by the government of Peking. We would have to pay for the trip ourselves, and for this they allowed us to speak to Brother Aguinagalde, that very afternoon.”
We don’t know if they were able to say goodbye to those at Seng-mou-Yuen, but on September 14, 1952, they left the jail of Wuhu on their way to the station, guarded by police. They traveled by railroad and were treated well. Then they were left free in Hong Kong, where they arrived on September 18th. The trip lasted four days and the captivity thirteen months from August 15, 1951 to September 14, 1952.
Their exemplary spirit comes from the Bishop, written to Mother General, on hearing that they had been freed. “My highly esteemed Mother General, The Virgin, during the novena of her feast, has given you a wonderful gift, with the news that the two mothers have been freed! Everything in this world passes. For your satisfaction, I tell you that both of them, during their thirteen months in jail, have given signs of solid virtue, of fortitude, of very much supernatural spirit, of magnanimity, etc., and even more with their example. They have been silent preaching for all their companions and even for their jailers.”
Mother Mercedes Isasi, tells us that with more freedom they were able to gain the good will of the prisoners. A Chinese companion in the cell told her: “Seeing both of you and your way of acting, we see God.”
The Bishop also describes the situation of the other residents of Seng-mou-Yuen, in the same letter . . . “If they expel them from the country, there is nothing we can say, but if they leave them in peace, they can still play a good role in Wuhu. Mother Pilar still takes care of the dispensaries and in the small chapel, some Christians receive the sacraments and it is about the only place where they can do so.”
Maria del Sagrado in a letter to Mother General says: “We will stay, until God, through our superiors, tells us something else. We are all very happy to remain next to the cross of Jesus.” But on December 14, 1952, they had to leave the house in a hurry, with only the clothes on their backs. They were escorted by four armed soldiers in front and in back. They took them to the Retreat House where Fathers and Brothers had been put out of their houses in a similar manner. The situation was out of control and the Bishop decided that the role of religious in China had come to an end. He asked the sisters to ask for permission to leave.
Thus on December 28, 1952, the four last Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz, abandoned the city of Wuhu and went into exile. “So, we left,” writes Pilar Ibanez, “looking at our house for the last time. We reached Shanghai at 1:30 in the morning. Father Remingo was waiting at the station.”
They stayed with the Canosian Mothers with the hope of seeing Mother General who had started her trip and planned to stop in Hong Kong to visit with the exiled. This hope became a reality and they could enjoy her company for a day and a half. A little later they left for Japan, leaving the Chinese continent, where they had worked and suffered so much. It all seemed like a dream, and nobody would have imagined it would end this way. Bishop Aramburu wrote on September 28, 1952: “Twenty years ago Seng-Mou- Yuen was under construction. Ten years ago we were still celebrating there, with much solemnity, the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. The Lord gave us much consolation seeing the flourishing life not only of the school but also of Catholic worship in the beautiful chapel, always full, at all the services, of the faithful and of the schoolgirls. Who would have told us that after twenty years, there would remain nothing except a sorrowful remembrance and nothing else. In the face of these realities, there is nothing else to say than, ‘How incomprehensible are your ways, O Lord, and how difficult your paths.’”
Today the Mission of China-Taiwan has three MMB communities with a total of 21 sisters. Apostolates include: works with MMB Laity, a residence for students, youth and vocation ministry. Services include: spiritual accompaniment, education both at the secondary and university levels, pastoral and social works-including with high-risk youth, justice and peace collaboration and translation.
