Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Former Mindanao Jesuit, "The Religious Life Was Not For Me"

Adolph "Al" Berenguer said his decision to leave the Jesuits in the Mindanao region of the Philippines has led him to a life of splendor.
"After seven years, I determined that the religious life was not for me," Berenguer said, explaining. "And I am so happy, because now I have three children, six grandchildren -- and we're all in the teaching field. We're not just earning money for ourselves, but sharing our talents."
Berenguer's son, Ignatius "Ike" Berenguer, teaches third-graders in the Hercules school district, where Berenguer came to give a poetry lesson last week. "My entire class got so juiced and jazzed about writing poetry after just that one lesson," Ike Berenguer said. "I haven't seen them more jazzed about the lesson that I've given. (And) he's very softspoken compared to me -- I'm very boisterous."

Link (here) to the full article

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A Jesuit Lenten Blog "The Spiritual Exercises"

The Spiritual Exercises blog! Is a blog collaboration between David Paternostro, S.J., John Brown, S.J., Deacon Kevin Dyer, S.J., and Fr. Chris Collins, S.J. In it, they offer daily reflections over the course of Lent based on the prayers proposed by St. Ignatius Loyola, S.J., in his Spiritual Exercises. By Easter, one who has followed these reflections regularly will have a basic introduction to the whole of the Spiritual Exercises.

Each post will have roughly the same format. It will begin with a grace to ask the Lord for as you begin your time of prayer and reflection. Then, it will provide a text for prayer, either from the Scriptures or the Spiritual Exercises. After this will come the main part of the post, a reflection based on a prayer from the Exercises. Then, questions or a prayer that will help you reflect with greater depth how the day’s reflection applies to your own relationship with God. Having read the reflection and gone over the questions, you might then want to use the day’s text for further prayer, using your imagination to enter into the scene depicted.

As you read these daily reflections to grow in your relationship with the Lord, you should feel free to use as much or as little as you need, and spend as much or as little time as you can allow. If you simply wish to take five minutes to read the reflection of the day, that will be five minutes well spent. If you wish to spend 30 minutes and use the reflection, the questions, and the texts, that too, is fine. Likewise with anything in between, or even more time in prayer if you so desire. The ultimate goal of this blog is to help anyone who reads it to grow in their love for God our Lord, and to better discern His will in their daily lives. We would encourage you to let that goal of growing in the love of God be the one measure you use to determine how much or how little you make use of the materials provided here, and how much or how little time you spend in prayer.

Let all things be Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam- for the greater glory of God!

Go to the blog (here)

Engraving of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Manresa (here)

A Jesuit Epic "Columbus" By Fr. Ubertino Carrara, S.J.

An epic poem on the discovery of America, entitled " Columbus," written by Ubertino Carrara, an Italian Jesuit. This poem was first published, in 1715, at Rome. The author was a Neapolitan, and of noble descent ; and was for many years professor of polite literature at Rome in the Jesuits' College. He is said, in the Biographie Universelle, to have continued in this station till his death ; but this seems to be contradicted by a passage in the poem itself. Near the end of the last book of the Columbus, there are the following lines, which imply, that the poet had resided at least ten years in America.

" At me jam dudum defunctum finibus Indis, Dedoctum Latias, et barbara verba sonantem, Tybridis ad ripas; ubi, post duo lustra reversus, Fassus crine senem. Jam me gratissimus amnis Reptatam geminis a Fundatoribus oram, Semiferina inter Caribum commercia, voces Suadet amor quassam cursu revocare phaselum Dulcibus expector vix agnoscendus amicis, Accipit averso labentem gurgite ; nosco Altricisque Lupae caveam ; gradiorque sub umbra Heliadum, quas digrediens arbusta reliqui." Lib. xn. 941.

Blogger Note: Translated very clunky-like with a web translator, definitely not slavishly accurate.

" But me jam for a long while deceased to cease Indis Dedoctum Latias , and barbarously lashing sonantem Tybridis to ripas ; when , after two may traverse to return Fassus hair old age. Jam me gratissimus stream Reptatam to double a Fundatoribus oram, Semiferina among Rottenness wares voces To recommend love a shaking a race to call back phaselum Sweetly expector scarcely agnoscendus friendship , To consider oneself indebted to repulse labentem whirlpool ; to become acquainted with Altricisque Lupae hollow place ; to conduct one's self up to, under shade Heliadum , whom to depart a vineyard planted with trees remainder "

As the author died in 1715, the same year in which his poem was published, and as he had then just returned from America, it may be fairly inferred, that the poem was chiefly written, or greatly modified, on this side of the Atlantic. There are passages, likewise, which indicate familiarity with the scenery of the Canary Islands and the West Indies.

The "Columbus" is constructed according to the most approved rules of epic song. The unities are fully preserved ; and the whole plan of the poem, including episodes and characters, would no doubt receive the sanction of the Stagyrite, except perhaps the introduction of the heathen mythology, in connection with Christianity, which admits of no other defense than the practice of some of the predecessors of Carrara ; particularly of Camoens in the "Lusiad." The author obviously meant to have authority for the arrangement of the principal parts of his poem. Like the "Aeneid," it consists of twelve books ; and the whole number of lines differs but little from that of the epic of Virgil.

Link (here) to a much larger and fuller explanation of Columbus.

Pill Pusher At Seattle University

An adjunct professor at the Seattle University School of Law serves as the legal director of Planned Parenthood of Western Washington, according to the university’s web site. As Planned Parenthood’s legal director, Laura Einstein has sought to compel pharmacies to fill prescriptions for the morning-after pill, which can act as an abortifacient.

A May 2009 mailing from the Center for Professional Development of the Seattle University School of Law noted that “Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest is currently looking to hire a summer intern. Work will involve research, writing, litigation, strategic thinking, and transactional activities.”

Link (here) to Catholic Culture for the full story.

Interm President Named To Wheeling Jesuit

A utility player is taking over the “interim president” job at Wheeling Jesuit U.

Sister Francis Marie Thrailkill has been named as interim president of Wheeling Jesuit University. Thrailkill replaces J. Davitt McAteer, who has served as interim president since former President Julio Giulietti was fired on Aug. 6. Wheeling Jesuit said Thursday that Thrailkill will serve as interim president for about 18 months. She will be the university’s first female leader.

Link (here) to the full story at Blithe Spirit, the blog

Monday, February 15, 2010

I Don’t Want To Establish Another Barrier

According to Fr. Vincent Genovesi, S.J., students are typically of the opinion that Genovesi’s position presents them with an advantage that other professors simply could not offer. Rebecca Groeschen, ’10, a student in Genovesi’s “Sexuality” class, agreed with the common consensus and said that the opportunity was valuable.

“I think it’s kind of good. When else would I be able to talk about stuff like this with a priest?

I think it’s pretty cool. It was just kind of luck of the draw that I landed with Sexuality and Morality,”
she said. “But the real reason besides the GER is that it’s being taught by a priest, so there is a different perspective there and just the age generation, like a different generation’s perspective, so I thought it would be really fascinating.”

The class, currently pushing its capacity, is consistently a popular course selection each spring.

“By and large, you don’t get students at 8:30 a.m. unless there is some level of interest. It’s always full, so it’s very popular. Mostly women take it, not many guys take it,” Genovesi said.

Although Genovesi does not believe that his religious beliefs inhibit class discussion, he insists on dressing casually during lessons and regards his traditional clerical garb as another barrier between himself and his students.

“I told the students years ago, because of experiences they may have had between with priests or sisters in the past, I don’t want to establish another barrier between the student and me so I’m not going to wear a collar,”
Genovesi said. “But I begin every class with a prayer and I tell them that the proper way to address me is ‘Father.’”

Groeschen said that she would feel less comfortable in the class if it were taught by a non-celibate professor.

“I guess people think, because it’s a priest, what’s he going to know about sex. But I think it would be more uncomfortable with a someone who is a lay person,” she said. “Just because, not that people get mental images in their head, but at the same time you know the priest is never doing any of those.”

Link (here) to The Hawk

The Monk's Hobbit has great piece on the subject (here).

Read the Churches position (here) contained in Pope Paul VI's Humanae Vitae

In The Old Days Of The New Orleans Province, This Jesuit Was Missioned To The Maneaters

The literature of Louisiana has to this day remained bilingual. It speaks with two tongues. We will begin with the French language, because it chronologically precedes the other and claims the privilege of seniority. Among the most distinguished writers of that category is Etienne Bernard Alexandre Viel (here) (here) (here) (here) (here) and (here) , born in Louisiana in 1736.
He was educated in France by the Jesuits, became a very learned member of that religious order, and as a missionary resided several years in that part of the colony to which had been given the name of Attakapas, (here) (here) (here) (here) (here) (here) (here) and (here), meaning men-eaters, because it was originally inhabited by savages who had that peculiar gastronomic taste.
There he kept an humble school and ministered mental improvement and spiritual consolations to the motley and limited population intrusted to his care, and by which he was beloved. He finally returned to France and was employed in the College of Juilly, where he had been reared. He is known in the annals of literature for his translation into French of the "Ars Poetica" (The Art of Poetry) and of several odes of Horace.
As a Latin scholar he could hardly be surpassed, and he translated Fenelon's Telemachus into verses of Virgilian purity and elegance. I remember having seen in my youth, in the hands of the principal of the now defunct College of Orleans, a specimen of a magnificent edition of this poem, published in France at lavish cost by some of the most distinguished men of France, who had been the pupils of the author and who were desirous to give him this proof of their esteem.
This literary Louisianian died, 85 years old, in 1821, at the college where he had been educated and where he continued to teach to the very last day of his existence.

Link (here)

Hand drawing of an Attakapas Indian from 1735 (here)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Saints Owner Celebrates Mass With LOY-NOLA Jesuit

On Super Bowl Sunday, Loyola held its own event in the St. Charles Room where students could receive free food and t-shirts as well as a safe place to watch the game. In addition, students scattered between dorm rooms, houses and local bars and restaurants to root for the New Orleans Saints.
Some, including Loyola president the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., who the Maroon recently reported celebrates Mass with Saints’ owner Tom Benson every game day, flew to Miami to enjoy the game.
The game itself started off on a somewhat underwhelming foot, with the Saints going into halftime never having led on the scoreboard and still four points behind the Indianapolis Colts. It wasn’t until head coach Sean Payton called for an on-side kick to start off the second half that the Saints gained — and held — the lead. With a pick-six by Tracy Porter in the last minutes of the game, the Saints solidified their 31-17 victory.

While the win may have been in Miami, the party was in New Orleans.

Link (here)

St. Ignatius At The University Of San Francisco

Saint Ignatius Catholic Church at the University of San Francisco

Saint Ignatius Church (SI) - Often mistaken as San Francisco's Roman Catholic cathedral, was designed by architect (lots of pictures>) Charles J. I. Devlin in 1909, as the fifth Saint Ignatius Church in San Francisco. When Saint Ignatius was completed in 1914, with its two towers visible from all parts of the city, it became not only a landmark to the University itself but also to the City of San Francisco. It is the University's spiritual home as well as a parish church for the surrounding community.
Link
(here)
Their is a new viral You Tube video circulating depicting Adolf Hitler railing against the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. It is a sharp satire piece, it can be found at Fr. Dwight Longenecker blog (here)

Snowed In At St. Joseph's University

Saturday, February 13, 2010

At The Tomb Of St. Aloysius, Firmly Resolved To Enter The Society Of Jesus.

The reign of Charles I. opens with the deeply interesting life of Francis Slingsby, showing how, even amid all the terrible persecutions of the church, God called his own elect to the light of his truth, and endowed them with firmness.
He was a son of Sir Francis Slingsby, an English knight settled in Ireland, and was born in 1611. After being educated at Oxford, he travelled on the continent, and at Rome was converted to the faith ; and, at the tomb of St. Aloysius, firmly resolved to enter the Society of Jesus.
At the earnest entreaty of his father and mother, he returned to Ireland ; but after an interview with Archbishop Usher and Lord Strafford, he was thrown into prison. Cardinal Barberini exerted his influence with the queen of England, and, in May, 1635, he was admitted to bail. His stay in Ireland was not fruitless; for he converted his mother, his younger brother, his sister, and several others. This increased his dangers, and, the General of the Society urging him to come at once to Rome, he proceeded thither in 1636 ; but learning that his friend Spreul, whom he had converted, and won to the order he himself had chosen, had been struck down by disease, he returned to Ire

land, tended him in his illness, and then both reached Rome in 1639. Renouncing all his worldly prospects in favor of his brother, he began his studies, and, after his ordination, entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in 1641 ; but died at Naples before he could return to Ireland to labor in the field where his words, example, and fetters had preached so eloquently. The sketch of this heroic young man, and that of

Maurice Eustace, son of Sir John Eustace, and a novice in the Society of Jesus, who, returning to his family by permission of his superiors, was seized, tried, hung, drawn, and quartered, on the 9th of June, 1588,
form a most interesting addition to our biographies, and show us in Ireland two young imitators of St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Stanislaus Kostka,'whose virtues and example can be held up to the young with the power that flows from the fact that they lived among scenes and trials so familiar to us.

Link (here) to Catholic World published 1868

Photo of the Tomb of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, S.J. at the Church of Gesu in Rome.

Jesuit To Give Lecture March 17th At Loyola University New Orleans

“American Culture, Religion, and Spirituality,” lecture by the Rev. Joseph A. Tetlow, S.J., 7 p.m., Ignatius Chapel in Bobet Hall.
Tetlow is the director of Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Dallas, Texas,
and former head of Jesuit Secretariat for Ignatian Spirituality in Rome. He is also the author of many books on Ignatian spirituality.

Link (here)

A Coordinated Effort On Licentiousness?

This is from the America magazine blog In All Things the leading Jesuit publication in the English speaking world.

In 2005, when I worked for Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, this was a very live issue. The Church was accused in the media of making the Ai ds crisis worse by opposing the use of c0ndoms to prevent its spread. In fact, condoms are not the solution to Aids in Africa, and as the Pope last year pointed out, their promotion has contributed to the spread of Aids for a whole host of reasons (in a Guardian piece I wrote on this I explain why). But the question in moral theology still remains of whether it is morally preferable for an infected man to use a c0ndom than not to use one. The consensus of moral theologians -- and this was doubtless reflected in Cardinal Lozano Barragán's report -- is a firm YES

Link (here) to Austin Ivereigh's column/post entitled Ai ds, C0ndoms and surpression of Theological Truth


This is going on at the Jesuit University of San Francisco.

Four of the “sexual health resources” on the University of San Francisco health promotion service’s web site-- including resources on birth control and pregnancy tests-- recommend contacting the Planned Parenthood Federation of America for more information.

The four resources were published by the Office on Women’s Health of the US Department of Health and Human Services during the Bush and Obama administrations.

In addition, the university’s “birth control (contraceptive) methods” page includes links related to the use of 11 contraceptives and abortificients.

“As a Catholic university we provide the following information not to promote the use of contraception, but rather to help those who choose to be sexually active,” the web page states. “In particular, we encourage all who are sexually active to behave responsibly in their decisions.

Whatever your sexual orientation happens to be, if you choose to be sexually active, it is also very important to be respectful of yourself and your partners,
including reducing the risk of passing sexually transmitted infections. A responsible decision to be sexually active, or not, is one that is freely made and yours alone.”

Link (here) to the full post at Catholic Culture.

The definition of licentiousness (here)

Reference to licentiousness in scripture

Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.
11
And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed;
12
the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness (and) put on the armor of light;
13
let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy.
14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.
Link (here) to the USCCB bible site to find St. Paul's letter to the Romans 13: 10-14

Pope Benedict described Aids as a "a cruel epidemic which not only kills but seriously threatens the economic and social stability of the continent", but reiterated the Vatican ban on the use of condoms.

He said the "traditional teaching of the Church" on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be "the only sure way of preventing the spread of H1V and A ids".

Link (here) to the Times online

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Project Pierre Toussaint

The lesson still is chalked on the blackboard in the deserted classroom. "Odette bought 19 pineapples," the French scrawl reads. Outside, knee-high prairie grass grows over the walkways. Rodents and insects scurry about the 10-acre compound, their only companions the roaming security guards with pump-action shotguns who are paid to discourage human intruders.

The Village is deserted now. But not long ago, a large iron gate would open here every morning, allowing 100 or so orphaned and abandoned boys to enter this refuge, a place to bathe and eat and learn, an escape from a life of beatings and hunger. The Village was one of three compounds that made up Project Pierre Toussaint, a program designed to give a future to boys who had none.

These days, the boys are back in the streets of this city of 180,000, Haiti's second-largest, living by their wits, begging for handouts, dodging thugs, sleeping in dirty alleyways and on flat roofs.

Link (here) to the full story.

Friday, February 12, 2010

The Spirit Of Saint Ignatius Was Pauline

" The Spiritual Exercises."—The spirit of Saint Ignatius was Pauline,— intrepid yet tender; motivated by two great principles,—love of Jesus Christ and zeal for the salvation of souls. These two principles were brought together in his motto: A. M. D. G., "Omnia ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" (All for the greater glory of God). It was this spirit, which breathed in "The Spiritual Exercises," a method of asceticism, that is the very soul of the constitutions and activities of the Society of Jesus.
This little book is said to have converted more souls than it contains letters.
Certainly the results it has produced down the centuries cannot be exaggerated. The importance of its method is proved by the mere fact that 292 Jesuit writers have commented on the whole work. The purpose of the Exercises is definite and scientific upbuilding of the reason, will and emotions, by meditation and contemplation on the fundamental principles of the spiritual life and by other exercises of the soul. First, God is rated rightly as the soul's end and object.
Reason is convinced that God is the end for which the soul is created, and all things else are only means to bring the soul to God; hence it follows that that is good which leads the soul Godward, and that is evil which leads the soul awayward from God.
The soul's awaywardness from God results in sin; so sin is studied both in itself and in its consequences to the soul. Secondly, Jesus Christ is put in His place in the soul, by meditations on His ideals and contemplations on His private and public life.
The soul now aspires to the very height of enthusiastic and personal love to Him; and to the most self-sacrificing generosity in following the evangelical counsels.
Thirdly, the high resolves of the soul are confirmed by the imitation of Christ in His passion. Lastly, the soul rises to a sublime and unselfish joy, purely because of the glory of its risen Lord; and leaps with rapturous exultation into the realms of unselfish and perfect love of God, such as Saint Paul evinced when he cried out: "To me, to live is Christ; to die were gain" (Philippians i, 21).

Link (here)

Light Of The Laughter And Sometimes Of The Kicks And Cuffs

He was, therefore, sent to Persia, although he was then over sixty years old; so to Persia he went, and we find him studying the language on his way thither, and, when travelling through the streets of Ispahan,
making a fool of himself in trying to stammer out the few words he had learned, but always making light of the laughter and sometimes of the kicks and cuffs and even threats of death that he received.
He was planning new missionary posts in Georgia and Tatary when death called him to his reward. But he had already won the admiration of Ispahan, and the city never saw a costlier funeral than the one which, on November 7, 1660, conveyed to the grave the mortal remains of the glorious Alexandre de Rhodes, S.J..

Link (here) to this portion of book entitled, The Jesuits by
Fr. Thomas Joseph Campbell, S.J.

Colored engraving of Ispahan, Persia dated 1685

Manfred T

Manfred T.* (45) is today a respectable and upstanding man. He was a pupil at the Canisius Kolleg Jesuit school between 1975 and 1882, and Wolfgang S. was his form tutor. He told Berlin newspaper ‘BZ’ that Wolfgang S. wore sport clothes, in contrast to the other teachers who wore gowns and that he was a nice person and a good teacher.

Link (here) to the full interview with Manfred T. one of the children abused at Canisius Kolleg in Berlin in the German language publication The Bild

Seattle University Raises 169 Million Dollars

Fr. Steven V. Sundborg, S.J. talks about the Capital Campaign which began in 2003. The fundraising campaign’s original goal was $150 million. With contributors numbering almost 21,000, the campaign surpassed its goal and gathered over $169 million.

Link (here)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Ropes

Edmund Campion was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on December 9, 1886.[1] Blessed Edmund Campion was canonized nearly eighty-four years later in 1970 by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales with a common feast day of October 25. His feast day is celebrated on December 1, the day of his martyrdom.

The actual ropes used in his execution are now kept in glass display tubes at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire; each year they are placed on the altar of St Peter's Church for Mass to celebrate Campion's feast day - which is always a holiday for the school.[2]

Link (here) to eNotes

Saint Edmund Campion, Jesuit priest, prayed on the scaffold for those responsible for his death - “I recommend your case and mine to Almightie God, the Searcher of hearts, to the end that we may at last be friends in heaven, when all injuries shall be forgotten.” (1581)


Link (here)

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America Magazine Published The Vatican II Documents In English

There are two main English editions of the Documents of Vatican II. The first—which I read as soon as it was published immediately following the Council in 1966—
was prepared under the general editorship of (pictured) Walter M. Abbott, S.J. It contains an extensive introductory note on the translation provided by the translation editor, Msgr. Joseph Gallagher.
The introduction to the volume was written by Lawrence Cardinal Shehan, Archbishop of Baltimore, but it also includes a brief introductory essay by Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, President of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, entitled “An Adventure in Ecumenical Cooperation”.
Each document is prefaced and followed by comments from one scholar or another—priest or lay, Catholic or non-Catholic—except that the majority of the introductions are by Jesuits.
The documents were presented in a kind of logical order, beginning with the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, and ending with the Declaration on Religious Freedom. The edition was published by the Jesuit-run America Press.

Link (here) to the full piece at Catholic Culture

Book Jesuit

The Oxford Companion to the Book

By Michael F. Suarez, S.J. and H. R. Woudhuysen

"This magnificent reference work is a tribute to - and celebration of - a revolutionary invention ... An extraordinary tour de force, a cornucopia of bookish information ... These volumes, then, are a paradise for book-lovers " (Noel Malcolm, Sunday Telegraph).

THE book about books: “The Oxford Companion to the Book”, edited by Michael F. Suarez, S.J. and H. R. Woudhuysen, is a unique work of reference about all aspects of the book, from ancient times to the present day. It includes traditional subjects such as bibliography, palaeography, the history of printing, editorial theory and practice, textual criticism, book collecting, and libraries as well as new aspects and developments in the history of the book that have come up with electronic publishing. The “Oxford Companion” pays particular attention to how different societies shape books and how books shape societies - throughout the world, from Europe and North America to the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The first part of this monumental two-volume “Companion” is a series of introductory essays which provide generic histories of the book ranging from writing systems, the ancient and the medieval book, through central aspects of book production, theories of text, editorial theory and textual criticism. The second part covers the whole history of the book from A to Z in more than 5,000 entries, in brief definitions, biographical entries and more extensive treatments about

Link (here) to read the full review

An interesting link (here) to a search engine of just PDF's, Jesuit's are the key word. Have fun cruising around in it!
Der Spegial has an article which encapsulates the Jesuit pedophile scandal in Germany. It is thoroughly disgusting, you had better have a strong stomach. (here)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

The Illustrious Jesuit, Father Alexander de Rhodes

Tonquin provided itself with a feeder by establishing the Seminary of Foreign Missions, in France, Japan did not, and, as a consequence, the church of Tonquin flourished while that of Japan died. Finally, forging a weapon wherewith to do battle for his cause, he pays a glowing tribute to the supposed founder of his favorite mission, Alexander de Rhodes, in the following words:
"The illustrious Jesuit, Father Alexander de Rhodes, S.J., was the Josue of the Tonquinese mission. His was a broader mind than most of his contemporaries. Driven from Tonquin (Tonkin, Vietnam), he went to Rome, whence, after advising with the Pope, he journeyed to Paris, there to inaugurate the great Seminary of the Foreign Missions."
Now we must premise that it is only by the courtesy of his sincere and warm-hearted admirer that de Rhodes can be called the Josue of the Tonquinese mission, for, in point of fact, he was not the first to enter it, never inaugurated the Seminary of the Foreign Missions, and never led his warriors, or even went back himself, to that promised land. Nevertheless, he was a noble and heroic soul, and deserves all the praise we can give him. Yet if his letters portray him rightly, he would be hurt to find himself exalted at the expense of his brethren.

Link (here) The American Catholic Quarterly Review, the article is entitled, The Failure of Native Clergy.

Link (here) to a time line of Catholic and Jesuit missionary activity in Vietnam.