Frans Schraven

Frans Schraven (13 October 1873 – 9 October 1937) was a Dutch Catholic Bishop who served as a missionary in China. He died in Zhengding, Hebei, China while attempting to protect the local population during the Sino-Japanese war.

Franciscus Hubertus Schraven

C.M.
Vicar Apostolic of Zhengding
Native name
Frans Schraven
Orders
Ordination28 May 1899
Consecration10 April 1921
Personal details
Born13 October 1873
Died9 October 1937
DenominationRoman Catholic
Coat of arms

Early life

Schraven was born in Lottum in the province of Limburg. He was educated at the Episcopal College in Roermond and was ordained priest in Paris in May 1899. The same year of his ordination he followed his calling as missionary in China.[1]

On 10 April 1921 he was made Bishop in the city of Zhengding.[2][3]

Death
Main article: Zhengding Missionary Murder

The Second Sino-Japanese war broke out in September 1931. As the Imperial Japanese troops progressed through Eastern China, they reached Zhengding as part of the full-scale invasion in 1937. Around 5,000 local residents, including 200 young women, sought refuge with the Catholic priests from the advancing army. It is thought that the young women were at risk of being taken away of comfort women for the soldiers.[4][5]

Schraven resisted the Japanese troops. When confronted by Japanese soldiers he allegedly responded by saying, "You can kill me if you want but you will never get what you ask for".[6] He and his fellow 8 priests were subsequently kidnapped and burned alive.[7]

Alternative account

The Japanese Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact questions the murder of the priest by Japanese soldiers. They dismiss accusations of the crime as propaganda, citing that there had been no houses for comfort women in the area at the time.[7][8]

Correspondence between the Japanese and French embassies in Beijing suggests that Japanese officials rejected responsibility at the time, blaming rogue Chinese forces for their deaths.[9][10][11]

A memorial was erected for the deaths of the priests without accepting responsibility.[3]

Legacy

In 2013, Frans Wiertz, Bishop of Roermond, initiated proceeding for the beatification of Frans Schraven for his martyrdom.[12][13] Document have been passed to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome in 2014 as part of the process. There have been calls for the canonisation of Schraven as the patron saint for sex abuse victims.[7][14]

In 2016, the Schraven Path was opened, a 10 km walk way in his home town of Lottum, connecting his birthplace and local chapels.[15]

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See also

References
  1. Litjens, Piet. "Msgr. Schraven Foundation: homepage". www.mgrschraven.nl. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  2. Cheney, David M. "Bishop Franciscus Hubertus Schraven [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  3. Rybolt, John E. The Vincentians: A General History of the Congregation of the Mission: Volume 6 - Internationalization and Aggiornamento: 1878-1919. New City Press. ISBN 9781565486393.
  4. The Church as Safe Haven: Christian Governan in China. BRILL. 2018-11-08. ISBN 9789004383722.
  5. "Patron Saint Of Sexual Abuse Victims?". HuffPost. 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  6. "Martyred bishop should be patron saint of abuse victims: Church". The Straits Times. 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  7. Tokyo, Julian Ryall in. "Bishop who protected Chinese girls from Japanese soldiers could become patron saint of sex abuse victims". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  8. Becker, Claudia (2014-01-20). "Sexuelle Gewalt: Märtyrer als Schutzpatron für Missbrauchsopfer". Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  9. "Sankei Daily News". 1 Aug 2016.
  10. "Sankei Daily News". 15 Aug 2016.
  11. Nies, Volker (2014-02-21). "Apaisement" in Asien: Frankreich und der Fernostkonflikt 1937-1940 (in German). Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 9783486850444.
  12. "Bishop burned alive by Japanese troops in 1937 may become patron saint of abuse victims". Japan Today. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  13. "Moves start in the Netherlands to beatify Bishop Frans Schraven - ucanews.com". ucanews.com. Archived from the original on 2017-01-13. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  14. "Dutch martyr in China and pioneering missionary up for canonisation | Sunday Examiner". sundayex.catholic.org.hk. Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  15. "Lottum eert Bisschop Frans Schraven | Reindonk". www.reindonk.nl. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
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