When Don Bosco named a Trappist monastery in China

 

Our Lady of Consolation monastery, Yangjiaping (early 1900s)

In 1880, the bishops of northern China met in a synod in which they expressed the desire to establish in China a Trappist monastery or that of another austere order, “so that authentic monastic life may be known in this region and at the same time the salvation of all may be advanced through the prayers and example of the religious”. Two years later, the Congregation of the Propaganda encouraged Bishop Delaplace, Vicar Apostolic of Peking, in his desire to invite the Trappists to his mission. These were the first steps in the foundation of the Trappist monastery of Yangjiaping, known under the title of Our Lady of Consolation.

How did the monastery receive its name? Dom Éphrem, prior of Tamié in Savoy and one of the founding monks of Yangjiaping, was friends with Saint John Bosco. Shortly before leaving for China in 1883, he met Don Bosco in Turin and asked him about a name for the Trappist’s first monastery in the Celestial Empire. The saint replied “Our Lady of Consolation” and wrote a message on a holy card of the image of the Consolata of Turin that read: “May God bless you, your work, and may the Holy Virgin always protect you!”

The picture with the saint’s encouragement was preserved until the Communists burned down the monastery, destroying the image. Thirty-three monks of the abbey died as martyrs in the Communist persecution.

(Source: Matteo Nicolini-Zani: Christian Monks on Chinese Soil)