In modern times, many Christian churches began the movement of self-governance and self-support. And the most important symbol of church autonomy is to ordain clergy from the local population. In fact, as early as the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, some Chinese believers became priests in the church, and Luo Wenzao became the first Bishop of the Catholic Church in China.
Luo Wenzao, alias Ruding, title Wocun (Latin name Gregorioiopez), was born in 1617 in Luojixiang Village, Fuan County, Funing Prefecture, Fujian Province. Most of the villagers in Luojixiang village were believers, but Luo Wenzao was one of the few local folk believers. Luo Wenzao lost his parents when he was a child and lived with his brother and sister-in-law. Seeing that he was short of food and clothing, one of the clergy employed him as a helper in the church. Wenzao was talented and diligent.
In 1633, the Franciscan Antonioa Sancta Maria Caballera came to Fuan to preach. In autumn of that year, Luo Wenzao was baptized under his guidance. After that, Luo Wenzao followed Antonioa Sancta Maria Caballera to Nanjing to be a missionary. Due to the "etiquette dispute", the mission was blocked, and he returned to Fujian within a year.
In 1637, he went on a mission with the Franciscans to Beijing, where he was held in high regard by Johann Adam Schall von Bell, from whom he learned a great deal. This laid a solid foundation for his future as a bishop.
In 1644, Luo Wenzao went to Manila with Li Yufan, a Dominican Congregant, to report on China's church affairs to the Dominican Congregant. He also worked part time at the Dominican Institute of Santa Domas. Three years later, Luo returned to Fujian to help with the work of the church there. In the same year, he bought land in Fuan Rattan head to build Rattan Head Church. He joined the order of the Dominicans and became the first Dominican in China.
In the spring of 1652, Luo Wenzao studied at the College of Santo Domus. Two years later, he graduated with honors and was ordained a priest in Manila by Bishop Bob Lloyd. The following year he was sent back to China as a missionary. At that time, the coast of Fuan was full of pirates, who were seizing people everywhere, and demanding ransom. Luo Wenzao had been working for half a year to get the hostages back. Because of his good deeds for the people and his excellent teaching, many were baptized into the Lord.
In 1669, due to Yang Guangxian's call, the Qing Court suppressed Catholicism. Foreign bishops wrote a letter to the Pope in Rome, asking for Luo Wenzao to be promoted as the bishop to manage Chinese religious affairs. But because of the Patronatus missionum of Portugal, this didn’t happen.
In 1674, Pope Clement X appointed Luo Wenzao the Bishop Bathory (with title) and vicar of the Nanjing Diocese. Three years later, he received a letter of appointment. To avoid conflict with the Patronatus missionum of Portugal, he submitted a humble letter to refuse the appointment. The Holy See urged him to obey and instructed him to go to Manila for consecration. After arriving in Manila, the Dominican Order’s Manila provincial President, Charles Garderang, objected to his consecration and ordered him to preach among the local Overseas Chinese and he was not allowed to return. After Luo Webzao received help from Augustinian Order, he was able to sneak back into China.
In 1685, Luo Wenzao was consecrated by Italian Bishop Idayan of the Franciscans in Guangzhou, becoming the first Chinese bishop to administer church affairs of the provinces of northern China. In June of the same year, Luo Wenzao moved to Nanjing. The Nanjing diocese relied mainly on a small grant from the Ministry of Communications and as is often unperpaid by foreign orders. Without the consent of the King of Portugal, the Bishop Luo, who was not subject to the control of the Church of Portugal, recommended to the Pope an Italian, Father Yu, as an associate bishop. The Dominicans had cut off all patronage, and the Bishop Luo was therefore short of funds to inspect the administration.
In 1688, he ordained three Chinese priests, Wan Qiyuan, Wu Yushan and Liu Yunde. In 1690, the Pope announced the establishment of two dioceses in China, Beijing and Nanjing respectively, and Luo Wenzao was appointed bishop of Nanjing. In October of the same year, Luo Wenzao suddenly became seriously ill and passed away in February of the following year.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
中国第一位华籍主教罗文藻
在近代时期，很多基督教会都开始了自治、自养的运动。而教会自治最重要的标志就是实现神职人员的本土化。其实早在明末清初，就有一些中国信徒成为教会的神父，而罗文藻更是担任了主教职位，为中国天主教首位主教。
罗文藻，字汝鼎，号我存（拉丁名Gregorioiopez )， 1617年生于福建省福宁府福安县罗家巷村。罗家巷村村民多为信徒，可罗文藻家却是当地为数不多的民间信仰者。罗文藻自幼父母双亡，与兄嫂相依为命。传教士见他衣食不足，雇为教堂佣工。文藻天资聪慧，工余勤学教义。
1633年，方济各会士利安当来福安宣教。是年秋，罗文藻在他带领下受洗入教。之后，罗文藻随利安当到南京传教。因发生“礼仪之争”，传教受阻，未及一年即返回福建。
1637年，他随方济各会神父赴北京传教，在此罗文藻受到汤若望器重，他从汤那里学到了不少有用的知识。为日后成为主教打下了坚实基础。
1644年，罗文藻随多明我会士黎玉范前往菲律宾马尼拉，向多明我会报告中国教务。并在多明我会主办的圣多玛斯学院半工半读。三年后，罗回到福建，协助艾儒略传教。同年，他在福安藤头购地筹建藤头教堂。并在此加入多明我会，成为中国第一位多明我会士。
1652年春，罗文藻在圣多玛斯学院深造。两年后，以优异成绩毕业，在马尼拉城由鲍布来德主教祝圣为司铎，成为神父。翌年，受派返回中国传教。当时，福安沿海海盗猖獗，到处抓人索取钱财。罗文藻为赎回被抓走的人质奔波了半年之久。由于他为百姓做了好事，并积极传播教义，许多人因而受洗归主。
1669年，由于杨光先的缘故，清廷打压天主教，外籍主教联名上书罗马教宗，要求提升罗文藻为主教，管理中国教务。可由于葡萄牙保教权的缘故，一直无法实现。
1674年教宗克雷芒十世任命罗文藻为巴希利主教（具衔）、南京教区宗座代牧。3年后，他接到委任书，为避免与葡萄牙保教权发生矛盾，遂上书谦辞。教廷勉其从命，指示他前往马尼拉受祝圣。到马尼拉后，多明我会驻马尼拉省会长嘉德朗反对为其祝圣，并命他在当地华侨中传教，不准回国。后罗文藻得到奥斯定会帮助，潜行返国。
1685年，罗文藻在广州由方济各会意大利主教伊大任为其祝圣，成为第一个中国籍主教，掌中国北部诸省教务。同年六月，罗文藻到南京任职。南京教区的经济来源主要靠教廷传信部少量拨款，并常受诸外国修会克扣。由于罗主教不受葡萄牙保教权的节制，未经葡萄牙国王的同意，向教宗举荐l为副主教。多明我会断绝一切接济，罗主教因此缺乏经费，而无法巡视教务。
1688年，他祝圣万其渊、吴渔山、刘蕴德等三位中国籍神父。1690年，罗马教宗宣布在中国成立北京和南京两个主教区，罗文藻被任命为南京教区主教。同年十月间，罗文藻突患重病，于次年二月安息主怀。
In modern times, many Christian churches began the movement of self-governance and self-support. And the most important symbol of church autonomy is to ordain clergy from the local population. In fact, as early as the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, some Chinese believers became priests in the church, and Luo Wenzao became the first Bishop of the Catholic Church in China.
Luo Wenzao, alias Ruding, title Wocun (Latin name Gregorioiopez), was born in 1617 in Luojixiang Village, Fuan County, Funing Prefecture, Fujian Province. Most of the villagers in Luojixiang village were believers, but Luo Wenzao was one of the few local folk believers. Luo Wenzao lost his parents when he was a child and lived with his brother and sister-in-law. Seeing that he was short of food and clothing, one of the clergy employed him as a helper in the church. Wenzao was talented and diligent.
In 1633, the Franciscan Antonioa Sancta Maria Caballera came to Fuan to preach. In autumn of that year, Luo Wenzao was baptized under his guidance. After that, Luo Wenzao followed Antonioa Sancta Maria Caballera to Nanjing to be a missionary. Due to the "etiquette dispute", the mission was blocked, and he returned to Fujian within a year.
In 1637, he went on a mission with the Franciscans to Beijing, where he was held in high regard by Johann Adam Schall von Bell, from whom he learned a great deal. This laid a solid foundation for his future as a bishop.
In 1644, Luo Wenzao went to Manila with Li Yufan, a Dominican Congregant, to report on China's church affairs to the Dominican Congregant. He also worked part time at the Dominican Institute of Santa Domas. Three years later, Luo returned to Fujian to help with the work of the church there. In the same year, he bought land in Fuan Rattan head to build Rattan Head Church. He joined the order of the Dominicans and became the first Dominican in China.
In the spring of 1652, Luo Wenzao studied at the College of Santo Domus. Two years later, he graduated with honors and was ordained a priest in Manila by Bishop Bob Lloyd. The following year he was sent back to China as a missionary. At that time, the coast of Fuan was full of pirates, who were seizing people everywhere, and demanding ransom. Luo Wenzao had been working for half a year to get the hostages back. Because of his good deeds for the people and his excellent teaching, many were baptized into the Lord.
In 1669, due to Yang Guangxian's call, the Qing Court suppressed Catholicism. Foreign bishops wrote a letter to the Pope in Rome, asking for Luo Wenzao to be promoted as the bishop to manage Chinese religious affairs. But because of the Patronatus missionum of Portugal, this didn’t happen.
In 1674, Pope Clement X appointed Luo Wenzao the Bishop Bathory (with title) and vicar of the Nanjing Diocese. Three years later, he received a letter of appointment. To avoid conflict with the Patronatus missionum of Portugal, he submitted a humble letter to refuse the appointment. The Holy See urged him to obey and instructed him to go to Manila for consecration. After arriving in Manila, the Dominican Order’s Manila provincial President, Charles Garderang, objected to his consecration and ordered him to preach among the local Overseas Chinese and he was not allowed to return. After Luo Webzao received help from Augustinian Order, he was able to sneak back into China.
In 1685, Luo Wenzao was consecrated by Italian Bishop Idayan of the Franciscans in Guangzhou, becoming the first Chinese bishop to administer church affairs of the provinces of northern China. In June of the same year, Luo Wenzao moved to Nanjing. The Nanjing diocese relied mainly on a small grant from the Ministry of Communications and as is often unperpaid by foreign orders. Without the consent of the King of Portugal, the Bishop Luo, who was not subject to the control of the Church of Portugal, recommended to the Pope an Italian, Father Yu, as an associate bishop. The Dominicans had cut off all patronage, and the Bishop Luo was therefore short of funds to inspect the administration.
In 1688, he ordained three Chinese priests, Wan Qiyuan, Wu Yushan and Liu Yunde. In 1690, the Pope announced the establishment of two dioceses in China, Beijing and Nanjing respectively, and Luo Wenzao was appointed bishop of Nanjing. In October of the same year, Luo Wenzao suddenly became seriously ill and passed away in February of the following year.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
Luo Wenzao, the First Chinese Catholic Bishop
