III. From 1890 to 1954

A. Administration of the Institute in the Asia Region

List of Brothers Assistant in charge of the Asia Region:

. ...
. 1875 - 1880 : Brother Assistant Agapet
. 1882 - 1906 : Brother Assistant Aimarus
. 1907 - 1913 : Brother Assistant Imier de Jésus
. 1913 - 1920 : Brother Assistant Anthime Louis
. 1920 - 1946 : Brother Assistant Arèse Casimir
. 1946 - 1956 : Brother Assistant Zacharias
. 1956 - 1966 : Brother Assistant Lawrence O'Toole.

In Asia, from 1866 to 1895, the District of Indochina was integrated into the District of India. In 1896, the District of Indochina is separated from the District of India, becomes autonomy, and is then named District of Saigon.

List of Brother Visitors in charge of the District of India and the District of Saigon from 1866 to 1895:

- District of India and District of Indochina:
. 1866 - 1872 : Brother Jaime
. 1873 - 1877 : Brother Lothaire-Marie
. 1878 - 1888 : Brother Idinaélis
. 1888 - 1893 : Brother Bernard-Louis
. 1893 - 1895 : Brother Abban

- District of Indochina, aka District of Saigon
. 1896 - 1912 : Brother Ivarch-Louis
. 1913 - 1920 : Brother Albin-Camille
. 1920 - 1925 : Brother Aglibert-Marie
. 1925 - 1926 : Brother Christophe-Léon
. 1926 - 1933 : Brother Divy-Joseph
. 1933 - 1936 : Brother Dominique-Marie
. 1936 - 1942 : Brother Donatien-Jules
. 1942 - 1951 : Brother Domicé-Rogatien

Brother Superior General Junien-Victor assigned Brother Donatien-Jules as Visitor of the District of Indochina
[assignment signed on May 31, 1936 from Lembecq-les-Hal (then Mother House in Belgium]

***

B. Documents 17450 - D8 f2
"The Brothers of The Christian Schools returned to Saigon in 1889, and fully conduct the school of Taberd.
From Saigon, the Brothers extend their apostolic works every where in the land of Indochina which compose of 21 millions habitants and which is as large as about 720,000 kilometers square...

... The Brothers from An-Nam were well formed so that they can help and assist effectively their French Brothers in the common apostolic field.
... Many of students from the schools of the Brothers are chosen for different offices of the French government...
... The Brothers welcome every student, regardless of religion or faith. However, no one is dispensed of the catechism taught in class. It is interesting to find out that many students from other religions/faiths are more committed to religious studies and get more points and first grades or rewards than those of Christian or Catholic students."

The need of education is more and more urgent. The number of Brothers from France ("Mother Country") is also so limited that the Superiors cannot send anyone to help the country in Mission. In addition, the missionary Brothers from France work hard, too hard even since they have to adapt to the life style of indigene people which is so different from theirs at home: poverty, sanity, climate, and environment... All is totally if not quite different. It indeed affects mental and biological health and many other problems.

On October 10, 1899, Brother Superior General Gabriel Marie wrote, hand writing, a letter to Brother Visitor in charge for the Indochina Region. He reminds him of taking care about certain points, like:
- "... some Brothers should go back to France for health purpose: medicaments, etc..."
- "... some Brothers who are so fragile or ill that they cannot accomplish their assigned duties..."
- "... Brother Visitor should accept running a boarding class only when some required facilities are met, and it should be a courtyard for recreation large enough corresponding to the number of students, etc..."
- "..."

***

C. Documents D1f2 #4

Extracted from the report of the Missions to the Sacred Congregation for the Missions on October 1, 1903

"... The Mission has been established in 1844, composing of six cities Indochina, Cambodia and a part of Laos.
... the number of converted to Catholicism: 63,493 over the populations within the Mission region: 2,968,529 (as of December 27, 1901)
... the persecutions of Catholic people reversed and destroyed everything: no more churches, no more convents, no more schools...
... The body for the services of Religion: 54 French missionaries, 74 indigene priests, 50 senior seminaries, 72 junior seminaries, 50 catechists.
... The body of Religious: 46 Brothers of the Christian Schools and 26 Novices, 33 women Carmelites (included 30 indigenes), 90 French and 190 Indigenes of the Saint Paul de Sartre, and 400 indigene women religious called "Lovers of the Cross."
..."

Resources funding for the recruitment of new vocations from local young people are not abundant, but recruitment of new disciples totally committed to the education mission, following the steps of Saint De La Salle and Older Brothers on such mission is always fundamental for continuing the ideal of serving young people, especially poor children. Saint De La Salle was convinced that "the education of workers' children... is always necessary anywhere any times."

In addition, in the countries particularly in Asia where the concept of "new religion that they call evil " - specifically from European armies who have been for a long times considered as "colonialists abusing of the religion to invading and steeling lands and goods from indigenes", people who collaborated with or converting to Catholicism are more or less persecuted, put in jail or killed, or at least considered by relatives and friends and neighbors as traitors. However, there are some people who followed the "evil religion" not without their own idea to benefitting of any materially or psychologically personal interests they could inherit from such new religion. "Once they cannot inherit certain interests the thought, they return to their traditional religion. And the missionaries know it, because they confess that indigene people could only be converted to Catholicism on their second or third generations..."

It is not un-understandable since in Asia in general and in a country like Vietnam in particular, traditional cultures and religions (as Confucianism, Buddhism, etc... or simply the Cult of the Sky or Ancestors) have been acculturated into Asian People Life and Thinking, for a long, long times ago - more than four thousand years before. Accepting or Following a "new religion" is out of mind. It's not to say that such a "new religion" is nothing else but a pretended reason for invading AND colonization of "poor and barbarian" peoples. In fact, as of proof of such intention, one can find a note about bishop Pellerin meeting with King Napoleon III and asking him for intervention by force to so-called liberating persecuted persons who follow the "new Christian doctrine" and stopping "hate crime" against the indigenes who are or will be converted into Catholicism.

Document #261, December 1, 1892:

... In these regions, persecution against Christians not ceasing at all, but dramatically increased to a level of atrocity and cruelty one cannot imagine. Local authorities seem to solicit persecution by "opening an eye, closing an other". Even some members of the royal family of king Minh Mang, who had been baptized, were executed or exiled or jailed..."

Although such a cruel and violent persecution against the propagation of the Catholicism which is considered "an evil religion imported from the West" is still very alarming, there are no less people converted to Christianity, and no less young people who just received baptism, immediately requested to join the religious life despite of any obstacle - even chased and imprisoned by their own family members.

Document NJ 450 D8f2 4/14 :
"... If a boy (a student) is converted to Catholicism, it's really a disaster leading to a turbulent chaos in his family: it's a total abandon of the past tradition, a total destroying all of the dreams and hope of the Ancestors and Grandparents and Parents and Relatives for a most holy Tradition of the family...

But, the Providence has His own ways, and decides contrarily to what one could understand.
This young boy with a handsome and sweet face and two clever eyes under the eyes-glass revealing something like "smart before age", will be a precious tool the Providence has in His hands to convert his brothers and sisters and the whole family, even the whole village, to Catholicism. That boy will be a zealous disciple of Jesus-Christ preparing fertile soil for the Good News. In fact, this boy is baptized on December 1912, and despite of any kind of menaces - even many times "kidnapped" by his family and miraculously escapes from these obstacles, receives the Religious Habit with the new name "Brother Vincent Hoa" and enters the Novitiate in Hue on August, 1914. That is one of the first "An-Nam" Lasallian Brothers in Vietnam."

The first Novitiate was open in Thuduc in 1895. From 1904 there is rumor that changes that have been made on education policy by closing all religious schools in France could also be applied to the colonies, particularly in Indochina and Vietnam. The Superior move the Novitiate from Thuduc to the Capital of Annam in Hue, on January 5, 1906.

In 1933, the Formation Houses are moved to Nha Trang, on a  mount at Cu-Lao about 25 meters from the sea level. Here, during more than 10 years long, Junior Novices, Novices and Scholastics have been working hard to transform the wild mount into large platform and so build a site really wonderful panorama of Mont De La Salle.

Mont De La Salle in 1945

***

D. Six Brothers of the Christian Schools disappeared on the high seas, in route to Hai Phong.

In 1924, there are 77 Brothers teaching and administering 8 establishments and 7 schools. But the need of education is too big. Six more Brothers are sent from France to help the education mission already established in Vietnam. They embark on October 23, 1924 from Marseille, and debark in Saigon on November 17.

Early morning the next day, they continue their trip:
- Brother Bernard-Joseph, destination Hai Phong;
- Brother Daniel-Laurent, destination Qui Nhon;
- Brother Cléophas-Louis and two young men accompanied by Brother Domitien-Elie, destination Hue.

The ship arrives to Cap Saint Jacques when the weather forecast announces and alarms "a very strong typhon...", but the captain of the ship thinks no need to u-turn back, and rather to continue the trip.

...

The communication was lost...

During two weeks beginning December, many boats turn around the area for rescue. No sign of the ship.

Total despair on mid January of 1925.

There are Funeral Masses in different cities:
- On January 17, in Phnom-Penh;
- On January 19, in Hanoi;
- On January 19, in Hue.
...

RIP
- Brother Bernard-Joseph, cousin of Brother Visitor Louis, 58 years old;
- Brother Cléophas-Louis, 50 years old;
- Brother Domitien-Elie, 50 years old;
- Brother Venant-Marcel, 23 years old;
- Brother Constant-Emile, 19 years old ;
- Sư Huynh Bernard-Paul, 18 years old.

[Please read Appendix for more details]

***

E. The recruitment for new vocations from young indigene people - perhaps "too young", has been reported to the Sacred Congregation of Religious in Vatican. The Secretary, Vincent La Puma, by order of Cardinal Laurenti, sent a letter to Brother Alessio, Postulator of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, on December 13, 1927:

Secretary Office
of the Sacred Congregation of Religious

Roma, December, 13, 1927

Reverend Brother,

It was reported to the Sacred Congregation that the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools recruited in Indochina so many indigenes that they constitute two thirds of the total number of Brothers. It also remarked that it would be necessary to wait for a more matured age to be admitted to the novitiate and to the religious profession. The "Annamites," it was said, are like younger children, and on the point of view physique, they are of immature precocity, and on the view of point moral, i.e. for what concerns about prudence, judgment, reflection, they develop very slowly...

Advice from those who have been living over there for a ling times is that it would be good to prolong times of Postulant until 21 years old; it would then give them more times to study before the taking the religious habit, and so to form them a little better than they are actually, and then they could be sent working amidst their compatriots, more effectively for the good of the Church and for the souls.

..."

Brother Alession, Postulator, replied to this letter on May 30, 1928, emphasizing that "... the leaders of the Institute do not want to cause a prejudice for the indigene Brothers to feel inferior with their co-disciples from Europe..."

On this point, the Sacred Congregation of Religious replies on June 28, 1928 "... This point is totally conformed to the directions of Vatican..." and emphasizes:
"... On this matter, I empress to communicate to you some observations from the Apostolic Delegate of Indochina, so that your Superiors examine and apply into many different fields as possible.
... The indigene Brothers of An-Nam are not assigned to administer little houses, even different offices exclusively confided to European Brothers. These indigene Brothers have been admitted to the Institute for the sole goal to have them as auxiliaries...
...
... The relationship among European and Indigene Brothers is laudable. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the formation of the indigene Brothers. It seems that their formation is totally based on the life-style of European, i.e. the European Brothers are not to adapt to the local life-style and culture, contrarily, the indigene Brothers are obliged to adapt to the life-style of European Brothers. Thus, meals are à la Francaise, all sort of prayers, readings, etc. are in French...
... The European Brothers show no eager of and do not oblige themselves to learning the indigene language; and the indigene Brothers are obliged to studying and quasi-totally to speaking only French. They are not permitted to learn their own native language and culture as they should...
... That's why, it is much better that the European Brothers learn the indigene language, for the effect of such learning brings more abundant fruits from their apostolate."

***

Some photos of the Junior-Novices, Novices and Scholastics in 1890-1954

Christmas Tree, 1900	Junior-Novices in Hue, 1910
First Communion (son of Mr. Ngo Dinh Kha)	Group of Novices in Hue, 1930
A Group of Junior-Novices in Nha Trang, 1937	Group of Novices in 1947
A Group of Scholastics and Brothers, 20 Day-Retreat in Saigon, 1934	A Group of Scholastics and Brothers, 25-Day Retreat in Hue, 1938
Brothers Community at Puginier, 1936	Brothers Community in My Tho, 1933
Group of Novices at Pellerin, 1927	Group of Junior-Novices at Pellerin, 1924

***

F. Establishments and Schools from 1890 to 1954

(*) Documents NJ 450 D8f2 11/14

"Bishop Biblos Pellerin Francois-Marie's real name is Henri Agathon.
... In 1856, while King Tu Duc had been preparing more strongly the war against the colonial French armies, Pellerin was pushed to a more threatening menace for his life. He immediately disguised as a soldier then masked as a sail man, and informed the captain of the battleship, Capricieuse, still anchored at the port of Tourane, Danang.
... The war status in INdochina became more and more serious, the bishop embarked on a ship and returned to France.
... In 1858, bishop Pellerin had a meeting with king Napoleon III, present at that times in Biarritz. He reported to the king how the danger of war could affect and threaten the missionaries' lives in An-Nam, and requested that king Napoleon III act, immediately, so that freedom of religion can be safeguarded. King Napoleon III promised to effectively intervened, and it was the main reason beginning the attack and colonization of Indochina.
... A street in Saigon and a school in Hue bear this bishop's name: Pellerin."

(**)
"Bishop Danasara Miche's real name is Jean Claude.
... In 1842, bishop Miche and Duclos, a priest are arrested and tortured at the same time, and released from prison in 1843 thanks to Colonel Favin's intervention. Bishop comes to Indochina in 1844.
... In 1850, bishop Miche becomes Apostolic Delegate of the Holy See to Cambodia.
... In 1856, bishop Miche help successfully De Montingy fulfill his mission confided to him by the French government in Siam (Thailand).
In 1862, bishop Miche also contributes to Amiral De la Grandière lots of resources in writing the treaty which gains the protectorate of France over Cambodia.
... Bishop Miche died in 1878, in Saigon, and was buried at the 'grave of Adran'..."

(***)
Extract from Brother Assistant Zacharias' s Journal (page 153-154):
"... Responding to the request of the Sacred Congregation of Religious, five Brothers separated from Indochina come to Thailand. The majority of Thai people are Buddhist (15 millions), and the minority are Islamists. There are only about 30 thousand Catholics.
... Brother Ariald Joseph is the first to come to Paknampho. The Brothers of Saint Gabriel who have been for many years before in Paknampho refused to open schools being short of personnel. The school in Paknampho is formally open on May 18, 1953.
...
A year later, on June 4, 1954, the Thai Prime Minister came to visit Paknampho, gathering all staffs and faculties of the schools in the region. When the Prime Minister saw amidst the crowd some Brothers of the Christian Schools, he came to them, shaking every Brother's hands, talking to them first in Thai then in French.
The Prime Minister gave to all schools 50,000 ticaux (Thai money). I cannot specify how much our school, Rongine Tschotiravi, received from that grant. Rongine Tchotiravi means The Shinning Sun, and local people suggest us to change the name of the school Paknampho into Rongine Tschotiravi
...
The first day of opening the school, there were 240 students, circling the pot flag and chanted the Thai National Hymn. Their parents, some invited, many others by curiosity, come to school, entered classrooms... just to see "the pharangs" (Frenchmen) in uniform of black robe and white rabat!
... The school "Shinning Sun" develops quickly, and successfully: The statistics of students by year are as follow:
- 1955: 550
- 1956: 770
- 1957: 900
...

Mont La San, 1939	Mont La San, 1954
School Gagelin	School Mỹ Tho
School Phát Diệm	School Puginier
School Pellerin	School Sóc Trăng
School Adran, Đà Lạt	School Mossard Thủ Đức
School Hải Phòng	School St. Louis de Gonzague (Đức Minh)
School Miche	School Cù Lao (Nha Trang)
School Bá Ninh	School Battambang
Boarding School (1899-1904) become Villa Saint Louis, 1910 (Vũng Tàu)	A Group of Students at Thomas d'Aquin, Nam Định

***

G. From the 19th century to 20th century, the whole world has seen wars and wars: wars against colonization, wars ideology v/s ideology (NAZI against Democratic, Communism against Capitalism, etc...)

Vietnam was considered as a "barbarian and 'Moi (Highland)' tribal" country since the beginning of the 19th century. It has been occupied by French colonists until World War II, then by Japanese during WWII, and again by French colonists after WWII until their defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. The accord of Geneva on July 20, 1954 divided Vietnam into two parts, at the 17th parallel: up to North under the communist party lead by Ho Chi Minh, down to South under the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem.

When WWII is ended, Ho Chi Minh, leader of the communist party, proclaimed "Independence for the Democrat Republic of Vietnam" on September 2, 1945 - although on that times, French colonists returning to Indochina and Vietnam after WWII, still occupied South of Vietnam. The birth of the new country "Democrat Republic of Vietnam" is an important turning point not only for the History of Vietnam, but also opens a new "Front of Liberation" between two ideologies "Capitalism v/s Communism" on the very land of Vietnam. On North Vietnam, communist ideology lead by Soviet Union (and China); on South Vietnam, capitalist and democratic ideology lead by the USA and the so-called "free" countries.

Extract from Brother Assistant Zacharias's Journal (page 129 and 149):
"... On February 12, 1945, seventeen Brothers of the Christian Schools were killed by Japanese armies in Manila, capital of the Philippines...
... Until May, 1945, all of our schools are normally active. Suddenly, incessant chases, persecutions, ... In Hue, two Brothers were killed. In Nha Trang, Brother Visitor and four Brothers were arrested and driven from village to village. The battleship Richelieu and Triomphant come and liberate all of them..."
...
"... Brother Thomas Moore and Brother Celsus Edwin came to Vietnam in 1938. Both are British.
Japanese armies arrested and jailed some of the Brothers.
Brother Celsus Ewdwin was driven to a prison in My Tho and was jailed there until the Japanese capitulated.
Brother Thomas Moore and his companions were killed by Japanese armies on July 1, 1945.

Extract from Brother Assistant Zacharias's Report #2:

"... General View on the political situation in Northern of Vietnam.
It's really difficult to have an idea about this matter because news received from different resources are contradictory each other. From March 9, 1945, propaganda against French  is clearly exciting, strongly emphasizing the problem of "independence" as a unique order of the day, besides it nothing's more important. And the effect of such a propaganda? - a general and spread chaos never seen before, on all fields of social life of people.
... Such a propaganda disoriented and put all conceptions of conscience into erroneous ways of darkening and confusing thinking, thus created doubts, hate and violence.
The local religious hierarchy seems to be the most affected. No more sense of obedience to and respect of the superiors. For many people, politics overwhelming part of life and forgetting or even abandoning the Good News...
Our schools used to run normally and developed well until the March 3, 1945 event. Actually it seems that they are "sleepy" (Hanoi), "on-off" (Phat Diem, Trung Linh, Haiphong) or must be closed (Nam Dinh).
Keeping working a school at the capital of Vietnam (Puginier, Hanoi) might be necessary. The staff and faculty must be all of Vietnamese origin..."

Brother Director of the Novitiate in Nhatrang noted:
"... Vietminh occupied Mont LaSalle... Old Brothers, Novices and Junior Novices, etc... must be separated and disbanded. Some returned to their native village... Some others in small groups moved to Hue, Luong Son...
... When the Vietminh armies had left Mont LaSalle, I returned and could not stop tears rolling down. A strong hurricane/typhoon might not destroy and damage that much as the Vietminh did..."

Documents 0701/1801: Brother Visitor Domicé wrote from Saigon on December 29, 1946:
"... Very serious events have happened in Tonkin and An-Nam from December 19. The events occurred on September 1945, if compared with these events, are just nothing but  a slight beginning...
... The executioners of September 1945 begun their jobs and excellently accomplished their missions by their own means: they killed people so barbarically that the American Consul could not retain to shout out: "That are acts of animal cruelty"...

***

Unforgettable Event of 1945: hunger.
More than 2 millions died of hunger... The whole family, the whole generation, the whole village...

 

Documents 2409 #6:
"The General Counsel approves on December 16, 1946 the 'temporarily' closing of some schools in Tonkin and An-Nam: Three (3) Brothers stayed in Hanoi, taking cares of the schools and establishments in Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Phat Diem.
All other communities temporarily closed: Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Phat Diem, Bui Chu, Nam Dinh.
In An-Nam: Qui Nhon School closed."

Documents 2409 #13:
Brother Cyprien, Visitor, wrote from Saigon, on June 3, 1947: "... French armies occupying the upstairs of Pellerin, fired onto the Vietminh's camps on the other river side. That's the reason why the Vietminh fired back, and damaged the establishments... The Vietminh accused the Brothers for having allowed French armies to occupy the establishments..."

Pellerin, in 1947

Extract from Brother Assistanct Zacharias's Journals (page 149):

"... After the 1945 events, all of our establishments were closed.
We had tried to push and ecourage to re-open all activities, as soon as possible.
Finally:
- Taberd re-opened in 1946,
- Pellerin and Puginier in 1948;
- All schools in Nhatrang, Soc Trang and Mytho in 1949.
The number of enrolled students increased very fast..."

Documents 0707 #14: Brother Cyprien, Visitor, wrote from Saigon, on June 28, 1952:
"... A new challenging event occurs on our Taberd Institution and menaces putting all our establishments in danger. Yesterday, June 27, I received an official notice from the government requisitioning the use of our Taberd Institution as hospital for the Commander in Chief's troupes.
Since there are many other public schools - and private as well, and none of them is targeted by such a decision. We thus are the frist and easy victims.
... "

Documents 1807 #15.
"Saigon, July 14,1952
The problem of using Taberd Institution as hospital has not been solved yet, Brother Cyprien, Visitor, must face another one not so easy to resolve: Young Brothers must be mobilized for the military service. Two Brothers of the Taberd Community and twelve Scholastics...
... "

***

G. Documents 0304 #12.
Saigon, July 4, 1953
Bishop Cassaigne, Apostolic Vicariate  of Saigon
to Brother Cyprien, Visitor of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Indochina, Saigon.

...

The Missions in South Vietnam accepted the request of Vatican and of the Foreign Missions of Paris, to build a Seminary in the region whose purpose is for the formation to the  priesthood in the dioceses of Phnom-Penh, Vinh Long, Qui Nhon, Saigon and Kontum.

The unique financial resources, according to the decision of the Vicariates gathered in Saigon on July 2, 1953, is to sell out some properties of the dioceses.
...

On his visit to Indochina in 1951, Brother Zacharias has asked me about selling out the Institution Taberd to the Brothers of the Christian Schools. In 1952 (?), during his second visit, the same Brother Zacharias requested me to donating the Institution Taberd to the Brothers. I have replied that "dealing it with a reasonable price sounds OK, but totally donating it to the Brothers... seems impossible, because the Missions in Saigon have endured too many loss: 60 churches were destroyed, about 30 parishes devastated and closed.
... In addition, I would think important to mentioning it, since the Brothers have taken over total administration of the Institution Taberd, the Missions in Saigon have been continuing to pay taxes and insurances.
...

Although I have just unclear idea about the current price of the establishments, but I do know that the current price of the land is based on 2,000VNdong by square meter...
..."

 

***