Saint Augustin Schoeffler
French missionary priest beheaded at Son Tay in 1851
- Rank
- Saint
- Kind
- Martyr, Priest, Missionary
- Life
- 1822 – 1851
- Era
- 19th century
- Feast
- 24 November
- Countries
- France, Vietnam
Life story
Augustin Schoeffler was born on 22 November 1822 at Mittelbronn in Lorraine, France. He studied at the minor seminary of Pont-à-Mousson and the major seminary of Nancy, entered the Paris Foreign Missions seminary on 9 October 1846 and was ordained a priest on 29 May 1847. On 16 September 1847 he left for western Tonkin, and in 1848 he entered the mission by way of Guangdong, after escaping an attack by bandits.
In 1849 he accompanied Bishop Retord on a pastoral visit to Ke-bang, and in October of that year he took over the administration of the Son Tay district. In March 1851, while preaching a jubilee at Bau-no, his presence was reported to the canton police chief, whose men seized him. He was taken to Son Tay and sentenced to death at once. He was not beaten but was closely guarded, and a Vietnamese priest disguised himself to hear his confession.
On 1 May 1851 he was beheaded near Son Tay; the executioner needed three sabre strokes. Christians recovered the body and buried it at Bac-loc, but the head was thrown into the river and never found. His cause was introduced on 24 September 1857, and Pope Leo XIII beatified him in 1900, with ceremonies at St. Peter's on 27 May 1900. Pope John Paul II canonized him on 19 June 1988 with other Vietnamese martyrs. The Vietnamese martyrs are commemorated together on 24 November.
Works and witness
- Ordained a priest on 29 May 1847
- Left for western Tonkin on 16 September 1847 and entered the mission in 1848
- Took over the administration of the Son Tay district in October 1849
- Arrested in March 1851 while preaching a jubilee at Bau-no
- Beheaded on 1 May 1851; canonized on 19 June 1988
Saints from the same country
References
- IRFA (Institut de recherche France-Asie), missionary record 0548, 'SCHŒFFLER Augustin' (irfa.paris/en/missionnaire/0548-schoeffler-augustin/)
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.