Dominic Tang
Encyclopedia
Dominic Tang Yee-ming, S.J. (Simplified Chinese: 邓以明; Traditional Chinese: 鄧以明; Pinyin
: Dèng Yǐmíng; Wade-Giles
: Teng I-ming; May 13, 1908 - June 27, 1995) was the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canton officially recognized by the Holy See
. He spent twenty-two years in jail for his loyalty to the Church.
and decided to enter the Jesuit novitiate in Spain in August 1930. Back in China, he studied Catholicism in Shanghai
. He was ordained as priest at the age of 33 on 31 May 1941. during World War II
in 1941. After his ordination he worked as a Parish priest, principal of a primary school and social welfare work in Canton (Guangzhou
) province. Pope Pius XII
appointed him on 1 October 1950 as Apostolic Administrator
of Canton (Guangzhou
), and on 13 February 1951 was ordained
titular bishop
of Elateia
by Bishop Gustave Deswaziere, who said of him: By accepting the appointment from the Holy See in these difficult times, the new bishop was showing absolute obedience and a spirit of sacrifice.
because he refused to alter his loyalty to the Pope. His sudden release in 1981 was due to a developing cancer, when he was given permission to leave China for a cancer operation in Hong Kong.
Archbishop Tang was never brought to trial, and therefore, was never convicted of any crime. Since his release, he had never shown any bitterness for his 22 years of imprisonment even though no apology was ever expressed by the Chinese government. He recounted his experience in his memoir, How Inscrutable His Ways!
of Canton (Guangzhou), which was rejected by China at once. He died in Stamford, Connecticut
at age 87 and was buried at Mission Santa Clara de Asís
in Santa Clara, California
. In his book How Inscrutable His Ways! he summarized his attitudes, while incarcerated for 22 years:
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Dèng Yǐmíng; Wade-Giles
Wade-Giles
Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most...
: Teng I-ming; May 13, 1908 - June 27, 1995) was the last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canton officially recognized by the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. He spent twenty-two years in jail for his loyalty to the Church.
Jesuit and bishop
He was born in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and decided to enter the Jesuit novitiate in Spain in August 1930. Back in China, he studied Catholicism in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. He was ordained as priest at the age of 33 on 31 May 1941. during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1941. After his ordination he worked as a Parish priest, principal of a primary school and social welfare work in Canton (Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
) province. Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
appointed him on 1 October 1950 as Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of Canton (Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
), and on 13 February 1951 was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Elateia
Elateia
Elateia was an ancient Greek city of Phocis, and the most important place in that region after Delphi. It is also a modern-day town that is a former municipality in the southeastern part of Phthiotis. Since the 2011 local government reform, it is a municipal unit of the municipality...
by Bishop Gustave Deswaziere, who said of him: By accepting the appointment from the Holy See in these difficult times, the new bishop was showing absolute obedience and a spirit of sacrifice.
Twenty-Two Years in jail
Archbishop Tang was arrested on February 5, 1958. The Chinese government charged him as "the most faithful running-dog of the reactionary Vatican." He stayed in jail for 22 years in prisonLaogai
Laogai , the abbreviation for Láodòng Gǎizào , which means "reform through labor," is a slogan of the Chinese criminal justice system and has been used to refer to the use of prison labor and prison farms in the People's Republic of China . It is estimated that in the last fifty years more than...
because he refused to alter his loyalty to the Pope. His sudden release in 1981 was due to a developing cancer, when he was given permission to leave China for a cancer operation in Hong Kong.
Archbishop Tang was never brought to trial, and therefore, was never convicted of any crime. Since his release, he had never shown any bitterness for his 22 years of imprisonment even though no apology was ever expressed by the Chinese government. He recounted his experience in his memoir, How Inscrutable His Ways!
Last years
On 26 May 1981, at the age of 73, he was appointed ArchbishopArchbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Canton (Guangzhou), which was rejected by China at once. He died in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
at age 87 and was buried at Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777 and named for Santa Clara de Asis , the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. Although ruined and rebuilt six times, the settlement was never abandoned.-History:...
in Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
. In his book How Inscrutable His Ways! he summarized his attitudes, while incarcerated for 22 years:
- In prison, I always asked God to grant me the grace to progress in virtue., e.g. humility and obedience....I obeyed only the regulations which did not conflict with the principles of my faith. I want to be gentle and kind to others, without resisting ill-treatment from others; when controlled and walked on, I did not complain. There are many opportunities for practicing virtue in prison." "When I was a seminarian, I learned to do God's will. God's will required me to practice virtue in prison. This was God's love for me.
Further reading
- Dominic Tang Yee-ming, How Inscrutable His Ways! St. Aidan Press, 1987
- Remembering Archbishop Tang Yee-Ming, SJ The Cardinal Kung Foundation, Summer 1995 - www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/articles/tang.htm
- Dominic Tang Yee-ming. (2008). Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/582413/Dominic-Tang-Yee-ming
External links
- http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/btang.html