1956 - Shen Shumei

1956

Shanghai

Shen Shumei.

Many books and articles have been written about the hundreds of Catholic bishops, priests, and missionaries martyred in China for the faith, but few accounts exist of the countless laymen and women who also perished because of their love for Jesus. One such layman was Shen Shumei (also known as Shen Chongzi).

Born into a devout Catholic family in the suburbs of China’s largest city, Shanghai, Shen spent his entire childhood being educated in Jesuit schools. Later in life he had the opportunity to study to become a priest, but instead was led by the Lord into the business world. Shen conducted all his dealings with the utmost Biblical integrity and openness. At one time he was the manager of two large multi-national companies—the company constructing the commercial tram system for Shanghai, and the French Commercial water and electricity company.

God blessed Shen financially, and he gave liberally to Christian work in Shanghai, with many churches and schools benefiting from his generosity. Pope Pius XI awarded Shen the Order of St. Sylvester knighthood for his services to the Christian community. F. X. Cai, who knew Shen Shumei for almost 70 years, said of him:

“In the Shanghai business and industrial sector, everyone knew him and the Catholics of Shanghai all held him in the highest respect. He was frank in speech and was well versed in both English and French. What we admired most about him was the fact that he was not afraid to discuss religion and God in front of others for he took great pride in the knowledge that he was a Christian.

Once at a big meeting when many ranking government officials were in attendance…some who were even unfriendly to the church, Shumei was not ashamed of his religious faith, and when he was addressing the others he showed himself proud to be a Catholic, and this earned for him an even greater measure of respect and praise from many others. He was a successful industrialist, with a high position and rank in society, but what was more he was a believer who practiced what he preached.”[1]

After the Communists seized control of Shanghai, they immediately started investigating all Chinese who relied on foreigners for their income. On November 13, 1954, Shen invited many friends and relatives to his home for a feast. During the meal he made a speech in which he said, “Although the Communist party is fierce and cruel, we need not fear, we need only to rely on the Good Lord, and the victory is ours.”[2] After the visitors dispersed, it was discovered that one of the utensils, a silver spoon, was missing. Shen reckoned that one of his invited guests must have been sent by the Communist Party, and that by taking the spoon he had hinted to Shen that he was being watched and should prepare for being arrested.

The very next day the police arrived at Shen’s home and charged him with being a counter-revolutionary. Life in the prison was difficult for Shen Shumei. The guards found it a novel idea to have a wealthy businessman under their control, and they humiliated and tortured him unceasingly. Shen’s health quickly deteriorated, and after one year he was released. The following year his health seemed to improve, so the government arrested him again. For ten more months they subjected Shen to more abuse and beatings and his body grew progressively weaker. Fearing that he might die in prison and be proclaimed a martyr, the Communists sent him home and placed him under strict house arrest. He was not allowed contact with any outsiders.

Only Shen’s niece was present at his bedside when he died in 1956. The rest of his friends and family had been scattered by the hellish wind of persecution that had encompassed China. The Communist government had forbidden burials as part of their new reforms. The law stated that the dead must be cremated. This was a grievous blow to many Chinese, including Catholic believers. Friends of Shen Shumei managed to take his ashes out of the country and bury them in a Catholic cemetery in Vancouver, Canada.

1. September 8th Editorial Board, Blessings of the Divine Bounty, 120.
2. September 8th Editorial Board, Blessings of the Divine Bounty, 121.