Bruno Lepeu
On the morning of 27 June 2023, Father Jean Charbonnier (겟쟁), died in his room at the Paris Foreign Missions [MEP] retirement home in Lauris, southern France, where he had resided since Christmas. He was 91-years-old. The many messages of gratitude from many places, especially China, unanimously recognise the role that he has played in the history of the Church in China over the past decades.
Taking up the torch of our former “Chinese MEP” confrères, Jean has become the “Mr. China” of the MEP, an essential reference for all those who seek to better understand the complex situation of the Church in China. From the 1970s, he witnessed the reopening of China and the revival of the Church and a gradual freedom, which instilled in him an unshakable benevolent optimism, despite the ups and downs of government control over the Church and internal ecclesial dysfunctions.
Called back to France for a teaching mission in 1970, Father Charbonnier formed himself and successively defended, in June 1972, a thesis in sinology on the philosophy of man in Lu Xun, in June 1973 a second one in theology and religious sciences on cultural identity and modernisation in Singapore, and in January 1978, another on the interpretation of history in contemporary China.
He became interested in the life of Christians in China in contemporary times, but also throughout history. Aware of the vagaries of history, he sought to clarify troubled events in the history of the Church in China. All his work led him to publish, in French, his 1992 book, Christians in China: A.D. 600 to 2000, later translated into English and Chinese. Another essential contribution was the Guide to the Catholi c Church in China, with eight editions between 1986 and 2014.
A recognised expert well beyond ecclesial circles, he was often consulted, including by the Holy See, and was decorated with the French Legion of Honour in 2012. He was always available to advise young missionaries as well as Chinese seminarians, priests and nuns studying in France, or even researchers of all origins, artists, journalists, etc. The word “China” was the sesame to open his heart. Father Charbonnier left us an autobiography of nearly 300 pages, entitled, A life in tripod: France-Singapore-China, the three elements that characterise his long life.
All his work led him to publish, in French, his 1992 book, Christians in China: A.D. 600 to 2000, later translated into English and Chinese. Another essential contribution was the Guide to the Catholi c Church in China, with eight editions between 1986 and 2014
France
The second of five children, Father Charbonnier, was born in 1932, and grew up in Chatou, close to Paris. Inspired by the faith of his mother and grandmother, and the example of a young priest, he entered minor seminary in 1943. A classmate often talked to him about China. He joined the MEP in 1955 and was ordained in 1957 by Bishop Charles-Joseph Lemaire [1900 to 1995], a former bishop in China. His mission destination was Singapore, a port whose population was three-quarters Chinese. He arrived there on Christmas 1959.
Called back to France in 1970 to teach aspirants, his collaboration with Father Léon Trivière (1915 to 1998), MEP, the “Mr. China” of the time, and his participation in the ecumenical conference of Louvain in 1974, oriented his work towards the life of the Church in China. He left for Taiwan and Hong Kong and set up a research network. He made his first trip to mainland China in September 1977. From 1979 onwards, he followed Chinese affairs from Singapore.
In 1993, he was back in France again, taking care of the Chinese seminarians who studied there, and continued his mission for the Church in China from Paris.
Singapore
Young Father Charbonnier dreamed of China, which was inaccessible to missionaries in the late 1950s. It was in Singapore that he discovered the Chinese people whom he would serve with great joy, especially from 1960 to 1970, the best years of his life. After learning English and Chinese, he was sent to the parish of St Bernadette. He engaged in the evangelical formation of lay people. In 1963, he founded the Christian Family and Social Movement, which offers family and social training for Catholics. The Archbishop of Singapore appointed him spiritual director of a new council to develop the lay apostolate in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. In 1967, on his first leave, Jean travelled to meet the Chinese in the diaspora.
His first recall to Paris in 1970 and his launch into Chinese studies had made Father Charbonnier decide, at the end of 1978, to return to Singapore where he could develop exchanges with the Church in China. Back in Singapore, he became resident priest at the cathedral, and was ready to create links with the Church in China.
In 1980, he became spiritual director of a group of young Chinese-speaking university students. He a mission proposed to them of reconnecting with the Christians of China. Then, the young people formed a team called Zhonglian [China-link]. The same year, the MEP superior general appointed Father Charbonnier to head the newly created MEP China Service. Visits to China became possible from Singapore.
A classmate often talked to him about China. He joined the MEP in 1955 and was ordained in 1957 by Bishop Charles-Joseph Lemaire [1900 to 1995], a former bishop in China. His mission destination was Singapore, a port whose population was three-quarters Chinese. He arrived there on Christmas 1959
The Zhonglian team produced an illustrated magazine Zhonglian and the bilingual English-Chinese Guide of the churches in China. Father Charbonnier’s collaboration with them became extremely valuable for the service of the Church in China, even after his transfer to France in 1993. The team members included Emmanuel Lim Hwan, who became a Jesuit priest, and Father Ambrose Mong, now a diocesan priest of Hong Kong.
China
It is difficult to attribute a particular period for China in Father Charbonnier’s life, because it was present at all times without him having ever resided in China, despite the 50 trips he made there. The accounts of all these trips bear irreplaceable witness to the life of the Church in China from the end of the 1970s. He was always benevolent towards China, and was always welcome in China.
Father Charbonnier provided articles for different publications, and joined international meetings in Paris, Zurich, Moscow and Hong Kong, etc. In 1986, he was invited to a consultation in Rome, and was received by Pope St. John Paul II. Every two years, Jean brought together the MEP members who worked in connection with China.
From 1994, seminarians, priests and nuns started to arrive in France for their studies. With other European countries facing the same development, he organized a European cooperation in connection with Divine Word Father Roman Malek from Germany (1951 to 2019), PIME Father Angelo Lazzarotto from Italy, and CICM Father Jérôme Heyndrickx from Belgium—the four pioneers of the resumption of relations with the Church in mainland China, known as “the gang of four”, authoritative in studies of the Church in China. Each summer, they provided sessions for the Chinese, which included a time of retreat and formation, and of cultural and ecclesial discoveries.
In a few words, Father Charbonnier can be described as curious and humble, always ready to learn, benevolent, seeing the positive in everything and never complaining. The whole ministry of this extraordinary sinologist missionary was marked by close collaboration with the laity in the spirit of Vatican II, with a great love for the Chinese who repaid him well. “Grandfather Sha”, as the Chinese students on Rue du Bac, Paris, affectionately called him, is mourned with affection and gratitude in China and around the world. [BL]
