CHURCHES (Continuation)
M. Rousseille had completed in the month of July, 1883, his third year of Superiorship. It was to him that the Council at Paris confided the task of founding the projected Nazareth House. Former sub-Procurator of the French Mission at Hongkong, he was conversant with the region where he hoped to be able to instal his work. Director and Archivist of the Seminary for a long period, he was conversant with the affairs of the Mission and he could count on finding amongst the missionaries he had known, and who were looking forward to it, his first collaborators, very conversant with the history of the Society; he promised to publish some individual works with the view to making the Society better understood. Also, he had carried away numerous documents, amongst these "duplicates" of the Archives at Paris.
142
To establish the community and instal the printing equipment, considerable resources were evidently required. A former pharmacist of Bordeaux, entirely devoted to good works, M. Germaine Ville, when he died, left to M. Rousseille an important sum in aid of the projected foundation. Rome, in touch with the enterprise, encouraged and gave it its blessing. On October 22, 1883, Father Rousseille embarked at Marseilles. Leaving the steamboat at Pointe de Galle, he visited the missions in India. It was then, from his trip to Maissour, that he obtained from the Vicar Apostolic, M. Coadou, his first collaborator, Father Monnier, who was, as we shall see, to create and develop the Printery of Nazareth and to become the third Superior of the House. Father Monnier is still resident in Hongkong.
At the beginning of January 1884, Fr. Rousseille arrived at the College of Penang, where he could count on recruiting a second helper, Fr. P. Holhann, who, after six years with the Procurations, had been six years after that as Director of the College. The affair was concluded early, and even while waiting for him, Fr. Rousseille found there a third collaborator, Fr. Beal, pro-Prefect of the Mission of Canton, was then taking at Penang a rest of some weeks. Hearing of the projected work, he conceived the design of consecrating himself to it, offering himself to the founder, who accepted warmly so valuable a recruit; for his knowledge of the dialects of Southern China, his experience in building matters (he had superintended for a long period the work on the Cathedral at Canton) and his well-known activity. The growing community now counted four amongst its members: Fr. Rousseille being naturally its Superior, Fr. Beal its bursar, Fr. Holhann its hospital-attendant, at the same time that he was collaborator of the works to be printed, and Fr. Monnier to establish the printery, procuring the material and personnel necessary for its installation.
Fr. Rousseille first had thought of establishing his community on Sancian Island, where the celebrated St. Francis Xavier died. Thither he went without loss of time with Fr. Beal, but the irregularity of communications, the difficulty of procuring vital supplies, and the lack of security on a small island constantly exposed to piratical incursions soon demonstrated the impossibility of the enterprise. The political troubles and the Franco-Chinese conflict which took place about this time could not but render dangerous the sojourn of the two priests.
Further-
CHURCHES (Continuation )
M. Rousseille had completed in the month July, 1883, his third year os Superiorship. It was to him that the Council at Paris confided the task of founding the proTM jected Nazareth House. Former sub-Procurator of the French Mission at Hongkong, he was conversant with the region where he hoped to be able to instal his work. Director, and Archivist of the Seminary for a long period he was conversant with the affairs of the Mission and he could count on finding amongst the missionaries he had known as looking forward to it, his first collaborators, very conversant with the history of the Society, he promised to publish some individual works with the view to making the Society better understood. Also he had carried away numerous documents, amongst these " dupli- cates of the Archives at Paris.
142
To establish the community and instal the printing equipment an considerable resources evidently were req.red. A former pharmacist of Bordeaux entirely devoted to good works, M. Germaine Ville, when he died left ot M. Rousseille an important sum in aid of the projected foundation. Rome, in touch with the enterprise, encouraged and give it its blessing. On October 22, 1883, Father Rousseille embarked at Marseilles. Leaving the steamboat at Pointe de Galle, he visited the missions in India. It was then, from his trip to Maissour that he obtained from the Vicar Apostolic M. Coadou, his first colla- borator, Father Monnier, who was, as we shall see, to create, and develop the Printery of Nazareth and to become the third Superior of the House. Father Monnier is still resident in Hongkong.
At the beginning of January 1884, Fr. Rouseille arri- ved at the College of Penang where he could count on recuiting a second helper, Fr. P. Holhann, who after six years with the Procurations, had been six years after that as Director of the College. The affair was concluded e arily, and even while waiting for him, Fr. Rousseille found there a third collaborator, Fr. Beal pro-Prefect of the Mission of Canton, was then taking at Penang a rest of some weeks. Hearing of the projected work, he concei- ved the design of consecrating himself to it, offering himself to the founder, who accepted warmly so valuable a recuit; for his knowledgeof the dialiects of Southern China, his experience in building matter he had superintended for a long period the work on the Cathedral at Canton ) and his well known activity. The growing community now counted four amongst its members: Fr. Rousseille being naturally its Superior, Fr. Beal its bursar Fr. Holhann its hospital-attendant at the same time that he was collaborator of the works to be printed, and Fr. Monnier to establish the printery procuring the material and personnel nec- essary for its installation.
Fr. Rousseille first had thought of establishing his community on Sancian Island, where died the celebrated St. Francis Xavier, Thither he went without loss of time with Fr. Beal, but the irregularity of communications, the dif- ficulty of procuring vital supplies, and the lack of security on a small island constantly exposed to piratical incursions soon demonstrated the impossibility of the enterprise. more political troubles and the Franco-Chinese cohflict which took place about this time could not but render dangercus the sojourn of the two priests.
Further-
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