In January, 1838, Fr. Perboyre was assign¬ed by his superiors to Hu-pei, a mount¬ainous area where there were some 2,000 Catholics scattered through 15 villages. Here too there were 2 other priests. On Sundays the church was filled and vari-ous services lasted all day. Fr. Per¬boyre had always been a good letter writer and he describes the church for us: dirt floor, dirt walls, thatch roof, a table for an altar, a parti¬tion down the middle separating the men from the women. Usually there were 1,000 Catholics for Mass, in-side and outside the church, even in rain and snow. He writes of many miracles among the devout Catholics, especially in connect-ion with the use of the Miracu¬lous Medal of Mary, which had only been manifested in 1830 to a
Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent, St. Catherine Laboure, but which had already been brought over to China by missionaries and its messages preached among the people.
Besides all his hard work and The Miraculous Medal privations, Fr. Perboyre wore
an iron chain around his waist for mortification. To prepare his people for persecution, which might break out at any time, he constantly preached on suffering and persecution and the glory of martyrdom.
Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent, St. Catherine Laboure, but which had already been brought over to China by missionaries and its messages preached among the people.
Besides all his hard work and The Miraculous Medal privations, Fr. Perboyre wore
an iron chain around his waist for mortification. To prepare his people for persecution, which might break out at any time, he constantly preached on suffering and persecution and the glory of martyrdom.
