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CV NEWS FEED // Fr. Joseph Guo Fude, SVD, China’s oldest Catholic priest, passed away Dec. 30 at the age of 104, just weeks before his 105th birthday. His life was marked by remarkable perseverance and an unshakable faith, despite decades of persecution under communist rule.
At his funeral, Bishop John Lu Peisen of Yanzhou highlighted Fr. Guo Fude’s unwavering commitment to his faith and his ability to inspire others, AsiaNews reported.
“Fr Guo dedicated his entire life to writing a wonderful story of selflessness and love, using his life as a pen and time as ink,” Bishop Peisen said in his homily.
Born in 1920, in Shandong province, Fr. Guo Fude grew up in a devout Catholic family. He began seminary training as a young teen. He was ordained in 1947, just two years before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. After completing his studies in Manila, he returned to China in 1950 to serve his community at a time when religious freedom was under severe threat.
Fr. Guo Fude refused to comply with government demands to report on his fellow clergy, a decision that led to his arrest and imprisonment multiple times. Over the course of his life, he spent a total of 25 years in detention, facing accusations such as subversion and espionage.
Despite these hardships, he found spiritual strength during his years in confinement, later describing prison as a time for deep prayer and reflection.
“My imprisonment gave me the strength to face life’s challenges and continue to serve God, knowing that every trial was part of His divine plan,” Fr. Guo Fude wrote on his 100th birthday. “My experience in prison taught me that earthly riches are ephemeral, while faith in God is the only true wealth.”
In the late 1980s, Fr. Guo Fude resumed his ministry in Jining, where he served local Catholic communities and taught in the seminary well into his 90s. He was widely respected for his humility and dedication, often reminding others of what a calling to the priesthood is.
“The priesthood,” he said, “is not a worldly profession, but a divine grace given by God. You must serve the people without being defiled by the worldly spirit; you must love everyone, without seeking anything for yourself; you must first learn to bend down and wash the feet of others, to be worthy to approach the Body and Blood of Christ.”
