Augustinian Recollect, Fr. Mariano Gazpio Ezcurra, was a missionary in China from 1924 to 1952, when he was expelled by the communist government. He spent the rest of his life, more than 40 years, as a novice master.
The Pope recently declared him venerable, recognizing his heroic virtues. As a missionary, Fr. Mariano Gazpio Ezcurra served in Chenliku and Yucheng, where he was persecuted by the Chinese government.
FR. JOSÉ JAVIER LIZARRAGA
Vice-Postulator of the Cause of Beatification
“We met him. We lived with him. And we spoke first about our experience of living with him. There are friars here who had him as a teacher, as a prior. And others who lived with him for many years.”
FR. JOSÉ ANTONIO CIORDIA
Augustinian Recollect
“I would often wake up a bit earlier than the other friars and go to the chapel of the church in Marcilla when it was still dark. And every so often, Fr. Mariano would show up to pray, without realizing that I was there. And he would often say this phrase: Lord, free me from myself. He would say it repeatedly and with a lot of conviction.”
Fr. Mariano spoke fluent Chinese. Even non-believers called him a “saint.” His experiences are collected in the autobiographical letters that have been used in his cause of beatification.
FR. JOSÉ JAVIER LIZARRAGA
Vice-Postulator of the Cause of Beatification
“He was part of the first group of missionaries. Those who arrived after would learn from him. The superior of the mission would send them to his mission, and Fr. Mariano would teach them. One of the first missionaries who arrived there and went to study with Fr. Gazpio would say, 'I had heard others say that he was a saint, but now that I live with him, I have seen it for myself. I have seen that he truly is a saint.”
Today, those familiar with Fr. Mariano's mission are striving to make it known to the rest of the world.
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