雷鳴遠神父 一小傳
雷鳴遠神父 (Frederic Vincent Lebbe)，聖名萬桑，1877 年生於比利時崗城的一個熱心天主教家庭。十一歲時因閱讀聖董文學在中國殉道傳，深受感觸，立志長大後去中國傳教，十八歲入遣使會。1901 年來中國，同一年在北平領受鐸品，遂在平津一帶展開傳教工作。他為人虔誠而有熱情，完全同化於當地民眾的生活及文化。曾創辦「益世報」，推行「公教進行會」，竭力提倡建立中國地方教會。
雷神父於1920 年赴歐為中國留學生服務，成績斐然，受其資助者五百餘人。他躬親參加 1926 年，首批六位中國主教在羅馬的祝聖大典，得償倡導中國人晉牧之宿願。1927 年返華，立即歸化中國。雷鳴遠神父於 1928 年在河北安國教區創立的一所中國籍修會，修會以聖約翰洗者為主保，並將「若翰」翻譯成「耀漢」作為會名，取其光耀中華之義。後來又創了四個傳教團體：輔助傳教會、鳴遠女子服務團、德來小妹妹會及耀漢小兄弟會。在抗日戰爭中，雷神父帶隊到前線救護傷兵，因績效頗著，獲政府頒獎褒揚。1940 年 6月24日 逝於四川重慶。逝世後，又獲政府明令褒揚，且榮列忠烈祠，備受教內外人士敬仰。
Father Vincent Lebbe Biography
Father Frederic Lebbe , holy name Vincent, was born in 1877 in a zealous Catholic family in Ganges, Belgium. At the age of 11, he read the literature of St. Jean-Gabriel Perboyre, a missionary Lazarist martyred in China in 1940. He was deeply touched, and decided to go to China to preach when he grew up. At the age of 18, he joined the embassy. He came to China in 1901, he was ordained a priest in Peiping in the same year, and started missionary work in the Pingjin area. He was pious and enthusiastic, and completely assimilated into the life and culture of the local people. He founded “益世報”, promoted the “Catholic Church”, and tried his best to advocate the establishment of local churches in China.
Father Vincent Lebbe went to Europe in 1920 to serve Chinese students with outstanding achievements, and more than 500 people were sponsored by him. He personally participated in the ordination ceremony of the first six Chinese bishops in Rome in 1926, fulfilling his long-cherished wish of advocating the ordination of Chinese people. He returned to China in 1927 and was immediately naturalized in China. He founded four missionary groups: the Auxiliary Missionary Society, the Lebbe Women’s Service Corps, the Little Sisters of Delai and the Little Brothers of St. John the Baptist. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Father Lebbe led a team to the front line to rescue wounded soldiers. He was awarded by the government for his outstanding performance. Died in Chongqing, Sichuan on June 24, 1940. After his death, he was praised by the government and listed as a Martyr’s Shrine, which was admired by people inside and outside the church.
雷神父列品禱詞：
耶稣人類的救主，我們感謝你派遣雷鸣遠神父来華傳播福音，他為使華人容易接受福音，曾努力適應中國文化，促成國籍教區，建立修會團體為大眾服務，因此使教會備受國人的推崇與爱戴。耶稣求你因雷神父的轉求，多顯神跡。赐给我們所求的恩惠，促使教會早日對他加以册封，進入真福的行列，啟發衆多的人士信仰你，你是天主，永生永王。阿們。