Br Paul Sun was a remarkable man by any standards. In this article we concentrate mainly on his Lasallian connections but, in truth, his whole life was interesting and inspiring.
Born in 1907 in the province of Jehol (熱河省), in modern-day Inner Mongolia, Brother Paul attended a school run by a Society called the Disciples of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This Society was founded in 1911 by a Belgian Bishop, Louis Janssens. He dedicated the Society to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and made St. Teresa of Lisieux and St. John Baptist de La Salle its patrons. After each religious exercise the invocation “St John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us,” was said.
The Society was unusual in that it had as its mission the education of young Chinese in Jehol and nearby provinces and its members were all to be Brothers. Bishop Janssens had taken his inspiration in this regard from the educational mission of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (La Salle Brothers).
The future Brother Paul must have been impressed by those teaching Brothers when he attended one of their schools, so much so that he made up his mind to join them and professed his first vows, at the age of 18 on 22th August 1926. He was first sent for study at Fu Jen university in Beijing followed by a three-year study course in Japan from 1933 to 1936.
Brother Paul must also have been impressed by a group of La Salle Brothers who, by coincidence, happened to be sent on a mission to north-east China in 1936. Here is an excerpt from a letter written by their Director, Brother Marie-Liguori in 1939 which shows how the two Brothers congregations were drawing closer:
“We happen to know and in fact have the most cordial relation with a group of local Brothers with a rule very similar to ours. The congregation has 36 professed members and they run a middle school as well as a number of elementary schools. I knew their Superior in Tokyo where we followed the same Japanese classes. Every time they come to Moukden, they never fail to come by to visit us. It seems there is a move among some of these local Brothers for a merger with our congregation. The Superior has given us some hints about this.”
The Moukden mentioned by Br Marie-Ligouri is present day Shenyang (沈陽), capital of the province of Liaoning.
Shortly afterwards, in 1940, Brother Paul Sun was elected Superior General of the Disciples of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in China. Soon afterwards, some of his Brothers were kindly sent to help with the La Salle Brothers’ work in Szupingkai (Siping 四平市) in the early 1940s. They also helped to teach Chinese to the La Salle Brothers.
This was the period of Japanese occupation of north-east China and so the times were fraught with danger, Japanese on one side, Nationalists and Communists on the other, on top of which were many warring factions. Events took their course, the 2nd World War played itself out to its bloody end, civil war in China ensued and the Communists emerged victorious.
The victory of the Communists spelt the death-knell for Christian missionaries and particularly for those involved in education. Education in future would only be in Communist hands. Most missionaries were advised to get out while there was still time. The Brothers, both those of La Salle and those of Br Paul, began to head for Hong Kong and elsewhere in 1948/1949.
Br Paul sought refuge with the La Salle Brothers in Kowloon but soon set out to Indonesia with a few of his Brothers where they established a secondary school in 1950.
Brother Paul himself returned to Hong Kong in 1952 and again stayed with the La Salle Brothers taking care of the boarders in the La Salle College, Perth Street campus. He had not given up the idea of recruiting young men to join his congregation and in 1956 he wrote to Bishop Bianchi requesting that such recruits, if any, be sent to the La Salle Brothers’ Novitiate in Penang Malaysia. He believed that this would cause no problems since the rules governing his congregation were very similar to those of the La Salle Brothers.
Br Paul was not a man to let the grass grow under his feet. He began to teach Religion and Mandarin in the Primary classes of La Salle College, where he soon came under the influence of Brothers Felix Sheehan and Henry Pang, learning the ropes in the context of Hong Kong as it were. He was strict enough but the boys soon saw through to the heart.
At the same time, and again with the help of Brothers Felix and Henry, he began to explore the possibility of establishing a school to be run by his own Brothers. With the help of the Brothers as well as of a lady called Madam Lily La Fleur who provided a large house, his dream began to take shape and in 1958, the foundation stone was laid for a new school. Next came discussion of the name. Br Paul knew both La Salle College and St. Joseph’s College well. He knew that St La Salle had chosen St Joseph as the Patron of the Brothers Institute. St Joseph had taken the utmost care of the infant and the boy Jesus. That would be the spirit of the new venture. St. Joseph’s would be the name of Br Paul’s new school. But how to distinguish it from the existing St Joseph’s College. The answer was to call it St Joseph’s Anglo-Chinese Primary and Secondary School which opened its doors in 1958.
The new school was located in the district called Ngau Chi Wan, about two miles from La Salle College. While all the La Salle Brothers liked Br Paul a lot, he had three special friends among them, Brothers Felix Sheehan, Anthony Knoll and Henry Pang. They were towers of strength to Br Paul in the early days. Brother Felix actually became one of the school managers right from the beginning. He also allowed the F.4 science class boys to use the La Salle College laboratories for their lessons. Meanwhile, Br Henry helped with some administrative matters.
Later on, Br Anthony went so far as to become a full-time teacher in the new school and indeed became the Vice Principal in 1973. Br Anthony and Br Paul were like soul-mates. Br Paul was also helped by a Brother from his own Society who had managed to escape from China.
With Br Paul at the helm, instilling his own spirit of love and care, the school began to prosper. It used to be said that Br Paul was so kind-hearted that he could never say no to a request for a place in the school. Of course that led to large classes! But the students, parents, and even staff, were not complaining. They were part of a happy school. As Brother Paul himself put it, “from the spiritual side, we start by laying foundations for good habits, for good conduct and for good academic results. It is the most important work. It is also the most difficult to achieve. Consequently, I have tried to turn St. Joseph’s into a big family to achieve this spiritual aim.”
Partly to achieve this aim and right from the beginning of the new school, Br Paul made a point of greeting the students and teachers as they entered the school. Every morning, rain or shine, Paul would be at the school entrance. In this way he got to know the names of the students and of many parents as well. He was the visible physical icon of the school a benign, fatherly figure.
Another method of bonding that Br Paul favoured was, together with Br Anthony, to go on long hikes mainly with members of staff. They ranged up and around the mountains of Hong Kong before descending for dinner and drinks, invariably paid for by Br Paul. Generosity was one of his strong virtues. His staff, students and parents did not forget it.
Neither did the La Salle Brothers forget Brother Paul who visited them regularly, prayed with them and made Retreats with them. The relationship was so close that they decided to make Brother Paul an Affiliated member of their Institute. The conferring ceremony was held on the 5th of March 1972, when Brother Paul officially received the title of AFSC from the hands of the then Superior General, Brother Charles Henry Buttimer. This title is the highest honour that the La Salle Brothers bestow, a sign of the closest connection between them and the recipient. Br Paul received the honour with his usual modesty and he was delighted.
All this time a disease affecting the joints was afflicting Br Paul. Ankylosing spondylitis began to cripple him. Curvature of the spine and body resulted, his fingers also succumbing. He had to wear a neck brace. There was obviously pain. Seeing him thus afflicted elicited pity but Br Paul himself never indulged in any form of self-pity. Instead, he got on with the work until he could no longer stand and became bed-ridden. Even in that condition there were no complaints. Father Philip Chao, who acted as school chaplain took care of him.
Brother Paul died on the 13th of March 1986 and his funeral eulogy was delivered by Brother Henry Pang who said: “With his passing we have lost an exemplary religious, and outstanding educator and, dare I say, a saint. He was one of nature’s gentlemen. He was a man of God, with a vision and a mission. Today his mission is accomplished. May you, Brother Paul, realise your vision also, as our Lord opens his arms to receive and welcome you.”
He was buried in Cheung Sha Wan Catholic Cemetery, accompanied by many friends including La Salle Brothers. To the Brothers, he was a Lasallian in all but name.
The memory of Br Paul remains green.
