On the 72nd anniversary of his death in a Chinese prison camp, Bishop Francis X. Ford was remembered as a “faith-filled preacher of the Gospel” and an example to all of how to live a Christian life.

Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond Chappetto was the main celebrant and homilist at a memorial Mass Feb. 21 at St. James Cathedral-Basilica in Downtown Brooklyn.  Among the concelebrants were Father Kevin Hanlon, MM, a member of the Maryknoll Society, for which Bishop Ford was ordained; Msgr. John Vesey and Father Vincentius Do, members of the committee for the cause of beatification of Bishop Ford; and Father Bryan Patterson, rector of St. James.

Bishop Chappetto pointed out that Bishop Ford was born in Brooklyn and baptized at Sacred Heart Church, Adelphi St., not far from the Cathedral-Basilica.  His family later attended St. Joseph’s Church, currently the Co-Cathedral of the Diocese.

After attending St. Joseph’s parish school, Bishop Ford went on to Cathedral Prep, Manhattan, and then was the first seminarian to enroll for missionary service at Maryknoll.  He was part of the first Maryknoll missionary band to serve in China, where he was named a bishop in 1935 and later died while imprisoned there by Communist forces.

“Perhaps his greatest gift to the Church in China was to build up the native clergy to work on getting priests to come from the local areas to serve the Church,” said Bishop Chappetto.

“His other great gift was to invite the Maryknoll Sisters to participate in his missionary work.  He knew they could reach out to the native women and bring them closer to God and to the Church.”

Bishop Chappetto described him as “a man of prayer, a man of great virtue, a man of holiness, and a man of faith.”

But after more than 30 years of service to the Church in China, Bishop Ford was charged with being a spy by the new Communist regime that imprisoned him. He suffered greatly because of the conditions in which he was forced to live, and died in captivity. The exact site of his burial is unknown.

The Diocese of Brooklyn, in cooperation with Maryknoll, has recommended that Bishop Ford be canonized as a saint for his life of heroic virtue.  The cause is currently under study by the Vatican.

“We ask you to join with us in prayer that one day he will be beatified and canonized,” said Bishop Chappetto.

“He is an inspiration to us and he continues to be an inspiration to the Church in China.  He is a role model to us in the face of suffering, not to give up when the going gets rough.

“Bishop Ford loved China and he loved the Chinese people.  He remains for us a great example of evangelization. Jesus told us to go out and teach  all nations. Bishop Ford took that literally and he taught the people entrusted to his care.  He gave up his family locally to go out, to be free to teach the Gospel.”

Bishop Chappetto said that the Diocese of Brooklyn “will never forget Bishop Ford.”

“We will work closely with Maryknoll to make sure that his message stays alive, to make sure that for us and for all people he remains a great example of holiness, of Christian virtue, dedicated to the cause of preaching the Gospel, and making the name of Jesus known and loved.”