China’s oldest Catholic priest dies at 104

Father Joseph Guo Fude, the oldest Catholic priest in China, died at the age of 104 on December 30, 2024.

The priest belonged to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) and was one of the few remaining clergies who was ordained prior to the foundation of the People’s Republic of China.

Guo was born on February 1, 1920 in the Shandong province and was ordained a priest in 1947.

According to AsiaNews, he spent a total of 25 years in prison due to his refusal to cease his priestly ministry despite the repressive and suppressive conditions enforced by Mao Zedong’s dictatorship and the Chinese Communist Party.

Guo was put behind bars three times. He was first arrested in 1959 after being accused of
subversion against the state, and in 1967 due to being suspected as a “foreign spy” during the height of the Cultural Revolution.

He was imprisoned for a third and final time in 1982 for spreading the Catholic faith.

In his memoirs that were published a few years ago, Father Guo revealed how he resisted the invitation of the authorities to take part in hunting down his fellow priests.

In the late 1980s, he was finally released. But instead of retiring, he taught at a seminary and served various Catholic communities.

On his 100th birthday, the priest wrote: “Looking back on my life, prison became a place where I could reflect, pray, and grow spiritually ... 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. [It] taught me that earthly riches are ephemeral, while faith in God is the only true wealth.”

“The priesthood 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,” he also said.

Guo died in Jining, Shandong province. Yanzhou Bishop John Lu Peisen reflected on his life during his funeral rites.

“Father Guo dedicated his entire life to writing a wonderful story of selflessness and love, using his life as a pen and time as ink… Today, many remember his deep but warm eyes and the phrase that inspired countless young priests and faithful,” said the prelate.