Fr. James E. Thornton in YangChow, China

by Fr. James E. Thornton, S.J.

Some people have asked me if I ever experienced difficulty in accepting changes in my apostolate missions, since I joined the Jesuits on October 30，1930. Surely, I had emotional struggles when I left my native Ireland on October 11，1930. Then, again, I had other emotional struggles the day I sailed through the Golden Gate to begin a Chinese language course in Bejing, in September, 1937. Then came four years of theology in Shanghai, followed by two years as Catholic chaplain in a Japanese concentration camp in Yangchow. Then came a year in two communist prisons. Surely, the average person of flesh and blood cannot accept such changes as coolly and with the same detachment as he would the beauty of a passing cloud in the evening sky. Nor could I. But somehow or other, I got the grace to respond to all of these changes. I made the theology of St. Paul about apostolates my own. “There are different kinds of workings, but the same God works all of them in all men.” (1 Cor 12:4-6).

Fr. James E. Thornton in Taiwan,1954

But I must have had some psychological reason for such ready obedience to the call of my superiors. And there was. In all my life’s apostolates, I was carrying on THE APOSTOLATE OF JESUS CHRIST. I left my native Ireland for California to prepare myself TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. I gladly left California for China TO BECOME A PRIEST AND PREACH THE GOSPEL. I gladly left one apostolate for another
ALWAYS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL, TO FURTHER THE APOSTOLATE OF JESUS CHRIST. That was my psychological reason.

Then came my heart surgery on the morning of June 19，1992，a different response surprised me this time. A surge of spiritual depression seized me. I felt that from now on my direct and indirect apostolate (teaching for instance) had come to an end. The next significant change in my life will be the departure of my soul from my body. DEATH. I must prepare for my own death. So my prayer and meditation from now on are the consoling words of Jesus: “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, AND NO ONE WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR JOY.” (John 16:22).