Divine Word priest once jailed by Chinese authorities dies at 92

Published: 2008-07-17

TECHNY, Ill. (CNS) -- A funeral Mass for Divine Word Father John Swift, once imprisoned for three years in China for defying communist authorities there, was celebrated July 9 at the Society of the Divine Word Chapel in Techny. Father Swift, 92, died July 4 in Techny. Born in 1915 in New Richland, Minn., Father Swift began studying with the Society of the Divine Word in 1936 and professed vows as a brother in 1938, taking the name Brother Matthew. He worked as a printing press operator at Divine Word Mission Press in Techny and became a master printer. In 1947, he was assigned to manage the Catholic press of the bishop of Tsingtao, China. While there, he defied communist authorities by refusing to publish passages of a textbook that contradicted the Catholic faith. While in prison, his captors held him in handcuffs for two months and in solitary confinement for nine months. A judge demanded he give up being a brother as a condition of being released. Father Swift composed a note telling the judge that after 18 years as a brother he had finally decided to give up his vocation and study for the priesthood."

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