Biography of Emmanuel Hanquet.

15 June 1915: Emmanuel born in Liège into a large family (15 children in all).
1932-1934: Law studies at the University of Liège.
1934: he entered the seminary run by the S.A.M. (Society of Auxiliaries of the Missions) in Louvain/Leuven: theological studies with the Jesuits.
6 February 1938: ordained as a priest in Liège by Monsignor Kerkhofs.
20 November 1938: departure for China via Marseille on the Félix Roussel.
20 January 1939: arrival in Shanghai; visit to Haimen.
Beginning of February 1939: after a short stay in Tientsin, studied Chinese at the Hua Wen School in Peking (run by American Protestants), until July 1939.
10 July 1939: departure for Hungtung (Shansi) a journey that lasted a month.
Diocese of Hungtung: secretary to the bishop, teacher, village priest, bursar.
8 December 1941: taken prisoner for the first time by the Japanese (4 months).
April 1942: resumed pastoral duties; parish priest in Hungtung.
13 March 1943: Weihsien concentration camp (Shantung) until 17 October 1945. The camp had been liberated some two months earlier by American parachutists. Stay in Peking for a period of rest and recovery.
December 1945: return to Hungtung (food shortages, poverty, etc.).
January 1946: E. Hanquet joined UNRRA for two years, where he had successive assignments as Field Surveyor, Distribution Officer and Chief Distribution Officer in four Northern provinces (Hopei(河北), Shantung, Shansi and Chagar). He negotiated a working agreement with the Reds (among them Deng Xiao Ping).
10 December 1947: departure from Shanghai on the Sir John Franklin for a voyage that was to take four months (Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Aden, Djibouti, Haifa, Alexandria, Genoa). Arrival in Belgium at Easter 1948.

1948-1986: bursar of the S.A.M. and director of the V. Lebbe Centre (1950-1952)
1950-1986: almoner of the Lonescouts, Brussels.
July 1983: E. Hanquet joined the Fraternité du Buisson in Louvain-la-Neuve.
Return trips to the People’s Republic of China: September 1981, May 1991, November 1991, May-June 1994.
10 February 2008: Jubilee of his 70 years as a priest.
13 February 2008: He died at the Fraternité du Buisson.