▁pros ely ted ▁in ▁China ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁then ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁professor ▁of ▁Chinese ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Washington . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Paul ▁Leo - M ary ▁Ser ru ys ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁in ▁He ule , ▁a ▁village ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁Fland ers ▁region ▁of ▁Belg ium . ▁ ▁Ser ru ys ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁seven ▁children , ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁successful ▁bre wer . ▁ ▁His ▁primary ▁education ▁was ▁in ▁local ▁village ▁schools , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁began ▁board ing ▁at ▁a ▁Catholic ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁nearby ▁K ort rijk . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁required ▁students ▁to ▁become ▁fl uent ▁in ▁French ▁and ▁German , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁the ▁Latin ▁and ▁Greek ▁Class ics , ▁which ▁stim ulated ▁Ser ru ys ' ▁interest ▁in ▁lingu istics ▁and ▁phil ology . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁secondary ▁school , ▁Ser ru ys ▁became ▁a ▁strong ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁F lem ish ▁Mov ement . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁after ▁he ▁completed ▁secondary ▁school , ▁Ser ru ys ▁followed ▁his ▁older ▁brother ▁Henry ▁in ▁joining ▁the ▁nov iti ate ▁of ▁the ▁Cong reg atio ▁Im mac ul ati ▁Cord is ▁Maria e ▁( C ong reg ation ▁of ▁the ▁Im mac ulate ▁Heart ▁of ▁Mary ), ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁mission ary ▁order ▁focused ▁on ▁East ▁Asia ▁and ▁Africa . ▁ ▁In sp ired