Maryknoll
Encyclopedia
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman
Roman Catholic (term)
The term Roman Catholic appeared in the English language at the beginning of the 17th century, to differentiate specific groups of Christians in communion with the Pope from others; comparable terms in other languages already existed...
Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States. These organizations consist of two religious orders and one lay
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
group: The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers (The Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America); The Maryknoll Sisters (The Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic); and the Maryknoll Lay Missioners. While sharing a name and similar origins, the organizations are independent entities that work closely together in many of their missionary endeavors.
Throughout its 100-year history Maryknoll has emphasized ministry and missionary work particularly in East Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Latin America and Africa.
Maryknoll's headquarters are in the Village of Ossining, Westchester County, New York.
Founding and Expansion, 1911 - 1927
Maryknoll was established in 1911 as the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America by the Bishops of the United States. Responsibility for its development fell to two diocesan priests, Fr. James Anthony Walsh of Boston and Fr. Thomas FrederickPrice of North Carolina, with the commission to recruit, send and support U.S. missioners in areas around the world. In the year following its founding, three men joined the community as members (i.e., persons fully committed to the mission work), and the first religious brother
Brother (Catholic)
A religious brother is a member of a Roman Catholic religious order who commits himself to following Christ in consecrated life of the church by the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience. A layman , he usually lives in a religious community and works in a ministry that suits his talents and gifts...
, Thomas McCann, took orders. The ranks of Brothers increased to ten by the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The men joining during this period were generally skilled tradesmen; much of their early work consisted of constructing buildings. They were called the Brothers of St. Michael and their lodging, the "St. Michael’s Residence", can still be seen on the Maryknoll grounds.
By 1921, the community consisted of 20 priests, a dozen brothers, and about 65 seminary students. The facilities were four wooden farm buildings, situated on a hill named "Mary's Knoll". A modern fieldstone building in the compound housed the offices of The Field Afar. (A large fieldstone seminary had been started, but would not be completed until the 1950s.) In addition to their studies, the students performed maintenance chores and helped take care of livestock. The seminary was not severe; they got some afternoons off to hike or ride bicycles in the surrounding Westchester hills.
The first band of American missioners from the newly founded Maryknoll arrived in the Orient in the year 1918. There were four of them, viz.,
- Fr Thomas Frederick PriceThomas Frederick PriceThomas Frederick Price was the co-founder of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, better known as the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.-Youth and Education:...
, one of the founders of Maryknoll and Superior of the group, - Fr James Edward WalshJames Walsh (priest)James Edward Walsh was an American Roman Catholic priest and a bishop in China. He was a member of the Maryknoll order, and a missionary in China....
, who in 1970 became the last western missioner to be released by the Communist China, - Fr Francis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier Ford, M.M. was an American Roman Catholic bishop and Maryknoll missionary in China. Because of his torture by the Communist Chinese and death in prison in 1952, he is considered a martyr, and his cause for canonization is pending.-Early life and priesthood:Francis Xavier Ford was...
, and - Fr Bernard F. Meyer.
Fr. Walsh and Fr Meyer arrived first, Fr. Price and Fr Ford some weeks later. Their first point of debarkation in South China was Hong Kong (which was a British colony at the time) on 30 Oct 1918. While they were in Hong Kong, they stayed briefly with the Paris Foreign Mission Fathers at Battery Path. From Hong Kong, they went to Yeungkong (now known as Yangjiang) and started their missionary work in China from there.
The number of missionaries in China had grown to 27 (25 priests and two Brothers) as of 1927. The missions were centered in and around Kong-Moon (known since 1951 as Jiangmen
Jiangmen
Jiangmen , is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong province in southern China with a population of about 4.48 million in 2010. The 3 urban districts are now part of Guangzhou - Shenzhen built up area.-Names:...
), whose six million inhabitants were plagued by the civil wars of the Warlord era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
, flooding, dysentery, bandits, and smallpox.
A mission to Korea, begun in 1922, had also grown significantly by 1927, to 17 priests and two Brothers. It was centered in the north of Korea, around the city of Penyang.
The early missionaries concentrated in East Asia, particularly China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. During WW2, however, numerous South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n countries were added as mission sites.
A Maryknoll Centennial Time-line can be found at http://www.maryknoll.org/
The "Boys of Maryknoll"
Men played an important role at Maryknoll from the start. In 1911, several men joined the community as part of the The Field Afar staff. The Church officially recognized the Maryknoll Sisters as a religious community on February 14, 1920. A 1905 graduate of Smith College, Mollie Rogers, led the community under the name Aimaboy.The following year, brothers began to go abroad to join missions in China and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. A Motherhouse was started in 1927 and (unlike the seminary building) completed within a decade.
Recent
As of 2008, there are over 550 Maryknoll priests and Brothers serving in countries around the world, principally in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Throughout their history, especially in the first half of the twentieth century, Maryknoll missioners played a large role in the Catholic Church in East Asia where some missioners still work. Maryknoll also has extensive connections with many Latin American countries, where it has long worked to help alleviate poverty and bring constructive changes to the life of Latin America's poor.Martyrs
- Maura ClarkeMaura ClarkeSister Maura Clarke, M.M., was an American Roman Catholic Maryknoll Sister, who served as a missionary in Nicaragua and El Salvador. She worked with the poor and refugees in Central America from 1959 until her death in 1980...
, Maryknoll martyr - Ita FordIta FordIta Ford, M.M. was a Roman Catholic Maryknoll Sister missionary to Bolivia, Chile and El Salvador. She worked with the poor and war refugees. On December 2, 1980, she was tortured, raped, and murdered, along with fellow missionaries Maura Clarke, M.M., laywoman Jean Donovan, and Dorothy Kazel,...
, Maryknoll martyr - Francis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier Ford, M.M. was an American Roman Catholic bishop and Maryknoll missionary in China. Because of his torture by the Communist Chinese and death in prison in 1952, he is considered a martyr, and his cause for canonization is pending.-Early life and priesthood:Francis Xavier Ford was...
, Maryknoll martyr. Fr. Ford was one of the first four Maryknollers to arrive in China in 1918 and died in a Canton prison in 1953. A primary school named Bishop Ford Memorial School was founded by the Maryknoll Fathers in Hong Kong in 1952. The school is now run by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
Other notable Maryknollers
- Maryknoll Seminary alumni
- Ron HennesseyRon HennesseyFather Ron Hennessey was a Roman Catholic priest and missionary. He worked in Central America for thirty-five years and was a witness to State terror against civilians where he served in Guatemala and El Salvador...
, Maryknoll missionary - James KellerJames KellerFather James Keller, M.M. was a Roman Catholic priest in the Maryknoll Order. In 1945 he founded of The Christophers, a Christian inspirational group which broadcast a weekly inspirational television show on ABC...
, founder of The ChristophersThe ChristophersThe Christophers are a Christian inspirational group that was founded in 1945 by Father James Keller. The name of the group is derived from the Greek word "christophoros", which means "Christ-bearer"... - Thomas Frederick PriceThomas Frederick PriceThomas Frederick Price was the co-founder of the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, better known as the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.-Youth and Education:...
, one of the two Maryknoll founders. Fr Price was one of the first four Maryknollers to arrive in China in 1918. - Bernard F Meyer, Maryknoll missionary. Fr Meyer was one of the first four Maryknollers to arrive in China in 1918.
- Bishop James E. WalshJames Walsh (priest)James Edward Walsh was an American Roman Catholic priest and a bishop in China. He was a member of the Maryknoll order, and a missionary in China....
, Maryknoll missionary. Fr. James Edward Walsh was one of the first four Maryknollers to arrive in China in 1918. After the 'liberation" of China, Bishop James Edward Walsh was imprisoned in Shanghai by the Communist Chinese. He was suddenly released into the English controlled Hong Kong on 10 July 1970 due to the improving US - China relationship. He became the last American missionary to be released by the Communist Chinese government. A primary school named Bishop Walsh Primary SchoolBishop Walsh Primary SchoolBishop Walsh Primary School is a primary school in Hong Kong founded by Father John McLoughlin, MM. The School was founded in 1963 by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in Hong Kong. It was named after Bishop James Walsh who was imprisoned by the Communist China at that time in Shanghai...
was set up by the Maryknoll Fathers in Hong Kong in 1963. The school is now run by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community... - Bishop Adolph John PaschangAdolph John PaschangBishop Adolph John Paschang was an American Maryknoll Catholic priest, missionary, relief worker and educator working in southern part of China in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
, Maryknoll missionary. A primary school named Bishop Paschang Memorial School was set up by Fr. John M. Mcloughlin, M.M. in Hong Kong in 1969. The school is still run by the Maryknoll Fathers in Hong Kong - Everett Francis BriggsEverett Francis BriggsFather Everett Francis Briggs was a Catholic priest and miners' activist.-Early life:Born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Briggs attended St. Patrick's School in Fitchburg and the Maryknoll Seminary. He graduated from Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the Maryknoll Major Seminary in...
, Maryknoll missionary, studied the history of the Monongah Mining DisasterMonongah Mining disasterThe Monongah Mine disaster of Monongah, West Virginia occurred on December 6, 1907 and has been described as "the worst mining disaster in American History"...
of December 6, 1907 described as "the worst mining disaster in American History". After discovering there was no memorial, he sought to ensure that the victims of the tragedy were not forgotten. - Brother Albert Staubli Bro. Albert was a lay Maryknoll missionary from Switzerland and was a very capable builder. Besides participated in the design and construction of the Bishop Ford Primary School in Hong Kong, the many buildings he erected in the Gate of Heaven Leprosarium in Kongmoon (the district is now called 崖門倉山Cang Shan, Ai Men, Guangdong Province, China) still stand there today. In particular, Bro Albert invented an opener for the windows in the community that allowed the lepers who had damaged or no fingers to open and shut the window by pushing on the head or the tail. The window opener also has a steel band attached that allows the person to use his arms to open or shut the window. These windows and their unique openers had to have been done in the final building phase of the late 1940s and are still in use today.
- Fr. Roy BourgeoisRoy BourgeoisRoy Bourgeois is an American activist. He was ordained a priest in the Maryknoll order of the Roman Catholic Church and is founder of the human rights group SOA Watch or the School of the Americas Watch....
is an outspoken critic of US foreign policy in Latin America and is the founder of the human rights group School of the Americas Watch. In 2005 he was awarded the Thomas Merton Award. He was warned of possible excommunication latae sententiaeLatae sententiaeLatæ sententiæ is a Latin term used in the canon law of the Catholic Church meaning literally "given sentence".Officially, a latae sententiae penalty follows automatically, by force of the law itself, when the law is contravened....
following his participation in a women's ordination ceremony in August 2008. - Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno former Maryknoll missionary, Servant of GodServant of GodServant of God is a title given to individuals by various religions, but in general the phrase is used to describe a person believed to be pious in his or her faith tradition. In the Catholic Church, it designates someone who is being investigated by the Church for possibly being recognized as a...
, and Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
winner during the Viet Nam War as a NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ChaplainChaplainTraditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
attached to the US MarinesUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. He did his missionary work in TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Notable schools in Hong Kong which are still managed by the Maryknoll Fathers
1) Maryknoll Secondary School, formerly known as Maryknoll Technical Secondary School, a co-educational secondary school,2) Maryknoll Senior High School, formerly known as Maryknoll Technical Secondary Evening School, a private co-educational evening school, senior forms only,
3) Maryknoll Fathers' School
Maryknoll Fathers' School
Maryknoll Fathers' School is a government-funded school with both primary school and secondary school sections, located in Tai Hang Tung District in New Kowloon, Hong Kong.The medium of instruction is English for the secondary school section.-History:...
secondary section, a co-educational secondary school,
4) Maryknoll Fathers’ School primary section, a co-educational primary school,
5) Bishop Paschang Catholic School, formerly known as Bishop Paschang Memorial School, a co-educational primary school. This school was founded after the late Maryknoller, Bishop Adolph John Paschang
Adolph John Paschang
Bishop Adolph John Paschang was an American Maryknoll Catholic priest, missionary, relief worker and educator working in southern part of China in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
, who had suffered a lot for his mission in China.
Other notable schools in Hong Kong which were founded by the Maryknollers
- Bishop Ford Memorial School, a co-educational primary school. This is the first ever school founded by the Maryknoll Fathers in Hong Kong after the Second World War. It was founded in 1952 after the Maryknoller, Fr. Francis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier FordFrancis Xavier Ford, M.M. was an American Roman Catholic bishop and Maryknoll missionary in China. Because of his torture by the Communist Chinese and death in prison in 1952, he is considered a martyr, and his cause for canonization is pending.-Early life and priesthood:Francis Xavier Ford was...
for his mission in China. This school is now managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
, - Kwun Tong Maryknoll CollegeKwun Tong Maryknoll CollegeKwun Tong Maryknoll College is a Catholic boys' secondary school in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1971. It was established by the Maryknoll Fathers, a society of Catholic priest and brothers which was founded in the United States in 1911...
, a secondary school for boys, now managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
, - Bishop Walsh Primary SchoolBishop Walsh Primary SchoolBishop Walsh Primary School is a primary school in Hong Kong founded by Father John McLoughlin, MM. The School was founded in 1963 by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in Hong Kong. It was named after Bishop James Walsh who was imprisoned by the Communist China at that time in Shanghai...
, a co-educational primary school. This school was founded in 1963 after the Maryknoller, Bishop James Edward WalshJames Walsh (priest)James Edward Walsh was an American Roman Catholic priest and a bishop in China. He was a member of the Maryknoll order, and a missionary in China....
, who had suffered a lot for his mission in China. This school is now managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
, - Maryknoll Mission School, a co-educational primary school in Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, founded in 1953, closed in 1979. Her legacy is inherited by Chai Wan Kok Catholic Primary School and Sham Tseng Catholic Primary School, both now run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong) - St. Patrick’s School, a co-educational primary school, now managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
, - St. Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, formerly PM section of St Patrick’s School, also a co-educational primary school, now managed by the Catholic Diocese of Hong KongCatholic Diocese of Hong KongThe Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong is a Latin Rite ordinary diocese of the Catholic Church headed by Bishop John Tong Hon. Though the bishop is subject to the Roman Pontiff, he is not the vicar of the latter: he governs it in his own name. The diocese takes its name from the see city, the community...
- Marymount Secondary SchoolMarymount Secondary SchoolMarymount Secondary School is a prestigious Roman Catholic girls' secondary school in Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. Her primary school is Marymount Primary School.-History:...
initially known as the Holy Spirit School, then the Maryknoll Sisters’ School, a secondary school for girls founded in 1927. This is the very second school set up by Maryknollers in Hong Kong. - Marymount Primary SchoolMarymount Primary SchoolMarymount Primary School is a primary school currently located on Tai Hang Road, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The secondary school arm is Marymount Secondary School.-History:...
, a primary school for girls, - Maryknoll Convent SchoolMaryknoll Convent SchoolMaryknoll Convent School is a Roman Catholic girls' school with primary and secondary sections at Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. It was founded by the American Maryknoll Sisters in Hong Kong in 1925 at Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. MCS is well-known for its distinguished academic results and school traditions...
, primary and secondary school for girls.
The last three schools were in fact founded by the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, commonly just known as the Maryknoll Sisters
Maryknoll Sisters
The Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, or simply Maryknoll Sisters, are a group of Roman Catholic women religious founded in the Village of Ossining, Westchester County, New York, in 1912, six months after the 1911 creation of the Maryknoll community of missionary brothers and fathers...
. Maryknoll Convent School is still managed by them in Hong Kong. However, sponsorship of the two Marymount schools was transferred to Christian Life Community
Christian life community
The Christian Life Community is an international association of lay Christians who have adopted an Ignatian model of spiritual life. The 'Community' is present in almost sixty countries....
. Nevertheless, these three schools are frequently viewed as members of the Maryknoll family in Hong Kong.
(The first school founded by the Maryknollers in Hong Kong was called St. Louis Industrial School, set up in 1924, run by Brother Albert Staubli. It is no more in existence today.
Likewise, the first school founded by the Maryknollers in China was called St. Thomas School, a primary school in Yangjiang (previously known as Yeungkong) with the first graduation held in July 1923.
The second school founded by the Maryknollers in China was called Sacred Heart School, also a primary school, set up by Fr Bernard F. Meyer in Gaozhou (previously known as Kochow), with inauguration held on 5 Oct 1923. and first graduation in 1926 Fr Adolph John Paschang
Adolph John Paschang
Bishop Adolph John Paschang was an American Maryknoll Catholic priest, missionary, relief worker and educator working in southern part of China in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
once served in this Sacred Heart School in Gaozhou.)
See also
- Catholicism in China
- Catholicism in Japan
- Catholicism in Korea
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Jiangmen
- Bishop Paschang Catholic SchoolBishop Paschang Catholic SchoolBishop Paschang Catholic School is a government aided whole day Roman Catholic coeducational primary school located in Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was founded by the Maryknoll Fathers in 1969...
- Maryknoll Mission School
External links
- Maryknoll official website
- Orbis Books (publishing arm of Maryknoll)
- Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
- Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America statistics regarding Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers; accessed online December 11, 2006.
- Bishop Paschang Catholic School official website