Raymond Aloysius Lane
Encyclopedia
Raymond Aloysius Lane, M.M.
(January 2, 1894—July 31, 1974) was an American
Roman Catholic
missionary
. He served as Bishop of Fushun (1946) and Superior General
of Maryknoll Fathers
(1946-1956).
, Massachusetts
, to Michael and Anastasia (née Doyle) Lane. After graduating from St. John's Preparatory School in Danvers
, he declined a chance to enter West Point
and turned away from business (with the Rexall
drug chain) to become a priest
. He then entered Maryknoll
Preparatory Seminary in Scranton
, Pennsylvania
, making his profession
in 1913. He was later ordained
to the priesthood on February 8, 1920.
Lane served as general procurator of the Maryknoll Fathers for some years before being assigned to Hong Kong
in 1923. From 1925 to 1929, he was the first superior
of the Maryknoll mission in Manchuria
. He served as rector
of the Maryknoll Seminary in New York
(1929-1932) before returning to China
as Prefect Apostolic
of Fushun
on April 14, 1932. On February 13, 1940, Lane was appointed Vicar Apostolic
of Fushun and Titular Bishop
of Hypæpa
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal
consecration
on the following June 11 from Bishop James Edward Walsh, M.M., with Bishops Joseph Edward McCarthy
and Richard Cushing serving as co-consecrators
. After Pearl Harbor attack
in 1941, he was interned by the Japan
ese authorities in Fushun.
When his vicariate was elevated to the rank of a diocese
, Lane was named the first Bishop of Fushun on April 11, 1946. Shortly afterwards, he was elected Superior General
of the Maryknoll Fathers on August 7 of that year. His tenure led to the greatest expansion at home and abroad for Maryknoll. In 1953 he earned the peace award from the Catholic Association for International Peace
. After ten years as superior general, he resigned on August 6, 1956.
Lane later died at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco
, California
, aged 80.
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
(January 2, 1894—July 31, 1974) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
. He served as Bishop of Fushun (1946) and Superior General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of Maryknoll Fathers
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
(1946-1956).
Biography
Raymond Lane was born in LawrenceLawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, to Michael and Anastasia (née Doyle) Lane. After graduating from St. John's Preparatory School in Danvers
Danvers
-Places:In Canada* Danvers, Nova ScotiaIn the United States of America* Danvers, Illinois* Danvers, Massachusetts* Danvers State Hospital* Danvers, Minnesota- People :* Alicia D'Anvers , British female poet...
, he declined a chance to enter West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
and turned away from business (with the Rexall
Rexall
Rexall was a chain of North American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977...
drug chain) to become a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. He then entered Maryknoll
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
Preparatory Seminary in Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, making his profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
in 1913. He was later ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood on February 8, 1920.
Lane served as general procurator of the Maryknoll Fathers for some years before being assigned to 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...
in 1923. From 1925 to 1929, he was the first superior
Superior (hierarchy)
In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another , and thus closer to the apex. It is often used in business terminology to refer to people who are supervisors and in the military to people who are higher in the...
of the Maryknoll mission in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. He served as rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Maryknoll Seminary in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1929-1932) before returning to 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...
as Prefect Apostolic
Apostolic prefect
An apostolic prefect is a priest who heads what is known as an apostolic prefecture, a missionary area where the Catholic Church is not yet sufficiently developed to have it made a diocese....
of Fushun
Fushun
Fushun is a city in Liaoning, China, about 45 km east from Shenyang, with a population about 2,138 090 inhabitants at the 2010 census and an area of 11,271 km2, including 713 km2 of the city proper. Fushun is situated on the Hun He . It was formerly called Fouchouen in French...
on April 14, 1932. On February 13, 1940, Lane was appointed Vicar Apostolic
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
of Fushun and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Hypæpa
Hypæpa
Hypæpa or Hypaepa was a city in Lydia, on the southern slope of the Tmolus, looking towards the plain of Caystrus. The goddess Artemis Persica was worshipped there, and its women were noted for their beauty and their skill in dancing. It coined its own money until the time of Emperor Gordianus....
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
consecration
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on the following June 11 from Bishop James Edward Walsh, M.M., with Bishops Joseph Edward McCarthy
Joseph Edward McCarthy
Joseph Edward McCarthy was the sixth Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland .McCarthy was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and was a childhood friend of Bishop John Murray. After attending Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, he was ordained to the priesthood on July 4, 1903. He then taught...
and Richard Cushing serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. After Pearl Harbor attack
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
in 1941, he was interned by the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese authorities in Fushun.
When his vicariate was elevated to the rank of a diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, Lane was named the first Bishop of Fushun on April 11, 1946. Shortly afterwards, he was elected Superior General
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Maryknoll Fathers on August 7 of that year. His tenure led to the greatest expansion at home and abroad for Maryknoll. In 1953 he earned the peace award from the Catholic Association for International Peace
Catholic Association for International Peace
The Catholic Association for International Peace was founded in 1927 by John A. Ryan. It based its opposition to war on the traditional just war doctrine.-Opposition to the Vietnam War :...
. After ten years as superior general, he resigned on August 6, 1956.
Lane later died at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, aged 80.