This is a photograph of Fr. Gerard Donovan saying mass at the Xinbin Chapel. Present in the church are people of the village kneeling in prayer. The view is toward the altar of the chapel. Born in Pennsylvania, Fr. Donovan was one of three brothers to come to Maryknoll. He was ordained in 1928 and was assigned to Wuchow, South China. Illness brought him to the United States where he taught latin and mathematics. In 1931 he was assigned to Fushun, Manchuria. In 1937 he was captured in his parish church by bandits. The Japanese officials, Chinese people and the American Consul made every effort to bring about the release of Fr. Donovan. His frozen remains were found about a mile and a half from the town of Huai-Jen. He had been strangled. His body was returned to Maryknoll for burial.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
