A photograph of Maryknoll Fathers and the first Maryknoll Sisters in China. Top [left to right] Frs. Cairns, Meehan, Hodgins, Bro. Albert, Frs. Donavan, Dietz, Murray, Wiseman, Sweeney, Taggart, McKenna and Srs. Foehlich, Sheridan and Moffatt. Bottom [left to right] Frs. Vogel, O'Shea, Meyer, McShane, Ford and Srs. McKenna, Leifels and Foley. Fr. Cairns was born in Glasgow, Scotland and became a Maryknoll Missionary in 1918 at the age of thirty-four. He spent many years in China in Yeung Kong [now Yang-Chiang], Fachow [now Fahsien] and eventually Sancian Island. During WWII he was captured by the Japanese on Sancian Island and killed. His presumed date of death is December 14, 1941. -- Born in Iowa, Fr. Meyer was studying for the diocesan priesthood when he heard about Maryknoll and wrote to Fr. James Anthony Walsh in 1914. As a deacon at Maryknoll he became procurator of the Seminary and member of the first Maryknoll governing council. In 1918 he became one of the pioneer departure group to open Maryknoll's first mission in Kongmoon, South China. He spent many years in China but was finally forced to leave by the Communists in 1950. -- Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bishop Ford was the first student to enter the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 5, 1917 and the following year he accompanied Fathers Price, Meyer and James E. Walsh to China. They began working in Yeungkong and the Kongmoon territory of South China. In 1925, Fr. Ford was assigned to the Kaying diocese. Ten years later, in 1935, Bishop James Anthony Walsh, founder of Maryknoll, consecrated Msgr. Francis Ford as the first Bishop of Kaying. He remained in China throughout World War II. In 1950 Bishop Ford was placed under arrest with his secretary Sr. Joan Marie, MM, placed on trial and sentenced to prison. After a year in prison, Bishop Ford died on February 21, 1952. Sr. Joan Marie confirmed his death when she was released the following September. -- Born in Connecticut, Fr. Sweeney entered Maryknoll in 1915 and was ordained to the priesthood on February 8, 1920. In 1921 he was assigned to China. In 1924 he transferred to Korea and in 1927 to Fushun, Manchuria. In 1932 he returned to China. He established a leper colony in Kongmoon. He was interned by the Communists, released in 195 Rev. O'Shea was born in Greenwich Village, New York City. He entered Maryknoll, as its third student, in 1913. He was ordained in 1917. He was assigned to Kochow and later to Wuchow. In 1924 he became Maryknoll procurator in Hong Kong. He later served in various offices in Maryknoll in the U.S. and was later ordained bishop, and appointed Vicar Apostolic of Peng Yang, Korea.
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