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Irish Jesuit Mission to Hong Kong, 1926-1966
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Hong Kong Mission

Many Jesuit Provinces had missions in China before 1926 when the Vicar Apostolic of Hong Kong, Fr Henry Valtorta (1883-1953), invited the Irish Jesuits to his vicariate. In October 1926, Frs George Byrne (1879-1962) and John Neary (1889-1983) left Dublin for Hong Kong, which became a Mission for the Irish Province. They were joined, in early 1927, by Fr Daniel Finn (1886-1936) from Australia and later by Frs Richard Gallagher (1887-1960), Patrick Joy (1892-1970) and Daniel MacDonald (1891-1957).

The initial work of the mission concentrated in Hong Kong, with some teaching in Canton and Macao. Their works involved: reviving the Catholic journal, ‘The Rock’; the opening of a hostel (Ricci Hall) for Chinese Catholic students at the University of Hong Kong (1929-); their involvement in the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, Hong Kong (1931-1964), Wah Yan College, Hong Kong (1932-) and Wah Yan College, Kowloon (1952-). Some lecturing occurred in the university, in areas such as archaeology, education, engineering, and geography. In Canton, Frs Michael Saul (1884-1932) and Joseph McCullough (1892-1932) died from cholera. Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation 1941 - 1945. The Irish Jesuits organised a school for refugees from Hong Kong in Macao and the Regional Seminary was also moved to Macao. Wah Yan College was closed in 1941 and reopened in 1945. Fr Thomas Ryan’s account “Jesuits under Fire in the siege of Hong Kong 1941” deals fully with this time.

After World War Two, the Irish Jesuits established a language school, student centre and parish in Canton. They were expelled by the Communists in [1953]. Wah Yan College grew and developed and further works included the foundation of a university hostel at Kingsmead Hall, Singapore and at Xavier Hall, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Other works of note that Irish Jesuits had a hand in establishing and running in Hong Kong include: the Hong Kong Housing Society (1938); Wah Yan Relief Association (1938); Shoeshine Boys Club (1952-1962); the Credit Union Movement (1962); Rehabilitation Centre for the Handicapped (1962); Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (1963); Road Safety Association for Schools (1964); Industrial Relations Institute (1968); Chinese Opera in English (1960s); Fisherman’s Children School (1960s) and Welfare for Police in the Training School. In 1966, Hong Kong became a Jesuit Vice-Province and in 1985, the Province of Macau-Hong Kong was established. Today, Hong Kong is a unit within the Chinese Jesuit Province.

Over a hundred Irish Jesuits have served in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore - 30 of whom are buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Hong Kong and two in mainland China.

Irish Jesuit Mission to Hong Kong, 1926-1966

Letters written by Fr John Neary SJ to Irish Provincial concerning his arrival to Hong Kong and the development of the Mission there

Series of letters written by Fr John Neary SJ to Irish Provincial John Fahy SJ concerning his arrival to Hong Kong and the development of the Mission there

5 December 1926, 3pp
9 December 1926, 3pp
12 December 1926, 4pp
18 December 1926, 5pp
21 December 1926, 3pp
29 December 1926, 3pp
17 February 1927, 1p
26 February 1927, 2pp
1 March 1927, 1p
11 April 1927, 3pp
2 June 1927, 1p

Neary, John J, 1889-1983, Jesuit priest

Photographic album of the Xavier Mission Guild, China

Photographic album with original and copy inserts of scenes from Hong Kong, Canton and China. The copy photographs (seem to be mass-produced and touristic) have numbers in the bottom left hand corner, with white handwritten captions, for example, 'A chair at Hong Kong', while original photographs are often described on reverse with pencil, 'The Seminarians 1926', and underneath in light pencil. The first number of photogrpahs are missing. The album appears to contain a large number of photographs of Franciscans in China and of Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, Inc. (Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers), and some Jesuits. Includes: the consecration of Bishop Valtorta [with the] Band from the Salesian Industrial School, Macao (1926); Fr Crochet SJ and his Chinese flock; Bishop Wittner OFM and his Chinese priests; seminarians of the regional seminary at Tatungtu, Shansi; Fr Netto; Fr Pradel with lepers at Sheklung; Fr Nugent (Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America), Ningpo, Fr Gleeson, Frs Driscoll, Malone and Murphy (Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America). The Irish element to the album may perhaps why it ended up with the Irish Jesuits.

Triennial Documents, 1923 - 1926

Documents for Ireland and Hong Kong.

  • House Histories (Historia Domus);
  • Annual Letters (Litterae Annuae);
  • Lives of those who have died (Summarium vitae defunctorum);
  • Province Accounts (Status temporalis trienalis domorum et arcarum Provinciae);
  • Index of authors and books published by Ours (Index auctorem et librorum a Nostris editorum).

Photographs of Fr Richard Gallagher SJ on his voyage to Hong Kong and photographs of Hong Kong

Black and white photographs of Fr Richard Gallagher SJ on his voyage to China and photographs of China.

  • 'Shadow of 'Mongolia' on bank of Canal (Suez) about 7.30', 5 October 1927;
  • 'Monsoon in China Sea', 20 October 1927;
  • 'Cecilia, Two [ ] The Coolie is wearing a mackintosh D' [1928] - [1938];
  • Fr Richard Gallagher SJ at his desk [1928] - [1938];
  • Fr Richard Gallagher SJ in Ireland [1945]-[1947];
  • 'Left to right standing - Father H. Morris, Con Lynch, M O'Flanagan, Mosignir Collins, Monsignir Crowley. Seated Fr Michael Sheehy, Fr Tom Lynch';
  • 'At a party given for Fr Dick by two lawyer friends' [1950] - [1962];

Letters from Fr Daniel J Finn SJ to Irish Fr Provincial concerning his voyage to China, the early years of the Chinese mission and his work in the mission

A file of letters from Fr Daniel J Finn SJ to Irish Fr Provincial concerning his voyage to China, the early years of the Chinese mission and his work in the mission. Includes a letter describing the difficulties he has encountered in learning Chinese (8 April 1927, 6pp). Includes a description of a visit to a mission in Shiuhing (9 May 1927, 14pp). Includes a letter discussing the staffing needs for the Hostel attached to Hong Kong University (17 May 1927, 8pp). Includes a letter describing the move to the Sacred Heart College Canton, China. Describes how they are settling in (9 September 1928, 8pp).

Finn, Daniel J, 1886-1936, Jesuit priest

Material relating the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, Hong Kong

  • IE IJA MSSN/HONG/22
  • File
  • 11 November 1927 - 18 March 1957; 20 October 1981
  • Part of Irish Jesuit Missions

A file relating to the Regional Seminary, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. Includes documents relating to the establishment of the Regional Seminary, finances, annual report detailing the opening of the Seminary in 1931 (24 January 1933, 6pp). Includes letters relating to the Terna for the Rector of the Seminary (12 - 15 April 1937, 5 items and 30 June 1937 - 2 July 1937, 7 items).

South China Regional Seminary, 1931-

Fr Thomas Fleming SJ

  • IE IJA J/498
  • File
  • 2 November 1930 - 5 March 1988
  • Part of Irish Jesuits

Correspondence between Thomas Fleming and his Irish Fr Provincials during his professional life in China and in Australia.

Fleming, Thomas, 1897-1988, Jesuit priest

Mission material relating to Fr Patrick Howatson SJ

  • IE IJA J/721/1
  • File
  • 1932 - 25 September 1972
  • Part of Irish Jesuits

Mission material relating to Fr Patrick Howatson SJ. Includes passport; mortuary card; announcement of death; requiem; and correspondence between Fr Howatson and Frs. Thomas J. Martin and Vincent Murphy, Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin and his sister, Helen Clarke, Tralee, County Kerry and Fr Martin.

Invitation to the Jesuit Mission to take over the administration of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong

A file relating to an invitation to the Jesuit Mission to take over the administration of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong. The College was started by a Chinese Catholic as a secondary day-school. Includes letters from the mission consultors to Irish Fr Provincial concerning the proposal.

Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, 1919-

Material on Wah Yan College, Hong Kong - salaries of lay masters, purchase of school buildings, finances of the college

A file relating to Wah Yan College, Hong Kong and Wah Yan College, Kowloon. Includes minutes relating to the salaries of lay masters and the purchase of school buildings in Wah Yan, finances of the college. Includes a relatio as to the advisability or otherwise of admitting Portuguese or European students in to Wah Yan College by Fr Richard Gallagher SJ, Vice-Rector ([1933], 6pp). Includes a general memorial of visitation (1936, 3pp).

Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, 1919-

Article by Fr Gerald Kennedy SJ on China

A file relating to an article by Fr Gerald Kennedy SJ on China. Includes the MS of the article (92pp) and censor's reports on the article - relates to Fr Kennesy's voyage to Hong Kong,and travelogue about Rotterdam, Germany, Colombo and Manila.

Kennedy, Gerald L, 1889-1949, Jesuit priest and medical doctor

Letters from Fr Gerald L Kennedy SJ to Irish Fr Provincial concerning his work in Hong Kong

A file of letters from Fr Gerald L Kennedy SJ to Irish Fr Provincial concerning his work in Hong Kong. Includes a letter concerning his voyage home. Remarks 'Just a line to tell you that Frs Fitzgerald, Gallagher and myself are ploughing our way through the Gulf of Aden on our way home after 3½ years of hunger and deprivation…' Discusses the other Jesuits still in Hong Kong (24 October 1945, 2pp).

Kennedy, Gerald L, 1889-1949, Jesuit priest and medical doctor

Triennial Documents, 1930 - 1933

Documents for:

  • First Catalogue (Catalogus Personarum Primus)
  • Second Catalogue (Catalogus Personarum Secundus)
  • Annual Letters (Litterae Annuae)
  • Lives of those who have died (Summarium vitae defunctorum)
  • Index of authors and books published by Ours (Index auctorem et librorum a Nostris editorum)
  • Lists of admissions to the Novitiate, (Elenchi Triennales Admissorum in First and Final Vows, etc noviciatum, Admissorum ad Vota Prima et Ultima)
  • Catalogue of journals , periodicals (Catalogus ephemeridum et and school annuals.libellorum periodicorum)
  • Supplement to First and Second Catalogue (Supplementum Triennale ad Catalogum Personarum Primum & Secundum)

File relating to the publication 'The Rock'

  • IE IJA MSSN/HONG/165
  • File
  • 4 February 1934 - 26 November 1939; 22 April 1946
  • Part of Irish Jesuit Missions

A file relating to the publication 'The Rock'. Includes financial details of the publication and letters relating to the political nature of some of the articles.

Correspondence of bequests made to Father Provincial regarding the Hong Kong and China missions

A file relating to correspondence of bequests made to Irish Fr Provincial regarding the Hong Kong and China missions.

  • Perpetual burse in memory of Fr WM. Doyle SJ in the new seminary in Hong Kong (1936);
  • Perpetual burse in memory of Fr Walsh SJ in Hong Kong (1936);
  • Memorial burse in memory of Fr Fegan SJ in China (1936);
  • List of burse money for the education of Chinese Jesuits (13 September 1940);
  • Statement of accounts for quarter the Ricci Mission Unit (1 July - 30 September 1943).

Material relating to the Irish Jesuit Mission Office (The Ricci Mission Unit) based in Ireland

A file relating to the Irish Jesuit Mission Office (The Ricci Mission Unit) based in Ireland. The file contains financial information (accounts, donations and burses) relating to the Hong Kong mission, letters by Fr Thomas Martin SJ, relating to the administration of the Hong Kong mission and personnel/volunteers for the mission.

Ricci Mission Unit, Tullamore, County Offaly, 1928-

Correspondence between Fr Eddie Bourke SJ and Bishop Valtorta concerning the issuing of an order that the Irish Jesuit Fathers are to wear a soutane in public

A file of correspondence between Fr Eddie Bourke SJ, Wah Yan College, Hong Kong and Bishop Valtorta concerning the issuing of an order that the Irish Jesuit Fathers are to wear a soutane in public. Fr Bourke's letters urge the Bishop to reconsider. Outlines his reasons for this request (1946). Question already arose in 1935.

Bourke, Edward, 1895-1985, Jesuit priest

Letter from the Internuncio Apostolic in China concerning the possibility of establishing a Catholic University in Canton under the direction of the Jesuit Fathers

Copy of a letter from the Internuncio Apostolic in China concerning the possibility of establishing a Catholic University in Canton under the direction of the Jesuit Fathers. Expresses his pleasure at the enlargement of the Jesuit Language School in Hong Kong.

'Dawning Day', compiled by the Juniors in Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin

Bound volumes entitled 'Dawning Day', compiled by the Juniors in Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin containing articles, poems and songs on the various missions - China, India and Australia. Binding is loose on 'Dawning Day', 10th edition. Includes photographs of Frs Edward Bourke, Gerald Kennedy and George Byrne, Mr Richard Harris, Mr John Moran, Wah Yan College, the graves of Frs Saul and McCullough.

Triennial Documents, 1933 - 1936

Documents for:

  • Second Catalogue (Catalogus Personarum Secundus);
  • Annual Letters (Litterae Annuae);
  • Catalogue of those apt for governing (Catalogus Aptorum ad Gubernandum);
  • Lives of those who have died (Summarium vitae defunctorum) et arcarum Provinciae);
  • Index of authors and books published by Ours(Index auctorem et librorum a Nostris editorum);
  • Examples of Deeds (Exemplar Contractus Perpetui);
  • Supplement to First and Second Catalogue (Supplementum Triennale ad Catalogum Personarum Primum & Secundum).

Photographs of the Hong Kong mission by Fr Donald Lawler SJ

  • IE IJA J/229/2
  • File
  • [1936]-[1938]; [1950]-[1955]
  • Part of Irish Jesuits

Photographs of the Hong Kong mission. Includes group photos of the community at Loyola House. Included in those present are Fr Donald Lawler SJ, Fr Chambers OFM, Fr D’yalla (Milan Mission) and Mr Basto (Architect of “Loyola”). Also includes group photos of schoolboys.

Letters relating to visitors to the Chinese/Hong Kong mission

A file relating to visitors to the Chinese/Hong Kong mission. The letters relate to the administration of the mission and the Jesuits working in the mission. Includes a copy of a letter from the Superior of the mission Fr Thomas F Ryan SJ to Fr Visitor, Fr Burkhardt SJ concerning the mission in light of the communist occupation of the neighbouring provinces of China. Describes the effects of this occupation on the work of the mission (15 January 1950, 11pp).

Photographs of Hong Kong missionaries

  • IE IJA MSSN/HONG/102
  • File
  • 1 December 1 December 1938 - 12 January 1939; 1946 - 1948
  • Part of Irish Jesuit Missions

Photographs of Hong Kong missionaries. Most of the individuals are identified. Inlcudes a letter from Br E Connolly, Secretaritus Missionum, Borgo S. Spirito, Roma, Italy to Fr John Coyne SJ, St Francis Xavier's, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin enclosing a list of photograph in their archives of missionaries on the Hong Kong mision.

Includes photograph of visit of Fr General Pedro Arrupe SJ to Wah Yan College

Letter from M. Belhumeur SJ, Zi-Ka-Wei, Suchow Vicariate, French Mission to two fellow French Jesuit scholastics, Labonté SJ and Bouchard SJ

Letter from M. Belhumeur SJ, Zi-Ka-Wei, Suchow Vicariate, French Mission to two fellow French Jesuit scholastics, Labonté SJ and Bouchard SJ concerning his impressions and memories of his ordination and first ministry. Includes a photograph of the church and residence at Suchow and a map of the Suchow Vicariate.

Letters to the Irish Provincial on various matters

Letters to the Irish Provincial on various matters. Includes letters concerning:

  • Polish scholastics coming to Ireland to study;
  • the censuring individual scholastics;
  • financial matters of the late Fr Henry Browne SJ;
  • the taking of villas during wartime;
  • a report on Irish theologians in Hong Kong;
  • the question of censorship of various publications (See also ADMN/3/1 and 23);
  • the question of Jesuit support for the Catholic Association for International Relations;
  • a proposal by Fr Patrick J Connolly SJ to open a Jesuit school in Dartry;
  • the Secret Instruction of the Holy See: Normae Quaedam De Agendi Ratione Confessariorum Circa VI Decalogi Praeceptum;
  • the prohibition of female characters in plays produced by scholastics;
  • comments on Director’s Service from Sodality reports of summer 1944 (See also ADMN/3/65 and 74);
  • the publication of a book entitled Selected Writings of Father Ledochowski (See also ADMN/3/44);
  • an invitation to the Irish Fr Provincial to the inauguration of President Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh (see also ADMN/3/43 and 76) in June 1945, signed by Taoiseach Éamon de Valera;
  • relations with the Confederación Nacional de Congregaciones Marians;
  • the proposal to purchase Crawfordsburn Estate, County Down (see also ADMN/3/6);
  • the Chair of Education in University College, Dublin and
  • some suggestions about choirs in the Province.

Material relating to the Irish Jesuit priests working in Hong Kong during the Second World War and the Japanese occupation of the city

A file relating to the fate of the Irish Jesuit priests working in Hong Kong during the Second World War and the Japanese occupation of the city. Includes returned letters to Irish Fr Provincial marked 'No Service Return to Sender'. Includes letters from family members asking for news or reporting to Irish Fr Provincial on letters received by them. Includes letters from other individuals seeking news about non Jesuit family members. Includes a copy of a request by Irish Fr Provincial John R. MacMahon SJ to Joseph P. Walshe, Department of External Affairs seeking help in assisting four Jesuit students to return home to Ireland (23 March 1943, 1p). Includes a reply stating that a proposed scheme to exchange civilian internees applies only to British or Allied subjects (12 May 1943, 1p). Includes a memorandum written by Fr Joy on Irish nationals in Hong Kong. The memorandum was sent by Irish Fr Provincial to the Irish Red Cross (24 October 1942, 2pp). Includes letters concerning Irish Jesuits who left Hong Kong to live and work in India during the war and subsequent return to Hong Kong when the war was over. Includes 'A Priest in a Japanese Jail' by Fr Gerard Casey SJ (1948)

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