Recently, the Archives created an exhibit in the Maryknoll Seminary Building highlighting moments in a day in the life of Maryknoll missioners. Originally displayed in the fall of 2019, here we look back and see how a few Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, Maryknoll Sisters, and Maryknoll Lay Missioners spent time in their missions. Click on the photos to enlarge and view their captions.
7:00 AM “The Cardinal [Gilroy] and Pilgrims arrived by train at 6:30 AM [for the beginning of the 400th anniversary celebration of St. Francis Xavier’s arrival in Japan]… His Eminence the Cardinal came directly to St. Francis Church for his Mass which started at 7 o’clock. The church was packed full and there were many communions. The relic of St. Francis Xavier (his forearm) brought by the pilgrims from Rome was exposed for veneration in the church all day and was later carried in the procession.”
St. Francis Church Diary, Kyoto, Japan
June 4, 1949
9:00 AM “St. Anthony’s School opened with a boom! Sr. Marie Aimee’s office was invaded by those who will put registration off till the first day of school, and Sister says that the moving of her none-too-steady desk by customers almost made her seasick. There must have been 150 new faces in our school yard this morning.”
St. Anthony Convent Diary, Kalihi Kai, Honolulu, Hawaii
September 3, 1937
12:00 PM “With a year under our belt in Bolivia, some things are becoming easier for us, mainly in the area of communication. For example, Jason will probably not make the same mistake of ordering three ‘stomach of pig’ plates for lunch as he did last year while expecting to feast on sausages with friends…”
Newsletter from Lay Missioners Felicia and Jason Gehrig, Bolivia
March 2001
3:00 PM “After class I played soccer with the kids. Once again, it was a total learning experience. I am so used to communicating on the soccer court with my voice! ‘Pass it, cross it, shoot, get back on defense, I will cover him, you cover her, etc. etc.’ It was like nothing I had experienced before. The hardest part was that I couldn’t encourage my teammates or give them support. Smiles and pats on the back were the best I could do. But, I did play decently, and they invited me back.”
Lay Missioner Marybeth Gallagher, Language School, Cochabamba, Bolivia
March 7, 1997
5:00 PM “We enjoyed our first outdoor supper this evening on a terraced area just outside the combination refectory-community room. It proved more enjoyable than we had anticipated. For with the bright lights beaming in the refectory – all flying animals from a 5 mile radius congregated in the room. This left us quite free and [undisturbed] just beyond the door out in the dark evening.”
Morogoro Convent Diary, Tanzania
November 1, 1957
8:00 PM “Once a year the Irish Jesuit Fathers usually have what has come to be known as ‘The Maryknoll Night’ at their Wah Yan College up on Robison Road. They invite Jesuits from all their places here in the Colony – and a number of Maryknollers here in the house. Fathers William P. Mulcahy, James F. Smith, William J. Downs, Maurice F. Ahern, Paul J. Duchesne, and Albert V. Fedders attended this year and enjoyed a fine dinner followed by a good movie. Everything went well until we went home. Father Duchesne thought Father Smith was in Father Ahern’s car [and] Fr. Ahern thought he was in Father Duchesne’s. So Father Smith came home by taxi. Nice way to treat the new Society Superior!”
Stanley House Diary, Hong Kong
July 20, 1953
