The oldest orphan at Luoding, China, 1935

This is a photograph of "Luoding's oldest orphan caught in a smiling mood. About a year ago this lady was baptized on her death bed by Sister M. Richard. She is 94 years old. Every morning she comes in to hear the six o'clock Mass and stays at the orphanage all day. After night prayers she trots along home. She lives on Joss Stick Street very close to the mission. She made her First Communion last Easter. Fr. Kennelly has anointed her twice but she refuses to die. Mrs. Mary Taam loves the orphans."; Born in New York, Fr. Kennelly came to Maryknoll in 1916 and was hoping to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, a Jesuit, who served many years in Shanghai. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1926 and left for Kongmoon, China, the same year. He began work in the Loting Orphanage and in 1936 considered it a great honor to bring the body of Maryknoll co-founder Rev. Thomas F. Price back to Maryknoll. He returned to Kongmoon in 1937 as Society Superior of that mission and held the role until 1948. The Loting Mission was often bombed or attacked by bandits. His work ended in 1951 in Kongmoon when he was arrested, interrogated and expelled to Hong Kong. In 1951 he started another 25 year career missioned in Hawaii