Maryknoll priests at Hong Kong, China, 1939

This is a photograph of Frs. Joseph McDonald, Lawrence Conley, Charles Murphy [Scarboro Mission], Peter Reilly, Cyril Hirst and Steve Edmonds before the war with three teachers [seated].; Rev. McDonald was born in Dorchester, MA. He entered Maryknoll in 1933 and was ordained in 1940. He was then assigned to Wuchow, South China where he remained until a home leave in 1948, shortly after which he returned to China. He was arrested in 1951, and after an ordeal that damaged his health, he was expelled to the U.S. Afterwards, he was assigned to Taiwan. -- Born in Massachusetts, Rev. Conley came to Maryknoll in 1929 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1940. He departed that summer for Kongmoon. After completing his language courses in Hong Kong he was assigned to Kochow as assistant. He served in a similar capacity at Hoingnan and Lungwoh. He was transferred to Toishan City during the war and headed the refugee committee of that area. His principal work there was the establishment of a home for refugee boys. In carrying out relief work an accident occurred that led to his death. When he died the Chinese papers of Toishan published elaborate eulogies of Fr. Conley who so generously came to the aid of their poor. -- Born in Massachusetts, Fr. Reilly came to Maryknoll in 1933 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1940. Following ordination Fr. Reilly was assigned to Wuchow in South China. He served there behind the Japanese occupation lines throughout World War II. He was Vicar General of the Wuchow Vicariate and was assisted by his close friend Bishop Frederick Donaghy in establishing the first Kwangsi Catholic mission school called Sacred Heart Primary School. He avoided imprisonment by the Communists and eventually left China for Hong Kong in 1952. For the next 41 years he worked in Hong Kong setting up clinics, domestic industries, welfare projects, food distribution among the many refugees. He built several churches and academic institutions in this area