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Page 34 March 2018 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
1930
by James Rada, Jr.
Daughters of Charity Escape China
The Daughters of Charity went Courtesy Photo safety, while still helping those the
to China in the early 20th century sisters had been sent to serve.
to care for the sick and needy and While this group was on the run,
to spread the word of God. five French Daughters of Charity
China experienced wars and were captured in October and held
unrest during the first half of the prisoner until Christmas, before
20th century, with the rise of they were freed.
Communism; the Nationalist Party; As the American sisters moved
and Chiang Kai-shek, China’s about the countryside, they were
leader for nearly half a century. joined by two additional sisters,
The Daughters of Charity and they were sometimes able
opened a hospital in Kan Chow in to wear their habits. When they
1923 and one in Taiwo in 1928. did, they had to travel in sedan
From that point on, they did their chairs with the curtains closed.
best to care for all those they could. “Eventually, they finally returned
Their operation was funded by to their hospitals, despite the
contributions from other Daughters warnings, and against the wishes of
of Charity houses. The sisters did friends, in the garb of their order,”
not interfere in politics and were the Gettysburg Times reported.
allowed to operate their hospitals. They intended to resume their
That changed in 1930. A pistol battalion of the Northwest Army during the Central Plains War in China. work, but the hospitals were in
The Central Plains War broke ruins. “Everything in the two
out in China between the Chiang hospitals had been destroyed,
Kai-shek’s Nationalist government, Father Leon Cahill in Ganzhou lunch, which had been prepared except two pictures hanging on the
which had come to power in 1928, warned the sisters of a coming already, uneaten. wall of a small office in the hospital
and several regional military attack by bandits on March 15, “Donning the garb of Chinese at Kan Chow,” according to the
commanders who challenged the 1930. They made an escape plan, coolies and guided by a faithful newspaper.
government’s legitimacy. The prayed they wouldn’t need it, and servant, they were escorted to the At this point, it was decided to
war eventually involved a million continued their work. Then, on distant home of a Christian,” the bring the sisters back to the United
Chinese soldiers, of which three March 20, word came that the Gettysburg Times reported. Their States. The eight sisters left on
hundred thousand were casualties. bandits were nearing. The hospital habits were hidden in rice bins. The December 26, 1930. The Daughters
This does not even consider the staff dropped what they were group was made up of six sisters, of Charity were Sister Vincent
number of civilian casualties. doing, which included leaving their three Catholic priests, two servants, Louise DeLude, Sister Anselma
and a French bishop. Jarboe, Sister Helena Lucas,
They were only able to stay at Sister Emily Kolb, Sister Eugenia
the house for a short time, though, Beggs, Sister Pauline Strable, Sister
because too many people knew Catherine O’Neill, and Sister Clara
where the sisters had gone. Under Groell. They had spent nine months
cover of darkness, they were taken as fugitives because they had
to the house of a pagan, who wanted to help the sick and poor.
allowed them to stay in a hidden The sisters in Emmitsburg spent
room. days preparing a welcome for
The Communists, who by then Sisters Helena and Clara, who were
must have been frustrated by the the only ones who returned to the
Catholic group’s escape, offered motherhouse in Emmitsburg. The
a $200 reward for each sister or others returned to other Daughters
priest brought to them. Out of a of Charity houses.
fear that they might be betrayed, Sister Anselma and Sister
the friends of the sisters led the Clara returned to serve in China
group to a third location, where from 1936 to 1951. Sister Emily
they were able to rest for a few and Sister Vincent returned to
days. China from 1936 to 1952. Sister
Then began a long journey Catherine returned to China from
across China to try and reach 1932 to 1952.
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