N.B. The Passionist China Collection (PCC) is now permanently housed at the Ricci Institute, following a digitization project under the direction of the PCC Archivist, Fr. Robert Carbonneau, C.P. As per agreement, the Ricci Institute is an official repository and retains a digital copy of the archives and indexes which may be consulted on-site by interested scholars. All rights are maintained by the Passionists and permission is required before publication.

The Passionist China Collection (PCC) is an area subset of the Archives Collection, Records of the Congregation of the Passion, St. Paul of the Cross Province. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Yuanling 沅陵 (Latin: Iuen-Iuimensis; Apostolic Prefecture of Chenzhou 辰州 from the Vicariate Apostolic of Changde 常德 (March 13, 1925); V.A. Chenzhou 辰州 (May 28, 1934); renamed V.A. Yuanling 沅陵 (Dec.10, 1934); Diocese of Yuanling 沅陵 (April 11, 1946).

See Passionist Historical Archives page

Go to PCC collection

The Passionists, a Roman Catholic religious congregation of priests and brothers, were sent to Hunan, China by the Propaganda Fide in Rome. Beginning in 1921 as the singular mission of St. Paul of the Cross Province, Union City, New Jersey, in 1923 Passionists from Holy Cross Province, Chicago, Illinois, also contributed personnel and resources. A total of 80 Passionists were assigned to China. The last Passionist was expelled in 1955.

Primary evangelization occurred in the Diocese of Yuanling 沅陵 in West Hunan under the leadership of Passionist Bishop Cuthbert O'Gara with secondary locations in Hankou and Peiping (Beijing). Also serving in the Yuanling Diocese were the Sisters of Charity of Convent Station, New Jersey; the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, Pennsylvania; the Grey Nuns of Ontario, Canada; the Sisters of Charity (Hungary); and the Sisters of Notre Dame (Kalocsa, Hungary).

The Collection consists of:
1. Missionary Correspondence (1921-1955). 16 linear feet. Descriptions and comments on evangelization, daily life, social and political realities shared with Passionist leadership and benefactors. Includes background on the 1929 murders of Passionist Fathers Walter Coveyou, Godfrey Holbein and Clement Seybold.

2. Mission Administrative Records (1921-1980) 8.8 linear feet. Contains documentation on financial and business operations, Hunan baptismal records, telegrams, property deeds, annual reports, press releases, public relations pamphlets, and visitation reports. A small portion of this collection describes the post-1956 period.

3. Sources on individual missionaries. 16 linear feet. Most notable is the handwritten diary of Father Cormac Shanahan’s 1944 trip to Yan'an to interview Mao Zedong, and material on the imprisonment of Bishop O'Gara (1951-1953) and Fathers Justin Garvey and Marcellus White (1953-1955). China coverage found in the The Sign Magazine (1922-1955). Documentation on women religious. 2 linear feet.

4. Black and white photos from 1921-1950s offers a view of the Hunan mission and the Yangzi River Valley. 13 linear feet.

Archival specialist: Fr. Robert Carbonneau, C.P.