ON THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH
13TH JULY 2013
AT
THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST. COLUMBAN
DALGAN PARK
NAVAN
The Cullen family gathered at the Missionary Society of St. Columban, Dalgan Park, Navan on Saturday 13th July 2013 to take part in a special mass to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the death in China of Father Charles Cullen, and to remember and pay tribute to their uncle.
Nephews, Nieces and Great-Niece at Dalgan Park
Back Row : Leo Cullen, Angela Murphy, Clare McDermott, Anne Breckenridge,
Kathleen McElvogue, Sean Doyle
Front Row : Liam McElvogue, Maureen Rooney, Vic Cullen, Siobhan McDermott
Father Charles was one of the first 19 students of the new mission when the college opened on 29th January 1918 at Shrule, Co. Galway. Ordained on 5th June 1921, he left Cove for New York on 8th September 1921 where he travelled within the U.S.A. preaching and fundraising for the cause before setting sail on 26th November 1921 from Seattle – one of the second group of priests to arrive in Hanyang China, the vicariate allocated to the Missionary Society of St. Columban by the Vatican.
Fr. Charles Cullen
After seven weeks of intensive study of Chinese, Father Charles was sent to his mission station of Ko Cha Dzae. From here he carried out his ministry, sometimes in the outlying districts and sometimes in other stations to cover for absent priests, until his untimely death through illness on 23rd July 1923. He was just 27 years old, and the first Columban Missionary to die in the field. Some say that he is also the first Irishman of any order to die in China.
The political turmoil in China resulted in the last missionaries being expelled in 1954. As time went on churches were destroyed or taken over for other purposes; Chinese characters were modernised, and the names of many villages were changed – Ko Cha Dzae disappeared from view. Throughout this time Father Charles lay in his lonely grave, lost, but never forgotten.
Through the efforts of Father Dan Troy based at the China Mission Unit, and the generosity of the Missionary Society of St. Columban, Father Charles’ grave was re-located last year and a plaque in his memory was sited in the village just prior to the commemoration.
Memorial Plaque at Ko Cha Dzae – now Bai Guo Shu
Father Neil Collins was the principal celebrant of the mass, assisted by Fathers Gerry Neylon and John McGrath of the China Mission Unit.
The family were joined by priests of the Mission Society, and organist Philomena Boylan-Stewart accompanied the singing of hymns “Colours of the Day”, “Praise to the Lord”, “Love is his Word”, and “How Lovely on the Mountains”. The mass readings were based on Father Charles’ “Souvenir of my Ordination to Priesthood”.
Anne Breckenridge read from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:35-38 and Angela Murphy sang the 109th psalm; Father Collins read the words from the holy gospel according to Matthew used by Father Charles :
“And everyone who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall possess life everlasting”.
In place of “Prayers for the Faithful” Leo Cullen, Angela Murphy and Kathleen McElvogue -representing the family – spoke about the uncle they had never known but who always held a special place within the family. They talked about their childhood memories – particularly Father Charles’ photograph which always held pride of place at the Cullen family home at Ballymaghery – and their pleasure in learning more about the tragically short but eventful life of their uncle.
After lunch the family was given a guided tour by Father Collins through the history gallery of the Mission Society, then watched the film “The Cross and the Dragon”, the first ever Columban film made by Father Richard Ranaghan from footage taken in China between 1920 and 1924 and with sound – including sacred songs by Bing Crosby – added in 1936. It was a very moving experience to see the China in which Father Charles lived and died, and to catch two brief glimpses of him arriving in China, and later at his mission station of Ko Cha Dzae. Afterwards Father Collins spoke more to the family about Father Charles and his work for the Missionary Society of St. Columban.
The day concluded with a visit to the cemetery and the commemorative wall plaque where Father Charles’ name is recorded.
This was a very special day for the Cullen family, and grateful thanks are extended to the Missionary Society of St. Columban – and especially to Father Neil Collins – for making this tribute to Father Charles a truly memorable occasion.
The Extended Family and Friends
Back Row : Angela Murphy, Father Gerry Neylon, Carol Noble, Robin Breckenridge, Gerry Curran
Middle Row : Leo Cullen, Clare McDermott, Anne Breckenridge, Maria Cullen, Siobhan McDermott, Kathleen McElvogue, Father Neil Collins, Sean Doyle
Front Row : Liam McElvogue, Maureen Rooney, Sheila Kearney, John Rooney