Cuthbert O'GARA [1886-1968]

Submitted by brian edgar on Thu, 03/26/2015 - 17:02
Names
Given
Cuthbert
Family
o'Gara
Sex
Male
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
Birthplace (town, state)
Ottawa, Ontario
Birthplace (country)
Canada
Died
Date

Cuthbert O'Gara, the son of a judge, took vows as a (Roman Catholic) Passionist in 1914 and was ordained a priest in 1915. He taught theology in the USA until 1924 when he was sent to China and after a misunderstanding ended up on mission in Yuanling (Hunan). In 1934 he became a Titular Bishop. 

During the Sino-Japanese War he established 13 refugee camps and two hospitals and helped house, feed and clothe up to 100,000 people. One writer called him 'the Stretcher-Bearer Bishop' because of his personal involvement in this work.

At the time of the Japanese attack on Hong Kong he was in the colony for dental treatment and he shared the experiences of the Maryknoll Fathers. He was guaranteed out of Stanley or May 26, 1942 to live with Bishop Valtorta. Before long he left for China and then the United States.

After the war he returned to Yuanling and was imprisoned by the Communist regime in 1951, being carried into Hong Kong on a stretcher on his release in 1953. He became a miitant anti-communist and anti-secularist and supported Senator Joseph McCarthy's 'witch hunt' of the American left.

Sources:

http://www.cpprovince.org/archives/heritage/fall94/fall94-3-1.php

http://archive.org/stream/passionistbullet81955unse/passionistbullet819…

Note: Some sources give September 12, 1942 as the date he left Stanley. Investigations continue.

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Bishop O'Gara was interviewed by Col Ride in Hengyang, China, on 17th August 1942.  The interview is reported fully in the BAAG papers, giving his views on food, health,morale and general treatment of prisoners in Stanley, atrocities at the Maryknoll Mission and the murders of Col Black, Capt Whitney, 3 VADs and others.  This interview is filed under 21.8.1942 in the collection in HKHP. 

Very many thanks for transcribing the interview, David. I was particularly interested to read of the treatment of the Rev. Martin and his wife Kathleen after their capture by the Japanese.

I had never seen this account before.

Kathleen was, of course, the sister of Evan Stewart, O.C. No. 3 Coy (Machine Gun) Coy of the HK Volunteers during the 1941 battle. She saved his life whilst he was a toddler, when the bad guys attacked the Mission Station in China where they were living with their parents in the late 1890’s. 

Kathleen died in internment in early 1945 and is buried in Stanley Military Cemetery.

 

 

Bishop O'Gara was released from Stanley Internment Camp on 26 May 1942 on word received directly from Tokyo. He would reside with Bishop Valtorta to recuperate his health before making his way inland to his mission in Hunan. Bishop O'Gara returned by air to the United States on 1 October 1943.

After Bishop O'Gara was released, Father Meyer took over the spiritual duties formerly undertaken by Bishop O'Gara at Stanley Internment Camp with Father Hessler in support.

Source

1. Catholic News Service - Newsfeeds dated 5 October 1942. See here

2. 1940s Catholic News Archive on Bishop O'Gara. See here