Tuesday of last week, I was visited by some members of Maryknoll who came to Boston as they are marking the organization's 100th anniversary. Maryknoll, as you may know, is an organization of priests, brothers, sisters, and laity who serve as missionaries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

They are producing a video to which they asked me to contribute, which I did very happily.

Some of the Maryknoll fathers, brothers, and sisters came because the organization was founded 100 years ago by Boston priest Father James Anthony Walsh, Father Thomas Frederick Price, of North Carolina, and Mother Mary Joseph Rogers, a Roxbury native.

Fathers Walsh and Price founded the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers in 1911 and Mother Rogers founded the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic in 1912.

Father Walsh had been a curate at St. Patrick's in Roxbury. He was a graduate of St. John's Seminary, where he was involved in mission projects even as a seminarian. In 1903, he became Archdiocesan Director for the Society of the Propagation of the Faith. He eventually founded Maryknoll and became a missionary in China.

Mother Rogers had been a student at Smith College in Northampton, where she studied zoology, and was one of the very few Catholics there. She also earned a teaching certificate at Boston Normal School. After graduation, she returned to Smith to serve as an assistant in the school's biology department, and organized a mission club for the college's Catholic students, inspired by the throngs of women leaving from Smith College to go to the missions. She also spent time teaching in Boston's public schools, both at the elementary and high school levels. She also helped Father Walsh with his newly-established missionary magazine, The Field Afar.

This year, as they were celebrating their 100th anniversary, they wanted to connect with their roots in Boston.

It's very interesting that Boston also has the St. James Society, which was part of the missionary impetus of Cardinal Cushing. In Boston there has always been a lot of outreach to the missions. Even in my latest trips to Haiti, I was amazed to see how many local parishes have ties with agencies and parishes in Haiti. This strong missionary bent is part of our tradition here in the archdiocese.

Crossroads Family Shelter

Last Wednesday we participated in the Silver Anniversary Celebration of the Crossroads Family Shelter in East Boston. The center was founded in 1985 by the late Father Bernie McLaughlin when he was pastor at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in East Boston.

In attendance were many of the people who have worked at or helped the center through the years, including Boston City Councilor Sal LaMattina who used to work there.

Speaker Robert DeLeo also came to voice his support. There were also a number of the residents from the shelter at the reception. One woman spoke about how she was a battered woman who went there with her children for safe haven, and shared how well she was welcomed at the shelter. Father Tom Domurat, the pastor of Holy Redeemer, was there. Bishop Hennessey, who succeeded Father McLaughlin as pastor there, has also been very supportive of this mission.

Sister Mary Black

Sister Mary Black has been at Cathedral High School for 50 years. This year, they marked that by having a reception in her honor at the Seaport Hotel on Wednesday.

Sister is 80 years old, and in wonderful health and is vigorously active. It is obvious from all the people who came what an impact she had on the lives of so many of her former students.

It was a great success.