Father Marcellus White (continued)
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| A behind the scenes account of this picture is that it was Pope Pius XII himself who wanted to have his picture taken with Fathers White (on the left) and Garvey (on the right) when they met him after their release from prison. Normally he did not always agree to photo opportunities. |
Some people may be very surprised to hear that Father Marcellus thought that his best years as a Passionist priest were his two years in prison. He told me this in 1989 when I had the privilege of having Father Marcellus as my tour guide through West Hunan, China. Prison was the highpoint of his priesthood, because he had to accept the gift of absolute trust in God. Simply put, he let God love him. This was freeing to him. How? He accomplished such freedom of spirit and heart in prison by reciting childhood prayers and devotions, remembering his Passionist novitiate and seminary prayers, saying the Rosary, and constantly calling to mind the love of his fellow Passionists, friends, family, and Chinese people. In prison he was free to let God love him. Before, he informed me, he had always been told to love God. This was a simple thought and also a command. In prison such a command was reduced to a kind of emptiness which required that he let God into his life. He found God there because he was open to let God find him In essence, he, Father Marcellus White, was freed in prison!
Released, he emerged with more zeal. From 1958 until 1993 he was sent again to be an overseas missionary in the Philippines. He loved the United States, the Philippines, and any other place where he traveled or lived. But he never got tired of sharing news about China. For him it was about God and a personal experience of reconciliation. Yet, in reality his stories about China were always his faith stories about his experience of God.
When Father Marcellus died on May 15, 2002 in Brockton, Massachusetts, it was the wish of his sister Mary O'Brien to keep alive his love and understanding for China.
The Trust was established in 2003. Trust monies will be used in the following two areas:
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