It’s far from a secret now—I’m studying the Passionists in China between 1924 and the early to mid-1950s.
Their stories intertwine with those of nuns from the Sisters of St. Joseph from Baden, Pennsylvania, and the Sisters of Charity from Convent Station, New Jersey. These sisters supported their work by running hospitals, orphanages, schools, and relief efforts during all manner of disasters. Altogether, the Passionist fathers, the Charities, and the sisters of St. Joseph sent over 80 missionaries to West Hunan. Their correspondences, mission reports, memoirs, and photo albums contain so many dramatic stories that a single novel won’t do. It calls for nothing less than a series.
My next writing project is a series of novellas that unveil their experiences during the Republican era of Chinese history. (These are the years after the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911, spanning the Chinese Civil Wars, Japanese occupation during WWII, and the rise of Communism in 1949—all in all, a highly tumultuous period). I’m tentatively calling this series The China Missions. The foundation is currently being laid with oversight by China scholars I’ve met during my travels to various history conferences.
Back in April, I delivered a presentation on my upcoming work to scholars at Boston College. (I have yet to share the experience of that. Forgive the delay as I balance a work life, family life, and writing all at once! We all have our challenges, don’t we? No wonder writers typically hit their stride during their retirement years!) But I’m delighted to report that the workshop at BC was a triumphant success.
I wish to thank Fr. Rob Carbonneau, C.P., Ph.D., my Shen Fu ( “Spiritual Father”) as I explore the world of Passionist missionary life in China. He is encouraging me to give workshops on my approach of “scholarly storytelling,” the process in which I translate rigorous research into a character-driven narrative that reflects historical events, the emotions of historical actors, and the environmental details as recorded through archival sources. These novels are like history lessons for people who shy from lecture halls, but LOVE books with compelling characters.
Next up, I’m traveling to Houston at the end of the month to share the blueprints for my upcoming series. This conference is hosted by the US China Catholic Association, and the theme is “Nourishing Trust and Friendship: Following the Way of Christ.” If anyone is in the Houston area between July 31-August 2, 2026, and you have an interest in Chinese Catholicism, you might want to check this out! Visit the website of the US-China Catholic Association for details.
Also, check out this invitation to the Houston conference from Fr. Rob on YouTube!
