July 10th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

Fifty years ago, on July 10, 1970, Cumberland native Bishop James E. Walsh was released from captivity by the Communist Chinese.

Sentenced to twenty years, Bishop Walsh was surprisingly freed after serving twelve years in isolation, and walked across a footbridge to Hong Kong.

A Maryknoll missionary, Bishop Walsh had initially arrived in China in 1918, and spent most of his life in ministry to the Chinese people.  He was eventually jailed for continuing to preach, and during his captivity, a Catholic high school, in Cumberland, was named in his honor.

Following his release, Bishop Walsh had private audiences with Pope Paul VI and President Richard Nixon.  He was welcomed home to Cumberland in a huge event that featured a ceremony at City Hall and Mass at the school that bears his name.

Bishop Walsh died of a heart ailment on July 29, 1981 at the age of 90.