Father Clement Seybold, C.P., St. Paul of the Cross Province (1896-1929)

Born Lawrence Seybold on April 18, 1896 in Dunkirk, New York, he was the son of Simon and Mary Seybold. In 1914 he entered the Passionist Preparatory Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland. After three years he went to the novitiate at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he professed his vows on September 17, 1918. His religious name was Clement. He studied at Scranton, Pennsylvania, and West Hoboken, New Jersey. Accepted as a volunteer for China he received medical training in Pittsburgh from Dr. Rectenwald. He was ordained on October 28, 1923 by Bishop Boyle of Pittsburgh. In July 1924 he set sail for China. He found the mission life to be a challenge, but he had quite good success. He was assigned to the Kienyang, Hunan mission as an assistant to Father Quentin Olwell, C.P. In 1928 he refused to evacuate. He was killed by bandits at Hua Chiao. Also killed were Fathers Godfrey Holbein, C.P. and Walter Coveyou, C.P. They had just completed their annual retreat at Shenchowfu and were going back to their mission post. He was proclaimed by the Catholic press in the United States as a martyr.