Account by Bartholomew Esmonde SJ of his voyage from Liverpool, England to Palermo, Italy

Correspondence on retreats (and missions) to priests, nuns and the laity. Includes correspondence concerning the drafting, by Irish Fr Provincial, of a confidential circular concerning the ‘principles which were to direct Ours when treating, whether in missions or retreats, the 6th & 9th Commandments. I judged…direction necessary because complaints had been made to me that some of Ours had said rather gross things in the pulpit, and because there seemed to be a want of uniformity amongst our preachers and confessors in their manner of treating this difficult subject.’ (See also ADMN/3/11)

File containing Henry Lawlor's admission papers; correspondence relating parish work in England and ‘The Eucharistic Crusade’; newspaper cuttings relating to stance on television censorship.

File of material relating to Fr John Chula SJ, (Zambian Province). Includes announcement of death; correspondence between Fr Chula and Frs Tom O'Brien and Vincent Murphy, Irish Jesuit Mission Office, Upper Gardiner Street, Dublin.

Letter from [ ] Wray (mother-in-law of William Bliss), Liverpool to Dr Charles Russell concerning William Bliss and his conversion to the Catholic religion. Appeals to Dr. Russell '...to suggest to him that there are natural as well as moral rights of others which ought to be considered as well as his own religious and legal rights.' Refers to William Bliss' desire to have all of his children brought up in the Catholic faith 'To be thus bereft of her children one by one, will break the mother's heart; it will certainly not win her to her husband's religion; and will necessitate proceedings which will create domestic discord and probably bring this scandal before the world.' Concludes 'There is another matter which also has a bearing upon this case, which, for his own sake, should not come before the public. I allude to his extreme excitability of temper which not infrequently has made my daughter fear for her own personal safety. I have plenty of witnesses to prove this.'

Letter from Bishop Penswick, Liverpool to Fr Matthew Gahan SJ, Isle of Man concerning a visit he had intended to make to the island. Remarks that because the habeas corpus act has not been sanctioned by the legislators he is going to postpone his visit. Remarks 'I have often thought of you and even expected to be in a situation to relieve your wants; whenever my hopes are realised I will not overlook you.'

Letters and telegrams to the Irish Fr Provincial from Fr Daniel Shields SJ written during his time as a chaplain with the Royal Artillery in Larkhill, Wiltshire; in the Imperial Hospital, Natal, South Africa; in Oribi Military Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, Natal; with the 8th Sherwood Foresters in Wrotham, Kent; on the hospital ship Atlantis; in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall and in the Army Technical School, Arborfield, Reading, Berks.

A file of letters from Fr Charles Plowden SJ (novice master at Stonyhurst) concerning Society matters to to Fr Charles Aylmer SJ. Many of the letters relate to the Irish novices studying in Stonyhurst and English novices studying in Ireland and general Society matters.

• Includes a letter concerning the appointment of Fr Lavizzario as the agent of the Society in Rome (11 February 1818, 3pp).
• Includes a letter concerning an official letter received from the Bishop re-affirming that the Society of Jesus had not been restored. Remarks that their property in London is under threat '…Dr Poynter has employed a lawyer to claim our property in London. He has means of succeeding and his success will complete our ruin. We are in fact in a very dangerous crisis.' (23 July 1818, 2pp).
• Includes a letter concerning three scholastics from the English Province he proposes to send to Ireland for their studies. Describes the three (1 September 1818, 3pp).
• Includes a letter referring to a refusal to ordain students from Stonyhurst 'who do not renounce their religious state.' Continues 'very probably a requisition to us all to make such renunciation will soon arrive and this will bring the matter to an issue. Our refusal will be followed by censures, suspension…' ( 10 September 1818, 1p).
• Includes a letter remarking that the Society of Jesus in England has no way of obtaining Holy Orders except by going to Clongowes. Remarks 'The candidates must be adopted there as students of your college in order to be presented by you.' (29 September 1818, 2pp, incomplete).
• Includes an account of money owed to Stonyhurst College for the upkeep of Irish scholastics studying there (18 February 1819, 4pp).
• Includes a letter referring to Fr Kenney's voyage to America (15 July 1819, 3pp).
• Includes a letter referring to lay brothers and the observance of the various customs in the colleges where he (Fr Plowden) studied (19 September 1819, 2pp).
• Includes a letter concerning Fr General's displeasure at having received no communication from Fr Aylmer. Includes details about Fr Kenney's visit to America and the state of affairs in America (22 November 1819, 3pp).
• Includes a letter concerning orders from Fr General to Fr Kenney to remain as visitor to America. Remarks that he heard that Fr Kenney had already set sail for Liverpool (30 July 1820, 3pp).
• Includes a letter remarking on his ill health (30 July 1820, 3pp).
• Includes a letter written from Rome concerning Society matters and directions from Fr General. Refers to Spain, remarks 'In Spain all seems to be lost for the Society excepting their religious spirit. Their letters and petitions for directions how to act show that they retain the full spirit of their vocation…on the other hand God sends comfort from Vienna, where the Austrian Emperor openly protects the Society and settles it in Gallicia and with generous allowances for subsistence and many privileges and exemptions.' Refers to Fr Kenney's return from America (23 September 1820, 2pp).
• Includes a letter referring to the sudden introduction of the Catholic Bill. Remarks '…the Catholic Bill fills my head, heart and time…In this crisis we must have an agent here…there must be somebody to speak in our cause. The General must decide this point before Easter, and he go with me to the Pope...' (7 April 1821, 3pp).

Letters from Fr John Etheridge SJ, London & Liverpool to Fr [ ] SJ concerning a legal opinion he obtained on property belonging to the Society of Jesus in England. Remarks that counsel stated that the Society would become liable to the investigation of the Commissioners for Charitable Trusts. Continues '…I shall keep as quiet as I can and instruct our people that our properties belong to those individuals who are named in the deeds and can be disposed of by them as they see best, without any obligation of trust.'

Letters to Fr Aubrey Gwynn SJ from John Eric Colledge of the English Language Department, University of Liverpool, on his academic publications and research, including his proposal to lecture in U.C.D. on St. Nicholas of Flüe, an ‘illiterate contemplative.’

Letters to Fr Aubrey Gwynn SJ from various academics (including Valéria Flint) mostly relating to aspects of the life of Honorius Augustodunensis. Includes offprint ‘The Career of Honorius Augustodunensis’ by V.I.J. Flint, University of Auckland, New Zealand from Revue Bénédictine (Vol. 82, Nos. 1 – 2, 1972, p.63 – 86).

A file of letters to Fr Bartholomew Esmonde SJ. A brief précis to the letters is included in the file.