WING EMBERS - Spiritan

Père Lamy

Spiritan Heritage & Archives Centre – Glowing Embers

EMBERSGLOWING

Spiritan Heritage & Archives Centre June 2020

Issue No. 9

‘Heritage and Archives’ is not about nostalgiaand sentimentality, but rather it seeks to tapinto the original commitment of the Spiritanages. We strive to fan the glowing embers thatcauses a community to flame again. We try tocapture the imagination of our forebears whichimpels towards rededication and recommitmentto the values of the Spiritan Way of Life and notsimply to the reasonable, possible andaffordable.

The work of H & A illuminates and reveals; it is adetection of God’s revelation in our Spiritanhistory. This discovery invigorates Spiritans tobe people who put their lives on the line forGod’s revelation and justice, and for the goodof humanity. H & A therefore says ‘no’ to thenegativity of the free-riders, cynics and nay-sayers.

H & A does not live in the past; we drawinspiration from it but at the same time isdetached from it. H &A faces into the future; to

Heritage and Archives (H&A)where the whisperings of the Holy Spirit callsus to.

H & A believes that in daily life and in missionendeavours Spiritans must not allow themselvesbe conditioned by age or numbers. What countsis the capacity to repeat the initial ‘yes’ to thecall from Jesus that continues to be heard, in anever new way, in every season of life.

As Pope Francis writes to us in his exhortationQuerida Amazonia “Here we see the authenticTradition of the Church, which is not a staticdeposit or a museum piece, but the root of aconstantly growing tree. This millennial traditionbears witness to God’s work in the midst of hispeople and is called to keep the flame aliverather than to guard its ashes.” (No. 65) “But letus be fearless; let us not clip the wings of theHoly Spirit” (No. 69).

Brian O’Toole

At Heritage and Archives there is a bust of Père Lamy which wasbrought from the house of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid inKilliney by Fr Leo Layden.

Père Lamy (Father John Edward Lamy 1853-1931) of France, was amystic and founder of the Religious Congregation of the Servants ofJesus and Mary

He built a chapel to our Lady of the Woodlands, cared for countlesswounded soldiers and sick people during World War I, was called the‘priest of the rag pickers’ and hooligans for having directed a youthmovement and cared for countless street boys in Troyes and LaCourneuve and was a parish priest for over thirty years.


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Fr Leo Layden was appointedprovincial archivist in 1971; apost he held until 2000. In

June 1976 he made contact with R. Dudley Edwards, chairman of theIrish Society of Archives (ISA),about the possibility of Spiritanarchive membership of this bodyand was subsequently admitted fora fee of £3. During his twenty-nineyear period as provincial archivistthe Archives developed from thehumble beginnings of being kept ina ‘butter box’ to a well organisedcollection which had to movepremises twice. It was during onesuch move that Fr Leo was askedby Dr Dermot Ryan, archbishop ofDublin to work on the papers of thelate Archbishop John C. McQuaid.He subsequently presented acatalogue of the material to theDublin Diocesan Archives.

In 1979 Fr Leo was one of fivereligious archivists who cametogether to consider how best topromote the preservation ofreligious archives in Ireland. Theirobjective was to promote the care

and preservation of records andarchives in order that they mightbe accessible for academicresearch and for other culturalpurposes. This led to the foundingof the Association of ReligiousArchivists of Ireland (ARAI) in 1980(under the chairmanship of Fr LeoLayden) after it had secured thebacking of the Conference of MajorReligious.

Leo first identified professionaltraining for religious archivists bymaking contact with the ArchivesDepartment of UCD. This initialconsultation resulted in theestablishment of an extra muralevening course in 1981 and wouldlater lead to the foundation of atwo year certificate course. Leothen set about helpingcongregations prepare archivalpolicy and drew up a directory ofIrish religious archives. In 1992 itsname was changed to theAssociation of Church Archivists ofIreland (ACAI) in order to extendmembership to all those workingwith church archives. Leo remained

Fr Leo Layden (1924-2019)Margaret Bluett

chairman of the association until1985. He took up the position againin 1989 for an additional five yearperiod. He remained a member ofthe association until 2000 when hewas elected as an honorarymember for life.

Fr Leo Layden

My Beloved,the mountains,and lonely wooded valleys,strange islands,and resounding rivers,the whistling oflove-stirring breezes,

the tranquil nightat the time of the rising dawn,silent music,sounding solitude,the supper that refreshes,and deepens love.

St John of the Cross

Glowing Embers – Spiritan Heritage & Archives Centre

June 2020 – 3

Fr Ned Stirling

Rockwell Capel

Fr Peter Queally

Fr Billy Kingston

The Rockwell Archives

Fr Tom Cleary carried out the task of translating the early volumes of thecommunity journals from French to English.

Fr Edward Stirling undertook the systematic setting up of the Archives in1991. They were housed in the premises of the former Catering College. Hewas a keen collector of memorabilia and other collectables.

Fr Pete Queally took over as archivist in 2000 and continued in this role untilhis sudden death in 2019. He very much progressed the programme oftransition year students doing placement work in the Archives. This made theArchives a hive of activity with students doing different projects. They wereconstantly available for providing family members of both past members andSpiritans with genealogical information. The late Dr Seán O’Donnell andSéamus King were given invaluable access to the Archives as they werewriting their respective histories of Rockwell College and Rockwell RoversGAA club.

Fr Bill Kingston has made available in digital format the following: ‘Rockwelland land registry documents’; ‘History of Rockwell by significant dates’;‘Rockwell deed documents, 1765-1904’.

The Archives are now housed in the crypt of the College Chapel.

Séamus Maguire


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Marian House 1988 - 2020

The site for the ‘Marian House’ nursing unit was blessed by Archbishop Thomas Brosnahan on 8 December 1986 and opened by the then provincial, Fr Michael McCarthy on 11 February 1988. On 7 October 1993 a new extension

called ‘St Bernadette’s’ was opened and blessed by the then provincial, Fr Brian McLaughlin. Fundraising was undertaken by all members of the province.

Mass Celebrant Fr Michael McCarthy,assisted by Fr Michael Duggan

Frs Jim Shanley & Mick Reynolds Fr James Delaney Fr Jim Shanley Fr Mick Reynolds

River PoddleFr Michael McCarthy

Catching the sunFr Brian McLaughlin

Under construction

Dolorés Stewart


June 2020 – 5

The Health-Care Ministry ofSpiritans and Lay Associates

1. Br Gus O'Keeffe

2. Fr Wally McNamara

3. Fr David Conway

4. Fr John Brown

5. Fr Jack Fallon

6. Fr Lorcan O'Toole

7. Fr Michael Woulfe

8. Sheila Carpenter

9. Phil Crosbie

10. Fr Paul Walsh

11. Thérèse Osborne

12. Fr Kevin Corrigan

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The dedicated service of medical and catering staff

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1. Angela Dunne

2. Angela McCray

3. Barbara Griffiths

4. Carer Karen Kavanagh with Fr Brendan Heeran

5. Dr Des Coady

6. John Lijo

7. Margaret O’Dea

8. Mary Hurley

9. Mary Sheehan

10. Maureen Stapleton

11. Michelle Maguire

12. Regina Sheridan

13. Sr Lucille Foley LSS

14. Una Fallon

June 2020 – 7


Rest & Recreation

1. Barbershop Singers

2. Victor Kearns

3. Sturdy transport

4. Fr Des Kenny with carol singers

5. Frs Patsy Keegan and Bian McLaughlin

6. Fr Bill Doolin & Fr Savino Agnoli

7. Fr Joe Beere, Fr Liam Martin, Matron Michelle Maguite

8. Frs Frank Martin, Andy Carroll, Myles Fay

9. Visit to Croke Park

10. Frs Christy Burke, Fr Michael Buckley

11. Irish Dancing

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Fr Louis Bouïc wrote the first‘Rules & Constitutions’ of theHoly Spirit Society. It was

written in the same spirit as the‘Regulations’ of Claude Poullart desPlaces. They were approved by thearchbishop of Paris on 2 January1734. The formators communitytook the name of Holy SpiritSociety and the student’scommunity was called The HolySpirit Seminary. At the time of itsofficial recognition thecongregation had only fivemembers: Frs Louis Bouïc, PierreCaris, Pierre Thomas, Michel Davidand Nicolas Foisset. The number ofHoly Spirit priests never exceededthe amount needed to train theseminarians. In fact their numbernever surpassed fifty in the firstcentury of their existence.

In 1773 Fr Louis Bouïc gotpermission from the archbishop ofParis for the Holy SpiritCongregation to teach their ownstudents. He also encouragedpriests formed in the Holy SpiritSeminary to travel to far awaymissions. Between 1732 and 1792 ofthe 1,200 priests trained c.120 wentto overseas missions. TheCongregation subsequentlyadapted to the needs of the churchand undertook more and moremissions overseas. This trendcontinued from 1763 to 1805 duringthe tenures of Fr François Becquetand Fr Jean-Marie Duflos who werethe fourth and fifth superiorgenerals respectively.

The congregation was suppressedin 1792, restored in 1805,suppressed again 1809 and finallypermanently restored on 2 March1815. Following on from thisuncertain period in the history ofHoly Spirit Congregation and HolySpirit Seminary their joint aimbecame the provision of pastoralservices to the French colonies. TheMother House which was

purchased on 1 January 1732, wasoccupied by the College ofEducation for the training ofteachers until 8 December 1822. Fr Jacques Bertout, the nephew ofFr Jean-Marie Duflos, became thesixth superior general and re-Founder of the Congregation inthe period 1805-1832

The Holy Spirit Society andSeminary had received legalapproval as an institution devoted

to the pastoral needs of thecolonies. However it had neverbeen recognised by the Holy See.Fr Bertout revised the rule of 1734and his edition received approvalfrom Rome on 7 February 1824.Fr Henry Power, an Irishman fromCork who had studied at the IrishCollege in Paris, was part of thenegotiating team sent by FrBertout to secure this pontificalstatus for the congregation.

Henry Power was born in Bandon,Ireland, in 1800. He studied for thepriesthood in Paris. He was co-opted as a formator while servingas a professor in the SpiritanSociety there. Henry incollaboration with four others

Fr Jacques Madeleine Bertout

Some Spiritan History Brian O’Toole

At the time of its official recognition the congregation hadonly five members: Frs Louis Bouïc, Pierre Caris, PierreThomas, Michel David and Nicolas Foisset.


June 2020 – 9

Henry Power's grave

managed to secure pontificalstatus for Jean-Claude Poullart desPlaces’ Spiritan Society on 11January 1824. Henceforth, theSpiritan Society was to be knownas the Spiritan Congregation whichhad its own approved rule forseminarian training for foreignmissions. The former seminarybuilding of the Rue des Postes wasreturned to the Congregation bythe efforts of Jacques Bertout in1822.

Prior to this, he had set up a juniorseminary in a nearby building. Atthat time there were threeaspirants from Co Cavan: PhilipO’Reilly, John Brady (a futurebishop of Perth, Australia) andRichard Smith (a future archbishopof Trinidad, Tobago and Antilles).John Brady as bishop emeritussubsequently attended the FirstVatican Council

Fr Henry Power decided to leavethe seminary and return to Irelandin 1829.

He was initially stationed inWallstown as a chaplain from 1832to 1839, then he transferred toBallymacoda in 1839, and then hewas finally accepted by his olderbrother Maurice, PP of nearbyKilleagh where he served from 1841until 1859. Here, Henry wasnominally his brother’s curate, buthis illness (epilepsy) restricted himto saying Mass only. He lived thus,and was buried beside the Churchin Killeagh, Co Cork on 1 February1869, aged sixty-nine. A finemonument in carved stone waserected in his name.

He was initiallystationed in Wallstownas a chaplain from 1832to 1839, then hetransferred toBallymacoda in 1839,and then he was finallyaccepted by his olderbrother Maurice, PP ofnearby Killeagh wherehe served from 1841 until1859.


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Kimmage: Fr Michael Doheny was theDirector of Theology. He inspired usstudents to take up apostolic work inthe lay run organisations of St Vincentde Paul and the Legion of Mary. Heinvolved students in his outreach toViatores Christi and the OverseasClub. We were aware that he wasactive in recruiting lay volunteers,especially teachers, to work inNigeria.

Nigeria: I was still a novice inUmuahia diocese, Nigeria when the‘Decree on the Apostolate of theLaity’ was published in 1965. Therichness of this document began topercolate down to us in our missionstations. ‘The laity derive the rightand duty to the apostolate from theirunion with Christ the head… they are assigned to theapostolate by the Lord Himself’.

The living memory of Bishop JosephShanahan was often a topic of ourconversations and influenced ourpastoral approach. Bishop Shanahanvalued and depended on the Catholiclaity, women as well as men. Hetrained and sent out catechists inever increasing numbers. He starteda teachers’ training college inIbariam. In January 1915 he held aCatholic Congress in Onitsha andinvited all the missions to sendwomen and men delegates. TheCongress gave African lay Catholicsan opportunity to discuss the affairsof their Church.

Biafra* relief Campaign:This was a time when I was working in conjunction with lay

humanitarians all of the time. It was my role to co-ordinate funding, supplies and recruitment of staff for

Partnership with laity over thepast 60 years

In conversation with Fr Dermot Doran CSSp

Fr Dermot Doran

Orientation Group:Sally Kerr, Bob Colburn, Gary Warner, Lucy Klein-Gebbinck, Dermot Doran, Joyce Warner, Kathy Murtha.

the airlifts. I was based in Lisbon, Portugal. Workingwith Catholic Relief Services in New York I got first-hand experience of the pros and cons of the PeaceCorps which had been founded by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Volunteer International Christian Service VICS: I wasvery happy to serve with VICS over the past forty-sixyears during which time 600 volunteers have worked infifty five countries. I was led to see how people are


June 2020 – 11

Film Reel Biafra part one

*War in Biafra (1967-1970)The largely Igbo population in the eastern part of Nigeria, under the leadership of Lieutenant ColonelOdumegwu Ojukwu established the Republic of Biafra in 1967. This was comprised of several states of Nigeriaand led to a bloody civil war with the Nigerian government. The human cost of the civil conflict amounted toone million fatalities on the Biafran side, many of which were caused by disease and hunger, along with200,000 dead in federal-controlled areas. Ireland’s humanitarian support for Biafra and for the establishment ofConcern Worldwide, greatly contributed to the film documentation of the conflict there. Spiritan Fr MikeDoheny was responsible for much of this.

‘Biafra was the world’s first televised famine, bringing now-familiar sights and sounds of the starving and thedestitute into western living-rooms for the first time. For a generation of Irish men and women, the word“Biafra” conjures up a vivid image of missionary nuns, brothers and priests distributing food, administeringmedicine and bearing witness to the war’s impact among their local communities, and of the first days ofConcern (originally Africa Concern), created in March 1968 by a south Dublin couple, John and Kay Kennedy,who were determined to organise a co-ordinated response to the crisis’. (Kevin O’Sullivan, History Ireland.com).

guided towards forms of love/service that are achievablefor them. In fact a small number of these went on to jointhe priesthood and religious life. Great discernment wasrequired in finding placements for these new treasuresthat the Holy Spirit was breathing life into.

Over the past sixty years in ministry I have been blessedby helping Our Lord in providing opportunities for laypeople to take on real responsibilities for mission.

Film Reel – Biafra (part-1)Reel of on-the-ground footage filmed byFr Mike Doheny, CSSp. exposing thesituation as it existed during the conflict inBiafra, Nigeria. This was critical in raisingawareness of the complex issues involvedand the experiences of the Biafran/Nigerian people in order to elicit supportfrom Ireland. It was also important ininitiating a wider awareness of the issuesfacing the developing world. Fr Dohenylater set up Firoda Communications whichproduced films for the Spiritans andConcern Worldwide in countries such asEthiopia, Bangladesh, Yemen, Tanzania,Zambia, Uganda, and others.

(*There are 41 films deposited by the IrishProvince in the Irish Film Archive, 6 Eustace St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2).

Irish Global Solidarity in 100 Objects exhibition(26 February – 1 March) led by developmenteducation.ie was a unique snapshot of Irish engagement with globalcultural, political, religious and social issues over the past 50 years. Below is the exhibit from Kimmage Heritage& Archives.*


12 – June 2020

Research at the Spiritan ArchivesJames Akpu, PhD student at Dublin City University

Having spent many monthsworking on lengthy thematichistoriographical essays

under the supervision of my PhDsupervisor, I looked forward withgreat anticipation to the day Iwould begin primary sourceresearch in the archive of theSpiritan Mission Resource andHeritage Centre. That day finallyarrived in November 2019.

Due to the nature of my researchon Irish missionary activity inNigeria, this visit to the SpiritanArchives in Kimmage Manor was atwo-month visit that widened myhorizon on “archives, missionaryactivity, authority, and discourse”. Iwould like to share my impressionsof that archival visit.

I was well prepared for my trip tothe Spiritan Archives in KimmageManor. Prior to my visit, I readabout the activities of the HolyGhost Fathers in Igboland. Havingthat previous knowledge to groundmy archival research gave me theinsights to see beyond theologicalexplanations to missionary activity.What is more, my conversationswith the retired Holy Ghost FathersI encountered on the hallowedcorridors of Kimmage Manor whonarrated their experiences inNigeria was simply breathtaking.

My original aim in the archives wasto locate correspondence, memoirsand periodicals that would give mean insight into how the Holy GhostFathers’ Catholicism and “Irishness”influenced their colonial encounterswith the Nigerian peoples; therelationship between the priestsand the British colonial authorities;the nature of the work undertakenby the Holy Ghost Fathers in therealms of education, health andwelfare provision; the challengesthat confronted them and whattheir key achievements were; theextensive nature of the Irishpresence and how influential key

Irish missionary principals such asTipperary-born Spiritan JosephShanahan in Igboland were; and thelegacies of Congregation of theHoly Ghost Fathers’ contributionsto the missions in Nigeria. One ofthe joys of archival research is howit can lead to new researchquestions and possibilities. Thatwas certainly my experience.

The Missionary Annals (laterMission Outlook and Outlook),photographs, memoirs,travelogues, in-house publications,texts, theses and dissertationsproved incredibly useful to myresearch. But the highlight were thebiographical writings of BishopJoseph Shanahan, James Leen andthe thought-provoking texts

written by some Holy GhostFathers after Vatican II. Thedocuments preserved the historiesI knew but went beyond thediscourses. I was pulled inunexpected directions in the socio-political and theological contextthat allowed for missionaryimpulses in Ireland and beyond. Ibegan looking for the Franco-Irishconnections, the nexus betweenBritish colonial policies andCatholic missions, ways in whichpriests viewed the missions, howthey related with their home base,mission resources and strategies.

James Akpu

The Missionary Annals, photographs, memoirs, travelogues,in-house publications, texts, theses and dissertationsproved incredibly useful to my research.

I was pulled in unexpected directions in the socio-politicaland theological context that allowed for missionaryimpulses in Ireland and beyond.

My research in Kimmageconfirmed for me theimportance ofconducting furtherresearch in the Mother-House in Chevilly Laurein France as well asother Congregationalarchives.

I hope to supplement my researchfrom the Spiritan Archives byexamining the discourses ofgender, and politics during thetwentieth century. My research inKimmage confirmed for me theimportance of conducting furtherresearch in the Mother-House inChevilly Laure in France as well asother Congregational archives.Researching a PhD is a little likecompleting a complex jigsaw withpieces hidden in variousinstitutional repositories. I wasfortunate indeed to have had theprivilege of working in Kimmagewhere so many vital pieces of mydoctoral jigsaw were found. Thatgood fortune was doubled by thegenerosity, openness, support andfriendship that was shown to methere.

June 2020 – 13

Glimpses into our Photo Albums


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Dolorés Stewart

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1. Brazil (L-R) Frs Eamonn McMahon, Barney Murphy, Paddy Kelly, Larry Doyle.

2. (Front L-R): Bp Noel Willoughby (CoI), President PatrickHillary, Fr Francis Griffin, Archbishop Thomas Morris. (Back L-R): Fr Paddy Houlihan, Fr Frans Timmermans Superior General, Fr Enda Watters.

3. Frs Paddy Ryan and Paddy Whelan, Kenya.4. Consecration Archbishop J. C. McQuaid 28 December 1940.5. (L-R): Fr Brendan O’Sullivan, Bp Michael Cleary, 0Fr John

Daley, Fr Jerry Lambe after H. Dip conferring in 1949.6. Fr Michael McTiernan in Mauritius.7. Fr Paddy Foley on Baptism Sunday, Abwa, Nigeria, 2012.8. Protestant Church, Kilshane.9. Fr Brendan O'Brien, Kalimoni Kenya.

10. (L-R):Bp John O'Riardon, Frs Tom Farrelly, Bill Jenkinson2012.

11. (R-L):Frs Pat Leddy, Des Byrne, & Two American Ressurectionists, Ordination in Rome 1954.

12. Fr Paddy Cleary ordination 1961.13. (L-R):Frs Michael Doyle, Bertie Egan, Sean Kealy.14. Country bus, Kenya.15. (L-R): Fr John Charles McQuaid, Papal Nuncio Paschal

Robinson and Eamon de Valera at the garden party in Blackrock during the Eucharistic Congress June 1932.

16. Kilshane novices setting off for Kimmage.17. (L-R):Frs Willie Nugent, Pearce Moloney.18. Kilshane.19. (L-R):Frs Tony Byrne, Jas Duncan.20. (R-L):Frs Brendan Heeran, Jim McNulty, Ciaran Shanley.21. (L-R):Provincial Frs Christy O’Brian, Tim O’Driscoll,

Brian McLaughlin, Enda Watters.


June 2020 – 15

Recent AcquisitionsAlbert de Jong, Rise Up,Africans: Missionhistorical essays andlectures about East Africaand The Netherlands(2019).

One chapter is devoted tothe Holy Ghost Fathers andthe evangelization of Kenyawhile in the last chapter theauthor deals with sourcesand archives in Africadetailing the ongoingproblems facing them.

Kathleen M. Stahl, Historyof the Chagga People of

Kilimanjaro (1964).

Fr Florentine Mallyaarranged for this long out of

print book to be reprinted.

Stephen Tamba CorneliusKumasi, The Foundationand Growth of theCatholic Church in SierraLeone (2015).

Fr Stephen Kumasi, astudent of the GregorianUniversity, Rome, spent anumber of weeks in 2014 atthe Irish Provincial Archivesresearching for his doctoraldissertation. The study wasconducted with particularreference to the growth ofthe Catholic Church in SierraLeone from the nineteenthcentury to the establishmentof the country’sindependence in 1961.

Alexandre Le Roy, Mission to Kilimanjaro The Founding History of a Catholic Mission in East Africa, (2019)

Archbishop Alexandre Le Roy was among the founders of the Catholic faith in Zanzibar and Tanzania. He becamethe fifteenth superior general of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (1896-1926). Not only was he fluent in Swahili,he was also a botanist and an anthropologist, as evidenced by the descriptions of the flora and fauna and thelanguage, culture, and religion of the peoples he encountered. It is a fascinating account of the beginnings of thefaith in that part of the world.

Stewardship includes all aspects of the Province’s heritage.

Special attention will be given to libraries, archives and our

spiritual patrimony.Irish Chapter 2012, No. 52

Documents

WING EMBERS - Spiritan