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- 23-03-1936 (Creation)
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SIngle sided A4 typed
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Joseph Shanahan B.Sc., C.S.Sp. (1871–1943) was an Irish-born priest of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), who served as a bishop in Nigeria – first as prefect apostolic of Lower Niger (now Onitsha)[1] and then as vicar apostolic of Southern Nigeria.
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Bishop Shanahan of the Redepmtorists to Mary Martin giving advice on her foundation.
AI CLEANED TEXT
Dear Miss Martin,
I thank you for your letter in which you mention that you intend to write to His Eminence, Cardinal Fumasoni Biondi, to obtain his blessing for the great work you mean to undertake for the cause of Christ in Africa: i.e., A MISSIONARY MEDICAL RELIGIOUS CONGREGATION, should God will you to do so, His will to be expressed through the blessing of the Holy See, followed by the approval of the Bishops in whose Dioceses this new grand work would be established.
I would like to recommend this work, the great need of which I am in a position to appreciate, having been for years Ordinary of the Vicariate of S. Nigeria, W. Africa, but, being only a retired Bishop now residing in a religious community in Dublin, my recommendation can have no other value than what is personal to an old missionary in my position.
I am fully aware of your great Apostolic Zeal combined with your love for Africa's dark children, for I have seen you at work in Africa as a lay lady-missionary so long ago as 1921! I also know that for years you have been praying, working, suffering unceasingly that the work you now intend to get blessed by the Holy See might one day be inaugurated.
In my present position given to me by God to pray—and by prayer continue to work for my old Mission in Nigeria, while preparing at the same time to meet Our Lord's Judgment in the near future—I will pray very specially for the success of the future Missionary Medical Religious Congregation: that God, through the voice of the Holy See, and the voice of the Hierarchy of Ireland, may bless it in its inception, and bless you, you who have the splendid courage to face what, humanly speaking, is an impossible task, because you have absolute confidence in God from whom you believe this Call comes.
God bless you and your project, along with all those who in any way help you to carry it out. May God give you in His own good time and in His own way the answer you now seek from the Holy See, so that your conscience may be at rest. Should the answer be in the affirmative, then with what zeal will you not spend the remainder of your life in the building up of this work you have so much at heart.
ORIGINAL OCR
Dear Mias Hartin,
2
3 tMaoE you for your ieuer ip whch you nemiom that you imend L9
Mrite to His Emthence, Cardibal Fumasobi Biordi, to obtair his blessing fon
the great worle you mear to uadertaket for the cause of Christ in Africa:i.e,
A MrasLONARY iDLGAL RELLGTObS GONGRMGAOTOM, should God will you todt so,
His wild to be expresaed through the blessing of the Holy See, followed by
the approval of the Sishobs in whose Jioceses this new grand worle would bo
established.
I would iike to recommand this work, the great naed of which I am il
A Dosition to abpreciate, Havins beer for years ordiaarw of the wicariate
55 S.Migeria, w.Africa, but, being oply a retired Bishop now residing in a
religious cormurity in Dublio, ay recommerdation can Have ne other waluo
than what is oersonal to an old missionary in moy position.
I am fully aware of your great Apostolic Keal combined with your
Aove for Africa's dart children, for I have seep you at work in Africa as a
Lay lady-missionary so Long ago as 1e21 I I also know that for years yon
Have been prayipg, working, suffering waceasiazly that the worlc wou now in-
tend to get biessed by the Holy See micht one day he inautrated,
In my present positiop givep to me by God to pray E and by oraver
contipue to worle for my old Missiom im Migerias while ore parins at the samo
time to meet Our Kord's Judgment in the hear future E I will pray very spec
Haliy for the success of the future Missienary Hedical Keligious Congrega.
tion'. that God,through the woice of the Holy See,abd the woice of the Hiero
chy 5d Ireland, my bless it ip its inceptior, and bless you,you who have t1o
Splendid courags to face what,huandy speakisg, is a imcossitle taske, Se
cause you have absolute confidence ip God from whor you believe this Gale
Comea-
Gos bless you and your proiect, along with ald these who ip any way
help you to carry it out May God give you in His owo good time and in His q
OwD way the answer wou how scek from the Holy see, so that your conscience
moy be at Fest. Chonld the answer bo im the affirmative,then with what zeal
will wou not sbend the remainder of your 1ife in the Suiddins up of thid
Morle you hare so lauch at heort,