Stuk 2023-01-27/488 - Bishop Shanahan to Mary Martin

single sided A4

Recommendation of the work.

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 in 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
Mear Miss MartiR.
mantion that you intend to write to His Muinence, Cardinal
I thanl wou fot yous Lettet I MhicN yon
FaimaAon Bionds, to obtain His Llessing for the graab
Mor you mean to undertake for the cause of Christ ire
Africas Ae,,A MIEStONARY MMDICAL AELIGLOUS CONARPAATZON.,
mhord God wild yon to do s0, His will to Be expresseG
throuch the Blessins of the Hely ses, E0llomed By tho
Approval of the Siahors in whoae loceses this new arano
Mork would be cstablishedf
Hould 1ike to recommend this Mork the MrenG
need of. which I am in a position to appreciate, having
Dean for yaars Ordinary of the Vicariats of S.Migerid,
W.Africa, but, eing only a retdred Bishop now rasiding
Aa 2 relislous olmunity it Bublin, M recommmendation caG
have no other walus than what is personal to an s1d
missonary in y PosltloRe
1 a Hully aware ofyour Mreat ApoBtblie ZeaE
Lombined with your Love for Africa's dark children, fox
Ihave seen you at work in Africs as a 1ay lady-missionarr
50 Lons ago as 1921f a1so Maow that for years yon Have
been praying, working, surfering unceasingly that the worE
Jou now intend to set Blesscd 5y the Hely ses micht ong
Day be ibausuratedr
Ad by prayer continus to Mork for My 31d Mission 1a
1n my presant position given to me bydod to pray-
Migeriag while preparing at the same time to meet our Lord's
Judanent in the near future Ewild pray very Spesiallr
for the succass of the future "Missionory Medical Religious
Longregation'/ that God, through the voice of the Holy See,
And the voice or the Hierarchy in Ireland, M/ Blass 1t 1nn
1tS inception and Bless yon yon who have the splendid
rouraae to a2s Mhat, HMly spcmkins, 1sAn Amoossible
LasE, Because youchave absslute confidence in 9o0 from whomG
3su bclieve thdis Cadl comes.
Aod blcas you and your proiect, along wit all those
Mho in a way help you to carry it out. May90d Sive
Jou in Mis omn good time and in His omn way the ansmer yon
Hom SdaM Irom the MolySaeS0 that Jou COAdienoe Mr
De at rest. Should the Anewer e in the offimativs, theR
mith what zeal will you not spend the remainder of your
Life in the buildine up of this work you Have so much ag
Heart.