• File relating to the granting of permission, by the Holy See, to 19 April 1943 have the ceremonies of Blessing of Candles, Ashes and Psalms during Holy Week carried out, in accordance with the prescriptions of the Memoriale Rituum, for St. Joseph’s Blind Asylum.

Letter from +Alibrandi to +McQuaid informing him that Mgr. Rovida has been appointed as Permanent Observer of the Holy See in Paris. Edges slightly torn.

Copy letter from +McQuaid to Mgr. Felici regarding Brendan O’Carroll. He states the not all the facts have been provided by Mr. O’Carroll. The property is not owned by the Loreto Community and the matter has been in the Courts twice and is now sub judice in the High Court. He states O’Carroll has also appealed to the Holy See. He feels it best not to intervene once Civil Law has been invoked.

Copy of a typed letter to His Excellency The Ambassador of Ireland at the Holy See from +McQuaid. Suggests the name of Fr. John Gordon to be placed at the disposal of the Secretariate of State. Regards him as one of his most valued young priests.

Copy letter from +McQuaid to Cardinal Conway seeking a copy of the rescript from the Holy See repealing Decree 287 of the Statutes. 1 item

Letter from Fr. Myles V. Ronan to +McQuaid thanking him for conveying the Holy See’s decision on the Frawley Bequest for Masses.

Copy letter from +McQuaid to Rev. Riberi enclosing a cheque for £15,000 which is to be transmitted to the Holy See. £10,000 is the Peter’s Pence contribution from the Archdiocese and £5000 is an offering to help the Holy Father in regard to the World Refugee Year.

Letter from +O’Hara to Cardinal D’Alton regarding the International Congress of Catholic Doctors which is to be held in Dublin in June. The Holy See is anxious that this be an opportunity for proclaiming Catholic teaching in the field of medicine.

Letter from +O’Hara to Cardinal D’Alton regarding Catholic principles and policies in relation to UNESCO. He states the Holy See is concerned with the activities of the programme and policies of OMEP as they deal with the education of children of pre-school age. This is a delicate matter ‘…since there is considerable Masonic influence at work in OMEP, which is tinged with communism’. The Holy Father wants Ireland to bring its influence to bear at the Congress in Rome in August. He also asks that a competent ‘layman’ to establish contact with the International Catholic Co-ordinating Centre for UNESCO in Paris. He also suggests that the Irish Hierarchy establish a National OMEP Committee in Ireland.

Joseph Walshe, Ambassador to the Holy See, 1946-1954 -1949