Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., St. Benedict’s Rectory, 320 West End Street, New York, to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., affirming that he will soon be leaving for Abbottstown, Pennsylvania, and referring to his impressions of New York. He notes: ‘I feel absolutely no interest in it. I’d willingly go back, do my term of exile – be it long or short – in Mountjoy’. He also refers to the political divisions in the Irish community in the city. He concludes by asking if republican prisoners in Ireland have been released. He writes ‘Is Dev free. The press here doesn’t consider Ireland worthy of mention. England has great social, financial and business grip here’.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., referring to his arrival in Pennsylvania. He states that he ‘is trying to settle down – but my heart is ever pining to be back. However I’ll stick it until the decree of banishment is revoked. Those who sent me out here gave me the heaviest blow it was possible to give me’. He expresses his joy on hearing of the release of De Valera and Austin Stack. He also refers to Éamon de Valera’s address and concludes that he is a great man. He affirms ‘I never before thought so much of Dev as I do now’. He also refers to his hope that he will meet with Captain Robert Monteith in Detroit.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., suggesting that a person of the calibre of Seán French (1889-1937) should be in America as he would ‘heal the wounds and bitterness caused by divisions of the past few years’. Bibby also refers to his ill-health and remarks that he dreaded the idea of 'being buried with the Penn[sylvania] Dutch over 3,000 miles from dear old Ireland '. He also makes some caustic remarks in relation to Fr. Peter Bowe, the Irish Capuchin Provincial Minister, who is on a visitation to the the Western United States mission. He suggests that the Provincial is 'in no hurry – making most of every hour and every place – he has made his journey one joy ride, all the way and all the time. Everywhere you hear he is out for a good time. What an ideal!'.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., referring to his poor health and his imminent departure for Santa Inés, ‘one of the old Franciscan missions in Los Angeles – somewhere about 40 miles from Santa Barbara'. Bibby adds 'The Bishop, Dr. [John Joseph] Cantwell, is giving it to our people, and I’m to run it …’. He also refers to prominent members of the Irish American community and to his meeting with Seán T. O’Kelly, Sinn Féin envoy to the United States. Bibby writes ‘He [O'Kelly] has a tough job before him, as hard as ever a man faced. Even had our people played the game – it would be difficult owing to [the] sinister influence of [Daniel Florence] Cohalan and [John] Devoy’.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., St. Francis Hospital, Santa Barbara, California, to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. referring to his declining health. He writes 'Tis a desperate fight I'm making for life. ... I was more a corpse than alive when brought in here [hospital]. I have anaemia & ulceration of stomach. Though [the] former more serious, the latter would almost kills a bull'. Bibby adds 'When I think of Fr. Peter and his 4 Def[initors] I find it hard not to be bitter, but I try as best to have patience and offer up this suffering in expatiation of my sins’. He also refers to on-going work at the mission in Santa Inés.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. expressing his relief at being able to work again and affirming that he would like to do more preaching. He also refers to communications from Fr. Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap. and to his distress on not having access to Irish newspapers. Reference is also made to the troubled state of Ireland. He writes ‘the greatest opportunity that came for nearly 800 years lost: it would make one’s blood boil’.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., confirming that a letter has arrived from the Provincial Minister stating that he has arranged for his travelling to Abbottstown in Pennsylvania. Fr. Albert writes ‘I simply dread the saying good-bye here. But I see I must face it and rely on God’s help to bring me through this as he has brought me through other unpleasant experiences in the past’.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby, St. Benedict’s Rectory, 320 West End Street, New York, to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., re his arrival in New York and to his meeting with Fr. Solanus Casey OFM Cap. He describes Casey as ‘a New Yorker, a great worker in the cause and a grand Friar of genial but somewhat ascetic type. He speaks at meetings, writes in [the] Press, and is the friend and trusted confidant of the right people’. Fr. Albert also refers to divisions in the Irish community in New York and notes that ‘our friends are split up into pieces – too bad. I’m speaking with a grand type of man who with tears in his eyes spoke of Liam M[ellows] … English gold and English diplomacy is at work in sowing the seeds of discord here’. He concludes that ‘the more I see here the greater my appreciation of Ireland’.
A note from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. referring to his preparations for his departure for the Santa Inés mission in California. Bibby remarks that he arrived in New York City 'almost a wreck' but leaves it in 'pretty good form'.
Letter from Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap., St. Francis Hospital, Santa Barbara, to Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap., referring to his weakening condition and suggesting that the end is near. He writes ‘I know my dear mother and sisters will feel my death – won’t you write and console them’. He asks to be remembered in a lengthy list of family members and friends. Bibby writes 'Remember me to all the brethren – for no one have I the smallest particle of bitterness, though alas I have often said bitter things for which I in heartily sorrow'.
