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A letter from Fr. Wilhelm Kleinsorge SJ (1907-1977), Hiroshima, to Fr. Gerald McCann OFM Cap., Capuchin Publications Office, Dublin. Kleinsorge was a German Jesuit missionary who survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in Japan on 6 August 1945. He was one of at least four Jesuit priests living in the Japanese city at the time of the attack. Miraculously, their church (located just one kilometre from ground zero) largely withstood the explosion and all four missionaries survived. It is believed that the solidity of the church and the adjoining Jesuit mission house contributed to their survival as many of the surrounding wooden buildings were simply obliterated. As noted in his letter, Kleinsorge continued to suffer from the lingering effects of the attack for years afterwards. The extract reads:

‘By the way: I myself learned very much about Ireland’s history etc. by reading the “Father Mathew Record”. When I studied philosophy in the Jesuit College at Pullach near Munich (21 years ago!) 5 or 6 Irish scholastics were with me there and were always good friends. But that was 20 years ago, and now I am working almost 15 years in Japan. For several years I was teaching German in our College at Kobe, but since 1943 I am in Hiroshima. I went here just in time not to miss the historic A-Bomb and even till now I did not recover completely from the after-effects. Last year I was again in the hospital for over 5 months, but since November I am back in Hiroshima.
I hope you and the good Irish people will help us pray and I am sure, that God will help us. Well good bye then, dear Father. I hope you will not have to wait for my next letter as long as you had to wait for this one. Please don’t forget us and the Japanese people in your prayers and be sure, we will not forget you too.
In amore Christi
Yours ever gratefully
Wilhelm Kleinsorge SJ
My best regards to Fr. Senan. Isn’t it a nice photo of Fr. Senan in the Annual! And yours too (of course!)’.

A letter from Fr. T.J. Walsh, South Presbytery, George's Quay, Cork, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap., providing information on the photographs accompanying his article on the Capuchins in Cork which he published in 'The Capuchin Annual'. Particular reference is made to images associated with Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC.

A letter from Fr. Thomas Dawson OMI (1850-1939), Oblate House of Retreat, Inchicore, Dublin, to Fr. Henry Rope. Dawson includes a description of the events of Bloody Sunday in Croke Park on 21 November 1920. He writes 'sixteen young students, from a different house, were among those who escaped when they saw the armed forces coming. As they clambered over the embankments, the bullets were hopping about them, but the only hit among our youngsters was when one of them had the top of one finger shot off'. He also refers to a raid on the Oblate house of studies (most likely Belmont House in Stillorgan) and to the rough treatment meted out by the soldiers.

A photograph of an autograph letter from Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC to John O’Connell conveying his sympathies on the death of his father (Daniel O’Connell). The letter is dated 4 June 1847. The plate by Mayne, Lord Edward Street, Dublin.

Letter from Fr. Paul Bussard, editor of the ‘Catholic Digest’, to Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. seeking permission to reprint condensed articles and content from ‘The Capuchin Annual’.