Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1940-1972 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Name of creator
Name of creator
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Scope and content
/6/1 Athy
6 June 1942 - 11 December 1965 76 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Permission granted to undertake night duty in county home Modifications in habit consistent with those granted to Carysfort, approved. New convent schools in Athy Archbishop advises against acceding to two requests for a foundation in the USA Letter from Msgr. Boylan re resignation of Mother Ursula as Manager of Convent National School (18 April 1958) Letter from AB to Fr Vincent Smith, Florida re Athy convent making a foundation overseas.
/6/2 Athy
3 January 1966 - 8 June 1970 69 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Question of federation with Carysfort. Archbishop appoints Chancellor to visit Athy to explain federation and canvass sisters' views Question re amalgamation which majority favour Archbishop petitions Holy See for amalgamation Amalgamation effected with condition that no sister of existing Athy community maybe transferred anywhere else without her consent.
/7 Baggot Street
14 October 1942 - 12 June 1971 34 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Correspondence re relics of St. Severa, martyr
/8 Ballyroan
17 February 1948 - 18 April 1968 55 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Correspondence re purchase of land adjoining convent Ballyroan Preventorium. Alternative uses for property proposed. Secondary day and boarding school approved Permission refused for sisters to accompany lay pilgrim to Lourdes, superior's wishes taken into account
/9 Booterstown
1941 - 15 May 1970 38 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Correspondence from elderly and disturbed sister with long history or writing to previous archbishops. Dr Dunne advises archbishop to ignore her letters Correspondence re sale of properties Semi-Public oratory approved in Carysfort Archbishop responds to letter from distressed sister re possible dispensation
/10 Coolock
6 December 1954 - 31 July 1958 36 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Correspondence re Coolock House (the home of the foundress) sites and funding of new school
/11 Mourne Road - Newtown Park Avenue
19 July 1963 24 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Convent at Drimnagh Letter from sister concerning discussion with De Dunne File Carysfort: changes to Constitutions 4 March 1953
/12/1 Rush
15 May 1960 - 24 February 1970 35 items
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Project for a day secondary school Issues re Macra na Tuaithe club
/13/ Carysfort - Testamentary Matters 1940
Correspondence related to testamentary dispositions of members of the Congregation. Some testamentary material may be found in files of individual convents
/13/1 General
20 February 1941 - 7 December 1951
Correspondence re routine details of community life and apostolate Election of new Superior Detailed account of works cost Re-election of Sr Madeleine Sophie (1945) Copy of Quinquennial Report to the Holy See (1948) Elections of superiors (1948, 1951) Reference in Latin to a Letter from `unhappy lay sisters of Ireland.' Letter itself not present in file.
/13/2 General
21 March 1953 - 25 May 1958
Question of ownership of Townsend Street NS Cause of canonisation of Mother McAuley Correspondence re project of Higher Institute (Regina Mundi) for women religious in Rome
/13/3 General
8 June 1959 - 28 November 1961 66 items
Correspondence re routine administration, community life and apostolate US Mercy sisters promote liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mercy and cause of Catherine McAuley
/13/4 General
2 January 1962 - 19 November 1965 74 items
Correspondence re routine administration, community life and apostolate Alienation of properties at Booterstown, Stillorgan & Ballyroan Pressure for federation coming from USA Qualified approval for meeting in Carysfort of Mercy Sisters in Ireland
/13/5 General
January 1966 to 24 January 1972 59 items
Anonymous complaint from Mercy nuns Pressure from outside Ireland for Carysfort to take the lead in Federation Archbishop urges caution in light of absence of specific proposals Extensive correspondence re permission for sister to undertake further study Materials in remote preparation for General Chapter, reports from regional meeting and mother-general Establishment of archives in Carysfort convent Text of Mass for Feast of Our Lady of Mercy 24 September Legal opinion on options open to father to prevent daughter from entering convent.
/14/1 Carysfort Training College
8 March 1950 - 15 March 1955 41 items
Correspondence re routine matters of administration Memoranda on catechetics Issue of 5 student sisters sent from Carysfort. Monsignor Boylan investigates and reports. Archbishops writes of `grave injustice.' Information supplied by Sacred Heart nun, Mt. Anville, on catechetical formation at Chaiglockhart, Scotland. Correspondence re religious training of student sisters Department Education proposes temporary restriction of Carysfort places to sisters. Carysfort resists. (cf Sacred Heart Sisters, No 1, 19/4/1942 et seq.)
/14/2 Carysfort Training College
11 May 1945 - 3 July 1958 68 items
Correspondence re proposed new hall routine matters of administration, staff appointments Dept Education seeks increased accommodation for student-teacher intake due to prospect of teacher-shortage. New hall project revived, a loan is raised.
/14/3
20 May 1959 - 11 October 1971 27 items
routine matters of administration Resignation of Mother Teresita as principal after long service; her death Sr Casimir proposed as successor Paper on Special Course in Social Sciences
/14/4/1 Carysfort Training College Annual Reports
5 November 1942 - 22 November 1949
Annual Reports submitted by M. Teresita. Archbishop expresses surprise at absence of critical appraisal
/14/4/2 Carysfort Training College Annual Reports
12 November 1950 -
Annual Reports submitted by M. Teresita. Archbishop expresses surprise at absence of critical appraisal Report for 1969 submitted by Sr Casimir
/16/1 American Foundations - Alabama
12 December 1957 68 items
Correspondence re two foundations in Diocese of Mobile, Alabama, both fail Gadsden: sisters switch to teaching, having originally undertaken nursing work Second foundation in Birmingham with facility for geriatric/ psychiatric patients. Soon in financial difficulties. Exchange of letters between Archbishop McQuaid and Bishop Toolen of Mobile. Sisters return to Ireland on foot of an agreed financial settlement Crisis in religious life at Gadsden, letter of Monsignor Sheehy
(cf Secularisations file No 5. re Gadsden)
/16/2 American Foundations, with addendum on Sydney
10 October 1961 - 27 January 1971 35 items
Correspondence with several Diocese in the US re foundations to staff schools and hospital Diocese of Sacramento (northern California): hospital, built by Bing Crosby Diocese of San Francisco (California): foundation made Diocese of Los Angeles (California) Santa Paula declined Diocese of New Orleans (Louisiana) foundation with primary school St Hilary of Poitiers, Raceland Diocese of Boston (Massachusetts) letter re Boston Project and involvement of Dr De Valera Diocese of New York, work in seminary declines Diocese of Sydney, letter from Archbishop James Carroll
/17 Kenya Foundation
8 August 1955 - 16 November 1969 65 items
Correspondence detailing Archbishop McQuaid's role in the preliminaries leading to invitation to the sisters to establish a foundation in Kenya Sisters accept invitation, begin with a school in Nairobi Extension to Mombasa
(cf also Foundation in Sacramento USA, file, letter 24 October 1961) (cf also General Chapter files for late 1960 period)
/18 Teheran Foundation
22 October 1967 - 21 March 1968 21 items
Correspondence re proposal of foundation in Teheran by the Knights of Malta, prompted by the Shah of Iran. Draft Agreement between Order of Malta and Sisters of Mercy Archbishop urges caution on several points Proposal declined.
/19/1 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
29 August 1944 - 30 August 1947 14 items
Exchange of correspondence, terse at times, between Sisters of Mercy and archbishop on changes to Constitutions proposed by him. Advice offered by Bishop Dunne (Dublin auxiliary) partially accepted. Mercy accepts archbishop's suggestion to obtain vote of the sisters on his suggestion which he would convey in writing in due course.
/19/2 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
28 January 1952 - 13 March 1952 9 items
Letter from Sr Madeleine Sophie, Superior Gen Carysfort, seeking clarification on specified Roman Decrees to Sisters of Mercy in min-nineteenth century. Letter seeks information on appointment of Monsignor McDaid as postulator of cause of Catherine McAuley Letter from John Kelly seeking approval of Book of Rules and Constitutions for the Sisters of mercy Archbishop replies that he has not seen a copy. Copy supplied. Archbishop grants approval.
/19/3 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
3 October 1952 - 26 December 1952 33 items
Correspondence re: change to Pontifical Rites urged and supported by archbishop lay sisters to be known as auxiliary sisters archbishop approves for five years' modification to habit, set of photographs of present habits and tabulated modifications approved by the Holy See. consultation on changes to constitutions proceeds letters from individual Sisters
/19/4 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
11 February 1952 - 1 February 1953 43 items
One-page statement on lay sisters annotated in archbishop's hand Hardbound file of circulars sent from Carysfort Convent to branch houses in the Archdiocese 1953 Hardbound file of Existing Privileges of Sisters of Mercy in Dublin 1953
/19/5 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
6 January 1953 - 23 December 1954 36 items
Archbishop advised of votes (384 for to 17 against) for modifications of Constitutions. He advises Holy See. Typescript [Fr Fennelly] and manuscript re same.
3 photographs with note of changes in habit of Mercy, Auckland, approved by Bishop Liston
Unease among lay sisters reported in two letter: anonymous sister and Monsignor Dargan VG Further correspondence re modifications to constitutions now approved by Holy See. Reference to a General Chapter. Rescript refusing permission for Extraordinary General Chapter, preparations for ordinary General Chapter Anonymous letter re Mercy Derry
/20 Changes to Customs and Constitutions
3 April 1957 - 22 February 1961 22 items
Anonymous letter to S. Cong. Religious from lay-sisters judged to be without foundation by archbishop Trial period of Constitutions nearing end. Archbishop requests report on implementation. Archbishop forwards request for approval of second part of Constitutions to S. Cong. Religious which insists on this being placed before a general chapter before approval can be given Meantime extends approval given in 1953 to the next general chapter.
/21/1 General Chapter 1966
11 January - 3 June 1966 34 items
Correspondence re holding of General Chapter in June 1966, archbishop's advice sought on proposed amendments to some constitutions Matter of younger delegates and their intention to keep the Chapter `open' Canonical problem re-election of delegates from Kenya is solved by sanction by the Holy See Agenda for General Chapter. Mother Gabriel re-elected Reply to Queries 1-3: undated and without attribution
/21/2 General Chapter 1966
June 1966 - 18 December 1967 28 items
Conclusion of chapter and address from Fr Gerard Sheehy, Chancellor of Diocese Copy of Decision and Ordinances of General Chapter 1966. Copy of Revision of same Correspondence re proposed change of habit and prayers Mercy (Athy) independent of Carysfort requests permission to adopt same changes in habit, prayers and customs. Archbishop favourable. Request must be approved by Holy See. Holy See requires Extraordinary General Chapter by October 1969 Carysfort request permission ad experimentum of changes until 1969, permission granted.
/22/1 Special General Chapter 1969
18 December 1967 - 17 February 1968 21 items
Preparation for Special General Chapter begins Suitable reading material circulated, study groups organised and questionnaire prepared Carysfort requests change in numbers and provenance of delegates to ensure more equitable representation, permission granted.
/22/2 Special General Chapter 1969
4 March 1968 - 10 June 1969 72 items
Preparation for Special General Chapter proceeds including questionnaires, reports from Catherine McAuley Commission, meeting of sisters in Drogheda, request of Holy See to reduce number of delegates from Kenya Caution against elevating matter of federation above other significant matters First draft of proposed new constitutions with Chancellor Sheehy's notes. Drafts sent to several Irish bishops Memorandum on Revision of Constitutions
/22/3 Special General Chapter 1969
July 1969 16 items
Documents of Chapter include: Agenda, rules for procedure, working committees, Copy of address of Fr Sheehy, Chancellor Discussion papers on religious life and ministry
/22/4 Special General Chapter 1969
18 July 1969 - 18 August 1969 18 items
Correspondence re divisions which appeared among some delegates to the Chapter Copies of archbishop's final address to the Chapter, typed and handwritten Two copies of revised constitutions Two copies of Directives of the General Chapter Document stating that he next General Chapter to being before 1/7/1972
/22/5 Special General Chapter 1969
23 June 1969 - 2 September 1970 15 items
Five copies of revised constitutions of the Sisters of Mercy Status of Sisters of Mercy, declaration from the S. Cong. Religious Correspondence involving bishops (Ferns, Cork) with Bishops' Commission on Federation/new constitutions for Mercy and Presentation in Ireland Paper on Galway Mercy
XLIV/72 Holy Family of Nazareth, Sisters
/1
17 March 1949 - 8 October 1971 24 items
Correspondence dating from 1949 re repeatedly refused permission to make foundation in the Diocese leads to the discovery in Autumn 1966 that the sisters are serving at the Artane Industrial School (papers missing)?
1970 Sisters withdraw from Artane. Archbishop wishes them to undertake similar role at a new home for boys, Shanganagh Castle. Difficulties arise re religious sisters paid for work in a non-denomination setting. No resolution in this file
A letter from Msgr Barrett concerning a priest - no apparent connection with sisters, misplaced?
XLIV/73 Poor Sisters of Nazareth
/1
17 November 1965 - 25 January 1972 44 items
Permission sought to establish a house in Dublin. Community are bequeathed a house in Rathmines which they occupy. Open a home for ages in Malahide Road Two letters to archbishop, one concerns preaching of chaplain.