Stuk 2023-01-26/484 - To the Bishop

Single sided A4. Typed

Typed letter to a Bishop. Author not given

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Your Eminence,

May I humbly express the great joy and gratitude I feel to God for the pronouncement made by the S.C. de Prop. Fide, asking for Religious Institutes to be founded to come to the spiritual and bodily aid of the Mother & Child in Pagan Countries, as it has answered absolutely all my secret aspirations, desires, prayers, and work of past years and specially after my three years experience on the Mission field in the vicariate of Southern Nigeria.

E m i n e n c e

The Instructions issued by the S.C. de Prop. Fide, in date of Febr. 11th 1936, about the spiritual and bodily aid to the Mothers and Children in Pagan Countries filled the heart of all Christians with joy and gratitude.

Specially have they been received as Divine Providence's own answer by some Irish girls, who were expecting it for more than two years in prayer and preparation of spiritual work. The same spirit gathered them around Miss Marie Martin, and under her conduct, who, after experience of active work in three years in the field of Mission in the Vicariate of Southern Nigeria, and having carefully examined that delicate and urgent question, had shared with them the desire to imitate the august doing of the Mother of God, the B. Virgin Mary in her Visitation to Elizabeth, to put themselves in the service of their sisters, still suffering in the shadow of death, and to answer, as soon as Rome would have spoken, the appeal of the Vicars Apostolic of Calabar, Onitsha, Northern Nigeria... anxious to see the work started in their Vicariates.

Anxious then themselves to remain in perfect agreement with the instructions of the S.C., they allow themselves to submit to Your Eminence, and by Him to the Holy See the Scheme elaborated since many years, at the request of aforesaid Vicars Apostolic.

The small group, while all branches of medical work were within its scope, aimed at making special provision for all medical assistance to the Mother & Child — and so happens to be in exact conformity with the instruction of the S.C.

(b) The Society intended to make very special provision for the spiritual safeguard of the Sisters, and therefore put themselves for their spiritual formation under the direction of the Benedictine Fathers in Glenstal Priory, Murroe, Co Limerick, since 1934.

A member of the Community has been appointed as Spiritual Director, and has instructed them in the obligations of religious life, and more practically in the spirit & work of the future Society, directing them in the practice of religious virtue, — so that they secured the benefits of a regular novitiate.

Having so filially and humbly exposed their aim, and work, and hope, Miss Marie Martin and her small... group of pioneers wish to place...

I have been anxiously awaiting a pronouncement from Rome, before coming forward publicly, and now I wish to put our Scheme before His Holiness & the S.C. giving you a short account of our aim & what we have realised.

Scheme — as elaborated since many years, at the request & under the direction of some Vicars Apostolic anxious to see the work started in their Vicariates Calabar, Onitsha, N. Nigeria — happens to be in exact conformity with the instruction of the S.C. of P. of F. 11th Feb. 1936.

While all branches of medical work were within its scope, the Society, inspired by the example of Our Lady's Visitation to Saint Elizabeth (and now by the instructions of the S.C. de Prop. Fide) aimed at making special provision for all medical assistance to the Mother & Child. The Society intended to make very special provision for the spiritual safeguard of the Sisters.

We have been able to realise:

(a) We have put ourselves, for our spiritual formation under the direction of the Benedictine Fathers in Glenstal Priory, Murroe, Co Limerick, since 1934. A member of the Community has been appointed as Spiritual Director to our little group, giving us conferences twice weekly on the spiritual life in general, & more particularly on the religious spirit of work & obligation of the future Society. He is always at our disposal for all private directions. Our life has been lived as far as possible the regular life of a Noviciate.

(b) We have been working on the lines of a secular Society, we have taken & prepared ourselves for private vows.

(c) The group at present consists of one fully qualified Nurse, with C.M.B., another with C.S.M.G., two leaving for Maternity training in the National Maternity Hospital Dublin, this spring, having first taken private vows. The other members are being first spiritually tested and formed, with a view of being trained technically. One Med. Student in her 4th year is attending the University, with the intention of joining when Qualified. One fully Qualified L. Doctor is considering joining as well as 5 other Candidates, which includes another fully Qualified Nurse, with C.M.B. Certificate.

(d) As Mons. Moynagh, Prefect Apostolic of Calabar, has a hospital awaiting our first unit to take over; in the meantime we arranged for two catholic secular Nurses to hold the hospital till we are formed into a Religious Society.

(e) Financial We have been able to support our members without going into debts. We have the interest on roughly £250 a year. A sum of £600, First Contribution to building fund. Eventually dowries & pension of Candidates who would be able to help in this way.

The generous contribution of the Irish people which may be relied upon, as soon as the work will have received official recognition from the Apostolic See — when it is our intention to start burses for the expenses of training.

In the Mission field we shall be supported by the Mission, salaries, & Government grants to hospitals where our helpers will be stationed.

ORIGINAL OCR TEXT

SHemre MaMeeMe6
R
2o73o1.26/532
May I humbly expres the great joy and gratitude f feel to God Cor the pra
Douncomont made by tho C.C,de Prop, Fide,asking for Goligious Gmatittop t0
be founded to come to the spiritual and bodily aid of the Mother & Child in
Pagan Countries,as it has anewered absolutely all my secret aspirations,dene
Sires, prayers,and worle of past years and specialiy after ry thres wears ex
Serience on the Missiop field in the vicariate of Southern Migeria.
E m i n e n c o
Ehe TAetructions issued bw the S.C.de prop.Fide, ip date of Febr.MAth
1035, about the spiritual abd bodidy aid to the Mothers and Children ig
Ragab Coutries filled the heart of all christians witb ioy and gratitude.
Apacialy hawe they bo roceived as Sivine Prowidence's owo answer bw somo
Arish girls,who were expectis it for more than two vears ir praver ande
Sreparatior of apiritual work. The same spitit gathered them around MisE
Harie Martin,and under her conduct,who,after experience of active work tR
three wears ir the field of Mission in the Vicariate of Southern Migeria,
And having carefully examined that delicate and urgept quastior,had shared
Mith them the dosire to imitate the august doing of the srother of God, the
M.Wirgin Mary io her Wisitation to Elizabeth,to out themaelves in the ger-
wice of their sisters, stild suffering ip the chadow of death,and to ans-
Mer, as soon Home would have spoken,the appeal of the Wicars Apostol5c of
Calabar,Onitshia,Morthern wigeria.. sanxious to see the worle started ir
their Wicatiates.
Anxions then themselves to remain ip perfect agreement with the instruc
Lions of the S,C.,thew aldow themselves to submitt to Your Eminence,and by
Him to the Moly Aee the Scheme elaborated since many years,at the request
of afeoresaid Vicars Apostolic.
Ihe small group,whide all brabches of medical work were withip its sco-
De,aimed at making special provision for all medical aasistance to the Mo-
ther & Child - and so hapbens to be ip exact conformity with the instruction
DE the S.C.
(h) he Society intended to make wery apecial provision for the spirit-
ual safeguard of the Sisters. and therefore put themselves for their spir.
itual formatior under the direction of the Senedcctine Fathers is Glensm
Lal Priory,murroe,Go iimerick,since 195d.
A member of the Comunity has beep appointed as spiritual birector,
And has instruted them in the obligations of religious 1ife,and more prac
Licaldg ir the spirit & worle of the future Society,directiag them in the
practice of relisious victue,- so that they secured the tenefits of a reg
gular novitiate.
2
31
2
5if3.-
Havipg so riially aro humbly exposed their aim, and worY, and hore, Ms8
Marie artio and her small 3xrtiw srouo of pioneers wish to place......
1 have been anxiously awaiting a pronouncement from Rome,before coming 5oe
ward publicly,and now I wish to put our Acheme before His Holiness & the S.G
giving you a short account of our aim & what we have realised,
Scneme - as elaborated since mapy years,at the reduest & under the direction
of some Wicars Apostolic axious to see the worle started ip their Vicariaten
Calabar,Onitchia,M. Migeria - happens to be in exact conformity with the in-
Atructiop of the S.C. of P.of r. 11th Feb.1o35.
Thile all branches of medical work were withim its scope, the Society, in.
Apided by the example of Our Kady's Visitation to Gaint Elizabeth (and pom
Dy the instructions of the S.C.de Prop.Wide) aimed at moking speciai provi-
Siop Cor ald medical asaishance to the Mother & Child.The Societw intendea
4o make wery special provision for the spititual safeguard of the Sisters.
Me have bean able to realise.
1d Me have out ourselves, for cur spiritual Cormation under the diractior
of the Benedictine "athers is Glenstal Priory,Murroe,Co M.mericlt,since Lo&ds
A member of the Commubity has been appointed as spiritual Director to our
1ittle gcoup, giving us conferences twice weekly on the spitituad 1ife ip gen
eral,& more particularly on the religious epirit f,work & obligation of the
Euture Scciety.Me is always at our disposal for all private directions Gur
1ife as beer Mived as fac as pocsible the regular 1ife of a Howiciater
La) Me have beer working on the lines of a secuiar Mociety,we have taken &
Srepared ourselves for private vows.
(c) he group at present consists of one fuldy qualified Murse,with C.M.B.
Amother with C.3t.E,.3 two caviag for Maternity traihihg in the Wational Ma
Lernity Mospital Bublip, this spring,having first takep private wows, The otR
Sr members are being first spiritually tested and formed,with a wiew of Mrig
Hoing tooined tochoicaljy, Sne Med,Student i her Ath year i5 attendibg tho
Mniversity,with the intentionof ioining when Qualified. One fully Qualifiede
I.Doctor is considering joining as well as 5 other Landidates,which indluden
Another fuldy Qualified Murse,with C.M.B. Certificate.
4ds Mons.Moynagh,Brefect Awostolic of Calabar,has a hospital awaiting our
first unit to takte oversin the meantime we arranged for two catholic secular
Murses to hold the hospital iild we are formed into a Religious Society.
Le) Minancial we have been able to support our members without going into
Rebts. Me have the interest on roughly M.250 a year. A su of 1.600,Hirst
Contribution to building fund. Bwentualdy domries & pension of Candidates whe
Mould e able to help ip this way,
rho gemnorois contributio of the Irish people which maw be rolied upon,as
Sdon as the worl will have received official recogmition from the Apostolic
Aee - whem it is our intontio to start burses for the expenses of training
An the Hiaeiop field we shald be supsorted by the Misciop,salaries, & Gow
frrooal fronlo Sor lao boorllalaaar oar honloro llll lo Srallaiods