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from this Excellency Thomas J. Lierman, Just Minister
to the Holy See, Via San Martino della Battaglia (),
Rome, Italy.
23rd February, 1945
My dear Father Edward, — Today, your letter
of December 20th arrived, with all the
"Excellency" shuff on it — Are you gone
crackers? I am sending the note about
Vincent & Borin for your approval. We
can communicate easily and quickly
now through External Affairs; and if
there is a share when the Annual 2nd
little to have one — I didn't see either
1943 or 1944. Murphy and I are
heavily entered celebrating the 2:51 anniversary
of our marriage next Tuesday — not however
in the best of surroundings, dist of all
visits, fearful scarcity and sky-high
prices. As for ourselves while nothing
seen better or meat for many months,
we now have tea and offer and a
crafts of box tinned hesh. Altogether for
seventeen months there has been real
hardship. We look ourselves in at 7 p.m.
because there is so much highway robbery
under arms. The city administration collaborated.
There are so newspapers in Rome and the Italians
are talking like mad. Conditions are depressing.
The Pope is having a long drawn-out few.
Murphy had it recently for six weeks. It
isn't dangerous but the high temperature
remains for weeks. Bloom is in her roll
year medicine and Nuclea is doing fine
at singing — she will be a success later.
Orla said so to school — there have been
cases of kids stripped of their clothes
on their way to school. Clothes are all
"old clothes" — if any of my shirts is
too worn it is turned into a blouse; and I
have a job to hold on to my trousers or it
will be converted into a costume so kink Bishop
mathew called here last week wrote in the
book "the of just of many visits". Is there
anything you want from here that I can send?
All good niches. Mac.

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from his Excellency Thomas J. Kiernan, Frish Minister
15th Holy See
13/12/1944
My dear Father Benan, — I got your letter of September after 7 weeks! It will be long before life is normal. We thought life would be easy after June (air-raids in March on 7th, 8th, 9th — 3 times — and 181th; the last was beside us and the horse embtied quick enough — we were having an afternoon St. Patrick's Day party for the Frish in Rome. We had no water for months and no electricity from 4th June. But nor the difficulties are all the open robberies on the streets — the bandits are armed and story their victims as clothes and boots are so valuable. The bottom has fallen out of Staty and within is safe. The throwing trade in Rome is brothtulian — all classes, food is at blendement brices. A candle is 25 lires and a box of matches 15; cigarettes 5 lires each; all 500 lires a litre and so on.
Ireland has soft a good breeze this year what with Devis efforts for Rome, the £500 sift for medicines and how the £100,000 which I harbit concluded yet — until my audience at the end of this month. The British and Americans here show great resteed for the Frish — we have been inundated with
callers for six months, until a proper way can be sent. I can't forward blossomgraphs but your might think of making one an Annual about Rome and the Vatican and the Frish in Rome. I could send you some new news about 16 frist Frish church in Rome — about early 17th century — with certain photographs. That seen no Annuals since the big 1916 one. Father Peter called a few mornings ago at 9.30 and left in the 1944 Annual "for half an hour" as it is already in the library and he had sent a sentence about learning it out. So we could read only the contents. I was ansony with him for showing it to me at all. Everybody is very well. We shend a lunge amount of time braging for food, with great success, and the Frish areal shot of anything. It has been impossible to trace anything of the hands Michael Brennan — one of the wit hestle in Rome can help and the libraries are closed for ages. Blow has soft honors in 3rd medical, Nuala is likely to become a bristle-rate specia singer and is studiogian hand with a mastro; world who soft nervous after 16 shootings outside when the Germans were taking the Castro Practorio barraches, is getting ready to go again to school with the Sacred Heart Nurs after Christmas. Much is in trouble been and the legalian is most noticeable on account of her. From the Frish alone we have over 1500 visits here a year, and to tell the world I get tired of it but Murthus does the honors and likes it — so we are all
blessed with our own selves. I am sending only one photo — Murthus was on my left not in the history nor in any others I could get. Pelici takes few photos as there is a great shortage of material for brinting the negatives. How is Father Gerald? And your own health? All well we sincerely hope. It is ages since what we seen a Record — the last Dublin newspapers are dated April '44.
On second thoughts I am joining down ideas for a Vatican feature — I could get a photo of the room in Rome occupied by Pelerico Oliver Plumhelt. If you are interested will you write me everything you want — even if impossible and I will try my best to get everything you ask for. We might be to getting home for a holiday next Summer and I could bring the material with me if it could be sent earlier. Write again — some hestle have got letters in 3 weeks recently so there may be an interview. Best writes from us all to Father Gerald and you for the New Year.
Yours ever, MAC

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44
Fran Madame Gonza MacBride, Brebnuch House, Clarshea
24th March, 1905
PRIVATE
Dear and Reverend Father, — Being an unworthy, and probably a labsed member of the 3rd Order, I find it hard to answer your letter; but as answering it may obtain for me your help & some brayers — of which I have great need — I will try to do so
My memory as to dates remains is weak but incidents often stand out sharp and clear. This is one.
I think it was in the starring of 1910 I was in Assisi with Foscult and Sean and my causin May. One day I was alone in a great shacrins church of the Franciscan Order — the name escapes me and there are two great churches in Assisi — this one, I think is on the road leading out from the town and on the way to the small church containing the body of Santa Chiara — miraculously conserved.
I was braying and meditating on St. Francis. As I are to go a month wearing a hairit like yours spoke to me; he said, though a stranger he felt, he knew not why, impelled to speak to me, and for a while we sat and talked of St. Francis and his apostolate of love. He said it had drawn him from his worthen home in Denver to join the Franciscan Order
which he felt to be all in honor and for the Church. He was saddened that even among the sons of St. Francis love was in perfect for there was divinity of the order.
I said I was Grish. He said that may be the reason he. had to speak to me was to tell me I should join the 3rd Order of St. Francis. I replied I was afraid I could never be anything out a camp follower for I would be afraid of adding to my sins by undertaking rules I sto would be likely not to address to, for though convinced that love mirrored by St. Francis was the greatest bone on the universe, and that there were days when I could bray and bray there were many days when my mind could not register the brayer, and to say brayers with ones lips alone seemed to me so made to the Almighty as to almost amount to blasphemy.
He said I aves and I Palers would need me safe within the rule of the 3rd Order. We talked on, and in the end he gave me a scapular and enrolled me in the 3rd Order.
I never saw the month again, I lost my scapular during the war in Ireland — I have always looked with love and veneration on the men wearing your hairit.
But where am I? The great need of your help and brayers is certain because I am only a good for nothing old woman.
My father was volunteer of the 1715
hancers and I would be interested in reading the reference thin in the book you mention. He was Anst. Adj. General in Dublin at the time of his death — but had decided to resign from the English Army.
I would of you you, or for the General have an article which I wrote in madeleine of French Mullen and the binding of St. White's Hospital? For Simple Goodness and faith she was one of the most remarkable women I have never seen, and in Shift of boying a complete invalid for many years he presented her death, she accomplished great work for hood children in Dublin. With restricted space the Record many find the article to long but you have my hermis in to cut it. I wrote it when I heard of her death. She is writing of remembrance and I meant to ask you about that article though the Record is so kind to me, I hardly like to.
With kindest regards to you and father I grated.
I remain, reverently and appetitually your mand Gonza MacBride.

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REPLY:
November 8, 1944
My dear Father Benan, — Many many thanks for your letter and for the idea that you have had for a loan collection of my work. And now it worries me very much to write that I am not sure that such an exhibition should be held so soon as next year — or indeed for a considerable time yet. The honour and blessure to myself would be very great. But I am afraid that such an exhibition would be against the sale of my paintings. The suggestion might come to herself that I has retired.
Mrs. Ernest O'Malley, a week or so ago, told me that herself and some friends of her had thought of such an exhibition of my work. I told her of your blan and I said when that I would not like herself to think that I was not still painting. I boasted, in my variety, that my hat was still in the ring. I think your list for a committee most feattering to me; and I would be delighted to make out a list of owners of pictures of mine in Ireland as far as I know them. But I believe you will understand my feeling of uncertainty about the effect of the exhibition on the sordid selling side. But, if I may, I will take a few days to consider and then write to you again. For indeed I feel very much your kindness and thoughtfulness.
Yours, with every good wish, yours sincerely, Jack B. Geats