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10 August 1842 - Father John Brady to Bishop James Browne and to Father Jean-Claude Colin, Windsor NSW

Translated by Fr Brian Quin SM, May 2015

On the sheet is written the copy of a letter (in English) from Brady to Bishop James Browne, bishop of Kilmore in Ireland, (his home diocese); Brady is sending it to Colin, no doubt, because it concerns the Marists, and because he mentions it in the last paragraph of his letter to Colin. The letter from Brady to Colin is written on the sheet. It is clear, from the folds in the paper, that the copy of the letter to Bishop Browne was sent to Colin in the same envelope.

To the good care of the Reverend Father Jean-Baptiste Petit-Jean, Marist priest and missionary apostolic. To the Father Superior of the Society of the missionary Servants of Mary in Lyons.

Windsor,(New South Wales),

10th August, 1842

[This letter is the one written originally in English – to Browne]

My Lord,

[1]

In the event of the formation of a religious house belonging to the faithful Servants of Mary at Lyons being established in New Holland, allow me to request your Lordship will have the kindness to recommend some of your good young subjects who would be anxious to embrace the ecclesiastical state and join that most excellent order either at Lyons or in New South Wales, when there established with some pious lay-brothers who could avail themselves of the means offered by government as teachers, etc,etc..

[2]

I have received a letter from our beloved Bishop^[1] in which he states your Lordship’s kind ecception^[2] and how glad he is to become acquainted with you. That my good and beloved Bishop has given to your Lordship a true and faithful account and answer to all your kind demands, I was unwilling to take upon myself to answer your Lordship’s letter, as it would have had perhaps some effect in inducing families to come here, the expense for some turn to a great deal of privations. Asking your Lordship’s blessing and good prayers,

I have the honor to be

Your Lordship’s

Most obedient and humble servant

John Brady

Missionary apostolic

Right Reverend Dr Browne,

Bishop of Killmore Ireland.

[This letter is to Colin]

Windsor,

10th August, 1842

Father Superior,

[3]

Encouraged by the Reverend Marist priest, missionary apostolic, from New Zealand, I am coming to offer you my respectful homage, and at the same time to submit to you, very respectfully, the desires, the wishes I am developing for forming a religious house of your excellent Order, and under the immediate direction of your holy servants of Mary – in the town of Sydney - New Holland – where there are already a great number of French people without a church, without a chapel, without a priest, to preach the word of God to them or administer the sacraments to them &c &c. The Bishop of New Holland has already spoken to you about this while going through Lyons, but having had so much to do for his mission in general, he would perhaps not have thought of asking this favour of you, but after having discussed it with the good Father Marist priest, missionary apostolic, Father Jean-Baptiste Petit-Jean, during a retreat that he was kind enough to give me at Windsor, God has made me aware of the very great advantages for religion in all parts of the Catholic mission on this side of the Cape of Good Hope, which I believe I would be failing the divine inspiration if I did not submit them to you and ask you to take into consideration in the divine presence, the good that an establishment directed by your good Fathers, the Servants of Mary, would achieve in Sydney.

[4]

1) The number of French people is growing daily.

[5]

2) To form a mission to the poor natives of New Holland

[6]

3) To give missions and retreats to the faithful and even to the priests.

[7]

4) To direct the seminary.

[8]

5) To form Brothers, Irish subjects, to go with the priests into the missions

[9]

6) It would be a procure house for all the missions, being a central site.

[10]

7) It would be a good mother house for the two sister missions, New Holland and New Zealand – I ask the Lord to make you aware, better than I can, of all the advantages and so much good (to be done). I strongly commend myself to your good prayers.

I am, with deep respect,

Father Superior,

Your most humble and obedient servant,

John Brady, missionary

Unworthy priest.

[11]

P. S. I have just written to Bishop Browne, bishop of Killmore in Ireland, to ask him to send you subjects in case you would need some for the missions, because he has informed me that there are several of them, whether for the ecclesiastical state, or to be formed as Brothers – they would be able to be sent directly to Sydney without great expense.

Notes

1. ↑ John Bede Polding, bishop ( for a few months only, archbishop) of Sydney.
2. ↑ Read as”acception’ In modern English, “acceptance”.