Letter from Fr. C. F. Maher to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 16 April 1916 Letters 1916-1923 Cornelius Francis Maher

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This letter was written by Fr C. F. Larkin to Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer (1842-1917), who served as the Bishop of Limerick from 1888 to his death. In this letter Larkin informs O’Dwyer that he has settled into life with his Division. He notes that there are approximately 1,000 Catholics in his division, the majority being English and very ‘slack’ as to their religion. Larkin records that the most disheartening feature so far is that the men do not appreciate the seriousness of what is before them. Larkin writes that the field hospital in the camp takes up a large part of his time but that he has adequate facilities for his ministrations to the men. Larkin states that the details of mobilisation for his unit have been changed though the men and officers look forward to going to the Front. Despite the majority of the officers in his mess belonging to the Church of England, Larkin notes that they have the utmost respect for his Roman Catholic customs.

Limerick Diocesan Archive LDA/BI/ET/F/4 https://letters1916.ie/item/2668 English Cornelius Francis Maher 1916-04-16 2/3 Field Ambulance, 3A Camp, Larkhill, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England Edward Thomas O'Dwyer Ireland Male 1918 Faith Faith World War I (1914-1918)

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 2/3 Field Ambulance, 3A Camp, Larkhill,Salisbury Plain, Wilts 16 April, 1916 My dear Lord, After three weeks' residence in Camp,I am now well into my work. I am to-dayfinishing a short mission for the Catholicsof my Division, numbering over a thousandThey are mostly English - very few Irish oreven of Irish parents. I find the majorityof them very slack as to religion: quite anumber married in regist. office, since 1908,yet willing enough to have matters set right.The most disheartening feature is that they willnot see the seriousness of what is before them. There is a military hospital in the camp claim-ing a good deal of my time. My Brigadier Gen.is brother of the late Fr. Lassiter, C. Ss. R., whomthe Brigadier tells me your Lordship knew very well. The B.G. has very a d Catholic tendencies thisbrother, Major Lassiter, also of this Division is aconvert. I have more than the ordinary facilitiesfor my ministrations to the men There are two other priests in this camp, so that we have the luxury of regular confession. This Division was foremost on the list of three to go abroad, but the order has been changed, and we have no idea when or where we are to move. Both officers and men are very keen on going to the Front. We have a depot of the Flying Corps here, and the whirring of air-cradt is constantly over us. I had a visit from Mgr. Count Beckastaffe-Drew, Senior Chaplain: he is most interesting in his accounts of life at the Front. The officers of my mess are all Ch. of Eng. men, but they are almost scrupulous in this respect for my "R.C. Customs." Quite on their own, they have annulled my dispensation from abstinence, by providing me with special and ample Lenten fare. Neither strong drink nor strong language is ever in evidence at meals, or indeed, as far as I can see, at any time. Asking Your Lordship's blessing, Ever faithfully yours C. F. Maher, OFM Cornelius Francis Maher Letter from Fr. C. F. Maher to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 16 April 1916 Edward Thomas O'Dwyer Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 12 May 1916Letter from Eoin McNeill to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 18 April 1916Letter from C. Moran to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 15 August 1916Letter from W. H. Grattan Flood to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 15 September 1916Letter from R. Barry O'Brien to Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, 12 February 1916Letter from General John Grenfell Maxwell to Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, 6 May 1916Letter from General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell to Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, 12 May 1916Letter from Arthur to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 14 January 1916Letter from Fr. C. F. Maher to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 16 April 1916Letter from Fr. Peter C. Yorke to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 26 June 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 27 May 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 10 June 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 23 October 1916Letter from M. M. Carroll to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 1 June 1916Letter from the Limerick City Regiment of the Irish Volunteers to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 14 September 1916Letter from Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer to General John Grenfell Maxwell, 17 May 1916Letter from Patrick Carey to Edward O'Dwyer, D.D., 29 November 1915 Ireland Letter from George A. Lyons to the Honorary Secretary of Sinn Féin, 5 April 1916Letter from Seán Mac Diarmada to Tom Clake, 5 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 12 May 1916Letter from Eoin McNeill to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 18 April 1916Letter from R. Barry O'Brien to Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, 12 February 1916Letter from Mairín Ní Ribhógh to James Ryan, 2 August 1916Letter from ‘One of the Hard Pressed’ to Mr. Samuel, 28 July 1916Letter from Emma Duffin to her aunts, 9 January 1916, Letter from Arthur to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 14 January 1916Letter from Fr. C. F. Maher to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 16 April 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 23 October 1916Letter from Michael O'Riordan to the Right Rev. Monsignor Denis Hallinan, 23 October 1916Letter from Peter Mooney to his sister Katie Mooney, 4 February 1916.Letter from Father Willie Doyle S.J. to Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan, 25 January 1916Letter from Father Willie Doyle S.J. to Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan, 25 February 1916Letter from Father Willie Doyle S.J. to Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan, 31 December 1915Letter from Father Willie Doyle S.J. to Mai, 22 January 1916Letter from Father Willie Doyle S.J. to Mai, 11 February 1916Letter from MW O'Reilly to 'A Cara', 1 June 1916Letter from Francis M. Shaw to Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan, 1 March 1916Letter from Francis M. Shaw to Fr Provincial Thomas V. Nolan, 10 March 1916Letter from Nora Ring to Susan Daly, March 1923Letter from Douglas Campbell (later Major General Sir Douglas Campbell) to his sister Catherine Agnes Meta Campbell (later Wetherall), 28 October 1917Letter from William Upton Tyrrell to Victoria Mary Tyrrell, 19 November 1919Letter from Mary McDonagh to her daughter-in-law Annie McDonagh, early 1920 2/3 Field Ambulance, 3A Camp, Larkhill, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England Letter from Fr. C. F. Maher to Bishop E. T. O'Dwyer, 16 April 1916