1 Irish College
Rome 23rdOct 1916 My Dear Mgr Thank you for your
Commission, which I shall
have carried out at once.
I am glad to have the items
of information you send, about
the T.F.S, and about the
changes in the diocese. I think
Fr Hallinan was wise to get
relieved of all responsibility.
He was much crippled the last
time I saw him. Where is he 2
living? I am glad you are pleased
with my statement. You have
of course missed in it some items
of importance. But I had the
Roman mind before me whilst
I wrote. Things which matter to
you & me would convey no meaning
to them — or worse, a wrong one.
I have some strong letters from some
Cardinals in it. Card Maffi asked
me for some more copies. I was not asked by the Bps to
do anything like it. I therefore
have taken all the responsibility
of it on myself. I have made
it clear here that I only am
responsible. I have told that to those
of them to whom I have sent
copies. Nobody therefore can
complain: if any should not agree
with my view - in fact
I have no view in it: I merely
set forth facts, with chiefly
views from the other side. I am just back from
Tivoli. The Vice Rector is getting
better. I am quite well - I
have not time yet to get ill
& go to hospital. I have been 3 buying grapes and making
wine. I have spent 13000
lire on grapes. I fear that wine
will become dearer & dearer these
next few years. Hence I have enough
wine for nearly three years.
Living has so gone up that it
is hard to live. The pensions
do not at all maintain a
student since the war began.
So I am trying to economise. I
don't like to raise the pension.
Come out for a short time, & I'll
teach you domestic economy —
from buying grapes to repairing water—
closets. And I can give you the
best bicchiere of wine in Rome,
although I am a teetotaller! I am Yrs very truly MO'Riordan I'll be eleven years here on Nov 1st. How fast time runs, or years
go on and duties multiply. I have made some useful improvements in
Tivoli. It's in fine order now. Mr Lawper
does well.