| Description | This volume mainly contains letters relating to the Jesuit mission in Guiana from the appointment of Bishop James Etheridge SJ in 1857 until his death at sea in 1877, although some letters concern Barbados and the feasibility of maintaining a presence there. The letters are mostly from the Jesuits at Guiana addressed to the English Provincial, and common themes include a request for more priests, comments on the behaviour of the other Jesuits, and the difficulties in having Jesuits of different nationalities (particularly Italians). The Portuguese community is frequently mentioned, including the new Portuguese Church which opened in 1862. There is also a long-running dispute over the division of authority between the Bishop and the Superior of the mission (both Jesuits). The later letters are less regular, and have more financial correspondence, including with the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. The volume ends with detailed accounts of the number of sacraments administered over several years.
Please contact the Jesuits in Britain Archives for a copy of the calendar of this volume. |