Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe that another year is almost over. Though people have been exchanging new year's wishes for centuries, it has become increasingly more common for people to do so on social media than in actual writing. This week, we are featuring new year's wishes to four archbishops and a cardinal in printed or handwritten formats, all from long before Facebook and Twitter were even thought to be possible. This selection even includes some items from before the word computer meant "calculating machine" as opposed to simply "one who calculates."

Bishop Farrell, the Bishop of Hamilton, wishes Archbishop Lynch "health, happiness and every grace for the new year":

Letter from the Bishop of Hamilton to Abp. Lynch,
December 31, 1872

L AD02.36
Archbishop Lynch fonds

An unknown bishop sent this tiny card (measuring just 2 x 3-¾ in or 5 x 9-½ cm) of new year's greetings to Archbishop McEvay:

ME AA02.01
Archbishop McEvay fonds

R. A. O'Connor, Bishop of Peterborough, offers Archbishop O'Connor "hearty good wishes for a blessed and happy New Year":

Letter from the Bishop of Peterborough to Abp. O'Connor,
December 29, 1900

O AB02.15
Archbishop O'Connor fonds

First and last pages of a letter to Archbishop McNeil from his niece, Sister St. Marie Beatrice, C.N.D., in which she mentions her new year's greetings to him for the year 1932:

Letter from Sr. St. Marie Beatrice, C.N.D., to Abp. McNeil,
January 8, 1932

MN AA03.216
Archbishop McNeil fonds

New year's greeting card from Bishop Charles L. Nelligan of Pembroke, Ontario, with a photograph of the Canadian Overseas Chaplains:

Greeting card from Bp. Charles L. Nelligan,
January 20, 1941
Card. McGuigan's signature is on the left.

PH09W/07P
Cardinal McGuigan fonds

The staff at ARCAT would like to take this (social media) opportunity to wish you a very happy new year and all the best for a healthy and joyous 2017!