Poems of a Soul Friend

Since 1998, April has been designated National Poetry Month to "celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada’s culture."

During his episcopate, the Archdiocese of Toronto had its very own poet-in-residence in His Eminence, G. Emmett Cardinal Carter.

Cardinal Carter (1912-2003) is often remembered for reading his poetry at various events. In 1979, he founded the Cardinal's Dinner, the largest annual community dinner and fundraiser in the country. It became a tradition for Carter to recite a poem at the end of his Cardinal's Dinner speech.

Photographs Collection, PH18C/104CP

G. Emmett Cardinal Carter gives his Cardinal's Dinner speech at the annual fundraiser, ca. 1990. It became tradition for him to end his speech by reciting one of his poems.

A few years before his death, Cardinal Carter self-published a collection of his favourite poems, entitled The Poems of a Soul Friend. In honour of National Poetry Month, we are sharing selections from this booklet and the draft copies that we hold in the Archives.

Cardinal Carter fonds

Cardinal Carter's self-published book of poems, The Poems of a Soul Friend, as well as the original draft of the opening poem, "I do not have the words of Yeats," written in 1999.

Cardinal Carter fonds

This poem was written a couple of years after Cardinal Carter resigned as Archbishop of Toronto. It speaks of his early career and vocation in hometown Montreal, his appointment to Bishop of London, and to Toronto, where he finished his episcopal duties.

Cardinal Carter fonds

We have written previously about Cardinal Carter's beloved dogs, who were often the subject of his poetry.

Cardinal Carter fonds

An example of one of the poems that Cardinal Carter presented at the Cardinal's Dinner, 1992. It was written when he was leaving the Diocese of London for his appointment as Archbishop of Toronto. Carter had a great appreciation for the outdoors and the waterfront in particular. In addition to Lake Huron, he wrote poems about Fourteen Island Lake, where his family cottaged, Grand Bend, Ontario, and Tergensee in Bavaria.

Cardinal Carter fonds

The final poem of his book, "Steadfast", reflects on growing old.

The Great Fire of Toronto, 1904

Yesterday, April 19, marked the anniversary of the Great Fire of Toronto.

On the windy and cold April evening in 1904, flames were spotted in an industrial building on Wellington Street, just west of Bay. The fire quickly spread in every direction and continued until around 5pm the following day. The fire affected about 13 acres of commercial property downtown, and destroyed over 100 buildings. Five thousand people were left without work.

The aftermath of the Great Fire, 1904

City of  Toronto Archives Fonds 1244, item 2

It affected our community and our city, and yet the Great Fire seems to go unmentioned in any of Archbishop Denis O’Connor’s records. Our bishop’s papers represent the administrative history of the Archdiocese, and thankfully no Archdiocesan property was affected by the fire.

We were excited to find the fire documented in the daily journals of Toronto Catholic Matthew O’Connor. Records of parishioners fall outside of our collection mandate, but somehow O'Connor's journals found their way into our collection. And, in moments like this, we're especially thankful to have them.

The Greatest Fire in Toronto's history began tonight at 8:30 and continued all night... began on Wellington Street opposite Holland House. Destroying both sides of Bay from Melinda down to the Bay...Front Street.. Esplanade ave. all business places in neighborhood. loss about $10 000 000. Cold stormy night for the fire.

Matthew O'Connor Daily Journal, 1904
DC Item #59
ARCAT Desk Calendar Collection

It's interesting to see the fire described by a Torontonian of the day. The scope and estimated damage were unlike anything the city had seen in its history. Some amazing footage of the fire was captured and distributed across Canada by photographer George Scott and his assistant. Scott's film is now available on Youtube. Video Courtesy of Library & Archives Canada, ISN #16107

The rebuilding in the years that followed the Fire helped shape the city as we know it today. Tucked into O'Connor's journal was a clipping showing plans for the new Union Station to be built in the "Burnt District".

undated clipping
DC Item #59
ARCAT Desk Calendar Collection

You can find more information and more photographs of Great Fire of Toronto on the Archives of Ontario website here.

Friend of my soul, farewell to thee! The death of Thomas D'Arcy McGee

150 years ago today, 80,000 people lined the streets of Montreal to say goodbye to a Father of Confederation, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, who was assassinated on his way home from parliament in the early hours of April 7th, 1868.

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

1868

PH 70/02P
ARCAT Photograph Collection

McGee was born in Ireland in 1825. He first came to the United States in 1842, and quickly became involved in journalism and Irish Catholic affairs. He returned to Dublin for a few years before moving again to New York and Boston. His career as a journalist, orator, and author took off.

As an advocate for Catholic rights, McGee corresponded with the bishops of Toronto. Having decided that he didn't want to raise his children in the United States, in 1856 McGee wrote to Bishop de Charbonnel for advice about moving north:

"My Lord: Disappointed in this country of that religious freedom and equal justice, which was the hope of so many emigrants, I have all but resolved, to make my future home and that of my children, in the valley of the Ottawa, probably at Ottawa city.

"I write to ask the favor of your Lordship's advice - if you will be so kind as to give it me - as to that section of the province. 

"My hope is to bring up my children unstained and unmarked by false systems of education, or miseducation, and as I cannot isolate them thoroughly in this state of society, I am most anxious to take them, with that view, to Canada.

"For myself I possess a sort of half competence, which with a connexion with some Canada publication would yield me a sufficient income. My wants, except in books, are few and easily purchased. But I will not conceal from your Lordship, that being in my 32nd year, and having a passion for political studies, I would fain hope to enter your parliament, and render some service in the battle, which your Lordship is so heroically fighting for the souls of the children of your province. 

"As I expect to be in Montreal about the 25th instant, on a visit to the lower province, may I beg the favor of your Lordship's views, directed for me, to the care of Mr. Sadlier the publisher, of that city. 

"I have the honor to subscribe myself your Lordship's most obedient servant, Thomas D'arcy McGee"

July 10, 1856

C AH01.01

Bishop de Charbonnel Fonds

McGee became involved in Canadian politics, and went on to push for Canadian confederation. Somewhere along the way, he managed to anger the Fenian Brotherhood, who were blamed for his assassination.

After McGee's death, Archbishop Lynch wrote a heartfelt letter of condolence to his widow:

"My Dear Madam,

"Permit me to offer to you and your good children the heartfelt expression of my condolence in this hour of your severest trial and grief. May Almighty God Himself console you, and His Blessed Mother of Sorrows assist you to bear yours! I offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the repose of the soul of your honored husband and will not forget to include him in in my mementoes of the Holy Mysteries. I join in the universal grief of the people upon the sad death of one of the brightest ornaments of our country and abhor with my whole heart the wicked deed which cut short so valuable a life.

"I am, my dear Madam, with renewed expression of condolence your most humble servant."

April 10, 1868

L AF03.10

Archbishop Lynch Fonds

Lynch saved a clipping from an 1875 newspaper that memorialized McGee:

April 8, 1875

L AF03.11
Archbishop Lynch Fonds

Though his life was relatively short, McGee left a lasting impression on the country. He was a voice for the Irish and for Catholics. His photo was passed down through the family of Fr. Gerald Culliton before it made its way to the archives:

ca. 1867

PH 70/01P
ARCAT Photograph Collection

Fun fact! D'Arcy McGee was quite the poet. You can read his collected works here.

Archives Awareness Week: Word Search

April 2nd to 8th is Archives Awareness Week in Ontario.

Click here for a full list of events sponsored by participating archives.

This year we are offering our blog readers an archives word search. Find the word "archives" in all of the following documents:

Neil McNeil fonds, First World War series, FWCG01.60

Bishop Lynch fonds, LAM12.07

Archbishop Lynch Letterbook, LB05.200

Cardinal McGuigan fonds, MGFA02.33b

Archbishop Lynch fonds, LAA13.21

Latin translation required.

Archbishop McNeil fonds, MNAH01.32

Neil McNeil fonds, MNTA01.173

Excerpt from a chancery inventory, ca. 1934

St. Catharines fonds, SCAE05.05

And now for more of a challenge:

See below for solution: