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!

Christmas Greetings

Have you ever wondered what types of greeting cards were exchanged at Christmas in the past? Our staff certainly did...

Below you will find a selection of Christmas cards sent in 1949 to James C. Cardinal McGuigan, Archbishop of Toronto.

The staff at the Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto (ARCAT) wish you all peace and abundant blessings this Christmas.

Cardinal McGuigan fonds, MG AA28.01

A beautifully illuminated card from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto.

Cardinal McGuigan fonds, MG AA28.01

Handmade card with festive embellishments from the Ladies of St. Columkille's Parish, Uptergrove.

Cardinal McGuigan fonds, MG AA28.01

Examples of commercially produced Christmas cards.

Record of the Week: Happy Easter! cards

A happy and blessed Easter from the ARCAT family to your family! What a better way to send our greetings than with a collection of vintage Easter cards from the 1940s, '50s and '60s from the Cardinal McGuigan Fonds?

"May the Giver of Gifts give unto you 

An Easter that's blessed 

the whole day through, 

And then, through the days of the springtime too, 

The will to help

and the courage to do,

A heart that can sing

each day anew,

Whether the skies are gray

or blue...

May the Giver of Gifts

give these to you."

"May God be ever near to you

And may His love impart

The holy peace of Easter time to dwell within your heart,

Then, may He grant you happiness

And always, day by day,

May His eternal love be yours 

Along life's future way."

"A year of happy, joyous days, 

With hopes fulfilled

and dreams come true,

And all the best

that life can send,

That is my Easter Wish 

For You!"

"May the solemn Feast 

of

Christ's Resurrection

be a day of great spiritual joy

with a rich fruition

of Eucharistic graces.

May the love, mercy and tenderness

of Christ's Eucharistic Heart

triumph in your soul

and of those whom you shepherd."

"May He who arose 

at Eastertime

keep you safely in His care

and grant you blessings 

every day

And guide you everywhere."