Thelma Glissan - papers concerning her brother Francis (Frank) James McGarry, including letters received by him, 1933-1978

MLMSS 6429

fonds

1933-1956, 1969-1978

Textual Records, Clippings

152785

1 box - 0.13 Meters
Textual Records
Textual Records - (typescript)
Clippings
Textual Records - (printed)

Francis (Frank) James McGarry was born in 1897 at Wagga Wagga, NSW; after his father's death in 1906 the family settled at Manly and he was educated at the Marist Brothers' High School in Darlinghurst. During the 1914-1918 World War he served in France with the 45th Infantry Battalion. On his return to Australia he joined the St Vincent de Paul Society, and was for many years a regular visitor at the leprosarium at Little Bay. In 1935 he left Sydney to join the Alice Springs parish of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) where he worked for nine years as a lay missionary. He assisted Father Patrick Moloney to set up and run the Little Flower Black Mission and later established the mission at Arltunga. He worked for the Northern Territory's Native Affairs Department, 1944-1948, until ill health forced his return to Sydney; he died in 1955.
In 1969 William Sharpe-Dunn, a lay missionary in Western Samoa, was put in touch with Frank's sister Thelma Glissan. He was writing a series of articles on lay missionaries and wanted information about Frank McGarry. This marked the commencement of Frank McGarry's Cause for Beatification; in April 1971 Cardinal Gilroy and Thelma Glissan were advised by the Vatican that his Cause was before the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
In 1973 Thelma and her husband Gerald Glissan met Joyce and Frank O'Grady, who were interested in knowing about Frank McGarry as they had received cards with prayers to Frank after their son, David was diagnosed with cancer the previous year. Frank O'Grady read the letters (then in the possession of Thelma Glissan) that Frank McGarry wrote to his family while working in the Northern Territory; in 1977 his biography of Frank McGarry 'Francis of Central Australia' was published by Wentworth Books.

1935-1946; Letters received by Frank McGarry from Catholic priests and nuns : Sister Mary Annunciata (St Scholastica's Convent, Glebe, Sydney), Father Eather, Bishop Gsell, Father Kerrins, Father Moloney, Sister Theresa of Jesus (Carmelite Monastery, Kew, Vic.) [letters annotated by Thelma Glissan]
1936, 1955,; Letters concerning Frank McGarry received by : his mother Catherine Elizabeth McGarry from Brother Graham (Sacred Heart Monastery, Kensington, NSW), Father Moloney; his sister [Mollie?] from Brother Bennett (Alice Springs) [letters annotated by Thelma Glissan]
1969-1978; Letters received by Thelma Glissan concerning her brother Frank McGarry and his Cause for Beatification, correspondents include : Father Wilfrid Dew, William Sharpe-Dunn, Cardinal Freeman, Cardinal Gilroy, Cardinal Knox, Joyce O'Grady, with some copies of letters sent [letters annotated by Thelma Glissan]
1971-1976; Letters concerning Frank McGarry received by various people and forwarded to Thelma Glissan [letters annotated by Thelma Glissan]
transcribed ca.1976; Extracts from letters received from Frank McGarry by his family, 1935-1945; extracts from letters concerning Frank McGarry received by Thelma Glissan, 1970-1973
September 1936; March 1956; Two issues of 'The Annals of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart' containing : an article about the Little Flower Black Mission; an obituary for Frank McGarry
June 1970; 'Tautai' (Catholic newspaper, Apia, Western Samoa) containing article about Frank McGarry by William Sharpe-Dunn
ca.1976; 'Short history of Francis (Frank) McGarry of Manly, NSW, Australia and lay missionary MSC Northern Territory' [possibly compiled by Frank O'Grady]
1933-1950, 1971, 1976; Newscuttings re Frank McGarry and Sacred Heart missions