John Bowman launches Jesuit Chaplains photography exhibition

November 17, 2015 in 201511, Featured News, News

A photography exhibition commemorating Jesuit chaplains involved in World War One was launched by Dr. John Bowman, Belvederian, historian and broadcaster at Belvedere House in Belevedere College on Monday 9 November. The exhibition consisted of the display of 12 posters prepared by Polish Jesuit scholastic Kamil Slawinski SJ who works at the school and artefacts connected with First World War and the Jesuit chaplains (notebooks, missal, rosary beads, photos, etc.) that are preserved in Jesuit Archives. The posters displayed at the launch now hang on the wall in the foyer at the main entrance of the school.

All the data included in the posters is based on articles from the book: “Irish Jesuit Chaplains in the First World War” edited by Damien Burke, Assistant Archivist with Irish Jesuit Archives. Paula Nolan, Graphic Designer at Messenger Publications, helped Kamil with the layout and design of the posters. Also some of the teachers at Belvedere helped as consulters. The originator of the idea to commemorate the Jesuit chaplains in this way was the Headmaster of Belvedere College, Mr Gerry Foley, with support from Padraig Swan, the Director of Faith and Services Programmes in the school. The inspiration for the event was the commemoration of 1916. Belvedere wanted to make a link between the anniversary and the school, and it was achieved through the Jesuit Chaplains.

The names of all the eleven Jesuit Chaplains are:
Francis M. Browne, S.J
John Delaney, S.J.
William Doyle, S.J.
John Fitzgibbon, S.J.
Henry Gill, S.J.
John Gwynn, S.J.
Austin Hartigan, S.J.
Patrick Morris, S.J.
Patrick O’Mara, S.J.
Daniel Roche, S.J.
Michael Bergin, S.J.

Five of them were connected with Belvedere.  They are: Frank Browne, Willie Doyle, Henry Gill, John Gwynn, Patrick Morris.

Kamil Slawinski SJ explained “From my point of view it was interesting to find out new things about Jesuits in such a difficult apostolate, which is military chaplaincy. I also hope that the posters might help our students to raise awareness about the connections between school and the War, and between Jesuits whom lived at that time.”