WelCom March 2022
Three items from the Archdiocese of Wellington Archives have been donated to the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington. Last December, Cardinal John Dew handed the items to Anthony Tedeschi, Curator Rare Books and Fine Printing.
The items are:
- Original Papal Bull of Urban VIII c.1631, on vellum, with lead seal. Content untranslated.
- Rationale Divinorum Officiorum [Rationale of the Divine Office] – Guilielmus Durandus – Vincenza 1480. This is an early printed book in Latin with some hand-illumination, purchased in 1970 by Archbishop McKeefry. One of the first titles printed, this is a later edition than the original.
- Summa Theologiae – Thomas Aquinas – Antwerp 1626. This is inscribed as a gift from Fr JJ O’Reily to Fr Petit-Jean (1811-1876) – two of the earliest Catholic clergy in Wellington. Fr O’Reily’s book collection is already part of Alexander Turnbull Library holdings.
Peter Holm, Archivist for the archdiocese archives said, ‘The three items have been donated because it was felt they were best placed in New Zealand’s national collection, where they will be cared for by people with expertise in preservation of rare and ancient works, and to be known and available to scholars.’