Born: 16 March 1619, Kilkenny City, County Kilkenny
Entered: 20 September 1642, Mechelen, Belgium - Flanders Province (FLAN)
Ordained: 28 March 1648, Louvain, Belgium
Final Vows: 09 December 1657
Died: 31 August 1693, College of Antwerp, Belgium - Flanders Province (FLAN)

Alias MacGiolla Cuddy

Son of Nicholas Archdekin and Anne Sherlog. Read Humanities in Ireland and Philosophy at Louvain
1649 in Tertianship at Mechelen
1650 Returned in Roman Cat age 34 having read 4 years of scholastic Theology
1671 Professor of Scripture at Antwerp (Louvain?) and was published - also taught Scripture, Humanities, Theology and Philosophy
Abbé Henegan says RIP 1690; Another account in suggests Ent 1649
Monument at Thomastown Kilkenny

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
Son of Nicholas and Ann née Sherlock
Studied Humanities at Antwerp and Lille under the Jesuits before Ent, and four years Theology in the Society. He knew Latin, Irish, English and Flemish.
1650 Teaching Humanities (HIB Catalogue 1650 - ARSI)
1653 Arrived at Professed House Antwerp, 26/03/1653, and Taught Humanities for six years and was a Professor of Philosophy, Moral Theology and Sacred Scripture, chiefly at Louvain and Antwerp, where he died. (cf Oliver, Stonyhurst MSS; and for his writings de Backer “Biblioth. des Écrivains SJ”)
Writer; Professor of Theology and Sacred Scripture. (cf Foley’s Collectanea)

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
Son of Nicholas and Anne neé Sherlock
He studied humanities in Ireland and Antwerp and on the completion of his philosophy studies at Louvain, entered the Society at Mechelen.
Having studied theology at Louvain he was Ordained priest there 28 March 1648.
Recalled to Ireland, he taught Humanities at Kilkenny until the fall of that city to the Cromwellian forces.
On his return to Belgium he continued to teach Humanities.
1657-1690 Professor of the ecclesiastical sciences :
1657-1665 Philosophy Antwerp, Sacred Scripture and Hebrew at Antwerp
1665-1674 Sacred Scripture, Hebrew and Moral Theology at Louvain
1674-1690 Prefect of ecclesiastical studies, Scripture and Moral Theology at Antwerp
1690-1693 On his retirement he continued to live at the College of Antwerp where he died 31 August, 1693.
The writings of Richard Archdekin were read in probably every theologate of Europe.
His most famous work was the “Praecipuae Controversiae Fidei” which went into many editions in his lifetime. The 1686 edition contains biographical notices of Blessed Oliver Plunket and Archbishop Peter Talbot.
Notable too amongst his works is his treatise on miracles composed with special reference to favours received through the veneration of relics of St. Francis Xavier which were kept at Mechelen. This book is said to be the first known to be printed in Irish and English conjunctively.

◆ Henry Foley - Records of the English province of The Society of Jesus Vol VII
ARCHDEACON, or ARCHDEKIN, RICHARD, Father, a native of Kilkenny, born March 16, 1618; made his humanities and two years philosophy out of the Society, and four years theology in it at Louvain. Knew the Latin, Irish, English, and Flemish languages; entered the Society at Mechlin, September 28, 1642. In 1650 was teaching humanities. (Irish Catalogue, 1650, in Archives, Rome). He was son of Nicholas Archdeacon and his wife Ann Sherlock; had studied under the Jesuits at Antwerp and Lille, and was a Pro fessed Father. He arrived at the Professed House, Antwerp, March 26, 1653 ; taught humanities for six years and was Professor of philosophy, moral theology, and Holy Scripture for a long period, chiefly at Louvain and Antwerp, and died at the latter placc August 31, 1693, æt. 75. (Oliver's Collectanca, from Stony hurst MŠS. For his writings see Father De Backer, Biblioth. des Ecrivains 5.7.)

◆ Royal Irish Academy : Dictionary of Irish Biography, Cambridge University Press online
Archdekin (Ardsdekin, MacGiolla Cuddy), Richard
by Terry Clavin

Archdekin (Ardsdekin, MacGiolla Cuddy), Richard (1619–93), Jesuit priest and scholar, was born 16 March 1619 in Kilkenny city, son of Nicholas Archdekin and his wife Ann (née Sherlock). After being educated at the classical school in Kilkenny, he travelled to Antwerp (1637) to study theology at the Jesuit college there before moving to Louvain (1640), where he studied philosophy. Already proficient in Irish, English, and Latin, he became fluent in Flemish. On 20 September 1642 he entered the Society of Jesus at Malines (Mechelen) before returning to Louvain (1644) to resume his study of philosophy. He was ordained a priest on 28 March 1648 and, after completing his tertianship, returned to Ireland in summer 1649 to join the Jesuit mission there. Presumably he would have been a member of the teaching staff of a college that the Jesuits intended to establish in Kilkenny, but these plans were dashed by the invasion of Ireland by a militantly anti-catholic English protestant army under the generalship of Oliver Cromwell (qv). Archdekin was soon obliged to flee to Galway, which held out until 1652, after which he managed to slip away and (after a period in hiding) eventually found a ship bound for the Continent. He landed in the Spanish Netherlands on 26 March 1653.

Thereafter he pursued a successful academic career on the Continent, being first appointed to teach humanities at Malines and Alost (Aalst). In 1657 he became professor of philosophy at the Jesuit college in Antwerp and continued as such until 1662, when he began teaching scripture and Hebrew. He moved (1665) to the Jesuit college at Louvain, where he taught scripture, Hebrew, and moral theology before serving as professor of scripture and moral theology at Antwerp from 1664 until his retirement in 1690.

He also wrote a number of works, and his first publication, A treatise of miracles (1667), was printed in both Irish and English. When writing in Irish he used the pseudonym MacGiolla Cuddy. In 1671 he published Vita et miraculorum sancti Patritii Hiberniae, which included a life of St Patrick (qv) and also elaborated on prophecies attributed to St Malachy (qv). The same year he published Praecipuae controversiae fidei, a practical guide for missionary priests in Ireland. It included material on theology, philosophy, the catholic rite, secular and ecclesiastical history, sermons, and religious instruction. In particular it incorporated many references to Irish affairs. The first edition of 1,000 copies was sold out within months and it went through eleven editions in his lifetime. The 1686 edition was retitled Theologia tripartite universa and expanded on the preexisting material to include lives of the martyred archbishop of Armagh, Oliver Plunkett (qv) and of Peter Talbot (qv), archbishop of Dublin. In 1700 an error was uncovered in his teaching on philosophical sin, and as a result the book was placed on the prohibited index. This error was corrected in subsequent editions. He died at Antwerp 31 August 1693 and was buried in the Jesuit graveyard there.

Webb; Crone; T. Wall, ‘Richard Archdekin's catechetical hour’, IER, no. 70 (Jan.–June 1948), 305–15; Boylan (1988 ed.); Dictionary of catholic biography (1962); ODNB

Forename: Richard
Surname: Archdekin
Alternate surname: Ardsdekin, MacGiolla Cuddy
Gender: Male
Career: Religion
Religion: Catholic
Born 16 March 1619 in Co. Kilkenny
Died 31 August 1693 in Belgium

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973

Father Richard Archdekin 1618-1693
Richard Archdekin came of a distinguished Kilkenny family, being born in that city in 1618. He made his early studies at Antwerp and Lille, and finally entered the Society in 1642.

Form most of his life he lectured at Louvain and Antwerp in Philosophy, Moral Theology and Sacred Scripture. He was a voluminous writer. From his pen we have : “A Treatise on Miracles”, written in English and irish, the famous “Theologica Tripartita”, “The Life and Miracles of St Patrick”, “The Mirac les of St Francis Xavier”, and the most useful and influential of all his works, a translation of the Catechism of St Peter Canisius.

He died full of works and ripe in merit and age at Antwerp on August 31st 1693.

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
ARCHDEACON, RICHARD, was born in Kilkenny in 1619. He was admitted into the Society of Jesus at Mechlin, at the age of 23, and in due time was enrolled among the professed Fathers of the Order. After teaching Humanities for six years, and Philosophy, Moral Divinity, and Scripture for a very long period, chiefly at Louvain and Antwerp, he died in the last mentioned city, about the year, 1690, according to Harris (p. 203, Writers of Ireland) We have from the pen of this Rev. Father:

1. “A Treatise on Miracles”, written in English and Irish, 8vo. Louvain, 1667. In the Annual Letters of Ireland of 1673, mention is made of a book, quem de S. Xaverii miraculis edidit Anglice P. Richardus Archdekin .
2. “Theologia Tripartita Universa”. 8vo. Louvain, 1671. During the Author s life this useful work was frequently reprinted.
3. “Vitae et Miraculorum S. Patricii Epitome”. 8vo. Louvain, 1671. I am un able to describe the book : but a copy at the sale of Mr. Bradish s Library, in the summer of 1829, was deposed of by Jones, Trinity Street, Dublin, for eight Guineas.

https://www.ucc.ie/en/cnls/resources/findinglist/richardarchdekin/

Richard Archdekin

Born in Kilkenny, and also known as Mac Giolla Cuddy, or Arsdekin. He studied theology at Louvain, and then became a Jesuit at Mechelen in 1642. He taught philosophy, moral theology, and scripture at Louvain and Antwerp, and several of the theses over which he presided were printed and are listed below. He wrote a treatise in English and Irish on miracles. His Theologia Quadripartita, a guide to essential Catholic teachings and controversies with Protestants, was extremely popular, quickly selling out, and he produced an expanded form of the work in the same year, the Theologia Tripartita. The work received censure from the Inquisition and was thus emended at various points during the production of subsequent editons. Brussels MS 7299, f.71r-75v contains a summary of things to be emended by Archdekin. He also published a life of St Patrick accompanied by the so-called Prophecies of St Malachy, and a treatise "de constantia Hiberniae in religione Romana inter persecutiones poeneis perpetuas, per annos mille ducentos". At his death, he left a manuscript entitled “Theologia Apostolica”. The titles below scarcely convey the popularity of Archdekin’s works, which were reissued many times despite the earlier censure.

1. Theses Sacrae in Epist. Pauli Ad Romanos et Primum Ad Corinthianos (Louvain, 1668).

2. Theses Sacrae in Sancta Jesu Christi Evangelia, (Louvain, 1669), Quarto.

3. Praecipuae Controversiae Fidei Ad Facilem Methodum Redactae (Louvain, 1671), Octavo.

4. Theses Sacrae de Verbo Dei et Creatione Mundi (Louvain, 1671), Quarto.

5. Vitae et Miraculorum Sancti Patricii Hiberniae, Apostoli Epitome Cum Brevi Notitia Hiberniae et Prophetia S Malachiae (Louvain, 1671), Octavo.

6. Theses Theologicae de Deo Uno et Triuno ([Antwerp], [1676]), Quarto.

7. Apparatus Materiae et Formae Pro Doctrina Sacra in Quavis Dictione Facile Methodo Paranda, et Pro Catechesi Cum Exemplis Illustranda. Cum Praxi Varia Assistendi Aegris Ac Moribundis, et Alias Functiones Sacras Rite Obeundi, (Antwerp, 1678), Octavo.

8. Theologia Quadripartita (Prague, 1678).

9. Theologia Tripartita Universa, Complectens Nunc Bibliothecam Perfectam Viri Ecclesiastici, Ordine Sequenti, (Antwerp, 1678), Octavo.

◆ Menology of the Society of Jesus: The English Speaking Assistancy

August 31

On the 26th of August, 1640, at Cashel, died Father Barnaby O'Kearney, brother of David O'Kearney, Archbishop of Cashel. He was admitted into the Society at Douay, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. After teaching rhetoric and Greek at Antwerp and Lisle, he was sent to the Irish Mission with his nephew, Father Walter Wale, in the summer of 1603. Father O'Kearney devoted himself with marvellous assiduity and success to the work of preaching. Everywhere he went his sermons made a wonderful impression. Father Holywood, then Superior of the Irish Mission, in one of his letters to the Father General, says, speaking of the labours of the previous year: “Immense crowds went to hear Father O'Kearney at a Mission

Father Richard Archdeacon, a native of Kilkenny, was born on the 1 6th of March, 16 18. He made his earlier studies under our Fathers at Antwerp and Lille, before entering the Society, and having joined the Novitiate at Mechlin in 1642, he afterwards studied his theology at Louvain. In 1650, he was employed in teaching, and arrived at the Professed House ia Antwerp, in 1653. He taught there for six years, and became after that Professor of Philosophy, of Moral Theology, and of Holy Scripture, chiefly at Louvain and Antwerp, during a course of many years. He died at Antwerp on the 31st of August, 1693, at the age of seventy-five.

He was the author of A Treatise on Miracles, written in English and Irish, and published at Louvain, in 1667 ; of Theologia Tripartita Universa, a work frequently reprinted during his lifetime ; and also of Vitae et Miraculorum S. Patricii Epitome, a copy of which was sold at Dublin, in 1829, for eight guineas. Father Archdeacon also wrote in English a treatise on the Miracles of St. Francis Xavier.

◆ MacErlean Cat Miss HIB SJ 1670-1770

1672 FL BEL Cat
Leuven
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 16/03/1619 Kilkenny
Entered 21/09/1642 Mechelen
Ordained 18/03/1648
Four Vows 09/12/1658
Teaching

1675 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 16/03/1619 Kilkenny
Entered 21/09/1642 Mechelen
Ordained 28/03/1648
Four Vows 09/12/1657
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 7; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 18. Prefect of Studfies and House Confessor.

1678 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 16/03/1619 Kilkenny
Entered 1642 Mechelen
Ordained 28/03/1648
Four Vows 02/02/1657
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 7; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 21. Prefect of Studfies 4

1681 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 17/03/1618 Kilkenny
Entered 21/09/1640 Mechelen
Ordained 28/03/1648
Four Vows 09/12/1657
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 7; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 21. Prefect of Studfies 5
1681 - Consultor

1685 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 17/03/1618 Kilkenny
Entered 21/09/1640 Mechelen
Ordained 1646
Four Vows 02/02/1656
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 5; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 16. Prefect of Studfies 7; Confessor 4

1690 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 17/03/1618 Kilkenny
Entered 21/09/1642 Mechelen
Ordained 06/03/1646
Four Vows 09/12/1657
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 5; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 16. Prefect of Studfies 11; Confessor 4

1693 FL BEL Cat
Collegium Antwerp
“Richardus Arsdekin”
Born 17/03/1618 Kilkenny
Entered 02/09/1642 Mechelen
Ordained 28/03/1648
Four Vows 09/12/1657
Studied Theology 4; Teaching Humanities 5; Philosophy 5; Scripture and Moran Theology 16. Prefect of Studfies 11; Confessor 4

RIP Antwerp 31/08/1693 : Born 17/03/1618; Entered 02/09/1642; Final Vows 09/12/1657

Born: 02 February 1603, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 02 September 1623, Tournai, Belgium - Belgicae Province (BELG)
Ordained: 04 July 1628, Douai, France
Final Vows: 16 May 1641
Died: 07 August 1663, Dublin City, County Dublin

Superior of the Mission 1654-1657

Son of Genet Lattin
Studied Humanities at Antwerp, Philosophy at Douai, became an MA
1627 ROM Catalogue Good in all. Colericus. Fit to teach Philosophy and Theology
1649 Catalogue marked at Dublin
1650 Catalogue Age 47. Came to Mission 1631. Superior in Dublin and Waterford Residences some years. Prof of 4 Vows. Taught Humanities, Concinator and Confessor
1652 His report on Ireland is at Arundel - Gradwell’s MS III 567

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
Studied Humanities and two years Philosophy before Ent 1623. Knew Latin, English, French and a little Irish
1629 or 1631 Sent to Ireland
Taught Humanities for a number of years; was a Preacher and Confessor; Superior of a Residence (HIB Catalogue 1650 - ARSI); Writer; Prisoner; Exile.
1642 In Dublin, an indefatigable missioner. He held his ground in Dublin with Fathers Latin and Purcel for years, disguised often as a private gentleman, soldier, peasant, ratcacther, baker, shoemaker, gardener etc to elude the Puritans.
When Superior of the Mission he wrote a brief Report on the condition of Irish Catholics in 1652 and 1656
1651, 1658 In Antwerp
1659 At Nantes (all above dates Oliver, Stonyhurst MSS) He is placed in BELG Catalogues at Professed House Antwerp, as Confessorr 1651-1652, and June 1658 and October 1659
Writes from Douai to Wadding 1639 (Foley’s Collectanea)
Mercure Verdier, Visitor to Irish Mission calls him a wonderful missioner “mirabilis operarius”.

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
Son of Richard, a merchant, and Jennett née Latin
Had graduated MA at Douai before Entry 02 September 1623 Tournai
1625-1628 After First Vows he was sent for classical studies to Lille and then Theology at Douai, where he was Ordained 04/07/1628
1628-1631 Sent to Ireland and Dublin, where he taught Latin and directed the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin
1632-1633 Sent back to Belgium to complete his studies
1633-1645 Sent to Ireland and Dublin, and when the Puritans took control he managed to stay there undetected
1645-1651 Superior of Dublin Residence (ie., Superior of any Jesuits exercising Ministry in Leinster)
1651-1654 Sent to Antwerp as Procurator of Irish Mission
1654 Returned to Ireland to substitute for the Mission Superior who had been arrested 01 October 1654. He managed to remain undetected for two years, and during this time wrote two accounts on the state of the Irish Mission and Catholic Ireland
1656 About November he was captured and was to be confined to Inishbofin, but at the end of 1657 he was released on bail and then deported to the Continent
1658 He arrived in Paris in 03 January 1658, and once more became Procurator for the Irish Mission. On 17/8/1658 he was asked by the General to establish in Brittany a house of refuge for the fathers of the Irish Mission, and two months later secured a house at Solidor, a suburb of St Malo in October 1659. They opened a school for the children of Irish merchants, and this was later moved to Dinant. The attempt to found an Irish Jesuit house in Brittany was frustrated by opposition from the local French Jesuits and Quin and his companions were summoned back to Ireland in 1662. On his return he offered strong opposition to Peter Walsh’s “Remonstrance”.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ The Irish Jesuits Vol 1 1962
Thomas Quin (1654-1657)
Thomas Quin, son of Richard Quin, a Dublin merchant, and Jennett Latin, was born at Dublin, on or about 2nd February, 1603. He went to Flanders in 1619; studied rhetoric at Antwerp and Douay and philosophy at Douay, where he obtained his degree of Master of Arts. He joined the Society at Tournay on 2nd September, 1623. After his noviceship his scholastic career is rather interrupted. He repeated his classical studies at Lille, and studied theology at Douay for two years, and was ordained priest on 4th July, 1628. He returned then to Ireland for a couple of years, during which time he taught Latin and directed the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin at Dublin. He went back to Belgium in 1631 to finish his theological studies, but after one year had to return to Ireland, where he completed then a few years later. He was stationed usually at Dublin, where he made his solemn profession of four vows on 16th May, 1641. He was one of the two or three Jesuits that succeeded in remaining in Dublin undetected during the Puritan regime. From 1645 to 1651 he was Superior of the Dublin Residence. Fr Maurice Verdier, the Visitor, in his report of 1649, says Fr Quin was one of two Fathers in Dublin, and adds: '”I have not seen him, but I hear he is a wonderful missioner”. At the general break-up in 1651 he was sent as Procurator of the Mission to Antwerp, where he remained three years. He was applied for by Fr. Malone, on his arrest, to act as his substitute, and set out on 1st October, 1654, from Belgium. He reached Ireland, and escaped capture for two years, during which he wrote two accounts of the state of the Mission and of the Catholics of Ireland. About the month of November, 1656, he fell into the hands of his enemies, and was to be confined in Inishbofin, but at the end of the year 1657 he was released on bail and banished to the Continent. He landed in France, and was in Paris on 3rd January, 1658.

Thomas Quin (1663)
When Fr Quin was banished at the end of 1657, he went first to Paris, and then soon after to the Professed House at Antwerp. During the Superiorship of Fr Richard Shelton he acted as Procurator of the Irish Mission in Europe. On 17th August, 1658, he was asked by the General to go to Brittany with a view to establishing there a house of refuge for the Fathers of the Irish Mission. He arrived in Nantes at the end of the year, and secured a house at Solidor, a suburb of St. Malo, in October, 1659. Here a school was opened for the children of Irish merchants, which was later transferred to Dinan, five leagues off. The opening of this house aroused much opposition, and Fr Quin and the other Irish Fathers returned to Ireland in October, 1662. On his arrival Fr Quin offered determined opposition to Peter Walsh's Remonstrance, On 10th February, 1663, he was appointed Superior of the Mission. He was in failing health at the time, and died at Dublin on 7th August, 1663.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973
Father Thomas Quin 1603-1663
Fr Thomas Quin, whop was twice Superior of the Irish Mission, was born in Dublin round about February 2nd 1603, the son of Richard Quin, a Dublin merchant and Jenett Latin. Having completed his studies on the Continent, he entered the Society at Tournai in 1623.

After his ordination in 1628 he returned to Ireland where he taught Latin and directed the Sodality of Our Lady in Dublin. He was one of the two or three Jesuits that succeeded in remaining in Dublin undetected during the Puritan regime.

From 1645-1651 he was Superior of the Dublin Residence. At the general breakup in 1651 he was sent as Procurator of the Mission to Antwerp, but returned at the request of Fr William Malone in 1654.

For two years he evaded the priest-hunters and managed to write two accounts of the Mission and of the Catholics in Ireland. He was banished to France in 1657, having acted as Superior of the Mission 1654-1657.

In 1658 he was sent by the General to open a house for the Fathers of the Irish Mission in Brittany. He secured a house at Solidor, a suburb of St Malo. Here he opened a school for the children of Irish merchants which was later transferred to Dinan. This aroused opposition, so he and the other Irish Fathers returned to Ireland, where Fr Quin was very outspoken in his opposition to Peter Walsh’s Remonstrance.

On February 10th 1663 he was appointed Superior of the Mission for the second time, but he was in failing health and died on August 7th 1663.

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
QUIN, THOMAS. This worthy Jesuit was stationed in Dublin in 1642. In a letter of F. Robert Nugent, dated Manapia, (Waterford) 10th of October, 1642, he speaks highly of his unremitting zeal and charity that he was a source of comfort to the afflicted citizens that he was all to all, that he assumed occasionally the military uniform, now the habit of the gentry, occasionally the dress of a peasant, to elude Puritan vigilance, and to introduce himself into Catholic houses. Pere Verdier, in the course of his visitation nearly seven years later, could not get access to the metropolis, but states the general opinion of F. Quin’s invaluable services as a Missionary. I have seen a brief report of his, written when Superior of the Mission, on the condition of the Irish Catholics in 1652 and 1656. Three years later he was at Nantz, whence he removed to St. Malo. He died 7th August, 1663. See also pp. 677-882 of the Hibernia Dominicana.

Born: 01 February 1611, Dublin City, County Dublin
Entered: 28 February 1629, Back Lane, Dublin
Ordained: 1637, Messina, Sicily, Italy
Final Vows: 01 October 1652
Died: 27 July 1671, Dublin City, County Dublin

Alias Nathaniel Hart

Superior of the Mission, 09 February 1658-1663

Sometimes went under the name “Tobias Walker and Nathaniel Hart and also Capitaneus” (HIV III pp 460-464)
Studied Philosophy 3 years and Theology 4 in Society
1633 At Douai studying Philosophy
1636 Not in CAT
1642 Prefect of Irish College Rome (Fr Malone was Rector) Was also Minister and Operarius
1649 Marked at Waterford (1629 after his name)
1650 Catalogue DOB 1607. Came to the Mission 1641. Confessor and Preacher. Age 43. Prof 4 Vows
1666 Catalogue Is dwelling near Dublin. On the Mission 22 years. Consultor of the Mission. Engaged in administering the Sacraments and refuting heretics. After 17 weeks imprisonment he was banished for 6 years.

◆ Fr Edmund Hogan SJ “Catalogica Chronologica” :
Two Entries plus one “Nathaniel Hart”
Knew English, Italian and Latin; Four years Theology in the Society; Taught Humanities; Distinguished Preacher and Confessor
1641 Sent to Ireland (HIB Catalogue 1650 - ARSI)
1666 In Dublin and engaged in missionary duties and in controversial disputations with heretics.
After being imprisoned for 17 weeks, he was deported for six years (HIB Catalogue 1666 - ARSI)
Robert Nugent in a letter dated Wexford 28/02/1643 states that he was daily expecting him from France.
Mercure Verdier the Visitor to the Irish Mission names him in his Report to the General 24 June 1649
He had been stationed at Waterford where he had great repute as a Preacher and teacher; A good Controversialist.
He accompanied the Countess of Beerhaven to Spain, and was then about forty years of age, and had spent twenty in the Society;
He died 1671 in Dublin, deserving well of the Society and elsewhere (Oliver, Stonyhurst MSS who calls him Robert)
A Belgian Catalogue mentions him as Richard Shelton arriving at the Professed House, Antwerp 12 September 1656, and leaving 24 April 1657

Nathaniel Hart Entry
Ent pre 1649; RIP post 1659
1659 Superior of Mission and wrote a letter to the General 15 June 1659
Probably identical with Mathias O’Heartegan (corrected in pencil beside to “Richard Shelton”) who had good reason to disguise his name.

◆ Fr Francis Finegan SJ :
Had already studied Humanities and begun Philosophy before Ent 28 February 1629 Back Lane, Dublin
1631-1637 After First Vows he was sent to Douai for Philosophy and then to Messina in Sicily for Theology where he was Ordained 1637
1637-1641 He made Tertianship and he was sent as Minister and Operarius at Castrogiovanni and Messina.
1641-1644 He was actually sent to Ireland in 1641, but on his way he was kept for a year as Prefect of Studies at the Irish College Rome
1644-1646 Sent to Ireland and firstly to Galway where he taught Humanities
1646 He was sent as Chaplain to Countess Bearhaven on her journey to Spain
When he returned to Ireland he was first sent to Waterford and by 1650 to Dublin
1655 He was was betrayed and arrested in 1655 and deported to the Barbados. There he was not allowed to land there but sent back to Europe. He eventually landed at Antwerp in October, 1656
1657 In spite of his penalties threatened against priests who should care to come back after deportation, he returned to Ireland when appointed as substitute for the Mission Superior Thomas Quin, who had been arrested. He was himself arrested again on his way through England but succeeded in reaching Ireland in the summer of 1657
1658 He was formally appointed Superior of the Mission, 09 February 1658, His term of Office should have ended in 1661 but the newly-designated Superior did not come, and so he continued in office until 1663
He died in Dublin 27 July 1671
He wrote an account of the labours of the Society in Ireland during the thirteen years of the Cromwellian tyranny.
He stoutly opposed Peter Walsh's Loyal Remonstrance.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ The Irish Jesuits Vol 1 1962
Richard Shelton (1657-1663)
Richard Shelton was born in Dublin on 1st February, 1611. His early studies, as far as logic, were made at our Dublin College, and on 28th February, 1629, he entered the Society in the Novitiate of Dublin, recently established. When the heretics suppressed the Jesuit houses and confiscated them to enrich Trinity College, Richard Shelton had to seek his education abroad. He finished his philosophy at Douay, and then was sent to the Province of Sicily. There he studied theology for four years at Palermo, made his tertianship at Trapani, acted as Minister of the College of Enna, or Castro Giovanni, and as Confessor at the Professed House of Messina. In September, 1641, he left Sicily for Ireland. On his way he spent a year at the Irish College, Rome, as Prefect of Studies, under Fr William Malone as Rector. In Ireland he was stationed at Galway (1644-46), teaching, preaching, and confessing. He went as chaplain to the Irish soldiers that accompanied the Countess of Berehaven on her return to Spain, When he came back he was stationed first at Waterford, and then, at the end of 1650, in Dublin, where he made his solemn profession of four vows on 1st October, 1652. He was betrayed in the summer of 1655, and condemned to transportation to the Barbadoes, but before this sentence was carried out he was put on board a ship for Antwerp, and landed there in October, 1656. In spite of the penalties threatened against exiled priests who returned, Fr Shelton did not hesitate a moment when he was ordered to go and act as substitute for Fr Thomas Quin, Superior of the Mission, who had been arrested. He himself was arrested when passing through England, but succeeded in reaching Ireland in the summer of 1657. From being Vice-Superior he was formally appointed Superior of the Mission on 9th February, 1658. His term of office should have come to an end in 1661, but as the new intended Superior never came he continued as Superior till 1663. He wrote an account of the labours of the Society in Ireland during the thirteen years of Cromwellian tyranny. He also distinguished himself by his opposition to the Schismatical Remonstrance of the friar, Peter Walsh, OSF. Fr Shelton died at Dublin on 27th July, 1671.

◆ James B Stephenson SJ Menologies 1973
Father Richard Shelton 1611-1671
Richard Shelton was born in Dublin in1611 and received his early education as far as Logic in our school in Dublin. Furthermore he entered the novitiate in Dublin.

On the closing of our houses he went to the continent to complete his studies. He left Sicily in 1641 to return to Ireland, but spent a year en route as Prefect of Studies in the Irish College Rome under the Rectorship of Fr William Malone.

Arriving in Ireland he went to Galway for two years teaching and preaching. When the Countess of Berehaven retired to the continent, he accompanied her as Chaplain to Spain. On his return he was stationed at Waterford, then in Dublin, where in 1655 he was arrested and sentenced to the Barbadoes. However, the sentence was not carried out, but Fr Richard was banished to Antwerp. In spite of the penalties threatened him, he returned to once again to act as Superior for Fr Thomas Quin who had been arrested. He himself was full Superior of the Mission 1658-1993.

In correspondence he went by the pseudonym Nathanial Hart.

To his we are indebted for an account of the labours of the Society in Ireland during Cromwellian times.

He passed to his reward on July 27th 1671.

◆ George Oliver Towards Illustrating the Biography of the Scotch, English and Irish Members SJ
HART, NATHANIEL. All that I know of him is from his own brief letter, dated the 15th of June, 1659, which shews that he was then Superior of his brethren in Ireland.

SHELTON, RICHARD. In a letter of Father Robert Nugent, dated Waterford the 28th of February, 1643, he says “I daily expect Father Shelton from France”. From Pere Verdier s Report of the 24th of June, 1649, I collect that he had been stationed at Waterford, where he was in great repute as a Preacher; that he had then quitted for Spain, to accompany the Countess of Beerhaven thither; that he was about 40 years of age, of which he had spent 20 in the Society. He died in Dublin, as I find in Father Stephen Rice s Annual Letters, during the year 1671. “in Missions et alibi de Societate bene meritus”.