Showing 197 results

Baptismal name: Bartholomew Brophy
Religious name: Fr. Fiacre Brophy OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 Oct. 1871
Place of birth: Castlecomer, County Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: John Brophy (Farmer)
Name of mother: Ellen Brophy (née Curran)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 5 Feb. 1888
Date of first profession: 3 Mar. 1889
Date of final profession: 8 Sept. 1892
Date of ordination (as priest): 18 Oct. 1894
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor: 1919-21, 1922-5; Custos General: 1907-10; Guardian (local superior), Church Street Friary, Dublin, 1916-9.
Date of death: 5 Oct. 1926
Place of death: Belfast

William Larkin was born in Ballintober, a village in County Roscommon, on 29 July 1894. He joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order in October 1910, taking Paschal as his religious name, and was ordained to the priesthood in March 1920. He graduated with an MA from University College Cork in 1916. In 1917 he obtained a university scholarship prize (worth £600) which allowed him to continue his studies overseas. A gifted scholar in the field of economic history, he held the position of Assistant Professor of Economics and Commerce at University College Cork from 1921 to 1923 and continued to lecture (on a part-time basis) in the University until the 1950s. He also supervised several students taking an MA degree in economics including Jack Nagle who later became an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Agriculture. Fr. Larkin also conducted tutorial classes for workers in Cork city and gave public University Extension Lectures on Catholic social teaching throughout the 1930s. His published works included ‘Marxian Socialism’ (1917), the highly influential ‘Property in the Eighteenth Century’ (1930), and ‘Economics and Frontiers’ (1957). He also authored several scholarly articles for ‘The Capuchin Annual’. He died on 7 December 1976 and was buried in the cemetery attached to Rochestown Capuchin Friary in County Cork.

Baptismal name: William Larkin
Religious name: Fr. Paschal Larkin OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 29 July 1894
Place of birth: Frenchlawn, Ballintober, County Roscommon (Diocese of Elphin)
Name of father: Michael Larkin
Name of mother: Mary Anne Larkin (née Kilbride)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 Oct. 1910
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1911
Date of final profession: 9 July 1916
Date of ordination (as priest): 20 Mar. 1920
Educational attainments: BA, 1st class hons. (1915); MA (1916); Studentship (1917); PhD, London (1928); Economics Lecturer in University College Cork, 1928-58.
Date of death: 7 Dec. 1976
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Baptismal name: John Van Damme
Religious name: Fr. Seraphin Van Damme OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 1820
Place of birth: Bruges, Belgium
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 1840
Leadership positions: Appointed Commissary General of the Irish Capuchins on 20 May 1882. He held this position until 1885; Provincial Minister, 1885-6.
Date of death: 15 Aug. 1887
Place of death: Cork
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork

Thomas Brennan was born (to Irish parents) in the town of Tow Law in County Durham in England on 9 December 1861. He joined the English Province of the Capuchin Franciscan Order at Pantasaph Friary in North Wales in May 1879, taking Sebastian as his religious name. He was ordained to the priesthood in September 1886. In the following years he was appointed to several pastoral positions in England. He was engaged in mission work in Peckham in London and held the position of vice-master of novices. At the Provincial Chapter of 1890 he was appointed spiritual director to the students and chaplain at a nearby convent, orphanage, and boarding school in Pantasaph. In June 1892 he was appointed Lector of Philosophy and Vicar of the House of Studies at Olton in Birmingham. In December 1897 he resigned from his position as guardian (local superior) of Olton to take up missionary work in the United States but was recalled and asked to finish out his term as guardian. Finally, in October 1901, he travelled to America and laboured there in ministry for the rest of his life. He ministered for some time in the Diocese of Lincoln in Nebraska. In September 1903 he and several other friars made their way to Mendocino County in California. Fr. Sebastian initially took charge of Fort Bragg and the area north to the county line. In December 1912 he moved to St. Mary’s Parish in Ukiah. He was appointed superior of the California mission in December 1910 and held this position until June 1920. In 1920 the English Capuchins were given a choice by the Minister General as to whether to remain in California or undertake missionary work in India. Fr. Sebastian opted to remain in the United States while the Irish Capuchins accepted a request from Archbishop Edward Joseph Hanna to take over pastoral work in Mendocino County. Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap. arrived in June 1920 to take charge and Fr. Sebastian moved to Mendocino City. Fr. Sebastian was formally affiliated with the Irish Capuchin Province in 1924. In January 1923 he assumed parochial duties in Greenwood, Elk, and was posted to Willits in October 1928. His final assignment (from 1934) was at Mission Santa Inez near Solvang in California. He died in Santa Inez on 29 January 1937 and was buried in the adjoining mission cemetery.

Baptismal name: Thomas Brennan
Religious name: Fr. Sebastian Brennan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 9 Dec. 1861
Place of birth: Tow Law, Durham, England
Name of father: Thomas Brennan
Name of mother: Mary Brennan (née Waters)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 18 May 1879
Date of first profession: 23 May 1880
Date of final profession: 23 May 1883
Date of ordination (as priest): 18 Sept. 1886
Missionary assignments: Travelled to California, United States, in 1901 and remained there until his death.
Date of death: 29 January 1937
Place of death: California, United States
Place of burial, Cemetery, Mission Santa Inez, California

Baptismal name: John Burke
Religious name: Fr. Eustace Burke OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 24 Dec. 1914
Place of birth: Ballyhesty, Whitechurch, County Cork
Name of father: John Burke (Farmer)
Name of mother: Margaret Teresa Burke (née Murphy)
Date of parents’ marriage: 9 Feb. 1909
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1934
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1935
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1938
Date of ordination (as priest): 14 June 1942 (St. Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny, County Donegal)
Educational attainments: BA (1938)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Prefecture of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia) in November 1942. He was initially stationed in the Sichilli mission in Barotseland, but a serious illness necessitated his transfer to Livingstone where he ministered until August 1947. He was then transferred to South Africa and was appointed pastor of St. Mary of the Angels, Athlone, Cape Town.
Date of death: 2 Oct. 1949
Place of death: St. Joseph’s Sanatorium, Pinelands, Cape Town, South Africa
Place of burial: Maitland Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa

Baptismal name: John O’Riordan
Religious name: Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 6 Jan. 1920
Place of birth: Cork
Name of father: Matthew O’Riordan
Name of mother: Hannah O’Riordan (née Kidney)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1939
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1940
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1943
Date of ordination (as priest): 5 June 1947
Educational attainments: BA, 2nd class hons. (1943)
Missionary activities: Transferred to the Prefecture of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia), on 24 Dec. 1947. Transferred to the newly established Australian Capuchin Mission on 8 Aug. 1956. Returned to Ireland in 1967.
Date of death: 6 Oct. 2003
Place of burial: Cemetery, Rochestown Capuchin Friary, County Cork
Observations: Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap. was Novice Master in Australia in the 1950s and in the 1960s. He was also twice elected to the position of assistant to the Custos General of the Australian Capuchin friars. He had been invited to Australia for the formal establishment of the Australian Assumption Capuchin Province in 1956. He was later appointed the first parish priest in Priorswood in Dublin (1974-81). He was appointed guardian (local superior) of Raheny Capuchin Friary in Dublin in April 1981.
Note: An image of Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap. with novices at the newly built seminary in Plumpton, New South Wales, Australia, in January 1966 is extant at https://blacktownmemories.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/7582

Baptismal name: Matthew Brennan
Religious name: Fr. Crispin Brennan OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 5 Jan. 1917
Place of birth: Carnew, County Wicklow (Diocese of Ferns)
Name of father: Thomas Brennan
Name of mother: Sara Brennan (née Quin)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 3 Oct. 1937
Date of first profession: 4 Oct. 1938
Date of final profession: 4 Oct. 1941
Date of ordination (as priest): 20 June 1946
Educational attainments: BA (1942)
Missionary activity: Travelled to the Prefecture of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia) on 29 Nov. 1946. He acted as Secretary for Education for the Zambian Capuchin mission and was diocesan consultor for Bishop Timohty Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. in Livingstone. He returned to Ireland on 19 May 1977.
Date of death: 3 Aug. 2009
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

Francis Kerwick was born in Kilkenny city on 22 September 1883. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in 1911, took Vincent as his religious name, and was ordained to the priesthood after the completion of his studies in March 1919. The following year he was assigned to the Capuchin mission custody in the United States. Most of his ministry was in Oregon. He was assigned to Hermiston from 1921 to 1924 working primarily in parish ministry. From 1926 to 1928 he ministered in the city of Bend in Oregon. While driving near McKenzie Bridge in Oregon state, he was involved in a serious accident when his car ran off the highway. He was rescued in time and narrowly escaped dying at the scene. From 1950 to 1951 he was pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Bend. Later, he was assigned to help the friars working in Los Angeles in California. Here he had another serious accident when he fell and severely injured his foot while getting off a streetcar. His last days were spent in Saint John of God of Rest Home in Los Angeles. He died on 4 May 1965 and was buried in Cavalry Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Baptismal name: Francis Kerwick
Name in religion: Fr. Vincent Kerwick OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 22 Sept. 1883
Place of birth: Kilkenny (Diocese of Ossory)
Name of father: Daniel Kerwick (Tea and Grocery Merchant)
Name of mother: Ellen Kerwick (née Lyons)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 2 Sept. 1911
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1912
Date of final profession: 8 July 1916
Date of ordination: 15 Mar. 1919
Missionary activity: Travelled to the mission custody in the Western United States in 1920.
Date of death: 4 May 1965
Place of burial: Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles, California

Hugh Murtagh was born in Abbeylara in County Longford on 6 November 1896. James Murtagh, an elder brother, joined the Capuchin Franciscans in 1910 and took Stephen as his religious name. Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap. was transferred to the Irish Capuchin mission custody in the Western United States in 1920 and spent his entire life in ministry in America. Hugh Murtagh followed in his older brother’s footsteps and joined the Order in September 1915. Taking Virgilius as his religious name, he was ordained to the priesthood in June 1924. Following his ordination, he spent some time in Rochestown Friary in County Cork where he had charge of the local Temperance Hall. He devoted most of his religious life to the education of novice friars, first as vice-master, and from 1934 as master of lay novices in Kilkenny. He was appointed President of Father Mathew Temperance Hall adjoining the Church Street Friary in Dublin in 1940 and held this position for three years. He also served as secretary of the Foreign Missions Office and was later appointed guardian (local superior) of the communities in Dublin, Kilkenny and in Ard Mhuire in County Donegal. He was appointed manager of the Capuchin Publications Office (which had charge of ‘The Capuchin Annual’ periodical) in 1955. He was also several times elected to the office of Provincial Definitor (1952-70). He died in the Church Street Friary on 3 September 1972 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Hugh Murtagh
Religious name: Fr. Virgilius Murtagh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 6 Nov. 1896
Place of birth: Ballyboy, Abbeylara, County Longford (Diocese of Ardagh)
Name of father: James Murtagh (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Murtagh (née Crawford)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 8 Sept. 1915
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1916
Date of final profession: 12 Oct. 1919
Date of ordination (as priest): 14 June 1924
Educational attainments: BA (1920)
Leadership positions: Provincial Definitor (Councillor): 1952-5, 1955-8, 1961-4, 1964-7, 1967-70; Custos General: 1949-52.
Date of death: 3 Sept. 1972
Place of death: Church Street Friary, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin

James Murtagh was born in Abbeylara in County Longford on 16 March 1894. He received his early education at the local national school in Abbeylara and later at the Seraphic College in Rochestown in County Cork. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1910 and took Stephen as his religious name. He took a BA degree in philosophy from University College Cork. He was ordained to the priesthood in Holy Trinity Church in Cork on 3 May 1918. Shortly after his ordination, he was assigned to the United States mission and was appointed associate pastor at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Hermiston in Oregon. In 1937 he succeeded Fr. Joseph Fenlon OFM Cap. as Custos Provincial, a position he held until 1956 when Fr. Emilian Meade OFM Cap. succeeded him. During his nineteen-year term Fr. Stephen served as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish located in the heart of Silver Lake, near Downtown Los Angeles. He was instrumental in establishing Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School which opened on 6 September 1938. He also oversaw the opening of the friary at McKenzie Bridge in Oregon in 1937. This foundation never developed due in part to its isolated location. In 1954 he withdrew the Capuchin friars from there, handing over the staffing of the house to the Dominican Order. In 1947 Fr. Stephen supervised the seminary experiment at Old Mission Santa Inés near Solvang in California. Despite the expectations, it was not a success, and it was closed just a year later in 1948. However, he did have one lasting success – St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge, California. In 1946 he bought the old Flintridge Golf Club and established a school. It was the beginning of the firm establishment of the Capuchin mission and the eventual growth of what would become the Western American Province of the Order on the Pacific coast. Following the completion of his term as Custos Provincial he served as pastor of St. Francis Parish in Bend, Oregon (1957-66). His last years were spent at St. Francis High School, where he died on 4 March 1980. He is buried in the cemetery adjoining San Lorenzo Seminary at Mission Santa Inés, California.

Baptismal name: James Murtagh
Religious name: Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 16 Mar. 1894
Place of birth: Ballyboy, Abbeylara, County Longford (Diocese of Ardagh)
Name of father: James Murtagh (Farmer)
Name of mother: Mary Murtagh (née Crawford)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 16 Oct. 1910
Date of first profession: 17 Sept. 1911
Date of final profession: 8 July 1916
Date of ordination (as priest): 3 May 1918
Educational attainments: BA (1915)
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States mission custody in May 1920.
Leadership positions: Custos General: 1937; Custos Provincial: 1937-43, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1955.
Date of death: 4 Mar. 1980
Place of death: St. Francis High School, La Cañada Flintridge, California, United States
Place of burial: Cemetery, Mission Santa Inés, California, United States