Item 44 - Devotion to St. Mary Magdalen

Herbert O’Hanlon was born in Dublin on 25 March 1890. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans in October 1908 and took Reginald as his religious name. He was ordained to the priesthood on 1 July 1917. Soon after his ordination, he was assigned to the American mission custody and spent several years ministering on the West Coast. In 1924 the Irish Capuchins took over the administration of the Old Mission Santa Inés near Solvang in California. Fr. Regniald was appointed assistant pastor to Fr. Albert Bibby OFM Cap. He briefly took charge of the Mission in 1929. Seemingly he was a popular friar with parishioners and a local newspaper in Santa Barbara referred to him as a ‘true son of the Seraphic Francis’. Fr. Reginald returned to Ireland in 1934. He was initially assigned to Holy Trinity Friary in Cork but was later transferred to the Church Street community in Dublin. Aside from preaching, one of his principal ministries was the writing of short devotional booklets published by the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland (CTSI). He died in Dublin on 13 May 1976 and was buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Baptismal name: Herbert O’Hanlon
Religious name: Fr. Reginald O’Hanlon OFM Cap.
Date of birth: 25 Mar. 1890
Place of birth: Compton House, Dolphin’s Barn, Dublin
Name of father: Michael O’Hanlon
Name of mother: Catherine O’Hanlon (née Kelly)
Date of reception into the Capuchin Order: 18 Oct. 1908
Date of first profession: 26 May 1910
Date of final profession: 21 Dec. 1913
Date of ordination (as priest): 1 July 1917
Missionary activities: Travelled to the Western United States mission in 1924. He returned to Ireland in 1934.
Date of death: 13 May 1976
Place of death: Church Street, Dublin
Place of burial: Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin