Copy report on the Victoria Falls Prefecture, Northern Rhodesia, by Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Prefect Apostolic, for Fr. Donatus von Welle OFM Cap., Minister General. With a copy cover letter outlining the general progress of the mission under the following headings: I. General Statistics Population: 380,000; Catholics: 524; Catechumens: 1,929. II. Personnel III. Stations IV. Schools The report encloses statistical forms re the personnel of both the Victoria Falls Mission and the Cape Town Vicariate in South Africa. The appendix includes a section titled: ‘Report on the Capuchin Quasi-Parishes in the Cape Town Vicariate’. The Victoria Falls mission stations are listed in the statistical form as: Livingstone; Sichili; Sancta Maria; Mankoya.
Letters from the Most Rev. John Colburn Garner (1907-1993), Archbishop of Pretoria, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, offering missionary work to the Irish Capuchins in the Archdiocese. The Archbishop offers the district of Rustenburg (5 Nov. 1948); Zeerust, near the boundary with Bechuanaland. He encloses a copy of an agreement between the Archdiocese and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptortists) re work in the township of Rustenburg (5 Apr. 1953); the district of Groblersdal (1 Aug. 1955).
Letters from Bishop Hugh Boyle (1897-1986), Vicar Apostolic of Port Elizabeth, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, requesting that more priests be sent to South Africa to work on local missions in the Vicariate of Port Elizabeth. The file includes correspondence with the Most Rev. Martin Lucas SVD, Apostolic Delegate to South Africa, referring to the urgent need for more missionaries in the district of Peddie, Cape Province.
Cuttings from the Zambian Daily Mail, The NZ Herald and The South Cross referring to Fr. Jude McKenna’s role in training the Zambian national judo team for various competitions including the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in 1990. With photographic prints of Fr. Jude McKenna OFM Cap.
Two VHS tapes with recordings of the 'Brothers in Mission' documentary on the work of the Irish Capuchin missionary friars in Africa. One of the tapes is annotated ‘Master Copy with no commentary’.
Letters of Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. (1901-1979). The correspondents include Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap. Provincial Minister; Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary. The subjects include: Fr. Declan’s first impressions of the South African mission; negotiations with Bishop Bernard Cornelius O’Riley (1868-1956), Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope; Fr. Declan’s efforts to open a mission school in Claremont Parish, Cape Province, South Africa. Fr. Declan also refers to arrangements for the opening of the Irish Capuchin mission in Northern Rhodesia. He wrote ‘Looking at the map it may strike you that the Cape is a long way from N. Rhodesia – it’s nearly two thousand miles. Yet it’s quicker and at least as cheap, if not cheaper, for our men to land at the Cape and rail to N. Rhodesia’. (27 Feb. 1931). Fr. Declan also provides an account of Irish missionary activity for Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap., Provincial Archivist. (25 Sept. 1931). Reference is also made to the missionary activities of Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. in Barotseland.
Letters of Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap. (1898-1953) relating to his experiences as a missionary in Barotseland. The correspondents include Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap.; Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap.; Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. Reference is made to the work of Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. who is in ‘some God-forsaken native village about 9 days from here building a school [and to] Fr. Phelim [O’Shea OFM Cap.] and Fr. Seraphin [Nesdale OFM Cap.] in Loanja’. (11 Dec. 1933). Later, Fr. Fintan refers to the establishment of further mission stations around Mongu and ‘other remote centres … where we won’t conflict with already established Protestant missions’. He also affirmed that ‘Barotseland is not “virgin soil”, it is chuck full of Protestant Missions, some of them 30 days by river from Livingstone’ (20 June 1934).
Letter from Fr. Timothy Connery OFM Cap. (1908-1996) to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, affirming that his health has improved and thanking him for his kind words of encouragement. The file includes a copy medical report affirming that Fr. Timothy is ‘quite unfitted for work in the bush’ (28 Apr. 1938). With a letter from Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. referring to Fr. Timothy’s medical examination in Cape Town and thanking him for his three years’ work in Africa (24 June 1938).
Letters of Fr. Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap. (1912-1988). The file includes letters from teachers and from the local populace to Fr. Alfred relating to his role as principal at mission schools in Sancta Maria Mission (Lukulu), in Malengwa, and later at Maramba. The file also includes letters pertaining to his role as Regular Superior in Livingstone, to Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. The subjects include: the possibility of Irish Capuchins working in the Port Elizabeth Vicariate in South Africa; Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy’s desire to return to Ireland. (25 July 1951); enclosing a list of personnel and statistics for both the South African and Northern Rhodesian missions. (16 Oct. 1951); the construction of churches at the Sancta Maria mission, and at Mankoya, and a friary at Kalabo in Northern Rhodesia. (5 Jan. 1952); developments in Athlone parish, Cape Province. (25 June 1953); the ‘education side’ of the mission in Livingstone. (20 Mar. 1954). The file incudes enclosed letters to Fr. Alfred from the Most Rev. Owen McCann (1907-1994), Archbishop of Cape Town. With a letter from Fr. Noel Brennan OFM Cap. enclosing a list of Zambian churches with resident Capuchin friars, and the names of the titular feasts associated with each church. Reference is also made to the activities of the following Irish Capuchin missionaries: Fr. Jerome MacQuillan OFM Cap., Fr. Anslem Griffin OFM Cap.; Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap.; Fr. Salvator Quinn OFM Cap.
Copy of Br. Andrew O’Shea’s oral account of his missionary work in Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia). With a copy cover letter (and reply) from Fr. Edwin Flynn OFM Cap. to Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap, describing what they affirm is Br. Andrew’s 'Fioretti'. Br. Andrew served as a missionary in Africa from 1943-86. The script is given the following headings: • Father Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Brother Xavier Cox OFM Cap. going on a journey. • As a farmer sees it and as a city lad sees it. • Somili and the Mubishopo – that is Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. • Monsignor and the Maramba Girls Lapa (compound). • Monsignor and the Sisters’ washing. • Father Raymond Dillane’s Silver Jubilee. • Father Raymond Dillane OFM Cap. • Father Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. and Linda Friary. • The visit of the Fatima Statue of Our Lady to Mongu. • The Holy Ghost and the oil stocks. • My friend Kadom (by Father Christopher Crowley OFM Cap.). • Tripe or fishtails. • Kadom and the radio. • The grand finale of Kadom. • Snippets from mission life. • Father Albert O’Mahony OFM Cap. • Father James O’Mahony OFM Cap. • Father Aquinas Carroll OFM Cap. • African Holy Cross Sisters. • Sister Rudolf. • Fr. Capistran Singleton OFM Cap. • Brother Xavier Cox OFM Cap. • Sister Martin. • Father Albert O’Mahony OFM Cap. on his first walking tour. • Archbishop Matthews. • Cardinal Spellman. • A man from the agriculture department visits Lukulu. • Father Ronan Herlihy OFM Cap. and Brother Andrew go fishing. • Father Luke Browne’s attempt to cross the Zambezi in a jeep. • Mission Buildings. • Father Flannan Buckley OFM Cap. and the jam pots. • Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap. • Monsignor’s typewriter and the donkeys. • Father Macanise, the donkeys and their scotch cart. • Father Brian Browne OFM Cap. and his method of winter heating. • Fr. Jerome MacQuillan OFM Cap. and the Divine Office. • Spenser flies his plane. • Father Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. • Father Livinus Keane OFM Cap. • Brother Andrew O’Shea OFM Cap. • Another cook called Peter, and the marmalade. • Brother Gabriel McGillicuddy OFM Cap. and the bricks. • Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. and cars. • The Thames trucks.
