Advertisement and leaflet re the Capuchin Missionary Apostolate in Northern Rhodesia. The leaflet contains a rudimentary map of Irish Capuchin mission stations along the Zambesi River. The advertisement was probably taken from 'The Father Mathew Record' periodical. It is noted that there are thirty-three Capuchin priests and eight lay brothers working in twelve mission stations in the Diocese of Livingstone.
Copies of Mission News providing details of the personnel of the Capuchin missions in South Africa and in Zambia. Reference is made by Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap. to work at the mission station at Senanga on the banks of the Zambezi River. Other topics include distressing scenes at the Capuchin mission of St. Anthony’s in Sioma as a result of warfare in neighbouring Namibia (otherwise known as South West Africa). The text refers to the relief efforts of Fr. Benignus Buckley OFM Cap. and Fr. Patrick Mayungo OFM Cap. (Apr. 1981). A list of Capuchin personnel in houses and foundations in the Cape Province (South Africa) and in the Diocese of Livingstone for January 1981 is also given.
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).
