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Letters of the Most Rev. William J. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, to the Provincial Ministers of the Irish Capuchins (Fr. Matthew O’Connor OSFC, Fr. Peter Bowe OSFC and Fr. Paul Neary OSFC) regarding the establishment and functioning of the Catholic Boys’ Brigade in Dublin. Walsh wrote to Fr. Matthew on 2 May 1895: ‘I should be glad if you could see your way to letting one of your fathers take it in hand. Of course, the rules should be approved in detail so that at any time we could withdraw our connection and our sanction if things were going wrong’. He later averred (27 May 1895) that the ‘organisation ought to be a useful one, if it is well looked after, and good provision for this seems to be made in the Rules’. He later referred (21 June 1895) to an article in the draft rules of Brigade: ‘In par. X, it seems to be left open to Protestants to have a voice in the management. This, of course, would not work in a Catholic organisation for Catholic Boys only’. On 27 Feb. 1900 Walsh wrote: ‘Our religious communities in Dublin are actively engaged in carrying on many good works, works which undoubtedly could not be carried on at all but for them. But I think it is generally understood that as I am exceedingly careful to avoid anything like interference, or bordering on interference, in the affairs of religious bodies, it is far better that I should not be in any connected with their good works’. He later referred to the Capuchin friars’ decision to discontinue work with the Brigade: ‘I observe there is a special point insisted on by the critics of the Boys’ Brigades – that such Brigades are really training schools for the army. On the whole, it may be just as well that your good fathers have got clear of the work’ (15 June 1902). In 1904, Walsh affirmed that he ‘had always remained aloof the organisation’ and claimed that it was not possible for him to interfere ‘in any way [with] the question as to the holding of the trust property’.

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. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. (1902-1957). The correspondents include Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary; Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap.; Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. Most of the correspondence relates to missionary activity in the parish of St. Monica’s, Parow, Cape Province, South Africa. The subjects include: arrangements for Fr. Oliver’s journey to South Africa on board the SS Adolf Woermann. (5 Mar.-22 May 1930); a request from Fr. Oliver to ensure that Parow parish is kept in addition to Athlone parish as it ‘contains the biggest coloured school in the vicariate’. (26 Feb. 1931); requests for mass stipends. (15 Jan. 1932); James Carlton Clarkein who wishes to join the Capuchin Order as a lay brother. (3 Mar. 1932); the resignation of Bishop Bernard Cornelius O’Riley, Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope. Fr. Oliver wrote: ‘It is the best thing he could have done. He had not the necessary qualities to be a bishop of such vicariate as this’. (22 July 1932); requesting that Matroosfontein parish come under Capuchin ministry. (3 May 1934); the opening of a church in Matroosfontein. (17 Sept. 1935); the future of the Capuchin mission in the Cape Province. (28 May 1940); the difficulties of sending priests to the mission during wartime conditions. (15 Oct. 1940); the opportunity of establishing a mission in the Port Elizabeth Vicariate. (2 Aug. 1949). The file includes a rough sketch map of the Irish Capuchin Mission in the Cape Province. The map also indicates the distances between the various mission stations. With two photographic prints including one of Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. The other may show his residence at Parow. References are also made to the following Capuchin friars: Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.; Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap.; Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap.; Fr. Livinus Keane Cap.; Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Connery OFM Cap.; Fr. Marcellus Carroll OFM Cap.

Letters of Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. (1905-1972). Correspondents include Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary; Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. Most of the correspondence relates to developments in the Irish Capuchin mission in Northern Rhodesia and to a lesser extent in the Cape Province, South Africa. The subjects include: the arrival of Fr. Jerome MacQuillian OFM Cap. and Fr. Marcellus Carroll OFM Cap. in Northern Rhodesia. (18 Aug. 1935); the establishment of the Lukulu Station in Barotseland. (1 Sept. 1935); Fr. Casimir Butler’s desire for chaplaincy work in Parow Parish, South Africa. (10 Dec. 1935); co-operation with the Holy Cross Sisters. (20 Dec. 1935); work on the Sancta Maria (Lukulu) training school and the need for each Rhodesian Mission Station to have spiritual books for ‘retreats and ordinary reading’; arrangements for the arrival of Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap. and Br. Alexius Paolucci OFM Cap. (5 May 1936); the establishment of a Prefecture for the Barotseland Mission (13 July 1936); enclosing a copy of the annual report on the Irish Capuchin Mission in Northern Rhodesia. (28 July 1936); the appointment of Fr. Killian as Prefect Apostolic of Victoria Falls. (11 Aug. 1936); Fr. Killian’s investiture as Prefect Apostolic (25 Nov. 1936); negotiations with the Paris Missionaries regarding the limits of the Sancta Maria Mission at Lukulu. (1 Jan. 1937); enclosing a copy of the 1937-8 report for the Victoria Falls Prefecture. (14 Sept. 1938); the boundaries of the Parow and Athlone parishes, Cape Town, South Africa. (6 Nov. 1939); the health of Fr. Livinus Keane OFM Cap. (9 Nov. 1939); an outbreak of the bubonic plague at Sancta Maria Mission and the dangers of transferring priests from Europe to South Africa due to the U-Boat threat (18 Mar. 1940); the proposed new status for the Irish Capuchin houses in the Cape Province, South Africa. (13 Oct. 1940); the position of interned ‘alien priests’ in Northern Rhodesia (25 Apr. 1941); the arrival of Polish refugees in Livingstone. (12 Aug. 1941); the ill-health of Fr. Damascene McKenna OFM Cap. in Northern Rhodesia (5 June 1942); the provision of doctors in Catholic Mission Centres. (23 June 1944); the Katima Muliho mission station. (11 Dec. 1944); copy report on the state of the Northern Rhodesia mission sent to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. (28 Jan. 1945); a proposal to circulate a local mission magazine. (19 May 1945); the jubilee letters of Fr. Phelim O’Shea and Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon (24 June 1945); extending an invitation to the Irish Sisters of Charity to establish a ‘foundation for coloured work in this Prefecture’ (31 Dec. 1948); the pressing need for more priests to be sent to the Northern Rhodesian Mission (28 Aug. 1949); the arrival of Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap. and Fr. Carthage Ruth OFM Cap. (22 Nov. 1949); on the need for priests to take ‘sociological courses’ before departing for Africa. Fr. Killian wrote ‘I am becoming more and more convinced that not by Baptisms alone is Africa going to be converted and that priests must be thoroughly versed in sociological principles. How can anyone keep the Commandments in a modern African compound hut?’ (11 Feb. 1952).

Draft and copy letters of Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. relating to the Irish Capuchin missions in Africa. The file includes copy letters to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, Fr. Sylvester Mulligan OFM Cap., General Definitor, and Fr. Maurice Dowd OFM Cap., and a letter from Fr. Hilary McDonagh OFM Cap. On 21 May 1948, Fr. James wrote ‘We feel that there is great future for the Irish Province in South Africa where the Irish Capuchins were the first, and still stand alone, in their mission to pure natives in the Langa Compound’.

Letters of Fr. James M. O’Leary, Parish Priest, Dunmanway, County Cork, offering £100 for the Irish Capuchin missionaries in Africa.

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. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. (1876-1958). The correspondents include: Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap.; Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Vicar. Most of the correspondence relates to the establishment of missions in South Africa and later in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia. The subjects include: Fr. Casimir’s first impressions of Cape Province (23 Oct. 1929); the journey to Barotseland (30 May 1930); requesting permission to retain Parow parish (26 Feb. 1931); discussions with Monsignor Bruno Wolnik SJ (1882-1960) to establish a local mission a few miles from Livingstone (16 June 1931); the necessity of wearing a white habit. Fr. Casimir wrote: ‘It is almost impossible to wear brown during the hot weather. The Conventual Fathers at Ndola wear white. The Jesuits wear any old things. I suggest a light cream-coloured habit’ (27 Nov. 1931); the need to speak the language in Barotseland ‘before we can hope to gain the hearts of the natives’. (30 Nov. 1931); on the study of the Lozi language (26 Jan. 1932); suggesting that a foundation be established in Barotseland ‘to which Catholics can look to with pride – a large church and school, sufficient for a fifty-mile area’. (3 May 1932); affirming that ‘mission work in Barotseland is going to be a slow business, the obstacles look insurmountable’. Fr. Casimir added: ‘it is a great consolation to know that it can never become a white man’s country’ (23 May 1932); confirming that the new church at Livingstone will cost £3,500 (6 Sept. 1932); referring to the work of Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. and his father (30 Oct. 1932); arrangements for the impending visitation by Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. (3 Dec. 1934); the activities of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society. (18 Dec. 1934); Fr. Casimir’s arrangements to travel to Ireland via Marseilles on-board the Italian ship, SS 'Giulio Cesare' (5 May 1938). References are also made to the following Capuchin friars: Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap.; Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap.; Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap.; Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. The file includes a letter from Fr. C. C. Martindale SJ to Fr. Cuthbert McCann OFM Cap. offering to collect £100 for Fr. Casimir’s missionary work in Barotseland (16 June 1931).