Report by Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. sent to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, on the progress of the Irish Capuchin mission in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia. Reference is made to the difficulties encountered by the first missionaries (including Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. (1897-1980) and Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap.); the establishment of the Loanja mission; negotiations with government authorities and tribal leaders; the work of other missionary orders including the White Fathers and the Jesuits. Fr. Declan concludes ‘as regards the mission outlook in general in Barotseland, I must candidly state it is going to be a very tough problem. The whole territory is fearfully primitive and undeveloped. The only transport help of a convenient or modern touch that we have as an ally is a spasmodic lumber train which carries us from Livingstone to the Barotse border’.
List of Capuchin friars buried in Foulkstown Cemetery in Kilkenny. The list was compiled by Fr. Benedict Cullen OFM Cap. The list includes names, dates of death and other details (including age) in respect of: Br. Urban Beirne, Cleric Student Fr. Chrysostom Sutton, Master of Novices Fr. Matthew O’Connor, former Provincial Minister Br. Laserian O’Connor Br. Angelus Moore Br. Colman Butler Br. James Kennedy Fr. Bonaventure Murphy Br. Benedict Curran Fr. Seraphin Nesdale Fr. Robert Ratigan References is also made to a monument erected to the memory of Fr. Thomas Murphy OSFC (died 13 June 1817 aged 73 years) and Fr. William Berry OSFC (died 20 Oct. 1822 aged 80 years) and to Fr. Patrick Joseph Mulligan OSFC (died 4 Dec. 1853 aged 74 years), Fr. J.E. Tommins OSFC (died 29 July 1889 aged 78 years) and Br. Edward Foley OSFC, Cleric Novice (died 24 Sept. 1889 aged 16 years).
Cutting from the Irish Press reporting on the departure of Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. and Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. for Northern Rhodesia.
Studio photographic print of (left to right) Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. and Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. in Ireland before their departure for the African mission.
