Photographs associated with the visitation of Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. to the United States. Fr. James visited the United States for several months in 1936. Many of the photographs show Father James with missionaries at the newly-constructed novitiate building (St. Patrick’s) in Wilmington in Delaware. The file includes photographs of Fr. Adrian Sharkett OFM Cap. (1879-1965), Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. (1875-1963), Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap. (1894-1980), Fr. Cyprian O’Leary OFM Cap. (1905-1977), Fr. Fergus Lawless OFM Cap. (1904-1991), Fr. Conleth Killian OFM Cap. (1895-1950), Fr. Berchmans Cantillon OFM Cap. (1880-1942), Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap. (1898-1953), Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. (1880-1952), Fr. Finbarr O’Callaghan OFM Cap. (1879-1963), and Fr. Thomas Dowling OFM Cap. (1874-1951). A manuscript annotation on the cover reads ‘Found these in attic in Bonies [St. Bonaventure’s Hostel, Cork], Pat’.
A report chronicling the Irish Capuchins’ struggle to establish a permanent presence on the American East Coast between 1928 and 1930. The Irish friars sought a foundation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. However, the Pittsburgh Province claimed exclusive rights to the territory, despite the Irish friars having the personal support of Archbishop Curley. They initially looked at properties in Baltimore but found the market ‘too high’. After being ‘frozen out’ of Baltimore and Harrisburg, the friars eventually looked toward Wilmington, Delaware. The history concludes with the acquisition of a property in Silverside, Delaware (later St. Patrick’s Friary), which offered 22 acres of ground for roughly $15,000. This site was strategically chosen because it was outside the immediate contested jurisdiction but still accessible to their mission work.
Statement of Masses for the Capuchin Friary in Abbottstown in Pennsylvania from November 1922 to April 1925. The document tracks the number of Masses ‘Received’ (requested by the public, often with a donation) and ‘Said’ (actually celebrated by the friars). The document is signed by Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. among others.
Statement of Mass obligations for the St. Joseph’s Church mission in Roseburg, Oregon, covering the period from 1 December 1922, to 30 April 1925. The document is signed and dated by Fr. Conleth Killian OFM Cap. and Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Register of masses at St. Mary of the Angels. The title page reads ‘Mass ledger begun August 1st 1942, Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Guardian. Ended – September 30th 1948, Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap., Guardian’.
File of loose newspaper clippings relating to the Capuchins in Cork and their ministries. The file includes:
• 'The Pioneer', Aug. 1956. The magazine contains an illustrated article on the Father Mathew Rally held in Mardyke in Cork on 24 June 1956. The rally was attended by many Capuchin friars from Holy Trinity Church and the keynote address was given by Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap.
• Photographic print of the exterior of Holy Trinity Church, Father Mathew Quay, Cork. It is noted that the Church is listed for preservation in the Cork Draft Plan. 'Evening Echo', 27 Nov. 1968.
• Article (with photographic) print regarding the conferring of Papal award on Bernard Curtis for his loyal and longstanding service as organist in Holy Trinity Church, Cork. The group includes Fr. Alexius Healy OFM Cap. and Fr. Colga O’Riordan OFM Cap. 'Cork Examiner', 24 Nov. 1972.
• Photographic print of the Holy Trinity community on the occasion of the Golden Jubilees of Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Fr. Edward Walsh OFM Cap. and Fr. Columbus Murphy OFM Cap. The photograph was taken on 22 Sept. 1948 and was reproduced in the 'South Gate', 22 Sept. 1988.
The file includes:
• Photographic print of the shrine of St. Thérèse at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street. 'Irish Independent', 1 Oct. 1947.
• Report on a meeting of the Council of St. Joseph’s Boy’s Brigade, Church Street, Dublin. 'Irish Catholic', 28 Oct. 1943.
• Clipping of a print of the Christmas Crib at St. Mary of the Angels. 'Irish Independent', 30 Dec. 1940.
• Clipping of a print of Fr. Bernardine Harvey OFM Cap. at the Church Street Friary on the occasion of his golden jubilee of his entering the Order (1944). Fr. Brendan O'Callaghan OFM Cap., Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. and Fr. Benedict Phelan OFM Cap. are also present in the image.
Leaflet for a parish mission in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Sacramento, California. The mission was held from 25 November to 9 December 1923. It was conducted by Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. and Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap.
Letters to Fr. Nessan Shaw OFM Cap. relating to his research on the life and temperance campaign of Fr. Theobald Mathew OSFC. Most of the letters refer to sources tracing Fr. Mathew’s ancestry. The correspondents include:
• Fr. E. Dowling, Cathabawn, Johnstown, County Kilkenny. Re Theobald Mathew’s early education in the Kilkenny Academy from 1803-7.
• Fr. Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap. Re a list of Fr. Mathew’s siblings.
• David Mathew. Re the ancestry and genealogy of Fr. Mathew.
• Rev. Wallace Clare. Re the genealogy of Fr. Mathew.
• Fr. Gervase Mathew OP, Blackfriars, Oxford. Re Fr. Mathew’s genealogy and the disposition of the Mathew family papers in their possession.
• Br. De Sales. Enclosing extracts relating to Fr. Mathew from the diary of W.J. O’Neill Daunt (1807-1894).
• Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. Enclosing brief extracts from the General Capuchin Archives in Rome re Fr. Mathew.
• Fr. T.J. Walsh, South Presbytery Cork. Enclosing a note from Jack J. O’Shea re the poems of John Paul Dalton (a Cork-born poet) titled ‘The Centenary of Father Mathew’ and ‘A Legend of Father Mathew’.
Letter from Fr. Sylvester Mulligan OFM Cap., Definitor General, to Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, referring to the unyielding position taken by the Capuchin superior in Pennsylvania. Fr. Sylvester states that he has written to Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap. suggesting that he ‘should be far better off in Delaware, even though the place be poor, for he could have a canonical foundation and a regular house …’. He also suggests that ‘it is easier to close the house in Baltimore now, than it will be some month’s hence’.