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Letters to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, re the appointment of a Vicar Apostolic of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia. The correspondents include Fr. Agatangelo de Langasco OFM Cap., Commissionary General, and Fr. Cuthbert of Chicago OFM Cap., Vice-Secretary General of the Capuchin Missions. The file includes questionnaires, biographies and other documentation (in Latin) re the three candidates: Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Regular Superior, and Fr. Cuthbert McCann OFM Cap. Definitor.

Newspaper cuttings, ceremonial booklet and other documents relating to the consecration of Monsignor Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. as Vicar Apostolic of Livingstone by the Most Rev. Ettore Felici, Apostolic Nuncio, at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin, on 8 September 1950. The attendees included President Sean T. O’Kelly, the Taoiseach, John A. Costello, and Éamon de Valera. The file includes cuttings of photographic prints of the consecration mass, the departure of Bishop O’Shea OFM Cap. from Dublin to return to Africa (with Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister). Includes cuttings from the 'Dublin Evening Mail' and the 'Irish Press'.

The catechism in Silozi (Lusaka: Teresian Press, 1967). With the Imprimatur of the Most Rev. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Bishop of Livingstone.

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).

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).

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. 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).

Press photographs (mainly of Capuchin friars and Observant Franciscan friars) compiled for publication in 'The Capuchin Annual'. Some of the photographs are annotated. The file includes the following images:

• The Most Rev. Patrick Collier, Bishop of Ossory, Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. at celebrations of the tercentenary of the arrival of the Capuchins in Kilkenny in 1948.
• The celebration of Mass at St. Adam and St. Eve’s Church in Dublin.
• Gabriel Fallon (1898-1980) with rosary beads blessed by the Pope for presentation to the actress, Margaret O’Brien.
• The consecration of Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. as Vicar Apostolic of Livingstone at St. Mary of the Angels, Church Street, Dublin, on 8 Sept. 1950.
• The arrival of President Seán T. O’Kelly and Archbishop John Charles McQuaid at St. Andrew’s Church, Westland Row, Dublin, for a Mass commemorating the 1798 Rebellion.
• Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. preaching in St. Francis Church, Kilkenny, in 1948.
• Fr. Ephrem O’Sullivan OFM Cap. (1904-1958).
• The funeral of Chief Superintendent Sean Gantly at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Merchants' Quay, Dublin, in January 1948. With images of his funeral procession along O’Connell Street.
• Presentation by Fr. Gerald McCann OFM Cap. to Captain Robert Monteith.
• Rev. H. Canon Murray speaking at a Pioneer Total Abstinence Association meeting. Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap. is also in attendance.
• Fr. Virgilius Murtagh OFM Cap. (1896-1972) speaking at a sale of work in aid of the Capuchin Foreign Missions.

Photoengraving plates produced for publication in 'The Capuchin Annual'. The printing plates are not captioned but include the following images:
• Fr. Senan Moynihan OFM Cap. (1900-1977)
• Fr. Henry Anglin OFM Cap. (1910-1977)
• Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. (1902-1979)
• Fr. Bonaventure Murphy OFM Cap. (1880-1968)
• Br. Aidan Byrne OFM Cap. (1887-1963)
• Fr. Xavier Reardon OFM Cap. (1899-1986)
• Fr. Angelus O’Neill OFM Cap.
• Fr. Gerald Barron OFM Cap.
• Fr. Crispin Brennan OFM Cap.
• Fr. Michael Duffy OFM Cap.
• Fr. Dan Joe O’Mahony OFM Cap.
• Fr. Jude McKenna OFM Cap.
• Fr. Noel Brennan OFM Cap.
• Fr. Kenneth Reynolds OFM Cap.
• Fr. Ronald Grace OFM Cap.
• Br. Lawrence Speight OFM Cap.
• Fr. Flavian Welstead OFM Cap. (1939-2017)
• St. Kevin’s Church (otherwise St. Kevin’s Kitchen) by Peter F. Anson
• Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)