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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).

Correspondence of Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., with Robert F. Mahony, President, American Association for Recognition of the Irish Republic; Fr. Brendan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Central Council of Irish County Associations; Eugene Twomey, Secretary, Fianna Fail, Inc., Irish Republican Party of America; Charles F. Tiernan; Joseph O’Byrne of the Fathers’ Albert & Dominic Committee; and the Irish American National Alliance. The letters refer to appeals from various Irish-American republican organizations calling for the repatriation to Ireland of the mortal remains of Fathers Albert Bibby OFM Cap. and Dominic O’Connor OFM Cap.

Letters from Bishop Francis Henneman SAC (1882-1951), Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope, Western District, later Vicar Apostolic of Cape Town, to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers. The letters refer to requests for the Irish Capuchins to take over missionary outstations including those at Matroosfontein and in the Welcome Estate.

Scrapbook of Fr. Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. (1912-1989) re the history and personnel of the Irish Capuchin mission in Africa. Fr. Albeus arrived in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) in 1942. The scrapbook includes cuttings from missionary periodicals including 'The Father Mathew Record', hand-drawn maps of mission stations and churches, and personal recollections and memoranda by Fr. Albeus re the Capuchin mission in Africa. The volume contains the following sections:
• Photographic prints of the early Irish Capuchins missionaries: Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap.; Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.; Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap.; Fr. Alban Cullen Cap.; Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap.; Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap.; Fr. Livinus Keane OFM Cap.; Fr. Jerome McQuillan OFM Cap.; Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap.; Fr. Marcellus Carroll OFM Cap.; Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Connery OFM Cap.; Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap.
• List of African missions of the Capuchin Franciscan Order (with the names of mother provinces).
• Calendar of priests in the Irish Capuchin mission to Africa arranged under year, number and total. The calendar runs from 1929-39.
• Personal and mission record (with photographic prints) for Irish Capuchin friars in Africa. Details are given of where the friars were stationed and the duration. Information is given in respect of:
Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. First Superior of African Missions.
Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap.
Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. (with postcard print of the Church at Parow, South Africa, dedicated on 8 Dec. 1935).
Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. (with circular letter from Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap. re the appointment of Fr. Killian as Prefect Apostolic of Victoria Falls).
Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap.
Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. (1897-1980)
Fr. Jerome McQuillan OFM Cap.
Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap.
Fr. Livinus Keane OFM Cap.
Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap.
Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap. (1902-1983)
Br. Alexius Paolucci OFM Cap. (1898-1983)
Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy OFM Cap.
Fr. Gerard Joyce OFM Cap. (died in Northern Rhodesia in 1944)
• Calendar of Irish Capuchin missionaries in Northern Rhodesia and South Africa from 1929-38 giving details of where stationed and the time spent at each mission station. (pp 42-3).
• ‘The religion of the Blacks’. Manuscript. Sub-title reads: ‘Paper read for the Bonaventure’s Philosophical and Historical Society, Tuesday, January 17th 1937’. (insert at p. 47). The article was possibly compiled by Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap.
Maps include:
• Districts of Northern Rhodesia showing density of population. (p. 9)
• Detailed manuscript map showing locations of various Christian missionary stations in Northern Rhodesia. (p. 11).
• Map of Northern Rhodesia showing areas of Tsetse-Fly and Sleeping Sickness infestation (p. 15).
• Map re population and infant mortality in Northern Rhodesia (p. 17).
• Printed map of Cape Town, South Africa (p. 22).
• Manuscript map of the Cape Province, South Africa, showing principal towns and the locations of Capuchin churches at the Welcome Estate, Matroosfontein, Parow, Langa and Athlone. Scale: 2 miles to 1 inch. The key also provides the distances between the aforementioned mission churches. (Insert at p. 27).
• Population map of Barotseland (arranged by district). With information re the number of Protestant schools in the region. (p. 45).
Photographic prints include:
• Fr. Fintan Roche OFM Cap. crossing the River Kafue, Northern Rhodesia, with a truck on a barge. Aug. 1937. (p. 27).
• Fr. Marcellus Carroll OFM Cap. with altar boys. (p. 27).
• St. Louis Mission School at Langa; Fr. Jerome McQuillan OFM Cap. (priest at Langa in 1935); groups of children at Langa, with Sister Romana and Sister M. Vianney. (p. 29).
• Missionary scenes at Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia (p. 33).
• The Friary at Livingstone and Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap. (p. 34).
• Missionary scenes at Loanja, Northern Rhodesia. With Fr. Livinus Keane OFM Cap. and Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. (p. 37).
• Prints from 'The Father Mathew Record' of the ‘first Christians at Loanja, Easter, 1936’; ‘adult Christians at Loanja and a group at St. Francis’s School, Livingstone’. (p. 39).
• Br. Dominick O’Callaghan OFM Cap. (p. 44).
• The three Capuchin churches in Africa: Parow, Livingstone, and Athlone (p. 48).
• Fr. Jerome McQuillan OFM Cap. (full length portrait); Sr. M. Vianney at Langa in 1936; First communion group at Langa, 1936. (p. 49).
• Fr. Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. (half-length portrait). (p. 50).
• Fr. Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap. (half-length portrait). (p. 51).
The volume also contains newspaper cuttings re a Capuchin-organised pilgrimage to Knock, County Mayo, organised by Fr. Virgilius Murtagh OFM Cap. and Fr. Maurice Dowd OFM Cap. (p. 66).

Lectures on the history of the Irish Capuchin missions (primarily in Africa) compiled by Fr. Angelus Healy OFM Cap. The talks were likely prepared for promotional and educational purposes. They include copy documents including a letter from the Most Rev. Bernard O’Riley, Vicar Apostolic of Cape Town, to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, requesting a Capuchin foundation in his diocese (12 May 1927), and copy letters from Archbishop Carlo Salotti, Secretary of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, to Fr. Melchor a Benisa OFM Cap., Minister General, re the Irish Capuchin mission in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia (Jan. 1931).

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’.

Photographic album of Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap. The album contains un-captioned black and white photographic prints. Fr. Jarlath was resident in Northern Rhodesia from 1936-49. The collection includes some views of local worshipers and parishioners (in Northern Rhodesia and in South Africa). Includes prints of Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap., Fr. Luke Sheehan OFM Cap., Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap. (Provincial Minister from 1931-7) with Fr. Paschal Larkin OFM Cap., Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and others, a group of young friars at St. Bonaventure’s Friary, the voyage of the Union Castle Line ship, RMMV 'Cape Town Castle', in December 1947.

Letters from Bishop Bernard Cornelius O’Riley (1868-1956), Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope, Western District, and Fr. John Morris, editor of the Southern Cross, to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap., Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, and Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary, regarding the prospects for establishing Irish Capuchin missionary foundations in the Athlone, Parow and Langa parishes in the Cape Province, South Africa. Fr. John Morris wrote: ‘There are only about thirty priests in the whole vicariate. This number includes three Jesuits, two Redemptorists, and some six Salesians. … Alas, there are no Franciscans in South Africa. You will therefore be real pioneers’ (16 May 1927). The Bishop wrote: ‘There are pagans and heathens in abundance in my Vicariate which covers some 17,000 sq. miles and I can assure there is endless scope in the Vicariate for the missionary efforts of your good Fathers’ (30 Mar. 1928). Later, he affirmed that the ‘poor people of “Athlone” (which is the name of the place of your first mission in South Africa) are nearly all coloured, a good simple lot, who have been working hard for some months past in their spare time to build with their own hands school-rooms’ (6 Dec. 1928). Reference is also made to the provision of a school for coloured children at Claremont (16 Feb. 1931) and to the financial state of the Vicariate (20 July 1932). The file includes a memorandum and agreement for sale from Bishop O’Riley to the Irish Capuchins of sites at Claremont, at Athlone, and at Parow (1 Nov. 1931), and a letter from Fr. John Morris requesting the Irish Capuchins supply a priest for the Philippi mission in the Vicariate (17 Mar. 1950).

Letters of Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap. (1902-1957). The main correspondent is Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. Other correspondents include Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap. Provincial Minister. The subjects include: the progress of the Irish Capuchin mission in South Africa, particularly the ‘coloured localities of Athlone, Parrow and Claremont’; arrangements for the opening of the mission in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia; the language difficulties. Fr. Alban wrote ‘The big drawback of the Church in South Africa has been the dearth of English-speaking priests. Cape Town has them. Port Elizabeth has some. Johannesburg has a few. But almost everywhere else, French, German, Dutch have possession’. (21 Mar. 1931); requests for mass stipends (18 Sept. 1931); information concerning the forty square miles of the Capuchin mission in South Africa including ‘Athlone, Crawford, Jamestown, Belgravia Estate, the Welcome Estate and Langa’. (6 Nov. 1931); the construction of churches, mission schools and orphanages; the establishment of a canonical foundation by the Irish Capuchins in Athlone, Cape Town. (14 Jan. 1932); the deprivations faced by the ‘native population’ in Cape Town. (26 Feb. 1932); the education of the coloured population of Cape Province, South Africa. (18 Mar. 1932); Fr. Alban’s attempts to hire John McCormack, the renowned Irish tenor, to perform in aid of the poor of Athlone Parish, Cape Town. (5 Aug. 1932); on the necessity of holding property in the Athlone Vicariate. Fr. Alban affirms that ‘the Athlone Catholics are poor, miserable coloured native people on the verge of starvation’. (25 Nov. 1932); the building of the Church of St. Mary of the Angels in Athlone, Cape Town. (9 June 1933); Fr. Alban’s work as a missionary since his ordination in 1925. He wrote ‘I have devoted my time exclusively to the missionary life – almost four years with the Californian Indians, and almost five with the coloured and native people of Athlone’. (27 July 1934); the visitation of Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. to South Africa. (6 Sept. 1935); his desire to return to Ireland. He reminds Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, that he is ‘the last of the first three [priests] who came here in 1929’. (6 June 1951). The file also includes a letter from Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap. to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, transmitting news from Fr. Alban re the number of communicants in Athlone parish. (19 Nov. 1931).