Draft report on the history of Irish Capuchin mission in Zambia compiled by Fr. Donatus McNamara OFM Cap. for the Lexicon Cappucinum Project, International College of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Rome. The report includes the following sections: Historical Development of the Mission Outstanding Missionaries Mission Stations and Foundations Current Friaries Bibliography Development of the Capuchin Vice-Province of Zambia List of Vice-Provincial Superiors Biographical details for Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Br. Andrew O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Jude McKenna OFM Cap., Fr. Philip Baxter OFM Cap., Fr. Edwin Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Charles Hanley OFM Cap., Br. Declan O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Br. Hugh Raymond OFM Cap., Fr. Kieran Shorten OFM Cap., Fr. Godfrey Sinvula OFM Cap., Fr. Salavtor Quinn OFM Cap., Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap., and Br. Rudolf Pieretti OFM Cap. Persons who had a significant relationship with the Mission: Bishop Bernard O’Riley and J.J. Conserdine.
Copy of Br. Andrew O’Shea’s oral account of his missionary work in Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia). With a copy cover letter (and reply) from Fr. Edwin Flynn OFM Cap. to Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap, describing what they affirm is Br. Andrew’s 'Fioretti'. Br. Andrew served as a missionary in Africa from 1943-86. The script is given the following headings: • Father Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Brother Xavier Cox OFM Cap. going on a journey. • As a farmer sees it and as a city lad sees it. • Somili and the Mubishopo – that is Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. • Monsignor and the Maramba Girls Lapa (compound). • Monsignor and the Sisters’ washing. • Father Raymond Dillane’s Silver Jubilee. • Father Raymond Dillane OFM Cap. • Father Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. and Linda Friary. • The visit of the Fatima Statue of Our Lady to Mongu. • The Holy Ghost and the oil stocks. • My friend Kadom (by Father Christopher Crowley OFM Cap.). • Tripe or fishtails. • Kadom and the radio. • The grand finale of Kadom. • Snippets from mission life. • Father Albert O’Mahony OFM Cap. • Father James O’Mahony OFM Cap. • Father Aquinas Carroll OFM Cap. • African Holy Cross Sisters. • Sister Rudolf. • Fr. Capistran Singleton OFM Cap. • Brother Xavier Cox OFM Cap. • Sister Martin. • Father Albert O’Mahony OFM Cap. on his first walking tour. • Archbishop Matthews. • Cardinal Spellman. • A man from the agriculture department visits Lukulu. • Father Ronan Herlihy OFM Cap. and Brother Andrew go fishing. • Father Luke Browne’s attempt to cross the Zambezi in a jeep. • Mission Buildings. • Father Flannan Buckley OFM Cap. and the jam pots. • Fr. Theophilus Murphy OFM Cap. • Monsignor’s typewriter and the donkeys. • Father Macanise, the donkeys and their scotch cart. • Father Brian Browne OFM Cap. and his method of winter heating. • Fr. Jerome MacQuillan OFM Cap. and the Divine Office. • Spenser flies his plane. • Father Albeus McQuillan OFM Cap. • Father Livinus Keane OFM Cap. • Brother Andrew O’Shea OFM Cap. • Another cook called Peter, and the marmalade. • Brother Gabriel McGillicuddy OFM Cap. and the bricks. • Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. and cars. • The Thames trucks.
Letters of Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. (1902-1979). The correspondents include Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary; Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Minister; Fr. Conrad O’Donovan OFM Cap., Provincial Minister., and Fr. Clement Neubauer OFM Cap., General Minister. The subjects include: the progress of the Irish Capuchin mission in Barotseland and Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia; the Silozi catechism; the Loanja station; requests for financial assistance and loans for the Northern Rhodesian mission; missionary activities in Cape Town, South Africa; the recognition of five parishes in the Cape as coming under Irish Capuchin jurisdiction (1946); the Katima Mulilo mission station in the Caprivi Strip (1949); Fr. Phelim’s appointment as Regular Superior of the Victoria Falls Mission; the completion of the church at Langa (1949); the deaths of Fr. Eustace Burke OFM Cap. and Fr. Donatus Aherne OFM Cap. (1949); Educational matters in the missionary territories; the appointment of Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. as Education Secretary General (1949); the need for more missionary sisters (Holy Faith Sisters, Sisters of Mercy, the Irish Sisters of Charity and the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Africa); the opening of the church at the Holy Family Mission, Katima Mulilo. (Mar. 1954); the building of a new convent and girls’ boarding school at Maramba. (July 1953); his proposal to resign as Bishop of Livingstone ‘in line with the gradual Zambianization of the Hierarchy’. (10 Aug. 1969). Reference is also made to the activities of the following Capuchin friars: Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap.; Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap.; Fr. Timothy Connery OFM Cap.; Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy OFM Cap.; Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap.; Fr. Eltin Daly OFM Cap. The file also includes a manuscript copy of an ‘Approved Prayer for the Conversion of Africa’ and a typescript copy of a ‘Spiritual portrait of Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap.’ by Fr. Salvator Quinn OFM Cap. (Livingstone, 1992). 19 pp.
A collection of prints including many of Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. (Bishop of Livingstone from 1959-74). Most of the prints are un-captioned. The file includes prints collected for publication in 'The Capuchin Annual'. The captioned photographs include: • Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. in Northern Rhodesia in c.1931. The images were probably taken during a trip to Victoria Falls. • Group of Irish Capuchin friars in Northern Rhodesia. Front row (from left to right): Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. Back row: Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap., Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap., Fr. Timothy Connery OFM Cap., Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap., Br. Alexius Paolucci OFM Cap. and Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap. The photograph was probably taken after the installation of Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. as Prefect Apostolic on 25 Nov. 1936. • Bishop O’Shea OFM Cap. at a Parish Council meeting at the new church, Shimano, Mangango Mission. c.1970. • Bishop O’Shea with Fr. Jude McKenna OFM Cap. in 1967. • Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy OFM Cap. • Bishop O’Shea at a retreat in Mongu in Aug. 1974. The group includes religious sisters and Fr. Jude McKenna OFM Cap. • Bishop O’Shea OFM Cap. with the Little Sisters of St. Francis. • Bishop O’Shea OFM Cap. with Sr. Colmcille and three new novices. • Bishop O’Shea OFM Cap. with the President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda.
The exterior of the Capuchin Friary at Sihole, Zambia. The original caption notes that Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. and Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. walked through the district of Kalabo in 1942 to find a site. Fr. Gerard Joyce OFM Cap. and Br. Alexius Paolucci OFM Cap. were later assigned there.
A collection of black and white photographic prints mostly relating to Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Prefect Apostolic of Victoria Falls from 1936-50. Most of the prints have been captioned by his nephew, Fr. Edwin Flynn OFM Cap. and some were published in Mgr. Killian Flynn as seen from his letters (Ndola, 2003). The file includes prints of Fr. Killian: • As a novitiate and student. • With his parents. • With Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. and Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. (1897-1980) probably on a ship during their first voyage to Africa in 1931. • With African porters during a long trek into the bush, 1931-2. • With Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. (1876-1958) celebrating the opening of the first mission church on 30 Oct. 1932. • The exterior of the ‘Stone Police Camp’ at Livingstone, the site of the first mission chapel, 1932. • With Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap., Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap., Fr. Jerome MacQuillan OFM Cap. and Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., 1935. • With Paramount Chief Yeta III of Barotseland. • With Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa, Nairobi Cathedral in 1967. • At the first all-African Bishops’ Conference in Kampala, Uganda, in 1969. • At the Zambian Episcopal Conference. • Receiving an MBE in Livingstone. • Greeting Pope Paul VI in Kampala, Uganda. The Pope visited Uganda from 31 July to 2 Aug. 1969 • With Capuchin friars from East and Southern Africa in 1972.
Fr. Killian Flynn receiving an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to African education at a ceremony in Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, in 1958.
Letters from Archbishops Arthur Hinsley, Antonio Riberi, David Mathew and James Robert Knox, successive Apostolic Delegates in Mombasa, Kenya, to Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. The letters refer to the work of the Irish Capuchin missionaries in Northern Rhodesia. Archbishop David Mathew also refers to his hope that the Irish Capuchins may be prevailed upon to take charge of the College of St. Louis in the Seychelles (23 Apr. 1947). Archbishop Knox expresses his hope that an assistant will be appointed for Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. to assist in his work with the Conference of Northern Rhodesian Bishops (24 May 1957).
