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. 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).
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.
Photographic prints assembled by Fr. Alfred O’Mahony OFM Cap. (1912-1988) relating to missionary work in Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia). Fr. Alfred ministered in Africa from 1942-73. The file also includes some prints of missionary friars in South Africa. Most of the prints have not been annotated. The file includes images of: Fr. Maurice Dowd OFM Cap. Fr. Anthansius (Noel) Winston OFM Cap. St. Matthew’s Church, Bonteheuwel, South Africa. The wedding of two teachers at Sancta Maria Mission School in Lukulu. Fr. Seán Cahill OFM Cap. in Cape Town on the occasion of his silver jubilee in Nov. 1982. Fr. Raymond Dillane OFM Cap. Friars in Northern Rhodesia on the occasion of Fr. Alfred’s silver jubilee. Religious sisters with local children and parishioners. Bishop Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap. with local religious sisters and parishoners. Victoria Falls. Local weddings. Mission churches and buildings. Fr. Agathangelus Herlihy OFM Cap. Dr John Roche in Sichili in Sept. 1964. Scenes along the Zambezi River.
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.
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.
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.
