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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.

Letter from Bishop Francis Costantin Mazzieri OFM Conv., Ndola, Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Northern Rhodesia, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, seeking an assistant for Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., education secretary for the Vicariates of Northern Rhodesia.

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).

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. 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).

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.

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.