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).
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’.
Letters from Fr. Sylvester Mulligan OFM Cap., General Definitor, to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, re the canonical establishment of the Irish Capuchin mission in Northern Rhodesia. He also asks for a list of potential candidates for the position of Regular Superior.
Letter from Fr. Kevin OSF to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, seeking support for the building of the first local Franciscan Sisters’ convent at the Nsambya Mission in Kampala, Uganda. The appeal reads: ‘There is a great field of work to be done there, and we need the help of these native Sisters at all the missions so badly’.
Copy report by Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. on the Livingstone-Barotseland Mission for Fr. Virgilio de Valstagna OFM Cap., Minister General. With a cover letter to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister. The report notes that the mission is intended to be raised to the status of a Prefecture. The report is divided into the following sections: Territory Population Local Tribes and Languages Towns Government Non-Catholic Missions Other Sects Religious Beliefs of the Europeans Attitude towards Catholicism Education in Barotseland and Livingstone Historical Resume of Capuchin Endeavour a. Livingstone b. Barotseland c. Early Mission Policy d. Teachers and Catechists e. Turn in the Tide f. In the Lealui District g. In the Senanga District Material Grand Total Mission Difficulties Summarised Mission Prospects Conclusion
Copy report by Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. on the mission of Livingstone-Barotseland in the Prefecture of Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia. The report is divided into the following sections: I. Situation, area, population etc. II. Historical Survey I. Prior to the coming of the Capuchin Fathers II. Coming of the Capuchin Fathers Livingstone Loanja Loanja Out-Schools Momba Mulobezi III. Applications for New Stations Translations of Catechisms IV. Details and Statistics Babemba Church and School, Livingstone Church of the Little Flower, Livingstone Barotse Church and School, Livingstone Loanja Momba Mulobezi V. Sphere of Influence of each Station Loanja Kabompo Lumbi VI. Method of Converting the Locals Results Secured VII. Working of Schools Babemba school, police camp, Livingstone Zambesi Saw-Mills Compound School, Livingstone School at Loanja Mission School at Saw-Mills Compound, Mulobezi VIII. Difficulties Hampering Work Influence of Protestant Missionaries Poverty of Districts Transport IX. Prospects for the Future X. Tribes XI. Languages XII. Financial Outlay of Mission from Beginning A manuscript note by Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap. reads: ‘This amount does not include monies spent in building church and schools in Athlone parish and church in Parow parish, South Africa, amounting to over £7,000’.
Report by Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. sent to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, on the progress of the Irish Capuchin mission in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia. Reference is made to the difficulties encountered by the first missionaries (including Fr. Timothy Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Seraphin Nesdale OFM Cap. (1897-1980) and Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap.); the establishment of the Loanja mission; negotiations with government authorities and tribal leaders; the work of other missionary orders including the White Fathers and the Jesuits. Fr. Declan concludes ‘as regards the mission outlook in general in Barotseland, I must candidly state it is going to be a very tough problem. The whole territory is fearfully primitive and undeveloped. The only transport help of a convenient or modern touch that we have as an ally is a spasmodic lumber train which carries us from Livingstone to the Barotse border’.
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.
Scale: 5 miles to 1 inch Map of the Cape Province, South Africa, by the Roads Branch, Cape Provincial Administration. With mileage table in both Afrikaans and English. Manuscript additions to the map (in pencil) roughly indicate the location of the Irish Capuchin churches in the Cape Province: Langa, Athlone, Parow, the Welcome Estate and Matroosfontein. A distinction is made between locations with both churches and mission schools and areas where only a school is present. A manuscript stamp indicates that the map was sent to Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, St. Bonaventure’s Friary, Cork.
Ledger of loans and monies supplied to the Irish Capuchin missions in Africa compiled by Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary. The ledger includes records of money supplied to Fr. Alban Cullen OFM Cap. and Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. to build parish churches in Athlone and Parow, Cape Town, in March 1933. £1,700 was given to Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. to build a friary (14 June 1937), and £1,000 was given to Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. for Livingstone Church in Northern Rhodesia. The accounts also include monies derived from the Seraphic Mass Association (SMA) from Aug. 1931-Jan. 1935. The accounts are signed are by Fr. Edwin Fitzgibbon OFM Cap. Provincial Minister, 10 Aug. 1937.
