Cutting from 'The Southern Cross' reporting on the opening of the new Church of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia. With a photographic print of the Church. The report notes that the Church, built by the Irish Capuchins, ‘is the only Catholic Church now on the 600 mile stretch of railway between Bulawayo and Broken Hill’. Reference is made Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap., Superior of the Mission, Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. and Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap.
Cutting of an article in the 'Evening Herald' referring to a call from Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Prefect Apostolic of Victoria Falls, on the need for more missionary priests and religious sisters in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia. Some biographical details for Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap. are also provided.
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’.
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 to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, re the appointment of a Vicar Apostolic of Victoria Falls, Northern Rhodesia. The correspondents include Fr. Agatangelo de Langasco OFM Cap., Commissionary General, and Fr. Cuthbert of Chicago OFM Cap., Vice-Secretary General of the Capuchin Missions. The file includes questionnaires, biographies and other documentation (in Latin) re the three candidates: Monsignor Killian Flynn OFM Cap., Fr. Phelim O’Shea OFM Cap., Regular Superior, and Fr. Cuthbert McCann OFM Cap. Definitor.
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.
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).
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).
Letters of Fr. Declan McFadden OFM Cap. (1901-1979). The correspondents include Fr. Kevin Moynihan OFM Cap. Provincial Minister; Fr. Kieran O’Callaghan OFM Cap., Provincial Secretary. The subjects include: Fr. Declan’s first impressions of the South African mission; negotiations with Bishop Bernard Cornelius O’Riley (1868-1956), Vicar Apostolic of the Cape of Good Hope; Fr. Declan’s efforts to open a mission school in Claremont Parish, Cape Province, South Africa. Fr. Declan also refers to arrangements for the opening of the Irish Capuchin mission in Northern Rhodesia. He wrote ‘Looking at the map it may strike you that the Cape is a long way from N. Rhodesia – it’s nearly two thousand miles. Yet it’s quicker and at least as cheap, if not cheaper, for our men to land at the Cape and rail to N. Rhodesia’. (27 Feb. 1931). Fr. Declan also provides an account of Irish missionary activity for Stanislaus Kavanagh OFM Cap., Provincial Archivist. (25 Sept. 1931). Reference is also made to the missionary activities of Fr. Casimir Butler OFM Cap. and Fr. Killian Flynn OFM Cap. in Barotseland.
