Letters from the Most Rev. John Colburn Garner (1907-1993), Archbishop of Pretoria, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, offering missionary work to the Irish Capuchins in the Archdiocese. The Archbishop offers the district of Rustenburg (5 Nov. 1948); Zeerust, near the boundary with Bechuanaland. He encloses a copy of an agreement between the Archdiocese and the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptortists) re work in the township of Rustenburg (5 Apr. 1953); the district of Groblersdal (1 Aug. 1955).
Letters from Bishop Hugh Boyle (1897-1986), Vicar Apostolic of Port Elizabeth, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. and Fr. Colman Griffin OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, requesting that more priests be sent to South Africa to work on local missions in the Vicariate of Port Elizabeth. The file includes correspondence with the Most Rev. Martin Lucas SVD, Apostolic Delegate to South Africa, referring to the urgent need for more missionaries in the district of Peddie, Cape Province.
Letters from the Most Rev. Owen McCann (1907-1994), Archbishop of Cape Town, to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Fr. Conrad O’Donovan OFM Cap., Fr. Berard Creed OFM Cap. (1923-2004) , Fr. Eustace McSweeney OFM Cap., Provincial Ministers, and Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap. (1902-1983) reporting on the missionary efforts of the Irish Capuchins in Parow (Parish of the Immaculate Conception); Matroosfontein (Parish of the Holy Trinity); Athlone (St. Mary of the Angels); Welcome Estate (St. Theresa’s); Langa (St. Anthony’s). The Archbishop also requests that an Irish Capuchin priest (Fr. Jarlath Gough OFM Cap.) be sent to St. Helena and Ascension Island – part of the Cape Town Archdiocese. He writes: ‘There are 5,000 persons on [St. Helena] Island but only 3 to 4 Catholics at present … the prospect of conversions is uncertain. The Anglicans are well established. The schools are under the Government, as also the hospital’. Reference is also made to an application of Ronald Hinrichsen, a convert from the Dutch Reformed Church, to join the Capuchin Franciscan Order (24 Sept. 1952); to the death of Fr. Oliver O’Hanlon OFM Cap. and the resulting vacancy in Parow parish (16 Aug. 1957); to a draft agreement with the Capuchins re Belgravia parish which has been separated from Parow (1 July 1961); to the need for new priests to meet the growing population in the Cape Flats district (20 June 1966); to Archbishop McCann’s desire to see Fr. Carthage Ruth OFM Cap. return to South Africa (4 Nov. 1968). Later, Archbishop McCann expresses his condolences on hearing of the death of Fr. Christopher Crowley OFM Cap. (22 Mar. 1984).
Accounts, publicity material (catalogue) and correspondence relating to the Foreign Missionary Exhibition held at 86 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, 17-25 June 1932. The official catalogue includes a list of items displayed by the friars relating to their missionary work in Africa and a photographic print of the Capuchin exhibition stand. The file also includes display cards and captions for the artefacts exhibited by the Capuchins at the event. The caption cards read as follows: Witch Doctor’s Charms Native Arrow Royal Barge (Nalikwanda) / Paramount Chief and Four Paddlers Native Dance Mask Native Drum Native Whip / (Made from the hide of the hippopotamus) Model of Victoria Falls Capuchin Mission Church, Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia A Model of a Mission Compound Drawings and Carving by Children / South Africa Carving in Ivory / Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia Native Hut used as church at first out-station Model of Motor Lorry / made with a penknife by one of the natives Model of Hospital / lent by Sodality of St. Peter Claver, 49 North Great George’s Street, Dublin
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.
A record of travelling expenses incurred by Irish Capuchin missionaries in Africa. The list was compiled by Fr. Giles Fitzgerald OFM Cap., Provincial Bursar, Church Street, Dublin.
Publication by Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap. on the Irish Capuchin mission in Barotseland, Northern Rhodesia. Published by 'The Father Mathew Record' Office, Dublin. The book summarizes Fr. O’Mahony’s experiences during a visitation to the Cape Province (South Africa) and to Northern Rhodesia in 1935. The chapter headings are: A new venture; the missionary idea; mysterious Africa; gateway of the Cape; from the Cape to Livingstone; the Barotse people; exploring; to Mongu; the religious of the Barotse.
A documentary history by Fr. Marcellus Carroll OFM Cap. referring to the arrival of the Irish Capuchins in South Africa and to their early work in Cape Town. The preface notes that the booklet was not intended for publication. His primary sources were the ‘writings of the late Fr. Kevin Lenaghan SJ, the now defunct "Catholic Magazine", and the "Southern Cross", and the archives in the Chancery in Cape Town, and those of Parow and Athlone parishes’. The documents relate primarily the period from 1929-40, but reference is also made to developments up to the late 1970s.
Booklet by Fr. Owen O’Sullivan OFM Cap. providing a brief history of the Irish Capuchin missions in Africa. The publication is divided into the following sections: A seed is sown; Key points in the Irish Capuchin Mission to South Africa; Irish Capuchin Mission in the Cape Flats; List of Capuchins on Missionary Work in Cape Town, March 1980; Growth and development of Missionary Work in Zambia; Mission stations in the Diocese of Livingstone; List of Capuchins involved in missionary work in the Diocese of Livingstone.
