Copy letter from Fr. Thomas Dowling

Page 1

Copy. Church of the Visitation. 301 Raymond Ave. San Francisco. Nov.4th 1926. My dear Fr. Provincial. At last I have good news for you, and I am sending it as speedily as possible. Mons. Cantwell told me that we would have definite news this week or next, and I called to see Mons. Ryan V. G. last evening at his home. He gave me positive assurance that we would have our new place next week. We discussed the whole matter at length, and he frankly admitted that he at first was opposed to our going there, but now saw it was a place with a magnificent opening. He said that he was inclined to believe that the heart of the City was our place. When I asked him where, he said that we would have to wait until something turned up, and it might be years. He said that he was ashamed to have us in the Visitation. All the other Orders have splendid locations and it was derogatory to have a purely Irish foundation where there was place only for a junior curate. It is quite evident to me that were it not for Mons. Cantwell we would be left here to rot, so there was a Providence in my coming out after all. The V. G. was to go to-day to mark the boundaries of our new Parish and promised to do the best he could for us, that is, give us as much of built-up territory as he could in reason knock off Burlingham. I had confirmation of our settlement next week to-day for Mons. Cantwell phoned me to ask the name I had already given him for the new Parish-- Our Lady of Angels. When I was with the Monsignor a few days ago in order to spur him on I said that if he got us a good place I would ask you to get an Affiliation to the Order for himself and his Mother. The latter pleased him more than I could express, and he was enthused. If you can do this it will make the whole Cantwell Family -- Bishop and all-our warmest friends, for they almost adore their mother. Mons. Ryan told me yesterday that he may not be able to give us Millbrac which has a little wooden shack of a Church, for he said if he did he would not be justified in cutting so deeply into Burlingham, but it will be no loss. Here then is how we shall stand. We shall have to rent a house for the present and build as soon as possible. There is nothing whatever there. We have $ 1800 or $360 in the world. $1150 of that I brought with me from the East, and all we shall be able to pull out of the place--- Masses, Missions, supplies, etc. will be $650--- after six months since Fr. Berchmans came here. That is the best testimony to the poverty of the place. Will you kindly get Fr. Stanislaus to send us out a Capuchin Missal. We have no one. I shall give you all news when we go to our new place. Address that will in the meantime find us is "Archbishop's Office. 1100 Franklin St." All good wishes. Devotedly and obediently yours, Fr. Thomas.