Letter from Fr. Joseph Fenelon
Letter from Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, providing details of Fr. Albert Bibby’s declining health. Father Fenelon states that he recently arrived from Santa Ynez after being summoned to Santa Barbara. Father Albert suffered a severe ‘turn’ involving intense stomach pain and delirium. The doctors confirmed that Father Albert has cancer spreading in his stomach and stated that his passing is only a matter of time. At the doctor’s suggestion, Father F
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- Level of description
- Item
- Date
- 12 Jan. 1925
- Reference
- 26
- Extent and medium
- 1 p.; typescript
- Scope and content
- Letter from Fr. Joseph Fenelon OFM Cap. to Fr. Peter Bowe OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, providing details of Fr. Albert Bibby’s declining health. Father Fenelon states that he recently arrived from Santa Ynez after being summoned to Santa Barbara. Father Albert suffered a severe ‘turn’ involving intense stomach pain and delirium. The doctors confirmed that Father Albert has cancer spreading in his stomach and stated that his passing is only a matter of time. At the doctor’s suggestion, Father Fenelon has informed Albert of his grave condition so he could prepare himself. Father Albert requested a Jesuit priest for a general confession and received the Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction) before Father Fenelon left him. Despite the diagnosis, Father Albert is reported to be in good spirits and ‘perfectly happy’, though he is ‘gradually wearing away’. He expressed a desire to move somewhere with better food and air to recover enough strength to potentially return home to Ireland, though Father Fenelon expresses doubt about this possibility.
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- Irish Capuchin Archives
- Context
- Irish Capuchin Archives > Papers of the Irish Capuchin Mission in the United States > Missionary Correspondence > Correspondence of Fr. Joseph Fenelon
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Sample passages
- is convinced that his case may be serious, yet of course he has the hope of
- he may recover sufficient strength to get over the Winter and perhaps then to be
- doing well with the Visitors. There is a little done to improve the place.
Full Transcript (OCR, 1 pages)
Machine-generated OCR transcript. Handwritten material may contain recognition errors.
Page 1
Have just read your letter in the School at Bess. Unless run up there as arm he seems to ask out for what you desire in the master. I have been very truly here feeling not my Report for Dr. etc. all fathers here and in the Coast are my hell. Bethneth in Rahne eth yn In none J. M. J. F. Franciscan Capuchin Miary Box 38 Matts, California Jan 12th 19 25 My Dear Father Pro/ I have just arrived from Santa Ynez. I went up last Saturday the Dr. at the Hospital in Santa Barbara having phoned me to go up. Fr Albert got a very bad turn on Friday night, in fact was somewhat delerious. The stomack pain was very severe. The next day Saturday he was better, and he slept pretty well Saturday night. The Dr wanted me to tell him to have himself prepared, as he might pass away at any moment. He was stronger on Sunday morning, but without actually telling him he had a cancer I told him to prepare himself and have everything done in case he might get another spell again and then he might not be able to do anything for himself. This he did, and he desired a Jesuit Father, and I got the Superior of the Jesuits at Santa Barbara for him and he made a general Conf. and was annointed this morning before I left him. He told me he felt perfectly happy now, and he is convinced that his case may be serious, yet of course he has the hope of getting better. According to the Dr the cancer is spreading in his stomack, and he says it will be only a matter of time. Albert slept well again last night, and he feels prety well today, but he is gradually wearing away. He wants to get out somewhere he will get better food and more air he says. I told him that whatever he wants when he is able to be about he will get it. Tis sad that he should be so afflicted away from his dear Mother and people. It is possible that he may recover sufficient strength to get over the Winter and perhaps then to be able to go home to Ireland, but I doubt it. I will try to put some other Father with Reg. at the Old Mission. I drove out there yesterday, and found poor Reg. doing well with the Visitors. There is a little done to improve the place.