Letter from Fr. Stephen Murtagh

Letter from Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap. to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, regarding the expansion and administrative state of the Capuchin Custody in California. The Order purchased the Flintridge property outright for $30,000, using funds borrowed from their parish. Father Stephen notes the building is empty and requires significant repairs and furnishing. The Archbishop of Los Angeles is urging the Order to open a high school for Catholic boys. Father Stephen believes this

Details

Level of description: Item
Date: 10 Nov. 1945
Reference: 32
Extent and medium: 2 pp; typescript
Scope and content: Letter from Fr. Stephen Murtagh OFM Cap. to Fr. James O’Mahony OFM Cap., Provincial Minister, regarding the expansion and administrative state of the Capuchin Custody in California. The Order purchased the Flintridge property outright for $30,000, using funds borrowed from their parish. Father Stephen notes the building is empty and requires significant repairs and furnishing. The Archbishop of Los Angeles is urging the Order to open a high school for Catholic boys. Father Stephen believes this would greatly increase the prestige of the Order and help foster local vocations. He suggests that young priests from Ireland could gain teaching experience there.
Repository: Irish Capuchin Archives
Context: Irish Capuchin Archives > Papers of the Irish Capuchin Mission in the United States > Missionary Correspondence > Correspondence of Fr. Stephen Murtagh

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Extracted Mentions

People, places, and terms identified via handwriting recognition and named entity recognition.

People

Places

Terms

Custos(1)

Sample passages

Saint Francis of Assisi
I remain fraternally and obediently yours in Saint Francis
1541 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE

Full Transcript (OCR, 1 pages)

Machine-generated OCR transcript. Handwritten material may contain recognition errors.

Page 1

Saint Francis of Assisi 1541 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CALIF. PHONE OLYMPIA 1305 November 10, 1945. My dear Fr. James: I want to tell you how grateful I am for your letter of Sept. 23rd. I had been looking for just such a letter from you. I brought it with me on the visitation in Northern California. I gave it contents to the Superiors, and it made them happy indeed. It made them feel we have understanding and support on the other side of the water. Now I want to report to you on conditions in the Custody to date. 1. We have a new Master of Novices. Fr. Norbert was appointed by Fr. Benno. He just could not carry on in parish work and we felt it would help him mentally as well as relieve Fr. Cyprian. 2. When I was in Oregon on the Visitation I got an offer of a new place. The enclosed correspondence explains everything, and I am asking your approval for the undertaking. I am not anxious to start work in the near future. Flintridge is enough at one time. 3. I borrowed $30,000 (with the permission of Fr. Benno) from our Parish fund, and bought Flintridge outright. It became the property of the Order Oct. 3rd. The building is empty. It needs repairs and furnishing. Your donation would be a great help. The financial aid of the Houses has been excellent. 4. The Archbishop of Los Angeles and the Auxiliary want us to teach high school to Catholic day boys. It would be like day boys going to Rochestown. There is no Catholic high school in all East Los Angeles or Pasadena. If we made a success of this school it would add greatly to the prestige of the Order. Fr. Benno has given permission and approves. He feels it would help vocations. We would need top rate teachers. They should have the High Diploma. If they were here by April they could get experience in the American way at one of our local Catholic high schools. Saint Francis of Assisi 1541 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE LOS ANGELES, CALIF. PHONE OLYMPIA 1305 4. Regarding vacations. Fr. Fergus applied, also Frs. Roger and Valencian. I told them what you had said in your letter. 5. I sent an answer to your cable at once. I enclose a letter requesting two priests immediately, and guaranteeing their support. Thanking you again most sincerely for your kind letter, I remain fraternally and obediently yours in Saint Francis Fr. Alepher of Abbeylara Fr. Stephen of Abbeylara Custos Provincial.