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Capuchin Franciscan Fathers
St. Francis of Assisi
1541 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE
LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
PHONE
OLYMPIA 1305
September 26, 1940
Very Reverend Father Provincial
Church Street, Dublin
My dear Father Provincial:
This letter is a week late. It seems that in the matter of starting a school, it is just one difficulty after another. No sooner did I get back from Chicago, than I found determined opposition to the school, on the part of the people living around the property at Sierra Madre. There is a zoning law against having a school there. The City Council and the Planning Commission were unanimously in favor of the school. They left me to understand that there would be no difficulty about it. But on my return from Chicago, I heard there was increasing opposition from a number of non-catholics. For the past week I have been working on this. And I do not see my way clear to go ahead. In the meantime I am holding Bishop O'Brien's check for $20,000.00 uncashed. I will let you know at once of developments. I feel the difficulty is not insurmountable. It comes up for hearing October 10.
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letters of August 12 and 23, with:
1. Good wishes, which I heartily reciprocate. It is a source of deep satisfaction to have your good sense and your support.
2. List of appointments.
3. Notice of appointments of Custos and Assistants.
4. Notice of Jubilees.
5. Letter: a. Regarding Father Damian. b. Notice of mistake regarding appointment to offices of Guardian and Master of Novices. c. Reference to hurried request for permission to regotiate for property for Seraphic School.
The only matters calling for a reply are contained in number 5. a. Regarding Father Damian, it was always my opinion that he could not be reconciled as easily as the Graymore Fathers suggested. I am very glad to have your letter. I am acting as you suggest. b. Regarding the Wilmington appointment I wrote to you on my return from Chicago. Later, I received your cable appointing Father Cyprian. I am indeed grateful. It is just very difficult to get superiors. When you consider twelve houses to be staffed, and the fact that eight of the men are practically useless, you begin at once to see our difficulties. It is difficult to get twelve men for the offices of superior. For example, the name of a man was suggested for the guardianship at Wilmington, who, the last time he was appointed superior, at once spent every penny he could lay his hands on, antagonised the people, and then resigned. I could not possibly suggest this man for the office, for, this apart, I have heard him say he would resign again if he were appointed. I might go over the list man by man, but I do not think it is necessary.
Capuchin Franciscan Fathers
St. Francis of Assisi
1541 GOLDEN GATE AVENUE
LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
PHONE
OLYMPIA 1305
c. Regarding the school: In obedience to the wishes of the Father General, expressed in his reply to the report of the Visitation for 1938, I did what I could by establishing a Seraphic fund. This fund will amount to $4,000.00 by December of this year. But, considering the fact that it would take more than $60,000.00 to build and equip any kind of a school, it would be long before we could get enough money to build. It was suggested to me by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Monterey and Fresno, to buy one of the estates around Los Angeles, which, because of high taxes and the servant problem, people no longer want. The Archbishop gave me permission to do so. I canvassed the locality, and of all the places the Sierra Madre property seems by far the most desirable. I brought the friars out to see it, and as I said in the cable, they were enthusiastically in favor of our getting it. I enclose a description of it given by the owners secretary. It is about 17 miles from this house, and some 25 from Watts, a few miles east of the City of Pasadena. I fear that if we do not get this property, it may be very difficult to get a place near so good in the future.
At the suggestion of the Archbishop, I brought the Vicar General out to see the place. A week later the owner told me there was a very attractive offer about to be made. When we were in Burlingame for the appointments, I received a telephone call from Los Angeles asking us to accept their price or to drop the whole matter. Their price was $40,000.00. We had offered $25,000.00 and hoped to settle for not more than $35,000.00. We found out later that it was a Catholic man who came to bid against us in the interest of an Order of Sisters about a week after the Vicar General had seen the property. That may be only a co-incidence; it probably was. But there is such growing opposition to the Orders from the Secular clergy that the Consultors and Father Thomas advised that we take a chance that might not come our way again. Hence, the cable.
The whole matter has been so difficult that did I not feel it my duty, I would drop it altogether. But, considering the attitude of the Father General and the attitude of the Bishops regarding a native clergy, and, I might add, the need of men for the proper care of souls, I believe that our only hope is in providing a school as soon as possible.
Bishop O'Brien was most helpful. The banks here would not loan a penny on the property, because it was not a marketable commodity. And were it not for the Bishop I could have done nothing.
I am most grateful for your cooperation and good will, Your moral support means a great deal.
Last year I completed the form of incorporation in the State of Oregon. It will be better for us to incorporate in California also, and we will take title as a California Corporation in case we can go ahead. The Consultors and myself will be the signatories.
With every kind wish, I remain
Fraternally and obediently yours,
Father Stephen
Father Stephen, O.F.M.Cap.