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CATAM 1/1/31
PHONE
CENT. 4086
ST. MARY'S, Bouquet St.,
CAPE TOWN.
THE REPORT.
Feb. 15. 1929.
My dear Mr. Provincial,
In Ast Wednesday Bishop O'Riley motored as the and came to see the places which he wishes us to take over. As you are already aware, one of these places is called Athlone (after the Earl of Athlone); previously it used to be known as a more recently West London. The other place is called Parow. He is very anxious for us to start work in his latter place as soon as possible. There is a little zinc church there already, a priests' house, and a large Erphanage with about 250 children (mainly coloured coloured) in it; a school as well, attended by about 500 children. The Erphanage & school are managed by the Holy Cross Nuns who have been eminently successful in this district. They own the priests' house. But the Vicarials owns the little Church and a good portion of land adjoining. When one says 'land' we means 'sand', because the Cape Flats is a luze district extending for a scores of miles with nothing into sand and watter (a strubby kind of tree brought from Australia & planted by the Government in the Flats some years back), — sand and watter and dwellings, here and there, and fairly good roads. The Flats lie to the South East of Capetown; they are about 20 miles long and about 16 miles broad. There would seem to be a great

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future before them in the way of development, because, as was pointed out in the Logge Times of the 14th Feb. last, it is only along the Flats that the extension of Loggetown can take place. At the present moment there is a good deal of building going on there in different places (notably at Attlone) and ground is very sheap. A Railway runs through the Flats, called the Logge Flats Railway, and there is also a Bus Service to different places. There is a very high percentage of coloured people in the Flats: that is the reason why the Bishop would like to see the whole district in charge of the Loggeshins with a central Longwent in either Parow or Attlone.
[We we mentioned about the extension of Loggetown a moment ago. In the last 29 years it has almost tribled its population. If it keeps on extending then there will be great possibilities in the Flats]
Parow is within ten minutes walk from a station called Elsie's River on the Loggetown-Tohannesdorfurg Line. Attlone is a Railway station on the Logge Flats Railway. There is no railway connection between Attlone and Parow. They are about 9 miles apart. The road is fairly good. Attlone is at present being served by the Salesian Fathers who have an Agricultural College a few miles away. Attlone is about 6 miles from Loggetown, and Parow is about 10 miles also from the city.
We were both impressed by the great opening that there seems to be for spiritual work at Attlone. The little children, coloured and white, crowded around us when we arrived at the half-built

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School, which is also used as a church, a little allian having been used there. Re B. Sacrament of course is not kept there, but while we were inspecting the half-built school chapel, an old man came in to say his prayers, and the little children sat down in the few school-benches as if awaiting or expecting instruction. A couple of hundred children attend school there already, (it is only a few weeks working) and there are three teachers, one a Protestant! The batholics of Atlanone loott coloured or white seem to have taken matters largely into their own hands; they formed a committee, sent around for subscriptions, and built largely by voluntary labour after hours the portion of the school-chapel talt now stands. At present there is some discretion amongst the Committee or things are at a stead still, with a debt of about £46 on the little structure. There is a very well-disposed batholic in Atlanone, a Mr. Murphy who came out to be boys doing the Boer War or settled there. He owns a good deal of ground or houses around the school. There are about 4 acres of Vicariate ground around the school. Mr. Murphy would give a beautiful little four-roomed house, which he has built finite near his school, to any priest of ours who would come to live in Atlanone. He would give it for rathing, he says, until we have built our convent. And Mrs Murphy, who is coloured, but an excellent convent, would see to the priests neals. The people do seem to want us badly at Atlanone - there certainly is a hunger for a priest there. And in a short time we would we are sure make great strides of advancement. Unfortunately there is a 'Patter Backer' in the place, a Protestant clergyman. He must surely have got many gours already.
But the Bishop is anxious for us to take up Parow first-

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He is of opinion that that place would travel us in for his work amongst the coloured people better. He says, there, we would have the orphans, & through the orphans we would be able in time begit at their relatives, & in some cases some of their parents - because, he says, they are not really orphans in some instances. There is a Father Housen at present statemed there, but to Bishop is not pleased into his way he is reming to place & he intends changing him in the next few weeks, on the understanding that Mr. Counce would go to Parour to take up work there temporarily pending a decision from the Provincial & Definitives at home. It Counce would then go to Parour on those conditions early in March. The Holy Cross News book after his meals for his friend there, & everything is found. We are enchering some suspection of Parour - they say he some help. There has been a large addition both Cephanage built since there photos were taken.
To come to another consideration in our report now: one which it is rather hard to explain. privately We were warned about the money side by friends ghi transaction, and we understand that in the case of some other Peliginis who came out there was given disappointment over the way that money matters went. Because, they were charged at present day valuation for ground which was bought very cheap by Bishops Romey in days gone by. We questioned the Bishops about the financial side ghe matter & he first said that there would be no liabilities on our part. We would fine us whatter found we wanted. Naturally one would think then that money would not enter into it at all. But we questioned him again to see if we understood right, & then he said that "of course if we built on Vicariali found we should have to

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pay the Vicariale for it. We took him that he would have to mention a figure, as facts glate kind would have to be put into his report. We are awaiting the approximate figures from him.
In his reartime we mentioned the realty to Dr. Golgan, the Adm. glate Probatheoral. (He & Mr. Morris are Consultants to his Bishop) Golgan told us not to pay any attention at all to it, that his Bishop will do not eventually what he (Golgan) & Morris suggest to him to do. He said the Bishop would not let his baptisting leave, now that he has got them, & that he (Golgan) could assure us that we would get procession of whatever Vicariale found we wanted, free & for nothing. The Bishop we understand is in realty of finance largely in the hands of a lay advisor in attorney rented Okelly. It seems to be his desire to avoid any overdraft in his Bark. At present there is no overdraft on his Vicariale.
Well, meaning friends who have experience have repeatedly advised us to go slow.
But there is no doubt about it: we have what we came out for at Athlone and at Parow, in plenty. We can reach his coloured people in both these places in fresh members. If course there is a few number of white in both places.
The question of coloured & white is most acute. The Jewish (who by to way are leaving blarement [& to Gape] shortly) thought to rake no distinction at all between them, and his Redemptivists to same. But they both have had to modify the view. If there were a sharp distinction between white & coloured it would not be so bad, but there is dissension amongst his coloured as well, as to depress of colouring. The solution of the question

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Even from an exclusive point of view has yet to be found.
We should have mentioned that interior are mile of Athlone there is a very modern village called Jamestown, with rice comfortable dwellings & baughty up to date. There the 'better class' coloured people reside. There is no priest or Catholic Church here, nor as far as we know as church of any kind. That would be a good place to work in also, in conjunction with Athlone.
We both went out by ourselves on the 14th Feb. to see that Athlone again and Jamestown which we hadn't seen the first time we visited the district. Jamestown is quite what we say & easily accessible by bus & train, but unfortunately we found there was no an 'Apostolic' Church, and a 'High' Church and we saw on the road a coloured minister of some sort trying to force a copy of the Bible into the hand of a poor native who was passing by.
At Athlone, as you are aware, a burch has been built with accommodation for at least 800, if we take over the place; and a little convent for at least two priests and a brother. The school has also to be completed and furnished. One priest would be sufficient at Parow for the present in the event, & course, of its being taken over also. Therefore we would want at least three priests and a brother immediately.
About three miles from Parow there is at a place called Mataoosfontein a little church built in the shape of a stamrock (!) with conical thatched roof. It is at present being served by a Fr. Kelly (who built it) to it who comes from his own place (& church) at Philippi. The Phishop expresses a wish that the Capuchino should

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Take over the shamrock church also, but we are of opinion that it may safely be left out of consideration for the present. As it stands it does not seem to be creditable from an architectural point opiner, and the 'priests' house' at the back of it (steadily approaching completion) is even more freakish still. There does not appear to be any great propagation around that portion of the Plato.
The priests at Attlone and the priest at Parow would not be isolated from each other. There is only a stretch of about 7 miles between these places as we mentioned, and they could easily be reached by means of a motor car. We are of opinion, and the priests we met are also, that Parow and Attlone could not be worked without a car. Old Fr. Relly of Philippi has a good car which was presented to him, and as he is getting feeble and on in years, one of the priests is thinking of asking him if he would give the car to the Capuchin Fathers.
Everywhere we go we find that the 'High Church' and the 'Shitch Reformed' Church or the 'Apostolic' Church are there before us. There is one big outstanding fact that has all the time impressed itself on both of us, the terrible shortage of priests in the whole Vicariali, and very many lost opportunities of spreading the Faith or of even keeping the Faith in several instances.
With regard to the Native Location Question, there are at present two Native Locations, one at Langa, the other at Ndabeni. This latter is shortly to be done away with. The Government seem to be only experimenting, and the location at Langa may in a few years meet the fate of Ndabeni. Therefore in view of the uncertainty prevailing

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in the home of Native Locations, and also in view of the unhappiness and unrest of the coloured people staying there in the Locations (they are continually coming and going from them) we think it advisable that the Hostile work in the Native Locations should not be considered at least for the present.
The Labit can easily be worn around Athlone and Parous but the material must be of the highest kind.
It might be a good idea to get plans of a typically Franciscan Church & Convent from an Inist Architect for use at Athlone (& later at Parous) if we are going to build. They use a brick here largely, and also large blocks of some composite resembling cement or stone. We would be certain of getting voluntary labour in abundance in the Event of building at Athlone, and even the poor coloured people are very generous with their 'tickies' (tree-penny bits) They are more generous than the whites.
We should have mentioned that portions of the Flats are even at present only being surveyed by Government Engineers, who for this purpose make use of a bound Tower (!) constructed by W. Relly at Philippi near his church tree. The bound Tower commands a view of the Flats for miles around & is most useful to the surveyors.
In a further interview which we had with the Bishop regarding the financial side of the mission, things were more satisfactory. He said that in the case of the Resemptonists at Heathfield whet happened was that the Vicarials retained the ownership of the ground, but that he gave them the full use of it, free of rent for all time. Rates and Taxes have

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to be paid by them. Should they ever leave the Vicariale they would be compensated for the buildings they have constructed. (He also had us that in the case of nums who hold the use of property belonging to the Vicariale, that he objected to the cutting down of trees. Not, of course, that he objected (he said) to the clearance & cutting down of trees necessary for a building.) He would fine us the use of grounds belonging to the Vicariale, on conditions similar to those of the Revenue Protestants, that is the full use of grounds, no rent, & rather & taxes to be paid by us. On he would be prepared to hand us over the complete proprietorship of the Vicariale grounds necessary for us on the stipulation that in the event of an leaving them or giving them up they would the proprietorship would immediately revert to the Vicariale. The cost of transfer which in this country is high (amounting sometimes to £150 or £200) would be saved by his giving us a sealed signed document to the effect that such & such grounds though in his name are our bona fide property. He has done this in one instance. But this would not be a civilly legal document, & he pointed out that in the event of the Vicariale becoming bankrupt our grounds & buildings would be sized. He is therefore ready for and willing for any of three things (1) to fine us the full use of Vicariale grounds & compensate us for any buildings in the case of our leaving, (2) to hand us over the full proprietorship free, with sealed signed document to that effect thus avoiding the cost of legal transfer, & (3) to fine us the full proprietorship free in a civilly legal way, we bearing the expenses of legal transfer.
The Bishop wishes us to state that he is sorry that he has

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not time to write to the Provincial to express his thanks for sending us over, & his pleasure at having us, as well as his fratership for the copy of Mr. Guttebert's volumes on the Gapuclino. He says that he will write personally to the Provincial at the Earliest opportunity.
There is nothing further for us to add to this Report which has already, maybe, stretched to undue length. We thought it best to make it as clear as possible and to give all the information & details which might guide the Provincial & Definitoris to a right decision.
If there is any question to be asked, or any point to be checked we shall be only to happy to do what we can in getting the information necessary.
We hope to leave a reply as soon as possible.
With kind regards & wisdom
We remain, Dear Mr. Provincial
Your obedient suffet: i. J. G., & S. F.
J. G. Anice O. F. C.
J. F. Edward. D. G. F. G.
P. S.
Perhaps it would be as well to send out with your reply the canonical form of invitation to be used by the Bishops in asking us to take over the foundation.
J. G.
J. E.

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PHONE
CENT. 4086
ST. MARY'S,
CAPE TOWN.
P. P. S.
The Bishop says that the way he a mortgage bond on the properties at Parow & Athlane. If there is, it is not considerable. And if his properties were taken over by us he says his bond would also have the taken over. If such bonds exist, further information regarding them will follow.
H. F. E.
Ergo late, the Bishop has just rented us up, before the posting of this, & speaking from the office of his financial advisor Gerald O'Reilly, he says that Mr. O'Reilly thinks that there is no bond at all on either of his properties at Parow or Athlane. the Bishop He says we may take it - that they are both freehold, & that if there were a mortgage bond on either of them, Mr. Morris or Mr. O'Reilly would certainly know of it & would have mentioned the matter to the Bishop.
H. F. E.