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Fr Colman J. Farrell

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Fr Colman J. Farrell

Birth
Flush, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, USA
Death
28 Sep 1993 (aged 93)
Atchison County, Kansas, USA
Burial
Atchison, Atchison County, Kansas, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Father Colman J. Farrell, O.S.B.
(1900-1993)

On September 28, 1993, Fr. Colman Farrell, O.S.B., died at St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, KS, where he had served as Librarian of St. Benedict's College for 64 years. Fr. Colman was a nationally prominent librarian who helped to found the Catholic Library Association and served in several offices, including the presidency, 1937-39.

In 1943, Fr. Colman wrote to Fr. Lawrence Monheim, first director of The Marian Library, offering many suggestions for the newly founded library. One was that The Marian Library establish a "union catalog" of the Marian literature to be found in all the libraries of North America. This catalog proved to be one of The Marian Library's most ambitious and widely appreciated endeavors.

By Abbott Owen Purcell:
Father Colman Mary Farrell, the first Roman Catholic priest to earn a Master's Degree in Library Science, which he did at the University of Michigan in 1928,

Father Colman had a distinguished and unique role to play on the national and local library world. He taught library science at the Catholic University of America summer sessions in 1930-1932. He was one of the founders of the Catholic Library Association and was president of this organization, 1937-1939. He began the process of making the St. Benedict's College Library – the Abbey Library – later the Benedictine College library, the research library that it is today. He built up an outstanding collection of Benedictina.

Father's David Kinish and Boniface Moll were his faithful co-workers. For many years he served the parish of St. John's, Doniphan, KS.

Father Colman, a voracious reader, lived very simply and was never without his green visor, which kept the light from his eyes, either in his room or in the library workshop on the lower floor of the administration building, what is now called St. Benedict Hall. Once when it was the business of the monastic chapter to elect a delegate to the General Chapter that was to be held at St. Vincent Archabbey, he asked if they were to dedicate the new library during the chapter. Abbot Cuthbert answered in the affirmative. Father Colman, then, was elected the delegate. Father Cornelius Caples, a classmate, then congratulated Father Colman for making the shortest and most effective campaign speech he had ever heard.

Father Colman was from the Manhattan, KS area and was beloved of his brothers and sisters and their children.
Father Colman J. Farrell, O.S.B.
(1900-1993)

On September 28, 1993, Fr. Colman Farrell, O.S.B., died at St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, KS, where he had served as Librarian of St. Benedict's College for 64 years. Fr. Colman was a nationally prominent librarian who helped to found the Catholic Library Association and served in several offices, including the presidency, 1937-39.

In 1943, Fr. Colman wrote to Fr. Lawrence Monheim, first director of The Marian Library, offering many suggestions for the newly founded library. One was that The Marian Library establish a "union catalog" of the Marian literature to be found in all the libraries of North America. This catalog proved to be one of The Marian Library's most ambitious and widely appreciated endeavors.

By Abbott Owen Purcell:
Father Colman Mary Farrell, the first Roman Catholic priest to earn a Master's Degree in Library Science, which he did at the University of Michigan in 1928,

Father Colman had a distinguished and unique role to play on the national and local library world. He taught library science at the Catholic University of America summer sessions in 1930-1932. He was one of the founders of the Catholic Library Association and was president of this organization, 1937-1939. He began the process of making the St. Benedict's College Library – the Abbey Library – later the Benedictine College library, the research library that it is today. He built up an outstanding collection of Benedictina.

Father's David Kinish and Boniface Moll were his faithful co-workers. For many years he served the parish of St. John's, Doniphan, KS.

Father Colman, a voracious reader, lived very simply and was never without his green visor, which kept the light from his eyes, either in his room or in the library workshop on the lower floor of the administration building, what is now called St. Benedict Hall. Once when it was the business of the monastic chapter to elect a delegate to the General Chapter that was to be held at St. Vincent Archabbey, he asked if they were to dedicate the new library during the chapter. Abbot Cuthbert answered in the affirmative. Father Colman, then, was elected the delegate. Father Cornelius Caples, a classmate, then congratulated Father Colman for making the shortest and most effective campaign speech he had ever heard.

Father Colman was from the Manhattan, KS area and was beloved of his brothers and sisters and their children.


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  • Created by: Sue ღ
  • Added: Jun 5, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53293948/colman_j-farrell: accessed ), memorial page for Fr Colman J. Farrell (8 Jan 1900–28 Sep 1993), Find a Grave Memorial ID 53293948, citing Saint Benedicts Abbey Cemetery, Atchison, Atchison County, Kansas, USA; Maintained by Sue ღ (contributor 46523555).