Fr. Coleman Farrell (1900-1993)

Father Coleman Farrell passed away September 28, 1993.

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

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 at St. Vincent 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, Kan., area and was beloved of his brothers and sisters and their children.