Abstract: This article examines the establishment of one of the first Capuchin foundations in the United States from the perspective of its founder. Father Hyacinth Epp traveled from Germany in 1873 with two confreres. While working in America, Epp maintained a regular correspondence with his provincial superior in Bavaria. These letters offer a unique insight into the thinking of a man whose influence on the U.S. Church has continued to grow over the course of 140 years. The article details the development of the mission from its first foundation in Pittsburgh through its eventual establishment as a province independent of its Bavarian roots. Specific attention is given to Epp's struggle to adapt his Capuchin values brought from Bavaria to the new circumstances and challenges that he faced in the United States.
James A. Gutowski (Sun,) studied this question.