Gravestone: "23 years Parish Priest of Roma."

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Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, pp 19-20:

Capra, Peter, D.D., Italian
From Roma to the Gulf of Carpentaria with Pack Horse and Vestments
Born at Milan, he came to Brisbane in the company of his Bishop in 1872. Fr. Frank Douglas, St. Stephen's Brisbane, quotes the 'Brisbane Courier' of 22 April 1872: "Rt. Rev. Dr. Quinn (says the 'European Mail') is a passenger by the 'Silver Eagle' which sailed on January 24. He was accompanied by Archdeacon Rigney of Sydney, two other clergymen, twelve Sisters of Mercy and ten lay teachers..." (The "two clergymen" are further on in the report named as Michele Antonini and Peter Capra. The same paper reported on 30.6.1872 that the "arrival of Rev. Dr. Quinn might be expected in a few weeks". Fr. Douglas goes on to quote Pugh's Almanac which shows that Capra was at Georgetown in 1873 and at Etheridge in 1874. St. Stephen's records indicate that he then moved to Ipswich 1874-8, and from baptism records that he was at St. Stephen's from 22 July 1878 to 31 May 1880. Pugh's shows that he was in St. George in 1880 and 1881 and that he went to Roma in 1882, and died there on 4 May 1907.
These details were researched by the informant when a Brisbane priest came seeking a marriage record of his grandparents, married in 1879 at St. Stephen's by Fr. Capra. Fr. Douglas comments: "I confirmed the Capra appointment to St. George in 1873, immediately on arrival, from the 'Australian'. What struck me, knowing the St. George-Etteridge terrain, was that this inexperienced Italian Doctor of Divinity was given a severe test of endurance right from the start, ending his career with 25 years at Roma - where to quote Dr. Duhig "his territory was as large as that of some European Kingdoms".
The picture of this worthy is given by Dr. Duhig in 'Crowded Years':
"In from the West to these priests' retreats came that veteran missionary, Fr. Capra of Roma. Some knew that he was a D.D., but no one gave him the title. He got on very well without it on his 'grand tours' of the bush, as he loved to call them...He had a marvellous memory for names and events, and a great head for figures. He loved to lay out in his own mind the probable diocesan changes. Many a man was promoted to a parish by Father, and many another was sent to some Siberia, without the remotest thought that he was occupying any attention in the active brain of the Roma P.P....He had a wonderful constitution and could snatch an hour's sleep anywhere. The simplicity of the dove and the wisdom of the serpent were surely his. He could evolve the most complicated schemes for church affairs, and then eat cake like a small boy. When a Sister who used to make cake and send it along to the Presbytery was transferred, he told the curate that her going was a "terrible loss". When a doctor who used to put a half-crown on the Sunday plate was removing it was a "terrible calamity", and so it might well be for a priest in a bush town like Roma in those days. The dear old priest so well known throughout Western Queensland, where his tanned smiling features were so familiar, died an edifying death in May 1907 - attended constantly in his last illness by Fr. Tom Nolan."
(Footprints, Vol. 2, No. 1)
Ref.: Brisbane Cathedral Archives, per Fr. F. Douglas, Chancellor.

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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Rev Peter Capra, DD, died 4 May 1907

Born at Milan, he came to Brisbane in the company of Bishop Quinn in 1872. He served at St Stephens, Brisbane and at Ipswich, and was appointed to St George in 1880 followed by Roma I 1882 - where he later died in 1907, aged 63. A picture is given by Dr Duhig in Crowded Years: 'In from the West to these Priests' retreats came that veteran missionary, Fr Peter Capra of Roma. Some knew that he was a DD, but no one gave him the title. He got on very well without it on his 'grand tours' of the bush, as he loved to call them. He had a marvelous memory for names and events and a great head or figures. He loved to lay out in his own mind the probable Diocesan changes. Many a man was promoted to a Parish by Father, and many another was sent to some Siberia, without the remotest thought that he was occupying any attention in the active brain of the Roma PP'. He was also widely known as the priest "from Roma to the Gulf of Carpentaria with packhorse and vestments". He had a wonderful constitution and had the ability to snatch an hour's rest anytime. It was said of him that he possessed the simplicity of a dove and the wisdom of a serpent. He was buried in Roma by Rev J. Hennessy.
(Ref. Linane C22)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, p 123:
Rev Dr Peter Capra DD

Peter Capra was born in May 1844 at Turin in the district of Piedmont in the north of Italy. He was educated at the seminary in Turin and then at the Sapienza in Rome where he obtained his degree as a Doctor of Divinity. He was ordained in Rome in 1871.

Fr Capra, with his compatriot Fr Michael Antonini and twelve sisters of Mercy, accompanied Bishop Quinn returning after two years in Ireland and Europe. Their party left London on 24 January 1872 aboard the vessel Silver Eagle reaching Sydney on 22 May 1872; travelling to Brisbane aboard the coastal vessel Lady Young to arrive on 24 May.

Fr Capra's first appointment was to assist Fr Patrick McGuiness in the extensive parish of Georgetown/Ethelridge. He remained there until 1874. This ministry required thousands of miles of horseback travel to such centres as Normanton and Cooktown.

From 1875 he spent three years in Ipswich. The Ipswich press reported on a farewell to him in April 1877 when he was appointed to Gympie. He was back in Brisbane from 1879 to 1881. He spent a short time in Warwick before going to the Maranoa.

Bishop O'Quinn appointed him as priest-in-charge of the Maranoa mission in June 1881 in succession to Fr Francis Durham. Fr Capra was to remain in Roma for 24 years.

Roma was an extensive parish like Georgetown. As the local papers said in his obituary:

The district to which he was appointed included the greater part of south-western Queensland. His duties necessitated a large amount of travelling, as in those days the railway had been continued only a few miles west of Roma. To give an idea of Father Capra's parish when he was first appointed it may be stated that it has been divided now into six parishes. … His duties in connection with the spiritual work of the church were marked by zeal and wholesouled devotion, and he lived to see the seed he had sown bear good fruit. He was instrumental in securing the erecting of numerous churches and convents throughout his extensive parish, and the erection of the Church of the Sacred Heart and the Presbytery at Roma, as well as the erection of substantial improvements to the convent illustrate that he spared no effort in providing suitable building for the propagation of the work of the church. Father Capra's invariable kindness and courtesy won him the friendship of the whole community, and endeared him to the hearts of many who were not members of his own congregation. He always evinced a keen interest in public affairs, and endeavoured in every way to assist any movement which had for its object the progress of the Maranoa district and the well-being of its inhabitants. His memory will long be revered by all who knew him.(1)

About 1888 Charleville and Cunnamulla were separated from Roma to form a new parish under Father Michael Morris who had been attached to Roma parish from 1885.

Fr Capra died at 6.00pm on Saturday 4 April 1907 in the presbytery at Roma. His assistant Fr Hennessy was with him when he died. Fr Capra had been ill for some months suffering with a serious affection of the heart and at various times his life had been despaired of. Fr Hennessy officiated at his Requiem Mass and burial in the Roma cemetery on 6 May. His manner was retiring and simple, and his life was of ceaseless labour and activity.(2)

Footnotes
1. Western Star and Roma Advertiser, 8 May 1907, p. 2.
554 Freemans's Journal, Sydney, 9 May 1907, p. 24.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.