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Title: Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) to Coogan (n. Nolan), Catherine, 1867
ID6324
CollectionCarlow-Coogan Letters
Filecoogan/13
Year1867
SenderCoogan, Michael (Brother Declan)
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationmonk/shoemaker
Sender Religionunknown
OriginMt. Melleray, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
DestinationHarlem, NYC, USA
RecipientCoogan (n. Nolan), Catherine
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipson-mother
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count412
Genremass, arrival in America, encouragement for her new life
Note
TranscriptMount Melleray
August 7th, 1867

My Dear Mother,

I was favoured with your letter of the 23rd which gave me not a little consolation to hear of your being well and comfortable and still more when I find that now at least you can and do satisfy your mind with regard to your religious duties and that you have such a good opportunity of hearing mass so frequently. It's such a powerful means of drawing down the blessings of Heaven that we ought not neglect it as far as possible. The news of your safe arrival in America afforded me great comfort, for I could not be sure but the severity of the voyage would prove somewhat injurious to your health, but thanks be to God that brought you safe over all the dangers of the sea and placed you once more in the society of those for whose interest you made many a sacrifice and the last of all to undertake at least for some of their interests the dangerous voyage across the sea. Now I hope that as you have done so much for their welfare they will not forget their duty towards you in every possible way. I could not restrain myself from sorrowing for some days after Hugh's departure, not alone for your leaving Ireland but fearing lest he might be unhappy on account of some things I was saying to him. Tell him not to mind them at all for anything and everything that I said was worth nothing. I could not succeed in showing him the monastery, the time was so short. And that was not pleasing to me no more than to him. I had many things to say to him that I really forgot and some things that I wished to say but we must be content with such disappointments though the opportunity will never appear again.

I hope my Dear Mother that you are well satisfied for going to America. You may perhaps meet with many crosses that you did not expect, but you may be sure there is no one without trials and we cannot be pleasing to God without meeting with adversity and bearing it with patience.
I'm happy to know that Mary Meaney remains with you still the same as ever and has not lost any part of her good nature. I hope she'll be as good as ever and not forget her duty towards you. [no signature--page missing?]