| Title: | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) to Coogan, Hugh, 1880 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6353 |
| Collection | Carlow-Coogan Letters |
| File | coogan/41 |
| Year | 1880 |
| Sender | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | monk/shoemaker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Mt. Joseph, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary |
| Destination | Harlem, NYC, USA |
| Recipient | Coogan, Hugh |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 893 |
| Genre | reprimand for not writing, no funds for new church, religious commentary, monastery life, greetings |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Cistercian Monastery, Mount St. Joseph Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, Ireland 9th day of January 1880 Written in top margin: Please send Mrs. Doyle her letter as soon as you receive it and take care to put it in an envelope but don't seal it. My dear Hugh, I often ask myself a certain question to which I can never find an answer and very probably never will this side of the grave, and the question is, why did you not write to me for the last twelve years. You are the person of course who can solve that problem, for I cannot; however, though it seems to me most surprising, I can just now clearly realise the words of the old Hibernian poet who, when singing of the beauties of the green Isle, cried out in raptures of joy, "absence renders the heart still fonder." I can, I say, clearly realise these remarkable words in myself for you are all, even dearer to my heart than ever. I'm sure you were greatly surprised on hearing of my removal from Melleray, but I'm as happy and content here as I ever was in my life. I'm sure you will be sorry to hear that we were put to the painful necessity of almost suspending our work, I mean the building of our new Church. Our money became exhausted and we were obliged to dismiss many of our workmen, and although we have appealed to the public in general for assistance, we were obliged after all to have recourse to the simple method of collecting with cards. As the community were constantly applying to their friends and acquaintances to have these cards filled, I thought it my duty to join in the charitable enterprise, and to give all the assistance that my influence might procure, and consequently I made up my mind to send you 3 cards, for yourself, for Denis, & for Mrs. Doyle, hoping you will have the kindness to get them filled by some kind charitable persons whom the Lord may inspire to assist us now in our very pressing want. Though I send these cards, I do not intend to ask money from any of you, for I'm aware you are in difficulties enough yourselves. I only ask each of you to try and get them filled by others by way of collecting, and if you can collect more than one Pound for each, so much the better. Your reward will be no doubt very great, for our present want is indeed very great; we are in such great want of our Church and have not the means to finish it. What a joy my dear brother is it to the Irish Catholic who knows anything about the history of the Irish Church or the Irish Nation, to hear the Gregorian Chant sounding forth every day at the high Mass and offices from the very apartment which once rang with the Sound of Satan's mirth as our orange predecessors congregated in large groups round their festive board to converse convivially for whole days together, giving glory to Bacchus and consequently to Satan as they wielded in their independent hands their intoxicating cups proposing their royal toasts and receiving of course a corresponding if not diabolical response. Then contrast the humble garb of the Cistercian with the gaudy turbans and orange decorations of the same deluded heroes, as they called themselves in their Scarlet surcoats, which, in their mad course after [uy?]ard shone so brilliantly in the Sun's rays, splendidly decorated with their shimmering livery, bearing on its silver face the ludicrous but degrading insignia 'tallyho'. This I suppose will appear very strange when you read it; you may perhaps say it's a strange subject to fill a letter with, but don't be surprised, for on reflection you will clearly see the wonderful goodness and mercy of God in changing an orange lodge into a monastery of the Cistercian order. It was formerly the property of a sportsman who kept a regular Club here, but now the hounds and the huntsmen are no more to be seen. In addition to the weekly Masses mentioned on the cards we have a general Communion offered each week for our benefactors, and the Priests pray for them every day in their Masses, and every year in the month of September we have a large number of low masses and a solemn high mass celebrated for our deceased benefactors. These are in my opinion very encouraging prospects to all who contribute more or less in our present wants. Remember me most affectionately to my dear mother in particular, and to all my dear brothers and sisters and all others who you think would like to hear from me. I hope you will let me know every detail of how you are all situated and how you are clearing off the heavy debts that were on you. My health is very good; I have plenty of time to work out in the open air which is a great help to me. I'm writing to James Coogan today and sending him 5 cards to collect, and I'm sending him some other little presents. I send the cards by book post; the postage otherwise would be too high. All will reach you much the same time. Yours, &c. M. Coogan |
