| Title: | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) to Coogan, Hugh, 1871 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6334 |
| Collection | Carlow-Coogan Letters |
| File | coogan/23 |
| Year | 1871 |
| Sender | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | monk/shoemaker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Mt. Melleray, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford |
| 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 | 797 |
| Genre | his mother's illness, religious commentary, enquiry about family |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mount Melleray July 21st, 1871 My Dear Brother, Gratitude has triumphed over resignation and caused me to mourn for my dear Mother on account of the delicate state which you tell me she was in lately. Though many years have elapsed since I parted her, yet I would feel her loss as intense as any of you. Yet perhaps those extrinsic manifestations of physical failure may not occasion immediate dissolving. And if you all pray frequently for her, the Almighty, who is rich in the resources of graciousness and goodness will I hope by marvelous intervention of his adorable Providence impede the progress of her infirmities and consequently retard her removal from amongst you. But if He is pleased to take her quickly, we must be resigned; in the meantime do all in your power to procure her every assistance, Spiritual and Corporal, for it's on you I depend. Be wide awake and have all Spiritual assistance procured in due time, remembering that an eternity of happiness or an eternity of misery depends on the manner in which we die. She well deserves your kindest attention, and do all in your power that she may die in God's love. If we love God the reward promised us is nothing less than the Sight of God himself, face to face and transiently [?], not as a glorious flash of light renewed once in ten thousand years to feed our immortality with contentment and delight, but an abiding Vision, a glory and a gladness, a marvelous rapture of the will and an ecstasy of vast intelligence for ever more. Then as for yourselves don't be uneasy on account of difficulties and trials you may meet with; this is a world of infinite Mourning. Look at the sanguine [bloody] plains of the French nation, that noble country, the noblest in Europe, reputed for its Religious establishments, revered for its holy Missionaries, and renowned for its heroic Martyrs for the Faith. See the Sanguine ordeal through which it is doomed to pass. I hope you all pray for poor France. Ireland was not backward in assisting the afflicted there. It was admirable to hear the cordial expressions of gratitude and thankfulness manifested by one of the French Prelates to the Irish people for the magnificent contributions sent by them to the support of the wounded and afflicted. Don't be uneasy I say but always think of heaven and be preparing for it. We should long for the joys of heaven, like the Weary Mariner tossed on the ocean in a midnight storm weeps for the morning dawn and for the approach of land, or like a poor forlorn exile who stands on a distant shore on a cold winter evening and with a heart full of grief laments his banishment and sighs for his liberty. We should act in a similar way and lament our banishment and long for the happiness of heaven. Be content you all; our journey across the perilous ocean of this mortal life will be of short duration, and then we shall all meet again where sin nor death nor sorrow shall be no more, where we shall all be, I hope, illuminated by the light of glory and shall praise God with infinite gladness immersed in the Silvery ocean of His Eternal Bliss. I wrote to James shortly after receiving your second last letter, and I heard nothing from him since. I'm sorry to hear of Mary Meaney being ill. I pray for her every day. My health is pretty good thank God. Thomas McDonald has not come yet. Tell Mrs. Doyle to excuse me for not writing to her personally for a few days more. She and her family are as dear to my heart as ever. I never neglect praying for them often every day. Please let me know how James and Patt are situated and write to me shortly again. Tell me how you are all situated as I'm anxious to know, and please don't forget it, or I'll be greatly disappointed. Remember me to Mrs. Meaney and family and Mr. Sexton and family and not forgetting Pat, who I hope does not forget me. The weather is very wet in this part of Ireland for several weeks past though the potatoes as I have witnessed are very good. Farewell for the present until I write again. In the meantime be assured of the reality of my sincere affection and of the magnitude of the fraternal love that urges me to say from my heart the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen I am as ever your loving brother M. Coogan Br. Declan Pray for me Remember me in particular to my poor Mother and Mathew & Denis. |
