| Title: | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) to Coogan, William, 1875 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6340 |
| Collection | Carlow-Coogan Letters |
| File | coogan/29(1) |
| Year | 1875 |
| 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, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 541 |
| Genre | his mother's illness, concern about his brothers' financial situation, family news |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Cappoquin, County Waterford December 7th, 1875 My Dear Br, As I understand a few lines from me afford you all great consolation, I eagerly avail myself of the present opportunity of affording that comfort as I believe most of you have at present to pass through painful ordeals. Well God be praised for everything. I hope they are not a sign of his displeasure. And I hope also that you will try and turn them to the best advantage by bearing them patiently for His love and as a part of the huge debt which you all owe for your sins. I'm pretty troubled on account of my poor Mother, who I'm sorry to hear is fretting; that, I fear, will shorten her days. I implore of you to prevent her, by consoling and comforting her in every way you can, and now remember these words which I say to you; do all in your power to secure for her the salvation of her poor soul, compared with which all else is nothing. Bid her not be fretting; for excessive grief would weaken her head, which might very easily end in the eternal loss of her soul. God is infinitely good and he won't abandon those whom she will leave behind her. Indeed my dear Br., I'm very grieved lately, on account of the huge pecuniary difficulties in which Mathew & Denis are involved, but I try to console myself by reflecting that if the sale of one house won't redeem them from their debts, two at least will do so, and consequently, as they have a third, they won't in the end be homeless. I told that to one of our Superiors who liked my remark very much. I'm so uneasy about them that I expect you will write to me if you can before Lent and let me know what they are intending to do, and how they have their houses let, and what rent they draw from them, and let me know how yourself and poor Hugh are going on and what capital you'd have at present and what wages you generally have. I ask these questions for the sake of my own consolation as I'm greatly interested about you all. I wrote a letter to Mrs. Doyle last September in answer to one which she sent me and I thought you would see it, but this one I hope will supply for all. I hope you won't lose courage at the many trials and difficulties you have to contend with in this wretched world where Satan's snares are so artfully laid, but pray to God and his Blessed Mother constantly and fervently and they won't abandon you. I heard from Bridget Joyce of Bagenalstown a few days ago, of the deaths of Patt Fenlon's wife and daughter of Ballinakill. They died about three weeks ago by fever I think. Margaret Bryan of Aughabeg came to Melleray lately, and I think she told me to tell some of you to write to them. There is no one from this going to America. My health is very good thank God; pray for me you all as I never forget you. God be with you all. Yours &c., M. Coogan |
