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Sketch of Father Pelagius Nowlan's life by Thomas Freeman, cousin of Father Nowlan, written at the request of Father Richard Dunphy in January 1871, shortly after the death of Father Nowlan. The sketch was enclosed in a letter to Bishop Power, and was presented as a copy of the original sketch that was sent to the Morning Chronicle newspaper by Thomas Freeman in January 1871. Transcribed by C. Olive Power - November 2007 The following text has been carefully transcribed word for word from the original manuscript, which is often difficult to read because of the handwriting, excessive and inconsistent capitalization, and sparse use of punctuation. Some of the spelling differs from modern usage, but in most cases the words are clearly understood, such as 'exasusted" for exhausted and words such as January and Newfoundland were abbreviated. To make reading easier, words have been spelled according to modern usage, and capitalization and punctuation have been altered as needed. In a few places square brackets "[ ]" are used to insert a suggested word that appears to be missing from the text. The script was transcribed with care, but it is possible there are a few words that are not transcribed exactly as the original writer intended. A link to a scan of the first page of the original manuscript is provided at the end of this document. Died at his residence in Little Placentia on Friday the 6th January after years of disease and sickness borne with patience and resignation to the divine will of God, in the 84th year of his age and the 40th of his missionary labours in Newfoundland, the Reverend Pelagius (alias Morgan) Nowlan, native of Ballyrankin, Parish of Killrush, County Wexford, Ireland. The deceased joined a choir when young, where in he became a proficient in Church music both vocal & instrumental, and in the 27 year of his age he left the plow and cultivation of the soil to become a labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. He studied under the most eminent teachers of the day. Mr O'Grady in Tullow, Thos & John Mahar in New Ross & Cashel, after which logic in Wexford and completed his theological studies in St. Kierans College, Kilkenny, and came to this country with the much lamented Dr Fleming in 1831. Officiated 4 years in Harbour Grace, from thence to Placentia Bay, wherein there was 4 chapels in a most ruinous state. Those he put in decent repair and erected there as also a splendid dwelling house and school room at Little Placentia, which are monuments that will make his memory unto time immemorial. The deceased was hospitable to strangers, most liberal with the contents of his purse to those who needed it regardless of church or creed, jocose in conversation - an orator in the pulpit and a most saintly adviser in the confessional. For the last 20 years he seldom reposed on a bed but - when in a time would get exhausted reading, he would slumber in his chair, after which, to those who knew not his mood of life, he appeared as if he reposed sensually every night. The mites of this imperfect posthumous sketch heard him complain of poverty and remarked that he should have provided against the winter of old age, and was answered - that he was richer than Saint Borromeo with a princely fortune, who after his death a beggar man refused to take his clothes. Such was the man that was called from our midst, who left few relatives, a large circle of friends, and more especially the poor of this parish of every denomination, have cause to mourn his loss who for 36 years amongst them laboured in the cultivation of Love and Charity and everything tending the honour and glory of God. The deceased retained his recollection and light to the last few moments of life. His funeral took place on Monday, and not withstanding the unsettled state of the weather, people crowded from all the several harbours, shed tears of sorrow, and joined in fervent prayer for the repose of their beloved pastor. Feb 1st 1871 |