There were quite a few older Catholic books in my Grandmother's box of saved books.
Catholic Prayer Book
no date- old
Consolation for the Afflicted 1874
NY: D & J Sadlier & Co.
Confession by John C. Heenan 1937 Caturbury Books Sheed & Ward NY
I would guess these books belonged to Stephen but I think it's possible they may have belonged to his brother Serop. I went on a cemetery search a number of year's ago, and found Serop's grave. At the time, I was surprised that he was in the Catholic cemetery in Cranston, just down the road from where I grew up. Coincidentally, it is the same cemetery in which many of my McGuirl relatives are buried. When I went there, I thought I would find Serop among other Armenian Catholics. I was curious to know who they were as I had never heard of Armenian Catholics before. It is a huge cemetery and not all graves are well mapped. I had the general area but wandered around and around in my car. Finally I gave up. I parked to stretch my legs and there was Serop's gravestone. There are no other Armenians in sight except for Serop's daughter who is on the other side of his headstone. They're like a wrecked Armenian ship in a sea of Irish and Italian surnames.
According to my Mother, my Grandfather was not particularly religious, but he was Catholic. One of his jobs was cleaning the Providence Catholic Church during the Depression. In my research, I discovered that there was a Catholic Capuchin Mission in Malatya. According to Robert Mirak, there were about 800 Armenian Catholic converts in Malatya in 1915. I wonder how my Grandfather had learned English. Maybe he learned at the mission but I'm pretty sure the Capuchins were French. The Protestant missionaries, who arrived much later than the Catholics, made sure to print their bibles in the Armenian language because they didn't want their converts to leave their hometowns for a better life in America, which is what happened when they taught them English. Apparently the Motians were among this group. Some people blamed the Missionaries for heightening tensions between Christians and Muslims.
These pictures are from a French book I saw at the Armenian Library and Museum. I love the picture at right because I think these women look like me and my family- in excellent clothes!
Catholic Prayer Book
no date- old
Leather cover with engraved gold cross/design metal lock, part missing, taped binding,
front pages missing
6 ¼" x 4" x 2 ½"
The Key of Heaven or A Manual of Prayers 1874
NY: Thomas Kelly, publisher
Stamp: Owen
McDonald Rufus St
& Reservoir Ave Pawtucket , RI
Consolation for the Afflicted 1874
NY: D & J Sadlier & Co.
Translated from the French by Anna T. Sadlier
Leather cover w/ gold engraved pictures and words
5" x 3 ½" x ¾"
Choir Manual
no date
Front pages missing. Leather cover with gold engraved words
Writing in pencil on back page- First Friday(?) July 1935
5 ½" x 3 ¾" x ½"
Confession by John C. Heenan 1937 Caturbury Books Sheed & Ward NY
Paper cover, very good condition
7" x 4" x ¼" |
| It's true, I took my child on cemetery hunts |
I would guess these books belonged to Stephen but I think it's possible they may have belonged to his brother Serop. I went on a cemetery search a number of year's ago, and found Serop's grave. At the time, I was surprised that he was in the Catholic cemetery in Cranston, just down the road from where I grew up. Coincidentally, it is the same cemetery in which many of my McGuirl relatives are buried. When I went there, I thought I would find Serop among other Armenian Catholics. I was curious to know who they were as I had never heard of Armenian Catholics before. It is a huge cemetery and not all graves are well mapped. I had the general area but wandered around and around in my car. Finally I gave up. I parked to stretch my legs and there was Serop's gravestone. There are no other Armenians in sight except for Serop's daughter who is on the other side of his headstone. They're like a wrecked Armenian ship in a sea of Irish and Italian surnames.
 |
| Elisabeth Motian 1927-1933 |
According to my Mother, my Grandfather was not particularly religious, but he was Catholic. One of his jobs was cleaning the Providence Catholic Church during the Depression. In my research, I discovered that there was a Catholic Capuchin Mission in Malatya. According to Robert Mirak, there were about 800 Armenian Catholic converts in Malatya in 1915. I wonder how my Grandfather had learned English. Maybe he learned at the mission but I'm pretty sure the Capuchins were French. The Protestant missionaries, who arrived much later than the Catholics, made sure to print their bibles in the Armenian language because they didn't want their converts to leave their hometowns for a better life in America, which is what happened when they taught them English. Apparently the Motians were among this group. Some people blamed the Missionaries for heightening tensions between Christians and Muslims.
 |
| Capuchin College Malatya, Turkey |
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