Behind the Monastery Walls:
Daily Life in 19th century St. Paul's Monastery
Excerpts from Memoirs
by Brother Dominic Noble, C.P.
The historical reflections of Brother Dominic Noble, C.P. were handwritten in a bound, red leather notebook of approximately two hundred lined pages. About three-fourths of the notebook consists of two types of information. One type is reflective essays on Passionist life and ministry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Dunkirk, New York; and West Hoboken (later Union City, New Jersey). A second type is biographical information on 19th century Passionists. Indications are that Brother Noble completed the essays by February 9, 1917. For many years these Memoirs were in the Brother Noble collection in the Pittsburgh archives. During the summer of 2002 the Pittsburgh archives was moved to the Passionist Historical Archives, Union City, New Jersey. In order to retain the strength of Brother Noble’s historical insights they are printed without editorial comment. Also spelling and punctuation remains as it was in the original.
A member of St. Paul of the Cross Province in the United States, he was born Richard Noble in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania on May 20, 1838, he was the son of Clement Noble and Sarah Lewis. He was educated in local schools and then helped on the family farm. He met the Passionists as his family were among the first benefactors of the new congregation when they arrived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In November 1860 he entered the novitiate and professed his vows on December 9, 1861. He died as a member of the Pittsburgh community.
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