Recollections of My Life and Reflections on Times and Events During It: A Memoir by Father W. J. Howlett Main Menu Introduction Table of Contents Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Other Writings by Father W. J. Howlett Timeline Howlett Family Tree William J. Howlett Family Tree Maps and Geography: Howlett's First Trip West Fr. Howlett moved with his family to Denver when he was a child, and then moved to St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, KY several years later. This map recounts the path he took to get to both places. Maps and Geography: Howlett's European travels Fr. Howlett traveled far and wide during his trip to Europe. Here is a map of the places he recorded visiting. Maps and Geography: Howlett in Paris, 1872-1873 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while in Paris, France. Maps and Geography: Howlett in London, 1874 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while vacationing in London, England Maps and Geography: Colorado Missions with Terrain Fr. Howlett's Colorado mission locations, with Colorado terrain. Index Acknowledgements Contributors' Biographies HIST 394 at CUA, Spring 2020

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that they would not receive him. At this juncture some friends told him that priests were wanted in Louisville, and it would do no harm to apply there. Dan followed this advice telling as before of his deficiencies and of his limited funds. A reply came at once from the authorities at Louisville telling him not to worry about his finances but to come and they would be glad to give him a trial. Leaving Cincinnati quietly Dan came to Louisville and was sent to St. Thomas in September 1866. He did not even tell Sister Mary Joseph, his sister, of his movements and his intentions. For a year he wrote to her under cover of a friend in Cincinnati, leaving her with the impression that he was still at his job there. She was out in the state caring for a community of orphans, and did not know of his plans until he returned to her after a year at St. Thomas. He wished to spare her the humiliation of knowing that he had tried to be a priest and had failed and he was afraid that one year at St. Thomas would convince his new teachers that his was a hopeless case. When at the close of his first year of study he was told to come back and continue, he hastened to visit her and share the good news with her. 

          But Dan did not get through without anxiety. He was a close student as far as he could study, but his progress was slow and his apprehension difficulty by reason of his age and previous lack of book learning, but his conduct in observance of rules were perfect. He was always a gentleman. Yet, many times he despaired and was on the point of giving up and returning to the world of manual labor. He was made prefect of studies and everyone was his friend. I, as one, advised him to continue, even after we had finished our year of philosophy, and not to give in until his superiors, who knew him and were responsible for him, told him to go and not return. The fact was that Dan continued and was called for ordination more than a year in advance of any in his class. He used to say that they ordained him then because they knew he would never learn anymore and they needed a priest to say mass at some of the numerous communities then attended from the Cathedral. But Dan O'Sullivan was nobody's fool. He had an alert mind and a good judgment, and no one can say that he did not do good work in any position he held. His Parish of the Blessed Sacrament, where he built a brick church and school, was proud of him, and when business drove most of them away and his parish window to almost nothing, they still came to hear his mass and simple sermon, and contribute to his scanty revenue. The last few years of his life he spent as a patient invalid unable to say mass, but he clung to his old Parish to the end, which came only a week's a few weeks ago in the ninety-seventh year of his age and the sixtieth of his priesthood. 

          And what of his sister, Sister Mary Joseph? . . . Their lives ran in a way parallel, in good works, in humility and in friendship. Regularly he visited her, and every year his Christmas present to her was a check equal to the number of her growing years. Last year (1932)  she celebrated the centennial anniversary of her birth at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, where an Archbishop, a bishop, a large number of priests and hundreds of sisters gathered to honor her, not alone for her years but for her merits. It was a great day for her, and her only regret was that Father Dan was not able to be present. Her life has been a happy one because she loved God's work among the lowly and did it, but there were a few days of excelling happiness, and some 

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