Adolfo Alejandro Nouel

Adolfo Alejandro Nouel (1862–1937), archbishop, educator and politician son of Don Carlos Nouel and Antonia Bobadilla.

Education

He began his studies in el Colegio El Estudio, of Santo Domingo, and afterward he studied at the Seminary of the Dominican Capital. Before going to study abroad, he was a student of Archbishop Merino. He went to Italy where he studied in the Colegio Latin Pio for ten years. He excelled in this school as one of the brightest students. In 1883 he received a doctorate in Philosophy and bachelors in Theology and Canon Law from the Gregorian University. In 1885 accompanied by Monsignor Merino he returned to Santo Domingo and received the sacred order of priesthood in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo.

Priesthood

In 1888 he became the parish priest of San Juan. In 1890, he became parish priest of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and vice-chancellor of the Conciliar Seminary of Santo Tomas de Aquino. In this seminary he taught Philosophy, Latin and Theology. Later he became parish priest of Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz in el Seibo, San Juan de la Maguana and finally of the parish in La Vega. In this city he initiated the building of a church the Town designated as "adopted son".

In 1903, he was elected deputy of the Province of La Vega. He traveled to Rome, in this year and was designated by Cardenal Merry de Val as Archbishop of Metymma and successor of Monsignor Merino whom he succeeded in the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo after his death on August 20, 1906.

Politics

He was elected president of the Dominican Republic, through a decree of the National Congress on November 30, 1912. His rise to office was due to the imperative need by the nation that the presidential office be occupied by a neutral person, who inspired trust and respect, and could offer a stable peace. He resigned before the National Assembly, on April 26, 1913, after considering that he had achieved his purpose to bring peace to the country.

The invasion of the Dominican Republic by American troops, surprised him while he was in Rome where he had traveled for health reasons. He returned to Santo Domingo in 1920 and wrote a letter to the American Ambassador protesting the American intervention.

Writing

His literary work has never been printed. Typed copies are kept by the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo. He was in charge of editing the work of his father “Historia Eclesiastica de la Arquidiocesis de Santo Domingo”

He was in the middle of revising several documents from el Archivo de Indias when he died in 1937.