The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-05-08


Morning Star and Catholic Messenger.
m oRIs1Ss s1TD17. nay 9. lsss
A Noble vindisAusn. /,
The following admirable and timely let
tor appears in the London Times. from Lady
Gertrude Douglass, eldest daughter Of Ire
land,s benefactress,' 1.-The good Marchioness
of Queensberry -
"Will you kindly oblige me by inserting
the enclosed communication in the columns
of your paperi Having read in the Times
of March 80, the account of MI. Newde-
rates successful motion respecting the ex-
Animation of monastic institutions, THINK
that the experience of one who mas oeen
for. Ave years o member of one OF the
clo;sta,ed converts of our land my be of
service in removing few prejudlces and
nopular delusions, or, at least in furnishing
some correct information on suoJecS
which, while it occupies 30 large a share OF
the public attention 10 by the majority very
1;tt,e nnllerstood. am the eldest daughter
of the late Lord Queensberry. Al the age
IF 81 / entered the Convent of the Good
Shepherd at Hammersmith, and after
three years noviciate-interrupted by
TpRldGDc6
during the period which Immediately sue,
ceeded the death of my brother, Lord
Frasois Douglas, on the Matterhorn-l was
.professed and became sister OF the F" BLACK
Veil" in 1867. was then sent successlveiy
tn houses of the Order in Liverpool ana
gSalasrow. At the expiration of two years
flor reasons which do not feel myself
called upon to state, but which were per-
sOsaL grave, and important, and which had
nothing to do with the converts or nuns,
to all of whom am warmly nams NJ setd dtenity
was made In allowing me to see and to con
verse with the Ecclesiastical Superior OF
the diocese. At my request ne came 10 see
me. and treated me with the most ndulgent
ana fatherly kindness, and after short De.
law he released me from my vows, ana
allow ed me to return to my family. io
Protestant authority in such a case would
mscer have appealed, and bad my Ecclesias'
tical SuperiOrs refused to sanction my ap,
plication for freedom, had they imposed
the smallest restraint on my conscience
where the real tie existed, then would the
z Con,mission of Inquiry which Mr.. Newde
rate' wishes to set on foot have been per
fectly useless to procure my h0eratton,
as should most decidedly nave neeln in
matter which simply regarded my own con
science and this not from contempt, bu
from a conviction, which nothing coul'
sbake., that no authority from God coui'
rest with any but the priests OF Ine tnol'
Catholic Church, to whom alone He CAV
fine mower to bind aud to release" Ihi
ia know the conscientious belief OF ever
nun l have ever known. rms exampi
should be enough to convince MIR. Newde
gate and his party that there goes exist 10 10
Dersons of her Ecclesiastical Supporters
and that, moreover, it is the only Court c
Appeal that can be of any service TO mel
If any girl or woman aafes 20 assert sne
detained by compulsion IN her conven
she speaks falsely. Every nun has the sam
liberty as had. Let her use 1T II she VII
It is not true that any one ls euer" llab
to be subjected to discipline for whic
abe ia not prepared" In every CONVEX
there is Novice Mistress, whose duty IL
to exercise the novices in the " discipline"
the house. MY experience enables me
assert that the toughest and hardest side
of the picture was always shown in the NJ
viciate; nor did lever after became
professed nun see the smallest alteration
rule or discipline; nor did ever see on
one called upon to exercise any obligatio
for which she had not been thoroughly pr
pared as a novice. 1t is not true, as far
nv experience goes-and think 1t may
allowed to be greater on tins suoJect tht
that of any gentleman of the House OF Cor
rnops-th;.t ..letters are intercepted"
that there ia not perfect |" liberty to cor
muuicate with friends" l always saw II
friends alone-my relations not only dloI
but 7CfteneCef, they Cuosc w Selih' Az
mother on three several occasions spent
few days in the outer part of the CONVEX
during which time spent the whole da
with her and alone. My letters were new
intercepted. wrote to UhOm l please
and ,c7en liked and the same liberty c
listed for every sister in the house. Up
my leaving the convent the money which
had given at my profession was unhe
tatingly offered back to me. 1 refused
but neither the SuperiOress nor my Eco
siastical Superior would accept the pape
had written renouncing my claim to
They remained inexorable OH this poiI
nor was it until had returned home IL
without asking their consent, and agai
the advice of every ecclesiastic consult
1 carried out my purpose OF leaN,rg
dowry where it had beenplaced, anil OF
curing it to the noblest and most exal
charity on earth--the work Of the Gt
Shepherd.
AID now, sir, allow me TO rema,k,
most intimately acquainted With 'etw'
eighty and one hundred nuns. have b
one of them in the work-roonis, class
reformatory schools, as well as IN the m
private life of the community. have b
them under all circumstances but ne
for one moment have heard the shad
of q complaint against the justice and all
ton of the Superioress. There reigl
of thprn without exc