The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-09-04
Taking the Ven.

SontOI inc dOIy Angels received an Acc0S6lOu
Of three members, who made their profess
zion and pronounced their solemn vows.
These three ladies were Miss Jane Duggan,
Miss Mary Mcdonnell and Miss Susan Good
win, who assumed respectively the names, in
religion, of Sister Mary of st. Emiliana, Sis
ter Mary of st. Cesaria and Sister Mary of
st. Catherine. The ceremony took place at
high mass, which was celebrated in the
Chapel of the Convent by Very Rev. Father
Raymond, Vicar General, assisted by Rev.
Father Cornelius Moynihan, deacon, and
Rev. Father Gleason, C.SS.R., sub-deacon.
Rev. Fathers Reithart, Allen and Toohey
were also present. The chapel was filed
with an attentive throng of the faithful,
devoutly assisting at a ceremonial of such
solemnity and Importance. Rev. Father
Raymond delivered the discourse to the
newly professed, and Mr.. Weimer presided
at the organ and directed the choir.
Beautiful and impressive ceremonies give
solemnity of circumstance to an occasion
which is in itself one of the most solemn that
can occur in the life of human being. As
throughout the liturgy of the Church, every
GulDR lS BY uOOllCdks AO CduulCy CuO VOL,
the cord, the heart, every thing symbol
ICES some element of the spiritual life and
fixes tue attention upon it with more force.
These objects are placed before the appli-
cant, aud as they are blessed, one by one,
given to her. Thus the wax candle typi-
fies light, and in invoking the blessing of
God on it, the celebrant prays, Gas Thou
Egypt, SO illuminate Thy servant who this
day abandons the world for the love of Thy
name" Here the world is Egypt, the new
religious, in quitting it, represents the
chosen people of God, and the light which
! confirmed Moses in the knowledge of the
way is recalled by the pure rays of the wax
| candle.
In like manner the veil is an emblem of
the hidden life. "Receive this veil, that it
may conceal you from the inquisitive gaze
| of the world, and hide you in God with
Jesus Christ" AS it goes upon the head,
it shuts out forever all visions of worldly
pomp and display. 1t is substituted for
the fine ornaments and jewelry, the embel-
lishments and articles by which the public
gaze is attracted to ladies of the world,
and the admiration of men procured by
them. ALI the pleasures of female vanity
are rejected for the veil, and it becomes
the fittest symbol of feminine modesty and
Christian humility.
The girdle or cord serves to bind the
professed to the yoke of Christ in all chas-
tity and fidelity, while the heart which is
| ~; lar I'D %ho NJ off
of her holy patroness of the seven dolors,
with whose family and in whose maternal
company she promises to spend the rest OF
her life.
Every part of the ceremonial is grave in
proportion to the solemnity of the occasion
and beautiful in accordance with the ex-
| quisite refinement of its sentiment. This
purest flight of poetical fancy finding an
expression in the real. Ladies of great
sentiment have sometimes devoted them
selves to q life of celibacy for the memory
of dead lover, or for the love of younger
brothers and sisters. People have given
themselves into slavery for the sake of some
human object of affection, and devoted
themselves to penury and obscurity in the
ardent pursuit of science. Their names
are celebrated in poetry as heroes, and the
universal human heart responds to a senti
ment which it recognizes as more perfec
than the ordinary routine of selfish indpl
gence. When the same purity and exalta
ton are called forth by a far higher ant
worthier cause, the love of God, as W,
see daily around us, in the case of thou
sands and thousands of devoted religious
the world is inclined to scott at the senti
ment and ignore its heroism, because no
inspired by some human passion.
At the appropriate time, Very Rev. Fa
Their Raymond addressed the newly pro
3 fessed Sisters in a few happy remarks upo
, the text, "The Lord is the portion of m
inheritance and of my chalice. 1t is H
, who will restore me my Inheritance" TIL
Rev. orator told them that they were max
, ing their choice between the pleasures an
. troubles of the world on the one hand an
, the special service of God on the other. The
, were renouncing pleasures and possession
which often had wonderful charm in tn
? eyes of persons at their age. The antici
Q pations of youth, based on the possessio
of wealth and honors, and the love of fam