The New York herald., 1870-08-21

vile, il under Madame Hardy, who also directs
the order IN Cubn the Southern has its capital in
New Orleans, where Mother Shannon resides and
Rev. Mother Gauthraux is charged with the West
ern Province and has her residence in Chicago.
Tie latest Catholic directory reports fifteen
houses OF the order in the United States, and the
number OF resident pupils reaches nearly 5000.
This does not include the children Of the free
schools, OF which one more are attached to each
academy, and supported by the revenue of the
latter. The free school In Chicago cost $34 900
Tor the building alone. and the only aid in its erec
tlon was gift OF So 900 from the Mother General
In Paris. The free schools are open to children of
all denominations but, as in the academies, all
must be present at the religious exercises.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS DEMOCRATIC,
and the working details of the order lack nothing
to insure security, internal good will and per-
petuation. The Mother General. on assuming her
duses, prepares and signs document naming
Superior I'D interim, in the event of her death.
This she seals in the presence of witnesses, and it
is only broken after her decease by the Council,
who summon the ladies designated to the charge
OF affairs. Her first duty is TO call the Rev. Pro-
vincias from all parts of the world to Paris and,
after due deliberation, they elect one of their
number to the vacant position. Every six years
they visit Paris and hold kind Of
ECUMENICAL COUNCIL,
debating the Interests OF the order in general,
providing for its increase, improving ia course OF
study, and reforming, II need be, It's discipline.
This council occurs next year but whether the
UNPLEASANT condition of things In the French cap
ital will permit the assembling OF the ladies IL
problem yet to be solved. The Mother General
is now absent in Rome, and it il feared she will
find herself unpleasantly situated, with Italian
brigands on the Roman frontier and Prussian
needle.guns pointed to Paris.
TIRE FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
are entrusted i'll each province to the Reverend
Provincial. who Is in constant communication
with the superior of each house in her province.
In nearly all the cities the association is incorpo
rated, the trustees being the ladies Of the order
and, as each made at her profession
THE vow OF POVERTY,
no one can claim or manipulate one dollar for
herself. Thus the property of the order will
never fall by accident of law to the family of a
member, or be transferred to any individual or
institution. The books of each house are kept
by its econ0n1e, or treasurer, and receipts and
expenditures recorded with the minutest de-
tall Every six months each econone for
wards her report upon blanks prepared for
the purpose to the econonae Of her province,
and she, in turn, consolidates these and sends
them to Paris, where they are examined
and reported upon by tho proper secre-
tary. An annual report is also made. covering
the entire affairs Of each house and PROVINCE and
including not only finances, but also complete
literary history of every institution. This record
includes tho name and personal history Of the
whole number of religious in each house, narrat-
ing in what duties she had been engaged and her
status In the Order. In 1t are also given gene
raj summary Of the years. administration all note
worthy events. reception of postulants and the
neurology OF the province. In Paris the annual
reports are again consolidated and the entire
volume Autographed, copy being furnished to
each house all over the world
The lithographing is done by the religious, and
the report is not made public.
THE MOTHER GENERAL
has supreme direction of the entire association.
She appoints all local superiors and provncials.
she is consulted on every detail Of business, and
the solid unity Of the Order il thus maintained
throughout the limit of its extension.
\ rlIC nunE
The Catholic Church recognizes predestination
to the extent of believing that every human being
is intended by the Creator to ill a certain state
in life. This is called vocation, 'aDd the voca ton
for the virginia. religious state s by no means con-
sidered the common property of every pious
young girl who contemns the world and yearns
for spiritual contemplation. II is even held by
the followers Of the Roman faith that many per.
sons
MISS THEIR VOCATION,
many who are called to the religious state resist
ing the divine inspiration, while, once in many
years, tender hearted, but inconstant woman
makes her first profession of renouncing the
world, and, in the course Of her novitate discov.
ers the error, and abandons II life for whose so
tude she s not destined. No religious, having
passed through the novitiate Of the Sacred Heart
and made her final vows, has ever re turned to the
world. When young lady desires to enter con
vent life, and her intention meets the approval Of
her coDfessor, she makes known her wish to the
Reverend Mother Superior. who Immediately
tinct condition. are TO be considered
THE SPIRITUAL AND THE TEMPORAL
The spiritual is decided by spiritual tests, fast
ing, contemplation. prayer, abstraction from
earthly interests, aspiration for holier thoughts,
capacity for obedience, doce humility and
what is highly essential in the Sacred Heart, a
proper degree of literary culture. The temporal
condition is subjected to the most rigid scrutiny
If the young lady be not of legal age the full aud
expressed consent of her parents or guardian IL
Ahl0InfpIy paspntial M ruiz fhar Il,
ception. Consent being proven, the bishop of
the diocese subjects her 10 al examination for the
ascertaining of her relations to her family,
whether her withdrawal from them will not be
productive OF domestic misfortune, and her pre-
sence, therefore, be required at home. Both
conditions being fulfilled the young lady enters
the convent and
BECOMES A PosTULtNT,
which is not q religious. She retains her own
costume, wearing in addition to it in the chapel
simple black veil like that of all other young
ladies' resident in the house as pupils. She Is con
stantly in the society Of those who were once pos
tulants and who, by the taking of the white veil
have become noyces The same rules which they
obey she obeys, If it so please her, and she fol
lows all their spiritual exercises. Thus she is
Afforded full opportunity of testing the strength
of her resolution, the strength of her pie,y. her
physical strength :; and the superiors are. mean
while making ny their minds.
ABOUT HER VOCATION.
The is free at any moment to retire from the
house but she rarely does SO. When judicious
period of trial has elapsed she ceases to be pos
tuIant. and. by the ceremony which took place
In the convent yesterday, and as elsewhere
given.
SHE BECOMES A NOVICE.
Still she has contracted no obligations. She has
made no vow. The novitiate continues two years;
her spiritual freedom is unimpared and she can
at any time return to her home without the viola
tion Of promise. But she rarely returns. At
the end Of two years, on the first great feast OF
the Church, she soIemnly exchanges her white
veil for
4 BLACK ONE.
and in the hearing of the entire community.
makes aloud this profession, which constitutes her
first spiritual obligations
-, hunhy pros,rate nj the feet OF the most Holy
Trinity In the Of bs Holy virgin Mother Of
God, OF the whole heavenly court and OF all who here
Witnesses, promise to Almighty God, and To
erepd mother. , Superior Vicar. who represent
here Superior General and those who viii lawfully
ceed her holding the place Of God poverty chastity and
obedience according 10 tn. spirit of institute, the