The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-09
Sisters Of the Good Shepherd.
THEIR HOUSE IN NEW ORLEANS.


At the foot of the cross, Innocence and Re
pentapce met together, and beneath the eyes
of an Infinite love and an Infinite pity, they
stood as sisters in patience and compassion.
The one with eyes appraised, gazed upon the
face of Christ, the other, with dropping head,
olasped the cross upon which He agonized. /
The one was strengthened by His love, the
other comforted by His forgiveness. The one
had followed Him all the days of life; the |
other had sought Him late; but both were
privileged to be near Him unto the end.
The Order of the Sisters of the Good Shop
herd realizes all the truth and beauty of this
sacrificial scene, and bids the world acknow-
ledge that the Savour's work of love and
mercy is still being wrought among men.
In q recent visit to the House of this Order
an our city, we were impressed by the beautiful
adaptation of our Saviour's life to the daily
routine of the lives of others, and by the per-
feet, although unconscious, commemoration OF
that sublime union beneath the shadow of the
cross, of the Marys and the Magdalens of this
world.
The Sisters of the Good Shepherd, following
the example of their Divine Model, devote
themselves to the preservation of tie lambs OF
His fold, and to the recovery of those lost
w.
our mind, no work can be dearer to the loving
heart of Christ than that which brings Him
before us in the character of the true and ten
der Shepherd of souls.
The charity of God is always silent and IN
obtrusive, and hence few only, even among
Catholics, understand the heroic labor. the
patient endurance, and the manifold difficult
ties which are involved in such lives as those
| of ma Siatera nf the Good Shepherd,
Their labor, that of retaining the fallen OF
their own sex, is singularly repulsive to human
nature. and is almost revolving to the soul of q
3 pure woman;-for let it be well understood that
r the Sisters of the Good shepherd do not re-
o ceive into their Order any one upon whose
name rests even the smallest shadow of suspi
b cion. Pure and unspetted from the world which
a they leave, they come under the shadow of thu
s Cross only to call to their side the intaintet
Magdalens of this earth but while acting to
wards their erring sisters with all the low
and charity taught them by their Divine Mas
ter, they never permit one of them to ente
l. their sacred Sisterhood, or bear the nam
Is which distinguishes their holy calling.
ir And why this exclusivenessf Is it not sell
nj righteousness which refuses to the fallen
A perfect equality with the innocenti
- No, not pride but love to God and duty tt
:: wards their erring sisters compel them to th
- step. What would become of their gentle al
thority, where would be the respect 80 nece
Ut sary to their position, if ever the poor wea
e, one could say Hush, you who teach; fl
70 you were once even as Iw
ly Might we not even refer to the sacred ute
ut ances of our Blessed Lord upon the Cross, as
n. prouf that, here EARTH God draws u line b
air tw cen Innocence and Repentance, which is fc
- the well-being of bothi
Looking down from His throne of Mercy, OF
Lord babe His we'll beloved disciple cherie
0N Mary as his most precious charge, while fl
Magdalen there was nought from those lovir
TIC lips but - silence.
m But while the strong minded women of tt
ed land are lecturing the Social Evil, al
The others are writing sensational novels upon Il
Ire same subject, these Sisters of the Good She
&C. herd set quietly to work to gather up the {
ie- ring ones whom society abhors, and by exaI
all pie, preCept and prayer, gradually and sure
,ro lead them back to virtue and usefulness.
But this work is far more difficult than o
imagines: for too many of these women, who
~" lives have been spent in drunkenness and
eii bauchery, are ignorant of all useful arts, a
mo are as helpless to themselves and to the Sist
nhC as mere children.
Ihe We were told OF one grown woman who
tue never handled q needle!
md Then as to the labor of reformation,-al al
pi- which requires the gentleness of won
ing united to the hrmness OF man. the comp
ing slon OF an angel with the prudence OF sage
who can tell it's arduousness and it's longs
n,v feringF
- Let those who have seen the wretohed oc
pants of the Black Maria trundled off
Metropolitan police, imagine the task und
'"U- taken by these noble ladies of making tn
oW- Christian women and useful members of
for ciety.
Evil The Sisters do not permit idleness, nor
Dta- they, with mistaken sentimentality, allow
lea repentant sinner to spend her time in tea
,de- but suggesting holy desires to her mind,
ito Installing peace into her heart, they fill
on hands with work, thus teaching her to resp
herself, to esteem virtue and to love God.
We were Informed that go inmates are