The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-05
ICommunicated.l
The Sisters Of Mercy.
THIRTY. FIFTH Anniversary OF THE DEATH OF
THE FoUNDREss OF THE ORDER.

At p. N. on Thursday, November IL, 1s4l,
at the Convent of Mercy, Baggot street, Dab
lin, the amiable Foundress of the Order of
Mercy departed to that land "where the
wicked cease from trou bling and the weary are
ut rest"
Ireland proclaimed the loss to be o national
one, and q million hearts lamented it with the
deep intensity of domestic sorrow. Many q
houselees orphan to whom her institution gave
resting place; many q straying ono, to whom
it gave virtue and q name many child, to
whom it opened the ample pages of sacred and
profane learning, will gazs with fearful eye
and full heart on the grave of Catherine
McAuley 1t is not to be wondered at that one
of the most sanity prelstes of the Irish Church
has declared that, since the days of ST. Bridget,
his county had seen no such benefsctress.
Few ever left this world that could with
greater confidence expect to hear, on the great
accounting day, from the lips of our Divine
Redeemer, Como, you blessed of my Father,
possess tho kingdom prepared for you for
was hungry, and you gave me to eat; was
thirsty, and you gave me to drink; was a
stranger, and You took me in ; naked, and you
covered me sick, and you visited me; was
in prison, and You came to me. AS much as
you did it to one of these my least brethren,
you did it to me-"
Ga Saturday, Nov. -, Catherine McAuley
was laid in the earth like the poor" her old
and devoted friend DR.. Kinsella, Bishop of
Ossory, presiding. Archbishop Murray, on
account of illness, was unable to attend, and
Bishop Kinsella, therefore, preached the funeral
Grafton of her whom he did not hesitate to call
/" the Saint"
Five bishops and sixty priests celebrated her
obse ques and followed her to the grave.
AS she died in the odor of sanctity, only the
Oldest Sisters ever prayed for her, aud this they
dill in consequence of q promise they had made
her. TIE Re uiem Mass, usually celebrated in
every house of the Order the 18th eff No
VEN Der, is offered for the deceased members of
the Institute. Next Saturday, Nov. H. being
the thirty fifth anniversary of Mother Nc
Auley's deathPa Requiem Mass will bs cele-
brated in St, Alphonsus' Convent of Mercy, on
s., Andrew stsset.
While on this subject, we must mention the
recent death of q spiritual daughter and COM
panion of the sainted foundress.
Mother Gertrude Blake departed, to join 'the
Community in Heaven" on Saturday, Oct. 81,
1876, at the Convent of Mercy in Pittsburg
aged seventy years. She Joined the Order in
Dublin in 1886, and spent five years with the
foundress in the Baggot Street Convent. She
volunteered for the American mission, in re-
spouse to the late Bishop O'Connor's appeal to
the Order for Sisters to conduct institutions in
his diocese over thirty years ago.
To the Sisters she was last connecting link
with their venerated Foundress, being the
only living member save one, who was received
and protested, in the early days of the Order,
by the sainted Mother McAuley.
Mother Blake was a perfect religious full
of the spirit of her Institute, she passed forty
years a devoted laborer in its many " works o
mercy" M.