The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-19
THE MAGDALENS.
An EIoouent plea for Fallen v


We regret that we cannot find space
for very eloquent and touching sermon
preached by Bishop Conroy at Ottawa,
Nov. 25th, in aid OF the asylum governed
by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.
The sermon was based on that beautiful
passage of st. Luke, in which the story
is told of Mary Msgdalen, a woman oil
the city, who was sinner, who washed
the feet Of Jesus with her tears and an
nointed them with ointment, and Jesus
turning to the woman said to Simon;
"Dost thou see this woman? Many SINS
are forgiven her, because she has loved
much" But though we have not space
for al his eloquent plea for this noble
Charity which the Catholic Church has
instituted for fallen women, we give this
extract from it which contains the pith
of the matter: Her sin has branded her
with a mark SO loslhsome that barely TO
see it dries up in all the very fountains
OF human sympathy. This man, II de
were prophet said within himself the
Pharisee when he saw the Msgdaien an
MONT our Ssvior's feet, "would know
surely who and what kind Of woman
that is that touched Him; for she is a
sinner" No prophetic gilt is needed in
the present organization OF society to de-
tect who and what is the covering female
form that comes without recommends
ton or friendly testimony 10 solicit the
meanest employment. And once 1t Is
known who and what she is,
EVERY DOOR Is SHUT IN HER FACE.
" hatever she touches Is accounted un-
clean. Nothing short OF divine charity
itself is brave enough, do not say TO de.
Tend or comfort her as Christ defended
and comforted the Magdalen, but even
70 brook tina, she should enter beneath
an honest roof. Excluded thus from the
home of labor; loaLhlng, through Gods
grace, again To enter the home OF SIN
cast out forever from the home OF her in
nocent childhood, where shall the hsunted
creature lay her weary hesd2 Is it any
wonder my brethren, if, in this dresr
hour OF her complete outlswry from her
kind. there comes 10 her the thought OF
the one home which alone she is free to
enter at will, in which SO many OF her
forlorn sisters have sought to rest before
her, the home of despair beneath the
waters of the deep, dark, rushing rlYerI
Well may we shudder as we see her
standing on the brink, holding, rs 1t
were her lite IN the palm OF her hand,
and weighing, in her agony, whether 1t
be not less bitter 10 live than TO diel She
is not able to rise from her despair, but
YOU, my brethren, are able TO set her
fee. For, although all other homes deny
her shelter, there yet remains one home,
better than all the rest, which II Is In
your power to open for her to.day-the
nome of the Good Shepherd. Its ioun-
hour in which, on Calvary, Christ for
our sins, WAS torsaken by His Father,
that through His derelCtion all desolstc
souls might find comfort. In that hour.
ST. John tells u, there stood BY the Cross
of Jesus, Mary His Mother and Mary
Magdalen John xix, 25). How un-
speakably solemn this meeting in tender
compsnionship at the foot OF the Cross
OF Mary the purest of virgins with Mary
the penilent sinner Surely this was 40
chance encounter, but rather revelation
herd was in establishing in His church
between the virglnal life OF which Mary
was type, and the penitent fallen ones,
OF whose conversion the Msgdalen's was
the prophecy. 1t WAS the reversal by
the Sacred Heart of Jesus Of the cruel
sentence of perpetual scorn enforced by
the world against degraded womsnhood
1, a A.
nation of the irresistible penance TO re-
pair the wreck made in the soul by sin,
and the sinners iull restoration 10 the
privileges of innocence effected by true
contritIon 1t is this teaching that has
created in the Catholic church tne con-
vents of the Good Shepherd, in which
tender and delicate ladies, virgin con-
cecrated 10 CHRIST, live rs in one united
household with those who have been the
vllest of the vile OutCasts OF society. Far
| different is this sacred cOmpsnonship
from the selfish charity that is satisfied
with purchasing from others, for the al
| lIctei services Is 1t too dainty 10 render It's
| own person, and from the titful outpour-
ings of sentimental benevolence; it is y
| true, living and working love, and, like
all true love, 1t has its foundation in the
smiable qualities of its object. And If
you ask me what titles to their love do
the Nuns OF the Good Shepherd discover
in their penitent sisters, | answer, the
same thsi Mary the Mother of God re-
cogrized in Mary Msgdslen. In the
Magdslen, kneeling before Jesus, pour
ing out her precious ointment on the feet
that had SO often grown weary In search
! OF her soul, and washing them with her
tears, Mary recogui zed soul that loved
| her Son. and loved Him with an exceed.
| ing love. In the Msgdslen defended by
| Christ against the cruel Phsrlsee, Mary
| recognized soul whom her Son loved,
| and loved much, for the measure OF the
divine pardon is the measure OF the
! divine love, and much WAS forgiven her
| because she was loved much Ms well rs
Tor her exceeding love. In the Mag
dslen clssping the foot of the cross and
| glistening with priceless drops OF sscrif-
cIal blood that had tsllen upon her from
the Savior's wounds, Mary reverenced the
| first fruits OF her Sons bitter passion.
| And ever since, 70 pure hearts like Mays,
| the vilest and mesnest among penitent
women appear, shining with y triple
besuty, Ms loving Christ, Is loved by
! Christ, and ~ the dear lruits OF His suit
ieriugs. There Il not ore among the
fallen ones for whom | plead today who,
in the call she hiss received TO peusnce,
does rot possess q sure pledge OF these
three privileges of the Ma Idslen, bat it ls
in the home OF the Good Shepherd alone
Lhst this pledge csn be fully redeemed.
II is for you 10 Introduce her here. II II
| is your duty 10 be generous towards her
merely because she is one OF Gods suffer
ing creatures, snd the more SO because
she is exceptionally miserable even
among the miserable; does not your OBJ
ligstion press on you with greater force
when YOU remember that this miserable
| beng bss capabilities OF The noolest
spirIiusl excellence which without your
aid must be lost and with your sid can
be brought TO marvellous perfection2 II