New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-28

nuns Y
"Wen.r replied the Nun, ave Catholics have n
word TO express this. We call e vocation
when any young lady wishes to enter a convent I
need not tell you that vocation means CALL and
the Catholic opinion is that Almighty God yes
certain persons n call-or vocaton-or dcs re-to
live this particular kind of lite Obviously, if the
call Is from God, it would be sinful not to follow it,"
AN old Ca,hoc lady at the hotel.' | said.
told me she had two daughters who were nuns.
and that she wished every one of her daughters
had been nuns. Is this common sentiment
among the Catholic mothers"
Al, is common replied the Nun. but not uni
versal Catholics often object to their children
being priests or nuns because they do not like to
part with them. or because they have plans Tor
their worldly advancement. But it is quitc clear
that no Catholic parent can conscientously refuse
leave to child to enter n convent or to become a
priest The great principle of the Catholic talth IS
that God should be first in everything, that HIS
service should come before the service of the world
Indeed this - simply the teaching OF the BloIr
seek We first the kingdom of God and lls right
eousness.'"
"What is the Catholic answer then" asked.
10 the argument / remember hearing advanced
when was a boy, that It Is contrary % the teach
ing of the Bible TO be priest or nun :!
" If Prutestants' said the Nun, would study the
Bible moe and not take text here and text
SAYS that He will reward rs even n we DO such u
trifing act of charity to give cup OF cold water
to thirsty man, and lie tells us mat our doang OF
not doing works of charity viii be the very ground
on which He will Judge Us at the last day. 20,
clearly t cannot Dee contrary To Scripture tor rs 10
give 0ur whole time 10 works of charity, ana Ger
tainlv II is a very great advantage to other people.
II "A lady enters a convent and gives up her w'olo
time I'D nursing the sick and teaching the poor,
clearly the public gain by her doing so. Inc on'y
pcrsun who can lose or suffer any INCONVENIENCE Is
herself How often We hear men praised loI nav
ing sacrificed themselves for their country. May
We not claim httle praise TOO Tor sacIdhcihE oul-
selves for Gods poor and little children 90.
" How are converts supported sister Frances 3.
- In two wavs.' said the Nun OF kenlnare.
Every young lady who enters @ convent bfihG7,
as "a general rule some means with hen, generally
about 600. The interest on that money supports
her a. we live ln % very PLAN way. In most con
vents there arc pEpll7 VINO pay tor I4tr on
and their fees help 10 support it. We mere III IA
mare have none of these Resources, because Inc
people are So Door that they can pay nothing TOR
their educatlon, and We are 10 TOO remote pia'e
To take young ladies' !hc Wslortunes Oh iue ia'I
few years nave lett few young ladies with any Tor
tune. So for several years past, We have not becn
able to take any OF the young ladies VINO wanted
to come here. a we have no means of supporting
them. This Is q great loss 20 the poor here a. we
want five or sIx young nuns to help IL the large
school,
D'IIY LIFE or THE NUNS.
Now. Sister Frances" interrupted. ever since
read in Shakespeare the advice Hamlet gives to
diving. so to speak, to know the daily routine OF .
nuns life. VIII you tell me 2"
I inferred from the Nuns laugh that was not
using the established formula OF speech but
frankly admitted was novice, ana the good nun
went on:
"Oh. yes The nuns rise at in the morning. Each
nun who is able to 90 So takes It IN turn to call all
the rest, Indeed she has to get up before > 1t takes
nearly half IN uour TO call all the Sisters and open
the doors Every nun Is in the church g o'clock,
and then wehavc prayers for hour which helps Us
20 do Gods work through the day and gives US good
thoughts Of Heaven aud holy things. At hali-past
we have mass. At half past we have breakfast,
and. as we 1--we ~ much a. possible ike the poor
people we use only bread and tea fol breakfast. III
dinner We have meat except on fast days, which,
Won know, are pretty frequent. Ii the Sisters
choose they take some bread and cocoa in the mid
die of the day, and | assure you they need 1t after
so many hours teaching The Sisters all teach IN
the schools. They go to them at 9 o'clock, and are
on duty until g. Some of the Sisters are only half
an hour out Of the school during rhls time.
1--WE dine at 800 We do nearly all our own
work-make our own beds and wash our plates and
dishes At 1870 we all meet together 10 enjoy our
selves for an hour and talk over the events of the
day This is what we call recreation and / can
assure Won we enjoy ourselves. If those who think
y convent D gloomy place and a nuns lie an m
happv one. could come 20 a convent recraton for a
few DAYS they would soon be undecelyed.
We 60 to church again at half-past >. At
o'clock We havo tea. After that we again meet to-
Cether for recreation. At ; o clock we 20 10 the
church again to think Of our good God ana to pray
to Him for every one and you may be sure, Mr.
Rrdpathr added the nun, that we do not forget
our good American friends, Protestants as well as
Catholics. We 90 to our ro0ms-or cells aa we call
thenl-at hall-past - and most OF the nuns are
asleep at 10 clock. , ,
don't remember what question it was | asked
here. but nv notes show that the Nun said IN Ie-
No. a INNS life is not monotonous. People who
know nothing about II arr very apt TO thnk II l.,
and that must get very tired OF NoU2 lhc same
thing every day. They forget that people IN the
world do the same thing every day. Why. your
'school-maams have to 20 on year after year
teaching the same things; and your professors
even in vour highest colleges do the same thing
and your great inventor and mlNter-inlnd Nh kdl'
SON even he must do the same KIND OF thlng day
after day. 20, sir, or lie J. not mOlOtOhous. IL
has its own lows and IL, own sDrrOWS-lti own plea
,Urc- and ITS own anXleies-lts desires and p0ccts
all ai1oIdlng sufficient variety. And then our III
tcIcst in our work is indeed very graf. | can
o,,urr vDu we often wish the day WAS thirty-slN
hours long instead of tWcnty-tour. You can hardly
realize the amount OF business O. be zone beside,
the actual teaching. mere Is the ptshhIH3 au'
arranging Tor the future of So many children Ihci
the poor people To r. for advice and often i0i
te,upoTal help. which we cannot always give; AZ
thourh thanks to my generous American friends
we have been able 10 do a good deal tins year. You
must remember that IN the rural districts OF lrr
land the poor have no one To look up 10 but inc
nriests and nuns. ! suppose that iu all tins Worlo
tbcr. j., not another 81 utterly estltutr race.
Iou don't have schools on sundays. -.
NO" said the Nun. " on Sundays and on holiday
we have more time and then we look forward to on
long holiday in Hcav-n-where there viii he no DIS
trrss. and no famine years, aui-Cod forgive me.
was going TO say. no landlords but let Us hop'
that they do not know all the evil Of which they
are IN e cause not always by what they do. but 10y
what they do not DO tor those Who are dependent
on them. JAMES hEpPAih'
NEUPORT ~ NOTEuBER.
NrHroRT r. l., Nov. 27.-The sewerage o
IN, city and tne leasing Of ii on the beach for hoe