The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-01
LIFE IN THE CLOISTER.
The Life of the Nun-The Constitution Under
Which She Lives.

Which She Lives.
Monsignor Capel at the Brooklyn Academy.
Il think | can take you into a region to-
night" said Monsiguor Capel, (which | may
venture to say is almost unknown TO you.
Life in the cloister' has been announced as
my subject. Few people understand what is
meant by this. The Information gained from
novels is singularly contradictory to that
which ! learn from experience. The de-
scribers say of the nuns: Poor things, to be
shut up so by the priest They are said to
pass a life of discomfort. Such is one de-
scrption. Then there are the sentimental
ladies', who say, How much more useful they
would be if they could occupy themselves as
we do. We cannot understand why they
should shut themselves up so. Then
there is the knowing gentleman,
who speaks of them as female Jesuits,
who aie ready instruments of the priest
All this is ridiculously contradictory to
what | know about nuns. l have sister
who has been a nun for one-and-twenty
years. Circumstances have made me for
many years confessor to nuns L have
preached to and aided them. l wish only to
portray to you what seems a natural way of
looking at the matter. What have the nuns
to say about it? 1t is something to them as
Paris TO those Americans who it is said ex-
pect to go to Paris after death. The nun is
one who says, However imperfectly have
done it, 1 have kept the commandments
from my childhood And she says-as a
young lady of eighteen has a right to say
when proposed to-I accept. l have the
right to place at the feet of Christ the chasti-
ty which He gave. And so l give up these
three thlngs-my property, my will to those
placed over me, and lastly | give to my God
the glory of my purity Such the nun is.
I'VE are free creatures. There can be no
faith where there is no will Religion is the
subsection of my will to the will of God on
high. If this be true in principle the nun
says, once and forever l will put myself in
such state such fixed position, that 1
shall not be able to Withdraw You will
say that she becomes a perfect slave. But
do you notice wherein her freedom con-
sists? She sees struggling in the world in
families, in regard to material things. And
all this she lays aside. She sees the family
life strongest where there is the greatest sub
lection to authority.
care people allowed rashly to enter a state
of this kind? No. 1t is a matter of careful
prayer with the priest. There is no anxiety
on the part of the nuns to hurry one on
For three months the applicant is received
as a postulant then the mother superior
and the bishop must examine her, and then
she may become novice for an experience
of two years, and after that she may be al
lowed to take her three VOWS There are
many married ladies and gentlemen present
How many of you, after two years of mar
riage would be prepared to say: Il am will
ing to be married the rest OF my life?
Laughter l make no insinuation.
Does the nun ever repent? Married women,
do you ever repent of your marriage? There
may be those who may have some misgiv-
ings about it afterward With all due re-
spect to my sisters, 1 may safely say that of
the one who is a nun, the one who was mar
ried, and the one who died young, the nun
is to be chosen for her brightness, her happi-
ness, everything which bespeaks that joy
which is akin to that which God has in store
for us
eve hear much about women's rights.
For these there is no more perfect place
than the cIolster. The nuns elect their own
president-the mother superior They gov
ern themselves. The bishop sees that their
constitution and laws are carried out, and
these the mother superior is bound to re-
spect. The protection of the liberty of the
subject is thus assured. The nun is a bene-
factress of society. She goes forth with a
warm heart and a tender love of woman
hood. Who administers to the wounded and
dying on the field of battle? 1t is the Sister
of CHARITY"