Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-09
MAY BUY URSULINE.
A Rumor That the Grand Property
May Pass Into the Mercy Order.
ANOTHER HEIREsS TO BE A NUN.
She is the Daughter of Banker DrexeI, Of
Philadelphia,
AND AcOUsIN OF ANTONIO AND HILDA

The announcement that another heiress
had entered the Order ofthe Sisters ofMercy
in this city started rumor yesterday to the
effect that it was probable the Order would
make an offer to the Ursuline Sisters for the
purchase of their magnificent convent build
ings in Oakland, which were to have been
offered for sale some time ago. The build
ings and grounds, which came within an ace
of being put under the hammer. are valued
at anywhere from $3.50, 900 up, and it was
stated that the Ursuline Sisters were not re-
luctant to sell.
No positive information could be obtained
about the matter last evening. A reporter
called upon Mother Sebastian, the head of
the Mercy Order; but that lady would not
be seen.
The heiress spoken Of is Miss Catherine
Drexel, daughter of the late T. A. Drexel,
the well-known banker of Philadelphia.
She arrived in this city Sunday, not yester-
day, and was Immediately driven to the
mother house of the order on Webster ave-
nue.. At the convent her wealth is esti-
mated at s., ,0O0, 900, not Sc, ,0O0, 900, as has
been stated, while the Philadelphia papers
say it is S., 500, 900. The nuns at the con-
vent will not say anything about the novice,
beyond the fact that she is there.
OTHER RELATIVES AS NUNS.
1T is, of course, impossible to see Miss
DrexeI. She is full cousin of Sisters An
tonic and Hilda, of the same order, who
were also left fortunes at the death of their
father, DR.. Gallagher, of Philadelphia. Sis
ter Antonio is at st. Xavier's and Sister
Hilda is now in Lawrenceville. The former
is well-known Catholic writer and poetess.
She is a regular contributor to all the lead
ing Catholic magazines and papers, and has
written the book, "Flowers by the Way
side." by Mercedes" These three for
tunes. with that of Sister Inez, who is the
Mistress of the Novices of the Order, and
was Miss Casey, of Erie, will make the
Mercy Order the richest religious communi-
ty in this country.
Miss Drexel is quite young, and very
pretty. Since she came into possession of
her fortune, she has been contributing $780,
600 annually to the Catholic Indian Mis-
sions. This money has been given through
Bishop O'Conner, of Omaha, who was the
religious counselor of the family. Bishop
O'Conner was stationed at st. Paul's Cathe-
dral here some years ago, and while in this
city was the chaplain at the convent on
Webster avenue. At the death of his
brother, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Michael
O'Conner, Father O'Conner removed to
Philadelphia, where he was stationed at
Holmesburg, to which church the Drexel
family belonged. He
BECAME WELL ACQUAINTED
with them, as their pastor, and, when ele
waited to bishopric, he continued to act as
the family advisor. The girls were devout
Catholics and attended mass regularly.
When their father died he left 81 zoe, 900 to
Catholic charities, and the remainder of his
fortune went to his three daughters As
they lived quietly and without any display
of wealth, they concluded that they could
continue the charitable work their father
had started. They began to give literally
to the church, and every new enterprise re-
ceived their support. Among the many
ton of the Industrial Home for Boys at
Eddington, Bucks county.
Some time ago rumor was circulated BY
the Eastern papers to the effect that Cathe-
rine Drexel was considering the matter of
becoming a recluse in convent. She did
not deny this at the time, but on account
of her retiring disposition, she shrank from
publicity.
Since then Bishop O'Conner has had a
number of talks with her, and as a result
she announced to her family, about week
ago, that she mad made up her mind to be-
come a novice in the Mercy Order, lust as
soon as the family sailed for Europe which
was supposed to be about the 7th inst. The
family did sail from New York yesterday,
but before they had left Philadelphia the |
younger sister was in Pittsburg. She
WILL BE PUT ON TRIAL
for six months. If, at the end of that time. |
she is considered to have the necessary quail |
ifcation for the making of good member |
of the order, and is still determined to be- |
come nun, she will be given the white |
veil. At the end of two years she will be |
voted upon. If there is no objection, and |
she still wants to become Sister of Mercy,
she will be received and given the black |
veil. After the ceremonies of the profession |
are over, she will be regular member of |
the community. II
1t was only a few months ago that her
youngest sister was married to Mr.. E. De
MurreiI. line wedding was the great event |
of Philadelphia society circles, and was at
tended by Bishop O'Conner and number
of the prominent Catholic clergy. Mrs.
Murrell, her husband, her sister Lizzie and
her uncle, A. j. Drexel, sailed for Europe
Bishop O'Conner was in the city about
two weeks ago, and at that time he made
the arrangements for Miss DrexeI's recep-
ton into the Mercy Order.
As the money left to Miss Drexel will
have to be turned over to the order, many
are the eonjectures as to what will be done
with it. In addition to the probable pur-
chase of the Ursuline property, part of the
money may be used to pay off the debt in
Cured by the building Of the Industrial
Home for Working Girls, connected with
the convent in this city. An addition is
also being built to the house at st. Xavier's.
Almost every holy day in the year new
novices are taken in this order.