Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-24
CONVENT At KENTM ERE.
To be Built Next Spring for Members G
the franciscan Order.

tne frunclsehn Oruefs
The convent, the rumored erection of
which was mentioned by EVERY EVEN
ING about week ago, will be erected
on the Kentmere block bounded by
Shallcross, Grant, Bayard and Gilpin
avenues next spring. The lot recently
purchased by Bishop Curtis as site for
the building is 300 feet square. Plans
for the structure will have to be OBJ
tanned in Europe and no estimate of the
cost Of the edifice can be given now.
The new institution will be known as
the Convent of the Visitation and will be
occupied by members of the Order of
81. Francis de Sales, 81 in number, who
now occupy the Academy of the Vista
tion, No. 100 DelawareIavenue The
order was founded in France by st.
Francis in 1910. The convent will be
built for the purpose of conforming to
the rigid church laws. When it is COM
pleted the nuns will be transferred
there. 1t will be cloistered. Each con-
vent may have 33 sisters, but no more.
Except the four tout sisters" those who
do necessary work outside the in
stitution, must remain within its
walls all their lives. An en-
tire block for the convent was
obtained to keep it separate from
other buildings. Although the nuns
will be permitted to see their friends
frequently they must talk to them briefly
and through grating With few ex-
ceptions none but nuns will be allowed
inside the grating. The bishop will
visit the institution once a year to ex-
anime into its affairs and condition. At
any other time he cannot pass the graf
ing. When the services of physician
are necessary he will be permitted to
enter, but will be escorted to the
patients cell by two nuns. If
repairs or work of any kind is
needed, which the sisters themselves
cannot do, workman will be
allowed to enter by special orders.
While the number of nuns in the COM
munity of the convent will be limited
to 80 they will be allowed to receive
children left solely to their care and in
struction. In case the number of sisters
gets below the necessary number they
will be allowed to supply those to make
up the decrease. The institution will
be provided with rooms where women
may go into retreat for short
periods. When inside the grating they
must conform to all the rules followed
by the nuns cloistered there.
BY courtesy of Bishop Curtis the
public will be given opportunity to in
spect the convent while it is being built
and also from the time il is completed
| to the time of the transfer of the nuns,
when it will be closed forever to the
world.
The Academy of the Visitation was
established in this city in 1868 from the
house in Monthiel, near Lyons, France.
1t was first opened in old St. Mary's
| College, which was established by
Father Patrick Reilly, then vicar-gen-
eral Of this portion of the diocese, which
was then connected with the Philadel-
phia diocese. At the close of the second
scholastic year the academy was re.
moved to the Hollingsworth property on
Delaware avenue, between Harrison and
Van Buren streets, which was purchased
by Bishop Becker. When Bishop
Curtis took charge of the diocese he
| found a large debt on the institution
This debt has now been entirely settled,
| SO that the building is unencumbered
On account of the lack OF othei
financial resources the nuns connected
with the institution have supported
themselves by teaching. According tc
the rules of the Roman Catholic church
they should be entirely secluded from
the world. But this has been a case oi
making.a virtue of necessity. After the
nuns have been transferred to the con.
vent the property No. 1l09 Delaware
avenue will be made girls high school
which will be in charge of sisters oi
another order.