The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-10-10
FROM GAVE TO GAY
The Order of Francis can Sisters
of st. Mary Disbands.
For the First Time in Six Years They Don
Worldly Attire-Ihe Church AuthOri-
ties Are Chagrined.

Especial to THE HERALD Examiner Dispatch
New YORK, Oct. 9.-On Sunday last all
the sisters belonging to the branch of the
franciscan order in hArcbishop Corrigan's
diocese laid aside the wells and habits which
many OF them had worn for six years, and
resumed the ordinary dress of womankind.
Twelve in all, including the mother supe-
rior, who organized the community, made
this change and are now known to the
world and to their ecclesiastical superior
by the names they had before they became
sisters.
TIE young women who formed the COM
munity were known as Franciscan sisters
of st. Mary's. twas nearly sixteen years
ago when work was begun which resulted
in their organization. Miss Susan NJ. Os-
borne, who kept large intelligence Office
in New York at that time, saw that great
W ork could be done for the friendless and
fallen women Of the city and she deter
mined to devote her life to rescuing Them
Miss Osborne had been q Protestant. but
she joined the Roman Catholic church and
under its auspices began her work She
gathered about her several young women,
VINO agreed to share with her, and
under guidance the task that had
been begun. Miss Osborne opened
and conducted for some time a small
house of refuge. For eight years she aud
her companions carried on the work in a
quiet way, and did great deal of good
Archbishop Corrigan gave them special
dispensation which allowed them to be-
| come sisters at once without passing
through the usual experience of q noviti-
ate, which is usually considered neces-
sary training for the religious life. The
young women believed that as sisters of
st. Mary, wearing the garb of their sister
| hood, they could do their work better Miss
| Osborne was the mother superior of the
community, becoming known as Mother
| Clare. The sister has established several
homes. They received substantial aid from
| prominent citizens. For the past few
months Mother Clare and several sisters
! have contemplated returning to regular
life, but the attendants and inmates of the
homes had no linking of the remarkable
change to come Friday. Until Sunday
morning the sisters were invisible to the
attendants. On Sunday morning last they
came down TO breakfast in secular garb. 1t
was the first time that Miss Osborne and
several of the sisters had worn anything
but their habits in six years Besides
astounding the attendants who hardly
recognized the women before them
with their neat trim costumes set
off with bits of jewelry, they
| have ceased to exist as q religious
community. For that re Ison the blessed
sacrament had to be removed. There are
| few places where the sacrament is allowed
to be kept. 1t is kept, of course in the
churches, and religious communities are al
lowed to have it for their comfort in their
chapels. 1.-The Pope has given me the privi-
lege of granting it to small religious bodies
| and l acted under that authority when the
community was organized six years ago.
OF course it is not usual for women to
take the habit without passing through the
regular sisterhood, but these ladies have
spent many years in the work they were
carrying on and as spec al exception was
made in their case it would be best, think.
to say as little as possible about the church
as it is necessarily a humiliating one for
them, being step down. Still it may be
possible that after proper course of reli-
gious training the ladies will again return
to the sisterhood. This is matter t. be
determined said Archbishop Corrigan.