The Irish standard., 1892-08-13
A CONVERTS STORY.

CONVERTS STORY.
She Wanted to Be Sister Before She Be-
came Catholic.
The following sketch of Sister Honora
Young's life, whose death occurred at
Nazareth, KY, not long ago, cannot fall
to interest our readers:
She was born twelve miles from Hop
kinsvil]e, KY, where some of her sisters
still live in the old homestead. For sew
eral years she had been a school teacher,
lived in Protestant community, and
had never seen Catholic church. Dur
ing a short illness she passed few days
at st. Joseph's Infrmary in Louisville,
and though nothing had been said to her
about religion she left with desire to
Join the order where she had received so
much sympathetic care. She never men
toned her intention to any one, but one
day, we do not know how long after her
visit to the infrmary, she landed at MAJ
areth, and manifested to the Mother Su-
perior her desire to become a Sister.
"Do you bring letters from any
priest?' inquired the Mother.
"A priestr' she answered, II never saw
a priest in my life.''
''Then you are not Catholic?" said
the Mother Superior.
"No." answered Miss Young, 'but /
wish to be Sister,"
care you aware" replied the Mother
Superior, chat only Catholic young la.
dies can be received into religious or
der? This is the first qualification,
though it is not the only one; for it is
necessary that aptitude should be united
to sincere desire for this kind of life. -
"Well," exclaimed Miss Young, Ethis
is rather strange. I did not come here
with the intention of becoming Catho-
lie, but have great desire of becoming
aSlster.'
"But this cannot be" replied the Moth
or Superior. "The first thing will be to
study the Catholic Faith, and if you can
be convinced of it's truth, you may then
think of joining the Sisters
"And if I cannot make up my mind to
become Catholic" said Miss Young.
''Then you cannot be Sister," replied
the Mother Superior, "and I do not say
you can be one then, but you can study
your vocation, and If you find that it is
the will of God, you can join some relig-
ious community
After this conversation the young as
pirant was sent to Father Russell, where
she went over the same train of CONVEX
sation. Father Russell told her that she
might stay in the convent for some time,
during which she could read Catholic
books and receive such explanations as
she might desire. He gave her Nampon's
Lecture on the Catholic Church. and
told her to read it attentively for few
days, after which she might come back
and state her objections, if she found
any.
"How do you like this lecturer" he
asked her when she came back at the
appointed time.
"Fine, fne," she answered, ''but what
about purgatory, and praying to the
saints?''
I'VE will not discuss these SUBJECTS y
said he, t'until you have studied the
grounds of the Catholic Faith. What
have you to say about the lecture I gave
you?"
sIt is very fine indeed" she replied.
But she could not say that she believed
it.
He told her to read it over once more,
and when she came back, she expressed
her admiration still more for the lecture
but she had not reached conviction, and
she was inclined TO ramble over other
subjects, she wanted to know something
about the holy eucharist, confession, etc
Father Russell gave her some other
books, and advised her to join prayer to
reading, because faith is q gift of God
which is the reward Of prayer.
(. The third time she came with beaLl
ing countenance and exclaimed, ':Now
Father, I believe the whole of it, ard
see plainly why you did not wish me to
discuss other subjects. Now my difficult
ties are all removed, and I understand
all about purgatory, confession, commu-
MON Of saints"
After attending a catechism class with
some Of the pupils who were then prepar-