Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-17
Fly YEARS A NUN.
den Jubilee of Mother Mary Eliz-
abeth Strange, Last of
ZEN SISTERS FROM IRELAND.
10 to This Country and Established the
Order of Mercy.
,RCISES AT THE MOTHER HOME

within the halls OF princes swept will
hangings rich in gold;
within the worlds gay mansions glitter
Ing with wealth untold;
within q convent-precincts where the
brides Of Heaven stay,
these fifty years recorded, hsv these
decades slipped away.
nese are the words in which . rhyming
recorded the event of yesterday at the
her house of the Sisters of Mercy-the
len jubilee of Mother Mary Elizabeth
nge Mother Elizabeth, as she is now
iliarly termed, is a notable lady, and
last of the seven young Catho-
Irishwomen who founded the order
he United States. They came from a
vent in County Carlow and at the in
ton of Bishop Michael O'Connor, of
diocese, who, in dire distress over the
alling need Of the place, wrote home to
native Ireland imploring aid. Seven
and seven priests reported and left
America shortly afterward. the Sister
ag under the ecclesiastical chaperonage
Mother Frances Ward. The names of
ie young pioneers who are still remem-
ID within the convent walls were Sister
isia Strange, Mother Josephine Cullen,
her Philomena, Sister Agatha, Sister
,usta and Mother Elizabeth Strange,
er of Aioisia casually as well as
'itually and the survivor and the recipi-
of yesterdays honors. The crossed to
erica in 40, just 80 years ago And
is the golden jubilee of Mother Eliza
THE fttieth anniversary of her mar
'e to the Church.
he Mother House In Holiday Attire,
oiiday attire was the rule yesterday
hin the Mother House. The priests and
srs from distance began to come early
be morning and letters of congratulation
e brought by the mornings posts sent
a all over the country. At the
of the week the Pope's bene-
ion, which had been implored,
s customary, was received. 1t occupied
ace of honor among the presents which
been fairly lavished upon The vener-
sister. The other converts in Pitts
subject to the mother house were rep
.nted in almost every instance in body,
these, with the diocesan clergy, found
erieal gathering that bas been rarely
aled, and certainly never outdone in
tsburg. A wonderfully vigorous woman
her age, Mother Elizabeth went every
.re yesterday receiving congratulations
attentions in all directions. At 10
ock in the morning the Bishop of the
tsburg diocese, the Rt. Rev. R. Phelan,
D., reached the chapel, when he solemn
the solemn pontifical mass, wearing the
pie robes of significance.
he assistant clergymen were Father
in, of St. Mary's; Father Canevin, of
Paul's Cathedral, and Father Conway.
her Mullen, Bishop, of Erie, preached
sermon. An elaborate surpliced choir
u boys rendered the musical service.
the front pews were the priests in
ir robes of Office and behind them sat the
tx gowned religueres and the novitiates
heir probationary gowns of white. At
u luncheon was served.
lie mother house is q rambling old |
e, much as might be expected in a
ding that is good deal larger than it |
originally expected to be. 1t has little
tensions to beauty, and what it had
III to was greatly due to the decorations.
l'green was draped in every direction,
tender sentiments and words of love
cheer were entwined gracefully
1ng the leaves
fress nts for the Church's Bride.
D in what might be called the parlor,
,e its formal name is forgotten, were the
sents to the aged mother. No bride
Id have been more remembered. And |
regulation spoons for bride and silver |
were there in abundance.
he novelty of the day came in the after
n, when the children of the house schools |
sented an operetta, preceded by Jubilee |
-ch. 1t began at o'clock in the after |
n, and Mother Elizabeth and Bishop |
elan both were present. occupying
cial chairs near the stage. A |
ngent rule forbade the presence
secular, and, therefore,
: the Sisters and priests viewed the per-
nance. Even the parents OF the little
S would not be admitted, but to-day, for
ir especial benefit, a second performance
be given. In the jubilee march man.
th nosegsy of pink and white roses and
wn were presented by two little girls to
hop Phelan and by the Bishop to the
her.
The Miracle of the Roses" was the title
the operetta, which is founded on the
" so well known to every little Catholic
Id of st. Elizabeth and the miraculous
of loaves of bread into
utiful roses. As the story is somewhat
uelv remembered, the operetta seems to
e few liberties with it and by second
acle causes the roses to be replaced by
more mundane loaves of bread.
he young girls who bore the principai
IS with these roles were as follows: Mo
afterwards Elizabeth, Miss Mona Reed;
~ Glare, afterwards Ldndqraue of TIM
vid, Miss Lulu Minick; Mistress of the
Dol, Miss Alice Larkin; Pholoe Miss
lie Mcnamara; Grazielld, a dumb girl.
IS May Sweeney; Kodeleine a poor girl
IS Kate Fitzgerald; Jane, Anna, Mar1ot
snadid, scholars; Miss Bertha Burns.
IS Grace Daschbach, Miss Mary Dasch-
b, Miss May VogeL
An Odd and Pretty Novelty.
!, all of which served to introduce music
dancing. They were all SO clever in
r parts that the entertainment gave a
afternoon of pleasure to the audience.
Interesting and odd idea was carried
In the prologue of song
b child represented year of
her Elizabeth's jubilee and won the
lber OF that year on the bodice of her
IS. The bunch of flowers carried bv
~ little girl was taken to build a pyra-
in front of the stage, thus indicating
fragrance and sweetness of the life of
otion to her church exhibited by the
her. When the operetta was ended the
edictus was pronounced and holy COM
lion celebrated.
be strange variance to the general form
government in the Oldest Christian
rch are the almost democratic princi-
of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy.
re is one head in the Mother House and
is elected every two years from among
Sisters. The position is executive and
are largely increased by
addition of duties that in secular gov
nent might be termed those of Cabinet
ers. The Mother Superior is her
prime Minister The obool- ~ H. |