Arizona weekly citizen., 1892-07-09
THE ADDRESS Delivered by Bish;p Bour-
 gade. At Faint Joseph's Academy
 Tucson. The Nun as an Educaror,' or, The
 Convent School"

KEY. FATHERS, LADIES AND GENTLE MEN, SISTERS OF THE SAINT JosEPHis ACADEMY:
 i The Convent School is a school, the teachers of which ara women, who have ! associated and organized themselves for
 the ultimate purpose of serving God iD
 accordance with a spe ,ial calling.
 through the more prox mate ebl act of
 bringing up, instructing and forming young ladies. In order the more fully
 to secure the attainment of this two
 fCld end of their religious life, these women, known by the general appelia
 tion Of Nuns and Sisters, coneecrate ard
 blnd themselves by a threefold VOW or
 sol mn promise to yielI submis ,ion to
 authority. to live in poverty. to preserve
 clastlty. By the VOW of obedieCce they
 surrender their vii to their rulers or
 Superiors, and through these 10 God.
 By the VOW of poverty they rel rquIsb
 the.r exclusive and individual ght of
 possession. By the voE of chastity
 they take their farewell of the pure ana
 c1ngenial joys of weGlock and mother
 hood.
 How unnatuarl a cal ng," some per-
 sons will say who have not tad the righI
 notion ot, aud true ibs ght into Christ
 ianity ss framed by its divine architect,
 Jesus Christ. h a fine machinery do
 all the isoes move or resolve? Ard do
 these who mI Va or rev I've do 20 in the
 eame direction? Add is 1t unna;ura
 that for the proper working Cf the whole
 some wheels, axles, levers or cranks,
 move m an opposite direction to that of
 the main wht el or machine work? Like
 wlse Is it more unnatural for the great
 mGchinist of mankind, to have a few
 ti5er pieces of his machinery be at rect
 or move and revClve, m an apparen l opposite direction tO that of ,be
 maln -.heel work, ard thus pIrposely
 for the more etfs ctUal working of the
 whole? Nov tue Nun, with her tbrs-- fJ VOW. Is one Of those fine, though ex- Optional pieces ID the .ivIng m ,chiner, c"Il~d mankind, iLt-ndr d by G GJd ana elaborateIy and exqulsltely desgGec by 4he hand of that great NJ I:t.inest, help pand increase, regu. att ani smooth the movement of the prime mover ID that huge fabric of mankind.
 As most apDIopiiat9 corro ooratiCn Of the view just expres s d, I stall ad duce and dwell at some le. gth on the 1 exceedingly valuable assislal ce render ! sd to eiucatlon-that main wheel work | of mankind = by the three VOWS of the ! Nun.
 By the VOW of obl ience the Nun ! p;ightS to God, lord ever wakeful and l rather severe Tn demanding the exact ! fulltilment of oblIgatIt ns. the Nun, ] l say, plIyhts strict observance of the l constitution and bylaws of the eligious | community or orsaoiz7tion sine IS enlist | ing IT, and an absolu fidelity to the ! dlrec ion given her by those inv sed | with authority. It Is a well known fact ! that everything else being equsl, thai organization will secure from lIs mem- bers the largest amount of efficiency m Lhe attainment of It's end. which secures ! from them the most cheerful ard uu- rrserved sutjection to author.ty, the most perfect uGtty of views and the strIctest discipline. Therefore, judged by tnis standard, tbe teaching organiz l. ton that requires of it's members the most bind ing VOW of obedieLca will, by this very fact, be the mo-e efficient ID the attainment of its aim, and each of is undivided mem bers b, virtue of the VOW of obedience becomes likewise so much mere effective m it's calling than the teacher whose action remains con- paratIvely free and UnguIded.
 This vo of obedience like the other l. two, is most b ndIne and sacred because
 is offere to God, who will besides the more strictly exact the whole import of Jhe pledge as If 1t was free and del ber- ate. It is by DO means tte degIa ling Oa, h Of man to man, the humi Iating re- of ones own will to fel- low being, which is but a voluntary ti serfdom. Happy, thrice happy young 1 lady, If, when sure of thy Self and thy cal lng. thou partest cf eerfully with thy will, to have it purified, perfecie em ilme6 and strengIheDed d by being identified with Gods own VI How yell adapted to thy lofty mission of educator of the young, then WI be made through this strict and yet sw, ct now Of obedience! Love inspired ,nd prompted thy VOW, love insures it1 fui- tlDent ln lIfa, aud vert thou to waver the angry looks of thy de- frauded Divine Lord, when wrouged, I severe av nge-, would bring thee to a 'ue sense Cf thy duty.
 But now what ought we Tot to say of he deep, la ting ard 5en'ficent infiu- ence exercised on the impressive minds and hearts of the young by their daily of a life Cf self denial aud devoted ness 10 duty in their teachers. Evampe teaches more forcibls tnaI words, and the children of thIs ra; her , self lied age are in great mead of the admirable object less Ins thus afforded 70 them. The daughters of this TO lust, bul somewhat self-opInionatfd and con ceited young generation. are perhaps , too much petted and misled by tldttery. , They are frequently allowed to grow , up n frIvolity and too exalted Id O. , their own power. They are too If en :. told of their ac .omplishments, of the 1, prominent place :hey occupy, or will ', occupy, in society, and of their right in ! t, hile too seldom of the duties of the present hour, ard less SO even of those | much more mo neIt Ius Of theIr after :. fife. Assuredly wholesome indepen ienca IS a g0o thing fnr woman to have :, and l, the qualified representative here i; )f that Christian religion which alone [ las free women, shall be the last in de- ( privIng her of that priceless boon. But < on the other hand we shou d uct be un- n ndful that ihs more in dependent in ;. he right seuss of the word, the woman ', ,f our progressive age is to be, SO much d he stronger her sense of duty must be, = )r we shall make a monstrositv of that