The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-04-26
A RECEPTION.

Ten young ladies take the Religions
habit and begin to labor at the
training of the children in the
Indian Industrial School of the
Convent of Mercy, Morris, Min
II nesota. An interesting and ed
flying cermony.
On Wednesday, April 18th, at the Con-
vent of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart,
Sisters of Mercy, ten young ladies who, only
a few short months ago, left their homes in
the far east, to devote their lives to the
service of God in the person Of His fred
children" received from the hands of the
Rev. Dean Goebel acting in the name of the
Most Rev. Archbishop Zardetti, the
religious habit and vail The names of the
new Novices are as follows:
: Miss Mary +. O'Malley, of Morris, Ill
inOis, received in religion as Sister M.
Agatha; Miss NJ. Murphy, of Staten Island,
N. Y, Sister NJ. Francis; Miss Mary Reen,
of llOboken, n. Y, Sister NJ. Sebastian;
Miss Annie Shield, of Brooklyn, l.. l.,
Sister NJ. Magdalene; Miss Mary K. Dolan,
of HobOken, N. j., Sister M. Cecilia; Miss
Tessie Tagliabue, of New York City,
Sister M. Evangelista; Miss Lizzie Cody, of
Orange, n. D., Sister NJ, Ignatius; Miss
Jennie Mcdonald, of New York City, Sister
NJ. Louis; Miss Kate Murphy, of New
York City, Sister NJ. PhilOmene; Miss Kate
(GTnnnnr of NnNU Vnrly Titay Sicfap
Collette.
The eight days previous to the 18th, were
spent by the Novices Elect in a Spiritual
Retreat and ON the morning of the ceremony
two Masses were celebrated in the Convent
chapel at which the entire household of
Religious and children, upwards Of one
hundred and fifty assisted. The ceremony
Of reception, or investment in the Holy
Habit, took place in the afternoon at 3
O'clock, and was followed by BenedictiOn
of the Blessed Sacrament.
Only few friends of the community
were invited, and notwithstanding the in
clemency of the weather, which rendered it
very incOnvenient for anyone to leave home,
they were nearly all present
The ceremonial of this reception is very
beautiful and touching, and there is for
those who are not called to embrace this
life and who, perhaps, are not in full
sympathy with its tenets, a certain, but
almost indefinable sadness attached thereto.
The change from the worldly dress and the
sight of young fair faces to the sombre garb
of the clOiSt~r and the donning of the vail
hiding the faces from sight, the subsequent
prOstratiOn which signifies death to the
world, are the outward forms which appeal
to the susceptibilities and bring tears to the
eyes of even a casual observer But this
tinge of sadness should be diSpelled by the
joyous strains of the "Ecce guam bonum''
and the sisterly embracing by the other
Religious which finishes the ceremonial and
shows how truly ''good'' it is ''fOr brethren
to dwell together in unison"
Two years now lie before these "chosen
ones" in which to be tried ''as gold in the
furnace for the great final step which
binds one irrevOcably to the Religious life
Two years in which to find out if they will
suit the state they have chosen and if that
will suit them. How much better many a
worldly undertaking would succeed if two
years were taken to prove it's feasibility be-
fore the final die is cast? And yet some
wOuld-be philosophers contend that no
persons right judgement would allow her
to shut herself up in a, Convent; that ''the
! Religeuse is influenced by Oyerwraught
zeal,'' ora disappointment" or some other
| equally ihjudici0us motive. ':.:s'>'
No human being believes that this world
of ours is asParadise.. We can hardly take
step in our walk of life where there is not
a stone to be lifted, thorny branch to be
| pushed aside or trodden under our tired
| bruised feet, or some barrier :, to, ouI
| progress that requires more than our feeble
strength, perhaps, to surmount or overcome
and the Religious life is no exception.
Only, there, as st. Bernard says, zone
falls more rarely, rises more promptly, and
walks more securely"
Let us hope and pray that those who
have just commenced to tread the narrow
path of perfection may perform their labors
and bear their trials as becomes those who
desire to be loving Spouses of the Lamb.
"WOuldst thofi seek for rest before the day
is done?
| And w0uldst thou wear the laurel wreath
before the crown is won?
Take care lest Christ shouldsay, in thrill
ing tones to thee,
| COuldSt thou not watch one h0ur, -One
little hour with Me-"
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