Morris tribune., 1894-04-25

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Mission of Our Lady of the Sacred
Heart, Sisters of Mercy, ten young
ladies, who, only few short months
since left their homes in the far East
to devote their lives to the service of
God in the person of His 'red child
rem" received from the hands of Rev.
Dean Goebel, acting in the name of
the Most Rev. Archbishop Zardetti,
the Religious habit and white vail.
The names Of the new Noyices are
as follows; Miss May Frances
| O'Malley, of Morris, Ill, received in
Religion as Sister Nj. Agatha; Miss
Mary Murphy, of Staten, Island, N.
Y, Sister NJ Francis de Sales; Miss
Mary Reen, OF Hobokon, n. j., Sister
NJ. Sebastian; Miss Annie Shield, Of
Brooklyn, l.. l., Sister M. Magdelene;
Miss Mary E. Dolan, of Hoboken, n.
j., Sister Nj. Cocelia; Miss Tessie
Tagliabuo, of New York City, Sister
M. Evangelista; Miss Lizzie Cody, of
Orange, n. j., Sister M lgnatius;
Miss jennie Mcdonald, of New York
City, Sister III. Louis; Miss Kate
Murphy, of New York City, Sister NJ.
Philonene; Miss Katie O'Connor, Of
New York City, Sister M. Collette.
The eight weeks proceeding the
18th were spent by the Novices-elect
in the Spiritual Retreat and on the
morning of the ceremony two Masses
were celebrated in the Convent chap
e., at which the entire household of
Sisters 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. The Rev.
Celebrants remarks were full of praise
for the religious, its beauties and adj
yantages; and the ceremony ended
with benediciion of the blessed sacra-
mAnt.
Only few friends of the commun-
ity were invited and Notwithstanding
the inclemency of the weather which
rendered it very inconvenient for any
one to leave home, they were nearly
all present.
The ceremony 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
practices Il certain, but almost indef
nable sadness attached thereto. The
change from the worldly dress and
the sight of young fair faces to the
sonlbre garb of the cloister and the
donning of the vail which partly |
hides the face from sight, the subse-
quent probation which signifies death |
to tho world, are the outward forms
which appeal to the susceptibilities
and bring tears to the eyes Of even
casual observer. But this tinge of
sadness should be dispelled by the
joyous strains of the "Ecce guam
bonum" and the sisterly embrace Civ
en- by the other Religious to the new
ly Received which finishes the cere-
monial and shows how truly good it
is for brethren to dwell in unison
Two yeare 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 state. Two years in
which to find out if they will suit the
state they have chosen and if that
state will suit them. How much bet
ter many a worldly undertaking
would succeed if ''two years were
taken to prove its feasibility before
"the final die is cast" And yet some
would-be philosophers contend that
no PERSONS right Judgment would
allow her 'to shut herself up in a
convent" that "the Religeuse is in
fuenced by overweight zeal" or "a
disappointment" or some other equal
ly injudicious motive.
No human being believes this world
to be a Paradise. We can hardly
take a step in our journey of life
where there is not stone to be lifted,
a thorny branch to be pushed aside
or trodden under our tired, bruised
feet, or barrier to surmount that
requires more, perhaps, than our fee
BILE strength to overcome and the Re
ligious 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 If perfection may
perform their labors and bear their
trials as becomes those who desire to
be loving Spouses Of the Lamb.
"Wouldst thou seek for rest before the
day is done?
And wou1dst thou wear the laurel wreath
before the crown is won?
Take care lest Christ should say, in thrill
ing tones to thee,
'Cou1dst thou not watch oae hour-One |
little hour with Me?"
There is more Catarrh in this sec
ton of the country than all other
diseases put together, and until the
last few wears was supposed to be in