St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-06
FARMING NUNS.
Novel Departure by the sistern
of Mercy.

VI
Brooklyn Eagle.
The superior of the Convent of tha
Sisters of Mercy, Willoughby and Clas-
son avenues, has founded a new bra .,,b
OF the order at Syosset, Queens county.
Long Island, and it promises in the
future to be one of the most important
stations of Catholicism in the diocese
me new mission is called a convent
farm, and on it will be raised prod Ice
Tor the support of the sisters and their.
charges. The convent is now we'll nm
der way and, although the nuns i'm
charge 90 not expect to reap much adj
vantage from it until next summer
When the work will begin, there will
be good deal of activity between now
ana then. A good-sized frame building
mas been erected. 1t is built plainly.
out substantially, and has been left so
that 1t can be considerably ENLARGED
and added to if exigencies require it.
On smaller scale, it is laid out and
furnished like the typical convent
adapted to the support of a large num-
Der OF inmates. The site chosen is
healthy, and not too far from the CITY.
1t is easily reached, and at the same
time Is as secluded as could be de-
sired. One of the uses to which the
farm will be put will be that of a health
resort in the summer. The nuns of
this order are in great measure much
confined, and their duties are of an ar
duous nature. Owing to the fact that
1t is a clustered community, the
chances of recreation are very few in
deed, and as a consequence the health
aii -fc-E
what endangered. 1t is the intention
to send lumber of the nuns from the
city TO Syosset each summer, where they
will be able to take some rest and ex-
ercise and be just as much secluded
from public observation as they would
in their own convent This plan has
already been adopted by many of the
religious orders, and the benefits that
are derived from it are most satisflc-
tory.
Since he took charge of the diocese
Bishop Mcdonnell has been a stead
fast friend of the order of the Sis
tiers of Mercy. With his help and ap-
prevail the extensive improvements to
the convent on Willoughby and Clas-
son avenues were carried out, and it
is mainly owing to his help that the
farm mission at Syosset has been Sue
cessfully launched. In order to get an
adequate idea of the growth and OPP
portunities to Catholicism in the sub
urban portions of the diocese, the
bishop has himself gone over the
ground. 1t was on one of these trips
that he discovered the opportunities
for an establishment OF sisters on the
island, and after a good deal of consid-
Grafton the present site was chosen
The mother superior of the Convent of
Mercy on Willoughby avenue, has sent
four sisters to take charge of the new
mission, and this number will be grad
ually added to as the growing wants
require. These four sisters have start
ed the new convent with about fifty
inmates, mostly young girls, and with
IN this force earnest work has been
begun. The land which has been
bought in the vicinity of the convent
IS fertile and with very little cuItiva-
ton 1T is expected to give good results.
IL everything goes well the sisters ex-
pect that the farm will be paying In
Vestment and a valuable adjunct to
their resources.
The Jesuits of Fordham have a big
farm IN connection with their college
ana they derive enough from it's cult
walton to supply about half the needs
OF the college.
prominent member of the order
was seen yesterday by an Eagle re,
porter and questioned in regard to the
scheme The sister said that, al
though it did not become them to say
much of the enterprise until it was
placed on firmer footing, the order
hoped much from it, and it had the
direct sanction and aid of Bishop
Mcdonnell, who, she said. had already
done much for the order, and was
specially interested in it. The four
sisters who had been placed in charge
made encouraging reports, and had
mission. Both the nurk and the fir.
odd inmates We're taking an enthiI-
M SlaSfic IN interest in the scheme. and it
a success of it. The sister further
SAD that III the event of the success
M many OF the features of the WiIIougb-
by avenue institution would probaRIv
pc introduced into it, especially the