The Irish standard., 1897-01-30
Seeing Black or Brown Faces in
in the Sombre Garb
of the Sisters.
Established in I842 by Four Col-
ored Women Educated
and Wealthy
Strange to See Lighthearted and
Laughter-Loving People
in a Convent.

! A sight which invariably attracts the
attention OF strangers in New Orleans
: is the colored sisters. One SO seldom
hears of negroes protesting the RomaE
Catholic faith that when he meets
colored nun for the first time he can
but gaze after her in open -mouthea
wonder Accustomed as we are. more
over to associating the black robes ot
the nun with white, pale faces, the eli,
feet is little startling when a nearer
view of sister of charity discloses the
meek brown face Of mulatto. ThiS
little band in New Orleans is known al
the Holy Family of Sisters. 1t was
founded as far back as 1912 by four col-
ored women, who, educated and veal
thy, resolved to devote their time and
money to those Of their race so much
less fortunate. The oldest of the four
at the head Of the sisterhood till her
death, eight years ago, says O. writer in
the Boston Transcript.
The convent is what was once the far
nous Orleans street ball room, and
many are the tales which are told of the
dancing and revelry which for four
years held sway within it's walls. Thd
building Is an immense brown structure.
fronting directly on the narrow French
street. The great windows have shutters
! always closed, and there was such Oh air
OF Qutetude when visited the place thai
I quite started when, the bell gavesa loud
clang, elang, as pulled it. felt that
had aroused unwilling echoes, perhaps
awakened the ghosts Of long ago, and
was almost tempted to run away When
heard footsteps within coming toward
the door. But instead of meeting*a
frown Of disapproval, as half-expected,
was admitted by dark faced nun, who
appeared to consider it no unusual occur
renee that stranger desired permission
to enter.
The hall was dim and wide, with a
gray stone floor, and white pillars at
the further end. While was inwardly
commenting upon it's severity and scru-
pulous neatness, Sister Frances came
to show me about She was rather q!
small mulatto, with a slender, inter-
esting face, black eyes, demurely low
cred, and long brown hands meekly
folded. Her uniform was OF black
serge, with wide, white linen guimpe,
white linen bonnet, the customary
black veil, and the inevitable black
beads and cross. We ascended the wide
easy staircase, and on the first landing
I was confronted with the words: X
have chosen rather to be an abject IN
the house of my God than to dwell in
the tabernacle of sinners"
In the boarding department Of tho
convent, Sister Frances told me, there
were nineteen students. These camg
from Louisiana, Mexico and even South !
America. They are not only given q
good ordinary education, some Of them
graduating at eighteen, but they also
have the advantage of instruction In
music If desired. Indeed, I could heal
the monotonous run of the scales as l
passed through the halls, and won<
dered if the little colored maids hated
to practice as much as we used to dd
when at school. I fancy not. for &C.
casionally caught glimpses of flgura
seated at the piano, and saw ON th4
little dusky faces expressions which
spoke neither of fatigue nor discon-
tent. Connected with the convent Is 4
home for aged and infirm colored men
and women.
In this convent of the holy Family
there are at present sixty-eight sisters, F
twenty-six novices and six candidates.
The candidates remain six months, and
If at the end of that period they still
wish to continue they become novices.
The noyitiate lasts two years, after.
which the novice takes the black veil.
Even then, however, the vows only be-
come permanent when they have been
renewed ten years in succession. One
must thoroughly understand the char
acter of the colored race to fully appre-:
ciate the sacrifice entailed by these
vows OF remuneration. The colored u
people as class are always SO lighl
hearted and laughter-loving SO fond o.
gayety and amusement, that such rigtd II
self-denial mnst necessarily require
even greater strength Of purpose fhar.ss53 u NJ
that displayed by the white sisters Who
devote their lives to religion md ctAlsa3
sity. And VT Al all these :! a IS
|shas only ne .ssSsI sS
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