The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-21
SISTERS OF THE ACADEMY cELE.
BRATING. THEIR FIFTiETH
ANNIVERSARY HERE
ARCHBISHOP IRELAND
REVIEWS THEIR WORK
PreIate Speaks Words of Praise for the
Good Deeds Accomplished by the Or
der in ST. Paul During Half Gen.
tury-onIy Nuns and Clergy Are
80 Present-Programme of the Day.

s'Easily this morning there traces it
self in the warp and wool of my fancy,
the picture of the Sisterhood of St
Joseph in st. Paul, as it was went in
the long ago to strike my boyish gaze.
In all my wanderings revealing most
stately and renowned convent sane
tuaries, was I in feeling-and verify,
shall / believe. in reality-confronte
with the visions Of life supernatural as
when would rest my eyes on ST. Pauls
early sisters" ~
Thus spoke Archbishop John Ireland in
the chapel of the eonvent of st. Joseph
yesterday morningaf to an audience
composed entirely of members of the
priesthood and sisters of various or
ders. The occasion was the celebration
of the golden jubilee of the Sisterhood
of ST. Joseph in st. Paul, marking the
half century of their work.
Ceremonies Are Imposing.
The opening ceremonies of the cele-
bration were imposing and grand, with
a deep sense of solemnity prevailing
throughout. The chapel in which the
pontifical mass was celebrated, was
appropriately decorated in red and
white. Myriads Of red lights cleaned
from the altar, against a white back
ground of roses. Inside the commu-
Mon rail was gathered many digni-
taries of the church. including Bishop
McGolrick, Bishop Chatron, of Japan;
Archbishop Kean, of Dubuque; Bishop
Elect Stariha, of South Dakota; Bish-
op-Elect Kean, of Wyoming; Father
Zahn, of Notre Dame; the Rev. j. J.
Lawler and the Rev. Father Daheney.
Bishop ]. B. Cotter celebrated the
pontifical mass, assisted by Fathers
Lawler and Gibbons. The celebrants
were clad in the richest vestments OF
the church, of embroidered gold, stud
ded with gems, presenting an impress
sive spectacle. From the choir loft
the pure, sweet voices of the nuns arose
and fell, with each response. In the
auditorium of the chapel sat 800 nuns,
composed of the sisters Of st. Joseph,
Little Sisters of the Poor, the Gray
Sisters, Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Dominican Sisters and Sisters of Notre
Dame. Visiting priests to the number
of 100 occupied a portion of the chapel
set apart for their use.
Archbishop Speaks.
AT the close of the mass, Archbishop
Ireland delivered the anniversary SER
mon, which was in the nature of his
torical sketch of the work of the Sis
ters of ST. Joseph during the fifty years
they have worked in this city, with
eloquent simplicity. He told of the
landing of the four sisters Of the order
in ST. Paul, in November, 1851, and
their taking possession of the little
tamarack shanty that had been con-
structed for their use by Bishop Cretin.
AS the archbishop reverently pro-
nounced the names of Sister ST. John
Fournier, Sister Philomene Villame.
Sister Scholastica Velasquez and Sis
ter Francis Joseph Ivory every member
of the consecrated congregation bowed
their heads, and tears came to the eyes
of the older sisters who had known the
original four, whose arrival in st. Paul
was being commemorated. A
Order is Congratulated.
The speaker congratulated the order
On the good it had brought about since
It's establishment, not less than on it's
marvellous growth along all lines. The
comparison between the little shanty
on Bench hill, in the early days with
the present convent, he said would be
applicable to every phase of the work.
He urged the sisters to continue as
they had started and not to desist in
their work until the Northwest should
possess an institution for the educa-
ton of woman in the highest branches
of learning.
At the conclusion of the services in
the chapel luncheon was served to the
visiting priests in the convent refec-
tory and to the visiting sisters in the
large dining hall. The corridors of the
convent were festooned with golden
rod and ferns, and around the main en-
trance were clustered sheafs of wheat,
bound with golden ribbons.
In the afternoon the sisters of the
convent held a reception in the main
parlor, after which there was general
inspection of the convent by the WIS.,
itors.
Sermon by Bishon McGoIr;ek