New-York tribune., 1906-07-08
NUNS I'm CANADA.
Beautiful ConUents They Occupy
iSirteen an Quebec Alone.

There are many strange things 20 the traveller
from 'the States in French Canada, that region
which, only twelve fifteen hours from New
York City, IS yet foreign many lands across
the water. One OF them is the great and powerful
community life OF religious women. There are con-
vents in the United States but they are submerged
and unnotlced IN the teemins modern life Of the
vast Republic. In the province of Quebec with it's
area of almost 2oo6So square miles. and its popula-
ton the same as the city OF New York, they stand
out in the front rank Of things. The number OF
women shut away from the world I'm those enOr-
nous piles Of gray stone which dot all French
Canada IS astounding 90 the American. In the
little city OF Quebec. with its 7OOO0 inhabitants.
there IS the convent Of the Franciscan nuns. not
able for its newness In this city Of stones black
with age In IL are eight hundred women. nuns and
novices
A few OF them came 20 Quebec fifteen years ago.
without a 90 cent piece among thena as one man
expressed it. They have built up these me ouAlo-
ings, worth 100000 There Is a chapel which In
some ways is the most beautiful IN this land OF
churches One might almost know in.tinctively on
entering that it was a wonan's church It is al
delicate cream and gold and green; vast columns
Of pale green Mexican onyx shining and beautiful
pure white Carrara marble. ceilings and walls OF
cream picked out richly with gold exquisite italian
statues Of the saints. cOlOred in delicate tints
The woodwork OF the floor and seats is light, while
that OF the other churches seems almost black
Tho light OF day comes through clear glass up
which throw other church interiors into semi-dusk
All is light and cheerful
AS one enters he sees in the distance white
robed figures. draped In long, white veils kneeling
before the altar In perfect silence they kneel and
there is something ghostly in their white. motion
less figures. If fingers for half an hour he will
hear a distant bell strike note. The veiled
white figures rise and file noiselessy out. each
prOstrating herself before the altar until her fore
head touches the floor. Another silent line files in
and kneels And all day and night. the years
through. women kneel here to keep the mass in
constant alteration.
These women have built up this great plant In
a few years. chiefly by contributions. The only
industry which they carry on Is small print shop,
and it is safe TO say that other print shop IN
Quebec has acquired the means 70 erect such
plant in the same length OF time. The amount Of
money which the people OF the province are glad
to pay out FOR the support OF these great COM
munities astonishes the wandering American.
There are no less than sixteen OF these great
plants occupied by women IN Quebec converts or
institutions conducted by converts. Perhaps the
most interesting Of them all Is the Convent OF the
Ursaliues. an institution which has been part OF
all the history OF Quebec There AIontcalrn IS
buried. last OF the great Frenchmen whose deeds
make the early history OF Canada read like 70
nance There are buried early missionaries. mar
tyred by the Hurons. There. during the winter OF
175s following the fall OF Quebec, British troops
were stationed. and the table which the British
authorities signed the first death sentence against
a woman Is still preserved there Founded "a 1859
by Mime. de la PeItrie. piOus woman Of Franco,
its first superior Mother Mary OF the Incarna-
ton, who has been called the ST. Theress OF New
France A woman OF culture and intellect, she
came 70 Quebec when It was only hamlet In the
Wilderness Under a great ash tree In the heart
OF the village she gathered not only the little