The Washington herald., 1909-04-27
CATHOLIC SISTERHOODS
By FREDERIC J. HASKTN.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

There are $500 devoted Catholic women
IN the United States engaged in that
beautiful work which finds expression
in the labors OF such organizations as
the Sisters Of Charity, Sisters OF Mercy.
and Little Sisters Of the Poor. They have
over COO colleges and academies for Wo-
men, 100 institutions OF charity, and 1900
psrochisi schools. they have l.Oo0O00 Or
phsns, patients. strays. waits. and aged
people 70 care for. 1000 girls in their
colleges and academies, and 10000 chill
dren in their paroehial schools
Some idea OF the immense value OF the
property owned BY the us orders Of
sisterhood in America may be CLEANED
from The fact that the property OF the
Sisters Of Charity Of St Vincent de
Paul alone has been estimated 20 be worth
over So, 100000 They have 81 hospitals, Is
orphan asylums Il infant esylums, and
some % other large institutions. besides
. parochial schools. This order Is some
times know as the White yCornette Sisters.
because OF the large and Immediately
white head covering they wear in public
They are but a branch Of worldwide
order, and contribute 10 the support OF
the mOtherhOuse in France.
Notwithstanding the large number OF
women engage in the work. there are
thousands Of applications from others TO
enter IL Indeed. il is said, that one OF
the difficulties that confronts the church
IS 70 keep the number within bounds II
is sought to prevent any mushroom
growth OF any OF the orders. and 10 keep
out that class OF women and girls Whe
would be ornamental rather than vslu-
able 10 the work. Especially has there
been A tendency toward expansion since
the French government has taken steps
that are hostile 10 the work and existence
Of the sistsrhOods. Many Of the French
orders are sending workers 10 America
From mother superior down 10 the
humblest novitigte. the salaries OF the
sisters Of all the orders are the same
board. clothes. necessary spending
money. attendance in sickness and burial
IN death Those who engage in teaching
in the church schools get salaries Of from
SI00 10 500 Il year, but never more than
that This does not go direct to them,
but 10 the order Of which they are men,
bers II is through The low salaries paid
that the church is able 10 maintain such
splendid schools at such small Outlays OF
money
The Sisters OF Charity OF 81 Vincent
de Paul had their real beginning in Amer
ica at Emmitsburg. Nd, in 1903 At that
tine Elizabeth Ssaton, daughter OF an
EPISCOPAL clergyman. and wife OF a New
York society leader, who had recently
died. embraced the Catholic faith, and
went 20 Emmitsburg. where she founded
the motherhouse Of the American branch
OF the order The EmUitsburg mother
house was at first only a humble log
cabin. The founder was q talented wOm-
an. and threw her whole soul into the
work before her. As long as she lived
the SisterhOOd continued under one head
But later there arose a difference o.
opinion over the question OF male or
phans. The New York branch had hun
dreds Of male orphans. They contended
that it was not right for them 70 turn
these boys adrift al the age % twelve,
while the Emmitsburg motherhouse de-
clarsd that It vas not proper to keep them
beyond that age. The church Of New York
agreed with the sisters OF the New York
branch. while the Baltimore church up
held the motherh0use- They finally
agreed 10 disagree and all sisters were
allowed 70 select the side they would
take in the separation. In this the New
York community claimed 10 have fol-
lowed the principles OF the foundress-
70 do what their hands found 70 90.
The sisters OF this organization were
never INTENDED 10 constitute a religious
community in the European sense OF per
petual VOWS and cloistered life. but only
a charity organization Of devout women
They take only a simple vow, and that
for only one wear al q time The mother
superior is assisted IL the government OF
the community by three officers, the
assistant superior, treasurer, and procur-
atrix- The four Of them. together with
the ecclesiastical superior, whose once
Is b. Rppointment Of the bishop or arch
bishop in whose diocese the mOtherhOuse
IS located. constitute the council Of the
community. The other officers are chosen
By the suffrages Of the sisters. To be
eligible 10 vote a sister must have passed
q nOTitiate Of from TWO 10 five years.
and have taken the vows and habits Of
a .professed Only al elections Of a
mother superior are sisters summoned
from the outlying missions 20 sit in
council
Tie Sisters Of Mercy have about 5000
members. and they are scattered all over
I
the Poor now have institutions In nearly
every large city Of the country. and their
ministratiOns 70 the poor constitute one
OF the most beautiful Of examples OF
Christian charity. Without reference to
creed. their sympathy goes out 10 III
fortuned humanity The hotels OF the
country have always rendered them much
service. by giving them whatever IS not
used in the culinary department
From the motheThouse Of the Sisters
Of Charity. OF Nazareth. Ky. has radi-
ated an influence which vel illustrates
the history and growth OF the various
sisterhoods. II was established in 1872
with Mother Spalding as its head She
was only nineteen years old az the time
The early sisterhood spent great deal
OF their tine spinning and weaving for
the seminarians. and they were all
trained that cooking and such work-the
doing OF common work uncommonly well
was as honorable as teaching. OF as
being accomplished in music
In establishing branch houses. the sis
ters had 10 undergo many hard expert
ences. When the three sisters journeyed
70 Union County. in 1870 10 establish what
Is now the beautiful St Vincent's Acad-
erly. they Travelled 14e miles on horseback.
carrying across their saddles their work
aprons, transformed into bags. which
contained their clothing. a few kitchen
utensils, and schoOlroOm accessories At
the end of their journey. they found the
house they were 10 occupy not vacated.