Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-11-02
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER, 2, 1912.
SUBLIME HEROISM OF
MOTHER MARY OF THE CROSS

The San Antonio Express of Oct. 81
gives the following touching and dra-
matte story of the sublime heroism of
Mother Mary of the Cross. who so nobly
gave her life in the effort to save Il baby
orphan from the flames which DESTROYED
st. Johns Orphange in that city last
Wednesday:
This is the story of Mother Mary Of
the Cross, who laid down her life i'm the
effort to save the few remaining babies
inc sisters in the doomed o%rphange. II
is a story of heroism. the purest. the
greatest heroism. 1t is Il chronicle Of
love that approaches the divine.
All her life Catherine Rossitcr. as she
was known to the world. Mary of the
Cross as was her name waen she took
the veil. spent in the service of the Mas
ter. who said: "Sutfer little children to
come unto me and forbid taem not, for of
such il the kingdom OF heaven. She
was essentially Il mother. more a mother
than many of those these days when
motherhood is regarded as a burden. for
Catherine ROssiter's heart was just II
thrObbing note Of love for the little
homeless, friendless orphans. The waits
and playthings of misfortune, the help
less little creatures showed without their
will into a hollow. laughing world that
does not bother itself about their exist
ence.
IT was her life work to shower this
love to the happiness OF the helpless.
she felt the stirring in that great heart
of he2s, even when Il carcfree. Iissome
young girl she danced her way over the
green sod of her smiling Ireland from
childhood into young womanllood. and
when the stirring became insistent. like
that girl of Doremy. who saw visions
and heard voices and. h%earkening. won
the battles of Il defeated nation. she
took up the work that was 10 better thu
world.
1t was strange. in the light of what
happened years afterward. that she
should be given the name of all the
names of women stands for sacrifice. for
love, for sorrow-Mary. Mary of the
Cross. 1t was the Blessed Mary who
watched over the child AZ he lay. glori-
fed in the mangcr on that wondrous
night in Bethlehem when the angels
sang to the shepherds Peace on earth.
good will to men." it was Mary Magta
lene who groveled at the foot of the
cross: il was Mary who was among the
faithful making their way in the dawn
of that first Easter day To the tomb from
which the entrance rock had been rolled,
and IN angel Of light told them ~lIe is
risen it was Mary. Queen Of Scots.
whose fair he'd rolled from beneath the
headsman's AK. Heroic, long suffering,
sacrifices in the flesh. were these women
to be iffortalicd and wn undying de
ward.
And Yesterday morning when. with
the goldcn-hairrd. biue-cyed baby boy
clasped to her breast. the devouring
flames drew her back from safety. this
Mother Superior of san Antonio. Sister
Mary of the Cross. joined those other
Marys. entitled to sit among the saints.
"Greater love hath no man than this.
that he lay down his lie for his friend
said the Master Mary worshiped. What.
then, was the measure OF love in this
frail woman's heart that. needless Of
her own safety. strengthened by the
faith that goes t~riumphantly beyond
the grave. she turned back into certain
death TO give Il chance of safety To the
little ones left behind. She had been
connected with the orphanage since its
foundation. she was The mother of scores
of the fatherlcss and motherlcss. she
had nnrsed. nurturcd. fostcrcd. t~cnlerly
cared for hundreds during her manage
ment. all her life was in the children
given To her charge. She was their
mother. not in fact. but m love.
The women of the nation are building
a magnificent monument Ia the men, the
heroes who went down To death with the
Titanic. but in all that display Of hero
ism-and il was Il display that electri
fled the world. revivifying the faith in
chivalry. in the qualities that prove we
are akin To divinity there WAS none
greater than the sublime nnselishness
shown by Mother Mary.
She had directed the work OF empty
Ing the burning orphange Of the chill
dren. The nine sisters had hurried
through the doemitories on the two
floors where they had slept, waking