The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-01-04
THE CHlLDREN'S HOUR.
IN ElDA.

trace wondered d llltle Wudl lue
stood for.
Some days later she found out The
First Communion class from the or
phanage had filed into the sewing
room to let the academy graduates
see how well the little dresses fitted.
That was the yearly offering of the
class leaving school. They provided
the material and made the outfit for
the great occasion.
1t would be hard to tell which band
was happier, the older girls who had
sacrificed so much or the little chill
dren who looked like lilies in the
misty white.
How pleased St. Imelda will be-
said Sister Mary Grace, Ito see our
dear little children receiving their
Lord"
The new girl looked up quickly.
ooh, Sister, did you say St.
Imelda?"
Yes, my dear; surely you have
heard of the little saint of the Blessed
Sacramento"
1SO, ololSl. JuOI tlOu6 III IluCluu
was story book girl. You see mann
ma died when | was baby, and papa
always called me her name-'Mary.'
so Il is for Imelda! And you
never heard about your beautiful
name Saint?'
There wasn't any one to tell me"
said Mary, sadly. You see, papa
was away SO much, and there was
no convent school in L. That's
why papa sent me to st. Mary's--to
learn lots of things he said that
had missed | am to be summer
boarder, too, for papa won't be back
until November
well, we are glad to have you,
dear child And now, little ones. ask
Sister Margaret to let you return in
half an hour, and we shall have a
talk about the beautiful child who so
loved the Blessed Sacrament
Just on the minute a tap sounded
on the, door, and in came the COM
municants, now wearing bingham
frocks and smiling, with pleasure at
P
The older girls seated their guests,
and Sister Mary Grace gave them
wool to wind on cards. The grad
yates picked up their knitting, and
Sister began:
"A long time ago a baby girl was
born in castle in the City OF 3D.
| logna Her father was lord and a
| brave soldier, and, better still, he was
a good man. His wife was deeply
| pious, and both were very grateful to
God for sending them such loving
child. The baby was named Mary
| Magdalene, but her parents called her
Imelda, which means sweet as
honey They loved her dearly, and
| the rough soldiers at the fort, too
| were very fond of the little angel.
when she could walk Imelda
went with her mother to the church
and sat back in a pew, perfectly still
her eyes on the tabernacle, her little
hands clasped. After a time she
could go alone, and any one seeking
Imelda would go to the church. Sc
radiantly happy was she that people
used to follow her, just to watch hel
adoring our Lord in the Blessed Sac
rament.
MANY children have houses fol
their dolls, and even houses big
enough to play in, but Imelda hat
something that caused her far more
pleasure. ~"
when she was six years old he
father gave her present-a little
chapel for herself, built in spo
where few people from the castle
made their way. 1t was Imelda
wish to have such a retreat, and he
father gladly granted her request.
Now people could not watch he
and distract her thoughts. She coult
talk to Jesus all she wished. Wha
holy hours the child spent in he
dear chapel!
Her father and mother were yer.
: happy. But one day Imelda toll
them that our Lord wanted her t,
go to the Dominican convent and b.
nun.
"'You are only eleven years old
: they said; too young to think of sucl
a thing
But Imelda could think of nothing
else, and was so distressed that he
PARENTS agreed to let her go to thu
convent as q pupil or guest. The nun
: saw that she would not be happ.
elsewhere, and they received her int
: the novitiate. Never was there NOR
obedient little novice.
Every test proved her vocation
: and only one thing disturbed he
: tranquil soul. She was not Above,
to receive COMMUNICATIVE o
her age had not that privilege ST.
hundred years ago. With tears in he
eyes she pleaded for this great happ
ness, but always in vain for Mothe
Superior refused her request to max
, her First Communion.
1.-TWO years went by, and still
Imelda's< prayer was unanswered
Then, one glorious morning, GU
Lord Himself revealed to the nun
and the priest at the altar that it wa
His desire to have the little movie
receive the Sacrament she SO loved.
i ct is related that the sacred PAL
i ticle left the priests hand and wa
II coon cucpopdod in tho air ahov,