Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1922-06-09
IMPOSING
CEREMONY
SIX YOUNG LADIES TAKE
1ST STEP TOWARDS JOIN
ING BENEDICTINE ORDER

losing its interest for the by
stander, took place at st. Ger
trude's Convent, on Tuesday
June 9th. At 8 o'clock a. m. at
the Ginning of the bells and ac-
compartment of sacred music a
procession of six young ladies' at
tired in wedding garments, pre-
coded by maids carrying lighted
tapers, escorted by the Mother
Prioress, were led to the altar.
Their purpose was to take the
first steps towards joining the
community of the Benedictine
Sisters.
One of the candidates is from
Germany, two are from Switzer-
land and 3 are from respected
families of our neighbor parish
Greencreek, which latter fact ac-
counts for the presence of num-
erous friends and relatives who
came TO give last hearty Cod
speed to a dear child and to an
esteemed friend on her noble
venture. The names of the
young ladies are as follows:
Misses Emma Feldmeyer, Bertha
Roos, Elizabeth Graf from the
old countries, Magdalene, daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. Michael Jas.
Willenborg; Bertha, daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. William Beckman;
Emma, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
John Nuxoll.
In the absence of His Lord
ship, Bishop German, the Rev.
Chaplain of the convent presided
at the ceremony assisted by the
Rev. Faher Baerlocher, pastor of
Greencreek.
The ceremony of reception in
to religious novitiate has for
its principal feature the process
sional entrance into the sanctu-
airy. The maidens as said above,
wear the livery of a bride and a
y wreath on their brow, they lead
their humble request to the Lord
Bishop or his representative, to
be received among those who, as
& spouses of Christ, have devoted
: their life to His service in the
cloister. Before that request is
= granted, the young ladies are
= earnestly admonished and warn
{ ed of the seriousness of the step
they are contemplating; after
1 which, if they still persist, they
4 receive an affirmative answer.
1 Then follows the symbolic rite
1 of the cutting of the hair; the
1 maidens then each receive the
1 religious garments and white
1 veil of the novices. Repairing to
1 an adjoining room they lay down
j their brilliant garments of the
world to re-appear in the rellg-
/ ious livery, and from that time
are received and treated as
i children of the family. They
! have had at least 6 months to get
acquainted with the usages and
customs of the community, to
prove their will and their calling
and to try their strength and
ability in complying with the
observances of the religious life
! Another year, that of the noviti'
ate, is given them for the same
purpose. And during that time
the maidens enjoy full liberty
with regard to their choice, that
! means, that at any time they are
! perfectly free to leave and return
! to the world, should they or THEN
advisers deem it advisable. II
is only after the experiment ha:
proved satisfactory to both nov
ice and community that thu
- maidens are allowed to take thu
religious vows. 1t should strike
every well-meaning mind, tina
nothing is more free than tn
i entrance into religion, on the on
i hand an aspirant to religious lif
= is guided and led solely by al
inner prompting that points on
to her the path assigned to he
+ in life by a loving Providence
4 and on the other hand the Com
= munity tries to ascertain tn
s reality of the calling and tn
s earnestness of the applicant i
8 answering it. Accessions to
s community are certainly desired
s first in behalf of the individual
& themselves, for it is a trite say
s ing that success and happines
s in life and in eternity depend o
each one occupying ones ow
& place and doing the work fo
s which one is best adapted. Al
s cessions are also desired by tn