The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-01

university, ccifcgo or normal school of their own motherhouse for six or
 eight weeks Of summer school to
 keep abreast of the grinding re- quiremsnts Of modern education. Then7 Then it Is September and they are back to their convents to welcome the next group whom they must prepare to serve their God, their country and their fellowmen. THE s7gEW NOyICES"
 Last week at Convent" ten young ladies received the habit of the sis- ters of Charity. Like the Apostle in the Gospel who when Our Lord asked him to follow Him, they too have replied with a heart full of love, Lord what wilt thou have me to do2" The mystic poet, Francis Thompson wrote, God must estI-
 mate the quality of our words by noting not what we offer but what we withhold" But these, offering their whole lives, have withheld nothing.
 How strange that is to the world, to those who do not understand. These girls who have everything to live for in the world, their fam flies and friends, their amusements and pleasures-and they turn their backs on all that, they give up all
 for life of sacrifice. But the world says That's not human" Indeed 1t is not human. It is superhunan. Its not natural" No, not natural supernatural. People without faith cannot understand all this. But they understand. God understands. And who else naatters2 And if@they who do. not understand, who can not understand, could have looked upon the happy faces of these young women, if they could have searched the eyes that mirrored the hap- pinesS of their hearts, certainly they would begin to understand, and per- haps even begin to envy, as they realized that life holds a happiness and meaning of which they had never dreamed.
 The soul chosen by Christ is asked to risk all that it loves for the love of Christ Sacrifice? We call it sacrifice but the soul of sacrifice is love. The mother keeps vigil over her sick child. Neighbors call 1t sacrifice. she knows that it. is love. The hero gives his life for his friend. O1lookers call it sacri- flee. he knows that it is love. Our Lord goes to the horrible death of His Crucifixion. We call it sacri- flee. He calls 1t love. The relig- tous, the priest, the brother-the Sister she offers all, family, friends, all that the world has giv- en her, all that she ever hoped for. The world calls it sacrifice. but she knows that it is love, love for Him who told us that, Who soever loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
 'IF THAT WAS YOUR HOME"
 A story is told of an old priest who went to visit a convent hidden away on hillside near great European city. The superior was called away from the guest by busi- ness in. another part of the con- vent. Putting the priest in the care of one of the younger Sisters, she told her to direct him about and show him the spacious grounds and gardens of the convent. After they had gone about and the priest had seen and admired the beautiful cor ner of Gods earth given so en- tirely to His service, they stopped on 8 terrace in front of the con- vent. As they stood the priest looked out and began to admire a large home on the slope of the op- pcsite hill, a grand estate set beau tifuily in the green background of the hill. Suddenly he turned to the young Sister and said, Sister, if that was your home, if as a young girl you could have lived in that home with all the comfort, happi- ness and social preference that such a family must have, desiring noth- ing that could not be granted, with the best that the world can offer . do you think that today you would be religicus?"
 As the old priest spoke the nun had been looking quietly and in- tently at the home. At his ques- tion she looked quickly at him and