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" The sacred objects of your Order, the amiable " characters which compose it, and the usefulness of their temporal cares, cannot fail to commend the re- spect and confidence of the good and virtuous. I pray you, Holy Sisters to receive the assurances of my great respect and sincere friendship,
WILLIAM CLAIBORNE.
After the battle of New Orleans the Ursulines turned their schools into infirmaries for the sick and wounded soldiers, upon whom they lavished every
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care. And when all was over, the general did not omit to pay his respects to the Ursuline Ladies, re- ceive their congratulations, and thank them for their prayers and vows on his behalf. He also testified his high appreciation of the charity and devotedness with which they tended the sick and wounded. Andrew Jackson was the last great warrior who passed into the cloisters of the old Convent on Chartres-Street. Later, in 1828, he revisited his old friends. He is the only President of the United States who ever stood within the precincts of the new Convent.
Over two hundred Sisters have taught in this In- stitution since its commencement. They were from France, Spain, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. They labored to enrich the minds of their pupils with useful knowledge, and adorn their hearts with every virtue since the opening of this Institution, Aug. 7, 1727, and the work still goes on with fidelity and enthusiasm. Under such teaching and with such ex- ample, woman must become what she ought to be :- " the great moral force of society, the foundation upon which is built up the true greatness of states. And so, our Religious have gone on, over two centuries, a blessing and a bulwark to the Church of God in this fair Southern City. And the Visitanidines, in the older, but, for many years, less important city of Mobile, have emulated the virtues of the New Orleans Ursulines, and, like them, founded an educational es- tablishment which is the pride of Alabama, as the older establishment is the pride of Louisiana.
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CHAPTER LVIII.
IN 1833, Bishop Portier's flock was estimated at eight thousand souls in a population of three hundred and fifty thousand. In 1835, the Bishop convoked his clergy at Spring Hill College, in a diocesan synod, and many useful regulations were made. In 1842, the jubilee was proclaimed (granted by the Pope) and this became an occasion of missions and retreats throughout the diocese.
Priests came slowly to the Southern regions at first. In 1834, the New Orleans diocese contained twenty- two priests, but seven of the Parishes (counties) were vacant. A new re-inforcement, however, soon ai- rived, and all vacancies were filled. Now and then, there were trifling difficulties among some of the clergy. But the annalist to whom we are so much in- debted writes: "I have never found in any letter, record, or manuscript, a word of censure on the con- duct of Jesuits or Franciscans or other clergy."
The Territory of Orleans was formed in 1804, and the Territory of Louisiana, in 1805. Louisiana was admitted to the Union in 1812. The first church in New Orleans-a mere hovel-was dedicated to St. Ignatius, and was attended by the Capuchin, Father Anthony.
Bishop Dubourg was accompanied by Rev. Mr. Auduze when he was summoned, as we have said
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in a previous chapter, to give the last rites of the church to the granddaughter of the Duke of Orleans, Madame de Mezières at Natchitoches. He visited many of the country parishes of Louisiana, while on this mission of mercy. The church at Natchitoches had been destroyed by fire three years before; the people had not had any instruction for fifteen years. In early days, when the Venerable Father Margil was laboring among his Indians at Adayes, he heard of the spiritual destitution of the French at Natchi- toches. The Venerable Father traveled fifty miles on foot to say mass for the French, preach to them, hear their confessions, and enable them to receive Holy Communion.
After the mission of Bishop Dubourg to Natchi- toches, just before his lamented resignation of the See of New Orleans, the town of Natchitoches was put on a proper Catholic footing, and has so remained. It may be added that Natchitoches was established as a French post, 17171, and a priest stationed there, and has been an episcopal See since 1853.
1 In 1776, Anthanase de Mezieres was Lieutenant Governor of this post of Natchitoches.
There are a good many mulattoes by the name of de Mezieres living near Campti, in this part of Natchitoches. They are very light, almost white, and very respectable people, who claim to have descended from Philippe Egalité.1
1 Letter from Natchitoches, March 12, 1908.
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CHAPTER LIX.
AMONG the dear Ursulines who were specially be- loved was Mother Seraphine Ray, who governed that holy community for nearly thirty years, and gained the love of all by her heroic charity. Bishop Dubourg presided at the profession of Sister Marie Tronard, June 21, 1825, the first to make her vows in the pres- ent Convent. This lady was sent, in 1851, to found the Ursuline Convent of San Antonio, Texas.
Bishop Portier often presided at elections and other ceremonies among the Ursulines. She was elected Superioress, Jan. 16, 1834. " It appears," says my in- formant, " that his Lordship was as glad as the com- munity of the choice, for it is said that he confirmed the election with a voice of thunder-une voix de tou- nère!" We may mention here two of the Ursulines of Charleston, Mass., who, being left without a roof to shelter them by the burning of their Convent, ou Monday night, August 11, 1834. Two Sisters made homeless accepted good Mother Seraphine's invitation to make the New Orleans' Ursuline Convent their home : one was Sister Mary Clare de Costa, the vener- ated aunt of the late Rev. Dr. de Costa, who attrib- uted to her prayers his conversion to the true Faith. He was received into the Catholic Church, Dec. 3, 1899. Shortly before his holy death, he visited the spot where her remains repose, in the Convent ceme- tery, to pray beside her grave.
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Mother Seraphine also received Mother Augustine, (Frances O'Keeffe) one of the most cultured women of her day. She became the worthy successor of the beloved Mother, Seraphine Ray, who was elected to the office of Superior ten times. Mother Augustine was one of the most accomplished superiors of her time. The writer had the pleasure of knowing her, and, on bidding her "good-by," left her poring over Rochbacher's Church history, preparing for her class. She wrote an account of the burning of the Convent at Charleston, Mass. She died on All Saints' Day, 1888, the anniversary of her profession at the Con- vent, Charleston, Mass., and died as she lived in faith, hope, and charity, revered and beloved by her dear Sisters. Like her beloved predecessor, Mother O'Keeffe was noted for her charity, within her Con- vent and outside of it. She was long remembered with reverent affection by her Sisters, her pupils, and the various objects of her charity in New Orleans.
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CHAPTER LX.
DE LUNA, one of the explorers, who traveled most extensively over Alabama, and even as far as Ten- nessee, besides parts of Florida beyond the Bay of Pensacola, had the misfortune to have on his ship perpetual dissension, and the discontented were un- happily, in the majority. . . . In Holy Week, 1561, a reconciliation was effected by two monks so creditable to all concerned. .. . that its insertion here will be forgiven.
Both Brothers Salaçar and Annunciation had lab- ored incessantly, in the spirit of their Divine Master to secure peace, with but small result. At last, on Palm Sunday, Brother Annunciation, having confessed himself and the general, the camp-master, and the army, being assembled to celebrate the solemnity of so great a Day, Father Annunciation began to say mass.
Having reached that place in the service where he was about to consume the most Blessed Sacrament, he turned toward the people, with the Holy Host in his hands, holding it upright above the postess. All were surprised at the novelty, waiting for what was to follow. The Blessed Father paused a little, while, gazing devoutly at his God, his eyes shedding copious tears. In the midst of his tears, he lifted up his voice with the authority which God knows how to grant to him who serves Him, and called, by His own name,
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the governor who was kneeling, in the place to which his rank entitled him. He rose at once, and went in front of the altar, where he remained kneeling, in ex- pectation of what the holy priest required of him. Again, the blessed Father paused a little, as if waiting to receive from God that which he was to say; and it was thus that God spoke through him :
He said to the Governor with a celestial grace: " Do you believe that this, which I hold in my un- worthy hands, is the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, who came from heaven to earth to redeem us all? " The Governor answered: " Yes, I believe it, sir." Again the monk said : "Do you believe that this same Lord is to come to judge the liv- ing and the dead, and that upon the good He will bestow glory, and upon the wicked eternal suffering in hell." He answered: "Yes, sir."
At the second answer, the Governor began to fear greatly, and his eyes filled with tears. For, of a truth, God had touched his heart ; then the blessed Father said to him: " If, then, you believe this, which every faith- ful Christian must believe, how is it that you are the cause of so many soils and sins which we have suffered for five months, because you will not reconcile yourself with your captains, to treat of a remedy for all this people who for your sake have perished, and are per- ishing, as I have often warned and implored you? If, until now, you have not hearkened unto men, listen to the Son of the Virgin, who speaks to you; and fear that same Son of God who shall judge you. By this Lord, whom I hold here in my hands, I warn, I beseech, I command you, that you now do that which until now you have not wished to do, and if you do it, by command of the same Lord, I promise you succor
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for all, before three days have passed; and if you do it not, chastisement as by His hand."
Having thus spoken, he turned to the altar, and having finished the mass, went in and removed the sacred vestments. The Governor rose from the place he had taken at the foot of the altar, when the Blessed Father called him, for he had remained there kneeling, up to this point; and, turning to the people, he said to them with all feeling and gentleness: "Gentlemen, you have seen what Fray Domingo has done, and have heard the strange words he spoke to me. I declare that, if the fault is on my side, God has never willed that I should follow it, nor be the cause of so many evils. Until now, and for the future, for the love of God, I forgive you all, gentlemen, from the bottom of my heart, and I beg you for the love of God that you forgive me the injuries I have done you, and the evils you have suffered for my sake.
"I know that, because of my sins, God has chastised you all, and so, I ask you all, forgiveness, as the aggressor and the guilty one. When he came to these words he could no longer contain his tears.
* * * *
When Fray Domingo de la Annunciation related this event, thirty years after its occurrence, so fresh had he preserved those tears of the general and his captains, that the blessed old man shed them in abun- dance, giving thanks to God for His mercies, and moving even my heart, when I heard him.
A number of Friars soon came to convert the natives. With them came gifts for the two courageous monks. Frays Salaçar and Annunciation, in whose hands the small quantity of flour left by the Provincial vicar had
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not failed for the service of mass, and the comfort of the sick and dying, through all this time-not the least of several miraculous occurrences during De Luna's expedition.
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Brother Domingo (Annunciation) accompanied De Luna in his Florida expedition and exercised the dan- gerous office of peacemaker. He died at the age of 91. He never failed to observe the fasts of his Order, and, though blind, would rise at midnight to say matins.
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CHAPTER LXI.
EVERY Bishop of Mobile was a devoted friend of the Visitation Order in Mobile. From its superiority in numbers, Bishop Portier selected Mobile as his resi- dence. He also selected it as the site of the Visitation Convent, which a good Irish priest of Florida gave him some means to begin. Bishop Portier was a gentleman of high culture and fine social qualities.
He had known the Visitandines in Lyons in his early days. There being a dearth of Catholic schools for girls in his diocese, he resolved to apply to the Holy See for full powers to erect a Convent and Acad- emy of the Visitation in his episcopal city, there being, then but one establishment of that Order in America.
Rome accorded him an indult, and he at once wrote to Most Rev. Archbishop Whitfield, of Baltimore, for a colony of nuns from the Georgetown Convent. This worthy prelate promised his co-operation in the good work. He informed Bishop Portier that there was then at the Georgetown Visitation a member of the Order from Fribourg, Switzerland, a lady of much ability and great experience, Sister Madeleine Augus- tine D'Arréger, whom he would request to take charge of the Mobile foundation.
This lady was originally a professed nun of Annecy. Having consulted her Superiors in Europe, Madame
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D'Arreger was left free to accept the Archbishop's offer. Archbishop Whitfield made known his wishes to the community at Georgetown, D. C. All was speedily arranged, and, with Sister Ignatia Miles and Sister Paulina Millard, Choir Sisters, and one Lay Sister and one out-Sister (Tourrière), the little band set out from Georgetown, Nov. 27, 1832, and reached Mobile, Dec. 31, same year. Very soon, Bishop Por- tier finding his colony too small for the work before them, went to Georgetown for a reinforcement. He obtained several, among them Sister M. Austin Barber, a member of a celebrated family of converts. This lady was gifted with extraordinary ability as a teacher, much of which, as Directress of the Academy, she communicated to those associated with her in the schools, which from the first have been eminently suc- cessful.
The early buildings soon became too small for the numbers who flocked to their seminary for no training was deemed so elegant as the exquisite culture given by the Visitation nuns. They are now teaching the children, the grandchildren and even the great-grand- children of their earlier pupils.
The splendid sites of the College and the Visitation Convent are in the country. The site of the Cathe- dral, the Orphan girls' Asylum, and, till lately, the Bishop's residence, were on an old Indian graveyard. This with some adjoining property was deeded by the Spanish crown during the administration of Gov- ernor Galvez. The Cathedral is an elegant structure among the finest Church buildings in the South.
We shall merely glance at the chief pastors who have ruled the Mobile Church since Bishop Portier's day.
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Bishop Quinlan was called the kindest of men. Un- fortunately he came in evil days, with the Civil war. When the war was over he wore himself out at the work of restoration. Visiting the Eternal city in the interest of his suffering diocese he caught the Roman fever on the Campagna. He returned to Mobile with spirit broken and health shattered, hoping to be bene- fited by a sojourn in New Orleans. But he rapidly grew worse, and died a holy death, March 9, 1883. Very Rev. Father O'Callaghan, his V. G., came to New Orleans to return to Mobile with his holy re- mains. His body lies at the entrance of the Mobile Cathedral according to his dying request. " John, second Bishop of Mobile. Pray for his immortal soul," are his epitaph.
Bishop Manucy of Texas was appointed to succeed him. But his health was wretched and he asked Rome to relieve him of the burden, and closed a holy life by a happy death, Dec. 4, 1885.
After an apostolic life in Maryland, Dr. Jeremiah O'Sullivan was consecrated Bishop of Mobile, Sept. 20, ' 1885, in Baltimore, where he had been a priest for eighteen years. He was full of zeal and piety, and a marvel of financial ability. He paid off a heavy debt, built churches, established schools, and literally wore himself out in the service of God, dying rather sud- denly, August 10, 1896.
The fifth Bishop of Mobile, happily reigning, is Right Rev. Edward Patrick Allen, consecrated in Bal- timore, May 16th, 1897. During his episcopate, Reli- gion has made extraordinary progress. The number of priests has greatly increased. Many churches have been built. New schools, hospitals, and charitable in- stitutions have been founded, and several new mis-
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sions and parishes established. Right Rev. Dr. Allen was consecrated by H. E. Cardinal Gibbons, May 16, 1897. * * *
The Visitation nuns of Mobile found many kind friends in their troubles of fire and storm, as Messrs. Beroujon, Walker, Parker, etc. Nor should we omit the honored name of Major H. C. Semple. Very Rev. C. T. O'Callaghan has been connected with the Monastery for thirty years, and the Rev. Fathers of Spring Hill College have been its warm friends since its foundation.
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CHAPTER LXII.
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THE extraordinary indulgence of the Portinucula has been attached to the New Orleans Ursuline chapel since the time of the Capuchine Fathers in the 18th century.
The chapel of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, the seat of an arch-Confraternity, has from early days pro- moted devotion to Our dear Blessed Mother. Many of the first navigators and explorers were singularly devoted to the Holy Virgin-as Ojeda, the warrior protege of Mary, who, as we have related, carried her picture in his knap-sack. He would often take it out, place it against a tree, kneel before it, and pour forth his devotions to his heavenly Patroness. Associated with him was Coronado, Lord of the golden House. Like his friend, Las Casas, his practice of his religion was his strongest shield in life, and his only comfort in death.
The ladies of Louisiana, mostly pupils of the Ursu- line Convent, determined to crown the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor and the Divine Child with jewels rich and rare, which they themselves presented to the Mother and the Child. These crowns were made by the Feely Co., gold and silver smiths, Providence R. I., for the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, Ursuline Convent, New Orleans.
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Our Blessed Mother's Crown.
The bracelet forming the front of the band, consists of seven alternate rows of solid pure gold beads and turquoises of equal size encased in gold, with a rosette-shaped ornament in the middle, which is also made of gold beads and turquoises. The rest of the band is of solid gold ornamented with large amethysts and opals.
Over this band are two sections of exquisite design and workmanship, each having a star in front and tapering towards the back. The star of the lower section is about two and a quarter inches in diameter, and in each of its six points are three diamonds. The centre is composed of a rosette-shaped ornament con- sisting of a large diamond, surrounded by eight smaller ones. Between each point are alternate rows of diamonds and rubies to the number of thirty-six. The centre contains nine diamonds.
The rest of the upper section is ornamented with still larger diamonds, amethysts, topazes, rubies, and emeralds, the last mentioned being arranged in sham- rock-form, and surmounting all, the star excepted.
CROWN OF THE DIVINE CHILD.
The band is ornamented with diamonds, emeralds, amethysts, topazes, pearls, opals, rubies, sapphires : the second part with rows of diamonds and rubies, and the third, with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, amethysts, sapphires, topazes, pearls, and opals.
The globe and cross form the centre of this sec- tion. The globe is ornamented with three rubies and pearls. The cross is ornamented with eight large dia-
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monds, and about thirty small rubies and four larger ones. In the centre is an amethyst surrounded by eleven small sapphires and one ruby, which, I imagine, are emblematic of St. Ursula and her eleven thousand companions, martyrs. The emeralds are done in Sham- rock form.
As to commercial value, the crowns of the mirac- ulous statue have been estimated at from ten to twelve thousand dollars. But Our Blessed Mother and her Divine Son alone can form a just estimate of their real value, for they alone know the extent of the sacrifices made by their grateful clients in Louisiana and other states, in giving up precious family jewels, some of which were so exquisitely set in the purest gold, that the makers of the crowns embodied them therein, without undoing the setting. Some of the jewels were given by the Sisters, by whom they had been cast aside on the day of their religious reception.
The small statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor venerated in an oratory near the dormitory, is also adorned with exquisite crowns made of gold and gems.
The Very Rev. Napoleon Joseph Perché who lived at the Ursuline Convent for many years, as aumonier, or chaplain, was greatly devoted to Our Lady of Prompt Succor. His charity knew no bonds. He went out every day mostly towards evening laden with medicines and food for the poor. The good nuns who would do anything for their aumonier, prepared all he needed for his poor, and slaves were relieved as well as the free. And while relieving their bodily neces- sities, he instructed them in the truths of our holy Faith.
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He had a special zeal for attracting infidels and atheists to our holy religion. Many of this class, then so common, he brought into the holy Catholic Church. He once asked a penitent, a rabid infidel and an atheist, to tell him if he ever really believed there is no God. " Never," said the soi-disant atheist emphatically. " At times when I was worst I knew in my heart that there was a God, who would one day judge me."
Most Rev. Napoleon Joseph Perché became Arch- bishop of New Orleans, in 1870, in succession to Arch- bishop Odin, and died December, 1883.
Works by A Member of the Order of Mercy :
Catholic History of Alabama and the Floridas, and, incidentally, of other parts of Ancient Louisiana.
Life of Catherine McAuley.
Leaves from the Annals of the Sisters of Mercy, 4 volumes.
Life of Saint Alphonsus. Life of Blessed Clement Hoflaver, C. St. R.
In Many Lands. Glimpses of Pleasant Homes.
Happy Hours of Childhood.
By the Seaside.
Angel Dreams.
Essays, Educational and Historic.
St. Jure's Works, translated from the French.
Louis of Granada's Contemplations on the Passion, translated from the Spanish life of Blessed Margaret Mary, translated from the French of Father Daniel, S. J., etc., etc., etc.
In preparation :
A Catholic History of Alabama and the Floridas, Volume 2.
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US 21060.6 A Catholic history of Alabama and t Widener Library 004335999
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