CHAPTER XI.
INCREASE OF THE COMMUNITY. When the nineteenth century began its course, the monastery near Port Tobacco, Maryland, contained the following religious: Mother Bernardina Mathews, the Prioress; Mother Clare Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Dickenson; Sister Mary Eleonora of St. Francis Xavier, Mathews; Sister Mary Aloysia of the Blessed Trinity, Mathews; Sister Teresa of the Heart of Mary, Carberry; Sister Mary of the Incarnation, Frasier; Sister Frances of Divine Providence, Furry; Sister Ann of Jesus, Johnson; Sister Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Hammersley; Sister Stanislaus of the Mother of God, Aprice; Sister Ignatia of the Immaculate Conception, Boarman; Sister Agnes of the Presentation, Boarman; and two novices: Sister Mary Magdalen of St. Joseph, Johnson; and Sister Martha of the Holy Cross, Hagan. In the ten years of its existence, the institution had acquired eleven members, one of whom, Sister Magdalen of St. Joseph, had died a little more than two years previous. Another Miss Johnson had entered the community and taken the name of the deceased Sister. In all, the community numbered fourteen.
On the 26th of April, Sister Mary Magdalen of St. Joseph, Elizabeth Johnson, made her profession. She was born in Charles County, of John Johnson and Ann Seville, and was a younger sister of Sister Magdalen Johnson, who had died a few years previous. She made her profession in the 21st year of her age.
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Mother Bernardina had now the happiness of beholding her work completed and blessed by God. The community was established upon a solid basis; she could, therefore, aspire to the rest she had so well deserved. That day of everlasting repose was not far distant, for, in the same year, she was called by God to exchange her earthly habitation for an immortal one. She was afflicted with a cancer in the breast, which she suffered in secret, until she was forced to reveal it. She died an edifying death on June 12th, 1800, and was buried in the convent cemetery. She was in the 68th year of her age, the forty-fifth of her religious profession, and had passed twenty-eight years as prioress, eighteen in Europe and ten in the United States.
After the death of Mother Bernardina, Archbishop Carroll named Mother Clare Joseph Dickenson prioress, and empowered her to appoint the sub-prioress and discreets. In accordance with this, Sister Aloysia became sub-prioress, and Sisters Eleonora and Teresa depositories. Some time previous to this the Bishop had paid a visit to the monastery.
On the 25th of November of the same year, Sister Martha of the Holy Cross, Winefred Hagan, was professed in the 28th year of her age. She was a native of Charles County, and the daughter of Thomas Hagan, by his wife Grace Gwynn.
Letters of the period, which passed between Maryland and Lanherne, in England, give us an insight into the domestic life of the good Sisters at Mount Carmel. Thus, in the year 1800, Sister Teresa of Jesus writes from Lanherne, where the Antwerp community had established itself, to the Mother Prioress in Maryland: "I wish we could spin as you do, for the cloth we buy in England is very
dear, and neither strong nor warm."1 She also acknowledges the receipt of a letter
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1While engaged in spinning, the nuns were in the habit of keeping an open book before them, and in this way they learned the Psalter and many prayers.
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from her namesake, Sister Teresa of Jesus, Carberry, and adds: " It made me acquainted with the good and profitable manner in which you spend your time, which your own humility would never have told me of. Your little mother, Sister Anna Maria,1 was highly pleased at your inquiries after her, and begs her affectionate respects, desiring you will be a tender mother to your children."
The same Sister wrote in 1802, to Sister Teresa of Jesus, Carberry, complimenting her on the manner in which her community had celebrated the jubilee of their Reverend Mother. This jubilee was the celebration of the 25th anniversary of profession of Mother Clare Joseph Dickenson, who made her vows on June 3d, 1774. It occurred in 1799. From the same letter we learn that the nuns had, on the occasion, beautifully decorated the recreation room, the choir, refectory and cell of the Reverend Mother. The letter continues: "To be sure your good Angels inspired and helped you, for no doubt it was a sight pleasing to them to see the love and union with which you were all exerting yourselves to celebrate the jubilee of your beloved mother's sacred vows to her Heavenly Spouse, and sung their canticles with you; for I think it was impossible you should each have performed so well and properly, having never seen anything of the kind. At the same time it shows what a natural ingenuity and taste you all have."
The Sisters in England were very much pleased with these signs of affection shown to Mother Clare Joseph, for Sister Teresa Coudrey writes to Sister Teresa Carberry : "I am quite delighted that my dear American Sisters have thus excelled in their attempt to honor their dear and amiable prioress, to whom, under God, they owe so much
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1This was the Sister who had been left at Antwerp to regulate the affairs of the community, when the Sisters were obliged to fly before the fury of the French Revolution. She died in England, October 5th, 1822, in the 81st year of her age.
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for their present happiness. Yes, my dear, I am sure you are sensible of how many cares and troubles it has cost her Reverence to procure your establishment, although she was not your first actual superior. And I am sure you can never too much show your gratitude, respect and love to her for the same; though I know all the reward she wishes and asks, is that her dear children prove true and fervent daughters of our Holy Mother, St. Teresa, and exact observers of the Holy Rules and Constitutions you have had the happiness to profess to. And this is a consolation which I do not doubt you each one strive to give your dear superior; and yourself, in the first place, who having the honor to stand the first in the profession-book are a kind of model for all the rest to look at. I wish you therefore, my dear Sister Teresa, the perfection which our first professed at Antwerp, who was also called Teresa, arrived to, which was very great, as your dear Reverend Mother can tell you from her life. I humbly beg you will have the charity to pray for me, who am, my dear, an object of charity from my great defects and negligence in this my holy and happy state. I do not know anything which gives me a spark of fervor sooner, than by thinking that you, and the rest of my dear Sisters, whom I name in my poor prayers have the goodness to remember me in their much better ones, and in thinking that you all love and serve your Divine Spouse and mine with all your hearts and souls."
About this period a request had been sent to Rome to have the Confraternity of the Scapular established at the Carmelite Convent. It was, however, not granted, for the reason that it seemed unbecoming for a promiscuous assembly to meet at a convent chapel. Thus wrote Cardinal Borgia, Prefect of the Propaganda, March 12th, 1803, to Bishop Carroll, replying to his letter of November 25th, 1802.
As a rule, Mother Clare Joseph did not enjoy good health, but as it appears from contemporary letters, was frequently in a state of great suffering. On January 21st, 1801, she wrote to Archbishop Carroll:
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"On the 29 th of November last, I had the honor of addressing y r Rev ce a few lines, and forwarding the same by the favor of the Rev d M r Ashton, wherein I informed y r Rev ce of the Solemn Profession of our 3rd lay Sister Martha of the Holy Cross, alias Win: Hagan, which took place on the 25th of the above said month, as also of many solicitations from several who wish to join us in our happy solitude, amongst others, Miss M. Bradford, who is to be admitted on the 3 rd of Feb ry, there being at present a vacant cell, and the choir sufficiently enlarged by taking in the old Chapel, and Building a new one, w ch tho' small is much admired for the neatness of its form and fashion. I cannot but flatter myself with the pleasing hopes, that your Rev ce, during the course of the ensuing summer, will find some leisure days to spend with your Teresian Daughters on Mt. Carmel, and bestow on them the much desired favor of blessing their little church or Chapel. Your heavy burthen being, as I hope, somewhat lightened by the assistance of y r most worthy Coadjtr., the Rev d L. Neale will facilitate the execution of the promise y r Rev ce was so obliging as to make us some years past."
On the 30th of September, 1801, Callista Harrison, in religion, Sister Ambrosia of the Visitation, made her profession in the 24th year of her age. She was the daughter of Samuel Harrison, by his wife Rachel Harrison, daughter of Richard Harrison. She was born in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
The next year three novices made their profession. The first was Sister Juliana of the Blessed Sacrament, Eleonora Hammersley, daughter of Francis Hammersley and Eleonor Pile, daughter of Joseph Pile. She was a native of Charles County. She made her vows on the 27th of January, 1802, in the twentieth year of her age.
On the same day Sister Margaret of the Angels, Araminta Edelin, was professed. She was the daughter of Richard Edelin and Sarah Harrison, daughter of Richard Harrison. She was born in Charles County, and was in her twenty-fourth
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year at the time of her profession. She very cheerfully abandoned many worldly advantages, despising a life of ease and wealth to embrace the labor and poverty of Carmel. Her director was Father David, afterwards Coadjutor-Bishop of Bardstown. He was a Sulpitian and attended several congregations in the southern counties of Maryland.
On the 13th of the following July, Sister Austin of the Purification, Mary Bradford, made her vows in the 26th year of her age. She was born in Prince George's County, Maryland, of Henry Bradford and Eleonora Boarman, daughter of Bennett Boarman. She was a cousin of Archbishop Carroll.
The following year, on the 22d of August, Sister Angela of St. Teresa, Ann Mudd, was admitted to her religious profession in the 26th year of her age. She was a native of Prince George's County. Her parents were Thomas Mudd and Ann Mitchell, daughter of Benjamin Mitchell.
The following letters of the Bishop were written two years later :
Hon d and respected Madam,
On my return home, the 15 th of this month, after an absence of more than three months, I had the pleasure of meeting here, with your esteemed favour of the 27 th of Nov r , and was very happy to find that you, and your dear children and Sisters in Christ continue to experience the blessings of heaven by the increase, it pleases Him to give not only to your numbers, but, as I fully persuade myself, by an increase of grace and heavenly favour in His sight. Let Sr. Angela be informed that I sincerely congratulate her on the happiness she now enjoys, and hope that it is a prelude to that which will hereafter be the reward of her fidelity to the engagements into which she has entered.
I do not remember upon what authority I undertook in 1794 to grant the privilege of serving Saints whose office is not in the Roman Calender. I suppose, however, that as it was your usual custom in Europe (these are your words), I concluded from that circumstance that the privilege had come first from the Holy See, and afterwards had been recognised by the respective Bishops in their Dioceses. In that case, I renew the permission, not for any stated term of years, but indefinitely. As you feel a warm interest
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for the progress of religion and piety, allow me to solicit your grateful thanks to the author of every good gift for the consolation afforded to me in my late Visitation, and particularly at Boston, and in the province of Maine, where not only is the Church enriched by the multiplication of its members, but much more by their exemplary manners and fervent piety. Every where indeed the harvest is great, but alas, the labourers are few.
I recommend my Diocese and myself to the prayers of your most religious community, and implore for them the blessings of divine Providence, assure them of my greatest esteem, confidence and attachment, but will name none in particular but M r Subprioress, for fear of omitting any of those who enjoy a full portion of my veneration for their virtuous and religious conduct. I remember, however, that I made a promise to some of sending them, if possible, crucifixes, &c. Let me hear if my promise was complied with; for it is not easy to obtain such things. Present to the Rev. Mr. Neale my respects, who am with great esteem and veneration,
Rev. and hon d Madam,
Y r most obed t Serv t,
+ J. Bis p of Balt re.BALT RE., Dec. 20 th , 1803.
BALT RE., Sep. 23, 1804.
Rev. and hon d Madam,
I have much pleasure in forwarding to you the enclosed letters received to-day from N. York, under cover of one from the Rev. Mr. Rob t Plowden1 of Bristol. At the same time I have to inform you that I lately received an answer from Rome to your request, that a Confraternity of the Scapular might be established in your church. This request is not granted, because, says the answer, it is not customary to establish any such Confraternities in the churches of Religious women, as having a tendency to make them too public and to produce an intercourse with Seculars occasioning thereby dissipation and relaxation of religious discipline.
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1Rev. Robert Plowden was the elder brother of Rev. Charles Plowden, S. J. He was born in 1740, and entered the Society of Jesus in 1756. He was for some time confessor of the Carmelite nuns at Hoogstraeten. For nearly thirty years he labored at Bristol, England. Unfortunately, remarks made in the pulpit on the pastoral letter of his Bishop, on Sunday, the 15th of December, 1813, caused him to incur the displeasure of the authorities. He died at Wappenbury, on June 17th, 1823.—Oliver.
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You solicited other grants from Rome, as I did myself for the Diocese generally, of which no notice is taken in the answer to me. Hence I am led to conclude that many of my letters have miscarried.
Assure your pious community of my earnest solicitude for the continuance of their happiness and increase in all holiness, and recommend me to their most fervent prayers. I am with great respect and esteem,
Rev. and hon d Madam,
Y r aff te Fr. and Servant in Christ,
+ J. Bis p of Balt re .
My best respects to the Rev. Mr. Neale.
P. S.—After finishing the above a packet from Rome was received, containing duplicates of papers, which had not before reached me. Amongst them is one containing a grant of the indulgences which you solicited for your church, the original of which grant is here inclosed and will be translated for you by your Rev. Fr. Confessor.