CHAPTER XXVI.
ST. LOUIS.
A short time before his death, Archbishop Kenrick mentioned to the prioress of the Carmelites in Baltimore that his brother, the Most Rev. Archbishop of St. Louis, had expressed a desire to have a community of Carmelite Sisters in his diocese. He told her to consider the matter, and select the members she would deem suitable for the undertaking. Mother Prioress was deeply impressed by the idea, and highly delighted at the prospect of the new foundation.
But God, who frequently inspires persons with pious projects, the execution of which is entrusted to others, as He inspired David with the idea of building a temple that was to be erected by Solomon, had decreed that Archbishop Kenrick should not put his pious project into execution. It was reserved to another. The never-to-be-forgotten Archbishop of Baltimore, Francis Patrick Kenrick, was suddenly called to his reward during the night of July 6th, 1863. It was the day after the celebrated battle of Gettysburg. The news had affected him deeply, and the sorrows of his country pierced his heart. He retired to rest that night to wake no more; for ere the sun arose on the next day, his blessed soul had taken its flight to a better world. “He has gone, but such men live forever. In the history of the Church of the United States the page which records the life of Archbishop Kenrick will adorn one of its brightest chapters. His spirit has been breathed into it, his life has been impressed upon it. Centuries could not efface the mark. They will, let us trust, only
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develop it in its true character, and above all, in that spirit of true faith which was the distinguishing trait of his life.”1
After the death of the saintly Archbishop Kenrick, the Mother Prioress, remembering what he had told her concerning the foundation desired by his brother, determined to write to the Archbishop of St. Louis. But not being acquainted with his Grace, after writing the letter, she felt timid about sending it. However, after some wavering between hope and fear, she determined to mail it. She was agreeably surprised when shortly afterwards a letter reached her from the Archbishop containing a very kind answer, and an invitation to come to St. Louis.
His Grace offered his elegant country residence, near Calvary Cemetery, with its farm and vineyard, as a home for the community, until Divine Providence would provide a more conventual residence in the city. The prioress then wrote to Very Rev. Father Coskery, administrator of the diocese, who approved the foundation at once.
On the 29th of September, 1863, with the blessing and written permission of the administrator, the prioress of the Baltimore Carmel and four Sisters left their beloved retreat and Sisters in Baltimore, to found the Carmel of St. Louis. Their names were: Mother Gabriel of the Immaculate Conception, Mother Alberta of St. Alexis, Sister Bernard of St. Teresa, Sister Agnes of the Immaculate Conception, and Sister Mary Catherine, out-Sister. The chaplain of the Baltimore convent, Rev. Father Dougherty, accompanied them.
They arrived in the city of St. Louis, October 1st, 1863, where they were received by His Grace, the Archbishop, who, together with the Rev. Father Dougherty, accompanied them in carriages to their new home, situated at a distance of about three miles from the city. It was a bright afternoon when the pious daughters of St. Teresa arrived at their new abode, and heaven seemed to smile upon them. The beautiful lawn
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1Clarke, Lives of the Deceased Bishops.
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in front of the dwelling, the choice shrubbery and flowers added many charms to the lovely and quiet spot that was to be their future abode. Thanks to the thoughtful kindness of His Grace, many preparations had been made for the comfort of the Sisters. A large bell had been hung in the belfry and an altar prepared for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. The next morning, October 2nd, Feast of the Guardian Angels, His Grace celebrated the first Mass in the convent, and the Blessed Sacrament was placed in the tabernacle.
A few days later, on the 5th, the Sisters proceeded to the elections. Mother Mary Gabriel was chosen prioress, and Mother M. Alberta sub-prioress and second clavary. Sister M. Agnes became first clavary, and Sister M. Bernard third.
Thus was established the second monastery of discalced Carmelites in the United States. Here, as elsewhere, the daughters of the great Teresa had to experience that Carmel is founded on privations and sufferings. The winter months of 1863-64 were noted for their extraordinary severity. The members of the new community being in a strange place and unaccustomed to found monasteries, had not thought of the proper means of providing against the severity of the weather. However, thanks to Divine Providence, the health of no one was seriously injured, only a Sister's nose was frozen on a very cold night. The Archbishop was constant in his kindness and generously provided for all their needs.
In the month of May, 1864, death deprived the Sisters of their chaplain and confessor, the Rev. Father Saulnier. The Archbishop himself became then their chaplain for eighteen months and their confessor for nearly three years.
The community spent fifteen years at this quiet country home. Its solitude was admirably adapted to the purpose for which it was now employed, and was all that the heart of a Carmelite could desire. Hidden behind Calvary Cemetery, with no public road leading to it, it was far more secluded than many convents in the city, with their walls of enclosure. The young prioress used to say, that if nothing else ever came
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of the foundation but the quiet seclusion enjoyed at Calvary farm, she would be ever grateful to God for bringing her to the West, and think herself well repaid for the trials and difficulties of the undertaking.
During those years of quiet country life, the little community had also its trials and struggles as well as its consolations. The Sisters succeeded badly with the agricultural portion of their establishment, unaccustomed as they were to the management of farms and vineyards, and depending greatly on the men hired to do the work. They undertook the making of artificial flowers, plain sewing and other work of this kind for their support, but having few acquaintances in the neighborhood or in the city, they were not very successful in their efforts. Very few persons seemed to care to make the acquaintance of the poor praying women who lived out beyond Calvary Cemetery. Some, who afterwards became the warmest friends of the Carmelites, had at that period little regard for them, and looked upon the establishment of a Carmelite convent in the city of St. Louis as a very foolish undertaking. People considered them as useless, on account of their not being engaged in any active pursuit. It is a fact that many, even very good people, do not recognize the usefulness of the contemplative orders. It is because they do not sufficiently realize the great efficacy and importance of prayer; nor do they perceive that the greatest and most perfect activity of man is intellectual activity, and that intellectual activity reaches its highest degree in the contemplation of the highest Object, the Supreme Being, God. The many oppositions that the good religious experienced, necessarily fell hard upon them, and at times they became so discouraged as to speak of abandoning the foundation. But the Mother, who wrote the first letter to St. Louis to obtain the foundation, never doubted its success. She was confident that it was the work of God, and used often to say: “Blessed are they who trust in Jesus.”
It is the custom of the Carmelites to compose pious verses and sing them for the edification of the community before the
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manger or elsewhere. During this period of discouragement and struggle, when they seemed to be forsaken by everyone, except the Archbishop, one of the Sisters wrote the following verses:
O Jesus! Forsaken!
Thou dost tread the press alone,
And of all who shared Thy triumphs
In Thy sorrow Thou hast none!
Where are now the friends that cheered Thee
With their acclamations loud?
None alas! to share thy anguish,
None of all that heartless crowd.
O Jesus! I love Thee!All forsaken, Thou art mine,
Thus may all the world forsake me
If I be but wholly Thine.
And if Thou, too, wilt forsake me,
For a time Thy face wilt hide,
Still in darkness may I love Thee,
And in patience there abide!
O Jesus! Forsaken!Come in sorrow thus to me,
How sweet by all forgotten,
On the cross to dwell with Thee!
Here this heart will learn to love Thee
With a love most true and pure,
Here bereft of all it cherished,
Thou its every wound wilt cure.
The good Sisters in their solitude and abandonment sought thus consolation at its true source, and undoubtedly they found it.
There was no death and very little sickness of a serious nature during their stay at Calvary farm.