Walking On Sunshine

The convents of the present

It may be asserted, and most generally this is used as the refuting argument, that if ladies desire to form an association for their individual pleasure, surely there can exist no objection to their doing so. That by imposing certain restrictions upon themselves of a physical nature, they mutually aid each other in the attainment of a better world; that such institutions take their origin in the remote ages of Catholicity, and were founded by men eminently good; and that as the life is injurious to no one, while it brings many holy women to our religion, the institution is deserving of reverence. Thus the clergy explain the necessity of the laity upholding religious houses ; and it is only when some flagrant instance of undue influence being exercised over those who are beguiled into their meshes, that the Catholics of this country are put to the blush to excuse the “over zeal” of their worthy pastors. day may be divided into two classes: those whose rules command utter exclusion from the world, and those who by professing to educate young Catholic ladies, are enabled to obtain an easy competency, and exert their influence towards firmly grounding the religion in the rising generation of English Catholic mothers. The number of convents in England is fifty-three, of which twentyseven are exclusive, but in this number are included the Sisters of Mercy and Charity, who are not confined within the enclosure. These orders are of a more public character. Sisters of Charity and Mercy have long since made their utility felt by those who stand in most need of assistance—the very poor; and as no seclusion is demanded of them, though nuns, 9they are wholly distinct from the inmates of a convent. Of the first class—those whose entire existence is passed in the endeavour to save their own souls, without regarding the spiritual or temporal wants of the rest of their fellow-mortals, are the drones in the busy hive of Catholic propagation; still they have their uses, which are turned to no inconsiderable advantage. The convents of this class are not numerous, and the reason lies in the severity of their regulations, which do not admit of their seeking adventitious means of ekeing out support. Consequently, the inmates are required to be ladies of independent fortune, and it becomes a matter of solicitude to secure such as can bring a a larger portion than the stipulated amount, in order to establish a capital for the institution independent of the life annuities of the community. From this circumstance such convents become the most select, and are sought by such of the wealthy and patrician daughters of our faith as seek total seclusion from the world, and are not desirous to add the laborious occupation of teaching to the other privations of a cloistral life. One or two wealthy heiresses assuming the veil in a religious house of this character, are sufficient to establish not only its resources, but its name; and there is a religious ambition for renown even among the convents.Mere utilitariansim is certainly not chargeable to institutions of this denomination; that is to say, they are wholly innocent of any ostensible good whatever to the world in which they were sent for the purpose of fulfilling the ordinances of their Creator.