1947 Chronicles (11): Novenas and New Names
April of 1947 brought the community’s first Easter, first novena mailing, and first vestition ceremony, with two postulants receiving the holy habit of St. Dominic and their new names in religion. The community also welcomed a group of Dominican Tertiaries from nearby St. Mary’s.
“April was another busy month of firsts for us. On April sixth, the first Easter of the new foundation, it was Tommy McGarry who purchased and paid for the lilies which decorated the altar of the tiny chapel.
Sisters line the novitiate dormitory of the farmhouse monastery
“The following Sunday, April thirteenth, fifteen Dominican Tertiaries from St. Mary’s Chapter in New Haven came on a pilgrimage. A few days later, Reverend Mother received a letter from them which we quote in part:
‘We have had such an impressive visit, one that will live in our memories forever. The heavenly atmosphere of that small chapel! We all said that we had never felt the Divine Presence so close to us before. One of the girls remarked that our Blessed Mother never seemed to be so near to her. Now we realize just what an altar railing does to one’s devotion. In His little room --- He seemed so near to us.’
“Soon afterwards, the first novena to Our Lady of Grace was printed and sent out. The certificates for the Cloister Purgatorial Society for the dead and the Perpetual Adoration Society for the living, designed and painted by three of the Sisters, were completed and sent to the photographer, Mr. Lincoln McCabe of Ivoryton. When we received the negatives, Sister Mary Kathleen printed and developed them in the bathroom. Later she was given a little dark-room of her own in the cellar for this kind of work.
“Then, on the nineteenth of April the first vestition ceremony of the new foundation took place. Two Postulants, Sister Irene and Sister Elizabeth received the holy habit of St. Dominic. His Excellency, Bishop Henry J. O’Brien of the diocese of Hartford, presided at the simple but moving ceremony after the High Mass sung by the chaplain, Father Charles Gabriel Moore, O.P., and we chanted the Mass. The sermon was given by the Right Reverend Joseph A. Nelson of the Archdiocese of New York. Among those attending the ceremony were the Very Reverend James A. Gunning, O.P., Sub-Prior of St. Mary’s, New Haven; Reverend John Hynes, pastor of St. George’s parish, Guilford; and Reverend E. Harold Smith of Corpus Christi Parish in New York.
“Sister Irene received the name of Sister Mary Martin of Jesus Crucified and Sister Elizabeth received the name of Sister Mary Theresa of the Passion.”
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