Academy of the Holy Angels - Echoes Yearbook (Fort Lee, NJ)

Page 96 text:

i ' ax .21 ECI-IOES s ig, 3,53 ,, 1.9.QI. 3 is , 1, ' , 2 5 9 f I W 'ff' 'l f'f4 i f A xxnxxx k.,. nxxmwxnuuxxxwx The Sacred Ray To our great joy we were told that this year a Lenten drama was to be given and that to us the honor of producing it would fall. Immediately we entered into the spirit of it and resolved upon doing our best. The time allotted for practice was rather short, but perhaps there was an advantage in that, for we knew that if it was to be a success, great effort must be put into it. - The play chosen was a Biblical one, called The Sacred Ray, an original dramatizaf tion by a former H. A. class of the book entitled The Ray. The part of Gamaliel, a member of the Sanhedrin, was skilfully rendered by Grace Christ, while the role of Susanna, the sister of Gamaliel, was entrusted to the dramatic powers of Margaret Eisenmann. Very real, indeed, seemed the struggle of the former against the conviction constantly thrusting itself upon him that the Christus was in very truth the promised Messiah. With equal earnestness did Susanna plead with her brother to accept and acknowledge his faith in the Divinity of the Nazarene. Eleanor Hennessy and Alice Decker did justice to the parts of Nicodemus and joseph of Arimathea, respectivef ly. It was easy to see that they put their best efforts into the work as they eloquently defended the cause of the Master. The gentle Rachel fa friend of Susannal was splendidly portrayed by Helen'Oliva whose voice and personality were well suited to the part. To Mary Farrell was assigned the part of Miriam fanother friend of Susannaj, and her prof tecting friendship acted as a splendid foil to the childlike love of Susanna for her two friends. Irene Dowling impersonated Pilate, and displayed a calmness and dignity in striking contrast to the mob of frenzied jews who clamored for the death of the just One. How the sentence of death could have been passed by Pilate was hard to under' stand after the clever bit of acting by Inez Cavinato Cas Claudia, the wife of Pilatej in which she pleaded eloquently and almost passionately that the life of the Master be spared. The role of Mary Magdalen was taken by Claire Pohly, and the pathos of her part reached a climax in the solo, Friend of Sinners. The parts of the other two Marys were played by Angela Bodet and Eleanor Hennessy, and a particularly striking and pathetic scene was that in which the three Marys, after their return from Calvary, sang a very touching and beautiful trio. The parts of the Holy Women were taken by Delia Keating, May Peley, Helen Sella, Helen Seuferling, and Loretta Trainor. A striking tableau of the Crucifixion was presented, and another, of the Resurrection with Helen Sella as the Christ, furnished a fitting climax to this inspiring drama. 1CLAIRE R. POHLY, '28 92

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V K FQXXX W! lain Angus lu uununnnn nun fm' X WP Q m x xxxmn 1 M fa . Q 6 r 5 -ff ECI-IOES i ,,5ffm Q 1.9-2.8 Q I A I . V I I 4' Q ' f' Lpgarrf ?j.? x x xxxuxxxnuuuuxu beggar clad in tattered garments frightens them for a moment. However, they bestow alms upon him, and immediately their charity is rewarded. The erstwhile beggar is transf formed into an angel who announces to them the good tidings of great joy. They listen to the story of the Babe in the manger, and then they also go forth to seek him. The scene of the last act is laid at Bethlehem in the cold, rough stable. We gazed upon the dear little Christ Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and resting peacefully on the rough straw, we listened to Mary singing the Magniiicat, and we looked with love upon the gentle joseph as he stood in rapt admiration close to the manger. We envied the jewish family, the shepherds, and the Magi as they knelt there in close adoration. In the distance we saw the Angel Choir, and their sweet Gloria in Excelsis Deo brought the drama to a successful and realistic finis as we knelt in spirit at the crib of Christ the King. 'CLAIRE R. Pol-ILY, '28 91

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,,f V1 .px Q EcHoEs ,S gg . 1.9.93 D , ', V5 5 1 9 I ruuulnuunlnuluuln Y ig, Tis: A runny X... xmunxnnuwmx us 1 9 Foreign Mission Activities This year, as in years past, a great part of the energy at Holy Angels was directed toward work for the Foreign Missions. Everyone, from our dear teachers down to the tiniest tot in the primary school, showed a lively interest and did as much as possible to aid in the work of spreading the Light of Faith in those lands where to a great extent the darkness of paganism and idolatry still reigns. A letter received shortly after the opening of school,from Reverend Daniel H. Sullivan, S. J., whom we last year adopted as our Missionary Brother, did much to enkindle anew our interest in his work and that of other noble missionaries. Some snapshots enclosed in his letter told us in graphic terms of the upfhill nature of the mission work, and led us to imagine some of the hardships which the priests and sisters who have devoted their lives to the cause are obliged to endure. The bright little faces that smiled up at us from the pictures aroused a deep sympathy and made us wish that we might do much more to help them. Our assistance in a monetary way has not been as great as we would like it to be, but we have tried to help in other ways, especially by prayer and the forwarding of Catholic literature. From the close of school last June up to the present writing, some seven hundred pieces of Catholic literature have been sent to Father Sullivan, the cost of postage on same having been defrayed by the Senior and Junior Classes. Besides, a number of pieces of altar linens for use in his Chapels, as well as pictures, medals, rosaries, and various other devotionals were forwarded to Father for distribution among his dusky little lambs. Several Cake and Cream Sales were held during the year, and the proceeds went to the Crusaders' Treasury to be forwarded to Father Sullivan. Interest in the collecting of stamps and tinfoil was quite general throughout the school, with the result that our Mission Treasury was enriched by the sale of the tinfoil, and several large shipments of stamps were made to Maryknoll. 93