Saint Ursula Academy - Scroll Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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vent, discontented after little more than four months, she used her experiences there to agitate the embittered radicals and spread violent propaganda in a whispering campaign against the lfrsu- lines. Not only the whispering campaign of Rebecca Reed but the public re- proach in Protestant se1'mons and lec- tures caused the final horrible crime to be commited against this little flock. Citizens, stirred to anger by the more vociferous bigots, laid plans to seize and destroy the convent on lllonday eve- ning. August ll. Between eight and nine o'clock mobs began to gather on the lVinter Hill Road near the Convent gateway. The slumbering inmates of llount Benedict were suddenly aroused from sleep around nine-thirty o'clock by the loud shouts of Down with the Con- vent. The capable llother Superior quickly summoned the children and sis- ters and bade them escape, as the crowd now had become restless and started to disperse, while others insisted on imme- diate action. A meeting was held and the decision of the group was Do it now . A huge bonfire was lighted- undoubtedly the preconcerted signal for promised assistance. ln a short time a crowd of several thousand had gathered. Convent Burned The nuns having fled, the rioters rushed into ,the building, ransacking the convent from top to bottom, smashing or ruining whatever they could find. Combustible material was piled up in the center of the building-then the fire was started. Hthe first fruits of Catholic educational enterprise in New England went up in a roar of flamesv. ln the confusion, the key to thc mahogany tabernacle could not be found. and the desperate effort of two brave nuns to conceal the tabernacle among tall vines was in vain. The riot- ers, with blood in their hearts, found the hidden tabernacle and wrenched it open. smashed ciborium. and carried away the consecrated hosts as sacrilegious trophies. Page Six The whole community was stirred to the depths at the event of that fearful night, the outrage being the greatest blot on the New England city. But to Catholics the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament was the most outrageous crime of all. ln the meanwhile, the little herd had found refuge in a neighboring town. Upper classes were in favor of restoring the nuns, but public opinion was still raging against them. Fierce attacks were hurled against them, making it impos- sible for them to return. However, the nuns did return a short time later, but their position, heretofore untenable, be- came absolutely precarious. Unable to obtain enough pupils, they were forced to abandon their dream and return home. Second Comeback T ln 1839 they made a second attempt to resume their duties but again were unsuccessful and were forced to return to their Convent at Quebec, Trois- Riviers and New Orleans. No one was punished for the crime. A letter written by the Superior. Klother St. George, expresses perfectly the forgiving attitude of the long-suf- fering and much-maligned community VVe quote: HI am deeply pained that anyone should suffer on our accountg and it was my intention, from the com- mencement, to do all in my power to obtain pardon for any of the criminals who might be sentenced to punishmentg . . , H Thus the tale of the vicissitudes of the Charlestown Ursulines ends with the announcement that a community of new members, sent by the Roman Union. will take up its abode in the famous old Sears Klansion, corner of Arlington and Commonwealth Avenue in Boston proper, where in keeping with the traditions of their saintly foundress. St. Angela Nlerici, they will open an academy to educate young girls. That God may bless their venture. and Our Lady and St. Angela be their constant guides. is the sincere prayer of each of us.

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The Return to Boston 9 0 FTER one hunrlrezl and tiL'1'l'U1' years of exile the Urxzlfimr nuns have fe'fll7'7It'd to Boston. Bemuse the slory of their fl'llgit'.!'0j01ll'I1 in that j1l111'1' is j1r114fti1'11lly 1lll,Z'7l01L'71 to 111111151 in our 111idtee.vZer11 fvi1'i11ity, 117111 bemizse their return is Il mute of fonyolnlion 111111 joy to us' IIS Tffilllillt? girls, tw thought it Il worthy .subject for the Ima' .rtory in this 1946 edition of our lllllglle zine. The writer ir indebted in greal jmrf for the resefzrrh IlIIlfUfiIl! to THE PILOT. Hoxtozfx tee!! known Crztholic di0lTl73'fl7l 111'11'xjv11j1er, zehose editors in turn rc- jwrinted fhe xtory from THE HISTORY or THE ,ARCHDIOCESE or Bosrox. Had you lived in Boston in the year of Our Lord 1834, you would have witnessed one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the Catholic Church. when anti-Catholic bigotry reached the limits of fanaticism in New England, and shrouded reason and charity in a cloak of bitterness and hate. First Foundation A little community of Ursuline sis- ters coming to Boston in 1826, after leaving their pleasant home in Trois- Riviers, Canada, established in 183-l one of the hrst schools of higher edu- cation in this section. llount Bene- dict, as this first foundation was named, was the new home of this little band. It was a pleasant place. with the ring- ing voices of laughing children. under the tutelage of the gentle sisters. After establishing the new convent. Blary Edmond St. George. llother Superior. began her new work. The pupils did not come at first as readily as was expected. probably because of the fact that this new educational estab- lishment was administered by a religious order of the Catholic Church. Catholicism had but recently been breaking into this previously 'fun- taintedl' New England community. Charlestown had always been a strong- hold of orthodox Protestantism and nat- urally it resisted and resented this in- cursion of Catholicism. Broils and quarrels between the two sects had occurred on numerous occasions. This background of intolerance set the stage for the campaign to rid Charlestown of Catholicism. To the angered Protestants of this time. the old legend that conyents were immoral and corrupt institutions. in which under a veil of secrecy and hypo- critical pretenses, the worst vices were practiced was all too willingly credited. And so it was that a plot to banish the lfrsulines was conceived in the minds of a group of radicals whose political philosophy, spreading widely, aimed to disqualify Catholics in all walks of life. Know-Nothing NIOVGIIICIIT Then came the outbreak of anti- Catholic and anti-foreigner bitterness in the U. S. The men acquired their names in accordance with an oath .iv 4- 'F-4-4--JILJIK4 -41-+4 ll- -I---L. By ,Ioan Corcoran Q .fi'W .'4'4 '. .f'9 . '5'. ?' didn't know. They believed that all men are created equal. except ne- groes, foreigners, and Catholics-espe- cially Catholic foreigners. Promoting rioting, plunder. bloodshed and murder, they caused much disturbance. Finally being swallowed up in the anti-slavery movement. they collapsed after a split in their party, VVhen the young Rebecca Reed, seized for a moment with the romantic impulse to become a nun, left the con- Page Five

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,Veg Marys Child-Blossom by VIRGINIA IQAUFMAN .UILLVG down froin her throne 'inid the stars high above Jlary sent on its flight a tiny white dove Bearing a child-flowerlet for God's garden of love. There it blossomed, surrounded by benignity, By fair lilies glowing with purity, And the greatest of all blossoins--charity. But seeing that the flower was frail, the Light Of the World caressed it with the Holy Rite Of His Looe, making it more brilliant and bright. Illarys flower was ehastened by sorrow and ill, Like a rose that is crushed and is sweeter still Than a siinbeain that can dazzle and thrill. .ind at last, when the day of fruition will Ifonze Wlary will lovingly tell her Dear Son That her ehild's soul has bloonied for heaven-and won. Then. Christ will sinile from His throne highrabove 1 And refeive Rlaryls flower in His Garden of Love. ,Veg