Notre Dame de Sion High School - Sionian Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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Notre Dame de Sion on Armour Jraditu ionJ Like an old and united family with a proud past, Sion has many meaningful traditions which are cherished and protected against the passing of time. First of all. there is that spirit of charity and of family life, and that special feel- ing of “belonging”. Among the concrete, material traditions, we have the decorations. From the curious little first-graders to the “mature Seniors” every girl considers her colorful belt and cross a reason for proud joy, and to be deprived of decorations for bad conduct or low grades is a terrible dis- grace. The different colors, for each class, sym- bolize ideals. Starting with the babies, there is love, symbolized by red; orange, like the sun. for joy;green for hope; blue for loyalty; white for purity; multicolor to signify all the ideals; and finally purple, the color of royalty, the per- fection of charity. 1 hen there are “notes”. Every morning, before classes begin, each girl gives her own mark of conduct for the preceding day, accord- ing to how well she thinks she did her duty. For the Senior there are special privileges: the stairs, the little recreation room, special doors, through which she alone may pass, and, most important of all, her beloved ring. All these little, but so significant traditions, make up this unforgettable Sion of ours. Page 10

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 Jhe Jiistory 9 S)ion In 1841 Alphonse Ratisbone, a young man of a distinguished Jewish familyr undertook a voyage in search of health and pleasure. In Rome, he met an old friend, a very devout Catholic. To satisfy the whim of his friend’s little girl, he consented to wear the Miraculous Medal and to recite the Memorare. One day while waiting outside the Church of St. Andrea Delle Fratte, for a friend, who was making arrangements for a funeral. Alphonse decided to enter. No words can better describe this man’s sudden and miraculous conversion from an abdurate agnostic to a devout Catholic than his own. “I saw the Virgin Mary, she beckoned me to my knees. She appeared standing on the altar, tall, glorious, full of majesty and sweetness. She spoke not a word, but I understood all.” By a special grace from God, Alphonse knew all the truths of the Faith and in two weeks he was baptized. In thanksgiving he offered himself to God and became a priest. He joined his brother Theodore and togther they began the work of prayer and sacrifice for their people. They established schools for young Jewish Catechumens and finally as their labor grew with their need for more helpers, the Congregation of Notre Dame de Sion was founded. Now, there are Convents of Notre Dame de Sion all over the world. I11 1912, Mere Marie Theotime came to Kansas City with six sisters. They obtained a small home on Benton Boulevard and moved successively to Prospect, Warwick and Armour Boulevard. In 1926 our own Notre Mere Irene laid the plans for the present “Sion Hill”, which was completed in 1928. Mere Irene was called back to Europe in 1938 and was succeeded by Mere Emmanuel, whom we will always deariy re- member. After M. Emmanuel’s death Mere Irene returned to Kansas City as Superior in 1945 and has worked untiringly for the expansion of Sion in our country. Since September 1951 the United States counts one more Sion, St. Bernadette’s parochial school in Dearborn, Michigan. Founders of Sion Page U