Our foundation and early days as told by one of our foundresses

Part 3 of 3

Our foundation and early days as told by one of our foundresses

Part 2 of 3

Our foundation and early days as told by one of our foundresses

Part 1 of 3

It is the custom for us here in our little monastery to daily make a procession in honor of St. Joseph….

“The first October Pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary was attended by about fifteen hundred people….”

His Excellency told us that when he had first visited us in February to cloister us, he had been very much disheartened. In fact, he admitted that our poor living conditions had prevented him from sleeping for a few nights…

Minor miracles are being performed in the print shop….

About this time, a few curious incidents occurred….

“On the twenty-fifth, the last Sunday of May, the first public pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady was held….”

“Sister Irene received the name of Sister Mary Martin of Jesus Crucified….”

“Reverend Mother with her two assistants, who wore white aprons, began to wash and kiss the feet of all the Sisters, beginning with the oldest…”

“Mr. Fusco and his men held their breath for fear that the barns would collapse….”

“Bishop O’Brien made a tour of the monastery with Reverend Mother and two of the Sisters. When he returned, he laughingly announced that he did not care to buy the place…”

“It was during the Office of the Dead that the Sisters first heard the strange noise…”

“All the angels looked on in wonder at the procession of nuns hopping through a window…”

“The sisters fit so snugly on the benches that there was scarcely room for any of us to put on weight; and if one sneezed rather suddenly, she was likely to give the sister near her a good jolt….”

The first nights in the new monastery were sleepless and the first days of work were difficult, but God never ceased to provide countless blessings upon the little community. Amidst all the trials and tribulations, the intercession of the saints and God’s providence guided the sisters in their efforts to make the old homestead into “God’s House.”

After breakfast the sisters began the task of exploring the old farmhouse and trying to make some semblance of livable order amidst the chaos that was before them.

On a chilly January morning, fifteen sisters boarded a bus in Summit, New Jersey and headed toward North Guilford, Connecticut. Read their story from our archives.

On a chilly January morning, fifteen sisters boarded a bus in Summit, New Jersey and headed toward North Guilford, Connecticut.