THE ORDER OF THE SACRED HEART

New Zealand Tablet, 6 July 1911, Page 1231

THE ORDER OF THE SACRED HEART

Writing of the death :of the Superior-General of the Society of the Sacred Heart, who passed away on Sunday morning, May 21, at Ixelles, Belgium, America says:Rev. Mother Mary Josephine Digby belonged to- an English family of historic note, a branch of which had settled in Ireland. Of this branch she was born April 9. 1835. On her mother’s side she counted a Jesuit martyr, Father More, among her ancestors. Till her seventeenth, year, the entire family was Protestant. Then her mother and eldest sister Geraldine obtained the light of faith and were received into the Church by the Bishop of Montpelier, • in whose episcopal city the family was wintering. She shared her father’s prejudice and indignation, which she showed by absolutely to enter a Catholic church. But a sacred concert, given annually by the Montagnards in the Church of Notre Dame des Tables, and followed by Benediction, was the means God used to draw this soul to Himself. She sat rigidly during the Benediction. When, after the blessing, her < sister raised her head, she found her prostrate on the pavement. What had happened? None dared to ask, but on her return home she said to Geraldine, ‘ I never shall and never can say what I felt in the presence of the Blsesed Sacrament, but Our Lord cast a glance at me as He did on Peter after his fall and compelled me to throw myself on the ground before Him.’ The Bishop of Montpelier, on examining her, found she had a perfect knowledge of the Catholic faith. He baptised her. giving her the name of Mary Josephine, on March 19, 1851, and confirmed her and gave her her first Holy Communion two days later. With conversion came the grace of the call to religions life, and after a retreat made under Father Barrelle, S.J., she presented herself to Blessed Mother Barat. Her health caused her entrance to be retarded until 1857, when, on May 20, she was clothed in the habit of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Soon after her noviceship her eminent gifts were turned to account, first as Mistress-General, then as Superior at Marmoutier. During this period many of the grottoes of St. Martin’s followers were discovered through her zealous ingenuity. The convent serving as a hospital during the Franeo-Prus-sian war, her skill in nursing and influencing the wounded soldiers was a marvel to the doctors. In 1871 she was sent to England as Vicar of the English and Irish houses of the Society. They numbered four on her arrival; they were more than doubled when, in' 1894, she was called to Paris to be Assistant-General, on. the death of Very Reverend Mother Lehon. She has governed the Society as Mother-General since 1895, with singular wisdom, prudence, strength, and sweetness. These admirable gifts showed themselves above all when over 40 convents in France were closed and more than 3000 nuns left homeless. Not one of them but she placed in safety nor would she speak of expulsion, but of expansion of the Society; and justly, for it was given her to open almost as many convents as had been closed. She visited all the convents of the Society in the United States. Canada, and Mexico during 1898 and 1899. fully appreciating the possibilities of these countries. Her superior mind undertook the revision of the studies throughout the Society. For this her long experience as Educator at Marmoutier in France and at Roehampton in England eminently fitted her. Her views were wide, deep, and practical, and all her work bore a certain seal of perfection. ‘ Her daughters shall rise up and call her blessed.’