Annals of St. Ann's Hermitage: 1919
January 1. After the day's Mass Bro. Rudolph Xavier, who didn't have the required age at the end of the last retreat to make his Perpetual Vows, makes them on this holiday, chosen specifically to make them more solemn. As usual, in the Juniorate recreation hall well decorated for the occasion, New Year's best wishes and a talk by our dear Bro. Provincial. At 2:30 p.m. our dear Brother Legontianus gives a magic lantern presentation on the life of O.L.J.C. to the Communities gathered there.
February. On the first of February, 2 Juniors move up to the Novitiate increasing the number of Postulants.
On the 26th of this month the final installation of electricity in the Juniorate is made; it's the dormitories' tum. Nobody misses the gas jets.
March. On the 19th, feast of St. Joseph, the Juniors put on a fine presentation: "The Bells of the Forest," along with beautiful songs and interesting interludes. The young performers well deserved the applause which the audience lavished on them.
May. On May 20, 3 Juniors are made perfect Christians by receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Peter's Church.
June. On the 12th of the month, we receive the pleasant visit of dear Bro. Joseph Celestin, delegate of the Rev. Brother Superior General for the establishments in South America.
On the 16th, 17th, & 18th, there are Regents exams in the Juniorate; the exams are presided over by dear Bro. Francis Borgia, delegated by St. Ann's Academy in New York, with which our Juniorate is affiliated with permission of the University of Albany. Before that, our children used to go take their exams with the students in St. Peter's which our Brothers run in Poughkeepsie.
On the 28th of this same month the first retreat begins, preached by Rev. Father Henri de la Chapelle, Provincial of the Marist Fathers. This retreat, followed by 45 Brothers, was all Marist, Father Preacher having applied himself to making it ours.
July. 4th. Good Brother Cesidius, former Provincial and founder of the provinces of Canada and the United States, having come from St.-Hyacinthe to visit us, followed the retreat exercises. Since the Venerable Religious was celebrating his Diamond Jubilee this year, all the Brothers present were happy to seize the opportunity: on the day of closing they expressed their congratulations and feelings of veneration and affection to the worthy Veteran. Besides the Low Mass, Holy Communion of the closing, the renewal of Vows, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, there was also High Mass with sermon in which Rev. Father Lebuff, S.J., eulogized the Jubilarian's religious life and career. Under the tall trees of the Novitiate there were also compliments, songs, instrumental music, as well as dinner and supper outdoors. A fine souvenir program with the day's doings and the words of the songs executed had on the first page the photograph of the good Brother. This beautiful celebration, all family, ended that evening in the Juniorate yard with a wonderful small display of fireworks, paid for by the Benjamins.
From the 16th to the 26th, the Novices' retreat takes place; it is preached by Rev. Father Fox, S.J. On the last day 11 Postulants take the Marist Habit and the next day, the 27th, Sunday, 3 Brothers make their Perpetual Vows and 6 Novices make their First Vows.
August. From the 15th to the 22nd the general retreat is held; it is preached by Rev. Father Hardagon, S.J. The retreat exercises having ended, each Brother, well disposed to doing his best in the new school year, heads for his establishment.
On the 31st of the month, Bishop Bruneau, Bishop of Nicolet, Canada, accompanied by Father Tetrault, pastor of Drummondville and former pastor of St. Jean-Baptiste in New York, and two other priests, passing through Poughkeepsie, were kind enough to visit us and spend two days at the Hermitage. We did everything possible to make his stay as pleasant as could be.
September. On September 1, 16 Juniors moved to the Novitiate; shaking hands with the 40 remaining, they invited them to be exemplary in everything so as to come, all 40 of them, to join them the following year.
On the 24th, Mr. Charles, friend of our Brothers at St. Ann's Academy in New York, brings us in his own car, accompanied with Brother Provincial, Bro. Paul Mary who had undergone an operation for intestinal cancer in St. Francis Hospital, Bronx, NY. On the 29th , our dear sick Brother receives the Last Rites with much resignation and in the most edifying dispositions.
On the 26th, seven Juniors receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Peter's Church, given by His Grandeur Bishop Hayes.
December. On the 3rd, Bro. Thomas Austin who had gone to the International Juniorate on 16 September 1910, returns from Italy and is very happy to see St. Ann's Hermitage once again where he had spent 2 and a half years as a Junior.
On the 14th of the month, according to the instructions of Rev. Brother Stratonique, Sup. Gen., the Professed Brothers vote for the delegate who, with Bro. Heribert, Provincial, will represent the United States Province at the next General Chapter which is to take place in Grugliasco the following May. Brother Legontianus, Director of the Academy in NY is elected delegate and Bro. Pierre Vincent, substitute.
On the 25th, an evening of entertainment entirely Marist is given by the Novices and Postulants. "An Evening with Father Champagnat and his first disciples;" such was the title for the evening's Program.
The [undecipherable] feast of Christmas brought us with its solemnity all the customary joy of the season.
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