America's Nunnery

Monastic orders for men & women have long existed in the Anglo-Catholic wings of the Anglican and Episcopal churches, but not in other Protestant sects. One Susan Miles wrote from Texas last July to The Christian Century: "Why don't we have a Protestant sisterhood? I know dozens of fine, intelligent women who would be glad to embrace the cloistered, yet useful life. And while all this energy is going to waste, we are having to close our schools and hospitals. Are we still so anti-Catholic that we cannot countenance so practical a plan? I'd like very much to hear some discussion on this subject."

Some tepid discussion followed. Then, fortnight ago, a Protestant nunnery was described in America, urbane Jesuit weekly, by "The Pilgrim"--nom de plume for any staff member. Telling of tramping through Rhode Island, "The Pilgrim" said he came upon a convent, knocked at its door in hope of getting a cup of tea. The convent Portress gave him some. He inquired the name of the sisterhood.

" 'We are interdenominational,' was her answer. 'For further information you had better talk to the Mother Prioress.'

"This good lady, on her appearance, made me feel wholly at ease. She was a charming and gracious soul; and told me just what the Sisters of the Blessed Harmony had in mind. 'Harmonians,' she explained, 'are of all denominations. No; not just Anglicans, though we have some of them. ... I myself am a Universalist, which, you see, keeps the peace in the community between the Presbyterian sisters from Massachusetts, the Congregationalists from Connecticut, and the Baptists from Rhode Island. But we do agree on the tea; and that means so much to poor travelers.' "

The Prioress explained to "The Pilgrim" that the sisterhood had been founded because of the Christian Century discussion.

"Marveling at the promptness with which this proposal had been realized, I walked around the cloister, and observed the humility of the Dry Methodist Sister Refectorian, as she set out on the table tiny bottles of beer, 'just to keep peace in the community,' explained the Prioress. 'It really does help,' she added."

As "The Pilgrim" departed she said: " 'I know just what is in your Roman mind. You wonder how we shall ever get along. Well, I sometimes wonder myself. But our proposition does show that Protestant women have learned the beauty of Catholic sisters' life, and that nuns are actuated by a positive, constructive ideal, not by mere longings to flee the world.' "

By last week Protestants and Catholics alike were anxious to hear more about the Harmonian Sisterhood-first interdenominational convent ever founded. Where was it in Rhode Island? How many sisters were there? What rule of life had they adopted?

When people began telephoning its Manhattan office, America's staff was forced to confess that the "Harmonians" do not exist. "The Pilgrim" invented them.

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