1885 Saturday May 16 Chapter of Faults

Saturday May 23

At the Chapter held at the close of the Retreat, F. Benson said: ‘The principal matter wh we have to consider is whether S. Christina shall be received back into the Novitiate. We must consider both as to whether it be desirable for her, and as to whether it would be good for the community. She, herself, desires it very much and has written and begged the Revd Mother to have her back, owning her great wilfulness during the time she was here before. She is so anxious to return, that she is willing even to come as a Lay Sister, if only she may be re-admitted. The Revd Mother did not like to reject her application without your advice, and would not give an answer without knowing your feeling as to its desirability.’

The Mistress said: ‘I can see no objection to laying the matter before the community for their consideration. When here before she seemed like a blind person, & eld not see her faults, but since she has been away, she has written to me very fully & seems now to realize them. She asks for another trial, not for an extension of her Novitiate; if she returned, it would be as a stranger to rejoin over again. I think the decision of the Chapter was entirely conclusive, in the state she was then in, because she was rejected on account of her faults, but now she seems a changed person. She asked for another trial before she left, but I held out no hope, thinking it was only the excitement of the moment; since then, however, the wish has gone on growing in her.’

S. Sophia said: ‘S. Christina, when she was going made me an apology for something she had done two years before, & acknowledged how just she considered the decision of the Community to be.’

S Harriet Mary said: ‘While she worked with me at St Elizabeth's, the patients were all very fond of her, & no one did more for them spiritually than she did. One of the patients shed tears when she heard she should have no more instructions from her.’