Boarding the Rhine, the Third Trip to America, May 1875

When the sisters boarded the steamer, RHINE, they saw many men on board. They soon learned that there were 90 Franciscan Fathers and several of the priests’ students also making the trip. After waving goodbye from the ship, the sisters returned to their cabins, crying all the while. To console them the Franciscan Fathers “opened their doors a trifle and began to sing four-part harmony hymns to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin as loudly as they could in order to cheer us and make the exile seem less heart-rending.” (Written by Sister Mary Justina, who was part of the group)

            After a day on the RHINE, the big steamer ROTTERDAM came to the small ship and let down a long ladder. At that point the Sisters were no longer on German soil and had nothing further to fear from the Kulturkampf. The captain of the ROTTERDAM insisted that the Sisters have an opportunity for Mass on the ship, a privilege they enjoyed four times weekly. The trip had many situations causing worry among the passengers: dense fog, a near collision with another ship, icy cold temperature, fear of icebergs. There was only one warm day, the day of landing, June 29, 1875.