Today, September 8th, is Our Lady’s birthday. Within the liturgical calendar this occasion is marked with a feast day that commemorates the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus. One hundred years ago this date seemed the perfect one to choose for the departure of missioners embarking on their new adventures. Let us, on this same day a century later, be readers of The Field Afar, hearing a first-hand account of the lead up to and the departure of this courageous group of new missioners.
“Knoll News.
September finds Maryknoll alive with the business of preparing for its eleventh departure ceremony. The outgoing missioners enjoyed a stay at home with their dear ones, and during the month of August, they could be seen at the Knoll dividing the day between conferences and cooking classes. Samples of the culinary art were tried out on the faculty, who are still – more or less – well. The bread, biscuits, and pie were not exactly ‘what mother used to make,’ but we admire as much the courage of the tyros as we do that of the survivors.
By the first of the month, the members of the student body were reunited, and all came back contented in the memory that ‘home and mother’ were still there, and excited by the thoughts of approaching events.
The days previous to departure are always busy ones, with packing and shipping and last farewells. The day itself – Our Lady’s birthday – is a fitting occasion for the beginning of such an important journey, and opens with Solemn Mass. In the afternoon, the departure of the Sisters takes place from their own chapel, where friends of ‘the travelers’ gather to say good-by. A feature of the Sisters’ farewell is the singing of an inspiring hymn prepared for this ceremony by two of their number.
In the evening, the ceremony is held at the Seminary on the lawns of the cloister, which are open, for that occasion, to the relatives and friends of our outgoing missioners. The services begin with the long procession of missioners, Seminary professors and visiting priests, seminarians, and Auxiliary Brothers. Arrived at the altar erected on the lawn, all recite the Itinerarium, the Church’s prayer for those undertaking a journey. An address to the ‘departants’ is followed by the commission given to each missioner, signifying the field in which he is to labor[…]. The missioners’ crucifixes are then blessed and placed about the neck of each priest by the Superior-General, who embraces each of his sons with the kiss of peace. During this ceremony the choir sings the beautiful Gounod departure hymn: ‘Go forth ye heralds of God’s tender mercy.’
All priests present follow the Superior in bidding the missioners Godspeed, and Solemn Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament concludes the service. The travelers, a few minutes later, are whisked away into the night amid the ringing of bells, the singing of hymns, and the hearty cheers of those who – looking forward to their own departure day – rejoice in the fact that new apostles are still anxious to go forth to fields[…].”
The Field Afar, September 1925, p. 253
