BRIEF RETURN TO THE WORLD

Anna Mary left the convent on the 4th of January, 1765. Towards the end of that same month her father took her to see her little sisters and the Nuns at her old school of St. Apollonia, and thence to Prato to bid farewell to her brothers Gregory and Francis Xavier who were being educated at the Cicognini College in that town. On that occasion they all stayed at the little guest house of St. Nicholas.

One morning, while waiting for dinner, Anna Mary hastily ran to her room, seemingly to get ready, but her brother Francis knew she had really retired there to pray, and waited for her at the foot of the stairs. A few minutes later she came rushing out, put her arms around his neck and asked him: "My little Francis, do you really love God?" "The best I can as a sinner," he replied. Then with her eyes lifted to Heaven she added: "Really love Him; if you only knew how beautiful He is, how lovable and how good!" Astonished at this outburst, Francis gazed at her in wonderment and saw that her whole face was transfigured with a saintly exuberance of love.

The constancy of her love of God, enables us to say of Anna Mary, as of St. Bonaventure and of St. Francis, "Non tam orans, quam oratio factus". Nothing in any way prevented her from adoring Him and feeling Him always present. She saw fit to pray wherever she happened to be. She had made a cell of her heart and whether she conversed with others, was on her way somewhere, or in the midst of the thousand inevitable distractions of everyday life, she had the art of retiring within herself and of hiding herself in God.

Away from her dear convent, far from that "house of angels" as she used to call it, she was, nevertheless, with the good Sisters in spirit and heart. Everywhere she went she was admired for her angelical humility and composure, her innocent candor, her fervent devotion and piety, and the general sweetness of her appearance and manners.

She came in contact with various people during this time of waiting, and Mrs. Mozzi (whose guest she was for a short period before her re-entry to Carmel) tells us that Anna Mary was ever careful and circumspect in her conduct own to the smallest thought, and always endeavored to live according to the highest standard of Christianity. The good lady was more than edified by the goodness which veritably shone in the girl's beautiful face.

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The Clothing of Anna Mary was fixed for the 11th of March. On the vigil of that long-desired day, Anna Mary was accompanied by her father, and many of the Florentine nobility, to the Convent of St. Theresa.

We do not know what words Cavalier Ignatius said to his daughter on that solemn occasion, but certain it is, that it must have been in his heart, if it did not quite spring to his lips, to say, as Monsieur Martin, father of St. Theresa of Lisieux, said: "I thank Thee, O Lord, for the honor Thou hast done me in choosing a bride from my house. If I possessed anything better to offer Thee, Thou shouldst have it".

The heavy door of the enclosure opened again and the double row of Sisters was seen once more. They were standing immovable, lighted candles were in their hands and one of them was carrying a crucifix. Anna Mary, at the sight of her Lord, fell on her knees and the Sister inclined the crucifix for her to kiss. Then the Prioress advancing, took her affectionately by the hand and raised her from her knees. Almost ashamed of her fashionable coiffure, Anna Mary quickly disappeared in the wake of the Sisters, down the long corridor, where the shadows were beginning to fall.

The key grated in the lock; once more the heavy door was closed.

For a few minutes longer, the echo of a chant lingered, becoming ever fainter in the distance and seeming to lose itself in the tomb. It was the "Te Deum" for her, who had now said good-bye forever to the world and was going to bury herself with Christ, in a life of penance and expiation for the sins of the world.

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