Chapter 8

As Page Judith and John descended the stairway from the second floor Lactation Solarium to the the U-Wing's ground floor, she asked him, "I hope I didn't bore you with all of that chattering of mine. I do appreciate your attention though."

When they reached the outside doors at ground floor landing, she turned to him, took his right hand in hers, sincerely asking, "Do you have any questions John?"

"Many," he said. "But they can wait as you asked, until we go to bed later."

Judith smiled as he said that and answered, "OK."

"But, I do have one question," John noted. "Sister Grace called me 'Brother John.' Is that correct?"

She laughed. "Well, Yes and No," was her answer.

"All men," Page Judith continued, "Who have been accepted into our Order are 'Brothers' and women are called 'Sisters.' So, as you already swore to uphold the Tenets of our Order, technically, you are now a Brother. So just as technically, you are wearing the wrong robe. It's just a strange situation because of November and Mother Superior having to take your Oath so early and without our formal ceremony.

"But how did Sister Grace know about that?" he asked.

Page Judith laughed then said, "This is a Convent. Remember? Here, rumors fly on the speed of Angel's Wings. Faster than a speeding bullet.

"I could sneeze and hear "Bless You!" from halfway across the Convent or a Doctor would be at my side in three seconds flat with a Kleenex and some pills!"

John couldn't help but laugh with Page Judith as she said that. "OK. I get it. Now ... What about that ceremony you mentioned?"

"It will take place during afternoon Vespers. All prospective new members publicly take their Oath to the Order and are given their new robes. It's my duty before the 'Service of Acceptance' to tell you about how it proceeds."

John turned, opening the door for his Page to exit. Then he followed her across the drive to the L-Wing's door. Page Judith opened it, he moved inside and waited for her.

"Walk with me," Page Judith requested as she inserted her right arm around his left one. "It's really very simple," she explained.

"Just before the beginning of Vespers, you Mary and the other couples stand in the wings of the Sanctuary. As Vespers begin, Mother Superior positions herself behind the Altar and gives the opening Invocation. Then she asks, 'All who wish to join our Order please step forward.'

"At her request all of you and your Pages move to line up before the steps leading up to the Altar. Then Mother Superior asks everyone if everyone is taking this Pledge of Honor of their own free will.

"When everyone answers 'Yes, ' Mother Superior tells the candidates to step up to the Altar. Then she holds her Cross high in front of her with her left hand. In the form of a blessing she raises her right hand saying, 'We arrive into this world naked by the hand of God. Into this Order and in God's image we shall receive you.'

"Continuing she says, 'Please turn to face the members of our Order.'

"Without a further word, the Pages remove the candidate's robes. After they have all fallen to the floor, Mother Superior commands, 'Please repeat our pledge for our Brethren.' The Pages say the Oath and the candidates repeat it.

"When the Oath is completed, Mother Superior asks, 'Do the members of our Order present accept this Oath of Honor and Devotion to the Tenets of Our Order?'

"Everyone replies, 'We do, our Holy Sanctified Mother.'

"Mother Superior says, 'New Brothers and Sisters of our Order Please turn and accept your Robes of Honor' as she moves around the Altar. She personally congratulates them and hands each one their new robe. The Pages help them put on their new symbol of commitment to the Order.

"Once more Mother Superior speaks saying, 'I congratulate each one of you for your commitment to our and now YOUR Order. Pages, please escort our new members to their position with their Brethren.'

"As the assembly applauds, with at times some enthusiastic whistles and cat-call yells from our very energetic younger members, we all step down and fill in behind those present in the pews.

"After that, the evening Vespers proceed with a couple of hymns and a short sermon. Just before she says the Benediction, Mother Superior invites all new members and their Pages to join her for a celebration saying, 'New Members, their Pages and Honored Guests please join me in my private dining room for a Welcoming Feast.' Then she gives the benediction and the service ends."

"That's quite a ceremony," John said. By then they were at L-Corner. Again John pushed open the door for Page Judith to pass through. On the other side of the threshold, she held the door for him to exit.

"Well, you'll be part of that tonight at Vespers," Page Judith commented as she moved to her left, sort of the way back they had just come but outside the building. "Let's walk this way. I want to show you the two schools we have here on Campus."

Then Page Judith stopped, shook her head and laughed. "We just should have just turned left when we crossed over the drive between U-Wing to L-Wing.

"Well, that's what Mother Superior says, 'We all make mistakes. That's what Confession's for!'

"I'm in line almost every day," Page Judith laughed. "I can be so bad!

"Thank goodness, Mother Superior is not the only one who hears them. I'd rather not confess to her. It's just too close to home, if you get what I'm saying."

John nodded his head, "I can understand that one."

As another laugh subsided, Page Judith motioned to the two, three story tall buildings on the other side of the long and not too wide smallish parking lot. It had only two rows of head to head lined spaces that ran from L-Corner to U-Corner. The two buildings on the other side of the lot, matched the lengths of both lower runs of the hospital. Each had an angled attached building next to it.

"Those are the classrooms," she said. "And the pieces on the sides are the dorms for each of the schools. The high school being closest to us and the grade school's the other building. We have a total of 30 classrooms in each and can serve up to twelve-hundred students for each school.

"Right now we have about half that enrollment, so the top floor of each school building is pretty much empty. Like most of our space throughout our Convent, Hospital and schools, the space can be quickly changed over for whatever use we need, like if a catastrophe befalls the area.

"You can't really see it from here but just beyond the school buildings is our Sports Complex. It houses a gymnasium and activity center. The bottom level has an indoor two hundred meter running track and areas for other field events. One end, by the way, where the track runs around through a tunnel, we have a stadium style arena, which extends up and over the indoor field.

That's where the League basketball court is. But with the court's floor covered and filled with seating the arena can hold over three-thousand people. Concerts, special events and graduations are also held there.

"In that athletic complex is our indoor swimming pool and an intramural basketball court. Tucked away in there are other courts for volley ball, badminton and handball. Tonight after dinner, I'll get you over to see it all when we go there for our swim. But for now, we have to head over for lunch. On our way, I'll show you my favorite place and where we'll be sleeping tonight."

It was a very short walk to the end of the Convent's East Wing. "Mother Superior's office is right there," Page Judith said pointing to the patio and garden they had passed through a little earlier. But for now we're going a couple of floors up over her office and quarters, to the Convent's living quarters. Hope you don't mind stairs!"