Woe to the House!

Priests' Cope with Hood

Affiliation to the Order improved their way of life but did not solve all their problems.  In 1926 the government returned to confiscate the property again. Soldiers broke into the convent and the Sisters were forced outside.  A guard was posted in front of the door and the neighbors were forbidden to take them in.  The chief of the guards said, “Woe to the house in which we find a nun! We will incarcerate the whole family and take away their goods.”  Nevertheless some valiant souls offered hospitality on the sly.  Later that night Sister Bernarda realizing she had left the priest's vestments in the sacristy, convinced another sisters to sneaked back into the house with her to retrieve them. It was pitch black inside and they didn’t dare to turn on a light for fear. Unbeknown to them at the same time, Sister Natalia Garcia realized she had forgotten to take the holy oils and liturgy books with her.  When she and Maria De la Cruz Vasquez Davila returned to retrieve them, they heard the sound of the other two in the house and fled in fright.  Hearing the commotion, and thinking they were discovered, Sister Bernarda and her companion hid out the whole night in one of the cells.  The next day some Sisters went to México City and others went to live with their families.  Sisters Francisca Olvera and María Almaguer were the only two who stayed in San Miguel.  They received some provisions weekly from the Sanchez family and Mother Pia sent them additional money to obtain what they needed.  In May of 1927 Sor Magdalena River and Sor Dominga Olvera joined them.  They passed the rest of that year in hiding with much privation, both spiritually and materially.