After such prolonged and varied preparations it was certainly time to begin the canonical novitiate.

       Don Tannous was deeply versed in everything he discovered in the intimate diary of Sister Marie-Alphonsine. He instructed her carefully on the directives which the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars had produced in regard to the founders of New Congregations and which would be codified 20 years later in the Normae 1902.

       It was necessary to have very precise ways set up to realize the directives within the local milieu of the Holy Land and particularly in the missions established by the Latin Patriarch. This work demanded much time; and Canon Tannous had many other important occupations entrusted to him by the Patriarch. Besides, he said to himself that it was good that these young people get well used to the practice of the religious life before any canonical rules be imposed upon them.

       The desire of the founder would have been to place Sister Marie-Alphonsine at the head of the community. Was she not the soul of the foundation? But there was so much talk about her because of her former Congregation that he was obliged to give up the idea. The good of the work demanded that this Sister live totally hidden. Besides, nothing was more suitable to the divine plan. She too asked for nothing better than to be ignored.

       All the other young Sisters were totally inexperienced in religious life. Don Tannous preferred therefore to seek elsewhere a capable person who would, under his own direction, take over the government of the young congregation and assume the duty of forming the first aspirants.

       He knew a mature Arab religious in the Congregation of the Dames de Nazareth who was know for her prudence and for her activities as Superior of the houses in Nazareth and in Chef-Amer.

       Mother Tecla Nasser, Born in Syria, seemed to Don Tannous the person needed to do the delicate task that awaited her. He addressed himself to the Superiors of that Congregation asking them to give him Mother Tecla for a time.

       The religious of Nazareth found it very difficult to deprive themselves of such a subject; they did however, consent to it but only on recommendation from Rome.

       Mother Tecla came to Jerusalem, took the name of Mother Rosalie, and was appointed Superior of the Sisters of the Rosary on March 1, 1883. She was at the same time given the responsibility of Novice Mistress and assumed this function on the 7^th of the same month. She was an austere religious of a personal and rather rigid temperament; she influenced deeply the generous and fervent wills of the young Sisters. However, as she was more suited for governing than for the spiritual and interior guidance of souls, she did not always know how to manifest the flexibility and understanding demanded by the direction of the Novitiate.

       The period of the Novitiate is a time without history. The work of formation is accomplished principally within; the novices have a minimum of external relationship. The action of the novice mistress was, under the present circumstances, even more important since the Congregation was lacking in traditions.

       There should have been at the head of the novitiate a person who would know all the instructions received from the Blessed Virgin by Sister Marie-Alphonsine. Better still it should have been she herself in charge.

       However it was thought inadvisable. These secret things could not be revealed. The best thing would have been to be inspired without revealing the source, as was done later on.

       It is certain that Mother Rosalie was not the person capable of entering into such fine details. The founder did his best to infuse the true spirit; but his visits were rare and brief. He suffered from this drawback, which would have been even more regrettable had not these young girls had the benefit of his spiritual direction for several years.

       Sister Marie-Alphonsine suffered particularly because of this, seeing all and not being able to help in any other way than through her prayer. It was impossible for her to give the least indication as she soon saw that she was the object of suspicion on the part of the mistress. But tongues had not failed to put Mother Rosalie up to date on the story of this Sister in the way rumours spread in a town. She was accused of denial and treason in regard to her first vocation; they pointed at her as a suspected person who could not be trusted anymore. Undoubtedly, Mother Rosalie did not believe everything said about this novice of 40 years of age; but, such rumours founded or not, seemed to her another reason to test the Sister even more and not to give her any responsibility.

       Was there possibly any aspect of jealousy in the superior? She couldn't help noticing that Don Tannous, though very reserved, showed a certain consideration and special confidence towards this Sister whose advice he loved to take on many matters of the Community. The founder surely did not need to give an account to Mother Rosalie for his ways of acting. As to the Sister, it was impossible for her to introduce the Mistress into the reserved domain of her supernatural relations known to her director and to the Patriarch only and which the Mistress would not understand anyway.

       But Mother Rosalie suffered because she saw that things concerning her Novice were being hidden from her. And this mystery finally succeeded in making her consider Sister Marie-Alphonsine as an untrustworthy person who had to be pushed to reveal herself.

       She began by being very severe with her. The Novice accepted all the corrections in silence even if they were without foundation. However, certain gratuitous accusations were keenly felt by her. It was particularly in these circumstances that the heavenly Mother came sometimes to bring her support and help: "She visited me and consoled me," writes the patient Sister. Thus fortified, she behaved as the happiest of novices.

       Such a smiling endurance brought the superior beyond herself; she began to add reproaches and sarcasms and spiteful allusions to the gossip spread about Sister in town. "Our Lord," so writes the Sister, "used Mother Rosalie to make me taste of the chalice of his Passion."

       Severity soon changed into persecution and ill treatment; more than once, we are told, the Sister was deprived of necessaries. One day, because of a mistake, she was accused of a very serious disobedience. The same evening, without any further information, the superior decided to inflict an exemplary punishment on her. She was excluded from the Community meal: "You are unworthy of the food given to you." Without a word in reply, the novice went to the dormitory where she remained for two days. Her companions, her sister Hanneh particularly, were disgusted; they passed by her bed without daring to say a word to her. Finally, Sister Marie-Alphonsine had Don Tannous called in to hear her confession. He came, heard it and gave orders to give her something to eat.

The time of the novitiate came to an end amidst such trials.

The consecration

       On March 7, 1884, novices who were admitted to profession pronounced their three vows of religion which consecrated them to the Lord and Our Lady.

       We can only guess the joy of the new spouses of Christ because no account of this ceremony has been preserved; the ceremony was presided over by the Patriarch in person.

       Ten had entered the course. Only nine came to its fulfilment; Regina Danil had to withdraw. Her nervous system was too weak and had been shaken by her recent crisis; she could not bear the strict life style of the novitiate. However, she continued to be esteemed and loved. Don Tannous would always say: "We consider her always as being one of ours."

       The happy professed Sisters were: Sister Hanneh Danil, Sister Regina Carmi, Sister Louis Aboussouan, Sister Catherine Souan, Sister Philomene Abis, Sister Therese Habach, Sister Miriam Shoueri, Sister Elisabeth Boutros and Sister Marie-Alphonsine.

       With these nine founding Sisters, the Congregation of the Rosary, so earnestly desired by the Holy Virgin, was from then on established. It only remained now, to launch into apostolic action in order to realize the program indicated by heaven.