When she was twenty-one, Frances Allen, daughter of Ethan Allen, the patriot and soldier of the American Revolution entered the convent school of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montreal to complete her education.
Once there she soon made herself persona non grata, for she took every occasion to mock the Eucharist. For the sake of peace and harmony among the students the Mother Superior decided to ask the girl to leave. One of the nuns, however, begged the Superior to give Frances another chance.
It was of no avail. So for a second time it was decided to send her home.
On the afternoon of her departure she happened to be helping one of the nuns arrange some flowers for the chapel. On impulse the Sister turned to Frances and said: “Would you mind taking them in for me and putting them on the altar?” Then she added, again on impulse: “Be sure to adore the Lord while you are there.”
The girl; reached the sanctuary gate just a few steps from the altar and suddenly found herself unable to move farther. Her legs seemed paralyzed.
A moment later she fell to her knees babbling words of faith.
The following year she entered the cloister of Hotel Dieu in Montreal as a postulant, and later she went on to become the first nun from the thirteen original colonies.