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acceptable
behavior required by the students at St. Agnes. Finally, Sister
Katherine explained, how what was about to take place; although it
may be frightening to some in the chapel was a necessity in the
eyes of God. One must be punished for their sins, in order to be
cleansed before the eyes of God. It would be in the best interest
of all to accept what was about to happen, and to use it as a
reference for each and every day of their future.
    Josephine was knowingly frightened as she
watched Sister Katherine walk down the aisle towards the rear of
the chapel. She had no idea what was about to take place but she
knew that she did not want to see it. Sister Katherine walked over
to the confessional, just to the right of the entranceway.
Josephine said, in little more than a whisper, “The confessional.”
Sister Ursula’s grip tightened for a brief moment.
    As the confessional door was opened, a small
white robed figure appeared. It was difficult to recognize the
figure that emerged, because of the darkness of the chapel. But
Josephine knew, deep down inside, who was robed in white. Her
beautiful auburn hair had been hastily cut to within an inch of her
scalp. Antonia was the figure in the white robe. And Sister
Katherine was directing her to the altar.
    As Antonia walked, heads turned. Josephine
felt embarrassment for her friend. Antonia though, had not seemed
to notice. Her eyes seemed fixed to something. Josephine followed
her gaze, to the crucifix above the altar. Once at the front of the
chapel, Sister Katherine requested Antonia turn and face her
benefactors. It would be with the help of all in attendance that
Antonia’s soul would be cleansed.
    “Let us all pray for the soul of Antonia Dal
Santo.” she began. And another ten minutes of prayer followed.
Antonia never moved. She did not sway back and forth. Her eyes
never darted around the chapel. It was as if she were a statue, in
Josephine’s eyes. Josephine felt the need for air. Sister Ursula
gently squeezed her shoulder for reassurance.
    When the prayer session ended, Sister
Katherine requested Antonia turn once again and face the altar.
Antonia did as requested without a sound. Once again her eyes
looked up to the crucifix. Sister Katherine requested that Antonia
kneel before the altar. Again the child complied without complaint;
her eyes never left the crucifix. Sister Katherine requested
Antonia drop the robe from her shoulders and let it fall down
around her waist. Josephine bit her lip, as Antonia did what was
required.
    As if by the hand of God himself, the cane
pole appeared. Sister Katherine turned to the girls in her
audience. “You shall all pray now for Antonia and for her swift
return to Gods favor.” And her audience began to pray. Sister
Katherine returned her gaze to Antonia’s tiny shoulders and back.
“May God forgive you child.” she said as she brought that cane pole
down upon Antonia’s back. The sound of the impact was so sudden,
the entire audience’s posture stiffened and with a collective gasp,
the praying had stopped. Sister Katherine’s head swung around to
face the silence so fast, it could have flown right off her neck,
and the audience started to pray again. As she returned her gaze to
Antonia, Sister Katherine’s eyes briefly met with Josephine’s. A
chill went through Josephine, who quickly joined her friend and
stared at the crucifix above the altar.
    The second strike was so fast and sharp, it
could have gone unnoticed. The third raised a welt. Whipping had
been done in the schools past, on three separate occasions. Two of
the offenders had received three strikes, with the third offender
receiving four. Sister Ursula was stunned enough to inflict pain,
unintentionally to Josephine’s shoulder, when the fourth strike hit
Antonia’s flesh, causing it to tear and the child’s blood to touch
the face of Josephine. But when the fifth strike matched the fourth
and the sixth came down much harder, she could not take it