Having entered the Society of the Sacred Heart, Mary Ann, soon to be Aloysia, gave herself completely to God. At one point, shortly after leaving home, her old Mammy appeared and tried to get her to come home saying that her father was ill, was dying, and was calling for her. She was dumb with grief but shook her head to all of her old slave's pleadings to come home. However, when alone she was tempted to run after the wagon and go home to see her father. She went almost a mile before she remembered that she had not prayed. When she stopped to pray, the will of God turned her back to the Convent where she told the superior all that had happened. One of the slaves was sent to inquire after Mr. Hardey and returned saying that he was in his usual good health.
On October 22, 1825, Mary Ann took the habit in a ceremony witnessed by a crowd of Hardeys and Smiths as well as numerous friends and the children of the school. At the ceremony Mr. Hardey seemed to be proud of his daughter so when he learned that she had been chosen to be one of the foundresses of the new Convent at St. Michael's, he offered to send an ox-cart to take the Religious to the boat.
They left at two in the morning and would have three sleepless nights before arriving safely at St. Michael's which was on the river near New Orleans.
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