it ential ▁practices ▁that ▁were ▁far ▁too ▁advanced ▁for ▁a ▁child ▁of ▁her ▁age . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁seen ▁for ▁her ▁love ▁of ▁the ▁ros ary ▁and ▁kept ▁one ▁on ▁her ▁person ▁at ▁all ▁times . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁noticed ▁to ▁have ▁felt ▁prof ound ▁happiness ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twelve ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁receive ▁her ▁First ▁Comm union . ▁In ▁her ▁late ▁te ens ▁she ▁realized ▁she ▁wanted ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁nun ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁and ▁so ▁her ▁parish ▁priest ▁made ▁arrang ements ▁for ▁her ▁to ▁join ▁a ▁religious ▁con greg ation ▁that ▁was ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Francis can ▁Order . ▁She ▁left ▁for ▁Rome ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁do ▁this ▁on ▁ 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁post ul ant ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁k itch ens . ▁She ▁comm enced ▁her ▁nov iti ate ▁on ▁ 9 ▁October ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁and ▁at ▁her ▁request ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁keep ▁her ▁bapt ism al ▁name ▁though ▁re arr anged ; ▁the ▁celebr ant ▁in ton ed : ▁" My ▁daughter , ▁you ▁will ▁no ▁longer ▁be ▁called ▁Ass unta ▁Maria ▁P all otta , ▁but ▁Sister ▁Maria ▁Ass unta ". ▁She ▁was ▁then ▁sent ▁to ▁Gro tta fer r ata ▁to ▁make ▁her ▁nov iti ate ▁and ▁was ▁assigned ▁there ▁to ▁both ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁animals ▁and ▁the ▁har vest ing ▁of ▁ol ives . ▁P all otta ▁was ▁admitted ▁for ▁profession ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December ▁