€cntcnarn Edition.

THE COMPLETËASCËTICÀL WORKS
OF

ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI.
24 vols., Price, per vol., 2/rZ, $L2B.
Each book is complete in itself, and any volume will be
sold separately·

Volume 1.
“
“

“

“
“

“
“
“

“
‘‘

«
“
“

Preparation for Death ; or, Considerations on the Eten
nal Truths. Maxims of Eternity—Rule of Life.
II. Way of Salvation AM) of Perfection : Meditations.
Pious Reflections. Spiritual Treatises.
III. Great Means of Salvation and of Perfection:
Prayer. Mental Prayer. The Exercises of a Retreat.
Choice of a State of Life, and the Vocation to the
Religious State and to the Priesthood.
IV. The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus
Christ ; or, The Mysteries of Faith.
V. The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ.
VI. The Holy Eucharist. The Sacrifice, the Sacrament,
and the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. Practice of Love
of Jesus Christ. Novena to the Holy Ghost.
VIL, VIII. Glories of Mary: i. Explanation of the Salve
Regina, or Hail, Holy Queen. Discourses on the Feasts
of Mary. 2. Her Dolors. Her Virtues. Practices.
Examples. Answers to Critics.—Devotion to the Holy
Angels. Devotion to St. Joseph. Novena to St. Teresa.
Novena for the Repose of the Souls in Purgatory.
IX. Victories of the Martyrs; or, the Lives of the Most
Celebrated Martyrs of the Church.
X., XI. The True Spouse of Jesus Christ : i. The first
sixteen Chapters. 2. The last eight Chapters. Appendix
and various small AVorks. Spiritual Letters.
XII. Dignity and Duties of the Priest; or, Selva, a
collection of Material for Ecclesiastical Retreats. Rule
of Life and Spiritual Rules.
XIII. The Holy Mass: Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ceremonies
of the Mass. Preparation and Thanksgiving. The Mass
and the Office that are hurriedly said.
XIV. The Divine Office: Explanation of the Psalms and
Canticles.
XV. Preaching: The Exercises of the Missions. Various
Counsels. Instructions on the Commandments and
Sacraments.
XVI. Sermons for Sundays.
XVII. Miscellany. Historical Sketch of the Congregation of the
Most Holy Redeemer. Rules and Constitutions of the
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Instructions
about the Religious State. Lives of two Fathers and of a
Lay Brother, C.SS. R. Discourses on Calamities. Re­
flections useful for Bishops. Rules for Seminaries.
XVIIL, XIX., XX., XXL Letters.
XXII. Letters and General Alphabetical Index.
XXIII., XXIV. Life of St. Alphonsus de Liguori.

Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago.

She Centenary edition.
THE

CO MP L· E T E

WORKS

OF

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori,
Doctor

of the

Church,

Ltshop of Saint Agatha, and Founder of the Congregation of the Most
Holy Redeemer.
TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.
EDITED BY

-p·. yy-

-gj

-qt

ο- .τπ jST ZE

G R I IVE LÆ ,

Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

THE ASCETICAL WORKS.
Volume XVII.

Miscellany.
Historical Sketch of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Rules
and Constitutions of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Instructions about the Religious State. Lives of two Fa­
thers and of a Lay Brother, C.SS.R. Discourses on
Calamities. Reflections useful for Bishops.
Rules for Seminaries,

THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION

RNDE PATER:
Memoriam gloriosi Congregationis SS. Redemptoris Fundatoris, centesimo,
ab ejus obitu, adventante anno, pio et admodum opportuno consilio recolere
aggressus es, dum omnia ipsius opera anglice vertenda, et typis edenda curasti.
Summus itaque Pontifex, cui tum S. Doctoris exaltatio, tum fidelium utilitas
summopere cordi est libentissime excepit 9 volumina huc usque edita, quæ Ei
offerre voluisti. Ac dum meritas Tibi laudes de hac perutili tua cura praebet,
et gratias de filiali oblatione agit, Benedictionem, quam tuis obsequentissimis
litteris petiisti, Emi quoque archiepiscopi Baltimorensis commendationi
obsecundans, ex intimo corde impertiit.
Haec ad Te deferens fausta cuncta ac felicia a Domino Tibi adprecor.
Paternitatis Tuæ,
Addictissimus,
M. CARD. RAMPOLLA.
Romae,

die 4 Junii, 1888.

TRANSLATION.
Reverend Father :
As the centenary of the death of the illustrious Founder of the Congrega­
tion of the Most Holy Redeemer drew near, you conceived the pious and
appropriate plan of shedding a new lustre on his memory by translating all
his works into English and publishing them. The Holy Father, therefore,
who has at heart the spiritual advancement of the faithful, as well as the
exaltation of the holj Doctor, has most graciously accepted the nine volumes
thus far published, which you wished to present to him. While bestowing
upon you well-deserved praise for your useful labor, and thanking you for
the gift inspired by your filial love, he gives you from his heart the blessing
which you humbly asked for in your letter, complying also with the request
of the Most Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore.
As the bearer of this, I wish you all happiness in the Lord.
I am, Reverend Sir,
Your obedient servant,
M. CARD. RAMPOLLA.
Rome,

June 4, 1888.

Tire ©catenary gdition.

Miscellany. z
Historical Sketch of the Congregation of the Most Holy Re­
deemer. Rides and Constitutions of the Congrega­
tion of the Most Holy Redeemer. Instructions
about the Religious State. Lives of two
Fathers and of a Lay Brother, C.SS.R.
Discourses on Calamities. Re­
flections useful for Bishops.
Rules for Seminaries.

St.
EDITED BY

REV. EUGENE GRIMM,
Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

BEUZIG-E
Printers to the Holy Apostolic See.
R. WASHBOURNE,

18 Paternoster Row, London.

Μ. H. GILL & SON,

50 Upper O'Connell Strkei, Di

1890.

bliN.

APPROBATION.
By virtue of the authority granted me by the Most Rev. Nicholas

Mauron, Superior-General of the Congregation of the Most Holy

Redeemer, I hereby sanction the publication of the work entitled
“Miscellany,” which is X^olume XVII. of the new and complete edi­
tion in English of the works of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, called
“ The Centenary Edition.”

Elias Fred. Schauer,
Sup. Pnrv. Baliimorensis.

Baltimore, Md., March 5, 1890.

20552

Copj righ», 1890, by Elias Frederick Schauer.

CONTENTS.
-

•

l’AGK

Notice,..................................................................................................ii
Historical Sketch of the Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer,...................................................................................... 13
RULES AND CONSTITUTIONS OF THE CONGRE­
GATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER.

T h e End o f the I nstitute,............................................................. 61
Part I. Missions and other Exercises,......................................64
I. Missions,........................................................................ 64
IL Other exercises,.............................................................. 66
Part II. The Particular Obligations of the Members of
the Congregation,.................................. 67
I. The vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and per­
severance,
.........................................................
67
%
II. The fréquentation of the sacraments, prayers, and
certain exercises of humility,....................... 71
III. Silence, recollection, mortification, and corporal
penances,....................................................................... 73
IV. The domestic meetings..................................................... 75
Part 111. The Government of the Congregation, .... 7b
I. The Rector Major and his Consultors........................... 76
II. The qualities requisite in those that are to be ad­
mitted, .................... ............................................ 83
COUNSELS CONCERNING A RELIGIOUS VOCA­
TION.

I. We ought to conform to the designs of God in the choice
of a state of life, whatever it may be,.......................... 88
11. The vocation to the religious state. How important it is to
follow it promptly............................................................ 89
HL Means to be employed for preserving a religious vocation
in the world,................................................................ 96
IV. Dispositions required for entering religion..............................104
V. Trials that we must expect to have in the religious life,
. 11S
Conclusion,................................................................................ 122

Contents.

CONSIDERATIONS EOR THOSE THAT ARE CALLED
TO THE RELIGIOUS STATE.
PACE

I. How the salvation of the soul is secured by entering the
religious state,.......................................................................... 124
II. The happy death of the religious,.............................................. 126
III. The account which he will have to render to Jesus Christ on
the day of judgment who does not follow his vocation, 130
IV. The torments which in hell will be the lot of him who is
damned for having lost his vocation........................................ 132
V. The immense glory which religious enjoy in heaven,. .134
VI. The interior peace that God gives good religious toenjoy, 137
VII. The damage done to religious by tepidity,...................... 140
VIII. How dear to God is a soul that gives itself entirely to him, 143
IX. How necessary it is, in order to become a saint, to have a
great desire for such a thing..................................................... 146
X. The love we owe to Jesus Christ in consideration of the
love he has shown to us,........................................................ 149
XI. The great happiness which religious enjoy in dwelling in
the same house with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacra­
ment, ........................................................................................... 152
XII. The life of religious resembles mostly the life of Jesus
Christ,................................................................................... 154
XIII. The zeal which religious ought to have for the salvation of
souls,................................................................................... 15 7
XIV. How necessary to religious are the virtues of meekness and
humility,................................................................................. 160
XV. How much religious ought to confide in the patronage of
Mary,......................................................................... ιβ2

EXHORTATION TO NOVICES TO PERSEVERE IN
THEIR VOCATION.
I. Temptations to which novicesare exposed,........................... 165
II. Means to preserve one’s vocation................................................. 180
HI. Important instructions to the novice that he preserve himself in fervor,......................................................................... jg.
Exhortation to religious to advance in the perfection of their state, j°
Purity of intention............................................................................
Religious poverty,.............................................................................. j
fl

Contents.

7

NOTES ON THE LIFE OF THE REV. FATHER CA­
FARO OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MOST
HOLY REDEEMER.
PACK

His birth and infancy,................................................................ 2°5
His entrance into the seminary and his conduct while there, 20S
His conduct as priest and as pastor........................................... 210
His resignation of the office of parish priest and his en­
trance into the Congregation.................................................... 215
V. His zeal for the missions......................................................... 218
VI. His love for mental prayer and his interior trials................... 222
VII. His love of obedience.................................................................. 229
VIII. His humility,
.......................................................................... 232
IX. His mortification,...................................................................... 235
X. His spirit of poverty,.................................................................238
XL His detachment in regard to his relatives and his charity
towards his neighbor,........................................................... 239
XII. His purity,............................................................................... 241
XIII. His devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ and to the
Blessed Virgin,..................................................................... 243
XIV. His constancy in his resolutions and his conformity to the
good pleasure of God................................................................ 243
XV. His death,............................................................................... 246
I.
IL
III.
IV.

NOTES ON THE LIFE OF FATHER JANUARIUS
MARIA SARNELLI OF TH E CONGREGATION OF
THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER.
1. His birth, infancy, and youth..................................................... 251
IL He embraces the profession of the law, then the ecclesi­
astical state,............................................................... 252
III. He enters the Congregation of theMost Holy Redeemer, . 254
IV. He is sent to Naples,.............................................................. 255
V. His love of meditation,.......................................................... 25Û
VI. His principal devotions...............................................................257
VII. His interior trials......................................................................... 259
\7IH. His spirit of mortification and of humility,.......................... 261
IX. I lis charity towards his neighbor,..........................................263
X. Ilis zeal for the salvation of souls. .........................................264
XL His enterprise in regard to prostitutes,............................... 268
XII. His writings,.............................................................................. 270
XIII. His last illness and death,.................................................... 272

Contents.

8

NOTES ON THE LIFE OF VITIUS CURZIUS, LAYBROTHER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE
MOST HOLY REDEEMER.
PAGE

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.

His conduct in the world and his vocation,.............................. 278
His entrance into the Congregation............................................. 2S0
His love of meditation,............................................................. 281
His mortification and humility,................................................... 282
His charity towards his neighbor................................................. 284
His obedience and his death,................................................... 285

VARIOUS SMALLER WORKS.

Sermon for the First Sunday of October on the Rosary, . 2S8
1. How the Rosary should be recited in order that it may be
meritorious, 2S9.
2. What we must do in order that the Rosary may be profit­
able to us, 292.
Sermon on the Passion of Jesus Christ,........................................ 298
I. First scene: The garden of Olives. 2. Second scene:
The Pretorium. 3. Third scene: Calvary.
Nine Discourses

for

Times of Calamities.

I. God threatens to chastise us in order to deliver us from
chastisement......................................................................321
II. Sinners will not believe in the divine threats until chastise­
ment has come upon them,.................................................. 331
HI. God is merciful for a season, and then chastises, .... 342
IV. The four principal gates of hell,............................................. 354
V. External devotions arc useless if we do not cleanse our souls
from sin,......................................................................368
VI. God chastises us in this life for our good not for our
destruction,........................................................................ 3 78
VII. God chastises us in this life that he may show us mercy in
the next,............................................................................. 3S8
VIII. Prayers appease God, and avert from us the chastisement
we deserve, provided we purpose to amend,
.... 401
IX. Most Holy Mary is the mediatrix of sinners,....................... 410

Holy Scripture and from the Holy Fathers
referring to some Particular Calamities...................... 421

Texts

from

Contents.
Reflections

useful for

Bishops

9

th\t they may govern

WELL THEIR CHURCHES.
PAGW

Prologue..................................................................................................... 430
Chapter I. The principal cares of a bishop,....................................... 433
I. The seminary. 2. Candidates for ordination. 3. Priests.
4. Parish priests. 5. Vicars and seivants. 6. Convents of
nuns.
Chapter II. The most efficacious means that the bishops should
employ to direct their flocks................................................... 444
I. Prayer. 2. Good example. 3. Residence. 4. Visita­
tions. 5. Missions. 6. The synod. 7. Counsel. 8. Audi­
ences. 9. Correction.
Conclusion..................................................................................................471
Ri les for Seminaries,...................................................................... 474
Introduction.—I. Duties of the bishop. 2. Duties of the
Director. 3. Duties of the Prefects. 4. Rules that the
seminarians must observe.
Fidelity

of

Subjects to God renders them Faithful to
the Prince, their Ruler.

Chapter I. If kings wish their subjects to be obedient to them,
thev must endeavor to make them obedient to God. Proof
of this assertion................................................................................. 497
Chapter II. Means to induce subjects to be obedient to God, . . 501
Chapter III. Examples of princes who by their zeal contributed
much towards the spiritual welfare of the people, .... 505
I. Emperor Constantine. 2. St. Louis, King of France.
3. St. Stephen, King of Hungary. 4. St. Ethelbert, King of
England. 5. St. Louis XIV.,’ King of France. 6. Charles
Emmanuel L, Duke of Savoy.
Conclusion.................................................................................................
Index....................................................................................................... 519
J

NOTICE.
This volume is called Miscellany, containing various Utile
works which, with the exception of the Letters to be published
subsequently in live volumes, complete the collection of the
ascetical works. Before giving these little works, we have thought
it well to add briefly an historical sketch of the Congregation of
the Most Holy Redeemer as it now exists. This volume com­
prises all that which in the writings of St. Alphonsus has ref­
erence to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer which
he founded, regarded principally as a religious Institute. It will
be particularly useful to those in the world who feel themselves
called to the religious state, and who are desirous to become
fully acquainted with the Institute for the purpose of examining
their vocation.
We at first give the Constitutions and Rules of the
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. Then follow
the Counsels concerning a religious vocation and con­
siderations FOR PERSONS CALLED TO THE RELIGIOUS STATE;

which the holy Founder addresses to aspirants, and to all those
that wish to know and to follow the road on which divine Pro­
vidence invites them to walk in order to sanctify themselves
and to save their souls.
This part is followed by the EXHORTATIONS TO NOVICES, to
fortify them in their holy resolutions, and to warn them against
the snares of the enemy of salvation.
Then follow biographical sketches of two Fathers and a laybrother, whose portraits the holy Founder delineates with his
own hand, and whom, it seems, he wishes to hold up as models
to all the rest.
Then comes a Sermon on the Rosary, followed by a Ser­
mon on the Passion; Nine Discourses for the Times of
Calamities; Reflections Useful to Bishops to Govern
well their Churches ; and Rules for Seminaries.
Ed.

ijistoricfll Skctcl)
OF THE

CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER.

I.

St. Alphonsus before Founding his Institute.
ad. 1696—1731.

Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was born, September 27,
1696, of noble and pious parents, Joseph de Liguori and Ann
Catharine Cavalieri, at Marianella, the country-house of his
family, near Naples. Soon great hopes were entertained in re­
gard to him ; for his parents having one day presented him to
St. Francis Jerome, this man of God received him into his arms,
affectionately blessed him, and then said : “This little one will
not die before his ninetieth year; he will be a bishop, and do
great things for Jesus Christ.” The prophet and the subject of
the prophecy were canonized on the same day.
Early one could remark in him those rare qualities with
which nature and grace in emulation of each other had favored
him. Frivolous amusements were repugnant to him; but he
had above all great horror of what might offend God. He de­
lighted in the fréquentation of the sacraments and in the other
practices of piety to which his mother had trained him. At the
age of eleven his method of prayer was more than ordinary.
One day, when he was in a country-house with some young
companions for the sake of recreation, he withdrew quite alone
into a thicket, while the rest were giving themselves up to play.
In the evening search had to be made for him, and he was
found in a solitary place, on his knees, absorbed in prayer be­

Μ

Historical Sketch of /he

fore a small picture of the Blessed Virgin that he had fastened
to a laurel tree.
Endowed with an active and penetrating mind, with a prompt
and faithful memory, uniting with a perfect docility an ardent
desire to acquire knowledge, sustained by an always increasing
piety, Alphonsus made in a short time immense progress in
belles-lettres, in the sciences and in the arts, the study of which
was suitable to his rank, and corresponded to the lofty designs
that his father had in regard to him. Al the age of sixteen he
was declared by acclamation doctor of civil and canon law. The
young advocate soon exercised his profession with wonderful
success before the tribunals of Naples, without, however, re­
laxing in the practice of virtue. When he was eighteen years
old he conceived an ardent desire to attain sanctity ; he joined
pious congregations, of which as a member he distinguished
himself by his regularity, his fervor, and his zeal for good works.
It was his delight to kneel for hours in prayer before the Blessed
Sacrament. In order to strengthen and increase his fervor still
more, he went every year to some religious house to make the
spiritual exercises.
His father, who was anxious to establish him in the world,
proposed to him several most brilliant matrimonial alliances;
but Alphonsus felt only aversion for marriage: and God, who
had other designs in regard to him, did not delay to make him
entirely disgusted with the world, from which he had already
become so detached as to wish to renounce his birthright. In
1723 he undertook a very important suit. After having ex­
amined with the greatest care the minutest details of the case,
he believed that he would surely succeed. God, however, per­
mitted him to overlook an essential point, which secured the
victory· to the adverse party ; for on the day on which the case
was tried, after pleading in so brilliant a manner that it appeared
as if the suit would be decided in his favor, he was obliged to
acknowledge that he had made a mistake. Then, full of con­
fusion, but at the same time enlightened by an interior light, he
felt a lively sense of the vanity of the things of the world, as
well as of the dangers of his profession as lawyer, and gave up
the bar forever.
This was not enough. On August 28 of the same year, after
having, according to his custom, exercised his charity to the

Congregation of the il host Holy Redeemer. 15
sick poor in the hospital of the Incurables, he saw himself sud­
denly surrounded with resplendent light, and a heavenly voice
repeated : “ Forsake the world, and give thyself entirely to me.”
Recognizing the voice of God, who called him to a higher per­
fection, and strengthened interiorly by grace Alphonsus replied
with tears of tenderness: “O Lord ! here I am : do with me what
I'hou pleasest.” He at once proceeded to the Church of our
Lady of Mercy ; there he prostrated himself before the altar of
the Blessed Virgin, and consecrated himself unreservedly to
God’s service, promising to enter the Congregation of the Oratorians ; then unbuckling his sword, he laid it at the feet of
Mary as a pledge of his irrevocable resolution.
His father, who was greatly afflicted at this .change, tried
every means to prevent him from taking such a step; butas
Alphonsus remained unshaken in his pious design, he finally
permitted him to embrace the ecclesiastical state, provided, how­
ever, he did not leave the paternal mansion. October 23, 1723,
the young lawyer, at the age of twenty-seven, joyfully laid aside
the livery of the world in order to clothe himself in the livery of
Jesus Christ; and three years later, December 21, 1726, after
having diligently applied all his noble faculties and all the ardor
of his soul to acquire the science and the virtues that make up
apostolic men, he was promoted to the priesthood.
He at once devoted himself to the exercise of his holy minis­
try with wonderful success. In 1725, when scarcely ordained
subdeacon, he had associated himself with the Congregation of
the Apostolic Missions, or of the Propaganda, established at
Naples; and in 1729, leaving the paternal house, he withdrew
to the house of the Holy Family of the Chinese mission, in
order to be more free to consecrate himself to his labors and to
the practice of the austerities that he wished to impose upon
himself. He did an immense deal of good, first, at Naples
among all classes of society, but above all among the poor
workmen, of whom he was especially fond. He then went
through the villages and hamlets, making war upon vice by
holy missions, and reanimating everywhere faith, piety, and
good morals. More than once the Mother of God was pleased
to second his zeal in a striking manner.

ιό

Historical Sketch of the
II.

The Saint establishes hisj Congregation.
a.d.

1731-1732.

In the month of May, 1731, Alphonsus, exhausted by great
fatigue,
% was induced by several ecclesiastics, bis friends and
usual companions, to retire with them for some time into the
country, to take a little rest in solitude and prayer; and upon
an invitation that was given to them, they went to Saint Mary’s
of the Mount, a hermitage situated in the neighborhood of
Scala? When they had ornamented their chapel and placed
therein the Blessed Sacrament in order to satisfy their piety,
there came to them a crowd of shepherds from the surrounding
country—poor people, who, deprived of all spiritual help, lived
in such ignorance of the things of God, that they were not
in a fit state to make their confession. Alphonsus felt his
apostolic heart deeply moved when he saw this concourse of
abandoned souls whom God was sending to him. With his
companions he began to instruct and dispose them to receive
the sacraments, so that the rest that he had come to seek in this
place became a laborious mission, which produced marvellous
fruits among all the people. He would then have wished to
find some means to give assistance to so many lost sheep that
were abandoned even in so Catholic a country!
The whole city of Scala was delighted to hear of the good
that was done at St. Mary’s. In order to respond to the desire
that was expressed of hearing the holy missionary preach, the
bishop invited Alphonsus to come at least once to preach a
sermon in his cathedral; and the saint consented to do so.
There was in this place a Community of fervent religious under
the title of the Religious of the Holy Saviour; these manifested
the same desire, and he gave them a conference. The people
became so desirous of tasting the fruits of such apostolic preach­
ing, that Alphonsus at his departure had to promise that he
1 Scala is a small town with 1700 to 1S00 inhabitants, a bishop’s see,
about one league or three miles north of Amalfi, two and a half leagues
southwest of Nocera, three west of Salerno, two southeast of Castellammare, and seven or eight southeast of Naples.

Congregation of the J host Holy Redeemer. 17
would return in the month of September to preach a novena
in the cathedral, and afterwards to give a retreat to the nuns.
This was done to the entire satisfaction of every one.
Il is th us that the Lord was gradually conducting his servant to
the end that his Providence had in view. Among the religious
of the Holy Saviour there was one that was very far advanced
in spirituality. 11er name was Mary Celestine Crostarosa, whom
God favored with extraordinary graces. On the 3d of October
she saw in spirit a new Congregation of missionaries who were
evangelizing a multitude of poor country people deprived of all
spiritual help; Alphonsus was at their head, and she heard
a voice saying to her: “It is this soul whom 1 have chosen
to be the instrument of my glory in this great work.” In an
interview that she afterwards had with the saint, she com­
municated to him her vision by assuring him that God required
this of him. Alphonsus, troubled and confused by hearing such
a revelation, refused to take the matter seriously, and said that
such a thing was impossible; but the religious, while humbling
herself, did not cease to persist that such was the will of God.
After this conversation, Alphonsus, having become a prey to
terrible agitation, shut himself up in his room, where he began
to shed a torrent of tears. He saw himself plunged into ex­
treme perplexity. On the one hand, he considered that there
was question of a good work ; he had to admit that the vision
of this humble religious
could
O
1 come from God; he recalled to
mind the consolation that he felt at the hermitage of St.
Mary’s; he experienced more strongly than ever his interior
attraction to a similar undertaking; and he feared to resist a
divine vocation. On the other hand, he saw insurmountable
difficulties: he found himself alone, without resources, and the
idea of being a founder frightened his humility. A young and
worthy priest, John Mazzini, his intimate friend, who accom­
panied him, perceived his painful state of mind, and asked him
the cause of it. When he learned about what there had been
question, he saw therein a work that was to be most pleasing to
Jesus Christ ; then fully convinced that if it were God's will he
would furnish the necessary means, he generously placed himself
at the disposal of the saint, as his first companion in the enter­
prise. This afforded great consolation to Alphonsus, and re­
stored his serenity.

18

IIistorical Sketch of the

There was then at Scala Mgr. Falcoia, Bishop oi Castellammarc, a prelate of well-tried sanctity and skilled in spirituality.
The two friends judged it proper to consult him as well as the
Bishop of Scala about this matter. After a close examination
the two prelates agreed that the inspiration came from God,
and they urged Alphonsus to hasten the execution of the proj­
ect. The saint, however, did not wish yet to decide. He did
not omit to pray, and to have as many prayers said as possible ;
to these prayers he united the most rigorous austerities, in
order to obtain the light and the protection of heaven.
On his return to Naples he rendered an account of all that bad
occurred to his spiritual director, Father Pagano of the Oratory.
This prudent man, after having maturely considered the matter
proposed, saw in it only the work of God ; but not wishing to
be the only judge in so grave an affair, he urged Alphonsus to
ask the advice of Abbé Cutica, a Lazarist ; of Father Manulio,
a Jesuit; and above all of Father Fiorillo, a Dominican; for
these were most competent authorities in such matters. All
agreed that the finger of God was in this project, and that it
should be encouraged. Fathers Fiorillo and Pagano then
counselled the new founder to place himself entirely under the
guidance of Mgr. Falcoia—a counsel that was supported by the
Blessed Virgin herself. From this moment the saint had no
longer any doubt, and his resolution was formed. He put him­
self unreservedly into the hands of the learned and pious Bishop
of Castellammare by engaging himself by a formal vow to obey
him in all things. It was thus that, full of confidence in Jesus
Christ and in his divine Mother, he launched upon the boisterous
waves in which his frail vessel was to be unceasingly agitated
by storms.
As soon as our saint’s determination became known at Naples,
the news produced a revolution against him in most minds; as
a general thing, he was spoken of only with contempt or indig­
nation as a visionary who gave himself up to foolish under­
takings. His relatives and his old friends, especially those of
the Congregation of the Propaganda and of the Chinese College,
became his enemies : he was abused in every possible manner.
This was the beginning of his trials; but Heaven soon showed
that he was not abandoned. This outcry against him spread,
and penetrated even the convent of the Holy Saviour at Scala,

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 19
in which one of the religious one clay said, in the presence of
Sister Mary Celestine, that she had serious doubts in regard to
the work about which so much was spoken. Sister Celestine,
however, answered her in ecstatic transport: “ It is the work of
God; you will recognize it as such by its effects.” “ Yes,” re­
plied the incredulous religious, “ 1 will believe it when our Sister
Magdalene is cured.” Hardly were the words uttered when
this poor Sister Magdalene, who had been deranged for many
years, perfectly recovered her senses.
Very great was the regret felt at Naples on account of the
intended departure of Alphonsus, on whom had been founded
great hopes, and it was rightly feared that other most esteemed
subjects would follow him; hence every means was tried to dis­
suade him from his purpose. His parents, on their part, were
extremely afflicted ; for his father one day seized him in his
arms and held him close to his heart for three hours. But all
was in vain; what should naturally have shaken his constancy,
only confirmed him more and more in his resolution.
Finally, on November S, 1732, freed from all obstacles, the
holy founder modestly left the capital and set out for Scala,
where the bishop, the clergy, and all the people received him
with joy. Several of his companions, whom he expected, came
to join him on the same day. The dwelling prepared for him
was very simple, very small, and very poor, and was destitute
even of what was most necessary. Jesus Christ, however, was
with them, and filled them with consolation. The day after
their arrival all assembled in the cathedral, and after a pro­
longed meditation, the Mass of the Holy Ghost was chanted in
thanksgiving to God. Thus began the Congregation which
they styled “Congregation of the Holy Saviour,”1 placing
it under the protection of the chief of all missionaries.
1 The 9th of November is the day of the Dedication of the Basilica
of the Holy Saviour at Rome. We shall afterwards see that it was
Benedict XIV. who gave to this Congregation the title of the Most
Holy Redeemer.

20

Historical Sketch of the

in.

'

From the Foundation of the Institute till the Approbation of
the Rules.
4
A.D. I732-I749.

The rising Community labored with great ardor to establish
itself. Some new subjects increased the number of members ;
but two of them, John Mazzini and Januarius Sarnclli, on whom
the holy founder mostly depended to help him in beginning his
work, were not able to join him at once. All were animated
with a good spirit, but this spirit was not the same in all ; for
when there was question of establishing the groundwork of the
Institute, there were manifested among them irreconcilable dif­
ferences of opinion. Alphonsus, faithful to his divine vocation,
wished to apply himself only to the exercise of the apostolic
ministry; but most of his companions desired that the educa­
tion of youth should also be connected therewith. All the
efforts that Alphonsus made could not conquer their obstinacy,
and the dispute ended in the withdrawal of all except two of
them. This was the situation of affairs after four months’ stay
at Scala.
When those that were opposed to the new Congregation
heard of this unfortunate issue, they felt triumphant, being per­
suaded that it was all over with such an enterprise, which they
had looked upon as foolish. The blow was indeed crushing;
but Alphonsus, without allowing himself to be dejected, hum­
bled himself profoundly before God, and fortified by grace,
made a vow, binding under the penalty of grievous sin, to
devote himself during his whole life, even though be might be
left quite alone, to the salvation of the most abandoned souls.
His director could not but admire his heroic act, and Heaven
blessed it. This was another victory over hell; and it was a
decisive victory. Little by little other subjects arrived who
were truly stones chosen to constitute the foundations of the
edifice; and Alphonsus could resume those so fertile apostolic
labors, t hat needed but to be extended in order to produce every­
where more and more abundant fruits, in the midst of everv kind
of opposition that was constantly raised by the enemy of all
good.

I

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 21
In 1734, in the month of March, the Bishop of Caiazzo estab­
lished in his diocese a house of the Congregation, in a place
called Villa,1 where there was a church dedicated to the Blessed
Virgin.
The following year, in April of 1735, saw l^ie establishment
of another foundation, which became more important and more
solid than the first two. It was that of the Blessed Trinity at
Ciorani/ due to the generosity of a worthy priest, Andrew Sarnelli, brother of Januarius. In 1737 a violent persecution arose
against the house at Villa, and the holy founder resolved to
abandon it. This was done June 10. The same thing took
place later on at Scala; the Fathers relinquished it August
24. 1738.
The whole Congregation became thus reunited at Ciorani, its
only establishment during four years. It was yet, so to speak,
in its infancy, only forming a reunion of pious and zealous mis­
sionaries, without any formal engagement, under the guidance
of a beloved and venerated chief, their father, their master, and
their model, who, little by little, disposed them to constitute
the religious family that he had in view in accordance with
their vocation. In 1742 the holy founder believed that the
moment had arrived when the Rule of the Congregation should
be definitely established, and on July 22, the feast of St. Mary
Magdalene, all the members of the Institute formally accepted
this Rule by pronouncing the simple religious vows with the
vow and oath of perseverance till death. The Congregation
assumed then greater stability and made further progress.
In the same year, October 13, was opened the celebrated
house of Nocera,5 situated in the suburb, and called Pagani.
The church that was afterwards built there in the midst of
great opposition, was dedicated to the archangel St. Michael,
who did not cease to protect it. The whole Congregation was
not only persecuted without intermission, but each house had
1 Villa degli Schiavi (of the slaves), a dependency of Formicola.
about seven and a half miles northwest of Caiazzo, and as far north
northeast of Capua.
- Barony of the Sarnelli family, in the diocese of Salerno, nearly
six miles northeast of Nocera, ami seven southeast of Naples.
3 Nocera de Pagani, an episcopal city, of seven thousand inhabitants,
eighteen miles southeast of Naples.

22

Historical Sketch of the

to submit to special trials, and at this time the attack was even
carried as far as Rome; but it served only to make the holy
founder and his work better known and esteemed.
In December, 1744, after a mission given at Iliceto/ there was
offered him an old church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin,
under the title of Our Lady of Consolation, with an old convent
situated about a league and a half from the city, that he might
establish there a house of his Institute. The offer was accepted.
At first the novices were sent to this new foundation ; but the
extreme poverty that reigned there was the reason why in Feb­
ruary, 1747, they were withdrawn and sent back to Ciorani.
Another sanctuary of Mary, under the title of Mother of God,
situated at Caposele, was also offered to St. Alphonsus for a
foundation, which was accepted June 4, 1746.
The Congregation
had at this
00
« time four’ houses, each of which
had been established with the special sanction of the king ; the
Institute, however, had not yet been formally approved, and had
no legal existence in the eyes of the government; and this was
the reason of the incessant attacks made upon it by its enemies.
Hence in the summer of 1747, and at the beginning of 1748, the
holy founder set out for Naples in order to have his Congre­
gation acknowledged and approved by sovereign authority. He
did all in his power and spared no pains to attain his end; but
thecurrentof politics was at that time against Religious Orders ;
he was allowed the maintenance of what existed, with the
promise of royal protection.
He was more successful at Rome, where he solicited with stid
greater interest the same favor from the Holy Sec; for it was
above all important that his work should be invested with the
solemn and authentic approbation of the Church. 1 n November,
1748, Father Villani was sent to the Eternal City to urge on the
successful issue of this most important matter. Everything
having been maturely examined and discussed in the Congre­
gation of the Council, the requisite decree was finally presented
to Benedict XIV. The Sovereign Pontiff remarked that the
title “of Holy Saviour” given to the new Institute was pre­
cisely that of the Chapter of Regulars existing at Venice, and
Λ small town of Capitanata, in the diocese of Bovino, south o(
3 roia and of Foggia·

Congregation oj the

J

lost Holy Redeemer.

23

he ordained that the name Holy Saviour be replaced by that of
Holy Redeemer. Finally, by a brief dated February 25, 1749. he
approved and confirmed by his apostolic authority the Con­
stitutions and the Rules of the Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer, raised by this act to the rank of the religious Insti­
tutes throughout the Church. One could not express how
much this happy event rejoiced the heart of the hoi)' founder
and of his children, as well as of all those that were the friends
of the good work.
IV.

From the Approbation of the Rules till the Second General
Chapter.
a.d. 1749-1764.

The high approbation given by the I loly See reflected new
glory upon the Congregation. Th >se that h id not known it. or
had but little appreciated it up to that time, were desirous of
learning more about it. It was eulogized, and its good reputa­
tion extended very far. God sent to it many subjects, among
whom were found priests of great merit; and it could thus en­
large the circle of its good deeds.
But before resuming their apostolic labors the Fathershad to
constitute themselves canonically by virtue of the approved
Rule. Hence in the month of October of 1749 all the Fathers
of the four houses assembled in General Chapter at Ciorani.
First, those that were in office handed in their resignation; St.
Alphonsus gave the first example, although the Pope had con­
firmed him in the office of perpetual Rector Major. The Rules
were then read, and each one renewed his vows, Then after a
retreat of three days they proceeded to the elections. It is
needless to say that the holy founder was re-elected SuperiorGeneral, and confirmed unanimously in this office; the other
elections followed in accordance with what is prescribed.
Finally the statutes and the most necessary rules were drawn
up in order to assure the execution and faithful application of
the Rule in its main details.
Atthis time, thanks to the generosity of the inhabitants of
Nocera, it was also a source of happiness to the Fathers to be
able to transfer to this house the students hitherto kept jointly
with the novices at Ciorani, when both bad become more and
more numerous.

24

Historical Sketch of the

The temporal existence of the Congregation was, however,
continually threatened. The saint had still to proceed several
times to Naples, in order to dissipate the new calumnies that
had been raised against it. Not satisfied with having fully vin­
dicated it and with making others appreciate the good that it
was effecting, he again undertook bv great and painful efforts
to have itapproved by the government ; but all that he obtained
was a half measure, namely, a royal decision, dated November 9,
1752, that maintained its four houses, but did not recognize them
as religious Communities.
About this time the services of the missionaries of the Most
Holy Redeemer were very much in demand in the State of
Benevento, belonging to the Holy Sec. The Archbishop
offered them a house at Sant’ Angelo, and they were installed
there, April 6, 1755. This was the first establishment outside
of the territory of the Neapolitan Government.
The same desire manifested itself in many dioceses of the
kingdom; but the necessary permission could not be obtained.
It was. however, obtained at last by the Bishop of Girgenti, in
Sicily, where the Fathers arrived, December 10, 1761, to begin
a new foundation.
Thus, in 1762, the Congregation, after thirty years of labor,
of continual struggle, possessed six houses, each of which
numbered twenty excellent missionaries. Moreover, a good
number of young men, full of the happiest dispositions, were
diligently applying themselves to their studies so as to prepare
themselves for the priesthood. They were/lislributed among
the different houses: in one house they devoted themselves to
the study of the humanities, to which the holy founder attached
great importance; in another, they were taught philosophy and
history; in another, dogmatic theology ; and finally, in another,
moral theology. This course comprised all the other sciences
that usually complete the training of evangelical laborers. In
every house regular observance flourished in a most edifying
manner. The Fathers could not satisfy all the demands that
were continually addressed to them for missions, novenas, and
other apostolic labors. Their services were required chiefly in
poor country places,yet also in cities in which special retreats
were often given to ecclesiastics, to seminarians, to the candidates
for ordination, to nuns, to religious, to Congregations, to the

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 25
nobility, to soldiers, etc. Heaven blessed all these works, which
produced wonderful fruits.
The holy founder had reached old age,broken down much more
by trials, by fatigue, and by infirmities than by his years . He
had no other thought than how he might perfect his cherished
work by putting the finishing touch to it in another General
Chapter that was to complete the interior organization of the
Institute. Such was his intention, which he wished to carry
out before his death, when on March 9, 1762, he was as it were
struck by a thunderbolt on hearing that Clement XIII. had
appointed him Bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths, lie had
before been chosen for the Archiépiscopal See of Palermo,
and he was able to escape this dignity; but this time he was
obliged to submit to the formal order of the Sovereign Pontiff,
and he was consecrated June 20, at Rome. His children, how­
ever, succeeded in obtaining the permission for him to retain
his title and office of Rector Major of the Congregation. This
greatly consoled him ; for in his humility he was convinced
that God had removed him from his spiritual family on account
of his sins. He named Father Andrew Viliam his Vicar-Gen­
eral of the Institute, to take his place in regard to the super­
vision and dispatch of ordinary and pressing business ; yet he
did not himself cease to govern his dear family in Jesus Christ,
as we may sec in the collection of his letters.
In 1764, when the second General Chapter could be convened,
the saint went to Nocera to begin it on September 3. He pre­
sided over this assembly, in which, under his inspiration and
direction, there was canonically regulated, even to the smallest
details, all that could be desired for the wise government of the
Institute; and on October 15, the feast of St. Teresa, his vene­
rated patroness, he closed the Chapter with thanksgiving to
God. The important acts of this Chapter may in some way be
regarded as the crowning of his work.

V.
From the Second General Chapter till the Death of St.
Alphonsus.
A.D. 1764-1787.

After the year 1764, it seemed that the Congregation, having
reached the stage of a perfect bod}', needed but to extend and

20

Historical Sketch of the

to multiply its fruits of salvation; and this it did in fact, but
always in the midst of sufferings, in continual combats, and
cruel and bitter sorrows. About this time two men of great
influence, Francis Anthony Maffei at Iliceto, and Nicholas Sarnelli, Baton of Ciorani, the brother of Andrew and of Januarius
Sarnelh, declared themselves the mortal enemies of the Congre­
gation. Having conspired with each other, and sustained by
impious and self-interested men in the kingdom, they did all in
their power and used every means to put an end to the Con­
gregation ; through their machinations it was for twelve years
kept between life and death.
In the month of July, 1767, the danger became so great that
the holy bishop was himself obliged to proceed to Naples. He
had no difficulty in dissipating the clouds of calumny that had
gathered, and the enemies of the Institute were covered with
confusion; but their discomfiture rendered them more furious,
and they meditated new conspiracies.
In the month of February, 1769, the storm burst upon the house
atGirgenti in Sicily, which had already been placed in a critical
situation on account of the death of the bishop; for this event
deprived them of the means of subsistence. The Congregation
had, besides, to suffer from the cruel malady that afflicted the
holy founder since the month of August, 1768. Towards the
end of 1771 he decided to withdraw his missionaries from Sicily,
to the great sorrow of the clergy and of the people—not, how­
ever, without the hope of seeing them return.
This bitterness was sweetened by the esteem and sympathy
that the Congregation enjoyed among all good people, as well
as by the blessings that Heaven shed upon its labors. In 1773
its missionaries were called to the Campagna of Rome, where
they were so well liked that the people were anxious to retain
them. St. Alphonsus accepted a house at Scifelli,’ under the
title of St. Cecilia, in the diocese of Veroli. The following
year he accepted another at Frosinonc, under the title of Our
Lady of Grace, belonging to the same diocese; and there was
question about several other new foundations, but for want of
sufficient resources they could not be accepted. A house might
have even been established at Rome, in accordance with the
1 A village four miles from Veroli.

Contre
O Ooat ion of
·/ the Most Holy
*> Redeemer, 279
wish of Clement XIV., but the saint thought that the time
marked by Providence had not yet arrived.
The houses established in the Pontifical States were a source
of great consolation and encouragement to the Congregation ;
on them the holy founder rested his hopes for the future, be­
cause regular observance, free from the difficulties that im­
peded it elsewhere, could flourish in them in all its fulness.
In the kingdom of Naples even the existence of his Institute
was always menaced. The king, however, recognizing the jus­
tice of its cause, and yielding to the solicitations of the inhabi­
tants of Girgenti, authorized the return of the Fathers to Sicily,
and they re-entered it in the month of April, 1775.
Three months afterwards, July 27, St. Alphonsus having ob­
tained from Pius VI. permission to resign his episcopal office,
returned to his dear house at Noccra, there 10 pass the rest of
his days in the midst of the severest trials. He had predicted
that he would die in his Congregation, and that he would then
be no more Superior;—a prediction that he renewed six months
after his return to Nocera, at the moment when he was thought
to be dying. “ Do not fear,” he said to those around him, “ I
shall not yet die ; for God wishes me to die under obedience,
and not in the capacity of Rector Major.”
He did not long enjoy repose. On October 3 the govern­
ment ordered that the suit against the Congregation should
begin in all its forms. It was now thought that all was over
with the Congregation. Its enemies triumphed; but the holy
founder put his trust in God by having recourse to prayer with
all his subjects, without however neglecting the ordinary means
of defence.
During this long war God did not leave him without consola­
tion. The Redem ptorists were asked for by the inhabitants of
Benevento, although the Fathers had an establishment at Sant’
Angelo. The saint disliked to settle his Fathers in the centre
of so large a city; but he had to yield to the entreaties of the
Cardinal Archbishop, which were strengthened by the approval
of the Sovereign Pontiff. The Fathers were solemnly installed,
June 6, 1777, on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Towards
the end of the same year Pius VI. granted to the missionaries
of the whole Congregation the same privileges that the Passionists enjoyed in their missions.

28

Historical Sketch of the

The enemies of the Congregation profited, on their part, by
the months and the years during which the suit lasted in order
to combine their plans, to win accomplices, and to draw up a
list of base accusations for the purpose of defaming and de­
stroying it; but divine Providence watched over it, powerful
friends intervened in its favor, and the saintly bishop remem­
bered that he had been a lawyer. In 1779 he presented to the
king in justification a memorial that he had written himself.
On August 21, after an impartial examination of the cause,
Ferdinand IV. rendered a decision that authorized again, and in
a more explicit manner, the four houses of the kingdom with
their Superiors, as well as the house of studies and the novitiate.
Moreover, on October 22, having obtained from Pius VI the
graces and the privileges of the jubilee, the king chose the chil­
dren of St. Alphonsus to announce this favor to his people, with
the promise to recompense them for their labors, “ in consider­
ation of their zeal to spread everywhere the principles of sound
morality, that ought to regulate the life of the good Christian
and the good citizen.” This prince thereby gave them a strik­
ing proof of his esteem, of his confidence, and of his protection.
This was not yet a formal approbation of the Institute; but it
was enough
Ο to disconcert and discourage
θ its enemies. It is
needless to mention the joy and thankfulness with which the
whole Congregation received this news.
The wise and saintly old man profited by the first moment of
calm in order to reanimate the zeal for regular observance,
asking only that his work might be left in a good state before
he died ; but this calm was soon followed by a new storm and a
real disaster.
Circumstances were thought to be favorable to make a new
attempt to obtain from the king the important favor that had
been solicited for so many years, namely, the recognition of the
Rule approved by Benedict XIV. Father Maione, ConsultorGeneral, represented the Congregation at Naples, and all were
satisfied with the manner in which everything bad been hitherto
done. He was charged with negotiating this delicate affair, by
receiving all the necessary powers, being a man in whom all had
full confidence. But through a motive of prudence, which was
thought to be well founded, he asked and obtained that all the
Consultors, as well as the Rector Major, should bind themselves
under oath to keep his enterprise a profound secret.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 29
Unfortunately, yielding on this occasion to wrong-headedness,
Father Maione proved faithless. Having persuaded Father
Cimino, also a Consultor General who accompanied him, to enter
into his views, he had the fatal temerity to take upon himself
the modification of the Rule by introducing into it grave and
arbitrary changes, without doubt to accommodate it to his own
ideas and to those who took the lead in the government.
When everything had been thus arranged in the month of
September, 1779, Father Maione boldly presented his scheme to
St. Alphonsus; but it was so badly written that the poor old
man, full of sufferings, could not decipher it, and was obliged
to send it to Father Villani, his Vicar and confessor, that he
might report his opinion to him. The Father was amazed at
seeing the Rule altered in this way; but perceiving that great
inconveniences would arise on both sides, and blinded to the
consequences of his act, he had not the courage to make the
truth known. He therefore answered that all was well; and
the saint, relying upon the word of his Vicar, who was at the
same time his confessor, gave his consent. Thereupon Father
Maione easily obtained the royal approbation of this pretended
copy of the Rule.
The new Rule, approved since the month of January, 1780,
was not forwarded to Nocera till the 27th of February. St.
Alphonsus was informed of it on the following day, and was
struck with consternation at seeing the changes that had been
made; and when the news of this sad affair spread among the
houses of the Institute, it caused general confusion: every one
was indignant at the conduct of the two Consultors, and even at
the holy founder himself. For these evils the saint found no
other remedy than what might bring on a still greater evil,
namely, the convening of a General Chapter.
There was then at Frosinone a restless and turbulent yet able
spirit named Leggio, who nourished a secret ill-feeling against
the saint, his Superior. He knew how to profit by the con­
fusion which then existed in order to wound the bosom of his
mother and the heart of his father. Assuming the mask of zeal,
he succeeded in forming a dominant party in the houses of the
Pontifical States, and persuaded them to ask of Rome the per­
mission to hold a special Chapter, and to choose a Superior to
be independent of the authority of the holy founder, whose

jo

Historical Sketch of the

1

character they did not fail to blacken as much as they could.
They were, however, obliged to send their deputies to the
General Chapter convoked at Nocera; and Lcggio was of the
number.
When this assembly was opened on May 12, one could see
that trouble and discord would ensue. The six Consultors
were deposed. St. Alphonsus was compelled to resign his
office, and this he did with profound humility; but he was re­
elected Rector Major, and as his Vicar was nominated Father
Bartholomew Corr.ido, who accepted this charge only at the
command of the saint.
On his return to Frosinone, Leggio, who was dissatisfied with
the result, pursued his project of separation. He went to Rome,
where he carried on his intrigue so well that he succeeded in
obtaining a favorable hearing from the Cardinals and even from
the Pope himself, and in throwing discredit upon St. Alphonsus,
who, owingto asingular concourse of circumstances, was placed
in the position of not being able to defend himself. Thus de­
ceived, God having permitted this, Pius VI. rendered a de­
cision, dated September 22. by which he declared that Father
Francis de Paul was named President of the houses situated in
the Pontifical States, with all the powers of Rector Major, and
that the other houses, not belonging any more to the Congre­
gation of the Most Holy Redeemer, were deprived of the favors
of the Holy See. The holy founder thus saw himself excluded
from his own Institute. His affliction was extreme; but he
humbly resigned himself to the will of God, and hastened to
write to Father Francis de Paul, to express his submission to
him as to his Superior.
.«
It was remarkable that during all these troubles the mission­
aries of the Congregation did not fail to labor with wonderful
success in the kingdom of the two Sicilies, as well as in the
Pontifical States. What above all afflicted the heart of the
saint was the privation of the spiritual faculties that the mis­
sionaries had before enjoyed ; for the faculties having been re­
duced to the simple powers given by the Bishops, they were not I
able to do so much good. He adopted various means to re­
cover the good graces of the Holy Sec; the Cardinal Arch­
bishop of Benevento and other prelates interceded in his favor;
but so strong were the prejudices against him that all was use-

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 31
less. Father Leggio, who was always in high seed it at Rome,
paralyzed all his efforts.
But God permitted evil only in order that good might be
drawn from it; and this alleviated the distress of mind into
which the holy founder was plunged. The Congregation being
divided in so unequal a manner, the favors that were enjoyed by
the houses situated in the Pontifical States attracted thither
many subjects from the kingdom of Naples, and this aided the
extension of the Institute. Besides, in 1781, Pius VI., happy in
being able to propagate it, bestowed upon it. even in Rome
itself, the house and the church of St. Julian, near St. Mary
Major; then he founded a house at Gubbio, another at Spello
near Foligno ; and there was also question of a foundation at
Ravenna.
On the other hand, many Neapolitan Bishops seeing with
regret what was going on, and reflecting on the injury that was
being done to their dioceses, addressed to Rome respectful
claims, in which they eulogized the missionaries and their ven­
erated chief, and gave testimony of their perfect innocence.
Moreover, the Nuncio of the Holy Sec at Naples, who had been
charged to make an exact inquiry, at last sent in his report,
which arrived October 17, 1782, and completely justified their
conduct. Then the dark clouds were scattered; the Sovereign
Pontiff acceded to the request made by St. Alphonsus in the
month of March of the following year, and bestowed upon his
missionaries the spiritual favors of which they had been de­
prived for two years and a half.
Peace was now established both on the part of Rome and on
the part of Naples, where at this time the recent suit was
brought
Congregation remained still divided,
o to an 9end ; but the00
During this same year, 1783, the Fathers of the kingdom of
Naples elected for the Coadjutor of St. Alphonsus, with the
right of succession, Father Villani. In 1785, on the 15th of
October, those of the Pontifical States assembled by the author­
ity of the Pope, and elected for their Rector Major Father
Francis de Paul; then those of Girgenti imitated them by .
choosing Father Blasucci to be the Superior in Sicily. The
saint one day said: “I have been wishing to see things ar­
ranged during my life; this I have asked, and am still asking
the Blessed Virgin every day; but it is not the will of God.

11istorical Sketch of the
Things will be arranged, but only after my death.” He finished
his glorious career August I, 1787, after blessing all his children.
He left twelve houses well established; namely, four in the
kingdom of Naples, that is, at Ciorani, at Nocera, at Iliceto,
and at Caposele ; one at Girgenti in Sicily; and seven in the
Pontifical States, that is, at Sant’ A ngelo, at Benevento, at Scifelli,
at Frosinone, at Rome, at Gubbio, and at Spello. These houses
were poor, and divided in regard to their government, but were
rich in good subjects, and were united by the same Rule, the
same spirit, the same zeal as well as by the same love, and the
same veneration for their glorious founder, who from heaven
was going to watch over his Institute, and to direct it by his
spirit till the end of the world, according to his prophecy and
the promise that he made.

VI.
From the Death of St. Alphonsus till the Death of Blessed
Father Clement Maria Hofbauer.
A.D. 1787-1820.

In order to establish itself outside of Italy the Congregation
had still to pass through many vicissitudes. The life of Blessed
Clement Hofbauer,’ who in 1784 was called in a marvellous way
to be a member of the Institute, resembled very much the life
of St. Alphonsus, whose great work he was to continue and to
propagate. At the end of 1787, with his friend Father Thaddeus
Hiibl, he departed from Frosinone for Warsaw, where the Apos­
tolic Nuncio received them with joy, and the king had the
Church of St. Benno assigned to them ; hence they were called
Bennonites. They were at once able to begin their labors,
owing to the Germans who frequented this church, and whose
language they spoke. Their work was so successful, that it
appeared to be a continual mission, to which people of all
nations were constantly flocking.
During this time the happy change predicted by the holy
founder was accomplished in Italy. Ferdinand IV., by a decree
of October 29, 1790, permitted the houses in bis kingdom to
1 He was declared Venerable by Pope Pius IX., May 14, 1876, and
beatified by Leo XIII., January 29, 1888.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 33
observe the Rule approved by Benedict XIV., and by another
decree consented to their reunion with the Fathers of the
Pontifical States. On his part, Pius VI., on August 5, 1791,
authorized this reunion, and wished that in a General Chapter
there should be elected by common consent the Rector Major;
this was done, for Father Blasucci was chosen Rector Major
of the whole Institute. But as he resided in the kingdom of
Naples, it became too difficult for the Fathers of Warsaw to
correspond directly with him ; therefore in 1793 he appointed
Blessed Clement Hofbauer his Vicar-General for the countries
of the North, communicating to him with some exceptions all
his powers.
At Warsaw there was very great suffering caused by extreme
poverty ; nevertheless the house became filled after a short time
with excellent Polish, German, and French subjects. God
blessed this work by manifest signs. About the year 1794,
Blessed Clement Hofbauer was able to settle some of his mis­
sionaries at Mittau in Courland, where they had been in request
for a long time. Soon after he formed two other establishments
in Poland—at Lukow and Radomyn. But persecutions, as
always, had to arise, and they had to be expected, especially at
this time, when the governments were anything but disposed to
favor religious Institutes. In 1798, the Russian Government,
on which Courland depended, forbade all the religious to com­
municate with their confreres outside the empire.
On the other hand, the Prussian Government, which had
become master of Warsaw, prohibited religious profession
before the age of twenty-four; this compelled Blessed Clement
Hofbauer to adopt measures to have a novitiate elsewhere. In
1803 Providence furnished him with a house at lestetten in
Switzerland, on the Rhine, in the neighborhood of Schaffhausen.
To this place he sent as Superior Father Joseph Passerai.
But during several years the Fathers did nothing but encamp,
now in this place, now in that : for example, in 1805, at Triberg,
a village of the Black Forest; then at Babenhausen, which soon
after passed into the hands of Bavaria; in 1806, at the monas­
tery of St. Lucius, near Coire; in 1807, at Viege, in the Valais.
The wolves everywhere followed the flock that had been in­
trusted to Father Passerat, and gave it no rest.
While it was with difficulty that the Fathers could find in the

34

Historical Sketch of the

Valais the means of subsistence, desolation reigned elsewhere.
At Warsaw, in 1808, the house was suppressed by violence; all
the members of the Community were sent away by force, then
dispersed. The other establishments also ceased to exist; that
of Radomyn had already been abandoned ; that of Lukow met
with a fate like that of the mother-house; and that of Mittau
was closed by the Russian Government. Blessed Clement
retired to Vienna, where the Archbishop appointed him, in 1809,
Rector of the Italian church.
This same year, 1809, the French having invaded the States
of the Holy See, the houses that were there were soon sup­
pressed, with the exception of the house of Scifelli, in which
the Fathers by a special protection of God were able to live
together and exercise their ministry. The Congregation saw
itself almost at death’s door, while the Sovereign Pontiff,
stripped of all his possessions, was an exile and a captive.
At Vienna Blessed Clement exercised with apostolic zeal and
with much fruit the office that had been confided to him by
the Archbishop, but he did not abandon his own work; the
government being ignorant that he was a religious, allowed
him to correspond with his confreres, who had been dispersed.
Father Passerat will; his students supported himself as well as
he could at Viege; but in 1810, the French Empire having taken
possession of the Valais, he saw himself forced to remove, and
withdrew in 1811 to the canton of Friburg, where in the follow­
ing year an asylum was, to a certain extent, procured for him at
Farvagnics.
In 1813, Blessed Clement Hofbauer became Director of the
Ursuline Sisters at Vienna, and continued his apostolic min­
istry in their little church. The following year, after so many
trials, the Institute began finally to revive; Pius VII., deliv­
ered by the hand of Providence, entered his States, and the
Redemptorists partly recovered what belonged to them. In
1815 the Holy Father gave them at Rome the house of Our
Lady of the Assumption in Montcrone to replace that of St.
Julian. At this time Blessed Clement Hofbauer sent some of
his missionaries to Wallachia, where for six years they accom­
plished much good.
The year 1S16 was a glorious year for the Congregation, which
attracted to itself the attention of the whole world. September

Congregation oj the Most Holy Redeemer. 35
15 its illustrious founder was declared Blessed, and judged
worthy of public veneration. This event reanimated the joy
and the hopes of all its children. But during the same year the
Congregation lost its chief, Father Blasucci, who had been
Rector Major for twenty-five years. He was replaced the fol­
lowing year by Father Nicholas Mansione.
A little while afterwards the Congregation was able to make
some progress. In 1818 the cantonal government of Friburg
formally recognized the Institute, and permitted Father Pas­
serai to reunite his companions in the old Trappist convent of
Vai san ta.
At Vienna, the following year, divine Providence arranged a
still more important success, which was brought about in an
unexpected manner. The police discovered that Blessed
Clement Hofbauer belonged to a religious Institute not recog­
nized in the empire, and that he was a subject of a foreign
Superior; this the laws of Joseph II. did not tolerate. Upon
this accusation the order was given to him that he should
either give up the Congregation or leave at once the empire.
The Father did not hesitate to choose the latter; but when his
friends, especially the old Archbishop, who loved him tenderly,
heard of this, the sorrow became general. The worthy prelate
went to the emperor, who, in ignorance of what had happened,
suspended at first the order that had been given. After an
examination of the facts he authorized Blessed Clement not
only to remain at Vienna, but to found there a house of his
Institute; and for this purpose he assigned to him for his use
the beautiful church of Santa Maria della Scala.
But, like St. Alphonsus, Blessed Clement was not to see his
work prospering entirely during his life; and this he knew, for
he had several times said to his companions and to his disciples :
“Have patience, and remain steadfast; my eyes will scarcely
have closed in death when you will have houses and founda­
tions that will abundantly satisfy you.” The moment of death,
which he had so ardently desired, at last arrived. March 15,
1820, laden with merits, he gave up his soul to God, at the age
of sixty-five. At present the many Redcmptorist convents in
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland,
Spain, Poland, Great Britain, Ireland, North and South Amer­
ica, the West Indies, all trace their descent from the House in

JIistor ica I Sketch of the
Vienna founded in that city shortly after Blessed Clement’s
death. With good reason, then, he may be called the St.
Alphonsus of the North, or the second Father and Founder of
the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.
VII.

From the Death of Blessed Clement Hofbauer till the Estab­
lishment of the Mother-house of the Institute at Rome.
A.D. 1S20-1855.

The death of Blessed Clement seemed at first to interfere
with the project of founding a house at Vienna, the authoriza­
tion of which was due to his personal merit; but the contrary
happened, which made every one admit his power in heaven
and his growing influence on earth. April 30, 1820, the emperor
approved of the establishment of not only a house, but of the
Institute itself, in all his States.
Father Joseph Passerai was named Vicar-General in place of
Father Hofbauer, and he set out for Vienna, July 26, after
having obtained possession of an old convent situated on a
mountain called Bischenberg, in the diocese of Strasburg
Thither he sent some of his companions, who were installed
August 2; this was the first establishment of the Redemptorists
in France. In the month of November he himself conducted
his Community from Vienna to Santa Maria della Scala, where
he fixed his residence. His position was not, however, without
its difficulties.
In 1S24, the Congregation lost, its Rector Major, Father Man­
sione, who was succeeded by Father Celestine Code.
In 1826, the King of Portugal called the Redemptorists into
his kingdom, and gave them the house and church of St. John
Nepomucene at Lisbon. The same year Pope Leo XII. estab­
lished them at Spolcto, and intrusted to them the parochial
church of St. Ansan.
The Fathers of Vienna founded a house in 1827 at Mautern
in Styria, and another in 1828 at Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol.
In 1830, the house at Bischenberg, which could hardly support
itself, was suppressed by order of King Louis Philippe, and
France was again closed to the Congregation ; but at the same

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 37
time Belgium was opened to it by the revolution that occurred
in it. The first house offered was at Tournai, in 1831, where
the Fathers established themselves on November 1.
In 1832. Father Camillus Ripoli succeeded Father Code in
the office oi Rector Major.
The same year, at the instance of the .Apostolical Nuncio at
Vienna, Father Passerai consented to send some of his subjects
to Philippopoli in Bulgaria, where during eight years they had
to suffer much without being able to gain a footing among a
population that was addicted to the Greek schism. It was, how­
ever, just at this time that the Congregation really'began to
spread ; its progress became so rapid, and at so many different
oints, that we can scarcely enumerate the details of it.
In 1833, two new houses were founded in Belgium, at Liege
and at St. Trond, and one in Austria, at Eggenburg. The same
year, Father Passerai sent some missionaries to the United
States of America; but they had to struggle for three years
against many obstacles before they could plant the Congregation
in this new soil. The same year, Don P^dro in Portugal, after
having dethroned his brother, banished the Redemptorists from
the country.
In 1834, the Fathers were established at Leoben in Styria;
they had now five houses in the Austrian Empire.
In 1835. the Duke of Modena called them to his States, where
they settled at Finale. The same year, they left Valsanta, and
established themselves in the city of Friburg itself.
In 1836, they took possession of an old convent at Wittem in
Limburg belonging to Holland, and they founded their first
house in America,—at Rochester, in the State of New York.
In 1838, France seemed to become more accessible, and the
Community of Bischenberg could re-enter it.
May 26, 1839, was another day of triumph for the Congrega­
tion on account of the solemn canonization of its holy founder.
—The same year, it formed a second establishment in America,
namely, at Pittsburg in the State of Pennsylvania.
In 1841, called to Bavaria by the king himself, who offered
them the celebrated pilgrimage of Alt-Œtting, the Fathers
formed there a double establishment under the titles of St.
Mary Magdalene and St. Alphonsus. Moreover, they founded a
fourth house at Brussels in Belgium, also under the title of St.

38

Historical Sketch of the

Mary Magdalene, and a third in Baltimore, in America, under
the title of St. Alphonsus.
j
This development of the Institute necessitated some changes
in its organization. Hence Gregory XVI. by a decree dated
July 2, 1841, divided the Congregation into six Provinces,
namely, the Roman, the Neapolitan, the Sicilian, the Swiss, the
Austrian, and the Belgian province. The Sovereign Pontiff
then wished to fix at Rome the residence of the Rector Major;
but grave difficulties raised by the pretensions of the Neapolitan
Government caused the project to be deferred.
In 1842, a second house was founded at Landser in Stras­
burg, and a fourth in the United States, at New York, under
the title of the Most Holy Redeemer.
bi 1843. Father Passerai sent some missionaries to England,
and the fifth house in America was established at Philadelphia.
In 1844, there arose at Liege, through the care of the Redemptorists, a pious institution that deserves special mention.
It was the Archconfraternity of the Holy Family, a work that
has produced happy fruits wherever it was established and
maintained.
In 1845, the third house was established in France, namely,
at St. Nicolas du Port, in the diocese of Nancy, and another
house at Buffalo in America.
2
In 1846, another foundation was made in Bavaria, the third,
at Vilsbiburg in the diocese of Ratisbon, and another at De­
troit, the seventh, in America.
In 1847, three new houses were established: one in France,
the fourth, at Teterchen in the diocese of Metz one in Savoy,
at Contamine-sur-Arve, in the diocese of Annecy; and one in
America, the eighth, at New Orleans. Baton November 15 of
this same year the revolutionists entered Friburg and sacked
the convent occupied by the Redemptorists, who had also to
leave Switzerland. This was but a prelude of the ravages that
were to follow.
In 1848, the revolution disturbed nearly the whole of Europe.
On April 6, Father Passerai was expelled from Vienna with his
whole Community ; a decree was then issued for the suppression
of the Institute in Austria and in the whole Germanic Con­
federation. The same kind of decree was issued in Sicily, where
the Congregation had three establishments. Other houses in

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 39
Italy had likewise to suffer from this storm. Father Passerai
withdrew to Belgium, to the house at Tournai.
These trials, however, were not without their consolation.
Several of the Fathers expelled from their country went to
Norway, and succeeded in building at Christiania a beautiful
Catholic Church, the first in this country since the so-called
reformation. Moreover, the same year, 1848, three new houses
were founded : one in England, the first in this kingdom, at
Clapham, near London; one in Belgium, the fifth, at Mons; and
one in Bavaria, the fourth, at Fuchsmühl, in the diocese of
Ratisbon.
May 14, 1849, Father Ripoli, the Rector Major, being in a
state of health that rendered him incapable of fulfilling his
duties, His Holiness Pius IX. associated with him Father
Vincent Trapanese to be his Vicar-General for the whole In­
stitute.
In the same year another house was added in Belgium, the
sixth, that of St. Joseph at Brussels; one in Bavaria, the fifth,
at Niederachdorf, also belonging to the diocese of Ratisbon
one in the United States, the ninth, at Cumberland in the
diocese of Baltimore.
Father Ripoli, the Rector Major, died March 14, 1850; on
account of the revolution that agitated Europe, and the diffi­
culties that were made by the Neapolitan Government, the
Sovereign Pontiff himself appointed his successor, not for life,
but only for the time it would please the Holy Sec; this was
Father Vincent Trapanese. Moreover, Father Passerai, worn
out by age and very many trials, having resigned the office of ·
Vicar-General, was replaced by Father Rudolph Smetana.
June 29 of the same year, Pius IX. erected the American house
into a special Province.
In 1850 two more houses were added in Europe, that of Bornhofen, in Rhenish Prussia, diocese of Limburg, and that of
Amsterdam.
The following year, 1851, four houses were established; one
in England at Bishop-Eton near Liverpool, one at Treves, one
at Luxemburg, and one at Puchheim in Austria, diocese of
Lintz.
In 1852, a fifth house was founded at Douai in France.
January io, 1853, the Holy Father erected a Province of the

40

Historical Sketch of the

Institute in Germany, called Germania Superior, that is Ba­
varia. The same year a house was established at Limerick in
Ireland, and one in America, the tenth, at Annapolis, in the
diocese of Baltimore.
In 1854, a new house was founded in Holland, at Bois-le-Duc,
and two in France, that of Dunkerque, and that of Chiiteauroux,
which were the sixth and the seventh.
We have now arrived at one of the most remarkable periods
in the history of the Congregation. In consequence of the
obstacles that the Neapolitan Government did not cease to
oppose to the propér organization of the Institute, the Sover­
eign Pontiff authorized the two Sicilies to choose for them­
selves a special Superior; then by a decree of October 8, 1853,
he ordained that the Mother-house of the Congregation was to
be established at Rome, and that a General Chapter should
there elect a Rector Major, who was thenceforward to reside
there. To carry out this order a suitable place was bought,
known as Villa Caserla t in which the General Chapter was
canonically opened, Aprd 26, 1855. Father Nicholas Mauron
was chosen Superior-General and Rector Major, and the Chap­
ter only separated after providing for all that was necessary to
secure exact and regular observance in all parts of the Insti­
tute, in accordance with the spirit of the holy founder. Villa
Caserta, situated by the side of the old house of St. Julian,
became the Mother-house of the Congregation, after having
been dedicated to the Most Holy Redeemer and in honor of
St. Alphonsus.
As the continuation of recital of the successive establishment
of Redemptorist conventsup to the present time 1890, would
take too long and would prove monotonous, we would merely
mention that in the year 1871 the children of St. Alphonsus
had the happiness to see their holy founder raised to the
summit of glory in the Church. By a decree of March 23,
afterwards confirmed by an apostolic brief of July 7, the Sov­
ereign Pontiff, yielding to the urgent prayers of a great number
of illustrious prelates and of learned men, and following the
unanimous advice of the Cardinals of the Sacred Congregation
<T> o
of Rites, after a mature examination of the cause, decreed to
St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, founder of the Congregation
of the Most Holy Redeemer, and Bishop of St. Agatha of the

I

Congregation of the Most Moly Redeemer. 41
Goths, the title and the honors of Doctor of the universal
Church. This decree, commended in the whole Catholic world,
appeared as the crowning of the memorable acts of the Vatican
Council, and as a monument of the twenty-fifth anniversary of
the glorious pontificate of Pius IX.

VIII.
The Condition of the Congregation of the Most Holy Re­
deemer in the Year 1887, the One Hundredth Anniversary of
the Death of St. Alphonsus.
We cpiote from the “ Catalogue of the Congregation of the
Most Holy Redeemer,” published at the end of the year 1887 :
I.

Province of Rome.
I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

Established, July 2, 1841.
Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer and in honor of St.
Alphonsus, at Rome.
Residence of the Most Reverend Superior-General and
Rector Major.
The house of the novitiate and of studies.
Founded, March 25, 1855.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of
“ Graces,” at Frosinone.
Dioecesis Verulanæ (Veroli) in Ditione Pontificia.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, June 20, 1776.
Convent of the Blessed Mary under the title of “ Good
Counsel,” at Scifelli.
Dioecesis Verulanæ (Veroli) in Ditione Pontificia.
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, July 5, 1773.
Convent of St. Francis Scraphicus, at Buxilongi (Bussolengo).
Diœcesis et Provinciæ Veronensis.
Another house of the novitiate.
Founded, August 2, 1855.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Assumption,” at Monterone de Urbe.
Founded, August 2, 1815.

42

Historical Sketch oj the

VI. Convent of the Holy Family, Pesinæ (Pesina) apud Cap­
rinum.
V
Dioecesis etProvincia Veronensis.
fl
Another house of studies and preparatory college.
Founded, October i, 1883.
J
11.

-fl

Province of Naples.
Established, July 2, 1841.
1. Convent of St. Michael, archangel, Nuceriæ Paganorum
(Pagani).
Μ
Diœcesis Nucerinæ Paganorum
in Prov. Salernitana.
Ο
Residence of the Father Provincial, and house of
studies.
Founded, October 13, I742·
S
II. Convent of the Most Blessed Trinity, in oppido Juranorum (Ciorani).
J
Archidiœcesté et Prov. Salemitanæ (Salerno).
Founded, September 12, 1735.
III. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “ Mother
of God.”
J
Ad Caput Silari (Caposele).
J
Archidiœc. Campsanæ (Conza) in Prov. Abellinensi
(Avellino).
‘fl
Founded, November 2, 1746.
4
IV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“Assumption.”
4
In S. Angelo a Cupolo.
Archidiœcesis et Prov. Bencvcntanæ.
Founded, April 6, 1755.
I
V. Convent of St. Joseph, Summæ (Somma Vesuviano).
Diœcesis Nolanæ in Prov. Neapolitana.
Founded, March 19, 1816.
VI. Convent of St. Anthony of Padua.
Naples (S. Antonio a Tarsia).
Archidiœcesis Neapolitanæ.
Founded, 1816.
VII. Convent of the Most IIolv* Redeemer.
Angriæ (Angri).
Diœcesis Nucerinæ Pag. in Prov. Salernitana.
Founded, May 1, 1072.

Congregation of the Λ/osl Holy Redeemer, 43
VIII. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
In Marianella, near Naples.
Archidiœcesis Neapolitanæ.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, May 13, 1878.
IX. Convent of St. Antonine, abbot,
Licteris (Lettere).
Diœc. Castri maris Stabiarum (Castellamare) in Prov
Neapolit.
Founded, December 15, 1878.
X. Convent of S. Reparatae V. M.
Theani (Teano).
Diœcesis Theanensis in Prov. Casertana.
Founded, 1880.
XI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of
the “ Seven Dolors.”
Abellini (Avellino).
Diœcesis et Provinciae Abellincnsis.
Another house of studies.
Founded, September 12, 1881.
in.

Province of Sicily.

Established, July 2, 1841.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “Para­
dise.”
Mazariae (Mazzara del Vallo).
Diœc. Mazariensis in Prov. Drepanensi (Trapani).
Founded, October 13, 1881.
IV.

Province Gallico-Helvetica.
Established, July, 1841.
A.—In France, Switzerland, and Holland.
I. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
S. Nicolai a Portu (S. Nicolas-du-port).
Diœcesis Nanceiensis (Nancy) in France.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, May 23, 1845.

44

Historical S/cetoh of the

II. Convent oi St. Joseph under the title oi the “ Patronage.”
Contaminæ ad Arvam (Contamine-sur-Arve).
Dioecesis Anneciensis (Annecy) in France.
Founded, April 21, 1847.
III. Conveni o( St. Joseph under the title of the “ Patronage."
Dunikercæ (Dunkerque).
Archidiœcesis Cameracensis (Cambrai) in France.
Founded, April 21, 1854.
IV. Convent of St. Joseph.
Castri-Rudolphi (Chateauroux).
Archidiœcesis Bituricensis (Bourges) in France.
Founded, September 29, 1854.
V. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Bononiæ ad Marc (Boulogne-sur-Mcr).
Dioecesis Atrebatensis (Arras) in France.
Founded, April 15, 1856.
J
VI. Convent of St. Joseph.
Insulis (Lille).
-J
Archidiœcesis Cameracensis (Cambrai) in France.
Founded, April 6, 1857.
VII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Perpetual Help.
Argentomi (Argentan).
Dioecesis Sagiensis (Seez) in France.
Founded, December 8, 1867.
VIII. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Perusii (Perouse).
Archidiœcesis Vesontionensis (Besançon) in France.
Founded, May 29, 1873.
IX. Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In Houdemont.
Dioecesis Nanceicnsis (Nancy) in France.
X. Convent of St. Joseph.
Valentiæ (Valence).
Dioecesis Valentinensis in France.
Founded, October, 1873.
XI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Lutetiae Parisiorum (Paris).
Archidiœcesis Parisiensis in France.
Founded, August 2, 1874.

Congregation of the J dost Holy Redeemer, 45
XII. Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer.
In Gannat.
Dioecesis Molincnsis (Moulins) in France.
Founded, May 10, 1875.
XIII. Convent of St. Joseph.
Antoniaci (Antony).
Archidiœceris Parisiensis in France.
Founded, January 21, 1886.
XIV. Convent of St. Joseph under the title of the “ Patronage.”
Operariorum (Ouvrier).
Dioecesis Seduncnsis (Sion) in Switzerland.
Founded, June 10, 1880.
XV. Domus Refugii ad S. Josephi under the tille of the
“ Patronage.”
In Dongen.
Diœcesis Bredanæ (Breda) in Holland.
The house of studies.
Founded, November 13, 1880.
XVI. Domus Refugii ad SS. Redemptoris.
Strati (Stratum).
Dioecesis Buscoduccnsis (Bois-le-Duc) in Holland.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, December 28, 1881.

B.—In Spain and the Island of Porto Rico.
I. Convent of St. Teresa.
Navæ Regis (Nava Del Rey).
Archidiœcesis Vallisolitanæ (Valladolid).
Residence of the Father Visitor.
Founded, May 15, 1879.
II. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title “ De Espino."
In Espino.
Archdiœcesis Burgensis (Burgos).
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, June 25, 1879.
III. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Asturicæ (Astorga).
Diœcesis Asturicensis.
The house of the novitiate and of studies.
Founded, November i, iSS-j.

46

Ihistorical Sketch of the

IV. Convent of St. John the Evangelist.
·
Granatæ (Granada).
Archidiœcesis Granatensis.
Founded, July, 1879.
V. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “ The
Visitation.”
Matriti (Madrid).
Dioecesis Matritensis (Madrid).
.J]
Founded, December, 1879.
VI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Sancti-Germani (San German).
SM
Diœc. S. Joannis Portoriccnsis (San Juan de PuertoRico).
' '
Island of Porto Rico.
Founded, November 28, 1886.
C — In South America.
I. Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer.
1
Limæ (Lima).
V
Archidiœcesis Limanæ in the Republic of Peru.
Residence of the Father Visitor.
1
Founded, January 23, 1884.
·!
II. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
1
Conchæ (Cuenca).
a
Dioecesis Conchensis in the Republic of Ecuador.
The house of the novitiate.
3
Founded, July 22, 1870.
HI. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
.0
Bolivari (Rio-Bamba).
Diœcesis Bolivarcnsis in the Republic of Ecuador.
Founded, November, 1870.
IV. Convent of St. Joseph.
;|
S. Jacobi de Chile (Santiago).
Archidiœcesis S. Jacobi in the Republic of Chili.
Founded, March 19, 1876.
V. Convent ad SS. Crucifixi.
Ί
Bugæ (Buga).
Diœcesis Popayanensis (Popayan) in the United States
of Colombia.
Founded, June, 18S4.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 47
v.
Province
I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

θ

Established, July 2, 1841.
Convent ad Scalas under the title of “Immaculate Conception.”
Vindobonæ (Vienna).
Archidiœc. Vindobonensis in Austria Inferiore.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, 1S20.
Convent of St. Barbara.
In Mautern.
Diœc. Secoviensis in Styria Superiore.
The house of studies.
Founded, 1827.
Convent of St. John Nepomucene.
Oenipotente (Innsbruck).
·
Diœcesis Brixinensis in Tyrol.
Founded. 1828.
Convent of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed
Virgin.
Eggenburgi.
Diœc. S. Hippolyti in Austria Inferior.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, 1833.
Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Leobii (Leoben).
Diœc. Secoviensis in Styria Superiore.
Founded, 1834.
Convent of St. George.
In Puchheim.
Diœcesis Linciensis in Austria Superiore.
Founded, 1851.
Convent of St. Alphonsus.
In Ketzelsdorf.
Diœc. Regina-Gradicensis (Koeniggraetz) in Bohemia.
Founded, 1857.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help and
of St. Cajetan.
Pragæ (Prag).
Archidiœcesis Pragensis in Bohemia.
Founded, 1857.

48

Historical Sketch of the

IX. Convent of St. Ann.
In Katzelsdorf.
'Archdicec. Vindoboncnsis in Austria Inferiore.
Another house of the preparatory college.
Founded, 1857.
X. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Littaviæ (Littau).
Archidiœcesis Olomucensis in Moravia.
Founded, i860.
XI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Assumption.”
In Sacro Monte (Heiligenberg).
Archidiœcesis Pragensis in Bohemia.
Founded, 1861.
XII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
* “Assumption.”
I
In Monte Matris Dei (Muttergottesberg) near Grulich.
Diœc. Regina-Gradicensis (Kœniggrætz) in Bohemia.
Founded, 1883.
XIII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Visitation.”
In Dornbirn.
Diœcesis Brixinensis, Vicariatus Generalis Vorarlberg.
Founded, 1881.
XIV. Convent of St. Catharine, Virgin and Martyr.
In Mosciska.
Diœcesis Premisliensis in Galicia.
Founded, 1883.
XV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “ Help
oi Christians.”
In Philippsdorf.
Diœc. Litomericensis in Bohemia.
Founded, 1885.
XVI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Presentation.”
Budvicii (Budweis).
Diœc. Budvicensis in Bohemia.
Founded, 1885.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 49

VI.

Province of Belgium.

Established, July 2, 1841.

A.—In Belgium.

I. Convent of St. Joseph.
Bruxellis (Bruxelles).
Archidiœcesis Mechliniensis (Malines).
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, June 24, 1849.
II. Convent of St. Joseph under the title of the “ Patronage.”
Tornaci (Tournai).
Diœcesis Tornacensis.
Founded, November 1, 1831.
III. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Immaculate Conception.”
Leodii (Liège).
Diœcesis Leodiensis.
Founded, March 24, 1833.
IV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “ Help.”
Trudonopoli (St. Trond).
Diœcesis Leodiensis (Liège).
The house of the novitiate and of the study of the
humanities.
Founded, May 24, 1833.
V. Convent of St. Mary Magdalen.
Bruxellis (Bruxelles).
Archioedicesis Mechliniensis (Malines).
Founded, September 8, 1841.
VI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Immaculate Conception.”
Montibus (Mons).
Diœcesis Tornacensis (Tournai).
Founded, September 20, 1848.
VII. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Antverpiæ (Anvers).
Archidiœcesis Mechliniensis (Malines).
Founded, June 16, 1857.
4

50

Historical Sketch of the

VIII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Rollarii (Roulers).
Dioecesis Brugensis (Bruges).
Founded, October 30, 1868.
IX. Convent of St. John the Evangelist.
%
In Pulchro Jugo (Beauplateau). ’
I
Dioecesis Namurccnsis (Namur).
The house of studies of philosophy and theology.
Founded, August 2, 1882.
ήΐ
B.—In Canada and the West Indies.
I. Convent of St. Ann.
Pulchriprati (Ste. Anne De Beaupré).
Archidiœc. Ouebecensis (Quebec) in Canada East.
Founded by the American Province of Baltimore,
December 1, 1878.
Ascribed to the Belgian Province, August 20, 1879.
II. Convent of St. Ann.
Marianopoli (Montreal).
Dioecesis Marionopolitanæ in Canada East.
Founded, September 4, 1884.
III. Convent of Saints Peter and Paul.
In the Island of St. Thomas.
Dioecesis Rosensis (Roseau) in the West Indies.
Founded, 1858.
VII.

Province of America—Baltimore.
Established, June 29, 1850.
I. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Balti moræ.
Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, 1841.
II. Convent of St. Philomena.
Pittsburgi.
Diœcesis Pittsburgensis in Statu Pennsylvania^.
Founded, 1839.
III. Convent of St. Joseph under the title of the “ Patron­
age.”
Roffæ (Rochester).
Diœcesis Roffensis in Statu New York.
Founded, 1841.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 51
IV. Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Neo-Eboraci (New York).
Archidicccesis Neo-Eboracensis in Statu New York.
Founded, 1842.
V. Convent• of St. Peter, _ the Apostle.
Philadelphia.
Archidioec. Philadelphiensis in Statu Pennsylvania.
Founded, 1843.
VI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Immaculate Conception.”
In Buffalo.
Diœcesis Buffalensis in Statu New York.
Founded, 1845.
VII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Immaculate Conception.”
Annapoli.
Archidicccesis Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, 1853.
VIII. Convent of St. Michael the Archangel.
Baltimore.
Archidicccesis Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
Founded, 1859.
IX. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Neo-Eboraci (New York).
Archidioec. Neo-Eboracensis in Statu New York.
Founded, November 9, 1866.
X. Convent of St. James the Less, Apostle.
Baltimora.
Archidicccesis Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
Founded, 1867.
XI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
In Ilchester.
Archidicccesis Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
The house of studies.
Founded September 2, 1868.
XII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Bostoniæ (Boston).
Archidicccesis Bostonicnsis in Statu Massachusetts.
Founded, January i, 1871.

2

Historical Sketch of the

XIII. Convent of St. Patrick.
Quebeci (Quebec).
Archidiœcesis Quebecensis in Canada.
Founded, October i, 1874.
XIV. Convent of St. Boniface.
Philadelphiae.
Archidiocesis Philadelphiensis in Statu Pennsyl­
vania.
$
Founded, August 6, 1876.
XV. Convent of St. Patrick.
In Toronto.
Archidiœcesis Torontinensis in Canada.
Founded, January 15, 1881.
XVI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
In North East.
Dioecesis Ericnsis (Erie) in Statu Pennsylvania.
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, February 2, 1881.
XVII. Convent of the Sacred Heart.
Baltimoræ.
Archidiœc. Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
Founded, October 1, 1878.
XVIII. Convent of St. Wcnceslaus.
Baltimoræ.
Archidiœc. Baltimorensis in Statu Maryland.
Founded, June 16, 1882.
XIX. Convent of St. Peter the Apostle.
In Portland.
Diœc. S. Joannis (St. John), Prov. Neo-Brunswicen.
in Canada.
Founded July 31, 1884.
XX. Convent of St. Clement.
In Saratoga.
Diœc. Albanensis (Albany) in Statu New York.
Another house of the preparatory college.
Founded, February 22, 1886.
XXI. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Immaculate Conception.”
Archidiœc. Nco-Eboracensis in Statu New York.
Founded, December 24, 1886.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, 53
XXII. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Neo-Eboraci (New York).
Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis in Statu New York.
Founded, August 7, 1SS7.
VIII.

Province of Upper Germany.
Established, January 10, 1853.
I. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Assumption.”
Garsii ad Oenum (Gars am Inn).
Archidiœcesis Monaco-Frisingensis in Bavaria Su­
periore.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, February 6, 1858.
II. Convent of Saints Andrew and Nicholas.
In Niederachdorf.
Diœc. Ratisbonensis in Bavaria (Palatin. Super, et
Ratisb.).
Founded, July 15, 1849.
III. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
•
“ Immaculate Conception.”
In Heldenstein.
Archidiœcesis Monaco: Frisingensis in Bavaria Su­
periore.
Founded, August 29, 1855.
IV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Nativity.”
In Kirchenthal.
Archidiœcesis Salisburgensis in Austria.
Founded, August 15, 1879.
V. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of "Good
Counsel.”
In Dürnberg.
Archidiœcesis Salisburgensis in Austria.
Founded, September 25, 1884.
VI. Convent of St. Anthony of Padua.
In Hunsdorf.
Archidiœcesis Salisburgensis in Austria.
Founded, August 2, 1885·

54

Historical Sketch of the

VII. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
In Dürnberg.
Archidiœcesis Salisburgensis in Austria.
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, September 29, 1886.
IX.

Province

of

Holland.

Established, November 21, 18 50.
1
I. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the “ Most
Pure Heart.”
Amstelodami (Amsterdam.)
Diœc. Harlemensis (Harlem) in Prov. Hollandiæ Septentr.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, November 13, 1850.
II. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Wittemii.
Dioecesis Ruremundensis in Prov. Limburgi holland.
The house of studies.
Founded, January 12, 1836.
III. Convent of St. Joseph.
Buscoduci (Bois-le-duc).
Dioecesis Buscoduccnsis in Prov. Brabantiæ Septentrion.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, January 1, 1854.
IV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the “ As­
sumption.”
Ruremundæ (Roermond).
Diœcesis Ruremundensis in Prov. Limburgi holland.
Founded, June 14, 1863.
V. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of the Perpetual Help.
Rosævalli (Rozendaal).
Diœc. Brcdanæ (Breda) in Prov. Brabantiæ Septentr.
Founded, October 24, 1868.
VI. Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Rotterodami (Rotterdam).
Diœcesis Harlemensis in Prov. Hollandiæ Mcridion.
Founded, December 18, 1881.
•

■

_

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 55
Stations of the Surinam Mission.

I. Convent of Saints Peter and Paul.
In Paramaribo (Dutch Guiana, South America).
Vicariatus Apost. Surinamensis in Indiis Occidentalibus.
Founded,
March
26,
1866.
/
II. Station of St. Rose of Lima.
In Paramaribo.
Founded, April 30, 1883.
III. Station of the Blessed Virgin of the Immaculate Concep­
tion.
In Coronie.
Founded, September 4, 1867.
IV. Station of St. Roch.
In Batavia.
Founded, September 4, 1867.
V. Station of St. Joseph.
In Livorno.
Founded, March 1, 1875.
x.

Province of Lower Germany.

Established. March 19, 1859.

I. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Luxembergi (Luxemburg).
Dioecesis et Magni Ducatus Luxemburgensis.
Residence of the Father Provincial, and house of studies.
Founded, December 7, 1851.
II. Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Eptcrnaci (Echternach).
Diœcesis et Magni Ducatus Luxemburgensis.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, July 3, 1873.
III. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
In Vaals.
Diœcesis Ruremondensis in Limburgo Hollandico.
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, November 1, 1873.

56

Historical Sketch of the

IV. Convent of St. Joseph.
H
In Glancrbrug.
I
Dioecesis Ultrajactcnsis (Utrecht) in Hollandia.
Founded, November 21, 1884.
In South America.
I
V. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of “ Victory.”
Bonis Auris (Buenos Ayres).
Diœcesis Bonearcnsis in Republica Argentina (Argentine
Republic).
Founded, November 26, 1883.
XI.

Province

of

England.

Established, May 24, 1S65.
I. Convent of Marv* Immaculate of the Victories.
In Clapham, London.
Diœcesis Suthwarcensis in Anglia.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, August 2, 1848.
II. Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Annunciation.”
In Bishop-Eton, Liverpool.
Diœcesis Liverpolitanæ in Anglia.
The house of the novitiate.
Founded, June 10, 1851.
III. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Limerici (Limerick).
Diœcesis Limericensis in Hibernia (Ireland).
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, November 13, 1853.
IV. Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
In Perth.
Diœcesis Dunkeldensis (Dunkeld) in Scotia (Scotland).
Founded, March 19, 1869.
V. Convent of St. Joseph.
Tavæ (Teignmouth).
Diœcesis Plymutensis (Plymouth) in Anglia.
The house of studies.
Founded, November 3, 1870.

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. 57
VI. Convent of St. Joseph.
Dundalchi (Dundalk).
Archidiœcesis Armacanæ (Armagh) in Hibernia
(Ireland).
Founded, September 8, 1876.
In Australia.
Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Novicastri (New Castle).
Diœcesis Maitlandiensis (Maitland) in New South Wales.
Founded, 1887.
XII.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

Province of America—St. Louis.
Established, November 9, 1875.
Convent of St. Alphonsus.
S. Ludovici (St. Louis).
Archidiœcesis S. Ludovici in Statu Missouri.
Residence of the Father Provincial.
Founded, September 1, 1866.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin under the title of the
“ Assumption.”
Novæ Aureliæ (New Orleans).
Archidiœcesis Novæ Aureliæ in Statu Louisianæ.
Founded, October 24, 1847.
Convent of St. Michael the Archangel.
Chicagiæ (Chicago).
Archidiœces. Chicagiensis in Statu Illlinois.
Founded, May 25, 1861.
Convent of the Blessed Virgin of Perpetual Help.
Kansanopoli (Kansas City).
Diœc. Kansanopolitanæ in Statu Missouri.
The house of the novitiate and of studies.
Founded, December 3, 1878.
Convent of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Detroit! (Detroit).
Diœccs. Detroitensis in Statu Michigan.
Founded, September 1, 1880.
Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Chicagiæ (Chicago).
Archidiœcesis in Statu Illinois.
Founded, September 3, 1882.

58

Table of Provinces, Houses, and Members.

VII. Convent of St. Joseph.
Windsor Spring.
Archidiœcesis S. Ludovici in Statu Missouri.
The house of the preparatory college.
Founded, July 25, 1888.
VIII. Convent of St. Alphonsus.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Dioecesis Grand Rapids in Statu Mich.
Founded, 1888.

©encrai £able
OF THE

PROVINCES, HOUSES, AND MEMBERS
OF THE

Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer,
AT THE END OF THE YEAR 1S87.
•

(Λ
t»
7)
□
Ο

Provinces.

1. Province of Rome.............

£ο

cn

(/)
V

□

23

6

108

38

16

199

5

1 ■■

27

12

55

5°7

59

28

274

62

24

312

90

30

331

35

8

86

49

15

196

44
1 34

3

134

15

139

21

5

85

6

H. Province of Naples...........
III. Province of Sicily..............
IV. Province Gallico-Helvetica
Province of Austria...........
VI. Province of Belgium.........
VII. Prov. of America, Baltimore! 22
VII I. Prov. of Upper Germany...] 7
IX. Province of Holland............
7
Prov. of Lower Germany... 5
XI. Province of England..,... .| '
XII. Prov. of America, St. Louis. 6

Total

—ώ»
c:

127

cc
u
U

126

8

22O| 91

ï

I29

I44

63

19

43
97

29

63

24

59
50

9

6

1572

DOMINUS NOS BENEDICAT ET AB OMNI MALO DEFENDAT ET AD
DUOAT AETERNAM, amen.—EO.

205 2398
VITAM

PER

,

Congregation of tl)c iHost floln Hebcemcr
NULES AND CONSTITUTIONS.

These constitutive Rules of the Congregation were
written in Italian, and Benedict XIV. approved them by
a Brief dated February 25, 1749. As Parts I. and II. of
these Rules already exist in an authorized translation,
we cnly reproduce them together with a translation of
Part III., adding to them some useful notes that we think
necessary for the better understanding of the text.—Ed.

Unies nnb (îonstitntions
OF THE

CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER
*
THE END OF THE INSTITUTE.

As the encl of the Institute of the Most Holy Re­
deemer is to unite secular priests 1 who are to live in
1 “ Secular priests,” that is to say, those that are not Regulars prop­
erly so-called, who make solemn vows, whilst in the Congregation
only simple vows are made. But before God simple vows are not of
less binding force than solemn vows, as we may see in Corp. Jur.,
J\ ursus quidam (Qui cleric, vel vovent. 6): Quum simplex votum, apud
Deum, non minus obliget quam solem ne. The only difference that is
found between these two kinds of vows consists in a greater difficulty
to break the bond contracted by solemn vows, this being a privilege
established not by divine right, but by the Church, in accordance with
the Bull of Gregory XIII., Ascendente Domino, promulgated May 26,
1854, i’1 favor of the Society of Jesus, and striking with anathema who­
ever would dare to say: “ That all those that have not been solemnly
professed in the aforesaid Society cannot be true members of this
body, nor be really and properly religious, but that they are simple
seculars, subject to the jurisdiction of the Ordinaries, and that not the
Society, nor the Superiors, nor We ourselves possess, or acquire, or
have the power to confer upon the Superiors any right by virtue of
such vows. Now those that hold this opinion do not consider that the
solemnity of the vows is derived only from an ecclesiastical institution;
that the three vows of this Society, though simple, have been recognized
by the Holy Seewas substantial vows of religion; and that those that

* Only the Text of the Rule is here given, not the Constitutions.

02

Rides and Constitutions.

Community and are earnestly to strive to imitate the
virtues and examples of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, by
consecrating themselves specially to the preaching of
the Word of God to the poor, the members of this Con­
gregation, with the permission of the Ordinaries, to
whom they are always to be subject,’ shall make it their
special aim, by means of missions, catechetical instruc­
tions, and spiritual exercises, to assist the people who
live scattered in the country and small villages, and who
are for the most part abandoned, and destitute of the
aids of religion. For this end shall their houses be
founded as far as possible outside of the centres of
population, and, moreover, at such distances from one
another as shall seem fitting to the Ordinaries and to
the Rector Major; so that the members of the Congre­
gation, being less distracted and hindered, may en­
deavor to acquire the spirit that is so necessary to evan­
make them are truly engaged in the religious state, since by these vows
they consecrate themselves, in fact, give themselves, to the Society, and
devote themselves to God's service.’’ The solemnity is, therefore, not
essential to religious profession. The principal reason why St. Alphon­
sus wished to adhere to simple vows was because simple vows allow
greater facility for the dismissal of subjects that do not persevere in the
spirit of their vocation; for he preferred a small number of fervent
subjects, faithful to regular observance—such as they should be in
order to preserve perfect Community life, which is the essential basis
of his Institute,—to a larger number, who might otherwise possess
brilliant talents. Moreover, wishing on the other hand to strengthen
the bond that was to attach the subjects to the Congregation, and to
supply as much as possible the defect of the solemnity, the holy founder
took care to add to the three ordinary vows of religion the vow and
oath of perseverance till death. By virtue of this oath of fidelity, re­
ceived and accepted by the Congregation, the profession that is made
therein assumes the character of a contract, and consequently becomes
an obligation of justice, which cannot be removed except by legitimate
dispensation.
1 “ Subject,” in all that has reference to apostolic labors. (Sec
further on, page 70, η. I.)

End of Institute.

63

gelical laborers, and may devote themselves to the
spiritual relief of the most abandoned souls.1
1 “ To the spiritual relief of the most abandoned souls;” such Is the
special end of the Congregation: its place is wherever there are stray
sheep to be gathered and saved. At the period when the Congrega­
tion was established there were in the cities, especially of the kingdom
of Naples, a large number of priests and many religious Institutes;
spiritual help of every kind usually abounded there, while in a multi­
tude of hamlets and remote places a considerable population found
themselves as it were abandoned, and almost deprived of the means of
salvation. It is principally to such people that St. Alphonsus and his
companions were called to exercise their zeal, and even to establish
themselves among them “ as far as possible,” in order to be more
within reach of coming to the assistance of the poor that required their
care. However, the holy founder did not refuse to give missions or
other spiritual exercises or to found houses also in cities, when he
thought such a thing expedient; he would have had stronger reasons for
doing so in other countries, above all at the present time, when, after
many vicissitudes, abandoned souls are often found in larger nuinters
in cities than in country places.
It may be well to mention here what we read in the resolutions
drawn up in the General Chapters, held under the presidency of the
holy founder himself, in regard to the fitness the subjects should en­
deavor to acquire to correspond to the end of their vocation: “ In order
to attain more perfectly the end of the Institute, which consists in the
sanctification of the people, the members of the Congregation shall
unite the study of the sciences to a most virtuous life. They shall,
therefore, strive with all diligence to attain proficiency in all the sci­
ences, both human and divine, and should especially te learned in sacred
literature, so that under all circumstances they may be able to render
useful service to the Church. An illiterate workman, even though he
may be a man of prayer, is like a soldier without weapons. They
shall, therefore, do all in their power to make continual progress in
science as well as in virtue, in order that they may be the instruments
best adapted to perform the duties of the apostolic ministry.”

64

Rules and ConsI itu lions.

Part I.
MISSIONS AND OTHER EXERCISES.

CHAPTER I.
T H E

Μ ISS I ONS .

■

I. As the giving of missions is one of the principal
ends of our Institute, all shall make them their special
study. The missions shall be given at the expense of
the Congregation, and it is forbidden ever to ask the
payment of these expenses either from communities or
from individuals; all that is permitted is to receive such
support from individuals, so long as the houses of the
Congregation have not sufficient revenues.
II. The local Rectors shall appoint the subjects for
the missions, to be given by their houses, unless the
Rector Major, whose duty it is to govern the whole
Congregation, has otherwise decided. Several subjects,
at least two, shall always go together on missions, and
they shall always travel, where it is possible, on foot,
or at most on horseback; the use of carriages is per­
mitted only when necessary.
III. After four or five months at most, they shall re­
turn to the places where our Congregation has given
missions, to preach another course of sermons. But
these exercises shall not last so long as the missions,
shall be conducted by fewer Fathers than were at the
mission, and shall have for their aim to consolidate the
fruits of the mission which was given before.
IV. The custom of giving these Renewals, which have

7V. /. Λ/tssions and other Exercises

65

proved so useful and profitable to the good of souls,
shall always be maintained in our Institute; and it is on
this account especially that all our houses should be
situated rather
*
in the centre of dioceses, and not very
far from the places to the spiritual welfare of which our
subjects are in the habit of devoting themselves.
V. In order that this exercise of the missions may not
be neglected, and that the subjects may never lose sight
of their vocation, which is to devote themselves to the
spiritual help of the most abandoned souls, they shall
not occupy themselves with distracting duties, they shall
not take part in processions or public ceremonies; they
shall not undertake the direction of seminaries, nor the
direction of nuns, whether of entire communities or of
individuals, living in cloistered convents, or in conserva­
tories; nor shall they give them retreats, as this is
allowed only on occasion of missions or other exercises,
which are given in the places in which, or near which,
such monasteries are situated.1 For the same reason
it is forbidden to the subjects to have curacies, or to
preach courses of Lenten sermons.
VI. The members of this Institute shall especially
take the greatest care not to give even the shadow of
bad example; and they shall behave in such a manner
as always to merit the esteem and the veneration of the
people. They shall not allow themselves to be induced
through a motive of charity to meddle with marriage
affairs, contracts, or wills; nor shall they become spon­
sors, nor occupy themselves with those things from
which arise contempt for evangelical laborersand party­
strife. The Superiors have the special and grave obli­
gation to watch over the observance of this rule, as it is
of the utmost importance.
1 The General Chapter, over which the holy founder presided in
1764, permitted the giving of retreats outside of the time of giving mis­
sions, if retreats are asked for by the bishops.

5

66

Rules and Constitutions.

CHAPTER II.
OTHER

EXERCISES.

In order not to leave entirely abandoned the souls of

the people among whom the houses of our Institute are
established, the subjects should also assume the spirit­
ual care bf those souls. Hence, in their churches they
shall preach every Sunday, and on every Saturday there
shall be a sermon on the Blessed Virgin. Moreover in
their houses they shall give, especially at the time of
ordinations, the spiritual exercises to the ecclesiastics
and seculars who may come there, provided in the places
of their foundations there is no house of the missionary
priests of Saint Vincent de Paid, who devote themselves
specially to this kind of work. If, however, the houses
of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer have
already been established, and are in possession of the
right to give the spiritual exercises when new founda­
tions of the above-mentioned Fathers are begun, they
shall remain in the possession of their right.

Pt. JI. Particular Obligations oj the Members.

Part II.
Tllli PARTICULAR OBLIGATIONS OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGA TION.

CHAPTER I.
THE VOWS OF POVERTY, CHASTITY, OBEDIENCE, AND PER­
SEVERANCE.

I. The Vow of Poverty.

I. The members of the Congregation shall lead a
perfeci community life, and be uniform in all things.
Hence every house shall provide them with all things
necessary. As poor men they must be content with
frugal fare, in regard to which no distinction shall be
made on account of their qualities or offices; and while
they are nourishing the body, they shall also nourish
the mind by the reading of a spiritual book.
II. The clothing of the members of the Congregation
shall likewise be poor, but suitable for respectable
priests. Hence the use of silk, half-silk, as \vell as of
everything that savorsof vanity and levity, is forbidden.
Except in the churches, the use of articles of gold or
silver is also forbidden, either in common or in private.
Their habit, cloak, and stockings shall be of ordinary
wool; however, the use of under-stockings of linen or
cotton is allowed; and the shoes shall be simple.
III. The rooms shall be small, and the furniture of
the rooms shall be poor, but uniform in all things ;
namely, a small table with a drawer without a lock ;

68

Rules and Constitutions.

three chairs; four paper pictures; a crucifix of simple
wood; two or three spiritual books besides the Holy
Scriptures. Other books which any one may need can
be taken from the common library with the permission
of the Superior; a similar permission is required for
any other little convenience which may be necessary.
IV. Although every member of the Congregation
must be promoted to Holy Orders under the title of his
patrimony, yet the use of this patrimony is forbidden
to all. This prohibition also extends to the life-annuities
which the subjects may have, and to every other kind
of property that they may possess. Hence, all the reve­
nues that the subjects derive from whatever belongs to
them, under whatever title, shall be administered and
expended by the Superiors.
V. Of the little things that are allowed them for their
convenience, they shall make only that use for which
they were granted by the Superiors. Without the per­
mission of the Superior it is even forbidden to give to
others anything that they have, or to receive from others
anything as a gift or as a loan for their own use.
VI. Conformably to this vow, they shall bind them­
selves not to aspire, either directly or indirectly, to any
dignities, benefices, and offices outside of the Congre­
gation; and even should these be offered them they
must refuse and renounce them, unless the Sovereign
Pontiff or the Rector Major obliges them by a forma]
command of obedience to accept them. All this must
be observed with the most scrupulous exactness under
the gravest penalties; those who transgress in this point
can even be expelled from the Congregation. Any
Superior, even the Rector Major himself, who should be
clearly convicted of having through weakness allowed
any innovation to the injury of poverty, can be deposed
from office and be deprived of the right of voting and of
being voted for.

Pt. II. Particular Obligations of the λίembers. 69
VII. It shall never be allowed them to beg, no mat­
ter how great their distress may be; they must expect
to receive help from divine Providence. Only in a case
of grave necessity is it permitted to apply to one of their
benefactors.
VIII. As every member of the Congregation always
retains the ownership of his property, he can dispose of
it in favor of his relatives. If he does not dispose of it
in their favor, he is obliged to do so in favor of the Congregation. But the Congregation shall never accept
legacies or gifts from subjects who have poor relatives;
and in case of doubt as to the poverty of such relatives,
the matter must be referred to the Ordinary of the
member of the Congregation.
IX. The income of each house shall not exceed the
sum of fifteen hundred *ducats, as this income is suffi­
cient for the maintenance of the Church, of the building, of twelve priests, and of seven lay-brothers: this is
the largest number that shall live in one house. An
exception, however, is made in favor of the houses of
students, of the novitiates, and of the house in which
the Rector Major lives, as these houses have a larger
number of subjects, and may therefore have an income
of two thousand ducats.
2. The Vow of Chastity.

As this virtue is so very dear to the Son of Ôod, and
so necessary to the evangelical laborer, the subjects of
this Congregation shall be very careful to preserve it
inviolate. Hence they shall use the greatest caution
while treating with persons of the other sex. They
shall not go to the houses of their penitents or of other
seculars without an urgent reason, without the express
The silver ducat is generally of the value of four shillings and six­
pence sterling, about equal to the American dollar, and the gold ducat
of twice the value.

7θ

Unies and Consi II it Iions.

permission of the Superior, and without a companion
who has to be assigned to them by the Superior.
3. The Vow of Obedience.

I. To the Ordinaries of the place where they are, the
subjects of this Congregation shall render entire obedi­
ence in everything that appertains to their apostolic
labors, and is not forbidden by the Constitutions.
II. They shall, besides, render exact obedience, in the
first place, to their Rules and Constitutions, of which
they ought to be most faithful observers; then to all
the orders and regulations of their Superiors, so that it
may be said of them that they have no will of their
own, but that their will is in the hands of those who
govern them. They shall show all respect to their
Superiors; they shall not excuse or defend themselves
in their presence, and shall receive their admonitions
with humility.
3
III. Without the express permission of the Superiors,
it is not allowed them to write letters to any one except
to the Rector Major or his Consultors; and, without the
same permission, to receive letters from any one, except
from those just mentioned. In like manner, they shall
not eat or drink out of meal-time, nor go into the gar­
den or to the porches (/^rr), nor enter the refectory,
kitchen, or the room of another.
IV. It is, above all, forbidden to the members of the
Congregation to bring strangers into the house, and
much more, to their own rooms. When necessary, they
must converse with strangers in those places that are
set apart for this purpose.
*

4. The Vow of Perseverance.

To the vows above-mentioned the members of the
Congregation shall add the vow ’ of perseverance, by
1 And the oath. (Sec the end o( the first note, page 62, and of Art.
III. , last chapter, page 84 )

Pl. If. Particular Obligations of the Members. 71
which they oblige themselves to live in the Community
till death, and not to ask for a dispensation from their
vows except from the Sovereign Pontiff or from the
Rector Major. But the Rector Major is always free to
send away those subjects whose conductis not edifying,
although in this matter he should before God seriously
weigh his motives, and proceed conscientiously and
without passion.

CHAPTER II.
THE FREQUENTATION OF THE SACRAMENTS, PRAYER, AND

CERTAIN EXERCISES OF HUMILITY.

I. The Fréquentation of the Sacraments.

I. The priests shall strive to give all possible edifica­
tion, and to live in such a manner that they may be able
daily to celebrate worthily the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass. Ί hey ought, therefore, to go to confession at
least once a week; and the Rector of the house with his
Consultors shall appoint for this purpose two confes­
sors.
II. Those who are not priests shall receive Holy Com­
munion on all feasts of obligation, and on Wednesdays
and Fridays of every week, and shall go to confession
twice a week. For the greater progress of the Brothers,
there shall also be appointed in every house a spiritual
Prefect, who shall instruct them in the elements of the
faith and in regular observance.
III. The Rector shall take very great care that the
last Sacraments of Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unc­
tion, be administered to the sick at the right time; and
that, should any one be in danger of death, he be never
left without a priest to console and assist him.

72

Rules and Constitutions,
2. Prayer and Exercises of Humility.

I. In every house, where it can be conveniently done,
the Canonical Hours shall be recited together in choir
with recollection of mind and without chant or modula­
tion of voice.
M
II. They shall devote themselves to mental prayer
three times a day, namely, in the morning and in the
evening in common; in the afternoon every one shall
make a meditation privately in his room; and every
time the meditation is to last half an hour. These
meditations shall be made chieflv on the theological
virtues, on the life and the virtues of Jesus Christ, of
which they should make themselves living images; and
every month they shall direct particular attention to
one of these virtues, in order that they may the better
exercise themselves in it and practise it more in detail,
by making their particular examination and giving
spiritual conferences on it. In the afternoon, every one
shall also make in private a half-hour’s spiritual read­
ing, and a visit to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to
the Blessed Virgin, for whom all should entertain a
special devotion and a tender affection, and should,
therefore, recite every day the third part of the Rosary.
I wice a day they shall make in common the examina­
tion of conscience, namely, in the morning, before din­
ner, and in the evening before going to bed; and after
the examination of conscience in the evening, they shall
recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, and ask the
Superior’s blessing.
I
III. Every year, every member of the Congregation
shall make the spiritual exercises during ten days, in
total retirement and in strict silence; and every month
every one shall make a similar day of recollection.
IV. Every member of the Institute should, above all
deem it the highest honor to perform even the lowliest

Pt. II. Particular Obligations of the Members. 73
♦

work of the house, in order to acquire the virtue of
holy humility. Hence even the priests shall by turns
serve at table and wash the dishes. To set an example
to the rest, the Rector may serve at table on one day of
the week, and on one day the Minister shall serve at
table, and on another day shall wash the dishes. More­
over, among the members of the Congregation there
should never be any contention as regards precedence,
since every one should desire to occupy the lowest place.

CHAPTER III.
SILENCE, RECOLLECTION,

MORTIFICATION,

AND CORPORAL

PENANCES.

I. Silence and Recollection.
The life of the members of the Congregation should

be a life of continual recollection; in order to acquire
it, they shall bestow great care on the exercise of the
presence of God by frequently exciting themselves to
short but fervent ejaculatory prayers. They shall also
be very fond of retirement; they shall not leave their
rooms without necessity, and shall above all observe
silence, which is so praiseworthy in all Institutes. In
the evening after the ringing of the Angelus,' till the fol­
lowing morning after meditation, it is positively for­
bidden, except during the hour of recreation after sup­
pers, to speak or to send messages to one another without
the express permission of the Superior. Moreover, they
shall observe silence for three consecutive hours after
the afternoon recreation. In the church, the choir, the
sacristy, the kitchen, the refectory, and the dormitories,
they shall speak only when necessary, in a few words,
1 That is, about half an hour after sunset.

74

7?ules ami Constitutions.

and in a low tone of voice. The Superiors shall rigidly
exact from their subjects the observance of this rule.
2. Mortification and Corporal Penances.

The evangelical laborers should also have much at
heart Christian mortification, in order that they may
reap abundant fruit from their apostolic labors. Hence
the members of this Institute shall especially devote
themselves to interior mortification, to the conquering
of their passions and to the abnegation of self-will,
seeking like the Apostle to find pleasure in the sorrows,
in the contempt, and in the humiliations of Jesus Christ.
II. With regard to corporal penances, they shall fast
on all the vigils of the feasts of the Blessed Virgin; they
shall abstain from flesh-meat during Advent and the
Novena of the Holy Ghost; but the refection in the
evening shall be more abundant than on the fasting
days of the Church. On two days of every week—on
Wednesdays and Fridays —all shall take the discipline
in common. They shall sleep on straw; woollen pillows
and sheets of ordinary linen are, however, allowed,
The beds, as a rule, shall be seven palms 1 in length by
three and a half in breadth.
III. In order that the evangelical laborers may not be
too indiscreet in mortifying their bodies, they shall take
part in all the prescribed recreations, which usually con­
sist in an hour after dinner and an hour after supper,
when all shall assemble in one and the same place.
There shall also be one day’s recreation every week.
Moreover, it is not allowed them, without the permission
of the Superior and their spiritual directors, to perform
any corporal penance or to burden themselves with too
much labor.
IV. It is forbidden them to use any kind of vain per1 The Neapolitan palm is a measure of length equal to ten or eleven
inches.

Pl, II, Particular Obligations of the Members
fume, to go hunting, to play at any game whatsoever,
and especially to go to the house of their parents. This
is only allowed, with the express permission of the
Superiors, in the case of the serious illness of the father
or the mother, or on account of some other urgent
necessity. The Superiors shall most zealously watch
that this rule be observed.

CHAPTER IV.
THE DOMESTIC MEETINGS.

I. On the Ember Days of each year every Rector
shall assemble his subjects, and after the reading in
common of these Constitutions, he shall direct attention
to the faults that have been committed against them,
and shall give paternal advice in regard to tvhat he
thinks expedient for the observance of them. Further­
more, these Constitutions must be read every Saturday
at supper, and every member of the Congregation must
have a copy of them, must frequently meditate on them,
and must render himself familiar with them.
II. Moreover, the Rector shall give every week a
spiritual conference to all his subjects, and every one
shall accuse himself of the faults which he has com­
mitted against the Rule. The Rector shall also call
together every week the priests and the students of the
house, in order to confer with them on the right man­
ner of giving missions, about the faults to be avoided in
giving them, and about the means successfully to attain
this most holj' end of our Institute. Lastly, in every
house there shall be held every week a conference about
cases of conscience or about dogmatic theology; to
these conferences all the priests shall come well prepared
to answer the questions proposed.

76

Rules anil Constitutions.

Part

III.

GOVERNMENT OF THE CONGREGATION.

■
CHAPTER I.
THE RECTOR MAJOR AND OTHER OFFICIALS.

I. The Rector Major and his Consultors.

I. The Congregation shall be governed by a Superior
General, who shall be perpetual, and shall bear the title
of Rector Major. He shall be elected by the General
Chapter, and must obtain for his election two thirds of
the votes. To be elected Rector Major one must have
lived ten years an edifying life in the Congregation,
have completed one’s thirty-fifth year, and, besides
laboring in the mission, one must have filled the office
of local Rector or Consultor.
II. The Rector Major may choose for his residence
any house that may appear most suitable to him.1 He
shall have absolute authority over all the housesand all
the subjects of the Congregation in regard to the in­
terior or domestic government, since in regard to the
exterior they are to be always subject to the jurisdic1 In 1841, Gregory XVI. fixed the residence of the Rector Major at
Rome; but this order was not pul in execution till 1855, by virtue of
the decree of His Holiness Pius IX., dated October 8, 1853.

1

Pt. III. Government of the Congregation.

77

tion of the bishops; and if subjects are to be promoted
to Holy Orders, they shall always be promoted by those
bishops that would promote them if they did not live in
the Congregation.
III. It shall be incumbent on the Rector Major to
appoint all the Rectors of the houses, the Admonitors,
the two Consul tors of every local Rector, the Masters of
Novices, the Prefects of the Students, the Visitors, and
the Lectors.1 He may remove these at will, provided
he has sufficient cause for doing so; ordinarily, how­
ever, he shall not change them before the expiration of
three years.1
2
IV. It shall also be his duty to accept new founda­
tions and
He shall also
« to determine their location.
be charged with the office of admitting or dismissing
subjects. If the subjects that ask to be admitted are
subdeacons they may be received by the Rector Major
without the vote of his Consultors; if they are not sub­
deacons, there will be necessary for their admission a
majority of the votes of the Consultors, whose vote in
this case shall be decisive. Never, however, shall be
admitted young men that have not yet completed their
eighteenth year.
V. The principal duty of the Rector Major shall be, to
watch with the greatest care over the observance of the
Rules and Constitutions of the Institute, and to give the
example himself by being the first to observe them. lie
shall, therefore, severely punish transgressors, above all
if they are Superiors, without any regard to persons;
and for this purpose he shall make, either himself or
1 “ Lectors,” or those that are charged with the duty of teaching 4he
sciences to the students.
2 By a decree, dated July 2, 1841, Gregory XVI. divided the Con­
gregation into several Provinces. It concerns the Rector Major to
erect new ones with the approbation of the Holy See, and he appoints
the Provincials with their two Consultors every three years.

7^

Rules and Const itntions.

through the Visitors whom he shall appoint, the visita­
tion of all the houses.
-.g,
\ I. It shall not be permitted to the Rector Major to
resign his office without a very grave reason, and with­
out the acceptation of his resignation by the General
Chapter.
fl
V II. I he Rector Major shall have six Consultors, who
shall be given to him by the Chapter; he shall every
month deliberate with them on the most important
affairs of the Congregation, especially when there is
question of appointing the local Rectors, the Visitors,
the Masters of Novices, of founding new houses or of
abandoning one already founded, of dismissing from the
Institute subjects already received, and the like. He
shall not be obliged to follow the advice of the Con­
sultors, since their votes are only consultive; but it will
be expedient that he should usually conform to the major
or sounder part of them.
«fl
VIII. During life, the Rector Major shall secretly
designate in writing and appoint his Vicar-General, who
shall be charged with governing the Congregation after
his death; but this must be done under an inviolable
secret. The government of the Vicar shall last till
the election of a new Rector Major, and the election
shall be held by the General Chapter. If this designa­
tion is found not to have been made, the Consultors of
the deceased Rector Major shall at once proceed to the
election of a Vicar.
IX. Hence, after the death of the Rector Major, the
Vicar named by him, or elected by the Consultors, shall
assemble the General Chapter within the space of six
months at the farthest. At this chapter shall be pres­
ent the Procurator-General, the Consultors of the de­
ceased Rector Major, and the local Rectors, each one of
the latter with a companion delegated for this purpose
by the Chapter of each house, which shall be composed

Pt. III. Government of the Congregation. 79
of all the professed priests of the Community? All the
members of the Chapter shall have the right to vote,
and each one may propose what he thinks to be usefid
for the maintenance of the observance and for the greater
good of the Institute.
X. While the General Chapter lasts, six Consultors of
the Rector Major shall be elected; they shall remain in
office as long as the Rector Major holds his; among
them should necessarily be the Admonitor of the Rector
Major and the Secretary of the Chapter, who shall be
elected by the same Chapter.
XI. If any one of the Consultors be wanting, in every
case one shall be provided by the Rector Major and his
other Consultors with a majority of votes, the Rector
Major of himself not being allowed to provide for one.
XII. To obviate the abuses that usually arise in Com­
munities and unceasingly to renew more and more the
strict observance of these Rules, the General Chapter
should assemble every nine years in the place that the
Rector Major shall designate; and then shall also be
examined the state of each house. The Chapter shall
have the power to form new statutes concerning the
common good of the Congregation, but al ways conform­
ably, and by no means contrary, to the Constitutions
and the Rules. It may, however, for reasonable motives
annul and change the ordinances of the Rector Major
and of other Chapters.
XIII. If the conduct of the Rector Major becomes
such as to make him appear worthy of being deposed,
his six Consultors shall have the right to assemble for
1 Since the erection of Provinces, the Rectors and the Deputies of
each house form the Provincial Chapter, with the Superior, the two
Consultors, and the Procurator of the Province; the General Chapter
is composed of the Procurator and of the General Consultors, of the
Provincial Superiors, and of two Deputies elected in each Provincial
Chapter.
6

8o

Rules anti Constituiions.

this purpose the General Chapter, which may depose
the Rector Major, provided two thirds of the votes are
in favor of the deposition. If ever one of the Consul tors
summons the others for this purpose, all are obliged to
come together; and if they unanimously decide that the
Chapter should be assembled, they shall be free to as­
semble it.
II.

The Admonitor of the Rector Major.

The General Chapter shall assign to the Rector Ma­
jor an Admonitor, who shall be Consultor natus of the
same Rector, and shall watch over his conduct. If he
finds that his conduct is not conformable to the Rules
and Constitutions of the Institute in matters, however
that are important, whence grave injury might result
for the Congregation; especially if through his weak­
ness relaxation should creep into any regular observance,
—he shall admonish the Rector Major with great hu­
mility and charity. If the Rector Major, however, does
not amend, and if the disorder is grave, the Admonitor
shall be obliged to inform the other Consultors, so that
they may proceed to the adoption of those remedies
that they judge to be most suitable; and they may even
proceed to the assembling of the Chapter.
III.

The Procurator-General.

In the Chapter in which the Rector Major is elected,
there shall also be elected a Procurator-General for the
whole Congregation; he as well as the Consultors shall
remain in office as long as the Rector Major holds office.
It shall be his duty to transact gll the affairs of the Con­
gregation that are intrusted to him by the Rector Major
or by the Chapter. He shall take care of the income

Pt. III. Government of the Congregation. 81
left to the entire body of the Congregation that he may
use it according to the intention of the benefactors, or
if their intention was not specified, that he may use it
in the manner that the Rector Major and his Consultors
may judge to be expedient. Every six months he shall
render to the Rector Major and his Consultors an ac­
count of his administration of the income. If the Pro­
curator-General dies, he shall be replaced'by an election
similar to that of a Consultor who is wanting.
IV.

The Visitors.

I. As it is the duty of the Rector Major to make every
year the visitation of all the houses of the Congregation,
he may if ic is prevented depute for this purpose other
Visitors of the same Institute, but they must be men of
mature age and of an exemplary life.
II. The Visitors shall have the powers that are given
them by the Rector Major; they shall, therefore, leave
in every house that they visit suitable ordinances for
the good government of the Community and for the
greater stability of regular observance; and then they
shall render an account of all to the Rector Major.V.
V.

The Local Rector and other Officials.1

I. The local Rectors shall take care of their respective
houses. The Rector Major shall assign to them an
1 The Rector Major for the government of each Province appoints a
Provincial Superior and two Consultors, the first of whom is the Ad­
monitor, and the second is the Secretary. The Provincial and his
Consultors appoint a Procurator of the Province, admit or dismiss
novices, make or permit certain expenses, etc. The Provincial has
jurisdiction over the subjects and the local Rectors of his Province; he
visits the houses every year, and renders an account to the Rector
Major.

82

Rules and Constitutions.

Admonitor, who is to watch over their conduct. If the
Admonitor perceives that the Rector fails in his duty,
that he cares very little about exacting regular observ­
ance, he shall at first admonish him fraternally and
humbly, and if the latter does not amend, the Admoni­
tor shall inform the Rector Major about the matter.
The Rector Major shall also assign to the Rectors two
Consultors with whom they shall deliberate once a
month about the affairs of the house, and examine the
accounts and the book of Masses.
j
II. The Rector shall not expend any money exceeding
the sum of ten scudi1 without the consent of the Admon­
itor and Consultors; and if the sum exceeds a hundred
scudi, they must have the permission of the Rector
Major.
-3
HI. In regard to business transactions, agreements,
acceptance of legacies, or the pledging in any way of
the property of the house, especially the taking of
money on which interest is to be paid, the Rectors or
their Procurators, besides the consent of the Holy See
or of the Ordinary, must have in writing the consent of
the Rector Major.
IV. The local Rector shall choose an assistant, who
shall bear the name Minister. The Minister shall assist
the Rector in taking care of the house, and shall govern
it in his absence, during which he shall conform in
everything to the ordinances and the practice of the
Rector.
V. In every house or Community, besides the Rector,
there shall not be more than eleven Fathers and seven
lay-brothers. There can, however, be a larger number
in the houses of the novitiate and in the houses of
’ A scudo, equal to five francs seven centimes, is a silver coin vary­
ing in value from a little more than four shillings sterling, or about
ninety-six cents, to a little less than this.

I't- HI* Government of
81v/
J the Congregation,
O
O
studies, as well as in the house in which the Rector
Major lives.
VI. Every month the local Rector shall exact an
account of conscience from all his subjects, and shall
visit the rooms of each.

CHAPTER II.
THE QUALITIES REQUISITE IN THOSE THAT ARE TO BE

ADMITTED.

I. The admission of subjects, clerics, or others into
the body of the Congregation shall rest with the Rector
Major, as has been said. Hence he himself, or another
named by him, shall gather exact information in regard
to the capacity and the character of those that ask to
be admitted, and especially as to the motive of their
vocation; he shall inquire whether they have poor sis­
ters or relatives; whether they have contracted debts or
have committed any misdemeanors; whether they are
of legitimate birth; for those should never be admitted
that might bring any reproach or dishonor upon the
sacred ministry. The Consultors shall seek the same
information for the admission of young men that are
not subdeacons, their vote, as has been said, being
necessary 'n this case.
II. The Secretary of the Congregation shall distinctly
note down in a book the day, the month, and the year of
the admission of subjects.
III. Having been thus received, the young men shall
be put on trial for some time while wearing their own
secular dress; then, after having made a retreat of fifteen
days, they shall be admitted into the novitiate, in which
the clerics during an entire year, the lay-brothers during
two years, and the priests of a mature age at least

Rides and Constitutions.

84

during six months, if the Rector thinks fit, shall devote
themselves under the direction of a Master of Novices
la the acquisition of the virtues proper to their vocation.
If they have behaved well during this year of trial, they
shall with the permission of the Rector Major again
make a more rigorous retreat of fifteen days; t hen they
shall be admitted to profession by making the simple
vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience with the vow
and the oath of perseverance in favor of the Congrega­
tion that accepts them. This vow and oath cannot be
relaxed nor be dispensed from except by the Sovereign
Pontiff or the Rector Major; and it is always on this
condition that they are made.
IV. After the profession, the subjects shall apply
themselves to study, but shall, nevertheless, be under
the care of a spiritual Prefect till they are ordained.
For the ordinations the permission of the Rector Major
shall always be required. Usually, the subjects shall
not go out to labor before their thirtieth year; but in
the mean while the Rector of the house may employ
them in case of necessity, with the consent of the Rector
Major.
V. Although the transgression of these Rules and
Constitutions superinduces no sin, yet the Superiors
shall most zealously do all that they can to see that
they be observed. They shall not easily grant dispen­
sations: these shall be granted only in case of necessity,
which should be inquired into by the local Superiors and
their Consultors whenever this necessity has reference to
any individual subject. As for the dispensations that
regard the whole Congregation, recourse must be had
to the Rector Major, who, after having advised with his
Consultors, may grant them, but not in perpetuity, in­
asmuch as only the General Chapter has the power for
very grave reasons to give general and perpetual dis­
pensations.
w

·

(Counsels (Concerning u Religions boention.

Lzzlk’

St. Alphonsus published in 1750 Counsels Concern­
ing a Religious Vocation, followed by Considerations
on the Religious State.
In the first edition he had in

view only those young men that might present them­
selves to enter his Congregation ; but afterwards in a
new edition he modified the last two paragraphs (IV.
and V.) of the Counsels, and adapted them to all relig­
ious Institutes in which regular observance is main­
tained.
Although this little work is found in Volume III. for
the generality of readers, we thought it necessary to
reproduce it in this volume, to which it chiefly belongs,
but with some changes in the notes that we have added.
—Ed.

(Êonnscls (Concerning a Religious bocalion.
i.

We ought to conform to the Designs of God in the Choice
of a State of Life, whatever it may be.

IT is evident that our eternal salvation depends prin­
cipally upon the choice of our state of life. Father
Granada calls this choice the chief wheel of our whole
life. Hence, as when in a clock the chief wheel is de­
ranged, the whole clock is also deranged, so in the order
of our salvation, if we make a mistake as to the state to
which we are called, our whole life, as St. Gregory
Nazianzen says, will be an error.
If, then, in the choice of a state of life, we wish to
secure our eternal salvation, we must embrace that to
which God calls us, in which only God prepares for us
the efficacious means necessary to our salvation. For,
as St. Cyprian says: “ The grace oi the Holy Spirit is
given according to the order of God, and not according
to our own will;” 1 and therefore St. Paul writes, Every one
hath his proper gift from God? That is, as Cornelius à
Lapide explains it, God gives to every one his vocation,
ami chooses the state in which he wills him to be saved.
And this is the order of predestination described by the
same apostle: lEhom He predestined, them He also called ;
and whom He called, them He also justified, . . . and them
He also glorified? *
1 “ Orcline suo, non arbitrio nostro, virtus Spiritus Sancti minis­
tratur.”—De Sing. cler.
‘ “ Unusquisque proprium donum habet a Deo.”—I Cor. vii. 7.
3 “ Quos prædestinavit, hos et vocavit; et quos vocavit, hos et jus­
tificavit; quos autem justificavit, illos et glorificavit.”—Doni. viii. 30.

* In another work (Volume XII.) the holy author expresses him­
self in these words: “God wills that all men should be savqd, but not

88 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation,
We must remark that in the world this doctrine of
the vocation is not much studied by some persons.
They think it to be all the same, whether they live in
the state to which God calls them, or in that which they
choose of their own inclination, and therefore so many
live a bad life and damn themselves.
But it is certain that this is the principal point with
regard to the acquisition of eternal life. He who dis­
turbs tins order and breaks this chain of salvation will
not be saved. With all his labors and with all the good
he may do, St. Augustine will tell him, “ Thou runnest
well, but out of the way,” 1 that is, out of the way in
which God has called you to walk for attaining to salva­
tion. The Lord does not accept the sacrifices offered
up to him from our own inclination, But to Cain and his
offerings he had no respecti1 Rather he threatens with
great chastisement those who, when he calls them, turn
their backs on him in order to follow the whims of their
own caprice. Woe to you apostate children, he says through
I saias, that you would take counsel and not from Me, and
would begin a web and not by My Spirit?
1 “ Bene curris, sed extra viam.”
g
2 “ Ad Cain el ad munera ejus non respexit.’'—Gen. iv. 5
3 “ Væ, filii desertores, dicit Dominus, ut faceretis consilium, et non
ex me; et ordiremini telam, et non per spiritum meum.”—Isa. xxx. 1.
in the same way. As in heaven he has distinguished different degrees
of glory, so on earth he has established different states of life, as so
many different ways of gaining heaven” (Ch. II. § 2). The choice is
not arbitrary: “ To enter into any state of life, a divine vocation is
necessary; for without such a vocation it is, if not impossible, at least
most difficult to fulfil the obligations of our state, and obtain salvation.
The reason of this is evident; for it is God who in the order of his
Providence assigns to each one of us his state of life and afterwards
provides us with the graces and the help suitable to the state to which he
calls us” (Ch. X.). We ought to be persuaded and ought never to for­
get that from all eternity God thinks with love of each one of us, just
as a good father thinks of his only son. — Ed.

Counsels Concerning a Religious J 'ocalion. 89
II.

The Vocation to the Religious State How Important it is to
follow it promptly.
i.

Misery

to which

One

exposes

Corresponding

to

One’s Self
it.

by not

The divine call to a more perfect life is undoubtedly
a special grace, and a very great one, which God does
not give to all; hence he has much reason to be indig­
nant against those who despise it. How greatly would
not a prince think himself offended if he should call one
of his vassals to serve him near his person, and this
vassal should refuse to obey the call! And should God
not resent such conduct? Oh, he resents it but too
much, and th. reate ns such persons by saying, I Toe to him
that gainsayeth his Maker) The word JKoe in Scripture
signifies eternal damnation. The chastisement of the
disobedient will begin even in this life; in which he will
always be unquiet, for, says Job, ll'ho hath resisted Him
and hath had peace Ή Therefore he will be deprived of
those abundant and efficacious helps necessary to lead a
good life. For which reason Ilabert, a divine, writes:
“ He will with great difficulty be able to work out his
salvation.”
He will with great difficulty save himself;
for, being like a member out of his proper place, he will
with great difficulty be able to live well. “ In the body
of the Church,” adds the learned author, “ he will be like
a limb of the human body out of its place, which may be
able to perform its functions, but only with difficulty
and in an awkward manner.” Whence he concludes:
“ And though, absolutely speaking, he may be saved, he
1
2
3
De

“ Væ qui contradicit Fictori suo !”—ha. xlv. 9.
“ Quis rest.lit ei, et pacem habuit?”—Job, ix. 4.
“ Non sine magnis ciitticultatibus poterit saluti suæ consulere.”—
Ord. p. 3, c. i, § 2.

90 Counsels Concerning a Religions Vocation.
will with difficulty enter upon and advance in the road,
and use the means of salvation.” 1 The same thing is
taught by St. Bernard * and St. Leo.3 St. Gregory/
writing to the Emperor Maurice, who by an edict had
forbidden soldiers to become religious, says that this
was an unjust law, which shut the gates of paradise to
many, because many would save themselves in religion
who would otherwise perish in the world.
Remarkable is the case related by E. Lancicius. There
was in the Roman college a youth of great talents.
Whilst he was making the spiritual exercises, he asked
his confessor whether it was a sin not to correspond
with the vocation to the religious life. The confessor
replied that in itself it was no grievous sin, because this
is a thing of counsel and not of precept, but that one
would expose one’s salvation to great danger, as it had
happened to many, who for this reason were finally
damned. He did not obey the call. He went to study
in Macerata, where he soon began to omit prayer and
holy Communion, and finally gave himself up to a bad
life. Soon after, coming one night from the house of a
wicked woman, he was mortally wounded by a rival;
certain priests ran to his assistance, but he expired be­
fore they arrived, and, moreover, in front of the college.
By this circumstance God wished to show that this
chastisement came upon him for having neglected his
vocation.
Remarkable also is the vision had by a novice, who,
as F. Pinamonti relates in his treatise of the victorious
’ “ Manebitque in corporc Ecclesiae, velut membrum in corporc
humano suis sedibus motum, quod servire potest, sed ægre, et cum
deformitate. Licet, absolute loquendo, salvari possit, difficile tamen
ingredietur viam humilitatis et poenitentiae, qua sola ipsi patet in­
gressus ad vitam ”—Ibid.
* De Vit. Cler. c. 5.
3 Epist. S7.
4 Epist. 1. 2, c. 100.

II. How Important to Follow it Promptly, 91
vocation, had resolved on leaving his Order. He saw
Christ on a throne in wrath, ordering his name to be
blotted out of the book of life; by this vision he was
so terrified that he persevered in his vocation.
How many other similar examples are there, not to be
found in books! And how many unhappy youths shall
we not see damned on the day of judgment for not hav­
ing followed their vocation! Such are rebels to the
divine light, as the Holy Ghost says: They have been re­
belHou s to the Iight, they have not known His ways,' and they
will be justly punished by losing the light; and because
they would not walk in the way shown them by the
Lord, they shall walk without light in that chosen by
their own caprice, and perish. Behold, J will utter My
Spirit to you.2 Behold the vocation, but because they
fail to follow it, God adds: Because I called and you re­
fused; . . . you have despised all My counsel. . . . /also will
laugh in your destruction, and I will mock when that shall
come upon you which you feared/ Then shall they call upon
Me, and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning, and
shall not find Me. Because they have hated instruction and re­
ceived not the fear of the Lord. Nor consented to My counsel,
but despised all My reproof/
*
And this signifies that God

will not hear the prayers of him who has neglected to
1 “ Ipsi fuerunt rebelles lumini; nescierunt vias ejus.”—bob, xxiv. 13.
2 “ En. proferam vobis spiritum meum.”—1'rov. i. 23.
3 “ Quia vocavi, et renuistis . . . despexistis omne consilium meum.
. . . Ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo et subsannabo, cum vobis
id, quod timebatis, advenerit.”—Ibid. i. 24-26.
4 “ Tunc invocabunt me, et non exaudiam; mane consurgent, et non
invenient me.
Eo quod exosam habuerint disciplinam, . . . nec
acquieverint consilio meo, et detraxerint universæ correptioni meæ.”—
Ibid. i. 2S-30.
* With these last words, God reprimands those who set but little
value on vocation, and who pretend that one can save one’s soul in­
differently in every state of life. {Theol. mor. 1. 4, n. 78.)

92 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.
obey his voice. St. Augustine says, “ They who have despised the will of God which invited them, shall feel the
will of God when it becomes its own avenger.”1
2. We

must

Obey

the

Voice

of

God

without

Delay.

Whenever God calls to a more perfect state, he who
does not wish to expose his eternal salvation to great
danger must then obey, and obey promptly. Otherwise
he will hear from Jesus Christ the reproach he made to
that young man who, when invited to follow him, said,
I will follow Thee, Lord, but let me first take my
them that are at my house:
And Jesus replied
that he was not fit for paradise: No man putting
to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom

leave of

to him
his hand
of God?

The lights which God gives are transient, not permament, gifts. Whence St. Thomas says that the vocation
of God to a more perfect life ought to be followed as
promptly as possible.4 He proposes in his summary5
the question whether it be praiseworthy to enter re­
ligion without having asked the counsel of many, and
without long deliberation ? He answers in the affirma­
tive, saying that counsel and deliberation are necessary
in doubtful things, but not in this matter, which is cer­
tainly good; because Jesus Christ has counselled it in
the Gospel, since the religious state comprehends most
of the counsels of Jesus Christ. How singular a thing
it is, when there is question of entering religion to lead
a life more perfect and more free from the dangers of
the world, the men of the world say that it is necessary
1 “ Qui spreverunt voluntatem Dei
sentient vindicantem.”—R. ad obj. Vine.
3 “ Sequar te, Domine; sed permitte
quæ domi sunt.”—Luke, ix. 6i.
3 ·· Nemo mittens manum suam ad
aptus est regno Dei.”—Ibid. 62.
4 “ Quanto citius.”
5 2. 2. q. 189, a. 10.

invitantem, voluntatem Dei
i6.
mihi primum renuntiare his
aratrum, et respiciens retro

II. How Important to Follow it Promptly. 93
to deliberate a long time before putting such resolutions
in execution, in order to ascertain whether the vocation
comes from God or from the devil
But they do not
talk thus when one is to accept of a place in the magis­
tracy, of a bishopric, etc., where there are so many
dangers of losing the soul. 1 hen they do not say that
many proofs are required whether there be a true voca­
tion from God.
The saints, however, do not talk thus. St. Thomas
says that if the vocation to religion should even come
from the devil, we should nevertheless follow it, as a
good counsel, though coming from an enemy. St.John
Chrysostom, as quoted by the same St. 1 homas, says
that God, when he gives such vocations, wills that we
should not defer even a moment to follow them. Christ
requires from us such an obedience that we should not
delay an instant.1 And why this? Because as much as
God is pleased to see in a soul promptitude in obeying
him, so much he opens his hand and fills it with his
blessings. On the contrary, tardiness in obeying him
displeases him, and then he shuts his hand and with­
draws his lights, so that in consequence a soul will
follow its vocation with difficulty and abandon it
again easily. Therefore, St. John Chrysostom says that
when the devil cannot bring one to give up his resolu­
tion of consecrating himself to God, he at least seeks to
make him defer the execution of it, and esteems it a
great gain if he can obtain the delay of one day only,
or even of an hour? Because, after that day or that
hour, other occasions presenting themselves, it will be
less difficult for him to obtain greater delay, until the
individual who has been thus called, finding himself
more feeble and less assisted by grace, gives way alto1 “ Talem obedientiam Christus quærit a nobis, ut neque instanti
temporis moremur.”—In Matth. horn. 14.
3 “Si vel levem arripuerit prorogationem.”—Ad pop. Aut. Ioni. 5C.

94 Counsels Concerning a R eligious J oca i ion.
gether and loses his vocation. Therefore St. Jerome
gives to those who are called to quit the world this
advice: “ Make haste, I beseech you, and rather cut than
loosen the cable by which your bark is bound fast to
the land.’” The saint wishes to say that as a man who
should find himself in a boat on the point of sinking,
would seek to cut the rope, rather than to loosen it, so
he who finds himself in the midst of the world ought to
seek to get out of it as promptly as possible, in order to
free himself from the danger, which is so great in the
world, of losing his own soul.
*
| I
Let us also bear what St. Francis de Sales writes in
his works, on religious vocation, because the whole of it
1 “ Festina, quæso te, et hærentis in salo naviculæ funem magis
praecide, quam solve.”— Ad Paulin, de St. So.
1OL- -“· J

* We must here call to mind what the Author says in the Christian
Pule of Life, chap. i. : “ You should choose your director; consult him
on all more important matters; and obey him in everything. He
who obeys his confessor need not fear to go astray: He that heareth
you, heareth Me (Luke, x. i6). The voice of the confessor is the
voice of God.” We should, therefore, consult at least the confessor,
who may delay giving an opinion when he thinks fit to do so on ac­
count of the importance of the decision he has to render.
The following are, according to St. Alphonsus, the three principal
signs of a true vocation to the religious state: “ I. We should have a
good end in view, such as to remove from the dangers of the world,
the better to assure ourselves of salvation, and to become more closely
united with God. 2. We should not be subject to any positive im­
pediment, such as the want of health, or of talent, or parents who
are necessitous ('in necessitate gravi’—Theol. mor. 1. 4, n. 66)—mat­
ters that should be submitted to the judgment of the Superiors, towards
whom we should be frank in telling the truth. 3. We should be ad­
mitted by the Superiors of the Institute. (Counsels to Novices.)”
Moreover, in the Church there are different religious Institutes, dif­
ferent kinds of perfection. It is not enough to know that one is called
to the religious state; one must also examine for what Institute, for
what Community the Lord has destined us, and one must follow in
every point the impulse of grace. (See Homo afost. tr. ult. n 39.)
Ed.

//. How Important to Follow it Promptly. 95
will go to confirm what has already been said, and what
will be said hereafter: “To have a sign of a true voca­
tion, it is not necessary that our constancy be sensible,
it suffices if it be in the superior part of our soul. And
therefore we must not judge that a vocation is not a
true one, if the individual thus called, before putting it
in execution, does not feel any longer those sensible
movements which he felt in the beginning,—even should
he feel a repugnance and coldness, which sometimes
bring him to waver, and make it appear to him that all
is lost. It is enough that the will remains constant in
not abandoning the divine call, and also that there re­
mains some affection for this call. To know whether
God will have one become a religious, one ought not to
expect that God himself should speak or send to one an
angel from heaven to signify his will. And as little
necessary is it that ten or twelve Doctors should examine
whether the vocation is to be followed or not. But it is
necessary to correspond with the first movement of the
inspiration, and to cultivate it, and then not to grow
weary if disgust or coldness should come on; for if one
acts thus, God will not fail to make all succeed to his
glory. Nor ought we to care much from what quarter
the first movement comes. The Lord has many means
to call his servants. Sometimes he makes use of a ser­
mon, at other times of the reading of good books. Some,
as St. Anthony and St. Francis, have been called by
hearing the words of the Gospel; others by means of
afflictions and troubles that came upon them in the
world, and which suggested to them the motive for
leaving it. These persons, although they come to God
only because they are disgusted with the world or out
of favor with it, nevertheless, failing not to give them­
selves to him with their whole will, become sometimes
greater saints than those who entered religion with a
more apparent vocation. Father Flatus relates that a

C)6 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation,
nobleman, riding one day on a fine horse, and striving
to make a great display in order to please some ladies
whom he saw, was thrown from the horse into the mire,
from which he rose besmeared and covered with mud.
He was so full of confusion at this accident that at the
same moment he resolved to become a religious, saving,
‘ Treacherous world, thou hast mocked me, but I will
mock thee. Thou hast played me a game, I will play
thee another; for I will have no more peace with thee,
and from this hour I resolve to forsake thee and to be­
come a friar.’ And, in fact, he became a religious, and
lived in religion a holy life.” ‘
>
III.

Means to be Employed for Preserving a Religious Vocation
in the world.
w

He, then, who wishes to be faithful to the divine call
ought not only to resolve to follow it, but to follow it
promptly, if he does not wish to expose himself to the
evident danger of losing his vocation; and in case he
should by necessity be forced to wait, he ought to use
all diligence to preserve it, as the most precious jewel
he could have.
The means to preserve vocation are three in number:
secrecy, prayer, and recollection.
i. Secrecy.

First, generally speaking, he must keep his vocation
secret from everybody except his spiritual Father, be­
cause commonly the men of the world scruple not to
say to young men, who are called to the religious state,
that one may serve God everywhere, and therefore in
the world also. And it is wonderful that such proposi1 Entrd. 17.

IIL Means for Preserving it in the IPorM. 97
tions come sometimes out of the mouth of priests, and
even of religious; but of such religious only as have
either become so without vocation, or do not know what
vocation is. Yes, without doubt, he who is not called
to the religious state may serve God in every place, but
not he who is called to it, and then from his own in­
clination wishes to remain in the world; such a one, as
I have said above, can with difficulty serve God and
lead a good life.
It is especially necessary to keep the vocation secret
from parents.
It was, indeed, the opinion of Luther, as Bellarmine
relates,1 that children entering religion without the con­
sent of their parents commit a sin. For, said he, chil­
dren are bound to obey their parents in all things. But
this opinion has generally been rejected by Councils
and the holy Fathers. The tenth Council of Toledo
expressly says: “ It is lawful for children to become re­
ligious without the consent of their parents, provided
they have attained the age of puberty;” these are the
words: “ It shall not be lawful for parents to put their
children in a religious order after they have attained
their fourteenth year. After this age, it shall be lawful
for children to take upon themselves the yoke of relig­
ious observance, whether it be with the consent of their
parents, or only the wish of their own hearts.” J The
same is prescribed in the Council of Tribur,123 and is taught
by St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Bernard,
St. Thomas, and others, with St.John Chrysostom, who
1 /?<!■ Mon. 1. 2, c. 36.
2 “ Parentibus filios religioni contradere non amplius quam usque
ad decimum quartum eorum ætatis annum licentia poterit esse; postea
vero, an cum voluntate parentum, an suæ devotionis sit solitarium vo­
tum, erit filiis licitum religionis assumere cultum.”- Caj>. 6.
3 Can. 24.

7

çS Counsels Concerning a Religious J ocaiion.
writes in general: “When parents stand in the way in
spiritual things, they ought not even to be recognized.” 1
Some Doctors then say that when a child called by
God to the religious state could easily and securely ob­
tain the consent of his parents, without any danger on
their part of hindering him from following his vocation,
it is becoming that he should seek to obtain their bless­
ing. This doctrine could be held speculatively, but not
so in practice, because in practice such a danger always
exists. It will be well to discuss this point fully, in
order to do away with certain pharisaical scruples which
some entertain.
r«
It is certain that in the choice of a state of life chil­
dren are not bound to obey parents. Thus the Doctors,
with common accord, teach with St. Thomas, who says:
“Servants are not bound to obey their masters, nor chil­
dren their parents, with regard to contracting matri­
mony, preserving virginity, and such like things.'' Nev­
ertheless, with regard to the state of marriage, F. Pinamonti, in his treatise on religious vocation, is justly of
the opinion of Sanchez, Comminchio, and others, who
hold that a child is bound to take counsel of his parents,
because in such matters they may have more experience
than the young. But speaking then of religious voca­
tion. the above-mentioned Pinamonti wisely adds that
a child is not bound at all to take counsel of his parents,'
because in this matter they have not any experience,
and through interest are commonly changed into ene­
mies, as St. Thomas also remarks, when speaking of
religious vocation. “ Frequently,” he says, “ our friends
according to the flesh are opposed to our spiritual
’“Cum spiritualia impediunt parentes, nec agnoscendi quidem
sunt.'’—In Jo. hom. 84.
2 “ Non tenentur, nec servi dominis, nec filii parentibus, obedire
de matrimonio contrahendo, vel virginitate servanda, vel aliquo alio
hujusmodi.”—2. 2. q. 104. a. 5.

IIL Means for Preserving it in the World. 99

I
I
I
I
In
I
I
I
I
I
I

good.” ' For fathers often prefer that their children
should be damned with themselves, rather than be saved
away from them. Whence St. Bernard exclaims, “ O
hard father, () cruel mother, whose consolation is the
death of their son, who wish rather that we perish with
them than reign without them’.”’I2
God, says a grave author, Porrecta, when he calls one
to a perfect life, wishes one to forget one’s father, saying, Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thine ear ;
and forget thy people, and thy father's house.3 “ By this,
then,” he adds, “ the Lord certainly admonishes us that
he who is called ought by no means to allow the
counsel of parents to intervene.” “ If God will have
a soul, who is called by him, forget its father and its
father’s house, without doubt he suggests by this, that
he who is called to the religious state ought not, before
he follows the call, to interpose the counsel of the carnal friends of his household.
”
4
*
St. Cyril, explaining what Jesus Christ said to the
youth mentioned above, No man putting his hand to the
plough and looking hack is fit for the kingdom of Godp comments on it, and says that he who asks for time to confer with his parents in reference to his vocation is exactly
the one who is declared by our Lord to be unfit for

I

1 “ Frequenter amici carnales adversantur profectui spirituali.”—

I
i
I

I
I
I
I

i

2. 2. q. rSg, a. io.
9 “ O durum patrem, o sævam matrem, quorum consolatio mors filii
est; qui me malunt nos perire cum eis, quam regnare sine eis!’’—Ep. 111.
3 “ Audi, filia, et vide, et inclina aurem tuam; et obliviscere popu­
lum tuum, et domum patris tui.”—Es. xliv. II.
4 “ Si Dominus vult animam ad se vocatam oblivisci patrem, domum
que patris ejus, suggerit utique per hoc, quod vocatus ab ipso ad re­
ligionem non debet suorum carnalium amicorumque domesticorum
consilium interponere talis vocationis exsecutioni.”—In 2. 2. q. i£g,
a. Jo
5 *“ *Nemo
*
mittens manum ad aratrum, et respiciens retro, aptus est
regno Dei.”—Luke, ix. 6t.

i oo Co z/ useIs Co n ce rn ing a Ii7 eligio u s Voca lion.
heaven. “ In order to confer with his parents, he looks
hack who seeks for delay.” 1 Whence St. Thomas abso­
lutely advises those who arc called to religion, to abstain
from deliberating
o on their vocation with their relatives:
“ From this deliberation, the relatives of the flesh are
before all to be excluded; for it is said, Treat thy cause
with thy friend (Prov. xxv. 9); but the relatives of the
flesh are in this affair not our friends, but our enemies,
according to the saying of our Lord: A mans enemies
arc those of his household." 3

j

If, then, for following one’s vocation it would be a
great error to ask the counsel of parents, it would be a
greater one still to ask their permission, and to wait for
it, for such a demand cannot be made without an evi­
dent danger of losing the vocation, as often as there is
a probable fear that parents would exert themselves to
prevent it. And, in fact, the saints, when they were
called to leave the world, left their homes without giving
their parents so much as an intimation of it. Thus
acted St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis Xavier, St. Philip
Neri, St. Louis Bertrand. And we know that the Lord
has even by miracles approved of these glorious flights.
St. Peter of Alcantara, when he went to the monastery
to become a religious, and was fleeing from the house
of his mother, under whose obedience he had lived since
the death of his father, found himself prevented by a
wide river from advancing any farther. He recom­
mended himself to God, and at the same instant saw
himself transported to the other side.
Likewise, when St. Stanislaus Kostka fled from home,
1 “ Respicit retro, qui dilationem quærit, cum propinquis occasione
conferendi.”—Ap. S. Thom. loc. cit.
* “ Ab hoc consilio, primo quidem, amovendi sunt carnis propinqui;
dicitur enim: ’ Causam tuam tracta cum amico tuo.’ Propinqui autem
carnis, in hoc negotio, amici non sunt, sed inimici, juxta sententiam
Domini: ‘ Inimici hominis, domestici ejus.’ ”—Malth. x. 36.

III. Means for Preserving it in the World, 101
without the permission of his father, his brother set out
after him in great haste in a carriage, but having almost
overtaken him, the horses, in spite of all the violence
used against them, would not advance a step farther,
till turning towards the city, they began to run at lull
speed.
In like manner the Blessed Oringa of Waldrano, in
Tuscany, being promised in marriage to a young man,
fled from the house of her parents in order to conse­
crate herself to God; but the river Arno opposing itself
to her course, after a short prayer she saw it divide and
form, as it were, two walls of crystal, to let her pass
through
o with dry feet,
Therefore, my very beloved brother, if you are called
by God to leave the world, be very careful not to make
your resolution known to your parents, and, content to
be thus blessed by God, seek to execute it as promptly
as you can, and without their knowledge, if you would
not expose yourself to the great danger of losing your
vocation. For, generally speaking, relatives, as has been
said above, especially fathers and mothers, oppose the
execution of such resolutions; and although they may
be endowed with piety, interest and passion nevertheless
render them so blind that under various pretexts they
scruple not to thwart with all their might the vocation
of their children.
We read in the life of Father Paul Segneri the
younger, that his mother, though a matron much given
to prayer, left nevertheless no means untried to prevent
her son from entering the religious state to which he
was called. We also read in the life of Mgr. Cavalieri,
Bishop of Troja, that his father, although a man of
great piety, used every means to prevent his son from
entering the Congregation of Pious Workmen (which,
notwithstanding, he afterwards did), and even went so
far as to bring against him a lawsuit in the ecclesiastical
J

102 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.
< J

i >

court. And how many other fathers, notwithstanding
they were men of piety and prayer, have not in such
cases been seen to change, and to become possessed, as
it were, of the devil! For under no other circumstance
does hell seem to employ more formidable arms than
when there is question of preventing those who are
called to the religious state from executing their reso­
lution.
Λ
For this reason be also very careful not to communicate your design to your friends, who will not scruple
to dissuade you from it, or at least to divulge the secret,
so that the knowledge of it will easily come to the ears
of your parents.
*

2. Prayer.

In the second place, it is necessary to know that these
vocations are only preserved by prayer; he who gives
up prayer will certainly give up his vocation. It is
necessary to pray, and to pray much; and therefore let
him who feels himself called, not omit to make every
morning after rising an hour of mental prayer, or at
least half an hour, in his own room, if he can do so there
without molestation, and if not, in the church, and like­
wise half an hour in the evening.
Let him not neglect also to make every day, without
fail, a visit to the Most Holy Sacrament, as also to the
Most Blessed Virgin Mary, in order to obtain the grace
of perseverance in his vocation. Let him likewise not
omit to receive Holy Communion thrice, or at least
twice, a week.
His meditations ought almost always to be on this
point of the vocation, considering how great a favor from
God he has received in being thus called by him; how
much more easilv he will secure his eternal salvation, if
he be faithful to God in following his vocation; and, on
the contrary, to how great a danger of being damned
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J

J '

1ΊΊ. Means for Preserving it in the World, io;
• ’

VJ

he exposes himself if he be unfaithful. Let him then
especially place before his eyes the hour of death, and
consider the contentment that he will then feel if he
shall have obeyed God, and the pains and the remorse
he would experience if he should die in the world. To
this end I shall add at the end of this some consider­
ations on which he may make his mental prayer.
It is, moreover, necessary that all his prayers to Jesus
and Mary, and especially those after Communion and in
the visits, be directed to obtain perseverance. In all
his prayers and Communions let him always renew the
offering of himself to God, by saying, “ Behold, O Lord!
I am no more mine, I am Thine. Already have 1 given
myself to Thee, and now I renew this my offering of
my whole self. Accept of me, and give me strength to
be faithful to Thee and to retire as quickly as possible
into Thv house.”
3. Recollection.

In the third place, it is necessary that he be recol­
lected, which will not be possible for him unless he withdraws from worldly conversations and amusements.
What, in short, as long as we are in the world, is enough
to cause the loss of vocation? A mere nothing. One
day of amusement, a word from a friend, a passion we
do not mortify, a little attachment, a thought of fear, a
resentment we do not overcome, suffices to bring to
nought all our resolutions of retiring from the world, or
of giving ourselves entirely to God. AVherefore we
ought to keep perfectly recollected, detaching ourselves
from everything of this world. We ought during this
time to think of nothing but prayer and frequenting the
sacraments, and to be nowhere but at home and in
church. Let him who will not do so, but distracts
himself by pastimes, be persuaded that he will without
doubt lose his vocation. He will remain with the re­

104 Counsels Concerning a Religious 1 'ocation.
morse of not having followed it, but he certainly will
not follow it. Oh, how many by neglecting these pre­
cautions have lost, first their vocation, and afterwards
their souls!
IV.

Disposition required for entering Religion.

He who feels himself to be called by God to a relig­
ious Institute in which reigns exact observance
*
ought
to know that the end of every regular observance is, to
follow as exactly as possible the footsteps and examples
of the most holy life of Jesus Christ, who led a life
entirely detached and mortified, full of suffering and
contempt. He, then, who resolves to enter such a holy
state must at the same time resolve to enter it for the
sake of suffering and denying himself in all things, as
Jesus Christ himself has declared to those who wish
perfectly to follow him: If any man will come after Me,
let him deny himselfand take up his cross a nd follow Med

He, then, who wishes to enter religion must firmly es­
tablish within himself this resolution to go to suffer,
and to suffer much, so that afterwards he may not give
way to temptations, when, having entered, he feels de­
pressed under the hardships and privations of the poor
and mortified life which is there led.
Many, on entering Communities of exact observance,
take not the proper means of finding peace therein, and
1 “ Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum, et tollat cru­
cem suam, et sequatur me.”—Maith, xvi. 24.

* “1 say ‘in which reigns exact observance;’ for it would be, per­
haps, better to remain in the world than to enter a religious Institute
in which relaxation has been introduced.” We see that this remark is
made by the author himself; he also says elsewhere, “Si institutum
relaxatum est, melius erit alicui ordinarie loquendi, quod in sæculo
remaneat ” {Hom. apost. Ir. ult. n. 39.)

H

a

IV. Dispositions for Entering Religion.

105

of becoming saints, because they only place before their
eyes the advantages of the Community life, such as the
solitude, the quiet, the freedom from the troubles caused
by relatives, from strife and other disagreeable matters,
and from the cares consequent on being obliged to think
of one’s lodging, food, and clothing.
There is no doubt that every religious is only too much
indebted to his Order, which delivers him from so many
troubles, and thus procures for him so great a facility to
serve God perfectly in peace, continually furnishing him
with so many means for the welfare of his soul, so many
good examples from his companions, so much good ad­
vice from his Superiors who watch for his benefit, so
many exercises conducive to eternal salvation. All this
is true; but with all this he must also, in order not to be
deprived of so blessed a lot, resolve to embrace all the
sufferings he may, on the other hand, meet with in the
Order; for if he does not embrace them with love, he
will never obtain that full peace which God gives to
those who overcome themselves: To him that overcomes I
•will give the hidden manna.' For the peace which God
gives his faithful servants to taste is hidden; nor is it
known by the men of the world, who, seeing their morti­
fied life, know not how to envy them, but pity them and
call them the unhappy ones of this earth. But “they
see the cross, the unction they do not sçe,”3 says St.
Bernard; they see their mortification, but they do not
see the contentment that God gives them to enjoy.
It is true that in the spiritual life one has to suffer
but, says St. Teresa, when one resolves to suffer, the
pain is gone. Nay, the pains themselves turn into joy.
“ My daughter,” so the Lord said one day to St. Bridget,
“ the treasure of my graces seems to be surrounded
with thorns;
but
for
him
who
overcomes
the
first
stings,
Λ
1 “ Vincenti dabo manna absconditum.”—Apoc. ii. 17.
2 “Crucem vident, unctionem non vident.”—In Dcdic, s. 1.

io6 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.
all is changed into sweetness.” And then those de­
lights which God gives to his beloved souls to enjoy in
their prayers, in their Communions, in their solitude;
those lights, those holy ardors and embraces, that quiet
)f conscience, that blessed hope of eternal life, who can
ever understand them, if he does not experience them ?
“ One drop of the consolations of God,” said St. Teresa,
“ is worth more than all the consolations and the pleas­
ures of the world.” Our most gracious God knows
well how to give to him who suffers something for his
sake, even in this valley of tears, the experience of the
foretaste of the glory of the blessed; for in this is prop­
erly verified that which David says: Thou who framest
labor in commandment} In the spiritual life, God, an­
nouncing pains, tediousness, death seems to frame labor,
but, in fact, afterwards it is not so; for spiritual life
brings to them who entirely give themselves to God that
peace which, as St. Paul says, Surpasseth all understand­
ing} It surpasses all the pleasures of the world and of
worldlings. Whence we see a religious more content in
a poor cell than all the monarchs in their royal palaces.
O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet}

But, on the other hand, he must be persuaded that he
who does not resolve to suffer and to overcome himself
in the things contrary to his-inclinations, will never be
able to enjoy this true peace, though he should have
already entered religion. To him that overcomes, I will
give the hidden manna} It is, then, necessary that he who
wishes to be admitted into an Order of exact observance
should enter with a mind determined to overcome him­
self in everything, by expelling from his heart every in­
clination and desire that is not from God, nor for God,
’ “Qui fingis laborem in praecepto.”—Ar. xciii. 20.
5 “ Exsuperat omnem sensum.”—Phil. iv. 7.
Gustate, et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus.”—A/. xxxiii. 9.
' “ Vincenti dabo manna absconditum.”— Apuc, ii. 17.

/Ir. Dispositions for Entering Religion.

107

so that he must detach himself from all things, and
especially from the four following: 1. From his com·
,'orts. 2. From his parents. 3. From self-esteem.
From his own will.
i.

Detachment

from his

Comforts.

In religion, after the year of novitiate, one makes, be­
sides the vows of chastity and obedience, also the vow
of poverty, in consequence of which one can never pos­
sess anything as one’s individual property, not even a
pin, no income, no money or other things.
*
The Com·
munity will provide him with all that he needs. But
the vow of poverty does not suffice to make one a true
follower of Jesus Christ if one does not afterwards em­
brace with joy of spirit all the inconveniences of poverty·
“ Not poverty, but the love of poverty, is a virtue,” 1
says St. Bernard; and he means to say that for one to
become a saint it is not enough to be poor only, if one
does not love also the inconveniences of poverty. “Oh
how many would wish to be poor and similar to Jesus
Christi” says Thomas à Kempis; “they wish to be poor,
but without any want,”2 but so that they be in want of
nothing. In a word, they would wish the honor and
the reward of poverty, but not the inconveniences of
poverty.
;
It is easy to understand that in religion no one will
seek for things that are superfluous,—cloths of silk,
costly food, furniture of value, and the like; but he may
desire to have all things that are necessary, and these
’· “ Non paupertas, sed amor paupertatis virtus est.”—Epist. 100.
- “ Volunt esse pauperes, sed sine defectu.”

* In the Congregation <>i the Most Holy Redeemer the vow of poverty comprises the renunciation of every dignity and every benefice or
employment. Moreover, to the three vows are added the vow and
oath of perseverance.

ioS

Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.

he may be unable to get. For then it is he gives proof
that he truly loves poverty, when things that are need­
ful-such as his necessary clothing, bed-covering or
food happen to be wanting, and yet he remains con­
tent and is not troubled. And what kind of poverty
would that be to suffer if he were never in want of any­
thing necessary? F. Balthasar Alvarez says that in
order truly to love poverty we must also love the effects
of poverty; that is, as he enumerates them, cold, hunger,
thirst, and contempt.1
In religion, every one ought not only to be content
with that which is given to him, without ever asking
for anything of which, through the neglect of the stew­
ards, he should be in want, which would be a great de­
fect, but he ought also to prepare himself sometimes to
bear the want even of those simple things that the Rule
allows. For it may happen that sometimes he is in want
of clothes, coverings, linen, or such-like things, and then
he has to be satisfied with that little which has been
given him, without complaining or being disquieted at
seeing himself in want even of what is necessary. He
who has not this spirit, let him not think of entering re­
ligion, because this is a sign that he is not called thereto
or that he has not the will to embrace the spirit of the
Institute. He who goes to serve God in his house, says
St. Teresa, ought to consider that he is going not to be
well treated for God, but to suffer for God.
2.

Detachment

from his

Parents.

He who wishes to enter religion must detach himself
from his parents and forget them altogether. For, in
religious houses of exact observance, detachment from
parents is put in practice in the highest degree, in order
perfectly to follow the doctrine of Jesus Christ, who
said, I came not to send peace, but the sword ; I came to set
1 “ Frigus, famem, sitim, cl contemptum.”

ZK Dispositions for Entering Religion,

109

a man at variance with his father, etc.; 1 and then added
the reason: A man's enemies shall be they of his own house­
hold.1 And this is especially the case, as has been re­

marked above, in this point of religions vocation.
When one’s leaving the world is in question, there are
no worse enemies than parents, who, either through in­
terest or passion, prefer to become enemies of God, by
turning their children away from their vocation, rather
than to give their consent to it. Oh! how many par­
ents shall we see in the valley of Josaphat damned for
having made their children or nephews lose their voca­
tion! and how many youths shall we see damned who,
in order to please their parents, and by not detaching
themselves from them, have lost their vocation and
afterwards their souls! Whence Jesus declares to us, If
any man hate not his father, etc., he cannot be My disciple I

Let him, then, who wishes to enter a religious Order of
perfect observance, and to become a true disciple of
Jesus Christ, resolve to forget his parents altogether.
When any one has already entered religion, let him
remember that he must practise then the same detach­
ment from parents. Let him know that he cannot go
to visit his parents in their own house, except in the
case of some dangerous illness of his father or mother,
or of some other urgent necessity, though always with
the permission of the Superior. Otherwise to go to the
house of one’s parents without the most express permis­
sion would be considered in religion as a most notable
and scandalous fault. In religion it is also considered
a great defect even to ask permission or to show a de­
sire of seeing parents or of speaking with them.
’ “ Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium; veni enim separare homi­
nem adversus patrem suum et filiam adversus matrem suam.”—Matth.
x. 34.
" “ Inimici hominis, domestici ejus ”—Ib. 36.
3 “ Oui non odit patrem suum, et matrem, . . · etc., non potest
esse meus discipulus.”—Luke, xiv. 26.

i io Counsels Concerning a Religious I'ocalion.
St. Charles Borromeo said that when he visited the
house of his parents he always, after his return, found
himself less fervent in spirit. And thus, let him who
goes to the house of his parents by his own will and not
through a positive obedience to his Superiors, be per­
suaded that he will leave it either under temptation or
be cold and lukewarm.
St. Vincent of Paid could only be induced once to
visit his country and his parents, and this out of pure
necessity; and he said that the love of home and coun­
try was a great impediment to his spiritual progress.
He said also that many, on account of having visited
their country, had become so tender towards their rela­
tives that they were like flies, which being once en­
tangled in a cobweb, cannot extricate themselves from
it. He added, “ For that one time that I went, though
it was for a short time only, and though I took care to
prevent in my relatives every hope of help from me,
notwithstanding, I felt, at leaving them such a pain that
I ceased not to weep all along the road, and was lor
three months harassed by the thought of succoring
them. Finally, God in his mercy took that temptation
from me.”
Let him know, moreover, that no one may write to
his parents without permission, and without showing
the letter to the Superior. Otherwise, he would be
guilty of a most grievous fault that is not to be tole­
rated in religion, and should be punished with severity;
for from this might come a thousand disorders tending
to destroy the religious spirit. Let especially the new­
comer know that during the novitiate this is observed
with the greatest rigor; for novices during their year
of novitiate do not easily obtain permission to talk to
their parents, or to write to them.
Finally, let him know that in case a subject should
become sick, it would be a notable defect to ask or to
*

I [ . Dispositions for Entering Religion.

111

show an inclination to go to his own house for his
restoration to health, under the plea of being better
taken care of, or of enjoying the benefit of his native
air. I he air of his own country becomes almost always,
or rather always, hurtful, and pestilential to the spirit
of the subject. And if he should ever say that he wishes
to be cured at home in order
not
to
subject
the
Order
♦
to expenses for remedies, let him know that the Order
has charity enough to take sufficient care of the sick.
As to the change of air, the Superiors will think of that;
and if that of one house is not beneficial to him, they
will send him to another. And as for remedies, they
will even sell the books, if need be, to provide for the
sick. And so let him be sure that divine Providence
will not fail him. And if the Lord should decree
against his recovery, he ought to conform to the will of
God, without even mentioning the word “ home.” The
greatest grace that he who enters an Order can desire
is to die, when God wills it, in the house of God, assisted
by the brethren of his Order, and not in a secular
house in the midst of his relatives.
3.

Detachment

from

Self-esteem.

He must also be altogether detached from all selfesteem. Many leave their country, their comforts, and
parents, but carry with them a certain esteem for them­
selves; but this is the most hurtful attachment of all.
The greatest sacrifice that we can make to God is to
give to him not only goods, pleasures, and home, but
ourselves also, by leaving ourselves. This is that deny­
ing of one’s self which Jesus Christ recommends above
all to his followers. And in order to deny one’s self,
one must first place under foot all self-esteem, by de­
siring and embracing every imaginable contempt that
he may meet with in religion; as, for instance, to see
others, whom perhaps he thinks less deserving, pre-

112 Counsels Concerning
Vocation.
o a Religions
o
ferred to himself, or to be considered unfit to be em­
ployed, or only employed in lower and more laborious
occupations. He ought to know that in the house of
God those charges are the highest and the most honor­
able that are imposed by obedience. God forbid that
any one should seek for or aspire to any office or charge
of pre-eminence. This would be a strange thing in re­
ligion, and he would be noted as proud and ambitious,
and as such should be put in penance, and should
especially be mortified in this point. Better would it
be, perhaps, that a religious Order should be destroyed
than that there should enter into it that accursed pest
of ambition which, when it enters, disfigures the most
exemplary Communities, and the most beautiful works
of God
*
But he ought to feel even consoled in spirit when he
sees himself mocked and despised by his companions.
I say consoled in spirit, for as to the flesh this will be
impossible, nor need a subject be uneasy when he sees
that he resents it; it is enough that the spirit embraces
it, and that he rejoices at it in the superior part of the
soul. Thus also seeing himself continually reprimanded
and mortified by all, not only by Superiors, but also by
equals and inferiors, he ought heartily, and with a tran­
quil mind, to thank those who thus reprimand him,
and have the charity to admonish him, answering that
he will be more attentive not to fall into that fault
again.
One of the greatest desires of the saints in this world
was to be contemned for the love of Jesus Christ. It
was this that St. John of the Cross asked for, when
Jesus Christ appeared to him with a cross on his shoul* We here read in the first edition: “ By the grace of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, we do not see in this our little Congregation the
scandal of a subject seeking for some employment that might give him
a name, such as that of Superior, preacher, or confessor, and the like.”

// . Dispositions for Entering Religion.

113

der, and said, “ John, ask from me what thou wishest,”
and St. John answered, “ O Lord, to suffer and to be
despised for Thee.”1 The Doctors teach, with St.
Francis de Sales, that the highest degree of humility
we can have is to be pleased with abjections and hu­
miliations. And in this consists also one of the greatest
merits we can have with God. One contempt suffered
in peace for the love of God is of greater value in his
sight than a thousand disciplines and a thousand fasts.
It is necessary to know that to suffer contempt either
from Superiors or from companions is a thing unavoid­
able even in the most holy Communities. Read the
lives of the saints, and you will see how many mortifica­
tions were encountered by St. Francis Regis, St. Francis
of Jerome, Father Torres, and others. The Lord some­
times permits that even among saints there should ex­
ist, though without their fault, certain natural antipa­
thies, or at least a certain diversity of character among
subjects of the greatest piety, which will cause them to
suffer many contradictions. At other times false re­
ports will be spread and believed. God himself will
permit this, in order that the subjects may have occa­
sion to exercise themselves in patience and humility.
In short, he will gain little in religion and lose much
who cannot quietly put up with contempt and contra­
diction; and, therefore, he who enters religion to give
himself entirely to God ought to be ashamed not to
know how to bear contempt when he appears before
Jesus Christ, who was “filled with opprobriums” ’ for
love of us. Let every one be attentive to this, and re­
solve to be pleased in religion with all abjections, and
to prepare himself to suffer many of them, for without
the least doubt he will have many to bear. Otherwise,
1 “ Joannes, pete a me, quid vis. . . . Domine, pati et contemni
pro te.’'
- “ Saturatus opprobriis.”
8

114 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.

the disquiet caused by contradictions, and contempt
badly borne with, might trouble him so much as to
make him lose his vocation, and chase him out of relig­
ion. Oh, how many have lost their vocation on account
of such impatience in humiliations! But of what ser­
vice to the Order or to God can he be who does not
know how to bear contempt for his sake ? And how
can one ever be said to be dead according to that prom­
ise which he made to Jesus Christ, on entering religion,
to die to himself if he remained alive to resentment and
disquiet, when he sees himself humbled ? Out of the
Order with such subjects, so attached to their own
esteem! out with them! It is well for them to go as
soon as possible, that they may not infect the rest also
with their pride. In religion every one ought to be
dead, and especially to his own self-esteem, otherwise
it is better for him not to enter, or to depart again if he
has already entered.
4.

Detachment

from his own

Will.

He who enters religion must altogether renounce his
own will, consecrating it entirely to holy obedience. Of
all things, this is the most necessary. What does it
avail to leave comforts, parents, and honors, if we still
carry into religion our own will? In this principally
consists the denial of ourselves, the spiritual death, and
the entire surrender of ourselves to Jesus Christ. The
gift of the heart—that is, of the will—is what pleases
him most, and what he wishes from the children of religion. Otherwise, if we do not entirely detach ourS
selves from our own will and renounce it in all, all
mortifications, all meditations and prayers, and all other
sacrifices, will be of little avail.
|
It is, then, evident that this is the greatest merit we
I
Can have before God, and this is the only and sure way I
of pleasing God in all things, so that then we can, each

//

Dispositions for Entering Religion, i 15

one of us, say what Jesus our Saviour said: I do always
the things that /lease Him? Certainly, he who in religion
’lives without self-will may say and hope that in all that
he does he pleases God, whether he studies or prays, or
hears confessions, whether he goes to the refectory or
to recreation, or to rest; for in religion not a step is
made, not a breath drawn, but in obedience to the Rule,
or to Superiors.
The world does not know, and even certain persons
given to spirituality have little idea of, the great value
of a Community life under obedience. It is true that
outside of religious Communities there are to be found
many persons who do much, and, may be, more than
those who live under obedience; they preach, do pen­
ance, pray and fast, but in all this they consult more or
less their own will. God grant that at the day of judg­
ment they may not have to lament as those mentioned
in Scripture: Why have we fasted and Thou hast not re­
garded, have we humbled ourselves, and Thou hast not taken
notice ? Behold, in the day of your fast, your own will is
found? On which passage St. Bernard remarks: “Self­

t

will is a great evil, for through it that which is good in
itself may be for you no good at all.”3 This to be
understood when in all these exercises we seek not God,
but ourselves. On the contrary, he who does all by
obedience is sure that in all he pleases God. The Ven­
erable Mother Mary of Jesus said that she prized so
much her vocation to religion principally for two rea­
sons: the first was that in the monastery she enjoyed
always the presence and company of Jesus in the Blessed
1 “ Ego, quæ placita sunt ei, facio semper.” John, viii. 29.
2 “Quare jejunavimus, et non aspexisti? humiliavimus animas nos­
tras, et nescisti? Ecce in die jejunii vestri invenitur voluntas vestra.”
—Isa. Iviii. 3.
3 “ Grande malum, propria voluntas, qua fit, ut bona tua tibi bona
non sint.”—In Cant. s. 71.

116 Counsels Concerning
Vocation,
<-> a Religious
Ô
Sacrament, and the other was that there by obedience
she entirely belonged to God, sacrificing to him her own

It is related by Father Rodriguez that after the death
of Dositheus, the disciple of St. Dorotheus, the Lord
revealed that in those five yvears he had lived under obedience, though by reason of his infirmities he could not
practise the austerities of the other monks, yet by the
virtue of obedience he had merited the reward of St.
Paul the Hermit and of St. Anthony the Abbot.
He, then, who wishes to enter religion must resolve to
renounce altogether his own will, and to will only what
holy obedience wills. God preserve any religious from
ever letting escape from his mouth the words, I will or
I will not. But in all things, even when asked by Supe­
riors what he desires, he should only answer, I wish
that which holy obedience wills. And, provided there
is no evident sin, he ought in every command imposed
on him to obey blindly and without examination, be­
cause the duty of examining and deciding the doubts
belongs not to him, but to his Superiors. Otherwise, if
in obeying he does not submit his own judgment to that
of the Superior, his obedience is imperfect. St. Ignatius
of Loyola said that prudence in things of obedience is
not required in subjects, but in Superiors; and if there
is prudence in obeying, it is to obey without prudence.
St. Bernard says, “ Perfect obedience is indiscreet,” 1 and
in another place he says, “ For a prudent novice to re­
main in the Congregation is an impossible thing;” and,
adding the reason for it, he says, “ To judge belongs to
the Superior; and to obey, to the subject.”2
But to make progress in this virtue of obedience, on
which all depends, he must always keep his mind ready
’ “ Perfecta obedientia es indiscreta.”—De vita solit. c. 5.
»“ Novitium prudentem in congregatione durare impossibile est.
. . . Discernere superioris est, subditi obedire.”—Ibid.

IV. Dispositions for Entering Religion. 117
to do all that for which he feels the greatest repugnance,
and, on the contrary, he must be prepared to bear it
quietly when he sees that all he seeks or desires is re­
fused to him. It will happen that when he wishes to be
in solitude, to apply himself to prayer or study, he will
be the most employed in exterior occupations. For
though it is true that in religion one leads as much as
possible a solitary life when at home, and that for this
end there are many hours of silence,—the retreat each
year of ten days in perfect silence, and of one day each
month, besides the fifteen days before the receiving of
the habit, and one of fifteen before the profession when
the vows are made,—nevertheless, if it is an Order of
priests called to work and to be employed for the salva­
tion of souls, the subject, if he is continually employed
in this by obedience, ought to be content with the pray­
ers and exercises of the Community. He must be pre­
pared sometimes to go even without these when obedi­
ence will have it so, without either excusing himself or
being disquieted, being well persuaded of that of which
St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi was so confident when
she said that “all the things which are done through
obedience are but so many prayers.”*
* In the first edition the saint added: “On the other hand, it will
happen that the more a subject desires to be employed in the salvation
of souls, in missions, in preaching, in hearing confessions, or in study­
ing, and the like, the less he will be so employed. He will be for­
bidden to study; he will be left alone in the house when all the others
go out on missions, etc. In such cases he must understand that in
practising obedience he gives the greatest pleasure to God; so that he
ought to accept this obedience with the same gladness and peace of
mind as if he were employed on missions. God grant that no subject of
the Congregation should ever ask, or make known his desire, to preach
or to go on missions, and so forth. By the grace of God, this fault,
which would be a grievous one, is not found among the members of
the Congregation. Nevertheless, each one should be well persuaded
that the more he shows such a desire, the more he will be contradicted

118 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocal ion.

Trials that we must expect to have in the Religious Life.

When, then, any one has thus entered religion, however
truly he may be called, and though he may have con­
quered all his passions and his earthly affections, let him
not imagine that he will be exempt from other tempta­
tions and trials, which God himself will send him, such
as tediousness, darkness, vai ious fears, in order to es­
tablish him more firmly in his vocation. We must
remember that even the saints, who have loved their vo­
cation the most, have sometimes suffered great darkness
with regard to it, and that it seemed to them as if they
were deceived, and would not be able to save themselves
in that state. So it happened with St. Teresa, St. John
of theCross, the Venerable Mother Frances de Chantal.
But by recommending themselves to God, that darkness
was dissipated, and they recovered their peace of mind.
Thus the Lord tries his most beloved children, as it was
said to Tobias: Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was
and mortified in it. The subjects should have but one desire,—the
desire to do that which obedience demands of them. And, indeed,
what merit would all these labors have in the eyes of God if lift· Supe­
riors assigned them, not as God had inspired them to do, but simply
to satisfy the natural inclinations of the subjects? Besides, God would
not lend his aid to works of this kind, and the subjects themselves
would derive from them little fruit. Let him, therefore, who would
enter the Congregation principally in order to give missions, to preach,
and so on, not think of entering, because this is not the spirit of the
Institute. //< only has the spirit of the Institute who enters it -with the
de ire of practising obedience, and of submitting peacefully to be put
away into some corner without having any employment, happy that the
good is deme by others while he himself will do only that which is directly
imposed upon him by obedient c, without having asked for it."

Trials I hat we must expect,

τ 19

necessary that temptation should prove thee) And in the
bçok of Deuteronomy, The Lord your God trieth you, that
it may appear whether you love him or not? Let each one

therefore prepare himself to suffer in religion this ob­
scurity. It will sometimes appear to him that he can­
not bear the observance of the Order, that he will have
no more peace of mind, or will not even be able to save
himself, But, most of all, every one must be on his guard
when the temptation presents specious scruples or pre­
texts of greater spiritual good, in order to make him
abandon his vocation.
The principal remedies in such temptations are two
in number.
First Remedy: To

have

Recourse

to

God.

The first is prayer: Go ye to JJim and be enlightened?
For as it will not be possible for temptation to overcome
him who has recourse to prayer, so he who does not
recommend himself to God will surely be overcome by
it. And let it be remarked that sometimes it will not
suffice to have recourse to God once, or for a few days,
to become victorious. Perhaps the Lord will permit
the temptation to continue, even after we have prayed
for several weeks, months, and even years; but let us
be assured that he who ceases not to recommend him­
self to God will certainly be enlightened and victorious;
and thereafter he will have more peace and be more
firm in his vocation.
Until we have gone through that storm, which for
the most part comes over all, let none of us think him­
self secure. Let us be persuaded, however, that in this
1 “Quia acceptus cras Deo, necesse fuit ut tentatio probaret te.” —
l'ol>. xii. 13.
2 “Tentât vos Dominus Deus vester, ut palam fiat, utrum diligatis
eum, an non.”—Dcut xiii. 3.
* “ Accedite ad eum, et illuminamini.”—/’x xxxiii. 6.

120 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.
time of temptation we ought not to expect a fervor
and a clearness of reason sufficient to tranquillize our­
selves; for in the midst of this darkness we see nothing
but confusion. We have nothing then to do but to say
to the Lord, O Lord, help me! O Lord, help me! and
also to have frequently recourse to Most Holy Mary,
who is the mother of perseverance, confiding in that
divine promise, Ask and you shall receive.' And it is
certain that he who, with the help of divine grace, is
■ions in such a combat finds afterwards a double
and peace in his vocation.
ECOND

Remedy: To

have

Recourse

to the

Superiors.

e second remedy, and a principal and necessary
n such temptations, is to communicate to the Su­
its, or to the spiritual Father of the Community,
temptation which afflicts you, and this at once, bethe temptation becomes strong. St. Philip Neri
that when a temptation is thus manifested it is
vanquished. On the contrary, there is in such a
no greater evil than to conceal the temptation
n Superiors; for then, on the one hand, God withws his light because of the little fidelity shown by
subject in not disclosing it, and, on the other, whilst
mine is not sprung, the temptation gains strength.
lence it may be held for certain that he will surely
e his vocation who, when he is tempted against it,
es not disclose his temptations.
Xnd let it be understood that in religion the most
ngerous temptations that hell can bring against a
bject are those against vocation, in which, if it should
cceed and conquer, by that one stroke it will have
lined many victories; for when a subject has lost his
ication and left religion, what good will he any more
be able to do in the service of God ? Though the enemy
1 " Petile et accipietis.”—John, xvi. 24.

K Trials that wc mist expect.

I2I

may make him believe that out of religion he will have
more peace and be able to do more good, nevertheless
let him hold for certain that as soon as he is out of it
he will feel such a remorse in his heart that he will never­
more have peace. And God grant that such a remorse
may not torment him afterwards through all eternity
in hell, into which, as has already been said, he who
through his own fault loses his vocation falls so very
easily. He will be so lukewarm and discouraged in doing
good that he will not even have the courage to raise his
eyes to heaven. It will be an easy thing for him to give
up prayer altogether, because as often as he begins it
he will feel a hell o£ remorse, hearing his conscience re­
proach him, and saying, “What hast thou done? Thou
hast abandoned God; thou hast lost thy vocation; and
for what ? To follow thine own caprice, to please thy
parents.” Let him be certain that he will have to hear
this reproach through his whole life, and still more shall
he hear it made to him at the hour of his death, when,
in sight of eternity, instead of dying in the house of
God, and in the midst of good brethren in religion, he
will have to die outside of the Community, perhaps in
his own house, in the midst of his relatives, to please
whom he has displeased God. Let religious always
beseech God to let them die rather than to permit that
greatest of disgraces, the greatness of which they will
better understand at the point of death and to their
greater torment, because then there will be no more
any remedy for their error. For him,' then, who is
tempted against his vocation, this is the best meditation
he can make in the time of the temptation,—namely, to
reflect what torment the remorse of having lost his
vocation, and of having to die outside of religion,
through his own caprice, through his own fault, will
cause him at the hour of death.

122 Counsels Concerning a Religious Vocation.

CONCLUSION.

Finally, let him who wishes to enter religion not for­
ci to resolve to become a saint, and to suffer every ex­
terior and interior pain, in order to be faithful to God,
and not to lose his vocation. And if he be not resolved
to this, I exhort him not to deceive the Superiors and
himself, and not to enter at all, for this is a sign that he
is not called, or, which is a still greater evil, that he
wishes not to correspond, as he ought, with the grace
of his vocation. Hence, with so bad a disposition it is
better to remain without, in order to acquire a better
disposition, to resolve to give himself entirely to God,
and to suffer all for God. Otherwise he will do an in­
jury both to himself and to the Order; for he will easily
go back to the world, and then, being disgraced before
the world as well as before God, he will be guilty of a
still further infidelity to his vocation, and will lose the
confidence in the power of taking another step in the
way of God. God only knows into what other misfor­
tunes and sins he may afterwards fall.
On the other hand, a beautiful sight it is to see in re­
ligion souls wholly given to God, who live in the world
as if out of the world, without any other thought than
that of pleasing God.
Ί
In religion each one has to live only for eternal life.
What happiness for us, if we spend these few days of
our life for God! And to this he is most especially
obliged who has perhaps already spent much of his life
in the service of the world. Let us set eternity before
our eyes, and then we shall suffer all with peace and
joyfulness.
Let us thank God, who gives us so much light and so
many means to serve him perfectly, since he has chosen
us, from among so many, to serve him in religion, hav­

V. Trials that we must expect.

12 3

ing bestowed on us the gift of his holy love. Let us
make haste to please him in the practice of virtue, re­
flecting that, as St. Teresa said to her daughters, we
have already by his grace done the principal thing
necessary to become saints, by turning our backs on the
world and all its goods, the least yet remains to be
done, and we shall be saints. 1 hold it for certain that
for those who die in religion, Jesus Christ has prepared
a prominent place in paradise. On this earth we shall
be poor, despised, and treated as fools, as imprudent
men, but in the other life our lot will be changed.
Let us always recommend ourselves to our Redeemer
hidden in the Sacrament, and to Most Holy Mary, be­
cause in religion all subjects must profess a most special
love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and for the Im­
maculate Virgin Mary; and let us have great confidence.
Jesus Christ has chosen us to be princes of his court, as
we may confidently conclude from the protection he ex­
tends to all religious Orders, and to each member of
them. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall
I fear ?λ

O Lord! finish Thy work, and, for Thy glory, grant
us to be all Thine, so that all the members of Thy
Orders may until the day of judgment be pleasing to
Thee, and gain over to Thee an immense number of
souls. Amen. Amen.
'“Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea; quem timebo ?”—A.
xxvi. i.

Considerations for those who arc (lalleb to the
Religions State.
CONSIDERATION I.

J

How the Salvation of the Soul is secured by entering the
Religious State. i

To know how important is the eternal salvation of
our soul, it suffices to have faith, and to consider that
we have but one soul, and when that is lost, all is lost.
nz/z<z/ docs it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and
suffer the loss of his soul Γ This great maxim of the
Gospel has induced many youths either to shut them­
selves up in cloisters or to live in deserts, or by
martyrdom to give up their lives for Jesus Christ.
For, said they, what does it profit us to possess the
whole world, and all the goods of this world, in this
present life, which must soon finish, and then be
damned and be miserable in that life to come, which
will never end? All those rich men, all those princes
and emperors, who are now in hell, what have they now
of all they enjoyed in this life, but a greater torment and
a greater despair? Miserable beings, they lament now
and say, All those things are passed like shadows.2 For
them all is passed like a shadow, like a dream, and that
lamentation which is their lot has lasted already many
years, and shall last throughout all eternity. The fash­
ion of this world passeth away.2 This world is a scene
which lasts but a short time; happy he who plays on
this scene that part which will afterwards make him
1 “ Quid enim prodest homini, si mundum universum lucretur,
animæ vero suæ detrimentum patiatur?”—Matth. xvi. 26.
2 “Transierunt omnia illa tanquam umbra.” — Wisd. v. 9.
3 “ Præterit figura hujus mundi.”—r Cor. vii. 51.

I. How Salvation is secured in it.

12 ς

happy in the life which will never end. When he shall
then be contented, honored, and a prince in paradise,
so long as God shall be God, little will he care for hav­
ing been in this world poor, despised, and in tribulation.
For this end alone has God placed us on this earth, and
keeps us here in life, not to acquire transitory but eter­
nal goods: 77/6’ end is life everlasting}
This is the sole end, which all men who live in the
world ought to have in view. But the misfortune is,
that in the world one thinks little or nothing of ever­
lasting life. In the midst of the darkness of this Egypt,
the greatest number of men bestow all their care on
acquiring honor and pleasures; and this is the reason
why so many perish. JI'ith desolation is all the land made
desolate, because there is none that considered in his heart}

I low few are they who reflect on death, by which for us
the scene is closed; on the eternity which awaits us; on
what God has done for our sake! And thence it comes
that these miserable beings live in blindness and at
random, far from God, having their eyes, like the beasts,
intent only on earthly things, without remembering
God, without desiring his love, and without a thought
of eternity. Therefore they die afterwards an unhappy
death, which will be the beginning of an eternal death
and an endless misery. Having arrived there, they will
open thejr eyes; but it will be only to lament for their
own foolishness.
This is the great means of salvation which is found in
religion, to wit: the continual meditation on the eternal
truths. Remember thy last end, and thou shall never sin}
In all well-regulated religious houses this is done every
1 “ Finem vero, vitam æternam.”—Rom. vi. 22.
2 “ Desolatione desolata est omnis terra, quia nullus est qui recogitet
corde.”—Jer. xii. ii.
3 “ Memorare novissima tua, et in æternum non peccabis.”—Ecclus.
vii. 40.

Considerations on the Religious State.

i 26

■

day, and even several times a day. And theiefoie in
this light °f divine things, which there shines con
tinually, it is morally impossible to live, at least for a
long time, far from God, and without keeping one s
account ready for eternity.
Prayer.
O my God how have I ever deserved this great mercy, that,
having left so many others to live in the midst of the world,
Thou hast .willed to call me. who have offended Thee more
than others, and deserved, more than they, to be deprived of
Thy divine light, to enjoy the honor of living as a friend in
Thy own house! O Lord! grant that I may understand this
exceeding grace which Thou hast bestowed on me, that I may
always thank Thee for it, as 1 purpose and hope to do always
during my life and throughout eternity, and do not permit me
to be ungrateful for it. Since Thou hast been so liberal towards
me, and hast in Thy love preferred me to others, it is but just
that more than others I should serve and love Thee. 0 my
Jesus ! Thou wouldst have me to be wholly Thine, and to Thee
I give myself wholly. Accept me, and henceforward keep me
as Thy own. since I am no more mine. Finish Thou the work
which Thou hast begun. Thou hast called me to Thy* house,
because Thou wilt have me become a saint. Make me then
what Thou wilt have me. Do it, O eternal Father! for the love
of Jesus Christ, in whom is all my confidence. I love Thee, my
sovereign good, 1 love Thee. O infinite goodness ! I love Thee
alone, and will love Thee forever. O Mary, my hope, come to
my assistance, and obtain for me to be always faithful and
thankful to my Lord.

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CONSIDERATION II.

The Happy Death of the Religious.
4

Happy are the dead, who die in the Lord) And who are
those blessed dead who die in the Lord, hut the religious, who at the end of their lives are found already
dead to the world, having already detached themselves
by their holy vows from the world and all its goods?
1

Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur. ’—xiv. 13.

\
1

U* Happy Death of the .Religious.

127

Consider, my brother, how content you will feel if,
o owing your vocation, it will be your good fortune to
ie in the house of God. 1 he devil will certainly repre­
sent to you that if you retire into the house of God,
you may perhaps afterwards repent of having left your
own house and your own country, and deprived your
parents of that succor which they might have expected
from you. But say to yourself: Shall I, at the point of
death, repent of having put my resolution in execution,
or shall I be content? I beseech you, therefore, to im­
agine yourself now already at the point of death, about
to appear before the tribunal of Jesus Christ. Reflect
what then, reduced to that state, you would wish to
have done. Perhaps to have contented your parents, to
have worked for your own family and your country,
and then to die surrounded by brothers, and nephews,
and relatives, after having lived in your own house with
the title of pastor, of canon, of bishop, of a member of
the cabinet, and after having done your own will? or
rather, to die in the house of God, assisted by your good
brethren in religion, who encourage you on the great
passage to eternity, after having lived many years in
religion, humbled, mortified, poor, far from parents, de­
prived of your own will, and under obedience, and de­
tached from everything in the world,—all these things
render death sweet and agreeable? “He who has been
accustomed to deprive himself of the delights of the
world,” says St. Bernard, “ will not regret having done
so when he has to leave it.” 1 Pope Honorius II., when
dying, wished that he had remained in his monastery,
occupied in washing the plates, and had not been Pope.
Philip II. wished at his death that he had been a laybrother in some religious Order, intent on serving God,
and had not been a king. Philip III., also King of
Oui consuevit sc delectationibus mundi privare, mundum deserere
non sentiet.”

128

Considerations on the Religious State.

Spain, said when he was dying, “ Oh that I had been
in a desert, there to serve God, and that I had never
been a monarch! for had such been the case, I should
now appear with more confidence before the tribunal of
Jesus Christ.”
J
When, then, hell tempts yon about your vocation,
think of the hour of death, and set before your eyes
that all-important moment “upon which eternity de­
pends.”1 Thus you will overcome all temptations; you
will be faithful to God; and certainly you will not re­
pent of it at the point of death, but will give thanks to
the Lord, and die contented. Gerard, brother of St.
Bernard, died singing, at the very thought of dying in
the house of God.
Father Suarez, of the Company of Jesus, felt at his
death so great consolation and sweetness at dying in
religion that he said, “ I never thought it was so sweet
to die.”3
I
Another good religious, of the same society, when at
the point of death, laughed; and being asked why he
laughed, answered: “And why should I not laugh?
Has not Jesus Christ himself promised paradise to him
who leaves everything for his sake? Was it not he who
said, Every one that has left house, or brethren^ or father,
etc. y shall receive a hundred-Joldy and shall fassess life ever­
lasting V I have left all for God; God is faithful, he

cannot fail to full'd his promises; and so,” he said, “ why
should I not rejoice and laugh, seeing myself assured of
paradise?”
I
A certain lay-brother, who died some years ago, was
asked, at his death, in which house he would rather be.
He answered, “ I desire nothing but to die and to be
united with God.”
’ “ A quo pendet aeternitas.”
2 “ Non putabam tam dulce esse mori.”
3 “ Qui reliquerit domum vel fratres, aut patrem, etc., centuplum
accipiet, et vitam æternam possidebit.”—Matth. xix. 29.

II. Happy Death of the Religious.

129

Father Januarius Sarnelli, a short time before his
death, when conversing with God, uttered the follow­
ing words: “O Lord, Thou knowest that all I have
done, all I have thought, has been for Thy glory; now
I wish to go to see Thee face to face, if it please Thee
so;” then he said, “ Come, I will begin a sweet agony;”
and began to converse affectionately with God, and
shortly after placidly expired, preserving the smile on
his lips, and the body began to give forth a sweet odor,
which, as they attested, was perceived for several days
in the room in which he had died.
St. Bernard, then, speaking of the happy state of
religious, had good reason to exclaim: “O secure life,
in which death is expected without fear,—ay, sweetly
desired and devoutly accepted!”1
Prayer.
O my Lord Jesus Christ! who, in order to obtain a happy
death forme, hast chosen so bitter a death for Thyself ; since
Thou hast loved me to such an extent as to have chosen me to
follow more closely Thy holy life, to have me thus more inti­
mately united with Thy loving heart, bind me, I beseech Thee,
wholly to Thee with the sweet cords of Thy love, that I may no
more separate myself from Thee. O my beloved Redeemer! I
wish to be grateful to Thee, and to correspond with Thy grace,
but I fear my weakness may render me unfaithful ; O my Jesus !
do not permit this. Let me die rather than abandon Thee, or
forget the peculiar affection Thou hast shown me.
I love Thee, O my dear Saviour! Thou art and shalt always
be the only Lord of my heart and of my soul. I leave all and
choose Thee alone for my treasure, O most pure Lamb of God,
O my most ardent lover! My beloved is white and ruddy,
chosen out of thousands? Begone, ye creatures, my only good
1 “ O vita secura, ubi absque formidine mors expectatur, immo et
exoptatur cum dulcedine, et excipitur cum devotione."—Ad Mil. T.
c. i.
2 “ Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus, electus ex millibus."—
Cant. v. 10.
9

i ?o

Considerations on the Retirions State.

is my God, he is my love, my all. I love Thee, O my Jesus’
and in loving Thee I will spend the remainder of my life, be it
short, or be it long. I embrace I hee, I press Ί hee to my heart,
and I wish to die united with Tiiee. I wish nothing else. Make
me live always burning with Thy love, and when I shall have
arrived at the end of my life, make me expire in an ardent act
of love towards Thee.
*3
Immaculate Virgin Mary, obtain thou this grace for me; I
hope it from thee.
3
CONSIDERATION III.

The Account which he will have to render to Jesus Christ,
on the Day of Judgment, who does not follow his Voca­
tion.
V

The grace of vocation to the religious state is not an
ordinary grace; it is a very rare one, which God grants
only to a few. He hath not done so to every nation} Oh,
how much greater is this grace, to be called to a perfect
life and to become one of the household of God, than if
one were called to be the king of any kingdom on this
earth’, for what comparison can there be between a tem­
poral kingdom of this earth and the eternal kingdom of
heaven ?
But the greater the grace is, the greater will be the
indignation of the Lord against him who has not corre­
sponded with it, and the more rigorous will be his judg­
ment at the day of account. If a king were to call a
poor shepherd to his royal palace, to serve him among
the noblemen of his court, what would not be the indig­
nation of this king were he to refuse such a favor,
through unwillingness to leave his miserable stable and
his little flock ? God knows well the value of his graces,
and therefore he chastises with severity those who de­
spise them. He is the Lord; when he calls, he wishes
to be obeyed, and obeyed promptly. When, therefore,
1 “ Non fecit taliter omni nationi.”—Ps. cxlvii. 20.

III. . \cco2int to be given on Judgment-day.

131

by his inspiration, he calls a soul to a perfect life, if it
does not correspond, he deprives it of his light, and
abandons it to its own darkness. Oh, how many poor
souls shall we see among the reprobate on the day of
judgment for this very reason, that they were called and
would not correspond!
Oive thanks, then, to the Lord, who has invited you
to follow him; but if you do not correspond, fear.
Since God calls you to serve him nearer to his person,
it is a sign that he wishes to save you. But he will have
you to be saved in that path only which he indicates to
you and has chosen for you. If you wish to save your­
self on a road of your own choosing, there is great
danger that you will not be saved at all; for if you re­
main in the world, when God wishes you to be a relig­
ious, he will not give you those efficacious helps pre­
pared for you had you lived in his house, and without
these you will not save yourself. My sheep hear My
voice.' He who will not obey the voice of God shows
that he is not, and will not be, one of his sheep, but in
the valley of Josaphat he will be condemned with the
goats.
Prayer.

O Lord, Thou hast shown me such an excess of bounty as to
choose me from among so many others, to serve Thee in Thy
own house with Thy most beloved servants. I know how great
is that grace, and how unworthy of it 1 have been. Behold. I
am -willing to correspond to so great a love. I will obey Thee.
Since Thou hast been towards me so liberal as to call me when
I did not seek Thee, and when I was so ungrateful, permit it
not that I should offer to Thee that greater excess of ingrati­
tude, to embrace again my enemy, the world, in which hereto­
fore I have so oftentimes forfeited Thy grace and my eternal
salvation, and thus to forsake Thee, who hast shed Thy blood
and given Thy life for my sake. Since Thou hast called me,
*' Oves mcæ vocem meam audiunt.
'
*
—John, x. 27.

132

Considerations on the /editions State.

give me also the strength to correspond 10 the call. Already'
have 1 promised to obey 1 hcc. I promise it again, but without
the grace of perseverance I cannot be faithful to Thee. This
perseverance I ask from Thee, and through Thy own merits it
is that I wish it and hope to obtain it. Give me the courage to
vanquish the passions of the flesh, through which the devil
seeks to induce me to betray Thee. I love Thee, O my Jesus!
to Thee I consecrate myself entirely. I am already Thine, 1
will be always Thine. O Mary, my mother and my hope, thou
art the mother of perseverance. This grace is only dispensed
through thy hands; do thou obtain it for me. In thee do I
CONSIDERATION IV.

The Torment which in Hell will be the Lot of him who is
damned for having lost his Vocation.
The pain of having through one’s own fault lost some
great good, or of having brought upon one’s self volun­
tarily some great evil, is a pain so great that even in
this life it causes an insupportable torment. But what
torment will that youth, called by the singular favor of
God to the religious state, feel in hell when he then
perceives that if he had obeyed God he would have
attained a high place in paradise, and sees himself
nevertheless confined in that prison of torments, with­
out hope of remedy for this his eternal ruin! Their
worm die th not)

1 his will be that worm, which, living always,-will
always gnaw his heart by a continual remorse. He
will say then, λ\ hat a fool 1 was’. I might have become
a great saint. And if I had obeyed, I would certainly
have become so, and now I am damned without remedy.
Miser able being. Ihen for his greater torment, on
the day of judgment he will see and recognize at the
right hand, and crowned as saints, those who have fol­
lowed their vocation, and, leaving the world, have re’ “ Vermis corum non moritur.”—Mark, ix.

I / ’ Torment in Hellfor having lost Vocation. 133
’ tired to the house of God, to which he also had been
once called. And then will he see himself separated
from the company of the blessed, and placed in the
midst of that innumerable and miserable crew of the
damned, for his disobedience to the voice of God.
• Wc know well, as we have considered above, that to
this most unhappy lot he exposes himself who, in order
to follow his own caprice, turns a deaf ear to the call
of God. Therefore, my brother, you who have already
been called to become a saint in the house of God, con­
sider that you will expose yourself to a great danger
should you lose your vocation through your own fault.
Consider that this very vocation which God in his sov­
ereign bounty has given you, in order, as it were, to take
you out from among the populace and place you among
the chosen princes of his paradise, will, through your
own fault, should you be unfaithful to it, become an
especial hell for you. Make your choice then, for God
leaves it in your own hands, either to be a great king in
paradise, or a reprobate in hell, more despairing than
the rest.
Prayer.

No, my God, permit me not to disobey Thee and to be un­
faithful. I see Thy goodness, and thank Thee for that instead
of casting me away from Thy face, and banishing me into hell,
as I have so often deserved, Thou callest me to become a saint,
and preparest for me a high place in paradise. I see that I
should deserve a double tonnent, should I not correspond with
this grace, which is not given to all. I will obey Thee. Behold,
I am Thine, and always will be Thine. I embrace with joy all
the pains and discomforts of the religious life, to which Thou
invitest me. And what are these pains in comparison with
the eternal pains, which I have deserved? I was entirely lost
through my sins; now I give myself entirely to Thee. Dispose
of me and my life as Thou pleasest. .Accept, O Lord ! of one
already condemned to hell, as I have been, to serve Thee and
love Thee in this life and in the next. I will love Thee as much

134

Considerations on the Religions State.

as 1 have deserved to be doomed to hate Thee in hell, O God,
worthy of an infinite love! O my Jesus! Thou hast broken
those chains by which the world held me bound ; Thou hast
delivered me from the servitude of my enemies. I will love
Thee much, then, O my love ! and for the love I bear Thee, I
will always love Thee and obey Thee. Always will 1 thank
Thee, O Mary, my advocate, who hast obtained this mercy for
me. Help me, and suffer me not to be ungrateful to that God
who has loved me so much. Obtain for me that I may die
rather than be unfaithful to so great a grace. Thus I hope.
CONSIDERATION V.

The Immense Glory which Religious enjoy in Heaven.

Consider, in the first place, that which St. Bernard
says, that it is difficult for religious who die in the relig­
ious state to be damned. “ From the cell to heaven
the way is easy; one scarcely ever descends from his
cell into hell.” And the reason which the saint adduces
is, “because one scarcely ever perseveres in it until
death, unless he be predestinated.” * For a religious
with difficulty perseveres until his death, if he be not of
the number of the elect of paradise. Therefore, St.
Laurence Justinian called the religious state the gate of
paradise. “Of that heavenly city this is the gate.”2
And he said that “ therefore the religious have a great
sign of their predestination.” 3
Consider, moreover, that the reward of heaven, as the
Apostle says, is “a crown of justice;” 1 wherefore God,
though he rewards us for our works more abundantly
than we deserve, rewards us nevertheless in proportion
1 “ Facilis via de cella ad cœlum. . . . Vix unquam aliquis a cella
in infernum descendit: quia vix unquam, nisi cœlo praedestinatus, in ea
usque ad mortem persistit.”—De Vit. Sol. c. 4.
2 “ Illius coelestis civitatis, iste est introitus.”
3 “Magnum quippe prædestinationis indicium est.”—De Dise. mon.
c. 7.
4 “ Corona juslitiæ.”—2 Tim. iv. 8.

V. Glory of Ihe R cligious in IIca z>cn.

135

to the works we have done. He wilt render to every one
according to his works) From this consider how exceed­
ingly great will be the reward which God will give in
heaven to good religions, in consideration of the great
merits they daily acquire.
The religious gives to God all his goods of this earth,
and is content to be entirely poor, without possessing
anything. The religious renounces all attachment to
his parents, friends, and country, in order to unite him­
self more closely to God. The religious continually
mortifies himself in many things which he would enjoy
in the world. The religious, finally, gives to God his
whole self, by giving him his will through the vow of
obedience.
But the dearest thing that we have is our own will,
and what God, of all other things, requires of us most
is our heart; that is to say, our will. My son,give Me thy
heart.'1 He who serves God in the world will give him
his possessions, but not himself; he will give him a part
and not the whole, for he will give him indeed his goods
by alms-deeds, his food by fasting, his blood by disci­
plines, etc.; but he will always reserve for himself his
own will, fasting when he pleases, praying when he likes.
But the religious, giving him his own will, gives him­
self and gives all, gives not only the fruits of the tree,
but the whole tree itself. Whence he may then truly
say to him, O Lord ! having given Thee my will, I have
nothing more to give to Thee.
And, therefore, in all that he does through obedience
he is sure to do the will of God perfectly, and merits by
all, not only when he prays, when he hears confessions,
when he preaches, or fasts, or practises other mortifica­
tions, but also when he takes his food, when he sweeps
his room, when he makes his bed, when he takes his
1 “ Reddet unicuique secundum opera ejus.”—Matth. xvi. 27.
* “ Præbe, fili mi, cor tuum mihi.”—Prov. xxiii. 26.

ij6

Considerations on the Religious State.

rest, when he recreates himself; for, doing all this through
obedience, in all he docs the will of God. St. Marv*
Magdalene de Pazzi said that all that is done through
obedience is a prayer. Hence, St. Anselm, speaking of
those who love obedience, asserted that all that religious
do is meritorious for them. St. Aloysius Gonzaga said
that in religion one sails, as it were, in a vessel, in which
he even advances who does not row.
I
Oh, how much more will a religious gain in one month
by observing his Rule than a secular, with all his pen­
ance and prayers, in a year ! Of that disciple of Doro­
theas called Dositheus, it was revealed that for the live
years he had lived under obedience there was given to
him in heaven the glory of St. Paul the Hermit and of
St. Anthony the Abbot, both of whom had for so many
years lived in the desert. Religious, it is true, have to
suffer the inconveniences of regular observance: Going,
they went and wept. But when they are called to the ’
other life, they will go to heaven, but, coming, they shall
come 'iJith joyfulness, carrying their sheaves.1 Whence they
shall then sing, The lines arc fallen unto me in goodly places,
for my inheritance is goodly to me? These bonds which
have bound me to the Lord have become for me ex­
ceedingly precious, and the glory they have acquired for
me is exceedingly great.
Λ
Prayer.

I

Is it possible, O my God and my true lover ! that Thou
desircst so much my good, and to be loved by me, and that I,
miserable that I am, desire so little to love and to please Thee ?
For what end hast Thou favored me with so many graces, and
taken me out of the world? O my Jesus! I understand Thee.
Thou lovest me much, Thou wilt have me love Thee much
1 “ Euntes ibant et flebant. . . . Venientes autem venient cum exultatione, portantes manipulos suos.”—Ps. cxxv. 6.
'·' “ Funes ceciderunt mihi in præclaris, etenim hereditas mea præclara est mihi.”—Ps. xv. 6.

VI. Interior Peace of the Religious.

137

also, and be all Thine, in this life and in the next. Thou wishest that my love should not be divided with creatures, but wilt
have it to be wholly for Thyself, the only good, the only lovely
one, and worthy of infinite love. Ah! my Lord, my treasure,
my love, my all, yet I pant and truly desire to love Thee, and to
love no other but Thee. I thank Thee for this desire Thou
hast given me; preserve it in me, always increase it in me, and
grant that 1 may please Thee, and love Thee on this earth as
Thou desircst, so that I may come hereafter to love Thee face
to face, with all my strength in paradise. Behold, this is all
that I ask from Thee. Thee will I love, O my God ! I will love
Thee, and for Thy love I offer myself to suffer every pain. I
will become a saint, not that I may enjoy great delight in
heaven, but to please Thee much, () my beloved Lord ! and to
love Thee much forever. Graciously hear me, O eternal Father!
for the love of Jesus Christ.
My Mother Mary, for the love of this thy Son, help thou me.
Thou art my hope ; from thee I hope every good.
CONSIDERATION VI.

The Interior Peace that God gives Good Religious Jo Enjoy.

The promises of God cannot fail.

God has said, Every

one that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, ... or lauds for My name's sake, shall receive an
hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting} That is, the

hundredfold on this earth, and life everlasting in heaven.
The peace of the soul is a good which is of greater
value than all the kingdoms of the world. And what
avails it to have the dominions of the whole world with­
out interior peace ? Better is it to be the poorest villager,
and to be content, than to be the lord of the whole world,
and to live a discontented life. But who can give this
peace? The unquiet world? Oh no, peace is a good
that is obtained only from God. “ O God !” prays the
1 “ Omnis qui reliquerit domum, vel fratres aut sorores, aut patrem
aut matrem, . . . aut agros, propter nomen meum, centuplum accipiet
et vitam æternam possidebit.”—Matth. xix. 29.

138

Considerations on the Religious State.

Church, “give to Thy servants that peace which the
world cannot give.” 1 Therefore he is called the God of
all consolation. But if God be the sole giver of peace,
to whom shall we suppose will he give that peace but to
those who leave all, and detach themselves from all
creatures, in order to give themselves entirely to their
Creator? And therefore is it seen that good religious
shut up in their cells, though mortified, despised, and
poor, live a more contented life than the great ones of
the world, with all the riches, the pomps, and diversions
they enjoy.
,Λ
St. Scholastica said that if men knew the peace that
good religious enjoy, the whole world would become a
monastery; and St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi said that
all, if they knew it, would scale the walls of the monas­
teries, in order to get into them. The human heart
having been created for an infinite good, all creatures
cannot content it, they being finite, imperfect, and few; God alone, who is an infinite good, can render it con­
tent. Delight in the Lord and lie will give thee the request
of thy heart: Oh no; a good religious united with God
envies none of the princes of the world who possess
kingdoms, riches, and honors. “ Let the rich,” he will
say with St. Paulinas, “ have their riches, the kings have
their kingdoms: to me Christ is my kingdom and my
glory.” He will see those of the world foolishly glory
in their displays and vanities; but he, seekino;
al
wavs
<5
J
to detach himself more from earthly things, always to
unite himself more closely to his God, will live contented
in this life, and will say, Some trust in chariots, and some in
’ “Deus, . . . da servis tuis illam, quam mundus dare non potest
pacem/1
’
» ·· Delectare in Domino, et dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui.”—Ps
xxxvi. 4.
3 44 Sibi divitias suas habeant divites, sibi regna sua
.
v
Christus regnum et gloria est. —/7». ad Aprum.
1

II. Interior Peace of the Religious.

139

hoi ses, bitt we will call upon the name of the Lord, our
God:

St. 1 eresa said that one drop of heavenly consolation
is of greater value than all the pleasures of the world,
bather Chai les of Lorraine, having become a religious,
said that God, by one moment of the happiness that he
gave him to feel in religion, superabundantly paid him
for all he had left for God. Hence his joyfulness was
sometimes so great that, when alone in his cell, he could
not help beginning to leap. The Blessed Seraphino of
Ascoli, a Capuchin lay-brother, said that he would not
exchange a foot length of his cord for all the kingdoms
of the world.
Oh, what contentment does he find who, having left
all for God, is able to say with St. Francis, “ My God and
my all !” J and with that to see himself freed from the
servitude of the world, from the thraldom of worldly
fashion, and from all earthly affections. This is the
liberty that is enjoyed by the children of God, such as
good religious are. It is true that in the beginning, the
deprivation of the conversations and pastimes of the
world, the observances of the Community, and the rules,
seem to be thorns; but these thorns, as our Lord said
to St. Bridget, will all become flowers and delights
to him who courageously bears their first sting, and he
will taste on this earth that peace which, as St. Paul
says, surpasseth all the gratifications of the senses, and
all the enjoyments of feasts, of banquets, and of the
pleasures of the world: The peace of God which surpasseth
all understanding.' And what greater peace can there
be than to know that one pleases God ?
1 “ Hi in curribus, et hi in equis: nos autem in nomine Domini Dei
nostri invocabimus.”—/’j. xix. S.
2 “ Deus meus et omnia.”
3 “Pax Dei, quæ exsuperat omnem sensum.”—Phil. iv. 7.

140

Considerations on the Rcligh us State.
Prayer.

3

0 my Lord and my God, my all ! I know that Thou alone
canst make me contented in this and in the next life. But I
will not love Thee for my own contentment, 1 will love Thee
only to content Thy heart. I wish this to be my peace, my only
satisfaction during my whole life, to unite my will to Thy holy
will, even should I have to suffer every pain in order to do this.
Thou art my God, I am Thy creature. And what can I hope for
greater than to please Thee, my Lord, my God, who hast been
so partial in Thy love towards me? Thou, O my Jesus! hast
left heaven to live, for the love of me, a poor and mortified
life. I leave all to live only for the love of Thee, my most
blessed Redeemer. I love Thee with my whole heart; if only
Thou wilt give me the grace to love Thee,.treat me as Thou
pleasest.
0 Mary, Mother of my God ! protect me and render me like
to thee, not in thy glory, which I do not deserve, as thou dost,
but in pleasing God, and obeying his holy will, as thou didst.
CONSIDERATION VII.

The Damage done to Religious by Tepidity.
Consider the misery> of that relioious
who,z after havO
ing left his home, his parents, and the world with all its
pleasures, and after having given himself to Jesus Christ,
consecrating to him his will and his liberty, exposes
himself at last to the danger of being damned, by falling
into a lukewarm and negligent life, and continuing in
it. Oh, no; not-far from perdition is a lukewarm relig­
ious, who has been called into the house of God to
become a saint. God threatens to reject such, and to
abandon them if they do not amend. But because thou
art lukewarm, I will begin to vomit thee out of My mouth)
St. Ignatius of Loyola, seeing a lay-brother of his
Order become lukewarm in the service of God, called
1 “ Sed quia tepidus es, . . . incipiam tc evomere ex ore meo ”_
Apoc. iii. 16.

VII. Damage Tepidity docs to Religious. 141
him one clay and said to him, Tell me, my brother,
what did you come in religion to do ? He answered, To
serve God. O my brother ! replied the saint, what have
you said ? If you had answered that you came to serve
a cardinal, or a prince of this earth, you would be more
excusable; but you say that you came to serve God, and
do von serve him thus?
Father Nieremberg says that some are called by God
to be saved only as saints, so that if they should not take
care to live as saints, thinking to be saved as imperfect
Christians, they will not be saved at all. And St.
Augustine says that such are in most cases abandoned
by God: “ Negligent souls God is accustomed to aban­
don.” 1 And how does he abandon them ? By permit­
ting them from lighter faults, which they see and do
not mind, to fall into grievous ones, and to lose divine
grace and their vocation. St. Teresa of Jesus saw the
place prepared for her in hell had she not detached
herself from an earthly, though not a grievously culpa­
ble, affection. He that contemneth small things, shall fall
by little a nd little.'

Many wish to follow Jesus Christ, but from afar, as
St. Peter did, who, when his Master was arrested in the
garden, says St. Matthew, followed Him afar off.3 But by
doing so that will easily happen to them which happened
to St. Peter; namely, that, when the occasion came, he
denied Jesus Christ. A lukewarm religious will be con­
tented with what little he does for God; but God, who
called him to a perfect life, will not be contented, and,
in punishment for his ingratitude, will not only deprive
him of his special favors, but will sometimes permit his
fall. “ When you said, It is enough, then you per1 “ Deus négligentes deserere consuevit.”—In Ps. 11S, s. io.
s “ Qui spernit modica, paulatim decidet.”—Ecclus. xix. I.
3 “ Sequebatur eum a longe.”—Matlh. xxvi. 58.

%
142

Considerations on the Religions State.

ished,”1 says St. Augustine. The fig-tree of the Gospel
was cast into the lire, only because it brought forth no
fruit.
·
‘1
Father Louis de Ponte said, “ I have committed many
faults, but I have never made peace with them.” Mis­
erable is that religious who, being called to perfection,
makes peace with his defects. As long as we detest
our imperfections, there is hope that we may still be­
come saints; but when we commit faults and make lit­
tle of them, then, says St. Bernard, the hope of be­
coming saints is lost. He who s'oweth sparingly shall also
reap sparingly} Common graces do not suffice to make
one a saint; extraordinary ones are necessary. But
how shall God be liberal with his favors towards that one
who acts sparingly and with reserve in his love towards
him ?
Moreover, to become a saint, one must have courage
and strength to overcome all repugnances; and let no
one ever believe, says St. Bernard, that he will be able
to attain to perfection if he does not render himself
singular among others in the practice of virtue. “ What
is perfect cannot but be singular.” 3 Reflect, my
brother, for what have you left the world and all ? To
become a saint. But that lukewarm and imperfect life
which you lead, is that the way of becoming a saint?
St. Teresa animated her daughters by saying to them,
“ My sisters, you have done the principal thing neces­
sary to become saints; the least remains yet to be done.”
The same I say to you; you have, perhaps, done the
chief part already; you have left your country, your
home, your parents, your goods, and your amusements;
the least remains yet to be done, to become a saint;
do it.
1 “ Si dixeris: Sufficit; periisti.”—Serm. 169, E. B.
s “ Qui parce seminat, parce et metet.”—2 Cor. ix. 6.
3 “ Perfectum non potest esse, nisi singulare.”

ΙΊΙΙ. How dear to God the Soulgiven to IIini. 143
Prayer.

() my God ! reject me not, as I deserve, for I will amend. 1
know well that so negligent a life as mine cannot satisfy Thee.
I know that I have myself, by my lukewarmness, shut the
door against the graces which Thou didst desire to bestow upon
me. O Lord ! do not yet abandon me, continue to be merciful
towards me; I will rise from this miserable state. I will for the
future be more careful to overcome my passions, to follow Thy
inspirations, and never will I through slothfulness omit my
duties, but I will fulfil them with greater diligence. In short,
I will, from this time forward, do all I can to please Thee, and
I will neglect nothing which I may know to be pleasing to
Thee. Since thou, O my Jesus! hast been so liberal with Thy
graces towards me, and hast deigned to give Thy blood and Thy
life for me, there is no reason I should act with such reserve
towards Thee. Thou art worthy of all honor, all love, and to
please Thee one ought gladly to undergo every labor, every
pain. But, O my Redeemer! Thou knowest my weakness,
help me with Thy powerful grace; in Thee I confide. O im­
maculate Virgin Mary! thou who hast helped me to leave the
world, help me to overcome myself and to become a saint.
CONSIDERATION VIII.

How Dear to God is a Soul that gives itself entirely to Him.

God loves all those who love him: I love them that love
Mei Many, however, gives themselves to God, but
preserve still in their hearts some attachment to crea­
tures, which prevents them from belonging entirely to
God. How, then, shall God give himself entirely to
that one who, besides his God, loves creatures still? It
is just that he should act with reserve towards those
who act with reserve towards him. On the contrary, he
gives himself entirely to those souls, who, driving from
their hearts everything that is not God, and does not
lead them to his love, and giving themselves to him
without reserve, truly say to him: My God and my all?
1 “ Ego diligentes me diligo.”—Prov. viii. 17.
s “ Deus meus, et omnia.”

144

Considerations on the Religious State,

St. Teresa, as long as she entertained an inordinate
affection, though not an impure one, could not hear
from Jesus Christ what afterwards she heard, when,
freeing herself from every attachment, she gave herself
entirely to the divine love; namely, the Lord saying to
her, “Now, because thou art all mine, 1 am all thine.”
Consider that the Son of God has already given him­
self entirely to us: . / child is born to us, and a son is given
to ns.1 He has given himself to us through the love he
bears tous. He hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself
for ust It is, then, just, says St. John Chrysostom, that
when a God has given himself to you, without reserve
—“he has given thee all, nothing has he left to him­
self,”·1—you also should give yourself to God, without
reserve; and that always henceforth, burning with divine
love, you should sing to him:
Thine wholly always will I be;
Thou hast bestowed Thyself on me,
Wholly I give myself to Thee.

St. Teresa revealed to one of her nuns, appearing to
her after her death, that God loves a sotd that, as a
spouse, give itself entirely to him, more than a thou­
sand tepid and imperfect ones. From these generous
souls, given entirely to God, is the choir of Sera­
phim completed. The Lord himself says that he loves
a soul that attends to its perfection, so much that he
seems not to love any other. One is My dove, My perfect
one is but onet Hence Blessed Giles exhorts us, “ One
for one,” " by which he wishes to say that this one soul
we have we ought to give wholly, not divided, to that
One who alone deserves all love, on whom depends all
1 “ Parvulus natus est nobis, filius datus est nobis.”—Isa. ix. 6.
9 “ Dilexit nos, et tradidit semetipsum pro nobis.”—Eph. v. 2.
* “ Totum tibi dedit, nihil sibi reliquit.”
4 “ Una est columba mea, perfecta mea."—Cant. vi. 8.
6 “ Una uni."

VIII. How dear to God the Soldgiven to Him. 145
our good, and who loves us more than all. “Leave all
and you shall find all,” 1 says Thomas à Kempis. Leave
all for God, and in God you will find all. “ O soul!”
concludes St. Bernard, “ be alone, that you may keep
yourself for him alone.” 2 Keep yourself alone, give no
part of your affections to creatures, that you may be­
long alone to Him who alone deserves an infinite love,
and whom alone you ought to love.
7>ra yer.
My beloved to Me ami I to him? As then, O my God ! Thou
hast given Thyself entirely to me, I should be too ungrateful if
1 should not give myself entirely to Thee; since Thou wouldst
have me belong wholly to Thee, behold, O my Lord ! I give
myself entirely to Thee. Accept me through Thy mercy, dis­
dain me not. Grant that this my heart, which once loved crea­
tures, may turn now wholly to Thy infinite goodness. “ Let
me henceforth die,” said St. Teresa, “ let another than myself
live in me. Let God live in me, and give me life. Let him
reign, and let me be his slave, for my soul wishes no other
liberty.” This my heart is too small, O God most worthy of
love, and it is too little able to love Thee, who art deserving of
an infinite love. I should then commit against Thee too great
an injustice, should I still divide it by loving anything besides
Thee. I love Thee, my God, above everything. I love only
Thee; I renounce all creatures, and give myself entirely to
Thee, my Jesus, my Saviour, my love, my all. I say, and always
will say, What have I in heaven, and besides Thee, what do I de­
sire on earth? . . . Thou art the God of my heart, and the God
that is my portion forever? I desire nothing, either in this life
or in the next, but to possess the treasure of Thy love. I am
unwilling that creatures should have any more a place in my
heart; Thou alone must be its master. To Thee only shall it
belong for the future. Thou only shall be my God, my repose,
1 “ Dimitte omnia, et invenies omnia.”—huit. book 3, c. 32.
s “ O anima ! sola esto, ut soli to serves.”—In Cant. s. 40.
3 “ Dilectus meus mihi et ego illi.”—Cant. ii. 16.
4 “ Quid mihi est in cœlo? et a te quid volui super terram?
cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in æternum.”—Ps. Ixxii. 25.
10

Deus

146

Considerations on the Rclioions State.

my desire, all my love. “Give me only Thy love and Thy
grace, and I am rich enough.”’ O most holy Virgin Mary!
obtain for me this, that I may be faithful to God, and never re­
call the donation which I have made of myself to him.
CONSIDERATION IX.

How Necessary it is, in order to become a Saint, to have a
Great Desire for such a Thing.

No saint has ever attained to sanctity without a great
desire. As wings are necessary to birds in order to fly,
so holy desires are necessary to the soul in order to ad­
vance in the road of perfection. To become a saint, we
must detach ourselves from creatures, conquer our pas­
sions, overcome ourselves, and love crosses. But to
do all this, much strength is required, and we must
suffer much. But what is the effect of holy desire? St.
Laurence Justinian answers us: “ It supplies strength,
and makes the pain easier to be borne.” 3 Hence the
same saint adds, that he has already vanquished who
has a great desire of vanquishing. “ A great part of the
victory is the desire of vanquishing.” 3 He who wishes ·
to reach the top of a high mountain will never reach it
if he has not a great desire to do so. This will give him
courage and strength to undergo the fatigue of ascend­
ing, otherwise he will stop at the foot, wearied and dis­
couraged.
St. Bernard asserts that we acquire perfection in pro­
portion to the desire for it which we preserve in our
heart. St. I eresa said that God loves generous souls
that have great desires; for which reason the saint ex­
horted all in this way, “ Let our thoughts be high,
1 “ Amorem lui solum cum gratia tua mihi doncs, ct dives sum
satis.”
’“Vires subministrat, poenam exhibet leviorem.”—Z)t· Disc. tn
c. 6.
3 “ Magna victoriae pars est vinc-ndi desiderium.”—De Casto Conn
c. 3.

’
1

ΖΛ. Now Necessary Desire for Sanctity. J 47
for thence will come our good. We must not have low
and little desires, but have that confidence in God that,
if we make the proper efforts, we shall by little and
little attain to that perfection which, with his grace, the
saints have reached.” In this way, the saints attained,
in a short time, a great degree of perfection, and were
able to do great things for God. .Being made perfect tn
a short timeJie fulfilled a long time.1 Thus St. Aloysius
Gonzaga attained in a few years (he lived not over
twenty-three years) such a degree of sanctity that St.
Mary Magdalene of Pazzi, in an ecstasy seeing him in
heaven, said it seemed to her, in a certain way, that
there was no saint in heaven who enjoyed a greater
glory than Aloysius. She understood at the same time
that he had arrived at so high a degree by the great de­
sire he had cherished of being able to love God as much
as he deserved, and that, seeing this beyond his reach,
the holy youth had suffered on earth a martyrdom of
love.
St. Bernard, being in religion, in order to excite his
fervor, used to say to himself, “ Bernard, for what did
you come here?”3 I say the same to you: What have
you come to do in the house of God ? To become a
saint ? And what are you doing ? Why do you lose the
time? Tell me, do you desire to become a saint? If you
do not, it is sure that you will never become one. If,
then, you have not this desire, ask Jesus Christ for it;
ask Mary for it; and if you have it, take courage, says St.
Bernard, for many do not become saints, because they
do not take courage. And so I repeat, let us take courage,
and great courage. What do we fear? What inspires
this diffidence in us? That Lord, who has given us
strength to leave the world, will also give us the grace to
embrace the life of a saint. Everything comes to an end.
1 ·* Consummatus in brevi, explevit tempora multa.”—IVis. iv, 13.
8 “ Bernarde, ad quid venisti?”

14$

Considerations on the Religious State.

Our life, boita contented or a discontented one, will also
come to an end, but eternity will never terminate. Only
that little we have done for God will console us in death
and throughout eternity. The fatigue will be short, eter­
nal shall be the crown, which is already, so to speak, be­
fore our eves.
How satisfied are the saints now with all
J
they have suffered for God! 1 f a sorrow could enter para­
dise, the Blessed would be sorry only for this, that they
have neglected to do for God what they might have done
more, but which now they are unable to do. Take cour­
age, then, and be prompt, for there is no time to lose;
what can be done to-day we may not be able to do to­
morrow. St. Bernardine of Sienna said that one moment
of lime is of as great a value as God himself, for at every
moment we may gain God, his divine grace, and higher
degrees of merits.
J
Prayer.
.3
Behold, O my God ’. here I am. My heart is ready, O my
God ! my heart is ready} See, I am prepared to do all that
Thou shall require from me. O Lord, what wilt Thou have me
to do?'1 Tell me, O Lord, what Thou desirest of me. I will
obey Thee in all. 1 am sorry for having lost so much time in
which I might have pleased Thee, and yet have not done so. I
thank Thee that still Thou givest me time to do it. Oh, no, I
will not lose any more time. I will and desire to become a
saint, not to obtain from Thee a greater glory and more de­
lights. I will become a saint, that 1 may love Thee more, and
to please Thee in this life and in the next. Make me, O Lord !
to love and please Thee as much as Thou desirest. Behold,
this is all I ask from Thee, O my God '. 1 will love Thee, I will
love Thee; and, in order to love Thee, I offer myself to undergo
every fatigue, and to suffer every pain. () my Lord '. increase in
me always this desire, and give me the grace to execute it. Of
myself I can do nothing, but assisted by Thee 1 can do all.
Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus Christ, graciously hear me.
1 “ Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum.’’—Pj. hi. 8.
3 “ Domine, quid me vis facere ? —/icis, ix. 6.

X. Love that we owe to Jesus Christ.

149

My Jesus, though the merits of Thy Passion, come to my suc­
cor. O Mary, my hope! for the love of Jesus Christ, protect
me.
CONSIDERATION X.

The Love we owe to Jesus Christ in consideration of the
Love he has shown to us.

In order to understand the love which the Son of
God has borne to us, it is enough to consider what St.
Paul says of Jesus Christ: lie emptied Himself, taking the
form of a servant. . . . He humbled Himselfbecoming
obedient even to the death of the cross) “ He emptied him­

self.” O God! what admiration has it caused, and will
it, through all eternity cause, to the angels to see a God
who became man for the love of man, and submitted
himself to all the weaknesses and sufferings of man!
And the Word was made flesh) What a cause of aston­
ishment would it not be to see a king become a worm
for the sake of worms! But an infinitely greater wonder
it is to see a God made man.9 and after this to see him
humbled unto the painful and infamous death of the
cross, on which he finished his most holy life.
Moses and Elias, on Mount Thabor, speaking of his
death, as it is related in the Gospel, called it an excess:
They spoke of His decease (the Latin word is “excessus,”
which also means “excess”) that He should accomplish in
Jerusalem) Yea, says Bonaventure, it is with reason
the death of Jesus Christ was called an excess, for it was
an excess of suffering and of love, so much so that it
would be impossible to believe it, if it had not already
happened.’ It was truly an excess of love, adds St.
1 “ Exinanivit semetipsum, formam servi accipiens. . . . Humi­
liavit semetipsum, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem
crucis.”—Phil. ii. 7.
" “ Et Verbum caro factum est.’’—John, i. 14.
3 “ Dicebant excessum, quem completurus erat in Jerusalem.”—
Luke, ix. 31.
4 '· Excessus doloris, excessus amoris.”

150

Considerations on the Religious State.

Augustine, for to this end the Son of God wishes to
come on earth, to live a life so laborious and to die a
death so bitter, namely, that he might make known to
man how much he loved him. “ Therefore Christ came,
that man should know how much God loved him.”*
The Lord revealed to his servant Armella Nicolas
that the love he bore to man was the cause of all his
sufferings and of his death. If Jesus Christ had not
been God, but only man and our friend, what greater
love could he have shown us than to die for us ? Greater
love hath no man than this, that a man lay down Jus life for
his friends? Ah, how, at the thought of the love shown

us by Jesus Christ, the saints esteemed it little to give
their life and their all for so loving a God! How many
youths, how many noblemen, are there not, who have
left their house, their country, their riches, their parents,
and all, to retire into cloisters, to live only for the love
of Jesus Christ! How many young virgins, renouncing
their nuptials with princes and the great ones of the
world, have gone with joyfulness to death, to render
thus some compensation for the love of a God who had
been executed on an infamous gibbet, and died for their
sake!
This appeared to St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi to be
foolishness; hence she called her Jesus a fool of love.
Tn exactly the same manner the Gentiles, as St. Paul
attests, hearing the death of Jesus Christ preached to
them, thought it foolishness not possible to be believed.
ITe preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness? How is it pos1 “ Propterca Christus advenit, ut cognosceret homo quantum cum
diligat Deus.”—De catech. rud. c. 4.
’“Majorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam nonat
quis pro amicis suis.”—John, xv. 13.
3 “ Prædicamus Christum crucifixum, Judæis quidem scandalum,
Gentibus autem stultitiam." — 1 Cor. i. 23.

Love that we owe to Jesus Christ.

15 1

siblc, they said, that a God, most happy in himself, who
is in want of nothing, should die for the sake of man,
his servant? This would be as much as to believe that
God became a fool for the love of men. Nevertheless,
it is of faith that Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, did,
for love of us, deliver himself up to death. He hath loved
us, and hath delivered Himself for us? The same Mary
Magdalene had reason then to exclaim, lamenting the
ingratitude of men towards so loving a God, “ O love
not known! O love not loved!” Indeed, Jesus Christ
is not loved by men, because they live in forgetfulness
of his love.
And, in fact, a soul that considers a God who died
for its sake, cannot live without loving him. The charity
of Christ fressefh us? The soul will feel itself inflamed,
and as if constrained to love a God who has loved it
so much. Jesus Christ could have saved us, says Γ.
Nieremberg, with only one drop of his blood; but it
was his will to shed all his blood, and to give his divine
life, that at the sight of so many sufferings and of his
death we might not content ourselves with an ordinary
love, but be sweetly constrained to love with all our
strength a God so full of love towards us. That they
also who live may not live any more for themselves, but unto
Him who died for them?
Prayer.

Indeed, O my Jesus, my Lord, and my Redeemer! only too
much hast Thou obliged me to love Thee; too much my love
has cost Thee. I should be too ungrateful if I should content
myself to love with reserve a God who has given me his blood,
his life, and his entire self. Oh, Thou hast died for me, Thy
poor servant ; it is but just that I should die for Thee, my God,
1 “ Dilexit nos, ct tradidit semetipsum pro nobis.”—Eph. v. 2.
2 “ Charitas cnim Christi urget nos.’’—2 Cor. v. 14.
3 “ Ut et qui vivunt, jam non sibi vivant, sed ei qui pro ipsis mertuu« est.
Ibid, v, 15,

15 2

Considerations on the Religious State.

and my all. Yes, O my Jesus! I detach myself from all, to
give myself to Thee. 1 put away from me the love of all crea­
tures, in order to consecrate myself entirely to Thy love. My
beloved is chosen from among thousands.' I choose Thee alone
out of all things for my good, my treasure, and my only love.
1 love Thee, O my love! I love Thee. Thou art not satisfied
that 1 should love Thee a little only. Thou art not willing to
have me love anything besides Thee. Thee I will please in all
things, Thee will I love much; and Thou shalt be my only love.
My God, my God, help me, that I may fully please Thee.
Mary, my queen, do thou also help me to love my God much.
Amen. So I hope ; so may it be.
CONSIDERATION XI.

The Great Happiness which Religious enjoy in dwelling in the
same House with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus, foundress of a
convent in Toulouse, said that she esteemed very much
her lot as a religious, for two principal reasons. 1 he
first was, that religious, through the vow of obedience,
belong entirely to God; and the second, that they have
the privilege of dwelling always with Jesus Christ in
the Blessed Sacrament. And in truth, if people of the
world deem it so great a favor to be invited by kings
to dwell in their palaces, how much more favored
should we esteem ourselves who are admitted to dwell
continually with the King of Heaven in his own house?
In houses of the religious, Jesus Christ dwells for
their sake in the church, so that they can find him at
all hours. Persons of the world can scarcely go to visit
him during the day, and in many places only in the
morning. But the religious finds him in the tabernacle,
as often as he wishes, in the morning, in the afternoon,
and during the night. There he may continually en­
tertain himself with his Lord, and there Jesus Christ
rejoices to converse familiarly with his beloved servants
1 “ Dilectus meus . . . electus ex millibus."—G,„
ΤΛ
V, IQ,

XI. Happiness of Dwelling zuith Jesus. 153
whom, for this end, he has called out of Egypt, that- he
may be their companion during this life, hidden under
the veil of the Most Holy Sacrament, and in the next
unveiled in paradise. “ O solitude,” it may be said of
every religious house, “ in which God familiarly speaks
and converses with his friends’” 1 The souls that love
Jesus Christ much do not know how to wish for any
other paradise on this earth than to be in the presence
of their Lord, who dwells in this sacrament for the love
of those who seek and visit him.
His conversation hath no bitterness, nor His company any
tediousness.'1 He finds tediousness in the company of

Jesus Christ, who does not love him. Butthose who on
this earth have given all their love to Jesus Christ find
in the sacrament all their pleasure, their rest, their
paradise; and therefore they keep their hearts always
mindful to visit, as often as they can, their God in the
sacrament, to pay their court to him, giving vent to
their affections at the foot of the altar, offering him
their afflictions, their desires of loving him, of seeing
him face to face, and, in the mean time, of pleasing him
in all things.
Prayer.
Behold me in Thy presence, O my Jesus! hidden in the sac­
rament : Thou art the self-same Jesus who for me didst sacrifice
Thyself on the cross. Thou art he who lovest me so much, and
who hast therefore confined Thyself in this prison of love.
Amongst so many who have offended Thee less than I, and who
have loved Thee better than I, Thou hast chosen me, in Thy
goodness, to keep Thee company in this house, where, having
drawn me from the midst of the world, Thou hast destined me
always to live united with Thee, and afterwards to have me
nigh Thee to praise and to love Thee in Thy eternal kingdom.
1 “ O solitudo, in qua Deus cum suis familiariter loquitur et conver­
satur !”
3 “ Non habet amaritudinem conversatio ejus; nec tædium convictus
illius, sed laetitiam et gaudium.”—Saf>. viii. 16.

154

Considerations on the Religious State.

O Lord ! I thank Thee. How have I deserved this happy lot?
/ have chosen to be an abject in the house of niy God, rather than
dwell in the tabernacles of sinners? Happy indeed am I, O my
Jesus! to have left the world ; and it is my great desire to per­
form the vdest office in Thy house rather than dwell in the
proudest royal palaces of men. Receive me, then, () Lord ! to
stay with Thee all my life long; do not chase me away, as I
deserve. Be pleased to allow that, among the many good
brothers who serve Thee in this house, I, though I am a miser­
able sinner, may serve Thee also. Many years already have I
lived far from Thee. But now that Thou hast enlightened me
to know the vanity of the world, and my own foolishness, I will
not depart any more from Thy feet, O my Jesus ! 1 hy presence
shall animate me to fight when I am tempted. 1 he nearness of
Thy abode shall remind me of the obligation I am under to love
Thee, and always to have recourse to Ί hee in my combats
against hell, ί will always keep near to Thee, that I may unite
myself to Thee, and attach myself closer to Thee. I love Thee,
O mv God ! hidden in this sacrament. Thou, for the love of
me, remainest al wavs on this altar. I, for the love of 1 hee, will
always remain in Thy presence as much as I shall be able.
There enclosed Thou always lovest me, and here enclosed 1
will always love Thee. Always, then, C) my Jesus, my love, my
all ! shall we remain together,—in time in this house, and during
eternity in paradise. This is my hope; so may it be. Most
holy Mary, obtain for me a greater love for the Most Holy Sac­
rament.
Î
CONSIDERATION XII.

|

The Life of Religious resembles mostly the Life of Jesus Christ.
1 he Apostle says that the eternal Father predestines
to the kingdom of heaven those only who live conform­
ably to the life of the incarnate Word. Whom He fore­
knew, He also predestinated to be made conformable to the
image of His Son? How happy, then, and secure of
’ “ Elegi abjectus esse in domo Dei mei, magis quam habitare in
tabernaculis peccatorum.” —Λτ. Ixxxiii. ii.
j
2 “Quos præscivit, et prædestinavit conformes fieri imaginis Filii
sui.”—Rom. viii. 29.

XII. Life of Religious resembles that of f. Ch. i 55
paradise should not religious be, seeing that God has
called them to a state of life which of all other states is
the mo->t conformed to the life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, on this earth, wished to live poor as the son
and helpmate of a mechanic, in a poor dwelling, with
poor clothing and poor food: Being rich, lie became poor
for your sake, that through His poverty you might become
rich.' Moreover, he chose a life the most entirelv
J morti-

fied, far from the delights of the world, and always full
of pain and sorrow, from his birth to his death; hence
by the prophet he was called The man of sorrows! By
this he wished to give his servants to understand what
ought to be the life of those who wish to follow him: If
any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up
his cross, and follow Me! According to this example and

to this invitation of Jesus Christ, the saints have en­
deavored to dispossess themselves of all earthly goods,
and to load themselves with pains and crosses, in order
thus to follow Christ, their beloved Lord.
Thus acted St. Benedict, who, being the son of the lord
of Norcia, and a relative of the Emperor Justinian, and
born amidst the riches and the pleasures of the world,
while yet a youth of only fourteen years went to live
in a cavern on Mount Subiaco, where he received no
other sustenance but a piece of bread brought him every
day as an alms by the hermit Romanns.
So acted St. Francis of Assisi, who renounced in favor
of his father the whole lawful portion of his inheritance,
even to the shirt he had on his back, and thus, poor and
mortified, consecrated himself to Jesus Christ. Thus
St. Francis Borgia, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the one being
’ “ Propter vos egenus factus est, cum esset dives, ut illius inopia
vos divites essetis.”—2 Cor. viii. 9.
2 “ Vir dolorum.”—Isa. liii. 3.
3 “ Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum, et tollat crucem
suam, et sequatur me.”—Matth. xvi. 24.

156

Considerations on the Religious State.

Duke of Candia, the other of Castiglione, left all their
riches, their estates, their vassals, their country, their
house, their parents, and went to live a poor life in re­
ligion.
.<3
So have done so many other noblemen and princes,
even of royal blood. Blessed Zedmerra, daughter of
the King of Ethiopia, renounced the kingdom to become
a Dominican nun. blessed Johanna of Portugal re­
nounced the kingdom of France and England, to be­
come a nun. In the Benedictine Order alone, there are
found twenty-five emperors, and seventy-five kings and
queens, who left the world to live poor, mortified, and
forgotten by the world, in a poor cloister. Ah! indeed,
these and not the grandees of the world,are the truly
fortunate ones.
.
At present, worldlings think these to be fools, but in
the valley of Josaphat they shall know that they them­
selves have been the fools; and when they see the saints
on their thrones crowned by God, they shall say, la­
menting and in despair, These arc they whom we had
sometime in derision; . . . we fools esteemed their life mad­
ness, but now they are numbered among the children of God,
as their lot is among the saints.'
Prayer.

«

Ah! my Master, and my Redeemer, Jesus, 1 am then of the
number of those fortunate ones whom Thou hast called to fol­
low Thee. O my Lord! 1 thank Thee for this. I leave all;
would that I had more to leave, that I might draw near to Thee,
my King and my God, who for the love of me, and to give me
courage by Thy example, hast chosen for Thyself a life so poor
and so painful. Walk on. O Lord, 1 will follow Thee. Choose
Thou for me what cross Thou wilt, and help me. 1 will always
carry it with constancy and love. 1 regret that for the past 1
have abandoned Thee, to follow my lusts and the vanities of the
1 “ Hi sunt quos habuimus aliquando in derisum. . . . Nos insensati
vitam illorum æstimabamus insaniam. Ecce quomodo inter filios Dei
computati sunt, et inter Sanctos sors illorum est.”—Wisd. v. 3 et seq.

XIII. Zeal of Rel. for Salvation of Souls. 157
world ; but now I will leave Thee no more. Bind me to Thy
cross, and if through weakness I sometimes resist, draw me by
the sweet bonds of Thy* love. Suffer it not that I should ever
leave Thee again. Yes, my Jesus, I renounce all the satisfactions
of the world ; my only satisfaction shall be to continue to love
Thee, and to suffer all that pleases Thee. I hope thus to come
myself one day in Thy kingdom, to be united with Thee by that
bond of eternal love, where, loving Thee in Thy revealed glory,
I need no more fear to be loosed and separated from Thee. 1
love Thee, O my God, my all ! and will always love Thee. Be­
hold my hope, O Most Holy Mary ! thou who, because the most
conformed to Jesus, art now the most powerful to obtain this
grace. Be thou my protectress !
CONSIDERATION XIII.

The Zeal which Religious ought to have for the Salvation of
Souls.

He who is called to the Congregation of the Most
Holy Redeemer will never be a true follower of Jesus
Christ, and will never become a saint, if he fulfils not
the end of his vocation, and has not the spirit of the In­
stitute, which is the salvation of souls, and of those
souls that are the most destitute of spiritual succor,
such as the poor people in the country.
This was truly the end for which our Redeemer came
down from heaven, who protests, The Spirit of the Lord
. . . hath anointed Me to preaeh the Gospel to the poorI

He sought no other of Peter’s love for him but this,
that he should procure the salvation of souls: Simon,
son of John, lovest thou Me ΐ . . . Feed My sheep? He did
not impose upon him, says St. John Chrysostom, pen­
ance, prayers, or other things, but only that he should
endeavor to save his sheep: “Christ said not to him,
1 “Spiritus Domini . . . unxit me, evangelizare pauperibus.”_
Luke, iv. iS.
2 “Simon Joannis, diligis me ? . . . . Pasce oves meas.”—John,
xxi. 17·

158

Considerations on the Religions State.

throw your money away, practise fasting, fatigue your
body with hard work, but he said, Feed My sheep.”1
And he declares that he would look upon every benefit
conferred on the least of our neighbors as conferred on
himself. Amen, 1 say to you, since you have done it unto one
of these My least brethren, you have done it unto Mei1

Every religious ought, therefore, with the utmost care,
to entertain within himself this zeal, and this spirit of
helping souls. To this end every one ought to direct
his studies, and when he shall afterwards have been
assigned to his work by his Superiors, he ought to give
to it all his thoughts, and his whole attention. He
could not call himself a true brother of this Congrega­
tion, who, through the desire of attending only to him­
self and of leading a retired and solitary life, would not
accept with all affection such an employment, when im­
posed on him by obedience.
What greater glory can a man have than to be, as St.
Paul says, a co-operator with God in this great work of
the salvation of souls ? He who loves the Lord ardently
is not content to be alone in loving him; he would draw
all to his love, saying with David, O magnify the Lord
with me, and let us extol His name together I Hence St.
Augustine exhorts all those who love God, “ If you love
God, draw all men to his love.” *
ί
A good ground to hope for his own salvation has he
who with true zeal labors for the salvation of souls.
“Have you saved a soul,” says St. Augustine, “then1*34
1 “Non dixit Christus: Abjice pecunias, jejunium exerce, macera te
laboribus; sed dixit: Pasce oves meas.”
1
8 “ Arnen dico vobis: quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis
minimis, mihi fecistis.”—Malth. xxv. 40.
' qj
3 “ Magnificate Dominum mecum, et exaltemus nomen ejus.”_ Ps.
xxxiii. 4.
4 “ Si Deum amatis, omnes ad ejus amorem rapite.”—ps xxxiü
en. 2.

XIII. Zeal of Rei. for Salvation of Souls. 159
you have predestinated your own.”1 The Holy Ghost
promises us, When thou shalt have labored for the welfare
of a poor man, and by thy labor shalt have filled him (with
divine grace), the Lord will fill thee with light and peaceI
In this—namely, in procuring the salvation of others —
St. Paul placed his hope of eternal salvation, when he
said to his disciples of Thessalonica, For what is our hope,
or joy, or crown of glory ? Are not you, in the presence of
our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming 13
Prayer.
O my Lord Jesus Christ ! how can I thank Thee enough, since
Thou hast called me to the same work that Thou didst Thyself
on earth ; namely, to go with my poor exertions and help souls
to their salvation? How have I deserved this honor and this
reward, after having offended Thee so grievously, and been the
cause to others also of offending Thee ? Yes, O my Lord ! Thou
callest me to help Thee in this great undertaking. I will serve
Thee with all my strength. Behold, I offer Thee all my labor,
and even my blood, in order to obey Thee. Nor do I by this
aspire to satisfy my own inclination, or to gain applause and
esteem from men ; I desire nothing but to see Thee loved by all
as Thou dcservest. I prize my happy lot, and call myself for­
tunate, that Thou hast chosen me for this great work, in which
I protest that I will renounce all praises of men and all self­
satisfaction, and will only seek Thy glory. To Thee be all the
honor and satisfaction, and to me only the discomforts, the
blame, and the reproaches. Accept, O Lord! this offering,
which I, a miserable sinner, who wish to love Thee and to sec
Thee loved by others, make of myself to Thee, and give me
strength to execute it.
Most Holy Mary, my advocate, who lovest souls so much,
help me.
1 “Animam salvasti, animam tuam prædestinasti.”
2 “ Cum effuderis esurienti animam tuam, et animam afflictam reple­
veris, requiem tibi dabit Dominus, et implebit splendoribus animam
tuam.”—Isa. Iviii. io, n.
3 “ Quæ est enim nostra spes, aut gaudium, et corona gloriæ ?
Nonne vos ante Dominum Jesum Christum estis in adventu ejus?”—
i Thess. ii. 19.

16ο

Considerations on the Religious State.
CONSIDERATION XIV.

How Necessary to Religious are the Virtues of Meekness and
Humility.

Our most lovely Redeemer Jesus willed to be called
a lamb, for the very reason that he might show us how
meek and humble he was himself. These were the vir­
tues which he principally wished his followers should
learn from him: Learn from Me, because / am meek and
humble of heart) And these virtues he principally re­
quires of religious who profess to imitate his most holy

He who lives as a solitary in a desert has not so much
need of these virtues; but for him who lives in a Com­
munity, it is impossible not to meet, now and then, with
a reprimand from his Superiors, or something disagree­
able from his companions. In such cases, a religious
who loves not meekness will commit a thousand faults
every day, and live an unquiet life. He must be all
sweetness with everybody,—with strangers, with com­
panions, and also with inferiors if he should ever be­
come Superior; and if he be an inferior, he must con­
sider that one act of meekness in bearing contempt and
reproach is of greater value to him than a thousand
fasts and a thousand disciplines.
St. Francis said that many make their perfection con­
sist in exterior mortifications, and, after all, are not able
to bear one injurious word. “Not understanding,” he
added, “ how much greater gain is made by patiently
bearing injuries.”2 How many persons, as St. Bernard
remarks, are all sweetness when nothing is said or done
contrary to their inclination, but show their want of
meekness when anything crosses them’. And if any one
should ever be Superior, let him believe that one repri1 “ Discite a me quia tnilis sum et humilis corde.”—Matth. xi. 29.
- “ Non intelligentes quanto majus sit lucrum in tolerantia injuriarum.”

X/I\ Necessity of Meekness and Humility, 161
mand made with meekness will profit his subjects more
than a thousand made with severity. The meek are use­
ful to themselves and to others,' as St. John Chrysostom
teaches. In short, as the same saint said, the greatest
sign of a virtuous soul is to see it meek on occasions of
contradiction. Λ meek heart is the pleasure of the
heart of God. That which is agreeable to him is faith and
meekness? It would be well for a religious to represent
to himself, in his meditations, all the contrarieties that
may happen to him, and thus arm himself against them;
and then, when the occasion happens, he ought to do
violence to himself, that he may not be excited and
break out in impatience. Therefore, he should refrain
from speaking when his mind is disturbed, till he is
certain that he has become calm again.
But to bear injuries quietly, it is above all necessary
to have a great fund of humility. He who is truly
humble is not only unmoved when he sees himself de­
spised, but is even pleased, and rejoices at it in his
spirit, however the flesh may resent it; for he sees him­
self treated as he deserves, and made conformable to
Jesus Christ, who, worthy as he was of every honor,
chose, for the love of us, to be satiated with contempt
and injuries. Brother Juniper, a disciple of St. Francis,
when an injury was done to him, held up his cowl, as if
he expected to receive pearls falling from heaven. The
saints have been more desirous of injuries than world­
lings are covetous of applause and honor. And of what
use is a religious who does not know how to bear con­
tempt for God’s sake? He is always proud, and only
humble in name and a hypocrite, whom divine grace
will repulse, as the Holy Ghost says: God resisteth the
proud, but to the humble He give th grace?
1 “ Mansuetus utilis sibi et aliis.”—Jn Act. hom. 6.
9 “ Beneplacitum est illi fides et mansuetudo.”—Ecclus. i. 34.
3 “ Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam.”—1 Pder,
v. 5II

102

Considerations on the Religious State.

Prayer.
O my most bumble Jesus, who, for the love of me, didst
humble Thyself, and become obedient unto the death of the
cross, how have 1 the courage to appear before Thee, and call
myself
Thy
J
J follower? for 1 see *myself to be such a sinner and
so proud that I cannot bear a single injury without resenting it.
Whence can come such pride in me, who for my sins have so
many times deserved to be cast forever into hell with the devils?
Ah, my despised Jesus, help me and make me conformable to
Thee. 1 will change my life. Thou, for love of me, hast borne
so much contempt; I, for love of Thee, will bear every injury.
Thou, O my Redeemer! hast rendered contempt too honorable
and desirable, since Thou hast embraced it with so much love,
during Thy own life. Par be it from me to glory but in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ} O my most humble mistress Mary,
mother of God ! Thou who wast in all, and especially in suffering,
the most conformed to thy Son, obtain for me the grace to bear
in peace all injuries which henceforward shall be offered to me.
Amen.
CONSIDERATION XV.

I
'

|

How much Religious ought to confide in the Patronage of
Mary.
If it is true, and most true it is, that, according to the
saying of St. Peter Damian, the divine mother, the most
holy Mary, loves all men with such an affection that
after God there is not, nor can there be, any one who
surpasses or equals her in her love,—“ She loves us with
an invincible love,”2—how much must we think this
great queen loves religious, who have consecrated their
liberty, their life, and their all to the love of Jesus
Christ? She sees well enough that the life of such as
these is more conformable to her own life, and to that
of her divine Son; she sees them often occupied in
’ “Mihi absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jcsu Christi ”_
Gal. vi. 14.
9 “ Amat nos amore invincibili.”—In iVal. B. V. s. 1.

1
1

XK Confidence in the Patronage of Marv. 163
praising her, and continually attentive to honor her by
their novenas, visits, rosaries, fasts, etc. She beholds
them often at her feet, intent on invoking
o her aid, asking graces of her, and graces all conformed to her holy
desires; that is, the grace of perseverance in the divine
service, of strength in their temptations, of detachment
from this world, and of love towards God. Ah, how can
we doubt that she employs all her power and her mercy
for the benefit of religious, and especially of those who
belong to this holy Congregation of the Most Holy Re­
deemer, in which, as it is well known, we make special
profession of honoring the Virgin Mother by visits, by
fasting on Saturdays, by special mortifications during
her novenas, etc., and by everywhere promoting de­
votion to her by sermons and novenas in her honor!
She, the great mistress, is grateful. I love those who
love Mei Yes, she is so grateful that, as St. Andrew of
Crete says, “To him who does her the least service she
is accustomed to return great favors.”'* She promises
liberally those who love her, and who promote her honor
among others, to deliver them from sin: “Those that
work by me shall not sin.” 3 She also promises to them
paradise. “ Those that explain me shall have life ever*asti ng.
11
_M|
For which reason we especially ought to thank God
for having called us to this Congregation, where, by the
usages of the Community and the example of our com­
panions, we are often reminded, and in some way con­
strained, to have recourse to Mary, and continually to
honor this our most loving mother, who is called, and
is, the joy, the hope, the life, and the salvation of those
who invoke and honor her.
i
•J
s
4

“ Ego diligentes me diligo.”—Prov. viii. 17.
“ Sold maxima pro minimis reddere.”—In Dorm. B. V. s. 3.
“ Qui operantur in me, non peccabunt.”—Off. of the Blessed Virg.
“ Qui elucidunt me, vitam æternam habebunt.”—lb.

164

Considérai ions on the Religious State.

Prayer.
My most beloved, most lovely, and most loving queen, 1 al­
ways
* thank my* Lord and thee, who hast not only drawn me
out of the world, but also called me to live in this Congregation,
where a special devotion is practised to thee. Accept of me
then, my mother, to serve thee. Among so many of thy beloved
sons, do not scorn to let me serve thee also, miserable though I
am. Thou after God shalt always be my hope and my love.
In all my wants, in all my tribulations and temptations, I will
always have recourse to thee; thou shalt be my refuge, my con­
solation. I am unwilling that any one except God and thee
should comfort me in my combats, in the sadness and the tedi­
ousness of this life. For thy service I renounce all the king­
doms of the whole world. My kingdom on this earth shall be
to serve, bless, and love thee, O my most lovely mistress’
“whom to serve is to reign.”1 as St. Anselm says. I hou art
the mother of perseverance ; obtain for me to be faithful to thee
until death. By so doing 1 hope, and firmly hope, one day to
come where thou reignest, to praise and bless thee forever, to
depart no more from thy holy feet. Jesus and Mary, 1 protest,
with your loving servant Alphonsus Rodriguez, “ my most sweet
loves, let me suffer for you, let me die for you, let me be all
yours, and not at all my own.” 2
1 “ Cui servire regnare est.”
2 “ Jesu et Maria, amores mei dulcissimi! pro vobis patiar, pro
vobis moriar; sim totus vester, sim nihil meus.”

Exhortation to Novices to Persevere in tljeir boration?
The grace of vocation, and the grace of perseverance

in the vocation, are two distinct graces. Many have
received from God vocation, but through their own
fault have rendered themselves unworthy to receive the
grace of perseverance. A7# one shall be crowned, except he
strive lawfully} No one, then, shall receive the grace of
perseverance and the crown prepared by God for those
that persevere, but he who on his own part does what
he ought in order to combat and vanquish the enemy.
J[old fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown'}

My dear young friend, you who, by a special favor, have
been called by the Lord to follow him, hear how he
himself exhorts and encourages you; be attentive, my »
son, to preserve the grace thou hast received from me,
and fear lest thou lose it, and another have the crown
prepared for thee.
I.

Temptations to which Novices are Exposed.

Whoever enters the novitiate, enters the service of the
King of heaven, who is accustomed to try the fidelity of
those he accepts as his servants, by crosses and temp­
tations, with which he allows hell to assail them. Thus
it was said to Tobias: And because thou wast agreeable to
God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee} And
1 “ Non coronabitur, nisi qui legitime perseveraverit.”—2 Tim. ii. 5.
- “ Tene quod habes, ut nemo accipiat coronam tuam.’’—Aj>oc. iii. 11.
3 “ Et quia acceptus cras Deo, necesse fuit ut tentatio probaret te.”
— Tol>. xii. 13.

* A little work published in 1750.

166

Exhortation to Novices.

the Holy Ghost says to each one who leaves the world
to give himself to God: Son, when thou contest to the ser­
vice of God, prepare thy soul for temptationi So then the
novice, on entering the house of God, ought to prepare
himself not for consolations, but for temptations and
combats, with which hell assails those who give them­
selves to God. It is well to know that the devil is par­
ticularly on the watch to make a novice lose his vocation, and, to accomplish this one thing, tempts him
more than he does a thousand seculars, especially if he
has entered an Order of religious engaged in the work
of salvation of souls. For such a novice, if he persevere
and be faithful to God, will snatch from him thousands
of sinners, who will be saved by his means. And there­
fore the enemy seeks by all means to gain him, and
arrays against him all his arts and cunning in order to
seduce him.
H
The temptations by which the devil is most accus­
tomed to tempt novices to abandon their ^vocation are
the following:
4
i.

Tenderness

for

Parents.

First, he tempts them through their tenderness for
their parents. To resist this temptation, one ought to
reflect that Jesus Christ has declared that he who
loves his parents more than him, is not worthy of his
friendship. He that love th father or mother more than Me,
is not worthy of Me' He himself protests, that he came
not to bring peace, but division between parents and
children. / came not to send peace, but the sword; for I
came to set a man at variance against his father, and a
1 “ Fili accedens ad servitutem Dei, præpara animam tuam ad temp­
tationem.”—Ecdus. ii. i.
2 “ Qui amat patrem aut matrem plus quam me, non est me dignus ”
—Matth. x. 37.

/. Temptations to which they arc Exposed. 167
And why so great a desire
to separate relatives from one another? Because our
Saviour knew the great damage one causes to the other,
and that with regard to eternal salvation, as Jesus
Christ himself adds after the words quoted above: And

daughter against her mother.'

a man's enemies shall he they of his own household}

Oh, how many poor youths, through affection for their
parents, have lost first their vocation, and then, as it
easily happens, their souls also. Many such unhappy
instances are on record. I will relate some of them.
Father Jerome Piatti relates that a certain novice
was visited by one of his relatives, who spoke to him
thus: “ Listen to me: I speak to you because I love you.
Reflect that you have not a constitution strong enough
to bear the fatigues and hard studies of the Order; in
the world you can please God more, especially by giving
to the poor a great part of the riches the Lord has given
you. If you persist in your design, you will repent of
it; and when finally you are made porter or cook, be­
cause you have little talent and weak health, you will
nevertheless be obliged to quit the Order, to your own
shame. Whence it is better to go out to-day than to­
morrow.” Being thus perverted, he left. Not many
days passed, when the unhappy youth, who had already
given himself up to every kind of vice, had a fight with
some of his rivals, in which he and that self-same rela­
tive of his were wounded and shortly after died, both on
the same day. What is worse, moreover,—the miser­
able novice died without confession, of which he stood
in so great need.
Father Casalicchio relates further that a certain cava­
lier being one night on the point of going to the house
Λ
’ “ Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium: veni enim separare homi­
nem adversus patrem suum, et filiam adversus matrem suam.”—Matth.
X- 345 “ Et inimici hominis domestici ejus.”

168

Exhortation to Xovices.

of a bad woman, heard the bell of the Capuchins who
were just going to chant the office. Then he said:
“How shall 1 go to offend God, at the very time these
servants of his are going to praise him?” Thus called
by God he entered their Order. But his mother did and
said so much, that she induced him to come home again.
And what happened then ? After a few months he was
killed by his enemies, and brought to his mother on a
board.
?J·
Dionysius the Carthusian relates, that two novices of
his Order were perverted by their fathers; but a lew
davs after, both sons and fathers died, and what is
worse, as the author asserts, they died a bad death.
Father Mancinelli relates of a certain young noble­
man, that, although he had with great fortitude entered
religion, overcoming the insidious dissuasions of his
mother, who did all she could to turn him away from
his design, yet when afterwards she pressed and insisted
very much, the miserable man finally went out. Alter
this, in order to keep him cheerful in the world, his
mother made him take lessons in fencing. But one
day, while he was engaged in this exercise with one of
his friends, he received a wound in the eye, which was
so deadly that the unhappy youth expired on the spot,
without being able to make his confession.
The same Father Casalicchio relates that, while giving
the mission in a place near Cosenza, he learned there
that a young man having retired among the Capuchins,
his father went and raised a great disturbance in the
monastery, to oblige the religious to give back his son,
and afterwards sent his brother there, who with other
armed men, and among the rest a relative of the young
man, took him out by force. But what happened ? A
month after, the father died miserably on a journey
during a violent storm at sea. At the end of sixty

I. Temptations to which they are Exposed, 169
days, the relative died also away from home, and the
unhappy novice, who knew not how to be faithful to his
vocation, was covered all over with ulcers, so that the
matter oozed out from head to foot, and he died thus in
the greatest pains, and God only knows the disposition
of his soul.
It is moreover related in the life of St. Camillus of
Lellis, that a youth, who had entered his Order at
Naples, was persecuted by his father. At first he re­
sisted with fortitude, but having come to Rome, and
having had again a conversation with his father, he
gave way to the temptation. When he took his leave,
the saint predicted that he would come to a bad eml,
and die at the hands of public justice. And so it hap­
pened, for the young man having returned home, after­
wards, through jealousy, killed his wife and two ser­
vants, and being apprehended for this crime, though
the father expended all his fortune in order to save his
life, he was beheaded in the public market-place of
Naples, nine years after leaving the Order.
It is related in the same life, that another novice was
desirous of returning to the world; St. Camillus pre­
dicted to him also the chastisements of God, and in fact,
having returned to Messina, he died six months after,
suddenly, and without the sacraments.
Be therefore on your guard, my brother, if the devil
seeks in this way to make you lose your vocation. That
Lord who by such a particular grace has called you to
leave the world and to consecrate yourself to his love,
wills that you should not only leave, but also forget,
your home and your parents. Hearken, O daughter, and
see, and incline thy ear, and forget thy people and thy father s
house,1 Hear, then, what God says to you, and under­

stand, that if you abandon him for the sake of yourpar1 “ Audi, filia, et vide, et inclina aurem tuam, et obliviscere populum
tuum et domum patris tui.”—Ps. xliv. n.

I ;o

Exhortation to Xor ices.

ents, very great will be your pain and your remorse,
when, about to die in the midst of your brothers and
vour nephews, you will remember the house of God
which you left. Then, at the very time when you are
in so much need of spiritual succor, they will stand
around you to torment and trouble you about leaving
them your possessions, and not one of them will so
much as suggest to you one word about God; nay,
even endeavoring to deceive vou, in order not to increase your fear of death, they will flatter you with vain
hopes, that you may die without preparation.
On the contrary, consider what contentment and
peace vou will feel at your death, if, having been faith­
ful to God, it shall be your happy lot to end your life
in the midst of the brethren of vour Order. They will
help you by their prayers, and with the hope of para­
dise, but without flattery, animate you to die with joy.
Consider, moreover, that if your parents have loved
you for many years, and with some tenderness, God
loved you long before, and with a much greater tender­
ness. Your parents have not loved you for more than
twenty or thirty years, but God has loved you from eternitv.
lerced Your
• I hare loved Thee with an everlasting
o
parents have also put themselves to some expense for
you, and have suffered some inconveniences for your
sake; but Jesus Christ has expended for you all his
blood and his life. If, then, you feel some tenderness
for your parents, and if it seems to you that gratitude
obliges you not to displease them, reflect, that you
ought to be more grateful towards God, who more than
all has done you good, and loved vou, and sav within
yourself: Parents, if I leave vou. I leave vou for God,
who deserves my love more than you, and who has
loved me more than you; and saying thus, vou will
overcome that horrible temptation of tenderness for
*

*

J

1 * In caritate‘perpetua dilexi te.”—Jtr. χχχΐ. β

I. Temptations to which they arc Exposed, i ;i

♦
parents, which has been the ruin of many in this life
and the next.

2. Fear

respecting

Health.

Another temptation by which the devil is accustomed
to assail the novice, is in reference to the care of his
health, and this is the way he speaks: Do you not see
that bv• this mode of life ·vou will lose *vour health, and
then you will neither be good for the world nor for
God ?
From this temptation the novice ought to disengage
himself by the hope that the Lord, who has given him
his vocation, will also give him health sufficient to fulfil
its duties. If he has come, as must be supposed, to the
house of God only to please him, he ought to reason
thus within himself: I have not concealed, and do not
conceal, the state of my health from my Superiors.
They have accepted me—they do not dismiss me: it is
then God’s good pleasure that I should continue to stay,
and if it be the will of God, although I should suffer
and die, what matters it? How many anchorites have
ogone to suffer in caverns and forests’. How many
* martvrs have gone to give their life for lesus Christ! If it
be his will that I should lose health and life for the love
of him, enough,—I am satisfied. I desire nothing else,
nor could I desire anything better. Such should be the
language of the fervent novice who wishes to become a
saint. If one has no fervor during the lime of the novi­
tiate, let him be persuaded that he will have none during
his whole life.
3. The

Inconveniences of Community Life.

The next temptation is, that he will be unable to bear
the hardships of the Community life, the scanty and illprepared food, the hard bed, the short sleep, not to be

Exhortation to Λ ον ices.
free to go out, the strict silence, and, above all, to be
deprived of doing his own will.
When the novice sees himself assailed by this tempta­
tion. he ought to say to himself that which St. Bernard
said: “ Bernard, for what earnest thou here ?” * Let him
remember that he did not come to the house of God to
live a comfortable life, but to become a saint ? And how
is he to become a saint? By comforts and delights?
No, but by suffering and dying to all the inclinations of
sensuality. St. Teresa said: “ To think that God admits
to his intimacy persons loving their comtorts, is foolish­
ness.” * And in another place: “ Souls that truly love
God. cannot seek for rest.” * So then if one is not re­
solved to suffer everything for God, he will never become a saint, and v ill never have peace.
What peace of soul is to be found in enjoying the
goods of the world, and in gratifying the senses.'' Per­
haps the great of this world, who have goods and
pleasures in such abundance, find peace ? These are
the most unhappy of all, for they teed on gall and
poison. Vanity of vanities and affliction of the spirit
*
Thus earthly goods were styled by Solomon, who en­
joyed them in abundance. The heart of man, when in
the midst of these goods, however much it possesses,
always seeks for more, and always remains unquiet.
But when it places its joy in God, it finds in him all its
peace: Delight in the Lord, and He will give thee the requests ef th heart. Father Charles of Lorraine, brother
el) Ke of Lorraine, when, having entered a relig­
ious Order, he found himself in his poor cell, felt such
*
’
4
•

Bemarie, ad quid venisti?’
Way of Prrf., ch. xix.
Found, ch. v.
‘ Vanitas vanitatum et afflictio spiritus.”—Ecrits. i.
'* Delectare in Domino, et dabit tibi petitiones cordis tui.”__Ps

Xxx .d. 4.

- -

I. Temptations to which they are Exposed. i 7 ;
an interior joy that he began to dance for delight.
Blessed Seraphin, a Capuchin, said that he would not
exchange a palm’s length of his cord for all the riches
and honors of the earth; and St. Teresa encouraged ail
by saying, “ When a soul is resolved to suffer, the pain
is at an end.”
4.

Discouragement

in

Aridities.

But here comes another illusion with which hell
tempts the novice, when he finds himself in desolation
of spirit. Do you not see, it says to him, that here you
find no peace? A’ou have lost devotion, everything fills
you with tediousness, mental prayer, reading, Com­
munion, and even recreation. This is a sign that God
does not wish vou to be here.
Oh, what a terrible and dangerous temptation this is
for a young novice, without experience! To overcome
this temptation one ought, first of all, to consider well·
in what consists the peace of a soul on this earth, w hich
is a place of merit, and therefore a place of pain. It
does not consist, as we have seen, in enjoying the goods
of this world, and moreover, not even in the enjoyment
of spiritual delights, because these of themselves do not
increase our merit, nor render us more dear to God.
The true peace of the soul consists only in our con­
formity to the will of God. Hence the quiet we should
desire most is that which makes us unite ourselves with
the will of God, even when he is pleased to keep us in
darkness and desolation. Oh, how dear to God is a
faithful soul, which, when deprived of consolation, still
prays, reads, receives Communion, and dues all only to
please God. Oh, of what great merit are holy works
done without present reward. The Venerable Father
Anthony Torres writes to a soul in desolation: “To carry
the cross with Jesus, without consolation, makes the soul
run, yea, even fly to perfection.” So, therefore, if the
novice finds himself in darkness, he ought to say to G >d:
*

174

Exhortât ion to Novices,

Lord, since Thou wilt keep me thus desolate and de­
prived of every relief, thus I wish to remain, and as long
as it shall please Thee. 1 will not leave Thee; behold I
am ready to suffer this pain during my whole life, and
during all eternity, if so it please Thee. Enough for
me to know that such is Thy holy will.
.'*3
Such should be the language ot the novice who truly
wishes to love God. But let him, on the other hand, be
persuaded that it will not be so. The devil wishes to
make him lose confidence by representing to him that
this condition will last always, and thus at last make
him despair at being unable to bear it any longer.
These terrible tempests, in the midst of spiritual dark­
ness, are raised by the devil in the mind of the desolate.
But it will not be so. To those who overcome I will give a
hidden manna.' Those who shall have borne with patience
the tempest of aridity, and shall have overcome the
temptations which in the meanwhile hell has brought
against them, to make them turn their backs upon him,
these the Lord will certainly console by giving them to
taste the hidden manna, that is, that interior peace
which, as St. Paul says, surpasses all the pleasures of
the senses. The peace of God which passeth all under­
standing2 This one word, now 1 do the will of God, I
please God, affords a satisfaction that surpasses all the
contentment that the world can give, with all its pas­
times, feasts, theatres, banquets, honors, and greatness.
Indeed, that promise cannot fail which God has made
to those who leave all for love of him. And every one
that has left house, or brethren, or father, etc., for My name's
sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall possess life
everlasting.2 To such, then, heaven is promised in the
1 “ Vincentibus dabo manna absconditum.”—Apoc. ii. 17.
2 “Pax Dei. quæ exsuperat omnem sensum ’’—Phil. iv. 7.
3 “ Qui reliquerit domum, vel fratres aut patrem, etc., propter nomen
meum, centuplum accipiet, et vitam æternam possidebit.”— Matth,
xix. 29.

I. Temptations to which they are Exposed. 175
next world, and a hundred-fold in this. What is this
hundred-fold ? It is precisely that testimony of a good
conscience which immensely surpasses all the delights
of this earth.
5. Doubt

about

Vocation.

But we have not done yet. We must speak of temp­
tations still more dangerous. Those of which we have
spoken hitherto are carnal and worldly temptations,
which show of themselves that they come from the
devil, and thus, by the help of God, they are more
easily known and overcome. The most terrible temp­
tations are those which wear the mask of a good spirit
and of a greater good, for they are more hidden, and
therefore lead more easily into error.
The first temptation of this kind is generally the
doubt about vocation, which the devil puts into the
mind of the novice, telling him: But who knows
whether your vocation has been true or only a caprice?
and if you are not truly called by God, you will not
have the grace to persevere, and it may come to pass,
that after having made the vows, you will be sorry,
and become an apostate; so that, whilst you would have
saved yourself in the world, here you will damn yourself.
In order to overcome this temptation, he ought to
consider how and when one can be sure of his vocation.
It is a true vocation whenever the following three con­
ditions concur: First, a good intention, namely, to escape
from the dangers of the world, the better to insure your
eternal salvation, and to unite yourself more closely to
God. Secondly: When there is no positive impediment for
want of health, talents, or some necessity on the part of
one’s parents, in regard to which matters the subject
ought to quiet himself by leaving all to the judgment
of Superiors, after having exposed the truth with sin­
cerity. Thirdly: That the Superiors admit him. Now,

j 76

Exhortai ion to Novices,

whenever these three things truly concur, the novice
ought not to doubt that his vocation is a true one.
6. THE TliOÜGH I Ί ΗΛ Ι ONE WOULD LlVE MORE OeVOU I I.Y II- ONE
WER E Γ R EE.

-|S

The other temptation is that which the devil may
bring against a young man who in the world has already
led a spiritual life. In the world, he shall tell him, you
made more mental prayer, practised more mortification,
more silence, more retirement, and gave more alms, etc.
Now you cannot do all these good works, and much
less will you be able to do them afterwards when you
leave the novitiate. For then the Superiors will make
you apply to your studies, and employ you in the occu­
pations of the Order and other distracting things.
Ah, what an illusion is this! He who gives car to
such suggestions shows that he knows not the merit of
obedience without mentioning that St. Mary Magdalene
of Pazzi said that all is prayer that is done in a Com­
munity. He that gives to God his prayers, his alms,
his fasts, his penances, gives him a part only of what
belongs to him, but not the whole, or to Say better, he
gives him what he has, but not himself. On the con­
trary, he who by the vow of obedience renounces his
own will, gives himself to God, so that he can say to
him: () Lord ! having consecrated to T hee my whole
will, I have nothing more to give Thee. That thing of
which a man has the greatest difficulty to deprive him­
self is his own will. But it is the most agreeable gift
that we can give to God, and that God demands of us
most. My ton^ive Me thy heart,' that is, thy will; whence
the Lord says that he is more pleased by our obedience
than by all other sacrifices that we can offer to him.
Obedience is better than sacrifice? So then he who gives him1 “ Præbc, fill mi, < or luum mihi»” Prov, xxxii. 26.
4 " Melior est obedientia, quam viitimæ.”· 1 Κίηχχ, χν, 22,

/. Temptations to which they arc Exposed, 177
self by obedience, obtains not one, but all possible vic­
tories over the senses, honors, riches, worldly amuse
*
incuts, and everything else. An obedient man shall speak
of victories.1

In the world one merits, no doubt, by fasting, taking
the dis< ipline, etc. But, doing all this by his own will,
he has mut h less merit than a religious who does all
through obedience. Hence the religious merits much
more and merits always, for all that is done in a Com­
munity is done through obedience. In this way the
religious merits, not only when he prays, when he fasts,
when he takes the discipline, but also when he studies,
when he goes out, when he is at table or in recreation,
or when lie goes to rest. St. Aloysius Gonzaga said,
that in the vessel of religion even that one advances
who does not ply the oar. And hence we know of so
many spiritual persons, who, although they led a holy
life, have yet sought to place themselves under obedi
cnce by entering some religious Community, knowing
that the merit of good works done according to one’s
own will is not the same as of those done out of pure
obedience.
7. The

Idea ιιιαί One

coild be moke

Useful ίο One’s

Neighbor.

Against another the devil makes use of a similar and
even stronger temptation by representing to him that
he would be in the world of more service to his neigh­
bor. You have entered this Order, he says, where there
are so many others who labor and help souls, but you
could do more good out of it by succoring your own
country, which is so much in need and destitute of work­
men. One tempted in this way ought to reflect first,
that the greatest good we can do to our neighbor is
that which (rod wills us to do. God is in need of no
1 " Vir obrdicns loqudur victorias.”- Prov. xxi. 25.

178

exhortation to Novices.

man; if it be his desire to give more succor to your
country, can he not do so by means of others? So
then, my brother, since the Lord has called you to his
house, this is the good he will have from you, namely,
that you should be attentive to obey all the rules and
your Superiors; and if obedience wills you to be use­
less in a particular place, or even employed in sweeping
the house and in washing the dishes, this is the greatest
good you can do.
9
*
And then, what good can one do in his own country?
Jesus Christ himself being exhorted to preach and do
good in his birthplace, answered: No prophet is accepted
in his own country.* With regard to confessions, it is a
common saying, that the confessors belonging to a
place are confessors for venial sins, and this is the truth.
For people feel repugnance to tell their grievous sins to
a priest who is either a relative of theirs, or of the same
place, so that they have him always before their eyes,
and therefore they go to strangers to confess. With re­
gard to sermons, it is also well known that the sermons
of a priest of the place profit little, either because he is
born in the place, or because people are accustomed to
his voice. Were the preacher a St. Paul in the begin­
ning, agreeable as you like, after he has been heard for
six months, or at most for a year, he scarcely pleases,
or profits any longer. The missionaries produce great
fruit in the places to which they go, for this very reason,
that they are strangers and their voices new. It is cer­
tain that a priest of an active Order, and especially of
missionaries, will save more souls in one month, and in
one single mission, than if he were to work for ten years
in his own country. Besides, there he will help the
souls of his countrymen only, but by giving missions he
will save souls in a hundred and a thousand places.
Moreover, he who is in the worlçl, will often be in doubt
1 “ Nemo propheta acceptus est in patria sua.”—Luke, iv. 24.

/. Temptations to which they arc Exposed. i 79
and confused, not knowing whether God wishes of him
this or that good work, but he who lives in religion, by
obeying his Superiors, knows with certainty that all
that he does is according to the will of God. For re­
ligious only are those happy ones, who can say: IFearc
happy, O /srael, because the things.that are pleasing to God
are made known to ns.'

<

In fine, there is another temptation which the devil
brings against some one who is perhaps favored by God
with sensible spiritual consolations, tears, and transports
of love. Do you not see, he says, that you are not called
to an active life, but to a contemplative one, to solitude
and union with God ? You must go then to an Order of
contemplatives, or at least to a hermitage. That is
your vocation. If the devil should ever tempt me in
this way, I would answer him thus; Since thou speakest
of vocation, I ought then to follow my vocation, and
not my caprice or thy suggestion. God having already
called me to this Order of evangelical laborers, who can
assure me that to leave them is an inspiration, and not
a temptation ?
And the same I say to you, my brother: there is no
doubt that God calls some to an active and some to a
contemplative life; but God having called you to an
Order of evangelical laborers, you ought to believe that
the other vocation comes not from God, but rather from
hell, which seeks by this to make you lose your voca­
tion. St. Philip Neri said, that one ought not to lose
a good state of life for a better one, without being cer­
tain of the divine will. Thus, in order not to err, you
should be more than morally certain that it is the will of
God to have you pass to another state; but when does
this certainty exist, above all, if your Superiors, and
your spiritual Father tell you that it is a temptation?
1 “ Beati sumus, Israel; quia quæ Deo placent, manifesta sunt nobis.”
—Bar. iv. 4.

iSo

Exhortation to Novices.

Besides, you ought to consider that, as St. Thomas
teaches, although the contemplative life, taken in itself,
is more perfect than the active, nevertheless, the mixed
life, that is, that which is devoted alternately to prayer
and to action, is the most perfect, because this was the
life of Jesus Christ. And this is precisely the life of
all well-regulated Communities of evangelical laborers,
where each day there are several hours of prayer and
several hours of silence. Wherefore such religious can
say, that when out of their houses they are laborers;
but when at home, they are hermits.
Do not, then, allow yourself, my brother, to be
seduced by those specious pretexts of the enemy. Be
certain that if you leave the Order you will repent of it,
as it has happened in other like cases, and you will per­
ceive the error when you are unable to remedy it, for
he who has once left an Order will with difficulty be re­
ceived into it again.

II.
The Means to Preserve One’s Vocation.

i. The first means is, to avoid the faults that are com­
mitted with open eyes. And let every one know, that
the devil tempts novices to commit faults, not so much
to injure them by the faults themselves, as to make them
lose their vocation thereby. For, by the commission of
deliberate faults, they will begin to lose fervor in their
prayers, Communions, and all their other exercises of
devotion. The Lord, on the other hand, with regard to
his graces, justly shuts his hand, according to the gen­
eral rule of St. Paul, lie who soweth sparingly, shall also
reap sparingly.' Especially if they are faults of pride, for
God resists the proud, and against them the devil gains
more strength, and thus on one side the novice in1 “ Qui parce seminat, parce et metet.”—2 Cor. jx 5

//. Means to Preserve One's Vocation.

1S1

creasing in tepidity, and on the other divine light fail­
ing, it will not be difficult for hell to gain its end,
namely, to make him lose his vocation.
2. The second means is, to spring the mines, that is,
to discover the temptation to his Superiors. St.
Philip Neri said: A temptation when manifested is half
overcome. On the contrary, as the abscess, when it is
not opened, spreads like a cancer, so temptation, when
concealed, brings on ruin. And in fact, experience has
often shown that those that have already been shaken
by temptation, and brought to that point where the
road divides, that is, where one doubts, deliberates which
way to go, whether to the left or to the right, and yet
keeps it secret, almost all such have lost their vocation.
One must, then, offer violence to one’s self and discover
the temptation to the Superiors, for God will be so
much pleased with this act of humility and the violence
that the novice does to himself, that by his divine light
he will suddenly dispel all confusion and darkness.
3. The third means is prayer, that is, to have recourse
to God, that he may give him holy perseverance, which,
as St. Augustine *says, is only obtained by praying for
it. But the novice who has already received of God his
vocation, and is tempted to abandon it, ought not to
pray to God, saying, G Lord! give me light to know
what I ought to do; because this light God has already
given him, by calling him: for if he should ask only for
this light, the devil may transform himself into an angel
of light, and easily deceive him, making him believe
that the thought of departing is a divine light. He
ought rather to say, O Lord! since Thou hast given me
the vocation, give me also the strength to persevere in
it.
A certain young man had been called by God to the
religious state, and his vocation had, after many trials,
1 De Doiw pers. c. xvi.

182

Exhortation ίο Novices.

already been approved of by his director, and he re­
tired into the Order to which he had been called. His
parents made such effort as to force him to go to a third
place, the better to examine his vocation. But instead
of returning thence to the place from which he had
come, he went to his own house, thus pleasing his par­
ents and displeasing God. Being there asked how he
had come to commit such an error, he said that he had
prayed to God to give him light, by saying: Speak, O
Lord, because thy servant hcareth; ' and that having done
this he resolved to go home. 1 then said to him: O my
son', you have made a mistake in your prayer; your vo­
cation was certain, even confirmed by so many signs;
you should not have said, Speak, O Lord, because God
had already spoken to you, but Confirm, O God, what
Thou hast worked in me() Lord, give me strength to
accomplish Thy will, which Thou hast already made
known to me. You have failed to make this prayer, and
therefore you have lost your vocation. Let the mis­
fortune of this one be a warning to others.
Let the novice, moreover, remark, that the time of
temptation is a time of darkness and confusion; he
must therefore not look then for clearness of reason to
quiet himself. Let him then be careful only to offer
himself to God anew, and to beseech him, saying, O my
God! I have given myself to Thee, I will not abandon
Thee, help me, permit me not to be unfaithful to Thee.
And saying so, and repeating this the oftener as the
temptation increases, and discovering it at the same
time to the Superiors, as we have said, he will certainly
triumph over it. Let him also recommend himself in a
special manner to most holy Mary, who is the mother
of perseverance. A certain novice, overcome by tempta­
tion, was already on the point of leaving his monastery,
’ “ Loquere Domine, quia audit servus tuus.”—i A'ings, iii. q.
8 “ Confirma hoc Deus, quod operatus es in me.”

II. Means to Preserve One s Jocat ion.

iS;

but he stopped first to kneel down and say an Ave Maria
before an image of the divine mother, and suddenly felt
himself, as it were, nailed to the floor, so that he could
not rise any more; coming then to himself, he made a
vow to persevere, after which he rose without difficulty,
asked pardon of the Master of novices, and persevered?
4. To conclude, I beseech you, my brother, when you
are tempted in any way regarding your vocation, 1 be­
seech you, 1 say, to reflect principally on two things:
The first is, that the grace of vocation, which God has
given to you, he has not given to so many others of your
companions, perhaps less unworthy than you. He hath
not done in like manner to every nationi1 Be afraid, then,
of showing ingratitude by turning your back on him,
because by doing so you expose yourself to a great
danger of being damned. And be certain you will have
no more peace in this life, and will always be tormented
until death, by remorse for your infidelity.
The second is, that when the temptation comes, and
perhaps tells you, that, if you do not quit, you will lead
a life of despair, that you will repent of it, that perhaps
you will even have to account for it to God, and such
similar suggestions as we have mentioned above; then
set before your eyes the hour of your death, and reflect,
that, if you were now about to die, you would not re­
pent of having followed your vocation, but you would
feel the greatest contentment and peace; and, on the
contrary, you would feel great distress and pain to have
abandoned it. Think of this, and you will not lose it,
but will receive during this life, and at the hour of your
death, the peace and the crown that God prepares for
his faithful servants in this life and in the next.
1 Aiiricmma, Aff. scamb. p. 2, c. 7.
2 “ Non fecit taliter omni nationi.”—Ps. cxlvii. 20.

I 84

Exhortation, to Novices,

Offering and Prayer that
to Obtain the Grace

to

Novice

Recite in Order
Persevere in his Vocation.

the

should

O my God! how shall Lever be able to thank Thee
enough for having called me with so much love to
Thine own household, and how have I deserved this
favor after so many offences that I have committed
against Thee! How many of my companions arc in the
world, in the midst of so many occasions and dangers
of losing their souls! and I have been admitted to live
in this Thy house, in the company of so many of Thy
dear servants, and with so many helps to become a
saint. I hope, () my Lord! to thank Thee for it better
in heaven throughout eternity, and there forever to sing
the mercy that Thou hast shown me. In the mean­
while, I am Thine, and always will be Thine. I have
already given myself to Thee. I repeat the offering
now. 1 will be faithful to Thee; I will not abandon
Thee, even should I lose my life and a thousand lives.
Behold, I offer myself entirely to accomplish Thy will
without reserve. Bo with me what Thou pleasest;
make me live as Thou wilt, desolate, infirm, despised;
treat me as is pleasing to Thee. Enough for me to obey
Thee and please Thee. I ask nothing of Thee but the
grace to love Thee with my whole heart, and to be faith­
ful to Thee until death.
O most holy Mary, my dear mother! thou hast already
obtained for me the many graces that I have received
from God, the pardon of my sins, my vocation, and the
strength to follow it; thou must finish the work by ob­
taining for me perseverance until death. This, is my
hope: thus may it be!

III. Important Instructions.

185

in.
Important Instructions to the Novice that he may Preserve
Himself in Fervor.

1. When he is reprimanded, or accused, let him not
excuse himself, and let him love before God with an
especial affection him who accuses or reprimands him.
2. Let him love to be despised in all things, with re­
gard to occupations, clothing, room, food, etc.
3. Let him not be forward to utter his opinion, unless
he is asked for it.
4. Let him mortify himself in all things according to
the rules of prudence and obedience, in eating, sleeping,
sight, smell, etc.
5. Let him observe the rules of modesty, when he is
alone as well as with others.
6. Let him never touch others with his hands, or look
fixedly at them, but let him always keep his eyes cast
down, especially in church, at table, during recreation,
and in the streets.
7. Let him keep silence, except when it is necessary
to speak either for the glory of God, or for his own and
his neighbor’s good. And in speaking, especially in rec­
reation, let him never raise his voice too much. Let him
avoid every dispute or contention about birth, talents, or
riches, and all vain discourse about eating, hunting,
about play or battles, about the acquiring of honors,
fortune, or the like things of the world. But let him
seek always to introduce pious discourses on the vanity
of the world, the love towards Jesus and Mary, happy
lot of the saints, and the manner of advancing in per­
fection.
7. After each fault let him promptly humble himself,
repent of it, and be quiet.

186

Exhortai ion to Novices.

8. Let him desire nothing but that which God wills.
Let him not ask for consolations. In the time of dry­
ness of spirit let him humble and resign himself, saying:
0 Lord! I do not desire consolations; I am content to
remain thus during my whole life.
9. Let him often raise his heart to God by ejaculatory
prayers; he can make use of the following:
0 my God! 1 desire nothing but Thee.
Tell me what Thou wilt have of me, and 1 will do all.
Do with me what Thou wilt.
All that which Thou wiliest is my will also.
Make me love Thee, and send me where Thou wilt.
My Jesus, 1 love Thee, I love Thee, I love Thee.
Make Thyself known to all, and loved by all.
I renounce all: Thou alone art sufficient for me.
My God and my all.
Live Jesus and Mary, our hope!
O good Jesus! be Thou always praised, my life was
the cause of Thy death, and Thy death was my life.

(?rl)ortfltion to Religious
TO ADVANCE IN THE PERFECTION OF

I'HEIR STATE.

The religious are the portion that God has particu­

larly selected from among men upon earth to extend
his glory, and to have himself loved by them with a
love more special and more pure than that with which
he is loved by men that live in the midst of the world
who are absorbed in secular cares. To this end the
Lord by a particular vocation has drawn them from the
darkness of Egypt and has freed them from the love of
this world, and they afterwards, aided by the grace of
God, have consecrated themselves to him by the vows
of religion, renouncing all the goods that the world
promises and obtains for its followers. Hence every
Community of religious on earth should consider itself
as a reunion of persons who, disengaged from every
earthly thought, apply themselves to nothing else than
to a life devoted to God, so that the Lord may be glo­
rified b)r them, and may say: These persons belong
entirely to me; they are my delight.
But I ask, Can the Lord say at the present day of all
religious that they are his delight ? Alas! the Church
grieves to see among the religious a general relaxation
united with a coldness in the service of God. It is not
denied that among them there are found good religious
who live like true religious detached from worldly affec­
tions, and who endeavor to sanctify themselves and to
gain souls for God. I say that these are the judges that
will one day judge their companions in the valley of
Josaphat. But how many of these good religious arc

iSS

Ex nortation to E eligz\.-. j

there ' Ah ’ there are very few. as we may now see;
and this the Church deplores, with all those that love
the glory of God.
It s improper from my “littleness
*
’ to speak here
slv, and to note the : .Its into which religious
commonly fa 1 at the present time, and which are a
>
se and scandal to those that should be
edined by their example. Some one may say: Tell us
then. Mr Ref rmer, vvr.ich are these ccmmcn faults, and
teach us what we have to do in order to be _ood relig­
ious. Oh no 1 I do not pretend to reform the world;
therefore I will not da- to point out in detail the par­
ti:-’.ar faults that huve become common at the present
c y. I on! say to you who has
kt the foregoing
questi tn t: me that you well know what one must do in
order to be a g : : d relig
s. In the novitiate you have
been careful, v- instructed on the v:rtues that you have
t: practise in re’ gion, namely.
edience, detachment
from earthly affections, the love of poverty, s f-abnegation. desire for humiliations, and all that is necessary
in order to live as a g: od 'eligi is. But at the present
time, since lukewarmness and relaxation have become a
general evil, and since religious think but little of the
obligations of the religious state, thev scarce! v think of
correcting the faults that they commit.
A . would t. Gcd that religi.us would preserve at
least cue half of t.ue g od life that they began in the
novitiate ! Ordinarily, novices that persevere as far as
to make t ie vows. live wit . fervor and give edification:
but t e
' t.'iat a:ter having made the v vs, while
applying t tetr, selves to their studies, they begin at once
to grow cold, to cegiect t preserve the fervor acquired
*
ar.·
to practise the g> d resolutions formed in the
n . vitiate. Hence instead of making progress in the
exercise of virtue, they g on declining from dav to
day. and become nr >re an·; m re imperfect. After this,

to Advance in Perfection.

I <Q

when they are appointed to teach others, relaxation
increases; f r then ore thinks no more of working
the gflorv of God. but more for one’s own interests,
striving to reach the higher offices, and thus to succeed
in lead mg a life less under subjection and more com­
fortable.
Tiiere have been good reasons for establishing degrees
tl ugh which religious should pass in order to render
themselves more useful to the good of souls by instructing the ignorant and exciting the zeal of the lukewarm.
But unfortunately in many religious the means become
the end; for in the course of time it happens that one
seeks less the good of religion and of souls than one s
own temporal advantages. I protest again that I do
not pretend to be a reformer; but I consider that such
distinctions in religi. us Communities f ment every kind
of ambition, and consequently ever}’ kind of relaxation.
Thence I conclude that it would be much better for the
teachers after having finished the c arse cf teaching to
remain in the humble state in which thev were when
thev came forth from the novitiate: then each of them
would apply himself to his duties, not in or 1er to attain
particular ends, but only in order to do the divine will
and to obey his Superiors. As, on the contrary, teach­
ing procures for them certain privileges, conveniences
of lodging, liberties, preferments, it is for this reason
that there are few that advance in the spiritual life
and in the edification that they should give to others.
Hence it happens that a l good people grieve to see in
religious Orders the general relaxation that they see on
every side. Where is to-day among religious, generally
speaking, the spirit of obedience, of poverty, of mortifi­
cation, of interior abnegation 3 Where is the love for
solitude, for the hidden life, the desire for contempt,
such as animated the saints? These kinds of virtues

I 90

Exhortation to Ec/i^ions

have become strange things; it seems that all that re­
mains of them is the name.
But what remedy should be applied
*
to an evil so
great and so general ? What answer should be given
to this question ? The remedy should come from
heaven; hence we should pray to the Lord to remedy
it by his power and mercy, for just as the good spirit of
the religious is communicated to seculars, so the secu­
lars share in the relaxation of the religious.
In my opinion this spiritual coolness of the religious
Orders arises for the most part from the neglect of
prayer, and this neglect proceeds from the want of re­
tirement and recollection. Experience abundantly
proves that the more we entertain ourselves with crea­
tures, the less we desire to entertain ourselves with God ;
and the greater our relations are to the world, the more
will God withdraw himself. “There are many souls to
which 1 should willingly speak,’’ said our Lord one day
to St. Teresa, “but the world makes so much noise in
their hearts that my voice cannot be heard by them.”
Thus many religious, plunged into earthly affairs, think
little of God. They would like to emerge from the
mire of their lukewarmness, and to become disengaged
from the earthly attachments that bind them; but the
passions that they do not strive to overcome, always
draw them downward, and cause them to lose the spirit
of prayer.
The religious of ancient times gave themselves up
much to prayer; they thus attained sanctity, and by
their edifying life also sanctified others. But at the
present time everything is wanting, because the spirit
of prayer has been lost; this is the cause why humility
is wanting, why we are not detached from the world,
why we have so little love for God. The love for God
being wanting, all the virtues are wanting.
Let us, therefore, pray to Jesus Christ, who alone can

io Advance in Perfection.

191

remedy so great an evil. Let us pray to him to inspire
the rcligi°us with his holy love and with the desire to
sanctify themselves; for at the present time it seems
that the religious have even lost the desire to sanctify
themselves. Every one feels the necessity of a general
reform among the religious, the priests, and the secu­
lars, when he sees the corruption of morals extending
everywhere. Hence we should every day repeat the
prayer of David, which is very appropriate to the cir­
cumstances of the present time: Turn again, Ο God of
hosts, look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard:
and perfect the same which Thy right hand hath planted, and
upon the Son of man, whom Thou hast confirmed for Thyself!

() Lord! Thy Church, this vineyard that Thy divine Son
has planted and watered with his blood, is ravaged in all
parts; come, visit and renew it, Thou who alone canst
renew it.
1 “ Deus virtutum, convertere; respice de cœlo, et vide, et visita
vineam istam, et perfice eam quam plantavit dextera tua ; et super
Filium hominis, quem confirmasti tibi.”—Ps. Ixxix. 15.

Ptiritn of intention.
INSTRUCTION ADDRESSED TO THE FATHERS'

OF THE CON­

*
GREGATION.

Every one knows that the work of what we do is in

accordance with the end that we propose to ourselves.
If the root be holy, so are the branches,' says the Apostles.
My dear Fathers, a priest, in order to sanctify him­
self, should be above all attentive to have always a
right and a pure intention in all his actions; for it is
certain that a priest, and especially a missionary, has
necessarily to perform every day many works of God;
the main thing is to see whether he performs them only
for God, only in order to please God.
Ah’, how often do we lose all the merit of what we do,
because we have not the right intention as when we
listen to human respect, to our own taste, and especially
to some vain desire of being praised or esteemed by
men, and appropriating the glory of the good that is
done,—the glory that belongs only to God.
Vainglory is so secret a robber, says a master of the
spiritual life, that sometimes before allowing itself to
be perceived it has already captured all. Thus it often
succeeds in stripping us of the best part of the fruit of
our labors.
It must not be believed that vainglory is a temptation
of beginners; no, it is a temptation with which the devil
assails those that are more advanced in spirituality. St.
Gregory avows that while writing his books, although
1 “ Si radix sancta, ct rami.”—Rom. xi. 16.

♦ This was written by St. Alphonsus, but remained unpublished till
i860.—Ed.

Purity of Intention.

193

he wished to work only for God, he nevertheless per­
ceived sometimes that a vain complacency was creeping
into his mind. How often does it not happen that
those that preach and hear confessions only for God,
afterwards conceive the vain desire to be praised or to
be seen’.
St. Cyprian observes that the devil after having tried
against Jesus Christ various temptations, concluded by
tempting him to vainglory, because he had often suc­
ceeded in conquering by this temptation those that had
resisted all other temptations.
Hence the ancient Fathers instructed the novices to
perform penances, abstinences, mortifications, while to
the more advanced they recommended them to guard
against vainglory; for those that have performed many
acts of virtue, and especially the missionaries that ob­
tain applause and please the people, are very much ex­
posed to conceive a high idea of themselves, and thus
to suffer shipwreck in port. One of the chastisements,
perhaps the most ordinary, that God sends to punish
this kind of fault is to permit that we fall over some
great precipice; this is what we have to fear. Oh, how
many servants of God, much more perfect than we, have
experienced this chastisement!
Let us then take care always to place before our eyes
the sole pleasure of God; let it be the only mark of all
our actions, of all our thoughts, of all our affections, as
the Lord has ordained: Put Me as a seal upon thy heart,
as a seal upon thy arm! Then God will say that he has
been wounded with love forus: Thou hast wounded My
heart, My sister, My spouse,2 on account of the only end
that we have proposed to ourselves to please him re1 “ Pone me ut signaculum super cor tuum, ut signaculum super
brachium tuum.”—Cant. viii. 6.
9 “Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea sponsa.”—Cant, iv 9

i94

Purity of Intent ion.

gardless oi everything else: Thou hast wounded My heart
with one of thy eyes.'

3·

In order always to keep before our minds the only end
of pleasing God, we must act in the following manner:
I. At first we must take care not to concern ourselves
about success, but only about the end for which the
work is done; here are a few examples:
;
1. We labor, we preach, we hear confessions, and
then we remain quiet if we see no concourse, no emo­
tion, if we do not see any fruit in our penitents, if we
do not hear ourselves praised by others; why? Be­
cause we have labored only for God; if we had only
God in view we should not be disturbed, well knowing
that we can plant, but that the production and the glory
of the fruit belong only to God.
,4
2. The two servants—one of them bringing back ten
talents, the other only four—were received with equal
love, says St. Jerome, because both had done their duty.
3. A true servant of God rejoices at the fruit that is
produced, because it is the glory of God; and he re­
joices as much when he sees the fruit produced by
another as when it is produced by himself. It is thus
that the Venerable John d’Avila was happy to see that
St. Ignatius by instituting the Society of Jesus had done
what he himself desired to do. On the other hand, a
true servant of God is not disturbed when he does not
derive the fruit that he expected; for having labored
onlv for God, he has already attained his end, which is
to please God.
II. Moreover, we should be careful to abstain from
saying without necessity things that may be turned to
our own praise. How many are there not that pass for
spiritual persons, and that commit this fault! Ah! it is
the ego (I), this cursed ego, that is always putting itself
forward. We sometimes give a long discourse that dc1 " Vulnerasti cor meum in uno oculorum tuorum.”—Ibid. iv. g.

Purity of Intention.

195

mancis all the attention of those that hear it, and the
whole discourse may be reduced to a discourse in praise
of ourselves. We may speak of ourselves when we do
so through necessity, in order to be useful to our neigh­
bor and to glorify God; but tips is rarely done through
necessity, it is oftenest done through vanity. An apos­
tolic laborer returns from a mission or from preaching
Lenten sermons; he will only speak of the great crowds
that attended, of the fruit that his sermons produced, of
the time that he spent in the confessional; he will do
this for what purpose? In order to be praised. What
can you derive from all that if not motives of vain com­
placency, that will make you lose all that you have
gained ?
When St. Hilarion saw himself esteemed or praised
he began to weep, saying: “ It seems to me that God is
rewarding me in this life.” We should do the same when
we are praised; we should then interrupt the conversa­
tion, and refer all the glory to God, to God alone.
III. Moreover, we should be ashamed, either in the
Congregation or on the missions to lay claim to the
most honorable employments: the employments that
we should prefer are those that obedience imposes.
IV. Finally, we should especially take care always to
refer actually, as much as possible, all our actions to
God. We should.not content ourselves with the gen­
eral intention that we make in the morning: we should
endeavor to direct actually every action with a view to
please God, as was done by an ancient Father, who, be­
fore each of his actions, stopped a moment and said:
“ ï am aiming at a mark so as to send this action directly
to God.”
Even in the middle of our actions, let us try as much
as possible to renew our intention to perform them in
order to please God; let us renew it at each confession
that we make; while reciting the divine Office at each

Purity of Intention.
psalm. Let us do the same when preaching and in all
other actions, especially in those that arc more accord­
ing to our taste.
If vainglory then presents itself to our mind, the best
thing that we can do according to St. Bernard is to de­
spise it. Let us say to it, as we are advised by the Ven­
erable John d’Avila: You come too late, for I have
already given this work to God.
Oh! how well do we work, my dear Fathers, when we
work only for God! and who does not see that to act
thus continually for (rod is to love God continually,
and to love him with a true love, with a pure disin­
terested love, only to please him ?
True love, says St. Bernard, asks for nothing but it­
self: “True love is content with itself; it is its own re­
ward; besides itself, it needs no cause, no fruit. I love
because I love; I love to be loved.” 1 Love desires no
other recompense than to be loved by God, says St.
John Chrysostom; for the more disinterested we are in
our love towards God, the more liberal he will be to­
wards us.
1 “ Verus amor seipso contentus est, ipse præmium sibi est ; præter
se, non requirit causam, non fructum: amo, quiaamo; amo, ut amem.”

Religions Povertn.
WHETHER

IT

IS

PERMITTED

TO

RELIGIOUS

TO

POSSESS

THINGS IN COMMON, AND WHETHER IT THIS AN IMPER­
*
FECTION.

Our Lord ordained for the apostles, when he sent
them ont to preach the Gospel, to possess nothing: Do
not possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses, nor
scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff!

In the first place, Ludolph of Saxony answers that
Jesus Christ only wished thereby to deliver them from
all solicitude and all inordinate affection for temporal
things, teaching them to be content with what is neces­
sary, which should be furnished them by those whom
they would evangelize: “ Jesus Christ frees them from
all solicitude, saying: Take nothing for your journey, etc.
And because he had sent them forth as it were stripped
of everything, he tempered the severity of the precept,
saying: The workman is worthy of his meat, that is, of the
necessaries of life; as if he said: Receive as much as is
necessary for food and clothing. Hence the Apostle
also says: But having food, and wherewith to be covered,
with these we arc content. Wherefore he commanded
that they should carry nothing with them, since all was
due them for their labor. It is according to natural law,
those that serve the community in spiritual things should
be provided by the community with the necessaries in
1 “ Nolite possidere aurum, neque argentum, neque pecuniam in
zonis vestris, non peram in via, neque duas tunicas, neque calcea­
menta, neque virgam.”—Matth. x. 9.

* Λ dissertation found among the manuscripts of St. Alphonsus,
that remain edunpublished till 1868.—Ed.

I 98

Pchgious Poverty,

temporal things. He therefore did not prohibit them
to carry with them things necessary for sustaining this
life, but he showed them that these things were due to
them by those to whom they preached. He com­
manded these things rather for the purpose of recalling
their affection from the inordinate love of temporal
things, that they might not seek what was superfluous,
and that what was necessary should be sufficient for
them.” 1
»
Secondly, it is answered that it is clear that this was
a particular precept for this mission, which concerned
only the Jews, whom the apostles were to persuade, by
their contempt for earthly things, that they were the mes­
sengers of the true Messiah; this is seen in the same Gos­
pel in which the divine Master tells them not to address
themselves to others: Go ye not in the way of the Gentiles,
and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go ye
rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: Hence be­

fore his death he recalled to their minds this precept in
order to abrogate it: If'hen I sent you without purse and
1 “ Ab omni eos liberat sollicitudine, dicens: * Nihil tuleritis in via,
etc.’ {Luki. ix. 3). Et quia quodammodo nudos miserat, severitatem
præcepti temperavit, dicens: * Dignus enim est operarius cibo suo.'—
{Maith, x. 10); id est, necessariis ad vitam: quasi eis dicat: Tantum
accipite, quantum in vectu et vestitu vobis necessarium est.—Unde et
Apostolus replicat: ‘ Habentes autem alimenta, et quibus tegamur, his
contenti simus’ (1 Tini. vi. -). Eccc quarc præcepit cis nihil ferre,
quia omnia debentur eis pro labore. De jure naturali est, ut, illis qui
serviunt communitati in spiritualibus, provideantur a communitate in
temporalibus necessaria. Non ergo prohibuit eis ferre necessaria ad
sustentationem hujus vitæ, sed ut demonstraret hæc eis deberi ab illis
quibus praedicarent. Nec omnino præcepit cis illa, sed magis ad revo­
candum eorum affectum ab inordinato amore temporalium, ut non
quærcrent superflua, sed eis sufficerent necessaria.”—Vita J. Chr. p.
i, c. 51.
• “ Jn viam Gentium ne abieritis, et in civitatem Samaritanorum ne
intraveritis; sed potius ite ad oves quæ perierunt domus Israel.”_
Matth. x. 5.

Religious Poverty

199

scrip and shoes, did you want anything ? But they said:
Nothing. Then said die unto them: But now he that hath a
purse, let him take it, and likewise,' etc. Such is the ex­

planation that is given by Cornelius à Lapide,’ in citing
St. John Chrysostom, St. Anselm, and other authors,
with St. Thomas,3 who expressly says that by these last
words Jesus Christ abrogated the particular precepts
that he had given to the apostles when he sent them to
preach to the Jews. Cornelius adds that this had to be
so; for the apostles would have to provide themselves
with things necessary when going to preach to the Gen­
tiles, who as enemies of the Gospel would have at first
opposed them.
As to the possession of temporal goods, Cornelius
says that although Jesus Christ possessed nothing in
private, he yet possessed things in common with the
college of the apostles. It is thus that we see in the
Gospel of St.John that Judas carried the money re­
ceived as alms: And having the purse, carried the things
that were put therein ; and that the disciples had gone to
buy the necessary food: JIis disciples were gone into the
city to buy meatsI

From this example of our divine Master, Cornelius
concludes that it is by no means contrary to perfection
to have goods in common, as is generally the case with
religious Orders, and is thus defined by John XXII.:
“ From this example of Christ it follows that it is not
derogatory to Christian perfection to have goods in
common, as is usually had by religious Orders accord­
ing to what is defined by John XXII.” 3
1 “ Quando misi vos sine sacculo, et pera, et calceamentis, numquid
aliquid defuit vobis? At illi dixerunt: Nihil. Dixit ergo cis: Sed
nunc, qui habet sacculum, tollat,” etc.—Luke, xxii. 35.
- In Maith, x. 9.
3 i. 2, q. 10S, a. 2.
4 “ Loculos habens, ea quæ mittebantur, portabat.”—John, xii. 6;
iv. 8.
» “ Ex hoc Christi exemplo sequitur, perfectioni nihil derogare,

200

Ke/igious / \wcrty.

I have, moreover, found in another place that the
same Pope declares him a heretic who would say that
Jesus Christ and the apostles possessed nothing either
in private or in common.1
.
On the word asserit (asserts) in the note below—the
gloss points out the passages of Scripture in which we
see that Jesus Christ and the apostles possessed things.
We there read that the Magi offered gold to the Saviour;
that St. Peter had a house, and so had St. Matthew.2
Father Suarez, cited by Dom Calmet, assures us that it
is a probable and a sound opinion, that St. Peter even
after the vow of poverty was still in possession of his
house when Jesus entered there and healed his motherin-law.3 We also know, says Calmet, that the apostles,
before and after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, made
use of their boats although they had said that they had
left all. Behold,-we have left all things.' The perfection
of their poverty, says Calmet, consisted in that they had
abandoned their goods by detaching their hearts.
However this may be, St. Thomas6 puts the question
whether it is against religious perfection to possess any­
thing in common/’ and he answers in the negative with
St. Prosper, who says that perfection permits not privvate possession, but
*
common possession: “It is shown
habere bona in communi ut habent passim Ordines religiosi, uti de­
finit Joannes XXII.”—Extrav. ad Conditorem, lit. 14. Ee verb, signif.
c. 3.
1 “ Redemptorem ejusque Apostolos in speciali non habuisse aliqua,
nec in communi, haereticum est censendum, . . . cum Scripturæ
sacræ, quæ in plerisquc locis ipsos nonnulla habuisse asserit, contra­
dicat expresse.”—Extrav. Cum inter nonnullos, til. 14. De verb,
signif. c. 4.
2 Matth. ii. 11 ; viii. 14; ix. 10.
3 Matth. viii. 14; Mark, i. 29.
4 Matth. xix. 27.
6 2. 2. q. i S3, a. 7.
6 “ Utrum habere aliquid in communi diminuat perfectionem reli
gionis.”

Petigùms Poverty.

201

sufficiently that private possessions should be con­
temned on account of perfection, and that common
goods are possessed without detriment to perfection." ’
St. Thomas afterwards observes that perfection does
not consist in poverty, but in the imitation of Jesus
Christ. Poverty, he says, is only a means to arrive at
perfection; it delivers man from the solicitude that is
attached to riches. But when we possess only what is
necessary to nourish ourselves, and should feel in re­
gard to this some solicitude that disturbs us but little, this
would not be against the perfection of the Christian
life; for the Lord forbids not every kind of solicitude,
but only excessive solicitude, which is injurious to the
service of God.2
Moreover, continues the Doctor, the solicitude that
one has for particular goodsis different from that which
one has for common goods; for the first belongs to pri­
vate love, while the second belongs to charity.3
Hence we see, so he concludes, that the possession of
superabundant riches in common is an obstacle to per­
fection, though it does not exclude it entirely; but the
possession in common of what is necessary for simple
subsistence does not hinder relifrious nerfection *
1 “ Satis ostenditur et propria d<
et sine impedimento perfectionis p
'l “ Non enim omnis sollicitudo
et nociva. Unde, super illud Mi
Augustinus: ‘ Non hoc dicit ut is
sitatis est, sed ut non ista intueant
in Evangelii prædicatione facere ju
3 “ Nam sollicitudo quæ circa pr
amorem privatum, quo quis se tem
adhibetur circa res communes, pert
quærit quæ sua sunt, sed commui
perfectionem charitatis ordinatur,
contemptum sui, habere aliquid ρτ
ionis, sed sollicitudo quæ adhibeti
. i.”
quod habere su

202

Rcligioîis Poverty.

St. Thomas speaks thus, in general, for all the relig­
ious; but afterwards considering the question in re­
lation to the special ends of religious Orders, he says
that an Order is so much the more perfect in respect to
poverty, as it has a poverty proportioned to its end.1
In speaking of an Order established for the good of
souls, he says that this Order requires poverty to give
it the least solicitude.2 Now he adds what gives the
least solicitude is the preservation of necessary things
after one has procured them at a suitable time.' Note
these last words, “ After a suitable time.”
Finally, citing the passage of St. John, To buy meats/
the angelic Doctor concludes therefrom that it is evi­
dently conformable to the perfection taught by the ex­
ample of Jesus Christ, to keep money or all other com­
mon things, in order to support the religious/ Note
words, All other things; this refers to things movable or
immovable, spoken of above; note also the words, Per­
fection taught by Christ.

Hence, says Cornelius à Lapide,® after having cited
est impedimentum perfectionis, licet non totaliter excludat eam;
habere autem de rebus exterioribus in communi, sive mobilibus, sive
immobilibus, quantum sufficit ad simplicem victum, perfectionem relig­
ionis non impedit.
’ “ Si autem (paupertas) consideratur per comparationem ad speci­
ales fines religionum, tanto erit unaquæque religio secundum pauper­
tatem perfectior, quanto habet paupertatem magis proportionatarn suo
fini.”
’“Talem religionem decet paupertas talis quæ minimam sollicitu­
dinem ingerat.’’
"■ “ Manifestum est autem quod minimam sollicitudinem ingerit con­
servare res usui hominum necessarias, tempore congruo procuratas.’’
4 John, iv. 8.
s “ Ex quo patet quod conservare pecuniam, aut quascumque alias
res communes, ad sustentationem religiosorum . . , est perfectioni
conforme quam Christus docuit suo exemplo.”
4 “ Quocirca veteres fundatores sanxerunt ut religiosi haberent bona
in communi, ut sine cura vacarent orationi, studio, pnedicationi, sicut

Religious Poverty.

203

the example of Jesus Christ and shown that it is not
repugnant to perfection to possess things in common,
the old founders (who certainly have had before their
eyes only the example of Jesus Christ in order to attain
a perfect life) have established that the religious should
have goods in common, in order to give themselves up
freely to prayer, to study, to preaching, as appears from
the Constitutions of Sts. Basil, Augustine, Bernard,
Dominic. Thus, Cornelius continues, with the excep­
tion of the Order of the Franciscans, the end of which
is the greatest poverty, as to the other Orders that have
the foregoing ends, it is more perfect to possess goods
in common.1 By this means the solitaries can better
guard their solitude, and those that devote themselves
to preaching, compensate for austerity by charity.’
I add, that St. Cajetan, who alone established as a ride
self-abandonment to Providence, did not propose to
himself simply the life of Jesus Christ; he had especi­
ally in view’ the glorification of the divine attribute of
Providence, as is indicated by the Gospel 3 that the
Church makes us read on his feast.1 The saint also
wished to confound thereby the impiety of Luther, who
denied Providence; therefore, in the Church of Our
Lady of Victories at Chiaia, above the little door, St.
Cajetan is represented holding under him Luther, who
says: Non est providentia Dei (There is no Providence
of God).
Live Jesus and Mary!
patet ex Constitutionibus Sancti Basilii, Sancti Augustini, Sancti Ber­
nardi, Sancti Dominici.”—In Jo. xi. 6.
1 “ Convenientius est habere bona in communi; quare hoc in iis con­
gruentius et perfectius est.”
2 “ Austeritatem vitæ charitate in proximum compensant.”
3 Matth. vi. 24.
4 August 7.

Notes on tl)C £ifc of tl)c Boo. Jatljer Paul (Cafaro,
OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER.

I

We do not precisely know when these Notes were

written and published; we only know that in 1767 they
were printed at the end of the volume entitled JKay of
Salvation. We think, however, that they must have ap­
peared sooner, Fathei Cafaro having died in 1753. We
here give some details that the author has omitted.
Father Cafaro was received as a novice by St. Alphon­
sus, at Barra, October 25, 1741; he was then thirty-four
years of age, and he lived nearly twelve years in the
Congregation. The saint soon gave a signal proof of
the esteem and confidence that he reposed in his new
subject. In 1743, he chose him for his spiritual direc­
tor, and made a vow tp obey him in all things. At the
General Chapter of 1749, Father Cafaro was appointed
one of the Consultors-General. St. Alphonsus regarded
him as one of the principal supports of his Congrega­
tion, and never deviated from his counsels; in Cafaro’s
last illness the saint did all he could to save his life;
and in order to console himself for his loss, it was
while adoring the decrees of Providence that he com­
posed his beautiful hymn on the Conformity to the will
of God. {Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 12, 17, 31, and 39.)—Ed.

Notes on the £ifc of tljc Bev. /other }Jaul (Cafaro,
OF THE CONGREGATION

OF THE

MOST

HOLY REDEEMER.

• I.
His Birth and Infancy.
Father Paul Cafaro was born on the 5th of July,

1707, in the diocese of Cava, and in a place called after
the Cafari. His father was called John Nicholas Cafaro,
and his mother Cecily also bore the name of Cafaro.
Cecily was a woman of great piety, and her husband led
a most exemplary life although only a secular. He be­
longed to a Congregation, the obligations of which he
never neglected. He was much given to mental prayer,
and he also taught his family how to practise it; his
children daily received instruction in the Christian
doctrine from him; and he was scrupulously obedient
to his spiritual Father; in fact, when he died his direc­
tor did not hesitate to say to his wife, “ You have now
a saint in Paradise.” These virtuous parents had six
children, four girls and two boys, of whom Paul was
the second.
His temper was so sweet and gentle even in his very
cradle that his mother used to be obliged to awaken
him when she wanted to suckle him. His childhood
was quite different from that of other children, and
quite free from those acts of levity that usually accom­
pany it. He had a very serious illness when he was ten
years of age, which he bore without a murmur, and with
such patience that the doctor that attended him was
quite delighted with him, and made his virtues gen­
erally known. When he began to study, he was always

2oS

Life of Father Paid Cafaro,

modest and attentive to his duties; he never deserved
any reproof or punishment from his masters, but, on
the contrary, he excited their admiration and that of his
companions, as well as that of all that conversed with
him.
I
As soon as he was old enough, he began to frequent
the sacraments and to meditate chiefly before the
Blessed Sacrament; and he did so with such devotion
that it afforded matter of edification to all that beheld
him. On account of his great piety and regularity his
mother intrusted the care of his sisters to him; he
watched over them most sedulously, and was very care­
ful in seeing that they did not leave the house while she
was out. If any one of them happened to transgress on
this point, he punished her by shutting her up in a room,
in which he obliged her to remain for some time, which
varied according to the length of her stay and the dis­
tance to which she had gone.
IL

M

His Entrance into the Seminary and his Conduct while there.

He became a cleric at the age of thirteen, and led so
edifying a life in the seminary that he entered, that the
president, Don Dante della Monica, used to say, “ The
sight of this child leads me to God and makes me recol­
lected.” He therefore made him zelator over all the
seminarians; and as he never failed to accuse those that
transgressed the rules through the dictates of human
respect, they revenged themselves on him by ill-treating
him one day when they found him by himself. Paul,
however, did not, therefore, in the least slacken in his
zealous vigilance, and thus corresponded to the con­
fidence reposed in him by his Superior, who had in­
trusted the superintendence of the whole seminary to
him, notwithstanding his extreme youth. When the
seminarians asked leave to go to any feast, or place of

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

209

amusement, the president used to say, “ I will consent
if Paul goes with you.” One day the seminarians were
invited to be present at the Office in the church of the
convent of Preato, and as it was late, the nuns wished
them to stay to dinner. They sent to ask permission for
them to do so from the president, Don Simon Sambiase.
He sent the following line in reply: “Let Paul decide;
if he remains with them, I consent.” Such was the
confidence that all the Superiors had in the wisdom and
prudence of our Paul, although he was still but a mere
boy.
At this early period, and although he was scarcely
initiated into the office of cleric, he began to manifest
his zeal for the spiritual advancement of his neighbor.
He went from village to village on all feast days, teach­
ing the Christian doctrine to the children and to the
most ignorant and abandoned people; he even stirred
up the other clerical students that were his companions,
to imitate his example, and he was most solicitous in
aiding them to become holy and learned priests, capable
of leading souls in the way of salvation. For this pur­
pose, he used to instruct them and teach them how to
meditate. He was thus occupied for seven consecutive
years, and we know that his labors were crowned with
success, for these clerics became good priests and ex­
cellent laborers.
Paul was so mortified, and such a lover of the interior
life from his earliest youth, that he used often to retire
into a secluded chamber, in order to hide his mortifi­
cations and abstinences from observation, and take his
meals alone there, that he might be able secretly to let
them down out of the window to the poor that were
stationed below ready to receive them. He used to re­
serve only a morsel of bread or some such nourishment
for himself, and with it he was in the habit of mingling
bitter herbs. He used to fast at least twice a week on
14

2 10

ifc of Father Paul Ca faro,

bread and water. Sometimes he would confine himself
to soup without bread, and throughout his youth he
constantly abstained from meat and fruits, which was a
great mortification for one so young. Besides this, he
used to mortify his body by hair-cloth and the discipline
in the privacy of his cell. When he was only thirteen
he wore an iron chain with points so sharp that the very
sight of it was enough to appal any one; and when his
mother discovered it she took it from him by force.
From that time he used to sleep on boards, or of tener
still on the bare ground, with his head resting on a
bench.
He then began to reflect that a good priest ought to
be well informed; so he began to study Greek and
Latin, under the direction of Don Ignatius della Calce,
with the greatest ardor; after that he studied philoso­
phy, and above all, theology. This science appeared of
such importance to him, that he founded an academy at
Cava, which he directed himself for several years, and
of which he was both the head and the support. He
was lecturer in dogmatic and in scholastic theology in
our Congregation, and he treated on the different
branches of both in some learned papers that we still
preserve with veneration; we have attached still more
value to them since it has become the custom in the
Congregation for the young men only to study from
books. Experience has taught us that they make much
more progress by this method, that a great deal of time
is thus saved; they are thereby freed from the incon­
veniences of writing, which is very prejudicial to the
health.
III.

I

His Conduct as Priest and as Pastor.

After he had become a priest, in obedience to his
director, Father Paul strove to unite himself still more

Life of Father Paul Cafaro,

211

closelvJ to God than before, and to devote himself to the
exercises of a holy life. According to the rule laid down
for him by his spiritual Father, he daily meditated for
four hours, two of which he passed before the Blessed
Sacrament, and two others were subtracted from his
sleep. Besides this, he used often to put in practice the
counsel of St. Augustine: “ Go, young men, go, ye gray­
haired, and visit the sepulchres of your fathers.” For he
used often to go to the parish cemetery and pass several
hours among the bones, occupied in meditation on death;
and sometimes he even spent the whole night and slept
there. At times lie would grasp the skeleton of his
deceased father, who was interred in this place, and
say, “O my father, how light death hath made thee!”
At this same period he used also to retire for some days
into a very solitary hermitage, where he spent all his
Lime in prayer and macerations of the flesh.
He was appointed confessor and almoner of the eccle­
siastical prison soon after his ordination. He had also
at this time the consolation of converting by his gentle­
ness and by his instructions, or rather by his prayers
and penances, two Calvinists of noble birth, who came
to Cava at this time.
After he had been in the priesthood for a year, his
bishop insisted on his filling the post of parish priest in
the church of St. Peter, and he accepted this office out
of pure obedience, and after much resistance, in 1755,
when lie was in the twenty-eighth year of his age.
From the time he became a parish priest he devoted
himself entirely to the service of the souls in his parish.
I will here cite what was said of him by a priest who
had witnessed his good works and his zeal. “Whilst
Father Paul was parish priest,” said he, “he never
shrunk from any fatigue that could procure the spiritual
advantage of his parishioners. In order to be always

2 12

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

ready to fly to the assistance of the sick, as soon as he
was sent for, he used to go to bed quite dressed, so that
if he were awakened in the middle of the night he could
set out directly. More than once, to the great astonish­
ment of those that came to fetch him, they met him at
the door of his house, as if he had foreseen the message,
for he would say directly he saw them, 1 Here I am.
Let us go ’ ” During the month when he was on duty
in the parish (for it was served by several priests) he
spent the night in the church, as he promised that those
that wished to apply to him should always find him
there, and he remained seated in the confessional even
during the short interval he allotted to repose. He was
so full of zeal, and so anxious to attend to the parish­
ioners that had recourse to him without delay, that
when the sacristan came in the morning to open the
church doors, he found that he had been kneeling there
since two or three o’clock, and he never once arrived
there before him.
He not only preached in the parish church as often
as possible, but he went about from chapel to chapel,
giving spiritual assistance to the poor who were unable
to repair to the church, by preaching to them, by giving
them instructions, or by hearing their confessions. He
went through the neighboring villages, with his crucifix
in his hand, after twelve o’clock on feast days, and he
made a special point of visitingall places of the greatest
resort and of a suspicious character, in order to prevent
sin from being committed against God. He used to
return thither again between eight and nine o’clock at
night, even in the cold of winter, and give short in­
structions on the truths of eternity, setting the chastise­
ment of heaven before sinners, and inspiring terror into
those that were living at enmity with God. One even­
ing when he was preaching before the house of a gen­
tleman, who was probably in a state of alienation from

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

213

God, he was accosted by him in the most offensive and
insulting manner, he even treated him as if he were
mad; to which Father Paul only replied, “ No, sir, they
who perform their duty are not madmen, and I am only
doing my duty in taking care of the souls intrusted to
my care.”
One amongst the good fruits of his labors was that of
withdrawing several women from a life of sin by either
placing them out of the reach of temptation, or by sup­
plying their necessities out of his own pocket; and
when his purse was empty, he went about begging for
them from house to house. He took particular pains
for one woman whom he extricated from a criminal
connection by causing her to change her abode, and
supporting her there by the alms he collected until she
at last married the accomplice of her guilt. He often
went about begging for bread for the poor, and when
he obtained any, he used to distribute it amongst them
himself. One day his brother found him engaged in
this charitable work, and being ashamed to see him act­
ing the part of a beggar he loaded him with invectives
in the public street, and reproached him for thus dis­
honoring his family and himself. Reproaches such as
these, however, produced no effect upon him, and did
not therefore in the least slacken his zeal in the exercise
of those labors of love, by which he led a great many
women of bad character to live in the fear and love of
God. He had much to suffer from his activity in put'
ting a stop to scandals. He was several times even
threatened with death in consequence.
lie introduced the practice of monthly confession
and general Communion for the children, as well as the
fréquentation of the sacraments by the adults not only
of his parish, but of those of nearly the whole diocese.
He also established the exercise of mental prayer in
common in the church, and of visits to the Blessed Sacra-

214

Life of Faiher Paul Cafaro.

ment. He took infinite pains in preparing everything
for the erection of a Community of twelve priests, who
were to be specially intrusted with the care of destitute
souls in the diocese, namely, those of prisoners, sailors,
children, and the poor; for this reason it was to have
been called the Congregation of the Destitute. The
rules were drawn up under his direction, and approved
by the bishop, and several priests offered to join it, but
an obstacle was put to the completion of the under­
taking, from the impossibility of finding a suitable place
where the Congregation might assemble.
Another happy result of his zeal was that the priests
of Cava were thereby led to give the spiritual exercises
in all the numerous villages of this country, or at least
in those in which they were mostly required. By his
means these exercises were given every year in the
chapel of St. Roch-au-Bourg, as they were much needed
by the inhabitants of this place; they chiefly consisted
of carters, tavern-keepers, butchers, and the like per­
sons, who are generally very indifferent to all that re­
gards the concerns of the soul. Whilst these exercises
lasted, he went about every evening in all directions,
collecting together all the persons he could, after which
he used to conduct them to the chapel, and either in­
struct and preach to them himself, or assist others that
were doing so. He spent the rest of the time in the
church or in the sacristy, and generally without eating,
saying that he did not require anything, owing to the
robustness of his constitution. In fact, although but
one individual, he took upon himself the care of every
soul within his reach, so that Mgr. de Liguori,
*
the
bishop of Cava, called him “the watchful guardian
of all the churches.”1 Hence it happened that when
’ “ Sollicitudo omniurn Ecclesiarium.”—2 Cor. xi. 28.
* Uncle of St. Alphonsus.

Life of Father Paid Cafaro.

215

Father Paul retired into our Congregation, the inhabi­
tants of Cava began to blame us, and said to us, “ Oh,
what have you done? You have deprived us of a saint
and an apostle!” Paul was so highly thought of in his
own country, which is far from being a common occur­
rence, that once after a report was spread that he had
died in a place where he had been giving a mission, a
multitude of people from Cava and Salerno came out to
meet him on his return, to testify their joy at seeing him.
IV.

His Resignation of the Office of Parish Priest and his Entrance
into the Congregation.

Although Paul performed his duties of priest in so
holy a manner, he was tormented by scruples from the
fear of not fulfilling his obligations properly; he was,
therefore, continually urging his confessor to allow him
to resign his post, but the confessor always refused, being
convinced that his fears were quite unfounded, since in
reality he did even more than his duty; so whenever he
renewed his demand, he told him to banish such an
idea from his mind. But Paul still continued to be a
prey to the deepest sorrow. One day when he was at
home, his parents heard him break forth into tears and
sobs; they were quite alarmed, and inquired what mis­
fortune could possibly have befallen him. Paul con­
tinued to weep, and replied, “ For charity’s sake, assist
me to obtain the favor of resigning my parish; my con­
fessor refuses to give me leave to do so, and I am dying
with terror in consequence.” Some days afterwards his
parents found him shut up in a chapel in which he was
giving vent to his sorrow by continuing in tears. Al­
though they had opposed him at first, they were now
touched with pity, and resolved themselves to strive to
have his resignation accepted; this was carried into
effect in the year 1740, to his own great satisfaction, but

2l6

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

to the great regret of his parishioners. He, however,
labored for the salvation of their souls with as much
zeal as he had done before.
It was by a special disposition of Providence that he
gave up this office; for God called him to another state
of life, and wished to withdraw him entirely from the
world. No sooner had he resigned it than he inspired
him with the thought of quilting all earthly things, and
of entering into our Congregation to lead a life of obe­
dience by causing him to feel that the most agreeable
sacrifice we can make to God is to strip ourselves of our
own will. He wrote to me about this inspiration, for I
was at that time his director. In order to be sure that
this was truly his vocation, I told him to reject the
thought as often as it arose in his mind, for I well knew
that if it reallv came from God, he would himself
strengthen it. He endeavored to obey me, but as God
wished to draw him wholly to himself, the more he
strove to banish the thought, the more ardent did his
desire to retire into our Congregation become. At last,
after much reflection and discussion, our Paul deter­
mined to go through the spiritual exercises alone (ere
taking his final resolution), in the hermitage of the
Cross, situated in Cava, on the summit of a mountain.
When he was there he determined to abandon the world
entirely in order to give himself wholly to God; al­
though when in it he had never loved it or been of it.
He thus expressed himself on the subject when writing
to a nun just before he quitted it: “ I do not wish to
have anything more to do with earthly things,” said he,
“ I wish to belong wholly to God, and to forget myself,
and for this reason I wish to place myself in the hands
of others, so that I may have nothing to think of but
eternity.”
He entered the Congregation and left home without
telling any one of his resolution, and joined me at

Life of Father Patil Cafaro.

217

Barra, which is a suburb of Naples, where I was then
living with several of my brethren, in a house provided
for us by Cardinal Spinelli, the Archbishop of Naples,
who had sent for some of the Fathers of our Congrega­
tion to give missions in his diocese. It was here then
that Father Paul came to aid me. Soon afterwards his
brother heard that he had resolved to abandon his
family, and came to see him; he was transported with
indignation, and did not cease to address him by the
most offensive names for two whole hours; but Paul
prudently remained silent, not offering a single word in
reply. I say he did so through prudence, because the
most logical reasoning and the most eloquent language
are unable to convince a passionate man; indeed the
more forcible and clear they are, the more they harden
and embitter him. When his bishop, Mgr. de Liguori,
heard of his retirement from the world, he too was tilled
with great displeasure, and made loud complaints against
him. He met him one day during his journey to join
us, when he stopped his carriage, and tried to persuade
him to return to Cava; but on finding that Paul re­
mained unshaken in his resolution, he ended by saying,
“ Well, since this is your decision, do not let me see you
again, and do not re-enter my diocese.”
After this, Paul began his novitiate, during which he
gave the greatest edification, especially by his exercise
of the virtue of obedience, which is a most painful and
difficult thing for one that enters a Community after
having reached a certain age, and after having been
long accustomed to do his own will, even although he
may have been always engaged in the most holy actions.
Paul increased his penances, and especially his medita­
tions, during this period, which latter he extended to
seven or eight hours a day. During his novitiate and
throughout the remainder of his life, including the last
six years, when God tried him by excessive desolation

2 ι8

Life oj Father Paul Cafaro,

of mind, as we shall relate hereafter, he never had the
least temptation to abandon his vocation. When it
was time for him to make an oblation to God, that is to
say, when he had to pronounce the vows of poverty,
chastity, obedience, and perseverance, according to the
rules of our Institute, he did so with such love and com­
punction that tears choked his utterance, and prevented
him from repeating the words of the formula that is
usually pronounced at profession.

His Zeal for the Missions.

At the termination of the novitiate, his Superiors at
once employed him in the work of the missions. Let us
here pause a little and admire some of the virtues that
this excellent priest practised during his holy life. First,
let us speak of his zeal for the salvation of souls.
He was singularly devoted to the work of the mis­
sions. Indeed, he had been ardently attached to them
from the time he became a priest. When he was a
parish priest he used to go on missions with his com­
panions, the missionaries of Cava, as often as he could
do so without neglecting the duties of his charge; and
they attest that he was indefatigable in these exercises,
that he never spared himself for a single moment, and
that he did not even shrink from what might endanger
his life. While he was at Cava, it once happened that
he had to go to a part of the country near the territory
of Eboli, called Piesti, where the air was dangerously
unhealthy at that time. All the rest declined to go
there but Paul, who offered to go of his own accord.
He cheerfully set out; notwithstanding the danger he
was running, he remained alone there for a week, during
which he was constantly employed in preaching and in

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

219

hearing the confessions of the inhabitants, and by God’s
mercy he left it full of joy and in perfect health.
Ilis love for missions was so great, that when he had
resigned his parish, and before he had decided to enter
the Congregation, he made a plan to go about through
the kingdom in disguise, begging his bread, and giving
missions in those places that were the most destitute of
spiritual assistance; he even wrote to this effect to a
bishop of Calabria, who as he did not know anything
about him, did not accept his offer. He also at the
same time wrote to the bishop of Capaccio offering to
exercise his ministry in his extensive diocese; but this
proposition was equally unsuccessful.
When he was in our Congregation he made a private
vow never to manifest any repugnance for any mission
to which his Superiors might send him. He also made
a vow to go as a missionary among the unbelievers,
should such be the will of his Superiors. It will be well
here to quote the letter that he wrote on this subject to
Father Mazzini, his director:
“ My Father, I know not whether it is through the
Spirit of God or through that of pride that I feel im­
pelled to write to your Reverence, to lay before you the
desire that I have always had of offering myself to the
Rector for the missions among the heathen. From the
time of my novitiate I have vowed to obey the Superior
pro tempore by undertaking any office, even that of a
foreign missionary; and I made this vow with the strong
desire and lively hope of realizing it some day or other.
This desire is less fervent than it was, it is true; but I
am still perfectly ready and willing to carry it into
effect, and what is more, this desire has never left me
since my novitiate. I know that I am full of faults, but
yet I feel a holy envy for those that are more perfect.
If I compare what I was with what I am, I find that I
have changed for the worse, and this makes me long still

220

Life of Fatlier Paul Cafaro.

more to go and labor among the heathen; for if I were
once embarked in an enterprise like that, I should be,
as it were, compelled wholly to renounce myself and my
own ease and comfort. My favorite maxim is that of
St. Augustine, who says, ‘O happy necessity that forces
us to amend ! ’ Now as I know that if I were sent on a
mission among the heathen I should be almost forced
to do good, to suffer, nay, perhaps even to die for Jesus
Christ; I feel the greatest desire for it. It is true that I
suffer much from sea-sickness, and that I might perhaps
die on the voyage; but I should not therefore hesitate
to set out, let the consequences be what they may. My
Father, I resign myself to you,” etc.
He succeeded in obtaining permission from his director
to make this request, and he afterwards most earnestly
besought me to grant his petition, imploring it as the
greatest favor I could possibly grant him.
Father Paul was a truly indefatigable missionary, and
spared no pains, especially in the laborious office of
hearing confessions. Yet it must not be imagined that
this was an easy duty to him; on the contrary, it caused
him the greatest anxiety, as he was always afraid of
having been guilty of some negligence regarding it.
Hence it arose that this employment was a positive
martyrdom to him, and the state of excessive weakness
into which he sometimes fell during its administration
was a plain proof of what he then endured. This, how­
ever, only enhances our admiration for the immense zeal
and ardor of Father Paul. In the morning he was the
first to enter the church, and in the evening he was the
last to leave it, as he spent the whole day in hearing
confessions, generally those of men, which are usually
the most embarrassing and tedious. When he returned
home in the evening after the sermon, he entered the
confessional again without allowing himself a single
interval of rest, and when he had attended to the peni-

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

221

tents around him, he left his room to see whether there
was any one else that would like to go to him, although
every confession was a source of torture to him. Once
when he went on a mission without an alarm-clock Paul
used to keep awake for several hours every night in
order to be able to awaken his companions at the
appointed time; during which he would arise from time
to time without shoes or stockings to go to see what
o’clock it was. On another mission he preached and
heard confessions, although suffering from an attack of
fever.
In fact, his labors in the work of the missions during
winter and spring were quite incessant. While he was
at home, he spent the day in giving the spiritual exer­
cises to the ecclesiastics and seculars that asked for
them; indeed, he never shrunk from any fatigue or in­
convenience that he met with in the service of souls.
One day when he was at the house at Nocera, he heard
that a man had just been mortally wounded; he im­
mediately flew to his assistance, without waiting to put
on his cloak, hat, or shoes; and in order that he might
go still quicker, he even took off his slippers,’and car­
ried them in his hand till he reached the sick man.
When he was in the pulpit he preached with admira­
ble zeal and energy. Every one owned that his ser­
mons produced an extraordinary effect, quite different
from that which followed those of other preachers.
Even in the conferences that he delivered to us in
Chapter, which takes place once a week among us, his
words seemed like burning arrows that pierced our in­
most souls, for he uttered them with an energy so pene­
trating, that we felt that they sprang from the depths
of his own heart, and above all, when he spoke of eter­
nity he caused all that heard him to tremble.
χ
This burning zeal, as that of Prful may be aptly des­
ignated, caused him to write the ardent Letters that he

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
sent to divers subjects whose skill in gaining souls for
God was well known to him; in them he urged these
persons to redouble their pains and labor in this holy
work. One of the fruits of his zeal was manifested in
the abundance of prayers that he addressed to God
when a bishopric became vacant, and in the active
measures that he took in order to cause the election to
fall on a good prelate. It was only to his zealous efforts
that the elevation of one worthy prelate to the episco­
pate must be attributed, who is still alive, and who
governs his church with a solicitude that is most advan­
tageous to the souls of his people.
VI.

His Love of Mental Prayer and his Interior Trials.

While Father Paul was thus laboring for the good of
souls, he devoted as much time as possible to the ex­
ercise of mental prayer. The love of meditation indeed
was his strongest passion, or rather it was his greatest
delight.
From his earliest years, and especially after he had
become a cleric, he set apart several hours a day for
this purpose; in the afternoon, he always sjxmt two
hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament; some­
times he was kneeling, sometimes he was seated, but
he always preserved an air of so great devotion, that
the faithful used to sav* to one another,7 “ Let us 0tjo and
see the saint.” He also made frequent visits to the
cemetery, where he used to stay for a long time medi­
tating on death and eternity.
After he entered our Congregation he used to make
two meditations in church before the Blessed Sacra­
ment, besides that of an hour and a half, which is pre­
scribed by the rule, and he also made another one of half
an hour in his own room before going to bed. He would

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
have liked to prolong this exercise through the night
but the Superiors would not permit him to do so. Be­
sides this,
* we used often to find him kneeling in his
room engaged in meditation through the day; and it
was also noticed that when he went out to walk in the
wood, as he sometimes did, he retreated behind a tree
and knelt down in prayer. He spent every spare mo­
ment, when he was on missions, before the Blessed
Sacrament, or else he used to recollect himself wherever
he might be, saying, “ God is everywhere.”
He made his preparation for his sermons on his
knees; thus this time was also to him a time of prayer,
and it was for this reason that his sermons made such
an impression as they did, for they were the fruit of his
own meditations. I also think that the reason why his
discourses so often turned on death and eternity was
because they were the ordinary topics on which he him­
self meditated. I have already mentioned how much
he liked to visit the burying-ground. One day when
he was speaking on this subject to a nun who admired
his firmness in remaining in such a place, he said, “ I
should like to spend all the days of my life there.”
When he was a parish priest, every evening after his
studies were over he made an hour’s meditation on
death, in concert with a worthy priest who lived with
him, during which they used each to place themselves
in a corner of the room in the attitude of corpses. “O
death! O eternity!” were words which were continu­
ally on the lips of this servant of God, whether he were
alone or with others. When he was engaged in conver­
sation he would often say to one of his companions,
“Tell me how you would feel were death at hand?”
lie often spoke of death and eternity in his letters to his
penitents and friends. In one he said, “ Earthly things
will soon be at an end, and will avail nothing for all
eternity. In another, “ Let us think of eternity, for time

224

Life of Father Paid Cafaro.

is short.” In a third, “We must arm ourselves with the
buckler of faith, which is the thought of eternity. Let
us reflect that all here below will soon beat an end, but
that eternity will never end. Let us remember that it is
better for us- to be one of God’s meanest servants, than
to possess the most exalted worldly dignity. Think
of what on your death-bed you would wish to have done
during life.” His most powerful discourses were those
in which he spoke of death and eternity, and they were
his favorite topics. When he was a parish priest, he
used to conduct the faithful to the cemetery from time
to time, when he would take the bones of the dead in
his hand whilst he was preaching, thus striving to im­
press them with the fear of death, that he might the
better instil into them a contempt for the world and the
thought of eternity. Indeed, almost every one of his
public discourses contained some reflections on death
and eternity.
But we must now return to the subject of his medita­
tions. Except while he was very young, when Paul ex­
perienced nothing but sweetness in prayer, he exercised
it without any sensible consolation, although he received
great lights in it during his after years, especially with
regard to the majesty of God, on which he once com­
posed a sermon that filled all that heard it with astonish­
ment. During meditation he spent nearly all the time
in saying prayers that he counted on his rosary, repeat­
ing almost always these words, “ Lord, deliver me from
sin, and make me holy,” or else, “ My God, come to my
' assistance, come quickly: ‘ Deus in adjutorium meum in­
tendet" etc. He used also to recommend this method
of praying toothers: “Without prayer and humility,”
he wrote to one of his penitents, “man cannot preserve
either favor or grace. Humility! humility! Prayer,
prayer without ceasing! let these be our watchwords.
He that prays obtains. We must therefore pray with-

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

225

out ceasing. Ask continually for alms at the gate of
divine mercy; let at least an hour a day be consecrated
to asking spiritual favors from God." On another oc­
casion, when writing to the same individual, he said,
“ Meditation is necessary, and without it we shall never
be where we desire to be, and where we should be with
meditation. I entreat you to pray unceasingly. It is
the first, the second, the third, and the last method of
vanquishing our enemies.’’
He often felt such interior desolation, that he felt as
if he were so sinful that God had abandoned him, and
began to weep; and when he recalled to mind his former
transports of love towards God, he would tearfully and
sorrowfully exclaim, “ Lord, there was once a time when
I loved Thee, but now I love Thee notf’ One of us
once asked whether he had ever felt joy in contempla­
tion. “ I once enjoyed it," he replied, “ but I have lost
all pleasure in it now.” Yet it often happened that
when any one wished to speak to him while he was en­
gaged in meditation, it was necessary to shake him
several times in order to arouse him enough to make
him hear what was said to him. But from the time of
his youth, as we have already said, God treated him as
a strong soul, and reduced him to a state of entire suf­
fering, so that the whole course of his life from that
period was an uninterrupted succession of aridities,
temptations, and terrors.
However, he rejoiced in the superior part of his na­
ture, and desired that God would always deal with him
thus, as he well knew that the love of God does not
consist in sweetnesses, butin the accomplishment of the
divine will amidst tribulations, as St. Teresa said, and
as he himself was constantly repeating to his penitents.
To one of them, amongst others, he wrote as follows:
“ Only souls that are enlightened by special grace can
comprehend the value of a cross that is borne for God;
15

Life of Father Patil Cafaro.
but in the next world all will clearly see that this grace
is preferable to the possession of the whole world. Let
us then pray God to give us strength to suffer, for other­
wise our weak nature will sink by the way; meanwhile
let us maintain a lively faith in eternal life.” He wrote
to the same person on another occasion: “ Saints are
formed by crosses, and not by meditations. We see a
great many people that pracJse meditation without be­
coming saints, because they have nothing to suffer,
whilst others that are in the midst of tribulations be­
come so although they can meditate but little. The
chief benefit of meditation is, that it gives us strength
to suffer, and thus to please God. Patience then is the
way to heaven, and we obtain it by meditation.” He
also said, in writing to a Father of our Congregation.
“Your letter tells me of your pains as well as of your
consolations; both of your trials and of your consola­
tions. I wish your Reverence loved tribulation more
than pleasure; crosses are indeed precious treasures,
for they were sancti lied by the death of Jesus Christ on
the cross; we should, therefore, desire that our crosses
may be multiplied every day until we at last die nailed
to the cross with our Blessed Redeemer.”
Thus highly, then, did our Father Paul esteem and
love the cross; and he wished others to do the same,
but he could not be insensible to the thorns with which
his path was thickly strewed, nor to the terrors that
tormented him without cessation. In his latter years
especially he had to endure the most cruel temptations
that can be inflicted on the soul that knows and loves
God. The secrecy by which I am bound forbids my
disclosing its nature; were I able to reveal it, it would
fill the hardest heart with tenderness. I have no hesi­
tation in saying that his sufferings during these latter
years were as intense as any that were ever endured
by any martyr of Jesus Christ. He was in such a state
*

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
of desolation and terror, that he was afraid that God
had abandoned him, and he used to sigh and exclaim in
the bitterness of his heart, “ Alas’. I have lost the. right
way, and I do not know what will become of me!" In
writing to one of our Fathers, who was so ill as to be
given over by the physicians, and who had asked hin
to pray to God to grant him a happy death, he said,
“Would that I had as well-grounded p. hope as that of
your Reverence! the great work of my salvation is in a
most hazardous position, and for this reason I entreat
you to intercede for me when you are in the presence of
God." In writing to another Father, he said, “I entreat
you to recommend me to Jesus Christ, for I labor in un­
certainty (laboro quasi in incertain), and none but God
can know the state of my* conscience.” In another letter to the same Father, he said, “ If your Reverence had
to endure my sorrows, it would assuredly banish all joy
from your heart, but may you continue to possess hap­
piness, and leave me to groan under my misery. Yet
have pity on me, at least you who are my friends, for
the hand of God has afflicted me,—Miseremini moi, saltern
vos amici nici. manus Domini tetigit me. Now you will ask
in what manner God has struck me, and I will tell you.
He has afflicted me by withdrawing his mercy and sup­
port from me, as a punishment for my infidelities. You
will say, Oh! what humility! but I reply that it is an
incontestable truth; therefore, pray to God for me.”
Ilis love for meditation also caused him to love silence
and solitude, which are its inseparable preservatives and
companions. Even whilst he was a parish priest, and
whilst he was really absorbed by the anxiety and pains
that he endured for the salvation of souls, he used to
retire into remote and lonely places from time to time,
to hold converse with God in meditation and in peni­
tential exercises. It was this that caused Father Paul
to have such a predilection for our house at Iliceto,

Life of Father Paul Cafaro,
which is situated on one of the mountains of la Fouille.
He used often to retire into a little grotto below the
monastery, called the Grotto of the Blessed Felix, to
meditate, or else he would plunge into an adjacent
wood, where he felt as if he had met with a solitude like
that of the first hermits. He thus expressed himself re­
garding it in a letter to a priest who was his great friend:
“ When I am in our new house of our Lady of Consola­
tion at Iliceto,” said he, “I feel as if I were enjoying the
solitude possessed by the solitaries of Egypt. We re­
tire here after the missions that we give in winter and
spring, and enjoy so great tranquillity and solitude, and
are so removed from the tumult of the world, that we
never hear anything about what takes place in it. We
live apart from all converse with men in the midst of a
wood, where the air is pure and the view agreeable, so
that it may really rival the rocky cave of St. Peter of
Alcantara. Blessed be God for having brought me
hither! yet I have to mourn over my ingratitude in
working out my sanctification so tardily. But I still
hope by God’s grace to effect it some day.” This love
of solitude caused him to take delight in studying the
lives of the hermit saints. Later on he went with us
to Noccra, and as we were only then building the mon­
astery, our Fathers were obliged to lodge in a private
house. As it was very small, and a great many people
came on business, it was difficult ever to be alone there.
To obviate this, after the exercises in common were at
an end, he used to retire into a loft full of straw, where
the heat was insupportable, for it was summer; yet this
servant of God went there at noon, although that is the
hottest pai t ol the day’, to seek for a little solitude amid
this hot straw, to be able to converse without inter­
ruption with God.

VII.

His Love of Obedience.

Father Paul was no less attached to the virtue of
obedience, both with reference to the Rule and also in
regard to the orders of the Superiors, lie gave the
most perfect example of implicit obedience even to tinmost unimportant rules, and during the whole period
of his sojourn in the Congregation, no one ever de­
tected him guilty of the slightest infringement of them.
One day when he arrived at the monastery of the
Blessed Trinity, in the territory of Ciorani, thoroughly
wet, he was recommended to go to dry himself in the
kitchen; he replied, “ No, that would be contrary to the
Rule, as it is now silence-time.” Our deceased Father
Cæsar Sportelli, who was also a great observer of the
Rule, said one day when speaking of Father Paul, “J
always knew that Father Paul was ÿ most mortified
man; but I now perceive that he is also a rigid observer
of the Rule.” He not only loved regularity himself,
but he was equally desirous to see it loved by all our
brethren. He could not bear to see any one break the
Rule in any respect, and so the strict observance of
every regulation was always to be found wherever he
was the Superior.
Father Paul was equally .attentive in obeying the
least sign from his Superiors. He manifested perfect
submission to his parents from his very infancy, and his
mother asserted that he had never offended or distressed
her in any respect. He made a vow of entire obedience
to his confessor in his youth, and it was in order to be
able to resign his own will to that of others that he
entered our Congregation. He said to a nun, on taking
leave of a convent of which he had been the confessor,
“ (rod calls me to live under obedience.” For this reason

2 30

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

he used to say that the holiness practised in the Con­
gregation was worth more than that in the world. He
expressed this sentiment when writing to Father Francis
Margotta the priest, who was then thinking of joining
us; this he afterwards did: “ I write to your Reverence
on bended knees, on account of the respect with which
your holy resolution of retiring into our Congregation
has inspired me. I cannot tell you what pleasure it has
afforded me. Blessed forever be Jesus Christ, who has
given your Reverence the courage to bid a last adieu
to the world to give yourself wholly to God. Until now
Father Francis Margotta has appeared to me to be a ·
saint, but he has been so in his own way. At present,
however, I see that he wishes to become a true saint,
according to the will of Jesus Christ. We are all ex­
pecting you: make haste and come to us.”
His esteem and love for obedience were so great, that
when he received a letter from the Rector Major, he
read it on his knees and answered it in the same man­
ner. He also used to carry about with him the circulars
that the Superior sent to the houses every year, and
that contained several minute regulations for the good
government of the Congregation, and he often read
these letters over in order that he might punctually
observe all that they enjoined. Thiis when any ques­
tion arose amongst his companions as to what should
be done in certain cases, he cleared up their difficulties
by reminding them of some decision given by the Su­
perior under similar circumstances.
One year, one of the Superiors ordered him not to
assist at the meditation that we make in common in the
evening, and to employ the time in preparing the theo­
logical treatises that he was to explain to our students.
Notwithstanding his love for meditation, Father Paul
obeyed without objection or uneasiness. On another
occasion the Superior ordered him to give all his instru-

Λ ife of Father Pa ul Ca faro.

2 3t

men is of penance to one of our lay-brothers; this obe­
dience cost him much, but he instantly obeyed, and
without a word of complaint.
1 will now relate another instance of obedience, and
one that was still more painful to him, on account of
the wound it inflicted on his humility. When he was
atNocera, we had a large picture painted, which is now
to be seen at the entrance of this house, representing
our Father Mgr. Falcoia, who was the bishop of Castellamare, and the first director of our Congregation, in
the act of giving our Fathers the rules that he had
drawn up. The Rector of Noccra wished Father Paul
to be included amongst the personages therein repre­
sented, and ordered the painter skilfully to portray his
features whilst he was looking on; he then sent for him,
and in order that his humility might not be pained, he
merely told him to stand there for some time, whilst the
painting was being done, that he might be able to
suggest any requisite alterations. Father Paul assented ;
but he probably suspected the real object in view', for
he kept changing from one position to another, and
turning his head about, first on one side and then on
another, so that the painter declared that he could do
nothing. Upon this the Superior openly said to Father
Paul, “ Go and sit down and remain motionless, for we
wish to have your picture taken, and do so without ob­
jecting.” As the poor Father was thus bound down by
obedience he sat perfecti}’ still on his chair, but his
heated countenance plainly showed the torture that his
modesty had to endure during the process. When the
portrait was done, he exclaimed, addressing the Su­
perior, “Ah! God has justly punished me! Some days
ago I gave a sharp rebuke to a priest that had had his
likeness taken, and now God has so ordered matters
that I have been obliged to have it done myself.”
He was no less obedient to his spiritual Father, and

Life oJ Father Paul Cafaro.
he never did anything without his permission, as we
shall see when we begin to speak of his interior mor­
tification. One day while he was suffering great in­
terior desolation, he went to his confessor and took out
of his pocket a paper on which he had written down his
sins preparatory to making a general confession; but no
sooner did his confessor tell him to leave it alone, than
he tore the memorandum and became tranquil.
VI II.

His Humility.

We must now speak of the profound humility which
Father Paul preserved throughout his life. This virtue
was, as it were, the very apple of his eye; it was the
ordinary subject of his meditations, and he constantly
offered up this prayer to God, Humilem fieri, igne flag­
rari, in sanetu m cito converti pati, et contemni pro te (O Lord,
make me humble, give me grace to burn with the fire of
divine love, to become soon a saint, to suffer and to be
despised for Thee). And he used to repeat the words,
pati et contemni pro tc (to suffer and to be despised for
Thee), over and over again with all possible fervor. He
often conversed with his brethren on humility, and when
he spoke on this subject his words were so full of ardor
that he seemed to be carried out of himself.
See what he said about this virtue when writing to
one of his disciples: “ You may rest assured that you are
in a state of grace. As to the consolations you experi­
ence, nec lamio, nec vitupero (1 neither praise nor blame
them); and as to the desire for martyrdom, it may be
good if it does not proceed from the devil, who often
seeks to make us entertain some secret complacency and
vainglory by his suggestions. Your sensitiveness when
neglected seems to me to proceed from self-love, which
is not entirely dead within you.”

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
In a letter to another of his friends, he said, “With­
out humility, man cannot continue to preserve the grace
of God in his soul; I therefore earnestly recommend you
to cultivate this virtue. I wish you to picture to your­
self your place in hell, if you feel that you have ever
done anything to merit it, and the abyss of the misery
of your sins, if you have committed any. Let us strive
to become saints rather than philosophers; let us deter­
mine to conquer or die.”
He also wrote as follows to one of our Fathers: “The
meditation of a soul under desolation should consist in
patience, resignation, and prayer. If she cannot be re­
collected in God, let her at least be so in herself, that is
to say, in her own misery, which is always an incentive
to recollection of mind.”
As for himself, he believed that he was the most un­
worthy of all, and after his death a number of self-ac­
cusations were found among his spiritual memoranda.
He used often to accuse himself of his faults in public
when he was Superior, and he placed some of the other
Fathers under obedience to accuse him of all the faults
that they might see him commit, and to humble him
without scruple. Once when he was minister in a house,
he begged the zelator publicly to accuse him of his faults
in the middle of the refectory, and after he had done so,
he thanked him for it with much gratitude.
But while Father Paul spoke and acted thus, he did
not resemble those that loudly proclaim that they de­
serve the contempt of the whole world, and yet shrink
from the least offensive word, or the slightest instance
of neglect. He not only did not complain when he was
despised, but he rejoiced interiorly. I will now give a
beautiful instance of his humility. We have already
said that his discourses were generally sought after, for
he spoke with so much zeal that he filled the hardest
hearts with compunction. Once, however, when his

234

Life oj Father Paul Cafaro.

Superior sent him to a place in the territory of la Pouille,
his first sermon was so much disliked by the inhabitants
that they sent him away again; yet he returned full of
peace and even satisfaction at having received so palp­
able an affront. On another occasion (in my presence),
a religious, who is now dead, was conversing with him
upon some theological question. The religious not only
differed with Father Paul in opinion, but treated him as
one quite ignorant of what he was saying, so that when
he came to himself, he went and asked his pardon; but
Father Paul did nothing but admire the humility of this
Father, and said, “ What humility! the idea of coming
to beg my pardon for a hasty word!”
His favorite book was the Hidden Life, and he said
that he did not think it could be surpassed by any spir­
itual book. During one of his illnesses, although his
strength was quite prostrated by fever, he read it over
five times. His love for the hidden life made him say,
“ If I had ever been unjustly accused of the greatest
crimes, and afterwards degraded and publicly punished
with ignominy, I might then be able to do something
for God.” Thus would Father Paul reveal the secret
desires of his heart, although he did so unconsciously.
Nothing pained him so much as to hea
*r
himself praised.
One day some one said to him, “My Father, you are a
saint.” But his face became glowing as a burning coal,
and he replied with much agitation, “What sort of a
saint, what sort of a saint !” He was always seeking to
mortify himself at his meals, but when he was discov­
ered he hastened to conceal his mortification. Once
when he was preaching at Cava before Mgr. de Liguori,
the bishop, who had been, and indeed still was, an ex­
cellent preacher himself, he received high eulogiums
from him; but in another sermon that he delivered be­
fore the same prelate he spoke incoherently and con­
fusedly, in order to Lessen the reputation he had gained

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

235

bv the first; he even went so far as to pretend to be quite
perplexed or to have lost his memory, and stopped short
in the middle of the sermon, but every one saw that he
had done it on purpose to efface the memory of the
praises he had before received.
Before his death, that is to say, during his last sick­
ness, which continued for thirteen days, this servant of
God spoke so little that his words might have been
counted, and we imagine that he acted thus through a
humble fear that his last words might be treasured up
as is usual in regard to great servants of God.
IX.
His Mortification.

He was also always most careful to practise interior
and exterior mortification.
His efforts to overcome all his inclinations were inces­
sant, and formed one of his chief resolutions during the
spiritual exercises, as we find by reference to his notes,
but as these acts were interior, we know little of their
nature or extent. They are fully known only to God,
and we trust that he is now enjoying their reward in
heaven.
As for exterior mortification, we have already said
that he began to practise it in the most rigorous man­
ner from his very childhood: he even made a vow to ab­
stain from meat. In order to mortifv himself still further
he confined himself to one meal a dav,
* and it was so
slight that he sometimes felt his strength quite pros­
trated in consequence; when he was with us he used to
speak of such acts as instances of the indiscretion and
folly of a thoughtless young man.
When he was a parish priest his meal often consisted
only of a morsel of bread and a glass of water, which
he used to take in a corner of the church. His sleep

Life of Father Paid Cafaro.
never exceeded four or five hours at this period, and he
went to rest in his clothes.
When he entered the Congregation, he used indeed
to take two meals a day, in order not to offend against
obedience and to avoid singularity; but he might be
said even then to keep a continual fast, for he took only
a few ounces of nourishment in the evening, and ate so
little in the middle of the day, that he generally arose
from the table half famished with hunger: so that his
Superiors at last ordered him to take more at a time.
Me used also often to mingle bitter herbs, and some­
times even the peel of decayed oranges, with what he
did take. In order to mortify his thirst during dinner,
for he never drank anything at other times, he only took
small quantities at once.
He always carefully abstained from all amusements
while he was in the world, indeed he was never known
to enter into the least earthly gratification. He never
went to plays, games, public walks, or field sports. At
Cava, his birth-place, his family possess the shooting
ground for ring-doves, and this sport is carried on every
year there, and is a great amusement for the children;
but Father Paul never took part in it. One year when
he was the Superior of our house of St. Mary of Con­
solation at Iliceto, which is an extremely cold place, he
took care that all the Fathers should be provided with
warm clothing in winter, but said nothing about him­
self, so that the tailor forgot to make any for him, and
lie went through all this rigorous season with nothing
but his cassock and shirt without the least complaint.
When he was travelling it often happened that night
came on while he was at a distance from any of our
houses; and as he was always careful to lose no oppor­
tunity of mortification, he used to avoid going to our
friends on such occasions, for fear of the hospitable re­
ception they would give him; he used therefore Logo

Life of Father Paul Cafaro,

237

to inns instead, where he was often obliged to lie down
either on straw or even on the bare ground.
He made a vow of obedience to his confessor while
he was in the world, and as he was fond of exterior
mortification, Father Paul readily induced him to con­
sent to all that his fervor inspired him to ask; and all
that his director permitted regarding mortification and
meditation, he executed most punctually as a rigorous
obligation to which he was bound by vow. Disciplines
to blood were common with him, and for this purpose
he used sometimes to use bunches of thorns, which he
had gathered in the fields, but he generally scourged
himself with a thick cane filled with lead and covered with
large long iron spikes, which not only pierced the flesh
but penetrated far deeper. He also afflicted his body
by binding his arms and legs with large chains armed
with points, and he used to wear them even while he
was preaching and hearing confessions; but his Su­
perior once perceived them during a mission, and took
them away from him, and gave them into the charge of
a lay-brother. It was also noticed that when he went
to walk in the woods of Iliceto during recreation, he
used to strike his hands on the thorns every now and
then in order to mortify himself.
To sum up, Father Paul never had any amusement or
relief whatsoever; his whole life and constant study
were spent in crucifying his inclinations, in refusing
himself every pleasure, and in afflicting himself by every
possible penance. He was often heard to repeat, “ We
must fight in order to become saints; we must be always
fighting, always striving to mortify ourselves in every­
thing, in eating and drinking, in sleep, in our method
of sitting, and in short, we must be mortified in all
things.” This is a beautiful, for it is a saintly maxim;
but how rarely is it put in practice, unless indeed by
those that have entirely consecrated themselves to God.

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

2 ]S

His Spirit of Poverty.

b ather Paul was also a great lover of poverty. Even
while he was in the world he made a vow to his con­
fessor, by which he bound himself never to have more
than five carlins in his possession at once, and those he
only kept that he might be able to bestow them on the
poor, whose wants it was his duty to relieve, as he was
a parish prieft at the time. His clothes were so shabby,
that once when his brother met him looking as ragged
as any beggar,
O O 7 he treated him as a madman, and loaded
him with reproaches in the public street.
H
After he had entered our Congregation, in which the
vow of poverty is one of those we take, he always ob­
served it most zealously. When he was Superior he
was very rigorous on this subject, and never forgave
any member of the Congregation that was guilty of the
least offence against religious poverty. He even car­
ried its observance to excess, which was contrary to
true economy, for he would not allow of any store of
provisions, saying, “ Poor people never lay in stores;”
and he was the first to set an example of this rigorous
poverty, by always putting it in practice himself. In
his note-book he had written, “ I should be much more
afraid of being rich than of being poor; I wish to love
poverty more than men of the world love riches.” And
in order to carry this resolution into effect, he never
even made use of scissors, needles, thread, ink, paper,
or of any other such little necessaries, without the per­
mission of the Superiors.
When he was Superior on the missions, he always
chose the worst horse, the worst bed, and the most in­
convenient confessional for himself. It is the custom in
our Congregation for even the priests to take it in turn
J

Life of Father Paa I Cafaro.

239

to wash the dishes on certain days in the week, as an
exercise of humility. The other Fathers used to make
use of soap or bran afterwards, in order to clean their
hands, but he only employed cinders, saying that it
would be contrary to holy poverty to use anything else.
Our Fathers are allowed to carry some book of piety
about with them, such as the New Testament, the Imita­
tion, the Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and others of
the same kind, with the consent of the Superior; they
also keep some devotional pictures in theii breviary or
on their table. But Father Paul would have nothing
of the kind, and when our Fathers told him that there
was no offence against poverty in so doing, be replied
that his motto was, “ Nothing, nothing, nothing.” Dur­
ing his last illness, and when he had lost his speech, he
perceived that a silver watch was hanging in his room,
and as he could not speak, he made a sign to have it
taken away, as a thing contrary to poverty, but the
Father Minister told him that it served to regulate the
administration of his remedies, which set his mind at
rest.
XI.
His Detachment in regard to his Relatives and his Charity
towards his Neighbor.

He was as detached from his relatives as he was from
the goods of this world. When he was at our house of
the Holy Trinity, in the territory of Ciorani, his mother
asked him to obtain permission for her to go to see him,
for she had not done so for many years; but he sent her
a message by a priest, telling her to let the matter alone,
for her wishes only proceeded from earthly affection.
The mother renewed her entreaties, protesting that she
wished to have the consolation of visiting him before
she died, both for the sake of seeing him and also that

240

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

she might be able to give him her last blessing. Father
Paul again replied that it was unnecessary, and that she
could give him her blessing where she was, as it would
be as valuable at a distance as near at hand. On an­
other occasion, when he heard that his sister was seri­
ously ill and in great suffering, he positively refused to
go to see her, and contented himself with replying, “I
wish that her pains may become still greater, that she
may thus be more conformed to the suffering life of
Jesus Christ.”
Although Father Paul was so austere with regard to
himself and to his relatives, he was as charitable and
considerate as possible towards all others. He strove to
comfort and relieve those that were oppressed by tempta­
tions or other trials; and although his natural disposi­
tion was severe, charily rendered him mild and affable
to all, especially to those that came to confess their sins
to him. He was in the habit of visiting the prisons at
Cava and at Salerno before he entered the Congrega­
tion; he began by preaching to the poor prisoners; he
then heard their confessions; after which he distributed
a basket full of bread amongst them, and gave them
each a carlin. There was a nun that experienced great
distress of conscience, who applied to Father Paul while
he was a parish priest. He attended to her with the
most painstaking diligence for eight days consecutively;
this happened during the octave of Corpus Christi, and
as the nights are very short at this season, and as the
servant of God wished to arrive at his church in timeto
attend to his parish and people, he went to this relig­
ious before daybreak. This fact has become known
through the testimony of the religious herself.
When he was Superior amongst us he was always
trying to relieve the wants of others, and specially of
those that were ill; and not satisfied with recommend­
ing them to the care of the infirmarians, he often waited

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

241

on them himself. One day when he saw that one of
those that were sick had rather an uncomfortable bed,
he immediately gave him his own. During the hours of
rest he used to walk about the corridors of the monas­
tery on his toes, to avoid disturbing those that were in
their rooms.
XII.

His Purity.

As for the virtue of purity, he preserved it with the
utmost vigilance, and watched over all concerning it
with the most scrupulous attention, and as far as we can
tell, Father Paul never sullied his saintly soul by the foul
stain of impurity throughout his life. He had a horror
of this vice from his earliest youth, and could not even
bear to hear it spoken pf. Once when he was very
young, he was going to school with another child that
was related to him; but upon his uttering an indecent
expression, Paul blushed, and ran off, leaving him be­
hind. On another occasion when this same companion
repeated the same word in his presence, he could not
help giving him a blow, and from that time he resolved
never to be in company with this relative again, nor with
any other boy that might resemble him, and he carefully
carried his purpose into effect.
With still greater reason was he always most reserved
in his intercourse with women. He never looked at
them, and he never spoke to the oldest woman without
casting his eyes down; but as he was afraid that his eyes
might some day betray him into evil, he prayed to God
to weaken his sight, and God granted his petition. He
was so careful on this point even with regard to his
mother and sisters, that they complained that he had
never even once looked at them.
When this servant of God was on missions, he gener16

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
ally began by hearing the confessions of men, and it was
only when he had heard them all that he made up his
mind to listen to those of women, in order not to remain
idle. When he was obliged to converse with them on
any indispensable business, he rigorously followed the
advice of St. Augustine: Cum feminis sermo brevis et rigi­
dus (With women let conversation be short and rigid),
and he sent them away as quickly as he could, and with
all possible gravity. If he had to give the spiritual ex­
ercises in a convent, he remained in the confessional in
the morning and afternoon; but he never revisited them
when the retreat was over, unless in cases of absolute
necessity, however pressingly he might be asked to do
so by the religious, for fear of contracting any attach­
ment to them.
To purity of body he also united that of soul. He
owned to the parish priest that succeeded him that he
was not certain of ever having committed a mortal sin
during his whole life, adding that he only feared that
he might have done so; but fears such as these are the
scruples of saints who are afraid even when there is no
cause for apprehension. Father Balthasar Alvarez said
that mortal sin is so horrible a monster, that it cannot
enter a soul that loves God, without making itself clearly
known; hence theologians are unanimous in concluding
that when a timorous person is only in doubt, and is not
sure of having lost the grace of God, it is certain that he
has not done so. As for our Father Paul, although he af­
firmed that he had doubts on the subject, the priest who
heard his last general confession on his death-bed
affirmed without hesitation that the servant of God had
passed into another life without having lost baptismal
innocence.

Life oJ Pallier Paul Cafaro.

243

XIII.

His Devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ and to the Blessed
Virgin.

Father Paul had also great devotion towards the Pas­
sion of Jesus Christ. One day when he was preaching
on that subject, his countenance became so inflamed and
radiant, that it seemed as if a seraph were in the pulpit.
Another time, in the territory of Oliveto, when he was
preaching on the love of Jesus Christ, in presence of the
Blessed Sacrament, he remained silent and motionless
in an ecstasy for a long time in the sight of all his hearers;
this affected them more than the finest discourse could
have done.
He was no less devout towards the Blessed Virgin.
He had cherished a tender affection for this divine
Mother from his infancy, and this tenderness used to be
plainly manifested in all his sermons, and to those that
went to confession to him. His great delight when he
was dying consisted in fixing his eyes on a picture of
Blessed Mary that was placed beside him. His last ill­
ness took place during the Novena of the Assumption.
While he was ill, Father Paul one day said, “ If I do not
die before the 15th of August, I shall not die now.” He
spoke thus because he had a confident hope that if he
were to die, our Blessed Lady would grant that his death
might happen during this novena, and he was not dis­
appointed of this expectation.
XIV.

His Constancy in his Resolutions and his Conformity to the
Good Pleasure of God.

But amongst all the admirable virtues of Father Paul,
the most striking was his perseverance in goodness. He

244

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

used also Vo strive to inculcate it on all with whom he
held any intercourse. “ Constancy in good resolutions,”
said he. Constancy was indeed, as it were, his watch­
word, and the firm and unwearied energy with which he
carried out his resolution of always aimingat the great­
est perfection, and of doing what was most pleasing to
God,< was trulv* wonderfid.
H
During the whole time this good Father lived with us
no one ever perceived the least voluntary fault in him,
or the slightest appearance of tepidity. What rendered
this most remarkable was, that he preserved this con­
stancy during the severe aridity of mind with which he
was tried for the last six years of his life, when no spiri­
tual relief, no ray of consolation, was afforded him to
soften the pain of this grievous martyrdom. There are
some men in the present day that boast of having very
strong minds, because they despise the truths and max­
ims of the faith, which they call the prejudices of the
feeble-minded. With far greater justice may we say
that Father Paul was a man of a strong mind, for he
courageousl}' persevered in his good resolutions, and un­
ceasingly did he advance in the love of God: he never
slackened in his fervor, for he was al ways striving to at­
tain the greatest sanctity that it is possible for a man
to acquire.
One of our Fathers, who was a man of great virtue
and discernment, said that if he had to depict Father
Paul, he would represent him on a marble pillar with
this inscription: Semper idem (Always the same). Mis
fervor was always the same, he was always equally
solicitous in seeking God and his greater glory; he was
ever constant in advancing in the practice of virtue
without ever making a retrograde step; and he was at
all times careful to overcome and mortify himself with­
out ever indulging in the least bodily relaxation what­
soever. For him there were no theatres, feasts, concerts,

Life ο I Father Faut Cafaro.

245

sports, games, parties, nor any other worldly amuse­
ment. In a word, he was always the same, and his
actions were always uniform, full of fervor and heroism.
For this reason his countenance was always serene, both
in prosperity and adversity, because his only passion
was that the good pleasure of God might be done.
These words were therefore constantly on his lips, and
he wrote on a paper that he kept before him on his
table that it might always be in his sight, “ The ador­
able will of God.” This was his favorite and accus­
tomed topic in preaching, and that by which he most
inflamed the hearts of his hearers.
He even declared that he did not wish to become
more holy than God willed, but he did not therefore
cease always to aim at the highest possible degree of
holiness. One day when he was conversing with a re­
ligious, the latter said to him that he did not wish to do
anything more than was necessary just to secure his
salvation; at these words Father Paul stood up, and
said with emotion, “ O my Father, what do you say?
We who are religious ought to be saved as saints and
men of perfection.” He then brought forward a great
many proofs in support of what he had advanced, so
that at last the religious said, “ Well, I admit that is
true, my Father, and I will try to do better in future.”
When the servant of God read the Lives of the saints
that gave themselves up wholly to God, he shed tears
of joy. Nor could Father Paul restrain his tears when
a member of our Congregation made his oblation after
the year’s novitiate by pronouncing the accustomed
vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, of renounce­
ment of every dignity or ecclesiastical benefice, and of
perseverance in our mode of life. When he met with
any one inclined to lead a pious life, he did all he could
to induce him to give himself up wholly to God, and to
lead him to entire conformity to the divine will. His

I

246

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.

letters contain admirable passages to this effect. To
one of his sisters, who experienced many tribulations
he wrote, “Think of nothing but of offering yourself
unreservedly to God; abandon yourself entirely to his
divine will, beg him to dispose of you as he pleases,
and be assured that the best devotion of all consists in
doing the will of God.” In writing to one of his peni­
tents, he said, “ We must suffer much if we would please
God. He asks us for courage, not for tenderness.”
And when he was conversing with us, it seemed as if he
could only speak of striving to please God, and of seek­
ing in all things to do what is most agreeable to him.
XV.
His Death.

Such was the life of Father Paul, of which we have
here given a slight sketch, and his holy death perfectly
corresponded to so virtuous a life. He was Superior of
the house of St. Mary Mater Domini, in the territory of
Caposele, at the time it took place, and while he was
there he often predicted his death even before he became
ill. He spoke of nothing but of eternity and Paradise
for some months before he died; and he often said to
his brothers, “Tell me, what do they do in Paradise?’
On one occasion he positively said, “ I shall die this
year.” And the event verified these words. On the
5th of August, 1753, when he was still in good health,
he spoke still more definitely about his death, and said,
“ I shall die this month. The fever will come on to­
day.” And that very day, after dinner, fever attacked
him, and the symptoms were so bad that the doctors
despaired of his life on the third day. His illness lasted
for eleven days, during which he filled all that ap­
proached him with admiration, so great was his calm­
ness, patience, and obedience towards the infirmarian

Life of Father Paul Cafaro,

247

svhen he administered the prescribed remedies to him.
lie received all without complaint, and asked for noth­
ing.
We cannot relate anything regarding his sentiments
in this last illness; for he said very little during the
whole time. We have no doubt that he acted thus
through humility. He knew that the last words of
those that are looked upon as great servants of God are
carefully treasured up; he therefore remained in a state
of constant and silent recollection, keeping his eyes con­
stantly fixed on the image of Jesus crucified and of the
Blessed Virgin. When his brethren begged him to say
some words of edification to them, he did not answer,
and he even manifested some displeasure at the request,
fearing that even the last words that he had uttered
during life might be treasured up after his death. One
of our Fathers begged him to order the Community, as
their Superior, to pray to God to restore his health, for
the welfare of the Congregation. He then spoke, and
said, “No, it is expedient for me to die.” When I
heard that he was so dangerously ill, I sent him an obe­
dience by virtue of my authority as his Rector-Major
and Superior, to get well, should such be the good
pleasure of God. But when he heard of this com­
mand, he raised his hand in silence, thus signifying that
his recovery was not the will of God.
He was somewhat tormented by his habitual fears at
the beginning of his illness; but after his director had
ordered him to have confidence, he became quite calm,
and with celestial peace, with eyes fixed on the crucifix,
and amidst his weeping brethren, he gave up his pure
soul to God at about one o’clock on the 13th of August,
1753, being only forty-seven years of age. We con­
fidently trust that he is now united with his God, whom
he strove so much to please, and whom only he sought
through his whole life.

Life of Father Paul Cafaro.
When the tolling of the hell announced his death,
there was general lamentation among his brethren as
well as amongst the strangers that were then in the
house. One of his veins was opened before he was
buried, and immediately the blood gushed forth. Since
his death a great number of the faithful have obtained
prodigious favors by means of his relics. These miracles
have been carefully registered, and will be published in
due time, should it ever please God to cause him to be
honored on his altars.

iflaria
Sornclli,
Notes on the £ife of father Januarius
MOST
HOLY
CONGREGATION OF THE
OF THE
REDEEMER.

There is
every indication that it was destined to be placed at the
head of the works of Father Sarnelli, where it is found
in the editions with which we are acquainted. The
saint was desirous of keeping it anonymous, but it can
easily be recognized from what he omits to say, and
from the notes that we append. We shall find more
than one trait of resemblance between the life of Father
Sarnelli and that of St. Alphonsus himself. Father
Tannoia moreover informs us that they were united
from their youth by a close friendship, and that before
they had entirely left the world they gave themselves
up together to pious exercises. It is astonishing how
Father Sarnelli, who died at the age of forty-two, could
have done so much in a life so short and so full of suf­
ferings; but such is the life of the saints. Cardinal
Villecourt also assures us, in 1862, that there was ques­
tion of introducing the cause of his Beatification. (Vie
de S. Alph. 1. 2, ch. 15.)—Ed.
St. Alphonsus wrote this Life in 1752.

Notes
ON THK

LIFE OF FATHER JANUARIUS MARIA SARNELLI,
OE THE CONGREGATION OE THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER.

I.
His Birth, Infancy, and Youth.
Father Januarius Maria Sarnelli was born at Na­

ples, on the 12th of September, 1702. His parents were
D. Angelus Sarnelli, baron of Ciorani, and D. Catharine
Scoppa. They had eight children, of whom six were
boys and two were girls. D. Januarius was their fourth
son. D. Andrew, who was the next to him in age, is
the secular priest that set on foot at his own expense a
house of missionaries 1 in the territory of Ciorani, who
were instituted that they might go about in the diocese
of Salerno, and in the neighborhood, laboring for the
salvation of the destitute souls in the country.
Father Januarius manifested most pious dispositions
from his very infancy; and he was even then remark­
able for his angelic modesty, which caused him always
to keep his eyes cast down in presence of women, even
in that of his sisters and mother. His obedience and
submission to his parents were equally exemplary, and
when he perceived that he had at all annoyed them, he
used instantly to beg for forgiveness, and would kiss
their hand or even throw himself at their feet in order
to appease them. He evinced the greatest love of
mortification from his earliest youth, and even then
1 Of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

252

Notes on the Life of

always abstained from fresh fruit from a spirit of pen­
ance. When his parents gave any entertainment, he
used at once to leave the house and go to the church of
St. Francis Xavier, which was just opposite the house
in which they lived. In a word, from all we know re­
garding his childhood and the whole course of his life,
it is easy to infer that he never lost his baptismal inno­
cence.
j|
When be was fourteen, he earnestly begged his father
to allow him to leave the world and to enter the Society
of Jesus, but as he was so young he would not permit
him to do so. From this time, however, Januarius re­
doubled his fervor in the service of God; he increased
the number of his meditations, and led a still more re­
tired life than before. He never conversed with those
of his own age, but after he had gone through his
studies, his love of solitude caused him to retire into
the church, to pray to God before the Blessed Sacra­
ment to enlighten him as to his vocation. After that
he would return home, where his conduct towards his
parents was a source of great edification to the whole
household.
IL

He Embraces the Profession of the Law, then the Eccle­
siastical State.

At an after period, he embraced the profession of the
law in obedience to his father, and he succeeded in it in
a wonderful manner. Although he was still very young,
the management of the revenues and of the rents of the
Duke of Cirifalco were soon intrusted to him. But
amid these different occupations he never omitted to
attend Mass every day, or to make his visit to the
Biessed Sacrament and his daily meditation. He had
such affection for this exercise, that when he was at

Father Sarnclli,

253

liberty he used always to go to the church of St. Francis
Xavier, where he would remain in prayer for so long a
time, that when any one came to speak to him and he
was not at home, the servants, who knew his custom,
used generally to reply, “ You will be sure to find him
if you go to the church of St. Francis Xavier.” When
he went to his father’s estate, the only recreation he
took was that of shutting himself up in the parish
church, where he would spend half the day in medita­
tion. This was asserted by the priest of the place.
He used also to visit the sick in the hospital of the
incurables several times a week, and he said that he re­
ceived so great lights from God when he was there, that
these visits gave him constant food for meditation, and
he came away full of consolation, and replenished with
the Spirit of God. It was also in this place that God
made known to him that he was called by him to leave
the world. After consulting with his director on the
subject, he immediately resolved to do so, quitting the
bar and becoming a priest. As soon as he was ordained
he gave up all earthly possessions; he distributed all
the money that he had laid by amongst the poor, as
well as the clothes that he had worn in the world. He
gave himself up unreservedly to God from this time,
and spent all his time in prayer, study, and the assist­
ance of his neighbor.
In order to live in still greater solitude, and to give
up all connection with the world, he retired into the
Congregation of the Holy Family,1 or, in other words,
into the Chinese College, which is established at Naples.
During all the time he stayed among these exemplary
priests, his constant occupation was either meditation
1 This Institution, founded in 1729, had for its aim the forming and
the raising to the priesthood of young men brought from China, who
afterwards would return home to maintain and propagate religion. St.
Alphonsus also entered that college.

254

Λο/es on the Life of

and study, or else going about the neighborhood teach­
ing the Christian doctrine; he also went several times
a week to the hospital, where he♦ would spend as many
as six hours consecutively, in teaching, consoling, and
attending the poor patients.
About this time he became a member of the Congre­
gation of apostolical Missions,’ which was set on foot
in the archbishopric of Naples for missionary purposes,
in which he labored in a most exemplary and efficacious
manner from the moment he entered the priesthood.
III.

He Enters the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Some years afterwards he heard that a Congregation
of missionary priests had been recently formed in the
town of Scala, under the direction of Mgr. Falcoia, the
bishop of Castellamare/ and that they were to devote
their time to the service of the destitute country-poor,
by means of missions and other spiritual exercises; and
as he heard that regular observance of rule was strictly
attended to among them, and that besides the simple
vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, a fourth vow
and oath of perseverance was taken by its members, he
felt a great desire to enter it.
In order, therefore, to satisfy his desire to lead a life
of greater perfection, and one in which he would be en­
tirely consecrated to God, and animated by the coun­
sels of Father Manulius, of the Society of Jesus, who
1 St. Alphonsus was also a member of this Congregation, which
counted among its members the flower of the clergy.
I he holy founder here avoids mentioning himself by attributing all
to his spiritual director, who only approved his work and aided him
with his counsel. Father Sarnelli, his friend, was to have been one of
his first companions’, but he was able to join him only towards the end
of 1733, a year after the foundation of his Institute.

Father SarneI/i.

255

died some years ago with a high renown for sanctity,
he resolved to enter the new Congregation, and quitted
Naples for Scala, lie did not, however, lose sight of
the Congregation of Apostolical Missions, of which we
have already spoken, but continued to support it as far
as possible whenever it called upon him for help. He
spent the rest of his days in the rising Congregation, in
which he edified all his brethren by the constant prac­
tice of every virtue, above all, by his mortification,
obedience, and charity towards others. It was specially
noticed that he was so exact in obeying the sound of
the bell, that if he were writing, he arose immediately,
and would even leave a letter unfinished. Such was bis
mode of life while he lived in our house at Scala.
IV.
He is sent to Naples.

IIis Superiors afterwards sent him to Naples, both
because the air of Scala did not suit his infirm health,
and to enable him to continue the great undertakings
he had already begun in the capital, especially that of
delivering it from women of bad character, as we shall
relate more at length hereafter, and it was here that his
life terminated.
Although he labored with the most indefatigable zeal
in the duties of his own Institute, he did not neglect to
assist the brethren of the Congregation of missions
from time to time. Although engaged in the laborious
enterprise of expelling all abandoned women from
Naples, he yet found time to devote himself to the sal­
vation of souls, with such ardor that when Cardinal
Spinelli, the present Archbishop of Naples (1752), sent
for Father Alphonso de Liguori, the Rector-Major of
the said Congregation, to come with his companions,
and give missions in the villages of his diocese at his

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Noles on the Life of

expense, he wished that Father Januarius might be one
of the missionaries; and he gave them a permanent
abode near the village of St. Iorio, to enable them to go
about in the neighborhood more easily. When Father
Alphonso was obliged to leave the city on business con­
nected with the affairs of his Congregation, the Cardinal
left the whole charge of the missions in the hands of
Father Januarius, who thus continued the good work
that had been begun by that excellent missionary, Don
Matthew Testa, who is at present a most worthy Canon
in the capital. Our Father continued to labor in these
missions with the utmost success until his blessed death,
which took place some years afterwards. This loss not
only grieved the very zealous pastor of the town of
Naples, but also his own faithful flock; indeed, Janu­
arius was generally regretted, as a great laborer in
God’s vineyard, and it was everywhere said, and it is
still declared, that he alone was worth ten other mis­
sionaries.
V.
His Love of Meditation.

But before relating his precious death, it will be well
to give some brief details regarding his virtues.
He was so fond of meditation, that even when he was
a secular, he used to steal time from business to go to
pray in some church, but from the time he became a
priest, he gave himself up unreservedly to this holy ex­
ercise. He used daily to repair to the church of the
Cross, for this purpose, where he would shut himself in
a little cell behind the sacristy, and remain in prayer
from dinner-time until the evening; until he entered the
Chinese College, this was his daily practice, except when
he went to the hospital.
He received so much celestial light, and felt so holy

Father Sarnetli.

257

ardor in meditation, and had such a gift of tears, that
he himself owned that he had nearly lost his sight in
consequence. The Gospel was the book whence he de­
rived all his light and consolation. “Scarcely had I
read a few verses,” said he, “ ere 1 was so enlightened
by the divine goodness, that I melted into tears, and
the world then appeared to me as nothing but smoke.”
He was several times seen going up and down the
cloisters of the church of the Cross and that of the Holy
Ghost, with his arms extended, his eyes raised to heaven,
and giving vent to such passionate sighs that several
persons that saw him thought he was beside himself.
When once told that such actions caused him to be
taken for a madman, he replied, “ That is very true, for
he that does not love God is mad, and 1 do not love
him.” On another occasion, when a priest asked him
why he did such things, the color mounted to his cheeks,
and he confessed to his friend that he did so uncon­
sciously.
From this time he would only speak of God, and listen
to conversation about him and the salvation of souls, as
I can myself testify; and when he heard people talking
on indifferent subjects, it pained him so much that he
always strove to turn the conversation on spiritual
things, or else tried to steal away if he could do so with­
out giving offence.
VI.

His Principal Devotions.

Our Father Januarius Maria had also a great devo­
tion to the Blessed Trinity, in whose honor he celebrated
Mass as often as he could, and tried to inspire every
one with a devotion to this mystery. He also published
a very pious book to propagate this devotion.
He was also specially devout towards the Passion of
17

253

tVotes on the Life of

Jesus Christ. His room was full of crosses and pictures
to remind him of the sufferings of the Incarnate God,
and he caused a great many to be made, which he dis­
tributed, that they might be placed in the different
houses and streets. Ilis devotion was no less great
towards the holy sacrifice of the Mass, as we can see by
his works, and he never omitted to celebrate it for a
single day to the end of his days, although he was
several times on the point of fainting at the altar
through his infirmities. Once he really did so, yet even
then he persisted in finishing it as soon as he recovered,
although it cost him a great effort, as he declared that
all his hopes were centred in this august mystery. He
had so deep a conviction of the love which we owe to
our Blessed Saviour, that he said that we should be
always preaching to souls in these words, “ Love Jesus
Christ! love Jesus Christ!”
He had also the greatest devotion towards the Blessed
Virgin, and especially towards her Immaculate Con­
ception. In order to spread this devotion, he gave away
a great quantity of pictures of her as well as scapu­
lars and rosaries, and his great delight during the rec­
reation established in our Congregation after dinner
and supper consisted in making rosaries, images, or
scapulars. He had also a special love for the holy name
of Mary. Once when he was present at a sermon on
the Blessed Sacrament, which was delivered by a most
zealous preacher, he was quite satisfied with the dis­
course, yet it grieved him to think that he had not once
pronounced the sweet name of Mary. He therefore
humbly entreated him never to omit the name of the
Blessed Virgin in his sermons for the future, assuring
him that it would add greatly to the benefit they already
produced. He was really proud of being called by the
names Januarius Maria, and could not help mildly show­
ing some dissatisfaction when he was only addressed by

Father SarnclF

2 59

the name of Januarius, without the addition of that of
Maria. He begged his friends to unite with him in
praising the divine Mother in the month of September,
as he said she always granted him all the favors that he
asked for during this month. Before he went to bed,
he was in the habit of winding his rosary round his arm
to remind him of his divine Mother during the night,
and he told one of his confidential friends, that in his
greatest trials and combats with the powers of dark­
ness he was always quite fortified when he held his
rosary in his hands. He preached on the glories of
Mary wherever he went; he recommended devotion to
her in all his sermons, and made every exertion to have
novenas celebrated in lier honor. He even composed a
very devotional little book in honor of the Mother of
God, entitled The Grandeurs of Mary, which is to be
found amongst his spiritual treatises. He had but one
cause of regret at the hour of death, namely, that he
had been unable to finish his large work on the glories
of Mary, of which he had already collected all the mate­
rials.
VII.
His Interior Trials.

We will here mention that after the great consolations
with which God favored him for so many years, he
ordained that on a certain feast-day, for which he had
prepared with much fervor, his soul should fall into a
state of frightful aridity and profound desolation, which
lasted throughout the remainder of his life. At his last
moments indeed God restored the sense of his grace
and presence to his soul, and gave him the favor of
dying inflamed with an ardent desire of seeing God.
With the exception of these happy moments, his heart
always remained dry and cold, both during meditation

200

/Voles on IJLe Life of

and also in his labors for the salvation of souls. It
seemed to him as if God had abandoned him, and he
iell no consolation in any of his spiritual exercises. He
also endured the most horrible temptations, especially
to infidelity, gluttony, and despair, which caused him to
say that he had become quite incapable of occupying
himself in the service of God, and that it seemed to him
as if these words of the Psalmist were constantly re­
soundingin his ears: Many say to my soul: There is no sal­
vation for him in his God.' At times he could scarcely
breathe, but even then he would sigh, and say these two
words, “My God! my God!”
This took place even during his apostolical labors for
the salvation of his neighbor, by which he certainly
shortened his life; for notwithstanding his great zeal for
the glory of God, all that he did was performed by a
great effort, being destitute of consolation and accom­
panied with extreme repugnance. He was indeed a man
of great strength of mind, and full of ardor to spread
the glory of God and to do his holy will. The words
which were always on his lips, in his heart, and on his
pen, were, “ The glory of God and the will of God.”
All that he did was done for God only, and if he some­
times felt tempted to vainglory on seeing the success of
the works that he undertook for the glory of God, he
used earnestly to pray, and get others to pray, that he
might be delivered from this secret satisfaction.
During this bitter privation of all celestial consolation,
he always maintained a firm confidence in God, and
placed all his trust in the efficacy of prayer. He said
that amid the torture that he suffered from temptation
and desolation his only strength was in these words of
Jesus Christ, If you ask the Father anything in My name, He
1 “ Multi dicunt anirnæ meæ: Non est salus ipsi in Deo ejus.”_ Ps.
9 99
111. 3.

Father Sarnclti.

261

He declared that if God had given him
no other grace than that of prayer, he should be abun­
dantly satisfied, as there are so many great promises at­
tached to that holy exercise. In fact, this confidence in
meditation purchased for him all the favors with which
God endowed him. By it he, triumphed over the many
difficulties that he had to contend with in his immense
labors for the glory of God; for he had recourse to his
own prayers and to those of others on all such occasions,
and he was wont to say that he had a secret by which he
could be certain of obtaining even more from God than
he asked for.

witlgive it you}

VIII.

His Spirit of Mortification and of Humility.

To meditation he united mortification of the senses.
When he was ordained priest he fasted three days in the
week on bread and water; his failing health afterwards
compelled him to give up this practice; but even then
he always abstained from taking fruit except when his
Superiors made him do so through obedience. His mother
related to one of his confessors, that when there was any
delicacy at dinner he never touched it even when a mere
child, and he limited himself to such sparing quantities
that what he took hardly sufficed for the support of
nature.
Although his health was much impaired, he never
omitted to use the discipline. Yet he could only have
struck on bones, for his penances, sufferings, and labors
had reduced him to a mere skeleton. When he could
not do anything else, he bore the stings of insects with­
out endeavoring to escape from them, and they often
cause greater pain than hair-cloth and disciplines.
1 “Si quid petieritis patrem in nomine meo, dabit vobis.”—John,
xvi. 23.

202

*

Notes on the Life of

He also had so great a wish to be despised for the
love of Jesus Christ, that he made a firm resolution never
to justify himself before any one when he might be ac­
cused of a fault. He prayed for the love of humiliation
in all his Masses; and for this end he said the Collect ad
petendam humilitatem (for asking humility), as often as he
could. He confided to a member of the Congregation
that God answered this prayer soon after he began to say
it, by sending him a great many opportunities of practis­
ing humility, and that he not only granted him grace to
bear humiliation with patience, but also with interior
gladness. Whenever he received any slight, he thanked
God for it, and he confided to the same Father that he
was so far from dreading reproach and shame, that he
felt an ardent desire to be dragged through the mud in
the streets of Naples.
In order to look contemptible, he always wore old and
ragged clothes, such as are hawked through the streets
by Jews, declaring that he wished to have nothing in
common with the world; and when his parents re­
proached him for thus dishonoring his family by his
shabby .appearance, he told them not to distress them­
selves about this, for that if any one asked his name, he
would never say that he was the son of the Baron of Sarnelli, but would call himself Father Januarius Maria, as
if the former were his Christian name, and the latter his
surname.
One day when he entered the church of our Lady of
Good Help at Naples to say Mass, the cleric on duty on
seeing his ragged attire sent him away most unceremo­
niously, and would not permit him to celebrate. The
Father was afterwards revenged on him, but it was only
with the revenge that saints are wont to take on those
that injure them; for by his assistance the uncourteous
cleric was afterwards enabled to become a priest.
In a word, he lived and died in such poverty, that thç

Father Sarnelti.

263

priest that assisted at his death procured new clothes in
which to bury him, as all his own were worn-out and in
rags.
IX.

His Charity toward his Neighbor.

Our Father Januarius Maria possessed charity towards
his neighbor in a heroic degree.
When he was absent from our houses he lived as
scantily as he could, ate little, and wore the most
wretched clothes, not only to draw down contempt on
himself, but also to enable him to have more at his dis­
posal for the poor. He would sometimes even take off
his clothes, go without shoes, and deprive himself of the
food that was served up to him, that he might bestow
them on the indigent. He would often go about Naples
collecting the poor together, after which he would con­
duct them to his own house, where he washed their feet,
waited on them, and supplied their wants. To enable
him to do this he selected a room midway on the stairs,
which was so very dark and out of repair, that one of
his friends even saw the mice jumping up and down on
his bed. Here, however, he received all the poor that
came to him; for had he attempted to do so anywhere
else the servants would have sent them away. He did
not receive women there, but when any of them wished to
speak to him, he went to some church to hear them.
After he entered the Congregation, his greatest happi­
ness consisted in obtaining leave from his Superior to
bestow alms on the poor.
He had an incredible affection for the sick in the hos­
pital, and bore any amount of fatigue to assist them in
spiritual or temporal necessities. AVhen he was only a
secular he went about begging for provisions from his
relatives. He collected together as much as he could,
«

264

Xo/es 0)1 the Life of

alter w Inch lie «.ii tanged it all in baskets witli his own
hands, and sent it to the hospital. Whenever he went
to visit these poor sufferers after he became a priest, he
would carry some little luxury in the shape of fruit or
sweetmeats or such like, which he concealed under his
cloak, and which he had either procured expressly for
them, or of which he had deprived himself in order to
bestow’ it on them. He even went the length of having
long earthenware vessels constructed to hold roast meat;
and he carried them to the sick by hangingone on each
side. He used also to make up and distribute a number
of little packets of tobacco among them. He would
make their beds for them, and wash their feet; in fact,
he never omitted any office of charity that could con­
tribute to their relief.

His Zeal for the Salvation of Souls.

In all works of spiritual mercy and zeal for the salva­
tion of souls, Father Januarius Maria Sarnelli attained
to the most heroic degree of perfection. From the time
he left the wrorld to devote himself to God in the eccle­
siastical state, he w’as always studying how he could be
most usefully engaged for the salvation of souls; and
all his thoughts and words were directed to this one
point, even during his familiar conversations during
recreation. While others were then seeking for relaxa­
tion, he looked preoccupied and sad; and if any one
asked him what he was thinking about, he replied, “ I
am thinking what had better be done to assist the souls
whom God died to save.” When he spoke of how much
the poor require spiritual assistance and priestly instruc­
tion, his countenance glowed with zeal, and sometimes
even tears of pity would flow from his eyes. He often
said that he felt that he had a special call to assist the

Father SarneIli.

265

poor and destitute, and applied these words of the
prophet Isaias to himself, He hath anointed me to preach the
Gospel to the poor.' He added, that he believed he should
be damned if he did not devote all his energies to this
purpose, and that it seemed to him as if these words of
St. Paul were addressed to himself, Woe is unto me if I
preach not the Gospel?

While he was at Naples, before he entered the Con­
gregation, he determined to join two other priests in
giving missions in the provinces of Calabria and Abruzzi,
as he thought these places the most destitute of spiri­
tual aid. The patron saint who was most dear to him
was St. John Francis Regis on account of his love for
the poor. It was this same predilection that caused
him to enter the Congregation of the Most Holy Re­
deemer, for he knew that it was chiefly instituted for
the assistance of the destitute country poor.
He was unceasingly engaged in preaching and hear­
ing confessions whenever his health permitted. After
he had been nearly worn out by laboring in church the
whole morning during missions, he would take only a
bit of bread or a few raisins, which he ate in the sacristy
and spent the rest of the day in preaching and in the
confessional. Once when he was in the territory of
Bracigliano, he bore the fatigues of a mission for two
months consecutively without having even a Father to
aid him: yet he was in the confessional by daybreak.
His only refreshment consisted in a cup of chocolate,
which he took very late in the day, then he immediately
began to preach and hear confessions, so that he alone
heard the confessions of about two thousand people.
On another mission, which was given at Villa, in the
diocese of Cajazzo, where we had then a house, he
labored for five weeks, during which he beard confes1 “ Evangelizare pauperibus misit me.”—Luke, iv. iS.
'* “ Væ mihi si non evangelizavero !”—1 Cor. ix. 16.

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Notes on ihe Life of

sions until four o’clock in the afternoon, when he took
a little refreshment; he then returned to the pulpit, and
after he had done preaching he re-entered the confes­
sional, where he remained until ten at night. His zeal
carried him even farther than this: it was several times
observed that he passed two days without tasting food
when he was particularly occupied about the salvation
of certain souls.
·
j
Yet he was almost always in bad health. When he
was advised to try to become well before undergoing
such fatigue, he replied, “ If I were only to labor when
I am well, I should have done little or nothing, for I see
that it is God’s will that I should always be in suffering;”
and when some one rejoined that if this were the case
his life would not last much longer, “Well,” said he,
“and can there be anything more glorious than to wear
out one’s life for God ?” It was therefore by a sort of
constant miracle that he was able to labor for the salva­
tion of souls without taking any rest, notwithstanding
his infirmities and weakness. When he was composing
his admirable works on spiritual subjects, he often wrote
until midnight, and only ceased writing when overcome
by fatigue. Thus, a lay-brother who waited on him at
this time used to reply to those that asked what he was
doing, “If he is not writing, he must be ill.” He said
himself that when he had to go through any special
undertaking for the good of souls, he almost always
felt more suffering and weakness than usual before­
hand; but that his strength increased when the time for
action arrived. He often began to preach when he was
much fitter for his bed; but he felt much better after
the sermon than he had felt before.
He preached with so much zeal, and his sermons pro­
duced so much effect, that they often led sinners to give
public signs of sorrow, and loudly to ask for a con­
fessor. All that attended his missions said, “ Let us go

Father Sarnelli.

207

and hear the saint. It is a saint that preaches.” When
he was at Naples, he often went to the church of St.
Januarius, beyond the city walls, in spite of the great
distance, that he might preach to the old men there;
and he used afterwards to say to his brethren at Scala
that he was quite distressed to have to abandon this
work of charity.
He was also very fond of ministering to the wants of
poor children, and used to say that nothing would please
him more than to have to teach them the Christian doc­
trine on all the missions. When he was at Naples he
sought out with holy diligence the little children suffer­
ing from the ring-worm in order to instruct them, to
exhort them to go to confession, and to give them some
little treat, and he used to do this with so much charity
that they were in the habit of calling him their father.
He also went about the public squares of Naples seeking
for the little street porters, who are generally very ignorant of their faith. He would then conduct them to his
own house, where he taught them the Christian doctrine,
prepared them for the sacrament of penance, and gave
them something to eat. In order to spare all trouble to
the servants, he himself prepared their food, and after
he had dismissed the poor little creatures, he went to
the kitchen and washed what they had used with his
own hands.
We may truly say that our Father Januarius Maria
was really fond of the sick in the hospital, for he was
almost always there. If he arrived in the morning he
did not leave it until noon, or if he reached it after
dinner he stayed there until it was nearly eight o’clock,
and then he only quitted it with regret and a wish to be
able to remain longer. I cannot express the charity he
exercised towards them, or how tenderly he exhorted
them to bear their sufferings with patience, instructed
them in the things appertaining to God, and in the

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Notes on the Life of

propei manner of making a good confession, and before
he was himself a priest, he procured good priests to hear
their confessions. One day he formed a plan of living
in the hospital of the incurables that he might be able
to assist these poor creatures with more facility, espe­
cially at the hour of death; he even obtained a room for
this purpose; but an unexpected difficulty arose that
prevented him from carrying out his project. His zeal
once nearly caused him to lose his life in the hospital of
the galleys, where he used also to administer the com­
forts of religion to the poor criminals.
XI.

His Enterprise in regard to Prostitutes.

It is well known what this same zeal caused him to
undertake at Naples, in order to rescue prostitute
women from sin. He went to preach in the parish
church of St. Matthew on all feast days, in order to
convert these unfortunate beings, and it was through
his suggestions that the Congregation of the arch­
diocese undertook to give the spiritual exercises in this
parish every year for the same purpose.
In order to relieve the wants of these poor creatures,
he gave them all that he received from home, and even
did without necessaries himself to have the more to distribute among them; and he gave a great many of them
enough for their livelihood in the shape of a monthly
allowance, in order to prevent them from selling their
honor and their soul; and not satisfied with relieving
those that asked for his aid, he sought for them through­
out the town. He placed sixteen of them in asylums,
and enabled a great many others to get married. We
know that he provided for the subsistence of two of
these women for two years, and that he afterwards fur­
nished them with means to enable them to keep house.

Father Samelli.

269

As his own income was not sufficient for all this, for
he spent from five to six hundred ducats a year in such
ways, he went about Naples begging alms for these un­
fortunate people, and that not only in pious establish­
ments, but in private houses; this he nevertheless did
with so much repugnance, that he said he sometimes
felt as if he would die of shame, for he had not only to
bear the great annoyance of having to pay repeated
visits, but he had also to endure reproaches and even
insults. He confided to a friend that several persons
that had formerly esteemed him highly, and welcomed
him courteously, changed so completely when he came
to them on this errand, that they then quite shunned
him, and sent him away with roughness and incivility.
In striving to realize the plan he had formed of com­
pelling all the women of bad character to leave the
town, and take up their abode in some remote quarter,
he had to endure inexpressible fatigue and persecution.
As he saw that these unhappy creatures did immense
harm by being scattered about in all parts of the town,
he was convinced that the only method of remedying
so great an evil would be to compel them to go to live
together out of Naples. The whole town, and God
above all, know what labors and expense this project
occasioned him, for the furtherance of which he com­
posed several books entitled The Abuses of Prostitution.
This undertaking also drew down on him the opposition
and reproaches of his friends; for as they looked upon
the thing as impossible, they were always striving to
make him abandon it, and ridiculing it with bitterness.
But his confidence in God was strong and unshaken,
although he was alone and devoid of the help of man,
and he managed so well with the first ministers of the
king, our protector, that he at last had the satisfaction
of seeing his desires fulfilled. A decree of nine articles
was sent to the Duke of Giovenazzo, the president of

2/0

Notes on the Life of

the first chamber of the ministry, on the 4th of May,
175S, by virtue of which sentence of banishment was
pronounced against all prostitutes, who were thence­
forward to live without the town, in places that were
allotted to them. This royal mandate was executed
with such rigor, that justice seized on the effects of
those that would not quit their houses, and all their
furniture was thrown out of the window. From thirty
to forty prostitutes were thus expelled from Naples;
some of them married, others retired into asylums, and
the rest either went to the places assigned for them, or
fled elsewhere.1
J
As for our Father Januarius Maria, he several times
ran the risk of being assassinated on account of the share
he had in their expulsion, and for this reason his par­
ents did all in their power to prevent him from going
on with this good work, as they were afraid some fatal
accident might be the result both to himself and to all
his family; but he declared that he was ready to suffer
all, and that he should even think it a great privilege
to die in an undertaking that was so glorious to God.
XII.

é

His Writings.

It was this same zeal for the salvation of souls that
supported him in all the labors that he went through
in preparing all his works, in which the choice of sub­
jects and the manner in which he treated them clearly
prove how much he would have liked to sanctify the
whole world, had that been in his power.
1 St. Alphonsus abstains from speaking of the share that he had in
this success. We read in his Life that though he was not able person­
ally to aid Father Sarnelli, he yet lent him his assistance in an effica­
cious manner by the help of his counsels, and by securing in his favor
the protection of eminent persons.— Tannoia and Villccourt, 1. 2, ch.
16.

Father Sarnctli.

271

Besides the book of which we have already spoken,
on the special abuses that the prostitutes of Naples
caused to that town, he published another for all the
towns and villages of the kingdom, in which he proves
that women of bad character are not tolerated in any
one of them or in any of the smaller towns, and he sent
a copy of this work to all the bishops in the kingdom.
After this he published a book called The World
Sanctified. In some respects we may say that this work
really has sanctified the world, for it has been the means
of extensive good; it has been in almost every one’s
hands, and spread through several kingdoms as well as
that of Naples.
He also put forth a whole work against blasphemy, as
he was eager to extirpate this accursed vice from the
kingdom, where it is so deeply rooted.
He published, in a work called *77/^ World Reformed, a
treatise on the respect due to churches, in which the in­
habitants of the kingdom are also most wanting.
I will now give a list of several other works which he
published to the great profit of souls: a treatise on the
obligation of parents to bring up their children prop­
erly; another to serve as a guide to souls in the paths
of spirituality, entitled Discernment of Spirits; The
Ecclesiastic Sanctified, which was written for priests; An
Easy Method for all the Exercises of the Missions, which is
most useful for missionaries.
The Enlightened Christian cost him the greatest labor,
as he himself owned, for he composed it amid all the
sufferings of the malady of which he died. To this
must be added The Desolate Soul, for the comfort of
souls in desolation of spirit; and The Enlightened Soul,
which contains some most devotional meditations.
He also published several other little works which are
not mentioned here. Death prevented him from finishing
several others, which he had already begun to have

° 72

A o tes on the Life of

printed, such as a treatise to excite compassion for the
souls in purgatory; another on the methods of appeasing
God’s anger in public calamities; a selection of pious
reflections for every day in the year; a collection of ser­
mons on the Blessed Virgin for every Saturday through­
out the year and for all novenas;1 and a book of instructions on faith and morals.
Jl
Thus all his works were destined to promote the sal­
vation of souls, whom he desired, as he said, to assist
even after his death. When he was on the point of
death, he said to Canon Sersale, “Canon, I wish to go
on preaching until the judgment-day.”1*3
3
XIII.

I

His Last Illness and Death.

We must now give an account of his last illness and
of his happy end. Januarius Maria labored for many
years, as we have already seen, although he was always
ill and oppressed with fever. Ilis last mission was given
at Posilipo, during which, his sufferings were very great,
as he was quite worn out by fatigue and pain. Thence
he retired to St. Agnello, where his maladies increased
so much that he was obliged to give up all his labors,
and was no longer able even to say Mass; this was viewed
by all as a sign that his death was at hand, for he had
never before abstained from celebrating it. One day he
made the most surprising efforts to say it, but he could
not succeed, and fainted in the attempt. As the malady
grew worse and worse, he went to his brother’s house at
Naples, where he was ill for a month.
*

1 The reader is here reminded of what has been said above, page 259,
of the great work on the glories of Mary.
3 This grxxl Father continues in fact to preach by his writings that
are still being reprinted; two editions of 1836 and 1848 we have now
before us.

Father Sarnelli.

273

Although his sufferings and weakness continued daily
to increase, he never abandoned meditation, and as his
interior trials were as great as ever, he tried to obtain
consolation by conversing with the servants of God that
came to visit him. The doctors advised him to try the
air called the saving air, but he was too weak to be
moved.
About a fortnight before his death he took to his bed,
whence he never rose again. From this time, however,
God freed him from the heavy cross of spiritual desola­
tion, and he began to enjoy the greatest peace; every
disquieting thought was banished from his mind, and
he felt nothing but an ardent desire to be united to God
in the mansions of the blessed. Once, when a servant
of his father’s said that he hoped God would restore his
health, he replied, “Oh, if I could exclaim aloud now,
my sole cry would be that my only consolation is to
think that I am going to die, and you speak to me of
recovery !”
He also showed now the extent of his patience and
charily, for amid the almost insupportable pains he en­
dured, which caused him to stand in need of constant
attendance, he felt the greatest compassion for those
that waited on him; and when he required anything he
said to the brother whom the Superior of the Congre­
gation had sent to assist him, “ Brother, have patience
with me for the love of Jesus Christ, for I shall not live
much longer.”
At this time he made his last will, and as he wished
all he had to be employed in alms and other good works,
he disposed of all his possessions in favor of the Con­
gregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. The sweet­
meats that were given for his use he sent to the hospi­
tal, to be distributed among the sick. He had also a
little tobacco left, and he wished that it should be put
up in small packages, to be given to these poor people.

2/4

Notes on the Life of

Before dying he gave many alms. It was known that
his brother had given a certain sum for his funeral and
for the celebration of Masses after his death, and as
the confessor of the conservatory at Castellamare called
to see him, he gave him, to help his establishment,
twenty ducats of the aforesaid sum, saying that the rest
was sufficient to pay the expenses of his interment.
One day he said to his eldest brother, who did a great
deal for him during
o his life and at his death, “ Brother,
the time is at hand when I hope I shall be able to make
you a fitting return for all that you have done for me.”
At this same period the devil appeared to him under
the form of an abbé, and tempted him to vainglory, say­
ing, “Don Januarius, your illness has caused general
lamentation throughout Naples, on account of the loss
that would be sustained by the death of so great a man.”
Upon this the dying man instantly pronounced the
names of Jesus and Mary, and the evil spirit disappeared
and returned no more.
One day when Canon Sersale came to visit him, he
said that he hoped he might get well. “Dear Canon,”
he replied, “ I was tormented by scruples for a long
time, but thanks be to God, I am now free from them
I shall therefore die tranquilly and without any disquiet
All that I have done has been done from a pure inten­
tion of pleasing God. The sacrifice is now complete;
do not then speak to me any more of living, for I wish
for no other life than the possession of my God.”
During his last days he was always repeating devout
aspirations; sometimes they were addressed to the
Blessed Trinity, when he would say, Benedicta sit sancta
Trinitas et individua unitas; confitebimur ei, quia fecit nobiscum misericordiam suam; sometimes either to our Blessed

Saviour or his adorable Mother, and he would kiss and
embrace their images from time to time. Just before
his death he addressed the following affecting words to

Father Sarnelli,

275

God, which were carefully noted down by the lay-brother
who attended him: “ Father, behold the time has come
for me to depart hence and to go to my Creator and my
Father. O Lord, I sigh for the moment when I shall
see Thee face to face, should such be Thy good pleasure;
for I wish neither for death nor for life. I wish only for
what Thou wiliest. Thou knowest that all my actions
and all my thoughts have been only for Thy greater
glory.” Words such as these in the mouth of a dying
man, on the point of appearing before God, are suffi­
cient to manifest what must have been the innocence of
his life.
On the morning of the day he died, he said to the
brother that waited on him, “ Brother, go and get out
my oldest clothes and bury me in them, for I do not
wish anything to be wasted.”
Tb.e doctor came to see him at about eight o’clock in
the morning of the same day; and when he was going
away, he said that he would see him again in the course
of the day. “ I shall gently enter into my agony to-day,”
he answered. He told the brother not to forget to make
him say the rosary, “ For,” said he, “ I wish to die whilst
I am reciting it.” And so it was, for when he had
reached the third decade that same day he became very
weak, and the damp perspiration of death began to flow.
“ I feel the chill of death,” said he to the brother; upon
which he instantly called for a priest, who began to sug­
gest pious affections to him; but the dying man inter­
rupted him, and asked him to allow him to speak himself;
and he then began to speak to God in the most tender
manner; but it was almost impossible to hear what he
said, for his speech was well-nigh gone. Just as he en­
tered into his agony, the two brothers of the Congrega­
tion who assisted him at this last hour asked for his bless­
ing; and he gently raised his hand and blessed them.
His agony was peaceful, and lasted little more than half

Notes on the Life of
an hour; his rosary was around his arm all along, and
he clasped the crucifix in his hands, kissing it from time
to time. The priest gave him absolution during this in­
terval, after which he calmly expired, at ten o’clock on
Thursday morning, June 30th, 1744, aged forty-two.
Ilis happy death took place the day before the eve of
the feast of the Visitation; thus the wish he had often
expressed of dying during a novena to the Blessed Vir­
gin was gratified.
a
As soon as he was dead his countenance suddenly be­
came most pleasing and beautiful, and a smile over­
spread his lips; his body exhaled so sweet an odor, that
it scented the room where he died for a long time, and
it was not only perceived by those that assisted at his
death, but also by the strangers that came to see his
corpse. His brother, D. Dominic Samedi, said that he
could not bear to leave the room, as lie experienced the
greatest spiritual consolation when in it. His body was
conveyed to the Church of our Lady of Good Help, ac­
companied by the brothers of the Congregation of Apos­
tolical Missions in the archdiocese of Naples, who all
followed him to the church, being filled with the greatest
sorrow for his death. When the body arrived there, a
great number of people crowded round it, weeping, and
exclaiming, “Alas, for the saint is dead!’’ and this cry
was repeated throughout the neighborhood. They then
began to tear up his clothes, and every one tried to carry
away as much of them as possible; he would soon have
been stripped of everything, had not some restraint been
put upon this pious eagerness.
His body was exposed for forty-eight hours, after
which a great many priests and other persons testify
that it remained quite flexible, and did not emit the
least unpleasant odor, and that bright blood flowed
from incisions that were then made in his arm and head.
His relics were sought fur in all directions, and the re­

Father Sarnetti.

-77

nown of liis sanctity spread far and wide. Persons came
to visit the house where he died through devotion, and
exclaimed with many tears, “O the well-beloved saint
of Jesus Christ! he is not prized sufficiently!”
In consequence of this reputation for sanctity, several
persons recommended themselves to God through the
merits of Father Januarius Maria, and received signal
graces thereby, which I must however pass over in
silence, that I may not exceed the narrow limits allotted
to me. I trust, however, that the time will come when
these interesting facts may be collected by others, and
that a more detailed Life of this great servant of God
may one day be given to the world.

2 Τ8

Notes
ON THE

LIFE OF VITUS CURZIUS,
lay-brother of the congregation of the most holy
REDEEMER.

E

■

His Conduct in the World and his Vocation.
We add here to the life of Father Januarius Maria

Sarnelli, a short biographical notice of Brother Vitus
Curzius, who lived in the Congregation and was for a
long time his companion.
*
He was born at Aquaviva,
in the diocese of Bari, of most respectable parents, in
the year 1706. One of his brothers was a medical * man,
and the other was a Canon in the college of his native
town.
In order to show the extent of God’s goodness to this
young man, we must mention that he was exceedingly
passionate until he was twenty-six years of age. He
was so alive to the least injury that he fought several
duels, in which he nearly lost his life. On one occasion·,
amongst others, he felt so offended at a doctor that lie
shot him Another time he had the boldness to lire at
a military officer; but God did not permit him to have
the misfortune of hitting his mark.
* The beginning and the end of this sketch show that it was composed in order that it might follow the preceding Life of Father Sar­
nelli —Ed.
·<|

Brother Vitus Curzius.

279

After he left Procida, where he had been the treas­
urer of the Marquis of Vasto, he went to Naples and
worked in the house of D. Cæsar SportePi, who was the
Marquis’s agent and his own intimate friend. Don Cæsar
had at this time resolved to leave the world; this he
soon afterwards did by entering the Congregation of
the Most Holy Redeemer, where he died in the odor of
sanctity in 1749? His tomb was opened four months
after his death, when it was found that his body was
quite flexible, and blood issued from an incision that
was made in his foot.
Now one day when he was conversing with Vitus
Curzius, he began to speak to him about the new Con­
gregation, which had been begun at Scala under the
title of that of the Most Holy Redeemer, through the
pious exertions of Mgr. Falcoia/ who was Father Cæsar’s
director. Vitus had scarcely heard the particulars of it
before he entreated to be admitted into it as a lay-brother,
as he felt sure that God called him thither. He had
gained this certainty regarding his vocation to the new
Institute in the following manner: “In a dream,” said
he, “ I saw a number of priests ascending a high moun­
tain; I tried to follow them, but all my efforts were in
vain; I fell backwards after each step, or if I succeeded
in getting over a little ground, I soon lost all that I had
gained. Stupefied and discouraged at these repeated
failures, I remained at the foot of the mountain in sor­
row, when one of these priests came up to me, and held
out his hand to me. By this assistance I was enabled
to reach the summit as easily as the others had done.”
One day when he was out walking with Father Sportelli,
after this dream had occurred, he met one of the Fathers
of the Congregation, and although he had never seen
him before, he pointed him out to his companion, Father
1 Cardinal Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 33, says that he died April 19, 1750.
The same remark holds good as on page 254.

28ο

Notes on the Life of

Sportelli, saying, “There is the priest who held out h
hand to me." *
11.
His Entrance into the Congregation.

He presented himself for approval and was accepted,
but he was told to stay at Naples until the Superior at
Scala should send for him. He had indeed some time
to wait, and this delay as to his definite reception
among us pained him greatly, and he longed and sighed
for the hour of deliverance from this evil world. One
day, however, he went to Father Sportelli in a transport
of joy, for, said he, “ I have heard a voice that said,
‘ Get ready to go, for you must soon set out.’ ” Indeed,
the Congregation had only been established eight days,
when he was sent for to Scala.
-yl
The first davJ on which he arrived he was ordered to
serve at dinner. As his greatest failing was a horror of
humiliation, the devil represented to him that such an
office was absurd and ignominious. “ What,’’ whispered
the evil one, “are you to serve at dinner just as if you
were a mere servant?” This temptation beset him so
much that he felt inclined to be revenged on him that
had ventured to give him such an office. However, as
he saw that a man of rank who also aspired to be re­
ceived among us had the office of server, his good angel
suggested to him, “Can you not do what he can do?”
He thus conquered his repugnance, and began to serve
quite calmly.
J
This Father was A phonsus himself. Sportelli introduced him to
his frie: , and it is then that he spoke to him about the new Institute.
Ccrzius thus understood the mystery of the providential dream that he
had had: he clearly saw his heavenly vocation, and immediately re­
solved to follow it by rendering thanks to God for such a favor.— Tannoia and YilUcourl, 1. I at the end.

Brother J7tus Curzzus.

281

III.
His Love of Meditation.

From this time he became a special child of grace,
and celestial consolations abounded in his heart. He
was so enlightened during meditation, especially on the
mysteries of the birth and Passion of Christ, and his
feelings were so sensibly affected that he could not help
bursting into tears, and sobbing to such a degree that
it seemed as if the violence of his love for God would
really suffocate him. This took place in a special man­
ner when he received holy Communion; and this he
did almost every day. I often witnessed it myself,
and had to wait some time before he could receive the
sacred Host. His tears and sighs also lasted for a good
while after he had communicated. This plenitude of
divine grace lasted for nearly a year.
As he had then made great progress in virtue, God
deprived him of this sensible fervor that he might attain
a more perfect kind of meditation, and imperceptibly
brought him to a state of contemplation. He however
himself began to fear that God had abandoned him.
“ What has come over me?” said he; “ I cannot meditate.
It is very true that I wish to be united to God, but if I
had to give an account of what I have been thinking
about I could not do so, and I should not even be able
to tell how the time had been spent.” Enlightened,
however, by the graces conveyed in this the sublimest
kind of prayer, he realized the vanity of laboring for
any temporal possession, since all on earth is as smoke,
which passeth away. He ceased to think of his home
and of the friends of his youth, and only thought of how
he might become closely united to his God. He always
kept his eyes cast down to the ground, and his very
appearance showed the recollectedness of his soul.

Wm——rw i

2$2

Noles oh the Life of

iv.

-g·

His Mortification and Humility.

He became indeed a model of humility and mortifica­
tion, and he that had formerly been so susceptible and
proud, and that had such an aversion to every menial
office, did not now disdain publicly to carry the manure
to the garden, or to draw water for the Community.
This last office was by no means an easy one, for the
well was at a distance from the house, and every time
he went there he had to go up the steep mount of Scala
with a heavy pitcher in his hand; yet when he arrived
at our house he used to kneel down before the large
crucifix at the entrance before he had deposited his
burden that he might offer up the fatigue it cost him to
God.
He always went thither with his head bare, in winter
as well as in summer, through reverence for the pres­
ence of God, unless he was expressly forbidden to do so.
He never went near a fire in winter. He was also for
some time in the habit of taking off his shoes and stock­
ings when he went to dig in the garden, and he used to
stand working there with his feet buried in the clay;
but when the Superiors heard of this they forbade him
to do so again.
One day the bishop of Scala told him to empty out
all the water in a large cistern near his palace. As
there was a great quantity of water, his nature revolted
at such a laborious undertaking, but he courageously
pursued it to the end. He was heard repeating to him­
self. ‘’You have made a great fuss, and you may be as
tired as you please, but you must do it all the same,
Brother Vitus.”
Another time he was ordered to help to saw some
boards. As he had never done anything of the kind

Brother Citus Curzius.

2S3

before, he was quite exhausted with this laborious
office. After he had borne the greatest fatigue for two
hours, the workman that was sawing with him said in a
tone of extreme compassion, “ Do rest a little. Brother
Vitus.” “ Xo, no,” he courageously replied; “we must
finish what obedience has put before us.”
Another time, when he was cleaning out the dirtiest
part of the house, a priest said in passing, “ Bah ! what
an offensive smell there is here. Brother Vitus!” “O
how much worse it smells in hell !” he replied.
It so happened that once for nearly a whole winter it
was forgotten to give him any warm clothing, and he
went about in his summer things without saying a word,
although our house at Ciorani is so cold. All the time
he was at Iliceto, where there is another of our houses,
he slept on a board, with nothing but a trunk for a
pillow. In order to mortify himself still more, he
wanted to suck the sore of an old man, but he was for­
bidden to do so.
He wore a sharp-pointed iron girdle about two palms
in length. He also took the discipline to blood with
such frequency and violence, that he thereby wounded
a nerve in his leg, fiom which he suffered for the rest of
his life.
His dinner often consisted in nothing but a little soup
and bread, for he divided the different portions, and that
was all he set aside for himself. As he was at first very
inexperienced in all culinary matters, he one day made
some unleavened bread, which soon became as hard as
lead, and which it was impossible to set before the Com­
munity. However, he had the patience to go on eating
it day by day until it was all eaten. He fasted on bread
and water on Saturdays, in honor of our Blessed Mother
Mary, and he did this even during mission time, al­
though our lay-brothers have then to go through im
mensï fatigue.

284

Noles on the Life of

He never made excuses when reproved. One day our
Father Minister told him not to put so much fruit on
the table, as he thought it superfluous. As Vitus had
acted in obedience to the Rector, he went on putting the
same quantity. The Minister was annoyed at this, and
scolded him and gave him several mortifications for
his disobedience; but he never said a word in extenua­
tion of what he had done. At last the Father Minister
heard of the Superior’s wishes; and while he ceased to
reprove him, he admired his patience in bearing repri­
mands that he had never merited.
Another time when the Superior could not find an im­
portant manuscript that one of our Fathers had ac­
cidentally burnt, he asked Brother Vitus if he knew
what had become of it, and he vaguely replied that it
must have been burnt. As this answer gave cause to
suspect that he was guilty of its destruction, he received
a severe reproof, which he bore in patient silence, to
shelter the Father who really had destroyed it.

V.

His Charity toward his Neighbor.

H

His love for his neighbor was truly admirable. As
soon as he resolved to join us, he distributed all that he
had among the poor.
His charity also towards the sick was inexpressibly
great, and he not only exercised it towards the members
of the Congregation, but even towards strangers. The
attention that Brother Vitus paid to a secular priest who
was taken ill in our house at Ciorani, proves Lhe extent
of his charity. This priest was suffering from a most
offensive and troublesome malady,and it lasted for twenty
days; yet Brother Vitus never left him night or day, and

Brother J7itus Curzius.

2S5

as lie was too weak to move, Vitus had to lift him about
and do everything he required. Holy Week occurred
at this time, yet he cheerfully denied himself the grati­
fication of being present at the devotions of I loly Thurs­
day, that he might not leave his dear invalid.
When he was at Scala he sometimes had to go to
Amalfi to buy provisions for the use of the Community.
When he returned he was at liberty to get the porters
to carry them up the mountain, for it is very steep;
but if he saw that they were overcome by the weight of
their burden and by the difficulty of the ascent, he would
say, “ Now you must rest, and I will help you.” And
he would take their loads from them, and carry them up
the mountain himself,although they often weighed more
than two hundred pounds. One day when one of the
Fathers of the Congregation went to Scala, he heard of
this extraordinary act of charity from two porters whom
he met, who began to inquire of him about Brother Vi­
tus. When he told them that he was no more, they sor­
rowfully exclaimed, “Oh what a saint Brother Vitus
was ! When he gave us goods to carry, he paid us for
doing it, and then carried them himself.”
When he was at Scala, he felt such compassion for the
sufferings of Father Sarnelli, who was ill at the time,
that he took his own mattress and added it to his, to try
and make him more comfortable, although he was in
consequence obliged to lie on the boards himself.
VI.
His Obedience and his Death.

His favorite virtue was that of obedience, and in it con­
sists the essence of religious life. He used to say that
a lay-brother should resemble the bell that is fastened

Notes on the Life of

286

round the neck of a cow, which never rings unless it
moves. “ So a brother,” he would add, “ ought never to
stir to do anything unless prompted to do so by holy
obedience.”
I >9
Indeed he was, as it were, a martyr to this virtue; for
while he was at bur house at Iliceto, the Superior sent
him to a distant village to pass the night. The holy
brother asked for admittance in a monastery in this
neighborhood,
but they refused to receive him. He was
o
therefore obliged to sleep in the open air, and that is
a most unhealth}’ place, and as the weather was also
very unfavorable at the time, it brought on the illness of
which he died. It came on so suddenly, and with such
violence, that he was unable to return to St. Mary’s, and
had to go to bed at the house of a charitable priest at
the very entrance of Iliceto.
31
He bore the sufferings of a tedious illness with admi­
rable patience, and never complained of anything. He
never objected to any remedy, and punctually obeyed
the doctor’s orders. When he was near death, his con­
fessor asked him whether he would rather live or die.
“I only wish what God wishes,” he replied; “ but if I
might make a choice, I should prefer to die, that I might
be free from all danger of offending God, and that I
might see him and be with him in heaven, if, as I trust,
he in his mercy has vouchsafed me the grace of salva­
tion.” Before the holy Viaticum was administered to
him he was asked if he would like to go to confession,
but he answered that by God’s grace he had nothing
more to mention, and he died in a state of heavenly
peace. After his death the inhabitants of the place said
to one another, “ A saint is dead,” and they were eager
to have relics of him The crowd that followed his
corpse to our church showed the veneration of the faith­
ful towards him.
7

*

J

Brother Vitus Curzius.

287

There are many more wonderful things that might
be related of this holy brother, but I have not space to
mention them.
*
* Father Tannoia also praises the obedience of this first brother of the
Congregation. At Scala, being charged with the duty of ringing the
bell for the exercises of the Community, he never failed to do so even
when he was alone at the house. 11 is last illness lasted forty-nine days,
at the house of an ecclesiastic who had the charity to receive him. He
died on Saturday, September 18, 1745. The corpse was solemnly car­
ried to the church of the Redemptorists, and St. Alphonsus, who was
then at Iliceto, offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for him,
being so affected with grief at the loss of the holy brother that he burst
into tears, which several times during the obsequies prevented him from
singing the prayers. People struggled with one another for the pos­
session of the things that had been used by Vitus as if they were holy
relics. Mgr. Amato, bishop of Lacedogna, had entertained so high an
esteem for the deceased, that after the lapse of a few years he obtained
permission to keep the skull of the saintly brother, and he placed it on
the desk before which he usually made his daily meditation. After
twenty years—when the bishop was dead—this venerable relic was re­
stored to the house of the Redemptorists at Iliceto. (Tannoia and Vilkcourt 1. 2, ch. 20.)

VARIOUS SMALLER WORKS.
Sermon on tljc Uosnrn.
ADDITION TO THE ABRIDGED SERMONS FOR SUNDAYS.

The pious custom of reciting the Rosary has long

been introduced into all cities and country-places; the
faithful love to gain the treasure of the innumerable in­
dulgences granted by the Sovereign Pontiff to persons
who are associated with the confraternity of the Rosary,
and who recite it with devotion. Hence the parish
priests have expressed the desire to have, besides the
sermon proper to the Sunday of the year, a sermon on
the holy Rosary for the first Sunday of October, the
day on which the Church celebrates the feast. Wishing
to acquiesce in so pious a desire, we have judged it advis­
able to add to the present work the following sermon.1

Sermon for the .first Gunban of (October,
ON THE ROSARY.

In the thirteenth century of our salvation, St. Domi­

nic was greatly afflicted, seeing the deplorable state in
which the Christian religion was on account of the vices
1 1 his little notice and the sermon that follows are found immedi­
ately after the last of the Abridged Sermons for Sundays in a Nea­
politan edition which appeared in i774. For the indulgence attached
to the devotion of the Rosary, sec Volume VIII., page 148, and for the
consideration of the mysteries, Volume XV., page 133._ En.
288

Sermon on the Rosary.

289

and heresies which filled Germany and France, and
which, passing through Italy, had penetrated as far as
Ruine itself. Desirous of opposing a barrier to such a
ilood of errors and sins, he had recourse to the august
Mother of God, who approved of his zealous intentions,
and suggested to him as a remedy for so great an evil
the devotion of the Rosary. The saint at once began
to preach this devotion, and he did so with so much
fruit that large numbers of people, even entire cities,
were seen thoroughly to reform. Conversions were so
astonishing and so universal, that, as the Journal of the
Dominicans attests, when the people heard of the mem
bers of any family leading bad lives, they usually said
that they cither did not recite the Rosary or they re
cited it badly.
Now in order that we may profit by this devotion and
know how to recite the Rosary, the present sermon will
be divided into two parts. In the first part, we shall
see how the Rosary should be recited in order that it
may be meritorious; in the second, what we must do
in order that it may be profitable to us.
I. How the Rosary should be Recited in Order that it may be
Meritorious.

The Rosary is a prayer. Prayer is defined by St.
John Damascene: “ An elevation of the mind to God.” '
Λ raising or elevation of the mind to God, without
which there is no true prayer. It is divided into men­
tal prayer and vocal prayer: mental prayer consists
whollyy in the interior exercise of the mind; vocal
prayer consists in praising God and praying to him
with the tongue and the mind. If one speaks to God
only with the tongue, this wrould be a prayer without
fruit and without merit, like that of a parrot which
articulates words without knowing what it says, ac1 “ Ascensio mentis ad Deum.”
19

290

Sermon on the Rosary.

cording to the explanation given by St. Bonaventure:
“ Whoever prays only with the voice, without any appli­
cation of the mind, without knowing what he says, who
does not see that he is like a parrot ?” ‘
I
The elevation of the mind required in the recitation
of the Rosary should be a pious meditation on the joy­
ous, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries; hence, while we
are reciting with the voice the “ Our Fathers” and the
“ Hail Marys” which compose the Rosary, we should
consider with our thoughts the mystery that belongs to
each decade.
It is true that a vocal prayer, like the Rosary, maybe
meritorious without the application of the mind to the
consideration of the designated mysteries; it is suffi­
cient that one reflects either on the presence of God,his
omnipotence, his mercy, or some of his other perfections;
either on the temporal or eternal chastisements which one
merits, or on other subjects that refer to God; but if
one recites the Rosary with such thoughts, and not
while considering its mysteries, one does not gain the
indulgences granted by the Sovereign Pontiff, as Bene­
dict XIII. has expressly declared.
We mistake, then, if we think that we have some
merit when in reciting the Rosary we permit ourselves
to listen to those that speak, to look at what is done, to
interrupt ourselves often, in order to speak of what we
see or to give answers to questions put to us. We
should then deserve the reproach of the Lord: This
people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is farfrom
Me.' And would to God that we gave ourselves up

merely to distractions without going so far as to medi­
tate revenge, harbor feelings of hatred, or occupy our1 “Qui sola voce precatur, sine mentis applicatione, nesciens quid
dicat, quisnon videt hunc psitaco similem esse ”
’ “ Populus hic labiis me honorat ; cor autem eorum longe est a
me.”—Mati. xv. 8.

1
Sermon on the Rosary.

291

selves with wicked thoughts; for then, very far from
acquiring merit, we should make ourselves worthy of
eternal chastisements’
*
If therefore we wish to find in the devotion of the
Rosary a sure support in the hope that we have of
saving our souls by the means of it, it should produce
in us true amendment, a true reform of our lives, ac­
cording to what the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of God,
expects of us. But we shall never obtain this fruit, if
in the recitation of the Rosary there is not united to
our voice a pious meditation on these mysteries, which
place before our eyes the loving inventions, the labors,
the humiliations, and the sufferings of Jesus Christ.
There are some that deceive themselves still more:
they are those that imagine that in carrying with them
the Rosary they find themselves fortified with a form­
idable arm against the devil, and thus promise them­
selves a good death; they rely on the recital of anti­
quated examples of sinners, who, after a life full of
crimes, because they recited and carried with them the
Rosary, obtained through the intercession of Mary the
grace of dying repentant. But these examples, if true,
are miraculous; and I do not think that any one among
you loves his soul so little that he wishes to save it only
by a miracle. What is certain is that one often sees
sinners die without the sacraments and without any
sign of contrition, although they had carried about with
them the Rosary and recited it as you do. Should not
these examples, which are so frequent, fill you with
terror? and as to the miraculous examples, which are
very rare, do they take from you all fear of dying a bad
death, and give you the assurance that you will die
well? If I must say to you what I think, I should say:
As for those Christians that live without the fear of God,
and that rest their hope of salvation on the Rosary,
which they recite through habit and without the least

Sermon oh the Rosary.
devotion, I very much tear that at their death the devil
may frighten them with this very Rosary by repre­
senting to them the little devotion that they have had
in the manner of reciting it, and the life that they have
led,—a life altogether contrary to the mysteries that
thev should have honored and to the end for which the
Rosary was established by the Blessed Virgin.
Ahi my dear brethren, if you wish to be saved through
tiie protection of Mary, it is fitting that you should
make a better use of the devotions instituted in her
honor; for we know that by the devotions badly per­
formed and undertaken in order to live without the fear
of the justice of God, far from obtaining the protection
of the Blessed Virgin, we only provoke her dislike.
2. What we must do in Order that the Rosary may be Profit­
able to Us.

It is not sufficient for him who recites the Rosary to
have a pure heart or a good intention: he must also have
a pure tongue. The devotion of the Rosary flourished
in all the houses; but which is the house in which it
flu ,rh ec vita the good odor with which the holy king
Da^ ’ : lesired his prayer to be embalmed so that it might
be agreeable to God' Lord, he said, may my prayer
rise as incense in Thy presence: Let my prayer be directed
as incense in Th\ sight.' I fear that your Rosaries are
ce fie flowers of Egypt, of which Pliny says that they
are without odor: as a flower without odor is hardlv*
agreeable or even disagreeable, so also the roses—I mean
the Rosaries that you offer to Mary—are hardly agreeable
a . even d sagreeable to Mary, because they are odor­
less.

1

The sad cause of this misfortune may be traced to
the unbecoming words that so often come forth from
your mouth: they take away the good odor of your
“ Dir gatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo.”—P$, cxj 2.

Sermon on the Rosary.

293

prayers, because they cannot please the Mother of God.
Thus there are some that cannot speak ten words with­
out interlarding them with some indecent expression;
others when they become angry utter very gross lan­
guage; many can hardly bring forward some pleasantry
without saying an immodest word. This detestable
habit, besides the evil that it inflicts directly upon souls,
does great injury to the exercises of piety, and espe­
cially to the Rosary; for the Blessed Virgin could not
accept these Rosaries which are presented to her with
tongues that are in so bad a state.
It must not be understood that I here speak of those
filthy words that spread a pestilential odor of lascivi­
ousness, and that the devil makes us regard as permis­
sible in order to enliven the company,—words that are
a cause of scandal by exciting in the mind and heart
bad thoughts and impure affections: I mean those that
contain injurious reproaches, express rude, indecent, and
shameful things. How many times do we not see people
who, irritated on account of vain or unreasonable things,
vomit forth a torrent of injuries and intemperate dis­
courses! How many times, incensed against their chil­
dren, their workmen, their servants, do they wish them
a thousand evils, and threaten them in coarse and out­
rageous terms! It often happens that others who hear
this begin to speak in the same way. How can one be­
lieve that the Rosary, when we recite it with a tongue
thus sullied, can be agreeable to the Mother of purity?
If one offered a lady flowers or fruits deposited in an
unclean basket or vessel, instead of being pleased with
such a present, she would be offended by it; how then
can one imagine that the Blessed Virgin wishes tp accept
the prayers and the Rosaries that are offered to her on
a tongue accustomed to utter unclean and« shameful
words ?
Xicephorus, in his history of the Church, relates that

294

Sermon on the Rosary.

there came forth from the body of St. Glyceria a liquid
which, gathered in a vessel of bronze, produced marvel­
lous effects, especially for the healing of the sick. The
bishop then thought it fit, out of respect, to substitute
a vessel of silver for the vessel of bronze; but at that
very moment the precious liquid ceased to flow. After
many penances and prayers it was learnt by revelation
that this change was due to the fact that the vessel of
silver had been before used for profane uses, that ren­
dered it unfit; the vessel was then removed and the
miracle continued its course.
St. Jerome says that lips employed in praising, pray­
ing, and blessing the Lord should never be sullied by
any sin: “ Il is wrong that those lips with which you
confess, ask, and bless the Lord should be polluted by
the stain of any sin.” 1 Xow if it is such an indignity
to sully one’s tongue for a bad purpose, what great evil
will it not be to sully it at every moment by so many
indecent, shameful, and immodest words ! And could
one still maintain that the Blessed Virgin would regard
as agreeable the Rosary recited I y such a tongue ?
There are people who say that they make no scruple
of using indecent words, that these words are after all
not blasphemies, which deserve to be earnestly con­
demned, but that thev are venial faults, which of themselves do not take away the merit of prayer. However,
we answer that they are the flies which the Holy Ghost
says spoil the perfume of delicious ointment: Dying flies
spoil the sweetness of the ointment? Those venial sins are
the cause why the fervor of charity and consequently
devotion are lost: so that the Rosary has not the merit
which renders it dear to Mary, nor so efficacious as to
procure the graces which he always obtains who recites
1 Nefas e’st ut labia illa, quibus Dominum confiteris, rogas, bene­
dicis, alicujus polluantur sorde peccati.”
’ “ Muscæ morientes perdunt suavitatem unguenti.”—Eccles, x. i.

Sermon on the Rosary.

295

it devoutly. Although immodest words are not blas­
phemies, yet they are very grave venial faults that cause
the soul very great injury. Hence St. John Chrysostom
exhorts all the faithful to refrain from them, and says
that he cannot conceive how a defiled tongue can offer
prayer to God: “ Do not suffer the tongue to be defiled;
for in what manner will it pray for thee?”
Venial sin diminishes the fervor of charity. Charity,
says St. Paul, makes us do great things with prompt­
ness and perfection; it renders us patient, and makes us
bear every pain; it makes us rejoice at the good, anil
that we never rejoice at the evil that befalls others; it
prevents us from acting wrongly; it makes us detest
pride and all ambition, that we do not cling to self­
interest, that we do not judge ill of any one, that we
love the truth, that we treat every one with meekness
and humility: Charity is patient, is hind: Charity envieth
not, de ale th not perversely, is not puffed up. Is not ambitious,
'seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no
evil. Rejoiccth not in iniquity, but rcjoiccth with the truth :
bearcth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endurcth all things.1 All those that are in the state of

grace possess charity; but venial sin is particularly that
which is voluntary, frequent, habitual, aS are immodest
words which we utter every day; they are, therefore, the
cause why prayers are recited without merit, because
the want of fervor in charity always renders them poorer
in virtue, more imperfect, colder, and consequently less
agreeable in the sight of God and the Blessed Virgin.
Hence St. James rightly says that he who does not wish
to control his tongue has not true devotion, but a vain
’ “ Charitas patiens est, benigna est; charitas non æmulatur, non
agit perperam, non inflatur, non est ambitiosa, non quærit quæ sua
sunt, non irritatur, non cogitat malum; non gaudet super iniquitate,
congaudet autem veritati; omnia suffert, omnia credit, omnia sperat,
omnia sustinet. ”—i Cor. xiii. 4.

Ser/non on the Rosary.
devotion, only the appearance of it: Ami if any man think
himself to be a religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving
his 070n heart, this man's religion is vain.1

If then you wish that the recitation of the Rosary
should be meritorious and profitable to your souls,
besides the possession of purity of heart, it will be
necessary for you to employ a pure tongue and always
to consider the great evil which is caused by the con­
trary vice; for scandal, bad example, given to your
children and to others by your immodest or unbecom­
ing words, induce them to contract from their tender
youth the habit of always using such words, according
to what the Holy Ghost says: Their children also and
grandchildren, as their fathers did, so do they unto this dayA

Consequently, you will have to render an account before
the tribunal of God, and you will be justly punished.
We must, therefore, abstain from this vice in order to
avoid scandal and to render the recitation of the Rosary
meritorious. Consider, moreover, that the merit and
profit will yet be greater if we recite the Rosary with
devotion in the company of members of the family or
of other persons, and this because of the good example
that results therefrom, and because the Lord is pleased
to find himself in the midst of those that unite to glorify
his name, as he has himself declared: For where there are
two or three gathered together in Aly name, there I am in the
midst of the mA
I

Let us add, that the Rosary may be profitable, not
only to our souls, but also to the souls of the dead, to
whom, says the Blessed Alanus, God sends his mercy
‘‘Si quis autem putat se religiosum esse, non refrenans linguam
suam, sed seducens cor suum, hujus vana est religio.”—James, i. 26.
Filii eorum et nepotes, sicut fecerunt patres sui, ita faciunt usque
in præsentem diem."—4 Kings, xvii. 41.
L’tzi enim cunt duo vel 1res congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in
medio eorum.”—Matt, xviii. 20.

Sermon on the Rosary.
»

through this means: “The Blessed Trinity sends to the
dead mercy through the psalter of Mary, the Mother of
mercy.” 1 It is most pleasing to God if we procure re­
lief to these suffering souls; it is a holy and salutary
act: It is therefore a holy ami wholesome thought to fray for
the dead! And the Oueen of heaven has declared herself their affectionate Mother, as she has revealed to St.
Bridgett: “ I am the Mother of all that are in purgatory." 1
They are even under her authority, says St. Bernardine
of Sienna: “ The Blessed Virgin has dominion in the
kingdom of purgatory.”4
We should, therefore, not neglect so pious an exercise
as is the recitation of the Rosary; we should try to
recite it with a pure heart and a pure tongue in the
company of the family and of other persons. If we
thus recite it with a true devotion, it will be of very
great profit for the salvation of our souls and for the
solace of the souls of the dead.
1 “ Misericordiam mortuis mittit Trinitas per psalterium Mariæ,
Matris misericordiae.”
s “ Sanctæ ergo et salubris est cogitatio, pro defunctis exorare.”—
2 Mach. xii. 46.
2 ·’ Ego sum Mater omnium qui sunt in purgatorio.”
4 “ Beata Virgo in regno purgatorii dominium habet.”

2q8

Sermon on I he Passion,

Germon on tljc passion of Sesns QHjrist.
*
Alas, what melancholy signs strike me in this tem­

ple ! I see the dark appearance, I notice the despoiled
altars; I hear the melancholy chant ! Ah ! I under­
stand: these are signs of the grief that the Church feels,
lamenting the death of Jesus her Spouse. It is there­
fore just that on this day we unite our tears to those of
the Church, who is our Mother, and that we devote our­
selves to the consideration of the death of our God, who
after a life of pain wished to die for us on an infamous
gibbet, in an abyss of shame and suffering.
Æ
Come, O holy cross! come and show thyself to this
people; thou art the fortunate Ark in which one can find
salvation in the midst of the shipwreck of this world;
thou art the wonderful Rod that gives to men the
strength to be able to become from monsters of ini­
quity flourishing rods of holy virtues; thou art the
brazen Serpent at the sight of which sinners, poisoned
by sin, may recover health; thou art the predestined
and resplendent Tree chosen among thousands to sus­
tain the members of the Redeemer; and thou art, finally,
the sorrowful Altar on which the Saviour of the world
wished to be immolated for our salvation. Give me the
strength and all the help that I need to represent to
these faithful souls the ignominies, the sufferings, and
the anguish which Jesus Christ endured when upon
thee he left this world.
The whole life of Jesus Christ was full of sufferings
and ignominies; but there are especially three sad scenes
of his pains in which he gave us the greatest marks of
* It is not known at what time St. Alphonsus composed this sermon;
we think it belongs to the first period of his sacerdotal life. Nearly
all that it contains is found in Volume V.—Ed.

Sermon on the Passion.

299

his love for us: the first is the Garden of Olives; the
second, the Pretorium; the third, Calvary.
The first of these scenes in which the Passion of our
Redeemer began was hidden from the eyes of men, but
not from the eyes of God and of the angels.
First Scene : The Garden of Olives.

Having on Thursday evening washed the feet of his
disciples after giving himself to us in the sacrament of
the altar as a pledge of his tender love for us, our ami­
able Saviour arrived at the garden about midnight, and
prostrating himself on the ground, he began to pray
Then he was assailed by great fear, great repugnance,
and great sadness.
He began then to feel great fear of the death and of
the pains which he was to suffer: He began to fear' But
how? did he not offer himself voluntarily to undergo
these torments? He was offered because it was His own
will.2 Did he not ardently desire this time of his Pas­
sion according to what he had said to his disciples a
little while before: With desire I have desired to eat this
Pasch with you before I suffer2 How, after this, was he
seized with so great a fear of death that he went so far
as to ask his Father to be delivered from it: My Father,
if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me V Ah ! cer­
tainly our good Lord wished to die for us, and thus to
show us the love that he bore us; but in order that the
men might understand what cruel anguish and what
deluge of evils he was going to undergo in his Passion,
he allowed so horrible a fear to come over him: He
beocan to
J fear.
1 · ‘ Coepit pavere.”—Mark, xiv. 33.
- “ Oblatus est, quia ipse voluit.”—Is. liii. 7.
8 “ Desiderio desideravi hoc pascha manducare vobiscum, antequam
patiar.”—Luke, xxii. 15.
4 “ Pater mi, si possibile est, transeat a me calix iste.”—Matt.
xxvi. 39.

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Permoti on the Passion.

And to be heavy : He also began to feel great repug­

nance at the sight of the pains that had been prepared
for him. When one feels repugnance, even delightful
things become painful. Hence with such a repugnance
what punishment for the heart of Jesus, what horrible
sight then presented itself to his mind of all the inte­
rior and exterior torments which were to deprive him of
life by afflicting so cruelly his body and his blessed soul !
lie distinctlv saw all the sufferings that awaited him, the
mockeries, the outrages, the injuries, the buffets, the
thorns, the cross, and above all that ignominious and
desolate death which he was to suffer on an infamous
gibbet, abandoned by every one, by men and by God,
in an abyss of sorrows and opprobrium. This is what
caused him so bitter a repugnance that he was obliged
to ask his eternal Father for strength: He began to fear
and to be heavy.
I
With this fear and repugnance Jesus felt at the same
time great sadness and great affliction of mind: he began
to grow sorrowful and to be sad.'—But, O Lord! is it not
Thou that hast given to Thy martyrs such a force in suf­
ferings that they went so far as to despise torments
and death and to submit to them with joy? How then
does it happen that for Thyself, O Jesus! Thou hast re­
served Thyself to suffer by dying in so great sadness ?—
Ah'. I know the reason ; forat this moment there were pre­
sented to his mind all the sins of the world, the blasphe­
mies, the sacrileges, the impurities, and all the other sins
that men were going to commit after his death. Each
one of these sins came then as a cruel monster to tear
his heart by its own malice. It seems that then in his
agony our afflicted Saviour was obliged to say: O men!
is it thus that you respond to the immense love that I
have borne towards you ? Alas! after so many suffer­
ings endured for you, to see so many sins ! after so many
1 “ Cœpit contristari et mœstus esse.”—Matt. xxvi. 37.

Sermon on the Passion.

301

proofs of my lovh, to see so much ingratitude! It is that
which afflicts me, makes me sad even unto death, and
makes me sweat blood: And his sweat became as drops oj
Hood trickling down upon the ground.'

O my tender Jesus! I do not notice in this garden
scourges, thorns, nails, which wound Thee; yet I see
Thee bathed in blood from head to foot. MyJ sins therefore were the cruel pressure which, by the violence of the
affliction and of sadness, forced so much blood from Thy
heart. I have myself been one of Thy most cruel exe­
cutioners.
X
But should we stop here in conversing with Jesus
when he is already hurrying to meet his Passion which
he so much desires? In fact, there is'Judas, who is ac­
companied by a troop of Jews and soldiers, and who is
coming to seize Jesus in the garden. Jesus secs him
coming, and what does he do? A’et bathed in blood,
with his heart all inflamed with love of us, he rises, and
says to the three disciples who were with him: Rise up,
let us go. Behold, he that will betray inc is at hand? Come
let us meet the enemies who are coming to arrest me.
When Jesus was in their presence, Judas advanced, ex­
tended his arms and gave him a kiss. This kiss was the
sign of treason: on this account Jesus addressed this
word of reproach to the traitor: Judas, betrayest thou the
Son of man with a kiss I2
() Judas! is it by a kiss that
thou betrayest the Son of man ? He afterwards asked
the Jews whom they were seeking: Whom do you seek I '
They answered: Jesus of Nazareth. After this they
brutally seized him, and bound him like a criminal: They
1 “Et factus est sudor ejus, sicut guttæ sanguinis decurrentis in ter­
ram.”—Luke, xxii. 44.
9 “ Surgite, eamus: ccce, qui me tradet, prope est.”—Mark, xiv.
3 “ Juda, osculo Filium hominis tradis?”—Luke, xxiv. 48.
4 “Quem quærilis ?”—John, xviii. 4.

Sernto n on the Passion.
Alas’, a God bound like a
“O King
Ό of kings!
O ” cries out St. Bernard,
weeping, “ what hast Thou to do with chains ?” 3 Chains
..-e for malefactors, and not for Thee who are innocent,
the Saint of saints. “ Look, O man!” says St. Bonaveoture. "at these dogs dragging him along.” 3
wJesus then bound, in the midst of this vile soldiery, is
pushed out of the garden, and led to Jerusalem before
the Prince of priests. And where are his disciples? do
not at least they accompany their Master in order to de­
fend him ? No, all left him : Then his disciples, lea; ζ him,
all •fled
He then enters Jerusalem during the night. At the
noise that so many people make in their march, those
that are in the houses awaken and. approaching the win­
dows. ask what prisoner they are leading away. They
answer that it is Jesus of Xazareth, who has been found
out to be an impostor, a seducer.
J
He is presented t Caiphas, who was expecting him;
t . s proud 'nigh-priest is silting, and Jesus is standing
before him, having his hands tied like a criminal, hold­
ing his eves cast down, all humility and meekness. The
nigh-priest interrogates him on the doctrine that he
taught; Jesus answered that he had spoken publicly be­
fore every one. and that the witnesses present who had
hea^d him knew what he had said: I have spoken to the
*. < [esus a"S hound him}

'rld; . . . Behold, they know what thirds I have said}

After an answer so just and so moderate, an executioner
advances and gives him a severe blow on the cheek, say‘ “ Comprehenderunt Jesum, et ligaverunt eurr. "—John. xviii. 12.
* “O Rex regum’, quid tibi et vinculis?
**
—De Pass. c. 4.
’“
nere, homo, canes istos -.rabentes eum.”—Afed. vù. Chr. c. 75.
4 “Tunc discipuli ejus relinquentes eum, omnes fugerunt.”_ Mark,
xiv. 50.
I
1 “ Ego palam locutus sum mundo; . . . ecce hi sciunt qiue dixerim
ego. —John, xviii. 20.
j

Sermon on the Passion.

303

ing in his fury: Answerest thou the high-priest so) How
could an answer so humble m^rit so gross an insult in
the presence of this assembly? The high-priest, how­
ever, instead of rebuking his insolent servant, remains
silent, and by his silence approves of his conduct. But
then Jesus said to the servant: If I have spoken evil, give
testimony of the evil; but if well, why str ikest thou me P

Then Caiphas commanded Jesus in the name of God
to say whether he was the Son of God: I adjure Thee,
by the Hz ing God, that thou tell us if Thou be the Christ the
Son of God! Our Lord then, asked in the name of God,
confessed thetruth, saying: lam;4 and one day vou shall

see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the
Father, and coming on the clouds of heaven to judge the
world. At these words, Caiphas, instead of falling pros­
trate on his face to adore the Son of God, rends his gar­
ments and exclaims: He hath blasphemed 14 Then ad­
dressing the other priests, he asked their counsel and
said: Now you have heard the blasphemy. IChat think you )
And all answered: He is guilty of death! Yes, my Jesus,
Thou deservest death, since Thou hast wished to make
satisfaction for the sins of men.
Then the executioners seized him, and treating him
as a man already condemned to death, they began to
spit in his face and to buffet him: Then did they spit in his
face, and others struck his face with the palms of their hands!

Then having bandaged his eyes, and mocking him as a
1 “Sic respondes Pontifici?’—Ibid. 22.
• ** Si male locutus sum. testimonium perhibe de malo: si autem bene,
quid me caedis?”—Ibid. 23.
3 “ Adjuro te per Deum vivum, ut dicas nobis, si tu es Christus, Filius
Dei.”—Matt. xxvi. 63.
4 “ Ego sum.” . . . J “ Blasphemavitl”. **
...·
Reus est mortis.”
’ -‘Tunc exspuerunt in faciem ejus, et colaphis eum ceciderunt: alii
autem palmas in faciem ejus dederunt.-—Matt. xxvi. 67.

304

Sermon on the Passion.

false prophet, they said: Prophesy unto us, 0 Christ, who
is he that struck Thee,'

·

31

When the morning was come, they conducted Jesus to
Pilate in order to have him condemned to death. Pi­
late, finding no reason to condemn him, declared him
innocent: I find no fault in him? However, as the Jews
insisted, he sent him to lierod to be judged by him.
Herod was delighted to see Jesus in his court, because
he hoped that our Lord would perform some miracles
about which he had heard others speak. He then pro­
posed many questions to him, but Jesus remained silent.
Then this proud tyrant ordered him to be clothed with
a white garment as if he were a fool, and he sent him
back to Pilate after having exposed him to the mockery
and contempt of his entire court: And Herod,with his
army, set Him at nought; and mocked Him, putting on Him a
white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate? O Son of

God! O Eternal Wisdom! Thou wouldst submit even
to the ignominy of being treated as a fool !
Pilate, in order to avoid condemning an innocent man,
seeing that he was not successful in sending Jesus to
Herod, devised another means. As the people had a
right of asking the Roman governor for the liberation
of a prisoner at the Paschal solemnity, Pilate proposed
to them to choose between Jesus Christ and Barabbas,
who was a wicked man, a homicide; but the people, in­
stigated by the hatred of the priests, who wished the
death of Jesus Christ, began to cry out that they pre­
ferred Barabbas: Hot this man, but .Barabbas? This is
what he does that commits a mortal sin: it is then pro1 “ Prophetiza nobis, Christe, quis est, quite percussit.”—Matt.
xxvi. 68.
4
2 “ Ego nullam invenio in co causam.”—Luke, xxiii. n.
2 ” Sprevit autem illum Herodes cum exercitu suo, et illusit indu­
tum veste alba; et remisit ad Pilatum.”—Luke, xxiii. n.
4 “ Non hunc, sed Barabbam.”

Sermon on the Passion.

305

posed to him to choose between Jesus Christ and the
sin that he wishes to commit, as the sin of revenge, of a
certain pleasure, etc.: when he gives his consent, it is as
if he said: Not this man, but Barabbas; I prefer Barab­
bas to Jesus Christ.
After having proposed Jesus Christ and Barabbas to
the choice of the people, and seeing that this means was
unsuccessful, Pilate thought of having him scourged
and then set at liberty: I will chastise Him, therefore, and
release Him.' Here we are then at the second scene of
the sufferings of Jesus Christ: Thcn,thercfore, Pilate took
Jesus and scourged Him? () how much less would he
have suffered if Pilate had had less compassion for him,
and if he had without delay condemned him to the
death of the cross! All this served but to increase the
sufferings and humiliations of our Saviour.
Second Scene : The Pretorium.

Having arrived at the pretorium, our loving Jesus,
obedient to the executioners, strips himself of his
garments, embraces the column, and then lays on it his
hands to have them bound.—My God, already is begun
the cruel torture! O angels of heaven! come and look
on this sorrowful spectacle, and if it be not permitted
you to deliver your king from this barbarous slaughter
which men have prepared for him, at least come and
weep for compassion.—And ye, Christian souls, imagine
yourselves to be present at this horrible tearing of the
flesh of your beloved Redeemer; look on him how he
stands,—your afflicted Jesus—with his head bowed,
looking on the ground, blushing all over for shame, he
awaits this great torture. Behold these barbarians,
like so many ravenous dogs, are already with the
scourges attacking this innocent Lamb. See how one
1 “ Emendatum ergo illum dimittam.”—Luke, xxiii. 16.
2 ‘ ‘ Tunc ergo apprehendit Pilatus Jesum, et flagellavit.”—John, xix. 1.
20

ςοό
V?

Sermon on the Passion,

beats him on the breast, another strikes his shoulders,
another smites his loins and his legs; even his sacred
head and beautiful countenance cannot escape the blows.
Ah me! already flows that divine blood from every part;
already with that blood are saturated the scourges, the
hands of the executioners, the column and the ground.
“ He is wounded,” mourns St. Laurence Justinian,
“ over his whole body, torn with the scourges; now they
twine round his shoulders, now round his legs—streaks
upon streaks, wounds added to fresh wounds.” 1
I
Ah, cruel men, with whom are you dealing thus ?
Stay—stay; know that you are making a mistake. This
man whom vou are torturing is innocent and holy; it is
we λνΐιο are the culprits; to us, to us, who have sinned,
are these stripes and torments due. O eternal Father!
how canst Thou behold Thy beloved Son suffering thus,
and not interfere in his behalf? λλ hat is the crime that
he has ever committed, to deserve so shameful and so
severe a punishment?—For the wickedness of
people
have I struck Him ê I well know, says the eternal Father,
that this mv Son is innocent; but inasmuch as he has
offered himself as a satisfaction to my justice for all the
sins of mankind, it is fitting that I should abandon him
to the rage of his most cruel enemies.
J
Ye barbarians, are you not yet satisfied ? No; they
are not yet satisfied. After having thus scourged him,
these executioners wish to treat him as a mock king.
What do they do? They make him sit upon a stone,
put upon his shoulders a scarlet cloak in imitation of
the purple, and into his hand a reed for a sceptre, and
upon his head for a crown a bundle of thorns which
covers it entirely from the forehead to the neck; and in
Caeditur totoque flagris corpore dissipatur ; nunc scapulas, nunc
crura cingunt ; vulnera vulneribus et plagas plagis recentibus addunt/’
—Dt Tr. Chr. Ag. c. II.
Λ
3 “ Propter scelus populi mei percussi eum.”—Matt, xxvii. 30.

Sermon on the Passion,

307

I

order that the thorns might sufficiently enter the head,
they took a reed and beat with all their might the cruel
crown into the head of Jesus: They took the reed and

I
I
II

struck His head'

II

It is not yet enough: bending the knee before him,
they mocked him, saying: We salute thee, O king of
the Jews! Then rising, they laugh at him, mock him,
and buffet him: And bowing the knee before Him, they de-

I
I
I
I
I

rided Him, saying, Hail King of the Jews;' and they gave
Him blows:

Approach, devout souls,and acknowledge himasyour
Saviour, while his enemies are maltreating and mocking
him. Yes, he is a king; but at this moment he is the
king of sorrows: he is, however, a king of love, since
for the love of you he suffers all these pains.
After having thus scourged him and crowned him
with thorns, they seized him as he was, all covered with
wounds and blood, and led him to Pilate. The latter,
seeing him reduced to a state so worthy of compassion,
thought it would be sufficient, in order to pacify the
Jews, to show them such as he was. He therefore led
him forth before them, and exhibiting him to the people,
said to them: Behold the man. Pilate went forth agam
to them, . . . and saith unto them, Behold the man;* as
though he would have said: Behold the man whom you
feared wished to make himself your king; see him redticed to such a state that he cannot live any longer.
Let him go and die in his own house; he has but a short
time to live; see him reduced to such a state that he
has scarcely the appearance of a man. Permit him,
1 “Acceperunt arundinem, et percutiebant caput ejus."—Matt,
xx vi i. 30.
5 “ Et genu flexo ante eum, illudebant ei, dicentes : Ave Rex Judæorum !”—xxvii. 29.
2 “ Et dabant ei alapas. "—John, xix. 3.
* “ Exivit ergo iterum Pilatus foras. ... et dicit eis : Ecce Homo.”

’"J·

I
I
I
|
■

II
I
I
I
||
|
||

II
II
■

11
II
H

H

II
B

H
M
II
H

Sermon on the Passion.
therefore, to be set at liberty, your anger against him
being sufficiently appeased. If, notwithstanding, you
ask that I should condemn him to death, I declare to
vou that I cannot do so, because I find no reason to
condemn him: I find no fault in Him.'
As Pilate from the balcony showed Jesus to the peo: e, so at the time the same eternal Father from heaven
showed us his well-beloved Son, by saying, Behold the
man: Behold this man, who is my only begotten Son,
whom I love with the same love wherewith I love my­
self! This is My beloved Son, in J Thom I am well pleased
*
Behold the Man, your Saviour, him whom I have prom­
ised, and for whom you were anxiously waiting. He
has become a man of sorrows. Behold him, and see to
what a pitiable condition he has reduced himself through
the love that he has borne towards you. Oh, look at
him, and love him! and if his divine qualities move you
not, at least let these sorrows and ignominies which he
suffers for you move you to love him.
But did the words of Pilate satisfy the cruelty of the
enemies of Jesus Christ? On the contrary, the chief
priests raised their voices, and cried out: Away with
Him! away with Him! crucify Him!12*4 Pilate, however,
still resisted, and refused to condemn Jesus. Then they
threatened to accuse him as an enemy of Cæsarif he re­
fused to pronounce sentence: If thou lettest this Man go,
thou art no friend of Ctesarsi They thus succeeded in
obtaining the desired condemnation; but before pro­
nouncing it, Pilate washed his hands, declaring himself
innocent of the death of this just man: I am innocent of
1 *' Ego enim non invenio in eo causam.”—John, xix. 6.
1 ” Hit est Filius meus dilectus, in quo mihi bene complacui.”—Matt, χνίί. 5«
4
“Tolle, tolle: crucifige cum.”—John, xix. u.
4 “ Si hunc dimittis, non es amicus Cæsaris.”—Ibid. 12.

Sermon on the Passion.

3°9

O injustice un­
heard of in this world: the judge declares the accused
to be innocent, and at the same lime he condemns him
to death!
Unhappy Jews, you then said: His blood be upon us, and
upon our children: You have prayed for the chastise­
ment; it has already come; your children bear to the
end of the world the punishment due to the shedding
of that innocent blood.
The unjust sentence is read: Jesus accepts it in ex­
piation of our sins: He humbled Himself, becoming obedi­

the blood of this just Afan; look you to it.

ent unto death, even the death of the cross?

After the publication of the sentence Jesus is again
clothed in his garments that he might be recognized,
disfigured as he is by such bad treatment. The cross is
presented to him; Jesus embraces it, it is placed upon
his shoulders, and he begins to walk towards Calvary:
And bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place
which is called Calvaryf The condemned criminals now

come forth from Pilate’s residence, and in the midst of
them there goes also our condemned Lord, carrying him­
self the wood upon which he is to die. O heavens! this
Messias, who a few days before, on Palm Sunday, was
received with the acclamations and benedictions of the
people: Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord! '
See him now in the same streets, bound, execrated by
all, moving along to die the death of a criminal. What
a spectacle to see a God led to execution! The appear1 “ Innocens ego sum a sanguine justi hujus ; vos videritis.”—
Matt, xxvii. 24.
2 “ Sanguis ejus super nos et super filios nostros.”
“ Humiliavit semetipsum, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mor­
tem autem crucis.”—-John, xix. 15.
4 Et bajulans sibi crucem, exivit in eum, qui dicitur Calvariæ,
locum.”—Matt. xxi. 9.
5 “ Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini!
xix, 17.

3æ

Se ntt ο n on the Passion.

ance of Jesus in this journey was so pitiable that it made
all those shed tears that saw him: And there followed
Him a great multitude of people, and of women who bewailed
and lamented Him.' Ah! look at him also, you who love

Jesus Christ; see his torn flesh, his dripping blood, the
crown of thorns upon his head, the heavy cross upon
his shoulders; and while one of the executioners drags
him violently along by a rope, see how painful is his
walk, see his body bent double, his trembling knees,so
that it seems as if he would expire at every step.
O divine Lamb! hast Thou not yet Thy fill of suffer­
ings? How dear did it cost Thee to make me compre­
hend the love which Thou hast for me! Oh, grant me
those aids to love Thee which Thou hast merited for
me by so many sufferings! Bestow upon me that sacred
fire which Thou didst come to enkindle upon earth by
dying for us. Be ever reminding me of Thy death that
I may never forget to love Thee.
Isaias predicted that our Lord would carry the cross
upon his shoulders as a mark of his reign: His govern­
ment was upon His shoulders The cross, says Tertullian,
was precisely the noble instrument whereby Jesus Christ
made acquisition of so many souls; since by dying
thereon he paid the penalty due to our sins, and thus
rescued us from hell, and made us his own: Who His
own Self bore our sins in His body upon the treed

Thus, O my Jesus! if the eternal Father burdened
Thee with all the sins of men,— The Lord laid upon Him
the iniquities of us alp—I with my own sins added to the
weight of the cross that Thou didst bear to Calvary.
1 “ Sequebatur autem illum multa turba populi et mulierum, quæ
plangebant et lamentabantur eum.”—Luke, xxiii. 27.
2 “ Factus est principatus super humerum ejus.”—Is. ix. 6.
3 “ Qui peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum.”_
i Pet. ii. 24.
4 “ Posuit Dominus in eo iniquitatem omnium nostrum.”—Is. liii, 6.

Sermon on the Passion.
() my sweetest Saviour, Thou didst even then foresee
all the wrongs that I should do to Thee; yet, notwith­
standing, Thou didst not cease to love me, or to prepare
for me all the merits that Thou hast since employed
towards me. If then to Thee I have been dear, most vile
and ungrateful sinner as 1 am, who have so much
offended Thee, good reason is there why Thou shouldst
be dear to me. Ah, would that I had never displeased
Thee! Now, my Jesus, do I know the wrong that 1
have done Thee.—O ye accursed sins of mine, what have
you done? You have caused me to sadden the loving
heart of my Redeemer, that heart which has loved me
so much.—O my Jesus! forgive me, repenting, as I do,
of having done despite unto Thee. Henceforth it is
Thou who art to be the only object of my love. I love
Thee, O infinite loveliness, with all my heart; and I re­
solve to love none else but Thee. O Lord! pardon me;
I say unto Thee with St. Ignatius: “ Give me Thy love
only together with Thy grace, and I am rich enough.” 1
Third Scene : Calvary.

Here we are at the third and last scene of the tor­
tures—that of Calvary, which brought death to Jesus
Christ. They immediately tear off his garments, stick­
ing to his wounded flesh, and throw’ him down upon the
cross. The divine Lamb reaches forth to the execu­
tioners his hands and his feet to be nailed, and offers
up to his eternal Father the great sacrifice of his life
for the salvation of men. After the nailing of one of
his hands, the nerves shrink so that they had need of
main force and ropes to draw the other hand and feet
up to the places where they w’ere to be nailed; and this
occasioned so great a tension of the nerves and veins,
that they broke asunder with a violent convulsion, as
1 “Amorem tui solum cum gratia tua mihi doncs, et dives sum
satis.
. ·

>1

Sermon on the Passion.
was revealed to St. Bridget: “ They drew my handsand
feet with a rope to the places of the nails, so that the
nerves and veins were stretched out to the full and
broke asunder; ” 1 insomuch that all his bones might
have been numbered, as David had already predicted:
Thex pierced My hands and My feet, they numbered all My
bones.
I

St. Augustine says that there is no death more bitter
than that of the cross: “ Among all the different kinds
of death, there was none worse.”
Because, as St*
Thomas
observes, those who are crucified have their
hands and their feet pierced through, parts which being
entirely composed of nerves, muscles, and veins, are the
most sensitive to pain, and the very weight of uhe body
itself, which is suspended from them, causes the pain to
be continuous and ever increasing in its intensity up to
the moment of death.
-a
But the pains of Jesus were far beyond all other
pains: for. as the Angelic Doctor says, the body of Jesus
Christ, being perfectly constituted, was more quick and
sensitive to pain—that body which was fashioned for
him by the Holy Spirit, expressly with a view to his suf­
fering. as he had foretold, as the Apostle testifies: A body
Th u hast fitted to JÆ? Moreover, St. Thomas savs that
Jesus Christ took upon himself an amount of suffering
so great as to be sufficient to satisfy for the temporal
punishment merited by the sins of all mankind.
O my soul, behold thy Lord, behold thv life hano’ino’
upon that tree: And thy life shall be, as it were, hanging be-1*345
1 “ Manus et pedes cum fune trahebant ad loca clavorum, ita ut
nervi et venæ extenderentur et rumperentur.”—Rev. 1. i, c, Io
' " Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, dinumeraverunt omnia ossa
mea. "—Ps. xxi. 17.
] |
3 “ Pejus nihil fuit inter omnia genera mortium.
4 P. 3. q. 46. a. 6.
5 “ Corpus autem aptasti mihi. —H<.b. x. 5.

Sermon on the Passion.

313

Behold how on that gibbet of pain, fastened
bv those cruel nails, he finds no place of rest. Now he
leans his weight upon his hands, now upon his feet; but
on what part soever he leans, the anguish increases. He
turns his afflicted head now on one side, now on the
other: if he lets it fall towards his breast, the hands, by
the additional weight, are rent the more; if he lowers it
towards his shoulders, the shoulders are pierced with
thorns; if he leans it back upon the cross, the thorns
enter the more deeply into his head.
Ah, my Jesus, what a death of bitterness is this that
Thou art enduring’. O my crucified Redeemer, I adore
Thee on this throne of ignominy and pain. Upon this
cross I read it written that Thou art a King: Jesus of
Nazareth, King of the Jews? But apart from this title of
scorn, what is the evidence that Thou dost give of being
a king ? Ah, these hands transfixed with nails, this head
pierced with thorns, this throne of sorrow, this lacerated
flesh, make me well know that Thou art a king, but a
king of love. With humility, then, and tenderness do I
draw near to kiss Thy sacred feet, transfixed for love of
me. I clasp in my arms this cross, on which Thou, be­
ing made a victim of love, wast willing to offer Thyself
in sacrifice for me to the divine justice: being made obe­
dient unto death, the death of the cross? O blessed obe­
dience, that obtained for us the pardon of our sins!
And what would have become of me, O my Saviour,
hadst Thou not paid the penalty for me?
Contemplating one day the love of Jesus in dying
for us, St. Francis of Paula, rapt in ecstasy and raised
in the air, exclaimed three times in a loud voice: “O
God, charity! O God, charity! O God, charity!” You

fore thee.'

1 “ Et erit vita tua quasi pendens ante te.”—Deut. xxviii. 66.
3 “ Jesu Nazarenus, Rex Judaeorum ”—John, xix. 19.
3 '· Factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.”—
Phil. ii. 8.

3H

Sentn ο n on the Passion,

also, devout souls, look on your divine Saviour on this
painful cross; see how he remains fastened by those
three nails, so that the pierced hands and feet had to
sustain the weight of the entire body ; on whichever side
he wishes to rest his pains are increased. Alas! our af­
flicted Saviour finds no place of rest.
Behold the King of heaven, who, hanging on that gib­
bet, is now on the point of giving up the ghost. Let us,
too, ask of him with the prophet: JThat are those wounds
in the middle of Thy hands? 1 Tell me, O my Jesus, what
are these wounds in the middle of Thy hands? The
Abbot Rupert makes answer for Jesus: “ They are the
memorials of charity, the price of redemption.”3 They
are tokens, says the Redeemer, of the great love which
I bear toward you; they are the payment by which I set
you free from the hands of your enemies, and from eter­
nal death.
I
Do you, then, O faithful souls, love your God, who has
had such love for you; and if you do at any time feel
doubtful of his love, turn your eyes, says St. Thomas of
Villanova, to behold that cross, those pains, and that
bitter death which he has suffered for you; for such
proofs will assuredly make you know how much your
Saviour loves you: “ The cross testifies, the pains testify,
the bitter death that he had endured for you
testifies
J
this.” ’ And St. Bernard adds that the cross cries out,
every wound of Jesus cries out, that he loves us with a
true love: “The cross proclaims, the wounds proclaim,
that he truly loves.” 4
While hanging on the cross Jesus looked in vain for
some one to console him: / looked for one that would grieve
’ “Quid sunt plagie istæ in medio manuum tuarum?”
* “Sunt monumenta charilatis, pretia redemptionis.”
3 “Testis crux, testes dolores, testis amara mors, quam pro te sus
tinuit.”—Doth. 17. p. Pent. cone. 3.
4 “ Clamat crux, clamat vulnus, quod ipse vere dilexil."

Servian on the Passion.

315

On the contrary, he
heard those around him uttering blasphemies: If thou

together with me, but there was none)

he the Son of God, come down from the cross.2 Vah! thou
that deslroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost re­
build it, save thy own self? lie saved others, himself he can­
not save) Why should they care to afflict by insultsand

derision one that is already expiring on the gibbet?
And Jesus, while these are outraging him, what is he
doing upon the cross? Is he perhaps praying to the
eternal Father to punish them ? No, he is praying to
him to pardon them: Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do) Yes, says St. Thomas; to show forth
the immense love which he had for men, the Redeemer
asked pardon of God for his crucifiers: “To show forth
the abundance of his charity, he asked pardon for his
persecutors.” 0 He asked it, and obtained it; for, when
they had seen him die they repented of their sin: They
returned smiting their breasts)

Ah, my dear Saviour, behold me at Thy feet; I have
been one of the most ungrateful of Thy persecutors;
do Thou pray likewise for me to Thy Father to pardon
me. True it is that the Jews and the executioners
knew not what they were doing when they crucified
Thee; but I well knew that in sinning I was offending
a God who had been crucified, and had died for me.
But Thy blood and Thy death have merited even for
1 “ Et sustinui . . . qui consolaretur, ct non inveni.”—Ps. Ixviii. 21.
2 “ Si Filins Dei es, descende de cruce.”
3 “ Vale, qui destruis templum Dei, et in triduo reaedificas; salva temet ipsum.”
4 “ Alios salvos fecit, se ipsum non potest salvum facere.”—Mati.
xxv i i. 40-42.
6 “ Pater! dimitte illis; non enim sciunt quid faciunt.”—Luke, xxiii.
34·
c “Ad ostendendam charitatis suæ, veniam pro persecutoribus postulavit.”—P. 3. q. 47. a. 4.
1 “ Percuticntcs pectora sua, revertebantur.”—Luke, xxiii. 48.

316

Sermon on the Passion.

me the divine mercy. I cannot feel doubtful of being
pardoned after seeing Thee die to obtain pardon for me.
The sorrowful Mother stood at the foot of the cross
with some pious women: There stood by the cross of Jesus
His mother. . .
() God ! who would not pity a mother
standing beside the gibbet on which a son dies before
her eyes? Consider Mary, standing beneath the cross,
contemplating the pains in the midst of which her well­
beloved Son was expiring. She desired to give him
some alleviation, and she saw, on the other hand, that
her presence increased the grief of this same Son, who
was full of compassion for his tender Mother. This
was a terrible affliction for Mary, a torture that macle
her the Queen of Martyrs.
Seeing himself, then, abandoned by every one, all
men trying to make his death more painful, Jesus raised
his eyes to his eternal Father to obtain some consola­
tion. But seeing him laden with all our sins, for which
he wished to satisfy the divine justice, his Father also
abandoned him. Then it was that our Saviour, crying
out with a loud voice, said: My God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Met'1
Ί8
But our Saviour, so full of love, is on the point of
expiring. Christians, look at the cross. Behold those
dying eyes, that face so pale, the sacred body which
is abandoned to death. Before expiring, Jesus uttered
these words: Jt is consummated? It is as if he had said:
O men, love me; I have done all that I can do in order
to save your souls and gain your love. See the painful
life that I have led during thirty-three years for love of
you. I wished then on your account to be scourged, to
Stabant autem juxta crucem Jesu Mater ejus. . . .”—-John,
xix. 25.
j3
Deus meus! Deus meus! ut quid dereliquisti me?’’—Maith.
xxv i i. 46.
B
2 “Consummatum est."—John, xix. 30.

Sermon on the Passion.

3*7

be crowned with thorns, to be buffeted, to be covered
with wounds from head to foot. What more was needed ?
Should I die for love of you ? Well, then ! I wish to die.
Come, O death! I permit thee to come; take away my
life, in order that my sheep may live. And Jesus, crying
with a loud voice, said, Father, into Thy hands I commend
My spirit.1 My Father, he then said, I die for Thy glory

and for the salvation of men; I commend my soul into
Thy hands.—Behold, then, Jesus dies. O angels of
heaven, come, come to be present at the death of your
God. And thou, O sorrowful Mother! approach nearer
to the cross; look at him more steadfastly, for he is
about to expire.
And ye Christians, behold him in his agony; see him
amid the last respirations of life. Behold his dying
eyes, that face so pale, that feebly palpitating heart,
that body already wrapped in the arms of death, and
that beautiful soul now on the point of leaving that
wounded body.
The sky shrouds itself in darkness; the earth quakes;
the graves open. Alas, what portentous signs are
these! They are signs that
*
the Maker of the world is
now dying.
Behold, in the last place, how our Lord, after having
commended his blessed soul to his eternal Father, first
breathing forth from his afflicted heart a deep sigh, and
then bowing down his head in token of his obedience,
and offering up his death for the salvation of men, al
last through the violence of the pain expires, and de­
livers up his spirit into the hands of his beloved Father:
And crying out with a loud voice, He said Father into 7'hv
hands I commend My spirit; and saying this He gave up the
ghost.2
1 “ Et damans voce magna, Jesus ait : Pater! in manus tuas com­
mendo spiritum meum.”—Luke, xxiii. 46.
* Et luce dicens, exspiravit.”—Ibid.

*
3*8

Sermon on the Passion.

All those that were present looking at him with at­
tention see him expire, and observing that he is motion­
less, they exclaim, He is dead—he is dead!—Mary hears
this from all the bystanders, and she also says, Ah, my
Son, Thou art dead! He is dead!—Ah, who is dead?
It is the King of heaven; the Creator of the world, a
God, who wished to die for us poor sinners.
Act of Contrition while showing· the Crucifix *

Come sinners; here is Jesus Christ who has stretched
forth his arms to embrace you. Can you fear that he
will not pardon you, when he gave himself up to death
in order to pardon you ?
Do you perhaps fear that you will not obtain pardon
because you find yourselves unable to perform the pen­
ance that your sins deserve? Console yourselves; for
you here see the penance that Jesus Christ has himself
performed for you on the cross; it is sufficient if you
sincerely repeat of having offended him.
Look at him; see where you can find any one that has
loved you more than Jesus Christ has loved you. Love
him then, since he died in order to be loved by you.
Say to him: Ah, my sweet Saviour! whom should I love
if I do not love a God who has died for me ?
O sorrowful Mother! through the sorrow that thou
didst experience in seeing thy divine Son expire, obtain
for me holy perseverance and a true love of my divine
Redeemer.
See Volume XV., page 223.

Nine Wisconrscs for Simes of Calamities.

It should be remarked that these discourses are here

not entirely developed; we find in them only those pas­
sages that are pertinent to the subjects the thoughts
upon which are hardly expressed, in order that the
preachers may extend and amplify them as they wish,
by adding the moral application against vice wherever
this mav* be found useful.
*
* The holy author expresses more at length his thought on this
point in the preceding volume, page io. He published these dis­
courses, with the Preparation for Death, in 1758. — Ed.

Nine Discourses for (Times of (Talumitics.

FIRST DISCOURSE.
God Threatens to Chastise us in order to deliver us from
Chastisement.
“ Heu ! consolabor super hostibus meis, et vindicabor de inimicis
meis.”
“ Ah, I will comfort Myself over My adversaries: and I will be re­
venged of My enemies.”—ha. i. 24.

Such is the language of God, when speaking of pun­

ishment and vengeance: He says that he is constrained
by his justice to take vengeance on his enemies. But,
mark you, he begins with the word Heu, “ Ah:” this
word is an exclamation of grief by which he would
give us’to understand, that if he were capable of weep­
ing when about to punish, he should weep bitterly at
being compelled to afflict us his creatures, whom he has
loved so dearly as to give up his life through love for
us. “‘Alas!’” says Cornelius à Lapide, “is uttered by
one who is lamenting and not insulting; God signifies
by this word that he is grieving, and that he is un­
willing to punish sinners.”1 No, this God, who is the
Father of mercies, and so much loves us, is not of a dis­
position to punish and afflict, but rather to pardon and
console us. For I know the thoughts that J think towards
you, sa Uh the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction?
1 “ ‘Heu!’" dolentis est, non insultantis; significat Deus hac voce
se dolentem et invitum punire peccatores.”
* *· Ego enim scio cogitationes quas ego cogito super vos, ait Domi­
nus, cogitationes pacis, et non afflictionis.”—fer. xxix. 11.

Λ

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

But some one will say, since such is his character, why
does he now punish us? or, at least, appear as if he
meant to punish us? Why so ? Because he wishes to
be merciful towards us: this anger which he now dis­
plays is all mercy and patience.
Let us then, my brethren, understand how the Lord
at present appears in wrath, not with a view to our
punishment, but in order that we may cleanse ourselves
of our sins, and thus enable him to pardon us. Such is
the subject of our discourse: God threatens to chas­
tise IN ORDER TO DELIVER US FROM CHASTISEMENT.

The threats of men ordinarily proceed from their
pride and impotence; whence, if they have it in their
power to take vengeance on an object, they threaten
nothing, lest they should thereby give their enemies an
opportunity of escape. It is only when they want the
power to wreak their vengeance that they betake them­
selves to threats, in order to gratify their passion, by
awakening at least the fears of their enemies. Not so
the threats of which God makes use; on the contrary,
their nature is quite different. His threats do not arise
from his inability to chastise, because he can be avenged
when he wills; but he bears with us in order to see us
penitent, and thus exempt from punishment. Thou
hast mercy upon all, because Thou canst do all things, and
winkest at the sins of men for the sake of repentance}

Neither does he threaten from hatred, in order to tor­
ment us with fear; God threatens from love, in order
that we may be converted to him, and thereby escape
chastisement: he threatens, because he does not wish
to see us lost: he threatens, in fine, because he loves
our souls. But Thou sparest all, because they are thine, O
Lord, who lovest souls}
He threatens; but notwith1 “ Misereris omnium, quia omnia potes, et dissimulas peccata homi­
num propter poenitentiam.”—Wisd. xi. 24.
’ “ Parcis autem omnibus, quoniam tua sunt, Domine, qui amas
animas ”—Ibid. 27.

I. God Threatens to C hastise us.

323

standing bears with us and delays the infliction, because
he wishes to see us converted, not lost. He dealeth
patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should return to penance' Thus the threats of

God are all acts of tenderness, and amorous calls of his
goodness, by which he means to save us from the pun
ishment which we deserve.
Yet forty days, exclaimed Jonas, and Nineve shall be de­
stroyed.' Wretched Ninevites, he cries, the day of your
chastisement is come; I announce it to you on the part
of God: Know that within forty days Nineve shall be
destroyed, and cease to exist. But how comes it that
Nineve did ptnance and was not destroyed ? And God
saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way ;
and God had mercyf Whereat Jonas was afflicted, and

making lamentation before the Lord, said to him:
Therefore, 1 went before Thee into Tarsis, for I knew that
Thou art a gracious and merciful God, patient and of
much compassion, and easy to forgive evil.' He then left

Nineve, and was screened from the rays of the burning
sun by an ivy which God caused to overshadow his
head. But how did the Lord next act? He withered
the ivy, whereat Jonas was so much afflicted that he
wished for death. God then said to him, Thou hast
grieved for the ivy for which Thou hast not labored, nor made
it to grow; . . . and shall not / spare Nineve 7' Thou

grievest for the ivy which thou hast not created, and
1 “ Patienter agit propter vos, nolens aliquos perire, sed omnes ad
poenitentiam reverti.”—2 Pel. iii. 9.
2 “ Adhuc quadraginta dies, et Ninive subvertetur.”—Jonas, iii. 4.
3 “ Vidit Deus opera eorum, quia conversi sunt de via sua mala, et
misertus est.”—Ibid. 10.
4 “ Propter hoc praeoccupavi ut fugerem in Tharsis: scio enim quia
tu Deus clemens et misericors es, patiens et multrc miserationis et
ignoscens super malitia.”—Jonas, iv. 2.
5 “ Tu doles super hederam, in qua non laborasti, neque fecisti ut
cresceret; ... et ego non parcam Ninive?”—Ibid. 10.

Discourses for Times of Calamities.
shall not I pardon the men who are the work of mv
hands ?
'
Trie destruction which the Lord caused to be held
out against Nineve was, according to the explanation
of St. Basi’, not an actual prophecy, but a simple threat,
bv which he meant to bring about the conversion of
that city. The saint says, that God often appears in
wrath because he wishes to deal mercifully with us;
and threatens, not with the intention of chastising but
of delivering us from chastisement.
St. Augustine
adds, that when any one cries out to you “take care/’
it is a sign he does not mean to injure you.3 And thus
exactly does God act in our regard: he threatens us
with chastisement, says St. Jerome, not that he means
to inflict it, bit to spare us if we profit by the warning.1
T .o j, O Lord, says St. A ugustine, art severe, but then
most so when Thou wishest to save us; Thou threatenst,
but in so : reatening T ou hast no other object than
to or: ng us to repentance.4 The Lord could chastise
sinners without warning by a sudden death, which
should not leave them time for repentance; but no, he
displays his wrath, he brandishes his scourge, in order
that he may see them reformed, not punished.
Trie Lord said to Jeremias: thou shalt say to them—
Jf so be. they will hearken and be converted every one from
la: e: il : ay : that I may repent Me of the evil which f think
to do unto them.' Go, he says, and tell the sinners if

they wish to hear you, that if they cease from their sins,
‘ Indignans miseretur, et minitans salvare desiderat.”
S
5 “ S/mo, volens ferire, dicit: Observa f* —Serm. 22, E. B.
1
hoc dementia Dei ostenditur; qui enim praedicit poenam non
vult punire/’
/fl
4 ’* Sævis, et salvas: *
terre et vocas.'’—In Pt. Jzz*J
ad eo
*
. . . *; forte audiant, et convertantur unus'·. .; v. ae a via sua mala, eî poc' teat me mali ς ·<χ· cogito facere eis.”_
fer. χχνί. 2.

I. God Threatens to Chastise us.

325

I shall spare them the chastisements which I intended
to have inflicted on them. And now, my brethren,
mark me. The Lord addresses you in a similar way
out of my mouth. If you amend, he will revoke the
sentence of punishment. St. Jerome says: “God is
wroth, not with us, but with our sins;"1 and St. John
Chrysostom adds, that if we remember our sins God will
forget them.' He desires that we being humbled should
reform, and crave pardon of him. Because they are hum­
bled I will not destroy them?

But, in order to amend, we must be led to it by fear
of punishment, otherwise, we never should be brought
to change our lives. True it is, God protects him who
places hope in his mercy. He is the protector of all who
trust in Him? But he who hopes in the mercy of the
Lord is always the man who fears his justice. They
that fear the Lord hare hoped in the Lord : He is their pro­
tector and their helper? The Lord often speaks of the rigor

of his judgments, and of hell, and of the great number
who go thither. Be not afraid of them who kill the body:
. . . fear ye Him who, after Lie hath killed, hath power to cast
into hell? Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and
many there are who enter thereat? And why does the Lord

so often speak thus? In order that fear may keep us
from vice, and from the passions, and from occasions;
and that thus we may reasonably hope for salvation,
’ * Neque Deus hominibus sed vitiis irascitur."—In Dan. c. 4.
' Si nos peccatorum meminerimus, Deus obtiviscetur.
*'
—Ad p*.
ant. hom. 4f.
1 ' Quia humiliati sunt, non dispendam eos.”—2 Par. χΗ 7,
4 “ Protector est omnium sperantium in se. ”—Pt. xviu 31.
5 ‘ Qui timent Dominum speraverunt in Domino: adjutor cor rr: > ·
protector eorum est. ”—Ps. xiii. 11.
*■ “ Timete eum qui . . . habet potestatem mittere in gehennam. —
Luke, xii. 5' “ Spatiosa via est. quae ducit ad perditionem, et multi sur.t, qui in♦rant percam. ’—Matth. vii. 13.

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

which is only for the innocent, or the penitent, who
hope and fear.
Oh, what strength has not the fear of hell to rein us in
from sin! To that end has God created hell. He has
created us, and redeemed us by his death, that we might
be happy with him; he has imposed upon us the obliga­
tion of hoping for eternal life, and on that account en­
courages us, by saying that all those who hope in him
shall be saved. For none of them that wait on Thee shall be
confounded' On the other hand, it is his wish and com­
mand that we should be in fear of eternal damnation.
Some heretics hold, that all who are not in sin should
consider themselves as assuredly just and predestined;
but these have with reason been condemned by the
Council of Trent,’ because such a presumption is as
perilous to salvation as fear is conducive to it. And let
Him be your dread, and He shall be a sanctification unto you?

The holy fear of God makes man holy. Wherefore
David begged of God the grace of fear, in order that
fear might destroy in him the inclinations of the flesh.
Pierce Thou my flesh with Thy fear.'

We should then fear on account of our sins, but this
fear ought not to deject us: it should rather excite us
to confidence in the divine mercy, as was the case with
the prophet himself. For Thy name's sake,O Lord, Thou wilt
pardon my sin, for it is great? How is that ? Pardon me
because my sin is great ? Yes, because the divine mercy
is most conspicuous in the case of greatest misery; and
he who has been the greatest sinner is he who glorifies
Universi qui sustinent te, non confundentur.”—Ps. xxiv. 2.
5 Scss. vi. can. xiv., xv.
I
■ “ Ipse (Deus) terror vester, et erit vobis in sanctificationem."—Is.
vîii. 13.

1

4 “ Confige timore tuo carnes meas."—Ps. cxviii. 120.
5 " Propter nomen tuum, Domine, propitiaberis peccato meo; mul­
tum est enim.”—Ps. xxiv. 11.

I. God Threatens to Chastise us.
1

most the divine mercy, by hoping in God, who has prom­
ised to save all those who hope in him. He will save
them, because they have hoped in him.1 For this reason it is,
Ecclesiasticus says, that the fear of the Lord bringeth
not pain, but joy and gladness: The fear of the Lord shall
delight the heart, and shall give joy and gladness.' Thus this
very fear leads to the acquisition of a firm hope in God,
which makes the soul happy: He that fearcth the Lord
shall tremble at nothing, and shall not be afraid, for He is his
hope. The soul of him that feareth the Lord is blessedj Yes,
blessed, because fear draws man away from sin. The
fear of the Lord driveth out sin,1 and at the same time in­

fuses into him a great desire of observing the command­
ments: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord : he shall
delight exceedingly in His commandments.'

We must, then, persuade ourselves that chastisement
is not what the nature of God inclines him to. God, be­
cause by his nature he is infinite goodness,8 says St. Leo,
has no other desire than to bless us, and to see us happy.
When he punishes, he is obliged to do so in order to sat­
isfy his justice, not to gratify his inclination. Isaiassays,
that punishment is a work contrary to the heart of God.
'The Lord shall be angry.... that He may do His work, His
strange work ;.. .. His work is strange to Him.1 And there­

fore does the Lord say, that he sometimes almost feigns
' “Salvabit eos, quia speraverunt in eo.”—Ps. xxxvi. 40.
■ “Timor Domini delectabit cor, et dabit lætitiam et gaudium.”—
Ecdus. i. 12.
3 “ Qui timet Dominum, nihil trepidabit, et non pavebit; quoniam
ipse est spes ejus. Timentis Dominum beata est anima ejus.”—Ecclus.
xxx i v. 17.
4 “ Timor Domini expellit peccatum.”—Ecclus. i. 27.
5 “ Beatus vir qui timet Dominum; in mandatis ejus volet nimis.”■—
Ps. exi. i.
6 “ Deus cujus natura, bonitas.”—Iu Nat. D. s. 2.
’ “Irascatur, et faciat opus suum, alienum opus ejus; . . . pere­
grinum est opus ejus ab eo.”—Is. xxviii. 21.

*

32S

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

the intention of punishing us.’ But why does he do so?
For this reason: Let every man of you return from his evil
way} He does so in order to our reformation, and con­
sequently our exemption from the chastisement de­
served by us. The Apostle writes, that God hath mercy
on whom He will, and whom He will He hardeneth} With re­
gard to which passage, St. Bernard says, that God of
himself wishes to love us, but that we force him to con­
demn us.4 He calls himself the Father of mercies, not
of vengeance. Whence it comes that his tenderness all
springs from himself, and his severity from us.
And who has ever been able to comprehend the great­
ness of the divine mercies? David says, that God, even
while yet angry, feels compassion for us: Thou hast been
angry,
had had mercy on us." il O merciful wrath,
which art enkindled but to succor, and threatenest but
to pardon,’” exclaims the abbot Beroncosius. “ Ί hou
hast shown,” continues David, “ thou hast shown Thy people
hard things, Thou hast made us drunk with the wine of sor­
row.” 1 God discovers himself to us armed with a scourge,

but he does so in order to see us penitent and contrite
for the offences which we are committing against him:
Thou hast given a warning to them that fear Thee : that they
may flee before the bow : that Thy beloved may be delivered.

He appears with the bow already bent, upon the point
of sending off the arrow, but he does not send it off, be­
cause he wishes that our terror should bring about
1 “ Ego fin go contra vos mal uni.”
- “ Revertatur unusquisque a via sua mala.”—Jer. xviii. II.
3 “ Cujus vult miseretur, et quem vult indurat.”—Rom. ix. 18.
4 “ Quod miseretur, proprium illi est; nam, quod condemnat, nos cum
cogimus.”—In Nat. /). s. 5, n. 3.
b “ Deus, . . . iratus es, et misertus es nobis.”—/’j. lix. 3.
” “ O ira misericors: quæ sic irascitur, ut subveniat; sic minatur, ut
parcat'.”—Serin, in Nat. Mart.
.’
1 “ Ostendisti populo tuo dura, potasti nos vino compunctionis.”
8 “ Dedisti metuentibus te significationem, ut fugiant a facie arcus
ut liberentur dilecti Lui.”

I. God Threatens to Chastise us.

329

amendment, and that thus we should escape the chastise­
ment. That Thy beloved may be delivered,1 I wish to ter­
rify them, says· God, in order that struck by fear they
may rise from the bed of sin and return to me. In their
affliction they will rise early to Me.1 Yes, the Lord, al­
though he sees us so ungrateful and worthy of punish­
ment, is eager to free us from it, because how ungrate­
ful soever we be, he loves us and wishes us well. Give
us help from *
trouble
Thus, in fine, prayed David; and
thus ought we to pray. Grant, O Lord, that this scourge
which now afflicts us, may open our eyes, so that we de­
part from sin; because if we do not here have done with
it, sin will lead us to eternal damnation, which is a
scourge enduring forever.
What shall we then do, my brethren ? Do you not see
that God is angered ? He can no longer bear with us.
The Lord is angry. Do you not behold the scourges of
God increasing every day? Our sins increase, says
St. John Chrysostom, and our scourges increase like­
wise.1
234 God, my brethren, is wroth: but with all his
anger he has commanded me to say, what he formerly
commanded to be said by the prophet Zachary: And thou
sha It say to them, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Turn ye to Me
saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn to you saith the Lord
of Hostsf Sinners, saith the Lord, you have turned your

backs upon me, and therefore have constrained me to
deprive you of my grace. Do not oblige me to drive
you forever from my face, and punish you in hell with­
out hope of pardon. Have done with it: abandon sin,
be converted to me, and I promise to pardon you all
your offences, and once more to embrace you as my
1 “ Ut liberentur dilecti tui.”
2 “ In tribulatione sua mane consurgent ad me.”—Osce, vi. i.
3 “ Da nobis auxilium de tribulatione.”
4 “ Crescit malitia, crescit inopia rerum.”—De Helia, s. 2.
6 “ Dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Convertimini ad
me, ... et convertar ad vos.”—Zach. i. 3.

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ch i Id ren.

Tu rn ye to Me, saith the Lord of Hosts, and I will

Why do you wish to perish? (mark how
tenderly the Lord speaks.) And why will you die, O house
of Israeli1 Why will you fling yourselves into that burn­
ing furnace? Return ye and live.2 Return tome, I await
you with open arms, ready to receive and pardon you.
Doubt not of this, O sinner, continues the Lord. Learn

turn to you!

to do well. . . And then come and accuse Me, saith the Lord :
if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow!

Take courage, saith the Lord, change your life, come to
me, and if I do not pardon you, accuse me. As if he were
to say, Accuse me of lying and bad faith; but, no, I shall
not be unfaithful: your conscience now so black, shall by
my grace become as white as snow. No; I will not
chastise you if you reform, says the Lord, because I am
God, not man. I will not execute the fierceness of My wrath,
. . . because lam God, and not man! He says besides, that
men never forget an injury, but that when he sees a sin­
ner penitent, he forgets all his offences. I will not re­
member all his iniquities that he hath done!' Let us then at
once return to God, but let it be at once. We have of­
fended him enough already, let us not tempt his anger
any further. Behold him, he calls us, and is ready to
pardon us if we repent of our evil deeds, and promise
him to change our lives.
*
Here, and at the close of each succeeding Sermon, may be intro­
duced Acts of Faith. Hope, and Sorrow, etc., with a Petition to the
Mother of God for her intercession.
1 “ Convertimini ad me, et convertar ad vos.”
2 “ Et quare moriemini, domus Israel? ”
3 “ Revertimini, et vivite.”—Ezech. xviii. 31, 32.
4 “ Discite benefacere,. . . et venite, et arguite me, . . . si fuerint
peccata vestra ut coccinum, quasi nix dealbabuntur.”—Is. i. 17.
5 “ Non faciam furorem iræ meæ, . . . quoniam Deus ego, et non
homo.”—Osee, vi. 9.
J
“ Omnium iniquitatum ejus, quas operatus est, non recordabor.”—
Ezech. xviii. 2.
H
See at the end of the Sermon on the Passion, page 317.

JI. Sinners will not Believe in Thi eats. 331

SECOND DISCOURSE.
Sinners will not Believe in the Divine Threats until the
Chastisement has come upon Them.
“ Si poenitentiam non egeritis omnes similiter peribitis.”
“ Except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.”—Luke,
•··
xm. 5.

After our Lord had commanded our first parents not

to eat of the forbidden fruit, unhappy Eve approached
the tree and was addressed from it by the serpent, who
said to her: Why has God forbidden you to eat of this
delightful fruit? Why hath God commanded you I Eve
replies: God hath commanded us that we should not cat,
and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die) Be­
hold the weakness of Eve! The Lord had absolutely
threatened them with death, and she now begins to
speak of it as doubtful: Lest perhaps we die. If I eat of it,
she said, I shall perhaps die. But the devil, seeing that
Eve was little in fear of the divine threat, proceeded to
encourage her by saying: No, you shall not die the death; *
and thus he deceived her, and caused her to prevaricate
and eat the apple. Thus, even now, does the enemy
continue to deceive so many poor sinners. God threat­
ens: Stop, sinners, and do penance, because if not you
shall damn yourselves, as so many others have done:
“ Except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.”
The devil says to them: “No, you shall not die the
death.” Fear nothing, sin on, continue to enjoy your­
selves, because God is merciful; he will pardon you by
and by, and you shall be saved. “ God,” says St. Pro1 . < præcepit nobis Deus ne comederemus et ne tangeremus illud,
ne forte moriamur.”—Geu. iii. 3.
v “ Nequaquam morte moriemini.”—Ibid. 4.

Discourses for Times of Calamities.
copius, “ spires one with tee.-, the de’, il takes it away.” ’
God my desires to terrify them by his threats, in order
that they may depart from sin, and thus be saved. The
devil w s les to destroy that tear, in order that they may
persevere in sin. and thus be lost. Many are the
wretches who believe the devil in preference to God,
and are thus miserably damned. At present, behold
e Lord displays his anger and thn. tens us with chas­
tisement \V ;o ,<no vs how many there may be in this
u.'.trv to have no thought of changdnsr their lives,
in the hjpe that God will be appeased, and that it will
be m t ing rte:]ce the s object
the present discourse:
Sinners
l n rai
eve in the div ne n eats, until
HE CHASTISEMENT

SHALL

HAVE COME

UPON THEM.

My
*

brethren. if .ve do r. : amend, the chastisement will
come: if ve do not put an end to our crimes, God will.
When Lot was warned by the L rd that he was about
estr
S i m. Lot at once informed his sons-in-law:
Ansi! get you out ef this glace. reca.se the Lord zeitl destroy
this dr.1 But they would not believe him: And He
St
i t. : .
sy :c as it zee re
est.2 They imagined
aa. e
bed to sport with the fe s, by terrifying

t em with such a t : 'eat. B ,.t the punishment overtook
them, and they remained to be the sport of the flames.
My bret irec. what do we expect' God warns us that
cimistisement hangs over us; let us put a period to our
sms. or shall we wait for God to do it? Hear, O sin­
ner! what St. Paul says to you: See. then, the severity and
goodness of God—towards them, indeed, that are fatten, the
severit : but tazcards thee the goodness of God, if thou abide
in goodness, otherarise thou also shall be cut ojf
*
Consider
1 “ Deus timorem incutit, diabolus ac;mit.’’
3
1 “ Sargite, egredimini de loco isto ; quia deiebit Domos crritatem
hanc.”—-Gm. xix. 14.
<W·
’ E: visus est eis quas: ’.udens loqui.”
j3
* ‘ V ce ergo 'X>r. tale-n et severitatem Dei: in eos quidem qui cecideru-r.
--'uc-m; n te axmm bonitatem Det. si permanseris in
bonitate, ~
et tu excideris. —Sjm. xL 2-2.
1
4P

II. Sinners will not Believe in Threats.
says the Apostle, the justice which the Lord has exer­
cised towards so many whom he has punished, and con­
demned to hell: towards them, indeed, that are falhn. the
s zeritx.
Consider the w mercv with which he has treated
•
you: bitt towards thee the goodness of God. You must
al an on sin: it you change your ways, avoid the occas.-'iis of sin. frequent the sacraments, and continue to
lead a Christian life, the Lord will remit your punish­
ment. if you abide in goodness: if not. you shall perish.
otherwise thou also shaft be cut off. God has already borne
with you too long, he can bear with you no longer. God
is merciful, but he is just withal; he deals mercifully
with those who fear him: he cannot act thus towards
the obstinate.
Such a person laments when he sees himself punished,
and says, why has God deprived me of my health 3 why
has he taken from me this child, or this parent? Ah.
sinner', what haze you said, exclaims Jeremias, your sins
haze zoithho 'den good things front you.' It was not the de­
sire of God to deprive you of any blessing, of any gain,
of your son. or your parent; it would have been the
wish of God to make you happy in all things, but your
sins have not allowed him. In the book of Job we read
these words: Is it a great matter that God should comfort
thee ? but thy toicked words hinder this? The Lord would
fain console you, but your blasphemy, your murmuring,
your obscene words, spoken to the scandal of so many
have prevented him. It is not God. but accursed sin,
that renders us miserable and unhappy. Sin mah th ra­
tions miserable! We are wrong, says Salvian. in com­
plaining of God when he deals hardly with us. Oh!
how much more hardly do we deal with him, repaying
Peccata vestra prohibuerunt bonum a vobis. —J-'τ. x 25.
- “ Numquid grande est, ut consoletur te Detis? Sed verba tea
prava hoc prohibent.'—JSb, xv. II.
3 “ Miseros autem facit populos peccatum. —Pr&v. xrr. 34.

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with ingratitude the favors which he has bestowed on
us!1
Sinners imagine that sin procures them happiness;
but it is sin which makes them miserable, and afflicted
n every respect, Because thou didst not serve the Lord thy
God, saith the Lord, in joy and gladness of heart, . . . thou
shalt serve thy enemy, whom the Lord will send upon thee, in
hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and in want of all things,
. . . till He consume theeI Because thou hast not wished

to serve thy God in the peace which all those taste who
serve him, thou shalt serve thy enemy in poverty and
affliction, until he shall have finished by making thee
lose both soul and body. David says that the sinner
by his crimes digs himself the pit into which he falls.
He is fallen into the hole he made.3 Recollect the prodigal
son: he, in order to live without restraint, and banquet
as he pleased, left his father; but then, for having left
his father, he is reduced to tend swine; reduced to such
a degree of misery, that of the vile food with which the
swine are filled, he has not wherewithal to fill himself:
And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the
swine did eat, and no man gave unto him I St. Bernardine

of Sienna,5 relates that a certain impious son dragged
his father along the ground. What happened to him after­
wards ? One day he was himself dragged by his own
son in like manner, when, arriving at a certain place, he
exclaimed, “ No more—stop here, no more—thus far did
I drag my own father—stop.” Baronins® mentions a
’ “ Quid querimur quod dureagat nobiscum Deus? Multo nos cum
Deo durius agimus.”—De Gub. D. 1. 4.
- “ Eo quod non servieris Domino Deo tuo in gaudio, . . . servies
inimico tuo ... in fame, et siti, et nuditate, et omni penuria, . . .
donec te conterat.”—Deut. xxviii. 47.
3 “ Incidit in foveam quam fecit.”—Ps. vii. 16.
4 “ Cupiebat implere ventrem suum de siliquis quas porci mandu­
cabant, et nemo illi dabat.”—Luke, xv. ib.
5 Seraph, qnadr. s. 12, p. 2.
6 Ann. 33, n 6.

II. Sinners will not Believe in Threats. 335
circumstance of a like nature, concerning the daughter
of Herodias, who caused John the Baptist to be be­
headed. He tells of her, that one day as she was cross­
ing a frozen river, the ice broke under her, and she re­
mained with her head only above tin aperture. By dint
of her struggles to save herself from death, she had her
head severed from her body, and thus died. Oh, how
just is not God, when the time of vengeance arrives! he
causes the sinner to be caught, and strangled in the net
which his own hands have made. The Lord shall be
known when He executeth judgments, the sinner hath been
caught in the works of his own hands.'

Let us tremble, my brethren, when we see others pun­
ished, knowing as we do, that we ourselves have de­
served the same punishments. When the tower of Siloe
fell upon eighteen persons and killed them, the Lord
said to many who were present: Think you that they
also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

Do you think that these wretches alone were in debt to
God’s justice on account of their sins? You are yet
debtors to it; and if you do not penance, you shall he
punished as well as they: Except you do penance, you shall
all likewise perish.2 O, how many unfortunate men damn
themselves by false hope in the divine mercy? Yes,
God is merciful, and therefore assistsand protects them
who hope in his mercy: He is the protector of all that trust
in Him.' But he assists and protects those only who
hope in him, with the intention of changing their lives,
not those whose hope is accompanied by a perverse in­
tention of continuing to offend him. The hope of the
’“Cognoscetur Dominus judicia faciens: in operibus manuum
suarum comprehensus est peccator.”—Ps. ix. 17.
9 “ Putatis quia et ipsi debitores fuerint præter omnes homines habi­
tantes in Jerusalem ?”—Luke. xiii. 4.
3 “ Si poenitentiam non egeritis, omnes similiter peribitis.”
4 “ Protector est omnium sperantium in se.”—Ps. xvii. 31.

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latter is not acceptable to God, he abominates and pun­
ishes it: Their hope the abomination of the sont.1 Poor
sinners, their greatest misery is, that they are lost, and
do not know their state. They jest, and they laugh, and
they despise the threats of God, as if God had assured
them that he should not punish them. “Whence,” ex­
claims St. Bernard/1 this accursed security?” a Whence,
O blind that you are, whence this accursed security?
accursed, because it is this security which brings you to
hell. I will come to them that are at rest, and dwell securelyI
The Lord is patient, but when the hour of chastisement
arrives, then will he justly condemn to hell those
wretches who continue in sin, and live in peace, as if
there were no hell for them.
Let sin be no more for us, my brethren; let us be con­
verted if we wish to escape the scourge which hangs
over us. If we do not cease from sin, God will be ob­
liged to punish us: For evil-doers shall be cut off' The
obstinate are not only finally shut out from Paradise,
but hurried off the earth, lest their example should draw
others into hell. And let us reflect that these temporal
scourges are nothing in comparison with those eternal
chastisements, hope of relief from which there is none.
Give ear, O sinner! my brother, give ear! For now the
axe is laid to the root of the trees
*
The author of the Im­
perfect Work, in his comment upon this passage, says:
“ It is said that the axe is laid, not to the branches, but
to the root, so that it will be irreparably exterminated.” e
He says that when the branches are lopped, the tree
’ “ Spes illorum abominatio.”—Job, xi. 20.
‘ “ Et unde hæc securitas maledicta?”—Ζλ· Divers, s. 28
3 “ Veniam ad quiescentes, habitantesque secure.”—Ezeeh. xxviii. 11.
4 “Qui malignantur, exterminabuntur.”—ps. xxvi. 9.
6 “ Jam enim securis ad radicem arborum posita est.”—Luke, iii. 9.
* “ Non ad ramos posita dicitur, sed ad radicem, ut irreparabiliter
exterminentur.”—Homil. 3.

77. Sinners will not Believe in Threats, 337
continues still to live; but when the tree is felled from
the root, it then dies, and is cast into the fire. The Lord
stands with the scourge in his hand, and you still con­
tinue in disgrace with him.
The axe is laid to the root.
Tremble lest God should make you die in your sins, for
if you die thus, you shall be cast into the fire of hell,
where your ruin shall be hopeless for eternity.
But, you will say, I have committed many sins during
the past, and the Lord has borne with me. I may,
therefore, hope that he will deal mercifully with me for
the future. God says, do not speak so: Say not 1 have
sinnedy and what harm hath befallen me I for the Host High
is a patient rewarder.' Do not say so, for God bears with

you now, but he will not always bear with you. He en­
dures to a certain extent, and then pays off all. Now,
therefore, stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you
concerning all the hindness of the LordI said Samuel to the

Hebrews. Oh how powerfully does not the abuse of the
divine mercies assist in procuring the damnation of the
ungrateful! Gather them together as sheep for a sacrifice,
and prepare them for the day of slaughter
*
In the end the
herd of those who will not be con verted shall be victims
of divine justice, and the Lord will condemn them to
eternal death, on the day of slaughter, when the day of
his vengeance shall have arrived (and we have reason
always to be in dread, as long as we are not resolved to
abandon sin, lest that day should be already near).
God is not mocked; for what things a man shall sow, these
also shall he reap.' Sinners expect to mock God by con1 “ Nc dixeris: Peccavi, et quid mihi accidit triste ? Altissimus enim
est patiens redditor.”—Ecclus. v. 4.
-“Judicio contendam adversum vos coram Domino, de omnibus
misericordiis Domini.”—1 Kings, xii. 7.
:1 “ Congrega eos quasi gregem ad victimam, et sanctifica eos in die
occisionis! ”—Jer. xii. 3.
4 “ Deus non irridetur, quæ enim seminaverit homo, hæc et metet."
—Gal. vi. 7.

338

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

fessing at Easter, or two or three times a year, and then
returning to their vomit, and hoping after that to obtain
salvation. “ He is a mocker, not a penitent,” says St.
Isidor, “ who continues to do that for which he is peni­
tent;” but God is not mocked.
What salvation?—what salvation do you expect?
For what filings a man ska it sow, them also shall he reap}

What things do you sow ? blasphemy, revenge, theft,
impurity: what then do you hope for? He who sows in
sin can hope to reap nothing but chastisements and hell.
For he that soweth in his flesh, continues the same apostle,
of his flesh also shall reap corruption? Continue, impure
wretch ! continue to live sunk in the mire of your impu­
rity, your impurities will be converted into pitch within
your bowels. “ A day shall come,” says St. Peter Damian,
“a day shall come, or rather a night, when your lust
shall be turned into pitch to feed an eternal flame within
your bowels.” ’
St. John Chrysostom says that some pretend not to
see;4 they see the chastisements, and pretend not to see
them. And then others, St. Ambrose says, have no fear
of punishment until they see it has overtaken them.5
To all these it will happen as it did to mankind at the
time of the deluge. The patriarch Noah foretold and
announced to them the punishments which God had
prepared for their sins; but the sinners would not
believe him, and notwithstanding that the ark was
building before their eyes, they did not change their
lives, but went on sinning until the punishment was
upon them, until they were smothered in the deluge.
1 “ Quæ enim seminaverit homo, hæc et metet.”
2 “ Qui seminat in carne sua, de carne et metet corruptionem.”
3 Veniet dies, imo nox, quando libido tua vertetur in picem, qua se
perpetuus ignis in tuis visceribus nutriat !”—Z>r Calib. sac. c. 3.
4 “ Fingunt non videre.”
6 ” Nihil timent, quia nihil vident.”

II. Sinners will not Believe in Threats. 339
And they knew not till the flood came and took them all awayd

The same happened to the great Babylon, in the Apoca­
lypse, who said: d sit a queen, and I shall not see griefd
She persevered in her impurity in the hope of not being
punished, but the chastisement at length came as had
been predicted! Therefore shall her plagues come in one
day, death and mourning, a nd famine, and she shall be burnt
with fired
A

Brother, who knows whether this is not the last call
which God may give you ? Our Lord says that a cer­
tain owner of a vineyard, finding a fig-tree for the third
year without fruit, said: Behold, for these three years I
come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and I find none ; cut it
down therefore, why cumbcreth it the ground V Then the
dresser of the vine replied: Lord, let it alone this year also
. . . and if happily it bear fruit—but if not, then, after that,
thou shall cut it downd Let us enter into ourselves, my

brethren; for years has God been visiting our souls, and
has found no other fruit therein than thorns and thistles,
that is to say, sins. Hear how the divine justice ex­
claims, Cut it down therefore, why cumbcreth it the earth I
but mercy pleads, Let it alone this year also. Have cour­
age, let us give it one trial more; let us see whether it
will not be converted at this other call. But tremble
lest the same mercy may not have granted to justice
that if you do not now amend, your life shall be cut off,
and your soul condemned to hell. Tremble, brother,
and take measures that the mouth of the pit do not
1 “ Et non cognoverunt, donec venit diluvium, et tulit omnes.”—
Matt. xxiv. 39.
- “Sedeo regina, ... et luctum non videbo.”—/ipoc. xviii. 7.
3 “ Ideo in una die venient plagæ ejus, ... et igne comburetur.”
4 “ Ecce anni tres sunt, ex quo venio quærens fructum in filcunea
hac, et non invenio; succide ergo illam: ut quid etiam terram occupat?”
—Luke, xiii. 7.
5 “ Dimitte illam et hoc anno, . . siquidem fecerit fructum; sin
autem, in futurum succides eam.”

ο4·θ

Disco io sc ô fοι I unes of Calamities

close over you.

Such was the prayer of David: Let not
t'a deep swallow me up y and let not the pit shut her mouth
upon me: It is that which sin effects, causing the mouth
of the pit, that is, the state of damnation into which the
sinner has fallen, to close over him by degrees. As long
as that pit is not entirely closed, there is some hope of
escape; but if it once shut, what further hope remains
for you? By the closing of the pit, I mean the sinner’s
being shut out from every glimmer of grace, and stop­
ping at nothing; that being the accomplishment of what
the wise man has said: The wicked man, when he is come
into the depth of sins, contemneth? He despises the laws of
God. admonitions, sermons, excommunications, threats
—he despises hell itself; so that persons have been
known to say, numbers go to hell, and I amongst the
rest. Can the man who speaks so be saved ? He can
be saved, but it is morally impossible he should. Brother,
what do you say ? Perhaps you have yourself come to
the contempt of the chastisements of God. What do
you say? Well, and if you had, what should you do?
Should you-despair? No; you.know what you have to
do. Have recourse to the Mother of God. Although
you should be in despair, and abandoned by God,
Blosius says, that Mary is the hope of the despairing,
and the aid of the abandoned.3 St. Bernard says the
same thing Avhen he exclaims, The despairing man who
hopes in thee ceases to be desperate.4 But if God
wishes that I should be lost, what hope can there be
for me? But, says God, no, my son, I do not wish to
see you lost: I desire not the death of the wicked.
*
And
1 “ Neque absorbeat me profundum, neque urgeat super me puteus os
suum.”—Fj. Ixviii. 16.
- ” Impius, cum in profundum venerit peccatorum, contemnit.”—
Frau. xviii. 3.
’ ** Spes desperantium, Adjutrix destitutorum.”
4 “ In te speret, qui desperat.”—Mfd. in Salve Keg,
6 Nolo mortem impii.”—Ezech. xxxiii. 11.

//. Sinners wif//i
r/
·
.
.
11(1 j>uicvc ιη I /ircats. 341
what then do you desire, O Lovd ? ! wish hinl to be
ci nxeitu , and i ecox er the life of my grace: But that the
wicked turn from his way and live.' Haste then, brother,
fling yourself at the feet of Jesus Christ; behold him!
see how he stands with his arms open to embrace you,
etc. (Here an act of contrition is made.)
1 “ Sed ul convertatur, ... cl vivat. ‘—ibid.

342

LUscourscs for /'hues of Calo mt fies.

THIRD DISCOURSE.

God is Merciful for a Season, and then Chastises.
“ Indulsisti genti, Domine, indulsisti genti; numquid glorificatus es?"
“ Thou hast been favorable to the nation, O Lord, thou hast been
favorable to the nation; hast thou been glorified?”—A<z. xxvi. 15.

Lord, Thon hast often pardoned this people; Thon

hast threatened it with destruction by earthquake, by
pestilence, in neighboring countries; by the infirmities
and death of ils own citizens; but Thou hast aftei wards
taken pity on them: Thou hast been favorable to the na­
tion, O Lord, Thou hast been favorable to the nation; hast
Thou been glorifiedÎ' Thou hast pardoned us, Thou hast

dealt mercifully with us; what hast Thou received in
return? Have Thy people abandoned their sins? have
they changed their lives? No, they have gone on from
bad to worse; that momentary fear passed, they have
begun afresh to offend Thee and provoke Thy wrath.—
But, my brethren, perhaps you imagine that God will
always wait, always pardon, and never punish? No;
God IS MERCIFUL FOR a season; then he punishes; this
is the subject of this day’s discourse.
We must persuade ourselves that God cannot do
otherwise than hate sin; he is holiness itself, and there­
fore cannot but hate that monster, his enemy, whose
malice is altogether opposed to the perfection of God.
And if Gcd hate sin, he must necessarily hate the sin­
ner who makes league with sin. But to God the wicked
’“Indulsisti genti, Domine, indulsisti genti; numquid glorificatus
es?”

ί

/ZZ 6·^ al fi rst Merciful, Chaslises.

343

I

rz/.y/z/.v z. <ti kedness are hateful alike? () God, with what
• hi < xpression of grief and with what reason do you not
(oinplain ol those who despise you, to take part with
joui enemy. //ear, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth,
Jm t/η Lord hath spoken ; / have brought up children, and
exalted them; but they have despised Me? Hear, O ye

heavens, he says, and give car, () earth, witness the in­
gratitude with which I am treated by men. I have
brought them up, and exalted them as my children,ano
they have repaid me with contempt and outrage. The
ox knowet/i his owner, and the ass his master s crib: but Israel
hath not known Me, . . . they are gone away backwards?

The beast of the field, the ox and the ass, continues the
Lord, know their master, and are grateful to him, but
my children have not known me, and have turned their
back upon me. But how is this? “Services are re­
membered even by beasts,”4 says Seneca. The very
brutes are grateful to their benefactors; see that dog
how he serves and obeys, and is faithful to his master,
who feeds him; even the wild beasts, the tiger and the
lion are grateful to those who feed them. And God,
my brethren, who till now has provided us with every­
thing, who has given us food and raiment: What
more ? who has kept us in existence up to the moment
when we offended him,— how have we treated him?
How do we purpose to act in future? Do we not
think to live on as we have been living? Do we not
perhaps think that there is no punishment, no hell for
us? But hearken and know that as the Lord cannot
1 “Similiter autem odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus.”—H'isd.
xiv. 9.
• “ Audi, coeli, et auribus percipe, terra. . . . Filios enutrivi; ipsi
autem spreverunt me.”—/s. i. 2.
;l " Cognovit bos possessorem suum, et asinus præsepe domini sui;
Israel autem me non cognovit. . . . Abalienati sunt retrorsum.”—
d>i<L 3, 4.
4 “ Otlicia etiam fera.· sentiunt.”—t)< Bene/. 1. 1, c, 3.

344

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

but hate sin, because he is holy, so he cannot but chas­
tise it when the sinner is obstinate, because he is just.
When he does chastise, it is not to please himself, but
because we drive him to it. The wise man says that
God did not create hell, through a desire of condemn­
ing man thereto, and that he does not rejoice in their
damnation, because he does not wish to see his creatures
perish: For God made not death, neither hath He pleasure in
the destruction of the living; for He created all things that
they might bel No gardener plants a tree in order to cut

it down and burn it. It was not God’s desire to see us
miserable and in torment; and therefore, says St. John
Chrysostom, he waits so long before he takes vengeance
of the sinner? He waits for our conversion, that he
may then be able to use bis mercy in our regard. There­
fore the Lord waiteth, that He may have mercy on you. Our
God, says the same St. John Chrysostom, is in haste to
save, and slow to condemn? When there is question
of pardon, no sooner has the sinner repented than he is
forgiven by God. Scarcely had David said Peccavi,
Domino, when he was informed by the prophet that his
pardon was already granted: The Lord also hath taken
away thy sin? Yes, because “ we do not desire pardon
so anxiously as he desires to pardon us,” says the same
holy Doctor/ On the other hand, when there is ques­
tion of punishment, he waits, he admonishes, he sends
us warning of it beforehand: For the L^ord God doth
1 " Deus mortem non fecit, nec lætatur in perditione vivorum; crea­
vit enim ut essent omnia,”—Wisd. i. 13.
J
5 “ Ad reposcendam de peccantibus ultionem, consuevit Deus moras
nectere,”
j-vJ
τ " Propterea exspectat Dominus, ut misereatur vestri.”—Is. xxx. 18.
• ° Ad salutem velox, tardus ad demolitionem/—De Panit. hom. 5.
“ Dominus quoque transtulit peccatum tuum.”—2 Kings, xii. 13.
1 Non ita tua condonari peccata cupis, quam tibi remissa esse ex­
petit.”

III. God, at first Merciful, Chastises.

345

nothing without revealing His secret to His servants, the
prophets.1

But when, at length, God sees that we are willing to
yield neither to benefits, nor threats, nor admonitions,
and that we will not amend, then he is forced by our
own selves to punish us, and while punishing us, he will
place before our eyes the great mercies he before ex­
tended to us: Thou thoughtest unjustly that I shall be like
to thee ; but J will reprove thee, and set before thy face? He
will then say to the sinner, think you, O sinner, that 1
had forgotten, as you had done, the outrages you put
upon me, and the graces I dispensed to you ? St. Au­
gustine says that God does not hate but loves us, and
that he only hates our sins.3 He is not wroth with
men, says St. Jerome, but with their sins.4 The saint
says, that by his nature God is inclined to benefit us,
and that it is we ourselves who oblige him to chastise
us, and assume the appearance of severity, which he has
not of himself/ It is this which David means to ex­
press, when he says that the Lord in chastising is like a
drunken man who strikes in his sleep: And the Lord was
awaked as one out of sleep, and He smote His enemies?

Theodoret adds that, as.drunkenness is not natural to
man, so chastisement does not naturally belong to God;
it is we who force him into that wrath which is not his
by nature.7 St. Jerome, reflecting on those words which
’ “ Non facit Dominus Deus verbum, nisi revelaverit secretum suum.”
—A moi. iii. 7.
* “ Existimasti, inique, quod ero tui similis; arguam te, et statuam
contra faciem tuam."—Ps. xlix. 20.
' '
3 “ Odit Deus, et amat; odit tua, amat te.”—Serm. 142, E. E.
4 “ Neque Deus hominibus, sed vitiis irascitur.”—In Doni. c. 4.
5 “ Deus, qui natura benignus est, vestris peccatis cogetur personam,
quam non habet, crudelitatis assumere.”
6 " Excitatus est . . . tamquam potens crapulatus a vino, et per­
cussit inimicos suos.”—Ps. Ixxvii. 65.
1 “ Thesaurizas tibi iram, quam Deus naturaliter non habet.”—/n
Ezech. c. 16.

346' Discozirses for Timos of Calamities.
Jesus Christ on the day of general judgment will address
to the reprobate, Depart from Me, you cursed, into ever­
lasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels'

inquires, who has prepared this fire for sinners? God
perhaps. No, because God never created souls for heil,
as the impious Luther taught: this fire has been kindled
for sinners by their own sins? He who sows in sin,
shall reap chastisement.
He that soweth iniquity,
shall reap evil.3 When the soul commits sin, it volun­
tarily obliges itself to pay the penalty thereof, and thus
condemns itself to the pains of hell. For you have said,
we have entered into a league with death, and we have made a
covenant with hell.' Hence St. Ambrose well says, that

God has not condemned any one, but that each one is
the author of his own chastisement.5 And the Holy
Ghost says, that the sinner shall be consumed by the
hatred which he bears himself; with the rod of his anger
he shall be consumed!' He, says Salvian, who offends God
has no more cruel enemy than himself, since he himself
has caused the torments which he suffers.7 God, he con­
tinues, does not wish to see us in affliction, but it is we
who draw down sufferings upon ourselves, and by our
sins enkindle
the flames in which we are to burn? God
y
punishes us, because we oblige him to punish us.
1 “ Discedite a me, maledicti, in ignem æternum, qui paratus est
diabolo et angelis ejus.”—Alatth. yxv. 41.
2 “ Comparaverunt delictis suis.”
3 “ Qui seminat iniquitatem, metet mala.”—Prov. xxii. 8.
4 “ Dixistis enim: Percussimus foedus cum morte, et cum inferno
fecimus pactum.”—Is. xxviii. 15.
5 “Nullum prius ipse condemnat, sed unusquisque sibi auctor est
pœnæ.”—In Luc. c. 8.
6 “ Et virga iræ suæ consummabitur.”—Prov. xxii. 8.
1 “ Ipse sibi parat peccator, quod patitur; nihil itaque est in nos
crudelius nobis.”
8 ” Nos nos, etiam Deo nolente, cruciamus; nos cœlestis iræ ignem
accendimus, et excitamus incendia quibus ardeamus.”—De Gub. Dei,
1. 8.

III. God, at first Merciful, Chastises.

347

But I know, you say, the mercies of God are great:
no matter how manifold my sins, I have in view a
change of life by and by, and God will have mercy upon
me. But no, God desires you not to speak thus. And say
not the mercy of the Lord is great, He will have mercy on the
multitude of my sins.' And why has the Lord forbidden
you to say so? The reason is this, for mercy and wrath
quickly come from Him.123 Yes, it is true, God has patience,

God waits for some sinners; I say some, for there are
some whom God does not wait for at all: how many
has be not sent to hell immediately after the first trans­
gression ? Others he does wait for, but he will not
always wait for them; he spares them for a certain time
and then punishes.
The Lord patiently expecteth, that
when the day of judgment shall come, He may punish them in
the fulness of their sins.2 Mark well, when the day ofjudg­
ment shall come: when the day of vengeance shall arrive,
in the fulness of their sins. When the measure of sins

which God has determined to pardon is filled up, he will
punish. Then the Lord will have no mercy, and will
chastise unremittingly.
The city of Jericho did not fall during the first circuit
made by the Ark, it did not fall at the fifth, or at the
sixth, but it fell at last at the seventh.4 And thus it will
happen with thee, says St. Augustine, “at the seventh
circuit made by the Ark the city of vanity will fall.”5
God has pardoned you your first sin, your tenth, your
seventieth, perhaps your thousandth ; he has often called
you, now calls you again; tremble lest this should be
1 “Ne dicas: Miseratio Domini magna est; multitudinis peccatorum
meorum miserebitur.”—Ecclus. v. 6.
2 “ Misericordia enim et ira ab illo cito proximant.”—Ibid.
3 “ Dominus patienter exspectat, ut . . . cum judicii dies advenerit,
in plenitudine peccatorum puniat.”—2 Much. vi. 14.
4 Jos. vi. 20.
5 “ Veniet septimus arcæ circuitus, et civitas vanitatis corruet.”

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

the last circuit taken by the ark, that is, the last call,
after whicif you do not change your life, it will be
over with you. For the earth, says the Apostle, that
drinketh in the rain which cometh often upon it . . and
fringeth forth thorns and briars is reprobate, and ver\ near
tinte a curse, τ ose end isto be burned.' That soul, hesavs,

which has often received the waters of divine light and
grace, and instead of bearing fruit produces nought but
the thorns of sin. is nigh unto a curse, and its end will
be to burn eternally in hell fire. In a word, when the
period comes. God punishes.
.'$8
And let us know, that when God wishes to punish, he
is able and knows how to do it. The daughter of Sion
s tall be left . . . as a city that is laid waste} How many
cities do we not know to have been destroyed and lev­
elled with the ground, by reason of the sins of the in­
habitants, whom God could no longer bear with ! One
day, Jesus Christ being within sight of the city of Jeru­
salem, gazed upon it, and thinking of the ruin which
her crimes were to draw down upon her, our Redeemer,
who is so full of compassion for our miseries, began to
weep: Seeing the city, He wept crcer it, saying: They shall not
leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou hast not known
the time of thy visitation} Poor city, there shall not be

left in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou hast not
been willing to know the grace which I gave thee in
visiting thee with so many benefits, and bestowing upon
thee so many tokens of mv love; whilst thou hast ungratefully despised me, and driven me away. Jerusalem,
1 ‘ Terra enim sæpc venientem super se bibens imbrem, . . . pro­
ferens autem spinas ac tribulos, reproba est, et maledicto proxima; cujus
consummatio in combustionem.”—IDb. vi. 7.
5 “Derelinquetur fiiia Sion . . . sicut civitas quæ vastatur.”—Is.
j. 8.
- Videns civitatem, flevit super illam, dicens: . . . Non relinquent
in te lapidem super lapidem, eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitaionis tuae."—Luke, xix. 41.

^3

ΙΠ. God. at first Merciful, Chastises.

349

Jerusalem, . . how often would I have gathered t y children
. . and t ou wouldst not, behold your louse s all be left to
* ou desolate. Sinful brother, who knows whether God

does not at this moment look upon your soul and weep?
Perhaps he sees that you will not turn to account this visit
which he now pays you, this sum mons which he gives you
to change your life. How often would I.. . and thou wouldst
not. How often, says the Lord, have I wished to dravr
you to me by the lights which I have given you ? How
often have I called you and you w’ould not hear me?
You have been deaf to me and fled from me. Behold
your house shall be left to you desolate. Behold I am
already on the point of abandoning you, and if I aban­
don you, your ruin will be inevitable, irreparable.
lie would have cured Babylon, but she is nt t humbled; let us
forsake her.' The physician when he sees that the patient

will not adopt his remedies, which he himself carries to
him with so much kindness, and which the other flings
out of the window—what does he do at length ? He
turns his back upon him and abandons him. My
brethren, by how many remedies, by how’ many inspi­
rations, by how many calls, has not God endeavored to
avert damnation from *vou ? What more can he do ? If
you damn yourself, can you complain of (rod who has
called you in so many different ways? God calls you
by the voice of his minister, he calls you by the voice
that is within you, he calls you by his favors, he calls
you lastly by temporal punishments; in order that you
may learn to dread those w’hich are eternal. St. Ber­
nardine of Sienna says that for certain sins, more espe­
cially those which are scandalous, there is no more
effectual method of doing away with them than by
1 “ Quoties volui congregare filios tuos, . . . et noluisti! Ecce re­
linquetur vobis domus vestra deserta.”—Lukt, xHi. 34.
* ‘ Curavimus Babylonem, et non est sanata; derelinquamus eam.”
—Jer. Ii 9.

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temporal punishments.1 But when the Lord sees that
his favors serve only to make the sinner more insolent
in his evil life, when he sees that his threats are disre­
garded, when he perceives, in a word, that he speaks
and is not heard; then he abandons the sinner, and
chastises him with eternal death. Therefore does he
sax, Because I catted and you refused . . . and hare neglected
my reprehensions, I will also laugh in your destruction and
will mock when that shall come which you feared.1 \ ou,

savs God, have laughed at my words, my threats, and
my chastisements, your last chastisement shall come,
and then I will laugh at ye. And it (the rod) was
turned into a serpe .t! St. Bruno, in his commentary
upon this passage, says, “ the rod is turned into a ser­
pent when they will not amend.” * The eternal will
succeed the temporal punishment.
Oh how well does not God know how to chastise, and
so to order it that from the instruments and motives of
sin should be drawn the chastisement ! That they might
know that by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is
tormented! The Jews put Jesus Christ to death for fear
the Romans should seize on their possessions. If we let
Him alone, said they, all will believe in Him, and the Romans
wilt come and take away our place and nation! But the

same sin of putting Jesus Christ to death was the cause
of their being shortly after despoiled of everything bv
the Romans. “They feared they should lose temporal
possessions,” says St. Augustine, “and thought not of
5 “ Pro talibus admonendis, nullum reperitur remedium nisi Dei
flagellum.'’—T. II., s. 18. a. 2. c. 2.
' “Quia vocavi, et renuistis, ... et increpationes meas neglexistis,
ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo et subsannabo.”—Pro~j. i. 24.
2 ·· Virga . . . versa est in colubrum.”—Exod. iv. 3.
4 " Virga illis vertitur in draconem, qui sæpius correcti, se emendare
volunt.”
* “ Per quæ peccat quis, per bæc et torquetur.”—Wild. xi.
* “ Venient Romani, et tollent nostrum locum.”—John, xi. 48

III. God, at first Merciful, Chastises.

351

eternal life, and so lost both.’’ ‘ In trying to save their
possessions, they lost their souls; the punishment came,
and they lost both. Thus it falls out with many; they
lose their souls for the things of earth; but (rod often
condemns them to beggary in this world, and reproba­
tion in the next.
My brethren, provoke no longer the anger of your
God, know that in proportion to the multitude of his
mercies towards you, in proportion to the length of
time he has borne with you, your punishment will be
greater if you do not amend. “ The Lord makes up
for the slowness of his chastisement,” says St. Gregory,
“ by its grievousness when it does come.”1 I Toe to thee,
Corozain, thus does the Lord speak to a soul that has
abused his favors, Woe to thee Bethsaida, for if in Tyre
and Sidon had been wrought the mighty things which have
been wrought in you, they would have done penance long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.' Yes, my brethren, if the

graces which have been given to you had been given to
a Turk or an Indian, if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought
the mighty works which have been wrought in you, he w ould
have now’ been a saint, or at least have done great pen­
ance for his sins; and have you become a saint? have
you at least done penance for your many mortal sins,
for your many evil thoughts, words, and scandals? see
you not how’ God is angry with you ? how’ he stands
with his scourge in his hand ? Do you see not death
hanging over you.
And what are we to do? you inquire: are we to
despair? No, God does not wish us to despair. Let us1*3
1 " Temporalia perdere timuerunt, et vitam æternam non cogitave­
runt; ac sic utrumque amiserunt.”—In fo. tr. 49, n. 26.
- ” Tardam vindictam compensat Dominus gravitate pcenarum.”
3 “ Væ tibi, Corozain ! væ tibi, Bethsaida! quia, si in Tyro et
Sidone factae fuissent virtutes quæ factæ sunt in vobis, olim in cilicjo
et cinere sedentes poeniterent. ”—Luke, x. 13.

35 2

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

go ~Hth confidence to the throne of grace : that is what we
are to do, as St. Paul exhorts us, in order that we may
obtain mercy. and find grace in seasonable aid} Let us at

once go to the throne of grace that we may receive the
pardon of our sins, and the remission of the punishment
vhich overhangs us. By seasonable aid the Apostle
means to convey that the aid which God may be will­
ing
he mav
denv
to-morrow. At once,
O to lend us to-dav
J
J
J
then, to the throne of grace.
But what is the throne of grace? Jesus Christ, my
brethren, is the throne of grace. And He is the propitia­
tion for our sins.' Jesus it is who by the merit of his
o.ood can obtain pardon for us, but we must apply
immediately. The Redeemer, during his preaching in
Juda, cured the sick, and dispensed other favors as he
went along; whoever was on the spot to ask a favor of
him. obtained it; but whoever was negligent, and al­
lowed him to pass without a request, remained as he
was. V,~ho U'cnt about doing good.
*
It was this caused St.
Augustine to say: “ I fear Jesus passing by;” 1 by which
he meant to express that when the Lord offers us his
grace, we must immediate!}' correspond, doing our
utmost to obtain it, that otherwise he will pass on
and leave us without it. To-day, if you shall hear His
~oice. harden not your hearts} To-day God calls you;
give yourself to God to-day; if you wait for to-morrow,
intending to give yourself to him then, perhaps he will
have ceased to call, and you will remain deserted.
Marr, the Oueen and the mother of mercies, is also a
‘
ergo c-m fiducia ad thronum gratiae, ut misericordiam
consequamur et gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno.”—Heb. iv. 16.
’ " Ipse est propitiatio pro peccat s nostris.”—i John, ii. 2.
• ** Pertransiit benefaciendo. —Acti, x. $3.
4 “Timeo Jesum transeuntem. —Strm. 85, E. B.
s Hodie si vocem ejus audieriti>, nolite obdurare corda vestra.”_
/<. x-.iv. 8.

III. God, at first Merciful, Chastises.

353

throne of grace, as St. Antoninus says. Hence, if you
see that God is angry with you, St. Bonaventure exhorts
vou to have recourse to the hope of sinners? “ Go, have
recourse to the hope of sinners: Mary is the hope of sin­
ners, Mary who is called the mother of holy hope ? But we
must take notice that holy hope is the hope of that sin­
ner who repents him of his evil ways, and determines
upon a change of life; but if any one pursues an evil
course in the hope that Mary will succor and save him,
such a hope is false, such a hope is bad and rash. Let
us then repent of our sins, resolve to amend, and then
have recourse to Mary with a confidence that she will
assist and save us. (Act of contrition.)
' “ Si contra te Dominum videris indignatum, ad spem peccatorum
confugias."—Stim. div. am. p. j, c. 12.
’ '* Mater . . sancta sp -i.”—Ecclui. xxiv. 24.
23

354

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

FOURTH DISCOURSE.
The Four Principal Gates of Hell.
“ Dcfixæ sunt in terra portæ cjus. ”
“ Her gates are sunk into the ground.”—Lavi. ii. 9.

Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many
there are who go in thereat' Hell lias then different gates,
but these gates stand on our earth. Her gates arc sunk
into the ground.' These are the vices by which men

offend God, and draw down upon themselves chastise­
ments and eternal death. Amongst the other vices,
there are four which send most souls to hell, and on
this earth bring upon men the scourges of God; and
these four are, hatred, blasphemy, theft, and impurity.
Behold, the four gates by which the greater number of
souls enter hell; and it is of these four that I mean to
speak to-day, in order that you may amend and cure
JYourselves of these four vices, otherwise God will cure
you of them, but by your own destruction.
i.

Hatred.

The first gate of hell is hatred. As paradise is the
kingdom of love, so hell is the kingdom of hatred.
Father, says such a person, I am grateful to and love
my friends, but I cannot endure him who does me an
injury. Now, brother, you must know that the bar­
barians, the Turks and Indians .say and do all this:
Do not also the heathens this lΛ says the Lord. To wish
' “Spatiosa via est quæ ducit ad perditionem, et multi sunt qui in­
trant peream.”—Matth. vu. 13.
a “ Dcfixæ sunt in terra portæ cjus.”
* “ Nonne et ethnici Loc faciunt ? ’—Matth. v. 47.

well to him who serves you is a natural thing; it is done
not only by the infidel, but even by the brutes and wild
beasts. But I say to you.' Hear what I say to you says
Jesus Christ; hear my law, which is a law of love: Love
your enemies.' 1 wish, that you, my disciples, should love
even your enemies. Do good to them that hate you f you
must do good to them that wish you ill, and pray for
them that persecute and calumniate you f if you can do
nothing else, you must pray for them who persecute
you, and then you shall be the children of God your
father: that you may he the children of your Father who is in
*
heaven
St. Au
*gustine
then is right in saying that it
is by love alone a child of God is known from a child
of the devil.0 Thus have the saints always done; they
have loved their enemies. A certain woman had tra. duced the honor of St. Catharine of Sienna, and the
saint attended this same woman in her sickness, and
ministered to her as a servant. St. Acaius sold his
garment to succor one who had taken away his charac­
ter. St. Ambrose gave to an assassin, who had at­
tempted his life, a daily allowance, in order that he
might have wherewithal to live. Such may indeed be
called the children of God. Is it a great matter, says
St. Thomas of Villanova, that often when we have re­
ceived an injury from any one we forgive it at the suit
of a friend who pleads for him ? And shall we. not do
the same when God commands it?
Oh, how well grounded a hope of pardon has not he
who pardons the man who has offended him. He has
’ “ Ego autem dico vobis.”
9 Diligite inimicos vestros.”
3 “ Benefacite his qui oderunt vos.”
« “ Et orate pro persecutoribus et calumniantibus vos.”
5 “Ut silis filii Patris vestri qui in cœlis est.”—Malih. v. 44, 45.
° “ Dilectio sola discernit inter filios Dei et filios diaboli.’—In 1 Jo.
tr. s.

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

the promise of God himself, who says, Forgive, and you
shall be forgiven.
“By forgiving others,” says St. John
Chrysostom, “you earn pardon for yourself.”2 But he,
on the contrary, who will have vengeance, how can he
hope for pardon for his sins? Such a person, in saying
the “ Our Father,” condemns himself when he says:
“forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that
trespass against us.”3 Then, when such a person
wishes to take vengeance, he says to God: Lord, do not
pardon me, because I will not pardon my enemies. You
give judgment in your own cause, says St. John Chrys­
ostom/
But, be assured, that you shall be judged
without mercy if you show not mercy to your neigh­
bor. For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done
judgment? But how, says St. Augustine, how can he
who will not forgive his enemy, according to the com­
mand of God, have the face to ask pardon from God for
his offences.6
If then, my brethren, you wish to have revenge, bid
adieu to paradise: Without are dogs? Dogs, on account
of their natural fury, are taken to represent the revenge­
ful. These dogs are shut out from paradise; they have
a hell in this life; and they shall have hell in the next.
“ He who is at enmity with any one,” says St. John
Chrysostom, “ never enjoys peace: he is in everlasting
trouble.” *
I
1 “ Dimittite, et dimittemini.”—Luke. vi. 37.
- “ Remittendo aliis, veniam tibi dedisti.”
: “ Dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus
nostris.”
4 “ Tu in tua causa fers sententiam.”—In Jo. hom. 38.
5 “ Judicium autem sine misericordia illi qui non fecit misericor­
diam.”—James, ii. 13.
6 “ Nescio qua fronte indulgentiam peccatorum obtinere poterit, qui,
Deo praecipiente, inimicis suis veniam dare non acquiescit.”—Scrm.
273, E. B.
1 ‘‘ Foris canes.”—Aj>oe. xxii. 15.
b “ Qui inimicum habet, nunquam fruitur pace; perpetuo æstuat.”

II/. Four Principal Gates of Hell,
But, Father, such a one has taken away my
name, which I will renounce for no one.’ Such is, for­
sooth, the proverb, ever in the mouths of those hell­
hounds who seek for revenge. He has taken away my
honor, I must take his life. And is the life of a man at
vour disposal ? God alone is master of life. For it is
Thou, 0 Lord, that hast the power of life and death} Do
you wish to take vengeance of your enemy? God
wishes to lake vengeance of thee. Vengeance belongs
to God alone. Revenge is Λ/ine, and I will repay them in
due time:

But how else, you say, can my honor be repaired ?
Well, and in order to repair your honor, you must
trample under foot the honor of God. Do you not
know, says St. Paul, that when you transgress the law
you dishonor God ? Thou by transgression of the law dishonorcst God} And what honor is this of yours that you
wish to repair? It is the same as the honor of a Turk,
of an idolater: a Christian’s honor is to obey God, and
observe his law.
But other men will look down upon me; and so, for
fear you should be looked down upon, you must con­
demn yourself to hell. But if you forgive, the good
will praise you; wherefore it is, that St. John Chrys­
ostom says: If you wish to be revenged, do good to
your enemy, because then others will condemn your
enemy,5 and speak well of you. It is not true that lie
loses his honor, who, when he has been injured or in­
sulted, says: I am a Christian, I neither can nor will be
revenged. Such a person gains instead of losing honor,
1 “ Honorem meum nemini dabo.”
3 “Tu es enim, Domine, qui vitæ et mortis habes potestatem.”—
Wisd. χνi. 13.
3 “ Mea est ultio, et ego retribuam in tempore.”—Dent, xxxiii. 35.
4 “ Per praevaricationem legis Deum inhonoras.”—Fom. ii. 23.
5 “ Beneficiis eum affice, et ultus es.”

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and, besides, saves his soul. On the contrary, he who
takes revenge will be punished by God, not only in the
other life, but in this also. He is obliged to flee from
the justice of men, after having taken that vengeance
which will render his life henceforward miserable.
What an unhappiness to live a fugitive; to be always in
dread of justice; always in dread of the kindred of his
victim; tormented with remorse of conscience, and con­
demned to hell ?
And let us further know, my brethren, that revenge
and the desire of revenge are alike enormous, are the
same sin. Should we at any time receive an offence,
what are we to do? When our passion begins to rise,
we must have recourse to God, and to the most holy
Mary, who will help us, and obtain strength for us to
forgive. We should then endeavor to say: Lord, for
the love of Thee T forgive the injury that has been done
me, and do T+iou in Thy mercy forgive me all the in­
juries I have done Thee.
2. Blasphemy.*

Let us pass on to the second gate of hell, which is
blasphemy. Some, when things go wrong with them,
do not attack man, but endeavor to wreak their ven­
geance upon God himself by blasphemy. Know, my
brethren, what manner of sin blasphemy is. A certain
author says: “ Every sin, compared with blasphemy, is
light:” 1 and first of all, St. John Chrysostom says, there
is nothing worse than blasphemy.2 Other sins, says St.
Bernard, are committed through frailty, but this only
’ “ Omne peccatum, comparatum blasphcmiæ, levius est."—In Is.

3 “ Blasphemia pejus nihil."—In I Cor. hom. 13.
* Sec Volume XVI., page 553.

IV. Four Principal Gates of Hell,

359

through malice.1 With reason, then, does St. Bernar­
dine of Sienna call blasphemy a diabolical sin, because
the blasphemer, like a demon, attacks God himself. He
is worse than those who crucified Jesus Christ, because
they did not know him to be God; but he who blas­
phemes knows him to be God, and insults him face to
face. He is worse than the dogs, because dogs do not
bite their masters, who feed them, but the blasphemer
outrages God, who is at that verjr moment bestowing
favors on him. What punishment, says St. Augustine,
will suffice to chastise so horrid a crime?1
2 We should
not wonder, says Julius III., that the scourges of God do
not cease while such a crime exists among us.3
Lorino456 cites the following fact: We read in the pref­
ace to the Pragmatic Sanction in France, that King
Robert, when praying for the peace of the kingdom,
was answered by the crucifix that the kingdom never
should have had peace if he had not eradicated blas­
phemy. The Lord threatens to destroy the kingdom in
which this accursed vice reigns. They have blasphemed
the Holy One of Israel; . .
shall be desolate
*

your land is desolate, ... it

Oh, if there were always found some one to do what
St.John Chrysostom advises: “Strike his mouth, and
sanctify thereby thy hand.” ' The mouth of the accursed
blasphemer should be struck, and he should then be
1 “ Alia peccata videntur procedere partim ex fragilitate, partim ex
ignorantia; sed peccatum blasphemiæ procedit ex propria malitia.”—
Seraph, quadr. s. 33, p. 2.
2 “ Quæ supplicia sufficiunt, cum Deo fit ista tam nefaria injuria?”
3 “ Minime mirandum, si flagella non amoveantur.”—Bulla. 23
4 In Levit, xxiv. 14.
5 “ Blasphemaverunt Sanctum Israel; . . . terra vestra . . . deso­
labitur.”—Is. i. 4.
6 “ Contere os ejus, percussione manum tuam sanctifica.”—Ad pop.
Ani. hom. 1.

3°°

i^iscoitrses for Ί dîics of Calamities,

stoned, as the old law commanded: And he that blasphcm. th the name of the Lord, dying let him die: all the mul­
titude shall stone him} But it would be better if that

were done which St. Louis, King of France, put in
force: he commanded by edict that every blasphemer
should be branded on the mouth with an iron. A cer­
tain nobleman having blasphemed, many persons be­
sought the king not to inflict that punishment upon
him: but St. Louis insisted upon its infliction in every
instance: and some taxing him with excessive cruelty
on that account, he replied that he would suffer his own
mouth to be burned sooner than allow such an outrage
to be put upon God in his kingdom.
pÿ
Tell me, blasphemer, of what country are you?
Allow me to tell you. you belong to hell. St. Peter
was known in the house of Caiphas for a Galilean by
his speech. X rely thou also art one of them, it was said
to him./pr e'en thy speech doth discover thee} What is the
language of the damned?—blasphemy. And they blas­
phemed the God of heaven because of their pains and wounds}

What do you gain, my brethren, by these your blasphe­
mies ? you gain no honor by them. Blasphemers are
abhorred even by their blasphemous companions. Do
y ou gain any temporal advantage ? Do you not see that
t iis accursed vice keeps us forever in beggary ? Sin
» aketh nations miserable} Do you derive pleasure from
it ? \\ at pleasure do you derive from blaspheming
God? The pleasure of the damned: and that moment
o: madness past, what pain and bitterness does it not
leave in your heart ? Resolve to rid yourself of this
blasphemaverii nomen Dornin:, morte moriatur: lapidibus
oppr met eurr omr.is mult tudc. ' —xxiv. 16.
’
’ ’ Vere et tu ex i is es; nam et loquela lua manifestum te ;acù_”—
xxvi.
:
•"Ex btaspbemavenint Deum cceli, pnr doloribus et rtdoeribos
suis ’—xi:. Il<
’ Mises > i„cpopulos pecorum."—ZVît··, xjr. 34,

IF. Four Principal Gates of Hell.

361

vice in any event. Take care, if you do not abandon it
now. that you will not carry it with you to death, as has
happened to so many who have died with blasphemy in
their mouths. But, Father, what can I do when the
madness comes upon me? Good God ’ and are there
no other means of working it off than by blasphemy ?
Say. cursed be my sins. Mother of God, assist me, give
me patience; your passion, your anger, will pass off
quickly, and’you will find yourself in the grace of God
after the trial. If you do not act thus, you will find
yourself more afflicted and more lost than before.
2. Theft.*

Let us now pass on to the consideration of the third
great gate of hell by which so large a portion of the
damned enter; I mean theft. Some, so to speak, adore
money as their God, and look upon it as the object of
all their desires. The idols of the Gentiles are silver and
gold: But the sentence of condemnation has already
been pronounced against such: Nor thieves . . . nor
extortioners shall possess the kingdom of Godd It is true
that theft is not the most enormous of sins, but St.
Antoninus says that it very much endangers salvation.
The reason is because for the remission of other sins
true repentance only is required; but repentance is not
enough for the remission of theft: there must be resti­
tution. and this is made with difficulty. A certain her­
mit had once the following vision: he saw Lucifer
seated on a throne, and inquiring of one of his demons
why he had been so long about returning. The latter
replied that he had been detained by his endeavors to
tempt a thief not to restore what he had stolen. Let
1 “ Simulacra gentium, argentum el aurum.”—Ps. ciii. 12.
5 1 'Neque fures . . . neque rapaces regnum Dei possidebunt.
*
’—
I Cer. vL 10.

♦ See Volume XV , page 453.

j02

/discourses for Cimes of Calamities.

*

I

this fool be severely punished, said Lucifer. Towhat
purpose have you spent this time? do you not know
that he who has taken the property of another never
restores it? And, in truth, so it is: the property of
another becomes to him who takes it like his own blood;
and the pain of suffering one’s blood to be drawn for
another is very difficult to endure. We learn it every
day from experience: innumerable thefts take place;
how much restitution do you see?
My brethren, see that you take not the property of
your neighbor, and if during the past you have ever
failed in this respect, make restitution as soon as possi­
ble. If you cannot at once make full restitution, do it
by degrees. Know that the property of another in your
possession will not only be the means of bringing you to
hell, but will make you miserable even in this life. Thou
hast despoiled others, says the prophet, and others shall
despoil thee. Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all
that shall be left of the people shall spoil thee.' The property
of another brings with it a curse which will fall upon the
entire house of the thief. Th is is the curse that goeth forth

/

over the face of the earth, . . . and it shall come to the house
of the thieff that is to say (as St. Gregory Nazianzen

explains it), that the thief shall lose not only the stolen
property, but his own1*3 The goods of another are as
fire and smoke to consume everything that comes in
their way.
Remember well, mothers and wives, when children or
husbands bring home the property of their neighbor,
remember well to chide and reprove them; not to
applaud their action, or even consent to it by silence.
1 “ Quia tu spoliasti gentes inultas, spoliabunt te omnes.”_ Habac.
ii. S.
7 “ Hæc est maledictio quæ egreditur super faciem omnis terræ·
et veniet ad domum furis.”—Zach. v. 3.
3 “ Qui opes inique possidet, etiam opes suas amittet.”

■?> I

j

i
I

/1\ Four Principal Gates of IielL
Tobias hearing a lamb bleat in his house, Take heed.
said he, lest perhaps it be stolen; restore ye it to its owners.'
St. Augustine says that Tobias, because he loved God,
did not wish to hear the sound of theft in his house/
Some persons take the property of their neighbor, and
then are fain to quiet their consciences by alms-deeds.
Christ, says St. John Chrysostom, will not be fed with
the plunder of others.3 The sins of this kind, com­
mitted by the great, are acts of injustice, the injuries
that they inflict upon others, the taking from the poor
of what is their due. These are descriptions of theft
which require perfect restitution, and a restitution most
difficult of all to make, and most likely to be the cause
of one’s damnation.
4. Impurity.

We have now, lastly, to speak of the fourth gate of
hell, which is impurity, and it is by this gate that the
greater number of the damned enter. Some will say
that it is a trifling sin. Is it a trifling sin ? It is a mor­
tal sin. St. Antoninus writes, that such is the nauseous­
ness of this sin; that the devils themselves cannot en­
dure it. Moreover, the Doctors of the Church say that
certain demons, who have been superior to the rest, re­
membering their ancient dignity, disdain tempting to
so loathsome a sin. Consider then how disgusting he
must be to God, who, like a dog, is ever returning to his
vomit, or wallowing like a pig in the stinking mire of
this accursed vice. The dog is returned to his vomit ; and
the sow that was washed. to her rolling in the mireI

The impure say, moreover, God has compassion on
1 “ Videte ne forte furtivus sit; reddite eum.”—Tob. ii. 21.
3 “ Nolebat sonum furti audire in domo.”—Serin. 88, E. B.
3 “ Non vult Christus rapina nutriri.”
4 “Canis reversus ad suum vomitum, et sus lota in volutabro luti.”
—2 Peter, ii. 22.

3Û4

Discourses Jor Times of Calamity.

us who are subject to this vice, because he knows that
we are flesh. What do you say? God has compassion
on this vice. But you must know that the most horrible
chastisements with which God has ever visited the
earth have been drawn down by this vice. St. Jerome
says that this is the only sin of which we read that it
caused God to repent him of having made man. It repented
Him that had made man
. for all flesh had corrupted its
way! Wherefore it is, St. Jerome says,3 that there is no

sin which God punishes so rigorously, even upon earth,
as this. He once sent fire from heaven upon five cities,
and consumed all their inhabitants for this sin. Prin­
cipally on account of this sin did God destroy mankind,
with the exception of eight persons, by the deluge. It
is a sin which God punishes, not only in the other life,
but in this also. In confirmation of this, you have only
to enter the hospitals, and see there the many poor
young men, who were once strong and robust, but are
now weak, squalid, full of pains, tormented with lancets
and caustic, and ulcers, all through this accursed vice.
Because thou hast forgotten Me and cast Me off behind, thy
back, bear thou also thy wickedness and thy fornications!

Because, says God, you have forgotten me and turned
your back upon me, for a miserable pleasure of the
flesh, I am resolved that even in this life you shall pay
the forfeit of your wickedness.
You say, God has compassion upon men subject to
this sin. But it is this sin that sends most men to hell.
St. Remigius says, that the greater number of the
damned are in hell through this vice. Father Segneri
1 “ Pœnituit eum quod hominem fecisset. . . . Omnis quippe caro
corruperat viam suam.”—Gen. vi. 6-12.
1 ‘ Pro nullo alio reatu, tam manifestam justitiam exercuit Deus,
quam pro isto.”—Epist. Euseb. ad Dani.
“ Quia oblita es mei, et projecisti me post corpus tuum, tu quoque
porta scelus tuum et fornicationes tuas.”—Ezcch. xxiii. 35.

11

Four Principal Gates oj Hell.

365

writes, that as this vice fills the world with sinners, so
it fills hell with damned souls; and before him St. Ber­
nardine of Sienna wrote: “This sin draws the whole
world, as it were, into sin.” 1 And before him St. Bernard, St. Isidore, said, that “the human race is brought
under the power of the devil more by lust than by all
the other vices.”1*34*6 The reason is, because this vice pro­
ceeds from the natural inclination of the flesh. Hence
the angelic Doctor says, that the devil does not take
such complacency in securing the commission of any
other sin as of this, because the person who is plunged
in this infernal mire remains fast therein, and almost
wholly unable to free himself more. “ No one is so
obstinate in sin as the impure,”3 says St. Thomas of
Villanova. Moreover, this vice deprives one of all light,
for the impure man becomes so blind as almost wholly
to forget God, says St. Laurence Justinian;' which is in
accordance with what is said by the prophet Osee:
They will not set their thoughts to return to Heir God; for
the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have
not known God? The impure man knows not God; he

obeys neither God nor reason, as St. Jerome says; he
obeys only the sensual appetite which causes him to act
the beast.0
This sin, because it flatters, makes us fall at once into
1 “ Hoc peccatum quasi totum mundum trahit ad supplicium.”—
Serin. Extraord. Τ2, ρ. 2.
7 “ Magis per luxuriam humanum genus subditur diabolo, quam per
cætera vitia.”—Sent. 1. 2, c. 39.
3 “ Nullus in peccato tenacior, quam libidinosus.”—De S. lldeph
c. 2.
·
4 “Voluptates (impudicæ) oblivionem Dei inducunt.”—Lign. vit. de
Contin. c. 4.
'· “ Non dabunt cogitationes suas ut revertantur ad Deum suum, quia
spiritus fornicationum in medio eorum, et Dominum non cognove­
runt.”— Osee, v. 4.
6 “ Nec paret rationi, qui impetu ducitur.”
.

.

*

·

·

*·

···♦·*.<*·

·

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

the habit of it, a habit which some carry with them even
to death, λ'οιι see husbands, and decrepit old men, in­
dulge in the same thoughts and committing the same
sins that they committed in their youth. And because
sins of this kind are so easily committed, they become
multiplied without number. Ask of the sinner how
many impure thoughts he has consented to: he will tell
you he cannot remember. But, brother, if you cannot
tell the number, God can; and you know that a single
immodest thought is enough to send you to hell. How
many immodest words have you spoken, in which you
took delight yourself, and by which you scandalized
your neighbor ? From thoughts and words you proceed
to acts, and to those innumerable impurities which those
wretches roll and wallow in like swine,1 without ever
being satisfied, for this vice is never satisfied.
But, Father, you will say, how can I hold out against
the innumerable temptations which assail me ? I am
weak, I am flesh. And since you are weak, why not
recommend yourself to God, and to most holy Mary,
whois the mother of purity? Since you are
flesh,
why
/
do you throw yourself in the way of sin? Why do you
not mortify your eyes? Why do you gaze upon those
objects whence temptations flow ? St. Aloysius never
raised his eyes to look even upon his mother.
It is to be remarked, moreover, that this sin brings
with it innumerable others: enmities, thefts, and, more
especially, sacrilegious confessions and Communions,
bv* reason of the shame which will not allow these impurities to be disclosed in confession. And let us re­
mark here in passing, that it is sacrilege above all things,
that brings upon us sickness and death; for, says the
Apostle, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the
Lord; and then he adds: therefore arc many infirm and
1 “ Sus in volutabro luti.”

Il7, Fotcr Principal Gales of Hell.

367

And St. John Chrysostom, in explana­
tion of that passage, says that St. Pan! speaks of persons
who were chastised with bodily infirmities, because they
received the sacrament with a guilty conscience.3
My brethren, should you ever have been sunk in this
vice, I do not bid you be disheartened, but arise at once
from this foul and infernal pit; beg of God forthwith
to give you light, and stretch out his hand to you. The
first thing that you have to do is to break with the
occasion of sin: without that, preaching and tears and
resolutions and confessions, all are lost. Remove the
occasions, and then constantly recommend yourself to
God, and to Mary the mother of purity. No matter
how grievously you may be tempted, do not be dis
couraged by the temptation; at once call to your aid
Jesus and Mary, pronouncing their sacred names.
These blessed names have the virtue of making the devil
fly, and stifling that hellish flame within you. If the
devil persist in tempting you, persevere in calling upon
Jesus and Mary, and certainly you shall not fall. In
order to rid yourself of your evil habits, undertake some
special devotion to our Lady; begin to fast in her honor
upon Saturdays; contrive to visit her image every day,
and beg of her to obtain for you deliverance from that
vice. Every morning immediately after rising, never
omit saying three “ Hail Marys” in honor of her purity
and do the same when going to bed; and above all
things, as I have said, when the temptation is most
troublesome, call quickly upon Jesus and Mary. Be­
ware, brother, if you do not be converted now, you may
never be converted. (Act of contrition.)

weak among you)

1 “ Qui enim manducat et bibit indigne, judicium sibi manducat et
bibit, non dijudicans corpus Domini.”—i Cor. xi. 29.
2 “ Quandoquidem peccabant, quod participes fierent Mysteriorum,
non expurgata conscientia.”—Iu Isaiain, c. 3.

jOb

Discourses jor I unes oj Calamities.

FIFTH DISCOURSE.
External Devotions are Useless if we do not Cleanse our
Souls from Sin.
Er nunc nolite iLudere ut forte constringantur vincula tua.”
And now do not mock, lest your bonds be tied strait.”—Isa.
xxvii. 22.

God commands Jonas to go and preach to Ninive.

Jonas, instead of obeying God, flies by sea towards
Tharsis. But, behold! a great tempest threatens to
sink the ship; and Jonas knowing that the tempest was
raised in punishment of his disobedience, said to the
crew of the vessel: Take me up and cast me into the sea,
ana tie sea shall be calm to you ; for I know that for my
sake this great tempest is upon you.' A
*nd they actually did

cast him into the sea, and the tempest ceased there­
upon. And the sea ceased from raging.2 Then if Jonas
had not been thrown into the sea the tempest should
not have ceased. Consider well, my brethren, what we
are to learn from this. It is, that if we do not cast sin
out of our souls, the tempest, that is, the scourge of
God, will not cease. The tempest is excited by our
sins; the tempest which is hurrying us to destruction.
Our iniquities, like the wind, haze taken us away.2 Behold,
we have penitential exercises, novenas, and exposition
of the Blessed Sacrament; but to what purpose are
those if we be not converted, if we do not rid our souls
of sin? The subject of our discourse is: External de1 "Tollite me. el mittite in mare, et cessabit mare a vobis; scio enim
ego quoniam propter me tempestas hæc grandis venit.”—fon. i. 12.
’ ‘‘ Et stetit mare a fervore suo.”—Ibid. 15.
2 " Iniquitates nostræ quasi ventus abstulerunt nos.”—Is. l.xiv. 6.

V. Our Souls Must be Cleansed from Sin. 369
VOTIONS ARE USELESS, IE WE DO NOT ABANDON OUR SINS;

because otherwise we cannot please God.
It is said that the pain is not removed before the
thorn has been plucked out. St. Jerome writes that
God is never angered, since anger is passion, and pas­
sion is incompatible with God. He is always tranquil;
and even in the act of punishing, his tranquillity is not
in the least disturbed. But Thou being master of power,
judgest with tranquillity) But the malice of mortal sin is
so great, that if God were capable of wrath and afflic­
tion, it would enrage and afflict him. It is this that
sinners do as far as in them lies, according to that of
Isaias: But they provoked to wrath, and afflicted the spirit of
His holy one) Moses writes, that when God was about
to send the deluge, he declared himself to be so much
afflicted by the sins of men as to be obliged to exter­
minate them from the earth. And being touched imvardly
with sorrow of heart, He said, I will destroy man whom I
have created, from the face of the earth)

St. John Chrysostom says that sin is the only cause
of all our sufferings and chastisements.'
*
Commenting
upon these words in Genesis which the Lord spoke after
the deluge, I will place My bow in the clouds, " St. Ambrose''
remarks that God does not say I will place my arrow,
but my bow, in the clouds; giving us thereby to under­
stand that it is always the sinner who fixes the arrow in
the bow of God by provoking him to chastisement.
If we wish to be pleasing to the Lord, we must
1 “ Tu autem, Dominator virtutis, cum tranquillitate judicas.”—
Jt’isd. xi i. i S.
- “ Ipsi autem ad iracundiam provocaverunt et afflixerunt spiritum
Sancti ejus.”—Is. Ixiii. io.
■ “Tactus dolore cordis intrinsecus, Delebo, inquit, hominem quera
creavi.”—Gen. vi. 6.
4 “ Ubi est fons peccati, illic est plaga supplicii.”—In l's. 3.
5 ‘ Arcum meum ponam in nubibus.”—Gen. ix. 13.
6 De Xoe, c. 27.
24

3/0

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

remove the cause of his anger, which is sin. The man
sick of the palsy besought Jesus Christ to restore the
health of his body; but, before granting his request,
our Lord first restored his soul’s health by giving him
sorrow for his sins, and then saving to him: Be of good
heart, son; thy sins are forgiven thee.' St. Thomas says
that the Redeemer first removed the cause of his infir­
mity, namely, his sins, and then freed him from the
infirmity itself. “ He asked for the health of the body,
and the Lord gave him the health of the soul; because,
like a good physician, he wished to take away the root
of the evil.” * Sin is the root of every evil, as we find in
St. Bernardine of Sienna.3 Hence the Lord after having
healed him, warned him against sin in these words: Go
thy way, and sin no more, test something worse befall thee.'
Ecclesiasticus said the same before our Lord: My son,
in thy sickness . . . cleanse thy heart from sin, . . . and then
give place to the physician.
*
You must first apply to the

physician of the soul in order that he may free you from
your sins, and then to the physician of the body that he
may cure you of your disease.
In a word, the cause of all our chastisements is sin;
and still more than sin, oùr obstinacy in it, as St. Basil
says.' We have offended God, and are, notwithstand­
ing, unwilling to do penance. When God calls by the
voice of his punishment, he desires that he should be
1 “Confide, fili, remittuntur tibi peccata tua.”—Matth. ix. 2.
* “ Iste petebat sanitatem corporis, et Dominus dat sanitatem ani­
mae. Fecit sicut bonus medicus, qui curat causam.”—In Matth. 9.
8 “ Causa infirmitatum sæpius sunt peccata.”—Quadrag. de Christ.
Rei. s. 13. a. 3. c. 3.
4 “ Ecce sanus factus es; jam noli peccare, ne deterius tibi aliquid
contingat.”—John, v. 14.
1 “ Fili, in tua infirmitate, ... ab omni delicto munda cor tuum,
... et da locum medico.”—Ecclus. xxxviii. 9.
'· “ Nostri causa hæc invehuntur, qui retinemus cor impoenitens.”—
Enarr. in Is. 9.

K Our Souls Must be Cleansed from Siu, 3 71

heard; if he be not, he shall be compelled by ourselves
to curse us: But if thou wilt not hear the voice of the Lord
thy God . . . all these curses shall come upon thee ; . . .
cursed shaft thou be in the city, cursed in the field} . . .
*
4

' ,

J] Γ H"

When we offend God, we provoke all creatures to pun­
ish us. St. Anselm says that in the same manner as a
servant, when he offends his master, draws down upon
him the wrath, not only of his master, but of the whole
family; so we, when we offend God, excite against us
the anger of all creatures.12345 And St. Gregory says that
we have more especially irritated against us those crea­
tures which we have made use of against our Creator.3
God’s mercy holds in those creatures that they may not
afflict us, but when he sees that we make no account of
his threats, and continue to live on in our former way,
he will then make use of those creatures to take ven­
geance on us for the injuries we have done him: He will
arm the creature for the revenge of His enemies. And the
whole world shall fight with Him against the unwise I “ There

is no creature,” says St. John Chrysostom, “ which will
not feel anger when it sees its Lord in anger.” 6
If then, my brethren, we do not appease God by our
conversion, we never shall be free from chastisement.
What folly, says St. Gregory, could be more extreme
than to imagine that God should cease to chastise before
1 “Si audire nolueris vocem Domini, . . . venient super te omnes
maledictiones istæ. et apprehendent te: maledictus eris in civitate,
maledicius in agro. . . .”—Deut. xxviii. 15.
2 “ Non solum iram Dei promeruimus, sed totam creaturam adver­
sum nos excitavimus.”—De Similit, c. 102.
4 “Cuncta quæ ad usum pravitatis infleximus, ad usum nobis ver­
tuntur ultionis.”—In Evang. boni. 35.
4 “ Armabit creaturam ad ultionem, . . et pugnabit cum illo orbis
terrarum contra insensatos.”—Wisd. v. 18.
5 ·* Non est ulla creatura quæ mota non. fuerit, cum ipsum Dominum
senserit moveri.”—Hoinil. in Absolu

3/2

Discon rscs for Ί fines of C a la m Hies,

we should have ceased to offend ?' Many now come to
the church, and hear the sermon, but go away without
confession,9 or change
o of life. If we do not remove the
cause of the scourge, how can we expect to be delivered
from the scourge itself.'
*
Such is the reflection of St.
Jerome. We continue to irritate God, and then wonder
that God should continue to chastise us. “Impure as
we are,” says Salvian, “ we wonder why we should be so
miserable.” ' Do we think that God is appeased by the
mere circumstance of our appearing at church without
repenting of our sins, without restoring the property or
character of our neighbor, without avoiding those occa­
sions of sin which keep us at a distance from God ? Ah,
let us not mock the Lord ! And now do not mock, lest your
bonds be tied strait! Do not mock God, says the prophet,
lest those bonds which are securing you for hell be tied
strait. Cornelius a Lapide, in commenting on the above
passage of Isaias, says that when the fox is caught in the
snare, its efforts to disengage itself only serve to entan­
gle it the more. “ So also will it happen to sinners who,
while mocking at God’s threats and punishments, be­
come more and more involved in them.”6 My brethren,
let us have done; let us no more irritate God, the chas­
tisement is near at hand: For I have heard of the Lord
the God of JLosts, continues the prophet, a consumption, and
a cutting short upon all the earth!' I am not the prophet
1 “Est primum genus dementiae, nolle a malis suis quiescere, et
Deum a sua velle ultione cessare.”—Lib. 8, ep. 41.
‘J “ Nec amputamus causa morbi, ut morbus auferatur.”—Ad Heliod.
de Morte Ne/>.
3 “ Miramur si miseri, qui tam impuri sumus ?”—/)f· Gub. Dei, 1. 7.
4 “ Et nunc nolite illudere, ne forte constringantur vincula vestra.”_
Is. xxviii. 22.
6 “ Impii illusores, irridendo Dei minas et poenas, magis iisdem se
adstringunt.”
H|
b “ Consummationem enim et abbreviationem audivi a Domino Deo
exercituum super universam terram.”

J . Our Souls ff/usl be Cleansed from Sin. 373
Isaias, but I can say that I see the scourge which is
hanging over us if we do not be converted.
Hear how the Lord says to you: Who requires these
things at your hands?' Who required your perpetual
exercises and your visits of devotion to the church? I
will have nothing from you unless you abandon sin:
Offer sacrifice no more in vain.2 Of what use are your
devotions if you do not amend your lives. My soul
hateth . . . your solemnities.2 Know, says the Lord, that
your homage and external devotions are hateful to my
soul whilst you think by these to avert your chastise­
ment without removing your offences: With burnt offer­
ings Thou wilt not be delighted; a saciifice to God is an
afflicted spirit.' No devotions, or alms, or penitential

works are accepted by God from a soul in the state of
sin, and without repentance. God accepts the acts of
him alone who is contrite for his sin, and resolved upon
a change of life.
Oh, surely God is not to be mocked!5 I never com­
manded you, he says, to perfornj those devotions and
acts of penance: For I spoke not to your fathers . . .
concerning the matter of burnt offering and sacrifices, but this
thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to My voice, and I
will be your God.'' What I wish of you, says God, is,

that you hear my voice and change your life, and make
a good confession, with real sorrow, for you must know
yourselves, that your other confessions, followed by so
many relapses, have been worth nothing. I wish that
1 “ Quis quæsivit hæc de manibus vestris?”—Is. i. 12.
• “ Ne offeratis ultra sacrificium frustra.”
3 “ Solemnitates vestras odivit anima mea.”
4 “ Holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo, spiritus contri­
bulatus.”—Ps. 1. 18.
5 “ Deus non irridetur.”—Gal. vi. 7.
6 “ Non sum locutus ... de verbo . . . victimarum. Sed hoc
verbum præccpi : . . . Audite vocem ineam, et ero vobis Deus.”— Jcr.
vii. 22.

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

von should do violence to yourselves in breaking with
that connection, with that company. I wish that you
should endeavor to restore that property, to makegood
to your neighbor such a loss. Hearken to My voice, obey
My command, and I will be your God.
I will then be to
you the God of mercy, such as you would have me to
be. Cardinal Hugo, in his comment upon these words
of our Lord, in the Gospel according to St. Matthew: He
that hath ears to hear, let him hear,' says: “ Some have ears,
but ears which do not serve them for hearing.”2 How
many attend sermons and receive admonitions from the
confessor, in which they are told all that they must do
in order to please God; but they leave the church only
to live worse than before. How can’God be appeased
by such ? or how can such be delivered from the divine
chastisement ? Offer up the sacrifice ofjustice, and trust in
the Lord,3 says David. Honor God not in appearance,
but by works. It is that which is meant by “the sacri­
fice of justice;” honor him by bewailing your sins, by
the fréquentation of tKe sacraments, by a change of life
and then hope in the Lord; but to hope while you con­
tinue the state of sin, is not hope—it is rashness, it is a
deceit of the enemy, and renders you more odious in
the sight of God, and more deserving of punishment.
My brethren, you see that the Lord is in wrath, that
he alreadv* has his hand lifted to strike with othe scourge
which threatens us; how do you think to escape ? Who
hath showed you to flee from the wrath to come?' Bring
forth,therefore, fruit worthy of penance3 says St. John the

Baptist, preaching to the Jews of his day. You must
do penance, but penance deserving of his pardon; that
’
’
“
4
5

“ Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.”—Matlh. xi. 15.
“ Alii habent aures, sed non habent aures audiendi.”
‘‘ Sacrificate sacrificium justitiæ, et sperate in Domino.”—PSt jv
“ Quis demonstravit vobis fugere a ventura ira?”—Matth. iii. 7
“ Facite ergo fructum dignum poenitentiae.”

q

Κ Our Souls Must be Cleansed from Sin. 375
is, it must be true and resolute. Your anger must be
changed into meekness, by the forgiveness of those who
offend you; your intemperance must become abstinence,
by observing the fasts commanded, at least, by the Church;
and by abstaining from the immoderate use of intoxicating drinks, which change man into a beast: therefore you
must avoid the public house; impurity must give way
in you to chastity, by not returning to that filthy vomit,
by resisting evil thoughts, by not using bad words, by
fleeing from bad companions and dangerous conversa­
tion. You must bring forth fruit worthy of penance, and
the bringing forth of such fruit implies also that we
attend to the service of God, and endeavor to serve him
more than we offended him; For, as you have yielded
your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, ... so now
yield your members to love justice) Thus have done a St.

Mary Magdalen, a St. Augustine, a St. Mary of Egypt, a
St. Margaret of Cortona, who by their works of penance
and sanctification rendered themselves more dear to
God than others who had been less sinful, but more
tepid. St. Gregory says: “ For the most part, a fervent
life after sin is the more pleasing to God than a life
which, though innocent, is tepid.' And thus does the
saint explain the following passage of the Gospel:
There shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth pen­
ance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance)

This is understood of the sinner who, after having arisen
from sin, sets about serving God with more fervor than
others who have long been just.
This is to bring forth fruit worthy of penance, not
1 “Sicut enim exhibuistis membra vestra servire immunditiæ . . .
ita nunc exhibete . . . servire justitiae.”—Pom. vi. 19.
9 “ Fit plerumque Deo gratior amore ardens vita post culpam, quam
securitate torpens innocentia.”—Past. p. 3, acini. 29.
3 “ Gaudium erit in coelo super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente,
quam super nonaginta novem justis.”—Luke, xv. 7.

3/6

Discourse for Times of Calamities.

content one’s self with hearing sermons and visiting the
church, without abandoning sin, or avoiding the occa­
sion of it. To act thus, is rather a mockery of God, and
calculated to excite him to greater wrath. And, think
not, pursues St. John the Baptist, think not to say within
yourselves, 11'e have Abrtfham for our father ' It will not
do to say, we have the Mother of God to assist us, we
have our patron saint to procure us deliverance; be­
cause if we do not abandon our sins the saints cannot
help us. The saints are the friends of God; hence they
not only have no inclination, but they would even feel
ashamed, to succor the obstinate. Let us tremble, be­
cause the Lord has already published the sentence:
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut
down and cast into the fire? Brother, how many years

have Jyou been in the world ? Tell me what fruit of
good works have you hitherto borne, what honor have
you rendered to God by your life? Sin, outrage, con­
tempt, such are the fruit you have borne, the honor you
have rendered to God.—God now in his mercy gives you
time for penance, in order that you may bewail the in­
juries you have done him, and love him the remainder
of your days. What do you intend to do? What have
you resolved upon ? Resolve at once to give yourself
to God. What do you expect? unless that if you do
not at once turn to God, you shall be cut down and
cast into the fire of hell.
But let us now bring our instruction to a conclusion;
the Lord has sent me to preach here to-day, and has in­
spired you to come and listen to me, because lie wishes
to spare you the punishment which threatens you, if
you do really turn to him: Leave not out one word, if so
1 " Et ne velitis dicere intra vos : Patrem habemus Abraham.”—
Afatth. iii. 9.
* “ Omnis arbor quæ non facit fructum bonum, excidetur, et in ignem
mittetur.”—Mal.h. vii. 19.

C. Our Souls Must be Cleansed from Sin. 377
be they wilt hearken and be converted, every one from his
evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I think to do
unto them.' The Lord has desired me to tell you on his

part that he is willing to relent, and withdraw the
scourge which he meant to inflict upon you: That I may
repent me of the evil which I think to do unto them ; but on
this condition, if so be they will hearken and be converted
every one from his evil way, if they truly reform, oflier­
wise he will put his threat in execution.—Tremble then
if you be not yet resolved to change your life.
But, on the other hand, be joyful if you mean to turn
in good earnest to God. Let the heart of them rejoice
that seek the Lord; because God is all tenderness and love
to those that seek him.
The L.ord is good . . . to the
soul that seeketh Him? Neither does the Lord know how
to reject a heart humble and contrite for its offences. A
contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise I Let
us be joyful, then, if we have the good intention of
changing our lives, and if, on seeing ourselves guilty of
so many sins before the Lord, we stand very much in
fear of the divine judgments, let us have recourse to
the Mother of mercies, the most holy Mary, who defends
and secures from the divine vengeance all those who
take refuge under her mantle.—“ I am the citadel of all
those who fly to me;” 6 thus is she made to speak by St.
John Damascene. (Act of contrition.)
1 “ Noli, subtrahere verbum, si forte audiant, et convertantur . . .
et pœniteat me mali quod cogito facere eis.”—Jer. xxvi. 2.
2 “ Lætetur cor quærentium Dominum.’’—Ps. civ. 3.
3 “ Bonus est Dominus . . . animæ quærenti ilium.”—Lain. iii. 25.
4 “ Cor Contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies." — Ps. 1. 19.
5 “ Ego civitas refugii omnium ad me confugientium.”

37''’

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

SIXTH DISCOURSE.
God Chastises us in this Life for our Good, not for our
Destruction.
“ Non enim delectaris in perditionibus nostris.”
“For thou art not delighted in our being lost.”—Job, iii. 22.

feel persuaded, my brethren, that there is no
one who loves us more than God. St. Teresa says
that God loves us more than we love ourselves. He has
loved us from eternity. Yea, I have loved thee with an
everlasting love' It is the love he has borne us which
has drawn us from nothing, and given us being. There­
fore have I drawn Thee, taking pity on Thee}
Hence,
when God chastises us upon the earth, it is not because
he wishes to injure us, but because he wishes us well/
and loves us. But of this every one is sure that worLet

us

shippeth Thee, that his life, if it be under trial, shall be
crowned : and if it be under tribulation, shall be delivered}

So spoke Sara the wife of Tobias: Lord, he who serves
thee is sure that after the trial shall have passed he
shall be crowned, and that after tribulation he shall
be spared the punishment which he deserved: For
Thou art not delighted in our being lost: because after a
storm Thou makest a calm, and after tears and weeping Thou
pourest in joyfulness} After the tempest of chastisement
1 “ In charitate perpetua dilexi te.”—Jer. xxxi. 3.
2 “ Ideo attraxi te miserans.”—Ibid.
3 “ Hoc autem pro certo habet omnis qui te colit, quod vita ejus, si
in probatione fuerit, coronabitur; si autem in tribulatione fuerit,
liberabitur.”
4 “ Non enim delectaris in perditionibus nostris; post tempestatem,
tranquillum facis ; et post . . . fletum exsultationem infundis.”

VI. God Sends Calamities for our Good, 379
lie gives us peace, and after mourning, joy and glad­
ness.
My brethren, let us convince ourselves of what I have
undertaken to show you to-day, namely, that God does
not afflict us in this life for our injury but for our good,
in order that we may cease from sin, and by recovering
his grace escape eternal punishment.
And I will give My fear in their heart, that they may not
revolt from Mei The Lord says that he infuses his fear

into our hearts, in order that he may enable us to tri­
umph over our passion for earthly pleasures, for which,
ungrateful that we are, we have left him. And when
sinners have left him, how does he make them look into
themselves, and recover his grace ? By putting on the
appearance of anger, and chastising them in this life:
In Thy anger Thou shalt break the people in pieces I An­
other version, according to St. Augustine, has: “ In thy
wrath thou shalt conduct the people.” The saint in­
quiring, What is the meaning of his conducting the
people in his wrath? he then replies: “Thou, O Lord,
idlest us with tribulations, in order that, being thus af­
flicted, we may abandon our sins and return to Thee.”3
When the mother wishes to wean her infant how does
she proceed ? She puts gall upon her breast. Thus the
Lord endeavors to draw our souls to himself, and wean
them from the pleasures of this earth, which make them
live in forgetfulness of their eternal salvation; he fills
with bitterness all their pleasures, pomps, and posses­
sions, in order that, not finding peace in those things,
they may turn to God, who alone can satisfy them.
1 “ Timorem meum dabo in corde eorum, ut non recedant a me.”—
Jer. xxxii. 40
2 “ In ira populos confringes.”—Ps. Iv. 8.
3 “ Quid enim ‘In ira populos deduces’? Imples tribulationibus
omnia, ut, in tribulationibus positi, homines recurrant ad te.”—Iu Ps.
55» n· 3*

•/°

FUsiotii scs for Fîmes of Calamities.

God says
within himselt, Il I allow those sinners to enjoy their
pleasures undisturbed, they will remain in the sieep of
sin: they must be afflicted, in order that, recovering from
their lethargy, they may return to me. When they shall
be in tribulation they will say: Come, let us return to the
In their affliction they will rise early to Me.'

J

Lord, for He hath ta hen us, and He will heal us; He will
strike ana He will cure us! What shall become of us, say

those sinners, as they enter into themselves, if we do not
turn from our evil courses? God will not be appeased,
and will with justice continue to punish us: come on,
let us retrace our steps; for he will cure us, and if he has
afflicted us just now’, he will upon our return think of
consoling us with his mercy.
3
In the day of nn trouble I sought God, . . . and I was not
deceived! because he raised me up. For this reason does

the prophet thank the Lord that he hath humbled him
after hissin; because he was thus taught to observe the
divine law's: It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me,
that I may learn Thy justifications! Tribulation is for the
sinner at once a punishment and a grace, says St. Augus­
tine? It is a punishment inasmuch as it has been drawn
down upon him by his sins; but it is a grace, and an
important grace, inasmuch as it may ward eternal
destruction from him, and is an assurance that God
means to deal mercifully with him if he look into himself, and receive w’ith thankfulness that tribulation which
has opened his eyes to his miserable condition, and
invites him to return to God. Let us thén be con1 “ In tribulatione sua mane consurgent ad me.”— Osce, vi. i.
* “ Venite, et revertamur ad Dominum; quia cepit, et sanabit nos;
percutiet, et curabit nos.”
2 “ In die tribulatione meæ, Deum exquisivi, ... et non sum
deceptus,”—Ps. Ixxvi. 3.
4 “ Bonum mihi quia humiliasti me, ut discam justificationes tuas.”
—Ps. cxviii. 71.
5 “ Pœna est, et gratia *
est/ —/« Ps. 38.

1 Ί. God Sends Calamities for our Good. 38 1
verted, my brethren, and we shall escape from our
several chastisements: “Why should he who accepts
chastisement as a grace be afraid alter receiving it?”1
says St. Augustine. He who turns to God, smarting
from the scourge, has no longer anything to fear,
because God scourges only in order that we may
return to him; and this end once obtained, the Lord
will scourge us no more.
St. Bernard says that it is impossible to pass from the
pleasures of the earth to those of Paradise: “It is diffi­
cult, even impossible, for any one to enjoy present and
future goods, to pass from delights to delights.” ' There­
fore does the Lord say, Envy not the man who prospcreth
in his way, the man who doth unjust things.2 “ Does he
prosper ?” says St. Augustine; “ ay, but ‘ in his own way.’
And do you suffer? You do, but it is in the way of
God.”1 You who walk before God are in tribulation,
but he, evil as is his way, prospers. Mark now-* what
the saint says in conclusion: “ He has prosperity in this
life, he shall be miserable in the next; you have tribula­
tion in this life, you shall be happy in the next.” 5 Be
glad, therefore, O sinners ! and thank God when he pun­
ishes you in this life, and takes vengeance of your sins;
because you may know thereby that he means to treat
you with mercy in the next. Thou wast a merciful God
to them, and taking vengeance on their inventions? The Lord
when he chastises us has not chastisement so much in view
1 “Quid servat post poenam, qui per gratiam exhibet pœnam?”
'l “ Difficile est, imo impossibile, ut præsentibus quis fruatur bonis,
cl futuris; ut de deliciis transeat ad delicias.’’—De Inter. Domo, c. 25.
3 “ Noli æmulari in eo qui prosperatur in via sua, in homine faciente
injustitias.”—Ps. xxxvi. 7.
4 “ Prosperatur, sed in via sua; laboras, sed in via Dei.”
5 “ Illi prosperitas in via est, in perventione infelicitas; tibi labor in
via, in perventione felicitas.”—In Ps. 36, Serni. 1, n. 9
6 “ Deus, tu propitius fuisti eis, et ulciscens in omnes adventiones
eorum.”—Ps. xcviii. 8.

3^-

/discourses for 1 imes of Calamities.

as our conversion.

God said to Nabnchodonozor: Thou

shalt eat grass like an ox, and seven limes shall pass over
theey till thou know that the Afost High rule th in the kingdom
of me ni For seven years, Nabnchodonozor, shalt thou

be compelled to feed upon grass like a beast in order
that thou mavest know I am the Lord; that it is I who
give kingdoms, and take them away; and that thou
mayest thus be cured of thy pride. And in fact this
judgment did cause the haughty king to enter into him­
self and change; so that, after having been restored to
his former condition, he said: Therefore I, Nabuchodonozor, do now praise and magnify the King of heaven A And
God gave him back his kingdom. “ He willingly changed
his sentence,” says St. Jerome, “ because lie saw his
works changed.” 1
*3
Unhappy we, says the same saint, when God does not
punish us in this life ! It is a sign that he means us for
eternal chastisements.4 What do we conclude, he con­
tinues, when the surgeon sees the flesh about to mortify,
and does not cut it away ? we conclude that he abandons
the patient to death ? God spares the sinner in this life,
says St. Gregory, only to chastise him in the next.5 Woe
to those sinners to whom God has ceased to speak, and
appears not to be in anger. I will cease and be angry no
morel The Lord then goes on to say: But thou hast
provoked Aie in all these things: . . . and thou shalt know
1 “ Fenum quasi bos comedes, et septem tempora mutabuntur super
te. donec scias quod dominetur Excelsus in regno hominum.”—Dan.
iv. 29.
■ “ Nunc . . . laudo, et magnifico, et glorifico Regem coeli.”—
Ibid. 34.
3 “ Libenter mutavit sententiam, quia vidit opera commutata.”—In
Jon. iii. 10.
4 “ Magna est ira Dei, quando non nobis irascitur: reservat nos sicut
vitulum in occisione.”
5 “ Parcit, ut in perpetuum feriat.”—Mor. 1. 7, c. 8.
Λ “ Quiescam, nec irascar amplius."

I /. (rod Sends Calamities for our Good. 383
that I am the Lord, . . . that thou mayest remember, and be
confounded.' A day will come, lie says, ungrateful sinner,

when you shall know what I am; then shall you remem­
ber the graces I have given you, and see with confusion
your black ingratitude.
AVoe to the sinner who goes on in his evil life, and
whom God in his vengeance suffers to accomplish his
perverse desires, according to what is said by the
prophet: Israel hearkened not to Me, so I let them go
according to the desires of their heartI It is a sign that
the Lord wishes to reward them on this earth for what­
ever little good they may have done, and reserves the
chastisement of their sins for eternity. Speaking of the
sinner whom he treats thus in this life, the Lord says:
Let us have pity on the wicked, but he will not learn justice,
. . . and he shall not see the glory of the Lord! Thus does

the poor sinner hasten on to his ruin, because seeing
himself prosperous, he deceives himself into the expec­
tation that as God is dealing mercifully with him now,
he will continue to do the same; and by this delusion
he will be led to live on in his sins. But will the Lord
be always thus merciful to him? No, the day of pun­
ishment will come at length, when he shall be excluded
from paradise, and flung into the dungeon of the rebels:
And he shall not see the glory of the Lord. “ Let us have
pity on the wicked; far from me be this mercy,” 4 says
St. Jerome. Lord, he says, extend not to me this dread­
ful pity; if I have offended Thee, let me be chastised for
it in this life; because if Thou dost not chastise me here
in this life, I shall have to be chastised in the other
1 “ Provocasti me in omnibus his. . . . Scies quia ego Dominus, ut
recorderis et confundaris.”—Ezech. xvi. 42, 43, 62.
2 “ Israel non intendit mihi, et dimisi eos secundum desideria cordis
eorum.”—Ps. Ixxx. 12.
3 “Misereamur impio, et non discet justitiam; ... et non videbit
gloriam Domini.”—Is. xxvi. 10.
4 “ Misereamur impio; longe a me misericordia tam rigorosa.”

384

Discourses for Tinies of Calamities.

world for all eternity. For this reason did St. Augus­
tine say: “ Lord, here cut, here burn, that you may spare
during eternity.” ‘ Chastise me here, O God, and do
not spare me now, in order that I may be spared the
punishment of hell. When the surgeon cuts the impos­
thume of the patient, it is a sign that he means to have
him healed. St. Augustine says: u It is most merciful
of the Lord not to suffer iniquity to pass unpunished.”3
The Lord deals very mercifully with the sinner when by
chastisement he makes him enter into himself in this
life. Hence Job besought the Lord so earnestly to
afflict n.m. And that this may be my comfort, that afflicting
mt with sorrow die spare notI

Jonas slept in the ship when he was flying from the
Lord; but God seeing that the wretched man was on
the brink of temporal and eternal death, caused him to
oe warned of the tempest: Why art thou Jast asleep; rise
up. call upon thy God? God, my brethren, now warns ye
in like manner. You have been in the state of sin, de­
prived of sanctifying grace, the chastisement has come,
and that chastisement is the voice of God, saying to
you, ‘ Why are you fast asleep rise and call upon your
God.” Awake, sinner', do not live on forgetful of your
soul and of God. Open your eyes, and see how you
stand upon the verge of hell, where so many wretches
i re now bewailing sins less grievous than yours, and
are you asleep? have o 1 no thought of confession ? no
‘sought of rescuing yourself from eternal death? Rise,
call upon your God.
Cp from that infernal pit into
’ Domine, hic seca, hic non parcas, ut in ætc-rnum parcas/'
5 Magnæ rniserkordia: est nequitiam impunitam non relinquere."_
Senn. 171, E. fi.
1 * Haec mihi sit consolatio, ut, affligens rnc dolore, non parcat/'—
Job. vi. Jo.
♦ Q
T v/pore deprirneri ? Surge, invoca Deum tuum "--Jan
i. G

VI God Sends Calamities for our Good. 385
which you have fallen; pray to God to pardon you, beg
of him this at least, if you are not at once resolved to
change your life, that he will give you light, and make
you see the wretched state in which you stand. Learn
how to profit by the warning which the Lord vouch­
safes you. Jeremias first sees a rod. / see a rod watch­
ing; he next sees a boiling caldron: I see a boiling cal­
dron.' St. Ambrose, in speaking of this passage, explains
it thus: He who is not corrected by the rod, shall be
thrown into the caldron, there to burn.’ He whom the
temporal chastisement fails to convert, shall be sent to
burn eternally in hell-fire. Sinful brother, listen to God,
who addresses himself to your heart, by this chastise­
ment, and calls on you to do penance. Tell me what
answer do vou
make him ?
The prodigal son, after having left his father, thought
no more upon him, whilst he continued to live amid de­
lights; but when he saw himself reduced to that state
of misery described in the Gospel, poor, deserted, ob­
liged to tend swine, and not allowed to fill himself with
the food wherewith the swine were filled, then he came
to himself, and said: How many hired servants in my
father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with
hunger: I will arise and go to my fathert And so he

did, and was lovingly received by his father. Brother,
you have to do in like manner. You see the unhappy
life you have hitherto led, by living away from God; a
life full of thorns and bitterness; a life which could not
be otherwise, as being without God, who alone can
give content. You see how many servants of God who
1 " Virgam vigilantem ego video. Ollarn succensam ego video."—
Jer. i. 11-13.
’‘ Qui virga non corrigitur, in ollam mittitur, ut ardeat.”—hi
Pi. xxxviii.
Quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei abundant panibus, ego
autem hic farne pereo!”—Luke, xv. 17.
4 ' Surgarn, et ibo ad patrem meum.”—Ibid. 18.
25

;86

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

love him lead a happy life, and enjoy continual peace,
the peace of God, which, as the Apostle says, surpasses
ail the pleasures of the senses. The peace of God, which
surpasseth all understanding) And what are you doing?
Do vou
not feel that
vou suffer a hell in this life? do
*
J
V)u not know that *vou shall suffer one in the next?
*
Take courage, say with the prodigal: I will arise and go
to my father. I will arise from this sleep of death—this
state of damnation, and return to God. It is true that
I have sufficiently outraged him by leaving him so much
against his desire, but he is still my Father. / will
arise and go to my father. And when you shall go to
that Father,< what shall Jvou sav* to him? Sav* what the
prodigal said to his father: Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and before thee ; I am not now worthy to be called
thy son) Father, I acknowledge my error, I have done

ill to leave Thee, who have so much loved me; I see
now that I am no longer worthy to be called Thy son;
receive me at least as Thy servant; restore me at least
to Thy grace, and then chastise me as Thou pleasest.
Oh, happy you, if you say and do thus! the same will
happen you which befel the prodigal son. The father,
when he saw his son retracing his steps, and perceived
that he had humbled himself for his fault, not only did
not drive him off—not only received him into his house,
but embraced and kissed him as his son. And running
to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him) He then clothed
him with a precious garment, which represents the robe
of grace: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on
him) And he, moreover, makes a great feast in the
house, to commemorate the recovery of his son, whom
*' Pax Dei, qua exsuperat omnem sensum.”—Phil. iv. 7.
- '* Pater, peccavi in cœlum cl coram le; jam non sum dignus vocari
Elius tuus.”
1 ‘ Accurrens cecidit super collum ejus, el osculatus est cum.”
4 ” Proferte stolam primam, et induite illum.”

] I. God Sends Calamities for our Good. 387
he looked upon as lost and dead: Let us eat and make
merry, because this my son was dead, and is come to life again;
was lost, and is found.1

Let us then be joyful, my brethren; it is true that
God appears to be in wrath, but he is still our Father;
let us retrace our steps in penance, and he will be ap­
pealed and spare us. Behold Mary our Mother praying
for us on the one hand, and on the other turned towards
us, saying, In me is all hope of life and of virtue; . . . come
over to me all? My children, that Mother of Mercy
says to us, My poor afflicted children, have recourse to
me, and in me you shall find all hope; my Son denies
me nothing.
*
You were dead by sin; come to me, find
me, and you shall find life—the life of divine grace,
which I shall recover for you by my intercession. (Act
of contrition.)
1 “ Epulemur, quia hic filius meus mortuus erat, et revixit; perierat,
et inventus est.”
■ In me omnis spes vitæ et virtutis; transite ad me omnes. —
Ecclus. xxiv 25.
a “ Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam.”—Prov. viii. 35.

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

SEVENTH DISCOURSE.
God Chastises us in this Life, only that He may show us
Mercy in the Next.
“ Ego quos amo arguo et castigo.”
“Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise.”—rlpac. iii. 19.

When the Lord had raised that great tempest which

threatened to sink the ship in which Jonas wassailing,
in punishment of his disobedience to the divine com­
mand, that he should preach to the Ninevites, every one
in the vessel was watching and in great fear, praying
each to his God, with the exception of Jonas, who was
asleep within the vessel: He fell into a deep sleep.1 But,
knowing that he was the cause of the tempest, he
caused himself to be thrown into the sea, and was there
swallowed by the whale. When Jonas found himself in
the body of that fish, and in such extreme danger of
death, he addressed himself to God in prayer, and God
delivered him: I cried out of my affliction to the Lord, and
the Lord heard med “ Behold,” says St. Zeno, “ how
Jonas, who slumbered in the ship, is awake in the
whale.”1 While in the ship, he slumbered in hissin;
but when suffering chastisement, and upon the point of
death, lie opened his eyes and remembered God; hence
he had recourse to the divine mercy which delivered
him, causing the fish to leave him safe and sound upon
the shore. Many persons, before seeing the divine
chastisements, sleep in their sins, forgetful of God; but
the Lord, because he does not desire their destruction,
* “Dormiebat sopore gravi.”—Jon. ί. ς,
• Clamavi de tribulatione mea ad Dominum, et exaudivit me."—
Jon. ii. 3.
“ Vigilat in ceto, qui stertebat in navi
Serm. de Jon.

VIL God s Chastisements are λ Ier cifill. 389
sends them afflictions, so that, roused from their lethargy,
they return to him, and thus he is enabled to avoid
punishing them during all eternity. The following is,
then, the subject of this discourse: God punishes us in
THIS LIFE, IN ORDER TO SPARE US IN THE NEXT.

We have not been created for this earth; we have
been created for the blessed kingdom of Paradise. For
this reason it is, says St. Augustine, that God mingles
so much bitterness with the delights of the world in
order that we may not forget him and eternal life.1 If,
living as we do amid so many thorns in this life, we are
strongly attached to it, and long so little after Paradise,
how little should we not value Paradise if God were not
to embitter continually the pleasures of this earth ?
If we have offended God, we must needs be punished
for it either in this world or in the next. St. Ambrose
says that God is merciful as well when he punishes as
when he does not.
*
The chastisements of God are the
effect of his love; they are, to be sure, punishments, but
punishments which ward off from us eternal punishment,
and bring us to everlasting happiness. But whilst we
are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not con­
demned with this world.' And Judith reminded the He­

brews of thesame truth when they were under the scourge
of the Lord: Let us believe that these scourges of the Lord,
with which tike servants we are chastised, have happened for
our amendment, and not for our destruction.' Sara, the
wife of Tobias, says the same: But of this every one is sure
that worshippeth Thee: ... if his life be under correction, it
f “Si cessaret Deus, et non misceret amaritudines felicitatibus sæculi,
oblivisceremur eum.”—In Ps. xciii.
“ Quam clemens Dominus, quam pius in utroque, cum aut misere­
tur aut vindicat —In Luc. c. 13.
“Dum judicamur autem, a Domino corripimur, ut non cum hoc
mundo damnemur.”—1 Cor. xi. 32.
4 “ Flagella Domini quibus quasi servi corripimur, ad emendationem
et non ad perditionem nostram, evenisse credamus.”—-Judith, viii. 27

39°

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

shas be allowed to come to Thy mercy. for Thou art not delighted in our being lost} Lord, she said, Thou chastisest

us here in order that Thou mayest spare us in the other
life, for Thou dost not desire our destruction.
\\ e have it from God himself that those whom he
loves in this life he chastises in order that they may be
converted : Those whom I lore I rebuke and chastised Where
God loves, says St. Basil of Seleucia, severity is usually
the pledge of his graces.1 Unhappy are the sinners who
living in the state of sin prosper in this life; it is a sign
that God reserves them for everlasting punishment.
The sinner hath provoked the Lord; according to the multi­
tude of His wrath. He will not seek him.
Behold ! says

St. Augustine, speaking of the passage quoted, behold
the most grievous chastisement ! When he does not
appear to take notice of the sinner, and leaves him
unpunished, it is a sign that he is very wroth? I call
you, says God to him whom he chastises, and will you
be deaf to my voice? Son, be converted, otherwise you
shall confirm my anger, since I shall cease to regard
your salvation, and allow you to live on in your sins
without punishment, but only that I may punish you in
the life to come. And My indignation shall rest in thee;
and diy jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will cease and
be angry no morel The Apostle warns you, my brethren,

not to be deaf to the voice of God, for that on the day
of judgment your obstinacy shall be rewarded with a
1 Omnis qui te colit, . . . si in correpdone fuerit, ad misericordiam
tuam venire licebit; non enim delectaris in perditionibus nostris."—
Tab. iii. 2t.
* “ Ego, quos amo. arguo et castigo."—Jpoc. iii. 19.
a ** Ubi amor est, severitas solet esse pignus gratiarum."
·* ‘ Exacerbavit Dominum peccator; secundum multitudinem iræ suæ
non quæret.”—Ps. ix. 25.
5 *' Non exquiret; multum irascitur, dum non exquirit.”
* Et requiescet indignatio mea in te; et auferetur zelus meus a te;
et quiescam, nec irascar amplius. —Ettch. xvi. 42.

J ΎΪ. God's Chastisements arc Mercifill. 391
dreadful chastisement, and that chastisement eternal.
But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart thou
treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day o f wrath, and
revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to
every man according to his works.'

So that, St. Jerome says, that there cannot be a greater
punishment for a sinner than that he should not be
punished in this life.3 And St. Isidore of Pelusium says
that sinners who are punished in this life do not deserve
pity, but those only who die without having been pun­
ished.3 It is not so bad, continues the saint, to be simply
sick as to have no one to cure you.4 St. Augustine says,
in another part, that when God does not chastise the
sinner in this world, he chastises him most severely;
whence he concludes that there is no greater misfor­
tune than impunity for a sinner? zXfter England had
rebelled against the Church, God did not visit her with
temporal scourges: her riches have been increasing from
that time; but her chastisement is all the greater on that
account, as she is left to perish in her sin. The absence
of punishment is the greatest punishment, says the same
holy Doctor. The not receiving chastisement in this
life for sin is a great chastisement, and prosperity in sin
a still greater.
Why then, Job inquires, do the wicked live, are they advanced
and strengthened with richest' How comes it, O Lord,
1 “Secundum autem duritiam tuam et impeenitens cor, thesaurizas
tibi iram in die iræ, et revelationis justi judicii Dei, qui reddet uni­
cuique secundum opera ejus.’’—Roni. ii. 5.
- “ Magna ira est, quando peccantibus non irascitur Deus.”—Ep. ad
Ca strut.
2 “ Delinquentes in hac vita castigati deplorandi non sunt, sed qui
impuniti abeunt.”—Lib. 5, ep. 269
4 “ Non tam molestum aegrotare, quam morbo medelam non afferri.”
5 “Si impunita dimittit, tunc punit infestius; quoniam nihil est infe­
licius felicitate peccantium.”—Epist. 138, n. 14, E. B.
6 “ Quare ergo impii vivunt, sublevati sunt, confortatique divitiis?”

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Discourses for Tinies of Calamities,

that sinners, instead of being taken out of this life in
poverty and tribulation, enjoy health, and honors, and
riches? The holy man answers, They spend their days in
wealth, and in a moment they go down to hell) Wretched
men ! they enjoy their riches for a few days, and when
the hour of chastisement comes, when they least expect
it, they are condemned to burn forever in that place of
torments. Jeremiah makes the self-same inquiry: Why
doth the way of the wicked prosper
and then adds, Gather
them together as sheep for a sacrifice) Animals destined
for sacrifice are kept from all labor, and fattened up for
slaughter. Thus does God act towards the obstinate:
he abandons them, and suffers them to fatten on the
pleasures of this life in order to sacrifice them in the
other to his eternal justice; for these, says Minutius
Felix,7 are fed like victims for the slaughter.
’
o
These wretched men, says David, shall not be pun­
ished in this life, they shall enjoy their fleeting pleas­
ures; by
J and by their dream shall have ceased: Neither
shall they be scourged like other men; . . . they have suddenly
ceased to be ; as the dream of them that awake, 0 Lord, so in
Thy city Thou shall bring their image to nothing) How

painful is not the case of a poor man, who dreams that
he has grown rich or great, and upon awaking finds
himself the miserable and sick creature he is? And the
enemies of the Lord shall . . . vanish like smoke) The
happiness of sinners is as suddenly dissipated as is
smoke by a breath of air. “ Smoke,” observes St. Greg­
ory, in his comment upon this passage, “vanishes in
1 “ Ducunt in bonis dies suos, ct in puncto ad inferna descendunt.’’
—Job, xxi. 7, 13.
2 “Quare via impiorum prosperatur?”
3 “ Congrega cos quasi gregem ad victimam.”—Jer. xiî. j-o
4 “Hi enim ut victimæ ad supplicium saginantur.”—Octav. c. 10
i “ Cum hominibus non flagellabuntur; . . . verumtamen
subito defecerunt . . . velut somnium surgentium.”—/’j. IJ. 5-1S
6 “ Quemadmodum fumus deficient.’’—Ar. xxxvi. 20.

VII. God's Chastisements are Merciful, 393
its ascent.”’

And the same is the case with sinners:

I have seen the wicked highly exalted, . . . and I passed by,
and lo ! he was not? Minutins Felix says, in his com­

ment upon the place cited, the unhappy men are exalted
the higher, that their fall may be the greater.·1 The Lord
allows the sinner to be exalted for his greater punish­
ment, in order that his fall may be the more grievous,
as is said by David. When they were lifted up Thou, hast
cast them down? If the sick man, says St. John Chrys­
ostom, suffer hunger or thirst by order of his physician,
it is a sign that the physician lias hopes of him; but if
the doctor allow him to eat what he pleases, and drink
as much as he likes, what are we to conclude from that ?
It is plain that the physician has given him over. And
thus, says St. Gregory, it is a manifest sign that God
abandons the sinner to perdition, when he never thwarts
his evil purposes: 123*6 and in the Book of Proverbs we read
that the prosperity of fools shall destroy them? As light­
ning precedes thunder, says St. Bernard, so is prosperity
the forerunner of damnation for the sinner.7
The greatest punishment inflicted by God is, when he
allows the sinner to sleep on in sin, without rousing him
from that sleep of death in which he is buried. I will
make them drunk, that they may sleep an everlasting sleep,
and awake no more, saith the Lord? Cain, after the crime

of murdering his brother, was afraid that he should be
1 “ Fumus ascendendo deficit.”—Lib. i, ep. 5.
2 “ Vidi impium superexaltatum; ... et transivi, et ecce non erat.”
—Ps. xxxvi. 35.
3 “ Miseri, in hoc altius tolluntur, ut decidant altius. ’—Odav. c. 10.
1 “ Dejecisti eos, dum allevarentur.”—Ps. Ixxii. 18.
6 ■' Manifestum perditionis indicium est. quando nulla contrarietas
impedit quod mens perversa concepit. ”—I\Ior. 1. 26, c. 16.
6 “ Prosperitas stultorum perdet illos.”—Prov. i. 32.
1 Sicut fulgur tonitrum portat, ita prosperitas supplicia sempiterna.”
8,< Inebriabo cos, ut sopiantur, et dormiant somnum sempiternum,
et non consurgant, dicit Dominus.”—Jer. Ii. 39.

394 Discourses for Times of Calamities.
killed by the first person he should meet: Every one
therefore that finJeth me shaft kill me? But the Lord
assured him that he should live, and that no one should
kiil him; which assurance of a long life, according to
St. Ambrose, was Cain’s greatest punishment.2 The
saint says, that God treats the obstinate sinner merci­
fully, when he gives him an early death, because he
thus saves him from as many hells as he should have
committed sins during a longer life. Let sinners, then,
live according to the desires of their hearts, let them
enjoy their pleasures in peace; there will at length come
a time when they shall be caught as fish upon the hook.
As fishes are taken with the hook, ... so men are taken in
the evil time? Whence St. Augustine says, “Do not re­

joice like the fish who is delighted with the bait, for the
fisherman has not yet pulled the hook.”4 If you were
to see a condemned man making merry at a banquet
with the halter round his neck, and every moment
awaiting the order for execution, would you envy or
pity him ? Neither should you envy the sinner who
is happy in his vices. That wretched sinner is already
on the hook, he is already in the infernal net; when the
time of chastisement shall have arrived, then the wretch
will know and deplore his damnation, but all to no
purpose.
On the contrary, it is a good sign when a sinner is
chastised and suffers tribulation in this life: it is a sign
that God has still merciful views upon him, and that he
wishes to substitute a temporal for an eternal punishment
in his regard. God, says St. John Chrysostom, when he
1 “ Omnis igitur qui invenerit me, occidet me.”—Gen. iv. 14.
a ” Longæva vita vindicta est; favor enim impiorum est, si subito
moriantur.”
3 “ Sicut pisces capiuntur hamo, ... sic capiuntur homines in tem­
pore malo.”—Ecdes. ix. 12.
4 ‘‘ Noli gaudere ad piscem qui in esca sua exsultat ; nondum traxit
hamum piscator.”—In Ps. 91, n. 8.

VII. God's Chastisements are Merciful. 395
punishes us on this earth, does not do so out of hatred to
us, but that he ma}’ draw us to himself.1 He chastises
for a little while, that he may have you with him for
eternity.’ When the physician uses the knife, he does
so to cure, says St. Augustine.1*3 And God, the saint
continues, does the same in our regard. “ God seems
to be cruel; but do not fear; for he is a father who is
never cruel, and does not wish to destroy us.” 4*6 But,
does not God sav the same himself? Those, whom I
love. I rebuke and chastise; be zealous therefore, and do pen­
ance? Son, says God, I love you, and therefore I chas­

tise you; “ be zealous;” see how good I am to you; en­
deavor you to act in like manner towards me; do pen­
ance for your sins, if you wish that I should spare you
the chastisement which you deserve: at least, accept
with patience and turn to advantage the tribulation
which I send you. In this cross which now afflicts
you hear you my voice calling upon you to turn to me,
and fly from hell, which is close upon you. Behold ! T
stand at the gate and. knock;
*
I am knocking at the door
of your heart; open then to me, and know that when
the sinner who has driven me from his heart shall open
the door again to me, I will enter, and keep him com­
pany forever. If any man shall hear My voice, and open to
Me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and
he with Me.1 I shall remain united to him forever on
1 “ Cum irascitur, non odio hoc facit, sed ut ad se attrahat quos non
vult perire.”
5 “ Adversatur ad tempus, ut te secum habeat in æternum.”—In
Matt. hom. 14.
3 “ Medici percutiunt, et sanant.”
4 “Sævire videtur Deus ; cum ista facit, ne metuas ; quoniam pater
est, nunquâm sic sævit, ut perdat.”—In Ps. 65, n. 16.
6 “ Ego, quos amo, arguo et castigo.”—sl/oc. iii. 19.
6 “ Ecce sto ad ostium, et pulso.”
1 “ Si quis . . . aperuerit mihi januam, intrabo ad illum, et cœnabo
cum illo, et ipse mecum.”—iii 20.

396

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

this earth; and if he remain faithful, I shall seat him
beside me, on the throne of my eternal kingdom. To
him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with Λ/e in Λ/ν
throne

What! must we look upon God as a tyrant, who
should take pleasure in our sufferings ? He does take
pleasure in punishing us, but exactly the same pleas­
ure as a father takes in correcting his son: he does
not take pleasure in the pain which he inflicts, but in
the amendment it will work. My son, reject not the cor­
rection of the Lord; and do not faint when thou art chastised
by Him, for whom the Lord loveth He chastise th, and as a
father in the son, Hepleaseth Himself.' He chastises you

because he loves you; it is pot that he wishes to see you
afflicted, but converted; and if he takes pleasure in your
suffering, he does so inasmuch as it is an instrument of
conversion—just as a father who chastises his son de­
rives pleasure, not from the affliction of his son, but
from the amendment which he hopes to see in him, and
which will prevent him from working his own ruin.
Chastisement makes us return to God, says St. John
Chrysostom;3 and it is to this end God inflicts it, in
order that we may not stay away from him.
Why then, my brethren, do you complain of God
when in tribulation? You ought to thank him pros­
trate on the earth; tell me now, if a man condemned
to die were to have his sentence changed by the prince
from death into one hour’s imprisonment, and if he
were to complain of that one hour, would his complaint
be justifiable ? Oh, would he not rather deserve that
the prince should reverse the last sentence, and con­
1 “ Qui vicerit, dabo ei sedere mecum in throno meo.”—Afroc. iii. 21.
'l “ Disciplinam Domini, fili mi, ne abjicias ; nec deficias, cum ab eo
corriperis. Quem enim diligit Dominus, corripit ; et quasi pater in
filio complacet sibi."—Prov. iii. 11.
“ ‘‘ Pœnæ nos ad Deum perducunt.”—Ad pop. Ant. horn. b.

VII. God's Chastisements are Merciful. 397
demn him a second time to death ? Yon have long and
often deserved hell by your sins. And do you know all
that the word hell conveys? Know that it is more
dreadful to suffer for one moment in hell than to suffer
fora hundred years the most frightful torments which
the martyrs have suffered on earth; and in this hell you
should have had to suffer during all eternity. And yet
you complain if God send you some tribulation, some
infirmity, some loss. Thank God, and say: Lord, this
chastisement is trifling compared with my sins. I ought
to have been in hell burning, deserted by ail, and in
despair: I thank you for having called me to yourself
by this tribulation which you have sent me. God, says
Oleaster, often calls sinners to repentance by temporal
chastisements.1 By earthly chastisements the Lord
shows us the immense punishment which our sins de­
serve; and therefore afflicts us on this earth, that we
may be converted and escape eternal flames.
Wretched, then, as we have been, wretched indeed is
that sinner who is left unpunished in this life, but still
more wretched he who, admonished by affliction, does not
amend, says St. Basil.2 It is not a grievous thing to be
afflicted by God on this earth after one has sinned ; but
it is very grievous not to be converted by the afflic­
tion sent, and to be like those of whom David speaks,
who, although visited by the divine chastisement, still
sleep on in their sins. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,
they have all slumbered.3 As if the sound of the scourges
and the thunders of God, instead of rousing them from
their lethargy, served only to make them sleep more
soundly. I struck you,yet you returned not to Mel I have
scourged you, says God, in order that you might return
*
*

1 “ Pœna est modus loquendi Dei, quo culpam ostendit.”
2 “ Non est grave plaga affici, sed plaga non meliorem effici.”
3 “ Ab increpatione tua, Deus Jacob, dormitaverunt.”—Ps. Ixxv. 7.
4 “ Percussi vos, ... et non redistis ad me.”—Jwj, iv. 9.

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

to me; but ye. ungrateful that you are, have been deaf
to my calls. Unhappy the sinner who acts like him of
whom the Lord says, He shall send U‘ghtnings against him;
. . his heart shall be as hard as a stone, and as firm as a
smi'h s a'.'il
God visits him with chastisement, and

he, instead of being softened and returning to the Lord
by penance, shall be as firm as a smith's anvil; he shall
gro * more hardened under the blows of God, as the
anvil grov s continually harder under the hammer of
the smith; and shall become like the impious Achaz, of
whom the scripture says. In the time of his distress he in­
creased conta ft again.: the Lord! Unhappy man, instead
of humbling himse.', he the more despised the Lord.
Do you know what more happens to these rash beings?
They begin to suffer heli even in this life. He shall rain
snares upon the sinners; fire and brimstone and storms of
7k inc shall te tie portion of their cuff The Lord shall rain

upon them his chastisement, sickness, misery, and even­
bitterness: but this is not the entire, it is only a portion
of their cup. that is, of their chastisement. “ The Lord
says, ‘the portion’ only of their cup,’’ observes St.
Gregory; “ because their suffering begins here indeed,
but shall be continued throughout eternity.”* He
deserves all this ho, being afflicted by the Lord for
his conversion, continues to earn chastisement, and
provoke the Lord to greater wrath, says St. Augus­
tine? What can I do, O sinner! to work vour con: ‘ Mittet contra euna ru mina: . . . cor ejus ;ndurabitur tamquam
lapis, et stringetur quasi malleatoris incus/'—Jot >
14
- ‘'Tempore angustis suae auxit contemptum in Dominum/—2
Par. xxv ύ- 22.
1 “ Piuet supra peccatores '.açueos : .gn s et *-LÛp.'>ur et -pir tus pro­
cellarum, pars calicis eorum/ —Ps. x.
* ’ Partem calicis dixit cuia eorum 7.-4-·>γ per dolores incipitur,
sed ir, ultione perpetua cor.summatur. — î/ 'C 1 15 e* 2ΐ,
* 'In fiage/is positum ftageE/s digna committere, est sævientem
acrius ad iracundiam concitare/

VIL God's Chastisements are Merciful. 399
version? will the Lord then say. I have called you
bv sermons and inspirations, and you have despised
them; I have called you by favors, and you have grown
more insolent; I have called you by scourges, and you
continue to offend me. For what shall I strike you any
more. you that increas&transgression ; . . . and the daughter
of Sion shall be left as a city that is laid waste.1 Do you

not wish to hearken even to mv chastisements? Do *vou
wish that I should abandon you ? I shall be obliged
to do it if vou do not amend.
My brethren, let us no longer abuse the mercy which
God uses towards us. Let us not be like the nettle, which
stingshim who strikes it. God afflicts us, because he
loves us, and wishes to see us reformed, says 4b Oleaster.34
When we feel the chastisement, we should bethink us
of our sins, and say with the brethren of Joseph, We de­
serve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against
our brother? Lord, Thou punishest us justly, because
we have offended Thee, our Father and God. Thou art
just, 0 God ! and Thy judgment is right? Every thing Thou
hast done to us, Thou hast done in true judgment? Lord,

Thou art just, and dost with justice punish us; we
accept this tribulation which Thou sendest us; give us
strength to suffer it with patience.
Here we should do well to remember what God once
said to a nun: “ You have sinned, you must do penance,
you must pray.” Some sinners are satisfied with
recommending themselves to the servants of God, but
they must moreover pray and do penance. Let us do
so, because when the Lord shall see our resignation he
3 “ Super quo percutiam vos ultra, addentes prævaricationem ? Et
derelinquetur filia Sion . . . sicut civitas quæ vastatur.”—h. j. 5-8.
1 “ Optima consideratio, cum senseris poenam, culpæ meminisse.”
* *’ Merito hæc patimur, quia peccavimus.’—Gm. xlii, 21.
4 ° Justus es, Domine, et rectum judicium tuum.”—Pj. cxviii. 137.
‘ “ Quæ fecisti nobis, in vero judicio fecisti.”—Dan. iii. 31.

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Discourses for 'Dimes of Calamities.

will not only forgive our sins, but even remit the chastisenic nt, «luci it Ood continues to afflict us, let us have
recourse to that Lady, who is called the consolatrix of
the afflicted. All the saints compassionate us in our
sufferings, but there is not of them, as St. Antoninus
says, who feels so much for us as this divine Mother
Mary? And Richard of St. Victor adds, that this Mother
of mercy cannot behold unhappy sufferers without suc­
coring them? (Act of contrition.)
*

1 “ Non reperitur aliquem Sanctorum ita compati in infirmitatibus,
sicut Mulier hæc, Beata Virgo Maria."—/’. 4» tit· T5> c· 12·
â “ (Non potest) miserias scire, et non subvenire.”

VIII. God is Appeased by Prayer.

401

EIGHTH DISCOURSE.
Prayers Appease God, and Avert from us the Chastisement
we Deserve, provided we purpose to Amend.
“ Petite et accipietis, quærite et invenietis.”
“Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.”—John,
xvi. 24

He who has a good heart cannot but feel compassion

for the afflicted, and wish to see all men happy. But
who has a heart as good as the Lord’s? He by his na­
ture is infinite goodness, whence it is that God by his
nature has an extreme desire to deliver us from every
evil, and render us happy in all things, nay, even partak­
ers of his own happiness. He wishes, therefore, that
for our greater good we beg of him the graces which
we stand in need of, that we may be spared the chas­
tisement which we deserve, and arrive at life ever­
lasting. Hence he has promised to hear the prayers of
him who prays to him with hope in his goodness. Ask
a nd you shall receive.

But to come at once to the subject of our discourse:
God

is appeased by prayers, and led

THE CHASTISEMENT

WHICH

WE

DESERVE,

to withdraw
PROVIDED

WE

PURPOSE TO AMEND.

Hence in order to be delivered from the present
scourge, and still more from the eternal scourge, we
must pray and hope. This is to be the first point.—
But it is not sufficient to pray andtohope: we must pray
xnd hope as we ought. This is to be the second point.
26

■■i

402

Discourses for Times of Calamities.
i.

We must Pray and Hope.

God wishes that we should all be saved, as the Apos­
tle assures us: God, Who will have all men to be saved)
And although he sees so many sinners who deserve
hell, he does not wish that any of them should be lost,
but that they should be restored to his grace by pen­
ance, and be saved. Not willing that any should perish,
but that all should return to penances But before deliver­
ing us from the punishment we have deserved, and dis­
pensing his graces, he wishes to be sought in prayer.
‘■By prayer,” says St. Laurence Justinian, “the wrath
of God is suspended, his vengeance is delayed, and
pardon finally procured.”3 Oh how great are the
promises which God makes to him who prays! Call
upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee I Cry
to Me, and I will hear thee I You shall ask whatever you
will, and it shall be done unto you I Theodoret says that

prayer is one only instrument, but that it can effect all
things? And let us bear in mind, my brethren, that
when we pray and ask things conducive to salvation,
not even our sins can prevent our receiving the graces
which we beg.—For every one that asketh receivethl Jesus
Christ here says that whoever asks, be he just or in sin,
shall receive. Wherefore did David say, For Thou, 0'
J '

1

Lord, art sweet and mild, and plenteous in mercy to all that
1 “ Omnes homines vult salvos fieri.”—i Tita. ii. 4.
* “ Nolens aliquos perire, sed omnes ad poenitentiam reverti.”—2
Petr, i i i. 9.
2 “ Per orationem, ira Dei suspenditur, vindicta differtur, venia pro­
curatur.”—Lign. Vit. de Orat. c. 2.
4 ** Invoca me; . . . eruam te.”—/ù. xlix. 15.
5 ” Clama ad me, et exaudiam te.”—Jer. xxxiii. 3.
6 “ Quodcumque volueritis, petetis, et fiet vobis.”—John, χν. y.
’ “Oratio, cum sit una, omnia potest.” Apud Rodr. p. j, tr ς f
14.— Wisd. vii. 27.
* “ Omnis enim qui petit, accipit.”—Matth. vii. 8.

I III. God ts Appeased by Prayer.

403

Hence the Apostle St. Janies, in order
to excite us to prayer, tells us: But if any of you leant

call upon Ί hee'

wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly,
and. upbraideth not.' When God is solicited, he gives
more than is asked oi him, he giveth to all men abundantly.

\\ lien one man asks a favor of another whom he may*
have formerly injured, the latter usually reproaches him
with the injury that had been done him; but not so
God—he never upbraideth. When we beg of him some
grace for the good of our souls, he never reproaches us
with the offences which we have committed against
him; but he hears us, and consoles us as though we had
always served him faithfully. Hitherto you have not asked
anything in My name, said the Lord one day to his dis­
ciples, and to-day he says the same thing to us: Ask, and
you shall receive, that your joy may be full? As if he were
to say, \\ hy do you complain of me ? You have only
yourselves to blame—you have not asked graces of me,
and therefore you have not received them. Ask of me,
henceforward, what you please, and it shall be granted
you; and if you have not merit sufficient to obtain it,
ask it of my Father in my name, that is, through my
merits, and whatever it be, I promise you that you shall
obtain it. Amen, amen, I say to you; if you ask the Father
■anything in My name, He will give it to you? The princes
of the earth, says St. John Chrysostom, give audience
only to a few, and that seldom; but access can always
be had to God by every one, at all times, and with cer­
tainty of a favorable hearing/
1 “ Tu, Domine, suavis et mitis, et rnultæ misericordiae omnibus in­
vocantibus te.”—Ps. Ixxxv. 5.
7 “ Si quis autem vestrum indiget sapientia, postulet a Deo, qui dat
omnibus affluenter, nec improperat.”—fames, i. 5.
3 “ Usque modo non petistis quidquam in nomine meo; petite, et
accipietis, ut gaudium vestrum sit plenum.”—John, xvi. 24.
4 “Amen, amen, dico vobis: si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine
meo, dabit vobis.”—John, xvi. 23.
4 “ Aures principis paucis patent, Deo vero omnibus volentibus.”

404

/discourses for Times of Calamities.

Rely, then, upon these great promises, so often iepeated by the Lord in the Scriptures; and Ictus evei be
attentive to beg of him those graces which are neces­
sary for salvation, namely, the pardon ot our sins, per­
severance in his grace, his holy love, resignation to his
divine will, a happy death, and Paradise. By prayer
we shall attain all; without prayer we shall have noth­
ing. What the holy Fathers and theologians com­
monly say, namely, that prayer is necessary to adtdls,
as a means of salvation, comes to this, that it is impos­
sible for any one to be saved without prayer. Lessius
wisely says, that it ought to be of faith; that without
prayer salvation is impossible to adults.1 And this is
clearly to be drawn from the Scriptures, which say:
Ask, and you sh.it/ receive
for as he who seeks obtains,
says St. Theresa, he who does not seek does not obtain.
Tray that ye enter not into temptationi ITe ought always to
frayi The words “ seek,” and u pray,” and “ we ought,”

accordings to the opinions of most theologians, along
with St. Thomas,1
*34567imply a precept binding under pain
of mortal sin.
Let us pray, then, and pray with great confidence.
Confidence in what ? In that divine promise by which,
says St. Augustine, God has made himself our debtor.
*
He has promised; he cannot be wanting to his promise;
let us seek and hope, and we must be saved. No one
hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded; There
never has been and never will be found any one to hope
1 “ Fide tenendum est, orationem adultis esse necessariam."—A’
Inst. 1. 2, c 37, d. 3.
1 “ Petite et accipietis.”—John, xvi. 24.
3 “ Orate, ut non intretis in tentationem."—Matth. xxvi. 41.
4 “ Oportet semper orare.”—Luke, xviii. 1.
6 2. 2, q. 83, a. 3.
6 “ Promittendo, debitorem se Deus fecit.”—Senn, HO,/-· /’·
7 “ Nullus speravit in Domino, el confusus est.
E<Aiu> ii. 11·

UJ* God is Appeased by Prayer.

405

in tilt Loid and be lost, as the prophet assures us: He
is the protector of all (hat trust in Him.'
But how comes it, then, that some persons ask graces
and do not obtain them? St. James answers that it is
because they ask ill. 1 on ash, ami receive not, because you
ash amiss, λ on must not only ask and hope, but ask and
hope as you ought. This brings us to the second point.

2.

We

must

Hope

and

Pray as

wf.

Ovght.

God has all the desire to deliver us from everyJ evil,
and to share his blessings with us, as I said in the be­
ginning, but he wishes to be sought in prayer, and
prayed to as he should, in order that we should be
heard. How can (rod think of hearing that sinner who
prays to him that he may lie freed from his afflictions,
whilst he is unwilling to abandon sin, w hich is the cause
of his afflictions ? When the impious Jeroboam stretched
out his hand against the prophet, who reproached him
with his wretchedness, the Lord caused his hand to
wither up, so that he could not draw it back And his
hand which he stretched forth against him withered, and he
was not able to draw it bach again to him.' Then the king

turned to the man of God, and besought him to beg of
the Lord to restore his hand to him. Theodoret savs,
*
with regard to this circumstance: “ l ool that he was to
have asked the prophet’s prayers tor the restoration of
his hand, and not for pardon of hissins.”4 Thus do
many act; they beg of God to deliver them from their
afflictions; they beg of the servants of God to avert by
their prayers the threatened chastisements, but they do
1 “ Protector est omnium sperantium in se."—Fs wit ;i.
• “ Petitis, et non accipitis, eo quod male petitis."—/..· (-s, iv.
3” Et exaruit manus ejus quam extenderat contra cum, nec valuit
retrahere eam ad se.’’—3 A'ings, xiii. 4.
'“‘Valde stultus supplex rogavit Prophetam, ut sibi peteret, non
sceleris remissionem, sed manus curationem,”

40 6

Discourses for Tinies of Calamities.

not seek to obtain the grace of abandoning their sinsand
changing their lives. And how can such persons hope
to be freed from the chastisement when they will not
remove its cause ? What arms the hand of the Lord
with thunders to chastise and afflict us? Oh, it is
accursed sin! “Punishment is the fine that is to be
paid for sin,” 1 says Tertullian. The afflictions we suffer
are a fine which must be paid by him whom sin has sub­
jected to the penalty. St. Basil in like manner says
that sin is a note of hand which we give against our­
selves? Since we sin, we voluntarily go in debt to God’s
justice. It is not God, then, who makes us miserable; it
is sin? Sin it is which obliges God to create chastisements: Famine, and affliction, and scourges, all things are
created for the wickedf

Jeremias, addressing the divine vengeance, says, 0
thou sword of the Lord, how long wilt thou not be quiet I Go
into thy scabbard, rest and be stilld But then, he goes on to
say. How shall it be quiet when the Lord hath given it a
charge
Ascalon V How can the sword of the
O against
Ô

Lord ever be quiet if sinners do not choose to abandon
their sin, notwithstanding that the Lord has given a
charge to his sword to execute vengeance as long as
sinners shall continue to deserve it ? But some will say,
we make novenas, we fast, we give alms, we pray to
God: why are we not heard ? To them the Lord replies, ·
When they fast, I will not hear their prayers, and when they
offer holocausts and victims, I will not receive them; for I
1 “ Census peccati, pcena.”
'1
’ ** Est chirographum quoddam contra nos.”
* " Miseros autem facit populos peccatum.”—Prov. xiv. 34.
4 “ Fames, et contritio, et flagella; super iniquos creata sunt hæc
omnia.”—Ecclus. xl· 9.
• “ O mucro Domini! usquequo non quiesces ? Ingredere in vaginam
tuam, refrigerare, et sile.”—Jer. xlvii. 6.
‘ Quomodo quiescet, cum Dominus praeceperit ei adversus Ascalonem ?”

VIII. God is Appeased by Prayer.

407

will consume them by the sword, and by famine, and by pesti­
lence) How, exclaims the Lord! how can I hear the

prayers of those who beg to be freed from their afflic­
tions, and not from their sins, because they do not wish
to reform. What care I for their fasts, and their sacri­
fices, and their alms, when they will not change their
lives. I will consume them by the sword. With all their
prayers, and devotions, and penitential exercises, I shall
be obliged by my justice to punish them.
Let us not, then, my brethren, trust to prayers or
other devotions, unaccompanied by a resolution to
amend. You pray, you smite your breast, and call for
mercy; but that is not enough. The impious Antiochus
prayed, but the Scriptures say that his prayers failed to
obtain mercy from God. Then this wicked man prayed to
the Lord, of whom he was not to obtain mercy) The un­
happy man, finding himself devoured by worms, and
near his end, prayed for life, but without having sorrow
for his sins.
Nor let us trust in our holy protectors, if we do not
purpose to amend. Some say we have our patron or
some other saint who will defend us; we have our Mother
Mary to procure our deliverance. Bring forth therefore
fruit worthy of penance. Who hath showed you to flee from
the wrath to come ? . . . and think not to say within your­
selves, we have Abraham for our father) How can we

think to escape punishment if we do not abandon sin ?
How can the saints think of assisting us if we persist
in exasperating the Lord ? St. John Chrysostom says,
of what use was Jeremias to the Jews?4 The Jews had
1 “Cum jejunaverint, non exaudiam preces eorum; et si obtulerint
holocautomata et victimas, non suscipiam ea; quoniam gladio, et
fame, et peste, consumam eos.”—Jer. xiv. 12.
3 “ Orabat autem hic scelestus Dominum, a quo non esset miseri­
cordiam consecuturus.”—2 Mach. ix. 13.
3 “ Facite ergo fructum dignum pœnitentiæ. Et ne velitis dicere
intra vos: Patrem habemus Abraham ”—Matt. iii. S.
4 “ Quid profuit Jeremias Judaeis?”—Ad pop. Ant. hom.
t

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

4oS

Jeremias to pray for them, but, notwithstanding all the
prayers of that holy prophet, they received the chas­
tisement, because they did not wish to give up their
sins. Beyond doubt, says the holy Doctor, the prayers
of the saints contribute much to obtain the divine mercy
for us, but when ?—when we do penance.1 They are use­
ful, but onlv* when we do ourselves violence to abandon
sin, to fly occasions, and return to God’s favor.
The emperor Phocas, in order to defend himself from
his enemies, raised walls and multiplied fortifications,
but he heard a voice saying to him from heaven: “You
build walls, but when the enemy is within, the city is
easilv taken.” 12345 We must then expel this enemy, which
is sin, from our souls, otherwise God cannot exempt us
from chastisement, because he is just, and cannot leave
sin unpunished. Another time the citizens of Antioch
praved to Mary to avert from them a scourge which
overhung them; and whilst they were praying, St. Bertoldus heard the divine Mother replying from heaven,
“ Abandon your sins, and I shall be propitious to you.’”
Let us then beg of the Lord to use mercy towards us,
but let us pray as David prayed: Lord, incline unio my
aid.' God wishes to aid us, but he wishes that we
should aid ourselves, by doing all that depends upon us.
“ He who desires to be assisted,” says Hilaretus,6 “ must
do all that he can to assist himself.” God wishes to
save us, but we must not imagine that God will do all
without our doing anything. St. Augustine says: “ He
who created you without your help, will not save you
without your help.”6 What do you expect, sinful
1
5
3
4
5
6

“
“
“
“
“
“

Prosunt, et plurimum, sed quando nos quoque aliquid agimus.”
Erigis muros; intus cum sit malum, urbs captu facilis est.”
Abusum projicite, et ero vobis propitia.”
Deus, in adjutorium meum intende.”—Ds. Ixix. 2.
Qui se juvari efflagitat, etiam, quod in se est, faciat.”
Qui creavit te sine te, non salvabit te sine te.”

IΊΙΙ. God is Appcased by Prayer.

409

brother? That God will bring you to Paradise with all
your sins upon you ? Do you continue to draw down
upon you the divine scourges, and yet hope to be de­
livered from them ? Must God save you while you per­
sist in damning yourself?
If we purpose truly to turn to God, then let us pray
to him and rejoice; even though the sins of the entire
world were ours, we should be heard, as I said to you in
the beginning. Every one who prays with a purpose of
amendment, obtains mercy.1 Let our prayers be in the
name of Jesus Christ, who has promised that the eternal
Father will grant us everything we ask in his name,
that is, through his merits. If you ask the Father any­
thing in My name, He will give it to you.' Let us pray, and
never cease from prayer; thus we shall obtain every
grace, and save ourselves. It is to this we are exhoited
by St. Bernard, who tells us to pray to God through the
intercession of Mary: “ Let us seek grace, and seek it
through Mary; because he who seeks through her, ob­
tains his request, and cannot be disappointed.” 3 Mary,
when we pray to her, certainly pleads for us with her
Son; and when Mary prays for us, she obtains what she
demands, and her prayer cannot be refused by a son
who loves her so much. (Act of contrition.)
1 “Omnis enim qui petit, accipit.”—Matt. vii. 8.
2 “ Si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, dabit vobis. ”—John,
xvi. 23.
3 “ Quaeramus gratiam, et per Mariam quæramus; quia, quod quaerit,
invenit, et frustrari non potest.”—De A quad.

4IQ

Discourses for Times of Calamities

NINTH DISCOURSE.
Most Holy Mary is the Mediatrix of Sinners.
“ Ego murus et ubera mea sicut turris; ex quo factus sum coram eo
quasi pacem reperiens.”
“ I am a wall, and my breasts are as a tower, since I am become in
his presence as one finding peace.”—Cant. viii. io.

Divine grace is an infinite treasure, because it makes
us friends of God. For she is an infinite treasure to men,
which they that use become the friends of God) Hence it

follows, that if there cannot be a greater happiness than
to enjoy the grace of God, there cannot be a greater
misery than to incur his displeasure by sin, which makes
us his enemies. But to God the wicked and his wickedness
are hateful alike) But if, my brethren, any of you have
had the misfortune to forfeit this divine grace by sin,
do not despair, but console yourselves with the reflec­
tion, that you have in Jesus Christ himself a mediator,
who can obtain pardon for you, and restore you the
grace you have lost. And He is the propitiation for our
sins)
I
W’hat have you to fear, says St. Bernard, when you
can have recourse to so great a mediator? He can do
all things with his eternal Father.4 He has satisfied the
divine justice for you, continues the holy abbot, and has
1 “ Infinitus cnim thesaurus est hominibus: quo qui usi sunt, partici­
pes facti sunt amicitiæ Dei.
*
’—[Visit, vii. 14.
3 “ Odio sunt Deo impius et impietas ejus.”—IVisct. xiv. 9.
3 “ Ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris.”—1 John, ii. 2.
4 Jesum tibi dedit mediatorem: quid non apud Patrem Filius talis
obtineat ?”—De Aquœd.

/X. Maryy the Mediatrix of Sinners

411

nailed your sins to the cross, having taken them away
iron) your soul.1 But if, notwithstanding all this, you
fear to approach JesAis Christ on account of his divine
majesty, God has given you another advocate with his
Son, and that advocate is Mary.1
23
Thus Mary has been given to the world as a mediatrix
between God and sinners. Hear the words which the
Iloly Ghost makes her speak in the divine canticles: 7
j »;/ a wall, and my breasts are as a tower, since 7 am become
in His presence as one finding peace ? I am, she says, the
refuge of those who fly to me; my breasts, that is, my
mercy, are like a tower of defence to every one who has
recourse to me; and he who is the enemy of God, let
him know that I am the mediatrix of peace between
God and sinners. “ She finds peace for enemies, salva­
tion for the lost, mercy for those who are in despair,”45
6
says Cardinal Hugo. For this reason is Mary called
beautiful ... as the curtains of Solomon? In the tents of
David naught was to be heard of but war; in the tents
of Solomon naught is spoken of but peace. By this we
are to understand that Mary has no other ministry in
heaven than that of peace and pardon. Hence St.
Andrew Avellino calls her the pleader of Paradise; but
what are those occupations in which Mary is engaged ?
“Mary,” says Venerable Bede, “stands in the presence
of her Son, praying unceasingly for sinners.”0 And
1 “Quid timetis, modicæ fidei? Affixit peccata cruci cum suis rranbus.”—In Cant. s. 38.
2 “Sed forsitan et in ipso majestatem vereare divinam ? Advocatun
habere vis ad ipsum ? Ad Matiam iccurre.”—De Aquad.
3 <« Fgo murus, et ubera mea sicut turris, ex quo facta sum coram 10
quasi pacem reperiens.”—Cant. viii. 10.
4 “ Ipsa ruperit pacem inimicis, salutem perditis, misericordiam
desperatis.”—In Cant. viii. 10.
5 “ Formosa . . . sicut pelles Salomonis.”—Cant. i. 4.
6 “ Stat Maria in conspectu Filii sui, non cessans pro peccatoribus
exorare. ”

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Discourses for Times of Calamities.

Blessed Amadeus says that “ Mary, all-powerful by her
prayers, stands before the face of God, continually in­
terceding for us.” * Thus Mary nover ceases to implore
of God by her all-powerful prayers all graces for us, if
we do not refuse them. And are there any found to re­
fuse the K*graces solicited forthem
by this divine Mother?
J
Yes, there are found such—yes, those who will not
abandon sin, who will not give up this friendship, this
occasion; who will not restore their neighbor’s property
—those are they who will not receive the graces begged
for them by Mary, because Mary wishes to obtain for
them the grace of breaking off this connection, of flying
this occasion of weakness, and they will not do it. And
such as will not do it, positively refuse the grace
sought for them by Mary. From heaven she sees well
all our miseries and dangers; and oh, how deeply is she
touched with compassion for us! With what motherly
affection is she always endeavoring to assist us! “ For
she sees our dangers,” continues the Blessed Amadeus,
“ and as our merciful Sovereign compassionates us with
maternal affection.”3
One day St. Bridget heard Jesus Christ saying to
Mary: “ Mother, ask of me what you will.” And Mary
answered him: “I ask mercy for the unfortunate.” 3 As
if she were to say to him, Son, since Thou hast made
me the Mother of mercy, and Advocate of Sinners, can
I ask aught else of Thee than mercy for the unhappy?
In a word, St. Augustine says, that amongst all the
saints, we have not one who is so solicitous for our sal­
vation as Mary.4
3
*
1 “ Adstat Beatissima Virgo vultui Conditoris, prece potentisSima
semper interpellans pro nobis.”
" “ Videt enim nostra discrimina, nostrique clemens Domina materno
affectu miseretur.”
2 “ Pete, Mater, quid vis a me. . . . Misericordiam peto pro mise­
ris.”
4 “ Te solam, O Maria, pro Sancta Ecclesia sollicitam piæ omnibus
Sanctis scimus.”—Apud S. Bonav. spec. B. A/. V. lect. 6.

IX. Maryy the Mediatrix of Sinners.

413

Isaias complains in his day as follows: Behold, Thou
art angry; . . . there is none who riseth up and take th hold
of Thee) Lord, said the prophet, Thon art justly angry

with us for our sins, and there is no one to appease
Thee, or draw Thee from chastising us. St. Bonaven­
ture says that the prophet had reason to speak thus,
since there was no Mary then.2 But at present, if Jesus
Christ wishes to chastise a sinner, and the sinner recom­
mends himself to Mary, she by her prayers for him re­
strains her Son, and averts the chastisement from him.3
There is no one, he says, so well able to hold back the
sword of the Lord.4 Justly, then, did St. Andrew call
Mary the peace of the Lord with men.'’ And St. Justin
called her the “ Arbitress,” saying, “The Word uses the
Virgin as arbitress.”" Sequestra signifies an arbitress,
to whose decision disputants binds themselves to yield.
By which St. Justin means to say, that Jesus lays before
Mary all his reasons for punishing such a sinner, that
she may negotiate a peace; and the sinner, on the other
side, places himself in her hands. Thus Mary on the
one side obtains for the sinner the grace of amend­
ment, and penance on the other; she obtains pardon for
him of her Son, and thus it is concluded. Such is the
ministry in the exercise of which Mary is continually
occupied.
When Noe judged that the deluge ought to have
ceased, he dismissed the dove from the ark. It returned
with a branch of olive, significant of the peace which
God had concluded with the world. This dove was a
1 “ Ecce tu iratus es, et peccavimus; . . . non est . . . qui consurgat,
et teneat te.”—Is. Ixiv. 5-7.
2 “ Ante Mariam, non fuit qui sic detinere Dominum auderet.”
3 “ Detinet Filium, ne peccatores percutiat.”
4 “Nemo tam idoneus, qui gladio Domini manum objiciat.”—Spee.
B. Μ. V. Icet. 7-14.
6 “Salve, divina cum hominibus Reconciliatio!”
6 “ Verbum usum est Virgine Sequestra.”—Exposit. fid. de Trin.

414

discourses for Times of Calamities,

figure of Mary. “ Thou art,” says St. Bonaventure,
“ that most faithful dove of Noe which became the most
faithful mediatrix between God and the world sub­
merged by a spiritual deluge.” 1 Thou, O Mary! art the
dove all faithful to him who invokes Thee—Thou art
the dove that, interceding with God, hast obtained for
us peace and salvation, says St. Epiphanius? Pelbart
inquires how it happens that in the Old Law, the Lord
was so vigorous in his chastisements, of universal del­
uge, of fire from heaven, of fiery serpents, and suchlike
punishments; whereas he now deals so mercifully with
us, who have sinned more grievously than those of old V
And he answers, he does it all through love of Mary,
who intercedes for us.1*345 “ Oh how long since should
heaven and earth have been destroyed,” says St. Fulgen­
tius, “ if Mary had not interposed.” 6
AVherefore the Church wishes that we should call this
divine Mother our hope.6 The impious Luther could
not endure that the Church should teach us to call Mary
our hope. He said that our hope ought to rest only in
God — not in the creatu re; and that God curseshim who
places his confidence in creatures: Cursed be the man that
trusteth in man.' True; but that is understood of those
who trust in creatures, in contempt of God, or inde­
pendently of him. But we hope in Mary, as our medi1 “ Tu es illa fidelissima columba Noe, quæ inter Deum et mundum,
diluvio spirituali submersum, Mediatrix fidelissima extitisti.”—S/ec.
B. Μ, V. lect. 9.
8 “ Per te pax coelestis donata est.”
3 “ Quare parcit nunc mundo ipse Deus, qui olim etiam mullo his
minora peccata acrius punivit ?”
4 “Totum hoc facit propter Beatam Virginem.”—Stell. B. V. 1. 11,
P- 2, c. 2.
5 “ Cœlum et terra jamdudum ruissent, si Maria suis precibus non
suslentasset !”
6 “ Spes nostra, salve.”
1 “ Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine.”—Jer. xvii. 5.

IX. Mary, the Mediatrix of Sinners.

415

atrix with the Lord. In the same manner as Jesus is
our mediator of right with his eternal Father, because
by the merits of his Passion he obtains pardon for peni­
tent sinners, so Mary is mediatrix by divine favor with
her Son, and is such a mediatrix that her Son grants
her every request; nay, that he wishes that every grace
should pass throufih her hands. “The Lord,” says St.
Bernard, “ has placed in Mary the plenitude of all good;
so that if aught of hope or grace or salvation, is in us,
we know that we derive it from Mary.” 1 The Lord has
confided to Mary the treasure of mercies which he wishes
to have dealt out to us, and therefore wishes that we
should acknowledge every grace as coming through her.
Whence the saint calls her his chief confidence, and the
principal ground of his hope.
*
For which reason he
exhorts us to look for grace always through the inter­
cession of Mary.1
*34 And for the same reason the Church,
in despite of Luther, calls Mary our hope.1
Hence also do the saints call Mary the ladder, the
moon, and the city of refuge. She is called by St. Ber­
nard the ladder of sinners.56 It is sin which separates
us from God. But your iniquities have divided between you
and your God!' A soul in the state of grace is in union
with God, and God in union with it. Jfe that abideth in­
charity. abide th in God. and God in him.1 But when the
soul turns its back upon God, then is it separated from
1 “ Totius boni plenitudinem posuit in Maria, ut proinde, si quid
spei in nobis est, si quid gratiæ, si quid salutis, ab ea noverimus re­
dundare.”—De A quad.
'l “ llæc mea maxima fiducia est, hæc tota ratio spei meae.”
3 “ Quæramus gratiam, et per Mariam gratiam.”
4 “ Spes nostra, salve.”
5 “Hæc peccatorum Scala.”—De A quad.
6 “ Iniquitates vestræ diviserunt inter vos et Deum vestrum.”—Is.
lix. 2.
1 “ Qui manet in charitate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo.”—i John,
iv. 16.

/^iseottrses for rimes of ( a Jam i ties
him—plunged into an abyss of misery, and as far icmoved from him as sin itself. But when shall this
wretched soul find a ladder by which to mount once
more to God, and be again united to him ? Mary is that
ladder, to whom, if the sinner has recourse, no matter
what his misery, or how great the filth of sins, he can
come out of the pit of perdition. “ Thou,” says St.
Bernard, “dost not abhor the sinner, however loathsome
he be; if he once sigh to thee, thou readiest him thy
hand to draw him out of the gulf of despair.” 1 Eorthe
same reason is she called the moon: Fair as the moon.1
“As the moon,” says St. Bernard, “ is placed between
the sun and eai th, so is Mary stationed between God
and us, to pour out his graces continually upon us.”8
Hence, also, she is called the city of refuge, as she is
made to call herself by St. John Damascene. “ I am the
the city of all those that have recourse to me.” 4 In the
ancient law there were five cities of sanctuary; to which,
it any one fled, he was secure of not being pursued by
justice, no matter what his crime. At present we have
not so many cities of sanctuary—we have only Mary, to
whom if any one shall have fled he may rest secure of
not being pursued by the divine justice. In the cities
of the old law every delinquent was in danger, nor
could all his crimes escape unpunished; but Mary is a
city ol refuge which receives every criminal. “There
is no one so much cast off by God,” said this blessed
Mother to St. Bridget, “ who, if he have recourse to me,
shall not return to God, and receive pardon.”6
1 “ Tu peccatorem quantumlibet fœtidum non horres: si ad te suspi­
raverit, tu illum a desperationis barathro pia manu retrahis.”—Depr.
ad glor. V.
“ Pulchra ut luna.”—Cant. vi. 9.
3 “ Sicut luna est media inter solem et terram, sic et \ irgo regia
inter nos et Deum est media, et gratiam nobis refundit.
4 “ Ego civitas omnium ad me confugientium.”
6 “ Nullus est ita abjectus a Deo, qui, si me invocaverit, non reverta­
tur ad Deum,-et habiturus sit misericordiam.”

/Λ. A/ary, (he Afedicitrix of Sinners. 417
Mary, so far from disdaining to assist sinners, prides
hcisell upon the function of advocate of sinners, so that
she is related to have said to the venerable sister Mary
Villanin, “ Next to my dignity of Mother of God, there
is nothing which I so much value as my office of advo­
cate ot sinners.” “ To this end,” says Idiota, who takes
it from St. John Chrysostom, “ hast thou been chosen
from eternity to be the Mother of God, that those whose
sins should exclude them from participation in the
merits of thy Son might be made partakers of them by
thy intercession.”* This was the principal office for the
fulfilment of which God created her, and placed her in
the world: Feed, thy kids.'1 By kids he means sinners,
and those kids are given in care to Mary, in order that
they who on the day of judgment should by their sins
have deserved to stand upon the left, may by her inter­
cession stand upon the right. “ Feed thy kids,” says
William of Paris, “ whom thou shalt convert into sheep,
that they who should have been placed to the left may
through thy intercession take their stand upon the
right.” 3 But we must not forget to notice what has
been said upon this passage by William of England:
“ Feed thy kids.” Who are the kids of Mary? “ These
sinners,” he says, “ who pay her no devotion, who do
not beg of her to obtain their conversion, arc not the
kids of Mary, and shall be placed on the left.” 4
St. Bridget one day heard Jesus Christ saving to his
mother, “ Thou givest assistance to every one endeavor1 " Ideo Mater Dei præelecta es ah æterno, ut, quos justitia Filii sal­
vare non potest, tu per tuam salvares pietatem.”
* “ Pasce hoedos tuos.”—Cant. i. 7.
Pasce haedos tuos, quos convertis in oves, ut, qui a sinistris in
judi( io erant collocandi, tua intercessione collocentur a dextris.”
Qui nec Beatam Virginem obsequio prosequuntur, nec preces
fundunt ut aliquando resipiscant, hœdi noti sunt Mariæ, sed ad sinis­
tram sistendi.”

4'8

Discourses for Times of Calamities.

ii.g to rise to God.”* Mary assists every one who’does
himself violence to leave his evil life and turn to God,
or at least prays to her that he may receive strength
to do so; if he have not that desire, the divine mother
herself cannot assist him. Mary then assists only those
sinners who honor her by some special devotion, and
who, if they yet remain in disgrace with God, have re­
course to her that she may obtain pardon for them, and
work their deliverance from their present infernal con­
dition. The sinner who acts thus from his heart is
secure, because Mary, as we have said before, has been
therefore created that she might have charge of sinners,
and lead them to God. The Lord revealed this to St.
Catherine of Sienna: “She is chosen by me as a most
delicious food, so as to capture men, especially sinners.”12
And the blessed Mother herself said to St. Bridget, that
as the magnet attracts iron, so she draws the hard hearts
of men to herself and to God.34 But we must always
bear in mind that these hearts, notwithstanding their
hardness, must desire liberation from their unhappy
state.
Î
Ah, if all had recourse to Mary with at least this
desire, she would procure salvation for all. “What
fear of damnation should that man feel,” says the
Abbot Adam, “ to whom Mary offers herself for a
mother and an advocate?” ’ He inquires again, “ Could
it be possible that you, the mother of mercy, should
not intercede with the Redeemer for the soul he has
1 “ Conanti surgere ad Deum tribuis auxilium.”
’ “ Ipsa est a me velut esca dulcissima electa pro capiendis homini­
bus, et anirnabus præcipue peccatorum.”—Dial. tr. 4, c. 139.
3 “ Sicut magnes attrahit ferrum, sic ego attraho Deo dura corda.”_
Rev. 1. 3, c. 3.
4 “ Timerene debet et pereat, cui Maria se Matrem exhibet et Advo­
catam 1'

IX. Mary, the Mediatrix of Sinners.

419

redeemed ?” 1 He lastly makes answer: “Ah, Thou must
intercede, because God, who has placed his Son medi­
ator between man and heaven, has placed Thee medi­
atrix between his Son and guilty man.” 2
Then, sinner, says St. Bernard, give thanks to him
who has provided you with such a mediatrix.3 Thank
your God, who, in order to manifest his mercy towards
you, has given you not only his Son for a mediator in
his own right, but that you might have more confidence,
hits given you Mary as a mediatrix with that Son.
Therefore it is St. Augustine calls her the only hope of
sinners? And St. Bonaventure: “ If by reason of your
iniquities you see the Lord in anger, and fear to ap­
proach him, have recourse to the hope of sinners, who
is Mary.” 5 She will not reject you because you arc too
wretched:z “it is her office to assist
the wretched.”6
·
And William of Paris says exactly the same: “ It is thy
office to place thyself between God and man." 7 Hence,
when we have recourse to Mary, let every one say to
her with St. Thomas of Villanova: “Ah, therefore,
thou our advocate fulfil thy office.” B Since thou art
Mother of God, and advocate of the wretched, assist
1 “ Tu, misericordiae Mater, non rogabis pro redempto Redempto­
re m ?’ ’
- “ Rogabis plane; quia, qui Filium tuum inter Deum et homines
posuit Mediatorem, te quoque inter reum et Judicem, posuit Mcdiatricem.”—Marial, s. i.
3 “ Age gratias ei qui talem tibi Mediatricem providit.”—In Sign.
Magn.
4 “ Spes unica peccatorum.”
5 “ Si propter tuas nequitias Dominum videris indignatum, ad spem
peccatorum confugias.”
6 “Sibi pro miseris satisfacere ex officio est commissum.”—Slim,
div am. p. 3, c. 12.
1 “ Officium tuum est mediam te interponere inter Deum et homi­
nes.”— De λ'/iet. div. c. 18.
8 “ Eia ergo, Advocata nostra, officium tuum imple.”—De Nat.
V, M. conc. 3.

^20

Tiseourses for Times o/ Calamities.

me who am so wretched; if thou dost not assist me, I
am lost; and let us proceed to address her in the words
of St. Bernard: “ Remember, O most pious virgin, that
from the beginning, etc., etc.” 1 I do not wish to be the
first unhappy man who shall have had recourse to thee,
and vet be abandoned by thee. (Act of contrition.)
• ** Memorare, piissima Maria, a sæculo non esse auditum, queinquam ad tua præsidia confugientem esse derelictum.”

(Jcxts from ijoln Scripture unb from ilje tjoln /utljers
REFERRING TO SOME PARTICULAR CALAMITIES.

i. Earthquakes.
“ Commota est et contremuit terra, fundamenta mon­

tium conturbata sunt et commota sunt, quoniam iratus
est eis.—The earth shook and trembled: the foundations
of the mountains were troubled and were moved, be­
cause He was angry with them.”—Ps. xvii. 8.
“ Movebitur terra de loco suo, propter indignationem
Domini.—The earth shall be moved out of her place for
the indignation of the Lord.”—Is. xiii. 13.
“Agitatione agitabitur terra, sicut ebrius.—With
shaking shall the earth be shaken as a drunken man.”
—Is. xxiv. 20. On these words Cardinal Hugo makes
the following comment: “ Evomet enim terra peccatores.
—The earth shall eject sinners.”
St. John Chrysostom says: “ Causa enim terræmotus
est ira Dei; porro causa divinæ iræ nostra sunt peccata;
noli autem supplicium timere, sed supplicii parentem,
peccatum.—The cause of the earthquake is God’s anger;
but the cause of the divine anger is our sins. But do
not fear the punishment, but fear sin, which is the cause
of the punishment.”—De Lazaro, cone. 6. “Dominus
terrarum orbem concutit, non ut evertat, sed ut cos, qui
insolenter se gerunt, ad salutem convertat.—The Lord
shook the earth not to overthrow it, but to convert
unto salvation those that lead wicked lives.”—Ser tn. de
S. Lasso Mart. “ Concutitur civitas, mens vero tua non
conquatitur.— The city is shaken, but your mind re­
mains unmoved.”—De Laz. cone. 6. “ Præcessit tam-

42 2 Texts from Seri/)/ures and the Fathers
quam præco terræmotus, iram Dei denuntians, ut sup.
plicium inferendum repellamus.—The earthquake has
preceded like a herald announcing God’s anger that we
may escape by penance the punishment that we have
merited.”—Ibid. “ Ecce venit, terræmotus; quid pro­
fuerunt opes ? Periit una cum possessione possessor.
Omnium commune sepulcrum facta est civitas, non ab
artificum manibus, sed a calamitate fabricatum.—Be­
hold, there came an earthquake; what have riches pro­
fited thee? The possessor has perished along with the
possession. The city has become for all a common
sepulchre, which has been built, not by the hand of the
artificer, but by calamity.”—Ibid. “ Prius corda homi­
num, et postea elementa turbantur.—The hearts of men
are first disturbed, then the elements.”—Ibid.
2. Drought.

“Si in præceptis meis ambulaveritis, . . . dabo vobis
pluvias temporibus suis.—Quod si non audieritis me,
. . . dabo vobis coelum sicut ferrum, et terram æneam.
Consumetur incassum, labor vester; non proferet terra
germen, nec arbores poma præbebunt.—If you walk in
My precepts, ... I will give you rain in due seasons.—
But if you will not hear Me, ... I will make to you the
heaven above as iron, and the earth as brass. Your
labor shall be spent in vain, the ground shall not bring
forth her increase, nor the trees yield their fruit.”—
Levit, xxvi. 3, 14, 19.
“ Usquequo lugebit terra, et herba omnis regionis
siccabitur, propter malitiam habitantium in ea? Con­
sumptum est animal. . . . How long shall the land
mourn, and the herb of every field wither for the wicked­
ness of them that dwell therein ? The beasts arc con­
sumed.”—Jcr. xii. 4.
“ Sementem multam jacies in terram, ct modicum con­
gregabis.— thou shalt cast much seed into the ground,

Texts fro vt Scriptures and the Tat hers. 423
and gather little.”—Dent, xxviii. 38. Commentaries:
“Ob hoc campi steriles, quia charitas friguit.—There­
fore the fields are sterile, because charity has grown
cold.”
“ Polluisti terram in fornicationibus tuis et in malitiis
• tuis; quamobrem prohibitæ sunt stillæ pluviarum.—
Thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications and
with thy wickedness. Therefore the showers were
wilhholden.”—Jcr. iii. 2.
“Non estis reversi ad me, dicit Dominus; ego quoque
prohibui a vobis imbrem, cum adhuc tres menses superessent usque ad m essem.—You have not returned to
Me, saith the Lord. I also have withholden the rain
from you when there were yet three months to the
harvest.”—Amos, iv. 6. St. Basil: “Discamus quod ob
aversionem nostram calamitates inflixit Deus.—Let us
learn that because we have turned our backs upon God
He has inflicted upon us calamities.”—Hom. in fame et
siccit.

“ Radices ejus siccentur, . . . atteratur messis ejus.—
Let his roots be dried up, . . . and his harvest de­
stroyed.”—Job, xviii. 16.
Solomon, when dedicating the Temple to God, thus
spoke to God in prayer: “Si clausum fuerit cœlum, et
non pluerit, propter peccata eorum, et orantes in loco
isto poenitentiam egerint, . . . exaudi cos in coelo.— If
heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain be­
cause of their sins, and they praying in this place shall
do penance, . . . hear Thou them in heaven.”—3 Kings,
viii. 35·
The Lord says: “Nubibus mandabo, ne pluant.— I
will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it.”—Is.
v. 6. “ Quia domus mea deserta est, . . . propter hocsuper vos prohibiti sunt coeli, ne darent rorem, ... et
vocavi siccitatem super terram.—Because My house is
desolate, . . . therefore the heavens over you were

424 Texts jreni Scriptures and the Fathers.
stayed :rom giving dew, . . and I called fora drought
upon the land.”—Λχχ. i- 9.
|M
St. Augustine: w Perleverant flagella, quia perseverant
et delicta.—Punishments continue, because sins con­
tinue.'—St rm. 46, E. B. app.
’-IB
Sl Basii: “ Cœlum vidimus solidum, serenitate sua
nos contristans. Terra jam exsiccata est, horrida, etob
s.ccitatem scissa; fontes nos deseruerunt.—We see the
heavens closed, and are saddened by their serenity.
The earth is already dried up, is horrible, and on account
of the dryness is full of fissures; the water fountains
have .eft us —Hom. in fame et siccit.
3
3. Scarcity and Sterility.

“ Posuit . . . terram fructiferam in salsuginem, a
malitia inhabitantium in ea.— Ile hath turned ... a
fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them
that dwell therein. —Ps. cvi. 33. Cardinal Hugo:
“ What does sin do? It turns fruitful land into sterile
land.”
“ Maledicta terra . . . spinas et tribulos germinabit
—Cursed is the earth . . . thorns and thistles shall it
bring forth.”—Gen. iii. 17.
“ Maledictio vorabit terram, et peccabunt habitatores
ejus.—A curse shall devour the earth, and the inhabit­
ants thereof shall sin.”—Is. xxiv. 6.
!
• Revelaibunt cœi iniquitatem ej us, et terra consurget
adversus eum.—The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,
and the ear.h shall rise up against him.”—Job, xx. 27.
” Ego dedi ei frumentum et vinum, . . . quæ fecerunt
Baa;: iccirco convertar, et sumam frumentum meum.—
I gave her corn and wine, . . . which they have used in
the service of Baai; therefore I w ".! return, and take
a way My corn.” -Osee, ii. 8. T i.ere are some that abuse
the goods that CPS. has given to them; they make idols
of tiem, that is, objects of sin. St. A . gustine says: “ Cur

Texts J roin Scriptures and the Fathers. 425
famem pateris? Cur inopiam sentis? Quia quotidie
crescit et culpa. Ad Deum convertere, relinque idolum."—Why are you suffering hunger? Why do you
experience want? Because your guilt also increases
daily. Be ye converted to God, and leave your idol.”—
Sc rm. 46, E. B. app.
“ Honora Dominum de tua substantia, ... et im­
plebuntur horrea tua.—Egestas a Domino in domo im­
pii; habitacula autem justorum benedicentur.—Honor
the Lord with thy substance, . . . and thy barn shall
be filled.—Want is from the Lord in the house of the
wicked; but the habitations of the just shall be blessed."
-Prov. iii. 9, 33.
4. Hail and Lightning.

“ Ignis, grando, fames, et mors, omnia hæc ad vindic­
tam creata sunt.— Fire, hail, famine, and death, all these
were created for vengeance."—Ecclus. xxxix. 35.
“ Illuxerunt fulgura ejus orbi terræ; vidit, et com­
mota est terra; . . . annuntiaverunt cœli justitiam ejus;
. . . confundantur omnes, qui adorant sculptilia.—His
lightnings have shone forth to the world; the earth saw
and trembled; . . . the heavens declared His justice;
. . . let them all be confounded that adore graven
things."—Ps. xcvi. 4. AlphonsusTostatus says: “Cum
tonitrua audierimus, sciamus Deum nos voce sua velle
admonere, ut a malo recedamus.—When we hear the
thunder, we should remember that God wishes to ad­
monish us to cease committing sin."
5. Hurtful Animals.

“ Immittam in vos famem et bestias pessimas usque
ad internecionem.—And I will send in upon you famine
and evil beasts unto utter destruction."—Ezcrh. v. 17.
On this point St. Jerome remarks: “Famem, et pesti-

420 7>.νΛ' from. Scriptures and the Fathers
lentiam, et bestias pessimas, propter nostra venire pec­
cata manifestum est. —It is manifest that hunger, pesti­
lence, and wild beasts are sent on account of our sins.”
“Addam plagas vestras in septuplum propter peccata
vestra, immittamque in vos bestias agri, quæ consumant
vos et pecora vestra, et ad paucitatem cuncta redigant,
desertæque fiant viæ vestræ.—I will bring seven times
more plagues upon you for your sins; and I will send
in upon you the beasts of the field to destroy you and
your cattle, and make you few in number, and that
your highways may be desolate.”—Levit, xxvi. 21.
“ Sementem multam jacies in terram, et modicum
congregabis, quia locustæ devorabunt omnia.—Thou
shalt cast much seed in the ground, and gather little:
because the locusts shall consume all.”—Dent, xxviii.
3S.
.
1
Dauraltius says: “ Nullum adeo exiguum animal est,
quod non possit contra peccantem esse potentissimus
hostis.—There is no animal so small that it cannot be a
most powerful enemy of the sinner.”—Flores Exempt c.
6, tit. 2, n. 9.
And St. John Chrysostom: “ Ouamdiu Adam purum
servavit vultum, ei bestiæ parebant; quando autem
fcedavit inobedientia, odio habebant.—So long as Adam
preserved his countenance pure, the animals obeyed
him; but when he defiled it by disobedience, they hated
him.”—Ζλ Ps. 3.
6. Sickness.

“ Extendens manum, percutiam te et populum tuum
peste.—I will stretch out My hand to strike thee and
thy people with pestilence.”—Exoit ix. 15. “Qui de­
linquit in conspectu ejus qui fecit eum, incidet in manus
medici.—Ile that sinneth before his Maker, shall faq
into the hands of the physician.” Ecclus. xxxviii. 15.

Texts from Scriptures and the Fathers, 42;

7. Calamities in General.

“ Terra infecta est ab habitatoribus suis; . . . propter
hoc maledictio vorabit terram, ... et relinquentur
homines pauci.—And the earth is infected by the in­
habitants thereof, . . . and few men shall be left.”—Is.
xxiv. 5.
“ Oui malignantur, exterminabuntur. — Evil-doers
shall be cut off.”—Ps. xxxvi. 9.
“Armabit creaturam ad ultionem inimicorum.—Ile
will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.”—
JVisd. v. 18.
“ Vidi eos qui operantur iniquitatem, et seminant
dolores et metunt eos.—I have seen them that work
iniquity, and that sow sorrows, and reap them.”—
iv. 8. He that sows sins shall reap sorrows and pains.
“Quia oblita es mei, et projecisti me post corpus
tuum, tu quoque porta scelus tuum et fornicationem
tuam.—Because thou hast forgotten Me and hast cast
Me off behind thy body, bear thou also thy wickedness
and thy fornications.”—Ezech. xxiii. 35.
St. Cyprian says: “ Miraris iram Oei crescere, cum
crescat quotidie quod puniatur ?—Why should you won­
der that God’s anger is growing when what is punish­
able is every day growing?”—Ad Demetrianum.
St. Basil: “Nemo se torqueat in inquirendis causis,
cur siccitas, fulmina, grandines; nostri causa hæc in­
vehuntur, qui retinemus cor impoenitens.— No one
troubles himself about inquiring why drought, light­
ning, hail, are sent down upon us; they are sent us on
account of our sins, and because we preserve an impeni­
tent heart.”—In cap. 9 Isaiœ.
St. John Chrysostom : “Peccatum, fontem malorum,
reprimamus.—We must repress sin, the fountain of evils.”
—7// Ps. 3.

42S Texfs from Scriptures and flic Fathers.
St. Gregorj’: “Jure nos omnia feriunt, quæ vitiis nos­
tris serviebant.— Rightly is everything hostile to us that
has gratified our passions.”— In Evang. horn. 35.
St. Anselm: “ Ex offensione, non solum iram Dei
promeruimus, sed totam creaturam adversum non ex­
citavimus.—By offending God we not only excite his
anger, but the anger of all creation.”—De Simil. c. 102.
Salvian: “ Quid miraris, si castigamur? Miseriæ,
infirmitates, testimonia sunt mali servi. Deum ad
puniendos nos trahimus invitum.—Why wonder that we
are chastised ? Miseries, infirmities, are signs of evil.
We force God to punish us.”—De Gubern. Dei, 1. 4.
Cardinal Hugo: “ Omnis creatura conqueritur de
ipsis qui abusi sunt ea.—Every creature complains of
those that abuse it.”

Deflections useful for Dishops that then man gouern well
their churches ;
TAKEN FROM THE EXAMPLES OF ZEALOUS BISHOPS AND CONFIRMED BV
experience.

Father Tannoia (Book II. ch. xxvi.) and Cardinal
Villecourt (1. vi. ch. 3) inform us that these Reflec­

are among the first writings of St. Alphonsus.
He published them in 1745, and sent them to all the
Italian bishops, who expressed to him their heartfelt
thanks. Mgr. Salerno, Bishop of Molfetta, wrote to
him as follows: “ I have read your Reflections Useful
for Bishops, and I am much edified.
I see that it is
great zeal, aided by much wisdom and profound science,
which has led you to write this little treatise. Your
Reverence has rendered a great service to the Episco­
pate, but with such kindness on your part a feeling of
compassion can hardly be suppressed, since your experience has made you see that practice is much more
difficult than theory, especially in these unhappy times.”
The holy author having afterwards himself been made
a bishop, knew how to join practice to theory, with zeal
and admirable success, under the weight of his advanced
age and his grave infirmities, and in the midst of multi­
plied difficulties. We may form an idea of this by
reading the collection of the acts of his episcopate,
which are published in a subsequent volume.
We think that these Reflections are useful, not only
for bishops, but also for all the clergy, especially those
that have charge of souls.— Ed.

tions

praiscb be .forever Jesns in the ίΠοοί ijoln Gncrament,
AND MARY /X VIRGIN ALWAYS IMMACULATE!

“ Attendite vobis et universo gregi, in quo vos Spir­

itus Sancti posuit episcopos regere Ecclesiam Dei.—
Take heed to yourselves and to the whole Hock, wherein
the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops to rule the
Church of God.”—Arts, xx. 28.
It is certain that God has intrusted to the bishops
the government of his Church, and that on them
depends the sanctification of the people. Hence it was
with reason that St. Charles Borrom'eo said that the
shepherds are the cause of the bad life of the sheep;
and indeed we know by experience that holy bishops
sanctify their dioceses. St. Charles, who in fact was a
model of good bishops, and who consequently will often
be proposed as such in this little work, reformed so well
his subjects that their virtues having spread among the
neighboring people, made better Christians.
There already exist many books treating at length of
the duties of bishops in regard to the government of their
churches. Nevertheless an experience of twenty years,
spent in giving missions, has taught me that many
things do not come to the knowledge of the bishops;
for this reason, through the sole desire of promoting
the glory of Jesus Christ, I have wished to write briefly
in these few pages some reflections of greater impor­
tance which may be very useful to direct them in the
exercise of the;r duties, cither in regard to the principal
cares with which they are charged, or in regard to the

43 2

Rejections Useful for Bishops.

most efficacious means that they should employ in
directing their flocks. This has been my only aim.
These cam > and these means will be treated in two
sti rt chapters. 1 hope with the divine goodness that
this poor little treatise, which in view of its author
hardi—v deserves to be looked at, may be read with some
profit, at least for its brevity.

Ch. I. 1 he Principal Cares of a Bishop. 433

S

CHAPTER I.
j

THE PRINCIPAL CARES OF A BISHOP.

We should be convinced of what St. Athanasius'

says, that the bishup before his consecration may live
for himself, but that after his consecration he is obliged
to live for his flock, of the salvation of whom he must
certainly render an account, as the Lord lias informed
us through the mouth of Ezechiel: Woe to the shepherds;
of Israel, that feed themselves: . . . Behold I Myself come
upon the shepherds, I will require M; flock at their handI

Hence St. Gregory5 says that at the tribunal of Jesus
Christ, where every one will be obliged to render an
account of his soul, the bishop will have to render an
account of as many souls as he has subjects. The Bishop
of Sardis led an innocent life; still, because he did not
attend, as he should have attended, to the care of his
flock, God addressed to him through St. John this terri­
ble reproach: Thou hast the name of being alive, and thou
art dead.' Whence it follows that the bishop, however
holy he may be by the works of his life, if he is negli­
gent in regard to the salvation of his flock, will be
reproved at the tribunal of Jesus Christ, to whom he
will have to render a rigorous account, not only of his
omissions, but also of all the evils that have resulted
therefrom.
1 Ep. ad Dracont.
* “ Væ pastoribus Israel, qui pascebant semetipsos: . . . Ecce ego
ipse super pactores requiram gregem meum de manu eorum.”—Ezech.
xxxi. 2-10.
- Mot al. 1. 24, c. 30.
4 “ Nomen habes quod vivas, et mortuus es.”—Λpec. iii. 1.
28

434

Reflections I rscfnl for Bishops.

Hence to come to the practical part, we shall speak
of the principal cares which a good bishop should keep
before his mind in governing his church, and which are
seven in number, namely : i. The seminary; 2. The
candidates for ordination; 3. The priests; 4. The
parish priests; 5. The Vicar and ministers or servants;
6. The convents of nuns.
I. The Seminary.

There is no doubt that the seminaries are of the
greatest benefit to the dioceses; it suffices to know how
much they are approved and recommended to the bishops
by the holy Council of Trent. Indeed, it is by the semi­
naries that good clergy are formed, and it is on the
clergy that afterwards depends the common good of
the people. But we should also consider that if the
seminary is well directed, the diocese will be sanctified;
otherwise it will be ruined. Young men when entering
the seminary do not bring with them the spirit that they
should have; they enter in order to acquire it, coming
from their families either filled with vice or very much
inclined at this age to become addicted to every vice.
How many are there who enter the seminaries as
angels, and who in a short time become demons ! If
then the seminaries have not sufficient revenues, either
for the support of the pupils (without which the semi­
naries cannot be well governed), or for maintaining
good servants and good masters, it would be better
that no seminaries existed. We should be convinced
that, ordinarily speaking, in seminaries there are more
disorders and scandals than is known by the bishops,
who are often least instructed about them.
In the first place, it is necessary that there should be
a good Director who has a true zeal for God, and who
has experience, with enough sagacity to be able to dis­
cover the malice that is in young men, for he should be

Ch. I. The Principal Cares of a Bishop. 435
distrustful of every one and of every action; otherwise
if he conducts himself with simplicity he will easily be
deceived. We therefore see that it is very difficult to
find a Director who is really capable of governing semi­
naries.
Secondly, there should be a sufficient number of Pre­
fects,1 and these should be priests advanced in years,
pious, and of a character firm enough to correct and not
to overlook faults. They should above all see that the
pupils do not touch one another even in play; that
there be no familiarity among them; that one does not
remain alone with the other for the purpose of talking;
and that they do not speak to those belonging to another
division. When the Prefects cannot themselves remedy
the evil, they should at least, in more important cases,
inform the Director, and when necessary, also the
bishop.
Besides the Prefects, it is good, and it is even a very
useful measure, to choose in each section two or three
pupils who are the most pious and faithful, and to charge
them without the knowledge of their companions se­
cretly to observe what is goi«g on. Every week, and
whenever it is convenient, the Director or the bishop
receives from them notice of the faults that have been
committed.
Thirdly, it is also necessary that the bishop should
make, two or three times a year, a particular examina­
tion of the conduct of every seminarian by endeavoring
to find out the truth by means of those who, he knows,
are more pious. He should then dismiss with firmness
those that are incorrigible and that give scandal, of
whom one alone is sufficient to spoil all the rest. It is,
moreover, very useful that the bishop should often visit
the seminary to excite the zeal of the pupils in the prac­
tice of piety, and also in their studies even, by attending
1 “Prefects,” or “ Overseers,” see Rules farther on.

their theses and their literary exercises. This will con­
duce in a wonderful way to sustaining their application
and emulation.
But in a special manner should the bishop be watch­
ful over all that regards piety in the seminary:
1. He should ordain that there should be in common
a meditation of half an hour in the morning, and of at
least a quarter of an hour in the evening; and that for
the most part the meditation should be made on the
eternal maxims, which are very useful for young men to
consider, in order that they may live far away from vice.
2. He should have them make every year the spiritual
exercises during eight days; during this time they are
not to speak to one another, nor apply themselves to
study.
.JH
3. Moreover, he should have a familiar sermon
preached to them every fifteen days, or at least every
month, by a virtuous priest who does not live at the
seminary; the subject of the sermon should also be the
eternal truths, and nearly always should the enormity
of sacrilege be touched upon, as it is this to which
young men are easily subject through false shame.
4. He should see that they go to confession every
week or every two weeks by giving them the best con­
fessors of the place where the seminary is situated, or
at least two confessors each time in order that the pupils
may have more liberty in their confessions. He should,
moreover, send them four times a year extraordinary
confessors on account of the great danger of sacrilege
to which young men are exposed if they always confess
to priests that know them.
5 It is good to forbid them to take the discipline in
common, in the dark; for this may easily be the cause
of scandal.
6. He should positively forbid them to keep profane
books, which are usually very injurious to young men.

Ch. /. The Principal Carrs of a Bishop. 437
7. He should ordain that silence should be kept, and
that there should be reading at table of the Lives of the
saints, or of books that treat of terrible examples, and
that the Director should always be present when they
take their meals.
As for study, it will before all be well to make the
pupils apply to the study of the Latin language, the
knowledge of which is so necessary for all other sciences.
They should afterwards devote themselves to the regular
and thorough study of philosophy and theology; and it
will also be well to make them study Moral Theology
at the seminary in order that they may become capable
confessors, and may be of use to the bishop.
2. Candidates for Ordination.

Oh, what a severe account will every bishop have to
render to God of the obligation he has to exclude from
the altar unworthy subjects and to admit those that are
worthy ! St. Francis de Sales trembled when he thought
of this terrible account. This is the reason why he
admitted to holy Orders only those who he had reason
to hope would turn out well. In this matter he disre­
garded recommendations, nobility, and even the talents
of the subject if these were not joined to a good life;
because knowledge united with a bad life does usually
more harm by appearing to add a certain respectability
to vice. Hence it followed that he ordained few sub­
jects, as is usually done by all good bishops, because in
reality there are few that embrace the ecclesiastical state
in order to correspond to the true vocation which they
have, and in order to sanctify themselves; the conse­
quence is, that there are few who become virtuous
priests, and make themselves useful for the benefit of
souls. The same saint said that the Church needs not
many priests, but good priests.
As to the candidates for ordination, as soon as the

Reflections Useful for Bishops.

438

bishop has established a seminary complete according
to the form described above, he should make it a rule,
and let all know, that no one will be admitted to holy
Orders unless he has spent at least three years at the
seminary, and has the intention to remain there until he
is raised to the priesthood.
Then, in order to admit the seminarians to Orders, the
bishop should examine them in regard to their piety
and their studies.
BH
I. As regards
their7 morals, we should understand
o
that it is not sufficient if they bring with them certifi­
cates from their parish priests, who at times are too
easily swayed by human respect. Nor should we be
merely satisfied with the negative goodness of the can­
didates; we should have in regard to them such recommendations as give sufficient indications of a true eccle­
siastical spirit. An excellent practice to advise is that
of zealous bishops, namely, never to resolve upon the
admission of a candidate for ordination without having
made in regard to him secret inquiries of several of the
faithful who live in the same place, and who know him.
This should be regarded as a very efficacious and very
necessary means to quiet the bishop’s conscience before
ordination. As for these inquiries, we should try to find
out not only whether the candidate does not give scan­
dal by being addicted to gaming, insolent behavior,
evil conversations, but also whether he really leads a
spiritual life by visiting the churches, by meditating,
and by receiving the sacraments; whether he leads a re­
tired life, whether he associates only with good compan­
ions, whether he applies to study, whether he dresses
modestly, and the like. If we have ever come to the
knowledge of some positive scandal committed by a
candidate for ordination, it will not suffice to require
ordinary proof of his good behavior: he should be sub­
jected to a trial of several years; for then we may have
* 7

■Mb

CJi. I, Ί he Principal Cares of a Pis hop. 439
reason to suspect that all that he does is done through
dissimulation, so as to be ordained priest.
For this purpose the bishop would do well to estab­
lish several Congregations in various places of the
diocese expressly and solely for clerics. They should
assemble once every week in order to be instructed by
a good spiritual Father on the practice of virtues, as
also on the manner of making mental prayer, of ap­
proaching the sacraments with profit, of making visits
to the Blessed Sacrament and of the Blessed Virgin;
in a word, on all that regards the spiritual life. More­
over, this Father should be charged with the duty of
requiring each one of them to render to him an account
of his life, of jnaking inquiries about them of others,
and then of going to confer with the bishop several
times a year, especially before the ordinations. This
would, moreover, serve the bishop as an occasion to re­
prove from time to time the negligent, and to animate
the good to holy perseverance.
II. As regards studies, it is certain that ignorance in
ecclesiastics causes much injury both to themselves and
to others. The worst is, that this is an evil without a
remedy, as St. Francis de Sales has said. The bishop
should therefore see to it most conscientiously that his
clerics always apply to study. Without this application
they would not only be of no use to the Church, but
they would necessarily be an injury to her, since idle­
ness is the mother of all vices. Hence the bishop should
not content himself with a single examination, which is
usually made in regard to what is required to receive
Orders, or in regard to other elementary questions that
can be easily learnt out of a little book, leaving the can­
didates as ignorant as they were before. We must no
longer hope that they will study after ordination; for it
is a fact too well known by experience, that many secu­
lar priests, not to say all, after having received the

44°

Reflections ITscfui for Bishops.

priesthood never more open a book, and forget even the
little that they knew. Hence it follows that if we do
not make them complete their studies before ordination,
there will be but little hope that they will do so after­
wards.
/3
For this purpose Cardinal Spinelli, Archbishop of
Naples, who so well administers his church to the
admiration of all, at the time of the ordinations has all
the clerics examined at length on the treatises of dog­
matic theology, and, besides, each one according to
his capacity on other treatises,—of moral theology, of
civil law, of philosophy, of canon law,—by obliging them
to present themselves in his archiépiscopal palace before
the professors appointed by him and remunerated pro­
prio are.

As for small dioceses, I think it to be very useful to
practise what was usually done in his own diocese by
the very zealous Monsigneur Fabrizio di Capua of happy
memory, who was Archbishop of Salerno. In his ordi­
nations, especially for the priesthood, he had the candi­
dates examined on the whole of moral theology, which
is, in fact, the science that is most necessary for aiding
people to save their souls.
However, I find that to be still more useful which
another good bishop was accustomed to practise. He
also had his clerics examined in moral theology, but he
designated for each Order that they were going to re­
ceive such and such treatises of the Summa of Busembaum (we may use another author if the latter does not
please us), and obliged the examiners to put the ques­
tions according to the matter and order of this book.
In this way on reaching the priesthood every one finds
himself sufficiently instructed in the whole of moral
theology, and can render service to the diocese as soon
as the bishop calls him. If besides moral theology we
should wish to require an examination in the first vol­

Ch. I. The Principal Cares of a Bishop. 441
ume of Abelly, who so well gives the rudiments of scho­
lasticism, this would be better for small dioceses.
Maxims

Bishop should Hold in
Ordaining of his Clerics.

which λ

regard to the

It is not and never has been the spirit of the Church
lo ordain ministers who are not capable and disposed
to serve the Church and to co-operate in the salvation
of souls. This is particularly expressed in the Council
of Trent: “ Whereas no one ought to be ordained who,
in the judgment of his own bishop, is not useful or
necessarv for his churches. . . . The word Utilis—useful
—can certainly not be understood of the Mass only; for
we know that all priests say Mass: the judgment of the
bishop required by the Council would not then have
been any longer necessary. Hence when we can expect
from a subject only the celebration of Mass, he should
not be ordained except in a case of necessity, namely,
when in a place there would not be a priest to celebrate
Mass for the people. Moreover, we should admit only
those that appear to have talent enough, with the in­
tention of being useful to souls, and that give signs of
a true ecclesiastical spirit.
2. To give these signs of an ecclesiastical spirit, it is
not sufficient that the candidate for ordination shows
no marks of positive vices; he must, besides, show true
piety by giving indications of modesty, of love of retire­
ment, *
of
and
other virtues proper to an ecclesiastic. It
is especially necessary that he should practise mental
prayer; for he who usually does not make meditation
can with difficulty be a virtuous man. This is the rea­
son why St. Charles Borromeo wished that all the candi­
dates for ordination should be particularly examined
upon mental prayer, to find out whether they knew how
to make it and whether they really made it.
3. External faults, as vanity in dress, visiting seculars,
1.

R'flections Useful for Bishops,
the habit of going about, and the like, are marks of a
worldly and dissipated mind, which does not trouble
itself a > Λ acquiring true piety. When a candidate is
addicted to these faults, it will be expedient to draw his
attention to them, to defer at the same time his ordi­
nation, and to make more minute inquiries into his
morals; for it has sometimes happened that such sub­
jects in consequence of greater care bestowed upon an
examination of their lives have been found positively
A - .ked. Little application to study is also a reason'for
deferring ordination and for making inquiries into the
morals of the candidate, as it is a sign of a dissipated
mind. The same thing may be said about those that
give themselves up to the chase; for attachment to the
pleasures of the chase draws one aw ay from study and
from devotion, and induces one to frequent the society
of seculars, it is the same, and λ 1th stronger reason,
in regard to those that are given to the playing of
cards.
4. And when we discover in a candidate an inclina­
tion to the vice of impurity, or when we have a sufficient
motive for suspecting it, if he has received only Minor
Orders, it will oe expedient to make him wait, even by
showing him that we are little disposed to promote him,
in order that of his own accord he may lay aside the
c.erica dress and mav* choose another state of life: for
experience proves that there is here question of an evil
..roch it is too difhc dt to remedy, and if' any one is
tainted win this vice, it vih be too difficult to assure
one’s self of is tr ;e amen dment. 1' case such a cleric
: as had toe m:sfort jne *0 fi ! hi mself already in higher
Order . it will be necessary to defer his ordination from
year o year .nti. he has g ven ce tain -:gns of a change
o’Ti'e, But an amendm ent of short duration will not
' .Tice: for in order to de ‘ roy ’ ce bad habits contracted
for a long time, a long continuation of contrary ads is

Ch. I. The Principal Cares of a Bishop. 443
required, in order that we may rely on the perseverance
of the candidate, and this with the assurance required
: ,r conferring the higher Orders according to what we
read in fie Roman Pontifical: “Cum magno quippe ti­
more ad tantum gradum ascendendum est, ac providen(. . m ad coelestis sapientia, probi mores, ac diuturnae justitiæ observatio ad id electos commendent.”1 And St.
Gregory says: * Ne unquam ii, qui ordinati sunt, pereant,
prius aspiciatur si vita eorum continens ab annis pluri­
mis fuit.” 3 See what has been written on this point
in the work entitled: Selva di materie predicabili, or
Dignity and Duties of the PriestI Moreover we should
exact more signs of piety from candidates who have
been addicted to vice than from those who have lived
in innocence; for the guilty one should compensate for
the disorders of his life by more fervor, in order to make
himself worthy of receiving the higher Orders. .\s long
as one has not obtained from therr these signs of true
piety, they should not be promoted; it is a less evil that
they should be bad clerics than that they should be bad
priests.
5. Relatively to those young men that ask for per­
mission to wear the clerical dress, we should admit only
those that are capable of discerning the state that they
wish to embrace; they should then be at least fourteen
or fifteen years of age; they should, moreover, be able
to explain sufficiently well Latin books; and, finally,
7. hat is more important, should appear to have a notable
inclination to piety
6. The following are the rules that clerics should
observe: fi) they should approach tiue sacraments at least
twice a month; (2) teach children catechism everv Sun­
day; (3) serve Mass on every festival; (4) pursue their
1 Oe Ordinatione preibyt.
- Ub. 3, cp. 26.
2 Volume XII.
194.

444

ReflectSons Useful for Rlshefs.

studies; (5) attend the Congregation established for
them, or that of the priests.
3· Priests.

Good priests are the arms of the bishop; without
them he would never be able to see the vineyard of his
Church well cultivated. For this reason it is of great
importance that the bishop should exhibit the greatest
kindness to good priests, especially to laborers, pro­
vided they are true workmen; he should, therefore, re­
ward them according to their merit by bestowing upon
them offices and benefices. The abuse of conferring
parishes and other benefices through worldly consider­
ations was called by St. Francis de Sales the abomina­
tion of desolation in the holy place, and the common
origin of all the disorders in the Church of God. On
this subject this maxim of the saint should be noted,
that for the care of souls we should prefer priests suffi­
ciently instructed to those that have more science and
less virtue. But if the bishop is to encourage good
priests, he should also show to the negligent his dis­
satisfaction, in order that they may amend themselves.
In order to keep the priests diligently employed, so
that they may be of service in the work of saving souls,
besides the Congregations of cases of conscience, which
are usual in many dioceses, after the manner of that of
Father Pavone at Naples held every week, the bishop
would do well to establish conferences for cases of moral
theology in every place that is sufficiently large by pre­
scribing for priests, especially those that are young, that
they should attend these conferences two or three times
a week. We know by experience how useful these con­
ferences are in order to acquire a knowledge of a science
so vast and so necessary; for through these conferences
the cases are better elucidated, and the various prin­
ciples are more deeply impressed upon the mind. For
J

Ch. /. The Principal Cares of a Pis/iop. 145
this purpose the bishop should strongly recommend
them to the Vicars Forane, and charge them to have
one of the best instructed and most respected priests of
the place to preside at them; he should be present, and
afterwards transmit to him the solution of the cases
that have been discussed. Moreover, no priest should
be allowed to appear for examination for hearinr confessions if he does not bring proof that he has fre­
quented at least for two years the aforesaid conferences.
It will also be very useful if the bishop were himself if
possible to be present at these exercises several times a
year, so as to see how things arc going on, and to en­
courage the members of the conferences.
It is certain that the bishop should use the greatest
care in the admission of confessors, on whom depends
the good direction of the consciences of the people.
Ignorant confessors, or those of bad morals, can cause
the ruin of the whole flock; it is therefore preferable
to have a few of them who are good.
Then, before a priest begins to assume the office of
hearing confessions, it would be well for him to make
the spiritual exercises by retiring to a house of a relig­
ious Community, in order that he may begin with more
light and zeal this ministry which is so difficult and of
so great importance.
It should also be made a rule that all ecclesiastics
should wear the cassock at least in the morning, that
they should not indulge in forbidden games, and that
they should not wear long hair. Oh, what a spectacle
to see certain priests at the altar with their ample gar­
ment forming a ring under the alb, and with a head of
hair long and even frizzled, on which, as a preparation
for Mass, they have labored the whole morning before a
mirror, curling it with a hot iron;—priests who surpass
in vanity the most worldly women, and who c\en have
their heads covered with powder, which al terwards falls
J

446

Reflections Useful for Bishop

upon the corporal and mixes with the fragments of the
consecrated Hosts! Oh, what a shame for our times!
11 belongs to the bishops to remedy these scandals, which
are the cause of the loss of devotion, of the esteem of the
priests, and of even the faith of poor seculars.
4. Parish Priests.

In order that the parish priests, who have already
been approved, may maintain themselves in the spirit
of piety and of zeal, which is necessary for them in
order to save souls, the bishop should take care that
they make every year the spiritual exercises in some re­
ligious house (conformably to the order given by Bene­
dict XIV. of happy memory), after the manner of the
exercises that are usually given by the Fathers of the
Mission.
As regards parish priests in particular, it must be re­
marked that there are few priests capable of fulfilling
this so difficult and so important a ministry, since on
their care depends the spiritual good or the ruin of the
people. Hence, before appointing them, the bishop
should use all possible diligence to assure himself of
their merit by gathering information as to their conduct
and their virtue, of which they stand in greater need
than of science.
I'j
Then he should frequently recommend to the parish
priests, who have been appointed, the fulfilment of their
duties. Let them take special care to instruct the chil­
dren in the little catechism of Cardinal Bellarmine
(which has been generally approved), and let them do
this with the assistance of clerics. Moreover, they
should preach to the people on every festival or on all
’Sundays; their sermons should be familiar and instruc­
tive, well prepared, not delivered without preparation,
and should have reference to the eternal truths. They
should bestow their chief care on assisting the dying;

Ch. I. The Principal Cares of a Bishop. 447
and this duty they should not intrust to other priests,
indifferently, for such a confidence has sometimes given
rise to horrible scandals, which easily happen on like
occasions. Let them be, besides, assiduous in hearing
confessions, without ever refusing, or showing any re­
pugnance before those who present themselves for con­
fession or Communion.
The bishop should also remind the parish priests that
it is their duty to reprove those that lead wicked lives,
and to remedy the abuses and the scandals, telling them
at the same time that for the cases that they cannot
remedy themselves they should inform him of what is
going on. And for this purpose it will be necessary
that the bishop should always keep his door open to the
parish priests, by showing themselves well pleased with
their visits and with their vigilance; he should listen to
them patiently and courteously, and give orders to his
servants that as soon as a parish priest arrives, no mat­
ter at what hour, they should hasten to announce
him, so that the parish priests, being always sure of ob­
taining an immediate audience, will easily come when
they find it necessary, and not have an excuse to stay
away.
Concerning the Paschal duty, the bishop should
rigorously ordain that the parish priests must exact of
all their parishoners, without exception and without
human respect, the certificates of Communion, and to
transmit an account of them, given under oath, one or
two months after the term fixed for the fulfilment of
the precept, and to denounce to him, on the other hand,
the transgressors, in order that he may proceed to use
the required remedies by exposing the placard of ex­
communication against the obstinate, etc.—Oh, how
many unfortunate people fail against this precept with­
out the knowledge of the bishop, because the parish
priests neglect to exact the certificates, or through

,|4'S

Reflections Useful for Bishops.

human respect they do not notify him! For this ieason
he should necessarily impose upon them the obligation
of sending or bringing to him the list of their parish­
ioners who are capable of receiving Communion, with
the assurance given under oath that they have satisfied
the precept, and of making those children receive holy
Communion who are old enough to be admitted to the
Holy Table. Generally speaking, the age of ten is suf­
ficient for many among them when the parish priest
takes the trouble of instructing them ; so the theologians
teach. () God! what compassion have we not felt in
many missions at the sight of so many children, often
capable, who were fifteen or sixteen years old, and had
not yet communicated, because of the negligence of the
parish priests!
,3
It is, moreover, expedient that every bishop, in order
to provide for all the wants of souls and for all that re­
gards the government of his Church, should establish,
after the example of St. Charles, a Congregation of
which he himself and all the parish priests of the dio­
cese and other sagacious priests should be members, and
should assemble once a month, every one being obliged
to expose the needs and the disorders of which he has
knowledge in order that they may be remedied. In
these assemblies one should treat of the discipline of
the clergy, of the duties of the parish priests, of the ob­
servance in the monasteries of nuns, of the government
of the seminary and of other pious establishments, of
decorum and respect to be observed in the churches, of
scandals, of abuses, of liberal doctrines, of the spiritual
and temporal alleviation of the poor, of the care to in­
struct the people by means of sermons, novenas of the
Blessed Virgin (for it is very useful to celebrate one of
these novenas at least every year in every parish, with
sermons and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament·), by
propagating the fréquentation of the sacraments, as well

Ch. I. The Principal Cares oj a Bishop. 449
as visits to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed
Virgin, before some venerated picture of the place, and
bv establishing Congregations for seculars, with the
secret Congregations when they can be introduced:
these are works that produce the greatest good, etc.
But in these assemblies the bishop should give each mem­
ber full liberty to expose what he finds to be good for
the glory of God, and also what the people say about
his tribunal, about his council, his servants, or even
about his house and his person. Moreover, in cases of
special emergency let him call together extraordinary
meetings. Ah’ if all bishops acted thus, many things
would be better observed, and many evils would be
remedied which otherwise one would not even notice!
5. Vicars and Servants.

In the choice of ministers, the first resolution of the
bishop, to secure a good administration, should be,
never to yield, for any reason whatsoever, to motives of
relationship, friendship, or of any other worldly con
sideration.
As for the Vicar, we clearly sec that on him depend in
a great measure the quiet and the good condition of the
diocese. The bishop should, therefore, use all possible
diligence to secure a Vicar who is at the same time well
instructed and virtuous, who has an affable and gentle
character, who is unremitting in giving audience to every
one, who expedites affairs, and is, above all, not attached
to self-interest. St. Charles positively forbade his Vicars
and ministers to receive gifts, of whatever kind they
might be. One of them having on one occasion accepted
a present, was dismissed without mercy. It is advisable
that every day, or on several appointed days of the
week, the bishop should cause an account to be given by
his Vicar of the important affairs that are to be settled;
29

45°

défections ί Tscjul for iïishofts.

otherwise, he may often find himself involved in a per­
haps irremediable confusion.
3·
The bishop should especially take care that piety
reigns in his house; he should dismiss those that do not
lead a life of piety, and much more so those that live in
sin, far from God: if he does not do so, the people will
justly complain. He should also strictly forbid, under
penalty of dismissal, any of his ministers or servants to
ask for or accept presents from any person or Com­
munity whatsoever, especially from candidates for the
priesthood, from parish priests, confessors newly ap­
pointed, or from those that have been endowed with any
benefice, lie should also ordain, in a positive manner,
that no one should interfere in any matterof justice for
the purpose of recommending any one, as was ordained
by St. Charles; for thence arise many disorders, and
often even the reputation of the bishop suffers. It is
his duty to be the first to give a good example by not
receiving any presents from his subjects, especially from
the candidates for ordination, from beneficiaries, from
individual nuns, except those presents that rightly be­
long to him, or it is customary for him to receive.
Presents that are received cause the loss of a good
reputation, and of the liberty to ad minister corrections,
or to refuse what is not just.
6. Convents of Nuns.

J

Virgins consecrated to God are the finest portion of
the flock of Jesus Christ, if they live like true religious.
Hence the bishop should, above all, be. watchful that
young women may not receive the religious habit, if he
does not recognize in them true virtue and a true voca­
tion; for unfortunately, at the present time, most of
them become religious to obey their relatives, or for
other purposes, rather than to give themselves entirely
to God. This is the reason why in so many convents

Ch. I. Ί he Pruicifal Cares of a Bishop. 451
one no longer sees a truly religious spirit, and laxness
increases more and more. A remedy should, therefore,
be applied to the root of the evil. The bishop should
carefully examine the dispositions of the postulants be­
fore admitting them to the reception of the habit, by
questioning them individually, not simply as a matter
of form, as is so olten done, but in order to assure him­
self of the truth in regard to the chief motive that in­
duced them to enter religion; whether the impulse was
given by the relatives, or by the nuns, etc. When he
does not discover certain signs of a true vocation in a
postulant, he should be firm enough not to grant her
admission, by telling her to reflect a little while longer
on the subject, so as to dispose herself better. Oh, if
bishops would act in this manner what a different spirit
and what a different perfection should one not see in
the convents’ And of what use is it to the Church of
God to admjt so many young women into convents
without a vocation? It only serves to furnish dwellingplaces for cloistered women, who live, as we see, in a
way not at all exemplary, and who during their whole
lives disturb the convent and annoy the bishop.
Moreover, it would be well to fix the number of relig­
ious for each house; for it is certain that when they
become too numerous it will be difficult to maintain
regular observance. Then the bishop should try as
much as possible to have common life observed, or to
have it introduced where it doesnot exist; without it it
is impossible to prevent continual disorders in the convents.
As for the permission to speak with the religious, it
is expedient that the bishop should reserve it to him­
self, and that he should not easily grant it on account
of the abuses that may result therefrom; for if permis­
sion is given to some without inconvenience, it cannot
afterwards be refused to others, who will perhaps offer

452

Reflect ions Useful Jor Bishops.

lawful pretexts, but who have no good intention. Be­
sides, it sometimes happens that attachments spring up>
not in the beginning, but, in the course of time, in con­
sequence of frequent interviews, and a single attach­
ment of this kind is sufficient to cause the ruin of the
whole convent.
J
According to an ordinance of Pope Benedict XIV. of
happy memory, it is positively forbidden to the relig­
ious holding office to expend out of their income any
money for the celebration of the feasts of the Church,r
and for making presents to their confessors and others.
What is expended should come from the Community.
() God! what disorders arise in convents in which this
cursed abuse exists! Through a desire to make a show,
the religious hardly think of anything else during their
whole lifetime than of procuring money, of tormenting
their families, and of making friends; and for this rea­
son they give up prayers, retreat, detachment, and lead
a life of distraction, of disquietude, and keep no rule:
these are evils that necessariiv flow from such an abuse. There are other evils still more grave; this is well
known by the experience of those who are acquainted
with convent life.
I
The bishop should also take great care that those
religious that have most virtue and prudence should
be appointed Superiors; for it is on them and on the
confessors that depend regular observance or a life of
relaxation. It should be borne in mind that when an
abuse has been introduced into the convent, it is nearly
impossible to correct it; now the Superiors and the
confessors are responsible for all the abuses. Hence
there should be chosen confessors who are very virtuous,
firm, and disinterested, and it should always be recom­
mended to them, as well as to the Superiors, never to
permit any abuse to creep in while they have charge of
the convent,

Ch, I, The Principal Cares of a Bishop, 453
It is also necessary to send to the religions several
times a year extraordinary confessors, at least for the
purpose of repairing the evil of bad confessions made
to the ordinary confessor; and one should be convinced
that these cases are not rare. Would to God that theyJ
were not frequent! The bishop should guard against
reappointing the same confessors in the same convents
after three years, and against sending them these, either
as extraordinary confessors, or to hear the confession
of any one of the religious if at least an interval of three
years has not elapsed; otherwise such a pretext might
give rise to the danger of allowing some attachment to
continue, or at least the danger of holding the entire
Community exposed to disorder would always exist.
Moreover, it will be expedient to have the spiritual
exercises given to them every year by a priest, provided
he is a man whose conduct has been notoriously ex­
emplary, who is prudent, and is practically acquainted
with religious Communities; otherwise it would be
better for the religious to make the exercises by them­
selves without the preaching. Oh, how many convents
have become relaxed, and perhaps ruined, because there
were sent to them priests who had very little virtue,
who were uninstructed, or imprudent!

I

454

Befeclious Useful for Bishops.

CHAPTER II.
the most efficacious means that the bishops should
EMPLOY TO

DIRECT THEIR FLOCKS.

On these
words St. Jerome says: “ All virtues the Apostle com­
prises in one word.”3 Hence the schools commonly
teach that the bishop (to use their own terms), est in
statu perfectionis exercenda’ et communicandœ—he is in a
state ot perfection in which he himself practises perfec­
tion and communicates it at the same time to others.
I hat is, as Father Suarez explains, it is proper that the
bishop should possess the perfection which religious
strive to attain by their vows and their rules. It is
true, says St. Thomas, that the bishop is not obliged to
attain such a perfection under the pain of grievous sin; .
nevertheless, he adds, if the bishop is not a saint he can
never sanctify his flock as he is in duty bound. A piece
of wood that does not burn cannot set fire to other
wood. No one can be a canal unless he has before been
filled, according to what St. Bernard says: “Show
yourself to be a reservoir, and not a canal Be at first
filled, and then try to pour yourself out.' ’ This is what
St. Paul wrote to Timothy: Take heed to thyself, and to
doctrine: be earnest in them.
For in doimi
o thi: thou shall
/t be hooves ... a bish of to be blameless'

both save thyself and them that hear them.'

1 “Oportet, . . . episcopum irreprehensibilem esse."—i 7'itn. iii. 2.
* “ Omnes virtutes in uno sermone comprehendit Apostolus.” —
3 “ Concham te exhibebis, et non canalem. Impier· prius, et sic
curato effundere.”—In Cant. s. i8.
4 “ Attende tibi et doctrinæ; justa in illis. Hoc <. lim faciens, et
teipsum salvum facies, et eos qui te audiunt.” — i 7'ini iv. 16.
I

Ch. II. The Most Efficacious Means.

455

9

To arrive at this perfection, there are nine chief means
which the bishop should use, namely: 1. Prayer;
2. Good Example; 3. Residence; 4. Visitations; 5. Mis­
sions; 6. The Synod; 7. Counsel; 8. Audiences, 9. Cor­
rection.—It will therefore be necessary for him to love
prayer before all things.
I. Prayer.

It is certain that mental prayer is one of the greatest
means to sanctify one’s self; of this we are assured by
all the masters of spiritual life. St. Aloysius Gonzega
said that no one can arrive at any notable degree of
sanctity without devoting himself much to prayer.
Light, strength, fervor, which are necessary in order to
strive after perfection, are acquired by prayer. Hence
all the saints have been men of prayer. St. Charles, as
we see in his life, consecrated to study and to prayer
the whole time that business and the little sleep that he
took permitted him. Thus did he usually devote every
day several hours to mental prayer, and when anything
happened that had any important bearing on the public
good, he passed the entire night in prayer.
The bishop, then, should not omit prayer on any ac­
count. It would also be expedient for every bishop to
say prayers in common with those of his house who
assemble in the chapel. This was also the practice of St.
Charles and of the Cardinal of Arezzo, who went every
day to the church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
2. Good Example.

Il is not sufficient that the bishop should be lucerna
ardens—a shining light as to his own interior; he should
also be lucens exteriorly by his good example if he
wishes to see his flock walking the road of virtues. In
order that they may ascend the mountain, ihe shepherd

456

Reflections Useful for Bishops.

must go before them within sight of them. The bishop
is this light placed by God himself on the candlestick
that it may shine to all that arc in the house.1 In vain
will he preach and recommend the practice of the evan­
gelical maxims: it he does not before set the example,
it will happen what is said by the Council of Vercelli,
that the hearers would put but little faith in him, be­
cause “ Men believe with their eyes more than their
ears. M2
The bishop should then give a good example in all
things, as St. Paul wrote to Titus: In all things shew
thyself an example:'
Example of meekness, by bearing with the rudeness of his

diocesans, and by treating with all possible charity those
that are insolent, those that are detractors and ungrate­
ful. Every bishop should enter upon the government
of his Church with the conviction that he will be re­
paid with ingratitude, and with the intention of render­
ing good for evil; such is the spirit of Jesus Christ and
of his true servants. How many beautiful examples of
this have been especially given by St. Charles and St.
Francis de Sales! Their lives are full of them.
I
Example of poverty. The bishop should consider that
the Church provides him with revenues, not that he may
employ them as he pleases, but that he may help the
poor as if he were administering their patrimony. St.
Charles said that it is a shame for a bishop to allow
monev to accumulate, and that it is honorable if he is
always in debt on account of the alms that he gives,
which, says St. Gregory, is the first work of mercy that
the shepherd should perform towards his flock. Oh,
how many evils do not good bishops remedy by their
alms, notably when there is question of preventing the
1 ‘‘ Ut luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt.”—Matt. v. 15.
8 “ Magis oculis quam auribus credunt homines.”
s “ In omnibus teipsum præbe exemplum.”--.Tit. ii. 7.
I

I

Ch, II, The TIIos/ Efficacious Means.

457

sins of those that are engaged to be married, of children
who sleep in the same bed with their parents, of poor
women whom necessity tempts to sell their honor, and
similar things!
It is true that the bishop may lawfully spend of his
revenues what is necessary for his decent support; but
in everything he should always allow holy poverty
to shine forth. His household should be moderate,
consisting only of as many servants as arc needed.
Father Hippolytus Durazzo, while a bishop, before he
entered the Society of Jesus, used to appear accom­
panied by few servants; he would say: “I find that in
the Gospel Jesus Christ commands humility, and not
pomp.” Moderation should also be observed in regard
to the garments and furniture of the bishop. Oh, what
a subject of edification to every one to see that the
house of the bishop is poor, stripped of those ornaments
which seculars love to display! St. Charles absolutely
banished from his house tapestries, draperies, and paint­
ings. There should also be moderation in reference to
food. We should be persuaded that usually that which
gives the people a good or a bad idea of the spirit of
an ecclesiastic is, when they hear of the frugality or
sumptuousness of his table. Moreover, it will be well
for the bishop always to season his meals with the read­
ing of a spiritual book, as was practised by St. Charles.
He should also set an example of all the other Chris­
tian virtues: of mortification by depriving himself of
certain diversions; of the love of retirement, by avoiding
much conversation; of modesty, by taking care not to
raise his eyes in the presence of women; of zeal, by in­
troducing-into every private conversation some pious
thought, as St. Charles was accustomed to do with every
person, etc.

Refl citons Useful for Bishops.
3 Residence.

At his consecration the bishop receives the ring in
order that by wearing it he may always remember that
he belongs not to himself, but to the Church, his Spouse,
whom he is faithfully to serve till death, It is not my
intention to explain here how far the bishop is obliged to
reside in his diocese: I only repeat what the sacred
Council of Trent says, that the presence of the pastor
is necessary that he may govern well his flock—a pres­
ence which is certainly enjoined upon the bishops by a
divine precept. We read in the Life of St. Charles that
wiien he found himself absent from his diocese he felt
himself as if bound by chains, so great was his desire to
return home as soon as possible. Cardinal Bellarmine,
although constrained by an order of the Pope to remain
at Rome outside of his diocese of Capua for the good
of the universal Church, he yet believed that he could
not do so in conscience, and he therefore resigned the
See.
4. Visitations.

19

Residence on the part of the bishop is particularly
necessarv so that he mav be able to visit the different
places of his diocese: and he should personally visit
them. Oh, how many disorders does he not remedy in
these journeys when he sees things with his own eyes!
He that does not see, cannot provide. It is impossible
to govern well by means of the reports that others fur­
nish; the latter, actuated by private ends, either deceive
us, or they are themselves easily deceived, or at least
they know not the evils that really exist. This is a fact
which I myself have seen and deplored in the courses
of the missions that I have given. Although St. Charles
had in his service so many ministers, we read in his Life
how much he did and how much he corrected in his
pastoral visitations.
J

*

Ch. II. The Most Eff.cacious Means.

459

According to the Council of Trent, the bishop should
personally visit all the places in his diocese at least
every two years. The inconvenience in travelling cer­
tainly does not dispense one from this obligation ; for it
is the indispensable duty of the pastor, in spite of in­
conveniences and fatigue, to examine into the condition
of his flock so as to provide for their wants. How many
times did not St. Charles continue his visits notwith­
standing the fever from which he suffered! It was a
maxim of his that a bishop should go to bed only after
the third attack of fever. On one occasion, in order to
make a visitation in a certain place, he crept on his
hands and feet through the mud and snow. And St.
Francis de Sales, as we also read in his Life, in order to
visit certain places was also obliged to drag himself
along roads that were so bad that his feet were badly
bruised, and he could not stand erect for several days.
At other times he had to pass the night sleeping on
leaves of trees, and when his friends begged him not to
expose his life in this manner, he said: “ It is not neces­
sary that I should live, but it is necessary that I should
perform my duty.”
As for the occupations of the bishop in the visitations,
the following rules should be observed:
First, he should nourish with the divine word the
flocks that he visits, and do so with his own voice ac­
cording to the counsel given by the Council of Trent:
“ Bishops are personally bound, if they be not lawfully
hindered to preach.”1 The same council adds that
among the functions of the bishop that of preaching
is the principal one: “ This is the principal duty of
bishops.” * Is it only a simple ceremony that the
Church in consecrating a bishop should place upon his
1 ' Episcopos teneri per seipsos, si legitime impediti non fu< rint,
ad p radicandum. ”
3 “ Est præcjpuum episcoporum munus."—v. cap. ii. d< Ref.

460

Reflections Useful for Bishops.

head and shoulders the book of the Gospels ? Oh, how
much greater is the impression made by the voice of
one’s own pastor than by the voice of others! Besides
the many sermons that St. Charles was accustomed to
preach in the city of Milan, it was a usual thing with
him to preach two or three times every day. It will be
well for the bishop to speak in his sermons oftenest on
the eternal truths, which are the most powerful means
for gaining souls; then he should moralize against the
commonest abuses of the place, and should generally
always exhort the people to avoid the occasions, and not
to conceal sins in confession through shame. Finally,
let him always try to impress upon the hearts of his
hearers the resolution to frequent the sacraments, and
to recommend themselves continually to Jesus and to
Mary by invoking them especially in temptations, and
fortifying themselves with the sign of the cross.
Secondly, it will be well for the bishop to examine
the children of every parish to see how they are in­
structed, and to distribute little presents to reward
those that answer well; he can thus remedy the negli­
gence of the parish priests by reprimanding them, and
even if necessary by appointing some one^to assume the
duties of catechist in punishment and at the expense of
the parish priest: this will at least serve as an example
for the rest. It is of the greatest benefit that the bishop
should examine the children himself, so as to make the
parish priests attentive to their duty of instructing them
well. This was done by St. Charles, and also by the
most vigilant archbishop of Naples, Cardinal Spinelli;
hence there is not seen in their dioceses that ignorance
of divine things which one sometimes sees elsewhere,
and which is the cause of many sins.
Thirdly, in the rural parishes the bishop should have
the priests examined as to the manner in which they
observe the ceremonies of the Mass.

Ch. II. 'The Most Efficacious Means.

461

Fourthly, he should uot fail to personally examine
all the priests and all the clerics of the place which he
visits by interrogating each one of them in private, first
on their employments and their mode of life so as to
recommend to them, if necessary, assiduity in hearing
confessions, in attending the dying, application to study,
or prayer and detachment from dangerous societies, etc.
Finally, he should make inquiries in regard to the de­
fects of others, and especially of the parish priest (since
the visitations aim particularly at reforming parish
priests), to find out whether he attends to the duty of
preaching, of hearing confessions, of assisting the dying,
whether he visits dangerous places, takes care to remove
scandals, sees that the church is always kept clean, etc.;
he should put similar questions in regard to khe other
ecclesiastics. For this purpose it will be very useful, as
is done by vigilant bishops, to keep a register in which,
with the names of all the priests and all the clerics
inscribed in alphabetical order, are noted their good or
bad qualities according to the secret information that
lias been obtained. This register may prove very use­
ful, particularly in order to select parish priests, rural
deans, and other ministers, to give to every one the
advice that he needs, and to watch more carefully over
his conduct, etc. The bishop should also make general
inquiries about the abuses, the scandals, and the dis­
sensions which exist in the place. Let him rest assured
that in these private and secret examinations he will
succeed in learning many important things of which he .
would have been ignorant; he will thus be able to rem­
edy many abuses which otherwise would not be reme­
died.
Fifthly, he should visit the nuns in their convents,
and preach to them a sermon in order to make them
more disposed to receive opportune commands. Then
he should privately listen to each one, and encourage

462

Reflections Useful for Bishops.

her to expose her wants, and to declare freely what she
knows to be amiss in the convent or among the nuns.
But in these examinations the bishop should be cautious
not to show himself attached to any* of the factions that
arc usually formed in the convents. After having heard
all of them impartially, he should decide or counsel
what he believes to be the best before God.
Sixthly, he should give opportune orders for keeping
the churches in repair, either in reference to the build­
ing, or the altars and sacred vessels, and recommend
cleanliness and silence in the holy place. Before his
departure he should leave in writing the given orders,
and rigorously exact their execution, so that everything
may be done promptly.
Seventhly, it is also expedient that in his visitation
the bishop should examine the confraternities of the
seculars, and take care that they be frequented and
that each should have its own spiritual Father, who
preaches to the members and hears their confessions;
and that these confraternities be established where they
are not. It is too notorious that seculars who do not
frequent the confraternities are but little inclined to
frequent the sacraments, and only with difficulty perse­
vere in God’s grace. But we would do well in these
confraternities not to oblige the members to pay any
contribution for funerals, for suffrages, or for any other
thing; for one knows by experience that many in order
not to be obliged to incur this expense, however small
it may be, prefer to give up the confraternities, and
they thus wander away from the path of virtue. At
least let the bishop make a rule that one may be
admitted into these confraternities even when one does
not wish to pay anything, but on condition that the
suffrages, etc., will be only for those that pay the con­
tribution. For the rest the rule should be rigorously
observed that those are to be effaced from the list of
J

C/κ II. The Most Efficacious Means.

463

members who without a lawful excuse fail to be present
at the confraternity three times in succession, or to com­
municate once a month.
Eighthly, it is necessary that the bishop in his visita­
tions should administer the sacrament of Confirmation.
In reference to the administration of the sacrament of
Penance, unusquisque in sensu suo abumiet, St. Francis de
Sales did not object to hear the confession of any one
that asked him. There are some who say that if the
bishop administers this sacrament there will arise dan­
ger of deceit, sacrileges, etc. Nevertheless it will at
least be expedient in these visitations that he should go
to the confessional, not to hear confessions, but to listen
to any one that wishes to speak to him privately, and
under the pretext of a special devotion to confess to the
bishop, and thus avoid all criticism. This may espe­
cially be useful in order to hear the declarations of any
woman who could not go to the bishop’s house.
5. Missions.
*

He that has not given missions, nor heard confessions
dining missions, cannot know how useful these exer­
cises are. Owing to the extraordinary manner in which
the bread of the divine Word is broken, when the eter­
nal truths are methodically exposed to the hearers who
have assembled in great numbers, it is nearly impossible
for them not to be converted to God. It is, moreover,
evident that God co-operates more efficaciously with
this work. Father Contenson assures us that it is only
by the missions that souls reach eternal salvation.'
But, O God ! there are some who say that by the
missions disquietude is spread among consciences.
1 “ Persolas missiones impletur praedestinatio.TJicol. 1. 3. d. 6.
c. 2, sp. 2.

* See on this subject Letter to a Bishop, Volume XV. p. 73.

4ό4

Bejleeliotis Useful for Bishops.

Would it then be better, in order not to disquiet con­
sciences, to leave poor sinners in their deplorable state,
with this cursed peace which is the seal of their damna­
tion ? One disquiets consciences ! , But it is the duty of
a pastor to disquiet his sheep that slee’p in sin in order
that they may awaken, recognize the danger in which
they live, and thus return to God. Now for this pur­
pose there is no better means than the mission. We
also manifestly see the efforts that hell makes to hinder
missions, using sometimes for this end the parish priests
themselves, but only those who, in order that their
faults may not become known, seek under various pre­
texts to avoid having missions. But in such cases it is
the bishop who is to provide by sending missionaries
specially into the parishes in which he knows that the
parish priest is negligent, without waiting for his request
or that of the parishioners, and this above all when he
sees that the parish priest does not desire a mission.
If the missions are very useful even for cities, we
should be convinced that in small places they are not
only useful but necessary, because as only a few priests
are there who are even natives of the place, it easily
happens that many souls commit sacrileges by making
bad confessions on account of the repugnance that they
feel in confessing to those who know them and whom
they continually meet. Hence if these souls have not
the convenience of a mission so as to be able to confess
to priests who are strangers, it is morally certain that
they will continue in their sins and thus lose their souls.
I am praying to Jesus Christ to make all bishops under­
stand this truth in order that one may not have to ex­
claim with Contenson, already quoted: “So many little
ones in the towns cry for bread, and there is no one to
break it to them. Woe, woe to sleeping bishops!”1
1 “ Tot parvuli in oppidulis petunt panem, et non est qui frangat eis.
Væ, væ prælatis dormitantibus!”

Ch. II. The Most Efficacious Means.

465

It is therefore advisable that the bishop should have
a mission given every three years in every village, how­
ever small it may be. This I say, because there are
missionaries who, in districts where small villages are
close to one anôther, are accustomed to give a mission
in a central place for all of them at the same time. I
respect their zeal in wishing to sanctify all these souls
at the same time; but I do not approve of their mode
of action, and I would ask the bishops for the love that
they have for the glory of Jesus Christ not to be satis­
fied with missions thus given in groups: they should
take care that each place, however small it may be, may
have its special’ mission, which is to last at least for
eight days; for we know that if a mission is given in a
place for several neighboring parishes, the faithful who
ogo there are those that need it the least. Those,
9 on the
contrary, who are laden with sin the most, and are consequently less careful of their salvation, do not attend
it at all, under the pretext that it is too far, or that the
sermon is over too late, or that the weather is bad, etc.
And so they remain at home and lead the same wicked
lives, while if the mission had been given in their own
church they would have been compelled to attend it at
least out of human respect, fearing to be looked upon
as reprobates. I speak from experience. We have seen
many places where it was said a mission had been given;
but because it had been given in some central church,
or because it had been given in too short a time, we
found there people really abandoned, as if no mission
had been given there.
This is the reason why our humble Congregation,
when it is called to give missions, takescare to give the
exercises in every place, however small, at least during
eight days; and in those places where this time does
not suffice to hear the confessions of all the faithful, we
prolong the mission as much as twenty and even thirty
3°
* 9

9

4 66

Reflections Useful for Bishops,

(lays. We should be convinced that the greatest fruit
to be derived from the missions does not consist in that
one hears sermons, but in that every one goes to confes­
sion to the missionaries. If in a mission one does not
settle the accounts of one’s past
life,' and does not re^u1
o
late one’s future conduct by means of confession, the
hearing of sermons will be of little use. Hence our
most esteemed Father of happy memory, Monsignor
Falcoia, Bishop of Castellamare, whom we have had the
happiness to have for our first and only director of our
little Congregation, said with good reason that it is
better not to give a mission than to give one that is too
short, so that the hearers do not find the opportunity to
make their confessions; since sermons create scruples,
and if those that have scruples do not succeed in con­
fessing to the missionaries, they will continue to have
troubled consciences, and not have the courage to mani­
fest their troubles to the confessors of the place. Hence,
being now in bad faith they will, commit sacrileges and
lose their souls. It will, therefore, always be better for
the bishop to have complete missions given in a few
places rather than permit them to be given in many
places in an imperfect manner; then, at least, one will
know that in certain parishes no mission has been given,
and missionaries can be sent there afterwards.
6. The Synod.

rl

The synod is an invention of the Holy Ghost in order
that the bishops may by this means assure themselves
of the good government of the Church. It is notorious
that St. Chai les by means of the synod reformed and
sanctified his whole diocese. In the synodal conferences
one examines the faults that are to be corrected, the
rules to be established for proper maintenance of the
churches, for the offices, the choir, holy Orders, suffrages, sermons, catechism, etc., so that the parish

Ch, II. The Most Efficacious Means.

467

priests who must be present are better instructed in
their obligations, and become more attentive in fulfilling
them.
Relatively to reserved cases, which it is customary to
determine in the synod, it will be expedient for the
bishops to be cautious rather than easy in extending
them. In the dioceses in which reigns the execrable
vice of blasphemy against the saints, it would be useful to
make it a reserved case. Monsignor Fabrizio, of happy
memory, Archbishop of Salerno, a prelate of great zeal,
by making a reserved case of blasphemy was successful
in moderating this vice in his diocese. And in regard
to the company-keeping of persons engaged to be mar­
ried, which gives rise to innumerable sins, it would be
advisable to ordain in all dioceses that the parish priests
cannot accept the promises of such persons without
being assured that they are ready to be married within
a few days. Because if one receives these promises too
long a time before the marriage, as is done in many
places, it happens that the men engaged take the liberty
of entering the house of those whom they intend to
marry, and that they continue to live together in dis­
grace with God. Hence it would be at the same time
expedient to reserve not only carnal union and cohabi­
tation, or the remaining together at night of the be­
trothed, but also the sin of the parents or heads of
families who permit these disorders.
7. Counsel.
He that is wise hearkencth unto counselsf says the Holy

Ghost. On this subject Campano, Bishop of Terme,
said that the bishop who believes that he does not need
counsel in order to govern well, either must be a God»
or will be a beast among men. Surins 3 praises S1,
Hugh of Lincoln, saying that his first care on entering
’ “ Qui autcr.i sapiens est, audit consilia.”—Prov. xii. 15.
* Die \-j Λ'ον.

9WMS

celions Us
the episcopate was to choose learned and pious coun­
sellors. It is desirable for the bishop in his consultations
to refrain from expressing his own opinion, and to give
to others all liberty to express their views.
-'
The bishop should weigh well every order before
giving it, and not be too quick in taking resolutions,
especially in the heat of passion and in matters of im­
portance. It would, generally speaking, even be ex­
pedient, when entering upon the government of his
church, not to do anything else than note the defects
that exist, and search after reriiedies that might be
used. He may then begin the work, being more fixed
in his resolutions after having taken the necessary in­
formation concerning men and things of his diocese.
During the progress of his government he should
take counsel first of God in prayer, then of prudent
men; after that let him act with firmness, not only in
giving opportune orders, but in maintaining them and
seeing that they be punctually carried out, otherwise it
would be better not to ogive them. For if it is seen that
the bishop bears without resentment the non-observance
of any of his orders, it will happen that the rest of
his orders will be disregarded. This is what St. Paul
gave Titus to understand when he wrote to him that he
should see that his commands be fulfilled: Exhort and
rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee I This
firmness, so necessary to the bishop, is represented by
the holy unction which he receives at his consecration.
He who in the interests of God fears to displease men
will never be a good bishop. If I yet pleased men, I
should not be the servant of Christ? says the Apostle. And
a pious bishop added, that bishops should resolve to be
poisoned, to be prosecuted, or to be damned.
1 “ Exhortare et argue cum omni imperio. Nemo te contemnat.”
— Tit. ii. 15.
* “ Si adhuc hominibus placerem, Christi servus non essem.’’—Gal.
1. ΙΟ.

Ch. //. Ί'/ic J/c^Z JtJj'icaL ions J /cans.

469

8. Audiences.

Except during the time of prayer, of Mass, of neces­
sary rest, the bishop should be ready to give audience to
every one and at every hour. He belongs not only to
his church, but to his flock. For this purpose the
bishop should specially recommend to his servants to
announce to him those that have come; above all, if
they are parish priests; because these, as has been said
above, are the most occupied, and have charge of the
most important affairs. If we once delay in giving
them an audience, they will afterwards neglect to come
by pleading in excuse that they could not obtain an
audience; and thus the good of souls and the interests
of the glory of God wifi have to suffer.
The bishop should avoid being familiar, and should
not give too much confidence to any one of his subjects,
so as not to be deceived by him nor criticised by others;
but, on the other hand, he should hear and treat every
one with the greatest kindness. He is a father, and he
should treat his subjects as his children, and not as his
servants. St. Jerome says that a bishop who treats his
subjects with harshness is not a fit person to govern.
When treating with women he should take care, at
least for the edification of others, to keep his eyes cast
down, to be brief, and always to be in the presence of
some one. St. Charles when he spoke with women
wished that at least two persons should be present.
It is also necessary that the bishop should not easily
believe what is secretly reported to him, and that he
should take no steps before he has heard the other side,
or has been well assured of the facts through the in­
formation given him by trustworthy persons.
9. Correction.

It is, besides, the special duty of the bishop to re­
move his flock from a wicked life by means of correc­

4/0

Reflections Useful for Riskops.

tion; he is obliged to do so even if it cost his life: The
good shepherd greeth 17is life for llis sheep} Otherwise he
will have to render an account to Jesus Christ of all the
evils that will happen, and that he could have prevented
by correction. This is the great burden which makes
holy bishops tremble. Monsignor Sanfelice, of happy
memory, said to me one day in a trembling voice:
“ Don Alphonso, how can I sleep quietly when I know
that one of my flock is living in disgrace with God?”
St. Gregory condemns the bishops who corrects no one
as guilty of the same crime that the malefactor com­
mits.
But in order that the correction may be suitable the
following rules should be observed:
1. The correction should be administered in charity;
and if in extreme cases severity becomes necessary, we
should always mix wine with oil, that is, severity with
kindness; hence it is expedient not to administer cor­
rection when one is excited; for then one easily falls
into excess.
9
2. We should correct others with prudence: the same
remedy that is good for one may not be good for
another, especially when the culprit is blinded by pas­
sion, which does not permit him to acknowledge his
fault nor profit by the correction.
-j
3. It is true that in order to administer a useful cor­
rection we should wait for the opportune moment; but
when the moment has come, we should correct the
guilty one with promptness, without delay. We should
remedy the evil as soon as we can; for the fire is easily
extinguished when it is only a spark, but not when it
has become a flame.
j
4. We must administer correction in secret, especially
when the fault is hidden. He that has lost his reputa­
tion easily gives himself up entirely to vice.
1 “ Bonus pastor animam sua tn dat pro ovibus suis.”—John, χ. IIb

C/ι. I /. The 71 /os I Effieacicnis J /cei ns. 4 71
Finally, when the correction is disregarded by the
culprit, we must punish him by acting with firmness
even though we should expose our lives. St. Peter
Damian says that the good pastor loves justice more
than life.’ And St. Leo says: “Those whom correction
has not profited, let them not be spared as to separa­
tion.” a If chastisement does not serve to bring back
the culprit, it will at least serve as an example to others.
However, while exercising justice we should make
room for leniency, to which the bishop should always
be inclined; for it is a less evil, says St. Augustine, to
have to reproach one’s self with too great an indulgence
than too great a severity. Especially should the bishop
restrain himself in the infliction of censures; as they
arc an extreme remedy, if they are inflicted with excess,
they are apt to remain unnoticed. And when a culprit
under censure truly amends himself, he should be at
once absolved unless prudence requires a longer trial,
or we arc in danger of being deceived.
In regard to ecclesiastical culprits, if after the correc­
tion we perceive some amendment in them, the best
thing, as is done by a prudent bishop, is, instead of
imprisoning them, to send them out of the diocese and
to grant them permission to return only after we have
been assured that they have entered upon the path of
duty by a long trial. These are the sick that are healed
with difficulty by ordinary remedies.
As I had proposed to myself to be short, I shall now
conclude, and pass over in silence other things less
important. But I cannot conclude this little work
without saying that every bishop should be convinced
that in receiving the mitre he loads his conscience with
a great burden, so that if he wishes to save his soul he
1 “ Magis amat justitiam, quam vitam.”
a “ Ilis quibus prodesse non potuit correptio, non parcat abscissio.’

Reflections Useful for 13 is hops.
must necessarily resolve on entering upon the govern­
ment of his See, to embrace a life, not of ease and of
rest, but a life of crosses, of trials, and of labors; a life
which Sl John Chrysostom calls “a sea of labors, an
abyss of troubles.”1 Hence arises for bishops the ex­
treme danger of losing their souls, and this has filled
many holy men with so great a fear, that they found
themselves as it were forced even to fail in obedience to
their Superiors by refusing to take upon themselves such
a burden. And one cannot regard as vain such a fear
if the saying of St Augustine2 is true, namely, that it is
very difficult for a bishop to be saved, because it is very
difficult for him to comply with his grave responsibilities.
Most terrible is, besides, what St. John Chrysostom says,
and I do not think that he is wrong, namely: “I believe
that among the bishops not many will be saved, but
many more will be lost.” 3 And here the holy Doctor
speaks of those that are truly called to the episcopate
and are forced to accept it; he speaks quite differently
of those that ambitiously seek after it, for he says:
“I wonder whether any one of them will be saved.”*
Whether in this matter there is any exaggeration, I
know not; but I know’ that when Pius V. was elected
Pope he was seen to tremble and to grow pale; and
when asked the reason, he answered as follows: “ When
I was a religious I had great hopes of saving my soul;
having become a bishop, I began to fear; now having
been chosen Pope, I feel nearly desperate.”
4
All these considerations should, however, not dis­
courage good bishops, nor fill them with diffidence, but
should excite in them great watchfulness in regard to
’ “ Pelagum laborum, et aerumnarum abyssum.”—De Sacerd. 1, 6.
* Serm. 339, E. B.
3
3 “ Non arbitrior inter episcopos multos esse qui salvi fiant, sed
multo plures qui pereant.”—In Ad. hom. 3.
4 “ Miror si potest salvari aliquis rectorum.”—In Ilcbr. horn 34.

Ch. 1T. The Most Efficacious Means

473

their duties; should fill them with zeal, and at the same
time with holy hopes; for they know that if the chastise­
ment of negligent bishops is to be great, much greater will
be the reward that an infinitely good and generous God
will give to those that are zealous. St. John Chrysostom
says that as much difference as there is on earth between
an ordinary, private individual and a monarch, so much
difference will there be in heaven between the glory of a
solitary who lives a holy life in the desert and that of a
pastor of souls. Let him who fears on account of his
weakness take the resolution to do all that he can for
God; let him afterwards have recourse to God with con­
fidence, and he will be able to do all, by saying with St.
Paul: / can do all things in Hint ίοho strcngthenelh me/
In conclusion, I beg every one that has deigned to
read this poor little work, written, as may be seen, with­
out art and in a simple manner, to have the charity to
recommend me to Jesus Christ in the holy sacrifice of
the Mass, either during my life, or after my death, in
order that he may show me mercy. For when I find
myself, although in another manner, burdened with the
great duty of laboring for the salvation of souls, I very
much fear for my own salvation, dreading lest I am not
fulfilling as I should my obligations. On my part, as
wretched as I am, I promise always to pray to our Saviour
Jesus and to his most holy Mother Mary for all the
pastors of the Christian flock, in order that they may
all be holy, and inflame every one with the love of Jesus
Christ.
May Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and the
Blessed Virgin Mary ever Immaculate be always
praised !
1 “ Omnia possum in co qui me confortat.”—Phil. iv. 13.

■a

474

/Sties for Seminaries.

Unies for Gcminnrics.
*
INTRODUCTION.

The holy Council of Trent had a very useful and
divine idea when it ordained that in the Church semi­
naries should be established, in which young men who
are destined for (he ecclesiastical state might be in­
structed in the sacred sciences, and especially in the
exercise of virtues, in order to make themselves fit to
labor for the sanctification of the people. Such was the
intention of the Council; but would to God that so
many seminaries by their bad direction did not become
a source of ruin for young men ! It is deplorable to see
st) many poor boys, who, at first innocent and pious, be­
come, after their entrance into the seminary, sinks of
vice. A boy of seven years of age, having entered a
certain seminary in the kingdom of Naples, left it two
years afterward so filled with vice that he resembled
a demon, and his own parents no longer wished to
receive him into their house. Hence while a young man
by remaining with his family would have preserved his
innocence, and would perhaps have become a good priest,
useful for the salvation of others, if he enters a seminary

* St. Alphonsus published (his Ride towards the end of the year 1756
(Villecourt, I. vi. eh. iii.) He had that year introduced a wonderful
reform into the seminary of Nola, which was in a very bad stale, as is
related by Father Tannoia (Book II. ch. 44). It is without doubt in
consequence of this undertaking, which was crowned with such success,
that he composed the present opuscule. In order to understand cer­
tain details, it should be known that by a seminary we here understand
an establishment which comprises not only what we call a Great Sennnary, but also all the classes of humanities, and even of the preparatory
courses, to which very young boys are admitted; the whole, howeicr,
is divided into several separated sections. —Ed.

Introduction,

475

that is badly managed he will be a priest; but through
the vices contracted in his youth, and not laid aside in
old age, he will cause the ruin of many souls, and will
be a scandal to the Church.
Therefore, some one will say, has not the establish­
ment of seminaries been more hurtful than useful?
Would it not be better to abolish them everywhere?—
1 answer: If the seminaries arc well managed, far from
abolishing them, we should take all possible care to
maintain them and make them prosper; for in such
seminaries the bishop will find the means to provide all
his cl lurches with good parish priests, confessors, preach­
ers, canons, and other priests, and he will thus see piety
flourish in his whole diocese. If, on the other hand,
the seminary is not well kept, there is no doubt that it
would be better to give it up. It would certainly be
better to have in the diocese priests that are less learned,
but of good morals, than to have those that are a little
more learned, but that are wicked and scandalous. I
say “ a little more learned,” because the wicked make
but little progress in the sciences; nevertheless, by the
reputat ion of learning which they have acquired they
will do more harm to souls, as they are thus better able
to deceive them and to coml net them on the road to per­
dition. for myself, if I knew of a bishop who had a semi­
nary that is badly managed or governed by a bad Director
or bad Prefects, I would certainly beg him, if he wished
to save his soul, and did not wish to see his diocese go
to destruction, to suppress this establishment and to
provide in another manner, as best he could, for the
wants of his church. O God! how many bishops will
be damned and will cause the damnation of a multitude
of their flock on account of the little attention which
they pay to the government of their seminaries! Would
to God that it were not so!
But let us stop complaining, and let us speak of the
*

*

/\ aies for Seminaries.
remedies. In order to keep a seminary in good order,
let us see what should he the care of the bishop, that of '
the Director, that of the Prefects, and which are the
rules that should be most carefully observed by the
seminarians.
i. Duties of the Bishop.

I. The bishop must before all things take care that
the seminary should have its rules well ordered, as well
for piety as for the sciences. For this end it will be use­
ful to indicate here the principal rules that are in use in
well-organized seminaries, especially in those of Naples
and Aversa, which have been and still are, we may well
sav- the model for the rest.
As to the exercises of piety, the following shall be per­
formed:
1. Mental prayer in the morning, the meditations
being mostly on the eternal truths, the consideration
of which is very salutary for young men.
3
2. Mass, with the Office of the Blessed Virgin.
3. Confession and Communion every eight days, or
at least twice a month.
;
4. Spiritual reading during half an hour, or at least
during a quarter of an hour. Here there is question
of spiritual reading other than that which is made at
table; it will be well to have the reading made out of
the Lives of the Saints, and this should never be omitted·
5. The visit to the Blessed Sacrament and to the
. Mother of (rod in the afternoon, that is, after the hour’s
recreation, and after the rest which is allowed in sum­
mer. It will be well to allow a half-hour’s rest even in
winter, as is practised in the seminary at Naples.
6. The Rosary and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
7. The examination of conscience, with the Christian
acts of faith, etc.
3
8. There should be added the short prayers that arc

I. Duties of the Bis hop.

477

usually recited at the beginning of class, study or of
rest, and especially in the morning after rising. When
rising, the following is the order that is to be followed:
When the seminarians have been awakened by the ordi­
nary signal, there shall at first be recited, in an undertone,
after some pious formula, the acts of adoration and of
thanksgiving to the Lord; and while every one shall
dress modestly near his bed, there shall be read from
the Diario of Father Marchese, or from another col­
lection, a few pious facts. This reading shall continue
during the time necessary for dressing, washing, comb­
ing, etc., and shall be finished at the signal given for
meditation, which is to follow immediately.
In some seminaries I have found that the seminarians
were made to take the discipline in common, in the
dark; but prudence requires that such an exercise
should be altogether disallowed, so as to avoid the
danger of any impropriety occurring among the young
men.
It will be most useful that the spiritual exercises
should be given in the seminary every year during
eight or ten days, with a sermon in the morning and
in the evening, and with an instruction on the virtues
and the rules that should be observed. Moreover, it
will also be very useful, in order to preserve the spirit
and the fruit of these exercises, to make every month a
retreat of one day, during which there should be no
class nor study, except in the evening, in winter. This
day should be devoted to meditation, to spiritual read­
ing (especially to that of the rules), to sermons, to in­
structions, as well as to confession and Communion.
As regards the sciences, the following should be ob­
served:
For beginners there shall be instruction in grammar;
then follows the study of humanities, in which we should
strive to interest them well, for afterwards they wiP

Roles for Seminaries.
study them no more; and if they do not well under­
stand the Latin language, they will al wavs be weak in
all the other sciences.
The more advanced shall at first study philosophy, in
which they should carefully learn logic, which is the
most necessary part of it. In the study of the sciences
I think it to be much better to use books than writings:
in doing so there will be considerable saving of time
and of health. We might use Purcoz io orVerneio, at
least for logic, or the logic of the philosophy called
Burgundia, which is excellent for seminarians.
They shall afterwards study scholastic and dogmatic
theology, for which we might use the abridgment of
Tournely, lately published at Venice, a work which
has met with general approval. Especially should the
bishops, notably those of our kingdom, take care to
have the seminarians instructed in moral theology, in
order that they may afterwards be able to choose among
them subjects most capable to labor for the good of
souls; otherwise the same young men after having left
the seminary will study this science but little, and the
bishops will then complain, as I have seen them do, that
they have not priests to hear confessions and to take
charge of souls. The greatest good that the bishop can
derive from the seminary is to have confessors and
parish priests, since among the seminarians he will
choose for these functions the best instructed and the
most exemplary, without, however, forgetting that,
cœteris paribus, the most exemplary should always be
preferred to the others. In this way he will always be
able to keep his diocese in a good condition.
If it should be thought expedient not to make anyone
apply to a complete study of philosophy and theology,
either because he is too advanced in years, or for some
other some reason, he should, however, study moral
theology after the humanities and logic, which are

I. Duties of the Bishof.

479

always necessary. No one should be allowed to be
ordained priest before having studied moral theology
for two or three years.
The other things concerning silence, modesty, charity,
etc., will be treated farther on, when we speak of the
duties of the Prefects and of the seminarians. It will
be wrell to have printed or written in a small volume all
these rules, with the other precepts and observances of
less importance, and have them read every week, or at
least twice a month. This can be done on the day of
retreat or on another feast or wreek day.
II. The bishop should try to have a good Director
and good Prefects for the seminary; for if these officials
fail in their duty, whatever the bishop may do, the
seminary will certainly go to destruction. Besides good
morals, they should have some skill and practice in
taking care of seminaries. The bishop shall often in­
quire of the Director how the Prefects and the semi­
narians conduct themselves; but above all should he
obtain information, by every means in his powrer, in re­
gard to the manner of acting, the charity, the vigilance
of the Director. Once or twice a year he shall make a
general examination of the seminarians in order to hear
and to find out the irregularities and faults of both the
seminarians and officials.
HI. The following are the officials whom the bishop
shall employ for the government of the seminary:
First, the Director, who shall take care of the spirit­
ual as well as of the temporal. The bishop should en­
join upon all the obligation of showing great respect
and obedience to the Director; otherwise there will
always be factions and troubles in the seminary.
Secondly, it is necessary that each section should
have its own Prefect. Moreover, there shall be at least
one general Prefect, if not two. He shall have charge
of the seminarians when they go forth, either to go to

480

/\?( les fo 1 ' Sem ina ries.

the chapel, to the class, to the door, or to speak to the
Director; he shall always watch over the corridors,
which should never be without some one to keep an eye
upon them. When the seminarians go out of the seminarv he shall take care that no one remains behind.
He shall visit all the sections to examine how they
study, how they observe silence, how they make recrea­
tion, etc. He shall be present when the barbers, shoe­
makers, tailors, come, so as to prevent all disorder. He
shall give the signal for the common exercises. When
informed by the special Prefects, he shall call in the
physicians for the sick. In a word, he shall have general
superintendence of all the observances of the seminary,
and shall notify the Director of all faults of omission.
In some seminaries there is also a Vice-Director, who
has the superintendence that has been just described
and who presides in the absence of the Director. He
has also charge of the servants, of procuring provisions,
and whatever is necessary; but where there is a house
steward and a general Prefect, as has been said, these
cares may be divided among them.
I
Thirdly, it will be well, and even very useful, to keep
at the seminary a confessor who constantly remains
there. He should not interfere with the external gov
ernment, and much less with the punishments that are
to be given, nor reprove any one in the presence of
others. He should attend only to hear with charity all
those of the seminary who come to confess to him or to
be directed in the spiritual life. lie shall have special
charge of the servants of the house, that they may fre­
quent the sacraments and learn Christian doctrine. On
the arrival of a new seminarian he shall instruct him
for a general confession, mental prayer, etc., and assist
him in the spiritual exercises, which on entering are to
be made during eight or at least three days. lie will

I. Duties oj the 13 ishop.

481

do well from time to time’to address to all in the chapel
some discourse or instruction on piety.
Besides this confessor established in the seminary,
JJ
there should be made to come from without several pru­
dent, exemplary, and well-informed confessors to hear
the confessions of the seminarians. They should be firm
in refusing absolution to backsliders, who, obliged by
the Rule to confess and communicate in the seminary,
are apt to come without being well disposed.
It will
be well to have two confessors to come together, in order
that the seminarians may have more liberty in confess­
ing. And three or four times a year the bishop should
have extraordinary confessors to come, being persuaded
that the seminarians are in great danger of making
sacrileges by always confessing to those that know
them.
Let all the confessors take care to recommend well to
the Prefects, if they come to confession, to be faithful
to report to the Director all the faults of the semina­
rians, and let them even go so far as to refuse them
absolution if the importance of the case requires such a
measure; for if the Prefects fail in this matter through
human respect, there will thence arise many infractions
of the Rule and many scandals, to the injury of the
common good. They should therefore al ways inculcate
this point. And if the case presents itself, let them also
refuse absolution to those seminarians who, when able
to remedy some grave scandal by informing the bishop
or the Director, refuse to do so. It must be borne in
mind that as there is here question of a common injury,
they are often not excused because of a grave incon­
venience or private injury.
IV. The bishop should, above all, be attentive not to
admit into the seminary and to dismiss subjects who
give little hope of becoming good ecclesiastics. On this
point he should use a rigor which is not ordinary nor

/\uics for Seminaries.
great, but which is supreme, as he must be convinced
that to relax at times in this rigor is an -act, not of
charity, but is much against charity; for the indulgence
that we use towards any one will be the cause of com­
mon evil to the seminary. Among the subjects that
enter, however careful we may be, there will not fail to
be some who will not be what we thought that they
were, or who being in the seminary will become bad.
If we do not use towards them extreme rigor, one of
them will suffice to corrupt all the rest; and so the
seminary will be ruined, and become a receptacle of
scandals.
We should at first use diligence and extreme rigor in
the admission of pupils by admitting oftenest only those
who are young (as for those that are grown up and
ignorant, what hope can we have that they will become
good laborers in the Church ?); who we know by experi­
ence are given to piety, and who also show an inclination
for the ecclesiastical state. For this purpose we should
procure secret information, not from their relatives nor
from their parish priests, but from strangers who are
trustworthy. It is certainly better to have a few semi­
narians who are good and who likely will become useful
to the Church, than to have many who are found to be
imperfect and who will afterwards spoil the good.
In the second place, the bishop should use rigor, and
great rigor, by dismissing the incorrigible and the
scandalous.
4
By the incorrigible I understand those who after several
remonstrances and after punishment give little hope
that they will correct their faults, when these faults are
multiplied and habitual, though not scandalous nor
grave. Although such a one may not be positively
scandalous, yet by his conduct, which is so negligent
and faulty, he always gives scandal, at least by his bad
example, and also makes others lukewarm; and so there

I. Duties oj the Bishoj).
can be very little hope that such a one will become a
good ecclesiastic. If therefore such a young man, after
various means have been employed, gives no hope of
amendment, he becomes certainly hurtful.
Bv* the scandalous I understand those that commit
faults of positive scandal; for instance, when they induce
their companions to transgress a rule, or not to submit
to the orders of the bishop or the Director, or to com­
mit some grave theft or insolence. The scandal would
be more hurtful if a seminarian would give bad example
against decency by some word or some immodest ac­
tion. The one that gives scandal in this way could
scarcely be tolerated the first time that he falls into
such faults, after having inflicted upon him a chastise­
ment which is exemplary and of long duration. I use
the words “Scarcely . . . the first time;” for the surest
way would be to dismiss him at once; for such a one,
after having been detected and punished, will easily find
means to keep acts of this kind hidden, and as long as
these acts do not become again known, they will be the
cause of common evil, which it will afterwards be diffi­
cult to repair entirely, so that such a one may be the
cause of ruin to many. What prudence is, therefore,
required, which, in hoping for the amendment of an in­
dividual, exposes many to the danger of being lost?
The expulsion of such a subject is not a great evil,
although he may correct himself in the course of time;
the ruin of the Community isa much greater evil, which
one should much more fear and try to prevent. If the
dismissal is an injury to the young man, it is a private
injury, which injures only an individual; but if he in­
jures others, the injury is very grave, as it injures the
Community. I repeat, and I repeat a thousand times,
that to be indulgent in this matter is not charity, but is
imprudence, is tyranny, since in order to use charity
towards an individual one wishes to permit the ruin of

4^4

Rules for Seminaries,

many, or at least to expose them to the danger of ruin.
As to this, it must be regarded as certain that in the
seminary in which the pupils, being young, are easily
drawn to good or evil, following the examples and the
occasions that are before them, a single one giving
scandal can infect all the rest. When they are infected
there will probably be no remedy. The only remedy
will be to dismiss them all, and to admit new subjects,
otherwise the evil once introduced will stay, passing
from one to the other forever. Such a severity should
not be called, as is done by some, excessive rigor, but
rather a duty of charity and of justice, since the bishop
is obliged by a grave obligation of charity and of jus­
tice to promote the good, and the greatest good, of his
diocese; this certainly depends in great part on having
a well-regulated seminary.—Let us pray to the Lord
that he may make all the bishops who govern the Church
understand this truth.
«l
*
2 Duties of the Director.

1. When there is question of receiving any subject,
the Director shall endeavor carefully to inquire of trust­
worthy persons about his morals and inclinations.
2. When a seminarian has been received, he should
have him make a retreat of eight or at least of three
days; in these exercises, with the reading of the rules,
he shall be instructed in the observances by the con­
fessor of the house, to whom he shall afterward smake a
general confession.
-S
3. The Director shall often and strongly enjoin upon
the Prefectsto come to him to report the faults committed
in their sections, at least every week and every time that
it is necessary, and when they come he should leave
everything in order to hear them, and not make them
wait. He shall correct with some severity those that
neglect to report to him the faults that they have no­

II. Duties of the Director.
ticed; sometimes even he shall publicly reprove them
before the seminarians themselves, in order that the
Prefect may be more easilv excused bv them if he
afterwards accuses them to the Director. If on this
point a Prefect, even after correction, neglects to amend,
be should necessarily be dismissed.
4. He shall also tell the seminarians to call upon him
when they have something to communicate to him, but
always with the permission of the Prefect, who should
not refuse it. Moreover, he shall appoint in each sec­
tion one or two of the most virtuous and faithful semi­
narians as secret inspectors, to report to him from time
to time the faults that they notice, or at least to make
them known to him in a surer and less exposed way.
5. He shall keep a small register containing the names
of all the seminarians, one on each page, under which
he shall note the faults of each in order to be mindful
of them,—al least when he has to render an account to
the bishop previously to ordination.
6. He shall be specially watchful in regard to faults
against purity; he shall recommend modesty in dress­
ing and undressing. He shall order that the lamp at
night should always be kept burning, and placed at
such a height that no one can extinguish it. Moreover,
during the night the dormitory should always be kept
locked, and the Prefect should keep the key: this should
always be done without exception; otherwise many sins
will be the consequence, for which he will have to ren­
der an account to God. He shall ordain that, without
his express permission, no seminarian should leave his
section after the Ave Maria, or even during the day, nor
go to the room of the teachers; and he should not easily
give this permission; for this is a thing that is not prac­
tised in the seminaries where there is regular observ­
ance; and besides, it is dangerous for one to be quite
alone in the room with a boy. In regard to the diflicul*

*

J

486

7\ ale's for Seminaries.

ties which the pupils meet with in their studies, they
will do better to propose them in the class; this will
serve at the same time as an instruction for others. He
shall assign to each the place of his bed, taking care
that the beds be separated from each other at a dis­
tance of five or six palms; he shall also assign to each
his place at class, at table, and for recreation, and keep
separate the quarrelsome, the negligent, and those
among whom there may be any· danger of scandal.
7. He must employ the greatest rigor in punishing
faults against purity committed either in actions or in
words; so also if anyr one converses with a companion
alone or in secret, or gives him a note or a present. He
shall punish the servants that take letters from the semi­
narians, since all the letters should be given to the por­
ter, and handed by the porter to the Director. It would
be a grave fault to speak to a pupil of another section,
and still a graver fault, worthy of expulsion, to approach
any one when he is in bed.
8. In punishing, he must make others understand that
he does not act out of revenge or out of passion; hence
he should defer punishment as long as he is excited.
He shall do the same when it is the seminarian who is
excited; for prudence requires that we should wait till
he is calm. His passion having then subsided, he should
be punished; otherwise in his anger he might easily go
to excess. Sometimes, when the fault is secret, a chari­
table remonstrance will have greater effect than any
other punishment. I use the word secret, for if it is
public, the punishment should be public; however,
even then it will be well to make a gentle remonstrance
before or after the chastisement.
îfl
9. He shall try to find out what kind of conversation
is held during the recreations and the walks into the
country. For these walks he should point out the
places where seminarians should go.
.Λ

II. Duties of the Director.
10. He shall be vigilant that the prescribed silence be
observed, especially at table, when silence is indispen­
sable; if one wishes to avoid innumerable faults, acts
of intemperance, disputes, improprieties; for when the
seminarians are at table the Prefects cannot observe
the seminarians, nor all that is done or said.
11. He shall often go through the sections to see what
is done in the time of study or recreation, or in free
time. Moreover, several times a year, or every three or
four months, he shall examine the beds and cupboards,
and unexpectedly ask for the keys in order to see
• whether he may not find arms, books, and other un­
suitable things.
12. He shall have an understanding with the bishop
to have a rule made that during the vacation it shah
not be permitted to the seminarians to return home, as
is done in some seminaries; this inflicts upon these poor
young men immense harm, which is perhaps irrepara­
ble. During this time the seminarian will easily lose
all that he has gained while at the seminary, especially
if he remains away during the vintage. It will then be
well to give vacation in the seminary by dispensing the
young men from study, and allowing them some rational
amusement.
13. If there is question of giving to a seminarian per­
mission to return home on account of sickness, care
should be taken to assure one’s self beforehand, by the
advice of the physician, whether the sickness is real, and
whether it is necessary for the young man to leave the
house; for often seminarians pretend to be sick inorder
to be able to be present at some festival, or through
other capricious motives. If any one should go away
for some other urgent cause, one should fix the time of
his return; and after he has come back, in regard to
the time that he has been absent, the Director shall take
care to obtain information how he conducted himself,

488

Rules for Seiuinari.es.

with whom he stayed, whether he frequented the sacra­
ments, practised mental prayer, etc.
14. Often, as on the days preceding the principal
feasts and those of the Blessed Virgin, he shall preach a
sermon; and he shall never fail to make a day of retreat
in the manner indicated above, page 477.
15. He should often ask a seminarian, in the presence
of the others, how mental prayer is made, or whether
he remembers what has been read in the refectory, or
what he himself has read privately.
JJ
16. He shall speak at least once a week with the
house steward about the necessities, the provisions, and
the treatment of the seminarians.
A
17. He shall read over from time to time these in­
structions in order to refresh his memory as to the
things to which he should pay attention; otherwise it
will be difficult for him not to fail in many things, at
least through forgetfulness.
18. When the seminarians are to go to the church, to
be present at the offices, or to serve the bishop, they
shall leave the seminary together, wearing the surplice,
keeping silence, and with their Prefect, who must never
lose sight of them. It shall never be permitted them,
in the church, sacristy, or elsewhere, to speak to any one
whatsoever, however distinguished the person may be;
for this is very important for the welfare of the semi­
narians and for the good order of the seminary, to which
the most worthy ecclesiastics of the diocese must attend,
and which they should even promote. The latter should
therefore not be offended if one lets them know, in a
respectful manner, the necessity of such reserve; and
certainly the zeal that animates them will aid them to
be edified and pleased.
I

ΓΊ

489
3- Duties of the Prefects.

1. The Prefect shall take care to keep and have others
keep the rules and all the particular orders of the bishop
and of the Director; he shall see that every one punc­
tually obeys the common signal. He shall be the first
to rise and the last to go to bed. He shall be ready to
accompany the seminarians when they go to the chapel,
to class, or to the table. During the time of study, he
shall avoid distracting the seminarians by speaking to
them or by going about. If he must leave the seminary
to attend to some business, he shall not do so without the
permission of the Director; then he shall choose for this
the time during which the seminarians are in class, and
he shall return before they leave it. When he is to go
to some place in the seminary itself, he shall notify the
general Prefect, who will watch over the section in his
absence.
2. While the seminarians are sleeping at night, he
shall take care to lock the dormitory with a key which
he shall put under his pillow, and to keep the lamp
always burning. He shall assure himself that the wick
is in order, that there is enough oil, and shall have the
tinder-box always near him in case the light should
happen to go out. During the rest that is taken during
the day the windows should not be entirely closed; they
should remain half open, so that one can see what is
going on.
3. In the morning and in the evening, at rising and
going to bed, he shall watch that modesty be observed
in dressing and in undressing. The rule of the semi­
nary at Naples is, that every one after having put on his
cassock should at once leave the bed, and dress with his
face turned towards the clothes-press. If the dormitory
happens to be too cold, this practice should be followed

490

Rules foi' Seminar les.

at least when the weather is mild, that is, from the
month of April till October; during the other months
one may dress in bed. And when in the morning the
seminarians go to meditation, tie shall take care that no
one remains in the room: if any one should.remain, he
should not be left alone; he shall notify the general
Prefect of the fact: this would be better. Should any
seminarian be called to the door, the general Prefect
should have some one to accompany him, and not per­
mit him to go alone.
4. If the Director has not assigned to some one his
place in the dormitory, the class, the refectory, recrea­
tion, the Prefect himself shall do so conformably to
prudence, as has been explained on page 482, until the
matter has been attended to by the Director himself,
who shall always have charge of it. He shall be watch­
ful that the recreation be always in accordance with the
rule, namely, that all should sit in a circle; in the even­
ing he shall make them sit at some distance from one
another.
sS
5. During the recreations, at home or in the country,
he shall take care that all remain under his eyes and
near him, so that he can see and hear all that is done
and said. In these recreations one should avoid all
plays with the hands, sharp words, disputes on the
score of talent, birth, and thé like; in the same way all
worldly, discourses, such as on marriages, possessions,
riches, comedies, and other amusements of the world.
6. He shall correct with firmness him who fails in
regard to the Rule, the signals, or the orders of the
Director. The Prefect cannot inflict punishments; he
can only impose silence, and then refer all to the Di­
rector. If he happens to find arms or improper books,
he shall take them away and carry them to the Director.
He shall retain at least one of the seminarians to be an
inspector, charging him with faithfully and secretly

III. Duties of the Prefects.

491

notifying him of certain faults which he himself has
not noticed.
7. He shall be exact in watching that the seminarians
never speak with the servants; if they have something
to say to them, let them do so in the presence of the
Prefect. Moreover, he sh ill never permit them to enter
the refectory, the offices, under any pretext whatsoever.
8. He shall be most attentive and faithful to report
to the Director the faults of everyone, especially if they
are habitual, and more especially if they are contrary to
modesty. For this end he shall keep a list of the faults
which can be more easily committed in order to sub­
scribe the names of those that commit them. For this
reason we add here the following list prescribed for the
Prefects by the great Cardinal Paleotto. It will at
least serve to call to mind the faults that one has seen
committed, and that one should report to the Director:
1. On such and such a day arose too late, and was not
found at the beginning of meditation, N .... (We here
leave a space, and should do so after the other faults
that are indicated, in order to inscribe the names of the
subjects, as is indicated above.)
2. Has not been modest in chapel, at table, or in walk­
ing, N . . . .
3. Has spoken to some one of another section, or to a
companion alone or in secret, etc., N . . . .
4. Has said improper or offensive words, or has
touched another, N . . . .
5. Has been at the door, or elsewhere, without per­
mission, N . . . .
6. Did not go to confession this week, N . . . .
7. Shows but little devotion, does not observe silence,
does not obey such an order, N . . . .
The Prefect should, finally, consider how great will
be his reward if he is diligent and faithful in reporting
all to the Director. I use the word <?//, for certain

f

49 2

Ru/es for Seminaries.

faults, although light, when they are habitual, or when
they are united to other failings, will at least indicate
that the subject has not the ecclesiastical spirit requisite
to be admitted to holy Orders. And, on the other hand,
how great will be the account that he will have to render
to God if he fails in this point, either through negli­
gence or through human respect! It is true that by
performing the duties of his office as he should he will
draw down upon him the aversion of many; but he
must act in this manner, or resign, if he does not wish
to make himself guilty before God of the ruin of his
section, and perhaps of the whole seminary, because
neither the Bishop nor the Director, who cannot always
be present as the Prefect can, could remedy the dis­
orders and the scandals if the Prefects neglect to report
the faults that they see.
4. Rules that the Seminarians must Observe.

1. The seminarians should, above all, observe modesty
and propriety. Hence no one should leave his bed or
go to bed without throwing his cassock around him, and
let him dress and undress seated before the clothes­
press; only in places where it is cold may he dress on
the bed, but under the coverlet. When any one changes
his linen, let him avoid remaining exposed. When in
bed he should always wear shirt and drawers, and
always be covered.
2. No one can speak alone or secretly to any one of
his companions, nor give him notes or presents. It
would be a great fault to speak to any one of another
section, and a greater fault to approach any one who is
in bed. The letters cannot be given to the servants;
they must be handed to the porter, who before forward­
ing them shall take them to the Director. Every one
is to bear in mind that every word or action against

IV, Rules Seminarians must Observe.

493

modesty, even in jest, will never be passed by without
notable punishment.
3. No one can leave his section to go to the door
without the permission of the Prefect. And if any one
wishes to go to the room of the Professor, or leave the
section after the Ave Maria, one cannot do so withput
the express permission of the Director.
4. Each one shall sit at the place assigned to him,
cither in class, in recreation, or in the refectory, where
during the meals he shall keep his hands on the table;
after having finished eating, he shall adopt a composed
and modest posture. In the evening, at recreation, all
shall be seated in a circle as during the day, but at some
distance from one another. In their walks to the coun­
try, when they recreate themselves, they shall guard
against causing any damage or showing themselves
mischievous; they shall then take care to remain within
sight of the Prefect, and near enough that be may see
what they do and hear what they say. They shall
always observe custody of the eyes, not only in the
church and in the chapel, but also in the refectory and
in the streets, by not looking at any object that may be
a cause of temptation to them. In this matter the Pre­
fects shall be careful to accuse those wanting in reserve,
and the Director shall punish them.
5. Each one, under pain of grievous chastisement,
shall guard against offending a companion by injurious
words. For this purpose they shall avoid disputes,
rival pretensions on the score of birth, talents, and for­
tune. They shall also abstain from discoursing on the
acquisition of honor, and of riches, or on comedies, festi­
vals, and other similar amusements, which are not suit­
able for those that aspire to the sacerdotal dignity.
6. No one shall play dice or cards, nor is it allowed
to any one to engage in playing any game whatsoever
for money.

494

Rii/es Jor Seminaries.

y. The penances imposed by the Superiors for any

fault must be performed, even though one should be
innocent of the charge. To no one is it permitted to
make known to persons outside of the seminary the pen­
ances inflicted upon the pupils, nor other things that
are.done in the seminary.
S. Fraternal charity requires, moreover, that every
one should acquaint the Prefect or the Director with
the faults of his companions, in order that a remedy
may be applied in time and when scandalous things
occur, there is a grave obligation to reveal them, even
though one had to do so at great inconvenience, since
there is question c f a scandal, which in seminaries causes
common injury.
9. The seminarians shall confess and communicate
every eight or fifteen days, according to the Rule of the
seminary; they must at least confess at this time, even
though they cannot go to Communion.
,3
10. Outside of the two recreations, after dinner and
after supper, which shall last one hour, and outside of
the days on which they go out to recreate themselves,
silence should be observed not only in the church, the
chapel, but also in class, in the refectory, in the corri­
dors, and also in the inhabited places when they go
out. This holds good also for the section, especially
during study time, and more rigorously in the evening
at the signal for the examination of conscience, and in
the morning till the end of meditation.
j|
Here follows an Appendix: “Exhortation to young
men who devote themselves to the study of the eccle­
siastical sciences.” See Volume XII., page 449.

iibflitn of Subjects to <f>oïJ
RENDERS THEM FAITHFUL TO THE PRINCE, THEIR RULER

St. Alphonsus published this last of his little works

in 1777. At the age of eighty-one, after having given to
the world so many excellent instructions, at first in
general for persons of every condition, and then in par­
ticular for nuns and religious, priests and bishops, the
holy Doctor seems to have remembered that he should
also give specially-some good advice to those to whom
divine Providence has deigned to intrust the exercise
of the temporal power, for the glory of God, for their
own good, and for the good of their subjects. He sent
copies of this little work to Cardinal Castelli, and
through him and Canon Hennequin at Liège to all the
Catholic princes and their chief ministers.—Ed.

Tibclitn of Subjects to Q?ob
MAKES THEM FAITHFUL TO THE PRINCE, THEIR RULER.

CHAPTER I.
IE KINGS WISH THEIR SUBJECTS TO BE OBEDIENT TO THEM,

THEY

MUST

ENDEAVOR TO

MAKE

THEM

OBEDIENT

TO

GOD.—PROOF OF THIS ASSERTION.

By promoting good morals we promote also peace

among citizens, and consequently the good of the whole
state. This is an evident truth, which is everywhere
proved by experience: subjects that obey the com­
mandments of God are necessarily obedient to the laws
of princes. The fidelity that the subjects practise
towards God renders them faithful to their sovereigns.
The reason of this is clear: when subjects obey the
divine precepts, we see a cessation of licentiousness, of
thefts, of frauds, of adulteries, of homicides; then the
state flourishes, order is maintained by submission to
the sovereign, and peace is preserved in families. In a
word, those that resolve to lead an orderly life resolve
at the same time to fulfil their duties: they will take
care to suppress their passions, and solive in peace with
themselves and with others.
But, one will say, for this purpose the laws of princes
and the punishments inflicted upon delinquents are suf­
ficient. No, these things are not sufficient; human laws
with their penalties cannot suffice to check the boldness
and inordinate passions of bad subjects who seek only
to serve their own interests and to gratify their wicked
desires. If, when an occasion presents itself, they despise
32
*

498

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

the laws and chastisements of God, they also will easily
despise the laws of their sovereign and the punishments
with which he threatens them.
Human laws can aid in preserving good morals in
those subjects that are well disposed, but they cannot
infuse them into those that are depraved; religion alone
introduces into souls and forms in them holy morals,
and thus causes the laws to be observed. If religion
were not there, teaching that there is a God who sees
everything and knows how to punish the wickedness of
the impious, rarely would they make an effort to fulfil
their duties; and without this fear of divine justice
which restrains men, the number of the wicked would
everywhere multiply enormously.
It is religion alone that renders subjects truly obe­
dient to their princes, by teaching them that they are
obliged to obey their sovereigns, not only to avoid the
punishments inflicted upon transgressors, but also to
obey God and to preserve peace of conscience, accord­
ing to the teaching of St. Paul, who declares that the
sovereigns are the ministers of God: For they are the
ministers of God, serving unto this purpose) He moreover
adds, that the laws of princes even bind the consciences
of subjects: Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for
wrath, but also for conscience sake)

Neither the laws nor the punishments that they
menace suffice, therefore, to repress the boldness of
malefactors who trouble the public peace; for often
misdeeds remain unpunished, either because the delin­
quents remain hidden, or because sufficient proofs are
wanting to condemn them; and it is not rare that the
guilty, although their misdeeds are well proved, escape
punishment by flight. Le Clerc, although a heretic,
1 ** Ministri enim Dei sunt, in hoc ipsum servientes.”—Rom. xiii. 6
’ “ Idco necessitate sulxliti estote, non solum propter iram, sed
etiam propter conscientiam.”—Jbid. 5.
, I

Chap. I. Co Render them Obedient to God. 499
said: “Most men are incapable of doing what is right
solely in view of the public good; private interest is
nearlv always opposed to the common good; only the
fear of divine chastisements keeps in check all dis­
orders.”
On the other hand, as it is true that the princes are
the ministers of God and his representatives, since the
subjects are obliged even in conscience to obey their
princes, so the princes are obliged to watch over their
subjects that they may obey God. For a private indi­
vidual it is sufficient to observe the law of God in order
to save his soul; but for a king that is not sufficient.
I le must do all that he can, that his subjects may observe
the law of God by endeavoring to reform bad morals
and extirpating scandals.
And when the honor of God is at stake, the princes
should arm themselves with courage, and not fail in their
duty through fear of any adversity or contradiction
that may arise; for every king that fulfils his duty has
God to assist him, as the Lord himself has declared to
Josue when he intrusted to him the government of his
people: Take courage, and be strong. Fear not, and be not
dismayed; because the Lord thy God is with thee'

Consequently the principal end that princes should
propose to themselves in the government is not their
own glory, but the glory of God. Those that forget
the glory of God to occupy themselves only with their
own glory, shall lose both. Whoever governs should be
persuaded that it is not possible for him in this world,
filled with wicked and ignorant people, to acquire by
his acts, however just and holy they may be, the praises
and the applause of all his subjects. If he exercises
liberality towards the good and the poor, they will call
him a spendthrift; if he executes justice in regard to
1 “ Confortare et esto robustus. Noli metuere, et noli timere;
quoniam tecum est Dominus Deus tuus.”—Jos. i. 9.

500

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

the wicked, he will be called a tyrant. Kings should,
therefore, seek to please God rather than men; for
then, if they are not praised by the wicked, they will be
praised by the good, and above all by God, who will
know how to reward them in this life and in the next.
Princes should in a special manner be watchful that
their states be purged of people that profess false doc­
trine; hence many Catholic sovereigns admit to their
service neither heretics nor schismatics. They should
also strictly prohibit the introduction of books infected
with pernicious doctrines; the want of precaution of
certain princes against this sort of books has caused
the ruin of several kingdoms.
One should also consider how many virtuous princesses
have increased the glory of God and piety among the
subjects by their devotion and the good example which
they have given. This one may see in the Lives of
St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal; St. Hedwig, Duchess
of Poland; St. Bridget, Princess of Sweden; and St.
Catharine, her daughter.

Chap. I/. Λ leans to make them Obedient. 501

CHAPTER II.
MEANS TO INDUCE SUBJECTS TO BE OBEDIENT TO GOD.

Let us now see which are the means used by good

princes to induce their subjects to live like Christians.
1. In the distribution of offices and of honors, they
give the preference to those that distinguish themselves
by a more irreproachable life, excepting the case in
which, in an affair of great importance to the State,
another would be much more capable. Princes, how­
ever, should always consider that those persons who are
more pleasing to God, receive from the Lord greater
lights and much more strength to secure the execution
of the orders that regard the public good.
2. They bestow with liberality graces and favors upon
the good, and they are on the other hand reserved and
strict in regard to those that lead wicked lives.
3. They take care to have always near them at court
persons that are edifying in their conduct; for princes
can always trust such persons, but not those that are
free in their manners.
4. They profit by every occasion to praise the vir­
tuous, and they show that they esteem but little those
that care not for piety. If it is understood that the
prince looks upon good people with an eye different
from that with which he looks upon libertines, this
would be sufficient to reform the greater part of the sub­
jects of his kingdom. Hence it is advisable for princes
to invite to their courts zealous preachers who can per­
suade each one of his duty to serve God.
5. They should choose functionaries who are not only

Fidelity oj Subjects to God.

5O2

exact in rendering justice, but who are also filled with
the fear of God; for those that are not filled with the
fear of God will hardly be exact in the administration
of justice as they should be. Moreover, they should
also take care that the functionaries are zealous for the
laws, not only by observing them themselves, but by
having them observed by others, in order that the laws
may be maintained in all their rigor.
6. As for the choice of functionaries, many Catholic
princes are accustomed to employ for this purpose
their counsel or the highest tribunal, to whom they pro­
pose three subjects among whom they choose him who
seems to them the most worthy, so that in this way they
may assure themselves of having the best.
7. Then, in order that the functionaries chosen may
suitably acquit themselves of their charge, the prince
should, as well as he can, reward those that behave
themselves, and punish those that neglect their duty.
8. The ecclesiastical offices to which the prince has
the right to make appointments should be conferred
upon the most worthy subjects. It is also expedient
that ecclesiastical pensions be granted to those that
have labored most for the Church.
9. The prince should also see to it that the Superiors
of religious Orders have the rules of their Institute ob­
served; for when the religious fail in their duty and
those in charge neglect to correct them, great injury to
seculars and to the State itself will be the result.
A Few Maxims concerning the Good Government of the King­
dom in order that all may conduce to the Glory of God, of
the King, and to the Welfare of the Subjects.
______

<

i. The good prince, in order to govern well, always
has God before his eyes, and he prefers the interests
of God’s glory to every reason of State.

Chap. II. Means to make them Obedient. 503
2. He shows himself an enemy to every kind of flat­
tery
he
loves
the
one
that
tells
him
the
truth,
and
he
I
wishes every one to know this. When Henry IV., King
of France, was asked why he loved so much the Bishop
of Geneva, who was St. Francis de Sales, he answered:
“I love him because he does not flatter me.”
3. He exercises justice towards every one, without
passion and without partiality.
4. Before resolving important affairs, he examines
everything himself.
5. In all doubtful things, or where a doubt is possible,
lie must consult prudent men.
6. This is the reason why he does his best to choose
counsellors who are wise and of an upright conscience.
7. After having taken counsel and the counsel has
been judged good, he should carry it out with firmness,
unless he meets with another good reason that is the
very opposite. To change one’s opinion fora good rea­
son is not weakness; it is praiseworthy prudence.
8. When he hears any one praised or blamed, let him
be slow to believe what is said, and let him examine
whether he that speaks does not speak with a view to
personal interest
9. Finally, the good prince, in order to urge his sub­
jects to live well, relies more on good example than on
force. The good example of the prince effects more in
this respect than a thousand private individuals.
10. It is the duty not only of the bishops but also of
the sovereign to induce the subjects to practise exer­
cises of devotion, and to render to God the honor that
is due to him. It is said that in the world one must
have fortune; well, it is piety which is the foundation
of the true fortune of all men, and especially of
princes. It is certain that all prosperity or adversity
depends on God, who disposes all things; no one,
therefore, can hope for more happiness in the present

504

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

lite than he that renders himself most pleasing to God
by his piety. 1 he Lord takes to heart the prosperity
of those princes that take especially to heart the glory
of God. In a word, a sovereign who desires to govern
well his temporal kingdom should live in such a man­
ner as to make himself woithy of the eternal kingdom.

Chap. III. Examples and Conclusion.

505

CHAPTER III.
EXAMPLES

OF

PRINCES

WHO

BY

THEIR

ZEAL

CONTRIB­

UTED MUCH TOWARDS THE SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF THE

PEOPLE.

I. Emperor Constantine.
Among these princes, he who deserves to be mentioned

in the first place is the great Emperor Constantine.
Eusebius relates that this prince judged that only God
whom his father had adored should be acknowledged
and venerated, when he considered that the other em­
perors, who had put all confidence in a multitude of
gods, after having immolated to them so many victims
and offered so many gifts, found themselves disappointed
in the hopes which the oracles had made them enter­
tain, and that they all ended their lives by an unfor­
tunate death, while his father Constantius alone, after
having condemned the errors of his colleagues and rec­
ognized one only God as his Lord, died a happy death.
At this epoch, being at war with the tyrant Maxentius
who reigned at Rome, Constantine began to supplicate
the omnipotent God to enlighten and to help him in
the state in which he was. God, who is full of mercy,
did not fail to take the young emperor under his pro­
tection. Towards the end of the same day a luminous
cross appeared to Constantine and to his whole army;
it shone in the heavens above the sun, and bore this in­
scription: In hoc vince.
Then the emperor sent for some Christian priests to
explain to him the meaning of this sign and of this in­
scription. Having received the desired explanation,

5θό

Fidelity oj Subjects to God.

(so Cardinal Orsi writes), and having been thoroughly
instructed by the priests, he resolutely embraced the
faith of wJesus Christ. At the same time he had a model
of the Labarum made, representing the sign of the cross
that had appeared to him. Afferwards, in the wars
that he had to wage, the Labarum was carried before
him in every battle, and he always gained the victory.
In regard to the war against Maxentius, after the
apparition of the cross, Constantine was animated with
great courage; he engaged in a battle under the walls
of Rome, October 28, 312, and gained a brilliant victory
which filled the whole empire with joy on account of
the death of the tyrant, who was drowned in the Tiber.
The victorious emperor, full of gratitude to God, would
even ha\ î desired to abolish idolatry; but in the begin­
ning he had to tolerate many things, because the
Romans were too much attached to their gods. For
the rest, he at once began to favor the Christian faith
as much as he could, and he publicly made known even
in Rome itself what was due to the Pope, who was at
that time St. Melchiades, and to the priests by admit­
ting them to his table.
Then he undertook to establish the worship of the
true God in various parts of the empire, by the build­
ing of many magnificent churches, which he enriched
w th precious vessels and ornaments and endowed them
with abundant revenues. He also published several
edicts in favor of the Church and of the faithful, and for
this he even obtained the sanction of the Senate.
The Lord also augmented the prosperity of Constan­
tine by the death of his enemies Maximian and of Licinius, who did not cease to persecute the Church. In re­
gard to the Church he continued,.as he had proposed to
himself, to labor so as to unite the empire in the belief
in Jesus Christ, and he persecuted not only the idolaters
but also the heretics, and especially the Arians. Hence

Chap. III. Examples and Conclusion.

507

in 325, in order to put an end to this heresy, he pro­
moted the assembling of the Council of Nice at which he
wished to be present himself. At the sight of this
august assembly of bishops, of whom several bore the
scars of the wounds suffered during the preceding per­
secutions, he was transported with joy, rendered thanks
to God, and encouraged these holy prelates to defend
with firmness the cause of God. The Council having
finished by condemning Arius, before the bishops sepa­
rated the emperor wished to receive all of them at table,
and he made each one of them a noble present. But he
was more particularly generous towards those bishops
who still bore the marks of the persecution they had
endured.
He afterwards began to found at Rome several
churches, such as that of the Saviour in the Lateran,
that of St. Peter in the Vatican, that of St. Paul in the
Ostian Way. He also built many others at Rome and
in many distant provinces, in Greece, in Africa, in
Egypt, and in Syria.
Seeing afterwards that t]ie Roman people persisted
in defending idolatry to the injury of so many souls, he
resolved to found in the city of Byzantium in the East
a new Rome, which was to be peopled only by the dis­
ciples of Jesus Christ, and which he called after his own
name Constantinople. Permitting only Catholics to
live there, he excluded therefrom all infidels and heretics.
Prom this place he also issued several edicts against
the Novatians, the Marcionites, and other heretics, by
forbidding their sects all private or public exercise of
worship. Moreover, he ordained that all oratories wheie
the heretics held their meetings should be handed over
to the Catholics.
In a word, since Constantine, enlightened from on
high, resolved to embrace the faith, he always lived as,
a true Catholic. A certain author taxed him with a

50.8

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

leaning towards the doctrine of Arius; but in ecclesias­
tical history it is too plainly seen that he always vener­
ated and defended the Council of Nice in which Arius
was condemned.—But why did Constantine receive
baptism at the hands of Eusebius of Nicomedia, who
was an Arian ?—The reason is because Eusebius and
Arius deceived him by making him believe that their
doctrine was the same as that of the Council. Men,
even the wisest and the holiest, are liable to be deceived
without any fault of theirs, as was the case with Con­
stantine. For the rest, Natalis Alexander in a learned
dissertation1 affirms and proves that all the ancient
writers, such as St. Athanasius, St. Epiphanius, and
St. Hilary, agree in saying that Constantine always
remained firmly attached to the Catholic faith; for this
the Lord rewarded him with a happy death.
There is a discussion among authors about his bap­
tism and death. Cardinal Baronius, with several others,
says that Constantine was baptized at Rome in 324 by
Pope St. Sylvester; however, the learned of the present
day more commonly believe, and with more probability,
that he received baptism at the end of his life at Nico­
media, as we are informed by Fleury, Cardinal Orsi,
and Natalis Alexander, with St. Ambrose, St. Isidore,
and others. They say that Constantine, having fallen
ill at Nicomedia, and growing worse, he called several
bishops and begged them to confer baptism upon him.
After he had received it he felt such consolation that he
cried out: “ Now I find myself truly happy !” Then as
his officers were expressing the pain that they felt in
seeing him in this state and the desire that they had for
the preservation of his life, he answered them: “ I have
just received true life; I desire nothing more than to go
to enjoy my God.” It was in these pious sentiments
that he died, May 22 of the year 337. In the Greek
1 Hist. Eccl., site. iv. diss. 21.

'iS

Chap. 111. Examples and Conclusion.

509

Martyrology, according to what Natalis Alexander says,
he is venerated as Blessed on May 21.
2. St. Louis, King of France.

In reference to the subject that occupies us,—the
honor of God and the salvation of souls,—he who merits
to be mentioned for the second place is a great king
and a great saint; it is the King of France, St. Louis.
I omit to praise here all the virtues of this illustrious
prince; books containing the history of his glorious life
are everywhere found. To give an idea of his great
zeal for the glory of God and for the salvation of souls,
it suffices to recall to mind the magnanimous courage
with which he undertook the conquest of the Holy Land
in order to deliver it from the hands of the Saracens.
History informs us that the first time that he set out
for Egypt with his army in 1249, having arrived with
his naval forces before the city of Damietta and seeing
himself surrounded by the principal lords of his king­
dom, he thus spoke to them: “ Friends, if we are united
in charity, victory is ours. Let us then attack the enemy
with courage. Do not regard my person; lam like any
one among you whose life the Lord may take if he
pleases. Whatever will happen will always be advan­
tageous to us: if we are conquered, we shall be martyrs;
if we are victorious, this will be for the glory of God.
It is for God that we are fighting; we desire only his
glory and not ours.” Then, having ordered all to dis­
embark, the king was the first to go ashore to engage
in a hand-to-hand conflict with the hostile forces who
were waiting for him; but, seized with astonishment at
such courage, they took to flight, so that Damietta was
captured on the sixth day.
It is true, it did not please the Lord to allow the en­
terprise to succeed; for a pestilence having broken out
among the troops, St. Louis was obliged to return to

5 ’0

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

France. Later, however, in 1270, he resumed the enter­
prise; but disease again attacked his soldiers, and, being
himself seized with the malady, he laid down his life
«midst the barbarians. Such a death, however, pro­
cured for him the greatest merit in heaven.
Let us now consider the zeal with which he was ani­
mated for the spiritual good of his subjects. He under­
took for this purpose to visit his States, and in this visit
be left everywhere marks of his great piety and of his
justice.
He specially published most severe edicts
against blasphemers and perjurers, and ordered that
their tongues should be pierced with a red-hot iron.
He said: “ I would consent to suffer myself this torture
if I could by this means banish from my kingdom
blasphemy and perjury.”
He never omitted to devote himself every day to the
good government of his subjects, so that everything
might be in order and all scandals might be avoided.
At the same time he never failed to make every day his
meditation and spiritual reading, and prayed for him­
self and for the people intrusted to his care. One of
his intimate friends, seeing that he employed much time
in the exercise of piety, said to him one day that this
was too much; but the saint replied: “ If I spent much
more time in amusements, as is usual with those in my
state, no one would say anything about the matter.”
It is thus that he merited to die a happy death.
3. St. Stephen, King of Hungary.

The third place is occupied by St. Stephen, the first
king of Hungary. He was born in 977, when the greater
part of Hungary was yet pagan. Having succeeded his
father in 997, and wishing to attract his idolatrous sub­
jects to the worship of the true God, he began by often
assembling a large number of them in his palace, where,
having received them with kindness and affability, he

Chap. III. Examples and Conclusion.

511

himself instructed them in the divine law. But the
obstinate pagans suspecting that the king wished lo
force them to change their religion, a great multitude
of them revolted, so that the saint was obliged to oppose
them by an army of Christians. It would have been
easy for him to reign peaceably, had he wished to per­
mit the unbelievers to live according to their false law;
but the good prince preferred the advantages of religion
to those of the State. Hence, full of confidence in God
and in his dearly beloved Sovereign the Blessed Virgin,
under whose protection he had placed his kingdom, he
did not refuse to give battle, although the number of
unbelievers was much superior to his own soldiers.
The pagans were totally defeated.
When he saw these obstacles removed, he labored to
rid his kingdom of all that remained of idolatry. For
this purpose he invited from various parts religious
priests to come to preach the Gospel to his people; and
as he himself was always found at the head of the mis­
sionaries, the conversion of the country was general.
He then divided the kingdom into eleven dioceses, and
chose the city of Strigonia as the Metropolitan See.
For this he obtained the approbation of Pope Sylvester
II., who conferred upon him the title of king, and con­
firmed all the bishoprics that he had established and all
the bishops that he had appointed.
Later on, when Emperor Conrad II. had sent a for­
midable army to take possession of Hungary, he re­
signed himself entirely to the hands of God, and the
Lord, who loved this faithful servant, did not fail to pro­
tect him. At the moment when the attack was feared,
the troops of Conrad withdrew, and no one ever heard
why the Emperor ordered the retreat of his powerful
army.
When the saint had restored peace to his kingdom, he
devoted himself entirely to the work of making the

5i2

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

religion of Jesus Christ prosper, and of removing
abuses. To this end he published several very salu­
tary laws in order to abolish the barbarous customs
of his subjects. At the same time he charged himself
with the care of the poor and of the administration of
justice for all kinds of persons. He thus employed the
greatest part of the day in the government of his sub­
jects; as for the night, he devoted it to meditating on
the eternal truths and to recommending himself and
his subjects to God.
Entirely resigned to the divine will, he suffered in
peace the death of all his children, and especially that
of Emeric, his eldest son, who was endowed with the
greatest virtue, and whom he loved fondly. He also
suffered with exemplary patience his numerous infirmi­
ties until God, in 1038, called him to heaven at the age
of sixty-one. He died in profound peace on the day of
the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, whom he had
honored with singular devotion during his whole life,
and to whom he had raised a magnificent church in
which he wished to be buried.
4. St. Ethelbert, King of England.

When St. Gregory the Great, in 596, had sent the
monk St. Augustine, accompanied by other religious,
to preach the faith in England, King Ethelbert, en­
lightened and converted, gained by the aid which he
gave to these good missionaries several provinces to the
religion of Jesus Christ. His successors, continuing to
favor the mission, had the consolation of seeing this
kingdom remain faithful till the time of the unfortu­
nate King Henry VIII., who in 1533 separated from the
Church. During this interval one may say that England
was a seminary ot saints, so that there was found no
country that had not as its special protector one of
its own canonized countrymen. But then came Henij

Chap. l/f. Examples and ( onclusion.

513

\ III., who, forming a new heresy, declared himself the
head of the Church; and from that time till the present
the kingdom has become a sink of heresies in which all
Protestant sects find room, while the Catholic religion
is banished from the whole country. O England! who
should not weep with compassion when considering
what thou wert formerly, the Land of Angels, as thou
wast called, and what thou art at the present day!
5. Louis XIV., King of France.

It would take too long were I to relate here what has
been done by many other monarchs who by their zeal
have purged their kingdoms of infidels or heretics.
But I cannot omit to mention with special praise what
was accomplished by the great Louis XIV., a truly
Christian king. In 1685 he revoked the Edict of
Nantes of the year 1598, by which his predecessor,
Henry IV., had permitted the Huguenots the free ex­
ercise of the impious sect of Calvin. Louis XI\ ., not­
withstanding the clamors of the Calvinists, courage­
ously prohibited all their religious exercises and all
their assemblies, public and private, under the penalty
of imprisonment and confiscation of property. He.
moreover, ordained that all those subjects that wished
to profess their pretended reformed religion to depart
from all the lands subject to his authority, together
with their wives and children; he allowed them only to
take with them their personal property.
There were at that time politicians who taxed with
imprudence this measure by which the king banished
from ids kingdom so many thousand families, so many
millions of gold, so many renowned artisans, who were
obliged to go to live in a strange country on account of
religion. But Louis Muratori says: “ The king wished
to prefer the welfare of the Catholic religion and the
peace of his kingdom to his own interest; for the State,
33

514

Fidelity of Subjects to God.

on account of preceding events, never felt itself secure
while harboring in its bosom people of a different relig­
ion, who never ceased to injure it and to hamper the ex­
ercise of its power. In a word,” concludes Muratori,
“ so pious and generous an action on the part of Louis
XIV. will always suffice to render his name glorious
and immortal.”
5. Charles Emmanuel I., Duke of Savoy.

There are not wanting other similar examples that
we may relate; but those given seem to suffice because
I do not wish to weary the reader. I cannot, however,
omit to relate here the manner in which Charles Emman­
uel, Duke of Savoy, brought about with the divine help
the conversion of Chablais, which was quite infected
with Calvinism The inhabitants of this whole country
had entirely abandoned the Catholic religion, and lived
without sacraments, without churches, and without
priests, having only preachers who continued to per­
vert them. It was then that the Duke wrote to the
Bishop of Geneva to persuade him to make choice of
several fervent missionaries, and to send them to preach
to his erring people in order to bring them back to their
old religion. He promised to aid them with his protec­
tion. The bishop chose as the head of the mission St.
Francis de Sales, who with his companions converted a
large number of heretics, but many others remained
obstinate.
The Duke had then recourse to several other means
to secure the entire conversion of Chablais; especially
did he wish to go there himself so as to give the mis­
sion the aid of his presence and of his authority. But
seeing that the obstinate did not wish to yield, he one
day ordered all the heretics to assemble the following
day at his palace. He then went there himself, accom­
panied by his soldiers, who might prevent all disorder.

Chap. IIP Examples and Conclusion.

515

When he saw them all ogathered before him, he bade all
to be silent and said that, although in the beginning he
could have used authority and force to make them re­
enter the Catholic Church which they had abandoned,
yet he wished to employ only peaceable and gentle means
by which the most of the erring ones had already been
brought back to the bosom of the Church. Seeing the
others blinded to such an extent as to wish to ruin
themselves in this world and the next, he declared that
he had decided not to suffer in his States those who by
their obstinacy would show themselves enemies of God
and of their prince. Consequently, he ordered the
good to separate themselves from the obstinate, and
those that wished to follow his religion should place
themselves on his right, and the others should stand on
his left.
When he had ceased speaking and had waited for
some time, a small number remained on the left, and
the greater part went over to his right.
Then the
Uuke, turning to the latter, said that he would always
consider them his faithful subjects who could rely on
his favor; then turning towards those on his left, he spoke
thus to them: “ As to you who in my presence dare to
declare yourselves the enemies of God and my enemies,
vou must leave my States without any hope of ever be­
ing able to come back. I deprive you of your offices
and your dignities; for I prefer to have no subjects
than to have such as you are, whom I should always
have to mistrust.’’ Having' said this, he turned his
back upon them. But afterwards the Lord consoled
this good prince; for St. Francis de Sales, after this
event, had the happiness of inducing them all to
repent and to be converted: whereupon he was able to
obtain for the prince the favor of their return, so that
’hey all lived in peace in their country.

5'6

Fidelity of Szibjects to God.
Conclusion.

Ί hese last two examples make us see especially how
ill-founded is the opinion of some cavillers who say
that even in Catholic kingdoms unbelievers should be
tolerated in order that the peace of the State may be
preserved. Peace is a gift of God; how can those that
are the enemies of God preserve the peace? A heretic
named John Leonard Frooereisen in a discourse which he
published at Strasbourg, speaking of the churches of the
communion of Augsburg, although a Lutheran, wrote
this memorable sentence against himself: “Our communion is an army in which every one wishes to be the
chief. It is a serpent, cut up into several parts, which
lives but will soon die.” This means that among unbe­
lievers every one wishes to act as he pleases, because,
as has been said at the beginning,
O
O' those that do not
obey God will no longer obey their sovereign.
We know that sovereigns cannot always do what
they wish for the good of religion. They must some­
times use prudence in order not to lose everything.
I also know that it is not expedient to employ force to
induce subjects to embrace the true faith. Force was
formerly a means used by tyrants who wished to compel
men to believe what they should not believe, such as
idolatrv. God forces no one to come to him: Nullum
ad sc trahit invitum.
He wishes us to adore him with a
free heart, without constraint.
Moreover, zealous
princes did not fail to use means more appropriate and
more efficacious than force, in order to prevail upon
their subjects to follow sound doctrine; and when every
other means fails them, they call into their States good
missionaries who by holy instruction dissipate error and
make known true faith and the true way of salvation, as
have done the before-mentioned princesand many others.
It is true, it is the duty of the bishops to found

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Chap. III. Examples and Conclusion.

517

missions; but experience bas proved that the zeal of a
virtuous and prudent prince is worth more than a
thousand bishops, a thousand missions, and a thousand
missionaries.
Hence when a Catholic prince has
heretics in his States, he should try his best to have
with him good priests to labor for the conversion
of these unbelievers. In many non-Catholic countries
it is forbidden to zealous preachers to enter; but a
prince who loves the glory of God may remedy this
evil by his power and his prudence.
1 conclude, so as not to weary the reader; since it was
for this reason that I have made this little work as brief
as possible. I finish it while praying to God to give
by his grace to all sovereigns, especially to those into
whose hands this writing will fall, the courage to
co-operate in the increase of his glory.
I implore at
the same time our Lord to grant them a happy reign in
this life and perfect happiness in life eternal.

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INDEX.

A
Admission of subjects into the Congregation, 77, 83; dispositions re­
quired, 77, 104, 122. See Novices.
Admonition of the Rector Major, his appointment and his functions,
80;—of the Provincial, his appointment, 81 (note);—of the local
Rector, his appointment, 77, and his functions, 81.

B
Bishops: useful reflections for governing well their churches, 429.
Care of the seminary, 434.
Blasphemy, one of the principal gates of hell, 358.
Books that one may have, 68.
Brothers, Lay, confession, Communion, and spiritual Prefect, 71.

C
Calamities: God sends them for our good, 378. Texts of Scripture
and of the Fathers, 421.
Chapter, General, its formation and its functions, 78, 79, 84:—Pro­
vincial, 81 (note).
Chastity, vow, 69.
Children : age of first Communion and preparation, 438.
Clothing, poor but suitable, 67.
Comforts of life: one must be detached from them, 107, 171.
Confessors: requisite qualities and duties, 435. Confessors for the
seminary, 4S0; for the religious, 442.
Confessors of the subjects, two are appointed in each house, 71.
Congregation: its end or aim, 61, 64, 66, 157; charges or occupa­
tions contrary to this end, 65 Particular obligations of the
members 67. See (Admission, .Rules.') Government of the In­
stitute, 76.
Congregations for ecclesiastics, 434; or confraternities h r 1· u’r.rs,
452.
Z 5

520

Index.

CoNSULTORs-General, their appointment and their functions, 78, 7g

S3,84.

·

x

Correction : manner of making it, 469.

1)
Dignities: obligation in regard to them, 68.
Disciplines prescribed by the Rule, 74.
Dispensation from the Rule, 84;—from the vows, 71, 84.
Dismissal of subjects, 78.
Dress, ecclesiastical: to be worn by parish priests, 435.

E

. ’

Examinations of conscience to be made every day, 72.
Exercises, spiritual: for seminarians, 436; for religious, 443.

F
Fasts and abstinences which the Rule prescribes, 74.
Food, 67, 70.

'

G
God threatens us with chastisement to make us avoid it, 321; he
wishes that we should fear his justice, 324 ; he hates sin, 342; he

chastises us to make us merciful, 388.

H
Hatred, one of the principal gates of hell, 354.
Hell: its four principal gates, 354
Hours, canonical: they arc recited in common, 72.
Humility: practice of this virtue, 72.
«

J

Jesus Christ : we must imitate his virtues and examples, 62, 72,
104.

Love and gratitude that we owe him, 149.

L

Lectors, or professor’s, their appointment, 77.

J*

Index,

521

sermons, the Rule does not permit the members of the Congre­
gation to preach them, 65.
Li 1 1 Eks : permission required to write and to receive them, 70.
Lent,

M
M \rv, Mother of God: she is the mediatrix of sinners with God, 410.
Mass: the priests should celebrate it every day, 71,
M \ster of Novices, his appointment, 78, and his functions, 84,
Mercy of God, 321, 388; misfortune of those that abuse it, 337, 342.
Minister of the local Rector, his appointment and his functions, 82.
Missions, one of the ends of the Institute, 62, 64; occupations con­
trary to this end, 65; appointment of the subjects, 64, 84;
meetings or conferences on the manner of giving them, 75;
their use, 463.
Mortification, interior and exterior, 74, 107.

admission and dismissal, 81 (note); exercises, S3; tempta­
tions to which they are exposed, 165.
their direction and spiritual exercises, 65.

Novices:

Ncns,

O
70.
< Observance.
See Aulcs.
Orders minor or major: conditions required to received them, 437'
( Jrdinaries, submission that is due them, 62. 70, 77,
Ordination of subjects, 77, 84.
Obedience,

vow,

P

we must be detached from them, 108, 166; they cannot
oppose the vocation of their children, 97; permission required
to visit them, 75.
Passion of Jesus Christ, sermon, 298.
Penances, corporal, imposed or permitted, 74.
Peri ection or sanctity, we must desire it and tend to it, 146; neces­
sity of purity of intention, 192.
Perseverance, vow and oath, 70, 84; prayer to obtain it, 184.
Plagues of God. See Calamities.
Parents:

Index.

52 2
P >VERTY, vow, 67.

Dissertation on religious poverty, 197.

»or, abandoned, we must succor them in their spiritual wants, 62.
' ;ayer: mental, 72; it appeases God when it is offered as it should
Ik·, 401.
PxEi ECi of the students, his appointment and his functions, 84.
P unces: fidelity of subjects to God renders them faithful to their
prince, 495.
·'/£
PKOCURATOR-General, his appointment and his functions, 80;—Pro­

vincial, 81 (note).
PROVINCES of the Institute, their erection, 77 (note).

See the his­

torical notice at the beginning of the volume.
Provincial, his appointment and his functions, 77, 81 (note).

R
Rector Major: his election, his residence, and his functions, 76, 81,
83; he can be deposed, 79 ;—Local, his appointment, 77, and his

functions, 75, 81.

See

Superiors.

' wU

Rosary: manner of saying it with profit, 289.
Ri les. 61; they should be read in common, 75; obedience that is due
to them, 70, 83.

,H

S
Sanctity. See Perfection.
"wO
Silence, time and places where it is to be kept, 73.
St periors: their obligations in regard to the observance of the Rules,
68, 83; obedience and respect that is due them, 70.
SELF esteem, detachment from it, in.

I .^3

Si RANGERS, prohibition to bring them into the house, 70.
Students, the spiritual care of them and ordination, 84.
Sick: the care that should lx: taken of them, 71; they shall not desire
to return to their families, no.

Sin: God hates it, 343; exterior devotions arc useless if we do not
remove sin from our souls, 368.

Sinners: they will rot believe in the divine threats until the chastise­
ment has come upon them, 331.

Seminaries: duty of the bishop, 434, 476; of thc director, 434; of the
Prefects, 435; Rules, 474.

ΊΊιεο,/χ.υ: weekly <onk-rcnce«,

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J|

75; moraI. a ,clencc necessary

,he

Index.
priest and difficult ; knowledge of it required of the candidates

of ordination; duty of studying it, 434, 477; tepidity, 140.

The) 1, one of the principal gates of hell, 361.

V
\’i! 11 !■., to be practised more especially each month, 72.

Vp \r-Generai. named at the death of the Rector Major, his func­
tions, 78.

.

Vi-ii or, his appointment and his functions, 77, 81 (note).
Visri, to be made every day to the Blessed Sacrament and to the

Blessed Virgin, 72.

.

Vocation: it comes from God, its importance, 87; we must follow
it without delay, 92; misery to which one exposes one’s self by
not corresponding to it, 89, 130, 132; means of preserving it in
the world, 96, and in the novitiate, 180; temptations against
vocation, 118, 165.
Vows made in the Congregation, 67, 84; dispensation, 71, 84.

Vengeance: to wish to revenge one’s self is to renounce Paradise, 356.