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THE COMPLETE ASCETICAL WOKKS

ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI.

24 vols., Price, per vol., net, $1.25.

Each book »« complete In itself, and any volume will be
gold separately.

Volume I.

II.

«' III.

IV.

V.
VI.

4t VII.

IX.
X.

XII.
XIII.

XIV.
XV.

XVI.
" XVII.

XVIII
XXII.
XXIII

PREPARATION FOR DEATH ; or, Considerations on the Eter
nal Truths. Maxims of Eternity — Rule of Life.

WAY OF SALVATION AND OF PERFECTION : Meditations.
Pious Reflections. Spiritual Treatises.

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.

THE INCARNATION, BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS
CHRIST ; or, The Mysteries of Faith.

THE PASSION AND THE DEATH of JESUS CHRIST.

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.

VIII. GLORIES OF MARYS 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.

VICTORIES OF THE MARTYRS ; or, the Lives of the Most

Celebrated Martyrs of the Church.

, XL THE TRUE SPOUSE OF JESUS CHRIST : i. The first
sixteen Chapters. 2. The last eight Chapters. Appendix
and various small Works. Spiritual Letters.

DIGNITY AND DUTIES OF THE PRIEST; or, SELVA, a
collection of Material for Ecclesiastical Retreats. Rule
of Life and Spiritual Rules.

THE HOLY MASS: Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ceremonies
of the Mass. Preparation and Thanksgiving. The Mass
and the Office that are hurriedly said.

THE DIVINE OFFICE : Explanation of the Psalms and
Canticles.

PREACHING : The Exercises of the Missions. Various
Counsels. Instructions on the Commandments and
Sacraments.

SERMONS FOR SUNDAYS.

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.
, XIX., XX., XXI. LETTERS.

LETTERS AND GENERAL ALPHABETICAL INDEX.
, XXIV. LIFE OF ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI.

Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago.

THE COMPLETE WORKS

SAINT ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI,

DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH,

Bishop of Saint Agatha, and Founder of the Congregation of the Most
Holy Redeemer.

TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.

EDITED BY

K,E"V- IE TJ Gr E! IsT IE Gr IR I DVt IMI 3

Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

THE ASCETICAL WORKS.
Volume XV.

PREACHING.

Letter to a Religious. Letter to a Bishop. The Exercises
of the Missions. Instructions on the Command
ments and the Sacraments.

THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION,

RNDE PATER:

Memoriam gloriosi Congregations SS. Redemptoris Fundatoris, centesimo,
a.b ejus obitu, adventante anno, pio et admodum opportune consilio recolere
aggressus es, dum omnia ipsius opera anglice vertenda, et typis edenda curasti.
Summus itaque Pontifex, cui turn S. Doctoris exaltatio, turn fidelium utilitas
summopere cordi est libentissime excepit 9 volumina hue usque edita, quas Ei
offerre voluisti. Ac dum meritas Tibi laudes de hac perutili tua cura prasbet,
et gratias de filial! oblatione agit, Benedictionem, quam tuis obsequentissimis
litteris petiisti, Emi quoque archiepiscopi Baltimorensis commendationi
obsecundans, ex intimo corde impertiit.

Ha2c ad Te deferens fausta cuncta ac felicia a Domino Tibi adprecor.
Paternitatis Tuae,

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 holy 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 th'..' 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.,

PREACHING.

Letter to a Religious. Letter to a Bishop. The

Exercises of the Missions. Instructions on the

Commandments and the Sacraments.

ST. ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI,

Doctor of the Church.

EDITED BY

REV. EUGENE GRIMM,

Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

NEW YORK, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO:
BZEUSTZIG-IEIR,

Printers to the Holy Apostolic See.

R. WASHBOURNE, >>w

18 PATERNOSTER Row, LONDON.

M. H. GILL & SON,
50 UPPER O'CONNELL STREET, DUBLIN.

1890,

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
" PREACHING," which is Volume XV. of the new and complete edition
in English of the works of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, called "The
Centenary Edition."

ELIAS FRED. SCHAUER,

Sup. Prov. Baltimorcnsis.

BALTIMORE, MD., May 12, 1889.

J/1N23 J953

CONTENTS.

NOTICE J3

PREACHING.

LETTER TO A RELIGIOUS ON THE MANNER OF PREACHING WITH

APOSTOLIC SIMPLICITY, O

REFUTATION OF A FRENCH WORK ENTITLED "ON PREACHING," . 63
LETTER TO A BISHOP RECENTLY APPOINTED ON THE ADVANTAGES
OF MISSIONS 73

THE EXERCISES OF THE MISSIONS.

INTRODUCTION, ....... 93

CHAPTER I. EXHORTATIONS,. . . . . .... 95

I. Exhortations of the evening, 95.

Preliminary remarks, 95. Division of the discourse, 97.
Examples of different evening exhortations, 101. Various
stanzas, 109. — Simultaneous exhortations, in.
II. Exhortations of the day, 114.
III. Exhortation of the discipline, 117.— Exhortation to trail

the tongue on the ground, 121.
IV. Exhortation of peace, 124.

CHAPTER II. THE ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN, 130

I. The Narration, 130.

II. The Mysteries, 133.

The joyful mysteries, 133. The sorrowful mysteries, 136.
The glorious mysteries, 137.
CHAPTER III. PREPARATORY ACTS FOR THE CONFESSION OF

CHILDREN, r4°

CHAPTER IV. SOLILOQUIES FOR HOLY COMMUNION, i46

Example of the soliloquy for the people with the pre
paratory acts for Communion, 147. Exhortation of peace
before Communion, 149. Acts of desire, 151. Thanks
giving after Communioi,aji53.

6 Contents.

PAGE

CHAPTER V. THE LITTLE CATECHISM, OR THE CHRISTIAN DOC
TRINE TAUGHT THK CHILDREN, AND THE LITTLE SERMON
THAT IS PREACHED TO THEM AFTERWARD, 156

I. The method to be following in teaching catechism, 156.

II. What should be explained to the children during the mis
sion, 157. The mysteries of our holy faith, 158. The
sacraments, 159. The commandments of God and the
commandments of the Church, 163.

III. The little sermon addressed to the children after cate
chism, 165.
CHAPTER VI. THE LARGE CATIIECISM, OR INSTRUCTION FOR THE

PEOPLE, 169

CHAPTER VII. THE SERMON, i?9

I. The Invention, or the choice of materials for composing
a sermon, 179. Common interior Places or Topics, 180.
Common extrinsic Places or Topics, 183. The manner
of gathering materials, 184.

II. The Disposition of the parts that belong to a sermon, 184.

The exordium, 185. The proof, 189. The peroration,
194.

III. Elocution, . 198

Tropes, 207. Figures of words, 209. Figures of thought,
213.

IV. Memory, Pronunciation, and. Gesture, 215.

V. Special instructions in regard to mission sermons, 219.
The substance of the sermons, 219. The form of the
sermons, 220. The act of contrition and the end of the
sermon, 223. Examples of various motives for the act
of contrition, 226. Conclusion, 228. Note as to the ser
mons usually preached on our missions, 229.
VI. Exercises of the devout life, 230.

VII. The last sermon, on perseverance, with the Papal blessing,

234. Manner of giving the last sermon, 235. Manner
of taking leave, 237. Manner of giving the blessing,
240

VIII. Other remarks regarding the sermon, 244.

Practices at the end of the sermon, .244. The erection

of crosses, 247. The placing of the audience and of the

pulpit, 250. The hour when the sermon is preached, 251.

CHAPTER VIII. OTHER EXERCISES THAT TAKE PLACE DURING

THE MISSION, ^ ..,,..... 251

I. The morning meditation, 254.^

Contents. 7

PAGE

II. The discourse for the members of the confraternity, 255.

The secret confraternity, 260.
III. The discourse to maidens, 261.
CHAPTER IX. EXERCISES OF PIETY WHICH ARE RECOMMENDED

TO BE PERFORMED AFTER THE MISSIONS, 277

I. Exercises to be performed by the people, 277. Rules of

conduct and practices of devotion which should be ob
served by every unmarried woman who performs the
pious exercises, 280.

II. Exercises that are to be recommended to the priests, 281.
CHAPTER X. GENERAL REMARKS ABOUT THE GIVING OF MISSIONS. 284
CHAPTER XI. THE DUTIES OF THE SUPERIOR OF THE MISSION, . 292
CHAPTER XII. VIRTUES THAT THE MISSIONARIES SHOULD ESPE
CIALLY PRACTISE DURING THE MISSION 2(j7

Obedience, 297. Humility, 297. Mortification, 299.
Piety, 299. Modesty, 300. Courtesy and gravity, 300.

APPENDIX, ' 302

I. Love for Jesus Christ, 302.

II. Devotion to the Mother of God, 305.

III. Necessity of prayer in order to save our souls, 309.

IV. The flight from dangerous occasions, 313.

V. The ruin of souls who through shame omit to confess their

sins, 316.
PlOUS ACTS TO BE MADE IN THE COMMON VlSIT TO THE BLESSED

SACRAMENT AND TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN, 321

METHOD OF GIVING MISSIONS, ... 328

The beginning of the mission, 328. Various exercises,
332. Rules of conduct for the Fathers on missions, 338.
TABLE OF MISSION SERMONS , ... 342

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PEOPLE.

HINTS TO THE CATECHIST IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS INSTRUCTION

MORE PROFITABLE 349

PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION, 359

Original sin, 359. Actual sins, 361. Conclusion, 363.

PART I.

PRECEPTS OF THE CA TALOGUE.

CHAPTER I. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, ........ 366

I. Faith, 368.

What is faith, and what is the Church, 368. What is the

Contents.

•AGE

motive of faith, and how shall we make an act of faith,
369. What are the principal articles of faith, 370. Which
are the things that we must know and believe as necessary
by necessity of means, and others by necessity of precept,
371. Which are the proofs of the truth of our faith, 375.
Practical conclusions, 379.
II. Hope, 379.

What is hope, 379. What is the object of hope, 379.
What is the motive of hope, 379. How is the Blessed Vir
gin our hope, 380. How do we sin against hope, 380.
How do we make an act of hope, 381.

III. Charity, 382.

What is charity, 382. What is the motive of charity,
383. When should we make acts of charity or love of
God, 383. When should we make acts of love for our
neighbor, 384.

IV. Acts of faith, hope, and charity, 385.
V. Prayer, 388.

Necessity and efficacy of prayer, 388. Qualities of prayer
that it may be efficacious, 389.

VI. Charity to our neighbor, 390. What order is to be observed
in our charity to our neighbor, 390. Whom should we
love as our neighbor, 391. What are our duties toward
our neighbor, 393.
VII. Religion, 402.

What is religion, 402. What is superstition, 402. What
is irreligion, 404.

CHAPTER II. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT, .... 405

I. Blasphemy, 405.

What is blasphemy, 405. How great is the sin of blas
phemy, 408. Exhortation, 410.
II. Oaths, 412.

What is an oath, 412. How many kinds of oaths are
there, 413. When does one sin on account of an oath,
413- When does the obligation of an oath cease, 415.
III. The vow, 415.

^ What is a vow, 416. When does the'delay in the execu
tion of a vow become a mortal sin, 417. How does the
obligation of the vow cease, 417.

CHAPTER III. THE THIRD COMMANDMENT 4I(;

I. The obligation of abstaining from servile works, 420.

How many kinds of works are there, 420. Which are the

Contents. 9

PAGE

works forbidden on festivals, 421. What causes pain and
servile work on a holiday, 422. Conclusion. 423-

II. Obligation of hearing Mass, 425.

What is Mass, and how should one hear it, 425. What
sin is it if one is absent from a part of Mass, 42?- Where
should one be to hear Mass, 428. What are the causes that
excuse from the obligation of hearing Mass, 429- Why have
festivals been instituted, and how should we use them, 431.
III. Fasting on Vigils and during Lent, 433.

What must be done in regard to fasting, 433.
CHAPTER IV. THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT, .

I. The obligation of children towards their parents, 436.

How does any one sin against the love that he owes to
his parents, or against filial piety, 436- How does one s
against the respect due to one's parents, 4391 and aSams
obedience, 441.
II. Obligation of parents towards their children, 445-

In regard to sustenance of their children. 445. 1" reg
to their education, 446. How parents sin in regard to the
education of their children, 448. Rule of life for a father
of a family, 45 1-

III. Obligation of masters, servants, and married pers
CHAPTER V. THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT, .

What does the fifth commandment forbid, 459- Is ^ a1'
lowed to destroy one's life, to desire one's death, or to injure
one's health, 400. Which -are the causes that permit the kill
ing of any one, 462. How does one sin by causing abortion,
and by exposing the life of an infant, 463- Is k also a sin to
wish evil to one's neighbor, 464.
CHAPTER VI. THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS, .

What is one obliged to confess in the matter of impurity,
466 What distinction is to be made in regard to bad thoughts,
467. Is impurity a great evil, 470. Which are the remedie
against impure temptations, 473.

CHAPTER VII. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT, 4^3

I. Theft, 483.

What is theft, 483. Is theft a great sin, 484. Who are
those that sin against the seventh commandment, 484.
II. Restitution, 492.

What obligation is there of making restitution, 492. Can
one defer making restitution, 492. What must he do that

io Contents.

PAGE

has not the means to make restitution, 494. Can one make
restitution by having Masses said, 496. Conclusion, 497.
CHAPTER VIII. THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT, .... 500

What does this commandment forbid in the first place,
500; and in the second place, 502. What is detraction, 502,
What are the different ways of sinning by detraction, 503.
How are we to repair the evil caused by detraction, 504. Is
it also a sin to listen to detraction, 506. What does this
commandment forbid in the third place, 506.

The six principal commandments of the Church expressed
in verse, 509.

PART II.

INSTRUCTIONS ON THE HOLY SACRAMENTS.

CHAPTER I. THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL, ...... 510

II. THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM, . , 5I2

III. THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION, 5I5

IV. THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST, . . 518
V. THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE 524

I. Examination of conscience, 525.

II. Sorrow or contrition, 530. •

III. Purpose of sinning no more, 539.

IV. Confession, 546.

V. The penance imposed by the confessor, 558.
CHAT-TEH VI. EXTREME UNCTION, HOLY ORDERS, AND MATRI-

MONY> 563

APPENDIX. MELANCHOLY EXAMPLES OF PERSONS wno HAVE MADE

SACRILEGIOUS CONFESSIONS eyj

' -579

a riling.

NOTICE.

WE have gathered in this volume all that has refer
ence to the holy ministry of preaching, its importance,
the good that it accomplishes, and the manner of ex
ercising it, so that the greatest amount of fruit may be
derived from it. In regard to the ministry of preach
ing, we must distinguish its three parts, namely: the
first has for its object PREACHING IN GENERAL, its neces
sity from a point of view of divine Providence, and the
manner in which one should preach in order to make
preaching successful under all circumstances; the second
regards the MISSIONS, their various exercises, and the
means that one should employ to make them a success;
the third is INSTRUCTION, or the,Large Catechism, which
one should use while giving it, and the best method
that should be followed in order to interest, to en
lighten, and to move others, either during the mission
or at any other time.

We shall not fail to remark the persistency with which
our holy Doctor recommends on every occasion natural
simplicity of language, and reprobates every expression
that savors of grandiloquence, studied eloquence, or any
pretension to elegance. This is a rule that he rigor
ously imposed upon all those that lived under his author
ity; he himself always followed this rule, not only in his
discourses, but also in all his writings.

St. Alphonsus, in preaching and in having others to
preach in this manner, which is joined to the practice
of all the virtues that make men truly apostolic, has
effected and does not cease to effect through his chil-

T^ Notice.

dren an immense deal of good. With feelings of grati
tude to God, he thus congratulates himself in a circular
addressed to the worthy companions of his labors, who
had been formed after his school;

"My dearest Brothers in Jesus Christ: The principal
thing that T recommend to you is the love of Jesus
Christ. Very much are we bound to love him. For this
end he has chosen us from all eternity, and called us
into his Congregation, there to love him, and to make
others also love him. What greater honor, what greater
mark of love, could Jesus Christ have shown us ? He
has snatched us from the midst of the world, in order
to draw us to his love, and that, during the pilgrimage
of this life, by which we must pass into eternity, we
might think of nothing but of pleasing him, and of
bringing those crowds of people to love him who every
year, by means of our ministry, abandon sin, and return
to the grace of God. It is generally the case that when
we begin a mission the greater number of the people of
the place are at enmity with God, and deprived of his
love; but five or six days have scarcely elapsed when,
behold, numbers, as if roused from a deep sleep, begin
to listen to the exhortations, the instructions, and the
sermons; and when they see that God offers them his
mercy, they begin to weep over their sins, and conceive
the desire of being reconciled with him; the way of par
don is opened before them, and seeing it, they begin to
abhor that manner of life which they had previously
loved; a new light begins to shine upon them, and a
peace hitherto unknown touches their hearts. Then
they think of going to confession, to remove from their
souls those vices which kept them separated from God;
and whereas before a Mass of a quarter of an hour ap
peared to them too long, five decades of the Rosary too
tedious, and a sermon of half an hour unendurable,
they now gladly hear a second and a third Mass, and

Notice. 1 5

they are sorry when the sermon, which has lasted an
hour and a half, or perhaps two hours, is over. And of
whom does the Lord make use, if not of us, to work so
wondrous changes, and to bring the people to delight
in those very things that before they despised ? When
the mission is over, we leave in the place two or three
thousand persons who love Almighty God, who before
were living at enmity with him, and who were not even
thinking of recovering his grace."

And while, on the one hand, the holy Founder of an
Order which is altogether apostolic has accomplished
and is still accomplishing so much good by his word;
on the other hand, by his admirable writings, which
have raised him to the rank of Doctor of the universal
Church, he does not cease to preach, every day, with
the greatest fruit, to a countless number of souls in all
parts of the world. ED.

ST. ALPHONSUS published his LETTER TO A RELIGIOUS
in 1761; as he was promoted to the episcopate only in
the following year, the signature of bishop, which we
see at the end of the letter, was added after that period.
It is a complete dissertation on the matter and the form
required in pulpit oratory, for mission sermons, for ser
mons preached in Lent and on Sundays, for panegyrics,
or simple instructions and catechetical instructions.

" He took care to send it," says Tannoia (B. 2, ch.
50), " to the General Superiors of the religious Orders,
and all admired the high degree of sacred eloquence
that he possessed, as well as the zeal with which he
tried to induce preachers, to preach Jesus Christ, and not
to preach themselves."

He also sent copies of this letter to a large number of
bishops, and added to it a note, dated May 10, 1761, in
which he thus expresses himself: " I feel great pain
when I see so many poor ignorant people who listen
to sermons, but derive very little fruit therefrom; and
this because of preachers who use an elevated and a
florid style, and disdain to lower themselves to break
to them the bread of the divine word. It is this that
has determined me to publish the present letter, which
I have the honor to send to your Lordship. I beg you
you to read it, and to have it afterwards read by the
priests of the diocese who are engaged in preaching. I
would also ask you to send it to the convents of relig
ious priests, and to recommend it to the Superiors to
have it read by those that preach. You would also do
me a favor if you asked those to read the letter who
come to preach the sermons during Advent and during
Lent. It is true that the latter bring with them their
sermons prepared; but who knows whether by reading
it they would not correct themselves in the future, and
think of the great account that those preachers will have
to render to God who do not make themselves under
stood by poor ignorant people ?" (Villecourt, 1. 6, p. 4,
ch. 3, a. 8.)

All that we read above shows the importance that our
illustrious Doctor attaches to this letter. ED.

H Cettcr to a fidigions,

IN WHICH HE TREATS OF THE ADVANTAGES OF PREACH
ING IN A SIMPLE AND APOSTOLIC MANNER, AND OF THE
NECESSITY OF AVOIDING AN ELEVATED AND FLORID
STYLE.

Live Jesus, Mary, and Joseph !

I HAVE received your esteemed letter, in which you
say that what I have written in the Sclva, or Collection
of Materials,1 for the spiritual exercises of priests, on the
style to be employed in sermons preached for congre
gations consisting both of the illiterate and the learned,
has been criticised by a distinguished literary character.'
In the Sclva I have asserted that the style of all sermons
preached before the ignorant and the learned should be
simple and popular. My critic, you say, maintains that,
though sacred orators should preach in a clear and or
derly manner, they should never condescend to speak
in a popular style; because, according to him, such a
style is unworthy of the dignity of the pulpit and de
grading to the word of God. This proposition has
astonished me; but, to speak with the sincerity of a
friend, what you have added has scandalized me. The
objections of my critic, you say, appear somewhat rea
sonable to you, because a sermon should have all the
properties of a discourse, and it is admitted that one of
the most essential is to delight the audience; and there
fore, when the audience consists both of the ignorant
and the learned, the sacred orator should not, by a low,

1 Dignity and duties of the priest, or Selva, vol. xii. p. 265.

1 8 Letter to a Religious

popular style, disgust the latter, who are the respectable
part of his hearers, but should speak in a manner calcu
lated to please and delight them.

Now, to explain fully my sentiments on this point,
which I shall show are the sentiments of all wise and
pious men, and to answer every objection that can be
proposed against my opinion, it will be necessary to
repeat much of what has been already written in the
Selva.

It cannot be doubted that by preaching the world has
been converted from paganism to the faith of Jesus
Christ. How, says the Apostle, shall they hear without a
preacher ? Faith then cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God.1 As the faith has been propagated, so it
has been preserved by preaching, and so are Christians
induced by preaching to live according to the maxims
of the Gospel: for it is not enough for the faithful to
know what they must do in order to be saved ; it is,
moreover, necessary for them, by hearing the word of
God, to be reminded of the eternal truths and of their
obligations, and also to adopt the means of obtaining
eternal life. Hence St. Paul commanded Timothy con
tinually to instruct and admonish the flock committed
to his care: Preach the word, be instant in season, out of
season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine?1
Hence also the Lord addressed the same command to
the prophet Isaias: Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a
trumpet, and shew My people their wicked doings? And
again he said to Jeremias, Behold I have given My words
in thy mouth: Lo, I have set thee this day over the nations,

1 " Quomodo autem audient sine praedicante ? . . . Ergo fides ex au-
ditu, auditus autem per verbum Christi." — Rom. x. 14-17.

2 " Prsedica verbum, insta opportune, importune, argue, obsccra,
increpa in omni patientia et doctrina." — 2 Tim. iv. 2.

3 " Clama, ne cesses, quasi tuba exalta vocem tuam, et annuntia
populo meo peccata eorum." — Isa. Iviii. i.

on the Manner of Treadling. 19

and over kingdoms, to root up, and to destroy, etc.1 Jesus
Christ has imposed the same obligation on his apostles,
and through them on all priests who are called to the
office of preaching. Going therefore, teach ye all nations:
. . , to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you?
And if, through the fault of those who are bound to
announce the divine word, a sinner perish, God will
demand an account of his soul at their hands. If, when
I say to the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, thou declare it not
to him, nor speak to him, that he may be converted from his
wicked way, and live, the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand.3

But let us come to the point. My proposition is that,
when the audience is composed of the learned and of
the ignorant, the style of the sermon (I do not here
speak of funeral orations or of panegyrics — of these I
shall say something hereafter) should be simple and
popular. This proposition is not mine only: it is that
of the celebrated Louis Muratori, who is regarded as
one of the first literary characters of the day. It cannot
be said that such a man censured a lofty and polished
style because he was but little acquainted with it; for
the whole world knows that he was a man of great
genius, and of extraordinary literary acquirements. In
his golden book on popular eloquence which is in the
hands of every one, he asserts, and proves most learn
edly, the proposition that I have laid down.

But, to confirm my assertion, I shall take many re
flections from other authors, and particularly from the

" Ecce dedi verba mea in ore tuo; ecce constitui te hodie super
gentes et super regna, ut evellas, et destruas, etc."— fer. i. 9.

" Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes; servare omnia quaecumque
mandavi vobis." — Matt, xxviii. 19, 20.

"Si, dicente me ad impium: Morte morieris; non annuntiaverit ei
. . , ipse impius in iniquitate sua morietur, sanguinem autem ejus
de manu tua requiram " — Ezech. iii. 18.

2O Letter to a Religions

holy Fathers; and I entreat you, and every one into
whose hands this book shall fall, to read the whole of it;
for it contains a great deal of matter most useful for
those that are engaged in preaching, and that are
desirous of gaining souls to Jesus Christ. St. Basil
says: "The sacred school does not follow the precepts
of the rhetoricians." 1 The saint does not mean to say
that the sacred orator should not employ the art of
rhetoric in his sermons, but that he should not imitate
the empty eloquence of the ancient rhetoricians, who
in their orations sought only their own glory. It is not
denied that we should avail ourselves of the rules of
rhetoric in all our sermons. But what, I ask, is the
principal end that every preacher should propose to
himself in using the art of oratory? Certainly he
should have no other object in view than to persuade
and to induce the people to practise what he preaches.
Such is the doctrine of the learned Marquis Orsi, who,
in a letter to Father Platina, says: " Let eloquence be
employed to move rather than to delight; for to move
is the same thing as to persuade, which is the only
object of the art." In his work on popular eloquence
Muratori says that " rhetoric is necessary, not to fill
sermons with flowers, but to teach the method of per
suading and of moving." I shall occasionally take pas
sages from this book; because the opinions of so great
a man cannot, like mine, be treated with contempt. In
his life of the younger Father Segneri he says: " Good
rhetoric is nothing else than a perfect imitation of the
natural and popular method of reasoning with others,
and of persuading, everything superfluous being re
moved. The more the reasoning .of the sacred orator
is natural and intelligible, — not to the few men of learn
ing who may be present, but to the people to whom

"Sacra schola praecepta rhetorum non sequitur."— In Gordium
Mart.

on the 1\ Manner of Preaching. 2 1

he speaks, — the more effective will be his eloquence."
Speaking of the style to be adopted by the preacher of
the divine word, St. Augustine says: "Let him try as
much as possible to be understood, and to be listened
to with docility." J St. Thomas says, " that the preacher
whose principal object is to show his eloquence, does
not so much intend to induce the people to practise
what he teaches, as to imitate himself in the elegance of
his language."2

The language of sermons preached before mixed con
gregations should be so plain and simple that the audi
ence may clearly understand all that is said, and may be
moved to practise all that is taught. Hence the preacher
should avoid two things: loftiness of thought and super
fluous elegance of language.

With regard to the first, would to God that Superiors
would imitate the example of St. Philip Neri. It is re
lated in his life that he commanded those who gave in
structions to the people to speak on subjects that are
useful and popular, and never to enter into scholastic
questions, or to seek after sublime conceptions. Hence
when he heard the members of his Congregation intro
duce subjects that were too subtle or curious, he made
them descend from the pulpit, even though they were in
the middle of the sermon. Finally, he exhorted all to
employ their eloquence in showing, in a plain and easy
style, the beauty of virtue and the deformity of vice.
Of some preachers we may say, with the prophet Isaias,
Who are these that fly as clouds ? 3 And as lofty clouds sel
dom forebode rain, so, from the sermons of those that

" Aget quantum potest ut intelligatur, et obedienter audiatur."-
De Doct. Christ. 1. 4, c. 15, n. 32.

2 " Qui eloquentise principaliter studet, homines non intendit in-
ducere ad imitationem eorum quse dicit, sed dicentis." — Optisc. cap.
xix. 19,

3 " Qui sunt isti, qui ut nubes volant ?" — Is. Ix. 8.

22 Letter to a Religions

preach in a lofty style it cannot be hoped that the
waters of salvation will ever flow. Hence the holy
Council of Trent has commanded all parish priests to
preach in a style accommodated to the capacity of their
flock. " Archpriests, . . . either personally, or by others
who are competent, shall feed the people committed to
them with wholesome words, according to their own
capacity."1 Hence also the celebrated Muratori wisely
observes, " The preacher must speak to the people in
the language in which a man of learning would endeavor
to persuade a peasant, and thus he will make an impres
sion on the learned as well as on the ignorant."

Except, says St. Paul, you utter by the tongue plain speech,
how shall it be known what is said ? For you shall be speak
ing unto the air.'1 Hence, according to the Apostle, they
that preach in language not easily understood by the
people, only speak to the air. But, alas ! how many
preachers are there that labor hard, through a miserable
desire of acquiring the praises of their hearers, to fill
their sermons with sublime conceptions and subtle
thoughts, unintelligible to the people, and recite their
discourses in the tone and manner of a comedian ?
What fruit can such preachers expect from their in
structions ? Louis of Grenada says that the ruin of the
world is to be ascribed to this crying evil, that the greater
number of preachers seek applause rather than the glory
of God and the salvation of souls.3 Would to God it
were not too true ! And Father John d'Avila, in one of
his letters, in which he describes the miseries and ini-

" Archypresbyteri, etc., per se, vel alios idoneos, plebes sibi com-
missas pro earum capacitate pascent salutaribus verbis." — Sess. 5, de
Rcf. c. ii.

" Nisi manifestum sermonem dederitis, quomodo scietur id quod
dicitur? eritis enim in aera loquentes." — i Cor. xiv. 9.

"Maxima praedicatorum turba majorem nominis sui celebrandi,
quam divinae gloriae et salutis humanae procurandae curam habent."—
Eccl. Rhet. 1. i, c. 6.

on the Manner of Preaching. 23

quities of the world, says : " There is no remedy for so
great an evil, principally on account of the preachers,
who are the medicine of these wounds; but such dan
gerous diseases are not cured by the soft lenitives of
polished and delicate discourses — they require strokes
of fire." One would imagine that some of those lofty
preachers study to make themselves unintelligible, or
rather, as Muratori says, that they are ashamed to speak
in language that all can understand. The little ones,
says the prophet Jeremias, have asked for bread, and there
was no one to break it unto them.1 In his comment on this
passage, St. Bonaventure says,2 that the bread of the
divine word is not to be divided in a manner calculated
to indulge curiosity, but must be broken in small pieces
on which the little ones may feast. What profit can the
poor and illiterate derive from sublime conceptions,
from irrelevant erudition, or from long descriptions of
a tempest or of a pleasant garden, the study of which
has cost the preacher a week's labor, though the entire
discourse does not last longer than a quarter of an hour?

And here let it be observed that lofty thoughts and
ingenious reflections, or facts of a curious and distract
ing nature, though they may please the learned, still
injure the effect of the sermon; for, as Muratori well
observes, he that understands them dwells with delight
on the sublimity of the thoughts or on the novelty of
the facts, and does not attend to his own spiritual profit:
thus the will is not affected, and no fruit is produced.

It was not in a lofty style that St. Paul preached to
the Corinthians: And I, brethren, when I came to you, 2
came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto
you the testimony of Christ; for I judged not myself to know

1 " Parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis." — Lam
iv. 4.

2 " Panis frangendus, non curiose scindendus."

24 Letter to a Religious

anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified'
I, brethren, in preaching to you, have not had recourse
to sublime discourses, or to human wisdom: I have
desired only to know Jesus Christ crucified; that is,
that all our hope and our salvation consists in imitating
his sorrows and his ignominies. The sentiments of
Natalis Alexander on this passage of St. Paul are
worthy of attention: "It is not to be wondered at
that most preachers derive no fruit, since they make
their preaching consist in the artifice of secular elo
quence, in measured periods, in excessive ornament of
words and flights of human reason. They do not teach
the. Gospel, but their own inventions; they know not
Jesus crucified, but rather propose to themselves the
imitation of academic orators than that of the apostles
and of apostolic men. Let the humility of the preacher
accompany the simplicity of the sermon, of which
Christian eloquence is not altogether deprived, which
is adorned with a natural, not a counterfeit, beauty.
Let him fear lest by his pride, and by the captivation of
human glory and applause, and by the ostentation of
eloquence he may hinder the work of God. The fewer,
continues the learned author, the ornaments of secular
eloquence the preacher employs, and the less his confi
dence in human means, the more fruitful will his ser
mons be in converting sinners."2

1 " Et ego, cum venissem ad vos, fratres, veni non in sublimitate
sermonis aut sapientiae, annuntians vobis testimonium Christi. Non
enim judicavi me scire aliquid inter vos, nisi Jesum Christum, et hunc
crucifixum." — i Cor. ii. I.

2 " Quid mirum, si nullum fructum faciunt plerique qui praedicationem
in eloquentiae saecularis artificio, in periodorum commensuratione, in
verborum lenociniis humanaeque rationis excursibus collocant. Evan-
gelium non decent, sed inventa sua, Jesum crucifixum nesciunt, aca-
demicos oratores lubentius sibi proponunt imitandos quam apostolos,
et apostolicos viros. Simplicitatem sermonis, non penitus Christiana
destitutam eloquentia, naturali decore ornatam, non fucatam, comitetur

on the Manner of Preaching. 25

The learned and celebrated missionary, Father Jerome
Sparano, of the venerable Congregation of the Pious
Workmen, used to compare those that preach in a lofty
and florid style to artificial fireworks, which, while they
last, make a great noise, but leave after them only a
little smoke. St. Teresa1 then had just reason to say
that the sacred orator who preaches himself does great
injury to the Church. "The apostles," she would say,
"though few, have converted the world; because they
preached with simplicity and with the true spirit of God,
and now so many preachers produce but little fruit."
And why ? " Because," says the saint, " the preachers
of the present time have too much of human wisdom
and human respect, and therefore few only of their
hearers give up the habits of vice." St. Thomas of
Villanova says: " Many preachers there are, but few that
preach as they should." a Philip Neri used to say: " Give
me ten priests with the true spirit of the apostles, and I
will convert the whole world."

By the mouth of the prophet Jeremias the Lord asks:
Why then is not the wound of the daughter of My people
healed?'* In his exposition of this passage St. Jerome
answers: " Because there are not priests to apply the
necessary remedy." ' Speaking of preachers who adul
terate his word, the Lord says, in another place: If

humilitas concionatoris. Timeat ne superbia sua gloriae humanre
plaususque captatione, ac ostentatione eloquentiae Dei opus imped iat.
Quo major ejus humilitas, quo minor in mediis humanis fiducia, minor
eloquentiae secularis affectatio, eo major spiritui etvirtuti Dei ad con-
versionem animarum locus datur."

1 Lift\ ch; xvi.

'2 " Multi praedicatores, sed pauci qui predicant ut oportet." — /// tile
Pi'titcc. cone. 2.

3 " Quare igitur non est obducta cicatrix filiae populi mei ?"— -/<•;-.
viii. 2.

" Eo quod non sunt sacerdotes, quorum debeant curari medi-
camine."

26 Letter to a Religious

they had stood in My counsel and had made My words known
to My people, I should have turned them from, their evil way
and their wicked doings.1 " They would," says Cardinal
Hugo, commenting on this passage, " have made known
My words, not their own." Preachers who speak not in
simple language, preach not the word of God, but their
own; and therefore, says the Lord, sinners remain in
their wicked ways. O God ! what an abuse is it to see
sometimes religious, even of the reformed Orders, who,
from their penitential garments, and from the appear
ance of their mortified lives, seem to breathe zeal and
sanctity, and from whom the people expect to hear
sentiments and words burning with divine love; what
an abuse, I say, is it to see such religious ascend the
pulpit, and deliver a discourse which is only a collection
of ingenious thoughts, of descriptions, of antitheses and
of other such trifles, of inflated language and rounded
periods, which the hearers scarcely understand, and
from which they derive no benefit ! What a pity to see
so many of the poor come to learn the means of saving
their souls, and obliged, after listening to the preacher
for more than an hour, to go away without having
understood any part of the sermon ! They return home
as ignorant as before, and full of discontent at having
spent so much time in attending to a discourse which
they could not understand.

Those orators who preach themselves, and are not
understood by their audience, sometimes say: "The
people were all attentive to the discourse " I also say
that the people were attentive; they wished to under
stand the discourse, but have they understood it?
Muratori says that he had seen .the poor listen with
open mouths to panegyrics, of which they scarcely
understood a single word. Hence it happens, that, hav-

" Si stetissent in consilio meo, et nota fecissent verba mea popujo
meo, avertissem utique eos a via sua mala."— /<•'-. xxiii. 22.

on the Manner of Preaching, 27

ing found by experience that they do not understand
the discourses preached in the Church, they become
disgusted with religious discourses, they cease to attend
to them, and thus become more and more obstinate in
vice. Justly, then, has Father Gaspar Sanchez called
those who do not preach in a simple style the greatest
persecutors of the Church; for, in reality, there cannot
be a greater persecution or evil that can befall the
people than the adulteration of the word of God; for,
when mixed up with flowers and trifles, it is either not
understood, or is at least deprived of its efficacy; so
that it cannot give to the people the light and help
which they might receive from it.

Secondly, the preacher should employ words that arc
in common use, and should avoid those that are not
understood by the illiterate. Preachers of long stand
ing and of high character must be particularly careful
to use language easily understood by the people ; for,
should they speak in a polished style, young preachers,
being naturally desirous of applause, will study to imi
tate them. Thus the abuse will be more widely extended,
and the poor will be deprived of the fruit of the word
of God. St. Jerome compares vain preachers, who em
ploy only sounding and polished words, to women who
by their vain ornaments please men, but do not please
God.1

But Father Bandiera, in the preface of his Gcrotri-
camcrone, controverts the opinion of those who maintain
that in sermons a selection of words, and careful atten
tion to the collocation necessary for elegant diction, do
not edify the people, but, on the contrary, destroy the
simplicity suited to spiritual subjects, and take up the
preacher's time in the study of empty words. He as-

" Effeminatae quippe sunt eorum magistrorum animse qui semper
sonantia componunt, et nihil virile, nihil Deo dignum est in iis." — In
Ezt-c/i. Jioni. 3.

28 Letter to a Religious

serts that ornaments of style throw a splendor round
spiritual subjects, such as the maxims of faith, the
beauty of virtue, and the deformity of vice. He says
that the holy Fathers employed these ornaments, and
that without their aid the word of God cannot be
preached with dignity from the pulpit. He also adds,
that some persons censure select language as unsuited
and injurious to devotion, because they themselves have
not a command of polished expression. To remove
every erroneous impression that might be made on the
minds of his readers I shall answer his arguments and
refute his assertions.

First; I cannot conceive what could have induced
Father Bandiera to give expression to so unreasonable
sentiments in his preface; for in the body of his work
he says that, when the greater part of the audience con
sists of the poor, the style of the sermon should be easy
and simple, and that sometimes it should be low, when
otherwise the hearers would not derive profit from the
discourse. He also says that the style of academic
discourses is very different from that of sermons. He
adds that preachers who, in their instructions, should
adopt the style of his own work, would act improperly.
He then agrees in opinion with us, that, when the greater
part of the audience is composed of the illiterate, the
style of the sermon must, if the preacher wishes to pro
duce fruit, be simple, and be accommodated to the capa
city "of the hearers. What, then, has induced him to assert
that the dignity of the divine word, delivered from the
pulpit, requires the ornaments of style, and that those
ornaments give splendor to spiritual things; or that
some writers, because they themselves have not a com
mand of language, censure, as injurious to devotion, a
nice selection of words ?

Let us now come to the refutation of the assertions of
Father Bandiera: his opinion should be received with

on the Manner of Preaching. 29

caution, for, being an eminent professor of the Tuscan
language, he may have been induced to adopt it by too
great an attachment to eloquence of expression. He
says that " it is necessary to give splendor to spiritual
subjects." Such is not the language of St. Ambrose.
This Father says that Christian preaching stands not
in need of the pomp or elegance of words, and that
therefore ignorant fishermen were chosen by the Lord
to preach the Gospel, and to sow the word of God pure
and unadulterated.1

Natalis Alexander answers Father Bandiera, and says
that the word of God requires not affected and flowery
ornaments, since it is adorned by the natural beauty
which it contains in itself; and therefore the more
simply it is expounded, the more luminous and splendid
it appears. The words of the same author, which have
been already quoted, are so appropriate, that I shall re
peat them in this place: "Let the humility of the
preacher accompany the simplicity of the sermon, of
which Christian eloquence is not altogether deprived,
which is adorned with a natural, not a counterfeit,
beauty. . . . The fewer the ornaments of secular elo
quence the preacher employs, and the less his confidence
in human means, the more fruitful will his sermons be
in converting sinners."5 Thus the more purely and
nakedly the word of God is preached, the more forcibly
it strikes the hearts of the hearers; for, according to the
Apostle, it is in itself living and effective; so that it is

" Praedicatio Christiana non indiget pompa et cultu sermonis;
ideoque piscatores, homines imperiti, elect! sunt qui evangelizarent."—
In i Cor. I.

* " Simplicitatem sermonis non penitus Christiana destitutam elo-
quentia naturali decore ornatam, non fucatam, comitetur humilitascon-
cionatoris. . . . Quo minor in mediis humanis fiducia, minor elo-
quentiae saecularis affectatio, eo major spiritui et virtuti Dei ad con'-
versionem animarum locus datur. "

30 Letter to a Religious

more piercing than a two-edged sword.1 And God
himself, by the mouth of the prophet Jeremias, has de
clared that his word is a fire which inflames, and a
hammer which breaks the rock in pieces — that is, the
most hardened hearts: Are not My words as a fire, saith
the Lord : and as a hammer thatbreaketh the rock in pieces!*

Let us examine the sentiments of the author of
the Imperfect Work on this subject. " The word of
God," he says, " though simple and popular, is in
itself living, and gives life to those who hear it, be
cause it contains in itself the truth of God, which
persuades and moves the hearts of men; but human
language, though polished and select, is, for want of
God's co operation, dead, and therefore produces no
fruit." a The learned Mansi says that when it is naked
and divested of ornament the word of God strikes the
heart, but adorned with flowers, it is like a sword within
its scabbard — it cannot cut.'

Father Bandiera asserts that the holy Fathers have in
their writings employed the ornaments of style. In
answer I say, that we have not heard the sermons of
these Fathers, nor are we acquainted with their style of
preaching. We only read their written discourses, and
we know that sermons which were preached in a simple

1 " Vivus est sermo Dei, et efficax, et penetrabilior omni giadio
ancipiti." — Heb. iv. 12.

2 " Numquid non verba mea quasi ignis, dicit Dominus, et quasi
malleus conterens petram ?"— -Jcr. xxiii. 29.

3 " Omnia verba divina quamvis rustica sint et incomposita, viva
sunt, quoniam intus habeant veritatem Dei et ideo vivificant audientem.
Omnia autem verba secularia quoniam non habent in se virtutem Dei,
quamvis sint composita et ingeniosa, mortua sunt; propterea nee audi
entem salvant." — Horn. 46.

4 " Sicut gladius ferire nequit, nisi si nudus; nam intra vaginam
constitutus quantumvis sit acutus non vulnerabit: ita verbum Dei, ut
impiorum corda vulneret, nudum esse debet, sine figurarurn ornamento,
aut vanae eloquentiae floribus." — "Biblioth. mor. tr. 83, d. ir.

on the Manner of Preaching, 31

and popular style are usually polished before they are
committed to writing or given to the public. This re
mark has been made by the celebrated Muratori. " It is,"
he says, " true that St. Ambrose very frequently spoke
in an abstruse manner; but we have not the sermons
which he preached to the people." He reduced to trea
tises the discourses delivered from the pulpit, and added
to them various ornaments, so that the original form
of his popular instructions has disappeared. But Mu
ratori says that, in their sermons to the people, the most
celebrated Fathers of the Church, namely, St. Basil, St.
Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa,
St. Gregory the Great, St. Maximus, and St. Gaudentius,
preferred popular to sublime eloquence; and this is evi
dent, as well from the sermons as from the other works
of these saints. Let us hear how St. John Chrysostom
speaks of sermons embellished with pompous words and
well-turned periods: " We seek by those words and
beautiful compositions to delight our neighbors. We
try to be admired, but we are not anxious to heal the
diseases of our neighbors." l And he adds, that the
preacher who studies to delight others and to attract
admiration by elegant compositions should be denomi
nated "Miserable and unhappy traitor."2 St. Augus
tine says: "We do not make use of high-sounding and
poetical words of secular eloquence, but we preach
Christ crucified." z

Father John d'Avila used to say, that every preacher
should ascend the pulpit with a thirst for the salvation
of souls, which would make him endeavor and hope,

1 " Iljiecnos patimur, verborum fucos conqvuerentes, etcompositionem'
elegantem, ut delectemus proximum. Consideramus quomodo videamur
admirabiles, non quomodo morbos componamus." — Hotn. 33, ad pop.

2 " Miser et infelix proditor. " — Ad pop. ant. hom. 33.

3 " Non nos tonantia et poetica verba proferimus nee eloquentia
utimur secular! sermone fucata, sed prsedicamus Christum crudfixum."

32 Letter to a Religious

with the divine aid, to gain to God the souls of all his
hearers. Hence St. Gregory says that the sacred orator
should descend to the level and should accommodate
his language to the weak understanding of the people.1
This is the doctrine of Muratori, who says that every
one who preaches to the illiterate "ought to imagine
that he is one of them, and that he wishes to teach and
convince them of some truth." And therefore he says
he is bound to adopt the most popular and lowest kind
of eloquence, and to proportion his language to their
gross understandings, by speaking to them in a familiar
manner, using short sentences, and sometimes even pro
posing questions and giving the answers. The merit of
such sermons consists in employing the language and
figures which usually make an impression in common
conversation.

St. Gregory deemed it unworthy of a preacher of the
Gospel to confine himself to the rules of grammar, and
therefore he says that in his sermons he frequently
exposed himself to the imputation of ignorance, by
uttering even barbarisms.3 In his exposition of the
words of David, My bone is not hid from Thee, which
Thou hast made in secret? St. Augustine, knowing that
the word os signified either the mouth or a bone, used
the barbarous word ossum to express the meaning of the
prophet ; for he preferred to be censured by gram
marians rather than to be unintelligible to the people.4

1 " Debet ad infirmitatem audientium semetipsum contrahendo des-
cendere, ne dum parvis sublimia, et idcirco non profutura loquitur,
magis curet se ostendere quam auditoribus prodesse." — Mor. 1. 20, c. i.

8 " Non barbarismi confusionem devito, etiam prsepositionum casus
servare contemno, quia indignum existimo ut verba coelestis oraculi
restringam sub regulis Donati." — Ep. ad Leandr. in Expos. L Job.

3 "Non est occultatum os meum a te, quod fecisti in me." — Ps.
cxxxviii. 15.

4 " Habeo in abscondito quoddam ossum. Sic potius loquamur, melius
est ut reprehendant nos grammatici quam non intelligant populi." — In
Ps. 138, n. 20.

on the Manner of Preaching. 33

Such was the contempt of the saints for elegance of
style when they spoke to the people. In the fourth
book on the Christian Doctrine, the same Father says
that the preacher should not be the servant of his words,
and thus expose himself to the danger of not being
understood ; but he should employ the language best
calculated to convey his meaning and to persuade his
hearers.1 It is in this manner, as the prophet says,
"bread is broken to the little ones." The little ones have
asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them?
Hence the sermons of the missions and of the spiritual
exercises produce so much fruit, because in them the
bread of the divine word is minutely broken to the
people.

I may be asked: Do you mean that all sermons should
be composed in the same style as the sermons for the
missions? In answer, I in the first place ask: What is
understood by sermons for the missions? Is it a dis
course composed of vulgar expressions, without order
and without method? No: vulgar phrases are not
necessary; they are not becoming even in familiar in
structions, much less in sermons. Order is indispensa
ble in all sermons. The art of oratory, and the occa
sional use of tropes and figures, are also necessary; and
therefore you must have observed that, in the third part
of the Selva? speaking of the style of preaching to be
adopted in the missions, I have given a comprehensive
abstract of rhetoric, for the instruction of the young
men of our congregation. But the rules of rhetoric are,
as Muratori says, suited even to popular eloquence, pro
vided the preacher employ them, not to win applause,

1 " In ipso sermone malit (concionator) placere rebus magis quam
verbis; nee doctor verbis serviat, sed verba doctori."

2 " Parvuli petierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis." — Lam.
iv. 4.

3 Farther on, in Chapter VII. of the present volume.

34 Letter to a Religious

but to move his hearers to lead a Christian life. The
art of oratory should, adds Muratori, be used, but only
in such a way that it may not be perceived by the
people.

There is no doubt that the sermons prepared for the
missions should be more easy and simple, and less en
cumbered with Latin quotations, than other discourses.
Some young missionaries fill their sermons with a con
fused medley of texts of Scripture, and long passages of
the holy Fathers; but what profit can a poor illiterate
peasant derive from so many Latin quotations, which he
does not understand ? Texts of Scripture serve to give
authority to our instructions, but only when they are
few, and explained in a manner proportioned to the
capacity of our audience. One text well expounded,
and accompanied with appropriate moral reflections,
will be more profitable than many passages heaped to
gether. An occasional passage from the holy Fathers
is also very useful; but it should be short and forcible,
and peculiarly applicable to the subject. Look at the
sermons of that celebrated preacher, the Venerable
Father Paul Segneri, and you will find that they con
tain few Latin passages, but a great many practical
reflections and moral deductions.

The style of preaching in the missions must certainly
be more simple and popular, that the poor may be per
suaded and moved to virtue. The language should be
plain and the periods concise, so that a person may
understand any sentence without having heard or under
stood the preceding one, and that they who come to the
church in the middle of the sermon may immediately
understand what the preacher says. If the style of the
sermon be close and connected, the illiterate, who have
not heard the first period, will not understand the
second, nor the third. Moreover, as Muratori well ob
serves, in order to keep up the attention of the people

on the Manner of Preaching. 35

it is necessary to make frequent use of the figure called
Anaphora, by proposing questions and replying to them.
With regard to the modulation of the voice, it is neces
sary to avoid the sonorous and inflated tones used in
panegyric. We should also abstain from the violent
efforts of the voice made by some missionaries, who
expose themselves to the danger of bursting a blood
vessel, or at least of losing their voice, and at the same
time disgust their audience. The best way to excite
and fix the attention of the people is, to speak at one
time in a loud, at another in a low, tone of voice, but
without violent and sudden transitions; at one time to
make a long exclamation, at another to pause and after
wards to begin with a sigh, etc. This variety of tone
and manner keeps the audience always attentive.

The act of contrition is the most important part of
sermons for the mission, and therefore in such sermons
it should never be omitted; for little indeed would be
the fruit of the sermon if the people are not excited to
compunction, or not induced to resolve on a change of
life. It is to effect this object that the act of contrition
is proposed to them. It is even necessary to repeat
several acts of sorrow, in order to move the people to
contrition, not by loud exclamations, but by solid mo
tives and reasons. In the purpose of amendment which
accompanies the act of sorrow the preacher should recom
mend, in a particular manner, the people to avoid the
occasions of sin, and to have recourse in their tempta
tions to the assistance of Jesus and of Mary; and should
therefore, at the end of the sermon, make them ask the
divine Mother to obtain some favor for them, such as
the pardon of sin, the gift of perseverance, and the like.
These observations are particularly applicable to ser
mons for the missions; but I wished to insert them in
this place, because they may be useful to some of those
who are devoted to the missions.

36 Letter to a Religious

Sermons for Lent, or for Sundays, should certainly
differ somewhat from those that are prepared for the
missions ; but, where the audience consists of the ig
norant and the learned, all sermons should, as Muratori
says, be simple and popular, if the preacher wish to
produce substantial fruit, and to induce the people to
approach the tribunal of penance. I remember that
when a celebrated missionary preached in Naples, in a
simple and popular style, the churches were thronged,
"and the confessionals were surrounded by crowds, who,
after the sermon, ran to confess their sins. Muratori
says that in the small towns, and even in the churches of
cities which are frequented by the common people, the
preacher is obliged to adopt the most popular and even
the lowest style, in order to accommodate himself to
their gross understandings. I have seen a whole town
sanctified by the Lenten sermons of those who ad
dressed the people in simple and popular language.

Oh, what a pity to see so many Lenten sermons
preached in the villages, and so little fruit ! In the
beginning of Lent the poor come to the sermons, but
finding that they do not understand the preacher, and
consequently derive no fruit from his instructions, they
cease to frequent the church. I would entreat those
who preach in the villages, that, if they will not consent
to change the discourses which they have already com
posed in an elevated style, they will at least, towards
the last weeks of Lent, after the people return from
work, give the spiritual exercises in the manner in
which they are given during the missions. The labor
ing poor cannot, particularly On working days, attend
in the mornings at the hour at .which the sermon is
usually preached. I assure these preachers that they
will reap more fruit from the spiritual exercises pro
posed in simple language, than from a hundred Lenten
sermons. Some will excuse themselves from giving

on the Manner of Preaching. 37

these exercises, saying that they are preachers, and not
missionaries. Some are perhaps even ashamed to give
these exercises in which a simple and popular style is
indispensably necessary, lest their reputation might be
injured, or lest they should be regarded as preachers of
little note. But I am consoled by the conviction that
not only priests, but also many religious, are accustomed
during the Lent to give these exercises with so much
advantage to the people.

Oh, what universal benefit would flow from the Sun
day sermons if preachers always addressed the people in
plain and simple language ! At Naples the Holy Sac
rament is exposed every day in several churches, in
particularly in those in which the devotion of the Forty
Hours is performed. These churches are frequented by
great numbers of the faithful, but particularly of the
poor. How great would be the fruit of the sermons
preached in these churches if the sacred orators adopted
a popular style, instructing the people in the practice of
the different virtues, in the practical method of preparing
for Communion, in the manner of visiting the Blessed
Sacrament, of making mental prayer, of attending Mass,
of meditating on the Passion of Jesus Christ, and of
performing the other exercises of devotion ? But are
the discourses delivered in their churches of this de
scription? No; the style is generally high and flowery,
and therefore they are but little understood by the peo
ple. Father John d'Avila being once asked for a rule
for preaching, answered, that the best rule for preach
ing well was to love Jesus Christ fervently. The an
swer was most just; for the preacher who loves Jesus
Christ ascends the pulpit, not to gain applause, but to
gain souls to Jesus Christ. St. Thomas of Villanova
used to say that to pierce the heart of sinners, to effect
their conversion, darts burning with divine love are
necessary. But can darts* of fire proceed from the

38 Letter to a Religious

frozen heart of the preacher who seeks by his preach
ing to acquire a great name ?

Should we then conclude from this that whoever then
preaches in a polished style does not love Jesus Christ?
I do not mean to assert that ; but I know well that the
saints did not preach in that manner. In all the lives
that I have read of holy missionaries I have not found
any one of them commended because he preached in an
elevated and ornate style ; I find, on the contrary, those
commended in a special manner who preached in a style
simple and popular. Thus in truth did the holy apostle
Paul teach us by his own example how to preach, say
ing: My reasoning consists not in the embellishments of human
eloquence, but in making the people comprehend sincerely the
truths of religion? " It was the task of the apostles,"
says Cornelius a Lapide, commenting on the text just
cited, "to show how their spirit manifested the spirit of
the divine mysteries so that others might receive the
Holy Spirit through them."2

It is said of St. Thomas of Aquin, by the author of his
life, that "he accommodated himself to the capacity of
his audience, lowering the wings of his genius, pro
posing simply such reflections as served to inflame the
heart rather than feed the mind. For this purpose he
used only such words as were most common and fa
miliar, being accustomed to say: 'The language of the
preacher should be so clear that the meanest capacity
may understand it.' "

In the life of St. Vincent Ferrer we read that the saint

1 " Et sermo meus et praedicatio mea non in persuasibilibus hu manse
sapientiae verbis sed in ostensione spiritus et virtutis. " — I Cor. ii. 4.

2 " Haec fuit demonstratio Apostolorum ostendere spiritum eruc-
tantem arcana divina, ita ut alii cernerent Spiritum Sanctum per os
eorum loqui."

3 " Tarn apertus debet esse sermo docentis, ut ab intelligentia sua
nullos, quamvis imperitos, excludat,"

on the Marnier of Preaching. 39

composed his sermons, not on the model of discourses
written in select and studied language, but at the foot
of the crucifix; and from this source he derived his elo
quence. P. Bartoli writes as follows, in his life of St.
Ignatius of Loyola: "Where others seek to recommend
the word of God by clothing it with ornaments, he, by
divesting it of all such elegance, made it appear beauti
ful and grand; for his method was to reduce the argu
ments to a certain nudity which exhibited them in their
true form and genuine character." And therefore the
same P. Bartoli relates that the learned who heard him
were wont to say: "That in his mouth the word of God
had its true weight." The same practice was observed
by St. Philip Neri, of whom I already mentioned, as it is
written in his life, that he prescribed to the members of
his Congregation, in preaching, to treat each subject in
an easy and popular manner; and when they indulged
in lofty and curious speculations he made them come
down from the pulpit.

It is also mentioned of St. Francis de Sales, that when
preaching he accommodated himself to the capacity of
the rudest among his audience. The incident is well
known which occurred to the Bishop of Belley. This
prelate being invited by the saint to preach, delivered a
very elegant and florid discourse, so that he received
the highest applause from his auditors ; but St. Francis
was silent, and the prelate, surprised at this, asked him
at last how he liked the sermon, the saint replied: "You
pleased all but one." The Bishop of Belley was invited
a second time to preach, but as he understood that his
former discourse was not pleasing to the saint, because
it was too highly embellished, he made the second quite
simple and moral; and then St. Francis assured him
that he was very much pleased with the second dis
course. On another occasion he addressed to him the
following words: " A sermon is excellent when the audi-

4<3 Letter to a Religious

tors retire from the church in silence, reflecting but not
speaking; and instead of praising the preacher, think
on the necessity they are under of amending their
lives." And as the saint thought, so did he practise.
The author of his life states, that although he preached
in Paris before an auditory composed of princes, bishops,
and Cardinals, he always preached in a solid, simple
manner, not seeking to acquire the character of an elo
quent preacher, but to gain souls to God. In conformity
with this, the same saint wrote from Paris to a religious
of his Order in the following terms: "On the vigil of
the Nativity I preached in presence of the Queen in the
Church of the Capuchins; but I assure you I did not
preach better before so many princes and princesses
than I do in your poor little convent at Annecy." But
because the saint preached from the heart and to draw
souls to God, although he preached without ornament,
the fruit he produced was immense; wherefore Madame
de Montpensier said, as we find it related in the life of
the saint: " Others in their sermons fly, as it were, in the
air; but the Bishop of Geneva descends to his prey, and
this orator of holy love suddenly besieges the heart, and
makes himself master of it."

I shall relate in the sequel what the saint wrote in one
of his letters, concerning the manner of preaching, and
what he thought of those preachers who employ frivo
lous ornament in their discourses. It is mentioned in
the life of St. Vincent de Paul that in his sermons he
used not only a simple, but even an humble style.
Above all, he required of his brethren that they should
preach to the candidates for orders in a simple and
familiar manner; because it is not, he said, pomp of
that is conducive to the salvation of souls,
simplicity and humility, which dispose the heart to
recee the grace of God. And for this purpose he was
omed to adduce the example of Jesus Christ, who,

on the Manner of Preaching. 41

although he could have explained the mysteries of faith
in a style proportioned to their sublimity, he being the
wisdom of the eternal Father, nevertheless made use of
familiar terms and similitudes, to accommodate himself
to the capacity of the people, and to leave to us the true
model of explaining the word of God. Of St. Francis
Regis it is likewise written in his life, "that he ex
plained the truths of faith with such clearness and sim
plicity, that he made himself intelligible to the meanest
capacity."

The case of Father Tauler, the Dominican, is also well
known. He preached at first in a very lofty style, but
being afterwards led to embrace a more perfect life, by
means of a poor man who was sent him by God as his
spiritual guide, he ceased to preach for many years; but
the poor man having enjoined him to resume this func
tion, he changed his style of preaching from the sublime
to the popular; and we are told that in the first sermon
he preached the compunction of the people was such
that severat swooned away in the church. We are told
of Father John d'Avila, that in his sermons he used such
familiar language that by some he was considered to be
an ignorant person; so that once a certain individual, who
was a man of letters, but of depraved morals, said to his
companion, on an occasion when Father d'Avila was to
preach, "Come, let us go hear this ignoramus;" but
during the sermon he was struck by the grace of God,
and he totally reformed his life. Now let us hear the
sentiments of this great servant of God. According to
the author of his life, he said: " If the preacher does not
faithfully fulfil his office, if he is attentive rather to grat
ify the taste of his auditors than touch their hearts, and
seeks for fine words rather than the conversion of souls:
in fine, if by loftiness of thought he preaches himself
rather than Jesus Christ, he stands in imminent danger
of eternal ruin; he frightfully abuses and betrays the

42 Letter to a Religious

commission confided to him." The same we find written
in the life of Father Louis Lanusa, and of Father Paul
Segneri, junior, and of other servants of God, particular
mention of whom for brevity's sake I omit.

Hence we see the account that these preachers will
have to render to God, who preach themselves and not
Jesus Christ, as well as the Superiors who allow them
to preach in this manner. For myself, once hearing a
young man of our Congregation preaching in a grand
and elevated style, I made him leave the pulpit in the
middle of his discourse. But let them not entertain a
doubt that, if they are not corrected by their Superiors,
they will be assuredly chastised by God; for the preacher
is bound to promote the good of each person who hears
him, as in the pulpit he fulfils the office of ambassador
of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle affirms of all priests : Ha*
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, . . . He hatJi
placed in zis the word of reconciliation. . . . For Christ
therefore we are ambassadors, God as it were exhorting by
us? The preacher then occupies in the pulpit the place
of Jesus Christ, and speaks on the part of Jesus Christ
to sinners who hear him, in order that they may return
into favor with God. Now if a king, as Father John
d'Avila observes in one of his letters, commissioned one
of his subjects to negotiate a marriage with a lady on
his behalf, and the ambassador concluded it for himself,
would not such a man be a traitor? And such exactly,
said Father d'Avila, is the preacher who, commissioned
by God to effect the conversion of sinners, studies to
procure glory for himself, and thus renders the divine
word useless, by adulterating it so that it produces no
fruit. And thus does St. John Chrysostom also denom-

1 " Dedit nobis ministerium reconciliationis. . . . et posuit in nobis
verbum reconciliationis . . . Pro Christo legatione fungimur, tan-
quam Deo exhortante per nos." — 2 Cor. v. 18.

the Manner of Preaching. 43

inate every preacher who preaches from vanity — "A
miserable and unhappy' traitor." 1

The embellishment of a sermon with lofty sentiments
and elaborate expression, to gain a character for one's
self, is precisely that adulteration of the word of God
which the Apostle avoided; as he writes to the Corin
thians : For we are not as many, adulterating the word of
God, but with sincerity, but as from God, before God, in
Christ we speak? On which words St. Gregory observes,
that adulterers are not desirous to have children: on the
contrary, they abhor them; they propose to themselves
nothing else but the gratification of their unlawful pas
sions: such are those who do not preach to gain souls,
but to acquire a name and reputation.3

But let preachers tremble lest God should cut them
off, as he threatens by the prophet Jeremias: Therefore,
behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my
words every one from his neighbor? Who are they who
unjustly employ the divine word? They are precisely
those who make use of it only to acquire the name of
great orators, robbing God of his glory to transfer it to
themselves. St. Francis de Sales said that the preacher
whose discourses abound in foliage, that is, curious
thoughts and elegant expressions, is in danger of being
cut down and consigned to the fire, like to the unfruitful
tree in the Gospel; whilst our Lord said to his disciples,
and through them to all priests, that he had chosen them
to bring forth fruit— lasting fruit. Hence Cornelius a
Lapide, speaking of such orators/hesitates not to assert
1 " Miser et infelix Proditor."

"Non enim sumus, sicut plurimi, adulterantes verbum Dei; st-d ex
sinceritate, sed sicut ex Deo, coram Deo, in Christo loquimur."— 2 Cor.
ii. 17.

" Adulterari verbum Dei est ex eo, non spiritales fructus, sed adul
terines foetus quaerere laudis humanse. " — Mor. 1. 22, c. 17.

" Propterea ecce ego ad prophetas, ait Dominus, qui furantur verba
mea: Projiciam quippe vos."—Jer. xxiii. 30, 33.

44 Letter to a Religious

that they sin mortally, both because they pervert the
office of preaching to their own exaltation, and also be
cause by preaching in a lofty and elegant style they op
pose an obstacle to the salvation of so many souls that
would be converted if they preached in an apostolic
manner.1 The same was said by Father John d'Avila,
as we have remarked above: "If the preacher do not
faithfully fulfil his office," etc.

Nor does it avail such a person to say: What I princi
pally propose is the glory of God. He who makes use
of lofty and uncommon language, so as not to be under
stood by all, opposes an obstacle to the glory of God, by
preventing the conversion of many who hear him, since,
as Muratori well remarks, whoever preaches is bound to
procure the salvation of each individual, be he learned
or ignorant, as if there were no other who heard him.
And if any one of them be not converted, because he
could not comprehend what was said, the preacher will
have to render an account, as God himself declared by
the mouth of Ezechiel (this all preachers are sufficiently
aware of, but in practice they attend but little to it;
hence I repeat it here): If when I say to the wicked: Thou
shalt surely die ; thou declare it not to him, . . . the same
wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his
blood at thy hand? And undoubtedly it is the same not
to preach the word of God, as to adulterate it by a
florid style, so that it does not produce the fruit that it
certainly would if it were expounded in a clear and
simple manner. St. Bernard says that on the day of
judgment those poor ignorant persons will appear to

1 ' ' Pnedicator qui plausum quaerit, non conversionem populi, hie
'damnabitur quia prsedicationis officio, ad laudem non Dei sed suam
abusus est, turn quia salutem tot animarum sibi creditam impedivit et
avertit." — In Luc. vi. 26.

2 " Si dicente me ad impium: Morte morieris; non annuntiaveris ei,
. . . ipse impius in iniquitate sua morietur, sanguinem autem ej»s de
manu tua requiram." — Ezech. iii. 18.

on the Manner of Preaching. 45

arraign those preachers who have lived on their bounty,
but have neglected to heal, as they ought, the diseases
of their souls.1

We should be persuaded that when the word of God
is adulterated by studied elegance of expression it be
comes feeble and enervated, so as not to be of any ser
vice either to the learned or unlearned. I do not assert
this of myself: it is stated by St. Prosper, or, if you will,
another ancient author who goes under his name.2 And
this sentiment he borrowed from St. Paul, who writes
as follows: Christ sent me . . . to preach the Gospel, not in
wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void?
On which text St. John Chrysostom observes: "Some
devote themselves to external wisdom : the Apostle
shows that this wisdom does not only aid the cross,
but it even annihilates it."1 Lofty conceptions, then,
and elaborate expression in sermons hinder and, as it
were, annihilate the spiritual profit of souls, which is
the fruit of the redemption of Jesus Christ. Hence St.
Augustine said: "I should not presume to employ wis
dom of speech, lest the cross of Christ become ener
vated; satisfied with the authority of the divine word, I
would rather serve the simplicity of the Gospel than
vanity." 6

St. Thomas of Villanova inveighs against those hearers

" Venient, venient ante tribunal Christi; ubi erit pauperum accu-
satio, quorum vixere stipendiis, nee diluere peccata." — De Vita et Mor.
Cler. c. 7.

2 " Sententiarum vivacitatem sermo cultus ex industria enervat."—
De Vita conic inpl. 1. 3, c. 34.

" Misit me Christus . . . evangelizare, non in sapientia verbi, ut
non evacuetur crux Christi." — i Cor. i. 17.

"Alii externae sapientise operam dabant, ostendit (Apostolus) earn
non solum cruci non opem ferre, sed etiam earn exinanire."

5 "Non praesumam unquam in sapientia verbi, ne evacuetur crux
Christi ; sed Scripturarum auctoritate contentus, simplicitati obedire
potius studeo, quam tumori."— Contra Felician. c. 2.

46 Letter to a Religious

who, whilst their souls are lost in sin, go in quest of
flowery discourses. "O fool," he says, " thy house is
burning, and thou expectest artificial discourse !" ' But
this reproof is better directed to those preachers who
address a congregation of which probably there are
many in a state of sin: these miserable souls require
rather the thunder and lightning which would arouse
them from their lethargy, and strike them with terror,
and for this purpose are required words not borrowed
from the academy, but springing from the heart and
from a true zeal and desire to rescue them from the
hands of the enemy, and yet we would amuse them
with polished phrases and sounding periods. If a house
were on fire, what folly would it be, says Father Mansi,2
to attempt to extinguish it with a little rose-water.
Thus, when I hear any one praised who preaches with
studied elegance, and hear it said that his sermons have
produced great fruit, I smile, and say: It is impossible;
and why? because I know that God does not lend his
co-operation to such preaching. My preaching, says the
Apostle, was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom,
but in shewing of the spirit and power? "To what pur
pose," says Origen, commenting on the text cited above,
"does all our eloquence serve if it be not animated by
the spirit and virtue of divine grace?"4 The Lord
lends his aid to him who preaches his word in a plain
and simple manner, without vanity, imparting a force
and power to his language that moves the hearts of all
who hear him. But this efficacy he does not communi-

" O stulte, ardet domus tua; et tu expectas compositam orationem?"

2 Biblioth. mor. tr. 83, d. 42.

3 " Pnedicatio mea, non in persuasibilibus humanae sapientise verbis,
sed in ostensione spiritus et virtutis." — I Cor. ii. 4.

4 " Haec verba Apostoli quid aliud sibi volunt, quam non satis esse
quod dicimus, ut animas moveant hominum, nisi doctori divinitus adsit
coelestis gratiae energia, juxta illud (Ps. Ixvii. 13): Dominus dabit
verbum evangelizantibus virtute rnnlta?"

on the Manner of Preaching. 47

cate to studied and polished expression. The diction
that is refined and adorned according to the dictates of
human wisdom, says the Apostle, as we have before
observed, enervates the divine word, and destroys the
profit which might be expected from it.

Oh, what a fearful account will those priests have
to render to God who preach through vanity ! St.
Bridget1 saw the soul of a preacher, who was a relig
ious, condemned to hell for having preached in this
spirit; and the Lord said to the saint that he does not
speak by vain preachers, but rather the devil. In dis
coursing one day with that great missionary, Father
Sparano, mentioned above, he related to me an awful
occurrence. He told me that a certain priest who
preached in a polished style, being at the point of
death, and feeling a great aridity and indisposition to
conceive a hearty sorrow for his sins, almost despaired
of his salvation; and then the Lord spoke to him from a
crucifix near him, in a voice which was also heard by all
present: "I give you that compunction which you ex
cited in the hearts of others when you preached." But
more terrible is the circumstance related by Father
Cajetan Mary de Bergamo, a Capuchin, in his book
entitled The Apostolic Man in the Pulpit. This author
relates that a preacher, then a Capuchin, related to him
the following occurrence, which happened to himself a
few years before. He being a young man and accom
plished in polite literature, had already begun to preach
in the cathedral at Brescia; but when preaching there a
second time, after an interval of some years, he was ob
served to preach quite in an apostolic manner. Being
afterwards asked why he had thus changed his style of
preaching, he replied: "I knew a celebrated preacher, a
religious, a friend of mine, and who, like me, preached in

1 Kev. 1. 6, c. 35.

48 Letter to a Religious

a spirit of vanity; when he was at the point of death it
was found impossible to induce him to make his confes
sion. I went to see him, and spoke to him strongly; but
he looked at me steadfastly without making a reply. In
the mean time the Superior conceived the idea of bring
ing to him in his cell the Blessed Eucharist, in order to
move him by this means to receive the sacraments. The
most Holy Eucharist was brought, and those who were
present said to him: 'Behold, Jesus Christ is come to
grant you pardon.' But the sick man began to exclaim
in a voice of despair: ' This is the God whose holy word
I have betrayed.' We all then commenced to pray to
the Lord that he would have compassion on him, or to
exhort him to confide in the divine mercy; but he in a
louder voice exclaimed: 'This is the God whose holy
word I have betrayed;' and then added: 'There is no
more mercy for me.' We continued to suggest to him
sentiments of confidence, when a third time he cried
out: ' This is the God whose holy word I have betrayed;'
and then he said, ' By the just judgment of God I am
condemned,' and suddenly expired. And this is the
reason, observed this Father, why I have so much re
formed my manner of preaching."

Who knows but some one will smile at those facts,
and the whole of my letter; but such a one I shall ex
pect to meet before the tribunal of Jesus Christ. Be
sides, I do not intend that at all times and before all
sorts of persons the same style of expression should be
used. When the audience is composed entirely of priests
or educated persons, the preacher should make use of
more select language; but his discourse should be always
simple and familiar, as if he were discoursing in familiar
conversation with the learned, and not decorated with
lofty ideas and elaborate expressions; otherwise, the more
florid the discourse, the less will be the fruit derived from

on t/ie Manner of Preaching. 49

it," says St. Ambrose.1 The pomp and luxury which ap
pear in the flowers of eloquence make it useless for the
production of fruit. St. Augustine said that the preacher
who seeks to please his auditors by an ornamental style is
not an apostle that converts, but an orator that deludes;
whence it may be said of his hearers what is said of the
Jews, who, hearing Jesus Christ, admired his doctrine,
but were not converted.2 They will exclaim, " He
spoke extremely well;" but they will have derived no
profit whatever from the discourse. St. Jerome wrote
to his friend Nepotianus that in preaching he should
endeavor to elicit tears rather than applause from his
auditory.3 St. Francis de Sales expresses the same idea
in a more emphatic manner in a letter to an ecclesiastic:
"In leaving the church I would not wish it should be
said, O how great an orator ! he has a prodigious mem
ory; he is very learned; he spoke admirably: but I
would wish to hear the hearers say, How beautiful, how
necessary is penance! My God, how good, how just
Thou art ! and the like: or that the words of the preacher
having made a breach in the hearts of the hearers, they
were unable to render any testimony in favor of their
merit but the amendment of their lives."4

Perhaps the preacher who studies to speak elegantly
may entertain a hope that he will obtain universal
applause: let him divest himself of this persuasion.
Many will praise, many will criticise him; some will
offer one opinion, some another. And such is the folly
of those orators who preach themselves and not Jesus
Christ that, with all their efforts to obtain a vain ap-

" Quod luxuriat, in flore sermonis hebetatur in fructu." — In Ps.
118, s. 12.

2 " Mirabantur sed non convertebantur," — In Jo. tr. 29, n. 2.

3 " Docente te in ecclesia, non clamor populi, sed gemitus susci-
tetur. Auditorum lacrymae laudes tuae sint." — Ep. ad Nepotian.

4 Lett re 218, man. de precher , ch. 2, a. 3.

50 Letter to a Religious

plause, they do not, notwithstanding, obtain it from all;
whilst, on the other hand, he who preaches Christ cru
cified always secures the fruit of his discourse, as by it
he pleases God, which should be the only end of all our
actions. Hence generally a simple and familiar style
of preaching, as Muratori remarks, " will please and
delight even persons of cultivated understandings; for,
when the preacher speaks in a lofty and florid style, the
hearer then is satisfied with relishing and admiring his
genius, and pays little or no attention to his own spiri
tual profit; on the other hand, even the learned com
mend a preacher who, with a view to benefit all, breaks
for them that spiritual bread — the word of God. They
will not praise his genius, but his fervor; by which,
without making a display of talent, he proposes solely
to serve the souls of his hearers — this is the true glory
to which the sacred orator ought to aspire. Moreover,
the learned who desire to derive fruit from the sermon
seek not him who enlightens their minds, but him who
heals their souls; and on this account both learned and
unlearned crowd to hear him who preaches in a popular
manner, because every one finds there the spiritual
nourishment that is necessary for him."

Seneca says that the sick man does not seek for the
physician who speaks well, but who will cure him. To
what purpose does it serve, he says, for you to entertain
me with fine words when I stand in need of the cautery
and the knife to cure me.1 Wherefore St. Bernard says:
" I like to hear the voice of that teacher who seeks to
gain of me, not applause, but tears." a I recollect that the
renowned D. Nicholas Capasso, a man so distinguished
for learning, went every day to hear the Canon Gizzio

1 " Non quserit aeger medicum eloquentem sed sanantem. Quid
oblectas? aliud agitur; urendus, secandus sum. ad haec adhibitus es."

2 " Illius doctoris libenter vocem audio, qui non sibi plausum, sed
mihi planctum moveat." — In Cant. s. 59, n. 3.

on the Manner of Preaching. 5 1

whilst he was giving the spiritual exercises to the members
of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost; he said that he
went to hear that servant of God because he preached
the word of God in an apostolic manner, and without
studied elegance. Oh how does the pure and simple
word of God please even the learned ! Muratori relates
in the life of Paul Segneri the younger, which he wrote,
that, although he preached in a familiar and popular
style, he delighted all so much that he touched the
hearts even of the most enlightened among his audience.
In like manner, in the life ' of St. John Francis Regis
I find the following passage: "His discourses were
simple: he preached only to instruct the people; and,
notwithstanding, the gentry as well as seculars and
clergy of the town of Puy crowded to his catechetical
discourses so eagerly that for two or three hours before
lie began every place was occupied; and it was the
common saying of the inhabitants of Puy that they
admired more his holy simplicity than the studied ele
gance of the most distinguished preachers. He, they
observed, preaches Jesus Christ and the divine word as
it really is; while the others come here to preach them
selves, and, instead of the divine word, display their
own eloquence, which is altogether human." And the
following fact, which is afterwards mentioned, is re
markable: There was a certain preacher who gave a
series of instructions in the cathedral during the same
Lent in which the saint was giving a mission. Being as
tonished how it was that the people left him to go hear
an ignorant priest, as he considered St. Francis com
pared with himself, he went to find the Provincial, who
at that time was making his visitation, and said to him
that Father Regis was indeed a saint, but that his man
ner of preaching was not suitable to the dignity of the

1 By Father Daubenton, 1. 3.

52 Letter to a Religious

pulpit, and that the meanness of his style and the trivial
things he said dishonored his ministry. The Provincial
replied: "Let us both, before we condemn him, go and
hear him." The Provincial was so much affected with
the force and unction with which he explained the evan
gelical truths, that during the entire discourse he was
shedding copious tears; then, on leaving the church, turn
ing to his companion, he said, " Ah, my Father, would to
God that all sacred orators preached in that manner !
Let us allow him to preach with his own apostolic sim
plicity — the finger of God is there." The same preacher,
says the writer of his life, was touched with such com
punction in hearing the discourse, that instead of cen
suring him, as he had proposed, he even praised him as
he deserved.

Let us now say something of panegyrics, as we prom
ised. Why, I ask, do panegyrics, as they are composed
nowadays, produce no fruit ? How fruitful would they
be were they delivered with simplicity, detailing with
devout reflections the virtues of the saints; thus would
the people be moved to imitate their example. This
undoubtedly is the object of panegyrics, and hence the
masters of the spiritual life recommend strongly the read
ing of the lives of the saints. Therefore St. Philip Neri,
as the writer of his life relates, recommended the members
of his Congregation to adduce, in preaching, some ex
ample from the life of a saint, in order that the doctrine
might be more firmly impressed on the minds of the
hearers; but he wished that such facts should be men
tioned as would move the auditors to compunction
rather than excite their wonder. Father John Dielegis,
who wrote on the manner of composing panegyrics, says
that panegyrics do not produce fruit through the fault
of the auditors who come to hear the discourse, not to
derive any benefit from it, but to listen to exquisite
thoughts and an elegant discourse; but he would have

ou the Manner of Preaching, 53

said with more truth, that the fault is generally imputa-
ble to orators who fill their discourses with conceits and
affected language, for the purpose of obtaining empty
praise, when their only object should be, as the same
author observes, to move their hearers to the imitation
of the virtues of the saints of whom they speak. But
let us hear what Muratori says on modern panegyrics.
In his work already cited, On Modern Eloquence, in the i3th
chapter, he writes thus: " Why do sacred orators for the
most part heap together gems and flowers, and make a
parade of their eloquence ? The end of panegyrics is to
lead the auditory, by such examples, to the practice of
virtue; but few indeed think of this. Good God ! how
many extravagant hyperboles ! how many fantastic
ideas ! in a word, how many silly conceits !"

And in truth, what fruit can be derived from the
panegyrics of certain learned preachers, who fill them
with flowers, subtleties, ingenious thoughts, curious
descriptions, high-sounding words, unintelligible to per
sons of ordinary capacity, rounded periods, so long that,
to comprehend their meaning, even the learned require
to exert all the powers of their minds, so that they
nearly resemble academical discourses, in which his
own glory is the only object of the speaker. O God !
what a disorder to see a minister of Jesus Christ expend
uselessly many months and much labor (one of this
class of preachers, who is now in eternity, said, that to
compose a panegyric he required at least six months),
and for what purpose? — to round periods, and heap
together figures and flowers. And what profit does the
orator derive from this either for himself or for others ?
For himself, nothing but a little smoke; and as for the
hearers, they derive from it nothing, or almost nothing,
because either they do not understand it, or, if they do,
their attention is distracted by those sounding words
and ingenious thoughts; and thus they lose their time,

54 Letter to a Religious

It has been related to me by several persons deserving
of credit, that the preacher mentioned above, who said
that to compose one panegyric he required six months,
being at the point of death, gave directions that all his
manuscripts should be burned. I was moreover assured
that this same person, being once complimented by
others for his panegyrics, was much troubled, and replied:
" Alas! these discourses will be one day my condemna
tion."

Muratori, in a work entitled Christian Charity, writes
as follows: " Oh, why have we so many panegyrics, which
invariably terminate in a vain display of talent and in
genious subtleties, devised by volatile imaginations,
unintelligible to the people?" And then he adds: " Let
a panegyric, if intended to be useful, be composed in
that popular and intelligible style of eloquence which
instructs and moves the ignorant no less than the
learned; but this is oftentimes not understood by him
who fancies himself more learn-ed than others." Oh!
that these frothy panegyrics were abolished in the
Church, and that these discourses were composed in a
simple and familiar manner, as this writer says, who
was eminent at once for piety and learning.

But, before I conclude, it is necessary that I should
reply to the observation which your letter contains —
that to entertain is one of the principal objects of the
orator, and therefore, when persons of education assist
at a sermon, the preacher should speak in a polished
and ornamental style in order to please them.

Reverend Father, I will not reply to you: St. Francis
de Sales answers for me, who, in the letter already
cited, which he addresses to an ecclesiastic on the man
ner of preaching, in confirmation of all we have ad
vanced above in the fifth chapter, writes as follows:
" Lengthened periods, polished language, studied ges
ture, and the like, are the bane of preaching. The most

on the Manner of Preaching. 55

useful and elegant artifice is, to employ none. Our
words should be inflamed by an interior charity, and
should come from the heart rather than the mouth:
the heart speaks to the heart; the tongue speaks but to
the ear. The texture of the discourse should be nat
ural, without vain ornament, without affected ex
pression. Our forefathers, and all those whose preach
ing has brought forth fruit, have abstained from speak
ing with too much elegance, and from using the
ornaments of worldly eloquence, because they spoke
from the heart, as good parents do to their children.
The object of the preacher is to convert sinners and to
make the just perfect; whence, ascending the pulpit,
he should say in his heart: Ego vent ut isti vitam hade-
ant et abundantius habcant" ' Then the saint, speaking of
the pleasure the preacher should afford, uses the fol
lowing words: "I know that many say the preacher
should delight; but as for me, I distinguish, and say,
that there is a pleasure consequent on the doctrine
which is preached and the impression made upon the
hearers; for what soul is so insensible as not to feel ex
treme pleasure in learning the way to heaven; how to
gain Paradise; in comprehending the love which God
bears us ? And, in order to impart this pleasure, all
diligence should be used to instruct and to move. But
there is another sort of pleasure which oftentimes is an
obstacle to instruction and to persuasion — a tickling of
the ear by a profane elegance of language, and a certain
balancing of words, which is altogether artificial. And
as to this, I say without hesitation, that a preacher
should not make use of it, because it belongs to pro
fane orators; and whosoever preaches in this manner
preaches not Christ crucified, but himself. St. Paul
detests preachers who are prurientes auribus, and conse
quently such as are solicitous to please their hearers."2

1 Lettre 218, man. de frecher^ ch. 5, a. I, 3, 4; ch. 2, a. 2.

2 lb, ch. 2, a. 3.

56 Letter to a Religious

So far the saint: and let it be observed, that the writ
ings of this saint are, in a special manner, approved and
adopted by the Church, which prays that by their
guidance we may arrive at eternal happiness.1 Such is
the prayer we recite in the Office of the saint.

In conformity with this, the learned theologian Ha-
bert, speaking of the style which the ministers of the
Gospel should adopt in preaching, says that the preacher
then should endeavor to please, by a style clear, easy,
and accommodated to the capacity of each of his audi
tors.2 Then the audience will be gratified, as St. Francis
de Sales observes, by understanding the eternal truths,
the maxims of the Gospel, and by knowing what they
have to do, or to avoid, in order to be saved; they will
be pleased whilst they feel themselves touched with
compunction, animated with confidence, and inflamed
with the love of God.

St. Augustine says that if the pleasures of sense de
light, much more delightful is the knowledge of the
truth; and hence, he adds, there is nothing which the
soul so ardently desires as to know the truth.3 Agreeably
to this, St. Francis observes, in his treatise on the love
of God: "Truth is the object of the understanding, and
hence it finds all its pleasure in knowing the truth; and
the more sublime it is, the greater its gratification:
whence the ancient philosophers abandoned riches,
honors, and pleasures, that they might understand the
truths of nature. And Aristotle said that human feli-

" Concede propitius ut ejus dirigentibus monitis, seterna gaudia
consequamur. " — We may also apply this remark to the teachings of
our saint; for we also read in the prayer of his Office : Ut ejus salutari-
bns monitis edocti . . . ad te pcrvenire fcliciter valeamus. He was,
moreover, -raised to the dignity of Doctor of the Church. — ED.

2 " Evangelii minister delectabit, si sit sermonis apti, facilis, ac per-
spicui."

" Quid enim fortius desiderat anima quam veritatem ?" — In Jo, tr.
26, n. 5.

on the Manner of Preaching. 5 7

city consists in wisdom; that is, in knowing the truth
of the most excellent things."1 Hence the saint con
cludes, that a soul cannot enjoy greater delight than in
acquiring a knowledge of the truths of faith; the more
as the knowledge of them is not only a source of pleas
ure to us, but also eminently useful, as upon them de
pends all our happiness for time and eternity.

Wherefore St. Antoninus says that the preacher
ought indeed to delight his audience; but for what end ?
In order that, being moved by the discourse they may
be induced to practise what they have learned.' On the
other hand, St. John Chrysostom affirms that the ruin
of the Church is the great eagerness of sacred orators,
not to move their hearers to compunction, but to please
them with fine words; as if they came to hear a singer
chant a piece of sacred music in the pulpit. " Such
preachers," continues the saint, " act like a father who
gives to his sick child what it wants. Such a one, how
ever, does not deserve the name of father. This hap
pens every time that one seeks flowery language, not to
inspire compunction, but to win vain praise."1 Yes,
reverend Sir, there are many sacred orators who delight
their auditory by their elegant and pompous diction,
and attract crowds to their sermons. But I would wish
to know how many of those who are so highly pleased
with their discourses, full of elegance and ornament,
leave the church with a contrite heart, and afterwards
amend their lives. Such precisely was the language of

1 Love of God, B. 3, ch. 9.

2 " Ut sic moveat affectum ut flectat scilicet curando, ut quae dicta
sunt, velit implere."— P. 3, tit. 18, ch. 3, § 4.

3 " Subvertit ecclesiam, quod et vos non quseritis sermonem qui
pungere possit, sed qui oblectet, quasi cantores audientes. Et idem sit
ac si Pater videns puerum aegrotum illi, quaecumque oblectent, porri-
gat, talem non dixerim Patrem. Hoc etiam nobis accidit, flosculos
verborum sectamur, ut oblcctemtis, non ut compungamus, et laudibus
obtentis, abeamus." — In Act. horn. 30

58 Letter to a Religious

St. Francis when mention was made before him of
preachers who had obtained great applause. " Be so
good as to tell me," he would say, " how many were
converted by their preaching." The accursed passion
for display spoils the sermons of many preachers, and
destroys the fruit of them for those who hear him.
This made St. Vincent de Paul exclaim, as we read in
his life: "O cursed ambition of display! how many
virtues do you infect! of how many evils are you the
cause! You make him who should preach Jesus Christ,
preach himself, and destroy when he should save." J

Some, in order to entertain the audience, ornament,
or rather disfigure, their sermons with witticisms and
ridiculous anecdotes, and even go so far as to say that
this is necessary in instructions or catechetical dis
courses addressed to the people, in order to excite and
keep alive their attention and interest. But I know that
the saints in their sermons did not make the people
laugh, but weep. When St. John Francis Regis preached
(and his sermons were always familiar) the audience
wept from the beginning to the end of the discourse. A
facetious remark, naturally suggested by the occasion,
may perhaps be allowed; but to reduce the exhorta
tion to a comic scene, as some do, by introducing ridicu
lous trifles or curious stories, with attitudes and gestures
designed to make the audience laugh — I do not know
how they can reconcile such an exhibition with the re
spect due to the temple of God, and to the pulpit from
which is announced the word of God, and in which the
preacher fulfils the office of ambassador of Jesus Christ.
The auditors indeed will laugh and be merry, but after
wards they will be distracted and indevout, and instead
of attending to the moral instruction, will continue to
reflect upon the witticism or ridiculous story which they
have heard.

1 Abt-lly, 1. 3. ch. 34.

on the Manner of Preaching. 59

From all I have written, your Reverence will be able
to infer what surprise the assertion contained in your
letter caused me, that the preacher should delight his
auditory by a polished and ornamented style. I hope
in the Lord that you will remove from your mind this
prejudice, this grievous error, hurtful to your own soul,
and to all those that will assist at your instructions.

And as your Reverence is so very humble as to con
descend, towards the close of your letter, to ask of an
unworthy sinner some instructions for preaching with
advantage to the people, I recommend you for the most
part, in your sermons to speak of the last things — death,
judgment, hell, eternity, and the like; because the eter
nal truths make the deepest impression, and incline the
heart to the love of virtue. I beg of you, repeatedly in
your discourses to explain to the people the peace en
joyed by the soul that is in favor with God. St. Francis
de Sales by this means drew away many souls from a
vicious life, and on that account Henry IV., King of
France, commended him much, blaming other preachers
who make the way of virtue appear so difficult that they
deter souls from entering upon it. I entreat you also to
speak often of the love that Jesus Christ has shown us
in his Passion, in the institution of the most Holy Sacra
ment, and of the love we should bear in turn towards
our most blessed Redeemer, by often calling to mind
those two great mysteries of love. I say this because
few preachers, or at least too few, speak of the love of
Jesus Christ; and it is certain that what is done solely
through fear of punishment and not through love will
be of short duration. A great servant of God, and a
great laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, Father Gen-
naro Sarnelli,"used to say: " I would wish to do nothing
else but proclaim without ceasing: love Jesus Christ,
love Jesus Christ, because he is deserving of your love."
In like manner often recommend, in preaching, devotion

60 Letter to a Religious

to the most Holy Virgin, through whose intercession
all graces come to us, by making the people have re
course to her at the end of the discourse to obtain some
special grace, as the forgiveness of their sins, holy per
severance, and the love of Jesus Christ. Above all, I
beg of you to give practical advice to your audience, by
suggesting the means of persevering in the grace of God,
such as to guard the eyes from looking at dangerous ob
jects, to fly evil occasion — from conversing with persons
of a different sex or vicious companions; to frequent
the sacraments; to hear Mass every day; to enter into
some pious sodality, to practise mental prayer, instruct
ing them at the same time practically in the manner of
making it; to read spiritual books; to visit the most
Holy Sacrament; to make the examination of con
science; to recite the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin
Mary. You should often inculcate conformity to the
divine will amidst contradictions, as upon this con
formity our perfection and salvation depend. Exhort
them particularly to have recourse each day to Jesus and
Mary, to obtain holy perseverance, and in particular, in
the time of temptation; and I strenuously recommend
you constantly to suggest to the people that great
means of salvation, prayer — a subject which I remark
preachers treat very seldom, and very slightly, although
upon prayer depend our eternal salvation and all our
good.

I am aware that speaking upon such practical subjects
has little attraction for those preachers who aim at lofti
ness of speech, because they appear to them to be trivial
matters, and they do not admit of ingenious thoughts
and sounding periods. But it was thus St. Francis de
Sales preached, who converted by his sermons innum
erable souls: he always enforced the practices of a
Christian life, so that in one country district the people
desired to have in writing the practical rules which he

on the Manner of Preaching. 61

recommended from the pulpit, that they might be the
better able to put them in practice.

Oh, if all sacred orators preached solely with the view
of pleasing God, in an easy and popular style, and dis
coursed on the truths and the maxims of the Gospel, in a
manner plain, simple, and unadorned, and enforced prac
tically the remedies against sins, and the means of perse
vering and of advancing in the divine love, the world
would change its face, and God would not be offended as
we now see him. We may remark, that the country parish
in which there is a fervent priest, who truly preaches
Christ crucified, is soon reclaimed and sanctified. I say,
moreover, if a pious and simple discourse is delivered in
a church the whole auditory is touched with compunc
tion, and if they are not all converted, they are at least
moved and affected; if such a style of preaching, then,
were universal, what advantage would we see universally
accrue to souls !

I will trespass on you no longer; but as you had the
patience to read this long letter, I beg of you to join me
in the following prayer to Jesus Christ:

O Saviour of the world, who art little known and
loved less by the world, especially through the "fault of
Thy ministers; Thou who didst give up Thy life for the
salvation of souls, — I beseech Thee through the merits of
Thy Passion to enlighten and inflame so many priests
who might convert sinners, and sanctify the entire earth
if they preached Thy word with humility and simplicity,
as Thou and Thy disciples preached it. But, alas ! they
do not do so; they preach themselves, and not Thee: and
thus the world is full of preachers, and in the mean
time hell is constantly crowded with souls. O Lord, re
pair this mighty ruin which preachers cause in Thy
Church; and if it be necessary, humble, I pray Thee, as
an example to others, by some visible sign, those priests
who for their own glory adulterate Thy holy word, that

62 Letter to a Religious.

they may amend, and that they may not thus obstruct
the spiritual profit of the people. Thus I hope, thus I
pray.

I recommend myself to your prayers, and remain your
Reverence's most devoted and obliged servant,

ALPHONSUS M.,

Bishop of S. Agatha, etc.

of a funtty !3oak

ENTITLED

"ON PREACHING,

By the Author of the Philosophical Dictionary." J
i. Exposition of the Author's Ideas.

WHILE the last pages of the present work (The Truth
of Faith} were being printed, this book fell into my
hands. By appearing as a new production by the
author, who wrote the Philosophical Dictionary, which
has already been condemned everywhere, it announces
for this very reason a suspicious doctrine. In fact, I
have found therein several unsound propositions, and
even an impious proposition, which is clearly opposed
to holy Scripture.

Moreover, on seeing the title of the work, On Preach
ing, one would have thought that it treated of the utility
and even of the necessity there is in this world of
preaching to the people in order to enlighten them, be
cause in consequence of sin and the corruption of their
nature they are enveloped in darkness, and naturally
inclined, not to what is good and virtuous, as the
author wishes, but to evil and to vices. Now this is not
the case: the end of the work is to discredit preaching,
by representing it as entirely useless for the reforma
tion of morals.

I do not wish to quote here all that the author says:

1 Cardinal Villecourt (1. 3, ch. 38) informs us that this anonymous
author was an abbe named Coyer, whose person and whose books have
hardly been noticed in France. However this may be, his sacrilegious
Utopia touched the zeal of the holy bishop, and has produced for us a
few more good pages, which appeared in 1767 with The Truth of Faith.

64 Refutation of a Book

I shall give only a short sketch of it, to make the reader
understand what the book contains.

The author distinguishes the conversion of the mind
from that of the heart, and says that preaching can
bring about the conversion of the mind, but not that
of the heart; that is, it may effect a change of religion,
but not a change of morals. And here is the way in
which he pretends to prove this:

He says that preaching began when men united to
live together in society. Cain, he says, having built the
first city, which he called Henoch, and this city having
become peopled with a race as wicked as himself, Enos
preached against vice, but without success. Then came
Henoch, who added threats, but his preaching was just
as fruitless, or rather, it became injurious; for the faith
ful, by mingling with the Gentiles to convert them to
the wrorship of the true God, married their daughters,
and thus the corruption extended throughout the world.

He continues by saying that the Lord, seeing the
whole world corrupted by sin, ordered Noe to inform
men of the near approach of the deluge ; and Noe in the
presence of the Ark, which he had begun to build,
preached against vice; but all this was useless, so that
God was obliged to submerge the world; and so it hap
pened.

After the deluge generations multiplied again, and
there were two empires — that of Babylon and that of
Ninive. Noe continued to preach, and did so with more
force, recalling to people's minds the chastisement
that had been administered. The prophets afterwards
preached; but the people, instead of amending, added
new crimes to their old ones, in such a manner that the
Lord sent fire from heaven, which consumed five cities.

After the coming of the Messias St. John the Baptist
preached penance; but how many persons practised it?
Jesus Christ himself preached, and gathered together

entitled: " On Preaching:' 65

only a small number of disciples, who after his death
were dispersed and began to preach throughout the
world; but they ended by being put to death in differ
ent countries by those very men to whom they had
preached.

Thus speaks the author, and then adds:

Under the reign of Constantine the Gospel began to
be preached everywhere; many people embraced the
faith, but did not renounce vice: they thus changed
their religion without changing their manners. Preach
ing was much more multiplied in the i2th century, thanks
to the zeal of the children of St. Francis and of St.
Dominic. Then came the children of St. Ignatius, and
many other new religious, who filled the Church with
preachers; and notwithstanding all this, the world
found itself more than before filled with vice and wicked
ness. What means can We therefore employ in order to
effect a reform of morals, since so far preaching has
always been ineffectual ?

The author, arriving at his conclusion, says that the
preacher who is really capable of reforming the world
is a good government, which rewards the virtuous and
punishes the wicked. Preachers, he says, preach about
eternal goods and eternal evils, as faith teaches them;
but these future goods and evils are far off, and make
little or no impression, because men are more touched
by what they see than by what they hear. The author
then suggests different ways of extirpating vices.

This is what he first proposes: i. To the fathers of
families should be left, as was given by Romulus and
Remus, the absolute power of chastising at their will
their own children, except that they should not be
allowed to sell or kill them, as was allowed to the Ro
mans; 2. The husbands should be the judges of their
wives; 3. The masters should have over their servants
the authority that generals have over their soldiers.
5

66 Refutation of a Book

But his principal project is to establish in every
city or village a censor, who should be charged with
presiding over the families; then to establish a college
of twelve censors from the nearest places, forming a
distinct tribunal of the tribunals of justice. This tri
bunal would have to chastise the vices that magistrates
are not charged with punishing, and to reward the
virtues that have not received the reward that they de
serve. After this he makes an attack upon the author
of the Spirit of the Laws, who had said that a monarchi
cal government remedies all things, and replies to him
that the universe is an altogether too convenient a
censor, since it leaves vices without punishment and
virtues without reward.

2. Refutation.

What displeases me above all in these projects is, that
the author, in order to induce people to live well,
speaks only of human means, and does not even mention
the necessity of divine grace, without which all human
forces can certainly do nothing for the conversion of
hearts. Human governments in punishing bad subjects
and in rewarding the good only serve, without divine
grace, to make Pharisees, who outwardly appear to be
saints, but inwardly are filled with vice. It is grace only
that is successful in reforming hearts; hence the Church
teaches us to pray thus: Tua nos quasumus, JDomine,
gratia semper et prizveniat et sequatur, ac bonis operibus
jugiter prcestet esse intentos — (Let Thy grace, we beseech
Thee, O Lord, ever precede and follow us, and make us
continually intent upon good works). Now holy preach
ing, of which I will afterward speak, serves to make us
know the necessity of grace, and at the same time the
necessity of prayer in order to obtain grace.

As regards the second part of this book, which refers
to civil government, it is not my business to discuss it; for

entitled: " On Preaching" 67

it is not a subject about which I am concerned. I only
say that if this college of censors, which the author pro
poses should depend on a higher authority, I would
leave it to this latter authority, as belonging to it, the
right of determining whether or not it is expedient to
establish a tribunal of this kind; for, on the one hand,
it seems that it can be made useful, but on the other
hand the greatest inconveniences would result there
from. If, on the contrary, one should wish to make it
independent by establishing a democratic regime in
stead of a monarchical government, it would be in op
position to the common opinion of wise men, all of
whom hold that the monarchical government is better
and more suited to preserve harmony in society.

But let us return to the first part concerning preach
ing, which is of particular interest to me: the author de
clares it to be useless for the reformation of morals.

If he wishes to speak of vain and ornate preaching, as
he really speaks of it in some parts of his book, he is
right, and I agree with him; for I myself have published
a little work in which I have proved that preachers who in
their discourses seek their own glory, and not the glory
of God, are, as far as the public are concerned, not
only useless, but are often even pernicious; since most of
the hearers being illiterate people, these discourses,
which they do not understand, only cause them tedious-
ness, and they go with disgust to hear the word of God.
For myself, I say that if the divine word were not
altered, if it were preached in its purity and in a simple
manner, every one would become a saint. Very severe
will therefore be the account that will have to be ren
dered to God by those priests who profane holy preach
ing by a lofty and pompous style, beyond the capacity
of the people, causing thereby the loss of so many souls.
We should read what is said about this matter by Mu-
ratori in his golden book entitled Popular Eloquence.

68 Refittation of a Book

In short, if the author means this kind of vain preach
ing, he is right when he says that it cannot be con
ducive to the amendment of bad morals; but if he
speaks in general, as he really does, of holy preaching,
I say that his thesis is not only most false, but it is.
moreover, pernicious and impious, since it is contrary
to holy Scripture.

Holy Scripture teaches us that good morals, likefaith,
are propagated and cultivated by preaching. Jesus
Christ has declared that to save men his Passion alone
was not sufficient, but that preaching was also neces
sary in order that men might do penance for their sins
and amend their lives: And thus it behored Christ to suffer,
and to rise again from the dead on the third day : and that
penance and remission of sins should be preached in His name
unto all nations? For this reason, therefore, he com
manded his disciples to go out into the whole world, to
teach not only the mysteries that men should believe,
but also the commandments that they should keep: Go
ye into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every crea
ture? Teaching them to observe all things ivhatsoever I have
commanded you:' In obedience to this command the
apostles preached, and their preaching produced fruit
in the entire world, as is testified by St. Paul: In the
word of the truth of the Gospel, which is come unto you, as
also it is in the whole world, and bringeth forth fruit and
groweth, even as it doth in you, since the day you heard it?

1 " Et sic oportebat Christum pati, et resurgere a mortuis tertia die,
et praedicare in nomine ejus poenitentiam et remissionem peccatontm
in omnes gentes." — Luke, xxiv. 46.

2 " Euntes in mundum universum, praedicate Evangelium omni crea-
turse." — Mark, xvi. 15.

3 " Docentes eos servare omnia quaecumque mandavi vobis." — Matt.
xxviii. 15.

4 " In verbo veritatis Evangelii, quod pervenit ad vos, sicut in uni-
verso mundo est, et fructificat, et crescit, sicut in vobis, ex eo die qua
audistis." — Col. i. 5.

entitled : " On Preaching? 69

And this came to pass because the Lord co-operated in
making successful their zeal: And they going forth
preached everywhere, the Lord working withal, and confirm
ing the word with signs that followed. 1

The author says that preaching is inefficacious for the
reformation of morals. But God does not speak thus:
the Lord declares that as the rain makes the earth fruit
ful and makes it produce wheat, in the same way the
word of God does not remain sterile; it produces in
souls fruits of good works: And as the rain and the snow
come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but
soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give
seed to the sower, and bread to the eater j so shall My word
be, which shall go forth from My mouth : it shall not return
to Me void ; but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall
prosper in the things for which I sent it."1 St. Paul adds
that the word of God is so efficacious that it penetrates
the hearts more than a two-edged sword: For the word
of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any
two-edged sword ; and reaching unto the division of the soul
and the spirit? By the word animcc — soul — we under
stand the inferior part of man, which is called animal ;
and by the word spiritus — spirit — we understand the
superior part, which is called spiritual. Hence the word
of God prevents the superior part from uniting with the
inferior part, as happens among the wicked in whom the
inferior drags down the superior part; so that holy

1 " Illi autem profecti prsedicaverunt ubique, Domino cooperante, et
sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis." — -Mark, xvi. 20.

'2 " Et quomodo descendit imber et nix de coelo, et illuc ultra non re-
vertitur, sed inebriat terram, et infundit earn, et germinare earn facit,
et dat semen serenti, et panem comedenti; sic erit verbum meum, quod
egredietur de ore meo: non revertetur ad me vacuum, sed faciet quae-
cumque volui, et prosperabitur in his ad qua misi illud." — Is. Iv. 10.

3 " Vivus est enim sermo Dei, et efficax, et penetrabilior omni gladio
ancipiti, et pertingens usque ad divisionem anims et spiritus." — Heb.
iv. 12.

70 Refutation of a Book

preaching, or rather, the grace by means of preaching,
separates the inferior part from the superior, and pre
vents the superior part from being dragged down, and
dominates over all the actions and all the desires of men.

St Paul, moreover, writes: It pleased God by the foolish
ness of our preaching to save them that believe.1 He says,
By the foolishness of preaching : this is because the mys
tery of the Redemption, which the apostles preached,
was regarded as foolishness by the Gentiles, just as we
afterwards read in the same place: But we preach Christ
crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumbling-block, and unto
the Gentiles, foolishness? The Apostle then declares that
it is by means of the preaching of such folly that the
Lord has wished to save believers. Now in order to save
men, they must be led not only to believe the truths of
faith, but also to do what faith teaches; for faith alone
without works cannot save any one. Hence the Apos
tle assures us, in another text already cited, that the
faith of Jesus Christ produced fruits of good works in
the whole world: It is in the whole world, and bringeth forth
fruit?

Origen also attests 4 that in his time in all parts of the
world those that had abandoned their divinities as well
as the laws of their country, and consequently their
wicked morals, in order to follow the law of Jesus
Christ, were innumerable. Hence the apostles, as the
fruit of their preaching? had the consolation of seeing
the Gentiles not only despise and trample under foot

1 " Placuit Deo per stultitiam praedicationis salvos facere credentes."
—I Cor. i. 21.

2 " Nos autem praedicamus Christum crucifixum, Judseis quidein
scandalum, Gentibus autem stultitiam." — Ib. i. 23.

3 " In universe mundo est et fructificat."— Col. i. 6.

4 " In omni orbe terrarum, in omni Grsecia atque universis exteris
nationibus, innumeri sunt et immensi, qui, relictis patriis legibus, et
his quos putabant deos, se discipline Christi tradiderunt." — Periarch.
1. 4, n. i.

entitled: " On Preaching" 71

their gods, but also extirpate their vices, which were
inveterate for so many centuries, abhor earthly pleas
ures, renounce the riches and the honors of the world,
in order to embrace sufferings, opprobrium, poverty,
persecution, exile, tortures, and death.

The author says that preaching has not served to ex
tirpate vice. It is not denied that, notwithstanding all
the preaching, there were, there are, and there will be
obstinate people who, in order not to give up their vices, _
renounce God; but on the other hand, how many are
there who, after having heard the divine word, have
changed their lives and given themselves to God! And
these conversions were not dramatic conversions, which
were only apparent as would be those that were only
accomplished because of temporal rewards and pun
ishments, of which the author speaks: they were true
conversions of the heart. This was especially shown
by so many martyrs, who, in order to confess their faith
according to the precept of the Gospel, sacrificed their
lives amid torments, and had so great a desire to die,
that Tiberian, governor of Palestine, was forced to write
to the Emperor Trajan that it was impossible to put to
death all the Christians, so great was the number of
those that offered themselves to die for Jesus Christ.
This subsequently induced Trajan to leave the Chris
tians in peace. Those that were thus converted by holy
preaching were not only the common, ignorant people;
but there were among them nobles, learned men, de-
curions, judges, senators, so that Tertullian in his Apol
ogy could say to the Gentiles: "We are filling all your
places, — cities, islands, meetings, camps, decurions, the
senate, the forum."1 After the first three centuries,
which were centuries of blood, the fourth and fifth were
centuries of self-inflicted penances, and of renouncing;

1 " Vestra omnia implevimus, urbes, insulas, conciliabula, castra,
decurias, senatum, forum." — Apologet, c. 37.

72 Refutation of a Book: " On Preaching."

of the world; for many men and women retired to the
desert, leaving behind their country, their relatives,
their property, and everything, in order to give them
selves up entirely to God by the practice of the holy
virtues. St. Jerome, when he was living in Palestine,
wrote1 that thither came every day from India, from
Persia, from Ethiopia, companies of monks living in
solitude, for the purpose of visiting the holy places
of Jerusalem. And Rufinus2 assures us, that particu
larly in the territory of a single city of Egypt there
lived at the beginning of the fourth century twenty
thousand religious virgins who led a holy life. All this
was the fruit of holy preaching.

I do not wish to continue any longer, nor fatigue my
readers, to prove the utility and the necessity of holy
preaching; for this it suffices to recall to mind what the
Apostle says: How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed ' ? Or how shall they believe him of
whom they have not heard 2 And how shall they hear with
out a preacher ?3 It seems to me, moreover, that the little
that I have said above sufficiently proves how impious
is the thesis of the book in question, in which the author
pretends to prove that preaching has never been a use
ful and proper means for the reformation of morals,
when, on the contrary, without preaching we should be
deprived of one of the principal means destined by God
to bring about the true conversion of hearts.

1 Ad Lcctam, de Instit. filice.

2 Vit. Pair. 1. i, c. 5.

3 " Quomodo ergo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt ? Aut
quomodo credent ei quem non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient
sine prsedicante ?" — Rom. x. 14.

& fetter

ON THE ADVANTAGES OF THE HOLY MISSIONS, TO A BISHOP
RECENTLY APPOINTED, BY WHOM THE SAINT HAD BEEN
CONSULTED ON THE SUBJECT.*

I HAVE received your lordship's most esteemed letter,
in which I see your zeal for procuring missions for all
the villages of your diocese, and in which your lordship
states several objections which have been made against
the advantages of the missions. In obedience to your
lordship's commands I shall detail at full length my
views on the matter, and shall answer all the groundless
objections which have been put forward against the holy
missions.

It is certain, my lord, that the conversion of sinners
is the greatest benefit that God can bestow upon man.
St. Thomas 1 says that the gift of grace by which God
justifies the sinner is a greater favor than the beatitude
of glory. But the conversion of sinners is precisely the
end of the missions; for, by the instructions and ser
mons of the missions, they are convinced of the malice
of sin, of the importance of salvation, and of the good-'
ness of God, and thus their hearts are changed, the
bonds of vicious habits are broken, and they begin to
live like Christians.

In the old as well as in the new law the Lord or
dained that the world should be saved by means of the
missions. The faith, according- to St. Paul, has been

1 i. 2, q. 113, a. 9.

* This letter was printed in connection with Sermons for Sundays,
which appeared in 1771 {Villecourt, tome vi, pages 304 et 472).— ED.

74 Letter to a Bishop

propagated by preaching; but preaching would have
been ineffectual if God had not sent the preachers.
How, says the Apostle, shall they believe him of whom they
have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ?
and how shall they preach unless they be sent? ' Hence, ac
cording to St. Gregory, the missions began at the com
mencement of the world: for God has never at any
time neglected to send workmen to cultivate his vine
yard.2 In the Old Testament he sent the prophets to
preach the law, and in the New he has sent his own Son
to teach us the new law of grace, which is the perfection
and accomplishment of the old law. God who in times
past spoke to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these
days hath spoken to us by his Son?

But because Jesus Christ was sent to preach only in
Judea, he appointed the apostles that, after his death,
they might preach the Gospel to all nations.4 By the
preaching of the apostles the Gospel began, as we
learn from St. Paul, to fructify throughout the world. r>
The apostles sent their disciples to propagate the faith
in the other nations, which they themselves had not
been able to reach. And in after years, as we know
from ecclesiastical history, holy workmen were sent by
the Sovereign Pontiff and by other bishops to preach
the Gospel in other kingdoms. In the fourth century
St. Ireneus was sent to France. In the fifth, St. Palla-
dius was sent to Scotland, and St. Patrick to Ireland.
In the sixth, St. Gregory sent St. Augustine to England.

" Quomodo credent ei quern non audierunt ? Quomodo autem
audient, sine praedicante ? Quomodo vero praedicabunt, nisi mittan-
tur?" — Rom. x. 14.

2 " Ad erudiendam ergo dominus plebem.suam, quasi ad excolendam
vineam, nullo tempore destitit operarios mittere." — In Evang. hom. 19.

3 " Novissime, diebus istis, locutus est nobis in Filio." — Heb. i. 2..

" Euntes in mundum universum predicate evangelium omni crea-
tune." — Mark, xvi. 15.

5 " In universe mundo est, et frurlifirat, et crescit." — Col. i. 6.

on the Utility of Missions. 7 5

In the seventh, St. Eligius was sent to Flanders, St.
Kilian to Franconia, Sts. Swidbert and Willibrord to Hol
land. In the eighth century Gregory the Second sent
St. Boniface to Germany, St. Wulfran to Friesland,
and St. Hubert to Brabant. In the ninth, St. Ascanius
was sent to Denmark and Sweden, and St. Methodius to
Bohemia, Moravia, and Bulgaria. In the tenth, St. May-
nard was sent to Livonia, and St. Ottone to Pomerania.
In the thirteenth century the Pope sent Dominicans and
Franciscans to Greece, Armenia, Ethiopia, Tartary, and
Norway. These facts have been taken from a work
entitled Historical Notices of the Church.

Finally, we know that in later times immense num
bers have been converted from paganism in the East
Indies and Japan by St. Francis Xavier, and in the
West Indies by St. Louis Bertrand. I abstain from
mentioning the many provinces of infidels and heretics
which were converted by missionaries. St. Francis de
Sales was sent to the province of Chablais, and con
verted seventy-two thousand heretics. We also know
that St. Vincent de Paul instituted a Congregation of
priests, which was approved by the Holy See. The
priests of this Congregation are called " The Fathers of
the Mission," because their lives are spent in giving
missions in all places to which they are invited.

In a word, wherever the faith has been planted or a
reformation of morals introduced, all has been effected
by means of the missions; and when the scourges of
heaven — earthquakes, wars, famine, and pestilence — have
failed to convert the people, when the civil laws with
all their penalties have not succeeded in preventing
murders, thefts, adulteries, and blasphemies, the mis
sions have been found effectual; hence, the learned Con-
tenson of the Order of St. Dominic says that by the
missions alone souls obtain eternal life.1 Hence, when

" Per solas missiones impletur pnedestinatio, quae est transmissio
creature rationalis in vitam aeternam." — Thcol. 1. 3, d. 6, c. 2, sp. 2.

76 Letter to a Bishop

a mission is to be given in any place, we can clearly
perceive the efforts of hell to prevent it. For there is
always some dissolute person who does all in his power
to prevent the mission, because he knows that it will be
an effectual obstacle to the execution of his wicked de
signs. But if in cities the missions are most useful, they
are necessary in the villages and small towns as well for
the instruction of the people as to give them an oppor
tunity of making a good confession. First, in the small
towns the missions are necessary for the instruction of
the people. It is true, in all or in almost Catholic coun
tries, sermons are preached to the people during the
Lent. But the people derive far greater fruit from the
sermons of the missionaries than from the Lenten dis
courses. For the preachers for Lent ordinarily preach
in a high and flowery style, or at least in a manner not
adapted to the capacity of the poor. They have their
sermons committed to memory, and cannot change
them, whether their audience consists of the learned or
ignorant. When the preachers of the villages came to
ask the blessing of Cardinal Pignatelli, Archbishop of
Naples, his Eminence recommended them to address
the people in a simple and popular style. For, said his
Eminence, the greater part of the people being illiterate,
they derive no fruit from the sermons unless the lan
guage be accommodated to their capacity. He then
added, Perhaps you will tell me that the prescription is
already written. I then answer, Oh, what a pity for the
patients !

The remarks of this holy prelate were most just;
for, what benefit can a sick man derive from remedies
which have been prescribed without a knowledge of his
disease?

Hence, when the poor people of the country places
are asked what fruit they have received from the ser
mon, they answer that they could not understand it

on the Utility of Missions. 77

because the preacher spoke Latin. It is not true that
these preachers always speak Latin, but their language
is so little adapted to the weak understanding of the
ignorant that to them it is as unintelligible as if it were
Latin. I assert, and in this assertion I believe I am not
rash, that it would be sometimes better for the ignorant
to be absent from these sermons. For after listening
for an hour to a sermon, in the hope of deriving from it
spiritual profit, they find that their time has been lost,
and thus they conceive a dislike for the word of God,
and become worse than they were before. Hence it is
that after the sermons of Lent we see the same bad
practices, the same animosities, and hear the same blas
phemies and the same obscenities. The greatest misery
of the poor in the country is, as Contenson says, that
there is no one to break to them the word of God; and
therefore, he says, woe to the bishops, woe to the negli
gent priest ! '

But, it will be asked, are there not over the poor in the
villages pastors who preach every Sunday? Yes, there
are pastors who preach; but we must consider that all
pastors do not, or cannot break the bread of the divine
word to the illiterate in the manner prescribed by the
Council of Trent. " They shall feed the people com
mitted to them with wholesome words, according to
their own capacity, and that of their people, by teach
ing them the things which it is necessary for all to know
unto salvation, and by announcing to them, with brief
ness and plainness of discourse, the vices which they
must avoid, and the virtues which they must follow
after."2 Hence it often happens that the people draw

"Tot parvuli in oppidulis petunt panem et non est qui frangat
eis. Vae, vae praelatis dormientibus, vae presbyteris otiosis!" — Loco cit.

" Plebes sibi commissas, pro earum capacitate, pascant salutaribus
verbis, docendo necessaria ad salutem annunciandoque cum brevitate et
facilitate sermonis vitia quse eas declinare, et virtutes, quas sectari opor-
teat." — Sess. 5, c. 2, de Ref.

78 Letter to a Bishop

but little fruit from the sermon of the pastor, either be
cause he has but little talent for preaching, or because
his style is too high or his discourse too long. Besides,
many of those who stand in the greatest need of instruc
tion do not go to the sermon of the parish priest.
Moreover, Jesus Christ tells us that No prophet is ac
cepted in his own country.1 And when the people always
hear the same voice, the sermon makes but little im
pression upon them.

But the sermons of the missionaries who devote their
lives to the missions are well arranged, and are all
adapted to the capacity of the ignorant as well as of
the learned. In their sermons, as well as in their in
structions, the word of God is broken. Hence, in the
mission the poor are made to understand the mysteries
of faith and the precepts of the Decalogue, the manner
of receiving the sacraments with fruit, and the means of
persevering in the grace of God: they are inflamed with
fervor, and are excited to correspond with the divine
love, and to attend to the affair of salvation. Hence we
see such a concourse of the people at the missions, where
they hear strange voices and simple and popular dis
courses. Besides, in the missions, the eternal truths
which are best calculated to move the heart, such as the
importance of salvation, the malice of sin, death, judg
ment, hell, eternity, etc., are proposed in a connected
manner, so that it would be a greater wonder that a dis
solute sinner should persevere in his wickedness, than
that he should be converted. Hence, in the missions,
many sinners give up their evil habits, remove proxi
mate occasions of sin, restore ill-gotten goods, and re
pair injuries. Many radically extirpate all sentiments
of hatred, and forgive their enemies from their hearts;
and many who had not approached the sacraments for

1 " Nemo propheta acceptus est in patria sua." — Luke, iv. 24.

on the Utility of Missions. 79

many years, or who received them unworthily, make
good confessions during the missions.

It has been said that, during the ten or fifteen days
which the mission lasts, the missionaries have given
absolution to many relapsing sinners, who would require
a trial of many months before they could be safely ab
solved. Would to God that all confessions were made
with the same dispositions with which they are made in
the missions. Oh, how small should be the number of
damned souls ! Surely length of time is not the only
means of ascertaining the dispositions of a penitent; it
may be a very fallacious means. How many are there
who, in order to receive absolution during the time of
the paschal precept, abstain for a month and more from
the habits of sin, who interrupt their evil practices, and
relapse immediately after? I therefore am of opinion
that the disposition of a penitent may be better known
from the deep impression made by the sermons, from
the compunction of heart which he manifests, from the
resolution which he makes, and from the means which
he adopts in order to avoid sin, than from length of
time. St. Cyprian says that charity is perfected, not
so much by length of time, as by the efficacy of grace.
And St. Thomas says that God sometimes infuses so
much compunction into the hearts of sinners that they
instantly acquire perfect sanctity.1 At a synod of the
Bishops at Flanders, held at Brussels, the following de
cree was made: "The confessor, in the case of greater
sinners, even when they are backsliders, should not ask
that they should perform works of penance for a nota
ble time, but he should with the holy Fathers be mind
ful that God in the conversion of the sinner considers
not the measure of time but of sorrow."2 Moreover,

"Quandoque tanta commotione convertit (Deus) cor hominis, ut

subito perfecte consequatur sanitatem spiritualem."— P. 3, q. 86, c. 5.

" Confessarius a quibusvis peccatoribus gravioribus etiam recidivis.

8o Letter to a Bishop

since the matter of the sacrament of penance is moral
and not physical, it is sufficient for the confessor to have
a moral certainty which (as the author of the Instructor
of Young Confessors says) is nothing else than a prudent
probable judgment, not opposed by a prudent doubt of
the dispositions of the penitent. Those who have as
sisted in giving missions, and who are accustomed to
hear confessions, know well the difference between the
confessions made on other occasions and the confes
sions made during the missions. They are fully con
vinced that in the missions penitents confess their sins
with true sorrow, and with a firm purpose of amend
ment.

The reparation of so many sacrilegious confessions in
which sins are concealed through shame, particularly by
women, should of itself be sufficient to render the mis
sions very desirable. This great evil of bad confessions
is more common in small villages in which there are but
few confessors, who are acquainted with all the inhabi
tants. Penitents are ashamed to confess their sins to
confessors whom they meet every day, and thus through
shame they continue to make sacrilegious confessions
during their whole lives. Many, through this accursed
shame, conceal their sins even at the hour of death, and
thus sacrilegiously receive the last sacraments. Hence,
the reparation of so many bad confessions is one of the
greatest advantages of the missions. The people, know
ing that the missionaries are strangers who will remain
only for a few days, and whom they shall never see
again, are easily induced, by the terrors of the divine
judgments proposed in the sermons of the mission, to
confess the sins which they had before concealed.

Hence I say that in every village the mission should

stata lege, non exigat ut per notabile tempus prsevia exercuerint opera
poenitentise ; sed cum sanctis Patribus expendat Deum, in conversione
peccatoris, non tarn considerari mensuram temporis quam doloris."

on the Utility of Missions. 81

continue as long as will be necessary for the mission
aries to hear the confessions of all the inhabitants;
otherwise, many persons will not be able to make their
confession to the Fathers, and thus their consciences
will be perplexed and troubled. For, by the sermons,
scruples are excited; but by the sermons alone, a person
addicted to bad habits, to unjust contracts, or inveterate
hatred is not sufficiently taught what he must do in
order to tranquillize his conscience. But in confession
everything is adjusted, and the penitent is instructed
how to make restitution for injuries done to others in
their property or character, how to remove the occa
sions of his sins, and how to pardon injuries. But if
the doubts and scruples excited by the sermons be not
removed in the confessional, many persons will be more
perplexed and troubled in mind than they were before
the mission began. And if a person whose past confes
sions were sacrilegious cannot confess to the mission
aries, he will, being obliged to make his confession to
the priests of the village, continue, as before, to conceal
his sins. Where the mission is so short that all the
inhabitants of the place have not time to make their
confession to the missionaries, it will do more injury
than service to many souls. For, some persons whose
ignorance rendered the omission of certain sins in con
fession excusable, being instructed in their obligation,
will be found to confess these sins, but will not have
courage to disclose these to the confessor of the place:
thus, they will commit sacrileges and be lost.

Finally, all the world knows the immense good which
has been and is daily done by the missions. A descrip
tion of the innumerable conversions of sinners, produced
by means of the missions, would be too long for this
letter; but I shall mention a few.

Speaking of the missions of Father Segneri the
younger, the celebrated Muratori says that the entire
6

82 Letter to a Bishop

people gave up their employments to attend his ser
mons. He says that hatred for their sins and compunc
tion of heart were plainly depicted in the countenances
of all. Human respect and human feelings were trodden
under foot, the most obdurate sinners were converted,
and the confessors were obliged to hear confessions not
only by day but by night. He adds that after the mis
sion the whole town appeared to be changed: scandals
were removed, abuses corrected, inveterate and obstinate
animosities ceased, and blasphemies, imprecations, and
obscenities were no longer heard. A similar descrip
tion has been published of the fruits of the missions of
Father Joseph Carabantes, a Capuchin; but in one city
the people were so deeply penetrated with compunction
that almost all of them went through the streets in the
garments of penance, scourging themselves, and with
tears asking of God the 'pardon of their sins.

Speaking of the missions given by the venerable
priests of the congregation of St. Vincent de Paul, the
author of his life says that, during a mission in the
diocese of Palestrina in 1657, a young man whose arm
had been cut off by an enemy, having met his enemy in
a public street after the sermon, cast himself at his feet,
aslved pardon for the hatred he had borne him, and,
rising up, embraced him with so much affection that all
who were present wept through joy, and many, moved
by his example, pardoned all the injuries that they had
received from their enemies. In the same diocese there
were two widows who had been earnestly entreated but
constantly refused to pardon certain persons who had
killed their husbands. During the mission they were
perfectly reconciled with the murderers, in spite of the
remonstrance of a certain person who endeavored to
persuade them to the contrary, saying that the murders
were but recent, and that the blood of their husbands
was still warm. The following fact is stUl more won-

on the Utility of Missions. 83

derful: In a certain town, which shall be nameless,*
vindictiveness prevailed to such an extent that parents
taught their children how to take revenge for every
offence, however small; this vice was so deeply rooted
that it appeared impossible to persuade the people to
pardon injuries. The people came to the exercises of
the mission with sword and musket, and many with
other weapons. For some time the sermons did not
produce a single reconciliation; but on a certain day,
the preacher, through a divine inspiration, presented the
crucifix to the audience, saying: Now let every one who
bears malice to his enemies come and show that for the
love of his Saviour he wishes to pardon them: let him
embrace them in Jesus Christ. After these words a
parish priest whose nephew had been lately killed
came up to the preacher and kissed the crucifix, and,
calling the murderer, who was present, embraced him
cordially. By this example and by the words of the
preacher the people were so much moved that for an
hour and a half they were employed in the church in
making peace with their enemies and embracing those
whom they had before hated. The hour being late,
they continued to do the same on the following day, so
that parents pardoned the murder of their children,
wives of their husbands, and children of their fathers
and brothers. These reconciliations were made with so
many tears and so much consolation that the inhabitants
long continued to bless God for the signal favor bestowed
on the town. It is also related that many notorious rob
bers and assassins, being moved by the sermon, or by
what they heard from others of it, gave up their arms

* In the Life of the saint by Abelly, 1. 4, ch. 5, this place is called
Niolo, situated in the island of Corsica, where a mission was given in
1652. This Life presents many other very interesting details about the
good done in the missions given by the children of St. Vincent de Paul.
—ED.

&4 Letter to a Bishop

and began to lead a Christian life. Nearly forty of
these public malefactors were converted in a single
mission.

We read in his life of the stupendous effects produced
by the missions of Father Leonard of Port Maurice, of the
reformed Franciscans. In a village of Corsica 'called
Mariana murders were so frequently committed through
revenge that entire families were extinguished; such
was the fruit of a mission given by Father Leonard that
at the end of it there was not a single individual in the
town who had not made peace with his enemies. In
another place, called Casaccone, there was a family who
obstinately refused to be reconciled with certain persons
who had offended them. But when, at the close of the
mission, the preacher declared that he did not intend to
bless those who retained sentiments of hatred in their
hearts, all the members of that family came forward,
and with many tears made peace with their opponents.
During the mission in this place, a young man came
from a distance, for the purpose of killing an enemy,
whom he expected to find at the exercises of the mis
sions; but by hearing the sermon he was converted, laid
aside his hatred and made a general confession. In a
town called Castel d'Acqua, there was a great number
of opposite factions: during the mission they came one
day, armed, to the church. Great slaughter was appre
hended; but by the sermon their hearts were filled with
compunction: they went of their own accord to the
preacher, and a common peace was established. In an
other place there were two parties who had been at
variance for twenty years; in these contentions many
persons were killed. Through the obstinacy of their
chief, whose name was Lupo, one of the parties at the
beginning of the mission refused to make peace; but at
the end of the mission, seeing that his opponents were
reconciled with God, and that he was still the enemy of

on the Utility of Missions. 85

God, Lupo was struck with remorse, and offered to
make peace: thus the two parties were reconciled. In
Livorno great preparations were made for the amuse
ment of the carnival; but as soon as the mission began,
the masks and dances and, because no person would go
to the theatres, even the public comedies were given up.
These are ordinary, not extraordinary, fruits of all mis
sions : I therefore abstain from saying more on this
subject.

Let us now come to the objections that are made
against the utility of the missions. It is said in the first
place that the fruit of the missions is only temporary,
that, though it appears great, it lasts but a short time,
and that the wicked become worse than they were be
fore. I answer, would to God that all who are con
verted would persevere! It is one of the miseries of
human nature that many who recover the grace of God
lose it again by sin. But though it should be admitted
that the fruits of the missions are not permanent, it is at
least certain that, during the mission, bad practices are
given up, scandals are removed, blasphemies cease, a
great deal of ill-gotten property is restored, and many
bad confessions are repaired. But it is not true that,
after the missions, all sinners become worse than they
were before; many persevere in the grace of God, and
others, if they relapse, abstain for many months from
mortal sin. Moreover, by listening to the sermons of
the missions, the people acquire a more perfect knowl
edge of God and of the importance of salvation, and a
greater horror of sin; and if they relapse into sin, they
endeavor to rise again at the time of the Paschal Com
munion. I hold for certain that, if among all those
who have attended the sermons any one die within a
year after the missions, he will scarcely be lost. The
fruits of the mission are always visible at least for a year
or two; and if they do not last longer, it is because the

86 Letter to a Bishop

priests of the place do not labor to preserve and main
tain them by assembling the people to meditation and
to the visitation of the Blessed Sacrament, and, above all,
by attending to the confessional. " V<z" says the
learned Contenson, " pralatis dormientibus, VCR presbytcris
otiosis." But when, after three or four years, the land
becomes dry, it is necessary to refresh it by another
mission.

The second objection against the missions is that the
consciences of many are disturbed by scruples excited
by the sermons. Oh what an objection! Then, rather
than disturb their conscience, it is better to allow sin
ners to slumber in the lethargy of sin, and in an ac
cursed peace which is the seal of damnation! The
devil wishes that the false peace of sinners, which keeps
them in a state of perdition, should not be disturbed!
But it is the duty of a pastor to awaken those who sleep
in sin, and to warn them of the danger of damnation to
which they are exposed; and surely than the missions,
there is no better means of arousing sinners to a sense
of the perils by which they are beset.

Hence, bishops should take care that missions be given
in every village, however small. Where there are many
villages near one another, some missionaries select for
the mission a place in the midst of these villages. The
greatest sinners, who are consequently the most blind
and the most careless of their salvation, do not go to the
exercises of the mission unless they are performed in
their own church. They remain at home under the
pretext that the church in which the mission is given
is too distant, or that the weather is bad, and thus they
continue in their miserable state of perdition. I speak
from experience; for we found that many places derive
little or no profit from the missions, either because these
missions were given in the midst of several villages or
because they were too short. Hence, when the mission-

on the Utility of Missions. 87

aries of our little Congregation go into any diocese, it
is usual to give the mission in every village, however
small, at least for eight days, and in populous towns for
fifteen, twenty, or thirty days, until the confessions of
all are heard.1

The third objection is that the exercises of the mis
sions generally end at night, and are therefore a cause
of much scandal. I answer that they who attend the
exercises are struck with the terror of God's judgments;
and should any one during that time be disposed to
tempt others to sin, he could not expect to succeed: but
even though some attempt should be made to draw
others into sins, must the mission be given up? If, to
avoid all danger of evil, it were necessary to abstain
from what is good and profitable, we should prohibit
festivals of the saints, processions, and pilgrimages to
holy places, because in these things there is always some
disorder; we should prohibit confession, Communion,
and hearing Mass, because even in these there are some
times scandals and sacrileges. But we know that the
Church not only permits but even approves and com
mands these things.

But it is said that from preaching at night many sins
arise: and will there be no sins if the missions be given
up? Ah, if the missions be given up, bad habits, quar
rels, blasphemies, and all scandals will continue. But
at least, during the mission, thousands of sins are avoided.
But you will ask why are the sermons preached at night ?
I answer that, where the people attend by day, the ser
mons should be preached during the day and not at
night; but, where they cannot attend by day, what can
be done ? It is certain that if, in the country places, the
poor laboring classes, who form almost the entire audi
ence, do not attend the sermons, the mission will be lost;
but however strongly they may be exhorted to attend
1 See treatise on the EXERCISES OF THE MISSIONS, ch. x.

Letter to a Bishop

at an early hour, these poor people cannot come till
after the work of the day. Masters and employers are
recommended to allow their servants and workmen to
give up their work at an early hour during the days of
the mission; but these employers look to their own
interest and pay but little attention to such recommen
dations. The workmen, unless they complete the day's
work, are not paid. Without their wages they are not
able to provide food for themselves or their families:
hence in the villages the poor cannot attend till about
sunset; and if they do not attend, I say the mission is
lost.1

The fourth objection is that some imprudent mis
sionaries preach from the pulpit against the sins which
they hear in the confessional, and excite in the people a
hatred for confession. This objection has been made
by some wicked persons who hate the missions, and is
utterly destitute of foundation. The first thing the
missionaries do after their arrival at the place of the
mission, is to inform themselves of the prevailing sins
and abuses of the place, and these they attack in their
sermons. But they are careful never to mention in the
pulpit any circumstance which, could in the most re
mote manner reveal any sin heard in confession. But
of what are they to speak in the pulpit ? Is it of ecsta
sies, raptures, visions, or of revelations ? No, they must
preach against the vices which are most common, and
which are ordinarily committed in all places, such as
impurity, blasphemies, hatred, theft, and the like.

Finally, it is said that the missions, being repeated
every three years, are too frequent, and therefore produce
little or no impression on the minds of the people. I
admit that, between two successive missions in the same
place, there should be a considerable interval of time;
but an interval of three years is quite sufficient. For,
1 See EXERCISES OF THE MISSIONS, ch. vii. art. 8, n. 4.

on the Utility of Missions. 89

ordinarily speaking, in that space of time many forget
the sermons of the missons, many relapse into sin, and
very many fall into tepidity. A new mission will renew
the fervor of the tepid, and will restore God's grace to
those who have relapsed. But it is not true that re
peated missions do not produce much fruit. For
although in the second mission the people do not mani
fest so much compunction as in the first, the fruit is not
withstanding very great. For, as I have already said,
many who have returned to their former bad habits
rise again from sin, many who became tepid begin again
to serve God with fervor, and many are more firmly
established in the practice of virtue. Hence, to renew
the fervor and resolution of the people, the missionaries
of our little Congregation usually return after some
months to the place in which they have given missions.
And we have learned by experience the great advan
tages which flow from these renewals.

I have said enough; I only entreat yom Lordship to
continue with your wonted zeal to procure every three
years a mission for every village in your diocese. Do
not attend to the objections of those who speak against
the missions through interested motives or through
ignorance of the great advantages of the missions. I
also pray you to oblige the pastors and priests of the vil
lages to continue the exercises recommended to them
by the missionaries, such as common mental prayer in
the church, visit to the most holy sacrament, familiar
sermons every week, the Rosary, and other similar de
votions. For it frequently happens that, through the
neglect of the priests of the place, the greater part of
the fruit produced by the mission is lost. I recommend
myself to your prayers and remain,

Your very devoted and obedient servant,
ALPHONSUS, MARIA,

Bishop of St. Agatha, etc.

(ffccrciscs of tljc 41lission0.

OUR saint describes in this treatise the exercises of
the missions such as they are given or were given at his
time at Naples; but we may clearly gather from what
he says, that he does not pretend that the same method
should be followed and the same means employed in
every place and at all times. This is what he himself,
in his old age, gives us to understand when he heard
that there was an intention of introducing his Institute
into Austria. "The missions," he said, " are not there
given in the way in which we give ours: instruction or
catechism is more useful there than preaching, because
the people are living in the midst of Lutherans and Cal-
vinists." Moreover, the statutes of his Congregation
lay down this regulation for the missionaries: "Those
ceremonies that are obsolete, ludicrous, and unusual in
the country or places where they preach, shall be omitted ;
and as a general rule, the means of exciting the feelings
of the people shall be used but sparingly, or shall even
be omitted, especially in large places, and in places
where the people are well educated." t{e that presides
over the mission should, therefore, consider the circum
stances of time and place where the mission is given,
and, above all, the character of the people, so as to
select and direct the exercises in a manner that will
produce most fruit. — ED.

INTRODUCTION.

THERE are some who assert that the missions do more
harm than good, because they trouble, they say, the
people and their consciences, and because, if the people
abstain from committing sin during the mission, they
fall back into vice as soon as it is over, and become
worse than they were before. Those that speak in this
way, having had no experience in regard to missions,
are ignorant of the great number of souls that are
thereby gained for God. But he that practically knows
what missions are, is fully aware how many inveterate
enmities they remove, how many bad habits they root
out, how many restitutions of ill-gotten goods they
bring about, how many law-suits— a fruitful source of
hatred — they adjust, and above all, how many bad con
fessions they repair, especially in the country in small
places, where in this respect one may say that the mis
sions are not only useful, as in large cities, but are even
necessary. Indeed, as in these places the inhabitants
know one another, it is not a rare thing that shame
prevents them from manifesting their sins to the con
fessors of the place.

It is true, many at the opening of the mission com
plain that the missionaries have come to create disturb
ance among them; but these complaints are not uttered
by good people: they are uttered by those that live
thoughtlessly in their sins, and do not wish to be dis
turbed. Such is the aim of the devil: he does not wish
that his unhappy slaves should be roused from their
false peace in which they live— a peace that is to be the
cause of their eternal torment and their eternal despair !

It is also true that after the mission many will relapse
into sin. Ah ! would to God that all those that are
once converted would have the happiness of persevering

Introduction.

in the state of grace till death; but so great is human
frailty, that many sinners after having recovered the
grace of God, again lose it. Nevertheless, even if no
other advantage could be gained, it is certain that, at
least during the time of the mission, many sins are
avoided. The missions, however, bring back to God
many souls, who afterwards persevere in God's grace
till death; and if many should happen to relapse, they
keep fro-m sin at least for several months, and will
acquire during the mission a greater horror of sin, a bet
ter knowledge of God and of the importance of their
eternal salvation.1

As for the exercises of the missions, there are many
books that treat of them at length, especially the beau
tiful work of the venerable priest Philip de Mura, which
bears the title, The Missionary instructed, from which I
confess that I have taken the greater part of the present
little work. However, it was for the greater convenience
of the young members of our Congregation that I made
this abridgment, in which I have briefly set forth rules
and examples of all the exercises in accordance with
the usage of the missions given by our Institute. To
these I have added many things and many reflections
which an experience of thirty-four years has made me
regard as very useful to souls. I hope that this little
work will also be profitable to many other priests; for
therein they will find expressed in a clear and succinct
manner what is said diffusely in other books, the more
so since a plain and concise style is more pleasing at
the present time, in which one wishes to read little and
know much. Besides, in this book will be found exam
ples written in a familiar style,, proper for missions,
which should certainly be very different from the style
in which Sunday or Lenten sermons are preached.

1 These objections are refuted more at length in the Letter to a Bishop,
page 73.

(ftlje ©certifies of ll)e Missions.

CHAPTER I.
EXHORTATIONS (Sentimenti).

THERE are four kinds of exhortations; namely, the
exhortations of the evening, the exhortations of the
day, the exhortations during the taking of the discipline,
and the exhortations of peace.

To give to each of these exhortations the suitable
form, it is necessary to consider the aim and purpose of
each. Thus:

1. The exhortation of the evening is given in order to
rouse the sinner and to call him to the mission.

2. The exhortation of the day is given to gather
together the faithful and to lead them to the church.

3. The exhortation of the discipline is given to move
sinners to contrition, and to do penance for their sins.

4. Finally, the exhortation of peace is given to recon
cile enemies.

The Exhortation of the Evening.*
i. PRELIMINARY REMARKS.

i. The exhortations of the evening contribute greatly
to inspire the people with fervor from the very begin-

* This exercise is scarcely in vogue, outside of Italy. It was the
practice of St. Alphonsus in his missions to send some of the mission
aries, accompanied by clerics with a cross and lighted torches, to make
short exhortations at the corner of the streets and public places for the
first few evenings of the mission. The object of these exhortations

96 Exercises of the Missions.

ning of the mission. To arouse sinners and to induce
them to come to church in order to hear the sermons,
it is not sufficient that the opening of the mission be
announced to them, or that they be called by the sound
of the bell; they must be moved by the power of the
word, and by the fear of the chastisements that God
has reserved for them. Without these exhortations, at
least during the first four or five days, we shall see the
church but little frequented by those that need the mis
sion most. On the contrary, we know by experience
that the evening exhortations awaken in a wonderful
way these destitute souls, and determine them to go to
the church with the rest.

2. These exhortations should be short, and even very
short, so that they do not last longer than half or quarter
of an hour, either because being given in the evening, in
the open air, and mostly in winter, they may become
inconvenient both for the speaker and for the listeners,
or even because several exhortations are given in the same
evening, and must be given with fervor and vehemence,
by using startling expressions which, like arrows, strike
the ears and hearts of the hearers. Young missionaries
often have this defect, that they prolong these exhorta
tions as well as the other smaller exercises of the mission,
and almost make sermons out of them. They thereby
grow tedious to the listeners and disturb the order of
the mission, so that there is no time left for other more
necessary exercises.

3. The evening exhortations are concluded, not by an
act of contrition, but by a terrible Sentence (sentenza
terribile]. Only at the end, after returning to the
church, another very short exhortation is made, and is

was to excite the people to penance, and invite them to attend the
exercises of the mission. A stanza of some suitable hymn was first
sung, and then the missionary gave a short but animated exhortation.

—ED.

Chap. L Exhortations. — /. 97

concluded by an act of contrition expressed in a few
words.

2. DIVISION OF THE DISCOURSE.

The evening exhortation contains five parts; namely:

1. The Introduction with the Proposition; 2. The Am
plification; 3. Moral reflection with the invitation to
penance; 4. The Announcement of the powers with
which the missionaries are invested, as also of the exer
cises of the mission, and of the indulgences that are
attached to the mission; 5. The terrible Sentence.

I. The INTRODUCTION, preceded by the singing of a
hymn, may be begun in different ways, of which the
following are examples: i. By an EXCLAMATION: "O
eternal God ! how good Thou art ! Men despise Thee,
flee from Thee; and Thou goest in search of them;
Thou callest to them in order to offer them pardon."

2. By a REPROACH: "Sinner! tell me: When will you
cease to offend God ?" (It must here be remarked that
the exhortation should not be begun by the use of
abusive words, such as wretched, villa-nous, crime-laden
souls, and the like, for the hearers grow angry when
they hear themselves thus called at the beginning of the
discourse.) 3. By an INTERROGATION: " My dear brother,
tell me: At the end of this kind of life that you are lead
ing, what will become of you ?" 4. By expressing a
sentiment of COMPASSION: " Poor sinner ! who would
not pity your unhappy state, knowing that you are in
disgrace with God, etc. ?" 5. By an EXPOSITION: "My
dear Christian, I have come to tell you in the name of
God, that he is ready to pardon you, if, etc."

After this introduction or the like, the PROPOSITION,
or the argument of the exhortation, is announced. The
proposition is drawn from the hymn that is sung be
fore. Let us suppose that the hymn is as follows:
7

98 Exercises of the Missions.

" Lo ! a God of all compassion

Calls thee; shall he call in vain?
If thou yet reject his mercy,
Will he ever call again ?"

After the people have heard this hymn, we may thus
address them: " My dear Christians, I have come this
evening to bring you two messages; the one a message
of joy, the other a message of terror: if you return to
God, who calls you back to him during this holy mis
sion, he will embrace you as his dear children; but if
you do not return, and do not return soon, God will no
longer call you, and you will be damned." Sometimes
it will be well to begin the introduction by the propo
sition itself; thus: "You understand me, ye sinners:
if now you return to God, you will find him full of
mercy; but if you do not return to him immediately, he
will turn his back upon you and will no more call you."
Sometimes, also, it will be well to repeat the very
words of the hymn; for example: "My Brethren, you
have heard what the hymn says:

' Soon thy life will end, poor sinner, —
Know'st thou when the end will be ? '"

II. As regards the Amplification, the following rules
must be observed:

If the proposition is not a truth of faith, as for ex
ample, that God after a certain number of sins aban
dons the sinner, it should be confirmed by some succinct
arguments, presented in short, clear, and quite simple
periods. Some short reflection should also be made,
but without employing comparisons, frightful examples,
or texts of Scripture, unless these texts are short and
generally known, such as: God is not mocked. It is ap
pointed unto men once to die. Depart from Me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire ; etc. The following is an example of
amplification: If we take the proposition given above,

Cliap. L Exhortations. — /. 99

namely, that God abandons obstinate sinners, we may
briefly give the following reason: " He does not deserve
mercy who uses God's mercy only to offend him more.
The Lord bears with the sinner and gives him time, so
that he may be converted and may weep over the evil
that he has done; but when God sees this ungrateful
sinner, instead of profiting by the time that he has given
him to be converted, using it only to heap sin upon sin,
he deprives him of life by a just judgment." After
wards this short reflection may be added: " Put an end
to all this sin — put an end to it, my dear Brethren: know
that the greater the patience that God has had with
you, the greater will be the chastisement that he re
serves for you, if you do not hasten to amend your life."

But if the proposition has for its object some truth of
faith, as the certainty of death, of judgment, etc., it will
suffice to amplify it by reflections; for example, in
speaking of death: "What torture and what despair
will you not experience when you see by the light of the
candle that the time for doing good has passed for
you, and that at this last moment, with your head quite
stupefied by fear and confusion, you are no longer
capable of doing anything?" etc.

III. The amplification is followed by the MORAL APPLI
CATION and by the INVITATION TO PENANCE. Example:
" What then would be your folly, my dear Brethren, if
instead of returning to God, now that he calls you, you
expose yourselves to the danger of being abandoned by
God, and consequently of going to endure an eternity
of torments in hell! Return to him; do not delay;
profit by this favorable moment, in which Jesus Christ
himself comes to seek you by a holy mission in your
own home."

It must here be remarked, that in the moral applica
tion no particular vice should be named; for some one
of the hearers might take offence, thinking that on his

ioo Exercises of tJie Missions.

account the exhortation was given. And when the ex
hortation is given purposely for the benefit of some
scandalous person, it should not be given too near his
house, but at a certain distance, so that he may hear
it without suspecting that the exhortation is given ex
pressly on his account.

IV. Here follows the ANNOUNCEMENT of the mission,
which begins or has already begun, by making known
the powers with which the missionaries are invested, the
exercises that are to take place in the church, and the
indulgences that may be gained according to a plan
that will afterwards be given.

V. We conclude by the TERRIBLE SENTENCE which
should correspond to the proposition of the exhorta
tion. This sentence should be short, but should consist
of words grave and striking, which will remain engraven
on the minds of the hearers; for example: "Tremble,
yes, tremble, ye sinners; perhaps this very night, if you
do not resolve to amend your life, God may permit
death to surprise you, and you may die and be con
demned to hell!" Or: "If you do not now weep over
your sins, think that you may have to weep over them
for all eternity in hell." Or: "Continue, O obstinate
sinner! continue to offend God. But remember: In the
valley of Josaphat I await you; there you will hear the
sentence which Jesus Christ will pass upon you: Depart
from me ye cursed into everlasting fire !" Sometimes we
may finish by the very words of the hymn, if they well
express the terrible sentence. Example:

" Who can tell ? — perhaps, my brother,
Death this night will come to thee."

Chap. L Exhortations. — /. 101

3. EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT EVENING EXHORTATIONS WITH THEIR
DISTINCT PARTS.

First Example.

" Lo ! a God of all compassion

Calls thee ; shall he call in vain ?
If thou yet reject his mercy,
Will he ever call again ?"

1. INTRODUCTION. — Dear Christians, I have come this
evening to bring you two messages; the one a message
of joy, the other a message of terror: if you return to
God, who calls you back to him during this holy mis
sion, he will embrace you as his own dear children; but
if you do not return, and do not return soon, God will
no longer call you, and you will be damned.

2. AMPLIFICATION. — Hear, my Brethren: the Lord par
dons the sins of him who repents of them; but he does
not pardon him who has the will to commit sin. See for
how many years God has borne with you, and is saying
to your heart: Cease, my child; amend your life; offend
me no more! — And what have you done? Always the
same thing: you have confessed, you have promised;
yet you have always begun again to sin, you always
continue to offend God! For what are you waiting?
That God may take you from this world and cast you
into hell? Do you not see that God cannot bear with
you any longer?

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — Let us, then, my Brethren,
give up evil, now that a mission is offered to you; give
yourselves to God, who deigns still to wait for you, and
who is ready to pardon you all the offences that you
have committed, if you wish to amend your life. Come
to the church where the mission is going on; come to
hear the sermons, and make a good confession. Do not
doubt that if you truly desire to abandon sin, I promise

1 02 Exercises of t/ie Missions.

you on the part of Jesus Christ that you will receive the
grace of pardon.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT. — See, Jesus Christ has come among
you with his holy mission, which begins to-morrow. The
missionaries have the power of absolving all reserved
cases, even censures reserved to the Pope; they can also
dispense from vows. In the church there will be every
day, morning and evening, various touching and salu
tary exercises, such as the recitation of the Rosary, with
instructions and sermons. Moreover, those that attend
these exercises, if they confess and communicate, will
gain a plenary indulgence when they receive at the end
of the mission the Papal blessing. You see that God
opens at this moment the treasury of his mercy; you
can sanctify yourselves if you wish.

5. SENTENCE. — What do you say? What do you re
solve to do? Yes or no; do you desire no more to
offend God? Who knows whether it is not the last
appeal that the Lord addresses to you ? Hasten to take
a resolution. Do you wish to wait until God puts an end
to your disorders by casting you into hell without the
least hope of ever remedying your misfortune ? Go, my
dear Brethren, enter your homes, and reflect on what
you have heard this evening; recommend yourselves to
the Blessed Virgin, and ask her to enlighten you.

Second Example.

" Sinner, them art foe of heaven,

And thou tremblest not with fear?
Cease those sins, my child, ah ! leave them
Death advances, hell is near."

i. INTRODUCTION. — O sinner, you remain an enemy of
your God without trembling ! . . . My dear Brethren, if
you are in the state of sin, it is certain that God is your
enemy: God, I say, who if he wishes can this very mo-

Chap. /. Exhortations* — /. 103

ment cast you into hell ! And you sleep, and you laugh,
and you do not tremble, and you do not weep . . . !

2. AMPLIFICATION. — Ah ! for myself, I pity you, be
cause sin has blinded you, and does not allow you to
see the danger in which you are of dying at any moment,
and of going to burn in an abyss of fire for all eternity !
Have you perhaps as your enemy only a great man of
the world from whom you can hide yourselves, from
whom you can escape by flight, or against whom you
can defend yourselves? Oh no! it is God whom you
have as your enemy — God who sees you everywhere
whithersoever you may go, who can reach you wherever
you are; if he wishes to chastise you, how could you
defend yourselves against his hand ?

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — My dear Brethren, tell me:
In living as you do, how can you save yourselves ? Do
you not see, unhappy sinners, that you are damned ?
Do you not see that God cannot have patience with you
any longer? Listen to me this evening: you are now
the enemies of God, it is true, since you have offended
him much; but he is ready to pardon you if you wish to
amend your life. Courage, then, my dear Christians !
come to the mission, go to confession, and renounce sin;
hasten to give yourselves to God, who is still waiting for
you, who is still calling for you; do not anger him any
more.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT. — See, Jesus Christ has come to
your very dwellings to invite you to return to him; it is
on your account that he has sent hither missionaries,
who have the power, etc.

5. SENTENCE. — O sinners ! what more do you wish
God to do? Do not, therefore, lose confidence, hope;
but hope and tremble: if you wish to amend your life,
hope; if you wish to continue to have God as your
enemy, tremble — yes, tremble that the present appeal
may not be the last one for you; if you do not resolve

104 Exercises of the Missions.

to give yourselves to God, perhaps this very evening
God will abandon you, and you will be damned ! Go,
my dear Brethren, enter your houses, and reflect, etc.

Third Example.

" Soon thy life will end, poor sinner ;

Know'st thou -when the end will be ?
Who can tell ?— perhaps, my brother,
Death this night will come to thee."

i. INTRODUCTION. — My Brethren, have you under
stood what this hymn says to you : "Thy life will end,
and thou knowest not when the end will be"? See,
poor sinners, the beautiful life that you are leading'
alas ! far from God, far from the sacraments, far from
the church. You scarcely hear a Mass on feast days,
and when you hear it, you do so in a careless manner;
and then how do you spend the rest of the time? To
offend, to anger God ! In fact, you live as if you were
never going to die.

2. AMPLIFICATION.— Unfortunate sinner! do you not
think of death? But whether you think of it or not,
whether you wish it or not, a day will come when your
life will end; you will have to leave this world; your
body will be buried in the earth, and your soul will
enter eternity. Do you, my Brethren, believe or do you
not believe that? It is certain, it is of faith, that you
must die, and that after this life a life is to begin that
will never end; and if you are damned, your life will be
unhappy, you will be in despair forever, as long as God
will be God.

3. MORAL APPLICATION.— Tell me: if this night, or
even this moment, while I am speaking to you, death
were to surprise you, what would become of your poor'
soul? whither would you go, O miserable man? Let
us, my Brethren, quickly profit by the means of salva
tion, now that God is waiting for you, and gives you

Chap. I. Exhortations. — /. 105

time to confess and to regulate your accounts before
death comes upon you. What do you say ? what do
you intend to do? You must decide.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT. — See, Jesus Christ has come to call
you to himself by a mission, and to pardon you if you
wish to do so. The missionaries have the power, etc.

5. SENTENCE. — I ask again: What do you say? what
do you wish to do? do you wish to return to God?
Consider: How many have died since the last mission
given in this place? How many of those that have
died are now burning in hell? Why ?— because they did
not wish to give up their wicked lives, and God himself
has put an end to them. Now do you wish that the
same thing should happen to you, and that you should
be condemned to weep in the flames of hell during all
eternity? Go, my Brethren, into your houses, and re
flect, etc.

Fourth Example.

" Love God who, loveth thee,

For love itself is he ;

He bids the sinner weep ;
He saith: Poor child, from sin depart ;
Rest thee within thy Father's heart ;
Turn to thy Shepherd, wandering sheep."

1. INTRODUCTION. — O my God, how good and merciful
art Thou towards men ! They leave Thee, and Thou
goest in search of them. They outrage Thee, and Thou
offerest them pardon and peace.

2. AMPLIFICATION. — My dear Brethren, I come this
evening on behalf of Jesus Christ to offer you pardon
and salvation, if you wish to accept them. Tell me: Do
you merit this grace? The Lord could make you die
and send you to hell the moment that you offend him;
yet, see the great mercy which he now shows you :
instead of punishing you, you see him coming to you
with this holy mission, in order to pardon you; he

1 06 Exercises of the Missions.

comes himself to seek you, to make peace with you;
it will suffice if you repent of having offended him, and
if you promise not to offend him any more.

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — Here is what the hymn says:

" He saith : Poor child, from sin depart;
Rest thee within thy Father's heart ;
Turn to thy Shepherd, wandering sheep."

Now what do you say? how do you respond to the
appeal that the Lord addresses to you? Ah! do not
delay any longer, cast yourselves at his feet; come to
the chu-rch, and make a good confession.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT.— The mission has already begun.
The missionaries have the power, etc.

5. SENTENCE. — My dear Brethren, listen: if you wish
to profit by this beautiful occasion of returning to God,
he has his arms open to receive you; but if you continue
to shut your ears to his voice, tremble lest he may aban
don you and may call you no longer. Now if God
abandons you, woe be to you ! You will die in your
sins, and you will be cast into hell to weep there without
any hope of ever remedying your eternal ruin. Go, my
Brethren, etc.

Fifth Example.

" Souls to hell are blindly running,

Ah ! what myriads, who can tell ?
On they go, because they think not
What a fearful thing is hell f"

1. INTRODUCTION. — Sinner, what do you say? You
say: If I go to hell, I shall not be there alone? If I am
damned, I must have patience ! — Yes, O heavens ! this
is what so many blind sinners say, and see how they go
to hell ! And why ? You have heard the words of the
hymn: "On they go, because they think not what a
fearful thing is hell !"

2. AMPLIFICATION. — Listen: What you now say was

Chap. I. Exhortations. — /. 107

also said by so many damned souls that now burn in
the eternal fire: "If I go there, I shall not be there
alone ! If I am damned, I must have patience !" But
at present they do not speak thus. Ah ! would that
this evening one of the damned came from hell and
spoke in my place; you would hear him cry out: Un
happy me! I said that in hell I should not be alone;
now that I am damned, would that I could be alone in
my punishment ! Alas ! in the midst of this fire, which
devours me, in the midst of the darkness, of the smoke
that envelops me, in the midst of so many other tor
ments, I must still bear the torment of being in the
midst of all these damned persons, whose number suffo
cates me, whose cries stupefy me, whose stench becomes
insupportable to me. I said: "If I go to hell, I must
have patience !" Alas ! what patience ! I am dying
with rage at every moment; I do nothing but utter
cries and shrieks of despair. I should like to die, and I
cannot even hope to die.

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — You hear, my Brethren, how
the damned speak who cared little about hell, and it is
they whom you are imitating. Hear now what God
says to you by my mouth : My children, for these
miserable beings there is no remedy; but there is a
remedy for you if you wish to use it: ask my pardon; I
will pardon you, and I will deliver you from hell.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT. — It is for this reason that the Lord
sends you this mission. The missionaries have the
power, etc.

5. SENTENCE. — O sinners ! who knows whether this is
not the last notice, the last mercy, which you receive
from God? Put an end to all this; the Lord cannot
bear with you any longer; his vengeance is near. Will
you believe in hell only when you have arrived there ?
Ah! take care, you are going there; and if you once
arrive there, remember that there will be no remedy for

1 08 Exercises of the Missions.

your misfortune; think that if you ever fall into that
abyss of fire, you will never come forth from it; never,
never. Go, my Brethren, etc.

Sixth Example,

" Think, then, ere yet this life is o'er,

On that whereon thy all depends —
That evermore or nevermore,
Eternity which never ends !"

i INTRODUCTION. — O eternity, eternity! The saints
tremble at the mere thought of eternity; and ye sinners,
who are in disgrace with God, you do not fear? You
do not tremble? It is of faith that he who dies in the
state of sin goes to burn in the fire of hell for all
eternity !

2. AMPLIFICATION. — What is hell ? It is a dark place,
where one sees only horrible monsters; where one hears
only cries, shrieks, howling; where one feels only the
torture of fire and other torments. And how long will
all these horrors last? During all eternity: always,
always! Will they ever end? No; never, never! —
Come here, unhappy Judas, thou who hast been in hell
for so many ages ! tell me: How long will thy punish
ment last ? — Judas answers: Always, always ! — And thou,
unfortunate Cain! tell me: How long hast thou been
suffering in this abyss of fire? Alas ! answers Cain: for
many thousand years ! And when will thy punishment
be over? — Ah ! never, never!

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — My dear Brethren, what think
you? Tell me: How can you sleep with sins upon your
souls, and as enemies of God ? Does not an eternal hell
await you ? Why do you not resolve to give up the
wicked life which you are leading? Now that you can
do so, why do you not remedy this great ruin that
threatens you if you do not become reconciled with
God? Hasten to prevent this misfortune; make a good

Chap. I. Exhortations. — /. 109

confession, return to God's grace; for he certainly does
not desire you to be damned.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT.— You already know that the mis
sion has been begun. What is a mission ? It is Jesus
Christ, who comes to save his lost children and to deliver
them from hell. Know that the missionaries have the
power, etc. „

5. SENTENCE.— My Brethren, do not fail to profit by
this great mercy that God has bestowed upon you to
day. Now, while shedding tears at the feet of a con
fessor, you can deliver yourselves from hell; but if you
do not amend your lives, pay attention to what I am
going to say to you this evening: you will have the
misfortune of ending by going to weep in hell during
all eternity, as long as God will be God ! Go, my
Brethren, etc.

4. STANZAS FOR THE EVENING EXHORTATIONS AT A MISSION.

(Per li sentimenti di notte.)
I.

Love God, who loveth thee,

For love itself is he ;
He bids the sinner weep ;
He saith : Poor child, from sin depart ;
Rest thee within thy Father's heart;
Turn to thy Shepherd, wandering sheep.

2.
Tis the Lord hath sent me hither,

Messenger of pardon free ;
Day of grace and hour of mercy

Grace perhaps the last for thee !

3-
Lo ! a God of all compassion

Calls thee ; shall he call in vain ?
If thou yet reject his mercy,

Will he ever call again?

1 o Exercises of the Missions.

4-
Sinner, thou art foe of heaven,

And thou tremblest not with fear?
Cease those sins, my child, ah ! leave them

Death advances, hell is near.

Now thy Lord is waiting, waiting;

But he will not always wait :
When the day of vengeance breaketh,

Cries for mercy come too late.

Turn to God in humble penance,

Sinner, do not still delay ;
Do not scorn the love of Jesus,

Cast his mercy not away.

7-
Lost in sin, and yet rejoicing !

Far from God, and canst thou sleep?
On the brink of fell damnation,

And thou carest not to weep?

Soon thy life will end, poor sinner, —
Know'st thou when the end will be?

Who can tell ? — perhaps, my brother,
Death this night will come to thee.

9-
Think of death ! — that awful moment

When thy dream of life must end ;
Boundless bliss or ceaseless torments

On that moment, death, depend.

10.
Live thy life of sinful pleasures,

Sinners, yet the end must come !
Then, bold man, thy outraged Saviour

Shall be Judge to seal thy doom.

Chap. L Exhortations. — /. in

ii.

Whither shall thou fly for refuge

From that justly angered One,
Sinner, when he shall reproach thee

All the evil thou hast done?

Souls to hell are blindly running,

Ah ! what myriads, who can tell ?
On they go, because they think not

What a fearful thing is hell!

13-
And when shall hell's sharp pains be o'er?

The insult to God's majesty
Has been so deep that evermore

Those pains shall last, eternally.

14.
Think on that dread eternity

To which thou art hast'ning ever;
Think of that long futurity

Of pains that will leave thee never.

5. SIMULTANEOUS EXHORTATIONS.

Simultaneous exhortations are given but rarely. This
means is employed only in certain places when the in
habitants do not come in sufficient numbers to the church,
or when there are many scandalous persons who do
not come to the sermons.

The object that is proposed in these exhortations is,
to strike fear into the minds of the hearers; hence the
exhortations should be filled with threats of the divine
chastisements, such as an unhappy death, abandonment
on the part of God, eternal punishments.

The following is the manner of performing this exer
cise:

1 1 2 Exercises of the Missions.

1. The missionaries should be so numerous* as to
be able to surround the place by keeping themselves at
a certain distance from one another, so that their voices
do not mingle.

2. They should leave the church in the evening at a
later hour than usual, without lights, without the cruci
fix, and unaccompanied. Each one goes alone and
secretly to the place that is designated; then at the
signal given by a stroke of the large bell all begin the
exhortation at the same time, and they also finish it at
a second stroke.

3. This exhortation, as to its parts, is similar to the
evening exhortation that has been described above, but
with this difference: the INTRODUCTION is shorter, and
it is made ex abrtipto (abruptly) by beginning with the
proposition itself, the object of which will be, for ex
ample, the proximate abandonment on the part of God,
or the ingratitude of those that close their ears to his
voice, or justice which he exercises toward those that
despise his mercy. To the introduction is joined the
AMPLIFICATION with the reflection; then comes the MORAL
APPLICATION; but each of these parts should be very
short, so also the invitation to penance, which shall be
without the exposition of motives, without effective
words, and without any announcement of powers or
faculties, etc.; hence the simultaneous exhortation is in
substance composed only of three parts; namely: The
introduction, with a short amplification and reflection,
the Moral Application with the invitation to penance,
and the terrible Sentence.

* We should know that St. Alphonsus, wishing to produce by his
labors solid and durable fruits, used the means suitable for this end: he
employed in each mission a number of evangelical laborers proportion
ate to the population and to the difficulties of the place; there were
often twenty of them, and sometimes more, and the exercises lasted at
least two or three weeks. (Tannoia and Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 52.)— ED.

Chap. L Exhortations. — /. 113

6. EXAMPLE OF A SIMULTANEOUS EXHORTATION.
i. INTRODUCTION. — Do you then, O sinner! really wish
to damn yourself? Do you wish God to punish and
abandon you ? A few days ago the mission began, and
you do not even wish to come to the church. Instead
of punishing you, God has sent you the holy mission,
during which he does not cease to call you night and
day, at every hour, in every place, in the church, in the
public places, at your very dwellings ! What greater
mercy could God have shown you ? And you have be
come more and more deaf to his voice, you have become
more and more obstinate! Continue, O ungrateful man!
continue to despise the invitations and the graces which
the Lord offers to you; but you must know that the
justice of God is at hand: soon you will be the victim
of an unhappy death. The demons of hell demand of
God vengeance against you, and God can no longer
bear with you. Unfortunate man! I pity you; it would
have been better had you not been born! Now, you
laugh at the mission; but listen: a time will come
when this grace, which God gives you to-day and by
which you do not wish to profit, will be a cruel sword
which will pierce your soul in hell forever. Then you
will open your eyes to weep over and to curse your
obstinacy; but then there will be no longer any remedy.

2. MORAL APPLICATION. — Cease then to be deaf, O un
grateful sinner! cease to excite the anger of God. Come
to church to-morrow; come to hear the rest of the ser
mons; the end of the mission approaches. Come; Jesus
Christ is waiting for you; make a good confession, but
do so soon, soon, soon, before the mission is over. Lose
no time; resist no longer God, who is calling you.

3. SENTENCE. — If you do not accept my invitation, I
announce to you this evening a great chastisement
which God will send you, and I inform you that this

1 1 4 Exercises of the Missions.

mission which God has sent you to save you, will serve,
if you neglect it, to make God abandon you, and make
you weep in hell with greater grief; without any hope,
then, of ever being able to remedy your eternal loss.

II.

The Exhortation given during the Day.

We have already said in the beginning that the ex
hortation given during the day has for its object to col
lect the inhabitants and to lead them from the public
places and their places of work to the church; the aim
of the moral application should therefore be to induce
the hearers to come to the church, in order to hear the
sermon that is about to be preached.

This exhortation is composed of the same parts as
the evening exhortation, but with the following differ
ences:

1. It should be longer; may last a quarter of an hour;
the arguments may be more extended, and a few — two
or three — short Latin sentences may be added; there
may also be related an example, which however should
have reference to the proposition of the exhortation.

2. The form of this exhortation should also be simple
and popular, but less terrible and less vehement.

3. It is not necessary always to begin with a hymn,
especially when the people are already disposed to listen.

4. At the end of this exhortation, especially during
the first days of the mission we may add the act of
contrition, but in a few words.

5. Instead of the terrible Sentence, we finish by a
special motive, to induce the people to come to the
church.

EXAMPLE OF AN EXHORTATION GIVEN DURING THE DAY.

i. INTRODUCTION. — My Brethren, have you ever heard
of the following incident: A king having been offended

Chap. I. Exhortations. — //. 115

by one of his subjects, justly condemned him to death,
but before the execution of the sentence this good
prince charged one of his ministers to tell the con
demned man that if he repented and asked the king's
pardon he should obtain forgiveness ? — Similar traits
are not seen between the princes of the earth and their
subjects; but this is what has taken place between God
and you. You are condemned to hell on account of the
offences that you have committed against God; but the
Lord, instead of treating you according to justice, has
sent us to you through this mission. For Christ we are
ambassadors.1 We are ambassadors of God, but ambas
sadors of peace and of pardon.

2. AMPLIFICATION. — We therefore announce to you on
behalf of Jesus Christ, that he is disposed to pardon
you, if you repent of having offended him, and if you
promise him that you will amend your lives. Well,
what say you? What answer do you give? Dear
Brethren, hear well that about which there is question:
the mission is a great mercy of God for those that wish
to profit by it; but for the obstinate, it will only serve
to attract sooner the abandonment and the chastisements
of the Lord. Our Lord wept at the sight of Jerusalem:
Seeing the city he wept over it? And why ? Because he
saw that this ungrateful city did not wish to profit by
the merciful visit that he made to it: Because Thou hast
not known the time of Thy visitation? It is for this reason
that he announces to you with tears in his eyes the
chastisement that he has reserved for you.

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — Ye inhabitants of N., Jesus
Christ has come to-day to visit you also by this holy
mission in order to show you mercy. Let him who de
spises this visit of our Lord tremble, and let him expect

1 " Pro Christo legatione fungimur." — 2 Cor. v. 20.

2 " Videns civitatem, flevit super illam." — Luke, xix. 41.

3 " Eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitationis tuae." — Ibid. 44.

1 1 6 Exercises of the Missions.

to receive soon an exemplary punishment. You must,
therefore, my dear Brethren, return without delay to
God, now that God calls you: the Lord calls you; but
he will not call you always; and when he calls anyone
he wishes to be obeyed without delay. If you, there
fore, hear to-day his voice, do not harden your hearts:
To-day if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts.''
Let us suppose that the condemned man mentioned
above, to whom the King made an offer of pardon on
condition that he would immediately repent of his
crime, would have answered that he would think over
the matter, and that afterwards he would speak about
it: tell me, would not the King have ordered the sen
tence to be executed immediately ? Indeed, this is pre
cisely what he should expect who is not converted at
once when God calls him.

4. ANNOUNCEMENT. — You see, my Brethren, that the
mission has come; to-day it begins. Jes-us Christ calls
you at this moment, and says to you: Turn ye to Me,
. . . and I will turn to you? Sinners, you have teft me
by offending me; but return to me, and I will receive
you into my arms. What more can you ask of so good
a God? Ah! no; let no one among you be so ungrate
ful as to add to the injuries already done to God the in
jury of despising the pardon that God offers him to
day.

5. ACT OF CONTRITION. — Come, let us cast ourselves at
the feet of Jesus Christ; let each one of you say to him:
O Lord! I thank Thee for having waited forme till the
present day, and for not having sent me to hell. I re
pent. ... In future I will amend my life, etc.

MOTIVE FOR INDUCING THE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE

CHURCH. — Now let all come to the church. Jesus

1 " Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra." —
Ps. xciv. 8.

a " Convertimini ad me, . . . et convertar ad vos." — Zach. i. 3,

Chap. L Exhortations. — ///. 1 1 7

Christ says that his sheep hear his voice: My sheep hear
My voice.1 At this moment one may see who are the
sheep of Jesus Christ, who are those that follow Jesus
Christ, etc.

III.
Exhortation of the Discipline.*

The exhortation of the discipline should be still
shorter than the evening exhortation: it should be con
ceived in terms that produce compunction rather than
terror, and pronounced in a voice that expresses grief,
since its only aim is to induce the hearers to repent of
their faults, and to give themselves up to penance at
that very moment.

This exhortation has three parts: the Reflection, the
Moral Application, and the Conclusion. In the REFLEC
TION some important proposition of the sermon, which
has preceded, is expounded; in the MORAL APPLICATION
the necessity of penance is shown; in the CONCLUSION
the hearers are induced to practise penance.

1 " Oves meae vocem meam audiunt." — John, x. 27.

* Two or three days after the beginning of the mission St. Alphonsus
replaced the evening exhortations by another exercise : at the end of
the great sermon in the evening the women left the church and only
the men remained, who, the lights having been extinguished, took the
discipline in common. All the missionaries had to be present; one of
them began by summing up the motives of the sermon that had just
been preached, and tried to inspire his hearers with sentiments of com
punction so as to dispose them for this act of penance. Then the men
could be seen weeping on account of their sins, and trying to satisfy the
justice of God. (Tannoia and Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 52. See the Method
of giving Missions in this treatise.) — ED.

1 1 8 Exercises of the Missions.

i. EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS EXHORTATIONS TO TAKE THE DISCIPLINE.

First Example.
AFTER THE SERMON ON ABANDONMENT BY GOD.

1. REFLECTION. — Have you heard, my dear Brethren,
what chastisement you have deserved by your sins ?
You have deserved that God should abandon you and
should no more pardon you. But no: the Lord is still
waiting for you; he calls you; his arms are open to
receive you, if you wish to return to him. O my
Brethren ! do no longer offend this God, who has shown
so much kindness to you; change your conduct; or do
you wish that he should really abandon you ?

2. MORAL APPLICATION. — Hasten, O sinners, hasten to
give yourselves to God. Tell him that in future you
will no more offend him; and as to the past, beg him to
pardon you the great offence that you have given him.

3. CONCLUSION. — Weep, then, do penance, chastise
your bodies, by which you have displeased God. Now
raise your hand, raise your voice, and ask pardon: Par
don me, O Lord ! mercy; I repent of having offended
Thee; mercy !

Here the missionary intones at once the Miserere,
which is continued by the ecclesiastics who are present.
About the middle of the psalm, at the verse that best
suits his subject, he interrupts it by a stroke of the bell,
and makes a second exhortation, but still shorter, by
following the same rule as above; for example:

1. Cast me not away from Thy face. David, while
thinking of the sins which he committed against God,
trembled and said: Cast me not away from Thy face: O
Lord ! do Thou not reject me, as I have deserved.

2. And you, my dear Brethren, what say you ? How
many times have you not driven God from your hearts?
You would deserve that at this moment God should
drive you from this church.

Chap. I. Exhortations. — ///. 119

3. But no; see what he says this evening to each one
of you: My son, ask my pardon, and I will pardon you.
Raise again your voice and say: Pardon, O Lord !
mercy.

We must take care that this exercise should always
be concluded with fervor. If the fervor of the partici
pants grows weak, the discipline should be abridged by
intoning the Gloria Patri. We afterwards say to the
people: Now respond to the hymn while saying with
tears:

" I have offended Thee, my God,

Alas ! my dearest Lord ;
Thou Sea of Goodness Infinite,

And Fount of Love adored.
Ungratefully, without a cause,

I have offended Thee,
Who on the cross to give me life
Didst die through love for me.
But I am sorry, O my God !

In mercy, Lord, forgive;
I never will offend Thee more, —

No, never, while I live.
May every moment of my life

Be spent in bitter tears,
To mourn my past ingratitude,
The sins of former years !"

After the hymn the Hail Mary is recited three times
by the people, with the face on the floor; and then we
conclude by saying: " May the most Blessed Sacrament
be praised and thanked ! Blessed be the holy, immacu
late, and most pure Conception of the Blessed Virgin
Mary !"

At the end of the exercise all those that wish to go to
confession are invited to proceed to the place destined
for this purpose. It must be here remarked that the
missionaries, especially those that are. charged with the
duty of giving instructions and of preaching, should al-'

1 20 Exercises of the Missions.

ways urge the people, and particularly the men, to come
to confession very soon, by telling them that if they wait
till the great crowds come to confession, it may not be
possible to satisfy them. This advice should be often
repeated with much force from the very beginning; for
otherwise the missionaries will remain unoccupied for
several days, and will afterwards be overwhelmed by
crowds, and this will cause confusion and embarrassment.

Second Example.

AFTER THE SERMON ON DEATH.

1. REFLECTION. — Have you understood, my Brethren:
A day will come when you must die; and then the
world coming to an end for you, you will find yourself
extended on your bed and abandoned by all men.

2. MORAL APPLICATION. — Then there will be no more
time to make peace with God: your conscience being
confused, God angered, your head weakened, your
heart hardened — such will be your state; help yourself
then if you can. Now, sinners, it is time to regulate
your accounts and become reconciled with God; for
this end he has .waited for you up to the present time;
he has opened his arms to receive you. Know that if
to-day you weep over your past offences, God will for
give all your sins.

• 3. CONCLUSION. — Weep, then, do penance, chastise
your bodies.

Third Example.

AFTER THE SERMON ON JUDGMENT.

i. REFLECTION. — A day will come, my Brethren, when
you will appear before the tribunal of Jesus Christ to
render an account of your whole life. Tell me: if Jesus
Christ wished to judge you this very evening, what
sentence would he pronounce against you?

Chap. L Exhortations. — ///. 121

2. MORAL APPLICATION. — Pay attention to what I say:
On that day there will be no more mercy; then Jesus
Christ will be the just Judge, while now he is a Father,
and he opens his arms to receive and to pardon you.

3. CONCLUSION.— Hasten then to weep, etc.

Fourth Example.

AFTER THE SERMON ON HELL.

1. REFLECTION. — My dear Brethren, have you heard
this evening the sermon on hell ? Have you reflected
where you should be now on account of your sins ?
You should now find yourselves in this abyss of fire, in
profound darkness, in the midst of terrible torments.
Do you not thank God that you still find yourselves in
this church, with the certain hope of obtaining pardon
if you only wish it? Ah! if one that is damned were
present here this evening, and could repent of his sins,
and obtain grace, what penance would he not perform
in order to be released from hell !

2. MORAL APPLICATION. — And you who have so many
times deserved hell, more than many others who are
now condemned for fewer and less grave sins than
yours, what do you do? Do you not weep? do you not
ask pardon of God ?

3. CONCLUSION. — Ah ! do not delay to weep, etc.

2. EXHORTATION TO TRAIL THE TONGUE ON THE GROUND.

The exercise of the discipline ordinarily continues
every evening till the evening before the day on which
the Papal blessing is given; but on the last evening,
instead of the discipline, it is customary to trail the
tongue on the ground, an exercise very useful for those
that have the habit of blaspheming and of uttering
immodest language. This is done in the following
manner:

After the women have left the church, and the door

1 2 2 Exercises of the Missions.

has been locked, the chairs and benches are removed,
and the men are assembled at the main entrance of the
church. Then the Father who is to give the exhorta
tion places himself opposite to the people on an ele
vated place, with the crucifix held by a cleric who is
between two others carrying lighted candles; at the
same time all the other missionaries keep the multitude
together in front of the crucifix, and hold back the
children, if any have moved forward. Immediately
after this the exhortation is given; and at the end,
when the Father exhorts all to trail the tongue on the
ground, the other missionaries begin by setting the
example; but afterwards, as soon as they see the men
prostrating themselves with the face on the ground,
they rise, place themselves in the church at a distance
from one another, and all together, in a loud voice, con
tinue to animate the people to perform this penance
with compunction.

The end of this exhortation is no other than to inspire
people with horror of the sins of the tongue. As to the
form, it may be the following; but the discourse may
be more extended, as I give here only an idea of what
is to be done.

3. EXAMPLE OF THE EXHORTATION TO TRAIL THE TONGUE ON THE
GROUND.

O goodness of God, how great art thou! O justice
of God, how terrible art thou! O cursed sin, how cruel
art thou! Raise your eyes, my Brethren; see the im
age of the man hanging on the cross, after having
been scourged, crowned with thorns, and all covered
with wounds from head to foot. Could you tell me who
is this man, and what he has done? It is the august
Son of God, innocent and holy. Why did his eternal
Father condemn him to so painful a death ? Hear what
his Father answers: For the wickedness of My people have

Chap. L Exhortations. — ///. 123

I struck him. It was for the crimes of my people that I
have struck him. Consider then the humiliation and the
pain inflicted by your sins upon this innocent Lamb: it
was because of your impurities that his flesh was torn;
it was because of your bad thoughts that he was crowned
with thorns; his feet and his hands were nailed to the
cross because of your sinful steps and impure touches;
his heart was pierced on account of your obstinacy.
But, O my Jesus! be consoled; for these poor sinners
are no longer obstinate; Thou already knowest that
during these days of the mission they have tried to re
pair the evil that they have done: Thy painful wounds
they have tried to heal by the scourges that they in
flicted upon themselves; the spittle that covered Thy
eyes they have tried to wipe off by tears; the pain of
Thy feet pierced with nails they have tried to alleviate
by coming to the church; the wounds made by the
thorns they have tried to lessen by holy resolutions. Yes
my Brethren, all this is true; but this divine mouth of
Jesus Christ I see still tormented by the gall of your
blasphemies, of your lies, of your immodest language.
Well, this evening you should sweeten all the bitter
ness that you have caused our Lord in the past. And
what must you do to accomplish this ? At first, you
should weep over the displeasure that you have given
to so good a God, who died for you; and then you
should chastise yourselves by trailing a little on the
ground that tongue that has put so much gall into the
mouth of Jesus Christ. Come, then, let us this evening
offer him this consolation. My Fathers, be ye the first
to give the example; and you, my Brethren, follow the
priests. Weep, then, etc.

4. MOTIVES TO BE ANNOUNCED BY THE MISSIONARIES DURING THE
TRAILING OF THE TONGUE ON THE GROUND.

i. Suffer, cursed tongue, for having dared to offend
Jesus Christ.

1 24 Exercises of the Missions.

2. Think, my Brother, that your tongue should now
be burning in hell, etc.

3. Say from the bottom of your heart: O my Jesus!
accept this penance, however small, and pardon me all
the sins that I have committed by my words.

4. Most Holy Virgin Mary, my Mother, offer to God
this mortification, and pray to him to pardon me.

5. O my Brother! what joy this evening for the angels
to see, etc. And what torment for the devils to see that
God receives you this evening into his arms, etc.

6. At the same time make an act of contrition and ask
pardon, etc., — O Lord, I am sorry, etc.; and then a firm
resolution, etc., — O Lord, I will rather die. Oh, I have
given Thee enough gall, my sweet Jesus! If I should
offend Thee again by my cursed tongue, let me rather
die.

7. Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus Christ, and by
the merit of the gall which he tasted on the cross, par
don me, etc.

8. My dear Brother, if you were in hell, which you
have deserved, what penance would you not do to be
redeemed out of it? Well, this evening, on account of
this mortification God will deliver you from the pains
that you should suffer in hell, etc.

IV.
The Exhortation of Peace.

The exhortation of peace, which is delivered after the
discipline, as distinguished from that which precedes
the general Communion, according to Bari, is composed
of six parts: i. Recapitulation; 2. Application; 3. Proof;
4. Example; 5. Moral application; 6. Conclusion.

1. A point of the sermon that has preceded is briefly
recapitulated.

2. It is applied to those that cherish hatred against

Chap. I. Exhortations. — IV. 125

their neighbor by announcing to them the chastisement
reserved for the revengeful.

3. It is proved by some passage from holy Scripture
or from the holy Fathers, and by reasons, showing how
much he should fear divine vengeance who wishes to be
revenged, and how, on the contrary, he should hope for
pardon from God who forgives others.

4. The proof is confirmed by an example given some
what in detail.

5. The moral application is then made.

6. At the end the hearers are invited to become recon
ciled with one another by forgiving one another the in
juries that have been received.

After the conclusion of the discourse, the Father still
continues to urge those present to the forgiveness of in
juries, and this by various motives that are found at the
end of the following example.

It should be explained that it is the business, not of
him who has given offence, but of him who has received
it, and who wishes to forgive, to come to tell the mis
sionary in secret what is that offence. If only the one
that gave offence presents himself, he should be dis
missed with a few kind words, and should not be
allowed to mention the fact nor the person who has
been offended. When the person offended presents
himself, if the offence has been secret, care should be
taken to have the reconciliation brought about in secret;
but if it has been public, he who is the author of it is
called, provided it is not an ecclesiastic, so that both
may embrace each other at the foot of the crucifix; and
if the author of the offence is not present, he is to be re
placed by one of his near relatives. It must, however,
be observed, that if the hatred proceeds from a cause
concerning honor, it suffices to say to the person of
fended that he should pardon the offence in his heart,

126 Exercises of the Missions.

and this need not be followed by an embrace, which
might create scandal and some sinful affection.

EXAMPLE OF AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE.

1. RECAPITULATION. — You have heard, my dear Breth
ren, the account which you have inevitably to render to
Jesus Christ, and the terrible sentence which the divine
Judge will pronounce against sinners.

2. APPLICATION. — Job, who was so holy a man, think
ing of God's judgments, cried out: For what shall I
do when God shall rise to judge ? and when he shall ex
amine, what shall I answer him ?1 And you, my Brethren,
what will you answer God when he asks you an account
of your life? Tell me, what will you answer him, you
especially who bear hatred towards your neighbor, and
who, after having heard the sermon of this evening,
still think of revenging yourselves?

3. PROOF. — Vengeance belongs to God only; he is the
just avenger of sins, and for this reason he is called the
God of revenge? And you, miserable worm of the earth,
you wish to act as if you were God ? But think of the
chastisement with which St. James menaces those that
refuse to forgive others: he will be judged without
mercy: For judgment without mercy to him that hath not
done mercy? Now you do not wish to forgive your
neighbor the offence that he has given you: well, when
on the day of judgment you wish to obtain pardon from
Jesus Christ, it will with justice be refused to you. You
yourselves, then, according to St. Augustine,4 will not

1 "Quid enim faciam, cum surrexerit ad judicandum Deus? et cum
qusesierit, quid respondebo illi?"— Job, xxxi. 14.

2 " Deus ultionum." — Ps. xciii. i.

3 " Judicium enim sine misericord ia illi qui non fecit misericordiam."
—James, ii. 13.

4 " Nescio qua fronte indulgentiam peccatorum obtinere poterit, qui
Deo, praecipienti inimicis suis veniam dare, non acquiescit." — Serm.
273, & #• a&<

Chap. I. Exhortations. — IV. 127

dare to ask mercy of God, who himself has given you
the command to forgive your neighbor. Now you
wish to take revenge upon your neighbor: then Jesus
Christ will also take revenge upon you. Our Lord has
said: Revenge is mine, and I will repay them in due time.''
Should you not have committed other offences against
God, you should think it no little injury that you heap
upon him this evening by wishing to persist in hating
your neighbor, when Jesus Christ exhorts you to par
don him for the love of him, when he commands you to
do so, and when he seems even to beg you to do so!

4. EXAMPLE. — It is related that St. John Gualbertus,
whose relative had been assassinated, met one day the
murderer, who asked his pardon for the love of Jesus
Christ. On hearing this name the saint pardoned him.
Having afterwards entered the church, he saw the im
age of Jesus crucified bend its head and salute him as if
to thank him for having pardoned the murderer for the
love of his Saviour.

Instead of this incident, the following may be related:
A powerful man had seven enemies, and wished to take
revenge on all seven. St. Catharine of Siena begged
him to pardon at least one of them for the love of Jesus
Christ. He did so, and while doing so he felt such in
terior consolation that he at once called upon St. Cath
arine to tell her that for the love of Jesus Christ he
pardoned all his enemies.

5. MORAL APPLICATION. — You see then how our Lord
presses to his heart all those who for the love of him
pardon the injuries that have been heaped upon them.
Hence, my dear Brethren, if you wish also to be em
braced by Jesus Christ, you must pardon your neighbor
and embrace him who has offended you. Our Lord

" Mea est ultio, et ego retribuam in tempore," — .Deut. xxxii. 35.

128 Exercises of the Missions.

says: Forgive and you shall be forgiven.1 * Know, then, if
this evening, to please God, you forget to pardon the
offences that you have received, God will forgive the
offences that you have committed against him, and he
will embrace you as his children.

6. Welt then, my dear Brethren, if your neighbor has
offended you, come first to mention this in secret to the
missionary, and then become reconciled with one another
at the foot of the crucifix. Oh, happy he that is the
first this evening to perform this noble deed and to set
the good example! Come then, Jesus Christ is waiting
for you, etc.

This exhortation is here given in an abridged form,
merely to give a succinct idea of it; he that has to give
it, should take care to develop it in any way that he
thinks fit. We think it useful to indicate here, in con
clusion, various motives, which may be given for the
purpose of inducing those who have been offended to
grant full pardon; for example:

1. Come, give to-day this satisfaction to Jesus Christ,
come to pardon, etc.; I do not ask this on my account,
but for the love of Jesus crucified, who, if you pardon
others, will pardon you; and if, on the contrary, you re
fuse to pardon others, do not ask his pardon; for he
will withdraw from you, and on the day of judgment,
etc.

2. You see that at this moment the devil is occupied
in tempting you, so as to prevent you from pardoning
your neighbor; he says to you that it would be a shame
for you to pardon others. Answer him by asking
whether it was a shame for Jesus crucified to pardon his
executioners. Ah! do not listen to the devil; listen to

1 "Dimittite, et dimittemini." — L^lkc, vi. 37.

* In the Pater noster, the divine Master commands us to ask God to
pardon us only as we pardon others. — ED,

Chap. L Exhortations. — IV. 129

Jesus Christ, who says to you this evening: If you wish
me to make peace with you this evening, make, first,
peace with your neighbor.

3. Come, why are you waiting ? Do violence to your
selves: do not allow yourselves to be conquered by the
devil. Give this pleasure to Jesus Christ and to the
Blessed Virgin Mary, who now have their eyes upon
you to see what you are going to do.

4. Oh, what consolation will you feel after this beauti
ful act! Hasten, come, etc.

5. See, and tremble: if you do not forgive your neigh
bor this evening, God will abandon you, and you will
be damned.

6. Pay attention: see who is coming; do not allow
him to pass by. Come to Jesus Christ, the King of
peace. Live Jesus, and may Lthe power of hell burst
with anger! Courage! etc.

(As for the example of another exhortation to peace,
given to the people before General Communion, see
farther on, in Chapter IV.)
9

1 30 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER II.

THE ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

Narration.

THE recitation of the Rosary may be preceded by an
introduction in which is related some example of the
protection which the Blessed Virgin grants to those
that practise this devotion. But it must be observed
that this introduction should be given only when there
is time for it, and when it becomes necessary in order
to keep the people occupied; this is, however, rarely the
case. Ordinarily, in winter, and in those places where
the instruction is given during the day, according as
it is commonly practised, there is little time for it. It
is, therefore, better to omit the introduction, and to re
cite the Rosary immediately, as it greatly contributes
to the success of the mission. It will then be well to
begin by giving out the mysteries on which the medita
tion is to be made, by joining to them some short re
flection and a short moral, as will be said farther on.
If afterwards time permits, the narration may be given
at the end of the Rosary; we give here the rules for it.

The narration contains three parts: The Introduction,
the Fact, and the Moral Application,

i. As to the INTRODUCTION, the proposition which is
its subject is drawn from the very fact that one wishes
to relate by passing from a general proposition to the
particular proposition of this fact. If there is question,
for instance, of the help given by the Blessed Virgin to
one of her pious clients at the hour of death, one may

Chap. II. The Rosary. 1 3 1

say: " At all times, under all circumstances, Mary, our
good Mother, comes to the assistance of her clients; but
it is, above all, at the hour of death that they stand in
the greatest need of her protection, etc."

2. As to the FACT, only that is given which has con
nection with the proposition without speaking of the
circumstances that are foreign to it, and without speak
ing parenthetically. It will always be well to mention
the name of the author who relates the fact, as well as
the circumstances of time and place.

3. As to the MORAL APPLICATION, we begin by draw
ing the conclusion from the fact related, according to
the particular proposition which precedes it; for exam
ple: "You see, my dear Brethren, how the recitation of
the Rosary is useful to obtain the protection of Mary
at the moment of death." Then comes the moral appli
cation: " Hence, in future, do not omit to recite it every
day with devotion and with confidence. Let us then
say it together this evening: Deus, in adjutorium, etc."*

EXAMPLE OF NARRATION.

i. INTRODUCTION. — He that has a true devotion to
Mary may be called happy even in this life, and may be
sure of paradise, according to the words of the Gospel:
He that shall find Me, shall find life, and shall have salva-

* According to Tannoia and Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 52, this was the
practice followed by St. Alphonsus in his missions: Before the evening
sermon, when the people were assembled in the church, a part of the
Rosary was recited, not in Latin according to the Italian custom, but
in the vernacular, in order that the people might understand what they
said, and that, accustoming themselves to recite the Rosary in this
way, they might subsequently continue this practice. The missionary
took care to explain how pleasing it is to the Blessed Virgin, and to
point out to the people the indulgences that were attached to it; espe
cially did he recommend the recitation of the Rosary (or five decades)
every evening, in common, with their families. — ED.

1 3 2 Exercises of the Missions.

tionfrom the Lord.' But who is he that finds Mary ? It
is he who loves her, and who honors her by special de
votions. Now among all the devotions I know none
that is more pleasing to the Mother of God than the
Rosary. Oh, what a beautiful hope of salvation have
those who recite every day the Rosary with piety and
perseverance ! The books are full of examples of souls
saved by this means. Hear what the devils themselves,
forced by a command from St. Dominic, have said in
praise of the Rosary.

2. FACT.— Father Pacciucchelli * relates that one day
while St. Dominic was preaching about the devotion o'f
the Rosary, a heretic was brought in who, for having
publicly spoken ill of the Rosary, had been by a just
judgment of God become possessed of devils; he had
been bound, and he uttered horrible cries. Then the
saint commanded the devils, in the name of Mary, to
answer all the questions that he would address to them.
At first he asked them why they had taken possession
of this sinner, and how many they were. They answered
that it was on account of the irreverence committed
against Mary, and that they numbered fifteen thousand,
on account of the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. Then
the saint asked them whether what he had preached on
the Rosary was true. The evil spirits then began to
howl and to curse the moment in which they had
entered this body, since they now found themselves
forced to confess what would do them so much injury.
"Hear, O Christians!" they said; " all that our enemy
has said of Mary and of the Rosary is true." They
added that they had no power against the servants of
Mary, and that many sinners at death by invoking Mary,
notwithstanding their unworthiness, succeeded in saving

"Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam, et hauriet salutem a Domino."
— Prov. viii. 35.

8 Super Angel. Salut. exc. 3, n. 10.

Chap. II. The Rosary. 133

their souls. They concluded with these words: "We
are compelled to make known that he who perseveres
in devotion to Mary and to the Rosary will not be
damned; for Mary will secure for him eternal salva
tion." Then St. Dominic told the people to recite the
Rosary. At each Ave Maria there departed from the
unhappy man a multitude of devils like burning coals,
so that at the end of the recitation of the Rosary he
was entirely delivered from these infernal spirits. Such
a prodigy brought back many heretics to the true faith,
and filled every one with an ardent devotion to the
Rosary.

3. MORAL APPLICATION. — You see, my dear Brethren,
what a beautiful hope we have of being saved by the
protection of Mary when we honor her by devotion to
the Rosary. Do not, therefore, in future, fail to recite
it every day with much affection and confidence; if any
one has neglected this practice in the past, let him
begin it this evening, and never discontinue it. Let us,
then, begin and recite the Rosary during these days of
the mission, so that the Blessed Virgin may obtain for
all the inhabitants of this place the grace of true con
version. Dcus, in adjutorium, etc.

II.
The Mysteries.

After the exposition of the mystery come the Consid
eration, the Moral Application, and the Prayer; for
example:

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES.

In the ist, the ANNUNCIATION, we contemplate how
the Blessed Virgin was informed by the archangel
Gabriel that she should conceive and bring forth our
Lord Jesus Christ. — (CONSIDERATION): Consider here,
my dear Brethren, the love of our God: he could have

1 34 Exercises of the Missions.

saved us by sending an angel to redeem us; but he
wished to come himself to die for our salvation, so that
our hearts might not be divided, says St. Bernard: "In
order that our hearts might not be divided, he wished
to be our Creator and Redeemer," 1 etc. — (MORAL AP
PLICATION): However, where is the love, where is the
gratitude, of men towards a God who has loved them
so much? — (PRAYER): Let us ask Mary, in this first
decade of the Rosary, to obtain for us this holy love of
God: O holy Mother of God ! so full always of love for
this good Lord Jesus Christ, who became thy Son, that
he might deliver us from hell, obtain for us the grace to
love him with our whole heart, etc.

In the 2d, the VISITATION, we contemplate how the
E>lessed Virgin Mary, having learned that Elizabeth, her
cousin, was with child, set out immediately to visit her,
and remained with her three months. — (Cons.) The
visit of Mary was the source of grace to this whole
family. — (Mor. applic.) Happy the soul that is visited
by Mary, etc. — (Pr.) Let us pray, then, to our dear Lady,
that she may deign, during this mission, often to visit
our souls, so that they may be sanctified, etc.

In the 3d, the BIRTH OF OUR LORD, we contemplate
how, the time having arrived, the Blessed Virgin brought
forth our Redeemer at midnight, in a stable, between
two animals, and she laid him in a manger. — (Cons.)
When the time of her delivery arrived, Mary was at
Bethlehem; but not being able to procure any lodging
in the city, she was obliged to take shelter in a cave,
which was used as a stable for cattle; and there she
gave birth to the Son of God, etc. — (Mor. applic.) Jesus
wished to make his first appearance in this world in the
form of a babe lying in a manger, in order to inspire
sinners with greater confidence, etc. . . . Let no one,

1 "isle corda dividetemus, volmt esse nobis Creator et Redemptor."

Chap. IL The Rosary. 135

then, entertain sentiments of distrust, etc. — (Pr.) Let us
beseech the Blessed Virgin to obtain for us true con
fidence, etc.

In the 4th, the PRESENTATION, we contemplate how,
forty days after the birth of our Lord, that she might
fulfil the precepts of legal purification, the Blessed Vir
gin offered her divine Son in the Temple, and placed
him in the arms of the aged Simeon. — (Cons.) Mary had
no need to be purified, because she was always free from
every stain; but in order to obey the law, and through
humility,- she went to be purified, and to appear sullied
like other women. — (Mor. applic.) Since, then, the Mother
of God, who was so pure, was not ashamed to appear as
it" she needed to be purified, how shall you ever be
ashamed to confess your sins during this holy mission?
— (Pr.) Pray to the Blessed Virgin to help you to over
come every repugnance to confess your sins, etc.

In the 5th, the FINDING OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE,
we contemplate how Mary, having lost her Son, and hav
ing sought for him during three days, found him again
disputing in the midst of the Doctors, when he was
twelve years of age. — (Cons.) The Blessed Virgin and
St. Joseph, having gone to Jerusalem to visit the Temple,
took with them the little child Jesus; but at the return
they lost him. For three days, then, they sought after
him with many sighs and tears, and found him at last in
the Temple. — (Mor. applic.) The Blessed Virgin never
lost the grace of her divine Son; she was only deprived
of his sensible presence; and, nevertheless, she sought
after him with tears. Oh, how much greater reason has
the sinner to search with tears for Jesus Christ, when he
has lost his grace ! -Whoever seeks for him in this way
will surely find him. — (Pr.) Let us pray to the Blessed
Virgin to obtain for us a true sorrow for our sins, etc.

1 36 Exercises of the Missions.

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES.

In the ist, the AGONY IN THE GARDEN, we contemplate
how Jesus Christ, while praying in the Garden of Olives,
sweat drops of blood. — (Cons.) When our Saviour
reached the Garden of Olives, he was seized with so
great a sadness that he said it was sufficient to take
away his life: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. — (Mor.
applic.) What was it, then, that afflicted the heart of
Jesus so much, that made him sweat drops of blood?
It was the sight of our sins that caused him this cruel
agony. Let us also unite our sorrow to that of Jesus
Christ— (Pr.) Let us pray to the Blessed Virgin to ob
tain for us this sorrow.

In the 2d, the SCOURGING, we contemplate how cruelly
Jesus Christ was scourged in the house of Pilate, where,
according to a revelation made to St. Bridget, he received
six thousand six hundred and sixty-six blows. —(Cons.)
This scourging of Jesus Christ was so cruel that his
body became like a leper's, that is, one continual wound
from head to foot, according to the prophecy of Isaias :
And we have thought him as it were a leper. — (Mor. applic.)
Holy writers teach that our Saviour was pleased to suffer
this great punishment especially to satisfy for the sins
committed against chastity. Sinners, have you heard
this? Your impurities are the scourges that made our
Saviour suffer; ah ! do no longer scourge him, etc.—
(Pr.) Pray to the Blessed Virgin to deliver you from
this vice, which makes hell so full, and in temptations
invoke Mary, etc.

In the 3d, the CROWNING WITH THORNS, we contem
plate how Jesus Christ was crowned with thorns and
treated like a mock king.— (Cons.) After having been
scourged, he was made to sit upon a stone; a reed was
put into his hand to represent a sceptre, a rag upon his
shoulders for a royal mantle, and on his head, in place

Chap. II. The Rosary. 137

of a crown, a wreath of thorns, which they struck with
a cane to make them penetrate. Then the soldiers in
sulted him, saying: "Hail, King of the Jews!" And
they buffeted him. — (Mor. applic.) Sinners do the same:
for they confess; but scarcely risen from the feet of their
confessor, they leave the church to give Jesus Christ
new blows on the face.— (Pr.) Let us beseech the Blessed
Virgin to obtain for us the grace to die rather than ever
offend God any more, etc.

In the 4th, the CARRYING OF THE CROSS, we contem
plate how Jesus Christ, having been condemned to
death by Pilate, was made to bear the cross upon his
shoulders in order to increase his humiliation and his
pain. — (Cons.) With great affection Jesus embraced this
cross, wishing by this means to satisfy for our sins. —
(Mor. applic.) It is therefore just that we, in our turn,
to satisfy for the many offences which we have given
him, should embrace the crosses that God sends us, etc.
— (Pr.) Let us pray to Mary to obtain for us resignation
and patience in all our tribulations, etc.

In the 5th, the CRUCIFIXION, we contemplate how Jesus
Christ, having arrived at Calvary, was stripped, then
nailed to the cross, where he died for love of us, in the
presence of his afflicted Mother.— (Cons.) Consider what
a bitter death our Saviour suffered to purchase our
love.— (Mor. applic.) Let us always keep by us some
beautiful image of Jesus crucified, and often, while look
ing at it, let us say1*I love Thee, my Jesus, because Thou
hast died for me. — (Pr.) Let us ask the Mother of sorrows
to obtain for us the grace to think often of the dying love
of Jesus Christ, which he bore to us by dying for us.

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES.

In the ist, the RESURRECTION, we contemplate how,
the third day after his death, Jesus Christ rose again
triumphant and glorious, to die no more. — (Cons.) Let

1 3 8 Exercises of the Missions.

us consider the glory of our Redeemer when he arose
from the sepulchre, after having vanquished Satan, and
delivered the human race from bondage. — (Mor, applic.)
How great is the folly of the sinner who, having been
once delivered from the tyranny of the devil, consents
to become again his slave for some wretched gain or
some miserable pleasure of this world! — (Pr.) Let us
pray to the Blessed Virgin to unite us by love so closely
to Jesus Christ that we may never again by mortal sin
become the slaves of Lucifer.

In the 2d, the ASCENSION, we contemplate how Jesus
Christ, forty days after his resurrection, ascended into
heaven in triumph, surrounded by wonderful glory, in
the sight of his most holy Mother and of his disciples. —
(Cons.) Before Jesus Christ died for us, Paradise was
closed against us; but by his death, Jesus has opened it
for all those that love him.— (Mor. applic.) Ah, what a
pity that, after our Saviour has suffered so much to
obtain Paradise, this happy kingdom, in which, etc.;
and then so many foolish sinners should renounce it
and give themselves up to hell for a worthless pleasure,
for a mere nothing !— (Pr.) Let us beseech Mary to
obtain for us the light to see clearly how miserable are
the goods of this world, and how great the delights that
God offers in the world to come to those that love him.

In the 3d, the MISSION OF THE HOLY GHOST, we con
template how Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of
his Father, sent down the Holy Ghost to the chamber
where the apostles with the Virgin Mary were assem
bled.— (Cons.) Before receiving the Holy Ghost, the
apostles were so feeble, so cold, in the love of God, that,
at the time of the Passion of our Lord, one betrayed
him, another denied him, and all abandoned him; but as
soon as they had all received the Holy Ghost, they were
so much inflamed with love that they gave up their lives
generously for Jesus Christ. — (Mor. applic.) St. Augus-

Chap. 77. The Rosary. 139

tine says : He u'ho loves, does not labor. He who loves
God feels no affliction under crosses, but rather rejoices,
etc — (Pr.) Let us ask of Mary to obtain for us from the
Holy Ghost the gift of divine love; for then all the
crosses of this life will seem sweet to us.

In the 4th, the ASSUMPTION OF OUR BLESSED LADY, we
contemplate how Mary, twelve years after the resurrec
tion of Jesus Christ, departed this life, and was carried
up by angels to heaven. — (Cons.) The death of Mary
was full of peace and consolation, because her life had
been all holy, etc. — (Mor. applic.) Our death will not be
like hers, for our sins will then be a subject of alarm.
But hear: for as to him who renounces a bad life and
consecrates himself to the service of Mary, this good
Mother will not fail to comfort him in that last moment,
and obtain for him the grace of dying consoled, as she
has done to so many of her faithful servants. — (Pr.) Let
us place ourselves, then, under her protection, with the
firm purpose to amend our lives; and let us always ask
her to assist us in the hour of death, etc.

In the 5th, the CORONATION OF OUR BLESSED LADY,
we consider how Mary was crowned by her divine Son,
and we contemplate at the same time the glory of all
the saints. — (Cons.) When Mary was crowned in heaven
by the hand of God, she was also appointed to be our
advocate; for this reason, Blessed Amadeus says that
she prays for us incessantly. — (Mor. applic.) It is true
that Mary prays for all men, but she especially prays for
those that often and confidently have recourse to her
intercession. — (Pr.) Let us beseech her always to pray
for us, by saying with the Church: Holy Mary, Mother
of God, pray for us ; and with St. Philip Neri : O Mary,
Mother of God ! pray to Jesus for us.

1 40 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER III.

PREPARATORY ACTS FOR THE CONFESSION OF CHILDREN.

BEFORE the acts that are made to dispose the children
for confession, we address to them an instruction which
is composed of three parts: the Introduction, the Proof,
and the Fact.

1. To the INTRODUCTION is joined the Proposition,
which has for its subject the injury that is done to God
by sin, or the ingratitude of the sinner, or the mercy of
God towards him who repents. It will be well to begin
the introduction by a truth opposed to the proposition.
For example: if one takes for the subject the injury done
to God by sin, the introduction should at first show how
God deserves to be honored; if it is the ingratitude of
the sinner, one should speak of the great obligation of
loving God for so many benefits, etc.; and if it is of the
mercy of God, one should speak of the chastisements
that he merits who offends God.

2. Here follows the PROOF, giving reasons or authori
ties, which should be few in number, expressed briefly
and simply, according to the capacity of the children.
A short moral is added to the proof.

3. After this a FACT is selected, which should cor
respond to the proposition, and be conducive towards
exciting compunction so as to dispose the children -to
make a good act of contrition.

We pass, then, to the Acts.

We begin by the acts of theological virtues; that is,
Faith, Hope, and Charity. Care should be taken that

Chap. 1 77. Preparing Children for Confession. 141

these acts be preceded by their corresponding motives,
namely: for the act of faith, that we should believe
what the Church teaches, because God has revealed it
to her; for the act of hope, that we should hope for
paradise and the graces necessary to reach it, because
we have the promise of God, who is all-powerful, merci
ful, and faithful; for the act of charity, that we should
love God, because he deserves to be loved by men by
reason of his infinite goodness. — I have said that these
motives should precede the acts, and not follow them, as
they are made to do by some; for the motive is called
motive because it should move us to act. This is what
should be observed in regard to the acts that are made
at the end of each instruction. Besides, we should be
careful that the acts preparatory for the confession of
the children has special relation to confession that they
are going to make, namely: to believe specially that in
the sacrament of penance sins are pardoned, to hope
especially for pardon through the merits of Jesus
Christ, etc.

We finish with the act of contrition, preceded by the
motive, the reflection or reason that moves one to re
pentance, and by the invitation through which one is
urged to repent; for example: — (MOTIVE): Jesus Christ
has said: Him that cometh to Me, I will not cast out (John,
v- 37)-— (INVITATION): Ah, my children, you would de
serve to be rejected to-day by Jesus Christ; but since he
says to you that he will not reject you, hasten to cast
yourselves at his feet, weep, repent, etc., and say to him:
(ACT) My Jesus, it is true that I have offended Thee,
but I love Thee with my whole heart; and because I
love Thee, I repent, etc. — It will also be good for the
children, and for persons but little instructed, to make
them conceive the act of contrition by asking them, for
example: My children, do you not love with your whole
heart this God who is so good? And because you love

142 Exercises of t lie Missions.

him, do you repent of having offended him ? — It will be
well to repeat these acts of contrition three times, by
giving them different motives: the first motive should
be drawn from the proposition ; at the second, the
crucifix should be kissed; the third, finally, should be
stronger and more touching.

Example of this Exercise.

1. INTRODUCTION. — My dear children, if you have
offended God, you have committed a great crime, and
very great is the punishment that you have deserved.
How have you had the boldness to offend a God so
great and so good ? He has created you, he has loved
you so much that he gave his life for you, etc. — But
thank the infinite mercy of your God. — (PROPOSITION):
Know that this God, whom you have so much despised,
wishes to pardon and embrace you to-day if you sin
cerely repent of having offended him.

2. PROOF. — Do not fear; have confidence. God says
that he does not wish the death of the sinner, but that
he be converted, and that he live: I desire not the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live
(Ezeck. xxxiii. n). (All these texts, if one wishes to
quote them, should be briefly but clearly explained.)
Hence our Lord invites all sinners, etc. Turn ye to Me
. . . and I will turn to you (Zach. i. 3).

3. FACT. — (Here is narrated in a few words an example
of the mercy of God. The most touching is that of the
prodigal son \Luke, xv.]. We briefly describe his de
parture from the paternal house, the miserable state to
which he was reduced; for to keep himself from starv
ing he was obliged to take care of the swine. Then we
mention the reception given him on his return by his
father, who embraced .him, and clothed him with a
precious garment, which signifies grace, etc. Hence we
pass on to the MORAL APPLICATION.) You see in this

C /uip. III. Preparing Children for Confession. 143

example, my dear children, how good God is towards
those that return to him with a repentant heart, etc. —
Let us, then, have confidence, etc. — If you make to-day a
good confession, Jesus Christ will embrace you, etc. —
(Here there must be added, in a few words, an example
of the chastisements that God sends to those wrho in con
fession omit through shame to tell some mortal sin. We
should forcibly dwell upon this point, in order that the
children at present and in the future conceive great hor
ror for concealing their sins through shame. Afterwards,
we let them make the Acts, saying:) Now, before you go
to confession, it is necessary that you perform the acts in
order to obtain the pardon of God in confession.

ACT OF FAITH. — My God, because Thou hast revealed
it to the holy Church, I believe all that the holy Church
teaches me as of faith. I believe that Thou art my
God, the Creator of all things, who, during an eternity,
rewardest the just in paradise and punishest the sinners
in hell. I believe the mystery of the Most Blessed
Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three
Persons, but one God. I believe that God the Son, the
second Person, was made man by taking the name of
Jesus Christ, who died for us, who arose again on the
third day, who is now sitting at the right hand of the
Father in heaven, — that is, equal in glory to God his
Father, — and who will come one day from heaven to
judge all men. I believe that only the Roman Catholic
Church is the Church of Jesus Christ, in which alone we
can obtain eternal salvation. I believe the Communion
of the Saints; that is, the participation in the good works
among all those that are in the grace of God. I believe
the seven sacraments, and especially the sacrament of
baptism, by which the soul is washed, cleansed from
sin, and receives the grace of God; the sacrament of
penance, by which we recover the grace that has been
lost; and the sacrament of the Eucharist, in which we

1 44 Exercises of the Missions.

really receive Jesus Christ, the body, the soul, and the
divinity. My God, I thank Thee for having made me a
Christian; and I protest that I wish to live and to die in
this holy Faith.

ACT OF HOPE. — My dear children, when you have
sinned, the devil wishes to make you despair; but God
does not wish us to despair: he even commands us al
ways to hope for the pardon of our sins, provided we
repent of them: My God, because Thou art faithful, all-
powerful, all-merciful, trusting in Thy promises, I hope,
by the merits of Jesus Christ, the pardon of my sins,
final perseverance, and the glory of paradise.

ACT OF CHARITY. — Now, my children, God wishes to
pardon you, but he wants you to love him. What do
you say ? Does not this God, who is the sovereign
good, deserve to be loved ? Let us, then, make an act of
love for God, who is so good: My God, because Thou
art infinite goodness, the sovereign good, worthy of in
finite love, I love Thee above all things, with my whole
heart.

ACT OF CONTRITION. — But, in the past, have you
always loved our good God ? have you not offended
him? Ah, make an act of contrition, with the intention
of applying it to the confession that you are going to
make; and pay attention: for if you do not truly repent
of your sins, Jesus Christ will not pardon you. (We make
first an act of ATTRITION): Think, my children, that you
should at this moment burn in hell forever, separated
from God and excluded from paradise. Now, on ac
count of hell, which you have deserved, and paradise,
which you have lost, are you sorry for all the sins that
you have committed against God? — (We then make an
act of CONTRITION): But, above all, think how great is
this God, and how much he deserves to be loved by you,
at least out of gratitude for the love that he has borne
you by having even died for you. Still, you have done

Ckap.IIL Preparing Children for Confession. 145

him an injury: you have preferred nothingness to him
you have turned your back upon him. Are you sorry
for all this ? Say, then: My God, during the past I have
despised Thee; but now I love Thee with my whole
soul: and because I love Thee, I am sorry for the sins
that I have committed against Thee, for all the dis
pleasure that I have caused Thee; I regret all this with
my whole heart; I should like to die of sorrow, and
should have rather suffered every evil than have but
once offended Thee.

At the end we let the children make a firm purpose
of never more offending God, by raising the hand as a
sign of the promise that they are making. They should
also be told to make now a special resolution never to
conceal any sin through shame.

However, before making this formal act of contrition,
we should take care to have the children to feel sorrow
several times and for various motives, as has been said
above, by taking the crucifix when the second motive is
mentioned.

After these acts it is customary to take a child that is
distinguished for its innocence, and to have him em
brace the crucifix on the top step of the altar.

146 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER IV.

SOLILOQUIES FOR HOLY COMMUNION.

DURING the mission two soliloquies are given: one
being for the children, the other for the people. The
only difference between the two is that the first should
be given in a more plain and familiar manner, accord
ing to the capacity of the children; but to the second
the exhortation to penance is added, and is given after
the act of contrition, as we may see in the example
given. Both have, however, the same parts and the
same acts as well for the preparation for Communion as
for thanksgiving.

The acts for the preparation are usually the acts of
faith, adoration, humility, contrition, love, and desire;
but substantially they may be reduced to three— the acts
of faith, humility, and love: the act of faith is joined to
that of contrition; and to the act of love, that of desire.
It will be well to relate between these acts some little
touching incidents. We begin the whole by a short
introduction, as may be seen further on in the example
of the soliloquy for the people, which, excepting the ex
hortation to peace, resembles the soliloquy for the chil
dren, as has already been said.

After the act of contrition, before the Communion of
the people, the exhortation to peace is given, and be
fore the Communion of the children the procession
takes place, which they make outside of the church, all
wearing a crown of thorns on their heads, and the girls
having, besides, their faces covered with a white veil.

Chap. IV. Soliloquies. 147

(As to the girls, we understand here those that are not
more than fifteen years old; for those that are older
go to Communion by themselves, without procession).
When the children return to the church, before they
enter, the Communion tickets, received from the mis
sionary who teaches the catechism, are collected. Then
the children are placed in a line before the altar, the
boys being separated from the girls, and the soliloquy
is concluded by acts of love and of desire, etc.

Example of the Soliloquy for the People, with the Preparatory
Acts for Communion.

INTRODUCTION. — Let us be glad and rejoice : and give
glory to Him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and
His wife hath prepared herself.1 O my dear Brethren!
there are no longer tears of grief, but tears of joy and
of love which I ask of you this morning. Let us be glad
and let us rejoice: Yes, let us be glad; why? the mar
riage of the Lamb is come: Jesus Christ, the divine
Lamb, pacified by your repentance, wishes to come this
morning to espouse your souls in holy Communion.
You have longed so much for this day; it has come.
Prepare yourselves, then: for the heavenly Spouse is
near; he is ready to enter your hearts.

ACT OF FAITH AND OF ADORATION. — St. Teresa is as
tonished that so many envied the happiness of those
that lived in the time when Jesus Christ was visible on
earth, when every one could enjoy his presence, speak
to him face to face, and ask him for favors: " But," she
said, " have we not in the Blessed Sacrament this same
Jesus, our Saviour, who not only causes us to enjoy
there his presence, but gives us as food his sacred flesh
and his entire self?" Such is the assurance which Jesus
Christ himself gives you to-day from this altar, from

1 " Gaudeamus, et exsultemus, et demus gloriam ei, quia venerunt
nuptiae Agni, et uxor ejus praeparavit se." — Apoc. xix. 7.

1 48 Exercises of the Missions.

which he says to you: My children, you must know that
this bread with which you are soon to nourish your
selves is not bread, but it is my own body: Take ye, and
eat : This is My body? Reanimate, then, your faith. You
must have a lively faith to communicate with devotion..
Tell me: who is it that lives in the Blessed Sacrament ?
It is Jesus Christ. Let each one say to himself: Ah,
my Jesus, I believe firmly, because Thou hast said so,
that Thou art all entirely with body, soul, divinity, in
the consecrated Host. I believe that in receiving Thee
I receive this same Son of God, who was made man and
who died for me on the cross. Yes, my Saviour and my
God, in this sacrament I adore Thee with my whole
heart, and I unite my adoration to that which is paid to
Thee by the angels and the Most Blessed Virgin.

ACT OF HUMILITY AND OF CONTRITION. — In olden times
the deacon before holy Communion addressed to the
people these words: If any one is not holy let him not
approach the Blessed Sacrament. My dear Brethren, you
wish this morning to receive Jesus Christ; but are you
holy? If you are not, at least humble yourselves and
say: I am not worthy. O Lord! I am not worthy to re
ceive Thee ; I am not worthy even to appear in Thy
presence. On account of my sins, I should merit to be
driven from the church and to be cast into hell. But
no, my Brethren, Jesus Christ does not wish, that you
should omit approaching him and even receiving him;
he has said: Him that cometh to Me, I will not cast out?
He who comes to me with a repentant heart, etc, I will
not repel. Have you understood me ? Approach, then,
this sweet Master; but approach with tears, on account
of the sins that you have committed. (Here the crucifix
is held in the hand.) Say to him: See, O Lord! the traitor
whom Thou hast loved so much and who has been so

1 ' Accipite, et comedite; hoc est corpus meum." — Matt. xxvi. 26.

2 " Eum, qui venit ad me, non ejiciam f oras. "— John, vi. 37.

Chap. IV. Soliloquies. 149

ungrateful to Thee. My God, I trust that Thou hast
already pardoned me; but if Thou hast not yet par
doned me, ah! do pardon me now before I received
Thee: I am sorry, etc.

Exhortation of Peace before Communion. *

But you must know, my Brethren, that Jesus Christ
declares in the Gospel that pardon is granted to him
who pardons: Forgive, and you shall be forgiven.1 He
who does not forgive, how can he hope for forgiveness ?
How could this Lamb, who is so full of love and mercy,
contentedly enter a soul filled with hatred? He has
specially ordained that priests should refuse Commu
nion to those that bear hatred toward others when he
says: Give not that which is holy to dogs* By the word
dogs we here understand, according to the interpreters,
those that bear hatred like infuriated dogs. The angels
also give notice that the dogs should be kept out of the
church: Without are dogs* St. Augustine says that
hatred toward our neighbor renders us children of the
devil; and according to St. Thomas, the sacrament of
the altar, this heavenly bread, should be given only to
the children of God, and not to vindictive dogs who are
the children of the devil.

Let him, therefore, tremble who wishes to receive
holy Communion with hatred in his heart; he might
experience to-day what is related of a woman who,
preserving in her heart enmity towards another woman,
dared to present herself before the Holy Table to fulfil
the Paschal duty. As this enmity was public, the priest
refused her Communion; then, in order not to undergo

" Dimittite, et dimittemini." — Lttke, vi. 37.

2 " Nolite dare sanctum canibus." — Matt. vii. 6.

3 " Foris canes." — Apoc. xxii. 15.

See what has been said about the Exhortation of Peace, page 124.

1 50 Exercises of the Missions.

this affront she declared, yet not with sincerity, that
she forgave her enemy. After Mass, the other woman
having advanced towards her at the door of the church
to thank her for her" pardon, she answered: "What
pardon ? What are you talking about ? I would rather
die on the gallows than pardon you." Scarcely had she
uttered these words when she became black in the face
and fell dead to the floor; before the eyes of all, her
mouth immediately opened, and the consecrated Host,
which she had just received, came out of it and remained
suspended in the air until a priest came and respectfully
placed it upon the paten. The corpse of the unfortu
nate woman, like that of a dog, was afterwards thrown
upon a dunghill. Would any of you wish to be exposed
this morning to the same fate ? He who desires to
communicate should banish from his heart all rancor,
etc.

Now, my dear Brethren, you have a sweet consolation
to give to the heart of Jesus Christ. Arise, then, all of
you, and hear what you should do: you should all be
come reconciled with one another; let every one who
has received an injury, go to embrace the person who
has offended him, and forgive him, for the love of Jesus
Christ, Ye boys and girls, go each of you in search of
your father and your mother, and on your knees before
them ask their pardon for all the displeasure that you
have caused them, etc. Afterwards, let all approach
those who have given offence; let the men embrace the
men, and let the women embrace the women. Well,
then, let all of you obey. Peace ! peace ! let hatred be
far from you, now that the King of peace is about to
enter your hearts, etc. (At this moment all the mis
sionaries, surrounding the hearers, exhort the faithful
to become reconciled with one another.)

Chap. IV. Soliloquies. 151

Acts of Desire Immediately before Communion.
One day St. Catharine of Sienna, arriving late at the
church for receiving holy Communion, Jesus appeared
to her, his face very pale, as if he were about to faint
away. The saint asked him the reason of this, and
Jesus answered: " My daughter, it is to make known to
thee how greatly I desire that thou shouldst come to
receive me; come and receive me immediately." Devout
souls, you desire to receive Jesus Christ; but know that
he still more desires to receive you. This whole past
night our Lord has been, so to speak, occupied in count
ing the moments, waiting for the morning, in order to
give himself to your hearts. Prepare yourselves, then;
in a few moments he will come. Let us say the Con-
fiteor. (The missionary himself recites the Confiteor in a
loud voice; and when the priest who is at the altar has
said the Misereatur, etc., he continues): Come, ye minis
ters of God, hasten to give Jesus Christ to these faith
ful souls., who desire to unite themselves to their well-
beloved Lord, and to satisfy Jesus Christ himself who
wishes to console them. (Here Ecce Agnus Dei is said.)
Already, my Brethren, Jesus is coming to you; here he
is; but before he enters your hearts, ardently invite him,
saying: Come, my Jesus, the desire of my soul ! Pray
to the Blessed Virgin to present you to her divine Son
herself. Oh, what a joy, what a feast, for the angels
this morning ! Let the bells ring, let the organ resound.
Here the king of heaven, the divine Spouse, is coming
to unite himself to you; receive him with a heart burn
ing with love; call him by sighs full of tenderness:
Come, my Jesus ! come, my God ! I love Thee, and I wish
to love Thee always. (At this moment, during the
ringing of the bells and the playing of the organ, the
preacher is silent; only from time to time, during holy
Communion and the playing of the organ, he proposes

1 5 2 Exercises of the Missions.

in a few words some motive of fervor and pronounces
some act or resolution; for example): O Lord! in
future I will amend my life. Deign to receive "me to
day; I give myself entirely to Thee. Thou shalt be in
future my only love. If I should be ever in danger of
offending Thee, rather let me die at this moment. Tell
me what Thou wishest of me; I will do in all things
Thy holy will. Most Holy Virgin Mary, attach me en
tirely to my Jesus, etc.

Thanksgiving after Communion.

Thanksgiving is usually composed of five acts;
namely: acts of welcome, thanksgiving, oblation, good
resolution, and petition. We give here some examples:

i. ACT OF WELCOME.— Faithful soul, now that you
have communicated, see you are now with your God;
he dwells in you, as he himself has said: He that eateth
My flesh . . . abideth in Me, and I in him.' Reanimate,
then, your faith; adore Jesus Christ, who has come to
you; welcome him, embrace him, entertain him. Think
that Jesus Christ has given himself entirely to you, and
say to him: O Lord! whither hast Thou come? what
good didst Thou see in me that could have induced
Thee to dwell in my heart ? Ah ! be Thou welcome; I
adore Thee; I embrace Thee; I press Thee to my bosom
so that Thou mayest never leave me.

2. ACT OF THANKSGIVING. — What do you say ? He
well deserves to be thanked, he who is the King of
heaven, who has deigned this morning to enter your
heart. If a king of this earth would enter your house,
what thanks, etc. ! Thank him, therefore. But what
words can suffice to thank a God who descends from
heaven to visit a wretched being who has offended him ?
Thank him at least as well as you can; tell him: O

" Qui manducat meam carnem, ... in me manet, et ego in illo."
—John, vi. 57.

Chap. IV. Soliloquies. 153

Lord ! what can I say to Thee, what can I do, to thank
Thee as Thou dost deserve ? O saints of paradise ! O
holy angels ! O most blessed Virgin Mary ! help me to
thank Jesus Christ, who has given himself to me.

3. ACT OF LOVE. — But do you wish to know, devout
soul, what is the best thanks that you can give to Jesus
Christ? It is to say to him: My Jesus, I love Thee.—
He wishes that you should love him; it is in order to
be loved by you that he has given himself to you. Love
him, then; and offer yourself entirely to him by saying
to him: Yes, my Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart;
and as Thou hast given Thyself entirely to me, I give
myself entirely to Thee. Deign to receive me; I give
Thee my body, my understanding, my will, and all that
I am. I belong no longer to myself, I belong to Thee;
dispose of me as Thou pleasest. It is sufficient for me
to love Thee, my Jesus; I desire nothing more.

4. ACT OF A GOOD RESOLUTION. — Oh, what consolation
do I feel this morning, my dear Brethren, in seeing you
all united with Jesus Christ ! But a sad thought
troubles me; it is this: Who knows whether some one
among you may not again banish Jesus Christ from his
soul ? Our Lord, on the night before his Passion, and
on which he instituted the Blessed Sacrament, turned
to his disciples and sorrowfully said to them that one
of them would betray him: One of you is about to betray
Me.1 Ah ! it seems to me that I hear Jesus Christ say
ing at this moment: Many of you who have just received
me will again betray me. Alas ! my Brethren, could
there be among you any one who, after so many graces,
would yet be disposed, etc.? I beg you to renew your
good resolution; promise the Lord to suffer all evils
rather than lose him again. Say to him: Yes, my God,
I have offended Thee; I have lived long enough away

1 " Unus vestrum me traditurus est." — Matt. xxvi. 21.

154 Exercises of the Missions.

from Thee; the time that remains to me I no longer
wish to employ to offend Thee any more: no, it is not
what Thou hast deserved; I wish to use my time only
to love Thee. To-day I give Thee my word: I am re
solved to die rather than displease Thee again; I am
resolved to lose all rather than Thy holy grace.

5. ACT OF PETITION. — But of what use are these prom
ises if God does not give you the grace to keep them ?
Now, our Lord, in order to give us his graces, wishes
that we should ask him for them, especially after Com
munion. St. Teresa says that, when Jesus Christ comes
into the soul, he there places himself, as it were, on a
throne of mercy and says: What wilt thou that I should
do to thcc ? ' Cherished soul, ask me what thou desirest;
I have come to grant thee graces, etc.— Open, then, your
hearts, represent to the Lord your miseries, your wants,
and ask him for graces; ask him, above all, for holy
perseverance and for his love.— Say with me: O Lord,
my God ! since instead of sending me to hell Thou didst
wish with so much love to visit my soul to-day, deign
to console me by granting me holy perseverance; do
not allow it ever to happen that I should separate my
self from Thee. If Thou seest that I shall lose Thee, let
me rather die before I leave this church. Ask him also
for the grace of loving him: My God change in me this
ungrateful heart: let me forget all, in order to love only
Thee, who hast loved me so much; give me Thy love;
I wish nothing more.— Jesus Christ has promised us
that all the graces that we ask of his eternal Father in
his name will be granted to us: Amen, amen I say to you:
if you ask the Father anything in My name. He will give it
you? Let us then pray to the eternal Father in the
name of Jesus Christ, that he may grant us these graces

" Quid tibi vis faciam ?" — Mark, x. 51.

"Amen, amen dico vobis: Si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine
meo, dab it vobis." — John, xvi. 23.

CJiap. IV. Soliloquies. 155

of holy perseverance and of his love: My God, for the
love of Thy Son, give me and to us all holy perseverance
and Thy love. — Ask him at the same time for the grace
of always praying to him for perseverance; for he who
does not continue to ask for it, will not have it. Let us
also pray to the Blessed Virgin to obtain it for us, etc.

Then a Pater and an Ave are recited for the bishop,
the authorities of the place, the parish-priest, and the
priests, the governor, the landlord of the house where
the Fathers are staying, and finally for the Fathers
themselves. We finish by giving the benediction with
the holy ciborium, and then make the people ask again
for perseverance, and say at the moment when the
Blessed Sacrament is inclosed in the tabernacle: Now,
my Brethren, send your hearts into this tabernacle to
be inclosed there with Jesus Christ, in order that they
may always remain united with him. The tabernacle,
having been shut, its key is put into the hands of the
statue of Mary with the petition that she should her
self guard the hearts of all those that are present, so that
they may never more be separated from Jesus Christ.

1 56 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER V.

THE LITTLE CATECHISM, OR THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
TAUGHT THE CHILDREN, AND THE LITTLE SERMON THAT
IS PREACHED TO THEM AFTERWARDS.

The Method to be followed in Teaching Catechism.
THE various points to be observed are the following:

1. The manner of explaining the doctrine should be
simple and familiar, and adapted to the intelligence of
the children, and of uninstructed adults who often come
to listen.

2. To the explanation of the mystery or of a precept
some short moral should always be added; for example:
After having explained what one understands by a God
who is a re warder, we may say: See what good is de
rived from the service of God, and what evil is caused
by sin, etc. — In the same way, when treating of the In
carnation of Jesus Christ: See what love the Son of God
has had for us. — When speaking of the second com
mandment of God: It is a great sin to blaspheme, and
great will be the punishment of the blasphemer in hell,
etc. — Besides, it will be well to quote some appropriate
example, and also to counsel some practice, such as:
When you are tempted to anger, say: O Lord! give me
patience. Mary, my Mother, help me. — But these moral
applications should be short; otherwise they become
instructions, sermons, as is the case with some mission
aries who make sermons out of all the exercises.

3. After the explanation of the mystery, the precept,
or the sacrament, we put questions to two or three chil-

Chap. F. The Little Catechism. 157

dren, in order that the truths taught may remain im
pressed on their minds; we then present to them a little
picture, telling, however, the children that such a present
is never given to those that ask for it.

4. We should frequently recall to the mind of the
hearers the three great means of keeping one's self in
the grace of God, namely: the first, to avoid sinful occa
sions and bad companions; the second, always to re
commend one's self to God by prayer, and especially in
temptations by invoking Jesus and Mary; the third, to
frequent the sacraments.

5. The catechist should show authority from the be
ginning, so that the children may not become too famil
iar. Moreover, he should guard against using abusive
language against those that do not answer well, or
charging the priests of the place with negligence; he
should rather blame the children for having been care
less in coming to instructions in catechism. He shall
positively keep from striking the children, either with
the hand or with a stick, even though they should be
have improperly, because thereby great trouble may
arise. He should rather call to his assistance the priests
of the place, that they may keep the children quiet.

II.

What should be Explained to the Children during the
Mission.

We should explain to the children during the mission
the following three points:

i. The mysteries of our holy faith; 2. The sacraments,
especially penance and Eucharist; 3. The command
ments of God and those of the Church, except the sixth
commandment of the Decalogue, which should not be
explained to the children, — it will suffice to tell them,
without comment, that this commandment forbids all
shameful sins.

1 5 8 Exercises of the Missions.

i. THE MYSTERIES OF OUR HOLY FAITH.

We therefore explain, in the first place, the mysteries
that we should believe, and before all, the four principal
ones: i. The existence of God, and his perfections;
2. This God is a just rewarder; 3. The mystery of the
Holy Trinity; 4. The incarnation and the death of
Jesus Christ.

Previously we explain the motive for believing the
truths of faith, that God himself, the infallible truth,
who can neither deceive nor be deceived, has revealed
them to the holy Church, and that the Church teaches
us these truths.

1. We explain that there exists only one God, the
sovereign good, who possesses all perfections: he is in
finite in goodness and beauty; he is the Creator of the
universe; all-powerful, he can do all that he wishes;
immense, he is in every place; eternal, he has always
been, and will always be.

2. We explain that God is a just rewarder; on the one
hand, he rewards the just eternally in paradise after
having made them pass through purgatory if there still
remains any temporal punishment due to the faults
that they have committed; on the other hand, he con
demns sinners to hell, where they must suffer for all
eternity.

3. We explain the mystery of the Holy Trinity,
namely: in God there are three Persons, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost; but these three Persons
are only one God, because they are only one and the
same substance, one and the same essence, and they
have the same divinity and the same perfection: hence,
as the Father is eternal, the Son is also, etc.; the Father
does not proceed from any other, the Son, who is also
called the Word, proceeds from the Father from all
eternity, being begotten of the Father by intelligence;
the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son

CJiap. V. The Little Catechism. 159

by the will, or by the love that the Father and the Son
bear to each other.

4. We explain the incarnation and the death of Jesus
Christ by saying that the Son of God, the second Per
son of the Blessed Trinity, has taken a body and has
become man in the womb of Mary, always Virgin,
through the operation of the Holy Ghost, and that he
is called Jesus Christ. Hence Jesus Christ is true God
and true man: as man he suffered and he died on the
cross to save sinners; but he arose the third day after
his death; he afterwards ascended to heaven, where he
sits at the right hand of the Father: this means that he
possesses a glory equal to that of his Father. At our
death he comes to judge us in the particular judgment;
and at the end of the world, he will come to judge all
men in the universal judgment after they have risen,
their souls being united again with their own bodies.

Afterwards we also explain that there is only one true
Church, the Roman Catholic Church, outside of which
there is no salvation. We explain the Communion of
the Saints, which consists in this: that all the faithful in
the state of grace participate in the merits of the good
works of one another.

2. THE SACRAMENTS.

In the second place, we explain the seven sacraments:
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Extreme
Unction, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. We say that
these sacraments have been instituted by Jesus Christ,
and that they are the means by which we receive the
graces which our Saviour has merited for us by his
Passion.

1. By Baptism our souls receive the grace of God,
and are purified from every sin, original and actual.

2. By Confirmation they acquire the power of resist
ing temptations and combating fearlessly for the faith.

1 60 Exercises of the Missions.

3-4. (As to Eucharist and Penance, we shall speak of
them afterwards.)

5. By Extreme Unction we receive the help necessary
to overcome the temptations of the devil at the hour of
death, the rest of the sins are effaced, and we even obtain
the health of the body if it be useful for the soul.

6. By the Sacrament of Holy Orders we receive the
spiritual power and the graces necessary to exercise it
well.

7. By the Sacrament of Matrimony man and woman
receive the grace necessary to fulfil the duties of the
conjugal state, and to bring up their children according
to the law of God.

We afterwards explain more at length the Sacrament
of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance.

T. As for the EUCHARIST, there are several things that
must be explained, namely:

1. This sacrament really contains Jesus Christ living,
as he is in heaven, his body, his soul, and his divinity;
for after the priest at Mass has consecrated the Host,
this Host, although it preserves the color and the taste
of bread, yet it is no longer bread, but the body of Jesus
Christ; so the consecrated wine is no longer wine, but
the blood of Jesus Christ; so that we must adore the
sacrament of the altar as we adore God.

2. When the Host is broken, Jesus Christ is not
divided; he remains entire in each particle. Besides,
Jesus Christ really remains in him who receives him,
until the sacramental species are consumed.

3. He that communicates receives help and strength
to live in the grace of God; for as earthly bread pre
serves the temporal life of the body, so the heavenly
bread preserves the spiritual life of the soul.

4. To communicate well there are dispositions re
quired on the part of the body and on the part of the
soul. On the part of the body, we must be fasting,

Chap. V. The Little Catechism. 161

having neither eaten nor drunk anything since mid
night. If we have taken anything in the mouth with
out swallowing it, this would not prevent us from re
ceiving Communion. On the part of the soul, we must
be in the state of grace. If we commit a mortal sin, we
must .confess it before communicating; and if we do not
confess it, we would render ourselves guilty of sacrilege,
excepting only in certain rare cases of necessity, for
example: if we remember the sin only when we are at
the altar railing, and when we could not withdraw with
out scandalizing those that are present, it will then be
sufficient to make an act of contrition. We should be
still more guilty if we dared to communicate after having
omitted, through shame, to declare to the confessor a
mortal sin that we have committed. Those who have
only venial sins, will do well to confess them; but if we
communicate with these sins on our consciences, we
would not commit a sacrilege.

5. We conclude by instructing the children on the
great good that is derived from holy Communion; we
tell them how advantageous it is to receive it frequently,
and above all to occupy one's self after having received
it with thanking Jesus Christ for such a favor, and with
asking for the graces of which one stands in need.

II. As for the sacrament of PENANCE, we should ex
plain more at length the five things that are necessary
to make a good confession, that is: Examination of
conscience, sorrow, purpose of amendment, confession,
and penance.

1. On the subject of the EXAMINATION of conscience,
we explain that it should precede confession, and should
be made carefully, according to the time since we have
not confessed, and according to the number of sins that

%we have committed.

2. SORROW, or contrition, should be true, supernatural,
universal, sovereign, and full of confidence: TRUE, that

1 62 Exercises of the Missions.

is, produced by a sincere regret of having offended God;
SUPERNATURAL, or conceived not on account of natural
motives, as the loss of goods or of reputation, but on
account of having offended God, the infinite goodness,
or of having deserved hell, etc., according as one has
contrition or attrition with a beginning of love, as we
shall afterwards explain; UNIVERSAL, comprising all the
mortal sins committed since the last confession, which
was well made; SOVEREIGN, so that one regrets the loss
of the grace of God more than any other loss; FULL OF
CONFIDENCE, by hoping to obtain from God, through
the merits of Jesus Christ, the pardon of all our sins. —
Moreover, this sorrow is either perfect or imperfect. It
is perfect, and it is called CONTRITION, when one repents
of sin because it has offended the goodness of God. It
is imperfect, and it is called ATTRITION, when, after hav
ing offended God (the offence given to God should
always be the object of sorrow), one repents on account
of paradise, which one has lost, or on account of hell,
which one has deserved, or on account of the super
natural and particular heinousness of the sin committed.
We therefore detest sin with contrition, because it is an
evil in regard to God, and with attrition, because it is
an evil in regard to ourselves. It must be added that
with attrition alone one receives only pardon when one
receives the absolution of the confessor; while with con
trition one obtains it at once before receiving absolution,
provided one has the intention of confessing one's sins.
All theologians agree that to attrition should be united
INITIAL LOVE, that is, a beginning of the love that we
owe to God; which beginning of love already exists im
plicitly, as theologians commonly say, in the hope or
even in the desire which the penitent has of obtaining
by confession the pardon of his sins and the friendship
of God.

3. The PURPOSE of amendment must be firm, univer-

Chap. V. The Little Catechism. 163

sal, and efficacious: FIRM, that is, one should be able
resolutely to say: I wish (and not I should wish) with
God's help to keep from sin; UNIVERSAL, so that one
wishes to keep from every sin without exception; EFFI
CACIOUS, we are thereby induced to use all the necessary
means not to fall back again into them, and to avoid
the voluntary proximate occasions; for if one promises
only to avoid sin, without avoiding the proximate occa
sions, the purpose is not good.

4. In CONFESSION, it is useful to declare venial sins;
however, it is not necessary, since we can obtain pardon
of them by other means, such as an act of contrition or
an act of love. But we must necessarily confess the
mortal sins that we remember to have committed; and
if we do not confess them, the confession would be
sacrilegious and null: we would then have to confess
them again by declaring not only the sin or the sins
that we" have omitted to tell, but also those sins that we
told in the bad confession, together with the sacrilege
that we have committed. If the penitent forgets some
grievous sin without his fault, the. confession is good;
but when he remembers the sin, he must confess it in
his next confession.

Finally, we must accept the PENANCE imposed by the
confessor, and perform it as soon as possible; if it
should happen that it is impossible for us to perform it,
we should have it commuted either by the same confes
sor or by another.

3. THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND THE COMMANDMENTS OF THI.
CHURCH.

In the third place, we briefly explain the precepts of
the Decalogue.

The first commandment, which ordains the adoration
of God, commands the exercise of the three theological
virtues, namely: of faith, by believing all the truths of

1 64 Exercises of the Missions.

faith enumerated above ; of hope, by hoping in the
mercy and power of God, and in the promises that he
has made to us, through the merits of Jesus Christ, of
obtaining paradise, and all the graces necessary to ob
tain it; of charity, by loving God above all things, and
our neighbor as ourselves. This first commandment
also imposes upon us the obligation of asking God for
help, that we may keep ourselves in the state of grace
and obtain salvation.

The second, which forbids the taking of the name of
God in vain, forbids us to blaspheme God, or the saints,
or the holy days, or things holy. It also forbids false
oaths. (We here explain that to swear BY MY CON
SCIENCE is not a real oath.) Moreover, it imposes the
duty of fulfilling the vows that one makes with the in
tention of binding one's self.

The third, which ordains the sanctification of holy
days, commands us to hear Mass, and to abstain from
servile work, unless there is a necessity, such as may
arise during the vintage, the harvest, etc.

The fourth commands us to honor our parents; that
is, to respect them, to obey them, and to love them by
helping them in their spiritual and temporal wants.

The fifth forbids us to kill or unjustly to strike our
neighbor, and even to wish him any evil, 'as also to re
joice at the evil and to grow sad at the good that be
falls him.

The sixth forbids all immodest thoughts, words, and
actions.

The seventh forbids us to take, to retain, or to dam
age the property of another, against his will.

The eighth forbids us not only to give false testi
mony, but also (i) to form rash judgments by mis-
judging our neighbor without a reason; (2) to speak ill
of our neighbor either by falsely ascribing to him some
fault, or by making known his hidden though real
faults, unless it be necessary to manifest them in order

Chap. V. The Little Catechum. 165

to remedy a great evil, — and on this point it must be
observed that it is a sin not only to detract or to calum
niate any one, but even to listen voluntarily to detrac
tion or calumny; (3) to dishonor our neighbor by action
or by word; (4) to tell lies, especially when the lies
are injurious to others.

The ninth forbids us to give consent to impure
thoughts.

The tenth forbids us to covet what belongs to our
neighbor, as also to wish him evil, or to rejoice at the
evil done, with regard to his worldly goods.

There are five commandments of the Church, namely:
i. To hear Mass every Sunday and holy day; 2. To fast
during Lent, on the Ember days, and on the vigils, and
to abstain from meat on Friday and Saturdays; 3. To
confess at least once a year, and to receive Communion
at least at Easter in one's own parish; 4. To pay tithes
wherever they are due;2 5. Not to solemnize marriage
at the forbidden times.

III.

The Little Sermon, Addressed to the Children, after Catechism.
There is no doubt that the missions are useful not only
to adults, but also to children; nevertheless it has been
remarked that during the great sermon, which is the
most important of the mission, the children create the
greatest disorder; for understanding only a little of
what is preached they pay but little attention, and spend
the time in talking, playing, and pushing one another;
this is a source of constant trouble to the preacher and
the hearers. It has therefore been thought expedient,
as is practised in the missions of our Congregation, to
make the children leave the church at the beginning of
the great sermon, and to assemble them in another

1 By dispensation it is allowed to eat meat on Saturdays.

2 In other words, to contribute to the support of the Church.

1 66 Exercises of the Missions.

church or in a chapel, where, after they have received an
instruction in catechism, we address to them a short
discourse, which is followed by an act of contrition.
This special exercise is certainly much more profitable
to the children than if they listened to the great sermon;
for the discourse is in accordance with their weak com
prehension; we employ in it forms and expressions that
are suitable to them, without Latin texts and without
division of points. We conclude by having them make
an act of contrition before the crucifix. Before begin
ning, some pious hymn is chanted.

This discourse is composed of five parts: i. The intro
duction with the proposition, which may take its place;
2. The amplification; 3. The example; 4. The moral ap
plication; 5. The conclusion, with the act of contrition,

EXAMPLE OF A LITTLE SERMON ADDRESSED TO THE CHILDREN AFTER

CATECHISM.

Death.

1. INTRODUCTION. — Death is certain. Whoever is born
into this world is born condemned to death. Sooner or
later, young or old, each one must die.

2. AMPLIFICATION. — My dear children, it is certain that
you all must die. We know not whether you will be
rich or poor, whether you will have good or bad health,
whether you will die in bed or elsewhere, whether you
will die old or young; it may be that you will die before
having reached the age of fifteen or twenty: how many
are there who have died in this place even before this
age ! But, however this may be, my friends, had you
many years to live, a day will come when you will find
yourselves about to die, and abandoned by every one;
for then from the room of the dying person are dis
missed his parents, his brothers, his sisters, and all the
rest; you will then remain alone with the crucifix on
one side, and on the other your spiritual Father, who

Chap. V. The Little Catechism. 167

will make the recommendation of the soul, and will say
to you, mentioning your name: N., go forth from this
place, go forth from this world. — And whither should
you go? Into eternity, into paradise or into hell, to
reioice forever with God, etc., or to burn forever, etc.
—Then the devils will surround you, to make you de
spair by placing before your eyes all your sins. How
you are to be pitied at this moment ! etc. And if you
were to die suddenly?

3. EXAMPLE. — Listen to this example A boy used
often to go to confession; and every one took him to be
a saint. One night he had a hemorrhage, and he was
found dead. His parents went at once to his confessor,
and crying begged him to recommend him to God; and
he said to them: " Rejoice; your son, I know, was a little
angel; God wished to take him from this world, and he
must now be in heaven; should he, however, be still in
purgatory, I will go to say Mass for him." He put on
his vestments to go to the altar; but before leaving the
sacristy, he saw himself in the presence of a frightful
spectre, whom he asked in the name of God who he was.
The phantom answered that he was the soul of him that
had just died. Oh ! is it you? exclaimed the priest; if
you are in need of prayers, I am just going to say Mass
for you. — Alas ! Mass ! I am damned, I am in hell ! —
And why? — "Hear," said the soul: " I had never yet com
mitted a mortal sin; but last night a bad thought came
to my mind; I gave consent to it, and God made me die
at once, and condemned me to hell as I have deserved
to be. Do not say Mass for me; it would only increase
my sufferings." Having spoken thus, the phantom dis
appeared.

4. MORAL APPLICATION. — Now, my dear children, tell
me: if you were to die now, what would be your death ?
where would you go ? Take courage, then ! profit by
this mission and make the resolution to sanctify your-

1 68 Exercises of the Missions.

selves, never to commit those shameful sins, nevermore
to utter curses, blasphemies, bad words, never to take
what does not belong to you, never to bear hatred
against your neighbor, etc.— Reflect well on this: would
you like to die as this unfortunate boy died, whose end
you have heard was so terrible ?

5. CONCLUSION. — As for the past, for the sins that you
have committed, what are you to do now ? Should you
despair? No; God does not wish you to despair; he
wishes that you should ask his pardon, because he
wishes to pardon you. Now kneel down, and amid
tears aad sighs ask pardon of God, etc. (Here the act
of contrition is made, two or three motives of repent
ance being given, for example): Ah! if you were to die
this day, this night, on which you had fallen into sin,
what would become of you ? where would you be ?
Thank Jesus Christ, your Saviour, with a sincere re
pentance, etc. What do you say? do you wish to die
in the arms of Jesus Christ ? But if you wish that Jesus
should embrace you, you should weep, etc. (While
speaking of death, in the act of contrition, it will be
well- to exhibit a skull, and also to call to mind a boy
now dead who was known to the children, by mention
ing his name; for example): O N. ! where are you now ?
What a misfortune if you are damned !

This example of a little sermon is given here in an
abridged form; it should be made longer; for with the
act of contrition it may last about half an hour or three
quarters of an hour, after the instruction in catechism,
which lasts half an hour. It must be remarked that not
many things should be said to the children, and that it
is better to repeat to them the same truths or practices,
in order that they may fix them upon their minds, and
thus begin to put them in practice.

Chap. VI. The Large Catechism. \ 69

CHAPTER VI.

THE LARGE CATECHISM, OR INSTRUCTION FOR THE PEOPLE.

THE large catechism, or instruction for the people, is
one of the most important of the mission; the priest who
is charged with this duty should be well instructed, and
should have had great experience in the office of hearing
confessions, in order to know how to discover the illu
sions and the innermost recesses of consciences, so as to
apply suitable remedies.

This instruction ' is composed of several parts. It
begins with the introduction, the exposition of the sub
ject, and the division; these form the EXORDIUM. — Then
comes the EXPLANATION of the mystery, or of the sacra
ment, or of the commandment, to be followed by the
MORAL APPLICATION, with the practice. At the end we
answer objections,or excuses brought forward by persons
that have no tender consciences; then we briefly sum up,
in the form of an EPILOGUE, what has been said in the
instruction, and finish with the Christian acts.

i. The INTRODUCTION is drawn from the preceding
instruction, so as to unite the material and to refresh
the memory by summing up what has been said the
evening before. This is done, however, only when the
things have some connection with one another; other
wise the introduction is formed by announcing the im
portance of the subject which one wishes to treat. As
for the EXPOSITION, if there is question of a command
ment, we take care to distinguish all that it contains.

1 See Hints to the Catechist, which precede Instructions on the Com
mandments and Sacraments.

i 70 Exercises of the Missions.

The DIVISION of the points serves to elucidate better the
material, and to impress better on the minds of the
hearers the truths that one exposes to them. These
three members, as has already been said, form a sort of
EXORDIUM; hence they should be very short.

2. We enter, then, into the EXPLANATION of the mys
tery, or of the sacrament, or of the commandment.
What one teaches should be confirmed by authorities
— a few of them to be cited briefly — as well from rea
sons as from facts that refer to the subject. It is es
pecially useful to employ comparisons, which should
be clearly exposed.

3. Thence we pass to the MORAL APPLICATION by ob
serving that one should not only enlighten the mind,
but should also move the will of the hearers to flee from
vice, and to use the remedies and the means necessary
to avoid them; many more sins are committed by a bad
disposition of the will than by ignorance. The moral
application should also be short; it should be announced
with animation, but without adopting the preaching tone
and without outbursts of the voice. Sometimes, in the
instruction, it is useful to raise the voice against a vice,
or a maxim of the world, or an excuse made by people
who lead a bad life; but these oratorical bursts should be
short and rare, in order to avoid the defect of some who
make sermons out of their instructions, confounding
this last exercise with the first.

We should, above all things, take care, in giving the
instruction, to insinuate practical things by teaching the
people the very words that it will be proper for them to
say when an occasion presents itself of putting in prac
tice what has been indicated ; for example: if one receives
from another an injury or some annoyance, let him say
to him : May God make you a saint ! I shall pray to God
to enlighten you. — So also when any one has met with
some loss or other adversity, let him say: May all be for

Chap. VL The Large Catechism. 1 7 1

the love of God ! May the will of God be done !— This
kind of practice should be repeated many times, in order
that it may remain impressed upon the memory of
simple and uninstructed people, who do not understand,
or who soon forget the Latin texts and other things;
they can remember only these short and easy practices
which are taught them, and which are often repeated to

them.

The catechist should also speak of certain excuses or
frivolous difficulties which some are accustomed to bring
forward in order to palliate their faults; these are, for
example, some of the false reasons: that they have not
the means of living without taking the property of an
other; that others do the same; that they are not saints;
that they are flesh and blood; that such a neighbor or
such a relative is the cause of their sins-. Moreover, it
should be declared that if any one would be inclined to
revenge himself in case he had received an injury, he
would be continually in a state of sin and that he could
not justify himself by the worldly maxim that a man
must take care of his honor. These false and wicked
reasons should be forcibly and warmly refuted, so that
the hearers may free their minds from certain prejudices
which they hold to be maxims. This is the cause why
many always remain in sin, and end in losing their souls.

The instruction is concluded in the EPILOGUE, which
is a summary, as short and as substantial as it can be, of
the doctrine that has been taught; and at the end we
leave to the hearers, as a remembrance, a maxim of re
ligion .adapted to the subject and capable of making an
impression.

These rules are common to all catechetical instruc
tions; but as for those that are given during the mis
sions a few more remarks should be made.

I — in the first place, as to the subjects which are to be
explained in the missions, the instruction is restricted

1 7 2 Exercises of the Missions.

chiefly to three points, the same that have already been
spoken of in the little catechism, namely: i. The mys
teries; 2. The sacraments, especially the sacrament of
penance; 3. The commandments of God and of the
Church. But in the large catechism these subjects
should be explained more at length, with more details,
and in another manner, by making the things that we
teach rest on authorities and reasons.

There are catechists who think that it is better to
speak first of confession, and then of the command
ments. For my part I find it preferable to begin by
the commandments.; for if we explain them towards
the end of the mission, it will easily happen that this
explanation will raise scruples in the consciences of the
hearers; this will oblige them to go to confession again,
and thus we should lose much time. If, however, we
should wish to join the explanation of the command
ments to that of the first part of the confession, which
is the examination of conscience, this would also be
well.

And as the greatest utility of the missions consists
perhaps, and even without doubt, in the reparation of
sacrilegious confessions, we must insist on this point in
every instruction: in showing how great is the malice of
sacrilege, and how many souls are lost through the
weakness that they show when they conceal their sins
in confession. Many unfortunate persons, overcome by
shame, even when they confess to the missionaries, as
we know from experience, continue to conceal their
sins ; now, if there be one who in the mission has not
the courage to repair the confessions he has made
badly, how can he escape losing his soul? If he has
not overcome his shame when he confesses to a mission
ary, how will he overcome it when he returns to his
ordinary confessor? It is for this reason, as has been
already said, that we must always insist on this point.

Chap. VI. The Large CatccJiism. 173

For this purpose it is customary in our missions that
the catechist, at the end of his instruction and before
the recitation of the Christian acts, always recites a ter
rible example — and these examples are numerous — of a
soul damned for having concealed sins in confession.
This is not conformable to the rules of art, since the
example does not always correspond to the instruction;
but it corresponds to the end of the missions, which are
chiefly given to remedy sacrilegious confessions. It is
sufficient to introduce the example in these words:
Take care, then, to confess all the sins that you have
committed, according as I have told you to-day, and do
not through shame omit anything.

II. — It is a strange error on the part of catechists when
they fill their instructions with fine words, scholastic
questions, and witticisms, while the poor people are ask
ing for substantial bread, with which they could be nour
ished so easily.

1. As for expressions, the common rule is that the
style of the instruction should be altogether simple and
popular without descending to what is silly and low;
this is never necessary, and is unsuitable to the pulpit.
The period should be short and concise. It is often use
ful to ask questions, which the catechist answers himself;
this is a means of keeping the hearers more attentive, and
of impressing better on their memory the things that are
said.

2. As for scholastic questions, they are suitable for
the literary exercises of theologians, and not for the
instruction of the people from the pulpit ; since the
hearers consist mostly of those that are but little in
structed, and that do not understand these questions, or
at least cannot derive any profit from them. If there
happens to be among the hearers a learned man, if he is
prudent and discreet, he will praise this simple manner

1 74 Exercises of the Missions.

of instructing the people, and he will blame the catechist
who acts otherwise.

3. Finally, as to witticisms, I beg my dear reader to
consider well what I am now writing. I do not deny
that certain catechists adopt this style, saying that it is
useful in order to attract the people to the instruction
as well as to keep their attention, and to prevent them
from growing tired. But for myself I know thus much:
it is this: that the saints, in their instructions, did not
make people laugh, but they made them cry. We read
in the life of St. John Francis Regis that in his missions
the people who heard his sermons, as well as his many in
structions, did not cease to weep from beginning to end.

Here at least is what I say: If any one wishes to in
dulge in some pleasantry which naturally arises from
the subject that is treated, such a thing might be al
lowed; while speaking, for example, of men that have a
bad conscience, it would be proper to relate the ridicu
lous excuses that they make; the same thing may be
said of other similar cases. But to wish to make a
comical scene of the instruction by relating witty anec
dotes, odd stories, with expressions and gestures, the
object of which is to excite the laughter of the hearers,
I do not know how that can agree with the respect due
to the church in which one is, and with the pulpit from
which one teaches the word of God, and in which the
catechist appears as the minister of Jesus Christ. It is
true that people take pleasure in hearing witty things,
and things that will make them laugh; but I ask, What
benefit can be derived from such a practice? Certainly,
after they have laughed, the hearers will find themselves
so distracted and so much deprived of piety that it will
be difficult for them to re-collect themselves again; and
often, instead of listening to the moral application which
our facetious catechist must draw from his witty re
marks in order not to be regarded as a charlatan, they

Chap. VI. The Large Catechism. 1 75

will think only of that which has made them laugh.
Were there even no other inconvenience connected
therewith, the catechist who delights in saying face
tious things, and in indulging in pleasantries, will surely
not acquire among the hearers the reputation of a saint,
or of a soul filled with the love of God; the most that he
can obtain would be to be regarded as an amusing and
agreeable man. Moreover, it is a mistake to believe
that without these pleasantries many people will not
come to the instruction nor pay attention to it. I even
say that many more will come, and that they will listen
with greater attention, when they see that they do not
lose any time, that the hearing of an instruction is not
merely a simple amusement, but that it is a useful exer
cise disposing them to virtue and to piety.

HI — We should guard against exposing certain doc
trines that might produce some laxity of conscience.
Such doctrine may well be applied to some one in par
ticular when he comes to confession; but when an
nounced in the pulpit, it may injure the hearers who
are inclined to be lax: for from this doctrine, which is
otherwise just and useful when it is applied under the
required circumstances, they may perhaps draw lax and
unwarrantable conclusions.

Nevertheless, it is good and even necessary to enlighten
the erroneous consciences of those that look upon that
to be a sin which is not a sin. There are, for example,
persons that think that they have rash suspicions or rash
judgments, and that they commit sin even when there ex
ists a reason sufficient for suspecting or judging. Some
take it to be a grave sin to curse the years, the days, the
wind, or the rain: others think that it is wicked slander
if they make known to parents the thefts, the bad habits,
or other faults of their children, even when this is neces
sary so as to remedy the evil. Others believe that they
are committing sin when they do not keep a certain com

i 76 Exercises of the Missions.

mandment of the Church, for example, to hear Mass, to
fast, even in cases when they have received a dispensa
tion, etc. — It must be explained that these are not sins,
or that in regard to the circumstances they^ are not
mortal sins.

We should, on the other hand, indicate the sins that
are certain, especially those that are the cause of other
grievous sins; for example: we must teach the people
that lie who does not avoid the voluntary proximate
occasion of mortal sin sins grievously even when he
would not have the intention of committing sin, and
when he would not know that it is a grave sin to expose
one's self to this occasion; for, when one exposes one's
self to a similar occasion, it is morally certain that he
will fall into sin.

We should instruct women in regard to superstitious
things or vain observances, although they practice them
in good faith. We must also inform them that they are
in a bad state when they take pleasure in having and
seek to have men to long for them without intending to
be married.

Besides, there are persons that do not look upon it as
a grievous sin to curse holy-days or holy things ; we
should enlighten them on this point : otherwise they
will contract a habit of it ; and if this habit is once
contracted, they cannot get rid of it, even after they
acknowledge that such curses are grievous faults.

When speaking of the sixth commandment, we should
avoid scandalizing the innocent by awakening their curi
osity in regard to the evil of which they are ignorant ; it
is sufficient, on this point, to condemn in general what
offends chastity, without explaining the species or the
circumstances; so that those that are guilty may under
stand how they should confess them, and those that are
innocent may remain in their ignorance. We must, how
ever, teach the people when in this matter bad thoughts

Chap. VI. The Large Catechism. 177

and words are or are not sins. But we should especially
speak of the remedies against the impure vice, by often
recommending among other things the three great
means, which are: the flight of the occasion, the fre-
quentation of the sacraments, and, above all, prayer,
without which no one can be chaste.

The reader is asked to see what has been said in the
preceding chapter, for the little catechism; in it may be
found many things which may also serve for the large
catechism, or catechetical instruction for adults, and
which are here omitted.

We afterwards narrate some terrible examples of per
sons who, for having omitted, through shame, to confess
their sins, have had an unhappy end. We may relate
one of these examples every day before reciting the
Christian acts, as we have indicated above.1 We quote
these examples succinctly; he that wishes to use them
may lengthen them and express them more forcibly,
according as he sees fit.2

Then we make the Christian acts in the following
manner:

The acts of faith and hope are made like those that
are found in the acts preparatory to the confession of
the children.3 As to the act of faith particularly, we
should make it in all its extent, by maintaining in it not
only the four principal mysteries, which must be believed
as a necessary means to salvation, but also the others
that are contained in the Symbol, or Creed, and which
must be believed by necessity of precept; in it we should
also mention the sacramerits by at least specifying the
four sacraments necessary to every Christian, namely:

1 Page 173.

2 The examples to be related here are the same as those given in this
volume at the end of the INSTRUCTIONS ON THE COMMANDMENTS AND
THE SACRAMENTS.

3 Page 143.

i 78 Exercises of the Missions.

baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, and penance. We in
clude confirmation among the sacraments necessary to
all Christians, because Benedict XIV.1 has declared that
those that neglect to receive it commit a mortal sin.

We must add the acts of charity, contrition, and firm
purpose, but in form other than is indicated above; for
example :

ACTS OF CHARITY, CONTRITION, AND FIRM PURPOSE.—

My God, because Thou art infinite goodness, worthy of
infinite love, I love Thee above all things with my whole
heart. And because I have offended Thee, Thou who
art infinite goodness, I repent of all my sins; I am sorry
for them with my whole heart. By Thy grace, which I
ask of Thee now and always, I firmly resolve to die
rather than offend Thee any more. T also purpose to
receive the sacraments during my life and at my death

1 Const. Etsi pastor alls, § 3, n. 4.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — /. The Invention. 179

CHAPTER VII.

THE SERMON.

To proceed with order in speaking of the great ser
mon, which is the most important exercise of the mis
sion, we shall treat separately of the three parts to which,
according to rhetoricians, one should pay especial atten
tion; we shall speak, then, i, of the Invention; 2, of the
Disposition; and, 3, of Elocution.*

The Invention, or the Choice of Materials for composing a
Sermon.

Great is the error of some who, before having found
the materials, set themselves to determine the points
and to compose the sermon. One must, before all, pre
pare the materials, that is, the texts of Scripture, the
arguments, the comparisons, etc.; which are to serve to
prove the proposition that one has in view. For this
purpose one may profit by the many collections that
exist, such as those of Joseph Mansi of Beyerlinck, of
Lohner, of Spanner, of Father Houdry, and of others.
Rhetoric, moreover, indicates to us the places whence

1 We put here in the first rank the works of our holy Doctor himself;
we shall find in them an abundant and a sure mine for every kind of
subject.

* These three parts form the three articles of the chapter which in
addition contains the following: 4. The Memory, the Pronunciation,
and Gesture. 5. Special instructions for the sermons of the mission.
6. The exercise of a devout life. 7. The last sermon on perseverance,
with the Papal blessing. 8. Other remarks relative to the sermon. —
ED.

1 80 Exercises of the Missions.

we may draw, as from certain sources, the proofs needed
for the sermon: some are called COMMON PLACES or
TOPICS (Loci Communes] ; others PARTICULAR PLACES.
The common places or topics are those that are service
able for every kind of discourse; the particular, those
that are proper to every particular discourse, to estab
lish the fitness or unfitness, the necessity or special
utility of that which one wishes to persuade.

But, ordinarily speaking, the common places or topics
are those that serve to compose all the sermons ; and it
is of these that we shall here treat. They are divided
into INTRINSIC PLACES or TOPICS, which are those that one
finds in the nature of the subject itself, and into EX
TRINSIC PLACES or TOPICS, which exist outside of the
nature of the subject.

i. COMMON INTRINSIC PLACES OR TOPICS. (Loci communes interiores.}

The common INTRINSIC places or topics are fifteen in
number:

1. The DEFINITION of the thing; for example: in
establishing that sin is a great evil, because it removes
us from God.

2. The ETYMOLOGY of the name; for example: Sacerdos
signifies, according to St. Thomas, Sacra dans and Sacra
docens [one who gives sacred things, and one who teaches
them].

3. The ENUMERATION of parts (Enumeratiopartium)j for
example: Temperance is useful for soul and body, for
eternal life and for temporal life. — Or, when one affirms
on the one hand what one denies on every other; for
example: One is unhappy at death, not for having lived
in poverty, in a low state of life, etc., but for having led
a bad life.

4. The CONJUNCTION of words ; that is, when one is
derived from the other; as hated from hatred. It is thus
that one says: God bears a sovereign hatred to sin: this

Chap. VII. The Sermon.— I. The Invention. 181

is the reason why he that is united with sin is sover
eignly hated by God.

5. GENUS, as in this reasoning: It is sin that brings
ruin upon men; so this unlawful friendship, your pos
session of what belongs to another, etc., will be your
ruin.

6. SPECIES, as when one says: This man is just; there
fore he is virtuous.

7. SIMILITUDE and COMPARISON (Similitudo ct Compara-
tio). It must be observed that similitude requires a
total resemblance between two objects. For a compar
ison it is sufficient that the objects resemble one another
in some point; it may also take place either between
equal things, or between things greater and smaller.
From similitude we here draw the argument : The
farmer, when he does not cultivate the earth, cannot
expect a crop; so he that does not apply himself to the
cultivation of the mind will never make progress, etc.
To similitude belong EXAMPLES, PARABLES, and FABLES.
The parable is a fiction in which one exposes possible
facts; the fable, or apologue, is a fiction in which one
exposes impossible facts, as when one should make ani
mals or plants speak. Sermons more easily admit para
bles, rarely, however, fables; sometimes one may better
employ fables in the instructions, in order to urge men to
the practice of a virtue.

8. RESEMBLANCE, as when one says: It is proper to the
brute to live according to the desires of its senses; the
Christian should live according to the maxims of faith.

9. CAUSE (causa), which can be efficient or final, for
mal or material. — EFFICIENT cause, for example: God
has created us; therefore he is our absolute master.—
FINAL cause: God has created us, not for the vile and
transient pleasures of the earth, but for the immense
and eternal delights of paradise. — FORMAL cause: The
soul is created after the image of God; therefore it is

1 82 Exercises of Ike Missions.

more noble than all the treasures of the earth. — MATE
RIAL cause: Our body is composed of dust, therefore it
must return to dust.

10. EFFECT; for example: Patience renders us agree
able to God, and helps us to remain in peace.

11. CONTRARIES, of which there are several kinds,
namely: i. OPPOSITES; for example: Meek persons are
loved by God and men; the irascible are hatred by God
and men. — 2. PRIVATIVES: The sinner is deprived of
God's grace, and consequently of peace, which is the
companion of grace. — 3. CONTRADICTORIES : He that
loves God has everything, so that he is always content;
he that does not love God finds himself deprived of the
most precious good, which is the grace of God, and in
this state he is always dissatisfied. — 4. INCOMPATIBLES,
or things that cannot coexist in the same subject: The
love of God and the love of the world cannot exist
together.

12. ANTECEDENTS; for example: Quce cnim seminaverit
homo, hccc ct metct — " What things a man shall sow, those
also shall he reap " (Gal. vi. 8).

13. CONSEQUENTS; for example: He that is unquiet
shows that he is not resigned to the will of God.

14. RELATIVES; for example: If God is our master, we
are his servants; consequently we are obliged to obey.

15. ADJUNCTS, or circumstances of the fact, which are
enumerated in the well-known verse: Qitis, quid, ubi,
quibus auxiliis, cur, quomodo, quando. — i. Quis ; for ex
ample: The sinner offends a God so great, so powerful,
and so good. — 2. Quid ; sin is a sovereign evil, because
it deprives us of God, of paradise, and'of peace. — 3. Ubi :
The sinner offends God in his presence. — 4. Quibus auxi-
liis : The sinner, in order to offend God, uses the very
gifts of God, such as health, riches, etc. — 5. Cur : Why
does the sinner consent to lose God, the sovereign good ?
To procure a little smoke, a miserable interest, a short

Chap. VII. The Sermon.— I. The Invention. 183

pleasure.— 6. Quomodo : The Christian sins more griev
ously than the unbeliever, because he sins with more
light and with greater remorse. — 7. Quando : The sinner
offends God during the very time in which God bestows
favors upon him, preserves him, and provides for his
wants.

2. COMMON EXTRINSIC PLACES OR TOPICS.
Common EXTRINSIC places or topics for the sermon are
the following:

1. HOLY SCRIPTURE, from which we draw the strongest
and most appropriate arguments for eternal salvation,
as has been done by all the holy Fathers, and by Jesus
Christ himself when he preached. St. Jerome says that
there exists no more unworthy preacher than he that
does not rest his sermons on holy Scripture. However,
in sermons we must use texts of Scripture that are short,
and that are taken in their proper sense, and we must
avoid all forced and odd interpretations.

2. TRADITION and COUNCILS.

3. The OPINION OF THE HOLY FATHERS; and to give
great authority to what one wishes to prove, it will be
good to quote their own Latin words, and afterwards
explain them more clearly to the people.

4. SCHOLASTIC THEOLOGY conduces greatly to prove
certain maxims; but in the pulpit we should avoid treat
ing of any point of controversy, and bringing forward
subtilties which are more apt to confuse than to per
suade the minds of the people.

5. The TEXTS OF THE CANONS AND THE DECREES OF

THE POPES, whenever a case is presented.

6. HISTORICAL FACTS, especially the facts drawn from
Scripture. As for other historical facts it will be proper
to support them by indicating the author, the time, and
the place; and they should be rarely given, so as to
avoid the defect of those whose sermons are a compli
cation of facts related one after another.

1 84 Exercises of the Missions.

3. THE MANNER OF GATHERING MATERIALS.
The collection of materials for the sermon is made in
the following manner. The proposition having been
found, we write promiscuously on a sheet of paper the
opinions, the arguments, the similitudes, and the ex
amples that we have succeeded in discovering. Then
after re-reading all, we examine the points to which the
sermon may be reduced. After this, on another sheet
we write separately every point designated by a special
title, under which we again promiscuously inscribe the
materials that belong to this point, giving to each a dis
tinct number. When we are in possession of materials
sufficient for each point, we set about putting in order
the authorities, the arguments, the moral application,
etc., everything in its place. This done, we begin to
work out the sermon according to the following rules,
of which we are now going to speak.

The Disposition of the Parts that belong to the Sermon.

The parts of the sermon are nine in number, namely:
The Exordium, the Introduction, the Proof, the Refuta
tion, the Epilogue, the Moral Application, and the Ex
hortation. But all these are reduced to three principal
parts, which are the Exordium, the Proof, and the Pero
ration: for in the EXORDIUM are united the proposition
and the division; in the PROOF are united the Introduct
ion which precedes and the refutation which follows
it; finally, the PERORATION, or CONCLUSION, comprises
the epilogue, the moral application and the exhortation.

It must, however, be observed that the foregoing nine
parts are not always found in the sermon, the most of
them being accidental: only the proposition and the
proof are the essential and absolutely necessary parts;
but I add that in regard to mission sermons one should

Chap. VIL The Sermon.— I L Disposition. 185

regard as necessary and essential the moral application
and the exhortation.

We shall speak of each of these parts in particular.

i. THE EXORDIUM.

The exordium we may draw from innumerable sources,
the principal one of which we here indicate.

1. Ex visccribus causce ; for example: if the proposi
tion, or the aim is to show how much one should fear a
bad death, the exordium may be as follows: Every man
that is born is born to die; for this earth is only a place
through which we are passing to eternity, etc.

2. Ab opinione sive judicio ; for example: To believe
that it is easy to die a good death after a life of dissipa
tion, of wickedness, is folly. Or; To wish to defer one's
conversion, and to wish to be damned, we should be con
vinced, are one and the same thing.

3. A contrario ; that is: When one begins by a pro
position contrary to that which one wishes to prove;
for example: It is certainly a great happiness for some
sinners who after a bad life are converted at their death,
and are saved; but these cases are very rare: ordinarily
he that leads a bad life dies a bad death. (This last
proposition will be the subject of the sermon.)

4. Ab cxemplo : By beginning with the narration of an
example, which one afterwards adapts to the proposition
of the sermon.

5. Ab expositione : By exposing some text of Scripture,
or, the importance of the subject which one wishes to
treat; for example: He that thinks of hell will not go
to hell; hence, my dear Brethren, I wish to place before
your eyes to-day the pains of hell, so that none of you
may have to undergo this punishment.

6. Ex abun daiiti ; that is: When the preacher an
nounces at the beginning that the subject that he has in
hand is very vast, and that therefore he must confine

1 86 Exercises of the Missions.

himself to some points which he regards as the most im
portant.

7. Ex adjunctis : When one begins with some circum
stance of person, of place, or of time.

8. Ex abrupto : The exordiums drawn from the sources
that precede are called LEGITIMATE; the exordium ex
abrupto is called EXTRAORDINARY, and is rarely employed:
it occurs when without any preamble one begins by an
exclamation of reproach, of compassion, or of astonish
ment; for example: O sinner! when will you cease to
flee from God, who has been seeking for you so long a
time? Or: Poor sinners, poor unfortunate beings,
who lead an unhappy life in this world, to spend after
wards a more unhappy life in the next!— Or: O all-
powerful God! how canst Thou bear with these un
grateful men, who, enlightened and called by Thy
mercy, always continue to offend Thee?

We note here that the exordium may be found de
fective either by being too long or too common, being
applicable to every kind of discourse, or by having but
little connection with the sermon, while the exordium
should agree with the subject that one wishes to treat.

Rhetoricians assign to the exordium seven parts,
namely: The introduction, the general proposition, the
confirmation, the repetition, the connection, the particu
lar proposition, and the division.

1. The INTRODUCTION is a little insinuation in order
to arrive at the general proposition.

2. The GENERAL DISPOSITION is that which one prom
ises in order afterwards to come to the particular or
principal proposition of the sermon.

3. The CONFIRMATION is another proof of the general
proposition.

4. The REPETITION reproduces the general proposition,
in order to pass to the particular proposition.

Chap. VI L The Sermon. — //. Disposition. 187

5. The CONNECTION is the bond that unites the general
proposition with the particular proposition.

6. The PARTICULAR PROPOSITION is the principal prop
osition, or that which one wishes to prove; which must
always be understood when one says simply: The prop
osition.

7. The DIVISION is the indication of the different points
of the particular proposition.

It must be observed that not all these parts of the
exordium are necessary, especially in mission sermons,
for which the three principal may be sufficient, namely:
the general proposition, the connection, a^nd the particu
lar proposition.

The following is briefly an example of the exordium.
If one wishes to prove how difficult it is to die a good
death after a bad life, one should say: (GENERAL PROP
OSITION, with the CONFIRMATION): We must be saved;
for if we are not saved, we shall be damned; there is no
middle way. (CONNECTION): Now, in order to be saved we
must die a good death by leaving the world in the grace
of God. (PARTICULAR PROPOSITION): But it is difficult
to die a good death when we have lived a bad life, etc.
—The general proposition may be amplified in various
ways; for example: It is not necessary to be noble or
rich in this world; but it is necessary to be saved.

The PARTICULAR PROPOSITION, or principal, is drawn
from the subject which one wishes to treat; for it is the
centre to which all the proof should converge, like so
many rays. It should announce clearly and briefly a
truth that one wishes to prove, never anything extrava
gant. Moreover, it is an absolute rule that unity should
be preserved; otherwise one would have, not one
sermon, but several. This unity, however, does not
prevent a division into different points; this makes the
hearers more attentive, and better impresses on their

1 88 Exercises of the Missions.

minds the truth one preaches to them; but the points
should always agree to form a single proposition.
The DIVISION may be made in various ways:

1. By the QUALITIES OF THE SUBJECT; example: We
should always be prepared for death, first, because death
is certain, and, secondly, because the hour of death is
uncertain.

2. By the EFFECTS: The bad habit of sin renders sal
vation very difficult, first, because it blinds the mind of
man, and, secondly, because it hardens his heart.

3. By the CAUSES: The death of the sinner will be
very bad, first, because of the temptations of the devil;
secondly, because of the remembrance of the sins com
mitted; and, thirdly, because of the abandonment by

God.

4. By the ENUMERATION OF THE PARTS: The general
judgment will be terrible, first, on account of the presence
of the divine Judge; secondly, on account of the ex
amination; and, thirdly, on account of the sentence.

5. By the DIVERSITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES contained in
this verse already quoted: Quis, quid, ubi, qmbus auxiliis,
cur, quomodo, quando. Example: Quis : The sinner
offends God, who is his Creator, his Redeemer, and his
Preserver.— Quid: Sin is an offence against God, and an
evil to the soul that commits it.— We explain in the
same way the other circumstances.

The rule in regard to the points is that they should
be announced in a few words, as briefly as possible, and
that they should be restricted as to the number— two or
three at the most. To subdivide afterwards the points
into other points is a defect. It is not a defect, on the
other hand, to restrict the sermon to the simple demon
stration of the particular proposition without making
any division of points; for example: He that abuses the
divine mercy will be abandoned by it.— Or: Sin is the
greatest of all crimes, because it shows contempt for

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — //. Disposition. 189

God. — The method is sometimes useful in order to have
more liberty to enlarge on the matter that one treats, as
one is not restricted to determined points.
2. THE PROOF.

We have already said that the proof contains three
parts, namely: the Introduction, the Proof itself and the
Refutation.

I. — The INTRODUCTION is only a preamble in order to
enter upon the proof; it may be drawn from the follow
ing sources, namely:

1. From the DEFINITION; for example: If we speak of
scandal we may give the definition of St. Thomas:
" Scandal is a word or action that is not becoming and
is an occasion of sin to another." ' We shall afterwards
explain it.

2. From the DISTINCTION: If there is question of the
occasion of sin, the introduction may be made as fol
lows: To proceed with order we must distinguish the
proximate occasion from the remote. The first is, etc.

3. From the DIFFICULTY OF THE SUBJECT: In speaking
of the malice of mortal sin we may say: To understand
what a great evil mortal sin is, we must understand
what a great good God is; now, who will ever be able
to understand the goodness, the power, the wisdom of
God ? etc.

4. From some GENERAL PROPOSITION to pass thence to
a particular proposition: In speaking of the sacrilegious
confession one may begin by describing the malice of
sacrilege in general.

5. From some SYLLOGISM or EUTHYMEME, the conclusion
of which leads to the proof of the proposition.

6. From some celebrated QUESTION, or some OPINION
of a holy Father, or some EXAMPLE.

In every case one must take care that this introduc-
1 " Scandalum est dictum vel factum minus rectum, praebens occa-
sionem ruinae. " — 2. 2. q. 43. a. r.

190 Exercises of the Missions.

tion should be short and proximate: SHORT, so that one
passes at once to the proof; PROXIMATE, or drawn from
the intrinsic principles of the subject which one treats.

II.— As to the PROOF, one must understand that the
body of the discourse should be composed of the proof
of the principal proposition; so that in order to persuade
the hearers it should have the form of perfect reasoning
— of course not after the manner of logicians but of ora
tors; that is, exposed in a clearer and more extended
manner. One should observe that it is always better to
present few proofs by choosing the more convincing, and
by explaining them well, than by amassing a large num
ber that are of little value or are but little developed.

The following are the various modes of argumen
tation used by rhetoricians:

1. The SYLLOGISM; which is composed of three prop
ositions, namely: the major, the minor, and the con
clusion, exposed, as has been said above, in a way that
is more ample than in simple reasoning. One proves
the major before passing to the minor, and the minor
before coming to the conclusion; this is, however, only
done when the major or the minor stands in need of a
proof; for if they are known and held to be certain, it is
sufficient if one amplifies them without proving them.

2. The ENTHYMEME; which is a syllogism reduced to
two propositions, the antecedent and the conclusion;
one adds the proof to the antecedent if it is necessary.

However, the preacher should take care to invest the
syllogism and the enthymeme with an oratorical form,
so that they may not appear as such.

3. The DILEMMA; which consists of two different prop
ositions, one of which being denied, the other is neces
sarily to be admitted; for example: Either God deceives
man, or man deceives himself; now, God cannot de
ceive: therefore, it is certain that man deceives himself.

4. The INDUCTION; which consists in drawing a con-

Chap. VI L The Sermon.— II. Disposition. 191

elusion from a certain premise; thus: If the just tremble
while living amid penances, prayers, etc., how much
more should a sinner tremble who lives amid pleasures,

honors, etc.!

5. The SORITES; that is, when, from several propositions
or truths announced, one draws a particular conclusion;
example: Blasphemy brings neither honor nor pleasure;
why, then, blaspheme ?

6. The EXAMPLE; when one argues from one case to
another similar case.

We here remark that it is always good to vary the forms
of reasoning by employing now the syllogism, now the
dilemma, etc., and also by using interrogation, reproach,
etc.

As for the order of PROOFS, some think that it is better
to begin with the weaker, continue with the stronger,
and conclude with the strongest. Others, on the con
trary, and such is my opinion, think it preferable to
give, in the first place solid reasons, in the last place
the most decisive, and in the middle the weakest, by
grouping them together so that thus united they may
acquire more authority; for by beginning with the weak
est reasons one might produce a bad impression upon
some one of the hearers. For the rest the ordinary
method consists in presenting first the reasons that
carry conviction, then those that amplify the subject,
and finally those that are most suitable to touch the
heart.

The TRANSITIONS from one point to another should be
natural, and should always preserve the unity of the ser
mon. To mark these passages, the most common forms
are the following: Let us see, in the second point, etc.;
After having seen, etc. When passing from one argu
ment to another, one may say: Add to this; . . . More
over; . . . So much the more, . . . etc. — There are other
more elegant forms of transition ; for example : by

1 92 Exercises of the Missions.

uniting the end of the point or of the reasoning which
one finishes to the beginning of that which follows. This
union should be made at least in words if it cannot take
place in the substance of things. One should take
care never to pass abruptly from one object to a differ
ent object. For this purpose one may use the figures
called Preterition, Concession, etc.

The AMPLIFICATION of proofs is REAL in reference to
things, or VERBAL in reference to words: the first tends
to convince the mind by the development of proofs; the
second tends to determine the will.

The REAL amplification may be made by the reunion
of several things, following this example of the Apostle:
Serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope : Patient in tribulation :
Instant in prayer? Or, by GRADATION; example: It is a
virtue to bear patiently with contempt; a greater virtue,
to desire it; a virtue that is greater still, to rejoice at it.
— Or, by REASONING, which one does by developing the
circumstances of the thing.— Or, by COMPARISON, which
one does by comparing the thing with another that is
reported to be great, to show that that of which one
speaks is still greater.

The VERBAL amplification may be made by expressive
sayings, by epithets and synonymes, and also by meta
phors and hyperboles.

But it must be observed that this vain luxury of
words, of which certain preachers make a display, causes
the hearers to feel wearied, and serves rather to weaken
the sermon than to amplify it. We remark, moreover,
that one should amplify not all that one says, but only
the principal things.

What has been said of amplification may also be said
of ATTENUATION; for, as Quintilian says, he that knows
how to ascend, knows how to descend.

1 " Domino servientes, spe gaudentes, in tribulatione patientes, ora-
tioni instantes." — Rom. xii. n.

Chap. VIL The Sermon. — //. The Disposition. 193

As regards MORAL DIGRESSIONS, we must observe that,
although the proper place for moral applications is found
in the peroration, yet it may well be permitted to make
moral reflections in the course of the sermon by speaking
especially of a vice or of a virtue, particularly after having
given sufficient proof; this holds good above all in mission
sermons. One should always take care that these moral
applications should not be so long as to form another
sermon in the sermon itself, nor should they be so
forced as to appear, as we say, to have been lugged in
by the head and shoulders, nor so frequent as to render
the discourse tedious and languid, as happens to some
who, while relating an example, are too much given to
making moral digressions. It is indeed permitted to
make incidentally a moral application, but excess fills
the hearers with disgust. There is, however, no doubt
that mission sermons should be more supplied with
moral reflections; for it is this that makes most impres
sion on persons that are but little instructed, and that
form during missions most of the audience. However,
these moral applications should be appropriate to the
sermon, and put in a proper place, so as not to weaken
the force of the proofs.

III. — After the proofs comes the REFUTATION of the ob
jections. The various modes of REFUTATION are:

1. NEGATION, by exposing the falsity of the contrary
argument.

2. CONTESTATION, by showing that the proposition
that one sustains is more probable than that which is
opposed to it.

3. ANTICIPATION, by opposing, to the difficulties that
may be alleged, other more grave difficulties.

4. CONTEMPT for the contrary reasons, by simply say
ing that their falsity is evident.

5. RETORTION, by retorting the opposed argument.
Regularly, the refutation is put after the proofs; but

1 94 Exercises of the Missions.

sometimes it is put immediately after the reason that
one exposes and that can meet with some difficulty.

3. THE PERORATION.

The peroration, or conclusion, contains three parts:
the epilogue, the moral application, and the exhortation.

I. — The EPILOGUE is only a recapitulation of the ser
mon. It should be short, so as not to form a new ser
mon; but it should contain the most convincing reasons
of the discourse presented in another manner in view of
the exhortation that is to follow; so that even in this
recapitulation the preacher begins to move the hearts
of the hearers.

II. — As for the MORAL APPLICATION, in regard to the
correction of vices, one must at first be careful to avoid
wounding particular persons; for such corrections made
in public serve only to irritate the minds in such a way
that these persons, seeing themselves thus publicly
humbled, will conceive a hatred for the preacher and
even for the mission, and become more and more per
verse.

Moreover, it must be observed that by moral applica
tion we understand not only reprimands and reproaches
uttered against vice, but also the pointing out of the
remedies to be employed to correct one's self, and the
means to be used to persevere in good conduct. The
missionaries should, therefore, persuade themselves that
what is most important and profitable to the people in
the mission is to teach them practical things, that is,
remedies against vice and the means to persevere in
virtue, such as the following: To flee from the occa
sions, as public houses, dangerous places, bad company.
To do violence to one's self to control movements to
anger, to have ready on one's tongue some good words,
in order to avoid blasphemies and imprecations; for
example: O Lord! give me patience. O holy Virgin

Chap. VI L The Sermon. — //. The Disposition. 195

Mary! help me. I beg God to sanctify you. And simi
lar utterances. To join some confraternity. To hear
Mass every day. To go to confession every week. To
make every day a spiritual reading. To make a visit to
the Blessed Sacrament and also to the Blessed Virgin be
fore one of her images. Every day, in the morning, to
renew the good resolution not to offend God by asking
him for the grace of perseverance; and in the evening,
to make an examination of conscience with the act of
contrition. If one falls into some sin, one should hasten
to make an act of contrition with a firm purpose of
amendment, and then go to confession as soon as pos
sible. Above all, to have recourse to God and to the
Blessed Virgin in temptations by often repeating the
holy names of Jesus and Mary, and by continuing to in
voke them until the temptation ceases.

These remedies and these means the preacher should
repeat and recommend many times in the course of the
sermons without allowing himself to be prevented by
the fear of some learned critic who might reproach him
for saying always the same thing. The preacher, and
especially the missionary, must not look for the praise
of the learned, but for the good pleasure of God and
the salvation of souls, particularly of the poor ignorant
people, who come in great numbers to the missions, and
who derive less profi-t from the opinions and reasonings
that one makes them hear, than from these easy prac
tices that one takes care to inculcate on them by repeat
ing them. I say, "By repeating them;" for the minds
of these poor people, which are but little cultivated,
easily forget what one teaches them, if one does not
take care to repeat it several times, as one knows by ex
perience.

III. — The EXHORTATION is one of the most important
and most necessary parts of the sermon, especially
during missions; for the profit derived by the hearers

196 Exercises of the Missions.

not only consists in convincing themselves of Chris
tian truths, but also, and above all, in taking the reso
lution to amend their lives, and in giving themselves to
God. The missionary should, therefore, not act like
some who at the end of the sermon begin at once to
cry out to the people: Ask pardon of God, cry for
mercy | — and, taking the crucifix, the cords, the torches,'
are satisfied with this clamor, which will produce a
great deal of noise, but very little fruit.

To obtain fruit one must study to find out the best
means of touching the hearers, and of exciting not an
apparent but a true compunction in their hearts. With
out doubt, this compunction is the work of the hand of
God; but the Lord wishes us to co-operate so as to
make it as perfect as possible. This is the reason why
it will be useful to speak here specially of the manner
of moving the heart and of regulating the passions,
which are the maladies of the soul: they darken the
mind and weaken the will. Now, what does one need in
order to subdue one's passions ? One needs the hand
of God. The preacher should, therefore, for this pur
pose, count more on the divine help by humbly invoking
it than on all the eloquence in the world; otherwise his
hearers will only admire his talent without being con
verted, like those of whom St. Augustine2 spoke: " They
admired, but were not converted." They will say: What
a good preacher! what a beautiful sermon !— and they
will continue to slumber in their vices. Moreover, to
move others, it is of great importance that the preacher
shows that he himself is penetrated with the truths that
form the subject of his discourses.

Human passions are numerous: some belong to the

1 Practices that were in vogue in some parts of Italy in the time of
St. Alphonsus.

2 " Mirabantur, et non convertebantur."

Chap.VIL The Sermon. — If. The Disposition. 197

CONCUPISCIBLE appetite, others to the IRASCIBLE appetite.
According to St. Thomas,1 the first are:

1. LOVE, which has the good for its object: it is the
strongest of all the passions. The preacher should
especially strive by proper motives to inspire the people
with love for God and for their neighbor: for God,
because he deserves this love, first on account of his
goodness, and then on account of his benefits; for
their neighbor, because God commands this love.

2. HATRED: one inculcates hatred for sin by showing
what is its malice, and what injury it causes; one takes
away hatred for one's neighbor by setting forth how
pleasing to God and how profitable to our soul is the
pardon of injuries.

3. DESIRE, which is a movement of the soul towards
a distant good. One shows that the goods in this life
are of little value and of short duration, and that they
are dangerous to salvation, while the goods of the next
life are immense and eternal, and alone worthy of our
desires.

4. AVERSION, which is opposed to desire, and makes
us have a horror of the things that are hurtful to us.

5. JOY, which is a satisfaction produced by the posses
sion of good. It is very useful, among other things, to
set forth the peace that the grace of God brings to him
that possesses it.

6. SADNESS, or grief, which is a pain that one feels at
a present evil. One shows the pain that remorse of
conscience causes sinners.

The following are the passions that belong to the
IRASCIBLE appetite:

1. HOPE, which is a movement towards a distant but
possible good.

2. DESPAIR, which is the contrary ; one tries to per-

1 I. 2. q. 23. a. 4.

198 Exercises of the Missions.

suade the hearers that it is impossible to find happiness
in the goods of this world.

3. FEAR, which is a movement born of the apprehen
sion of future evil. .

4. AUDACITY, which is a movement that gives one
strength not to fear the obstacles in the way of acquir
ing a desired good.

5. ANGER, which is a movement that leads to revenge.
This passion may excite the love of penance in the sin
ner, who will wish to chastise his body by which he has
offended God; for according to St. Augustine, the true
penitent is a man justly angry with himself.

We must remark that in general one should in this
exhortation guard against being too long; otherwise,
one shall lose more than one gains.

III.
Elocution.

After having treated of the disposition of the parts,
we must speak of the means and the methods suitable
for rendering the discourse capable of convincing the
understanding and determining the will.

Good elocution requires the concurrence of three
things, namely, elegance, composition, and dignity.

I. ELEGANCE results from clearness and proper expres
sions, by avoiding new or antiquated, affected, or vulgar
terms. It must be understood that eloquence consists
in expressing the idea that one has conceived, and in
making the hearers seize it with the same vividness with
which it has been conceived.

II. COMPOSITION is the harmony of the discourse
which is obtained from the good arrangement of
periods and from their number expressed in suitable
words. The period is a phrase composed of several
parts, united with one another^ to render entire the

Chap. VII. 77/6' Sermon. — •-///. Elocution. 199

idea that one wishes to express; the principal parts are
called Members and the others Incidental. We dis
tinguish three kinds of periods: the concise, the round,
and the composite.

1. The CONCISE period, which is the shortest, should
have at least two members, but not more than four. It
has three qualities, but these are not always found to
gether, namely, equality in the number of words, the
harmonious correspondence between both members, and
the opposition between the two, as in this text: For you
were heretofore darkness; but now light in the Lord.1

2. The ROUND period— that of which the parts form a
harmonious union of sentences, of thought, and of words,
to express a complete sense. One should therein avoid
superfluous vowels and consonants, as well as repetition
of the same words, or words formed of the same letters
by having the same quantity of syllables, as also turns
that represent the measure and cadence of verse.

3. The COMPOSITE period, finally, is that which is
formed of several round or concise periods.

III. The DIGNITY of elocution results from the use of
tropes and of figures, of which we shall speak farther on.

First of all, we must remind young preachers that
what is said of periods rounded and composed of
sonorous words, belongs properly to discourses pro
nounced in academies and in secular assemblies, but
not to those that one pronounces in the churches. I
know that there are orators who pretend that this is
necessary even in sacred discourses in order to attract
the people and to induce them to hear the divine word;
but I also know that St. Paul protested against it when
he said: I came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom. . . .
And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive
words of human wisdom, but in shoiuing of [he spirit and
" Eratis enim aliquando tenebrje, nunc autem lux in Domino."—

2oo Exercises of the Missions.

power' I also say that men of zeal and of charity do
not go in search of choice expressions or of harmonious
periods; they try to find the most efficacious method to
deliver souls from hell and to persuade them to love
God. I grant that preachers who attract the people by
the charm of florid discourses have many hearers; but
where is the fruit that they derive ? Who, after having
heard them, go to confession with compunction, moved
by those ingenious descriptions and those rounded
periods, in a word, by those flowers and those leaves, of
which the sermon is composed ? Origen,2 comparing
such preachers to women, says that the latter by their
vanities succeed in pleasing men but do not please God,
and their souls are without fruit. A sick man, as Seneca *
remarks, does not ask for a physician that speaks well,
but for one that is able to cure him. What good, he
would say to him, will your fine discourses do me when
iron and water must be employed to cure me? St.
Jerome,4 writing to Nepotian, gave him this advice :
"When you teach in the church, not the clamor (viva!
viva :) of the people should be excited, but the tears of
the hearers will be your best praise."

Vain preachers may win the praises of some among
the learned men, but they will bring no profit to any
one. I say, " Of some ;" for, whatever may be the
trouble that one takes, one hardly succeeds in making

1 " Veni non in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae. . . . Sermo meus
et praedicatio mea, non in persuasibilibus humanae sapientiae verbis, sed
in ostensione spiritus et virtutis. " — I Cor. ij. I.

'2 " Effeminatae quippe sunt eorum magistrorum animae, qui semper
sonantia componunt, et nihil virile, nihil Deo dignum est in iis qui
juxta voluntatem audientium praedicant."— In Ezech. horn. 3.

3 " Non quserit aeger medicum eloquentem, sed sanantem. Quid
oblectas? Aliud agitur: urendus, secandus sum; ad haec adhibitus es."
—Epist. 15.

4 " Docente te in ecclesia, non clamor populi, sed gemitus excitetur,
lacrymorum auditorum laudes tui sint." — Ad Nepot. de Vita Cler.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — III. Elocution. 201

one of those florid discourses in which the learned do
not find now this, now that, to criticise. Such is then
the folly of these orators who preach themselves instead
of preaching Jesus Christ; they do all that they can in
order to gain a vain approbation, and they do not even
know how they may obtain it from every one. He who,
on the other hand, wishes to preach Jesus crucified is
always sure of success in his work, since he thereby
pleases God; this should be the end of all our actions.

Oh, would to God that there were banished from the
church such a vain mode of preaching ! It is certain
that if all preachers spoke in a simple and in an apos
tolic manner one would see the world changed. " Chris
tian preaching," says St. Ambrose, " does not need pomp
and cultured discourse ; therefore fishermen, unedu
cated men, were chosen to preach the Gospel."1 The
Apostle, speaking of those that preach with pomp,
speaks of them as adulterating the word of God? Oh how
expressive is this word adulterating! This is what St.
Gregory well explains in the following passage: " The
perverse man who serves vainglory is rightly said to
adulterate the word of God, because by sacred eloquence
he desires not to gain children to God, but to show his
own science, and he devotes himself rather to his own
pleasure than to the generation of spiritual children.""

Sermons preached with vanity serve only to render
proud him who preaches, to make him who listens lose
time, and what is worse, to enervate the word of God;
for the florid style takes from the eternal truths the

" Praedicatio Christiana non indiget pompa et cultu sermonis;
idcoque piscatores, homines imperiti, electi sunt, qui evangelizarent."
— In I Cor. \.

" Adulterantes verbum Dei." — 2 Cor. ii. 17.

3 " Perversus quisquis, ac vanae glorioe serviens, recte adulterari
verbum Dei dicitur, quia, per sacrum eloquium, non Deo filios gignere,
sed suam scientiam desiderat ostentare, et voluptati magis, quam
generation!, operani impendit." — /1/w. 1. 16, c. 28.

2O2 Exercises of the Missions.

force that they have in themselves, as is said by St.
Prosper or some other ancient author: "A sermon pur
posely cultured enervates the vivacity of the sentences." l
Hence St. Paul thus declares: For Christ sent vie . . . to
preach the Gospel : not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of
Christ should be made void.'3' On this text St. John Chry-
sostom has written: " Some bestow labor upon external
wisdom; he (Paul) shows that it not only does not help
the cross, but it even destroys it;" so that the refinement
of thoughts and elegance of expressions destroy, so to
speak, the fruit of the Redemption wrought by Jesus
Christ.3

Oh what a fearful account will those orators have to
render to God at their death for having preached with
vanity! St. Bridget4 saw the soul of a religious damned
for having preached in this manner; and the Lord after
wards declared to the saint that through the organ of
vain preachers it is not he that speaks, but the devil.
A still more terrible example is that which is related by
Father Cajetan Maria of Bergamo, a Capuchin, in his
book entitled " The Apostolic Man in the Pulpit." He
says that a preacher of his Order related to him the fol
lowing occurrence that happened to him a few years
before: When still a young man and a lover of belles-
lettres, he had preached with a vain eloquence in the
cathedral of Brescia; but returning thither a fe\v years
afterwards, he spoke in a manner entirely apostolic.
When asked the cause of this change, he answered: I
knew a celebrated preacher, who was a religious and my
friend, and had, like myself, a liking for vain eloquence.

1 " Sententiarum vivacitatem sermo cultus ex industria enervat."

2 " Misit me Christus . . . evangelizare, non in sapientia verbi, ut
non evacuetur crux Christi." — i Cor. \. 17.

3 " Alii externae sapientiae operam clabant ; ostendit (Paulus) earn.
non solu«n cruci non opem ferre, sed etiam earn exinanire."

4 Rev. 1. 6, c. 35.

Chap. VII. TJie Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 203

At the hour of death it was not possible to persuade
him to make his confession. I went to him myself and
spoke earnestly to him; but he only stared at me with
out saying a word. Then the Superior conceived the
thought of having the Blessed Sacrament taken to his
cell so as to touch him and induce him to receive holy
Communion. The ciborium was brought, and those
present said to the sick man: " Here is Jesus Christ, who
has come to pardon you." But he cried out in a voice
of despair: " It is this God whose holy word I have be
trayed!" Then we all occupied ourselves, some with
praying to the Lord to have mercy upon him, and others
with begging the dying man to trust in God's mercy;
but he began again to cry out with still greater force:
"It is this God whose holy word I have betrayed!"
Then he added: " There is no longer any mercy for me!"
We continued to encourage him, but he cried out a third
time: " It is this God whose holy word I have betrayed!"
Then he said: " By a just judgment of God I am
damned!" And immediately after he expired. The
Father concluded by saying that this event had deter
mined him to change his manner of preaching.

At least in purgatory the Lord will not fail to punish
all these vanities that one shows in preaching. It is re
lated of Father Francis dell' Aredo, who converted a
great number of souls, that after his death he appeared
to his confessor, and said that he had to spend several
days in purgatory on account of some florid sermons
that he had preached in his youth. This example is
cited by Father Nadasi, and here is another which he
also quotes: While a Father of the Society of Jesus,
Rector of the college at Maiorica, was preaching a very
elegant sermon, our Lord said to the Venerable Alphon-
sus Rodriguez: "Your Rector will have to pay up for
this sermon by the fire of purgatory."

It is certain that all the .vanities shown in the pulpit

204 Exercises of the Missions.

and all the applause received are not what gives con
fidence when one is dying. Several persons worthy of
belief have assured me that a celebrated preacher of our
time who preached in this manner with the applause of
crowds of people, finding himself near death, ordered
all his writings to be burnt. Moreover, it has been told
me of the same preacher, that hearing on one occasion
eulogies addressed to him on account of his pompous
discourses, he answered: "These discourses will one
day be the cause of my condemnation."

We should note what Muratori says in speaking of
panegyrics in his book entitled Christian Charity. Here
is what he says: "Ah! why so many panegyrics, which
often end in a vain mental pomp, in far-fetched subtil-
ties of a brain filled with self-love, which are be
yond the comprehension of most people ? ... If the
panegyric is to be profitiible, it should be given with
that popular and intelligible eloquence which enlight
ens and touches not only the ignorant, but also the
learned. But this kind of eloquence is not always well
known by him who imagines himself more learned than
others." Seneca, writing to Lucillus, says that the ora
tor should be more attentive to things than to expres
sions; then he adds, that the orator gives a bad idea of
himself when he shows himself fond of such a trifling
thing as the adorning of his discourse with leaves and
flowers.1 So spoke a pagan; how much more should a
Christian speak in like manner!

But some one will say, What do you wish? — do you
wish that all the sermons should be mission sermons?
I answer by asking what one understands by mission
sermons: if one understands sermons made at random
and negligently, without following any rule and without

'"Quaere quid scribas, non quemadmodum. . . . Cujuscumque
orationem videris sollicitam et politam, scito animum esse pusillis
occupatum " — Epist. 115.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 205

order, I condemn, as every one does, such sermons.
But if one understands sermons made after the apostolic
fashion, in a simple style, within the comprehension of
the people who make up the audience, I have already
cited elsewhere1 what has been written on this point in
his golden book, Popular Eloquence, by the above-men
tioned Muratori, who has certainly held and still holds
to-day a distinguished place among the first literary
men of Europe. He says that when one preaches to an
audience in which are found not only the learned, but
also the uninstructed, who ordinarily form the greater
part, it is expedient to preach in a simple and popular
style; for this kind of preaching will profit the common
people, and the learned, if they do not find the charm
of diction, will nevertheless draw more fruit by seeing
themselves enlightened and impelled to devote them
selves more to the good of their souls. Moreover, one
• admits that before an audience composed of people who
are well instructed, the preacher should use more choice
language. But to apply one's self to interweaving the
sermon with flowers and leaves, that is, with learned
researches, subtle and lofty reflections, pompous de
scriptions, choice terms and sonorous periods — all this
is not suitable for the pulpit; for God does not co
operate with the success of such sermons; and without
God's co-operation, what fruit can one ever hope to de
rive ? Pastors of souls should, above all, guard against
such vanities; for preaching by virtue of their office and
their duty they are bound by a strict obligation to make
themselves understood by all the members of their flock.
.Besides, I also admit that Lenten sermons should be
different from mission sermons; however, when an audi
ence is composed mostly of people that are but little in
structed, Muratori teaches, as has been said, that all the

1 DIGNITY AND DUTIES OK THE PRIEST, Part II., Instr. iv. (Volume
XII.. ougc 269).— LETTER TO A RELIGIOUS, in this volume, page 17.

206 Exercises of the Missions.

sermons should be simple and popular in order that one
may derive fruit therefrom, and have the consolation
that the hearers will go to confession after the sermon.
I remember that when Father Vittelleschi preached in
this simple way at Naples, not only was the church
filled, but the confessionals were besieged by a crowd
of persons who wished to go to confession. And as for
the Lenten sermons, which are given in the country,
where nearly the whole audience is composed of poor
villagers, one should use, as Muratori expressly says,
the simplest and commonest possible words in order to
adapt the discourse to the gross intelligence of the
hearers. At least, I would wish the preachers who go
through the country, and do not care about changing
the lofty style of their sermons, to give during the last
week, in the evening, when the people return from the
fields, the spiritual exercises in the form of a mission. I
assure them that they will produce more fruit by these
familiar exercises than by a hundred Lenten sermons.

However, as for the Lenten sermons, it is a consola
tion for me to know that even in great cities like Na
ples, this foolish and, so to speak, barbarous style, which
was in use in the last century, has been rejected ; at
present priests commonly preach in a familiar and an
easy style, and I am glad of that. On the other hand,
I regret to hear that on the missions some young preach
ers have introduced the use of the florid style; and I am
astonished that the Superiors permit such subjects, who
boast of being called missionaries, to preach in this
fashion. In every sermon the missionary should preach
as a missionary. One of our young subjects, while
preaching one day a sermon on the Blessed Virgin, used
a lofty and polished style; not only did I make him
come down at once from the pulpit, but I forbade him
to say Mass for three days.

The missionary, I say, should always preach as a mis-

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 207

sionary, but especially during the missions; otherwise
he will have to render a twofold account to God, either
on account of the little fruit which he derives from the
sermons, or on account of the bad example which he
gives to others by departing from the mission style,
which should be entirely simple and popular. I do not
contend, as I have said above, that the mission. sermons
should not be composed with the order that is suitable
to them according to the rules of the oratorical art, and
even with the use, wherever necessary, of tropes and
of figures, of which we will afterwards speak; but as
Muratori says, all this should be arranged with sim
plicity, without the appearance of being so arranged;
for mission sermons should be composed of easy teach
ings, of suitable applications, and of Christian practices.
This is to break the bread, as God requires of all
preachers, and especially of missionaries: Deal thy bread
to the hungry.1

I beg my reader to make with me the following
prayer:

My Lord Jesus Christ, Thou who, to save souls, hast
given Thy life, deign to enlighten and animate so many
priests who could convert many sinners and sanctify the
world if they preached Thy word without vanity and
with simplicity, as Thou hast preached it Thyself and
Thy disciples have followed Thy example. These
priests, however, act otherwise: they preach themselves;
and thence it happens that although the world is full of
preachers, yet hell is filled with lost souls. O Lord!
remedy this great evil, which afflicts Thy Church
through the fault of preachers.

i. TROPES.

A trope is the employment of a word or a phrase in a
signification different from its own on account of some
" Frange esurienti panem." — Is. Iviii. 7

208 Exercises of the Missions.

resemblance. Tropes differ from figures in this, that
they apply to words a sense other than their natural
sense; this is not the case with figures, as we shall see
later on. There are six principal tropes: metaphor,
allegory, "irony, hyperbole, antonomasia, and metonymy.

1. A METAPHOR is the transfer of a word to a sense that
does not belong to it; it suffices for a metaphor that
there be some resemblance among the things. It is thus,
for example, that the priests are called the light of the
world and the salt of the earth. The transfer may be
made from an animate thing to an inanimate, and con
versely. The use of metaphors should not be frequent;
and they should not be obscure, or taken from objects
either too sublime or too common.

2. An ALLEGORY is a continued metaphor, as when one
says that Jesus Christ is the vine and we are the
branches; that the branches united to the vine produce
fruit, while those that are separated from it can only
be thrown into the fire.

3. IRONY is when one says the contrary of what one
wishes others to understand. It is necessary, especially
in speaking of God, that irony be clearly apprehended
by the hearers, and that they understand it in its ironi
cal sense.

4. HYPERBOLE consists in exaggerating or diminishing
the expression of a thing beyond measure for fear of not
saying enough, as when God says to Abraham: Twill
multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven.' The use of the
hyperbole should be rare.

5. ANTONOMASIA is when, instead of the proper name,
we give to a subject another name to express what is
good or what is bad in the subject; as when Lucifer is
called "the Proud" or "the Dragon." Antonomasia
may be used in four ways: (i) by attributing specially
to some one a name common to several, as when St.

1 •' Multiplicabo semen tuum sicut Stellas cceli."— Gen. xxii. 17.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 209

Paul is called by way of eminence " the Apostle," and St.
John "the well-beloved Disciple;" (2) by giving to
some one for a name the title that designates a particular
function, as when a lover of feasting is called "a Gour
mand;" (3) by taking the name of the place, as when
St. Augustine is called "the Doctor of Hippo;" (4) by
forming the name from remarkable deeds, as when St.
Francis Xavier is called " the Apostle of the Indies."

6. METONYMY, by which one names an object for an
other on account of the natural bond that unites them;
it is thus that one names the cause for the effect, and
conversely, the container for the contained, the sub
ject for the attribute, as in the following examples: i.
They have Moses and the prophets : ' we understand thereby •
the books of Moses and the prophets; 2. Death is in the
pot ;" we take the vessel instead of the poisonous herbs
that it contains, or death instead of these same herbs
that caused it; 3. My son.give Me thy heart ;* God is ask
ing a man for his heart, asks of him his love, which has
its seat in the heart.

2. FIGURES.

The Figure is an ornament of words or of thought,
which elevates the discourse above ordinary language.
We shall at first speak of the figures of WORDS, and then
of the figures of THOUGHT.

FIGURES OF WORDS.

Figures of words are produced in three ways— by
addition, by subtraction, or by similitude.
I.— Figures by ADDITION are the following:
i. ANAPHORA, which consists in repeating the same
word at the beginning of several phrases or various
members of a period; it is thus that St. Ambrose, speak-

" Habent Moysen et Prophetas."— Luke, xvi. 29.

" Mors in olla. " — 4 Kings, iv. 40.

" Praebe, fill mi, cor tuum mihi." — Prov. xxiii. 26.

2 1 o Exercises of the Missions.

ing of Debora, says: " A woman judged, a woman dis
posed, a woman prophesied, a woman triumphed."1

2. EPIPHORA, by which one repeats the same words,
not at the beginning but at the end of the phrases, as in
the text of St. Paul: They arc Hebrews, so am I : They are
Israelites, so am I : They are the seed of Abraham, so am I?

3. SYMPLOCE, or COMPLICATION, which is done by
uniting the anaphora and the epiphora.

4. ANADIPLOSIS, or CONDUPLICATION, which consists in
repeating one word or several words of the phrase that
precedes; such as this passage of St. Gregory: "What
do we admire, brethren? Mary coming or receiving
the Lord? May I say receiving or attracting? but I
should rather say attracting and receiving."3 When we
repeat the word immediately, the figure is called EPI-
ZEUXIS; example: Be comforted, be comforted, My people."
But when one repeats the last word of the phrase, the
figure is confounded with the anadiplosis; example:
Our feet were standing in Thy courts, O Jerusalem, Jeru
salem which is built like a city? And when the word that
begins a phrase is repeated at the end of the following
phrase, it is called EPANALEPSIS; thus: O God, who shall be
like to Thee ? 6 hold not Thy peace, neither be Thou still, O God.

5. POLYPTOTON, or TRADITION, when a word is repeated
in different cases and at different times; thus St. Paul:
Now I make known unto you, brethren, the Gospel which I

1 " Femina judicavit, femina disposuit, femina prophetavit, femina
triumphavit." — De Viduis.

2 Hebrsei sunt, et ego; Israelitse sunt, et ego; semen Abrahae sunt,
et ego." — 2 Cor. xi. 22.

3 "Quid miramur, fratres? Mariam venientem, an Dominum susci-
pientem ? Suscipientem dicam, an trahentem ? sed melius dicam tra-
hentem et suscipientem." — In Evang, hofn. 33.

4 " Consolamini, consolamini, popule meus." — Is. xl. i.

5 ' ' Stantes erant pedes nostri in atriis tuis Jerusalem : Jerusalem,
quse fedificatur ut civitas." — Ps. cxxi. 2.

6 " Deus, quis similis erit tibi? ne taceas,neque compescaris, Deus."
—Ps. Ixxxii. 2.

Chap. I Y/. The Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 2 1 1

preached to you, which also you have received and wherein
you stand, by which also you arc saved.1

6. CLIMAX, or GRADATION, when the last word of the
phrase that precedes becomes the first of the following,
and when one thus advances by degrees from phrase to
phrase, as the Apostle in this passage: Tribulation work-
cth patience j and patience trial, and trial hope ; and hope
confoitndeth not?

II. Figures by SUBTRACTION are the following:

1. ASYNDETON, or DISJUNCTION, or DISSOLUTION, when
several words or phrases follow without a conjunction, as
in this passage of Salvian when speaking of the penitent
David: " He took off his garments, laid aside his purple,
removed his diadem; he is changed in appearance and
in heart." 3

2. SYNECDOCHE, or COMPREHENSION, when one admits
in the discourse some word that is implicitly understood,
as when one puts the part for the whole, or the whole
for a part; example: I will visit tJie evils of the world?
By the word world we here understand Babylon.

3. APOSIOPESIS, or ELLIPSIS, OMISSION, RETICENCE, when
one suppresses something in the discourse, but in such
a manner as to leave understood what one does not say.
Thus David says: And my soul is troubled exceedingly ; but
Thou, O Lord, how long ? 5 This, according to St. Thomas,
means: " How long wilt thou delay to come to my
assistance, so that I may rise?"6

" Notum autem vobis facio, fratres, Evangelium quod praedicavi
vobis, quod et accepistis, in quo et statis, per quod et salvamini."—
I Cor. xv. i.

" Tribulatio patientiam operatur, patientia autem probationem,
probatio vero spem; spes autem non confundit." — Rom. v. 3.

3 Indumenta deponit, purpura exuitur, diademate exhonoratur, cultu
et corde mutatur. "— De Gubcrn. Dei, 1. 2.

4 " Visitabo super orbis mala." — Is. xiii. n.

" Anima mea turbata est valde; sed tu, Domine, usquequo ?" — Ps.
vi. 4.

" Usquequo non exaudies, et non dabis auxilium, ut resurgam ?"

2 1 2 Exercises of the Missions.

4. ZEUGMA, or ADJUNCTION, when one refers several
subjects to one and the same verb; thus St. Paul: Let
all bitterness and anger, and indignation and clamor, and
blasphemy be put away from you, with all malice.1

III. Figures by SIMILITUDE are the following:

1. PARONOMASIA, or ANNOMINATION, or ALLITERATION,
when one repeats the same word with some modification
to signify another thing; it is thus that St. Augustine
has said, in speaking of the Publican: Quid miraris, si
Deus ignoscit, quando ipse se agnoscit t'* And St. Ambrose:
Flue t us est quidam mar is, non fructus?

2. HOMCEOPTOTON, or in Latin, Similiter cadens (similar
case-endings), occurs when several phrases or several
members of a period terminate by words in the same
case, as in this text of Isaias: Qucerite Judiciu m : subvenite
oppresso, judicate pupillo?

3. HOMCEOTELEUTON, or in Latin, Similiter desinens (like
ending), occurs when several phrases or several mem
bers of a period terminate in the same manner, or in
verbs with the same ending; such is the passage from
St. John Chrysostom: Considera pactu?n quod spopondisti,
conditionem qua accessisti, -militiam cut nomen dedisti?

4. ISOCOLON, or in Latin, Compar, exists when the mem
bers of a period are nearly equal in the number of syl
lables; thus Isaias: Occidere vitulos et jugular e arietes, co-
medere car ties et bibere vinum*

5. EPANORTHOSIS, or CORRECTION, when one feigns to
correct or to retract an expression, by replacing it by
another that is more proper; thus, St. Augustine: Magna
pietas, quod .thesaurizat pater filiis ; immo magna vanitas :
thesaurizat moriturus morituris?

6. ANTITHESIS, or OPPOSITION, when several terms are

1 " Omnis amaritudo, et ira, et indignatio, et clamor, et blasphemia,
tollatur a vobis." — Ephes. iv. 31.

2 Serm. 115, n. 2, E. B. 3 De Tobia, c. ?.

4 Is. i. 17. 5 De Martyr, s. 2.

6 Is. xxii. 13. 7 Serm. 60, n. 3, E. B.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — ///. Elocution. 213

opposed to one another in a period, as in this passage of
St. Paul: By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good re
port, as deceivers and yet true. '

FIGURES OF THOUGHT.

Among the figures of thought some serve to teach,
some to please, and others to move.

I. — Those that serve to TEACH, are the following:

1. DEFINITION.

2. DISTRIBUTION or ENUMERATION of parts.

We have spoken above of these two figures when treat
ing of the common, intrinsic places or topics.2

3. PROLEPSIS, or ANTICIPATION, when the orator antici
pates the objection and refutes it.

4. PAROMOLOGY, or CONCESSION, when one grants some
thing to opponents, in order to obtain what one desires
and something more; thus St. Augustine: "If you wish
to sin, seek a place where God does not see you, and do
what you wish." 3

5. HYPOMONE, or SUSPENSION, when one excites the
curiosity of the hearers and keeps them for some time
in suspense.

6. PARALEIPSIS, or PRETERITION, when one briefly says
what one declares one wishes to pass over in silence;
thus St. Augustine: Omitto dicere quia forte, dum vivis,
thesaurizas furi*

7. PARADOX, when one ascribes to the same subject
attributes that seem irreconcilable, and are yet true in
fact ; thus Origen : Audi ineffabile paradoxiun : per non
factum, sed gentium, omnia facta, sed non genita.

II. — The figures that serve to PLEASE are the following:
i. APOSTROPHE, or CONVERSION, when the orator, show
ing emotion, addresses mountains, animals, or absent
persons.

" Per gloriam et ignobilitatem, per infamiam et bonam famam, ut
seductores et veraces." — 2 Cor. vi. 8.

* Page 180. 3 Serm. 132, n. 2, £. B. 4 Serm. 60, n. 4, E. B.

214 Exercises of the A fissions.

2. HYPOTYPOSIS, or DESCRIPTION, when one describes
things in lively colors.

3. PROSOPOPOEIA, when one introduces into the dis
course either a dead, absent, or fictitious person, or an
inanimate thing, and makes them speak or act. One
must take care to adapt the language to the thing or to
the person; one should not make a king speak as a ple-
bian.

4. PERIPHRASE, or CIRCUMLOCUTION, a term that one
uses to express in a longer way, but more suitable, what
one does not wish to say in proper words.

5. DIALOGISM, when one makes one or several persons
speak among themselves or with others; such is the
monologue of the prodigal son in St. Luke: How many
hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and
here I perish with hunger ! l

III. — The figures that serve to MOVE are the following:

1. EROTESIS, or INTERROGATION, when one addresses
some one : either to show compassion, as when God
called Adam after his sin and said to him: Where art
thou ?"* — or to complain ; for example : If I be a master,
where is my fear I* — or to reprove, as the Lord, speaking
to his people: What iniquity have your fathers found in
Me, that they are gone far from Me . . . ? 4

2. ANTIPHORA, or SUBJECTION, when to a question ad
dressed to one's self one adds the answer; thus St.
Augustine: " Tell me for whom are you hoarding riches ?
For myself, you say."5

3. EPHONESIS, or EXCLAMATION, when one raises the
voice to excite fear or some other emotion; for example:

1 " Quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei abundant panibus, ego
autem hie fame pereo !" — Luke, xv. 17.
a " Ubi es?"— Gen. iii. 9.

3 ' Si Dominus ego sum, ubi est timor meus?" — Mai. i. 6.

4 Jer. ii. 5.

5 " Die cui thesaurizas ? Mihi, inquis ?" — Serin. 60, n. 3, E. B.

C/iap. VII. The Sermon. — IV* Memory, etc. 215

O folly of sinners, to lead an unhappy life upon earth in
order to lead a still more unhappy life in hell !

4. EPIPHONEMA, a sententious exclamation by which
one finishes an interesting recital; thus after having
related the deed of a young idolater who, while present
at a sacrifice offered by Alexander, preferred to ruive his
hand burn rather than to disturb the ceremony, Tertul-
lian adds: "So great was in this pagan youth the rever
ence for discipline that he conquered nature I"1

5. APORIA, or DOUBT, when the orator is at a loss what
course to pursue.

6. PARRHESIA, or LICENSE, LIBERTY, when the orator
freely makes known some truth without fear of re
proach.

7. DEPRECATION, when, after having moved the minds
of the hearers by reason, one begs them to put in exe
cution what one has said.

8. COMMISERATION, when one shows compassion for
the misfortune of others.

9. REPREHENSION, when one reproves the hearers; this
one should never do in words that irritate.

IV.
Memory, Pronunciation, and Gesture.

I. — As for the MEMORY, but little is to be said; for
memory is a gift of nature, and is perfected according
as one cultivates it by continual practice. It is, how
ever, very useful, in order to render the memory local,
to mark the points of the sermon, and the beginnings of
sentences and of arguments, or at least of the longer
periods with letters larger than usual, and with addi
tional numbers.

It is also useful to make an abridgment of t-he sermon
by indicating in a brief and distinct manner the begin-

1 ' ' Tanta in puero barbaro fuit disciplina reverentiae, ut naturam
vinccret !"

2 1 6 Exercises of the Missions.

nings, as has been just said, of the periods, of the sen
tences, etc.; this may at least be of service to the
preacher, who, if he should forget some part of the ser
mon, can remember the part that follows, and thus free
himself from an embarrassment which, as has happened
to many, might oblige him to come down from the
pulpit.

II. — As for PRONUNCIATION, as one expresses things by
words, one should express the different sentiments of
the soul by the modification of the voice : the preacher
should speak, now by raising the voice, now by lower
ing it ; now quickly, now more slowly; now with dig
nity, as when he quotes the words of Scripture; now
with severity, and now with gentleness and feeling. In
this many fail to such an extent that they annoy and
weary the hearers, by adopting a kind of sing-song; by
dragging the voice in the articulation of words ; by
being precipitate in their delivery; by excessively rais
ing or lowering their voice; or by suddenly passing from
a high to a too low tone of voice.

Without doubt, in order to captivate the .attention of
the hearers, to impress better on their minds the things
that one preaches, especially in mission sermons, it is
very useful to vary the tone of voice; for a monotonous
discourse gives but little prominence to the things that
are said, and that should be expressed with more or less
warmth or gentleness. Nevertheless, immediate transi
tions from one tone to .another always cause disorder
and trouble. Ordinarily, the exordium should be pro
nounced in a moderate and grave tone; for the proposi
tion and the division of the points, the voice is raised
and becomes more distinct; in the proofs, it is modified
conformably to the quality of the things that one says.
Arrived at the peroration, or the final exhortation, the
preacher should show himself moved in order to move
the hearers by speaking to them in such a manner as to

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — IV. Memory, etc. 2 1 7

excite in them the passion with which he wishes to pene
trate them; for example; anger and hatred require an
impetuous tone ; hope and love, a gentle voice ; joy, a
jubilant tone; grief, a plaintive voice, broken by groans
and sighs. On missions, in the moral applications, the
voice should be raised, especially when one speaks
against vice.

On missions it has been the custom to use a THIRD
TONE,* which consists in pronouncing the words in a
loud voice by prolonging the last syllable but one, es
pecially in the last words of the members of a period.
It is expedient to employ this means from time to time
when it is suitable; for example, when there is question
of threats, complaints, or chastisements, etc. I said :
" From time to time;" for if one uses this third tone too
often, as some do, one ends in producing no longer any
impression, and one even gives annoyance, the ear of
the hearers becoming accustomed to it.

III. — As for GESTURE, one should avoid gestures that
are affected or too uniform, that are always the same, or
so impetuous as to give to the body an excessive agitation
by moving inordinately the hands, the head, or the eyes.

The gestures of the hands should be grave. It is ordi
narily the right hand that makes the gestures; one uses
the left hand only to point out objects placed at its side,
or things that are separated or opposed to one another.
One should not raise the hand higher than the head,
nor extend it too much, nor hold it too short, or only
before one's breast. In the exordium, however, at the
first period, one should not make any gesture; it is only
at the second period that one may begin to move the
hands, which during the whole exordium should be
moved but little, and it would be better for one to
remain always standing in the middle of the pulpit.**

* This is hardly known outside of Italy. — ED.

** The pulpits in Italy are more or less wide in extent; this enables
the preacher to move several steps to the right or to the left. — ED.

2 1 8 Exercises of the Missions.

While the right hand is raised, the left, if it is not moved,
rests on the pulpit, and not on the breast. One should
avoid putting the hands on the hips or on the back,
raising them in the form of a cross, striking them to
gether, or striking the pulpit; which should be done but
rarely. Moreover, one should guard against taking off
the surplice and casting it at 'one's feet, or making with
the body any other improper movement ; for by the
name of gesture one understands not only the move
ment of the hands, but also that of every part of the
body, and especially of the head and eyes.

The movement of the head should be regulated by
the movement of the hand by turning the head in the
same direction, except when the preacher desires to
excite in the hearers a horror of something, and in this
case it is proper to turn the head in the opposite direc
tion. It is a fault to turn violently the head, to shake
it too much, always to keep it erect, or bent, or often
inclined on the breast, or always in the same attitude.

As for the eyes, it is a fault to keep them closed, or
always cast down, or always fixed on one side, especially
on the side where the women are, as if one made more
of one part of the hearers than of the other. The eyes
should, moreover, accompany the movement of the head.
The expression of the countenance should be varied ac
cording to the subject by expressing therein, for example,
sadness in things that are sad, such as terrible things, or
grievous sins, gravity in things that are grave, and joy
in things that are joyous.

Finally, every posture should be modest. One may
sit down, but only sometimes. One may also pass from
one side of the pulpit to the other, but without precipi
tation. Ordinarily, it is proper to remain in the middle
of the pulpit in order to be understood by all; it is, how
ever, good to turn from time to time, now towards the
right, now towards the left, but without going so far as

Chap. VII. The Sermon.— V. Instructions. 219

to turn one's back to the opposite side. It is also a de
fect to make contortions, or to incline the body too much
over the pulpit. In a word, the preacher represents Jesus
Christ, of whom he is the organ ; hence the language,
the gestures, everything, should be grave, as is befitting
a minister of Jesus Christ.

It must also be here remarked, that when one takes in
one's hand the crucifix, one should not wave it as if it
were a banner, as some are accustomed to do; it should
be taken and held with gravity and respect.

V.
Special Instructions in regard to Mission Sermons.

We have already spoken of several things that are to
be observed in mission sermons; but it will be well to
reunite here in an abridged form the principal instruc
tions, in order that the missionary may have them all
united before him. Besides, we shall also indicate here
the different other things that refer only to the manner
of preaching during the missions.

i. THE SUBSTANCE OF THE SERMONS.

Mission sermons should have fewer .Latin texts. If
we examine the sermons of the Venerable Paul Segneri,
a great master in the art of preaching, we shall find few
Latin passages, but many practical reflections and moral
applications. The quotations from Scripture should be
few, but should be well explained and well pondered.
It will be better to present a single text well pondered
by taking care to draw from it suitable moral applica
tions, than to group together several passages which
serve more to gratify the vanity of the preacher than to
benefit the people. So also in regard to the opinions of
the holy Fathers, they should be few in number, should
be short and ingenious, that is, of such a nature as to

220 Exercises of the Missions.

explain the subject with taste and with a special em
phasis.

The comparisons should be exposed in a simple and
popular manner, but should not be so common as to be
unsuitable for the pulpit.

Only a few examples should be given— two or three
at the most will suffice for a sermon; and they should
not be too long— this being accomplished by leaving out
unimportant details.

The moral applications should be strong and well
discussed. It will be observed, as has been said above,1
that from them the greatest part of the fruit of the
mission is derived. There should not be in every ser
mon a long string of moral applications,, mentioned
superficially in passing, for example, against enmity,
theft, impurity, lying, etc. It will be better to endeavor
every time to combat firmly and in detail one or two of
the more common vices, such as blasphemy, hatred,
theft, and especially impurity, which being the most
common of all, needs to be more frequently combated
in the sermons. One should, however, take special care
to speak with modesty when one treats of this shameful
vice. Moreover, in the moral applications one should
avoid hurting the feelings of any one; for those that
recognize themselves in any humiliating allusion, which
the hearers may apply to them, will not only not derive
any benefit therefrom, but will become prejudiced, be
cause they will become incensed and more hardened in
evil. One should also guard against ever censuring
priests or religious, even in general.

2. THE FORM OF THE SERMONS.

As for the manner of preaching on missions, we have
already spoken of this above,2 when we spoke of the
dignity of elocution. We have there quoted 3 the opin-
' Pages 192 and 193. a Page 199. 3 Page 205.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — V. Instructions. 221

ion of the celebrated Muratori, who thinks that when
one speaks to an audience composed of many unin-
structed persons all the sermons should be preached
in a simple and familiar style; and when addressing
country people, one should adopt a style that is as
popular as can be, provided it be not coarse, so that
these poor people may be instructed and moved in their
own way. Moreover, as distinguished from Lenten and
Sunday sermons, the manner of preaching on missions
should be more free and unconnected; for the periods
should be concise and detached, so that he who has not
heard or understood the first may understand the second,
and he that enters the church at the middle of the ser
mon may at once understand what the preacher is say
ing. This could hardly be successful in the case of
persons who are but little instructed if the discourse is
unbroken; hence he who has not heard the first sentence
will understand neither the second nor the third.

We must, furthermore, take notice of the good advice
given by Muratori, namely, that in order to have the
people continually attentive, it is very useful to employ
often the interrogation or the figure called ANTIPHORA,
or SUBJECTION, described above,1 by which the orator
puts a question and answers it himself; example: Tell
me: Why are there so many that relapse after the mis
sion ? It is because they do not keep away from the
occasion of sin. Or: What do these words of the Holy
Ghost mean: Desires kill the slothful?'1 We thereby
understand those who, having bad habits, always desire
to amend their lives and never employ the means of
doing so. Or, one makes this exclamation: Oh how
touching are the words of Jesus Christ: Him that
comcth to Me, I will not cast out ! s What also serves to

1 Page 214.

2 " Desideria occidunt pigrum." — Prov, xxi. 25.

3 " Eum, qui venit ad me, non ejiciam foras." — John, vi. 37.

222 Exercises of the Missions.

keep the hearers attentive, is often to claim their atten
tion by saying: Pay attention to what I am going to
tell you. Or: Hear the beautiful reflection made by a
celebrated author. One should, however, avoid always
using the same form and employing too often this means,
and thus causing the hearers to grow weary.

To move the feelings of the hearers it is very useful
to make an invocation, even in the middle of the sermon;
for example: My God, how many unfortunate beings
are damned in consequence of this illusion ! Or: O
Lord ! how canst Thou tolerate these traitors, who
promise Thee, and immediately afterwards, etc. Or:

0 holy Virgin Mary, obtain that these poor blind crea
tures may be enlightened, etc. Or: O God of goodness,
Thou comest to seek us in order to save us, and we flee
far from Thee in order to damn ourselves ! It is also
good sometimes to repeat in a grave manner some strong
maxim; for example: We must die; we must die; it is
an evil without a remedy ! Or we may use some weighty
exclamation; for example: O cursed sin ! O great mo
ment, the moment of death ! or: eternally happy or
eternally unhappy !

As regards the modulation of the voice, one must
avoid the uniform and emphatic tone of the panegyrists:

1 am speaking of those that preach their own praises,
and not those of a saint; for even panegyrics should,
according to Muratori, be pronounced in such a way as
to produce fruit and not merely wind. It is good some
times, as has been said above, to use the THIRD TONE
when there is question of inspiring fear or compassion.
Besides, one should guard against always speaking in a
forced tone, as is done by certain missionaries, who run
the risk, of bursting a blood-vessel, or at least of losing
their voice, while, on the other hand, this manner of
speaking wearies the audience without any special
benefit. What rouses and conciliates the attention of

CJiap. VII. The Sermon. — V. Instructions. 223

the people is to speak in a tone, now high, now low, but
without excessive and sudden transitions; at one time
to make a longer exclamation, at another, to make a
pause, and then to continue with a sigh, etc. This
variety of tone always keeps the hearers attentive.

3. THE ACT OF CONTRITION AND THE END OF THE SERMON.

It will be useful to mention here several things con
cerning the act of contrition, which is the most impor
tant pa'-t of the mission sermons. One shall derive but
little profit from the sermon if the hearers remain con
vinced, without, however, being penetrated with com
punction and without being resolved to amend their
life;1 now it is this last effect that it is intended to be
produced by making an act of contrition.

At first, before making the people kneel down, one
should endeavor to move them as much as possible to
kneel down of themselves. At last, when the hearers
are on their knees, before showing them the crucifix,
one should make them all say: O Lord, pardon! O
Lord, mercy ! Afterwards, the torches having been
brought in, and then the crucifix, one should make
them recite several acts of contrition — two or three of
them — each with its proper and distinct motive, in order
that the sinners may repent and sigh, not inconsiderately,
but with a motive and with reason. Otherwise if one
contents one's self with saying, as some do: All should
weep, should repent, should ask pardon of God; — all this
without proposing the motives, then, undoubtedly,
many people will cry out, will shed tears, when they
hear others crying out, shedding tears, but they will do
this without knowing the reason why; and the result
will be a great deal of noise but no fruit. The preacher
should, therefore, take care to wait till the cries cease be
fore proposing the motive, so that the hearers may hear
1 See above, page 195.

224 Exercises of the Missions.

and understand him ; if this is not done, he will by speak-
ingduring this commotion exhaust himself in vain. Hence
the motive is to be proposed when the people are quiet.
One shall say, for example: Sinners, my brethren, let
each one of you address to Jesus Christ this petition:

0 Lord! why hast Thou waited for me till now, and
hast borne with me after the many offences that I have
heaped upon Thee ? Hear what answer our Lord gives
to you: I have waited for you, and I have borne with
you in order to pardon you; repent, and I will pardon
you, etc. (We will afterwards give other examples of
these motives for the convenience of preachers.) After
having proposed the motive, one should inculcate re
pentance by saying, for example: Let us now take cour
age! ask pardon of God; raise your voices, and say
amidst tears and sighs: O Lord! I have offended Thee;

1 repent of my sins; I am sorry for them, etc.

It will also be very useful, when finishing, to have the
people make a more formal and more extended act of
contrition by calling upon them to repeat the words
that one shall suggest one after the other. At first one
shall tell the people to make an act of love to Jesus
crucified by preparing them for it by some motive
briefly expressed; then an act of hope of pardon by re
posing confidence in the blood of Jesus Christ; and
finally, the act of attrition followed by the act of con
trition. But before forming this act, one should induce
the hearers to make it for the confession for which they
are preparing themselves; for, according to the probable
opinion of a good number of authors, the act of repent
ance, as the matter of the sacrament, should be made
in view of the absolution that is to be received. Then
is to be added the good resolution never more to offend
God, with the intention of going to confession the same
evening or the day after, and to confess all sins without
omitting any one of them through shame.

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — V. Instructions. 225

It must also be here remarked, that the preacher, at the
beginning and at the end of every sermon, as also in the
sermon itself, should always exhort the hearers to hear
the sermon with the intention of confessing as soon as
possible — that very evening or the following morning;
for if one does not take this precaution in the begin
ning, it will easily happen that the people will put off
confession till the last moment, and thus the mission
will end in confusion and with little profit. Moreover,
in telling the people to make a firm purpose of amend
ment, the preacher should at times insinuate, at the end
of the act of contrition, a special resolution in regard to
certain more habitual sins, as, for example, to avoid
blasphemy, to restore the goods of others, to forgive
enemies, not to violate chastity, and above all to flee
from the occasion by reminding them several times
during the sermons, that he who does not remove the
proximate occasion cannot be absolved; this is also to
be understood in regard to fathers and mothers that
permit the betrothed of their daughters to enter the
house. It is good to insist, and insist repeatedly, upon
that which refers to the good resolution by saying, for
example: Do not defer, make now, the resolution to do
what God asks of you ; make haste; do you perhaps wish
that God should abandon you ? This will surely happen
if you do not make up your mind.

Before finishing the sermon, the preacher should urge
the people always to have recourse to Mary by asking
her for some particular grace, as holy perseverance, a
happy death, love for God, etc.

At the end, when giving the people the blessing with
the crucifix, one should suggest to them what they must
say while receiving it; for example: O My God! I do
not wish to lose Thee any more. Or: O Lord! if I
should still offend Thee, let me rather die. O Lord! do
not permit that I should again separate myself from
15

226 Exercises of the Missions.

Thee. I have offended Thee enough; I do not wish to
offend Thee any more in future. O my God! in the
past, I have offended Thee; hereafter, I will love Thee.
The sermon concluded, one should avoid imposing
upon the people the recitation of " Hail Marys" for the
persons that have asked for them; they should be recited
before the sermon; for if they are recited afterwards, the
compunction produced by the sermon will grow cold.
The best thing will be, to tell the women that they
should return home with a contrite heart by thinking of
the sermon that they have heard; as for the men, they
should be told to remain, either to follow the mission
aries who are to give the evening exhortation,1 or to
participate in the exercise of taking the discipline.2

4. EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS MOTIVES FOR THE ACT OF CONTRITION.

1. Sinners, my brethren, rid yourselves this evening
of all fear. Of what are you afraid ? During the many
years that you have lived away from God, he did not
cease to go in search of you; and now that you are dis
posed to change your life, would he repel you? Ah!
do not hesitate; repent, weep, etc.

2. St. Augustine says: If a poor shepherd loses a
heifer, he weeps; if he loses a sheep, he weeps; and
you who have lost God, the sovereign good, do not weep.

3. My dear brethren, God comes in search of you to
make peace with you; and you do not wish to make
peace with God ? Come then, etc.

4. Do you fear that Jesus Christ will reject you ? Well,
listen to what he says in the Gospel: Him that cometh to
Me, I will not cast out? I cannot repel him who comes
to me repentant. Do you understand this? Come, etc.

5. Oh, how God rejoices when he sees a sinner weep
ing over his sins! My brethren, how much displeasure

1 Page 95. 2 Page 117.

3 " Eum, qui venit ad me, non ejiciam foras." — John, vi. 37.

Chap. VI L The Sermon.— V. Instructions. 227

have you not caused Almighty God! Give him, there
fore, this evening, this pleasure by saying to him with
your whole heart: O Lord, my God! I repent of having
offended Thee.

6. Tell me, sinners: Did Jesus Christ deserve to be
treated as he was treated ? But this good Lord does
not wish that you should despair; ask his pardon, etc.

7. Have you the desire to obtain pardon of God ?
Know that God desires still more to grant it to you.

8. You see here Jesus Christ; you see what your soul
has cost him; you see what he has done for you; and
you wished to lose Jesus Christ for a mere nothing!

9. You have turned your back upon God, and God
has done the same to you; but hear what Jesus Christ
says to you this evening: Turn ye to Me . . . and I will
turn to you.1 Leave sin, and return to me; I embrace
you.

10. Sinners, during how many years have you fled
from the Lord who comes to you ? Hear what he says
this evening to each one of you: My dear little sheep,
stop, cease to run away from me, who wishes to do you
good, who wishes to serve you.

11. The Lord speaks to you this evening as if bewail
ing your loss: Why will you die, O house of Israeli* But
you answer: What shall I do? the sins have been com
mitted. And thereupon the Lord answers: Return ye,
and live? Return to me, repent, and I will pardon you.

12. See Jesus Christ, with open arms, calling you and
saying to each one of you: My child, ask my pardon;
for I will pardon you.

13. Sinners, you would no doubt like also to hear the
words addressed by Jesus Christ to Magdalen: Thy
sins are forgiven thee* Well, if you wish to hear them,

1 " Convertimini ad me . . . et convertar ad vos."—Zac/i. i. 3.

2 " Quare moriemini, domus Israel?" — Ezech. xviii, 31.
a " Revertimini, et vivite." — Ib. 32.

4 " Remitluntur tibi peccata." — Luke, vii. 48.

228 Exercises of the Missions.

cast yourselves weeping, like Magdalen, at the feet of
your Saviour, etc.

14. Rejoice sinners, because you have not to treat
with a man of this earth, but with God. If you had
offended any person as you have offended God, I should
say to you that there would be but little hope for par
don; but you have to treat with God, whose mercy is
infinite. Should you have offended him for fifty con
secutive years by committing every day a thousand
mortal sins, it would be sufficient for you to say this
evening: O Lord, I repent, etc. God will immediately
answer you: And I will pardon you all the displeasure
that you have caused me.

These motives are here presented as examples; one
may form many others like them.

5. CONCLUSION.

Such are the rules of preaching; but the first rule is
that which was given by the Venerable John d'Avila
to a priest who had asked him for some good rule in
order to preach well: " If you wish to preach well," he
said to him, " love Jesus Christ much." To preach well
is to attain the end of the sermon, that is, that the hear
ers are converted to God and that they put in practice
what they are taught; now this is attained by those
preachers that love God. We read in the chronicles of
the discalced Carmelites that a Father, named Julian of
St. Paul, although he had studied but little, preached with
such success that the people came in crowds to hear
him and were converted, every one of them deriving
much fruit from his sermons. Some one having asked
what good could be found in this preacher, whom every
one went to hear, the following answer was given to
him: "We go to hear him, because he is a saint: he
sheds tears during Mass, he sleeps little, he always goes
about with his eyes cast down, he is always praying, he

Chap. VI L The Sermon. — V. Instructions. 229

speaks only of God and of our welfare; and therefore
we do what he tells us." John d'Avila had then rea
son to say that the first and most important rule for
preaching well is to love God.

6. NOTE AS TO THE SERMONS USUALLY PREACHED IN OUR MISSIONS.

Beside the sermon on mortal sin, in which one shows
precisely the malice of sin considered as a contempt for
God, and besides the three sermons on the Last Things,
or on death, judgment, and hell, which should always
be given, one must not fail, before beginning to preach
on the Last Things, to preach a sermon on confession,
in which one should show especially the gravity of the
sacrilege and the ruin brought upon the soul by the sin
of concealing sins in confession.

Moreover, one should not omit to preach, immediately
after the sermon on hell, a sermon on the Blessed Vir
gin, in which one should speak chiefly on the confidence
that we should have in the protection of this divine
Mother by having recourse to her in order to overcome
the temptations and obtain a happy death.

Again, one should not omit the sermon on prayer, or
the absolute necessity in which we are of always recom
mending ourselves to God to obtain perseverance in
what is good and eternal salvation; and in this sermon
one should suggest to the people the practical manner
of recommending themselves to God, in the morning on
rising, in the evening on retiring, when they visit the
Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin, and above
all when they are assailed by temptations. This ser
mon should be preached on all the missions, since,
without prayer, one cannot obtain perseverance; and
when on any little mission time is wanting, one must
speak at length of prayer in the last sermon that is fol
lowed by the blessing.

The other sermons are arbitrary; one may choose, as

230 Exercises of the Missions.

one thinks fit, among them the sermon on the mercy of
God, the spiritual and temporal chastisements of sin, the
divine vocation, the importance of salvation, the vanity
of temporal goods and temporal evils in comparison with
eternal good and eternal evils, the number of sins, or
abandonment on the part of God — a sermon of great
use for the perseverance of sinners who are converted —
final impenitence, scandal, and perseverance, a subject
that is treated in the last sermon when the blessing is
given.

VI.

The Exercise of the Devout Life.

The exercise of the devout life is one of the most use
ful of the mission. Souls that give up sin only when
moved by the fear of divine chastisements, when the
mission is finished and their emotion dissipated, easily
return to their old vices; but those that remain attached
to God by love, easily persevere. Hence I say that the
exercise of the devout life is very useful; for one's only
aim thereby is to point out the means necessary for per
severance while penetrating the hearers with love for
Jesus Christ by the consideration of his Passion and of
the love that he has borne to us. It is indeed great
misery to see that preachers usually treat of everything
else except of the love for Jesus Christ after God has
done so much and suffered so much to gain our love.
But let us come to our subject.

On the last days of the mission, before its close, the
usual sermon is replaced by the exercise of the devout
life, which exercise lasts three days, or at least two in
small places.

On each of these evenings the preacher begins by
giving a half hour's practical instruction on the means
to be used to lead a Christian life. He should especi
ally teach therein the manner of making mental prayer;

Chap. } '/. The Sermon. — /"Y. Devout Life. 231

at first he should show them how useful and even how
necessary it is to all kinds of persons in order that they
may keep themselves in the grace of God; for Chris
tians well know the truths of faith, but as they neglect
to think of them, they do not live as Christians. Then
he explains the manner of making meditation with facil
ity so that every one can practise fit. I have already
shown in my little work Instruction and Practice for Con
fessors1 the manner of making mental prayer, which
should be taught by pastors of souls. The teaching of
this method is substantially reduced to the following
points: At first, the one that wishes to meditate, places
himself in God's presence, humbles himself before him,
asks him for the light that he needs; afterwards, he
begins to read, if he knows how to read, either to con
sider some point, whether of the Last Things, or of the
Passion of Jesus Christ, or some other similar subject;
and then he makes acts of contrition, of love, of confi
dence, of petition, and makes good resolutions.

One should recommend to the pastors to have daily
meditation made in common with the people, either in
the evening, or in the morning during Mass, by having
some point of meditation read twice, namely, immedi
ately before the beginning of Mass, and after the conse
cration.*

One should announce this to the people, but should
add that those that cannot come to the church to make
meditation with the others, should make it at least
privately at home, in some retired place, and at a time
when there is less noise in the house, and that, if they
have no other time or no other way, they should at least
make it while working or walking. Moreover, one

1 Homo apost. append. 4, § 3. — Volume III. page 252, of the ascetical
works.

* See the beginning of Chapter IX.

232 Exercises of the Missions.

should exhort the fathers and the mothers to send their
sons and daughters to church to make this exercise
there, or to introduce it at home for the whole family,
as some have already done.

The foregoing instruction finished, the preacher kneels
down and announces a mystery of the Passion of Jesus
Christ which should be meditated upon; one may also
unite two mysteries, as the scourging and the crown
ing with thorns, or the journey to Calvary and the cru
cifixion. In this exercise one may use the Reflections
and Affections on the Passion, a little work which I have
added to the Visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Before
beginning the meditation it will be well to sing a hymn
of the Passion, the better to dispose souls for compunc
tion and tender affections; for in these meditations one
does not speak of things that inspire fear; all the moral
applications and all the affections should have for their
object the practice of virtues, and especially of a tender
love for Jesus Christ. The preacher should, therefore,
say at the beginning: I wish this evening no more tears
of fear, but tears of tenderness and of love.

One begins the exercise for the preparation by making
the ordinary acts: the act of faith in the real presence
of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament with the act of
adoration, the act of humility with the act of contrition
and the petition for light. Then, after having said an
Ave Maria, one passes to the meditation of the mystery,
which contains four parts: the representation, the reflec
tion, the affection, and the firm purpose of amendment.

i. The REPRESENTATION consists in exposing in a lively
manner, before the eyes of the hearers, the mystery with
all the most touching and most important circumstances;
for example: Imagine, my brethren, that you see Jesus
bound to the column,, his head bent, his eyes fixed upon
the ground, waiting for the tortures that the execu
tioners are preparing for him, etc.

Chap. VIL The Sermon. — VI. Devout Life. 233

2. The REFLECTION; for example: Consider the pains
of Jesus Christ and his confusion by seeing himself
treated like a slave, and think that by your sins you
have been the cause of the sufferings that your Saviour
endures.

3. The AFFECTIONS, not only of compassion for Jesus
Christ, a sentiment on which some dwell too much, but
also of hatred for sin, and above all of love for our
Redeemer. One should remark that in these medita
tions the principal part is the movement of the affec
tions, and that the missionary should dwell thereon at
greater length; for example: Say to him then: Here I
am, O my Jesus! let me know what Thou desirest of me;
I wish to perform it immediately. At this moment I
should be in hell where I could no longer love Thee;
but since it is permitted to me to love Thee still, I wish
to love Thee. — Or: Faithful soul, dost thou not see
that God calls thee to his love? Render thanks to him,
and say to him: O my God! how could I in the past
have been so ungrateful to Thee, who hast loved me so
much ? The life that remains to me I will spend entirely
in weeping over the displeasure that I have caused Thee,
and in loving Thee with my whole heart. O cursed
years! what have you done? you have made me offend
my dear Saviour, who has wished to die tor me. O my
God ! I give myself entirely to Thee ; accept me, O
Lord, for hereafter I will belong entirely to Thee !

4. The FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT, or the resolution
to put in practice the means given to each one to sanc
tify himself. It is this that should be inculcated from
time to time: Courage, faithful soul, decide now to give
thyself to God. Thou seest that Jesus Christ calls thee
to his love; thou seest that he wishes to be loved by
thee; do not resist any longer. He wishes you to give
up that attachment . . . The mission is already com
ing to a close; make without delay a generous resolu-

234 Exercises of the Missions.

tion, and thou wilt see the graces that God will bestow
upon thee if thou obeyest his voice. Say without hesi
tation: Yes, my Jesus, I wish to please Thee; I wish to'
do all that Thou wishest me to do; help me; give me
Thy love; I desire nothing more.

Following these examples, one should interweave the
meditation with other acts of a firm purpose, of thanks
giving, of self-oblation, of resignation, and of petition,
by specially asking for holy perseverance and -the love
of God. At the end one should briefly make the Chris
tian acts of faith, of hope, of love, and of contrition;
but the preacher should stop longer at the act of love
and of contrition. The first evening he may exhibit a
picture of the Ecce Homo; the second evening, the image
of Christ crucified.1

VII.
The Last Sermon, on Perseverance, with the Papal Blessing.

After the evenings consecrated to the exercise of the
devout life comes the last sermon, with the papal bless
ing. I know that other Congregations have the custom
of giving it before this exercise, and we ourselves fol
lowed this custom for some time; but experience has
taught us that it is better to finish it in a different man-

1 In regard to this, we read in the life of the holy author: " Affec
tions on the Passion were then so tender in the mouth of Alphonsus
that torrents of tears could be seen flowing in the church: before, the
people wept through sorrow for having sinned; in this meditation, they
shed tears of love. To move the sensibility of the people, he exhibited
before their eyes, in the last of these meditations, a large picture which
he had himself painted, and in which Jesus Christ was represented dead
on the cross, having his limbs all covered with blood and wounds.
This exercise, so touching, produced the greatest fruit on the missions"
(Tannoia and Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 52).

We have collected the different teachings of St. Alphonsus on mental
prayer, so that it forms a complete treatise: it is to be found in Volume
III., page 252. ED.

CJiap. VII. The Sermon. — VII. Last Sermon. 235

ner; for when the people have received the papal bless
ing, they easily neglect to be present at the exercise of
the devout life, believing in some way that the mission
is over; on the other hand, it is easy to have every one
:it this exercise in expectation of the blessing.

i. MANNER OF GIVING THE LAST SERMON.

On the day of the blessing there is no instruction;
but the people should be kept occupied with the recita
tion of the Rosary, which the missionary prolongs by
examples and moral applications. Then, before begin
ning the sermon, a short procession takes place with the
Blessed Sacrament, accompanied only by priests: I have
used the word short, because one should make only a
few steps outside of the door of the church, where one
should give with the Blessed Sacrament three blessings,
one in the middle and two at the sides towards the
fields, the priests chanting at each blessing the prayer
of the Church: Ut fnictus terra dare ct conservarc dignc-
ris : te r ogam us, audi nos.

After the procession has re-entered the church, the
Blessed Sacrament is placed on the altar, where it is
veiled. Then the sermon begins ; in it one should
speak of the necessity of perseverance for salvation,
and should point out the means that are to be used in
order to overcome the enemies of our salvation, namely,
the world, the devil, and the flesh. One becomes victo
rious over the world by not caring for human respect.
)ne should speak at length against this vice ; because
many souls who in the mission are converted and begin
to lead a good life, yielding afterwards to this cursed
human respect, for fear of being laughed at, abandon
the Christian life and return to their old habits. At
the same time, the hearers should be put on their guard
against those impious men who, not wishing to do what
is good, cannot see it in others without turning them

236 Exercises of the Missions.

into ridicule and making satirical songs on them. — One
overcomes the devil and his temptations by recommend
ing one's self to God. Here one should again inculcate
what should be repeated several times in the sermons,
namely, that in temptations we must immediately have
recourse to Jesus and Mary by invoking their holy names
in order to obtain help. — The means of overcoming the
flesh, or the impure vice, is also prayer, but the flight of
the occasions must be joined to it. On this subject one
should speak at length about the sad consequences of
visiting persons of the opposite sex, and of going into
bad company.

The advice that is to be left as a memento for the
hearers is, chiefly, to frequent the sacraments, to make
meditation every day, as also to visit the Blessed Sacra
ment and the Blessed Virgin. Moreover, one should
recommend to each family to recite the Rosary in com
mon, and to every one in particular to say three " Hail
Marys" in honor of the purity of Mary, in the morning
after rising and in the evening before going to bed,
adding a prayer for the grace of perseverance; to fast
on Saturdays; to confess and communicate especially on
each of the seven principal feasts of the Mother of God.
One should also recommend the recitation, at the sound
of the bell at three o'clock in the afternoon, of three
" Our Fathers and Hail Marys," in memory of the agony
of Jesus Christ. The following beautiful devotion
should also be recommended: When a sick person is in
his agony this should be announced by five or seven
strokes of the large bell, and then every one should
recite three " Our Fathers and Hail Marys" to obtain
for the one that is dying a happy death. This is a salu
tary practice, not only for the sick, but also for all the
rest who are reminded of death, which will one day
overtake them. Finally, one should recommend the
act of contrition that is to be made every evening.

C/iap. VII. The Sermon. — VII. Last Sermon. 237

This advice having been given, the preacher tells all
to kneel down; then he says: The mission is now fin
ished; before departing from you, I wish to leave you
under the protection of the Blessed Virgin. Let each
one of you repeat after me this prayer:

O my Queen, my Advocate, my Hope, and my Mother !
I should have deserved to be banished from thy presence;
but I know that thou, who art the Mother of mercy, doth
not reject any one of those that have recourse to thy
protection; I therefore, O my merciful Sovereign ! take
refuge under thy mantle. I promise to love thee and to
serve thee hereafter, and to do all that I can that thou
mayest also be loved by others. I likewise promise thee
that when I am tempted to offend thee I shall always
have recourse to thee, and shall say: My Mother, help
me. — And thou, O my Queen ! support me in all the
temptations and all the dangers to which I shall be ex
posed to lose God. Above all, at the hour of death, do
not abandon me, O my dear Mother ! protect me and
save me .; for I protest that I shall live and die under
thy protection.

2. MANNER OK TAKING LEAVE.

The foregoing prayer to the Mother of God having
been finished, the preacher, before giving the blessing,
takes leave of the people in the following manner:

You see now, my dear brethren, that the mission has
drawn to a close. Before my .departure, I wish you to
pardon me if in my discourses I have caused displeasure
to any one. For the rest, I have always spoken in gen
eral, without intending to offend any one in particular.
All that was harsh and severe in what I said, was not
said against you but against vice, because I should like
to see every one of you saved. If, however, I have gone
too far, if I have caused weariness, if I have been indis
creet in my reprimands, I ask your pardon. I ask you

238 Exercises of the Missions.

especially to pardon me all the obstacles that I have
placed, by my defects, in the way of your spiritual
profit, and to pray to Jesus Christ also to pardon me.

I thank you for your attendance at the exercises of the
mission, as well as for the obedience that you have
shown. I bless all the sweat and all the labor that you
have cost me during these days, and I offer all to God
for your eternal salvation; I even protest that I am
ready to give my life for each one of you, in order that
we all that are here may have the happiness of saving
our souls and of seeing ourselves all together in heaven.

I part from you, satisfied with the great work wrought
in this mission. A simple thought fills me with sorrow,
namely, whether there is any one among you who, not
withstanding the mission, still remains an enemy of
God. Suppose that there is such a one among you, I
would say to him: Poor sinner, you must know that,
although the mission has come to an end, yet the mercy
of God has not come to end for you. Do not despair;
if you wish to make your peace with God, there is yet
time: ask his pardon, and he will pardon you; here is
Jesus Christ (here the crucifix is shown), who still calls
you, having his arms open to receive you and to pardon
you. My brethren, let each one among you now say
to Jesus : O Lord! I trust that Thou hast already par
doned me ; but if through my fault I have not yet
been pardoned, deign to grant me pardon on this
evening of the last day of the mission; for, O my God,
infinite good! I repent of having offended Thee, etc.
Ah! be assured, ye children of so good a Father. I do
not doubt that he has pardoned you all. What you
have to do in future for your salvation is to continue to
live in the grace of God; for if you betray him again
after the mission, I very much fear that he will abandon
you. Courage, then, my brethren; make a good resolu
tion; if that has not yet been made, make it this even-

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — VII. Last Sermon. 239

ing; renounce the world. What have you profited by
having committed so many sins ? Ah! give yourselves
now to God; begin to love this God, who has shown you
so much mercy, and who, as I trust, now loves you so
much; do not lose all the good that you have gained
during these days.

My dear children, I depart from you; but see him
whom I am leaving behind for you (here the crucifix
is showrn) : I leave you this infinitely amiable God;
learn how to love him. — Ye men, my brethren, I depart
from you; but I leave you this excellent Friend, who
loves you more than any other friend, more than any
relative, more than your brother, more than your father,
more than any person in this world. — Ye Christian
women, I depart from you; but I leave in your hearts
this God of love, who died for you; unite yourselves to
him, learn how to return love for love. — And now I
address myself to all of you: Souls redeemed by Jesus
Christ, do not any more offend this good Saviour.
What do you say? do you wish to offend him again?
Say then : No, never, never. Ah! you say this too
coldly; speak in a loud voice and say: O my God !
never more will I offend Thee; rather will I die a thou
sand times than lose Thy grace. Now, if such is your
resolve, raise your hand and give your word to Jesus
Christ that you will no more offend him.

Now I am going to bless you; but before doing so,
let me make an agreement with you: you will pray for
me and I will pray for you; I will recommend you every
day to God at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and you
will say three " Hail Marys" every day for me after the
recitation of the Rosary; and when you hear of my
death, you must offer up a holy Communion for the
repose of my soul.

240 Exercises of the Missions.

3. MANNER OF GIVING THE BLESSING.

Although I am only an unworthy minister of Jesus
Christ, yet I bless you all this evening, in the name of
the Most Blessed Trinity, of the Father who created
you, of the Son who redeemed you, and of the Holy
Ghost who enlightened you, in the name of Mary, the
Immaculate Virgin, in the name of St. Joseph, of St.
Michael the archangel, and of the Guardian Angels, in
the name of St. N., your Patron, and of all your holy
Advocates, in the name of all the angels and of all the
saints of paradise. I do not take the liberty of blessing
your worthy bishop— rather should I receive the bless
ing from him; but I pray to God to bless him and to
sanctify him more and more. You, my dear brethren,
should always recommend him to God; for he does not
cease to think of your welfare, and you are obliged to
pray for him. Nor am I so bold as to bless the Very Rev
erend Vicar-General, the Very Reverend Canons, your
pastor, or the other priests: I pray to Jesus Christ to
bless them. Reverend Pastor, here are the members of
your flock; we leave them all united with God; it is your
duty to guard them in order that on the day of judg
ment you may present them in the state of grace to
Jesus Christ. As a priest, I bless all the civil author
ities, the Superiors of the congregations, and all those
who during the mission have rendered us services, and
have shown us so much charity.

Now, my dear brethren, it is you whom I wish to
bless. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bless you soul and
body — .1 bless your body and all its senses. I bless your
eyes, in order that they may always be modest by never
looking at any object that may lead you into tempta
tion; I therefore specially bless your eyes. (Here the
blessing is given with the crucifix.) I bless your ears,
that you may never misuse them by listening to things

CJiap. VII. The Sermon. — VI L Last Sermon. 241

that offend God. I bless your mouth, that you may
never employ it in uttering blasphemies, imprecations,
immodest words, and wicked songs. (Here a second
blessing is given.) I bless your feet, that when you can
you may come to church to make mental prayer, as also
visits to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Vir
gin. I bless your hands. Young people, raise your
hands: I wish to bless them. (Again the blessing is
given towards the men.) — I bless all your children; de
vote yourselves to their sanctification, in order that one
day you may find them all together in paradise. I bless
all your relatives that cannot come to church— I bless
all your lands, that they may bring forth abundant fruit.
(Here the blessing is given towards the fields, on the
right and on the left.) I also bless all your affairs, your
goods, your animals, your hopes. My dear brethren,
behave towards God as you should, and he will heap
upon you spiritual and temporal goods. In fine, I bless
all the bread that you eat, the ground upon which you
walk, the air that you breathe; I include in this bless
ing all that concerns you.

But, above all, I bless your soul: this soul which was
purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ; I bless your
soul and all its powers, the memory, the understanding,
and the will. — I bless your memory, that you may not
cease to recall to your mind all the graces that God has
conferred upon you in this mission, and especially in
this church. When you see this pulpit from which the
Lord has spoken to you, this altar at which you have
communicated, this confessional where Jesus Christ has
pardoned you, remember all the graces that you have
received there, and learn how to be grateful.— I bless
your understanding, that you may every day make
mental prayer, and that you may think often of God,
who always thinks of you and of your welfare. — I espe
cially bless your will, that you may love this God who de-
16

242 Exercises of the Missions.

serves so much to be loved, and who loves you so much.
— I bless, moreover, all the steps that you have taken to
come to the church to hear the word of God, all the
confessions and the communions that you have made,
all the tears that you have shed during these days, as
well as all the resolutions that you have taken, and all
the promises that you have made to Jesus Christ, in
order that you may be faithful to them.

Before I give you the last blessing, pray to the Blessed
Virgin to bless you herself from on high, and to cause
you to be blessed this evening by her divine Son. Re
ceive now the papal blessing. — My Lord Jesus Christ, as
I bless them on earth, so bless them from on high, and
pardon them all their sins. — And you, my dear brethren,
make again an act of contrition for your sins both mor
tal and venial, in order that you may receive in the
blessing that I am going to give you a plenary indulg
ence of all your sins. Raise your voice while I bless you,
and say: O Lord! I am sorry for all the offences tha't
I have committed against Thee; henceforth I will love
Thee.

Here the blessing is given with the crucifix by pro
nouncing, in a loud voice and intermittingly, these
words: Benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Pair is et Filii et Spiri-
tus Sancti, descendat super vos et maneat semper. Then the
preacher will say:

During the singing of the Te Deum recite five " Our
Fathers" and five " Hail Marys" and a " Glory be to
the Father," to the intention of the Holy Father, in
order to gain the indulgence. The Te Deum is now
sung, in order to thank God for all the graces that he
has conferred upon you; therefore, while the priests are
chanting, thank God with tears of love for all the graces
that you have received. — Let the Blessed Sacrament be
unveiled. (The Blessed Sacrament having been un
veiled the preacher from the pulpit intones the Te Deum,

Chap. VII. The Sermon. — VII. Last Sermon. 243

which is continued by the clergy, who are assembled
before the altar; then turning himself towards the
people, he adds): Behold Jesus Christ; thank him with
tears in your eyes, and promise him that you will
sanctify yourselves.

The Tc Dciun finished, the celebrant, who should be
one of the missionaries, after the prayers indicated in
the Ritual, says five prayers: the first, that of thanks
giving, Dens cujns nrisericordue; the second, that of the
Blessed Virgin, Concede nos ; the third, that of the titu
lary saint of the church; the fourth, for the Sovereign
Pontiff; and the fifth for the civil authorities. Then
the Pange lingua* is sung, the Blessed Sacrament is in
censed as usual; then the verse Panon de ca'/o and the
prayer Dens qni nobis are sung. After the prayer, the
deacon takes the Blessed Sacrament, and gives it to the
priest kneeling on the highest step of the altar; the
priest turns with the Blessed Sacrament towards the
people, and then, at the foot of the altar the preacher
says: Brethren, I have blessed you with the crucifix; now
Jesus Christ himself wishes to bless you in the Blessed
Sacrament. See him here; reanimate your faith, and
beg of him that, as we are this evening reunited in this
church, we may one day have the happiness of finding
ourselves all together in paradise. But in order to
enter paradise, we must love God; say then to Jesus
Christ while he is blessing you: My Jesus, I love Thee,
and I do not wish to cease loving Thee. — O Lord! deign
to bless them. Let the organ resound; let the bells be
rung; and you, raising your voices, say with tears: My
Jesus! etc.

* There is here question of the two strophes Pange lingua and Tan-
turn ergo, which are found further on at the end of the Acts for the
Visit to the Blessed Sacrament. It was a particular custom to chant these
two strophes for Benediction, instead of the last two, Tantum ergo and
Qenitori, according to the common rule. — El).

244 Exercises of the Missions.

VIII.
Other Remarks Regarding the Sermon.

i. PRACTICES* AT THE END OF THE SERMON.

1. At the end of the act of contrition,1 the preacher
shall strike himself two or three times with a rope : I
say, with a rope, and not with a chain ; for a chain, if
composed of massive rings, may very much injure the
preacher, who, finding himself in fervor, would easily
be led to strike himself without discretion ; and if it is
composed of hollow links it would indeed make a noise,
but would inflict no pain. He should, therefore, take a
rope, on two or three evenings of the mission, and strike
himself during a considerable time in order that one
may not judge this whole ceremony to be a mere sham.
But he should refrain from tying the rope around his
neck, as if he wished to strangle himself, as some do ;
this would appear to be a mere fiction. The preacher
before striking himself shall take care to notice that
he does this penance, not to expiate his own sins, but to
obtain from God the grace of pardon for every obsti
nate soul that happens to be in the church.

2. In the sermon on death, before the act of contri
tion, it is usual to show a skull, to which the preacher
should speak as follows:

Tell me, O skull: where is thy soul? is it in paradise,
or in hell? Tell me: on the day of judgment in what
state shall I find thee ? wilt thou be crowned with stars,
or surrounded by serpents and flames? Tell me: art
thou the head of a man, or the head of a woman ? If
thou art the head of a man, tell me: What has become
of all thy plans of fortune and ambition? whither has
gone thy pride, thou who didst claim that every one

1 Page 223.

* It is needless to remark that these practices are unknown outside of
Italy.— ED,

CIi. VI L 7^/ie Sermon. — VIII. OtJier Remarks. 245

should respect thee ?— If thou art the head of a woman,
what has become of thy beauty ? what has become of
thy beautiful hair? Alas ! worms have made them dis
appear. Where are thy beautiful eyes? Worms have
consumed them. Where is thy tongue, with which thou
didst sing so beautiful songs ? Worms have devoured
it. In a word, thou who didst flatter thyself to be so
charming, see now thou art so hideous as to inspire
terror.

After this the preacher, addressing the people, says:
My dear brethren, you see what this skull is ; so each
one of you will be one day. There is no remedy: we
must die ! we must die ! The act of contrition is then
made.

3. In the sermon on hell it is customary to show the
picture of a person that is damned. It has happened in
our missions that sinners who remained insensible to all
the other sermons, were moved at the sight of this pic
ture and were converted. The manner of proceeding is
as follows: The preacher, after having made the act of
contrition, says:

I have spoken to you in this sermon about hell; but
what could I say about hell ? Nothing; for hell is known
only by him who endures it. Ah ! if this evening there
came forth from hell a soul that is damned, in order to
speak to you, it would know how to tell you what hell
is. At least, my brethren, allow me to let you see a pic
ture of one that is damned, in order that he may speak
to you in his own way; here he is. Sinners, recognize
yourselves in this picture, and see what you should be
on account of your sins.

This picture should be carried by a missionary at the
height of about ten or twelve palms above the ground;
two other missionaries walk before him with two large
torches, which they should take care to hold low enough
and far enough from the picture so that the smoke does

246 Exercises of the Missions.

not prevent it from being seen. The priests then move
from the high altar and go to the door through the
church, stopping from time to time, and turning the
picture slowly now on one side, now on the other ; the
picture is then given to the preacher, who shows it from
the pulpit, where he leaves it till the following evening
exposed to the gaze of all ; then he takes the crucifix
and gives the blessing.

4. Another very touching practice is to carry the
statue of the Blessed Virgin in procession to the church
at the end of the sermon ; this is the way it is done:
Every evening this statue is exposed ; but on this day
we take it out of the church ; immediately after the act
of contrition, everything having been arranged before
hand, the door is opened, all the priests, in surplice and
with lighted torches, are seen entering, carrying the
statue of the Blessed Virgin, which they proceed to put,
after walking through the church, in its usual place,
near the pulpit.

5. It is also very useful if the missionaries walk in
procession, in a penitential garb, strewn with ashes, and
with a rope around their necks ; they enter the door in
procession, and afterwards take the discipline in the
middle of the church. On another evening the priests
of the place can hold a similar procession.

6. It might also be well, on one evening, after the ser
mon and the act of contrition, to have the people to
make a general reconciliation, the women embracing
the women, and the men embracing the men. But
before this the preacher should call upon them to stand
up; then he tells them that while peace is being "made,
the daughters should ask pardon of their mothers, the
sons of their fathers, and that the persons who have
offended their neighbors should go in search of those
whom they have offended. All the missionaries should
be present at this exercise, to see that the men are sepa-

C/i. VIL The Sermon.— VIII. Other Remarks. 247

rated from the women, and to prevent disorder ; more
over, when the people show themselves insensible, it
will sometimes be opportune for the missionaries to
come forward to exhort and persuade them.

2. THE ERECTION OF CROSSES.

This ceremony is very touching; it is performed in
the following manner:

After the last meditation of the exercise of a devout
life, the preacher announces that as a remembrance not
only of the Passion of our Saviour, but also of the mis
sion, five crosses would be erected, and that the faithful
who visit them can gain ten thousand years of indulg
ence by reciting five "Our Fathers" and five "Hail
Marys" in memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ and
of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin (Ap. P. Viva, in ap
pend. Jubil. in calce Trutina, § ult.).*

We may see what has been said above about this exer
cise (pages 126 and 151).

Hence, the meditation finished, five missionaries come
from behind the high altar, carrying each a cross upon
his shoulder, and walking one after the other with two
torches before each cross. When they have reached
the place destined to receive the crosses, they place them
on the ground; and at the erection of each cross a suita
ble exhortation is given.

The preacher should take care that during the proces-

* Pope Pius IX., by a Rescript of March 27, 1852, deigned to grant
other indulgences, namely: A plenary indulgence, on the anniversary of
the erection of any cross, or on the Sunday following, as also on the
Feasts of the Finding and of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross ; condi
tions requisite : To confess and to communicate ; to visit the cross, or
one of the crosses erected, and a church or a public oratory and there
to pray for some time to the intention of the Holy Father.

Indulgence of thirty days every time one recites devoutly before the
crosses erected, five " Our Fathers," five ' ' Hail Marys, " and five " Glory
be to the Fathers," in memory of the wounds of our Lord. — ED.

248 Exercises of the Missions.

sion the men leave the church first, and then the women,
so as to avoid confusion; and during the exhortations
the missionaries should watch that the two sexes remain
separated, in order that everything that is unseemly
may be prevented, as this ceremony usually takes place
in the evening.

The exhortations should be very short, in order that
they may be animated and may not cause weariness in
those that are present. As five crosses are to be erected,
five exhortations are to be given in memory of the five
principal mysteries of the Passion, the same as those
of the Rosary, namely : the agony, the scourging, the
crowning with thorns, the carrying of the cross, and the
crucifixion. Every exhortation contains three parts :
the exposition of the mystery, the announcement of the
grace for which one asks, and the prayer. Thus: — In
the first place, one exposes the mystery in memory of
which the cross is erected. — Secondly, one announces
the grace that should be asked of the eternal Father,
through the merits of Jesus Christ, by the faithful who
should come to visit this cross, in accordance with the
mystery that is announced ; for example : at the agony,
one should ask pardon for one's sins; at the crowning
with thorns, for victory over bad thoughts ; at the
scourging, one should ask for the virtue of chastity; at
the carrying of the cross, for patience in trials; at the
crucifixion, for holy perseverance. — Thirdly, at the erec
tion of each cross one actually begs for the grace that
refers to the mystery.

At the end of each exhortation a missionary sings the
following hymn :

I adore thee, holy cross,

My Saviour's painful bed,
Whereon for sinful man

Was placed that sacred head ;
I adore thee, holy cross.

Ch. VI L The Sermon.— VIII. Other Remarks. 249

The following is an example of the first exhortation,
which, differing from the four that follow, should be
preceded by a short introduction; then follow the three
parts designated above.

INTRODUCTION. — My brethren, the mission is already
at an end, and it closes by leaving to your considera
tion how much Jesus Christ has suffered in order to
save us. You should, then, in future unceasingly keep
before your mind the remembrance of the love that
your Redeemer has shown you in his Passion, as well
as of the promises that you have made; this is the only
reason why we erect these crosses.

EXPOSITION OF THE MYSTERY. — The first is erected here
in memory of the bloody sweat endured by our Saviour
in his prayer in the Garden of Olives. When you come
to visit this cross, recite an " Our Father" and a " Hail
Mary," and remember the bloody sweat and the agony
which Jesus Christ suffered in the Garden of Olives
while he was thinking of your ingratitude, etc.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF GRACE. — Through the merits of
this pain which Jesus Christ felt, you should ask the
eternal Father to grant you a great sorrow and pardon
for your sins.

PETITION FOR GRACE. — Well, let us begin this evening,
Raise the cross. (Here the cross is raised, and is to re
main so.) Let all of you kneel down; let us adore this
cross, and let us pray: O holy cross! we adore thee in
memory of the bloody sweat and the agony which Jesus
Christ suffered in the Garden of Olives. — And Thou, O
eternal Father ! by the merits of these sufferings of Thy
well-beloved Son, give us a great sorrow for our sins and
the pardon of all the offences that we have committed
against Thee.

After this prayer the foregoing hymn is intoned.
Afterwards, in the same way, exhortations are given
for the four other crosses.

250 Exercises of the Missions.

3. THE PLACING OF THE AUDIENCE AND OF THE PULPIT.

The placing of the audience and of the pulpit is of
great importance to the success of the mission ; the
Superior should therefore pay considerable attention to
this point. The following is a way of arranging the
audience : The women are put together in the upper
part of the church, that is, towards the high altar ; and
the men are to be in that part near the door. Care
should be taken that the hearers are not placed too far
from the pulpit ; for when they see the preacher from
afar, his words make but little impression, because they
seem to them to be addressed to others, and not to
themselves.

The pulpit should be placed in the middle or nearly
in the middle, between the men and the]women. In our
missions we are accustomed to use portable pulpits;
for these can be more easily put in the desired place,
and they are more suitable for familiar language, which
is the language of the missions. It is, however, true,
that in places- where the population is numerous, and
where the churches are large, especially if they are very
long, it is not opportune to use portable pulpits, which
are very often low; for then those that are far off do not
well see nor understand the preacher, whose voice re
mains as it were stifled: under these circumstances one
must preach from the pulpit of the church.

One should, moreover, always take care, as much as
possible, to separate the men from the women by means
of curtains or benches, so that they may not even see
one another.

In our missions it is not customary to expose the
Blessed Sacrament every day; this is done only at the
last sermon, when Benediction is given.

Near the pulpit it is usual to place a large statue of

Ch. VII. The Sermon.— VIII. Other Remarks. 25 1

the Blessed Virgin, in such a manner that the feet of the
statue may be nearly at the height of the pulpit.

4. THE HOUR WHEN THE SERMON is PREACHED.

There are pastors who desire that the sermon should be
finished before the close of the day; for they say that if
it is given in the evening many scandals will be the
consequence. But this is mere prejudice, and altogether
a mistake when there is question of missions. During
the time of the mission, especially in villages, the hearers
are composed mostly of workmen who live from hand
to mouth, and who consequently are obliged to work
every day to make a living. This being the case, if the
sermon is given during the day it will be attended only
by priests, by a few people of leisure, and by a small
number of devout women who can leave their occupa
tion; whife most of the women, and especially the men,
who need the mission most, will not be able to attend.
They will scarcely come on holydays and on the last
day, the day of the blessing, when they will be found
insensible, because they have not heard the sermons:
they will not then be absolved, and they will remain in
the bad state in which they were before; so that the
mission will be a failure, as this has happened in a cer
tain place, because the sermon was preached before the
men returned from the fields. It should be under
stood that the greatest fruit of the mission consists in
the conversion of the men; for if the men remain bad,
the women will also be bad.

But to this you may reply: If the mission is permitted
to go on in the evening, many inconveniences will result
therefrom; for every one knows the old proverb: Evil
should not be done that good may arise therefrom—
Non sunt facie nda mala, vt eveniant bona. I reply: The
proverb says: Evil should not be done— Non suntfacienda

252 Exercises of the Missions.

mala. But it is not said: Evil is not permitted that good
may arise therefrom — Non sunt permittenda mala, ut eve-
niant bona. Sometimes it is good to permit some evil in
order that good may not be omitted, especially when
there is question of the common good; for if one had to
avoid all the inconveniences that may be caused in the
exercises of piety, we should have to abolish in the
Church all the feasts, the processions, the exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament, and even the confessions and
the communions, since all these works give rise to in
conveniences; but the Church rightly permits these in
conveniences in order not to hinder the common good.
— Moreover, I answer that during the mission these sup
posed scandals hardly occur: then the people are more
timorous; the wicked themselves abstain from commit
ting any impertinence for fear of being regarded as men
who have lost the faith, or at least, because they pre
sume that they would not find those whom they wish to
tempt ready to yield to their wicked designs. O God!
can we suppose that those perverse men, who have so
many occasions and means to do evil, will want to do so
all the time of the mission ? Let us add that, as to what
concerns shameful scandals, the danger does not mor
ally exist: care is taken that the church is always well
lighted as soon as it becomes dark; there are many
lights and many eyes, and as for things outside of the
church, the women always return home in the company
of persons who will not allow the least scandal to be
committed before their eyes.

After all, let us concede that sometimes an impro
priety may occur in some, place; but which is a greater
evil — to permit some rare impropriety of this kind, or
to leave the whole population in the state in which it is,
with its habitual sins, its wicked morals, its inveterate
vices, its sacrileges, its scandals ? For my part, I do not
understand the zeal of those who, through fear of some

C/i. VI 7. The Sermon.— VI I I. Other Remarks. 253

rare impropriety which scarcely occurs, believe it their
duty to hinder the certain good of the mission, by taking
away from the people the opportunity to hear the ser
mon. In the spring, when the days are long, the ser-
'mon may be successfully preached during the day; but
,in winter it is impossible for the mission to succeed
'when the sermon is given before the evening. During
'this season it should be given only about half an hour
before the setting of the sun; often even, where the
fields are distant from the centre of habitation, it will
be necessary to begin it half an hour after sunset, and
sometimes even later.

254 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER VIII.

OTHER EXERCISES THAT TAKE PLACE DURING THE
MISSION.

I.
The Morning Meditation.

DURING the mission, in the morning, before daybreak,
a meditation is given for the convenience of persons
who must work. There is no question here of the com
mon and daily meditation which is usually made by
pious persons or by communities, but of that which
takes place in the missions, and which in substance is
composed of all the parts requisite for the sermon, with
this difference, that it demands a more moderate and
more emotional style, admits less reasoning and fewer
proofs, and should be shorter. The sermon usually
lasts an hour and a quarter, inclusively of the act of
contrition; but the meditation should not continue be
yond three quarters of an hour.

The parts of meditation are: First, the exordium with
the proposition, the preparation, and the proofs; then
the reflections, the applications, and the practices; and
finally, the act of contrition with the resolution. In re
gard to all these parts, we should observe what has
been said on the subject of the sermon, Chapter VII.,
§ 2.' As for the preparation, which is made in the medi
tation differently from the sermon, we have spoken of
it in, § 62 which treats of the devout life.

It must be here remarked that in the places the popu-

1 Page 184. a Page 230.

Chap. VI I L — //. The Confraternity. 255

lation of which is numerous, on the days on which many
people come to church, especially on feast days, besides
the meditation, it is usual to preach another sermon,
though at a later hour.

II.
The Discourse for the Members of the Confraternity.

Nothing can be more useful to keep men in the path
of virtue than to induce them to frequent a confraternity,
the spiritual Father of which gives them an instruction
on Sundays, and hears their confessions. We should,
therefore, endeavor, as much as possible, to urge the
men to have themselves admitted into the confraternity.
The preacher should specially exhort them to join it;
moreover, the evening after the sermon, it will be well
to invite all those that wish to enter the confraternity
to have their names registered in the church by a mis
sionary. After this it will also be well for the preacher
himself, or another missionary, on the morning of a
feast day, to go to the chapel where the confraternity
is to meet, and give a special instruction to the members;
he should take care to give notice of this from the pulpit
on the preceding evening, so that on the following day
he may find them all assembled. The purpose of this
instruction is to make known the great good that results
from the frequentation of the confraternity, especially
in the case of those that have been consecrated to the
Blessed Virgin.

EXAMPLE OF THIS DISCOURSE.

Now all good things came to me together with her.1 The
great deluge at the time of Noe was the cause why all
mankind perished, with the exception of eight persons
who were saved in the Ark. In our time a deluge, not

" Venerunt autem tnihiutnnia bonu pariter cum ilia." — Wis. vii. n.

256 Exercises of the Missions.

of water, but of sins, continually inundates the earth,
and few persons escape it, especially among seculars;
hardly are those saved that take refuge in an ark of
salvation, that is, some confraternity of the Blessed
Virgin. Among so many seculars, how many are there
in the grace of God ? There are some, but these fre
quent the confraternity.

My dear brethren, you have attended the mission; I
trust that God, by the light of his grace, has made you
see that there is no other good or happiness in this life
than to save one's soul. The world calls him happy
who is rich, who is honored, and it calls unhappy him
who is poor and despised; but the truth is no one is
happy but he who is in the grace of God and is saved,
and that no one is unhappy but he who lives as an enemy
of God and is damned. In a few days all things have an
end for man; what will it then profit him to have gained
the whole world if after dying he loses his soul, and
goes to weep in hell for all eternity ? Now I wish to
show what hope of salvation there is for him who fre
quents the confraternity of the Blessed Virgin.

When a secular asks me what he should do in order to
save his soul, I know of no more useful and sure means
to counsel him than to enter a confraternity. The con
fraternity contains the most efficacious means to attain
eternal salvation, so that every member of the confra
ternity may rightly say that he finds therein all that is
needful: All good things came to me together with her.

In the first place, it is a great means of salvation for
a secular to hear often the word of God, while, on the
other hand, the holy Fathers regard him as damned who
despises it; for the sheep of Christ willingly hear his
voice, which he makes them hear through the mouth of
his ministers: My sheep hear My roice.1 In fact, seculars
that give themselves up to the affairs of the world, and

1 " Oves meae voceni meam audiuut."— Jo/in, x. 27.

Chap. VIII. — //. The Confraternity. 257

hear no sermons, easily lose the remembrance of the
good and of the evil of the next world; and conse
quently, abandoning themselves to earthly pleasures,
they live and die in the state of sin. But he who fre
quents the confraternity, hearing the priest speak of
death, judgment, hell, eternity, easily resists with God's
help the temptations that assail him, according to what
the Holy Ghost says to us: In all thy works remember thy
last end, and tJiou shalt never sin?

Secondly, to keep one's self in the grace of God it is
necessary to frequent the sacraments; for they are the
nourishment of the soul; they preserve its life; this is
especially done by holy Communion, which is called
bread: as the earthly bread preserves the life of the
body, so the heavenly bread preserves the life of the soul.
This is taught by the Council of Trent, which says:
"This sacrament frees us from daily faults, and pre
serves us from mortal sins."'

Thirdly, he who visits the confraternity of the Blessed
Virgin is enriched with graces by this divine Mother,
through whose hands the Lord dispenses all his graces;
this she tells us in these words that the Church applies
toher: With me are riches . . that I may enrich them that
lore me?— And St. Bonaventure says: "He who obtains
grace from Mary shall be recognized by the citizens of
paradise; and he who bears the impress of her name
shall be inscribed in the Book of life.'" This is espe
cially to be understood of the confraternity of Mary.
We may see that to be enrolled as a member of the con
fraternity is the same as to be inscribed in the Book of

" Memorare novissima tua, et in reternum non peccabis. " — Ecclus.
vii. ,jo.

• Sest. 13, cap. 2.

3 Mecum sunt divitine . . . ut ditem diligentes me."— Prov. viii. 18.
" Oni acquirit gratiam Maria?, agnoscetur a civibus paradisi; et qui
habuerit characterein nominis ejus, annotabitur in Libro vita;."— 2* salt.
/•'. J/. /'. pj-. cji.

258 Exercises of the Missions.

life, provided we persevere in being faithful in frequent
ing the confraternity and in observing its rules; for, of
what use would it serve to have one's name inscribed on
the register, or if one enters it without frequenting the
sacraments; this being one of its most important rules ?
There are some that enter the confraternity, not to
honor the Blessed Virgin, nor to save their souls, but to
domineer, to rule; and sometimes they begin to shout,
to dispute in a manner more noisy than if they were at
a house where gaming is going on. Those that act thus
would do better to stay away from the confraternity.

I therefore recommend to each one of you, first, to
frequent the confraternity, and not to omit to be present
through frivolous reasons, as some do, who either in
order to play, or to take a walk, or to perform some
trifling thing, will say that their business prevented
them. But I say to them in reply: Know that in this
world, whatever may be your business, you have nothing
more important than the salvation of your soul; for if
you lose your soul, all will be lost to you. Tell me:
would you neglect to gain a thousand pieces of gold in
your efforts to gain a few little pieces of money ? Hence
it is, etc. — -Rather lose all than lose one's soul. When
Sunday comes, my dear brethren, leave everything in
order to go to the confraternity. Be convinced that the
Blessed Virgin will not allow you to suffer any loss on
this account. It is said that her servants are clothed
with double garments: All her domestics arc clothed with
double garments.1 This means that they are provided
with two kinds of goods, spiritual and temporal.

Besides the attendance at the meetings, I recommend
to you not to omit confession and Communion, which
the Rule prescribes ; otherwise, if you happen to fall
into sin and remain in the same state, of what use will
the confraternity be to you ?

1 " Domestici ejus vestiti sunt duphcibus."— Prov. xxxi. 21.

Chap. VI IL — //. The Confraternity. 259

Finally, I recommend to you to come to the confra
ternity for the sole purpose of attending to your devo
tions. Let each one occupy his place, observe obedience,
and fulfil the task that has been given to him, seeking
only to save his soul in the confraternity. If you act in
this way, you will see that the Mother of God will pro
tect you, soul and body ; particularly at the hour of
death will she assist you with maternal tenderness.

Oh, how consoling it is at death to have served Mary !
Father Binet relates that a pious servant of the Blessed
Virgin, whom he assisted in his last moments, said these
words to him before dying. "O my Father! if you only
knew what contentment I feel for having served the
Mother of God ! I cannot express to you the joy that I
experience at this moment." And he died in celestial
peace. — I believe that a death full of consolation is
reserved specially for the members who frequent the
confraternity. The Duke of Popoli said that all the
graces that he had received from God had been given
to him through the hands of Mary, because he had fre
quented the confraternity. At the moment of death he
called his son and said to him: "My son, frequent the
confraternity of the Blessed Virgin ; it is the greatest
inheritance that I can leave you ; it is that which I
leave you."

ACTS OK THANKSGIVING AND PROMISE TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
\ Now, my dear brethren, let us all prostrate ourselves
at the feet of our Sovereign, and let us promise her not
to neglect the confraternity; let each one repeat after
me the following prayer :

Ah ! my Queen and mother, I should now be in hell ;
it is thou who through thy intercession hast hitherto pre
served me from it : I thank thee to-day for this benefit,
and I ask thy pardon for the number of times that I
have without a reason neglected to attend the confra
ternity. How many sins would I have avoided had I

260 Exercises of the Missions.

attended it ! Pardon me, O my Mother ! and pray thy
divine Son to pardon me all the offences that I have
given to him.— Yes, O my Jesus ! by the blood that
Thou hast shed for me, and also by the love of Mary,
pardon me ; for I repent, etc. — (Let us now make our
promise by saying:) O Mother of God ! I promise thee
that in future I will never without a good reason neglect
any more the confraternity ; I promise this to thee, and
I give my consent that thou shouldst punish me if I fail
to keep it. And thou, my Queen, help me in all my
necessities, and principally in all the dangers in which I
shall find myself of offending God. Above all, O my
tender Mother ! do not abandon me at the hour of
death ; assist me at this decisive moment, and let me
die under thy mantle.

But you, my brethren, do not forget then to invoke
her, and she will certainly come to your aid. Be, there
fore, faithful to the promise that you have to-day made
to Mary, and I promise you in her name that she will
protect you during life and at your death. If you come
to honor her in this chapel, she will one day lead you to
paradise to reign there with her. Now I am going to
bless you also in the name of Mary, in order that you
may keep the promise that you have made to her.
(Here the blessing is given with the crucifix.)

THE SECRET CONFRATERNITY.

It would also be of very great benefit to establish in
honor of the Mother of God the SECRET CONFRATERNITY
of the most fervent members. I will here briefly indi
cate the exercises that are usually performed in the
secret confraternities : i. A half-hour's spiritual read
ing is made ; 2. The Vespers and Compline of the Holy
Ghost are recited ; 3. The Litany of the saints is said,
and the members appointed then perform some act of
mortification, as the carrying of the cross on the shoul-

Chap. VIIL — ///. Discourse to Maidens, 261

ders, and the like ; 4. A quarter of an hour's meditation
on the Passion of Jesus Christ is made ; 5. Each one ac
cuses himself of the faults committed against the rules,
and receives a penance therefor from the Director ; 6
A member appointed reads the nosegay of mortifications
practised during the week, and announces the coming
novenas, etc.; 7. Finally, the discipline is taken during
a Miserere and a Salve Regina, and every one kisses the
feet of the crucifix placed at the foot of the altar.
As for the rules, the following are What the members
should observe: i. Every day, mental prayer of half an
hour, visit to the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed
Virgin, examination of conscience in the evening, spiri
tual reading, recommendation to God of souls in purga
tory and of sinners ; 2. The avoiding of plays and of
worldly amusements; 3. Frequent Communion, and the
practice of some mortification, as the cilicium^ the disci
pline, etc.; 4. When a member becomes sick, all the rest
are obliged to visit him.*

III.
The Discourse to Maidens.

St. Ignatius, Martyr, writing to his disciples, exhorted
them carefully to watch over the virgins, so that they
might be constant in the promise that they had made to
Jesus Christ of their virginity, which is so precious a gift
before God. Virgins consecrated to the love of the di
vine Spouse are called by St. Cyprian the most noble
part of the Church.1 Therefore, besides St. Cyprian,
several among the holy Fathers, as St. Ephrem, St. Am
brose, St. John Chrysostom, and others, have composed
works that treat entirely of the praises of virginity.
" Illustrior portio gregis Christi." — De Discip. et Hub. Virg.

* Further details in regard to confraternities may be found in the
GLORIES OF MARY, Volume VIII., page 155.

262 Exercises of the Missions.

The glorious Apostle St. Matthew, as Denis the Carthu
sian relates, did not wish to allow the virgin St. Iphi-
genia, who was consecrated to Jesus Christ, to marry a
monarch, although he promised to embrace the faith
with all his people. Thomas Cantipratensis relates that
at Rome the sister of the Count of Puglia, promised in
marriage by his brother to a lord, fled in the disguise
of a man so as not to be forced to marry ; but she was
pursued by her brother, and overtaken near a rock that
projected into the sea. Putting her confidence in God,
she threw herself into the abyss, and afterwards walked
upon the water as far as a desert in. Greece, where she
remained safe. I wished to quote these examples to
show that it is not a useless work, but a work that is
very agreeable to God, when priests take care to exhort
young persons to consecrate to Jesus Christ the lily of
their virginity. This is the reason why in our missions
it is customary, on the morning of one of the last days,
that a missionary, assisted by another priest advanced
in years, addresses in a retired place an instruction on
this point -to all the young women.

EXAMPLE OF A DISCOURSE TO YOUNG WOMEN.

My dear sisters, I do not pretend to explain to you in
this discourse all the merits and all the advantages ob
tained by young maidens in consecrating their virginity
to Jesus Christ. I will confine myself to pointing them
out briefly.

First, they become in the eyes of God beautiful as the
angels of heaven : They shall be as the angels of God in
heaven? Baronius2 relates that at the death of a pious
virgin, named Geogia, a great number of doves were
seen flying about her ; and when her body was carried
to the church, these doves placed themselves on the part

1 " Erunt sicut Angeli Dei in coelo." — Matt. xxii. 30.
'2 Ann. 480.

Chap. VIII. — ///. Discourse to Maidens. 263

of the roof which corresponded to the place where the
coffin was put, and flew away only after the burial of
the deceased. Every one believed that these doves were
angels, who thus honored her virginal body.

Moreover, when a young person renounces the world
and devotes herself to the love of Jesus Christ, she be
comes the spouse of the Son of God. In the Gospel our
Saviour is called now Father, now Mother, now Shepherd
of Souls; but in regard to virgins he calls himself their
Bridegroom or Spouse: They went out to meet their bride
groom.1

A young person who wishes to establish herself in the
world, if she is prudent, makes careful inquiries about
those that aspire to her hand, and tries to know which
among them is the noblest and richest. Let us, then,
address ourselves to the Spouse of the Canticles, who
knows very well the prerogatives of the divine Spouse,
and let us ask him what he isi — Tell me, O divine Spouse!
what is he who loves thee and renders thee the most
happy among all women ? — My beloved is white and ruddy,
chosen out of thousands? My beloved, she says, is all
white by his purity, and is ruddy by the love with
which he is inflamed ; 'he is, in a word, so beautiful, so
noble, so affable, that one finds him to be the most
amiable among all spouses.

When to St. Agnes was offered as her spouse the son
of the Prefect of Rome, this glorious virgin was right
when she answered, as St. Ambrose tells us, that she
had found a far better match.3

Such was also the answer of St. Domitilla, niece of
the Emperor Domitian, which she gave to persons who
tried to persuade her that she could be married to Count

" Exierunt obviarn Sponso." — Matt. xxv. i.

2 " Dilectus meus candidus, et rubicundus, electus ex millibus." —
Cant. \. 10.

" Sponsum offertis ; meliorem reperi." — De Virg. 1. i.

264 Exercises of the Missions.

Aurelian, since he consented that she should remain a
Christian: " But, tell me," she answered them, "if to a
young woman there was presented, on the one hand, a
great monarch, and on the other, a poor plebeian, which
of the two would she choose for a husband ? To accept
Aurelian, I should have to renounce the King of heaven;
this would be folly, and I do not wish to be guilty of it."
Hence in order to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, to
whom she had consecrated her virginity, she gave her
self up to be burnt alive — a punishment to which her
barbarous lover had condemned her.1

Generous souls who renounce the world for the love
of Jesus Christ, become the cherished spouses of the Son
of God. They are called First-fruits of the Lamb: First-
fruits to God and to the Lamb? Why the First-fruits?
Because, says Cardinal Hugo, as the first-fruits are
more agreeable than others, so virgins are objects of
the Lord's predilection. The divine Spouse is nour
ished among the lilies: Who feedeth among the lilies.
And what are these lilies, if not fervent souls who con
secrate their virginity to Jesus Christ ? Venerable Bede
assures us that the chant of the virgins, that is, the
honor which the virgins render to God by preserving to
him intact the lily of their purity, is more agreeable to
the Lord than the chant of all the other saints. In fact,
the Holy Ghost declares that no good can compensate
for the merit of virginity. No price is worthy of a conti
nent soul.' For this reason, according to Cardinal Hugo,
one can obtain a dispensation from all other vows, but
not from the vow of virginity. It is also on this account
that theologians believe that the Blessed Virgin would

1 Croiset, Exerc. 12 Mai.

2 " Primitise Deo et Agno."— A foe. xiv. 4.

3 " Qui pascitur inter lilia."— Cant. iv. 16.

4 " Omnis poqderatio non est digna continentis animae/' — Ecclus.
xxvi. 20.

Chap. r//7. — ///. Discourse to Maidens. 265

have been disposed to renounce the sublime dignity of
the Mother of God rather than lose the treasure of her
virginity.

Who then here below can ever comprehend the glory
that God reserves in paradise for his chaste spouses ?
Doctors teach that in heaven virgins have their own
glory, which is a certain crown or a special joy, of which
other holy souls are deprived.

But let us pass to what directly refers to the subject
that we actually have in view.

A young person will say: If I marry can I not also
sanctify myself?—! wish you to hear the answer to this,
not from my mouth, but from that of St. Paul; you will
also see at the same time the difference between virgins
and married persons. The following are the words of
the Apostle: The unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh
on the things of the Lord : that she may be holy both in body
and in spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things
of the^ivorld, how she may please her husband? Then he
adds: This I speak for your profit: . . . for that which is
decent, and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord
without impediment. 2

Let us ponder well this advice of the Apostle. Tn the
first place, I must remark that married women can, it is
true, be holy in spirit but not in body, while a virgin
that sanctifies herself is holy in spirit and in body, having
consecrated to Jesus Christ her virginity: Holy both in
body and in spirit. Note, moreover, these words: Which
may give you power to attend upon the Lord without impedi
ment. — Ah ! how many obstacles have not married

1 " Mulier innupta et virgo cogitat quse Domini sunt, ut sit sancta
corpora et spiritu; quae autem nupta est, cogitat quae sunt mundi,
quomodo placeat viro." — i Cor. vii. 34.

2 " Porro hoc ad utilitatem vestram dico, ... ad id quod honestum
est, et quod facilitate m preheat sine impedimento Dominum obse-
crandi." — Ibid. vii. 35.

266 Exercises of the Missions,

women in order to sanctify themselves ! the higher
their rank the greater obstacles do they encounter. In
order to sanctify one's self one must use the means, es
pecially apply one's self much to mental prayer, fre
quent often the sacraments, and think without ceasing
of God. But how can a married woman find time to
occupy herself with the things of God ? She that is
married thinks on the things of the world, how she may
please her husband. She must, says St. Paul, occupy
herself with the things of the world; she has to provide
for the wants of her family, for food, for clothing; she
has to watch over the education of her children, to
please her husband and the relatives of her husband;
and this will be the cause, adds the Apostle, why her
heart will be divided, as she is obliged to divide her
affections between her husband, her children, and God.
How can a married woman devote herself much to mental
prayer and go frequently to Holy Communion if she
does not find enough at home to provide for the wants
of her family ? The husband-wishes to be served; the
children cry, scream, or ask for a thousand things; how
can she go to make meditation amidst so many occupa
tions and embarrassments ? It will hardly be permitted
her to go to church to recollect herself and to receive
Communion on Sundays. She will still have a good will;
but it will be very difficult for her to attend to the things
of God as she should. It is true that by this very pri
vation she may gain merit by resigning herself to the
will of God, who in this state requires of her only a con
tinual sacrifice of resignation and of patience. But in
the midst of so many distractions, of so much noise
without meditation, without the sacraments, it will be
morally impossible for her to have this heroic virtue of
patience and resignation.

Ah, would to God that married women would have
nothing else to deplore than to be deprived of the time

Chap. nil. — IIL Discourse to Maidens. 267

necessary to attend to their devotions ! The greatest
evil is the danger in which these unfortunate persons
continually find themselves of losing the grace of God,
being obliged to see frequently their brothers-in-law or
other relatives, or friends of their husband, either at
home or elsewhere. Of this young persons are igno
rant; but this is well known by married women, who are
every day exposed to all these dangers, and is also well
known by the confessors who hear them. We do not
speak of the sad days which all married women must
spend. The bad conduct of the husband, the disagree
able things caused by the children, the necessities of
housekeeping, dependence on a mother-in-law or sisters-
in-law, the pains of child-birth that is always accom
panied by danger of death, suspicions, troubles of con
science in regard to the education of the children — all
"this forms a chain of tribulations in which married
women can only lament, happy indeed if they do not
lose their soul, and if God gives them the grace not to
pass from the hell of this life to an eternal hell in the
next. Such is the lot that awaits young women who
give themselves up to the world.

But you will say, Among all the married women are
there none that have sanctified themselves ? — I beg your
pardon, there are some; but who are they ? Those that
sanctify themselves by martyrdom, those that know
how to suffer everything for God, with a patience that
nothing can overcome. How many are there that rise
to such perfection ? They are as rare as white flies.
And if you meet with any one of these, you will learn
that she is always weeping for regret of having entered
the world, while she could have consecrated herself to
Jesus Christ. For myself, I do not remember to have
ever found among married women a single pious person
who was content with her state of life.

True happiness is therefore the inheritance of virgins

268 Exercises of the Missions.

consecrated to Jesus Christ. They are free from the
dangers to which married persons are necessarily ex
posed. Their affections are not fixed on children, nor
on men of the world, nor on perishable goods, nor on
vain ornaments, nor on any kind of dependence. While
married women are obliged to adorn themselves with
care, and at great expense, to appear in the world
according to their rank and to please their husbands, a
virgin consecrated to Jesus Christ needs to cover her
self only with a garment, however common it may be; she
would even create scandal if she dressed herself with
elegance. Moreover, virgins are not troubled with the
care of a house, a family, a husband; their sole concern,
the only desire of their hearts, is to please Jesus Christ,
to whom they have dedicated their souls, their bodies,
and all their affections. Thus they have more liberty of
spirit to think of God, and more time to give themselves
up to prayer and the frequentation of the sacraments.

But let us hear the excuses put forward by certain
persons that have but little love for Jesus Christ.

I would renounce the world, one says, if I could enter
a convent, or at least if it were always permitted me to
go to church to make my devotions there; but I cannot
remain at home, or I have brothers who ill-treat me, and
on the other hand, my relatives refuse to allow me to
frequent the church. — Before answering you, I shall put
this question to you: Do you wish to leave the world
to lead a comfortable life or to sanctify yourself; to do
your will or that of Jesus Christ ? And if you wish to
leave the world, to sanctify yourself, and to please Jesus
Christ, I ask you a second question: Tell me: in what
does sanctity consist? Sanctity does not consist in re
maining in the convent, nor in spending the entire day
in the church, but it consists, on the one hand, in prac
tising mental prayer and going to communion when
one can, and on the other, in obeying, in rendering one's

Chap. VI I L — ///. Discourse to Maidens. 269

self useful to the house, in living in retirement, and in
suffering pain and contempt for God. And if you were
going to a convent, what, think you, would you do there ?
Would you always be there in the choir, or in your cell,
leaving it only in order to go to the refectory and to
recreation ? In the convent there is no doubt a time
fixed for meditation, for Mass, and for Communion; but
after that, the religious must be employed in the service
of the house, especially the lay-sisters, who, as they do not
go to the choir, are engaged in work, and have conse
quently less time to devote to prayer. All say, the con
vent, the convent! Ah! pious persons who are poor
have greater facility to devote themselves to prayer and
to sanctify themselves in their own house than in the
convent! How many are there who to my knowledge
are sorry for having entered the convent, especially in
certain houses where the community is large, and where
the poor lay-sisters have scarcely time to say the Rosary.
But you will reply: I have a father and a mother who
have a disagreeable temper; I have at home impertinent
brothers, who ill-treat me; I cannot remain there. —
Well, if you go out into the world, will you find no one
to contradict you; no mother-in-law, no sisters-in-law,
no children, no husband ? Ah! how infamous the treat
ment on the part of husbands, who at first make fine
promises, and afterwards are no longer husbands, but
become the tyrants of their unfortunate wives, whom
they treat no longer as their companions, but as slaves!
Ask all married women whether what I say is not true;
or rather, without making inquiries, have you not
already learnt this truth from the example of your
mothers? At least, when you have given yourselves to
(rod, if you have to suffer at home, you bear all for the
love of Jesus Christ, and the Lord well knows how to
make your cross light and sweet; but what a pain to
have to suffer, and to suffer for the world, without con-

2 70 Exercises of the Missions.

solation and without merit! Believe me, if Jesus calls
you to his love, if he wishes you for his spouses, listen
without fear to his voice; you will not fail to be con
soled and even to rejoice in the midst of sufferings.
This will, however, only be the case as long as you love
him and conduct yourselves as his true spouses.

Learn, then, what are the means that you should use
so as to live as true spouses of Jesus Christ, and to at
tain sanctity.

In order that a virgin may be holy, it is not sufficient
that she should preserve her virginity and that she be
called a spouse of Jesus Christ: it will be necessary that
she should practise the virtues that are proper to a
spouse of Jesus Christ. We read in the Gospel l that
heaven is like virgins; but what virgins ? — no doubt wise,
but not foolish, virgins. Wise virgins were led to the
nuptials; but the foolish found the doors shut, and the
Bridegroom said to them: I know you not: You are
virgins, but I do not recognize you as my spouses. — The
true spouses of Jesus Christ follow their divine Spouse
wherever he goes: These follow the Lamb whithersoever
he goeth? What is it to follow the spouse? St. Augus
tine3 explains this to us: It is to imitate him by walk
ing in his foosteps in body and in soul. After having
consecrated to him your body, you must give him your
whole heart, so that your heart may be entirely occu
pied in loving him.

i. The first means is mental prayer, to which you
should particularly apply yourselves. But do not be
lieve that in order to make mental prayer it is necessary
to be in the convent or to spend the entire day in the
church. It is true that at home there is often noise, and
there is much disturbance caused by persons who come

1 Matt. xxv. I.

- '• Sequuntur agnum quocumque ierit. " — Apoc. xiv. 4.

2 DC S. Virginit. c 27.

Chap. VI I L — ///. Discourse to Maidens. 271

and go; however, if one wishes one can always find a
place and a time for devoting one's self to prayer, as
when the house is more quiet, either in the morning be
fore others rise, or in the evening after they have re
tired. Nor is it necessary, in order to pray, that one
should always be on one's knees: one may meditate
even while working or while walking, when there is no
other more suitable time; it is sufficient if one occupies
one's self with God, as when one reflects on the Passion
of Jesus Christ or on some other pious subject.

2. The second means is the frequentation of the
sacraments of confession and Communion. — For con
fession we should choose a Director to whom we should
be entirely submissive; without doing so we should not
walk on the right road. — As for Communion, it must
depend entirely on obedience; but we must desire it and
ask for it. This divine bread needs a soul that hungers
after it; Jesus Christ wishes us to have a longing for
him. It is frequent Communion that makes the spouses
of Jesus Christ faithful to this heavenly Spouse, particu
larly in keeping them in holy purity. The Blessed
Sacrament preserves in the soul all the virtues; but it is
especially effective in preserving intact the lily of vir
ginity, according to the words of the Prophet, who calls
it: The corn of the chosen ones, and wine ivhicli maketh vir
gins to spring forth. '

3. The third means is retirement and vigilance. — The
divine Spouse compares his well-beloved to a lily sur
rounded by thorns: As the lily among thorns, so is My love
among daughters?' If a virgin wishes to live in the midst
of society, of amusements, and other worldly frivolities,
it will be impossible for he'r to remain faithful to Jesus
Christ; she must, therefore, keep herself constantly

" Frumentum electorum et vinum germinans virgines." — Za..h. ix,
I?

" Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic arnica mea inter filias." — Cant. il. 2.

272 Exercises of the Missions.

among the thorns of obedience and of mortification, and
should behave, especially towards men, not only with
the greatest reserve and the greatest modesty in her
looks and her words, but also when necessary with a rigid
austerity, and even with rudeness. Such are the thorns
that preserve lilies, that is, virgins; without these pre
cautions they would soon go astray. — The Lord also
compares the beauty of his spouse to that of the turtle
dove: Thy cheeks are beautiful as the turtle-dove's} Why ?
Because the turtle-dove is naturally inclined to flee the
company of other birds, and loves to be always alone.
A virgin, therefore, appears beautiful in the eyes of
Jesus Christ when she leads a retired life, and does all
she can to keep herself retired and hidden from the eyes
of others. St. Jerome says that this Spouse of souls is
jealous.2 Hence it is very displeasing to him to see a
virgin, after having consecrated herself to his love,
seeking to appear in the world and to please men.
Those persons that are truly virtuous prefer to disfigure
themselves rather than be the object of a bad desire.—
The venerable Sister Catharine of Jesus, before be
coming a religious of St. Teresa, washed herself with
dirty water, and then exposed herself to the sun so as
to spoil her complexion. — Bollandus3 relates that St.
Andregesina, having been promised in marriage, begged
the Lord to make her quite deformed, and her prayer
was immediately heard. She at once appeared covered
with leprosy so that every one fled from her; but after
the espousals had been dissolved, she recovered her
former beauty. — We read in the Mirror of Examples,
that there was in a convent a young virgin who had
consecrated herself to God, and whose eyes had charmed
a prince. The latter having threatened to set fire to the

1 " Pulchra sunt gense tuse sicut turturis.*' — Cant. i. 9.

2 " Zelotypus est Jesus." — Ep. ad Eust.

3 Vita S. Ansb. g. febr.

Chap. VIIL—HL Discourse to Maidens. 273

convent if she did not yield to his desires, what did she
do ? She tore out her eyes, and sent them to him in a
basin with this message: " Here are the darts that have
wounded your heart ; take them, and leave me un
touched."— The same author also quotes the example of
St. Euphemia, whom her father had promised in mar
riage to a count. Seeing that this suitor neglected no
means to make her his wife, she one day took a knife
and cut off her nose and her lips, saying: " Vain beauty,
thou shalt not be to me any longer an occasion of sin!"
Baronius ' also relates that St. Ebba, abbess of the mon
astery of Coldingham, fearing an invasion of the bar
barians, cut off her nose and her upper lip as far as the
teeth, and that after her example all the other religious,
to the number of thirty, did the same thing. The bar
barians actually came, and seeing them thus disfigured,
they became furious, set fire to the monastery, and made
all perish in the flames. The Church honors them as
martyrs. — They were incited to this heroic act by an
impulse of the Holy Ghost ; it is not permitted to others
to act in this way. You see, moreover, in these examples
what virgins who love Jesus Christ have done in order
to escape the lust of men. Every fervent young maiden
should at least endeavor to conduct herself with modesty,
and expose herself as little as possible to the gaze of the
world. If it should unfortunately happen that a virgin
should be the victim of any violence, without her fault,
let her be assured that her purity has not been tarnished.
Hence St. Lucia answered the tyrant, who threatened to
have her dishonored: " If I am outraged against my will,
I shall obtain a double crown." We know the adage :
"Not the feeling, but the consent, wounds the soul."
Besides, you must be convinced that a young maiden
who conducts herself with modesty and reserve will not
fail to make herself respected.

1 Anno 870, n. 39.
18

274 Exercises of the Missions.

4. The fourth means in order to preserve purity is the
mortification of the senses. — St. Basil says: "It is alto
gether improper fora virgin to violate chastity, with the
tongue, with the ears, with the touch, much less with
•the heart."1 A virgin, in order to remain pure, should
be chaste with her tongue, by always speaking modestly,
and only through necessity with men, and in this case
in a few words ; chaste with her cars, by avoiding to
listen to discourses about the things of the world ;
chaste with her eyes, by keeping them shut or lowered to
the ground in the presence of men ; chaste with regard
to the touch, by using the greatest precaution both in
regard to others and in regard to herself; but she should
be especially chaste in her heart by trying to resist every
immodest thought by promptly having recourse to Jesus
and Mary. — For this purpose it will also be necessary
for her to mortify her body by fasts, by abstinence, by
disciplines, by ciliciums ; but in order to practise these
mortifications permission from the confessor must be
asked : without this they would be rather hurtful to the
soul, as they might inspire one with pride. No one
should therefore practise such penances without having
obtained permission from one's Director; but one should
desire the permission and ask it, for Directors do not
grant it as long as" we do not show them a desire to ob
tain it. Jesus is a Spouse of blood ; he has espoused
our souls on the cross, on which he has shed the last
drop of his blood: A bloody spouse thou art to me? This is
the reason why spouses that love him love to suffer
tribulations, diseases, pains, ill-treatment, injuries, and
they receive them not only with patience, but with joy.
In this sense the passage of Scripture is understood,
namely: These follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth?

" Nulla in parte moechari convenit virginem, non lingua, non aure,
non oculo, non tactu, multoque minus animo." — De Vera Virg.

" Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es." — Exod. iv. 25.

" Sequuntur Agnum quocumque ierit." — A foe. xiv. 4.

Chap. VIIL — ///. 'Discourse to Maidens. 275

They follow Jesus their divine Spouse by singing his
praises with joy, even in the midst of reproaches and
pains, after the example of so many holy martyrs who
expressed their happiness amid tortures, or while they
were on their way to the place of execution.

5. Finally, in order to obtain the grace of perseverance
in a holy life, you should take care often to recommend
yourselves to the Queen of heaven, the most pure
Mother of God. She is the mediatress who prepares
and who concludes the union of souls with her divine
Son ; it is she that introduces and presents them to him
as his spouses: After her shall virgins be brought to the
King' It is she, finally, that obtains for these chosen
spouses the virtue of perseverance ; without the help of
Mary they would become so many faithless spouses.

PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST.

(The preacher, after having made all his hearers go
down on their knees at the foot of the crucifix, or a
statue of the Infant Jesus, which would suit better
under the circumstances, thus continues:)

You, then, who are listening to me — I am addressing
myself to young maidens who feel themselves called by
the divine Spouse to renounce the world for the love of
him — you who have conceived the pious design of not
belonging to the world, but to Jesus Christ, I do not
wish that you should on this very day make this vow,
and that you should contract immediately the engage
ment to keep perpetual chastity; you should make this
vow when God inspires you and when you have obtained
for this purpose the consent of your confessor. I wish
only that by a simple act, without contracting any obli
gation, you should render thanks to Jesus Christ for the
favor that he has done you of having called you to his
love, and that you should offer yourselves to belong

1 " Adducentur Regi virgines post earn." — Ps. xliv. 15.

276 Exercises of the Missions.

entirely to him during your whole life. Speak to him
in the following manner :

Ah ! my Jesus, my God and my Redeemer, who didst
die for me; pardon me if I also call Thee my Spouse : I
am bold enough to do so, because I see that Thou
deignest to invite me to this honor ; it is a favor for
which I know not how to thank Thee. At present I
deserve to be in hell, and instead of punishing me Thou
wishest me to become Thy spouse. Yes, my divine
Spouse, I renounce the world, I renounce everything
for love of Thee, and I give myself entirely to Thee.
What is the world to me? My Jesus, Thou shalt hence
forth be my only good, my only love. I see that Thou
wishest to possess my whole heart; I wish to give it to
Thee entirely: please accept my offering; do not repel
me as I deserve to be repelled. Forget all the dis
pleasure that I have given Thee in the past ; I repent
of it with my whole soul ; ah ! would that I had died
before offending Thee ! Pardon me, inflame me with
Thy holy love, and grant me the grace to be faithful to
Thee, and never more to turn my back on Thee. Thou,
my Spouse, hast given Thyself entirely to me ; here I
am, I give myself entirely to Thee.

O Mary, my Queen and my Mother ! bind, chain my
heart to Jesus Christ, and attach it in such a manner
that it may never be separated from him.

(At the end, the preacher gives them the blessing with
the crucifix, saying:)

Now I am going to bless you, and by this blessing I
wish to unite you to Jesus Christ in order that you may
never more leave him; and while I am blessing you, you
should give him your heart, saying :

My Jesus, my divine Spouse, in future I will love Thee,
Thee alone, and nothing more.

Chap. IX. Exercises after the j\Iission. — /. 277

CHAPTER IX.

EXERCISES OF PIETY WHICH ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE
PERFORMED AFTER THE MISSION.

I.
Exercises to be Performed by the People.

i. WE should recommend to the people meditation in
common in the church ; ! this can be more easily done
in the morning during the first Mass in the following
manner: A priest or a cleric, before the beginning of
Mass, reads at first the preparatory acts mentioned in
the book, then a short point of meditation, and the Mass
begins immediately, the people continuing to meditate
on the point that has been read; after the consideration
another point is read; and at the end of Mass the Chris
tian Acts, which are also found in the book, are recited.

It must be remarked that the priest who presides at
the meditation should read and not dictate it. It is
true that many priests would have the talent to develop
the subject of meditation ; but if one adopted this
method, two inconveniences would result therefrom.
The first is that the priest who dictates the meditation
would be easily led to speak the whole time, and the peo
ple would thus become accustomed, not to meditate, but
to listen; so that if any one should not be able to come to
the church, and should have no one to dictate the medi
tation, not knowing how to meditate by himself, he
would do nothing. The second inconvenience is that
this priest will not be able, nor would he be willing, to
1 See what is said on this subject, page 231, and seq.

278 Exercises of the Missions.

be always present at the exercise, and if he were absent,
this useful devotion would not take place. This has
occurred in certain places where a priest had begun to
dictate every day the meditation for the people ; but
afterwards, either because he found the number that
attended too small, or because he grew tired of such an
office, he omitted it, and thus the meditation in common
was given up. The meditation should, therefore, be
read, and be read in a loud voice and with pauses, so
that all may hear it and understand it. Moreover, it is
strongly recommended never to omit this pious and use
ful exercise, even when only a few persons attend, as
very often happens ; it suffices if one sees some of the
faithful persevere in this exercise.

2. The visit to the Blessed Sacrament should be recom
mended ; it is made in the following manner: A priest,
vested in surplice and stole, exposes the Ciborium before
six burning candles, and then reads the Christian Acts,
such as are found in the little book composed for this
exercise. It will be well to make this visit about sunset,
when the people have returned from the fields. After
this the acts are read out of the book composed for this
purpose.1

3. The devotion of visiting the crosses should also be
recommended.2

4. One should recommend devotion for the dying, namely,
when a person of the place is in his agony: this should be
announced by five strokes of the large bell, and every
one should recite a Pater and an Ave for the happy pas
sage of this soul into eternity.

5. One should recommend the pious exercises for young
women to be performed every Sunday in some church or
chapel, in the following manner :

At first the Rosary is recited, and is concluded by the

1 The Acts are to be found at the end of this work.

2 See page 247.

Chap. IX. Exercises after the ^Mission. — /. 279

singing of a pious hymn. Then the priest, who has
been appointed, gives a short instruction on all that
those present have to practise during the week, accord
ing to the rules given afterwards. He then teaches
them how they should make mental prayer, the acts for
Communion, for the visit to the Blessed Sacrament, for
the Mass, and even for the time of work ; how they
should frequently raise their mind to God. He also
instructs them on the virtues, mortification, humility,
patience, and particularly prayer ; how they should
recommend themselves to God, in the morning, the
evening, during the day, and especially in temptations,
by often invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary
until the temptation ceases.

After this instruction the Rosary of the sorrows of the
Blessed Virgin is recited. A conclusion is made by a
little sermon or a short meditation, which lasts only a
quarter of an hour, inclusively of the act of contrition.
The matter of the discourse, or meditation, should usu
ally be sin, death, judgment, hell, paradise, eternity, or
the Passion of Jesus Christ.

The discourse finished, all those present are sent to
make together a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and to
the Blessed Virgin ; after this they return home. The
whole exercise should not last longer than an hour and
a half.

The preacher will appoint two of the older members,
who shall have the care of the -others, shall see that the
recitation of the Rosary is begun, and also who are ab
sent, so as to give information of such absence to their
parents. He will also appoint two others to act as over
seers, whose duty it will be to notify the authorities if
any one should behave badly, that thus she may be cor
rected.

280 Exercises of the Missions.

RULES OF CONDUCT AND PRACTICES OF DEVOTION WHICH SHOULD BE

OBSERVED BY EVERY UNMARRIED WOMAN WHO PERFORMS

THE Pious EXERCISES.

1. In the morning, on rising, she should thank the
Lord, then make an offering of all that she is to do and
to suffer during the day; then she shall say three " Hail
Marys," that the Blessed Virgin may keep her under
her protection during the day and preserve her from
every sin.

2. She should make mental prayer during half an hour,
or at least a quarter of an hour, on the Passion of Jesus
Christ or on the eternal truths, and this at the time and
at the place most suitable for her — either in the church
or at home.

3. She should hear Mass every time that she is able,
and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, if not in the
church, at least at home.

4. In the evening she should make the examination
of conscience with the Christian Acts, of faith, hope,
charity, and contrition ; and before going to bed, she
should again place herself under the protection of the
Blessed Virgin Mary, by saying three "Hail Marys."

5. She should receive Communion every Sunday, and
oftener if she can, but always in accordance with the
advice of her spiritual Father.

6. In honor of Mary she should recite every day five
decades of the Rosary ; she should fast every Saturday
on bread and water, or as well as she can, and during
the novenas of the seven feasts of the Blessed Virgin,
according as the preacher may direct.

7. She should try always to lead a retired life, avoid
going to banquets, to festivals, and frequenting the
houses of others, even of relatives. She should flee as
from death the danger that is to her of joking and
laughing with men ; if through necessity she must

Chap. IX. Exercises after tJie Mission. — //. 281

speak to them, she should do so in a few words and
with her eyes cast down. She should never remain at
the window or be seated at the door of the house, and
should never sing profane songs.

8. She should keep silence in the church and in the
streets ; she should even keep silence for an hour when
at. home.

9. She should dress modestly, wearing a garment of a
dark color and a veil when she goes to church or walks
the streets. She should wear neither gold nor jewels,
nor any other object of vanity.

10. She should avoid every venial sin committed
wilfully, especially lies, imprecations, and acts of im
patience. She should patiently bear sufferings, injuries,
and all contradictions, and then say: My Jesus, may all
be for Thee. Mary, my Mother, give me patience. May
God sanctify me ! etc.

n. She "should obey her confessor in all that regards
her soul, and her parents in whatever regards the gov
ernment of the house. I said: "The government of the
house;" for if her parents wished to marry her by force,
she would not be obliged to obey.

12. At the death of any member who has frequented
the exercises, all the others should offer up for her five
Communions, and say the Rosary for her for a week.

II.

The Exercises that are to be Recommended to the Priests.

As for the priests of the place, we should recommend
to them, chiefly, the frequentation of their Congregation,
at which, first, a quarter of an hour's spiritual reading
should be made, then a quarter of an hour's meditation;
afterwards a case of conscience is proposed. It would
also be well for the instruction of young ecclesiastics to
exercise them in preaching sermons, or instructions, or

282 Exercises of tJie Missions.

exhortations, which are to be given at Christmas or dur
ing Passion week. At least, the conference of cases of
conscience should not be omitted, and should be given
in the following manner : First, he who has been ap
pointed shall propose come question and give the rea
sons for and against, and conclude by expressing his
own opinion; then the others shall bring forward their
own views and raise difficulties.

Besides this exercise of the Congregation, an effort
should be made to establish, if possible, an academia for
moral cases, in which, two or three times a week, every
one in his turn shall explain a treatise, so that when one
has finished, another may begin ; the most important
treatise may thus be discussed, for example: De Restitu-
tione, de Contractibus, de Pcenitentia, de Matrimonio, de
Censuris, de Conscientia, de. Lcgibus, de Prceceptis Decalogi,
etc. — Tt is certain that we learn much more in these con
ferences than in ail the studies to which we apply our
selves in our rooms. The fact is, Moral Theology is a
science so vast and so complicated that he that studies
it by himself without discussing it with others reads
much, but will retain little. In the academia, however,
not only are the principles learnt better, but they are
better impressed upon the mind, and by thus applying
themselves many priests render themselves capable of
assisting souls and avoiding at the same time idleness,
which usually is the cause that leads so many 'secular
priests astray.

It is also to be recommended to parish priests, and to
other capable priests, to preach every Saturday evening,
in honor of the Blessed Virgin, a little sermon, which is
to be concluded by the narration of some grace granted
by the Blessed Virgin to her servants, with a prayer at
the end asking for her protection. Moreover, we should
also recommend that the priests should make every year,
on some feast of Mary, a solemn novena, with exposition

Chap. IX, Exercises after the Mission. — //. 283

of the Blessed Sacrament and sermon every day of the
novena. The priests should keep before their minds the
promises made by this divine Mother to those that seek
to honor her, according to what is read in her Office:
They that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me,
shall have life everlasting?

"Qui operantur in me, nnn peccabunt. Qui elucidant me, vitam
seternam habebunt." — Ecclus. xxiv. 30.

284 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER X.

GENERAL REMARKS ABOUT THE GIVING OF MISSIONS.

I. — WHEN several villages happen to be situated at a
short distance from one another, there are Superiors
who are accustomed to give a mission in a church that
occupies a central position, imagining that the people
of the surrounding places will attend this mission, and
thus a single mission will suffice for all the villages to
gether. In this way these Superiors reason, and act
accordingly.

For myself, I say that such a mission will not be of
use to any of the neighboring villages; it will hardly be
of benefit to the place where it is given; and even for
the latter it can have but little success on account of the
confusion and the concourse of inhabitants from other
places ; for if only a few people were to come from the
different villages, they would form a large number, but
usually very little fruit would be produced. Missions
of this kind would serve only for the purpose of being
able to say that a mission has been given in those places;
but to tell the truth, one should say that none has been
given. The following are my reasons: The fruit derived
by the people in attending the mission consists in hear
ing the sermons, and in hearing all or nearly all of them
in the order in which they are preached in the missions.
This series of sermons on the eternal truths, namely, the
importance of salvation, the malice of sin, final impeni
tence, etc., with the four Last Things, is that which
makes, so to speak, a powerful assault Upon souls
plunged in the mire of sin, and gains them to Jesus

Chap. X. — Remarks about the Missions. 285

Christ. Now when the mission is given in a church for
several of the neighboring places, it happens that the
greater part of those that come from the surrounding
villages do not hear all the sermons; they scarcely hear
two or three of them; for as the mission is given outside
of their place, they attend it, each one in his turn, so as
not to leave their homes without protection; and then, in
order to be soon enough back to their homes, those that
come from afar often leave the sermon at the most im
portant part of it. Moreover, such a mission is profita
ble to the devout souls of those places, but not to others,
who, however, stand most in need of it ; for having
troubled consciences, and feeling a repugnance for the
word of God, they easily dispense themselves from going
to the mission, alleging various excuses, such as: It is
too far, the sermon is over too late, it is cold, the church
is small, etc. — But when the mission is given in the
place itself, and all attend it, men and women, sinners
will also attend, although they will do so with repug
nance; yet they will do so through human respect, in
order that others may not point their finger at them.
They will attend, and God will touch their hearts, as
frequently happens in the missions.

From all this I conclude that it is better to give the
mission separately in every village, even if this cannot
be done in the same year; for in those places where it is
given, every one will profit by it, and especially those
that need it most. As for the other villages, it may, at
least, be hoped that emulation will prompt the people
also to procure for themselves during the subsequent
years the benefit of a mission ; then, finally, it will not
be said that all have received this benefit, when in reality
they did not receive it.

Moreover, when a mission is to be given in some city
or village, the population of which is very large, especi
ally if many of the habitations are far distant from the

286 Exercises of the Missions.

principal church, and more so if this church cannot hold
all the people, it will be well, and even necessary, to give
several missions at the same time in different churches.
This is what we have done with great fruit in several
cities, as at Nola, Sarno, etc.; particularly at Foggia and
at Salerno, where, besides the mission at the cathe
dral, five other missions were given in as many differ
ent churches. To proceed with order, the following-
method has been followed : At first the mission is
begun in the principal church, in which it should last at
least for two weeks ; during this mission, eight or ten
days after it has been begun, a feast day is chosen to
open the little missions, the exercises of which should
continue for about twelve days. Experience has proved
that these small missions have sometimes been more
successful than the large missions.

II. — The Superior should take care that in each mission
there be a sufficient number of missionaries to hear the
confessions, according to the population of the place;
for it should be borne in mind that the principal fruit of
the missions, above all in country places where there are
few confessors, and where the latter belong to the place
itself, consists in repairing many of the sacrilegious or
invalid confessions, on account of the great repugnance
that penitents feel of making known their miseries to
one whom they know, and whom they see every day.
Monsignor Falcoia, Bishop of Castellamara, who for
merly belonged to the Institute of Pious Workers, and
who was the first director of our Congregation,* said
that after having spent forty years in the missions when
in certain places there are few missionaries, the mission
is conducive to the ruin rather than to the saving of

* That is, this worthy prelate was the spiritual director of the
Founder, who took care to take counsel of him in all the affairs of his
Institute. (Villecourt, 1. r, ch. 21, and 1. 2, ch. 17.) We see here the
humility of the saint. — ED.

Chap. X. — Remarks about the Missions. 287

souls. He does not speak thus without a reason; for
the exercises of the mission rouse consciences, and those
that before were quiet and in good faith, after having
heard the instructions and the sermons, begin to have a
thousand doubts. Now if these souls have not the op
portunity to confide their scruples, of which they feel
ashamed, to strange confessorsv since they feel a repug
nance to manifest them to those of the place, and find
themselves in bad faith on account of the doubts that
they now have, they will make sacrilegious confessions,
and will lose their souls in consequence of the mission.

For myself, in the missions that I had to conduct
when I had not a number of missionaries in proportion
to that of the faithful of the place, I found it better not
to give the mission, and to give it at another place for
which the number of confessors was sufficient; for when
it becomes necessary to call the resident priests to hear
confessions, all or most of the sacrileges that exist will
continue to exist. If many souls, overcome by shame,
continuetoconfess sacrilegiously when even confessingto
us missionaries, although we do not know them, and we
are soon to leave them, what hopes will there be that they
will rid themselves of their shame when they confess to
the same confessors of the place or of the neighborhood
that know them ? One cannot say that these persons,
having then an opportunity to confess to strangers, will
leave those of the place; for while seeing their ordinary
confessor in the confessional, they will feel too great a
repugnance to allow themselves to be seen going to a
stranger, and they thus continue to commit sacrileges.

It is, therefore, always expedient for the bishop to
suspend from the power of hearing confessions during
the mission all the priests of the place where the mission
is given. If the bishop does not do this, let at least the
missionary who gives the exercises to the priests beg
the confessors of the place to be kind enough to allow

288 Exercises of the Missions.

their penitents during this time the liberty of confessing
to the missionaries, and even to impose this upon them
by virtue of obedience, because it is not a rare thing
that persons of whom one thinks the least are precisely
those that need this the most.

Our confessors should here take notice that, although
it is not necessary to have every one to make a general
confession, especially if one is pressed for time, and a
large number of persons must confess, yet, when the
penitent asks to make a general confession, there being
a necessity of making it, because the preceding con
fessions were sacrilegious or invalid, one should allow
them to make it by distinguishing the species and the
number of sins as exactly as one can. If one, however
does not see that the preceding confessions have been
certainly null, one should permit the penitent to say
what he wishes, and should afterwards put this .question
to him: Well, now, do you accuse yourself of all the
sinful thoughts, words, etc., which you committed from
your youth ? — But one should take care to let him say
so; otherwise not receiving the satisfaction that he ex
pected in making a general confession, he will, as often
happens, go to other missionaries, and much time will
be lost.

The missionaries should, finally, observe that during
the mission, especially when there is a great concourse
at the confessionals, it is not necessary to stop too long
to examine and to instruct devout souls in the matter
of advancing in perfection. This is not the opportune
moment to occupy one's self with the care of such a
thing, when other souls are waiting to be delivered from
the miserable state of damnation in which they find
themselves.

III. — During the sermon, and even during the instruc
tion, it would be well if one ceased to hear confessions,
first, because the noise that is made by the preacher's

Chap. X. — Remarks about the A fissions. 289

voice will prevent the confessor from hearing the words
of the penitent, and the penitent from hearing the
words of the confessor; so that the confessions take up
twice the usual time, and also leave behind them trouble
and disquietude. Moreover, in order that the mission
may produce its fruit, it is necessary for every one to
hear the great or principal sermon, which is its most
important exercise. Now when confessions are heard
during the sermon, it happens that this exercise is lost,
not only to the persons that confess, but also to all
those that surround the confessional, and who, desirous
of confessing soon, will think only of entering the con
fessional as soon as possible; thus preoccupied, they
pay but little attention to the sermon. Hence for one
person that is confessing, there are twenty or thirty
others who, while waiting for their turn, lose the fruit
of the sermon; and besides, by the noise that they make
in entering the confessional, they disturb the preacher
and the whole audience.

IV. — Before beginning the mission we should obtain
from the bishop all the powers necessary for producing
fruit, as the power of absolving cases reserved to the
bishop, either Nobis or A nobis, also with the censure, as
also the communication of the chapter Liccat, and the
faculty of dispensing from vows, oaths, and impediments
of marriage. Moreover, no mission should be accepted
except at the request of the inhabitants of the place, or
at least of the parish priest.

V. The mission usually lasts twelve days, of which
the first eight are devoted to moral sermons and the
Last Things, the three following days to the exercise of
a devout life and the last to the blessing. In small
places it lasts at least ten days, of which seven are for
the sermons, two for the exercise, and the last for the
blessing. But in large places, with a population of four
thousand or more souls, the mission should be prolonged
19

290 Exercises of the Missions.

as long as it is necessary; it has happened to us that we
continued it for eighteen, twenty-four, and even thirty-
six days, as at Foggia. In a word, the Superior should
see that the mission be continued till he can prudently
judge that all the faithful have had time to confess.

VI. — It must be remarked that the missions should not
be renewed too frequently in the same place; it is ex
pedient that they be given at an interval of at least
three or four years. If in the second mission one does
not see the minds of the people as much moved as they
were in the first mission it does not follow that it is less
fruitful. When a mission is given in a place where
there has been none for a number of years, it always
produces a more lively impression than a second one
given at an interval of three or four years; but if the
minds are less moved, the fruit derived is often greater:
those that have relapsed into sin enter again the right
path; and those that have persevered are confirmed
more in that which is good.

VII. — In conclusion, I find it proper to quote some
other excellent counsels, which the venerable Father
Segneri, the great missionary of Italy, has left for the
good direction of missions and of missionaries.

1. The confessions of women should be heard only in
the confessionals.

2. Public confessions, especially of women, should not
be permitted. Nor should enemies be allowed to ask
the pardon of their adversaries before the parties have
been well disposed for reconciliation.

3. The confessors should not without necessity charge
themselves with making personally restitution for their
penitents; and in the case in which the latter would not
intrust the matter to others, one should at least take
care to procure a receipt from him to whom the restitu
tion is made.

4. Without some special necessity, one should avoid

Chap. X. — Remarks about the Missions. 291

collecting alms for the poor; also one should accept no
money to distribute as alms, as this gives rise to troubles
and to calumnies. — I add that one should also avoid
'meddling in certain temporal affairs, which, although
useful to some, may injure or displease others; for this
may be the cause of wicked talk and destroy for many
the fruits of the mission.

5. The missionaries should not disperse among the
different houses to take their meals or their rest.

6. The mission finished, they should depart immedi
ately and refuse every invitation to remain in order to
rest themselves.

7. They should not trouble themselves if they see
that obstacles are being put in the way to hinder the
success of the mission, and they should not be dis
couraged if at the beginning they meet with a poor re
ception, for they should rest assured that in the end
they will win the affection of all.

8. As a reward for all their labors and all their suffer
ings, they should expect (admirable advice) on the part
of men, contempt, detraction, and ingratitude; for this
is the usual reward of those that labor only for the
glory of God

292 Exercises of the Missions.

CHAPTER XI.

THE DUTIES OF THE SUPERIOR OF THE MISSION.

i. ON arriving at the place where the mission is to be
given, the Superior fixes the hours of the exercises and
of all other matters, in the following manner: * Leaving
the house in the morning at 13 o'clock; return home at
19 o'clock (midday). Instruction and catechism (these
two exercises begin at the same time), at 22 o'clock.
Sermon at 23 o'clock. Supper at 3.30. Examination of
conscience before going to bed at 4.30. Retiring at
5 o'clock.

Such is the time-table that is usually followed during
winter, which is besides the season most suitable for
missions. — I use the word usually, for when there is a
concourse of penitents, we remain in the confessional
for seven hours in the morning, our custom being not
to hear confessions in the afternoon, and no missionary
can leave the church without the permission of the
Superior. — I have also used the words during winter ;
for in spring there are not seven hours of sleep, but six,
or at least six and a half, because then we have an hour
or an hour and a half of sleep after dinner. At this
season we rise at about 8 o'clock, and we go to bed at
night at i or at 1.30 o'clock; half an hour having elapsed
after rising, we go at once to the church, the meditation
at this time of the year following the rest given after

* The hours here mentioned are after the Italian usage; twenty-four
o'clock finishes, and one o'clock begins about half an hour after sunset.
See this subject treated more fully in the note, page 269 of Volume
XI.— ED.

Chap. XL — Duties of the Superior. 293

dinner. In winter after the half-hour given for rising,
and during which all should observe silence, we make a
half-hour's meditation, which should never be omitted;
then we go at once to the church.

At table when all are seated in order, silence is always
observed, and the Life of a saint is read, the Superior
beginning by reading a little, and the others continuing
the same one after the other. In the evening, however,
it suffices if one of the missionaries reads a little while
out of a book treating of the Blessed Virgin.

As regards the food, it must be observed that nothing
edifies the people so much as the mortification and the
frugality of the missionaries, while on the contrary
nothing scandalizes them more than when they see men
treating themselves well in regard to eating and drink
ing. During the mission the people are always curious
to know what the missionaries eat; and in certain places
where a mission had been given several years before,
we have found persons who related with indignation
that the missionaries had themselves well treated by
living on fowl, choice fruit, with foreign winfes, and the
like. In another place of this kingdom a mission was
given by good preachers and good confessors; but I was
told that very little good was done, because the mis
sionaries had a first-class table. Hence in our missions
it is an established rule, -that atdinneron days on which
flesh-meat is allowed there is to be given only soup with
boiled meat, and on fasting-days soup with another
frugal portion; at supper, salad and other similar food,
with a little cheese and fruit. Only on the last day, the
day of the blessing, there may be more food, but never
fowl, game, choice fish, pastry, or other sweetmeats.
The subjects should wait at table, each one in his turn,
according as they are appointed by the Father Econome.

After dinner and after supper there will be a half-
hour's recreation. As soon as the time of recreation has

294 Exercises of t lie Missions.

passed, the missionaries are exhorted to cease their
pleasantries and all useless discourse, and each one
should attend to the duties of his employment; those
that are free should occupy themselves with hearing
confessions till the hour of instruction, of prayer, or of
study. During the instruction and the sermon those
that have some exercise to give on the following day
should strive to prepare themselves as well as possible
for it. Besides, unless any one has received from the
Superior permission to remain at the house, all the mis
sionaries, especially those that are young, if they have no
other occupation, should be present at the instruction, or
at least at the great sermon. After the sermon and the
discipline they all retire to the house, where they hear
the confessions of the men till the hour for supper.

In all these observances the Superior should endeavor
to set the example, being the first especially in rising at
the signal in the morning, in retiring in the evening to
go to bed, in keeping silence, and in hearing confes
sions; for if he fails in his duty he will easily see that the
others will also fail, and what is worse, by failing him
self he will not have the courage to reprove others.

II. The Superior should appoint the missionaries for
each exercise of the mission, namely, one for the sermon,
another for the instruction; one for the meditation in
the morning, another for the catechism, which is usually
given by the Prefect of the church. The latter should
take care to notify the priests of the hour in which they
may say Mass, one after the other, in order that they
may not come together to say Mass at the last hour.

The Superior also appoints a missionary for the ex
ercises that are to be given to \htpriests, and another
for giving them separately to the seminarians, if there is
a seminary in the place; for if the seminarians are pres
ent at the exercises of the priests they will profit very
little.

CJiap. XI. — Duties of the Superior. 295

Moreover, he appoints one to give in the morning
separate exercises to the gentlemen in some chapel or
other place of meeting. These special exercises are of
great benefit to the instructed persons of the place, be
cause in certain places such people hardly attend the
mission; but when the exercises are expressly given to
them, they all usually attend them. Then when we
speak familiarly with th-em and ad cor, many give them
selves to God, and their good example leads to the re
form of the entire population.

He should, likewise, appoint some one to give the ex
ercises to the nuns or religious Communities, if there
are such in the place, and if they request to have them;
but they should not be offered to them nor should any
engagement be made with them.

Another Father should be appointed by him to give
the exercises to \\\.e prisoners, and to hear their confes
sions.

He will give to the Fathers, in turn, the less impor
tant exercises, as the exhortations, the Rosary, the dis
cipline, etc. — He should, moreover, appoint one or two
to go to hear the confessions of the sick who may call
them. — He also chooses one or two, especially at the be
ginning of the mission, to go, before the sermon, to in
vite the people to come to church.

Besides, at the beginning of the mission he should
charge some missionaries to visit the most respectable
people of the place, such as the principal functionaries,
and also other persons of distinction, if there be any.
As for the bishop, the vicar-general, and the principal
man of the place, the Superior himself should visit them;
and if these dignitaries do not live in the place, but in
the neighborhood, he should at least take care to send
two missionaries to visit them, and to ask the bishop
for his blessing, and the chief magistrate for his protec
tion, if it be necessary for the success of the mission.

296 Exercises of the Missions.

III. Finally, the Superior appoints an Econome who is
to take charge of the house, in regard to the food, beds,
the means of travelling, and all the expenses that are
incurred during the mission.

The Superior should also appoint the Prefect of the
church, who is charged with the duty of placing the pul
pit and the statue of Mary at the side of it, of preparing
the crucifix and the torches, and of finding clerics to
carry them; the Prefect has, moreover, to arrange all
that is needed for the general Communion and for the
blessing on the last day, as also to prepare the Calvary
or the crosses that are to be erected.

Besides, he is to appoint the Prefect of peace, who is
to gather information in regard to the enmities that
exist in the place, and to devote himself to the work of
reconciliation.

Ch. XI L — Virtues Required in Missionaries. 297

CHAPTER XII.

VIRTUES THAT THE MISSIONARIES SHOULD ESPECIALLY
PRACTISE DURING THE MISSIONS.

i. Obedience.

IF during the mission one does not obey the Superior
with exactness, all will be disorder, confusion, and
trouble, and success will not be attained; for when there
is no obedience to the orders of the Superior,, all the
exercises of the mission are thrown into confusion, and
the consequence will be innumerable misunderstandings,
either between the Superior and the subjects, or among
the subjects themselves, because this will give rise to
rivalries, jealousies, murmurs, which will create many
annoyances and disappointments. How can such a
mission redound to the greater glory of God? A vessel
directed by different pilots cannot but make a disastrous
voyage.

Every missionary should therefore be blindly obedient
in everything that the Superior ordains. We may draw
his attention to that of which he is ignorant or to that
which he does not notice; but after having represented
the case, we should be satisfied, abstain from replying,
and especially from disputing ; otherwise the Superior
as well as the subject will become disquieted, and in the
agitation that follows the work will be done unwillingly,
while to the labors of the mission it is necessary that we
bring a tranquil and cheerful mind.

2. Humility.

No one should have the temerity to ask for any office
or to be employed as preacher. One would cause great

298 Exercises of the Missions.

scandal if one showed, directly or indirectly, a desire to
preach or to give an instruction, or some other exercise
of which one has not the care. One would deserve to
he taken no longer on the missions, or to be always kept,
so to speak, in the corner. Let every one show rather a
desire to be engaged in the most humble employments;
for example, to teach catechism, to say the Rosary, and
the like. The best thing would be to appear always
ready to hear confessions, especially the confessions of
men. Here, in passing, we would remind confessors
that when penitents come who are not disposed, they
should never be sent away to examine their conscience,
especially if they are but little instructed, as we have
said in the Instruction and Practice fqr Confessors jl the
confessors should examine them themselves according
to the order of the commandments. In fact, to hear
confessions in the missions is a less brilliant employ
ment, but the most important and the most useful for
the glory of God. The preacher is honored by every
one ; he is called a saint, an excellent missionary; his
hands, his garments, are kissed, people recommend
themselves to his prayers, whilst he that spends nine
or ten hours every day in the confessional is not men
tioned, not even looked at. But perhaps this confessor
will acquire more praise before God in a single day than
the preacher with all his sermons and all his efforts,
with all the acclamations and applause that he receives
from the people.

Father Segneri wisely remarks that the missionary
should expect from his labors only the glory of God and
the good of souls, taking for himself detraction, con
tempt, and vexations, and referring to God all the
honors that are paid to him ; otherwise, if he views
with complacency his talents and his success, he will
lose more than he gains of all his labors. To him will

1 Homo apost. tr. nit. § 3, n. 18.

Ch. XII. — Virtues Required in Missionaries. 299

be said : You have received your reward. All the mission
aries should be disposed to suffer with humility the cold
reception or any other unpleasantness that they may
meet with from the inhabitants of the place. The same
Father Segneri said that he who has not the courage to
bear with contempt and with bitterness, is not fit to be a
missionary.

3. Mortification.

Every one should be satisfied with the food and with
the bed that are given to him, without asking for any
thing. When we go on a mission, we should go with
the thought and the resolution not to take a walk for
recreation's sake, but to suffer in order to gain souls for
Jesus Christ. We should abstain from going to see the
curiosities that are in the place, unless they happen to be
objects of devotion; we should also refrain from going
out of the house for the purpose of distracting ourselves
or even from remaining at the windows or on the balcony
of the house in which we live. The people look upon the
missionaries as saints, as men dead to all the things of
this world, as if they had neither flesh nor senses, so that
every act on their part that does not appear holy aston
ishes and scandalizes them.

4. Piety.

This virtue should be especially conspicuous when we
celebrate the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Every priest
whom we see saying Mass hurriedly and with but little
piety, as we have said in several places of our writings,
gives scandal to the people ; but the scandal would be
greater if a missionary were seen celebrating Mass after
the manner of indevout priests. It would not be proper
to say that during the mission devotions should be
abridged in order that more time may be given to con
fessions and to other exercises ; for the words of the

3OO Exercises of the Missions.

confessor and of the preacher will make little impres
sion if the audience is not convinced of the sanctity of
him who speaks.

Every one should, therefore, endeavor to celebrate
Mass with suitable devotion, and even during the time
of the mission with a little more devotion than usual, in
order to edify the people. Besides, we should not fail
to make thanksgiving after Mass, as is prescribed in our
Constitutions; however, during the mission it would be
a fault to spend more than a quarter of an hour in mak
ing it, when there are many penitents waiting to go to
confession.

5. Modesty.

The missionaries should observe great modesty both
in their looks and in their words.

They should take care always to observe modesty of
the eyes in the church; in the streets, and in the houses
where there are women. They should know that the
people are very attentive in observing whether any mis
sionary looks women in the face. A missionary, now
dead, was a holy man; nevertheless in a certain place he
had neglected to keep his eyes under control, and it was
said of him: "He may have been a saint, but he used to
look women in the face."

Especially should the missionary be modest in his
words; let him never speak of the defects of others, and
let him speak well of every one. Religious and priests
should always be held in great esteem, and when others
are detracting their neighbor, he should at least be silent
if he cannot excuse him.

6. Courtesy and Gravity.

The missionaries should be courteous to every one
especially by saluting all those whom they meet on the
way, however humble may be their condition. Nothing

Ch. XII. — Virtues Re quire din Missionaries. 301

attaches the people to the missionaries and draws them
to God so much as to see themselves saluted by them.
This is, however, to be understood of men, not of women;
for when they meet women, they should salute them with
uncovered head without raising the eyes. All courtesy
and deference should therefore be paid to the people of
the place; they should avoid disputing with them, and
yield to them in all that does not compromise the inter
ests of the mission.

But to this courtesy and deference must be joined
gravity and proper reserve ; hence the missionaries
should avoid being intimate with any person of the
place and for this reason they should abstain from talk
ing to others about news and about anything that does
not profit the mission. For a greater reason should
they refrain from entering the houses without necessity
and without the permission of the Superior.

WE shall here treat of five points on which it is neces
sary to instruct the people so that the mission may be
successful : i. Love for Jesus crucified ; 2. Devotion to
the Mother of God ; 3. Necessity of prayer in order to
be saved ; 4. Flight from dangerous occasions; 5. Ruin
of souls who through shame omit to confess their sins.

Love for Jesus Crucified.

In the missions we usually speak only of the four Last
Things and of other subjects apt to excite fear ; little is
said, except incidentally, of the love that God bears us,
and of the obligation that we have to love him. No one
will deny that terrifying sermons are useful, and even
necessary, in order to awaken sinners who have fallen
asleep in their sins ; but we should be convinced that
conversions brought about only by the fear of divine
chastisements are of short duration ; they last only as
long as this fear continues in full strength ; when, how
ever, it is dissipated, the soul, having become quite
feeble by the sins committed, easily succumbs to every
new attack of temptation; if the holy love of God enters
not the soul it will be difficult for it to persevere.

Persuaded of this truth, St. Peter of Alcantara usually
treated in his sermons of terrible subjects, as death,
judgment, hell, by which he startled his hearers by
representing to them the rigor of the divine justice
against the obstinate ; at the same time, however, he
allayed their fears by pointing out to them the remedies

/. Love for Jesus Crucified. 303

for the sins committed. He inspired them with hope of
pardon through the merits of Jesus Christ according to
the sweet promises made by our Lord, who wished to
suffer so much and to die of sorrow on the cross in
order to obtain for sinners pardon and grace to resist
in future the temptations of the flesh and of hell. It is
thus that the saint attracted to Jesus Christ all that
came to him — the learned and the unlearned, — in such
crowds that the churches where he preached could not
contain the people, and conversions became general.

The missionary should therefore chiefly endeavor in
every sermon that he preaches to leave his hearers in
flamed with this holy love. But this end is not attained
by speculative sermons, in which one demonstrates the
excellence of divine love, to attain which it is above all
important for us to make others understand the love
that Jesus Christ has borne us in his Passion. St.
Francis de Sales says: "All love that does not take its
origin in the Passion of our Lord is frivolous." When,
on the other hand, a Christian believes and practically
represents to himself all that Jesus Christ has suffered
in order to save him, he cannot but be penetrated with
love for Jesus Christ; and therefore we may rightly
hope that he will persevere till death in the state of
grace.

In reference to this matter I find it proper to note
here what was told me of a celebrated missionary, who
is now dead. As he was charged to preach the principal
sermon in a place of several thousand inhabitants, he
preached among others a speculative sermon on divine
love, and invited a well-informed priest to come to hear
him. This priest told me that the discourse was learned,
filled with texts of Scripture and of the holy Fathers,
and of theological teachings ; he was praised by the
small number of hearers that could understand him ;
but the* greater part of the people derived no fruit or

304 Appendix.

nearly none, because they could understand very little
of what he said. The preacher would certainly have
produced much more fruit if he had confined himself to
explain in an humble way the love that Jesus Christ
bore to us by coming into the world to suffer and to die
for us.

Hence in our missions, especially on the last three
days, we speak only of the Passion of our Lord, so that
the souls may become attached to Jesus Christ; and not
only on the last three days, but on every day of the
mission, it will be well for the preacher to interweave,
wherever this is suitable, some exhortation on the love
that we owe to Jesus Christ. Moreover, we would do
well to induce the audience to procure, each one, a pious
image of Jesus crucified, to whom they should take care
often to recommend themselves during the day by ask
ing of him the graces that they desire, above all the grace
of loving him till death; and this grace every one should
ask of the divine Mother, of his guardian angel, and of
all his holy patrons, that is, the grace of loving Jesus
Christ, which comprises all graces.

It will also be useful for the preacher to teach the
people, from time to time, some holy maxims which
every good Christian should keep engraven on his
heart, in order to continue in the grace of God and
in union with his holy will; for example: To lose every
thing rather than to lose God. If God is lost, all is lost.
What friend have we who has loved us as much as God ?
All that God wishes is good. We should therefore ac
cept everything that comes from his hand.

It will also be useful to teach some ejaculatory
prayers, to reanimate in the heart the love for God; for
example : Dens metis, et omnia—TAy God and my all.
My God, it is only Thee that I wish, and nothing else.
Whom shall I love if I do not love Thee, my Jesus, who
' hast died for me? etc.— These pious affections will con-

//. Devotion to the Mother of God. 305

tribute much to keep burning in the heart the sacred
fire of divine love,

II.
Devotion to the Mother of God.

During the mission we should often recommend de
votion to the Blessed Virgin. This devotion is not one
of those that one calls supererogatory. According to
the teaching of many saints and all the masters of the
spiritual life, it is regarded as necessary, not by abso
lute necessity, but at least by moral necessity; so that
one fears for him who lives habitually a stranger to such
a devotion. To convince ourselves of this truth, it is
sufficient to know that the holy Church in her hymns
makes us call the Blessed Virgin our hope — Spes nostra,
salve.

This- agrees with what St. Bernard writes; he thus
calls Mary: "A full aqueduct, so that others may receive
from her plenitude."1 He afterwards says: " The Re
deemer when about to redeem mankind conferred upon
Mary the price of the redemption."2 And he concludes:
" If there is any hope in us, if there is any grace, if any
salvation, we know that it all comes from Mary."3 He
again says: "No grace comes from heaven to the earth
unless it passes through the hands of Mary."4 And
elsewhere he says: Such is his wish that we should have
everything through Mary." f Father Natalis Alexander,

1 " Plenus Aquaeductus, ut accipiant caeteri de ejus plenitudine."-
De Aquczd. n. 3.

2 " Redempturus humanum genus, pretium universum contulit in
Mariam."

3 " Si quid in nobis est, si quid gratiae, si quid salutis, ab ea noveri-
mus redundare." — De Aquied. n. 6.

4 " Nulla gratia venit de coelo ad terram, nisi transeat per manus
Mariae." — Apud S. Bernardin. Pro Fest. V. M. s. 5, c. 8.

5 " Sic est voluntas ejus, qui totum nos habere voluit per Mariam. "—
DC A quad. n. 7.

306 Appendix.

dwelling on these last words of St. Bernard, thus ex
presses himself: " God wishes that all the good that we
expect from him should be obtained through the most
powerful intercession of Mary."1 And Father Con-
tenson wishes the same thing to be understood wrhen he
says that none will participate in the blood of Jesus
Christ except through the intercession of his divine
Mother, and puts into the mouth of our Lord these
words: " No one shall participate in my blood except
through the intercession of rny Mother." 2

And why should we expect everything good from God
through the intervention of Mary? The same St. Ber
nard gives us the reason of this in another place, by say
ing that it is because Mary is wanting neither in power
with God to obtain for us all the graces that we desire,
nor in good-will to save our souls: "She is wanting
neither in the power nor in the will."3 In another
place he declares that Mary is the whole foundation of
his hope: " She is my greatest reliance, she is the entire
motive of my hope."4 And he exhorts us to ask in the
name of Mary for all the graces that we desire to receive
from God: " Let us ask for grace, and let us ask for it
through Mary." & Finally, the saint assures us of divine
grace and eternal salvation if we persevere in devotion
to Mary. He thus beautifully expresses himself: "Fol
lowing her, you will not wander from the path; invoking
her, you will not despair; thinking of her, you will not
err; clinging to her, you will not fall; having her as

1 " Deus vult ut omnia bona ab ipso exspectemus, potentissima Vir-
gmis Matris intercessione impetranda." — Ep, 50 in cake Theol.

'2 " Nullus sanguinis mei particeps erit, nisi intercessione Matris
mere." — The.ol. ment. et cord. t. 2, 1. 10, d. 4, c. I.

3 " Nee facultas ei. deesse poterit, nee yoluntas." — De Assumpt. s. i,
n. 2.

4 " Hsec maxima mea fiducia est, haec tota ratio spei mese." — De
Aquced. n. 7.

5 " Quseramus gratiam, et per Mariam quaeramus." — Ibid. n. 8.

//. Devotion to the Mother of God. 307

your protectress, you need fear nothing; having her as
your guide, you will not grow weary; being propitious
to you, she will help you to arrive at your destiny." '

To the writings of St. Bernard may be added what
many other saints say of the Blessed Virgin. St.
Ephrem addresses these words to her: "In no other
except in thee, O most faithful virgin ! do we put our
confidence."2 St. Bonaventure writes: "No one can
enter heaven, unless he enters through Mary as through
a door." 3 And St Bernardine of Sienna: " All the gifts
and graces are dispensed by God through Mary's hands,
to whom she wishes, when and how she wishes."4 In
another place he says to her: "Thou art the dispenser of
all graces; our salvation is in thy hands." St. Peter
Damian also says to her: "Nothing is impossible to
thee, to whom it is possible to inspire with confidence
even those that have despaired of salvation."6 And he
adds at the end, that the Son honors his Mother in re
fusing her nothing for which she asks him: "The Son
honors thee by refusing thee nothing."

In order not to be too diffuse I omit here very many
other passages taken from authors who express the same
thing; but from all that precedes, we rightly conclude

1 "Ipsam sequens, non devias; ipsam rogans, non desperas; ipsam
cogitans, non erras; ipsa tenente, non corruis; ipsa protegente, non
metuis; ipsa duce, non fatigaris; ipsa propitia, pervenis." — De Laud.
V. M. horn. 2.

2 " Nobis non est alia quam a te fiducia, o Virgo sincerissima !"•
De Laud. B. M. V.

3 " Nullus potest ccelutn intrare, nisi per Mariam transeat, tamquam
per portam." — In Luc. i.

4 " Omnia dona et gratiae, quibus vult, quando vult, et quomodo vult,
per ipsius manus dispensantur."

5 " Tu Dispensatrix omnium gratiarum; salus nostra in manu tua
est."— S. de Nat. M. V. s. 8.

6 " Nihil tibi impossibile, rui possibile est etiam desperatos in spem
beatitndinis rclevare."

1 " Filius, nihil negans, honorat te." — De Nat. B. M. V. s. I.

3o3

Appendix.

that devotion to the Blessed Virgin is not only useful,
but even morally necessary, according to what St. Ber
nard says, as is quoted above: "No grace comes from
heaven to the earth unless it passes through the hands
of Mary." At the present time this is a very common
opinion among Catholics, as we have proved in our
book the Glories of Mary,1 in which I quote many theo
logians who call this an opinion that is absolutely
common.

However, this opinion does not please Muratori, who
in his book entitled Well-regulated Devotion, says of
the maintained proposition, " God does not grant any
grace except through the mediation of Mary,"2 that it is
a hyperbole, an exaggeration that has escaped the lips
of some saints. But I do not know how this great
scholar has been able to see in this a hyperbole, after
Jesus Christ has deigned to choose this privileged crea
ture for his Mother, and for his co-operatrix in the re
demption of the human race. It cannot be denied that
it was a most proper thing that, since Mary had honored
and loved Jesus Christ more than all men and all angels,
he should have wished to raise her to this prerogative,
namely, that all the graces which are to be dispensed to
redeemed men — graces which are the fruit of his merits —
should pass through the hands of his Mother, as through
a channel of graces, according to the opinion of St. Ber
nard. What conduces much in favor of our proposition
is that the holy Church in the Salve Regina tells us to
call this divine Mother, Vita, spes nostra — our life, our
hope. One should then fear very much for the salva
tion of him who esteems but little the devotion to the
Blessed Virgin, and neglects to obtain her intercession;
for according to the opinion of St. Bernard, he thereby

1 Part I. Ch. V.

2 "Nulla gratia venit de coelo ad terram, nisi transeat per manus
Mariee."

///. Necessity of Prayer. 309

closes to himself the channel of graces necessary to his
salvation; and it is this that the preacher should above
all inculcate.

III.
Necessity of Prayer in order to save our Souls.

In regard to the necessity of prayer it must be re
marked that although God wishes the salvation of all
men, as the Apostle declares: Who will have all men to be
saved;' and that according to the remark of St. Thomas
on these words, the Lord, wishing the salvation of all
men, does not allow any one to be in want of the grace
of which he stands in need: "And, therefore, grace is
wanting to no one, but communicates itself to all as far
as possible;"2 nevertheless, theologians teach that no
one is saved except with the help of God, and this help
he does not obtain unless he prays for it.3 Thus Gen-
nadius * expresses himself, and St. Augustine adds that
except the first graces, as the vocation to the faith, or to
penance, God does not grant the rest, and especially the
grace of final perseverance, except to him who asks for
it.5 Hence theologians commonly conclude, with St.
Basil, St. John Chrysostom, and the same St. Augustine,
that for adults prayer is necessary by necessity of means,
so that without prayer it is impossible, according to the
present disposition of Providence, to save one's soul.
• This is what is signified by Scripture when it says:
We ought always to pray? Askrand you shall receive? Pray
1 " Qui omnes homines vult salvos fieri." — i Tim. ii. 4.

" Et ideo gratia nulli deest, sed omnibus, quantum in se est, se
communicat." — In Heb. 12. lect. 3.

" Nullum salutem suam, nisi Deo auxiliante, operari; nullum, nisi
orantem, auxilium promereri."
4 DC Red. Dogm. c. 26.

" Alia non nisi orantibus praeparasse, sicut usque in finem perseve-
rantiam." — De Dono persev. c. 16.

6 " Oportet semper orare."— Luke, xviii. I.

7 " Petite, et accipietis. "— John, xvi. 24.

3io

Appendix.

without ceasing.1 For St. Thomas2 says that the words
We ought, Ask, Pray express a precept which imposes a
grave obligation, especially in three cases: i. When any
one is in the state of mortal sin; 2. When any one is in
danger of committing sin; 3. When any one is in great
danger of death. Outside of these cases, theologians
(see Less/us, de lust., 1. 2, c. 37, d. 3, n. 9, et seq.) say that
he who neglects for a month, or at least for two'months,
to recommend himself to God, is not excused from mor
tal sin. The reason of this is that ordinarily during
this time the devil, who unceasingly is trying to gain
souls, will not fail to cause him some grave temptation,
and that in grave temptations he who does not pray,
and does not ask God's help, of which he stands in need
in order not to fall, will very easily fall. In fact, we
should be convinced that without the help of God we
have not the strength to resist the violent movements of
bad passions and the vehement suggestions of the enemy
who comes to assail us, even though we should have
taken a thousand good resolutions and made to God a
thousand promises; if we then do not recommend our
selves to God, we shall certainly be conquered. We
must add that the Council of Trent condemns him who
should say that man in the state of grace can persevere
in it without the special help of God: " If any one saith
that the justified either is able to persevere, without the
special help of God, in the justice received; or that,
with that help, he is not able; let him be anathema."3
Hence, in order to persevere, the ordinary divine help
does not suffice; we need extraordinary help, which is
not obtained except through prayer.

1 "Sine intermissione orate." — i Thess. v. 17.

2 P. 3, q. 39. a. 5.

3 " Si quis dixerit justification, vel sine speciali auxilio Dei in accepta
justitia perseverare posse, vel cum eo non posse, anathema sit," — •
Sess. vi. can. xxn.

///. Necessity of Prayer. 3 1 1

[n this we should be greatly encouraged by the in
numerable promises that the Lord has made us, as well
in the Old as in the New Testament, that he will hear
any one that prays to him. What should, above all, in
spire us with great confidence is the consideration of the
two promises made by Jesus Christ, in which he teaches
us to pray with the certainty of obtaining the graces
that we ask in his name. In one promise he says:
Amen, amen, I say to you: if you ask the Father anything in
My name, He will give it you; in the other: If you shall ask
Me anything in My name, that I will do.1 When we, there
fore, pray to God in the name of the Son, or to the Son
in his name, we should be sure of obtaining the grace
that we ask; for God cannot fail in his promises. This
is to be, however, understood whenever the graces asked
for are spiritual goods, the before-mentioned promises
not having for their object temporal goods, which the
Lord grants to us only so far as they are more profitable
to the soul. As for spiritual goods, the Apostle St.
James wishes us to ask for them with great confidence,
because God grants them in abundance to all: Ask of
God, Who givcth to all men abundantly, and upbraidcth not.'1
The last two \vords signify much: they signify that when
anv one addresses God prayers useful to his eternal sal
vation, and when he prays with faith, God will certainly
hear him; even when the soul has been unfaithful to
him he grants it the grace that it asks, and does not re
proach it for the faults that it has committed. When,
therefore, we solicit spiritual goods, we should firmly
believe that we shall obtain them, and they will be
granted to us, as our divine Master has assured us when
he says: All things whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe

1 " Amen, amen, dico vobis; si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine
meo, clabit vobis."— John, xvi. 23.

2 " Postulet a Deo, qui dat omnibus affluenter, et non improperat."
—James, i. 5.

3 1 2 Appendix.

that you shall receive, and they shall come unto you.' After
this, the preacher should not omit to recommend to him
who prays always to be careful to interpose the inter
cession of Mary, according to the advice given by St.
Bernard quoted above: "Let us ask for grace, and let
us ask it through Mary."

In concluding this point about the necessity of prayer,
I cannot but complain of those preachers, and also of
the authors of books of piety, who speak little of prayer;
but I especially complain of confessors who take little
care to remind their penitents of this necessity of pray
ing in temptations: they carefully tell them to make a
firm resolution and to promise to God never more to
offend him; but they do not take the trouble to make
them understand that when one is tempted, especially
against purity, good resolutions and promises are of
little use if one does not invoke God's help. When the
temptation is strong, we should at once recommend our
selves fervently to God; and if the temptation continues,
we should continue to implore the help of God in order
not to fall until it ceases, or at least until it grows
weaker. Experience proves that the invocation of the
holy names of Jesus and Mary, in temptations, is an excel
lent means not to give consent to them. But I say that if
one sees so much backsliding among penitents who are
contrite, it is because confessors pay so little attention
to persuading them that in the suggestions of the devil
they should immediately ask God to assist them.

Some will be astonished at seeing me requiring of
preachers that during the missions they should attend
to inculcating these two practices on the minds of
the hearers, namely, to have recourse to God in tempta
tions, and as is said in the second point, to recommend
one's self often to the Blessed Virgin. I say that they

1 " Omnia quaecumque orantes petitis, credite quia accipietis, et
evenient vobis." — Mark, xi. 24.

IV. Flight from Dangerous Occasions. 3 1 3

will he astonished, because commonly these are two
things that preachers always recommend and leave as
remembrances, especially in their last sermon.— Yes, I
say that such is the custom; but I answer that in order
to induce the hearers to take the firm resolution to exe
cute these two things that are so important to salvation,
it is not sufficient to recommend them once and to leave
them as remembrances in the last sermon: we should
recommend them in all the sermons in order that the
people may keep them engraven on the memory, and
put them in practice in the future.

IV.
The Flight from Dangerous Occasions.

This fourth point should often be recommended in
the mission; for an innumerable multitude of souls are
lost by not wishing to avoid the occasions of sin. Oh,
how many souls are now in hell who cry out, weeping:
Unhappy me, if I had kept from this occasion I should
never have damned my'soul for all eternity !

The Holy Ghost reminds us that he who loves the
danger will fall into sin, — will perish; He that loveth dan
ger shall perish in it.' St. Thomas explains to us the rea
son ; commenting on this text, he says that when we
voluntarily expose ourselves to danger, or when we
neglect to keep from it, God abandons us in it.2 And
St. Bernardine of Sienna" assures us that among the
counsels of Jesus Christ the counsel of fleeing from the
occasion of sin is the most important, is, as it were, the
foundation of religion.

- The preacher should then take care to remind the
people that when they are tempted, especially if the oc-

1 " Qui amat perirulum, in illo peribit." — Ecchi^ Hi. 27.

-' " Cum exponimus nos in periculo, Deus nus derelinquit in illo."

3 T. i, s. 21, a. 3, c. 3.

3H Appendix.

casion presents itself, they should avoid reasoning with
the temptation. What the devil desires is precisely that
we should parley with it; for thereby he will easily con
quer us. We must in this case flee from the occasion at
once, and invoke the names of Jesus and Mary without
listening to the enemy who tempts us.

St. Peter assures us that the devil prowls around every
soul to devour it.1 On this text St. Cyprian says that the
devil goes about without ceasing, and examines by what
door he may enter. When a dangerous occasion presents
itself, the devil at once says to himself: Here is the door
by which I can enter this soul. And immediately he be
gins to tempt the soul. If we then neglect to flee from
the occasion, we shall certainly yield to it, especially when
the object of the temptation is a carnal sin. Hence the
devil is not so much afraid of our good resolutions and
our promises not to offend God as to see us flee from
. the occasion; for, if we do not flee from it, it becomes a
bandage which is put over our eyes, and makes us for
get all the eternal truths, all the lights received, and all
the promises made to God. And if any one finds him
self sunken in impure sins, he should avoid as much as
possible the occasions, not only the proximate, but also
the remote occasions, for he is less capable of resisting.
We should not, then, labor under the illusion by pre
tending that it is a necessary occasion which we need
not avoid; for Jesus Christ has said: If thy right eye scan
dalize thec, pluck it out, and cast it from thee? Even if it
were your right eye, to escape damnation it would be
necessary to pluck it out and cast it from you, that is,
by fleeing from this occasion, however remote it may

" Adversarius vester diabolus . . . circuit, quferens quern devoret.
—I Pet. v. 8.

"Quod si oculus tuns dexter scandalizet te, erue eum et projice abs
te."—Matt. v. 29.

IV. Flight from Dangerous Occasions. 315

be; for on account of your weakness it is proximate for
you.

St. Francis of Assisi, speaking of persons who have
the fear of God, gives an excellent advice concerning
remote occasions: he says that for persons who fear to
lose God, the devil, in the occasions, does not at first
excite them to grave faults ; he begins by attaching
them with a hair, which afterwards, in time, may
through his suggestions become a chain, and he thus
succeeds in dragging them into mortal sin. Hence in
our relations with persons of the other sex, we should
take care to break off from the beginning every kind of
attachment, however feeble it may be,by avoiding even
the remote occasions, such as looking them in the face,
saluting them with affection, receiving notes or presents
from them, and much more, saying tender words to
them.

We should, above all, be convinced that we who are
by nature sensual have not the strength to preserve the
virtue of chastity; God only in his goodness can grant
us this strength. Now it is true that the Lord hears
him who prays to him; but if any one exposes himself
to the occasion, and knowing it, does not remove from
it, his prayers are not heard, according to the words of
the Holy Ghost already quoted : He that loveth danger
-shall perish in it. Alas! how many are there who, for
not having fled from the occasions of this kind, al
though they led holy lives, ended by falling into sin
and becoming hardened in it ? With fear ami trembling,
says the Apostle, work out your salvation} He that does
not tremble, and dares to expose himself to dangerous
occasions, above all to occasions of carnal sins, will be
saved with difficulty.

Since these counsels about the flight of dangerous
occasions is so important, it is not sufficient, 'if the

"Cum metu et tremorc, vestram salutem operamini."— Phil. ii.

12.

316 Appendix.

preacher speaks about.it once to his people, or even
devotes an entire sermon to it, as some do, and do well;
but as these occasions are numerous, and men are care
less about avoiding them, the world becoming thereby
so corrupt, we must come back to this point and insist
upon it several times during the mission. On this de
pends the salvation of those persons who, although they
come to the mission, yet are not present at the sermon
on the flight from dangerous occasions.

I add another remark, which it would be well to make
all understand, and especially confessors. When a peni
tent has never avoided the occasion in which he has been
accustomed to sin, it will be necessary for him to make
a general confession, because one should judge that all
the confessions that he has made in this state are null.
One should also presume the same thing in the case of
those who, although they have always confessed their
sins, yet never gave any sign of amendment, and fell
back a little while after into sin; only a general confes
sion can induce these people to amend their lives.

The Ruin of Souls who through Shame omit to Confess
their Sins.

In the missions we should moreover strongly and
often inculcate the necessity of overcoming the shame
that one feels in confessing one's sins. Those who are
experienced missionaries know that this cursed shame
has been the cause of the loss of many souls. It follows
that as the principal fruit of the missions consists in the
remedy that they apply to this evil, they are not only
useful but even necessary for country places ; for as
there is only a small number of confessors, who are very
often the relatives or friends of their penitents, false
shame has more force in making the people conceal sins
in confession.

V. False Shame in Confession. 317

It is a pity to see how many souls the devil gains by
this means, especially in matters concerning impure
sins; for he makes them lose shame at the moment of
committing them, and gives this shame back to them
when there is question of mentioning them in confes
sion. St. Antonine, speaking of this matter, relates that
a holy hermit, seeing one day the devil in the church
going among those that wished to confess, asked him
what he was doing there; the evil spirit answered: "To
induce these people to commit sin. I have taken shame
from them; now I return it to them in order that they
may not confess it." St. John Chrysostom also says:
"God has given shame to the commission of sin, and
confidence to the confession of it. The devil inverts
this: he inspires him who sins with confidence, and him
who confesses with shame." '

Alas ! Christian soul, you have sinned; if you do not
confess your sins you will certainly be damned. Why
then do you not confess your sin? You answer: I am
ashamed. — Hence rather than overcome this shame you
wish to be condemned for all eternity to the fire of hell ?
It is a shame to offend so good a God who has created
us ; it is not a shame to confess to have offended him.
But since you do not wish to manifest your sin, refrain
at least from going to confession. To the sin that you
have committed do you wish to add the sacrilege of a bad
confession? Do you know what you are doing when
you commit a sacrilege? For the sins on account of
which you have deserved hell there is no other remedy
than the blood of Jesus Christ, who will purify you if
you confess it well ; but by concealing your sin, you
even tread under foot the blood of Jesus Christ.

The present mission is for you a good occasion for

1 Pudorem dedit Deus peccato, confession! fiduciam. Invertit rem
diabolus: peccato fiduciam praebet, confessioni pudorem." — De P&nit.
horn 3.

3 1 8 Appendix.

making your confession to a priest who does not know
you, whom afterwards you will see no more, and who
will no more see you ; if you do not wish to profit by
this occasion, God will perhaps not grant it to you
again, and you will be damned. Remember that if you
do not confess now, the devil will gain absolute sway
over you, and then perhaps God will abandon you, and
there will be no more hope for you. Courage, then ! go
to confession immediately.

What do you fear? Ah ! here are no doubt the pre
texts that the devil will suggest to you:

1. What will my confessor say when he hears that I
have fallen in such a way ? — Well ! he will say that you
have been weak, as happens to so many others who live
in this world; he will say that you did wrong to sin, but
that you afterwards performed a noble deed in over
coming shame to confess your sins.

2. At least he will not fail to give me a scolding. — Oh
no, why should he scold you ? Know that confessors
cannot have greater consolation than when they hear a
person accusing himself of a sin that he has committed;
for then he can securely absolve him and thus deliver
him from hell.

3. I have not enough confidence to manifest this sin
to my spiritual Father. — Well ! go to confession to an
other priest of the place or to a stranger. — But if my
confessor hears that I have gone to confession to an
other, he will be offended, and will no more hear my
confession. — And you, in order not to displease your
confessor wish to commit a sacrilege and to damn your
soul? If you go to hell, will your confessor be able to
talk you out of it?

4. Who knows whether the confessor will not make
known my sin to others? — What folly to think that a
confessor could wish to commit so great a crime as to
break the seal of confession by manifesting your sin to

V. False Shame in Confession. 319

others ! To how many confessors are you to declare
your sin? It suffices that you tell it once to one priest
only, who hears your sin as he hears a thousand others
in other confessions. But why have you so many un
reasonable fears, and have not the fear of damning your
self by not confessing your sin ? This should deprive
you of all consolation and all peace; for, if you do not
confess your sin, there will remain in your conscience a
viper that will gnaw your heart during your whole life
in this world, and after death, during all eternity in hell.

Well now, let us take courage, and make known to
the confessor the recesses of your conscience; immedi
ately after confession you will find the peace that you
have lost, and you will ever thank God for having given
you the strength to overcome the devil. Hasten, there
fore, to be delivered from this viper that causes you so
much pain, and become reconciled with God. Hear
what I say: It is sufficient for you to say to the con
fessor: My Father, I have a scruple about my past life ;
but I am ashamed to mention it. — Speak thus, and then
it will be the confessor's duty to deliver you from the
serpent that torments you as if you were one of the
damned, although you are not yet in hell.

I have wished to mention here in a practical manner
those pretexts which induce so many poor souls to con
ceal their sins and are the cause of their damnation.
As this cursed shame is everywhere prevalent, especially
among women, we must make them understand the an
swers given above to the false pretexts which the devil
puts before them in order to make them conceal their
sins.

It is true, I am well aware that, in the missions, usu
ally a special sermon is preached to move the hearers
not to hide any sin through shame ; but I say that this
point is so important that even an entire sermon is not
sufficient : first, because it may happen that souls need-

320 Appendix.

ing it most are not present; secondly, because for per
sons who have concealed their sins for a long time, it is
not enough to hear the remedy spoken of but once; the
preacher should often insist upon this matter, which I re
gard as the most important that one has to treat in the
missions; for even in the missions many persons, although
they have been present at the sermons, have continued
to hide their sins. This is particularly necessary when
one preaches in conservatories in which many girls and
women are living together. As the occasions of sin are
more frequent there, sins are also more frequent ; and
for persons that live in these establishments it is more
difficult to have a confessor to whom they would con
fess with less repugnance ; hence we should oftener
speak to them about false shame, which causes them to
conceal sins in confession, and it is very useful to make
a deep impression upon their minds' by relating to them
melancholy examples.

In all the missions given by our Congregation it is
customary for him who explains the catechism to relate
every day one of the terrible examples of persons damned
for having concealed sins in confession. Many of these
examples are found in good authors, and I have given
some of them in my treatise INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PEOPLE
ON THE COMMANDMENTS. I think the preacher would do
well to put to a profitable use similar examples. They
may be of benefit not only to him who preaches the ser
mon, but also to him who gives the instruction or medi
tation, and even to him who gives the exercises to
priests ; for among them are often found parish priests,
preachers of Lenten sermons, and other ecclesiastics
who are anxious to preach in a profitable manner.

pious

TO BE MADE IN THE COMMON VISIT TO THE BLESSED
SACRAMENT AND TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

In the visit which the people are to make the priest should read these
Acts in a loud voice and with pauses, and the people should repeat them
after him.

Visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

O my soul ! revive thy faith and thy confidence: thou
art in the presence of the infinite majesty of thy God,
who for the love of thee descended one day from heaven
to the earth, became man, and wished to die on the cross
to save thee, and who now remains here in the Blessed
Sacrament to hear thee, and to grant thee the graces
that thou askest of him; speak to him, then, and say:

ACT OF FAITH AND OF ADORATION.

My God, because Thou art infallible truth, and hast
revealed what we should believe, I believe all that Thou
teachest me to believe. I believe that Thou art the
Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, and that in
eternity Thou rewardest the just in paradise and pun-
ishest the wicked in hell. I believe that Thou art only
one God in essence and three in Persons, the Father,
the Son, the Holy Ghost. I believe, O eternal Son of
God ! that, becoming incarnate and being made man in
the womb of Mary, Thou wast crucified for our salva
tion, and that now Thou remainest in the Blessed Sacra
ment to nourish us with Thy flesh in holy Communion,
and to hear our prayers on Thy altars when we come to
21

^22 Visit to the Blessed Sacrament

visit Thee. Prostrate, therefore, at Thy feet, I, a misera
ble sinner, unworthy to appear before Thee, and worthy
only of being in hell, as I have so often deserved, I
adore Thee, O infinite Majesty, by uniting myself to the
adorations that are rendered to Thee by all the angels
and all the saints, with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

ACT OF HOPE.

My dear Redeemer, trusting in Thy promises, because
Thou art faithful, powerful, and merciful, I hope that
Thou wilt, grant me through the merits of Thy Passion
the pardon of my sins, perseverance in Thy grace till
death, and finally the happiness of going to see and
love Thee eternally in paradise.

ACT OF LOVE.

My dear Lord and my God, because Thou art an in
finite good, worthy of an infinite love, I love Thee with
my whole heart above all things, and I would wish to
see Thee loved by all men of this world as much as
Thou deservest to be. I rejoice that Thou art and wilt
always be infinitely happy.

ACT OF CONTRITION AND OF A FIRM PURPOSE.

My dearly beloved Redeemer, if I had abandoned all
for Thee by spending my whole life in the desert, and
if afterwards I had died by the violence of the torments
endured for Thy love, it would certainly be nothing
in comparison with the cruel death that Thou my
God hast wished to suffer for me. But how have I
treated Thee in the past? I have repaid Thee with in
gratitude. Instead of loving Thee, how many times
have I offended Thee by turning my back upon Thee,
by despising Thy grace and Thy love ! I repent of this,
O my Jesus ! I regret with my whole heart of having
offended Thee — Thou who art. infinite goodness. Ah !

and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 323

would that I had died rather than have ever displeased
Thee! I hate and I detest more than every evil all the
injury that I have heaped upon Thee. O Lord, my
God ! I promise Thee, and I am resolved for the future
to die rather than offend Thee again ; I also make the
resolution to receive the sacraments during my life and
at my death. The time that remains to me to live,
whether it be short or long, I will spend entirely in lov
ing Thee, O infinite Majesty, my only good, more amia
ble than every other good ! But of what use will be all
these promises that I have made to Thee, if Thou dost
not help me, O God of my soul! Without Thy help I
should betray Thee again, and I should do worse than
before. This is, then, the grace that I ask of Thee, and
that I hope through the merits of Thy Passion: give me
holy perseverance, and do not permit it to happen that
I should ever again be separated from Thee ; let me die'
rather than see myself again incur Thy displeasure.

ACT OF THANKSGIVING.

My Jesus, I thank Thee for all the graces that Thou
hast conferred upon me: for having created me, for hav
ing redeemed me by Thy blood, for having made me a
Christian by the sacrament of baptism, and for having
borne with me so long a time, when I was in disgrace
with Thee. How unhappy should I be had I died in
this state ! I should now be in hell, I should be lost
there forever, O my God ! and I could no longer love
Thee. I thank Thee, therefore, for having waited for
me with so much patience, and for having pardoned me,
as I trust that Thou hast done, with so much mercy. I
especially thank Thee for having left Thyself for us in
the Blessed Sacrament, for having so many times given
Thyself entirely to me in Holy Communion by making
Thyself our food, and for having at this moment deigned
to admit me to Thy presence. I thank Thee for all these

Visit to the Blessed Sacrament

benefits, and I am confident that I will render Thee
more perfect thanksgiving during all eternity in para
dise, where I hope to sing Thy praises forever.

OFFERING.

My Jesus, through love of me Thou didst wish lo did
in torments and insults on an infamous gibbet; what can
I render Thee in return for so much goodness: I have
only myself to offer Thee; I therefore, O Lord, my God,
offer and consecrate myself entirely to Thee; I give Thee
my soul, my body, my will, by submitting myself in all
things and forever to Thy holy will; do with me as Thou
wiliest. Make that I shall always love Thee in this life
and in the next, and then dispose of me and of all that I
am as Thou wishest. Tell me what Thou wishest of me;
I am ready to do all with the help of Thy grace.

PRAYER.

O Lord ! I recommend to Thee the Sovereign Pontiff,
all the Prelates, and all the priests: fill them with Thy
spirit, in order that they may sanctify the whole world.
I recommend to Thee unbelievers, heretics, and all sin
ners: give them the light and the strength that they
need, in order to give up sin and to study to love only
Thee, who art the sovereign good. I recommend to
Thee all the dying, all my relatives, my benefactors, and
my friends; and I recommend to Thee also, in a special
manner, my enemies; for Thou hast given me the com
mand to do so: make them happy, and make them saints.
I recommend to Thee the holy souls in purgatory: alle
viate their sufferings, and abridge the time of their exile,
in order that they may soon go to enjoy Thy presence
in heaven.

Finally, in regard to myself, I pray to Thee, O my
Jesus, whom I adore on this altar in the Blessed
Sacrament ! from the height of this throne of love,

and to tJie Blessed Virgin Alary. 325

grant me by Thy merits a great sorrow for my sins,
and the pardon of all the offences that I have committed
against Thee. Give me holy humility and meekness, in
order that I may bear with patience all kinds of con
tempt and all persecutions. Give me the grace to mor
tify myself by abstaining from all that is not pleasing to
Thee. Give me perfect resignation to Thy holy will, so
that I may embrace with peace all the crosses that come
to me from Thy hand. Give me sufficient light to know
Thy holy wishes, and sufficient strength to fulfil them.
Give me great confidence in Thy holy Passion and in
the protection of Mary, Thy Mother. Give me the
sovereign gift of Thy love, with a great desire of loving
and pleasing Thee, so that in future I may always say
to Thee what I now say: My God, it is Thou only whom
I wish, and nothing more. Give me perseverance in
Thy love till death, so that I may never lose Thy holy
grace. Above all, do I ask Thee to help me always to
ask of Thee this holy perseverance, by recommending
myself always to Thee and to Thy holy Mother, especi
ally when I am tempted to offend Thee; make me always
repeat then: Jesus and Mary, help me. — Eternal Father,
for the love of Jesus, Thy Son, grant me all these graces.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.

My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart, and I
desire to be always united with Thee. Since I cannot
now receive Thee sacramentally, I receive Thee spiritu
ally. Come, then, into my heart; I embrace Thee, and
unite myself wholly to Thee, and I beg Thee not to per
mit me to be ever separated from Thee.

After this we may recite the Litany of the Blessed
Virgin, and then the following hymn should be sung:

Pange, lingua, gloriosi

Corporis mysterium,

Sanguinisque pretiosi,

326 Visit to tJie Blessed Sacrament

Quern in mundi pretium,
Fructus ventris generosi,
Rex effudit gentium.

Tantum ergo Sacramentum

Venerernur cernui ;
Et antiquum documentum

Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum

Sensuum defectui.

V. Panem de ccelo prsestitisti eis.
R. Omne delectamentum in se habentem.

Or emus.

Deus, qui nobis, sub Sacramento mirabili, passionis
tuae memoriam reliquisti : tribue, quaesumus, ita nos
Corporis et Sanguinis tui sacra mysteria venerari, ut
redemptionis tuae fructum in nobis jugiter sentiamus.
Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Visit to the Blessed Virgin.

O great Queen of heaven, Most Holy and Immaculate
Virgin Mary ! I, a miserable sinner, salute and honor
thee as the Mother of my God. Thou art among all crea
tures the most beautiful, the most holy, the most amia
ble, and the best beloved of the Lord. My Sovereign, I
love thee above all things after God; I wish to see thee
loved by every one. I exceedingly rejoice at thy great
ness, and I thank the Lord for having so much glorified
thee. I also thank thee, who art my Mother, for all the
graces that thou hast obtained for me from God in the
course of my whole life. I offer myself to thee to be
thy perpetual servant, and I place myself under thy pro
tection; I place in thee all my hopes. Accept me, O my
Queen ! and do not reject me as I deserve to be rejected.
I know that thou art so powerful with God that he

and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 327

grants thee everything for which thou dost ask him. O
Mother of mercy ! O Refuge of Sinners ! I place my soul
into thy hands; pray, have pity on me: recommend me
to thy divine Son, and obtain for me the pardon of all
my sins, the love for God, and holy perseverance in his
grace till death. Above all, I beg thee to obtain for me
the grace of always recommending myself to thee, especi
ally when I am tempted to offend God. Do not cease
to help me during my life and my death. My tender
Mother, I confide in thee; it is thou that is to save me
through the merits of Jesus, thy Son, and through thy
intercession. Amen. So I hope; so may it be.

PRAYER OF ST. BONAVENTURE.

O Jesus, who for my sake didst not spare Thyself in
anything ! impress upon me Thy Passion, in order that,
on whatever side I may turn, I may look upon Thy
.wounds, and may find rest only in Thee and in meditat
ing on Thy sufferings. Amen.

of (&imng Missions.*

i. The Beginning of the Mission.

IN the first place, it must be remarked that no one
should go on a mission without having been sent by the
Superiors; and the latter should never send mission
aries, if they have not been asked for by the bishop or
by the people of a place, with the consent of the bishop,
of whom a request should be made for permission in
writing and for the necessary powers. The subjects
may not only show themselves disposed to give the mis
sion, but may also modestly and resignedly manifest
a desire to do so.

Then, when they are on the point of setting out, they
should inform the bishop, the arch-priest, or the parish
priest of the time when they will arrive at the place
where the mission is to be given, in order that the
people may receive notice by the placards that are to be
posted in conspicuous places; so also, in order that on
their arrival the bells may be rung as on a festival, and
the clergy may come to receive them, at the entrance
of the city or village, with the cross which is afterwards
handed to the Superior. The giving of this notice will
also be necessary in order that the house, the beds, and
the things necessary for the kitchen may be prepared or
provided for.

* In the Italian editions these regulations are found among the
Letters and Circulars addressed by the holy founder to the members of
his Institute; we may here see, briefly, how he directed his missions in
the kingdom of Naples. — ED.

Method of Giving Missions. 329

Before their departure they shall recite in common, in
the church, the Itinerarium Clericorum ; then, after hav
ing received the blessing from the Superior, who at
this time will appoint him whom they should obey in
his stead, they shall set out. On the journey they should
select a suitable time for making their exercises of piety.

On their arrival at the place of their destination, the
clergy having come to meet them, as has been said
above, the Superior shall take the cross, and they shall
go in procession to the church while reciting in a loud
voice the Benedictus. Arrived at the church, they shall
visit, before all, the Blessed Sacrament, then the altar
of the Blessed Virgin, and the altars of the holy patrons
and titular saints, and pray to them most fervently that
they may assist them in this great undertaking. They
shall specially offer their homage to the guardian angels
of the place, of the church, and of individuals, and im
plore their help for the sanctification of those souls con
fided to their care.

When the fatigue of the journey does not prevent them,
and the hour on a festival is suitable, especially if the
number of the people in the church is sufficiently large,
they may on that very day begin the mission by preach
ing the first sermon, which should be preceded by the
recitation of one of the three parts of the Rosary. But as
this rarely happens, a short address should usually be given
to the people assembled, by informing them of the end
that the missionaries propose to themselves in coming
to that place. They should be told that the mission
aries bring with them a heart filled with charity
towards all the people; that they come to work for the
salvation of their souls by placing before their eyes the
eternal truths — truths of which they have neglected to
think; by instructing them in the things necessary to save
their souls, and by hearing their confessions with all the
charity and patience that their state requires. Then

330 Method of Giving Missions.

without making an act of contrition, the people shall be
dismissed, after they have been informed of the time
when the mission is to begin on the following day.

It should, however, be understood that, in regard to the
beginning of the missions, one should not be positively
restricted to an inviolable rule; the circumstances of the
places, persons, etc., should be considered, and one
should begin the missions in a most suitable manner,
either by a discourse on the spot and making briefly an
act of contrition, or [by a discourse in the church, after
having walked through the place, or by a regular ser
mon with or without an act of contrition.

When the mission does not begin on the day of ar
rival, the evening exhortation ' should not be omitted,
and it should continue during three or four evenings,
according to the necessities of the place. The first ex
hortations given as an invitation should be more tender,
expressing compassion for souls; the others shall be
strong. They shall not be long, and should last a half
or a quarter of an hour. They should not be given every
evening in the same place; nor shall they be given
immediately near suspected places, but where they
can be heard by a large number. To give these ex
hortations the missionaries should always leave the
church with the cross, burning candles, and the little
bell, while singing the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
Arrived at the place where a stop is to be made, the
little bell should be rung, and there shall be said with
a loud voice: Praised be the Most Blessed Sacrament
and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin!
Then, after having announced to the people that the
mission has begun or is to begin the day after, the ex
hortation should be given. When it is finished, the
people, who are accustomed to follow, should be con
ducted to the church or at the entrance, where an act of
1 Page 95.

Method of Giving Missions. 331

contrition is made, and then they may be dismissed
with a blessing with the crucifix. The women should
be notified not to follow; for after having heard the
exhortation, they should go home. The missionaries
should attach great importance to these exhortations,
which usually produce very great fruit in the holy mis
sions; they should not on any account be omitted; they
should not be improvised; and before going forth to
give them, one shall take care to prepare for them by
fervent prayers.

If the day after the arrival is a festival, and the mis
sion has not been begun by the first sermon, confessions
should not be heard in the morning of this festival, but
an impassioned sermon should be delivered on the effi
cacy of the holy mission in securing the eternal salva
tion of Christians, or on the miserable state in which
Christianity is found, or on the dangers to which those
that have sinned have exposed themselves, etc. — This
sermon should not be concluded by an act of contrition,
but by an exhortation to profit by the grace that our
Lord has sent in this mission, with an explanation of
the exercises that are performed in the course of it; and
an invitation that all should attend all these exercises,
especially the procession which is to leave the church
after dinner. The clergy should specially be invited to
come to this procession, clad in long cassocks without
surplice.

At twenty-one o'clock,1 when all the priests have as
sembled in the church, the procession with the cross
should start from the church and pass through the city
or village while singing the Litany of the Blessed Vir
gin; the place most populated having been reached, a
stop should be made, and a Father from an elevation
shall deliver a short discourse to the people, to induce
them to profit by this occasion to change their lives;

1 Old Italian reckoning, that is, two hours and a half before sunset.

332 Method of Giving Missions.

but no act of contrition need be added. Then all should
re-enter the church. During the procession the Fathers
who take part in it may say a few words of exhortation
wherever they meet people congregated, by inviting all
of them to come to the sermon. The church being
reached, one of the three parts of the Rosary with its mys
teries should be recited (this should be done every day
before the sermon), and then the Father shall ascend
the pulpit to preach, but without surplice and without
stole, and he shall conclude it with a fervent act of con
trition drawn from a motive suggested by the sermon.

If the exercises of the mission has not been announced
in the morning, as has been said above, the people
should be informed of this after the first evening ser
mon; they should be exhorted to frequent all these
exercises with all possible fervor, the hour for each
exercise being mentioned to them. The ecclesiastics,
the magistrates, the principal men, should be requested
to be the first to be present for the sake of good ex
ample; and even when it is possible, two Fathers shall
go, in the name of all, to visit and invite the chief man
of the place, the governor, or any other distinguished
person, to obtain their assistance and their favor; and
if the mission is given in the city, they should send a
similar invitation to the Chapter when it has assembled
before or after Vespers; and its assistance and support
should also be asked.

2. Various Exercises.

The exercises should take place punctually at the
time fixed; namely, the meditation at an early hour in
the morning; Christian doctrine or catechism, early
after dinner; the exercises for priests in a retired place,
after Vespers; and the evening sermon at an hour con
venient for the close of the day; however, if the people
cannot assemble so soon, as frequently happens in winter

Method of Giving Missions. 333

where there are workingmen, the sermon may be given
later, unless the will of the bishop, or some other reason
able cause, is opposed to such an arrangement.

I. In the morning, as soon as a sufficient number of
people have assembled, one of the three parts of the
Rosary is recited, unless this would interfere with the
Masses, and much more, with hearing confessions. Then
a Father shall enter the pulpit and salute the people,
saying: Praised be the Most Blessed Sacrament and the
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
After this he shall say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
Then he shall give, remaining on his knees, a short
familiar MEDITATION/ preceded by the Christian Acts.
This meditation shall be made on a subject pertaining
to the purgative way; but care should be taken not to
take the subject that is to be treated in the evening ser
mon, or at least, the same points. The Father shall
conclude by making acts of contrition, without however
taking the crucifix. This exercise, including all the
acts, should not last more than three quarters of an
hour.

II. During the day, the exercise of the CHRISTIAN
DOCTRINE, or CATECHISM/ shall take place. It shall be
intrusted by the Superior to a subject whom he shall
judge to be the most capable; and this exercise should
be regarded as one of the most precious and most im
portant of the holy mission.

An instruction shall be given on the precepts of the
Decalogue and on the manner of confessing, and shall
be given at a time most convenient for the people. If
the people can come in the morning at the first hour,
the instruction is to be given first, and then the medita
tion; in case the number of missionaries is insufficient,
.one may even omit the meditation, but never the in
struction; however, when only the instruction is given,
1 Page 254. '-' Page 169.

334 Method of Giving Missions.

one should make moral reflections, and finish with acts
of contrition, etc.; and in smaller and poorer places only
an instruction made in this manner will do good.

Afterwards, the Prefect of the church shall assemble
the children to instruct them on confession and Com
munion.1

III. Before the sermon a Father shall say the ROSARY 3
of the Blessed Virgin, and begin by a short introduction
or a short example, in order to dispose the people to re
cite it with devotion; he shall announce the mysteries
with some short consideration, having always in view
to make the people recite one of the three parts of the
Rosary; for the principal end for which this exercise
has been introduced is to obtain from the Blessed Vir
gin that she should deign to co-operate in the success
of the mission. However, when the instruction takes
place after dinner, it will be better to recite the Rosary
before the instruction, in order to have more people to
recite it; then, between the instruction and the sermon,
a hymn shall be sung, but these hymns should never be
sung in the pulpit.

IV. Then the principal or great sermon 3 is to be given
at the most convenient hour, as has been said, and with
out surplice or stole; it should last at most an hour and
a half, inclusively of all the acts that are to be performed
at the end with the crucifix and the torches. The
preacher should be mindful not to finish the sermon
without urging the people to invoke the Blessed Virgin;
and for this purpose a statue of Mary should be ex
posed.

In regard to the ceremonies, it is forbidden to utter
maledictions, to use the chain or any other instrument
to draw blood, to burn one's self with the torch, and the
like. But the Superior may sometimes permit the use of

1 Pages 140 and 156 2 Page 130. 3 Page 179.

Method of Giving Missions. 335

the rope and of the skull, when this is done with zeal,
prudence, and discretion.

It has been established by the General Chapter, that
in the missions and spiritual exercises a sermon on the
Blessed Virgin should always be preached, this being
most profitable, as experience proves. The Fathers
should endeavor, in all their sermons, always to make
mention of the love for Jesus Christ and of recourse to
the Blessed Virgin; since all of us, if we wish to save
our souls, should truly love Jesus Christ, and often have
recourse to the divine Mother.1

The Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament shall take
place only on the day of the blessing, as is seen farther
on.

V. After the evening sermon the exercise of the DIS
CIPLINE 2 shall be performed for the men, four or five
times during the mission; and on the last evening the
exercise of trailing the tongue; but when the exercise
of the discipline takes place, the evening exhortations
shall cease.

As for the discipline, a Father shall, first, give a short
exhortation drawn from the sermon, and then, in the
middle of the discipline, at some verse of the Miserere,
he shall also say a few words of compunction. The
discipline shall last only during this Miserere; then one
of the people should be made to say three " Hail Marys "
in honor of the Immaculate Conception, with the face on
the ground, and finish by a penitential hymn.

On the two or three last evenings, after the discipline,
an EXHORTATION OF PEACE 3 should be given, and those
that come to be reconciled shall embrace each other be
fore the crucifix; but before calling the enemy, a Father
shall secretly listen to the one that presents himself; he
should gather information about the cause of the enmity,

1 Page 302. 2 Page 118. 3 Page 126.

336 Method of Giving Missions.

and shall see whether he that has come is the offended
party who wishes to pardon, whether the enmity is not
secret, or whether the reconciliation might not have
some other inconveniences.

VI. The last day before the exercise of a devout life,*
the sermon of the BLESSING J shall be preached after
dinner, in the following manner:

At first the recitation of the Rosary shall be begun;
and there will be no instruction; in the middle of the
Rosary the procession of the Blessed Sacrament will
take place, which a Father shall carry only outside of
the door of the church, when he shall give three bless
ings towards the fields, the first blessing being given in
the middle, and the other two at the right and the left;
then the procession returns, and the Blessed Sacrament is
exposed on the altar; and if the preacher has not yet
arrived, the Rosary should be continued. The preacher
having ascended the pulpit, on this day, with surplice
and stole, the Blessed Sacrament should be veiled; then
follows the sermon, with the benediction with the cru
cifix. Afterwards five "Our Fathers "and five " Hail
Marys " are recited to gain the indulgence of the mis
sion just finished, and the preacher shall intone the Te
Deum. The priest at the altar shall sing the prayer
Dens cujus misericordice. After this the Pange lingua and
the Tantum ergo, etc., should be sung; and before the
blessing, the preacher shall address from the altar an
other exhortation to the people, by having them prom
ise to come to the exercises of the devout life,

VII. On the morning of this same day there shall be
a GENERAL COMMUNION of grown persons; for the Com-

1 Page 234.

* This custom of preaching the last sermon before the exercise of
the devout life was followed by St. Alphonsus only during the first
years of his apostolate, as has been explained above, page 234. — ED.

Method of Giving Missions. 337

munion of children of fifteen years of age and over should
be made separately on another day, either before or after,
as may appear best.

Before the Communion of grown persons, the preacher
or another Father shall ascend the pulpit, placed in the
middle of the church, and as a preparation for Com
munion, shall make with the crucifix the acts of faith,
humility, love, and contrition; then he shall have them
make peace; after that he shall make the act of desire,
and then Communion shall be given; he shall conclude
with thanksgiving.

At the Communion of children, peace shall not be
made, but hymns in honor of the Blessed Sacrament are
to be sung as preparation and thanksgiving, After the
thanksgiving, they shall go in procession through the
city or village, singing the Litany of the Blessed Virgin;
on their return to the church, some instruction adapted
to their age should be given, and after the blessing with
the crucifix they shall return home.

VIII. The last three days, or at least, in certain places,
the last two, the EXERCISES OF THE DEVOUT LIFE' are to
be given, and should never be omitted, according to a
decree of the Chapter; one should try to introduce them
permanently. In the afternoon, after having recited
the little chaplet of the Sorrows of Mary, or of the
Infant Jesus, and the Rosary if time permits, the
preacher himself shall give from the pulpit a half-
hour's instruction on mental prayer, on the prepara
tion for Communion and thanksgiving after it, and on
the rule of life that is to be followed for self-sanctifica-
tion. Then, on his knees and without a surplice, he
shall give a meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ
and on the Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin, whose statue
should be draped in mourning. He shall conclude by
acts of faith, hope, charity, contrition firm purpose,

1 Pages 230 and 23^,
23

338 Method of Giving Missions.

with the protestation of wishing to die fortified with
the sacraments, and by putting into the act of contri
tion some pious hymn on the Passion of Jesus Christ;
and he will dismiss the people with the blessing with
the crucifix.

IX. One should not fail to make the mission last at
least ten or twelve days in small places.

Moreover, it must be observed that if there should be
some little hamlet away from the place of mission, the Su
perior may send some Fathers there to preach and to hear
confessions as long as he shall judge this to be necessary.

It will be the duty of the Prefect of the church (i) to
read the prayers; (2) to give notice to the Fathers of
the time in which they may say Mass in succession, so
that they may finish before the hour of going to the
house; (3) to notify the Fathers of the time when the
exercises are to take place; (4) after having been told
by the Superior, to give the sign when the Fathers
should retire; (5) to procure what is needful for the
church; (6) to give instructions in catechism, to give
the colloquies, exhortations, to say the Rosary, etc.

3. Rules of Conduct for the Fathers on Missions.

I. No one shall go on missions by himself; in little
missions there should be at least two, or at least, in case
of necessity, the Father should be accompanied by a
lay-brother or a strange priest. They shall always go
united by that charity qua major essc non potest, remem
bering that it is a special commandment given by his
divine Majesty to the apostles, and through the apostles
to all the missionaries who should follow them: Hoc est
pr<£ceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos. Man-
datum novum de vobis, ut diligatis invicem. Pater sancte
serva eos, . . . ut sint unum, sicut et nos? They should
also remember the qualities of charity, enumerated by
1 Pages 292 and 297. 2 John, xv. 12; xiii. 34; xvii. n.

Method of Giving Missions. 339

the Apostle: Charitas patiens cst, bcnigna est; charitas non
ccmulatiir, non agit perpcram, non inflatur, etc.1 — However,
when they must go to give invitations, or do anything
that regards the service of God, and have not to spend
the night elsewhere, they may be accompanied by some
priest or cleric, if their own companions are too few.

II. They shall always travel to the missions on foot,
as was done by his divine Majesty, and as was done by
the holy apostles, unless strict necessity obliges them to
use an ordinary and plain conveyance; they shall not
travel on horseback without necessity. No entreaties
whatsoever should induce them to accept any other
convenience for travelling, unless they must make the
journey by water.

Outside of the missions, if a carriage is offered them,
they may use it, provided they need not change their
dress; the same thing holds good if any person of dis
tinction should invite a Father to ride in his carriage.

III. The place where the mission is to be given having
been reached, the time for the exercises should be
arranged, and the arrangement should be adhered to as
much as possible. There shall be seven hours of sleep
in winter, and in spring six and a half hours, with an
hour of rest after dinner. Missions should not be given
in summer.

The Fathers during the mission should regularly
retire from the church about noon, and they should go
to bed in the evening about two hours before midnight.

The Superior shall at the same time appoint the
Fathers who have to take charge of the church, of the
reconciliations, and of the domestic arrangements.

IV. In the church the Fathers shall keep the confes
sionals to which they have been assigned.

V. In the place where the mission is given they should

1 i Cor. i. 34.

340 Method of Giving Missions.

take care always to avoid familiarity and useless con
versation with externs.

VI. At the house they shall make a half-hour's medi
tation twice a day, and at least once when they have
not sufficient time.

VII. At table silence should be kept. They shall
read the lives of the saints during dinner, and a book
on the Blessed Virgin at least during part of the supper;
but on days of general Communion, and when they are
tired from hearing confessions or from some other cause,
the reading should continue only a little while.

A half-hour's recreation will be sufficient as well after
dinner as after supper.

VIII. In regard to the expenses of the mission, nothing
should ever be asked unless it be a house, beds, furni
ture, and some kitchen utensils.* If afterwards some
one offers them food or wine, or even all that is needed
for their meals, they shall receive all with thanks; but
they must not fail to refuse whatever is superfluous, and
all delicacies. They should usually have only two por
tions, namely, soup and boiled meat, there being added
at most some other frugal portion, as cheese and fruit;
they shall touch nothing else, and shall plead their Rule
in excuse; for in this manner others will be edified,
expense and even scandal will be avoided.

It shall never be permitted to accept money, even for
Masses, nor delicacies, as fowl, birds, dainties, sweet
meats, fine confectionery, and the like; nor, finally,
presents to be carried away, of whatever kind they may
be.

Here is what should be the ordinary food in the mis
sions: at dinner, soup, boiled meat, cheese and fruit; at

* It should be known that St. Alphonsus and his companions when
on missions, often numbering from fifteen to twenty Fathers in large
places, lodged in a special building, and were served by their "own lay-
brothers, without being a burden to *ny one, — ED,

Method of Giving Missions. 34 1

supper, salad and another portion, cheese and fruit
when they can be had: otherwise, one must arrange
things as well as one can; but one should always be
careful to avoid luxury, delicacy, and what is super
fluous in the quantity of food.

IX. In the missions or other exercises of devotion for
the people, when the bishop asks for them or prescribes
them, the spiritual exercises shall be given to the relig
ious or nuns, and one may be extraordinary confessor;
but outside of these occasions, such a thing is forbid
den, except for the nuns of the Most Holy Saviour when
they show a great veneration for these exercises.

liable of Mission Sermons.*

i. Introduction to the Mission.

GOOD that is effected by the holy missions, see Letter
to a bishop, page 73

2. Motives for Conversion.

The importance of salvation, sermon xn.

Dangers to eternal salvation, s. ix.

Death is certain and uncertain, s. xxxin.

The death of the sinner, s. xxxvin.

The practical death, or what ordinarily happens at
the death of men of the world, s. XLIV.

Straits and anguish of dying Christians who have
been negligent during life about the duties of religion,
s. LI.

The death of the just, s. xi.

The particular judgment, s. xxxvu.

The general judgment, s. L.

The pains of hell, s. x.

The remorse of the damned, s. vin.

The eternity of hell, s. L.

The unhappy life of sinners, and the happy life of
those that love God, s. xin.

The mercy of God towards sinners, s. xxxn.

The vanity of the world, s. xxxv.

All ends and soon ends, s. XLIII.

* These sermons, to be preached in the missions, are to be found
in Volume XVI of the Centenary Edition. — En.

Plan for Mission Sermons. 343

3. Obstacles to Conversion.

Dangers to eternal salvation, s. ix.

Delusions of sinners, s. xiv.

The malice of mortal sin, s. vi.

The evil effects of bad habits, s. xx.

Bad thoughts, s. XLVII.

The predominant passion, s. XLIX.

Scandals, s. xxm.

The sin of anger, s. xxxiv.

Blasphemy, s. LIII.

Impurity, s. XLV.

The vice of speaking immodestly, s. XL.

Concealing sins in confession, s. xvn.

4. Means of Conversion.

In what true wisdom consists, s. v.

Means necessary for salvation, s. TIL

The conditions of prayer, s. xxvi.

Heaven, s. xvi.

The love of Jesus Christ for us, and our obligation to
love him, s. iv.

The love of the three divine Persons for men, s. xxix.

The tender compassion that Jesus Christ entertains
towards sinners.

The value of time, s. xxiv.

5. Perseverance in Conversion.

In the last sermons of the mission we recommend
perseverance to the people. We speak to them chiefly
of the great danger to which those expose themselves
who fall back into sin after the mission; and therefore
we try to impress upon the memory of the faithful the
means to be employed to avoid a relapse into sin,
namely, in the first place, the avoiding of the occasions, of
bad company, and of human respect; in the second place,

344 Plan for Mission Sermons.

the frequentation of the sacraments and prayer, or re
course to God in temptations, being careful to ask him
every day for the grace of holy perseverance.

We add the sermon on the Blessed Virgin, which
we recommend in such a way that it should never be
omitted; for it produces greater fruit than all the rest.
I know by experience that a certain sinner, who had
been insensible to all other sermons, was converted by
the sermon on the Blessed Virgin. We should not re
gard this sermon as an extraordinary thing on missions:
Blessed Leonard of Port Maurice, in all his missions,
never omitted the sermon on the Blessed Virgin; the
same thing must be said of Father Segneri, Junior. This
is the practice in our Congregation of the Most Holy
Redeemer, and I know that other missionaries have fol
lowed the same custom. It is certain that if a soul
acquires a true devotion to the Mother of God, and con
tinues to recommend itself often to her intercession,
this great Queen will obtain for it the grace of perse
vering in virtue; for she is called the Mother of Perse
verance.

The sermon on prayer. should also never be omitted,
since it is of the highest importance; for if those that
have followed the mission do not continue to recommend
themselves to God, it is certain that they will not perse
vere. When there is no time to treat this sermon sepa
rately, the preacher, at least in the other sermons that he
preaches in the mission or spiritual exercises, should not
omit frequently to exhort his hearers always to recom
mend themselves to Jesus and to Mary, since prayer,
according to the teaching of St. Augustine, is the only
means of obtaining God's grace, and especially holy
perseverance.

The following are the sermons that refer to perse
verance:

The abuse of divine mercy, sermon XLI.

Plan for Mission Sermons. 345

The miserable state of relapsing sinners, s. xxi.

The avoiding of the occasions of sin, s. XXIL

The avoiding of bad company, s. XLII.

Human respect, s. xxvu.

Obedience to the confessor, s. xxv.

Holy Communion, s. xxxi.

The efficacy and necessity of prayer, s. xxix.

Confidence with which we should recommend our
selves to the Mother of God, s. vn.

Moreover, before preaching the last sermon, several
Congregations of Missionaries, such as the Pious Work
ers, the priests of the Purity of Mary, and our Con
gregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, are accustomed,
on two or three days, to give, instead of a sermon, a
meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ, this exercise
is very useful for the perseverance of the faithful who
have made the mission. He that leaves sin only through
fear of chastisement, after the mission is finished loses
sight of what has frightened him, and easily relapses into
his old sins; but he that is attached to God through
love, easily perseveres in a good life. Hence, on these
two or three days, the preacher of the mission will give
a half-hour's instruction on mental prayer by teaching
the people the manner of easily making it; he shall also
teach them the manner of making preparation and
thanksgiving for Communion. Then he shall make the
meditation by considering the mysteries of the Passion,
and by interspersing it with pious affections, acts of
contrition and of love, and holy resolutions. — The mis
sionaries shall recommend to the parish priest to have
meditation made every day in common for the people.

346 Plan for Mission Sermons.

TABLE OF SERMONS TO BE PREACHED IN A RETREAT.

Advantages of the spiritual exercises (as an introduc
tion), see Volume III, page 285.

In what true wisdom consists, sermon v.

The value of time, s. xxiv.

The abuse of divine mercy, s. XLI.

The straits and anguish of dying Christianas who have
been negligent during life about the duties of religion,
s. LI.

The particular judgment, s. xxxvu.

The pain of loss which the damned suffer in hell, is
XLVIII.

The confidence with which we should recommend our
selves to the Mother of God, s. vn.

The love of Jesus Christ for us, and our obligation
to love him, s. iv.

Instructions for tljc

ST. ALPHONSUS published these INSTRUCTIONS in Italian in the course
of the year 1767, during his episcopate. In the following year he pub
lished the same in Latin, with this title: Institutio catechistica ad popu-
lum in prcecepta Decalogi et Sacramenta. The literal translation of the
title of the Italian edition is as follows: " Instructions for the people
on the precepts of the Decalogue, in order that they may be better
observed, and on the sacraments, in order that they may be better
received, for the use of parish priests and of missionaries and of all
ecclesiastics that are employed in teaching Christian doctrine."

We read in the Life of the holy author: ' ' This work forms, it is true,
only a small volume, but its usefulness is very great; it was also favor
ably received especially by the parish priests. The royal examiner
speaks of it thus: ' Whether one considers the matter of the thoughts
of his treatise, or the manner in which they are expressed, every one
that examines it with attention must see that it is worthy of its author's
name, that is to say, of a learned man full of zeal for God's honor and
the salvation of souls.'

" In this work the holy prelate again attacks those rigorous minds
who, in affecting great purity of doctrine, and in pretending to bring
back the faithful to the favor of the Christianity of primitive ages,
oppress souls by an insupportable yoke, with which Jesus Christ never
loaded them. 'This is not the doctrine of the Church,' he said, 'for
she glories in being a mother, and not a cruel step-mother. Jansenius
and his followers have invented this severity; I would ask if the number
of souls whom they have caused to fall into hell through an erring con
science does not exceed the number of those whom they have led to
paradise. Besides, it is clear that the sentiments which they have
adopted are not those of the holy bishops whom we honor on our altars,
nor of those saintly laborers who have sacrificed their blood and their
life for the salvation of but one soul. We have not yet seen a Jansenist
who has lost an hour's sleep to insure the salvation of a soul.' " (Tannoia .
and Villecourt, 1. iii. ch. 38.)

He who spoke thus was himself one of those evangelical laborers so
devoted to the salvation of souls, and one of those bishops of high per
fection whom the Church honors on her altars. The wise teachings
that he gives us have produced and do not cease to produce in the
whole Church wonderful fruits of salvation. — ED.

Ijittts to t!)c

IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS INSTRUCTIONS MORE PROFITABLE.1

i. THE catechetical instruction to the people consists
of three parts: i. The INTRODUCTION; 2. The EXPOSITION
of the mystery, sacrament, or precept to be spoken of;
and, 3. The MORAL, with the means and remedies to be
employed against the different vices.

i. Introduction.

The INTRODUCTION must consist in a statement of the
subject-matter of the instruction, and of the different
points into which the subject is divided. If the matter
be connected with that of the preceding instruction, the
catechist may begin by briefly repeating the points
explained in that instruction; but if the matter be dif
ferent, he may begin by showing the importance of the
subject of which he is about to speak.

2. The Exposition.

With regard to the EXPOSITION of the mystery, sacra
ment, or precept, the catechist must attend to several
things.

I. He must prove the mystery, sacrament, or precept
to be explained by authorities, by reasons, by similes,
and authentic facts. I say authorities, but let them be
few, and be sparing of Latin quotations, as the illiter-

1 There is question here of the large catechism, about which instruc
tion is given to adults; as for the little catechism for children, see page
156.

350 Hints to the Catechist.

ate, of whom the audience at catechism generally con
sist, understand little or no Latin. Scholastic questions
are not suited to the pulpit, and must therefore be alto
gether avoided, but particularly before the uninstructed,
who are easily disturbed by such questions, and may
often draw from them erroneous conclusions.

II. Care must be taken not to propound doctrines
which may lead the hearers to a pernicious looseness of
conscience. It is one thing to speak in the confessional,
where all the circumstances of the case are weighed,
and you have to deal with a particular person, and
another to speak in the pulpit, where a proposition
may be misunderstood by those who are inclined to
laxity, and may lead them to loose and improbable con
clusions. However, it is necessary to correct the errone
ous consciences of some, who believe there is sin where
there is none. For example: Some uninstructed persons
imagine that their judgments and suspicions are rash
even when they have sufficient foundation to judge and
suspect. It is necessary to teach them that such judg
ments or suspicions are neither rash nor sinful, and
therefore not matter for confession. Others believe it
to be a mortal sin simply to curse a creature — such as
the day, the wind, the rain, and the like; others think it
a grievous detraction to make known to a parent the
sins of his children, even though it be necessary for
their correction; others imagine that they sin by not
observing a precept of the Church, such as hearing
Mass, abstaining from servile work, or fasting, even
when they are excused by a legitimate cause. In all
these, and similar cases, the catechist should explain
that there is no sin.

III. When any actions are certainly sinful, it is the
duty of the instructors to teach that they are so, even
though some persons should think the contrary; but
particularly when there is reason to fear that these per-

Hints to the Catechist. 351

sons will contract a habit of these acts, which they will
not be able to correct without great difficulty after they
have come to the knowledge of their sinfulness. For
example, some think it only a venial sin to curse holidays,
such as Holy Saturday, Easter, and Pentecost; it is
necessary to teach them that such curses are really in
jurious to God, and mortal sins. Some also believe
that it is only a venial sin to expose themselves to the
proximate occasion of sin. The catechist must explain
that those who do not abstain from voluntary proxi
mate occasions of grievous sin are guilty of a mortal
sin, even though they have the intention of not com
mitting the bad act, to the danger of which they expose
themselves. It is also necessary to teach that those
who use superstitious and vain observances for the cure
of diseases, or the like, are guilty of mortal sin. He
must also inculcate on those who are prepared to take
revenge for an insult which they may receive, that they
are continually in a state of sin, and that, if they die
in that disposition, they will be lost. So, also, women
must be taught it is a sin to take pleasure in being ad
mired and desired by men, if this pleasure arises from
vanity, and not from a wish to be married to them.

IV. There are some catechists who are fond of filling
their instructions with amusing and curious stories, and
assert that this is necessary to draw a large audience,
and to keep up their attention and prevent tediousness.
This one thing I know, that the saints, in their instruc
tions, instead of exciting laughter, moved the people to
tears. We read in the life of St. John Francis Regis,
that the people wept throughout the catechetical in
structions which he gave in the missions. I do not
censure a jest which naturally arises from the subject
treated; but to tell ridiculous stories, for the purpose
of making the people laugh, is to turn the instruction
into a farce, and is unbecoming the sanctity of the

35 2 Hints to the Catechist.

church, and the dignity of the pulpit from which the
word of God is announced, and in which the instructor
fulfils the office of an ambassador of Jesus Christ. For
Christ therefore, says St. Paul, we are ambassadors.1 The
people certainly take delight in hearing and laughing at
such trifles; but what profit do they draw from it?
After the laughter, the hearers will be so distracted,
that it will be very difficult afterwards to compose their
thoughts; and instead of listening to the moral (which
our witty catechist will find rather hard to adduce from
his jokes, and at the same time avoid appearing to be a
quack), if nothing worse happens they will continue to
revolve in their minds the witty expressions and ridicu
lous incidents which they have heard. Such a catechist
may acquire the character of a facetious and pleasing
instructor, but he will not be considered a man of sanc
tity and zeal, and therefore will produce but little fruit
in the hearts of his hearers. It is a mistake to imagine
that without jests of this sort the people will not come
to the catechism, nor be attentive to it. I say that
greater numbers will come to the church, and will pay
more attention to the instruction, when they find that
they draw fruit and devotion from it, and that their
time is not spent unprofitably.

V. The catechist must pay great attention to the
language of his instructions. The style of catechetical
lectures should be altogether simple and popular, and
does not admit of polished language or rounded periods.
These are, as St. Francis de Sales says, the pest even of
sermons. Preachers who are full of the Spirit of God
do not seek after leaves and flowers of this kind, for by
them the fruit of God's word is lost, while hell gathers
its harvest of souls. The word of God has no need of
ornaments; the simpler it is, the more fruit it bears.

" Pro Christo ergo legatione fungimur." — 2 Cor. v. 20.

Hints to the Catechist. 353

Oh! how many preachers shall we see condemned to
eternal torments, for having adulterated God's word
with their flowery language ! If all preached like the
apostles, hell could not make such havoc among souls
as it does at present, with all these elegant and pompous
sermons. Even panegyrics, as the great Muratori says,
should be simple, so as to move the people to imitate
the virtues of the saints, not so as to make them bestow
a little smoke and empty praise on the preacher. But
I have written a little work ' on this point, in which I
show, with Muratori, that -all sermons and panegyrics
should be simple and popular. For the chief part of the
audience is made up of the lower orders, who will find
little or no profit unless the language is popular and
adapted to their capacity; and this applies to all ser
mons. But in missions it is an unpardonable mistake
to preach in an elegant style, particularly at catechism,
where the object is to teach the illiterate what they must
believe and practise, how they must make their confes
sions, and how they should recommend themselves to
God. If the style is not altogether popular, and suited
to their capacity, the time both of the instructor and of
the people is lost. I said that the style should be popu
lar, not childish; some speak with the most childish
simplicity; but childishness is never fit for the pulpit. I
also said that the language should be accommodated to
the capacity of the people. The instructor, then, must
use short sentences, so he will have his audience more
attentive. It is useful frequently to propose questions,
arid to reply to them; it contributes greatly to keep up
the attention of the people, and to fix the instruction in
their memory. Many practical examples of this will be
found in the following pages.

1 Page 17: LETTER TO A RELIGIOUS.
23

354 Hints to the Catechist.

3. The Moral.

In the MORAL, the catechist must not only instruct the
understanding, but also more particularly endeavor to
move the will of his hearers to avoid sins and to adopt
the remedies against them. The sins committed through
the malice of the will are much more numerous than
those that are committed through ignorance of the
understanding. The moral of a catechetical instruction
should be shorter than that of a sermon. It should be
delivered with warmth, but not in the style of a sermon,
and without declamation. It is sometimes useful in the
instruction to exclaim against some commoner form of
vice, against some current worldly maxim, or against
those frivolous pretences which wicked men employ to
excuse their vices, or as when they say: " All are not to
•be saints; we are but flesh and blood; God Is merciful;
others do as we do." These excuses must be answered
with great vigor, so as to root out the prejudices by
which many persons regulate their conduct, and there
fore never amend their lives. But these declamations
must be rare; otherwise the instruction will assume the
appearance of a sermon, which is quite out of order.

Let the catechist, then, not only aim at completely
extirpating these false maxims, but also labor to impress
on the minds of his hearers some really salutary truths,
which will contribute greatly to preserve souls in the
grace of God. For example: " What will it profit a man
to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own
soul?" Death puts an end to all things. Eternity has
no end. Let all be lost, provided God be not lost. Sin
is the only evil which we have to fear. He possesses all
things who possesses God. All pains are little to him
who has merited hell. A man must conquer all his pas
sions to preserve his soul. What does a Christian know,
if he has not learned to bear an insult for God's sake ?

Hints to the Catechist. 355

He who prays receives all he wants. What comes from
God is all really good and supremely useful. Sanctity
consists in loving God. The love of God consists in
doing his will in all things. This kind of maxims of
'Christian morality should be often repeated, as occasion
offers, that they may be impressed on the minds of the
people, and take deep root in them.

The catechist must frequently repeat, in his instruc
tions, certain admonitions which are peculiarly neces
sary for the salvation of souls:

1. He must caution people against making sacrilegious
confessions by concealing sins through shame. It is cer
tain that through this accursed shame numberless souks
are lost. Some are so much under its influence that
they make sacrilegious confessions even to the mission
aries. Hence, it is necessary to speak frequently on
this subject, but particularly in the missions; for the
person who conceals a sin during the retreat will never
afterwards confess it To deter the people from these
sacrileges, it will be useful to relate a number of in
stances of souls that have been damned for sacrilegious
confessions. I have given several such examples at the
end of this book.

2. It is necessary to inculcate frequently the necessity
of avoiding dangerous occasions; for, if proximate occa
sions, especially of carnal sins, are not avoided, all other
means will be useless for our salvation.

3. It is necessary to inculcate the necessity of prayer, or
of frequently asking help from God to avoid sin. He
who does not recommend himself to God, but particu
larly in the time of temptation, is certainly lost; and,
therefore, the catechist must, in his instructions, fre
quently exhort the people, in all temptations, but par
ticularly in temptations against purity, to invoke Jesus
and Mary, and to continue to invoke them as long as
the temptation lasts. He who prays is not afraid of

356 Hints to the Catechist.

falling into sin, for he has God to help him. St. Teresa
used to say that she would like to stand on a mountain,
and cry out only these words, " O souls ! pray, pray,
pray."

4. The instructor must frequently exhort the people
to the love of God; he who does not love God, and only
abstains from sin through fear of hell, is in great danger
of relapsing into sin as soon as the lively sensation of
fear ceases; but he who has once come to love Jesus
Christ, will afterwards find it hard to fall into mortal
sin. For this purpose the meditation on the Passion of
Jesus Christ is most profitable. St. Bonaventure says
that the wounds of Jesus Christ are wounds which would
soften hearts of stone and inflame minds of ice.1 Hence
it is necessary to make a short mental prayer every day,
and to make frequent acts of love to Jesus Christ, and
to ask frequently of God the gift of his love.

5. The instructor must, above all, recommend to the
people frequent confession and Communion, from which
souls receive strength to persevere in the grace of God.
It is not enough to say this once; he must repeat it over
and over again; because all the people are not present
at the instruction on confession and Communion, and
also because the frequent repetition of an advice con
tributes to impress on them the necessity of putting it
in practice. But it may be said, that the people grow
tired of hearing the one thing over and over again.
But what then? Some fastidious people may be
annoyed, but all the rest will derive profit, especially
the uninstructed, who, unless they hear the same thing
over and over again, forget it at once.

6. The instructor should, as often as an opportunity
presents itself, teach practical lessons to the people, and
even suggest the words which they should use in certain

1 " Vulnera, corda saxea vulnerantia, et mentes congelatas inflam-
mantia." — Stim. div. am. p. I, c. I.

Hints to the C ate c hist. 357

circumstances. For example, when a person receives an
injury or insult from another, he should be taught to
say to his enemy, " God make you a saint; God give
you light !" But if this does not allay the other's rage,
let him be ready to hold his tongue. When any misfor
tune happens, let him say, "God's will be done! O
Lord, I suffer this willingly for my sins." These, and
such practical lessons, should be frequently repeated
that they may be fixed in the minds of the people, who
will certainly forget all the Latin quotations and the
curious erudition of the instructor, and will only re
member what they are taught to practise.

All these hints will appear trifling to your pedants,
but they will be really very useful for the soul.

Instructions for the people on tljc £en orommattoments
an& on tlje Sacraments.

PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION,
i. Original Sin.

To fulfil his duties, it is, first of all, necessary for man
to know what is his last end, in which he may find his
perfect happiness. The last end of man is to love and
serve God in this life, and to enjoy him for eternity in
the next. Thus, God has placed us in this world not to
acquire riches, honors, or pleasures, but to obey his
commands, and^ by obedience to them, to gain the eter
nal beatitude of paradise.

For this end, the Lord created Adam, who was the
first man, and gave him Eve for his wife, that from them
mankind might be propagated. He created them in his
grace, and placed them in the terrestrial paradise, with
the promise that they should be thence transferred to
heaven to enjoy complete and eternal felicity. During
their sojourn on this earth he gave them for their food
all the fruits of that garden of delights; but, to try their
obedience, he forbade them to eat the fruit of only one
tree, which he pointed out to them. But Adam and Eve
disobeyed God, and would eat the forbidden fruit, and
for this sin they were deprived of divine grace, were in
stantly banished from paradise, and, as rebels to the
divine Majesty, were, with all their posterity, condemned
to temporal and eternal death. Thus was heaven shut
against them and all their descendants.

This is the original sin in which, as children of a re-

360 Instructions for the People.

bellious father, we are all born children of wrath and
enemies of God. When a vassal rebels against his sov
ereign, all the descendants of the rebel become hateful
to the prince, and are banished from the kingdom.
Thus original sin, by the disobedience of Adam, de
prives us of the grace of God.

According to the doctrine of the Church, the. Blessed
Virgin Mary had the privilege of being exempt from
original guilt. It is certain that she was also free from
all actual sin. Such is the doctrine of the Church, as
the Council of Trent has declared: " If any one saith,
that a man once justified .... is able, during his
whole life, to avoid all sins, even those that are venial,
— except by a special privilege from God, as the Church
holds in regard of the Blessed Virgin, — let him be anath
ema."1 [In the Bull " Ineffabilis Deus" published by
Pius IX., in the year 1854, it was solemnly defined that
the Blessed Virgin was, from the first moment of her
conception, preserved from all stain of original sin.]
But, if she contracted no guilt from which she required
to be redeemed, must it be said that she was not re
deemed by Jesus Christ as well as all the other children
of Adam? No; she was redeemed, but redeemed in a
more excellent manner. Others are redeemed after
having incurred original guilt; Mary was redeemed by
being preserved from it. And this privilege was justly
given to her alone — that blessed woman whom God had
predestined to be his own Mother.

But all the rest are born with the infection of the sin
of Adam, in punishment of which we have our under
standing darkened to the knowledge of eternal truth
and our will inclined to evil. But by the merits of

1 " Si quis hominem semel justificatum dixerit . . . posse in tota
vita peccata omnia, etiam venialia, vitare, nisi ex special! Dei privi-
legio, quemadmodum de Beata Virgine tenet Ecclesia; anathema sit."
— Sess. vi. can. xxiii.

Practical Introduction. 36 1

Jesus Christ at our baptism we obtain the divine grace
and the remedy for all our misery. We thus become the
adopted sons of God and heirs of paradise, provided we
preserve till death the grace given to us in baptism.
But if we lose it by mortal sin we shall be condemned
to hell, and can obtain pardon only by the sacrament of
penance.

2. Actual Sins.

With regard to the sins that we actually commit, we
must distinguish mortal from venial sin.

I. To understand the nature of mortal sin, it is neces
sary to know that, as the soul gives life to the body, so
the grace of God gives life to the soul. Hence, as the
body without the soul is dead, and fit only for the grave,
so by sin the soul dies to the grace of God and is
doomed to be buried in hell. Hence grievous sin is
called mortal because it kills the soul. The soul that
sinneth, the same shall die} I said that the soul is doomed
to hell. But what is this hell ? It is a place to which
all who die in sin go to suffer eternal torments. These
shall go into everlasting punishment? But what pains shall
they suffer in hell? Every conceivable pain: there the
damned are immersed in a sea of fire, tortured by all
sorts of torments, overwhelmed with despair, and aban
doned by all for all eternity.

But is it reasonable that a soul should suffer an eterr
nity of torments for a single mortal sin ? — He who
speaks thus shows that he does not understand what a
mortal sin is. Mortal sin is to turn your back upon
God. Thus it is defined by St. Thomas 3 and St. Augus
tine 4 a turningaway from the unchangeable good. Hence

" Anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur." — Ezcch. xviii. 20.
" Ibunt hi in supplicium aeternum." — Matt xxv. 46.

3 L. 2, q. 87, a. 4.

4 De Divers. Qucest. 1. I, q. 2, n. 18.

362 Instructions for the People.

God says to the sinner, Thou hast forsaken Me, thou hasi
gone backward.1 Mortal sin is an insult offered to God
by sinners. / have brought iip children and exalted them,
but they have despised Me? It is a dishonor done to the
divine Majesty. By the transgression of the law thou dis-
honorest God.'" It is to say to God, I will not obey Thee.
Thou hast broken My yoke, . . . and thou saidst, I will not
serve." This is the essence of mortal sin; and for it one
hell is not enough: a hundred or a thousand hells would
not be sufficient to punish a single mortal sin. If a per
son unjustly injures a peasant he deserves to be pun
ished: if he does it to a nobleman, a prince, or an em
peror, he merits far greater chastisement. But what are
all the kings of the earth and even all the saints of heaven
in comparison with God ? They are as nothing. All
nations are before him as if they had no being at all? Now,
I ask, what chastisement is due to an insult offered to
God, and to a God who has died for the love of us ?

However, it must be observed that for mortal sin
three things are required: full advertence, perfect con
sent, and grievous matter. If any of these three be
wanting, the sin is not mortal: it can be only venial, or
perhaps no sin at all.

II. Venial sin does not kill, but it wounds the soul. It
is not a grievous offence, but still it is an offence against
God. It is not so great an evil as mortal sin; but it is
a greater evil than all the other evils that can happen
to creatures. A lie, a venial curse, is a greater evil than
if all men, all the saints, and all the angels were to be
sent to hell.

1 "Tu reliquisti me, dicit Dominus; retrorsum abiisti." — Jer. xv. 6.

2 " Filios enutrivi et exaltavi, ipsi autem spreverunt me.'' — Is. \. 2.
8 " Per pnEvaricationem legis, Deum inhonoras." — Rom. ii. 23.

4 " Confregisti jugum meum, rupisti vincula mea, et dixisti: Non
serviam." — Jcr. ii. 20.

5 " Omnes gentes, quasi non sint, sic sunt coram eo." — Is. xl. 17.

Practical Introduction. 363

Some venial sins are deliberate, others are indelib-
erate.

1. Indeliberate venial sins, or sins committed without
full advertence or perfect consent, are less culpable; all
men fall into such sins. The Blessed Virgin only had
the privilege of being exempt from them.

2. Deliberate venial sins, which are committed "with
full advertence and consent, are more criminal, particu
larly when there is an affection for them; such as cer
tain feelings of hatred, of ambition, certain rooted at
tachments, and the like. "Who," says St. Basil, "shall
dare to call any sin light?"1 It is enough to under
stand that it offends God, to make us avoid it more than
any other evil. The deformity of a venial sin was once
shown to St. Catharine of Genoa; she afterwards felt
surprised that she did not die of horror at the sight of
it. And let him who thinks little of venial sin remem
ber, that if he does not amend, he will be on the point
of falling into some mortal sin. The more venial sins
the soul commits, the weaker she becomes, the greater
the power which the devil acquires over her, and the
fewer the helps that God bestows upon her. He that
contemneth small things shall fall by little and little?

3. Conclusion.

Let us, then, be careful to avoid sin, which alone can
make us unhappy in this life and in the next; and
let us continually thank the goodness of God for not
having already sent us to hell for our sins. Let us
henceforth attend to the salvation of our souls, and let
us consider how little is all that we do for the salvation
of our souls — all that we do for eternal life.

St. Augustine3 relates that when the Emperor Gratian

1 " Quis peccatum ullum leve audeat appellare ?" — Keg. brcv. int. 4.
• "Qui spernit modica, paulatim decidet."— Ecclus. xix. i.
;i Con/. 1. 8, c. 6.

364 Instructions for the People.

was in the city of Treves, two of his courtiers went one
day to visit a monastery of certain good religious, which
was outside the city. In that holy solitude they began
to read the life of St. Antony, which lay on the table of
one of the religious. One of them, enlightened by God,
said to the other: " My friend, after all the anxieties
and labors of the world which we endure, what can we
obtain ? While wre remain at court, the most we can
hope for is to gain the emperor's favor. This is the
greatest happiness that we can expect, and if we gain
it, how long will this happiness last ? But if I wish for
the friendship of God, I can have it this moment."
After this he went on reading, and by God's illumina
tion saw more and more clearly the vanity of the world,
and resolutely said to his companion: " Now, I will for
sake all things and save my soul. I this moment resolve
to remain in this monastery to think only of God. If you
will not follow my example, at least, I beseech you, do
not oppose my design." His companion said that he
was resolved to follow his example. Two young women
also, who had been betrothed to them, when they heard
of their change, left the world and consecrated their
virginity to God.

But, to make sure of our eternal salvation, it is not
enough to begin: it is necessary to persevere; and in
order to persevere, it is necessary to be humble, always
distrusting our own strength, confiding only in God,
and continually asking his help to persevere. Woe to
that man who trusts in himself and glories in his own
works.

Palladius ' relates that a certain solitary, in a desert,
spent day and night in prayer, and led a most austere life,
and therefore was honored by many. The unhappy man
began to think well of himself, and, on account of his vir
tues, regarded himself sure of perseverance and salva-

1 Hist, latis, c. 44.

Practical Introduction. 365

tion. But afterwards, when the devil appeared to him
in the form of a woman, and tempted him to sin, the
unhappy man was unable to resist the temptation, and
fell. Immediately after his fall, the devil burst into
loud laughter and disappeared. The solitary afterwards
left the desert, returned to the world, and fell into all
kinds of vice; thus he became a warning to show how
dangerous it is to trust in your own strength.

Still more frightful was the end of the celebrated
Brother Justin, who, after refusing offices of great dig
nity that were offered to him by the King of Hungary,
became a religious of the Order of St. Francis, and made
such progress in the spiritual life, that he had frequent
ecstasies. One day, during dinner, in the convent of Ara
Cceli, he was, in the presence of the entire Community,
raised into the air, and borne aloft to venerate an image
of the Blessed Virgin, which was hanging on the wall.
On account of this prodigy, Eugene IV. sent for him,
embraced him and made him sit down, and had a long
conversation with him. By this act of respect on the
part of the Pope the unhappy man war so puffed up,
that St. John Capistran said to him when he saw him,
" Brother Justin, you went out an angel, and you have
come back a devil." He afterwards fell into pride and
many other vices, and at last he killed a brother in re
ligion. He then fled into the kingdom of Naples, where
he committed many other crimes, and died in prison an
apostate monk.

PART I.
Instructions on tl)c (jTomtnanbtnents.

CHAPTER I.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

" Thou shall have no other God before me." J

THIS first commandment obliges us to give to God
due worship and honor. What this God is, it is impos
sible to understand. But let it be enough for us to
know that his principal attributes are as follows :

1. God is independent. All things depend on God, but
he depends on no one ; and, therefore, he possesses all
perfections, in regard to which no one can set any
bounds to him.

2. God is Almighty; for he can do whatever he wishes;
by one act of his will he created the world. He first
created the heavens, and the angels, who are pure
spirits, and he created them in the state of grace. But
Lucifer, when he was commanded to adore the Son of
God, who was to be made man, through pride refused
to obey, and induced a third part of the angels to join
with him in his rebellion against God. These rebellious
angels were instantly banished from heaven by the
Archangel Michael, and condemned to hell. They are
the devils, who tempt us to sin, in order to make us

1 " Non habebis deos alienos coram me." — ExoJ. xx. 3.

366

CHAP, i.i The First Commandment. 367

companions of their torments. Miserable should we be,
if we had not God to assist us. We should not have
strength to resist their temptations. But God requires,
as the condition of giving us this assistance, that in our
temptations we instantly turn to him, and ask his assist
ance; if we act otherwise, we shall be defeated by our
enemies. The angels who remained faithful were im
mediately admitted into the enjoyment of the glory of
paradise; and from among these angels, the Lord has
appointed those who were to be our guardians: He hath
given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.1
Let us every day give thanks to our angel guardian, and
entreat him to assist us always, and never abandon us.
Next the Lord created the earth and all those things
that we see. He then made man, that is, Adam and
Eve, as we have already said. So God is the Lord of
all things, for he created all things; and as he created
all things by one act of his will, so by another act he
can, if he pleases, destroy all things. This is what is
meant by God's omnipotence.

3. God is also most wise. He governs all things
created without labor or inconvenience. He sees and
has before him all things, past and future, and knows
all our thoughts better than they are known to our
selves.

4 God is eternal; he always has been, and always will
be, and nothing in him ever had a beginning, or shall
have an end.

5. God is immense; he is in heaven, on earth, and in
all places.

6. God is holy in all his works, and it is impossible for
him to be in any way wicked.

7. God is just ; he leaves no sinful act unpunished,
and no good act without reward

1 " Angelis suis mandavit de te, ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis."
— Ps xc. n.

368 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

8. God is all mercy to penitent sinners, and all love to
the souls that love him. In a word, God is infinite
goodness ; so that he cannot be better nor more perfect
than he is.

This God, our Creator and Preserver, we are bound
to love and honor, principally by acts of the three theo
logical virtues of faith, hope, and charity. "God," said
St. Augustine, " is to be worshipped with faith, hope,
and charity." 1

Faith,
i. WHAT is FAITH?

Faith is a virtue, or a gift which God infuses into our
souls in baptism; a gift by which we believe the truths
which God himself has revealed to the holy Church, and
which she proposes to our belief.

2. WHAT is THE CHURCH?

By the Church is meant the congregation of all who
are baptized (for persons not baptized are out of the
Church), and profess the true faith under a visible head,
that is, the Sovereign Pontiff. I say the true faith, to
exclude heretics, who, though baptized, are separated
from the Church ; I say under a visible head, to exclude
schismatics, who do not obey the Pope, and, on that ac
count, easily pass from schism to heresy. St. Cyprian
well says : " Heresies and schisms have no other origin
than this — the refusal to obey the priest of God and the
notion that there can be more than one priest at one
time presiding over the Church, and more than one
judge at a time filling the office of Vicar of Christ."2

1 " Deus fide, spe, et charitate, colendus." — Enchir. c. 3.
'•'"Neque enim aliunde haereses oborUe sunt, aut nata schismata,
quam inde quod Sacerdoti Dei non obtempcratur, nee unus in Ecclcsia

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 369

We have all revealed truths in the sacred Scriptures,
and in the traditions gradually communicated by God
to his servants. But how should we be able to ascertain
what are the true traditions and the true Scriptures, and
what is their true meaning, if we had not the Church to
teach us? This Church Jesus Christ established as the
pillar and ground of the truth.1 To this Church our
Saviour himself has promised that she shall never be
conquered by her enemies. The gates of hell shall not
prevail against her? The gates of hell are the heresies
and heresiarchs that have caused so many miserable,
deluded souls to wander from the right way. This
Church it is that teaches us, through her ministers, the
truths that we are to believe. Thus, St. Augustine says:
"I would not believe the Gospel, were I not moved by
the authority of the Church."3

3. WHAT is THE MOTIVE OF FAITH, AND HOW SHOULD WE MAKE
AN ACT OF FAITH?

The cause or motive, then, which imposes on me the
obligation to believe the truths of faith is, because God,
the infallible Truth, has revealed them, and because the
Church proposes them to my belief. So we should make
out a rule of faith in this way: " My God, because Thou,
who art the infallible truth, hast revealed to the Church
the truths of faith, I believe all the Church proposes to
my belief." *

ad tempus Sacerdos et ad tempus Judex vice Christi cogitatur. "— Epist.
ad Cornel.

1 " Ecclesia Dei vivi, columna et firmamentum veritatis." — i Tim.
iii. 15.

2 " Portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus earn." — Matt. xvi. 18.

3 " Ego Evangelio non crederem, nisi me Ecclesise Catholicae com-
moveret auctoritas." — Cont. Epist. Fttnd. c. 5.

* We shall find farther o*n, § IV., a formula which explicitly contains
all the truths that one must believe by necessity of means and of pre
cept. S^e, moreover, page 140.
24

3 7° Instructions for the People. [PART i.

This is the reason or motive which makes me believe
the truths of revelation. Let us now see what are those
truths which we are obliged to believe.

4. WHICH ARE THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FAITH?

There are four principal articles of faith:

1. There is an ever-present God.

2. He is a rewarder who rewards with the eternal
glory of paradise all who observe his law, and punishes
all who transgress it with the everlasting torments of
hell.

3. In God there are three Persons, the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and these Persons, though
distinct from one another, are but one God, because
they are one essence and one divinity. Hence, as the
Father is eternal, omnipotent, infinite, so are the Son
and the Holy Ghost equally eternal, omnipotent, and
infinite. The Son is begotten of the intelligence of the
Father. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the will of the
Father and the Son, by the love with which they love
each other.

4. The Incarnation of the Eternal Word — that is, of
the second Person — the Son, who, by the operation of
the Holy Ghost, was made man in the womb of the
Virgin Mary— for the person of the Word assumed the
nature of man, so that the two natures, the divine and
the human, were united in the person of Jesus Christ,
who suffered and died for our salvation. But what
necessity was there that Jesus Christ should suffer for
our redemption? Man had sinned; and to obtain par
don it was necessary that man should make a full satis
faction to God for the sins that had been committed.
But how could man make such satisfaction to the infinite
majesty of God ? What, then, did God do ? The Father
sent the Son to take upon himself our nature; and the
Son, Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, atoned to the

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 371

divine justice in behalf of man. Such is the debt and
the love that we owe to Jesus Christ. Denis the Car
thusian tells us of a young man who, at Mass, did not
kneel down at the words of the Creed, Et homo factus
est ; upon which a devil with a club appeared to him,
and said: "Thou ungrateful wretch, dost thou not
thank the God who was made flesh for thee ? If he
had done for us what he has done for thee, we should
be always prostrate in thankful adoration. And thou
dost not even make a sign of thankfulness." Then he
gave him a terrible blow with his club, and left him half
dead.

5. WHICH ARE THE THINGS THAT WE MUST KNOW AND BELIEVE

AS NECESSARY BY NECESSITY OF MEANS, AND OTHERS BY

NECESSITY OF PRECEPT?

Moreover, we must know that some articles are to be
believed by necessity of means, without which we can
not obtain salvation, others by necessity of precept. —
The necessity of means implies that if we do not believe
certain articles of faith, we cannot be saved. — The neces
sity by precept signifies that we must believe certain other
articles ; but if it happens that we are ignorant of them
by an invincible ignorance, we are excused from sin and
may be saved.

I. To know and believe the first two articles already
laid down, namely, that there is a God, and that he is a
just rewarder of virtue and punisher of vice, is certainly
necessary as a means of salvation, according to the words
of the Apostle, For he that cometh to God must believe that
He is, and is a rewarder to them that seek Him.1 Some
authors hold that the belief of the other two articles —
the Trinity of Persons, and the Incarnation of the Word
— is necessary by necessity of precept, but not necessary

1 "Credere enim oportet, accedentem ad Deum, quia est, et inqui-
rentibus se remunerator sit." — Heb. xi. 6.

Instructions for the People. [PART i.

as a means without which salvation is impossible ; so
that a person iriculpably ignorant of them may be saved.
At any rate it is certain, as Innocent XL declared,1 when
condemning a contrary proposition, that he who is
ignorant of the two mysteries of the Most Holy Trinity,
and of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, cannot receive
absolution.

II. We are obliged only by necessity of precept, which,
however, binds under grievous sin, to know and believe
the other articles of the Creed, at least the principal
articles among them— such as, that God has created
heaven and earth ; that he preserves and governs the
universe; that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the true Mother
of God, and is ever a Virgin; that on the third day after
his death Jesus Christ rose from the dead by his own
power; that he ascended into heaven, and there sits on
the right hand of his Eternal Father. By this it is meant
that Jesus Christ, even as man, sits at the right hand of
God — that is, that he permanently possesses a glory equal
to that of the Father, as Bellarmine explains in his cate
chism.2 I said even as man. For as God, Jesus Christ is, in
all things, equal to the Father; but, as man, he is inferior
to the Father, but, because our Saviour is at the same
time both God and man, and only one person, therefore
the humanity of Jesus Christ in heaven has a glory and
majesty equal to that of the Father, not by its own dig
nity, but because it is united with the person of the Son
of God. When a king sits on his throne, the regal
purple that he wears is there upon the throne with him;
thus the humanity of Christ by itself is not equal to
God, but because it is united with a divine Person, it is
seated on the same throne with God, with a glory equal
to that of God.

We are also bound to know and believe that, on the
last day of the world, all men shall rise, and shall be

1 Pr°P- 64- 2 Doctr. Christ, c. 3, a. 6.

CHAP, i.] The Fir si Commandment. 373

judged by Jesus Christ; we must also believe that the
Roman Catholic Church is the only true Church. Hence
they who are out of our Church, or separated from it,
cannot be saved, except infants who die after baptism.
We are obliged to believe the communion of saints —
that is, that each of the faithful in the state of grace
partakes of the merits of all the saints, living and dead.
We must also believe in the remission of sins — that is,
that our sins are remitted in the sacrament of penance,
provided we are sincerely penitent for them. Lastly,
we must believe in eternal life — that is, that he who is
saved by dying in a state of grace will go to heaven,
where he will enjoy God for all eternity ; and, on the
other hand, that he who dies in sin will be sent to hell,
where he will be tormented for all eternity.

Moreover, every Christian is obliged to know the pre
cepts of the Decalogue, and those of the Church, and
the principal obligations of his own state of life, whether
he be an ecclesiastic or secular, married or single, lawyer
or doctor, etc.

Every one is bound also to know and believe the seven
sacraments, and their effects, particularly the sacraments
of Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, and Eucharist, and
the other sacraments when he is about to receive them.
All are obliged to know the " Our Father." The " Our
Father," or Lord's Prayer, is a prayer that Jesus Christ
himself composed, and left to us, that we may know in
what manner to ask the graces that are most necessary
for our salvation. St. Hugh, Bishop of Grenoble, on
one occasion, when he was ill, repeated the " Our Father"
three hundred times in one night. His chamberlain ad
vised him not to repeat it so often, for fear of increasing
his illness. The saint answered, that the oftener he said
it, the faster he recovered. It is particularly useful to
repeat over and over again the words, "Thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven;" for the greatest grace

374 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

that God can bestow upon us is to make us do his holy
will here on earth. It is also very profitable to repeat
the petition, "and lead us not into temptation," begging
the Lorjd to deliver us from the temptations in which he
foresees that we should fall.

Moreover, every one should learn the "Hail Mary," in
order to know how to recommend ourselves to the Mother
of God, through whom, as St. Bernard says, we receive
all the graces God gives us.

All should likewise know that there exists a purgatory,
a place for expiating sins after death, where the faithful
suffer those temporal punishments for their sins that
they did not fully undergo in this life. We should,
therefore, be mindful to pray and offer our suffrages for
the holy souls in purgatory, whom we are, as far as we
can, bound to relieve in their sufferings; indeed, the
least pain of purgatory is greater than all the pains of
this life put together ; for the pains of these spouses of
Christ are most intense, and these poor souls are unable
to assist themselves. If, on this earth, our neighbor were
suffering great pain, and we could relieve him without
any great inconvenience, should we not be obliged to
do so? We are equally bound to render assistance to
these holy souls, at least by our prayers.

We should also know that it is very useful to us to
obtain the intercession of the saints, and particularly of
the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is of faith, as the Coun
cil of Trent 1 has declared against the impious Calvin,
who said it was wrrong to ask the assistance of the saints.
Nay, according to the doctrine of St. Thomas we mortals
are absolutely bound to go to the saints, in order to ob
tain, through their intercession, the divine graces neces
sary for our salvation ; not because God cannot save us
without the intercession of the saints, but because the
order established by God requires that, while we remain

1 Sess. xxv. De invoc. Sanct.

CHAP, i.] 77/6' First Commandment. 375

in this life, we should be converted. The order of the
divine law requires that we who are absent from the
Lord, while we remain in our mortal body, should be
brought back to him by means of the saints — to God by
the prayers of the saints.1 This doctrine is also held by
other theologians.2 We should likewise venerate the
relics of the saints, the cross, and sacred images.

6. WHICH ARE THE PROOFS OF THE TRUTH OF OUR FAITH ?

Before I proceed farther, I will answer an objection
which may be made. A man may say, the truth of our
faith is clear and evident: but how can it be clear when
there are so many mysteries, such as the Trinity, the
Incarnation of the Word, and the Eucharist, which are
obscure and incomprehensible?

I answer, the mysteries of the faith are obscure, but
not its truth. The truth of our faith, that is, that our
faith is true, is evident by the plainest and most irref
ragable arguments. The mysteries of faith are obscure
to us, and God himself wishes them to be obscure: first,
because he wishes to be honored by our believing, though
we cannot comprehend all the truths that he has revealed;
and, secondly, because we acquire merit by believing what
we do not see. What merit should a man have for believ
ing something because he sees and comprehends it ? St.
Gregory says that faith has no merit if human reason
furnishes a proof for it.3 But if we are unable to com
prehend the material things of this world — for who is
there that comprehends how the magnet attracts iron ?

1 " Hoc divinae legis ordo requirit, ut nos, qui manentes in corpora
peregrinamur a Domino, in eum per Sanctos medios reducamur." — In
4. Sent. d. 45, q. 3, a. 2.

2 Contin. de Tournely. De Rdig. p. 2, c. 2, a. 5, q. I. Syhitis, In
2. 2, q. 83, a. 4, concl. 2.

3 ' ' Fides non habet meritum, cui humana ratio prsebet experimen-
tum." — In Evang. horn. 26.

3 76 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

how a single grain of corn, sown in the earth, produces
a thousand other grains ? Who comprehends the action
of the moon, or that of lightning ?— what wonder is there
if we cannot comprehend the mysteries of God?

The objects, then., of our faith are obscure ; but the
truth of our faith is established by so many evident
proofs, that he who does not embrace it can only be
called a fool. These proofs are numerous. We shall
mention only three of them :

i. The first is taken from the prophecies written in the
Holy Bible so many ages before the event, and after
wards exactly fulfilled. Long before it happened, the
death of our Redeemer was foretold by several prophets
—David, Daniel, Aggeus, and Malachy foretold the time
and circumstances of his death. It was foretold that in
punishment of the murder of Jesus Christ by the Jews,
their temple should be destroyed, and they should be
driven from their country ; that they should remain
blinded in their sin, and should be scattered over the
whole earth. We know that all this has taken place.
It was also foretold that, after the death of the Messias,
the world should be converted from idolatry to the wor
ship of the true God — and this was done by the holy
apostles, who, unaided, by learning, nobility, riches, or
the protection of the great, and even in spite of the op
position of the potentates of the earth, recalled the world
to the worship of the true God, inducing men to forsake
their gods and their inveterate habits of vice, in order to
embrace a faith that taught them to believe so many
mysteries which they could not comprehend, and im
posed on them so many precepts hard to be observed,
because they are so contrary to our bad passions ; such
as to love our enemies, to abstain from pleasures, to
bear insults, and to place all our affections, not on the
goods that we see, but on the goods of a future life that
we do not see.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 377

2. We have further evident proofs of our faith in the
multitude of miracles wrought by Jesus Christ, by the
apostles and other saints, in the presence of the very
enemies of the faith, who, when they could not deny the
prodigies, said that they were performed by diabolical
agency. But true miracles that surpass the power of
nature, such as the raising of the dead to life, giving
sight to the blind, and the like, cannot be wrought by
devils; they have no power to work such miracles. God
cannot permit a miracle except in confirmation of the
true faith ; should he permit a miracle in confirmation
of error, he himself would deceive us. Therefore, the
true miracles that we witness in the Catholic Church (it
is sufficient to mention the miracle of St. Januarius*)
are infallible proofs of the truth of our faith.

3. The constancy of the martyrs is again a very strong
argument in favor of our faith. In the first ages of the
Church, in the reign of the tyrants, there were so many
millions of persons, and among them so many tender
virgins and children, who, rather than deny the faith of
Jesus Christ, endured with joy torments and death.
Sulpitius Severus writes ' that, in the time of Diocletian,
the martyrs presented themselves to their judges with a
desire of martyrdom that surpassed the avidity with
which men of the world pursue the riches and honors of
the earth.

The martyrdom of St. Mauritius, and the whole Theban
legion, is one famous in history. The Emperor Maxi-
mian commanded all his soldiers to assist at an impious

1 Hist. \. 2, n. 32.

* The cathedral at Naples possesses the relics of this glorious martyr,
with his blood collected during his execution and preserved in two vials.
Every time that his head is brought in sight of his blood enclosed in
the two vials, this blood, which is congealed and solid, liquefies and
boils as living blood in the presence of all the spectators. (Victories of
the Martyrs, Chap. LXV., page- 284.)— Ki>.

378 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

sacrifice which he was going to offer to his false deities.
St. Mauritius and his soldiers, because they were all
Christians, refused to obey the order of the emperor.
Having heard of their refusal, Maximian, to punish their
disobedience, ordered them to be decimated — that is,
the head of every tenth man in the legion to be cut off.
Each of them desired to die; and the soldiers who were
left alive envied the happiness of those who were put to
death for Jesus Christ. As soon as this was made knowrn
to Maximian, he ordered them to be decimated a second
time; but this only increased their desire of martyrdom.
In the end the tyrant ordered them all to be beheaded ;
and all, with joy in their faces, laid down their arms,
and, like so many meek lambs, gladly and without re
sistance submitted to death.

Prudentius ' relates that a child seven years old, whose
name is unrecorded, was tempted by Asclepiades to deny
the faith of Christ ; but when the boy refused, saying
that he had been taught this faith by his mother, the
tyrant sent for her, and in her presence caused the child
to be scourged till his whole body became one wound.
All the spectators shed tears of pity; but the mother
exulted with joy at the sight of the fortitude of her son.
Before death, the child, being thirsty, asked his mother
for a little water. " Son," said the mother, " have pa
tience a little while; you shall soon be satiated in heaven
with every delight." The prefect, enraged at the con
stancy of the mother and the son, commanded his head
to be cut off instantly. After the execution of the order,
the mother took the dead child in her arms, and kissed
him with feelings of the most joyful triumph because he
had laid down his life for Jesus Christ.

1 PeristepJi. hymn. 10.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 379

7. PRACTICAL CONCLUSION.

From all that we have said, we ought to gather that
we are bound to return God the most heart-felt thanks
for having given us the gift of the true faith. How
great is the number of infidels, heretics, and schismatics!
Catholics do not amount to a tenth part of the human
race. God has placed us in this number ; by his provi
dence we were born in the bosom of the true Church.
Few thank him for this great benefit. Let us at least
be careful to thank him for it every day.

II.

Hope.

i. WHAT is HOPE?

Hope is a virtue which God infuses into our souls,
by which we expect from the divine mercy, with certain
confidence, eternal beatitude through the merits of
Jesus Christ, and also by means of the good works that
we shall perform with God's assistance.

2. WHAT is THE OBJECT OF HOPE?

Hence the primary object of Christian hope is eternal
life — that is, God himself, whom we hope to enjoy; the
secondary objects are the means to obtain everlasting
happiness, which are God's grace, and our good works
which we shall perform with the assistance of grace.

3. WHAT is THE MOTIVE OF HOPE?

The motive or formal object of hope is the omnipo
tence of God, by which he is able to .save us; his mercy,
by which he wishes to save us; and the fidelity of God
to his promise to bring us to glory through the merits
of Jesus Christ, provided we pray to him for salvation

380 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

through the merits of Jesus Christ. Behold the promise:
Amen, amen, I say to you, if ye ask the Father anything in
My name, He will give it you} Without this promise we
should have no certain grounds to hope for our salva
tion, and for God's grace to obtain it.

4. How is THE BLESSED VIRGIN OUR HOPE?

But if God is our hope, for what reason does the holy
Church make us call the Blessed Virgin Mary our hope:
Spes nostra salve?

We must make a distinction : God, as the author of
grace and of every good, is our principal hope ; and
Mary is our hope, because she prays for us to Jesus
Christ. Hence, St. Bonaventure thus addresses her:
" Through thee, O first finder of grace, Mother of salva
tion, we have access to the Son, that, through thee, he
may receive us, who through thee was given to us."2
He meant to say, that as we have access to the Father
only through Jesus Christ, who is the mediator of jus
tice, so we have access to the Son only through Mary,
who is a mediatrix of grace, and by her prayers obtains
for us and dispenses those graces that Christ merited
and provided for us. Hence, St. Bonaventure called
Mary the entire ground of his hope.3 So also the holy
Church teaches us to call her "our life, our sweetness,
and our hope." 4

5. HOW DO WE SlN AGAINST HOPE ?

How is the precept of hope violated ? It is violated

i. By despair of the divine mercy. Thus Cain sinned

"Amen, amen, dico vobis : Si quid petieritis Patrem in nomine
meo, dabit vobis."— John, xvi. 23.

"Per te accessum habemus ad Filium, O inventrix gratia, Mater
salutis ! ut 'per te nos suscipiat, qui per te datus est nobis."— In Adv.
Dom. s. 2.

" Haec est tota ratio spei niece."— De Aquczd.
4 " Vita, Dulcedo, et Spes nostra."

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 381

when, after having killed his brother Abel, he said: My
iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.1 As if
God, who has said: Turn ye to Me . . . and I will turn to
you? could not pardon him even though he should re
pent of his sin.

2. The precept of hope is violated by presumption, or
thinking to be saved either without God's assistance, or
without renouncing sin.

If we wish, therefore, to obtain holy perseverance, we
must always distrust ourselves, and place our confidence
in God. He who trusts in his own strength to conquer
temptations will receive no aid from God, and will be
defeated by his enemies. They who wish to overcome
temptations must have recourse immediately, and with
confidence, to God. None of them, said David, that trust
in Him shall offend? And God himself says: Because he
hoped in Me, I will deliver him. 4

6. HOW DO WE MAKE AN ACT OF HOPE ?

This, therefore, is the way of making an act of hope :
My God, trusting in Thy promises, through the merits
of Jesus Christ, because Thou art almighty, merciful,
and faithful, T hope to receive from Thee the glory of
paradise hereafter, and the means necessary to obtain it
here.*

Hope is necessary for the attainment of eternal life ;
but hope alone is not sufficient for salvation : in order
to gain everlasting glory, good works are also necessary.
The saints have made all conceivable sacrifices to gain
heaven.

" Major est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam merear." — Gen. iv. 13.
" Convertimini ad me, . . . et convertar ad vos. " — Zach.i.^.
" Non delinquant omnes qui sperant in eo." — Ps. xxxiii. 23.
" Quoniam in me speravit, liberabo eum." — Ps. xc. 14.

* This act is reproduced afterwards, § IV., with a further explanation.

382 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

St. John Damascene, in his life of Josaphat, the monk,
relates that this young man was the son of a king, and
heir to the throne, but, enlightened by a celestial ad
monition, in order to secure his salvation, he despised
all the riches and delights of the earth, and fled from the
royal palace, and retired into a desert, where he spent all
the remaining days of his life in prayer and penitential
austerities. At his death, angels were seen carrying his
blessed soul to heaven.

Listen to what a woman did in order to gain heaven.
Socrates1 relates that when the Arian Emperor Valens
had commanded the prefect of the city to put to death
all the Catholics who should assemble at a certain place
in order to perform their devotions, the prefect, on his
way to execute the barbarous order, met a young woman
carrying an infant in her arms, and walking very quickly.
Being asked where she was going, she replied : " I am
going to the place where the other Catholics assemble."
" But do you not know," said the prefect, " that they are
all to be put to death?" "It is for that very reaton,"
rejoined the woman, "that I am hastening thither with
this my only child, that we may have the happiness of
dying for Jesus Christ, and of going to enjoy him in
heaven." As soon as the prefect heard this, he returned
to the emperor, and related the fact. Confounded by
the generous resolution of the woman, the emperor
ordered her to be left in peace.

III.

Charity.

i. WHAT is CHARITY?

Charity is a virtue which God infuses into the soul,
by which we love God above all things, because he is
infinite goodness, and by which we love our neighbors
as ourselves, because God commands us to love them.
1 Hist. Eccl. 1. 4, c. 13.

CHAP. LI The First Commandment. 383

2. WHAT is THE MOTIVE OF CHARITY?

The motive of loving God is his infinite goodness, for
which he deserves to be loved for himself alone, though
there were no reward for loving him, nor any chastise
ment for not loving him.

While St. Louis, King of France, was once travelling,
he encountered a woman on the road with a lighted torch
in one hand, and a vessel filled with water in the other.
When she was asked why she carried them she answered:
"I should like to set fire to heaven with my torch, and
to extinguish hell-fire with the water, that God might
be loved, not for the hope of heaven, nor for the fear of
the torments of hell, but simply and solely because he
deserves to be loved."

3. WHEN SHOULD WE MAKE ACTS OF CHARITY OR LOVE OF GOD?

Let us now examine when we are bound to make acts
of faith, hope, and charity. These acts should be made
from time to time because it is by acts that virtues are
preserved. We are obliged to make acts of the love of
God more frequently than acts of faith and hope; for in
the Holy Scripture God tells us that we ought to medi
tate constantly on this precept of loving God, sitting in
our house, walking in our journey, sleeping and rising:
that we should bind it as a sign on our hands, keep it
before our eyes, and write it on the entry and doors of
our house.1 This passage of Deuteronomy signifies that
we should continually endeavor to make acts of divine
love; for he who does not frequently exercise himself in
loving God can scarcely observe his law. St. Teresa
used to say that acts of love are the fuel that keeps the
holy fire of divine charity burning in our heart.

Some theologians hold that we are bound to make an
act of charity at least on every festival; otfiers, once a

1 Dcut. vi. 6, etc.

384 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

week. I say that we are obliged to make an act of divine
love at least once a month. But it is right that every
Christian should make acts of faith, hope, and charity
every day.*

4. WHEN SHOULD WE MAKE ACTS OF LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBOR?

Hence we should, at least once a month, make a formal
act of the love of our neighbor ; because, without fre
quent acts of fraternal charity, we shall scarcely practise
the charity that we owe to our neighbor.

With regard to the precept of fraternal charity, it is
necessary to know that Pope Innocent XI. condemned
the following proposition: "We are not bound to love
our neighbor by an internal and formal act." 1 This
proposition has been condemned; because we are bound
to love all men, not only externally, but also internally
with the heart, and by formal acts of love. Hence, it is
a sin to take complacency in the misfortune of a neigh
bor, or to be grieved at his welfare. This is the mean
ing of the precept: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself?

However, it is not sinful to desire or to be glad at the
temporal misfortunes of an obstinate sinner, in order
that he may amend his life, and cease to give scandal,
or to oppress the innocent. It may often happen that,
without losing charity, we may rejoice at the ruin of an
enemy, or be sorry for his exaltation, if we believe that
his ruin will be the salvation of others, and that his
prosperity will bring oppression and injustice in its
train. . Such is the doctrine of St. Gregory.3 But he

1 " Non tenemur proximum diligere actu interne formali." — Prop. 10.

2 " Diliges proximum tuum sicut te ipsum." — Matt. xxii. 39.

3 " Evenire plerumque solet, ut, non amissa charitate, et inimici nos
ruina Isetificet, et rursum ejus gloria contristet, cum et ruente eo, quos-
dam bene erigi credimus, et proficiente illo plerosque injuste opprimi
formidamus."— Mor. 1. 22, c. n.

* See § IV., page 387.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 385

who delights in the death or in any other misfortune of
a neighbor, for any temporal benefit to himself, is guilty
of sin. But observe, that it is one thing to rejoice in
the cause which is productive of any advantage, and an
other to take complacency in the effect produced by
that cause. It is lawful to rejoice in the effect, but sin
ful to be glad at the cause. For example: it is lawful
to rejoice at the acquisition of property which comes to
us after the death of a parent ; but it is unlawful to re
joice at his death ; for Innocent XI. has condemned the
proposition 1 which asserts that it is lawful for a son to
rejoice at the death of his father, on account of the in
heritance that shall fall to him.

We are bound, then, to love our neighbor with an in
ternal love ; and, therefore, we ought, at least once a
month, as has been already said, to make an explicit
act of fraternal charity. We will speak in the sequel of
the external acts of charity that we owe to our neigh
bor.

IV.
Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Let us now see how we are to make all the acts of
which I have spoken.

i. AN ACT OF FAITH.

" My God, because Thou who art the infallible truth
hast revealed to the Church the truths of faith, I believe
all that the Church proposes to my belief: and I believe
that Thou art my God, the Creator and Lord of all
things, who rewardest for all eternity the just in heaven,
and chastisest forever the wicked in hell. I believe that
Thou art one in essence, and three in Persons, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons and only one God.

1 Prop. 15.
25

386 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

I believe that the second Person, that is, the Son, in
order to save us sinners, was made man, died on a cross,
and rose again from the dead."

These are the four principal mysteries. Let us also
make an act of faith in the other truths, which we are
bound by a strict precept to believe :

" I also believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the
true Mother of God, and is and has always been a vir
gin. I believe that on the third day after his death,
Jesus Christ rose again by his own power, and, after
forty days, ascended into heaven, where he sits at the
right hand of his Eternal Father, that is, in equal
majesty and glory with the Father. I believe that on
the last day, when all men shall rise again from the
dead, Jesus Christ will come to judge them. I believe
that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true Church,
out of which no one can be saved. I believe in the com
munion of saints — that is, that each of the faithful, wrhile
he remains in the state of grace, shares in all the merits
of the just. I believe that God remits sins to penitent
sinners. I believe in the seven sacraments, and that
through them the grace of Jesus Christ is communi
cated to us. I believe in the Ten Commandments of
the Decalogue. In fine, I believe all that the holy
Church believes. I give Thee thanks, O my God ! for
having made me a Christian, and I protest that in this
holy faith I wish to live and die."

2. AN ACT OF HOPE.

"My God, trusting in Thy promises, because Thou
art faithful, powerful, and merciful, I hope, through the
merits of Jesus Christ, for the glory of heaven and the
means to obtain it; that is, the pardon of my sins, and
final perseverance in Thy grace."

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 387

3. AN ACT OF LOVE AND CONTRITION.

" My God, because Thou art infinite goodness, worthy
of infinite love, I love Thee above all things with my
whole heart, and for the love of Thee I also love my
neighbor : and I am sorry, and repent with my whole
soul for having offended Thee, the sovereign good.
With the aid of Thy grace, which I ask for this mo
ment and for my whole life, I purpose to die rather than
evermore offend Thee, and I purpose to receive the holy
sacraments in life and at death."

Every Christian is bound to make these acts when he
comes to the use of reason, and when he is in danger of
death. During life, we are, as has been already said,
obliged to make acts of the love of God and our neigh
bor, at least once a month. At any rate, we are not
obliged to make these acts as frequently as the acts of
chanty. However, we are sometimes bound indirectly,
or by accident, to make these acts, such as when we re
ceive the sacraments, or when we are tempted grievously
against faith, or hope, or charity, or chastity; and when,
by any of the preceding acts, we can free ourselves from
the temptation. Nevertheless, let us be careful to make
them always at least once a day: and let us make the
act of charity more frequently. Because, my dear Chris
tians, we may be sure that he who does not come to love
God truly, will scarcely persevere in the grace of God ;
for, it is very difficult to renounce sin merely through
fear of chastisement ; and he who abstains from sin
through such a motive, perseveres but a short time.
Let us, then, implore of God to give us his holy love,
and let us endeavor continually to make acts of love,
which are so pleasing to him.

388 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

Prayer.

1. NECESSITY OF PRAYER.

Let us also attend to the obligation we are under to
recommend ourselves to God, that he may give us his
aid to conquer temptations and to persevere in his grace.
We cannot merit the grace of final perseverance, as the
Council of Trent * has declared. It is a gift which God
gives gratuitously to whom he pleases, but he infallibly
gives it to all who ask it with humility and confidence.
Theologians commonly teach that to pray, that is, to
recommend ourselves to God and to ask his graces, is
necessary for all adults as a means of salvation ; and
that, for him who neglects prayer, it is impossible to
persevere in grace and to be saved. And they therefore
conclude that a Christian who neglects for an entire
month to recommend himself to God is guilty of mortal
sin

2. EFFICACY OF PRAYER.

The Lord desires to give us his graces ; but he will
have us ask them. For, every one that asketh, receiveth?
Mark the words every one, which -shows that even sinners,
who ask God's grace, obtain it: "Every one," says the
author of the Imperfect Work, " whether he be a just
man or a sinner."3 It is true that a sinner is unworthy
of God's graces, but according to St. Thomas4 the
efficacy of prayer is founded, not on the merits of the
person who prays, but on the mercy of God, and his

1 Sess. VI., c. xiii.

2 " Omnis enim qui petit, accipit." — Matt. vii. 8.

3 " Omnis, sive Justus, sive peccator sit." — Homil. 18.

4 2. 2, q. 83,. a. 16^

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 389

fidelity to his promises. He has said: Ask and you shall
receive? These are the words of God, they cannot fail.
It is necessary to observe that this promise has been
made only for spiritual, but not for temporal, favors.
Because he loves us, the Lord often refuses temporal
blessings such as riches, honors, and bodily health. He
foresees that they would be injurious to the soul, and
therefore he withholds them. Therefore, when we ask
temporal favors, we should pray for them with resigna
tion, and on condition that they may be profitable to
our souls, otherwise the Lord will not grant them to us.
But we ought to ask spiritual graces absolutely and un
conditionally.

3. QUALITIES OF PRAYER THAT IT MAY BE EFFICACIOUS.
We should pray with confidence, with humility, and
with perseverance.

1. With confidence. All things whatsoever you ask when
ye pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come unto

you?

2. With humility. God resisteth the proud, and giveth

grace to the humble?

3. With perseverance. Thousands of graces are neces
sary for the attainment of salvation. To save our souls,
we stand in need of a chain of graces, which must come
from God. And there must be on our part a chain of
prayers to correspond to this chain of graces. If our
petitions cease, God's aid will also cease, and we shall
never be saved. Hence, as we are continually tempted
to offend God, we must continually pray to him for aid.
We must always act like beggars with God, always say-

1 " Petite, et accipietis. "—John, xvi. 24.

2 " Omnia queecumque orantes petitis, credite quia accipietis, et eveni-
ent vobis," — Mark, xi. 24.

3 "Deus superbis resistit; humilibus autem dat gratiam."— James,
iv. 6.

[PART I.

390 Instructions for the People.

ing: Lord, assist me; Lord, be with me; keep Thy hand
upon me; give me perseverance, give me the gift of Thy
love. We must begin to make these petitions as soon as
we rise in the morning, and continue to repeat them
during the day, in hearing Mass, in our visits to the
Most Holy Sacrament, before going to bed at night, and
particularly when we are tempted, saying: My God, as
sist me ; Mother of God, help me. In a word, if we
wish to be saved, it is necessary to have always on our
tongue a prayer to Jesus Christ and our Mother Mary,
who obtains from her Son whatsoever she wishes.*

VI.

Charity to our Neighbor, f

The love of God and the love of our neighbor are but
two sides of the same thing. This commandment, says St.
John, we have from God. That he u>/w loveth God, loves
also his brother.1 He who loves not his neighbor loves
not God. However, charity has its proper order.

i. WHAT ORDER is TO BE PRESERVED IN OUR CHARITY TO OUR
NEIGHBOR.

We ought to love God above all things, and our neigh
bor as ourselves.2 < Sicut te />j«w,"_ as ourselves, but not
more than ourselves. Hence, we are not bound to prefer
the good of a neighbor to our own unless when the good
of the neighbor is of an order superior to ours, and when
he is in extreme necessity. The order of goods is this :
first, the spiritual life of the soul; then, the temporal

" Qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum."— i John, iv. 21.
" Diliges proximum tuum sicut te ipsum. "—Matt. xxii. 39.

* And through her hand we receive all the graces. (Pages 374 and
380.)

f There is here question of exterior *ste of charity towards our neigh
bor ; as for interior acts, they have been spoken of above, page 384.

CHAP. I.]

The First Commandment. 39 1

life of the body; next, reputation or character; and after
that property. Therefore, when he is in extreme neces
sity, we are obliged to prefer a neighbor's good to our
own of an inferior order; that is, his spiritual salvation
to our temporal life; his life to our reputation; and his
reputation to our property. But we are bound by this
obligation, as I have said, only when he is in extreme
necessity. If he is not in such necessity, we are not
bound to prefer his good, though it be of a superior
order. So, if I am unjustly assailed by another, who
attempts to kill me, I can lawfully defend myself, and
(provided I have no other means of escaping death) I
can take away his life, though, by dying in that state of
sin, he should lose his spiritual life and be damned: for,
in that case, it is not necessary for my neighbor to kill
me in order to save his soul.

2. WHOM SHOULD WE LoVE AS OUR NEIGHBOR?

By the precept of charity we are bound to love all
who have died in favor with God. We cannot love the
damned ; on the contrary, we are bound to hate them
eternally as the enemies of God.

We must love all the living, even though they be sin
ners, and even though they be our own enemies.

I say even sinners; for, though they are now indeed
enemies of God, they may still be reconciled with him,
and may obtain eternal life.

I also say, even our enemies ; because the law of Jesus
Christ is a law of love. God wishes that all, even our
enemies, should love us ; and in like manner, he com
mands us to love even those who hate us. The pagans
love all who love them; but we Christians are obliged to
love even those who wish us evil. But I say to you, love your
enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that
persecute and calumniate you? When a Christian forgives

1 " Ego autem dico vobis : Diligite inimicos vestros ; benefacite his

392 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

an enemy, he may be sure of obtaining from God the par
don of his sins; for the Lord has said : Forgive, and you
shall be forgiven? But, on the other hand, he who will
not pardon others, cannot expect forgiveness from God.
For, says St. ]&*&£$, judgment without mercy to him that hath
not done mercy? It is but just that God should not have
compassion on the man who has not compassion on his
neighbor. "With what face," says St. Augustine, "can
he ask forgiveness of his sins, who refuses to obey him
that commands him to pardon others?"3 Do you wish
to take revenge for the injuries that your neighbor has
done you ? If you do, God will take vengeance on you
for the numberless insults that you have offered to his
divine Majesty.

It is not thus the saints act: the saints seek to do good
to those from whom they have received evil. St. Am
brose settled a pension sufficient for his comfortable
maintenance on an assassin who had made an attempt
on his life. St. Catharine of Siena performed the office
of a servant for a woman who had endeavored to destroy
her reputation. In the life of St. John the Almoner, it
is related that one of his relatives, who had been outra
geously insulted by an inn-keeper in Alexandria, laid his
complaint before the saint. St. John said to him: "As
this publican has been so audacious, I will teach him his
duty, and will treat him so as to excite the wonder of
the whole city." And what did the saint do? He
ordered his steward never afterwards to exact the yearly
rent that the inn-keeper had to pay him. Such was the
revenge that the saint inflicted, and that truly excited

qui oderunt vos, et orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos."-
Matt. v. 44.

1 " Dimittite, et dimittemini." — Ltike, vi. 37.

2 " Judicium enim sine misericordia illi qui non fecit misericordiam."
— James, ii. 13.

<l Nescio qua fronte indulgentiam peccatorum obtinere poterit, qui,
Deo prsecipiente veniara dare, non acquiescit." — Serm. 273, E. B. app.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 393

the wonder of the whole city. Thus the saints sought
revenge, and thus they became saints.

But, on the other hand, how miserable is the soul that
bears hatred to a neighbor ! The author of the " Parish
Priest's Companion" relates a story of two men who
hated each other, one of whom, being on the point of
death, was persuaded by his confessor to be reconciled
to his enemy. The sick man consented; the other came,
and peiice was made between them. But as he was
going out of the sick man's room, he said: "This fellow
would never be reconciled to me if he had not lost all
hopes of ever being able to take revenge." The dying
man overheard the words, and answered: "If I recover
you shall see whether I will not take revenge." But he
was choked with passion and died. Nevertheless he
had his revenge as he had promised. For one day,
while his enemy was in the street, a frightful spectre
appeared with an iron mace in his hand, and said to
him: "I have come to have revenge; as we have been
enemies in life, we will be enemies forever in hell."
And he killed him with his mace.

3. WHAT ARE OUR DUTIES TOWARD OUR NEIGHBOR ?
I. Among the obligations, then, of the precept of
charity, the first is to love all men, not only with an
internal, but also with an external love. Hence, we are
bound to exhibit to an enemy all the ordinary signs of
benevolence which we show to friends. We are bound
to salute him when he salutes us; and with regard to
Superiors, and persons whose rank is superior to ours, it
is our duty to salute them before they salute us. And
if without a grievous inconvenience I can salute even an
equal, and thus free him from the hatred that he bears
me, I am obliged to do so. Moreover, if a person who
had received an injury or wound from another should
say, that he forgave the person who inflicted the injury

394 Instructions for the People . LPART i.

or wound, but should refuse to remit the injury, on the
pretence that it is useful to punish malefactors, I should
scarcely absolve him, because I can hardly be persuaded,
if there are no other just causes to excuse him, that he
is free from the desire of revenge.

II. The second obligation that we owe to our neigh
bor is to give him alms when he is in need, particularly
if he is ashamed to beg, and we have it in our power to
assist him. But yet that which rcmaineth, give alms,1 is the
precept of Jesus Christ. However, it is necessary to
make a distinction : when a poor person is in extreme
necessity, and in danger of death, we are obliged to
relieve him with those goods that are not necessary for
the preservation of our life. When he is in grievous
necessity, we are bound to assist him with our super
fluities, that is, those things that we have beyond what
is necessary for our state or condition.

How many blessings will God bestow upon us if we
give relief to the poor ! The Archangel Raphael said to
Tobias, Alms deliver eth from death, and the same is that
which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life
everlasting? Alms deliver.eth from death— that is, eter
nal death; for no one can escape temporal death. It
purgeth away sins — that is, it obtains for us the divine
graces to enable us to cleanse our souls from sin. And
maketh to find mercy and life everlasting; because by
the mercy we show to others, God is moved to extend
mercy to us, and to bring us to the glory of heaven.
He that hath mercy on the poor, lendeth to the Lord ; and He
will repay him.'' When we can do nothing else, let us at
least assist our neighbor by recommending him to God.

1 "Quod superest, date eleemosynam."— Luke, xi. 41.

2 " Eleemosyna a morte liberal ; et ipsa est quse purgat peccata, et
facit invenire misericordiam et vitam aeternam." — To(>. xii. 9.

3 " Foeneratur Domino, qui miseretur pauperis ; et vicissitudinem
suam reddet ei." — Prov. xix. 17.

CHAP, i.i The First Commandment. 395

If we have nothing else to give him, let us at least say a
"Hail Mary" for his soul.

In the life of St. Francis Xavier, it is related that he
one day asked of Peter Veglio, a man who was in com
fortable circumstances, a marriage-portion for a young
woman who was exposed to great danger. Peter was
playing chess, and jocosely said to the saint: " How
can you expect that I will give you my own prop
erty, when I am trying to win what belongs to an
other?" And then added immediately: "Here is the
key of my desk; go, and take as much as you want."
The saint took three hundred crowns, and afterwards
said to his friend: " Peter, know that God has accepted
your alms, and on his part I promise that, during life,
you shall always have the means of living in comfort;
and before you die, in order that you may be well pre
pared for death, you shall be warned of its approach by
wine tasting bitter in your mouth." The prediction
was verified. One day as Peter was drinking, his wine
tasted bitter; and immediately he began to prepare for
death. Thus he led a happy life, and died a happy death.

Alms, then, " make us find the divine mercy" — that
is, mercy for past sins, but not license to sin with im
punity. "For," says St. Augustine, "he who would
corrupt, as it were, the divine justice by charity to the
poor, shall be damned in spite of all his alms, and shall
experience the divine justice."

III. The third obligation is fraternal correction, which
we ought to apply to our neighbor when he is in mortal
sin, or in danger of falling into mortal sin, and when
there is reason to hope that the correction will be profit
able to him. Go and rebuke him? says Jesus Christ. You
are obliged to do this, even when the person who sins
is your Superior, or even your father. And, according
to St Thomas, if the first admonition has not been

1 " Vadc, t-l corripe eum." •— Alatt. xviii. 15.

396 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

effectual, you are bound to repeat the correction several
times, where there is reason to hope that it will be use
ful.

We are bound to this obligation:

1. When the sin of our neighbor is certain, but not
when it is doubtful;

2. When there is no other person capable of giving the
admonition, and when it is not expected that any other
will give it;

3. When there is no ground fora prudent fear that by
correcting him, we shall suffer a grievous loss or incon
venience. For when we have just reason to apprehend
such loss or inconvenience, we are excused from the
obligation of correction, Because it is only an obligation*
of charity. But fathers and mothers are bound to cor
rect their children, even when the correction is attended
with grievous inconvenience. But we shall speak at
length on this point in treating of the fourth command
ment.

Remember, however, that it is frequently requisite to
defer the correction, and wait for a more convenient
time and occasion, that the admonition may be more
profitable.

IV. The fourth obligation of fraternal charity is,
when we are able to comfort the afflicted, and particu
larly the sick. Jesus Christ says that what is done to
the poor he accepts as done to himself. As long as you
did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Afe.1
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi used to say that it was
more pleasing to her to be employed in assisting a
neighbor than to be united with God in ecstasy: and
for this she assigned the following reason — " When
I am in ecstasy God assists me;, but, in relieving a
neighbor, I assist God." Hence, St. Cyprian writes,

1 " Quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis minimis, mihi fecis-
tis." — Matt. xxv. 40.

CHAP. LI The First Commandment. 397

" that he who assists his neighbor makes God his
debtor." '

I may here relate that act of heroic chanty towards a
neighbor which the ecclesiastical historians tell us of
St. Didymus. St. Theodora was a virgin, whom a
tryannical magistrate, in hatred to the faith, sent to a
brothel. St. Didymus went to see her there, and said
to her: "Theodora, fear no injury from me; I am come
to save your honor. Take my clothes and put them on,
and leave me yours. In this way you may escape un
sullied from this place of infamy;" and so it was. St.
Theodora, in her soldier's dress, was not recognized, and
escaped unsullied; and St. Didymus remained there
dressed as a woman. For this act he was condemned
to death by the tyrant. Theodora, hearing of this,
went to see him in his prison, and said to him: " I con
sented that you should save my honor, but not that you
should rob me of the crown of martyrdom: this belongs
to me of right. If you intended to rob me of it, you
deceived me." The judge, when he heard of this holy
contest, condemned both to be beheaded; and both had
the happiness of suffering martyrdom for Jesus Christ.

V. The fifth obligation of fraternal charity is, to show
good example and not to give scandal to our neighbor.
Scandal is defined an improper word or act that leads
another to sin.

Scandal is twofold — direct and indirect. It is direct
when a person deliberately intends to induce others to
commit sin; and indirect when he uses language, or
gives an example, calculated to lead others into sin.
Both the one and the other are mortal sins when they
are actually the occasion of any one committing a griev
ous fault.

There are also two other kinds of scandal — scandal of the
weak, and. Pharisaical scandal. A person gives scandal to
1 " Deum computat dcbitorem." — DC O/>crc et Elecm. ad fin.

398 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

the weak when he does an indifferent, or even a good act,
which is to others, on account of their weakness, an
occasion of sin; for example, a young woman knows
that by going to the chapel, or to the park, she gives a
dissolute young man, who waits there for her, an occa
sion of bad thoughts. She is, in such a case, obliged, if
she can do it without great inconvenience, to take away
the occasion by abstaining from going there. But for
how long? Must she forever abstain from going to
these places? No; but only as long as Christian pru
dence dictates; otherwise it would be a grievous incon
venience, and to that charity does not oblige her.

Pharisaical scandal 'is the scandal taken by those who,
without reason, and through their own malice, wish to
be scandalized at any action. The occasions of this
kind of scandal we are not bound to avoid, because it is
not true scandal.

The worst kind of scandal is that which is given by
those who are tale-bearers. They hear one person speak
ing ill of another, and immediately go and relate to the
other what they have heard; from tale-bearing of this
kind arise hatred, discord, and quarrels. For all these
sinful consequences, tale-bearers have to render an ac
count to God. Observe the advice of the Holy Ghost
on this point: Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbor ?
— let it die within thee.1 Have you heard a person speak
ing ill of another?— let what you have heard die within
you; tell it to no one.* Others, though there is no in
tention of marriage, carry love-messages to married or
unmarried women. Others perform the very office of
the devil by positively tempting a neighbor to sin; and
some go so far as to teach others to sin, and to point

" Audisti verbum adversus proximum tuum ? Commoriatur in te."
— Ecclns. xix. 10.

See Chapter VIII, n. 4.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 399

out the means of committing it — the devil himself does
not go so far as this. Some (and this is a common
scandal) speak immodestly before women, before young
persons, and even in the presence of innocent little
children. Oh, what havoc of souls do they cause! It is
a saying of William of Peraldo that obscene words are
the spittle of the devil,1 which murders souls. " It is
but one person who speaks," says St. Bernard, " and he
speaks but one word, and destroys thereby a multitude
of souls." '

Miserable is the man that gives scandal! Our Lord
says: He that shall scandalize one of these little ones that be
lieve in Me, it were better for him that a millstone should be
hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the
depth of the sea.* Is there the least glimmer of hope for
a man who is cast into the sea with a millstone about
his neck ? The Gospel appears to say that there is no
greater hope for the salvation of the authors of scandal.
St. John Chrysostom writes that the Lord is more in
clined to show mercy to those who commit other more
grievous sins, than to those who are guilty of the sin of
scandal. What! says the Lord to the authors of scan
dal, are you not satisfied with offending me by your own
sins? Do you wish to induce others also to insult me ?
In the Mirror of Examples, it is related that Jesus Christ
said one day to a scandalous sinner, " Accursed wretch,
you have despised what I have purchased by my blood."

A mortal sin of scandal is committed by women who
go about with their bosom immodestly exposed, or who
expose their limbs improperly. Also by actors in im-

1 " Sputa diaboli, mentes necantia."

2 " Unus loquitur, et unum tantum verbum profert, et tamen multi-
tudinis audientium animas interficit." — In Cant. s. 24, n. 4.

8 " Qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis, qui in me cre-
dunt, expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo ejus, etdemerga-
tur in profundum maris." — Matt, xviii. 6.

4OO Instructions for the People. [PART L

modest comedies, and still more by the persons who
compose such comedies; also by painters who paint ob
scene pictures, and by the heads of families who keep
such pictures in their houses. The father who speaks
obscenely, or blasphemes the saints, in presence of his
children, and the mother who brings into her house to
live among her daughters young men who are in love
with them, or betrothed to them, or other suspected
persons, are guilty of a still more grievous sin of scan
dal. Some mothers say: / do not suspect any evil. I
answer, that it is their duty to suspect; otherwise they
will have to render to God an account of all the sins
which may follow.

Woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh} Listen to
a horrible thing that happened in the city of Savona in
the year 1560. I have read it in the chronicles of the
Capuchins, and it is also related by Father Ardia.
There was a woman who, even after marriage, did not
cease giving scandal. This woman one day fell into a fit,
and while she was in a state of unconsciousness, she saw
the Lord condemning her to eternal fire. When she re
covered the use of her senses, she did nothing but cry
out, " Alas! I am damned, I am damned!" A confessor
came to comfort her, but she answered, "What have I
to do with confession ? I am damned." Then her
daughter approached the bed, in order to encourage her,
but she cried out: "Ah, accursed child! on your ac
count, too, I am damned: for through you I have given
scandal to others." After these words the devils, in
presence of all who were in the apartment, raised her
up to the ceiling, and then dashed her so violently
against the floor that she instantly expired.

The author of the Parish Priest's Companion relates
that a boy, who associated with a dissolute young man,
was scandalized by his bad example, and lost his inno-

" Vae homini illi per quem scandalum venit!" — Matt, xviii. 7

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 401

cence. On the following morning, the boy went to the
house of his companion, that they might, as usual, goto
school together. The father of this wicked young man
went to the room in which he slept, to reprove him for
his sloth; but on opening the door he was driven back
by a frightful spectre. The mother ran to the window,
and saw her unhappy son dead on the bed, with his head
hanging down, black as a coal, and covered with marks
of fire. The parents learned from the boy the scandal
that had been given to him on the previous day, and
thus perceived the cause of the vengeance inflicted on
their unhappy son.

Is there, then, no hope of salvation for him who has
been guilty of the sin of scandal to others? Yes; the
mercy of God is infinite; but he who has given scandal
must do great penance, and must unceasingly ask par
don of God; he must also repair the scandal by giving
good example, by frequenting the sacraments, and lead
ing a life of piety.

Fearing that he had given scandal by dissuading a per
son from a religious vocation, St. Raymond de Penna-
fort left the world, and became a religious of the Order
of St. Dominic.1

We read in the Mirror of Examples of a young woman
who was tormented by the attention of a young man
who had fallen in love with her eyes, that she tore out
her eyes and sent them to him, with this message:
" Take my eyes and do not trouble me any more." St.
Euphemia cut off her nose and lips to prevent herself
from being seduced. St. Euphrasia said to a soldier
who made an attempt on her virtue: " If you will leave
me alone I will tell you of certain herbs that will make
you invulnerable," and she consented that the soldier
might first try the efficacy of her receipt upon herself.
After she had prepared the herbs, the simple soldier

1 Bollaiut, 7 Jan.
26

402 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

struck a hard blow with his sword upon her neck, and
of course cut her head off. Such were the deeds which
these great women performed in order to take away all
occasion of scandal.

VII.
Religion.

i . WHAT is RELIGION ?

By the first precept of the Decalogue we are also
obliged to practise the virtue of religion.

It is a virtue which renders to God the honor due to him.
It also includes the duty of venerating the divine
Mother, the angels, and the saints. We should venerate
their relics and sacred images, for in these we do not
venerate the metal, the wood, or the canvas of the im
ages, as the idolaters did, but the saints whom these im
ages represent to us.

The vices opposed to the virtue of religion are super
stition and ir religion.

2. WHAT is SUPERSTITION ?

Superstition consists in giving to God or the saints a
false honor, as would be the case if a person gave to the
Blessed Virgin the adoration due to God, as some here
tics did, or if a person exposed false relics of the saints
to the veneration of the faithful, or should publish false
miracles. It is also superstition, and a most grievous
sin, to give to creatures what is due to God.

Superstition contains four kinds of sin: Idolatry,
divination, magic, and vain observance.

1. Idolatry, such as the worship of the pagans, who
adored as gods men who were dead, and even animals,
statues, and other creatures.

2. Divination consists in seeking, by an express or
tacit compact with the devil, to know things that are
future or occult, through his agency, as those who try
to discover a theft by turning a sieve.

CHAP, i.] The First Commandment. 403

3. Magic is nearly the same thing as divination, and
consists in seeking to produce, through the devil, any
effect that exceeds human power.

All these are most grievous sins, against which God
has threatened the most severe chastisements. The soul
that shall go aside after magicians and soothsayers, and shall
commit fornication with them, I will set my face against that
soul, and destroy it out of the midst of its people.1

4. Vain observance consists in endeavoring to attain
any object, or to get rid of any infirmity or pain, by the
employment of certain vain and disproportionate means,
such as by uttering certain words, by saying a prayer in
a certain posture, with yellow candles, or with a fixed
number of candles, or with the eyes closed, or making
the sign of the cross with the left hand. Give up all
such vain, foolish practices. Either you expect the
favor from God, and in that case these things are not
wanted, or you expect it from the devil, and that is a
most grievous sin, because it is not lawful to have any
communication with the enemy of God.

Abstain, then, from all these kinds of superstition:
such as from those signs, cards, or words that persons
employ in order to prevent worms from doing injury;
to tie up dogs in order to remove pain, stop the flowing
of blood, make tempests cease, gain the affection of
others, and the like. All these are most grievous sins.
Be assured that all these superstitions are lies, deceits,
and thefts; if you believe in them, you will lose, not
only your money, but your soul also. When you meet
with any tribulation, have recourse to the Most Holy
Sacrament, to the crucifix, to the Virgin Mary, to St.
Antony of Padua, to St. Vincent Ferrer; get some of
the oil from their lamps, get a medal of the Immaculate
Virgin or a little picture of a saint; so without sinning

1 " Anima quee declinaverit ad magos et ad ariolos . . . ponam
faciem meam contra earn, et interficiam illam de medio populi sui." — :
ev, xx, 6.

404 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

you will obtain the favor you seek; but if you have re
course to any superstitious means, you will not receive
the favor you want, and you will lose your soul.

3. WHAT is IRRELIGION?
Let us now say something on irreligion, which is an

irreverence offered to God, and contains three species

tempting God, sacrilege, and simony.

1. A person would be guilty of tempting God if he
threw himself into a deep pool of water to try whether
God is able to save him; to tempt God in such a manner
is a mortal sin.

2. Sacrilege may be committed in three ways:

First, by offering an injury to a person consecrated to
God — that is, by striking an ecclesiastic or a religious.
A person who strikes an ecclesiastic or a religious incurs
excommunication. It is also a sacrilege to commit a
sin against purity with a person who has made a vow of
chastity.

Secondly, it is a sacrilege to defile a holy place by any
external sin, whether in act, or in word, by theft, by
speaking obscenely, by blaspheming God or the saints,
etc.

Thirdly, it is a sacrilege to profane holy things, such
as to receive a sacrament in the state of mortal sin, to
treat with contempt the relics of the saints, the cross,
sacred images, beads, and the like. It would be a still
greater sacrilege to employ sacred things as a means of
committing any sin.

4. Finally, simony consists in buying or selling any
thing spiritual for a temporal price. Hence, it is a sin
against religion to endeavor to purchase by money,
service, or anything temporal .a relic of a saint, abso
lution from a confessor, any ecclesiastical order, any
benefice from a bishop, and other things of the same
kind.

CHAP, ii.] The Second Commandment. 405

CHAPTER II.

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT.

" Thou shall not take the name of thy God in vain." l

THIS commandment imposes three obligations: not to
utter blasphemies, not to be guilty of false oaths, and to
fulfil vows. Let us treat each of these separately.

Blasphemy.

God is honored by praise and prayer: he is dishonored
by blasphemy.

i. WHAT is BLASPHEMY?

1. Blasphemy is committed by attributing to any
creature a divine attribute; for example, by saying that
the devil is omnipotent — that he is infinitely holy or
wise. Hence, it is a sin to believe that the devil knows
all future contingent things, such as what numbers a
man will throw with the dice, and the like. God alone
knows all the things that are future; the devil can only
know external things that have already happened, and
from present things make some guess at the future.

2. Blasphemy is also committed by ascribing to God
what is injurious to him: by saying, for example,
Cursed be God, or bad luck to God, or in spite of God, But
to say that God does what is unjust, that he creates men and
afterwards forgets them, is a heretical blasphemy.

3. But blasphemy may also be committed by acts;

1 " Non assumes nomen Domini Dei tui in vanum," — Exod. xx. 7.

406 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

for example, if a person should contemptuously spit
against heaven, or if he should trample on the cross on
beads, or images.

4- It is also grievous blasphemy to curse the saints or
holy things, such as the Mass, the Church, holidays
Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, Holy Saturday, or the
like.

5- It is blasphemy to curse the souls of men, particu
larly of the dead, unless the curse be intended for the
souls of the damned.

6. To say-not, ill befall such a saint, but-something
else which conveys no grievous insult, is no very great
blasphemy. Nor is it blasphemy to say, ill befall St
Giles, St. George, when you only refer to the place so
called, not to the saint.

7- To curse creatures— such as the wind, the rain the
year, the day, and the like-is not blasphemy nor a
grievous sin, but only a venial fault, provided such
maledictions are not referred to God, as would be the
case if a person said, Cursed be the wind of God, the day of
God; and provided also that they are not creatures in
which the power and greatness of God are shown forth
m a special manner, as they are in heaven and the
human soul. It would be blasphemy to curse the
world, unless the malediction were confined to the
wicked world, of which St. John says: The whole world
is seated in wickedness,1

8. It is not blasphemy to curse in general terms the
faith of another person, provided no words such as the
Christian faith, or the holy faith, be used, for, if such
words be not used, the curse may be intended for the
human faith, or the fidelity of the person to his word
9- Neither is it blasphemy to curse the dead, unless
2 malediction be uttered or intended against the
saints, or the souls of the dead. The reason why it is not
"Mundus totus in maligno positus est."— i John, v. 19.

CHAP. II.]

The Second Commandment. 407

blasphemy nor a grievous sin to curse the dead in-general
terms is, because the word dead signifies men deprived
of life; particularly since the word dead is applicable,
not to' the souls, but, strictly speaking, to the bodies;
for the bodies only die, but not the souls. I add, it is
certain that a man who is living has both a body and
soul: and, according to St. Thomas1 and the generality
of theologians, it is not a mortal sin to utter an impre
cation or curse against him, unless the evil implied in
the curse be interiorly desired. Now, if to utter a curse
against a living person, in whom there certainly are a
soul and a body (without internally wishing evil to him)
is not a grievous sin, why should it be mortally sinful
to utter an imprecation against a dead man, without de
siring any evil to befall him ? I add, moreover, that
they who curse the dead ordinarily do not intend to
curse their souls. In general, they intend to injure
not the dead, but the living, against whom they are
enraged. This is not merely my opinion; I have seen
only three authors who have written on this point.
They all hold the doctrine I have laid down. Besides, I
have asked the opinion of several learned men in Na
ples, and of the three celebrated Congregations of secular
missionary priests, of Father Pavone, of the Archbishop
and of St. George, which Congregations contain the
flower of the Neapolitan clergy; and all have been of
my opinion.*

For my part, I know not how some persons can have
courage to condemn certain actions as mortal sins, when

2, 2, q. 76, a I.

* We should here bear in mind that cursing the dead was one of the
habits of the people of Italy. Many regarded this as a grievous sin, so
that in Puglia it was made a reserved case. The inconveniences that
resulted from this severity induced St. Alphonsus to publish, on this
question, about the year 1746, a learned dissertation, of which he here,
gives a summary.— (Villecourt, 1. 2, ch. 26 and 46.)

408 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

all theologians, ancient and modern, teach that no act
should be condemned as a mortal sin unless it be certain
that it is mortally sinful. " One thing," wrote St. Ray
mond to one of his friends, " I advise you, do not be too
prone to decide sins to be mortal where you have no
certain proof from Scripture." ' And St. Antoninus
taught, " unless there is express authority of Holy Scrip
ture, or of a canon or definition of the Church, or an
evident reason, it is very dangerous to determine a sin
to be mortal; for even though it be not mortal, if it is
denned to be so, the person who acts against this de
cision will sin mortally." 2 But if the confessor cannot
clearly make out that it is a mortal sin, it is not fitting
that he should burden the conscience with the guilt of
mortal sin. But, to curse the dead, even without in
ternally wishing evil to them, is a sin; it is at least a
venial sin, and more grievous than other venial sins.
Some people have the dead always in their mouth.
What a shameful vice!

2. How GREAT is THE SIN OF BLASPHEMY ?
Let us now say something on the enormity of any
blasphemy. In the Old Law, God ordained that every
blasphemer should be banished from the city and the
camp, and that he should be stoned by all the people.
Bring the blasphemer without the camp. . . and lei all the
people stone him* Not very long ago, when a man
uttered a blasphemy in Venice, an officer was sent from

" Unum tantum consulo, quod non sis nimis pronus judicare mor-
talia peccata, ubi tibi non constat per certam Scripturam. "— Summ. 1.
3, de Pccnit. % 21.

"Nisi ad hoc habeatur auctoritas expressa Scripturee sacra, aut
Canonis, seu determinationis Ecclesiae, vel evidens ratio, non nisi peri-
culosissime determinatur; nam, si determinetur quod sit ibi mortale,
et non sit, mortaliter peccabit contra faciens." — P. 2, tit. i, 6, n, § 28.

" Educ blasphemum extra castra . . . et lapidet eum populus uni-
versus." — Lwit. xxiv. 14.*

CHAP, ii.] The Second Commandment. 409

the court to seize the blasphemer in his own house; his
tongue was cut out. Even at the present day, the
penalty sanctioned by the King of Naples against blas
phemy is, to brand the forehead of the blasphemer with
a red-hot iron, and then to send him to the galleys; but
the penalty is not often inflicted, because human
motives prevent the witnesses from giving testimony
against blasphemers. To accuse a blasphemer through
hatred of his person is not right; but it is a good and
holy act to convict blasphemers, in order that the ac
cursed vice of blasphemy, and the scandal that it gives
to those who hear it, may be abolished by the infliction
of chastisement.

I say the scandal; for children, by listening to the
blasphemies of grown-up persons, learn to become blas
phemers. What a misery to see so many little ones
who know nothing about the things of God and yet
know very well how to curse St. Peter or St. Mark. St.
Peter! St. Mark! What evil have these saints done you,
that you should blaspheme them ? You quarrel with
your wife, your master, or with a servant, and you assail
the saints! The saints continually pray to God for us;
and will you blaspheme them ? I wonder that the earth
does not open and swallow up the blasphemer! Some
are found to blaspheme him who keeps them in exist
ence! Instead of thanking God for preserving their
life, and not sending them to hell, they blaspheme his
divine Majesty.

Every blasphemy uttered against a saint or a holiday
is a most grievous sin. St. Jerome says that compared
with blasphemy, every sin is small.1 St. John Chrys-
ostom says that when a person blasphemes, his mouth
should be instantly closed. The holy Doctor says:
" Strike him on the mouth; bruise it so that he cannot
1 "Omne quippe perratum comparatum blasphemise, levins est."-
In Isaiam, c. 18.

4*0 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

speak." ' Blasphemers are worse than the damned, for
they blaspheme the author of their torments, but you
blaspheme your benefactor.

Oh! what frightful chastisements have I seen inflicted
by God on blasphemers! In the kingdom of Naples a
man who had blasphemed the crucifix of a certain place
suddenly fell dead as he was passing before the crucifix
Not many years ago, in another place (I have spoken
with a person who was present), a coachman blasphemed
a saint, and was immediately upset into the water; the
pole of the carriage pressed on his neck, and he' was
drowned. But if a blasphemer escapes chastisement in
this life he shall be punished all the more in the next
Our Lord showed St. Frances of Rome the special and
horrible torments of the tongue that blasphemers suffer
in hell.

3. EXHORTATION.

My brother, if you have been hitherto in the habit of
blaspheming, endeavor now with all your strength to
get rid of that accursed vice. What profit do you de
rive from your accursed blasphemies ? You gain nothing
by them; on the contrary they keep you always in beg
gary. You receive no pleasure from them; what pleasure
can you feel in cursing holy things ? You receive no
honor from them, but infamy; blasphemers are avoided
and hated, even by their fellow blasphemers.

But I want you to understand that unless during this
mission you renounce this vice, you will never get rid
of it. It increases with years, because with years your
sorrows and infirmities increase; and thus acts of im
patience become more frequent. Thus, you will take
this vice with you to the grave. A blasphemer, who
had been sentenced to be hanged, the moment he was
rown off the gibbet, gave way to the bad habit he had

"Da alapam; contere os ejus."— Ad pop. Ant. horn. i.

CHAP. ii. The Second Commandment. 411

contracted, burst out into a blasphemy against a saint,
and so ended his life. A coachman, who had the habit
of this vice, blasphemed at the] hour of his death, and
died miserably. Make now a good confession; make a
firm resolution during this mission to blaspheme no
more. And for the future say every morning, as soon
as you rise, three " Hail Marys," in honor of the Blessed
Virgin, that she may obtain for you the grace to be de
livered from so horrible a vice. And when you meet
with any occasion of impatience, accustom yourself to
curse the devil or your sins, and leave the saints alone.
Banish forever from your mouth the curse and impre
cation, and say instead: Mary, pray for me; Virgin
Mary, give me patience and strength. In the beginning
you will have great trouble in conquering yourselves,
and shaking off the habit of blaspheming. But when
the habit is once overcome, you will, by God's assist
ance, easily a'bstain altogether from this vice.

But that you may conceive a greater horror of blas
phemy, listen to the vengeance that God once inflicted
on a blasphemer. Cardinal Baronius relates in his
Annals1 that an inhabitant of Constantinople, after hav
ing uttered a blasphemy, went to take a bath. After
washing, he suddenly rushed out of the bath, crying out
that he was a dead man, at the same time lacerating his
legs with his nails, and tearing the flesh off his arms
with his teeth. He was seized, and wrapped up in a
sheet; but this, instead of mitigating, only increased his
tortures, so they took it away again; but his skin ad
hered to it, and came away with it, and thus the misera
ble man died, and became the prey of the devils, who
carried him off to be tormented forever in hell.

St. Gregory also relates2 in his dialogues that a child
five years old, the son of a Roman nobleman, by listen
ing to the blasphemies of the servants, contracted a

1 Ann. 494. a Dial. 1. 4, c. 18.

412 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

habit of blaspheming, and was not corrected for it by
his father. One evening, after having been guilty of
several blasphemies during the day, he was suddenly
seized with terror in the presence of his father, and be
gan to cry out: Oh! look at those black men, who want
to take me away with them! He threw himself in the
arms of his father, and began as usual to blaspheme, and
so expired in the act. Woe to you, O fathers! who do
not correct your children when they blaspheme; and
still greater woe, if you give them bad example by blas
pheming in their presence.

II.

Oaths.

i. WHAT is AN OATH?

An oath is an invocation of the name of God to attest
the truth of what is asserted.

It is an oath to say, in confirmation of an assertion:
By God, or by any saint, or by anything sacred ; by the
sacraments, by the Gospel, by the Church, by the cross, by the
Mass. It is also an oath to swear by any creature in
which the goodness and power of God shine forth in a
special manner, such as when a person swears by his
soul, by heaven, or by the earth.

Is it an oath to say, God lives ; God sees it? It is
necessary to make a distinction. If God be called on
to attest the truth of what is asserted, it is an oath; but
if the words be uttered by way of assertion, without
calling God as a witness, there is no oath.

Neither is it an oath to say, By my conscience ; or By my
faith ; unless divine faith is expressed or understood.

It is not an oath simply to s&y,.f swear that such is the
case ; that is, provided the person who uses the words has
not been asked to swear by God, or by any saint, or by
anything sacred.

CHAP, ii.] The Second Commandment. 413

2. HOW MANY KINDS OF OATHS ARE THERE?

There are four kinds of oaths:

1. An assertory oath, by which a person swears to the
[truth of an assertion.

2. K promissory oath, by which a person swears to ful
fil a promise.

3. An imprecatory oath, when, for example, a person
says, May God chastise me unless I do such a thing.

4. A comminatory oath, when a person says, Unless you
do such a thing, by God, I will make you repent.

3. WHEN DOES ONE SIN ON ACCOUNT OF AN OATH, AND TO WHAT
IS ONE OBLIGED ?

In assertory oaths, he who asserts a falsehood is guilty
of sin.

In promissory oaths, it is a sin to swear without the
intention of fulfilling the promise. But if, in a matter
of small moment, a person swore with the intention of
performing his promise, that afterwards did not adhere
to it, it is very probable, as several theologians say, that
he would not be guilty of a mortal sin, because God is
called on to attest the present intention of the man who
makes the promise, and not the future execution of the
promise.

Two rules ought to be observed with regard to prom
issory oaths. The first is, that the oath can never oblige
a person to do what is unlawful.1 The second is that
when the thing promised is lawful, the oath is always
binding.2 For example: if through fear of injuries
threatened by a robber you promise on oath to send him
what he asks, are you bound to fulfil your promise ?
Yes, you are bound to adhere to your promise, because,
although the robber extorted the promise unjustly, there

1 " Juramentum nunquam obligat ad illicitum."

2 ' Juramentum servari dcbet, semper ac servari potest."

4 1 4 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

is nothing unlawful in its fulfilment. However you may
go to the bishop for a dispensation from the oath, and
then you will be no longer bound by the promise that
had been extorted by threats. l< If there is a sufficient
cause, it is lawful to swear, without the intention of
swearing, whether the matter is small or great." ' This
proposition is a proposition condemned by Pope Inno
cent XI. But can a person swear to fulfil a promise
without having the intention of taking an oath? No;
that cannot be done; it would be contrary to the decla
ration of Innocent XL

Imprecatory oaths bind only when the name of God
or something sacred is invoked.

The same is to be said of comminatory oaths. But
when the punishment threatened is unjust, the oath
does not bind. Thus the oaths that fathers unjustly
make in threatening their children are not obligatory;
such as "By God! I will kill you, if you do not return
soon, if you do not finish this work," ete.

To be lawful, an oath must have three conditions:
truth, justice, &n& judgment? It must have truth— that is,
the person who swears must be certain of the truth of
his assertion; it is a sin to swear to what is doubtful.
An oath must have/?/ -$•//><?, hence a person is guilty of a
double sin by swearing to do what is unjust or unlaw
ful. It must have judgment — that is, there must be a
reasonable dause for taking the oath; otherwise, though
the oath may have truth and justice, the person who
takes it will be guilty, not of mortal, but of venial sin.

It is necessary also to remark, that he who swears
falsely before a judge in a court of justice is guilty of a
double sin; and should his testimony do injury to a
neighbor, he is bound to make restitution for the damage

1 " Cum causa, licitum est jurare sine animo jurandi, sive res sit levis,
sive sit gravis." — Prop. damn,
'•er. iv. 2.

CHAP, ii.] The Second Commandment. 4 1 5

done. A witness is always bound to give true answers
whenever he is lawfully interrogated by a judge.* But
some one may say: " Father, if I told the truth, my
neighbor would be damaged; through charity for him,
I said that I knew nothing about him." Oh, what
charity! Will you, in order to treat a neighbor with
charity, commit a most grievous sin, and condemn your
self to hell? It is thus that crimes are multiplied;
witnesses deny what they have seen, malefactors are
acquitted, and thefts, homicides, and so many other
evils increase. If the guilty were punished, we should
not hear of so many crimes.

4. WHEN DOES THE OBLIGATION OF AN OATH CEASE?
How is the obligation of an oath taken away ? It may
be taken away by annulment, by dispensation, commutation,
and relaxation.

1. It may be annulled by any one who has dominative
power, such as a father, a husband, a guardian, prelate
or abbess; and to annul an oath a just cause is not neces
sary.

2. By dispensation or commutation, and such dispensa
tion or commutation may be given by the Pope or
bishop ; but to grant a dispensation or commutation a
just cause is required.

3. By relaxation : this may be given by the bishop, and
by all who have episcopal faculties.

III.

The Vow.

With regard to the obligation of a vow, I have to say
to the people a few things that all ought to know; the
knowledge of the rest is necessary only for Superiors or
confessors.

See Chapter VII. n. i.

4 1 6 Instructions for the People. IPART i.

i. WHAT is A Vow?

It is a deliberate promise made to God to do or to
omit some act, the performance or omission of which is
possible, and more perfect than the opposite.

1. I said that it is a promise which is understood to
be made with the intention of imposing an obligation ;
for if the promise be made without an intention of im
posing an obligation, it is not a vow. When there is a
doubt whether there was any intention of imposing an
obligation, it is presumed that there was such an inten
tion ; because every act is presumed to be done as it
ought. When it is doubtful whether a person has made
a vow, or only a simple resolution, he should be asked
whether in making it he was under the impression that,
were he to transgress it, he would commit a grievous
sin. If such were his impression, the vow must be re
garded as a true and valid one.

2. I said a deliberate promise ; because, for a vow, the
perfect use of reason and free will are necessary. Hence,
vows made by children before the age of seven years are
not obligatory, unless it be certain that at the time of
making the vow they had the perfect use of reason.
Hence, also, a vow made by a person through fear ex
cited by another in order to extort the vow imposes no
obligation.

3. I have said, to do or to omit some act, the perform
ance or omission of which \s possible and more perfect than
the opposite; for if the matter of the vow be impossible,
the promise does not bind. But if it be in part possible,
and if the object of the promise be divisible, the vow
obliges to what is possible, provided it be the principal
matter of the vow. I have also said, more perfect, for if
the object of the vow be indifferent, or an inferior good,
the vow is invalid, unless the circumstances render it
more perfect.

CHAP, ii.i The Second Commandment. 417-

Remember that if a person do the thing to which he
bound himself by vow, although at the time of doing it
he did not advert to the vow, he is not obliged to do it
again in order to fulfil his promise ; for, every one has
a general intention of first satisfying his obligation, and
then doing what is merely an act of devotion. For a
person who is in doubt about having made a vow it is
safer to fulfil it, but he is not strictly bound to do so.
A person who is certain of having made a vow, and not
certain of having fulfilled it, is obliged to do what he
promised, because the obligation of the vow still holds
good.

2. WHEN DOES THE DELAY IN THE EXECUTION OF A Vow BECOME
A MORTAL SIN?

Many theologians say that, if one defers it for two, or
at most for three years, he is guilty of a mortal sin.
This is to be understood of vows the matter of which is
not perpetual, but temporary — such as, to visit a holy
place ; to get Masses said ; and the like. But when the
matter of the vow is perpetual, theologians say that then
to defer the execution of the vow for six months is a
grievous sin.

But I entreat all, and particularly women (ordinarily
speaking), to abstain from making vows. So many per
sons make vows, and afterwards years and years pass
away, and the vows are not fulfilled. When you wish
to offer anything to God, make not a vow, but a simple
resolution, which imposes no obligation. And if any
one sees that he can scarcely fulfil a vow already made,
let him procure a commutation from the bishop, or from
a confessor to whom the bishop has given power to com
mute the vow.

3. HOW DOES THE OBLIGATION OF THE VOW CEASE?

It is taken away, i, by a change of the matter ; that is,
when some circumstance occurs, which, had it been fore-
27

4 1 8 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

seen, would have prevented the person from making the
vow.

2. It is taken away by annulment, as we have said re
garding oaths. A vow may be annulled by a father, a
husband, or any other person who has dominative power.
And to take away the obligation of a vow in this manner
a cause is not necessary. A father or a husband may,
without cause, invalidate the vow of a child or of his
wife, and then the obligation of the vow ceases.

3. The obligation of a vow is taken away by dispensa
tion or by commutation, which may be obtained from the
Pope or from one's own bishop. But for the validity of
a dispensation or commutation a just cause is necessary;
without it it is null.

There are five vows from which no one but the Pope
can dispense, namely, a vow of perpetual chastity, of
entering a religious Order, of making a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem, to the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul in
Rome, and of St. James in Compostella. These are
called the five reserved vows. They are reserved only
when the vows are made through a love of virtue, .not
when they are penal or conditional vows. For example,
when a person makes a vow to enter religion if he re
turns to gaming, or on condition that he is freed from a
certain infirmity, the vow is not reserved. It may be
dispensed or commuted by the bishop, because it has
not been made through a love of virtue.

CHAP, in.] The Third Commandment. 419

CHAPTER III.

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

*' Remember to sanctify the Sabbath-day." l

THIS precept imposes two obligations: the first is, to
abstain from servile works on Sundays and holidays ;
the second is, to hear Mass on these days.

In the Old Law the festival day was Saturday; but
the apostles changed it to Sunday, a day sanctified by
God over and over again, as St. Leo has remarked. For
it was on Sunday that the world was created; that Jesus
Christ rose from the dead ; and that the Holy Ghost
descended on the apostles. The precept of sanctifying
the Sunday, according to St. Thomas,2 and the gene
rality of theologians, is moral, so far as it is the duty of
all men to employ some part of their life in the worship
of God; but ceremor;al, so far as it determines the exact
time of this worship. So far as it is moral, all men are
bound to observe it. As a ceremonial precept it is no
longer obligatory ; because the Old Law has ceased.
Hence we are bound to the observance of festivals by a
precept of the Church, which has determined the days
that are to be kept holy.

I now ask, Why has God instituted festival days ? He
has instituted them that every Christian, having attended

1 " Memento ut diem Sabbati sanctifices." — Exod. xx. 8.

2 " Praeceptum de sanctificatione Sabbati est morale, quantum ad
hoc, quod homo deputet aliquod tempus vitse suae ad vacandum divinis;
. . . sed in quantum in hoc prsecepto determinatur speciale tempus, est
caere moniale." — 2. 2, q. 122, a. 4.

Instructions for tJic People.

[PART 1.

to the concerns of his body during the other days of the
week, may attend on the festivals to the concerns of his
soul, not only by hearing Mass, but also by hearing a
sermon, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, recommending
himself to God, and by performing other acts of piety.
But how do many persons spend the holidays? In gam
bling, in drinking to excess, in obscene discourses. I
may here tell you a story related by Surius.1 In the city
of Dia there was a holy bishop called Stephan. Being
unable to correct a great irregularity among his people
who spent the holidays and Sundays in gaming, danc
ing, and drunkenness, he begged of God that a multi
tude of hideous devils might appear in the city on a
certain day. So it happened, and so much terror was
excited, that all cried aloud for mercy. The people
promised to amend and the holy bishop by his prayers
delivered them from these horrible monsters.

I.
The Obligation of Abstaining from Servile Works.

i. How MANY KINDS OF WORKS ARE THERE?

It is necessary to distinguish three kinds of works _
servile, liberal, and common.

1. Servile works, as St. Thomas2 teaches, are in the
mystic sense sins, but literally they are the works that
are usually performed only by servants. They are also
called corporal works — such as building, digging, sew
ing, working iron, stone, or wood, and similar occupa
tions, which require bodily labor. These are, properly
speaking, the works which were forbidden in the Old
Law. You shall do no servile work thereon?

2. Liberal works or occupations, which are called

1 Die 7. sept. Vit. c. 9.

2 Sent. 3, ch. 17, q. i, a. 5, sol. 2.

" Omne opus servile non facietis in eo."— Lev. xxiii. 7.

CHAP, in.] The Third Commandment. 421

works of the mind, are those that are performed by men
in a liberal condition of life— such as to study, to teach,
to play music, to write, and the like. These are per
mitted on holidays, even though performed for gain.
Theologians also reckon transcribing among the liberal
works, because transcribing is connected with the in
struction of the mind.

3. Finally, common works, called also intermediate works,
are those that are performed, not only by servants, but
also by men in a liberal condition of life.

2. WHICH ARE THE WORKS FORBIDDEN ON FESTIVALS ?

On festivals, servile works only are prohibited, but
not those which are called liberal or common. This is
the doctrine of theologians who follow the opinion of
St. Thomas.1 Corporal works that have nothing to do
with the ceremonies of worship, are called servile only
so far as they properly belong to servants, but not so
when they are commonly performed as well by persons
of liberal condition as by servants. Before this passage,
the saint had explained that in the precept of sanctify
ing holidays servile works ortly are understood to be
forbidden. Hence, according to the more common and
more probable opinion, it is not forbidden on holidays
to travel or to fowl; because these are at least common
to persons in a servile and liberal condition of life.
Fishing, when attended with great labor, appears to be
a servile work, as may be inferred from the canon law
in which the Pope2 has given the dispensation to fish
for sardines.

It is necessary to remark that the third command-

1 " Opera etiam corporalia, ad spiritualem Dei cultum non perti-
nentia, in tantum servilia dicuntur, -in quantum proprie pertinent ad
servientes; in quantum vero sunt communia et servis et liberis, servilia
non dicuntur." — 2. 2. q. 122, a. 4.

2 De Ferns, c. 3.

422 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

ment forbids all work connected with the law courts,
such as to cite parties, to carry on trials, to pronounce
or execute sentences, unless they are excused by neces
sity or piety.1

It is also forbidden on festivals to sell goods in public
shops; but this is permitted at fairs and markets where
it is the custom to do so, or when the things sold are
necessary for daily use, such as food, wine, beer, and the
like.

3. WHAT CAUSES PERMIT SERVILE WORK ON A HOLIDAY?

1. A dispensation of the bishop or even of the parish
pdest, when there, is a just cause for dispensation, ex
cuses servile work on festivals.

2. Servile work on holidays is excused by any custom
existing in the place, provided the custom is permitted
and not censured by the bishop.

3. Charity, or the relief of a neighbor who is need, is a
sufficient, excuse.

4. Necessity, as when a person would not have food for
the day if he did not work, or when a person works in
order to avoid a grievous loss. Hence it is lawful to
reap corn, to gather grapes in the vintage, to gather
corn, hay, olives, chestnuts, and other fruits that are in
danger of being damaged. It is also lawful to do what
ever is necessary for the day, such as to prepare food, to
arrange and sweep the house, to make the beds, etc.

5. Piety excuses servile work; thus, it is lawful to cul
tivate the ground belonging to poor churches, or to
build them through charity; but this cannot be done
without the leave of the bishop, or without great actual
necessity.

6. Smallness of matter excuses from the violation of the
precept. But what should we consider to be sufficient
matter for mortal sin ? Some theologians say, that to

1 De Perils^ c. ult.

CHAP

in.] The Third Commandment. 423

work for an hour is a mortal sin; others extend the time
to two hours; but unless there is a just cause, the short
ness of the time employed in work does not excuse from
venial sin.

4. CONCLUSION.

Some will not work on the other days of the week,
and on holidays they are not ashamed to work for half
the day, and even compel their servants and children to
work. " Father," they say, " we are poor." But it is
not every kind of poverty that excuses from working on
festivals. Your poverty or necessity must be such that,
unless you work, you will not have food for the day for
yourself and for your family. Every one who lives by
his labor is poor, and in some necessity; but such
necessity does not excuse from sin.

Let children remember that when a parent commands
them to work on a holiday, in opposition to the law of
God, they are not bound to obey him: on the contrary,
if they work, they are guilty of sin. They are excused
from sin only when, if they do not work, they will suffer
a great loss, or at least a grievous inconvenience; for
the precepts of the Church are not binding when the
observance of them is attended with grievous incon
venience.

But the servants of a master who obliges them to
work on holidays of obligation should plainly say to
him: "This is a holiday; I am a Christian, and I will
not work." If the master compels them by grievous
threats, it is their duty to leave him, and to seek a
master who observes the Christian law.

I will tell you how God punishes those who work on
holidays of obligation. In the diocese of Fano (Ponti
fical States) they were celebrating the feast of St. Ursus,
the bishop and the patron of the place. A countryman
went on that day to plough as usual; and when he was

424 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

asked why he did not respect the festival of St. Ursus,
he answered: "If he is Ursus, I am a man in want of
bread." At these words the earth opened, and swal
lowed him up alive, with his plough and oxen; and the
marks of the chasm may still be seen in the place where
it happened, which is now called Villa de Rossano.

My good man, what do you expect ? Do you imagine
that by working on festivals you will improve your for
tune ? You are mistaken. By your work you will only in
crease your misery. There were two shoemakers; one of
them lived in comfort with his family; the other, though
he was always working, Sundays and week-days, was
ever starving, and had nothing to give to his children.
This man began once to complain of his misery, and
said to the other, who always observed the festivals:
" Friend, how do you contrive to live ? I work and toil
unceasingly, and yet I am not able to provide food for
my family." The other replied: "I have a friend to
whom I go every morning — he supplies me with what
ever I want." The former rejoined: "Introduce me to
your kind friend." The other promised to comply with
his request, and brought him one morning to the church,
where they heard Mass. On leaving the church the
former said: "Where is the friend who provides for
you?" The other answered: "Did you not see Jesus
Christ on the altar? He is the friend who supports me."
Thus my brethren, be assured that it is God alone, and
not sin, that provides for us. He provides for all who
observe his law, and not for those who despise it.

It is right that all should know (many already know
it) that in 1748 Benedict XIV. permitted the inhabitants
of the kingdom of Naples and Sicily to work on all
holidays, except on the Sundays and principal festivals;
but did not exempt them from the obligation of hear
ing Mass. The festivals on which they are not allowed
to work are all Sundays, Christmas-day, the Circum-

CHAP, in.] The Third Commandment. 425

cision (that is, New Year's Day), the Epiphany, Ascen
sion Day, Corpus Christi; the festivals of the Concep
tion, Nativity, Annunciation, Purification, and Assump
tion of the Most Holy Mary; the feasts of St. Peter and
St. Paul, of All Saints, and of all the principal patrons
of every city or town of the diocese. [In the United
States: All Sundays in the year, the Circumcision of our
Lord (January i), the Ascension of our Lord, the As
sumption of the B. V. Mary (August 15), All Saints
(November i), Immaculate Conception (December 8),
Nativity of our Lord, or Christmas-day.]

II.

The Obligation of Hearing Mass,
i. WHAT is MASS?

It is the sacrifice which is offered to the divine Ma
jesty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, under the
appearance of bread and wine.

2. How SHOULD ONE HEAR MASS?

To satisfy the obligation of hearing Mass, two things
are necessary: an intention and attention.

1. It is necessary to- have an intention of hearing Mass,
so that a man who is forced into church against his will,
or who enters only to look about him and see the place,
or to wait there for a friend, or for any other purpose
except hearing Mass, does not fulfil the obligation.
But, should a person hear Mass through devotion, be
lieving that the day is not a holiday, is he bound, when
he finds that it is a holiday, to hear another Mass? No;
it is enough to have done the work commanded with
out having adverted to the intention of fulfilling the
precept of hearing Mass.

2. It is necessary to hear Mass with attention — that is,
to attend to the sacrifice that is celebrated. This atten-

426 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

tion may be external and internal. It is certain that a
person who hears Mass without external attention does
not fulfil his obligation; for example, if during the
Mass you are asleep, or are drunk, or are employed in
writing, talking, or other external operations, you do
not fulfil the precept of hearing Mass.

It is disputed among theologians whether a person
who attends Mass without internal intention satisfies
his obligation; that is, if he sees what is going on, but
is at the same time interiorly distracted, and employed
in thinking not on God, but on other things. Many
theologians say that he is guilty of a venial, but not of
a grievous sin, as often as he is voluntarily distracted,
and that he fulfils the substance of the precept because
he hears Mass with a moral presence. But the greater
number of theologians, following St. Thomas, teach
that such a person does not fulfil the obligation of
hearing Mass, namely, when he is conscious that he is
distracted, and not attending to the Mass, and positively
wishes to continue in his distractions.

Hence I exhort you, in hearing Mass, to reflect on the
great sacrifice which is being offered. Meditate on the
Passion of Jesus Christ; for the Mass is a renewal of
the sacrifice that Jesus Christ offered on the cross. Or
meditate on some eternal truth — on death, judgment,
or hell. Let him who knows how to read make use of
some little book, or let him recite the office of the Blessed
Virgin. Let those who cannot read, if they will not
meditate, say the Rosary, or some other vocal prayers:
let them, at least, attend to what the priest is doing.

Does a person who makes his confession during Mass
satisfy the obligation of hearing Mass? No; for then
he would attend it as a criminal accusing himself of his
sins, and not as a person offering sacrifice; and it is
certain that all who hear Mass offer sacrifice along with
the priest.

CHAP, in.] TJic Third Commandment. 427

Hence it would be advisable during Mass to offer the
holy sacrifice for the ends for which it was instituted.
The Mass was instituted, i. In order to honor God;

2. To thank him; 3. To obtain the satisfaction for sin;
4. To obtain the graces we stand in need of.

During the Mass, then, we ought, first, to offer to
God the sacrifice of his Son in honor of his divine
Majesty; secondly, in thanksgiving for all the benefits
we have received from him; thirdly, in satisfaction for
our sins; and fourthly, to implore of God, through the
merits of Jesus Christ, the graces necessary for our sal
vation. At the elevation of the Host, let us ask God to
pardon our sins, for the sake of Jesus Christ, and at the
elevation of the chalice, let us beg of God, through the
merits of that divine blood, the gift of his love and holy
perseverance. And during the Communion of the priest,
let us make a spiritual Communion, saying: My Jesus,
I desire to receive Thee; I embrace Thee; do not permit
me to be ever separated from Thee.

3. WHAT SIN is IT WHEN ONE is ABSENT FROM A PART OF MASS?

There are several other things that must be noticed.
First, he who is absent from a considerable part of the
Mass is guilty of mortal sin. But what part of the Mass
is to be regarded as considerable ? According to some
theologians, a person who is present from the beginning
of the Offertory, or of the secret prayer which the priest
says after the Gospel, to the end of the Mass, is not.
guilty of mortal sin; because, as St. Isidore writes, in
ancient times the Mass began with the Offertory. How
ever, the more probable and more common opinion is
that it is a grievous sin to be absent from the beginning
of the Mass to the end of the first Gospel. But it is
commonly taught that a person who is absent from
the beginning of the Mass to the Epistle, or during the
part of the Mass that follows the Communion of the

428 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

priest, does not sin mortally. I say that he who is not
present at the Consecration, or at the Communion of
the priest, does not satisfy the obligation of hearing
Mass.

In the second place, you take notice that Innocent
XL condemned a proposition ' which asserted that the
obligation of hearing Mass is fulfilled by being present
at the half of two Masses celebrated at the same time
by two different priests. But is the obligation fulfilled
by a person who hears the half of two Masses succes
sively — that is, the half of a Mass celebrated by one
priest, and another half of a Mass afterwards celebrated
by a different priest ? Many theologians answer in the
affirmative, provided the person is present at the Con
secration and Communion of the same Mass.

4. WHERE SHOULD ONE BE TO HEAR MASS?

It must be remembered that a person satisfies his obli
gation, who, in hearing Mass, remains in the choir be
hind the high altar, or behind a wall or a pillar in the
Church, or immediately outside the Church, though he
does not see the priest, provided he is united with the
people in the church, so that at any rate, from what they
are doing, he may know what the priest is doing at the
altar.

With respect to those who have oratories in their
houses, only the following persons can satisfy the obli
gation of hearing Mass there: i. The heads of the
family to whom the privilege is granted ; 2. Their
family, that is, their relatives and connections to the
fourth degree, provided always they live in the same
house, and at the expense of the privileged party, and
provided that one of the privileged persons is present at
the Mass ; 3. With regard to servants, it is only those
that board in the house, and are required by the master

1 Prop. 53.

CHAP. HI.] The Third Commandment. 429

during the Mass — either to serve the priest, or to assist
the master when he kneels or sits down, to read the
meditation, or the like. [Only these persons can satisfy
the obligation by hearing Mass in the oratory; the rest
must go to the parish church ; but this usually applies
only to Catholic countries.]

5. WHAT ARE THE CAUSES THAT EXCUSE FROM THE OBLIGATION OF
HEARING MASS?

1. A physical or moral impossibility is an excusing
cause. A person is in a physical impossibility when he is
confined to bed by sickness, when he is in prison, or
when he is blind, and has no one to conduct him to the
church.

2. A person is in a moral impossibility of hearing Mass
when he cannot go to the church without exposing him
self to the danger of some grievous temporal or spiritual
evil.

Hence the persons on guard in cities, or in armies, or
entrusted with the care of herds of cattle, or of houses,
or of infants, or of the sick, are exempt from the obliga
tion of hearing Mass, when they have no person to take
their place.

Any grievous inconvenience is also an excusing cause;
hence the sick who are. convalescent, and unable to go
to the church without great pain, or danger of relapse,
are excused from the obligation of hearing Mass.

Also servants who cannot leave the house without
grievous inconvenience to their master or to themselves,
who, for example, if they left the house, would be in
danger of being dismissed, and would scarcely be able
to get employment from others.

A notable distance from church (theologians say three
miles) is a sufficient excuse; a less distance excuses from
sin when it is raining or snowing, or when a person is
infirm, or the road to the church is very bad.

43O Instructions for the People. IPART i.

In those places where it is prevalent, the custom of
not leaving home for some time after childbirth, or after
the death of a near relative, is a sufficient excuse for not
hearing Mass. But some absent themselves from the
church, and go to public places. .Such persons are not
excused by the custom of the place from hearing Mass.

Persons may sometimes be excused by want of clothes,
or the means of appearing in church in a manner suited
to their condition; but if there be a chapel in the neigh
borhood in which Mass is celebrated at an early hour,
they are bound to go there and hear Mass.

My dear Christians, would that I could persuade you
all to hear Mass every day ! Oh, how great a treasure
is the Mass to all who hear it with devotion and piety !
Besides the indulgences which are granted for hearing
Mass, great graces are obtained (Innocent VI. annexed
an indulgence of more than three thousand years to each
Mass that is heard). The fruits of the Passion of Jesus
Christ are applied to every one that hears Mass ; for, as
I have already said, each person who hears Mass offers
sacrifice along with the priest, and offers to God, for
himself and for others, the death and all the merits of
the Saviour.

Now see what great temporal and spiritual blessings
are bestowed on those who hear Mass. Three merchants
one day agreed to set out together from Gubbio. One
of them wished to hear Mass before his departure ; but
the others would not wait for him, and set out by them
selves. But in passing over the river Corfuone, which
had swelled to a great height in consequence of the
rain that had fallen during the night, the bridge gave
way, and they were drowned. The third, who had
waited to hear Mass, found his .two companions dead
on the bank of the river, and thankfully acknowledged
the grace he had received on account of having heard
Mass,

CHAP, ni.j 77/6' Third Commandment. 431

Listen to another fact still more appalling. It is re
lated that in the court of a certain prince there was a
page who was so devout that he never omitted to hear
Mass every day. Another page, through envy, accused
him to the prince, saying that he was too familiar with
the princess, his wife. The prince was so enraged, that
without further examination he gave orders to some
iron-founders, who had care of a furnace, to throw into
it the first of his pages that should go to the place, and
immediately to make known to him the result. He then
sent the page who had been accused to the place in
which the furnace was. On his way the page heard the
bell for Mass, and waited to be present at the holy sac
rifice. Not hearing immediately what he expected from
the persons employed at the furnace, the prince sent the
other page to see what had happened. The miserable
accuser, being the first that arrived, was cast into the
furnace, and burned alive. The innocent page after
ward appeared, and being reproved by the prince for
not having promptly obeyed his order, said that he had
stopped on his way to hear Mass. The prince began to
suspect the accusation to be false, sought for better in
formation, and discovered the innocence of the devout
page.

6. WHY HAVE FESTIVALS BEEN INSTITUTED, AND HOW SHOULD WE
USE THEM ?

God has instituted festivals that we may honor him,
and lay up merits for heaven, by going to the confra
ternity, or to the church, to hear a sermon, to say the
Rosary, to visit the Most Holy Sacrament, to recom
mend ourselves to the Virgin Mary, or to our holy ad
vocates.

But how many are there who spend the festivals in
dishonoring God, and gaining greater merits for hell?
How do so many spend the holidays? In disputes and

43 2 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

quarrels (how many murders are committed on fes
tivals!); in making love, even in the church; in stand
ing in a public place to indulge in bad thoughts, in im
modest discourses with wicked companions, or in going
to the tavern to gamble, to blaspheme, and to get drunk.
The parish priest preaches, and some will not hear his
Mass in order to avoid the trouble of hearing a sermon.
Of what use, then, are holidays to such persons? They
serve only to bury the soul deeper in hell by multiply
ing sins.

I have said that some, for the purpose of escaping the
sermon, absent themselues from the church. St. John
Chrysostom says that it would be better for some if they
never entered the church ; because they commit greater
sins by their irreverences than they would by not com
ing at all. It would not be so criminal not to come at
all to church, as it is to come in such a manner. Oh,
what a horrible thing to see the irreverences which are
committed nowadays in churches! And after all this,
we hear of persons complaining of the rigor of the
divine chastisements !

Many authors state that it was in punishment of ir
reverences committed in the church that the kingdom
of Cyprus was lost, and fell into the hands of the Turks
Eugene Cistenius, who was ambassador of Ferdinand I.
at the court of Soliman, relates that at the sepulchre of
Mohammed the Turks neither speak, nor spit, nor cough,
nor turn about to look at any object of curiosity; and in
leaving the temple they walk backwards, in order to
avoid turning their back to the sepulchre Compare
this with the conduct of Christians in church ! They
speak in a loud tone; they look about in every direction
to gaze at the women, and see who is pretty and who is
ugly ; they indulge in bad thoughts ; and some even
have the temerity to come to the church to make love,
without one thought of the reverence due to Jesus

CHAP, in.] The Third Commandment. 433

Christ in the Holy Sacrament. Ah, my God, how does
it happen that the church does not fall upon such per
sons? Why does not Jesus Christ depart from us, as he
has done before now?

Verme tells us that in a church where scandalous ir
reverence was committed, a horrible voice was once
heard at the elevation of the Host, pronouncing these
words: "People, I depart hence." Then the Host was
seen raised up to about the middle of the church, and
the same words were again heard : " People, I depart
hence." Then it gradually ascended as high as the
roof, when the same words were heard for the third
time: "People,! depart hence." The Host then van
ished, and immediately the church fell, and the mise^ra-
ble congregation was crushed beneath the ruins. Ah,
brethren ! how can God bear with us when he sees that
in order to offend him we go to the church in which he
dispenses his graces to us ?

III.
Fasting on Vigils and during Lent.

Before I conclude this precept of sanctifying holidays,
I will explain briefly the fast which the holy Church
commands us to observe on vigils in honor of the fes
tivals which occur on the subsequent day, and in Lent,
as a preparation for the celebration of Easter. [We
must here include the fast of the 'Ember days, and add
the abstinence that is to be observed on Fridays through
out the year.]

i. WHAT MUST WE DO IN REGARD TO FASTING?

In the fast of the Church three things are commanded:
i. To abstain from forbidden meats ; 2. To eat but one
meal in the day; 3. Not to eat the meal before the hour
prescribed

434 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

With regard to the abstinence, the use of flesh-meat
and of white-meats (milk food) is forbidden, except in
places in which the custom exists of eating white-meat
(milk food) and eggs. But this is to be understood only
for vigils; for, with regard to Lent, it is certain that the
use of white-meats is opposed to the condemnation of
the thirty-second proposition by Alexander VII. Bene
dict XIV.1 has declared that a person who has obtained
the permission of his physician and parish priest or con
fessor, to eat flesh-meat during Lent, or on vigils of the
saints, cannot take flesh-meat and fish at the one meal,
but must abstain from fish if he eats flesh-meat, but not
if he uses only white-meats (milk food). [See diocesan
regulations as to fasting.]

2. The second obligation of the fast is to eat but one
meal in the day, and a small collation, which must not
exceed eight ounces. Some persons eat at collation
more — ten, fifteen, or even twenty ounces: what a fast!
" But, Father, I eat so that I am still hungry after eat
ing." But this is not enough. In ancient times Chris
tians ate only once a day — in the evening; and except
at that meal, they tasted nothing during the day. The
Church afterwards permitted a collation, but not to ex
ceed eight ounces. A person who notably exceeds the
quantity allowed for collation is guilty of a mortal sin.
However, young persons who have not attained the age
of twenty-one, and the old who have completed their
sixtieth year, and require to eat more frequently than
once a day, are excused from the obligation of fasting.
They also are excused who are employed in laborious
business, such as laborers, weavers, masons, etc. Women
who are pregnant, or who give suck, are exempt from
the obligation of fasting, and also the poor, who at their
one meal could not get sufficient food to support them
during the day.

1 Ail Arch. Compost. 8 Jul. 1744.

CHAP, in.] The Third Commandment. 435

3. The third obligation imposed by the law of fasting
is, according to the present custom, not to take the meal
before mid-day. Hence to dine an hour before mid-day
on fast days is a mortal sin, as the generality of theo
logians rightly maintain, in accordance with St. Thomas,1
who says that he who notably anticipates the hour pre
scribed for the meal violates the fast.

It is necessary also to remember that Benedict XIV.,
and still more clearly Clement XIII.,2 declared that per
sons who have obtained permission to eat flesh-meats or
white-meats (milk food) are obliged to take but the one
meal in the day; and at their collation they can use no
other food than that which is permitted to those who
are bound to fast, and are not dispensed ; that is, at
their collation they cannot use either flesh-meat or
white-meats.

1 In 4 Sent. d. 15, q. 3, a. 4, sol. 3.

2 Brev. Appetente, 20 Dec. 1759.

43 6 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

CHAPTER IV.

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT.

" Honor thy father and thy mother." !

THIS commandment principally regards the duty of
children to their parents ; but it also comprehends the
duty of parents to their children ; the mutual obliga
tions of masters and servants, and of husband and wife.

I.
The Obligation of Children towards their Parents.

A child is obliged to love, to respect, and to obey his
parents. He is bound first to love them.

I. HOW DOES ANY ONE SlN AGAINST THE LOVE THAT HE O\VES TO

His PARENTS, OR AGAINST FILIAL PIETY?
He commits a mortal sin against this obligation of
love :

1. If he desires any. grievous evil to his father or
mother ; and in this he is guilty of a double sin : he
sins against charity and against the filial piety due to a
parent.

2. He sins if he detracts from the reputation of his
1 arents ; and he then commits three sins, one against
charity, another against filial piety, and the third against
justice.

3. He is guilty of sin if he neglects to assist his
parents, as well in their temporal as in their spirit-

1 " Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longaevus super ter-
ram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi." — Exod. xx. 12.

CHAP, iv.i The Fourth Commandment. 437

ual necessities; thus, if a parent is dangerously ill, his
children are bound to admonish him of his danger,
and to induce him to receive the last sacraments. A
child is obliged to support a father or mother when
they are in great want. Son, says Ecclesiasticus, sup
port the old age of thy father.1 Our parents have pro
vided for us in our childhood; it is but just that we
support them in their old age. St. Ambrose 2 says that
the stork supplies its parents with food when it sees
them old and unable to provide for their wants. How
horrible the ingratitude of the son who, though he
knows that his mother is dying of hunger, squanders
away his money in the tavern !

It is wonderful what love has been shown by children
to their parents. In Japan, in 1604, there were three
brothers, laborers, who had to support their mother,
but with all their efforts they could not give enough.
What then had they to do ? It so happened that the
emperor had issued an edict promising a large reward
to any one who should bring a thief to justice. The
brothers, therefore, agreed among themselves that one
should pretend to be a thief, and that the other two
should bring him to prison, and so support their mother
with the reward they would obtain. They then cast
lots which of them was to die — for death was in that
country the punishment of theft; the lot fell on the
youngest, who was bound and taken to prison; but
when his two brothers left him there it was observed
that they embraced him with tears. When this was
told to the judge he ordered the other two to be fol
lowed to their home. On their arrival there the mother
was told what had been done; but she said that she
would rather die than that her son should die for her
sake. " Take back the money," she said, " and restore

1 " Fili, suscipe senectam patris tui." — Ecclus. iii. 14.

2 Exam. 1. 5, c. 16.

43 8 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

me my son." When the judge heard of this he ac
quainted the emperor with it, who so admired their
filial piety that he settled a large pension on the three
brothers. Thus did God reward their love and affec
tion to their mother.

But now listen, on the other hand, to the chastisement
that God inflicted on an ungrateful child. Bishop
Abelly1 mentions a fact related by Thomas Cantipra-
tensis, which occurred in his own time. There was a
rich man in France who had an only son whom he wished
to marry to a person far superior to him in rank. The
parents of the lady consented to the marriage on the
condition that the father of the young man would trans
fer all his property to the son, and depend on him for
his support. The father consented. In the beginning
he was treated with great kindness; but after some
time, in order to please his wife, the son banished him
from his house, and gave him but little assistance. The
father came to ask relief one day when his son had pre
pared a great banquet for his friends, but his son drove
him away with harshness and disrespect. He was, how
ever, soon punished, for as soon as he had sat down to
table a toad flew on his face which no skill could re
move. Then he began to repent of the ingratitude with
which he had treated his father, and went to the bishop
to receive absolution. The bishop enjoined as a pen
ance that he should go through all the provinces of the
kingdom with his face uncovered, confessing his sins, as
an example for other children. Cantipratensis states
that the fact was related to him by a Father of the Order
of St. Dominic, who had seen the unhappy man in Paris
with his face horribly disfigured, and had heard the cir
cumstances from him.2

1 Verite's princ. instr. 28.

52 The author quoted, adds that this repentant sinner having faithfully
done the penance and repaired his fault, the toad disappeared. — ED.

CHAP, iv.] The Fourth Commandment. 439

Be careful, then, O children! to love your parents,
and to assist them when they are in poverty, in sick
ness, or in prison. If you do not, you must expect to
receive great chastisement from God. At the very least,
he will permit your children to treat you as you have
treated your parents. Verme relates that a son had
banished his father from his house; the father fell sick
and went to the hospital, and sent to his son for a pair
of sheets. The son sent them to him by one of his own
children. The child took only one of them to his grand
father; and when his father asked him why he had not
taken both, he answered, I have kept the other for you
when you go to the hospital. You see, then, as you
treat your parents so your children will treat you.

2. I lOW DOES ONE SlN AGAINST THE RESPECT DUE TO ONE'S

PARENTS ?

In the second place, a child is obliged to show respect
to his father and mother. Honor thy father in work, and
word, and all patience? says God. It is, then, the duty of
a child to honor his father in work and word.

Hence it is a sin to reply to parents in a tone of re
sentment, or in a loud, disrespectful tone of voice. It
is a greater sin to deride them, to mock them, to utter
imprecations against them, to insult them by calling
them fools, beasts, robbers, drunkards, sorcerers, miscreants,
or any such opprobrious names. Words of this kind,
when uttered in their presence, are mortal sins. In the
Old Law, they who injured their father or mother were
condemned to death. 'He that cursed his father or mother
shall die the death? At present they are not punished
with temporal death, but they are accursed by God and

1 In opere et sermone, et omni patientia, honora patrem tuum." —
Ecclus. iii. 9.

" Qui maledixerit patri suo vel matri, morte moriatur." — Exod.
xxi. 17.

440 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

condemned to eternal death. He is cursed of God that
angereth his mother.1

It would be a still greater sin to raise the hand, or to
threaten, as though you were going to strike a parent.
Few shall be your days, you who have struck your
mother. For the Scripture says,— Honor thy father and
thy mother, that thou mayest live a long time, and that it may
be well with thee in the land? If, then, he that honors his
parents shall have a long life, and comfort in this world,
surely the child that maltreats a father or mother shall
live but a short time, and shall live in misery.

St. Bernardine of Siena 3 relates that a young man who
had died on the gibbet appeared to have \he hoary
beard of old age. It was revealed to the bishop, while
praying for his soul, that if, in punishment of his dis
obedience to his parents, God had not abandoned him
to the crimes which brought him to a shameful death,
he should have lived to a great age.

St. Augustine4 tells us of a still more terrible case.
In the province of Cappadocia there was a mother who
had a great number of children. One day her eldest
son first insulted her and then beat her. The other
children did not interfere with their brother as they
ought to have done. The mother was enraged at this
conduct, and committed another sin; she went to the
church, and, before the baptistery in which her children
had been baptized, she cursed them all, begging of God
to inflict on them a chastisement that would excite the
terror of the whole world. All her children, accord
ingly, were seized with great tremor in all their limbs.
They were afterwards dispersed in different places^

" Et est maledictus a Deo, qui exasperat matrem."— Ecdus. iii. 18.
"Honora patrem tuum et matrem, . . . ut longo vivas tempore^
et bene sit tibi in terra. "—Deut. \. 16.

3 T. 2, s. 17, a. 3, c. i.

4 De Civ. D. 1. 22, c. S.

CHAP, iv.j The Fourth Commandment. 441

carrying with them the marks of their mother's maledic
tion; and she, grieving at the scourge that had fallen on
her children, yielded to despair, and strangled herself.
St. Augustine adds that while he was one day in a
church which contained the relics of St. Stephen, two of
these young men came in trembling to such a degree
that every one took notice of them, but through the in
tercession of St. Stephen they were restored to health
before the relics of the saint.

I will give another example. A young man was bar
barously dragging his father by the feet along the road.
When they had reached a certain place the father said:
" Have done, my son; no farther: for I once dragged my
father thus far; and in punishment of my sin God has
justly permitted me to be dragged here by you."

0 children, have you heard how God punishes those
who maltreat their parents ? You will perhaps say: " I
have a father and a mother who are unendurable." But
attend to what God says: Son, support the old age of thy
father, and grieve him not in his life.1 "Son," says the
Lord, "do you not see that your father is a poor old
man, afflicted with the evils of old age ? You must not
grieve him in the few remaining years of his life." The
Scriptu re adds : And if his understanding fail, have patience
with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength:1
The aged sometimes appear to be unreasonable; but it
is in bearing with their fits of impatience that the virtue
of children consists.

3. How DOES ONE SIN AGAINST THE OBEDIENCE DUE TO ONE'S
PARENTS ?

In the third place, a child owes obedience to a parent
in all things that are just. Children, says St. Paul, obey

1 " Fill, suscipe senectam patris tui, et non contristes eum in vita
illius." — Eidus. iii. 14.

2 " Et si dcfecerit sensu, veniam da, ct ne spernas eum in virtute
tua." — Ibid. iii. 15.

44 2 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

your parents in the Lord.1 Hence, a child is bound to
obey his parents in what concerns the service of the
family, and particularly in all that regards morals — for
instance, when they command him not to play or asso
ciate with low companions, or to enter a suspected
house, and if he disobeys he is guilty of sin.

Theophilus Rainaud relates that on the borders of
France and Savoy there was a young nobleman who
was disobedient to his widowed mother; for though
she had over and over again commanded him to come
home before dusk, and not to stay out till midnight, as
was his habit, he still persisted in doing so. So one
night she ordered the door to be locked. When he
came and found it closed against him, and could not
make himself heard, call as loud as he would, he began
to curse and reproach his mother, and then, along with
his brother and a servant, who were with him, he took
shelter in a neighboring house. After going to rest the
brother and servant heard a frightful noise, and saw a
hideous giant entering the room in which the young
man lay. The giant took him by the feet, stretched
him on a table, and cut him in pieces with a sabre, and
then gave him to be devoured by four horrible dogs.
The brother and servant afterwards made search for his
body, but could not find it. The brother was so terri
fied that he became a Carthusian, and after a holy life
died a holy death.

This is how God chastises children who are diso
bedient to their parents. But I must say one word on
the text of St. Paul, already quoted: Children, obey your
parents in the Lord? Mark the words in the Lord. They
mean that we should obey parents in all things that are
pleasing to God, but not in what is offensive to him.
If, for example, a mother commanded a child to commit

" Filii, obedite parentibus vestris in Domino." — Eph. vi. i.
" Obedite parentibus vestris in Domino." — Eph. vi. I

CHAP, iv.i The Fourth Commandment. 443

theft, or to strike a person, is he obliged to obey her?
Not at all — he sins if he does obey. Thus, also, in
choosing a state of life, whether to be married or to
remain single, to become a priest or a religious, a son,
according to St. Thomas,1 and all theologians, is not
bound to obey his parents. However, a son who con
tracts a marriage that brings dishonor on the family is
guilty of sin. With regard to entering religion, if your
parents are poor and in great necessity, and if you can
by your industry relieve them, it is not lawful for you
to abandon them and become a religious. But, on the
other hand, fathers or mothers who oblige their children
to become priests or monks commit a mortal sin; and
if they force their daughters to become nuns, or to enter
a monastery, they incur excommunication, according to
the Council of Trent.2

Parents are guilty of sin if they force a child to marry
who wishes to lead a life of celibacy, or if they hinder a
child from entering a religious Order. Some parents
make no scruple of turning away children from their
vocation; but they ought to know that it is a mortal
sin to do so. We are to be saved according to the
vocation God gives us; and, therefore, the child, if he
enter the religious Order to which God calls him, will
be saved; but if, at the instigation of his father or
mother, he remain in the world, he will lead a wicked
life, and be damned. But some parents care not whether
a child is damned or not, provided he remains in the
family. u Such fathers," says St. Bernard, " should not
be called fathers, but murderers of their children."5
But God will chastise them severely, not only in the
next, but also in this world; he will make the very
child whom they diverted from his vocation the in-

1 2. 2, q. 104, a. 5.

4 Sess. xxv. c. 13.

3 " Non parentes, sed peremptores." — Epist. iii.

444 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

strument of their chastisement; for, having lost his
vocation, he will abandon himself to vice, and bring
ruin on the family. Oh, how many families have been
ruined on account of parents making children give up
their vocation ! I will give you an instance.

In his exposition of the 4th and 25th psalms, Father
Alexander Faia, of the Society of Jesus, relates that at
Tudela, in Spain, in Old Castile, a very rich man had an
only son, whom he had destined to perpetuate the fam
ily. But the son, having a vocation for the Society of
Jesus, sought admission with so much earnestness that
the Superiors at last received him. When his father
heard of this, he went to the novitiate and made so
many complaints, that to please him the son went home
again. But he felt himself again called to forsake the
world. Being unwilling to return to the Society, he
entered into the Order of St. Francis. But the father
induced him a second time to renounce the religious
state. Soon afterward it happened that the old man
wanted his son to marry a person he had fixed upon;
but his son had selected another lady. This gave rise
to so many altercations, and even hatred, that one day,
in a quarrel, the son killed his father. For this he was
taken, tried, and hanged.

Fathers and mothers, take care not to interfere with
the vocation of your sons or daughters: do not hinder
them from giving themselves to God. What greater
source of consolation can a father or mother have than
to see a son or a daughter consecrated to God, and
leading the life of a saint ? The mother of St. Aloysius
Gonzaga, who was the Marchioness of Castiglione, see
ing him called to the Society of Jesus, endeavored,
though he was her eldest and only son, to facilitate his
entrance into religion. This is the real duty of parents,
to help and induce their children to become saints.
And should your parents even endeavor to prevent you

CHAP, iv.] The Fourth Commandment. 445

from entering a more perfect state, where you could
serve God better, do as Theodore, a young man men
tioned in the life of St. Pachomius, did. He was an
Egyptian, an only son, and heir to large possessions.
On a certain festival he prepared a great banquet: on
that day God made him feel that all his riches would
profit him nothing at the hour of his death. That very
day he shut himself up in his chamber, and besought
the Lord, with many tears, to make known to him the
state that he ought to choose in order to secure his
eternal salvation. God inspired him to go to the
monastery of Pachomius. He forsook all things, and
fled from his family. His mother went to St. Pachomius
with an order from the emperor to restore her son; but
Theodore prayed to God with so much fervor that he
obtained also for his mother the grace to leave the
world, and retire into a convent of nuns.

II.
Obligation of Parents towards their Children.

There are two principal obligations of parents towards
their children — to provide food for them, and to give
them a religious education.

i. WHAT is THE DUTY OF PARENTS IN REGARD TO THE SUSTENANCE
OF THEIR CHILDREN ?

A father is bound to give sustenance to his children,
though they are disorderly, though they have squan
dered away their portion, and though they have con
tracted an unsuitable marriage. And why ? Because
they are still his children. Therefore, a father is guilty
of sin if, without a just cause, he banishes a son from
his house, or if at death he deprives a child of his legiti
mate portion, or if he refuses a dowry to a daughter
who wishes to marry a person suited to her condition.
But what are we to say to those inhuman fathers who

446 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

squander their money in eating and gaming in the
tavern, and leave their poor children in want of bread?
The most savage beasts are careful to provide food for
their offspring. Men alone are brutal enough to suffer
their children to die of hunger !

We may here remark, that brothers also, when they
are able, are bound to provide for their brothers, and
give a dowry to their sisters, when in great distress.
This is the common opinion of theologians.

2. WHAT is THE DUTY OF PARENTS IN REGARD TO THE EDUCATION

OF THEIR CHILDREN ?

With regard to education, it is certain that the good
or ill success of children depends on the good or bad
education that they receive from their parents. God
has instituted matrimony, that, with the direction and
instruction of their parents, children may come to serve
God, and be saved ; otherwise they would be mere out
casts, if they had no one to tell them what to do, nor to
correct and chastise them if they neglected to correct
their vices and improve their lives; for it often happens
that, when admonition fails, the fear of punishment is
effectual.

We see, by experience, that holy parents bring up holy
children. St. Catharine of Sweden, because she was the
daughter of St. Bridget, became a saint. St. Henry the
Emperor became a saint because he was the son of St.
Stephen, King of Hungary. Queen Blanche, the mother
of St. Louis, King of France, was a great servant of God,
and thus he became a saint. This good mother used to
say to her son in his childhood, " My son, I would rather
see you dead in your coffin than guilty of mortal sin."
I remember another good mother, whose great care was
the sanctification of her children. She would say, " I
do not want to be the mother of children damned in
hell."

CHAP, iv.] The Fourth Commandment. 447

But, on the other hand, there are fathers and mothers
who care not whether their children are virtuous or
wicked — whether they are saved or damned. Origen
has justly said, that parents shall have to answer for all
the vices of their children. It is unquestionably the fact
that, ordinarily, parents are the cause of the sins of their
children, though the children will have to answer for
their own faults. Some fathers and mothers, through
fear of displeasing a child, neglect to reprove and chas
tise him, and are thus the cause of his ruin. Barbarous
and cruel fathers and mothers ! Tell me now, if a father
saw his child fall into the water and, though the child
might easily be saved by dragging him out by the hair,
were to let him be drowned for fear of hurting him by
pulling his hair, would you not call that father cruel and
unfeeling? Far more cruel is. the father who, through
fear of giving them pain, neglects to correct or chastise
his children for their faults. Would it not be cruelty in
a father to give to an inexperienced child a razor with
which he might inflict on himself a deadly wound ?
Much more cruel is the father who gives money to his
children to spend on their appetites, or who permits
them to associate with bad companions, or to frequent
a dangerous house; for the greatest concern of parents
should be to remove their children from the occasions
of sin.

When admonition or correction is not sufficient, it is
necessary to inflict corporal chastisement, especially
while the children are young; for when they are grown
up, it is impossible to restrain them. He that spareth the
rod hateth his son.1 Parents hate the child whom they
neglect to chastise when he stands in need of chastise
ment, and they shall be chastised by the Lord. In pun
ishment of not having chastised his children as he ought,

1 " Qui parcit virgre, odit filium suum ; qui autem diligit ilium, in-
tanter erudit." — Pro-v. xiii. 24.

448 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

the high-priest Heli and his sons all perished together
in one day, by the judgment of God, as we read in the
Scriptures.1

But a parent must chastise his children in moderation,
not in passion, as some fathers and mothers do; such chas
tisement produces no fruit; on the contrary, it makes
children more perverse. First, they should admonish,
then threaten, and in the end chastise; but always with
the tenderness of a parent, and not with the harshness of
a galley-sergeant; with discretion, and without impreca
tions or offensive words. It will be sufficient to shut
them up in a room, to diminish their food, to forbid
them to wear their best clothes, and, when necessary, to
use the rod, but not a thick stick. Do not, therefore,
touch your children while your passion continues. First
allow your anger to cool, and then calmly inflict chas
tisement.

3. How DO PARENTS SIN IN REGARD TO THE EDUCATION OF THEIR

CHILDREN ?

1. Parents, then, are guilty of sin against the duty of
educating their children, if they do not instruct them in
matters of faith, and in what regards their eternal salva
tion. They ought at least to send them on Sundays to
the parish church to learn the Christian doctrine, and
not send them on errands, as some do. So their chil
dren grow up without knowing how to make their con
fession, and are even ignorant of the principal articles
of faith ; they know not what is meant by the Trinity,
by the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, by mortal sin, judg
ment, hell, heaven, or eternity; and through their igno
rance they are damned. But their parents will have to
account to God for them.

2. A parent violates his duty towards his children, if he
does not correct them when they are guilty of blas-

1 i Kings, ii. 4.

CHAP, iv.] The Fourth Commandment. 449

pheming, of stealing, or of uttering obscene words, or if
he neglects to chastise them when chastisement is neces
sary; and parents are bound to inquire what kind of
life their children lead, what places they frequent, and
with what sort of persons they associate when they leave
home. This is a duty of every parent. I should like to
know, then, how is it possible to excuse mothers who
allow their daughters to keep company with persons in
love with them ? They desire to see their daughters
married, but they do not care whether they commit sin.
These are the mothers of whom David speaks, who, for
the interest of the family, immolate their daughters to
the devil. And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to
devils.'' Some mothers bring young men into the house
to amuse themselves with their daughters, that they
may be under an obligation of marrying them, and that
they may be bound with the chain of sin. But do not
such mothers see that for every sin that these lovers
commit they themselves are bound by a new chain of
hell ? " Father," they say, " there is no harm in it." Is
there no evil in it ? Do you expect that tow thrown into
the fire will not burn ? Oh, how many mothers shall we
see condemned on the day of judgment for seeking to
hasten the marriage of their daughters by such means as
this!

3. Parents are guilty of sin if they neglect to make
their children receive the sacraments at the proper time,
or to make them observe the festivals and precepts of
the Church.

4. They commit a sin (and this is a double sin) if they
give scandal to their children by blaspheming, or by
speaking immodestly, or by committing any other scan
dalous sin in their presence; for a father is bound to
give good example to his children, who, like young
monkeys, imitate whatever they see, but with this differ-

" Immolaverunt filios suos et filias suas dfcmoniis." — Ps. cv. 37.

450 Instructions for the People. [PART i,

ence, that they more readily imitate bad 'actions to
which our corrupt nature is inclined, than examples of
virtue, to which nature has a repugnance. How can
children begin to lead a life of virtue when they hear
their father blaspheming, talking scandal, and insulting
his neighbor, uttering imprecations, expressions of re
venge and obscenity, and indicating his diabolical max
ims: You must not submit to maltreatment from any
one. God is merciful: there are some sins that he toler
ates. Mothers say to their daughters, " You must talk,
and not be so stiff and unyielding." What virtue can be
expected from children who know that their father spends
the whole day in the public-house, and comes home
drunk; that he frequents a house of ill-fame, that he goes
to confession only at Easter, or perhaps not even then?
St. Thomas' says, that such parents, as much as in them
lies, oblige their children to commit sin. Hence arises
the ruin of so many souls that are damned; because
children take bad example from their parents, and
afterwards give bad example to their children: and
thus fathers, children, and grandchildren all go to hell.
Some parents complain that their children are vicious.
Do men, says Jesus Christ, gather grapes off thorns ? 2 Did
you ever see grapes gathered from thorns ? How, then,
can the children be virtuous when the parents are
vicious ? It would be a miracle if they were.

Hence we see that a father who leads a bad life never
corrects the vices of his children. For, after giving bad
example to his children, he is ashamed to reprove them
for the sins that he himself commits. And if he ever
does correct them, the children disregard his admoni
tions. Did you ever hear of the crab that saw his little
ones walking sideways, and at once scolded them, and

1 " Eos ad peccatum, quantum in eis fuit, obligaverunt." — In Ps.
xvi.

2 " Numquid colligunt de spinis uvas ?" -Matt. viii. 16.

CHAP, iv.] The Fourth Commandment. 45 1

said: "Why do you walk sideways like that?" They
replied: " Father, let us see how you walk." The father
walked more crookedly than they did, and therefore he
never dared to rebuke them after. It is the same with
the parent who gives bad example. He is ashamed to
correct the faults of his children. He sees them run
ning to the precipice, and remains silent, because he has
not courage to censure what he himself does. But it is
certain that a parent who does not correct the faults of
his children is guilty of sin. What, then, must a parent
who scandalizes his children do ? St. Thomas says, that
he should at least entreat his children not to imitate his
bad example. But of what use, I ask, is this ignominious
reproof, if the father continues to give bad example?
The truth is, that when a parent gives bad example,
neither corrections nor entreaties nor chastisements pro
duce any fruit; all is lost.

4. RULE OF LIFE FOR A FATHER OF A FAMILY.

A father who desires to regulate his family well
should endeavor first to remove from his house all evil,
and afterwards to promote virtue. What I say of
fathers is intended also for mothers

I. With regard to removing evil.

1. A father must prevent his children from associating
with bad company, or with ill-conducted servants, or
with a master who does not give a good example.

2. He must remove from his house any male or female
servant that may be a source of temptation to his
daughters or sons. Virtuous parents do not admit
into their house young female servants when their sons
are grown up.

3. He should banish from his house all books that
treat on obscene subjects, or on profane love, romances,
and all similar works; such books are the ruin of inno
cent young persons. Videumaun tells us of a young

452 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

man who was an example to all his fellow-citizens. He
accidentally read an obscene book, and fell into such
horrid crimes that he became the scandal of the entire
people. His conduct was so scandalous that the magis
trates were obliged to banish him from the city. Another
young man, who had failed in his efforts to seduce a
woman, put a book in her way that treated on love, and
thus he made her lose her honor and her soul. A parent
is still more strictly bound to remove the class of books
that has now become so common, which, besides the
other poison, contains also errors against faith or against
the Church.

4. He is bound to remove from his house immodest
pictures, particularly if they are obscene. Father Rho
tells us that Cardinal Bellarmine went into a private
gentleman's house, where he happened to see some
immodest pictures; so he said to him: "My friend, I
am come to entreat you for God's sake to do a work of
charity in clothing the naked." The gentleman prom
ised to do so; so the Cardinal pointed to the picture,
saying- "There are the naked people I mean." Oh,
how delighted is the devil when he sees in any house an
immodest picture ! It is related in the life of Father
John Baptist Vitelli that a troop of devils was once
seen in the hall of a certain nobleman offering incense
to an immodest picture that hung there, in return for the
souls which they gained by it.

5. A parent should forbid his children to frequent
masquerades or public dancing-houses, or to act a part
in comedies. He should not allow his daughters to be
taught by any strange man. Oh, how dangerous is it
for young women to receive instructions from men! In
stead of learning to read, they learn to commit mortal
sins. A parent should get his daughters instructed by
a woman, or by a little brother; I say little } for even in a
brother, when he is grown up, there is some danger.

CHAP, iv.] The Foiirtk Commandment. 453

Parents must be very particular never to allow their
sons and daughters to sleep in the same bed, and much
less in the same bed with their father and mother. They
should also take care not to permit their daughters to
converse alone and familiarly with any man, though he
be the first saint in the world. The saints in heaven
only are incapable of falling; but the saints on earth
are flesh like others, and if they do not avoid the occa
sions of sin, may become devils. Hence, a father will
do well to recommend the most virtuous and steady of
his daughters to let him know secretly whenever she
sees any of her sisters keep up such familiarity, or when
she sees any other disorder in the family.
II. With regard to the advancement of piety.

1. A father should make all the members of the family
ask of God every morning the grace not to offend him
during the day. For this purpose they may say three
"Hail Marys " to the Mother of God. The best thing
would be to have half an hour's meditation in common
for all the members of the house, and to make one of
them read aloud the points for consideration, as is done
in many families.

2. A parent should make his children receive the
sacraments at the proper time; that is, the sacrament of
confession at the age of seven, and that of Communion
at the age of ten, as St. Charles Borromeo ordered; he
should also make them receive the sacrament of con
firmation at the latter age. Let him make them go
afterwards to confession and Communion at least every
fifteen days; but he must not force nor oblige them to
go to a fixed confessor, lest they might be guilty of
sacrilege. To make children fulfil strict duties, it will
be very useful to accustom them to do things that are
not obligatory; such as to fast on Saturdays, to say the
Rosary and Litany of the Blessed Virgin every day, to
make an examination of conscience at night ; to make

454 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

acts of faith, hope, and charity; to visit the Most Holy
Sacrament; to make a novena before the seven festi
vals * of the Blessed Virgin. For the same reason he
should send his children to sermons, to the Exposition
of the Most Holy Sacrament, and to other devotions
that are performed in the church. Bow down their neck
from their childhood,1 says the Holy Ghost. St. Louis,
King of France, whenever he was beginning anything,
used to sign himself with the sign of the cross, and say:
" Thus my mother taught me when I was a child." Oh,
that all parents would endeavor to bring up their chil
dren in such habits! But the misfortune is, that they
are more careful to provide for the temporal than for
the spiritual welfare of their children, who thus lose
both.

3. A parent should often try to instil Christian maxims
into the minds of his children, and inculcate the neces
sity of avoiding bad company and dangerous occasions;
of conforming to the will of God; and of patience under
crosses and contradictions. Let him place before their
eyes the unhappy state of those who live in sin; the im
portance of salvation; the vanity of the world; the hour
of death, which puts an end to all earthly pains and
pleasures; the necessity of recommending themselves to
God in time of temptations; and the advantages and
efficacy of devotion to the Virgin Mary. These maxims
make a deep impression on the tender minds of chil
dren; they begin to practise them, and thus they perse
vere in virtue all their life.

• J " Curva illos a pueritia illorum." — Ecclus. vii. 25.

* These festivals in the order of the calendar are: The Purification,
Annunciation, Visitation, Assumption, Nativity, Presentation, and Im
maculate Conception.

CHAP, iv.] 77ie Fo^trtk Commandment. 455

III.

The Obligation of Masters, Servants, and Married Persons.

i. How DO MASTERS SIN IN REGARD TO THEIR SERVANTS?

A master is guilty of sin —

1. If he hinders his servants from observing the holi
days by obliging them to work, or by not allowing them
time to hear Mass. On the other hand, he is obliged to
see that his servants make the paschal Communion, and
fulfil the other obligations of a Christian.

2. A master is guilty of sin if he does not correct his
servants when they offend God by blasphemies, by ob
scene words, by scandalous acts, and the like.

3. He commits a sin if he refuses or defers the pay
ment of the wages that he promised.

2. How DO SERVANTS SIN IN REGARD TO THEIR MASTERS?

A servant is guilty of sin —

1. If he fails in the performance of the work for which
he was hired, or if he does not obey his master as he
ought.

2. If he permits any injury to his master, when he can,
without inconvenience, prevent it. Indeed when such
injury is not done by his fellow-servants, but by a
stranger, if he does not prevent it, he is bound to make
restitution.

3. A servant is guilty of sin-if he leaves his master be
fore the expiration of the time for which he was en
gaged.

4. He is guilty of sin if he takes occult compensation
for services which he judges to be deserving of more
wages than his master agreed to give him ; for the fol
lowing proposition was condemned by Innocent XI.
" Men and women servants can secretly abstract from
their masters sufficient to remunerate them for services

45 6 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

which they judge to be worth more than the wages they
receive." ' This proposition is condemned as false.

5. A servant is guilty of sin if he co-operates in the
sin of his master, even against his will. He can be ex
cused only in some cases, when, by refusing to obey, he
would suffer a great loss, and when his co-operation is
not in itself intrinsically bad.

3. How DO HUSBANDS SIN IN REGARD TO THEIR WIVES?

With regard to married persons, the husband com
mits sin —

1. If through his fault he leaves his wife in want of
food or clothes.

2. If he maltreats her by beating her, slapping her
face, or calling her insulting names. The wife is a com
panion, not a slave. Before marriage, some husbands
make great promises: "You shall be the mistress of the
house, mistress of me." And after the lapse of a few
months, they treat their wives as slaves. "What! can I
not chastise my wife when she is guilty of misconduct ?"
Yes; if there is a just cause (particularly if your wife
fails in chastity), and if, after being corrected several
times, she does not amend, you can chastise her, but
with moderation. But it is not lawful to beat your wife
for trifling defects, such as for saying a word in anger,
or for disobedience in a matter of little importance. '

3. A husband is guilty of sin if he hinder his wife from
fulfilling her obligations. as a Christian, hearing Mass,
making her Easter Communion, and going to confes
sion several times in the year; for a person in the world
can scarcely preserve himself in the grace of God by
going to confession only once in the year. "But,
Father, she wants to go to confession and Communion

" Famuli et famulae domesticse possunt occulte heris suis surripere,
ad compensandam operam suam, quam majorem judicant salario quod
recipiunt. "— Prop. 37.

CHAR iv.i The Fourth Commandment. 457

every day." I answer, if, by frequenting the sacra
ments, she neglects the care of the family, you can then
forbid her to go so often to confession and Communion;
but it is not lawful for you to interfere, unless she fails
in the good government of the house, or unless some
other inconvenience arises from her frequenting the
sacraments.

4. How DO MARRIED WOMEN SIN IN REGARD TO THEIR HUSBANDS ?

A wife commits sin —

1. If she is not obedient to her husband in those
things in which she is bound to obey him, and particu
larly in the matrimonial dues; and let wives remember
that, as often as they disobey, they are guilty of a mor
tal sin.

2. A wife commits sin if, of the goods that are com
mon, she spends, against her husband's will, more than
her equals usually spend ; for of these goods the hus
band, and not she, is the master. She can only spend
what is necessary for the family, when the husband
neglects to make provision.

3. She commits sin if she unjustly refuses to go with
her husband to any place in which he wishes to live; for
a wife is bound to accompany her husband wherever he
goes, unless at their espousal an agreement was made to
the contrary, or unless by accompanying him she would
suffer serious damage, or be exposed to great danger.

4. She commits sin, when, by angry answers, she gives
occasion to her husband to blaspheme. Certain wives
complain that their husbands beat them continually;
but when you see your husband in a passion, why do
you provoke him still more? — why do you not remain
silent? Do you know the fable of the oak and the bul
rush ? An oak and a bulrush were growing in the same
place ; a furious storm sprung up ; the oak would not
bend, and so was broken to pieces; the bulrush bent its

45 8 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

head, and let the storm pass over it, and so received no
injury. Do you understand what I mean? Be silent
when you see your husband in a fury; allow the storm
of his indignation to go down by itself, and you will not
be beaten. This is precisely what happened to a woman
who was always complaining of being beaten by her hus
band. An honest man said to her: "I will give you
some water: if you keep it in your mouth when your
husband is in a passion, he will maltreat you no more,"
He gave her the water: she kept it in her mouth the
first time she saw her husband in a rage, and he left her
in peace. She afterwards asked the man who gave her
the water where he had got it. He answered: " It is to
be had in every well; be silent hereafter when your hus
band is angry, and you will receive no more maltreat
ment from him."

St. Augustine says that St. Monica, his mother, always
lived in great peace with her husband, though he was
hard to be pleased, and prone to anger. Her neighbors,
who had frequent quarrels with their husbands, asked
her one day how she managed to live in such peace with
her husband. She said, in reply: "Sisters, the disputes
that you have with your husbands do not arise from
their imperfections so much as from yours. You an
swer and rejoin, and fhus exasperate their minds ; and
so you are always in trouble. When I see my husband
in a passion I do not speak ; I bear with him, and pray
to God for him ; and thus I live in peace. Do you the
same, and you too shall have peace."

CHAP, v.] The Fifth Commandment. 459

CHAPTER V.

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT.

" Thou shalt not kill." '

GOD forbids us to do any injury to a neighbor in his
person, in his property, or in his reputation. Of the in
juries done to property or character we shall speak in
treating the seventh and eighth commandments. Here
we will speak only of the injuries done to his person.

i. WHAT DOES THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT FORBID?

This commandment principally forbids us to kill any
man, or to injure his person by wounding or striking
him.

The vindictive man says : " I will have your life."
Life! Have you dominion over a neighbor's life? God
alone is the Lord of our life. It is Thou, O Lord, that
hast power of life and death"' Oh, how hateful to God is
the bloodthirsty man; even in this life God punishes
them who shed blood. David says that they shall not
live half the time that God would have given them had
they not indulged in revenge. Bloody and deceitful men
shall not live out half their days? The Scripture tells us
that Cain, after having murdered his brother Abel, dwelt-
as a fugitive on the earth* Such is the chastisement of
murderers. When the deed is done, there is no rest for

1 " Non occides." — Exod, xx. 13.

2 " Tu es enim, Domine, qui vit?e et mortis habes potestatem." —
Wis. xvi. 13.

3 " Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos." — Ps. liv. 24.

4 " Habitavit profugus in terra." — Gen. iv. 16.

460 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

them; they run first here and then there, to conceal
themselves from justice, or from the relatives of the
murdered man, and nowadays more than formerly, for
now there are no churches to fly to which have the
privilege of sanctuary.

And though no one should pursue them, they will be
unceasingly persecuted by their own conscience. In
the "Geographical and Historical Atlas," vol. ii., we
read, that Constans II., after having put to death his
brother Theodosius, could never lie down in his bed
without fancying that he saw his murdered brother by
his side, holding in the hand a cup filled with blood,
and saying, "Drink, brother, drink." To escape the
torments of this vision Constans wandered through the
world, but it never left his eyes, till at last he died
miserably. There was also a robber who had murdered
a child; after having committed the murder he imagined
that he saw the child before him, and heard the child
cry out: "Barbarous wretch, why did you murder me?"
This apparition continued for nine years. At last the
robber, being unable to bear its reproaches any longer,
voluntarily confessed his crime before the judge, and
was executed.

2. Is IT ALLOWED TO DESTROY ONE'S LIFE, TO DESIRE ONE'S
DEATH, OR TO INJURE ONE'S HEALTH?

God alone, then, is the Lord of our life; even we our
selves have no right to destroy our own life. If any of
the saints have ever caused their own death, as is related
of St. Apollonia, who threw herself into the fire pre
pared for her by the tyrant, they did so from an inspira
tion of the Holy Ghost, and therefore they did not sin.
But it was only folly and crime in the Donatist heretics
to kill themselves and call themselves martyrs: martyrs
they were, but of the devil, not of Christ; for in destroy
ing their bodies they lost their souls.

CHAP, v.] The Fifth Commandment. 46 1

It is also a sin wilfully to produce any serious illness,
by eating to excess, or by eating food injurious to
health; for we are bound to preserve our life, and to
avoid all danger of death. It is likewise a sin to desire
one's own death. It is, however, lawful* to desire
death, as St. Paul did when he said : / am straitened,
having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ,1
in order to go to heaven and be with Christ; or in order
to be delivered from the danger of offending God, or
from some great calamity, which might lead to despair,
or any other sin; as Elias2 desired to die, in order to be
rescued from the persecution of Queen Jezabel. But it
is not lawful to desire one's own death through rage or
impatience.

It is a mortal sin to get drunk so as to lose your senses;
that is, to make yourself a beast instead of a man. What
a brutal vice it is, that people cannot leave the bottle till
they cannot stand, but reel every step they take, and
cannot see out of their eyes ! I say again that this is a
mortal sin, and that it includes several mortal sins; for to
the drunkard is imputed the guilt of all the sins, all the
blasphemies, immodest acts, and injuries to his neigh
bors, which he foresees, or ought to foresee, that he will
commit during his drunkenness. If in drunkenness
there were no other evil, you at least wilfully deprive
yourself of your senses and of the use of reason; and
this cannot be excused from mortal sin. You may say,
" I go to sleep, and thus digest what I have drunk."
But to commit sin it is enough to take a quantity which
you know from experience will be sufficient to deprive

1 " Desiderium habens dissolvi, et esse cum Christo." — Phil. i. 23.

2 3 Kings, xix. 4.

* In nearly all his ascetical works, as we have indicated at the end of
the Preface of Volume XIV., the holy Doctor. teaches that one should
even desire death in order to make sure of no more offending God and
of possessing him for all eternity. — ED.

462 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

you of the use of the senses, On this vice of drunken
ness you may read the learned work lately published by
Father Aniello Cyril, of the Congregation of St. Peter
in Cesarano: in that work he shows the great evils that
flow from drunkenness.

3. WHICH ARE THE CAUSES THAT PERMIT THE KILLING OF ANY ONE?
What has been already said regards ourselves ; with
regard to others, I say that there are only three causes
that render it lawful to take away the life of man: Pub
lic authority, self-defence, and a just war.

1. It is lawful to put a man to death by public authority:
it is even a duty of princes and of judges to condemn to
death criminals who deserve it; and it is the duty of the
officers of justice to execute the sentence ; God himself
wishes malefactors to be punished.

2. It is lawful in self-defence to kill an unjust aggres
sor, when there is no other means at hand for saving
your own life. This is the common opinion of all theo
logians : it is taught by St. Thomas,1 by the Roman
Catechism,2 and in the canon law,3 in which it is said
that all laws permit us to repel force by force. It is also
commonly held by theologians, by St. Antonine4 and by
St. Thomas,5 that it is lawful to kill a robber who, after
being admonished to desist, obstinately perseveres in
the robbery; and they ground their doctrine on the fol
lowing passage in Exodus: If a thief be found breaking
open a house or undermining it, and be wounded so as to die,
he that slew him shall not be guilty of blood." But this deci-

1 2. 2, q. 64, a. 7.

2 De 5 Prcec. q. 4.

3 De Sent, excomm. c. 3.

4 P. 3, t. 4, c. 3, § 2.
E Loco cit.

"Si effringens fur domum, sive suffodiens, fuerit inventus, et ac-
cepto vulnere mortuus fuerit, percussor non erit reus sanguinis."—
Exod. xxii. 2.

CHAP, v.j The Fifth Commandment. 463

sion is to be admitted only when the theft is very con
siderable ; and, as several theologians hold, only when
the owner or his family would be reduced to great want
and inconvenience if he permitted the robbery. Theo
logians also teach that it is lawful to kill a person who
attempts to violate your chastity, if you have no other
means of preserving it.

3. It is lawful to kill enemies in a. just war; and even
in a war when its justice is doubtful, if you are com
manded by your own sovereign.1 Duels and private
challenges are unlawful, and are forbidden under pain
of excommunication, which is incurred not only by the
principals, but also by their seconds. He who dies in a
duel is deprived of Christian burial. They who advise
persons to fight duels incur the same excommunication.

Except in these three cases, it is always a sin to kill a
man, or to wound or beat him.

4. How DOES ONE SIN BY CAUSING ABORTION AND BY EXPOSING
THE LIFE OF AN INFANT?

It is also forbidden to cause an abortion, though the
fcetus should be inanimate. But when it is animated,
the sin is reserved, and an excommunication incurred
by the person who causes the abortion, and by all who
co-operate in it by act or counsel. Oh, what an enor
mous sin it is to cause an abortion ! to make an infant
die without baptism — that is, to cause a soul to be lost
for all eternity ! What a barbarous remedy, to endeavor
to repair the evil of sin committed by a far greater sin !

And here allow me to remind you of the great danger
to which mothers expose their infants by keeping them
in their own bed. For it not unfrequently happens that
in the morning infants are found dead, smothered in the
arms of the mother.

1 Can. causa 23, q. i, c. 4.

464 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

5. Is IT ALSO A SIN TO WISH EVIL TO ONE'S NEIGHBOR?

As it is a sin to injure a neighbor, so it is a sin to de
sire evil to him : therefore, as often as you by impreca
tion call down a curse on another, and desire that the
evil may happen to him, you sin mortally. It is not
necessary that the evil desire should last for a long time.
To sin mortally, it is enough that you for a single instant
deliberately desire death, or any other grievous evil, to
a neighbor.

Banish, then, forever from your mouth these accursed
imprecations, and accustom yourself to say, "God make
you a saint; God bless you." And when any person ad
dresses you in a tone of anger, adopt the great remedy
taught by the Holy Ghost: A mild answer breaketh wrath.'
Answer with sweetness, " Have compassion on me; have
patience with me; excuse me, I did not perceive the evil
I was doing ; I did not mean to offend ;" and you will
soon calm the anger of the person, and he will offer you
no further offence. If a person say to you, "I wish I
were dead," let your answer be: " And I wish to see you
happy and in good health." Thus you will extinguish
his fury. But when you feel angry, it is better to re
main silent, and not to speak at all ; for passion will
make certain answers appear necessary; but when it
has subsided, you will see that you have said what you
ought not to have said, and that you have committed
many sins, venial at least, if not mortal.

When you receive an injury or insult, recommend
yourself immediately to God : and should a thought of
resentment spring up within you, reflect on the offences
that you have offered to God. He has borne with you :
is it too much for you to submit to an offence from a
neighbor for God's sake ?

If you wish to know what sort of revenge is lawful

1 " Responsio molljs frans>il iram." — Prov. xv. I.

CHAP, v.j T/ie Fifth Commandment. 465

and holy, I will tell you what a father inflicted on the
murderer of his son. The history is told by Father
Gifolfi, in his life of Caesar de Consulibus, whose only
son it was that was murdered. The murderer, not
knowing whose it was, took shelter in the palace of
Caesar himself. But Caesar knew that he was the mur
derer of his child, and what did he do ? He received
him kindly, and gave him money and a horse, that he
might save his life. This is the manner in which true
Christians take revenge.
3°

466 instructions for the People. [PART i

CHAPTER VI.

THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS.

" Thou shalt not commit adultery." '

OF this commandment we can say but little. St.
Francis de Sales says that chastity is sullied by the bare
mention of it. Hence, let each person in his doubts on
this subject take advice from his confessor, and regulate
his conduct according to the direction that he receives.

i. WHAT is ONE OBLIGED TO CONFESS IN THE MATTER OF
IMPURITY ?

I will only observe here, in general, that it is necessary
to confess not only all the acts, but also improper
touches, all unchaste looks, all obscene words, especially
when spoken with pleasure, or with danger of scandal
to others. It is, moreover, necessary to confess all im
modest thoughts.

Some ignorant persons imagine that they are bound
only to confess impure actions: they must also confess
all the bad thoughts to which they have consented.
Human laws forbid only external acts, because men
only see what is manifested externally; but God, who
sees the heart, condemns every evil thought: Man
sees those things that appear ; but the Lord beholdeth the
heart? This holds good for every species of bad thoughts
to which the will consents. Indeed, whatever it is a sin
to do, it is also in the sight of God a sin to desire.

1 " Non moechaberis." — Exod. xx. 14.
" Homo enim videt ea quse parent ; Dominus autem intuetur cor."

— i Kings, xvi. 7.

CHAP, vi.] The Sixth Commandment. 467

2, WHAT DISTINCTION is TO BE MADE IN REGARD TO BAD

THOUGHTS ?

I said, thoughts to which the will consents. Hence, it is
necessary to know how to determine when a bad thought
is a mortal sin, when it is venial, and when it is not sin
ful at all. In every sin of thought there are three
things: the suggestion, the pleasure, and the consent.

i. The suggestion is the first thought of doing an evil
action that is presented to the mind. This is no sin; on
the contrary, when the will rejects it we merit a reward.
" As often," says St. Antonine, " as you resist, so often
you are crowned." ' Even the saints have been tor
mented by bad thoughts. To conquer a temptation
against chastity, St. Bernard threw himself among
thorns, St. Peter of Alcantara cast himself into an icy
pool. Even St. Paul writes that he was tempted against
purity. There was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel
of Satan to buffet me." He several times implored the
Lord to deliver him from temptation. For which thing
thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me.3
The Lord refused to free him from the temptation, but
said to him: My grace is sufficient for thee." And why
did God refuse to remove the temptation ? That, by
resisting it, th~ saint might gain greater merit. For
power is made perfect in infirmity? St. Francis de Sales
says that when a thief knocks at the door outside, it is
a sure sign he has not yet got in; thus when the devil
tempts us we have a strong proof that the soul is in the
state of grace. St. Catharine of Siena was once assailed

1 " Quoties resistis, toties coronaris."

2 " Datus est mihi stimulus carnis meae, angelus Satanae, qui me
colaphizet." — 2 Cor. xii. 7.

3 " Propter quod, ter Dominum rogavi, ut discederet a me." — Ibid.
8.

4 " Sufficit tibi gratia mea."

6 " Nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur. " — Ibid. 9.

468 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

by the devil for three days with impure temptations;
after the third day our Lord appeared to her in order to
console her. She said to him: " Ah, my Saviour, where
hast Thou been these three days?" He replied: "I was
in your heart to give you strength to resist the tempta
tion by which you were attacked." He then showed
her that her heart had become purer than it was before.

2. After the suggestion comes the pleasure. When a
person is not careful to banish the temptation immedi
ately, but stops to reason with it, the thought instantly
begins to delight him, and give him pleasure, and thus
draws the person on to give his consent to it. As long
as the will withholds the consent, the sin is only venial,
and not mortal. But if the soul does not then turn to
God, and make an effort to resist the pleasure, it will
easily go on to give its consent. "Unless," says St.
Anselm, " a person repel the pleasure, it passes into con
sent, and kills the soul."1 A womanwho had the repu
tation of a saint was tempted to sin with one of her
servants; she neglected to banish the thought instantly,
and so in her heart consented, and fell into sin, but only
in thought. She afterwards fell into a more grievous
sin, for she concealed in confession the complacency she
had taken in the bad thought, and died miserably. But
because she was believed to be a saint, the bishop had
her buried in his own chapel. On the morning after
her burial she appeared to him, enveloped in flames, and
confessed, but without profit, that she was damned on
account of the bad thought to which she had consented.

3. The soul loses the grace of God and is condemned
to hell the instant a person consents to the desire of com
mitting sin, or delights in thinking of the immodest
action as if he were then committing it. This is called

1 " Nisi quis repulerit delectationem, delectatio in consensum tran
sit, et animam occidit." — De Similit, c. 40.

CHAP, vi.j The Sixth Commandment. 469

morose delectation, which is different from the sin of de
sire.

My dear Christians, be careful to banish these bad
thoughts, by instantly turning for help to Jesus and
Mary. He who contracts the habit of consenting to
bad thoughts exposes himself to great danger of dying
in sin, for the reason that it is very easy to commit sins
of thought. In a quarter of an hour a person may en
tertain a thousand wicked desires, and for every evil de
sire to which he consents he deserves hell. At the hour
of death the dying cannot commit sins of action, because
they are unable to move; but they can easily indulge
sins of thought, and the devil suggests every kind of
wicked thought and desire to them when they are in
that state. St. Eleazar, as Surius J relates, was so vio
lently and frequently tempted by bad thoughts at the
hour of death, that he exclaimed: " Oh, how great is the
power of the devils at the hour of death!" The sain't,
however, conquered his enemies, because he was in the
habit of rejecting bad thoughts; but woe to those who
have acquired a habit of consenting to them! Father
Segneri2 tells us of a man who during his life had often
consented to bad thoughts. At the hour of death he
confessed his sins with great compunction, so that every
one regarded him as a saint; but after death he ap
peared and said that he was damned; he stated that he
made a good con'fession, and that God had pardoned
all his sins; but before death the devil represented to
him that, should he recover, it would be ingratitude to
forsake the woman who loved him so much. He ban
ished the first temptation: a second came; he then de
layed for a little, but in the end he rejected it: he was
assailed by a third temptation, and consented to it.
Thus, he said, he had died in sin, and was damned.

1 Vit. c. 33. 2 // Crist, istr. p. I, rag. 31.

47° Instructions for the People. I.PART i.

3. Is IMPURITY A GREAT EVIL?

4. My brother, do not say, as many do, that sins
against chastity are light sins, and that God bears with
them.

I. What! Do you say that is a light sin ? But it is a
mortal sin : and if it is a mortal sin, one act of it, though
it be only the consent to a wicked thought, is sufficient
to send you to hell. No fornicator . . hath inheritance
in the kingdom of Jesus Christ and of God." Is it a light
sin ? Even the pagans held impurity to be the worst of
vices on account of the miserable effects that it produces.
Seneca says: " Immodesty is the greatest evil of the
world;"2 and Cicero writes: "There is no plague so
fatal as bodily pleasure;"3 and (to come to the saints)
St. Isidore says* "Run through all sins, you will find
none equal to this crime."4

In the lives of the ancient Fathers it is related that a
hermit, who once by God's grace was walking with an
angel, met with a dead dog that stank horribly, but
the angel gave no sign of disgust at the smell that it
exhaled. They afterwards met a young man elegantly
dressed and highly perfumed; the angel stopped his
nostrils. When the hermit asked him why he did so,
he answered that the young man, on account of the
vice of impurity in which he indulged, sent forth a far
more intolerable stench than the putrid dog that they
had passed. Lyranus writes that impurity is an object
of horror even to the devils: " Luxury is hateful to the
devils themselves." ' So much so that a magician who

1 Omnis fornicator, aut immundus . . . non habet hereditatem in
regno Christi."— Eph. v. 5.

"Maximum sseculi malum, impudicitia."— Comp. ad Helv. c. 16.
"Nullam capitaliorem pestem, quam corporis voluptatem."— De
Senect. c. 12.

Quodcumque peccatum dixeris, nihil huic sceleri aquale reperies,"
" Est luxuria ipsis daemoniis exosa."

CHAP, vi.] The Sixth Commandment. 471

had frequent communication with the devil, on one
occasion invoked him after having once committed a sin
of impurity. The devil appeared, but would not come
near him, and kept his back turned to him. The magi
cian asked him why he treated him in that manner.
The devil answered that it was on account of his
impurity: " Your lust does not permit me to approach
you." '

Nevertheless, as St. Thomas says, the devils delight
in no sin so much as in those against chastity. The
reason why the devil takes so much delight in this vice
is that it is difficult for a person who indulges in it to
be delivered from it.2 And why ? First, because this
vice blinds the sinner, and does not allow him to see the
insult that he offers to God, nor the miserable state of
damnation in which he lives and slumbers. The prophet
Osee says that sinners of this kind lose even the desire
of returning to God. They will ?iot, he says, set their
thoughts to return to their God. And why ? For the spirit
of fornication is in the midst of them? Secondly, because
this vice hardens the heart, and makes it obstinate.
Thirdly, the devil takes peculiar delight in this vice,
because it is the source of a hundred other sins — of
thefts, hatred, murder, perjury, detraction, etc. Do
not, then, my dear Christians, ever say again that im
purity is but a light sin.

II. You say: But God bears ttnth it and winks at it.
Does he; indeed? 1 tell you that God has chastised no
vice so severely in men as the vice of impurity. Read
the Scriptures,' and you will find that in punishment of

1 " Tua libido non sinit me ad te accedere."

2 " Diabolus dicitur raaxime gaudere de peccatoluxurire, quia difficile
ab eo homo potest eripi." — I. 2, q. 73, a. 5.

3 " Non dabunt cogitationes suas ut revertantur ad Deum suum,
quia spiritus fornicationum in medio eorum."— Os. v. 4.

4 Gen. xix.— Wis. x. 6.

472 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

this sin God sent fire from heaven and burnt five cities,
along with all their inhabitants. In punishment of this
vice he sent the universal deluge. For all flesh has cor
rupted its way upon the earth.1 Men were polluted with
this sin; and God caused the rain to fall forty days
and forty nights: thus all were destroyed, except eight
persons who were saved in the ark. The deluge came
and destroyed them all? We also read in the Scriptures
that the Hebrews, having entered Setim, a city of the
Moabites, fell into sin with the women of the place, and,
by an order from God, Moses put twenty-four thousand
of the Hebrews to the sword. The people committed for
nication with the daughters of Moab. . . . And there were
slain twenty-four thousand men* We may see any day
that God chastises the sin of impurity even in this life.
Enter into the hospital of incurables, and ask why so
many miserable young persons of both sexes are obliged
to submit to the most painful operations, to the knife
and the branding-iron, and you will be told that it is on
account of sins of impurity. Because thou hast forgotten
Me, said the Lord, and cast Me off behind thy back, bear
thou also thy wickedness and thy fornication" Because you
have forgotten Me, and have banished Me from you, in
order to gratify the flesh, suffer, even on this earth, the
chastisement of your impurities.

Hitherto I have only spoken of the temporal punish- -
ment inflicted in this life on impure persons. But what
shall become of them in the next? You say that God
bears with this sin; but St. Remigius says that not many
Christian adults are saved, and that the rest are damned

" Omnis quippe caro corruperat viam suam."— Gen. vi. 12.

" Venit diluvium, et perdidit omnes."— Luke, xvii. 27.

" Fornicatus est populus cum filiabus Moab, . . . et occisi sunt
viginti quatuor millia hominum."— Num. xxv. r, 9.

" Quiaoblita es mei, et projecisti me post corpus tuum, tu quoque
porta scelus tuum et fornicationes tuas."—£secA. xxiii. 35,

CHAP, vi.] 77ie Sixth Commandment. 473

for sins of impurity.1 Father Segneri says2 that three
fourths of the reprobate are damned for this vice.

St. Gregory relates3 that a nobleman committed a sin
against purity. In the beginning he felt great remorse
of conscience; but, instead of going to confession imme
diately, he deferred it from day to day, until, disregard
ing his sin, and the voice of God, which called him to
repentance, he was suddenly struck dead without giving
any sign of conversion. After he was buried a flame
was seen issuing from his grave for three successive
days, which reduced to ashes not only the flesh and
bones of the unhappy man, but also the entire sepulchre.

Listen to another horrible fact related by the cele
brated Fortunatus, Bishop of Triers, in his life of Mar-
cellus, Bishop of Paris. A lady of high rank defiled
herself with this sin; she died, and was buried. After
that a large serpent was seen every day entering her
tomb to feed on her flesh. The inhabitants were filled
with terror at the sight; so St. Marcellus went and
struck the serpent with his pastoral staff, and com
manded him to come no more to the place : whereupon
the serpent disappeared never to return.

4. WHICH ARE THE REMEDIES AGAINST UNCHASTE TEMPTATIONS?

For those who are unable to abstain from impurity,
or who are in great danger of falling into it, God has
instituted a remedy in the marriage state — as St. Paul
says, But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry;
for it is better to marry than to be burnt? " But," some
may say, " Father, marriage is a great burden." Who
denies it ? But have you heard the words of the Apostle ?

1 " Ex adultis, propter carnis vitium, pauci salvantur."

2 // Crist, istr. p. i, rag, 24.

3 Dial. 1. 4, c. 32.

4 " Quod si non continent, nubant; melius est cnim nubere, quam
uri."— i Cor. vii. 9.

474 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

It is better to marry, and to bear this great burden, than
to burn forever in hell.

But do not imagine that for those who are unwilling
or unable to marry there is no other means but marriage
by which they may preserve chastity, for those who
recommend themselves to God may by his grace conquer
all the temptations of hell. What, then, are these
means ? I will tell you

I. The first remedy is to humble ourselves constantly
before God. The Lord chastises the pride of some by
permitting them to fall into a sin against chastity. It
is necessary, then, to be humble, and to distrust alto
gether our own strength. David confessed that he had
fallen into sin in consequence of not having been humble,
and of having trusted too much in himself. Before I was
humbled, I offended.1 We must then be always afraid of
ourselves, and must trust in God only, to preserve us
from this sin.

II. The second remedy is instantly to have recourse to
God for help, without stopping to reason with the temp
tation. When an impure image is presented to the mind
we must immediately endeavor to turn our thoughts to
God, or to something which is indifferent. But the best
rule is immediately to invoke the names of Jesus and
Mary, and continue to invoke them until the tempta
tion ceases, or at least till the heat of it is over. When
the temptation is violent, it is useful to renew our pur
pose of never consenting to any sin, saying : "My God,
I would rather die than offend Thee." And then let us
ask aid: "My Jesus, assist me; Mary, pray for me."
The names of Jesus and Mary have special power to
banish the temptation of the devil.

III. The third remedy is to frequent the sacraments of
Penance and Eucharist. It is very useful to disclose un
chaste temptations to your confessor. St. Philip Neri
" Priusquam humiliarer, ego deliqui."— Ps. cxviii. 67.

CHAP. vi.i The Sixth Commandment. 475

says that a temptation disclosed is half conquered. And
should a person have the misfortune to fall into sin
against purity, let him go to confession immediately.
It was so that St. Philip Neri delivered a young man
from the chains of sin — he ordered him to go to confes
sion immediately whenever he fell into it. The holy
Communion has great efficacy in giving strength to con
quer temptations against chastity. The most holy sac
rament is called Wine springing forth virgins.1 That is,
the wine that is converted into the blood of Jesus Christ
by the words of consecration. Earthly wine is injurious
to chastity; but the celestial wine preserves it.

IV. The fourth remedy is devotion to Mary the Mother
of God, who is called the Virgin of virgins? How many
young men have, by devotion to the Blessed Virgin, pre
served themselves pure and chaste as angels ! Father
Segneri3 relates that a young man, so polluted with the
vice of impurity that his confessor could not absolve
him, went one day to confession to a Father of the
Society of Jesus. The Father dismissed him, and told
him to say every morning three " Hail Marys" in honor
of the purity of the Blessed Virgin, in order to obtain
through her intercession the grace to be delivered from
the bad habit. After several years the young man re
turned to the same Father, but had scarcely a venial sin
to confess; when he had finished his confession he said
to the confessor : " Father, do you know me ? I am the
person whom you could not absolve some years ago, on
account of my sins against purity; but by saying the
three "Hail Marys" every morning I have, by the grace
of God, got rid of the bad habit." He gave leave to the
confessor to state the fact in general terms from the
pulpit. A soldier who was on terms of criminal in-

" Vinum germinans virgines." — Zach. ix. 17.

2 " Sancta Virgo virginum."

3 // Christ, istr. p. 3, rag. 34.

476 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

timacy with a woman heard the story told in a sermon.
He began to say the three " Hail Marys," and was freed
from the habit of sin. One day the devil tempted him
to go to the house of the woman in order to convert her.
But what happened ? When he was on the point of enter
ing he was driven back by some invisible but powerful
hand, and carried to a considerable distance. He thus
became more and more convinced of the protection of
the Blessed Virgin ; for had he entered the house, he
would probably have relapsed in consequence of being
exposed to the proximate occasion of sin. Let each one
practise this little devotion of saying every day three
" Hail Marys," in honor of the Blessed Virgin, adding
after each " Hail Mary," " Through thy pure and im
maculate conception, O Mary, obtain for me purity and
sanctity of body and soul."

V. The fifth remedy, which is the most necessary for
avoiding sins against chastity, is to fly from dangerous
occasions. Generally speaking, the first of all the means
of preserving yourself always chaste is to avoid the oc
casions of sin. There are many means, such as to fre
quent the sacraments, to have recourse to God in temp
tations, to be devoted to the Blessed Virgin ; but the
first of all is to avoid the occasions of sin. The Scrip
ture says, Your strength shall be as the ashes of tow, ....
and there shall be none to quench it.1 Our strength is like
the strength of tow thrown into the fire : it is instantly
burned and consumed. Would it not be a miracle if
tow cast into fire did not burn? It would also be a
miracle if we exposed ourselves to the occasion, and did
not fall. According to St. Bernardine of Siena,2 it is a
greater miracle not to fall in the occasion of sin, than to

1 " Erit fortitude vestra ut favilla stuppae, . . . et non erit qui extin-
guat." — Isa. i. 31.

2 " Majus miraculum est in occasione non peccare, quam morttmm
resuscitate."

CHAP, vi.] The Sixtli Commandment. 477

raise a dead man ta life. St. Philip 'Neri used to say
that in the warfare of the flesh, cowards — that is, they
who fly from occasions— are always victorious. You
say : / hope that God will assist me. But God says : He
that loveth the danger shall perish in it.1 God does not
assist those who, without necessity, expose themselves
voluntarily to the occasion of sin. It is necessary to
know that he who puts himself in the proximate occa
sion * of sin is in the state of sin, though he should have
no intention of committing the principal sin to which he
exposes himself.

By proximate occasions even saints have fallen, and
persons on the point of expiring have been lost. Father
Segneri relates2 that a woman who had lived in the
habit of sin with a young man called for a confessor at
the hour of death, and with tears confessed all the
wickedness of her life. She afterwards sent for her
friend, with the intention of bringing him to God by
her example. But what happened ? Listen to the con
sequences of the occasion of sin : when the young man
arrived, she fixed her eyes upon him for some time, and
at last, with a gush of carnal affection, said to him :
" Dearest friend, I always loved you, and I love you
.now more than ever. I know that on your account I
shall go to hell ; but no matter : I am willing to be
damned for love of you." With these words on her
lips she expired.

We must, then, avoid the occasions of sin if we wish
to be saved.

i. We must carefully abstain from looking at persons,
the sight of whom may tempt us to bad thoughts. St.

"Qui amat periculum, in illo peribit." — Ecclus. iii. 27.
2 // Cris. istr. p. i , rag. 24.

* What is meant by proximate occasion may be seen in Part II. ch.
v- § 3. n- 3-

478 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

Bernard says: "Through the eyes the arrows of impure
love enter, and kill the soul.'" And the Holy Ghost
says: Turn away thy face from a woman dressed up? Is it,
then, a sin to look at a woman? Yes, it is at least a
venial sin to look at young women; and when the looks
are repeated, there is also danger of mortal sin. St.
Francis de Sales says that to look at dangerous objects
is bad, but to look a second time is still more injurious.
One of the ancient philosophers blinded himself volun
tarily in order to be freed from unchaste suggestions.
It is not lawful for us Christians to destroy our sight
physically, but we should destroy it morally by turning
the eyes away from objects which may excite tempta
tions. St. Aloysius Gonzaga never looked at women ;
even speaking to his mother he kept his eyes cast down
upon the ground. It is equally dangerous for women
to look at young men.

2. It is necessary to avoid all bad company, and all
assemblies where light bantering and flirting go on
between men and women. With the holy thou wilt be
holy . . . and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted? If
you keep company with the virtuous, you shall be vir
tuous; if you associate with the unchaste, you too will
indulge in impurity. St. Thomas says that a man will
be like the companions with whom he converses.4 And
should you ever find yourself in dangerous society from
which you cannot withdraw, follow the advice of the
Holy Ghost. Hedge in thy ears with thorns!" Place a
hedge of thorns about your ears that you may not hear

1 " Per oculos intrat in mentem sagitta impuri amoris." — De Modo
bene viv. c. 23.

2 " Averte faciem tuam a muliere compta." — Ecchis. ix. 8.

3 " Cum sancto sanctus eris; . . . cum perverse perverteris." — Ps.
xvii. 26.

4 " Tails erit, qualis est conversatio qua utitur."

5 " Sepi aures tuas spinis; linguam nequam noli audire." — Ecclus.
xxviii. 28.

CHAP, vi.j The Sixth Commandment. 479

the obscene words which others utter. When very
young, St. Bernardine of Siena used to blush as often
as ho heard an immodest word; hence his companions
were careful never to use improper language in his
presence. Such was the horror which St. Stanislaus
Kostka felt for obscene conversation that on hearing an
immodest word he swooned away, and lost the use of
his senses. Young girls, whenever you hear any one
speak immodestly, turn your back and go away. It
was thus St. Edmund acted, as we read in his life; 1 and
one day, after having left his companions because their
language was obscene, he met on his way a most beau
tiful boy who said to him: " God save you, my beloved."
The saint asked who he was. The young boy answered :
" Look at my forehead: there you may read my name."
The saint raised his eyes, and read the words, " Jesus of
Nazareth, King of the Jews." Jesus Christ immediately
disappeared, but left the saint consolation and joy.
Whenever you find yourself in the society of young
persons who speak improperly, and cannot leave them,
be careful at least not to listen to them: turn away
your face, and show that such language is displeasing
to you.

3. I will here mention the chastisement inflicted on
two persons for obscene language. Turlot2 relates that
St. Valerius, returning on a winter's day to his monas
tery, and not being able to reach it before night, took
shelter in a private house. On entering, he found the
master engaged with another man in obscene conversa
tion; he reproved them, but they persevered in their
sin. St. Valerius, though the evening was very cold,
fled from the house. As soon as he departed, the
owner of the house was struck blind, and his companion
was attacked with a loathsome disease. They ran after

1 Spec. Exempl.

2 Tr&or de la Doctr. chrti. p. 3, ch. 7, 1. 3.

480 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

the saint, and entreated him to return, but he refused.
One remained blind, and the other died after being con
sumed by the disease. Oh ! how great is the evil caused
by immodest language ! _An obscene word may be the
cause of the perdition of all who hear it. Some excuse
themselves, saying that they only use such words in jest.
Yet in uttering them you feel complacency ! and then
the scandal which you give to others ! Miserable man,
these jests shall make you weep for all eternity in hell.

4. But let us return to the necessity of avoiding the
occasions of sin. It is necessary, also, to abstain from
looking at immodest pictures. St. Charles Borromeo
forbids all fathers of families to keep such pictures in
their houses.

It is necessary, also, to abstain from reading bad
books, and not only from those that are positively ob
scene, but also from those that treat of profane love,
such as Ariosto's poems, the " Pastor Fido," and all such
works. Fathers should not allow their children to read
romances. These sometimes do more harm than even
obscene books; they put fantastical notions and affec
tions into young persons' heads, which destroy all de
votion, and afterwards impel them to give themselves
up to sin. "Vain reading," says St. Bonaventure, " be
gets vain thoughts and extinguishes devotion." ' Make
your children read spiritual books, ecclesiastical his
tories, and the lives of the saints. And here I repeat:
Do not allow your daughters to be taught their lessons
by a man, though he be a St. Paul or a St. Francis of
Assisi. The saints are in heaven.

5. Be careful, also, not to permit your sons to act
plays, nor even to be present at an immodest comedy. St.
Cyprian says: "Who went chaste to the play, returned

1 " Vana lectio vanas generat cogitationes, et exstinguit mentis de-
votionem." — De Jnstit. Nov. p. I, c. 14.

CHAP vi.i The Sixt/i Commandment. 481

unchaste." ' A young man or woman goes to the play
full of modesty and in the grace of God, and returns
home without modesty and at enmity with God. Do
not allow your children to go to those feasts of the devil
where there is dancing, courting, immodest singing, and
sinful amusements. " Where there is dancing," says
St. Ephrem, " there a feast of the devil is celebrated."'
But you will say: "What harm is there in a little re
laxation and amusement?" St. Peter Chrysologus says:
" They are not amusements, but grievous offences against
God."3 A certain companion of the servant of God,
Father John Baptist Vitelli, wished, against the will of
the father, to go to a festivity of this kind which was
celebrated at Norcia; the consequence was, first, he lost
the grace of God, then he abandoned himself to a wicked
life, and in the end was killed by the hand of his own
brother.

6. Finally, some one may ask whether it is a morta
sin to make love. What can I say ? Ordinarily speak
ing, I say that persons who give themselves up to love-
making are scarcely free from the proximate occasion of
sinning mortally. Experience shows that few of them
are exempt from grievous sins. If they do not commit
mortal sin in the beginning of their courtship, they will
in the course of time very easily fall into it: for at first
they speak together through a predilection for each
other's conversation; this predilection afterwards grows
into a passion; when the passion has taken root, it blinds
the mind, and precipitates the soul into a thousand sins
of bad thoughts, of immodest words, and, in the end of
sinful acts. Cardinal Pico de la Mirandola, bishop of
Albano, forbade the confessors of his diocese to absolve

" Quae pudica ad spectaculum processerat, revertitur impudica ."-
De Gratia D. ad Donat.

2 " Ubi tripudia, ibi diaboli festum celebratur." — De Ludicris Rebus.

3 " Non sunt hsec ludicra; sunt crimina." — Serm. 155.

482 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

those lovers who, after being duly admonished, continued
to hold long conversations together, particularly if they
should be alone, or if the conversations should be of
great length, or clandestine, or by night. " But, Father,"
some of them will say, " I have no bad intention. I have
not even bad thoughts." Young men and young girls,
avoid these amatory conversations with persons of a
different sex. In the beginning the devil does not sug
gest bad thoughts, but when the affection has taken
root it will not allow you to see the evil you do ; and
almost without knowing how, you will find that you
have lost your soul, your God, and your honor. Oh!
how many innocent young persons does the devil gain
in this way!

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 483

CHAPTER VII.

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

" Thou shall not steal. ' l

i. On Theft.
i. WHAT is THEFT?

IT consists in taking the property of another, without a
just cause, and against his will

I have said without a just cause ; for if a person were
in extreme necessity, or had no other means of recover
ing a debt due to him, he can then take the property of
another, even against his will. With regard to necessity,
this can hold good when the necessity is extreme ; that
is, when a person would be in proximate danger of
death, or of a most grievous evil, if he did not take what
belonged to another; and then he can take only so much
as is necessary to rescue him from the proximate danger
to which he is exposed. But a person who is only in
great and not extreme necessity cannot take the property
of another without his consent, as appears from the
condemnation of the 36th proposition by Innocent XL
And next, with regard to compensation, you may not take
your neighbor's property to recover a debt due from
him to you, unless the debt is certain, and you have
no other means of obtaining satisfaction for it. Hence,
35 has been already said in the instruction on the fourth
commandment,2 a servant cannot make to himself occult

" Non furtum fades." — Exod. xx. 15.
Chapter IV. § 3, page 455.

484 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

compensation for services which he judges to be deserv
ing of more wages than he has received. To assert that
he can make such compensation has been condemned by
Innocent XL I also said against the will of the owner;
for it is not theft to take the property of another with
his consent, or when his consent is presumed to be cer
tain.

2. Is THEFT A GREAT SIN?

Theft, when committed in a matter of great moment
with regard to the person whose property is taken away,
is certainly a mortal sin, and the person who is guilty
of it is condemned to hell, Nor thieves, nor covetous,
. . . nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God?
This is a sin which is punished by human justice even
with death, for security of property is necessary for the
peace of all states, and thefts destroy this security.

Every theft of anything of value, then, is a mortal sin,
even though the whole amount should be taken away on
several occasions in small quantities; so many small
sums make up a large amount. If the theft be com
mitted, not secretly, but by force, it is a double sin, be
cause it is a double injustice. If the thing stolen belong
to the church, or if the theft be committed in the church,
it is a sacrilege.

3. WHO ARE THOSE THAT SlN AGAINST THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT ?

i. Not only they who take away the property of an
other are guilty of theft, but also all who neglect (when
they are able) to pay to servants their wages, or what is
due to artisans, or other persons. These are called
honorable thefts — the thefts of nobles, who have no great
scruple about them; but how many gc to hell for this
sin ! The bread of the needy is the life of the poor j he

" Neque fures, neque avari, ... neque rapaces regnum Dei pos-
sidebunt." — I Cor. vi. 10.

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 485

that defraudeth them thereof is a man of blood.1 They
who defraud or neglect to pay the poor man, take away
his life; for he lives by the labor of his hands. St. James
says that the wages due to the laborer, and not paid, cry
to God for vengeance against him who withholds them.
Behold the hire of the laborers . . . which by fraud has been
kept back by you, crieth j and the cry of them hath entered
into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth? The Holy Ghost
exhorts us to pay before night (that is, as soon as we
can) what we owe to the poor. But thoit shalt pay him
the price of his labor on the same day, before the going down
of the sun, because he is poor? You say, I will pay him
to morrow; and in the mean time he is dying of hunger.
Joseramnus, the son of Lideric, Count of Flanders, in
a time of scarcity, deferred to pay for a basket of fruit
which he had purchased from a poor woman; in conse
quence of the delay three of her sons died of hunger.
Tn punishment of this crime the count commanded the
head of his son to be cut off. This fact is related by
Verme.* We should be ashamed to defraud the poor,
whom we are bound to relieve.

2. They also are condemned to hell who do not pay
pious legacies left by their ancestors. The poor souls
remain in the fire of purgatory, and cannot speak. The
rectors or administrators of churches are afraid to say a
word, and so the Masses remain unsaid and the aims are
not given away. Oh! what calamities fall on many

1 " Panis egentium vita pauperum est; qui defraudat ilium, homo
sanguinis est." — Ecclus. xxxiv. 25.

2 " Ecce merces operariorum, . . . quse fraudata estavobis, clamat;
et clamor eorum in aures Domini Sabaoth introivit." — James, v. 4.

3 " Eadem die reddes ei pretium laboris sui ante solis occasum, quia
pauper est." — Deut. xxiv. 15.

* Father Engelgrave {Lux. Evang. p. i, embl. 23, § 2) cites the
same example as having occurred at Lille, according to Bruzelinus
(Annal. Fland. aijn. 955). — ED.

486 Instructions for the People,

[PART I

families because they will not pay the money left by
their ancestors for pious purposes!

3. They also are guilty of sin who do not pay dues to
their pastors. The obligation of paying dues to pastors
is imposed by a human and divine law: for they are
given to the pastors for their maintenance. The pastor
is bound to preach, to administer the sacraments, to as
sist the dying, and correct sinners, even at the risk of
his life. The servant. who assists you in your bodily
wants has a right to support; and will you refuse to
give him who serves your soul the means of living, that
he may be able to assist you ?

4. What shall we say of lay administrators ? To them
we may apply the text of David: They eat the sacrifices
of the dead . . . and destruction was multiplied among them.1
They eat the sacrifices of the dead; they spend in ban
quets and drunken feasts the revenues left by the dead
for Masses, for the marriage portion of poor women,
and for other pious works; and what are the conse
quences? "Destruction is multiplied among them."
Destruction follows destruction; fathers, sons, grand
sons, great-grandsons, entire families, are damned.

5. " But, Father, I have a family, a wife and children;
I am in great want; what can I do?" And will you go
to hell for your family and children? Listen to what
happened to a father of a family, who had defiled his
conscience by taking the property of others in order to
assist his children. At death he called for a notary in
order to make his will. As soon as the notary arrived,
the dying man said: " Write the following bequests: I
leave my soul to the devil." The family began to ex
claim: " O Jesus, Jesus, the poor man is delirious!" He
replied: "I am not delirious, I am not delirious; notary,
write: I leave my soul to the devils, that they may carry

" Comederunt sacrificia mortuorum, . . . et multiplicata est in eis
ruina." — Ps. cv. 28.

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 487

it to hell, in punishment of the thefts I have committed.
I also leave to the devils the soul of my wife, who en
couraged me to steal, that she might indulge her vanity.
I also leave to the devils my children, who have been the
cause of my thefts." The confessor who heard his con
fession during life, and who was then assisting him, ex
horted him not to despair, but to have confidence in
God. But the dying man concluded his will, saying:
" I also leave to the devils my confessor, because during
life he always absolved me, and did not oblige me to
make restitution."

6. Usury also is a theft The man who lends money
on the condition of (usurious) interest being paid to
him annually, or even every month, commits a true
theft. " But he pays the interest willingly." He pays
willingly, but he must pay. What do you lose by lend
ing that sum to your neighbor? If you do lose any
thing, if you could be sure of gaining something by
using the money yourself, then you can make the bor
rower make up for your loss; this is fair interest; but
then you must explain all this to him if you do exact
interest. But if you lose nothing by it, what right
have you to charge anything? This is a real theft.
" Lend, hoping for nothing thereby," says the Gos
pel. Hoping for nothing thereby; that is, you ought
to lend for kindness and charity, not for gain. I will
say no more, for I cannot now discuss the many ques
tions connected with usury; for I am giving an instruc
tion, not a lecture on moral theology. I only admonish
each of you, whenever doubts arise, not to resolve them
by yourself, — for passion will make you see things with
a jaundiced eye, but to consult a confessor or other
learned man, and to act according to the advice re
ceived.* Let public usurers remember that by a de-

* At the present time money with us is not a mere medium of private
exchange for the purposes of housekeeping; it is a medium of com-

488 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

cree of the Council of Lateran 1 they are excommuni
cated, forbidden to receive the body of Christ, and after
death are to be deprived of Christian burial. Let it also
be remembered that sometimes usury is not open, but is
palliated by being taken under some other pretext; all
gain received must be restored. Alas! how many poor
souls go to hell on account of this accursed usury! If
any one feel a scruple on this point, let him confess it
immediately, and apply a remedy, now that he has time;
otherwise he will go to hell, where he will be no longer
able to repair the evil. A virtuous young man became
a monk; while in the monastery he saw his father and
brother damned for the usury which they had practised,
and heard one of them cursing the other. The afflicted
monk asked if he could give them any relief. They
answered: "No; for in hell there is no redemption."

7. They also are guilty of sin who unjustly injure the
property of another, and are as much bound to make
restitution as if they had committed theft, as soon as
they are aware of the injury they have done, He also
is guilty of sin, and bound to restitution, who hinders
another to obtain what is due to him in justice ; or who,
by fraudulent means, by force, or by calumnies, hinders
a person from getting a present or legacy, which he
would probably have obtained, though it could not be
said to be due to him in justice.

8. They, too, are all guilty of sin, and obliged to res-

1 Clem. 1. 5, tit. 5.

mercial exchange. It represents not use value, but market value.
Formerly Church and State together enacted a number of laws to
restrain the taking of interest. At this day the State has repealed
those laws, and the Church has officially signified that she no longer
insists on them. Still she maintains dogmatically that there is such a
sin as usury, and what it is, as defined in the Fifth Council of the Late
ran. See Moral Philosophy, article Usury, page 255, by Rev. Joseph
Rickaby, S. J.— ED.

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 489

titution who co-operate in theft, or in an injury to a
neighbor, by command, by counsel, or by not prevent
ing the injury when they are able to do so. Thus a
servant charged with the care of any part of his master's
property is bound to make restitution, if when able he
does not prevent it from being injured. Servants who
do not prevent an injury being done to their master, not
by one of their fellow-servants, but by a stranger, are
also obliged to make restitution; but others who can,
with a trifling inconvenience to themselves, prevent an
injury to a neighbor, are not bound to restitution; be
cause, though they sin grievously against charity, they
do not violate justice.

9. They also are guilty of theft who accidentally find
the property of another and neglect to return it to the
owner, when they know him, or who, when they do not
know the owner, neglect to make a diligent search in
order to find him. Goods accidentally found should be
preserved as long as there remains a hope of finding the
owner; and I add, that when the thing found is of great
value, such as a costly ornament, a valuable ring, a
purse containing a large sum of money, there is always
reason to hope that the owner will be found, if not im
mediately, at least in the course of time; for he will take
care to publish the loss in every place through which he
has passed; and thus in the course of time the owner of
the article lost will be ascertained.

10. They who purchase stolen goods are also guilty of
sin. It is useless to say: " If I had not purchased them,
another would have bought them." It is related by
Verme, that a soldier stole a calf from a poor woman.
With tears in her eyes, she said to the soldier: " Why
will you take this calf?" The soldier replied: "If I do
not take it, another will steal it." So he carried off the
calf. After a time the soldier was killed, and a person
saw him tormented in hell, with a devil at his side who

490 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

was scourging him cruelly. The miserable man was
crying out: "Why do you scourge me?" The devil
answered: " If you are not scourged by me, you will be
scourged by another." Do not, then, allow yourself to
be deceived by the devil; do not say: "If I do not take
this article, it will be taken by another." If another
take it, he will be damned; if you take it, you will be
damned. But you will say: "I have paid for it." But
do you not know that it is stolen property ? How, then,
can you keep it? You have done wrong in buying it;
you must now restore it.

ii. They also are guilty of theft who commit fraud or
injustice in buying or selling, or who do not stand to
their bargains or contracts. (The catechist may here go
through the different trades, and show what frauds are
usually committed in each; but he should be careful not
to talk of things that do not occur, or are not known in the
place where he is giving instruction.) It is a theft when
tailors cut more cloth than is wanted, or make people
purchase an unnecessary quantity, and afterwards keep
what is left, or who retain the remnants of cloth, or who
charge more than they pay for the cloth that they pur
chase for others. Or when shoemakers glut together two
pieces of leather for the sole, to make it look thicker, or
make the undersoles of felt or brown paper; or use
rotten old leather which they bring into shape with their
pincers and hammer. Carpenters who varnish over an
unsound place in the wood, or stop jt up with putty, or
make the person buy more nails than they use. Shop
keepers, who use light weights or scanty measures.
Neither shall there be in thy house, says the Lord, a
greater bushel and a less ; . . . for the Lord thy God
abhor reth him that doth these things.'' They who use
light weights and scanty measures are an abomination

" Abominatur enim Dominus Deus tuus eum qui facit hac."— Deut.
xxv. 1 6.

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 491

to the Lord. Some one may inquire, if a shopkeeper
who has for a long time given less than the just weight
or measure to others is bound to make restitution, how
is he to do so, after having defrauded so many different
persons ? Tiie best way to make restitution, without in
jury to his reputation, is to give a little more than the
just weight or measure to all who come from the quarter
in which the persons whom he defrauded live. Let us
proceed. Cloth carders are bound to adhere literally to
their bargain. It is a theft tor publicans to mix water
with wine, and then demand the price of pure wine, or
to make others pay for more wine or spirits than they
get. Persons who mix water or earth with the coals
which they sell, or who deceive the purchaser in weigh
ing the coals. Persons who spin flax or silk, and damp
it to make it weigh heavier, or mix soap or sand with it.
Persons who sell goods for others, and keep a part of
the price received; the entire price belongs to the owner
of the goods; the sellers can retain only the wages of
their labor. Then, are all these condemned to hell?
Who doubts this? Me who has received the property
of another, and does not restore it, is damned. Oh! do
you who are engaged in business or trade wish to make
great profit? Always tell the truth. Cesarius ' relates
that two merchants who had always to accuse them
selves in confession of having told lies in their dealings
with others, were always in poverty. The confessor
said to them: " Do not tell any more lies, and I promise
you that you shall realize great profit." They obeyed;
and his words were verified. Having the truth always
in their mouth, they obtained the character of honest
men; thus they gained more in one year by the truth
than they had gained in ten years by lies. Let us now
proceed to speak of restitution.

1 Mirac. 1. 3, c. 37.

49 2 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

Restitution.

i. WHAT OBLIGATION is THERE OF MAKING RESTITUTION?

Some, who have taken away the property of another,
regard restitution, when imposed by a confessor, as a
very severe penance. But it is not a penance: it is an
obligation from which neither the confessor, nor the
bishop, nor the Pope can dispense. Render, therefore,
says St. Paul, to all men their dues.1 The goods of others
must be restored, or, if they be consumed, their value
must be given to the owner; and if he is dead, the resti
tution must be made to his heirs. If the owner cannot
be found, or if he have no heir, the value must be given
to the poor, or must be employed in procuring Masses
for the soul of the owner.

2. CAN ONE DEFER MAKING RESTITUTION?

It is also necessary to make restitution immediately.
Some keep the property of others, and wish to make
restitution, but say: "When I am dying, then I will
restore it." So you wrould make restitution when you
have no longer any use for the property — when you can
not take it with you ! When a person is able to make
restitution, and defers it for a notable time, he is guilty
of mortal sin, though he should have the intention of
making the restitution. He is excused from mortal sin
if he defers the restitution for a short time — for ten or
fifteen days, but not longer. And should his creditor
suffer a loss on account of this short delay, he is bound
to repair the loss; for it is certain that a thief is obliged
to compensate the owner for all the damage done him
by the theft. He who is able to make restitution, and
will not make it immediately, cannot be absolved. For
most persons find it very difficult to make restitution;

1 " Reddite ergo omnibus debita." — Rom. xiii. 7.

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment.

493

and therefore he who, though able, does not make it
immediately, is in danger of not making it at all.

A gentleman stole and kept a hundred pieces of gold.
He went to confession, and was required by his confessor
to make restitution, and perhaps under pain of being
refused absolution. " Father," said he to the confessor,
" I will make restitution as soon as I return home."
But he did not fulfil his promise; he frequently made
similar promises, but afterwards violated them. In the
end the confessor said to him: "If you wish to receive
absolution, go home and bring me the stolen property;
otherwise I will not absolve you." He went home and
brought back the money. The confessor said to him:
" Give it to me." He replied: " Father, you must take
it yourself; I will not give it you." Thus he made res
titution. From this fact, brethren, you may learn how
improbable it is that a person who has been absolved
before he has made restitution will afterwards restore
what belongs to others. It is certain that, unless he
make restitution, he can never obtain pardon. " The
sin," says St. Augustine, "is not remitted unless the
property taken awray is restored."1 Hence, St. Anto-
nine2 has justly said that no sin is more dangerous to
the soul than the sin of theft. The reason is that in
other sins it is enough for the sinner to repent; but in
theft the sinner cannot be pardoned without making
restitution, if he is able to make it, although he should
perform all possible penances.

Miserable the man who keeps in his hands the property
of others ! The following fact is vouched for by several
authors: A usurer was obliged, in his last illness, to re
store all that he was possessed of. The sick man con-

1 " Non remittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur ablatum." — Ad Maced.
Edit. Ben. Ep. 153, n. 20.

" Nullum peccatum periculosius furto. In aliis, homo dolendo
salvatur; de isto, oportet ut etiam satisfaciat."

494 Instructions for tJie People, [PART i.

signed to four persons all the money and goods that he
had unjustly acquired that they might restore them to
the lawful owners. After having retired to his convent,
the confessor, while at prayer, saw a devil weeping be
cause he had lost the soul of the usurer, and afterwards
heard another devil saying to the devil that was weep
ing: "What a fool you are to weep ! Do you not see
that though you have lost one soul you have gained
four? Attend to these four; they wrill easily become
yours."

I repeat, miserable the man who keeps the property
of another ! for he will scarcely make restitution, and
will probably be damned. And will he ever, even in
this life, have comfort in the enjoyment of the goods of
others ? No; he will be continually tortured by remorse
of conscience. A robber stole an ox from St. Medard;
the ox had a bell suspended from its neck. The robber
brought the ox to his house; and, though the ox remained
motionless, the bell never ceased to ring. The night
came; fearing that he should be discovered, the robber
stuffed the bell with hay; but it still continued to ring.
What did he then do ? He took the bell off the ox, and
shut it up in a box; but the bell did not cease to ring;
then he buried it, but all to no purpose. At last he was
thoroughly frightened, and took the ox and restored it
to St. Medard, and the ringing ceased. Let us now
make the application to ourselves. He who keeps the
goods of another has within himself a bell which rings
unceasingly, and says to him: "Unless you make resti
tution, you shall be damned." How can you expect
• peace with your conscience continually troubling you?

3. WHAT MUST HE DO THAT HAS NOT THE MEANS TO MAKE RES
TITUTION ?

" But, Father, I cannot make restitution." He who is
really unable to make any restitution because he has a

CHAP, vii.] The Seventh Commandment. 495

bare subsistence from day to day for himself and his fam
ily is excused from sin. For him it will be enough to have
the intention of restoring the ill-gotten goods as soon
as he shall be able, and of restoring as much as it shall
be in his power to restore. If a person is unable to re
store all that belongs to his neighbor, he is bound to
restore at least as much as he is able, by saving, for
example, a few pence every week. But you say: "I
shall never be able to restore all I owe." No matter; it
is enough for you to restore as much as you can.*

What shall we say of the man who is able to make
restitution, and says: "If I make restitution, what will
become of my children ?" And if you go to hell, what
will become of you ? In the life of the Venerable Father
Louis la Nuza, a celebrated missionary in Sicily, who
died in 1656, we read that he once heard the confession
of a gentleman laboring under a serious malady, who
possessed the property of others to a large amount. He
exhorted him to make restitution. But the rich man
answered: "If I make restitution my son will not be
able to live like his equals." Father Louis entreated
and conjured him not to expose his soul to certain dam
nation ; but the gentleman remained obstinate ; so he
went away. On the following morning, as he was walk
ing on a solitary road, he met four negroes conducting
a man bound on a beast of burden. He asked where
they were carrying the miserable man. They answered:
"To the fire." The Father looked at the man, and dis
covered that he was the person who obstinately refused

* Let us not forget that if material means are wanting to us, we can
always, and should always, have recourse to God with confidence, by
imploring his mercy and by offering him our good works, or at least
our good will with the merits of Jesus Christ. God who is our Father,
a Father infinitely rich and infinitely good, will deign without doubt to
supply our indigence, either by procuring for us what is wanting, or by
himself repairing all our wrongs done to our neighbors, living or dead.
Let us remember the prodigal son.- ED.

496 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

to make restitution. He afterwards went into the city,
and was informed that the unhappy gentleman was
dead. This is the end of those who refuse to make
restitution, in order to leave their children in affluence.
What an excess of folly, to go to hell for the sake of
leaving your children comfortable ! If you go to hell,
will your children release you ? Listen to a story re
lated by Peter de Paludo. A certain father of a family,
through fear of leaving his children in poverty, refused
to make restitution. To bring him to a sense of his
folly, his confessor had recourse to the following ingen
ious artifice. If, said he to the sick man, you wish to
recover from your infirmity, call one of your children,
and make him anoint your body with a little fat ex
tracted from his own flesh by fire. The sick man had
three sons ; but none of them would submit to suffer
such a torment for the recovery of his father. Then
the father became sensible of his folly, and said: "So
you will not bear a little fire, to save me from death ;
and must I go to hell, to burn for eternity, in order that
you may live in greater comfort? I should be a mad
man if I did so." He then restored all that he owed.

4. CAN ONE MAKE RESTITUTION BY HAVING MASSES SAID?

"And if I have Masses said for the sum which I owe,
will not that be sufficient?" No; to employ the sum
which is due in procuring Masses, the obligation of
restitution to the owner will forever remain. But you
may say : "I have given the money for Masses." But
the owner wants his property, which you have taken.
The only case in which it is lawful to expend the money
in procuring Masses, or in alms for the soul of the owner,
is when he is unknown, and when it is impossible to find
him.

But there are few who make restitution. This we see
by experience. How many thefts are committed every

CHAP, vn.i The Seventh Commandment. 497

day, but how few restitutions ! According to the com
mon saying: " Dressed meat does not return to the
market." Verme tells us that a hermit once had a
vision of Lucifer on a throne, and a devil who had
just come from the earth standing before him: "Where
have you been all this time?" asked Satan. "I have
been waiting to tempt a thief not to make restitution,"
answered the devil, " Oh," said Satan, "give this fool a
flogging. Don't you know, fool, that the man who has
taken another's property never makes restitution ? And
you have been losing all this time in tempting him not
to make restitution ! Quick, the flogging !" Lucifer
was right: " Cooked meat does not come back to market."

5. CONCLUSION.

Let us conclude the instruction on this precept.

He who is aware of having in his possession the prop
erty of another, must examine whether he has got it in
bad faith or in good faith. If he has received it in good
faith,— that is, through inculpable ignorance that it was
the property of another, — and has it still in his posses
sion, he is certainly bound to restore it. If, during his
good faith, he consumed it, he is obliged to restore as
much as he is made richer by the consumption of it;
that is, what has been spared and still remains of his
own property, which would have been spent, had he not
used what belonged to another.

If, during his good faith, or sincere belief that the
goods of another in his possession were his own, he con
sumed them all, and is not made richer by the use of
them, he is not bound to any restitution. But if he has,
in bad faith, or culpably, got possession of the property
of another, he is bound to restore what he has taken,
and to indemnify the owner for all the losses caused,
even accidentally, by his injustice. To this he is bound,
if he wishes to be saved. If he is unwilling to make
32

498 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

restitution, and wishes to be damned, he has his choice;
but let him remember that he will have to repent, not
only in the next life in hell, but also in this life.

The prophet Zachary says, that a malediction falls on
the house into which a neighbor's property enters. This
is the curse that goeth over the face of the earth, . . . it shall
come to the house of the thief, . . . and shall consume it}
Hence, St. Gregory Nazianzen says: He who possesses
wealth unjustly, shall lose even his own riches.2 The
goods of others are a fire that consumes themselves and
the goods of the possessor. Such are the effects of the
divine malediction. Let us, then, says St. Gregory,3
possess the goods that the Lord sends us ; but let us
not allow ourselves to be possessed by the goods of this
earth. Some become the slaves of earthly goods to such
a degree that for them they voluntarily condemn them
selves to hell. O misery ! how many poor souls go to
hell on account of other men's property !

How differently does the wise man act who loves his
soul better than other people's goods ! Henry, King of
Castile, left his son the heir to his kingdom; but because
the son was only a child, he entrusted the government
to his brother. The brother governed the kingdom with
so much rectitude, that the people wished him to assume
the absolute dominion of the kingdom. What did he
do? He one day appeared before the people with his
infant nephew in his arms, and said that the kingdom
belonged to the child, and that he would spend his
blood and his life in order to secure it for him. What a
noble act, to renounce a kingdom rather than offend
God ! But God amply rewarded his fidelity; for he
brought him to the throne of Aragon, where he reigned

" Haec est maledictio quae egreditur super faciem omnis terrae; . . ,
et veniet ad domum furis, . . . et consumet earn." — Zach. v. 3.
* " Qui opes inique possidet, etiam opes suas amittet."
3 " Terrena res possidea^ur, non possideat."

CHAP. vn. i 77/6' Seventh Commandment. 499

in peace, and his family was replenished with abundance
of blessings.

St. Augustine relates an act of similar generosity. In
the city of Milan a poor man found a purse containing
two hundred pounds. He was told that since the owner
was not known he might keep the money. But he feared
God, and put up along the public road many notices,
stating that he had found the purse. The owner ap
peared, and having accurately described the lost prop
erty, received the purse from the poor man. He offered
the poor man twenty pounds as a reward, but he refused
to accept them. The owner then entreated him to take
ten or at least five pounds. But the poor man refused,
saying that they all belonged to the owner. The owner,
as if angry, threw the purse at the feet of the poor man,
saying: "Since you will take nothing from me, I will
take nothing from you." The poor man was thus forced
to accept the offer ; but he did not retain the money.
He went instantly and distributed it among the other
poor of the city.

500 Instructions for the People. [PARTI.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT.

" Thou shall not bear false witness." !
i. WHAT DOES THIS COMMANDMENT FORBID IN THE FIRST PLACE?

THE chief thing forbidden in this commandment is to
give false testimony in a court of justice. When you
are interrogated by a legitimate judge, you are bound
to tell the truth ; and if you do not disclose it, and say
that you know nothing about it, you are guilty of sin.
But some one may say: "I have concealed the truth
that my neighbor might not be injured." This excuse
is not sufficient, as I have already said,2 in treating of
the second commandment. When asked by lawful
authority, you are bound to tell what you know, though
it should be the cause of a loss to your neighbor. This
is a just loss ; for the public good requires that male
factors should be punished. But they cannot be pun
ished if witnesses do not depose to what they know.

He, however, commits a more grievous sin who in a
court of justice attests a falsehood detrimental to his
neighbor. A lie is always sinful, though it should be
told in jest, or even for a useful purpose ; even though
it be in order to escape death. The author of the
"Parish Priest's Companion" relates that the Emperor
Maximian sent his officers to take St. Anthimus, Bishop
of Nicomedia, and put him in prison. The soldiers who

" Non loqueris, contra proximum tuum, falsum testimonium."—
Exod. xx 1 6.
8 Page 415,

CHAP, viii.] The Eighth Commandment. 501

were in search of him went by chance to the saint's own
house to get something to eat. St. Anthimus gave them
what they required, and treated them kindly. After
wards they asked him where they could find Anthimus
the bishop. The saint answered : "I am the very per
son; I am Anthimus." The soldiers, through gratitude,
said: "We will not take you to the emperor; we will
say that we have not been able to find you." The saint
replied: "No, my children, I do not wish you to be
guilty of a lie; I would rather die than cause you to tell
a lie." He then went with them to the emperor.

A lie, then, is always a sin. To tell a lie which is not
injurious to a neighbor is only a venial sin; but when it
does a grievous injury to another, it is a mortal sin. It
is of such lies that we are to understand the text of
Scripture, The mouth that belieth, killeth the soul.1 A lie
told before a judge is a double mortal sin; and when
accompanied with an oath, as is always the case in
courts of justice, it contains the additional guilt of sac
rilege, on account of the false oath, which is a most
grievous sin, and a reserved sin. Tenesius, the legis
lator, ordained that an executioner should stand at the
right hand of the judge, with an axe in his hand, to put
to death any one that perjured himself in judgment.
Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment, . . . and all the
people shall say, Amen? Eusebius 3 relates that three wit
nesses made false accusations before a judge against
Narcissus the bishop. The first said: "If the charge is
not true, I am willing to be burnt alive." The second
said: " I am satisfied to die of the jaundice." The third
said: " I am willing to be deprived of sight." Iii a little
time the three imprecations were verified. One became

" Os autem quod mentitur, occidit animam." — Wis. i. n.

2 " Maledictus, qui pervertit judicium." — Deut. xxvii. 19,

3 "Hist. 1. 6, c. 9.

502 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

blind, another died of jaundice, and the third was re
duced to ashes by lightning.

2. WHAT DOES THIS COMMANDMENT FORBID ix THE SECOND PLACE?

This commandment forbids detraction. This, too, is
a very common sin. You will, says St. Jerome, find few
persons who do not willingly censure the conduct of
others.1 Find me a man, says St. James, who does not
sin with the tongue, and I will admit that he is a saint.
If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man?
When the tongue of a sick man is black, we may infer that
he is in danger. The tongue is often a better index than
the pulse of the malignity of disease : sometimes the
pulse does not show symptoms of high fever; but when
the tongue is black and foul, it is (as Hippocrates says)
a sign of the approach of death. Many come to the
church, frequently hear Mass, and say the Rosary; but
their tongue, black with the sin of detraction, gives a
token of eternal death. St. Bernard says that detrac
tion is a three-edged sword, which, with a single stroke,
inflicts three wounds: it wounds the detractor with sin,
the person detracted by the loss of his character, and it
wounds those who listen to it; for he who listens to de
traction, and shows that it is pleasing to him, is also
guilty of sin.

3. WHAT is DETRACTION ?

Let us now explain what this sin is. Detraction is
twofold: calumny and defamation.

i. Calumny consists in telling a falsehood injurious to
a neighbor, or in aggravating his guilt. When griev
ously injurious to another, it is a mortal sin, and the

" Raro invenies, qui non libenter reprehendat vitam alienam." —
Epist. ad Celant.

2 " Si quis in verbo non offendit, hie perfectus est vir."— James, iii. 2.

CHAP, viii.] The Eighth Commandment. 503

author of it is bound to restore the character of his
neighbor.

2. Defamation consists in telling a secret sin of another
to those who are ignorant of it; this, too, when griev
ous, is a mortal sin, because the person defamed, as long
as his sin is occult, retains his good name; you rob him
of it by revealing his sin, and when he has lost his repu
tation, he can no longer show himself in the world.

4. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS OF SINNING BY DETRACTION?

There are various ways of taking away the reputation
of another.

1. By open defamation— by saying : Such a person has
been guilty of such a sin, etc.

2. By indirect defamation ; by saying, for example :
Such a man goes frequently to confession; but I . . . had
better not say. It is sometimes less injurious to tell the
sin openly, for the insinuation conveyed by that little
but will make persons think that the evil is greater than
it is in reality.

3. By censuring the motive of a person's actions.
Some cannot find fault with their neighbor's conduct,
because it is blameless. What, then, do they do ? They
censure his motive or intention. They say: He has acted
thus in order to deceive others.

4. By signs. He who is guilty of this kind of detrac
tion is called in Scripture a man full of tongue? A man
full of tongue; that is, a man who makes all his limbs
into tongues, who detracts his neighbor not only with
the tongue, but also with the hands, with the feet, and
with the eyes. A young man of this character, who
could not speak without calumniating his neighbor, was
punished in a terrible way for his sin. He became mad,
and bit off his tongue, the smell of his breath became
intolerable, and so he died. Would to God that there,

' " Vir linguosus."— Ps. cxxxix. 12.

504 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

were not many addicted to this vice ! The poison of asps
is under their lips.1 Their mouth appears to be full of poi
son, so that they cannot speak without destroying the
reputation, now of this man, now of that one.

5. Some are in the habit of listening and of afterwards
relating what they have heard. They hear a person
speak ill of another, and instantly go to the other and
tell what they have heard. These are called backbiters,
and are accursed by God, because they perform the
office of the devil: they disturb the peace of families,
of entire towns, and are the cause of so much hatred
and of so many quarrels. Of this vice I have already
spoken in the instruction on the precept of charity.2

Take heed, my dear Christians, how you speak; . . .
be careful not to allow your tongue to send you to hell.
In The Mirror of Examples it is related that one of the
damned was seen, in a vision, biting and gnawing his
ulcerated and scorched tongue, and saying: " This
accursed tongue has sent me to hell."

When a person's sin is public, to tell it, without a just
cause, to one who is ignorant of it, is not a mortal sin,
but it is a venial sin against charity; but remember that
it is a mortal sin to reveal a fact that was once notorious
but is now occult; because the person who had lost his
reputation has now regained it.

5. HOW ARE WE TO REPAIR THE EVIL CAUSED BY DETRACTION?

Let us now come to the remedies. He who has
injured the character of another must not only confess
the sin, but must also restore the good name that he has
taken away. In this there is great difficulty: it is easy
to take away, but most difficult to restore, a good
name.

When the defamation is effected by falsehood, the

1 " Venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum." — PS. xiii. 3.

2 Page 398.

CHAP, viii.] The Eighth Commandment. 505

author of it is obliged to retract his calumny in the
presence of all those before whom it was uttered; but
this is the difficulty. Menochius relates that a noble
man had defamed a married lady, and confessed his sin
to a Dominican friar, who told him: " You must retract
what you have said." The nobleman replied: " I cannot
do that; for I cannot destroy my own reputation." The
confessor replied, he could not give him absolution on
any other condition; but the obstinate man again de
clared that he could not do so. The friar at last, seeing
that he was only wasting his time, said to him: " Go
away: you are damned," and turned his back upon him.
If the sin were true, but hidden, there is also, as I
have already said,1 an obligation of restoring the injured
character; and in this there is still greater difficulty;
for, if the person really committed the sin, it cannot be
said that he was innocent of it, for that would be a lie,
and it is never lawful to tell a lie. What, then, is to be
done ? The detractor must use some other and more
convenient means, some equivocation, for instance, such
as: " It was only a joke what I said of that man — it was
all out of my own head." Sometimes it is better to
speak well of the person whom you have calumniated
without making any allusion to the sin you have told of
him, particularly when you have reason to presume that
this would be more pleasing to him than to revive the
remembrance of his fault.

It is, however, necessary to know that it is not detrac
tion, nor a sin, to tell a fault of another to his Superiors,
parents, guardians, or masters, that they may prevent
evil to the public, or to an innocent person, or to the
delinquent himself. For example, if a girl is familiar
with a young man, or if a young man goes to a house of
bad character, and you make it known to the father
that he may apply a remedy, you are not guilty of sin.
1 Page 503.

506 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

On the contrary, you are obliged to do this when it can
be done without danger of any great harm to yourself.
Nor is this, as I have said, detraction. St. Thomas '
says that to speak ill of another is sinful when it is done
to blacken his character, but not when it is done to pre
vent his sin or injury.

6. Is IT ALSO A SlN TO LISTEN TO DETRACTION?

I said that detraction is sinful. But is it a sin to listen
to detraction ? A very great sin if you encourage the
detraction, or if you take pleasure in it and show you
are pleased with it. But if a person does not show him
self pleased with the detraction, but through a certain
fear neglects to reprove the detractor, he is not, accord
ing to St. Thomas,2 guilty of a mortal sin, because he is
not sure that his correction will have the effect of pre
venting the detraction. But this is to be understood
only of those who are not Superiors; for the Superior of
a person who is guilty of detraction is always obliged to
correct him and to stop the detraction. When a person
hears detraction going on, and perceives that the matter
is important and secret, he should either correct the
detraction, or endeavor to change the subject of con
versation, or go away, or at least show by his counte
nance that he is displeased with the detraction.

7. WHAT DOES THIS COMMANDMENT FORBID IN THE THIRD PLACE?

This commandment forbids contumely. Contumely is
an insult offered to a person in his presence. Detraction
destroys the character of a neighbor; contumely takes
away his honor. When contumely contains defamatory
matter, it is a double sin, because it injures the honor as
well as the good name of the neighbor.

Hence, as there is an .obligation of restoring a neigh
bor's reputation, so there is also an obligation of repair-
1 2, 2, q. 73, a 2. 2 ibid. a. 4.

CHAP, vni] The Eighth Commandment. 507

ing the injury done to his honor by asking pardon, or
by some other act of humility towards him.

When contumely is offered (and it may be offered
either by acts or by words) in the presence of others,
the reparation must be made before the same persons.

To open another's letter is a species of contumely, and
therefore it is always a sin, unless there is a presumption
that the person who sends the letter or the person to
whom it is sent is not unwilling that it be read.

It is also" a sin to disclose, without a just cause, a
secret which is entrusted to you or which you promise
to keep. With regard to the just causes of revealing a
secret, ask your confessor and follow his advice.

Is it a sin to entertain rash judgment ? Yes; to judge
rashly — a very great sin when the judgment is on an
important matter, and really rash, that is, made without
any reason, without certain grounds. But when there
is any foundation for judging so, it is not a sin. To
suspect evil of another without grounds is a venial sin;
it scarcely amounts to a mortal sin unless when a person
voluntarily and without any grounds suspects a neighbor
of a most grievous sin. I have said without any reason;
for when there is some foundation for the suspicion
there is no sin. However, the virtuous always think
well and the wicked think badly of their neighbors.
The fool . . , whereas he himself is a fool, esteemeth all
men fools.1

We have treated of the eighth commandment; the
ninth and the tenth which forbid Christians to covet
the goods and the wife of another, remain to be ex
plained. But in the sixth commandment we have
spoken of the sin of impurity, and in the seventh of the
sin of theft. By the ninth and the tenth are forbidden

1 " Stultus ambulans, cum ipse insipiens sit, omnes stultos aestimat."
— Eccles. x. 3.

508 Instructions for the People. [PART i.

only the desires of these sins.* Hence it is sufficient to
say that what it is a sin to do it is also a sin to desire.

I also omit the commandments of the Church, because,
in treating the ten commandments, I have explained
what is most necessary to be known regarding the com
mandments of the Church.

* JVon concupisces domum proximi tui, nee dcsiderabis uxorem
ejus, . . . nee omnia qua illius sunt — ' ' Thou shalt not covet thy neigh
bor's house: neither shalt thou desire his wife . . . nor anything that
he has." — Exod. xx. 17.

The six principal commandments of the Church are
expressed in the following verses:

1. Sundays and holy days observe

As feasts of obligation;
Attend at holy Mass, and keep
From servile occupation.

2. Lent, Ember-days, and Vigils, fast,

With one meal and collation.

3. On Friday, meat thou must not eat,

For sake of Christ's dear Passion.

4. Once in the year at least confess

With due examination.
At Easter-time receive thy Lord
With thanks and adoration.

5. In Lent or Advent marry not

With pomp and ostentation;
Wed before witnesses, and seek
The Church's approbation.

6. The worship of the Church maintain

With generous contribution.

The first of these commandments, which ordains the
hearing of Mass and abstaining from servile work on
Sundays and feast days of obligation, is found ex
plained in Chapter III., page 419. The second and the
third concerning fasting and abstinence are also ex
plained at the end of Chapter III., page 433. The fourth,
about Confession and Communion, belongs to Part II.,
Chapters IV. and V. — ED.

PART II.
Instructions 011 tljc ijolj} Sacraments,

CHAPTER I.

THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL.

JESUS CHRIST himself Instituted the sacraments, as
means to make us partakers of his merits. The sacra
ments, therefore, are so many sacred channels, through
which Jesus Christ communicates his graces, which are
the fruits of his Passion.

It is necessary to know that every sacrament confers
two kinds of grace, namely, sanctifying grace and sacra
mental grace. Sanctifying or habitual grace is that which
sanctifies the soul that receives the sacrament, provided
it be received with the requisite dispositions. Sacra-
men/a/grace is that which gives the soul a special aid to
obtain the end for which each sacrament was instituted.
Thus, Baptism confers a special grace to wash the soul
and cleanse it from sin. Confirmation gives strength
to confess the faith of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist pre
serves and augments in us the divine grace, which is the
spiritual life of the soul. Penance enables us to recover
the grace that we have lost. Extreme Unction gives
strength to resist at death the assaults of hell. Orders
enable the ministers of the Church to fulfil their obliga
tions. Finally, Matrimony confers on husband and wife

CHAP, i.] The Sacraments in General. 5 1 1

help to bear the burdens of the married state, and to
bring up their children in virtue.

Three of these sacraments, namely, Baptism, Confir
mation, and Orders, have the special effect of impressing
on the soul a certain character or spiritual mark which
can never be effaced. Hence these three sacraments
can be received only once ; but the others may be re
ceived several times.*

My principal object is to speak of the sacrament of
penance that each one may be well acquainted with the
manner of confessing his sins; however, I will say a few
words on the other sacraments, that each person may
know their essence, their effects, and the dispositions
necessary for receiving them.

* Let us here add that the two sacraments, namely : Baptism and
Penance, are commonly called the sacraments of the dead, because they
were instituted to restore the life of grace to those that are deprived of
it by sin. The five other sacraments are called the sacra?nents of the
living, because they were instituted for those that possess the life of
grace. — ED.

512 Instructions for the People. [PART n

CHAPTER II.

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.

LET us briefly touch on four points regarding Bap
tism : its necessity, its effects, its minister, and what is re
quired for it.

1. With regard to its necessity, it should be known that
Baptism is not only the first but also the most necessary
of all the sacraments. Without Baptism no one can
enter heaven. Unless a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.1 It is also the most necessary, inas
much as no one is capable of receiving any other sacra
ment if he has not previously received Baptism. Hence,
Baptism is called the gate of all the sacraments. Is it
impossible for a person who does not actually receive
Baptism to be saved? I answer: He can be saved, if he
receives it in desire; that is, by desiring to be baptized,
and by believing in Jesus Christ ; as has happened to
many who, when unable to receive Baptism actually,
have received it in desire. Faith is requisite as a pre
paration for receiving the grace of Baptism — but not
charity; for attrition is sufficient, without contrition.

2. The effect of Baptism is to wash the soul and to
cleanse it from all sins, as well from original as from
actual sins, and to deliver it from all the punishment
due to these sins.

3. The minister of Baptism is the parish priest, by
whom, or by another priest, with his permission, it
should be ordinarily administered ; however, in case of
necessity, when an infant is in danger of death, any

1 " Nisi quis renatus fuerit denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei." —
John, iii. 3.

CHAP, ii.] The Sacrament of Baptism. 513

man or woman, even an infidel or heretic, can confer
Baptism.

4. Let us now come to what is necessary for Baptism.

With regard to the person to be baptized, if he has at
tained the use of reason he should have the intention of
receiving Baptism, and sorrow for his sins. Some re
quire that this sorrow should amount to contrition; but
others more commonly hold that attrition is sufficient;
and this is the opinion of St. Thomas: "Fora man to
prepare himself to receive the graces of baptism, faith is
required, but not charity; because attrition preceding it
is sufficient ; it need not be contrition," ' We shall ex
plain the nature of contrition and attrition in speaking
of confession.2 The intention, then, of receiving Bap
tism is necessary for adults; but the intention of the
Church supplies for those who have not attained the
use of reason. All infants who, like the Holy Innocents,
are put to death from hatred to the faith, are saved
through the merits of Jesus Christ.

For Baptism are also required the matter and form,
and the intention of the minister. The matter is natural
water. The form consists in the words pronounced by
the minister during the triple infusion of water on the
head of the person to be baptized; but if the water can
not be poured on the head of the infant, it is sufficient
to pour it on the breast or shoulders, or any other part,
when it is impossible to pour it on some principal part
of the body. The words of the form are, " I baptize
thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost." Persons, particularly midwives, must
be very careful to remember not to leave out the con
junction and ; hence it would not then be sufficient to

" Ad hoc quod homo se praeparet ad gratiam in Baptismo percipi-
endam, praeexigitur fides, sed non charitas, quia sufficit attritio prsece-
dens, etsi non sit contritio." — In Sent. 4, d. 6, q. i, a. 3, sol. I, ad 5.
2 Chap. V., § 2.

514 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

say, " In the name of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy
Ghost." You must say, " In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." The minister
must have the intention to confer Baptism, or at least to
do what the Church does, as the Council of Trent has
defined: "If any one says that it is not requisite for
ministers while consecrating or administering the sacra
ments to have an intention at least of doing what the
Church does, let him be anathema." '

Sponsors, that is, a godfather and godmother, are re
quired in Baptism. It is enough to have one; but there
cannot be more than two — one male and one female.
Sponsors are obliged to attend to the instruction of the
child in what regards faith and morals, when there is no
one to instruct him ; but they are not bound by this
obligation in Catholic countries, where parish priests
are diligent in the discharge of their duty. It is also
necessary to know that the sponsors contract a spiritual
relationship with the person baptized, and with his
father and mother, so that they cannot be married to
any of them.

Baptism should be administered in the Church ; to
administer it in private houses, without urgent neces
sity, would be a great sin; such necessity is either the
imminent death of the infant, or infamy and scandal
that would attach to the mother if the child were taken
to the public church. But the children of kings and
princes have the privilege of being baptized at home.2

Remember that to defer the baptism of infants for
more than ten or eleven days is, according to the more
common opinion of theologians, a mortal sin, except
there is some extraordinary reason for it.

"Si quis dixerit in ministris, dum Sacramentum conficiunt et con-
ferunt, non requiri intentionem saltern faciendi quod facit Ecclesia, ana
thema sit." — Sess. VII. De Sacr. in gen. can. n.
2 Clement, de Baptismo.

CHAP, in.j The Sacrament of Confirmation. 5 1 5

CHAPTER III.

THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION.

CONFIRMATION is one of the seven sacraments, as has
been declared by the Council of Trent,1 and after it the
Council of Florence.2 It increases the grace received in
Baptism.

The matter of the sacrament of confirmation is the
sacred chrism composed of the oil of olives and balsam,
consecrated by the bishop as the Roman Catechism 3
teaches, and as Benedict XIV 4 has declared. The oil
signifies the abundance of the grace of the Holy Ghost
which is poured on the person confirmed; and the bal
sam signifies the odor of virtues, which a Christian
strengthened by so great a sacrament ought to send
forth.

The .form of confirmation consists in the words pro
nounced by the bishop when he anoints the forehead of
the person with the sacred chrism, and with the sign of
the cross. The words are: N. (naming the person to be
confirmed) / sign thec with the sign of the cross, and confirm
thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:' A person present
answers, Amen. Afterwards the bishop strikes the per
son confirmed lightly on the cheek, to remind him that
he should be prepared to surfer every pain and every in
jury for the sake of Jesus Christ. He then dismisses
him, saying : Pax tecum — Peace be with thee. At the

1 AV.s-.f. V. de Confirm, can. T. • Deer, pro Armen.

3 DC Confirm, q. 6. 4 Encycl. 54. § 52.

5 "N., signo te signo Crucis, et confirmo te Chrismate salutis, in
nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti."

516 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

words, "I sign thee with the sign of the cross," the per
son confirmed is sealed or inscribed with the sign of the
cross, as a soldier of Jesus Christ; and by the words, "I
confirm thee with the chrism of salvation," he receives
the grace of strength to resist the enemies of the faith
and the assaults of hell.

He who receives this sacrament should know the mys
teries of the holy faith, and should be in the state of
grace; otherwise he is guilty of sacrilege. Hence the
person who is to be confirmed would do well to go to
confession and Communion before he receives confirma
tion. In ancient times confirmation was given to infants;
but Benedict XIV. in his Constitution 129, Eo quqmvis, of
the year 1745, has declared that at present it should be
given only to those that have attained the use of reason,
at any rate not before the age of seven years, as the
Roman Catechism ' teaches. However, the same Pontiff2
in another place admits, with other theologians, that it
may be given infants when there is an urgent cause; as,
for example, when the child is in danger of death, or
when the bishop is about to be absent for a considerable
time from the diocese.

There was once a question raised, whether all Chris
tians were bound under grievous sin to receive the
sacrament of confirmation, or whether the obligation
extended only to those that were destined for holy
Orders. But it is now decided that all are bound, as
appears from the following words of Benedict XIV. :
"The faithful are to be admonished by the Ordinaries
of the different places, that they are guilty of grievous
sin, if, when they have the opportunity, they refuse or
neglect to come to be confirmed." 3

1 .De Con Jinn. q. 14.

2 De Syn. 1. 7, c. 10, n. 5.

3 " Monendi sunt ab Ordinariis locorum, eos gravis peccati reatu
teneri, si, cum possunt ad Confirmationem accedere, illam renuunt ac
negligunt."— Const. Etsi fastoralis, § 3, n. 4.

CHAP, in.) The Sacrament of Confirmation. 517

In receiving this sacrament, it is commanded, under
pain of grievous sin, that there be a sponsor; * but there
can be only one, who must, under penalty of mortal sin,
have received confirmation, and must be of the same sex
as the person confirmed. While the sacrament is con
ferred, the sponsor should keep his right hand on the
right shoulder of the person who receives the sacra
ment. This sponsor also contracts a spiritual relation
ship in the same manner as sponsors for Baptism. It
should be known that monks and nuns are forbidden to
act as sponsors.

To understand the great efficacy of this sacrament in
imparting spiritual strength to the faithful, it is enough
to relate one fact, vouched for by St. Gregory Nazianzen
and Prudentius. Julian the Apostate wished one day to
offer sacrifice to his false gods, and had everything pre
pared; but at the moment they wished to offer the sacri
fice, the knives would not pierce the victims, the fire was
instantly extinguished, and the ministers became im
movable as a rock. The sacrificing priest said, " There
must be some one present who has been baptized or
confirmed." The emperor asked if there were any such
person present in the assembly, and then a young man,
who had received confirmation a little before, came for
ward and said boldly: "Yes, sir, I have been confirmed,
and therefore I have besought my God to prevent the
impiety of the sacrifice, and he has heard my prayer."
Julian was struck with astonishment, and, covered with
confusion by the prodigy, he gave up the sacrifice, and
withdrew from the temple.

* This having been omitted in some dioceses, the second Plenary
Council of Baltimore uses these words: " Episcopi nullum non move-
bunt lapidem, ut disciplina hujusmodi" (adhibendi scil. Patrinos in
Confirmatione). "Jam in nunnullis harum Provinciarum dicecesibus
invecta, ubique introducatur." — A. 253, and p. cxxxix. n. n,

518 Instructions for the People. IP ART n.

CHAPTER IV.

THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

IN this sacrament Jesus Christ gives us his body and
blood under the species or appearances of bread and
wine, that by the holy Communion his grace and holy
love may be preserved and increased in our souls. We
must then believe that in consequence of the words of
consecration pronounced by the priest in the Mass, the
bread and wine lose their proper substance, and are con
verted into the body and blood of Jesus Christ; and that
nothing remains of the bread and wine but the species
or appearances, the color, the taste, ard figure; so that
it is a dogma of the faith, that the Most Holy Sacra
ment of the altar contains Jesus Christ, really and
entirely, his body, his soul, and divinity.

We must, consequently, believe that Jesus Christ, at
the same time that he is in heaven, is also really and
entirely in all places upon earth where the consecrated
Host is reserved; and that when the most holy Host is
divided Jesus Christ is not divided, but remains entire
in every separate particle of the Host, as has been de
clared by the Council of Trent,1 by the Council of Nice,2
and by the Council of Lateran under Innocent III.3

The principal effect of this sacrament is to preserve
and perfect in us the spiritual life of the soul. As
earthly bread nourishes the body, so this heavenly
bread nourishes the soul, and . makes it advance in

1 Sess. XIII., can. III.

2 Bellarmin. De Euch. 1. 2, c. 10.
zLat. VI. iv., cap. i.

CH. iv.] The Sacrament of t lie Holy Eucharist. 519

divine love. It also serves, says the Council of Trent,1
as an antidote to cleanse us from venial and to preserve
us from mortal sins. Another effect of this sacrament is
resurrection and glorification of our bodies, which we
expect at the last judgment ; for Jesus Christ s^ys : He
that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath life ever
lasting, and I will raise him up at the last day? But the
most desirable of all the effects of the holy Communion
is, that it unites and makes us one with Jesus Christ.
He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood, abideth in
Me, and I in him? In order to receive these holy effects,
it is necessary to be in the state of grace; he who re
ceives the holy Communion with a conscience laden
with mortal sin, receives Jesus Christ, but not his grace;
on the contrary, he merits the malediction of Jesus
Christ, and, according to the Apostle, he receives the
sentence of his own condemnation; because he is guilty
of a most enormous sacrilege. He eateth and drinketh
judgment to himself.1"

It is related that a person in the state of mortal sin
went to Communion, but what was the consequence'*
The consecrated particle became like a sword and
pierced his throat, and the person fell instantly dead
at the foot of the altar.

There is a more terrible example related in the " Tere-
sian Chronicles." A girl fell into a sin, which she was
ashamed to confess, and afterwards made three sacri
legious Communions. After the third Communion she
was suddenly struck dead before the altar. Her coun-

1 " Antidotum, quo liberemur a culpis quotidianis, et a peccatis mor-
talibus praeservemur." — Sess. XIII. cap. 2.

2''Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem, habet
vitam seternam ; et ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die." — John,

vi. 55-

3 " Qui manducat meam carnem et bibit meum sanguinem, in me
manet, et ego in illo."— -John, vi. 57.

4 " Judicium sibi manducat et bibit." — i Cor. xi. 29.

520 Instritctions for the People. [PART n.

tenance appeared, not black, but full of splendor. All
cried out; "A saint ! a saint !" and her body was car
ried in procession through the whole neighborhood.
But mark what happened, and tremble at the thought
of receiving Communion in mortal sin. An angel ap
peared to a Teresian Carmelite friar, who was in his
cell, during the night on which the body of the unhappy
girl lay unburied in the church. The angel conducted
the Father to the church, and commanded him to open
the mouth of the deceased. He opened her mouth, and
found the three Hosts that she had received in the state
of sin, and placed them in a ciborium. After the removal
of the Hosts her countenance appeared no longer bright
and resplendent, but black and horrible.

Let us return to our subject. For a person in the
state of mortal sin, if he wishes to receive the body of
Christ, it is not enough to make an act of contrition,
though this is sufficient for the reception of other sacra
ments. It is necessary for such a person to go to con
fession, and to receive absolution, before he approaches
the holy Communion. The only case in which a person
can communicate after committing mortal sin, without
confession and absolution, is, when he forgot the sin
until he had come to the altar; in such a case, in order
to avoid the scandal that should arise from rising up to
go back to confession, it is enough to make an act of
contrition; after making an act of contrition, he may re
ceive the holy Communion.

This is the disposition necessary for Communion on
the part of the soul. With regard to the disposition of
the body, which is necessary for Communion, a person
must be fasting from midnight; that is, he must not
have taken into the stomach any digestible substance,
whether liquid or solid. The sick, when in danger of
death, are excepted; for they can receive the most holy
viaticum after having broken their fast,

CM. iv.] The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. 521

These are dispositions absolutely necessary for Com
munion. But to communicate with greater fruit, it is
necessary to purify the soul from venial sins — at least,
from venial sins which are fully deliberate. Hence,
tepid souls that habitually commit venial sins have not
the dispositions necessary for frequent Communion.
At most, they can be permitted to go to Communion
once a week, that from the sacrament they may receive
strength to avoid mortal sin. But persons who do not
commit deliberate venial sins, and have a desire of ad
vancing in divine love, may communicate more fre
quently, according as their confessor may advise. St.
Francis de Sales says that Jesus Christ gives himself to
us only through love, and therefore we should receive
him only through love. The best disposition, then, for
holy Communion is, to receive the holy Eucharist in
order to advance in the love of Jesus Christ.

All know that every Christian is bound, under pain of
grievous sin, to communicate at least once a year, and
so to fulfil his Easter duties: this ought to be done
within the time prescribed for the fulfilment of the
Paschal precept; and to this all are obliged, under the
penalty of being interdicted from entering the Church,
and of being deprived of Christian burial after death.
Every Christian is also obliged to communicate, and to
receive the holy viaticum, whenever he is in danger of
death. I say, in danger, without waiting till there is no
hope of recovery. By waiting so long, the sick man
runs the risk of dying without receiving the viaticum,
as has happened to many.

The Church, then, has declared that every Christian
is bound, under pain of grievous sin, to communicate on
two occasions, namely, at Easter, and in danger of
death. But it is also necessary to know that a person
will scarcely preserve himself in the grace of God, if,
like some who are negligent about their eternal salva-

522 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

tion he communicates only once a year. This we know
by experience; and reason teaches us, that when the
soul is a long time without this divine food, it scarcely
has strength to resist temptations, and therefore easily
falls into sin. The Most Holy Sacrament is called
celestial bread; because, as earthly bread supports the
life of the body, so this heavenly bread preserves the
life of the soul. Therefore, let every Christian com
municate at least every eight days, as has been already
said; but persons who lead a spiritual life, make mental
prayer, and abstain from deliberate venial sins, ought,
with the consent of their confessor, to communicate
several times in the week. For the rest, who live with
out much devotion, that they may at least preserve
themselves in God's grace, it is advisable to go to Com
munion every Sunday, or at least every fortnight.

Children, as St. Thomas ' says, should be obliged to
go to Communion as soon as they are capable of under
standing the difference between this divine food and
earthly bread. Some children are capable of under
standing this difference sooner than others. But, ordi
narily speaking, the obligation of going to Communion
does not begin until after the ninth or tenth year; but
their first Communion cannot be deferred beyond the
age of twelve, or, at the most, beyond the age of four
teen years. We know that St. Charles Borromeo com
manded his parish priests to endeavor to make the chil
dren go to Communion as soon as they had attained
the age of ten years. And for children, in danger of
death, theologians, along with Benedict XIV. 2 com
monly teach that so great an age is not necessary; it is
sufficient if they are capable of making their confession.
It is necessary to communicate; but, as has been said,
it is necessary to communicate in a state of grace;

1 P. 3, q. 80, a. 9, ad. 3.

2 DC Syn. 1. 7, c. 12, n. 3.

CH. iv.] The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. 523

otherwise the Communion will become a poison, or
rather a halter to strangle the unworthy communicant.
St. Cyprian ' relates that a Christian woman who, in
order to conceal herself, had through fear of the perse
cution done an action contrary to faith, came to the
church, and went to Communion without confessing
her sin. But what was the consequence? The sacred
Host remained in her throat; the throat instantly
swelled in such a manner that she began to tremble
from head to foot, and so expired.

1 S. de Lapsis.

524 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

CHAPTER V.

THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.

PENANCE is a sacrament in which, by the absolution
of a confessor, sins committed after Baptism are re
mitted. For priests have received from Jesus Christ the
power of remitting sins, as appears from the words:
Whose sins y OIL shall forgive, they are forgiven ; and whose
sins you shall retain, they are retained? Therefore, the
Council of Trent excommunicates all that say that this
sacrament has not the power to remit sin. By this
sacrament the sinner recovers not only the divine grace,
but also the merits of the good works performed in the
state of grace, which he had lost by sin. The soul also
receives additional strength to resist temptations; for
the same Council says that by justification we are re
newed in the spirit of our mind.2 All these graces we
receive through the merits of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

To receive this sacrament, three things are particu
larly necessary on the part of the penitent : First,
sorrow for sins committed, together with a purpose or
resolution to commit them no more. Secondly, an entire
confession of all the sins committed. Thirdly, the per
formance of the penance enjoined by the confessor.
But, in order to be able to confess all his sins, and to
conceive a true sorrow for them, the sinner must first
make a diligent examination of his conscience.

1 " Quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis; et quorum re-
tinueritis, retenta sunt."— John, xx. 23.

'2 " Renovamur spiritu mentis nostrae." — Sess. vi. cap. vii.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 525

Examination of Conscience.

This examination consists in making a diligent search,
in order to call to mind the sins committed since the
last confession, which was made with the requisite con
ditions.

In this search many fail by too minute an examina
tion, and many others by not examining enough. The
former are the scrupulous; they are always examining
their conscience, and are never satisfied; thus they fail
in exciting a true sorrow for their sins and a firm pur
pose of amendment. Moreover, their scruples render
the sacrament so odious, that going to confession
appears to them like going to be martyred. This ex
amination for confession need not be made with extreme
diligence; it is enough for the penitent to apply himself
with attention, in order to discover all the sins com
mitted since his last confession. This diligence must be
proportioned to the conscience of the penitent. If he
has been a long time absent from confession, and has
fallen into many mortal sins, greater diligence is neces
sary; less is required if he has been lately at confession,
and has committed but few sins. If, after making a
diligent search, a person forgets a certain sin, but has a
general sorrow for all his sins, the one that he has for
gotten in confession is pardoned, and he is only bound
to confess it at his next confession. When a confessor
tells a scrupulous penitent to make no further exami
nation, and never again to confess what he has now
told, the penitent should be silent, and obey the con
fessor. St. Philip Neri used to say: " Let all who de
sire to advance in the way of God obey their confessor,
who is in the place of God; he who acts thus may be
certain that he shall not have to render to God an ac-

526 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

count of the actions which he performed through obedi
ence." ' And St. John of the Cross said, that " not to
trust in what a confessor says, is pride and a want of
faith." The great reason of this is because our Lord
said to his ministers: He that hearcth you hcarcth Me?

But would to God that all were scrupulous ! Gen
erally, such souls have a tender conscience: let them be
obedient, and they are safe. The misfortune is, that
the majority of Christians have not many scruples;
they commit numberless mortal sins, which they for
get; and afterwards they barely confess the sins that
occur to them at the moment of confession. Thus it
sometimes happens that they do not accuse themselves
of half their sins. Confessions made in this manner are
fruitless; it would be even better to omit them. A his
torian, Nidus- ErithrcEiis or Victor Rossi, relates that a
young man, who had usually made his confession in this
way, sent for a confessor at the hour of death; but be
fore the confessor arrived, a devil came, and showed the
young man a long list of sins omitted in his past con
fessions, through want of diligence in examining his
conscience. The poor young man despaired of sal
vation, and died without making his confession.

Good Christians make an examination of conscience
and an act of contrition every evening. There was a
devout monk lying at the point of death; when his
Superior came and told him to make his confession, he
answered: "Blessed be God! I have for thirty years
made an examination of conscience every evening, and
have made my confession every day as if I were at the
point of death."

My children, when you are preparing for confession,
go to a retired part- of the church; first of all, thank
God for having waited for you till that moment, and

1 Bacci, \. I, ch. 2O.

2 " Qui vos audit, me audit." — Luke, x. 16.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 527

then beg of him to make known to you the number and
the grievousness of your sins. Then begin to pass over
in your mind the places you have frequented, the per
sons with whom you have kept company, and the dan
gerous occasions in which you have been since your last
confession. Examine in this manner all the sins com
mitted during that time by thoughts, by words, and by
deeds: above all, examine yourself on the sins of omis
sion, particularly if you are the head of a family, a
magistrate, or in any similar situation in which persons
do not generally accuse themselves of sins of omission.
But to make the examination in a more orderly manner,
it is better for those who have committed different kinds
of sin to examine themselves on the Ten Command
ments, and see what commandment they have violated,
and whether the violation has been grievous or venial.

He who has had the misfortune of having committed
a mortal sin must go to confession immediately; for he
may die any moment, and be damned. You may say:
" I will go to confession at Easter or Christmas." And
how do you know that you will not die suddenly in the
mean time ? "I hope in God that I shall not !" But
should it happen, what must become of you? How
many have kept saying, Hereafter, hereafter, and are
now in hell: because death came upon them, and they
were not able to make their confession.

St. Bonaventure ' relates, in the life of St. Francis,
that while the saint was going about and preaching, a
gentleman gave him lodging in his house. Moved with
gratitude, St. Francis recommended him to God; and
the Lord revealed to the saint that the gentleman was
in a state of sin, and that his death was at hand. The
saint instantly called him, and made him go to confes
sion to a priest, the companion of the saint. Soon
afterwards the gentleman sat down to dinner, but before

1 Lepcnda S. Franc., c. n.

528 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

he could swallow the first mouthful, he was struck
down with sudden death.

A similar misfortune befell a sinner who was damned
on account of having deferred his confession. Venera
ble Bede J relates that this man, who had been fervent,
fell into tepidity and mortal sin, and deferred confession
from day to day. He was seized with a dangerous ill
ness; and even then put off his confession saying that
he would afterwards go to confession with better dis
positions. But the hour of vengeance had arrived: he
fell into a deadly swoon in which he thought that he
saw hell open under his feet. After he had come to his
senses again, the persons who stood round his bed begged
him to make his confession, but he answered: "There
is no more time; I am damned." They continued to
encourage him. " You are losing time," said he; " I
am damned, I see hell opened; I there see Judas, Cai-
phas, and the murderers of Jesus Christ; and near them
I see my place, because, like them, I have despised the
blood of Jesus Christ by deferring confession for so
long a time." Thus the unhappy man died in despair
without confession, and was buried like a dog outside
the church without having a prayer offered for his soul.

With regard to venial sins, it is useful to confess them;
because the absolution of a confessor remits them. But
there is no obligation of confessing them; for, accord
ing to the Council of Trent, the pardon of them maybe
obtained by other means without confession — such as
by acts of contrition and of charity, or by saying the
" Our Father" with devotion.

Are venial sins also remitted by the use of holy water?
Yes; not directly, but indirectly by way of impetration;
for the Church, by the blessing of the water, obtains
for the faithful who use it acts of repentance and love,
by which sins are cancelled. Hence, after taking holy

1 EC ties. Hist. Angl., 1. 5, c. 15.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 529

water, it will be useful instantly to make an act of sor
row or of the love of God, that the Lord may, in conse
quence of those acts, remit all venial sins that remain
in the soul. Holy water helps also to dispose us to
devotion, and to banish the temptations of the devil,
particularly at the hour of death. Surius tells us of a
dying monk who asked his prior to send away a black
bird from the window. The prior sprinkled the window
with holy water, and the bird, which was really the
devil, flew away. It is also mentioned by Father
Ferrerio that a monk of Cluni at the hour of death saw
his chamber full of devils, but on sprinkling the cell
with holy water they immediately disappeared.

Let us now proceed. We have spoken of the exami
nation regarding mortal and venial sins. But were a
person to do an action with a doubt whether it was a
mortal or a venial sin, what kind of sin would he com
mit? He would be guilty of mortal sin, because he
exposes himself to the danger of grievously offending
God. Hence, before he acts he must lay aside the
doubt; and if he has not hitherto done so, he must con
fess it, at least, as it is before God. But the scrupulous,
who have doubts about everything, must follow another
rule: they must obey their confessor. When he tells
them to conquer their doubts, and to act against scru
ples, they should obey with exactness; otherwise they
will render themselves unable and unfit to perform any
spiritual exercise.

Before I proceed farther I exhort every one of you to
make a general confession, if you have not as yet made
one. And I now speak not only of those whose confes
sions have been sacrilegious on account of having con
cealed sins, or invalid for want of sufficient examination
of conscience, or of sufficient sorrow; but I speak of all
who wish to be permanently converted to God. A gen
eral confession is a great means of bringing about a true
34

530 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

change of life. After her conversion to God, St. Mar
garet of Cortona told all her sins to her confessor, and
thereby made herself so pleasing and dear to God, that
our Lord himself spoke to her and called her, "My sin
ful one; my poor little one." She one day said to Jesus
Christ: "Lord, when wilt Thou call me Thy daughter?'
Jesus Christ answered: "When thou hast made a gen
eral confession of thy whole life then I will call you my
daughter." She made a general confession, and from
that time Jesus Christ always called her his child.

II.

Sorrow.

Sorrow for sin is so necessary, in order to obtain for
giveness, that without it even God himself (at least in
his ordinary Providence) cannot pardon sin. Unless you
shall do penance ', you shall all likewise perish? A person
who dies without making an examination of conscience,
or a confession of his sins, may be saved by making an
act of sincere contrition when he has not time to confess
his sins, nor a priest to whom he can confess them ; but
without sorrow it is impossible to be saved.

And here is the mistake of those people who, in pre
paring for confession, endeavor only to call to mind their
sins, but make no effort to excite a true sorrow for them.
This sorrow we must earnestly ask of God ; and before
we go to the confessional let us say a "Hail Mary" in
honor of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin, that she
may obtain for us a true sorrow for our sins.

To obtain the remission of our sins in the sacrament
of penance, our sorrow for them must have five condi
tions: It must be sincere, supernatural, sovereign, universal,
and accompanied with a hope of pardon.

1 " Nisi poenitentiam habueritis, omnes similiter peribitis." — Luke,
xiii. 3.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 53 1

1. Our sorrow must be sincere; it must be not in the
mouth only, but also in the heart. This ij> the kind of
sorrow required by the Council of Trent: "A sorrow of
the soul, and detestation of sin committed, with a pur
pose of sinning no more." ' The soul, then, must con
ceive a true sorrow, a true displeasure, or regret, and
true bitterness of heart, for the sins that have been com
mitted; it must detest and abhor them, saying, with the
penitent king Ezechias: I will recount to thee all my years
in the bitterness of my soul.'2'

2. The sorrow must be supernatural; that is, it must
arise not from a natural but from a supernatural motive.
It would not be sufficient to repent of your sin because
it has been injurious to your health, your property, or
your reputation. This would be a natural motive, and
sorrow proceeding from such a motive is of no use.
The motive, then, of our sorrow must be supernatural ;
we must repent of sin either on account of its deformity
and brutality, or because it has offended the infinite
goodness of God, or because by it we have deserved
hell, or lost heaven; and thus our sorrow will be either
perfect, that is, contrition, or imperfect, that is, attri
tion, as shall be hereafter explained.

3. Our sorrow must be sovereign. Not that it need be
accompanied with tears and positive sensibility; it is
enough if it be a deliberate calculation of the will, that
it would rather wish to have suffered any positive evil
than to have offended God. Let timid souls who are
always troubled at not feeling sensible sorrow for their
sins attend to this; it is enough for them to repent with
the will — that, is, to be sorry for their sins, desiring to
have lost all things rather than to have offended God.

1 " Animi dolor ac detestatio est de peccato commisso, cum proposito
non peccandi de caetero."— Sess. XIV., cap. iv.

'2 " Recogitabo tibi omnes annos meos, in amaritudine animae meae."
— /y. xxxviii. 15.

532 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

St. Teresa has given an excellent method for knowing
whether a soul has true sorrow for her sins: if she has a
sincere purpose to sin no more, and would be content to
lose all things rather than the grace of God, let her have
confidence; for then there is no doubt that she has true
sorrow for her sins.

4. Our sorrow must be universal — extending to all
grievous offences offered to God, so that there is no
mortal sin that the soul does not detest above all other
evils.

I have said, mortal sin; for to obtain the pardon of one
venial sin it is not necessary to have sorrow for all our
venial sins ; one venial sin may be remitted without the
remission of another; to obtain forgiveness of any venial
sin it is enough to have sorrow for it.

But whether the sin is mortal or venial, God cannot
pardon it unless the soul sincerely repents of it. Let
those who confess only venial sins, for which they have
not sorrow, remember that their confessions are null.
So, when they wish to receive absolution, they must
have sorrow for at least some of the venial faults that
they confess, or must accuse themselves of some sin of
their past life for which they are sincerely sorry.

But, with regard to mortal sins, it is necessary to have
true sorrow for all, and a sincere purpose not to commit
them again; otherwise none of them will be remitted;
for no mortal sin is pardoned without the infusion of
grace into the soul; but this grace cannot exist in the
soul along with mortal sin. Therefore, no one can ob
tain the pardon of one mortal sin without receiving par
don of them all. It is related of St. Sebastian the Martyr,
that he used to heal diseases by the sign of the cross.
One day the saint went to see Cromatius, who was sick,
and promised him health, provided he would burn his
idols. Cromatius burned them, but reserved one of
them, for which he had a special affection; he, there-

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 533

fore, did not recover his health, and began to complain
to the saint; but the saint told him that it was useless
to have burned the other idols as long as he retained
one of them. Thus, it is not enough for the soul to
detest some mortal sins; it must detest them all. For
a person who has committed several mortal sins, it is not
necessary to detest them one by one; it is enough to de
test them all with a general sorrow, as grievous offences
against God. If all be thus detested, though some sin
may have been forgotten, it is forgiven.

5. Our sorrow must be accompanied with the hope of par
don, otherwise it will be like the sorrow of the damned,
who are sorry for their sins, not because they are offences
against God, but because they are the cause of their suf
ferings ; but their sorrow is without hope of pardon.
Even Judas repented of his treason. / have, said he,
sinned in betraying innocent blood.1 But because he did
not hope for pardon, he hanged himself on a tree, and
died in despair. Cain also acknowledged that he had
sinned in killing his brother Abel ; but he despaired of
pardon, and said : My iniquity is greater than that I may
deserve pardon j 2 and therefore he died in a state of dam
nation. St. Francis de Sales says that the sorrow of true
penitents is a sorrow full of peace and consolation ; for
the more a true penitent grieves for having offended
God, the greater his confidence of obtaining pardon, and
the greater his consolation. Hence St. Bernard used to
say: "O Lord ! if it is so sweet to weep for Thee, what
will it be to rejoice in Thee?"3

In order, then, to dispose a soul for the divine pardon
in the sacrament of penance, its sorrow must have these
five conditions. It is necessary also to know that sor-

1 " Peccavi, tradens sanguinem justum." — Matt, xxvii. 4.

2 " Major est iniquitas mea quam ut veniam merear." — Gen. iv. 13.

3 " Si adeo duke est flere pro te, quam duke erit gaudere de te !"—
Sea fa Claustr. c. 6.

534 Instructions for the People. LPART n.

row for sin is of two kinds: perfect and imperfect, The
former is called contrition, the latter attrition*

Contrition is a sorrow for sin, because it is an offence
against the divine goodness. Theologians say that con
trition is a formal act of perfect love of God; for he who
has contrition, is moved by the love which he bears to
the goodness of God to repent of having offended him.
Hence, to make an act of the love of God, saying: " My
God, because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee
above all things; and because I love Thee I am sorry
above all things for having offended Thee," will greatly
assist the soul to make an act of contrition.

The sorrow of attrition is a sorrow for having offended
God, which the soul conceives from a less perfect mo
tive, such as from the consideration of the deformity of
sin, of having deserved hell, or of having lost heaven, in
punishment of its sin.

Thus contrition is a sorrow for sin on account of the
injury offered to God; attrition is a sorrow for an offence
offered to God on account of the injury it does to us.

By contrition the soul immediately obtains the grace of
God, before the penitent receives sacramental absolution
from a confessor, provided he has at least the implied
intention of going to confession and receiving the sac
rament of penance. This we know from the Council of
Trent. "The Holy Synod teaches that, although it may
sometimes happen that this contrition is perfected by
charity, and reconciles man to God, before the actual
reception of this sacrament," 1 etc.

But by attrition the penitent obtains sanctifying grace
only when he actually receives absolution, as we learn

1 " Etsi contritionem hanc aliquando charitate perfectam esse contin-
gat, hominemque Deo reconciliare priusqitam hoc Sacramentum actu
suscipiatur . . . ." — Scss. XIV., cap. iv.

See again the motives given above at n. 2, page 531.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 535

from the same Council. " Although (attrition) without
the sacrament of penance cannot by itself bring the sin
ner to justification, still it disposes him to obtain the
grace of God in the sacrament of penance." ' The word
disposes is understood by Gonet, and most commonly by
other theologians, of the proximate disposition for re
ceiving grace in the sacrament of penance ; nor can it
be understood of the remote disposition ; for, even un
connected with the sacrament, attrition is a good act,
and disposes to grace. But the Council speaks of attri
tion as a disposition in the sacrament, and therefore it
is necessarily to be understood of the proximate dispo
sition.

Here it may be asked whether, in order to obtain ab
solution from sins, it is necessary that attrition be united
with inchoate charity— that is, with the first beginning,
the first spark, of charity. There is no doubt that this
inchoate love is necessary for justification; for the Coun
cil itself teaches that one of the dispositions that the
sinner must have in order to be justified is that he begin
to love God. " They begin to love God, as the fountain
of all justice."2 But a question may be raised as to
what is meant by the beginning of love.

Some say that it means an act of predominant love,
or that the signer should love God above all things; but
for this they have no just grounds; for he who loves God
above all things, loves him with perfect love, and perfect
love remits and destroys sin. Gregory XIII. condemned
a proposition of Michael Baius, which asserted that " the
love of God can exist in the soul along with sin; that
charity, which is the fulfilment of the law, is not always

1 "Quamvis (attritio), sine Sacramento Poenitentiae, per se ad justifi-
cationem perducere peccatorem nequeat, tamen eum ad Dei gratiam in
Sacramento Poenitentiae impetrandam disponit." — Loco cit.

2 " Ilium tamquam omnis justitiae fontem diligere incipiunt."— Sess.
VI., cap. vi.

536 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

united with the remission of sins."1 Baius spoke of
chanty which, according to St. Paul, is the fulfilment of
the law.2 Now what is the charity by which the law is
fulfilled ? It is precisely the predominant love by which
God is loved above all things. St. Thomas teaches, that
by loving God above all things we fulfil the precept of
Jesus Christ : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy
whole heart? These are the words of the holy Doctor :
"When we are commanded to love God with our whole
heart we are given to understand that we ought to love
God above all things." 4 He, then, who loves God above
all things, cannot be in the state of sin. St. Thomas
confirms this doctrine in another place, where he says :
"An act of mortal sin is destructive of charity, which
consists in loving God above all things."5 Hence he
teaches that "Charity cannot exist with mortal sin."6
Besides, we have several passages of Scripture, which
assure us that they who love God are loved by him : /
love them that love Me.1 He that loveth Me shall be loved by
My Path er, and I will love him* He that abideth in charity
abide th in God, and God in him.9 Charity cover eth a multi
tude of sins.™

Hence it follows, that any act of contrition (which is

1 "Charitas ilia quee est plenitudo legis, non est semper conjuncta
cum remissione peccatorum." — Prop. 32.

a " Plenitudo ergo legis est dilectio." — Rom. xiii. 10.

3 " Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo." — Matt. xxii. 37.

4 " Cum mandatur quod Deum ex toto corde diligamus, datur intel-
ligi quod Deum super omnia debemus diliger,e." — 2. 2, q. 44, a. 8.

5 " Actus peccati mortalis contrariatur charitati, quae consistit in hoc
quod Deus diligatur super omnia." — 2. 2, q. 24, a. 12.

6 " Charitas non potest esse cum peccato mortali." — 2. 2, q. 45, a. 4.

7 " Ego diligentes me diligo." — Prov. viii. 17.

8 " Qui autem diligit me, diligetur a Patre meo, et ego diligam
eum." — John, xiv. 21.

9 "Qui manet in charitate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo." — i John,
iv. 16.

10 "Charitas operit multitudinem peccatorum." — i Pet. iv. 8.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 537

also, as we have said, an act of charity), though not in
tense, provided it amounts to contrition, remits all mor
tal sins. Hence the angelic Doctor has written: " How
small soever sorrow may be, provided it is sufficient for
the nature of contrition, it cancels every sin." '

Hence, by inchoate love, united with attrition, we can
not understand predominant love; for such love, though
it be remiss and not intense, is perfect charity ; and
therefore sorrow united with such love would be, not
attrition, but contrition. Hence, were such attrition
necessary, every sinner would be already absolved be
fore he went to confession ; the sacrament of penance
would be, not a sacrament of the dead, but of the living;
and the absolution would be, not a true absolution, but,
as Luther taught, rather a simple declaration of the
absolution already granted. But this is contrary to the
definition of the Council of Trent.3

Therefore, the beginning of charity, which must ac
company attrition, need not be predominant love ; it is
sufficient if it be a simple beginning of love, such as is
the fear of eternal chastisements. The fear of God is the
beginning of His love? Thus the will to offend God no
more is also the beginning of his love. So also the hope
of pardon and of the eternal goods which God promises
to penitents. St. Thomas says that from the moment
that we expect to gain good things from a person, we
begin to love him.' Hence, in preparing for confession,
it is useful to unite with the act of sorrow an act of hope
of pardon through the merits of Jesus Christ. The
Council of Trent says that by this hope the penitent

1 " Quantumcumque parvus sit dolor, dummodo ad contritionis ratio-
nem sufficiat, omnem culpam delet." — Suppl. ad p. 3, q. 5, a. 3.

2 Sess. XIV., can. ix.

3 " Timor Dei, initium dilectionis ejus." — Ecclus. xxv. 16.

4 " Ex hoc quod per aliquem speramus bona, incipimus ipsum amare."
— I. 2, q. 40, a. 7.

538 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

ought to prepare himself to receive from God the remis
sion of his sins. Trusting that God will pardon them for
Christ's sake'

Let it, however, be remembered, that

1. For attrition, the fear of the temporal punishments
with which God chastises sinners in this life is not suffi
cient; for theologians say, that as the punishment of
mortal sin is eternal, so the motive of sorrow for it
ought to be the chastisement of eternal torments.

2. Let it be also observed, that in the act of attrition
it is not enough for the sinner to repent, merely because
he has deserved hell; he must also repent of having
offended God, by deserving hell.

3. Let it also be remembered that the Council of
Trent requires that the act of attrition should be accom
panied not only with the hope of pardon, but also with
the will of sinning no more — with a hope of pardon,2 to
the exclusion of all will of sinning again. Hence, were
a person sorry for his sins, because by them he had de
served hell, but so disposed that, if there were no hell
he would not give up sin, his sorrow would not only be
insufficient, but it would be sinful on account of the
bad disposition of his will.

It follows, then, that an act of attrition should be made
in this way: "My God, because by my sins I have lost
heaven, and have merited hell for all eternity, I am sorry
above all things for having offended Thee." An act of
contrition may be made in this manner: " My God, be
cause Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all
things, and because T love Thee, I am sorry above all
things for all the offences I have offered to Thee, O
Sovereign Good! My God, I purpose never more to

" Fidentes Deum sibi, propter Christum, propitium fore." — Scss.
VI., cap. vi.

"Si voluntatem peccandi excludat, cum spe venise." — Si>ss. xiv.
cap. iv.

CHAP, v.i The Sacrament of Penance. 539

offend Thee. I would rather die than ever offend Thee
more."

And let me here remark that, though attrition alone
is, as has been said, sufficient in order to obtain the
grace of God in the sacrament of penance, still every
person, in preparing for confession, should endeavor to
add to the act of attrition an act of contrition, as well
for greater security as for his own greater profit.

III.
Purpose of Sinning no More.

Sorrow and a purpose of amendment necessarily go
together. " A sorrow of the soul and a detestation of
sin," says the Council of Trent, " along with the pur-
pose of sinning no more."1 The soul cannot have a
true sorrow for sin without a sincere purpose never
more to offend God. Now, in order to be a true pur
pose, it must have three conditions: it must be firm,
universal, and efficacious,

i. It must be firm, so that the penitent resolutely
purposes to suffer every evil rather than offend God.

Some say: " Father, I do not wish ever more to offend
God; but the occasions of sin and my own weakness
will make me relapse: I wish, but shall scarcely be able,
to persevere." My son, you have not a true purpose, and
therefore you say: I wish, I wish. Know that hell is
full of such wishes. It is a mere empty wish, not a true
resolute will or purpose; a true purpose is a firm and
resolute will to suffer every evil rather than to relapse
into sin. It is true that there are occasions of sin; that
we are weak, particularly if we have contracted a habit
of any sin; and that the devil is strong: but God is
stronger than the devil, and with his aid we can conquer

" Animi dolor ac detestatto est de peccato commisso, cum propo-
sito non peccandi de csetero." — Scss. xiv. cap. iv.

540 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

all the temptations of hell. I can do all things, says St.
Paul, in Him who strengtheneth me? It is true that we
ought to tremble at our weakness, and distrust our own
strength; but we ought to have confidence in God that
by his grace we shall overcome all the assaults of our
tempters. Praising,! will call iipon the Lord, said David,
and I shall be saved from my enemies? I will invoke the
Lord, and he will save me from my enemies. He who
recommends himself to God in temptations shall never
fall.

" But, Father, 1 have recommended myself to God,
and the temptation continues." Do you, then, also con
tinue to ask help from God as long as the temptation
lasts, and you will never fall. God is faithful; he will
not permit us to be tempted above our strength. God,
says the Apostle, is faithful, who will not suffer yon to be
tempted above that which you are able* He has promised
to give aid to all who pray for it. For every one that
asketh receiveth? And this promise is made to all — to
sinners, as well as to the just: " For every one that ask
eth receiveth." So there is no excuse for those who
consent to sin; 'for if they recommend themselves to
God, he will stretch out his hand, and support them,
and they wiK not fall. He, then, who falls into sin falls
through his own fault, either because he will not ask aid
from God, or because he will not avail himself of the
aid which the Lord offers to him.

fj. The purpose must be universal ; that is, it must be
a purpose of avoiding ever}'- mortal sin. Saul was com
manded by God to put to death all the Amalecites, and
all their cattle, and to burn all their goods. What did

1 " Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat." — Phil. iv. 13.

2 " Invocabo Dominum, et abinimicis meis salvusero." — Ps. xvii. 4.

3 " Fidelis autem Deus est, qui non patietur vos tentari supra id quod
potestis." — I Cor. x. 13.

4 " Omnis enim qui petit, accipit." — Matt. vii. 8.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 541

he do? He slew a great multitude of men and of cat
tle, and burnt a large quantity of their goods; but he
saved the life of the king, and preserved what was most
valuable of the property; and on account of this con
tempt of God's commandment he merited his maledic
tion. Many penitents imitate Saul; they purpose to
avoid some sins, but they cannot give up some danger
ous familiarity, or some goods that they have a scruple
about retaining, or some cherished feelings of anger and
ill-will against a neighbor, or some hankering after re
venge. Such persons wish to divide their heart, giving
one half to God, and the other to the devil. The devil
is content with his portion, but God is not satisfied with
a part of their heart. Every one knows the history of
Solomon — how two women came to him, each claiming
to be the mother of the child who was still left alive.
He ordered the infant to be divided, and one half to be
given to each of them. Divide the living child in two.1
The woman who was not the mother of the child re
mained silent and was satisfied with the order of the
king; but the true mother said: I beseech thee, my lord,
give her the child alive, and do not kill it.'' " No, my lord,
if my child must die, I prefer that she should have it
entire." Solomon concluded that she was the true
mother of the child, and gave it to her. Thus, the devil
because he is our enemy, and not our father, is content
to have a part of our heart; but God, who is our true
Father, is not satisfied unless he has the whole of it.
No man, says Jesus Christ, can serve two masters* God
does not accept for his servants those who wish to serve
two masters; he wishes to be our only Lord, and he

1 " Dividite infantem vivum in duas partcs."— 3 Kings, iii. 25.
* "Obsecro, domine, date illi infantem vivum, et nolite interficere
cum."

a " Nemo potest duobus dominis servire." — Matt. vi. 24.

542 Instructions for t lie People. [PART n.

justly refuses to be the companion of the devil in the
possession of our hearts.

Our purpose, then, must be universal : it must be a
purpose of avoiding all mortal sins. I say mortal sins j
for, with regard to venial sins, a person may have a pur
pose of avoiding one and not another, and such a pur
pose is sufficient for a good confession. However, souls
that fear God purpose to abstain from all fully deliberate
venial sins; and with regard to indeliberate venial sins,
or sins committed without a full consent of the will,
they purpose to commit as few of them as possible; to
avoid all such sins is impossible on account of the weak
ness of our nature. Most Holy Mary only (as we have
said in the beginning of this work) ' was free from all,
even indeliberate venial sins, as the Council of Trent
has declared, saying that it is impossible for a man u to
avoid during his whole life all sins, venial as well as
mortal, unless by a special privilege of God, as the
Church holds with regard to the Blessed Virgin."2 And
this is one of the strongest proofs that the divine Mother
was exempt from original sin; for, had she been stained
with it, she could not, in the course of nature, have been
free from all, even indeliberate venial sins. Let us pro
ceed.

3. The purpose must be efficacious— that is, it must
make us practise all the means necessary to avoid sin;
and one of the most necessary of these means, is to
avoid the occasions of relapsing into sin. This is a
most important point; for were men careful to fly from
evil occasions, from how many sins would they abstain,
and thus how many souls would escape damnation !
The devil does not gain much without an occasion.

1 Pages 360 and 363.

2 " Posse in tota vita pcccata omnia, etiam venialia, vitare, nisi ex
speciali Dei privilegio, quern admodum de Beata Virgine tenet Eccle-
sia." — Sess. vi. cap. xxiii.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 543

But when a person voluntarily exposes himself to the
occasion of sin, particularly of sins against chastity, it
is morally impossible for him not to fall.

It is necessary to distinguish proximate from remote
occasions. The remote occasion is that to which all are
exposed, or in which men seldom fall into sin. Tht proxi
mate occasion is that which by itself ordinarily induces to
sin, such as unnecessary familiarity of young men with
women of bad reputation. An occasion in which a person
has frequently fallen is also called a proximate occasion.
But occasions which are not proximate for others may be
proximate for a particular person, who on account of
his bad disposition or on account of a bad habit has
frequently fallen into sin. They are in the proximate
occasion of sin: i. Who keep in their house a woman
with whom they have committed sin. 2. They who go
to taverns, or to any particular house in which they
have frequently fallen into sin by quarrelling, or drunk
enness, or immodest words or actions. 3. They who in
gaming have been frequently guilty of fraud, or quar
rels, or of blasphemies. Now, no one can receive abso
lution unless he purpose firmly to avoid the occasion of
sin; because to expose himself to such occasions, though
sometimes he should not fall into sin, is for him a griev
ous sin. And when the occasion is voluntary and is
actually existing at the present time, the penitent can
not be absolved until he has actually removed the occa
sion of sin. For penitents find it very difficult to re
move the occasion; and if they do not take it away be
fore they receive absolution they will scarcely remove
it after they have been absolved.

Much less is he fit for absolution who refuses to
remove the occasions, and only promises that in them
he will not commit sin for the future. Tell me, my
brother, do you expect that tow thrown into the fire
will not burn? And how ran you expect that if you

5 44 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

expose yourself to the occasion of sin you will not fall ?
And your strength, says the prophet, shall be as the ashes
of tow, . . . and both shall burn together, and there shall be
none to quench it.1 Oijr strength is like the strength of
tow to resist fire, A devil was once compelled to tell
what sermon was most annoying to him. He answered :
" The sermon on the occasions of sin." As long as we
do not remove the occasions of sin, the devil is satisfied:
he cares not about our purposes, promises, or oaths;
for as long as the occasion is not removed the sin will
not cease. The occasion (particularly of sins against
chastity) is like a veil placed before the eyes, and does
not allow us to see God, or hell, or heaven. In a word,
the occasion blinds the sinner; and how can the blind
keep himself in the straight way to heaven? He will
wander into the road to hell without knowing where he
is going; and why ? Because he does not see. For all,
then, who are in the occasion of sin, it is necessary to do
violence to themselves in order to remove the occasion;
otherwise they will remain always in sin.

Here it is necessary to remark that for some who are
more strongly inclined to evil, and who have contracted
a habit of any vice, particularly the vice of impurity,
certain occasions are proximate or nearly proximate
which for others would be remote. Hence, if they do
not avoid them they will be always relapsing into the
same crimes like a dog returning to his vomit.

" But, Father," some one may say, " I cannot separate
from such a person; I cannot leave such a house with
out sustaining great loss." Do you then mean that the
occasion to which you are exposed is not voluntary, but
necessary? If it be necessary, you must, if you cannot
remove it, at least adopt the means of making it remote.
What are these means? There are three means: the

1 " Erit fortitude vestra ut favilla stuppre: . . . et succendetur. . . .
et non erit qui extinguat." — fact. i. 31.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 545

frequentation of the sacraments, prayer, and avoiding
familiarity with the person with whom you have sinned.

The frequentation of the sacraments of penance and
Eucharist would be in one respect the best means; but
it ought to be known that in necessary proximate occa
sions of incontinence it is a great remedy to withhold
absolution in order to make the penitent more diligent
in adopting the other two means, namely, to recommend
himself frequently to God, and to avoid familiarity.
When you rise in the morning, you must renew the
resolution of not yielding to sin all that day; and you
must pray for help, not only in the morning, but also
several times during the day before the Most Holy
Sacrament, or before the Crucifix; and must beg of the
Most Holy Mary to obtain for you grace not to relapse.
The other means to which it is absolutely necessary to
attend is to avoid all familiarity with the accomplice by
not remaining with her alone, by not looking at her
face, not conversing with her, and by speaking to her
(when strictly necessary) in such a manner as to show
a dislike for her society. This is the most important
means of making proximate occasions become remote,
but he who has already received absolution will scarcely
practise this means; and, therefore, in such cases, it is
expedient to defer absolution until the proximate occa
sion becomes remote. But to render such occasions
remote, eight or ten days are not sufficient; a long time
is necessary.

But should the penitent after adopting all these
means always relapse, what is the last remedy? It is
that which the Gospel recommends: If thy right eye
scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee.1 Al
though it were your right eye, you must pull it out, and
cast it to a distance from you. " It is better," says our

" Si oculus tuus dexter scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs
te." — Matt. v. 29.
35

546 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

Lord, " to lose thy eye than having it to be cast into
hell." In such a case, then, you must remove the occa
sion, or you must certainly go to hell.

IV.
Confession.

Confession, in order to be good, must be entire,
humble, and sincere.

i. THE CONFESSION MUST BE ENTIRE.

He who has offended God by mortal sin has no other
remedy to prevent his damnation but the confession of
his sin. " But, if I am sorry for sin from my heart? If
I do penance for it during my whole life ? If I go into
the desert and live on wild herbs, and sleep on the
ground ?" You may do as much as you please; but if
you do not confess every mortal sin that you remember,
you cannot obtain pardon. I said, a sin that you remem
ber; for should you have involuntarily forgotten a sin,
it has been pardoned indirectly if you had a general
sorrow for all your offences against God. It is sufficient
for you to confess it whenever you remember it. But if
you have concealed it voluntarily, you must then confess
not only the sin that has been concealed, but also the
others that have been confessed; for the confession was
null and sacrilegious.

Accursed shame: how many poor souls does it send
to hell ! St, Teresa used to say over and over again to
preachers: " Preach, O my priests, preach against bad
confessions; for it is on account of bad confessions that
the greater part of Christians are damned."

A disciple of Socrates went one day into the house of
a woman of bad repute. As he was leaving the house

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 547

he perceived that his master was passing, and to avoid
being seen by him he went back into the house. But
Socrates, who had seen him at the door, put his head
in at the door, and said to him: " It is a shame to enter,
but it is no shame to depart from this house." In "the
same way I say to those who have committed sin, and
are afterwards ashamed to confess it, " My child, it is a
shame to commit sin, but it is no shame to free yourself
from sin by telling it in confession." The Holy Ghost
says, There is a shame that bringeth sin, and there is a shame
that bringeth glory and grace? We ought to avoid the
shame that makes us the enemies of God, but not the
shame that arises from the confession of sin, and that
enables us to recover the grace of God and the glory of
paradise,

What shame! What shame! Was it a shame in so
many holy penitents — in St. Mary Magdalene, in St.
Mary of Egypt, in St. Margaret of Cortona — to confess
their sins ? Their confessions have enabled them to
attain paradise, where, as queens of that great kingdom,
they enjoy God, and shall enjoy him for all eternity.
St. Augustine, after his conversion to God, not only con
fessed the wickedness of his life, but also wrote a book,
in which he published his sins, that the whole world
might know them.

St. Antonine relates that a prelate once saw a devil
beside a woman at confession. The prelate asked him
what he was doing. The devil answered: "I am ful
filling the precept of restitution: when I tempted this
woman to sin, I took away her shame; I am now re
storing it, that she may not confess her sin." This, as
St. John Chrysostom says, is one of the artifices of the
devil. " God joined shame to sin, confidence to confes
sion. The devil inverts the whole thing. He joins con-

1 " Est enim confusio adducens peccatum, et est confusio adducens
gloriam et gratiam." — Ecclus. iv. 25.

548 Instructions for tJie People. [PART n.

fidence to sin, shame to confession."1 The wolf seizes
the sheep by the throat, that it may not be able to cry
out; thus he carries it off and devours it. This the
devil does with certain miserable souls; he catches them
by the throat, that they may not confess their sins, and
thus he drags them to hell.

In the life of Father John Ramirez, of the Society of
Jesus, it is related that, while preaching in a certain
city, he was called to hear the confession of a girl who
was dying. She was of noble birth, and had apparently
led a holy life; she went frequently to Communion,
fasted, and performed other mortifications. At death
she confessed her sins to Father Ramirez with many
tears, so that he was greatly consoled. But, after re
turning to the college, his companion said that while
the young lady was making her confession he saw a
black hand squeezing her throat. The Father imme
diately returned to the house of the sick lady, but be
fore entering he heard that she was dead. He then re
turned to his college, and while he was at prayer the
deceased appeared to him in a horrible form, surrounded
by flames, and bound in chains, and said that she was
damned on account of a sin committed with a young
man, which she voluntarily concealed in confession
through shame, and that at death she wished to confess
it, but the devil induced her, through the same shame, to
conceal it. After these words she disappeared, amid the
most frightful howling and terrific clanking of chains.

My daughter, have you committed sin ? Why are you
now unwilling to confess it ? You may say, / am
ashamed. " Unhappy soul," says St. Augustine, " you
think only of the shame, but do not reflect that unless
you confess the sin you will be damned ! You are

1 " Pudorem dedit Deus peccato, confession! fiduciam. Invert it rem
diabolus: peccato fiduciam pnebet, confession} pudorem." — De Pcenit.
horn. 3.

CHAP, v.j 77/6- Sacrament of Penance. 549

ashamed, but," adds the saint, " you are not ashamed to
inflict a wound on your soul, and are you now ashamed
to apply a healing band ?" " O madness," adds the
saint, " you do not blush for the wound; all your blushes
are for the bandage of the wound I"1 The Council of
Trent says, the physician cannot heal a wound unless
he sees and understands it.'2

Oh! what destruction falls on the soul that conceals
a mortal sin in confession through shame! " The
remedy," says St. Ambrose, " becomes a triumph to the
devil."3 After a victory soldiers make a pompous dis
play of the arms taken from the enemy. The devil
makes the same triumphal display of the sacrilegious
confessions, boasting of having taken from the souls the
arms with which they might conquer him! Miserable
the soul that thus converts a remedy into poison! That
unhappy woman had but one sin on her conscience; but
because she concealed it in confession, she committed
sacrilege, and so the devil triumphed.

Tell me, my sister, if, in punishment of not confessing
a certain sin, you were to be burnt alive in a caldron of
boiling pitch, and if, after that, your sin were to be re
vealed to all your relatives and neighbors, would you
conceaj. it ? No, indeed, if you knew that by confessing
it your sin would remain secret, aud that you would
escape being burnt alive. Now, it is more than certain
that, unless you confess that sin, you will have to burn
in hell for all eternity, and that on the day of judgment
it will be made known to the whole human race. We
must all, says the Apostle, be manifested before the judg
ment-seat of Christ? If, says the Lord,_>w/: do not confess

1 "O insania ! de vulnere non erubescis, de ligatura vulneris eru-
bescis !"— In Ps. 1. n. 8.

~2 " Quod ignorat, medecina non curat." — Sess. xiv. cap. 5-

3 " Remedium fit ipsi diabolo triumphus."

4 " Omnes enim nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi." — i.
Cor. v. 10.

550 Instructions for t lie People. LI*ART 11.

the evil you have done, I will proclaim your ignominy to all
nations ; I will discover thy shame to thy face, and will show
. . . thy shame to kingdoms}

Have you committed sin? If you do not confess it
you shall be damned. Therefore, if you wish to be
saved, you must confess it some time or other. And if
at some time or other, why not now? as St. Augustine
says.2 What do you wait for? Is it for death, after
which you will not be able to make a confession ? And
know that the longer you conceal your sin and multiply
sacrileges, the greater your shame and obstinacy in con
cealing it will become. " Obstinacy proceeds from the
keeping back of sin," says St. Peter de Blois.3 How
many miserable souls, who have formed a habit of con
cealing their sins, saying, "When death is near, then I
will confess it," have not confessed it even at the hour
of death!

I would have you also to know that, unless you con
fess the sin you have committed, you will never have
peace during your whole life. O God! what a hell will
that miserable woman have within herself who departs
from the confessional without having confessed her sin.
She always carries within her a viper that unceasingly
rends her heart. The miserable being shall suffer a hell
in this life and a hell in the next.

Come, then, my children, if any of you has unfor
tunately fallen into this abyss of misery, if there is any
one among you who has concealed a sin through shame,
come and confess it at once. It is enough for you to
say to the confessor, " Father, I feel ashamed to tell a
certain sin ?" or to say, " Father, I have a scruple re-

1 " Revelabo pudenda tua in facie tua, et ostendam gentibus nudi-
tatem tuam, et regnis ignominiam tuam." — Nah. iii. 5.

2 "Si aliquando, quare non modo ?" — Possidius. Vita Aug. c. 27.

3 " Ex occultatione peccati nascitur cordis obstinatio." — De Conf.
sacramentali.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 551

garding my past life." This is sufficient; for the con
fessor will take care to pluck out the thorn that tortures
you, and thus give peace to your conscience. And oh,
what joy shall you feel after having expelled the viper
from your heart!

To how many persons must you disclose the sin ?
You need only tell it once to one confessor; the evil is
then repaired. And that the devil may not deceive you,
know that we are bound to confess only mortal sins.
Hence, if the sin that you are ashamed to confess were
not mortal, or if, when you were committing it, you
thought it was not mortal, you are not obliged to con
fess it. There are persons who committed some act of
indecency in their childhood, but they then had no idea
nor scruple that it was a mortal sin, and so are not
bound to confess it.

But, Father, it may happen that my confessor will
make known my sin to another. What do you say?
Know that the confessor is bound to suffer himself to
be burnt alive sooner than disclose a single venial sin
confessed by a penitent. The confessor cannot speak
of what he has heard in confession even to the penitent
himself. [That is, without the permission of the peni
tent.]

But I am afraid that the confessor will speak harshly
to me when he has heard the sins I have committed.
What is it you say? Why should he speak harshly to
you ? All these are false suspicions that the devil puts
into your head. Confessors sit in the confessionals not
to hear ecstasies and revelations, but to hear the sins of
those who come to confession; and they cannot experi
ence greater consolation than when a penitent comes to
make known to them his miseries. Were it in your
power to rescue from death, without inconvenience to
yourself, a queen wounded by her enemies, what con
solation would you feel in saving her life! This the

5 5 2 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

confessor does in the confessional when penitents come to
him to disclose the sins they have committed. By giving
them absolution he delivers the souls of his penitents
that had been wounded by sin, and he delivers them
from the eternal death of hell.

St. Bonaventure1 relates in the life of St. Francis that
a certain lady, after she was seen to breathe her last
and before she was buried, suddenly rose up in the bed,
and trembling, and full of terror, said that her soul,
having departed from her body, was on the point of
being plunged into hell for having concealed a sin in
confession, but that she was brought into this life again
by the prayers of St. Francis. She then called for a
confessor, made her confession with many tears, and
afterwards told the bystanders to beware of concealing
sins in confession, because God will not show to all the
mercy with which he had treated her. After these
words she again gave up the ghost.

Should the devil tempt you to conceal a sin in con
fession, give him the answer that he received from a
woman called Adelaide. She had been in the habit of
sin with a young man who, through despair, had put
an end to his life with his own hands, and was damned.
She then entered into a monastery to do penance; and
as she was going one day to confession the devil said to
her: " Adelaide, where are you going ?" She answered:
" I am going to confound myself and you by confessing
my sins."2 When the devil tempts you to conceal your
sins in confession, let your answer be: "I am going to
confound myself and you."

I have, at the end of this little book, written down
some instances of persons who have been damned for
concealing their sins in confession through a false shame.

1 Legenda S. Franc, mirac. § 2.

2 Cesaire. Dial. \. 3, c. 13.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 553

2. THE CONFESSION MUST BE HUMBLE.

A penitent at confession should imagine himself to be
a criminal condemned to death, bound by as many
chains as he has sins to confess; he presents himself be
fore the confessor, who holds the place of God and who
alone can loose his bonds and deliver him from hell.
Therefore he must speak to the confessor with great
humility. The Emperor Ferdinand, wishing to go to
confession in his chamber, handed a chair to the con
fessor. When those who were in the room appeared
surprised at so great an act of humility, the emperor
said: " Father, I am now a subject, and you are my
Superior."

Some argue with the confessor, and speak to him with
as much haughtiness as if they were his Superiors;
what fruit can they derive from such confessions? It is
necessary then, to treat your confessor with respect.
Speak to him always with humility, and with humility
obey all his commands. When he reproves you, be
silent, and receive his admonitions with humility; ac
cept with humility the remedy that he prescribes for
your amendment.

Do not get into a passion with him nor think him un
just and uncharitable. What would you say if you saw
a sick man, who, while the surgeon opens the impos-
thume, treats him as a cruel and uncharitable man ?
Would you not say that he was mad ? " But he tor
tures me." Yes; but it is by this torture that you are
cured: without it you would die.

If the confessor tells you that he cannot absolve you
until you have restored certain goods belonging to an
other, obey him, and do not be importunate for absolu
tion: do you not know that he who has received abso
lution does not afterwards make restitution ?

Does the confessor order you to return for absolution

554 Instructions for the People* [PART n.

in a week or a fortnight, and in the mean time to re
move the occasion of sin, to pray to God, to be firm in
resisting all temptations to relapse into sin, and to prac
tise all the other means that he recommends to you?
Obey, and you shall thus free yourself from sin; do you
not see that hitherto, when you were absolved immedi
ately, you have, after the lapse of a few days, fallen
again into the same crimes ? " But if in the mean
time death comes upon me ?" But God has not hitherto
taken away your life, when you continued so long a
time in sin, and never thought of returning to him; will
he, now that you desire to amend your life, send you a
sudden death ? "But it maybe that death will come
upon me during the time for which absolution is de
ferred." And if this may happen during that time,
make acts of contrition continually. I have already
said1 that he who has the intention of going to confes
sion and makes an act of contrition instantly receives
pardon from God.

Of what use is it to receive absolution as often as you
go to confession when you do not renounce sin ? All
these absolutions shall add to the fire that will torment
you in hell. Listen to this fact. A gentleman con
tracted a habit of sin; he found a confessor who always
absolved him, though he always relapsed. He died,
and was seen in hell carried on the shoulders of an
other person who was also damned. Being asked who
it was that carried him, he answered: "He is my con
fessor, who, by absolving me as often as I went to con
fession, has brought me to hell. I am damned, and he
who brought me to hell is also damned."

Do not then, O my brother, be angry when the con
fessor defers absolution, and wishes to see how you con
duct yourself in the mean time. If you always relapse
into the same sin, although you have confessed it, the
1 Page 534.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 555

confessor cannot absolve you unless you give some ex
traordinary and manifest sign that you have the neces
sary dispositions. And, if he gives you absolution, you
and he are condemned to hell. Be obedient, then; do
what he bids you; for, when you return, after having
ione what he prescribed, he will certainly absolve you,
and thus you shall be delivered from the sin that you
have been in the habit of committing.

3. THE CONFESSION MUST BE SINCERE.

The confession must be sincere, that is, without lies
or excuses.

1. Without lies : lies told in confession, when they are
in matters of small moment, are not mortal sins; but
they are more grievous than other lies. But when the
matter is grievous, such lies a-re mortal sins. For ex
ample, it would be a mortal sin for a pentitent to accuse
himself of a mortal sin that he has not committed or to
deny a mortal sin that he has committed and has never
confessed, or to deny that he had a habit of a certain
sin; for in all these he would be guilty of grievously
deceiving the minister of God.

2. Without lies, and without excuses. In the tribunal
of penance the criminal must be his own accuser; he
must be an accuser, not an advocate to excuse his guilt.
The more sincerely a man accuses himself, without ex
tenuating his fault, the more readily shall he obtain
absolution and mercy from God. It is related that the
Duke of Ossuna, being one day in a galley, went about
among the slaves, asking for what crime they had been
condemned. All answered that they were innocent;
only one acknowledged that he deserved severer punish
ment. The viceroy said: " Then it is not right to have
you here among so many innocents;" and therefore
ordered him to he released. Now, how much more will

556 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

God pardon him who confesses his sins, without ex
cuses, in the tribunal of penance.

How many are there who make their confession
badly! Some tell their confessor the' few good actions
that they perform, but do not speak of ' their sins.
"Father," they say, "I hear Mass every day; I say the
beads; I do not blaspheme; I do not swear; I do not
take my neighbor's property." Well, what then? Do
you want to be praised by the confessor? Confess your
sins; examine your conscience, and you will find a
thousand things to be corrected: detractions, unclean
expressions, lies, imprecations, unclean thoughts, hatred.

Others, instead of accusing themselves, begin to de
fend their sins, and to dispute with the confessor.
" Father," they say, " I blaspheme because I have a
master that cannot be borne; I have indulged myself in
hatred to a neighbor, because she has spoken ill of me;
I have committed sin with men, because I had nothing
to eat." What benefit do you expect from such confes
sions ? What is your object ? Is it that the confessor
may approve of your sins? Listen to what St. Gregory
says: "If you excuse yourself, God will accuse you; if
you accuse yourself, God will excuse you."1 Our Lord
complained bitterly to St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi of
those who excuse their sins in confession, and throw the
blame of their own faults upon others, saying: " Such a
person has been the occasion of my sin: such another
has tempted me." Thus they come to confession to
commit new sins; for, in order to excuse their own sins,
they injure a neighbor's reputation without necessity.
Such persons should be treated as a confessor treated a
woman who, in order to excuse her own sins, told all
the bad actions of her husband. ." For your own sins,"
said the confessor, " you will say the ' Hail Holy Queen! '
once; and for the sins of your husband, you will fast

1 " Site excusas, Deus te accusabit; si te accusas, Deus te excusabit."

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 557

every day for an entire month." But must I do penance
for the sins of my husband ? Yes, if you confess all the
sins of your husband in order to excuse your own sins.
Thus, my sisters, confess henceforth your own sins, and
not the sins of others, and say: u Father, it was not my
companion, nor the occasion of sin, nor the devil, but
my own malice, that made me voluntarily offend God."

It is, indeed true, that you must sometimes make
known to the confessor the sin of another, either in
order to explain the species of some sin, or to make the
confessor understand the danger to which you were ex
posed, that he may be able to give you useful advice for
the regulation of your conduct. But when you can go
to another confessor, to whom the person is unknown,
go to him. If, in changing your confessor, you should
suffer a notable inconvenience; or if you think that your
ordinary confessor, because he is better acquainted with
the state of your conscience, can give you more useful
counsel, — you are not obliged to go to another confes
sor. However, you should endeavor to conceal the
accomplice as well as you can; for example, it is suffi
cient to tell the state of the person, if she is a young
girl, if she is married, or if she has made a vow of chas
tity, without mentioning her name.

St. Francis de Sales warns penitents not to make use
less accusations in confession, nor to mention circum
stances through habit. " I have not loved God with all
my strength; I have not received the sacraments as I
ought; I have had but little sorrow for my sins." All
these are useless words; they are a loss of time. " I
accuse myself of the seven deadly sins, of the five senses
of the body, and of the ten commandments of God."
Give up these useless accusations; it is better to tell the
confessor some defect into which you are for a long time
accustomed to fall, without any amendment. Confess,
then, the faults that you wish to correct. Of what use

558 Instructions for the People. LPART n.

is it to say: " I accuse myself of all the lies I have told,
of all my detractions, of all the imprecations I have
uttered? When you do not give up these vices, and
when you say that you cannot avoid them, of what use
is it to confess them ? It is only a mockery of Jesus
Christ, and of the confessor. When, then, my children,
you accuse yourselves of such faults, even though they
should be only venial sins, confess them with a purpose
of not relapsing into them.

V.
The Penance Imposed by the Confessor.

Satisfaction, which we call the penance, is a necessary
part of the sacrament of penance. It is not precisely
essential, because without it the confession may be valid,
as would be the case if a penitent were dying and unable
to perform suitable penance. But it is an integral part;
so that, should a person at confession not have the in
tention of performing the penance enjoined the confes
sion is null; for the penitent is obliged, in confessing
his sins, to have the intention of complying with the
penance imposed by the confessor. But if he has the
intention of performing the penance, and afterwards
neglects to fulfil it, the confession is valid; but he is
guilty of a mortal sin if the penance be great.

It is necessary to know that, when a person commits
a sin, he contracts the guilt, and renders himself liable
to the punishment due to the guilt of sin. By the abso
lution of the confessor the guilt and the etefnal punish
ment are remitted, and when the penitent has intense
contrition, all the temporal punishment is also remitted.
But when the contrition is not so great the temporal
penalties remain to be suffered either in this life or in
purgatory, as the Council of Trent teaches ' where it

1 Sess. xiv, cap. viii.

CHAP, v.] The Sacrament of Penance. 559

says, that the sacramental penance is not only a payment
of the penalty that we have deserved, but also a means
of cure for the base affections left in us by sin — our
passions, bad habits, and hardness of heart; and that,
moreover, it strengthens us against a relapse into the
same sin. Therefore, my children, go to confession
every week, or at least every fortnight, but never allow
a month to pass without approaching the tribunal of
penance.

What sort of sin is it not to perform the penance im
posed by a confessor? If the penance is light, the
omission of it is a venial sin: if great, it is a mortal sin.
If the fulfilment of the penance enjoined should become
very difficult, it may be changed by the same or by an
other confessor.

How soon after confession must the penance be per
formed ? It must be performed within the time fixed
by the confessor; and should he not fix a time, it ought
to be performed within a short time; for when the pen
ance is great, and particularly when it is medicinal, to
defer the performance of it for a long time would be a
mortal sin.

Should a penitent have the misfortune of falling into
mortal sin after confession, is he still bound to fulfil the
penance? Yes; he is obliged to fulfil it. And does he
satisfy his obligation by performing the penance in the
state of sin ? Yes: he also complies with his obligation.

But, alas! many goto confession, accept the penance
enjoined, but afterwards do not comply with it. "But,
Father, I am not able to do all that my confessor has
imposed upon me." And why did you accept a penance
that you knew you could not perform ? I recommend
you to speak plainly, and to say to the confessor:
" Father, I am afraid that I shall not do all that you
have imposed on me; give me a lighter penance." Of
what use is it to say: Father, I will do it; Father, I will
do it; and afterwards to do nothing?

560 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

But know that, if you omit your penance in this life,
you will have to perform far greater penance in purga
tory. Turlot J relates that a sick man, who was confined
to bed, and afflicted with many pains for a year, prayed
to God to release him from life. God sent an angel to
tell him to choose either to go to purgatory for three
days, or to submit to his pains foranother year. The sick
man chose the three days in purgatory, where after his
death, he was visited by the angel. He complained
that the angel had deceived him, and that he was suf
fering there, not for three days, but for several years.
The angel said to him, "What! a day has scarcely
passed; your body is not yet buried; and you say that
you are suffering here for several years !" The deceased
then besought die angel to bring him back again to life,
that he might suffer his former infirmities for another
year. His prayer was heard; and after having returned
to life, he encouraged all that came to visit him, to suffer
with cheerfulness all the pains of the present rather
than wait for the pains of the next life.

Would to God the penitents performed all the penance
due to their sins! Ordinarily speaking, almost all have
to suffer some of the temporal punishment that awaits
them. Of several persons who led a holy life, we read
that they have been for some time in purgatory. Let us,
then, endeavor, in addition to our sacramental penance,
to perform other good works, alms, deeds, prayers, fasts,
and mortifications. Let us also endeavor to gain as
many indulgences as we can. Holy indulgences dimin
ish the pains that we must suffer in purgatory. I will
here mention some of the many indulgences which you
can obtain.*

1 Trhor de la Doctr. Ckrtt., p. 4, ch. 5, lee. ii,

* Many of these indulgences have been modified since the time of
our holy author. See Raccolta. — ED.

GHAP. v.j 77/6' Sacrament of Penance. 56 1

1. He who hears Mass gains an indulgence of 3800
years.

2. He who wears the scapular of Mount Carmel, ob
serves chastity, according to his state, abstains from
meat on Wednesdays, and recites every day the " Our
Father," "Hail Mary!" and " Glory be to the Father,"
etc., seven times, will soon be delivered from purgatory,
as we read in the Office of the Blessed Virgin of Mount
Carmel. There are also many indulgences gained by
wearing the scapulars of the Blessed Virgin in Sorrow,
of the Conception, and of Mercy.

3. He who says the "Angelas Domini" when the bell
rings for it, gains many indulgences.

4. They who say: " Blessed be the holy, immaculate
and most pure Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,"
gain an indulgence of a hundred years.

5. To those who say the "Hail Holy Queen!" is
granted an indulgence of forty days.

6. For saying the " Litany of the Blessed Virgin "
there is an indulgence of two hundred days.

7. For pronouncing the names of Jesus and Mary,
twenty-five days, and for bowing the head at these
names, twenty days more.

8. They who say the " Our Father" and the " Hail
Mary " five times in honor of the Passion of Jesus Christ
and the Dolors of the Virgin Mary, gain an indulgence
of ten thousand years.

9. An indulgence of seven years is granted to those
who make the Christian Acts of Faith, Hope, and
Charity, with the purpose of receiving the sacraments
during life and at death; and they who make these
Acts every day during a month gain a plenary indul
gence.

10. An indulgence of many days is granted for every
time that these Acts are made even when they are re
peated on the same day.

5^2 Instructions for tlic People. [PART n

11. An indulgence of many days is granted to those
who make half an hour's meditation; and a plenary in
dulgence to those who make it every day for a month,
provided they go to confession and Communion in the
same month.

12. An indulgence of five years is granted to those
who accompany the viaticum, and of six years to those
who accompany it with light; and an indulgence of a
hundred days to those who, when unable to accompany
it, recite a Pater and Ave for the intention of the Pope.

13. An indulgence of a hundred days is granted to
those who genuflect before the Most Holy Sacrament; to
those who kiss the cross, an indulgence of a year and
four days; to those who bow at the "Gloria Patri,"
thirty days; to those who kiss the religious habit, five
years; to priests who recite before Mass, Ego volo ccle-
brare missam, etc., fifty days.

I beseech you to apply to the souls in purgatory as
many indulgences as you can. Fear not that, in conse
quence of applying them to these holy souls, you shall
have to suffer the temporal pains due to your sins.
Father Rossignoli ' states that at the hour of death St.
Gertrude was afflicted at having done nothing for her
own soul; for she applied all the good that she had done
to the souls in purgatory. Jesus Christ appeared to
her, and said: "Gertrude, be comforted; for your
charity to the souls in purgatory has been so pleasing
to me, that at death you shall escape purgatory, and
shall be accompanied to heaven by all my beloved
spouses, whom your suffrages have delivered from pur
gatory."

1 Marav. di £>to., p. i.

CHAP, vi.j Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 563

CHAPTER VI

EXTREME UNCTION, HOLY ORDERS, AND MATRIMONY.

I HAVE still to speak of these last three sacraments;
but there is little to be said on them for the instruction
of seculars.

The Sacrament of Extreme Unction.

Extreme Unction is a sacrament in which the sick, in
consequence of being anointed by the priest, receive
grace to resist the temptations of the devil, to bear
patiently the pains of sickness, and also to recover their
health, if it should be conducive to the good of their
souls.

The prayer of faith, says St. James, shall save the sick
man, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he be in sins,
they shall be forgiven him.1

i. "Shall save the sick man;" this sacrament prin
cipally saves and heals the soul; but it also, as the
Council of Trent2 teaches, sometimes heals the body,
when the restoration of health is profitable to the soul.
Hence we can infer how useful it may be to the health
of the body to receive Extreme Unction as soon as pos
sible; that is, as soon as the physician declares the dis-

1 " Infirmatur quis in vobis; inducat presbyteros Eccleshe, et orent
super eum, ungentes eum oleo in nomine Domini; et oratio fidei salva-
bit infirmum, et alleviabit eum Dominus; et si in peccatis sit, remitten-
tur ~i." — James, v. 14.

2 " Sanitatem corporis interdum, ubi saluti animae expedierit, (infir-
mus) consequitur."— Sess. xiv. dc Extr. Unct. cap. 2..

564 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

ease to be grievous and dangerous to life, without wait
ing till there is no hope of recovery; because it is then
impossible, in the natural course of things, for the sick
man to recover, and for the restoration of his health it
would be necessary that God should work a miracle.
But when the sick man is in a state capable of being
cured by natural means, the virtue of this sacrament
will, as has been said, obtain for him bodily health, if
his recovery be conducive to his spiritual welfare.
Thus, in order to give this sacrament to the sick, it is
sufficient that their infirmity be grievous, as Benedict
XIV.1 has declared; and the Roman Catechism tells us
that " Parish priests commit a most grievous sin if they
wait for the disease to become desperate, when life and
sensation are beginning to fail, before they will admin
ister the unction." 2

2. But this sacrament principally regards the health
of the soul. " And the Lord shall raise him up." The
Council of Trent explains these words as follows: "It
raises up the soul of the sick man, by exciting in him a
trust in God's mercy, by which he is so lightened, that
it enables him to bear more lightly the pains of his dis
ease, and to resist more easily the temptation of the
devil." J I agree, therefore, with the theologians who
say, that a person who refuses at death to receive Ex
treme Unction can scarcely be excused from grievous
sin; because he voluntarily deprives himself of a great
help to resist the great temptations by which the devil
assails dying persons. After having recovered from a

"Qui gravi morbo laborant." — Bulla 53, §46.

" Gravissime peccant, qui illud tempus aegroti ungendi observare
solent, cum, jam omni salutis spe amissa, vita et sensibus carere inci-
piat."— De Extr. Unct. q. 9.

"^Egroti animam alleviat, magnam in eo divine misericordia
fiduciam excitando, qua infirmus sublevatus, et morbi incommoda
levius fert, et tentationibus daemonis facilius resistit."— Sess. xiv. de.

-, Un(t. cap. jj,

CHAP, vi.i Sacrament of Extreme Unction. 565

a deadly disease, St. Eleazar said, for the instruction of
all, that " we cannot comprehend how terrible are the
assaults that the devil makes upon us at death, in order
to effect our perdition."

3. " And if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him."
This sacrament, as the Council declares, takes away
sins, if any still remain to be expiated, and also the
relics of sin.1 That is, the Extreme Unction delivers us
from the temporal punishments that remain due to our
sins and it also frees us from the relics of sins already
pardoned, — that is, from the darkness of the under
standing, the hardness of heart, from affections to sensi
ble things, from diffidences, and the like. All these are
the relics and effects of past sins, and these the Extreme
Unction takes away.

But to receive all the fruits of this sacrament it is
necessary to be in the state of grace; the sick should,
therefore, first of all confess their sins, and then receive
the most holy viaticum, and afterwards Extreme Unc
tion; for, as the Roman Catechism says,2 this is the per
petual practice of the Church.

That you may be careful, when attacked by grievous
illness, to receive this sacrament as soon as possible, in
order to recover bodily health, if it be expedient for the
soul (as has been already said), listen to an extraordinary
fact, related by St. Bernard, in his life of St. Malachy,
Archbishop of Armagh. The saint relates that St.
Malachy having gone to visit a devout lady, who was
near her end, found her somewhat better, and therefore
deferred till the following day the administration of the
sacrament of Extreme Unction. But scarcely had he
left the house when he heard that the lady was dead.
He was greatly afflicted because she had in consequence

1 " Delicta si quae sint adhuc expianda, ac peccati reliquiasabstergit."
— Sess. xiv. Ibid.

9 DC Extr, Unct, q. 12.

566 Instructions for t/ie People. [PART n.

of his deferring the sacrament died without Extreme
Unction. What did he do ? He began to pray with
great fervor that God would restore the deceased to life
and continued to pray till she returned to life. The
holy prelate instantly gave her the sacrament, and by
its efficacy she perfectly recovered her health, and lived
many years after.

II.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The sacrament of Order comes next. In this sacra
ment is given 'the power of consecrating the body of
Jesus Christ, and of absolving from sin, and of perform
ing other functions to the honor of God; he who re
ceives this sacrament receives by it also grace to per
form worthily these sacred duties.

On this point seculars should mind two things.

The first is, that to become a good ecclesiastic a divine
vocation is necessary. There are three marks by which
a person may know whether he has a divine vocation:
i. a virtuous life; 2. the intention of serving God in the
ecclesiastical state; 3. the advice and approbation of his
confessor. He who takes orders without these three
necessary conditions is guilty of sin, and exposes his
eternal salvation to great danger. And if he commits a
sin, fathers and mothers are guilty of a far greater sin
when they force their children to become priests in
order to assist the family. God has instituted the office
of priesthood, not for the advancement of families, but
for the honor of his divine Majesty, and for the salva
tion of the souls which Jesus Christ has redeemed. Oh !
how many fathers and mothers shall we see condemned
on the day of judgment for having compelled their sons
to become priests without a divine vocation !

2. The second thing that seculars should mind is the

CHAP, vi.] The Sacrament of Matrimony. 567

respect that they ought to pay to priests, because they
are the ministers of Jesus Christ, and because through
them we must be saved; for men are not saved without
the sacraments, and the sacraments are administered
only by the hands of priests. Hence it is necessary to
respect their person as well as their reputation. Touch
not My anointed.1 And in another place our Lord says
to the priesthood: He that hearcth you heareth Me? Be
afraid, then, to despise or calumniate the priest, for God
chastises this sin with great rigor. Theodoret,3 Bishop
of Cirus, relates that St. James, Bishop of Nisibis, before
he was consecrated bishop, went into Persia to visit the
Christians of that country. As he passed by a fountain,
some girls who were washing clothes treated him with
derision. The saint raised his eyes to heaven to recom
mend himself to God, and by a divine inspiration cursed
the fountain, and it instantly became dry. He then
cursed the insolence of the girls, and their hair imme
diately became white as if they were in the decrepitude
of old age, and remained white during their whole life
as a sign of the respect that is due to priests.

The Sacrament of Matrimony.

Matrimony is a sacrament by which man and woman,
giving their consent before the parish priest and two
witnesses, to take each other for husband and wife,
remain bound together for life, and receive the grace to
bring up their children in virtue, and to bear the bur
dens of the married state. But in order to receive this
grace they must be in the state of grace when they are

1 " Nolite tangere christos meos." — Ps. civ. 15.
3 " Qui vos audit, me audit, et qui vos spernit, me spernit."—
x. 1 6.

* Theophil,

568 Instructions for the People. [PART n.

married. Hence before marriage they must make a
good confession, and they ought also to receive the
holy Communion on the morning of their marriage.

They should also know well the articles of faith.
For how can they teach them to their children if they
themselves are ignorant of them ? For this reason
Bendedict XIV. ordained that all who wish to be mar
ried should be first examined by the parish priest
whether they know the points of their faith; and that
if they be found ignorant of them, they should be re
quired to learn them before they are married.

Matrimony is free; but let children remember that it
rarely happens that they can be excused from mortal
sin if they contract marriage against the will of their
father and mother, particularly if they marry without
the knowledge of their parents. From marriages con
tracted against the consent of parents arise a thousand
evils — disputes, hatred, and quarrels. Fathers cannot
without a just cause hinder their children from marry
ing. On the other hand, children should, when they
wish to marry, always endeavor to procure the consent
of their parents, except when it is certain that the
parents will unjustly and unreasonably .refuse their
consent.

Of the obligations of husbands and wives I have
already spoken in explaining the fourth commandment.1

But before we conclude, let us observe in the example
of the son of Tobias2 the manner in which young per
sons should contract marriage. In the city of Rages,
in Media, there was a holy girl called Sara, the daughter
of Raguel, who was greatly afflicted, because seven
young men on the night of their nuptials with her were,
one after the other, strangled by the devil Asmodeus.
The son of Tobias was afterwards destined to be the
spouse of Sara. Having heard of the unhappy death
1 Pages 444 and 456, 2 Tob. vi.

CHAP, vi.] The Sacrament of Matrimony. 569

of her former husbands, he was afraid to contract mar
riage with her. But to remove his fear, the angel Ra
phael, who accompanied him, said: u Know that the
persons over whom the devil has power are those who
engage in matrimony, not to please God, but for sensual
gratification. Do not imitate such persons; take Sara
for your wrife, not to indulge your concupiscence, but
rather to bring up children who shall serve and bless
God, and thus you shall have nothing to fear from the
devil." Thus the holy youth acted, and blessings were
showered down on his marriage. Attend to the four
admonitions which her parents gave to Sara when she
took leave of them.1 First, said they, show respect to
your father-in-law and mother-in-law. Secondly, love
your husband. Thirdly, attend to the government of
the family. Fourthly, conduct yourself in such a manner
that none of your actions may deserve censure. All
women who engage in the married state should attend
to these admonitions.

1 Tob. x. 13.

APPENDIX.

OF PERSONS WHO HAVE MADE SACRILEGIOUS CONFESSIONS.

IN the chronicles of St. Benedict it is related that a
solitary named Pelagius, who kept sheep for his poor
parents, led a life so exemplary that all called him a
saint. He lived in this manner many years. After
the death of his parents he sold the little property that
they had left him and retired into a hermitage. He,
unfortunately, consented once to an unchaste thought.'
After this sin he fell into a state of great melancholy
because he would not confess it, lest he should lose the
good opinion of his confessor. While he was in this
state of melancholy a pilgrim who passed by said to
him : " Pelagius, confess your sin : God will pardon
you, and your peace shall be restored." The pilgrim
then disappeared. After this Pelagius resolved to do
penance for his sin, but not to confess it, flattering him
self that God would perhaps pardon him without con
fession. He entered into a monastery, in which he was
immediately received on account of his reputation for
sanctity, and there led an austere life, crucifying him
self with fasts and penances. At last the hour of death
came : he made his last confession ; as he had always
through shame concealed the sin during life, so he also
concealed it at death ; he received the viaticum, died,

* Sec page 552.

572 Appendix.

and was buried, with the reputation of a saint. On the
following night the sacristan found the body of Pela-
gius out of its grave. He buried it again; but on the
second and third nights he found the body out of the
grave. He called the abbot, who, in the presence of the
other monks, said : " Pelagius, you were always obe
dient during life ; be obedient now also in death. Tell
me, on the part of God, if it be the divine will that your
body be kept in a particular place?" The deceased,
howling, said : " Alas ! I am damned for having con
cealed one sin in confession. O Abbot, look at my
body !" And behold ! his body appeared like red-hot
iron sending forth sparks of fire. All fled away ; but
Pelagius called back the abbot, that he might remove
the consecrated particle that still remained in his
mouth. The abbot removed the sacred host. Pelagius
then told them to take his body out of the church and
to throw it on a dunghill like a dog. It was done as he
desired.

II.

In the annals of the Capuchins we read of one who
was esteemed a saint, but made bad confessions. Be
ing seized with a grievous illness, he was told to go to
confession. He sent for a certain Father, to whom he
said, " My Father, you tell me to go to confession ; but
I will not make any confession." " And why ?" said the
Father. " Because," replied the sick man, " I am
damned; for I have never confessed all my sins ; and
now God deprives me of the power of making a good
confession." After this he began to howl, and to tear
his tongue, saying, " Accursed tongue, that would not
confess sins when you were able." And thus, gnawing
his tongue to pieces, and howling, he breathed forth his
soul into the hands of the devil. After death he be-

Melancholy 'Examples. 573

came black as a cinder, a terrible noise was heard, and
the room filled with an intolerable stench.

III.

Father Seraphine Razzi relates that in a city in Italy
there was a married lady of noble rank who was re
puted a saint. On her deathbed she received all the
sacraments, and died with a high reputation for sanc
tity. After death her daughter, who always recom
mended to God the soul of her mother, heard one day,
while she was at prayer, a great noise at the door. She
turned round, and saw a horrible figure all on fire, and
exhaling a great stench. At this sight she was so much
terrified, that she was on the point of throwing herself
out of the window; but she heard a voice saying:
" Stop, stop, my daughter : I am your unhappy mother,
who was considered a saint; but for some sins commit
ted with your father, which I was ashamed ever to con
fess, God has condemned me to hell. Do not pray to
God for me any more ; for you only increase my pains."
She then began to howl, and disappeared.

IV.

The celebrated Doctor John Ragusino relates that a
certain very spiritual woman practised meditation and
frequented the sacraments, so that she was considered
by her Bishop to be a saint. The unhappy woman
looked one day at a servant, and consented to an un
chaste thought ; but because the sin was only one of
thought, she flattered herself that she was not bound to
confess it. However, she was always tortured with re
morse of conscience, and particularly in her last illness.
But even at death she concealed the sin through shame,
and died without confessing it. The bishop who was
her confessor, and believed her to be a saint, caused her

5 74 Appendix.

body to be carried in procession through the whole
city, and through devotion got her buried in his own
chapel. But on the following morning on entering
the chapel he saw a body above the grave, laid on a
great fire. He commanded it in the name of God to
tell what it was. A voice answered that it was his pen
itent, and that she was damned fora bad thought. She
then began to howl and to curse her shame, which had
been the cause of her eternal ruin.

Father Martin del Rio relates that in the province of
Peru there was a young Indian called Catharine, who
was a servant to a respectable lady. Her mistress in
duced her to receive baptism, and to frequent the sac
raments. She often went to confession, but concealed
some of her sins. Just before her death she made nine
confessions; but they were all sacrilegious. After her
confession she said to her fellow-servants that she con
cealed her sins. They told her mistress, who, on ques
tioning her, found out that these sins were certain acts
of impurity. She therefore told the confessor, who re
turned, and exhorted his penitent to confess all her
sins. But Catharine obstinately refused, and got into
such a state of desperation, that she turned and said to
her confessor, " Father, leave me; take no more trouble:
you are only losing your time ;" and then she turned
her face to him and began to sing some profane songs.
When she was near her end her companions exhorted
her to take the crucifix. She answered: "What cruci
fix? I know not Christ crucified, and I do not wish to
know him." And thus she died. So great were the
noise and stench during the night, that the mistress
was obliged to leave the house. The deceased after-

Melancholy Examples. 575

wards appeared to one of her companions, and said that
she was damned on account of her bad confessions.

VI.

Father Francis Rodriguez relates that in England,
when the Catholic religion flourished in that country,
King Augubert had a daughter, who, on account of her
rare beauty, was sought by many princes. Being asked
by her father whether she wished to marry, she an
swered that she had made a vow of perpetual chastity.
The father obtained a dispensation from the Holy See,
but she resolutely refused to accept it, saying that she
wished for no other spouse than Jesus Christ. She only
asked of her father permission to live a solitary life in
his house. The father, because he loved her, complied
with her request, and assigned to her a suitable main
tenance. In her retirement she began to lead a saintly
life in meditation, fasting, and works of penance, fre
quenting the sacraments, and frequently going to the
hospitals to attend the sick. While she lived in this
manner she fell sick in her youth and died. A certain
lady who had been in her governess, while at prayer
one night, heard a great noise, and saw a soul in the
form of a woman in a strong fire, and bound in chains,
in the midst of a multitude of devils. The soul said,
" Know that I am the unhappy daughter of Augubert."
"What!" replied the governess; " are you damned after
a life so holy?" " Yes," replied the soul; "I am justly
damned through my own fault. "And why?" "You
must know that in my youth I took pleasure in listen
ing to one of my pages, for whom I had an affection,
reading a certain book. Once, after reading the book
for me, the page kissed me; the devil began to tempt
me, till in the end I committed sin with the page. I
went to confession, and began to tell my sin; my indis-

576 Appendix.

creet confessor instantly reproved me, saying, " What!
has a queen been guilty of such a sin ?" I then, through
shame, said it was a dream. I afterwards began to per
form penitential works and give alms, that God might
pardon me without confessing the sin. At death I said
to the confessor that I was a great sinner; he told me
to banish the thought as a temptation. After this I
expired, and am now damned for all eternity." She
then disappeared amid such noise, that the whole world
appeared to be falling in pieces, and left in the chamber
an intolerable stench, which lasted for many days.

VII.

Father John Baptist Manni, of the Society of Jesus
relates that a certain lady had for several years con
cealed in confession a sin of impurity. Two religious
of the Order of St. Dominic passed by the place. The
lady, who was always waiting for a strange confessor,
entreated one of them to hear her confession. When
the Fathers departed, his companion said to the con
fessor of the lady that while she was confessing her sins
he saw many serpents coming from her mouth, but that
there was a large, horrible-looking serpent, whose head
only came out, but afterwards went back entirely into
the lady's mouth. He then saw all the serpents that
came out return again. The confessor went back to the
house of the lady, and on entering heard that she had
died suddenly. Afterwards, when he was at prayer, the
unhappy woman appeared and said to him, " I am the
unfortunate person that made my confession to you; I
committed one sin, which I voluntarily concealed from
the confessors of the place. God sent you to me; but
even then I could not conquer the shame of telling it.
He therefore struck me suddenly dead when you en-

Melancholy Examples. 577

tered the house, and has justly condemned me to hell."
After these words the earth opened, and she fell into
the chasm and instantly disappeared.

VIII.

Saint Antony relates that there was a widow who be
gan to lead a holy life, but afterwards, by familiarity
with a young man, was led into sin with him. After
her fall she performed penitential works, gave alms,
and even entered into a monastery, but never confessed
her sin. She became abbess. She died, and died with
the reputation of a saint. But one night a nun who
was in the choir heard a great noise, and saw a spectre
encompassed with flames. She asked what it was. The
spectre answered, " I am the soul of the abbess, and am
in hell." "And why?" "Because in this world I com
mitted a sin, and have never confessed it. Go, and tell
this to the other nuns, and pray no more for me." She
then disappeared amid great noise.

IX.

In the annals of the Capuchins it is related that a
certain mother, on account of having made sacrilegious
confessions, began at death to cry out that she was
damned for her grievous sins and for her bad confes
sions. Among other things, she said that she was
bound to make restitution to certain persons, and that
she had always neglected to do so. Her daughter then
said to her, " My mother, let what you owe be restored;
I am satisfied to sell all, provided your soul be saved."
The mother answered: "Ah, accursed child! I am
damned also on your account; for I have scandalized
you by my bad example." Thus she continued to howl
37

578 Appendix.

like one in despair. They sent for one of the Capuchin
Fathers. When he arrived he exhorted her to trust in
the mercy of God; but the unhappy woman said:
" What mercy! I am damned: sentence is already passed
upon me, and I have already begun to feel the pains of
hell." While she spoke thus, her body was raised to the
ceiling of the chamber, and dashed with violence against
the floor, and she instantly expired.

INDEX.

ABSOLUTION given to relapsing sinners, 79.

ACTS, Christian, or of Faith, of Hope, and of Charity, 385.

ANGELS, the good and the bad, 366.

ATTRITION, defined and explained, 162, 534.

ALMS, duty toward our neighbor, 394.

BAPTISM, the first sacrament: instruction, 512.

BLESSINGS to be given at the end of the mission, 235. 336. Papal

blessing, 242.

BLASPHEMY: different kinds, 405.
BISHOPS: zeal and care for the missions, 13, 77- So, 86, 287. Powers

to be given to the missionaries, 289.

CATECHISM: the small, 156; the large, 169, 333; hints to the catechist,

156, 169, 349-
CHARITY: definition and motive, 382. Act, 386; when one should

make it, 383, 387. Charity towards our neighbor, 384, 390.
CHASTITY: means of preserving it, 270, 473; sins against this virtue,

466.

COMMUNION: its effects; preparatory acts, 146; thanksgiving, 151; in
struction for the children, 160; frequent Communion, 271, 521.

CONFESSION, or sacrament of penance: instruction, 524- The good
that confessions do in missions, 79, 172, 286; notice to preachers,
119, and to confessors, 288, 290, 298, 312, 31 5- Confession of
children: preparatory acts, 140; instruction, 161. Evil done by
shame to confess certain sins, 317, 54^, 571- Utility of general
confession, 529. How one should confess, 546.

CONFIRMATION, the second sacrament: instruction, 515.

CONFRATERNITY: discourse to its members during the mission, 255;
secret confraternity, 260. Congregation for priests, 281.

580 Index.

CONTRITION, defined and explained, 161, 530. Act that one should not

omit in mission sermons, 35, 223.
CONTUMELY, defined and explained, 506.
CORRECTION, paternal, when it must be made, 395.
CREATION of the universe, 366.
CROSSES: the erection of mission crosses, 247.
CRUCIFIX, use to be made of it during the exercises of the mission: at

the trailing of the tongue on the ground, 122; at the exhortation

of peace, 124; at the exercise for the children, 142, 145; before

communion, 149; at the end of the sermon or discourse, 223, 260,

276; at the last sermon, 238, 239, 242.
CHURCH: definition and explanation, 368, 373; her commandments,

165, 509.
CHILDREN, in the missions : preparatory acts for confession, 140;

soliloquies and procession for communion, 146; catechism, 156;

sermon, 165. Duties of children towards their parents, 436, 568.

At what age children should confess and communicate, 453, 522.

DEATH: the missionary shows a skull, 168, 244.

DECALOGUE: instruction for the children, 163; for the people, 366.

Advice in regard to the Sixth Commandment, 176.
DEMONS, bad angels, 366.
DETRACTION, defined and explained, 502.

EUCHARIST: instruction for the children, 160; for the people, 518. See
Communion^ Sacramettts.

EXAMINATION of conscience for confession, 525.

EXAMPLES: Blasphemy, 410, 411. Charity towards our neighbor, 392,
394. 397- Sacrilegious communion, 149, 519, 572. Sacrilegious
confession, 547, 552, 571; delay of confession, 548. Despair of
salvation, 47, 526, 527, 533, 573, 577- Holy water, 528. A damned
child, 167. Self-esteem, 364. Extreme unction, 565. Firmness
in the faith, 378, 382. Homicide, 460. Impurity: thoughts,
468, 469, 571, 573; words, 479; actions, 470, 473, 574. Jesus
Christ: gratitude and love for Him, 371. Edifying reading, 363.
Mary: devotion towards her, 259, 475. Lying, 501. Mass, devo
tion while hearing it, 429, 433. Proximate occasion, 477, 575,
577. Filial piety, 437, 440. Purgatory, 560. Respect due to
priests, 567. Restitution, 492, 493, 577. Rosary, 132. Scandal,
400. Work on holy-days, 423. Virginity: lo\7e of this virtue, 262,
263. Vocation to the religious state, 444. Theft, 484, 486, 489

Index. 5 (Si

EXHORTATION, evening, 95, 330; simultaneous, in. Exhortation of
the day, 114. Exhortation of the discipline, 117, 335, and of trail
ing the tongue on the ground, 122. Exhortation of peace: after
the discipline, 124; before communion, 149; after the sermon, 246
Exhortation, final part of the sermon, 195.

EXTREME UNCTION, defined and explained, 563.

FAITH: definition, 367; motive and principal articles, 369; proofs of
the truth of faith, 375; acts, 385. Mysteries explained to children,
158.

FASTING: obligations, 433; dispensations, 434.

FRANCIS DE SALES, ST.: his manner of preaching, 39; his teachings on
this subject, 49, 54.

GIRLS: in missions they are to receive communion separately, 147.

Discourse to young maidens, 261. Pious exercises for every

Sunday, 278.
GOD, the Blessed Trinity: explanation to be given to children, 158; to

the people, 369. Principal attributes, 366. When the acts of

faith, hope, and charity towards God should be made, 383, 387.
( To tempt God, 404.

H
HOLIDAY, or Sunday: duties to be fulfilled, 419; abuses, 431; Feasts of

obligation, 425.
HOMICIDE: what is forbidden, 459; what is permitted, 462; abortion,

imprudences, and bad wishes, 463.
HUMILITY: for the missionaries, 297; for the penitents, 553.

IGNATIUS, ST.: his manner of preaching, 39.

IMPURITY: sins that one must confess, 466; remedies against tempta
tions, 473.

INDULGENCES, easy to gain, 561.
IRRELIGION: three kinds of sins, 404.

JOHN D'AVILA: his manner of preaching, 37.

JESUS CHRIST: we should often speak of his love, 59, 230; His incar
nation and death to be taught to children, 302; and to the people,
159; how He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, 373.

582 Index.

LATIN, or Latin citations: one should herein avoid excess, 34, 183, 219.

LENT: the fast, 433; Lenten sermons, 36, 76, 205; exercises at the
end, 37.

LEONARD OF PORT MAURICE, ST. : success in his missions, 84.

LIFE, Devout, exercise of the mission, 230.

LYING: different kinds, 500.

MAN: his first state and his fall, 359.

MASTERS: how they sin in regard to their servants, 455.

MALEDICTIONS: various kinds of, 405.

MARRIAGE, the seventh sacrament: definition, and dispositions for re
ceiving it, 567. How the husband sins in regard to his wife, and
reciprocally, 456.

MARY, Mother of God: her exemption from original sin, 360; how she
is our hope, 380. We should recommend devotion to her, 60, 225,
305. Visit in common before her image, 326. Sermon on Satur
day, a novena during the year, 282. Confraternity of men, 255.
Her statue carried in procession during tht mission, 246. Prayer
at the end of the mission, 237.

MEDITATION in common for the people, 232, 277. Morning medita
tion on missions, 254, 333.

MASS: how one should hear it, 425; reasons when we are dispensed,
429. One should celebrate it with piety above all on missions, 299.

MISSION: end, conversion of sinners, 75; fruits, 75, 81, 85, 348. It is
useful in cities and necessary in the country, 76; the exercises
should be given in every place, 86, 284; and be repeated every
three or four years, 89, 290. Answer to difficulties or objections
85, 92, 251. Advice in regard to its good direction, 284, 292, 302,
328. Hours of the exercises, 251, 292, 332. Duration of the mis
sion, 289. Renewal of the spirit, 89. S^e Bishop, Confession,
Sermon.

MISSIONARIES : virtues that they are particularly to practise, 293, 297, 338.

MEANS: what one must know and believe by necessity of means, 371,
379-

NEIGHBOR: when one must make interior acts of love for him, 384;
and exterior acts, 390.

OATH: definition and various kinds, 412.

OCCASIONS, dangerous: necessity of fleeing from them, 313.

Index. 583

ORDERS, the sixth sacrament: powers that it confers, 566; vocation re
quired to receive it, and respect due to priests, 567.

PANEGYRICS: how they are to be composed, 52.

PARENTS: their duties, 399, 445; rule of conduct, 451.

PARISH and other priests: exercises that are recommended to them,

281; they should preserve the fruit of the mission, 86, 89.
PENANCE, see Confession.

PERSEVERANCE: means, 230, 255, 270; sermon, 234.
PHILIP NERI, ST.: his severity concerning preaching, 21.
PRACTICES often to be recommended to the people, 59.
PRECEPT: what one must know and believe by necessity of precept,

37i, 385.

PREACHING: its necessity according to the design of Providence, 18,
68, 74; its fruits, 71, 74, 78. Manner of preaching, 19, 76, 179,
199, 228; subjects on which to preach, 59, 78; especially in the
missions, 229, 302, 342; how the preacher should please, 49; evil
that a vain preacher can do, 22, 43, 57. 68, 76, 303; his illusion,
49, 59, 200; examples, 47, 54, 203.

PRAYER: necessity and efficacy, 309, 388; qualities, 289.

PRAYER, mental: its utility, and manner of making it, 231, 270.

PURGATORY: its existence, and duty toward souls that suffer there, 374,
560, 562.

PURPOSE, firm, necessary for the sacrament of penance, 539.

RELAPSING sinners: of the absolution which is given them in the mis
sion, 79-

RELIGION; virtue: definition, 402. Religious state: one must follow
one's vocation, 443.

RENEWAL of the spirit, after the mission, 89,

RESTITUTION: instruction, advice to confessors, 492.

RHETORIC: its use in sermons, 20, 33.

ROSARY: narration and mysteries, 133; recitation, 333.

SACRAMENTS: their effects, 510; explanation of them to be given to
children, 159. Blessed Sacrament: benedictipn given towards the
fields, 235; and towards the people, 243; visit in common, 278, 321.
See E&charist.

SACRILEGE: various kinds, 404,

584 Index.

SAINTS: we should invoke them, 374.

SHAME of confessing certain sins, 316.

SCANDAL: definition and various kinds, 397.

SCRIPTURE useful to quote, even in Latin, but without excess, 34, 183,
219.

SERMON: See Mission, Preaching. Mission sermons, 33. Special in
structions, 219, 251, 284, 332; last sermon, 234, 336.

SERVANT: how he sins in regard to his master, 455.

SIN: explanation to be given to the people, 176, 359, 466; one should
confess mortal sins as soon as possible, 527; how venial sins are
wiped out, 528, 532.

SIMONY: in what it consists, 404.

SUICIDE: whether it is permitted wholly or partly, 460.

SUPERSTITION: definition and kinds, 402.

TAULER, admonished and corrected, 41.
THOMAS, ST.: his manner of preaching, 38.
THEFT, defined and explained, 483.
TRINITY: See God.
TRUTH : how much one loves to know it, 56.

U
USURY: defined and explained, 487.

VINCENT DE PAUL, ST. : his opinion in regard to the manner of preach
ing, 40; success of the mission given by his Institute, 82.

VIRGINITY: eulogy, 261; means of preserving it, 270.

VOCATION: parents cannot oppose it in their children, 443. Vocation
required for the ecclesiastical state, 566.

VOICE: tone varied in the delivery of the sermon, 35, 216.

WATER, holy; its virtue, 528.

WOMAN, married: her difficulties in leading a holy life, 265; how she

sins in regard to her husband, 457; wise counsels, 569.
WORKS, servile: explanation and prohibition, 420.

PRINTED BY BENZIGER BROTHERS, NEW YORK.

Liguori, A.M.

Complete ascetical works

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