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Volume  V 
19  17 


©nrtujroitfi,  JUtwria 


Tf*t  Catholic 

Jieological  Union^ 

LIBRARY 

Chicago,  III 


.SL  T& 


§       S 


' 


12995 

1  iflranriffran  Hgralft  I 

j~:        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred       jJJ 
•J-        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions       ^1 . 

VOLV.  JANUARY,  1917.  NO.  1 


THE  present  issue  of  Franciscan  Herald  introduces  to  its  readers  a  new 
series  of  frontispieces.  The  title  of  this  set  of  pictures  is  "The  Tri- 
umph of  Christ, "  and  the  name  of  the  artist  is  Joseph  von  Fuehrich  of 
the  romantic  school.  His  object  is  to  portray  the  triumph  of  Christ  in 
the  members  of  his  mystic  body,  known  as  the  Church  or  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  faithful.  For  originality  and  grandeur  of  conception,  for  felic- 
ity and  vigor  of  execution,  for  delicacy  and  richness  of  finish,  these  pic- 
tures are  altogether  unique,  and  we  have  no  doubt  our  readers  will  be 
delighted  with  them.  There  may  be  some,  however,  who  desire  a  word 
of  explanation  as  an  aid  to  a  better  understanding  of  the  central  theme 
and  of  the  single  subjects.  To  this  end,  we  shall  accompany  each  picture 
with  a  few  explanatory  remarks,  doctrinal  rather  than  critical  in  tone. 

The  first  picture  of  the  series  recalls  to  us  the  age  of  the  Patriarchs. 
Indeed,  for  the  beginnings  of  the  Church  of  Christ  we  must  go  back  to 
the  very  origin  of  the  human  race,  to  our  first  parents.  Very  fittingly 
they  are  made  to  lead  the  grand  triumphal  march,  because  they  were  the 
first  to  obtain  redemption  from  their  sin  by  their  faith  in  the  Redeemer. 
This  faith  was  transmitted  by  them  to  their  children  and  by  them  to  the 
succeeding  generations  of  the  pre-Christian  era.  It  shone  forth  above 
all  in  the  just  men  of  the  Old  Testament  such  as  Abel,  Noe,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Some  of  these  pious  men  were  chosen  by  God  to  pre- 
figure in  their  own  lives  the  life  of  the  Redeemer,  to  be  living  images,  as 
it  were,  of  that  divine  prototype.  The  innocent  Abel  was  murdered  by  his 
own  brother,  and  his  blood  cried  to  God  for  vengeance.  Christ  who  was 
innocence  itself  was  slain  by  his  own  people,  and  his  blood  cried  to  heaven 
for  forgiveness.  Noe  built  the  ark,  which  served  as  a  refuge  for  all  those 
who  were  privileged  to  enter  it  before  the  great  flood.  Christ  founded  his 
Church,  wherein  all  may  find  salvation  from  the  universal  deluge  of  cor- 
ruption. Melchisedech,  "a  priest  of  the  most  high  God,"  offered  bread 
and  wine.  Christ,  the  divine  High  Priest,  changed  bread  and  wine  into 
his  own  body  and  blood,  and  commanded  the  same  to  be  done  to  the  end 
of  time  in  commemoration  of  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross.  Isaac  carried  the 
wood  for  the  sacrifice  of  which  he  himself  was  to  be  the  victim.  Christ, 
too,  was  made  to  carry  the  wood  of  the  cross  on  which  he  sacrificed  him- 
self for  the  redemption  of  a  sinful  world. 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


EDITORIAL  COMMENT 

A  HAPPY  NEW  YEAR 

To  all  our  contributors,  solicitors,  subscribers,  friends,  and  benefac- 
tors we  most  cordially  wish  a  happy  New  Year. 

A  happy  New  Year!  The  phrase  contains  much  food  for  thought. 
For  one  thing,  it  may  be  well  for  us  to  consider  that  our  happiness  de- 
pends to  a  great  extent,  if  not  altogether,  on  ourselves,  on  our  conception 
of  this  great  boon  and  of  the  causes  and  conditions  thereof.  Happiness 
may  be  defined  as  a  state  of  well-being  characterized  by  an  absence  of 
wants  and  desires.  From  this  definition  it  follows  that  we  can  be  per- 
fectly happy,  not  on  earth, because  we  shall  always  have  some  temporal 
want  or  desire  that  can  not  be  satisfied,  but  in  heaven,  where  all  the  exi- 
gencies of  our  nature  will  be  fulfilled.  It  follows  also  that  the  measure 
of  our  earthly  happiness  is  in  an  inverse  ratio  to  the  number  of  our  wants 
and  desires.  The  fewer  our  wishes,  the  greater  our  happiness.  The 
saints  of  God  were  the  happiest  of  mortals,  because  they  had  few,  if  any, 
desires  beyond  their  all-consuming  desire  to  serve  and  please  God.  They 
sought  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  justice,  and  all  other  things  were 
added  unto  them.  How  much  happier  we  should  be  if  we  carried  out  our 
Savior's  injunction  as  literally  as  they. 


A  WORD  WITH  OUR  READERS 

Many  of  our  readers,  no  doubt,  are  complaining  of  the  high  cost  of 
living.  Indeed,  they  have  reason  to  complain,  and  with  all  our  hearts  we 
sympathize  with  them,  because  we  are  in  the  same  boat.  For,  what  the 
higher  cost  of  living  means  to  them,  that  the  higher  cost  of  publishing 
imports  to  us— bigger  bills  and  smaller  returns. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  weary  our  readers  with  a  wail  of  woe  over  our 
difficulties  in  making  ends  meet.  Neither  have  we  any  wish  to  bore  them 
with  plaintive  cries  of  grief  at  our  inability  to  make  the  desired  im- 
provements in  the  Herald  or  the  contemplated  increase  in  the  number  of 
its  pages.  Still  less  is  it  our  intention  to  tire  them  with  a  tearful  tale 
about  the  failure  of  our  plan  to  build  a  mission  chapel  during  the  coming 
year  for  the  poor  Indians  in  Arizona.  Least  of  all  do  we  mean  to  shock 
them  by  announcing  an  increase  in  our  subscription  price.  Perish  the 
thought!    Whatever  else  we  may  or  may  not  be,  we  are  game. 

Hence,  we  solemnly  pledge  ourselves  to  fight  to  the  last,  no  matter 
how  fearful  the  odds,  against  any  increase  in  the  price  of  our  magazine. 
We  shall  continue  to  sell  the  same  article  at  the  same  price,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  there  are  others— nomina  sunt  odiosa— that  are  selling  their 
wares  at  an  increased  price.  We  make  this  pledge,  because  we  rely,  not 
on  our  strength  and  resources,  but  on  the  loyalty  and  the  assistance  of  our 
esteemed  allies,  the  solicitors  and  friends  of  the  Herald.  Without  their 
continued  favor  and  aid,  we  shall  most  certainly  succumb  in  the  unequal 
com  bat— yes,  we  are  ready  even  now  to  lay  down  our  pens.  But  so 
long  as  our  comrades  behind  the  lines  stand  by  us  and  supply  us  with  the 
necessaries  of  warfare,  we  promise  to  remain  on  the  firing  line. 


6?  ■  Z1/.3S4 

F?HP  129Q5 

V.  $~  ' FRANCISCAN  HERALD ^^  5 

We  appeal  to  them,  therefore,  to  remain  loyal  to  the  cause  of  the 
Herald  and  speedily  to  send  us  reinforcements  in  the  shape  of  new  sub- 
scriptions. The  situation  is  serious,  and  it  is  rapidly  becoming  desperate. 
Let  our  readers,  therefore,  ask  themselves  the  question  what  they  have 
done  for  the  cause  in  the  past,  and  what  they  intend  to  do  in  the  future. 


AS  TO  ADVERTISEMENTS 

Some  of  our  readers  may  wish  to  know  why,  if  the  situation  is  so 
serious,  we  do  not  have  recourse  to  paid  advertisements  as  a  source  of  in- 
come. Our  answer  is,  we  are  on  principle  opposed  to  this  method  of  fill- 
ing our  coffers;  first,  because  we  wish  to  avoid  even  the  semblance  of  com- 
mercialism; and  second,  because  advertisements,  far  from  adding  to  the 
beauty  of  a  magazine,  only  detract  therefrom.  Friends  of  the  Herald  have 
repeatedly  made  us  tempting  offers  in  this  matter.  We  have  consistently 
refused  to  accept  them  for  the  reasons  mentioned.  Far  be  it  from  us, 
however,  to  reflect  in  the  least  on  such  magazines  as  carry  advertisements. 
They  have  their  own  needs  and  their  own  methods,  which  it  is  not  for  us 
to  pass  judgment  on.  We  merely  wish  to  state  our  opinion  and  we  have 
no  doubt  most  of  our  readers  will  concur  with  us.  When  we  started  this 
magazine,  we  had  no  other  assets  than  a  firm  trust  in  God  and  an  un- 
shakable confidence  in  our  friends,  and  we  have  found  these  assets  more 
than  sufficient  to  meet  all  our  liabilities.  And  even  if  the  "worst  fall  that 
ever  fell"  to  us,  may  we  not  still  hope  we  shall  make  shift  to  go  without 
advertisements? 


GOOD  WORK 

Very  gratifying  reports  have  come  to  us  of  late  concerning  the  growth 
of  the  Third  Order,  especially  in  the  larger  cities.  In  Cleveland,  the  fra- 
ternity of  St.  Joseph,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Fr.  Hilarion,  has  again 
made  a  most  remarkable  record ;  for,  during  the  past  year .  there  have  been 
no  fewer  than  419  receptions  and  544  professions.  The  three  fraternities 
connected  with  St.  Peter's  Church,  Chicago,  and  directed  by  Rev.  FF. 
Christopher  and  Ulric  have  a  combined  total  of  350  receptions  and  284 
professions  for  the  year. 

These  figures  by  far  exceed  our  most  sanguine  expectations,  and  give 
us  the  most  genuine  satisfaction.  They  also  prove  our  contention  that 
the  Third  Order  in  this  country  is  rapidly  working  its  way  into  the  hearts 
of  the  people.  We  have  often  said  that  the  Third  Order,  to  be  loved, 
needs  only  to  be  known,  and  we  are  more  than  ever  convinced  that  the 
chief  impediment  to  its  growth  in  some  places  is  ignorance  of  its  nature 
and  advantages.  To  us  who  have  observed  the  marvelous  growth  of  the 
Third  Order  in  this  country  during  the  last  decade,  it  is  apparent  that  the 
Order  has  a  roseate,  a  glorious  future.  May  it  continue  to  "increase  and 
multiply,  and  fill  the  earth,  and  subdue  it." 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


PEACE  TO  MEN  OF  GOOD  WILL 


On  the  twelfth  day  of  December,  the  whole  world  was  electrified  by 
the  glad  tidings  that  Germany  and  her  allies  had  made  proposals  of  peace 
to  their  enemies.  Never  before  did  the  world  heave  such  a  sigh  of  relief, 
because  never  before  had  it  been  plunged  into  such  misery.  For  of  all  the 
horrors  within  the  memory  of  man  the  European  war  is  surely  the  great- 
est. So  general  had  becDme  the  suffering  and  so  universal  the  longing 
for  peace  that  it  is  small  wonder  all  true  friends  of  humanity  were  thrilled 
with  joy  at  the  news  of  the  proposed  cessation  of  hostilities. 

Signs,  indeed,  had  not  been  wanting  that  terms  of  peace  would  soon 
be  offered  by  one  or  the  other  of  the  groups  of  nations  engaged  in  the 
work  of  extermination.  It  had  long  become  apparent  to  all  close  observ- 
ers that  the  greatest  of  wars  would  in  the  end  prove  to  be  also  the  most 
futile,  that  neither  combination  of  powers  could  hope  for  a  decisive  vic- 
tory, and  that  the  paltriest  gain  would  have  to  be  purchased  at  the  greatest 
sacrifice  of  blood  and  treasure.  Germany  and  her  allies  were  the  first  to 
realize  the  utter  futility  of  continuing  the  war  under  such  conditions. 
Hence,  they  were  the  first  to  offer  peace. 

At  this  writing,  the  world  is  awaiting  with  bated  breath  the  answer 
to  their  proposal.  Will  the  governments  of  the  Entente  allies  grasp  the 
proffered  hand  of  peace,  or  will  they  spurn  it  and  urge  their  subjects  on 
to  further  deeds  of  hate  and  carnage?  Will  the  people  still  allow  them- 
selves to  be  led  like  lambs  to  the  slaughter,  or  will  they  turn  against  their 
leaders  and  force  them  to  come  to  terms?  Surely,  the  time  has  come  when 
the  hoplessness  of  the  struggle  ought  to  be  realized  by  both  groups  of 
combatants,  and  any  government  that  should  wish,  against  its  better  un- 
derstanding, to  continue  the  senseless  butchery,  would  deserve  to  live  for- 
ever accursed  in  memory. 


A  PROTESTANT  TRIBUTE  TO  ST  FRANCIS. 

It  is  not  at  all  uncommon  to  hear  our  separated  brethren  sing  the 
praises  of  the  Little  Poor  Man  of  Assisi.  On  the  contrary,  it  has  become 
quite  the  vogue  with  certain  leaders  of  Protestant  thought  to  claim  him 
for  their  own,  and  to  extol  his  merits  in  terms  well-nigh  extravagant. 
Though  we  cannot  always  approve  their  language,  we  are  far  from  depre- 
cating the  sentiment  that  prompts  it.  We  are  rather  in  sympathy  with 
the  cult  of  St.  Francis,  in  its  broader  aspects,  outside  the  Church.  For 
we  are  convinced  that  ultimately  it  must  be  productive  of  good.  No  one 
can  study  the  life  of  St.  Francis  and  admire  the  beauty  of  his  character 
without  being  drawn  closer  to  the  Church  that  gave  him  to  the  world. 
Hence,  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  gratification  that  we  learnt  our  Epis- 
copalian friends  had  determined  to  erect  at  the  University  of  Wisconsin  a 
chapel  dedicated  to  St,  Francis  of  Assisi.  Writing  in  the  Church  Times 
of  Milwaukee,  Rev.  M.  C.  Stone,  chaplain  of  the  Episcopalian  students  of 
that  institution,  says  among  other  things: 

"From  quite  unexpected  sources  one  hears  St.  Francis's  praises  sung. 
So  it  is  that  I  feel  that  in  choosing  the  name  of  St.  Francis  for  the  chapel 

of  the  University  we  have  done  wisely They  all  admire  him— in  fact, 

the  students  themselves  chose  his  name  for  their  chapel,  and  such  a  name 
ought  to  be  an  inspiration  to  the  worship  and  work  that  will  center  there. " 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


BL  MATTHEW  OF  GIRGENTI 

OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 
JANUARY  28 


BL.  Matthew  was  born  of  rich 
and  virtuous  parents  at 
Girgenti,  in  Sicily,  toward 
the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
Cooperating  with  the  workings  of 
divine  grace,  he  at  an  early  age 
gave  signs  of  a  singular  piety. 
When  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
he  determined  to  consecrate  himself 
entirely  to  the  service  of  God.  He, 
therefore,  renounced  his  rich  inher- 
itance and  took  the  habit  of  the 
Friars  Minor  Conventual.  After 
his  profession,  he  was  sent  to  Spain, 
where  he  completed  his  course  of 
studies  and  was  ordained  priest. 

At  that  time,  the  fame  of  St. 
Bernardine  of  Siena  had  spread  far 
and  wide.  This  saint  and  his  dis- 
sciples  had  revived  the  primitive 
spirit  of  the  Seraphic  Order,  and  by 
their  austere  lives  and  apostolic 
labors  had  contributed  much  to  the 
overthrow  of  heresy  and  irreligion, 
to  the  reform  of  abuses  in  the 
Church,  and  to  the  revival  and 
spread  of  the  spirit  of  piety  among 
the  faithful.  Many  of  them  were 
conspicuous  for  their  great  sanctity 
and  the  miracles  God  wrought 
through  them.  Attracted  by  the 
exalted  virtue  of  these  sons  of  St. 
Francis,  Matthew  determined  to 
embrace  their  mode  of  life.  He 
was  admitted  among  their  number, 
and  he  soon  gained  their  esteem  by 
his  extraordinary  piety  and  zeal  for 
the  maintenance  of  religious  disci- 
pline.    St.  Bernardine,    perceiving 


the  excellent  qualities  and  great 
virtues  of  Matthew,  chose  him  as 
one  of  his  companions  on  his  mis- 
sionary journeys  in  Italy.  In  the 
school  of  such  a  master,  Matthew 
soon  became  a  powerful  preacher  of 
the  word  of  God,  and  effected  much 
for  the  regeneration  of  the  people. 
The  great  Schism  of  the  West 
and  other  disturbances  had  brought 
with  them  many  abuses  and  a  great 
relaxation  of  morals  among  the 
faithful  of  all  classes.  Simony, 
religious  indifference,  unbelief,  and 
immorality  were  widespread  and 
were  causing  the  ruin  of  many 
immortal  souls.  The  sight  of  these 
abuses  and  scandals  deeply  grieved 
the  heart  of  Bl.  Matthew,  whose 
only  thought  was  the  honor  and 
glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
his  fellow  men.  He  could  not  look 
on  this  spiritual  havoc  without  be- 
ing filled  with  grief  and  compassion 
for  so  many  souls  led  astray,  and 
without  being  moved  to  labor  with 
all  his  strength  to  save  them  from 
eternal  ruin.  In  the  company  of  St. 
Bernardine,  he  traversed  a  great 
part  of  Italy,  everywhere  combating 
false  teachings,  inveighing  against 
abuses  and  vices,  and  arousing 
the  religious  fervor  of  the  people. 
But  it  was  especially  in  Sicily  that 
he  labored  with  untiring  zeal  for 
the  salvation  of  souls.  No  way  was 
too  long  or  too  difficult,  no  exertion 
too  great,  when  there  was  question 
of  furthering  the   interests   of  his 


8 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


divine  Master  and  of   leading  souls 
to  him.     Like  St.    Bernardine,    he 
took  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  as  his 
watchword,    and   in  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Name,  his  fervent  preach- 
ing    effected     wonderful    results. 
Abuses  were  rooted   out,    scandals 
were  removed,  thousands  of  sinners 
were  converted,   and  the  practices 
of   piety   again  flourished.     He  in- 
spired the  peo- 
ple    of     Sicily 
with  so   tender 
a    devotion    to 
the  Holy  Name 
of    Jesus,    that 
they  painted  or 

carved   it   over  tf/s'* 

the     doors     of 
their  houses. 

Bl.    Matthew  v  m}M 

was  also  most 
zealous  in  intro- 
ducing into  the 
convents  of  his 
Order  the  per- 
fect observance 
of  the  Rule, 
and  so  numer- 
ous were  the 
friars  that 
wished  to  carry 
out  his  fervent 
exhortat  ions 
that  he  was  commissioned  by  Popes 
Martin  V  and  Eugene  IV  to  found 
new  convents.  He  placed  the  five 
convents  he  founded  in  Sicily  under 
the  special  protection  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  in  order  not  to  separate 
the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  from  the 
name  of  his  Blessed  Mother,  he 
gave  to  each  convent  the  title  of 
"St.  Mary  of  Jesus." 


Bl.  Matthew 


At  this  time,  the  Bishop  of 
Girgenti  died,  and  the  clergy  and 
people  of  that  city,  admiring  Bl. 
Matthew's  sanctity  and  administra- 
tive ability,  wished  to  have  him  as 
their  chief  pastor.  But  the  humble 
son  of  St.  Francis  shrank  at  the 
thought  of  relinquishing  his  poor 
and  apostolic  mode  of  life  and  re- 
fused to  accept  the  proffered 
dignity.  Eu- 
gene IV,  how- 
ever, at  the  in- 
stance of  the 
King  of  Ara- 
gon,  command- 
ed him  to  sub- 
mit to  the  will 
of  God,  and 
Matthew  was, 
accordi  n  gly, 
consecr  ated 
Bishop  of  Gir- 
genti, in  1442. 
As  soon  as  he 
was  installed  in 
his  see,  Mat- 
thew began  to 
labor  with  all 
energy  for  the 
temporal  and 
spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  peo- 
of  Girgenti  pie  entrusted  to 
his  charge.  His  first  care  was  to 
remove  abuses  and  to  restore 
ecclesiastical  discipline.  He  devot- 
ed a  great  part  of  the  revenues  of 
his  bishopric  to  the  relief  of  the 
poor.  The  influence  of  his  energetic 
administration  was  soon  felt 
throughout  the  diocese,  and  the 
practices  of  Christian  life  began  to 
flourish.       But    the    humility    and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


patience  of  the  servant  of  God  were 
to  be  put  to  a  severe  test  by  the 
opposition  of  dissatisfied  men. 
Exasperated  by  the  zeal  and  energy 
of  the  saintly  bishop,  several  eccle- 
siastics, who  had  been  guilty  of 
crime,  openly  attacked  him  and 
accused  him  of  badly  administering 
his  diocese,  and  of  causing  con- 
fusion and  discord.  These  charges 
were  even  laid  before  the  Pope,  and 
Matthew  was  compelled  to  go  to 
Rome  to  justify  himself  before  Pope 
Eugene  IV,  He  was  indeed  de- 
clared innocent  of  the  charges 
brought  against  him  and  returned 
to  his  diocese,  but  his  efforts  to 
introduce  and  maintain  reforms  in 
ecclesiastical  discipline  met  with 
such  opposition  that  he  entreated 
the  Pope  to  relieve  him  of  his 
burden  and  to  permit  him  to  return  to 
the  obscure  life  of  a  religious.  Eu- 
gene IV,  who  held  him  in  high 
esteem,  at  first  refused  to  grant  his 
request,  but  at  the  repeated  en- 
treaties of  the  holy  bishop,  he  at 
length  accepted  his  resignation. 


Matthew  now  joyfully  returned 
to  a  convent  at  Palermo  to  spend 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life  in 
solitude  and  prayer.  He  edified  all 
by  his  humility,  patience,  and  fer- 
vent piety.  At  length,  he  fell  sick, 
and  after  patiently  bearing  the 
pains  of  his  last  illness,  he  passed 
to  his  heavenly  reward  on  February 
7,  1451.  He  was  buried  in  the 
church  of  the  Franciscan  convent 
near  Palermo.  Among  the  miracles 
wrought  at  his  funeral,  the  legend 
in  the  breviary  relates  that,  when 
the  procession  entered  the  church 
and  passed  before  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  the  body  of  the  departed 
servant  of  God  raised  itself  on  the 
bier  and,  as  if  it  wished  to  adore 
our  Lord,  joined  its  hands  and 
bowed  its  head,  and  then  lay  down 
again.  The  tomb  of  Matthew  be- 
came an  object  of  universal  venera- 
tion, and  it  was  honored  by  many 
miracles.  Pope  Clement  XIII  ap- 
proved the  veneration  paid  this 
servant  of  God. 


ate  (£Uumt  atto  (SUam  of  Mutter 


Blintrr  like  a  mighty  rnnquernr 

Has  begun  his  smay, 
Sweeping  frnm  the  earth  its  brauty 

lUrthlessly  away. 

l5>trtyueo  the  trees  arr  of  their  fnltage, 
(gnne  are  the  fluwers  fair; 

Izuenjtbe  grass  has  Inst  its  uerburr: 
fcarth  is  bleak  ana  barr. 


3£ut  brhnlb  the  rbrery  snowflakes 
(Coming  frnm  the  sky! 

Ulith  a  magiral  mase  nf  mntinn 
Snunt  tn  tlje  grnnnn  tljry  fly. 

As  uritb,  whitest  rlaub  of  heauen 
Sobeb  tire  earth,  nnm  gleams. 

As  with  starry  atnms  jeweleb 
Srilliantly  it  beams. 


JThrnugb,  th,r  glnom  relestial  sulenbur 

iimonenly  has  sbnne.— 
fflhen  me  Ye  onto  of  earthly  treasures 

Heauen  senbs  its  num. 

-3Fr.  <£..  (§3M. 


10 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THIRD  ORDER  VS.  TIME  SPIRIT 

By  Fr.  Giles,  O.F.M. 


HIS  Holiness,  Pope  Leo  XIII, 
declared  on  various  occasions 
his  firm  conviction  that  the 
Third  Order  is  the  most  efficacious 
remedy  against  the  evils  of  our  day 
and  the  best  means  of  bringing  the 
world  back  to  the  zealous  practice 
of  the  Gospel.  He  even  went  so 
far  as  to  say,  that  he  awaited 
the  rebirth  of  the  world  and  the 
solution  of  the  social  question  from 
the  activity  of  the  Third  Order. 

That  these  expressions  and  hopes 
of  the  great  Tertiary  Pontiff  are  no 
mere  rhetorical  exaggerations  but 
are  based  on  facts,  the  following 
brief  comparison  of  the  principal 
evils  of  the  times  with  the  remedies 
offered  by  the  Third  Order  will  prove 
conclusively. 

One  of  the  chief  characteristics 
of  our  age  is  the  spirit  of  insubor- 
dination or  the  lack  of  proper  respect 
for  authority,  be  it  civil  or  religious, 
especially  the  antagonism  toward 
the  supreme  authority  of  the  Vicar 
of  Christ,  the  Pope.  Individuals 
and  nations  have  joined  in  the  cry 
"Away  from  Rome!"  and  the  result 
of  this  unhappy  rebellion  against  the 
authority  of  Christ's  Vicar  is  a 
world-wide  revolt  against  all  author- 
ity; so  that  the  very  rulers  who 
sowed  the  wind  of  rebellion  against 
Rome,  now  reap  the  storm  of  revolt 
against  their  own  authority. 

To  counteract  this  spirit  of  insub- 
ordination, the  Third  Order  insists 
that  its  members  exhibit  the  most 
loyal  devotion  to  the  Holy  See  and 


to  authority  in  general,  This  spirit 
of  loyalty  to  the  Pope  is  characteris- 
tic of  the  Franciscan  Orders,  and 
Pope  Pius  X  declares  in  his  letter, 
Tertium  Franciscalium  Ordinem, 
that  "care  must  be  taken  not  to 
admit  persons  into  the  Third  Order 
unless  they  be  of  sincere  faith  and 
devoted  to  the  Roman  Church  and 
the  Apostolic  See."  In  the  same 
letter  he  ordains  that  Tertiaries  "at 
the  opening  of  .their  conventions 
give  solemn  expression  of  their  de- 
voted obedience,  first  to  the  Roman 
Pontiff,  and  then  to  the  Ministers 
General  of  the  Franciscan  Order." 

It  is  evident  from  this,  that  if  the 
great  mass  of  Tertiaries  are  imbued 
with  this  truly  Franciscan  spirit  of 
obedience  and  submission  to  author- 
ity, they  will  exercise  a  most  salu- 
tary and  powerful  influence  on  their 
fellow  men  with  whom  they  come 
in  contact,  and  in  this  manner  will 
gradually  restore  to  authority  the 
throne  and  scepter  of  which  it  has 
been  despoiled. 

Another  evil,  and  one  that  arises 
from  the  foregoing,  is  the  inordinate 
desire  to  possess  and  to  enjoy  the 
goods  and  pleasures  of  this  world. 
Look  about  and  you  will  see 
how  men  strive  madlv  to  enjoy  the 
passing  pleasures  of  the  present 
moment;  how  they  seek  to  crown 
themselves,  as  it  were,  with  roses, 
quite  forgetful  that  these  will  soon 
wither  leaving  their  possessors  poor 
and  dissatisfied. 

'  'Li fe  is  short, ' '  they  say, '  'and  will 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


soon  vanish  like  a  cloud  in  the  bright 
firmament  without  leaving  a  trace 
behind;  hence  let  us  enjoy  it  to  the 
full  while  we  can. ' '  To  eat,  to  drink, 
to  satisfy  every  animal  passion  of 
the  human  heart — this  is  what  many 
seek,  this  they  long  for,  this  they 
consider  the  sole  purpose  of  their 
existence  on  earth.  - 

To  this  degrading  spirit  of  inor- 
dinate enjoyment,  the  spirit  of  pen- 
ance of  the  Third  Order  is  diamet- 
rically opposed.  The  Third  Order, 
true  to  its  name,  —the  Third  Order  of 
Penance— while  not  forbidding  its 
members  to  enjoy  in  a  reasonable 
manner  the  goods  and  pleasures  of 
the  world,  nevertheless,  vigorously 
counsels  the  virtue  of  self-denial  and 
prudent  moderation  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  even  lawful  pleasures,  the 
better  to  overcome  the  inborn  long- 
ing of  the  human  heart  for  the  for- 
bidden fruit  of  sinful  pleasures. 

Thus  the  Rule  says:  "Members 
will  refrain  from  excessive  cost  and 
elegance  in  adornment  and  dress  and 
will  observe  — each  according  to  his 
state— the  rule  of  moderation.  They 
will  refrain  with  the  utmost  caution 
from  dances,  and  from  dangerous 
stage-plays,  and  from  all  revelry. 
They  will  be  frugal  in  eating  and 
drinking.  Each  will  fast  on  the  eve 
of  the  feast  of  the  Immaculate  Vir- 
gin Mary  and  of  their  Father  Fran- 
cis; those  will  merit  great  praise 
who,  in  addition,  either  fast  on  Fri- 
days or  abstain  from  flesh  meat  on 
Wednesdays." 

If  the  Tertiaries  are  filled 
with  this  spirit  of  penance,  their 
example  will  cause  the  votaries 
of  the  world  to  pause  in  their  wild 


orgies,  and  to  reflect  on  the  empti- 
ness of  earthly  pleasures  and  on 
the  true  peace  of  the  soul  that  fol- 
lows in  the  wake  of  Christian  mor- 
tification; and  many  a  poor  sinner, 
sated  with  vice  and  crime,  will,  like 
St.  Augustine,  take  heart  on  seeing 
weak  human  beings  like  himself 
despising  the  passing  pleasures  for 
those  that  are  eternal,  and  will  leave 
the  paths  of  sin  to  accompany  Christ 
crucified  on  the  thorny  way  to  Cal- 
vary, and  thence  to  heaven. 

Insubordination  and  the  inordi- 
nate desire  for  worldly  enjoyments 
naturally  beget  a  very  baneful 
indifference  in  matters  of  religion, 
which  is  a  third  evil  of  our  times. 
This  indifference  in  regard  to  reli- 
gious practices  has  invaded  not  only 
the  ranks  of  our  separated  brethren, 
but  unhappily  it  is  found  even  among 
such  as  call  themselves  good  Catho- 
lics. 

Daily  prayer,  attendance  at  Mass 
on  week-days,  frequent  reception  of 
the  sacraments,  daily  examen  of 
conscience,  reading  of  books  on  reli- 
gion, pious  practices  at  home— all 
this  and  much  more  they  consider 
good  enough  for  children  and  old 
persons,  but  deem  it  altogether 
unnecessary  for  or,  perhaps,  even 
unbecoming  in  a  young  man  or 
young  woman  or  in  one  who  can 
boast  of  enjoying  the  dignity  of 
mature  manhood  or  womanhood. 
"To  be  sure,"  they  say,  "this  is  all 
very  good,  but  it  is  not  necessary; 
so  why  should  we  bother  ourselves 
about  it?"  In  this  way,  they  soon  go 
from  bad  to  worse  in  their  indiffer- 
ence, until  at  last  they  become  quite 
\ax  in  the  exercise  of  their   holy 


12 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


religion. 

This  pernicious  indifference  in 
matters  of  religion  is  likewise 
stemmed  by  the  Third  Order.  For, 
the  Rule  expressly  insists  on  the 
faithful  performance  of  just  such 
so-called  unimportant  religious  prac- 
tices mentioned  above,  well  aware 
of  the  truth  of  the  words  of  Holy 
Writ  that '  'he  that  contemneth  small 
things,  shall  fall  by  little  and  little" 
(Eccle.  xix,  1). 

When  the  heart  is  filled  with  a 
spirit  of  disobedience  and  an  exces- 
sive desire  for  worldly  amusements 
coupled  with  a  spirit  of  religious 
indifference,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
it  should  likewise  be  given  to  an 
inordinate  love  of  self.  True, 
we  hear  much  about  "broth- 
erly love",  "humanity",  "philan- 
thropy", and  about  the  necessity  of 
forgetting  oneself  in  the  interests 
of  one's  fellow  men.  But,  if  we 
examine  the  motives  underlying  this 
charitable  activity  of  the  world,  we 
find  tin  most  cases  that  selfish- 
ness is  at  the  bottom  of  it  all.  Peo- 
ple expect  either  personal  emolu- 
ment, or  at  least  the  praise  of  men 
for  the  good  deeds  they  perform. 

How  different  from  this  selfish 
charity  and  egoism  is  the  wholly 
disinterested  and  true  Christian 
charity  that  is  diffused  in  the  hearts 
of  the  Tertiaries  by  the  Rule  of 
their  Order.     Tertiaries  are  strictly 


commanded  to  perform  not  only  one 
or  the  other  charitable  work,  but 
"it  is  a  law  for  them  to  strive  to 
perform  all  the  works  of  mercy" 
(PiusX). 

Nor  are  they  to  expect  any  other 
reward  for  this  unbounded  charity 
than  that  promised  by  Him,  when 
he  said:  "When  thou  doest  alms, 
let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy 
right  hand  doeth:  that  thy  alms  may 
be  in  secret,  and  thy  Father,  who 
seeth  in  secret  will  repay  thee" 
(Matt,  v,  3,  4). 

Thus  the  Third  Order  does  not 
trumpet  to  the  four  corners  of  the 
globe  empty  platitudes  about  human- 
ity, brotherly  love,  and  philantro- 
py;  but,  resting  on  the  firm  foun- 
dation of  the  Gospel  and  filled  with 
the  Seraphic  spirit  of  love  and  pen- 
ance, it  goes  practically  to  work  to 
infuse  this  same  spirit  into  the 
hearts  of  all  men.  For  it  knows  that 
it  is  this  spirit  alone  that  can  hope 
successfully  to  cope  with  and  crush 
the  time  spirit  that  holds  so  many 
|  captive  in  the  chains  of  its  slavery. 

It  was  the  knowledge  of  this 
|  power  of  the  Third  Order  to  counter- 
act the  evil  tendencies  of  our  day  that 
induced  the  great  reform  Pontiff, 
Pope  Leo  XIII,  to  exclaim,  "Oh, 
that  all  Christian  people  would  again 
so  zealously  enroll  themselves  in 
the  Third  Order,  as  did  the  nations 
of  old  once  flock  to  St.  Francis!" 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


13 


ARRIVAL  OF  FRANCISCANS  IN  ENGLAND 


By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


IT  is  well  known  Jwith  what__zeal 
and  interest  non-Catholic  his' 
torians  and  sociologists  of  to- 
day are  studying  the  life  and  work 
of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi.  Among 
them,  M.  Paul  Sabatier  holds  a 
prominent  place.  Not  many  years 
since,  this  French  rationalist  pub- 
lished the  results  of  his  researches 
in  a  biography  of  St.  Francis.  Al- 
though giving  a  new  impetus  to 
Franciscan  research,  this  learned 
work  directed  non-Catholic  enthusi- 
asm for  St.  Francis  into  wrong 
channels,  because  it  is  based  to  a 
great  extent  on  a  false  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Saint.  Viewing  him  en- 
tirely from  the  standpoint  of  a  Prot- 
estant with  rationalistic  tenden- 
cies, Sabatier  among  other  absurdi- 
ties attributes  to  him  a  spirit  of  op- 
position toward  the  Pope  and  the 
Church  of  Rome,  and  thus  in  some 
way  makes  the  Saint  a  forerunner 
of  Protestantism. 

How  utterly  wrong  and  unfound- 
ed this  conception  of  St.  Francis  is, 
Fr.  Paschal  Robinson,  o.f.m.,  has 
demonstrated  in  a  learned  brochure 
entitled,  The  Real  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi.  "If  ever,"  he  says,  "there 
was  a  man  docile  and  filial  in  his 
submission,  not  only  to  ecclesiastical 
authority  but  to  what  Manning  calls 
'the  mind  of  the  Church,'  that  man 
was  St.  Francis"  (page  69).  In- 
deed, this  spirit  of  unswerving  alle- 
giance to  the  Holy  See  permeates 
and  characterizes  St.  Francis's  life 


and  work,  and  forms  one  of  the 
chief  features  and  peculiar  glories 
of  the  great  Order  that  bears  his 
name.  And,  if  to-day  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor  is  in  so  flourishing  a 
condition,  it  is  owing  in  great  part 
to  the  fidelity  with  which  the  friars 
have  observed  the  first  command- 
ment of  their  holy  Rule.(1) 

When,  in  the  sixteenth  century, 
the  terrific  storm  of  the  Protestant 
Reformation  swept  over  Europe  and 
spent  its  fury  on  the  Rock  of  Peter, 
the  sons  of  St.  Francis  were  essen- 
tially fitted  out  to  meet  the  exigen- 
cies of  those  troublous  times.  It 
was  their  special  mission  to  bear  the 
first  brunt  of  the  storm.  Nothing 
could  shake  their  constancy  in  de- 
fending the  tenets  of  Catholic  doc- 
trine and  in  supporting  the  just 
claims  of  the  Holy  See.  Nothing 
could  deter  them  from  instructing 
the  people  on  the  vital  questions  of 
the  day,  and  from  counteracting  in 
every  possible  way  the  corrupting 
influence  of  the  so-called  reformers. 

This  is  eminently  true  of  the 
Franciscans  in  England  at  the  time 
of  the  great  schism.  Here  the  fri- 
ars were  the  first  to  oppose  the  un- 
godly policy  of  a  licentious  and  rebel- 
lious king,  and  consequently  the  first 
to  feel  the  smart  of  his  fury  and 
vengeance.  When  King  Henry  VIII 
dared  to  lay  siege  to  the  City  of 
God,  the  sons  of  St.  Francis  were 
the  first  to  appear  on  her  war-worn 
battlements  and  to  unfurl  in  her  de- 


(1)  In  the  first  chapter  of  the  second  Rule  approved  by  Pope  [fonorius  III,  we  read:  "Brother  Francis 
promises  obedience  and  reverence  to  the  Lord  Pope  Honorius  and  to  his  successors  canonically  elected  and  to  the 
Jtoman  Church." 


14 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


fence  the  standard  of  Christian 
truth  and  morality;  and,  even  when 
the  shafts  of  the  king's  rage  utterly 
dispersed  their  heroic  number,  the 
last  word  of  the  friars  was  an  oath 
of  allegiance  to  Christ  and  his  Vicar 
on  earth. 

The  story  of  the  English  Francis- 
cans during  the  hundred  and  fifty 
years  of  religious  persecution  is  one 
of  the  most 
glorious  i  n 
the  annals  of 
the  Order; 
and  we  are 
confident  the 
readers  o  f 
Franciscan 
Herald  will 
find  this 
story  both 
edifying  and 
interesting. 

But,      to 
realize    fully 
the  sad  and 
terrible     ca- 
lamity that 
befell       the 
English 
friars  during 
this  struggle 
with  the  en- 
emies of  the  BL  Asne11 
Church,  it  is  necessary  to  know  their 
history  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the 
storm.     For  this  reason   we    shall 
give  a  brief  account  of  their  arrival 
on  English  soil  and  of  their  subse- 
quent spread  and  activity. 

Among    the    first    disciples  and 


companions  of  St.  Francis  was  Fr. 
William,  an  Englishman  by  birth. 
He  was  esteemed  by  his  brethren 
not  only  on  account  his  learning, 
but  also  on  account  of  his  extra- 
ordinary sanctity.  He  is  said  to  have 
worked  miracles  during  life  and 
after  death.  Certain  it  is  that  he 
was  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  his 
holy  Father,  and  it  was  very  likely 
due  to  the 
zeal  of  this 
English  friar 
that  the 
newly  found- 
ed Order  of 
St.  Francis 
came  to  Eng- 
land. (2)  Dur- 
ing the  sec- 
ond general 
chapter  of 
the  Order, 
which  was 
he  Id  on 
W  h  i  t-  S  u  n- 
day,  May  26, 
1219,  at  Our 
Lady  of  the 
Angels,  or 
Porziuncbla, 
near  Assisi, 
Fr.  William 
petit  i  oned 


us  of  Pisa 


St.  Francis  to  let  also  distant  Eng- 
land share  the  blessings  of  his 
new  foundation.  Accordingly,  our 
holy  Father  directed  that  Blessed 
Fr.  Agnellus  of  Pisa,  custos  of  the 
French  Franciscan  Province  and 
guardian  of  the   friary    in    Paris, 

(2<  According  to  Fr.  Francis  a  San  eta  Clara  (D.ivennort).  this  Fr.  William  was  a  Doctor  of  Divinity.  See 
br.  Antony  Parkinson:  The  Antiquities  of  the  English  Franciscans,  Lmdon,  1T26,  I,  p.  33.— The  Franciscan 
Alartj/rolovi,  un  M;ux-h  7  commemorates:  -Blessed  William,  a  man  of  extraordinary  perfection,  who  for  his 
sanctity  and  miracles  in  lite  and  after  death  was  greatly  renowned.'' 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


15 


undertake  the  expedition  to  Eng- 
land. He  vested  him  with  the 
authority  of  provincial  and  drew 
up  an  obedience  which  read:  "To 
Brother  Agnellus  of  Pisa  of  the 
Tuscan  Province  of  the  Order  of 
Minors,  Brother  Francis  of  As- 
sisi,  Minister  General,  though  un- 
worthy, salutation.  Bv  the  merit 
of  wholesome  obedience,  I  command 
thee  to  go  to  England  and  there  to 
exercise  the  office  of  Minister  Pro- 
vincial.    Farewell.' "3) 

Trusting  in  Divine  Providence 
and  fortified  with  the  blessing  of 
his  holy  Father,  Bl.  Agnellus  with 
eight  brethren  set  out  for  the  new 
mission  field.  Of  his  eight  com- 
panions, Fr.  Richard  of  Ingworth 
was  a  priest,  Fr.  Richard  of  Devon- 
shire a  cleric  in  minor  orders  and 
already  advanced  in  years,  and  Fr. 
William  of  Esseby,  a  youthful  but 
very  pious  novice;  these  three  ac- 
cording to  Eccleston  were  English- 
man by  birth;  the  other  five  who 
accompanied  Bl.  Agnellus  were  lay 
brothers;  viz.,  Fr.  Henry  of  Cervise, 
Fr.  Lawrence  of  Beauvais,  Fr.  Wil- 
liam of  Florence,  Fr.  Melioratus, 
and  Fr.  James  Ultramontanus.r4, 


After  staying  a  few  months  with 
their  brethren  in  France,  the  little 
band  of  nine  friars  continued  their 
journey,  and,  by  the  aid  of  the 
monks  of  Fescamp  in  Normandy, 
landed  at  Dover  in  Kent.  The  date 
of  their  arrival  was  most  probably 
May  3,  1220.  f5)  They  spent  two 
days  in  the  Benedictine  priory  of 
the  Holy  Trinity  at  Canterbury, 
about  ten  miles  northwest  of 
Dover.  It  was  probably  during  this 
brief  stay  at  Canterbury,  that  Fr. 
Agnellus  proceeded  to  the  royal 
palace  and  presented,  as  was  nec- 
essary at  the  time,  to  King  Henry 
III  the  credentials  which  the  friars 
had  received  from  the  Pope.  The 
king,  who  had  already  heard  of  St. 
Francis  and  of  the  holy  life  he  and 
his  followers  were  leading,  received 
the  youthful  provincial  with  every 
token  of  respect  and  kindness.  (6) 
He  readily  gave  the  friars  permis- 
sion to  settle  in  Canterbury,  where 
they  soon  found  a  home  in  the  Poor 
Priests'  Hospital.  The  celebrated 
Cardinal  Stephen  Langton,  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  welcomed 
the  friars  to  England  and  was  ever 
after  one  of  their   devoted   friends 


(3)  In  his  Annates  Minorum,  Tomus  I,  1625.  under  the  year  1219,  p.  202,  Fr.  Luke  Wadding,  the 
famous  Franciscan  historian,  remarks  that  as  a  perpetual  memorial  uf  the  founding  of  the  English  Province, 
the  friarv  of  Mount  Alverna  preserved  a  picture  of  Blessed  Agnellus  of  Pisa  holding  this  document  in  his  ex- 
tended hands.  A  reproduction  of  this  picture  will  be  found  above.  Bl.  Agnellus  died  in  123.:  (.1233)  and  was 
enrolled  among  the  Blessed  by  Pope  Leo  XIII. 

(4)  Brewer:    Monumenta  Frunciscana:    Thomas  De  Eccleston's  De  Adceatu  Minorum  in  Anglican,  p.  5  sqq." 

(5)  The  date  of  their  arrival  is  a  matter  of  much  dispute  among  historians.  Eccleston,  a  Franciscan  friar 
who  lived  about  the  year  13-Ni.  assigns  .September  8,  1224.  .Many  English  historians  like  Lelmd  and  Wood  do 
the  same  on  his  authority.  Uther  reliable  historians  like  Speed,  liaker.  Parkinson,  and  Mrs.  dope  prefer  May  3, 
1220,  as  agreeing  with  the  date  assigned  by  Fr.  Luke  Wadding,  the  historian  of  the  Order,  and  by  Matthew 
Paris,  an  English  monk  of  the  Abbey  of  St.  Albans. 

(6)  The  papal  patent  which  at  the  suggestion  of  Cardinal  Ugolino.  Protecto.-  of  the  Order  St.  Francis 
easily  obUined  from  the  Pope,  read:  '"Honorius,  Bishop.  Servant  of  the  servants  of  God,  to  Archbishops,  Abbots. 
Deans.  Archdeacons  and  other  prelates  of  the  churches:  Whereas  our  beloved  sons,  llrother  francis  and 
his  companions  of  the  life  and  institute  of  Friars  Minor,  despising  the  vanities  of  the  world,  have  made  choice 
of  a  wav  of  life  deservedly  approved  by  the  Roman  Church,  and  sowing  the  seeds  of  the  word  of  Wod,  are  travelling 
after  the  example  of  the  Apostles  through  divers  nations:  We  entreat  you  all,  and  exhort  you  in  the  Lord  and 
command  you,  bv  the  Apostolic  letters  addressed  to  <ou.  that,  whensoever  membersof  said  institute  bearing  these 
presents  shall  think  fit  t  >  come  to  you.  you  receive  them  as  Catholics  and  true  believers;  and  that,  for  the  honor 
of  God  and  the  respect  you  owe  to  Us,  vou  show  them  favor  and  courtesy.  Given  at  Rome  on  the  third  day  of 
of  the  ides  of  June,  in  the  third  year  of  Our  Pontificate."— Fr.  Luke  Wad  ling,  Tomus  I,  1623,  anno  12W,  p.  200. 


16 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


and  protectors. (Tl  In  the  following 
September,  this  prelate  raised  Bl. 
Agnellus  to  the  dignity  of  the  holy 
priesthood  and  conferred  subdea- 
conship  on  Fr.  Richard  of  Devon- 
shire. An  interesting  incident  oc- 
curred on  the  day  of  ordinations. 
When,  as  is  still  customary,  the 
archdeacon  called  upon  those  that 
were  to  be  ordained,  he  referred  to 
the  two  sons  of  St.  Francis  with  the 
significant  words:  "Accedant  fra- 
tres  de  Ordine  Apostolorum — Draw 
nigh,  ye  brethren  of  the  Order  of 
the  Apostles."  For  many  years 
after,  the  friars  went  by  that  name 
in  England. (8)  After  these  ordina- 
tions, Bl.  Agnellus  commissioned 
Fr.  Richard  Ingworth  to  proceed 
with  Fr.  Richard  of  Devonshire  and 
two  lay  brothers,  Fr.  Henry  and 
Fr.  Melioratus,  to  London  and 
from  there  to  Oxford,  while  he  with 
the  rest  of  the  friars  remained  at 
Canterbury,  to  begin  the  erection 
of  their  first  friary  on  English  soil. 
Alexander,  the  master  of  the  Poor 
Priests'  Hospital,  where  the  friars 
had  received  their  first  lodging, 
presented  them  with  a  plot  of 
ground  and  urged  the  citizens  to 
contribute  toward  the  building  of  a 
friary.  The  good  people  responded 
readily,  and  soon  a  neat  little  friary 
was  ready  to  receive  the  sons  of  St. 
Francis.  From  Antony  Wood,  the 
Oxford-antiquary,  we  learn  that 
the  friars  held  this  place  in  the 
name  of  the  Canterbury  Corpora- 
tion, since  their  Rule  forbade  them 


to  possess  anything.  In  this  house, 
which  later  was  dedicated  to  St. 
Francis,  the  friars  lived  for  up- 
wards of  fifty  years,  laboring  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  their  gener- 
ous benefactors  and  educating  their 
boys  in  the  school  which  adjoined 
the  friary.  In  1270,  a  certain  John 
Diggs,  civil  official  of  Canterbury, 
had  the  friars  take  up  their  abode 
at  Bennewith,  an  island  in  the 
double  channel  of  the  river  Stour.f9) 
In  later  years,  King  Henry  VII  gave 
this  friary  to  the  Franciscan  Ob- 
servants, who  inhabited  it  till  the 
time  of  its  suppression  under  Henry 
VIII. 

When  Fr.  Richard  Ingworth  with 
his  three  companions  arrived  in 
London,  he  was  welcomed  with 
open  arms.  The  report  of  their 
coming  had  probably  preceded  them, 
and  the  citizens  vied  with  one  an- 
other in  giving  the  friars  a  hearty 
reception.  After  spending  a  fort- 
night with  the  Dominicans  in  Hol- 
bron,  (io)  they  found  a  home  in  a 
house  in  Cornhill,  which  John  Tra- 
vers,  Sheriff  of  London,  had  pro- 
cured and  fitted  out  for  their  use. 
So  greatly  were  the  people  edified 
at  the  charming  simplicity  and 
heroic  self-denial  of  the  friars,  that 
they  soon  had  a  more  spacious  and 
comfortable  home  to  offer  them. 
John  Irwin,  a  prosperous  merchant 
of  London  and  afterwards  a  lay 
brother  of  the  Order,  presented 
them  with  a  tract  of  land  in  the 
Shambles  of  St.  Nicholas,   where  in 


(7)  It  was  this  learned  and  zealous  prelate  who  formulated  the  demands  of  the  bishops  and  barons  of  Eng- 
land in  the  celebrated  Magna  Carta  and  on  June  15,  1216,  laid  them  before  King  John  tor  recognition.  By  this,  he 
safeguarded  the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  Church  and  secured  freedom  of  ecclesiastical  elections. 

(8)  Fr.  Angelus  a  S.  Francisco  (Mason),  Certamen  Seraphicum,  Quaraeehi.  1885,  p.  2. 

(9)  Parkinson.  II.  p.  8. 

(10)  The  Dominicans  probably  had  come  to  England  the  year  before— Parkinson,  I,  i>.  Hi. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


17 


the  space  of  five  years  through  the 
charity  of  the  people  and  of  the 
city  officials  a  church  and  friary 
were  erected. (11) 

Leaving  the  two  lay  brothers  in 
London,  Fr.  Richard  Ingworth  and 
Fr.  Richard  of  Devonshire,  about 
the  feasts  of  All  Saints  of  the  same 
year,  1220,  set  out  for  Oxford, 
where,  at  the  time,  King  Henry  III 
was  holding  court.  Being  stran- 
gers in  the  country,  they  lost  their 
way.  Night  was  coming  on,  and 
they  were  at  a  loss  where  to  turn 
for  food  and  lodging.  Finally,  they 
came  to  a  manor-house  that  be- 
longed to  the  Benedictines  of  the 
abbey  of  Abbington.  Here  they 
knocked  and  were  admitted  by  the 
porter.  But  the  prior  from  a  rather 
unworthy  motive  treated  the  poor 
friars  harshly  and  turned  them  out 
into  the  night.  One  of  the  monks, 
however,  had  compassion  on  them. 
He  had  them  called  back,  brought 
them  refreshments,  and  led  them 
to  a  hayloft,  where  they  rested  for 
the  night.  That  night,  the  good 
monk  had  a  dreadful  dream.  He 
saw  how  Christ  the  Judge  com- 
manded the  inhospitable  prior  and 
monks  of  Abbington  to  be  strangled 
and  how  he  himself  found  rescue  in 
the  fond  embrace  of  St.  Francis.  He 
hastened  to  the  prior  and  found  him 
struggling  with  death.  Now  he  re- 
lated his  dream  to  the  assembled 
monks  and  all  were  filled  with  fear. 
Next  morning  their  fear  was  redou- 
bled when  they  went  to  the  barn  and 
found  that  the  friars  had  gone.    The 


abbot  soon  heard  of  the  affair.  He 
went  to  Oxford  some  time  later  and 
joined  the  ranks  of  St.  Francis. {n) 
After  enjoying  for  two  weeks 
the  kind  hospitality  of  the  Domini- 
cans, the  two  friars  received  from 
Richard  Miller,  a  wealthy  citizen  of 
Oxford,  a  little  house  in  the  parish 
of  St.  Ebbe's,  between  the  church 
and  the  Watergate.  During  the 
ensuing  Christmas  season,  the  Pro- 
vincial Bl.  Agnellus  visited  Oxford 
and  appointed  Fr.  William  of  Esseby 
guardian.  In  the  following  sum- 
mer, the  abode  of  the  friars  was 
enlarged.  It  is  said  that  the  king 
himself  broke  the  ground  for  the 
new  buildings  and  that  men  of  high 
standing  in  the  realm  not  only 
helped  by  their  charity  but  also 
lent  manual  assistance,  carrying 
stones  and  mortar  to  the  masons. 
The  king  also  ordered  the  friary  to 
be  built  as  near  as  possible  to  the 
royal  palace,  that  he  might  easily 
communicate  with  the  friars. (I3) 

Such  were  the  humble  but  bright 
beginnings  of  Franciscan  life  and 
activity  in  England.  The  tiny  seeds 
sown  in  1220  at  Canterbury,  London, 
and  Oxford  found  congenial  soil  and 
struck  deep  roots.  We  have  yet  to 
see  how  in  a  short  time  they  devel- 
oped into  a  mighty  tree,  whose  wide- 
spreading  branches  sheltered  rich 
and  poor,  high  and  low,  and  whose 
glorious  fruits  of  sanctity  and  learn- 
ing proved  in  succeeding  centuries 
the  glory  of  the  Order  and  the  con- 
solation of  the  Church. 


(11)  Parkinson,  II,  p.  2. 

(12)  Thus  Wood  quoted  by  Parkinson.  I,  p.  U 

(13)  Parkinson,  II,  p.  24. 


18 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ARACOELI  AND  THE  SANTO  BAMBINO 


ON  the  summit  of  the  Capitoline 
Hill  in  Rome,  where  once 
stood  a  fortress  with  the 
temple  of  the  goddess  Juno  and  the 
temple  of  Jupiter,  there  now  stands 
the  famous  Franciscan  church  of 
Aracoeli.  It  is  reached  by  a  splen- 
did marble  staircase  of  one  hundred 
and  twentyfour  steps,  begun  in 
the  year  1348  and  paid  for  exclu- 
sively from  the  alms  of  thefaithful. 
Aracoeli  is  one  of  the  fifty  titular 
churches  of  the  Cardinal  priests. 
Before  his  elevation  to  the  rank  of 
Cardinal  Bishop,  His  Eminence 
Diomede  Falconio,  one  of  the  most 
eminent  sons  of  St.  Francis  of  the 
present  day,  was  Cardinal  Priest  of 
Aracoeli. 

Among  the  more  than  three  hun- 
dred churches  of  the  Eternal  City, 
Aracoeli,  which  means  "The  Altar 
of  Heaven,"  enjoys  no  slight  pre- 
eminence both  on  account  of  its 
many  shrines  and  antique  treasures 
as  also  on  account  of  its  dignity. 
Throughout  the  centuries  up  to  the 
year  1870,  it  was  the  official  church 
of  the  Roman  people,  where  the 
magistrates  were  wont  to  attend 
services  in  their  official  capacity, 
where  God's  blessing  was  solemnly 
invoked  on  the  city,  its  inhabitants, 
and  enterprises  in  peace  and  war, 
and  where  the  citizens  assembled 
to  render  thanks  to  Him  for  the 
favors,  protection,  and  aid  he  had 
vouchsafed  to  bestow  on  them. 

Twenty-two  marble  pillars  from 
the  ancient  temple  of  Jupiter  and 
from  the  Capitol  divide  the  interior 
of  Aracoeli  into  three  naves,  which 


are  surrounded  by  twenty-one 
chapels  rich  in  sculpture  and  paint- 
ings. In  the  left  transept,  there  is 
a  shrine  — an  altar  and  a  baldachino 
—in  circular  form,  enclosing  the 
remains  of  St.  Helen,  the  mother  of 
Constantine  the  Great. 

This  shrine  is  said  to  mark  the 
spot,  where,  according  to  the  pious 
legend,  the  Emperor  Augustus  be- 
held the  wonderful  vision  that  gave 
rise  to  the  name  of  the  church,  Ara- 
coeli. This  legend  is  thus  told  by 
a  pilgrim  of  Cologne  about  the  year 
1500.  One  of  the  ancient  sybils 
saw  one  day  from  the  fortress  on 
the  Capitoline  Hill  a  golden  wreath 
about  the  sun,  wherein  was  seated 
a  beautiful  virgin  with  a  crown  on 
her  head,  and  in  her  arms  an  infant 
of  majestic  beauty  and  bearing. 
The  sybil  pointed  out  the  strange 
vision  to  the  Emperor  Augustus  and 
told  him  that  this  small  child  was 
the  King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth.  When  the  Em- 
peror heard  this  and  beheld  the 
marvelous  sight,  he  ordered  altar 
to  be  built  on  the  spot  in  honor  to 
the  God-Child  that  had  appeared 
there  to  him  and  forbade  that 
thenceforth  divine  homage  be  of- 
fered to  himself. 

When  the  fortress  and  temple  of 
Juno  on  the  Capitoline  Hill  were 
converted  into  a  Christian  church  is 
not  precisely  known;  but  it  is  quite 
generally  conceded  that  this  hap- 
pened during  the  fifth  century. 
Soon  after  this  event,  the  temple  of 
Jupiter,  that  stood  just  opposite, 
was  burnt  to  the  ground  and  never 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


19 


restored.  The  church  was  first 
called  5.  Maria  de  Capitolw,  and 
also  S.  Maria  in  Aracoe'i.  In 
course  of  time,  a  Benedictine  abbey 
sprang  up  near  the  church.  Later, 
the  church  and  abbey  were  given  to 
the  Friars 
Minor  by 
Pope  Inno- 
cent IV,  and 
the  Ministers 
General  o  f 
the  Order  re- 
sided here 
until  18  86, 
when  the 
friary  was 
demoli  shed 
by  the  Ita- 
lian govern- 
ment to  make 
room  for  the 
monument  of 
King  Victor 
Emmanuel  I. 

The  most 
prized  treas- 
ure of  this 
ven  e  r  a  b  le 
church  is  the 
world- famed 
statue  of  the 
Infant  Jesus, 
the  so-called 
Santo  Bam- 
bino of  Ara- 
coeli.  The 
Acta  Ordinis 
Minorum,  of  Santo 

April  1895,  gives  the  following  ac- 
count of  this  miraculous  image. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  a  Franciscan  lay  brother 
in    Palestine    carved   a     beautiful 


statue  of  the  Infant  Jesus  out  of 
the  wood  of  an  olive  tree  that  grew 
in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane. 
When  the  statue  was  finished,  the 
humble  brother  began  to  bewail  the 
fact  that  he  had  no  suitable  colors 
with  which 
to  paint  it, 
and  he  pray- 
ed devoutly 
t  o  God  t  o 
provide  him 
with  the  nec- 
essary ma- 
terials for 
this  purpose. 
One  day,  as 
h  e  entered 
the  room 
where  the 
wooden  stat- 
ue was  kept, 
he  was  filled 
with  a  s- 
tonishment 
and  grati- 
tude when  he 
noticed  that 
the  wood  had: 
miraculously 
taken  on  a 
wond  erf  ul 
flesh  color. 
The  news  of 
the  miracle 
soon  spread 
far  and  wide, 
and  the  peo- 
Bambino  pie  came  not 

only  from  Jerusalem,  but  also  from 
Bethlehem.  Lydda,  Arimathea,  Jop- 
pe,  and  many  other  places  to  vene- 
rate the  sacred  image,  and  nume- 
rous   miracles    obtained    through 


20 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


this  devotion  have  been  recorded. 

Some  time  after,  the  good  brother, 
who  had  carved  the  statue  of  the 
Infant  Jesus  for  the  Christmas 
festivities  celebrated  in  the  church 
of  Aracoeli,  was  transferred  from 
the  Holy  Land  to  Rome,  and  he 
took  the  already  famous  image 
with  him  to  Italy.  As  he  neared 
the  coast  of  Tuscany,  a  great  storm 
arose,  and  the  box  that  contained 
the  statue  was  carried  overboard 
by  the  waves.  Happily,  however, 
it  floated  on  the  water  and  was 
gradually  borne  to  the  shore  near 
Leghorn. 

The  Franciscans  of  the  town 
found  the  box  and  had  it  brought 
to  Rome  to  the  intense  joy  of  the 
poor  brother,  who  was  sorely  de- 
jected over  his  great  loss.  Here 
the  sacred  image  was  placed  in  the 
church  of  Aracoeli,  which  marks 
the  spot  where  Caesar  Augustus  in 
the  fifty-sixth  year  of  his  reign  be- 
held the  heavenly  Virgin  with  the 
Divine  Child  in  her  arms,  and 
where  in  memory  of  this  vision  he 
had  erected  '  'The  Altar  to  the  First 
Born  of  God"— Aram  Primogenito 
Dei. 

Owing  to  the  great  veneration  in 
which  this  statue  of  the  Infant 
Jesus  is  held,  the  Roman  people  pe- 
titioned the  Venerable  Chapter  of 
the  Vatican  to  crown  it  with  a  gold- 
en circlet.  The  Holy  Father,  Leo 
XIII,  graciously  granted  the  de- 
sired permission  on  February  10, 
1895,  and  the  ceremony  of  the 
coronation  was  carried  out  with 
great  pomp  on  May  2,  1896;  Cardi- 
nal Rompolla  officiated,  assisted  by 
the  Canons  of  the  Vatican  Basilica. 


The  anniversary  of  this  coronation 
is  kept  every  year  with  much  splen- 
dor and  amid  general  rejoicing. 
The  crown  of  the  gold  and  precious 
stones  that  was  placed  on  the  head 
of  the  statue  at  that  time  is  valued 
at  2500  lire  (about  $500) . 

Replicas  of  the  Santo  Bambino 
are  highly  treasured  in  all  parts  of 
the  world.  Thus  at  Santiago  de 
Chile  there  is  a  special  sanctuary 
erected  for  the  image,  and  the 
same  festivities  that  mark  the 
Christmas  and  Epiphany  celebra- 
tions at  Aracoeli,  are  also  held  in 
this  South  American  city  in  honor 
of  the  Infant  Jesus. 

The  original  statue,  which  is 
about  twenty-one  inches  high,  ex- 
cluding the  crown,  is  richly  dressed, 
and  covered  with  rings,  bracelets, 
watches,  and  jewelry  of  every  kind 
—all  votive  offerings  for  favors  re- 
ceived at  the  shrine.  These  orna- 
ments are  valued  at  250,000  lire 
(about  $50,000),  and  their  number 
is  constantly  increasing.  Up  to 
the  year  1870,  the  Santo  Bambino 
was  frequently  borne  to  the  sick 
in  solemn  procession  in  a  special 
carriage  of  state  escorted  by  sol- 
diers and  crowds  of  people,  cleric 
and  lay.  The  devotion  of  the  Ro- 
mans to  this  miraculous  image  is 
remarkable,  and  the  saying  is  that 
every  Roman,  no  matter  how  in- 
different he  may  otherwise  be  to- 
ward religion,  will  visit  the  tomb  of 
St.  Peter  on  July  26,  and  the  Santo 
Bambino  sometime  during  the  octave 
Christmas. 

The  little  statue  is  exposed  over 
the  high  altar  of  Aracoeli  during 
the  midnight  Mass   on   Christmas, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


21 


and  is  then  carried  in  procession  to 
the  crib,  which  is  located  in  the 
second  chapel  from  the  entrance 
of  the  church  on  the  Gospel  side. 
Here  it  is  placed  near  the  life-size 
statues  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and 
St.  Joseph,  that  are  arrayed  in 
splendid  garments  of  silk  and  vel- 
vet; soldiers  remain  there  on  con- 
stant guard.  Directly  opposite  the 
crib,  on  the  Epistle  side  of  the 
church,  a  pulpit  is  built,  from  which 
children  from  four  to  fourteen 
years  of  age,  mostly  girls,  preach 
in  prose  and  rhyme  in  the  most  re- 
markable manner,  attracting  vast 
crowds,  that  stand  about  and  ad- 
mire and  enthusiastically  applaud 
their  efforts.  These  little  preachers 
continue  uninterruptedly  all  during 
the  day  until  late  at  night  from 
Christmas  morning  until  the  even- 
ing of  Epiphany,  and  there  is  al- 
ways a  group  of  ten  or  twelve  of 
them  awaiting  their  turn  to  preach. 
On  the  feast  of  Epiphany,  Janu- 
ary 6,  the  Most  Reverend  Fr.  Gene- 
ral of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor 
sings  the  solemn  High  Mass  in 
Aracoeli.  During  the  services  the 
children  "preachers"  go  on  with 
their  naive  sermons  without  caus- 
ing any  disturbance,  owing  to  the 
immense  size  of  the  church.  In  the 
evening  after  the  solemn  chanting  of 


the  Vespers,  a  procession  is  formed 
in  which  Father  General  himself 
carries  the  Santo  Bambino  and  all 
Rome  attends  the  ceremony.  The 
procession  moves  three  times 
through  the  church,  which  is  lit- 
erally jammed  with  people:  the 
children  are  preaching,  the  people 
praying,  crying,  shouting,  throw- 
ing kisses  at  the  beloved  Bambino, 
and  otherwise  endeavoring  to  give 
expression  to  their  joy  and  devo- 
tion. 

Leaving  the  church,  the  proces- 
sion proceeds  to  the  esplanade  at 
the  summit  of  the  grand  marble 
staircase  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  steps,  where  Father  General 
thrice  blesses  the  city  of  Rome  and 
the  surging  crowds,  with  the  sacred 
image  of  the  Infant  Jesus.  This 
is  truly  an  inspiring  scene.  From 
fifty  to  sixty  thousand  people  are 
gathered  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Aracoeli.  In  all  the  windows,  on 
the  roofs,  below  on  the  steps,  in 
the  piazza,  in  all  the  streets,  wher- 
ever one  turns,  great  throngs  of 
men,  women,  and  children  meet 
one's  gaze,  all  gathered  to  give 
homage  to  the  miraculous  statue  of 
the  Santo  Bambino.  A  grand  dis- 
play of  fireworks  brings  the  unique 
Christmas  celebration  to  a  worthy 
close.  —Communicated. 


22  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  (j'Melia,  Tertiary 

The  Lord  Jesus  took  bread 


THE  DIVINE  PRESENCE  AND  THE  HUMBLE  APPEARANCE 

PASS  back,  my  soul,  into  the  religious  world  of  God's  ancient  people, 
and  contemplate  the  holy  of  holies  with  the  divine  Presence  resting  in 
ineffable  light  on  the  pure  golden  mercy  seat  above  the  ark.  How 
beautiful  is  the  curtain  which  screens  this  august  Presence  from  ordinary 
sight!  How  precious  its  material,  how  rich  and  holy  its  adornment  of 
Cherubim  in  dazzling  and  beauteous  colors! 

Consider,  my  soul,  how  fitting  it  was  that  the  veil  which  concealed 
that  mysterious  Presence  should  be  thus  costly  and  magnificent.  How 
unworthy  was  even  all  this  material  beauty  to  conceal  that  most  holy 
effulgence  which  intimated  the  hidden  majesty  and  attributes  of  God! 

But  again  contemplate,  my  soul,  the  ages  in  which  the  Catholic 
Church  is  founded  and  reigns,  and  behold  how  thy  God  stoops  all  days  to 
a  still  deeper  humiliation  for  his  people  in  the  mystery  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist.  0  marvelous  humility  of  the  Divine  Word,  who  has  veiled  his 
divinity  and  humanity,  under  the  lowliness  of  the   eucharistic  species! 

I  might  have  thought  that  for  the  eucharistic  veil  of  his  majesty  he 
would  have  chosen  some  appearance  beautiful  and  precious.  But  my 
divine  Lord  "took  bread"— this  simple  food  of  man— as  the  species  of  his 
adorable  body  in  the  Eucharist.  How  condescendingly  he  lays  aside  his 
divine  glory  in  this  blessed  mystery!  How  sweet  is  the  perfume  of  his 
heavenly  humility  which  permeates  the  garment  of  the  eucharistic  species! 
How  could  I  love  to  adorn  myself  with  the  purple  and  fine  linen  of  worldly 
vanity,  when  I  behold  how  humble  is  the  seeming  vesture  of  the  Body  of 
my  God  in  the  Holy  Eucharist?  0  my  divine  Lord,  how  great  is  the 
miracle  of  thy  eucharistic  humiliation!  Majestically  thou  hast  expressed 
dimension  in  uplifted  mountain  and  starry  expanse  of  heaven  and  fathom- 
less depth  of  ocean,  but  how  gloriously  dost  thou  reveal  the  infinite 
dimensions  of  thy  love  divine  in  so  small  a  species!  Splendidly  thy  power 
shines  forth  in  the  glaring  flash  of  lightning  and  in  the  rolling  peal  of 
thunder,  but  how  dazzling  is  the  grandeur  of  thy  almightiness  which  silent- 
ly and  quietly  works  this  marvel  of  thy  abasement  in  the  Mystery  of  the 
Altar!     Truly,  thou  art  "  a  hidden  God,  the  Savior"  (Is.  45,  15). 


HP  HE  adorable  humility  of  my  divine  Lord  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist  shall 
■*■  be  an  incentive  to  me  to  exalt  and  to  glorify  him.  Is  it  not  the  will 
of  the  eternal  Father  that  his  incarnate  Son  should  be  glorified  in  and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  23 


because  of  his  humiliations?  My  will,  therefore,  can  not  be  in  accordance 
with  the  divine  will  unless  I  strive  to  exalt  Jesus  there  where  he  is  so 
manifestly  humiliated— in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  of  the  Altar.  That  I 
may  stir  up  my  soul  in  this  regard  let  me  approach  my  eucharistic  Savior 
in  the  spirit  of  the  Seraphic  Patriarch  saying,  "Who  art  thou,  0  sweet- 
est God,  and  who  am  I,  thy  worthless  servant!"  Yes,  who  art  thou,  0 
sweetest  Jesus,  who  comest  to  me  hidden  beneath  such  humble  species? 
Who  art  thou?  Consider  here,  0  my  soul, -in  spite  of  thy  littleness  — 
the  divinity  of  thy  eucharistic  Jesus. 

His  is  the  majesty  and  glory  of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  the 
eternal  Father.  Forever  the  almighty  Father  has  the  divine  nature 
from  himself.  But  by  thinking  and  contemplating  himself  from  ail 
eternity  he  begets  or  brings  forth  a  living  and  perfect  image  of  him- 
self. This  living  image  is  the  second  person  in  the  Blessed  Trinity, 
the  Son,  the  true  and  only-begotten  Son  of  the  living  God. —Him  do  the 
Scriptures  call  "the  brilliancy  of  the  eternal  light  and  the  unspotted  mirror 
of  God's  majesty,    and   the   image   of  his  goodness"   (Wisd.    7,   26).— 

Of  him  does  the  blessed  Apostle  Paul  tell  us  that  "He  is  the  image  of 
the  invisible  God,"  and  that  "in  him  were  all  things  created  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  thrones  or  dominations  or  prin- 
cipalities or  powers:  all  things  were  created  by  him  and  in  him"  (Col. 
1,13,15).  Infinitely  exalted  above  all  the.  choirs  of  angels,  he  their  Maker, 
Lord,  and  King,  lives  and  reigns  in  union  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  as  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  end  of  all  things 
(Apoc.  22,13),  God  blessed  forever  (Rom.  9,5).— And  as  with  joy  ineffable 
these  blessed  spirits  see  forever  the  face  of  the  Father  who  is  in  heaven 
(.Matt.  18,10),  and  with  unceasing  delight  desire  forever  to  look  upon  the 
Holy  Ghost  (i  Pet.  1,12),  so  too  do  they  exult  forever  in  the  blissful  vision 
of  the  ravishing  beauty  of  the  eternal  Son.  — 

Such  then,  0  my  soul,  is  the  divine  greatness,  glory,  and  majesty 
of  thy  eucharistic  Jesus.  And  now  consider,  that  this  eternal  Son  of  the 
Most  High— true  God,  begotten  of  the  substance  of  the  Father— the 
angels'  joy  and  nourishment  divine— does  not  shrink  from  thy  lowliness 
and  nothingness,  but  deigns  to  draw  near  to  thee,  to  become  his  creature's 
food  in  Holy  Communion.  Ah!  what  an  overwhelming  mystery  of  divine 
condescension! 


CONSIDER  also  the  sacred  humanity  of  the  eucharistic  Savior  lifted 
up  into  that  glory,  which  he  had  with  the  Father  before  the  world 
was.  Is  it  not  the  magnificent  temple  in  which  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head dwells?    Is  not  the  blessed  soul  of  Jesus,  filled  with   all  the  treas- 


24  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ures  of  wisdom,  knowledge  and  holiness,  the  masterpiece  of  God's  crea- 
tive wisdom  and  power?  What  joy  and  bliss,  what  honor,  power,  and 
glory  in  the  happy  portion  of  this  soul  that  once  for  our  sake  became  sor- 
rowful unto  death! 

How  pure  the  sacred  body  of  Jesus  formed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in 
the  spotless  womb  of  his  Virgin-mother!  With  what  exquisite  beauty 
and  subtle  energy,  with  what  radiant  splendor  is  not  his  body  invested 
now  that  it  has  cast  off  forever  the  weakness  and  lowliness  of  its  earthly 
condition  and  put  on  a  glorious  immortality!— This  glorified  body,  living 
forever  the  blessed  life  of  immortality,  it  is,  that  thy  Savior  gives  thee 
as  food  and  nourishment  in  the  Holy  Eucharist! 

Perfect  God,  perfect  man  is  then  thy  eucharistic  Savior.  And  now 
consider,  my  soul,  how  great  the  honor  and  homage  is,  which  Jesus 
receives  as  God  incarnate  from  the  angels  and  saints  in  heaven.— The 
heavenly  Jerusalem  resounds  forever  with  the  rapturous  strains  of  the 
new  canticle,  "Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  benediction 
and  honor  and  glory  and  power  forever  and  ever"  (Apoc.  5,  12,  13). 

And  when  Jesus  was  born  in  poverty  and  lowliness  on  Christmas 
night,  did  not  a  great  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  descend  in  joyous 
haste  to  sing  his  praises  and  exalt  him  as  their  eternal  Lord  and  King? — 

Consider,  too,  that  at  the  beginning  of  his  mission  and  when  his 
passion  drew  nigh,  Jesus  was  exalted  by  his  eternal  Father,  whose  voice 
gave  solemn  testimony,  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."— What  is  all  the  honor  and  praise  offered  by  creatures  compar- 
ed with  the  exaltation  Jesus  has  received  from  his  own  eternal  Father  on 
earth  and  still  receives  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  his  majesty  on  high? 
How  insufficient  will  ever  be  my  praise  and  my  exaltation  of  the  eucha- 
ristic Savior! 

Yet,  He  who  has  concealed  his  glory  beneath  the  humble  sacra- 
mental veil  that  we  might  approach  him  without  fear,  will  not  reject  our 
homage  and  our  praise,  if  we  offer  it  with  reverent  devotion,  with  humble 
and  contrite  heart. 

Let  me  then  with  strong  and  humble  faith  ever  acknowledge  my 
eucharistic  Lord  and  King  before  angels  and  men  and  with  Saint 
Thomas  adoring  and  wondering  joyfully  confess:  My  Lord  and  my  God! 
My  Lord  and  My  God!— Let  me  never  cease  to  pray  with  the  devout 
prophet-King  of  Israel:  "How  lovely  are  thy  tabernacles,  0  Lord  of 
hosts!— My  soul  longeth  for  thy  altars,  0  Lord  of  hosts,  my  King,  and 
my  God.  I  will  sing  praise  to  thee  in  the  sight  of  angels,  I  will  worship 
in  thy  holy  temple,  and  I  will  give  glory  to  thy  name"  (Ps.  83,  137). 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  25 


Uty?  1§ahj  Nam?  of  3fcaua 

iffair  finmr-ry  2«amr-!  in  nanv  nuj  <j^r 
Anb  utyy  nr-rtarr-al  fragranry 

•Hnnrly  tltr-rr-  mr-r-ta 
A  nmur-raal  aynnb  of  all  amr-ria: 
$y  mtimn  it  ia  br-finr-b  tfjna, 

QTlfat  nn  nrrfum? 
_^         Jflnrr-urr  aball  nrraumr- 
Sin  naaa  for  nbnrifr-rnna, 
Uut  aurb  alnnr  uihnar  aarrrb  nrbigrrr 
(Can  prow  itarlf  anme  kin,  arnert  Narnr,  to  Stjr-r 

#>mrr-t  Namr!  in  <TJ|y  parly  ayllabtr, 

A  thousand  blr-at  Arabiaa  bmr-ll. 

(Dlj,  tljat  it  mrrr-  aa  it  uma  uinnt  to  br-I 

3$hrn  tb,y  nib  frir-nba,  nf  fir?  all  full  nf  Gib. n>, 

Jfangljt  againat  frnmna  nritb.  amtlr-a;  gaur-  glnrtnua  rhaar 

(Fn  nrrarrutinna;  anb,  agatnat  tljr  far* 

©f  braib,  anb  fir-rrrat  bangr-ra,  bnrat,  tnitb,  braur- 

Anb  anbrr  farr,  marrh.  nn  tn  tnr-r-t  a  granr-. 

©n  thnr  bnlb  brr-aata  abnur-  tljr-  innrib  tljry  bnrr-  (Fljfr, 
Anb  tn  tljr  trrtb.  nf  Ijrll  atnnb  nn  tn  tr-arh,  Gtyr-r-; 

3n  rr-ntr-r  nf  tfyr-ir  inmnat  anula  tljr-y  tnnrr-  ®fj*r-, 
Mljrrr-  rark  anb  tnrmrnta  atrnur-  in  uain  tn  rr-arb.  uTtfr-r. 
Sarb,  mnnnb  nf  tljr-ir  maa  GJIjy  nr-m  mnrning, 
Anb  rr-intln-nnr-b  Utljrr-  in  ab,y  may  nrat, 
_  Uitt?  bluatj  nf  (FJjtnr-  nrnn  blnnb  ®ljy  bay  abnrning; 
3t  maa  tb,r  nut  nf  luur  nVrflnmrb  tljr-  bnnnba 
©f  mratb.  anb  mabr  tfjr  may  tyrnugb,  all  tljrar  mnnnba. 

"Mrlrnmr,  brar,  all-abnrrb  Namr! 
Jflnr  anr?  tljrrr  ia  nn  knr-r 
(Itljat  knnuia  nnt  (Uljrr; 
"(§r,  if  tfjrrr  br  aurb.  anna  nf  afjamr-, 
Alaa!  mljat  will  tljry  bn 
Hljrn  atubbnrn  rnrka  aljall  bnui, 
Anb  Jjtlla  ijang  bnmn  tfjrir  Jjraurn-aalnttng  braba, 

Uln  arr-k  fnr  Ijumblr  br-ba 
©f  buat,  roijrrr-,  in  tljr-  baalj ful  aljabra  nf  nigb, t, 
•Dfoxt  tn  tljrtr  ntun  Innt  nntbing  tljry  may  lir-, 
Anb  rnurb.  brfnrr  tljr-  baszling  ligljt  nf  ulljy  brr-ab  Hafraiy? 
ulyry  tljat  by  Inor-'a  milb  birtatr-  nnm 

Hill  nnt  abnrr-  ur^rr- 
g»b.all  tb,rn  mitb,  fnat  rnnfnainn  bnm 
Anb  brr-ak  br-fnrr-  Gtt}?v." 

— Hirtyarb  (Eraab.am, 


26 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FR.  MATHIAS  RECHSTEINER,  O.F.M. 

By  a  Confrere 


FATHER  EusebioKino,  S.  J., 
Father  Francisco  Garces,  o. 
F.M.,  and  Father  Mathias  — 
these  are  the  three,  whose  names 
will,  through  time  and  eternity,  be 
connected  with  the  story  of  the 
Papago  Missions.  Father  Kino 
founded  the  missions  in  the  last 
years  of  the  seventeenth  century;  to 
honor  his  patron,  St.  Francis  Xavier, 
the  martyr  Fray  Garces  brought 
new  life  to  the  languishing  missions; 
and  Father  Mathias  revived  the  in- 
terest in  the  neglected  Papagos  in 
our  own  times. 

Born  at  Alleghany,  Pa.,  on  the 
eve  of  Christmas,  1866,  and  called 
Lawrence  in  Baptism,  Fr.  Mathias 
spent  his  early  youth  in  great  pov- 
erty. He  entered  the  Franciscan 
novitiate  at  Teutopolis,  111.,  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one,  and  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  priesthood  together 
with  Rev.  Fr.  Justin  Deutsch,  o.F. 
M. ,  whom  Divine  Providence  had  also 
destined  for  missionary  work  among 
the  Pima  and  Papago  Indians.  It 
is  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  the 
ordination  took  place  on  the  feast 
of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  Patron 
of  the  Pima  and  Papago  Missions. 

Soon  after  his  ordination,  Fr. 
Mathias  was  sent  to  the  Old  Mission 
at  Santa  Barbara,  Cal.  When  in 
the  following  year,  the  Rev.  Fr. 
Peter  Wallischeck,  O.F.M.,  made  the 
humble  beginning  of  St.  Antony's 
Seraphic  College  at  the  Old  Mission, 
with  twelve  students,  forty  dollars, 
and  an  unbounded  confidence  in  St. 


Antony,  Father  Mathias  was  chosen 
a  member  of  the  faculty.  With  the 
exception  of  one  year,  during  which 
he  was  superior  and  pastor  at  St. 
Mary's,  Phoenix,  he  remained  at 
college  until  the  fall  of  1905. 

It  was  then  that  Father  Justin, 
finding  it  impossible  to  continue 
alone  and  unaided  his  missionary 
work  among  the  Pimas  of  Arizona, 
most  urgently  requested  an  assist- 
ant. Father  Mathias,  although 
well  acquainted  with  the  hardships 
and  difficulties  of  missionary  life  in 
Arizona,  volunteered   his   services. 

The  headquarters  for  the  Catho- 
lic missions  among  the  Pimas  are 
situated  in  the  Indian  village  of  Gila 
Crossing,  some  fifteen  miles  south- 
west of  Phoenix.  Here  the  inde- 
fatigable zeal  of  the  Rev.  Fr.  Jus- 
tin subsidized  principally  by  his 
Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial  and  by  the 
Ven.  Mother  Catherine  Drexel,  has 
erected  a  boarding  and  day  school. 
Here,  too,  Father  Mathias  com- 
menced his  apostolic  labors  for  the 
conversion  of  the  Pimas.  Owing  to 
the  lack  of  a  residence  for  the  Fa- 
thers, he  was  forced  to  live  in  a 
corner  of  one  of  the  school  build- 
ings. From  these  humble  quarters 
he  would  sally  forth  on  his  raids  for 
human  souls.  Soon  he  was  a  famil- 
iar figure  in  the  settlements  along 
the  Salt,  Gila,  and  Santacruz  Rivers. 
While  here  he  baptized  some  200 
adults,  most  of  them  in  a  healthy 
condition. 

When  Father  Mathias  reached  his 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


27 


new  field  of  labor,  there  was  no 
grammar  or  dictionary  of  the  Pima 
lauguage  extant,  except  a  few  notes, 
written  by  Rev.  Fr.  Solano  Rooney, 
O.f.m.  Thus  it  was  very  difficult 
for  the  Fathers  to  learn  the  lan- 
guage. But  with  undaunted  spirit, 
he  tried  to  gain  a  knowledge  of  the 
Pima  tongue  through  interpreters. 
In  order  to  lessen  the  difficulties 
for  his  confreres,  he,  in  his  thought- 
fulness,  commit- 
ted to  writing  the 
knowledge  so 
gained.  A  com- 
plete English- 
Pima  dictionary 
and  an  incomplete 
grammar  of  the 
Pima  language  are 
the  results  of  his 
labors. 

On  account  of 
the  great  distance 
of  St.  John's  Mis- 
sion from  the  rail- 
road, telegraph, 
and  telephone  sta- 
tions, it  was  con- 
sidered advisable 
that  Father  Ma- 
thias  should  reside 
at  Phoenix.  In 
October  1908,  therefore,  the  zealous 
missionary  changed  his  headquar- 
ters to  St.  Mary's,  Phoenix. 

We  have  now  come  to  a  new 
epoch  in  the  missionary  career  of 
the  good  Father,  during  which  he 
laid  the  foundation  for  the  organ- 
ized missionary  effort  among  the 
Pima  and  Papagos,  living  in  the 
great  desert  south  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad.     During  the  Vekol 


Mines'  boom,  the  parish  priests 
from  Florence  had  occasionally 
administered  Baptism  to  the  In- 
dians, whom  some  zealous  Mexi- 
can had  won  for  the  Catholic  faith. 
But  their  manifold  duties  among 
the  Mexicans  and  Americans  pre- 
vented these  pioneers  of  Arizona 
Catholicity  from  devoting  them- 
selves to  systematic  missionary 
work  among  the  aborigines. 

The  first  visit  of 
Father  Mathias  to 
the  country  south 
of  the  Casa 
Grande  took  place 
in  April  1908. 
This  was  a  trip  to 
the  village  o  f 
Cuecuo,  aboutnine 
miles  distant.  The 
people  were  de- 
ightedto  see  our 
Padre.  Encourag- 
ed by  their  good 
will,  Father  Ma- 
thias immediately 
baptized  twenty 
three  children. 
This  visit  proved 
fruitful  of  very 
good  results  to  the 
great  satisfaction 


Rev.  Fr.  Mathias,  O.F.M. 

of  the  zealous  missionary,  and  to-day 
the  entire  village  is  Catholic. 

In  October,  1908,  Father  Mathias 
proceeded  to  found  other  missions 
in  the  Papago  country.  He  had 
learnt  at  Cuecuo,  that  the  Kwahatk 
Pimas  are  a  very  intelligent  peo- 
ple, quick  to  grasp  the  truths 
of  our  holy  Faith,  and  also  most 
willing  to  live  up  to  them.  After 
leaving      Cuecuo,      he     went     to 


28 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Wahewa  Va,  (commonly  called 
Burr  Town  by  the  miners)  sev- 
enteen miles  southwest  of  Casa 
Grande.  Here  he  met  with  a  most 
welcome  reception,  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  Catholicity  by 
baptizing  five  children.  Kwahatk, 
a  populous  village  near  Jack  Rabbit 
Mine,  was  the  next  to  receive  the 
blessings  of  Faith.  Nine  children 
and  a  dying  old  woman  here  formed 
the  seed  of  a  future  Christian  com- 
munity. Asnagam,  near  the  Vekol 
Mines,  followed  next,  where  thir- 
teen children  and  a  dying  man  were 
snatched  from  the  devil's  grasp. 
From  these  places  the  Father  and 
his  trusted  interpreter,  John  Kelly, 
a  Pima  Indian  from  St.  Michael's 
Mission  on  the  Gila,  crossed  the 
mountains  to  Santa  Rosa  Ranch, 
and  there  at  the  village  of  Gox  Mue 
continued  their  conquest  for  Christ 
by  baptizing  a  dying  boy  and  ten 
other  children.  The  sixth  mission 
was  founded  at  Akoin,  where 
twelve  children  and  two  sick  per- 
sons were  regenerated  in  the  waters 
of  holy  Baptism;  the  seventh  at 
the  village  of  Sild  Nakya. 

Father  Mathias  now  returned  to 
Phoenix  in  order  to  prepare  for 
further  work  among  the  Papagos. 
On  account  of  his  manifold  duties 
among  the  Indians  along  the  Gila, 
and  most  of  all,  on  account  of  the 
lack  of  a  serviceable  conveyance  he 
could  not  penetrate  further  into  the 
desert  than  the  villages  of  Cuecuo 
and  Wahewa  Va  until  April  of  the 
following  year.  In  that  month  he 
set  out  on  his  second  great  trip  into 
the  Papago  country.  His  sole  com- 
panion  was   his   Pima  interpreter. 


This  time  he  founded  new  missions 
at  the  Copperosity  Mine,  at 
Huktam  Vonam,  at  Cyevak  (also 
called  Rabaho) ,  at  Kam  Waf ya,  at 
Kahekuk,  and  at  Wooco,  at  which 
places  sixty-nine  children  were 
baptized.  From  experiences  made 
on  his  various  trips,  Father  Mathias 
had  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  a 
team  and  wagon  were  entirely  inad- 
equate for  continual  travel  in  the 
desert.  Fodder  is  scarce  and  water 
can  be  had  only  at  the  villages  and 
the  mines,  which  at  times  are  sep- 
arated from  each  other  by  a 
stretch  of  thirty  miles  of  sandy 
desert  land. 

Taught  by  the  example  of  the  U. 
S.  Geological  Survey,  which  in  its 
desert  work  made  use  of  automo- 
biles, the  Reverend  Father  petitioned 
his  Superiors  for  a  Brush  runabout. 
Since  it  was  evident,  that  the  good 
Father  could  not  take  the  proper 
care  of  his  missions  without  the 
runabout,  and  since  the  expenses 
are  hardly  greater  than  those  of  a 
team,  his  request  was  granted. 
Some  one  said  that  had  St.  Paul 
lived  in  our  century,  he  would  have 
edited  a  newspaper.  We  may  as- 
sert with  more  reason,  that  had  he 
been  missioner  in  the  Arizona  de- 
sert, he  would  have  had  his  auto. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  Father 
Mathias  did  not  keep  his  machine 
in  the  garage.  Up  and  down  the 
Gila,  across  the  Kwahatk  Desert, 
over  the  Cimaron  and  the  craggy 
Quijotoa  it  sped,  carrying  the  mes- 
senger of  God  to  the  souls  en- 
snared in  gross  superstition.  The 
sphere  of  his  activity  among  the 
missions  grew  so  fast  that  a  few 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


29 


weeks  before  his  death  he  could  tell 
the  Rt.  Reverend  Bishop  that  he 
needed  assistance  to  build  twenty 
chapels  in  his  new  missions. 

Besides  his  work  among  the  Papa- 
gos,  he  gave  regular  instructions  at 
the  Sacaton  Government  School, 
and  prepared  a  class  of  thirty-five 
for  Holy  Communion.  He  also  built 
a  neat  church  at  Santan  on  the  Gila. 
The  Pima  Indians  themselves  sup- 
plied the  necessary  means  and  even 
furnished  the  labor.  He  also  com- 
pleted the  large  Gothic  church  at 
Sacaton  Flats,  and  the  smaller 
church  on  the  Salt  River  Reserva- 
tion. He  assisted  the  Reverend 
Father  Coulombe  to  found  a  mis- 
sion for  the  Papago  Indians  living 
near  Florence. 

But  the  coarse  food  of  the  desert 
and  the  unwholesomeness  of  canned 
goods  were  slowly  ruining  his 
health.  Added  to  this  came  his 
forced  irregularity  in  taking  his 
meals.  Frequently  he  did  not  take 
a  bite  till  three  in  the  afternoon, 
and  just  as  frequently  he  went  with- 
out his  dinner.  After  finishing  his 
spiritual  labors  he  would  often  busy 
himself  with  carpentering  or  cement 
work  till  midnight.  Things  came  to  a 
crisis,  when  after  a  hurried  visit  to 
Cuecuo  he  was  forced  to  submit  to 
medical  treatment.  Although  not 
at  all  well,  he  returned  to  his  mis- 
sion of  St.  Michael  after  but  a 
week's  rest.  But  soon  he  was 
compelled  to  return  to  Phoenix, 
where  his  physician  strictly  forbade 
him  to  go  on  his  trips,  and  urged 
him  to  leave  Arizona.      Thinking  a 


vacation  might  help  him  a  little,  he 
went  to  Prescott,  where  some  of  his 
brother  priests  had  gathered  for  a 
few  weeks'  outing.  He  spent 
some  three  weeks  in  their  company. 
Then  he  was  called  upon  to  accom- 
pany his  Provincial,  the  Very  Rev- 
erend Benedict  Schmidt,  O.F.M.,  to 
Tucson  in  order  to  consult  with  the 
Right  Reverend  Bishop  about  an 
organized  missionary  campaign  to 
win  over  the  Papagos.  On  July 
13,  he  returned  from  Tucson.  On 
the  i7th  he  was  to  submit  to  an 
operation. 

Having  some  presentiment  of  his 
approaching  end,  he  spent  the  feast 
of  St.  Bonaventure  in  spiritual  ex- 
ercises. On  this  occasion  he  uttered 
the  memorable  words,  "I  have  ac- 
complished my  purpose,  now  I  must 
go."  But  no  one  shared  his  fears. 
The  operation  was  a  failure  and  a 
second  incision  was  deemed  neces- 
sary. This  was  on  the  20th,  at  5. 00 
p.  m.  Before  the  second  opera- 
tion, he  received  Extreme  Unc- 
tion from  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dominic 
Gallardo.o.F.M.,  and  the  last  bless- 
ing from  his  superior,  Rev.  Fr. 
Severin  Westhoff,  o.f.m.  "I  fear  I 
shall  never  wake  up,"  these  words, 
addressed  to  his  superior,  were  his 
last  on  earth.  He  expired  while  in- 
haling ether  at  5.30  p.m.,  July  20, 
1911.  His  funeral  took  place  on  the 
feast  of  St.  Francis  Solano  the 
greatest  of  Indian  missionaries. 
The  Rt.  Rev.  Vicar  General,  P.  Tim- 
mermans  of  Tucson  officiated  at  the 
funeral. 


30 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ELAINE 

By  Catherine  M.  Hayes,  Tertiary 


AT  Beverly  Hills  they  met. 
Kodak  in  hand,  he  was 
returning  from  a  walk  one 
afternoon  when  he  heard  the  rapid 
beat  of  a  horse's  hoofs.  Glancing 
backward  he  beheld  a  horse  gallop- 
ing madly  toward  him.  The  rider,  a 
young  woman,  clung  desperately  to 
the  reins.  Stepping  quickly  to  one 
side,  he  waited  until  the  runaway 
tore  up,  and  then  seized  the  reins 
firmly.  The  animal  plunged  vio- 
lently, throwing  the  rider  to  the 
ground.  Still  clutching  the  bridle, 
Ambrose  hastened  to  the  girl  who 
was  raising  herself  to  a  sitting 
posture.  He  anxiously  enquired 
whether  she  was  hurt,  and  assisted 
her  to  rise. 

Smilingly  she  assured  her  rescuer 
that  she  was  not  hurt  in  the  least. 
"But  'consid'able  shuck  up  like',  as 
the  phrase  goes,"  she  answered 
brightly,  brushing  the  dust  from 
her  riding  cap  which  she  jauntily 
adjusted  over  a  mass  of  wavy 
auburn  hair.  She  was  on  her  way 
back  to  the  hotel,  she  explained. 
Ambrose  told  her  that  was  also  his 
destination,  and  expressed  his  will- 
ingness to  lead  her  horse  there  if 
she  had  no  obj  ections.  She  laughed 
prettily  and  answered  that  he 
might  have  the  privilege  as  she  had 
no  desire  to  re-mount. 

As  they  walked  along,  she  learnt 
that  he  was  junior  partner  of  the 
firm  Powell  &  Hardesty  and  she 
revealed  that  her  name  was  Elaine 
Nichols.     She  had  just  come  in  the 


night  before  to  have  a  few  week's 
rest  at  Beverley  Hills  Hotel.  Rid- 
ing was  her  favorite  pastime,  she 
went  on  in  her  artless  manner.  This 
afternoon  she  was  having  a  de- 
lightful ride,  when  suddenly  a 
squirrel  darted  across  the  road. 
"The  silly  horse  shied  and  then 
bolted",  and  the  last  scene  you  have 
witnessed,"  she  added,  "and  I'm 
very  grateful  for  services  ren- 
dered." 

Ambrose  responded  in  knightly 
fashion,  declaring  that  his  aid  had 
been  very  meager.  He  was  hon- 
ored indeed  to  have  been  on  hand 
to  assist,  if  indeed  he  had  assisted 
at  all.  He  made  some  more  grace- 
ful remarks  to  the  same  effect  when 
they  parted. 

After  dinner  that  evening,  Am- 
brose sauntered  out  to  the  veran- 
da. At  one  end,  amid  a  group  of 
friends,  Elaine  was  seated.  Seeing 
the  young  man  she  smiled  and 
beckoned  him  forward.  Not  at  all 
reluctant  he  responded. 

Elaine  made  a  humerous  allusion 
to  the  incident  of  that  afternoon  as 
Ambrose  took  a  seat  with  the  group, 
made  up  of  guests  with  whom  he 
was  well  acquainted.  Then  Elaine 
related  in  a  most  amusing  way  the 
story  of  the  runaway.  Everybody, 
Ambrose  included,  laughed  hearti- 
ly, and  one  young  man  remarked, 

"That  wouldn't  be  a  bad  scene 
for  one  of  your  movie  plays,  Miss 
Nichols."  Then  noting  the  look  of 
surprised  enquiry   on   the   face   of 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


31 


Ambrose,  he  added,  "you  know  this 
is  Miss  Nichols,  the  moving  picture 
star— you've  heard  of  her." 

Ambrose  hastened  to  say  that  he 
had  frequently  heard  of  Miss 
Nichols  of  filmland  fame,  and  chiv- 
alrously averred  that  he  enjoyed 
the  added  honor  in  having  rescued  a 
star  from  extinction.  Elaine,  how- 
ever, remarked  that  doubtless  Mr. 
Hardesty  would  class  her  among 
the  shooting  stars  since  he  had  wit- 
nessed her  sudden  and  rapid  de- 
scent from  her  steed  that  afternoon. 

Ambrose  and  Elaine  became  very 
good  friends  as  the  golden  days 
slipped  by  at  Beverley  Hills.  Most 
of  the  younger  set  were  returning 
to  town,  and  it  was  but  natural  that 
these  two  who  had  so  many  tastes 
in  common  should  find  wholesome 
pleasure  in  each  other's  company. 

One  morning  Ambrose  proposed 
a  boat  ride  on  the  lake.  Elaine 
hailed  this  suggestion  with  enthusi- 
asm, and  when  later  she  reappeared 
in  a  smart  yachting  costume, 
the  young  man's  eyes  eloquently 
spoke  the  admiration  he  felt.  They 
had  rowed  half  the  distance  across 
the  lake,  when  they  noticed  that 
the  sky  had  become  overcast.  When 
a  low  growl  of  thunder  was  heard, 
Ambrose  turned  to  row  back.  In 
an  incredibly  short  time  the  waves 
were  dashing  tumultously,  lashed 
by  the  fierce  gale.  Ambrose 
noticed  that  his  companion  had 
grown  very  pale,  although  till 
then  she  had  betrayed  not  the  least 
sign  of  fear.  "Another  movie 
scene,"  she  said  and  smiled  bravely. 

Then  the  rain  came  down  in  a 
veritable    deluge.      Like   the   can- 


nonading of  a  battle  the  thunder 
reverberated  almost  incessantly, 
and  Elaine  could  not  suppress  a 
slight  gasp  of  alarm  as  the  light- 
ning seemed  to  cleave  the  waves 
like  a  fiery  sword.  Buffeted  about 
by  the  tempest,  the  boat  met  the 
fate  that  Ambrose  had  apprehended, 
leaving  the  hapless  couple  strug- 
gling in  the  water.  Unable  to  swim, 
the  young  man,  after  battling  des- 
perately sank  from  view.  Fortunate- 
ly, Elaine  was  an  expert  swimmer. 
Indeed,  her  skill  in  this  respect  had 
placed  her  in  not  a  few  hazardous 
scenes  before  the  cinematograph. 
She  managed  to  seize  Ambrose 
when  he  reappeared. 

"Do  as  I  tell  you,"  she  panted, 
and  he  obeyed. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  for  the  girl 
to  battle  with  the  waves  and  at  the 
same  time  assist  her  companion, 
but  she  fought  her  way  courage- 
ously. After  some  time  of  terrible 
exertion,  Elaine  felt  her  strength 
deserting  her.  "0— I'm  so  tired!" 
—she  breathed  painfully. 

"Save  yourself,"  Ambrose  plead- 
ed, as  he  realized  that  the  situation 
was  growing  desperate. 

A  sob  broke  from  Elaine  as  she 
tightened  her  grasp  on  her  com- 
paniDn.  "0  no— no—  I  can't  leave 
you  to  drown." 

Ambrose  was  a  fervent  Catholic, 
and  with  the  first  premonition  of 
danger  he  had  sent  a  silent  petition 
heavenward. 

Now  he  said,  "Elaine,  we  must 
pray  for  help.     It's  our  only  hope." 

Then  above  the  booming  of  the 
gale  and  the  hiss  of  the  pitiless  rain 
that  stung  their  faces,  Elaine  heard 


32 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


for  the  first  time  the  invocation:  "0 
Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  I  place  my 
trust  in  Thee— Sweetest  Heart  of 
Mary,  be  my  salvation." 

As  the  last  word  of  the  "Hail 
Mary"  was  uttered  they  discerned 
figures  on  the  shore.  They  had 
been  missed  at  the  hotel,  and  a 
rescue  party  was  now  launching  a 
boat,  which  was  not  so  hazardous 
an  undertaking  as  it  would  have 
proved  half  an  hour  before,  for  the 
fury  of  the  storm  had  now  abated. 
Elaine  managed  to  sustain  her  grasp 
on  her  helpless  companion  until  the 
boat  reached  them,  and  lost  con- 
sciousness just  as  she  was  lifted 
from  the  water. 

As  the  boat  reached  shore,  she 
opened  her  eyes  and  gazed  about 
her.  "Is— is— Mr.  Hardestysafe?" 
she  asked  weakley. 

Ambrose  bent  forward.  "Yes- 
thanks  to  the  bravest  little  woman 
I  ever  knew." 

He  assisted  her  out  of  the  boat 
and  led  her  up  the  path  to  the 
hotel.  "Oh,  I  wasn't— so  brave,  "she 
smiled  in  her  artless  fashion,  "I  got 
awfully  scared— and  then  had  to 
faint  away  at  the  last." 

Mrs.  Mason,  the  wife  of  the  hotel 
manager,  at  once  took  charge  of 
Elaine  and  insisted  on  her  going  to 
bed  at  once.  To  Ambrose  she  gave 
the  same  advice  in  her  motherly 
way,  and  said  she  would  call  at  his 
door  later  with  a  hot  drink. 

That  evening,  Ambrose  feeling 
none  the  worse  despite  the  exciting 
incident  of  the  forenoon,  strolled 
out  on  the  veranda.  The  storm  had 
left  the  air  singularly  exhilarating, 
and  from  behind   the   distant   hills 


the  silver  edge  of  the  moon  softly 
gleamed. 

Suddenly  the  young  man  was 
aroused  from  his  pleasant  reverie 
by  the  appearance  of  a  messenger 
who  handed  him  a  telegram.  Tear- 
ing open  the  envelope  he  read  a 
message  from  his  firm  requesting 
his  return  as  early  as  possible. 
That  meant  his  departure  by  the 
next  train  which  left  within  an 
hour. 

He  grumbled  morosely  as  he 
went  to  prepare  for  the  journey. 
Then  he  sought  out  his  friend,  Mrs. 
Mason,  and  told  his  tale  of  woe. 
He  would  have  to  rush  off  without 
so  much  as  a  word  of  farewell  to 
the  girl  who  had  saved  his  life. 
'  Mrs.  Mason  smiled  at  his  chagrin, 
although  profuse  with  her  sym- 
pathy, and  promised  to  deliver  his 
message  and  the  flowers  to  Elaine 
when  she  awoke. 

The  first  thing  Ambrose  did  on 
reaching  his  destination  early  the 
following  morning,  was  to  write  a 
note  to  Miss  Nichols.  An  answer 
came  a  few  days  later.  She  was 
feeling  quite  well,  and  she  missed 
him  very  much.  It  was  couched  in 
the  manner  she  always  employed  in 
speaking— straightforward,  simple, 
without  a  shade  of  affectation. 

A  week  later,  came  a  message 
from  Elaine  announcing  her  return 
on  the  following  day.  Ambrose 
was  at  the  depot  when  the  train 
rolled  in. 

For  several  weeks  Ambrose  gained 
not  a  glimpse  of  the  young  actress, 
for,  as  she  told  him,  she  had  to  get 
back  to  the  studio  and  work  furi- 
ously for  a  while.     A  new  play  was 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


33 


to  be  prepared. 

Finally  one  evening,  she  sent  him 
an  invitation,  and  eagerly  he  took 
his  way  to  the  little  bungalow  where 
Elaine  lived  with  her  maid.  He 
listened  with  pleasure  as  she  talked 
of  her  work,  and  when  she  asked 
whether  he  would  like  to  see  her  at 
the  theater  the  following  night,  he 
accepted  the  invitation  with  un- 
feigned delight. 

"It's  fun  to  see  myself  as  others 
see  me,"  Elaine  told  her  companion, 
as  they  watched  the  pictures  with 
keen  enjoyment. 

Although  he  did  not  express  his 
sentiments,  Ambrose  formed  a 
strong  dislike  for  one  of  the  leading 


characters,  a  man  of  handsome  but 
sinister  countenance  who  played  the 
role  of  one  of  Elaine's  suitors.  He 
observed,  too,  that  the  girl  had  more 
to  say  in  praise  of  the  handsome 
villain  than  of  the  other  actors. 

There  was  an  emotion  other  than 
jealousy  that  prompted  the  young 
man  to  say  to  himself,  "I  wonder  if 
she  cares  for  him. ' '  It  was  the 
fear  lest  a  person  of  the  character 
there  portrayed  might  exert  a  bale- 
ful influence  over  the  girl  seated 
beside  him.  Of  course,  it  did  not 
follow,  Ambrose  reasoned,  that  the 
man  must  in  reality  resemble  the 
character  he  portrayed.  Yet,  he 
could  not  help  feeling  uneasy. 


(To  be  continued) 


A  BEAUTY  HINT 

St.  Louis  IX  of  France  was  wont  to  exercise  a  continual  apostolate  by 
his  example;  but,  when  occasion  offered,  he  did  not  fail  to  exert  the  per- 
sonal effect  of  a  salutary  exhortation  to  incite  others  to  the  practice  of  vir- 
tue. Thus  it  once  happened  at  his  court  of  justice  that  a  lady,  whose 
affair  had  just  been  settled,  entered  the  king's  chamber,  with  some  other 
persons,  adorned  with  excessive  elegance.  She  had,  according  to  the  vain 
judgment  of  the  world,  been  formerly  famous  for  her  brilliant  beauty. 
St.  Loui?,  in  his  devotion  to  God,  desiring  to  cure  her  of  her  vain  folly, 
dismissed  all  others  present  except  her  and  his  brother  Geoffrey,  and  then 
spoke  to  her  in  this  wise:  "Madame,  I  desire  to  recall  to  your  mind  a  thing 
which  deeply  concerns  your  salvation.  It  is  said  that  you  were  formerly 
a  very  fair  lady,  but  what  was  formerly  is  now  past,  as  you  are  aware. 
You  may,  therefore,  easily  see  that  this  beauty  was  vain  and  useless,  since 
it  has  vanished  so  quickly,  just  as  a  flower  which  has  scarcely  opened 
fades  and  does  not  endure,  and  with  all  your  care  and  diligence  you  can 
not  cause  it  to  return.  Now,  therefore,  you  must  provide  yourself  with 
another  beauty,  not  of  the  body,  bat  of  the  soul,  wherewith  to  please  God, 
our  Creator,  and  make  amends  for  the  negligence  of  your  conduct  in  the 
time  of  your  vanished  beauty."  The  lady  listened  humbly  to  this  exhor- 
tation, and  afterwards  corrected  herself  and  adopted  habits  of  greater 
propriety  and  modesty.  —  William  of  Chartres. 


34 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


A  GOLDEN  RECORD  OF  FIFTY  YEARS 


THE  Franciscan  Sisters  of  the 
Sacred  Heart,  whose  mother- 
house  is  connected  with  St. 
Joeeph's  Hospital,  in  Joliet,  111., 
can  now  look  back  with  gratitude  to 
God  on  fifty  years  of  heroic  activity. 
The  community  was  founded  by 
Rev.  William  Berger  at  Seelbach, 
Amt  Lahr,  Baden,  in  the  year  1866. 
Recently  four  of  the  pioneer  Sisters 
of  the  Congregation  enjoyed  the  rare 
privilege  of  celebrating  their  own 
golden  jubilee  as  religious  with  that 
of  their  community.  They  are:  Sr. 
M.  Anastasia,  Sr.  M.  Coletta,  Sr.  M. 
Frances,  and  Sr.  M.  Bridget. 

In  May,  1876,  Mother  M.  Anas- 
tasia, Sr.  M.  Barbara,  Sr.  M.  Brid- 
get, and  Sr.  M.  Zita,  with  four 
Tertiaries  came  to  this  country  and 
settled  in  Avilla,  Ind.,  in  the  dio- 
cese of  Ft.  Wayne.  They  pur- 
chased a  farm  with  the  assistance 
of  Rev.  D.  Duemig,  pastor  of  St. 
Mary's  Church  in  Avilla,  and  here 
stood  the  first  motherhouse  until 
1883,  when  it  was  transferred  to 
Joliet.  In  the  summer  of  1876, 
new  Sisters  came  to  America,  and 
a  number  of  missions  were  opened. 
The  Sisters  had  been  invited  to  Joliet 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Gerard  Becker,  o.f.m., 
at  that  time  pastor  of  St.  John's 
Church.  At  first,  they  nursed  the 
sick  in  private  homes.  Old  residents 
of  Joliet  remember,  no  doubt,  Sr. 
M.  Philippina,  Sr.  M.  Ottilia,  and 
Sr.  M.  Georgia.  The  latter  is  still 
at  her  post  of  duty  in  St.  Joseph's 
Hospital,  having  been  active  there 
since  1880.  When  in  1881,  Joliet 
was  visited  by  an  epidemic  of  ty- 
phoid fever  and  two  years  later  by 
smallpox,  the  Sisters  filled  with 
heroic  charity  nursed  the  stricken 
patients  in  the  pest-house.  In  re- 
cognition of  their  services,  the  sum 
of  $600.00  was  given  them   by  the 


city.  With  this  and  a  number  of 
subscriptions  by  generous  citizens, 
the  old  academy  of  the  Francis- 
can Sisters  of  Mary  Immaculate 
was  purchased  and  remodeled  into 
a  hospital.  In  1895,  the  building 
was  enlarged,  and  three  years  ago, 
a  new  wing  added,  which  is  used  as 
the  novitiate.  Last  year  the  chap- 
el was  renovated  in  preparation 
for  the  jubilee. 

At  the  recent  celebrations,  Very 
Rev.  Peter  Rempe,  V.  G.,  of  Chica- 
go, officiated  at  the  solemn  High 
Mass,  while  the  Most  Rev.  Arch- 
bishop of  Chicago  presided  in  cappa 
magna.  Rev.  Fr.  Wolfgang,  o.f.m., 
and  Rev.  Fr.  Theodule,  o.f.m., 
acted  as  deacon  and  sub-deacon, 
Rev.  Fr.  Alexius,  o.f.m.,  chaplain 
of  the  hospital  with  Rev.  Drs.  Mol- 
lay  and  Hoban  were  masters  of 
ceremonies.  Rev.  Fr.  Bernard, 
pastor  of  St.  John's  Church, 
preached  the  jubilee  sermon.  Aft- 
er His  Grace  had  crowned  the  four 
jubilarians  with  gilded  wreaths,  he 
also  delivered  a  short  address. 
Aboutforty  priests  and  one  hundred 
Sisters  were  present  at  the  cere- 
monies. In  the  course  of  the  after- 
noon, formal  receptions  were  held 
in  the  assembly  room.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day,  a  solemnRequiem  Mass 
was  celebrated  for  the  deceased 
members  of  the  community.  It  is 
deserving  of  special  notice  that  for 
thirty- four  consecutive  years, 
Mother  M.  Anastasia,  now  about 
eighty-two  years  of  age,  guided 
the  destinies  of  the  Congregation. 
According  to  the  latest  statistics, 
the  Sisters  number  396  professed, 
25  novices,  and  8  postulants,  and 
they  have  charge  of  10  hospitals,  9 
schools,  1  orphanage,  and  2  homes 
for  the  aged.     Ad  multos  annos! 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


35 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — From  a  recent  issue  j 
of  the  RevistaFranciscanawe  learn 
that  the  Most  Rev.  Fr.  General  of  | 
the  Order  of  Friars  Minor  is  greatly 
interested  in  the  spread  of  the  "St. 
Antony's  Youth,"  a  society  whose 
purpose  is  to  unite  Catholic  young 
people  under  the  special  protection 
of  this  popular  Franciscan  Saint. 
In  Italy,  the  society  numbers  al- 
ready thirteen  centers  cooperat- 
ing with  the  Third  Order  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  young. 
In  Bolivia  and  Chile  and  on  the  Is- 
land of  Cuba,  the  society  is  likewise 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  Centers 
have  been  established  in  Havana 
for  the  various  branches  on  the 
Island  of  Cuba,  and  in  Tarija  for 
those  in  Bolivia.  In  recent  years, 
through  the  efforts  of  the  Spanish  j 
Franciscans,  the  society  has  spread 
to  Africa,  where  it  is  now  very  popu- 
lar and  has  centers  in  Tanger  and  in 
Morocco. — 

Relying  on  a  number  of  foreign 
Franciscan  publications,  the  Fran- 
ciscan Herald  announced  in  the 
March  issue  of  last  year,  that  the 
Venerable  Servant  of  God,  Mark  of 
Aviano,  had  been  chosen  patron  of 
the  military  chaplains  of  Italy.  Now 
we  learn  from  the  Annales  Fran- 
cUcaines  that  the  Very  Rev.  Postu- 
lator  of  the  Capuchin  Order  offici- 
ally announces  the  report  to  be  en- 
tirely unfounded,  since  the  Holy 
Father  has  never  made  such  an  ap- 
pointment. The  Venerable  Mark  of 
Aviano  was  a  member  of  the  Capu- 
chin Order,  and  his  cause  of  beatifi- 
cation is  still  pending.  — 

On  October  12,  Rt.  Rev.  Mgsr. 
Robert  Merini,  o.  M.  cap.,  Vicar 
Apostolic  of  Sofia  and  Philippopolis 
in  Bulgaria  passed  to  his  eternal 
reward.  Since  1884,  the  esteemed 
and  learned  prelate  had  been  labor- 


ing for  the  welfare  of  the  Church  in 
Bulgaria  with  untiring  zeal.  — 

The  Sacred  Congregation  of  the 
Propaganda  has  decreed  that  Rt. 
Rev.  Mgsr.  Fiorattini,  titular  Bishop 
of  Russadir,  suceed,  as  Vicar  Apos- 
tolic of  North  Shensi  in  China,  Rt. 
Rev.  Mgsr.  Massi,  o.f.m.,  who  has 
been  chosen  for  the  vicariate  of 
Central  Shensi. 

Assisi,  Italy. —On  August  2,  a 
very  unique  and  highly  artistic 
statue  of  our  holy  Father  St.  Fran- 
cis was  unveiled  and  blessed  in 
memory  of  the  seventh  centenary  of 
the  granting  of  the  great  Indulg- 
ence of  Porziuncola.  The  statue 
which  is  of  bronze  represents  St. 
Francis  caressing  with  one  hand 
a  little  lamb  and  with  the  other  im- 
parting to  it  his  blessing.  The 
pedestal  is  likewise  of  bronze.  Its 
four  sides  bear  in  bas-relief  the 
images  of  a  nightingale,  of  a  lark, 
of  a  grass-hopper,  and  of  a  raven- 
four  animals  that  figured  so  beauti- 
fully in  the  poetic  life  of  the  Saint. 
The  expressive  features  of  the  stat- 
ue together  with  the  many  flowers, 
birds,  and  inscriptions  from  the 
Canticle  of  the  Sun— all  combine 
to  make  the  monument  a  magnifi- 
cent poem  that  portrays  the  sera- 
phic love  of  the  Saint  for  God  and 
his  creatures  and  at  the  same  time 
reflects  the  ideal  of  angelic  inno- 
cense,  heavenly  love,  and  Francis- 
can poverty. 

North  Hupe,  China.  —Submitting 
results  obtained  in  his  vicariate 
during  the  past  year,  Rt.  Rev.  Fr. 
Modestus  Evaerts,  o.f.m.,  Vicar 
Apostolic  of  North  Hupe,  says  in 
addition:  "On  account  of  the  sad 
war  in  Europe  we  are  short  of  men 
and  short  of  funds  in  our  mission. 
Nevertheless,  in  all  the  preceding 
years  we  have  never  registered  so 


36 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


many  Baptisms  of  adults  or  so  many 
Communions.  With  the  peace  for 
which  we  pray  so  ardently,  I  trust 
Divine  Providence  will  give  us  the 
schools  necessary  for  the  further 
education  of  our  Christian  family." 
Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church  — 
During  the  year  1916,  227  persons 
were  received  into  the  English 
fraternity  of  the  Third  Order,  195 
novices  made  their  profession,  and 
58  Tertiaries  were  called  to  their 
eternal  reward.  The  special 
envelope  collection  for  a  scholar- 
ship in  the  Quigley  Preparatory 
Seminary  netted  $2,205.35,  and  the 
balance,  $294.65,  necessary  to  com- 
plete the  burse,  was  added  from 
qur  Third  Order  fund.  This  schol- 
arship will  be  known  as  "St. 
Francis  Free  Scholarship  of  the 
Third  Order,"  and  it  will  be  a  last- 
ing monument  to  the  generosity 
and  zeal  of  our  Tertiaries.  Besides 
this,  the  Tertiaries  have  given  large 
sums  to  the  Chinese  missions  and  to 
the  Indian  missions  of  Arizona.  The 
sum  of  $200.00  was  given  to  the 
Church  Extension  Society  on  the 
same  day  on  which  the  burse  for 
the  free  scholarship  was  presented 
to  the  Most.  Rev.  Archbishop. 
Special  mention  must  also  be  made 
of  the  generous  Tertiary  who 
donated  $500.00  toward  the  erection 
of  a  church  for  the  Indians  in 
memory  of  her  deceased  husband. 
The  church  will  be  called  St. 
Maurice  Church.  The  German 
Tertiaries  also  have  been  very  active 
during  the  past  year.  In  response 
to  an  appeal  made  to  them  in  behalf 
of  the  Chinese  missions,  they  col- 
lected over  $300.00.  Likewise, 
they  gave  $500.00  for  a  church  to  be 
erected  in  honor  of  St.  Elizabeth 
among  the  Indians  of  Arizona. 
During  the  past  year,  the  German 
fraternity  recorded  123  receptions, 
89  professions,  and  33  deaths. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.  — On  November  30, 
after  a  long  and  painful  illness, 
Ven.   Brother  Mark  Becker,  O.F.M., 


passed  to  a  better  life.  Born  at 
Proskau,  Prussia,  in  1841,  he  was 
invested  in  the  Third  Order  at  the 
age  of  29,  and  six  years  later  was 
admitted  into  the  First  Order.  In 
1881,  he  made  his  solemn  vows.  All 
who  were  more  closely  acquainted 
with  Brother  Mark  loved  and  re- 
spected him  as  an  exemplary  re- 
ligious, an  obliging  confrere,  a 
genial  companion,  in  short,  a  true 
Franciscan.  He  worked  very  hard 
in  his  younger  days,  and  the  older 
people  of  St.  Antony's  parish  will 
be  able  to  recall  how  Brother 
Mark  exerted  his  giant  strength 
when  the  stone  convent  wall  was 
erected  on  Compton  Avenue  more 
than  twenty  years  ago.  During 
the  last  years  of  his  life,  the  good 
Brother  had  much  to  suffer  from 
dropsy  and  asthma.  He  breathed 
his  last  in  the  Alexian  Brothers' 
Hospital,  where  he  had  been  under 
medical  treatment  for  the  last  six 
months.  The  solemn  exequies  were 
held  in  St.  Antony's  Church,  on 
Saturday,  December  2.  Rev.  Fr. 
Leonard,  o.f.m.,  Guardian  of  the 
local  friary,  celebrated  the  solem  n 
Requiem  Mass  and  also  pronounced 
the  last  absolution.  Rev.  Fr. 
Jasper,  o.  f.  m.  ,  Definitor  of  the  Prov- 
ince, accompanied  the  corpse  to 
the  cemetery  and  there  performed 
the  last  rites  of  the  Church.  R.I. P. 
Denver,  Colo.— Through  the  ef- 
forts of  the  late  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
I  Matz,  Ordinary  of  the  diocese  of 
1  Denver,  the  Sacred  Congregation  at 
Rome  is  now  in  possession  of  authen- 
ticated facts  concerning  the  life  of 
Rev.  Fr.  Leo  Heinrichs,  o.f.m.,  who 
some  years  since  was  murdered  by 
an  anarchist  in  the  Franciscan 
church  in  Denver.  All  who  knew  the 
saintly  friar  bore  ample  testimony 
to  his  heroic  virtue,  when  the  late 
Bishop  summoned  them  as  wit- 
nesses to  his  ecclesiastical  court. 
These  documents  have  now  been  for- 
warded to  Rome  for  consideration. 
St.    Louis,    Mo.,     St.      Antony's 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


37 


Church.  —  The  regular  monthly 
meeting  of  the  Tertiaries,  held  No- 
vember 26,  showed  above  all  that 
there  is  new  life  in  our  fraternity, 
thanks  to  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Fr. 
Josaphat.  o.f.m.,  the  Director. 
Twenty-three  postulants  received 
the  cord  and  scapular,  and  twenty- 
six  novices  made  their  profession. 
The  assembly  in  the  Tertiary  Hall  af- 
ter the  meeting  presided  over  by  Mr. 
McCarthy,  the  General  Prefect,  was 
most  interesting  and  encouraging. 

On  Wednesday,  November  26,  the 
second  special  meeting  was  held. 
After  the  preliminaries,  sub-pre- 
fects were  appointed  for  all  the 
parishes  represented.  They  with 
their  consultors  will  conduct  private 
meetings  to  discuss  the  various  du- 
ties encumbent  on  Tertiaries,  as  car- 
ing for  the  poor,  visiting  the  sick 
members,  and  going  to  the  home  of 
deceased  members  to  say  the  pre- 
scribed prayers.  The  sub-prefects 
were  instructed  henceforth  to  note 
down  events  of  the  month  and  hand 
in  a  report  at  the  regular  special 
meetings.  It  was  also  agreed  to 
have  badges  made  for  the  sub-pre- 
fects of  the  various  parishes  so  that 
they  may  easily  be  distinguished. 

San  Diego,  Cal.  — During  the  past 
two  years,  the  Exposition,  just 
come  to  a  close,  has  proclaimed  far 
and  wide  the  heroic  and  glorious 
work  of  the  sons  of  St.  Francis  for 
the  Christianization  and  civilization 
of  the  California  Indians.  On  Sun- 
day, November  26,  the  two  hundred 
and  third  anniversary  of  the  birth 
of  Fray  Junipero  Serra,  one  of  the 
pioneer  Franciscan  missionaries  of 
California,  was  again  celebrated. 
The    impressive    ceremonies    were 


held  on  Presidio  Hill  overlooking 
the  city  of  San  Diego.  A  beautiful 
monument  erected  three  years  ago 
marks  the  site  where  Fray  Junipero 
once  labored  and  suffered  for  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  of 
the  Indians.  It  has  been  decided  to 
hold  these  commemorative  exercises 
every  year  in  honor  of  the  great 
Franciscan  missionary.  At  the 
suggestion  of  the  Rev.  Mesny,  mis- 
sionary priest  of  San  Diego,  steps 
have  now  been  taken  toward  the 
erection  of  a  suitable  monument  to 
the  memory  of  Padre  Louis  Jaume, 
the  Franciscan  friar  who  came  and 
labored  with  Padre  Junipero  and 
who,  during  a  revolt  of  the  Indians, 
laid  down  his  life  for  the  cause  of 
God  and  humanity. 

Washington,  D.  C— Sunday,  Nov- 
ember 19,  was  Religious  Orders' 
Day  at  the  jubilee  that  commem- 
orated the  700th  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  Dominican  Order. 
Rev.  Fr.  Philip,  o.f.m.,  Definitor  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  Province  and 
Lecturer  on  Moral  Theology  at  West 
Park,  0.,  represented  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Provincial,  Samuel  Macke, 
O.F.M.,  on  the  memorable  occasion. 
The  Jesuit  Fathers  of  Georgetown 
University  officiated  at  the  solemn 
High  Mass  that  morning,  while 
Rev.  Fr.  Paschal  Robinson,  O.F.M., 
Professor  of  Medieval  History  at 
the  Catholic  University,  delivered 
an  eloquent  discourse  on  the  inner 
life  of  the  Dominican  Order.  Four 
hundred  religious,  among  them 
Provincial  Superiors  of  all  the 
religious  Orders  and  Congregations, 
had  come  or  had  sent  their  repre- 
sentatives to  be  present  at  the 
solemn  ceremonies. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPHS  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOL15.  ILLINOIS 

November  30  was,  indeed,  a 


day 


of  thanksgiving  at  the  college. 
After  an  absence  of  five  months, 
Rev.  Fr.  Rector  returned  from 
South  America,  where  he  had  con- 


38 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ducted  the  canonical  visitation  of 
the  Franciscan  Province  of  St. 
Antony  in  Brazil.  Tuesday,  Novem- 
ber 28,  the  steamship  Acre  on  which 
Father  Rector  sailed  from  Bahia, 
landed  in  New  York,  .and  the  fol- 
lowing Thursday  we  had  him  again 
in  our  midst.  Shouts  of  joyous 
welcome  rent  the  air  when  at 
eleven  o'clock  that  morning  he 
stepped  from  an  automobile,  that 
had  brought  him  to  Teutopolis  from 
Effingham.  In  the  afternoon,  a 
formal  reception  was  tendered  him 
in  the  dramatic  hall.  Mr.  Henry 
Pinger,  the  general  prefect,  offered 
greetings  in  the  name  of  the  stu- 
dents, while  Rev.  Fr.  Ferdinand, 
Vice-Rector,  welcomed  him  in  the 
name  of  the  Fathers  and  Brothers. 
Then  the  choir  sang  "Home,  Sweet 
Home"  in  four  parts,  after  which  ! 
Father  Rector  gave  expression  to 
his  feelings  of  joy  and  thanksgiving 
in  a  few  well-chosen  words. 

Later  in  the  afternoon  and  in  the 
evening,  the  Shakespeare  program, 
as  announced  in  the  last  issue  of  the 
Herald,  was  rendered  by  the  two 
highest  classes.  The  reading  of 
the  essays  on  the  great  poet  and 
the  presentation  of  various  scenes 
from  his  plays  did  credit  to  the 
performers  and  to  their  Rev.  Pro- 
fessors. On  the  following  day,  a 
holiday,  the  various  curios  that 
Father  Rector  had  gathered  during 
his  sojourn  in  Brazil  and  presented 
to  the  college  museum,  where  exhib- 
ited in  the  dramatic  hall.  The 
skin  of  a  boa  constrictor,  twenty 
feet  long,  especially  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  boys. 

Since  his  return,  Father  Rector 
has  delivered  five  lectures  to  the 
Fathers  and  the  students.  The 
subjects  were:  "Bahia  and  Its 
Surroundings",  "Franciscan  Mis- 
sions in  Brazil",  "Into  the  Interior 
of  the  State  of  Pernambuco",  "Up 
and  Down  the  Amazon",  "The 
States :  Alagoas  and  Sergipe. ' '  The 
lectures  were  very  interesting  and 


instructive,  and  we  hope  to  hear 
more  in  the  near  future. 

On  December  5,  Father  Rector 
made  a  trip  to  St.  Louis  to  meet 
Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial.  He  re- 
turned the  following  evening,  just 
in  time  to  enjoy  the  visit  "St. 
Nicholas"  paid  the  students  in  the 
study-hall. 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the 
Tertiary  students  last  May,  a  mis- 
sion fund  was  begun.  Ever  since, 
they  have  worked  hard  for  the  mis- 
sions and  have  been  able  recently 
to  send  their  first  contributions  as 
a  Christmas  gift  to  the  Indians  in 
Arizona;  namely,  a  monstrance,  a 
set  of  altar  cards,  a  crucifix,  a  crib, 
and  several  articles  of  clothing. 

On  the  feast  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception,  fifty  students  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Sodality. 

During  the  first  week  of  Decem- 
ber, Francis  Bell,  of  Chicago,  was 
summoned  home  to  visit  his  sick 
fathe"r.  He  returned  after  a  few 
days  with  the  joyful  intelligence 
that  his  father's  condition  had  im- 
proved. The  Fathers  and  students 
will  unite  their  prayers  for  a  speedy 
recovery. 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY.  ILLINOIS 

On  Friday,  December  1,  the  Very 
Reverend  Provincial,  Father  Samuel 
Macke,  o.f.m.,  began  his  annual 
visitation  of  the  College.  We  are 
all  glad  to  welcome  our  beloved 
Provincial  who  for  so  many  years 
labored  both  as  Professor  and  Rec- 
tor of  this  institution  and  who  has 
ever  taken  such  a  keen  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  St.  Francis's. 

On  December  8.  the  feast  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception,  sixty 
boys  were  received  into  the  Sodality 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  This 
is  one  of  the  largest  classes  on 
record   and  proves  the   flourishing 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


39 


condition  in  which  the  Sodality  is  at 
present.  Father  Leopold,  the  mod- 
erator, officiated  at  the  ceremonies. 

On  November  26,  the  students 
of  the  higher  classes  presented 
the  play '  'Retribution"to  a  well  filled 
auditorium.  The  play  was  in  every 
way  a  success,  which  reflects  credit 
both  on  the  efficient  director,  Pro- 
fessor MacHugh,  and  those  who  par- 
ticipated in  it. 

We  are  sorry  to  chronicle  the  fact 
that  Brother  Novatus,  o.f.m.  who 
for  many  years  has  acted  in  the 
capacity  of  secretary  of  the  College 
and  who  also  has  charge  of  the  book 
store,  is  seriously  ill  in  St.  Mary's 
Hospital,  this  city. 

On  November  25,  the  College 
football  team  defeated  their  ancient 
rivals,  the  local  High  School,  on  the 
gridiron.  The  game  ended  with 
the  score  6-0  in  favor  of  St.  Francis. 

After  the  semi-annual  examina- 
tions, most  of  the  boys  left  for  their 
homes,  December  15,  to  spend 
Christmas  with  their  relatives  and 
friends.  All  are  expected  to  return 
on  Friday,  January  5. 


ST.  ANTONYS  COLLEGE 
SANTA  BARBARA,  CALIFORNIA 

On  Thanksgiving  Day,  our  stu- 
dents presented  the  interesting, 
three  act  drama  "The  Proscribed 
Heir"  for  the  entertainment  of 
the  many  friends  and  benefactors 
of  the  college.  The  play  was  very 
well  attended  and  the  actors  re- 
ceived much  well  deserved  applause 
for  their  efforts.  The  following 
was  the  cast  of  characters: 

THE  PROSCRIBED  HEIR 

Alfred  D'Anfreville F.  Schunk 

Charles  DA  spremont J.   Rennolds 

D'Orfeuil M.  Watson 

Nicholas J.  Bold 

Blaise P.  Whitty 

Catignac J.  Butler 

Justice  of  the  Peace D.  McCarthy 

Jasmin m  .  Weisel 

Sergeant N.  Dieringer 

Recruits,  Peasants,  Valets,  etc. 


The  college  orchestra,  under  the 
direction  of  Rev.  Fr.  Adrian,  o.F. 
M.,  rendered  the  following  musical 
program  between  acts: 

For  Love  and  Honor H.  Alberti 

Intermezzo  Russe Theo.  Franke 

^alv»ry Paul  Rodney 

Our  Union  Forever • Geo.  Marsh 

The  drama  was  presented  under 
the  combined  management  of  Rev. 
Fr.  Aloysius  and  Rev.  Fr.  Augus- 
tine, both  of  the  college  faculty, 
and  they  deserve  much  credit  for 
the  success  of  the  undertaking. 

The  student  body  numbers  at 
present  forty-eight  boys,  and  the 
prospects  for  a  steady  increase  dur- 
ing the  coming  years  are  very 
bright. 


OBITUARY 

St. Louis,  Mo., St.  Antony's  Convent: 

Ven.  Bro.  Mark  Becker,  o.f.m. 
Chicago,  III,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity: 
James  Burke,  Bro.  Francis  Joseph, 
Fannie  Long,  Sr.  Bridget, 
Catherine  Walsh,  Sr.  Louise. 

St.  Louis  Fraternity: 
Mary  Morgan,  Sr.  Elizabeth, 
Catherina  O'Toole,  Sr.  Agnes, 
Mathilde  Pero,  Sr.  Agnes, 
Sarah  Mclntyre,  Sr.  Anne. 

German  Fraternity: 
Margaret  Nelles,  Sr.  Elizabeth, 
Johanna  Steger,  Sr.  Veronica, 
Anna  Pohl,  Sr.  Frances. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church: 
John  Harty,  Bro.  Francis, 
Mary  Marquard,  Sr.  Mathilda, 
Teresa  Bush,  Sr.  Agnes, 
Jane  Early,  Sr.  Mary, 
Margaret  Kinkel,  Sr.  Elizabeth, 
Barbara  Schoeneman,    Sr.   Eliza- 
beth, 
Louise  Matheis,  Sr.  Clare. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church: 
M.  Garvey,  Elizabeth  Nies, 
Gertrude  Doerhoff . 

Omaha,  Neb.,  St.  Joseph's  Church: 
Barbara  Norris,  Sr.  Clare. 


40 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


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■?&* 


til       w. 


|  STnutnanm  Jfrralfc  | 

"**  —   ^^ 

j*L  A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred  '!L 
"•  Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions  ^f . 
*  * 

VOLV.  FEBRUARY.  1917.  NO.  2 

lEftttnrtal  ffinmawnt 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

THE  second  of  our  series  of  pictures  illustrating  the  '  'Triumph  of 
Christ/'  introduces  us  to  a  group  of  seven  men  representative  of  the 
'  'Time  of  the  Law. ' '  This  term  is  applied  to  the  epoch  of  history 
during  which  the  chosen  people  of  God  were  ruled  by  wise  and  holy  men, 
known  as  lawgivers  and  judges.  It  was  these  men  who  in  those  dark 
and  troublous  times  kept  alive  the  faith  in  the  one  true  God  and  the  hope 
in  the  promised  Messias.  In  them  and  in  their  works,  Christ  was  fore- 
shadowed and  his  life.     In  them  he  triumphed  signally. 

The  first  ruler  of  Israel,  when  that  people  was  still  in  its  infancy, 
was  Joseph  of  Egypt.  His  life  bears  a  marked  resemblance  to  that  of 
Christ.  Joseph  was  hated  by  his  brothers  and  sold  by  them  into  captiv- 
ity. Led  as  a  slave  to  Egypt,  he  passed  through  many  tribulations  to 
the  highest  dignity  in  the  realm,  and  was  surnamed  by  the  king,  "the 
savior  of  the  world."  Christ,  too,  was  execrated  by  his  own  people  and 
delivered  by  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles  who  inflicted  on  him  the 
greatest  humiliations.  But  his  heavenly  Father  exalted  him  by  the  glo- 
rious miracles  of  the  resurrection  and  the  ascension  and  gave  him  a  name 
"which  is  above  all  names." 

Christ  came  to  fulfill  the  Law  with  all  its  types  and  prophecies,  "for 
the  end  of  the  Law  is  Christ,"  says  St.  Paul..  On  the  threshold  of  the 
Law  stands  Moses,  the  great  lawgiver,  prophet,  and  deliverer  of  his 
people.  But  this  law  was  only  a  figure  of  a  more  perfect  law,  and  Mo- 
ses but  a  type  of  a  greater  one  who  should  come  after  him,  and  whose 
truth  should  make  us  free.  Aaron,  the  brother  of  Moses,  was  the  first 
of  the  sons  of  Levi  selected  by  God  "to  do  the  office  of  priesthood."  The 
Levitical  priesthood,  however,  was  to  cease  with  the  coming  of  Christ, 
who  "hath  an  everlasting  priesthood,  whereby  he  is  able  to  save  forever 
them  that  come  to  God  by  him." 

Moses  was  succeeded  as  leader  of  his  people  by  Josue.  It  is  signifi- 
cant that  he  who  was  to  bring  the  people  into  the  land  of  promise  should 
have  his  name  changed  from  Osee  to  Josue  or  Jesus,  to  give  us  to  under- 
stand that  Moses  by  his  law  could  only  bring  the  people  within  sight  of 
the  promised  inheritance,  but  that  our  Savior  Jesus  was  to  bring  us  into  it. 

Gedeon  by  his  prodigies  of  valor  and  Samson  by  his  feats  of  strength 
saved  their  people  from  the  oppression  of  their  enemies  and  became 
striking  images  of  the  mighty  Conqueror  over  the  enemy  of  our  salva- 


42  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

tion.  §amuel,  too,  the  last  of  those  who  "judged  the  children  of  Israel," 
prefigured  Christ  by  his  sanctity  of  life,  his  fidelity  in  the  service  of  God, 
his  wisdom  of  counsel  and  action. 

In  all  these  men  Christ  achieved  a  glorious  triumph.  For,  as  St. 
Paul  points  out  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  it  was  by  taith  in  God  and 
in  his  promises,  especially  of  the  Messias,  that  they  "conquered  king- 
doms, wrought  justice,  obtained   promises, recovered   strength   from 

weakness,  became  valiant  in  war,  put  to  flight  the  armies  of  foreigners." 


THE  THIRD  ORDER  AND  DANCING 

This  is  a  delicate  subject.  Frankly,  we  hesitate  to  launch  out  on  it, 
because  we  fear  to  excite  the  wrath  of  some  of  our  saltatory  readers. 
"But,  in  the  end,  truth  will  out,"  wisely  observes  Launcelot  Gobbo,  though 
he  fails  to  say  whether  it  is  truth  of  a  pleasant  or  an  unpleasant  nature. 

Ergo,  the  question  we  have  undertaken  (with  some  trepidation,  as 
stated  above)  to  answer  is:  Must  Tertiaries,  by  virtue  of  their  Rule,  ab- 
stain from  all  dances  or  only  from  such  as  are  commonly  styled  '  'danger- 
ous"? This  question  has  caused  no  end  of  discussion  among  Directors  and 
members  of  the  Third  Order.  We  have  been  repeatedly  asked  for  an  ex- 
pression of  our  opinion.  Not  wishing  to  decide  the  matter  on  our  own 
account,  we  applied  to  the  General  Curia  of  the  Order  for  an  authoritative 
declaration  on  the  subject.  We  were  informed  that  it  would  be  useless 
to  submit  the  question  to  the  Sacred  Congregation,  because,  from  the 
text  of  the  Rule,  it  is  plain  that  all  dances  are  forbidden. 

The  reference,  of  course,  is  to  the  original  Latin  text  with  its  authentic 
Italian  version.  It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  lengthy  textual  criticism. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that,  while  the  Latin  text  at  first  blush  would  seem  to  leave 
room  for  doubt,  the  authorized  Italian  version  admits  of  no  latitude  what- 
ever. From  this  it  follows  that  the  translation  of  chapter  II,  section  2, 
of  the  Rule,  as  commonly  found  in  English  and  German  Third  Order  man- 
uals is  evidently  incorrect,  because  the  epithet  "dangerous"  must  betak- 
en to  modify  only  the  word  "stage-plays"  and  not  "dances."  That  is  to 
say,  Tertiaries  must  abstain  from  all  dances  but  only  from  such  stage- 
plays  as  are  dangerous. 

A  little  reflection  will  convince  every  unbiassed  reader  that  this  is  the 
only  tenable  interpretation.  For,  dances,  whether  scenic  or  social,  are  of 
their  nature  dangerous  to  good  morals;  whereas  dramatic  performances 
are  only  accidentally  such.  Hence,  there  is  a  very  good  reason  for  the 
position  in  the  text  of  the  modifying  adjective  "dangerous."  Moreover, 
the  purpose  of  the  law  in  question  evidently  is  to  place  the  Tertiaries  un- 
der a  restraint  from  which  other  Christians,  generally  speaking,  are  free; 
St.  Francis  is  addressing  religious  not  seculars,  whose  "hardness  of  heart" 
the  wise  legislator  will  always  take  into  account.  St.  Francis  wished  to 
institute  an  "Order  of  Penance"  whose  members  were  to  be  known  as 
the  "Brethren  of  Penance."  They  were  to  lead  mortified  lives  and  to 
eschew  all  vain  amusements.  Herein,  above  all,  they  were  to  set  the  ex- 
ample to  the  pleasure-loving  children  of  the  thirteenth  century.  It  would 
have  been  a  distressing  spectacle  indeed  for  St.  Francis  to  behold  his  fol- 
lowers tripping  it  on  the  light  fantastic  toe.  Will  his  joy  in  Heaven  be 
increased  at  the  sight  of  the  dancing  Tertiaries  of  to-day?    Are  the  garb 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  43 


of  penance  and  the  girdle  of  purity  less  incompatible  with  the  ball  room  or 
the  dance  hall  now  than  in  St.  Francis's  day? 

Circumstances  may  arise  making  it  necessary  for  a  Tertiary  to  appear 
on  the  dancing  floor.  In  such  a  case,  it  will  be  an  easy  matter  to  obtain 
a  dispensation  from  the  Rule,  provided,  of  course,  the  dances  are  in 
themselves  inoffensive.  Foxtrotting  Tertiaries,  if  such  there  are.  need 
not  and  probably  will  not  apply,  and  the  rest  could  do  worse  things  than 
ponder  the  concluding  remarks  of  an  article  on  "The  Modern  Dance  and 
Health"  contributed  to  America  recently  by  Dr.  James  J.  Walsh:  "It  is  a 
salutary  thing  for  us  to  'objectivize'  ourselves  occasionally  and  laugh  at 
our  absurdities.  How  ridiculous  our  generation  is  with  its  pretense  to 
knowledge  and  culture,  and  its  weak  yielding  to  the  tyranny  of  passing 
'fads.'  What  others  do,  we  must  do.  We  are  like  dumb-driven  cattle, 
blindly  following  blind  leaders.  And  yet  man  is  man,  mainly  by  his  in- 
dividuality, by  his  power  to  think  for  himself  and  to  do  what  he  personal- 
ly judges  to  be  right.  Why  are  we  Americans  dancing  morning,*  noon, 
and  night?    He  would  be  a  rash  man  who  would  hazard  even  a  guess." 


NO  PEACE  IN  SIGHT 

If  the  friends  of  peace  and  humanity  had  hoped  that  Germany's  gen- 
erous offer  of  conciliation  and  our  President's  highminded  suggestion  of  a 
conference  of  the  belligerent  nations  were  the  first  faint  rays  of  the  rising 
sun  of  peace,  they  were  speedily  disallusioned.  For  that  transient  shim- 
mer vanished  all  too  soon,  and  darkness  intense  and  impenetrable  again 
covers  the  face  of  the  earth. 

Verily  we  thought  that  the  Entente  Allies  would  meet  the  other  allies 
at  least  half-way,  as  we  could  not  divine  what  harm  would  result  from  the 
mere  discussion  of  the  preliminaries  of  peace.  At  all  events,  we  believed 
that  both  sides  would  be  compelled  to  tell  their  own  people,  to  tell  their 
opponents,  and  to  tell  the  world  at  large  what  they  are  really  fighting 
for,  and  what  inducements  would  lead  them  to  cease  fighting.  With  each 
side  virtually  compelled  to  say  what  it  would  give  or  take,  it  looked  as  if 
the  controversy  might  be  brought  down  to  something  like  an  irreducible 
mininum  of  differences,  for  which  the  world  might  then  proceed  to  seek 
honorable  adjustments.  But  the  world  is  as  much  in  the  dark  as  to  the 
real  objects  of  the  contending  parties  as  it  ever  was  since  the  outbreak  of 
hostilities.  Hence,  it  is  forced  to  stand  idly  by  and  watch  the  nations,  of 
Europe  slowly  but  surely  bleed  to  death,  and  all  because  a  few  men  hold- 
ing responsible  positions  in  the  cabinets  of  Europe  and  playing  the  game 
for  all  that  is   in  it,  are  afraid  to  show  their  cards. 

We  confess  we  never  had  a  very  high  opinion  of  European  statecraft 
and  diplomacy.  But  not  until  the  outbreak  of  the  great  war  did  we  have 
occasion  to  observe  with  what  little  sense  the  world  is  ruled  in  this  the 
most  enlightened  of  all  centuries.  The  European  diplomats  and  states- 
men, so-called,  saw  the  war  coming  and  knew  that  it  would  spell  terrible 
disaster  for  the  human  race."  Yet,  instead  of  preventing  it,  they  rather 
courted  it.  When  they  had  it  on  their  hands,  they  blundered  on  with 
characteristic  ineptitude.  And  now  that  they  have  arrived  at  the  end  of 
their  resources,  and  of  their  pennyworth  of  wits,  they  have  not  sense 
enough  to  let  go  and  allow  others  to  step  in  and  end  the  conflict. 


44  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


If  all  the  governing  cliques  and  groups  of  the  warring  countries  wouid 
for  a  brief  space  retire  to  the  background  and  assume  a  comfortable  posi- 
tion, so  as  to  permit  the  people  to  select  their  own  arbiters  for  a  common- 
sense  solution  of  all  the  outstanding  questions  of  dispute,  there  would  be 
no  occasion  for  further  bloodshed.  Nor  have  we  any  doubt  whom  the 
people  would  choose  supreme  arbiter  if  they  were  left  to  themselves. 
There  is  only  one  man  on  earth  that  would  be  acceptable  to  all  parties, 
because  he  has  the  interests  of  all  equally  at  heart— and  that  man  is  the 
Holy  Father.  In  spite  of  what  designing  politicians  and  pinhead  editors 
have  said  or  done  within  the  last  two  years  and  a  half  to  discredit  the 
Pope  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  the  common  people  have  common  sense 
enough  to  know  that  he  sees  in  the  cause  of  peace  something  far  greater 
and  more  valuable  to  Christendom  than  the  details  of  commercial,  coloni- 
al, and  imperial  rivalry,  which  constitute  the  only  issues  over  which  ad- 
dle-pated  ministers  are  squabbling  and  over  which  they  will  continue  to 
squabble  until  doomsday  unless  they  lose  their  breath  before  that  day, 
which  latter  contingency,  by  the  way,  is  a  consummation  devoutly  to  be 
wished. 


"GOD  BEFRIEND  US  AS  OUR  CAUSE  fS  JUST" 

This  is  the  sentiment  underlying  a  batch  of  pamphlets  we  have  lately 
received  from  the  British  Catholic  Information  Society.  They  are  enti- 
tled "Catholic  Monthly  Letters"  and  are  addressed  by  "English  Catholics 
to  their  Fellow-Catholics."  In  these  letters,  English  Catholics,  or  at  least 
so  many  of  them  as  have  been  engaged  to  indite  the  epistles,  will  take  each 
department  of  English  Catholic  life— political  and  parliamentary  activity, 
literature,  science,  social  work,  and  missions— and  endeavor  "to  show  to 
neutral  nations,  not,  of  course,  that  England  is  a  Catholic  nation,  nor  even 
predominantly  Catholic;  but  that  there  is  a  strong  and  free  Catholic  life  en- 
ergising in  her,  and  that  the  organs  in  her  body,  so  to  say,  are  adapting 
themselves  to  the  current  of  that  life  and  are  no  longer  exhausting  and  in- 
hibiting it." 

If  English  Catholics,  or  their  self-constituted  spokesmen,  think  they 
must,  even  at  this  late  hour,  take  up  the  cudgels  to  defend  themselves 
against  the  attacks  of  German  Catholics,  we  shall  be  the  last  to  hinder 
them.  But,  we  should  think  they  would  be  able  to  use  their  time  and 
money  more  profitably  than  by  trying  to  prove,  through  monthly  letters, 
what  is  pretty  generally  conceded  by  well-informed  Catholics  the  world 
over.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  American  Catholics  at  least  are  ready  to  ad- 
mit all  that  the  letters  intend  to  prove  and  even  more.  Their  scope  is 
vast  enough,  but  their  purpose  is  altogether  too  modest  to  wprrant  the 
expense  of  publishing  them.  Besides,  we  think,  they  will  hardly  be  read 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  because  American  Catholics,  when  not  act- 
ually engaged  in  sweeping  before  their  own  doors,  are  busy  studying  the 
peace  reports  and  praying  for  their  warring  brethren  elsewhere.  Their 
ears  are  still  ringing  with  the  criminations  and  recriminations  of  French 
and  German  Catholics  and  their  heads  still  bowed  in  shame  over  that  un- 
fortunate verbal  war,  and  while  they  desire  nothing  so  much  as  the 
triumph  of  justice,  they  are  by  no  means  anxious  to  see  a  repetition  of  that 
sad  affair. 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


45 


ST.  JOSEPH  OF  LEONESSA 

OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER  CAPUCHIN 
FEBRUARY  4. 


THIS  great  servant  of  God  was 
born  of  noble  parents  at 
Leonessa,  a  town  in  Umbria, 
Italy,  in  1556.  and  received  in 
Baptism  the  name  of  Eufranius. 
From  his  earliest  years,  he  was  re- 
markable for  his  fervor  in  the  prac- 
tice of  prayer  and  mortification. 
He  delighted  in  making  little  altars, 
before  which  he  would  spend  hours 
in  prayer.  He  would  also  call  to- 
gether his  playmates  and  induce 
them  to  pray  with  him. 

After  the  death  of  his  parents, 
the  saintly  boy  was  entrusted  to  the 
care  of  an  uncle,  and  under  his 
guidance,  he  applied  himself  with 
great  success  to  the  study  of  the 
languages  and  sciences.  His  uncle 
and  other  relatives  planned  a  suit- 
able marriage  for  him,  and 
Eufranius  who,  on  the  one  hand, 
desired  to  consecrate  himself  en- 
tirely to  the  service  of  God,  and  on 
the  other,  did  not  wish  to  grieve 
his  relatives,  called  on  God  for  light 
and  strength  in  his  difficulty.  t  His 
prayer  was  heard.  He  fell  sick 
with  fever,  and  on  the  advice  of  the 
physician,  returned  to  his  native 
city,  where  he  soon  recovered. 
Anticipating  further  attempts  of 
his  relatives  to  hinder  him  from 
embracing  the  religious  life,  he  at 
once  betook  himself  to  a  convent  of 
the  Capuchins  near  Assisi,  where,  at 
his  humble  request,  he  was  received 
into  the  Order.  On  this  occasion, 
he  was  given  the  name  of  Joseph. 


Once  enrolled  among  the  sons  of 
St.  Francis,  the  servant  of  God 
strove  to  live  only  for  heavenly 
things.  His  relatives  made  several 
attempts  to  induce  him  to  return  to 
the  world,  but  their  flattering  prom- 
ises and  threats  were  of  no  avail. 
After  completing  his  novitiate,  he 
took  the  vows,  and  thus  bound  him- 
self irrevocably  to  his  beloved 
Savior.  His  fervor  in  prayer  and 
in  the  practice  of  humility,  obe- 
dience, mortification,  and  charity 
was  extraordinary.  He  looked 
upon  himself  as  the  basest  of  sin- 
ners and  joyfully  accepted  insults 
and  humiliations.  His  bed  was  the 
floor,  with  the  trunk  of  a  vine  for 
his  pillow.  On  three  days  of  the 
week,  he  usually  took  no  other 
nourishment  than  bread  and  water, 
and  thus  he  also  passed  several 
Lents  during  the  year.  Like  St. 
Paul,  he  chastised  his  body  and 
brought  it  into  subjection,  and  pre- 
pared his  soul  for  heavenly  commu- 
nications in  prayer  and  contempla- 
tion, in  which  he  was  almost  con- 
tinually engaged. 

After  his  ordination  to  the  priest- 
hood, Joseph,  with  two  other 
Fathers  and  a  lay  brother,  was,  in 
1587,  sent  to  Constantinople,  to 
minister  to  the  spiritual  wants  of 
the  Christians  held  captive  there. 
Burning  with  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  the  servant  of  God,  on  his 
arrival  in  this  difficult  field  of  labor, 
at  once  set  out  on   his  errands  of 


46 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


spiritual  mercy.  He  visited  the 
Christian  captives,  consoled  them 
in  affliction,  and  strengthened  in  the 
faith  those  who  were  wavering 
His  kindness  and  unfailing  charity 
drew  the  hearts  of  all  to  him  and 
crowned  his  labors  with  extra- 
ordinary success.  But  the  Saint's 
zeal  was  not  satisfied  with  this.  He 
also  preached 
the  truths  of 
Christianity  to 
the  Mohamme- 
dans, and  he 
succeeded  in 
bringing  back 
many  rene- 
gades to  the 
true  faith.  His 
zealous  preach- 
ing aroused  the 
fanaticism  of 
the  followers  of 
Mohammed, 
and  he  was 
subjected  to  in- 
suits,  harsh 
treatment,  and 
imprisonment. 
This,  however, 
did  not  intim- 
idate or  dis- 
courage the 
servant  of  God; 
to  suffer  for  Christ  Crucified  was 
his  greatest  desire.  Released  from 
prison  at  the  intervention  of  the 
Venetian  ambassador,  he  continued 
his  apostolic  labors  and  even  tried 
to  enter  the  palace  of  the  Sultan  to 
preach  the  Christian  faith  before 
him.  He  was,  however,  seized  by 
the  guards  and  condemned  to  a 
most  cruel  death  on   the   gallows. 


St.  Joseph  of  Leonessa 


For  three  days  and  nights,  the  Saint 
remained  hanging  on  the  gibbet, 
held  up  by  two  hooks  driven  through 
his  right  hand  and  right  foot.  He 
suffered  indescribable  tortures,  and 
his  soul,  absorbed  in  God,  was  only 
waiting  for  the  moment  of  deliver- 
ance. But  after  granting  him  all 
the  merit  of  martyrdom,  God,  who 
had  reserved 
him  for  further 
labors,  sent  his 
angel  to  un- 
fasten him,  to 
heal  his 
wounds,  and  to 
bid  him  to,*  re- 
turn to  Italy. 

On  his  return 
to  Italy,  the 
Saint  was  com- 
missioned by 
his  superiors  to 
preach  in  the 
province  of 
Umbria.  For 
twenty  years, 
he  passed 
through  the 
villages  and 
hamlets  of  the 
district,  every- 
where scatter- 
ing the  seed  of 
the  Gospel,  frequently  preaching 
as  often  as  seven  to  ten  times  a 
day.  By  the  power  of  his  word, 
which  was  often  confirmed  by 
miracles,  he  reconciled  enemies, 
put  an  end  to  hatred  and  discord  in 
towns  and  parishes,  abolished  im- 
moral dances  and  shows,  and 
brought  thousands  of  sinners  to  re- 
pentance.     It  is   impossible  to   de- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


47 


scribe  the  charity  of  his  heart  toward 
the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  afflicted, 
or  the  heroic  acts  to  which  this 
charity  urged  him.  During  these 
trying  labors,  the  Saint  was  almost 
continually  united  with  God  in  pray- 
er and  exercised  himself  in  acts  of 
the  greatest  self-denial  and  mortifi- 
cation. God  rewarded  his  love  and 
zeal  with  ecstacies,  raptures,  the 
gifts  of  miracles  and  of  prophecy. 
To  complete  his  sacrifice,  the  Saint 
suffered  much  during  the  last  years 
of  his  life  from  a  painful  cancer. 
He  submitted  to  two  operations 
with  the  greatest  patience  and  forti- 
tude, repeating  the  prayer:  "Holy 
Mary,  pray  for  us  miserable  afflict- 
ed sinners,"  and  all  the  while  hold- 
ing a  crucifix  in  his  hand,  on  which 
he  fixed  his  eyes.  When  some  one 
said,  before  the  operation,  that  he 
ought  to  be  bound  or  held,  he 
pointed  to  the  crucifix,  saying, 
"This  is  the  strongest  bond;  this 
will  hold  me. unmoved   better  than 


any  cords  could  do."  But  all 
remedies  applied  were  unvailing, 
and  the  servant  of  God,  after 
edifying  all  by  an  example  of  pa- 
tience, resignation,  and  fervent 
piety,  passed  to  his  heavenly  reward 
on  February  4,  1612,  in  the  convent 
at  Amatrice.  At  the  news  of  his 
death,  the  concourse  of  the  people 
from  the  neighboring  country,  who 
came  to  venerate  his  remains,  was 
so  great  that  the  friars  had  to  defer 
the  interment  for  five  days.  His 
power  with  God  was  shown  at  once 
after  his  death  by  wonderful  signs 
and  miracles.  After  some  time,  his 
body  was  removed  from  Amatrice 
to  Leonessa,  his  native  town.  His 
heart  still  remains  incorrupt,  emit- 
ting a  sweet  odor.  On  account  of 
the  many  miracles  that  continued 
to  be  wrought  at  his  intercession,  the 
servant  of  God  was  beatified  by  Pope 
Clement  XII,  on  June  22,  1737.  and 
canonized  by  Pope  Benedict  XIV, 
on  June  29,  1746. 


A  CELESTIAL  MUSICIAN 

When  St.  Francis  was  at  Rieti  for  the  cure  of  his  eyes,  he  called  one 
of  his  companions  who  had  been  a  lute-player  in  the  world,  and  said, 
"Brother,  I  would  have  thee  secretly  borrow  a  lute,  so  that  by  a  virtuous 
song  thou  mightest  give  some  solace  to  my  brother  body,  which  is  full  of 
pains."  The  brother  answered,  "Father,  I  am  not  a  little  ashamed  to  do 
so,  lest  men  might  think  that  I  am  tempted  by  such  frivolity."  "Let  us 
give  it  up,  then,  brother, "  said  Francis.  "It  is  good  to  give  up  many 
things  to  avoid  shocking  the  opinion  of  others."  The  next  night,  as  the 
holy  man  was  watching  and  meditating  on  God,  suddenly  there  sounded  a 
lute  of  wondrous  harmony  and  sweetest  melody.  No  one  was  seen,  but 
the  music,  as  it  floated  hither  and  thither,  marked  the  movements  of  the 
lute-player  passing  to  and  fro.  At  length,  fixing  his  spirit  on  God,  the 
holy  Father  enjoyed  such  sweetness  in  those  melodious  strains  that  he 
fancied  himself  transported  into  the  other  world.  —  Celano. 


48 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


SPREAD  OF  FRANCISCANS  IN  ENGLAND 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia.  OF. 31. 


THE  sons  of  St.  Francis  who 
early  in  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury erected  their  first  friar- 
ies on  English  soil  were  men  singu- 
larly imbued  with  the  spirit  of  their 
holy  Founder.  Complete  detach- 
ment from  earthly  pleasures  and 
comforts  combined  with  a  winning 
and  cheerful  disposition,  made  the 
friars  sincere  and  disinterested  lov-  | 
ers  of  all  classes  of  society  and  won  j 
for  them  in  turn  the  esteem  and  i 
confidence  of  those  whose  spiritual 
and  temporal  welfare  they  had  at 
heart.  From  the  scanty  records 
that  have  survived  the  direful  de- 
struction of  their  convents,  we  learn 
that  the  early  English  Franciscans 
were  ardent  and  zealous  adherents 
of  Lady  Poverty.  Their  first  friar- 
ies, erected  almost  without  excep- 
tion in  the  poorest  and  meanest 
quarters  of  the  cities,  were  little 
better  than  hovels;  and  even  these 
they  refused  to  possess  as  their  own 
but  had  them  held  by  corporations, 
on  whom  they  wished  to  be  en- 
tirely dependent. 

Many  interesting  and  edifying  an- 
ecdotes recorded  by  the  early  histo- 
rians of  the  Order  show  how  the 
friars  loved  and  practiced  poverty. 
In  London,  they  had  the  partitions 
of  the  first  friary  at  Cornhill  filled 
out  with  dried  grass.  Bl.  Agnellus 
of  Pisa,  the  founder  of  the  English 
Province,  ordered  that  the  walls  of 
the  infirmary  in  Oxford  should  not 
much  exceed  a  man's  height.     Until 

(1>     Brewer,  Monumenta  Franeiticana:     Eceleston. 
(2)  Brewer,  loc.  cit. :  Preface,  p.  XIX. 


the  time  of  Fr.  Albert,  who  became 
provincial  m  1233,  this  friary  had  no 
guest-room.  At  Shrewsbury,  Fr. 
William  of  Nottingham,  the  fourth 
provincial,  commanded  the  stone 
walls  to  be  replaced  by  mud  walls.'1' 
"In  all  instances,"  says  Brewer, 
"the  poverty  of  their  buildings  cor- 
responded with  those  of  the  sur- 
rounding district:  their  living  and 
lodging  no  better  than  the  poorest 
among  whom  they  settle." m  Penni- 
less they  had  come  to  England,  and 
penniles  sthey  lived  and  labored. 
Unlike  the  older  monastics,  they 
firmly  rejected  lands  and  revenues, 
and  depended  on  the  liberality  of  the 
people.  According  to  the  injunction 
of  their  holy  Founder,  they  labored 
for  their  daily  sustenance:  and 
where  this  was  denied  them,  which 
appears  to  have  been  very  seldom, 
they  humbly  went  "to  the  table  of  the 
Lord,"  as  St.  Francis  poetically  ex- 
pressed it,  begging  from  door  to  door. 
This  extreme  poverty  and  lack  of 
every  comfort  of  life  did  not  make 
the  friars  sullen  and  inaccessible. 
On  the  contrary,  as  they  were  poor 
and  unassuming  in  their  habits,  so 
they  were  ever  jovial  and  winning 
in  their  dealings  with  others.  Their 
very  poverty  proved  a  never  failing 
source  of  merriment  and  geniality. 
Numerous  incidents  might  be  cited 
in  proof  hereof.  Thus  Eceleston 
relates  that  two  of  the  brethren 
came  one  day  to  one  of  the  friaries. 
Having  no  refreshments   to   place 

De  Adcentu  Minorum   In   Anglinm,  p.  9;    34;    18. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


49 


before  the  visitors,  the  guardian 
procured  a  measure  of  ale  on  credit. 
Now,  when  the  jug  was  passed 
around,  the  members  of  the  commu- 
nity indeed  put  it  to  their  lips,  in 
order  not  to  embarrass  their  guests; 
but  they  did  not  drink  of  the  con- 
tents, because  they  feared  there 
would  be  not  enough  for  all.  At 
Oxford,  the  young  friars  had  to 
be  severely  disciplined  for  laugh- 
ing out  of  season.  And  Fr.  Peter 
of  Tewksbury,  the  fifth  English 
provincial,  told  a  Friar  Preacher 
that  bodily  health  depended  on 
three  things;  viz.,  food,  sleep, 
and  fun.(3)  Thus,  in  spite  of  priva- 
tions and  hardships,  innocent  jovi- 
ality was  a  peculiar  trait  of  the  early 
English  Franciscans. 

It  was  this  above  all  that  made 
them  popular  in  the  fullest  and  best 
sense  of  the  word.  The  artisan  in 
his  workshop  vied  with  the  king  on 
his  throne  in  extending  to  them  a 
hearty  welcome.  Rich  and  poor, 
high  and  low,  all  clamored  to  have 
these  men  of  God  make  their  abode 
with  them,  and  gladly  lent  them 
every  assistance  in  erecting  their 
humble  homes. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  first 
Franciscans  in  Canterbury,  London, 
and  Oxford,  Fr.  Richard  of  Ing- 
worth  and  Fr.  Richard  of  Devon- 
shire set  out  for  Northampton. 
Here  they  lodged  at  first  in  a  certain 
hospital  in  the  parish  of  St.  Giles, 
until  a  friary  was  ready  to   receive 


them.a>  The  first  guardian  of  this 
place  was  Fr.  Peter  Hispanus.  Not 
long  after,  the  friars  arrived  in 
Cambridge  and  took  up  their  abode 
in  an  old  synagogue  that  adjoined 
the  city  prison.  But,  as  they  found 
the  noisy  surroundings  an  obstacle 
to  the  proper  discharge  of  their 
religious  exercises,  they  purchased 
with  the  ten  marks  sent  them  by 
the  king  a  plot  of  ground  near  by, 
where  the  good  people  erected  for 
their  use  a  little  oratory  "as  a  car- 
penter may  build  in  a  day.  "(5)  Fr. 
Thomas  de  Hispania  was  appointed 
|  first  guardian  at  Cambridge. (ti) 
The  next  few  years  saw  Francis- 
can friaries  spring  up  in  all  parts  of 
England.  From  the  critical  and 
reliable  account  of  Fr.  Antony  Par- 
kinson, we  learn  that  before  the 
thirteenth  century,  the  sons  of  St. 
Francis  were  dwelling  in  Litchfield, 
Southampton,  Norwich,  Worcester, 
Shrewsbury,  Glocester,  Ware,  Co- 
ventry, Salisbury,  Bury  St.  Ed- 
munds, Winchester,  Lynn,  Nott- 
ingham, York,  and  Exeter.  Dur- 
ing the  same  century,  the  English 
Franciscans  went  to  Ireland,  Scot- 
land, and  to  the  English  possessions 
on  the  continent. (T)  Fr.  Richard  of 
Ingworth,  who  died  in  1238,  had 
been  provincial  vicar  of  the  Irish 
Province  of  Ulster.  It  is  probable 
that,  in  1591,  this  province  became 
independent  of  the  English  pro- 
vincial. About  1231,  Fr.  John  de 
Kechene,  guardian  of   the   London 


(3)  Brewer:  Eccleston,  i>.  K:  20;  ii4. (4)  The  exact  date  of  this  foundation  is  not   recorded.    According   to 

Eccleston  (p.  10),  it  was  in  the   year   122T>.     Parkinson  in    The  Antit/uities  of  the  English  Franciscans  records  it 
under  the  year  1229  and  adds  that  even  before  this  time,  the  Earl  of  Warwick  had  a  Franciscan  friary  erected  at 

Worcester. (5)  Parkinson,   loc.  cit.,  I,  p.    16. (0)    Krom    the  fact  that  these    two    last-mentioned   friars 

were  Spaniards  and  not  among  the  companions  of  Bl.  Agnellus  of  Pisa,   we  may  conclude  that,  after  the  arrival 
of  the  first  Franciscans  in  England,  others  soon  followed  from  the  continent.    This  same  fact   may   also  explain 

the  disagreement  of  historians  regirding  the  exact  date  of  the  arrival  of  the  first  Franciscans  on  English  soj4, 

<7)  Parkinson,  loc.  cit.,  passim.  r^f 


PRO  STUQtH 

^g.  CORDIS  £ 


50 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


friary,  was  appointed  provincial 
vicar  of  the  English  Franciscans  in 
Scotland.  (8)  Besides,  they  also  had 
houses  in  Normandy,  Picardy,  and 
Aquitaine,  which  at  the  time  were 
English  possessions  in  France.  Dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Fr.  Peter 
of  Tewksbury,  who  was  provincial 
about  the  year  1256,  the  English 
Franciscans  counted  forty-nine 
friaries  on  English  soil,  besides  those 
in  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  France. (9) 
When  St.  Bonaventure,  in  1260, 
convoked  a  general  chapter  of  the 
Order  at  Narbonne,  the  English 
province  comprised  seven  custodies; 
viz.,  London,  York,  Cambridge, 
Bristol,  Oxford,  Newcastle,  and 
Worcester. (10;  Fr.  Bartholomew  of 
Pisa  enumerates  the  same  seven 
custodies  and  brings  a  list  of  the 
sixty  houses  they  comprised. (11) 
Wadding  does  the  same  in  his  An- 
nals where,  under  the  year  1400,  he 
places  side  by  side  three  lists  of 
English  convents  as  he  found  them 
in  three  ancient  codices. (12)  The 
English  province  assumed  such 
dimensions  that  in  the  fourteenth 
and  fifteenth  centuries,  the  Minister 
General  of  the  Order  was  wont  to 
appoint  a  Commissary  General,  who 
in  his  name  should  decide  matters 
of  importance. (13)  In  later  years, 
this  office  was  usually  held  by  the 
provincial  of  the  Observants  who 
resided  at  Greenwich.  Finally,  "at 
the  time  of  the   dissolution  (under 


Henry  VIII),  the  Franciscans  alone 
of  the  Mendicant  Orders  had  ninety 
convents  in  England,  besides  vicari- 
ates, residences,  and  nunneries.  "(14> 
Truly  remarkable  is  the  fact  that 
so  many  persons  of  exalted  station 
in  the  English  realm,  even  kings 
and  queens,  were  instrumental  in 
erecting  these  Franciscan  friaries. 
Henry  III  was  the  founder  or  bene- 
factor of  no  less  than  ten  convents. 
He  was  seconded  by  Cardinal 
Stephen  Langton,  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  by  Dr.  Henry  Langton, 
his  brother  and  archdeacon,  by 
Henry  Lord  Sandwich,  and  by  a 
certain  countess. <15)  Probably  in 
1233,  Margaret,  Countess  of  Leic- 
ester, founded  a  friary  in  Ware. (lt5) 
At  Salisbury,  it  was  the  bishop  who 
welcomed  the  friars  and  founded 
their  convent. (1;'  Edward  I,  in  the 
third  year  of  his  reign,  built  a 
spacious  friary  for  them  at  Cam- 
bridge, and,  in  1288,  another  at 
Libourne  in  Aquitaine. (W)  Accord- 
ing to  Dugdale,  Queen  Eleanor,  the 
first  wife  of  Edward  I,  was  the 
foundress  of  a  convent  in  Bed- 
ford.(19)  Queen  Margaret,  his 
second  wife,  1306,  donated  2000 
;  marks  for  erecting  the  beautiful 
Franciscan  church  in  London. (20> 
I  At  York  and  Lincoln,  Henry  Lacy, 
I  Earl  of  Lincoln,  together  with  his 
I  chaplain  was  their  chief  benefac- 
|  tor,(2l)  while  at  Scarborough  and 
Colchester  it  was   Edward   II   who 


(8)  Ibid.,  p.  41;  401;  33;  also  Brewer:   Ecdeeton,  p.   32. (9)  Brewer:    EcclestOB,  p.  10. (10)  Wadding: 

Annates  Minorutn,  Tom.  II,  p.  200. (11)    Fr.  Bartholomew    of   Pirn    died    in    1401.     His   De  Conformitatt 

reedited  in  the  Analect a  Franc i*<-,,n<<  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  in  Quaracehi,  Vols.  IV  &  V,  is  a  remark- 
able work,  in  which  the  learned  and  saintly  friar  depicts  the  conformity  of  the  life  of  St.  Kraneis  with  the  life 
of  our  olessed  Savior.     The  work  is  an  important  source  from  which  historians  like  Wadding  have  drawn  material 

bearing  on  the  history  of  the  Order  during  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries. (li)  Annates  Minorum, 

Tom.  IV.  p.   380.     See  also  1'.  Dr.  lleribert  Holzapfel.   O.f'.M.:    <i<*r-],i,\itr  <U*   Fmnzitranrro,  deux,  Freiburg  im 

Breisgau,   1909,  p.   163. (13)  Parkinson,  loc.  cit.,  I.  p.  213. (14)  Hill,  l-:„r,i;«h.  Mon«*ti>:i*m.  London.   1867, 

p.  410. (15)  Parkinson,  loc.  cit  ,  II,  p.  8. (lti)  Ibid.,  p.  13. (17)  Ibid.,  p.  14,  on  the  authority  of  Leland. 

(18)  Ibid  .  p.  16£  I.  p.  99. (19)  Mrs.  Hope:    Franciscan  Marhir-  in  England,  London.  1878,   p.  86,  on  the- 

authority  of  Dugdale. (80]  Parkinfeon,  loc.  cit.,  IT,  p.  3. (21)  Ibid.  p.  14  and  15. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


5! 


extended  them  special  favors. 
Edward  II  founded  or  endowed  the 
four  houses  at  Walsingham,.  Ber- 
wick, Greenwich,  Maidstone,  (22)  and 
his  son,  the  Black  Prince,  was 
chiefly  instrumental  in  building 
their  friary  at  Coventry. (23) 

During  the  Hundred  Years'  War 
and  during  the  War  of  the  Roses, 
little,  it  seems,  was  done  toward  the 
erection  of  new  convents.  In  the 
latter  half  of  the  fifteenth  century, 
however,  Edward  IV,  Henry  VI, 
and  Henry  VII  greatly  favored  the 
Observant  movement  and  built  a 
number  of  new  friaries,  principally 
the  two  at  Greenwich  and  Rich- 
mond, which  were  to  play  so  im- 
portant a  role  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Protestant  Reformation.  In 
short,  we  can  say  tha^  from  the  day 
Henry  III  granted  Bl.  Agnellus  of 
Pisa  permission  to  settle  in  Canter- 
bury down  to  the  first  years  of 
Henry  VIII,  the  royalty  and  the 
nobility  of  England  were  the  special 
patrons  and  benefactors  of  the  sons 
of  St.  Francis. 

Nothing  in  the  history  of  the 
English  Franciscans  will  remain  so 
much  a  matter  of  mere  conjecture 
as  the  number  of  brothers  that  con- 
stituted the  province.  Eccleston 
asserts  that  thirty-two  years  after 
the  arrival  of  the  Franciscans  in 
England  (i.e.  1252  or  1256) ,  the  prov- 
ince numbered  1,242  members.  (~4> 
To  some  extent,  the  number  of 
convents  permits  us  to  form  a  prob- 
able estimate  as  to  the  number  of 
friars  who  inhabited  them;  and, 
perhaps  it  was  this   that  induced 

'  (22)  Mrs.  Hope,  loe.  cit..  i>.  26,  on  the  authorit; 

the  authority  of  Dugdale. (2-U  Brewer:  Eccleston,  p. 

cit.,  I,  p.  30. (26)  Parkinson,   loe.  cit..  I.  p.  17. (2 


Matthew  Paris,  who  died  in  1259,  to 
write  regarding  the  English  Fran- 
ciscans:     "All   England   was  soon 
filled   and   replenished   with   these 
men,  and  not  only  the  larger  towns 
and  cities,  but  the  very  villages  and 
hamlets    frequented    by   them."(25) 
Parkinson  says  that  the  Order  in- 
creased to  an  incredible  number. (%) 
The  same  historian  brings  the  names 
of  about  350  English  Franciscans, 
I  who,  during  the  three  centuries  pre- 
;  ceding     the     Reformation,    distin- 
!  guished  themselves  either  by  their 
|  holiness,  or  by  their  influence  and 
|  activity  as  provincials,  bishops,  and 
I  professors  or   doctors    at    Oxford, 
S  Cambridge,    and   Paris.     Casually,. 
I  he  mentions  groups  of  friars,  when 
I  he  says,  for  instance,  that,  in  1220, 
J  "many  Englishmen  petitioned  to  be 
admitted  into  this  Order,"  and,  on 
the  authority  of  Harpsfield,  he  again 
remarks  that  '  'many  of  the   Bene- 
dictine Monks,  of  the  Augustinian 
Friars,  nay  and  of  the  very   Car- 
S  thusians  petitioned  and   were   ad- 
mitted into  the  Order  of  St.    Fran- 
i  cis."a>:)     Finally,    the  historian   is 
|  entirely  silent    regarding   the    lay 
brothers    of    the    province    whose 
j  reserved  and    secluded   life,    as   a 
rule,  did  not  bring  them  before  the 
public  and  into  the  annals  of  the 
Order.     From  all  this  we  may  j  ustly 
infer  that  the   number  of  English 
Franciscans  must  have   been   very 
great,  and  that  Brewer  has  reason 
to  call  the  movement  "an   instance 
of  religious  organization  and  prop- 
agandism    unexampled      in       the 
annals  of  the  world.  "{2y) 

of  Dugdale. (23)  Parkinson,  loe  cit.,  II,  p.  33.  on 

10. (25)    Matthew  Paris  quoted   by  Parkinson,    loe. 

">  Ibid,  p   1H. (28)  Brewer,  loe.  cit.:  Preface,  p.  XM. 


52 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


It  is  noteworthy  that  so  many 
Englishmen  of  rank,  wealth,  and 
distinction  renounced  the  world  and 
entered  the  Order  of  St.  Francis. 
Before  joining  the  Order,  Fr.  Wil- 
liam had  been  in  the  service  of  the 
Lord  Justiciary  of  England,  Fr. 
Walter  de  Burgh  and  Fr.  Richard 
the  Norman  had  been  masters  of 
the  university,  and  Fr.  Zatmestre, 
a  knight  of  fame.  Fr.  Matthew 
Gayton,  a  powerful  esquire,  sold  his 
estates  and  joined  the  ranks  of  St. 
Francis.  In  1220,  Adam  de  Marisco 
and  Vincent  of  Coventry  entered 
the  Order  and  afterwards  became 
the  first  Franciscan  doctors  of  di- 
vinity, the  one  of  Oxford  and  the 
other  of  Cambridge.  With  them 
came  Henry  of  Coventry,  the  broth- 
er of  Vincent,  and  William  of  York, 
both  doctors  of  the  university.  In 
1230,  Robert  de  Hendred,  abbot  of 
the  Benedictine  monastery  at  Ab- 
bington  in  Berkshire,  exchanged 
the  miter  and  crozier  for  the  lowly 
garb  of  St.  Francis.  His  example 
attracted  John  de  Reading,  abbot 
of  the  celebrated  monastery  of  the 
Canons  Regular  at  Osney  near  Ox- 
ford. In  1239,  Ralph  Maydston, 
the  famous  bishop  of  Hereford,  fol- 
lowed in  the  footsteps  of  these  two 
prelates  and  led  a  retired  life  in 
the  friary  at  Glocester.  In  1325, 
Lord  Robert  Fitzwater  entered  the 
Order,  in  1343,  Lord  Baron  Lisle, 
and  probably  about  the  same  time. 
Robert  Nigram,  a  knight.  In  1386, 
Scharshille,  and  again  in  1426,  Clop- 


ton,  both  Lord  Chief  Justices  of 
England,  renounced  the  honors  and 
preferments  of  the  world  and  joined 
the  ranks  of  St.  Francis.  m 

From  these  well-founded  facts, 
we  can  conclude  that  the  words  of 
Fr.  Bartholomew  of  Pisa  regarding 
the  whole  Order  of  St.  Francis  ap- 
ply also  to  the  English  province: 
'  'The  Order  was  adorned  not  only 
by  the  sanctity,  learning,  and  no- 
bility of  the  friars,  but  also,  Christ 
so  willing  and  ordaining,  by  their 
large  number,  wherein  they  sur- 
passed other  orders."  (30)  Indeed, 
in  the  English  Franciscan  province 
the  prophecy  which  on  one  occasion 
St.  Francis  made  to  his  despondent 
brethren  was  fulfilled:  "Be  consoled, 
my  beloved  ones,  and  rejoice  in  the 
Lord;  do  not  be  sad  because  of  the 

smallness  of  our  number I  saw 

a  great  multitude  of  men  coming 
to  us,  and  wishing  in  our  holy 
habit  to  embrace  our  manner  of 
life.  And  behold!  even  now  I 
have  the  sound  of  them  in  my 
ears,  as  they  come  and  go  ac- 
cording to  the  commands  of  holy 
Obedience.  I  see,  as  it  were,  the 
roads  full  of  a  great  multitude  of 
almost  every  nation  gathering  to 
these  parts.  The  French  are  com- 
ing, the  Spaniards  are  hastening, 
the  English  and  Germans,  the  Scots 
and  Irish  are  running,  and  a  vast 
number  from  divers  other  countries 
are  approaching  with  the  greatest 
speed."  <3n 


(29)  Parkinson,  loc.  .it  ,  I.  p.  13;  1> 
Vol.  [V.lp.351. —    (31)  Annates  Minm 


3:31:  38;  42:  112: 
»,  Vol.  I.  p.  46. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


53 


BARBARA'S  VOW 


Fr.  Giles,  O.F.M. 


MR.  and  Mrs.  Louis  White  with 
their  three-year  old  child 
and  housemaid  Barbara 
Wagner,  were  returning  one  Sun- 
day evening  from  a  pleasant  drive 
through  the  shady  woods  that  lay 
just  beyond  the  city  limits,  when 
suddenly  the  horses  became  fright- 
ened by  a  large  piece  of  paper  blown 
across  the  road,  and  in  an  instant 
the  surrey  was  overturned.  Bar- 
bara and  the  baby  were  thrown 
into  a  ditch  at  the  wayside.  Their 
fall,  however,  was  broken  by  a 
thick  growth  of  weeds  and  brush- 
wood, and  thus  they  happily  escaped 
with  only  a  few  scratches.  But 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  got  entangled 
under  the  vehicle  and  were  dragged 
a  considerable  distance  before  a 
passing  policeman  succeeded  in 
stopping  the  runaway  team.  Ten- 
der hands  drew  their  unconscious 
forms  from  under  the  wreckage  and 
bore  them  gently  to  a  house  near 
by  to  await  the  arrival  of  the 
ambulance.  Although  quite  be- 
side herself  with  grief  and  terror, 
Barbara  possessed  presence  of  mind 
enough  to  direct  the  ambulance  to 
St.  Elizabeth's  Tertiary  Infirmary, 
as  she  knew  that  Fr.  Roch,  the 
chaplain,  would  be  there  for  the 
evening  service,  and  she  was  most 
anxious  to  secure  a  priest  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment. 

The  physicians  at  first  enter- 
tained hopes  for  the  recovery  of  the 
two  patients,  but  they  soon  learnt 
that  the  injuries  sustained  by  both 
were  beyond  human  skill. 


"I'm  not  afraid  to  die,"  Mrs. 
White  said  to  Barbara  and  the 
attending  Sister  after  receiving  the 
last  sacraments,  "but  what  will  be- 
come of  my  child?  Oh,  this  thought 
is  worse  than  death!" 

"But,  my  dear  Mrs.  White,  I'm 
sure  your  wealthy  relatives  will  be 
able  to  care  for  your  baby  bov," 
replied  the  Sister,  in  an  effort  to 
console  the  heart-broken  mother. 

"Indeed,  Sister;  but  as  they  are 
all  Protestants  and  so  bitter  against 
us  Catholics,  I  dare  not  entrust  my 
boy  to  them.  You  do  not  know 
that  my  parents  disowned  me  when 
I  became  a  Catholic  and  married 
Mr.  White.  And  as  he  himself  was 
an  orphan,  little  Louis  will  be  all 
alone  in  the  world  when  we  are 
gone,  and  will  never  know  what  it 
is  to  have  a  mother's  love  and  a 
father's  care." 

"Oh,  Mrs.  White, "  cried  Barbara, 
falling  on  her  knees  and  taking  the 
dying  mother's  hand  in  her  own 
warm  grasp,  "don't  worry  about 
dear  little  Louis.  I'm  only  a  poor, 
servant  girl,  but  I  promise  before 
God  and  you  that  I  will  never  leave 
him  until  he  is  old  enough  to  care 
for  himself.  Yes,  I  will  try  to  be  a 
real  mother  to  him  and  will  love  him 
as  if  he  were  my  own  child." 

"How  good  of  you,  Barbara," 
answered  Mrs.  White,  moved  to 
the  depths  of  her  soul  by  her  maid's 
unexpected  offer.  "Now,  I  can  die 
in  peace." 

Several     days   after    the   double 


54 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


funeral,  Mr.  White's  last  will  was 
read,  and  Barbara  was  quite  amazed 
to  learn  that  he  had  had  very  little 
to  dispose  of.  Almost  all  his  youth- 
ful savings  had  been  eaten  up  by 
his  attendance  at  the  law  school, 
and  his  practice  at  the  bar  was  just 
beginning  to  bring  returns,  when 
his  life  was  cut  short.  After  all 
his  obligations  had  been  met,  there 
remained  only  some  two  hundred 
dollars  that  his  son  and  heir  Louis 
Francis  White  could  call  his  own. 
Having  been  under  the  impression 
that  the  Whites  were  fairly  well-to- 
do,  Barbara  began  to  doubt  the 
wisdom  of  her  promise  to  the  dying 
mother.  When  she  made  it,  she 
was  not  aware  of  the  fact  that  it 
would  entail  the  duty  of  earning 
bread  and  butter  for  the  boy.  Now 
that  she  had  lost  her  income,  how 
would  she  be  able  to  support  her- 
sslfandhim?  Would  it  not,  per- 
haps, be  more  advisable  to  place 
him  under  the  care  of  the  nuns  at 
St.  Anne's  Home,  who  had  be- 
friended his  orphan  father? 

No!  She  had  made  the  solemn 
promise,  and  would  she  now  recoil 
from  the  difficulties  incident  to  its 
fulfillment?  No,  never!  God 
would  provide. 

"I  have  considered  everything, 
Father  Roch,"  she  replied  calmly, 
when  he  told  her  that  she  was  not 
bound  by  a  promise  made  in  igno- 
rance of  the  facts;  "I'm  young  and 
strong  and  not  ashamed  to  work. 
Indeed,  I  feel  that  God  is  directing 
all  this  to  his  own  special  ends,  and 
that  he  has  saved  Louis  and  me 
almost  miraculously  from  death  for 
reasons  known  to  himself." 


"Barbara,  you  are  a  good  child!" 
said  the  priest,  marveling  greatly 
that  one  so  young— she  was  then  in 
her  nineteenth  year— should  bind 
herself  to  a  life  of  privation  and 
hard  labor  out  of  love  for  one  who 
really  had  no  claim  on  her  heroic 
charity.  "Yes,  you  are  a  good 
child,"  he  repeated,  "and  God  will 
reward  you." 

"Father,  you  yourself  have  taught 
us  Tertiaries  the  spirit  of  sacrifice," 
answered  the  young  woman  smil- 
ing. '  'I'm  simply  trying  to  practice 
what  you  preach.  Would  you  please 
say  a  prayer  that  I  may  persevere?' ' 
* 

The  meager  savings  of  the  past 
years  together  with  the  little  she 
had  inherited  from  her  parents,  en- 
abled Barbara  to  rent  a  cottage  not 
far  from  the  Franciscan  church, 
and  here  she  lived  with  her  adopted 
child,  laboring  hard  from  the  gray 
morning  till  the  dusk  of  evening  at 
her  washing  and  ironing.  Fr.  Roch 
recommended  her  to  his  more 
wealthy  Tertiaries,  and  thus  she 
was  always  well  supplied  with  work. 
She  found  time,  however,  daily  to 
attend  early  Mass  and  to  make  a 
visit  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in 
the  evening  when  the  day's  work 
was  done.  Thus  between  prayer 
and  work  the  time  passed  in  her 
endeavor  to  support  the  child  that 
Providence  had  so  unexpectedly 
confided  to  her  care.  Louis  was 
her  joy  and  pride.  Intelligent  be- 
yond his  years,  the  boy  soon  began 
to  show  unmistakable  traits  of  a 
beautiful  character,  and  his  inno- 
cent prattle  made  the  hours  at  the 
washtub  and  at  the  ironing   board 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


55 


pass  swiftly  and  pleasantly.  Ever 
solicitous  about  the  future,  Barbara 
had  at  once  begun  to  save,  and  it 
was  by  minding  the  pennies  that 
she  was  able  to  deposit  dollars  in 
the  Tertiaries'  savings  bank. 

The  monotony  of  her  daily  exist- 
ence was  broken  on  Sundays  by  the 
usual  services  in  the  church,  and 
once  a  month  by  the  meeting  of  the 
Third  Order,  which  Barbara  never 
missed.  Among  the  few  visitors 
that  found  their  way  to  her  humble 
home  were  Nellie  Barton  and  her 
brother  James.  Barbara  had  known 
them  for  years,  and  it  was  James 
who  had  secured  for  her  her  first 
position  as  housemaid  after  the 
death  of  her  parents.  He  was  a 
young  man  of  very  genial  character, 
clean  habits,  and  above  all  a  prac- 
tical Catholic.  Hence,  it  was  but 
natural  that  their  childhood  friend- 
ship should  gradually  ripen  into  love. 
Nevertheless,  Barbara  was  rather 
taken  by  surprise  when  one  Sunday 
afternoon,  about  five  years  after 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  White's  death,  James 
made  her  a  formal  proposal  of  mar- 
riage. For  a  while  she  sat  silent, 
her  hands  resting  in  her  lap,  her 
eyes  fixed  on  the  floor. 

"James,"  she  said  at  last,  with- 
out looking  up,  "this  is  very  good 
of  you,  and  I  know  that  your  heart 
is  as  true  as  your  words  are  kind. 
But,  as  this  is  a  matter  of  the 
greatest  importance,  I  must  have 
some  time  for  reflection.  Come 
again  next  Sunday,  and  you  shall 
have  my  answer." 

The  following  evening,  Barbara 
knelt  longer  than  usual  before  the 
tabernacle.     Her  whole  life  seemed 


to  pass  before  the  eyes  of  her  soul, 
but  there  was  especially  one  scene 
that  stood  out  in  bold  relief  against 
the  hazy  background  of  her  past. 
It  was  the  celebration  of  a  First 
Mass  that  she  had  witnessed  as  a 
girl.  The  preacher  on  that  solemn 
occasion  had  dwelt  most  eloquently 
on  the  supreme  happiness  of  a  moth- 
er that  can  call  a  priest  her  son. 
She  recollected  how  his  words  had 
stirred  her  soul  and  how  she  herself 
had  conceived  an  ardent  longing  to 
become  one  day  the  mother  of  a 
priest. 

When  God  so  unexpectedly  com- 
mitted Louis  White  to  her  care,  she 
had  thought  that  her  wish  might  be 
fulfilled  in  him,  for  she  cherished  him 
as  her  own  child.  But  Louis  never 
spoke  of  becoming  a  priest.  On  the 
contrary,  he  often  expressed  the  de- 
sire to  become  a  lawyer  like  his 
father.  Still,  he  might  yet  change 
his  mind,  as  he  was  now  but  nine 
years  of  age.  She  recalled,  too, 
that  the  priest  had  said  that  many 
a  mother  had  obtained  a  priestly 
vocation  for  her  son  through  prayer 
and  sacrifice.  Could  she  not,  per- 
haps, do  the  same  for  Louis? 

Then  a  strange  thought  struck 
her.  It  created  a  struggle  in  her 
soul  the  like  of  which  she  had  never 
experienced  before.  She  bowed 
her  head  humbly  before  her  eucha- 
ristic  Lord  and  begged  for  light  and 
strength.  At  last,  she  arose  from 
her  knees,  her  heart  nourishing  a 
singular  resolve,  and  she  repaired 
to  the  convent  to  seek  an  interview 
with  her  spiritual  director,  good  Fr. 
Roch. 

When   James   Barton    called     at 


56 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Barbara's  home  on  the  following 
Sunday  evening,  he  at  once  read  his 
doom  in  her  pale  features  as  she 
opened  the  door  to  admit  him.  He 
protested  his  undying  love  for  her 
and  argued  his  case  with  an  elo- 
quence and  an  ardor  that  a  weaker 
will  than  Barbara's  would  have  suc- 
cumbed to.  But  she  remained  firm 
in  her  refusal.  They  parted  friends, 
yet  James  was  heart-broken. 
*    -        ^  * 

The  days  lengthened  into  months, 
the  months  into  years,  and  each 
day  found  Barbara  busy  at  her  tub 
or  ironing  board,  each  day  found 
her  cheerful  and  hopeful.  Louis 
was  now  fifteen  years  of  age,  a  fine 
lad,  beloved  by  all.  He  led  his  class 
at  school  and  excelled  in  all  athletic 
sports  and  games.  Realizing,  too, 
his  debt  of  gratitude  to  his  foster- 
mother,  the  boy  strove  to  assist  her 
when  and  where  he  could.  Nor  was 
he  ashamed  to  draw  his  little  wagon 
laden  with  a  basket  of  spotless  linen 
to  the  homes  of  her  patrons,  and  to 
bring  back  another  load  of  soiled 
clothes  for  the  next  day's  work. 

Despite  Barbara's  exterior  peace 
and  cheerfulness,  her  heart  was 
often  sad  and  heavy.  For,  as  time 
rolled  on,  she  saw  no  indication  that 
her  ardent  wish  of  beholding  Louis 
a  priest  at  the  altar  would  ever  be 
realized.  It  was  his  delight,  indeed, 
to  serve  at  holy  Mass;  but  never  a 
word  expressive  of  his  desire  to  en- 
ter the  sacred  state  passed  his  lips. 
He  had  now  finished  his  studies  in 
the  parochial  school,  and  was  about 
to  leave  for  a  course  at  St.  Ives  Col- 
lege before  taking  up  the  study  of 
law.     Barbara  had   about  $2,000  on 


interest,  the  savings  of  more  than 
twelve  years,  and  with  this  money 
she  intended  to  meet  the  expenses 
of  Louis's  higher  education. 

One  evening, — it  was  the  sixth 
anniversary  of  Barbara's  memorable 
struggle  in  the  twilight  gloom  be- 
fore the  tabernacle, —  she  and  Louis 
were  seated  together  in  their  cozy 
little  kitchen,  she  busy  with  some 
sewing  and  musing  on  the  past,  he 
engaged  in  reading  a  book  and 
thinking  of  the  future.  Every  now 
and  then  his  eyes  wandered  from 
the  printed  page  to  where  Barbara 
was  seated.  Suddenly,  he  arose  and 
tiptoed  softly  to  her  chair.  Placing 
his  arm  affectionately  about  her 
neck,  as  he  was  accustomed  to  do 
from  earliest  childhood  when  he 
had  some  special  favor  to  ask,  he 
whispered  half-aloud: 

"Mother  dear." 

"What  is  it,  Louis?" 

"I  — I  don't  want  to  be  a  lawyer," 
he  blurted  out  finally,  blushing 
deeply;  "I— ah  — I  want  to  become 
a  priest!" 

Barbara's  heart  leapt  for  joy. 
Was  her  soul's  desire  to  be  realized 
at  last  and  at  a  time  when  she  had 
almost  given  up  all  hope?  Fearing 
that  the  boy's  wish  was  a  mere 
passing  fancy,  she  concealed  her 
exultation  as  best  she  could,  and 
asked  in  a  tone  of  surprise: 

"But,  Louis  dear,  when  did  you 
get  this  idea?" 

"Oh,  I've  had  it  a  long  time,  but 
I  was  afraid  you  wouldn't  like  it, 
because  I  thought  you  wanted  me 
to  be  a  lawyer  like  father.  It  came 
to  me  all  of  a  sudden  about  six  years 
ago  when   serving    Mass   for    Fr. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


57 


Roch.  Ever  since  that  day  the 
thought  has  given  me  no  rest,  so  I 
decided  I'd  tell  you  about  it  this 
evening." 

"Oh,  my  darling  boy!"  Barbara 
exclaimed,  unable  to  repress  the 
tears  of  joy  that  streamed  down  her 
cheeks,  "you  could  not  give  me 
greater  pleasure  than  by  becoming 
a  priest.  This  has  been  my  heart's 
desire  all  these  years,  but  I  did  not 
wish  to  induce  you  to  enter  a  state 
to  life  to  which  you  had  no  calling. 
Surely,  God  has  been  directing  us 
both  in  this  affair,  and  we  can  never 
thank  him  enough  for  his  goodness." 


The  years  again  sped  quickly  by, 
and  again  Barbara  knelt  before  the 
tabernacle,  not  in  the  twilight 
gloom,  but  in  the  splendor  of  the 
dazzling  morning  sun.  The  altars 
were    gorgeously     decorated    with 


numerous  tapers  and  flowers,  while 
the  lofty  arches  of  the  church  were 
hung  with  graceful  festoons.  In 
the  sanctuary  sat  a  newly  ordained 
priest,  Fr.  Robert  Louis  White, 
clad  in  sacerdotal  vestments  and 
about  to  offer  for  the  first  time  to 
God  Almighty  the  tremendous  sac- 
rifice of  the  Mass.  In  the  pulpit 
was  the  familiar  figure  of  Fr.  Roch. 
He  spoke  with  burning  eloquence  of 
the  wonderful  dignity  of  the  Catho- 
lic priesthood,  of  his  God-like  pow- 
ers, his  sublime  duties,  his  life  of 
sacrifice.  The  vast  audience  listen- 
ed spell-bound  to  the  words  that  fell 
from  his  sacred  lips.  But  Fr.  Roch 
did  not  reveal  what  was  known  only 
to  him  and  to  the  simple  woman 
seated  in  the  first  pew,  that  the 
young  priest  in  the  sanctuary  owed 
his  sublime  vocation  to  the  vow  of 
virginity  that  she  had  made  in  that 
same  church  fifteen  years  before. 


OBEDIENCE  REWARDED 

One  night  toward  the  end  of  his  last  sickness,  the  blessed  Francis- 
desired  to  eat  some  parsley,  and  humbly  asked  for  if  When  the  cook 
was  called  to  bring  it,  he  answered  that  he  could  not  then  gather  any  in 
the  garden,  and  said,  "I  have  been  picking  parsley  every  day,  and  have 
gathered  so  much  that  I  could  scarce  find  any  more  even  by  daylight,  and 
how  much  less  could  I  distinguish  it  from  other  herbs  now  that  it  is  dark?" 
"Go,  brother,"  said  the  holy  man,  "never  mind,  and  bring  the  first  herbs 
thou  touchest. "  The  brother  went  into  the  garden,  picked  the  wild  herbs 
which  first  came  to  hand,  for  he  saw  nothing,  and  brought  them  to  the 
house.  The  brethren  looked  at  the  wild  herbs,  turned  them  over  care- 
fully, and  found  among  them  a  tender  leafy  bit  of  parsley,  of  which  Fran- 
cis ate  a  little,  and  was  greatly  comforted.  —  Celano. 


58  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


And  the  Lord  Jesus  took  Bread 


THE  APPEARANCE  A  SYMBOL 

AS  the  heavens  in  their  gleaming  fulness  of  stars  declare  the  glory  of 
God,  and  the  visible  preaches  the  invisible  God  and  his  works,  so 
at  the  gate  of  the  true  heaven,  the  holy  Mass,  the  visible  speaks 
of  the  invisible  things  and  the  works  of  God.  My  divine  Jesus,  the  same 
as  when  he  preached  the  Darables,  teaches  me  now  by  the  species  of  the 
blessed  Eucharist  to  realize  the  invisible  virtue  and  overflowing  grace  of 
the  adorable  substance  of  himself,  the  living  bread,  the  manna  of  my  soul. 

In  that  appearance  I  read  thy  work,  0  divine  Lord,  nourishing  and 
supporting  my  soul  unto  everlasting  life,  even  as  thou  thyself  hast  said, 
"This  is  the  bread  which  cometh  down  from  heaven  that  if  any  man  eat 
of  it  he  may  not  die"  (John  6,50). 

And  again,  let  me  consider,  0  eucharistic  Jesus,  that  the  species  of 
thy  adorable  body  presents  its  parable  to  the  eye  of  faith;  because  as  the 
grain  from  which  the  bread  was  made  before  its  eucharistic  change,  was 
once  sown  in  the  earth  and  afterwards  rose  out  of  it  a  living  plant,  so  thy 
blessed  body,  0  divine  Lord,  was  once  sown,  as  it  were,  in  the  holy  sep- 
ulcher  and  rose  out  of  it  in  life  and  beauty  in  thy  glorious  resurrection, 
even  as  it  is  written,  "I  am  alive  and  was  dead,  I  am  living  forever  and 
ever"  (Apoc.  1,  18). 

Again,  as  bread  is  prepared  for  our  food  by  the  grinding  of  the  mill 
and  the  heat  of  fire,  thou,  living  bread,  hast  been  prepared  to  become  our 
food  in  Communion  by  the  ardor  of  thy  divine  love  and  the  grinding  mill 
of  affliction  in  thy  sacred  passion,  which  has  made  us  know  thee  to  "have 
compassion  on  our  infirmities"  and  to  be  sensible  to  the  full  of  our  need 
of  spiritual  sustenance.  0  marvelous  fruit  of  the  afflictions  and  death 
of  Jesus  which  have  given  us  a  bread  of  such  transcending  delight!  Tru- 
ly, "out  of  the  strong  has  come  forth  sweetness"  (Judges  XIV,  14)  — 
"sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honeycomb." 

And  how  fitting  is  this  appearance  of  bread  to  remind  me  that  my  di- 
vine Lord  is  the  great  provider  of  my  soul,  which  must  look  to  him  for  its 
true  life  as  all  creatures  must;  but  it  should  be  with  more  eager  desire 
than  they,  since  its  food  is  so  incomparably  more  excellent.  I  know  all 
creatures  look  to  thee,  0  divine  provider.  Omnia  a  %e  expectant  ut  des 
Mis  escam  in  tempore—  " All  expect  of  thee  that  thou  give  them  food  in 
season"  (Ps.  103,  27). 


FRANCI5CRN  HERALD  59 


What  would  the  sea  be  without  the  crystal  streams  which  God  sends 
to  it  from  the  hearts  of  the  mountains?  What  would  the  flowers  be  with- 
out their  showers  and  sunbeans,  and  the  stars  without  that  effulgence 
which  God  placed  mysteriously  of  old  in  his  creature  fire,  which  is  "fair 
and  gay  and  mighty  and  strong"  (Canticle  of  the  Sun)?  And  what  would 
become  of  his  plant  and  animal  creatures  without  his  provision  for  their 
life  by  the  air,  the  wind,  the  calm,  and  the  soft,  full  cloud?  Not  one  crea- 
ture, indeed,  is  forgotten  by  the  great  provider,  who  prepares  food  even 
for  the  humble  cattle,  and  makes  provision  that  "the  trees  of  the  field 
shall  be  filled"— saturabuntur  ligna  campi  (Ps.  103,  16). 

And  as  the  divine  provider  supports  the  life  of  his  lower  creatures 
and  the  material  part  of  man,  so  he  provides  food  for  man's  immortal 
soul.  0  soul  of  man,  image  of  the  Almighty,  where  shalt  thou  find  the 
food  "unto  life  everlasting" — ad  vitam  aeternum— suitable  for  thee? 
Shalt  thou  find  it  in  the  dewy  clouds  or  in  the  fire  of  the  stars  or  in  the 
rushing  streams  or  in  the  earth  clad  with  fruits  and  harvests  and  holding 
jewels  and  gold  in  its  bosom?  Such  things  may  be  sustenance  for  ma- 
terial creatures,  but  more  excellent  is  thy  food  than  theirs,  for  more  ex- 
cellent art  thou  than  they. 

Wilt  thou  go  through  God's  creation  as  the  garden  bee,  gathering  the 
wisdom,  the  beauty,  the  perfections  of  creatures  for  thy  food  "unto  eter- 
nal life?"  Wilt  thou  pierce  the  clouds  and  ascend  the  mountains  and  tra- 
verse the  sea  or  descend  even  into  its  azure  abyss  rich  in  treasures  to  seek 
thy  sustenance?  In  vain  wouldst  thou  take  such  flights  to  satisfy  thy 
hunger  with  the  perfections  of  creatures;  for  thy  food,  0  immortal  spirit, 
is  more  excellent  still! 

The  grace  of  God,  his  holy  doctrine,  and  the  contemplation  of  him  are 
food  convenient  for  thee,  but  above  all  thy  divine  Lord  himself,  thy  Jesus 

in  the  blessed  Eucharist,     "I  am  the  bread  of  life He  that  eateth  me 

the  same  also  shall  live  by  me He  that  eateth  this  bread  shall  live  for- 
ever" (John  6,  58,  59). 

0  soul  of  man,  if  the  lower  creatures  expect  their  material  sustenance 
from  the  opening  hand  of  the  Creator  that  they  may  be  filled  with  its. 
goodness,  with  how  much  more  eager  solicitude  shouldst  thou  seek  the 
bread  divine,  which  the  exuberant  love  of  thy  Savior  has  provided  for 
thee  on  every  altar  of  the  Catholic  Church,  that  thou  mayst  be  filled  with, 
goodness  and  virtue  ineffable! 

0  happy  soul  that,  filled  with  the  food  of  all  foods-the  creature  with 
its  Creator- breathes  forth  its  raptures  of  praise  as  the  head  and  voice  of 
all  earthly  creatures  in  the  Song  of  the  Three  Young  Men  in  the  fiery  fur- 
nace, Benedicite  omnia  opera  Domini  Domino;  laudate  et  superexaltate 
eumin  secula! —  " All  ye  works  of  the  Lord  bless  the  Lord;  praise  and  ex- 
alt him  above  all  forever!"  (Dan.  3,  57). 


60 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXVI 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqeihardt.  O.F.M. 


AFTER  one  more  vain  attempt 
on  the  presidio  of  San  An- 
tonio and  subsequent  de- 
feat, the  Apaches  for  a  long  time 
dared  not  repeat  their  attacks,  but, 
Arricivita  remarks,  this  was  not 
due  alone  to  the  repulse  sustained. 
The  Apache  chief  had  learned  that 
the  missionaries  had  resolved  to  set 
free  his  captive  daughter  and  all 
Apache  prisoners  on  condition  that 
the  tribe  ceased  their  depredations 
and  lived  as  peaceful  subjects  of 
the  king  of  Spain.  The  Lipan  chief 
agreed  to  this  and  moved  his  fol- 
lowers to  abandon  the  warfare 
against  the  Spaniards,  although  the 
Natages,  another  tribe  of  Apaches, 
opposed  the  resolution.  Thus  it 
was  that  the  Lipans  to  the  number 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty  quietly 
retired  to  their  own  country. 

At  the  request  of  the  viceroy,  Fr. 
Benito  Fernandez  de  Santa  Ana 
once  more  reported  the  situation. 
In  this  letter  the  Father  writes  that 
"the  Ipandes  or  Lipans,  who  are  a 
considerable  tribe,  had  for  a  long 
time  earnestly  asked  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  mission  wherever 
they  might  expect  to  settle  down 
in  community;  that  even  though 
they  should  not  be  serious,  this  was 
the  most  suitable  time  to  penetrate 
to  their  country;  that  there  was 
good  reason  to  believe  many  would 


join  the  missions  where  they  saw 
their  wives  and  children  so  well 
treated  even  as  captives;  and  that 
only  in  the  first  years  the  Indians 
were  usually  fickle  and  unstable,  so 
that  for  that  period  only  an  ade- 
quate number  of  guards  would  be 
required  to  insure  the  proper  re- 
spect." 

"By  the  latter  part  of  1748,  says 
Prof.  Dunn,  (1)  circumstances  be- 
came unusually  favorable  for  carry- 
ing out  the  mission  policy  which 
was  so  near  to  Father  Santa  Ana's 
heart.  The  essential  factors  were 
the  harmony  between  the  priests 
and  Captain  Urrutia,  who  now  be- 
gan to  work  to  the  same  end,  and 
the  Comanche  attacks  upon  the 
Apaches."  To  punish  the  Apaches 
for  their  attacks  of  1748,  and  to 
show  that  the  Spaniards  wished  to 
be  friends,  one  hundred  and  thirty 
Mission  Indians  were  granted  to 
Captain  Urrutia;  but  the  Fathers 
very  earnestly  begged  the  officer  to 
carry  on  the  war  more  humanely 
and  with  a  better  motive  than  in 
past  campaigns.  Orders  were  ac- 
cordingly issued  that  no  Apache 
should  be  killed  outright  save  in 
self-defence,  and  that  from  the 
prisoners  taken,  one  in  the  name  of 
the  missionaries  should  be  imme- 
diately sent  back  to  his  people  with 
an  offer  of  peace.      To   emphasize 


(1)    "Apache  Relations  in  Texas."  already  quoted 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


61 


the  good  will  of  the  Spaniards  in 
that  case,  various  presents  were 
taken  along,  which  the  ambassador 
was  to  offer  as  tokens  of  missionary 
affection. 

The  soldiers  and  Indian  allies  set 
out  from  San  Antonio,  on  February 
2,  1749.  They  soon  came  to  a 
small  Indian  rancheria  where  they 
captured  three  old  women  and  five 
small  children.  With  these  Cap- 
tain Urrutia  returned  to  San  Anto- 
nio only  to  discover  that  during  his 
absence  a  great  number  of  Apache 
warriors  had  fallen  upon  Mission 
San  Jose,  killed  some  cattle,  taken 
much  booty,  and  driven  away 
horses  belonging  to  Mission  Con- 
ception. After  delivering  the  pris- 
oners to  the  Father  of  Mission  San 
Antonio,  Captain  Urrutia  with  a 
strong  force  followed  the  trail  of 
the  savages,  overtook  them  and 
captured  forty-six  Indians,  mostly 
women  and  children,  (2)  besides  one 
hundred  horses.  The  Apaches  had 
been  taken  so  completely  by  sur- 
prise, and  the  Spaniards  had  been 
so  careful  to  heed  the  supplications 
of  the  missionaries  not  to  kill  a 
savage  if  it  could  be  avoided  that 
not  one  Apache  was  either  killed  or 
wounded.  The  savages  themselves 
were  most  amazed  at  the  outcome, 
since  they  had  never  before  ex- 
perienced such  consideration  at  the 
hands  of  the  whites.  The  only 
drawback  was  the  refusal  of  the 
captain  to  send  a  peace  agent  to  the 
fugitives,  as  Fr.  Mariano  de  los 
Dolores,  who  accompanied  the  ex- 
pedition, demanded. 
Fr.  Mariano  now  endeavored   to 


persuade  the  captives  that  the  mis- 
sionaries sought  only  the  welfare  of 
the  Indians,  which  could  not  be 
brought  about  unless  they  gave  up 
the  barbarous  customs  which  their 
greatest  enemy,  the  devil,  had 
foisted  on  their  people  so  that  they 
might  not  have  the  peace  and  con- 
tentment enjoyed  at  the  missions. 
He  then  selected  one  of  the  women 
captives,  who  was  said  to  be  a  rela- 
tive of  the  headchief,  to  act  as 
messenger  of  peace  in  the  name  of 
the  Fathers.  As  she  had  been 
favorably  impressed  with  the  life 
at  the  missions,  she  promised  to  do 
her  best  to  win  over  her  people. 
She  pleaded  so  well  that  the  Lipans 
resolved  to  make  peace  with  the 
Spaniards  and  to  move  with  their 
families  to  the  vicinity  of  the  mis- 
sions. After  some  time,  at  the  in- 
stance of  Fr.  Benito,  all  the  prison- 
ers were  set  free.  This  generous 
act  won  the  savages  completely. 
One  of  the  chiefs  went  so  far  as  to 
propose  that  mission  youths  should 
marry  Apache  girls  and  Apache 
youths  should  marry  mission  girls  in 
order  to  confirm  the  peace  effected. 
The  missionaries,  however,  foresee- 
ing grave  consequences  from  such 
sudden  mixing  of  pagan  and  Chris- 
tian young  people,  contrived  to  frus- 
trate the  scheme  of  the  chief  with- 
out offending  his  feelings. 

Although  Fr.  Arricivita  makes  no 
mention  of  it,  we  may  take  it  as  a 
matter  of  course  that  some  cere- 
monies accompanied  the  peace  com- 
pact. Indeed,  Prof.  Dunn  quotes 
one  author  to  that  effect.  A  large 
building  had  been   erected   on   the 


(2)     Dunn  has  thirty  men,  ninety  women,  and  forty-seven  children. 


62 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


plaza  in  which  to  receive  the  In- 
dians, and  on  the  morning  of 
August  16,  1749,  Captain  Urrutia 
with  all  his  troops,  the  missionaries, 
and  citizens  of  San  Antonio  went 
out  to  meet  the  visitors.  The 
chiefs  embraced  the  captain  and 
the  missionaries  with  much  affec- 
tion. All  then  proceeded  to  the 
reception  hall  where  a  great  feast 
of  beef,  corn,  squashes,  and  fruits 
had  been  prepared.  On  the  next 
day,  holy  Mass  was  celebrated,  aft- 
er which  the  formal  peace  discus- 
sion began.  On  the  18th,  the  pris- 
oners were  released. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  August 
19,  which  was  to  see  the  ratification 
of  the  peace,  the  plaza  began  to 
fill  with  an  eager  throng.  On  one 
side  were  drawn  up  the  soldiers, 
the  missionaries,  and  colonists, 
while  on  the  other  were  the  chiefs, 
their  followers,  and  the  released  cap- 
tives. First,  a  great  hole  was  dug 
in  the  center  of  the  plaza,  and  in 
this  were  placed  a  live  horse,  a 
hatchet,  a  lance,    and   six   arrows, 


all  instruments  of  war.  Captain 
Urrutia  and  the  four  chiefs,  joining 
hands,  danced  three  times  around 
the  hole,  the  Indians  doing  the 
same  afterwards  with  the  citizens. 
(3)  Then  all  retired  to  their  places, 
until  at  a  given  signal  all  rushed  to 
the  hole  and  rapidly  buried  the 
live  horse,  together  with  the  weap- 
ons, thus  signifying  the  end  of 
war.  This  over,  the  Indians  gave 
great  whoops,  and  the  Spaniards 
cried  three  times,  Viva  el  Rey[ 
Long  live  the  King! 

This  was  a  memorable  day  for 
San  Antonio  after  thirty  years  of 
depredations  by  the  savages.  The 
Indians  were  undoubtedly  sincere 
in  their  desire  for  peace  this  time, 
and  there  seems  to  have  been  con- 
fidence on  both  sides.  "Most  re- 
joiced of  all,"  Dunn  concludes  the 
description,  "were  the  missionaries, 
who  saw  in  this  love  feast  the  hap- 
py culmination  of  their  labors  to 
effect  the  peace  of  the  land,  and  a 
definite  step  toward  the  conversion 
of  the  Apaches." 

{3)    Dunn  quotes  his  authority  Cabello  as  including   the    missionaries   in   this- 
dance,  but  for  that  statement  Cabello  doubtless  drew  upon  his  imagination. 


BROTHER  JUNIPERS  PITY  FOR  THE  POOR 

Brother  Juniper  was  so  moved  by  pity  for  the  poor  that  if  ever  he  met 
anyone  who  seemed  more  poorly  clad  than  himself  he  at  once  cut  off 
a  sleeve,  or  the  hood,  or  some  piece  of  his  tunic,  and  gave  it  to  the  poor 
man;  wherefore,  the  guardian  forbade  him  to  give  away  his  tunic  or  any 
part  of  it.  One  day,  meeting  a  poor  man,  almost  naked,  who  asked  for  an 
alms,  Juniper  said,  "I  have  nothing  to  give  thee  but  my  tunic,  which  I  am 
forbidden  by  my  superior  to  give  away.  But  if  thou  wilt  take  it  off  me  I 
will  not  resist."  So  the  poor  man  took  the  tunic  and  went  his  way. 
When  the  kindhearted  brother  returned  to  the  convent  he  was  asked  where 
his  tunic  was.  "A  good  man  took  it  off  my  back  and  went  away  with  it, " 
he  replied.—  Analecta  Franciscana. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


63 


A  COMEDY  OF  FAILURES 


By  Fr.  A 


ine,  O.F.M. 


PROLOG 

THE  "comedy"  began  on  Sep- 
tember 6,  1916,  after  the  ded- 
,  ication  of  the  new  St.  An- 
tony's mission  at  Sacaton,  Arizona, 
and  continued  for  ten  days  before 
the  curtain  fell.  The  stage  em- 
braced a  large  portion  of  the  mission 
field  of  south-western  Arizona  from 
Phoenix  to  the  Mexican  border,  and 
from  Florence  to  Maricopa.  Most 
of  the  Franciscan  missionaries  ac- 
tive in  this  region  played  more  or 
less  important  roles  in  the  general 
confusion  which  may  be  styled  a 
"Comedy  of  Failures,"  but  which 
was  anything  but  comical  to  the 
actors  themselves. 

SCENE  I 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  Septem- 
ber 6,  two  automobiles  were  speed- 
ing along  the  dusty  road  from  Saca- 
ton to  Florence.  The  occupants 
were  Fathers  Nicholas,  Vincent, 
and  Antonine  together  with  a  few 
Indian  children,  who  were  bound 
for  St.  John's  Indian  School  at 
Komatke.  At  six  o'clock,  they  ar- 
rived at  Florence,  where  they  ex- 
pected to  pick  up  a  few  more  chil- 
dren for  the  mission  school.  Here 
the  missionaries  registered  their 
first  failure,  for  the  children  said 
they  were  too  "seek"  to  go  to 
school. 

Crossing  the  long  bridge  over  the 
Gila  River  at  Florence,  the  Fathers 
turned  their  automobiles  toward  the 
northwest,  but  not  without  appre- 
hension,   for    darkness    was     fast 


setting  in  and  the  roads  north  of 
the  Santan  Mountains  were  unfa- 
milar  to  them.  As  they  sped  along, 
Fathers  Nicholas  and  Vincent,  who 
were  in  the  first  car,  noticed  that 
Fr.  Antonine  was  no  longer  follow- 
ing them.  They  turned  about  and 
after  some  time  found  him  busy 
repairing  a  punctured  tube.  Fr. 
Nicholas  kindly  offered  his  services, 
and  in  his  hurry  he  put  the  patch 
just  beside  the  wound!  Finally, 
their  good  "Lizzie"  was  again  able 
to  travel,  and  they  decided  to  reach 
Santan  yet  that  evening.  Unhappily, 
they  lost  their  way  and  were  con- 
strained to  camp  in  the  open  for 
the  night. 

The  mosquitoes  in  this  section 
are  a  veritable  plague,  and  there 
was  no  thought  of  sleep.  At  dawn, 
the  Fathers  found  the  road  to 
Komatke  and  arrived  at  St.  John's 
Mission  at  about  eight  o'clock.  It 
was  a  joyful  missionary  reunion, 
for  besides  Fr.  Justin,  the  superior 
of  St.  John's,  and  the  writer,  Fr. 
Bonaventure,  missionary  among  the 
Papagos  in  southern  Arizona,  was 
also  present.  The  day  was  spent  in 
discussing  mission  problems  and 
making  plans  for  the  future.  What 
a  blessing  that  the  future  is  veiled 
from  our  sight! 

SCENE  II 

The  fact  that  Arizona  has  joined 
the  ranks  of  the  so-called  "Dry" 
States  does  not  hinder  its  being 
extremely  wet  at  times.  Septem- 
ber 8  was  ushered   in   by  a  great 


64 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


bank  of  lowering  clouds  that  barely 
succeeded  in  rolling  over  the  neigh- 
boring Estrella  Mountains  into  the 
Gila  valley.  Notwithstanding  the 
threatening  aspect  of  the  sky,  Fr. 
Nicholas  determined  to  take  Fr. 
Vincent  on  his  maiden  trip  to  the 
Gila  Bend  reservation  and  introduce 
him  to  his  new  charges  there. 
They  left  KomatkeinFr.  Nicholas's 
touring  car  at  eight  o'clock  accom- 
panied  by    Fr.    Bonaventure    who 


the  Fathers  thought  they  could  ford 
it  without  any  trouble.  But  as- 
soon  as  their  car  got  into  the  quick- 
sand, it  began  to  sink,  and  before 
they  knew  it  the  engine  was  flooded. 
To  be  brief— after  an  hour  and  a 
half  of  hard  work,  they  finally  suc- 
ceeded with  the  aid  of  a  team  of 
horses  in  pulling  the  automobile 
across  the  river.  More  time  was 
then  lost  in  emptying  the  cylinders 
and  coaxing  "Lizzie"  into  a  running 


Gila  River  at  High  Water 


wished  to  take  a  train  at  Gila  Bend 
for  Casa  Grande. 

Soon  after  their  departure,  it  be- 
gan to  rain  heavily.  Nothing 
daunted,  they  headed  for  a  point  on 
the  Gila  River  above  two  miles  from 
Komatke,  where  they  intended  to 
cross.  The  river  bed  at  this  place 
is  a  half  mile  wide,  although  the 
stream  at  that  time  was  only  about 
one  hundred  yards  in  width.  The 
river  looked  innocent   enough,    and 


mood,  and  all  the  while  the  rain 
came  down  in  torrents— and  this  in 
a  "dry"  State! 

The  Santa  Cruz  River,  which  is 
quite  near  the  Gila  at  this  point, 
was  the  next  obstacle.  The  river 
had  been  very  low  during  the  past 
days,  and  the  Fathers  surmised  no 
difficulty  in  crossing.  But  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  heavy  downpour,  the- 
stream  was  already  ten  feet  deep. 
This  put  a  sorry    end    to    the   Gila 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


65 


66 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Bend  trip  for  that  day,  and  to  think 
that  after  all  their  trouble  and  ex- 
ertion they  had  covered  only  five 
miles.  What  next?  There  was  no 
thought  of  recrossing  the  Gila, 
which  also  was  fast  rising,  so  the 
automobile  was  taken  to  the  home 
of  a  Catholic  Indian  near  by,  where 
the  tired  and  wet  and  hungry 
"Padres"  were  heartily  welcomed. 
It  was  now  2.30  P.  M.  After  re- 
freshing themselves,  the  three  mis- 
sionaries bade  farewell  to  their  kind 
hosts  and  their  little  Ford,  and,  with 
their  shoes  in  one  hand  and  a  heavy 
satchel  in  the  other,  they  began 
their  long  and  tedious  tramp  through 
the  mud  and  rain  for  home.  An 
Indian  youth  guided  them  across  the 
treacherous  Gila  River  that  was  fast 
becoming  impassable,  and  at  last, 
ten  hours  after  they  had  set  out  in 
high  hopes  from  St.  John's  Mission, 
they  again  crossed  its  threshold  be- 
spattered with  mud,  drenched  to 
the  skin,  but  in  good  spirits. 

SCENE  III 

Fr.  Vincent  was  not  the  only 
missionary  to  be  disappointed  on  his 
naiden  trip  that  memorable  Septem- 
ber 8.  For  I  met  with  a  similar 
miscarriage  of  my  plan  to  visit  my 
missions  in  Salt  Lake  and  McDowell 
Reservations.  As  Fr.  Vincent's 
car  was  just  then  standing  idle,  we 
decided  to  use  it  in  preference  to 
the  team  of  mules.  Fr.  Antonine 
accompanied  me  as  chauffeur,  guide, 
and  companion.  After  some  hesi- 
tation on  account  of  the  weather,t 
we  finally  started  on  our  trip  at 
three  o'clock,  the  heavy  rain  hav- 
ing abated  to  a  steady  drizzle. 

After  passing  through   Phoenix 


we  missed  the  road,  and  while  try- 
ing to  turn  our  machine  about  in 
the  mud  to  retrace  our  "steps,"  we 
backed  into  a  little  ditch,  and  I  had 
to  get  out  and  push.  This  interest- 
ing performance  was  repeated  twice 
that  afternoon.  Arriving  at  a  point 
about  two  miles  southwest  of 
Scottsdale,  we  were  puzzled  to  see 
a  stream  of  water  some  two  blocks 
wide  obstructing  our  path  and  flow- 
ing toward  Tempe.  We  knew  of  no 
river  in  this  locality  except  the  Salt, 
and  we  were  traveling  parallel  with 
it.  Some  passers-by  informed  us 
that  the  new  river  was  merely  a 
freshet,  the  result  of  the  unusually 
heavy  rain,  and  they  advised  us  to 
steer  clear  of  it,  since  even  the 
daring  Indians  were  afraid  to  cross 
it  on  account  of  its  depth.  Nothing 
remained  for  us  to  do  but  to  return 
to  our  convent  in  Phoenix,  where 
we  arrived  at  about  seven  o'clock. 
Naturally,  we  began  to  wonder  how 
the  other  Fathers  had  fared  on  their 
Gila  Bend  expedition,  of  whose  sor- 
ry outcome  we  were  still  ignorant. 
The  following  morning,  we  re- 
turned to  St.  John's,  where  we 
heard  and  saw  all,  and  found  some 
little  comfort  in  the  fact  that  we 
had  companions  in  misery  and  that 
matters  might  have  been  much 
worse. 

SCENE  IV 

Failure  continued  to  dog  our 
footsteps  the  following  few  days. 
Fr.  Bonaventure  seemed  to  be  the 
special  object  of  its  wrath.  After 
a  tedious  journey  of  four  days 
through  the  hot  and  dusty  desert,  he 
had  arrived,  on  September  5,  at  St. 
John's   Mission  with     two  wagon 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


67 


loads  of  Papago  Indian  children 
from  the  neighborhood  of  the  Mexi- 
can boundary.  When  his  teams  had 
taken  a  much  needed  rest,  he  sent 
one  of  them  in  charge  of  two 
Indian  boys  southward  with  instruc- 
tions to  await  him  at  Casa  Grande. 
We  already  know  how  his  plan  to 
catch  the  train  at  Gila  Bend  for 
Casa  Grande  had  been  frustrated 
on  September  8. 

Nevertheless,  he  thought  it  in- 
cumbent on  him  to  meet  the  boys 
somehow,  since  they  had  neither 
money  nor  provisions  to  take  them 
back  to  the  Papago  country.  Ac- 
cordingly, Fr.  Bonaventure  set  out 
before  dawn,  on  September  9,  for 
Alicia  to  get  the  early  train  there  for 
Casa  Grande.  He  missed  it!  Final- 
ly, after  some  hours,  he  took  a  train 
that  was  scheduled  to  go  to  Phoenix, 
but  which,  on  account  of  the  wash- 
outs, had  got  no  farther  than  Tempe. 
The  stage  took  him  to  Phoenix,  and 
from  there  he  reached  Casa  Grande 
by  the  first  available  train.  Of 
course,  when  he  arrived  there,  his 
Indian  boys  were  nowhere  to  be 
found.  Taking  it  for  granted  that 
they  had  started  alone  for  San 
Solano  Mission  in  the  interior  of  the 
desert,  he  took  the  auto-stage,  hop- 
ing to  overtake  them  and  made 
anxious  enquiries  about  them  from 
all  he  met,  but  to  no  avail. 

At  Brownell,  some  seventy  miles 
southwest  of  Casa  Grande,  he  was 
so  fortunate  as  to  meet  Fr.  Tibur- 
tius,  his  fellow  missionary,  and  to- 
gether they  went  to  San  Solano, 
about  fifteen  miles  distant.  Arrived 
there,  they  became  much  concerned 
about  the  safety  of  the  two  missing 


lads  on  learning  that  they  had  not 
yet  put  in  their  appearance.  Fr. 
Gerard,  the  superior  of  San  Solano 
Mission,  at  once  got  out  his  trusty 
roadster  and  together  with  Fr. 
Bonaventure  began  a  searching  ex- 
pedition through  the  desert, 

SCENE  V 

In  the  meantime,  Fr.  Nicholas 
was  tarrying  at  Komatke,  unable  to 
return  to  his  mission  of  San  Xavier 
on  account  of  the  high  water, 
and  all  the  while  his  "Tin  Lizzie" 
covered  with  mud  was  standing  idle 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Gila.  By 
September  13,  however,  the  waters 
of  the  Gila  had  fallen  enough  to 
warrant  the  attempt  of  bringing  his 
automobile  across  the  ford.  Fathers 
Nicholas,  Vincent,  and  I,  clad  in 
overalls,  and  accompanied  by  sever- 
al of  our  largest  and  strongest  Indi- 
an boys,  went  to  the  fatal  crossing 
and  examined  the  ford.  In  some 
places  the  water  was  still  waist- 
high;  nevertheless,  we  deemed  the 
crossing  safe.  At  last,  with  the 
help  of  a  good  team  and  of  about  a 
dozen  men  pushing  and  pulling,  we 
got  the  car  to  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  Fr.  Nicholas  could  hardly 
restrain  his  joy  when  he  learnt  that 
in  spite  of  mud  and  rain  his  car  had 
suffered  no  material  damage  and 
that  it  responded  quite  readily  with 
its  welcome  "chug-  chug"  to  the 
first  few  turns  of  the  crank. 

SCENE  VI 

But  where  were  those  boys  for 
whom  Fathers  Gerard  and  Bonaven- 
ture were  scouring  the  sandy 
wastes?  Helping  Fr.  Nicholas  to 
get  his  car  across  the  Gila!  Their 
presence  in  this  locality  came  about 


68 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


thus.  Early  on  the  morning  of  that 
fatal  September  8,  they  had  left 
Komatke  and  like  their  missionaries 
they  had  been  caught  in  the  rain. 
At  Maricopa  their  wagon  got  hope- 
lessly stuck  in  the  mud.  Without 
much  ado,  they  unhitched  the  horses 
and  leaving  the  wagon  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  road,  they  repaired  to  the 
home  of  one  of  the  boys,  which  hap- 
pened to  be  the  very  place  where 
Fr.  Nicholas's  automobile  was  ma- 
rooned. Thereupon,  one  of  them 
reported  at  Komatke  and  told  of 
their  failure  to  reach  Casa  Grande. 
Knowing  that  Fr.  Bonaventure 
would  become  uneasy  over  their 
failure  to  appear  at  Casa  Grande, 
Fr.  Vincent  went  to  meet  the  boys 
at  Maricopa,  where  he  gave  them 
sufficient  money  to  buy  provisions 
for  their  long  journey  south,  and 
then  returned  to  Komatke.  Imagine 
his  surprise  when  he  rode  into  St. 
John's  to  meet  Fr.  Bonaventure, 
whom  he  supposed  to  be  in  the 
Papago  country.  In  their  search 
for  the  two  youths,  he  and  Fr. 
Gerard  had  gone  north  as  far 
as  St.  Peter  without,  however,  find- 
ing a  trace  of  them.  Here  Fr.  Bona- 
venture hired  a  team— since  Fr. 
Gerard  would  not  risk  fording  the 
Gila  in  his  automobile, —and  at  last 
on  his  arrival  at  St.  John's  he  heard 


definite  news  regarding  his  long 
sought  boys. 

Fr.  Gerard's  stay  at  St.  Peter's 
mission  was  providential;  for  while 
there  he  was  summond  to  baptize  a 
very  sick  baby  and  to  administer  the 
last  Sacraments  to  a  dying  woman, 
who  passed  away  soon  after.  This 
incident — the  only  consoling  one 
during  the  long  series  of  disap- 
pointments—is proof  of  the  saying 
that  it  is,  indeed,  an  ill  wind  that 
blows  no  man  good. 

Now  that  the  rain  ceased  to  fall, 
the  rivers  soon  resumed  their  normal 
size,  and  the  Fathers  were  able  to  go 
about  their  usual  duties  without  loss 
of  time. 

EPILOG 

The  last  disappointment  in  this 
list  of  blasted  hopes  and  miscarried 
plans  remains  to  be  mentioned.  It 
affects  principally  the  kind  readers 
of  Franciscan  Herald.  For,  a 
number  of  interesting  snap-shots  of 
the  principal  incidents  of  this 
"comedy"  were  completely  spoiled! 
It  is  a  pity,  indeed,  since  they  would 
have  presented  the  situation  far 
more  graphically  than  words  can 
express.  Besides,  their  loss  is  ir- 
reparable, for  who  would  be  so  cruel 
as  to  wish  us  to  react  this  "Comedy 
of  Failures"? 


WHAT  A  SINNER  CAN  NOT  DO 

No  one  ought  to  flatter  himself  with  unjust  applause  for  anything 
that  a  sinner  can  do.  A  sinner  can  fast,  pray,  weep,  and  afflict  his  flesh. 
This  one  thing  he  can  not  do— be  faithful  to  his  Lord.  We  should,  there- 
fore, glory  in  this,  to  render  to  the  Lord  his  glory,  and,  serving  him  faith- 
fully, to  ascribe  to  him  whatsoever  he  gives.  — Si.  Francis. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


69 


ELAINE 

By  Catherine  M.  Hayes.  Tertiary 
(Concluded) 


ONE  morning  a  week  later,  as 
the  young  Mr.  Hardesty  sat 
looking  over  the  newspaper, 
he  saw  something  that  made  his 
eyes  dilate.  It  was  an  account  of 
an  automobile  accident— the  result 
of  a  "joy  ride"  on  the  previous 
night.  Miss  Elaine  Nichols  and  Mr. 
Warren  Travers,  well-known  actors, 
had  been  injured.  The  extent  of 
their  injuries  was  as  yet  unknown. 

Elaine  and  Warren  Travers!  He 
was  the  fascinating  villain,  the  girl's 
suitor  in  the  movie-play  they  had 
seen  that  night. 

Ambrose  felt  heart-sick.  Was 
this  the  sort  of  company  Elaine  was 
keeping?  He  almost  tore  the  tele- 
phone asunder  in  his  impatience  to 
get  into  communication  with  the 
hospital,  to  which  she  had  been 
rushed. 

Finally,  in  response  to  his  anxious 
query  came  the  information  that 
Miss  Nichols  was  not  at  all  seriously 
injured,  only  suffering  from  a  slight 
shock  and  a  few  minor  bruises. 
Ambrose  breathed  more  easily  after 
this  information,  but  the  name 
"Warren  Travers"  loomed  before 
his  eyes  all  through  that  miserable 
day.  For  ten  days  he  failed  not  to 
inquire  regarding  her  condition,  and 
at  last  learnt  that  Miss  Nichols  had 
gone  to  her  home.  Then  he  sent 
her  a  message,  and  she  bade  him 
come. 

She  opened  the  door  in  answer  to 
his  ring,  and  he  at  once  noted  the 
pallor  of  her  face  and  the  remorseful 


expression  in  the  large  gray  eyes. 
After  the  first  greetings,  she  sud- 
denly burst  into  tears,  "Oh,  Mr. 
Hardesty,"  she  sobbed,  "how  you 
must  hate  me!" 

Ambrose  spoke  gently,  "Have  I 
any  reason  to  hate  you,  Elaine?" 

Controlling  her  feelings  she  told 
the  story.  Four  of  her  theatrical 
company  had  gone  to  dinner  at  a 
hotel  on  that  eventful  evening. 
Warren  Travers  was  one  of  the 
party,  and  when  the  meal  was  end- 
ed, he  proposed  a  drive  on  the 
foothill  boulevard. 

All  of  the  party  favored  his  sug- 
gestion, with  the  exception  of 
Elaine.  She  declared  her  intention 
of  going  home,  because  it  was  al- 
ready late.  Besides,  Warren  and 
the  other  man  in  the  party  had  been 
drinking  heavily. 

The  others  however,  would 
not  hear  of  Elaine's  intention. 
So,  greatly  in  opposition  to  her 
wishes,  she  entered  the  automo- 
bile with  the  others.  They  rode 
for  several  hours;  and  it  was  long 
j  after  midnight  when  they  started 
!  homeward.  Then  suddenly  some- 
thing went  wrong,  and  the  car  up- 
set. 

Ambrose  and  Elaine  had  a  serious 
talk  together  that  evening  and  he 
learnt  of  the  many  dangers  connect- 
ed witha  career  such  as  hers.  But 
hereali-zed,  too,  that  the  girl  had  led 
a  life  singularly  pure  and  blameless, 
despite  the  numerous  dangers  and 
temptations  on  every  side.     Warren 


70 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Travers,  it  seemed,  was  very  ardent 
in  his  attentions  to  Elaine,  and  al- 
though she  half  disliked  and  wholly 
distrusted  him,  she  confessed  that 
he  possessed  a  certain  fascination 
that  made  him  very  popular  with 
his  associates.  Kindly  and  sensibly 
the  young  man  advised  Elaine  much 
as  he  would  have  counseled  a  sister, 
and  he  elicited  from  her  a  promise 
that,  aside  from  her  work  at  the 
studio,  she  would  in  future  avoid 
the  company  of  those  persons  who 
might  lead  her  into  evil  ways. 
As  he  arose  to  go,  Elaine  said: 
1  'I  have  never  had  anyone  to  advise 
me  during  my  career,  Mr.  Hardesty. 
You  are  very  kind  to  interest  your- 
self in  my  welfare,  and  I  feel  deep- 
ly grateful.  I  shall  remember  all 
you  told  me,  too. "  And  as  Am- 
brose looked  down  into  the  wistful 
gray  eyes  he  thought,  "Ah!  if  you 
were  only  a  Catholic  — a  child  of 
Mary— all  would  be  well!" 

Two  weeks  elapsed  during  which 
Hardesty  caught  not  a  glimpse  of 
Elaine.  Her  work  demanded  all 
her  time  and  energy.  One  day,  on 
his  way  to  business,  a  glaring  poster 
arrested  his  attention.  It  was  a 
striking  picture— a  beautiful  girl  in 
flowing  white  robes,  her  eyes  turned 
heavenward.  He  would  have  recog- 
nized Elaine  at  once  even  if  the 
picture  had  lacked  the  accompany- 
ing announcement  that  Miss  Nichols 
would  appear  that  night  in  a  superb 
production— a  play  of  early  Christi- 
anity. Ambrose  experienced  a  thrill 
of  pleasure  as  he  looked.  Elaine  as 
the  sweet  Christian  maiden— ah, 
this  was  what  he  wished  her  to  be, 
and  no  picture  of  the  young  actress 


had  ever  seemed  so   lovely   as  this 
one. 

As  he  had  been  joyfully  anticipat- 
ing, a  call  over  the  telephone  came 
later  in  the  day.  Elaine  playfully 
asked  whether  she  might  have  the 
pleasure  of  Mr.  Hardesty's  company 
at  the  "movies"  that  evening. 

"You  bet!"  was  Ambrose's  hearty 
rejoinder. 

"I  was  sure  you'd  like  this  play," 
Elaine  smiled,  as  Ambrose  voiced 
his  admiration  of  a  certain  scene 
when  they  sat  together  at  the  thea- 
ter that  night. 

It  was  an  ennobling  drama,  and 
Elaine  was  at  her  best  as  Claudia, 
the  daughter  of  rich,  pagan  parents. 
Secretly  she  befriends  the  perse- 
cuted Christians,  and  after  many 
stolen  visits  to  their  hiding  place 
in  the  catacombs,  finally  embraces 
their  religion.  A  pagan  lover,  Ju- 
nius by  name,  whose  affection  she 
does  not  reciprocate,  brings  about 
her  subsequent  sentence  to  death. 
Together  Claudia  and  her  Christian 
I  lover  Paulus  standing  side  by  side 
I  await  death  from  the  ferocious  wild 
|  beasts.  When  at  last  they  have 
sealed  their  faith  with  their  blood, 
Junius,  suddenly  stricken  with  re- 
morse at  having  caused  the  cruel 
death  of  the  beautiful  Claudia,  and 
deeply  impressed  by  the  fortitude 
with  which  the  Christians  die,  pro- 
claims himself  a  follower  of  Christ 
and  meets  the  same  fate  as  those 
whom  he  had  betrayed. 

The  play  was  full  of  exquisite 
scenes,  and  dramatic  thrills,  and  on 
the  whole  the  production  won  un- 
stinted praise  from  the  enthusiastic 
audience. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


71 


Ambrose  had  noted  the'  absence 
of  Warren  Travers  in  the  cast.  As 
they  walked  home  Elaine  told  him 
of  Travers's  dismissal  from  the 
company  on  account  of  drunkeness 
and  insolence  to  the  manager. 

"And  I'm  so  glad  he's  gone,"  she 
added.  "He  was  like  an  evil  genius 
continually  menacing  me.  He 
begged  me  to  go  to  dinner  with  him 
shortly  before  he  left.  It  was  so 
hard  to  refuse  him.  He  had  such 
an  irresistible  way  always.  I'm 
sure  I  almost  yielded.  But  I  re- 
called your  words  of  advice,  Mr. 
Hardesty,  and  do  you  know,  I 
thought  of  Claudia,  too,  — we  had 
had  a  rehearsal  that  day.  I  thought 
of  her  so  good  and  sweet,  facing 
death  rather  than  do  wrong  and  I 
do  believe  she  helped  me  overcome 
the  temptation." 

After  a  short  silence  she  con- 
tinued: 

"Somehow,  this  play  makes  me 
feel  dissatisfied  with  myself.  My 
life  seems  so  empty.  Something 
seems  lacking. " 

"Elaine,"  Ambrose  said  gently, 
"you  need  God  in  your  life;  that's 
the  whole  trouble.  Won't  you 
come  to  church  with  me  sometime- 
say  next  Sunday?"  he  added  eager- 
ly.     She  consented  at  once. 

Ambrose  was  pleased  with  the 
interest  Elaine  evinced  in  the  serv- 
ices the  first  day  she  went  to  Mass 
with  him.  Nor  was  she  content 
with  one  visit  to  his  church. 

Intently  she  listened  to  every 
word  of  the  sermons  and  earnestly 
questioned  Ambrose  regarding  the 
ceremonies. 

"Your  religion  is  very  beautiful," 


she  remarked  once  after  Ambrose 
had  explained  some  point  of  Catholic 
doctrine.  "And  do  you  know,  I'm 
beginning  to  understand  how  Clau- 
dia could  prefer  to  die  rather  than 
renounce  Christ." 

At  last  the  day  dawned  for  which 
Ambrose  had  hoped  and  prayed— 
the  day  Elaine  told  him  of  her  wish 
to  become  a  Catholic.  Elaine's  hap- 
piness on  her  first  Communion  day 
was  boundless,  and  with  deep  emo- 
tion she  expressed  her  gratitude  to 
the  friend  who  had  done  so  much  to 
bring  this  happiness  into  her  life. 

It  was  on  this  day,  so  replete  with 
holy  joy,  that  Ambrose  asked 
Elaine  to  be  his  wife.  Lifting  her 
beautiful  eyes  to  his  face  she  said 
she  had  loved  him  since  the  moment 
she  had  heard  him  pray  as  they 
battled  for  life  in  the  angry  waters 
of  the  lake  at  Beverly  Hills. 

"You  seemed  so  fine— so  manly," 
she  said  shyly,  "calling  on  heaven 
for  help.  You  were  so  different 
from  most  men  I  ever  met." 

As  the  days  sped  by,  Elaine  found 
increasing  happiness  in  her  religion, 
and  never  did  she  meet  Ambrose 
without  telling  him  how  full  and 
happy  her  life  now  was.  One  even- 
ing as  they  walked  home  togeth- 
er Elaine  was  unusually  quiet  and 
thoughtful.  Ambrose  playfully  in- 
quired the  cause  of  her  meditative 
mood.  He  was  unprepared  for  the 
revelation  she  made.  She  wished 
to  become  a  nun.  The  Real  Pres- 
ence had  been  her  most  cherished 
devotion  since  her  reception  into 
the  Church.  The  knowledge  that 
one  might  dwell  under  the  same 
roof  with  the  King  of  Heaven— even 


72 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


wear  the  ring  of  his  espousals  filled 
her  with  wondering  delight.  To  be 
the  bride  of  the  Son  of  God— who 
would  not  desire  such  honor,  such 
happiness?  Now  any  other  exist- 
nce  seemed  to  her  inconceivable. 

Ambrose  listened  like  one  in  a 
dream.  What  was  Elaine  saying? 
Was  the  greatest  happiness  of  his 
life  to  be  snatched  from  him?  His 
voice  trembled  when  he  spoke: 

"Elaine,  you  can't  mean  what 
you  say— do  not  be  hasty — consider 
itwell— " 

She  interrupted  him.  "No,  Am- 
brose, I  shall  not  act  rashly;  for  I 
recognize  in  this  desire  a  call  to  the 
religious  life.  It  is  my  one  desire, 
but,  0  Ambrose,  it  pains  me  to  tell 
you—" 

The  young  man's  heart  was  heavy, 
and  in  the  fervor  of  his  love  he 
begged  her  not  to  take  the  step. 
He  could  not  live  without  her. 

Tenderly  she  spoke  to  him.  Sure- 
ly he  who  had  desired  and  done  so 
much  to  bring  about  her  conversion, 
would  not  now  attempt  to  dissuade 


her  from  following  what  she  con- 
sidered a  call  from  God. 

.  "Dear  Ambrose, "  she  went  on 
gently,  '  'you  will  always  be  the  well 
loved  brother  of  my  soul.  Can  I 
ever  forget  all  you  have  done  and 
been  to  me?  Often  I  ponder  over 
what  my  ultimate  fate  might  have 
been  had  you  not  come  into  my  life. 
And  now  that  Christ  asks  for  my 
heart— why,  Ambrose,  have  you 
yourself  not  brought  this  about? 
Surely,  you  won't  be  jealous  if  He 
claims  my  love!" 

"Forgive  me,  Elaine,"  Ambrose 
said  in  faltering  tones,  "as  I  hope 
God  will  forgive  me  my  selfishness. 
May  he  bless  you  always.  To  his 
keeping  I  resign  you,  and  pray— 
pray  sometimes  forme,  won't  you, 
Elaine?"  And  as  he  said  farewell 
and  turned  to  go,  there  was  that  in 
his  face  that  she  ever  after  remem- 
bered—a  look  of  mingled  pain  and 
strength  and  exultation  as  of  one 
who  had  fought  a  mighty  struggle 
and  won  the  victory. 


A  COMMERCIAL  TRAVELER 

From  the  French  by  Mary  G.  McLory,  Tertiary 


WILLIAM  Granry  was  a 
model  Christian  and  a 
worthy  son  of  St.  Francis. 
In  his  parish  and  in  the  fraternity 
he  merited  every  where  to  be  pointed 
out  as  an  example  of  zeal  and  vir- 
tue. No  one  loved  the  Franciscan 
Rule  more  than  he;  no  one  excelled 
him  as  a  man  of  duty;  no  one  was 
more  eager  to  love  God  and  to  make 


God  loved. 

Wounded  seven  years  before  in 
the  affection  nearest  his  heart,  he 
accepted  his  cross  as  a  Christian, 
not  that  his  sorrow  would  ever  pass 
away,  the  wound  in  his  heart  could 
not  become  less  poignant,  but  his 
embittered  life  turned  entirely  to- 
ward God  and  exercised  a  prodigi- 
ous activity  in  his  service. 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


73 


Having  known  our  brother  in  St. 
Francis  especially  during  the  last 
years  of  his  life,  I  can  attest  that 
his  dominant  virtue  was  an  all- 
absorbing  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God, 
which  was  continually  nourished  by 
a  true  and  profound  piety.  All  the 
time  that  the  duties  of  his  state  of 
life  permitted,  he  devoted  to  good 
works.  Being  a  commercial  trav- 
eler, he  returned  home  only  on 
Saturdays;  but  all  during  the  week 
while  traveling  across  the  country, 
he  considered  his  apostolate  for  the 
following  Sunday,  arranged  his 
plans  for  combat,  thought  out  the 
best  means  to  insure  the  success 
of  his  undertakings,  prepared  his 
hymns,  calculated  the  employment 
of  his  time  so  that  none  might  be 
lost,  disposed  himself  to  awaken 
the  sometimes  slumbering  ardor  of 
his  companions,  all  the  while  fer- 
vently invoking  the  assistance  of 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  The 
number  of  Hail  Marys  he  recited 
during  the  course  of  his  life  is  in- 
conceivable. From  morning  till 
night,  in  journeying,  as  he  said  him- 
self, he  recited  the  rosary  without 
ceasing. 

On  returning  to  Angers,  he  went 
at  once  to  seek  his  confessor.  This 
was  his  first  occupation.  Then  he 
set  himself  to  work  and  labored 
unceasingly  until  his  departure. 
How  many  exhortations  he  made, 
what  pious  devices  he  had  recourse 
to,  how  many  holes  he  made  in  his 
purse  to  render  the  services  in  his 
parish  church  more  solemn,  the 
adorers  of  the  most  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment more  numerous,  the  music  in 
the    church  more   devotional,    the 


reunions  of  the  Third  Order  more 
edifying — God  alone  knows.  A 
true  and  faithful  son  of  holy  Church 
M.  Granry  was  with  all  the  powers 
of  his  soul.  Works  of  charity — not 
only  the  more  modern  activities  of 
the  lay  apostolate  but  works  purely 
religious— were  his  very  life.  All 
could  count  on  his  affectionate 
devotedness  and  most  disinterested 
assitance,  and  he  employed  every 
moment  available  to  spread  various 
publications  calculated  to  nourish 
piety. 

And  yet,  he  had  his  very  marked 
preferences.  The  best  of  his 
affections  and  zeal  he  gave  to  the 
most  Blessed  Sacrament  and  to  St. 
Francis.  He  inaugurated,  caused 
to  flourish,  and  kept  alive,  amid  a 
host  of  difficulties,  the  monthly 
adoration  of  the  men  of  St.  Serge. 
How  he  spent  himself  for  this,  his 
beloved  Guard  of  Honor!  At  the 
same  time  he  busied  himself  with 
the  other  adorations  of  his  parish, 
especially  with  the  nocturnal  adora- 
tion, of  which  pious  confraternity 
he  was  president. 

As  to  the  Third  Order,  he  tried 
by  all  possible  means  to  render  it 
prosperous  and  fervent;  and  if  it  be 
true  that  one  speaks  much  of  what 
one  loves,  it  may  be  affirmed  that 
few  children  of  St.  Francis  have 
loved  their  Third  Order  so  much  as 
he.  All  that  concerned  the  Fran- 
ciscan family  interested  him  in  the 
highest  degree,  and  no  one  would 
have  rejoiced  more  than  he  at  the 
happy  development  which  has 
taken  place  in  the  Tertiary  fra- 
ternity of  Angers  during  the  last 
years. 


74 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


It  would  seem  that  God  himself 
wished  to  draw  special  attention  to 
these  two  great  works  of  our  dear 
brother's  life.  For  He  permitted 
him  to  fall  ill— struck  mortally  like 
a  soldier  faithful  to  the  last— after 
Holy  Communion  on  the  day  of  the 
monthly  adoration  of  his  parish, 
and  He  called  him  to  himself  on  the 
very  morning  of  the  day  whereon 
the  meeting  of  the  Third  Order  was 
held. 

It  was  as  the  prey  of  terrible 
sufferings,  accepted  with  holy  re- 
signation and  without  complaint, 
that  M.  Granry  passed  the  last 
weeks  of  his  life  on  earth.  Never 
did  I  more  clearly  recognize  that 
mysterious  and  inexplicable  some- 
thing of  perfect  finish  which  suf- 
fering imparts  to  the  Christian 
soul.  Should  the  passion  not  be  the 
logical  end  of  us  all?  Is  it  not  the 
crowning  of  each  life  spent  in  the 
justice  and  the  love  of  God?  The 
disciple  is  not  above  the  Master; 
the  true  glory  of  the  Christian  is  to 
resemble  as  closely  as  possible 
Christ  Jesus  crucified. 

M.  Granry  attained  this  resem- 
blance. Like  our  Savior,  he  ended 
on  the  cross  of  pain  a  life  filled  with 
works  of  zeal  and  piety;  and  it  was 
a  striking  example  for  us  all  to  see 
this  man  so  strong,  so  ardent, 
formerly  so  full  of  health  and  vigor, 
accepting  with  perfect  resignation 
the  unexpected  visitation  of  sick- 
ness. But  he  had  finished  his 
labors.  Like  the  conscientious 
workman,  who  does  not  dread  his 
master's  visit,  he  looked  death  in 
the  face  without  fear.  "I  do  not 
fear,"  he  said  to  me   one   dav;    "I 


am  ready!"  And  as  I  encouraged 
him  by  recalling  his  apostolic 
works,  he  replied,  "Yes,  I  have 
done  all  that  I  could." 

God  rewarded  his  loyal  services 
by  sparing  him  the  terrors  of  the 
last  days.  Speaking  of  the  remark- 
able calm  which  his  features  bore, 
a  member  of  the  fraternity  observ- 
ed to  me,  "He  went  to  death  as  he 
went  to  his  adoration,  or  to  his 
Third  Order  meeting;  just  as  tran- 
quilly and  peacefully." 

On  Sunday,  February  25,  at  one 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  was  sud- 
denly deprived  of  his  sight.  At 
this  moment,  one  of  his  children 
endeavored  to  console  him  saying, 
"My  father,  offer  this  great  cross 
to  God."  "That  was  done  long 
ago,"  came  the  calm  reply.  And 
these  were  his  last  words-  for,  in 
their  turn,  his  lips  became  paralyz- 
ed. Nevertheless,  he  preserved 
his  clearness  of  mind,  and  while  the 
rosary  was  being  recited  by  his 
dear  ones  gathered  about  his  dying 
bed,  he  held  the  beads  and  let  them 
slip  through  his  fingers  without 
ever  making  a  mistake. 

It  was  thus,  while  singing  in  his 
heart  the  praises  of  Mary,  that  our 
dear  brother  in  St.  Francis,  Thomas 
Aquinas  Granry,  rendered  to  God 
his  beautiful  soul,  filled  with  the 
sweet  odor  of  virtue  and  innu- 
merable merits. 

May  this  brief  account  of  his 
noble  and  pious  life  encourage  his 
brethren  in  St.  Francis  to  follow 
in  his  footsteps. 

P.  Poulin 

in  Annates  Fraiwiscaines. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


75 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — The  Sacred  Congre- 
gation of  Rites  has  published  a  de- 
cree ordaining  that  legal  enquiries 
be  made  regarding  the  heroic  virtues 
of  the  servant  of  God,  Venerable 
Sister  Mary  Diomine,  a  Capuchin 
nun  of  Fagnani,  Italy. 

Lipa,  P.  I.— The  Franciscan  Mis- 
sionary Sisters  of  Mary  are  in  charge 
of  two  schools  in  the  diocese  of  Lipa, 
P.  I.,  which  are  recommended  by 
the  government.  The  Sisters  are 
likewise  conducting  a  home  for  or- 
phans. 

Burma,  India.  —  The  Franciscan 
Missionary  Sisters  of  Mary,  who  are 
in  care  of  the  Burma  leper  asylum, 
have  now  among  their  charges  two 
nuns.  Through  their  heroic  labor 
for  the  spiritual  and  temporal  wel- 
fare of  the  lepers  at  Kumbakonam, 
India,  these  two  Sisters  have  con- 
tracted the  dreadful  malady.  Their 
one  consolation  is  the  thought  that 
in  the  poor  lepers  they  have  served 
God  and  that  an  eternal  reward  is 
in  store  for  them  in  a  better  world. 

Nagasaki,  Japan. —The  Rt.  Rev. 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  Nagasaki,  sees 
dark  days  ahead  for  the  Catholic 
missionaries  in  Japan.  On  account 
of  the  poverty  of  the  people,  they 
find  it  hard  to  make  ends  meet  and 
are  even  in  danger  of  losing  their 
valuable  catechists,  because  they 
have  not  the  means  to  pay  them 
salaries.  Another  equally  serious 
matter  is  causing  the  zealous 
Bishop  great  worry.  The  gov- 
ernment of  Japan  seems  determined 
to  insist  on  the  cult  of  the  emperor 
and  of  the  ancestors.  This  is  a  dis- 
tinct menace  to  the  practice  of 
Christianity,  since  it  obliges  the  na- 
tives to  attend  at  the  heathen  tem- 
ples and  to  take  active  part  in  the 
religious  exercises,  from  which,  of 
course,  the   Catholics  are  bound  in 


conscience  to  abstain.  Even  now  it 
is  demanded  that  all  children  attend 
these  ceremonies.  Nagasaki,  the 
largest  center  of  Christianity,  will 
be  the  first  to  resist  this  mandate. 
But  what  will  be  the  result  of  such 
resistance?  This  question  is  weigh- 
ing heavily  on  the  Bishop  and  his 
flock. 

Rio  Cuarto,  Argentina.  — On  De- 
cember 12,  the  Tertiaries  of  Rio 
Cuarto  celebrated  the  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  the  founding  of  their 
flourishing  fraternity.  Rt.  Rev. 
Msgr.  Lucue,  auxiliary  bishop  of 
Cordoba,  officiated  at  the  -solemn 
pontifical  High  Mass,  A  source  of 
great  joy  and  consolation  to  the 
Tertiaries  was  a  letter  received 
from  Pope  Benedict  XV,  in  which 
His  Holiness  congratulated  the 
zealous  fraternity  on  the  good  they 
achieved  during  the  past  fifty  years, 
and  imparted  to  them  and  to  their 
Rev.  Fr.  Director  his  apostolic  bless- 
ing. 

Arauco,  Chile.  —  According  to 
a  recent  report,  the  Franciscan  mis- 
sions of  Arauco  in  Chile  are  in  a 
very  flourishing  condition.  In  all 
of  the  fourteen  settlements,  the 
Fathers  have  opened  schools.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1915,  the  total  enroll- 
ment was  1,348  children,  of  whom  a 
good  percentage  are  natives.  The 
hospitals  in  Nacimiento  and  Chilian 
are  in  charge  of  Franciscan  Sisters 
of  the  Third  Order.  Foreigners  as 
well  as  natives  manifest  a  great  ven- 
eration and  respect  for  the  Fathers, 
seeing  what  sacrifices  they  are  mak- 
ing for  the  welfare  of  young  and 
old. 

Montreal,  Canada.  —  The  Most 
Rev.  Minister  General  of  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor  has  appointed  Rev. 
Fr.  Matthew-Mary  Daunais,  O.F. 
M.,  commissary  of  the  Holy   Land 


76 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


for  the  various  dioceses  of  Canada. 
His  predecessor  in  this  important 
office  was  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Frederic 
Jansoone,  o.f.m.,  who  died  last 
August  at  Montreal  in  the  mother- 
house  of  the  Franciscans  in  Canada. 
The  newly  appointed  commissary 
will  reside  in  Three  Rivers,  Canada. 

Buenos  Aires,  Argentina. — Sum- 
moned by  his  superiors  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Province  of  Mexico,  Rev.  Fr. 
Ambrose  Villalpando,   o.f.m.,    has 
left  this  city  for  Washington,  D.C. 
The  distinguished  friar  received  the  i 
title  of  '  lecturer  on  sacred  theology 
at  the  Franciscan  International  Col-  j 
lege  in  Rome.     He  has  been  commis- 
sioned to  teach  the  Franciscan  clerics  I 
in  the  friary  at  Brookland,  D.C. 

Petoskey,  Mich.— On  Saturday 
evening,  December  30,  in  the  local 
convent,  Rev.  Fr.  Marian  Glahn  | 
O.f.m.,  was  called  to  his  eternal  | 
reward.  He  was  born,  in  1855,  at  ! 
Hollungen,  Province  of  Saxony, 
Germany.  Soon  after,  his  parents 
came  to  this  country  and  settled  at  | 
Hagersgrove.  Mo.  It  was  here  that 
Rev.  Fr.  Anselm  Mueller,  o.f.m., 
met  the  little  Boniface.  Hearing 
that  he  wished  to  become  a  Fran- 
ciscan, Fr.  Anselm  took  him  to  St. 
Francis  Solanus  College,  Quincy, 
111.,  of  which  he  at  the  time  was 
rector.  After  obtaining  the 
academic  degrees  of  A. B.  and  A.M., 
the  promising  young  man,  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  1877,  entered  the  Order  of 
St.  Francis  at  Teutopolis,  Illinois. 
Having  completed  the  year  of 
novitiate,  Fr.  Marian  made  his 
simple  vows  on  September  8,  1877, 
and  his  solemn  vows  three  years 
later,  on  September  27.  Meanwhile, 
he  had  pursued  his  theological 
studies  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  on 
September  30,  1881,  he  was  raised 
to  the  holy  priesthood. 

During  the  thirty-five  years  of 
his  priestly  career,  Fr.  Marian  was 
a  faithful  and  energetic  laborer  in 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  He  was 
active   in   various   parishes   of  the 


Sacred  Heart  Province,  notably  in 
Chicago,  111., Petoskey,  Mich.,  Wash- 
burn, Wis.,  and  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
At  Washburn,  he  built  the  first  Cath- 
olic church  and  school.  The  news 
that  last  fall  a  new  church  was 
blessed  at  Fortville,  Ind.,  was  a 
source  of  great  consolation  to  him  in 
his  last  days,  since  it  had  been  he  who 
a  few  years  ago  took  the  first  steps 
toward  the  erection  of  this  church. 
Fr.  Marian  was  a  true  son  of  St. 
Francis.  Of  a  sunny  disposition,  he 
combined  simplicity  of  manners 
with  childlike  piety  and  sincerity. 
His  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin 
was  above  the  ordinary.  Even  in 
his  last  illness,  when  hardly  able  to 
speak,  he  would  use  all  his  efforts 
to  sing  popular  hymns  to  the  Mother 
of  God.  Let  us  hope  that  by  this 
time  he  is  enjoying  her  company  in 
the  land  of  eternal  rest  and  hap- 
piness. 

The  solemn  obsequies  were  held 
over  his  remains  on  Wednesday 
morning,  January  3,  at  nine  o'clock. 
The  Rev.  Franciscan  Fathers  from 
the  friaries  at  Petoskey  and  Harbor 
Springs  recited  the  office  of  the 
dead,  after  which  Rev.  Fr.  Bruno, 
o.f.m.,  officiated  at  the  solemn 
Requiem  Mass.— R.I. P. 

Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Francis  Con- 
vent.—On  New  Year's  morning,  at 
three  o'clock,  just  thirty-three  years 
after  his  reception  into  the  Francis- 
can Order,  Ven.  Br.  Francis  Pauly, 
O.f.m.,  was  summoned  to  receive 
the  reward  of  a  good  and  faithful 
servant  in  the  household  of  the 
divine  Master.  Born  Februarv  22, 
1836,  at  Hallenberg,  Westphalia, 
Germany,  he  came  to  this  country 
as  a  young  man  and  till  the  year 
1883  worked  principally  in  Cincin- 
nati, 0-  That  year,  while  visiting 
his  brother,  now  Rev.  Fr.  Lawrence, 
o.f.m.,  who  then  was  a  student  at 
St.  Joseph's  College  in  Teutopolis, 
he  conceived  a  liking  for  the  Fran- 
ciscan mode  of  life  and  asked  to 
spend  the  rest  of  his  days  as  a  Ter- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


77 


tiary  Brother.  Accordingly,  on 
December  31,  1883,  he  received  the 
habit  of  St.  Francis  and  six  years 
later,  on  November  2,  made  his 
profession.  During  the  first  eleven 
years  of  his  religious  career,  Br. 
Francis  edified  the  community  and 
the  student  body  of  St.  Joseph's 
College  by  his  life  of  prayer  and 
penance.  In  "1895,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  novitiate  convent 
where,  excepting  a  few  months, 
the  saintly  Brother  spent  the  re- 
maining twenty-one  years  of  his  life. 
Brother  Francis  was  a  man  of  sin- 
gular virtue.  Going  through  his 
daily  routine  of  prayer  and  work, 
he  made  the  impression  of  one  who 
had  chosen  the  Poor  Man  of  Assisi 
as  his  model  and  by  utter  detach- 
ment from  the  world  and  a  true 
spirit  of  humility  and  self-denial 
was,  indeed,  far  advanced  in  the 
imitation  of  his  glorious  model.  His 
long  stay  in  Teutopolis  endeared  him 
to  the  hearts  of  all  who  came  in 
contact  with  him;  and  the  towns- 
folk will  long  remember  the  pious 
old  Brother  who  was  ever  ready  to 
do  them  a  good  turn.  The  funeral 
was  held  on  Wednesday,  January  3. 
After  the  chanting  of  the  office  of 
the  dead,  a  solemn  Requiem  was 
celebrated  by  Rev.  Fr.  Theodosius, 
guardian  of  the  local  friary,  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  FF.  Linus  and 
Berard,  as  deacon  and  subdeacon. 
A  large  number  of  the  faithful 
were  present  at  the  solemn  func- 
tions. After  holy  Mass,  the  re- 
mains were  taken  to  the  convent 
vault  where  after  the  last  absolution 
they  were  laid  to  rest. —R.I. P. 

Chicagojll.,  St.  Peter's  Church.  - 
During  the  Christmas  holidays,  Rev. 
FF.  Julian  and  Aloysius,  *  of  St. 
Joseph's  College,  Teutopolis,  111., 
assisted  the  Fathers  of  St.  Peter's 
Church  both  in  the  confessional  and 
in  the  pulpit.  The  new  crib  in  the 
church  was  a  great  attraction  dur- 
ing the  holy  season.  Almost  con- 
tinually visitors  were  seen  at  prayer 


before  the  image  of  the  divine  In- 
fant. Many  pronounced  it  the  most 
beautiful  crib  in  the  city.  Rev.  Fr. 
Fortunatus,  conducted  two  retreats 
for  the  Franciscans  of  the  Holy 
Name  Province  in  New  York.  Ven. 
Br.  Servulus,  who  has  been  sacris- 
tan at  St.  Peter's  Church  for  many 
years,  has  asked  his  superior  to  be 
relieved  of  his  duties  on  account  of 
old  age  and  general  debility.  The 
good  Brother  was  one  of  the  first 
friars  who  came  to  St.  Peter's  in 
1875.  He  has  been  sacristan  here 
ever  since,  with  the  exception  of 
ten  years. — 

We  owe  it  to  the  generous  German 
Tertiaries  of  St.  Peter's  Church  to 
inform  our  readers  that  the  alms  of 
their  fraternity  for  the  Arizona  In- 
dian Missions  was  $1000,  and  not 
$500,  as  we  had  been  misinformed. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Augustine's 
Church.  — During  the  year  1916, 
thirty-six  postulants  were  received 
into  the  Third  Order,  and  seven- 
teen novices  made  their  profession. 
Two  members  of  our  fraternity  had 
the  happiness  of  celebrating  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  their 
reception  into  the  Order.  Nine 
Tertiaries  were  called  to  a  bet- 
ter life.  At  present  our  branch 
numbers  about  550  members,  of 
whom  450  belong  to  St.  Augustine's 
parish.  Besides  lending  assistance 
to  a  number  of  needy  members,  our 
Tertiaries  made  about  five  hundred 
visits  to  the  sick  during  the  past 
year.  In  the  month  of  June,  Rev.  Fr. 
Juniper  Doolin,  o.f.m.,  conducted 
a  retreat  for  our  Tertiaries.  He 
received  more  than  $300  as  alms 
for  the  Chinese  missions.  About 
$100  were  collected  for  the  Fran- 
ciscan Indian  missions  in  Arizona, 
and  about  $135  for  other  mis- 
sions. On  "Christmas,  our  Tertiary 
branch  offered  $30  for  the  parish 
church  of  St.  Augustine. 

Hartwell,  Ohio.— On  January  5, 
in  the  convent  of  St.  Clare,  Ven. 
Sr.  Alcantara,  o.s.F.,  passed  to  her 


78 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


eternal  reward.     She  attained   the  j 
ripe  old  age  of  seventy-five  years,  j 
fifty-three  of  which  she  devoted  to 
the  service  of  God  in  the   Order  of  | 
St.  Francis.     The  deceased   was  a  j 
true  daughter  of  the  Seraphic  Saint.  I 
She  manifested  a  singular  devotion  j 
to    the    missions,     domestic    and 
foreign.     The  religious  community  j 
is  in   possession    of  many   letters  i 
from  missionaries,    in   which   it  is 
stated  that  after  God  the  missions 
owe  their  subsistence  in  great  part 
to  the  love  and  zeal  of  Sister  Alcan- 
tara.    A  little  incident  of  her  life  j 
shows  how   the    good   Sister    was 
imbued  with  the  humble  simplicity 
of  St.  Fraacis.     One   day  she  had 
been    out  soliciting    alms   for  the 
poor,  when  an  officer  of  the  law, 
suspecting  her  of  being  an  impostor, 
brought  her  to  the  police   station. 
After  some  questioning,  the  captain 
noticed   his  mistake,    begged    her 
pardon,  and  wished  to  dismiss  her. 
But  before  leaving,    Sister  Alcan- 
tara turned  to  the  officers  present 
and  said  in  her  simply  way,   "Sure- 
ly, these   gentlemen   will   give  me 
something  for  the  time  I  have   lost 
here."      Her  request  was   not  in 
vain.     Besides  receiving  something 
for    her    poor   from    each    of    the 
officers,  the  captain  told  her  that 
she  might  call  every  month   at  the 
station    and    collect    alms.      This 
happened  years  ago;  but  ever  since 
the  Sisters  of  Hartwell  receive  their, 
monthly     donation    at    the    police 
station. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Stanislaus 
Church.— The  annual  report  of  the 
Third  Order  in  St.  Stanislaus 
Church  is  very  encouraging.  Dur- 
ing the  past  year  a  vigorous  activity 
was  displayed.  Fifty-one  postulants 
were  received  into  our  fraternity, 
while  one  hundred  and  three  novices 
made  their  profession.  Three 
young  ladies  and  one  young  man 
embraced  the  religious  state.  At 
present,  the  branch  numbers  448 
members.     Offerings  amounting  to 


nearly  $900  were  devoted  mostly 
to  charitable  purposes  in  the  city 
and  abroad.  The  presentation  of 
stereoptican  views  on  the  life  of  St. 
Francis  was  in  every  respect  a  suc- 
cess. The  distribution  of  Catholic 
books,  papers,  and  pamphlets  was 
a  matter  of  much  interest  among 
our  Tertiaries.  The  little  pamphlets 
which  in  the  course  of  the  year 
were  distributed  gratis  proved  a 
very  successful  means  of  instruct- 
ing the  Tertiaries  and  of  clearing 
away  prejudices  against  the  Third 
Order.  We  have  reason  to  hope 
that  in  the  course  of  this  year, 
many  more  members  of  our  parish 
will  enroll  themselves  among  the 
children  of  St.  Francis  in  the  Third 
Order. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  John's  Church: - 
During  the  past  year,  124  postulants 
were  received  into  the  Third  Order 
of  St.  Francis,  while  18  novices  made 
their  profession.  Rev.  Fr.  Eugene, 
o.f.m.,  Director  of  the  Third  Order 
in  Joliet,  informs  us  that  according 
to  the  census  taken  up  last  year,  the 
fraternity  numbers  about  240  mem- 
bers. At  present,  there  are  four- 
teen members  who  have  been  Terti- 
aries twenty-five  years  and  longer. 
Among  those  received  in  the  course 
of  the  past  years  the  books  record 
Rt.  Rev.  Maurice  F.  Burke,  Bishop 
of  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  who  at  the 
time  of  his  receptionwas  pastor  of 
St.  Mary's  Church,  this  city;  Very 
Rev.  F.  H.  Specht,  V.  G.,  Rev. 
Joseph  Shorter;  and  Rev.  D.  Herd 
of  Troy  Grove,  111.  During  the  year 
1916,  $137  were  donated  by  the 
Third  Order  to  charity,  notably  to 
the  Chinese  and  Indian  missions. 
The  Holy  Childhood  Indian  School 
at  Harbor  Springs,  Michigan,  re- 
ceived two  boxes  of  clothing  for  the 
children.  Then,  one  hundred  new 
volumes  were  added  to  the  Tertiary 
library,  so  that  at  present,  two  hun- 
dred good  books  are  at  the  disposal 
ofthe  Tertiaries 

St.     Louis,     Mo.,     St.    Antony's; 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


79 


Church. — The  Tertiaries  of  this 
city  made  a  splendid  showing  dur- 
ing the  past  two  years,  as  the  fol- 
lowing general  report  attests.  The 
English  fraternity  records  476 
postulants  invested  and  382  novices 
professed,  while  the  German  frater- 
nity numbers  216  postulants  receiv- 
ed and  145  novices  professed.  The 
charitable  activity  of  our  Tertiaries 
was  very  commendable.  Thus,  the 
alms  given  at  the  various  meetings 
of  the  fraternity  amounted  to  $3, 980; 
the  poor  received  $1,925,  the  mis- 
sions $410,  poor  religious  institutions 
$242,  poor  churches  $35,  while  a 
number  of  minor  donations  were 
given  for  other  charitable  purposes. 
A.  large  number  of  'religious  news- 
papers and  periodicals  were  distri- 
buted among  the  inmates  of  public 
institutions,    who  were  also  made 


happy  by  pleasing  Christmas  gifts 
from  our  Tertiaries.  Much  good 
was  achieved  in  these  institutions 
and  in  various  Sunday  schools  by 
the  teaching  of  catechism,  and 
many  needy  families  were  supplied 
with  articles  of  clothing.  In  fact, 
there  is  hardly  a  phase  of  Christian 
charity  in  which  our  Tertiaries  did 
not  engage  to  their  own  great 
spiritual  advantage  and  to  the 
edification  of  their  neighbor.  Six 
of  our  young  lady  Tertiaries  entered 
the  convent,  while  185  Tertiaries 
were  called  to  their  eternal  reward. 
The  library  in  our  Tertiary  Hall  is 
undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  Tertiarv 
libraries  in  the  country,  there  being 
at  present  800  volumes  in  the  Eng- 
lish section  and  200  volumes  in  the 
German,  and  new  books  are  con- 
stantly being  added. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPHS  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOLIS.  ILLINOIS 

For  weeks  before  Christmas,  the 
students  of  the  senior  classes  had 
been  untiring  in  their  efforts  to  pre- 
pare for  a  proper  celebration  of  the 
feast  that  radiates  cheer  and  happi- 
ness on  every  Christian  heart. 
That  they  were  successful  in  mak- 
ing their  different  programs  for  the 
holidays  worthy  of  those  of  former 
years  could  be  gathered  from  the 
unanimous  praise  of  the  many  visi- 
tors who  witnessed  both  the  ceremo- 
nies in  the  chapel  and  the  enter- 
tainments in  the  dramatic  hall.  At 
the  midnight  service  in  the  chapel, 
the  choir  sang  Griesbacher's  Stella 
Maris  Mass  (unison),  and  on  the 
following  morning  at  the  second 
solemn  High  Mass  they  rendered 
with  signal  success  Rhode's  Missa, 
Jesu  Bone  Pastor  (four  parts). 

On  Christmas  night  the  Fathers, 
students,  and  visiting  relatives  and 
friends  gathered  about  the  Christ- 
mas  tree  and   greatly  enjoyed   the 


following  literary  and  musical  pro- 
gram: 

Angels'  Refrain A.  Geibel 

Soprano  Solo 

H.  Kohlberg,  P.  Kohlberg.  R.  Kopeski.  O.  Thomas 

Violin  obligato,  H.  Pinger 

The  Infant  Jesus  (Recitation) Jos.  Terstegge 

Adeste  Fideles  (Four  part  chorus) B.  Hamma 

College  Choir 
Home  for  the  Holidays  (Recitation).  .R.  Patterson 
Glory  to  God  in  the  Highest  (Four  part 

choruB) Rev.  Eastham 

Select  Choir 
Do  They  Miss  Me  at  Home  (Recitation) 

John  Freudinger 

The  Irishwoman's  Letter  (Recitation)..Hy.  Aretz 
The  Wondrous  Story  (Four  part  chorus) 

R.  M.  Stnlts 

Select  Choir 

The  Young  Actor  (Recitation) Henry  Fox 

Stille  Nacht  (Four  part  chorus) F.   X.  Gruber 

Senior  Choir 

On  the  night  of  St.  Stephen's 
"The  Recognition",  a  four-act 
drama  of  the  middle  ages,  was 
presented  with  the  following  cast: 

Duke  of  Spoleto C  Koerber 

Ricardo.  his  squire H.  Fox 

Prince  of  Macerato R.  Zwiesler 

Count  of  Bartolo F.  Kiefer 

Antonio,  his  son C  Eberle 

Julio  (Antonio) P.  Eberle 

Balthazar,  friend  of  Antonio H.  Pinger 

Stephano,  teacher  of  Antonio R.  Patterson 

Leonardo  a  soldier E.  Vosa 

£££*  !- friends  of  Antonio  {.:::::::  :*hka££ 

Giacomo,  squire  of  Bartolo J.  Dittman 

Fabiano.  governor  of  Montefalco A.  Limacher 

Reginald,  officer  of  Macerato H.  Bene 

Zucchi,  a  blacksmith J.  Diederich 


80 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Bf&8o;-  attendants    {"^y^jfiSS 

Alberto,  citizen E.  Reyling 

Bafaele,  officer  of  guard E.  Goyke 

Soldiers,  citizen,  attendants 

Between  acts,  the  college  orches- 
tra rendered  the  following  musical 
numbers: 

Impassioned  Dream   Waltz J.  Rosas 

La  Sorella  March L.  Gallini 

Christmas  Carol A.  Sullivan 

Over  the  Waves  Waltz J.  Rosas 

With  Banners  Unfurled   March W.  Kretschmer 

The  next  evening  and  on  New 
Year's  night  a  number  of  comedies 
and  farces  were  given,  of  which 
"The  End  of  the  World,"  a  drama- 
tic composition  by  several  of  the 
students  known  as  the  "Mysterious 
Four,"  elicited  the  greatest  ap- 
plause. 

On  the  last  three  days  of  the 
year,  the  boys  made  their  annual 
retreat  under  the  direction  of  Rev. 
Fr.  Peter  Crumbly,  o.f.m.,  of  Joliet, 
111. 

On  the  feast  of  St.  Stephen,  twen- 
ty students  were  admitted  as  novices 
into  the  Third  Order,  and  thirteen 
were  professed.  During  the  holi- 
days, the  Third  Order  missionary 
fund  received  several  donations, 
and  the  Tertiary  library  was  pre- 
sented with  several  new  books. 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY,   ILLINOIS 

On  Friday,  January  5,  the  stu- 
dents returned  to  college  after  en- 
joying their  Christmas  vacation  at 
home.  Classes  were  resumed  on 
the  following  Monday.  Upon  their 
return,  the  boys  learnt  with  sorrow 
that  Fr.  John  Berchmans  Meyer 
had  undergone  an  operation  for  ap- 
pendicitis at  the  local  St.  Mary's 
Hospital.  He  is  recovering  rapidly 
and  his  return  to  the  college  is  daily 
expected. 

The  first  basket-ball  game  of  the 
season  was  played  on  Friday, 
January  12.  The  college  was  op- 
posed by  the  Quincy  Maroons,  one 
of  the  fastest  independent  teams  in 
the  State.  The  game  ended  with 
the  score  27-10  in  favor  of  the 
Maroons.  The  college  team  this 
year  is  composed  of  Captain  Luke 
center,  Whalen  and  Orlet  forwards, 
Dirksen  and  Lashmet  guards.  Con- 
sidering the  small  amount  of  prac- 
tice and  the  proficiency  of  the  op- 
ponents, our  boys  did  very  credita- 
ble work. 


OBITUARY 

Petoskey,  Mich.,  St.  Francis  X.  Church:— Rev.  Fr.  Marian  Glahn,  o.f.m. 
Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Francis  Church:— Ven.  Bro.  Francis  Pauly,  o.f.m. 
Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church:— 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:    Mary  McElherne,   Sr.  Elizabeth:    Bridget  Hasset, 

Sr.  Joseph. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:    Elizabeth  Kelly,  Sr.  Mary;  Melvina  Hamel,  Sr.  Anne. 
German  Fraternity:    Albertine  Schmitz,   Sr.  Frances;   Maria  Loacker,  Sr. 

Josepha;  Magdalena  Bungert,  Sr.  Colette. 
St.  Augustine's  Church:    Catherine  Haugh,  Sr.  Blanche;  Dorothea  Breyer. 
Sr.  Blanche. 
Clifton,  111.:— Catherine  Goyette. 
Joliet,  111.,  St.  John's  Church:— John  Stephen,  Bro.  Joseph:  John  Loettler,  Bro. 

Joseph;  Margaret  Wilhelmi,  Sr.  Paula. 
Cleveland,    O.,  St.  Stanislaus   Church:— Antonia   Lissek:    Frances  Pilarska; 

Magdalena  Szablewska. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Gertrude  Wertmann;  Catherine  Swee- 
ney:  Bridget  Merrick;  Elizabeth  Willebrand;  Philomena  Haarmann: 
Catherine  Dougherty;  Joanna  Lillis;  Lottie  Lewis;  Mary  O'Connor. 
St.  Paul,  Minn. :— Augusta  Kofski,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
Requiescant  in  pace 


I  Jffranrisran  B^ralb  I 

jl|       A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred       jl; 
■'■        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions        •?.. 

«  f\ 

VOLV.  MARCH,  1917.  NO.  3 

lEbttnnal  (Enmmntt 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

The  third  of  oar  series  of  frontispieces  illustrating  the  "Triumph  of 
Christ,"  carries  us  back  to  the  "Age  of  the  Prophets."  In  their  words 
and  in  their  lives  these  holy  men  told  of  the  Messias.  He  is  the  burden  of 
David's  songs  of  rapturous  joy  and  of  deep  sorrow,  according  as  the  royal 
prophet  views  him  either  in  his  exaltation  or  in  his  humiliation.  He  was 
the  theme  also  of  the  prophecies  of  the  greater  prophets,  so-called  from 
the  grandeur  of  their  predictions  and  the  greatness  of  their  activity. 
Though  these  inspired  men  give  prominence,  the  one  to  this  and  the  other 
to  that  phase  of  the  Redeemer's  character  or  incident  of  his  life,  they  all 
emphasize  his  divine  power  and  his  ultimate  triumph.  Thus,  Isaias  says  of 
him:  "A  Child  is  born  to  us,  and  a  Son  is  given  to  us,  and  the  govern- 
ment is  upon  his  shoulder:  and  his  name  shall  be  called,  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  God,  the  Mighty,  the  Father  of  the  world  to  come,  the  Prince 
of  Peace."  Jeremias  announces:  "Behold  thedayscome,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  I  will  raise  up  to  David  a  just  branch,  and  a  king  shall  reign,  and 
shall  be  wise;  and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth." 
Ezechial  foretells:  "I  will  set  up  one  shepherd  over  them,  and  he  shall 
feed  them  even  my  servant  David  (i.  e.  Christ,  who  is  of  the  house  of 
David) :  he  shall  feed  them,  and  he  shall  be  their  shepherd.  And  I  the 
Lord  will  be  their  God:  and  my  servant  David  the  prince  in  the  midst  of 
them."  Daniel  tells  of  his  wonderful  vision  in  the  following  words:  "I 
beheld,  therefore,  in  the  vision  of  the  night,  and  lo,  one  like  the  Son  of 
man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  and  he  came  even  to  the  Ancient  of 
days,  and  they  presented  him  before  him.  And  he  gave  him  power,  and 
glory,  and  a  kingdom:  and  all  peoples,  tribes,  and  tongues  shall  serve  him: 
his  power  is  an  everlasting  power  that  shall  not  be  taken  away:  and  his 
kingdom  that  shall  not  be  destroyed." 

Also  the  minor  prophets  foretell  many  details  of  Christ's  life,  and, 
on  occasion,  they  refer  to  him  as  the  mighty  ruler  of  the  new  kingdom  to 
be  established  by  him.  Micheas,  for  instance,  prophesies:  "And  thou 
Bethlehem  Ephrata  art  a  little  one  among  the  thousands  of  Juda;  out  of 
thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  the  ruler  in  Israel."  The 
prophets  Amos  and  Zachary  both  tell  of  the  great  kingdom,  the  Church, 
over  which  the  Messias  is  to  rule.  Amos  says:  "In  that  day  I  will  raise 
up  the  tabernacle  of  David,  that  is  fallen:  and  I  will  close  up  the  breaches 
of  the  walls  thereof,  and  repair  what  was  fallen:  and  I  will  rebuild  it  as 
in  the  days  of  old.     That  they  may  possess  the  remnant  of  Edom,  and  all 


82  FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


nations,  because  my  name  is  invoked  upon  them:  saith  the  Lord  that  does 
these  things."  Zachary  announces  the  triumphal  entry  of  Christ  into 
Jerusalem:  "Rejoice  greatly,  0  daughter  of  Sion,  shout  for  joy,  0  daugh- 
ter of  Jerusalem:  Behold,  thy  King  will  come  to  thee,  the  just  and  savior: 
he  is  poor,  and  riding  upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  foal  of  an  ass  •  •  •  • 
He  shall  speak  peace  to  the  gentiles,  and  his  power  shall  be  from  sea  to 
sea,  and  from  the  rivers  even  to  the  end  of  the  earth."  Asa  type  of 
Christ  in  his  resurrection,  Jonas  is  fittingly  made  to  close  the  line  of 
prophets  presented  by  the  artist;  for  the  resurrection  is  the  crowning 
glory  and  greatest  triumph  of  the  Messias. 

Thus  was  the  chosen  people  of  God  prepared  for  the  coming  of  the 
King  of  kings  and  for  the  great  day  of  his  triumph.  After  all  these  proph- 
ecies, the  Israelites  looked  forward  with  intense  longing  to  the  great 
day  of  Jahve,  a  day,  which  it  deemed  one  of  extraordinary  triumph  for 
itself  and  for  its  God,  a  day  on  which  "the  remnant  of  Edom  and  all  na- 
tions" should  unite  to  form  a  single  people  under  the  great  king,  the  Son 
of  David. 

t         t         *r 

GOSSIPING  TERTIARIES 

Many  are  the  passages  of  Holy  Writ  bearing  on  the  subject  of  evil- 
speaking.  "Remove  from  thee  a  froward  mouth,  and  let  detracting  lips 
be  far  from  thee. "  — '  'Detract  not  one  another. "  — '  'Thou  shalt  not  be  a  de- 
tractor nor  a  whisperer  among  the  people.  —  "Speak  evil  of  no  man."  — 
"ThOu  shalt  not  caluminate  thy  neighbor."  — "Devise  not  a  lie  against 
thy  brother. "  —  "Be  not  called  a  whisperer,  and  be  not  taken  in  thy  tongue, 
and  confounded."  — "Every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak  they  shall 
render  an  account  for  it  in  the  day  of  judgment."— "If  any  man  offend 
not  in  word,  the  same  is  a  perfect  man."—  "If  a  man  think  himself  to  be 
religious,  not  bridling  his  tongue,  but  deceiving  his  own  heart,  this  man's 
religion  is  vain." 

These  and  numerous  other  passages  may  be  cited  to  prove  the  neces- 
sity of  bridling  one's  tongue.  If  this  necessity  exists  for  every  Christian, 
how  much  more  for  every  Tertiary.  Yet  we  wot  of  some  who,  gaged  by 
St.  James's  standard,  are  very  far  from  being  perfect  men  and  women. 
"Being  idle,"  as  St.  Paul  says,  "they  learn  to  go  about  from  house  to 
house,  and  are  not  only  idle  but  tattlers  also,  and  busybodies,  speaking 
things  which  they  ought  not. ' '  Such  gossiping  Tertiaries  are  by  no  means 
so  rare  as  one  might  expect.  On  the  contrary,  almost  every  fraternity 
is  cursed  with  one  or  more  of  them  — contemptible  hypocrites  who  have 
donned  the  garb  of  penance  apparently  for  no  other  reason  than  to  ply 
their  trade  the  more  successfully;  despicable  creatures  whose  only  pur- 
pose in  life  seems  to  be  to  "cut  men's  throats  with  whisperings,"— to 
blacken  their  characters  and  destroy  their  happiness  by  foul  aspersions. 
They  are  nothing  if  not  critical.  No  reputation,  no  virtue  is  safe  from 
their  invidious  attacks.  Indeed,  the  more  respected,  the  more  virtuous  a 
person  is,  the  more  exposed  he  is  to  their  calumnious  strokes.  Woe  to 
the  poor  unfortunate  that  deviates  ever  so  little  from  the  line  of  duty  or 
the  path  of  virtue.  How  they  exult  over  his  slip.  How  ready  they  are 
to  exaggerate,  to  impugn,  to  condemn.  With  what  satisfaction  they  pull 
his  character  to  pieces,  On  occasion,  they  can  "damn  with  faint  praise, 
assent  with  civil  leer;  and  without  sneering,  teach  the  rest  to  sneer." 
No  report  so  evil,  they  must  help  spread  it;  no  scandal  so  infamous,  they 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD  83 


must  exploit  it.  In  short,  they  think  themselves  called  to  sit  in  judg- 
ment over  superiors,  equals,  and  inferiors,  because  they  of  all  mortals 
are  infallible  and  impeccable,  forsooth. 

We  have  said  that  such  gossiping  Tertiaries  are  to  be  found  in  almost 
every  fraternity.  They  are  a  detriment  and  a  disgrace  to  the  Order.  In 
many  places,  they  have  brought  it  into  utter  disrepute.  The  Order  has 
the  right  as  well  as  the  duty  to  eject  such  members  as  are  given  to  gos- 
siping and  backbiting.  We  have  it  on  the  authority  of  Holy  Scripture 
that  "the  man  accustomed  to  opprobrious  words  will  never  be  corrected 
all  the  days  of  his  life."  Let  the  councils,  therefore,  lose  no  time  in  carry- 
ing out  the  scriptural  injunction  to  "cast  out  the  scoffer,  and  contention 
will  go  with  him  (her),  and  quarrels  and  reproaches  shall  cease." 


THE  FAST  OF  THE  SPIRIT 

The  holy  season  of  Lent  has  again  set  in.  This  is  a  time  that  the 
Tertiaries  should  regard  as  peculiarly  their  own.  As  members  of  the  Or- 
der of  Penance  they  are,  indeed,  obliged  to  practice  penance  all  the  year 
round,  but  never  so  much  as  during  Lent.  No  doubt,  many  Tertiaries 
will  be  dispensed  from  observing  the  fast  prescribed  by  the  Church.  Let 
such,  however,  remember  thac  they  are  not  dispensed  from  the  fast  of  the 
spirit,  from  the  mortification  of  their  sinful  sensual  appetites.  Anyhow. 
to  abstain  from  food  would  profit  them  little  if  they  refrained  not  from 
sin.  The  only  reason  why  the  Church  has  enjoined  on  us  abstinence  from 
lawful  things,  is  that  we  might  learn  to  deny  ourselves  in  unlawful  mat- 
ters. To  subject  the  body  to  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  to  God,  that  is  the 
object  of  all  penance. 

"Dearly  beloved,"  says  St.  Leo  in  one  of  his  sermons  on  this  sub- 
ject, "as  we  are  about  to  enter  on  the  mystic  days  piously  instituted  for 
the  purification  of  our  minds  and  bodies,  let  us  endeavor  to  obey  the  apos- 
tolic command  and  cleanse  ourselves  from  every  stain  of  the  flesh  and  of 
the  spirit;  so  that,  by  repressing  the  conflict  raging  between  our  two 
natures,  the  mind,  which,  as  being  under  the  guidance  of  God,  ought  to 
dominate  the  body,  may  attain  to  the  dignity  of  its  dominion.  We  shall 
deserve  the  reprehension  of  the  infidels,  and  wicked  tongues  will  find  in 
our  vices  cause  to  revile  our  religion  if  the  morals  of  those  that  fast  are 
at' variance  with  the  purity  of  perfect  continence.  For  the  essence  of 
fasting  does  not  consist  in  abstaining  from  food  alone.  Indeed,  it  is  use- 
less to  deprive  the  body  of  food,  unless  the  mind  is  restrained  from  sim'" 

►P       ►£       * 

THIRD  ORDER  ACTIVITY 

We  had  occasion  some  time  ago  to  commend  the  efforts  of  a  number 
of  Reverend  Directors  for  the  spread  of  the  Third  Order.  We  have  since 
received  annual  reports  from  four  other  flourishing  fraternities,  connected 
with  St.  Antony's  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Stanislaus  Church,  Cleve- 
land, 0.,  and  St.  Boniface  Church,  San  Francisco,  Cal..  St.  Francis  Church, 
Milwaukee,  Wis.  These  four  fraternities,  under  the  direction  of  FF.  Josa- 
phat,  Cyril,  Ildephonse  o.f.m.,  and  Father  Sebastian,  o.M.  cap.,  are  rapid- 
ly perfecting  their  organization  and  widening  the  sphere  of  their  activity. 

We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  say  a  good  word  for  these  Directors  and 
their  charges.     Social  acitivity  such  as  they  are  developing  is  the  best  re- 


84  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


commendation  for  the  Third  Order.  The  American  people  are  eminently- 
practical.  They  are  impressed  not  so  much  by  ideals  as  by  results.  They 
will  not  easily  affiliate  with  a  society  or  lend  their  support  to  a  movement 
that  promises  them  no  certain  returns  in  vhis  life  or  in  the  next.  They 
are  generous  to  a  fault  when  convinced  of  the  worthiness  of  a  cause,  but 
they  must  be  convinced.  To  prove  to  our  people  that  the  Third  Order  is 
not  living  on  past  glories  only,  that  its  saving  and  regenerating  power  is 
as  great  at  present  as  it  ever  was.  that  it  is  the  one  society  of  which  the 
Church  expects  the  salvation  of  Christian  society  — nothing  is  so  well 
adapted  as  a  comprehensive  program  of  social  action.  But  more  of  this 
another  time.  Regarding  the  Third  Order  and  social  action  we  have 
many  things  "in  head  that  will  to  hand." 

BOOK  REVIEW 

Rev.  Cyril  Buotich,  o.  F.  m.,  has  published  in  pamphlet  form  a  series 
of  eight  lectures  on  Christian  Science  lately  given  by  him  in  St.  Boniface 
Church,  San  Francisco.  Far  from  being  a  course  of  dry-as-dust  sermons, 
these  lectures,  from  the  first  to  the  last,  are  of  absorbing  interest.  This  is 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  author  has  something  to  say  and  knows  how  to 
say  it.  In  other  words,  he  posesses  an  intimate  knowledge  of  his  subject 
as  well  as  the  gift  of  communicateing  it  to  his  hearers  and  readers.  One 
by  one,  he  exposes  the  follies  and  absurdities  of  Christian  Science.  Ruth- 
lessly he  tears  off  the  mask  of  deception  and  hypocrisy  behind  which  this 
fad  has  sought  safety  from  exposure  and  ridicule,  and  reveals  to  us  the 
hideous  skeleton  of  errors  and  contradictions  by  which  it  is  supported.  He 
succeeds  in  proving  beyond  cavil,  not  only  that  Mrs.  Eddy  knew  how  "to 
varnish  nonsense  with  the  charms  of  sound,"  but  that  her  system  of  reli- 
gion, in  its  last  analysis  is  nothing  but  an  attempt  to  destroy  both  science 
and  Christianity.  Not  the  least  charm  of  the  booklet  is  its  popular  style. 
Though  the  reasoning  throughout  is  close  and  cogent,  the  arguments  are 
presented  in  a  style  so  clear  and  vivid  and  accompanied  with  such  a  wealth 
of  illustration  that  they  can  not  but  compel  assent.  All  in  all,  it  is  a  very 
readable  brochure  both  for  the  matter  and  for  the  manner  of  it,  and  makes 
a  valuable  addition  to  the  popular  Catholic  literature  of  the  day.  If  placed 
on  the  book  rack  it  will,  we  think,  find  a  ready  sale. 

Christian  Science  by  Rev.  Cyril    Buotich,    o.f.m.,  St.  Boniface  Church.  San  Fran- 
cisco,1 California.     Price  15  cents. 

<Z<        ►£<         ►& 

Elsewhere  in  this  issue,  there  appears  a  brief  life  sketch  of  His 
Eminence  Diomede  Cardinal  Falconio,  o.f.m.,  who  departed  this  life  on 
February  7.  His  death  deprives  the  Church  of  one  of  her  most  devoted 
sons  and  the  Franciscan  Order  of  its  most  illustrious  member.  It  is  not 
for  us  to  write  his  epitaph.  We  are  pleased  to  note,  however,  that  the  Catho- 
lic press  of  the  country  in  deploring  his  demise  refers  to  him  in  terms  of 
the  highest  praise.  To  our  mind,  the  greatest  encomium  that  could  be 
bestowed  on  him  is  contained  in  these  words  of  The  Sacred  Heart  Review 
echoed  by  other  Catholic  papers: 

"Rank  and  title  did  not  change  the  humble  Franciscan  Friar.  He  re- 
mained to  the  end,  the  true  religious  with  a  mind  single  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  His  confreres  in  the  Franciscan  Order 
esteemed  him  for  his  unfeigned  humility  and  his  strict  observance  of  the 
rules  of  the  monastic  life." 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


85 


BL  AGNES  OF  BOHEMIA 

OF  THE  SECOND  ORDER 


MARCH  2 


THIS  saintly  princess  was  born 
at  Prague,  in  Bohemia,  about 
the  year  1200.  Her  father 
was  Ottocar  I,  King  of  Bohemia; 
her  mother  was  Constance,  sister  of 
Andrew  II,  King  of  Hungary,  the 
father  of  St.  Elizabeth.  From  her 
earliest  infancy,  she  appeared  to  be 
a  child  of  grace  and  gave  signs  of 
future  sanctity. 

At  the  age  of  three,  Agnes  was 
betrothed  to  the  son  of  the  Duke 
of  Silesia.  Soon  after,  she  was 
sent  to  the  monastery  of  Trebnitz, 
in  Silesia,  where  she  was  initiated 
in  the  practice  of  every  virtue  by 
St.  Hedwig.  At  this  tender  age, 
she  showed  in  her  deportment  the 
greatest  modesty  and  recollection. 
She  found  her  delight  in  the  prac- 
tices of  piety,  and  when  the  nuns 
would  go  to  choir  to  recite  the 
divine  office,  the  saintly  child  was 
wont  to  follow  them  into  the  church, 
where  she  prayed  with  the  greatest 
devotion  before  the  images  of  our 
Lord  and  of  his  Blessed  Mother. 

After  three  years,  her  betrothed 
died,  and  Agnes,  at  the  command 
of  her  father,  was  sent  to  a  convent 
at  Doxan,  in  Bohemia,  to  receive 
an  education  becoming  her  rank. 
Here  she  made  great  progress  in 
virtue  and  perfection.  The  Holy 
Ghost  himself,  as  an  old  chronicler 
says,  was  her  teacher,  and  enlight- 
ened her  with  his  grace,  sotRatshe 
surpassed  all  her  companions  in 
knowledge  and  reached  a  degree  of 


learning  and  virtue  far  above  that 
of  one  of  her  age.  The  vanities 
and  amusements  of  her  companions 
had  no  attraction  for  her,  but  she 
found  her  greatest  consolation  in 
visiting  the  church  and  in  conversing 
with  God  in  prayer. 

When  Agnes  had  spent  two  years 
in  the  convent  at  Doxan,  her  father 
called  her  to  his  court.  Here  she 
attracted  the  attention  of  all  by  her 
accomplishments  and  by  the 
genuine  piety  which  shone  forth  in 
her  whole  con-duct,  so  that  she  was 
soon  loved  and  respected  by  all  who 
came  into  contact  with  her.  The 
fame  of  her  virtuous  life  spread  to 
foreign  courts,  and  reached  the  ears 
of  the  Emperor  Frederick  II  of 
Germany,  who  sought  her  hand  for 
his  son  Henry.  The  betrothal  was 
celebrated  with  much  pomp,  and 
Agnes  was  sent  to  the  court  of  the 
Duke  of  Austria  to  learn  the  lan- 
guage and  customs  of  the  Germans. 

Taught  in  the  school  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  young  princess  took  more 
pains  to  advance  in  the  science  of 
divine  love  than  in  the  knowledge 
and  requirements  necessary  for  the 
rank  for  which  she  seemed  destined. 
Amid  the  splendor  and  luxuries  of 
the  court,  she  led  a  life  of  prayer 
and  self-denial.  She  spent  Advent 
and  Lent  in  the  most  rigorous 
abstinence,  partaking  of  nothing 
during  these  times  but  bread  and  a 
little  wine.  She  greatly  desired  to 
consecrate  herself  to  God  by   a  life 


86 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  virginity,  and  to  .this  end,  she 
redoubled  her  prayers  and  gave 
abundant  alms.  Her  prayer  was 
heard  in  an  unforeseen  manner. 
The  marriage  project  was  deferred, 
then  finally  abandoned,  and  Agnes 
was  free  to  return  to  the  court  of 
her  father. 

But  fresh  trials 
came  to  furnish 
Agnes  with  oc- 
casions of  acquir- 
ing greater  mer- 
its. The  Emperor 
Frederick  himself 
now  a  widower, 
asked  her  hand  in 
marriage,  and  the 
young  princess 
was  affianced  to 
him  against  her 
inclinations  and 
solely  by  the  will 
of  her  father.  In 
this  new  trial, 
Agnes  put  all  her 
confidence  in  God; 
she  had  recourse 
to  prayer,  and  to 
works  of  morti- 
ficatio  n  and 
sought  to  draw 
down  the  special 
favor  of  Heaven 
by  charity  toward 
the  poor  and  af- 
flicted. Not  only 
several     hours 


Bl.  Agnes  of  Bohemia 


did  she  spend 
every  evening  in 
prayer,  but  she  frequently  rose  be- 
fore daybreak  and,  accompanied  by 
the  most  devout  of  her  attendants, 
secretly  went  out,  barefooted  and 
clothed  in  a  coarse  garment,  to 
visit  the  churches  and  shrines. 


Meanwhile,  Agnes  found  an  ex- 
cuse for  deferring  her  departure  to 
Germany,  where  the  marriage  with 
the  Emperor  was  to  be  solemnized, 
and  in  her  ardent  desire  to  belong 
entirely  to  God,  she  wrote  to  Pope 
Gregory  IX  and  implored  him  to 
use  his  sovereign 
authority  to  hin- 
der a  marriage  to 
which  she  had  not 
given  her  consent, 
since  she  had 
chosen  the  Heav- 
enly Spouseforher 
bridegroom  long 
before  the  Em- 
peror's proposal. 
The  Pope,  who 
admired  her  pious 
sentiments  and 
approved  her  re- 
solve, sent  a 
legate  to  Bohemia 
to  labor  in  her 
behalf.  The  Em- 
peror, when  in- 
formed of  her 
refusal,  was  at 
first  irritated;  but 
when  he  learned 
the  motive  which 
prompted  the 
pious  princess,  he 
became  calm  and 
freed  her  from  the 
engagement.  "If  she  had  left  me 
for  a  mortal  man,"  he  declared,  "I 
would  have  taken  vengeance  with 
the  sword,  but  I  can  not  take  offence 
because  she  prefers  the  King  of 
Heaven  to  me." 

Now  that  she  was  free,  the  sole 
thought  of  Agnes   was   to  live  for 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


87 


God  alone  in  the  retirement  of  the 
cloister.  Providence  led  her  to 
embrace  the  life  of  the  Poor  Clares. 
In  1232,  the  Friars  Minor  had  come  to 
Prague.  They  were  joyfully  re- 
ceived by  the  people,  and  the  King 
himself  built  their  convent.  When 
Agnes  heard  from  them  of  the  poor 
and  austere  life  of  St.  Clare  and  her 
daughters,  she  at  once  resolved  to 
enroll  herself,  after  their  example, 
under  the  banner  of  poverty.  She 
began  by  selling  her  jewels  and 
costly  garments,  the  proceeds  of 
which  she  distributed  among  the 
poor.  She  founded  a  large  hospital 
in  Prague,  and  endowed  it  with  a 
revenue  large  enough  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  poor  and  sick  of  the 
city.  At  the  same  time,  she 
founded  at  Prague,  a  convent  for 
the  daughters  of  St.  Clare,  under 
the  title  of  St.  Savior,  desiring  to 
summon  them  thither. 

As  soon  as  this  convent  was 
finished,  St.  Clare,  by  orders  of 
Pope  Gregory  IX,  sent  five  of  her 
Sisters,  who  became  the  nucleus  of 
a  fervent  community.  On  Pentecost 
Sunday,  in  1236,  Agnes,  with  seven 
ladies  of  the  highest  nobility,  was 
clothed  with  the  habit  of  the  Poor 
Clares  by  the  Apostolic  Nuncio,  in 
the  presence  of  the  court  and  many 
nobles  of  the  country,  '[n  the  re- 
tirement of  the  cloister,  she  was  a 
shining  light  for  all  its  inmates. 
Exalted  though  she  was  by  her 
birth  and  the  excellent  qualities 
of  her  mind  and  heart,  she  edified 
all  i)y  her  deep  humility.  For  a 
long  time,  she  refused  the  dignity 
of  abbess.  She  was  finally  made  to 
accept  it  under  obedience,    but  she 


soon  resigned  the  title  and  wished 
to  be  known  only  as  the  '  'Elder 
Sister. ' '  It  was  her  delight  to  per- 
form the  most  menial  services  in 
the  cloister,  such  as  sweeping, 
cleaning  the  cells,  and  cooking.  Her 
nights  were  to  a  great  extent 
devoted  to  prayer,  and  her  auster- 
ities were  so  great  as  to  cause  her 
serious  illness.  The  love,  of  Agnes 
for  holy  poverty  was  extraordinary. 
This  virtue  shone  forth  in  every- 
thing she  used:  in  her  dress,  her 
cell,  her  bed,  her  food.  She  refused 
the  income  with  which  the  King, 
her  brother,  wished  to  endow  the 
convent,  and  she  obtained  from  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff,  for  herself  and 
her  Sisters,  a  brief  declaring  that 
they  should  never  be  forced  to 
accept  any  donation  contrary  to 
seraphic  poverty. 

God  favored  Blessed  Agnes  with 
the  gift  of  miracles,  prophecy,  and 
insight  into  the  hearts  of  others. 
She  predicted  to  her  brother  the 
victory  he  gained  over  the  Duke  of 
Austria.  She  knew  by  revelation 
that  her  nephew,  King  Primislas, 
had  been  killed  in  a  combat  with 
Rudolph  of  Habsburg. 

The  servant  of  God  passed  to  her 
eternal  reward  about  the  year  1281, 
after  spending  over  forty  years  in 
the  faithful  practice  of  every  re- 
ligious virtue.  Her  funeral  was 
conducted  by  the  General  of  the 
Order,  Fr.  Bonagratia,  and  her 
precious  remains  were  placed  in  the 
church  of  the  convent  which  later 
took  the  name  of  St.  Agnes.  Pope 
Pius  IX  approved  the  veneration 
which  had  been  shown  her  from 
time  immemorial. 


88 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ACTIVITY  OF  ENGLISH  FRANCISCANS 

By  Fr.  FmnHs  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


DIVINE  Providence  had  special 
designs  in  directing  the  sons 
of  St.  Francis  to  the  shores 
of  England.  "Though  the  Francis- 
can Order  was  founded  at  the  close 
of  the  Middle  Ages,  three  of  its 
features  show  that  its  character  was 
modern.  Its  motive  principle  was 
not  faith,  which,  was  that  of  the 
Middle  Ages,  but  love,  which  marks 
the  modern  spirit.  The  promise  of 
obedience  to  the  Pope  made  by  St. 
Francis  and  succeeding  Ministers 
General  was  unnecessary  at  a  time 
when  Christ's  Vicar  was  universally 
obeyed  as  his  representative;  and 
thus  it  evidently  looked  forward  to  a 
period  of  schism  when  this  obedience 
would  be  made  the  test  of  Catholic 
unity.  Finally,  the  popular  organiza- 
tion of  the  Order  anticipated  the  in- 
creasing influence  of  the  popular  ele- 
ment in  national  life,  which  dates 
from  the  thirteenth  century  and  con- 
tinues to  the  present  day.  'M)  Indeed, 
the  sons  of  St.  Francis  were  destined 
by  God  to  assist  in  a  special  manner  in 
guiding  the  English  nation  through 
a  period  of  political  and  social  tran- 
sition, and  to  prepare  it  by  word 
and  example  for  the  religious  up- 
heaval of  the  sixteenth  century. 
Their  glorious  activity  before  the 
advent  of  Protestantism  shows  how 
nobly  they  acquitted  themselves  of 
this  task  and  made  good  the  testi- 
mony which,  about  1238,  Robert 
Grosseteste,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  bore 
them  in  a  letter   to  Pope   Gregory 


IX:  "Your  Holiness  may  be  sure 
that  in  England  inestimable  bene- 
fits have  been  produced  by  the 
friars:  they  illuminate  the  whole 
land  by  their  preaching  and  learn- 
ing."^ 

When  the  Franciscans  began  to 
live  and  labor  in  England,  serious 
and  critical  problems  confronted 
the  State  as  well  as  the  Church. 
The  crusades  had  introduced  new 
ideas  on  society  and  politics,  which 
gradually  undermined  the  feudal 
system  of  the  Middle  Ages.  Es- 
pecially among  the  country  folk,  till 
then  happy  and  prosperous  under 
the  benign  influence  of  the  monas- 
tic institutions,  a  spirit  of  inde- 
pendence and  discontent  was  plain- 
ly visible.  In  the  towns  whither 
they  fled,  their  spiritual  needs  could 
not  be  sufficiently  provided  for  by  the 
limited  number  of  secular  clergy, 
while  their  own  inexperience  in 
matters  commercial  and  industrial 
soon  put  them  at  the  mercy  of  the 
wealthy  and  selfish  merchant  class. 
Add  to  this  the  constant  clashes  be- 
tween popular  rights  and  royal  pre- 
tensions, and  it  is  easy  to  under- 
stand how  in  the  towns  the  lower 
classes  soon  fell  a  prey  to  poverty, 
ignorance,  and  vice,  and  even  be- 
gan to  drift  away  from  the  Church. 

Here  then  the  sons  of  St.  Francis 
found  an  extensive  field  for  action. 
From  their  humble  friaries,  erected 
in  the  poorest  and  meanest  districts 
of  the  populous  towns,    they  went 


(1)  Hope:    Franciscan  Martyrs  i 
of  Engltth  LUeratura,   Vol.   I,   p.    20.3. 


England,  (London,  1878).  p. 


(2)  Sandys,  in  The  Cambridge Hittory 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


89 


forth  like  angels  of  peace  to  pro- 
claim their  message  of  love  and 
penance  to  all,  and  thus  in  time 
bridged  over  the  gulf  that  lay  be- 
tween the  upper  and  lower  classes. 
We  are  told  that,  on  Sundays  and 
holydays,  they  would  assist  the 
neighboring  parish  priests  in  ad- 
ministering the  sacraments,  preach- 
ing the  word  of  God,  and  catechiz- 
ing the  children.  At  other  times, 
they  would  preach  on  the  open 
street,  where  crowds  eagerly  drank 
in  their  words  of  instruction  and 
consolation.  The  outcasts  of  society, 
who  in  the  suburbs  were  leading  a 
life  of  spiritual  desolation  and  bodily 
squalor,  seem  to  have  had  a  special 
claim  on  their  loving  solicitude.  By 
word  and  example,  they  showed  the 
neglected  poor  how  to  serve  God 
even  in  poverty  and  distress,  taught 
the  wealthy  the  proper  use  of  tem- 
poral goods,  and  exhorted  all  to 
live  in  peace  and  harmony  and  in 
loyal  submission  to  rightful  authori- 
ty. "The  effect  of  such  men  upon 
the  neglected  masses  of  the  popula- 
tion  may   easily   be    imagined 

Lessons  of  patience  and  endurance 
fell  with  greater  persuasion  and 
tenderness  from  lips  of  men  who 
were  living  and  voluntary  examples 
of  what  they  taught.  "ni  If  in  later 
years,  especially  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Reformation,  the  English  na- 
tion at  large  was  devoted  to  the 
Holy  See,  it  was  in  great  part  due  to 
the  sons  of  St.  Francis,  the  fearless 
defenders  of  the  rights  and  preroga- 


tives of  the  Vicar  of  Christ. 

History  tells  us  how  earnestly  the 
English  friars  fostered  the  mystery 
plays  as  a  means  of  popular  instruc- 
tion and  edification.  The  famous 
Coventry  cycle  of  forty-eight  plays 
is  their  work.  On  the  feast  of 
Corpus  Christi,  large  crowds  would 
gather  at  Coventry  and  in  the  neigh- 
boring towns  to  witness  these  re- 
presentations of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament.  (~'  Although  informa- 
tion is  very  meager  regarding  their 
activity  during  the  Black  Death, 
the  fact  that  their  number  was 
greatly  thinned  by  the  terrible 
plague  shows  how  zealously  they 
must  have  heeded  the  call  of  duty 
and  devotion.'3'  During  the  reign 
of  Edward  I,  when  the  persecution 
of  the  Jews  was  at  its  height  and 
a  general  massacre  had  been  de- 
creed, the  friars  interceded,  and 
by  promising  to  work  for  their  con- 
version, obtained  from  the  King  a 
revocation  of  the  decree.  In  later 
years,  Fr.  Nicolas  deLyra  (Harper) 
by  his  writings  and  sermons  is  said 
to  have  converted  more  than  six 
thousand  Jews  to  Christianity. (4) 

This  heroic  and  disinterested  zeal 
for  the  social  uplift  of  the  lower  and 
middle  classes  could  not  escape  the 
notice  of  the  wealthy  and  powerful. 
The  activity  of  the  English  friars  in 
State  and  Church  affairs  is  perhaps 
unexampled  in  the  history  of  the 
Order.  '  'Indeed  almost  numberless 
are  the  instances  of  English  Fran- 
ciscans    being    employed   both  at 


(1)  Brewer:     Monument*   Franciscana,  Preface,  p.  XVII  sqq. (2)  Parkinson:     The  Antiquities  of  the 

English  Franci.ro, is,   (London,   1736),    II,   p.  31 "In   the   year  1483.  Kichard  II I  visi  ted  Coventry  to   seethe 

plays,  and   in    1492.  they  were   acted   in    presence   of   Henry   VII  and  his  queen        Digby:     Mores    Cathotici, 

Vol.  I,  p.  538. (3)  Gasquet  (Black  Death,  p.  132)  says:     "Of  the  Franciscans  at  Winchester  and  boutnarapton. 

only  three  clerics  could  be  presented  for  ordination  in  1347  and  1348.     And  before  the  death  of  the  Lishop  which  oc- 
curred in  1359,  only  two  more  were  presented." (4)  Parkinson,  1.  C,  pp.99. 161 


so 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


home  and  abroad on  public  nego- 
tiations of  the  greatest  import- 
ance." Hardly  were  they  settled 
in  Canterbury,  when  Henry  III 
appointed  Bl.  Agnellus  of  Pisa  to 
his  Privy  Council.  In  1232,  when 
Richard,  the  earl  marshal,  was 
heading  a  rebellion  of  the  barons 
against  the  King,  this  friar  as  the 
King's  plenipotentiary  treated  with 
the  powerful  earl  and  persuaded  him 
to  accept  the  King's  proposals  of 
peace  and  to  put  an  end  to  the  bloody 
strife. (1)  Fr.  Adam  de  Marisco  was  on 
intimate  terms  with  Simon  of  Mont- 
fort  and  with  Robert  Grosseteste, 
Bishop  of  Lincoln.  His  letters  show 
what  an  influence  he  had  on  the  ef- 
forts of  these  two  men  for  the  ec- 
clesiastical and  political  welfare  of 
the  country. (2)  It  is  not  improbable 
that  in  Franciscan  circles  those 
principles  of  civil  liberty  first  were 
clearly  formulated  which  had  al- 
ready been  laid  down  in  the  cele- 
brated Magna  Carta,  and  which  in 
time  led  to  the  constitutional  mon- 
archy of  England. (3)  The  letters 
show  also  how  their  author  encour- 
aged and  counselled  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  in  reforming  the  clergy  of 
his  large  diocese.  In  1241,  after  a 
meeting  of  the  English  bishops  at 
Oxford,  Franciscan  and  Dominican 
friars  were  sent  to  France,  in  order 
to  rouse  the  people  against  Emperor 
Frederic  II,  and  to  remonstrate 
with  him  for  illtreating  the  Pope. l* 
"Many  other  Franciscans,"  says 
Parkinson,  "were  employed  in  the 
several  expeditions  of  the   English 


to  the  holy  wars;  they  being  es- 
teemed the  most  proper  persons  for 
that  work,  both  because  they  were 
famous  preachers  and  inured  to 
mortifications  and  hardships,  and 
likewise  disengaged  from  any  in- 
terest of  this  world.  "(5) 

About  the  year  1286,  Edward  I 
appointed  Fr.  John  de  Sanford,  who 
had  been  chosen  for  the  archbishop- 
ric of  Dublin,  Lord  Lieutenant  of 
Ireland,  and  later  sent  him  as  am- 
bassador to  the  imperial  court.  This 
same  king  placed  such  confidence  in 
the  loyalty  and  discretion  of  Fr. 
William  of  Gaynesbury,  that,  in 
1295,  he  sent  him  together  with  Fr. 
Hugh  of  Manchester  to  the  King  of 
France  to  settle  some  disagreement 
concerning  English  territory  in 
Aquitaine.  Later,  Fr.  William  was 
again  employed  in  negotiating  a 
marriage  between  the  heir  of  the 
English  throne  and  princess  Isabel 
of  France.  Repeatedly,  in  Parkin- 
son's Antiquities  we  find  the  names 
of  Franciscans  whom  the  kings  of 
England  chose  as  their  confessors 
and  advisers. 

In  1401,  a  great  disaster  befell  the 
friars.  It  shows  how  regardless 
they  were  of  royal  favors  and 
how  fearless  in  defending  truth  and 
justice.  When  it  was  rumored  that 
Richard  II,  who  had  been  dethroned 
and  murdered,  still  lived,  the  friars 
believed  the  report  and  openly 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  hapless 
King.  This  exasperated  the  usurper 
Henry  IV  of  Lancaster.  He  had 
several  Franciscans  cast  into  prison ; 


•    i_.  Wlbid.,  pp.  76;9and34.    See  also  An  no  Us  Minorum,  Tom.  I,  p.  846.- 

in  his  Monumenla  Franciscuna  as  he  found  them  in  the  Cottonian    MMS- 


—  (2)  Brewer  published  these  letters 
They  are  of  historical  interest  and 


importance,  since  they  throw  light  on  the  activity  and  influence  of  the  earlv  English   Franciscans. (3)   IIolz 

apfel:     Grxchtchie  den  Frnnziskanerordent,  (Freiburg.   1909),  p.  234. (4)  Uasquet:  Henry  Til  and  The  Church. 


(London.  1P05). 


l.C.,1,1 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


91 


and  when  Fr.  Richard,  guardian  of 
Leicester,  was  asked  by  an  official 
what  he  would  do  if  the  dead  King 
were  really  alive,  he  answered  that 
he  would  fight  for  him  till  death. 
This  bold  reply  cost  him  his  life. 
Subsequently,  eleven  more  friars 
were  imprisoned  and  executed  for 
the  same  reason.  Shortly  after, 
Henry  IV  learned  that  the  friars 
had  acted  in  good  faith  and  that 
they  were  ready  to  acknowledge 
him  their  king  provided  Richard 
were  dead.  Thereupon,  he  renewed 
the  charter  of  the  late  King,  where- 
by he  took  "upon  himself  the  pro- 
tection and  defense  of  the  said 
friars  and  commanded  all  his  sub- 
jects to  treat  them  kindly."  (1) 

In  1235,  and  again  in  1250,  the 
provincial  of  the  English  Francis- 
cans received  a  letter  from  the  Pope 
urging  the  friars  to  use  their  influ- 
ence in  behalf  of  the  crusades;  and 
in  1254,  Pope  Innocent  IV  appointed 
two  English  friars  to  collect  sub- 
sidies for  the  Holy  Land. (2)  In  fact, 
the  Popes  no  less  than  the  kings  re- 
peatedly employed  them  in  this  no- 
ble cause.  How  high  they  stood  in  the 
estimation  of  the  Popes  and  of  the 
English  higher  clergy,  we  see  from 
the  fact  that  so  many  of  their  num- 
ber were  vested  with  episcopal  dig- 
nity and  jurisdiction  in  England,  Ire- 
land, Scotland,  Wales,  and  Italy.  (3) 
In  1246,  Fr.  John  Anglicus  was 
papal  legate  in  England  with  full 
authority  over  all  prelates;  a  few 
years  later,  this  same  office  was 
held  by   Fr.  John   of  Kent  and  by 


Fr.  Adam  de  Marisco.  In  1441, 
Henry  VI  obtained  permission  from 
the  Pope  to  have  Franciscans  reside 
constantly  at  his  court,  and  to  send 
them  to  foreign  rulers  on  important 
state  affairs.  During  the  Exile  of 
the  Papacy,  Fr.  Thomas  Travecham 
and  Fr.  Walter  Cotton  were  sum- 
moned to  Avignon  by  Pope  Bene- 
dict XII  and  appointed  papal  pleni- 
potentiaries/4' 
The  English  friars  were  active 
I  also  in  the  foreign  missions.  This 
J  is  seen  from  the  fact  that  in  1392, 
Fr.  Roger,  an  English  friar  in  the 
Tatary  mission,  was  sent  by  his 
vicar  to  the  Pope  to  solicit  help. 
In  1238,  Fr.  Adam  of  Exeter  died 
on  his  way  to  the  missions  among 
the  Saracens.  Parkinson  mentions 
two  English  friars  who  in  the  same 
missions  suffered  martyrdom  for 
the  faith. (5) 

When  John  Wiclif  was  pervert- 
ing England  by  his  heretical  teach- 
ing, the  Franciscans  of  Oxford  were 
among  the  first  to  oppose  him. 
Learned  theologians  assembled 
at  Oxford  in  1381,  and  Fr.  John 
Tyssington,  a  leading  doctor  of  the 
university,  was  foremost  in  con- 
demning Wiclif's  doctrine  regard- 
ing the  Blessed  Eucharist.  The 
following  year,  on  May  18,  an  ec- 
clesiastical court  was  held  at 
Blackfriars  in  London.  Here  again, 
five  Franciscan  doctors  of  Oxford 
and  Cambridge  were  among  the 
signers  of  the  twenty-four  conclu- 
sions against  the  heretic.  After  the 
death  of  Wiclif,  Thomas  Arundel, 


(1)  Ibid.,  p.  98;  125sqq.;  185,  II..  p.  17. (?)  Annates  Minorum.  Tom.  I.   p.  541,   Tom,   II,   p.   'JO.     See  als. 

Gasquet.  1.  c,  p.  235. (3)  Parkinson  brings  the  names  of  at  least  thirty-five  f 

------  -  -  ut     ro .    loo.    i=n    *,.,. IZ\    J»»a/.*.V('«'i«"»-T(imT\ 


<4)  Parkinson,  1.  V,  I.  p.  67, 
ISO:  39,  41:148,154. 


199:    154   sqq. (6)  Ai 


.*-  friars  who  became  bishops. 

Tom  TV,  p.  292;  Parkinson,  I.e.  I,  pp; 


92 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  held 
a  convocation  at  St.  Paul's  in  Lon- 
don, and  publicly  condemned  the 
eighteen  heretical  propositions 
which  Fr.  William  Woodford  had 
drawn  up  from  Wiclif's  famous 
Trialogue.  Equally  zealous  in  this 
affair  was  Fr.  Thomas  Wolward. 
Finally,  when  a  second  synod  was 
held  at  St.  Paul's,  in  1408,  to 
counteract  and  check  the  spread  of 
the  heresy,  Fr.  William  Butler 
was  chosen  to  preach  before  the 
distinguished  assembly.  (1) 

The  activity  of  the  English  friars 
in  the  field  of  letters  fills  another 
bright  page  of  their  history.  '  'The 
English  nation  has  given  to  the 
Franciscan  Order  a  greater  number 
of  eminently  learned  men  than  all 
the  other  nations  taken  together. 
Yes,  if  we  consider  only  the  lead- 
ers of  the  Minorite  schools,  they 
all  with  the  exception  of  St.  Bona- 
venture  belong  to  England."  (2) 
Before  the  year  1254,  they  had 
thirty  lecturers  of  theology  in  their 
various  convent  schools.  Wood's 
incomplete  catalog  registers  sixty- 
seven  friars  who  had  been  public 
professors  at  Oxford  before  1350; 
and  according  to  another  catalog, 
seventy-two  had  been  similarly  en- 
gaged at  Cambridge  before  the 
middle  of  the  fifteenth  century.  (3) 
They  were  mostly  doctors  of  divini- 
ty, while  many  of  them  exerted  im- 
mense influence  as  regents  and  chan- 
cellors of  the  universities.  Again, 
many  English  friars  were  sum- 
moned to  teach  at  foreign  seats   of 


learning.  "Lyons,  Paris,  and 
Cologne  were  indebted  for  their 
first  professors  to  the  English  Fran- 
ciscans at  Oxford.  Repeated  ap- 
plications were  made  from  Ireland, 
Denmark.  France,  and  Germany 
for  English  friars. "(4) 

Under  their  influence,  sacred 
theology  and  philosophy,  as  well  as 
the  liberal  arts,  were  not  only  great- 
ly promoted,  but  likewise  turned  to 
practical  account.  Parkinson  re- 
marks that  many  English  friars 
wrote  commentaries  on  Sacred 
Scripture  and  on  the  Master  of  the 
Sentences.  Brewer  finds  it  remark- 
able '  'that  the  friars,  the  most  ar- 
dent upholders  of  scholastic  theology 
are  precisely  the  men  who  consti- 
tute the  most  popular  preachers  of 
the  age."  (5)  The  friars  were  the 
first  to  treat  medicine  and  physics 
empirically;  they  gave  a  new  im- 
pulse to  higher  mathematics;  while, 
by  their  zeal  and  enthusiasm  for 
the  classics,  they  paved  the  way 
for  the  Christian  Humanism  of  the 
subsequent  Renaissance  period.  (6> 
English  friars  wrere  also  instrumen- 
tal in  founding  Baliol  College  at 
Oxford,  Pembroke  College  at  Cam- 
bridge, and  a  lecture  hall  at  Paris. 
Probably  through  their  efforts,  the 
art  of  printing  was  introduced  at 
Oxford  as  early  as  1463;  while,  in 
1474,  the  works  of  Scotus  were 
printed  and  published  for  the  first 
time  in  England.  (7)  "In  the  thir- 
teenth century,"  says  Digby,  "the 
Dominicans  and  Franciscans  sur- 
passed all  their  predecessors  in  zeal 


(1)  Parkiuson  I.e.  I,  passim. (2)  Felder:  Studien  im  Franziakanerorden,    (Freiburg,  1904),  p.  316.- 

(3)  Parkinson.  I.  c.  I.  pp.  til:  88,  <>2.    Bee  also    \  „,,.'■, ■>,,  FranrUcana,  Tom.  I.  p.  270  sqq. (4)    Brewer,  I.  e. 

LXXXI. (5)  Ibid.,  p  LI. (6)  Felder,  I.  <■  .  p.-412. (T)  Parkinson,  1.  c,  I.,  i>.  57sqq.  206. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


93 


for  writing  and  collecting  books. "  m 
At  an  early  date,  the  latter  had 
two  libraries  at  Oxford.  Many  of 
the  volumes  had  been  bequeathed 
to  them  by  Bishop  Robert  Grosse- 
teste,  while  a  large  number  of 
Greek  and  Hebrew  works  had  been 
purchased  from  the  exiled  Jews. 

Among  those  who  flourished  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury, Ven.  John  Duns  Scotus  and 
Fr.  Roger  Bacon  hold  the  place  of 
honor.  The  former,  known  as  the 
"Subtle  Doctor",  is  the  founder  of 
the  Franciscan  school  of  scholasti- 
cism. But  we  chiefly  revere  him  as 
the  "Doctor  of  Mary".  When  the 
question  of  Our  Lady's  Immaculate 
Conception  was  dividing  the  most 
learned  theologians  of  the  time,  it 
was  he  who  boldly  proclaimed  and 
defended  this  prerogative  of  the 
Mother  of  God— a  doctrine  which  550 
years  later  was  solemnly  declared  a 
dogma  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Fr. 
Roger  Bacon,  his  contemporary,  is 
styled  the  father  of  experimental 
philosophy.  In  the  natural  sciences , 
he  was  far  in  advance  of  his  time, 
and  even  at  the  present  day  his 
memory  is  honored  in  scientific  cir- 
cles. For  some  marvelous  inven- 
tion of  his,  he  was  accused  of 
witchcraft.  After  the  case  had 
been  closely  examined  in  Rome, 
Pope  Innocent  publicly  exonerated 
the  friar,  adding  that  his  "only 
fault  was  being  wiser  and  more 
knowing  than  others  of  his  time." 
Fr.  Alexander  of  Hales,  the  teacher 
of  St.  Bonaventure  and  St.  Thomas, 
was  the  first  to  systematize  Catholic 
theology.     Fr.  John   Walleys   who 

(1)  Digby:     Mores  Catholic*,  Vol.  IV,  p.  139. 


taught  at  Oxford  and  Paris  wrote 
twenty-two  volumes  on  philosophy 
and  theology.  He  bears  the  title 
'  'Arbor  Vi  tae  -  Tree  of  Li  f  e. "  Fr. 
Hay  mo  of  Faversham,  at  the  com- 
mand of  Gregory  XI,  revised  the 
Roman  breviary  and  missal.  Fr. 
Bartholomew  Anglicus  is  the  author 
of  the  far-famed  De  Proprietatibus 
Rerum.  This  work,  the  first  note- 
worthy encylopaedia,  for  three 
centuries  after,  exerted  a  vast  in- 
fluence on  popular  education.  Fr. 
Richard  Middleton  wrote  an  expo- 
sition of  the  Rule  of  St.  Francis. 
Of  the  long  list  of  English  Francis- 
cans who  besides  the  above-men- 
tioned were  men  of  profound  learn- 
ing, it  will  suffice  to  name  a 
few;  viz.,  FF.  Henry  of  Oxford, 
John  Peckham,  Adam  of  York, 
Ralph  Rose,  John  of  London,  Hugh 
of  Newcastle,  John  Canon,  Adam  of 
Lincoln,  Thomas  Eccleston,  John 
Hilton,  Nicolas  Fackingham,  John 
Lathbery,  William  Hohns,  Robert 
Colman,  William  Goddard,  Robert 
Finningham,  John  Kynton,  and 
Henry  Standish. 

Such  then  was  the  activity  of  the 
English  Franciscans  prior  to  the 
Reformation,  as  wide-spread  and 
vigorous  as  it  was  salutary  and 
providential.  "The  English  Fran- 
ciscans," says  Parkinson,  "were  no 
lazy  drones,  but  active  good  reli- 
gious men,  and  spent  their  time 
well,  to  the  edification  of  their 
neighbor,  as  well  as  for  their  own 
improvement.  Some  of  them  in- 
deed were  wholly  taken  up  in  con- 
templation and  prayer,  but  others 
in  study  and  in  teaching,  others   in 


94  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


preaching  and  instructing,  and  as- 
sisting the  people  in  both  spiritual 
and  corporal  works  of  mercy,  others 
in  writing  out  the   labors   of  their 


learned  brethren  and  all  principally, 
in  the  constant  exercise  of  religion 
and  a  ferverous  tendency  towards 
Christian  perfection. "(]) 


(1)  Parkinson 


"Uly  leUmr-i)  is  Mini' 

(§  my  Seana,  all-ljoly,  bitrinr! 

(Ho  uJljy  iFleatj  ia  oniteb  my  onin 
Anb  ®tjy  Uloob  ta  romminrjleb  uiitlj  mine, 

Anb  (EJjy  Itone  ia  nout  part  of  my  bone. 

Soea  my  Jffaitb.  not  aaanre  me  'tta  ao? 

Baa  ®tjy  Blorb  not  re neale  b  it  to  me ? 
ly  otyy  jlreaenre,  SCorb,  bo  J  not  knoui? — 

®Jjoa  belieuinn,,  3  aak  not  to  aee. 

lUonlb  tttat  J  mere  leaa  atn-ataineb  anb  oieak — 
Glonlb  mate  fitly  my  Sorb  entertain!— 

Honlbat  ulljoo  iljen  more  lomnnly  apeak? 

Woulbat  ©Ijon  not  mitty  me  longer  remain? 

Sut  bow  rolb  my  nmrm'at  wrlrome  mnat  Beem, 
Anb  l|om  poor  %  beat  offnno,  i  make, 

3n  tlje  eyea  of  a  (Sob  all-aunreme, 

HUjo  l|aa  mabe  Bimaelf  naunjjt  for  my  aake! 

Ab,,  Eabboni!  too  amiftly  tb,ey  fly— 

®lje  auieet  momenta  onerfloniing  niitb.  grare, 
Wtyen  tlje  Urtbegroom  of  Hirgina  anb  3 

Are  aa  one  in  ttjia  myatir  embrare. 

— K.  01.,  ©ertiary. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


95 


THE  LATE  MOTHER  LEONARDA,  O.S.F. 


BORN  in  Westphalia,  Germany, 
in  1851,  Mother  Leonarda 
joined  the  Sisters  of  St.  Fran- 
cis in  Olpe,  near  her  native  place, 
and  shortly  after  her  profession,  in 
1878,  came  to  this  country.  She 
went  to  Lafayette,  Indiana,  then 
the  only  foundation  of  her  Order  in 
the  United  States.  Her  superiors 
early  became  aware  of  her  excep- 
tional executive  ability,  and  sent 
her,  in  July  1884,  only  six  years 
after  her  arrival  in  America,  to 
Cleveland  to  found  a  hospital. 

Sister  Leonarda  had  made  her 
novitiate  in  Germany  at  a  time 
when  it  was  a  penal  offense  to  wear 
a  religious  garb  and  her  vocation 
had  strengthened  on  difficulties. 
But  she  and  her  companion,  Sister 
Alexia,  were  hardly  prepared  for 
the  poverty  and  hardships  that 
welcomed  their  coming  to  Cleve- 
land. It  was  through  the  efforts 
of  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  St. 
Joseph's  Church,  especially  of  Rev. 
Fr.  Kilian  Schloesser,  o.f.m.,  that 
they  had  agreed  to  found  a  hos- 
pital in  this  city,  and  an  old  eight- 
room  building  that  had  seen  ser- 
vice as  a  public  school,  a  private 
residence,  and  a  Poor  Clare  convent 
had  been  secured  for  the  venture. 

The  two  Sisters  hardly  dared 
look  at  each  other  as  their  swiftly 
appraising  glances  swept  from  room 
to  room,  and  they  understood  at 
once  that  the  task  before  them  was 
almost  a  work  of  creation  and  that 
they  were  to  be  pioneers  in  a  far 
more  literal   sense  than   they   had 


dreamed.  But  kind  benefactors 
sprang  up  on  every  side,  and  within  a 
month  the  little  hospital  was  ready 
for  its  first  patients.  With  the 
coming  of  two  more  Sisters  from 
Indiana,  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  the  community  was  formally 
organized.  An  amusing  incident 
that  occurred  in  these  early  days 
deserves  mention.  It  is  the  celebra- 
ted first  and  last  lawsuit  against 
St.  Alexis'. 

The  Sisters  kept  a  handsome 
English  coach  dog  which  was  ac- 
customed to  follow  the  hospital  wa- 
gon on  its  rounds.  One  winter 
day,  as  the  conveyance  stopped  in 
front  of  the  post  office,  a  crowd  of 
newsboys  began  to  tease  the  poor 
dog  out  of  patience.  It  turned  on 
one  of  them  at  last,  and  bit  him  in 
the  leg.  Almost  before  the  Sisters 
had  heard  of  the  incident,  suit  was 
brought  against  them.  In  great 
distress,  Mother  Leonarda  went  to 
Bishop  Gilmour.  "Oh,  Bishop,  what 
shall  we  do?"  she  asked  in  great 
distress.  "You  must  get  a  lawyer, " 
said  he.  At  the  sound  of  the 
ominous  word,  she  threw  up  her 
hands.  "Oh,  Bishop,"  she  cried, 
"I've  never  been  near  a  lawyer  in 
my  life!  I  —  I ",  she  stam- 
mered in  comical  despair  but  the 
good  Bishop  drowned  her  protest 
in  peals  of  laughter. 

The  lawyer  was  secured,  sub- 
poenas were  served,  and  the  day 
of  the  trial  came.  That  was  an 
ordeal  harder  than  coming  to  a 
strange    city     alone     and    empty- 


96 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


handed  to  found  a  hospital,  although 
Sister    Leonarda    always     laughed 
heartily     in     later     years     when 
describing  the  occurrence.     "When 
the   case   came   up,    there   was    a 
great  crowd   of  witnesses.     When 
any  of  them  said  something   that  I 
knew  was  not  true,  'He  tells  a  lie!' 
I    cried    out,    and   wondered   that 
everybody     laughed.      The       two 
lawyers    sparred   with   each  other 
about  the  boy  and  the  dog  and  the 
dog  and  the  boy, 
and  when  I  went 
on       the      stand 
trembling,      they 
kept  on   sparring 
in  the  cross-ques- 
tioning.    'Didyou 
have  a  license  for 
the  dog?'   a  man 
kept   asking   me. 
Luckily    I    didn't 
know    what     the 
word  meant.     'If 
they'd  speak  plain 
English,'    I  said, 
while     everybody 
tittered,   'I  might 
be  able  to  under- 
stand.'    We   had 
tried  several  times 
to  send  the  dog  away,    it   was  tes- 
tified, and  the  lawyer  for  the  plain- 
tiff came  back  to  this  point   again 
and  again.     He  was  trying  to  prove 
that  the  dog  was   vicious.     'If  the 
dog  was  not  vicious, '   he   kept  on 
asking,  'why  did  you  want  to  send 
him  away?'     Finally  I  got  provoked 
at  his  persistence.     'Oh.'  I  blurted 
out,  'I  didn't  want  to  feed   such  a 
great  fat  dog!'  and  the   case  closed 
in  our  favor  amid  general  laughter. 


Afterwards,  when  I  asked  Lawyer 
White  how  much  we  owed  him— 
'Nothing,'  said  he  laughing,  'I've 
had  enough  fun  out  of  the  case  to 
pay  me  well.'  " 

As  the  days   sped  on,    the   little 
"two-by-four"  hospital,  as  the  doc- 
tors playfully  called  it,  to  meet  the 
constantly   increasing  demands  on 
its  boundless  charity,  was  enlarged 
by  the  addition  of  a    wing,    which 
was  completed  in  April   1885.     But 
the  Sisters  longed 
for  a  "real"  hos- 
pital     built      for 
hospital   purposes 
with   all    modern 
conveniences  and 
appoi  ntments. 
This    "real"  hos- 
pital     became    a 
reality     in    1897, 
when     the     first 
wing  of  the  pres- 
ent    imposing 
structure  was 
solemnly  dedicat- 
ed, on   October4, 
by  the  Rt.    Rev. 
Bishop  Horst- 
mann.      An    inci- 

Mother  Leonarda,  O.S.F.  dent      Qf      greater 

suggestiveness  than  appears  on  the 
surface  marked  the  completion  of 
the  exterior  of  this  building. 

The  architect  had  drawn  a  plan 
for  the  complete  structure,  and  in 
his  specifications  had  provided  a 
cross  to  crown  the  central  arch. 
This  left  no  cross  to  top  the  highest 
point  of  the  front  of  the  wing. 
When  she  noticed  the  absence  of 
the  saving  symbol,  Sister  Leonarda 
demurred    strongly.       "A   Sisters' 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


97 


hospital  without  a  cross  will  be  like 
a  rooster  without  a  tail,"  said  she. 
'  'Ah,  but  to  have  a  cross  on  this 
wing  will  spoil  the  effect  of  the 
whole  when  it  is  finished,"  objected 
the  architect,  with  an  eye  to  the 
artistic  fitness  rather  than  to  the 
religious  sentiment.  "Yes,  but  it 
will  be  years  and  years  before  the 
rest  of  the  building  is  touched, ' '  held 
out  Sister  Leonarda  stoutly,  "and 
in  the  meantime  we  shall  be  with- 
out a  cross  at  all."  The  architect 
was  obstinate  for  the  harmony  of 
his  design,  and  the  top  of  the  wall 
was  finished  and  sealed— without  a 
cross.  He  soon  learnt,  however, 
that  art  can  not  triumph  with 
impunity  over  a  simple  Franciscan 
nun. 

One  night,  just  after  the  walls 
were  completed,  a  great  storm 
shook  the  building  to  its  founda- 
tions. In  the  midst  of  it,  there  was 
a  crash  and  a  flash  and  a  thud  as  of 
something  falling.  The  next  morn- 
ing, when  the  Sisters  went  out  to  see 
what  damage  had  been  done,  they 
found  that  the  lightning  had  made  a 
zigzag  path  through  thetopmostarch 
of  the  front  wall  of  the  new  building, 
making  a  great  cleft  in  the  nicely 
rounded  stone  molding  that  topped 
it.  "Do  vou  know  the  reason  why  the 
good  Lord  struck  that  particular 
spot  with  his  lightning?"  solemnly 
asked  Sister  Leonarda.of  Mr.  Harks 
later  in  the  day.  "It  was  because 
you  would  not  put  up  a  cross.  Also, ' ' 
she  added,  with  a  characteristic 
mingling  of  practicality  and  piety, 
"I  had  it  insured  a  few  days  ago. 
So  you  will  have  money  enough  to 
repair  the  damage  and  get  a  cross." 


' ' You  shall  have  your  cross,  Sister, ' ' 
capitulated  the  architect,  laughing. 
As  a  symbol  of  the  confidence  of 
these  good  Sisters  in  divine  inter- 
position in  their  behalf,  there  hangs 
in  the  hospital  chapel  an  old  paint- 
ing of  the  Madonna.  The  picture 
hung  formerly  in  a  Franciscan 
church  in  Westphalia  and  was 
associated  with  the  earliest  recollec- 
tions of  Mother  Leonarda.  Through 
some  strange  chance  it  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  Franciscan 
Fathers  in  Cleveland,  and  it  was 
then  but  a  matter  of  a  little  earnest 
pleading  and  coaxing  that  it  found 
its  way  into  the  hospital  chapel.  It 
had  hardly  been  here  a  year  when 
it  met  with  an  accident.  It  was  the 
feast  of  the  Immaculate  Conception, 
and  the  altar  was  burdened  with 
many  lighted  candles.  A  bit  of 
drapery  near  the  base  of  the  picture 
was  ignited,  and  before  the  Sisters 
knew  what  had  happened,  the  quick 
flames  had  licked  their  way  up  the 
side  of  the  painting  which  was 
almost  instantly  veiled  in  fire.  They 
ran  at  once  for  water  and  wet 
sheets,  crying  despairingly  the 
j  while,  "Our  picture,  our  picture!. 
I  It  is  gone!" 

The  fire   department    was  sum- 

J  moned,  but  by  the  time  the  engine 

!  arrived  the  Sisters  had  succeeded  in 

j  extinguishing  the  blaze.     When  the 

i  smoke  cleared  away,  they  hastened 

to  the  picture.     Every  inch  of  the 

|  frame   was    completely   destroyed, 

but  the  canvas  was  firm  and  whole, 

I  not  only   unharmed   but    virtually 

j  unmarred  and  unsmoked.    Had  they 

not  seen  it  burning?    And  yet  here 

it  was,  fresh  and  untouched.     They 


98 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


dropped  on  their  knees  in  fear  and 
thankfulness,  convinced  that  they 
had  witnessed  a  miracle.  That  was 
in  1887.  The  picture  hangs  to-day 
on  the  south  wall  of  the  chapel, 
none  the  worse  for  its  bath  of  fire, 
as  any  visitor  may  see. 

The  same  kind  Providence  that 
preserved  this  painting  from  injury, 
also  kept  its  protecting  hand 
stretched  forth  over  her  who  was 
the  very  life  and  guiding  spirit 
of  St.  Alexis'.  Thus  it  happened  in 
the  early  days  of  the  hospital  when 
her  presence  was  so  necessary  to 
the  growing  institution,  that  a 
patient  was  received  one  day  who 
seemed  to  be  suffering  from  extreme 
nervousness.  His  size  and  strength 
were  so  great  that  he  was  known  as 
"the  big  man."  He  had  a  habit  of 
gazing  morosely  into  space  for  hours 
at  a  time,  and  following  Sister 
Leonarda  with  a  sidelong,  baleful 
glance  that  might  have  warned 
more  experienced  observers.  He 
went  out  into  the  garden  one  morn- 
ing while  the  little  community  was 
at  Mass,  and  at  ten  o'clock  one.  of 
the  Sisters  came  to  the  superioress 
to  tell  her  that  "the  big  man" 
wished  to  see  her  in  the  yard.  She 
was  engaged  just  then,  and  at 
eleven  o'clock  another  summons 
came,  more  peremptory  than  the 
first.  Other  calls  followed,  but  it 
was  not  until  after  the  early  dinner 
hour  that  Sister  Leonarda  was  able 
to  seek  out  her  recalcitrant  patient. 
She  paused  in  the  doorway  as  she 
saw  him  standing  in  the  middle  of 
the  garden,  one  arm  in  a  sling,  the 
other  hand  thrust  in  his  pocket. 
She  called  to  him  cheerily,  and  he 


started  suddenly  toward  her.  Just 
then  her  bell  rang,  and  she  turned 
quickly  into  the  house.  Almost  at 
the  same  moment  there  was  a  shot, 
and  a  bullet  whizzed  through  the 
door.  There  was  another  shot,  and 
another.  "The  big  man"  rushed 
into  his  room,  shooting  one  patient 
in  bed,  and  a  nurse  who  tried  to 
stop  him,  speeding  bullets  into  the 
wall  and  the  ceiling,  and  finally 
beating  his  own  head  with  the  barrel 
of  his  empty  revolver.  If  it  had 
not  been  for  the  sound  of  her  bell 
just  at  the  instant  when  the  maniac 
raised  his  arm  to  shoot,  nothing 
could  have  saved  Mother  Leonarda's 
life.  "And  the  wonderful  thing 
about  it,"  she  was  wont  to  add 
musingly,  when  relating  the  inci- 
dent, "is  that  I've  never  been  able 
to  find  out  who  rang  that  bell." 

"That  is  the  only  real  fright  I've 
ever  had,"  she  continued  to  relate 
on  one  occasion,  "although  I  had  a 
burglar  too,"  and  she  smiled  remi- 
niscently.  "One  night,  one  of  the 
Sisters  came  to  me  trembling  to  say 
that  there  was  a  man  under  a  bed 
in  the  surgical  ward.  I  hastened 
there,  and  sure  enough,  there  was 
a  man's  leg  protruding  from  under 
the  foot  of  the  bed.  'Who's  this? 
who's  this?'  I  cried,  pulling  at  the 
foot  with  all  my  might.  'It's  my 
leg,'  growled  the  man  in  bed,  sud- 
denly waking  up.  'I  just  took  it 
off.'  Imagine  my  feelings  when  I 
found  that  I  had  been  tugging 
away  at  a  wooden  leg!" 

Mother  Leonarda's  whole  life 
was  one  of  sublime  devotion  to  the 
needs  of  the  sick  and  poor.  Yet 
the    thirty-one    years     of    contact 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


99 


with  the  world,  of  wrestling  with 
perplexities,  of  meeting  with  per-  j 
sons  of  all  classes  and  conditions 
did  not  affect  the  simplicity  and 
humility  of  her  character.  Hers 
was  a  heart  filled  with  simple  child- 
like faith  and  confidence  in  an  all- 
good  God,  and  if  much  was  given 
her  during  the  long  years  that  she 
stood  at  the  head  of  St.  Alexis' 
Hospital,  it  was  because  she  be- 
lieved and  hoped  and  loved  much. 
It  was     beautifully     said    of  her: 

Where  others  worry,  Sister  Leonar- 
da  prays.  Where  others  contrive, 
she  trusts.  Where  others  despair, 
she  challenges.  And  where  others 
fail,  she  succeeds."  Moreover  she 
was  gifted  with  an  unquenchable 
sense  of  humor,  and  had  the  rare 
grace  to  take  in,  in  a  solution  of 
fun,  all  the  little  incongruities, 
absurdities,  and  anomalies  that 
enliven  human  life  even  under  its 
saddest  aspects. 

But  when  the  venerable  nun  re- 
turned from  Europe,  in  December 
1914,  she  was  sick  at  heart.  She 
had  gone  there  to  visit  the  home  of 
her  childhood  in  the  hope  of  recov- 
ering her  shattered  health.  But 
she  was  disappointed.  Instead  of 
peace  and  rest,  she  found  the  dis- 
tressing scenes  of  war.  And  al- 
though she  had  been  accustomed  to 
seeing  the  terrible  ravages  of  sick- 
ness and  crime  in  the  human  body 
during  her  many  years  in  the  hos- 
pital, yet  the  awful  sight  of  wound- 
ed   soldiers    and   armed   camps   of 


war  produced  such  a  shock  on  her 
mind  that  she  never  fully  recovered 
from  it.  She,  whose  arms  were 
ever  outstretched  to  gather  in  suffer- 
ing humanity,  regardless  of  creed, 
race,  or  color,  and  whose  heart 
burned  with  love  for  all  men,  could 
not  contemplate  the  horrors  of  the 
great  European  conflict  without 
experiencing  the  greatest  commis- 
eration for  the  nations  engaged. 

As  the  days  and  wreeks  wore  on, 
her  bodily  pains  increased;  but  she 
bore  all  with  unutterable  patience 
and  cheerfulness,  until  at  last  her 
pious  soul  was  freed  from  its 
earthly  bondage  and  took  its  flight 
to  a  better  world  on  November  9, 
1916.  All  Cleveland  mourned  her 
death,  and  at  her  funeral  persons 
from  every  walk  in  life  crowded 
the  spacious  St.  Joseph's  Church  to 
pay  her  the  last  earthly  tribute. 
Franciscan  to  the  core  of  her  heart, 
she  had  always  shown  a  marked 
preference  for  the  sick  poor,  and 
the  tears  of  sorrow  shed  at  her  bier 
by  the  poor  working  men,  whom 
she  had  so  tenderly  cared  for  and 
nursed  back  to  health,  were  per- 
haps the  best  tribute  to  her  won- 
derful charity.  "Her  example," 
said  the  Right  Rev.  John  P.  Farrel- 
ly,  Bishop  of  Cleveland,  who  offici- 
ated at  the  solemn  obsequies  and 
preached  an  eloquent  sermon  over 
the  mortal  remains  of  the  humble 
nun,  "her  example  was  an  inspi- 
ration to  those  about  her.  Her 
work  will  live  forever!" 


100  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


And  giving  thanks 


THANKSGIVING 

0  supreme  thanksgiving  of  the  holy  Mass  in  which  the  eucharistic 
Victim  is  our  thanksgiving  and  thanks  with  us  and  for  us.  Gratias 
agamus  Domino  Deo  nostro—  "Let  us  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  our 
God."  Prepare  thyself,  0  my  soul,  to  meetly  join  with  thy  divine  Lord 
in  this  great  eucharistic  sacrifice  which  he  offers  through  his  anointed 
priests;  prepare  thyself,  lest,  haply,  being  too  much  oppressed  with  the 
sense  of  thine  own  miseries,  thou  shouldst  find  thyself  out  of  tune  with 
the  spirit  of  the  holy  mysteries.  My  soul,  thou  art  poor  and  miserable, 
but  let  us  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  our  God.  Thou  art,  perchance,  weighed 
down  with  many  troubles  and  anxieties,  with  many  perplexi.ties  and  fears 
on  account  of  thy  frailties  and  sins,  but  let  us  give  thanks.  Thou  art 
encompassed  with  the  infirmities  of  the  flesh,  and  art  like  a  weary  pilgrim 
traveling  in  this  vale  of  tears,  but  still  let  us  give  thanks.  "Let  us  give 
thanks  to  the  Lord  our  God;  it  is  meet  and  just." 

For  this  purpose  let  me  picture  our  divine  Lord,  our  great  High 
Priest,  with  his  sacred  Heart  uplifted  in  thanksgiving  to  the  Eternal 
Father  at  the  table  become  an  altar  in  the  upper  room  of  the  Cenacle— 
"And  giving  thanks,  he  broke"  (Luke  22,  19). 

"Giving  thanks."  0  divine  Savior,  could  I  but  know  even  in  a  limit- 
ed degree  the  sentiments  with  which  thou  didst  make  that  perfect  thanks- 
giving, how  confidently  would  I  express  them  to  God,  and  how  far  more 
acceptable  they  would  be  than  a  thousand  aspirations  that  I  could  frame. 
But  let  me  at  least  offer  them  to  the  Eternal  Father  as  a  closed  casket  of 
secret  treasure.  And,  as  many  instruments  which  sound  feeble  when 
played  alone  are  yet  acceptable  to  the  ear  when  joined  in  chorus  with 
others,  so  may  my  unworthy  aspirations  of  thanksgiving  be  acceptable  to 
the  ear  of  God  when  joined  with  the  thanksgiving  which  my  divine  Lord 
makes  by  his  consecrated  priests  amid  the  exultation  of  saints  and  angels. 

In  order  that  this  may  be  so,  however,  my  heart  should  be  attuned 
beforehand  in  the  stillness  of  holy  contemplation  so  as  to  give  forth  notes 
in  accord  with  the  harmony  of  that  august  thanksgiving  to  the  eternal 
and  triune  Majesty.  To  attune  my  heart  for  the  thanksgiving  of  the  holy 
Mass,  let  me  contemplate  the  treasures  and  fruits  of  the  holy  and  blessed 
Passion  of  my  divine  Savior  and  his  sacred  Heart  burning  with  charity 
and  desires  toward  us. 

What  priceless  treasures  of  pardon  and  forgiveness,  of  peace  and  re- 
conciliation with  God  after  so  many  trangressions  have  come  to  me  from 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  101 


the  bloody  tree  of  the  Cross!  How  abundantly  the  graces  of  God  to  en- 
lighten and  to  console,  to  heal  and  to  quicken,  to  encourage  and  to  strength- 
en in  life's  great  struggle  have  been  flowing  unceasingly  from  the  foun- 
tain of  salvation  that  was  opened  on  Calvary's  dark  mount  when  my 
Savior  bled  and  died!  What  sublime  lessons  of  obedience,  of  meekness 
and  forgiveness,  of  devotion  and  charity,  of  fortitude  and  perseverance 
does  not  the  Crucified  Savior  teach  me  to  smooth  the  rugged  path  of 
virtue  that  alone  leads  to  heaven's  joys!  . 

But  whence  did  all  these  good  things  issue  if  not  from  the  adorable 
Heart  of  Jesus,  the  seat  of  that  sublime  charity  that  delighted  to  pay  the 
bloody  ransom  for  man's  salvation?  What  fathomless  abyss  of  redeem- 
ing mercy  and  love  is  not  this  ever  blessed  Heart!  Who  shall  be  able  to 
comprehend  what  is  the  "breath  and  length  and  height  and  depth"  of 
this  "charity  of  Christ  which  surpasseth  all  knowledge"  (Ephes.  3,  19)? 

Lastly,  let  me  recall  how  this  adorable  Heart  is  living  and  burning 
ever  with  desire  to  give  me  not  only  his  choicest  gifts  and  graces  pur- 
chased at  so  high  a  price  but  even  Himself  in  the  blessed  mystery  of  the 
Eucharist.  There  my  poor,  sinful  heart  may  repose  upon  the  Heart  of  my 
Redeemer,  not  outwardly,  as  St.  John's  did,  but  in  closer  and  even  holier 
union,  and  draw  life  and  grace  and  immortality  from  their  very  fountain 
head,  while  my  frail,  perishable  body  becomes  the  temple  of  God,  the 
tabernacle  of  my  Lord,  the  abode  however  humble  of  my  divine  Savior. 
What  a  sweet  privilege  of  love  to  a  worthless  child  of  earth  given  so  graci- 
ously, so  bounteously  by  Him  who  delights  in  being  forever  with  the 
children  of  men! 

Must  not  the  contemplation  of  all  these  marvels  of  love  divine  fill  my 
heart  with  gratitude  deep  and  strong,  and  incite  me  to  send  forth  the 
most  ardent  aspirations  of  thanksgiving  to  my  Lord  and  God?  Let  me, 
therefore,  join  with  angels  and  saints  to  offer  the  sublime  sacrifice  of  the 
Eucharist  to  give  thanks  to  the  Lord  our  God  for  the  multitude  of  his 
gifU  and  the  immensity  of  his  bounty.  "My  heart  is  ready,  0  God,  my 
heart  is  ready;  I  will  sing  and  will  give  praise,    with  my   glory.     Arise, 

psaltery  and  harp I  will  praise  thee,  0  Lord,  among  the  people,  and  I 

willsing  unto  thee  among  the  nations;  for  thy  mercy  is  great  above  the 
heavens"  (Ps.  107,  2-5).  I  will  give  thanks  to  thee,  0  Lord  and 
Father,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  blessings  in  Christ  (Ephes.  1,  3). 
Through  Him  and  with  Him  I  give  thanks  to  thee  and  praise  thy  glorious 
name. 


102 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 

XXVII 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  BnqeUiardt,  O.F.M. 


THUS  far  the  Lipan  Apaches  had 
given  no  cause  to  doubt  their 
sincerity  in  demanding  a 
mission  for  their  own  territory.  On 
various  occasions,  indeed,  they  had 
proved  their  friendship  for  the 
Spaniards  when,  as  Fr.  Arricivita 
remarks,  it  would  have  flattered 
their  pride  and  savage  instincts 
to  proceed  in  a  different  manner. 
They,  for  instance,  warned  the 
mission  people  not  to  venture  out 
alone  from  the  presidio,  because  the 
Julimes  had  joined  the  Natages 
who  were  on  the  warpath  against 
the  whites  on  the  Rio  Grande. 
This  information  was  soon  cor- 
roborated in  a  sad  way.  A  party  of 
eight  soldiers,  accompanying  Fr. 
Francisco  Xavier  de  Silva  of  the 
College  of  our  Lady  of  Guadalupe, 
Zacatecas,  was  attacked  and  mas- 
sacred. Troops  ordered  out  to 
recover  the  bodies  of  the  slain  found 
that  a  desperate  fight  must  have 
taken  place,  but  that  the  savages 
had  carried  away  their  dead  and 
and  wounded  so  that  it  could  not  be 
determined  to  which  tribe  the 
murderers  belonged.  On  closer 
examination,  however,  it  was  dis- 
covered that,  in  their  haste  to 
escape,  the  Indians  had  overlooked 
the  bodies  of  two  dead  warriors,  one 
of  whom  proved  to  be  a  Julime  and 


the  other  a  Natage  Apache. (1) 

On  another  occasion  a  Spaniard 
had  wandered  far  away  from  his 
home.  Suddenly  he  saw  himself 
surrounded  by  fifteen  Lipan 
Apaches.  He  regarded  himself  as 
lost;  but  instead  of  harming  him, 
the  Lipans  gave  him  something  to 
eat  and  placed  him  on  the  right 
road.  Similar  conduct  on  the  part 
of  all  the  Lipans  showed  that  they 
desired  to  be  on  good  terms  with 
the  mission  people. 

A  stronger  evidence  of  their  good 
will  Fr.  Arricivita  saw  in  their 
eagerness  to  hear  the  divine 
truths  explained  while  staying  in 
the  vicinity  of  San  Antonio.  In  a 
comparatively  short  time,  these 
Lipans  had  mastered  the  necessary 
points  of  Catholic  faith  and  morals 
so  that  the  Fathers  under  other 
circumstances  would  have  admin- 
istered the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  to 
their  redskin  pupils.  They  were 
not  admitted,  however,  except  when 
at  the  point  of  death.  It  was 
argued  that  these  poor  savages, 
despite  their  sincerity  and  good  will, 
would  ere  long  return  to  their 
desert  or  mountain  rancherias 
where  they  would  have  to  continue 
without  priestly  supervision  and 
guidance.  If  white  people  in  such 
conditions  frequently  prove  disloyal 


(1)    Fr.  Arricivita  neglects  to  state  the  year  of  Fr.  Silva's  violent  death.     From 
Bolton's  Texas  in  the  Middle  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  p.  79,  we  learn  that  it  was  1749. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


103 


to  their  holy  faith,  what  security 
could  the  fickle  character  of  the 
Indian  offer  for  perseverance? 
Hence  it  was  that  only  the  dying, 
to  the  number  of  sixty  adults  and 
children,  received  Baptism,  and  all 
passed  away  soon  after.  A  few  of 
the  Ipandes  (Lipans),  who  previ- 
ously had  abandoned  their  tribal 
relations  and  joined  the  Mission  of 
San  Antonio  permanently,  also 
were  baptized  by  Fr.  Mariano  de 
los  Dolores,  after  they  had  passed 
the  time  of  probation  satisfactorily. 

At  last,  the  desires  of  both  the 
missionaries  and  of  the  Apaches 
were  to  be  realized.  In  June  and 
July,  1753, (2)  Lieutenant  Juan 
Galvan  and  Fr.  Miguel  Aranda, 
under  orders  from  Viceroy  Revilla 
Gigedo,  raised  a  company  at  San 
Antonio  and  explored  the  region  of 
the  Pedernales  in  search  of  a  site 
suitable  for  a  mission.  Since  this 
locality  did  not  afford  the  requisite 
timber,  stone,  and  water,  the 
expedition  passed  on  to  the  Rio  San 
Saba,  where  a  highly  desirable 
location  was  discovered. 

"We  went  to  the  San  Saba," 
Fr.  Aranda  joyfully  reported  to  Fr. 
Presidente  Benito  Fernandez  de 
Santa  Ana,  "which  offered  good 
land,  stone,  and  wood.  The  Indians 
received  us  with  marks  of  great 
satisfaction,  and  manifested  an 
eager  desire  to  see  themselves  in  a 
mission.  I  wanted  to  visit  a 
rancheria  alone,  and  therefore  asked 
the  lieutenant  not  to  give  me  an 
escort,  in  order  to  disabuse  those 


who  claimed  that  the  Apaches  only 
feigned  peace.  That  officer  con- 
sented to  the  extent  that  he  obliged 
me  to  take  but  one  soldier  along.  I 
received  from  the  Indians  every- 
where such  proofs  of  affection  as  I 
do  not  receive  even  in  my  own 
mission .  I  gave  them  some  tobacco, 
pinole  (ground  corn),  and  sugar. 
They  were  so  well  pleased  that  they 
wanted  to  load  me  with  their  home 
products,  asked  me  to  stay  among 
them  and  to  tarry  at  least  till  night 
before  returning  to  our  camp.  I  met 
with  the  same  reception  at  another 
rancheria  where  we  found  fifty- 
eight  Indians  with  their  chief  who 
told  me  that  if  I  waited  two  days  I 
should  see  a  great  multitude.  Here 
on  the  same  day  we  constructed  a 
Cross  which  we  bore  in  procession, 
meanwhile  praising  God  and  his 
most  pure  Mother.  The  natives, 
too,  venerated  the  Cross;  and  when 
they  observed  that  the  Spaniards 
would  kiss  my  hand,  they  did  like- 
wise."^ 

Notwithstanding  that  Lieutenant 
Galvan  made  a  similarly  favorable 
report,  and  that  Fr.  Presidente 
Mariano  Francisco  de  los  Dolores 
emphasized  Fr.  Aranda's  state- 
ments in  a  special  letter  to  the 
viceroy,  there  were  more  exasperat- 
ing delays  and  annoying  demands 
for  proofs  of  Apache  sincerity.  Fr. 
Mariano  had  written :  '  'It  is  certain 
that  these  Indians  are  pacified 
and  that  they  desire  to  be  converted 
to  Christianity;  but,  as  all  are  of  a 
roving    disposition,    slaves   to  un- 


(2)  See  Bolton's  Eighteenth  Century  already  quoted,  p.  80.     Fr.  Arricivita  again 
overlooked  the  dates. 

(3)  Arricivita,  pp.  358-350. 


104 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


bridled  freedom,  in  order  to  have 
them  settled  and  Christianized, 
there  is  need  of  some  respect  for 
military  arms,  without  which 
missions  can  never  be  maintained, 
because  at  the  least  dislike  of  work, 
or  from  some  other  slight  motive, 
they  will  desert,  and  then  doubt- 
less vent  their  spite  on  the  mission- 
aries, as  has  been  their  custom 
heretofore." 

Fr.  Benito  de  Santa  Ana,  having 
in  vain  for  three  years  at  the  capital 
of  Mexico  urged  the  founding  of 
missions  among  the  Apaches,  at 
length  lost  heart  and  asked  permis- 
sion to  retire  to  his  College  on  ac- 
count of  infirmity.  The  College 
superiors  then  appointed  Fr. 
Francisco  Crespo  with  instructions 
to  continue  pressing  the  matter 
before  the  viceroyal  court. 

While  Fr.  Crespo  held  the  dis- 
agreeable position  of  pleader  for 
the  Indians  with  the  unsympathetic 
politicians  at  the  capital,  Fr.  Felix 
Varona,  having  found  that  the 
Lipan  Apaches,  at  all  events,  had 
kept  the  peace  for  eight  long  years, 
started  a  mission  for  them  at  a 
place  called  San  Roderigo,  near  the 
Rio  Grande.  A  brushwood  chapel 
was  erected  in  January  1755,  and 
activities  continued  until  October  4, 
of  the  same  year,  when  the  Indians 
ran  away  in  the  dead  of  night.  The 
Fathers  laid  the  blame  to  lack  of 
military  guards.     The  incident,  at 


any  rate,  proved  that  the  mission- 
aries were  right  in  their  contention 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
Christianize  so  wild  a  people  unless 
they  were  compelled  to  settle  down 
in  one  locality,  and  kept  at  the  mis- 
sion through  some  slight  military 
restraint. (4) 

This  must  be  tedious  reading, 
notwithstanding  that  many  details 
have  been  omitted  in  order  not  to 
weary  the  reader.  So  much  had  to 
be  related-in  order  that  it  might  be 
clearly  seen  to  what  vexations  the 
missionaries  had  to  submit  in  their 
efforts  to  reach  and  save  the  souls  of 
the  natives  under  Spanish  rule.  They 
were  not  free  to  go  among  the 
savages  without  guards;  and  yet  for 
long  periods  of  time  the  guards 
would  not  be  furnished  them  as  long 
as  other  demands  on  the  royal  treas- 
ury were  awaiting  adjustment,  no 
matter  how  loudly  the  souls  of  the 
Indians  clamored  for  the  right  to 
become  Christians.  While  the  case 
was  pending  with  the  politicians  and 
the  viceroy  at  the  Mexican  capital,  to 
omit  further  tedious  recital  of  mis- 
sionary efforts,  a  gentleman  stepped 
in  and  offered  to  pay  out  of  his  own 
pocket  all  the  expenses  of  establish- 
ing a  mission  among  the  Apaches  if 
the  viceroy  would  but  grant  the 
permit.  That  cleared  away  the 
obstacles,  as  we  shall  see  in  our 
next  installment. 


(4)    Arricivita,  p.  359-361. 


FRANCISCRN  HERALD 


105 


MY  LAST  VISIT  TO  ATEMOIE 


By  Fr.  Odoric,  O.F.M. 


IT  was  Sunday  night  a  few 
weeks  ago.  I  sat  alone  in  my 
little  room  after  the  day's  work. 
A  fierce  storm  raged  without;  the 
wind  howled  dismally  through  the 
trees,  dashing  the  falling  snow  wild- 
ly hither  and  thither,  heaping  up 
huge  drifts  against  my  door  and 
making  me  virtually. a  prisoner  in 
my  own  house.  Although  I  had  a 
brisk  fire  blazing  brightly  in  my 
stove,  still   the   cold   wintry   wind 


the  two  were  frequent  visitors  at 
my  house,  begging  for  old  clothes, 
tobacco,  money,  and  other  articles 
according  as  their  few  needs  de- 
manded. After  his  death,  some 
years  ago,  old  blind  Atemoie  found 
a  loving  protector  in  one  of  her 
grandchildren.  But  she,  too,  soon 
passed  away,  and  my  old  friend  was 
again  alone  in  the  world.  It  was 
then  that  blind  old  Ojinawegijigok- 
we,  a  companion   in  misery,    took 


Picturesque  Lac  Courtes  Oreilles 


found  its  way  into  my  little  room, 
and  I  was  far  from  comfortable. 
But  I  could  not,  dared  not,  complain, 
when  I  thought  of  countless  others 
who  were  at  that  moment  faring 
far  worse  than  I,  and  when  I  re- 
called in  particular  my  last  visit  to 
dear  old  Atemoie,  living  alone  in 
her  miserable  wigwam  on  the  wind- 
swept shores  of  Lac  Courtes  Oreilles. 
While  Tabassibines,  her  good  and 
faithful   husband,    was   still   alive, 


pity  on  Atemoie.  Ojinawegijigok- 
we,  or  Ojinaw,  as  we  shall  call  her, 
is  a  cheerful,  sunny  old  Indian 
woman  in  spite  of  her  blindness, 
and  the  two  made  pleasant  com- 
pany for  each  other,  never  a  quar- 
rel or  misunderstanding  occurring  to 
mar  their  friendship.  They  did  not 
live  together,  however,  for  Atemoie 
preferred  to  live  alone.  So  Ojinaw 
and  her  husband  built  a  wigwam 
for  their   blind    friend    near  their 


106 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


own  little  shack. 

The  Indian  women  of  the  North 
are  experts  at  building  wigwams. 
They  select  long  poles  from  two  to 
three  inches  thick  at  the  base  and 
plant  them  securely  in  the  ground 
in  the  form  of  a  circle  about  eight 
to  ten  feet  in  diameter.  The  tops 
of  the  poles  are  then  fastened  to- 
gether forming  an  arched  ceiling. 
This  framework  of  poles  is  covered 


outlive  the  frightful  cold  of  the 
present  winter.  Accordingly,  I  re- 
solved to  visit  her  and  bring  her  the 
last  sacraments,  since  she  might 
die  any  day.  After  a  drive  of  five 
miles,  I  reached  the  humble  wig- 
wam. Blind  Ojinaw  was  there 
when  I  arrived,  and  she  assisted 
me  while  I  administered  the  sacred 
rites. 
The  wigwam  was  about  eight  feet 


Atemoie  and  Tabassibines  after  a  visit  to  the  Missionary 


with  birch  bark  to  keep  out  the 
rain  and  snow.  A  hole  is  left  in  the 
roof  for  the  stove-pipe  and  an- 
other hole  on  one  side  usually  cov- 
ered with  an  old  sack  or  a  piece  of 
blanket  serves  as  a  door. 

It  was  in  such  a  miserable  hut 
that  my  good  friend  Atemoie  had 
already  spent  more  than  ninety 
winters.  But  as  she  was  daily 
growing  more  and  more  feeble,  I 
feared  greatly  that  she   would   not 


wide  and  seven  feet  high.  In  the 
center  stood  a  small  stove  with  a 
rusty,  rickety  chimney  that  was  in 
imminent  danger  of  toppling  down. 
Beside  the  stove,  on  the  frozen 
ground,  wrapped  in  rags  and  old 
blankets,  lay  poor  Atemoie  sound 
asleep.  Ojinaw  awoke  her  friend 
and  told  her  that  the  priest  had 
come  to  see  her.  Atemoie  raised 
herself  at  once,  with  the  assistance 
of  Ojinaw,  to  welcome    me.     "Do 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


107 


you  want  to  go  to  Confession,  Ate- 
moie?"  I  asked  kindly.  "Of 
course,"  was  the  reply;  "I  will  go 
to  Confession."  "But did  you  com- 
mit any  sins?"  I  asked  again. 
"What?  Commit  sin?"  she  queried 
in  surprise.  "How  could  I,  an  old 
woman,  commit  sin?" 

After  administering  the  holy  sa- 
craments, I  gave  her  an  alms,  and 
asked  her  why  she  did  not  live  with 
Ojinaw,  whose  wigwam  was  at  least 
a  little  more  comfortable.  "Oh," 
she  replied,  "I'd  rather  stay  here  by 
myself,  for  here  I  don't  bother  any- 
one, and  can  better  attend  to  my 
wants. "  The  old  Indians  are  quite 
accustomed  to  this  manner  of  living 
and  seem  to  prefer  their  weather- 
beaten  wigwams  to  the  most  beauti- 
ful houses.  Yet,  what  must  not  a 
person  like  Atemoie,  blind,  old,  and 
sick  unto  death,  endure  in  such  a 
hovel.  Her  only  companions,  be- 
sides Ojinaw,  who,  however,  was 
not  constantly  with  her,  were  a  dog 


and  a  chicken.  When  I  entered  the 
wigwam,  Ojinaw  ordered  these  two 
faithful  friends  of  the  aged  woman 
out  with  a  stern  "Ikkogan!"  But 
they  did  not  heed  the  order  and 
nestled  closer  to  their  blind  mistress, 
as  if  to  say,  "She  has  always  been 
good  to  us;  why  should  we  leave 
her  now?" 

Bidding  Atemoie  good  bye,  1  re- 
turned home.  But  on  the  follow- 
ing Sunday  night,  as  I  sat  in 
my  room  listening  to  the  cold  north 
wind  storming  furiously  outside, 
my  thoughts  constantly  reverted  to 
that  miserable  little  wigwam  on  the 
shore  of  Lac  Courtes  Oreilles  where 
I  had  left  good  old  Atemoie  bundled 
up  in  her  rags  and  blankets.  I  did 
not  know  that  God's  holy  angel  had 
come  from  heaven  the  day  after  my 
visit  and  had  borne  the  pure  soul  of 
the  good  old  Indian  woman  from 
her  cold  and  dreary  wigwam  to  the 
mansions  of  celestial  bliss. 


ST.  LOUIS'S  TRANSCENDENT  CHARITY 

The  charity  of  St.  Louis  IX,  the  Tertiary  King  of  France,  was  subject 
to  simple  impulses.  Such  is  the  beautiful  and  touching  episode  of  the 
Compiegne  leper,  as  told  by  Queen  Margaret's  confessor.  "The  pious 
King  was  at  the  Castle  of  Compiegne  on  Good  Friday;  he  went  barefoot 
on  his  usual  pilgrimage  to  the  churches  of  the  town,  and  he  went  by  the 
common  road,  followed  by  his  sergeants  with  money  in  their  hands  to 
serve  for  the  King's  alms,  and  he  often  took  coins  from  them  to  give  to 
the  poor  whom  he  met,  more  or  less  according  to  their  needs.  Now,  as 
the  pious  King  was  passing  along  a  street  in  this  manner,  a  leper  on  the 
other  side  of  the  way,  so  ill  that  he  could  scarcely  speak,  rang  his  bell 
loudly  in  accordance  with  the  rule,  so  that  the  passers-by  might  keep 
away,  for  fear  of  the  contagion  of  his  leprosy.  Then  the  King,  thus 
warned,  perceived  him  and  went  toward  him,  for  this  purpose  wading 
through  the  cold,  muddy  water  which  ran  through  the  middle  of  the  street; 
he  joined  the  leper,  gave  alms  to  him,  and  kissed  his  hand.  There  was  a 
great  press  of  people,  and  many  of  those  who  were  near  the  pious  King 
crossed  themselves,  and  said  one  to  the  other,  'Look  what  the  King  has 
done.     He  has  kissed  the  leper's  hand!'  "-M.  Sepet.       * 


108 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


A  WRONG  RIGHTED 


By  Noel  A 

HERR  Weisbach  was  annoyed ; 
and  the  cause  of  his  annoy- 
ance lay  in  the  fact  that  he 
was  late.  He  was  a  man  who 
counted  the  seconds  of  his  day  as  he 
counted  the  sixteenth  notes  of  his 
music,  and  to-night  he  was  five 
minutes  later  than  his  proposed 
time.  Hence  his  bad  temper.  It 
was  not  his  fault  either.  The  traf- 
fic had  delayed  him  in  crossing  the 
streets,  that  was  all. 

When  the  taxicab  stopped  at  the 
stage  entrance  to  the  hall,  Herr 
Weisbach  jumped  out,  hastily  gave 
the  chauffeur  a  bill  that  was  more 
than  enough  to  pay  his  fare  twice 
over,  and  hurriedly  entered  the 
building.  Pausing  for  only  a  mo- 
ment to  remove  his  overcoat  and 
hat,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
acknowledge  the  bow  and  salutation 
of  the  manager,  he  continued  his 
way  to  the  stage. 

This  was  an  important  night  for 
Sigmund  Weisbach.  For  many 
years  he  had  been  a  struggling  mu- 
sician, but  his  ability  had  been 
recognized  at  last,  and  this  even- 
ing he  was  to  lead  the  orchestra  of 
the  great  metropolis.  The  years  of 
hard  work  and  patient  waiting  for 
recognition  had  passed.  He  had 
often  demonstrated  in  small  towns 
the  power  that  was  in  him,  and  now 
his  ambition  had  reached  its  height. 

His  anger  subsided  slightly  when 
he  saw  the  crowd  that  had  come  to 
welcome  him.  From  main  floor  to 
gallery,  first  row  to  last,  every  seat 
was  filled,    and  the   crowd  waited 


Dunderdale,  Tertiary 

in  eager  expectation.  His  heart 
swelled  with  pride  as  he  walked  with 
head  erect  to  the  conductor's  stand. 
With  a  tap  of  his  baton  he  controlled 
that  vast  audience,  and  in  an  in- 
stant all  was  hushed  and  still;  the 
musicians  were  in  readiness  to  do 
his  will,  and  he  felt  the  greatness 
of  his  power. 

Throughout  the  first  piece  the 
audience  listened  with  rapt  atten- 
tion, missing  not  a  note;  and  when 
the  closing  strains  had  died  away, 
a  great  silence  reigned  for  a  few 
seconds.  Then  like  the  rush  of  a 
mighty  wind  the  applause  burst 
forth.  Everyone  clapped  and 
shouted  wildly,  handkerchief s  were 
waved  and  there  wrere  calls  of  "bis, 
bis"  from  the  enthusiasts  in  the 
gallery.  If  Herr  Weisbach  had  felt 
gratified  previously,  he  was  ten 
times  as  happy  now.  This  was  at 
last  the  reward  for  his  labors  and 
his  study.  The  applause  of  this 
great  assembly  of  lovers  of  good 
music  testified  to  his  ability. 

He  had  decided  that  there  should 
be  no  repetition  or  encore  of  any 
kind;  the  five  minutes  he  had  lost 
must  be  made  up  somehow.  But 
these  people  would  not  be  -  satisfied 
without  an  extra  number.  He  had 
turned  in  obedience  to  their  wishes 
when  the  stage  door  opened,  and 
the  fat  little  librarian  ambled  across 
the  stage  with  a  roll  of  music  under 
his  arm.  Weisbach  knew  that  the 
second  number  on  the  program  was 
to  be  a  solo  by  Giusti,  the  baritone. 
But  the  necessary   music  had    been 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


109 


placed  for  him;  so  the  presence  of 
the  librarian  was  a  mystery  to  him. 
With  a  gesture  of  impatience,  he 
turned  toward  him.  It  appeared  he 
carried  a  message  from  the  mana- 
ger. 

"Herr  Director,  SignorGiusti  can 
not  sing  dis  evening.  He  is  zick 
und  can  not  come.  There  will  be  a 
poy  who  will  blay  de  violin.  I  haf 
de  music  here  mit  me." 

A  boy !  What  possessed  the  manag- 
er to  commit  such  an  outrage  ?  It  was 
bad  enough,  surely,  that  there  had 
to  be  a  soloist  at  all.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  inexorable  rules  of  the 
orchestra,  Weisbach  would  not  have 
had  any  soloist;  the  honor  would 
then  have  been  all  his  own.  But  a 
boy!  The  manager  should  hear  of 
this! 

His  thoughts  were  changed  by  the 
appearance  of  the  object  of  his 
wrath.  As  the  stage  door  opened  to 
admit  the  boy,  he  hesitated  a  mo- 
ment to  appear  .  before  the  people. 
But  he  summoned  up  his  courage 
and  advanced  to  the  center  of  the 
stage,  bowed  slightly  to  Herr  Weis- 
bach and  to  the  audience,  and  waited 
silently  for  the  orchestra  to  begin 
the  piece. 

Weisbach's  anger  began  to  in- 
crease again  now,  and  with  just 
cause.  This  boy  was  a  musician  of 
no  small  worth,  and  in  a  flash  the 
conductor  awakened  to  the  fact  that 
his  own  performance  would  suffer 
by  comparison.  The  boy's,  ability 
was  more  manifest  with  every 
measure,  and  this  was  clearly  ap- 
preciated by  the  audience.  If  the 
applause  after  the  first  number  had 
been  great,  what  was  it  now   after 


the  boy's  performance?  Weisbach 
ground  his  teeth  in  his  rage.  There 
must  be  a  repetition,  too,  and  that 
wounded  him  more.  This  time  the 
composition  was  for  violin  only;  the 
services  of  the  orchestra  were  un- 
necessary. Contrary  to  custom  the 
musicians  remained,  however,  and 
every  chair  on  the  stage  was  occu- 
pied. The  people  had  stood  up,  in 
their  enthusiasm,  and  pressed  in  as 
closely  as  possible.  Even  the  ush- 
ers and  stage  assistants  had  crowded 
up  to  hear,  and  for  the  nonce  order 
was  cast  to  the  winds  while  this  boy 
held  his  hearers  entranced  by  the 
wonderful  powers  of  his  violin. 

But  there  was  one  person  in  that 
assembly  who  failed  to  hear.  Filled 
with  rage  Herr  Weisbach  had  taken 
advantage  of  his  opportunity  and 
slipped  away.  Who  was  this  boy 
who  had  thus  suddenly  appeared 
and  robbed  him  of  his  hard-won 
honors?  And  where  was  the  rascal 
of  a  manager  who  had  allowed  such 
a  thing  to  happen?  The  manager 
was  on  the  stage  listening  with  the 
others,  and  there  Weisbach  would 
not,  dared  not,  go.  But  who  was 
the  boy?  He  searched  and  found  a 
program.  He  read  the  name  and 
read  again.  The  paper  dropped 
from  his  hand  and  he  trembled  in 
fright.  "Sigmund  Graham!"  His 
own  name  and— Rita's!  He  fell  into 
a  chair  and  buried  his  face  in  his 
hands. 

Then  he  saw,  as  in  a  vision,  the 
streets  of  Vienna  and  a  struggling 
musician  in  the  orchestra  there. 
He  saw  the  apartment  where  the 
young  man  dwelt  and  the  young 
girl  living  next  door,  who  had  gone 


110 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


from  her  home  in  America  to  study 
music  abroad.  He  recalled  how 
the  two  had  first  met,  how  they  had 
studied  together,  helped  each  other, 
become  intimate  friends  and  mar- 
ried. Then  he  followed  the  young 
man  in  his  travels  from  Vienna  to 
Berlin,  from  Berlin  to  Paris,  from 
Paris  to  New  York.  And  he  saw, 
too,  a  lonely  young  mother,  a  bro- 
ken-hearted, deserted  wife,  cast  off 
by  family  and  friends,  fighting  a 
hard  battle  against  the  severest 
odds  in  her  endeavor  to  support 
herself  and  her  and  his  infant  son. 
He  had  striven  to  forget  them, 
to  obliterate  from  his  memory  the 
gross  neglect  of  which  he  had  been 
guilty,  and  he  thought  that  he  had 
succeeded.  But  now  at  the  very 
moment  that  his  own  struggle  for 
fame  is  at  an  end,  now  that  his  own 
longed-for  goal  has  been  attained, 
he  is  forced  to  see  himself  eclipsed 
by  the  child  he  had  so  cruelly 
abandoned,  and  that  in  the  very  art 
to  which  he  had  devoted  the  best 
energies  of  life.     He  sees  the  whole 


sad  drama  of  his  past  career  in  all 
its  repellent  ugliness,  his  cruel  un- 
faithfulness, his  all-absorbing  ambi- 
tion that  had  smothered  the  better 
qualities  of  his  soul.  He  sees  a 
wrong  righted,  a  just  vengeance 
carried  out.  It  is  no  longer  a  vision, 
it  is  a  reality;  and  in  a  voice  choked 
with  repentant  tears,  he  cries  out, 
"My  son,  my  son!" 

Two  hours  later,  the  taxicab  was 
making  its  return  trip.  This  time 
it  carried  three  passengers,  and 
Sigmund  Weisbach  and  his  Rita, 
happy  again  in  each  other's  com- 
pany, were  unable  to  find  words  to 
express  their  joy.  The  little  "poy 
mit  de  violin",  however,  proud  of 
his  newly  found  father,  talked  for 
the  three  while  making  plans  for 
the  future. 

"And  we'll  have  a  studio  for  you 
and  me,  won't  we  daddy?"  he  ex- 
claimed, clapping  his  hands  glee- 
fully, "and  a  nice  home  for  mother 
and—" 

"Yes  ,son,  yes;  and— a  little  bit 
of  heaven." 


ST.  FRANCIS'S  KINDNESS  TO  THE  POOR 

It  happened  once  that  a  certain  brother  had  given  a  sharp  answer  to 
a  poor  man  who  had  asked  alms,  for  he  had  said  to  him,*  "See  to  it,  for 
perhaps  thou  art  a  rich  man  feigning  poverty."  When  holy  Francis,  the 
father  of  the  poor,  heard  it,  he  was  deeply  grieved,  and  sharply  rebuked 
the  brother  who  had  spoken  thus,  and  ordered  him  to  strip  himself  before 
the  poor  man,  kiss  his  feet,  and  beg  his  pardon.  For  he  used  to  say, 
"He  who  reviles  the  poor  does  a  wrong  to  Christ,  who  made  himself  poor 
in  this  world  for  us."  Often,  therefore,  when  he  found  poor  people 
laden  with  wood  or  other  burdens,  he  would  help  them  by  giving  the  sup- 
port of  his  own  shoulders,  even  though  he  was  very  weak.  He  overflow- 
ed with  the  spirit  of  charity,  pitying  not  only  men  who  were  suffering 
need,  but  even  the  dumb  brutes,  reptiles,  birds,  and  other  creatures  with 
and  without  sensation.  —  Celano. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


lit 


CHRISTMAS  AT  SAN  XAVIER 

By  Fr.  Nicholas,  O.F.M. 


THE  joyous  feast  of  Christmas 
that  brings  peace  and  merri- 
ment to  all  the  world,  has  its 
charms  also  for  the  "Awawatam," 
the  simple  Christian  Indians  of  the 
Arizona  desert;  and,  perhaps,  they 
celebrate  the  holy  day  far  more 
innocently  and  devoutly  than  their 
white  brothers  and  sisters.  The 
great  feast  opens  at  San  Xavier 
Mission  with  a  midnight  Mass, 
which  is  always  followed  by  the  in- 
dispensable tamale  luncheon.     This 


service,  and  the  missionary  rejoiced 
exceedingly  at  the  sight  of  the 
immense  throng  of  Indians  assem- 
bled to  give  homage  to  the  holy 
Babe  of  Bethlehem  on  this  cold  and 
windy  night.  Our  Christmas  joy 
was  increased  on  hearing  several 
young  men  accompanying  on  the 
violin,  cornet,  and  trombone,  the 
sweet  strains  of  the  Adeste  Fideles 
sung  by  the  whole  congregation,  and 
on  seeing  the  good  people  going  in 
single  file  to   the   crib   after   Mass 


A  White  Christmas  at  San  Xavier 


custom,  handed  down  to  us  by  the 
Spaniards  of  the  early  days,  is 
religiously  kept  by  the  Indians. 

This  last  year,  the  weather  on 
Christmas  eve  threatened  to  mar 
the  great  festivity.  A  terrific 
storm  blew  dense  clouds  of  dust  in 
every  direction,  and  the  air  grew 
hourly  more  chill.  In  spite  of  all, 
the  Indians,  young  and  old,  many 
of  them  clad  in  their  primitive 
fashion  with  a  blanket  thrown  over 
their,  shoulders  made  their  way  to 
the  Old    Mission    for   the   opening 


and  gazing  with  tear-filled  eyes  at 
the  humble  representation  of  the 
great  mystery  of  love,  the  birth  of 
the  God-Man  at  Bethlehem. 

After  satisfying  their  devotion, 
the  crowd  quit  the  church,  and 
then  partook  of  the  tamales, 
delicious  and  hot,  that  were  served 
outside  amid  universal  merriment. 
In  the  meantime,  the  cold  continued 
to  increase,  and  before  long  myriads 
of  fairy- like  flakes  of  snow  fell 
from  the  leaden  sky  and  clothed  the 
desert  sands   with   a  garment    of 


112 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ermine  whiteness.  Thus  we,  too, 
were  privileged  to  witness  a  "white 
Christmas"  at  San  Xavier,  a  rare 
privilege  indeed. 

When  the  morning  dawned, 
groups  of  tawny  colored  children 
with  hearts  as  pure  and  white  as 
the  driven  snow,  were  seen  has- 
tening to  the  church,  there  to  wel- 
come in  Holy  Communion  the  great 
God  who  had  become  a  child  for 
love  of  them.  And,  as  the  bells 
again  sent  forth  their  joyous 
invitation  to  assemble  for  the  last 
holy  Mass,  old  and  young  plodded 
cheerfully  through  the  snow,  and 
the  venerable  Old  Mission  once 
more  was  filled   with   devout  wor- 


shippers. Custom  has  it,  that  His 
Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  Tucson, 
comes  to  the  Mission  to  celebrate 
this  last  Mass  for  his  beloved 
Indians.  This  time  however,  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather  did  not 
permit  him  to  make  his  intended 
visit.  A  few  days  later,  the  mis- 
sionary brought  the  Bishop  the 
Indians'  usual  Christmas  gift  of 
$5.00.  Graciously  accepting  the 
proffered  gift,  His  Lordship  smil- 
ingly remarked,  "Do  you  see  that 
building  over  there,  Father?"  at  the 
same  time  designating  the  place 
with  his  finger.  "That  will  be  a 
church  for  the  Papagos  living  near 
by.     I  shall  put  this  money  into  it." 


3a  it  uiartij  mljtlr  tlrai  wt  jaatlr  a  bratljr-r 

3bartng  Ijia  laab  an  ttjr  rough,  raab  of  lifr? 

3a  tt  taarig  uiljUr  tljai  vat  \ttr  at  party  atljrr 

3n  blarknraa  of  g*art? that  me  war  to  ttie  kntfr? 

(gab  pitg  tta  in  aur  pitiful  atrtfr. 

(Sab  pttg  ua  all  aa  vat  jaatl?  rartj  atgrr; 

(Bab  parban  na  all  far  ttjr  triumph^  vat  ittl 
Wtym  a  frllnta  gara  bawu;  paar  fyrart-brnkpn  brnnyr. 

Jltmrb  ta  tg*  grart;  utorna  arr  kttatt  igan  atttl. 

Ana  miggtirr  far  far  mat  or  far  utral. 

Wtvt  it  nai  mrll  in  tgia  brief  Itttl?  jaurnrg. 

(§n  aatr  tgr  iatgmua,  bnom  inta  to,?  tibt. 
©gat  vat  g,iat  b.im  a  fiaq  tnatrab*of  a  arrprnt. 

Err  falbtng  iq*  qanba  ta  b?  ana  abior 

JTar  rurr  anb  age  in  bust  at  qia  aibr? 

iCaak  at  tqe  raara  aalnting  rarq  atqrr; 

IGaak  at  tqr  qrrba  all  at  peat?  an  iq*  plain. 

ilan,  anb  man  nnlg,  makra  mar  an  qia  bratqrr, 
Anb  batea  in  qia  qrart  an  qia  peril  anb  pain— 
£>qamrb  bg  tq*  brutra  that  ga  bourn  an  tqr  plain. 

— Saaqutn  Miiitr. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


113 


CARDINAL  FALCONIO,  0.  F.  M. 


The  Order  of  Friars  Minor  as  well 
as  the  Church  at  large  has  suffered 
a  heavy  loss.  On  February  7,  the 
sad  news  came  from  Rome  that  His 
Eminence  Cardinal  Diomede  Fal- 
conio,  O.F.M.,  had  departed  this 
life.  A  brief  sketch  of  the  long  and 
active  career  of  this  distinguished 
Franciscan  prelate  will,  no  doubt, 
interest  our  readers. 

He  was  born  September  20,  1842, 
at  Pescocostanzo,  in  the  Abruzzi, 
Italy,  and  in  Baptism  received  the 
name  Angelo.  At  the  age  of  eight- 
een, he  was  invested  in  the  habit 
of  St.  Francis  in  the  Province  of  St. 
Bernardine  and  henceforth  known 
as  Fr.  Diomede.  On  September  17, 
1861,  he  made  his  simple  profession, 
and  three  years  later,  on  October  12, 
his  solemn  profession.  In  1865, 
when  the  Franciscan  Province  of 
New  York  applied  to  Rome  for  re- 
cruits, Fr.  Diomede  came  to  this 
country.  After  studying  English 
and  teaching  the  classics  for  one 
year  at  St.  Bonaventure's  College, 
Allegany,  New  York,  he  was  or- 
dained priest  by  Rt.  Rev.  Monsignor 
Timon,  the  first  Bishop  of  Buffalo, 
on  January  4,  1866.  About  this 
time,-  the  young  priest  received  his 
naturalization  papers,  thus  becom- 
ing a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 
Two  years  after  his  elevation  to 
the  holy  priesthood,  he  was  appoint- 
ed rector  of  the  above-mentioned 
Franciscan  college.  In  1871,  how- 
ever, Newfoundland  became  his 
field  of  activity,  where,  besides  be- 
ing secretary  and  chancellor  of  the 
Bishop,  he  engaged  in  parish  work 
as  rector  of  the  Cathedral.  Eleven 
years  later,  the  zealous  priest  re- 
turned to  his  native  land,  and,  in 
1889,  he  was  elected  Procurator 
General  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor.  The  zeal  and  learning  he 
manifested  in  the  Eternal  City  soon 
attracted    the     attention    of     the 


Church  dignitaries.  Accordingly, 
on  July  11,  1892  he  was  consecrated 
Bishop  and  subsequently  entrusted 
with  the  joint  dioceses  of  Acheranza 
and  Matera  in  the  province  of 
Potenza,  Italy.  On  September  3, 
1899,  Pope  Leo  XIII  appointed  him 
Apostolic  Delegate  to  Canada,  and 
three  years  later,  on  September  20, 
transferred  him  in  the  same 
capacity  to  the  United  States.  He 
held  this  important  office  in  our 
country  till  1912,  when  Pope  Pius 
X  recalled  him  to  Rome,  and,  in  re- 
cognition of  the  services  he  had 
rendered  the  Church,  raised  him  to 
the  dignity  of  Cardinal.  Three 
years  ago,  Pope  Benedict  XV  pro- 
moted him  to  the  rank  of  Cardinal 
Bishop,  and  only  last  year  entrusted 
him  with  the  office  of  Prefect  of 
the  Congregation  for  Religious. 

From  this  brief  life  sketch  of  the 
deceased  Cardinal,  we  see  how 
vigorous  and  wide-spread  was  his 
activity  for  the  welfare  of  the 
Order  of  Friars  Minor  and  of  the 
Church  at  large.  During  his  career 
as  Apostolic  Delegate  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  he  enjoyed  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  civil  as  well  as 
ecclesiastical  dignitaries,  while  his 
labors  here  in  behalf  of  Catholic 
thought  and  enterprise  will  fill  one 
of  the  brightest  pages  of  the  history 
of  the  Catholic  Church  in  this  coun- 
try. To  show  how  this  Franciscan 
prelate  loved  and  esteemed  the  land 
of  his  adoption,  we  subjoin  the 
message  he  sent  on  his  arrival  in 
Italy  five  years  ago. 

"From  across  the  ocean  on  the  eve  of 
entering  the  Holy  City,  it  gives  me  great 
pleasure  again  to  greet  the  American  peo- 
ple. I  shall  always  carry  with  me  the 
most  pleasing  reminiscences  of  my  long 
sojourn  among  them.  My  admiration  for 
them  and  for  their  institutions  will  never 
diminish.  A  great  future  is  surely  re- 
served for  a  nation  which,  though  still  in 
its  infancy,  already  has  made  such  extra- 
ordinary progress,    rivaling  the   most   ad- 


114 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


vanced  nations  of  the  world.  May  God 
continue  to  shower  his  choicest  blessings 
upon  that  land  of  energy,  wealth,  prog- 
ress, and  true  liberty.  To  my  loved 
America,  blessings  and  farewell." 

Though  called  by  the  voice  of  the 
Sovereign  Pontiffs  to  the  highest 
postitions  of  honor  and  trust  in  the 
Church,  Cardinal  Falconio  was  ever 
at  heart  a  faithful  and  devoted  son 
of  St.  Francis.  We  know  from  his 
own  lips  how  gladly  he  would  have 


exchanged  his  episcopal  robes  and 
public  career  for  the  lowly  Francis- 
can garb  and  the  quiet  seclusion  of 
the  convent.  Let  us  hope  that  by 
this  time  he  is  enjoying  the  eternal 
bli&s  of  heaven  in  the  ranks  of  St. 
Francis  and  is  making  intercession 
at  the  throne  of  the  Most  High  for 
the  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare 
of  the  country  that  was  so  dear  to 
his  heart.     R.  I.  P. 


A  DYING  FRIAR  TO  HIS  SUPERIOR 

The  following  letter  was  written  by  a  mortally  wounded  Capuchin 
friar  to  his  Provincial  Superior  in  Paris  shortly  before  his  death  on  the 
field  of  battle.  It  reveals  a  heart  truly  Franciscan,  at  once  heroic  and 
tender. 

Dear  Reverend  Father:— This  letter  conveys  to  you  the  dying 
breath  and  the  last  farewell  of  your  child.  When  you  receive  it,  your  poor 
Friar  Marcellus  will  have  passed  to  a  better  world.  Courageously  I  bring 
the  sacrifice  of  my  life  for  the  greater  glory  of  our  Lord,  for  the  welfare 
of  our  beloved  France,  and  for  the  prosperity  of  our  dear  Province.  I  die 
happy  in  the  assurance  of  having  been  chosen  as  a  holocaust  by  our  good 
and  sweet  Savior.  Like  our  Seraphic  Father,  I  turn  before  dying  to  my 
true  home,  the  zealous  Province  of  Paris.  It  was  she  that  reared  me  with 
motherly  care  and  directed  my  steps  on  the  way  of  the  Cross.  Dear  Prov- 
ince of  Paris,  I  bless  thee  with  all  my  heart,  and  I  implore  the  good  Lord 
to  protect  thee,  to  bless  thee,  and  to  sanctify  thee  more  and  more.  Dear 
Fathers  and  Brothers  in  the  Lord,  and  you,  Father  Provincial,  Father 
Elzearus,  Father  Raymond,  Father  Instructor,  whose  names  are  deeply 
engraven  in  my  heart,  I  thank  you  for  your  ever  kind  and  fatherly  affec- 
tion, thanks  for  those  pleasant  hours  passed  in  your  midst,  the  memory 
of  which  delighted  my  soul  during  the  trying  time  of  this  horrible  cam- 
paign. The  Lord  calls  me  to  himself.  I  leave  you  only  to  find  you  again 
in  the  home  of  eternal  bliss.  With  complete  surrender  of  my  whole  being, 
I  say  as  did  so  many  of  my  glorious  ancestors:  "Into  thy  hands,  0  Lord, 
I  commend  my  spirit." 

Farewell,  dear  Fathers  and  Brothers,  pray  for  me  since  I  am  but  a 
poor  sinner  and  you  know  "it  is  terrible  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God."  Farewell,  my  Brethren,  I  embrace  you  all  for  the  last  time,  while 
waiting  for  the  kiss  of  Heaven. 

Your  child, 

Fr.  Marcellus,  o.  m.  cap. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


115 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.— In  keeping  with  the 
traditional  friendship  between  the 
Orders  of  St.  Dominic  and  of  St. 
Francis,  our  Most  Rev.  Fr.  General 
Seraphin  Cimino,  officiated  at  the 
solemn  functions  which  were  held, 
on  January  20,  over  the  mortal  re- 
mains of  Most  Rev.  0.  Hyacinth 
Cormier,  ex-Minister  General  of 
the  Order  of  Friars  Preachers.  The 
Definitors  General  of  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor  attended  the  ser- 
vices in  a  body.  — 

Most  Rev.  Fr.  Antony  M.  Gras- 
selli,  Titular  Archbishop  of  Larissa, 
is  the  oldest  member  of  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor  Conventual.  Re- 
cently, he  celebrated  his  ninetieth 
birthday.  He  entered  the  Order 
in  1849,  and  he  was  ordained  priest 
six  years  later.  Some  time  after, 
he  was  sent  as  missionary  to 
Moldavia,  Roumania,  was  there- 
upon appointed  Apostolic  Delegate 
at  Constantinople,  and,  in  1876, 
chosen  Prefect  of  Studies  of  the 
Propaganda  in  Rome.  Later,  he 
was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Viter- 
bo,  Italy,  and  he  governed  the 
■diocese  for  seventeen  years.  Having 
resigned  the  bishopric  some  time 
ago  he  is  now  spending  the  last 
days  of  his  active  and  eventful 
career  in  the  Conventual  friary  of 
S.  Giacomo  on  the  banks  of  the  Tiber. 

Mendoza,  Argentine.  — In  the  near 
future,  a  statue  will  be  erected  to 
the  memory  of  Fr.  Luis  Beltran, 
o.f.m  ,  who  played  so  important  a 
role  in  the  country's  war  of  inde- 
pendence. The  statue,  the  last 
work  of  the  artist  Ferrari,  is  about 
thirty  feet  high,  and  represents  the 
friar  standing  in  his  habit  at  an  an- 
vil. Fr.  Luis  had  been  chief  of  the 
military  arsenal  in  the  service  of 
General  San  Martin.  This  explains 
the  singular  conception  of  the  monu- 


ment as  also  the  fact  that  the  sta- 
tue has  been  cast  from  old  cannons 
in  the  foundaries  of  the  military  ar- 
senal. 

Pamplona,  Spain.— On  January 
22,  Fr.  Angelus  M.  de  Villava,  o. 
M.  cap.,  was  called  to  his  eternal 
reward.  In  1889,  when  Cardinal 
Vives  y  Tuto,  o.  M.  cap.,  was 
elevated  to  the  Sacred  College  of 
Cardinals,  Fr.  Angelus,  at  the  sum- 
mons of  his  superiors,  left  the  South 
American  missions  and  went  to 
Rome,  where  he  had  been  elected 
Definitor  General  of  the  Capuchin 
Order. 

Mylapore,  India— The  first  mis- 
sionaries that  came  to  India,  accord- 
ing to  the  Franciscan  Annals  of  In- 
dia, were  Franciscans,  and  the  first 
Catholic  church,  dedicated  to  Nossa 
Senhora  de  Luz—  "Our  Lady  of 
Light, ' ' — was  built  by  them.  These 
apostolic  men  sailed  from  Lisbon  on 
March  9,  1500.  They  numbered 
eight,  but  only  five  arrived  safe 
at  Cochin,  on  November  26,  of  the 
same  year,  the  other  three  having 
been  slain  at  Calicut  ten  days  pre- 
viously. Their  landing  on  the 
Coromandel  coast  was  accompanied 
by  an  extraordin  ary  event.  As  they 
were  seeking  in  their  caravel  for  a 
suitable  landing  place,  suddenly  a 
light  beaconed  from  the  mainland, 
and  they  made  toward  it,  only  to 
find  a  ruined  city  on  the  shore. 
They  moved  farther  inland,  past 
the  remains  of  the  ancient  town  of 
Betumah,  following  the  wondrous 
light  until  it  disappeared  in  the  for- 
est thickness.  Deeming  the  light 
to  have  been  a  sign  from  above,  the 
pious  friars  tarried  at  this  place  and 
there  built  their  first  sanctuary. 
The  ancient  inscription  still  remains 
carved  in  its  stones,  telling  how 
"Fre  Pedro  da  Atougia,  a  religious 


116 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  the  Observance  of  St.  Francis, 
built  this  church  of  Our  Lady  of 
Light  in  the  year  1516."  At  the 
foot  of  the  altar  in  the  present 
sacristy  is  the  grave  of  Fr.  Francis 
a  Doloribus,  superior  of  the  Order 
on  the  Coromandel  coast  and  the 
last  of  the  Franciscans  in  Mylapore, 
who  died  in  1847.  The  "Luz 
Church,"  as  it  is  commonly  called, 
has  at  present  a  congregation  of 
about  600,  made  up  mostly  of  do- 
mestic servants,  and  there  is  now 
not  a  Catholic  living  within  two 
miles  of  the  church,  the  tenants  of 
the  surrounding  homes  being 
wealthy  Brahmins.  Two  elementary 
schools  are  attached  to  the  church, 
and  they  have  an  enrolment  of  two 
hundred  children.  The  fourth  cen- 
tenary of  the  founding  of  this  anci- 
ent church  was  clebrated  with  great 
solemnity  on  August  6,  1916,  on  the 
feast  of  Our  Lady  of  Snow. 

China.— The  Order  of  Friars  Mi- 
nor has  charge  of  ten  vicariates  in 
China.  The  last  of  these  was  erected, 
in  1911,  by  His  Holiness  Pope  Pius 
X,  in  the  province  of  Shensi.  This 
vicariate,  which  is  adjacent  to  Mon- 
golia, covers  a  very  mountainous 
territory  where  the  climate  is  cold 
and  where  the  land  for  the  most 
part  is  unfertile.  It  comprises  about 
3,000,000  inhabitants.  Of  this  vast 
number,  only  2,300  were  Christians 
when  the  vicariate  was  erected.  At 
present,  thirteen  Catholic  mission- 
aries are  laboring  there  under  the 
direction  of  Rt.  Rev.  Fr.  Celestine 
Ibanez,  o.F.M.,  who  has  been  ap- 
pointed vicar  apostolic  of  the  new 
mission  field.  Owing  to  the  fact  of 
its  having  been  established  on  the 
eve  of  the  European  war,  this 
newest  of  the  Franciscan  missions 
began  its  noble  work  in  a  poverty 
which  must  specially  endear  it  to 
the  heart  of  St.  Francis. 

Tun-shin-tu,  China.— From  the 
Revista  Franciscana  we  learn  that, 
as  far  as  missionary  work  is  con- 
cerned, the  little  town  of  Tun-shin-  ' 


tu  has  undergone  a  great  change 
for  the  better.  Fr.  Inchaurbe,  a 
Franciscan  missionary  in  China,  in 
a  letter  to  his  brethren  in  Spain, 
dates  this  change  back  to  the  day 
on  which  the  mortal  remains  of  Fr. 
Francis  Bernat,  o.F.M.,  and  of  his 
neophyte,  who  had  been  mar- 
tyred for  the  faith  in  1913,  were  re- 
moved to  this  town.  Before,  there 
was  only  one  Christian  family  in 
the  town;  at  present,  however,  vari- 
ous families  and  twelve  merchants 
are  sincere  and  practical  Catholics. 
No  doubt,,  the  martyred  missionary 
Fr.  Francis  Bernat  has  been  inter- 
ceding at  the  throne  of  God  in  be- 
half of  his  dear  missions  in  China. 
The  reader  will  find  an  account  of 
his  martyrdom  in  Franciscan  Her- 
ald, Vol.  I,  p.  288. 

Wei-hsien,  China.— The  season  of 
illness  in  the  mission  of  Wei-hsien, 
Shantung,  means  a  harvest  of  souls 
for  the  priest.  Fr.  Irenee  Frederic, 
O.f.m.,  baptized  no  less  than  five 
hundred  infants  this  autumn,  many 
of  whom  passed  to  Paradise  almost 
immediately. 

But  his  Baptisms  were  not  all  of 
this  class.  The  Faith  was  planted 
in  a  dozen  villages,  and  many  natives 
were  washed  with  the  regenerating 
waters.  The  next  thing  necessary 
is  to  send  catechists  to  these  people 
and  have  them  instructed  while  their 
ardor  is  at  its  height.  Just  here 
comes  the  rub.  There  is  no  money 
in  this  poor  missionary's  purse  and 
he  also  extends  his  hand  for  alms. 
The  catechists,  besides  teaching  cat- 
echism, are  able  to  give  intelligent 
care  to  the  sick  and  perform  many 
good  offices.  Every  corner  of  the 
mission  world  needs  a  large  number 
of  catechists. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
— By  special  request  of  Most  Rev. 
G.  W.  Mundelein,  Archbishop  of 
Chicago,  there  will  be  a  midday 
Mass  in  St.  Peter's  Church  on  all 
weekdays  of  Lent;  a  short  instruc- 
tion  also  will   be  given.      Lenten 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


117 


services  are  being  held  here  every 
Friday  evening.  Rev.  Fr.  Christo- 
pher, o.f.m.,  is  preaching  the  serm- 
ons for  the  occasion. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  John's  Church. - 
From  March  25  to  April  1,  Rev.  Fr. 
Valerius,  o.f.m.,  of  St.  Paul,  Min- 
nesota, will  conduct  a  spiritual  re- 
treat for  the  German-speaking  mem- 
bers of  the  local  Third  Order  fra- 
ternity. There  will  be  a  sermon 
every  evening  during  the  week,  ex- 
cept Saturday  evening.  Also  non- 
Tertiaries,  especially  the  men,  are 
kindly  invited  to  attend  the  exer- 
cises, as  the  sermons  will  be  of  gen- 
eral interest.  On  April  1,  Palm 
Sunday,  at  7.30  p.  m.,  solemn  pro- 
fession and  reception  of  German- 
speaking  as  well  as  English-speak- 
ing Tertiaries  will  take  place. 
About  70  novices  will  make  their 
profession,  and  it  is  expected  that 
a  good  number  will  present  them- 
selves in  the  course  of  the  month 
for  reception  into  the  Third  Order. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  Joseph's  Hospital. 
—February  13  was  a  day  of  joy  for 
the  Franciscan  Sisters  in  charge  of 
the  local  hospital.  Five  young  la- 
dies received  the  habit  of  St.  Fran- 
cis, thirty-five  made  their  profes- 
sion, while  eleven  had  the  happiness 
of  taking  their  final  vows.  Very 
Rev.  P.  A.  Rempe,  who  has  just  re- 
cently been  appointed  domestic  pre- 
late of  the  Pope,  officiated  at  the 
solemn  function  in  the  chapel  of  the 
hospital.  Rev.  Fr.  Ewald,  o.f.m.,  of 
St.  Louis  conducted  the  preparatory 
retreat  for  the  Sisters. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's 
Church. — At  the  last  general  meet- 
ing of  the  Third  Order  in  this  city, 
fifteen  applicants  received  the  scap- 
ular and  cord  of  St.  Francis  and 
eleven  novices  were  admitted  to 
profession.  In  spite  of  the  inclem- 
ent weather  of  the  season,  the 
various  meetings  of  the  fraternity 
are  well  attended,  which  fact  cer- 
tainly redounds  to  the  praise  of  the 
Tertiaries.     The  roll  call  now   con- 


tains the  names  of  forty-eight  sub- 
perfects  distributed  among  the  dif- 
ferent parishes  of  the  city.  These 
sub-prefects  are  charged  with  the 
duty  of  reporting  at  the  special 
meetings  on  all  the  Tertiary  activi- 
ties of  the  preceding  month  in  their 
district. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis 
Church— Notwithstanding  the  se- 
vere cold  weather  and  the  biting 
wind  that  blew  a  gale  all  day,  a 
goodly  number  of  Tertiaries  from 
all  parts  of  the  city  attended  the  an- 
nual meeting  and  triennial  election  of 
the  English-speaking  fraternity  of 
the  Third  Order,  on  February  4. 
After  the  prayers  prescribed  in  the 
ceremonial  had  been  recited  in  the 
church,  the  Tertiaries  repaired  to 
the  school  hall,  where  the  election 
of  officers  took  place.  Then  fol- 
lowed the  annual  meeting  in  which 
many  interesting  and  important 
topics  were  discussed.  Our  Rev.  Di- 
rector, Fr.  Sebastian  Schaff,  o.M. 
cap.,  made  some  encouraging  re- 
marks expressive  of  his  gratification 
at  the  steady  increase  of  attendance 
at  the  monthly  meetings  and  of  the 
lively  interest  shown  by  the  mem- 
bers in  the  past  year,  whereupon 
a  report  of  the  work  accom- 
plished during  the  preceeding  three 
years  was  read.  The  present  stand- 
ing of  this  fraternity  shows  a  mem- 
bership of  275  Tertiaries,  of  whom 
34  are  isolated  members.  During 
these  three  years,  92  applicants 
were  invested  with  the  scapular  and 
cord,  72  novices  admitted  to  holy 
profession,  and  11  Tertiaries  affili- 
ated with  our  branch;  while  6  Ter- 
tiaries entered  the  religious  state, 
and  20  were  claimed  by  death. 

After  the  reading  of  the  report,  a 
plan  for  a  more  thorough  organiza- 
tion was  adopted,  which  will  be 
carried  out  by  the  officers  assigned 
to  each  parish  district.  Of  special 
interest  will  be  the  introduction  of 
regular  monthly  instructions  for  the 
novices.     These  will  be  so  arranged 


118 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


as  to  permit  an  explanation  of  the 
entire  Rule  of  the  Third  Order 
twice  each  year,  and,  although 
primarily  intended  for  the  novices, 
the  professed  members  and  such  as 
wish  to  learn  more  about  the  Order, 
will  always  be  welcome.  The  Ter- 
tiary library  and  reading  room  were, 
likewise,  given  considerable  atten- 
tion. 

At  the  close  of  the  business  meet- 
ing, we  again  repaired  to  the 
Church,  where  the  names  of  the 
newly  elected  officers  were  pub- 
lished, the  solemn  Te  Deum  and  the 
other  prescribed  prayers  were 
chanted,  and,  by  special  permission, 
Benediction  with  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment was  given.  The  officers  for 
the  ensuing  three  years  are  the  fol- 
lowing: For  the  men:  Prefect,  Br. 
Thomas  Finnigan ;  Novice  Master, 
Br.  John  Carrigan;  Secretary,  Br. 
William  Powers.  For  the  women: 
Prefect,  Sr.  Mary  Walsh;  Novice 
Mistress,  Sr.  Mary  Conway;  Secre- 
tary, Sr.  Mary  Brady.  For  the 
young  ladies:  Novice  Mistress,  Sr. 
Helen  Maloney;  Secretary,  Sr. 
Marie  Wilcewska.  —Two  days  after 
the  election,  our  worthy  Novice 
Mistress  of  the  past  three  years, 
Miss  Anna  Josephine  Sullivan,  was 
called  to  a  better  life.     R.I. P. 

Lafayette,  Ind.  — On  January  19, 
there  passed  away  Rev.  Fr.  Bona- 
venture  Hammer,  o.f.m.,  of  the 
Province  of  St.  John  the  Baptist. 
The  venerable  friar  attained  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years,  fifty-seven  of 
which  he  devoted  to  the  service  of 
God  in  the  Order  of  St.  Francis. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  to  receive 
the  habit  in  the  Cincinnati  province 
and  was  ordained  priest  in  1865. 
After  being  active  in  various  parish- 
es of  the  province,  he  was  sent,  in 
1882,  to  Lafayette,  and,  barring  a 
three  years'  sojourn  in  California, 
he  resided  here  ever  since.  For 
years  he  had  been  ill  with  diabetes, 
which  in  time  deprived  him  of  his 
sight.     The  last  few   years   of  his 


life,  Fr.  Bonaventure  spent  in  St. 
Elizabeth's  Hospital,  this  city.  For 
forty  years,  he  was  a  regular  con- 
tributor to  the  Sendbote,  St.  Fran- 
ziskus  Bote,  St.  Anthony's  Mes- 
senger, and  The  Sodalist.  His  nu- 
merous writings  on  historical,  as- 
cetic, and  social  subjects  have  done 
great  good  among  the  Catholics  of 
this  country.  His  poetical  works 
combine  deep  religious  sentiment 
with  highly  artistic  finish.  He  may 
in  truth  be  styled  the  Poet  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  on  account  of  the 
many  poems  he  composed  in  honor 
of  the  divine  Heart  of  Jesus.  His 
chief  literary  fame  will  probably 
rest  on  his  translation  of  Lew  Wal- 
lace's Ben  Hur.  It  is  equal,  if  not 
superior,  to  the  original,  and  till 
now  it  has  seen  135  editions.  His 
beautiful  traits  of  character  can 
best  be  summed  up  by  saying  that 
he  was  a  worthy  priest  of  God  and 
a  true  son  of  St.  Francis. 

Very  Rev.  Fr.  Rudolph,  O.F.M., 
Minister  Provincial,  officiated  at 
the  solemn  funeral  services,  which 
were  held  on  January  23,  in  St. 
Boniface  Church,  this  city.  A  large 
number  of  priests,  secular  and  re- 
ligious, were  present  to  pay  their 
last  respects  to  one  who  in  life  en- 
joyed the  love  and  esteem  of  all. 
R.I.P. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.— In  the  past  year,  the 
members  of  the  Third  Order  fra- 
ternity have  been  very  active.  Fol- 
lowing is  a  review  of  the  good  works 
they  performed.  All  told  550  visits 
were  made  to  the  poor  and  sick;  468 
pieces  of  clothing,  1750  pieces  of 
literature,  and  a  large  number  of 
other  useful  and  necessary  articles 
were  distributed.  In  146  cases,  the 
Tertiaries  visited  the  homes  of  de- 
ceased members  to  recite  the  pre- 
scribed prayers,  and  attended  55 
funerals,  to  say  nothing  of  various 
other  acts  of  Christian  charity. 
The  following  donations  in  money 
were   made:    To   the   Third   Order 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


119 


treasury,  $611;  to  the  missions, 
to  the  poor,  $275;  to  charitable  insti- 
tutions, $170;  for  special  charity, 
$83.50;  various  alms,  $40.40. 

On  January  3,  at  the  councillors' 
meeting,  the  triennial  election  of 
officers  was  held  with  the  following 
result:  Prefect,  Mr.  Charles  Ho- 
brecht;  Assistant  Prefect,  Mr. 
James  Hans;  First  Assistant  Pre- 
fect, Mr.  Antony  McManus;  Lady 
Prefect,  Mrs.  H.  Coyne;  First  As- 
sistant Prefect,  Miss  S.  O'Loghlen; 
Second  Assistant  Prefect,  Miss  C. 
McManing;  Secretary,  Miss  E.  M. 
Lonergan;  Marshall,  Mr.  Gus  Jacob- 
son.  The  collection  taken  up  at  the 
regular  meeting  in  January  was  laid 
to  the  fund  that  has  been  started  to 
procure  an  automobile  for  Rev.  Fr. 
Albert,  o.f.m.,  who  is  laboring 
among  the  Indians  in  Mescalero, 
New  Mexico. 

Komatke,  Ariz.,  St.  John's  Mis- 
sion.—On  January  29,  Rt.  Rev.  H. 
Granjon,  Bishop  of  Tucson,  visited 
the  mission  and  administered  the 
Sacrament  of  Confirmation  to  a  class 
of  184  Indians,  including  12  adults. 
On  the  preceding  day,  he  confirmed 
at  St.  Mary's  Church,  in  Phoenix,  47 
Indians  who  are  attending  the  Gov- 
ernment Indian  School  in  that  city. 
The  new  Holy  Family  Church,  which 
Fr.  Vincent,  o.f.m.,  is  erecting  at 
Blackwater,  Arizona,  is  under  roof. 
Thanks  to  a  kind  benefactor  in 
Chicago,  the  new  edifice  will  be  an- 
other beautiful  link  in  the  chain  of 
mission  churches  on  the  banks  of 
the  Gila  River.  Fr.  Vincent  like- 
wise sends  encouraging  news  from 
Wetcamp,  Arizona,  the  Indian  vil- 
lage referred  to  in  the  December  is- 
sue (1916)  of  Franciscan  Her- 
ald, (p.  464).  The  people  of  this 
village  have  erected  a  brush  chapel, 
and  two  brush  huts,  of  which  one 
serves  as  a  residence  for  the  mis- 
sionary and  the  other  as  a  garage 
for  his  automobile.  The  Indians 
are  delighted  with  the  regular 
monthly  visits  of   the   missionary, 


and  the  number  of  attendants  at 
divine  services  is  steadily  increas- 
ing. The  fact  that  he  is  called  upon 
to  instruct  and  baptize  adults  on  al- 
most every  visit  is  a  special  cause 
for  joy.  A  site  for  a  church  has 
already  been  obtained.  We  beg 
the  earnest  prayers  of  our  readers, 
that  God  may  continue  to  bless 
this   new  mission. 

Cababi,  Arizona,  San  Solano 
Mission. — Christmas  here  was  a 
day  of  great  joy  and  consolation. 
The  night  before,  the  weather  was 
very  stormy,  and  the  next  morning 
the  ground  was  covered  with  two 
inches  of  snow.  A  white  Christ- 
mas is  something  very  unusual  here 
in  the  far  South.  About  ten  Indian 
families  were  present  at  the  10 
o'clock  Mass.  In  the  afternoon,  five 
adults  received  the  Sacrament  of 
Baptism.  A  special  attraction  for 
the  Indians  was  the  beautiful  crib 
that  FF.  Maximilian  and  Martin, 
o.f.m.,  of  San  Francisco  had  pre- 
sented to  the  mission.  The  poor 
Indians  had  never  seen  a  crib  be- 
fore; they  were  so  delighted  with  it, 
that  they  sat  before  it  all  day  and 
prayed. 

The  Fathers  in  these  regions  have 
still  to  fight  against  the  bad  influ- 
ence of  the  medicine-men.  Only 
recently,  one  of  the  missionaries 
came  to  a  little  village  and,  as  usu- 
al, rang  his  bell,  to  bring  the  Indi- 
ans together  for  prayer.  But,  alas! 
no  Indian  answered  the  summons. 
After  some  time,  an  old  Indian  ven- 
tured forth.  He  approached  the 
Father  and  said  the  chief  had  told 
the  people  that  the  priests  were  not 
Catholics  and  that  they  knew  noth- 
ing of  the  sacred  books;  hence,  the 
Indians  would  not  come  to  the 
rosary  services.  The  words  of  the 
old  man  proved  only  too  true. 
Since  the  last  visit  of  the  mission- 
ary, a  medicine-man  had  perverted 
the  minds  of  the  poor  Indians,  and 
thus  brought  to  naught  all  that  the 
Father  had  done  for  them. 


120 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPH'S  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOLIS,  ILLINOIS 

The  following  boys  received  the 
highest  general  average  in  their 
studies  during  the  first  semester, 
which  closed  with  the  semi-annual 
examinations  on  January  25  and  27: 
III  Collegiate:  Henry  Pinger,  95.88; 
II  Collegiate:  Paul  Eberle,  95.64; 
I  Collegiate:  William  Wernsing,  97. 
80;  IV  Academic;  Jerome  Reisch, 
99.38;  III  Academic:  Edwin  Reyling, 
99.86;  II  Academic;  Joseph  Rascher, 
95.67. 

At  the  last  meeting  of  the  College 
Third  Order  fraternity,  the  secre- 
tary, Henry  Wellner.  read  a  report 
covering  the  activities  of  our  Ter- 
tiaries  during  the  past  year.  The 
report  proved  to  be  so  interesting 
and  encouraging  that  it  was  unani- 
mously voted  to  make  it  an  annual 
event. 

The  St.  Bernardine  Literary  Circle 
held  elections  at  the  last  meeting, 
with  the  following  result:  President, 
Francis  Kiefer;  Vice  President,  Paul 
Eberle;  Secretary,  Henry  Wellner. 
At  the  same  meeting  sixteen  new 
members  were  added  to  the  roster. 


This  is   the  largest  number  so  far 
received  at  one  time. 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY,  ILLINOIS 

The  student  body  hailed  with  de- 
light the  return  of  Brother  Cyprian 
o.f.m.,  to  this  institution.  Bro.  Cy- 
prian was  for  many  years  infirmari- 
an  here,  and  it  is  to  take  up  once 
more  these  arduous  duties  that  he 
returns.  His  self-sacrificing  spirit 
together  with  his  cheerfulness  make 
him  belovecT  by  all  the  students. 

The  Varsity  Basket-ball  squad  has 
given  a  good  account  of  itself  this 
year.  On  Friday,  January  26,  they 
defeated  the  Western  Illinois  Nor- 
mals of  Macomb,  111.,  on  the  local 
floor.  But  on  Sunday,  January  28, 
they  were  defeated  by  the  Quincy 
Maroons,  one  of  the  fastest  teams 
of  the  Central  States,  at  the  local 
Turner  Hall.  On  the  same  day  our 
Reserves  won  from  Company  F.t 
I.N.G.  by  a  wide  margin. 

The  regular  bi-monthly  meetings 
of  the  Literary  and  Debating  So- 
ciety have  been  held  as  usual.  The 
1st  and  2nd  Academic  classes  en- 
tertained at  the' last  two  meetings. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church:— 

St.  Francis  Fraternity: — Mary  O'Connell,  Sr.  Anne;    Margaret   Tansey,    Sr. 

Joseph;  Mary  Herman,  Sr.  Magdalene;  Honora  Nolan,  Sr.  Clare. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:— Anna  O'Brien,  Sr.  Elizabeth;  Julia  Hurley,  Sr.  Eliza- 
beth; Mary  Walsh,  Sr.  Anne. 
German  Fraternity:— John  Rademacher,  Bro.  Antony;  Mathias  Furth,  Bro. 

Henry;  Catherine  Koch,  Sr.  Camilla;  Elizabeth  Flaning,  Sr.  Clare. 
St.  Augustine's  Church: — Mary  Hefler,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
Chanhassen,  Minn.,  St.  Hubert's  Church:  —  Margaret  Pauly,  Sr.  Clare. 
Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church:— F.  V.  Bash,  Sr.  Agnes;  Henrietta  Kubis. 
Sr.  Elizabeth;  Mary  Feran,  Sr.  Anne;  Anna  Krabse,  Sr.  Angela.  Mary 
Lavelle,  Sr.  Agnes. 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis  Church:— Anne  Jos.  Sullivan. 
Quincy,  111.,  St.  Francis  Church:— Anna  Voelker,  Sr.  Veronica. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Bridget  McSweeney;  Mary  Bauer. 

Requiescdnt  in  'pare 


•li       A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred       u- 
"•         Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions       ^?  • 

VOL.V.  APRIL,  1917.  NO.  4 

iEbttnrtal  (Comment 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

At  first  sight,  one  is  somewhat  surprised  that,  in  the  representation 
of  Christ's  triumphal  march,  the  pagan  sibyls  should  find  a  place 
immediately  after  the  Jewish  prophets.  Yet,  the  subject  of  the  present 
picture  is  wholly  in  keeping  with  the  general  theme  of  the  series.  For, 
not  only  Israel  had  its  prophets  who  kept  alive  the  faith  in  the  Messias, 
but  also  among  the  Gentiles  ever  and  anon  were  heard  mysterious  voices 
which  though  speaking  ever  so  faintly  and  vaguely,  helped  to  sustain 
the  belief  in  the  Expected  of  Nations.  These  voices  were  commonly 
thought  to  emanate  from  a  number  of  supposedly  prophetic  women, 
known  as  sibyls. 

The  history  of  these  seeresses,  in  so  far  as  they  have  any,  has 
come  down  to  us  in  a  wholly  mythical  form.  Their  name  and  number  are 
still  subjects  of  controversy;  yes,  their  very  existence  is  called  in  question 
by  some  antiquarians.  The  Christian  scholar  and  writer  Lactantius,  quot- 
ing the  Roman  author  Varro,  reckons,  ten  sibyls,  designating  them  after 
the  places  where  they  are  said  to  have  dwelt;  namely,  the  Persian,  the 
Libyan,  the  Delphian,  the  Cimmerian,  the  Erythraean,  the  Samarian 
(Samian),  the  Cumaean,  the  Hellespontian,  the  Phrygian,  and  the  Tibur- 
tine.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  peculiar  custom  of  theirs,  however,  to  wan- 
der with  their  sacred  books  from  place  to  place. 

In  pagan  times  these  books  enjoyed  great  celebrity.  In  Rome,  the 
sibylline  oracles  were  jealously  guarded  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter  -Capito- 
linus  and  consulted  only  in  times  of  grave  crises.  Because  of  the  vogue 
enjoyed  by  these  heathen  oracles  and  because  of  the  influence  they  had 
in  shaping  the  religious  views  of  the  period,  some  Hellenistic  Jews  resid- 
ing in  Alexandria,  during  the  second  century  before  Christ,  composed 
verses  in  the  same  form,  attributing  them  to  the  sibyls  and  circulating 
them  among  the  pagans  as  a  means  of  diffusing  Judaistic  doctrines.  The 
same  means  of  propaganda  was  later  borrowed  by  a  number  of  ill-advised 
Christians.  The  utterances  of  these  Christian  sibylists  form  a  special  de- 
partment of  early  ecclesiastical  literature  and  are  a  mixture  of  pagan, 
Jewish,  and  Christian  ingredients.  Large  collections  of  these  still  exisj: 
and  also  bear  the  name  of  "Sibylline  Books."  They  treat  principally  of 
the  creation,  the  fall  of  Adam,  and  the  end  of  the  world. 

The  sibyls  were  frequently  quoted  by  the  early  Fathers  and  Christian 
writers,  and  even  in  the  Middle  Ages  they  enjoyed  no  little  authority.  As 


122  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


representatives  and  embodiments  of  pagan  expectations  and  presentiments 
of  the  Redeemer,  they  were  often  placed  on  a  level  with  the  Jewish  pro- 
phets in  Christian  art  and  literature.  Thus  in  the  initial  stanza  of  that 
grandest  of  Church  hymns  "Dies  irae"  by  the  Franciscan  Thomas  Celano. 
the  sibyl  is  mentioned  along  with  David,  as  foretelling  the  last  day  of 
judgment.  Paintings  by  such  great  masters  as  Pinturichio,  Michelangelo, 
and  Raphael  Santi  also  represent  the  sibyls  in  connection  with  the  pro- 
phets, as  pointing  to  the  Redeemer.  It  is  this  Christian  tradition  that  has 
led  Joseph  von  Fuehrich  to  give  the  sibyls  so  prominent  a  place  in  his 
"Triumph  of  Christ." 


EASTER  THOUGHTS 

During  the  awful  hours  of  Christ's  passion,  his  divinity  remained, 
so  to  speak,  obscured;  yet,  it  was  none  the  less  present,  and  by  its  presence 
an  infinite  value  was  imparted  to  his  sufferings.  It  shines  forth  again  in 
the  great  and  glorious  miracle  of  his  resurrection.  He  that  was  truly 
dead,  rises,  by  his  own  power,  as  from  a  trance,  puts  off  his  sepulchral 
bands,  pierces  the  solid  rock,  and  ascends  into  the  day,  visible  and  tri- 
umphant. A  sudden  earthquake  announces  the  wonderful  happening;  the 
affrighted  guards  flee  into  the  city,  angels  descend  in  dazzling  array,  and 
removing  the  ponderous  stone  lay  open  the  empty  tomb  to  the  inspection 
of  his  anxious  followers.     "He  is  risen;  he  is  not  here." 

Such  is  the  wondrous  spectacle  of  Easter  morning;  such  the  glorious 
triumph  of  our  late  suffering  Redeemer.  And  who  should  not  think  that 
this  great  day  at  least  is  exclusively  his  own;  that  if  he  died  for  us,  he 
should  rise  again  for  himself?  But  no,  we  have  a  share  in  this  the  great- 
est of  Christ's  miracles.     We  are  to  rise  again  with  him  and  on  his  model. 

We  shall,  indeed,  rise  with  Christ,  but  only  on  condition  that  we  die 
with  him;  we  shall  be  glorified  with  him  only  if  we  suffer  with  him. 
If  Christ  had  "to  suffer  these  things,  and  so  enter  into  his  glory," 
by  what  course  can  we  hope  to  attain  to  our  end?  Surely  a  few  pious 
practices  intermingled  with  the  enjoyment  of  the  good  things  of  life,  will 
not  suffice.  There  is  no  alternative.  He  who  wishes  to  rise  with  Christ, 
must  die  with  Christ.  Christ's  whole  life  was  a  continuous  death.  The 
Christian's  life  should  reveal  the  same  contradiction.  What  is  meant  by 
this  contradiction,  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  explains:  "Wouldst  thou  love  well? 
Hate  thyself.  Wouldst  thou  live  well?  Slay  thyself.  Wouldst  thou  amass 
much  wealth?  Fling  the  whole  world  away.  Wouldst  thou  be  honored? 
Despise  thyself,  and  render  honor  to  those  that  scorn  thee  and  put  thee 
to  shame.  Wouldst  thou  possess  good?  Endure  evil  all  thy  life.  Seek- 
est  thou  everlasting  rest?  Spend  thyself  in  hard  toil,1  and  welcome  the 
burdens  laid  on  thee." 

t  *r  T 

THE  THIRD  ORDER  IN  COLLEGES 

On  this  subject,  two  interesting  items  will  be  found  elsewhere  in 
this  issue.  The  one  is  a  statistical  report  of  the  Tertiary  fraternity  of 
St.  Joseph's  College,  Teutopolis,  the  other  an   account  of  the  establish- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  123 


ment  of  a  branch  in  the  Cathedral  College,  New  York.  While  introduc- 
ing the  new  fraternity,  Rev,  Fr.  Martin,  O.M.  cap.,  said,  among  other 
things,  that  the  Third  Order  is  especially  adapted  to  students  for  the  holy 
priesthood,  because  it  safeguards  their  vocation  and  fosters  in  them  the 
virtues  that  should  above  all  adorn  the  priest.  That  this  is  no  mere 
gratuituous  assertion,  may  be  gathered  from  the  report  referred  to  above. 
When  the  Third  Order  was  canonically  erected  in  St.  Joseph's  College,  in 
1886,  the  institution  was  attended  by  candidates  for  the  regular  and  for 
the  secular  clergy  as  well  as  by  commercial  students,  and  it  was  but 
natural  that  the  Order  should  appeal  more  strongly  to  the  former  than  to 
the  latter  class  of  students.  Be  that  as  it  may,  of  the  173  members  pro- 
fessed up  to  the  year  1899,  when  the  college  was  changed  into  a  school 
for  the  candidates  of  the  Franciscan  Order,  the  records  show  that  152 
have  become  priests,  while  15  died  some  years  before  their  ordination. 

Nor  are  these  results  at  all  surprising,  since  the  Third  Order  is,  of 
its  nature,  admirably  suited  to  ward  off  the  dangers  by  which  so  many  a 
priestly  vocation  is  wrecked,  and  to  prepare  the  mind  and  the  heart  of 
the  young  man  for  his  sublime  calling.  There  is  no  need  of  arguing  this 
point.  Every  unbiassed  aducator  can  convince  himself  of  the  truth  there- 
of by  a  single  reading  of  the  Rule  of  the  Order.  In  Europe  at  least  the 
ecclesiastical  authorities  seem  to  have  no  doubt  as&  to  the  propriety  or 
utility  of  establishing  branches  of  the  Third  Order  in  seminaries.  The 
fact  of  the  matter  is  that  in  some  countries  almost  every  ecclesiastical 
institution  has  its  own  student  fraternity.  Evidently  the  heads  of  these 
institutions  are  convinced  that  if  they  succeed  in  making  their  charges 
good  Tertiaries,  they  will  have  little  difficulty  in  making  them  good 
priests. 

But  it  is  not  only  the  students  for  the  holy  priesthood  that  are  en- 
thusiastic over  the  Third  Order  in  these  countries.  Also  students  with 
other  aims  in  life  are  proud  to  belong  to  it.  That  they  can  be  easily 
gained  for  the  Order,  is  evident  from  the  numbers  that  ask  to  be  enrolled 
whenever  its  object  and  nature  are  brought  before  them  in  the  proper 
light.  To  single  out  only  one  instance,  at  the  University  of  Louvain  some 
years  since,  a  law  student,  M.  Prosper  Thuysbaert,  himself  a  Tertiary  and 
the  son  of  the  distinguished  Tertiary  of  the  same  name,  addressed  the 
members  of  the  literary  circle  on  the  social  influence  of  the  Third  Order. 
He  urged  on  his  hearers  the  utility  of  enrolling  themselves  in  the  army  of 
St.  Francis,  emphasizing  as  motives  that  the  Order  fosters  among  its 
members  fraternal  charity,  strengthens  their  faith  and  morals  against  the 
dangers  besetting  them  on  all  sides,  and  gives  them  powerful  weapons  for 
combating  the  enemies  of  the  Church  and  State.  These  arguments  ad- 
vanced with  skill  and  eloquence,  and  supported  by  the  exemplary  life  of 
the  young  lawyer  overcame  the  prejudices  of  the  university  students, 
many  of  whom  followed  his  lead  and  became  enthusiastic  Tertiaries  of  St. 
Francis.  The  fraternity  was  in  a  very  flourishing  condition  when  the 
European  War  began  and  was  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  social  activity 
of  the  city  of  Louvain. 

We  are  convinced  that  the  students  in  our  American  institutions 
would  take  quite  as  readily  to  the  Third  Order  as  the  students  of  foreign 
colleges,  if  the  Third  Order  were  brought  to  their  notice.  How  much  bet- 
ter qualified  many  of  our  graduates  would  be  to  wrestle  with  the  difficult 
social  problems  which  sooner  or  later  they  will  be  confronted  with  and  in 
the  solution  of  which  they  will  be  called  on  to  take  an  active  part. 


124 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


BL  JANE  OF  MAILLE 

OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER 


APRIL  27 


BL.  Jane  Mary,  the  daughter  of 
of  the  wealthy  Baron  of 
Maille,  was  born  1331,  in  the 
castle  of  La  Roche,  near  the  town 
of  St.  Quentin,  in  France.  She  was 
called  Jane  in  Baptism;  and,  on  ac- 
count of  her  great  devotion  to  the 
Mother  of  God,  she  took  the  name 
of  Mary  in  Confirmation.  As  a 
child,  she  delighted  in  saying  the 
Hail  Mary  and  in  weaving  garlands 
of  flowers  to  adorn  the  statue  of  our 
Lady. 

Under  the  prudent  guidance  of  a 
son  of  St.  Francis,  who  held  the  po- 
sition of  chaplain  of  the  castle, 
Jane  rapidly  advanced  in  perfection 
by  the  practice  of  self-denial,  mor- 
tification, prayer,  and  works  of 
mercy.  She  made  herself  an  ora- 
tory in  a  retired  part  of  the  castle 
and  there  prostrate  before  a  cruci- 
fix, she  spent  many  hours  in  fervent 
converse  with  God.  It  was  her  de- 
light to  read  the  lives  of  the  saints, 
and  incited  by  their  heroic  virtues 
to  grow  in  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice, 
she  resolved  to  consecrate  her  vir- 
ginity to  God. 

When  Jane  was  fifteen  years  of 
age,  her  father  died,  and  she  was 
placed  under  the  guardianship  of 
her  grandfather,  who  made  it  one 
of  his  first  cares  to  provide  for  the 
future  of  his  ward.  He  chose  as 
husband  for  her  the  virtuous  Rob- 
ert, Baron  of  Silly.  At  this  news, 
Jane,  desirous  of  belonging  to  God 
alone,  was  appalled.     She  redoubled 


her  prayers  and  austerities  to  ob- 
tain the  help  of  God  in  this  difficul- 
ty. In  a  heavenly  vision  she  was 
reassured,  however,  that  the  union 
was  pleasing  to  God,  and  that  her 
virtue  would  receive  the  reward 
she  so  ardently  desired.  The  mar- 
riage ceremonies  were  celebrated 
with  great  pomp;  but  the  wedding 
day  was  turned  into  a  day  of  mourn- 
ing, for  in  the  evening,  Jane's 
grandfather  departed  this  life. 
This  sad  and  unexpected  event  made 
a  deep  impression  on  all,  and  in- 
duced the  young  Baron  of  Silly  to 
yield  to  the  desires  of  his  bride  to 
lead  a  life  of  virginity. 

This  chaste  union,  which  lasted 
thirteen  years,  was  sanctified  by 
the  practice  of  sublime  virtues. 
The  holy  couple  made  it  their  first 
care  to  regulate  their  household  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God.  Only 
virtuous  and  God-fearing  persons 
were  engaged  as  servants.  Every- 
one in  the  castle  was  bound  to  ful- 
fill faithfully  the  duties  of  religion; 
games  of  chance,  quarrels,  frivolous 
language,  and  cursing  were  strictly 
prohibited.  These  wise  and  pious 
regulations  were  enforced  by  the 
example  of  Jane  and  her  husband. 
The  poor  always  received  a  hearty 
welcome,  and  they  never  left  the 
castle  without  being  consoled  and 
assisted  in  their  need. 

Thus,  for  about  ten  years,  the 
virtuous  couple  had  led  a  truly  hap- 
py life;  for  no  joy  is  so  pure  as  that 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


125 


"K. 


r> 


[ 


yw+^sX 


which  springs  from  virtue.  But 
human  life,  especially  in  the  case 
of  the  saints,  is  a  continual  alterna- 
tion of  consolations  and  trials. 
God  was  now  about  to  demand  of 
Bl.  Jane  a  great  sacrifice.  At  that 
time,  the  Hundred  Years'  War  was 
raging  in  France.  The  English, 
after  devastating  the  southern  prov- 
inces, were   advancing  toward  the 

center  of  the  king-    

dom.     Summoned 
by  his  king,  Rob- 
ert of  Silly  armed 
his    men     and 
marched    out    to 
the  defence  of  his 
country,  and  after 
di  s  tinguishing 
himself     by     his 
bravery,  fell  seri- 
ously     wounded. 
He   had    scarcely 
recovered  from  his 
wounds,  when  his 
castle  was  storm- 
ed by  the  English 
and   he  was  car- 
ried off  a  prisoner. 
During  this  severe 
trial,  Bl.  Jane,  far 
from    murmuring 
against   Divine 
Providence,  blessed  the  hand  of  God 
which  weighed  heavily  upon   her, 
and  came  forth  from  the   visitation 
purified  and  more   detached  from 
earthly   things.      Through  her   ef- 
forts,   her  hushand   was  at   length 
restored    to   liberty,    and   together 
they    henceforth    vied    with    each 
other  in  the  performance  of   works 
of  piety  and  charity. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband, 


in  1362,  Bl.  Jane  was  bitterly  per- 
secuted by  his  family,  but  even 
when  she  was  cruelly  deprived  of  a 
large  part  of  her  property  and 
obliged  to  beg  for  shelter  in  the 
cottage  of  a  poor  woman,  she  did 
not  lose  her  peace  of  heart,  but, 
like  St.  Elizabeth,  thanked  God  and 
deemed  herself  happy  in  having 
no  other  possessions  than  Jesus 
Crucified.    With  a 


view  of  serving 
God  with  greater 
freedom,  she  went 
to  Tours  and  took 
up  her  abode  in  a 
poor  lodging  near 
the  Church  of  St. 
Martin.  Here  she 
entered  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis, and  hence- 
forth always  wore 
the  habit  outward- 
ly, in  spite  of  the 
ridicule  she  met 
with.  She  now 
devoted  herself 
with  renewed  zeal 
to  works  of  chari- 

P^M^*  '"    ty,   in  which  she 

Bl.  Jane  Mary  Maille  spent  all  her  time 

not  given  to  pray- 
er. She  visited  the  poor  and  the 
sick,  rendered  every  charitable  ser- 
vice to  the  lepers,  and  by  her  pray- 
ers and  prudent  zeal  effected  the 
conversion  of  many  who  had  given 
themselves  up  to  a  life,  of  sin.  To 
these  acts  of  charity,  she  joined  the 
practice  of  the  greatest  self-denial 
and  mortification.  She  spent  the 
greater  part  of  the  night  in  prayer, 
sleeping   for  a   short   time   on   the 


126 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


bare  ground.  Besides  the  fasts 
prescribed  by  the  Church  and  the 
Rule  of  the  Third  Order,  she  kept 
four  Lents  during  the  year,  and 
fasted  on  bread  and  water  on  four 
days  of  every  week.  In  her  love 
for  holy  poverty,  she  divested  her- 
self of  all  her  possessions,  renounced 
any  property  that  might  eventually 
devolve  on  her,  and  lived   on  alms. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  the  ex- 
ample of  so  many  virtues  would 
have  attracted  the  respect  and  ven- 
eration of  men;  but  God  permitted 
it  to  be  otherwise.  Jane  was  treated 
as  foolish  and  mad,  and  persecuted 
with  ridicule  and  insults  to  such  an 
extent  that  she  was  obliged  several 
times  to  change  her  abode.  She  at 
length  found  an  asylum  in  a  poor 
dwelling  near  the  church  of  the 
Franciscans  in  Tours. 

In  this  humble  retreat,  Bl.  Jane 
was  to  spend  the  last  twenty-seven 
years  of  her  life  and  to  exercise  a 
holy  influence  which  was  to  be  felt 
even  at  the  royal  court.  She 
begged  her  daily  bread,  practiced 
the  greatest  austerities,  and  spent 
many  hours  of  the  day  and  night 
before  the  tabernacle  in  contempla- 
tion. By  her  prayers  and  exhorta- 
tions, she  obtained  the  conversion 
of  many  sinners.  She  visited  the 
prisoners,  provided  for  their  needs, 
and  in  many  cases  procured  their 
release.  Needy  churches  were  also 
the  object  of  her  pious  solicitude; 
by  her  help  and    example,  many 


were  repaired  and  provided  with 
the  things  necessary  to  celebrate 
the  divine  mysteries  with  due  re- 
verence. 

In  1395,  Bl.  Jane  visited  Paris, 
where  she  had  several  audiences 
with  King  Charles  VI.  The  influ- 
ence of  these  interviews  was  soon 
felt  in  a  number  of  royal  statutes  in 
favor  of  the  people  and  the  prison- 
ers and  in  the  removal  of  abuses 
existing  at  the  court. 

Her  influence  was  also  exercised 
in  a  most  salutary  manner  during 
the  Great  Schism,  which  caused  so 
much  confusion  in  the  Church  of 
God.  Like  the  other  Saints  who  lived 
at  the  time,  Bl.  Jane  not  only  unceas- 
ingly implored  God  to  hasten  the 
end  of  the  scandal  which  afflicted 
the  Church  to  the  detriment  of 
numerous  souls,  but  she  instituted  ■ 
for  this  purpose  processions  and 
public  prayers,  and  as  a  reward, 
she  received  a  revelation  making 
known  the  coming  peace  of  the 
Church. 

After  laboring  for  the  honor  of 
God  and  the  salvation  of  souls  by  a 
life  of  voluntary  poverty,  humility, 
mortification,  and  prayer,  Bl.  Jane 
was  at  length  called  to  her  eternal 
reward.  She  passed  away  on 
March  28,  1414,  in  the  eighty-sec- 
ond year  of  her  age.  She  was  en- 
tombed in  the  church  of  the  Friars 
Minor  at  Tours.  Pope  Pius  IX,  in 
1871,  confirmed  the  veneration 
shown  her  from   time  immemorial. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


127 


CALM  BEFORE  THE  STORM 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia.  OF. 31. 


SELDOM  were  political  and  reli- 
gious conditions  more  auspi- 
cious anywhere  than  in  Eng-  : 
land  when  Henry  VIII  ascended 
the  throne  in  1509.  During  the 
reign  of  his  father,  Henry  VII,  the 
first  of  the  house  of  Tudor,  royal 
ascendancy  had  gained  a  firm  hold 
on  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the 
English  people.  Though  smarting 
under  the  frequent  and  heavy  exac- 
tions of  the  late  King,  the  people 
at  large  submitted,  when  they  re- 
called the  horrors  of  the  War  of  the 
Roses.  Now  that  the  stern  King 
was  dead  and  the  State  treasury 
well  filled,  they  pinned  their  hopes 
for  brighter  days  on  his  youthful 
successor. 

Endowed  with  rare  qualities  of 
mind  and  body,  the  handsome 
prince  of  eighteen  summers  fully 
vindicated  their  most  sanguine 
hopes.  Shortly  after  his  accession, 
he  espoused  with  a  dispensation 
from  Rome  Catherine  of  Aragon, 
the  maiden  widow  of  his  brother 
Arthur.  The  people  loved  the  pious 
and  fair  princess;  hence  the  King's 
choice  could  only  raise  him  in  their 
esteem.  Soon  after,  he  renewed 
the  general  pardon  his  father  had 
granted  before  his  death,  and  even 
offered  to  compensate  those  who 
had  been  wronged  during  the  pre- 
ceding reign.  Also  his  military 
success  in  France  and  Scotland 
augured  well  for  the  future.  In 
short,  politically  his  reign  promised 
to  be  an  era  of  peace  at  home  and  of 
prestige  abroad;  and  as  far  as   reli- 


gious conditions  were  concerned, 
no  one  in  England,  least  of  all  the 
King,  ever  fancied  that  within 
twenty-five  years  a  dreadful  up- 
heaval would  transpire  within  the 
realm. 

The  assertion  often  made  by  non- 
Catholic  historians  that  on  the  eve 
of  the  Reformation  religious  life  in 
England  was  at  a  very  low  ebb, 
conflicts  with  the  latest  researches; 
and  to  say  that  the  subsequent  up- 
heaval was  merely  the  culmination 
of  Lollardism  is  false.  Long  be- 
fore, the  heresy  of  Wiclif  had  sunk 
into  the  grave  with  the  heretic 
himself.  It  is  true  that,  ,as  at  all 
times,  so  also  in  the  beginning  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  there  were 
religious  evils  that  needed  curing. 
But  generally  speaking,  historians 
agree  that  the  people,  instructed 
and  advised  by  a  zealous  clergy, 
cherished  and  practiced  their  faith. 
Gasquet  remarks  that  "religion  on 
the  eve  of  the  Reformation  was  inti- 
mately bound  up  with  the  whole 
social  life  of  the  people,  animating 
it  and  penetrating  it  at  every  point. " 
That  this  statement  is  not  over- 
drawn, is  attested  by  the  widely 
spread  devotional  literature  of  the 
period,  while  the  many  churches 
that  rose  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  England  are  ample  proof 
of  the  people's  spirit  of  sacrifice. 
All  this  in  turn  refutes  the  oft-re- 
peated charge  that  the  clergy,  se- 
cular and  regular,  were  corrupt  and 
worldly-minded,  and  that  they  had 
forfeited  the  respect  and  confidence 


128 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  the  people.  Already  Bl.  Thom- 
as More  argued  that,  if  religious 
conditions  among  the  laity  were 
good,  corruption  among  the  clergy 
could  not  have  been   so  general. (1) 

The  same  may  be  said  regarding 
the  belief  in  the  spiritual  suprem- 
acy of  the  Pope.  Of  course,  the 
full  import  of  this  doctrine  was  not 
so  clearly  denned  as  it  is  to-day. 
Hence,  disputes  repeatedly  arose 
between  the  Church  and  the  State, 
especially  regarding  ecclesiastical 
immunities  and  exemptions.  Still, 
it  is  certain,  everybody  in  England 
knew  only  one  supreme  head  of  the 
Church,  and  that  was  the  Pope. 
The  theory  of  royal  supremacy  in 
matters  spiritual  did  not  emanate 
from  the  convictions  of  the  people, 
but  from  the  pride  and  covetous- 
ness  of  the  crown. (2) 

As  to  Henry  VIII  himself,  con- 
temporary evidence  clearly  shows 
that  in  the  beginning  of  his  reign 
he  was  a  dutiful  son  of  the  Church, 
devoutly  attached  to  her  doctrine 
and  her  practice.  His  thorough 
training  not  only  in  Christian  hu- 
manism but  also  in  sacred  theology 
under  the  direction  of  Bishop  Fisher 
made  him  a  man  of  firm  religious 
convictions.  It  is  thought  that  he 
was  at  first  destined  for  the  sacred 
ministry  but  that  this  plan  was 
abandoned  on  the  death  of  his  elder 
brother  Arthur.  Although  Henry 
was  of  a  gay  and  chivalrous  disposi- 
tion and  delighted  in  the  sports  and 
justs  and  other  entertainments  of 
the  times,  there  is  nothing  on  re- 
cord that  points  to  a  base  and   cor- 


rupt heart.  He  seems  to  have 
fostered  a  great  devotion  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin.  In  1505,  and  again 
in  1510,  he  made  pilgrimages  to 
Our  Lady's  shrine  at  Walsingham. 
Spelman  relates  that  he  walked  to 
this  place  barefoot  from  Baseham, 
a  distance  of  three  miles,  that  he 
presented  the  shrine  with  a  pre- 
cious necklace  and  that  at  his  own 
expense  he  had  new  windows  put  in 
the  chapel. (3)  The  fact,  too,  that 
he  chose  to  marry  the  virtuous 
Catherine  and  applied  to  Rome  for 
the  necessary  dispensation,  speaks 
loudly  in  his  favor. 

Whatever  his  private  life  may 
have  been,  this  much  is  certain, 
Henry  was  sincerely  attached  to  the 
Church  and  to  the  Vicar  of  Christ. 
During  the  political  troubles-  be- 
tween Pope  Julius  II  and  the  King 
of  France,  Henry  VIII  upheld  the 
rights  and  prerogatives  of  the  Pa- 
pacy and  openly  espoused  the  cause 
of  the  Holy  League.  When  Mar- 
tin Luther,  in  1517,  rebelled  against 
the  authority  and  teaching  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  Henry  was  among 
the  first  to  raise  his  voice  in  solemn 
protest.  As  late  as  1522,  at  the  in- 
stigation of  Bl.  John  Forest,  he  wrote 
and  published  the  famous  Assertio 
Septem  Sacramentorum  against  the 
heresy  of  Luther.  When  Bl.  Thom- 
as More  remarked  to  the  King 
that  in  the  book  the  Pope's  author- 
ity had  been  unduly  emphasized, 
Henry  uttered  the  remarkable 
words,  "We  are  so  much  bounden 
unto  the  see  of  Rome  that  we  can 
not   do   too   much   honor   unto    it. 


(1)  Gatquet:     The  Eve  of  the  Reformation.  (London.   1905.)   passim (2)    Gaso.uet:  I.e.,  p.   70  sqq. 

(3)  Hope:  Fmncinean  Martyrs  in  England,  (London,  187S),  p.  3(>.     Sec  also  Timbs  :  Abbeys of  Emtlana. 

nnd  Wale*.  (London),  Vol.  I.  p.  HS. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


129 


Whatsoever  impediment  be  to  the 
contrary,  we  will  set  forth  that 
authority  to  the  uttermost,  for  we 
received  from  that  see  our  crown 
imperial. "(1)  In  public  consistory, 
Dr.  John  Clarke,  the  English  em- 
bassador in  Rome,  presented  the 
King's  book  to  Pope  Leo  X.  To 
show  his  gratitude  and  admiration, 
the  Pope  by  a  special  bull  bestowed 
on  Henry  the  coveted  title  of  De- 
fender of  the  Faith— a  title  which 
the  English  crown  carries,  though 
unjustly,  to  the  present  day.  Later, 
Pope  Clement  VII  presented  Henry 
VIII  with  the  golden  rose  for  emi- 
nent services  rendered  to  the 
Church. (2)  Yes,  even  when  about 
to  usurp  the  spiritual  supremacy  of 
the  Church,  Henry  obliged  Cran- 
mer  at  his  espiscopal  consecration 
to  take  the  usual  oath  of  obedience 
to  the  See  of  Rome. (3)  In  short, 
it  may  be  said  that  during  the 
early  reign  of  Henry  VIII,  the 
Church  still  had  a  firm  hold  on  the 
intelligence  and  the  affection  of  the 
King  as  well  as  of  the  English 
nation  at  large. 

It  was  quite  natural  for  one  so  well- 
minded  toward  the  Church,  to  favor 
also  that  movement  in  the  Order  of 
St.  Francis,  which  in  the  course  of 
time  had  rekindled  the  primitive 
zeal  for  Franciscan  ideals  of  pover- 
ty and  had  given  to  the  Church 
such  ardent  promoters  of  her  wel- 
fare. To  understand  and  to  appre- 
ciate fully  the  heroic  zeal  of  the 
English  friars  for  truth  and  moral- 
ity during  the  subsequent  religious 
upheaval    in   England,    it  will   be 


necessary  to  insert  a  brief  account 
of  the  Observant  reform  in  the 
Franciscan  Order  and  of  its  bearing 
on  the  history  of  the  English  prov- 
ince. Soon  after  the  death  of  St. 
Francis,  diversities  of  opinion  and 
practice  arose  in  the  Order  regard- 
ing the  observance  of  poverty. 
While  a  number  of  brethren  sup- 
ported by  influential  men  in  and  out 
of  the  Order  sought  to  mitigate  the 
severity  of  the  Rule,  others  advo- 
cated and  practiced  complete  re- 
nunciation of  all  temporalities. 
During  the  fourteenth  century, 
these  differences  became  more  pro- 
nounced. Those  who  following  BI. 
Paul  de  Trinci,  labored  for  the  re- 
form of  the  Order,  were  called  Ob- 
servants, while  the  others  who  with 
papal  dispensations  held  property 
in  common,  went  by  the  name  of 
Conventuals.  In  the  next  century, 
the  reform  movement  was  greatly 
furthered  by  four  saintly  friars 
known  as  the  pillars  of  Observan- 
tism;  viz.,  St.  Bernardine  of  Siena, 
St.  John  Capistran,  St.  James  della 
Marca,  and  Bl.  Albert  of  Sartiano. 
Through  their  untiring  efforts, 
the  movement  rapidly  spread  over 
entire  Europe,  so  that  on  the  eve  of 
the  Reformation,  the  Franciscan  Or- 
der was  well-nigh  wholly  regener- 
ated. In  the  various  provinces, 
there  were  1500  Observant  houses, 
in  which,  to  make  a  rough  esti- 
mate, about  30,000  friars  observed 
the  primitive  poverty  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Order.  Finally  in  1517, 
a  definite  separation  was  made  by 
Pope  Leo  X,    so  that    henceforth 


(1)  Roper:  Life  of  Sir  Thom„,  Mori .  Knt 
was  the  son-in-law  of  the  blessed  Tertiary  Ma 
Vol.  IV,  p.  484. (3)  Dodd:  Church  HU-loruo, 


(London,  190>).  i>.  07.    William  Roper,  the  author  of  this  work, 

tvr. (2)    Pastor:     (Jeschichte  der   Vae)>*i-\  (l'"reibunr.  1WT). 

Kno'unil,  (Brussels.  17:57).  Vol.  I.  p.  71. 


130 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


there  existed  two  distinct  branches 
of  the  Order,  the  Conventuals  and 
the  Observants. (1) 

According  to  Parkinson,  this  Ob- 
servant movement  probably  reached 
the  English  province  early  in  the  fif- 
teenth century,  and  it  was  gradually 
adopted  by  most  of  the  friars.  In 
1451,  St.  John  Capistran  wrote  to 
Henry  VI  concerning  his  promise 
to  erect  Observant  houses  in  Eng- 
land. At  the  chapters  held  in  Pa- 
lencia  (1470)  and  at  Bruges  (1484), 
England  was  reckoned  a  province 
of  the  Observance.  The  chapter 
held  at  Mechlin  (1499)  unan- 
imously resolved  "that  the  prov- 
ince of  England  having  now  a 
competent  number  of  convents 
should  hereafter  have  two  votes  in 
all  general  chapters,  after  the 
manner  of  other  reformed  prov- 
inces".^ 

Although  the  exact  number  of 
Observantine  friaries  in  England  is 
not  known, (3)  Parkinson  seems  to 
hold  that,  after  1517,  almost  all  the 
convents  accepted  the  reform,  since 
he  finds  after  that  year  no  mention 
of  Conventual  chapters  or  provin- 
cials/41 Apparently,  the  reform 
movement  did  not  at  all  destroy  the 
unity  of  the  province.  Thus  in 
1498,  we  see  the  Observants  holding 
their  chapter  at  the  Grey  Friars  (5) 
in  London,  which  was  not  one  of 
their  houses. <tj)  We  know  that  at 
the  time  of  the  general  suppression 
of  the  province,  by  far  the  greater 


number  of  its  friaries  were  strictly 
in  keeping  with  the  rule  of  poverty 
and  depended  for  their  daily  sub- 
sistence on  the  charity  of  the  peo- 
ple. All  told,  there  were  about 
eighty  convents  in  England  proper. 
Of  these,  all,  excepting  perhaps 
four,  are  officially  recorded  by  the 
royal  agents  as  "not  rated,"  "no 
valuation,"  "no  rents,"  "no  reve- 
nues." <7)  Though  differing  among 
themselves  in  the  use  of  other  priv- 
ileges gradually  established  by 
custom,  most  of  the  English  friars 
were  one  in  the  complete  renuncia- 
tion of  temporalities.  Hence  it  was 
easy  for  them  to  join  the  Observant 
body.  How  many  did  so,  will  re- 
main, perhaps  forever,  a  matter  of 
conjecture.  This  much,  however, 
is  certain:  on  the  eve  of  the  Refor- 
mation, the  greater  number  of  Eng- 
lish Franciscans  were  true  sons  of 
St.  Francis,  and  with  the  Carthu- 
sians and  Bridgetines  formed  the 
most  zealous  and  most  popular  body 
of  religious  in  England, 

During  the  first  year  of  his  reign, 
Henry  VIII,  like  his  father,  was  the 
outspoken  patron  of  the  English 
Observants.  In  a  letter  to  the  Pope 
dated  March  12,  1513,  he  told 
how  he  loved  and  admired  the 
friars  for  their  sincere  devotion 
to  poverty,  for  their  heroic  spirit 
of  charity  and  self-denial,  and 
for  their  untiring  zeal  in  winning 
souls  back  to  God.(8)  Their  friary 
and  church  at  Greenwich   adjoined 


(1)  Bolzapfel :  Getchichte  des  Fremcinkanerorden*,  (Freiburg,  l'.HCH,  passim. (2)  Parkinson  :  TV  Antiquities 

<,/thr  AW/*/,  Frnn.-iwi*,  (London,  172t>)  I,  pp.  2<r.\;  20:.,  207,  211.    Sec  also  Amial-s  Minorum,  V,  p.  100;  VI,  pp. 

112,  709;  VII,  pp.  176,407. (3)  Pope   Sixtua  IV.  in  1481,  gave  certain  English  nobles  a  grant    to  build   three 

friaries  fur  the  Observants.  Whether  and  where  these  friaries  were  erected,  is  not  known.  Later,  Henry  ^\  II  built 
them  three  convents;  viz.,  at  Greenwich,  Newark.  Richmond,  while  he  caused  those  at  Canterbury,  Newcastle,  and 
Southampton  to  be  given  over  to  them  by  the  Conventuals.     Gonzaga   says    that   they   had   twelve   houses.     See 

Parkinson,  I.e.,  I,  pp.  207:216:  212. (4)  Parkinson.  I.e..  I,  p.  220. (5)  In  England,  the   Franciscans  went  by 

this  name  on  account  of  the  color  of  their  habit. (15)  Tliaddeus:    'lht  FratirLscan*  at  Fiu/Zmnl,  (London,  1898), 

p.  14. (7)  Parkinson,    I.e..  II.    passim. (K)    Stone:     Faithful   Unto    Path,    (London.  1898),    p.  1..  qn    the 

authority  of  Ellin's  Original  Letters. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


131 


the  royal  palace,  where  Henry 
was  born  and  where  during  his 
reign  he  usually  resided.  Here 
with  his  saintly  queen  Catherine 
who  was  a  Franciscan  Tertiary,  he 
attended  divine  services.  Another 
Tertiary,  Bl.  Thomas  More,  whose 
life  was  so  intimately  bound  up  with 
court  affairs,  stood  very  high  in  his 
esteem.  Fr.  Stephen  Baron,  provin- 
ciaf  of  the  Franciscans,  was  for  near- 
ly ten  years  confessor  to  the  King, 
for  whose  benefit  he  wrote  a 
book  entitled,  On  the  Government 
of  Princes.  In  1516,  when  the 
Franciscans  of  Palestine  had  to  flee 
to  Cyprus  to  escape  the  cruelty  of 
Selim,  the  youthful  King  of  Eng- 
land wrote  to  them  personally,  as- 
suring them  that  since  his  tenderest 
years  he  had  always  revered  the 
sons  of  St.  Francis  and  that  hence- 
forth he  would  send  them  a  yearly 
alms  of  1000  scudi  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  the  Holy  Places.  Again,  in 
1521,  it  was  a  Franciscan,  Fr.  John 


Kynton,  doctor  of  divinity  at  Ox- 
ford, whom  the  King  engaged  to 
write  a  defence  of  Catholic  truth 
against  Luther.  (1)  These  are  a  few 
recorded  facts  that  illustrate  the 
King's  attitude  toward  the  sons  of 
St.  Francis. 

Little,  therefore,  did  they  sur- 
mise that  he  who  in  his  early  reign 
had  been  their  constant  and  devoted 
protector,  would  later  prove  their 
most  cruel  and  unrelenting  persecu- 
tor. Heretofore,  cherished  by  high 
and  low  for  strict  fidelity  in  every 
sphere  of  action,  the  English  Fran- 
ciscans had  decked  the  shrine  of  St. 
Francis  with  flowers  of  sanctity  and 
laurels  of  learning.  Now  the  time 
had  come  for  them  to  gather  in  also 
the  palms  of  martyrdom  and  join 
the  ranks  of  those  '  'who  are  come 
out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have 
washed  their  robes,  and  have  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb."     Apoc.  7,  14. 


( I)- Parkinson  I.e.,  I,   passim.    See  also  Mason :    <'•  i-tumm  S-mtthl 


(Quaracchi,  1885)  p.293. 


(Eh?  iSobm  0  Spring  ^nng 


(Cheer  up,  rhrer  tqt,  than  uiintry  sky, 

(iljy  brrary  asprrt  brighten; 
Dispel  the  gloom,  the  airy  spare 
With  golbeu  snnstjine  lighten. 
I^hout  thine  oum  hue 
®f  lonely  blur, 
Anb  utaken  the  morlb  to  life  anrui, 

(Cheer  up,  rljeer  up,  thou  languid  earth. 

3n  somber  sabnrss  sleeping. 

(Thy.  lonely,  autiling  uerburr  shout 

"  B3ith  flowers  brightly  peeping, 

$ e  trees  so  bare, 

four  foliage  uiear, 

(To  surge  anb  smay  in  the  baling  air, 


(Cheer  up,  rljrer  up.  ye  rreatures  all, 
(That  roam  o'er  beury  meaboms, 
(That  broell  uiitbin  the  matery  bepths, 
(That  haunt  the  forest  shaboms. 
^e  songsters  gay, 
iling  a  merry  lay 
(To  heighten  the  rharm  of  the  sunny  bay. 

Cheer  up,  rhrer  up,  (D  Ijrart  of  man. 
(Cast  off  tb,y  sluggish  sabness; 
mtmi  nature  stirs  to  happy  life 
(ihou,  too,  autake  to  glabneas. 
iln  morship  prone 
before  (gob's  throne 
A  joyful  hymn.  ©  man,  intone. 

-3Fr.  «.,  ®.JUH. 


132 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THE  STONE  ROLLED  AWAY 

By  Fr.  Giles,  O.F.M. 


WHEN  John  Wentworth  mar- 
ried Agnes  Ashton,  it  was 
universally  conceded  that 
a  splendid  match  had  been  made, 
and  that  the  young  couple  entering 
on  the  path  of 'conjugal  life  had  a 
bright  and  happy  future  before 
them.  Both  were  of  good  families, 
well  educated,  and  sufficiently  en- 
dowed with  this  world's  goods  to 
ensure  them  a  comfortable  living. 

The  first  five  years  of  their  wed- 
ded life  were  years  of  almost  un- 
alloyed bliss.  Rich  in  each  other's 
love,  their  happiness  was  increased 
by  the  presence  of  several  children 
sent  by  Heaven  to  bind  their  hearts 
still  more  closely  together,  and  the 
happiest  hours  of  the  day  were 
those  that  John  spent  with  his 
loved  ones  at  home. 

Then  there  came  a  change  that 
brought  sorrow  and  misery  to  this 
happy  home.  Desirous  of  placing 
his  business  on  a  firmer  financial 
basis,  Wentworth  had  entered  into 
partnership  with  Henry  Rice,  an  old 
friend  of  his  boyhood  days.  Un- 
fortunately, Rice,  unknown  to  John, 
was  given  to  gambling  and  betting, 
and,  after  squandering  all  his  per- 
sonal funds,  he  made  use  of  the 
firm's  money,  and  before  Went- 
worth was  aware  of  the  fact,  they 
faced  bankruptcy.  Brooding  ex- 
cessively over  his  misfortune  and 
embittered  by  the  base  deception  of 
his  partner  and  trusted  friend, 
Wentworth  took  to  drinking,  and 
all  the  entreaties  of   his   wife   and 


friends  to  break  with  this  degrad- 
ing and  pernicious  habit  availed 
nothing.  John  was  a  changed 
man.  Demon  rum  seemed  to  have 
taken  possession  of  his  whole  being, 
and  things  daily  went  from  bad  to 
worse.  In  the  meantime,  Mrs. 
Wentworth  with  the  assistance  of  a 
faithful  clerk,  reestablished  the  busi- 
ness on  a  small  scale  and  succeeded 
for  some  years  in  eking  out  a  pre- 
carious living.  But  this  work  cou- 
pled with  the  anguish  thta  was  con- 
stantly gnawing  at  her  heart  gradu- 
ally undermined  her  strength. 

Little  did  she  surmise  when  she 
joined  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis the  year  after  her  marriage  and 
chose  that  model  of  wives  and 
mothers,  St.  Monica,  as  her  special 
patroness,  that  she  should  so  soon 
imitate  this  saint  in  her  tears  and 
prayers  for  the  conversion  of  the 
one  dearest  to  her  in  the  world. 
The  Third  Order  proved  to  be  her 
solace  and  strength  in  these  heavy 
trials,  a/id  her  sorrows  seemed  to 
unite  her  more  and  more  to  the  suf- 
fering Savior.  Nor  did  she  despair 
or  even  complain  when  God  called 
three  of  her  darling  children  in 
quick  succession  to  himself,  leaving 
her  but  the  eldest  child,  Alfred, 
then  a  boy  of  twelve  years. 

John  Wentworth,  instead  of  per- 
ceiving in  this  bereavement  a  just 
punishment  of  God  for  the  gross 
neglect  of  his  family,  gave  himself 
up  more  than  ever  to  his  passion 
and  even  cast  his  holy  religion  aside 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


133 


the  more  easily  to  quiet  his  qualms 
of  conscience.  This  was  the  heav- 
iest blow  of  all  for  his  devoted  wife, 
and  her  health  gave  way  completely. 
In  this  extremity,  her  husband  re- 
gained his  senses  and  did  all  in  his 
power  to  restore  her  to  health.  But 
it  was  too  late,  and  Dr.  Woodbury 
told  them  to  prepare  for  the  worst. 
Fr.  Roch  was  sent  for  to  administer 
to  his  faithful  Tertiary  child  the 
last  sacraments.  After  the  priest 
had  gone  and  left  her  alone  with  her 
husband  kneeling  at  her  bedside 
and  bitterly  bewailing  his  shameful 
neglect,  Mrs.  Wentworth  turned  to 
John  and  said: 

'  'John  dear,  I  am  going  to  die, 
and-" 

"Oh,  Agnes,  don't  say  that, 
don't!"  moaned  the  distracted  man 
taking  her  pale,  wasted  hand  and 
kissing  it  passionately.  "No,  I 
don't  want  you  to  die;  and  I  prom- 
ise never  to  touch  a  drop  of  liquor 
and  never  to  enter  a  saloon  again, 
and  to  go  to  church  regularly.  I 
know  how  you  must  hate  me,  but  I 
swear  that  I  love  you,  and  God 
knows  that  I  want  to  lead  a  differ- 
ent life." 

Placing  her  hand  lovingly  on  his 
head,  Mrs.  Wentworth  assured  her 
disconsolate  husband  that  far  from 
hating  him  she  loved  him  most  ten- 
derly. 

1  'All  these  years,  John,  I  have 
prayed  and  wept  with  St.  Monica 
for  you,  and  I  trust  that  my  tears 
and  prayers  have  not  been  in  vain. 
But  it  seems  that  God  demands  also 
my  life  for  your  conversion." 

"No,  no,  Agnes,  he  can't  demand 
that  from  you!"   exclaimed    John 


vehemently,  his  tears  flowing 
afresh.  '  'Why  should  you  suffer  for 
my  sins?  And  besides,  if  you  die 
now,  I  am  sure  to  go  to  the  dogs 
entirely." 

'  'Now,  my  dear  John,  calm  your- 
self," Agnes  replied,  "for  God  can 
take  better  care  of  you  than  I.  Let 
us  leave  it  all  to  him." 

Wentworth's  only  answer  was  a 
flood  of  tears.  That  same  evening, 
Agnes  passed  away,  conscious  to 
the  last,  having  frequently  renewed 
the  sacrifice  of  her  life  for  the  con- 
version of  her  poor  husband  and  for 
the  welfare  of  her  cherished  boy 
Alfred.  Fr.  Roch  was  present 
when  the  end  came,  and  it  was  well, 
for  John  Wentworth  was  almost 
crazed  with  grief,  blaming  himself 
for  the  premature  death  of  his 
saintly  wife.  The  words  of  com- 
fort and  admonition  falling  from 
the  lips  of  the  gentle  priest  sank 
deep  into  the  heart  of  the  sorrow- 
stricken  man,  and  falling  on  his 
knees  beside  the  corpse  he  solemnly 
renewed  in  the  presence  of  the 
priest  the  promise  to  amend  his 
ways.  True  to  his  word,  John 
hastened  to  the  church  on  the  fol- 
lowing evening  and  sought  out  Fr. 
JRoch's  confessional,  where  amid 
tears  and  groans  he  made  his  peace 
with  God. 

The  funeral  was  held  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Third  Order,  and 
those  who  knew  that  Mrs.  Went- 
worth had  died  more  of  a  broken 
heart  than  of  any  specific  illness, 
mprveled  at  the  peaceful  expression 
of  the  pale,  drawn  features  as  she 
lay  in  her  plain  casket,  garbed  in 
the  full  Tertiary  habit. 


134 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


"That's  just  the  way  I  always 
imagined  St.  Elizabeth  must  have 
looked  when  she  died,"  Mrs.  Wood- 
bury remarked  to  her  friend  Mrs. 
Adams,  as  they  gazed  lovingly  at 
the  placid  smile  that  seemed  to  play 
about  the  waxlike  lips  of  their  de- 
parted Tertiary  sister,  "and  I  feel 
more  like  praying  to  her  than  for 
her  that  I  may  become  as  good  a 
Tertiary  as  she  was." 

Now  that  his  Wife  was  no  more, 
John  Wentworth  was  determined 
to  carry  out  the  resolutions  made 
at  her  deathbed.  Conscious  of  his 
own  weakness,  he  carefully  avoided 
those  places  that  had  been  wont  to 
draw  him  with  irresistible  force, 
and  instead  of  spending  his  even- 
ings in  the  bar-room,  he  now  re- 
mained at  home  with  Alfred  and  a 
maiden  sister  of  his,  who  had  gener- 
ously agreed  to  keep  house  for 
them.  John's  relatives  greatly  re- 
joiced over  this  sudden  and  unex- 
pected change  and  devoutly  hoped 
that  his  conversion  would  be  last- 
ing. 

It  was  after  nigthfall,  about  a 
week  after  his  wife's  funeral,  that 
Wentworth  was  returning  from  a 
freight  depot,  where  he  had  gone 
to  look  after  a  shipment  of  goods. 
He  was  just  passing  a  saloon  he 
had  formerly  patronized,  when  he 
was  hailed  by  one  of  his  old  friends. 

"Hello,  Wentworth!  Haven't 
seen  you  for  a  long  time.  Where' ve 
you  been  all  week?  Why,  what'sa 
matter?  You  look  all  in." 

"What?  Your  wife  died?"  he 
went  on,  as  John  told  him  of  his 
wife's  death.  "Well,  that's  too 
bad,  sure,  and  I'm   sorry   for   you. 


But  say,  let's  go  in  and  have  a 
drink.  There's  nothing  like  a  good 
straight  whiskey  for  bracing  up  a 
feller  when  his  spirits  are  low." 

Wentworth  hesitated,  remember- 
ing his  solemn  promise  never  to  en- 
ter a  saloon  again,  but  his  friend 
without  more  ado  took  hold  of  his 
arm  and  led  him  in.  There  were  a 
number  of  men  standing  at  the  bar 
or  sitting  at  the  tables,  and  they 
greeted   the   newcomers    heartily. 

When  word  was  passed  round 
that  Wentworth  had  lost  his  wife, 
the  expressions  of  sympathy  were 
general  and  evidently  sincere,  and 
John  was  not  a  little  affected  by  this 
unexpected  show  of  pity  from  these 
rough  men. 

"Thank  you,  boys,"  he  replied, 
"I  certainly  appreciate  your  kind- 
ness. Perhaps  some  of  you  would 
like  to  have  a  memorial  card  of  her, ' ' 
he  went  on,  drawing  a  package  of 
cards  from  his  pocket  and  present- 
ing one  to  each. 

"What's  that  word  mean,    Went- 
worth,    after    her    name,  Ter  — 
Ter  —  ?"  questioned  Jack  Morgan, 
a  Protestant. 

"Oh,  that's  'Tertiary',  and  means 
that  she  belonged  to  a  Church  so- 
ciety called  the  Third  Order,"  John 
explained,  and  he  recalled  how 
Agnes  had  expressly  desired  that 
the  word  Tertiary  should  be  added 
to  her  name  on  her  memorial  cards. 

"Oh,  was  yer  wife  one  of  them 
Third  Orders,  too,  that're  always 
runnin'  to  the  priest  and  tellin'  em 
yer  sins?"  asked  Dan  Warden  in  a 
sneering  tone.  "My  ol'  woman 
is  a  Third  Order,  too,  an'  ef  she 
didn't  tell  me  that  she  seen   you  in 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


135 


church  th'orther  night  confes- 
sin'  yer  sins  to  that'er  Third  Order 
priest.  Then  she  comes  along  the 
next  day  and  wants  me  fer  to  go  to 
Confession  too.  Good  joke,  eh  boys, 
seem'  ol'  Dan  Warden  confessin' 
his  sins  to  a  priest!  But  say, 
Wenty,  did  yer  ol'  woman  'fore  she 
died  make  yer  promise  to  walk  the 
chalk  line  and  drink  nuttin  strong- 
er'n  grape  juice?" 

The  maudlin  sot  had  hardly  spok- 
en these  words,  when  there  was  a 
muttered  curse,  a  flash  in  the  air, 
and  he  dropped  in  a  heap  to  the 
floor.  Wentworth,  goaded  to  fury 
by  the  man's  contemptuous  remarks 
about  his  dead  wife,  had  snatched 
an  empty  bottle  from  the  bar  and 
hurled  it  straight  at  Warden's  head. 

"He's  dead!"  said  one  of  the  men 
in  a  husky  voice,  bending  over  War- 
den's prostrate  form. 

"Yep,  ol'  Dan  handed  in  his 
checks  sooner'n  he  expected,"  said 
another  with  a  pitiless  laugh. 

The  bottle  had  been  broken  and 
made  a  long  gash  over  the  man's  left 
temple,  and  the  blood  flood  freely. 
The  sight  of  blood  brought  Went- 
worth to  himself,  and  availing  him- 
self of  the  general  confusion  he  fled 
from  the  awful  scene  and  rushing 
into  an  alley  near  by  hid  himself  in 
a  garbage  box.  Huddling  there  in 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  with  a  cold 
sweat  trickling  slowly  down  his 
brow,  he  vividly  recalled  how  he 
had  knelt  hardly  ten  days  before  at 
the  bedside  of  his  dying  wifeand  how 
he  had  promised  by  everything  holy 
never  to  enter  a  saloon  again.  And 
now  that  he  had  broken  this  promise 
for  the  first  time,  although  he   had 


not  tasted  a  drop  of  liquor,  the 
punishment  for  his  backsliding  had 
come  quickly  and  with  a  vengeance. 

What  was  he  to  do  now?  If  dis- 
covered, he  would  most  certainly  be 
hanged  for  murder  or  at  least  sent 
to  prison  for  life.  He  must  flee, 
flee  to  some  distant  city  and  there 
among  strangers  seek  to  spend  the 
rest  of  his  days,  if  not  in  peace  and 
happiness,  at  least  in  comparative 
security  from  justice.  He  heard 
the  tower  clock  of  the  city  hall 
strike  nine,  then  ten,  then  eleven. 
How  slowly  the  moments  dragged 
on.  Each  minute  seemed  an  age. 
Then  a  shrill  whistle  announced  the 
early  departure  of  the  midnight  fast 
freight  for  the  East.  A  thought 
struck  him.  He  would  try  to  steal 
his  way  on  this  train  and  be  far 
from  the  city  by  morning.  The 
railroad  was  but  a  short  block  from 
his  hiding  place  and  he  could  easily 
make  his  way  there  unnoticed  in 
the  dark.  Stealthily  quitting  the 
box,  John  slipped  through  the  alley 
and  jumped  the  train  just  as  it 
pulled  out  of  the  yards.  After  sev- 
eral days  of  tramping  and  rid- 
ing on  freight  trains,  Wentworth 
landed  at  last  in  New  York,  a  fugi- 
tive from  justice  and  an  outcast 
from  society. 

Under  an  assumed  name,  he  ob- 
tained employment  on  the  wharfs. 
His  former  bad  habits  tried 
hard  to  reassert  themselves,  but 
the  thought  of  his  dying  wife  and 
the  recollection  of  the  bloody  sequel 
to  his  first  lapse  after  her  death  ef- 
fectually steeled  him  against  all 
their  assaults.  Though-he  was  reg- 
ular now  in  attending  Mass  on  Sun- 


136 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


days,  an  unaccountable  fear  pre- 
vented him  from  approaching  the 
holy  sacraments.  Living  in  con- 
stant dread'of  being  arrested  and 
brought  to  justice,  Wentworth  aged 
very  rapidly,  so  that  his  own  rel- 
atives would  have  hardly  recognized 
him.  A  long  white  beard,  that  he 
permitted  to  grow,  completed  his 
metamorphosis. 

Thus  he  spent  twelve  long,  dreary 
years  far  from  home,  without  peace 
or  rest,  the  awful  crime  on  his  con- 
science weighing  his  soul  down  to 
the  very  depths  of  hell.  Often  he 
felt  impelled  to  go  to  court  and 
make  a  clean  breast  of  it.  But 
fear  of  the  gallows  always  held  him 
back.  Never  speaking  more  than 
was  absolutely  necessary,  he  labored 
faithfully  on  the  wharfs,  and  he  was 
known  as  a  good-hearted  simpleton, 
who  stolidly  resisted  all  the  endeav- 
ors of  his  fellow  laborers  to  draw 
him  out  and  to  have  him  join  in 
their  dissipations. 

One  morning,  it  was  the  nine- 
teenth of  March,  as  John  went  to 
work,  he  began  to  feel  a  most  in- 
tense longing  to  return  to  his  old 
home.  He  strove  to  shake  off  the 
feeling,  but  it  became  more  pro- 
nounced as  the  hours  passed  by, 
and  he  grew  very  uneasy.  Was 
this  that  unaccountable  voice  that,  as 
he  had  heard,  eventually  leads  mur- 
derers back  to  the  scene  of  their 
bloody  crimes  where  they  are  then 
detected?  Or  was  it  merely  a  natu- 
ral inclination  to  see  again  the  home 
of  his  childhood,  and  the  faces  of 
those  so  dear  to  him?  Evening 
came  and  the  longing  increased. 
For  days  he  struggled   to  put  the 


thought  out  of  his  mind,  but  to  no 
avail.  At  last,  he  determined  to 
follow  the  impulse,  confident  that 
even  should  he  meet  some  former 
acquaintance,  he  would  not  be 
recognized. 

It  was  on  Easter  Sunday  that 
Wentworth  arrived  in  his  native 
city.  Strolling  down  the  street 
where  he  had  formerly  dwelt,  he 
felt  a  keen  pang  of  disappointment 
to  find  that  his  house  had  been 
torn  down  to  make  room  for  a  large 
flat.  With  a  sinking  heart  he  turned 
his  steps  toward  his  store,  almost 
regretting  that  he  had  made  the  trip. 

What  sound  was  that?  The 
chimes  of  a  church  near  by  pealing 
forth  their  joyful  invitation  to  the 
faithful  to  assemble  and  adore  the 
newly  risen  Savior.  Wentworth  at 
once  recognized  them  as  the  bells 
of  his  own  parish  church,  and  he 
thought  that  they  had  never  before 
sounded  so  sweetly.  Were  they 
welcoming  him,  the  prodigal,  back 
to  his  home,  where  at  last,  he 
should  find  pardon  and  peace? 
Alas!  how  often  in  former  years  he 
had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  their  kind 
invitation.  He  would  do  so  no 
longer.  He  would  hasten  to  the 
church  and  seek  out  the  only  man 
to  whom  he  could  bare  the  utter 
misery  of  his  soul— his  former  con- 
fessor, kind  Fr.  Roch. 

Within  a  few  minutes,  Went- 
worth knelt  again  in  the  church 
where  he  had  spent  the  happiest 
hours  of  his  life  and  where  he  now 
seemed  to  nestle  like  a' child  in  its 
mother's  fond  embrace.  On  the 
right  of  the  sanctuary,  he  saw  a 
beautiful  representation  of  the  Holy 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


137 


Sepulcher  with  the  great  stone 
rolled  away  from  the  entrance  and 
a  white-robed  angel  seated  thereon 
and  pointing  to  the  figure  of  the 
risen  Savior.  Oh,  would  that  he, 
too,  could  roll  away  the  heavy  stone 
of  sin  from  the  grave  of  his   heart. 

"Am  I  dreaming?"  he  asked  him- 
self, as  he  caught  sight  of  a  young 
priest  coming  down  the  middle 
aisle  to  sprinkle  the  faithful  with 
holy  water.  He  rubbed  his  eyes  and 
looked  again.  No,  he  was  not 
dreaming.  That  face  could  belong 
to  no  one  else. 

"Oh,  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a 
sinner!  My  boy  a  priest  and  I  a 
murderer!"  The  old  man  bowed 
his  venerable  white  head  on  his 
bosom,  and  great  hot  tears  began  to 
trickle  slowly  down  his  furrowed 
cheeks  and  then  hung  like  spark- 
ling dewdrops  on  his  snow-white 
beard,  while  his  soul  was  rent  with 
conflicting  emotions  of  hope  and 
despair. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  ser- 
vice, Wentworth  hardly  dared  to 
stir  lest  he  should  awaken  and  find 
it  all  a  dream.  As  the  congregation 
filed  out  of  church  at  the  close  of 
Mass,  he  remained  in  his  seat,  bow- 
ing his  head  on  the  pew  before 
him. 

During  his  sermon,  Fr.  Roch  had 
noticed  the  aged  stranger  in  the 
last  pew  and  seeing  him  still  there 
after  all  others  had  gone,  and  ap- 
parently in  distress,  he  went  to- 
ward him  to  assist  him  if  he  could. 

"What's  the  matter,  my  good 
man?  Can  I  be  of  any  service  to 
you?"  he  questioned  softly,  plac- 
ing his  hand  on  John's  shoulder  and 


bending  over  him. 

Startled  by  the  question,  for  he 
had  not  heard  the  priest  approach, 
Wentworth  raised  his  head  quickly 
and  his  frightened  stare  met  the 
gentle  look  of  the  kindly  friar. 
His  soul  melted  at  once  and  grasp- 
ing the  priest's  hand  with  feverish 
haste  he  sobbed  aloud: 

"Oh,  Father  Roch,  for  God's 
sake,  help  me  a  poor  sinner!" 

"But  who  are  you,  my  good 
man?" 

"John  Wentworth!" 

"John  Wentworth!"  ejaculated 
Fr.  Roch  astonished  beyond  all 
measure.  '  'Thank  God  that  you  are 
not  dead  as .  we  all  thought,  and 
that  you  have  at  last  come  back  to 
us.  Oh.  this  will,  indeed,  be  a  joy- 
ful Easter  for  good  Fr.  Paul,  your 
own  boy  Alfred." 

"Then  I  was  not  mistaken? 
That  was  really  Alfred  at  the 
altar?" 

"Yes,  Alfred  said  his  first  holy 
Mass  in  this  church  on  March  the 
nineteenth,  the  feast  of  St.  Joseph, 
and  he  is  here  still  on  a  short  vaca- 
tion." 

"Oh,  God,  my  boy  a  priest  and 
I  a  murderer!"  sobbed  the  poor  old 
man  unable  to  master  his  emotion 
as  this  thought  again  presented 
itself  to  him. 

"A  murderer?  What  do  you 
mean,  John?" 

"Oh,  Father,  you  know  I  killed 
Dan  Warden  in  Barker's  saloon. 
But  I  didn't  mean  to  do  it,  God 
knows  I  didn't!" 

"My  dear  friend,  you  are  mis- 
taken. You  didn't  kill  Dan  Warden. 
He    was  merely     stunned   by   the 


138 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


blow,  and  the  wound  he  received 
soon  healed." 

"Then  I'm  not  a  murderer, 
Father?" 

"No,  John,  no,  believe  me. 

"Oh,  thank  God!  Father,  the 
heavy  stone  is  rolled  away  from 
my  heart  at  last.  And  now  I  can 
look  my  darling  boy  in  the  eye  and 
press  him  to  my  heart  without  fear 
or  shame.  Oh,  Father,  take  me  to 
him  at  once." 

Five  years  after  his  homecoming, 
John  Wentworth  followed  his  saint- 
ly wife  to  the  grave,  having  proved 
the  sincerity  of  his  conversion  by 
the  extraordinary  zeal  and  devotion 
with  which  he  fulfilled  all  his  reli- 
gious duties.  As  he  lay  on  his 
deathbed  after  being  strengthened 
for  the  great  journey  by  the  last 
rites  of  holy  Church,  he  requested 
Fr.  Roch  to  take  the  slip  of  paper 
that  lay  under  his  pillow  and  to  have 
the  obituary  notice  on  his  memorial 


cards  printed  as  there  directed. 

"You  know,  Father,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "I'm  convinced  that  those 
cards  of  my  beloved  Agnes  saved 
me  from  eternal  ruin.*  For  had 
that  unfortunate  affair,  occasioned 
by  those  cards,  not  taken  place  in 
Barker's  saloon,  God  alone  knows 
what  would  have  become  of  me, 
since  I  would  most  probably  have 
taken  to  drink  again.  Oh,  it  was 
a  terrible  lesson,  but  the  good  God 
knows  how  much  I  needed  it." 

The  priest  took  the  slip  of  paper 
from  under  the  pillow  as  requested 
and  with  unconcealed  emotion  read 
the  following: 

Of    your    charity 

Pray  for  the  soul  of  the  deceased 

John  Augustine  Wentworth,  Tertiary 

unworthy  husband  of 

Agnes  Monica  Wentworth,  Tertiary, 

who  by  her  tears  and  prayers  obtained  for 

him  the  grace  to   amend   his   sinful   ways 

and  to  repair  the  scandal  he  had  given. 


PROMENADE  DE  LONGCHAMPS 

By  Leon  de  Lillo,  Tertiary 


AMERICAN  tourists  who  have 
visited  Paris  will  remember 
the  Bois  de  Boulogne  and 
the  celebrated  Avenue  of  the  Aca- 
cias that  leads  to  the  race  course  of 
Longchamps.  On  a  beautiful  mead- 
ow that  stretches  along  the  bank 
of  the  Seine,  one  notices  to  the 
right  an  old  wind  mill  covered  with 
ivy,  and  in  the  distance  the  wooden 
grand  stands  for  the  spectators  at 
the  races.  On  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  rises  a  steep  hill  capped 
by  the  important  fort  of  Mont- 
Valerien.     Longchamps,  besides  be- 


ing the  favorite  race  course  of 
Paris,  is  also  the  place  where  the 
grand  reviews  of  the  troops  are 
held,  on  which  occasions  the  guns 
of  Mont-Valerien  fire  the  salutes. 
Until  the  automobiles  ousted  the 
horse-drawn  equipages  of  former 
days  from  the  fashionable  drive- 
ways, it  was  for  centuries  the  cus- 
tom of  the  noble  ladies  of  Paris  to 
drive  at  a  slow  pace  up  and  down 
the  beautiful  Avenue  of  the  Aca- 
cias on  Good  Friday  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  making  display  of  their 
new   spring  bonnets  and  dresses. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


139 


I  will  not  say  that  this  singular 
custom  had  a  Franciscan  origin, 
but  it  had  at  least  a  Franciscan 
pretext,  of  which  present-day 
Parisians  are  mostly  ignorant. 

Long  before  Longchamps  was 
the  scene  of  exciting  horse  races 
and  imposing  military  drills,  it  was 
the  secluded  and  quiet  home  of 
the  daughters  of  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi,  know  as  the  Poor  Clares, 
and  it  was  to  theif  chapel  that  the 
noble  ladies  of  Paris  flocked  on 
Good  Friday  and  incidentally 
showed  off  their  spring  finery  on 
their  way  there  and  back.  I  do 
not  wish  to  assert  that  all  these 
good  women  attended  the  services 
on  this  day  in  the  Poor  Clares.' 
chapel  in  order  to  make  a  display 
of  their  clothes;  but  this  practice 
gave  rise  to  the  well-known  "pro- 
menade de  Longchamps." 

In  the  thirteenth  century,  the 
Bois  de  Boulogne  was  a  wild  forest, 
quite  distant  from  the  noise  and 
bustle  of  the  great  city  of  Paris 
and  the  beautiful  fields  there  near 
the  river  Seine  were  a  most  delight- 
ful spot  for  a  country  home  of  the 
Poor  Clares. 

Hence,  it  was  here  that  the  Prin- 
cess Bl.  Isabel  de  Valois  founded 
the  royal  Abbey  of  Longchamps. 
She  was  the  sister  of  St.  Louis  IX 
of  France,  and,  after  refusing  to 
marry  Conrad  the  son  of  the  Em- 
peror Frederick  II,  she  left  the 
world  to  follow  the  lowly  St.  Fran- 
cis of  Assisi  as  a  daughter  of  St. 
Clare.  Finding  the  original  Rule 
of  the  Poor  Clares  too  difficult  for 
her  companions,  many  of  whom, 
like  herself,  were  from  the  highest 


nobility,  she  requested  the  Pope  to 
mitigate  some  of  its  austerities  for 
their  benefit.  St.  Bonaventure,  at 
that  time  Minister  General  of  the 
I  Order  of  Friars  Minor,  seconded 
|  her  petition  at  the  Vatican,  and 
Pope  Urban  IV  approved  a  special 
Rule  for  the  Abbey  of  Longchamps, 
July  27,  1263.  Owing  to  this  fact, 
Bl.  Isabel  and  her  companions  are 
usually  styled  Urbanist  Clares. 

Mont-Valerien  was  also  from 
the  remotest  times  a  popular  place 
of  pilgrimage.  St.  Genevieve,  pa- 
troness of  Paris,  is  said  to  have 
"sanctified  this  hill  by  her  presence. 
In  1634,  Hubert  Charpentier,  a 
priest  of  the  city  of  Paris,  erected 
a  Way  of  the  Cross  on  the  slope  of 
the  hill,  thus  adding  another  Fran- 
ciscan feature  to  the  locality. 
This  Way  of  the  Cross,  however, . 
like  the  Abbey  itself,  is  now  but  a 
memory  of  the  past.  Destroyed 
during  the  revolution  -of  1793,  it 
was  rebuilt  when  the  Bourbons  re- 
turned to  power.  But  when  the 
present  fort  was  erected,  in  1841, 
it  was  again  removed  and  now  noth- 
ing remains  to  tell  the  tourist  of 
this  once  famous  Via  Crucis  but  the 
name  of  Calvary  Street  which  is  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  hill.  The  statues 
that  formed  the  various  stations  are 
now  preserved  in  the  gardens  of 
the  Church  of  St.  Peter  at  Mont- 
martre. 

And  the  ivy-covered  old  wind 
mill,  now  serving  as  a  restaurant 
and  an  ornament  of  the  park,  is 
the  only  vestige  left  to  tell  of  the 
once  flourishing  Royal  Abbey  of  the 
Daughters  of  St.  Clare. 


HO  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


He  Broke 


THE  REPRESENTATION 

ii    A    ND  giving  thanks,    he  broke."  — In     considering  how   the  ele- 

Z-X  ments  appear  parted  in  consecration  and  the  host  afterwards 
***  -*"  is  broken,  let  me  contemplate  the  wounding  of  our  Lord's  sa- 
cred body  on  the  cross,  the  piercing  of  the  nails  and  spear,  the  tortures 
of  his  passion. 

"They  have  pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet,"  cries  the  sacred  Victim, 
'  'there  is  no  whole  part  in  my  body,  and  my  heart-  that  sacred  heart— is  be- 
come like  melted  wax  dissolved  with  love  and  sorrow."  0  holy  and  solemn 
representation  of  the  passion  and  death  of  our  divine  Lord.  0  sight  to 
draw  forth  the  tears  of  men  and  angels,  and.  if  that  were  possible,  of  the 
eternal  Father  himself !  — the  adorable  hands  and  feet  presented  again, 
in  a  figure,  to  the  nails*  of  the  cro^s,  and  the  sacred  heart  to  the  spear! 
During  the  passion  of  our  Savior  on  Calvary  darkness  fell,  but  during  its 
representation  on  the  altar  light  shines  into  our  souls— the  light  of  the 
adorable  presence  of  Emmanuel—  God-with-us. 

Remember,  my  soul,  at  these  most  solemn  moments  of  the  holy  Mass 
the  anguish  of  Calvary;  remember  the  cost  of  thy  Redemption;  remember 
that,  in  that  body  glorious  which  really  lies  on  the  altar  before  thee,  are 
the  sacred  wounds  received  on  the  cross  for  thee.  The  Living  Bread — his 
hands,  his  feet,  his  sacred  heart — have  been  broken  for  me  a  sinner,  and 
will  not  my  heart  break  for  him  in  contrition  for  my  sins,  which  have 
crucified  the  Son  of  God? 

I  know  that  the  High  and  Hoiy  One  who  gives  himself  in  Communion 
dwells  lovingly  with  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  and  how  necessary 
contrition  is  for  a  fruitful  Communion.  Let  me  endeavor,  therefore,  to 
obtain  a  contrite  heart,  for  such  my  divine  Savior  will  not  despise. 

I  know  that  it  is  only  God  who  can  give  me  true  contrition,  but  I 
must  do  certain  things  on  my  part  in  order  to  obtain  it.  It  is  God  who 
gave  water  out  of  the  rock  at  Horeb,  but  it  was  first  smitten  by  the  rod 
of  Moses.  And  it  was  when  the  adorable  body  of  our  Lord  was  prostrat- 
ed with  his  sorrow  unto  death,  and  again  when  it  was  wounded  in  his 
passion,  that  the  precious  blood  was  poured  out. 

Let  me  learn  from  this  that  it  is  only  through  spiritual  pain  and 
humilation  true  contrition  can  be  obtained.  I  must  pierce  my  heart  with  the 
nails  and  spear  of  self-examination  and  self -accusation;  I  must  affix  it 
to  the  cross  of  penance,  and  attach  it  by  holy  contemplation  to  my   cruci- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  141 


fied  Savior.  Thus  it  will  be  broken  by  the  grace  of  God  and  pour  forth 
a  holy  fount  of  contrite  tears. 

The  very  rocks  of  nature  were  rent  on  Calvary.  Shall  my  heart  be 
harder  than  these,  0  divine  Lord,  when  I  contemplate  thy  sacred  passion? 
The  heart  of  thy  Apostle  Peter  was  melted  to  tears  when  smitten  by  thy 
look  of  reproach  and  sorrow.  Shall  not  mine  also  respond  to  thy  silent 
and  tender  reproaches?  "Feed  me,  0  Lord,  with  the  bread  of  tears  and 
give  me  drink  of  tears  in  measure!" (Ps.  79,6). 

Listen,  my  soul,  to  the  last  command  of  thy  Jesus  as  he  goes  to  be 
lifted  up  on  Calvary,  as  he  comes  to  be  the  Victim  of  the  holy  Mass: 
"Weep  for  yourselves!"  Weep,  indeed,  for  my  passion,  but  weep  still 
more  for  thy  sins  which  have  caused  my  passion.  Weep  for  my  afflict- 
ing falls  under  the  cross  on  my  way  to  Calvary,  but  weep  still  more  for 
thy  repeated  falls  from  virtue.  Weep  for  my  loving  hands  and  feet 
affixed  to  the  cross,  but  weep  still  more  for  thy  heart  attached  to  creat- 
ures if  not  to  thy  sins.  Weep,  indeed,  for  my  sorrowful  death  on  the 
cross,  but  weep  still  more  for  thy  impatience  at  thine  own  cross  and  rejec- 
tion of  it.  Weep  for  this  Victim,  indeed,  not  as  for  the  victim  of  the  crimes 
of  others,  but  as  for  one  whom  thou  thyself  hast  pierced  and  slain. 

Such  is  the  weeping  that  I  have  blessed  and  the  mourning  that  shall 
be  comforted  with  my  love  in  the  heavenly  banquet  of  the  altar.  With 
such  tears  as  these  approach  thy  Communion  with  acts  of  holy  contrition, 
and  thou  shalt  come  thence  with  joyfulness,  enriched  with  my  presence 
and  my  graces,  and  thy  very  tears  of  penitence  shall  be  germs  of  joy 
eternal.  "Going  they  went  and  wept  casting  their  seeds.  But  coming 
they  shall  come  with  joyfulness  carrying  their  sheaves"     (Ps.  125,6). 


Slatt&a  iufltt  §>alttaior?m 

£aub,  (§  £>ion,  ttyij  fcatoatton,  If  onr  th.tmt  of  Irigh,  thankagttring 

IGaub  in  aonga  of  rxnltation  Sriuing  Irrao  anb  aonrr*  of  luring 

Gtyia  fyy  g>tjrpt?rro  anb  tljn  King:  8>et  to-bay  b*fnn>  na  iftrv.- 

All  tity  might  in  triumph,  raising  Srokrn  at  timt  #upnnr  bltsstb, 

$raiar  Bim  mho  aitruaaara  nraiamg,  Aa  hg  rurnj  mouth,  runfraarb, 

3Tar  brgonb  thin*  honoring.  Max  %  brrtlrr* n  gatbrcrb  %rr. 

iGaub  bt  lifteb,  aun^t  anb  anunbing, 
Singing  from  an  hrart  abonnbing. 

iUaing  into  UtbiUr! 
ICaub  in  bntfona  rrlrbration 
©f  tljia  ©ablr'a  rouarrration 

3for  aucij  Ijtglj  aolrmnitg. 

— 2&ob?rt  Bngfj  Srnaon 


142 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THE  FEDERAL  GOVERNMENT  AND  THE  CATHOLIC 
INDIAN  SCHOOLS 

By  Fr.  Bonaventure.  O.F.M. 


MANY  Catholics  are  under  the 
impression  that  our  Feder- 
al Government  is  hostile  to 
the  Catholic  Indian  School.  A  su- 
perficial view  of  events  during  the 
past  few  years  is  apt  to  strengthen 
them  in  this  opinion.  But  a  care- 
ful study  of  the  facts  in  the  case 
will  quickly  disabuse  them.     " 

Excepting  a  few  lower  officials, 
who  lack  the  necessary  experience, 
the  Federal  authorities  have  always 
shown  the  greatest  respect  for  the 
Padres.  We  may  safely  state  that 
the  officials  have  ever  manifested 
a  marked  preference  for  the  views  of 
the  Catholic  missioners,  on  account 
of  their  greater  experience  in  Indi- 
an affairs  and  on  account  of  their 
more  unbiased  suggestions.  We 
can  trace  this  tendency  back  to  the 
days  of  Father  De  Smet,  when  our 
Government  first  came  into  close 
contact  with  the  Catholic  mission- 
ary. From  that  time  on  we  notice 
an  ever  increasing  confidence  on 
the  part  of  our  officials  in  the  Pa- 
dres. 

Those  readers  who  have  taken 
interest  in  Indian  affairs,  will  re- 
member that  only  recently  there 
was  danger  of  a  Navajo  revolt, 
which  was  averted  by  Fr.  Anselm 
Weber,  o.f.m.  It  was  on  the  spe- 
cial request  of  the  Government 
that  he  went  on  this  mission.  Fr. 
Anselm  is  recognized  by  all  as  the 
most  competent  authority  on  Nava- 
jo matters  and  as  the  most  influen- 
tial person  with  this  Indian   tribe, 


and  hardly  anything  of  importance 
is  done  by  our  Federal  authorities 
in  Navajo  affairs  without  first  con- 
sulting him. 

Among  the  pueblos  of  New  Mex- 
ico, the  word  of  the  Catholic  mis- 
sioner  carries  the  greatest  weight. 
Only  this  year  Fr.  Fridolin  Schus- 
ter, o.f.m.,  went  to  Washington, 
D.  C,  in  the  interest  of  his  Indi- 
ans, and  his  suggestions  were  im- 
mediately acted  on.  When  in 
January  of  this  year,  there  was 
question  of  opening  the  Crow  Re- 
servation in  Montana,  the  authori- 
ties sent  for  Father  Louis  Tael- 
mann,  S.  J.,  in  order  to  be  guided 
by  his  views  in  this  delicate  mat- 
ter. In  the  same  month,  a  Francis- 
can friar  was  called  from  Arizona 
to  the  Capital  to  act  as  principal 
counsel  in  setting  aside  three  mil- 
lion acres  of  land  for  the  Papago 
tribe  in  the  southern  part  of  that 
State. 

From  all  this  we  must  conclude 
that  the  Government  is  far  from 
unfriendly  to  the  Catholic  mission- 
er.  How  then  can  we  account  for 
the  opposition  to  our  work,  which 
seems  to  emanate  from  Washing- 
ton? We  need  not  seek  far  for  the 
originators.  They  are  the  mission- 
aries of  the  Protestant  sects,  who 
have  become  almost  insanely  jeal- 
ous of  the  success  of  our  efforts. 
Their  jealousy  has  prompted  them 
to  invoke  certain  technichalities  in 
our  system  of  laws,  in  order  to 
drive  the  Catholic  missioner  out  of 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


143 


business.  Thus,  at  first,  all  Catho- 
lic schools  among  the  Indians  were 
supported  by  the  State  in  consider- 
ation of  the  secular  education  given 
to  the  Indian.  Of  course,  the  Prot- 
estant schools  enjoyed  the  same  priv- 
ilege. Yet  these  latter  could  not 
secure  any  great  attendance,  and 
for  this  reason  the  Protestant  bod- 
ies first  turned  their  schools  over 
to  the  Government  and  then  pro- 
tested against  the  appropriation  of 
public  moneys  for  sectarian  purpo- 
ses. Thus  the  Federal  authorities 
were  forced,  much  against  their 
will,  to  discontinue  their  assistance 
of  the  Catholic  Indian  schools.  The 
various  missionaries  tried  to  arouse 
Catholic  sentiment  through  the 
Catholic  press,  but  found  the  latter 
indifferent  or  unwilling  to  take  up 
the  matter,  so  that  no  pressure 
was  brought  to  bear  on  our  legisla- 
tures by  the  Catholic  voters. . 

There  were  some  schools,  how- 
ever, that  continued  to  draw  on 
the  United  States  treasury  for  their 
maintenance.  These  were  schools 
that  had  a  title  to  governmental 
support  by  virtue  of  treaties  made 
with  the  Indians.  The  Protestant 
missionary  bodies,  emboldened  by 
the  lack  of  Catholic  opposition, 
again  went  on  the  warpath,  to  com- 
bat the  paying  of  these  treaty 
funds  to  the  schools.  With  one 
laudable  exception,  hardly  a  Catho- 
lic paper  entered  a  protest,  and  the 
millions  of  Catholic  voters  remained 
in  ignorance  of  the  struggle.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  Protestants 
gained  their  point  by  the  argument, 
specious  though  it  is,  that  the  ob- 
servance of  the  clauses  of  the  trea- 


ty is  unconsitutional.  Again  the 
Government  was  forced  to  turn 
against  its  friends. 

At  present  the  only  Catholic 
schools  still  paid  by  the  Govern- 
ment, are  those  that  are  supported 
from  tribal  funds.  In  other  words, 
they  are  schools  that,  like  the  large 
school  of  the  Jesuit  Fathers  on  the 
Rosebud  Agency  in  South  Dakota, 
are  paid  by  the  Indians  themselves. 
Under  the  present  system,  how- 
ever, the  Indians  themselves  have 
not  the  administration  of  their 
money;  consequently,  they  can  not 
dispose  of  it  without  the  sanction 
of  the  Government.  And  now  an 
insignificant  Protestant  missionary 
organization  has  protested  against 
this  use  of  the  Indians'  money  for 
their  schools,  because,  although  it 
is  the  money  of  the  Indians'  and  is 
spent  with  their  consent,  yet  it  is 
not  spent  by  them  but  by  the  Govern- 
ment. But  the  •  Government,  they 
contend,  can  not  spend  money  for 
sectarian  purposes.  Hence,  the  ap- 
propriation by  the  Government  of 
the  Indians'  money  for  their  own 
schools  is  illegal.  The  Supreme 
Court  has  decided,  indeed,  that  this 
use  of  the  Indians'  money  is  not  un- 
constitutional; yet  so  little  does  this 
Protestant  missionary  society  fear 
the  twenty  million  Catholics  of  this 
country  that  for  two  years  it  has 
been  strenuously  fighting  this  per- 
fectly legal  use  of  the  Indians'  own 
money,  and  present  indications  are 
that  it  is  going  to  win  its  fight.  I 
am  sure  that  most  Catholics  are  ig- 
norant of  the  state  of  the  question, 
and  possibly  of  the  very  existence 
of  the  controversy. 


144 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


The  Reverend  William  J.  Ket- 
cham  has  been  delegated  by  the 
Hierarchy  of  this  country  to  repre- 
sent them  before  the  Government  in 
all  matters  pertaining  to  the  Indi- 
ans. He  is  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Indian  Commissioners,  a  Govern- 
ment Bureau  of  the  highest  authori- 
ty in  Indian  matters.  Father  Ket- 
cham  himself  is  a  skilled  diplomat 
and  stands  high  in  the  esteem  of 
the  Federal  authorities.  But  he 
does  not  receive  the  support  from 
Catholics  that  he  should.  Thus,  in 
spite  of  his  strenuous  efforts,  it 
is  possible  for  the  opponents  of  our 
cause  to  score  so  many  victories. 

The  withdrawal  of  aid  from  these 
schools  has  thrown  most  of  the  In- 
dian children  back  on  the  Govern- 
ment schools.  These'latter  are  sup- 
ported by  public  taxes.  Thus  the 
inaction  of  Catholics,  especially  of 
the  Catholic  press,  in  regard  to  the 
Indian  mission  schools  has  placed 
an  additional  burden  of  school  tax- 
ation on  our  citizens  besides  depriv- 
ing the  Indian  children  of  the 
means  of  securing  a  Catholic  edu- 
cation. 

In  order  to  remedy  these  abuses, 
the  Catholic  Indian  Bureau  has 
repeatedly  appealed  to  the  Catholics 
of  the  country,  but  owing  to  the 
apathy  of  the  press,  their  interest 
has  not  been  sufficiently  aroused. 
Yet,  if  every  Catholic  family  would 
contribute  but  twenty-five  cents  a 
year  for  the  purpose,  all  our  Catho- 


lic Indian  children  could  receive  a 
good  Catholic  education. 

Seeing  that  the  Catholics  of  the 
country  could  not  be  induced  to 
erect  Catholic  Indian  schools  for 
those  Indian  children  that  are  now 
unable  to  receive  a  Catholic  educa- 
tion, Cardinal  Gibbons  sent  an  ap- 
peal to  Catholic  men  and  women 
urging  them  to  apply  for  positions 
in  the  Indian  Department.  Had 
this  appeal  been  heeded,  the  inroads 
made  on  the  Catholic  Indian  chil- 
dren in  the  Government  schools  by 
unscrupulous  and  illegal  proselytism 
could  have  been  stopped.  For,  al- 
though the  regulations  of  the  Office 
strictly  forbid  any  religious  activity 
among  the  pupils  by  the  Govern- 
ment employees,  yet  very  much  is 
carried  on  in  secret,  because  the 
vast  majority  of  the  teachers  are 
not  Catholics,  and  many  of  them 
are  connected  with  some  Protes- 
tant missionary  association.  But, 
owing  again  to  the  Catholic  press 
that  failed  to  urge  the  Cardinal's 
appeal,  very  few  Catholics  have 
entered  the  civil  service  with  a 
view  to  working  among  the  Indians. 

Considering  all  this,  it  is  a  won- 
der that  the  Catholic  missions  exist 
at  all.  That  they  have  not  been 
annihilated  is  due  to  the  superhuman 
efforts  of  the  Catholic  missionaries 
and  of  their  representative  at  Wash- 
ington, Rev.  Dr.  Ketcham,  and 
to  the  kindness  of  the  Federal 
authorities. 


![Q]IIIMIIIIII 


A  3J0HM  Easter  in  All  GDar  Seafora 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


145 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 

XXVIII 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  FnqeUiardt,  O.F.M. 


THE  cause  of  the  much  dis- 
trusted and  long  tried 
Apaches  at  length  found  an 
enthusiastic  advocate  and  generous 
benefactor  in  Don  Pedro  Romero  de 
Terreros,  a  cousin  of  Fr.  Alonso 
Giraldo  de  Terreros  of  the  College 
of  Santa  Cruz,  Queretaro.  This  noble- 
man must  have  stood  high  in  the 
esteem  of  the  friars  for  piety  and 
honesty,  since  he  filled  the  office 
of  sindico  for  the  Queretaro  com- 
munity. , 

Don  Pedro  de  Terreros,  in  1756, 
offered  to  provide  all  that  was 
necessary  for  as  many  Apache  mis- 
sions as  could  be  established  with 
any  prospect  of  success,  and  to 
maintain  them  for  a  period  of  three 
years,  at  an  expense  not  exceeding 
$150,000,  under  the  direction  of  his 
cousin  Fr.  Alonso  Giraldo.  The 
generous  offer  was  accepted  by  the 
the  College  of  Santa  Cruz  on  con- 
dition that  the  newly  founded  mis- 
sionary college  of  San  Fernando  de 
Mexico  supplied  one-half  the  num- 
ber of  missionaries  required  and 
that  the  first  mission  should  be  in 
charge  of  Santa  Cruz  College,  the 
second  in  the  care  of  San  Fernando, 
and  so  on  alternately.  This  propo- 
sition was  accepted  by  the  Fernan- 
dinos,  who  immediately  selected, 
on  their  part,  Fr.  Jose  Santiesteban 
and  Fr.  Juan  Andres.  The  Fathers 
named   by  Santa    Cruz    were   Fr. 


Joaquin  de  Banos  and  Fr.  Diego 
Ximenez.  As  commissary  of  this 
little  band  that  was  to  Christianize 
the  Apaches  in  the  San  Saba  region 
Fr.  Alonso  Giraldo  de  Terreros  was 
appointed  by  the  Commissary 
General,  on  September  4,  1756. 

Well  provided  with  everything 
necessary  for  their  prospective  habi- 
tations and  churches,  these  friars 
set  out  from  Queretaro  and  from 
the  capital  for  their  destination.  At 
Saltillo  nine  Tlascaltecan  Indian 
families  were  secured  for  the  pur- 
pose of  instructing  the  converts 
the  friars  expected  to  make.  The 
missionaries  arrived  at  San  Antonio 
in  December',  1756;  Colonel  Diego 
Ortiz  de  Parriila,  the  military  com- 
mander of  the  expedition,  with  his 
troops  and  train  of  supplies  came  on 
the  22nd.  The  winter  was  passed 
at  San  Antonio  and  vicinity  in  mak- 
ing further  preparations.  Fourteen 
hundred  head  of  cattle  and  seven 
hundred  sheep  were  secured,  but, 
in  order  to  pasture  them,  the 
animals  and  almost  the  whole  outfit 
were  moved  to  the  San  Marcos, 
whence  the  garrison,  which  pro- 
tected the  deserted  San  Xavier  Mis- 
sions, had  been  withdrawn.  Mes- 
sengers were  then  despatched  to 
some  Apache  rancherias  not  far 
from  San  Antonio  urging  the  Indians 
to  visit  the  camp  and  to  meet  the 
founders    of    the    new     missions. 


146 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


After  about  ten  days,  a  number  of 
Apaches,  chiefly  of  the  Lipan  tribe, 
led  by  two  chiefs,  presented  them- 
selves at  Mission  San  Antonio. 
They  excused  the  absence  of  their 
kinsmen,  the  Natajes,  Mescaleros* 
Pelones,  Come  Nopales,  and  Come 
Cavallos,  on  the  ground  that  they 
lived  too  far  away;  but  they  assured 
the  Colonel  that  they  were  anxious 
to  become  Christians  and  subjects 
of  the  Spanish  king.  Parilla, 
thereupon  in  the  name  of  his 
majesty,  presented  each  of  the  two 
chiefs  with  a  baton  as  the  mark  of 
their  office  as  judges  in  their  ranch - 
erias.  According  to  the  invariable 
custom,  a  report  of  the  proceedings 
was  next  drawn  up  by  Fr.  Giraldo 
and  subscribed  to  by  him,  his  four 
companions,  and  Colonel  Parrilla. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  ceremonies, 
presents  were  distributed  by 
Fathers  Mariano  Dolores  and  Alonso 
Terreros.  The  Apaches  were  so  well 
pleased  with  the  treatment  accorded 
them  that  they  remained  in  the 
mission  for  three  days.  On  their 
departure,  all  reiterated  their  will- 
ingness to  become  Christians,  and 
promised  to  assemble  without  fail 
on  the  San  Saba  when  the  mission- 
aries should  be  ready  to  begin  their 
ministrations.  Alas  for  the  fickle- 
ness of  the  savage  and  the  malev- 
olence of  the  enemy  of  mankind! 
But  we  must  not  anticipate. 


The  patience  of  the  new  mission- 
aries was  sorely  tried,  Fr.  Arricivita 
writes,  by  the  enforced  idleness  at 
San  Antonio,  until,  at  their  urgent 
entreaties,  the  military  at  last  set 
out  for  the  San  Saba  country.  They 
started  on  April  8,  1757,  and 
reached  the  San  Saba  on  the  17th  of 
the  same  month.  Thirty-nine  sol- 
diers, however,  had  been  left  behind 
on  the  Rio  San  Marcos,  and  they 
did  not  arrive  until  the  end  of  June. 
The  locations  were  at  once  examin- 
ed, and  at  a  council,  consisting  of 
the  Colonel,  the  missionaries  and  the 
officers,  it  was  decided  to  establish 
two  missions  protected  by  the  pre- 
sidio, which  latter  was  to  be  named 
San  Luis  de  Amarillas.  The  settle- 
ment of  the  Spaniards  was  located 
near  the  present  Menardville,  in 
Menard  County,  Texas.  On  the 
north  bank  of  the  river  the  presidio 
or  garrison  was  planted.  Three 
miles  below,  on  the  south  bank,  the 
first  mission,  that  of  Santa  Cruz, 
was  founded  by  the  Fathers  from 
Queretaro.  The  erection  of  the 
other  mission,  which  was  to  be  in 
charge  of  the  Fathers  from  San 
Fernando  College,  was  postponed 
until  need  for  it  should  arise.  It 
was  never  built,  Professor  Dunn 
laconically  remarks.  The  reasons 
follow. 

Not  an  Indian  had  thus  far  been 
seen.     In  spite  of  this,  the  optimis- 


*  The  Mescalero  Apaches,  who  in  our  narrative  appear  for  the  first  time  in  1757,  are 
now  gathered  in  a  reservation  set  apart  for  them  by  the  U.S. Government.  It  comprises 
474,240  acres  in  the  southern  part  of  New  Mexico,  near  Tularosa,  Otero  County,  on  the 
Santa  Fe  R.  R.  The  population  may  number  about  five  hundred  souls;  some  are 
Catholics,  and  all  are  favorably  disposed  toward  the  Catholic  missionaries.  For  the 
last  three  years,  the  Franciscans  have  had  charge  of  their  spiritual  affairs,  and  the 
prospects  are  good  for  a  rich  spiritual  harvest  if  Satan's  sectarian  agents  can  be  kept 
away;  for  he  has  no  better  assistants  to  undo  Christ's  work  among  the  Indians  than 
those  same  sectaries  who  forever  prate  about  Christ  but  neglect  his  lessons  in 
order  to  hamper  Catholic  efforts. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


147 


tic  Fathers  believed  the  Apaches 
would  be  true  to  their  word.  When 
they  failed  to  appear,  Fr.  Benito 
Varela  of  San  Antonio,  who  had 
some  knowledge  of  the  Lipan  lan- 
guage, was  selected  to  invite  them. 
He  set  out  early  in  May  by  way  of 
the  San  Marcos,  where  a  party  of 
soldiers  still  awaited  orders.  There 
he  learned  the  reason  for  the 
absence  of  the  Apaches  from  the 
San  Saba.  A  few  days  before,  an 
Indian  woman  had  entered  the 
camp  and  brought  the  news  that 
her  band  had  been  attacked  by 
three  Comanches  and  four  Indians 
from  Mission  San  Antonio;  that  an 
Apache  chief  together  with  his  wife 
and  children  had  been  killed;  and 
that  she  herself  with  two  women 
had  been  captured,  but  had  escaped 
with  a  little  girl,  who  later  had  been 
pierced  by  a  bullet.  The  woman 
recognized  the  San  Antonio  Indians, 
and  she  pointed  out  which  of  them 
had  shot  and  killed  the  Apache  chief. 
At  the  same  time,  the  Apache 
chief  Chico  with  his  band  arrived 
at  Mission  San  Antonio.  Fr. 
Mariano  de  los  Dolores  upraided 
him  foi  not  joining  the  mission  on 
the  San  Saba  as  he  had  promised, 
and  finally  ordered  him  off  when 
Chico  refused  to  explain  his  pres- 
ence satisfactorily.  Chico  then 
proceeded  to  the  San  Saba  to  tell 
Fr.  Giraldo  that  all  the  Apaches 
were  discontented  because  some 
Comanches  and  some  mission 
Indians  had  killed  the  brother  of 
Chief  Casa  Blanca,  another  Indian, 
and  two  women,  besides  making 
prisoners  of  four  of  his  own  rel- 
atives.     He    demanded    that    the 


guilty  ones  should  be  delivered  to 
the  Apaches  to  be  punished  accord- 
ing to  Indian  custom.  Colonel  Par- 
rilla  spoke  very  kindly  to  the  en- 
raged Indians.  who  departed 
apparently  satisfied,  though  without 
obtaining  their  request. 

On  the  third  day,  a  great  mul- 
titude of  Apaches  welcomed  the 
Colonel  and  soldiers  with  demonstra- 
tions of  great  joy  as  if  they  had 
been  lifelong  friends.  Chief  Casa 
Blanca,  who  showed  signs  of  mourn- 
ing for  his  dead  brother,  was  treated 
with  marked  respect,  which  seemed 
to  soften  the  resentment  of  the 
savage.  Furthermore,  the  Colonel 
ordered  three  head  of  cattle  to  be 
given  the  visiting  bands,  for  food; 
tobacco  and  other  gifts  also  were 
distributed. 

The  Apaches  were  next  asked  to 
select  the  sites  for  their  future 
homes  under  the  supervision  of  the 
missionaries,  but  they  replied  that 
it  was  their  desire  to  defeat  the 
Comanches,  their  mortal  enemies, 
before  settling  down  in  the  mission, 
and  for  this  purpose  they  wanted 
the  assistance  of  the  soldiers.  As 
soon  as  they  should  return,  they 
would  accept  the  religion  of  the 
Spaniards.  No  further  satisfaction 
could  be  secured,  and  the  Apaches 
departed,  leaving  a  very  disconsolate 
group  of  missionaries,  who  now, 
like  the  commander,  doubted  the 
sincerity  of  the  Apaches.  Only  Fr. 
Terreros  seems  to  have  entertained 
some  hope  of  the  ultimate  success  of 
the  mission.  Several  of  the  Fathers 
prepared  to  leave  for  other  missions; 
but  Fr.  Giraldo  refused  to  depart, 
and   with   him    remained   the   two 


148 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Fathers  from  San  Fernando.  Quite 
properly  the  failure  to  enlist  the 
Apaches  at  this  time  was  blamed  on 
the  cowardly  murder  of  Chief  Casa 
Blanca's  relatives,  whose  death 
the  savages  were  not  permitted  to 
avenge. 

It  would  seem,  however,  that  the 
true  reason  why  so  wild  a  tribe  as 
the  Apaches,  or  even  a  less  savage 
band  of  them  like  the  Lipans, 
favored  the  founding  of  a  mission 
and  presidio  in  their  country  was  to 
utilize  the  Spanish  forces  as  allies 
against  the  Comanches,  by  whom 
they  were  hard  pressed.  The 
Comanches  first  appeared  in  the 
vicinity  of  San  Antonio  in  1743. 
They  had  already  gained  an  evil 
reputation  in  New  Mexico  for  their 
thieving  propensities  and  relentless 
cruelties.  Looking  upon  the  Span- 
iards as  protectors  of  the  Apaches, 
the  Comanches  regarded  the  whites 
as  enemies  of  their  own  tribe,  and 
therefore  never  entirely  ceased  to 
molest  the  Spaniards  during  the  re- 
maining years  of  the  colonial  period. 


When  the  presidio  and  mission 
had  been  established  on  the  San 
Saba,  the  Apaches  probably  boasted 
of  their  new  alliance,  and  this  may 
have  induced  the  northern  inland 
tribes  to  form  a  league  with  the 
Comanches  against  both  the 
Apaches  and  the  Spaniards.  Intima- 
tion of  these  hostile  intentions  was 
obtained  by  the  Apaches  in  July, 
1757,  but  it  was  not  until  March  of 
the  following  year  that  the  blow 
was  struck,  as  will  be  seen  later. 

Historians  will  find  many  details, 
which  in  a  sketch  of  this  kind  it  is 
impractical  to  include,  in  the  Works 
of  Fr.  Arricivita,  the  main  authority, 
and  especially  in  Prof.  Dunn's 
Apache  Relations  in  Texas,  (Texas 
Historical  Quarterly,  vol.  xiv); 
Dunn's  The  Apache  Mission  on  the 
San  Saba  River,  (Texas  Quarterly, 
vol.  xvii);  Prof.  Bolton's,  Texas  in 
the  Middle  Eighteenth  Century, 
(Berkeley,  Cal.,  University,  1915); 
Shea's  Colonial  Days;  Shea's  His- 
tory of  Catholic  Missions;  Bancroft's 
History  of  Texas. 


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FRANCISCRN  HERALD 


149 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  CHARITY 


G.-C.  Maclin,  Tertio 


4{T~^ATHER  Young,    meet  my 
H       mother,  Mrs.  Randall." 
"*■  "Mrs.  Randall,    I   have 

real  pleasure  in  meeting  you." 

"Father  Young  was  only  recently 
transferred  to  our  city,  mother.  He 
is  stationed  at  St.  Antony's  Church 
as  assistant  to  Father  Winters,  and 
he  is  taking  a  decided  interest  in  us 
young  fellows  and  we  in  him.  I 
know  you  will  be  glad  to  have  him 
call." 

"Edmund  has  anticipated  my 
wish,  Father.  We  shall  be  delight- 
ed to  have  you  call.  We  are  now 
on  our  way  home;  why  not  join  us 
in  a  cup  of  tea  on  our  veranda?" 

"Indeed,  I  shall  have  sincere 
pleasure  in  spending  an  hour  with 
you  and  your  son,  Mrs.  Randall." 

As  the  trio  took  their  way  along 
the  avenue  lined  with  magnolia 
trees,  Father  Young  noticed  the 
marked  comradeship  of  mother  and- 
son.  Mrs.  Randall  was  a  slight 
woman.  She  was  dressed  entirely 
in  black,  which  accentuated  the 
whiteness  of  her  hair.  Edmund 
was  about  twenty  years  of  age, 
stalwart  of  physique  and  cheerful 
of  countenance.  A  smile  played 
about  his  lips  as  he  said: 

"Father  Young,  mother  is  a  real 
daughter  of  the  South,  and  if  you 
but  mention  that  you  are  from 
Massachusetts,  she  will  begin  to 
scold  about  the  'Yanks'." 

"Now,  Edmund,  you  are  giving 
Father  Young  a  most  adverse  im- 
pression    of    southern    courtesy," 


said  Mrs.  Randall  playfully,  "and  he 
will  suspect  I  have  invited  him  not 
for  tea  but  for  censure.  He  fre- 
quently teases  me,  Father,  because 
I  show  warmth  in  narrating  ex- 
periences of  the  war  and  the  dread- 
ful period  following  the  conflict," 
continued  Mrs.  Randall.  "When  a 
young  girl  I  saw  the  flash  of  the 
bayonets  as  Sherman's  troops  came 
over  the  crest  of  Kennesaw  Moun- 
tain, near  Atlanta,  and  I  stood  by 
as  I  saw  our  comfortable  home  con- 
sumed by  flames,  the  darkies  dis- 
persed, and  the  cattle  driven  away 
to  supply  the  needs  of  the  invading 
army.  I  carry  no  foolish  sense  of 
injury  in  my  heart,  but  when  I  re- 
call the  stirring  events  of  the  '60s 
I  can  but  live  them  over,  and  Ed- 
mund has  many  a  laugh  as  I  round- 
!  ly  berate  the  Yankees." 

Father  Young  was  ushered  on  to 
a  long  piazza  bordered  with  beds  of 
flowers.  The  porch  chairs,  with 
their  white  linen  covers,  presented 
a  most  inviting  appearance  and  typi- 
fied the  air  of  quiet  gentility  that 
prevaded  the  home  of  the  Randalls. 

"While  mother  prepares  tea, 
Father,  I  want  to  express  my  regret 
that  I  shall  have  to  leave  the  city 
at  a  time  when  we  have  the  promise 
of  such  a  cordial  acquaintance  with 
you,"  Edmund  began,  as  he  and 
Father  Young  seated  themselves. 

"Why,  I'm  very  sorry  to  know 
you  are  to  leave  us.     When  do  you 


go; 


"I  shall  leave  Thursday   evening 


150 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


for  Memphis,  where  I  hope  to  secure 
more  satisfactory  employment." 

"Edmund,  I  fear  you  are  making 
a  mistake  in  leaving  such  an  excep- 
tional mother.  Why  not  content 
yourself  with  more  humble  employ- 
ment, if  necessary,  and  remain  un- 
der her  loving  guidance  and  care?" 

"I  must  admit,  Father,  that  for 
a  long  time  I  was  quite  undecided, 
but  my  future  seems  to  demand  a 
change—" 

"Proverbially  the  distant  fields 
are  greenest,  you  know,"  interject- 
ed Father  Young,  as  Mrs.  Randall 
appeared  on  the  porch  with  the  tea. 

During  the  remainder  of  Father 
Young's  visit,  the  conversation 
dwelt  on  Edmund's  departure, 
which,  of  course,  was  uppermost  in 
the  minds  of  both  mother  and  son. 

"Be  of  good  cheer,  both  of  you," 
said  the  priest,  rising  to  depart. 
"After  all,  this  world  is  very  small, 
and  I  trust  that  we  three  shall 
again  have  tea  on  this  comfortable 
porch,  when,  to  speak  with  St. 
Francis,  our  sister  jasmine  per- 
fumes the  air,  and  our  brothers 
the  trees  cast  their  welcome  shade 
over  these  beds  of  roses  and  carna- 
tions." 

On  the  following  Thursday,  after 
the  departure  of  the  train  which 
was  carrying  her  son  away,  it  was 
with  a  sad  heart  indeed  that  the 
little  white-haired  mother  returned 
down  the  familiar  avenue  shaded 
with  magnolia  trees. 

For  some  months,  the  letters 
from  Memphis  came  with  great  fre- 
quency bubbling  over  with  fun  and 
life.  In  time,  however,  they  con- 
tained an  undercurrent  of  dejection 


and  pessimism,  to  which  the  moth- 
er replied  in  her  most  cheerful  vein. 
At  last,  however,  the  letters  came 
wreekly,  then  bi-weekly,  and  finally 
only  one  letter  arrived  during  the 
course  of  the  month.  Then  two 
months  rolled  around,  then  three, 
but  there  came  no  response  to  the 
letters  written  by  the  lonely  little 
mother  among  the  magnolias.  Al- 
ways a  woman  of  the  greatest  piety, 
Mrs.  Randall  buoyed  up  her  spirit 
with  prayer,  and  during  the  long 
months  of  waiting  she  possessed 
an  abiding  faith  that  her  boy  would 
some  day  return  to  the  home  which 
he  had  so  dearly  loved  and  which 
he  certainly  could  not  entirely  for- 
get. 

* 

The  doors  of  a  southern  peniten- 
tiary swung  open  late  one  Saturday 
afternoon  to  admit  prisoner  Num- 
ber 901.  As  the  guards  conferred 
with  one  another  regarding  the  new 
arrival,  the  prisoner  gazed  off  over 
the  low,  red-clay  hills  which  were 
dotted  with  green  patches  of  pine 
trees.  In  a  flash  his  mind  leaped 
the  barrier  of  space  and  he  pictured 
an  avenue  of  magnolia  tree,  a  beau- 
tiful home  surrounded  with  beds 
of  roses  and  carnations,  and  there 
among  the  flowers,  like  their  guar- 
dian angel,  his  mother  walked  with 
quiet  dignity.  Vividly  he  constructed 
the  scene  in  his  mind  and  almost 
persuaded  himself  he  could  smell 
the  jasmine,  or  pluck  a  carnation. 

Suddenly  the  clanging-to  of  the 
iron  door  of  his  cell  roused  him 
from  his  reverie.  Was  he  dream- 
ing? No,  indeed!  He  was  sur- 
rounded   with    steel  —  steel  walls, 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


15t 


steel  floors,  steel  bars  in  the  door.  I 
He  was  a  prisoner.     Of  that   there 
was  not  the  slightest  doubt. 

The  first  night  that  Edmund  Ran- 
dall spent  in  the  penitentiary,  he 
pictured  to  himself  a  thousand  con- 
tingencies by  which  he  might  have 
averted  a  prison  sentence.  As  his 
thoughts  again  turned  to  his  lonely 
mother,  who  even  then,  in  the  still 
watches  of  the  night,  was  probably 
breathing  fervent  prayers  for  his 
guidance  and  safety,  his  soul  was 
filled  with  a  sense  of  shame  and 
sorrow  at  his  ingratitude  toward 
her. 

"Oh,  God,  what  a  wretch  I've 
been!"  he  muttered  half  aloud. 

"Did  you  speak,  bo?"  asked  his 
cell  mate. 

"Ah,  I  can't  sleep,  that's  all," 
rejoined  Randall  gruffly,  mortified 
at  his  exhibition  of  weakness. 

"The  first  night  is  tough,  laddie. 
Count  a  hundred,  five  hundred — 
till  you  sleep." 

But  the  hundreds  and  the  thou- 
sands availed  naught.  Eventually 
the  gray  dawn  filtered  through  the 
high  windows.  In  time  the  tramp- 
ing of  guards  was  heard.  Morn- 
ing—Sunday  morning— at  last!  Ah, 
there  was  no  need  to  worry  about 
securing  breakfast  at  some  saloon 
or  cheap  restaurant;  nor  was  there 
any  appointment  to  be  kept  with 
the  "bunch."  Instead  there  was 
an  unimaginable  future  for  fruitless 
retrospection,  as  it  seemed,  and  re- 
morseful searching  of  his  mind  con- 
cerning the  untoward  circumstances 
that  had  placed  him  within  prison 
walls. 

During  the  course  of  the  morning, 


with  a  rattling  of  keys,  his  cell  door 
was  opened  and  a  guard  announced: 

"Number  901,  Father  Terry. " 

"Good  morning,  son,"  exclaimed 
Father  Terry  cheerfully. 

Randall,  seated  on  his  cot,  glanced 
lazily  at  his  visitor  and  grumbled  a 
curt  "G'mor'nV 

"Young  man,  this  is  the  prison 
chaplain,  Father  Terry,  you're  talk- 
ing to,  and  I  would  advise  you  to 
show  a  little  more  respect, "  warned 
the  guard  sharply. 

"Beg  your  pardon,  sir,  er— a— 
Father—"  Randall  blurted  out,  ris- 
ing quickly,  the  tell-tale  blush  on 
his  once  handsome  face  betraying 
his  early  good  breeding. 

"I  didn't  come  here  to  plague 
you,  my  boy,"  the  priest  went  on 
kindly,  "but  I  noticed  on  your  rec- 
ord card  you  stated  you  were  a 
Catholic;  so  I  called  to  see  if  I  could 
be  of  any  assistance." 

"'Were'  is  quite  right,  sir— Fa- 
ther, I  mean;  I  used  to  be  a  good 
one,  as  they  say,  but  I  can't  claim 
to  be  much  of  anything  now.  The 
fact  is,  I  don't  care  to  be.  All  this 
talk  about  religion  seems  to  me  to 
be  all  rot,  and  I  don't  believe  a 
word  of  it  any  more.  So  you 
needn't  trouble  yourself  at  all  about 
my  spiritual  welfare." 

"I'm  sorry  to  hear  this  young 
man,"  replied  Father  Terry  regret- 
full. -.  "Perhaps,  you'll  change  your 
opinion  some  day  regarding  these 
matters.     Good  morning." 

With  this,  the  chaplain  quit  the 
cell,  deeming  it  more  prudent  to 
bide  his  time. 

Left  to  his  thoughts,  Randall  be- 
gan to  resent  bitterly  what  he  con- 


152 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


sidered  this  uncalled-for  intrusion 
of  the  priest. 

"Now  that  the  law  has  a  fellow 
behind  lock  and  bars,  these  med- 
dling priests  think  they  can  come 
and  talk  him  back  to  believing  in 
their  mummeries." 

Contrary  to  his  expectations,  how- 
ever, the  prison  chaplain  did  any- 
thing but  try  to  force  his  attentions 
on  the  young  apostate;  he  let  him 
severely  alone.  Days  and  weeks 
passed  slowly  by,  and  the  dreary 
routine  of  the  prison  soon  began  to 
tell  on  Edmund  Randall's  temper. 
Would-be  pessimist  and  atheist  that 
he  was,  he  had  boasted  loudly  of  his 
disdain  of  all  religion.  But  in  the  aw- 
ful monotony  of  his  present  exist- 
ence, he  needed  some  diversion  if 
he  did  not  wish  to  lose  his  mind. 
It  was  especially  on  the  intermi- 
nable Sundays  that  he  longed  for 
something  to  help  while  away  the 
time.  With  this  intention,  he  be- 
gan to  attend  the  Protestant  serv- 
ice held  regularly  every  Sunday  in 
the  prison  chapel,  but  he  soon  be- 
came disgusted  with  it,  finding  in  it 
neither  entertainment  nor  religion, 
but  only  a  sorry  mixture  of  both. 

Hearing  some  of  his  fellow  prison- 
ers praise  the  Catholic  services, 
Edmund  after  some  deliberation  de- 
cided to  visit  the  chapel  the  follow- 
ing Sunday  "just  for  the  fun  of  it," 
as  he  said  to  himself.  On  entering 
the  chapel,  a  home-like  feeling  be- 
gan to  prevade  his  soul,  that  was 
increased  by  the  sight  of  several 
Sisters,  who  reminded  him  forcibly 
of  his  happy  childhood  days.  The 
services  proved  to  be  all  that  Ed- 
mund had  heard  of  them  and  more. 


A  quartet  from  the  city  sang  a  num- 
ber of  beautiful  hymns  during  the 
Mass,  and  the  eloquence  of  Father 
Terry  fairly  surprised  Randall. 
Altogether,  he  was  much  pleased 
and  he  determined  to  attend  the 
services  regularly  after  that,  not 
that  he  thought  of  going  back  to 
the  Faith,  but  merely  the  better  to 
pass  an  idle  Sunday. 

Locked  in  his  cell  again  after  the 
services  in  the  chapel,  Randall  could 
not  put  the  Sisters  nor  Father  Terry 
out  of  his  mind.  The  sight  of  those 
gentle,  self-sacrificing  nuns  moving 
so  freely  among  criminals  of  the 
deepest  dye,  and  bringing  sunshine 
and  joy  into  their  dismal  lives,  was 
a  revelation  to  him.  They  were 
not  there  to  cow  the  prisoners 
into  subjection  at  the  point  of  a 
rifle,  but  to  win  them  over  by  kind- 
ness and  compassion.  Theirs  was 
a  different  philosophy  than  he  pro- 
fessed to  follow  and  he  knew  in  his 
heart  that  their  philosophy  was 
charity— religion,  the  same  that  he 
had  learned  at  his  mother's  knee, 
but  had  cast  aside  for  the  foolish 
frothings  of  the  apostle  of  pessi- 
mism. Surely,  he  had  made  a  seri- 
ous, perhaps  the  most  serious,  mis- 
take in  his  life  when  he  cast  aside 
Christ  for  Schopenhauer.  Should 
he  now  retrace  his  steps?  Then 
began  a  struggle  for  the  posses- 
sion of  a  human  soul.  False  philos- 
ophy, deep-rooted  passions,  and 
Satan  fought  on  the  one  side  against 
truth,  grace,  and  Christ  on  the  oth- 
er. The  battle  was  long  and  bitter, 
and  for  weeks  Edmund  did  not  dare 
to  enter  the  chapel.  At  last,  he 
resolved  to  seek  an  interview  with 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


153 


Father  Terry.  The  priest  received 
him  with  true  fatherly  affection, 
and  soon  they  were  conversing  to- 
gether as  if  they  had  known  each 
other  for  years. 

"You  see,  Father,"  Randall  said, 
when  telling  him  how  he  had  come 
to  lose  his  Faith,  "a  pal  of  mine 
used  to  talk  about  a  guy  called 
Schopenhauer,  who  was  sort  o' 
soured  on  life;  I  was  too,  and  I  got 
so  crazy-like  about  pessimism  the 
bunch  called  me  'Schopey'.  And 
then  we  used  to  read  a  rehash  of 
'radical  evolution'  by  a  Frenchman 
and  talk  about  freedom  of  man 
and  about  life  being  spontaneous 
and  exuberant,  and  all  that  kind  of 
stuff.  Before  long  the  Faith  of 
my  childhood  seemed  like  a  batch 
of  fairy  tales,  unworthy  of  a  think- 
ing man,  and  I  threw  it  overboard." 

Then  Edmund  began  to  speak, 
too,  of  his  home  and  mother,  who 
had  done  so  much  for  him  and 
whom  he  had  repaid  with  basest 
ingratitude.  "Father,  she  is  the 
best  woman  on  earth,  and  when  I 
get  out  of  here  I'll  go  straight  home 
to  her  and  never  leave  her  again." 

In  due  time,  prisoner  901  regular- 
ly attended  Mass  and  Sunday  School. 
Father  Terry  with  his  knowing 
heart  introduced  Edmund  to  Sister 
Rose  de  Lima,  who  fairly  radiated 
good  cheer  and  optimism,  and  as- 
signed him  to  her  care  and  teaching. 
Each  Sunday,  after  the  general  les- 
son, Sister  Rose  gave  special  atten- 
tion to  her  new  pupil  and  rejoiced 
to  find  his  character,  as  well  as  his 
English,  once  more  assuming  the 
refinement  which  obviously  they  had 
previously  possessed.     Both  Sister 


Rose  and  Father  Terry  were  elated 
over  Edmund's  progress,  notwith- 
standing that  he  occasionally  gave 
way  to  deep  melancholy,  especially 
when  he  brooded  on  the  sorrow  he 
had  caused  his  mother. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Randall,"  Sister  Rose 
said  one  day  as  she  found  him  in 
one  of  his  dejected  moods,  "I  feel 
like  scolding  you  for  these  little 
humors.  Think  of  His  suffering 
and  His  mortification  of  spirit. 
We  all  have  our  days  of  regret, 
when  we  have  not  done  our  very 
best,  but  if  we  only  learn  yester- 
day's lesson  which  He  gave  us  to 
learn,  we  may  be  sure  that  to-mor- 
row will  see  us  devoted  to  His  serv- 
ice and  eager  to  do  His  will." 

"But,  Sister,  I  feel  so  very  un- 
worthy.    I  have  gone  down  so  far. ' ' 

"No  matter,"  continued  Sister 
Rose.  '  'I  think  more  and  more  that 
for  us,  His  children,  it  is  the  striv- 
ing that  really  counts;  for,  after  all, 
we  can  not  judge  of  our  progress. 
We  can  not  state  definitely  the  de- 
gree we  have  reached  in  the  scale 
of  virtue,  and  even  if  we  did  know, 
humility  would  prevent  us  from 
making  anything  of  it.  If  we  but 
keep  our  hearts  constantly  on  His 
purity  and  goodness,  it  will  inevit- 
ably result  that  we  also  shall  partake 
of  that  same  purity  and  that  same 
goodness." 

In  the  succeeding  months,  the 
penitentiary  had  a  model  prisoner 
in  Number  901,  and  he  wonderfully 
endeared  himself  to  Father  Terry 
and  to  the  Sisters.  But  it  was  Sis- 
ter Rose  who  was  his  inspiration, 
for  her  charity  seemed  limitless. 
Gradually,  however,  the  months  of 


154 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


confinement  began  to  write  their 
story  on  the  countenance  of  Ed- 
mund Randall.  The  glow  of  health 
faded  from  his.  cheeks  and  the 
natural  robustness  of  his  constitu- 
tion was  visibly  undermined.  In 
the  far-away  gaze  of  his  vision, 
which  more  and  more  possessed  him, 
Sister  Rose  alone1  suspected  that  of 
which  the  vision  consisted  and  real- 
ized that  his  heart  was  bleeding 
from  homesickness. 

One  Sunday  afternoon,  he  was 
seized  with  a  severe  hemorrhage  of 
the  lungs.  Father  Terry  was  speedily 
summoned  to  give  Extreme  Unction, 
and  he  in  turn  sent  for  Sister  Rose. 
When  informed  that  prisoner  901 
was  ill,  she  immediately  guessed 
what  was  wrong.  For,  that  morn- 
ing at  Mass,  she  had  noted  the  per- 
ceptible heightening  of  the  dread 
prison  pallor  in  his  cheeks  and  tem- 
ples. As  she  journeyed  to  the  pris- 
on on  the  electric  car  she  busied 
herself  in  trying  to  evolve  a  plan  of 
help  for  the  sick  prisoner.  After 
brightening  him  with  her  cheerful 
presence,  Sister  Rose  hastened  to 
Father  Terry's  prison  study  and 
penned  this  note: 

Your  Excellency: 

In  the  federal  prison  lies  prisoner  Num- 
ber 901,  Edmund  Randall,  seriously  ill  with 
lung  fever.  Dr.  Todd  believes  Mr.  Randall 
will  survive  the  trip  to  his  home  in  New 
Orleans  if  the  way  be  prepared  for  his  de- 
parture at  once.  To-day,  throughout  our 
land,  Mother's  Day  is  being  observed. 
Though  it  is  Sunday,  would  your  Excel- 
lency graciously  extend  clemency  that  a 
mother's  arms  might  once  more  fold  to  her 
bosom  the  darling  boy  whom  she  so  ten- 
derly loves,  and  with  that  love  and  the  aid 
of  the  sunshine  restore  his  shattered 
health?     His  prison  record  is  untarnished 


and  I  am  ready  to  vouch  for  him  that  your 
clemency  will  not   be   abused.     With   the 
expression  of  my  deepest  respect,  I  remain 
Sincerely  yours, 

Sr.  M.  Rose  de  Lima. 

Sister  Rose  hurried  her  message 
to  the  Governor  by  special  messen- 
ger, as  it  was  not  the  first  time  she 
had  communicated  with  the   chief 
executive  of  the  state.    The  Govern- 
or was  preparing  to  enter  his  limou- 
sine as  the  messenger  rushed  up 
and  tendered  the  message.     It  was 
with  no  slight  emotion  he  read  the 
note  and  accepted  the  white  carna- 
tion that  accompanied  it.     Without 
a  moment's  hesitation  he  returned 
to  the  Mansion   House,  hurried   to 
his  desk  and  signed  the  petition  for 
pardon,  as   requested.     Instead   of 
driving  to  the  boulevard,  the  chauf- 
feur was  directed  to  speed  to  the 
prison  as  fast  as  the  traffic  laws 
would  permit,  and  it  was  with  sin- 
cere   pleasure    that    the  Governor 
himself  placed  the  pardon   in   the 
hands  of  Edmund  Randall. 
*        *        * 
Some  months  later,  as  Mrs.   Ran- 
dall and  her  son  strolled  arm-in-arm 
in  the  garden,  among  beds  of  roses 
and  carnations,  who  should  enter  the 
gate  but  Father  Young! 

"Ah,  my  young  friend,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "we  are  waiting  for  you 
at  our  young  men's  club.  And  we 
shall  not  again  permit  you  to  leave 
us  for  'greener  pastures'." 

"Father,  I  have  no  wish  ever  to 
stray  from  home  again.  I  am  fast 
recovering  my  health,  and  I  shall  be 
with  the  boys  on  Sunday." 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


155 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.— The  Holy  See  has 
again  honored  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor  by  the  appointment  of  Very 
Rev.  Fr.  Placidus  A.  Rey-Lemos, 
O.F.M.,  as  titular  Bishop  of  Amata 
and  Apostolic  Administrator  of  the 
diocese  of  Jaen,  Spain.  The  dis- 
tinguished friar  entered  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order  in  the  Spanish  prov- 
ince of  Santiago  on  June  13,  1892. 
He  soon  won  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  his  brethren  and  superiors 
by  his  proficiency  in  theology  and 
philosophy,  especially  during  the 
eight  years  in  which  he  was  editor 
of  the  excellent  periodical  ElEco 
Franciscano,  published  monthly  by 
the  Franciscans  of  the  Santiago  prov- 
ince in  Galicia,  Spain.  Subse- 
quently, Most  Rev.  Fr.  Dionysius 
Schuler,  O.F.M.,  at  the  time  Minis- 
ter General  of  the  Order,  summoned 
him  to  Rome  to  teach  at  the  Inter- 
national Franciscan  College  of  St. 
Antony.  Here  his  zeal  and  learn- 
ing attracted  the  attention  of  the 
late  Pope  Pius  X,  who  appointed 
him  Visitor  Apostolic  of  Portugal. 
Thereupon,  the  learned  friar  was 
engaged  as  consultor  of  various 
Sacred  Congregations,  while  in  the 
Order  he  held  the  office  of  Procura- 
tor General.  At  the  time  of  his  ele- 
vation to  the  episcopal  dignity,  he 
was  Definitor  General  of  the  Order 
for  the  Spanish  provinces.  — 

The  second  meeting  of  the  com- 
mittee of  Cardinals  and  Consultors 
of  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites 
was  recently  held,  in  order  to  sub- 
ject to  a  strict  examination  the 
miracles  proposed  for  the  eventual 
canonization  of  Bl.  Theophilus  de 
Corte,  of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor. 
The  report  of  the  committee  was 
favorable.  In  a  short  time,  the  last 
meeting  will  be  held  in  presence  of 
the  Holy  Father,  and  there  is  every 


reason  to  hope  that  the  great  serv- 
ant of  God  will  be  awarded  the 
honors  of  the  altar  in  the  universal 
Church. 

Bahia,  Brazil.  — On  February  10, 
Very  Rev.  Fr.  Edward  Herberhold, 
O.F.M.,  Provincial  of  the  northern 
Franciscan  province  of  Brazil,  re- 
turned from  the  southern  part  of 
the  country,  where  he  had  held  the 
canonical  visitation  of  the  Province 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  and, 
on  January  20,  presided  at  the  chap- 
ter. He  had  been  absent  since  No- 
vember 11.  The  southern  province 
comprises  eighteen  houses  and  is  in 
a  flourishing  condition.  Since  the 
northern  province  is  unable  to  gain 
recruits  from  Germany  on  account 
of  the  war,  Fr.  Provincial  obtained 
four  clerics  for  the  north,  who  will 
continue  their  theological  studies 
and  eventually  assist  his. Fathers  in 
their  extensive  missions.  At  the 
chapter  held  in  Curityba,  it  was  de- 
cided to  erect  a  Seraphic  College  in 
Rio  Negro,  Parana  for  the  candi- 
dates of  both  provinces.  The  for- 
mer college  in  Blumenau,  besides  be- 
ing in  an  unhealthful  district,  has  be- 
come too  small.  Shortly  after  his 
return,  Fr.  Provincial  set  out  for 
the  distant  mission  among  the  Mun- 
durucus  in  the  prelature  of  Santa- 
rem,  where  a  terrific  storm  had  de- 
stroyed the  houses  of  the  mission. 
A  Father  and  a  lay  Brother  accom- 
panied him.  They  will  not  only  ad- 
minister to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the 
poor  natives,  but  will  also  assist 
them  in  restoring  the  mission. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.  — On  March  4,  at  the  gener- 
al monthly  meeting,  our  Tertiaries 
assembled  in  so  great  numbers  that 
the  church  was  taxed  to  its  capac- 
ity. It  was  the  largest  attendance 
in   the   memorv  of  our  members. 


156 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Rev.  Fr.  Director  delivered  an  elo- 
quent address,  in  which  he  por- 
trayed the  many  advantages  and 
graces  offered  to  the  members  of 
the  Third  Order.  Forty  postulants 
received  the  cord  and  scapular,  and 
nine  novices  made  their  profession. 
Indications  are  that  an  equal,  if  not 
a  larger,  number  of  postulants  will 
be  received  into  the  Order  at  the 
next  meeting.  The  year  1917  prom- 
ises to  be  a  banner  year  for  Tertiary 
activity  among  our  members.  Since 
the  business  sphere  of  our  frater- 
nity has  of  late  assumed  wider 
dimensions,  three  assistant  secre- 
taries have  been  appointed.  They 
are,  Miss  S.  O'Loghlin,  Miss  Anita 
Kennedy,  and  Miss  Irene  Landry. 
The  members  of  the  Sewing  Com- 
mittee, which  was  organized  at  a 
recent  meeting,  will  shortly  begin 
soliciting  cast-off  clothes.  These 
they  will  remodel  and  distribute 
among  poor  members  of  the  frater- 
nity and  among  the  needy  in  gen- 
eral. — 

We  are  happy  to  state  that  the 
good  work  of  raising  a  fund  to  pur- 
chase an  automobile  for  Rev.  Fr. 
Albert,  o.  F.  m.  ,  missionary  among  the 
Mescaleros  in  New  Mexico,  has  now 
been  accomplished.  The  zealous  Fa- 
ther had  just  received  the  car,  when 
an  unexpected  call  came  from  a  mis- 
sion district  forty  miles  away.  An 
Indian  baby  that  had  not  yet  been 
baptized  was  in  danger  of  death. 
The  missionary  had  previously 
learned  how  to  handle  a  car,  and 
immediately  he  set  out  for  the  dis- 
tant mission  and  baptized  the  dying 
child.  Thus  all  who  have  contrib- 
uted toward  purchasing  the  car  so 
necessary  in  the  vast  mission  fields 
of  the  South  West,  share  in  the 
good  work  of  saving  this  child  for 
heaven. 

Komatke,  Ariz.,  St.  John's  Mis- 
sion.— Though  the  Christmas  season 
is  over,  it  may  interest  the  readers 
of  Franciscan  Herald  to  hear  how 
the  beautiful  feast  was  celebrated 


at  the  Komatke  mission.  Although 
the  weather  was  stormy,  the  large 
church  was  filled  with  devout  Indi- 
ans at  the  five  o'clock  solemn  High 
Mass,  during  which  at  least  three 
hundred  persons  received  Holy  Com- 
munion. After  Mass,  all  present 
filed  by  the  beautiful  crib  and  paid 
homage  to  the  Infant  Savior.  Most 
of  the  Indians  remained  at  the  mis- 
sion all  day,  since  a  '  'feast"  had 
been  prepared  for  them.  In  the  aft- 
ernoon, the  school  children  gave 
a  Christmas  entertainment.  The 
hearty  applause  that  rewarded  the 
various  poems,  songs,  and  drills 
reached  its  climax  when  Santa  Claus 
made  his  appearance  in  the  person 
of  a  little  girl  who  in  a  high  piping 
voice  proceeding  from  behind  a 
heavy  beard,  praised  the  good  chil- 
dren and  upraided  the  naughty  ones. 
A  feature  of  the  entertainment  was 
the  first  appearance  of  St.  John's 
Band  in  their  khaki  uniforms  and 
of  the  girls'  mandolin  and  guitar 
club.  — 

A  program  rendered  for  the 
old  people  a  few  days  later  deserves 
special  mention.  Inspired,  no 
doubt,  by  similar  undertakings  at 
St.  Peter  and  Sacaton  Flats,  some 
enterprising  young  men  of  Komatke 
spent  two  weeks  preparing  for  the 
entertainment,  which  was  held  on 
January  7,  in  one  of  the  large  class- 
rooms of  the  school.  Many  people 
of  the  village  and  all  our  school 
children  managed  to  crowd  into  the 
room.  In  one  corner,  stood  a 
paloverde  tree  decked  with  pres- 
ents. The  program  opened  with  a 
march  played  by  the  band.  Then 
followed  four  speeches,  three  in 
Pima  and  one  in  English,  by  those 
in  charge  of  the  celebration.  Two 
original  sketches,  featuring  a 
Papago  and  a  Negro,  caused  much 
merriment.  The  climax  was  reached, 
when  half  a  dozen  painted  and 
feathered  warriors  gave  an  old-time 
Indian  dance,  in  which  the  Papago, 
the  Negro,    and   Santa  Claus  also 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


157 


joined.  Finally,  the  presents  were 
distributed.  Ail  present  greatly  en- 
joyed the  little  entertainment. 

New  York  City,  Cathedral  College. 
—A  most  impressive  and  edifying 
celebration,  the  first  of  its  kind  in 
the  history  of  the  College,  took  place 
on  the  Feast  of  the  Purification,  Feb- 
ruary 2.  It  was  the  reception  of  164 
students  into  the  Third  Order  of  St. 
Francis.  In  a  few  well  chosen 
words,  Very  Rev.  William  F. 
Hughes,  D.  D.,  President  of  the 
College,  welcomed  the  Tertiary  can- 
didates and  thanked  Rev.  Fr.  Mar- 
tin, o.M.  cap,  for  gaining  so  many 
of  the  students  for  the  Third  Order 
of  St.  Francis  and  organizing  a  fra- 
ternity among  them.  After  remark- 
ing that  his  Eminence  Cardinal  Far- 
ley was  greatly  pleased  to  hear  that 
the  Third  Order  would  find  a  place 
among  the  future  priests  of  his  vast 
diocese,  Dr.  Hughes  expressed  the 
hope  that  soon  all  the  students  would 
join  the  fraternity  and  one  day  prove 
worthy  Tertiary  priests  of  the  Most 
High.  Thereupon,  Fr.  Martin 
thanked  His  Eminence,  the  Very 
Rev.  Rector,  and  the  college  faculty 
for  their  hearty  cooperation.  Illus- 
trating the  words  of  Holy  Mother 
Church,  "Franciscus  vir  Catholicus 
et  totus  Apostolicus",  he  showed 
how  St.  Francis  possessed  in  an 
eminent  degree  the  priestly  virtues; 
viz.,  a  burning  love  for  Holy  Mother 
Church  and  an  unbounded  zeal  in 
Apostolic  labors,  and  how  precisely 
the  Third  Order  is  a  school  where 
these  virtues  are  imbibed  and  prac- 
ticed. To  prove  this, he  referred  to 
the  fact  that  SS.  Ignatius  of  Loyola, 
Philip  Neri,  Vincent  de  Paul,  Charles 
Borromeo,  Francis  de  Sales,  Paul  of 
the  Cross,  Bl.  Vianney,  Cure  of  Ars, 
the  four  last  Popes,  and  many  other 
dignitaries  and  priests  of  the  past 
and  the  present,  were  Francis- 
can Tertiaries  imbued  with  the  spirit 
of  St.  Francis  which  qualified  them 
so  well  for  the  great  works  they 
achieved  in  behalf  of  Holy  Mother 


Church.  After  these  words  of  in- 
struction and  encouragement,  the 
164  students  recited  the  usual  form 
of  petition.  Thereupon,  Fr.  Martin 
performed  the  ceremonies  of  invest- 
ment, assisted  by  Dr.  Hughes  and 
several  older  members  of  the  Third 
Order.  The  Tertiary  blessing  and 
the  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sa- 
crament followed.  The  singing  of 
"Jesus,  My  Lord  and  My  God" 
brought  the  solemn  function  to  a 

Joliet,  111.,  St.   John's  Church.  - 

The  many  friends  of  the  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Anselm  Mueller,  o.f.m.,.  will 
doubtless  be  glad  to  hear  that  he 
will  celebrate  the  sixtieth  anniver- 
sary of  his  investment  in  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor  in  the  course  of 
this  month.  Franciscan  Herald 
extends  to  the  Very  Rev.  Jubilarian 
sincerest  wishes  for  a  thrice  blessed 
and  joyous  day  of  jubilee. 

New  Orleans,  La.— On  Monday 
evening,  March  19,  the  beautiful 
ceremony  of  reception  and  profes- 
sion in  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis was  conducted  by  Rev.  Fr.  So- 
lanus,  o.f.m.,  at  the  monastery  of 
the  Poor  Clares,  this  city.  Rev. 
Leander  M.  Roth,  the  Director  of 
the  fraternity,  and  Rev.  J.  J. 
O'Brien,  S.  J.,  Chaplain  of  the  mon- 
astery, assisted  in  the  sanctuary. 
After  a  stirring  address  by  Fr.  So- 
lanus  on  the  many  and  great  ad- 
vantages to  be  gained  by  belonging 
to  the  Third  Order,  two  new  mem- 
bers received  the  Tertiary  scapular 
and  cord  and  eight  novices  were 
admitted  to  profession.  The  cere- 
mony closed  with  solemn  Benedic- 
tion of  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
—The  English-speaking  fraternities 
of  St.  Peter's  Church  number  176 
Tertiaries  who  are  professed  mem- 
bers of  the  Third  Order  twenty-five 
years  and  longer.  Of  these,  twen- 
ty-eight will  celebrate  their  silver 
jubilee  during  the  month  of  April; 
the  others  have  already  enjoyed  this 


158 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


privilege  in  the  course  of  the  past 
three  years.  On  the  records,  we 
find  the  names  of  other  Tertiaries 
who  are  entitled  to  the  jubilee  cross; 
but  we  are  not  able  to  send  them 
notice  since  their  present  address  is 
not  known. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  Francis  Academy.— 
From  February  27  to  March  6,  Rev. 
Fr.  John  Ilg,  o.  F.  m.,  of  West 
Park,  Ohio,  conducted  a  retreat  for 
the  Sisters  of  St.  Francis  Academy. 
The  spiritual  exercises  closed  with 
he  profession  of  three  novices  of 
the  community. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Stanislaus 
Church.— After  a  visit  to  New  York, 
Boston,  Baltimore,  and  Washington 
in  the  interests  of  the  Chinese  mis- 
sions, Rev.  Fr.  Juniper,  o.f.m.,  is 
again  with  us  for  a  few  weeks'  so- 
journ. The  worthy  cause  he  repre- 
sents and  his  interesting  accounts  of 
the  Franciscan  missions  in  far-off 
China  are  finding  a  generous  re- 
sponse among  the  faithful  of  our  par- 
ish. The  illustrated  lecture  which 
Fr.  Juniper  gave  three  times  within 
one  week  in  our  parish-hall,  was 
greatly  appreciated.  Especially 
gratifying  is  the  fact  that  our  Ter- 
tiaries were  among  the  most  liberal 
in  responding  to  the  missionary's 
fervent  appeal. 

Nashville,  Tenn.— In  the  course 
of  last  month,  Rev.  FF.  Honoratus 
and  John  Joseph,  o.f.m.,  conducted 
a  very  successful  mission  in  the 
Franciscan  Church  of  the  Assump- 
tion. One  of  the  many  fruits  of 
this  mission  was  the  reception  of 
sixty  postulants  into  the  Third  Or- 


der, which  was  reorganized  in  the 
parish  some  fifteen  months  s'ince. 
It  is  noteworthy  that  so  many  young 
people  presented  themselves  for  re- 
ception into  the  fraternity.  At  the 
first  official  meeting  held  March  4, 
the  Tertiaries  manifested  great  en- 
thusiasm, and  there  is  every  reason 
to  hope  that  in  time  the  Third  Order 
of  St.  P'rancis  will  be  well  repre- 
sented in  Nashville.  After  the  Rev. 
Director  had  briefly  explained  the 
essentials  of  the  Tertiary  Rule,  cop- 
ies of  the  Catechism  of  the  Third 
Order  as  well  as  Tertiary  Manuals 
were  distributed.  The  Franciscan 
Herald  was  likewise  recommended 
as  especially  designed  to  acquaint 
Tertiaries  with  Franciscan  ideals 
and  activities. 

Springfield,  111.,  St.  John's  Hos- 
pital—According to  a  newspaper 
report,  the  Sisters  of  St.  Francis, 
who  have  charge  of  this  hospital, 
were  greatly  alarmed  some  time 
since  at  receiving  an  anonymous  let- 
ter from  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
which  threatened  the  motherhouse 
of  the  Sisters  with  destruction,  if 
they  failed  to  lay  $10,000  at  a  cer- 
tain place.  When,  through  the  ef- 
forts of  Rev.  J.  C.  Straub,  chaplain 
of  the  hospital,  the  premises  were 
closely  examined,  the  walls  of  the 
building  occupied  by  the  Sisters 
were  found  pierced  with  several 
holes,  which  were  evidently  of  re- 
cent date  and  warranted  the  threat 
that  the  building  would  be  dyna- 
mited. The  authorities  have  in- 
stituted a  close  watch,  but  so  far 
no  arrests  have  been  made. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPH'S  COLLEGE 

TEUTOPOUS,  ILLINOIS 

The  members  of  the  college  fra- 
ternity of  the  Third   Order   were 


agreeably  surprised  to  learn  at  a 
recent  meeting  that,  when  St.  Jo- 
seph's College  was  still  a  diocesan 
institution,  it  could  boast  of  a  very 
flourishing  Tertiary  fraternity,    as 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


159 


the  following  statistics  gleaned  from 
the  records  attest. 

The  Third  Order  was  canonically 
erected  in  the  college  by  the  Very 
Kev.  Fr.  Maurice  Klcstermann,  o.f. 
M.,  on  March  19,  1886,  and  it  re- 
ceived as  its  first  Rev.  Director,  the 
Very  Rev.  Hugolinus  Storff,  o.f.m., 
at  present  Provincial  of  the  Santa 
Barbara  Province.  Previous  to  this, 
eight  young  men  had  received  the 
Third  Order  scapular  and  cord,  and 


151  priests,  and  15  clerics;  leaving 
but  six  who  remained  lay  persons, 
and  these  six  became  prominent 
members  of  their  respective  par- 
ishes. 

In  1899,  the  fraternity  was  dis- 
banded and  was  not  revived  until 
1908.  Since  that  time,  213  members 
were  professed,  and  of  these  10 
have  already  become  priests  of  the 
First  Order  and  55  are  pursuing 
their  studies  for  the  priesthood  as 


Officers   of    the  Third  Order   1916-1917 

H.  Pinger,     R.  Limacher,  H.  Wellner,     J.  Maloney 

A.  Klotzbucher,      J.  Martin,     Rev.  Father  Rector,     R.  Zwiesler,     A.  Glauber 


they  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  new 
fraternity,  which  was  destined  to 
enjoy  a  rapid  and  healthy  growth. 
Of  the  173  members  who  were  pro- 
fessed within  the  next  thirteen 
years:viz.  from  1886  to  1899,  one  be- 
came a  bishop,  namely  the  Right 
Rev.  Henry  Althoff,  Bishop  of  Bell- 
ville,  111. ;  47  became  secular  priests; 
102  became  Franciscan  priests;  one 
a  Jesuit;  one  a  Benedictine;  and  fif- 
teen died  as  Franciscan  clerics;  thus 
making  a  grand  total  of  one  bishop, 


clerics  of  the  First  Order.  The  fra- 
ternity numbers  at  present  69  pro- 
fessed members,  26  novices,  and  3 
candidates.  This  is  certainly  a 
splendid  showing,  and  our  college 
has  every  reason  to  be  proud  of  its 
Tertiary  fraternity.  For  the  past 
five  years,  our  Rev.  Rector,  Fr. 
Roger  Middendorf,  o.f.m.,  has  held 
the  office  of  Director.  The  officers 
for  the  current  year  are:  Prefect, 
John  Maloney;  Secretary,  Henry 
Wellner;   Master  of  Novices,    An- 


160 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


tony  Glauber;  Librarian,  Robert 
Zwiesler. 

Francis  Bell  of  the  Second 
Academic  Class  was  recently  sum- 
moned home  to  Chicago  to  attend 
the  funeral  of  his  father.  The  be- 
reaved family  have  our  sincere 
condolence  as  well  as  the  assurance 
of  our  prayers  for  the  deceased. 

On  March  13,  the  college  celebrat- 
ed the  patronal  feast  of  our  Rev. 
Father  Rector  in  the  customary  fes- 
tive manner.  At  8  o'clock,  Father 
Rector,  assisted  by  Rev.  FF.  Peter 
and  Ferdinand  as  deacon  and  sub- 
deacon,  sang  a  solemn  High  Mass. 
At  10.30  o'clock  the  following  pro- 
gram was  rendered  in  his  honor. 

Tannhaeuser  March R.  Wagner 

College  Orchestra 

Congratulatory  Address H.  Pinger 

Saenger  Marsch  ( Four  part  chorus) R.  Musiol 

College  Choir 

Belshazzar's  Feast  (Recitation) Anonymous 

Francis  Kohlberg 
The  National  Game  (Humorous  Recitation) 

Anonymous 

Stephen  Dippel 
Youth   (Waltz    Song— Soprano    Solo) 

Gung'1-G-umbert 

Select  Junior  Choir 
The  Wonderful  Tar   Baby  Story   (Dialect 

Recitation) C.  Harris 

August  Hellstern 

Supposed  Speech  of  an  Indian  Chief .  ..E.  Everett 

Antony  Glauber 


Selections   from    'Happy    Hours"  (Cornet 

Solo) .Knight-Ascher 

A.  Bricks— Accompanist:  P.  Eberle 

Barcarole  from  "Tales  of  Hoffman" Offenbach 

College  Orchestra 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY,  ILLINOIS 

On  March  1,  Rev.  Fr.  Alfred, 
o.f.m.,  underwent  a  serious  opera- 
tion at  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  He  is 
on  the  road  to  recovery,  and  his  re- 
turn to  college  is  daily  expected. 

The  members  of  last  year's  base- 
ball team  met  recently  for  the  pur- 
pose of  electing  a  new  manager  and 
a  captain  for  the  ensuing  year.  The 
result  of  the  election  was  that  Wm. 
Whalen,  for  the  last  three  years  the 
star  pitcher  of  the  team,  was  chosen 
manager,  and  Chas.  F.  Luke,  last 
year's  shortstop,  was  elected  cap- 
tain. On  the  same  day,  Henry 
Dirksen,  a  guard  on  last  season's 
basket-ball  squad,  was  elected  cap- 
tain for  the  next  season. 

On  Friday,  March  2,  our  bowling 
team  defeated  the  local  St.  Boniface 
parish  team  on  the  college  alleys. 
On  March  11,  a  return  match  was 
bowled  at  St.  Boniface  Hall  where 
our  heroes  were  downed  for  three 
straight  games. 


OBITUARY 

Oakland,  Cal.,  St.  Elizabeth's  Church:-Ven.  Bro.  Arnold  Wilms,  o.f.m. 
Chicago,  111.,  St.  Augustine's  Church:— Ven.  Bro.  Gebhard  Meinhard,  O.f.m. 
Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church :-- 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:— Edward  J.  Cassin,    Bro.  Francis;   Catherine  O'Con- 

nell,  Sr.  Elizabeth;  Mary  Powers,  Sr.  Frances. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:— Bridget  Grimes,    Sr.  Thomas;  Jane  Shay,  Sr.  Joseph; 

Mary  Lichter,  Sr.  Margaret. 
German  Fraternity.  —  Anna  Bouke,  Sr.  Ludovica;  Anna  Baumann,  Sr.  Eliza- 
beth; Catherine   Schmitz,   Sr.  Veronica;    Helen  Schwarz,    Sr.  Frances; 
Margaret  Ott,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
St.  Augustine's  Church:— John  Bell;    Barbara  Hester,  Sr.  Margaret;    Fran- 
ces Ploger,  Sr.  Crescentia. 
Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Stanislaus  Church:— Stanislaus  Skuza;  Rosalia  Utrata. 
Joliet,  111.,  St.  John's  Church:— Mary  Murphy,  Sr.  Catherine. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Josephine   Salzman;   Anna  Taphorn;  M. 

F.  Meads;  Magdalene  Keller;  Bridget  Kent;  Mary  Stutte. 
Washington,    Mo.,    St.  Francis  Borgia   Church:— Henry  Jasper,    Bro.  Francis 
Solano;  George  Perkins,  Bro.  Benedict. 
Requiescant  in  pace 


iiUMiiidiiiimiiiiioini liaillH □HimiUlUDllllll icQjiiimi u iiiiiimiii nniiiiMiinuciiii iiaiiiiiiiiinicQ: 


"□until i: iiiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiioiuiiiHKnQ 


Q)IIIIIIINIIIDIHIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIiail 


icQj mucin 


iicQinnii oiiiiiiimiitiiiMiiiiimiiiiiii no iiiiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiia ncQ 


I  iffranrifiratt  jforalft  | 

:!:        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred        'ILl 
-*?        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions       ™ 

9  « 

VOL.V.  MAY,  1917.  NO.  5 


iz&ttnrial  Qlomment 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

What  the  Patriarchs  longed  for,  what  the  Prophets  announced,  what 
the  heathen  oracles  confirmed,  has  become  a  verity— the  fulness  of  time 
has  arrived,  the  Desired  of  all  Nations  has  come.  Angels  proclaim  his 
arrival  to  the  lowly  shepherds:  "This  day  is  born  to  you  a  Savior  wr  o  is 
Christ  the  Lord,  in  the  city  of  David."  They  hasten  to  the  scene  and 
find  the  Infant  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes  and  lying  in  a  manger. 
Wise  men  from  the  East,  the  firstlings  of  the  Gentiles,  come  to  prostrate 
themselves  before  the  humble  throne  of  the  newborn  King  of  the  Jews 
and  to  offer  him  the  riches  of  their  land,  gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh. 

Filled  with  envy  and  fear  and  hatred  Herod,  a  usurper  on  the  throne 
of  Juda,  sends  forth  his  satellite  to  seek  out  and  put  to  death  the  hated 
rival.  The  infant  King  escapes,  but  numbers  of  innocent  children  fall 
unresisting  victims  to  the  insensate  cruelty  of  the  frenzied  tyrant,  thus 
becoming  the  first  in  the  long  line  of  Christian  martyrs  in  whom  the  faith 
and  the  grace  of  Christ  have  triumphed  over  the  fury  of  his  enemies. 

The  years  roll  by,  and  Jesus  advances  in  wisdom  and  age  and  grace 
with  God  and  with  men.  The  world  is  anxiously  waiting  the  day  of  his 
manifestation,  when  lo!  there  is  heard  "the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
desert:  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  his  paths."  It 
is  the  voice  of  the  Precursor,  than  whom,  according  to  the  testimony  of 
Christ  himself,  "there  hath  not  risen  among  them  that  are  born  of  women 
a  greater."  The  people  flock  in  crowds  to  hear  him,  and  a  startling  mes- 
sage he  has  for  them:  "Do  penance:  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  at 
hand."  Never  has  Israel  seen  or  heard  so  great  a  prophet.  So  power- 
ful is  he  in  word  and  deed  that  the  people  are  ready  to  accept  him  as  the 
Christ.  But  he  refers  them  to  one  mightier  than  he  the  latchet  of  whose 
shoes  he  is  not  worthy  to  luose,  and  pointing  to  Jesus  he  exclaims:  "Ecce 
Agnus  Dei— Behold  the  Lamb  of  God!" 

Very  fittingly  the  artist  places  the  Baptist  in  the  center  of  the  group, 
on  the  boundary  line,  so  to  speak,  between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Thronging  about  the  great  martyr-prophet,  are  the  holy  Inno- 
cents, who  also  have  shed  their  blood  for  Christ.  The  angel  and  the  star 
in  the  heavens  point  to  the  coming  Redeemer,  and  the  Magi  and  the 
shepherds  revetently  adore  him.  St.  Joseph,  the  foster-father  of  Jesus 
and  the  just  man  by  excellence,  ends  the  line  of   men   prominent   in   the 


162  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Old  Law  for  the  part  they  had  in  heralding  the  advent  of  the  Savior. 
The  people  of  Israel  are  prepared  for  the  manifestation  of  his  glory,  the 
stage  of  the  world  is  set  for  his  triumphal  entry.  The  fulness  of  time 
has  come. 


TERTIARIES  AND  THE  WAR 

The  die  is  cast.  The  representatives  of  the  people  in  Congress  as- 
sembled have  declared  that  a  state  of  war  exists  between  our  own  be- 
loved country  and  the  Imperial  German  Government,  and  the  President 
has  appealed  to  every  citizen  to. support  our  Government  in  the  hour  of 
of  supreme  need. 

We  are  not  authorized  to  speak  for  our  Tertiaries  in  this  matter.  But 
knowing  them  to  be  not  only  law-abiding  citizens  but  also  exemplary 
Catholics  who  have  imbibed  the  love  of  God  and  of  "country  with  their 
mothers'  milk,  with  whom  patriotism  is  a  strict  religious  duty  and  not 
merely  a  vague  and  passing  sentiment,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  assert  that 
they  will  not  fail  their  country  in  this  great  crisis.  They  firmly  believe 
that  all  lawful  authority  is  from  God,  and  that  the  civil  magistrates 
would  have  no  power  unless  it  were  given  them  from  above.  They  know 
that  they  must  submit  to  authority  "not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  con- 
science' sake, "  because  all  lawful  rulers  "are  the  ministers  of  God." 
They  have  been  taught  to  render  "to  all  men  their  due."  Hence,  when 
required  to  do  so,  they  will  cheerfully,  not  grudgingly,  "pay  tribute  to 
whom  tribute  is  due,  and  custom  to  whom  custom." 

Perhaps  they  will  not  be  found  marching  through  the  streets  and 
waving  flags  to  the  strains  of  martial  music  or  shouting  themselves 
hoarse  for  Old  Glory  at  patriotic  rallies— for  they  are  a  modest  and  retir- 
ing lot,  the  Tertiaries  of  St.  Francis— but  wherever  personal  service,  un- 
selfish action,  and  generous,  unstinting  sacrifice  will  be  demanded,  there 
they  will  not  be  found  wanting.  Their  rule  of  life  is  one  of  sacrifice  and 
charity,  and  they  can  be  depended  on  to  be  faithful  to  that  rule,  especially 
when  their  country  calls.  As  St.  Francis  has  been  styled  the  most  saintly 
of  the  Italians  and  the  most  Italian  of  the  saints,  so  we  claim  for  our  Ter- 
tiaries the  distinction  of  being  the  most  Catholic  of  Americans  and  the 
most  American  of  Catholics.  Let  them  prove  themselves  such  not  only 
by  loyally  supporting  the  Government,  but  by  cooporating  heart  and  soul 
with  every  movement  for  alleviating  the  untold  misery  that  this  war  is 
bound  to  have  in  its  wake.  In  fine,  let  them  make  our  vaunting  true,  it 
shall  please  us  well. 

EDUCATION  IN  MEXICO  UNDER  THE  NEW  CONSTITUTION 

This  is  the  subject  of  a  very  timely  paper  by  Thomas  Quinn  Beesley  in 
the  current  number  of  The  Catholic  Educational  Review.  From  his  obser- 
vations on  the  various  articles  of  the  new  Mexican  constitution  bearing  on 
education,  it  is  apparent  that,  if  these  obnoxious  laws  are  enforced,  it  will 
mean  the  death  not  only  of  Catholic,  but  of  all  religious  instruction.  No 
more  diabolical  scheme  could  have  been  conceived  for  depriving  the 
Catholic  Church  of  all  influence  on  the  national  life  of  Mexico  than  is  con- 
tained in  the  iniquitous  document  framed  by  the  masonic  clique  now  hold- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  163 


ing  sway  in  that  unfortunate  country.  Indeed,  as  the  writer  of  the  article 
in  question  points  out,  they  seem  to  have  devoted  particular  attention  to 
those  sections  that  deal  with  religion  and  education.  So  far  superior  in 
legal  refinement  are  these  sections  to  those  regulating  commerce  and  in- 
dustry, so  perfect  are  the  subtelties  of  the  former  that  the  latter  seem 
almost  crude  by  contrast.  There  is  no  alternative.  Under  the  new  code, 
the  Catholic  Church  in  Mexico,  so  far  as  its  present  rulers  are  concerned, 
is  doomed.  For  Mexico  has  a  law,  and  according  to  that  law  she  must 
die— die  a  lingering  death  of  spiritual  famine.  And  lest  any  aid  be  brought 
to  her  from  without,  it  has  been  decreed  that  "to  be  a  minister  in  Mexico 
of  any  religious  cult  it  is  necessary  to  be  a  Mexican  by  birth." 

"Here  is  the  final  challenge,"  says  Thomas  Beesley,  "and  Mexicans 
'by  birth'  are  answering  the  challenge  in  a  struggling  seminary  at  San 
Antonio,  Texas.  From  a  'lost  province'  of  Mexico  missionaries  are  re- 
turning in  little  bands  to  a  nation  that  has  lost  far  more  than  provinces, 
that  has  lost  the  very  Bread  by  which  alone  it  can  hope  to  live.  It  is  to  a 
desolate  country  that  these  missionaries,  'Mexicans  by  birth,'  are  return- 
ing. When  peace  at  last  is  restored  to  Mexico,  they  will  have  before  them 
the  task  which  confronted  the  first  band  of  twelve  Franciscans  in  1524— 
to  establish  themselves,  and  to  build  or  restore  the  churches  and  the  con- 
vents, together  with  that  constant  companion  of  both,  the  school.  Mexico 
will  once  more  need  complete  evangelization,  if  the  present  code  and  its 
authors  remain  long  in  authority." 

We  sincerely  hope,  however,  that  they  will  be  driven  out  of  power 
and  out  of  Mexico  before  they  have  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  their 
nefarious  plan  in  operation.  Now  that  our  country  has  declared  her  in- 
tention of  fighting  the  cause  of  democracy  against  autocracy  in  the  great 
world- war,  is  there  not  reason  to  hope  that  she  will  not  sheathe  the  sword 
until  she  has  vindicated  the  right  of  liberty  against  tyranny  in  the  country 
beyond  the  Rio  Grande,  and  laid  by  the  heels  the  bandit  rulers  glutted 
with  the  fat  of  the  land  and  the  blood  of  the  inhabitants?  Is  it  too  much 
to  expect  that  in  the  conference  of  nations,  which  sooner  or  later  must  be 
held  to  establish  peace  in  the  world,  some  plan  will  be  devised  to  deal  ef- 
fectively with  the  menace  to  the  south  and  to  make  the  country  in  fact 
what  heretofore  it  has  been  only  in  name — a  free  republic?  In  the  mean- 
time, let  us  often  and  fervently  repeat  the  invocation  of  the  Litany:  "That 
Thou  vouchsafe  to  humble  the  enemies  of  Holy  Church,  we  beseech  Thee 
to  hear  us." 


THE  MONTH  AND  THE  QUEEN  OF  MAY 

From  time  to  time,  holy  Mother  Church,  ever  tenderly  solicitous  for 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  her  children,  recommends  to  them  devotions 
specially  adapted  to  the  needs  and  conditions  of  the  times  in  which  they  live. 
This  is  the  case,  for  instance,  with  the  rosary,  with  the  devotion  of  the  Sa- 
cred Heart,  and  with  the  so-called  May  devotion.  The  practice  of  setting 
asid  the  month  of  May  for  the  veneration  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  is  of 
uncertain  origin.  It  is  said  that  Blessed  Henry  Suso,  who  flourished  in 
the  fourteenth  century,  used  to  consecrate  this  month  to  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin in  reparation  of  the  frivolities  committed  in  the  spring  of  the  year  by 
the  children  .of  the  world,  and  St.  Philip  Neri  was  wont  to  recommend  to 


164  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


his  youthful  charges  special  acts  of  piety  in  her  honor  on  every  day  of  the 
month  as  a  means  of  safeguarding  their  innocence.  It  was  not  until  the 
beginning  of  the  last  century,  however,  that  the  devotion  was  popularized, 
when  Pope  Pius  VII  enriched  it  with  indulgences.  From  that  time  it 
spread  rapidly  over  all  the  Catholic  world,  until  at  present,  there  is  hard- 
ly a  church  that  has  not  its  May  altar. 

But  why,  it  may  be  asked,  do  we  dedicate  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  a 
month  in  which  none  of  her  great  feasts  is  celebrated?  The  reason  is  hot 
far  to  'seek.  Catholic  sentiment  sees  in  the  natural  charms  of  the  month 
of  May  a  counterpart  of  the  supernatural  glories  of  Mary.  The  month  of 
May  awakens  all  nature  to  new  life  and  vigor  and  beauty.  It  decks  fields 
and  gardens  with  bright  flowers,  spreads  a  rich  green  over  plains  and 
meadows  and  hillsides,  clothes  trees  and  shrubs  with  verdant  foliage  and 
sweet-scented  blossoms,  scatters  the  beauties  and  blessings  of  nature  on 
all  sides.  In  like  manner,  our  Blessed  Lady  by  giving  to  the  world  her 
divine  Son  restored  its  hope  of  eternal  life  and  of  the  graces  leading  there- 
to. When  she  uttered  the  fiat  which  drew  the  Son  of  God  from  Heaven, 
she  became  instrumental  in  securing  for  us,  in  overflowing  measure,  the 
graces  of  redemption,  by  which  our  souls  are  restored  to  health  and  life 
and  are  clothed  with  a  beauty  that  far  transcends  all  earthly  charms. 
May  is  also  called  the  month  of  flowers.  Wood  and  wold,  hill  and  dale 
abound  in  blooms  of  a  thousand  hues;  all  nature  has  become,  as  it  were, 
one  vast  flower  garden.  Now,  as  this  month  excells  all  others  in  wealth 
and  beauty  of  flowers,  so  Mary  surpasses  all  the  saints  in  fulness  of  grace 
and  luster  of  virtue.  Her  heart  was  indeed  a  garden  where  the  flowers 
of  virtue  thrived  in  surpassing  beauty  and  untold  profusion.  Finally,  May 
is  the  month  of  delights,  the  month  in  which  more  than  in  any  other,  the 
senses  of  man  are  regaled,  as  it  were,  .at  a  sumptuous  banquet  spread  by 
the  bounteous  hand  of  nature.  Mary,  too,  by  the  purity  of  her  heart,  the 
plenitude  of  her  grace  and  the  splendor  of  her  virtue  is  the  delight  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity  and  of  all  the  angels  and  saints. 

These  are  the  reasons  why  we  dedicate  to  the  fairest  of  God's  crea- 
tures, the  lovliest  month  of  the  year.  Nothing  could  be  more  appropri- 
ate; for,  as  the  pious  servant  of  Mary  and  zealous  promoter  of  the  May 
devotion,  Father  Lalomia  says,  "if  as  an  offering  we  always  select  the 
most  beautiful,  the  most  pleasing,  and  the  best  gift,  then  nothing  is  more 
natural  than  to  set  aside  the' most  beautiful  of  the  months  as  a  pleasing 
gift  to  Mary." 


In  our  day  no  cause  and  no  organized  group  can  flourish  without  a 
printed  periodical.  Tne  men  and  women  who  are  engaged  actively  in  the 
field  of  Catholic  charity  see  more  clearly  every  year  that  this  truth  applies 
to  their  own  work.  They  feel  the  need  of  more  information  concerning 
methods,  tendencies,  and  results  in  the  province  of  charity,  and  more  in- 
struction in  the  underlying  principles.  Each  group  needs  the  encourage- 
ment and  inspiration  that  may  be  obtained  from  a  record  of  the  achieve- 
ments of  other  groups;  and  all  need  the  opportunity  to  express  their  opin- 
ions, and  to  profit  by  the  harmony  or  the  clash  of  discussion.  Informa- 
tion, instruction,  and  discussion  are  all  vitally  necessary,  and  they  can  be 
adequately  obtained  only  through  the  agency  of  a  periodical  publication. 
—  The  Morning  Star. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


165 


ST.  IVES  OF  BRITTANY 

OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER 
MAY  19 


ST.  Ives,  who  on  account  of  his 
great  charity  was  called  the 
Advocate  of  the  Poor,  was 
born  at  Kermartin,  near  Treguier, 
in  Brittany,  in  the  year  1253.  His 
parents,  distinguished  no  less  by 
their  virtuous  life  than  by  their 
noble  birth,  from  his  earliest  years 
instilled  into  his  innocent  heart  sen- 
timents of  piety  and  virtue.  His 
mother,  especially,  strove  to  turn 
his  thoughts  and  aspirations  to 
heavenly  things  and  constantly  ad- 
monished him  to  live  so  that  he 
would  become  a  saint.  Her  earnest 
words,  confirmed  by  the  example  of 
her  life,  sank  so  deeply  into  his 
heart  that,  for  the  rest  of  his  life, 
they  were  for  him  a  source  of  en- 
couragement and  strength  on  the 
arduous  way  of  virtue  and  perfec- 
tion. 

When  he  had  completed  the  study 
of  the  elementary  branches,  Ives 
was  sent,  in  his  fourteenth  year,  to 
the  University  of  Paris  to  take  up 
the  study  of  philosophy  and  theolo- 
gy, and  of  civil  and  canon  law. 
After  several  years  spent  in  the 
successful  pursuit  of  knowledge  at 
this  celebrated  seat  of  learning,  he 
went  to  the  University  of  Orleans 
to  finish  his  course  in  law  under  the 
learned  teachers  William  of  Blaye 
and  Peter  de  la  Chapelle.  In  the 
midst  of  these  absorbing  studies, 
he  was  ever  faithful  to  his  resolve 
to  become  a  saint.  His  aim  in  all 
things  was  the  honor  and  glory  of 


God.  Prayer  was  his  delight,  and 
to  it  he  devoted  the  morning  and  a 
part  of  the  night.  He  mortified  his 
senses  in  many  ways,  abstained 
from  wine,  and  fasted  on  bread  and 
water  during  Lent  and  Advent,  and 
on  many  other  days  of  the  year. 
His  recreation  was  to  visit  and  serve 
the  sick  in  the  hospitals,  choosing 
always  the  most  repulsive  cases. 
Thus,  while  advancing  in  learning, 
he  also  made  rapid  progress  in  the 
science  of  the  saints,  and  by  the  ex- 
ample of  his  holy  life  edified  all  who 
became  acquainted  with  him. 

After  returning  to  his  home  in 
Brittany,  the  young  man  rejected 
all  offers  of  honor  and  advancement 
which  the  world  held  out  to  him, 
and  declared  his  intention  of  conse- 
crating himself  to  the  service  of 
God.  His  wish  was  to  take  only 
the  minor  orders,  to  be  the  lowest 
of  the  ministers  of  the  altar.  God, 
however,  had  other  designs  in  re- 
gard to  his  humble  servant,  who 
was  destined  to  become  a  shining 
light  of  the  sanctuary.  The  Bishop 
of  Rennes,  well  acquainted  with  the 
learning  and  holiness  of  Ives,  ap- 
pointed him  ecclesiastical  judge  of 
his  diocese.  While  zealously  ful- 
filling the  duties  of  his  important 
office,  Ives  redoubled  his  austerities, 
his  charities,  and  his  studies.  The 
fame  of  his  holy  life,  and  of  his  jus- 
tice and  impartiality  soon  spread 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  diocese  of 
Rennes  and  induced  the   Bishop  of 


166 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Treguier  to  invite  him  into  his  dio- 
cese and  to  appoint  him  his  ecclesi- 
astical judge.  He  also  desired  him 
to  become  a  priest.  The  saint,  in 
his  humility,  trembled  at  the  very 
thought  of  the  dignity  of  the  priest- 
hood, but  he  at  length  submitted  to 
the  wish  of  his  superior  and  pre- 
sented himself  for  ordination.  He 
always  approached  the  altar  to  offer 
upthesacrificeof 
the  Mass  with 
sentiments  o  f 
the  liveliest  faith 
and  of  the  deep- 
est humility,  and 
with  tears  of 
love. 

In  fulfilling 
the  duties  of  his 
office  as  judge. 
the  servant  of 
God  came  to  the 
aid  especially  of 
the  poor,  the 
widows,  and  the 
orphans.  He  de- 
fended the  weak 
and  the  friend- 
less, and  showed 
no  respect  of 
persons,     even  St- Ives  of 

fearlessly  resisting  the  unjust  taxa- 
tion of  the  king,  which  he  consid- 
ered an  encroachment  on  the  rights 
of  the  Church.  He  delighted  in 
reconciling  enemies,  in  preventing 
litigations,  and  in  ending  quarrels. 
Often,  when  he  could  not  succeed 
by  words,  he  would  take  recourse 
to  prayer  or  offer  up  the  sacrifice 
of  Mass,  to  remove  evils  which 
wounded  charity,  or  to  bring  about 
peace  among  the   people, .  and    his  i 


earnest  pleadings  before  the  throne 
of  God  would  bring  about  the  de- 
sired effect.  It  is  impossible  to  re- 
late all  the  numerous  acts  of  virtue 
he  performed  in  discharging  his 
delicate  and  difficult  office.  Though 
he  was  judge,  he  would  frequently 
make  himself  the  counsel  of  the 
poor  and  weak,  defending  them  in 
the  civil  courts,  protecting  them 
against  wrongs, 
and  paying  their 
costs  if  they 
failed,  and  thus 
he  won  his  right 
to  the  glorious 
title  of  "Advo- 
cate of  the 
Poor." 

In  1285,  Ives 
was  appointed 
pastor  of  the  par- 
ish at  Tredez, 
and  after  some 
time  he  gave  up 
his  judicial  office 
to  devote  all  his 
labors  to  the  care 
of  the  souls  com- 
mitted to  his 
charge.  After 
eight  years,  he 
to  Louannec,  where 
he  worked  till  his  holy  death.  De- 
siring to  bind  himself  to  even  great- 
er perfection,  he,  before  entering 
on  this  charge,  joined  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis,  and  with 
great  zeal  gave  himself  up  to  the 
practice  of  prayer,  mortification, 
and  voluntary  poverty.  Every 
morning,  the  holy  priest  went  to 
the  altar,  shedding  tears  of  devo- 
tion.    One  day,  at  the  Elevation,   a 


Brittany 

was  removed 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


167 


crown  of  light  surrounded  the  Sa- 
cred Host,  then  rested  above  the 
chalice  as  it  was  raised  for  the 
adoration  of  the  faithful,  as  if  our 
Lord  wished  to  point  out  to  them 
the  intense  faith  of  the  pastor.  The 
Saint's  zeal  in  the  pulpit  and  in  the 
confessional  was  extraordinary,  and 
by  his  earnest  words,  the  hardest 
hearts  were  often  brought  to  re- 
.pentance.  He  would  often  go  into 
the  country  and  teach  the  Catechism 
to  the  villagers,  instruct  the  labor- 
ers, and  visit  the  sick.  His  charity 
toward  the  poor  knew  no  bounds. 
For  the  sick  poor,  the  Saint  built  a 
hospital  near  his  house.  He  fre- 
quently visited  them,  consoled  them 
in  their  sufferings,  and  rendered 
them  the  lowliest  services.  He 
sheltered  a  number  of  orphans  in 
his  own  house  and  placed  others 
with  parishioners  who  taught  them 
trades.  God  rewarded  the  charity 
of  his  servant  by  wonderful  signs 
and  miracles.  On  one  occasion, 
Ives  received  a  leper  into  his  house 
and  made  him  sit  at  his  table.  In 
the  middle  of  the  meal  the  poor  man 
got  up  and  said  in  an  affectionate 
tone,  "The  Lord  is  with  you." 
Suddenly  the    face    of    the  guest 


shone,  his  garments  became  white 
as  snow,  and  the  whole  house  was 
illumined  with  a  bright  light,  and 
then  the  vision  vanished,  leaving 
the  Saint  full  of  joy  and  consolation. 
On  another  occasion,  God  multiplied 
the  bread  in  his  hands,  so  that  he 
was  able  to  satisfy  the  hunger  of  a 
large  number  of  beggars  with  a 
small  piece  of  bread.  These  mir- 
acles caused  the  fame  of  the  saintly 
pastor  to  spread  far  and  wide.  But 
he  only  humbled  himself  the  more, 
begging  God  with  tears  to  create  in 
him  a  pure  and  humble  heart. 

Worn  out  by  incessant  toil,  and 
attacked  by  a  violent  fever,  the 
Saint  felt  his  end  approaching.  In 
his  humilty,  he  asked  to  be  placed 
on  a  bed  of  straw,  and  after  receiv- 
ing the  last  Sacraments  with  the 
tenderest  devotion,  he  turned  his 
eyes  toward  the  crucifix  and  prayed 
our  Lord  to  have  mercy  on  him. 
Thus  he  gave  up  his  soul  to  God,  on 
May  19,  1303.  His  tomb  in  the 
cathedral  at  Treguier  was  glorified 
by  many  miracles,  and  he  was  can- 
onized by  Pope  Clement  VT,  in  1347. 
St.  Ives  is  venerated  as  the  patron 
of  priests,  judges,  and  lawyers. 


168 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


LOWERING  CLOUDS 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  OF.M. 


A  feeling  of  joy  and  satisfac- 
tion thrilled  the  English  na- 
tion when,  on  June  3,  1509, 
the  marriage  of  Henry  VIII  and 
Catherine  of  Aragon  was  solemnized 
at  St.  Paul's  in  London,  and  when 
three  weeks  later  the  royal  pair 
were  crowned  at  Westminster  Ab- 
bey. Ever  since  the  premature 
death  of  his  brother  Arthur,  the 
high-minded  prince  had  witnessed 
the  constancy  and  patience  of  Cath- 
erine in  suffering, (1)  and  he  was  filled 
with  love  and  esteem  for  the  fair 
and  pious  princess.  No  doubt,  he 
fully  shared  the  happiness  of  his 
people  when  he  plighted  her  his 
troth  and  saw  her  crowned  queen  of 
England.  The  first  years  of  their 
union  were  a  period  of  mutual  edi- 
fication coupled  with  true  zeal  for 
the  religious  and  political  welfare 
of  the  kingdom. 

As  the  years  wore  on,  Henry's 
attitude  toward  the  saintly  queen 
underwent  a  sad  change.  The  loose 
life  at  court  was  gradually  divert- 
ing him  from  the  path  of  duty. 
Some  historians  say  that  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  he  ever  was  a  faithful 
husband.  Be  this  as  it  may,  his  fre- 
quent addresses  to  persons  of  in- 
different morals  were  sufficient 
cause  for  alarm.  Yet,  he  who  could 
and  should  have  warned  the  heed- 
less King,  refrained  from  doing  so 
on  personal  as  well  as  on  political 
grounds.     Yes,  it  is  even   asserted 


that  Cardinal  Wolsey  was  the  first 
to  raise  doubts  in  Henry's  mind  re- 
garding the  validity  of  his  marriage 
with  Catherine. (2)  Hence,  in  1527, 
when  his  passion  for  Anne  Boleyn, 
a  lady  in  the  Queen's  household, 
had  got  the  better  of  him,  he  open- 
ly urged  the  question  of  a  divorce, 
feigning  scruples  regarding  the  va- 
lidity of  the  dispensation  he  had  ob- 
tained from  Rome  to  marry  Cather- 
ine. The  case  was  eventually 
brought  to  Rome,  and  the  Pope  ap- 
pointed a  special  commission  to  ex- 
amine it.  All  during  the  lengthy 
and  complicated  proceedings  of  this 
commission,  Henry  as  well  as  his 
cringing  partisans  among  the  no- 
bility and  higher  clergy  knew  fully 
well  that  Catherine  was  the  lawful 
queen,  and  that  his  alleged  fear  of 
living  in  illegal  wedlock  was  merely 
a  cloak  to  hide  the  foulness  of  his 
heart. 

This  became  clear  when,  seeing 
that  the  papal  commission  would 
ultimately  declare  against  the  di- 
vorce, the  proud  and  ruthless 
King  openly  defied  its  author- 
ity, repudiated  Queen  Cather- 
ine, and  married  Anne  Boleyn.  The 
sacrilegious  ceremonies  were  per- 
formed by  Roland  Lee,  on  January 
25,  1533,  in  a  private  chapel  of  the 
royal  palace  at  Whitehall. (3)  On 
Saturday,  May  10,  Cranmer  who  had 
shortly  before  been  consecrated 
archbishop    of    Canterbury,    cited 


(1)  See  Du  Boys:  Catherine  D' Aragon,  (Paris.  1880)  p.  515. (2)  Hope :  The  First  Divorce  of  Henry  VIII. 

(London,  1894>  p.  44.    On  this  occasion,  Henry  said  to  Wolsey,  "Beware  of  calling  in  question  what  has  already 

been  decided,"  at  the  same  time  praising  Catherine  and  defending  his  marriage    with    her. (3)     For  obvious 

reasons,  Burnet,  a  Protestant  historian,  has  assigned  an  earlier  date,  to  wit,  November  14,  1532,  for  this  sacrilegi- 
ous ceremony.    See  Hope,  1.  c,  p.  296. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


169 


Queen  Catherine  for  trial  to  his  ec- 
clesiastical court  at  Dunstable.  On 
her  repeated  refusal  to  appear,  he 
declared  her  "contumacious",  and 
the  King  dictated  the  sentence  an- 
nulling his  marriage  with  her. 
Thereupon,  to  the  shame  and  dis- 
may of  the  English  nation,  Henry's 
secret  marriage  with  Anne  Boleyn 
was  publicly  announced  and  con- 
firmed, and  the  ambitious  coquette 
pompously  escorted  from  Greenwich 
to  the  Tower  for  coronation.  The 
attending  ceremonies  bore  the  char- 
acter of  a  funeral  rather  than  of  a 
public  festivity.  In  a  letter  dated 
May  29,  1533,  the  imperial  ambas- 
sador Chapuys  writes  to  Charles  V, 
the  nephew  of  Queen  Catherine, 
that  the  "triumph  consisted  entire- 
ly in  the  multitude  of  those  who 
took  part  in  it,  but  all  the  people 
showed  themselves  as  sorry  as 
though  it  had  been  a  f  uneral.  I  am 
told,"  he  continues,  "their  indig- 
nation increases  daily,  and  that  they 
live  in  hope  your  majesty  will  inter- 
fere. On  Saturday,  the  Lady  will 
pass  all  through  London  and  go  to 
the  King's  lodging,  and  on  Sunday 
to  Westminster,  where  the  cere- 
mony of  coronation  will  take 
place."(1) 

Henry  fully  aware  that  his  action 
against  Queen  Catherine  had  roused 
a  spirit  of  discontent  among  the 
lower  classes,  was  not  slow  to  dis- 
cern that  the  sons  of  St.  Francis 
had  been  foremost  and  loudest  in 
creating  it.  From  the  day  his  mar- 
riage  became    a  topic  of  popular 


comment,  the  friars  were  decided  on 
their  plan  of  action.  Traveling 
about  the  country  in  the  discharge 
of  their  sacred  duties,  the  Francis- 
can Observants  freely  and  fearless- 
ly acquainted  the  people  with  the 
true  state  of  affairs,  and  thus  grad- 
ually succeeded  in  molding  public 
opinion  against  the  King's  base 
design. (2)  Accordingly,  the  very 
men  who  a  few  years  before  had 
stood  so  high  in  Henry's  favor  and 
esteem,  were  now  the  object  of  his 
scorn  and  hatred.  This  he  showed 
openly  for  the  first  time  in  1532, 
when  he  wrote  to  Fr.  Paul  Pissotus, 
Minister  General  of  the  Order,  and 
asked  him  to  depose  the  Observant 
Provincial,  Bl.  John  Forest, (3>  and 
to  appoint  Fr.  John  de  la  Haye  in 
his  stead.  Though  this  measure 
of  the  King  convinced  the  friars 
that  their  position  was  now  grow- 
ing critical,  it  did  not  intimidate, 
much  less  silence  them.  They 
were  resolved  to  stand  by  truth 
and  morality.  Hence  during  the 
ensuing  year,  up  to  the  very  out- 
break of  the  storm,  they  publicly 
defended  Queen  Catherine. 

Naturally,  the  Observant  friary 
at  Greenwich,  under  the  very  eyes 
of  the  King  and  his  court,  became 
the  storm  center  in  the  coming  con- 
flict. Its  inmates  were  universally 
loved  and  respected  and  the  King 
realized  that  it  was  all  important  to 
make  sure  of  their  sentiments  re- 
garding his  relations  with  Anne 
Boleyn.  To  this  end,  Cromwell  pre- 
vailed on  one  of  the  lay  Brothers  of 


(1)  Stone:  Faithful  Unto  Death.  (London,  1892),  p.  14  from  the  Vienna  Archives.—  (2)   Fr.   Angelus  a  S- 

Francisco  (Mason):  Certamen  Seraph icum,  (Quaracchi,  1885)  p.  6. (3)  It  is  not.  certain   who  was   Provincial   at 

this  time.  See  Parkinson:  The  Antiquities  of  the  English  Franciscans  (London.  1726)  I,  p.  227:  Stone,  1.  c,  p.  47; 
Dodd:  Church  History  of  England,  (Brussels,  1737)  Vol.  I,  p.  233.  where  he  says  that  Bl.  John  Forest  succeeded 
as  Provincial  Fr.  Stephen  Baron,  who  died  in  1520. 


170 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


this  community,  Richard  Lyst  by 
by  name,  to  act  as  his  spy.  Through 
secret  correspondence  with  him,  it 
was  soon  learned  that  the  friars 
were  stanch  adherents  of  Cather- 
ine. As  one  of  the  chief  agitators 
against  the  divorce  the  informing 
lay  Brother  designated  the  guardi- 
an, Fr.  William  Peyto,  a  man  of 
deep  learning  and  sterling  virtue. 
He  was  born  at  Chesterton  in  War- 
wickshire. After  completing  his 
education  with  the  Franciscans  at 
Oxford,  he  renounced  the  world  and 
joined  the  Franciscan  Order.  In 
view  of  his  learning,  the  university 
of  Oxford  conferred  on  him  the 
academic  degrees  and  elected  him  a 
fellow  of  Queen's  College.  Friar 
Peyto,  as  he  is  generally  termed  by 
historians,  had  fully  imbibed  the 
spirit  of  St.  Francis,  and  he  was  a 
zealous  promoter  of  the  Observant 
reform.  As  guardian  of  the  Green- 
wich friary,  and  as  confessor  to 
princess  Mary,  the  only  surviving 
child  of  Henry  VIII  and  Catherine, 
he  was  in  constant  touch  with  the 
court.  His  noble  heart  was  filled 
with  bitter  anguish  at  sight  of  the 
King  denying  his  better  self  and 
listening  to  the  counsels  of  wicked 
flatterers  and  seducers. 

On  Sunday,  May  11,  1533,  (1)  the 
day  after  Queen  Catherine  was 
cited  before  Cranmer's  court,  Fr. 
Peyto  had  to  preach  in  the  Francis- 
can church  at  Greenwich.      Henry 


and  his  courtiers  were  to  attend 
the  services.  Wholly  regardless  of 
personal  considerations,  the  fearless 
guardian  determined  to  make  a  last 
strenuous  effort  for  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  his  King  and  of  his 
country.  Gloomy  presentiments  of 
some  impending  calamity  were 
written  on  every  countenance, 
when  Fr.  Peyto  ascended  the  pul- 
pit. After  relating  how  king 
Achab,  (2)  misguided  by  the  four 
hundred  prophets,  insulted  and  im- 
prisoned the  prophet  Micheas  and 
soon  after  died  a  most  terrible 
death,  the  bold  preacher  turned  to 
Henry  and  continued,  "I  am  that 
Micheas  whom  thou  wilt  hate,  be- 
cause I  must  tell  thee  truly  that  this 
marriage  is  unlawful;  and  I  know  I 
shall  eat  the  bread  of  affliction  and 
drink  the  water  of  sorrow,  yet  be- 
cause the  Lord  hath  put  it  into  my 
mouth  I  must  speak  it."  Then  he 
inveighed  most  vehemently  against 
the  recent  marriage  with  Anne 
Boleyn  and  conjuring  the  King  to 
leave  the  path  of  crime  and  scandal 
and  to  hearken  to  the  voice  of  con- 
science, he  added,  "There  are  many 
other  preachers,  yea  too  many,  who 
preach  and  persuade  thee  otherwise, 
feeding  thy  folly  and  frail  affections, 
upon  hope  of  their  own  worldly 
promotion,  and  by  that  means  they 
betray  thy  30ul,  thy  honor,  and 
posterity,  to  obtain  fat  benefices, 
to   become  rich   abbots,    and    get 


(1)  The  following  account  of  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow  is  taken  from  Stow  as  quoted  by  Parkinson,  1.  c.,  I,  p. 
270  sqq.  Most  historians  (Collier.  Mason,  Dodd.  Leon,  Du  Boys,  Gasquet)  seem  to  prefer  this  account  to  the  one 
found  in  Gairdner's  Calendar.  The  exact  dates,  however,  can  not  be  determined  with  certainty.  According  to 
Stow,  Fr.  Elstow  publicly  opposed  Dr.  Curwin  on  Sunday,  May  8,  1533,  which  in  a  later  edition  of  his  works  is 
changed  to  May  28  of  the  same  year.  Now.  neither  May  8  nor  28  were  Sundays  in  1533.  It  teems,  therefore, 
probable  that  May  8  is  a  typographical  error  and  should  be  May  18.  which  was  a  Sunday  in  1633.  Accordingly,  Fr. 
Elstow  preached  on  May  18.  and  Fr.  Peyto  on  the  Sunday  preceding.  May  11.  Cobbet  in  his  Hxntory  of  t he  I  ro- 
tettant  Reformation  in  England,  ou  page  51  (foot-note)  regards  ttiese  figures  as  probable  while  the  Annalet 
Minorum  (Quaracchi,  1914),  Tom.  XIX,  p.  112,  say  that  Stow  must  be  read  with  caution  (caute  legendum)   when 

he  assigns  1633  as  the  year  in  which  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow  openly  defied  the  King. (2)  Third  Book  of  Kings. 

chap.  22. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


171 


episcopal  jurisdiction,  and  other  ec- 
clesiastical dignities;  these,  I  say 
are  the  four  hundred  prophets,  who, 
in  the  spirit  of  lying,  seek  to  deceive 
thee:  but  take  good  heed,  lest  thou 
being  deceived,  thou  find  Achab's 
punishment,  which  was  to  have  his 
blood  licked  up  by  dogs."  Appar- 
ently, the  King  took  this  public  re- 
buke with  good  grace.  But  his 
fawning  courtiers  were  stung  to  the 
quick  and  their  long-nourished  ha- 
tred of  the  friars  now  came  to  a 
head. 

In  the  course  of  the  next  week, 
Fr.  Peyto  left  for  Canterbury  (1)  to 
attend  the  provincial  chapter,  and 
Henry  resolved  to  make  the  most 
of  the  friar's  temporary  absence. 
To  undo  the  effect  of  the  bold  friar's 
sermon  he  ordered  Dr.  Curwin,  a 
canon  of  Hereford,  to  preach  on  the 
following  Sunday,  May  18,  in  de- 
fense of  his  marriage  with  Anne 
Boleyn.  Dr.  Curwin,  whose  pride 
and  ambition  had  long  since  seared 
his  conscience,  hailed  the  opportu- 
nity of  catering  to  the  wishes  of  his 
royal  master  and  thus  securing  his 
own  emolument.  Feeling  quite 
safe  in  the  absence  of  Fr.  Peyto, 
he  determined  publicly  to  vent 
his  spleen  on  him.  On  the  follow- 
ing Sunday,  Henry  and  his  court 
again  assembled  in  the  church  at 
Greenwich.  Their  eyes  beamed 
with  joy  and  triumph,  when  Dr. 
Curwin  unscrupulously  denounced 
Queen  Catherine  and  in  high-flown 
terms  extolled  the  King  for  mar- 
rying Anne  and  thus  securing  the 
welfare  of  the  kingdom.  There- 
upon, he  began  to  heap  insults  on 


the  absent  guardian,  calling  him  a 
dog,  a  slanderer,  a  base  and  beg- 
garly friar,  a  plotter,  a  rebel,  a 
traitor,  and  finally  shouting  in 
boastful  defiance,  "I  speak  to  thee, 
Peyto,  who  makest  thyself  Micheas, 
that  thou  mayst  speak  evil  of  kings; 
but,  now  thou  art  not  to  be  found, 
being  fled  for  fear  and  shame,  as 
being  unable  to  answer  my  argu- 
ments." 

He  had  failed, however,  to  reckon 
with  another  hero  in  the  Franciscan 
garb.  Great,  therefore,  was  the 
court's  dismay  and  fury,  when  in  the 
midst  of  the  boaster's  shameless 
tirade,  Fr.  John  Elstow  leaping  to 
his  feet  exclaimed  from  the  gallery 
of  the  church,  "Good  Sir,  you  know 
that  Fr.  Peyto,  as  he  was  command- 
ed, is  now  gone  to  a  provincial  council 
holden  at  Canterbury,  and  not  fled 
for  fear  of  you,  for  to-morrow  he 
will  return  again;  in  the  meantime 
I  am  here  as  another  Micheas,  and 
I  will  lay  down  my  life  to  prove  all 
those  things  true  which  he  hath 
taught  out  of  the  Holy  Scripture; 
and  to  this  combat  I  challenge  thee, 
before  God  and  all  equal  judges, 
even  unto  thee  Curwin,  I  say,  who 
art  one  of  the  four  hundred  proph- 
ets, into  whom  the  spirit  of  lying 
is  entered,  and  seekest  by  adultery 
to  establish  succession,  betraying 
the  King  into  endless  perdition, 
more  for  thy  own  vain  glory  and 
hope  of  promotion,  than  for  dis- 
charge of  thy  clogged  conscience, 
and  the  King's  salvation."  This 
was  too  much  for  Henry.  Again 
baffled  by  a  simple  friar,  he  became 
pale  with  rage.     After  repeated  at- 


(1)  According  to  Gairdner's    Calendar  he  went  to  Toulouse. 


172 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


tempts  to  silence  the  undaunted 
Observant,  the  King  at  last  sprang 
to  his  feet  like  a  madman  and  with 
trembling  accents  demanded  that 
Fr.  Elstow  hold  his  peace. 

On  the  following  day,  Fr.  Peyto 
returned  from  Canterbury.  His 
heart  swelled  with  paternal  pride 
and  joy,  when  the  brethren  told 
him  how  bravely  one  of  their  num- 
ber had  crossed  swords  with  Dr. 
Curwin  and  had  defended  their 
guardian's  good  name  and  the  rights 
of  their  lawful  Queen.  With  words 
of  sincere  gratitude  and  admiration, 
he  congratulated  Fr.  Elstow,  and  at 
the  same  time  exhorted  the  other 
members  of  the  community  to  fol- 
low faithfully  the  voice  of  conscience 
in  the  hour  of  trial  that  he  felt  was 
now  fast  approaching.  His  presen- 
timents proved  only  too  true.  That 
very  day,  a  messenger  summoned 
FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow  before  the 
King  and  his  council. 

Rejoicing  at  the  thought  of  being 
again  allowed  to  defend   the  cause 
of  truth  and  virtue  and  perhaps 
even  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  it, 
they  forthwith  set  out  for  the  roy- 
al palace.    We  may  picture  to  our- 
selves the  menacing  looks  of  hatred  I 
and  vengeance  that  greeted   them  I 
on  entering  the  council   chamber.  ; 
Standing  defenceless  before  an  en-  j 
raged    King  and  his   bloodthirsty  | 
courtiers,  they  resembled  two  help- 
less lambs  in  the  midst  of  ravenous 
wolves.     But,  although  their  exter- 
ior bespoke  meekness  and  humility, 
the  fearless  determination  written 
on  their  faces  told  their  enemies  that 
they  werefready   to   sacrifice  and 
suffer    all   for    conscience's    sake. 


After  a  moment  of  painful  silence, 
the  two  friars  were  commanded  to 
give  an  explanation  of  their  late 
conduct.  Thereupon,  Fr.  Peyto 
stepped  forward  and  again  rebuked 
the  King  for  his  illicit  relations 
with  Anne  Boleyn,  at  the  same 
time  predicting  that  if  he  presisted 
in  his  iniquity,  a  terrible  punish- 
ment would  be  meted  out  to  him  by 
a  just  and  avenging  God.  Later 
during  the  hearing,  Henry  Bourch- 
ier,  earl  of  Essex,  exclaimed  in  a 
heat  of  passion  that  the  two  friars 
were  traitors  to  their  King  and  de- 
served to  be  put  in  sacks  and 
thrown  alive  into  the  Thames. 
But  the  friars  only  smiled  and  Fr. 
Elstow  turning  to  the  earl  said  very 
quietly,  "Threaten  these  things  to 
rich  and  dainty  folks,  who  are 
clothed  in  purple,  fare  diliciously, 
and  have  their  chief  est  hope  in  this 
world,  for  we  esteem  them  not,  but 
are  joyful  that  for  the  discharge  of 
our  duties  we  are  driven  hence; 
and,"  he  added  pleasantly,  "with 
thanks  to  God,  we  know  the  way 
to  heaven  to  be  as  ready  by  water 
as  by  land,  and  therefore  we  care 
not  which  way  we  go. ' ' 

Henry  saw  that  it  was  useless  to 
bandy  words  with  these  men  of 
God  and  he  bit  his  lips  in  sheer 
despair.  To  send  the  intrepid  fri- 
ars to  the  block,  he  feared  would 
cause  nation-wide  confusion.  He 
knew  how  the.  people  wholly  devot- 
ed to  Queen  Catherine,  loved  and 
revered  the  sons  of  St.  Francis  for 
their  heroic  zeal  in  her  behalf.  It 
was  probably  due  to  this  that  FF. 
Peyto  and  Elstow  escaped  with 
their  lives.     For    the   present  they 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


173 


were  thrown  into  prison  and  after 
some  time  banished  from  the  coun- 
try. Both  outlived  the  first  storm  of 
persecution  under  Henry  VIII  and 
later  returned  to  England. (1) 

Thus,  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow  were 
the  first  to  hurl  defiance  at  a  king 
whose  unbridled  passions  were 
bringing  ruin  and  desolation  on  the 
Church  in  England.  "It  is  impos- 
sible," says  the  Protestant  histo- 
rian Cobbet,  '  'to  speak  with  suffici- 
ent admiration  of  these  two  men. 
Ten  thousand  victories  by  land  or 
sea  would  not  bespeak  such  hero- 
ism in  the  winners  of  these  victories 
as  was  shown  by  these  friars,  If 
the  bishops,  or  only  one  fourth  of 
them,  had  shown  equal  courage,  the 
tyrant  would  have  stopped  in  that 
mad  career  which  was  now  on  the 
eve  of  producing  so  many   horrors. 


The  stand  made  by  these  friars 
was  the  only  instance  of  bold  and 
open  resistance  until  he  had  actual- 
ly got  into  his  murders  and  robber- 
ies."^ Needless  to  say,  their 
well-meant  words  of  warning  did 
not  deter  Henry  from  taking  the 
final  step. 

The  dark  clouds  of  persecution 
were  gathering  over  England. 
|  Soon  the  fearful  storm  was  to  break 
forth  in  all  its  fury  and  completely 
to  sweep  away  the  flourishing 
province  of  English  Franciscans. 
Faithful  and  fearless  to  the  end  in 
the  cause  of  truth  and  justice 
they  were  to  languish  in  loathsome 
prisons  and  die  on  bloody  scaffolds 
in  defence  of  a  dogma  that  has  ever 
been  cherished  as  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal tenets  of  the  institutes  of  St. 
Francis. 


(1)  Hope:  Franciscan  Martyrs  in  England.  (London.  1878),  p.  73. (2)  Cobbet,  1.  c,  p.  52. 


FRANCISCA-A  STORY  OF  MEXICO 

By  Mabel  McElliott 


FRANCISCA  was  making  an 
alb  for  the  padre,  her  scis- 
sors click-clicking  pleasant- 
ly as  the  triangular  bits  of  cloth 
fluttered  to  the  piazza  floor.  The 
"rancho"  house  was  built  in  semi- 
circular fashion,  so  that  from  where 
she  sat  she  could  hear  Alameda,  the 
Indian  cook,  clattering  with  terri- 
fic vigor  among  the  pans  in  the 
tiled  kitchen,  and  accompanying 
the  din  with  raucous  sounds  she 
probably  thought  musical.  If  Fran- 
cisca  had  been  at  all   nervous,  she 


might  have  flown  to  the  step  and 
implored  her  to  cease,  but  she 
merely  smiled  and  went  on  with 
her  delicate  task. 

The  day  was  mellow,  golden,  but 
exceedingly  warm,  and  Francisca, 
shading  her  eyes  for  a  view  of  the 
dun  road  and  the  foothills  beyond, 
started  slightly  at  sight  of  a  lone 
figure  toiling  along  in  the  sun.  It 
was  a  boy,  hatless,  who  waved  to 
her  as  he  advanced,  and  sank 
breathless  to  the  step  as  she  came 
to  meet  him. 


174 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


"Ricardo!  I  thought  you  were 
gone  with  papa  to  the  mine,"  she 
said,  taking  his  small  brown  hand 
in  her  own,  and  stroking  his  heat- 
ed brow  with  a  tenderness  almost 
maternal.  Her  brother  gripped 
the  little  finders  tightly.  '  'Francis- 
ca  mia, "  he  said  hurriedly,  and  with 
a  little  gasp  of  fear,  "I  was  riding 
far  back— a  mile  perhaps— behind 
papa  and  Meester  Corland— Con- 
chita  was  tired,  you  know,  after  the 
drive  yesterday,  and  I  was  giving 
her  rest.  All  at  once  three  of  the 
Mesa  men  from  the  town  came  out 
a  little  way  from  the  road  and 
stopped  me.  They  were  rough 
men,  and  when  I  spoke  to  them, 
one  cursed  at  me  and  said  to  the 
others  in  Spanish,  'Bah!  The  boy 
is  Americano;  he  can  tell  us  noth- 
ing. Let  us  go  on  to  the  church. 
We  shall  have  no  trouble,  as  there 
is  never  any  one  about  except 
on  Mass  days.'  Then,"  the  boy 
continued,  looking  as  if  he  were 
about  to  cry,  but  checking  his 
tears  with  manful  courage,  "they 
took  Conchita  away  from  me,  and 
went  on!" 

"They  didn't  hurt  you,  darling?" 
the  girl  asked  anxiously,  which  term 
of  endearment  she  had  caught  from 
their  English  mother.  "No,  but 
Conchita— she  was  tired,  and  now 
they  are  driving  her  on— the 
brutes!"  finished  Ricardo  pas- 
sionately. 

Francisca  stood  upright,  thought- 
fully fingering  the  half  finished 
vestment  on  her  arm. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do,  'Cis- 
ca?"  he  asked.  "Never  mind, 
darling.     You  run  to  Alameda,  and 


ask  herfor  some  cool  milk  and 
something  to  eat.  I'll  be  back 
directly."  And  picking  up  her 
work  basket,  she  hurried  into  the 
house.  "Will  you  bring  Sanchez 
around,  darling?"  she  asked  her 
little  brother  five  minutes  later, 
making  a  trim  bundle  of  the  Greek 
costume  she  had  worn  in  a  tableau 
at  the  convent  last  fiesta,  and  of 
the  blue  scarf  that  had  been  her 
mother's. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  he 
asked  again,  as  she  mounted  the 
Mexican  pony. 

Francisca  looked  down  at  him 
with  a  sudden  rush  of  tenderness. 
"You're  not  to  worry,  Ricardo," 
she  told  him  gently.  "You  see," 
touching  the  little  medal  that  glit- 
tered at  her  throat,  "with  Our 
Lady's  help  and  a  mile  start  —  " 
and  she  was  gone. 

It  was  all  very  well  to  talk  about 
being  brave,  she  thought,  her  pul- 
ses racing  with  the  wind,  as  the 
gallant  little  pony  took  the  shorter 
path  to  the  chapel  through  the  shady 
woods.  Ah,  but  God  was  good,  and 
it  was  his  business  she  was  about, 
after  all.  He  would  see  that  she 
reached  there  in  time. 

One  mile  —  two  —  and  then, 
through  the  trees  she  could  glimpse 
the  white  spire  of  the  little  church. 

"They  are  not  yet  here,"  she 
whispered  triumphantly,  reining  up 
at  the  crude  little  block,  and  dis- 
mounting. "Now,  home,  Sanchez!" 
to  the  horse.  "You  must!"  as  he 
stood,  ears  pricked,  ill  disposed  to 
obey  the  well  loved  voice.  She 
stroked,  petted,  cajoled,  and  finally, 
in  desperation,  struck  at  him  wild- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


175 


ly  with  her  little  crop.  Then  San- 
chez, sorrowful,  dispirited,  trotted 
away  among  the  trees. 

Francisca  had  the  key  to  the 
sacristy  in  the  pocket  of  her  blue 
cotton  dress.  It  was  very  still 
within.  Last  Sunday's  flowers  were 
drooping  in  the  cheap  vases,  and 
the  sun  was  making  a  glory  of  the 
little  altar,  "This  is  Thy  House, 
and  I  will  save  it  for  Thee!"  said 
Francisca  gravely,  as  she  knelt  at 
the  lowest  step. 

She  had  not  long  to  wait— barely 
time  to  fasten  the  robe  with  trem- 
bling fingers,  and  toss  the  blue  veil 
over  her  loosened  hair.  Then — 
"Ah,  my  shoe3,"  she  almost  wept, 
kicking  off  the  offending  and 
hitherto  forgotten  articles,  and 
dragging  off  the  stockings  with 
trembling  haste. 

The  pedestal  that  was  to  have 
borne  the  statue  of  the  Virgin 
Mother  was  empty,  and  Francisca 
thanked  God  it  was  so,  although 
she  had  often  before  mourned  the 
shabby  loneliness  of  the  niche. 
She  swung  herself  with  an  effort  to 
the  dizzying  height,  and  had  scarce- 
ly clasped  her  hands  in  the  attitude 
she  had  observed  in  the  statue  at 
the  El  Paso  convent,  when  the 
shaky  little  porch  creaked  under 
the  tread  of  heavy  feet,  and  the 
brigands  thundered  through  the 
vestibule,  and    down    the    middle 


aisle.  But  they  did  not  advance 
very  far,  for  a  piercing,  sweet 
voice  arrested  them,  dull  cowards 
that  they  were. 

"Would  you  destroy  my  Son's 
House?"  came  a  voice  from  the 
niche.  Then  —  as  they  cowered, 
white  and  shaken  with  terror,  she 
pointed  an  accusing  finger.  "Go, 
and  sin  no  more!"  she  told  them; 
and  they  fled,  tumbling  over  one 
another. 

For  a  long  time,  Francisca  stood 
there,  afraid  to  change  her  position 
lest  they  return  and  discover  the 
deception.  Shadows  deepened  in 
the  little  church,  and  twilight 
came  before  her  father  with  three 
of  his  men  found  her  there.  She 
looked  like  a  very  little  girl,  in- 
deed, and  she  was  half  asleep, 
worn  out  with  excitement,  one 
brown  hand  tightly  clutching  the 
candlestick  beside  her. 

"Francisca  mia,  but  you  are 
brave,"  Ricardo  said  to  her  admir- 
ingly that  night.  "I  stayed  at 
home  like  a  little  coward;  but  you 
saved  the  church  for  us  all." 

Francisca  stroked  his  sleek  dark 
head.  "Not  for  us  all,"  she  cor- 
rected him  gently;  "but  for  God 
and  for  Our  Lady.  But  then  it 
was  Our  Lady  who  helped  me,  of 
course,"  touching  the  medal  at  her 
throat.  "She  was  with  me  all  the 
time!" 


176 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


A  COLORED  TERTIARY 


"B 


EHOLD  an  Israelite,  in- 
deed, in  whom  there  is  no 
guile."  These  words  of 
our  dear  Lord  may  well  be  applied 
to  Mr.  George  Perkins  who  died  in 
Washington,  Mo.,  on  March  2, 1917. 
His  face,  indeed,  was  black,  but  his 
soul  was  white  as  snow.  While 
speaking  with  him  one  never 
thought  of  the  color  of  his  body. 
The  beautiful  whiteness  of  his  soul 
shone  in  the  kindly  light  of  his  eyes, 
the  courtesy  of  his 
speech,  the  correctness 
of  his  manner.  One 
day,  he  was  introduced 
to  a  strange  Father. 
After  he  had  left,  the 
Father  remarked  that 
there  was  something 
unusual  about  George. 
Being  as^ed  what  he 
meant,  he  replied,  "He 
has  such  a  heavenly 
look." 

George  Perkins  was 
loved  and  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  He 
was  dear  to  Catholics 
and  non- Catholics  alike.  He  was  a 
favorite  with  the  children,  because 
he  always  had  a  kind  word  and  a 
winning  smile  for  them.  The  grown 
people  cherished  him  for  his  solid 
virtue.  Known  by  all  for  his  deep 
faith  and  his  great  reverence  for  our 
holy  religion,  he  was  a  very  humble 
man.  He  never  made  a  show  of  his 
piety  and  religion.  But,  he  was  not 
ashamed  to  own  up  to  his  religious 
convictions;  nor  was  he  afraid  to  de- 
fend the  Catholic  Church  when  oc- 


casion offered.  George  gained  a 
livelihood  by  working  in  the  gar- 
dens and  doing  other  small  jobs. 
Thus  he  would  often  be  seen  on  his 
way  to  work  with  his  wheelbarrow. 
When  he  met  a  priest,  he  would  at 
once  set  down  his  wheelbarrow, 
raise  his  hat  respectfully,  and  say, 
'  'Praised  be  Jesus  Christ. ' '  If  any- 
one cast  slurs  on  the  Catholic 
Church  or  on  our  holy  religion, 
George  was  always  ready  with  an 
answer.  On  one  occa- 
sion, for  instance,  a  non- 
Catholic  lady  began  to 
criticize  the  Catholic 
pastor  for  decorating 
and  repairing  his 
church.  As  Judas  of 
old  she  said  to  George, 
"I  don't  see  any  use  in 
throwing  away  money 
by  fixing  up  the  church 
that  way.  The  money 
might  have  been  used 
much  better  for  some 
other  good  purpose." 
"Oh,  I  don't  know," 
Perkins  replied  in  his 
usual  quiet  way.  "You  try  to  have 
your  front  room  fixed  up  as  fine  as 
you  can.  You  want  to  have  a  fit  place 
to  entertain  your  visitors.  I  don't 
see  why  it  should  be  wrong  to  fix 
up  the  church  where  our  dear  Lord 
himself  is  our  visitor." 

George  had  a  very  great  love  for 
our  Blessed  Lord  in  the  Holy  Eu- 
charist. Although  he  had  to  work 
hard  all  day  long,  he  was  in  church 
every  morning  at  a  quarter  past  five 
o'clock  and  received    Holv  Commu- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


177 


nion  even  when  there  was  no  Mass 
at  that  hour.  He  was  there,  sum- 
mer and  winter,  not  only  when  the 
weather  was  fair,  but  also  when  it 
was  raining  and  snowing.  One 
morning,  it  was  cold  and  rainy. 
When  George  rose  and  prepared  to 
go  to  church,  his  good  wife  expos- 
tulated with  him,  saying  that  the 
weather  was  too  bad  to  go  out.  '  'If 
I  were  to  go  out  to  get  a  ten-dollar 
bill,"  he  answered  meekly,  "you 
would  not  ask  me  to  stay  at  home. 
And  holy  Mass  is  worth  far  more 
tome  than  ten  dollars."  And  to 
holy  Mass  he  went. 

The  deceased  was  a  member  of 
the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis,  and 
he  knew  well  how  to  appreciate 
this  great  grace.  "Father,"  he 
once  said,  "I  just  love  the  Third 
Order.  The  longer  I  belong  to  it, 
the  better  I  like  it.  I  can  pray  so 
much  better  since  I  joined,  and  I 
wouldn't  give  it  up  for  anything." 
His  patron  in  the  Third  Order  was 
St.  Benedict  the  Moor.  As  he  knelt 
with  the  other  Tertiaries  the  Sun- 
day before  his  death  to  say  the  ro- 
sary for  the  deceased  Tertiary, 
Henry  Jaspers,  he  little  dreamed  | 
that  he  himself  would  be  among  the 
dead  within  six  days.  On  the  next  j 
day  he  did  not  appear  at  the  com- 
munion rail.  This  was  unusual. 
Tuesday  morning  came,  and  again 
he  was  missing.  "That's  strange," 
remarked  one  of  the  Fathers, 
"something  must  have  happened  to 
George."  Wednesday  the  report 
came  that  George  was  sick.  Thurs- 
day afternoon  he  received  the  holy 
Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction. 
By     Friday   noon    he    was   dying. 


Every  now  and  then  he  was  heard 
to  say,  "My  Jesus  mercy!"  The 
Father  attending  him  prayed  aloud 
for  him.  At  times,  he  would  pause 
in  order  not  to  tire  the  dying  man. 
But  George  was  not  to  be  tired. 
Again  and  again  he  asked  the  Fa- 
ther to  continue  to  pray.  At  half- 
past  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
he  died.  It  was  the  First  Friday  of 
the  month,  the  day  of  the  Sacred 
Heart.  George  had  always  worn 
the  badge  of  the  Sacred  Heart  when 
he  went  to  Holy  Communion.  It 
seems  as  if  our  dear  Lord  wished 
to  reward  him  for  this  devotion  by 
taking  George  to  himself  on  the, 
day  consecrated  to  his  Sacred  Heart. 
George  Perkins,  who  had  lived 
and  died  as  a  fervent  and  practical 
Tertiary  was  also  buried  as  a  Terti- 
ary, dressed  in  the  large  brown  ha- 
bit of  St.  Francis.  As  he  lay  in  the 
coffin,  many  people,  old  and  young, 
from  all  over  the  city  came  to  his 
humble  home  to  view  his  remains. 
He  who  had  always  been  so  humble 
and  unassuming  in  life  received 
special  marks  of  honor  after  death. 
Solemn  funeral  services  were  held 
for  him  Monday,  March  5,  in  the 
presence  of  a  large  congregation. 
After  the  solemn  Requiem  High 
Mass,  the  altar  boys  surrounded  the 
casket  and  accompanied  it  to  the 
doors  of  the  church.  There,  in  the 
vestibule  the  coffin  was  opened  and 
the  school  children  crowded  round 
to  take  a  last  look  at  the  mortal  re- 
mains of  him  whom  they  had  so  well 
known  and  loved  as  the  janitor  of 
their  school.  May  the  good  God  give 
us  many  more  Tertiaries  like  George 
Benedict  Perkins.  —  Communicated. 


178  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


'Take  ye  and  eat." 


HOLY  COMMUNION 

^mAKE  ye  and  eat."  — 0  words  of  infinite  condescension;  0  words  of 
heavenly  consolation  to  the  hungering  soul!     "Come  tome," 

-*~  cries  the  Living  Bread,  "all  ye  that  labor  and  are  burdened  and  I 
will  refresh  you."  Panem  de  coelo  praestitisti  eis.  Omne  delectamentum 
in  se  habentem.—  Bread  from  heaven  thou  hast  given  them  containing  in 
itself  every  sweetness. 

0  Living  Bread  of  all  sweetness,  can  it,  indeed,  be  true  that  I,  a  poor 
sinner,  may  take  and  eat  of  thee?  Can  it  be  true  that  there  is  no  flaming 
sword  of  justice,  no  armed  cherub  between  me  and  the  altar  of  my  God, 
to  bar  my  way  to  the  divine  tree  of  life,  lest  I  eat  and  live  forever?  Be- 
hold a  tree  of  life  again  grows  on  the  earth,  or  rather  comes  down  from 
heaven;  behold  it  buds  forth  from  the  altar  with  blossoms  and  fruits,  and 
the  commandment  of  God  is  no  longer,  "Drive  him  forth,  lest  he  take  and 
eat,"  but  "Compel  them  to  enter.  Come  to  me.  eat.  0  friends,  take  ye 
and  eat,  this  is  my  body  delivered  for  you." 

0  wondrous  greatness  of  divine  love.  In  all  my  degradation  and 
misery  I  may  approach  the  altar  of  my  God,  I  may  come  to  the  tree  of 
life,  I  may  take  and  eat  at  the  table  of  angels  where  the  Bread— the  Liv- 
ing Bread  — is  my  God! 

Bless  the  Lord,  my  soul,  who  has  restored  to  thee  the  goodly  inheri- 
tance in  the  blessed  Church  of  his  own  foundation,  where  the  Lord— thy 
Eucharistic  Jesus— is  thy  portion.  0  most  consoling  sacrament  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  where  the  food  is  the  divine  Lord  himself— the  Living 
Bread— the  Bread  of  God— the  Bread  which  came  down  and  which  cometh 
down  from  heaven.  "lam  the  living  Bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven.  If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever;  and  the 
bread  that  I  will  give,  is  my  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world"  (John  6,    51,52). 

What  food  is  there  so  good  to  the  soul,  so  heavenly  in  its  sweetness 
as  the  living  vivifying  Flesh  of  the  immaculate  Lamb  of  God?  The  manna 
that  fell  from  heaven  to  feed  God's  people  of  old  had  a  delicious  flavor  of 
sweetness  like  wafers  made  with  honey.  But  what  is  the  material  sweet- 
ness of  the  manna  to  the  sweetness  of  the  Living  Bread  tasted  in  the  ban- 
quet of  the  altar?  "This  most  excellent  sacrament  is  the  health  of  the 
soul  and  body,  the  remedy  of  all  spiritual  diseases;  in  which  my  vices  are 
cured,  my  passions  restrained,  temptations  overcome  or  lessened,  greater 
grace  infused,  incipient  virtue  increased,  faith  confirmed,  hope  strength- 
ened, and  charity  inflamed  and   extended."  (Imitation  of  Christ,  Book  4, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  179 

Chap.  4). 

I  know  that  when  the  Israelites  in  the  wilderness  ate  of  the  manna, 
many  cared  not  for  its  sweetness  and  ate  it  only  of  necessity,  because 
they  would  have  died  without  it,  while  all  the  time  they  longed  after 
earthly  foods  in  preference  to  the  food  from  heaven.  Could. I  ever  thus 
receive  the  Living  Bread  without  relish  or  have  no  desire  for  its  celestial 
sweetness?  0  sad  it  would  be  should  ever  the  vitiating  pleasures  of  the 
world  thus  impair  my  spiritual  senses.  But  blessed  it  is  to  hunger  and 
thirst  after  the  source  of  justice  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  for  he  fills  our 
souls  with  unspeakable  sweetness  and  consolation.  We  taste  and  see  how 
sweet  the  Lord  is,  and  we  are  enchanted  with  his  adorable  presence. 

But  let  me  consider  in  my  eagerness  for  the  Bread  of  Angels  how 
great  and  how  awful  is  its  sanctity,  lest,  by  any  lack  of  devotion  in  re- 
ceiving or  carelessness  afterwards,  I  should  lose  the  gifts  of  spiritual 
health  and  consolation  which  the  sacrament  bestows.  I  know  that  those 
to  whom  my  divine  Lord  was  delivered  in  his  passion  led  him  away  not  to 
a  throne  but  to  the  cross. 

How  lamentable  if  I  should  come  to  receive  my  King  with  affections 
still  attached  to  the  servitude  of  corruption  and,  as  it  were,  crying  in- 
wardly, "We  will  not  this  one  to  reign  over  us.  We  will  have  no  king  but 
our  gratification  from  creatures."  How  lamentable  if,  which  God  forbid, 
this  adorable  Lord,  the  gift  of  my  Communion,  should  afterwards  be  led 
to  the  Calvary  of  my  perverted  will  to  be  crucified,  as  it  were,  again  by 
some  grievous  sin. 

Be  merciful,  sweet  Jesus,  though  thou  hast  seen  so  little  fruit  from 
the  most  heavenly  Communion  of  thy  adorable  body.  Be  merciful,  0 
dearest  Lord,  and  bestow  a  deeper  discernment  of  thee  in  thy  sacrament, 
and  a  better  use  of  thy  eucharistic  graces.  Let  me  take  the  precious  body 
of  my  Jesus  like  Joseph  and  Nicodemus  and  lay  it  in  the  fine  linen  of  a 
purified  conscience  with  the  fragrant  spices  of  devotion.  Let  me  lay  it 
in  a  heart  new  by  penance,  where  no  evil  affection  has  found  a  resting 
place  since  it  was  fashioned  by  absolution  ready  for  the  Lord's  body. 

If  I  thus  receive  my  divine  Lord  in  his  most  holy  sacrament,  it  will, 
indeed,  be  a  Sabbath  of  peace  when  he  abides  in  my  breast;  and  as  he  left 
angels  in  the  sepulcher  when  he  departed  from  it  together  with  the  grave 
clothes  which  had  been  worn  by  his  most  sacred  body,  so  will  he  leave 
angelic  inspirations  and  graces  and  his  spiritual  presence  in  me  when  he 
ceases  to  be  in  me  sacramen tally.  "Grant,  0  Lord  God,  my  Savior,  that 
with  the  frequenting  of  this  mystery,  the  affection  of  my  devotion  may 
increase."  (Imitation  of  Christ,  Book  4,  Chap.  4). 


80 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


REV.  ANSELM  MUELLER,  O.F.M. 


AN  event  unique  in  the  history 
of  the  Province  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  took  place  in  Joliet, 
111.,  on  April  19  last,  when  Rev. 
Anselm  Mueller,  o.f.m.,  celebrated 
the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  his  in- 
vestment as  a  Friar  Minor. 

Born  in  Bonn,  Germany,  on  No- 
vember 22,  1838,  he  entered  the 
Franciscan  Order  on  April  7,  1857. 
Some  years  later,  in  May  1862,  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  while  pur- 
suing his  theologi- 
cal studies,  he  was 
appointed  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first 
faculty  of  St.  Jo- 
seph's College, 
Teutopolis,  111., 
which  threw  open 
its  doors  to  stu- 
dents for  the  first 
time  on  Septem- 
ber 16,  1862.  On 
December  19  of 
the  same  year,  the 
young  professor 
was  ordain  e  d 
priest,  and  contin- 
ued to  teach  his 
classes  at  the  col- 
lege until  the  end 
of  the  term,  dur- 
ing the  summer  of 
1863,  when  he 
was  transferred  as 
rector  to  St. 
Francis  Solanus  College,  Quincy, 
111.  That  his  superiors  judged  well 
in  placing  this  youthful  priest  and 
professor,  who  was  not  yet  fully 
twenty-five  years  of  age,  at  the 
head  of  this  institution,  is  proved 
by  the  fact  that  Fr.  Anselm  held 
this  office  for  thirty  consecutive 
years,  and  that  it  is  owing  chiefly 
to  his  untiring  zeal  and  remarkable 
executive  ability  that  the  college 
rose  from  its  humble  beginnings  to 
be  one  of  the  foremost  institutions 


Rev.  Anselm  Mueller,  O.F.M. 


of  learning  in  the  Central  States. 

Relinquishing  his  office  as  rector 
to  Rev.  Nicholas  Leonard,  o.f.m., 
in  1892,  Fr.  Anselm  went  to  Joliet, 
where  he  took  charge  of  St.  Francis 
Academy.  While  there,  he  was 
elected  one  of  the  Definitors  Gener- 
al of  the  Order,  in  1895,  and  went 
to  Rome  to  assume  his  high  office. 
After  the  union  of  the  various  fami- 
lies of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor,  in 
1897,  Fr.  Anselm  was  appoint- 
ed superior  of 
the  Custody  of 
Allegany,  N.  Y., 
which  post  he  held 
for  one  term.  In 
1901,  he  returned 
to  Quincy,  to  take 
up  again  his  duties 
as  rector  of  St. 
Francis  College. 
It  was  during  his 
second,  term  as 
rector,  that  the 
college  had  the 
happiness  of  cele- 
brating Fr.  An- 
selm's  golden  ju- 
bilee of  invest- 
ment with  extra- 
ordinary pomp. 
Many  of  the  alum- 
ni of  the  college, 
both  clerical  and 
lay,  came  to  Quin- 
cy on  that  occa- 
sion, from  all  parts  of  the  country,  to 
show  their  appreciation  and  grati- 
tude to  the  venerable  jubilarian  fpr 
the  blessings  they  had  received  in 
the  institution  with  which  he  had 
been  so  long  identified.  The  weight 
of  years  now  began  to  tell  on  him, 
and  in  December  1909,  Fr.  Anselm 
begged  to  be  relieved  of  his  charge 
and  sought  rest  from  his  unceasing 
labors  in  the  convent  of  St.  Joseph, 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  Here  he  remained 
until  1912,  when  he  was  transferred 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


131 


to  Joliet,  where  he  still  resides, 
and  where  he  is  still  active  as 
spiritual  director  of  the  Sisters  of 
St.  Joseph's  Hospital  in  that  city. 
Of  late,  his  steadily  declining 
strength  has  confined  the  aged 
Father  to  the  hospital,  and  it  was 
here  that  the  recent  celebration  in 
honor  of  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of 
his  investment  took  place.  At  10 
A.  M.,  on  Thursday,  April  19,  he 
was  conducted  to  the  chapel,  where 
a  solemn  High  Mass  of  thanksgiv- 
ing was  celebrated  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Fortunatus,  o.  f.  m.,  of  St.  Peter's 
Church,  Chicago,  who  succeeded 
Fr.  Anselm  as  rector  of  St.  Francis 
College,  in  1909.  He  was  assisted 
at  the  Mass  by  Rev.  FF.  Eugene, 
Theodule,  and  Alexius,  all  three  of 
the  Franciscan  convent  in  Joliet,  as 
deacon,  subdeacon,  and  master  of 
ceremonies  respectively.  Rev.  Fr. 
Timothy,  o.f.m.,  of  St.  Joseph's 
Church,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  at  whose 
first   Mass,     in   1894,    Fr.    Anselm 


preached  the  sermon,  had  the  pleas- 
ure and  the  honor  of  returning  the 
favor  by  delivering  the  festive  ora- 
tion on  this  occasion.  In  the  after- 
noon, the  novices  of  the  religious 
community  in  charge  of  the  hospital 
tendered  Fr.  Anselm  a  reception  in 
their  auditorium.  Several  beautiful 
and  appropriate  poems  and  songs 
formed  the  program,  whereupon  the 
Rev.  Jubilarian  responded  in  his 
well-known,  hearty  manner,  and 
thanked  the  good  nuns  and  novices 
as  well  as  his  many  friends  for 
making  this  anniversary  day  so 
happy  a  one  for  him. 

Although  the  celebration  was  of  a 
strictly  private  character,  many 
Sisters  of  St.  Francis  Academy  and 
lay  friends  from  Joliet  besides  a 
number  of  neighboring  priests  gath- 
ered at  the  hospital  to  pay  their  re- 
spects to  Fr.  Anselm  and  to  offer 
him  their  felicitations  on  this  happy 
occasion. 


Rev.  Hugh  F.  Blunt 

©  Itttlr  applr  bloaaoina,  b?p,  gour  QjHtffn  ia  roming, 
Sogallg  sgr  romea  shown  %  urrbant  Ijtlla  of  JHag; 

IHrba  ar?  piping,  b??a  anb  brooks  a  fratal  tjgmn  are  gumming; 
IGittle  bloaaoma,  romr  g*  too.  anb  grret  g?r  on  g*r  mag. 

CD  little  apgl?  bloaaoma,  ia  tgrr*  nsvb  of  aabn*aa, 
Sitat  bfranar  gour  glorg  tjaa  laat? b  but  a  bag? 

Utttlf  tnnonmta  of  aprtng,  in  brain. ,  too.  mag  b?  glabnraa, 
QJo  aw  of  lowing  at  tg?  fret  of  ilarg,  Qpnren  of  ilag. 


©  liitl?  agplr  bloaaoma.  fall  in  glrntreua  agoinrea; 

§>g?  mill  tonrg  gon  rurrg  out  along  gre  rogal  mag. 
Ag,  mg  grari,  b?  tgou  aa  glab,  ano  agreab  ttjg  faireat  flomrra! 

fKaggag  ttje  ureg  QHtren  of  -Hraurn  mill  raak*  tgg  lift  gre  flag. 

—The  Magnificat 


182 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXIX 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqelhardt,  O.F.M. 


HOSTILITIES  between  the 
tribes  were  not  expected 
before  the  month  of  March, 
1758,  says  Fr.  Arricivita.  Although 
the  Apaches  had  refused  to  occupy 
the  mission  sites  selected  for  them, 
the  Fathers,  nevertheless,  went  to 
work  erecting  the  necessary  build- 
ings for  the  proposed  mission,  which 
Fr.  Giraldo  de  Terreros,  an  old  ex- 
perienced missionary,  built  in  the 
form  of  a  square,  according  to  the 
usual  plan.  The  mission  consisted 
of  a  spacious  structure  of  poles  sup- 
porting a  thatched  roof,  which  was 
used  as  a  church,  besides  a  number 
of  smaller  houses,  similarly  built, 
that  served  as  dwellings  for  the 
missionaries,  barracks  for  the  sol- 
diers, and  storerooms.  The  whole 
group  of  buildings  was  surrounded 
by  a  stockade  with  only  one  gateway 
secured  by  bars  and  protected  by 
two  swivel  guns.  Toward  the  river, 
plots  of  land  were  laid  out  and  crops 
planted. 

While  Fr.  Terreros  was  busy  di- 
recting the  work  on  the  mission, 
Captain  Parrilla*  was  superintend- 
ing the  construction  of  the  fort  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river.  In  ac- 
cordance with  the  viceroy's  instruc- 
tions, the  soldiers  were  assigned 
land  for  cultivation,  and  the  soil 
was  prepared  for  the  sowing  of 
grain.     By   May  4,    1758,    all  this 


work  was  well  under  way.  Accord- 
ingly, Parrilla  sent  for  the  remain- 
ing soldiers  and  supplies  in  the  camp 
on  the  San  Marcos.  They  arrived 
in  the  latter  part  of  June.  There 
may  have  been,  therefore,  three  or 
four  hundred  persons  at  the  presidio, 
of  whom,  according  to  Prof.  Dunn, 
two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  were 
women  and  children. 

The  guarding  of  the  cattle  and 
horses,  the  securing  of  firewood,  the 
changing  of  the  watch,  the  occasion- 
al arrival  of  a  supply  train  from  San 
Antonio,  was  the  daily  unevent- 
ful life  at  this  frontier  post.  But 
there  was  soon  to  be  excitement 
enough  to  stir  the  blood  of  the  most 
indolent  mestizo  trooper.  At  the 
mission  across  the  river,  the  Fathers 
continued  to  live  in  their  isolated 
quarters,  attended  by  their  Indian 
servants  and  by  a  guard  of  five  sol- 
diers. An  occasional  visit  from 
straggling  Apache  bands  was  the 
only  thing  to  break  the  dull  monot- 
ony, as  Dunn  says.  In  the  early 
part  of  January,  Fr.  Miguel  Molina 
arrived  from  the  College  of  San 
Fernando.  But  the  missionaries 
were  again  reduced  to  three  on  Jan- 
uary 12,  when  Fr.  Santisima  Trini- 
dad was  sent  to  Mexico  bearing  let- 
ters and  despatches. 

Rumors  of  Comanche  hostilities 
had  not  been  unfounded;  but  it  was 


♦Arricivita  styles  him  Colonel;  Dunn  persistently  calls  him  Captain. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


183 


not  until  March  2,  that  the  savages 
approached  the  San  Saba.  On  that 
day,  the  Comanches  made  a  raid  on 
the  horses  of  the  presidio  pasturing 
between  the  mission  and  the  gar- 
rison, and  drove  away  with  them  ! 
sixty-two  of  the  animals.  Fifteen  j 
soldiers  went  in  pursuit,  but  re-  j 
turned  only  with  wild  stories  that  j 
alarmed  the  inhabitants  of  the  pre- 
sidio. The  whole  country,  the  sol- 
diers said,  was  alive  with  hidden 
foes.  In  view  of  the  great  danger, 
Colonel  Parrilla  repaired  to  the  mis- 
sion, on  March  15,  and  entreated 
Fr.  Presidente  Terreros  to  retire  to 
the  presidio  with  his  two  compani- 
ons. Fr.  Giraldo  thought  that  there 
was  no  imminent  danger,  at  least, 
not  for  the  Fathers,  as  in  his  long 
missionary  career,  the  Indians  had 
never  harmed  him. 

On  the  next  day,  Thursday, 
March  16,  Fr.  Giraldo  celebrated 
holy  Mass  at  daybreak,  and  Fr. 
Jose  Santiesteban  was  just  about 
to  begin  the  holy  Sacrifice  at  sun- 
rise, when  shouts  of  approaching 
Indians  discharging  firearms  were 
heard.  Investigation  disclosed  the 
fact  that  the  mission  was  entirely 
surrounded  by  savages.  As  the 
gateway  was  barred,  the  inmates 
for  the  time  being  were  safe. 
When  Fr.  Molina  heard  the  ominous 
whoops,  he  hurried  to  the  church 
and  had  Fr.  Santiesteban  discon- 
tinue the  Mass,  and  then  notified 
Fr.  Terreros.  Some  occupants  of 
the  mission  had  already  gathered  in 
the  room  of  Fr.  Terreros,  the  sol- 
diers held  their  posts,  and  every 
other  precaution  was  taken.  As 
soon  as  the  Comanches  noticed  that 


they  could  not  storm  the  place 
without  heavy  loss  to  themselves, 
they  resolved  to  accomplish  their 
designs  by  cunning  and  treachery. 
By  means  of  signs  and  much  bad 
Spanish  they  declared  themselves 
to  be  friends,  who  wished  to  form 
an  alliance  with  the  Spaniards. 
Hearing  their  expressions  of  friend- 
ship, the  corporal  of  the  guard, 
Asencio  Cadena,  allowed  himself  to 
be  deceived  and  ventured  into  the 
patio,  or  open  space  in  front  of  the 
mission.  Through  the  cracks  in  the 
stockade  he  could  see  some  Indians 
whom  he  recognized  as  Texas,  Vi- 
daes,  Tancagues,  and  others  with 
whom  he  had  often  associated. 
Seeing  these  old  friends  among  the 
Comanches,  he  assured  Fr.  Terreros 
that  the  Indians  meant  no  harm. 
On  the  strength  of  this  assertion, 
Fr.  Presidente  left  his  room  to  con- 
fer with  them.  He  was  accom- 
panied by  Fr.  Molina,  who,  how- 
ever, expressed  astonishment  and 
alarm  at  seeing  the  stockade  sur- 
rounded by  savages  to  the  number 
of  two  thousand  warriors,  armed 
with  lances,  firearms,  sabers,  bows 
and  arrows.  On  all  sides,  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach,  there  was  a 
moving,  swaying  multitude  of  In- 
dians, arrayed  in  strange  garbs  and 
mounted  on  gaudily  equipped  horses. 
Their  faces  were  painted  black 
and  crimson,  and  decorated  with 
the  most  horrifying  and  repulsive 
figures.  Many  wore  skins  of  wild 
beasts  with  the  tails  dangling  gro- 
tesquely from  their  heads.  The 
mere  sight  of  these  savage  warriors 
was  enough  to  strike  terror  to  the 
heart  of  even  the  bravest  soldier. 


184 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


When  the  Indians  saw  the  Fa- 
thers approaching  and  noted  the 
confidence  placed  in  their  promises, 
many  dismounted  and.  without 
waiting  for  permission,  removed 
the  crossbars  from  the  gate  and 
flung  it  open.  The  space  between 
the  stockade  and  the  buildings  was 
soon  crowded  with  Indians  who 
shook  hands  with  the  Spaniards 
and  made  other  friendly  demonstra- 
tions. The  missionaries  brought 
out  a  supply  of  tobacco  and  other  ar- 
ticles, which  they  began  to  distribute 
among  the  throng.  The  leader,  a 
big  stolid  Comanche,  dressed  in  a 
French  uniform,  had  not  deigned 
to  dismount.  When  Fr.  Molina 
presented  him  with  four  handfuls 
of  tobacco,  the  savage  accepted  it 
in  a  very  condescending  manner, 
but  without  the  slightest  show  of 
appreciation,. while  all  the  time, 
according  to  Fr.  Molina,  a  false  smile 
played  on  his  horrible  features. 
This  attitude  of  the  chief  aroused 
the  suspicion  of  the  Spaniards,  and 
they  were  confirmed  therein  when 
they  observed  the  Indians  stealing 
food  from  the  kitchen,  appropriat- 
ing the  cloaks  of  the  soldiers,  and 
securing  the  horses  in  the  corral. 
For  fear  of  precipitating  a  mas- 
sacre, the  Fathers  pretended  not 
to  notice  this,  and  did  everything  to 
conciliate  the  unwelcome  visitors. 

In  order  to  rid  the  mission  of  the 
savages,  Fr.  Terrors  asked  the 
chiefs  whether  they  intended  to 
visit  the  presidio.  They  replied  in 
the  affirmative,  but  asked  him  to 
write  a  note  so  that  they  would  be 
well  received.  He  complied  and 
handed  the  letter    to   the  Indians, 


who  uttered  a  peculiar  shout,  as  if 
they  had  been  planning  to  secure 
such  a  note.  One  of  the  Texas 
chiefs  took  the  letter  and  proceeded 
to  the  corral  to  mount  one  of  the 
mission  horses  in  order,  as  he 
claimed,  to  ride  to  the  presidio,  ac- 
companied by  a  number  of  Indians. 
Meanwhile,  the  other  chiefs  en- 
gaged Fr.  Terreros  in  conversation 
about  the  missions  among  their  peo- 
ple, where  Fr.  Presidente  had  la- 
bored before.  They  assured  the 
Father  they  had  no  desire  to  harm 
the  Spaniards  but  wished  only  to 
fight  the  Apaches.  In  an  adroit 
way,  they  tried  to  learn  whether 
any  Apaches  were  hidden  in  the 
mission. 

After  a  short  time,  the  Texas 
chief  returned,  claiming  that  he  had 
not  been  admitted  to  the  presidio 
and  that  three  of  his  warriors  had 
been  killed  and  one  wounded. 
This,  Fr.  Arricivita  remarks,  was 
a  manifest  lie,  because  the  savage 
could  not  have  reached  the  garrison 
in  so  short  a  time.  Nevertheless 
Fr.  Terreros  agreed  to  accompany 
him  and  see  that  he  was  kindly  re- 
ceived, though  he  knew  that  he 
was  exposing  himself  to  certain 
death.  While  riding  through  the 
gateway  with  the  soldier  Jose  Gar- 
cia, a  musket  shot  rang  out,  and  with 
a  groan  Fr.  Terreros  fell  from  his 
horse  mortally  wounded.  This  was 
the  signal  for  a  general  assault.  A 
murderous  volley  from  the  savages 
instantly  killed  Garcia  and  two 
other  soldiers,  whereupon  fourteen 
soldiers  and  two  Fathers  took  ref- 
uge in  the  buildings,  Fr.  Santi- 
esteban  fled  to  the   storeroom,  but 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


185 


that  only  hastened  his  doom;  for 
it  was  the  first  place  the  Indians 
visited.  He  was  cruelly  beaten  to 
death,  and  the  sound  of  the  blows 
was  heard  by  the  soldiers  in  hiding. 
Having  robbed  everything  that 
could  be  carried  off,  the  savages 
set  fire  to  the  main  building.  Driv- 
en to  desperation,  the  soldiers  bar- 
ricaded the  doors  of  the  quarters 
formerly  occupied  by  Fr.  Terreros, 
resolved  to  defend  their  lives  to 
the  last,  while  the  savages  made 
every  effort  to  dislodge  them.  A 
bullet  rebounding  from  a  heavy 
piece  of  timber,  struck  Friar 
Molina  in    the    arm    and    caused  a 


wound  from  which  he  suffered  for 
many  years.  The  infuriated  Indi- 
ans now  set  fire  to  all  the  buildings, 
and  the  flames  reached  the  besieged 
Spaniards  early  in  the  after- 
noon, forcing  them  to  abandon  their 
quarters.  Thanks  to  the  careless- 
ness of  the  enemy,  they  succeeded 
in  making  their  way  into  another 
room  in  the  church  building.  From 
there  they  were  soon  driven  to  the 
small  chapel,  which,  although  in 
flames,  was  in  better  condition 
than  the  other  ruins.  By  this  time, 
the  savages  believed  the  Spaniards 
dead,  and  paid  no  more  attention 
to  them.  Happily  they  were  not 
dead  and  rescue  was  at  hand. 


GILBERT'S  CHOICE 

Catherine  M.  Hayes,  Tertiary 


GILBERT  Brenner  and  his 
mother  awoke  one  morning 
to  find  themselves  wealthy, 
for  news  had  come  of  the  discovery 
of  magnetic  ore  on  their  ranch  in 
the  Sierras.  The  long  desired  op- 
portunity for  Mrs.  Brenner  to  visit 
a  sister  in  Europe  had  come  at  last, 
and  placing  her  affairs  under  the 
management  of  a  bachelor  brother, 
she  set  sail,  accompanied  by  her 
only  child  Gilbert.  Unfortunately, 
the  trip  proved  fatal  for  her,  and 
she  died  a  few  months  after  her 
arrival  at  her  sister's  home. 

Left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of 
eighteen,  Gilbert  decided  to  remain 
with  his  aunt  and  finish  his  educa- 
tion in  Europe.  During  these  years 
spent  abroad,  he  kept  up  a  steady 


correspondence  with,  Mary  [Lennon, 
a  former  schoolmate,  who  was  ac- 
quiring a  higher  education  at  home. 
But  it  was  not  at  a  Catholic  acade- 
my. Mrs.  Lennon,  "though  a  Cath- 
olic, was  of  the  opinion  that  the 
institutions  flourishing  under  the 
mantle  of  Mother  Church  were  just 
a  little  too  antiquated  in  their  meth- 
ods for  her  talented  daughter. 
Thus  in  the  course  of  time,  Mary, 
very  much  like  her  mother,  learned 
to  view  things  Catholic  as  rather 
childish  if  not  stupid  and  altogether 
out  of  date. 

The  cablegram  announcing  the 
return  of  Mr.  Gilbert  Brenner  to  his 
native  land  and  the  home  of  his 
childhood,  created  not  a  little  excite- 
ment   in    the    Lennon    household. 


186 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Mrs.  Lennon  congratulated  herself 
on  having  encouraged  her  daughter 
to  keep  in  touch  with  him  during 
his  years  of  absence;  for  a  young 
man  of  his  accomplishments  and 
fortune  would  make  no  mean  match 
for  her-equally  accomplished,  if  not 
so  wealthy,  daughter,  she  mused. 
She  was  glad,  too,  that  she  had 
had  the  house  remodeled  at  no  little 
expense;  for,  of  course,  Gilbert  was 
used  to  elegance  and  luxury.  The 
fact  that  Mary,  after  her  gradua- 
tion, had  secured  a  very  lucrative 
position  as  private  secretary  to  a 
rich  lumberman,  made  it  possible 
for  the  Lennons  to  affect  a  wealth 
that  was  not  theirs.  Another  fortu- 
nate incident  that  added,  as  they 
thought,  great  prestige  to  their 
home  was  the  fact  that  for  the  past 
year  they  could  boast  of  a  maid  — a 
luxury  they  had  never  dreamed  of 
when  Gilbert  and  his  widowed  moth- 
er were  their  neighbors. 

The  maid  in  question  was  Alice 
Thorn,  Mrs.  Lennon's  niece  whom 
she  had  taken  into  her  home  after 
the  death  of  the  girl's  mother.  In- 
cessant toil  from  morning  till  night 
was  Alice's  lot,  while  her  fashion- 
able aunt  attended  bridge  parties 
and  other  social  affairs  and  talked 
as  glibly  about  her  "maid"  over 
her  dainty  cup  of  tea  as  any  of  her 
neighbors.  Not  a  thought  concern- 
ing her  duties  to  her  dead  sister's 
child  disturbed  Mrs.  Lennon's  pla- 
cidity of  mind,  and  Alice  was  too 
grateful  for  the  least  kindness  to 
resent  the  treatment  she  received  at 
the  hands  of  her  aunt  and  her  cousin. 
No  one  ever  suspected  that  the  pret- 
ty, bright-eyed  little  maid  was  re- 


lated to  the  Lennons;  and  once 
when,  in  the  presence  of  a  caller. 
Alice  forgot  herself  and  addressed 
the  lady  of  the  house  as  "aunt", 
she  received  a  reprimand  afterwards 
that  was  well  calculated  to  preclude 
a  repetition  of  the  blunder. 

It  was  the  maid  in  her  neat  black 
frock— the  only  good  gown  she  pos- 
sessed—that opened  the  door  to  ad- 
mit Mr.  Gilbert  Brenner  the  day  he 
made  his  first  call  at  the  Lennons 
after  his  return  from  Europe.  He 
smiled  down  at  her  in  his  usual  art- 
less manner,  and  Alice  smiled  in  re- 
turn. "Pretty  as  a  picture,"  was 
the  young  man's  mental  observation 
as  she  ushered  him  into  the  parlor. 
The  next  moment  he  was  greeting 
the  Lennons— mother  and  daughter 
—who  were  most  profuse  in  their 
expressions  of  welcome.  "Well, 
my  little  Mary  of  the  good  old  school 
days  has  grown  to  be  quite  a  young 
lady;  and  say,  Mary,  you're  prettier 
than  ever, "  he  said  in  his  frank  boy- 
ish fashion,  as  he  gazed  at  the  hand- 
some young  lady  before  him.  Miss 
Lennon  knew  that  she  was  pretty, 
but  to  be  told  so  by  Gilbert  Brenner 
was  blissful  indeed. 

The  observant  young  man,  how- 
ever, was  not  slow  to  discover  that 
the  Mary  Lennon  he  had  known  in 
his  boyhood  days  was  quite  differ- 
ent from  the  Miss  Lennon  he  met 
now  on  his  return  from  Europe, 
and  that  the  atmosphere  of  the  Jane 
Filmore  exclusive  college  for  young 
ladies,  of  which  Mary  was  a  gradu- 
ate, had  had  anything  but  a  benefi- 
cial effect  on  the  young  lady's  char- 
acter. 

"Don't  call  me  'Mary',  it's  so  old- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


187 


fashioned,"  was  Miss  Lennon's  re- 
ply to  Gilbert's  complimentary  re- 
mark about  her  beauty.  "My 
friends  call  me  'Mae'  or  'Maizie'  and 
I  think  both  names  are  so  cunning." 

Gilbert  stared.  "But  your  name 
is  'Mary'  and  it's  certainly  prettier 
than  those  silly  nicknames,"  he 
argued.  "At  least,  I  prefer  to  call 
you  by  your  right  name,  which  is 
also  the  name  of  the  Mother  of  God . ' ' 

Miss  Lennon  felt  mortified  over 
the  young  man's  antiquated  opini- 
ons regarding  her  name,  but  she 
was  too  eager  to  retain  his  good 
graces  to  urge  her  point. 

One  afternoon,  some  weeks  later, 
Gilbert  stopped  at  the  Lennons  to 
get  some  pieces  of  music  he  had  left 
there  on  the  previous  evening.  As 
he  stepped  on  the  porch,  he  heard 
some  one  singing  to  a  soft  piano  ac- 
companiment, and  he  paused  to  lis- 
ten. That  voice  was  .not  Mary's. 
"Magnificent!"  he  ejaculated  when 
the  beautiful  rich  notes  had  ceased. 
Then  he  rang  the  bell,  and  Alice 
opened  the  door  as  usual,  looking 
rather  embarrassed. 

"There's  no  one  at  home,  to-day," 
she  said  on  seeing  Gilbert. 

"Well,  who  belongs  to  that  splen- 
did voice  then?"  he  demanded,  step- 
ping inside  and  eyeing  the  maid 
closely.  "Did  she  run  away?"  and 
he  glanced  enquiringly  about. 

"Oh,  I  was  just  singing  a  little 
ditty  to  myself, "  Alice  stammered 
and  blushed. 

Gilbert  looked  the  amazement  he 
felt.  "That  was  you,  was  it?  Well 
Miss  Alice,  you  certainly  can  sing, 
do  you  know  it?  Come,  let's  have 
some  more,"  and  he  led  the  way  to 


the  music  room  and  opened  the  piano, 
which  Alice  had  hastily  closed  when 
the  bell  rang.  It  was  only  at  his 
urgent  request  that  would  brook  no 
refusal,  that  Alice  reluctantly  seated 
herself  at  the  instrument.  She  felt 
that  she  had  already  trespassed  quite 
seriously,  for  neither  Mary  nor  her 
mother  would  permit  her  to  touch 
the  piano  when  they  were  in  the 
house. 

The  haunting  pathos  of  her 
exquisite,  mellow  voice  as  she  sang 
the  sweet  old  song  "Ben  Bolt", 
caused  a  mist  to  float  before  Gilbert's 
eyes.  He  praised  her  singing  warm- 
ly, and  she  seemed  surprised.  To 
her  innocent  mind  it  had  never  oc- 
curred that  she  possessed  any  spe- 
cial talents  or  charms  whatever. 
"Oh,  but  I  can't  sing  nearly  so  well 
as  my  cousin  Mary  Lennon,"  she 
replied  apologetically. 

"Is  Mary  Lennon  your  cousin?" 
the  young  man  stared. 

"Oh,  I  should  not  have  said  that, " 
Alice  began  in  confusion.  "But— 
yes,  she  is— I  can't  be  untruthful. 
But,  please,  Mr.  Brenner,  don't  let 
on  that  you  know.  I  shouldn't  have 
spoken  as  I  did  — I'm  always  making 
silly  blunders."  She  looked  very 
distressed. 

Brenner's  face  was  stern.  He 
questioned  further  with  the  air  of 
one  who  had  a  right  to  know,  and 
soon  had  the  whole  story  of  the 
girl's  lonely  life  and  constant  drudg- 
ery. But  there  was  not  the  slight- 
est hint  of  bitterness  in  the  telling. 

'  Even  though  I  don't  go  to  parties 
or  the  theater  or  anywhere,  and 
have  no  friends  in  this  city  to  come 
to  see  me  as  I'd  like,  still  I'm  quite 


188 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


happy;  for,  after  all,  I  have  my  reli- 
gion, and  it  is  such  a  source  of  com- 
fort and  joy  to  me.  Besides,"  she 
added  brightly  as  her  clear  gaze  met 
his  eyes,  "I've  not  been  near  so 
lonely  since  you've  been  coming 
here,  Mr.  Brenner.  Somehow,  you 
have  always  from  the  first  seemed 
like  an  old  friend." 

"And  I  shall  always  try  to  be  a 
friend  to  you,  Miss  Alice,"  and  he 
smiled  gravely. 

Unnoticed,  Mary  Lennon  had  re- 
turned home  and  she  now  stood  be- 
tween the  portieres,  her  face  a  study. 

"Why  aren't  you  at  your  work. 
Alice?"  she  spoke  icily,  ignoring 
the  young  man's  greeting. 

"Load  the  blame  on  me,"  inter- 
posed Gilbert  gallantly.  "I  called 
during  your  absence  for  my  folio, 
and  I've  been  detaining  her  through 
no  fault  of  hers."  But  he  wisely 
refrained  from  saying  that  Alice 
had  been  singing  for  him,  since  he 
knew  that  this  would  have  spelt 
disaster  for  the  poor  girl. 

The  next  evening,  the  whirr  'of 
the  bell  brought  Alice  hastily  to  the 
door,  and  she  was  half  sorry  half 
glad  to  find  Brenner  there. 

Get  into  your  coat  quick,"  he 
commanded.  "I've  got  two  tickets  to 
the  theater,  a  fine  play  that  you'll 
certainly  like." 

"Why,  you  don't  mean  —  " 

"Yes  I  do  mean!"  he  corrected 
with  emphasis. 

"Oh,  but  Alice  has  some  work  to 
finish"  — Mrs.  Lennon  replied,  as 
she  appeared  on  the  scene  and  Gil- 
bert repeated  his  demand.  But  the 
young  man  insisted,  saying  that  the 
work  could  wait,     Visibly  disturbed 


by  this  unexpected  turn  of  events 
and  not  daring  to  resist  him,  Mrs. 
Lennon  enveloped  Alice  in  Mary's 
second  best  coat;  for  she  could  not 
permit  her  maid  to  accompany  the 
wealthy  young  man  looking  too 
shabby. 

That  first  night  at  the  theater  was 
one  that  Alice  never  could  forget  as 
long  as  she  lived.  The  touching 
drama,  the  glowing  stage,  the  won- 
derful music— it  was  as  if  she  had 
been  transferred  to  another  world. 
But  on  the  following  morning,  as 
she  began  to  speak  of  it  to  Mary, 
she  was  painfully  surprised  to  find 
this  young  lady  in  a  towering  rage. 

"Hold  your  tongue!"  Mary  ex- 
claimed, her  face  flushing  with  an- 
ger. "The  idea  of  Mr.  Brenner 
taking  an  ordinary  servant  girl  to 
the  theater!" 

"Of  course,  dear,"  Mrs.  Lennon 
strove  to  pacify  her  exasperated 
daughter,  "he  came  with  the  inten- 
tion of  taking  you,  but  you  hap- 
pened to  be  away. "  But  this  lie 
failed  to  have  its  desired  effect,  for 
Mary  had  already  learned  from 
truthful  Alice  that  the  young  man 
had  not  even  mentioned  her  name, 
and  she  bitterly  charged  the  maid 
with  duplicity  and  ingratitude  to- 
ward those  who  had  so  generously 
provided  her  with  a  home.  Vainly 
did  the  poor  girl  attempt  to  defend 
herself  against  these  incrimina- 
tions.    Mary  would  not  even  listen. 

Perhaps,  after  all,  she  had  done 
wrong  in  accepting  Mr.  Brenner's 
attentions,  Alice  upraided  herself 
that  night  as  she  lay  awake  in  her 
bed  and  recalled  the  events  of  that 
unhappy  day.     She  had  always  felt 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


189 


that  Mary  was  in  love  with  Gilbert. 
But  what  was  that  in  her  own  heart 
that  made  her  pulse  beat  faster, 
and  her  face  glow  with  pleasure 
whenever  she  heard  his  voice  and 
looked  into  his  deep  brown  eyes? 
Alice  dared  not  answer  this  ques- 
tion. Only  a  smothered  sob  broke 
the  solemn  stillness  of  the  night. 

At  breakfast  the  next  morning, 
Alice  informed  Mrs.  Lennon  that 
she  had  decided  to  leave— she  intend- 
ed to  qualify  herself  as  nurse,  as 
she  had  long  desired  to  do.  Mrs. 
Lennon  was  rather  surprised  on 
hearing  this,  but  expressed  her- 
self well  satisfied.  Indeed,  she 
had  intended  that  very  day  to  re- 
quest Alice  to  leave,  she  averred,  I 
for  she  and  Mary  had  put  up  with 
about  as  much  as  they  could  endure 
at  their  maid's  hands. 

Mr.  Brenner  was  much  disap- 
pointed when  he  called  at  the  Len- 
nons  a  few  days  later  and  found 
that  Alice  had  left.  Readily  sur- 
mising the  reason  for  her  depar- 
ture, he  took  the  opportunity  of 
enlighting  Mrs.  Lennon  and  her 
accomplished  daughter  as  to  his 
opinion  regarding  the  treatment 
they  had  accorded  their  orphan  rel- 
ative.- As  he  strode  indignantly 
toward  his  car  without  as  much  as 
bidding  them  good  bye,  they  felt 
that  Gilbert  Brenner  had  passed 
out  of  their  life  forever,  and  that 
the  hopes  they  had  placed  in  him 
had  beed  blasted. 

Gilbert  went  direct  to  the  hospi- 
tal, where  Alice  had  gone  to  take 
up  her  studies,  and  he  requested 
the  Sister  portress  to  see  her. 
What  was  his  surprise  and  chagrin 


when  the  good  nun  returned  after 
a  few  minutes  with  the  information 
that  Alice  refused  to  see  him.  He 
insisted,  but  the  girl  remained  firm. 

Years  rolled  by,  and  Alice  was 
now  fulfilling  the  arduous  duties 
of  her  noble  calling.  Her  many 
patients  loved  her  for  her  kind, 
sympathetic  ways  and  for  her  never- 
failing  patience  and  gentleness. 
She  fully  realized  the  dignity  of 
her  vocation  and  endeavored  to 
model  her  conduct  on  that  of  the 
Divine  Healer  whose  heart  went 
out  in  love  and  pity  to  all  the  suf- 
fering and  afflicted.  Not  a  word  had 
come  all  this  time  from  the  Len- 
nons,  although  Alice  had  frequent- 
ly written  to  them.  One  day,  it 
was  about  a  year  after  her  depar- 
ture, she  read  an  account  of  a  brilli- 
ant marriage  between  Miss  Mae  Len- 
non and  Bancroft  Woodburn,  whose 
private  secretary  she  had  been. 
He  was  a  millionaire  and  a  divorced 
man.     "Poor  girl!"   mused    Alice. 

That  same  day,  Alice  received  a 
long  letter  from  Gilbert  Brenner  in 
which  he  repeated  his  oft  protested 
love  for  her  and  his  desire  to  make 
her  his  wife.  All  his  efforts  to  see  her 
had  been  futile,  and  his  numerous 
letters  had  remained  unanswered. 
'  It  can  not  be  that  he  really  cares 
for  me,"  she  would  say.  "He  will 
soon  forget,  and  go  back  to  his  first 
]ove." — But  now  that  Mary  Lennon 
had  married  another  and  Gilbert  was 
free— "No,  no,  he  can't  mean  it. 
His  wife  must  be  one  of  whom  he 
can  well  be  prou d,  "Alice  hastened  to 
reply  to  her  own  objection,  as  she 
recalled  that  Mary  Lennon  had  re- 
linquished   her  claims  to    Gilbert's 


190 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


affections.  "No,  he  must  forget 
poor,  stupid,  little  me.  I  could  never 
prove  worthy  of  him."  But  two 
great  tears  that  hung  for  a  while  be- 
tween her  long  silken  lashes  and 
then  fell 'heavily  on  the  letter  she 
held  in  her  hand,  told  another  story. 

A  year  passed,  and  then  another. 
Gilbert  had  gone  on  an  extended 
journey  to  the  Orient,  hoping 
against  hope  that  he  would  yet  win 
the  choice  of  his  heart.  Every 
now  and  then  a  long  letter  from 
him  arrived  at  the  hospital,  telling 
of  his  wanderings  in  the  Far  East 
and  of  the  wonderful  sights  he  had 
seen.  Alice  had  received  his  last 
letter,  which  he  had  written  at  San 
Francisco  immediately  on  his  return 
from  China  and  in  which  he  said 
that  he  would  soon  be  at  home  again 
and  fondly  trusted  that  this  time  she 
would  not  refuse  to  see  him. 

She  was  engaged  in  reading 
the  missive,  when  she  was  sum- 
moned by  the  Sister  Superior.  A 
train  accident  had  occurred  some 
miles  from  the  city,  and  a  corps  of 
doctors  and  nurses  was  to  be  rush- 
ed at  once  to  the  scene  of  the  dis- 
aster. Miss  Alice  was  requested 
to  respond  to  the  call.  A  tangled 
heap  of  wreckage  spread  before 
them  when  the  doctors  and  nurses 
reached  the  spot.  Several  persons 
had  been  instantly  killed  by  the 
awful  impact  of  the  two  trains,  and 
the  injured  were  carried  to  a  neigh- 
boring farm  house,  which  had  been 
converted  into  a  temporary  hospi- 
tal. Deftly  and  quietly  doctors  and 
nurses  went  about    their    labor  of 


charity,  but  none  worked  better 
and  more  sympathetically  than  the 
beautiful  and  gentle  Miss  Alice. 

"Miss  Alice,  will  you  please  go 
to  the  patient  in  that  room,"  Dr. 
Holmes  requested,  as  Alice  had 
just  finished  bandaging  a  badly 
splintered  arm.  "He's  got  some 
ugly  cuts,  but  I'm  confident  he 
will  pull  through  all  right.  Just 
stay  there  and  watch  him  until  I 
return." 

His  orders  given,  the  doctor 
passed  on.  Alice  obeyed  at  once. 
As  she  entered  the  room  and  bent 
over  the  unconscious  form  of  the 
injured  man,  she  gave  a  low  cry. 

"Gilbert,  oh  Gilbert,  open  your 
eyes  and  speak  to  me.  Look,  it  is 
I,  Alice,  your  old  friend." 

As  if  in  response  to  her  plea,  the 
man  wearily  opened  his  eyes  and 
gazed  earnestly  into  the  girl's  face. 
Suddenly,  his  features  brightened 
and  he  broke  into  a  smile. 

"Alice!  how  did  you  come  here? 
Where  am  I?— Oh,  yes,  that  wreck, 
I  remember  now.  And  Alice  is  it 
really  you?"  and  he  smiled  in  his 
old  boyish  way. 

"Yes,  Gilbert  it  is  I,"  she  an- 
swered happily.  '  'The  doctor  says 
you'll  be  all  right,  but  you  must 
mind  me  and  be  quiet." 

"But,  Alice,  you  won't  run  away 
again,  will  you?"  and  Gilbert's 
face  became  serious  and  his  eyes 
anxiously  scanned  the  girl's  fea- 
tures as  she  bent  over  him.  '  'Prom- 
ise me  this!" 

"I  promise,"  she  whispered. 


FRANCISCRN  HERALD 


191 


FATHER  CLAUDE  ALLOUEZ,  S.  J. 


Fr.  Odoric.  O.F.M 


RENE  Menard,  S.  J.,  was  the 
first  missionary  to  plant  the 
seeds  of  Christianity  in  the 
hearts  of  the  Indians  of  Wisconsin, 
the  first  to  sacrifice  his  life  for  their 
conversion.  He  perished  in  the 
wilds  of  a  northern  forest,  whether 
of  starvation  or  at  the  hands  of  a 
treacherous  savage  is  known  to  God 
alone.  Did  his  sad  fate,  his  hard- 
ships and  sufferings  deter  other 
zealous  priests  from  continuing 
what  he  had  so  nobly  and  so  cour- 
ageously begun?  By  no  means.  As 
in  an  army  fresh  troops  rush  for- 
ward to  fill  the  gaps  left  by  the 
fallen  heroes,  so  too  in  the  great 
army  of  Jesus  Christ  heroism  and 
enterprise  are  never  wanting  in  his 
priests  when  there  is  question  of 
extending  his  kingdom  and  of  com- 
bating the  great  enemy  of  souls. 
"God  calls  me  thither  and  I  must 
go  if  it  costs  me  my  life.  I  can 
not  suffer  souls  to  perish.' '  This 
was  the  war  cry  of  Father  Menard, 
the  first  apostle  of  the  Lake  Superi- 
or Indians;  and  this  cry  has  re-ech- 
oed in  the  hearts  of  all  that  band 
of  noble  missionaries  who  followed 
him  into  the  trackless  forests  seek- 
ing souls  for  Christ. 

The  first  to  succeed  Menard  in 
this  portion  of  Christ's  vineyard, 
was  Father  Claude  Allouez,  S.  J. 
He  was  born  at  St.  Didier,  France, 
on  June  6,  1622,  and  entered  the 
Society  of  Jesus  on  September  25, 
1639.  Ordained  priest  at  the  age 
of  thirty-five,  Allouez  experienced 


a  burning  desire  to  labor  in  the  In- 
dian missions  of  his  Order  in  New 
France,  and  the  extreme  difficulties 
that  he  knew  would  fall  to  his  lot 
in  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin,  only 
served  to  increase  and  to  fire  his 
enthusiasm.  Crossing  the  ocean  in 
the  company  of  Monsieur  D'Arpen- 
son,  the  new  governor  of  Canada, 
Allouez  reached  Quebec  on  July 
11,  1658.  He  spent  some  time  at 
Quebec  and  Three  Rivers  studying 
the  Huron  and  Algonquin  tongues 
to  fit  himself  for  his  missionary 
labor  among  these  tribes.  At  last, 
the  long  desired  order  came  for 
him  to  begin  his  work  among  the 
Ottawas.  This  meant  a  toilsome 
and  perilous  journey  to  the  Lake 
Superior  regions,  where  he  was 
destined  to  spend  the  rest  of  his 
days  in  evangelizing  under  the 
greatest  difficulties  the  natives  of 
that  country. 

Accompanied  by  four  hundred 
Indians  who  had  come  from  Lake 
Superior  to  trade  with  the  French, 
Father  Allouez  left  Three  Rivers  on 
August  8,  1665.  Deprived  of  prop- 
er food  and  compelled  to  paddle 
his  canoe  all  day  long  and  often  far 
into  the  night,  the  poor  missionary, 
entirely  unused  to  such  exertion, 
succeeded  only  by  superhuman 
efforts  in  keeping  up  with  the  Indi- 
ans. The  savages,  in  fact,  did 
their  utmost  to  discourage  him 
from  carrying  out  his  plan  of  estab- 
lishing a  mission  in  their  midst, 
and  they  told  him  in  so  many  words 


192 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


that  they  did  not  want  him  or  his 
religion.  But  the  intrepid  priest 
was  not  so  easily  deterred  from  his 
purpose,  and  he  cheerfully  bore  all 
the  indignities  that  they  heaped  on 
him.  Thus  the  savages  took  his 
broad-rimmed  hat  and  his  only 
blanket,  so  that  he  suffered  from 
the  heat  during  the  day  and  from  the 
cold  at  night.  His  food,  too,  was 
the  very  worst.     Most  of  the   time 


Thus  after  numerous  rebuffs  and 
indescribable  exertions  and  suffer- 
ings, the  missionary  reached  Sault 
Sainte  Marie,  and  then  for  another 
month  he  coasted  along  the  south- 
ern shore  of  Lake  Superior.  At  St. 
Teresa's  Bay,  he  met  two  Christ- 
ian Indian  women,  the  only  sur- 
vivors of  Father  Menard's  mission 
at  this  place,  who  had  retained  the 
Faith  in  spite  of  opposition   on   the 


Indian  Mission  on  Lac  du  Flambeau,  Wisconsin 


he  was  forced  to  content  himself 
with  an  insipid,  black,  sticky  broth 
made  from  the  boiled  leaves  of  a 
kind  of  moss  which  was  always  cov- 
ered with  caterpillars  and  spiders, 
and  which,  as  Father  Allouez  him- 
self wrote,  served  "rather  to  keep 
away  death  than  to  impart  life." 
On  one  occasion,  hunger  compelled 
him  to  partake  even  of  the  flesh  of 
a  deer  that  had  been  dead  for  some 
four  or  five  days. 


part  of  their  pagan  tribe.  Finally, 
on  October  1,  1665,  he  entered 
Chequamegon  or  Ashland  Bay,  of 
which  he  wrote  to  his  superior,  "It 
is  a  beautiful  bay,  at  the  head  of 
which  is  situated  a  large  city  of  the 
Indians."  Little  did  the  zealous 
missionary  dream  that  this  village 
of  Indian  tepees  and  smoking  wig- 
wams and  birch  canoes  was  destin- 
ed to  give  way  to  the  thriving 
cities  of  Ashland,    Washburn,   and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


t-93 


Bayfield,  with  their  busy  docks  and 
smoking  factories,  their  endless 
trains  of  coal  and  ore,  their  stately 
steamships  and  picturesque  pleas- 
ure yachts.  And  if  in  spite  of 
man's  devastating  hand  that  has 
leveled  the  mighty  pines  once 
gracing  its  shores,  Ashland  Bay, 
with  its  numerous  islands  is  still 
one  of  the  most  attractive  spots  of 
the  Great  Lakes,  how  beautiful 
must  it  not  have  been  in  all  its 
primeval  splendor  when  Father 
Allouez  ■  first  feasted  his  eyes  on 
its  placid  surface  and  its  pine- 
crowned  shores. 

There  were  two  large  villages  on 
this  bay,  the  one  inhabited  by  Hu- 
rons,  the  other  by  Ottawas.  The 
missionary  built  a  chapel  of  bark 
in  the  Huron  village,  the  first  Cath- 
olic church  erected  in  the  State  of 
Wisconsin,  and  to  it  flocked  some 
fugitive  Hurons  and  Algonquins, 
who  had  fled  westward  from  the 
fierce  Iroquois  and  in  their  wander- 
ings had  learned  something  of  the 
Christian  faith.  The  pagans,  too, 
gathered  there  from  all  parts  of 
the  country,  and  the  good  priest  j 
suffered  no  one  to  depart  from  his  j 
wigwam  chapel  without  having 
heard  some  of  the  saving  truths  of 
our  holy  religion.  Thus,  in  time, 
the  mission  increased  little  by  little 
until  more  than  four  hundred  in- 
fants and  adults  had  been  bap- 
tized. 

Hoping  to  achieve  still  greater 
success  in  the  larger  village  of  the 
Ottawas,  which  could  boast  of  for- 
ty-five to  fifty  wigwams  and  some 
two  thousand  souls  from  different 
tribes,  Father  Allouez  removed   his 


cabin  and  chapel  to  that  place, 
which  on  account  of  its  loose  morals 
he  called  a  Babylon  of  libertinism 
and  abomination.  In  the  course 
of  time,  he  baptized  several  scores 
of  these  Indians,  mostly  children, 
but  on  the  whole  success  did  not 
crown  his  efforts.  The  sorcerers, 
jugglers,  and  medicine  men  per- 
formed their  superstitious  dances, 
hideous  masquerades,  and  a  thou- 
sand other  buffooneries  in  the  very 
neighborhood  of  his  chapel,  the 
women  and  children  ridiculed  and 
insulted  him,  and  finally  the  braves 
razed  his  chapel  to  the  ground  and 
tried  to  rob  him  of  all  he  had. 

Feeling  the  need  of  help  in  his 
missionary  work,  Allouez  now  made 
the  long  and  wearisome  journey  back 
to  Quebec,  where  he  arrived  on 
August  3,  1667.  But  so  eager  was 
he  to  return  and  so  expeditiously 
did  he  transact  his  business  in  this 
city,  that  after  two  days  he  was 
ready  to  depart,  having  obtained 
Father  Lewis  Nicolas,  S.  J.,  and  a 
lay  Brother  of  his  Order,  as  cola- 
borers  in  his  chosen  portion  of  the 
Lord's  vineyard.  Here  he  met  with 
more  failures  in  spreading  the  faith, 
more  rejections  of  divine  grace  on 
the  part  of  the  carnal  Indians,  and 
so  few  were  the  conversions  that 
we  may  suppose  he  did  not  regret 
it  much  when  his  superiors  trans- 
ferred him  to  what  is  now  Green 
Bay,  and  sent  his  famous  country- 
man and  fellow  religious,  Father 
James  Marquette,  to  succeed  him 
in  the  mission  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
the  shores  of  Ashland  Bay. 

On  the  day  of  his  arrival  at  Green 
Bay,    December    3,     1669,    Father 


194 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Allouez  said  holy  Mass  with  all  pos- 
sible solemnity  and  placed  his  second 
mission  under  the  patronage  of  the 
great  missionary  saint,  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  whose  feast  is  celebrated 
on  that  day.  These  two  missions 
were  but  the  first  links  in  a  long 
chain  of  missions  that  the  -  zealous 
priest  of  God  founded  in  Wiscon- 
sin, so  that  he  may  rightly  be  styled 
the  "Indian  Apostle  of  Wisconsin." 

The  following  are  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal missions  he  established:  St. 
Michael's  among  the  Menominees; 
St.  Mark's  among  the  Foxes  on 
Wolf  River;  St.  James's  on  the  Up- 
per Fox  River  among  the  Illinois, 
Miamis,  and  Kickapoos;  then  other 
missions  again  among  the  tribes  on 
the  eastern  shore  of  Green  Bay, 
and  among  the  Winnebagos,  Pot- 
tawatamis,  and  Sacs.  At  last,  he 
died  a  holy  and  edifying  death  in 
St.  Joseph's  Mission,  Michigan, 
about  the  year  1689,  in  the  seventy- 
sixth  year  of  his  age,  worn  out  by 
his  heroic  apostolic  labors. 

Father  Allouez,  during  the  thir- 
ty-two years  of  his  missionary  ca- 
reer, preached  the  Gospel  to  twenty 
different  Indian  tribes,  suffered 
untold  hardships,  and  gathered 
more  than  ten  thousand  souls  into 
the  sheepfold  of  Jesus  Christ.  In- 
deed, a  glorious  record,  a  harvest 
well  worth  the  labor.  To-day  the 
scenes  of  his  priestly  labors  bespeak 
the  untold  material  riches  of  this 
great  State  in  its  treasures  of  coal 


and  ore  and  in  the  mighty  ships 
that  carry  its  mineral  wealth  to  all 
parts  of  the  world.  But  what  is  all 
this  wealth  compared  to  the  thou- 
sands of  immortal  souls  that  this 
humble  priest  assisted  from  this 
vale  of  tears  to  the  eternal  shores 
of  God's  kingdom  beyond  the  grave? 

The  lower  portion  of  Superior 
Bay  is  called  Allouez  Bay  and  the 
portion  of  the  city  adjoining,  Al- 
louez, both  named  in  grateful  re- 
membrance of  the  man  who  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years  since 
opened  this  part  of  our  country  to 
civilization  and  Christianity.  In 
the  city  of  De  Pere  there  stands  a 
monument  erected  to  this  intrepid 
apostle  of  the  Indians,  which  bears 
this  inscription:  "Near  this  spot 
stood  the  chapel  of  St.  Francis 
Xavier  built  in  the  winter  of  1671  — 
72  by  Father  Cloud  Allouez,  S.  J., 
as  the  center  of  his  work  in  Christ- 
ianizing the  Indians  of  Wisconsin. 
This  memorial  tablet  was  erected 
by  the  citizens  of  De  Pere  and  un- 
veiled by  the  State  Historical  Socie- 
ty of  Wisconsin,  September  6, 1898. ' ' 

The  best  monuments  to  his  mem- 
ory, however,  are  not  those  of 
bronze  and  granite,  but  those  of 
flesh  and  blood,  the  descendants  of 
those  Indians  whom  he  Christian- 
ized, and  who  are  still  living  in  the 
missions  he  founded,  and  among 
whom  we  have  the  pleasure  and  the 
honor  to  continue  his  missionary 
labors. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


195 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — It  will  interest  our 
readers  to  learn  particulars  regard- 
ing the  death  and  interment  of  the 
late  Cardinal  Diomede  Falconio,  o. 
F.  M. ,  who  was  called  to  his  eter- 
nal reward  in  the  early  part  of 
February.  In  his  last  illness  he  was 
frequently  attended  by  most  Rev. 
Fr.  Seraphin  Cimino,  Minister 
General  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor,  who  also  administered  to 
him  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme 
Unction.  When  he  realized  that 
the  end  was  drawing  near,  he  fully 
resigned  himself  to  the  holy  will  of 
God,  whom  he  had  served  so  long 
and  so  faithfully  as  a  true  son  of 
St.  Francis.  After  death,  the 
corpse  of  the  deceased  prelate  was 
clothed  in  the  lowly  garb  of  St. 
Francis,  which  even  as  Bishop  and 
Cardinal,  he  always  wore  in  private. 
Ecclesiastical  and  civil  dignitaries 
attended  the  holy  Masses  celebrat- 
ed by  Cardinals  in  the  room  where 
the  mortal  remains  of  the  illustri- 
ous churchman  lay  in  state,  The 
solemn  obsequies  were  held  in  the 
church  of  Santa  Maria  Transponti- 
na.  Rt.  Rev.  Monsignor  Rotoli,  o. 
F.  M.,  Bishop  of  Matera,  officiated. 
His  Eminence  Cardinal  Vanutelli, 
dean  of  the  Sacred  College  of  Car- 
dinals, pronounced  the  last  absolu- 
tion. The  singing  was  rendered  by 
the  choir  of  the  Sistine  Chapel. 
Twenty-three  Cardinals,  the  diplo- 
matic body  accredited  to  the  Holy 
See,  the  Pontifical  Court,  many 
archbishops,  bishops,  representa- 
tives of  the  various  religious  Or- 
ders, and  a  large  gathering  of  the 
laity  were  present  at  the  solemn 
functions.  The  body  of  Cardinal 
Falconio  was  laid  to  rest  in  the 
Campo  Santo  in  Rome,  whence 
it  will  later  be  transferred  to  his 
native  city.  — 

The  Holy  Father  has  appointed 


Rev.  Fr.  Angelus  Zanetti,  o.  F.  m. 
Bishop  of  Bosa  in  the  province  of 
Sardina,  Italy.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Franciscan  province  of  Tuscany, 
where  for  years  he  held  the  impor- 
tant office  of  director  of  the 
college.  Later  he  was  chosen  pro- 
vincial commissary  of  Sardina,  in 
which  capacity  he  won  the  esteem 
especially  of  the  clergy.  — 

Rev.  Fr.  Bonaventure  Menda- 
taurigoitia  y  Bediaga  has  been  elect- 
ed Definitor  General  of  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  elevation  of  Rev. 
Fr.  Rey-Lemos  to  the  episcopal  see 
of  Jaen,  Spain.  Previous  to  his 
new  appointment,  Fr.  Bonaventure 
was  custos  and  prefect  of  studies 
in  the  flourishing  province  of  the 
Order  in  Catalonia.  — 

The  episcopal  consecration  of  Rt. 
Rev.  Fr.  Angelus  Rey-Lemos  took 
place,  on  February  25,  in  the  Vati- 
can Basilica.  His  Eminence  Car- 
dinal Merry  del  Val  officiated,  assis- 
ted by  the  Spanish  Bishops  of  Tuy 
and  Seo  de  Urgel.  A  large  num- 
ber of  prelates  and  representatives 
of  the  various  religious  Orders,  as 
also  the  members  of  the  Spanish 
embassy  in  Rome  were  present. 
Later,  the  students  of  the  Spanish 
college  of  San  Jose  rendered  a  liter- 
ary and  musical  program  in  honor 
of  the  newly  consecrated  bishop. 
His  Eminence  Cardinal  Merry  del 
Val  together  with  the  dignitaries 
of  Church  and  State  who  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  religious  functions 
in  the  Basilica  likewise  favored  the 
students  with  their  presence.  — 

On  the  proposal  of  the  Italian 
Minister  of  the  Interior,  Rev.  Fr. 
Marceline  Centi,  O.F.M.,  of  Genoa, 
has  been  named  Cavalier  of  the 
Crown  of  Italy.  This  singular 
distinction  was    conferred   on    the 


196 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


zealous  and  learned  friar  in  rec- 
ognition of  his  untiring  and  note- 
worthy efforts  in  the  field  of  let- 
ters. He  has  published  many 
valuable  monographs  of  historical 
and  religious  personages,  which 
have  won  the  applause  of  distin- 
guished savants. 

Catalonia,  Spain.— Most  Rev,  Fr. 
Seraphin  Cimino,  Minister  General 
of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor,  ar- 
rived at  Barcelona  to  look  after  im- 
portant affairs  pertaining  to  the 
Franciscan  Order  in  Spain.  He 
likewise  held  the  triennial  visita- 
tion of  the  province  of  Catalonia 
and  presided  at  the  subsequent 
provincial    chapter. 

Totona,  Spain.— The  fraternity  of 
Franciscan  Tertiaries  established  in 
the  parish  of  the  Capuchin  Fathers 
of  Totona  is  manifesting  an  earnest 
zeal  for  the  moral  and  intelletual 
uplift  of  that  city.  They  have  now 
undertaken  to  give  regular  catechet- 
ical instructions  to  the  children  of 
this  populous  city.  Their  catechism 
classes  of  last  year  had  a  total  en- 
rollment of  150  boys  and  300  girls. 
The  former  are  in  charge  of  Tertiary 
priests,  while  the  latter  are  cared 
for  by  women  Tertiaries.  Similar- 
ly, the  Tertiaries  of  St.  Roch's 
Church  are  instructing  the  children 
twice  a  week.  An  important  phase 
of  their  activity  in  this  regard  is  the 
proper  preparing  of  these  children 
for  the  reception  of  their  first  Holy 
Communion.  To  this  end,  they  visit 
the  homes  of  the  prospective  first 
communicants  every  evening  for 
three  months.  In  the  past  year, 
three  hundred  children  were  thus 
spiritually  benefited  by  these  zealous 
sons  and  daughters  of  St.  Francis. 

Santiago,  Spain.— Recently,  a  gen- 
eral visitation  of  the  Third  Order 
was  held  in  the  Franciscan  convent 
at  Louro  (Muros),  Spain.  Accord- 
ing to  an  official  report  drawn  up  at 
this  visitation,  the  fraternity  of 
Louro  numbers  1064  members,  not 
counting    the    isolated    Tertiaries 


whose  names  are  not  recorded. 
This  large  fraternity  is  divided  into 
fifty-two  districts,  each  district 
having  its  own  officers  and  promo- 
ters. 

Pekin,  China.— The  following  sta- 
tistics show  what  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor  is  doing  in  far-off  China  for 
the  conversion  of  the  natives.  They 
have  charge  of  ten  vicariates  com- 
prising a  population  of  69,524,000. 
Of  these,  221,606  have  already  joined 
the  fold  of  the  true  Church,  while 
130,865  catechumens  are  preparing 
themselves  for  this  grace.  The 
missionaries  are  348  in  number  and 
have  charge  of  1783  churches  and 
chapels.  The  16  seminaries  total 
353  seminarians,  while  in  39  colleges, 
1130  students  are  receiving  a  higher 
education.  The  elementary  schools 
are  1095  in  number  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  21,573  children,  of  whom 
2973  are  of  the  true  faith.  A  great 
share  of  the  glory  and  reward  in 
these  labors  belongs  to  the  Francis- 
can Missionary  Sisters  of  Mary, 
who  by  their  fidelity  and  zeal  are 
of  invaluable  service  to  the  mis- 
sionaries in  spreading  and  confirm- 
ing the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Shensi,  China.— Rev.  Fr.  Joseph 
Gruarrizaga,  o.  F.  M.,  who  directs 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Childhood  in 
Shensi,  China,  writes  in   part: 

"Not  a  day  passes  but  we  find 
in  the  doorways  of  our  houses  and 
churches  one  or  more  girl-babes 
scantily  clad,  and  alas!  only  too  of- 
ten in  a  dying  condition.  One  very 
cold  morning  last  February,  I  per- 
ceived a  bundle  in  a  dark  corner  of 
our  orphanage  porch,  just  as  I  was 
about  to  enter  to  say  Mass.  'Fa- 
ther, it  must  be  a  girl  left  there  by 
her  pagan  parents, '  exclaimed  my 
servant,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
And  indeed  it  was.  The  poor  child 
was  at  death's  door.  I  baptized 
her  without  delay,  giving  her  the 
name  of  Mary,  and  that  same  day 
the  privileged  soul  joined  the  legion 
of  Chinese  angels  in  Heaven. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


197 


"Quite  frequently  the  missionary 
Fathers  themselves  gather  up  chil- 
dren left  to  die  at  a  distance  from 
our  orphanage.  These  are  immedi- 
diately  baptized,  the  sacrament  be- 
ing usually  a  ticket  for  Paradise, 
since  cold,  hunger,  and  neglect 
have  rendered  human  succor  un- 
availing. Should  there  be  no  im- 
minent danger,  the  child  is  entrust- 
ed to  the  care  of  a  Chinese  nurse 
who  is  paid  monthly  for  her  serv- 
ices. On  the  first  of  each  month 
the  missionary  is  kept  busy  inspect- 
ing the  infants,  doling  out  medi- 
cine for  the  sick,  and  paying  the 
nurses." 

Gray  moor,  N.  Y.— From  our  es- 
teemed contemporary  The  Lamp, 
we  cull  the  following  interesting 
news  item:  "On  the  second  Sun- 
day in  February,  the  Hon.  Lucien 
J.  Jerome,  English  Ambassador  of 
Quito,  the  capital  of  Ecuador,  was 
our  guest,  accompanied  by  his 
servant,  an  aboriginal  native  of 
Ecuador.  Mr.  Jerome  is  a  devoted 
Franciscan,  and  became  so  much 
interested  in  Graymoor  through 
reading  The  Lamp,  which  he  found 
in  a  South  American  monastery  of 
the  Friars  Minor,  that  he  deter- 
mined to  embrace  his  first  oppor- 
tunity to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  the 
Mount  of  the  Atonement.  He  has 
since  sailed  for  England  to  sever 
his  relations  with  the  British  Gov- 
ernment before  going  to  Rome  to 
enter  the  Order  of  the  Friars 
Minor.  While  here  Mr.  Jerome 
presented  us  with  a  painting  on 
copper,  three  or  four  hundred  years 
old,  of  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe, 
which  he  secured  in  a  Franciscan 
convent  in  Mexico." 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
—A  small  pamphlet  has  been  pub- 
lished for  the  benefit  of  the  English- 
speaking  fraternities  of  St.  Peter's 
Church.  The  first  part  explains 
briefly  the  origin  and  history  of  the 
Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  and 
enumerates  the  general  obligations 


of  Franciscan  Tertiaries  as  well  as 
the  privileges  and  graces  they  en- 
joy as  members  of  the  Third  Order. 
The  second  part  treats  of  the  two 
fraternities  established  in  St.  Peter's 
Church.  It  presents  all  necessary 
information  both  for  the  Tertiaries 
of  St.  Peter's  Church  as  also  for 
such  as  desire  to  join  its  fraterni- 
ties. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's 
Church.— On  Sunday,  April  29,  a 
canonical  visitation  will  be  held  for 
the  Tertiaries  of  both  fraternities 
connected  with  St.  Antony's  Church. 
Rev.  Fr.  Roger,  o.  f.  m.,  Rector  of 
St.  Joseph's  College,  Teutopolis,  Illi- 
nois, has  been  appointed  Visitor. 
With  the  visitation  will  be  united 
the  celebration  of  the  golden  jubilee 
of  Mrs.  Catherine  V. .  Bins  as  Ter- 
tiary. Following  is  the  order  of 
day  for  the  visitation: 

1.  Procession  to  the  Church  at 
2.30  P.  M.  2.  Introductory  pray- 
ers. 3.  Sermons  in  English  and 
German  by  the  Reverend  Fr.  Visit- 
or. 4.  The  visitation  proper.  5. 
The  celebration  of  the  golden  jubilee. 
The  jubilarian  clothed  in  the  large 
habit  of  the  Order,  accompanied  by 
fifty  girls  in  white,  by  the  two 
women  prefects,  and  by  her  grand- 
children, will  be  conducted  to  the 
altar  by  the  Reverend  Fr.  Visitor. 
She  will  then  renew  her  profession, 
and  receive  the  golden  wreath.  6. 
Papal  Benediction.  7.  Procession 
in  the  church  with  the  statue  of  St. 
Francis.  8.  Consecration  of  Ter- 
tiaries to  the  Most  Sacred  Heart. 
9.  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament.    10.     Te  Deum. 

After  the  celebration  in  the 
church,  a  social  will  be  given  for  the 
Tertiaries  in  St.   Antony's  Hall.— 

Three  of  our  Tertiaries,  Miss 
Josephine  Fruin,  Miss  Carissa 
Ruch  and  Miss  Mary  Twiellen- 
meier,  recently  entered  the  religious 
state. 

Toledo,  O.  -  At  the  urgent  request 
of   Rev.  J.    Kuta,     Rector  of    St. 


198 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Stanislaus  Church,  Toledo,  Ohio, 
the  first  Polish  Third  Order  frater- 
nity was  established  in  this  city,  on 
March  27.  Rev.  Fr.  Cyril  Mitera, 
O.F.M.,  director  of  the  Third  Order 
in  Stanislaus  Church,  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  officiated  on  the  occasion.  At 
the  Vesper  services,  the  Rev.  Fa- 
ther held  a  stirring  address  on  the 
Rule  and  purpose  of  the  Third  Order 
to  the  assembled  congregation,  after 
which  the  ceremony  of  investment 
was  performed.  The  first  to  re- 
ceive the  Tertiary  cord  and  scapular 
was  the  Rev.  Rector  himself,  who 
will  act  as  Director  of  the  new  fra- 
ternity. His  example  was  followed 
by  fourteen  members  of  his  parish. 

Komatke,  Ariz.— On  May  2,  the 
new  mission  church  dedicated  to  the 
Holy  Family  will  be  solemnly 
blessed.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  has 
promised  personally  to  conduct  the 
ceremony,  if  possible. 

Baltimore,  Md.— The  Sisters  of 
St.  Francis,  of  Baltimore,  says  the 
New  York  Freeman's  Journal,  who 
are  working  for  the  colored  children 
of  the  South,  are  not  so  well  known 
to  our  readers  as  they  really  de- 
serve. In  distant  and  in  isolated 
places  the  world  knows  little  or 
nothing  of  their  humble  efforts. 
The  same  sacrifices  and  the  same 
laborious  efforts  which  seen  or  read 
about  in  Foreign  Missions,  excite 
our  admiration  and  applause,  are 
made  here  in  our  own  country  and 
apparently  go  unnoticed  and  un- 
heralded. In  their  charity  they  have 
opened  an  orphanage  in  Baltimore 
in  St.  Paul  Street.  Thousands  of 
colored  infants  have  been  brought 
to  this  institution  and  hundreds 
have  died  in  the  course  of  the  last 
twenty-five  years.  Up  to  the  pres- 
ent time  not  one  child  has  gone  to 
eternity  without  the  Sacrament  of 
Baptism.  What  a  multitude  of 
souls  will  be  waiting  these  heroines 
of  charity,  on  the  shores  of  eternity. 

Oakland,  Cal.— The  spot  in  Oak- 
land from  which  the   early  Spanish 


missionaries  first  beheld  the  waters 
of  the   Golden  Gate  was  the  objec- 
tive point  of  a  pilgrimage,  on  March 
27,  held  under   the  auspices  of  the 
|  Chamber     of   Commerce     and   the 
!  Landmarks  League,  in  commemora- 
j  tion   of  the   145th   anniversary   of 
the  event.     Rev.  Fr.  Maximilian,  o. 
F.M.,  was  invited  to  be  present,  and 
a  cross  blessed    by  him  now   marks 
the  place. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church. —The  youngest  novice  of 
our  Tertiary  fraternity  is  Master 
Wilfred  Ermet,  who  was  received 
into  the  Third  Order  on  his  four- 
teenth birthday,  March  31  last.  On 
the  following  day,  Palm  Sunday, 
twenty-six  postulants  were  invested 
with  the  Tertiary  cord  and  scapular, 
and  thirteen  novices  admitted  to 
holy  profession. 

Joliet,  III.,  St.  John's  Church.  - 
The  retreat  for  the  German-speak- 
ing Tertiaries  of  this  parish  opened 
on  Sunday  evening,  March  25,  and 
closed  on  the  following  Sunday 
afternoon,  April  1.  The  sermons 
during  the  exercises  were  preached 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Valerius,  o.  F.  M.. 
Rector  of  the  Sacred  Heart  Church, 
St.  Paul,  Minnesota.  The  Rever- 
end Father  is  a  very  able  and  popu- 
lar speaker,  and  his  sermons  were 
followed  with  the  greatest  interest 
by  the  large  congregations  that 
daily  attended  the  services.  The 
ceremonies  at  the  close  of  the  re- 
treat, on  April  1,  were  especially 
imposing.  After  an  English  and 
a  German  sermon  by  Rev.  Fr.  Va- 
lerius, Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial 
Samuel  Macke  also  addressed  the 
assembled  Tertiaries,  dwelling  on 
the  dignity  and  the  advantages  of 
membership  in  the  Third  Order, 
especially  for  men,  and  exhorting 
non-Tertiaries,  to  join  the  Order. 
Thereupon,  twenty-seven  postu- 
lants received  the  Third  Order  cord 
and  scapular,  and  about  sixty  nov- 
ices were  admitted  to  profession. 
The   retreat    aroused   considerable 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


199 


enthusiasm  for  the  Third  Order, 
and  the  English-speaking  Tertia- 
ries  are  now  eagerly  looking  for- 
ward to  their  retreat. 

Jolietjlll.,  St.  Francis  Academy.— 
Ven.  Sr.  M.  Margaret,  o.s.f.,  fell 
seriously  ill  on  Easter  Sunday  after- 


noon and  soon  succumbed  to  her 
sickness.  She  was  86  years  old  at 
the  time  of  her  death.  Rev.  Fr. 
Eugene,  o.f.m.,  chaplain  of  the 
academy,  officiated  at  her  funeral 
which  took  place  on  Saturday,  April 
14,  in  St.  John's  Cemetery. -R.  I.  P. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPHS  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOUS.  ILLINOIS 

In  the  early  part  of  Holy  Week, 
Julius  Thuma,  of  the  II  Academic 
Class,  received  the  sad  news  of  his 
mother's  sudden  death  in  St.  Ber- 
nard's Hospital,  Chicago.  He  left 
at  once  for  home  to  attend  the 
funeral,  which  took  place  in  St. 
Augustine's  Church,  on  Good  Fri- 
day. The  faculty  and  student  body 
extend  to  him  and  to  the  sorrowing 
family  their  heartfelt  sympathy. 

A  number  of  the  college  Fathers 
were  called  on  to  perform  parochial 
work  during  Holy  Week  and  on 
Easter  Sunday.  Rev.  Fr.  Rector 
went  to  St.  Augustine's,  and  Fr. 
Julian  to  St.  Peter's,  Chicago;  Fr. 
Aloysius  to  St.  Antony's,  St.  Louis; 
Fr.  Giles  to  Bishop,  111. ;  Fr.  Conrad 
to  Washington,  Mo.;  Fr.  Francis 
Borgia  to  St.  Antony's,  Effingham, 
111. ;  Fr.  Joseph  to  Island  Grove,  111. ; 
Fr.  Peter  to  the  cathedral  at  Alton, 
111.  The  remaining  Fathers  con- 
ducted the  beautiful  ceremonies  of 
Holy  Week  in  the  college  chapel 
with  a  solemnity  that  is  well  calcu- 
lated deeply  to  impress  the  mind 
and  heart  of  our  students  with  the 
great  truths  of  religion  commemor- 
ated during  this  holy  season. 

The  main  feature  of  the  Easter 
holidays,  apart  from  the  religious 
services,  was  the  presentation 
of  the  three-act  romantic  drama, 
"The  Malediction,"  in  St.  Michael's 
Hall.  Although  several  of  the 
roles  are  extremely  difficult,  the 
actors  all  took  their  respective  parts 


very  well,  and  their  fellow  students 
as  well  as  the  large  number  of  vis- 
itors that  attended  the  performance, 
were  profuse  in  their  praise  of  the 
entertainment.  The  cast  was  the 
following: 

Don  Vasco  de  Gomez H.  Pinger 

Don  Alonzo P.  Eberle 

Don  Lopez A.  Fochtman 

Tarik F.  Kiefer 

Pedro P.  Zwiesler 

Pedrillo R.  Patterson 

Fabricio A.  Brick* 

Ibrahim C.  Thiel 

Mendoza H.  Fox 

Marietto N.  Wegener 

Basilio J.  Dittman 

Sancho E.  Voss 

Virgilio F.  Powers 

Juanino H.  Aretz 

Abdallah A.  Glauber 

The  musical  program  for  the  even- 
ing, rendered  by  the  college  orches- 
tra and  choir,  was  likewise  much 
appreciated.  The  numbers  given 
were: 

1.    The  Golden  Scepter  (0%-ertureKR.  Schlepegrell 

College  Orchestra 

2.'    Verlassen  (Four  PartChorus).  ..Thos.  Koschart 

College  Choir 

Accompaniment:— College  Orchestra 

3.  Untold  (Six  PartChorus  from -The  Re- 
demption'')   Chas    Gounod 

College  Choir 

4.  Kaernthner  Lieder  Marsch Seifert 

College  Orchestra 

The  novena  of  Tuesdays  in  honor 
of  St-  Antony,  to  whom  all  the  stu- 
dents are  greatly  devoted,  was 
opened  on  April  11,  with  solemn 
High  Mass  and  Benediction.  In  the 
evening,  special  devotions  were 
held  at  the  altar  of  the  Saint  and  the 
blessing  with  his  relic  was  given. 
The  intentions  of  the  many  friends 
and  benefactors  of  the  college  will 
be  expressly  remembered  by  the 
students  on  each  Tuesday  during 
the  novena. 

On  Thursday  morning,  April  19,  a 
solemn  Requiem  High  Mass  was 
offered  in  our  chapel  for  the   repose 


200 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  the  soul  of  the  illustrious  and  be- 
loved Cardinal  Falconio,  o.f.m., 
whose  exemplary  life  as  a  true  son 
of  St.  Francis  will  long  serve  as  a 
shining  model  for  the  students  of 
our  Seraphic  college. 

Our  chapel  was  also  the  scene  of 
another  impressive  ceremony,  on 
April  20,  when  two  of  our  lay  Broth- 
ers, Ven.  Bro.  Casimir  and  Ven. 
Bro.  Pius,  pronounced  their  solemn 
vows.  In  the  absence  of  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Provincial,  our  Rev.  Fr.  Rector 
was  delegated  to  receive  their  pro- 
fession. The  ceremony  was  carried 
out  with  great  solemnity,  to  the 
edification  of  all  present. 

At  the  close  of  the  first  half  _  of 
the  second  session,  the  following 
students  received  the  highest  aver- 
age in  their  respective  classes:  II 
Academic:  Oscar  Wilhelmi,    95.44: 

III  Academic:  Francis  Ettel,  99.86 

IV  Academic:  Jerome  Reisch,  98.50 
I  Collegiate:  William  Wernsing,  97 
11;  II  Collegiate:  Paul  Eberle,  96; 
III  Collegiate:  Francis  Kiefer,  96. 

On  Sunday,  April  22,  the  college 
Third  Order  held  the  annual  election 
of  officers  with  the  following  re- 
sults: Prefect:  Paul  (Tarcisius) 
Eberle;  Instructor  of  Novices:  An- 
tony (Aloysius)  Glauber;  Secretary: 
Antony  ( Francis) gKriech ;  Librarian : 
Albert  (Francis)    Kunz.      Immedi- 


ately after  the  election,  all  the  Ter- 
tiaries  proceeded  to  the  chapel, 
where  the  newly  chosen  officers 
were  solemnly  installed  according 
to  the  ceremonies  prescribed  in  the 
ritual. 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY,  ILLINOIS 

On  Sunday  evening,  April  1,  the 
students  began  their  annual  three 
days'  retreat  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  Fr.  Peter  Crumbly,  o.f.m., 
the  well  known  chaplain  of  the 
Joliet  State  Penitentiary,  whose  lec- 
tures were  followed  with  the  great- 
est interest  by  all. 

Holy  Week  was  solemnly  observed 
at  the  college.  The  members  of  the 
college  choir  and  of  St.  PaschaPs 
Acolytes  Guild  deserve  special  credit 
for  the  zeal  displayed  in  their  en- 
deavor to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the 
sacred  ceremonies  of  this  holy  sea- 
son. During  this  week,  most  of  the 
Fathers  of  the  faculty  were  acdve 
in  assisting  neighboring  priests  at 
divine  service:  FF.  Rector,  Juvenal, 
and  Berchmans  in  local  churches; 
FF.  Didymus  and  Leopold  in  Spring- 
field, 111.;  Fr.  Berthold  in  Baring, 
Mo.;  Fr.  Ernest  in  Shelbina,  Mo., 
Fr.  Rupert  in  Jefferson  City,  Mo.; 
Fr.  John  in  Edina,  Mo. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Augustine's  Church:— Ven. Bro. Blase  Wermerskirchen,o.F.M.; 
Anna  Moran,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
St.  Peter's  Church: 
St. Francis  Fraternity: — Alice  E.Hendrick,  Sr. Clare;  Julia  Lulay,  Sr.  Anne: 

Anne  Lane,  a  novice. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity: — John  Stratford,  Bro.  Michael. 

German  Fraternity:— Anne  S.Schweitzer,  Sr.Mary;  Julia  Lulke,  Sr. Agnes; 
Anne  Stuzinski,  Sr.  Margaret;  Anne  M.  Vogt,  Sr.  Teresa. 
Brunswick,  Mo.,  St.  Boniface  Church:— Teresa  Bittiker. 
Joliet,  111.,  St.  Francis  Academy: — Ven.  Sr.  M.  Margaret,  o.s.F. 

St.  John's  Church:— Anne  Louise  Klemme,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface  Church:  — P.  S.  McGrath;  Mary  Moran. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Gilbert    Santee;    Sebastian  Moore;    A. 
Tichacek;  Anna  Grote;  Margaret  Becker;  Catherine  Wright;    Catherine 
Quibel;  Elizabeth  Doerhoff;  Clara  Kranzer. 
Eequiescant  in  pace 


MHIWCO 


1  Franrisran  Herald  I 

:!:        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred        !L 
"•        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions        ." 

VOL.V.  JUNE,  1917.  NO.  6 

lEfttinrtal  ffinmmrnt 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

The  frontispiece  that  we  bring  this  month  represents  the  central 
group  of  Fuerich's  masterly  series— The  Triumph  of  Christ.  It  was 
customary  in  the  days  of  ancient  Rome  for  victorious  generals  to 
celebrate  the  overthrow  of  their  country's  foe  by  a  grand  triumphal 
procession  into  the  city.  Seated  on  a  glittering  chariot  drawn  by  pranc- 
ing, high-spirited  steeds,  surrounded  by  his  cheering  soldiers,  war- 
scarred  veterans  of  many  battles,  and  displaying  the  spoils  of  war— royal 
prisoners  and  priceless  treasures— the  laurel-crowned  conqueror  rode 
through  the  gayly  decorated  streets  and  received  the  adulation  and  hom- 
age of  his  grateful  fellow  citizens. 

Christ,  the  Divine  Conqueror,  the  Victor  over  sin,  death,  and  hell, 
before  whose  glory  all  earthly  conquerors  pale  into  insignificance,  likewise 
celebrates  his  triumphal  march.  Enthroned  on  the  triumphal  chariot  of 
his  holy  Church,  he  displays  his  spoils  of  war,  that  world  which  he  has 
wrested  from  the  archenemy  of  mankind  at  the  cost  of  his  own  precious 
blood,  spilt  in  torrents  from  countless  wounds  during  the  heat  of  his  su- 
preme struggle  on  Calvary's  heights.  But  unlike  the  tyrants  of  old  who 
made  the  conquered  countries  miserable  victims  of  their  heartless  cruelty, 
Christ,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  extends  his  hand— bearing  the  glorious  scar 
of  battle— in  blessing  over  the  world  he  has  conquered.  His  whole  ap- 
pearance breathes  love  and  mercy  and  pardon.  He  is,  indeed,  the  power- 
ful King  of  glory,  at  whose  name  all  knees  shall  bow  of  those  that  are  in 
heaven,  on  earth,  and  under  the  earth;  but  he  is  also  the  kind,  loving 
Father  of  his  people,  the  Good  Shepherd  of  his  flock.  And  lest  we,  his 
sinful  children,  his  wayward  sheep,  should  still  fear  to  approach  his 
throne  of  triumph,  he  has  placed  thereon  his  own  beloved  Mother  to  be 
our  advocate  and  intercessor.  She  is  seated  at  his  feet,  she  the  Virgin - 
Mother  of  the  Redeemer,  whom  he  has  given  to  us  as  our  Mother.  She 
will  lay  our  petitions  before  him  and  draw  forth  from  his  hands  countless 
blessings  for  her  children  in  this  vale  of  tears. 

Christ's  triumphal  car  is  drawn  not  by  senseless  steeds  but  by  "the 
four  living  creatures"  full  of  irresistible  power  and  aglow  with  celestial 
brilliance,  that  the  prophet  of  old  and  the  virginal  Seer  of  Patmos  beheld 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  drawing  the  chariot  of  the  Most  High.  The  one 
has  the  appearance  of  a  man;  another,  that  of  an  eagle;  another,  that  of 


202 FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

a  lion ;  and  the  fourth  that  of  a  steer.  They  represent  the  four  Evange- 
lists, Matthew,  John,  Mark,  and  Luke,  whose  holy  Gospels  are  spreading 
Christ's  kingdom  with  mighty  power  to  the  ends  of  the  world. 

But  they  are  not  alone.  Four  others  are  assisting  them  in  their  on- 
ward march— they  are  four  holy  Fathers  of  the  Church,  Ambrose,  Au- 
gustine, Gregory,  and  Jerome,  these  glorious  representatives  of  that  sa- 
cred Tradition,  which,  with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  extends  to  all  men  the 
saving  fruits  of  Christ's  victory  on  the  cross,  and  opens  up  to  all  the 
fountains  of  God's  revelations  to  man. 

In  the  preceding  pictures  of  the  series  we  have  seen  the  triumphant 
Christ  prefigured  by  the  Patriarchs  and  Saints  of  old,  foretold  by  Jewish 
and  pagan  seers,  heralded  by  the  Voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness. 
In  the  present  picture  Christ  finally  makes  his  appearance  in  the  tri- 
umphal march,  borne  with  his  spotless  Mother  on  the  chariot  of  his  holy 
Church  and  drawn  by  the  combined  efforts  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  and 
Tradition.  And  as  he  proceeds  on  his  victorious  way,  we  seem  to  hear  the 
the  multitudes  going  before  him  crying  with  Royal  Prophet,  "Lift  up  your 
gates,  0  ye  princes,  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  0  eternal  gates:  and  the  King  of 
Glory  shall  enter  in."  And  from  the  angelic  choirs  on  high  comes  the 
response,  "Who  is  this  King  of  Glory?"  And  the  multitudes  cry  out 
with  a  mighty  voice  as  the  roar  of  many  waters,  "The  Lord  who  is  strong 
and  mighty:  the  Lord  mighty  in  battle,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  he  is  the  King 
of  Glory." 


THE  TERTIARIES  AND  OUR  SOLDIERS 

We  were  considerably  surprised  and  pleased  to  notice  in  our  foreign 
exchanges  since  the  beginning  of  the  great  European  conflict,  how  the  Ter- 
tiariesat  the  front,  in  the  training  camps, and  at  home  are  working  for  the 
moral,  physical,  and  intellectual  welfare  of  the  soldiers.  Practical  charity 
is  if  anything  the  very  life  of  a  Franciscan  Tertiary,  and  there  is  hardly 
any  time  that  presents  more  and  better  occasions  for  the  exercise  of  this 
beautiful  virtue  than  just  the  time  of  war.  Many  persons  seem  to  labor 
under  the  impression  that  the  soldier  is  a  "rough  sort  of  chap",  with  little 
taste  for  religion  and  the  more  refined  pleasures  of  life.  That  a  few  are 
of  this  character  is  to  be  regretted;  but  even  their  nobler  qualities  of  soul 
gradually  come  to  the  surface  when  they  are  daily  brought  face  to  face 
with  death  and  eternity  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  they  realize  that  they 
have  been  created  for  something  higher  than  the  mere  gratification  of 
the  passions  of  their  soul  and  body.  That  most  of  the  soldiers  in  the 
great  army  about  to  be  raised  by  the  Federal  Government  in  the  present 
crisis,  however,  will  not  be  men  of  this  kind,  but  the  very  pick  of  the 
youth  of  the  land  is  evident  from  the  system  of  selective  conscription  that 
is  now  being  resorted  to  in  organizing  this  gigantic  army.  Among  these 
soldiers,  there  will  be  thousands  and  thousands  of  our  Catholic  young  men, 
who  hitherto  have  figured  prominently  in  their  respective  parishes, 
who  were  perhaps  leaders  of  the  sodalities  and  other  parish  organizations, 
who  even  proudly  wore  the  cord  and  the  scapular  of  the  Third  Order  of 
St.  Francis,  and  were  models  of  every  virtue. 

These  young  men  are  now  about  to  be  thrown  promiscuously   among 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  203 


countless  others  of  a  faith  and  religious  training  not  their  own;  are  to  be 
far  removed  from  the  saving  influence  of  home  and  church;  and  exposed 
to  dangers  and  temptations  against  faith  and  morals  the  like  of  which 
they  never  dreamed  before.  Can  we  Catholics,  we  children  of  St.  Fran- 
cis stand  idly  by  while  Protestant  sects,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  and  other  non- 
Catholic  organizations  exercise  their  pernicious  influence  over  our  Catholic 
soldier  boys?  We  have  been  informed  that  while  our  forces  recently 
patrolled  the  Mexican  border,  there  were  indeed  Catholic  centers  estab- 
lished among  them  by  the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  other  Catholic  societies, 
and  that  they  were  frequented  by  both  Catholic  and  non-Catholic  soldiers; 
but  unhappily  their  number  was  too  few,  their  sphere  of  action  all  too 
limited. 

Here  then  is  an  opportunity  thrown  in  the  path  of  our  Tertiary  fra- 
ternities for  the  exercise  of  true  Franciscan  charity.  Nearly  every 
large  city  in  the  country  will  soon  have  its  training  camps,  its  garrisons 
of  soldiers.  Tertiaries,  give  evidence  of  the  spirit  that  animates  your 
hearts.  Let  not  this  golden  opportunity  for  doing  good  slip  by  unheeded. 
Let  it  not  be  said  that  the  Protestant  sects  were  more  solicitous  of  the 
needs  of  their  soldier  boys  than  were  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  knight- 
ly St.  Francis  of  Assisi  concerned  about  the  welfare  of  their  co-religion- 
ists and  fellow  Tertiaries  in  the  ranks  of  our  armies.  Let  the  fraternities 
establish  Catholic  centers  where  our  soldiers  can  recreate  themselves  with- 
out danger  to  their  faith  and  morals;  where  they  will  have  an  opportunity 
of  reading  sound  Catholic  newspapers,  magazines,  and  other  publications; 
where  they  can  replenish  their  stock  of  Catholic  articles  of  devotion,  as 
rosaries,  scapulars,  blessed  medals,  and  the  like  more.  Let  them  write  to 
the  various  Catholic  chaplains  in  the  army  and  navy  and  ask  them  how 
they  can  best  serve  the  cause  of  God  among  the  soldiers  and  sailors  under 
their  spiritual  charge.  Those  Tertiaries  who  have  leisure,  should  visit 
the  camps  and  learn  the  needs  of  the  soldiers,  and  then  report  the  matter 
to  the  officers  of  their  fraternity. 

We  must,  however,  warn  our  readers  from  endeavoring  to  pose  as 
the  self-constituted  guardians  of  our  Catholic  soldiers'  faith  and  morals; 
such  a  manner  of  acting  far  from  attracting,  will  only  serve  to  repel  them. 
Religion  should  not  be  opportunely  and  inopportunely  forced  into  the  fore- 
ground in  these  centers,  but  should  permeate  their  entire  activity.  Just 
as  our  young  men  would  resent  the  transformation  of  their  parish  clubs 
into  chapels,  so,  too,  will  they  take  umbrage  at  indiscreet  zeal  under  the 
guise  of  solicitude  for  their  religious  welfare.  Let  us  show  ourselves  as 
their  true  friends,  and  let  them  feel  that  it  gives  us  real  pleasure  to  help 
them  where  and  how  we  can.  In  this  way,  we  shall  earn  their  gratitude 
and,  what  is  of  far  more  value,  shall  reap  an  abundant  reward  for  our 
charity  in  heaven. 


"MODERN  IMPROVEMENTS"  IN  EDUCATION 

During  the  course  of  this  month,  hundreds  of  non-Catholic  academies 
and  colleges  will  fling  open  wide  their  portals  and  send  forth  large  classes 
of  begowned  and  becapped  graduates  "equipped  with  all  modern  im- 
provements". At  the  commencement  exercises  these  same  young  lady 
graduates  will  entertain  their  enraptured  audiences  with  some  specimens 


204  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

<c 

of  these  "improvements"  in  our  modern  educational  system,  "improve- 
ments" that  make  our  old  fashioned  grandmothers  open  their  eyes 
and  mouths  with  wonder  and  perhaps  with  consternation.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  our  Catholic  academies,  instead  of  aping  the  vagaries  of  our 
non-Catholic  institutions,  will  prefer  fewer  "modern  improvements"  and 
equip  their  alumnae  with  those  time-honored  qualifications  necessary  for 
the  faithful  and  efficient  fulfillment  of  their  duties  in  after  life  as  wives 
and  mothers  in  our  American  homes.  The  sphere  of  the  woman  living 
in  the  world  is  preeminently  the  home,  nor  can  this  disposition  of  Divine 
Providence  be  whimsically  ignored  by  the  women  of  our  day.  The  quali- 
ties indispensable  to  every  good  housewife  and  mother  are  love,  fidelity 
and  self-denial.  With  these  can  she  reign  as  queen  of  the  home,  but  not 
with  a  terrible  array  of  "isms"  and  "ologies"  that  were  crammed  into 
her  poor  head  during  the  years  spent  in  the  academy.  Sir  Herbert  Tree 
made  a  plea  for  just  such  old  fashioned  women  for  our  modern  homes  in 
a  discourse  on  woman  held  recently  at  Vassar.  He  spoke  in  part  as  fol- 
fows: 

"I  have  always  thought  that  as  tyrants  women  are  sometimes  ridicu- 
lous; as  ministering  angels  there  is  no  limit  to  their  power.  Their  instru- 
ment is  the  harp.  In  the  great  orchestra  of  life,  women  should  never 
play  the  trombone.  Their  sway  is  through  womanliness— that  is  what 
makes  men  look  up  to  them  and  maintains  their  chivalry.  The  greatest 
women  in  history  have  been  those  who  calmed  men;  who  by  their  nobility 
have  encouraged  men  to  do  great  deeds  and  have  rewarded  them  with 
their  loves.     So  it  is  for  you,  young  women  of  America,  to  do  to-day" 


JAPANESE  PROFESSOR  LAUDS  FRANCISCANS 

Addressing  a  gathering  of  Japanese  savants  in  his  home  city,  the 
Mayor  of  Tokio  told  them  of  a  journey  made  through  Europe  last  year  by 
Dr.  Anezaki  Masaha,  professor  of  comparative  religion  at  the  University 
of  Tokio.     He  said  among  other  things: 

"The  study  of  the  personality  and  the  life  work  of  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi  made  a  deep  impression  on  Dr.  Masaha.  He  obtained  permission 
from  the  Vatican  to  visit  the  mother  house  of  the  Poor  Clares  in  Rome. 
The  Mother  Superior  he  described  as  a  woman  of  'great  enlightenment,' 
who  discussed  the  deepest  questions  with  the  most  touching  simplicity. 
He  also  visited  several  houses  of  the  Lazarists,  Dominicans,  Benedictines 
and  Franciscans.  'I  found  the  life  within  the  cloister  walls,'  he  writes, 
'radiant  with  joy  beyond  expectation.  In  a  certain  class  of  books  much 
is  read  about  the  corruption  of  the  monasteries.  It  will  be  well  to  meet 
such  accusations  with  distrust,  as  they  are  generally  made  by  apostate 
members.  The  pleasant,  wide  awake  character  and  the  openheartedness 
of  the  Religious  with  whom  I  became  acquainted  impressed  me  favorably. 
I  have  found  many  good  friends  among  them,  and  I  correspond  with  some 
of  them  still.  If  we  look  only  at  the  Franciscan  monasteries  we  feel  that 
the  spirit  of  Christianity  is  by  no  means  approaching  dissolution.  On  the 
contrary,  if  we  look  at  Buddhism  we  see  with  regret  that  its  once  flour- 
ishing monastic  life  has  woefully  declined.'  "  —  Catholic  News. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


205 


BL  PACIFICUS  OF  CERANO 


OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 


JUNE  5. 


THIS  great  servant  of  God  was 
born  of  the  illustrious  family 
of  Ramota,  at  Cerano,  a  town 
of  northern  Italy,  in  1424.  He  had 
the  misfortune  of  losing  his  parents 
when  he  was  still  very  young,  but 
Divine  Providence  gave  him  a  pro- 
tector and  guardian  in  the  person 
of  the  abbot  of  the  Benedictine 
monastery  of  the  neighboring  city 
of  Novara.  The  venerable  abbot 
provided  for  all  his  wants  and  en- 
abled him  to  acquire  an  excellent 
education.  The  instructions  and  the 
pious  life  of  the  abbot  and  of  his 
monks  did  not  fail  to  make  a  deep 
impression  on  the  innocent  heart  of 
Pacificus,  and  on  the  death  of  his 
benefactor,  he  determined  to  give 
himself  up  entirely  to  the  service  of 
£od.  He  felt  himself  called  to  the 
Order  of  St.  Francis,  and,  in  1445, 
he  received  the  habit  in  the  convent 
of  the  Friars  Minor  at  Novara. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  his 
religious  life,  Pacificus  earnestly 
strove  to  carry  out  the  admoni- 
tion of  St.  Paul  "to  put  off  the  old 
man,  and  to  put  on  the  new  man, 
who  according  to  God  is  created  in 
justice  and  holiness  of  truth",  by 
dying  to  the  world  and  seeking  in 
all  things  to  fulfill  the  will  and 
pleasure  of  God.  In  a  short  time, 
he  aroused  the  admiration  of  all  by 
his  great  love  of  prayer,  his  humili- 
ty, obedience,  self-denial,  and  chari- 
ty. He  was  a  model  for  his  breth- 
ren not  only  in  the  practice  of  every 


religious  virtue,  but  also  in  the  seri- 
ous application  to  the  study  of  the 
sacred  sciences,  in  which  he  made 
such  progress  that  he  was  reckoned 
among  the  most  learned  men  of  his 
age. 

The  superiors  of  the  Order,  aware 
of  the  sanctity  and  learning  of  the 
young  religious,  commissioned  him, 
after  his  ordination  to  the  priest- 
hood, to  preach  missions.  Burning 
with  zeal  for  the  honor  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  souls,  the  servant 
of  God  joyfully  hastened  to  share 
in  the  apostolic  labors  of  the  sons 
of  St.  Francis  who,  in  the  spirit  and 
under  the  guidance  of  St.  Bernardine 
of  Siena  and  his  illustrious  disciples, 
were  contributing  so  much  to  the 
religious,  moral,  and  social  regenera- 
tion of  Italy.  For  nineteen  years, 
Pacificus  preached  the  word  of  God 
with  wonderful  success,  first  at 
Novara  and  in  the  surrounding 
country,  and  later  in  most  of  the 
provinces  of  Italy.  He  everywhere 
combated  errors,  ended  strifes  and 
quarrels,  and  brought  back  numer- 
ous souls  to  God.  He  attributed  his 
success  for  the  most  part  to  the  in- 
tercession of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
toward  whom  he  had  a  most  tender 
devotion.  He  saw,  too,  that  one  of 
the  best  means  to  preserve  the 
fruits  of  the  missions  and  to  lead 
the  people  to  persevere  in  the  prac- 
tices of  a  Christian  life  was  to  implant 
in  their  hearts  a  great  love  for  the 
Mother  of  God.     For  this  reason,  he 


206 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


constantly  exhorted  his  hearers  to 
place  themselves  under  her  special 
protection,  to  invoke  her  in  all  their 
needs,  and  to  show  their  love  and 
veneration  for  her  especially  by 
striving  to  imitate  her  virtues.  Not 
satisfied  with  this,  he  founded 
several  con- 
fraternities, 
or  sodalities, 
in  her  honor, 
which  b  e- 
cameasource 
of  innumera- 
ble graces 
for  many 
pious  souls. 
The  servant 
of  God  also 
induced  the 
people  of 
Ceran  o  to 
build  a  chap- 
el in  honor 
of  our  Lady; 
this  chapel 
was  his  fa- 
vorite place 
of  devotion, 
and  in  it,  he 
found  his  fi- 
nal resting 
place.  To 
assist  priests 
in  the  ardu- 
ous duty  of 
hearing  the 
confessions 

of  the  faithful,  Pacificus 
published  a  work  on  moral  theology, 
named  after  him  '  'Summa  Pacifica, " 
which  showed  the  learning  and 
zeal  of  the  servant  of  God,  and 
which  was,  at  that  time,  considered 


Bl.  Pacificu 

in   1474, 


the  best  treatise  of  its  kind. 

Amid  all  these  labors,  Pacificus 
was  always  united  with  God  in 
prayer,  so  humble  that  he  was 
the  servant  of  all,  so  kind  and 
charitable  that  all  rejoiced  to  con- 
verse with  him.  Pope  Sixtus  IV 
placed  such 
confidence  in 
his  ability 
and  p  r  u - 
dencethathe 
sent  him  to 
the  island  of 
Sardinia  t  o 
root  out  cer- 
tain abuses 
which  ex- 
isted there, 
and  the  serv- 
ant of  God 
fulfilled  his 
commission 
to  the  satis- 
faction of  all. 
In  the  year 
1480,  Mo- 
hammed II 
collected  a 
powerful 
army  and 
prepared  to 
invade  Italy. 
Pope  Sixtus 
IV  charged 
Bl.  Angelo  of 
Chi  vasso, 
s  of  Cerano  Vicar  Gener- 

al of  the  Observance,  to  send  preach- 
ers throughout  Italy  to  preach  a 
crusade  against  the  Turks.  Bl.Pacfi- 
cus  was  ordered  to  fulfill  this  mis- 
sion in  Sardinia,  and  at  the  same 
time,  the  General  Chapter  appointed 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


207 


him  Visitor  and  Commissary  Gen- 
eral of  all  the  convents  in  that 
island.  The  servant  of  God  was 
preaching  at  Cerano  when  he  re- 
ceived the  news  of  these  appoint- 
ments. He  bade  farewell  to  his  be- 
loved fellow  citizens,  gave  them  his 
last  counsels  and  admonitions,  and 
then  added,  "In  the  name  of  the 
love  you  bear  me,  I  ask  of  you  this 
favor,  that  when  you  hear  of  my 
death,  you  will  have  my  poor 
wretched  remains  translated  to  my 
native  place,  that  I  may  be  buried 
in  this  dear  church  which  I  have 
erected  in  honor  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin." 
On  his  arrival  in  Sardinia,  Pacifi- 


cus  was  welcomed  by  the  people  with 
transports  of  joy,  for  they  still 
preserved  a  precious  memory  of  his 
former  mission.  He  at  once  began 
to  preach  the  crusade,  but  in  the 
midst  of  his  labors,  he  fell  sick  and 
passed  to  his  eternal  reward  on  June 
4,  1482,  in  the  fifty-eighth  year  of 
his  age.  The  people  of  Cerano  had 
his  remains  brought  to  their  town 
and  placed  them  in  the  chapel  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  as  the  servant  of 
God  had  requested.  In  later  years, 
they  built  a  magnificent  church  in 
his  honor.  Pope  Benedict  XIV,  in 
1745,  confirmed  the  veneration 
shown  Pacificus  from  time  imme- 
morial. 


©Ijp  g>arram?ttt  of  Han? 

'©rnaa  not  enough,  for  Htm  from  lofty  Beauen 

<£a  tarn*  upon  tlje-  eartlj,  a  little  rtjilb; 
Nor  yet  upon  ttje  rrimaon  trass  to  languiab,, 

Srratlje  out  Bib  life,  abanbone b  anb  rentleb. 

&ttll  mania  Be  prone  tljr  arbor  of  Bia  loutng, 

Wljirh.  brem  Bim  to  an  exile'a  lot  belnm; 
Hour  fonnb  a  mag— a  gift  bey nub  ttje  telling; 

(Dmnipotenre  turn*  greater  roulb  beatom. 

Un!  on  itfe  altar,  lo!  Mia  great  Heart  pulaing, 

Pitying.  tenber,  aa  in  baya  gone  by, 
Mljrn  far  aub  near  Bta  patient  footatepa  tnenbeb 

©er  Ijill  anb  uale  beneath.  Ilubea'a  aky.j 

£tlenre  all  arounb.    Iwt  bark,  a  noire  moat  gentle 

(Calla  from  tlje  tabernacle:  "(Home  to  He. 
Biait  iljy  King  by  lone  for  tb.ee  impriaoneb. 

Anb  rirljeat  bleaainga  mill  Be  alteb  on  tb.ee." 

Alaa.  bear  (Ebriat  men  paaa  tljy  boar— unbeebing 
SJlje  patient  lone  tljat  Itolba  ulljee  raptiue  tljerr. 

Max  ljuaka  of  eartlj  tljry  turn  from  Sreab  of  Beauen, 
(Jleleatial  ;oy  tljey  leane  for  morlbly  rare. 

ifforgiue.  (§  Harb,  'tia  not  mitlj  purpaaeb  malire. 

©hat  tfjua  me  alight  thy  tenber  Inning  Heart. 
Mast  arbent  lone  me  fain  to  GJljer  moulb  offer;— 

la  ®t]ton  ta  us.  (§  Slarb,  ttjta  lane  impart. 

— (Eatljertnr  M.  Bayea,  ulediary. 


208 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


OUTBREAK  OF  THE  STORM 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


THE  divorce  question  of  Henry 
VIII  was  intimately  connect- 
ed with  the  question  of  papal 
supremacy  in  matters  spiritual.  He 
had  married  Catherine  of  Aragon 
with  the  Pope's  dispensation,  and 
now  when  he  wished  to  annul  this 
marriage,  he  again  appealed  to  the 
Head  of  the  Church  as  the  only 
competent  authority  to  loose  the 
bond.  It  was  not  justice,  however, 
that  the  King  sought,  but  the  gra- 
tification of  his  unholy  passions. 
"Let  the  Pope  pronounce  sentence 
in  my  favor,"  he  said,  "and  I  will 
admit  his  authority,  else  it  shall  not 
be  admitted.  "(J)  Already  in  1532, 
Pope  Clement  VII  threatened  Henry 
with  excommunication  if  he  should 
carry  out  his  design.  Finally,  on 
July  11,  1533,  His  Holiness  declared 
that  Cranmer's  sentence  in  favor  of 
the  King  and  the  latter's  second 
marriage  with  Anne  Boleyn  were 
null  and  void,  that  Henry  had  in- 
curred the  greater  excommunica- 
tion, which,  however,  would  be  sus- 
pended till  the  end  of  September, 
to  give  the  King  ample  time  for  re- 
flection. 

This  action  of  the  Holy  See  which 
was  published  in  writing  on  August 
5,  brought  matters  to  a  crisis.  Dur- 
ing the  remainder  of  the  year  1533, 
negotiations  were  continued  be- 
tween the  Holy  See  and  the  foreign 
agents  of  the  English  King.  Henry 
dreaded  the  impending  excommuni- 
cation. Besides,  his  disappointment 
was  great  when  he  learned  that  the 


child  Anne  Boleyn  bore  him  on 
September  7,  1533,  was  a  girl.  From 
then  on,  the  ardor  of  his  affection 
for  her  cooled  perceptibly.  Per- 
haps he  would  even  have  reinstated 
Catherine  in  her  rights  as  wife  and 
queen  and  relented  in  his  rebellious 
attitude  toward  the  Pope.(3)  But 
ambitious  courtiers  were  poisoning 
the  mind  of  Henry  and  urging  him 
to  disregard  the  decision  of  the 
Pope  and  to  take  the  divorce  ques- 
tion in  his  own  hands.  When, 
therefore,  early  in  December  fol- 
lowing, the  papal  bull  of  excommu- 
nication was  delivered  to  him  by 
Cromwell,  he  grew  desperate,  and 
in  April  of  the  next  year,  he  had 
the  English  Parliament  pass  the  in- 
famous Act  of  Royal  Supremacy. 
To  forestall  trouble,  Henry  informed 
the  people  that  since  the  Bishop  of 
Rome  had  no  more  authority  in  Eng- 
land than  any  other  foreign  bishop, 
he  had  appealed  from  the  "Usurper 
of  God's  laws,  who  calls  himself 
Pope"  to  the  next  General  Council. 
All  priests  and  religious  were  order- 
ed to  defend  the  action  of  the  King 
in  their  sermons. (3) 

Among  the  clergy  of  England,  the 
Franciscan  Observants  proved  as 
determined  and  zealous  in  upholding 
the  supremacy  of  the  Pope  as  they 
had  been  in  defending  the  rights  of 
their  outraged  queen.  While  jurists 
and  divines  debated  on  the  nature 
and  scope  of  papal  supremacy,  these 
friars  directed  by  their  holy  Rule, 
openly  espoused  the  cause  of  the 


(1)  Stone:      FeriOful  Unto  Death,   (London,  1892),  p.  2T. 
Till,  (London.  18!)|),  p.  332. (3)  See  Hope,  I.  c,  p.  343  sqq. 


-(2)  See   Hope:      The  Firxt   Divorce- of  Henrs 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


209 


Pope.  They,  in  particular,  had 
been  forbidden  to  occupy  any  pulpit 
in  England  unless  they  would  under- 
take to  defend  the  King's  usurped 
supremacy.  Henry  and  his  party  had 
not  forgotten  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow 
and  the  effect  of  their  sermons  in 
the  spring  of  1533. (1)  Could  he  but 
win  over  the  Observants,  to  gain  the 
people  for  his  cause  would  then  be 
an  easy  matter.  It  was  probably 
this  desire  that  induced  him  to  have 
the  child  of  Anne  Boleyn  baptized 
in  their  church  at  Greenwich  with 
the  utmost  splendor  and  solemnity. 
But  the  friars  were  insensible  to 
royal  blandishments  as  well  as  to 
royal  threats,  and  to  his  dismay, 
the  King  learned  that  all  over  Eng- 
land they  had  been  publicly  denounc- 
ing his  intended  rupture  with  Rome. 
Then  his  rage  knew  no  bounds,  and 
goaded  on  by  those  who  had  reason 
to  hate  the  friars,  he  determined  to 
strike  terror  into  them  and  into  the 
nation  at  large. 

A  favorable  opportunity  soon  pre- 
sented itself.  Near  Canterbury, 
where  the  Franciscan  Observants 
had  a  friary,  lived  Elizabeth  Bar- 
ton, a  maiden  of  eighteen  years, 
who  during  a  sickness  seemed  to  be 
favored  by  Heaven  with  visions  and 
ecstacies. (3)  Ever  since  1525,  the 
matter  was  causing  a  stir  among  the 
people  and  William  Warham,  the 
zealous  and  prudent  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  appointed  a  commis- 
sion of  learned   priests  to  make  in- 


vestigations. Of  their  number  two 
were  Franciscan  Observants,  Fr. 
Hugh  Rich,  guardian  of  the  local 
convent,  and  Fr.  Richard  Risby,  a 
priest  of  the  community. (3)  The  re- 
port of  the  commission  proved  fa- 
vorable to  the  Holy  Maid  of  Kent, 
as  the  girl  was  called,  so  that  when 
she  applied  for  admission  into  the 
Benedictine  nunnery  of  St.  Sepulch- 
er,  near  by,  the  Archbishop  readily 
gave  his  consent.  Even  in  the 
convent,  the  strange  visions  and 
ecstacies  continued.  In  these,  the 
holy  nun  deeply  deplored  the  im- 
morality and  indifference  of  the 
times,  while  her  bold  utterances  on 
the  King's  "secret  affair"  and  on 
the  question  of  papal  supremacy, 
evoked  much  comment  among  all 
classes  of  society.  Some  considered 
her  a  saint  inspired  by  God  for  the 
spiritual  safety  of  the  King  and  the 
country,  while  others  declared  her 
an  impostor  and  a  hypocrite  deserv- 
ing of  death  at  the  stake.  The 
Franciscan  Observants  together 
with  men  like  Bl.  Bishop  Fisher,  Bl. 
Sir  Thomas  More,  and  others  well 
known  for  learning  and  virtue,  de- 
clared in  favor  of  the  Holy  Maid.(4) 
At  first,  the  King  gave  the  affair 
little  attention.  But  about  midsum- 
mer, 1533,  the  Holy  Maid  publicly 
inveighed  against  the  King  for  his 
scandalous  relations  with  Anne 
Boleyn.  On  one  occasion,  she  even 
threatened  him  '  'in  the  name  and 
by  the    authority    of    God"    with 


(1)  That  this  took  place  in  1533  (see  Franciscan  Herald,  1917,  p.  170,  note  1)  is  further  probable  from  Fr. 
Lyst's  letter  to  Cromwell  cited  by  Cardinal  Gasquet,  {Henry  the  Eighth  and  the  English  Monasteries,  P-  47)  on 
the  authority  of  the  State  Papers.— Dom  Bede  Camm,  O.S.B.,  basing  his  assertion  on  Chapuy's  account  to  Charles 
V  as  found  in  the  State  Papers  says  that  Fr.  Peyto's  sermon  was  held  Easter  day,  i.  e..  March  31,  lo33.  Lives 
of  the  En.fl/i-:h  Martt/rs,  (London,  1904,  Vol.  I,  p.  278.)  The  State  Papers  seem  to  contain  contradictory  statements 

on  this  point. (2)  The  following  account  of  the  Holy  Maid  of  Kent  is  based  chiefly  on   Cardinal  Gasquet,  1.  c, 

chap.  TIL (3)  It  seems  that  later  he  was  elected  guardian  of   Richmond,   in   which  capacity,  according  to 

Bourchier,  he  suffered  martyrdom. (i)  See  Stone,  1.  c,  p.  22  sqq.,  citing  a   litter  of  Bl.  Thomas  More  to  Crom- 
well. 


210 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Heaven's  vengeance  if  he  would 
not  leave  his  wicked  ways,  and 
prophesied  that  in  time  Mary, 
Queen  Catherine's  daughter,  would 
mount  the  throne  of  England.  When 
this  was  reported  to  Henry,  he  be- 
came much  alarmed  and  had  the 
nun  together  with  her  supposed  ad- 
visers thrown  into  the  Tower.  Not 
only  the  common  people  but  even 
men  of  high  repute  for  learning  in 
the  realm  and,  what  piqued  him 
most,  the  obstinate  friars  of  the 
Franciscan  Observance  were  favor- 
ably disposed  toward  the  nun.  To 
this  came  the  constant  urging  of 
Anne  Boleyn  for  quick  and  decisive 
action  against  all  opponents  of  their 
recent  marriage.  Accordingly,  the 
King  resolved  to  take  severe  mea- 
sures against  the  nun  and  her  ad- 
herents* 

In  order  te  delude  the  people  and 
give  his  proceedings  the  semblance 
of  justice,  it  was  necessary  to  black- 
en the  character  of  the  Maid  of 
Kent.  Of  this  foul  plan,  Cromwell 
and  Cranmer  were  eager  abettors. 
About  the  month  of  October,  1533, 
they  subjected  the  nun  and  her  com- 
panions to  a  strict  examination  in  the 
Star  Chamber  and  then  spread  the 
false  report  that  according  to  given 
statements  the  nun's  ecstacies  and 
visions  had  been  a  fraud  to  arouse 
popular  feeling  against  the  King. 
On  November  23,  Elizabeth  Barton 
and  her  main  adherents  were  forced 
to  do  public  penance.  On  a  high 
scaffold  erected  at  St.  Paul's  Cross 
in  London,  the  supposed  rebels  and 
imposters  were  exposed  like  nefari- 
ous criminals  to  the  gaze  of  a  duped 

(1)  Stone,  1.  .:.,  p.  26. 


populace.  Dr.  Capon,  who  had  de- 
serted his  cloister  to  become  a 
bishop,  occupied  a  pulpit  opposite 
the  scaffold.  With  a  zeal  worthy  of 
a  better  cause  he  publicly  defended 
his  royal  master  in  his  dealings 
with  the  Pope  and  defiantly  branded 
the  nun  and  all  those  who  sided  with 
her  as  lying  hypocrites  and  danger- 
ous plotters  against  the  King  and 
the  country.  The  principal  target 
of  his  strictures  were  the  two  Fran- 
ciscans, Fr.  Rich  and  Fr.  Risby. 
These  he  blamed  in  particular  as 
ringleaders  of  the  rebellion,  since 
by  word  and  deed  they  had  influ- 
enced others  in  behalf  of  the  nun.  (1) 
Thereupon,  he  read  aloud  the  con- 
fessions of  the  accused,  which  of 
course  had  been  forged  by  Henry's 
ministers.  After  this  public  humil- 
iation, the  "penitents"  were  con- 
ducted past  a  large  concourse  of 
people  to  the  Tower.  Henry  was 
elated  over  the  effect  of  this  public 
penance  on  the  minds  of  the  people. 
To  all  appearance,  their  faith  injthe 
Holy  Maid  "had  been  shaken  and 
they  were  now  more  favorably  dis- 
posed toward  him. 

Some  time  later,  FF.  Rich  and 
Risby  were  called  on  to  conduct  a 
disputation  with  the  King's  men 
regarding  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope.  With  joy  they  hailed  this 
opportunity  of  publicly  defending  a 
dogma  so  dear  to  their  heart.  The 
disputation,  it  seems,  was  held  in 
the  King's  presence.  Everything 
short  of  brutal  force  was  employed 
to  elicit  from  the  friars  a  denial  of 
the  Pope's  supreme  authority.  But, 
neither  threats  nor  promises  could 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


211 


for  a  moment  shake  their  constancy. 
Finally,  they  were  taken  back  to 
prison,  where  they  were  cruelly 
tortured.  But  they  declared  them- 
selves ready  to  suffer  a  thousand 
times  more,  even  death  itself,  rath- 
er than  renounce  the  Pope,  whom, 
as  children  of  Mother  Church  and 
as  followers  of  St.  Francis,  they 
knew  to  be  the  only  true  Vicar  of 
Christ  on  earth. (1) 

Henry  was  incensed  at  their  un- 
flinching and  intrepid  constancy. 
Their  fellow  friars,  too,  had  all  this 
while  been  redoubling  their  zeal  in 
defence  of  papal  supremacy.  There 
was  danger  that  the  recent  treach- 
ery of  Cromwell  and  Cranmer  would 
again  be  undone,  especially  when 
the  papal  Bull  announcing  Henry's 
excommunication  reached  England, 
and  when  it  was  rumored  that  the 
late  confessions  of  the  holy  nun  and 
her  party  were  a  fraud.  The  King 
realized  this  only  too  well;  and  ac- 
cordingly he  decided  to  terrorize 
the  obstinate  Observant  body  and 
at  the  same  time  to  frighten  the 
wavering  people  into  silent  submis- 
sion. The  sight  of  Tyburn,  thought 
he,  would  make  the  friars  quail,  and 
the  blood  of  the  Maid  of  Kent  and 
of  her  adherents  would  quench  all 
enthusiasm  for  the  Pope. 

In  order  to  condemn  them  to 
death,  it  was  necessary  to  convict 
them  of  some  capital  offence.  To 
this  end,  parliament  was  made  to 
pass  an  act  which  declared  it  high 
treason  to  criticize  the  King's  mar- 
riage with  Anne  Boleyn  or  in  any 
way  to  uphold  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope.     The  bill   of  attainder     was 

(1)  Stone,  I.e.,  p.  30. 


passed  on  March  12,  1534.  Now 
Henry  could  act  with  impunity. 
Without  any  form  of  trial,  the  holy 
nun  and  her  companions  were  de- 
clared guilty  of  high  treason  and 
condemned  to  death. 

On  April  20,  1534,  Elizabeth  Bar- 
ton and  her  adherents  were  fastened 
on  hurdles  and  dragged  to  Tyburn 
amid  the  gibes  of  a  deluded  popu- 
lace. Faint  with  sufferings  and 
bespattered  with  mud,  the  poor  vic- 
tims at  last  came  in  sight  of  the 
place  of  execution.  On  a  high 
scaffold  stood  the  gallows  with  a 
caldron  of  boiling  water;  near  by, 
on  a  bench,  lay  an  axe  and  a  huge 
knife.  The  hangsmen  unbound  the 
martyrs  one  by  one  and  led  them  to 
the  scaffold.  The  Holy  Maid  of 
Kent  was  the  first  to  suffer.  She 
was  hanged  and  beheaded.  Fr. 
Rich  was  now  loosed  from  the  hur- 
dle and  ordered  to  mount  the  scaf- 
fold. With  his  gaze  turned  to 
heaven  he  prayed  for  constancy  in 
the  hour  of  trial  and  torture.  He 
was  already  standing  on  the  ladder, 
when  there  was  a  commotion  in  the 
crowd.  A  messenger  had  arrived 
from  the  King  with  a  full  pardon 
for  the  friars,  if  they  would  relent 
and  renounce  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope.  After  reading  the  message 
aloud,  the  presiding  officer  turned 
to  Fr.  Rich  and  began  to  extol  the 
King's  mercy  and  long-suffering. 
A  look  of  celestial  joy  played  on  the 
countenance  of  the  condemned  friar. 
This  was  what  he  had  hoped  and 
prayed  for.  Now  he  could  publicly 
profess  his  faith,  for  which  he  was 
about  to  undergo  torture  and  death. 


212 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


He  listened  in  silence  while  the  offi- 
cer spoke.  Then  raising  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  he  exclaimed  with  a  loud 
and  resolute  voice,  '  'Not  only  will  I 
not  rebel  against  the  authority  of 
the  Pope,  but  I  am  ready  to  suffer 
the  most  cruel  death  for  Holy  Moth- 
er Church.' '(1)  Hardly  had  he  ut- 
tered this  heroic  profession  of  faith, 
when  the  executioner  rushed  like  a 
madman  on  the  holy  friar,  rudely 
flung  the  rope  about  his  neck  and 
thrust  him  from  the  ladder.  In- 
stantly he  leaped  toward  the  dang- 
ling body  and  cut  the  rope  by  which 
it  was  suspended.  With  a  dismal 
thump,  the  body  fell  to  the  floor  of 
the  scaffold.  Now  a  scene  was 
enacted  that  can  be  better  imagined 
than  described.  Seizing  the  huge 
knife,  the  executioner  thrust  it  into 
the  friar's  abdomen  and  ripped 
open  his  body.  All  this  while,  the 
helpless  victim,  still  living  and  con- 
scious, moved  his  lips  in  silent  pray- 
er. Then  the  executioner  thrust 
his  sacrilegious  hand  through  the 
gash  he  had  made,  tore  out  the  still 
palpitating  heart,  held  it  up  to  the 
people  and  exclaimed  in  cold  deri- 
sion, "Behold  the  heart  of  a  trai- 
tor." Finally,  after  extracting  the 
entrails  from  the  bleeding  corpse 
and  throwing  them  into  the  fire,  he 
severed  the  head,  quartered  the 
body,  and  threw  the  limbs  into  the 
boiling  caldron ;  later,  they  were  ex- 
posed to  public  view  on  the  gates 
of  London,  while  the  head  was 
fastened  to  a  pole  and  placed  on 
London  Bridge. 
All  eyes  turned  toward  Fr.    Ris- 


by,  when  his  name  was  called. 
With  mingled  emotions  of  pride  and 
grief,  he  had  witnessed  the  horrible 
sufferings  and  death  of  his  fellow 
friar.  Now  when  his  turn  had 
come  to  mount  the  ladder  and  offer 
his  life  in  defence  of  his  faith,  fear- 
less determination  to  persevere  to 
the  end  was  clearly  written  on  his 
noble  brow.  His  eyes  gleamed  with 
radiant  hope  of  the  crown  awaiting 
him  in  a  better  world,  while  his 
soul  was  in  fond  communion  with 
Him  for  the  spread  of  whose  king- 
dom he  had  labored  so  zealously  in 
the  Order  of  St.  Francis. 

Fr.  Risby  now  mounted  the  ladder 
and  the  rope  was  placed  around  his 
neck.  Meanwhile,  the  noble  friar 
made  the  offering  of  his  life  to 
God  in  the  words  of  the  royal  proph- 
et, '  'I  will  freely  sacrifice  to  thee, 
and  will  give  praise,  0  God,  to  thy 
name:  because  it  is  good."  The 
presiding  officer  now  confronted  him 
and  in  the  King's  name  offered  him 
life  and  liberty,  if  he  would  renounce 
the  Pope  and  declare  his  allegiance  to 
the  spiritual  supremacy  of  the  King. 
At  this  suggestion,  the  dauntless 
friar  laughed  and  declared  that 
nothing  in  this  life  could  separate 
him  from  his  God;  that,  on  the  con- 
trary, he  deemed  it  a  privilege  to  be 
allowed  to  die  in  defence  of  Catholic 
truth  and  morality.  This  was 
enough.  Without  further  ado,  he 
was  thrown  from  the  ladder,  cut 
down,  and  while  still  living  sub- 
jected to  the  same  inhuman  treat- 
ment he  had  seen  his  fellow  friar 
endure.      When    the    executioner 


(l)From  this  fact  it  is  evident  that  he  as  well  as  his  fellow  friar  suffered  death  for  defending  the  Catholic  doc- 
trine of  the  papal  supremacy  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  See  also  P.  Gaudentius:  Bedetuung  unci  Verdienste  dee  Fran- 
citcaner-ordene  im  Kampfe  gegen  den  Proteetontivmitx.  Bozen,  1880.  p.  26,  note  4. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


213 


seized  his  heart  to  tear  it  out,  the 
holy  man  said  with  a  broken  voice, 
"That  which  thou  hast  in  thy  hand 
is  consecrated  to  God."  The  cruel 
wretch  merely  smiled  in  disdain 
and  completed  his  bloody  work.(1) 
Besides  FF.  Rich  and  Risby,  two 
Benedictine  monks  of  Christ  Church, 
Canterbury,  and  two  secular  priests 
were  executed  on  this  occasion. 
Holy  Mother  Church  has  not  yet 
bestowed  the  honor  of  her  altars  on 


these  heroic  defenders  of  the  faith; 
but  che  Franciscan  Martyrology 
places  the  names  of  FF.  Rich  and 
Risby  among  the  martyrs  of  the 
Order. (->  As  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow 
had  been  the  first  publicly  to  de- 
nounce King  Henry's  wanton  policy 
against  his  lawful  wife  and  queen,  (3) 
so  now  again  two  friars  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Observance  were  among  the 
first  to  lay  down  their  lives  in  de- 
fence of  papal  supremacy. 

(1)  The  above  account  of  the  two  Franciscan  martyrs  is  taken  principally  from  Fr.  Thomas  Bou- 
chier.  Hint.  Ece.  de  Marfyrio  FF-  Ord.  Min..  1586.  The  author  entered  the  Franciscan  Order  at  Greenwich,  in 
1557,  at  the  time  when  the  English  province  was  restored  by  Queen  Mary.  He  must  then  have  known  some  of 
the  older  English  Franciscans  and  received  from  them  much  valuable  information  regarding  the  firs'  years  of  the 
persecution  under  Henry  VIII.  Tnis evidently  gives  his  history  great  authority. (2)  Parkinson:  The  Antiqui- 
ties of  the  English  Franciscan*, (London,  1726)  p.  229. (3)  .See  Franciscan  Herald  1917,  p.  168  sua. 


BELLEVUE  COVE 

By  Fr.  Giles,  O.F.M. 


IT  was  the  last  Monday  in  June 
that  the  Parkinsons  arrived  at 
Bellevue  Cove,  their  new  sum- 
mer home  on  Lake  Huron.  The 
following  morning,  while  his  moth- 
er and  the  servants  were  unpacking 
boxes  and  trunks  and  setting  the 
rooms  in  order,  Ralph  got  out  his 
little  racing  yacht,  that  the  boat- 
man had  brought  over  from  their 
former  country  seat  at  Ridgeway, 
for  a  trial  trip  on  the  lake.  The  day 
was  ideal  for  the  sport,  and  the 
trim  vessel  skimmed  lightly  over 
the  waves,  its  graceful  white  hull 
and  spotless  sails  giving  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  giant  gull  gliding 
across  the  sky-blue  waters  with  its 
snowy  pinions  spread  to  the  wind. 
After  sailing  along  the  shore  for 
about  fifteen   miles,    Ralph  deter- 


mined to  go  on  to  Pine  Cliff,  the 
summer  home  of  Judge  Adams  and 
his  family,  some  five  miles  farther 
on,  and  to  pay  them  a  surprise  visit 
before  returning  home.  On  reach- 
ing the  villa,  he  moored  his  yacht 
to  the  pier,  and  then  clambered  up 
the  winding  path  that  led  to  the 
summit  of  the  cliff.  Here  he  dis- 
covered Marcelle,  the  Judge's 
youngest  daughter,  reading  in  her 
favorite  arbor  near  the  edge  of  the 
precipice.  The  two  were  of  the 
same  age  and  had  been  playmates 
from  childhood,  Marcelle  often  play- 
fully styling  Ralph  her  "twin  broth- 
er". Ralph  had,  indeed,  become 
aware  of  the  fact  that  his  affection 
for  Marcelle  was  no'longer  that  of 
a  brother  but  of  a  lover:  yet  he  had 
never  ventured  to  disclose  this  se- 


214 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


cret  of  his  heart  to  her,  hoping 
that  a  favorable  occasion  would 
soon  present  itself  for  this  all-im- 
portant communication.  As  his  visit 
on  this  bright  June  morning  was 
wholly  unexpected,  he  was  all  the 
more  welcome  and  the,  two  were 
soon  engaged  in  animated  conversa- 
tion. 

"Is  the  scenery  more  enchanting 
at  BellevueCove  than  atRidgeway, 
or  perhaps  than  even  here  at  Pine 
Cliff?"  asked  the  girl,  casting  an 
admiring  glance  at  the  wonderful 
landscape  that  lay  before  them. 

"I'll  not  say  that,  Marcelle;  but 
the  house  is  far  more  comfortably 
arranged,  and  the  grounds  more 
tastefully  laid  out;  and  I  think 
mother  made  a  good  bargain  when 
she  purchased  it.  But  best  of  all — 
and  this  is  something  entirely  new 
to  you—"  here  the  young  man's 
eyes  danced  with  pleasure  over  the 
news  he  was  about  to  impart,— 
"I've  secured  the  property  next  to 
mother's,  a  most  delightful  villa 
with  flowers  and  brooks  and  birds 
and  trees  and  everything  that  can 
delight  the  eye  and  the  heart  of 
man,  and  where  in  the  not  distant 
future—"  he  suddenly  stopped  and 
blushed,  as  if  he  had  unwittingly 
said  too  much. 

"And  where  what?"  asked  Mar- 
celle, looking  surprisedly  at  her 
companion. 

"And  where  my  Marcelle  will,  I 
hope,  soon  be  mistress,"  he  finish- 
ed, taking  her  hand  in  his  and 
gazing  lovingly  into  her.  nut-brown 
eyes. 

The  occasion  for  which  he  had 
waited  had  come  sooner  than  Ralph 


expected,  and  he  was  glad  that  his 
secret  was  out.  The  effect  of  his 
words  on  the  blithe,  smiling  girl  at 
his  side,  however,  was  not  what  he 
had  expected.  Instead  of  the  blushes 
and  smiles  that  he  thought  would 
wreathe  her  face,  he  saw  the  color 
quickly  leave  her  cheeks,  and  her 
eyes  take  on  a  strange  look  of 
mixed  pity  and  sorrow. 

"Marcelle!"  he  whispered,  as  she 
quietly  drew  her  hand  from  his 
grasp. 

"No,  no,  Ralph,  that  can  never 
be.     I  never  can—" 

"Be  my  wife?"  he  interrupted. 
"Why,  Marcelle,  what's  to  hinder 
it?"— and  he,  too,  turned  pale,  as 
demon  jealousy  began  to  whisper 
into  his  ear. 

"You  know,  Ralph,  that  my  re- 
ligion forbids  me  to  contract  a 
mixed  marriage,  and  I  deeply  regret 
that  our  childhood  friendship  should 
have  ever  led  you  to  think  of  mar- 
rying me," 

"But  I  can't  see  why  your  re- 
ligion should  be  such  an  insuper- 
able barrier  to  our  marriage,"  he 
argued,  much  relieved  to  learn  that 
his  rival  was  merely  her  religion. 
"As  you  say,  we've  been  next  door 
playmates  all  our  lives,  sharing 
each  others  laughs  and  tears,  and 
allowing  nothing  to  mar  our  friend- 
ship; and  now  that  I  long  to  cement 
this  lifelong  friendship  by  the  clos- 
er and  holier  bond  of  matrimony, 
your  religion  suddenly  jumps  in  be- 
tween us." 

"It  is  just  because  the  marriage 
bond  is  so  holy,  Ralph,  that  I  must 
refuse  your  proffered  hand,"  re- 
plied the  girl  earnestly,  turning  her 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


215 


gaze  from  the  broad  expanse  of 
water  and  looking  tenderly  and 
pityingly  at  him. 

"But  I'm  perfectly  willing  to 
marry  you  according  to  the  laws  of 
your  Church/'  he  hurried  to  assure 
her,  hoping  thus  to  remove  the 
difficulty,  "and  I'll  gladly  give  you 
the  utmost  freedom  in  the  exercise 
of  your  religion." 

"There's  no  use  urging  the  mat- 
ter, Ralph;  I  will  never  contract  a 
mixed  marriage. " 

"Then  I'll  become  a  Catholic,  if  I 
must,  to  marry  you;  and  marry  you 
I  must,"  he  exclaimed  impetuously. 

"From  conviction  or  merely  as  a 
means  to  marry  me?"  she  ques- 
tioned with  trembling  voice,  for 
she  loved  the  young  man  as  a  broth- 
er and  would  gladly  have  accepted 
his  hand  had  there  been  no  question 
of  religion. 

Parkinson  realized  at  once  that 
his  fate  depended  on  his  answer  to 
this  question,  and  his  lips  were  be- 
ginning to  frame  the  lie  that  would 
make  him,  he  thought,  the  happiest 
man  in  the  world,  when  his  manly 
character  revolted  at  the  base  sub- 
terfuge, and  half  choked  with 
emotion  he  exclaimed: 

"Oh,  Marcelle!  you  know  that  I'd 
be  only  too  willing  to  believe  in 
your  religion  if  I  could;  but  try  as 
I  will,  I  simply  can't.  I  know  it's 
all  very  beautiful  and  poetical  and 
ennobling,  but  that  is  as  far  as  my 
faith  can  go,  much  as  I  regret  it." 

"Faith,  my  dear  Ralph,  is  a  gift 
of  God,  which  we  can  neither  merit 
nor  acquire  by  our  own  strength  of 
will  or  intellect." 

"Then  why  must  I  suffer  for  lack 


of  faith  through  no  fault  of  mine?" 

"That  you  have  been  born  out- 
side of  the  Catholic  Church,  is,  to 
be  sure,  no  fault  of  yours,  but  a 
mysterious  dispensation  of  Divine 
Providence  that  guides  and  shapes 
the  destinies  of  all  men,  and  per- 
mits some  to  be  born  in  this  re- 
ligion, others  in  that,  and  others 
again  in  no  religion,  as  you  yourself. 
You  are  mistaken,  however,  in 
styling  my  inability  to  marry  you  a 
punishment  for  your  lack  of  faith; 
it  is  as  little  a  punishment  as  your 
inability  to  soar  among  yonder  clouds 
is  a  punishment  for  your  lack  of 
wings." 

"I  see,  there's  no  use  arguing  the 
point;  but  you  must  realize,  Mar- 
celle, that  it  is  no  small  matter  for 
me  to  give  up  all  hope  of  ever  call- 
ing you  my  wife  after  these  many 
•years  of  silent  love  and  expecta- 
tion, and  all  on  account  of  such  a 
trivial  thing  as  your  religion." 

"You  greatly  mistake,  Ralph, 
when  you  term  my  religion  a  triv- 
ial matter,  for  it  is  the  dearest 
treasure  I  have  in  this  world.  — But 
come,  let  us  cease  this  useless  dis- 
cussion. We  part  friends  and  I 
shall  ever  cherish  you  as  my  'twin 
brother'  of  happy  childhood  days." 

"I  had  hoped  for  more,  Mar- 
celle,"  he  answered  sadly,  as  he 
took  her  hand  and  pressed  it  warmly. 

A  few  minutes  later  he  was  bound 
full  speed  for  home.  His  head 
seemed  afire,  his  heart  abursting. 
He  had  wooed  and  lost.  He  rebuk- 
ed himself  for  having  been  so  un- 
duly hasty  in  professing  his  love. 
He  should  have  awaited  a  more 
propitious     occasion.     He     should 


216 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


have— but  why  argue  thus  with 
himself?  That  Marcelle-Ms  Mar- 
celle— should  have  refused  his  love 
at  all  was  wholly  inexplicable  to 
him.  If  they  had  been  constant 
companions  from  babyhood,  play- 
ing together  as  sister  and  brother 
all  these  years,  why  could  they  not 
for  the  future  be  man  and  wife? 
Why  should  her  religion  now  raise 
itself  as  a  dividing  wall  between 
them  and  turn  their  paths  in  oppo- 
site directions?  The  more  he  ar- 
gued, the  more  his  poor  head  ached 
and  the  more  miserable  he  became. 

At  last,  he  drew  up  at  Bellevue 
Cove  and  was  taking  in  his  sails, 
when  his  ten-year  old  sister  Sarah 
came  tripping  down  the  velvety 
green  slope  crying  at  the  top  of 
her  voice: 

'  'Oh,  Ralph,  where  have  you  been 
so  long?  Mother  expected  you  back 
over  an  hour  ago. ' '  Then  as  she 
ran  out  on  the  little  pier,  she  drop- 
ped her  voice  and  said,  "Mother's 
in  the  biggest  flurry  and  wants  to 
see  you  right  away.  She's  all 
.worked  up  about  something  and 
was  crying,  and  Alice  and  Laurenn 
were  crying,  so  I  s'pose  something 
dreadful  has  happened." 

This  was  a  most  unpleasant  wel- 
come for  Ralph  in  his  present 
mood,  but  forcing  a  smile,  he  said 
cheerily,  "Oh,  Sarah,  I  don't  sup- 
pose it's  as  bad  as  you  think.  Tell 
mother  that  I'll  be  there  at  once." 

Ralph  tied  his  yacht  to  the  pier, 
and  then  sauntered  up  the  gravel 
path  to  the  house.  He  found  his 
mother  walking  nervously  to  and 
fro  on  the  broad  vine- covered  ve- 
randa. 


"Oh,  Ralph,  would  you  believe 
it?  Alice  and  Laurenn  have  both 
threatened  to  leave  simply  because 
there  is  no  Catholic  church  in  the 
neighborhood  where  they  can  hear 
Mass  on  Sundays.  I  can't  possibly 
let  them  go,  for  we'll  never  get 
two  such  maids  again.  I've  ex- 
hausted every  argument  to  induce 
them  to  stay,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 
Oh,  I  do  wish  we  had  never  left 
Ridgeway  for  this  place,  for  there 
they  had  no  difficulty  at  all  in  at- 
tending services  at  their  church." 

"Catholics  and  Catholic  princi- 
ples again!"  thought  Ralph  to  him- 
self, as  his  mother  continued  to 
speak.  "Surely,  some  evil  genius 
must  be  about  to-day  to  make 
things  disagreeable  for  us." 

True,  he  had  lived  next  door  to 
Catholics  all  his  life,  had  associated 
most  intimately  with  them,  and  had 
often  greatly  admired  their  fidelity 
to  principle  under  the  most  trying 
circumstances.  But  up  to  the  pres- 
ent this  fidelity  had  never  incon- 
venienced him. 

Alice  and  Laurenn  were  orphan 
sisters,  who  had  been  in  the  Park- 
inson household  for  the  past  ten 
years,  and  had  endeared  themselves 
by  their  fidelity  and  gentle 
ways  so  much  that  they  seemed  to 
be  members  of  the  family  rather 
than  servants.  Both  were  exem- 
plary Catholics  and  enthusiastic 
Tertiaries,  being  members  of  Fr. 
Roch's  conference,  and  he  often  re- 
ferred to  them  as  models  for  the 
Catholic  working  girl.  Although 
the  Parkinsons  professed  no  definite 
religion,  they  respected  those  who 
did,    and  far   from  hindering  their 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


217 


two  Catholic  maids  in  the  practice 
of  their  religion,  they  strove  to  as- 
sist them  where  they  could.  Thus 
it  happened  that  the  two  girls  had 
made  no  enquiries  regarding  the 
possibility  of  attending  services  on 
Sundays  at  Bellevue  Cove,  since 
they  supposed  that  there  was  a 
church  near  Bellevue  Cove  as  there 
was  near  the  Parkinson's  former 
country  seat  at  Ridgeway.  Great 
was  their  surprise  and  consterna- 
tion when  they  learned  from  the 
express  man  who  had  brought  their 
luggage  from  the  little  depot  near 
the  villa,  that  the  nearest  Catholic 
church  was  at  Ridgeway,  over  thir- 
ty miles  distant,  and  that  it  was 
practically  impossible  to  get  there 
in  time  for  services  on  Sundays. 
Without  further  ado,  the  two  maids 
informed  Mrs.  Parkinson  of  this 
state  of  affairs  and  declared  that 
they  could  not  think  of  remaining 
in  a  place  where  it  would  be  impos- 
sible for  them  to  hear  Mass  and  re- 
ceive the  Sacraments.  Thus  while 
Ralph  had  been  contending  at  Pine 
Cliff  with  what  he  considered  Cath- 
olic intolerance,  his  mother  had  been 
making  every  attempt  at  home  to 
overcome  what  she  styled  Catholic 
obstinacy. 

"Well,  why  don't  you  suggest 
something?"  she  exclaimed  impa- 
tiently, as  the  young  man  stood 
quietly  on  the  steps  of  the  porch, 
gazing  listlessly  toward  the  lake, 
and  whistling  softly  to  himself. 
Ralph  blushed,  turned  quickly  about, 
and  stammered  an  excuse.  He  had 
been  thinking  of  Marcelle  and  won- 
dering whether  some  possibility 
would  not  suggest  itself  for  solving 


his  difficulty  with  her. 

"Really,  mother,  I  don't  see  what 
can  be  done  unless  you  get  a  priest 
to  come  here.  We  can't  give  up 
Bellevue  Cove  now  on  account  of 
Alice  and  Laurenn,  nor  can  we 
well  afford  to  lose  them.  I  suppose 
that  this  would  be  the  simplest  solu- 
tion of  the  difficulty." 

"But  would  a  priest  consent  to 
come  so  far  to  hold  services  for  two 
housemaids?" 

"I  don't  see  why  he  shouldn't, 
provided  his  expenses  are  met. 
I've  heard  Alice  say  that  their 
priests  often  say  Mass  when  there 
is  no  one  else  present  than  the  Mass 
server.  Besides,  there  may  be  some 
more  Catholics  in  the  neighborhood 
that  would  welcome  the  opportunity 
of  attending  services  here." 

"Ralph,  your  plan  is  just  the 
thing  I've  been  looking  for  in  vain," 
said  his  mother,  brightening  up  at 
the  thought  of  so  easy  a  solution  of 
her  difficulty.  "And  now  that  I 
think  of  it,  the  Smiths  have  a  Catho- 
lic maid  and  so  have  the  Greys, 
perhaps  more  than  one;  and  then 
there  are  the  Dunstans,  all  Catho- 
lics. I  remember  now  that  they 
usually  came  to  Ridgeway  on  Satur- 
day evenings  and  stayed  with  the 
Dunstans  there  over  Sunday.  I'll 
tell  you  what  we'll  do.  You  go  over 
to  Elm  Grove  and  ask  Mr.  Dunstan 
to  motor  with  you  to  all  our  neigh- 
bors and  try  to  find  out  how  many 
Catholics  are  here.  Then  we  can 
make  arrangements  with  the  Bishop 
to  have  a  priest  come  here  every 
Sunday.  The  pavilion  there  will 
make  a  splendid  chapel  and  I  feel 
assured  that  our  plan  will  succeed." 


218 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Two  days  later,  Mr.  Dunstan  and 
Ralph  were  on  their  way  to  the 
episcopal  city  to  lay  their  plan  be- 
fore the  Bishop.  In  their  tour  of 
investigation  they  had  learned  to 
their  surprise  that  there  were  some 
fifteen  to  twenty  Catholics  in  the 
vicinity  of  Bellevue  Cove,  most  of 
whom  could  only  with  the  greatest 
difficulty  assist  at  Mass  on  Sundays. 
As  the  train  sped  onward,  Ralph 
could  not  refrain  from  smiling  over 
the  incongruity  of  him,  a  modern 
pagan,  as  he  was  wont  to  style  him- 
self, taking  such  a  lively  interest 
in  the  religious  affairs  of  his  serv- 
ant girls  and  neighbors.  Neverthe- 
less, he  experienced  an  indescrib- 
able satisfaction  in  having  done 
what  he  did  in  this  matter  and  he 
devoutly  wished  that  the  Bishop 
would  find  the  plan  feasible. 

As  he  had  never  met  a  Catholic 
prelate  before,  Ralph  was  sur- 
prised over  the  cordial  welcome  he 
received  on  being  presented  to 
His  Lordship,  having  foolishly 
imagined  that,  although  a  Bishop 
might  be  affable  and  even  intimate 
with  Catholics,  he  could  be  naught 
else  than  cold  and  distant  to  per- 
sons of  other  religious  convictions. 
His  pleasure  increased  when  the 
genial  prelate,  after  listening  at- 
tentively to  the  plan  proposed,  at 
once  assured  his  visitors  that  he 
was  only  too  happy  to  accomodate 
them. 

"Your  offer,  Mr.  Parkinson,  is 
most  generous,"  he  said,  "and  it 
seems  providential  that  but  yester- 
day Father  Burton,  a  professor  at 
the  seminary,  requested  me  to  as- 
sign him  some  light  parochial  work 


in  the  country,  that  while  recuper- 
ating from  the  strain  of  the  past 
scholastic  year,  he  might  at  the 
same  time  occupy  himself  to  the 
benefit  of  others.  He  will,  I'm 
sure,  be  delighted  to  oblige  you, 
and  I  will  telephone  to  him  about 
your  plan  at  once." 
Father  Burton,  as  the  Bishop  had 
!  surmised,  gladly  accepted  Ralph's 
|  offer  and  accompanied  him  and  Mr. 
Dunstan  to  Bellevue  on  the  follow- 
ing morning.  Ralph  had  telephoned 
to  his  mother  regarding  the  success 
of  his  undertaking  and  on  his  ar- 
rival at  Bellevue,  Saturday  evening, 
he  found  the  whole  family  assist- 
ing Alice  and  Laurenn  in  convert- 
ing the  pavilion  into  a  most  charm- 
ing rustic  chapel. 

It  was  a -happy  and  devout  con- 
gregation that  met  the  eyes  of 
Father  Burton  as  he  approached  the 
altar  on  the  following  morning. 
Laurenn  and  Alice  were  quite  be- 
side themselves  with  joy  and  they 
earnestly  begged  God  to  bless  those 
especially  to  whose  efforts  they 
owed  the  privilege  of  fulfilling  their 
religious  duties  at  their  very 
threshold.  Among  the  many  non- 
Catholics  that  attended  the  service, 
some  out  of  curiosity,  others  out  of 
devotion,  thpre  were  none  more 
affected  by  the  sacred  ceremonies 
and  the  forcible  sermon  of  Father 
Burton  on  the  solemn  obligation  of 
every  man  to  offer  public  homage 
to  God,  the  Supreme  Being,  than 
were  Mrs.  Parkinson  and  her  son 
Ralph.  Realizing  the  nature  of  his 
audience,  the  learned  priest  suited 
his  words  to  the  occasion,  and  his 
clear,     cogent    arguments    set    a 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


219 


number  of  worthy  souls  that  were 
groping  blindly  in  the  darkness  of 
heresy  and  unbelief,  on  the  right 
road  to  light  and  peace. 

As  the  priest  had  no  duties  to  at- 
tend to  in  the  city  during  the  sum- 
mer months,  Mrs.  Parkinson  and 
Ralph  prevailed  on  him  to  accept  of 
their  hospitality,  placing  at  his  dis- 
posal Ralph's  beautiful  villa  as  a 
residence.  He  proved  to  be  a  most 
charming  companion  and  was  soon 
the  center  of  attraction  at  Bellevue 
Cove.  Nor  was  he  blind  to  the  op- 
portunities thus  given  him  of  doing 
good.  Filled  with  true  apostolic 
zeal,  he  began  to  sow  the  Master's 
seed  and  to  nourish  it  day  after 
day  and  week  after  week  with  the 
blessed  waters  of  prayer  and  good 
example. 

One  morning,  about  a  month  and 
a  half  after  his  arrival  at  Bellevue 
Cove,  Mrs.  Parkinson  and  Ralph 
were  taking  their  usual  walk  on  the 
brow  of  the  hill  overlooking  the 
lake.  They  were  unusually  silent 
this  particular  morning,  each  seem 
ingly  absorbed  in  the  gorgeous  pic- 
ture spread  before  them  as  the 
golden  August  sun  burst  through  a 
bank  of  fleecy  clouds  in  the  eastern 
sky  and  sent  its  fiery  rays  adanc- 
ing  across  the  wind-swept  lake. 
Suddenly  Ralph  paused  in  his  walk. 

"Mother, "  he  said,  with  ill-con- 
cealed emotion,  "you  may  be  sur- 
prised and  perhaps  even  displeased 
to  hear  what  I  am  about  to  tell  you, 


but  I  must  out  with  it.  Last  night, 
after  discussing  at  length  certain 
religious  topics  with  Father  Bur- 
ton, I  finally  begged  him  to  receive 
me  into  the  Catholic  Church." 

"And  I  have  determined  to  ask 
him  to-day  after  luncheon  to  receive 
me,"  replied  his  mother,  likewise 
deeply  affected.  "God  he  praised 
that  He  has  given  us  both  the 
grace  to  see  the  light!" 
* 

The  next  morning, -a  tiny  white 
racing  yacht  was  seen  to  cleave  the 
azure  waters  of  Lake  Huron  in  a 
westerly  direction,  leaving  a  long 
silvery  sheen  in  its  wake.  Onward 
it  sped  until  at  last  it  rested  in  the 
welcome  shadow  of  a  lofty  preci- 
pice. It  was  soon  made  fast  to  the 
little  pier,  and  a  young  man  was 
seen  bounding  with  joyful  step  up 
the  easy  incline.  As  he  reached  the 
summit,  he  turned  his  eyes  toward 
a  picturesque  arbor  covered  with  a 
lovely  mantle  of  leaves  and  blossoms 
and  perched  on  the  brow  of  the  cliff. 
His  eyes  sparkled  as  he  perceived 
a  maiden  seated  there  absorbed  in 
reading.  In  an  instant  he  was  at 
her  side. 

"Do  yO\i  really  believe  that  the 
Catholic  Church  is  the  true  Church 
founded  by  Jesus  Christ?"  she 
asked  eagerly,  as  he  broke  the  glad 
tidings. 

"Yes,  Marcelle,  I  believe  it  with 
my  whole  heart." 

"Then,  Ralph,  I  am  yours." 


220  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


'This  is  my  body. 


THE  REAL  PRESENCE 

THE  word  with  power:  "This  is  my  body."  How  firmly  I  believe 
these  words,  since  they  were  uttered  by  my  Jesus  himself,  who  is 
true  God  of  true  God,  and  infinite  in  truth  and  power.  It  is  not 
possible  for  him  to  lie  or  to  be  unfaithful  to  his  beneficent  promise.  Has 
my  divine  Lord  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  Has  he  spoken,  and  shall 
he  not  make  it  good? 

Oh,  my  Jesus,  never  for  one  minute  could  I  doubt  thy  word— the 
word  filled  with  power  of  the  blessed  King  of  kings  and  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
Thy  word,  0  Jesus,  which  goeth  forth  out  of  thy  mouth  at  the  holy  altar 
through  the  ministry  of  thine  anointed  priests,  it  shall  not  return  to  thee 
void,  it  shall  accomplish  that  which  thou  hast  pleased,  it  shall  prosper 
unto  all  ages  of  time  in  the  eucharistic  fecundity  of  thy  body  for  the  life 
of  the  world. 

0  wonderful  words  of  our  divine  Lord  in  the  mouth  of  his  anointed 
priests.     Hoc  est  enim  Corpus  meum.     Hie  est  enim  calix  Sanguinis  mei. 

He  speaks,  at  whose  word  the  stars  of  heaven,  the  sun  and  the  moon 
burst  into  light  from  the  purple  veil  of  midnight  chaos.  He  speaks,  at 
whose  word  the  first  flowers  bloomed  on  earth  in  transcendent  loveliness, 
and  the  animated  creatures  issued  forth  into  the  verdure  of  the  primeval 
fields  and  forests,  whose  stillness  grew  songful  with  the  chant  of  birds. 
He  speaks,  and  the  simple  elements  become  the  living  adorable  Sacrament 
—  Jesus  himself— his  body  and  blood,  his  soul  and  divinity.  Truly,  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  is  in  power,  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  in  magnificence.— 
Vox  Domini  in  virtute,  vox  Domini  in  magnificentia.     (Ps.  28,4.) 

And.  I  know  that  sooner  would  the  heavens  with  the  starry  bodies 
revolving  in  them  be  carried  away  into  impenetrable  darkness,  and  the 
mountains  be  removed  into  the  heart  of  the  sea,  than  that  the  faith  of  the 
rock-built  Church  of  Jesus  under  the  unerring  pastorship  of  Peter's  suc- 
cessors should  ever  fail  in  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  on  the  altar— 
that  body  and  blood  sole,  pure,  substantial,  and  adorable  through  the 
passing  of  the  elements  into  the  adorable  substance  of  my  Savior. 

0  consider,  my  soul,  how  blessed  it  is  to  dwell  in  the  City  that  has 
foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.  The  grass  of  worldly 
glory  and  human  words  withers  and  its  flower  falls,  but  the  eucharistic 
words  of  the  Lord  coming  forth  in  the  mystery  of  the  Mass  and  our  faith 
in  those  most  blessed  words  as  explained  by  his  infallible  Church,  remain 
unmoved  forever.     Thy  words   shall  not   pass,    sweet  Jesus,    nor  their 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  221 


meaning  with  power  pass  from  them,  neither  shall  our  faith  in  them  pass, 
0  eucharistic  God,  0  eternal  Truth. 

And  let  me  not  lament  that  there  is  no  ocular  manifestation  of  the 
Lord's  body  at  the  consecration,  and  that  the  words  of  the  prophet,  "Tru- 
ly, thou  art  a  hidden  God,  the  Savior,"  are  fulfilled  at  the  altar.  For, 
though  the  outward  eye  sees  nothing  but  the  humblest  appearances,  our 
Lord's  body  and  blood  are  perceptible  to  the  eye  of  faith  and  the  heart 
cries,  "Hail  Jesus,  in  his  mighty  acts,  hail,  Jesus,  in  the  multitude  of  his 
greatness!" 

0  come,  let  us  adore  and  fall  down  and  weep  before  the  Lord  that 
made  us.  Let  us  add  tears  to  our  adoration,  not  only  for  our  own  sins— 
and  we  must  weep  for  them— but  also  in  reparation  for  those  who  are 
faithless  in  the  adorable  presence  and  for  the  insults  to  which  it  is  sub- 
jected. Be  silent,  ye  vain  reasoners  and  idle  questioners,  with  regard  to 
the  sacramental  mystery.  Be  silent,  for  not  only  can  the  least  of  our 
apostolic  teachers  confute  you  with  the  testimony  of  God,  but  even  we, 
the  little  ones  of  the  Church,  will  silence  you  with  our  Hosannas.  Be 
silent,  for  the  hidden  presence  rebukes  you.  "Be  still  and  see  that  I  am 
God.     I  will  be  exalted  among  the  nations,  I  will  be  exalted  in  the  earth." 

Put  off,  my  soul,  the  shoes  of  presumption  from  thy  feet  when  thou 
approachest  eucharistic  contemplation,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  stand- 
est  is  holy  ground.  This  is  the  mystery  of  faith,  these  are  the  deep 
things  of  God  who  himself  is  the  mystery  of  mysteries.  Be  awed  in  the 
presence  of  these  great  matters  and  wonderful  things  above  thee  "and 
adore  thy  eucharistic  Lord  with  absolute  confidence  in  his  word." 

"This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes."  "Be- 
hold, the  Lord  is  in  his  sanctuary.     This  is  the  gate  of  Heaven." 


A  PIOUS  BOYCOTT 

In  Granada,  Spain,  the  members  of  the  Third  Order  agreed  among 
themselves  not  to  buy  or  seU  anything  on  Sundays  and  holydays  and  nev- 
er to  patronize  those  merchants  and  dealers  that  failed  to  keep  these  days 
holy.  This  resolution  was  carried  out  at  once  and  with  such  signal  suc- 
cess that  within  a  month  all  the  merchants  of  the  city  closed  their  stores 
and  warehouses  on  Sundays  and  holydays  and  ever  since  have  kept  holy 
the  Lord's  day. 


222 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXX 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqelhardt.  O.F.M. 


AT  the  first  hint  of  danger  on 
that  fatal  morning  of  March 
16,  the  Apache  Indian  ser- 
vants of  the  missionaries  at  San 
Saba  made  their  escape,  and  one  of 
them  reached  the  presidio.  Colonel 
Parrilla  at  once  sent  a  squad  of  nine 
men  to  reinforce  the  mission  guards. 
On  the  way  they  were  attacked  by 
the  Comanches.  Two  of  the  Spani- 
ards were  killed,  and  all  the  rest 
were  wounded.  Six  of  these  suc- 
ceeded in  reaching  the  shelter  of 
the  presidio.  The  savages  dared 
not  assault  the  fort  but  they  pre- 
vented any  relief  being  sent  to  the 
missionaries  that  day. 

As  soon  as  darkness  fell,  however, 
Parrilla  ordered  a  sergeant  and 
fourteen  men  to  reconnoiter.  No 
hope  was  entertained  that  the  oc- 
cupants of  the  mission  were  still 
alive.  The  soldiers  were  detected 
as  soon  as  they  neared  the  mission 
site  and  were  forced  to  retire;  but 
the  Indians,  fearing  an  attack  from 
a  larger  force,  likewise  withdrew  to 
a  more  advantageous  position.  This 
afforded  the  besieged  friar  and  the 
few  remaining  soldiers  in  the 
wrecked  mission  building  a  chance 
to  make  good  their  escape.  Only 
four  of  the  soldiers  were  still  alive, 
and  one  of  these,  Juan  Antonio 
Gutierrez,  who  was  too  badly 
wounded   to  be  transported,  urged 


Fr.  Molina  to  endeavor  to  reach  the 
presidio.  "Confiding  in  God  and  in 
the  Blessed  Virgin,  whose  sorrows 
holy  Mother  Church  celebrated  on 
that  day,"(1)  the  friar  clambered 
through  a  window  and  managed  to 
pass  unobserved  between  the  bon- 
fires. He  threw  himself  into  the 
river  following  its  downward  course, 
away  from  the  shore  lest  he  be  dis- 
covered, and  after  groping  about 
for  one  day  and  two  nights,  availing 
himself  of  every  thicket  and  under- 
growth, he  arrived  at  last  bleeding 
and  exhausted  at  the  presidio,  only 
three  miles  away,  on  the  morning 
of  March  18.  Here  he  found  the  gar- 
rison in  a  state  of  panic.  They  ex- 
pected another  attack,  and  no  one 
dared  to  stir  beyond  the  fort. 

The  Comanches  and  their  allies  re- 
mained in  the  vicinity  for  three 
days  and  then  withdrew.  By  the 
20th,  Parrilla  thought  it  safe  to  in- 
vestigate the  damage  done  at  the 
mission.  A  scene  of  desolation  met 
the  eyes  of  the  party.  As  all  the 
buildings  had  been  reduced  to  ashes, 
the  first  care  of  the  soldiers  was  to 
search  for  the  bodies  of  the  slain. 
Fathers  Terreros  and  Santiesteban, 
and  the  soldiers  Jose  Garcia,  Enri- 
que Gutierrez,  Lazaro  de  Ayala, 
Asencio  Cadena,  Andres  de  Villare- 
al,  and  Juan  Antonio  Gutierrez  had 
been  killed.     The  bodies  of  Fr.  Ter- 


(1)  That  is  Co  say,  after  miring  ib,  early  oi  Friday  m  >rui«flf,  March  17. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


223 


reos  and  of  two  soldiers  were  buried 
in  the  church  cemetery.  The  oth- 
ers were  interred  where  their  re- 
mains had  been  found.  Joaquin 
Garcia  and  Luis  Chirinos,  of  the 
first  squad  sent  out  by  Parrilla  to 
succor  the  mission  guard,  were 
buried  where  they  had  fallen.  At 
first  the  body  of  Fr.  Santiesteban 
could  not  be  found,  and  it  was  sup- 
posed that  it  had  been  consumed 
by  the  flames,  as  some  authors  re- 
late; but  a  few  days  later  it  was 
discovered,  the  head  completely 
severed  from  the  body.  The  muti- 
lated remains  of  the  noble  mission- 
ary were  also  interred  in  the  ceme- 
tery beside  the  grave  of  Fr.  Giraldo 
Terreros.  The  total  number  of  vic- 
tims of  the  treacherous  attack, 
therefore,  was  ten,  two  priests  and 
eight  soldiers. 

The  Apaches  who  had  already  ac- 
tually joined  the  mission  on  the  San 
Saba,  disappeared  at  the  first  sign 
of  danger,  and  nothing,  Fr.  Arrici- 
vita  remarks,  ever  was  heard  of 
them.  Many  others  fled  to  the  San 
Antonio  River  in  the  hope  of  finding 
an  asylum  at  the  missions*  there. 
The  tribe  as  a  whole  retired  to  the 
mountain  fastnesses.  In  his  offici- 
al report,  Colonel  Parilla  recom- 
mended the  removal  of  the  presidio 
to  the  Rio  Guadalupe  or  to  the  San 
Marcos;  also  an  increase  of  the  force 
to  one  hundred  and  forty  men;  and 
an  expedition  to  chastise  the  sava- 
ges. The  viceroyal  council  in  June 
declared  that  a  removal  was  not  in 
keeping  with  the  honor  of  the  Span- 
ish arms,  as  that  was  exactly  what 
the  Comanches  had  intended  to 
achieve  by  their  raid.      It  decided, 


however,  to  send  an  expedition  to 
punish  the  criminals,  but  requested 
that,  for  the  present,  the  missiona- 
ries should  take  up  their  quarters 
at  the  presidio,  and  from  there  make 
such  efforts  as  they  could  to  Christi- 
anize the  Apaches,  because  this  had 
been  the  object  in  placing  the  mis- 
sion and  the  presidio  on  the  San  Sa- 
ba. Parrilla  was  appointed  com- 
mander of  the  punitive  expedition. 

An  army  of  five  hundred  soldiers 
and  volunteers,  with  a  large  force 
of  Apache  auxiliaries  in  the  best  of 
spirits,  set  out  in  August  1759.  After 
marching  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  leagues,  they  surprised  a  ran- 
cheria,  killed  fifty-five  savages,  and 
took  many  others  prisoners.  The 
expedition  pushed  farther  into  the 
country  of  the  Comanches,  but 
found  the  Indians  well  fortified  in 
the  region  that  was  later  called  San 
Teodoro.  Many  of  the  Comanches, 
who  numbered  6000,  were  armed 
with  muskets.  The  savages  did 
not  wait  to  be  attacked  but  rushed 
forth  furiously  and  quickly  routed 
the  Spaniards,  who  were  compelled 
to  abandon  one  of  their  cannon. 
The  expedition,  says  Fr.  Arricivita, 
which  had  cost  $60,000,  accom- 
plished nothing,  but  rather  embold- 
ened the  Comanches  to  extend  their 
raids  in  every  direction.  No  serious 
disasters  are  recorded,  but  for  sev- 
eral years  the  Spaniards  were  hard- 
ly able  to  maintain  their  posts. 

Professor  Dunn  finds  three  causes 
for  the  attack  on  the  San  Saba  mis- 
sion. First  and  foremost  was  the 
jealousy  felt  by  the  northern  tribes 
on  account  of  the  intimate  relations 
between    the    Spaniards    and    the 


224 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


Apaches.  In  1765,  for  instance,  a 
Tanguayas  chief  of  eastern  Texas 
declared  that  he  was  unwilling  to 
remain  at  peace  with  the  Spaniards 
at  San  Saba  because  they  had  aided 
his  mortal  enemies,  the  Apaches. 
Another  reason  for  the  attack  was 
believed  to  be  the  instigation  of  the 
French  who  were  supplying  the 
northern  tribes  with  firearms 
through  the  trade  they  carried  on 
with  the  savages.  It  was  firmly  be- 
lieved, moreover,  that  the  French 
encouraged  the  Comanches  by  their 
presence  at  the  massacre.  A  third 
cause  was  the  natural  desire  of  the 
savages  to  plunder  the  stores  of 
the  mission. 

When  the  account  of  the  massacre 
of  their  two  Fathers  reached  the 
missionary  college  of  San  Fernan- 
do in  Mexico,  the  Fr.  Guardian  and 
his  discretos  (councilors)  were  even 
more  reluctant  than  the  govern- 
ment to  abandon  the  field,  though 
indeed  out  of  higher  and  nobler 
motives.  As  usual  in  such  cases, 
wherever  true  zeal  prompts  the 
missionaries,  a  number  of  friars 
volunteered  at  once  to  replace  the 
martyrs  in  the  perilous  missions  of 
Texas.  In  this  instance,  however, 
two  friars  were  selected  who  at  the 
time  were  laboring  among  the  In- 
dians. But  let  Fr.  Francisco  Palou, 
the  biographer  of  the  famous  Fr. 
Junipero  Serra,  tell  the  story. 

"Far    from    losing    heart,"    he 
writes,   "the  College  appointed  two 
other  missionaries.      One  of  those ' 
chosen  was  the  venerable  Fr.  Juni- 
pero, who  was  at  that  time   among 

(2)  The  oilier  Father,  doubtless,  was  Fr. 
lifelong,  intimate  friend. 

(3)  Life  of  Fr.  Seiraby    Fr.  Palou.  Chap 


his  own  people  in  the  Sierra  Gorda. 
(3)  Although  he  had  been  fully  in- 
formed of  the  terrible  tragedy  just 
related,  he  did  not  excuse  himself 
as  he  might  have  well  done,  but  on 
the  contrary,  he  gave  thanks  to  God 
that  his  superior  had  named  him 
without  first  enquiring  as  to  his  will 
in  the  matter.  As  soon  as  he  received 
the  letter,  Fr.  Junipero  started  for 
the  College.  The  Fr.  Guardian  in- 
tended that  he  should  depart  with- 
out delay,  but  he  learned  that  His 
Excellency,  the  Viceroy,  had  de- 
spatched an  order  to  the  interior 
provinces  decreeing  that  a  military 
expedition  should  be  sent  to  punish 
the  savages  and  to  make  an  example 
of  them;  but  the  expedition  did  not 
succeed  as  was  expected,  and  very 
shortly  after  the  Viceroy  died.  For 
these  reasons  the  work  of  evangeli- 
zation in  Texas  was  suspended,  a 
matter  that  caused  great  sorrow  to 
the  zealous  Fr.  Junipero.  Howev- 
er, he  will  not  have  lost  before  God 
the  merit  of  having  voluntarily 
offered  himself  for  such  an  arduous 
undertaking  accompanied  by  such 
evident  mortal  danger  at  the  hands 
of  those  cruel  and  barbarous  heath- 
en"®   . 

Fr.  Junipero  Serra  was  destined 
by  Divine  Providence  for  a  more 
fertile  and  glorious  field.  In  1767,  he 
led  a  band  of  fifteen  friars,  including 
Fr.  Palou,  to  Lower  California,  and 
two  years  later  founded  Mission 
San  Diego,  which  began  the  chain 
of  twenty-one  missionary  establish- 
ments reaching  to  San  Francisco 
Bay  and  farther;  but  that  is  anoth- 
er story. 
Palou  hin,selt,  Fr.  Junipero's  pupil  and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


225 


BLACKWATER  MISSION,  ARIZONA 

By  Ft.  Augustine,  (J.F.M. 


FOR  a  number  of  years  the 
Catholic  Indians  of  Black- 
water,  a  village  situated  in 
the  south-eastern  corner  of  the  Gila 
River  Reservation,  had  attended 
divine  services  in  their  dilapidated 
little  adobe  chapel.  Hence  they 
greatly  rejoiced  when  they  were 
told  last  year  that  a  new  church 
would  soon  be  built  for  them.  With 
edifying  zeal  they  at  once  set  to 
work  and  made   7000  adobe   bricks 


penter  might  well  be  proud. 

With  the  greatest  eagerness,  the 
good  Indians  looked  forward  to  the 
day  of  the  dedication  of  their  new 
church,  which  was  to  be  the  first 
"official  feast"  held  in  their  village, 
The  day  set  for  the  celebration  was 
May  2,  the  octave  of  the  feast  of 
St.  Joseph,  the  head  of  the  Holy 
Family.  The  cloudless  sky  and  the 
mild  pleasant  warmth  of  a  belated 
spring  encouraged  hundreds   of  In- 


Holy  Family  Mission,  Blackwater,  Arizona 


for  the  walls  of  the  proposed  church, 
and  as  soon  as  the  mission  church 
at  Sacaton  was  finished,  ground  was 
broken  for  the  new  Holy  Family 
Church  at  Blackwater. 

The  building  which  measures  six- 
ty by  twenty-four  feet,  was  planned 
and  built  by  Rev.  FF.  Justin  and 
Vincent,  assisted  by  the  Indians.  It 
stands  on  the  highest  plot  of  ground 
in  the  village  and  its  large  white 
cross  can  be  seen  from  a  great  dis- 
tance. The  beautiful  altar  is  the 
handiwork  of  our  skilled  Indian 
carpenter.  It  is  certainly  a  piece 
of  cabinet  work  of  which   any  car- 


dians  from  all  the  neighboring  mis- 
sions to  heed  the  missionary's  kind 
invitation  to  attend  the  feast.  It 
was  after  nine  o'clock  that  our  par- 
ty of  thirty-five  arrived  at  Black- 
water  from  St.  John's,  Komatke. 
We,  that  is,  Fr.  Justin,  Brothers 
Melchior  and  Basil,  our  Indian  Boys' 
Band,  and  the  writer,  had  left  St. 
John's  in  five  automobiles  shortly 
after  sunrise  and  greatly  enjoyed 
the  trip  through  the  desert  in  the 
early  morning  hours.  The  Right 
Rev.  Henry  Granjon,  Bishop  of 
Tucson,  reached  the  scene  of  the 
festivity  in  company  with  Fr.  Nicho- 


226 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


las,  of  San  Xavier  Mission,  at  about 
eleven  o'clock,  and  the  solemn  servi- 
ces of  the  dedication  began  at  once. 
After  blessing  the  new  church 
according  to  the  ritual,  the  Bishop 
spoke  to  the  Indians,  congratulating 
them  on  their  beautiful  church  and 
encouraging  them  to  renewed  zeal 
in  the  service  of  God.  A  short  in- 
struction on  the  holy  Sacrament  of 
Confirmation  followed,    whereupon 


to  give  all  the  Indians  present  a 
good  meal.  The  band  boys,  who 
were  making  their  first  public  ap- 
pearance on  this  occasion,  added  very 
much  to  the  general  gayety,  and 
the  older  Indians  were  justly  proud 
of  their  achievement.  Two  persons, 
however,  were  especially  filled  with 
joy  on  this  memorable  day:  — Fr. 
Vincent,  the  missionary  in  charge 
of  Blackwater,  who  had  labored  so 


Interior  of  Holy  Family  Church,  Blackwater,  Arizona 


His  Lordship  confirmed  a  class  of 
seventy-seven  Indians.  As  soon  as 
the  final  episcopal  blessing  had  been 
given,  the  Indian  Boys'  Mission 
Band,  stationed  in  front  of  the 
church,  began  to  play  the  joyful 
hymn  of  praise  "Holy  God". 

The  secular  celebration  that  now 
followed  was  animated  by  the  same 
spirit  of  joy  and  thanksgiving. 
While  a  special  dinner  had  been  pre- 
pared for  the  Bishop  and  the  clergy, 
enough  provisions  had  been  secured 


zealously  to  provide  his  Indians  with 
a  suitable  place  of  worship;  and  the 
generous  benefactress  in  Chicago, 
who  so  kindly  met  all  the  expenses 
of  erecting  and  furnishing  this  latest 
addition  to  the  Franciscan  missions 
in  Arizona.  Although  far  distant 
from  the  scene  of  the  celebration, 
she  was  no  doubt  present  with  us  in 
spirit.  May  the  good  God  bountifully 
reward  her  and  all  the  generous 
benefactors  of  our  Indian  missions. 


mMmmm 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


227 


VIRGINIA  AUSTIN 

By  Noel  A .  Dunderdale 


AS  the  clock  tunefully  chimed 
the  hour  of  ten,  Virginia 
leisurely  arose,  donned  a 
silk  kimono  and  a  pair  of  slippers, 
and  went  toward  the  open  window 
to  enjoy  the  fresh  breeze  that  blew 
in  from  the  river  and  tempered  the 
severity  of  an  August  day. 

"Mam'selle  will  have  her  coffee 
now?"  asked  Annette. 

"Yes,  you  may  bring  it— and  the 
morning  mail.  And  tell  John  to  get 
the  launch  ready.  I  shall  want  it 
in  about  an  hour." 

"Oui,  mam'selle." 

These  details  of  the  morning's 
business  settled,  Virginia  sat  down 
by  the  window  and  gazed  out  across 
the  island-dotted  river  that 
stretched  before  her.  It  was  an 
ideal  day  for  a  sail,  and  the  girl 
eagerly  anticipated  the  joys  of 
bounding  over  the  surface  of  the 
wind-chopped  water. 

Although  in  the  habit  of  rising  at 
ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  Virginia 
Austin  was  not  indolent.  As  her 
sole  duty  in  life,  at  least  according 
to  her  own  theory,  was  nothing 
more  than  her  amusement,  she 
simply  began  that  amusement  at 
the  hour  that  suited  her  best.  In 
reality,  she  was  active  and  full  of 
youthful  vigor,  and  her  twenty-four 
years  were  endowed  with  perfect 
health  supplemented  with  every 
physical  grace  and  charm. 

The  first  eighteen  years  of  her 
life  had  been  watched  over  by  a 
mother  who  had  no  other  children 


on  whom  to  lavish  her  care,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  the  child's  char- 
acter had  been  completely  spoiled, 
and  even  the  likeable  qualities  of 
the  girl's  nature  had  been  choked 
by  the  rank  growth  of  those  disa- 
greeable characteristics  that  often 
mark  the  child  that  has  not  known 
the  companionship  of  a  brother  or  a 
sister.  Not  even  the  advantages 
of  a  convent  education  had  overcome 
these  defects,  so  deeply  rooted  were 
they. 

The  sudden  death  of  her  mother 
had  left  Virginia  to  the  well-inten- 
tioned but  foolish  father  who 
thought  he  was  doing  his  best  when 
he  gave  the  girl  absolutely  every- 
thing she  craved.  With  a  large 
fortune  at  his  command,  this  was  a 
simple  matter  for  him;  all  that  was 
necessary  was  the  signing  of  unlim- 
ited checks.  He  devoted  all  his  time 
to  his  law  practice  and  found  in  it 
his  only  consolation  for  the  griefs  he 
had  suffered  ;for  his  life  had  not  been 
what  he  had  desired.  He  looked 
back  to  the  early  days  of  his  married 
life  and  recalled  the  plans  he  had 
made  and  the  joy  he  had  expected 
to  have  in  the  company  of  his  wife 
and  children.  But  his  plans  had 
never  matured  and  his  looked-for 
joy  was  never  realized. 

Haughty,  capricious,  and  imperi- 
ously self-willed,  his  wife  had  been 
his  first  and  keenest  disappointment. 
And  now  Virginia,  his  only  child,  in 
whom  he  had  centered  all  his  love 
after  her  mother's  death,  far  from 


228 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


cheering  his  declining  years  by  her 
love  and  devotion  only  added  to  the 
bitterness  of  his  disappointment  by 
her  self-will  and  egotism.  For, 
while  she  was  fond  of  him  in  a  way 
and  proud  of  his  wealth  and  position, 
she  had  inherited  with  her  mother's 
beauty  all  her  ungracious  qualities, 
and  she  considered  her  own  pleas- 
ure and  convenience  first,  last,  and 
all  the  time,  little  dreaming  how  her 
doting  father  hungered  for  her  love. 

While  she  slowly  sipped  her  coffee 
on  this  beautiful  August  morning 
and  read  the  letters  the  maid  had 
brought,  a  visitor  appeared.  Vir- 
ginia jumped  up  to  greet  her. 

"Hello,  Mary,  what  are  you  doing 
here  so  early?  I  didn't  expect  to 
see  you  at  this  hour."  And  she 
threw  her  arms  round  her  friend's 
neck  and  kissed  her  affectionately. 

The  newcomer  was  a  quiet,  sen- 
sitive girl  of  a  type  exactly  the  op- 
posite of  Virginia,  which  may  have 
been  a  reason  why  they  were  the 
best  of  friends.  x 

No,  I  didn't  expect  to  come,  else 
I  would  have  telephoned,"  was  the 
reply.  "It  happens  that  I  have  to  go 
into  town  and  in  passing  I  thought 
you  might  wish  to  drive  with  me." 

"Into  town?  What  on  earth  can 
take  you  there  on  such  a  day  as 
this?"  asked  Virginia  with  surprise. 

"I  have  to  get  some  things  for 
mother,  that's  all.  She  doesn't  feel 
well;  so  can't  go.  Get  on  your 
things  if  you  can  come.  The  ma- 
chine is  waiting." 

"But,  my  dear,  I  thought  you 
were  going  riding  with  the  Robert- 
sons"? 

"So  I  was— until  I  found  I  had  to 


go  shopping,"  said  Mary. 

"Did  your  mother  know?" 

"That  I  was  going  riding?  Yes, 
of  course;  but  that  doesn't  make 
any  difference,  does  it?  Marjorie 
is  too  young  to  go  to  town  alone  and 
you  wouldn't  expect  Bob  to  go 
shopping,  would  you?  Besides,  I 
can  ride  next  week  just  as  well. 
The  Robertsons  go  every  Thursday. 
So  now,  if  you  have  quite  finished 
your  coffee,  get  ready  and  we'll  go. ' ' 
"Sorry,  dear,  I  can't  oblige  you  this 
morning.  Look  at  all  those  letters. 
All  unanswered.  That's  my  morn- 
ing's work."  And  Virginia  tossed 
a  bundle  of  letters  over  with  her  fan. 

"Letters?  Oh,  it's  too  nice  a  day 
for  letter- writing. " 

"Then,  my  dear,  sit  right  down 
there  in  that  arm  chair  and  we'll 
gossip.     Have  some  coffee ?\ 

'  'No,  thanks.  I  must  refuse  both ; 
the  coffee,  because  I  have  already 
had  breakfast;  the  gossip,  because— 
I  have  to  go  to  town. "  And  Mary 
turned  to  go. 

"And  also  because  you  don't  be- 
lieve in  gossipping,  Miss  Sanctity, 
isn't  it  so?"  Virginia  was  fond  of 
teasing  and  never  lost  an  opportu- 
nity. 

"Oh,  there  may  not  be  much  harm 
in  it,"  was  the  quiet  reply,  "but 
then  again  it  may  be  serious.  But 
I  must  go.     See  you  again." 

Before  she  reached  the  door,  Vir- 
ginia stopped  her  again. 

"Oh,  Mary,  that  reminds  me.  I 
nearly  forgot  that  I  was  going  to 
telephone  you." 

'  'Telephone  me  ?    What  f  or  ?" 

"Nothing  worth  while,  I  fear. 
Only  Dad  has  invited  Mr.  Seymour 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


229 


for  dinner  and  cards  this  evening, 
and  I  thought  you  might  make  a 
fourth.  Can  you  come?  Mr.  Sey- 
mour took  quite  a  fancy  to  you, 
you  know."  This  was  diplomatic 
of  Virginia,  as  she  realized. 

Mary  colored  slightly.  For  a  mo- 
ment she  could  have  wished  for  a 
previous  engagement.  Then  she 
thought  that,  if  she  did  not  come, 
Virginia  would  be  disappointed. 

"Yes,  I  can  come,"  she  answered. 
"At  six?" 

"Sooner  if  you  can,  dear.  Then 
we  can  have  that  gossip!" 

"All  right,  F 11  be  here." 

After  Mary  had  gone,  Virginia 
sat  for  some  time  idly  stirring  her 
coffee,  lost  in  thought. 

"Poor  Mary,"  she  said  to  herself 
"what  a  dear,  good  girl  she  is  in 
spite  of  her  troubles.  The  idea  of 
her  mother  expecting  her  to  go 
shopping  to-day!  Mothers  are  so 
inconsiderate.  And  there,  Mary 
cancels  her  engagement  for  the- 
sake  of  this  stupid  old  shopping 
that  would  probably  do  just  as  well 
next  week." 

Then  she  noticed  the  letters  again. 
She  picked  up  one  of  them. 

The  only  one  worth  answering," 
she  said,  '  'and  the  only  one  that 
need  not  be  answered.  I'm 
obliged  to  them  for  making  my 
excuses  to  Mary  though,  for  I 
couldn't  have  gone  into  town  to- 
day, even  to  oblige  her— or  her 
mother. ' ' 

Then  she  slipped  the  note  out  of 
its  envelope  and  smiled  as  she  read 
it  again.  After  all,  she  thought,  it 
was  rather  nice  to  be  engaged. 

There  was  a  knock  on  the  door. 


"Yes,  come  in." 

"The  boat  is  ready,  mam'selle." 

1  'All  right,  Annette.  I'll  be  down 
at  once." 

"And  now  for  a  breezy  trip  up 
the  river,  away  from  civilization 
and  people— and  shopping." 

In  five  minutes  Virginia  had 
changed  herself  into  an  athletic- 
looking  sailor  girl.  In  a  few  min- 
utes more  she  was  outside  and 
across  the  lawn  at  the  private  dock 
where  her  boat  was  moored.  Near 
the  boathouse  she  met  her  father. 

"Good  morning,  Dad,"  she 
greeted  him  cheerily. 

'  'Hello  there,  girlie.  Going  on 
the  water?" 

"Yes,  I  want  to  get  away  up 
the  river,  where  it's  quiet  and  rest- 
ful.    I'm  tired  of  meeting  people." 

"Is  there  room  for  the  old  father, 
I  wonder?  He  has  a  headache,  and 
the  river  air  might  cure  it."         , 

"Lots  of  room,  Dad— but— I'm  go- 
ing to  be  gone  for  some  time. 
Frank  isn't  coming  until  four;  so 
I'll  stay  out  until  about  three,  I 
guess.     Can  you  go  so  far?" 

Virginia's  face  showed  a  slight 
frown.  Her  father  looked  at  her 
sadly  for  a  moment  and  then  turned 
away. 

"Never  mind,  Jenny.  I'll  get 
John  to  row  for  me.  Go  and  have 
a  good  time  but— be  careful." 

"All  right,  Dad.  Sorry  you  can't 
come." 

Virginia  jumped  into  the  boat  and 
pulled  a  lever.  The  engine  sput- 
tered and  the  launch  shot  over  the 
water.  The  old  man  turned  and 
walked  slowly  toward  the  house. 

"She  can't  know  how  it  hurts," 


230 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


he  muttered.  "It's  not  her  fault 
—but  God  knows  the  sufferings  of  a 
lonely  heart." 

With  all  the  speed  of  which  it  was 
capable,  Virginia  drove  her  launch 
straight  into  the  middle  of  the  riv- 
er which  at  this  point  was  some  two 
miles  wide.  Then  she  turned  sud- 
denly and  went  upstream  at  the 
same  rate.  Presently  she  was  op- 
posite the  town,  and  the  sport  be- 
came keener.  For,  many  other 
launches  were  there,  and  she  de- 
lighted to  pass  them  leaving  behind 
her  a  long  wake  of  disturbed  water. 
She  was  too  far  away  to  hear  the 
remarks  about,  "that  wild  Austin 
girl,"  but  she  knew  that  other  girl* 
envied  the  reckless  things  she  couM 
do  with  her  launch.  She  ran  near- 
er shore  now,  to  see  the  building 
where  Frank  Sherman's  office  was. 
He  would  be  busy,  now,  of  course, 
but  perhaps  he  would  see  her  go  by. 

Then  away  she  went  again,  past 
the  town,  and  farther  up  the  river 
where  islands  were  more  frequent 
and  people  more  scarce.  The  river 
narrowed,  too,  and  was  quieter,  so 
that  a  slower  speed  was  desirable. 
Virginia  leaned  back  at  her  ease, 
one  hand  on  the  wheel,  as  the  boat 
wound  in  and  out  among  the  islands. 
Some  of  them  were  mere  projec- 
tions of  rock  above  the  water, 
scarcely  large  enough  for  any  pur- 
pose. Others  were  some  acres  in 
extent  and  the  places  of  delightful 
summer  homes  that  nestled  among 
the  trees. 

It  was  in  the  lee  of  one  of  the 
most  charming  that  Virginia  finally 
stopped  the  launch  and  tied  it  while 
she  rested.     This  island    she  had 


named  'Frankland',  and  to  it  she 
always  came  when  she  wished  to  be 
alone.  As  yet  it  was  unoccupied, 
but  soon  it  was  to  be  the  location  of 
the  most  wonderful  home  that  she 
could  imagine.  For  this  island  was 
her  own,  a  gift  from  Frank  Sherman 
on  her  last  birthday,  and  here  they  in- 
tended to  build  the  bungalow  where 
they  would  spend  the  hot  summers. 
She  felt  all  the  pride  of  possession, 
and  lying  back  on  the  cushions  she 
idly  planned  the  delightful  times 
she  and  Frank  would  have  there 
the  following  summer. 
I  She  had  much  to  be  thankful  for, 
j  she  thought.  Youth,  health  and 
beauty— yes,  it  was  acknowledged, 
j  so  why  question  it?— and  as  much 
money  as  she  could  wish  for,  and  — 
j  she  was  engaged  to  a  man  who  ab- 
|  solutely  worshipped  her  and  who 
would  go  to  any  extreme  to  give 
her  anything  else  she  might  want. 
They  would  be  very  happy  togeth- 
er, of  course.  Their  tastes  were 
similar  and  they  would  live  here 
far  away  from  the  annoyance  of 
neighbors.  After  all,  she  thought, 
they  wanted  only  each  other;  so 
why  should  they  not  spend  their 
days  where  there  would  be  no  dis- 
turbance. 

She  gazed  up  at  the  sky  and  the 
bright  clouds  that  floated  slowly 
across  it.  Presently,  from  one  side 
there  came  a  cloud  that  seemed  to 
resemble  a  woman,  light  and  gen- 
tle, softly  carressed  by  the  sum- 
mer breeze.  And  from  below  came 
another,  a  heavier  and  darker 
cloud  that  traveled  more  swiftly 
and  bore  resemblance  to  a  man. 
Then  imagination  ran  wild,  and  as 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


23t 


the  two  clouds  met  and  floated  off 
together,  Virginia  saw  herself  and 
Frank  sailing  smoothly  down  life's 
way,  untrammeled,  care-free. 

She  untied  the  boat,  and  half  an 
hour  later  the  launch  was  near 
home  again.  Virginia  glanced  at 
her  watch.  Three  o'clock.  There 
was  plenty  of  time,  since  Frank 
was  not  to  come  until  four.  She 
checked  the  speed  of  the  boat.  It 
was  a  pleasant  relief  to  glide  along 
slowly  and  watch  the  little  ripples 
that  fell  away  as  the  prow  of  the 
boat  cut  into  the  smooth,  clear  wa- 
ter. One  could  pause,  too,  and 
shudder  at  the  black  rocks  that 
jutted  up  so  near  the  surface— so 
near  that  they  caused  the  water  to 
swirl  with  an  angry  motion  as  if 
resenting  the  intrusion.  These 
were  bad  places,  surely,  for  boats 
and  swimmers,  if  any  ventured  so 
far.  Unoffending  enough  though 
they  seemed  from  a  little  distance, 
they  were  in  reality  miniature  mael- 
stroms, capable  of  dragging  even  a 
powerful  swimmer  into  their  deadly 
vortex.  But  why  should  she  think 
of  such  things?  No  one  swam  out 
so  far,  not  even  Frank,  who  was  an 
exceptional  swimmer.  Yet,  some- 
how she  was  strangely  affected  and 
and  could  not  but  think  of  the  hid- 
den danger.  Then  a  cloud  that 
had  obscured  the  sun  passed  away 
and  all  was  bright  again. 

Suddenly  she  was  startled  by  a 
shout.  Someone  was  calling  her. 
She  looked  about  to  see  whence  the 
call  came.  Apparently  it  was  with- 
out origin,  for  just  now  she  was  near 
the  middle  of  the  river  and  at  its 
widest  part,   and  not  a   boat  was 


near.  On  the  distant  bank  to  her 
left,  she  discerned  what  seemed  to 
be  a  group  of  bathers,  but  their 
voices  hardly  carried  so  far.  She 
must  have  been  mistaken.  Then 
the  sound  was  heard  again.  This 
time  it  was  clearer  and  more  dis- 
tinct than  before:  "Virginia, 
help!"  She  stopped  the  engine 
that  its  noise  might  not  interfere. 
Was  some  one  actually  calling  to 
her  for  help? 

Virginia  stood  up  and  shading  her 
eyes  with  her  hand,  scanned  the 
sparkling,  choppy  waters.  It  was 
difficult  to  see  against  the  sun,  but 
—there  must  be  some  one  there 
struggling  in  that  eddy.  The  sound 
seemed  to  come  from  that  direc- 
tion. Yet,  no,  she  felt  she  was 
mistaken.  Some  one  might  have 
swum  out  so  far  and  got  into  trou- 
ble, but  this  was  hardly  probable. 
Her  imagination  must  have  deceived 
her.  The  sound  came  doubtless 
from  the  group  of  bathers  on.  the 
shore.  She  sat  down  and  put  her 
hand  on  the  starting  lever.  Then 
she  suddenly  drew  back,  her  arm 
dropped  to  her  side,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment she  sat  motionless. 

"Perhaps,  a  fellow  being  is  actu- 
ally in  distress  in  yonder  eddy  and 
in  need  of  your  help.  Go  quickly 
and  find  out,"  said  Conscience. 
And  Self  replied,  "Absurd!  There 
can  be  no  one  out  here.  It  is  just 
your  fancy."  Conscience  attacked 
again.  '  'But  at  least  you  can  inves- 
tigate." The  girl  looked  about 
again,  but  could  distinguish  no  one 
struggling  in  the  water.  Then  she 
thought  she  heard  the  cry  again, 
very  faintly  this  time.      Several  of 


232 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  bathers  had  entered  a  boat  and 
were  making  toward  her.  "Ah, 
let  them  see  to  it  if  one  of  their 
number  has  got  into  trouble  by  his 
foolhardiness.  People  ought  to 
have  sense  enough  to  stay  out  of 
danger  if  they  can't  help  them- 
selves, and  not  expect  others  to  in- 
convenience themselves  for  their 
sake."  With  this  uncharitable 
thought.  Virginia  threw  the  start-. 
ing  lever  into  position  and  the 
launch  with  an  angry  chug  contin- 
ued its  way  down  the  river. 

Promptly  at  four  o'clock,  some 
one  knocked  on  the  door  of  Virgin- 
ia's boudoir. 

"All  right,  Annette;  tell  Mr. 
Sherman  to  wait."  Virginia  looked 
once  more  at  her  dainty  pink  finger 
nails  to  see  that  all  were  well  pol- 
ished. But  it  was  not  Annette's 
voice  that  answered. 

"This  is  Aunt  Martha,  dear.  I 
want  to  see  you." 

Virginia  hastened  to  open  the 
door.  Aunt  Martha's  visits  were 
rare.  She  was  a  good  soul,  and  the 
girl  almost  liked  her. 

"Come  in,  Auntie,  and  sit  down. 
How  are— but— what's  the  matter? 
You're  pale;  you  tremble!  Tell 
me— is— is— anything  wrong?" 

Aunt  Martha  dropped  into  a  chair 
and  covered  her  face  with  her 
hands. 

"Auntie  dear,  why  do  you  act  so 
strangely?  Has  anything  hap- 
pened to— to— my— " 

'  'To  your  father?  No  dear,  thank 
heaven,  he  is  safe  and  well— but—  " 

Virginia  staggered  and  almost 
fell.  It  was  not  her  father  of 
whom  she  was  thinking. 


"Did  you  hear  no  one  call  when 
you  were  out  on  the  river?" 

"I— I— thought  so— but  I  wasn't 
sure.  The  sun  was  strong.  I 
could  not  see.  Besides,  I  was  anx- 
ious to  get  home  as  it  was  growing 
late." 

"But  there  was  some  one  there 
struggling  in  the  water,  some  one 
to  whom  you  would  gladly  have 
given  aid  had  you  known  —  " 

"Known  what?"  .Virginia  gasped 
excitedly. 

"That  it  was  Frank!" 

The  girl  screamed  and  seized  her 
aunt. 

"Be  calm,  dear;  he  is  safe,  at 
least  for  the  present— but  only  by 
I  the  merest  chance.  While  bathing 
with  some  friends  and  spying  your 
launch  coming  down  the  river, 
he  wagered  that  he  could  reach  you 
before  you  passed  Crown  Point. 
But  he  was  caught  unawares  in 
one  of  those  terrible  eddies  and 
called  on  you  for  help;  alas!  you  did 
not  hear  him." 

"I  could  not  see,"  repeated  the 
girl.  "But  where  is  he  now?  I 
must  go  to  him  at  once,"  she  said 
rising. 

"He  has  been  brought  to  St. 
Mary's  Hospital  and  Dr.  Brown  has 
'phoned  that  he  has  only  a  slender 
chance  of  recovery.  Some 
friends  succeeded  in  reaching  him 
just  as  his  strength  gave  out  and 
the  physician  fears  that  he  will  suc- 
cumb to  over- exhaustion  before 
morning." 

This  tragic  sequel  to  her  pleas- 
ant dreams  on  her  river  jaunt 
fairly  overwhelmed  the  poor  girl 
and  she  sank  fainting  to  the  floor. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


233 


On  Frankland  Island,  now  rises 
majestically  above  the  wooded 
banks  the  Frank  Sherman  Memor- 
ial Hospital,  where  the  poor  sick 
and  maimed  from  all  over  the  great 
city  find  loving  care.  Sweet-faced, 
brown-robed  Sisters  flit  noislessly 
from  patient  to  patient  through  its 
airy  rooms  and  corridors,  alleviat- 
ing pain  here  and  speaking  conso- 
ation  there. 

And  daily,  too,  there  passes  from 
ward  to  ward,  from  room  to  room, 
a  tall,  stately  figure,  gowned  in 
deep  mourning,  her  rich  golden 
tresses  streaked  with  traces  of  sil- 


ver, her  ca,lm,  beautiful  face  envel- 
oped with  pathetic  sadness.  All 
the  patients  know  her,  all  love  and 
esteem  her,  all  admire  the  wonder- 
ful charity  that  beams  so  sweetly 
from  her  dark  blue  eyes;  and  al- 
though her  own  heart  seems  steeped 
in  deepest  sorrow,  yet  her  pres- 
ence brings  peace  and  jo>  to  the' 
sufferers. 

It  was  at  the  death-bed  of  him, 
whom  her  selfish  neglect  had 
brought  to  an  untimely  grave,  that 
Virginia  Austin  learnt  the  beauti- 
ful virtue  of  Christian  charity  and 
forgetfulness  of  self. 


19in»n  tb,e  minba  are  raging  an  ttje  upper  ocean 
Anb  billouta  urilb  amir-no  uritlj  angry  roar. 

'<5ia  aaib  far  bourn  beneatly  ttye  utilb  rommotton 
A  peaceful  attllneaa  reignettj  euermore. 


§>o  to  tlje  Ijeart  tljat  knoroa  ®lnj  lone,  (§  Keaua, 
Qtyere  ta  a  temple  aarreb  euermnre ; 

Anb  all  tlje  babble  of  life'a  angry  wwea 

Stea  in  Jjualyeb  attllneaa  at  ita  peaceful  boor. 

—Anon. 


234 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy. — Sunday  morning, 
April  29,  the  basilica  of  St.  Peter 
in  Rome  was  the  scene  of  imposing 
ceremonies.  His  Holiness  Pope 
Benedict  XV  solemnly  enrolled  the 
Venerable  Joseph  Benedict  Cotto- 
lengo  among  the  Blessed.  This 
glorious  servant  of  God  was  a  Ter- 
tiary of  St.  Francis.  A  lasting 
monument  to  his  heroic  zeal  and 
sanctity  is  the  "Little  House  of 
Divine  Providence"  founded  by  him 
in  the  city  of  Turin.  In  the  after- 
noon, all  the  diplomats  accredited 
to  the  Holy  See  and  a  large  number 
of  ecclesiastical  and  civil  dignitaries 
attended  the  Holy  Father  on  his 
visit  to  St.  Peter's,  where  special 
services  were  held  in  honor  of  the 
newly  beatified  servant  of  God.  It 
was  thought  all  this  while  that  the 
beatification  would  be  postponed  till 
after  the  war.  The  Holy  Father, 
however,  believed  the  present  time 
very  appropriate,  since  it  would  in- 
spire the  faithful  to  invoke  the  in- 
tercession of  Blessed  Joseph  Bene- 
dict in  behalf  of  peace  among  the 
warring  nations.  — 

Recently,  at  one  of  the  theaters 
in  Rome,  a  new  drama  entitled 
"Brother  Elias"  was  presented  for 
the  first  time.  According  to  this 
play,  the  ideals  of  St.  Francis  and 
his  Order  died  with  the  Saint.  The 
performance  was  severely  criticized 
by  the  large  audience  that  had 
thronged  the  theater  to  witness  it. 
"It  is  the  Italian  people,"  says  the 
Revue  Franciscaine,  "who  know 
and  love  their  St.  Francis  as  also 
the  Order  he  founded.  They  know 
the  glorious  fruits  of  sanctity  which 
this  Order  has  brought  forth 
throughout  the  centuries,  especially 
in  Italy.  Even  the  less  devout  have 
a  sense  of  history  and  patriotism 
that  will  never  accept  the  travesty 


and  profanation  of  Franciscan 
personages  and  of  Franciscan 
works."  — 

At  the  recent  consistory,  the  Holy 
Father  appointed  His  Eminence 
Cardinal  Pompili,  Titular  of  the 
Franciscan  Church  of  Ara  Coeli,  to 
succeed  the  late  Cardinal  Diomede 
Falconio,  o.f.m.,  as  Cardinal-Bishop 
of  the  suburban  diocese  of  Velletri. 
His  Eminence  is  a  fervent  Tertiary 
of  St.  Francis,  belonging  to  the  fra- 
ternity connected  with  the  Church 
of  Ara  Coeli.  — 

A  movement  is  under  way  in  this 
city  to  found  a  society  for  the 
spread  of  Franciscan  ideals.  Based 
on  strictly  Catholic  principles,  en- 
tirely under  pontifical  direction,  it 
purposes  to  counteract  the  influence 
of  the  International  Society  of  Fran- 
ciscan Studies,  founded  by  M.  Paul 
Sabatier.  To  attain  their  end,  the 
promoters  appealed  to  the  members 
of  the  Catholic  movement  in  the 
Latium  and  offered  to  found  a 
Franciscan  Chair  in  Rome  and  con- 
jointly with  it  a  popular  scientific 
library  of  Franciscan  history,  hagio- 
graphy,  art,  literature,  and  socio- 
logy. 

Colombia.  —  The  Rt.  Rev.  Bernard 
Restrepo,  Primate  of  Colombia, 
recently  celebrated  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  of  his  elevation  to  the 
episcopal  dignity.  He  is  a  zealous 
and  fervent  Tertiary  of  St.  Francis. 
Accordingly,  the  Franciscan  Fathers 
made  arrangements  for  a  grand 
reunion  of  all  the  Third  Order  fraj 
ternities  on  this  occasion.  The 
Tertiaries  responded  in  large  num- 
bers to  offer  their  worthy  Bishop 
heartfelt  congratulations.  Six 
bishops  and  the  highest  civil  author- 
ities likewise  came  to  join  in  the 
celebration.  Various  speakers  por- 
trayed the  beautiful  life  and   glori- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


235 


ous  work  of  St.  Francis,  while  Dom 
Gomez  Restrepo  sang  a  hymn  in 
honor  of  the  Saint,  written  and  set 
to  music  for  the  occasion.  The 
following  resolutions  were  passed :  1. 
To  conduct  a  general  reunion  of 
Tertiaries  every  three  years;  2.  to 
make  preparations  for  a  national 
congress  of  the  Third  Order;  3.  to 
humbly  request  the  Bishops  of 
Colombia  to  recommend  the  Third 
Order  to  the  faithful  of  their  dio- 
ceses according  to  the  wish  of  the 
Sovereign  Pontiffs.  In  conclusion, 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Jubilarian  thanked  the 
assembled  Tertiaries  for  the  joy 
they  had  caused  him  on  the  occasion 
of  his  silver  jubilee  and  told  them 
how  happy  he  was  to  inform  them 
that  the  greater  number  of  the 
Bishops  of  Colombia  were  like  him 
Tertiaries  of  St.  Francis. 

Agra,  India.  — The  archdiocese  of 
Agra  has  suffered  a  heavy  loss  by 
the  death  of  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Julius, 
0.  M.  Cap.  He  was  born  at  Aiatri, 
Italy,  in  1839,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  entered  the  Capuchin 
Order  in  the  Roman  Province.  In 
1866,  he  joined  the  Capuchin  mis- 
sion of  Agra  and  labored  there  ever 
since.  In  1878,  Fr.  Julius  was  ap- 
pointed military  chaplain  of  an  ex- 
peditionary force  to  Afghanistan. 
Later,  the  zealous  missionary  was 
entrusted  with  the  rectorship  of  St. 
Peter's  College  in  Agra  and  subse- 
quently of  St.  George's  College  in 
Mussoorie.  Though  greatly  afflicted 
with  rheumatism,  Fr.  Julius  as  late 
as  October  1,  1916,  assumed  military 
duty  as  second  chaplain  at  Meerut. 
But  he  felt  that  his  end  was  ap- 
proaching and  soon  returned  to 
Sardhana  where,  on  February  18. 
he  closed  his  long  and  eventful 
career.  Of  the  fifty-eight  years 
devoted  to  God  in  the  Capuehin 
Order,  he  spent  forty-nine  in  the 
mission  of  Agra,  and  was  looked 
upon  by  all  who  came  in  contact 
with  him  as  a  true  son  of  St,  Fran- 
cis and  an  untiring  laborer    in   the 


vineyard  of  the  Lord. 
Santa  Barbara,  Cal.,  Old  Mission. 

—On  the  feast  of  St.  Joseph,  March 
19,  Rev.  Fr.  Bernardino,  o.f.m., 
celebrated  his  first  holy  Mass  in  the 
Old  Mission  church.  He  is  one  of 
the  Franciscan  refugees  from  Mexi- 
co, that  have  found  a  home  in  our 
midst.  After  completing  his  theo- 
logical studies  at  the  Catholic 
University,  Washington,  D.  C,  Fr. 
Bernardino  went  to  the  Old  Mission 
of  San  Luis  Rey,  Cal.,  where  on 
Sunday,  March  11,  he  was  ordained 
priest  by  the  Right  Rev.  Vincente 
Castellanos,  Bishop  of  Campeche, 
Mexico.  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Alfonso, 
o.  F.  M. ,  of  San  Luis  Rey,  Commissary 
General  for  the  Franciscans  in 
Mexico,  assisted  at  the  first  Mass  as 
arch-priest,  while  Rev.  FF.  Josa- 
phat,  Ambrosio,  and  Domingo, 
acted  as  deacon,  subdeacon,  and 
master  of  ceremonies  respectively. 
The  Spanish  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Angel,  while  Rev.  Fr. 
Vitus,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  preached 
in  English.  The  student  choir  of 
St.  *  Antony's  Seraphic  College, 
under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Fr. 
Adrian,  sang  at  the  solemn  services. 
At  present,  there  are  fifteen  Fran- 
ciscan clerics,  exiles  from  Mexico, 
pursuing  their  philosophical  and 
theological  studies  at  the  Old  Mis- 
sion under  the  direction  of  Rev.  FF. 
Josaphat,  Ambrosio,  Domingo,  and 
Miguel,  all  of  whom  are  likewise 
Franciscan  refugees  from  Mexico. 
St.  Louis,  Mo,  St.  Antony's 
Church.— Those  who  were  fortunate 
enough  to  witness  the  celebration 
incident  to  the  first  visitation  of  the 
local  conference  of  the  Third  Order, 
will  not  readily  forget  the  event. 
Long  before  the  appointed  hour, 
the  Tertiaries  began  to  gather  from 
all  parts  of  the  city.  As  their 
number  was  too  large  for  Tertiary 
Hall,  they  remained  in  the  neigh- 
boring streets,  where  at  2. 30  P.  M., 
the  procession  to  the  church  was 
formed.       There    were   over    2000 


236 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Tertiaries  in  line.  The  sight  of  so 
many  wearing  their  fraternity  em- 
blem and  marching  publicly  through 
the  streets  of  the  city  was  truly 
edifying  to  the  numerous  bystand- 
ers and  filled  the  Tertiaries  them- 
selves with  joy  and  pride. 

When  the  Tertiaries  arrived  in  the 
spacious  church,  which  was  filled 
to  its  utmost  capacity  by  the  vast 
throng,  the  Rev.  Visitor,  Fr.  Roger, 
O.F.M.,  addressed  them  in  English 
and  in  German.  He  pointed  out 
the  difference  between  the  Third 
Order  and  the  so-called  confraterni- 
ties and  sodalities,  and  then  ex- 
plained at  length  the  object  of  this 
great  lay  Order,  which,  he  said, 
was  the  sanctification  of  the  indi- 
vidual, of  the  home,  and  of  society. 

Immediately  after  the  sermons, 
followed  the  impressive  celebration 
of  the  golden  jubilee  as  Tertiary  of 
Sister  Catherine  V.  Bins.  Tnis  was 
a  fitting  recognition  of  her  long  life 
as  a  faithful  child  of  St.  Francis 
and  no  doubt  inspired  her  fellow 
Tertiaries  to  emulate  her  fidelity  to 
the  Order  of  more  than  half  a 
century.  Mrs.  Bins  was  received 
into  the  Third  Order  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Servatius  Altmicks,  o.f.m.,  on 
August  2,  1865.  At  that  time,  the 
Third  Order  in  St.  Louis  numbered 
only  forty  members  and  St.  An- 
tony's parish  about  ninety  families. 
Although  our  beloved  jubilarian  has 
now  reached  the  ripe  old  age  of 
ninety-two  years,  the  last  fifty-six 
of  which  she  has  spent  as  a  widow,, 
she  is  nevertheless  quite  hale  and 
hearty,  and  up  to  the  last  few  years 
she  rarely  missed  a  meeting  of  the 
fraternity. 

A  procession  with  the  statue  of 
St.  Francis  was  then  held  in  the 
church,  only  the  men  Tertiaries 
taking  part,  owing  to  the  vast 
crowd.  The  papal  blessing  and 
solemn  Benediction  with  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  brought  th«  services  to 
a  close.  Hereupon,  the  Tertiaries 
repaired  to  the  school  hall,    where 


1  an  informal  reception  was  held  and 
refreshments  were  served.  The 
Rev.  Fr.  Visitor  was  called  on  to 
address  the  Tertiaries  again  and  he 
responded  by  narrating  some  inter- 
esting facts  about  the  Third  Order 
in  Brazil,  which  he  had  gleaned 
during  his  recent  visit  to  that  coun- 
try. He  mentioned  among  other 
things  that  in  the  city  of  Bahia  over 
3000  men  belong  to  the  Third  Order, 
and  that  they  are  doing  splendid 
charitable  work,  having  expended 
in  one  year  over  $20,000  for  this 
purpose.  Rev.  Fr.  Vincent,  o.f.m. , 
our  former  spiritual  director,  and 
Rev.  Fr.  Joseph,  o.f.m.,  also  ad- 
dressed words  of  cheer  and  encour- 
agement to  the  Tertiaries.  Besides 
the  addresses  of  the  Rev.  Fathers, 
a  musical  program,  consisting  of 
two  numbers  by  St.  Antony's 
choristers  under  the  direction  of 
Prof.  A.  Rhode,  a  violin  solo  by 
Mr.  A.  Reisch,  and  vocal  selections 
by  Mr.  S.  Thomas,  and  by  the 
Misses  Teresa  and  Adele  Thomas, 
was  much  appreciated. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Hos- 
pital.—The  feast  of  the  Patronage 
of  St.  Joseph,  on  April  25,  was  a 
day  of  joy  and  festivity  for  the 
Franciscan  Sisters  of  St.  Antony's 
Hospital.  Nine  young  ladies  were 
admitted  into  the  ranks  of  the  sis- 
terhood, while  six  Sisters  renewed 
their  holy  profession.  Rev.  H.  A. 
Huckestein,  spiritual  director  of 
the  community,  celebrated  the 
solemn  High  Mass.  Rev.  Fr.  Jas- 
per, o.f.m.,  of  the  local  Franciscan 
friary,  assisted  as  deacon  and  Rev. 
Conrad  Flasch,  of  Random  Lake, 
Wisconsin,  as  sub-deacon,  while 
Rev.  Fr.  Sabinus,  o.f.m.,  acted  as 
master  of  ceremonies.  The  German 
sermon  was  preached  by  Fr  Jasper, 
who  had  conducted  the  preparatory 
retreat  of  the  Sisters.  Rev.  Otto 
T.  Siesener,  chaplain  of  the  Notre 
Dame  convent  at  Santa  Maria  in 
Ripa,  delivered  the  English  sermon. 
A  number  of  priests  from  the  city 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


237 


and  many  relatives  and   friends  of 

the  Sisters   were   present     at    the 

solemn  and  impressive  ceremonies. 

Cleveland,  0.,St.  Joseph's  Church: 

—Our  Tertiaries  are  showing  great 
interest  in  the  mission  section  re- 
cently organized  in  their  fraternity. 
To  acquaint  them  more  fully  with 
mission  needs  and  problems,  one 
thousand  copies  x>f  Father  Fischer's 
For  Christ's  Kingdom  were  dis- 
tributed gratis  among  them  with 
excellent  results.  Another  pamph- 
let, Marion's  Dream,  a  timely  and 
forcible  lecture  on  a  very  delicate 
subject,  in  the  form  of  a  short  story, 
found  great  favor  with  our  Terti- 
aries, so  much  so  that  when  the 
first  thousand  copies  had  been  dis- 
tributed, they  eagerly  asked  for 
more,  being  convinced  that  the 
booklet  would  effect  much  good  | 
among  their  Tertiary  as  well  as 
non-Tertiary  friends.  Our  fraterni- 
ty is  constantly  growing;  only  re- 
cently seventy-four  new  members 
were  received,  and  fifty-five  novi- 
ces were  professed. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Stanislaus 
Church:— Again  we  have  the  pleas- 
ure of  reporting  that  four  of  our 
young  women  Tertiaries  are  to  con- 
secrate themselves  to  the  service  of 
God  in  the  convent.  Among  them 
is  our  popular  and  respected  secre- 
tary, Miss  Stella  Raniszewska.  A 
deep  student  of  history  and  belles- 
lettres,  she  is  especially  fond  of 
poetry  and  is  herself  no  mediocre 
writer  of  verse.  At  public  gather- 
ings and  at  the  weekly  meetings  of 
our  Young  Ladies'  Educational  Cir- 
cle, of  which  she  was  secretary, 
her  edifying  poetic  productions  were 
so  much  appreciated  that  no  meet- 
ing seemed  complete  without  them. 
She  has  translated  into  Polish  a 
number  of  articles  from  Franciscan 
Herald,  among  others  Marion's 
Dream,  which  will  soon  appear  in 
pamphlet  form  in  its  new  Polish 
dress.  In  spite  of  her  many  ac- 
complishments,  Miss   Raniszewska 


is  very  unassuming.  Averse  to 
fashion  and  worldly  pomp,  she  has 
nevertheless  attracted  many  a  young 
lady  by  her  admirable  simplicity, 
cheerfulness,  self-sacrifice,  and 
meekness.  Since  her  reception  in- 
to the  Third  Order,  daily  Communi- 
on, daily  visits  to  the  Blessed  Sa- 
crament before  and  after  the  day's 
work,  and  a  tender,  childlike  devo- 
tion to  the  Seraphic  Father  St. 
Francis  have  been  the  mainspring 
of  all  her  actions.  The  news  of  her 
intended  departure  for  the  cloister, 
while  filling  her  many  friends  and 
sister  Tertiaries  with  sadness,  is  yet 
a  source  of  joy  to  them,  because 
they  know  that  she  is  but  heeding 
the  Master's  call  and  choosing  the 
"better  part."  May  her  noble  ex- 
ample inspire  many  other  youthful 
hearts  to  follow  her. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 
—  At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  officers 
of  both  English-speaking  fraterni- 
ties, it  was  decided  to  organize  a 
special  committee  in  each  fraternity 
for  the  purpose  of  visiting  and  car- 
ing for  the  sick  members,  according 
to  the  provision  of  the  Rule.  Each 
of  these  committees  will  be  com- 
posed of  twelve  members,  and  much 
good  is  expected  from  their  activity. 

New  York  City.  — On  Sunday,  May 
6,  the  members  of  the  Third  Order 
conference  established  in  the  parish 
of  Our  Lady  of  Pity  received  Holy 
Communion  in  a  body.  The  Mass 
was  celebrated  by  Very  Rev.  Fr. 
James,  o.f.m.,  the  newly  appointed 
superior  of  the  Italian  Commissariat 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  Fr,  Francis,  o.f.m., 
the  spiritual  director  of  the  fra- 
ternity. The  new  altar  at  which 
the  holy  Mass  was  said,  was  re- 
cently donated  by  one  of  our  Terti- 
aries. The  conference  numbers  at 
present  more  than  three  hundred 
members,  one  half  of  whom  are 
men. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St,  Boniface 
Church.— At  the  general  monthly 


238 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


meeting  held  on  Sunday,  May  6, 
eighteen  postulants  received  the 
cord  and  scapular  of  the  Third  Or- 
der, while  ten  novices  made  their 
profession.  Our  next  monthly  Com- 
munion will  be  offered  for  peace 
among  the  warring  nations.  The 
Rev.  Director  urges  all  members  to 
be  present  on  this  occasion. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  Francis  Academy. 
— Ven.  Mother  M.  Lucy  Raub.o.s.F., 
who  for  the  past  forty-seven  years 
was  a  very  prominent  member  of 
this  community,  passed  away  after 
an  illness  of  two  weeks,  on  April  21. 
The  deceased  was  born  in  Joliet,  on 
May  18,  1853,  and  took  the  veil  at 
the  Academy  on  July  9,  1870.  For 
two  terms,  from  1887-1893,  she 
filled  the  office  of  Superior  General 
of  the  Franciscan  Sisters  of  Mary 
Immaculate,  and  escaped  a  third 
term  only  by  her  absolute  refusal 
to  accept.  For  a  number  of  years, 
she  acted  as  mistress  of  novices, 
and  as  first  superior  of  the  Guardi- 
an Angel  Home  on  Buell  Avenue. 
She  resigned  this  office  a  few  years 
ago,  and  was  happy  to  devote  her- 
self entirely  to  the  care  of  the 
orphans.  The  solemn  funeral  serv- 
ices were  held  on  Monday,  April  23, 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Bernard,  o.f.m.,  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  FF.  Eugene  and 
Adolph,  o.f.m.  Fr.  Bernard  also 
preached  the  funeral  sermon,  dwel- 
ling especially  on  the  works  of 
mercy,  to  the  practice  of  which  the 
Ven.  Sister  had  consecrated  the 
greater  portion  of  her  life.  All  the 
orphans,     followed    their    beloved 


mother  to  her  final  resting  place  in 
St.  John's  cemetery.  R.  I.  P. 

New  Orleans,  La.,  St.  Clare's 
Monastery.  —  On  April  18,  Miss  Jo- 
sephine Hermann,  of  Holy  Trinity 
parish,  this  city,  was  invested  in 
the  habit  of  the  Third  Order  Regu- 
lar, while  Sister  M.  Benedict  took 
the  perpetual  vows.  The  ceremonies 
were  performed  by  Very  Rev.  Fr. 
Samuel  Macke,  o.f.m.,  Provincial 
of  the  Province  of  the  Sacred  Heart. 
Very  Rev.  Fr.  Edward  Blecke,  o.F. 
M..  Provincial  of  the  Province  of 
the  Holy  Name,  and  Rev.  Leander 
M.  Roth,  the  zealous  Tertiary  pastor 
of  St.  Teresa's  parish,  this  city,  as- 
sisted at  the  solemn  functions.  On 
the  following  morning,  the  canoni- 
cal visitation  was  held  in  the 
monastery,  and  Sister  M.  Francis 
Moran  was  installed  as  abbess. 
During  his  stay  in  New  Orleans, 
Rev.  Fr.  Solanus,  o.f.m.,  of  Cincin- 
nati, Ohio,  conducted  a  retreat  for 
the  Sisters  of  the  community. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.— The  Francis- 
can Sisters  of  Milwaukee  are  erect- 
ing a  house  of  studies  in  Brookland, 
D.  C.  It  is  destined  for  such  Sisters 
of  their  congregation  as  are  selected 
by  the  superiors  to  pursue  a  higher 
course  of  studies  at  the  Catholic 
University.  The  new  building  will 
be  three  stories  high  and  will  be 
equipped  with  every  modern  im- 
provement. Their  congregation 
numbers  eight  hundred  Sisters, 
who  have  done  invaluable  service 
to  the  Church  in  this  country  in 
the  cause  of  Catholic  education. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPHS  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOUS,  ILLINOIS 

The  annual  devotion  of  the  Thir- 
teen Hours  Adoration  was  held  in 
the  college  chapel  on  Sunday,  April 
29,     with    great     solemnity.     The 


ceremonies  of  the  reposition  were 
especially  imposing.  Rev.  Fr. 
Guardian  Theodosius,  several  of 
the  Fathers,  and  all  the  student 
clerics  of  the  novitiate  convent  took 
part  in  the    procession.     Our    Rev. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


239 


Fr.  Rector  was  absent  on  this  occa- 
sion, having  gone  to  St.  Louis  to 
hold  the  visitation  of  the  Third 
Order  fraternity  in  St.  Antony's 
Church  in  that  city. 

As  the  members  of  the  graduat- 
ing class  do  not  receive  a  vacation 
before  entering  the  novitiate,  ft  is 
customary  to  grant  them  an  outing 
sometime  during  the  month  of  May. 
Tuesday,  May  15,  was  the  day  cho- 
sen this  year,  and  the  weather  on 
that  day  was  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired for  a  trip  into  the  country. 
Early  in  the  morning,  the  boys  set 
out  on  their  long  drive  of  some  four- 
teen miles  to  Trowbridge,  111., 
where  they  spent  the  day  as  guests 
of  the  McClory  family,  who  are  old 
friends  of  our  college.  Several 
Fathers  of  the  faculty  accompanied 
the  students,  and  all  reported  hav- 
ing had  a  most  enjoyable  day. 

The  spring  outing  for  all  the  boys 
will  be  held  on  Pentecost  Monday, 
at  Bishop  Creek,  111.  This  means 
a  '-hike"  of  about  seven  miles  into 
the  country  where  the  day  is  spent 
in  playing  games,  roaming  through 
the  woods,  wading  in  the  cool  wa- 
ter of  the  creek,  taking  snap  shots, 
munching  sweets,  and  returning 
home  in  the  dusk  of  evening  in 
great  farm  wagons,  when  the 
boys  sing  all  the  songs  they  know 
and  "a  few  they  don't  know",  as 
one  of  our  wags  has  expressed  it. 

On  Sunday,  May  20,  nine  of  the 
junior  students  made  their  so-called 
solemn  First  Communion.  In  the 
evening  of  the  same  day,  the  St. 
Bernardine  Literary  Circle  gave  a 
musical  and  literary  program  in  the 
dramatic  hall  in  honor  of  their 
patron,  whose  feast  is  celebrated 
on  that  day.  All  the  numbers  on 
the  program  were  very  well  chosen, 
and  the  hearty  and  prolonged  ap- 
plause that  rewarded  each  speaker 
gave  ample  proof  of  their  profici- 
ency and  of  the  appreciation  of  the 
audience.  Two  selections  by  the 
college  orchestra  added  greatly    to 


evening's  entertainment.  It  was 
a  classical  program,  and  the  Circle 
is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  ener- 
getic spirit  that  pervades  all  its 
members  and  on  the  thoroughness 
of  its  methods,  as  evidenced  by  the 
program  rendered.  It  was  as  fol- 
lows: 

1.  Danube  Waves  Waltz J.  Ivanovici 

College  Orchestra 

2.  The  "Our  Father"'  (Dramatic  Reading).  Anon. 

Ralph  Patterson 

8.    Alone  in  the  Dark  (Comic  Reeitation Anon. 

Charles  Eberle 

4.  Der  Erlkoenig  (Poem) J.W.Goethe 

William  Wernslng 

5.  Der  Jaeger  Abschied   (Song)..  P.    Mendelssohn 

Pleasant  Hour  Frateruity 

6.  O  Captain,  my  Captain!  (Poem)  Walt  Whitman 

Robert  Zwiesler 

7.  A  Republic  or  a  Monarchy?     (Oration) 

Victor  Hugo 

Frank  Thiel 

8.  The  Gladiator's  Defence,  (from  "Dion  and   the 

Sibyls'" Keon 

Paul  Eberle,  Francis  Kiefer,  Henry  Pinger 

9.  National  Fencibles  March J.  P.  Sousa 

College  Orchestra 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QU1NCY.  ILLINOIS 

The  annual  Thirteen  Hours  De- 
votion in  our  college  chapel  was 
held  on  Sunday,  April  29.  At  the 
solemn  High  Mass  in  the  morning, 
the  choir  rendered  Piel's  "Mass  of 
St.  Francis  Xavier,"  under  the  able 
direction  of  Rev.  Fr.  Rector.  A 
special  feature  at  the  closing  services 
in  the  evening  was  the  full  orches- 
tral accompaniment  to  the  Te  Deum. 

On  April  15,  the  graduating  A. 
M.  class  rendered  a  patriotic  pro- 
gram at  the  meeting  of  the  Liter- 
ary and  Debating  Society.  All  the 
speakers  had  patriotic  subjects  and 
acquitted  themselves  very  well. 
The  final  number  was  especially 
inspiring;  for  when  a  large  flag 
was  unfurled,  the  whole  student 
body,  accompanied  by  the  orches- 
tra, sang  The  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner. Members  of  the  III  Collegiate 
presented  a  very  interesting  and 
varied  program  on  April  30.  The 
music  for  the  occasion  was  furnish- 
ed by    the    Glee   Club    Orchestra. 


240 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Another  musical  and  literary  pro- 
gram that  elicited  the  highest 
praise  from  the  audience,  was  given 
at  the  final  meeting  of  The  Germa- 
nia.  A  very  amusing  playlet,  writ- 
ten by  one  of  the  members  and  pre- 
sented by  Messrs.  Frank,  Schmied- 
er,  and  Poepel,  drew  the  most 
favorable  comments  from  all  pres- 
ent. 

Owing  to  the  unusual  weather 
conditions,  practically  our  entire 
baseball  schedule  had  to  be  cancel- 
ed. Our  team,  however,  succeeded 
in  meeting  and  defeating  Carthage 
College  at  Carthage,  111.,  by  a  score 
of  6-4.  Sandon  and  May  were  the 
battery  for  St.  Francis.  On  May  12, 
the  St.  Francis  Regulars  downed  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  team  by  the  over- 
whelming score  of  16-2,  and  on  May 
13,  they  came  out  victorious  in  a 
splended  game  with  St.  John's 
Parish  team,  the  score  being  2-0. 
Pitcher  Whalen  was  at  his  best  dur- 
ing this  game,  fanning  out  17  bat- 
ters and  not  allowing  a  single  hit. 
Were  he  not  a  candidate  for  the 
holy  priesthood,  he  could  certainly 
make  a  name  for  himself  among 
the  lovers  of  the  national  sport. 

ST.  ANTONY'S  COLLEGE 
SANTA  BARBARA.  CALIFORNIA 

Recently  the  four  Very  Reverend 


Provincial  Superiors  of  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor  in  the  United  States, 
FF.  Rudolph,  Samuel,  Edward,  and 
Hugolinus,  held  a  meeting  at  the 
historical  Old  Mission  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara, to  discuss  the  problems  of  the 
Order  in  this  country.  On  May  2, 
the  students  of  our  Seraphic  College 
gave  a  reception  in  their  honor  in 
the  college  dramatic  hall.  The 
principal  feature  of  the  evening 
was  the  beautiful  drama  '  'For  God 
and  Country",  a  touching  story  of 
apostacy  and  fidelity  from  the  time 
of  the  Mohammedan  invasion  of 
Spain  in  the  Middle  Ages.  The 
student  actors  took  their  roles  very 
well  and  the  entertainment  was 
much  enjoyed  by  all  present.  Fol- 
lowing is  the  cast  of  characters. 

Don  Vasco  de  (Jomez D.  McCarthy 

Don  Alonzo  J.  Butler 

Don  Lopez F.  Sclrank 

Pedro J  Bold 

Pedrillo  ....    F.  Whitty 

Fabricio E.  Powelson 

Mendoza J.  Rennolds 

Marietta J.  Smith 

Basilio It.  Buc-her 

Sancho J.  Kn&uff 

Virgilio '..... D.  Evins 

Tarik N.  Dierlinger 

Ibrahim E.  Puetzl 

Juanino T.  Bucher 

Abdalah F.  Fritz 

Salim  M.  Weisel 

Soldiers.  Pages.  Peasants 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.Francis  Fraternity:— Mary  Burns,  Sr.  Mary;  Elizabeth  Turner,  Sr.  Clare. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity: — Catherine  O 'Toole,  Sr.  Mary. 

German  Fraternity:— Joseph  Hansmann,  Bro.  Antony;  Mary    Prosser,    Sr. 
Frances;  Mary  Porte,  Sr.   Elizabeth. 
Cleveland,  O.,  St  Joseph's  Church:  — Matthias  Dehoff,   Bro.    Francis;    Johanna 
Jansen,  Sr.  Veronica;  Mary  Hegeler,  Sr.  Elizabeth;  Mary  O'Connell,  Sr. 
Frances;  Regina  Seebach,    Sr.    Antonia;    Angela    Losselin,    Sr.    Clare; 
Angela  Fratiana,  Sr.  Rose;  Clare  Huttman,  Sr.  Catherine. 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface  Church:-P.  S.  McGrath;  Nellie  Doyle;  Bridget 

Carlin;  Mary  Moran;  B.  Caskey;  Anne  Orr. 
Joliet,  111.,  St.  Francis  Academy:— Ven.  Sr.  Mary  Lucy  Raub,  O.s.F. 
Requiescant  in  pace 


<0  ii iiiiiu iiniimiiii    i     inn    11       ]    i  u  C0!  n  )  a    i     in  □  t:         ir0 


*  = 


I-  ! 


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01IIIIHHIIIIOI iliCli □ IIOIIM D INI! llcQjIlllllllllllO IIIIIIICIIIIIIIIIIIIICMI IDIIIIIIIIItllD I cQllllllll dill IIIIC1IIII Ol I □IIIIIIIIIIIIQIIIIIIIIIIIiailllllllllllC0 


1  Jrattriaran  literal^  I 

:Ii  A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred  Ui 

™-  Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions  ^w 

SI  # 


VOL.V. 


JUDT,  1917. 


NO.  7 


lEfcttnrtal  ffinmm^ttt 


OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

The  Messias  has  come.  He  begins  to  do  and  to  teach.  Toward  the 
end  of  his  life  he  founds  a  society,  well  organized,  consisting  of  a  head 
and  members— the  Church.  The  Apostles  whom  he  has  gathered  about 
him  and  instructed,  he  appoints  his  representatives.  In  his  name  and  by 
his  authority  they  are  to  continue  his  own  life  work  and  to  labor  for  the 
spread  of  the  new  kingdom.  Fearlessly  they  set  out  to  conquer  the  world 
for  their  divine  Master,  to  establish  his  reign  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and 
by  the  power  of  their  word  and  of  their  example  they  subdue  the  wildest 
tribes  and  nations. 

In  them,  more  perhaps  than  in  any  other  saints,  shone  forth  the 
grace  and  power  of  the  Redeemer.  In  them  and  through  them  he  tri- 
umphed in  a  most  singular  manner.  Having  imbibed  the  sacred  truths 
at  the  very  fountainhead  of  truth,  they  not  only  made  them  completely 
their  own  but  yearned  to  impart  them  to  others.  Hence,  they  went  forth 
and  "preached  everywhere,  the  Lord  working  withal  and  confirming  their 
word  with  signs  that  followed."  Nor  was  their  task  of  converting  a 
heathen  world  an  easy  one.  When  first  Christ  gave  them  the  commission 
to  preach,  he  told  them  of  the  dangers  and  difficulties  they  would  en- 
counter.    "Behold,"  he  said,  "I  send  you  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves 

You  shall  be  hated  by  all  men  for  my  name's  sake The  disciple  is 

not  above  the  master,  nor  the  servant  above  his  lord."  As  the  master 
was  persecuted  and  put  to  death,  so  were  his  disciples  treated.  But 
neither  persecution  nor  death  could  deter  them  from  preaching  Christ 
crucified  and  extending  his  kingdom  to  the  farthest  ends  of  the  earth. 
Thus  did  the  holy  Apostles  perpetuate  the  triumph  of  Christ. 


FAMINE 

The  war  that  we  have  embarked  on,  though  only  a  paper  war  thus 
far,  has  already  taught  us  many  a  valuable  lesson.  Among  other  things 
it  has  opened  our  eyes  to  our  woful  state  of  unpreparedness  to  carry  on  a 
war  of  such  magnitude.  This  realization  has  brought  with  it  quite  nat- 
urally a  decrease  in  national  pride.  Though  we  are  still  boasting  of  our 
unlimited  wealth  and  resources,  it  is  slowly  dawning  on  us  that  there  is 


242  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


a  dearth  of  available  human  beings  for  a  vigorous  and  successful  prosecu- 
tion of  the  war. 

Says  one  of  our  national  secular  weeklies:  "Underneath  all  of  the 
lacks  troubling  this  nation  now  or  expected  to  trouble  us  in  the  future  is 
one  primary  lack  which  is  responsible  for  most  of  the  others.  There  is 
at  this  moment  in  the  United  States  a  famine  of  human  beings.  We  are 
paying  the  price  of  a  sin  we  have  long  committed.  It  is  a  sin,  even  if 
considered  only  in  terms  of  economics  and  national  strength.  France  is 
paying  the  same  price.  When  the  Franco-Prussian  war  was  fought  in 
1870,  France  had  about  the  same  population  as  the  great  enemy.  When 
the  present  war  came  on  France  still  had  about  the  same  population  as  in 
1870,  and  Germany  had  increased  its  population  about  60  per  cent.  France 
has  received  no  large  immigration-  otherwise  her  position  and  that  of  the 

United  States  in  recent  years    are    much   the  same This  is  just  the 

moment  for  the  beginning  of  a  policy  which  ought  to  be  frankly  recog- 
nized and  intelligently  promoted.  It  is  a  good  time  to  drive  home  the 
truth  that  larger  families  are  desirable  than  are  now  the  rule  in  the 
United  States.  Under  the  new  income-tax  bill  exemption  is  brought 
down  to  $1,500  for  a  single  man,  $2,000  for  a  married  man.  It  should 
allow,  in  additiun,  a  $500  exemption  for  each  child.  And  that  discrimi- 
nation in  favor  of  men  and  women  who  raise  children  should  ultimately 
be  pushed  much  further  and  should  be  expressed  in  ways  more  appeal- 
ing and  effictive  than  the  mere  remission  of  taxes." 

If  conditions  in  this  country  are  really  so  bad  as  depicted  in  these  lines, 
then  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  we  are  a  decadent  nation  and  the  sooner 
we  acknowledge  our  decadence  the  better  for  the  nation.  If  we  have 
reached  the  point  when  it  is  necessary  for  a  state  to  discriminate  in  favor 
of  men  and  women  with  children,  then  we  are  in  exactly  the  same  predi- 
cament as  Rome  under  Caesar  Augustus,  and  the  Rome  of  Augustus  was 
rotten  to  the  core.  Moreover  the  efficacy  of  such  economic  remedies  as  are 
proposed  in  the  above  words  may  be  well  doubted,  since  they  have  been 
tried  ere  this  and  found  wanting.  As  all  other  vital  questions  of  the  day, 
so  the  present  can  not  be  "considered  only  in  terms  of  economics",  because 
the  sin  referred  to  is  not  merely  an  economic  but  a  moral  evil,  and  a  moral 
evil  requires  a  moral  remedy.  Until  persons  in  responsible  positions,  such 
as  the  pulpit,  the  platform,  the  editorial  sanctum,  the  legislative  hall, 
and  above  all  the  home  unite  their  voices  in  assailing  voluntary  parent- 
hood (euphemism  for  birth  control)  as  a  grave  moral  perversion,  as  a  truly 
"destestable  thing"  when  viewed  from  the  ethical  standpoint,  we  shall 
look  in  vain  to  the  state  to  retard  the  process  of  national  decadence  by  tax 
exemptions  or  other  economic  discrimnations  '  'in  favor  of  men  and  women 
who  raise  children. ' '  The  Holy  Father  has  recently  recommended  prayers 
for  larger  and  better  families.  Surely,  if  society  is  to  be  saved  from  itself, 
this  is  a  primary  need. 


DEMENTIA  AMERJCANA 

"Would  any  one,"  asks  a  writer  in  The  Independent,  "take  serious 
exception  to  the  following  as  a  truthful  list  of  the  great  'interests'  which 
make  up  our  American  life?  1,  The  ticker;  2,  female  apparel;  3,  base- 
ball bulletin;  4,  the  'movies';  5,  bridge  whist;  6,  turkey  trotting; 6,  yellow 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  243 


journal  headlines  and  funny  pages;  8,  the  prize  fight.  How  many  of  our 
readers  after  due  reflection  would  dispute  the  proposition  that  100,000 
Americans  are  genuinely  interested  in  the  foregoing  matters,  and  day  by 
day  excited  over  them,  to  every  10, 000  that  are  interested  in  religion  beyond 
a  perfunctory  church  attendance,  to  every  5, 000  that  are  interested  in  poli- 
tics beyond  a  little  partisan  campaign  excitement,  to  every  1,0.00  that  are 
interested  in  reasonably  good  music,  to  every  solitary  individual  who  is  in- 
terested in  literature  and  science?" 

We  will  not  vouch  for  the  arithmetical  accuracy  of  this  estimate  of 
our  esteemed  compatriots  and  fellow  sovereigns,  but  neither  do  we  doubt 
that  most  of  them  will  readily  concede  that  they  have  not  been  greatly 
misrepresented.  While  it  is  undeniable  that  more  than  half  of  the  "inte- 
rests" enumerated  have  their  basis  in  the  legitimate  satisfaction  of  nor- 
mal human  wants,  it  is  just  as  true  that  every  one  of  them  can  become  an 
obsession,  and  in  America  every  one  of  them  is  an  obsession.  They  are 
only  so  many  manifestations  of  what  is  commonly  called  dementia  Ameri- 
cana. Men  and  women  and  children,  too,  in  multitudes  are  "gone"  on 
them,  and  this  slang  word,  so  accurately  descriptive,  is  the  multitude's 
own  indictment  of  itself.  Culture  is  scorned,  knowledge  is  scoffed  at, 
obligation  is  forgotten,  work  is  neglected  in  the  feverish  following  of  the 
quotation  or  the  score,  in  the  abject  slavery  to  mode,  in  the  shameful  sur- 
render to  sensual  pleasure. 

And  why  are  there  so  many  "slaves  in  a  land  of  light  and  law"?  Is 
this  wretched  folly  and  madness  the  best  exhibition  we  can  make  of  our- 
selves? Is  the  American  mind  inherently  inane  and  hopelessly  inade- 
quate to  grasp  the  higher  things  in  life?  Is  it  by  heredity  given  to  empty 
drivel  and  futile  piffle?  We  are  not  ready  to  think  so.  Rather,  we  be- 
lieve, the  American  mind  is  suggestible,  excitable,  and  credulous.  Upon 
this  suggestibility  and  gullibility  well  organized,  cold-blooded,  unscrupu- 
lous enterprise  plays— for  profit,  and  the  multitude  responds  and  accepts 
excitement  in  full  payment  for  wisdom,  health,  knowledge,  sanity,  hap- 
piness. 

Perhaps,  in  this  regard  also  the  war  will  prove  a  corrective.  It  has 
already  had  a  castigating  and  sobering  effect  on  the  nations  of  Europe, 
and  if  the  letting  of  blood  is  necessary  to  cure  us  of  our  national  malady 
then  let  us  not  repine  but  submit  cheerfully  to  the  painful  operation. 


NURSES  AND  NURSES 

"Compared  on  paper,  one  nurse  was  as  good  as  the  other.  But  actu- 
ally, in  their  effect  on  the  patient,  they  were  worlds  apart.  For  A  did 
her  work  as  if  it  were  a  joy;  X  went  through  it  as  though  it  were  mere 
duty.  A  took  her  patient's  pulse  as  if  that  were  a  great  lark;  X  as  if  she 
were  reading  a  seismograph.  A  made  you  feel  that  you  weren't  doing 
your  part  unless  you  hurried  up  and  got  well;  X  gave  the  impression  that 
so  long  as  she  was  faithful  it  didn't  matter  when  (or  if)  you  recovered. 
X  was  every  bit  as  hard-working  and  conscientious  as  A.  But  X  was 
only  a  girl  who  was  following  the  trade  of  a  nurse;  whereas  A  was  prim- 
arily engaged  in  using  her  skill  as  nurse  to  do  something  for  somebody 
else.  A  had  something  more  than  a  graduate's  diploma;  she  had  discov- 
ered one  of  the  greatest  secrets  of  life." 


244  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


With  apologies  to  the  editor  of  Collier's  we  should  like  to  complete 
the  parallelism  by  adding  that  A  was  guided  by  religious  principles,  X 
acted  from  mercenary  motives.  A  saw  in  her  patients  the  suffering  mem- 
bers of  Christ's  mystic  body;  X  regarded  them  merely  as  deranged  human 
mechanisms.  A  followed  nursing  as  a  vocation;  X  pursued  it  as  an  avo- 
cation. A  has  consecrated  her  entire  life  to  the  service  of  the  sick;  X 
drives  her  trade  only  till  she  finds  something  better— usually  in  the  shape 
of  a  husband.  A  symbolizes  the  religious  nurse,  the  Sister  of  Charity; 
X— well,  X  designates  an  unknown  quantity  of  persons  or  "things."  The 
religious  nurse  has  indeed  "discovered  one  of  the  biggest  secrets  of  life", 
namely  that  love  of  God  and  love  of  one's  neighbor  are  really  identical, 
and  that  to  serve  one's  neighbor  whole-heartedly  one  must  consecrate 
oneself  unreservedly  to  God.  In  this  connection  we  are  glad  to  note  that, 
contrary  to  reports  circulating  in  the  Catholic  press  of  the  country,  the 
Catholic  Sisters  will  not  be  excluded  from  service  at  the  front  in  conse- 
quence of  a  ruling  of  the  Red  Cross  Society  requiring  the  Sisters  to  dis- 
card their  religious  garb  for  civilian  dress.  That  these  reports  are  abso- 
lutely without  foundation,  is  apparent  from  the  following  telegram  ad- 
dressed to  Mr.  Festus  J.  Wade  of  St.  Louis,  Member  ©f  the  American  Red 
Cross  Finance  Committee,  by  the  Chairman  of  the  Red  Cross  War  Council, 
Mr.  Henry  P.  Davison: 

As  I  have  previously  stated  to  you  and  to  many  others,  stones  that  the  Red 
Cross  has  issued  an  order  requiring  the  Sisters  of  Charity  to  discard  their  robes  and 
other  rumors  of  like  character  alleging  religious  discrimination  are  absolutely  without 
foundation.  Please  give  my  telegram  denying  these  unjust  and  malicious  reports  the 
widest  circulation.  Officials  of  the  Red  Cross  have  been  in  conference  with  superiors 
and  representatives  of  the  Catholic  Sisterhoods  and  have  agreed  on  a  basis  of  cordial 
work  and  cooperation.     We  welcome  and  shall  highly  prize  their  services. 

We  are  glad  to  give  this  message  publicity  both  because  it  will  help 
to  set  at  rest  the  unfounded  reports  regarding  unjust  discrimination  on 
the  part  of  Red  Cross  Officials  and  because  it  gives  evidence  of  the  es- 
teem in  which  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  are  held  by  representative  American 
men. 


THE  FORCE  OF  GOOD  EXAMPLE 

The  beneficent  force  of  good  example  is  a  commonplace  of  philosophers 
and  essayists.  "Even  the  weakest  natures,"  says  Smiles,  "exercise  some  in- 
fluence upon  those  about  them.  The  approximation  of  feeling,  thought, 
and  habits  is  constant,  and  the  action  is  unceasing."  The  history  of  con- 
versions to  the  Church  teems  with  instances  in  which  the  daily  example 
of  some  Catholics,  uniformly  faithful  to  accomplishment  of  religious  duty, 
has  been,  under  Providence,  the  effective  external  means  of  leading  sincere 
non-Catholics  within  the  Fold.  A  Western  exchange  adds  another  instance 
to  the  myriads  already  chronicled.  The  Catholic  husband  of  a  non-Catholic 
wife  never  neglected  to  say  his  morning  and  evening  prayers.  Twenty 
years  after  his  marriage,  his  consort  was  received  into  the  Church.  Re- 
lating her  experience,  she  said:  "One  thing  that  helped  me  to  believe  was 
the  example  of  my  husband.  I  thought  that  a  religion  which  could  get  a 
big  six-footer  to  go  down  on  his  knees  twice  a  day  must  have  much  more 
to  it  than  I  at  first  believed  possible."— The  Ave  Maria. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


245 


ST.  ELIZABETH  OF  PORTUGAL 


OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER 
JULY  8. 


THIS  saint  was  the  daughter  of 
Peter  III  of  Aragon,  and   of 
Constance,  grandchild  of  the 
Emperor  Frederick   II.      She   was 
born   in  1271,  and  at  her  Baptism, 
she  received   the 
name  of  Elizabeth 
in  memory  of  her 
aunt,    St.     Eliza- 
beth of  Hungary, 
who     had      been 
canonized    by 
Gregory    IX,     in 
1235.      The  birth 
of    ou  r    Saint 
brought  about  the 
reconciliation   be- 
tween her  father 
and    her     grand- 
father, the  reign- 
ing king  of  Ara- 
gon, and  thus  put 
an  end  to  the  dis- 
sensions     which 
had  brought  great 
suffering   on    the 
people.      The 
grandfather  took 
on     himself     the 
care  of  her   edu- 
cation, and  he  ap- 
plied   himself    to 
this   charge  with 
such   earnestness  and  zeal  that,  at 
his  death,  Elizabeth,  though  only  six 
years  old,  was  filled  with  a  love  for 
piety  and  virtue  far  above  her  age. 
Her  father   Peter  continued   the 
work  thus  begun ;  he  was  careful  to 


surround  his  daughter  with  persons 
whose  example  and  counsel  were 
such  as  to  encourage  and  strengthen 
her     in   the     practice    of     virtue. 
The   young  princess    corresponded 
most     generously 
to  the  promptings 
of  grace  and  gave 
an  example  of  ex- 
traordinary piety. 
She     found    her 
greatest  delight  in 
religious     exerci- 
ses.   At  the  age 
of     eight    years, 
she  began  to  fast 
on   vigils   and    to 
perform  other  acts 
o  f    mortification. 
She  daily  recited 
the   divine    office 
with  great  fervor 
and  shunned  friv- 
olous    amuse- 
ments. Already  at 
this    tender    age, 
she    was    known 
for    her    extraor- 
dinary   love    and 
compassion  for  the 
poor  and  afflicted, 
a  love  which  ac- 
companied I   h*e  r 
through  life   and  caused  her  to  be 
styled  "the  Mother  of  the  Poor." 

When  Elizabeth  had  attained  her 
twelfth  year,  she  was  given  in  mar- 
riage to  Denis,  King  of  Portugal. 
This    prince    exceedingly    admired 


St.  Elizabeth  of  Portugal 


246 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  piety  of  his  saintly  Queen  and 
left  her  full  liberty  to  follow  her 
inclination  for  pious  exercises.  Eli- 
zabeth was  not  captivated  by  the 
honors,  pleasures,  and  comforts  of 
her  high  state,  but  choosing  as  her 
model  the  illustrious  princess  of 
Thuringia,  whose  name  she  bore, 
she  labored  to  sanctify  herself  in 
the  midst  of  the  splendor  and  the 
distractions  of  the  court.  She 
planned  for  herself  a  regular  distri- 
bution of  her  time,  and  never 
omitted  her  religious  exercises,  un- 
less extraordinary  occasions  of  duty 
or  charity  obliged  her  to  do  so.  She 
rose  very  early  every  morning  and 
began  the  day  with  prayer  and 
meditation.  Then  she  recited  the 
greater  part  of  the  divine  office  and 
heard  Mass,  after  which  she  finished 
the  little  hours  of  the  breviary, 
adding  the  Office  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin and  the  Office  of  the  Dead 
During  the  afternoon,  she  retired 
to  her  oratory  for  Vespers  and  spi- 
ritual reading.  Her  devotions  and 
domestic  duties  fulfilled,  she  worked 
with  her  ladies  of  honor  at  making 
clothes  for  the  poor,  or  vestments 
and  ornaments  for  the  churches. 
Besides  the  fasts  prescribed  by  the 
Church,  she  fasted  during  Advent 
and  on  three  days  of  every  week; 
on  all  Fridays  and  Saturdays,  and 
on  the  vigils  of  all  festivals  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  and  of  the  Apostles, 
she  partook  only  of  bread  and 
water. 

The  severity  which  Elizabeth  used 
toward  herself  was  equalled  only 
by  her  charity  toward  her  neighbor. 
She  gave  orders  to  provide  all  pil- 
grims and  poor  strangers  with  lodg- 


ing and  food.  She  sought  out  the 
poor  and  secretly  sent  aid  to  those 
of  good  condition  who  were  con- 
strained through  shame  from  mak- 
ing known  their  want.  The  pious 
queen  visited  the  sick  and  rendered 
them  the  most  lowly  services.  She 
founded  hospitals  for  the  sick, 
homes  of  refuge  for  fallen  women, 
and  asylums  for  foundlings.  In 
short,  the  servant  of  God  was  so  in- 
flamed with  charity  that  she  was 
utterly  regardless  of  her  own  con- 
venience, so  full  of  concern  for  the 
poor  and  afflicted  that  she  seemed 
to  belong  almost  wholly  to  them. 

One  winter's  day,  as  the  pious 
Queen,  carrying  a  considerable  sum 
of  money,  was  on  her  way  to  re- 
lieve the  misery  of  the  poor,  the 
King  saw  her  and  asked  what  she 
carried  so  carefully.  "Roses,"  she 
replied,  "see,"  and  opening  her 
mantle  she  disclosed  clusters  of 
fresh  sweet  roses  to  the  astonished 
prince.  A  similar  miracle  had  been 
wrought  on  a  like  occasion  by  her 
sainted  aunt  of  Thuringia. 

While  succoring  the  needy,  Eli- 
zabeth did  not  neglect  any  of  her 
duties  toward  her  husband,  to  whom 
she  paid  the  most  dutiful  respect, 
love,  and  obedience,  even  when  he, 
by  his  licentious  life,  became  a  cause 
of  bitter  grief  to  her  and  of  scandal 
to  his  subjects.  The  Saint  used  all 
her  endeavors  to  recall  him  to  his 
duty;  she  redoubled  her  prayers, 
penances,  and  charities,  and  at 
length  succeeded,  by  her  kindness 
and  patience,  in  softening  the  heart 
of  the  King  and  induced  him  to  give 
up  his  sinful  life. 

Being  herself  of  the  most  sweet 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


247 


and  peaceable  disposition,  she 
was  always  active  in  composing 
differences  between  neighbors.  The 
influence  of  her  holy  life  and  her 
earnest  pleading  succeeded  on  sev- 
eral occasions  in  averting  war,  that 
evil  which  brings  so  many  suffer- 
ings in  its  train.  Thus  she  recon- 
ciled her  husband  and  her  rebelli- 
ous son  Alfonso,  when  their  armies 
had  already  met  and  were  about  to 
begin  battle.  She  also  brought 
about  peace  between  her  brother 
James  II,  of  Aragon.and  the  King  of 
Castile.  On  another  occasion,  when 
the  King  of  Castile  had  a  dispute 
with  her  son  Alfonso  and  was  on 
the  point  of  attacking  him,  the  gen- 
erous and  zealous  queen  was  again 
successful  in  preventing  bloodshed 
and  in  restoring  peace  to  her  family. 
Thus  Elizabeth,  by  her  prayers, 
good  works,  and  heroic  virtues 
wrought  untold  good  for  the  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  welfare  of  her 
fellowmen.  But  like  all  servants 
of  God,  she  was  tried  in  the  cruci- 
ble of  suffering,  that  thereby  she 
might  give  the  greatest  proof  of 
her  love  of  God  and  be  freed  from 
all  imperfections  which  hinder  com- 
plete union  with  Him.  To  the  sor- 
row caused,  for  a  time,  by  the 
wicked  life  of  her  husband,  and  by 
quarrels  and  disturbances  in  the 
kingdom,  was  added  calumny,  which 
brought  upon  her  the  displeasure  of 
her  husband  and  even  banishment 
from  court.  But  for  our  Saint, 
exile  was  an  occasion  of  retreat  and 
prayer.  She  humbly  submitted  to 
the  will  of  God  and  continued  in 
her  solitude  the  life  of  recollection 


and  mortification,  until  God  per- 
mitted her  innocence  to  become 
known  and  she  was  restored  to  her 
exalted  position. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband, 
in  1325,  Elizabeth  entered  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis  and  retired  to 
a  convent  of  Poor  Clares,  at  Coim- 
bra,  which  she  had  founded  before 
the  King's  death.  She  wished  to 
embrace  the  Rule  of  St.  Clare,  but 
her  advisers  persuaded  her  that  she 
could  more  effectively  promote  the 
glory  of  God  by  continuing  to  prac- 
tice in  the  world  her  many  works 
of  zeal  and  charity.  Content,  there- 
fore, with  being  a  Tertiary,  the  Saint 
multiplied  her  alms  and  assisted  the 
poor  and  afflicted  in  every  possible 
way.  God  rewarded  her  fervent 
charity  with  numerous  miracles. 

An  act  of  charity  hastened  the 
end  of  her  life.  When  war  had 
broken  out  between  her  son  Alfon- 
so and  the  King  of  Castile,  Eliza- 
beth, against  the  advice  of  her  at- 
tendants, resolved  to  undertake  a 
painful  and  dangerous  journey  to 
intervene  and  restore  peace.  Her 
endeavors  were  successful,  but  the 
heat  and  the  fatigue  of  the  journey 
brought  on  a  violent  fever,  which 
soon  proved  fatal.  After  receiving 
the  last  Sacraments  with  deep 
humility  and  angelic  fervor,  Eliza- 
beth gave  up  her  soul  to  God  on 
July  4,  1336.  She  was  buried  with 
royal  pomp  in  the  church  of  the 
l  Poor  Clares  at  Coimbra.  Many 
miracles  wrought  at  her  tomb  at- 
tested her  sanctity  and  power  with 
God.  She  was  canonized  by  Pope 
Urban  VIII,  in  1625. 


248 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


THE  RAGING  OF  THE  STORM 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


THE  unjust  measures  of  King 
Henry  VIII  against  FF.  Pey- 
to  and  Elstow  served  but  to 
confirm  the  Franciscan  Observants 
in  their  open  opposition  to  his  di- 
vorce from  Queen  Catherine  and  to 
raise  them  in  the  love  and  estima- 
tion of  the  people.  Both  at  home 
and  abroad,  they  were  causing  him 
and  Cromwell  much  anxiety  and 
trouble.  Fr.  Curson,  who  at  this 
time  was  vicar  of  the  Greenwich 
friary,  exhorted  Fr.  Robinson  of 
Richmond  to  hold  a  sermon  at  St. 
PauPi  in  defence  of  their  lawful 
Queen.  He  furthermore  publicly 
praised  the  heroism  of  Fr.  Elstow 
and  supplied  his  needs  during  his 
imprisonment  at  Bedford. (1)  Again, 
we  hear  of  a  certain  Fr.  Lawrence 
informing  Cromwell  that  two  Ob- 
servants, FF.  Hugh  Payn  and  Cor- 
nelius, had  visited  Queen  Catherine 
at  Bugden  and  that  they  were  pro- 
viding Fr.  Peyto  with  books. 
They  were  subsequently  arrested. 
Though  no  evidence  could  be 
brought  to  prove  the  charges  against 
them,  they  nevertheless  declared 
themselves  adherents  of  the  Queen, 
wherefore  Cromwell  asked  leave  to 
have  them  racked. (2)  One  of  the 
entries  Cromwell  made  in  his  Re- 
membrances about  this  time  is 
very  significant.  "To  know,"  he 
writes,  '  'whether  Vaughan  shall  go 
forward  or  return.  Touching  Fr. 
Risby's  examination  of  the  letter 
sent  by  Peyto  to  Payne   the   friar. 


To  remember  to  send  for  Friar  Rich 
to  Richmond,  of  the  letters  lately 
come  from  Rome  to  the  minister  of 
the  Friars  Obseryants,  and  of  the 
communication  between  Beeke  and 
a  friar,  and  to  know  the  effect  of 
those  letters,  which  letters  were 
directed  from  Elstow.  To  know 
what  way  the  King  will  take  with 
all  the  said  malefactors."  The 
above-mentioned  Stephen  Vaughan 
was*  a  spy  who  had  been  sent  abroad 
to  gather  information.  On  August 
3,  1533,  he  wrote  to  Cromwell  that 
Fr.  Peyto,  who  was  staying  in  the 
Franciscan  friary  at  Antwerp,  had 
just  published  a  book  against  the 
King's  divorce,  that  he  was  visited 
every  week  by  a  friar  from  Eng- 
land, and  that  his  friends  in  England 
were  giving  him  pecuniary  assist- 
ance. Later,  on  October  21,  he 
again  wrote,  saying  that  "Peyto 
like  his  brethren  is  a  hypocrite,  a 
tiger  clad  in  sheepskin,  a  perilous 
knave,  and  evil  reporter  of  the 
King,  and  ought  to  be  shamefully 
punished.  Would  to  God, ' '  he  adds, 
"I  could  get  him  by  any  policy.  I 
will  work  what  I  can.  Whatever 
Peyto  does,  I  will  find  means  for 
the  King  to  know.  I  have  laid  a 
bait  for  him.  He  can  not  wear  the 
cloaks  and  cowls  sent  over  to  him 
from  England,  they  are  so  many."(3) 
Equally  fearless  and  outspoken 
were  the  Franciscan  Observants, 
when  early  in  the  spring  of  1534, 
the  question  of  royal  supremacy  had 


1.     Hope:   The  First  Divorce  of  Henry    VIII,    (London,    1894).    p.  278. 2.    Stone:    Faithful    Unto   Death. 

(London,  1892),  p.  19. 3.    Stone.  1.  o.,  p.  S3  sqq. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


249 


come  to  a  crisis.  We  have  seen 
how  two  of  these  valiant  champions 
of  truth  and  justice,  FF.  Rich  and 
Risby,  suffered  cruel  martyrdom  for 
their  steadfast  allegiance  to  the 
Holy  See.(1>  "Of  the  whole  body  of 
the  clergy,"  says  Gasquet,  "none 
withstood  the  policy  of  Henry  with 
greater  fearlessness  and  pertinacity 
of  purpose  than  the  Franciscan  Ob- 
servants."'^ On  the  very  eve  of  the 
final  rupture  with  Rome,  Passion 
Sunday,  March  22, 1534,  Fr.  Pecock, 
guardian  of  the  Observant  friary  at 
Southampton,  held  a  sermon  in  St. 
Swithin's  Church  at  Winchester. 
Though  fully  realizing  what  terrible 
consequences  his  words  would  en- 
tail for  himself  and  for  his  breth- 
ren, the  bold  friar  openly  defended 
the  rights  of  the  Pope.  He  warned 
the  people  against  certain  books 
that  had  of  late  been  published  to 
further  the  unjust  cause  of  the 
King.  Then  he  took  up  a  copy  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  proved  to 
his  hearers  that  according  to  the 
teaching  and  institution  of  Christ, 
the  Pope  alone  as  successor  of  St. 
Peter  in  the  see  of  Rome  had  su- 
preme jurisdiction  in  the  Church. 
He  deeply  lamented  the  fact  that  so 
many  of  the  clerical  and  learned 
body  were  supporting  the  King  in 
his  opposition  to  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  and  thus  by  word  and  ex- 
ample were  leading  the  people  into 
error.  One  of  Cromwell's  spies 
was  present  in  the  church  and,  on 
April  7,  reported  the  matter  to  his 
master.  Accordingly,  the  mayor 
of  Southampton   received   instruc- 


tions to  the  arrest  Fr.  Pecock.  The 
valiant  preacher  was  later  brought 
before  Cromwell  and  thereupon 
lodged  with  a  certain  Harry  Huttoft 
as  a  prisoner  of  the  King/3) 

That  Henry  VIII  was  determined 
to  establish  his  usurped  supremacy 
at  any  cost,  became  clear  when  on 
April  20,  1534,  the  Holy  Maid  of 
Kent  and  her  adherents  were  bar- 
barously executed  at  Tyburn.  By 
this  time,  he  was  fully  convinced 
that  in  his  rebellion  against  the 
Pope,  the  Franciscan  Observants 
would  prove  his  most  fearless  and 
formidable  opponents  and  would  use 
their  influence  with  the  people  in 
framing  public  opinion  against  roy- 
al supremacy.  Hence,  when  rela- 
tions with  Rome  were  severed  and 
Henry  was  declared  head  of  the 
Church  in  England,  his  first  acts  of 
tyranny  were  naturally  directed 
against  the  Observants  and  their 
friaries.  So  far,  he  had  dealt  only 
with  individual  members  of  their 
Order,  apparently  in  the  hope  that 
sooner  or  later  the  others  would 
submit.  Now  when  he  saw,  how- 
ever, that  neither  the  banishment 
of  FF.  Peyto  and  Elstow,  nor  the 
recent  execution  of  FF.  Rich  and 
Risby  had  in  any  way  intimidated 
their  fellow  friars,  his  rage  knew 
no  bounds,  and  urged  on  by  Crom- 
well and  his  clique,  he  decided  on  a 
campaign  of  general  persecution 
against  his  one-time  friends  and 
favorites. 

Henry's  first  act  as  head  of  the 
Church  in  England  was  to  vest  his 
zealous  minister  Cromwell  with  un- 


1.  See  Franciscan  Herald,   June  1917. 2.  Gasquet:    Henry  the  Eighth  and  the  EnglUh  Monasteries,  (Lon 

don,  1906),  p.  46. 3.    Stone,  1.  c,  p.  31  sqq.    See  also  Gasquet,  1.  c,  p.  50. 


250 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


limited  powers  in  matters  spiritual. 
The  crafty  and  unscrupulous  poli- 
tician was  appointed  vicegerent  and 
vicar-general  of  the  King  and  pre- 
sided over  the  meetings  of  the 
clergy.  Wholly  subservient  to  his 
royal  master,  he  left  nothing  un- 
done to  further  '  'the  godly  reforma- 
tion and  redress  of  errors,  heresies 
and  abuses  in  the  said  church.  "(1) 
To  this  end,  John  Hilsey,  a  Domini- 
can friar,  and  Dr.  George  Browne, 
a  prior  of  the  Augustinian  hermits, 
were  made  superiors  general  and 
"grand  visitors"  of  all  the  friaries 
belonging  to  the  mendicant  Orders. (2) 
1  'Their  instructions  were  precise  and 
intended  to  gauge  the  feeling  of 
the  friars  very  thoroughly.  The 
members  of  every  convent  or  friary 
in  England  were  to  be  assembled  in 
their  chapter-houses  and  examined 
separately  concerning  their  faith 
and  obedience  to  Henry.  The  oath 
of  allegiance  to  Anne  Boleyn  was 
to  be  administered  to  them,  and  they 
were  bound  to  swear  solemnly  that 
they  would  preach  and  persuade 
the  people,  to  accept  the  royal  su- 
premacy, to  confess  that  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  had  no  more  power  than 
any  other  bishop  and  to  call  him 
Pope  no  longer.  Further,  the  ser- 
mons of  each  preacher  were  to  be 
carefully  examined,  and  if  not  or- 
thodox they  were  to  be  burned. 
Every  friar  was  to  be  strictly  en- 
joined to  commend  the  king  as  head 
of  the  Church,  the  queen,  the  arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury  and  the  clergy 


to  the  prayers  of  the  faithful.  Last- 
ly, each  house  was  'to  be  obliged  to 
show  its  gold,  silver,  and  other 
movable  goods,  and  deliver  an  in- 
ventory of  them,'  and  to  take  a 
common  oath,  sealed  with  the  con- 
vent seal,  to  observe  the  above 
orders.  "<3> 

This  general  visitation  of  all  the 
English  friaries  began  in  the  spring 
of  1534.  The  Franciscan  Observ- 
ants had,  indeed, little  mercy  to  ex- 
pect from  these  visitors,  and  less 
from  the  enraged  King  and  his 
minister.  Their  two  convents  at 
Greenwich  and  Richmond  had  al- 
ready shown  themselves  most  un- 
relenting in  their  opposition  to  the 
King's  lawless  policy.  Hence  they 
became  the  first  objects  of  his 
wrath  and  vengeance.  Roland  Lee 
and  Thomas  Bedyll  were  commis- 
sioned to  visit  them  and  to  propose 
the  prescribed  articles.  Shortly 
after  the  execution  of  the  two  guard- 
ians, FF.  Rich  and  Risby,  Crom- 
well received  word  from  the  visitors 
that  together  with  the  Carthusians 
of  Sheen  who  had  now  taken  the 
required  oaths,  they  were  employ- 
ing every  means  to  win  over  the 
neighboring  Observants  of  Rich- 
mond; that  so  far,  however,  they 
had  met  with  little  success,  although 
several  conferences  had  been  held 
with  the  friars.  Finally,  on  June 
13,  Dr.  George  Browne  informed 
Lee  and  Bedyll  to  bring  the  matter 
regarding  the  friaries  of  Richmond 
and  Greenwich  to  a  speedy  issue. 


1.  Lingard:  History  of  England,  (New  York,  1879),  Vol.  V,  p.  25. 2.  Both  these  traitors:  subsequently  re- 
ceived from  the  King  their  "thirty  pieces  of  silver"  ir.  the -shape  of  bishopries.  John  Hilsey.  after  the  mar- 
tyrdom of  Bl.  John  Fisher,  was  raised  to  the  see  of  Rochester:  while  Dr.  George  Browne,  who  according  to 
Chapuys  had  performed  the  marriage  ceremony  of  Henry  VIII  and  Anna  Boleyn,  became  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 
3.     Gasquet,  1.  c,  p.  51  sqq. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


251 


How  shrewdly  the  royal  visitors  pro- 
ceeded and  how  resolutely  the  friars 
defended  the  rights  of  the  Holy  See, 
has  been  handed  down  to  posterity 
in  a  letter  which  Cromwell  received 
from  Bedyll  after  the  visitation. 

On  Sunday  night,  June  14,  be- 
tween ten  and  eleven  o'clock,  Lee 
and  Bedyll  arrived  at  the  friary  of 
Richmond.  On  the  following  morn- 
ing, they  began  legal  proceedings 
with  the  guardian  and  one  of  the 
senior  friars,  Sebastian  by  name. 
Thereupon,  they  assembled  the  en- 
tire community.  But  when  the 
articles  were  proposed,  the  friars 
steadfastly  refused  to  accept  them, 
especially  the  one  regarding  the 
spiritual  supremacy  of  the  King. 
At  last,  the  cunning  visitors  resort- 
ed to  a  trick.  They  proposed  that 
the  four  discreets  or  councilors  of 
the  friary  be  empowered  by  the 
rest  to  decide  and  act  in  the  name 
of  all  and  to  come  the  next  morning 
to  the  Greenwich  friary  with  the 
official  convent  seal.  To  this  the 
unsuspecting  brethren  agreed. 
Elated  over  their  success  and  certain 
that  similar  good  fortune  would  be 
theirs  at  Greenwich,  the  visitors 
departed. 

On  the  following  day,  the  visita- 
tion was  held  in  the  Greenwich 
friary.  Here,  too,  the  members  of 
the  community  were  one  in  their 
allegiance  to  the  Pope.  According- 
ly, the  visitors  advised  the  friars  to 
leave  the  matter  to  the  good  judg- 
ment of  their  four  discreets,  as  their 
brethren  at  Richmond  had  done.  As 
they  later  informed  Cromwell,  they 
did  this  "to  avoid  superfluous  words 
and  idle  reasoning,    and   especially 


to  provide  that  if  the  discreets 
should  refuse  to  consent,  it  were 
better  after  our  minds  to  strain  a 
few  than  a  multitude."  But  this 
time  the  cunning  visitors  were 
foiled.  The  friars  saw  the  trap  set 
for  them  and  with  one  voice  they 
refused  to  submit  the  affair  to  the 
four  discreets.  The  proposed  ar- 
ticles, they  rightly  declared,  con- 
cerned each  of  them  personally  and 
they  would  take  the  salvation  of 
their  souls  into  their  own  hands. 
Accordingly,  each  friar  appeared 
before  the  royal  commissioners,  who 
employed  every  means  short  of  tor- 
ture to  make  them  take  the  re- 
quired oaths.  But  it  soon  became 
evident  that  they  were  dealing  with 
men  who  knew  their  duty  and  who 
were  determined  to  fulfill  it  at  all 
hazards.  Neither  threats  nor 
promises  could  shake  their  con- 
stancy, especially  with  regard  to 
the  usurped  spiritual  supremacy 
of  the  King,  The  royal  visitors 
were  forced  to  admit  that  they 
"found  them  in  one  mind  of  contra- 
diction and  dissent  from  the  said 
articles,  but  specially  against  this 
article:  That  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
must  be  considered  to  possess  no 
greater  authority  or  jurisdiction 
than  any  other  individual  bishop 
in  England  or  elsewhere  in  their 
respective  diocese."  The  valiant 
friars  argued  that  not  only  the 
teaching  of  Christ  but  also  the 
Franciscan  Rule  which  they  had 
vowed  to  observe,  bound  them 
to  loyalty  to  the  Holy  See. 
The  wily  visitors  on  their  part 
averred  that  this  commandment  of 
their  Rule  did  not  bind  the  English 


252 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Franciscans,  because  there  were 
no  members  of  the  Order  in 
England  when  St.  Francis  wrote 
the  Rule;  that,  furthermore,  the 
clause  containing  this  command- 
ment had  been  inserted  in  the  Rule 
by  ambitious  friars,  who  hoped 
thereby  to  gain  the  favor  of  the 
Pope;  and  that  finally  by  the  law  of 
God,  which  stood  above  every 
religious  Rule,  they  owed  obedience 
and  allegiance  to  their  King. 
Then,  to  back  up  their  sophisms, 
they  added  that  both  Archbishops 
of  the  kingdom,  as  also  the  Bishops 
of  London,  Winchester  Durham, 
and  Bath,  with  many  learned  prel- 
ates and  famous  clerics  had  already 
subscribed  to  the  articles.  But  the 
fearless  friars  remained  firm;  what 
others  in  the  realm  had  done  in  this 
all  important  question  was  of  no 
concern  to  them.  In  short,  all  the 
subtle  reasoning  of  Lee  and  Bedyll 
"could  not  sink  into  their  obstinate 
heads,  and  worn  in  custom  of  obe- 
dience to  the  Pope."  Finally,  they 
departed,  greatly  vexed  at  the 
"obstinacy"  of  these  men  of  God. 
"Sorry  we  be, "  they  wrote  to  Crom- 
well, "we  can  not  bring  them  to  no 
better  frame  of  mind  and  order  in 
this  behalf,  as  our  faithful  mind 
was  to  do,  for  the  accomplishment 
of  the  King's  pleasure.  "(1) 
History  does  not  record  what  suc- 


cess the  King's  ministers  had  with 
the  other  four  friaries  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Observance.  Still,  from  the 
subsequent  proceedings  against 
them,  we  have  reason  to  assume 
that  these  communities,  too,  stead- 
fastly refused  to  subscribe  to  the 
articles.  Apparently,  the  one  or 
the  other  of  the  friars  at  a  later 
date,  declared  himself  willing  to 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  This 
we  learn  from  a  letter  of  Bishop 
Tunstall  to  Cromwell,  in  which  he 
commends  to  the  King's  mercy  two 
Franciscan  Observants,  who  had 
previously  been  expelled  from  New- 
castle for  adhering  to  the  Pope  and 
banished  to  Scotland,  whence  after 
suffering  great  hardships  they  had 
returned.  These  two  friars  were 
Thomas  Danyell,  professed  at  Can- 
terbury, and  Henry  Bukkery,  a 
a  lay  Brother  not  yet  professed.  '  'It 
was  a  sorry  triumph,"  says  Stone, 
"for  the  King  and  Cromwell  that 
of  the  whole  Order,  but  two  starved 
and  hunted  individuals  could  be 
brought,  by  all  the  machinery  of 
persecution  at  their  command,  to 
falter  an  unwilling  denial  of  the 
Pope's  authority."  (2)  "Asa  body," 
to  conclude  with  Gasquet,  "the 
friars  remained  staunch  and  fear- 
less in  their  opposition  to  the  un- 
lawful will  of  the  King  and  his 
minister."  (3) 


1.    The  interesting  letter  of  the  visitors  to  Cromwell  is  quoted  by  Stone   (I.e.,  p.  35  sqq)  as  found  in   the 
Cottonian  MMS. 2.      Stone,  1.  o.  p.  43  sqq. 3.    Gaequet,  1.  c,  p.  53. 


( To  be  continued) 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


253 


THE  THIRD  ORDER  AND  FREEMASONRY 

From  the  French  by  Mary  Craven  McLorg,  Tertiary 


{{fT^HE  soul  of  the  anticlerical 
*  war  of  which  we  are  wit- 
nesses  to-day— the  facts 
speak  so  plainly  that  it  is  not  nec- 
essary for  us  to  stop  to  prove  them 
—are  the  secret  societies."  This 
statement  was  made  by  one  of  the 
the  speakers  at  the  Tertiary  Con- 
gress at  Roubaix,  on  November  3, 
1907.  Now,  we  ask  what  organi- 
zation could  be  found  that  would 
be  more  radically  opposed,  more 
directly  hostile,  and  more  formid- 
able to  these  secret  societies,  es- 
pecially to  Freemasonry,  than  the 
Third  Order  of  St.  Francis?  Let  us 
compare  the  two. 

Freemasonry  embraces  all  clas- 
ses; it  casts  forth  its  net  to  ensnare 
the  young  and  old,  the  woman  and 
child,  the  soldier  and  statesman, 
the  workman  and  his  employer. 
In  like  manner,  the  Third  Order 
receives  into  its  ranks  the  man  of 
letters  and  the  magistrate,  the  rich 
proprietor  and  the  humble  artisan, 
the  young  girl  and  the  married 
woman,  the  father  of  the  family 
and  the  youth. 

Freemasonry  has  its  ridiculous 
and  criminal  tests,  its  horrible 
oaths  of  hatred  against  God,  and 
hostility  toward  the  Church.  The 
Third  Order  has  its  wise  term  of 
probation,  the  novitiate,  during 
which  the  Tertiary  is  trained  in  the 
practice  of  Franciscan  virtues;  it 
has  its  ceremony  of  holy  profession 
with  its  solemn  promises  of  fidelity 
to  the  law  of  Christ  and  to  the 
Third  Order  Rule. 


Freemasonry  has  its  symbolic 
emblems,  its  strange  rites,  its 
passwords.  The  Third  Order  has 
its  distinctive  habit,  its  office. 
Freemasonry  has  its  membership 
fees,  its  so-called  benevolent  aims, 
its  treacherous,  and  violent  meas- 
ures to  bar  the  priest  from  the 
bedside  of  its  dying  members;  it 
has  its  funeral  orgies,  its  civil  in- 
terments. The  Third  Order  has 
its  common  fund,  its  alms  for  the 
relief  of  the  poorer  brethren,  its 
charitable  visits  to  the  sick,  its 
consoling  services  for  the  departed. 
Freemasonry  has  sworn  a  war  to 
the  death  against  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  on  earth;  it  strives  to  de- 
Christianize  the  woman  and  child; 
it  propagates,  especially  by  means 
of  the  press,  the  corruption  of  its 
independent  morality  and  free 
love.  The  Tertiary,  on  the  other 
hand,  professes  an  absolute  and 
unreserved  submission  to  the  Ro- 
man Pontiff;  his  morals  must  be 
pure,  his  life  untainted  by  irregu- 
larities against  the  moral  law;  he 
must  banish  from  his  family, 
together  with  bad  newspapers, 
books,  and  pictures,  all  impiety  and 
scandal. 

In  his  lodges,  the  Freemason 
plans  the  ruin  of  immortal  souls 
and  the  destruction  of  the  social 
order,  he  has  his  own  hierarchy, 
his  areopagus,  his  secret  councils; 
he  has  his  sacrilegious  ceremonies, 
his  diabolical  sacraments,  his  agapes 
where  he  imbibes  with  hatred  the 
thirst  for  vengeance  and    assasina- 


254 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


tion.  The  Tertiary  has  his  super- 
iors and  his  ministers;  his  assem- 
blies and  monthly  meetings,  where 
he  invigorates  himself  by  prayer 
and  evangelical  brotherhood;  he 
has  the  divine  Sacraments  and  fre- 
quent Communion  to  support  his 
courage  and  to  enliven  his  faith. 

In  a  word,  Freemasonry  is  the 
secret  bond  that  unites  all  the 
groups  of  anti- Catholic  associations; 
the  lever  that  puts  into  action  all 
impious  and  revolutionary  move- 
ments throughout  the  world.  In 
certain  countries,  especially  in 
France,  Freemasonry  has  become  a 
State  within  a  State. 

Unhappily,  in  the  face  of  this 
formidable  organization,  Catholic 
Christians,  divided  in  their  opinions 
and  sympathies,  exhaust  their 
energies  in  miserable  disputes. 
Instead  of  presenting  a  solid  front 
to  the  battalions  of  evil,  which 
grow  more  audacious  each  day,  the 
efforts  of  Catholic  associations, 
without  unity  of  action  and  tactics, 
waste  themselves  in  divergent 
efforts,  and  thus  remain  unfruitful. 
Thus  we  perish  for  lack  of  concord 
and  for  want  of  federation. 

The  Third  Order  and  the  Third 
Order  alone  can  and  ought  to  bring 
about  this  much  desired  federation 
of  the  great  army  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice by  serving  as  a  binding  link 
between  the  various  groups  of 
which  it  is  composed,  animating 
them  all  with  the  self-same  spirit, 
and  forming  of  them  an  invincible 
union.  This  would  be  possible,  if 
the  best  use  were  made  of  its  ener- 
gies; its  field  for  the  works  of  char- 
ity, piety,  and  combat,  that  it  has 


in  common  with  other  associations, 
would  win  over  their  zeal  and 
strength;  and  thus  the  Third  Order 
would  be  in  the  midst  of  these  dif- 
ferent organizations,  the  organ 
which  while  leaving  to  each  its 
autonomy,  would  establish  friendly 
communication  between  them, 
facilitating  mutual  recognition,  and 
preventing  deplorable  rivalries. 

That  at  the  present  day  this  is 
possible  for  Tertiaries,  Freema- 
sonry itself  well  understands. 
Witness  the  denunciations  filled 
with  rage  with  which  in  the  name 
of  the  lodges  M.  Lafferve  some 
time  since  made  the  French  parlia- 
ment reecho.  The  Third  Order, 
whatever  our  adversaries  may  say, 
has  neither  plots  to  hide  nor  mys- 
teries to  conceal  nor  plans  to  keep 
under  lock  and  key,  as  have  the 
Freemasons,  It  is  in  the  broad 
light  of  day  that  it  pursues  the 
triumphant  conflict  of  morality  and 
faith  and   true    Christian     liberty. 

From  all  this  it  is  evident  that 
Monsignor  de  Segur  was  right 
when  he  said,  "To  sum  up,  the 
Third  Order  is  tc  the  Church  what 
Freemasonry  is  to  the  Revolution." 
And  he  continues,  "The  sectarian 
Revolution  propagates  to  the  ut- 
most her  dark  and  impious  'third 
order'.  May  our  holy  Mother 
Church  have  the  joy  of  seeing  her 
pure  and  beautiful  'freemasonry' 
expand  on  all  sides  and  everywhere 
revive  zeal  and  charity.  The  Third 
Order  is  of  all  associations  best 
fitted  to  defend  present-day  society 
effectually  against  the  enemies  of 
Christianity." 

If  this  statement    and  authority 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


255 


are  not  sufficient  to  prove  our  point, 
we  can  cite  a  still  higher  and  more 
august  authority,  the  Vicar  of 
Christ  himself.  Pope  Leo  XIII 
says  in  his  encyclical,  Humanum 
genus,  "We  are  anxious  to  insist 
on  the  recommendation  We'Jiave  al- 
ready made  in  favor  of  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis.  The  great- 
est zeal  should  be  employed  to 
propagate  and  to  strengthen  it;  for 
by  means  of  it  the  contagion  of  the 
secret  societies,  these  detestable 
sects  can  be  overcome.     May    this 


holy  association  then  daily  make 
further  progress.  Among  the 
many  advantages  which  may  be 
expected  from  it,  there  is  one,  in- 
deed, which  surpasses  all  the  others 
—it  is  a  true  school  of  liberty, 
equality,  and  brotherhood— not  in 
the  absurd  sense  in  which  Free- 
masons understand  these  things, 
but  such  as  Jesus  Christ  has  been 
pleased  to  bestow  on  the  human 
race,  and  as  St.  Francis  put  into 
practice."  —  Revue  du  Tiers-Ordre. 


linuetl,  ©  iCorb,  anb  on  ua  aljtnr 

3n  glurg  anb  in  grare; 
2Hjta  gaubg  uiurlb  grouta  nab  before 

QJIje  beantg  of  Qlljg  fare. 

(Fill  uHjou  art  aeen.  it  aeema  to  be 

A  aort  of  fairy  gronnb. 
Hitrere  anna  unaetting  ltgljt  ti?e  akg, 

Anb  flomera  anb  frnita  abonnb. 

lut  mljen  ©tjg  keener,  purer  beam 

3a  pour'b  upon  onr  aigtfi 
3t  loaea  all  ita  pouter  to  rbarm, 

Anb  mtrat  maa  bay  ia  nigtjt. 

3ta  nobleat  toila  are  ttjen  tlje  arourge 

Hljirb.  mabe  ®tjg  bloob  to  flout; 
Jta  ;oga  are  but  itje  treartjrroua  tljorna 

Hijtrlj  rirrleb  rounb  ©Ijg  brout. 

Anb  ttjna,  mljen  ute  renounre  for  (Stjee 

Jta  reatleaa  aima  anb  feara, 
©tje  tenber  memoriea  of  tl|e  paat, 

©Ije  Ijopea  of  routing  geara, 

Poor  ia  onr  aarrifire.  mifuae  egea 

Are  ligtjteb  from  aboue; 
Wt  offer  uttrat  me  ran  not  keep. 

Mjat  me  Ijaue  reaaeb  to  loue. 

—  (Earbtnal  Newman. 


256 FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 

' 'This  is  my  Body  which  shall  be  delivered" 
THE  BODY  DELIVERED 
{{fT^HIS  is  my  Body  which  shall  be  delivered  for   you."    Thus  spoke 
the  Eternal  Truth.    The  precious  Body  of  our  beloved  Lord  was 

■**■  delivered  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  on  the  night  of  his  be- 
trayal. It  was  delivered  to  the  insults  and  outrages  and  intolerable  pains 
which  he  suffered  during  his  passion  for  the  sins  of  men.  His  sacred 
head,  the  head  of  the  King  of  kings,  with  its  right  to  an  eternal  crown  of 
glory,  is  delivered  to  the  crown  of  thorns.  His  hands,  his  loving  hands, 
which  had  healed  and  blessed  and  fed  the  multitudes,  which  had  restored 
to  life  the  dead,  and  rested  tenderly  on  the  heads  of  little  children,  are 
delivered  to  the  piercing  nails.  His  feet  also,  his  feet,  a  fitting  object  of 
adoring  kisses  and  penitential  tears,  are  likewise  delivered  to  the  nails 
and  fastened  to  the  cross  on  Calvary. 

And  his  Heart— his  sacred  Heart,  beating  with  charity  which  sur- 
passeth  knowledge,  yearning  for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  for  my  salva- 
tion, is  relentlessly  delivered  to  the  sorrow  unto  death,  and  at  length  to 
death's  stillness  itself  and  to  the  soldier's  spear.  And  the  whole  form,  sur- 
passingly lovely,  of  Him  who  was  "beautiful  above  the  sons  of  men",  is 
given  to  the  passion  and  the  cross,  to  death  and  the  tomb! 

"This  is  my  Body  which  shall  be  delivered  for  you"— the  Body  of  the 
Son  of  God,  the  Body  which  angels  had  worshipped  and  Wise  Men  had 
glorified,  the  temple  of  the  true  God,  the  blessed  Host  of  the  Eucharist, 
to  be  the  consolation  of  so  many  in  Communion.  For  us  was  that  pre- 
cious Body  of  our  Lord  thus  humiliated,  for  us  miserable  sinners,  and  for 
us  only!  "He  was  wounded  for  our  iniquities;  he  was  bruised  for  our  sins. 
The  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him.  and  by  his  bruises  are  we 
healed.     The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all." 

0  divine  Lord,  it  is  not  merely  thy  wretched  betrayer,  thy  captors 
and  judges  and  executioners,  who  delivered  to  such  grievous  affliction 
this  temple  of  Love  and  of  Divinity.  It  is  not  merely  our  sins,  though 
these  are  most  truly  the  executioners  and  torturers  of  this  innocent  Vic- 
tim, but  above  all  it  is  the  consuming  fire  of  thy  love  eager  to  make  repa- 
ration to  Divine  Justice  and  touched  with  compassion  for  the  miseries  into 
which  we  have  fallen  by  our  sins. 

As  the  temple  of  Solomon  was  given  to  the  flames  of  the  Chaldeans 
and  consumed  therein,  so  was  the  temple  of  my  Lord's  Body  given  over 
in  his  passion  to  the  flames  of  his  transcendent  charity.  "He  loved  me 
and  delivered  himself  for  me."  0  Divine  Lord,  as  fire  enflames  that 
which  it  touches,  shall  not  my  heart,  meeting  thine  in  Communion,  be 
Bet  on  fire  with  the  flames  of  its  charity? 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  257 


Stye  Knmttofc  ftm? 

$\}t  summer  rosp  tire  sun  tjas  Austin 
Hub,  rriroson  glory,  mag  be  sroeet; 

*5Fis  smeeter  roljen  its  leaues  are  rrusbeo 
Srnrat^  tlje  rotnos*  ano  tempests*  feet 

OIlje  rose  tlyat  roams  upon  its  tree, 
3n  life  slyeus  perfume  all  arouno; 

Mars  sroeet  tlye  perfuroe  floats  to  roe 
GDf  roses  traroplro  on  the  groutto. 

Slye  roamng  rose  rotth.  ettery  breatlj 
brents  rarelessly  tlye  suroroer  air; 

®lje  rouunor o  rose  bleeps  forth,  in  oratlf 
A  sroeetness  far  more  rtrb.  ano  rare. 

3t  is  a  trutly  beyond  our  ken — 

Ano  yet  a  trutlj  roe  all  may  reao — 

3t  is  mttly  roses  as  roitlj  men, 

etye  sroeetest  hearts  are  those  iljat  bleeo. 

utye  floroer  rolftdj  lettjletyero  saro  blooro 
(§ut  of  a  heart  all  full  of  nrarr, 

(Sane  nener  forth  its  full  perfume 
Until  ttye  rrosa  beraroe  its  oase. 

—Sen.  Abraro  3.  IRyan. 


258 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THE  THIRD  ORDER  AND  HOME  LIFE 

By  a  Tertiary 


k    LL  true  holiness  begins  in  the 
L\       home.     This  fact  is  the  an- 
**•  swer  to  those   who  declare 

that  holiness  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  world.  Unless  it  be  infused 
into  the  young  soul  and  carefully 
tended,  it  will  not  be  acquired  in 
any  lasting  degree  in  later  years. 

The  Catholic  home,  if  it  be  worthy 
of  the  name,  should  be  permeated 
with  the  atmosphere  of  prayer, 
piety,  and  charity,  which  is  another 
name  of  love.  Surely,  then,  the 
home  of  the  Tertiary,  who  by  his 
vocation  is  called  to  perfection, 
should  possess  these  virtues  in  the 
highest  degree.  And  good  exam- 
ple in  the  home  is  the  greatest  ad- 
vertisement for  the  Third  Order. 

It  frequently  happens  that  only 
one  member  of  a  Catholic  family  is 
called  to  embrace  the  Rule  of  Pen- 
ance, and  from  the  writer's  experi- 
ence it  sometimes  happens  that  his 
or  her  action  is  viewed  in  the  wrong 
light.  It  is  surprising  to  know 
that  so  many  Catholics  are  abso- 
lutely ignorant  of  the  meaning  of 
the  Third  Order.  If  they  have 
heard  of  it  at  all,  they  probably  look 
upon  it  as  an  extraordinary  body 
of  Catholics,  who  for  some  reason 
or  other  must  deny  themselves 
perfectly  legitimate  pleasures,  and 
adopt  a  life  of  privation  and  unnec- 
essary detachment. 

Herein  lies  the  Tertiary 's  oppor- 
tunity. Let  him  be  true  to  his  holy 
Rule,  and  by  his  life  shed  around 
him  the  true  Franciscan  atmos- 
phere,   and    he     will    draw   those 


about  him  to  the  knowledge  and  ap- 
preciation of  the  Franciscan  ideals. 

What  does  this  Rule  teach  him 
with  regard  to  life  in  the  home? 
"In  their  home  life  let  them  (the 
Tertiaries)  study  to  lead  others  by 
their  example,  to  promote  pious 
practices  and  all  that  is  good.  Let 
them  not  allow  any  books  or  pa- 
pers, from  which  any  injury  to 
virtue  can  be  feared,  to  be 
brought  in  to  their  house  or  read  by 
those  who  are  under  their  care. 
Let  them  sedulously  exercise  kindli- 
ness and  charity  among  them- 
selves, and  towards  their  neigh- 
bors. Let  them  take  care  when- 
ever they  can  do  so  to  settle  quar- 
rels." 

The  first  virtue  tj  be  considered  is 
example.  If  the  Tertiary  will  keep 
in  mind  trie  fact  that  he  is  striving 
to  lead  the  life  of  a  religious  in  the 
world,  he  will  ask  himself:  "What 
is  the  example  shown  by  a  good 
religious?"  To  begin  with,  prompt- 
ness and  perseverance  in  rising 
early  in  order  to  devote  the  first 
moments  of  the  day  to  God.  If  his 
daily  task  will  not  permit  him  to 
assist  at  Mass  and  to  receive  Holy 
Communion,  he  can  at  least  sacri- 
fice, say,  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
sleep,  to  offer  himself  and  his  day's 
work  to  God,  and  to  make  also  a 
spiritual  communion.  And  it  is  a 
good  plan  for  those  whose  occupa- 
tions tend  much  to  distraction,  to 
say  the  Little  Hours  of  the  Office 
before  leaving  home,  thereby  mak- 
|  ing  sure  of  them. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


259 


In  the  evening,  let  the  Tertiary 
strive  to  assemble  the  members  of 
his  family  for  the  recitation  of  the 
Rosary  and  other  family  prayers. 
In  this  regard  the  question  may 
arise  as  to  which  Rosary  should  be 
recited.  The  advice  once  given  to 
the  writer  by  a  Franciscan  Father 
was  to  say  the  Rosary  of  the  Bles- 
sed Virgin  on  the  first  three  days 
of  the  week,  and  on  the  remaining 
ones  to  recite  the  "Franciscan 
Crown". 

It  is  well  to  say  Matins  and  Lauds 
in  the  evening,  thereby  removing 
any  apprehension  of  many  prayers 
to  hurry  through  on  the  morrow. 

A  day  thus  begun  and  ended  with 
prayer  is  the  best  example  a  Ter- 
tiary can  give.  And  in  his  inter- 
course with  others,  if  he  be  quiet 
and  charitable  in  his  speech,  mod- 
est in  his  appearance,  and  ready  to 
help  in  any  way  not  contrary  to  his 
rule  of  life,  he  may  be  sure  he  will 
be  preaching  a  silent  sermon  on  his 
Order  which  will  sooner  or  later 
draw  those  of  his  family  to  seek 
entrance  therein. 

Another  important  observance, 
too  often  lightly  carried  out  or 
omitted  altogether,  is  the  saying  of 
grace  before  and  after  meals.  If 
the  head  of  the  family  be  exact 
and  fervent  in  this  regard,  he  will 
succeed  in  implanting  in  the  minds 
of  others  the  feeling  of  the  need 
of  asking  God's  blessing,  and  of 
gratitude  for  his  gifts.  Moreover, 
the  Tertiary  should  impress  upon 
his  children  the  importance  of  say- 
ing their  grace  devoutly  whenever 
they  may  happen  to  be  away  from 
home. 


Then  there  is  the  truly  Francis- 
can devotion  ot  the  Angelus.  In 
how  many  Catholic  homes  is  this 
observed?  and  yet  it  is  so  simple, 
and  at  the  same  time  so  full  of 
meaning.  Let  the  children  of  St. 
Francis  be  ever  mindful  of  this 
beautiful  prayer,  and  bring  others 
to  its  observance. 

But  even  more  important  is  the 
need  of  mental  prayer.  By  this  is 
not  meant  a  set  scientific  method 
of  preludes  and  points  to  be  ob- 
served in  due  order,  the  very  men- 
tion of  which  frightens  many  in- 
quirers into  this  form  of  prayer; 
but  a  constant  recollection  of  the 
presence  of  God,  together  with  a 
short  meditation  on  some  point  in 
our  Divine  Lord's  life  and  passion, 
evoking  short  acts  of  adoration, 
love,  contrition,  gratitude,  and 
petition,  practised  daily,  will  be 
found  both  easy  and  delightful.  A 
very  simple  and  useful  booklet  on 
this  subject  is  An  Easy  Method  of 
Mental  Prayer,  by  Father  Bertrand 
Wilberforce,  0.  P.,  published  by 
the  Catholic  Truth  Society  at  one 
penny.  These  practices  bring  the 
life  of  the  cloister  into  the  home, 
and  bind  the  members  of  the  fami- 
ly together  in  a  bond  of  holy  love 
and  charity. 

Then  with  regard  to  a  wise  se- 
lection of  literature,  upon  which  so 
much  depends,  what  a  wealth  of 
Catholic  literature  there  is,  quite  a 
revelation  to  one  entering  the  Fold. 
True,  the  prices  of  many  Catholic 
works  are  prohibitive,  but  very 
much  that  is  good  may  be  had  for 
a  moderate  sum.  Again,  there  is 
a  perfect  mine  of  Franciscan   read- 


260 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ing,  to  be  easily  obtained  at  most 
reasonable  prices,  and  children  of 
the  Seraph  of  Assisi  should  look 
upon  it  as  their  duty  to  adorn  their 
homes  with  these  works,  and  to 
devote  some  portion  of  their  leisure 
to  reading  them  to  their  children. 
They  should  be  brought  up  to 
know  and  esteem  the  life  of  our 
holy  Father,  for  thereby  they  will 
become  impregnated  with  the 
germs  of  a  future  Franciscan  life. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  leave  good 
Catholic  literature  about  the  home, 
not  too  prominently,  but  tactfully, 
for  frequently  visitors  may  casually 
glance  over  it,  and  perhaps  God's 
grace  will  do  the  rest. 

The  regular  purchase  of  a  Catho- 
lic weekly  paper  should  be  a  reso- 
lution made  and  kept,  and  of  course 
The  Annals*  should  be  taken  and 
cherished.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
keep  them  carefully  and  get  them 
bound  annually,  for  in  that  way  a 
good  Franciscan  library  can  be 
built  up.  Daily  papers  should  be 
bought  with  discretion,  and  not 
left  about,  for  they  contain  much 
which  is  not  edifying  to  those  of 
mature  years,  let  alone  children. 
The  daily  reading  of  the  Holy  Gos- 
pels should  be  encouraged,  and  the 
Catholic  Truth  Society's  many  pen- 
ny lives  of  Franciscan  saints  pat- 
ronized.    Homes  sanctified  by  these 


pious  practices  will  shed  their  luster 
far  and  near,  gladdening  the  heart 
of  our  blessed  Father,  and  by  his 
prayers  drawing  down  God's  light 
and  grace  on  those  who  are  still 
outside  the  Order. 

Lastly,  the  beautiful  exhortation 
to  "settle  quarrels".  Franciscans 
claim  to  be  followers  of  the  "Prince 
of  Peace".  Of  course,  they  must 
use  tact  in  these  matters,  and  not 
appear  to  intrude  unduly,  but  by 
gentleness  and  carefully  chosen 
words  endeavor  to  still  the  storms 
of  anger  and  jealousy.  If  the 
Tertiary  will  make  the  resolution 
never  to  commence  a  quarrel,  or 
willingly  be  a  party  to  one,  he  will 
enjoy  continual  peace,  and  impart 
this  peace  to  others  by  his  exam- 
ple. 

Thus  the  Franciscan  ideals,  firmly 
planted  in  the  home,  where,  as  is 
stated  at  the  commencement  of 
this  paper,  all  true  holiness  begins, 
will  sustain  and  nourish  the  family 
life,  which,  daily  watered  with  the 
dew  of  prayers,  self-sacrifice,  and 
moderation,  will  expand,  and  in  its 
ever-widening  circle  embrace  many 
devout  souls  and  bring  them  to  the 
practice  and  enjoyment  of  the  true 
life  of  the  soul  here  on  earth,  and 
through  it  to  the  eternal  enjoyment 
of  the  Beatific  Vision  in  heaven.— 
Franciscan  Annals. 


*In  this  county  Franciscan  Herald,  or  some  other  Tertiary  magazine.— Editor. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


261 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 


TEXAS 
XXXI 

.By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqdhardt,  O.F.M. 


IN  1760,  Colonel  Parrilla  was  ap- 
pointed governor  of  Coahuila, 
and  the  old  foe  of  the  mission- 
aries, Captain  Felipe  de  Rabago, 
succeeded  him  as  commander  of 
San  Luis  de  las  Amarillas  in  the 
San  Saba  district.  Rabago,  after 
eight  years  had,  indeed,  been  ac- 
quitted of  the  charges  brought 
against  him,  and  he  appears  to  have 
been  no  longer  the  enemy  of  the 
Padres,  having,  doubtless,  been 
directed  to  cultivate  harmonious 
relations  with  them.  His  instruc- 
tions from  the  viceroy,  moreover, 
were  to  the  effect  that  he  should 
employ  every  suitable  means  to  in- 
duce the  Apaches  to  adopt  a  seden- 
tary life  at  the  missions.  He  ac- 
cordingly sought  to  gain  the  good 
will  of  the  savages  by  distributing 
gifts  of  tobacco,  clothing,  horse- 
trappings,  etc.,  among  them,  after 
which  he  pictured  to  them  the  ad- 
vantages of  life  at  the  missions, 
where  they  would  be  secure  from 
the  attacks  of  their  relentless  ene- 
mies, the  Comanches.  One  old  In- 
dian, whom  all  the  Lipan  Apaches 
recognized  as  their  head  chief,  in 
the  name  of  the  whole  tribe  replied 
that  his  people  would  join  the  mis- 
sions and  keep  perpetual  peace  with 
the  Spaniards  provided  the  estab- 
lishments were  placed  in  a  secure 
locality.  Rabago  thereupon  re- 
quested the  new  Fr.    Presidente  of 


the  missions,  Fr.  Diego  Ximenez,  to 
begin  the  missions  at  once,  before 
the  Apaches  could  repent  of  their 
promise. 

Fr.  Ximenez  (Himenez)  hastened 
to  San  Luis  de  las  Amarillas  only 
to  learn  that  the  fickle  Indians  had 
yet  more  difficulties.  Finally,  their 
objections  were  overcome  by  conced- 
ing the  following  two  points:  first, 
they  were  to  be  allowed  to  hunt  buf- 
faloes in  order  to  lay  in  a  supply  of 
meat;and  second,  the  missions  would 
be  located  farther  south  in  the  valley 
of  the  Rio  de  San  Jose  (the  Nueces) , 
midway  between  the  Rio  Grande 
and  the  San  Saba,  because  there  the 
Lipans  could  better  defend  them- 
selves against  their  enemies. 

Humoring  the  Apaches  in  this 
matter  and  relying  on  their  prom- 
ises, Fr.  Ximenez,  accompanied  by 
Fr.  Joaquin  Banos,  set  out  with 
Rabago,  soldiers,  supplies,  and  im- 
plements of  every  kind,  for  the  San 
Jose  River,  which  they  reached  on 
January  9,  1761.  The  country, 
about  thirty  leagues  from  the  origi- 
nal San  Saba  missions,  was  ill  suited 
for  mission  purposes.  The  mission- 
aries invariably  selected  a  spot  near 
which  good  soil  and  water  abounded, 
the  Indians  looked  only  to  their 
safety.  But  the  Padres  repressed 
their  misgiving  and  chose  an  eleva- 
ted plain  near  a  spring  for  the  in- 
tended Indian  settlement.     A  tern- 


262 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


porary  shelter  was  constructed  of 
poles  and  brushwood  for  divine  ser- 
vices. This  was  finished  on  Jan- 
uary 23,  1761.  Then,  as  Fr.  Arri- 
civita  relates,  the  two  missionaries 
stan  ing  in  the  doorway  rang  their 
bell.  More  than  three  hundred 
Indians,  men,  women,  and  children, 
approached,  not  to  join  the  mis- 
sion, but  merely  to  look  on.  What 
Fr.  Ximenez  must  have  felt  on  this 
occasion  is  not  recorded.  Vested 
in  alb  and  stole,  he  blessed  the  site 
and  the  cross  which  was  erected. 
To  impress  the  savages  the  more 
with  the  solemnity  of  the  cere- 
mony, Fr.  Ximenez  walked  with 
bare  feet  to  the  cross  and 
venerated  it.  Then  in  the  name  of 
his  majesty,  the  King,  he  presented 
the  cross  to  Captain  Rabago,  who 
brought  it  to  the  altar  in  the  tem- 
porary church,  whereupon  Mass 
was  celebrated.  At  the  close  of 
the  ceremony,  the  Fathers,  joined 
no  doubt  by  the  commander  and 
the  soldiers,  sang  the  Alabado.a) 
The  Indians  were  then  informed 
through  an  interpreter  of  the  solici- 
tude of  the  Spanish  king  for  their 
material  and  spiritual  welfare, 
which  could  be  secured  for  them 
only  by  the  missionaries,  who  ex- 
pected nothing  in  return  for  their 
services  but  that  the  Indians  should 
live  peacefully  at  the  mission  and 
earn  their  living  by  tilling  the  soil 
and  raising  live  stock,  as  was  the 
case  at  the  other  missions. 

Under  instructions  from  the  Col- 
lege of  Queretaro,  the  new  mis- 
sion was  named  San  Lorenzo  de 
Santa  Cruz.     Another  mission  was 


founded  a  few  weeks  later  about 
four  leagues  farther  south  on  the 
same  river,  but  on  the  opposite 
bank,  and  named  Nuestra  Senora 
de  la  Candelaria.  Unfortunately, 
writes  Fr.  Arricivita,  the  allowance 
usually  granted  to  new  missions 
for  the  first  years  of  their  existence, 
was  withheld  from  these  two  new 
establishments,  and  thus  from  the 
very  beginning,  the  missionaries 
were  handicapped,  because  they 
could  not  offer  presents  to  the  In- 
dians as  the  captain  had  already 
done.  This  entailed  loss  of  respect 
for  the  missionaries,  which  in  time 
developed  into  downright  insolence, 
as  Fr.  Arricivita  relates.  Some  of 
the  Apaches  would  contradict  the 
Fathers  when  speaking  of  God  and 
his  revelation,  and  they  refused  to 
remain  at  the  missions. 

Rabago  much  elated  at  the  wil- 
lingness manifested  by  the  Indians 
after  the  distribution  of  his  gifts, 
had  forwarded  a  glowing  account 
of  his  success  to  the  viceroy.  But 
when,  after  a  year,  no  such  reports 
came  from  the  Fathers,  the  sus- 
|  picion  of  the  government  was 
aroused,  and  the  viceroy  requested 
the  missionaries  to  describe  the  true 
state  of  affairs  in  their  two  mis- 
sions. This  was  done,  and  the  re- 
port was  signed  on  January  23,  1763, 
by  Fr.  Diego  Ximenez  and  Fr. 
Manuel  Antonio  Cuevas.  This  pre- 
cious document  we  are  loath  to 
omit,  but  as  it  is  very  long  and  our 
space  is  limited,  we  must  be  con- 
tent to  state  that  their  description 
was  in  keeping  with  similar  reports 
sent  in  from  earlier  missions.     The 


(1)     The  canticle  of  praise  in  honor  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  a  kind  of  doxology. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


263 


missionaries  frankly  declared  that 
it  was  useless  to  continue  their 
efforts  so  long  as  the  savages  were 
permitted  to  rove  about  at  will  and 
were  not  obliged  to  work  and  sup- 
port themselves,  and  30  long  as  the 
missions  did  not  receive  government 
aid  and  protection.  As  it  was,  Fr. 
Arricivita  shows  that  these  savages 
were  entirely  dependent  on  the 
chase  for  their  subsistence.  In 
December  and  January  they  would 
hunt  the  buffalo,  and  again  in  May 
and  June.  When  the  meat  had  been 
consumed,  they  would  pass  the  days 
until  the  next  hunting  season  in 
idleness  and  want,  subsisting  as 
well  as  they  might  on  wild  fruits 
and  such  animals  as  strayed  into 
their  neighborhood.  Before  each 
hunting  expedition,  the  Lipan  Apa- 
ches would  send  spies  into  the 
Comanche  country.  After  sup- 
plying themselves  with  all  the 
buffalo  meat  they  desired,  they  sent 
their  women  and  children  home, 
while  the  warriors  proceeded  to  at- 
tack and  rob  the  Comanche  ranche- 
rias  during  the  absence  of  their 
braves,  killing  the  old  men  and  in- 
fants and  carrying  off  the  women 
and  boys.  With  these  they  re- 
turned to  their  mountain  fastnesses. 
For  years  after  the  founding  of 
the  San  Lorenzo  mission,  the  Lipans 
repeated  these  outrages  in  spite  of 
the  remonstrances,  entreaties,  and 
threats  of  the  missionaries.  In  the 
fifth  year,  chief  Ttirmio  and  his 
people  simply  deserted  mission 
Candelaria  altogether  on  the  plea 
that  they  had  to  revenge  the  wrongs 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  their 
enemies.      But  this    time   the   Co- 


manches  were  prepared,  and  the 
Apaches  wisely  desisted  from  the 
attack.  The  Comanches  then  twice 
attempted  to  raid  the  missions,  but 
they  were  repulsed  by  the  Spanish 
guards. 

Under  these  circumstances,  little 
good  could  be  effected,  as  the  sol- 
diers had  to  keep  up  an  almost  con- 
tinuous warfare  with  the  Comanches 
and  other  wild  tribes.  This  was 
observed  by  the  Marques  de  Rubi, 
whom  the  viceroy  had  sent  to 
Texas  for  the  purpose  of  inspecting 
the  missions,  and  he  advised  the 
abandonment  of  the  presidio  on  the 
San  Saba  and  of  the  mission  San 
Lorenzo  at  El  Canon  on  the  Nueces. 
Mission  Candelaria  had  already 
been  given  up.  Tne  Lipan  Apa- 
ches simply  would  not  and  could 
not,  in  fact,  be  converted  or  civi- 
lized according  to  the  system  em- 
ployed, and  thus  "all  the  fruit  of 
the  eight  years  of  toil  and  suffer- 
ings," Fr.  Arricivita  writes,  "con- 
sisted of  eighty  Baptisms  adminis- 
tered to  the  Indians  at  the  point  of 
death,  and  of  the  few  children  of- 
fered by  their  parents  for  Baptism 
at  the  beginning  of  the  missions. 
Nevertheless,  the  Fathers  departed 
with  the  lamp  of  faith  burning 
brightly  in  their  hands,  charity  still 
alive  in  their  hearts,  compassion  in 
their  souls,  zeal  in  their  labors, 
meekness  in  their  countenances, 
poverty  in  their  garb,  quite  resigned 
to  the  cruel  adversities  that  they 
had  borne  so  long  among  such  un- 
grateful, deceitful,  greedy,  vaga- 
bond barbarians,  whom  they  could 
in  no  manner  convert  nor  even 
raise    to     the    grade    of   catechu- 


264 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


mens.,,<2)  The  fault  lay  with  the 
Spanish-Mexican  government  that 
had  delayed  assistance  to  the  mis- 
sions for  more  than  thirty  years. (3) 

The  subsequent  history  of  these 
Apaches  may  be  summed  up  in  the 
words  of  Prof.  W.  E.  Dunn,  of  the 
Texas  State  University:  '  "The 
evident  insincerity  of  the  Indians 
could  no  longer  be  doubted,  and  a 
complete  change  of  policy  was 
made.  An  alliance  was  entered 
into  with  the  northern  tribes  and  a 
bitter  war  of  extermination  begun 
against  the  Apaches." (4) 

It  remains,  according  to  our  cus- 
tom, to  locate  the  scene  of  this  mis- 
sionary activity.  As  already  stated, 
Prof.  Herbert  E.  Bolton,  who  has 
examined  the  country  with  docu- 
ments in  hand,  places  the  presidio 
of  San  Luis  de  Amarrillas  at  or 
near  the  present  Menardville,  Men- 
ard County,  Texas.  The  mission 
of  Santa  Cruz,  for  the  sake  of 
which  the  presidio  had  been  erected 
on  the  northern   bank  of  the   San 


Saba  River,  lay  about  three  miles 
below,  but  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
same  stream.  The  two  missions  of 
San  Lorenzo  and  Candelaria,  which 
continued  the  work  of  the  aban- 
doned mission  of  Santa  Cruz,  and 
are  therefore  also  included  under 
the  name  of  the  San  Saba  missions, 
were  established  on  an  upper  branch 
of  the  Rio  Nueces  (Rio  San  Jos6), 
about  thirty  leagues  south  of  the 
San  Saba,  near  the  southern  border 
of  what  is  now  Edwards  County, 
and  about  four  or  five  leagues  apart 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  stream. <5) 
Fr.  Arricivita  for  once  endeavors  to 
point  out  the  exact  situation.  He 
says  that  these  missions  of  San 
Lorenzo  and  Candelaria  were  located 
in  the  valley  of  the  San  Jose,  about 
forty  leagues  from  the  Rio  Grande, 
forty  from  San  Antonio  mission  and 
presidio,  and  forty  from  the  San 
Saba,  while  to  the  west  lay  a  stretch 
of  country  three  hundred  leagues 
to  Taumalipas. 


(2)  With  this  sentence  closes  that  most  valuable  work  of  Fr.  Arricivita,  Cronica 
Serafica  y  Apostolica  del  Colegio  de  Propaganda  Fide  de  la  Santa  Cruz  de  Queretaro  en  la 
Nueva  Espana,  Dedicada  al  Santisimo  Patriarca  El  Spnor  San  Jose,  Escrita  por  el  P.  Fr. 
Juan  Domingo  Arricivita.  Mexico,  1192.  Before  the  wretched  fraticidal  war  in  Mexico, 
this  volume,  large  folio,  was  listed  at  thirty  dollars.  The  entry,  No.  209,  of  Fr.  Arri- 
civita's  death  in  the  necrology  of  the  College  of  Queretaro,  reads  as  follows:  "El  dia 
16  de  Abril  de  1794,  a  las  cinco  de  la  tarde,  entrego  su  espiritu  a  su  Criador  el  R.  P. 
Comisario  y  Prefecto  de  Misiones,  y  Cronista,  Fr.  Juan  Domingo  Arricivita,  que  habia 
tornado  el  habito  en  este  Colegio.  Recibio  todos  los  Santos  Sacramentos,  y  dia  siguiente 
fue  sepultado  en  el  entierro  comun  de  los  Reiigiosos,  y  se  aplicaron  los  sufragios  cor- 
respondientes  como  a  hijo  del  Colegio;  y  para  que  conste  etc.  Fr.  Juan  Rivera,  Guar- 
dian." 

(3)  See  Franciscan  Herald,  November  1916,  page  436. 

(4)  Southwestern  Historical  Quarterly,  April  1914,  page  414. 

(5)  Bolton,  Texas  in  the  Middle  Eighteenth  Century,  pp.  86,  94,  109. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


265 


FR.  JOHN  GAFRON,  O.F.M.,  INDIAN  MISSIONARY 


FR,  John  Gafron  was  born  on 
November  6,  1850,  in  Silesia, 
Germany,  and  he  received 
in  Baptism  the  name  of  Joseph. 
Having  completed  his  elementary 
education  in  the  parochial  school 
with  distinction,  he  entered  the 
gymnasium  at  Patschkau.  It  was 
here  that  he  conceived  the  desire  of 
entering  the  Or- 
der of  Friars  Mi- 
nor, and  he  ap- 
plied for  admis- 
sion at  the  friary 
o  f  Warendorf, 
Westphalia.  His 
investment  took 
place  on  Septem- 
ber 30, 1869.  Some 
years  later,  the 
K  u  1 1  u  r-K  a  m  p  f 
forced  him  and 
many  of  his  fellow 
religious  to  seek 
an  asylum  in  this 
country,  where  he 
arrived  in  June, 
1875.  He  finished 
h  i  s  theological 
studies  at  the 
Franciscan  monas- 
tery in  St.  Louis. 
Mo.,  where  he  was 
ordained  priest  on 
June  4,  1876. 

Fr.  John's  first  appointment  was 
as  curate  in  the  newly  formed 
Franciscan  parish  at  Columbus, 
Nebr.,  where  he  labored  most  zeal- 
ously for  two  years.  It  was  about 
this  time  that  the  Right  Rev.  Heiss, 
Bishop  of  La  Crosse,    Wis.,  applied 


Rev.  John  Gafron,  O.F.M. 
Anamiegabaw  (Bowed  in  prayer) 


to  the  Franciscan  Province  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  for  priests  to  take  up 
mission  work  among  the  Chippewa 
Indians,  who  had  been  sadly  neg- 
lected for  want  of  missionaries. 
The  Bishop's  request  was  granted, 
and  Fr.  John  and  Fr.  Casimir  Vogt 
were  chosen  for  this  difficult  apos- 
tolic work. 

The  pioneer  band 
of  Indian  mis- 
sionaries which 
consisted  of  FF. 
John  and  Casimir, 
and  of  two  lay 
Brothers,  one  of 
whom  was  Bro. 
Juniper,  at  pres- 
ent sacristan  and 
tailor  at  St.  Jo- 
seph's College, 
Teutopolis,  111., 
reached  Bayfield, 
Wis.,  on  October 
13, 1878,  and  found 
there  an  abode 
that  would  have 
gladdened  the 
heart  of  the  most 
ardent  lover  of 
Franciscan  pov- 
erty. The  build- 
ing was  a  one- 
story  frame  struc- 
ture, 16  by  22  feet,  with  a  small  shed, 
8  by  10  feet,  that  served  as  kitchen. 
The  low  attic  was  lined  with  building 
paper  to  keep  out  the  intense  cold, 
and  was  divided  by  paper  partitions 
into  several  tiny  cells.  One  of  these 
was  used  as  a  chapel,  the  other  two 
served  as  bedrooms  for  the   Broth- 


266 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


ers.  The  lower  part  of  the  house 
contained  the  parlor,  the  library, 
the  dining  room,  the  guest  room, 
and  the  bedrooms  for  the  Fathers. 
The  furniture  of  the  rooms  was  in 
keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  house. 
Thus,  Fr.  John's  cell  contained  a 
small  bed  with  straw  sack  and  a 
blanket,  a  primitive  table,  and  a 
chair.  The  only  decoration  of  the 
walls,  besides  a  crucifix,  were  the 
tenses  of  the  nine  different  conju- 
gations of  the  Chippewa  verb, 
which  he  had  written  on  the  paper 
partitions,  that  he  might  have  them 
constantly  before  his  eyes,  the 
quicker  to  master  them. 

In  this  poor  convent,  the  mission- 
aries lived  for  thirteen  years,  until 
1891,  when  through  the  generous 
donations  made  by  the  Indians  and 
by  the  small  white  population  of 
Bayfield,  the  present  more  com- 
modious two-story  brick  convent 
was  erected.  The  missionaries, 
however,  were  too  busy  studying 
the  Chippewa  language  by  day  and 
by  night  to  take  much  notice  of 
the  inconveniences  and  the  destitu- 
tion of  their  new  home.  They  were 
assisted  in  their  studies  by  the 
veteran  Indian  missionary,  Rev. 
Father  Ferard,  S.J.,  who  at  that 
time  was  composing  a  dictionary 
wherin  he  compared  the  roots  of 
the  different  Asiatic  languages  with 
those  of  the  Chippewa  tongue  to 
discover  their  points  of  similarity 
and  thus  to  prove  that  the  Indian 
tribes  of  northern  America  originally 
came  from  Asia.  The  two  Fathers 
were  so  successful  in  their  efforts 
to  master  the  intricacies  of  the 
Chippewa  dialect,  that  to  the  great 


surprise  of  their  redskin  charges, 
they  both  preached  a  short  Indian 
sermon  on  the  following  Christmas 
day,  hardly  two  months  after  their 
arrival,  Fr.  Casimir  at  Bayfield  and 
Fr.  John  at  Bad  River  Mission,  now 
Odanah.  The  good  Indians  were 
so  glad  to  hear  their  mission- 
aries speak  to  them  in  their  own 
tongue  that  they  did  all  in  their 
power  to  supply  them  from  their 
own  scanty  store  with  the  neces- 
saries of  life. 

Fr.  John's  principal  mission  was 
Bad  River,  situated  twenty-four 
miles  in  a  bee  line  across  the  Lake 
from  Bayfield,  near  the  mouth  of 
Bad  River.  Owing  to  his  extra- 
ordinary talents,  he  soon  became 
very  proficient  in  speaking  Chippe- 
wa, so  much  so  that  many  pagans 
came  great  distances  to  Bad  River 
to  listen  to  his  discourses.  In  this 
way,  many  of  them  received  the 
grace  of  conversion  to  the  true 
faith.  It  was  very  amusing,  how- 
ever, to  observe  how  the  heathen 
Indians,  seated  in  the  mission 
church  of  a  Sunday,  were  wont  to 
duck  their  heads  when  the  priest 
sprinkled  the  congregation  with 
holy  water  at  the  Asperges.  For 
in  their  ignorance  they  confounded 
this  ceremony  with  Baptism,  and 
they  greatly  feared  to  be  made 
Christians  against  their  will. 

When  Fr.  John  arrived  at  Bad 
River  mission,  he  found  there  a 
small  church  erected  in  1860,  by 
Rev.  John  Chebul.  With  the  as- 
sistance of  his  Indians  and  some 
white  settlers,  he  at  once  began 
work  on  a  log  school  for  the  many 
Indian     children   of    that  locality. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


267 


i 

J 

1 

f  v 

1 

•  1 

^^fe 

Ifr* 

isi!i!f' 

mML:~ 

St.  Mary's,  Bad  River  (Odanah), Wisconsin 

This  was  the  beginning  of  St. 
Mary's  Industrial  School,  which 
under  the  able  management  of  the 
Franciscan  Sisters  of  the  Perpetual 
Adoration,  from  La  Crosse,  Wis., 
has  been  a  source  of  untold  good 
for  the  Indians  of  northern  Wiscon- 
sin. The  school  was  opened  in 
1882,  with  Sisters  Cunigunde  and 
Emmanuela  as  the  first  teachers. 
After  the  death  of  the  latter  in  the 
very  prime  of  life,  Sister  Celestine 
came  to  Bad  River.  Many  children 
whose  parents  lived  far  away  in 
the  depths  of  the  woods,  besides 
being  taught,  were  even  lodged  and 
boarded  by  the  Sisters. 

A  most  important  event  in  the 
history  of  St.  Mary's  School  took 
place  a  few  years  after  its  founda- 
tion, when  Rev.  Father  Stephen, 
the  Director  of  the  Catholic  Indian 
Missions  Bureau,    at    Washington, 


D.  C,  visited  Bad  River  mission  in 
company  with  Miss  Catherine  Drex- 
el,  now  known  throughout  the 
country  as  Mother  Catherine. 
Filled  with  enthusiasm  for  the 
spread  of  Christ's  kingdom  among 
the  redskins,  she  purchased  at  the 
cost  of  $8,000,  the  old  Presbyterian 
mission  and  its  adjacent  farm,  and 
presented  the  property  to  St.  Mary's 
Indian  school.  A  new  and  larger 
church  was  dien  built  near  the 
school  to  replace  the  old  chapel  of 
Father  Chebul,  which  in  turn  gave 
way  to  the  handsome  and  spacious 
church  erected  by  Fr.  Odoric,  in  1898. 
Fr.  John  often  experienced  the 
greatest  difficulties  in  going  to  and 
from  his  mission  at  Bad  River.  As 
the  land  route  around  Chequamegon 
Bay  was  very  long  and  hazardous, 
he  usually  took  the  shorter  route 
across  the  Lake.  Owing  to  the 
heavy  and  sudden  storms,  it  was 
impossible  to  make  this  trip  in  the 
little  Indian  canoes,  as  they  were 
too  frail  and  too  easily  upset  by  the 
wind  and  waves;  thus  he  was  com- 
pelled to  make  use  of  a  big  lumber- 
ing sailboat  for  the  purpose.  Con- 
trary winds  seemed  generally  to 
prevail  when  he  wished  to  travel,  and 
thus  instead  of  five  hours  it  often 
took  him  a  whole  day  until  late  in 
the  night  to  cross  the  lake.  When 
he  met  adverse  winds,  Fr.  John 
and  his  Indian  companion  were 
wont  to  sail  as  closely  as  possible  to 
a  low  sand  island  for  some  six  miles, 
Fr.  John  walking  on  the  shore  and 
pulling  the  heavy  boat  with  a  long 
rope,  while  the  Indian  remained  in 
the  boat  and  prevented  it  from 
grounding  in   the  shallow    water. 


268 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


After  passing  this  island  they  usu- 
ally encountered  favorable  winds, 
and  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
journey  was  made  more  quickly. 

During  the  winter  months,  when 
the  lake  and  the  rivers  were  frozen 
over  but  not  yet  covered  with  snow, 
the  trips  were  easy  and  even  pleas- 
ant, for  then  swift  dog  teams  drew 
the  missionary's  sled  across  the 
glassy  surface  with  the  speed  of  the 
wind.  Unhappily,  this  state  of  af- 
fairs did  not  last  long,  for  soon  the 
whole  country  would  be  decked 
with  snow,  and  then  it  was  not  only 
toilsome  but  even  dangerous  to 
make  these  journeys.  Shod  with 
snow  shoes  and  accompanied  by  a 
sturdy  Indian  guide,  Fr.  John 
braved  sickness  and  death  in  his 
apostolic  zeal  to  administer  to  the 
spiritual  needs  of  his  red  children 
of  the  northern  forests. 

It  happened  one  day  in  early  spring, 
when  the  ice  on  the  lake  had  become 
rotten,  that  Fr.  John  set  out  on  atrip 
to  La  Pointe,  on  Madeline  Island. 
Owing  to  the  condition  of  the  ice,  he 
had  considerable  difficulty  in  making 
headway.  Finally,  as  they  were 
nearing  the  end  of  their  journey, 
the  Indian  guide  suddenly  broke 
through  the  ice  and  only  saved  him- 
self by  quickly  stretching  out  his 
arms  and  supporting  them  on  the 
unbroken  surface  before  him.  As 
soon  as  Fr.  John  saw  the  desperate 
condition  of  his  companion,  he  ran 
for  the  shore  as  fast  as  he  could, 
the  ice  giving  way  under  each  step. 
Thanks  to  his  very  light  weight  and 
to  the  undoubted  assistance  of  his 
Guardian  Angel,  he  reached  the 
shore  in  safety,  and  at  once  sum- 


moned help  for  his  poor  guide. 
Some  fishermen  of  the  island  sent 
a  boy  in  a  large  flat  boat  toward  the 
man,  who  managed  to  clamber  in, 
and  then  the  boat  was  drawn  to 
the  shore. 

Equally  dangerous  and  more 
fatiguing  were  the  trips  Fr.  John 
had  to  make  by  land  when  the  lake 
was  unfit  for  either  sled  or  boat. 
From  Bayfield  to  Ashland  around 
the  bay  is  some  twenty-six  miles, 
and  from  there  to  Bad  River  some 
twelve  miles.  The  roads  and  trails 
on  this  route  were  often  all  but  im- 
passable in  early  fall  and  spring, 
frequently  leading  through  swamps 
I  that  no  team  could  cross.  Arriving 
i  at  Ashland  thoroughly  exhausted, 
the  good  Father  would  spend  the 
I  night  at  the  home  of  some  half- 
|  breed  Indians,  and  then  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning  continue  on  his 
way  to  Bad  River.  Such  a  trip  he 
made  once  in  late  fall  going  from 
Lac  Courtes  Oreilles  to  Gordon.'s 
Farm,  then  down  the  shores  of  the 
St.  Croix  River  back  to  Bayfield. 
All  during  this  trip,  there  was  a 
steady  downpour  of  rain,  and 
his  habit  was  drenched  through 
and  through.  The  wind  pierced 
his  frail  little  body  to  the  bone,  and 
it  is  little  wonder  that  the  zealous 
missionary,  for  whom  no  difficulty 
seemed  too  great,  contracted  a 
severe  cold,  which  settled  on  his 
lungs  and  put  an  end  to  his  apostolic 
journeys. 

Fr.  Casimir  now  took  on  himself 
the  task  of  visiting  almost  all  the 
Indian  missions  in  northern  Wis- 
consin. As  he  found  it  more  con- 
venient owing  to  railroad  facilities, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


269 


to  make  these  trips  from  Superior, 
Wis.,  he  made  his  headquarters  in 
this  city,  and  Fr.  John  was  placed 
in  charge  of  Bayfield  and  the  neigh- 
boring missions.  For  six  years,  he 
labored  here,  until  continued  poor 
health  forced  him  to  relinquish  his 
post.  The  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  by  his  Right  Rev.  Bishop  is 
evidenced  by  the  fact  that  during 
these  years  at   Bayfield,    Fr.    John 


Definitors  and  appointed  to  teach 
theology  to  the  student  friars  at 
St.  Louis.  With  his  customary  zeal 
he  fulfilled  these  new  duties  for 
three  years  until  the  end  of  the 
school  term  in  1897,  when  he 
journeyed  to  Ashland  to  enjoy  a 
well  deserved  vacation.  Little  did 
he  or  his  brethren  think  that  this 
was  to  be  his  last  journey  on  earth. 
Succumbing  to  an  attack  of  heart 


St.  Mary's  Indian  School,  Bad  River,  Wisconsin 


filled  the  offices  of  dean,  diocesan 
consultor,  examiner,  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  schools  in  his  dean- 
ery. 

After  a  brief  stay  in  Ashland, 
Fr.  John  went  to  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
The  change  of  climate  was  very 
beneficial  to  him  and  restored  his 
strength  to  such  an  extent  that  at 
the  Provincial  Chapter,  in  1894,  he 
was  elected  one  of  the  Provincial 


failure,  he  died  at  Ashland,  on  July 
19,  1897,  near  the  scene  of  his  mis- 
sionary labors.  The  great  throng 
of  Indians  that  assembled  for  the 
funeral  services  from  his  various 
former  missions,  especially  from 
Bayfield  and  Bad  River  (Odanah), 
gave  evidence  of  the  love  and  ven- 
eration in  which  he  was  held  by 
them  all. 


270 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


OUT  OF  THE  DARKNESS 

By  Zelma  McDowell  Penry,  Tertiary 


THE  golden-red  rays  of  a  late 
autumn  sun  were  giving 
place  to  the  violet-tinted 
shadows  of  evening.  Soft  ripples 
of  deep  blue  water,  with  here  and 
there  a  fleck  of  white  foam,  formed 
a  frame  for  the  broad  band  of 
crimson  down  which  the  setting 
sun  was  sending  his  evening  bene- 
diction to  the  western  world.  A 
myriad  of  multi-colored  jewels, 
ruby,  emerald,  saphire,  and  garnet, 
seemed  to  be  flung  in  limitless  pro- 
fusion over  this  path  of  glory  by 
the  hand  of  the  Almighty. 

Seemingly  oblivious  of  the  beauty 
of  this  scene,  a  man  was  standing 
on  a  jutting  rock,  gazing  over  the 
expanse  of  water  with  '  'eyes  that 
seeing  saw  not".  He  made  a  strik- 
ing figure,  this  man,  thus  sharply 
outlined  against  the  sky,  uncon- 
sciously adding,  by  his  very  pres- 
ence, to  the  enchantment  of  the 
picture.  Erect  and  soldierly  in 
bearing,  and  clad  in  a  long  dark 
cloak  of  a  kind  seen  but  seldom  in 
America,  he  made  a  part  of  the 
lovely  scene,  blending  in  and  iden- 
tifying himself  with  the  dying  day. 
For  it  was  not  a  young  man  stand- 
ing there  in  silent  meditation,  but 
one  on  whom  many  years  had  left 
their  imprint,  whitening  the  hair 
that  lay  back  from  the  broad  fore- 
head, and  lining  the  fine  intellec- 
tual face.  The  mouth,  thin-lipped 
and  firm,  was  sensitive  but  unyield- 
ing. But  it  was  the  eyes  of  the 
man  that  irresistibly  drew  and  held 
the  attention  of  the  observer.  They 


were  dark,  and  in  their  unfathom- 
able depths  an  unquenchable  fire 
seemed  to  glow  with  an  almost 
consuming  flame.  Once  seen, 
those  eyes  left  an  impression  on 
the  beholder  never  to  be    effaced. 

As  he  stood  gazing  out  on  the 
scene  before  him,  the  deep  eyes 
held  a  look  of  ineffable  anguish— 
an  anguish,  which  no  bodily  suffer- 
ing, however  great,  could  cause. 
It  was  the  torture  of  a  mind,  heart, 
and  soul  sick  unto  death;  and  truly 
the  conflict  going  on  in  the  soul  of 
the  man  was  a  struggle  to  the 
death. 

Bereft  of  his  sweet  young  wife 
while  he  was  yet  a  young  man, 
Robert  Harnett  had  turned  to  in- 
tellectual pursuits  for  solace.  His 
little  son,  for  whom  he  felt  neither 
positive  dislike  nor  marked  affec- 
tion, had,  in  consequence,  grown 
from  babyhood  to  boyhood  surfeited 
with  intellectual  food  but  with  his 
little  soul  hungering  for  that  of 
which  he  knew  nothing. 

When  the  boy  was  fourteen 
years  old,  he  was  sent  to  an  Epis- 
copalian school  of  high  standing, 
where,  for  the  first  time,  he  gained 
an  insight  into  the  tenets  of  reli- 
gion, and  he  drank  in  this  knowledge 
as  a  thirsty  plant  draws  up  water. 
A  new  world  had  opened  before  his 
mind.  Handsome,  quick-witted, 
intelligent,  and  foremost  in  all  the 
sports  of  which  every  real  boy  is 
fond,  he  soon  became  a  favorite 
with  his  fellow  students.  All  the 
while,  he  seemed  possessed  of  an  in- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


271 


satiable  thirst  for  a  deeper  knowl- 
edge of  religious  subjects.  It  was 
with  no  surprise,  therefore,  that 
the  classmates  of  Robert  Harnett, 
Junior,  shortly  before  their  grad- 
uation, learned  of  his  decision  to 
enter  the  theological  seminary. 

His  father,  never  an  irreligious 
man— though  by  no  stretch  of  the 
imagination  could  he  have  been 
called  religious— was  not  displeased 
with  his  son's  choice.  He  was 
traveling  in  Europe  when  the  news 
reached  him,  having  spent  much  of 
his  time  there  since  Robert  had  put 
off  his  baby  dresses.  Now,  instead 
of  returning  home,  he  merely  wrote 
that  while  he  could  hardly  sympa- 
thize with  his  boy's  ambitions,  he 
would  not  oppose  them,  and  that 
he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to 
assist  him.  He  concluded,  with 
characteristic  brevity,  that  he  was 
at  least  happy  to  know  that  his  son 
had  chosen  a  calling  so  eminently 
respectable. 

Considerably  hurt  by  his  father's 
lack  of  enthusiasm,  Robert  had 
nevertheless  plunged  into  his  stud- 
ies with  great  zest.  It  was  then 
an  event  occurred  which  was  to 
affect  the  lives  of  father  and  son  in 
a  marvelous  degree.  It  was  the 
going  over  to  the  Church  of  Rome 
of  the  best  beloved  of  the  younger 
Harnett's  professors,  a  man  of 
deep  learning  and  piety,  who  had 
been  to  the  young  man  a  model  of 
all  virtues.  After  a  soul-racking 
year,  during  which  he  strove  to  be 
faithful  to  the  church  he  had 
learned  to  love  and  cherish,  Robert 
determined  to  end  his  doubts  once 
for  all  by    making    a    sincere   and 


impartial  study  of  Catholic  doc- 
trines. The  inevitable  happened, 
and  two  years  after  his  teacher's 
conversion,  young  Robert  Harnett 
followed  him  into  the  Fold  of  Pe- 
ter. 

When  the  news  reached  the  elder 
Harnett,  it  sent  him  into  a  tower- 
ing rage— the  first  real  feeling  he 
had  ever  experienced  toward  his 
son.  His  letter  in  reply  was  brief 
and  to  the  point: 

As  you  know,  I  have  nothing  against 
the  Church  of  Rome,  but  I  am  crushed  to 
learn  that  a  son  of  mine  could  be  so  vacil- 
lating as  to  follow  blindly  where  another 
leads.  I  should  not  say  a  son  of  mine,  for 
one  so  wanting  in  character  ceases  to  be  my 
son.  Robert  John  Harnett. 

This  missive  fairly  stunned  young 
Robert,  but  he  stood  up  under  the 
blow  and,  taking  his  father  at  his 
word,  did  not  seek  further  commu- 
nication with  him. 

Once  in  the  Fold,  he  felt  himself 
more  strongly  than  ever  drawn  to 
the  service  of  God  in  the  sanctuary 
and  he  resolved  to  seek  admission 
into  the  holy  priesthood.  In  a  fare- 
well letter  he  informed  his  father 
of  the  step  he  was  about  to  take 
and  clearly  stated  his  reason  there- 
for. He  craved  his  father's  for- 
giveness for  any  past  trouble,  and, 
in  concluding  asked  his  blessing. 

To  say  that  the  elder  Harnett 
was  surprised  on  receiving  this 
second  letter,  would  be  putting  it 
mildly.  He  did  not  deign  to  an- 
swer, but  instead  buried  himself 
more  deeply  in  scientific  study- 
study  which  naturally  encroached 
at  times  on  the  supernatural.  In 
the  course  of  his  readings  he 
chanced  to    become    interested    in 


272 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


some  of  the  works  of  John  Henry 
Newman.  Fascinated  in  spite  of 
himself,  he  began  to  study  the  life 
as  well  as  the  works  of  the  great 
English  convert,  until  by  the  irre- 
sistible force  of  logic  he  was  com- 
pelled to  admit  the  truth  of  Catho- 
lic doctrine.  Yet  he  lacked  the 
vital  spark  of  divine  faith;  his  mind 
was  convinced  but  his  heart  was 
still  cold. 

In  an  agony  of  indecision,  he 
resolved  to  return  to  America  and 
seek  out  his  son.  He  returned; 
but  to  his  dismay  discovered  that 
Robert  hod  dropped  from  sight  as 
completely  as  if  the  earth  had 
swallowed  him.  He  had  not 
troubled  to  keep  informed  as  to  his 
boy's  whereabouts  since  the  lat- 
ter's  departure  from  the  Episcopal 
seminary,  and  now  he  sought  him 
in  vain. 

It  was  just  as  he  was  losing  all 
hope  of  finding  his  son,  ana  as  his 
soul  was  torn  between  firm  con- 
viction that  he  must  become  a 
Catholic  and  extreme  unwillingness 
to  do  so,  that  he  stood  on  the  ledge 
of  the  cliff  that  gorgeous  autumn 
evening  seeking  for  light  in  his 
darkness.  A  more  than  ordinary 
battle  was  raging  in  the  storm- 
tossed  soul.  All  the  powers  of  hell 
seemed  to  contend  against  the 
awakening  grace.  With  a  low  cry 
of  torture,  he  turned  from  the  spot 
where  he  stood.  "0  God,  why 
must  I  suffer  so,"  he  moaned. 
"Why  could  I  not  have  remained 
in  peace?  Ah,  those  damnable 
works  of  Newman!  Why  did  I  ever 
see  them!  And  yet,  what  faith,  what 


power  pervades  those  pages.  It 
would  really  seem-"  He  stopped 
short.  From  the  open  window  of 
a  neighboring  cottage,  a  soft  clear 
voice  floated  out  on  the  evening 
breeze: 

Lead,  kindly  Light, 

Amid  th'  encircling  gloom 
Lead  Thou  me  on. 

A  wave  of  peace  flooded  the 
stricken  soul— grace  had  conquered. 
Baring  his  silver  head,  he  repeated: 

'  'Yes,  lead  thou  me  on,  I  do  not 
ask  to  see." 

He  walked  swiftly  down  the  path 
toward  a  building  he  had  noticed 
as  he  came  up.  It  was  a  quiet 
little  edifice  of  gray  stone  sur- 
mounted by  a  cross.  As  if  led  by 
unseen  hands,  he  entered  and 
slipped  to  his  knees  before  the 
altar.  The  ruby  light  of  the  sanc- 
tuary lamp  lighted  the  image  of 
the  Crucified  Savior  which  hung  in 
the  shadow  above  the  tabernacle. 
A  slight  stir  caused  the  old  man  to 
look  up;  and  there  before  him, 
stood  the  brown-robed  figure  of  a 
young  religious.  For  a  full  minute 
the  two  men  gazed  into  each  other's 
eyes.  Then,  in  a  voice  deep,  soft, 
and  wonderfully  tender,  the  youth- 
ful priest  of  God  exclaimed; 

"Father!" 

"My  son— and,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  my  father  also!"  returned  the 
other. 

With  emotion  too  deep  for  words, 
father  and  son  knelt  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  that  holy  place,  and  then 
walked  out  into  the  gathering 
twilight. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


273 


SAN  FRANCISCO  EL  GRANDE 

By  Leon  de  Lillo,  Tertiary 


IN  the  year  1214,  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi  traveled  through  Spain 
on  foot  as  usual,  and  on  his  way 
to  Santiago  Compostella,  he  crossed 
the  kingdom  of  Castile.  Arriving 
at  the  western  outskirts  of  Madrid, 
called  Puerta  de  Moros,  he  halted 
and  built  there  a  small  wooden  shel- 
ter for  himself  and  his  companions, 
which  he  called  the  convent  of  Jesus 
and  Mary.  At  the  close  of  the  four- 
teenth century,  it  was  replaced  by  a 
larger  building,  remaining,  never- 
theless, a  mere  chapel,  far  distant 
from  the  center  of  the  city,  and 
called  by  the  Spanish,  una  ermita— 
a  hermitage. 

This  church  was  much  enlarged 
and  beautifully  adorned,  in  1617,  by 
the  aristocracy  of  the  city  of  Madrid, 
who  had  learnt  to  love  and  revere 
the  humble  friars.  At  the  same 
time,  valuable  altars  were  erected 
and  many  of  the  nobility  had  pri- 
vate chapels  built  onto  the  church, 
to  serve  as  mortuary  chapels  for  the 
members  of  their  families.  Finally, 
during  the  reign  of  King  Carlos  III, 
the  whole  building  was  torn  down  to 
make  room  for  the  magnificent 
structure  that  now  occupies  the 
place,  under  the  title  of  Our  Lady  of 
the  Angels,  but  commonly  known  as 
San  Francisco  el  Grande.  It  took 
from  1760  to  1784  to  build  the  ehurch ; 
the  work  was  done  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  architects  Fr.  Francisco 


de  las  Cabezas  and  Sabatini.  It  is 
the  finest  church  in  Madrid  and  is 
modelled  on  the  Pantheon  in  Rome. 
The  interior  walls  and  ceiling  are 
covered  with  frescos  by  the  most 
famous  painters  of  the  day;  the  one 
by  Goya  representing  St.  Francis 
preaching    is    especially    admired. 

This  beautiful  church  is  an  impor- 
tant Franciscan  center  and  is  the 
headquarters  of  the  Madrid  frater- 
nity of  the  Third  Order,  »vhich  num- 
bers more  than  25,000  Tertiaries. 
The  sessions  of  the  international  con- 
gress of  Tertiaries,  in  1914,  were 
held  under  its  roof,  and  it  is  here, 
too,  that  the  knights  of  the  Military 
Order  of  the  Holy  Sepulcher  hold 
their  regular  meetings. 

Near  the  church  of  San  Francisco 
el  Grande  is  the  splendid  chapel  of 
San  Antonio  de  Padua,  one  of  the 
most  popular  in  Madrid.  The  chapel 
boasts  of  a  number  of  paintings  by 
the  famous  artist  Goya,  and  of  a 
sanctuary  lamp  of  such  extraordi- 
nary beauty  and  workmanship  that 
King  Alfonso  XIII,  wishing  to  make 
an  appropriate  donation  to  the  Span- 
ish church  in  New  York,  had  a  fac- 
simile made  of  it  and  sent  to  Amer- 
ica. 

A  third  Franciscan  church  in 
the  Spanish  capital,  San  Pascual 
Bailon,  on  the  Pasio  de  Recoletos,  is 
also  much  admired  and  is  frequented 
by  ladies  of  the  highest  nobility. 


274 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy. —On  April  15,  the 
church  of  St.  Peter  in  Montorio, 
situated  on  the  Janiculum,  was  sol- 
emnly reopenend  and  blessed.  It 
had  been  greatly  damaged  during 
the  earthquake  in  1915.  It  has 
been  renovated  through  the  muni- 
ficence of  the  King  of  Spain,  who 
is  its  special  patron  and  protector. 
The  church  is  in  charge  of  the 
Friars  Minor.  It  was  built  in  the 
sixteenth  century  by  King  Ferdi- 
nand the  Catholic  of  Spain  on  the 
site  of  an  ancient  sanctuary.  He 
had  it  erected  in  memory  of  the 
Prince  of  Apostles,  especially  in 
memory  of  his  glorious  martyrdom, 
which  took  place  on  the  Janiculum. 
The  church  harbors  many  beautiful 
paintings  and  sculptures  of  Michael 
Angelo  and  other  famous  artists. 
The  chapel  of  St.  Francis  was  built 
according  to  the  plan  of  Bernin, 
one  of  whose  disciples  sculptured  a 
statue  of  St.  Francis  with  the  an- 
gels. In  the  court  of  the  cloister, 
on  the  spot  where  according  to  tra- 
dition St.  Peter  was  crucified,  stands 
the  celebrated  Tampietto  sculptured, 
in  1502,  by  Bramante  and  considered 
one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  the 
Renaissance.  At  present,  the  con- 
vent is  to  a  great  extent  occupied 
by  the  Spanish  Academy  of  Fine 
Arts.  A  part  of  it,  however,  is  re- 
served for  the  community  of  Friars 
Minor  one  of  whose  members  is 
always  rector  of  the  parish.— 

On  April  22,  in  the  Franciscan 
church  of  St.  Antony,  Monsignor 
Zannetti,  O.F.M.,  Bishop-elect  of 
Bosa  in  Sardinia,  received  the  epis- 
copal consecration.  The  imposing 
ceremonies  were  performed  by  His 
Eminence  Cardinal  Boggiani,  of  the 
Order  of  St.  Dominic,  assisted  by 
Monsignor  Sansoni,  Bishop  of  Celafu 
and  Monsignor  Rozzoli,  Bishop 
of  Potenza  and  Marsico,  both 
members   of  the  Franciscan  Order. 


His  Eminence  Cardinal  Giustinir 
Protector  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor,  and  Most  Rev.  Fr.  General, 
who  had  just  returned  from  Spain, 
also  were  present  at  the  solemn 
function.  The  newly  consecrated 
Bishop  is  a  member  of  the  Francis- 
can Province  of  St.  Bonaventure  in 
Tuscany. — 

A  new  impulse  has  been  recently 
given  to  the  cause  of  the  beatifica- 
tion of  the  Venerable  Gabriel  Ma- 
ria. The  servant  of  God  who  lived 
toward  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury belonged  to  the  French  Prov- 
ince of  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor. 
He  was  the  confessor  of  Blessed 
Jane  of  Valois  and  her  chief  ad- 
visor in  founding  the  Franciscan 
sisterhood  whose  members  are 
known  as  the  sisters  of  the  Annun- 
ciation of  Mary.  In  one  of  its  re- 
cent sessions,  the  Sacred  Congrega- 
tion issued  a  decree  approving  the 
writings  of  the  Venerable  Gabriel. 
Though  he  was  a  prolific  writer  on 
theological  and  ascetical  subjects, 
his  works  are  extremely  rare. 
Thanks  to  the  solicitude  and  zeal  of 
the  vice-post  ulator  of  his  cause, 
Rev.  P.  Oton,  the  library  in  Tolosa 
is  now  in  possesssion  of  the  moral, 
theology  written  by  the  saintly  and 
learned  friar. 

Assisi,  Italy.— No  saint  perhaps 
is  more  popular  among  Catholics  of 
Italy,  than  our  holy  Father  St. 
Francis.  Next  year,  a  century  will 
have  elapsed' since  his  sacred  re- 
mains were  unearthed  in  the  mag- 
nificent basilica  at  Assisi.  Elabor- 
ate festivities  are  to  commemorate 
this  event.  A  committee  has  al- 
ready been  chosen  to  make  the 
necessary  preparations.  Since  it  is 
an  event  that  equally  concerns  the 
three  families  of  the  Order  of  St. 
Francis,  eminent  religious  of  each 
will  constitute  the  committee.  For 
centuries,  the  exact  location  of  the 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


275 


Saint's  tomb  in  the  basilica  was 
a  matter  of  conjecture,  since  the 
body  had  been  secretly  laid  to 
rest  to  prevent  its  being  stolen. 
It  was  generally  thought  that 
the  precious  relics  lav  below 
the  high  altar.  In  the  fall  of  1818, 
the  Holy  Father  granted  permis- 
sion to  search  for  the  body.  Exca- 
vations below  the  high  altar  began 
at  once.  They  were  carried  on  at 
night  to  avoid  publicity.  Finally, 
after  many  nights  of  tedious  and 
anxious  labor,  a  stone  coffin  was 
unearthed.  In  it  reposed  a  human 
body  that  emitted  a  sweet  odor. 
Thereupon,  the  Holy  Father  appoint- 
ed a  commission  of  five  bishops  to 
make  close  investigations.  Their  re- 
port was  favorable,  and  on  Decem- 
ber 2,  1820,  Pope  Pius  VII  solemnly 
declared  that  the  body  unearthed 
in  the  Franciscan  Church  at  Assisi 
was  truly  that  of  St  Francis.  In 
accordance  with  the  wish  of  the 
Holy  Father,  the  sacred  relics  re- 
mained in  the  tomb  where  they  had 
lain  for  six  centuries.  Later,  Pope 
Leo  XII  appointed  December  12  as 
a  special  feast  in  the  Franciscan 
Order  to  commemorate  the  finding 
of  the  body  of  the  holy  Founder. 

Madrid,  Spain  —From  several 
Spanish  periodicals  we  learn  that 
a  movement  is  now  afoot  in  Spain 
and  Argentina  to  commemorate  the 
fourth  centenary  of  the  death  of 
the  glorious  Franciscan  prelate  and 
statesman,  Cardinal  Ximenes  de 
Cisneros.  Preparations  for  the  cele- 
brations, which  will  take  place  next 
November,  are  well  under  way  in 
Torrelaguna,  Alcala  de  Henares, 
Toledo,  and  Buenos  Aires,  while 
the  Royal  Academy  of  History  in 
Spain  has  chosen  a  commission  to 
confer  with  the  Minister  of  Educa- 
tion on  means  and  ways  of  clebrat- 
ing  the  centenary  in  a  worthy  man- 
ner and  making  it  an  event  of  na- 
tion-wide interest. 

San  Remo,  Italy.— On  April  21, 
Ven  Mother  Mary  of  the  Redemp- 


tion, superioress  general  of  the 
Franciscan  Missionary  Sisters  of 
Mary,  was  called  to  her  eternal  re- 
ward. She  was  received  into  the 
congregation  at  the  time  of  its  foun- 
ding, and  for  many  years  she  was 
the  companion  and  secretary  of  Ven. 
Mother  Mary  of  the  Passion,  foun- 
dress of  this  sisterhood.  The  solemn 
obsequies  were  held  in  the  church  of 
St.  Helen.  Most  Rev.  Fr.  Gene- 
ral officiated,  assisted  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  General  Curia.  A  touch- 
ing circumstance  of  the  sad  func- 
tions was  the  long  procession  that 
followed  the  remains  of  the  de- 
ceased nun  to  the  church.  The  or- 
phans who  had  lost  parents,  home, 
and  all  during  the  recent  earth- 
quakes; refugee  women,  girls,  and 
children  from  war-stricken  districts, 
wounded  soldiers  of  the  temporary 
hospital  installed  in  the  mother 
house  of  the  congregation;  the  of- 
ficials of  the  hospital  in  charge  of 
the  Franciscan  Missionary  Sisters; 
all  these  testified  loudly  to  the  hero- 
ic and  multifarious  works  of  charity 
to  which  over  the  entire  world  the 
Franciscan  Missionary  Sisters  of 
Mary  are  devoting  their  lives  with 
such  untiring  zeal  and  fidelity. 

Palma,  Isle  of  Majorca.  — On  May 
13,  the  members  of  the  Third  Or- 
der in  Palma  made  a  pilgrimage  to 
the  little  town  of  San  Juan,  where 
the  shrine  of  Our  Lady  of  Consola- 
tion is  held  in  great  veneration  by 
the  faithful.  The  prime  object  of 
the  Tertiary  pilgrimage  was  to  ob- 
tain from  God  by  prayer  and  pen- 
ance a  cessation  of  the  terrible  war 
that  is  bringing  ruin  and  desolation 
on  the  countries  of  Europe.  At 
the  same  time,  the  Tertiaries  wished 
to  pay  special  homage  to  the  Ven- 
erable Franciscan  martyr  Luis 
Jaume,  well  known  as  the  disciple 
and  companion  of  Fr.  Junipero  Ser- 
ra.  The  blessing  of  a  monument 
erected  to  his  memory  in  the  town 
of  San  Juan  formed  part  of  the  cere- 
monies attending  the  pilgrimage. 


276 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Antony's 
Church.— From  May  13  to  27,  a  very 
successful  two  weeks'  mission  was 
preached  in  St.  Antony's  Church, 
this  city,  by  two  Franciscan  mis- 
sionaries from  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  the 
Rev.  FF.  Honoratus  and  John 
Joseph.  The  parish  had  fervently 
prepared  for  these  days  of  grace, 
and  throughout  the  mission  the 
church  was  crowded  to  its  capacity 
with  the  faithful,  eager  to  secure 
its  blessings  for  themselves  and 
their  families.  It  was  especially 
gratifying  for  the  local  conference 
of  the  Third  Order  to  see  ninety- 
one  persons  respond  to  the  hearty 
invitation  of  the  Rev.  Missionary 
and  enroll  themselves  among  the 
Tertiaries  of  St.  Francis  on  the  last 
day  of  the  mission.  This  large  class 
of  novices,  among  them  many  of 
our  young  people,  will  undoubtedly 
infuse  new  life  and  enthusiasm  into 
the  Tertiaries  of  St.  Antony's,  and 
they  in  turn  will  keep  alive  by  their 
zeal  and  good  example  the  splendid 
fruits  of  the  mission  among  the 
other  members  of  the  parish. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.  St.  Boniface 
Church.— It  is  a  source  of  great 
satisfaction  for  the  members  of  the 
Third  Order  fraternity  of  St.  Boni- 
face Church  to  notice  how  steadily 
from  month  to  month  their  member- 
ship is  increasing.  This  month,  we 
can  record  the  investment  of  twen- 
ty postulants  and  the  profession  of 
seven  novices,  that  occurred  on 
June  3.  This  is  certainly  a  healthy 
growth  and  we  trust  that  the  sin- 
gle Tertiaries  by  their  fervor  may 
continue  to  attract  new  recruits  to 
their  ranks.  To  foster  the  true 
Franciscan  spirit  in  their  hearts, 
the  Rev.  Director  urges  the  Terti- 
aries to  be  especially  zealous  in  at- 
tending the  general  monthly  Com- 
munions and  the  meetings  of  the 
fraternity. 

Komatke,  Ariz.,  St.  John's  Mis- 
sion.—The  Indian  pupils  of  St. 
John's  Boarding  School  gave  an  in- 


teresting entertainment  on  June  3, 
which  was  highly  commended  by 
all  the  visitors  present,  especially  by 
the  United  States  superintendent  of 
a  neighboring  reservation,  who 
honored  our  closing  exercises  with 
his  presence.  Each  class  contrib- 
uted its  share  to  the  program,  which 
lasted  two  hours  and  a  half  and  in- 
cluded addresses,  dialogues,  songs, 
drills,  and  playlets,  while  the  Mis- 
sion Boys'  Band  gave  several  fine 
musical  numbers. 

The  feast  of  Corpus  Christi  was 
celebrated  this  year  at  the  mission 
school  with  unusual  solemnity,  ow- 
ing to  the  presence  of  seven  of  our 
Reverend  Missionaries  and  of  many 
Indians  from  distant  villages  and 
reservations,  who  had  come  to  take 
their  children  home  for  the  summer 
holidays.  A  number  of  pretty 
altars  had  been  erected  by  the  In- 
dians in  the  vicinity  of  the  mission, 
and  all  devoutly  took  part  in  the 
long  procession  that  wended  its  way 
slowly  from  shrine  to  shrine,  where 
the  Divine  Friend  of  our  poor  In- 
dians graciously  bestowed  his  sacra- 
mental benediction  on  these  lowly 
children  of  the  desert.  In  the  course 
of  the  afternoon,  the  children  re- 
turned to  their  distant  homes. 

Quincy,  111.,  St.  Francis  Solano 
Church. —The  annual  retreat  for 
the  Tertiaries  of  our  fraternity  was 
very  successfully  conducted  by  Rev. 
Fr.  Ewald,  o.f.m..  of  St.  Louis, 
Mo. ,  from  May  6  to  13.  The  exercises 
were  exceptionally  well  attended, 
and  it  is  expected  that  the  forcible 
lectures  of  the  Rev.  Father  will 
bear  abundant  fruit  among  the 
members.  On  the  morning  of  the 
closing  day,  all  the  Tertiaries  re- 
ceived Holy  Communion  in  a  body, 
and  in  the  evening,  ten  new  novi- 
ces were  added  to  the  fraternity 
roster,  which  now  numbers  over 
four  hundred. 

Sacramento.  Cal.,  St.  Francis 
Church. -The  Third  Order  confer- 
ence of  St.  Francis  Church  has  been 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


277 


quite  active  of  late  striving  to  bring 
the  Tertiaries  as  well  as  non-Terti- 
aries  together  socially.  A  number  of 
whist  parties  were  given  during 
May  and  June,  and  on  April  16 
and  18,  the  stirring  tragedy,  "The 
Seal  of  Confession,"  was  presented 
in  the  parish  hall  under  the  auspices 
of  the  fraternity.  This  touching 
drama  is  based  on  Rev.  Father 
Spillmann's,  S.J.,  book  of  the  same 
name,  and  is  a  splendid  presentation 
of  the  Church's  teaching  regarding 
the  inviolability  of  the  seal  of  Con- 
fession. Other  Tertiary  confer- 
ences that  are  wont  to  give  dramatic 
entertainments  will  do  well  to  add 
this  drama  to  their  repertory.  The 
Third  Order  fraternity  of  St.  Fran- 
cis Church  now  numbers  over  two 
hundred  members,  all  active  Terti- 
aries and  all  taking  lively  interest 
in  the  affairs  of  the  parish. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
—The  feast  of  St.  Antony  of  Padua 
was  celebrated  with  great  pomp  at 
St.  Peter's  Church.  Rev.  Fr.  Hen- 
ry, o.f.m.,  officiated  at  the  solemn 
High  Mass,  assisted  by  Rev.  FF. 
Peter  Baptist  and  Bonaventure,  o. 
F.M.,  as  deacon  and  subdeacon, 
while  Rev.  Fr.  Peter  Crumbly,  O.F. 
M.,  of  Joliet,  111.,  preached  an  elo- 
quent panegyric  on  the  Saint. 
After  the  services,  twelve  hundred 
lilies  were  blessed  and  distributed 
to  the  many  clients  of  St.  Antony, 
who  thronged  the  large  church  in 
spite  of  the  inclemency  of  the  weath- 
er. 

Fruitvale,  Cal.,  St.  Elizabeth's 
Church.— At  the  close  of  the  two 
weeks'  mission  given  recently  in 
St.  Elizabeth's  Church  by  the  Rev. 
FF.  Honoratus  and  John  Joseph,  o. 
F.M.,  forty-six  postulants  were  re- 
ceived into  the  novitiate  of  the 
local  Third  Order  fraternity.  The 
ceremony  of  investment  was  per- 
formed with  great  solemnity  by 
Rev.  Fr.  Honoratus  and  deeply  im- 
pressed the  large  congregation  that 
had  gathered  for  the  occasion. 


Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church. 

—The  readers  of  these  columns 
have  already  heard  of  the  Tertiary 
Mission  Section  of  our  Third  Order 
conference,  and  it  gives  us  pleasure 
to  announce  that  the  venture  is 
succeeding  beyond  expectations. 
Recently,  the  following  donations 
were  made  from  its  funds  received 
since  February:  To  the  Fathers  of 
the  Divine  Word,  at  Girard,  Pa., 
$50,  and  to  those  at  Techny,  111., 
$20;  to  the  Right  Rev.  J.  P.  Mon- 
daini,  Hengchow,  China,  $6.25;  to 
various  Chinese  misssionaries  $200, 
for  the  ransom  of  forty  Chinese  in- 
fants at  $5  each;  to  the  Indian  mis- 
sions $50. —Interest  in  things  Fran- 
ciscan is  constantly  growing  among 
our  Tertiaries,  and  at  the  last  regu- 
lar meeting,  thirty  postulants  re- 
ceived the  Third  Order  scapular 
and  cord. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis 
Church.  — At  the  regular  monthly 
meeting  of  the  Tertiaries  in  April, 
our  Rev.  Fr.  Director  made  known 
his  desire  of  presenting  a  goodly 
number  of  new  Tertiaries  as  a  spe- 
cially pleasing  gift  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Jesus  in  the  month  of  June. 
Sunday,  June  3,  the  day  set  for  the 
reception  of  these  new  Tertiaries, 
was  a  most  beautiful  day,  and  the 
members  of  the  English-speaking 
conference  were  greatly  edified  to 
see  so  many  candidates  invested  at 
one  time,  forty  women  and  three 
men  receiving  the  habit  of  the 
Third  Order  on  that  occasion. 
After  the  opening  prayers,  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Director  delivered  a  very  ap- 
propriate sermon.  Speaking  of  the 
love  of  the  Sacred  Heart  for  souls, 
he  showed  how  this  love  spent  it- 
self during  our  Savior's  earthly 
career  and  how  it  continues  to 
manifest  itself  now  that  he  is  in 
Heaven.  Zeal  for  souls  should, 
therefore,  be  the  distinctive  char- 
acteristic of  the  children  of  the 
Seraphic  Father,  who  in  imitation 
of  his  Divine  Master,  never  tired  in 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


279 


his  efforts  to  save  souls.  All  faith- 
ful children  of  St.  Francis  are  like- 
wise true  lovers  of  the  Sacred  Heart; 
and  as  such  they  should  seek  by  word 
and  example  to  draw  souls  to  him. 
After  the    reception    of    the  new 


members,  general  absolution  was 
imparted  and  the  solemn  act  of  con- 
secration of  the  Third  Order  to  the 
Sacred  Heart  was  renewed.  Ven- 
eration of  a  relic  of  St.  Francis 
closed  the  solemnity. 


Milwaukee  Tertiaries,  Attention! 

With  this  issue,  Franciscan  Herald  becomes  the  official  organ 
of  our  branch  of  the  Third  Order.  We  have  already  secured  the 
greater  number  of  our  Tertiaries  as  subscribers,  but  we  desire  that 
all  the  members  without  exception  receive  this  periodical.  Those 
who  have  not  yet  subscribed,  should  send  their  names  and  ad- 
dresses as  soon  as  possible  to  the  the  Rev.  Fr.  Director,  661  4th 
Street,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Reports  of  the  monthly  meetings,  solemnities  and  the  like 
which  occur  in  our  conference  will  appear  in  each  number  of  the 
Herald.  Gratified  by  the  zeal  and  the  spirit  shown  by  our  Terti- 
aries, it  has  been  my  intention  to  foster  and  strengthen  this  spirit 
by  good  Tertiary  reading,  for  which  purpose  the  Board  of  Officers 
has  decided  to  adopt  Franciscan  Herald  as  the  official  organ  of  our 
branch.     May  all  be  benefited  thereby  in  their  Tertiary  life. 

FATHER  DIRECTOR. 


COLLEGE  NOTES 


ST.  JOSEPH'S  COLLEGE 
TEUTOPOUS,  ILLINOIS 

It  was  with  much  regret  that  the 
Fathers  and  students  bade  good  bye, 
on  May  23,  to  Antony  Kriech,  of 
the  II  Collegiate  class,  who  was 
transferred  to  St.  Francis  Hospital, 
at  Beech  Grove,  Indiana,  on  account 
of  a  serious  illness  that  had  confined 
him  to  the  infirmary  for  many 
weeks.  His  condition  is  still  quite 
grave  and  we  recommend  him  to 
the  fervent  prayers  of  our  kind 
readers. 

A  few  days  after  he  had  gone, 
Rev.  Fr.  Celestine  of  the  college 
faculty  was  forced  to  give  up  his 
class  work  on  account  of  ill  health. 
He  is  at  present  taking  a  rest  cure 
in  Columbus,  Nebraska,  and  indica- 
tions are  that  he  will  be  ready  for 


hard  work  again  in  September. 

The  graduating  class  received  the 
habit  of  the  Franciscan  Order  on 
June  1.  Two  of  their  number, 
Messrs.  Francis  Kiefer  and  Henry 
Pinger,  obtained  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts. 

The  joy  incident  to  the  great 
feasts  of  Corpus  Christi,  of  St.  An- 
tony, and  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  al- 
ways gala  days  at  our  college,  was 
somewhat  marred  by  the  gloom  that 
is  wont  to  precede  and  to  accompany 
(and  sometimes,  to  follow!)  that  most 
necessary  evil  of  college  life,  the 
final  examinations.  The  written 
tests  took  place  on  June  13  and  14, 
while  the  oral  examinations  were 
held  on  June  18  in  the  presence  of 
Very  Reverend  Provincial,  Fr.  Sam- 
uel Macke,  and  the  faculty. 


280 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


The  entire  scholastic  year  1916-17 
was  one  of  close  application  to  study 
and  the  record  made  by  the  students 
of  our  college  in  the  past  ten  months 
is  one  of  which  any  similar  institu- 
tion may  well  be  proud.  Sixty-four 
names  grace  the  college  roll  of 
honor,  which  means  that  about  one 
half  of  the  students  had  95  per  cent 
and  above  in  conduct  throughout 
the  year,  while  almost  the  same 
number  received  a  general  average 
of  90  per  cent  or  above  for  their 
class  work.  Amid  rousing  cheers 
for  their  Alma  Mater,  the  students 
boarded  the  trains  on  June  20  for 
their  homes,  there  to  refresh  them- 
selves after  the  strenuous  months 
of  study  and  to  gain  new  strength 
for  the  intellectual  battles  of  the 
next  year.     Au  revoir. 


ST.  FRANCIS  COLLEGE 
QUINCY.  ILLINOIS 

On  Sunday  evening,  June  3,  the 
members  of  the  Senior  Academic 
Class  gave  a  number  of  selections 
from  Shakespeare's  "Henry  V"  in 
the  college  dramatic  hall.  The  en- 
tertainment, under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  Fr.  Alfred,  O.F.M.,  was  very 
good,  the  dramatic  presentation  of 
Scene  IV,  Act  II,  being  especially 
enjoyed. 

Monday  and  Tuesday,  June  4  and 
5,  were  devoted  to  the  final  exam- 
inations which  were  followed  on 
Wednesday  evening  by  .  the  Com- 


mencement Exercises,  at  which  the 
following  program  was  rendered. 

Blue  Paradise Eysler-Romberg 

Orchestra 

Oration Paul  Mertens 

Nocturnal  Piece Robert  Schuman 

Orchestra 

Class  Poem Joseph  Orlet 

Minuet Beethoven 

Orchestra 

Address  to  Graduates Rev.  Amos  Oiusti 

Berceuse B.  Karganoff 

Orchestra 

Valedictory John  B.  Franz 

Conferring  of  Degrees 

Very  Rev.  Samuel  Macke.  O.F.M. 

Duet  and  March B.  Vecsey 

Orchestra 
Soloists:     Harvey  Weyand,  Edward  O'Brien 

The  following  young  men  were 
graduated  from  the  different  de- 
partments :  Master  of  Arts — Henry 
Aydt,  John  B.  Franz,  Joseph  Orlet. 
Bachelor  of  Arts— Louis  Ell,  Edwin 
Hitzemann,  Francis  Lawler,  George 
Link,  Charles  Luke.  Commercial 
Diploma  —  George  Dorenkemper, 
Elmer  Hacker,  Harry  Lashmet,  Law- 
rence Leininger,  Paul  Mertens.  Di- 
ploma in  Stenography — Leo  Weber, 
Harvey  Weyand.  Diploma  in  Type- 
writing— Miles  McGinnis,  Ralph 
Schrage. 

A  large  audience  was  present  at 
the  exercises  and  listened  with 
marked  interest  to  the  varied  pro- 
gram. The  graduates  and  their 
fellow  students  were  especially 
pleased  with  the  scholarly  address 
of  the  Rev.  Amos  Giusti,  '10,  him- 
self a  graduate  of  the  college,  and 
with  the  stirring  words  of  praise  and 
encouragement  by  the  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Samuel,  Provincial,  who  con- 
ferred the  degrees. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:— Ellen  Connelly,  Sr.  Hyacinth;  Mary  McCarthy,    Sr. 

Anne;  Anne  Dowling,  Sr.  Veronica. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:— Etten  Egan,  Sr.  Elizabeth;  Mary  Fallon,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
German  Fraternity : —Mary  Pobloske,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
Cleveland,    Ohio,    St.  Joseph's  Church:  — Anne   Melega,    Sr.    Mary;    Elizabeth 

Gilles,  Sr.  Clare;  Apollonia  Warmuth,  Sr.  Angela. 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface  Church:— Daniel  Francis  Ryan,  Bro.  Antony. 
Etquiescant  in  pace 


0Mi    11111101111 lit) 


1  Jranriaran  H?ralb  it 

9  -  ^ 

:J;        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred       ili 
"•        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions       •'• 

VOL.V.  AUGUST,  1917.  NO.  8 

iEbttnrtal  Qlnmrnent 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

The  central  idea  of  our  series  of  frontispieces  is  beautifully  expressed 
in  the  group  of  martyrs  here  presented.  Certainly,  the  triumph  of  Christ 
is  nowhere  more  graphically  depicted  than  in  the  story  of  the  holy  mar- 
tyrs written  in  their  own  life-blood.  In  them,  the  spirit  of  Christ,  his 
grace,  his  example,  and  his  teaching  achieved  a  signal  victory  over  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil.  One  and  all,  the  holy  martyrs  proved  by 
their  constancy  in  suffering  and  death  that  they  acknowledged  but  one  God 
and  Master  who  is  greater  than  all  rulers,  Christ,  the  King  of  kings.  Deaf 
alike  to  the  threats  and  blandishments  of  their  torturers,  they  sacrificed 
all  for  Christ.  Strengthened  by  his  word  and  grace,  they  fought  the 
good  fight  and  received  the  crown  of  justice  laid  up  for  them  by  the 
Lord,  the  just  Judge.  It  is  to  express  this  idea  of  triumph  that  the 
martyrs  are  usually,  as  in  the  present  case,  pictured  with  palms, 
the  emblems  of  victory. 

The  artist  quite  properly  makes  the  protomartyr,  St.  Stephen  head 
the  noble  band  of  intrepid  conquerors.  He  is  accompanied  by  the  deacon 
St.  Lawrence.  The  former  praying  for  his  enemies  while  giving  up  his 
spirit  among  a  shower  of  stones,  and  the  latter  jesting  with  his  torturers 
while  expiring  on  the  gridiron,  both  are  striking  proofs  of  the  power  of 
Christ's  teaching  and  grace.  These  two  levites  of  the  Church  are  fol- 
lowed by  the  holy  pastors  of  souls,  Pope  St.  Clement,  St.  John  Nepomu- 
cene,  St.  Adalbert,  and  St.  Polycarp,  who,  like  the  Good  Shepherd,  their 
divine  prototype,  laid  down  their  lives  for  their  sheep,  rather  than  leave 
them  to  the  mercy  of  ravening  wolves.  The  last  four  saints  here  pre- 
sented; viz.,  St. Sebastian,  St.  George,  St.  Vitus,  and  St.  Wenceslaus  are 
all  youthful  heroes,  who,  for  the  love  of  Christ,  exchanged  earthly  honors, 
titles,  riches  for  the  imperishable  crown  of  martyrdom. 

In  these  holy  martyrs,  as  in  hosts  of  others  in  all  ages  and  states  of 
life,  we  have  a  sensible  demonstration  how  powerful  the  grace  of  Jesus 
Christ  is,  which  is  able  to  sweeten  whatever  is  bitter  and  harsh,  to  flesh 
and  blood.  If  we  had  the  resolution  and  fervor  of  the  saints  in  the 
practice  of  virtue,  we  should  find  all  seeming  difficulties  which  discour- 
age our  pusillanimity  to  be  mere  phantoms  of  the  imagination.  A  lively 
faith  like  that  of  the  martyrs  would  make  us,  with  them  contemn  the 
honors  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  measure  the  goods  and  evils    of    this 


282  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


life  and  judge  of  them,  not  by  the  standards  of  nature  but  by  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christ's  holy  doctrine.  And  did  we  sincerely  love  God,  as  they 
did,  we  should  with  joy  embrace  his  holy  will  in  all  things  and  find  no 
happiness  but  in  doing  it.  By  making  divine  faith  and  love  the  princi- 
ples of  our  actions  we  shall  at  least  in  some  way  approximate  the  hero- 
ism of  the  martyrs  and  have  reason  to  hope  in  the  end  to  be  crowned 
with  them. 


WHEN  WILL  IT  END? 

The  present  month  ushers  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  cataclysmal  world- 
war.  Three  long  years  of  hideous  carnage,  of  ruthless  destruction,  of  un- 
told suffering,  of  heart-rending  sorrow,  of  universal  want— and  the  end  is 
not  yet.  What  though  the  people  in  neutral  and  belligerent  countries  are 
longing  and  clamoring  for  a  cessation  of  the  bloody  business,  the  govern- 
ments, for  reasons  known  to  themselves,  are  unalterably  opposed  to  any 
peace  overtures  at  the  present  time.  Small  wonder,  therefore,  that  the 
people  of  the  various  countries  are  assuming  a  threatening  and  defiant 
attitude  toward  the  men  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  civil  and  military 
affairs.     Political  conditions  the  world  over  are  turbulent  in  the  extreme. 

Holland  and  the  Scandinavian  countries  are  facing  grave  internal 
problems  because  of  scarcity  of  foodstuffs.  The  situation  in  Greece, 
from  this  distance,  appears  simply  impossible.  In  Spain,  the  abnormal 
conditions  caused  by  the  war  have  upset  two  recent  ministries.  China 
is  suffering  fresh  shocks  of  revolution  as  a  result  of  her  position  on  the 
war.  Anarchy  in  the  principal  cities  of  Brazil  is  raising  its  blood-bol- 
tered  head.  In  our  own  country,  serious  labor  troubles  caused  by  the 
I.  W.  W.  are  regarded  by  some  as  a  protest  against  our  entrance  into  the 
war.  Within  belligerent  countries,  too,  there  are  violent  political  contro- 
versies. The  affairs  of  Russia  are  still  unsettled,  to  say  the  least.  Bri- 
tain has  the  Irish  question  and  numerous  social  and  political  problems  at 
home  and  in  the  colonies  to  deal  with.  Germany  and  Austria- Hungary 
even  now  are  in  the  throes  of  political  upheaval,  with  certain  elements 
clamoring  for  immediate  internal  reforms.  And  France,  poor  France, 
that  has  been  drained  of  its  best  blood,  seems  to  be  stolidly  resigned  to 
the  inevitable,  though  there  is  no  telling  when  the  flames  of  popular  in- 
dignation will  again  flare  up. 

The  outlook  is  gloomy,  indeed,  yet  it  is  not  without  its  ray  of  hope. 
Neither-  diplomacy,  so-called,  nor  the  sword  may  be  able  to  terminate  the 
deadlocked  war.  But  will  the  political  and  military  leaders  in  the  various 
countries  be  able  long  to  resist  the  pressure  from  below?  The  all  but 
universal  disaffection  of  the  masses  is,  in  our  opinion,  the  surest  and 
only  sign  of  an  early  peace. 


STUDENTS  AND  THE  WAR 

Now  that  the  war  fever  has  seized  the  country  at  large  and   the 
schools  and  colleges  in  particular,  it  may  be  well  to  call  to  mind   an   edi- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  283 


torial  utterance  in  the  July  issue  of  the  American  Review  of  Reviews: 

"War  fever  has  been  especially  prevalent  in  some  of  our  colleges  and 
schools,  with  consequences  not  wholly  desirable.  If  we  had  been  enter- 
ing upon  a  ninety-day  struggle,  immature  undergraduates,  along  with 
everybody  else,  might  well  have  rushed  to  the  enlistment  booths.  But 
the  particular  exigency  called  for  nothing  of  the  kind.  Congress  and 
the  authorities  at  Washington  are  amply  able  to  develop  an  army  and 
navy  system  and  to  find  the  proper  types  and  classes  of  men  in  suitable 
numbers.  It  is  particularly  desirable  that  students  in  our  schools  and 
colleges  should  stay  at  their  work  and  finish  their  courses,  provided  their 
work  be  thorough  and  of  a  kind  to  prepare  them  for  mature  and  efficient: 
service  after  they  graduate.  If  the  work  of  the  colleges  is  valuable,  it 
should  go  on  more  seriously  than  ever.  If  it  is  not  valuable,  the  methods 
should  be  reformed.  No  young  man  in  the  middle  of  a  college  course, 
who  is  willing  to  do  his  work  well  and  who  looks  forward  to  a  life  of  use- 
fulness as  a  man  and  a  citizen,  need  think  of  himself  as  a  'slacker'  in  the 
eyes  of  sensible  people  if  he  sticks  to  his  college  work.  The  country  will 
need  him  much  more  when  he  is  through  his  course  than  it  needs  him 
now." 

This  is  sound  patriotism  as  well  as  sensible  advice  that  should  be  im- 
pressed on  all  undergraduates,  especially  if  they  are  not  yet  of  military 
age.  Parents  and  college  authorities  should  not  permit  these  ambitious 
and  high-minded  young  men  to  be  carried  away  by  the  mistaken  notion 
that  their  country  needs  them  in  the  army  or  navy  more  than  elsewhere. 
In  many  cases,  it  is  not  patriotism  but  love  of  adventure  and  an  exag- 
gerated opinion  of  their  own  importance  that  leads  students  to  enlist. 
The  Government  can  be  trusted  to  place  in  the  field  sufficient  men  for  all 
needs  and  purposes.  Meantime,  the  undergraduate  will  find  ways  and 
means  enough  of  aiding  his  country  in  wartime  by  doing  Red  Cross  and 
other  work,  which,  if  not  so  dangerous  and  glorious,  may  be  just  as  use- 
ful and  necessary.     There  are  slackers  and  slackers. 


LEADING  CATHOLICS 

Coadjutor  Archbishop  Mannix  of  Melbourne,  Australia,  has  not  the 
same  predilection  for  the  term  "leading  Catholics"  and  for  what  it  im- 
plies that  some  of  our  contemporaries  have.  Addressing  the  members  of 
the  A.  0.  H.  after  general  Communion,  Dr.  Mannix  congratulated  them 
on  the  splendid  manifestation  of  faith  in  which  they  had  participated  and 
added: 

"I  do  not  suppose  that  amongst  those  who  are  united  here  to-day  in 
this  solemn  act  of  faith— you  will,  I  know,  permit  me  to  say  it— there  are 
any  of  the  self-styled  'leading  Catholics. '  If  I  am  to  address  those  peo- 
ple, I  have  to  go  to  another  place.  It  is  their  conspicuous  absence  that 
calls  for  this  passing  reference  to  them.  This  occasion  is  too  great;  this 
demonstration  of  Irish  Catholics  and  of  Catholics  of  Irish  descent  is  in 
itself  too  suggestive  and  impressive  to  have  it  belittled  by  spending  time 
upon  them.  I  can  only  stop  to  say  that  it  would  do  them  great  good  if 
they  were  here  this  morning  to  see  you  and   to  hear   you.     If  they  are 


284  FRANCISCAN  HERALD ■ 

here  next  time,  no  one  will  give  them  a  warmer  welcome  than  I  will." 

There  are  few  terms  so  liable  to  misconstruction  in  their  general  ap- 
plication as  the  title  "leading  Catholics."  Very  often  the  terms  "lead- 
ing Catholics"  and  "practical  Catholics"  are  taken  as  synonymous,  when 
the  fact  of  the  matter  is  that  there  is  a  world  of  difference  between  them. 
"Leading  Catholics"  are  not  those  nominal  Catholics,  prominent  in  the 
social,  political,  or  business  circles  of  the  community,  who  have  rented 
a  front  pew  in  their  parish  church  but  who  are  seldom  found  to  occupy 
it.  Leading  Catholics  are  rather  those  devout  men  and  women  who  ap- 
proach the  Holy  Table  at  regular  and  frequent  intervals,  who  take  a 
lively  interest  in  the  affairs  of  their  parish,  who,  in  general,  feel,  think, 
and  act  in  concert  with  their  holy  mother  the  Church  and  edify  all  by 
their  well-ordered  lives.  Let  no  one  give  himself  the  title  "leading  Cath- 
olic" without  proving  claim  to  it,  and  let  us  be  careful  not  to  bestow  it 
on  anybody  not  deserving  it. 


JUVENILE  DELINQUENCY 

That  ever  alert  and  interesting  periodical  The  Fortnightly  Review, 
edited  by  Mr.  Arthur  Preuss,  in  a  recent  issue  brings  an  article  on 
"Early  Seduction  as  a  Cause  of  Juvenile  Delinquency."  The  contributor 
evidently  writes  from  an  intimate  knowledge  of  his  subject,  and  what  he 
says  is  well  worth  pondering  by  all  who  are  interested  in  the  welfare  of 
the  child. 

"We  have  made  it  a  rule,"  he  says,  "to  investigate  the  antecedents 
of  delinquent  boys  and  young  men  whom  we  found  in  the  clutches  of  the 
law,  or  who  came  to  us  to  state  their  case,  because  they  trusted  us  and 
to  seek  advice  and  help.  We  found  that,  aside  from  adverse  conditions 
at  home  and  bad  surroundings,  early  seduction  has  a  great  deal  to  do 
with  the  downfall  of  many.  The  development  of  sin  as  described  in 
Faerber's  Catechism  is  quite  correct.  Evil  conversation  and  looks  are 
bound  to  produce  evil  thoughts.  These  thoughts  cause  evil  desires,  which, 
in  most  cases,  result  in  evil  actions.  I  gladly  concede  than  an  evil  dis- 
position may  be  a  child's  wretched  inheritance;  but  it  may  also  be  ac- 
quired, and  from  the  histories  of  the  scores  of  boys  and  young  men  as 
well  as  of  girls,  from  the  many  testimonies  I  have  heard  and  read,  I  am 
forced  to  draw  the  conclusion  that  earlyseduction  is  by  far  more  frequent 
than  parents  and  priests  ordinarily  suspect." 

It  is  evident  that  the  writer  of  these  lines  speaks  by  the  card.  That 
evil  communications  corrupt  good  morals,  is  too  trite  a  saying  to  need  any 
proof.  Yet,  there  are  parents  who  regard  their  children  as  veritable 
angels  in  the  flesh,  as  absolutely  impeccable  and  quite  able  to  take  care 
of  themselves,  no  matter  in  what  company  they  may  find  themselves. 
Some  day  they  may,  to  their  great  shame  aud  regret,  awaken  to  the  sad 
realization  of  the  fact  that  Johnnie  and  Maggie  are  after  all  very  human, 
and  that  nothing  human  is  foreign  to  them.  Need  we  add  that  eternal 
vigilance  is  the  price  parents  must  pay  for  the  innocence  of  their  chil- 
dren, and  that  they  should  exercise  this  vigilance  particularly  during  the 
long  months  of  summer  vacation? 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


285 


BL  JOHN  OF  ALVERNA 

OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 
AUGUST  9 


THIS  holy  man  was  born  at 
Fermo,  in  Italy,  in  the  year 
1259.  From  his  earliest 
years,  it  was  seen  that  he  was  fa- 
vored with  special  graces  and  that 
he  was  called  to  a  high  degree  of 
perfection.  When  only  seven  years 
of  age,  he  shunned  the  society  of 
other  children  and  retired  to  solita- 
ry places  in  order  to  meditate  on 
the  passion  of  our  Lord.  These 
fervent  meditations  inflamed  the 
pious  child  with  an  ever  increasing 
love  of  the  crucified  Savior  and 
with  a  desire  to  become  like  him 
by  sharing  in  his  sufferings.  Hence, 
there  awakened  in  him  that  spirit 
of  self-denial  and  penance  which 
caused  him  to  wage  an  unrelenting 
war  against  the  promptings  of  self- 
love  and  sensuality  and  made  him 
a  shining  model  of  virtue  and  per- 
fection. 

When  the  servant  of  God  was 
ten  years  of  age,  he  was  received 
among  the  Canons  Regular  at 
Fermo.  From  that  time,  he  ap- 
plied himself  with  renewed  fervor 
to  the  practice  of  piety  and  morti- 
fication. He  fasted  most  rigorously 
and  devised  various  means  of  mor- 
tifying his  senses.  His  parents 
and  his  brethren,  witnessing  his 
extraordinary  fervor  in  this  regard, 
began  to  fear  that  he  was  the  vic- 
tim of  an  imprudent  zeal  and  that 
his  austerities  would  impair  the 
health  of  his  mind  and  body.  But 
God  showed  by  a  number  of  won- 


derful signs  that  the  pious  youth 
had  received  wisdom  and  prudence 
from  above,  which  taught  him  to 
contemn  the  things  of  this'  world 
and  to  do  violence  to  himself  in 
order  to  obtain  the  imperishable 
riches  of  heaven. 

After  Bl.  John  had  spent  three 
years  among  the  Canons  Regular 
he  was  prompted  by  the  grace  of 
God  to  embrace  the  austere  life  of 
the  sons  of  St.  Francis.  He  was 
placed  under  the  guidance  of  Fr. 
James  of  Fallerone,  a  religious 
distinguished  for  his  great  learning 
and  solid  virtue,  and  submitting 
himself  entirely  to  the  prudent 
direction  of  this  master  in  spirit- 
ual life,  he  made  rapid  progress  in 
perfection.  The  superiors  of  the 
Order  were  filled  with  joy  and 
consolation  on  seeing  the  extra- 
ordinary fervor  of  the  young  reli- 
gious, and  were  convinced  that  he 
was  called  by  God  to  a  high  degree 
of  sanctity.  St.  Bonaventure,  at 
that  time  the  Minister  General  of 
the  Order,  therefore,  sent  him, 
after  his  profession,  to  the  convent 
on  Mount  Alverna,  which  had  been 
sanctified  by  the  prayers  and  pen- 
itential life  of  St.  Francis. 

In  this  solitude,  separated  from 
the  distractions  of  the  world,  Bl. 
John  gave  himself  up  without  re- 
serve to  the  service  of  God.  All 
his  thoughts  and  aspirations  were 
directed  to  God  and  heavenly 
things.     Like  the  Seraphic  Father, 


286 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


he  constantly  meditated  on  the 
goodness  of  God,  the  sufferings  of 
our  Savior,  and  the  ingratitude  of 
men,  and  thus  he  was  inflamed 
daily  with  a  greater  love  of  God, 
which  purified  him  more  and  more 
from  all  imperfections  and  enabled 
him  to  practice  virtue  in  an  heroic 
degree.  He  was  indeed  a  source 
o  f  admira- 
tion and  edi- 
fication t  o 
his  brethren 
by  his  pa- 
tience, h  u- 
mility,  obedi- 
ence, chari- 
ty, love  of 
poverty,  and 
mortifi- 
cation. H  e 
sought  for 
himself  the 
most  lowly 
and  arduous 
labors  in  the 
convent; 
ever  desirous 
to  lighten 
the  duties  of 
his  brethren, 
he  made  use 
of  every  op- 
portunity tO  Bl.  John 
assist    them 

in  their  work,  no  matter  how  dis- 
agreeable or  difficult.  The  servant 
of  God  thirsted  after  penance  as 
the  worlding  thirsts  after  pleasure. 
He  lived  in  a  cell  which  he  had 
made  for  himself  in  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  where  he  was  exposed 
to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 
He  slept  on  the  ground  with  a  stone 


for  his  pillow;  he  fasted  so  rigor- 
ously that,  as  one  of  his  biogra- 
phers says,  he  always  suffered  the 
pangs  of  hunger  and  thirst;  and  he 
tortured  his  flesh  with  various  in- 
struments of  penance. 

This  spirit  of  generous  love  and 
self-denial  was  rewarded  with  many 
extraordinary  favors  and  graces. 
His  life  was 
an  almost 
uninter- 
rupted series 
o  f  ecsta  - 
sies  and  rap- 
tures. H  e 
was  favored 
with  fre- 
quent v  i  - 
sions  of  our 
Lord,  his 
blessed  Mo- 
t  h  e  r  ,  St. 
Michael,  and 
the  holy 
Apos  ties 
Peter  and 
Paul.  One 
day,  while 
he  w  a*s  at 
prayer,  S  t. 
Francis  ap- 
peared to 
of  Alvema  him  and  or- 

dered him  to 
moderate  his  austerities  and  to  save 
his  strength  for  the  service  of  God 
and  of  his  neighbor.  The  holy 
Patriarch  then  made  him  touch  the 
wounds  of  his  feet,  hands,  and  side, 
and  left  him  filled  with  consolation. 
Bl.  John  enjoyed  for  three  months 
the  habitual  presence  of  his  guard- 
ian angel,  who  conversed  with  him 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


287 


on  the  passion  of  our  Lord,  the 
joys  of  heaven,  '  and  the  hidden 
mysteries  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
The  servant  of  God  had  a  great 
compassion  for  the  souls  in  purga- 
tory and  addressed  to  God  fervent 
prayers  for  their  deliverance.  Once 
when  saying  Mass,  on  the  feast  of 
All  Souls,  he,  at  the  elevation,  ear- 
nestly entreated  the  Eternal  Fa- 
ther to  vouchsafe,  by  the  merits  of 
his  Son,  to  release  from  the  pains 
of  purgatory  the  souls  that  were 
detained  there.  He  immediately 
beheld  an  innumerable  multitude 
of  these  souls  leaving  the  place  of 
expiation,  like  sparks  flying  from 
a  burning  furnace. 

These  frequent  visions  and  mys- 
terious conversations  with  God  in- 
flamed Bl.  John  with  a  love  so 
ardent  that,  unable  to  endure  these 
divine  flames,  he  complained  to  his 
good  Master.  During  these  heaven- 
ly communications,  he  received  in- 
fused science,  and  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  most  obscure 
mysteries  of  Holy  Scripture.  The 
most  learned  men  came  to  converse 
with  him.  He  frequently  preached 
before  theologians,  prelates,  and 
princes,  and  all  were  astonished  at 
his  profound  learning. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  Bl. 
John  was  without  temptations  and 
trials.  Like  all  the  saints,  the  serv- 
ant of  God  had  to  pass  through 
the  fire  of  tribulation,  by  which 
God  tests  and  purifies  his  most 
faithful  children.     In  the'  hour  of 


suffering,  Bl.  John  humbly  sub- 
mitted to  the  will  of  God,  and  with 
the  greatest  confidence  took  re- 
course to  prayer,  patiently  await- 
ing the  time  when  the  chalice  of 
sadness  and  sufferings  would  pass 
from  him.  The  cross  thus  became 
for  him  a  source  of  greater  merit 
and  of  new  favors.  Our  divine 
Savior  several  times  appeared  to 
him  to  console  and  strengthen  him, 
and  at  length  to  free  him  from 
the  temptation. 

Bl.  John  devoted  the  last  years 
of  his  life  to  the  apostolic  ministry. 
He  preached  in  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages near  Mount  Alverna,  and 
then  visited  most  of  the  cities  of 
northern  and  central  Italy,  espe- 
cially Florence,  Pisa,  and  Siena. 
By  his  fervent  preaching,  he  con- 
verted many  sinners  and  brought 
back  many  heretics  to  the  Church. 
God  confirmed  his  words  by  signs 
and  miracles. 

The  servant  of  God  was  at  the 
convent  of  Cortona,  when  the  hour 
of  his  death  was  revealed  to  him. 
He  hastened  back  to  his  beloved 
abode  on  Mount  Alverna,  and  there 
his  blessed  soul  went  to  receive  the 
reward  of  his  labors  and  merits  in 
heaven,  on  August  10,  1322.  His 
body  was  buried  on  the  holy  moun- 
tain, where  numerous  miracles 
were  wrought  through  his  inter- 
cession. In  1880,  Pope  Leo  XIII 
approved  the  veneration  paid  to 
Bl.  John  from  time  immemorial. 


288 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


THE  RAGING  OF  THE  STORM 

(Continued) 
By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


APPARENTLY,  Cromwell  and 
his  royal  master  entertained 
a  faint  hope  that  Lee  and 
Bedyll  would  eventually  succeed  in 
changing  the  hostile  attitude  of  the 
Observant  communities,  especially 
of  Greenwich  and  Richmond.  We 
can  therefore  imagine  their  chagrin 
and  fury  when  from  BedylPs  re- 
port it  was  learned  that,  in  spite  of 
threats,  promises,  and  intrigues, 
the  friars  were  one  and  all  deter- 
mined to  uphold  the  rights  of  Queen 
Catherine  and  the  supremacy  of 
the  Pope. (1>  Clearly,  nothing  short 
of  death  and  destruction  could  si- 
lence these  formidable  champions 
of  truth  and  justice,  because  "se- 
cluded from  the  commerce  and  the 
pleasures  of  the  world,  they  felt 
fewer  temptations  to  sacrifice  their 
consciences  to  the  command  of  their 
sovereign;  and  seemed  more  eager 
to  court  the  crown,  than  to  flee 
from  the  pains  of  martyrdom.,,(2) 

The  fate  of  the  Franciscan  Ob- 
servants was  therefore  sealed.  On 
the  day  after  the  arrival  of  BedylPs 
report,  a  decree  was  issued  provid- 
ing for  their  arrest  and  the  seizure 
of  their  friaries.  What  bitter  pangs 
and  gloomy  forebodings  must  have 
preyed  on  the  spirits  of  these  men 
of  God,  when,  soon  after,  the  King's 
officers  appeared  at  the  various  con- 
vents to  execute  the  royal  orders. 
Their  six  friaries  were  declared  for- 


feited to  the  crown  and  formally 
made  over  to  the  Austin  friars  or 
Hermits,  whose  submissive  provin- 
cial, Dr.  George  Browne,  had  al- 
ready espoused  the  King's  cause 
and  who  was  now  engaged  in  the 
work  of  "reforming"  the  religious 
houses  in  England.  The  Observant 
friars  were  all  seized  as  prisoners 
of  the  King.  Some  were  confined 
in  other  religious  houses  of  the 
kingdom,  while  the  majority  were 
thrown  into  prison.  On  June  18, 
1534,  a  certain  Leonard  Smith  writ- 
ing to  Lord  Lisle  remarks  inciden- 
tally. "No  news  but  that  two  carts 
full  of  friars  came  to  the  Tower  two 
days  ago."  And  in  a  letter  which 
Chapuys  addressed  to  Emperor 
Charles  V  under  date  of  August  11, 
1534,  we  read:  "Of  seven  (?)  hous- 
es of  Observants,  five  have  already 
been  emptied  of  friars,  because 
they  refused  to  swear  to  the  statutes 
made  against  the  Pope.  Those  in 
the  two  others  expect  also  to  be  ex- 
pelled."^ By  August  29, 1534,  fully 
a  year  before  any  other  religious 
house  was  molested,  the  agents  of 
Cromwell  had  finished  with  the 
Franciscan  Observants.  Far  and 
wide  the  helpless  friars  were  scat- 
tered over  the  kingdom,  while  their 
lowly  convents,  which  as  centers  of 
virtue  and  learning  enjoyed  nation- 
wide esteem,  were  now  in  the  hands 
of  strangers. (4) 


1.    See  Franciscan  Herald,  July,  1917. 2.    Lingard:  Hittory  of  England,  (New  York,  1879)  Vol.  V,  p.  18. 

3.    See  Stone:  Faithful  Unto  Death,  (London,  1892)  p.  38. 4.    Since  the  Observant   friaries  had   little  or 

no  temporal  goods,  it  was  not  avarice  but  sheer  hatred  that  prompted  the  King  to  suppress  them. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


289 


The  total  number  of  Observants 
thus  turned  out  of  their  houses  can 
not  be  fixed  with  certainty.  It  is 
generally  believed  that  two  hundred 
were  expelled  and  imprisoned.  Of 
these,  some  were  lodged  with  the 
Conventual  friars,  who  were  forced 
to  treat  them  as  prisoners  of  the 
King.(1)  "All  the  Observants  of  the 
Kingdom,"  writes  Chapuys,  "have 
been  driven  from  their  monasteries 
for  refusing  the  oath  against  the 
Holy  See,  and  have  been  distributed 
in  several  monasteries,  where  they 
are  locked  up  in  chains,  and  worse 
treated  than  they  could  be  in  pris- 
on."(2)  From  a  letter  of  Fr.  Francis 
Lybert  written  October  25,  1534,  we 
learn  that  he  and  Fr.  Abraham  were 
according  to  the  King's  orders,  con- 
fined in  a  poor  lodging  with  the  Con- 
ventuals at  Stamford.  Stone  com- 
menting on  this  interesting  letter 
says,  "No  small  part  of  the  suffer- 
ing of  such  as  these  two  friars 
would  be  the  ignorance  in  which 
they  were  kept  as  to  the  fate  of 
their  brethren.  Cromwell  would 
not  hesitate  to  have  them  told  that 
others  had  given  in,  and  that  their 
stubbornness  and  want  of  loyalty  to 
the  King  were  bringing  their  Order 
into  much  disrepute.  "(3)  It  seems, 
however,  that  in  the  course  of  time 
the  imprisonment  of  the  friars  be- 
came less  severe  and  that  later  a 
number  of  them  succeeded  in  mak- 
ing good  their  escape,  either  fleeing 
the  country  or  remaining  in  hiding 
with  friends.     Thus  we  know   that 


in  July,  1534,  Dr.  Hilsey,  one  of 
the  royal  visitors,  finally  overtook 
FF.  Hugh  Payn  and  Thomas  Hay- 
field,  who  had  escaped  from  the 
Conventual  friary  at  Newark  and 
who  were  on  the  point  of  embark- 
ing at  Cardiff  for  the  continent. (4) 

More  deplorable  and  outrageous, 
of  course,  was  the  lot  of  those  friars 
who  were  thrown  into  prison.  Ac- 
customed to  the  peace  and  quiet  of 
convent  life,  they  were  now  forced 
to  share  company  with  the  very 
dregs  of  humanity  and  were  loaded 
down  with  every  misery  and  hard- 
ship that  these  dreadful  abodes  of 
filth  and  disease  could  offer.  Henry's 
anger  for  the  time  knew  no  bounds; 
and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  neither  insults  nor  torture 
were  spared  to  force  the  friars  into 
submission.  The  following  fact  re- 
lated by  Bourchier,  Mason,  Wadding, 
and  other  historians  shows  to  some 
extent  to  what  fearful  sufferings 
they  were  subjected.  In  1537,  eight 
friars  were  released  from  their 
dungeons.  Of  these  four  died  a 
few  days  later.  '  'The  '  hardships 
they  had  undergone  in  their  con- 
finement," says  Parkinson,  "had 
sunk  them  so  low  that  they  were 
not  able  to  recover. "  They  were 
FF.  Thomas  Packingham,  Bona- 
venture  Roo,  John  Tuit,  and  Rich- 
ard Carter.  The  Franciscan  Mar- 
tyrology  commemorates  them  on 
August  9.(6) 

The  only  one  who  ventured  to  in- 
tercede  for  the  imprisoned    friars 


1.  It  would  be  wide  of  the  mark  to  infer  from  this  that  the  Conventual  friars  were  abettors  of  the  King's 
lawless  measures  against  the  Observantine3.  They  were  compelled  to  treat  them  as  the  King's  prisoners  and  per- 
haps wereeven  exhorted  thereto  by  the  Observantines  themselves  as  the  lesser  of  two  evils. 2.    Gasquet;  Henry 

the  Eighth  and  the  English  Monasteries,  (London,  1906,)  p.  56. 3.     Stone,  1.  o.,  p.  42. 4,     Gasquet,  1.  0.,  p.   52. 

5.     Parkinson:     Antiquities  of  English  Franciscans,  (London,  1726)  p.  238. 


290 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


was  Sir  Thomas  Wriothesley,  their 
secret  friend  and  admirer.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Privy  Council  and 
apparently  had  great  influence  over 
Cromwell,  which  he  now  exerted 
toward  the  release  of  the  friars  from 
prison  with  leave  to  quit  the  country. 
Though  the  shrewd  and  calculating 
minister  was  willing  to  get  rid  of 
the  friars  at  any  cost,  the  King 
proved  less  favorably  inclined 
toward  the  proposal  of  Wriothesley. 
He  would  sate  his  thirst  for  venge- 
ance by  sending  the  entire  Observ- 
ant body  to  the  block.  Certain  con- 
siderations, however,  stood  in  the 
way  of  this  wholesale  butchery, 
above  all  the  outspoken  discontent 
of  the  people.  Henry  knew  that 
ever  since  his  infamous  dealings  in 
the  case  of  the  Holy  Maid  of  Kent,  (1)a 
strong  feeling  of  dissatisfaction  and 
indignation  had  taken  hold  of  the 
people,  which  became  especially 
noticeable  when  the  friars  were 
suppressed  and  imprisoned.  Even 
at  court  there  were  such  as  re- 
sented his  usurping  of  the  spiritual 
supremacy  and  thought  his  recent 
measures  against  the  Observants 
too  severe.  When,  therefore,  Crom- 
well approached  him  with  Wrio- 
thesley's  petition,  he  found  himself 
forced  to  feign  mercy  and  subse- 
sequently  had  a  number  of  friars 
set  at  liberty. 

Parkinson  writes  under  the  year 
1537,  "The  execution  of  many  of 
the  Franciscan  Observants  (in  pris- 
on ever  since  1534,  or  1535)  having 
been  delayed  by  the  mediation  of 
their  friend  Sir  Thomas  Wriothes- 


ley, and  not  one  of  them  coming 
into  the  King's  measures,  or  sub- 
s  cribing  to  his  supremacy  &c,  it  was- 
now  proposed  to  his  majesty  (as 
Sanders  writes)  that  they  should  be 
some  way  or  other  disposed  of,  lest 
others  by  their  example,  might  be- 
come more  resolute.  And  now, 
though  the  King  seemed  inclined  to 
have  them  all  cut  off,  or  hanged  at 
once,  yet  being  apprehensive  of 
the  infamy  of  such  a  fact,  because 
they  were  numerous,  and  being 
willing  to  show  some  favor  to  the 
Privy  Counsellor  Wriothesley,  who 
had  pleaded  hard  for  them,  he 
spared  some  of  them,  who  went  in- 
to banishment,  partly  into  the  Low 
Countries,  and  others  into  Scot- 
land."(2)  To  this  action  of  Henry 
probably  refers  Cromwell's  entry 
in  his  Remembrances:  "Item  to  re- 
member the  friars  of  Greewich  to 
have  license  to  go  to  Ireland.  "(3) 

How  many  of  the  Observants 
were  in  the  course  of  time  released 
and  banished,  is  not  known.  Cer- 
tain it  is,  however,  that  many  were 
detained  in  the  dungeons  to  be  made 
examples  of.  "Thirty- two  of  the 
same  Order,"  says  Parkinson, 
1  'were  removed  out  of  the  prisons  of 
London,  and  being  coupled  two  and 
two  together  with  iron  chains,  were 
sent  into  divers  other  prisons  of  the 
nation,  that  they  might  perish  with 
less  murmuring  and  disturbance  of 

the  people ; besides  these,  others 

were  starved  with  hunger,  as  an 
author  writes, (4)  and  others  suffo- 
cated with  the  intolerable  stench  of 
loathsome  prisons,  or  perished   by 


1.      See  Franciscan  Herald,  May,  1917. 2.    Parkinson,],    c,   p. 

The  author  referred  to  is  Fr.  Francis  a  Sancta  Clara  (Davenport). 


-3.    Gasquet,  I.   c,  p.   57 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


291 


the  inconveniences  and  hardships 
of  their  •confinement." (1) 

It  is  equally  impossible  to  state 
with  any  degree  of  certainty  how 
many  Observants  died  in  prison  be- 
tween the  years  1534  and  1537. 
From  the  moment  they  were  shut 
up  in  the  silence  and  gloom  of  their 
dungeon,  nothing  more  was  heard 
of  them.  It  is  quite  probable  that 
a  number  were  executed  in  secret, 
and  that  therefore  no  account  of 
their  last  sufferings  and  death  has 
ever  been  committed  to  writing. 
Only  from  a  contemporary  account 
of  Bishop  Fisher  and  Sir  Thomas 
More  preserved  in  the  Vatican*2' 
we  learn  that  "an  immense  number 
of  them  all  perished  either  on  the 
scaffold  or  by  starvation  or  through 
their  sufferings  in  prison.,,(3)  The 
Franciscan  Menologium  mentions 
thirty-four  friars  and  "others  not  a 
few"  who  died  in  1537;  and  on  July 
31,  the  Franciscan  Martyrology 
commemorates  thirty-two  who  in 
1538  succumbed  to  their  hardships 
in  prison. (i) 

In  the  autumn  of  1536,  the  com- 
mons of  northern  England  rose  in 
armed  protest  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  King  on  their  religious 
and  political  freedom.  "The  sup- 
pression of  the  abbeys,"  says  Gas- 
quet,  "was  felt  to  be  a  blow  to  re- 
ligion in  those  parts  no  less  than  a 
hardship  to  the  poor,  and  a  detri- 
ment to  the  country  at  large.  The 
royal  supremacy  was  looked  upon 
as  founded  only  on  Henry's  whim 
and  as  a  pretension   without  prec- 


edent in  history,  while  the  renun- 
ciation of  papal  authority  was  held 
to  be  subversive  of  the  principle  of 
unity  in  the  Christian  Church,  and 
the  first  step  towards  diversity  of 
doctrine  and  practice.  "(5) 

The  insurrection  broke  out  in 
Lincolnshire,  but  it  was  soon  put 
down,  owing  to  a  lack  of  unity  and 
mutual  trust  between  the  gentry 
and  the  commons.  About  one  hun- 
dred of  the  insurgents  were  thrown 
into  the  Tower,  of  whom  thirty- 
three  were  condemned  to  death. 
Meanwhile,  the  popular  movement 
had  gained  ground  in  Yorkshire  and 
gradually  spread  over  the  whole  of 
northern  England.  It  is  known  as 
the  Pilgrimage  of  Grace.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1536,  40,000  armed  citizens 
headed  by  Robert  Aske  and  rein- 
forced by  about  5000  knights  and 
gentlemen,  marched  to  Doncaster, 
where  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  had 
united  his  forces  with  the  armed 
tenantry  of  the  Earl  of  Shrewsbury. 
On  their  arm,  many  of  the  insur- 
gents wore  an  emblem  of  the  Five 
Wounds  or  a  cross  with  I.  H.  S.  in- 
scribed on  it. 

Wholly  unprepared  to  quell  this 
formidable  array  by  force  of  arms, 
Henry  resorted  to  lying  and  double- 
dealing.  At  the  suggestion  of  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk  who  was  informed 
of  the  King's  base  policy,  Robert 
Aske  had  the  demands  of  the  com- 
mons drawn  up  in  twenty-four  arti- 
cles and  sent  to  the  King.  After 
feigning  some  reluctance,  the  treach- 
erous King  at  last  made  far-reaching 


1.    Parkinson,  1.  c,  p.  238. 2.    Pecock  brings  this  brief  but  valuable  account  in   his  Records  of  the  Re- 
formation. (Oxford,  1870),  Vol.  II,  p.  553  sqq. 3.    The  same  is  attested  by  historians  like  Bourcnier,  Davenport, 

Gonzaga,  Sanders,  Parkinson. 4.     See  Leon:     Saints  and  Blessed  of  the  Three  Orders  of  St.   trancis,   (laun- 

ion,  1887)  Vol.  IV,  p.  351. 5.    Gasquet,  1.  c.  p.  330. 


292 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


concessions  and  evei.  offered  the  in- 
surgents a  general  pardon.  Trust- 
ing Henry  and  the  Duke  of  Norfolk, 
the  noble-minded  Robert  Aske  pre- 
vailed on  the  commons  to  disband 
and  to  return  to  their  homes. 
When,  however,  the  royal  promises 
were  not  fulfilled,  the  people  again 
grew  restless  and  finally  in  January 
they  rose  a  second  time.  Now 
Henry  was  prepared  to  meet  them. 
What  followed  was  a  series  of  cruel 
and  bloody  measures  against  the 
leaders  of  the  Pilgrimage  and  of  re- 
newed hostilities  against  the  re- 
ligious houses  of  the  kingdom. 
"The  collapse  of  the  rising,"  says 
Gasquet,  "removed  every  restraint 
upon  the  autocratic  power  of  the 
crown  and  opened  the  way  for 
further  seizures  of  monastic  and 
church  property." (1) 

The  following  year,  1537,  was 
chiefly  taken  up  with  expelling  the 
monks  whom  the  insurgents  had  re- 
instated in  their  possessions.  Fi- 
nally, in  the  autumn  of  1538,  the  fri- 
aries were  seized.  So  far,  the  Con- 
ventual convents  had  not  been  mo- 
lested, since  "there  was  nothing  to 
be  got  by  their  ruin,  forasmuch  as 
they  had  no  endowments  of  lands" 
or  other  property  worth  confiscat- 
ing. Now,  however,  motives  of  re- 
venge were  added  to  those  of 
avarice,  so  that  the  Franciscan 
houses  were  again  the  first  to  suffer. 
It  is  probable  that  at  this  time  the 
Franciscan  Province  in  England 
numbered  seventy-three  houses, 
not  including  the    six     Observant 


friaries  confiscated  and  made  over  to 
the  Austin  friars  in  the  summer  of 
1534.  Though  in  the  beginning  of 
the  conflict  the  Conventuals  were 
less  conspicuous  than  the  Observ- 
ants in  opposing  the  policy  of  Henry, 
we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that 
later,,  when  the  question  of  papal 
supremacy  came  to  a  head,  they  as 
a  body  were  as  stanch  in  their  alle- 
giance to  the  Pope  as  their  fellow- 
friars  of  the  Observance.  That,  as 
formerly  maintained, (2)  they  strictly 
observed  the  Franciscan  rule  of 
poverty  and  for  their  daily  subsist- 
ence depended  largely  on  the  chari- 
ty of  the  faithful,  became  manifest 
now  when  their  convents  fell  a  prey 
to  Henry's  insatiable  rapacity.  A 
perusal  of  Parkinson's  account  based 
on  Speed,  Weever,  and  Leland,  re- 
veals the  fact  that  most  of  the  Con- 
ventual friaries  had  little  or  no  val- 
uation. Leland  whom  the  King  em- 
ployed in  visiting  and  rating  the  re- 
ligious houses,  leaves  many  of  the 
Conventual  friaries  entirely  unmen- 
tioned.  "The  revenues  of  the  friary 
atBedford  were  estimated  at  L3. 15s. 
2d.  a  year.  Of  the  friars  at  Aylesbu- 
ry, Dr.  John  London  wrote  to  Crom- 
well, 'I  found  them  very  poor  and 
in  debt,  their  ornaments  very  coarse 
and  very  little  stuff  of  household; 
there  I  only  sold  the  glass  windows 
and  their  ornaments,  with  their 
utensils.  I  left  the  house  whole, 
and  only  defaced  the  church  there. 
The  whole  church  is  well  covered 
with  lead  and  a  good  roof.  The 
revenues  were  valued  at  L3.  2s.  5d. 


1.    For  a  critical  aceount  of  the  northern  risings  and  their  result  see  Gasquet.  I.  c,  Chapters  XI  to  XVI. 

2.    See  Franciscan  Herald.  April,  1917. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


293 


The  friary  at  Walsingham  was  val- 
ued at  L3.  Northampton  was  com- 
paratively rich  with  property  valued 
atL6.  13s.  4d.  per  annum.  At  Cov- 
entry the  friars  had  neither  lands 
nor  buildings,  nor  other  possessions 
spiritual  or  temporal,  but  only  a  per-' 
mission  to  receive  the  charity  of 
good  people.  At  ^ridgenorth,  in 
giving  up  their  house  they  said, 
'That  they  were  not  able  to  live; 
for  the  charity  of  the  people  was  so 
small  that  in  three  years  they   had 


not  received  in  alms  in  ready  money 
the  sum  of  ten  shillings  a  year,  and 
they  lived  only  by  a  service  that 
they  had  in  the  town  in  a  chapel 
on  the  bridge.'  Their  property  was 
valued  at  4L.  per  annum.  In 
Shrewsbury  their  house  was  de- 
clared to  be  the  poorest  in  the  town ; 
for  they  had  only  three  or  four 
acres  of  arable  land  and  little  per- 
sonal property,  no  jewels,  nothing 
but  a  plated  crucifix  and  a  mean 
chalice.  "(1) 


(To  be  continued) 


1.     Hope:     Franeiaeak  Martyra  in  England,  (London,  1878) 
•chiefly  on  Dugdale's  Monniticon. 


95  sqq.    The  facts   and  figures  are  based 


A  BEAUTY  CONTEST 

By  Fr.  Giles,  CF.M. 


<<1\/TISS  DAWS0N'  an  opera- 
IV I  tion  is  unavoidable.  Had 
you  had  that  abscess  at- 
tended to  in  time,  necrosis  of  the 
jawbone  would  not  have  set  in.  As 
it  is,  an  operation  is  now  the  only 
remedy." 

The  physician's  diagnosis  was 
authoritative,  the  tone  of  his  voice 
final.  The  young  lady  gasped,  her 
chest  heaved  violently,  and  her 
face  became  white  and  rigid  as  if 
carved  out  of  carrara  marble. 

"There's  no  need  at  all  of  becom- 
ing frightened  about  the  operation, ' ' 
he  continued  reassuringly,  noticing 
his  patient's  extreme  agitation. 

"I'm  not  afraid  of  the  operation, " 
replied  Grace  in  a  scarcely  audible 
whisper,  "but  Doctor,  will  it— will 
it  leave  a  scar?" 

The  eminent  specialist  smiled  to 
himself  as  he  gazed  at  the  delicately 
chiseled  features  of  his  fair  young 
patient  that  reminded  him  of  the 
far-famed  beauty  of  Greece's  fabled 


goddesses,  and  he  made  a  mental 
diagnosis  of  another  and  still  more 
serious  spiritual  ailment  of  this 
twentieth-century  Venus. 

'  'Yes,  I  regret  very  much  to  say 
that  a  scar  will  undoubtedly  result, 
for  your  case  is  of  such  a  nature 
that  an  external  operation  is  neces- 
sary. Nevertheless,  I  shall  use  the 
utmost  precaution  to  make  the  scar 
as  slight  and  inconspicuous  as  pos- 
sible." 

"I'll  not  have  the  operation  per- 
formed at  all  if  I'm  to  carry  an 
ugly  scar  on  my  face  for  the  rest 
of  my  life,  "snapped  the  "goddess", 
rising  indignantly  and  preparing  to 
leave.  This  unexpected  reply  net- 
tled the  matter-of-fact  physician, 
who  considered  the  health  of  the 
body  far  superior  to  its  transitory 
external  charms. 

"You'll  rue  this  decision  before 
long,  Miss  Dawson;  for  I  can  assure 
you  that  your  ailment,  if  not  at- 
tended to  at  once,  will   continue  to 


294 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


develop,  and  the  result  will  be  not 
merely  a  slight  scar  but  a  complete 
disfigurement  of  your  face.  Of 
course,  you  are  at  liberty  to  do  as 
you  please  in  the  matter, ' '  he  added 
with  affected  indifference. 

Grace  was  stunned  by  this  infor- 
mation. She  knew  that  Dr.  Barnes 
enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  the 
ablest  head- and- throat  specialist  in 
the  city,  and  that  his  decisions  were 
accepted  as  final;  still,  she  had 
thought  that  he  might  be  mistaken 
in  her  case,  and  that  she  might  yet 
be  cured  without  an  operation. 
Now,  that  he  predicted  worse  things 
to  mar  the  perfect  lines  of  her  face, 
if  she  refused  to  permit  the  opera- 
tion, she  was  filled  with  despair 
and  left  his  office  angry  at  herself 
and  the  whole  world  and  quite  un- 
decided what  course  to  pursue. 
,  Grace  Dawson  was  a  member  of 
Fr.  Roch's  Tertiary  conference,  and 
although  she  was  a  good  girl,  yet  it 
must  be  said  to  her  discredit  that 
she  had  joined  the  Third  Order 
rather  on  account  of  the  social  ad- 
vantages that  it  offered  than  out  of 
any  special  desire  to  attain  a  more 
than  ordinary  degree  of  sanctity  or 
to  exercise  herself  in  works  of  pen- 
ance. In  fact,  during  her  year  of 
probation  there  had  been  some 
do^bt  in  the  minds  of  the  officers 
about  admitting  her  to  profession 
on  account  of  her  frivolity.  But 
she  had  promised  the  mistress  of 
novices  to  amend  her  ways,  and  on 
the  stength  of  this  assurance  she. 
had  been  professed,  and  for  some 
months  had  been  really  a  zealous 
Tertiary.  Then  came  a  sudden 
relapse. 

One  of  the  big  city  dailies  held  a 
beauty  contest  and  offered  most  en- 
ticing prizes  to  the  fortunate  win- 
ners. On  the  suggestion  of  her 
bosom  friend,  Marion  Ribeau,  who 
was  likewise  a  Tertiary  and  of  the 
same  type  as  herself,  Grace  en- 
tered the  contest.  She  knew  that 
hers  was  no  ordinary   beauty,  and 


she  had  often  been  highly  compli- 
mented on  the  classic  perfection  of 
her  contour  and  the  richness  of  her 
complexion.  Hence,  she  was  not 
without  hope  of  securing  the  one  or 
the  other  of  the  prizes  and  her 
many  friends  were  most  desirous  of 
seeing  her  win  at  least  some  special 
distinction. 

Neither  she  nor  they,  however, 
were  prepared  for  the  final  outcome 
of  the  contest. 

"Oh,  Grace,  did  you  see  the  pa- 
per?" cried  Marion  Ribeau,  rushing 
into  the  Dawson  home  unannounced 
and  all  out  of  breath,  holding  aloft 
the  gaudily  colored  supplement  of 
the  Sunday  edition  of  the  Morning 
Post  which  contained  the  result  of 
the  great  beauty  contest. 

The  query  needed  no  answer,  for 
there  sat  Grace  in  a  comfortable 
morris  chair  her  eyes  eagerly  scan- 
ning the  columns  of  the  Post  that 
fairly  overflowed  with  encomiums 
on  the  enchanting  beauty  of  the 
fair  young  winner  of  the  first  prize 
—  Miss  Grace  Dawson,  of  2458  Cot- 
tage Avenue. 

'  'Who  would  ever  have  expected 
this!"  gushed  Marion,  all  enthusi- 
astic over  the  good  fortune  of  her 
friend.  "And  to  think,  that  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  me  you  would  never 
have  entered  the  contest  at  all," 
she  went  on,  supposing  that  this 
fact  would  reflect  some  of  Grace's 
glory  on  herself.  Then  the  two 
girls  read  again  and  again  the  ful- 
some praises  of  Grace's  facial 
charms,  which,  the  paper  said, 
1  'might  well  be  envied  by  the  titled 
beauties  of  Europe,"  and  which 
"placed  their  happy  possessor 
among  the  first  beauties  of  the 
world." 

With  the  winning  of  the  first 
prize,  came  all  the  other  honors 
that  usually  follow  in  the  wake  of 
such  a  signal  distinction.  Letters 
flowed  into  the  Dawson  home  from 
ambitious  artists  and  sculptors,  de- 
sirious  of  securing  Grace  as  their 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


295 


model  for  the  painting  or  statue 
that  was  to  place  them  among  the 
immortals.  Amorous  admirers,  too, 
were  not  slow  to  cast  themselves 
and  their  hearts  at  the  feet  of  this 
fair  enchantress.  Even  "movie" 
directors,  ever  on  the  lookout  for 
new  "stars",  strove  to  secure  this 
"most  winsome  typical  American 
girl  with  the  face  of  a  Grecian  god- 
dess" for  their  next  big  attraction. 

All  this  adulation  was  enough  to 
turn  the  head  of  a  less  giddy  young 
maiden  than  Grace  Dawson,  and 
for  one  full  week  she  seemed  to  be 
seated  on  a  glittering  throne  with 
the  world  in  homage  at  her  feet. 
Then  there  came,  all  unexpectedly, 
a  great  black  cloud  that  over- 
shadowed the  sunny  path  of  Grace's 
life.  It  was  nothing  less  than  the 
peremptory  order  of  her  father  "to 
cut  out  all  that  nonsense"  and  to 
remember  that  she  was  a  Catholic 
and  a  Tertiary.  Grace's  mother, 
too,  reprimanded  her  severely  for 
her  folly  in  believing  the  lying  flat- 
tery of  the  world,  declaring  that 
had  she  foreseen  all  this,  she  would 
never  have  permitted  her  to  enter 
the  contest. 

Torrents  of  tears  fell  from  Grace's 
"angelic  orbs",  causing  them  to 
swell  and  to  grow  unduly  red,  thus 
sadly  marring  the  "goddess-like 
perfection"  of  her  fair  countenance. 
But  her  tears  availed  nothing.  Her 
parents  remained  inflexible  in  their 
determination  to  make  her  forget 
the  contest  and  they  resolutely  con- 
signed the  daily  sheaf  of  letters  to 
the  fire  and  refused  admittance  to 
all  unknown  callers.  Grace  knew 
her  parents  too  wel)  to  think  of  op- 
posing them  in  this  matter,  but 
deep  down  in  her  heart  she  contin- 
ued to  revel  in  the  glory  that  had 
been  hers,  and  now  and  then  she 
would  stealthily  take  some  newspa- 
per clippings  from  their  hiding 
place  and  her  eyes  would  gleam 
with  joy  as  she  perused  again  the 
well  known  lines.     Those  were  pre- 


cious, happy  moments,  and  they 
confirmed  her  in  the  plan  of  se- 
cretly leaving  her  home  to  accept 
an  engagement  as  a  "movie"  ac- 
tress. 

Grace  had  almost  completed  her 
arrangements,  when  a  severe  case 
toothache  hindered  her  from  exe- 
cuting her  design.  An  abscess 
soon  formed  under  the  tooth,  and 
owing  to  its  peculiar  condition, 
the  dentist  advised  her  to  have  it 
operated  without  delay,  to  avoid 
future  complications.  But  Grace 
absolutely  refused  to  undergo  the 
operation.  Her  sole  motive  for  re- 
fusing was  the  dread  that  it  might 
permanently  spoil  the  beauty  of  her 
countenance.  Her  parents  endea- 
vored to  overcome  her  obstinacy, 
but  Grace  remained  firm,  without, 
however,  revealing  the  real  cause 
of  her  refusal.  Gradually  the 
swelling  disappeared  and  she  re- 
joiced that  she  had  escaped  the 
dreaded  operation. 

But  after  some  time,  a  slight 
swelling  appeared,  and  fearing  a 
recurrence  of  the  ailment,  Grace 
consulted  Dr.  Barnes,  in  whom  she 
placed  unbounded  confidence.  She 
was  horror-struck  to  learn  from 
him  that  her  malady  had  become 
chronic  and  had  brought  about 
necrosis  of  the  jawbone,  necessita- 
ting an  operation  that  would  dis- 
figure her  classic  profile  and  put  an 
end  to  all  her  hopes  of  posing  in 
the  "movies"  as  the  "girl  with  the 
flawless  face." 

As  she  rode  home  in  the  street 
car  from  the  doctor's,  she  was  at  a 
loss  what  step  to  take.  She  tried 
to  pray,  but  prayer  seemed  mockery 
under  the  circumstances;  so  she 
desisted.  When  the  car  turned  at 
Marshall  and  Burns  Streets,  she 
rose  to  leave,  having  still  some 
three  blocks  to  walk  before  reach- 
ing her  home.  Wholly  taking  up 
with  her  thoughts,  she  had  not 
heard  the  low  rumbling  of  an 
approaching     storm    nor    noticed 


296 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  great  bank  of  black  clouds  that 
was  coming  up  swiftly  from  the 
northwest,  and  she  had  hardly 
alighted  from  the  car  when  the  rain 
began  to  fall.  Having  neither  an 
umbrella  nor  a  rain  coat,  Grace  has- 
tily sought  shelter  in  the  nearest 
house,  a  small  frame  cottage  on 
the  corner.  The  door  was  opened 
by  a  little,  middle-aged  woman 
with  a  kindly,  "Just  come  in,  Miss; 
'tis  a  bad  storm,  indeed,  to  be  out 
in,"  and  the  good  woman  devoutly 
signed  herself  with  the  cross  as  a 
terrific  crash  of  thunder  shook  the 
cottage  to  its  foundation. 

Grace  was  ushered  into  a  small, 
plainly  furnished  room  that  at  once 
gave  evidence  of  the  poverty  and 
the  thrift  of  her  kind  hostess.  Mrs. 
Darcy  was  a  widow  who  supported 
herself  and  her  invalid  daughter 
Kathleen  by  doing  plain  dressmak- 
ing. The  poor  girl  had  suffered  a 
most  unfortunate  accident  when 
but  five  years  old  and  for  the  past 
fifteen  years  she  had  been  a  help- 
less and  hopeless  invalid.  But  all 
the  years  of  sickness  and  pain  had 
not  been  able  to  drive  the  pleasant 
smile  from  her  thin  bloodless  lips 
nor  to  steal  from  her  the  sweet 
peace  with  which  suffering  united 
to  virtue  is  wont  to  fill  the  hearts 
of  God's  faithful  children. 

The  sight  of  this  helpless  young 
lady  lying  on  her  humble  bed  for 
years  without  so  much  as  a  word 
of  complaint  passing  her  lips, 
though  deprived  of  all  that  youth 
so  ardently  craves,  and  continually 
racked  with  pain,— all  this  made  a 
deep  impression  on  Grace,  and 
opened  to  her  a  new  world  of  which 
she  had  heard,  indeed,  but  with 
which  she  had  never  yet  been 
brought  face  to  face.  That  suffer- 
ing and  misfortune  could  produce 
peace  and  contentment  and  even 
a  certain  degree  of  happiness,  was 
to  her  a  mystery. 

"And  don't  you  ever  long  to  leave 
your  bed   and  go  outside  to  enjoy 


the  fresh  air,  the  bright,  warm  sun, 
and  the  flowers?"  she  asked,  taking 
the  girl's  cold,  wan  hand  in  hers  and 
stroking  it  gently. 

"I  do  at  times, "  replied  Kathleen  • 
smiling, ' '  but  when  I  say  as  fer- 
vently as  I  can,  'Thy  will  be  done!' 
I'm  satisfied  to  stay  where  I  am. 
Besides,  mother  usually  has  a 
vase  of  flowers  on  the  table,  and 
the  sun  throws  its  bright  beams 
just  across  my  bed,  so  that  I  do  not 
have  to  leave  the  room  nor  even  my 
bed  to  enjoy  them. 

1  'But  you  must  suffer  constantly, ' ' 
Grace  went  on, "  and  I  don't  under- 
stand how  you  can  be  so  content 
and  cheerful  all  the  while  as  if  you 
had  no  pains  whatever." 

"Oh,  it's  easy  to  be  patient  and 
cheerful  if  you  recall  how  much 
our  dear  Lord  suffered  for  us. 
You  see,  I  have  a  crucifix  right 
above  my  bed  where  I  can  always 
see  it,  and  it  gives  me  strength  and 
consolation.  Sometimes  I  think 
I'd  like  to  go  to  church  where 
mother  says  it  is  so  beautiful  to 
kneel  and  pray  before  the  taber- 
nacle. But  Fr.  Roch,  who  often 
visits  me  and  brings  me  Holy  Com- 
munion, says  that  I'll  never  regret 
not  having  seen  the  church  when 
once  I  am  in  heaven." 

"Are  you  acquainted  with  Fr. 
Roch?"   asked   Grace   in   surprise. 

"Why  yes;  I  belong  to  his  Third 
Order  conference.  He  tells  me  that 
Tertiaries  are  called  brothers  and 
sisters  of  penance  and  that  God  is 
good  to  me  and  sees  to  it  that  I  al- 
ways have  enough  to  suffer  so  that 
I  may  have  no  trouble  living  up  to 
my  name." 

As  the  poor  sick  girl  continued  to 
speak  thus  lightly  of  her  terrible 
sufferings,  a  great  wave  of  remorse 
and  sorrow  swept  over  Grace's  soul 
such  as  she  had  never  experienced 
before.  She,  too,  was  a  Tertiary, 
a  sister  of  penance,  but  she  had 
never  had  this  fact  brought  home 
to  her  with  such  force  as  now.  She, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


297 


too,  had  recently  endured  excruci- 
ating pains,  but  they  had  not  remind- 
ed her  of  her  suffering  Savior;  she 
had,  on  the  contrary,  thought  only 
of  ways  and  means  of  ridding  her- 
self of  them  as  quickly  as  possible. 
How  she  had  chafed,  too,  under  her 
forced  confinement  to  her  room 
while  her  face  was  badly  swollen 
from  the  abscess,  -and  how  black 
and  dismal  the  whole  world  seemed 
to  her  now  that  her  vanity  was  to 
be  humbled  although  only  for  the 
benefit  of  her  bodily  health.  She 
felt  indescribably  small  in  the  pres- 
ence of  this  courageous  girl,  who 
surpassed  her  far  more  in  beauty 
of  character  than  Grace  surpassed 
others  as  to  the  charms  of 
the  body.  Scales  seemed  to  fall 
from  her  eyes.  She  understood 
now  the  real  meaning  of  life  in  this 
world,  and  she  saw  clearly  into  the 
folly  of  cherishing  things  so  ephem- 
eral as  bodily  beauty  while  neglect- 


ing the  more  lasting  beauty  of  the 
soul,  which  is  wont  to  increase  in 
splendor  as  the  years  roll  by. 

It  had  ceased  raining  for  upwards 
of  an  hour,  but  Grace  no  longer 
heeded  the  state  of  the  weather. 
She  continued  to  sit  at  the  bed- 
side of  that  wonderful  invalid,  bar- 
ing her  soul's  misery  to  this  newest 
and  strangest  of  her  friends,  who 
was  so  different  from  the  rest  and 
who  affected  her  as  no  other  person 
had  yet  done. 

At  last  the  two  new  friends  part- 
ed, Grace  promising  to  call  fre- 
quently in  the  future.  But  instead 
of  returning  home,  she  boarded 
a  down-town  bound  car  and  was  soon 
again  in  the  specialist's  office. 

"Dr.  Barnes,"  she  said,  with  a 
coolness  and  decision  that  quite  sur- 
prised the  physician,  "I  have  de- 
termined to  have  the  operation  per- 
formed. You  may  begin  at  once." 


CONVERTED  BY  A  GENUFLECTION 

When  the  saintly  Tertiary  Bishop  Mermillod,  of  Geneva,  was  a  curate 
in  that  city,  he  delivered  a  series  of  sermons  on  the  real  presence  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  Holy  Eucharist.  One  evening,  after  all  the  faithful  had  left 
the  church  and  the  doors  had  been  locked,  the  pious  priest  trimmed  the 
sanctuary  lamp,  as  was  his  daily  custom,  and  then  knelt  for  some  mo- 
ments in  prayer  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  He  then  arose  and  made 
a  devout  genuflection.  Just  then  he  heard  a  slight  noise  in  the  church 
and  turning  about  saw  a  well  dressed  lady  emerging  from  the  confes- 
sional. "What  do  you  wish  here,  madam,  at  this  time  of  the  night?" 
asked  Mermillod,  much  surprised.  "Your  Reverence  will  please  excuse 
me,"  replied  the  lady,  "for.  although  I  am  a  Protestant,  I  have  regularly 
attended  your  Lenton  sermons  on  the  Eucharist,  and  I  must  confess  that 
your  words  have  convinced  me  of  the  truth  of  this  great  mystery.  I  had 
but  one  doubt, —  for  which  I  humbly  crave  your  pardon— namely,  whether 
you  yourself  really  believe  what  you  preach.  Hence,  I  sought  an  oppor- 
tunity for  observing  your  actions  in  secret  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
whether  they  are  in  accord  with  your  professed  belief.  I  am  now  satis- 
fied that  they  are;  for  you  would  never  have  made  so  devout  a  genuflec- 
tion as  you  did  just  now,  if  you  did  not  really  believe  in  the  Real  Presence, 
and  I  humbly  beg  to  be  received  into  the  Catholic  Church."  —  Gaume. 


298 FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


This  is  my  Blood  of  the  New  Testament  which  shall  be  shed  for  many. 
THE  EUCHARISTIC  VICTIM 

Omy  divine  Lord,  how  inexhaustible  is  thy  charity!  For  not  only 
was  thy  sacred  Body  once  delivered  to  the  nails  and  spear,  to  the 
cross,  to  death,  and  to  the  sepulcher  in  thy  blessed  passion  as  a 
sacrifice  to  God  for  our  sins,  but  it  is  also  perpetually  being  delivered  for 
us  still  as  the  eucharistic  victim  lifted  up  in  sacrifice  to  God. 

I  know  that  it  has  been  recorded  of  old  that  once  a  holy  youth  was 
laid  on  an  altar  before  God,  and  that  he  did  not  actually  die  but  seemed  to 
do  so  as  he  lay  there  so  still  and  silent  and  ready  to  be  offered  up  as  a 
holocaust  to  the  Most  High.  But  now  in  holy  Mass  I  see  the  priest  in 
place  of  the  sacrificing  Patriarch  Abraham  of  old,  and  my  faith  guided  by 
Holy  Church  discerns  thee,  0  eucharistic  Jesus,  on  the  altar  in  the  place 
of  the  gentle  Isaac.  I  know  well,  my  Jesus,  that  thou  canst  die  no  more, 
for  thou  art  living  forever  and  ever,  but  thou  seemest  to  die  as  thou  liest 
there  on  the  altar  before  God  under  the  eucharistic  species  as  the  un- 
bloody victim  of  Calvary,  offered  for  us  and  applying  thy  precious  merits 
to  our  souls. 

0  divine  Lord,  if  the  Eternal  Father  was  pleased  with  Abraham's 
sacrifice  of  his  son  Isaac  although  it  was  offered  without  the  death  and 
the  shedding  of  the  blood  of  the  chosen  victim,  so  that  He  said  to  him, 
"Because  thou  hast  done  this  thing  I  will  bless  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  how  much  more  is  He  pleased 
when  the  victim  offered  to  him  and  laid  before  him  on  the  altar  is  thou, 
sweet  Jesus,  his  only  begotten  and  most  beloved  Son!  And  if  the  sacri- 
fice of  Abraham  drew  down  God's  richest  blessings  on  him  and  on  all  his 
race,  how  much  more  will  heavenly  blessings  be  poured  forth  through  the 
unbloody  offering  of  thyself  in  the  holy  Mass— that  sublime  worship  in 
spirit  and  in  truth  which  the  Eternal  Father  seeks  and  loves!  For  here  is 
offered  the  true  victim,  the  adorable  substance  of  the  God-Man,  of  which 
all  the  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Law  were  but  figures  and  faint  shadows; 
and  not  in  body  only  is  our  divine  victim  sacrificed  in  the  Mass,  as  were 
the  unreasoning  animal  victims  of  yore,  but  also  in  spirit;  for  he  sacrifices 
himself  whole  and  entire,  with  body  and  soul  and  all  the  holv  sentiments 
of  which  his  divine  Heart  is  capable. 

0  sublime  sentiments  of  our  adorable  victim  of  the  New  Testament 
with  which  he  came  into  this  world  and  with  which  he  constantly  offers 
himself  in  the  one  infinitely  pleasing  sacrifice  of  Calvary  daily  renewed 
in  holy  Mass!  "Sacrifice  and  oblation  thou  wouldestnot:  but  a  body  thou 
hast  fitted   to  me:  Sacrifices  and    oblations  and   holocausts  for  sin    thou 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  299 


wouldest  not,  neither  are  they  pleasing  to  thee.  Then  said  I:  Be- 
hold, I  come  to  do  thy  will,  0  God."  (Hebr.  10,  5-9.)  Thus  already  offer- 
ing himself  in  spirit  he  came  into  the  world  to  become  the  victim  of  the 
great  sacrifice  by  which  God  is  honored  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  This  is 
the  sublime  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth  which  the  Eternal  Father  is 
ever  "seeking". 

How  infinitely  the  heavenly  Father  takes  pleasure  in  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Mass.  How  the  heart  of  God  is  consoled  for  the  insult  and  ingrati- 
tude of  sin.  How  infinite  is  the  satisfaction  the  offering  of  his  adorable 
Son  gives  him.  This  thought  is,  indeed,  almost  too  high  for  us,  and  we 
can  only  look  up  to  it  from  our  littleness;  for  as  the  heaven  is  higher  than 
the  earth,  so  are  the  thoughts  of  God  higher  than  our  thoughts;  yet  it 
lends  a  special  august  solemnity  to  the  holy  Mass  to  reverently  contem- 
plate these  wonderful  things  above  us. 

Let  me  remember,  then,  that  at  holy  Mass  the  Eternal  Father  is 
waiting,  he  is  listening,  he  is  being  infinitely  consoled;  for  these  thoughts 
should  stir  me  up  to  assist  with  deeper  devotion  and  to  keep  in  more  per- 
fect aceord  with  the  priest  at  the  altar,  uniting  myself  in  spirit  to  his 
sacrificial  actions  of  which  the  object  is  so  inconceivably  sublime.  And 
let  me  consider  also  with  adoring  wonder  the  infinite  love  of  my  eucha- 
ristic  Jesus,  who  thus  continually  gives  himself  for  us  in  sacrifice  by  pre- 
senting his  adorable  Body  in  the  Mass  to  his  Eternal  Father  with  its 
wounds  still  mystically  bleeding  for  our  sins,  in  adoration,  thanksgiving, 
reparation,  and  impetration  for  us,  and  presenting  himself  as  the  preci- 
ous food  of  our  souls  in  Holy  Communion.  How  entirely  our  divine  Lord 
has  given  his  Body  for  us  in  his  passion,  bow  entirely  does  he  not  give 
his  selfsame  Body  and  Blood  for  us  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist!  Does  not 
this  divine  charity,  which  surpasses  all  understanding,  urge  us  to  live  for 
him,  a  more  complete  victim  of  his  love  forever? 


300 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY  LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXXII 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqelhardt,  O.F.M. 


IT  remains  for  us  to  locate  the  two 
mission  groups  and  to  briefly 
describe  their  activity.  For 
our  material  we  shall  have  to  rely 
almost  entirely  on  Professor  Her- 
bert E.  Bolton's  Texas  in  the  Middle 
of  the  Eighteenth  Century.  Shea  and 
Bancroft  have  some  incidents  and 
dates,  but  not  enough  to  give  us  a 
clear  view  of  the  situation.  Fr. 
Isidoro  Espinosa's  Cronica  Serafica 
and  Villa  Senor's  Teatro  Americano 
touch  only  the  beginnings  of  one 
missionary  establishment  in  the 
next  group,  both  closing  with  the 
year  1746. 

It  has  already  been  related(1)  that 
as  early  as  1722,  the  Marques  de 
Aguayo  had  erected  a  presidio  on 
the  very  site  of  La  Salle's  ill-fated 
Fort  St.  Louis,  and  had  placed  it 
under  the  protection  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  under  the  title  Nuestra  Se- 
nora  de  Loreto.  It  became  better 
known  as  the  Presidio  del  Espiritu 
Santo  or  Bahia,  and  was  entrusted 
to  the  command  of  Captain  Domingo 
Ramon,  who,  in  1716,  had  led  the 
expedition  into  Texas  and  Louis- 
iana. While  the  buildings  of  the 
garrison  were  under  construction, 
in  accordance  with  the  orders  of 
the  Venerable  Fr.  Antonio  Margil, 
superior  of  the  Zacatecan  missions 
in  Texas,  Fr.  Agustin  Patron 
founded  a  mission  in  the  same  dis- 
trict  for   the    Cujane     (Kuhane), 


Guapite,  and  Karankawa  Indians, 
while  attending  at  the  same  time 
to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  soldiers 
and  their  familes.  This  mission 
was  called  La  Mision  del  Espiritu 
Santo  de  Zuniga.  Zuniga  was 
added  in  honor  of  the  thirty-sixth 
viceroy  of  Mexico. 

Rev.  Juan  de  la  Pena,  who  ac- 
companied Ramon's  expedition,  in 
1716,  as  chaplain  and  chronicler, 
reported  concerning  the  natives: 
'  'It  is  seen  that  these  tribes  are  doc- 
ile and  would  readily  enter  upon 
the  work  of  cultivating  the  soil  and 
their  own  souls,  more  especially  be- 
cause they  live  in  greater  misery 
than  the  other  tribes,  since  they 
subsist  altogether  on  fish  and  go 
entirely  without  clothing."  Bol- 
ton, however,  from  whom  this  quo- 
tation is  taken,  with  better  evidence 
declares  that  they  were  fierce  can- 
nibals and  extremely  warlike. 
Forty  or  more  Cujane,  Karankawa, 
and  Guapite  families  planted  their 
rancheria  near  the  presidio,  and 
others  may  have  joined  the  mission; 
but  scarcely  had  they  done  so,  when 
trouble  began.  In  the  fall  of  1723, 
a  quarrel  arose  between  the  savages 
and  the  soldiers.  Whether  or  not 
the  Spaniards  were  to  blame,  they 
at  least  showed  little  skill  in  deal- 
ing with  the  warlike  Indians.  An 
attempt  to  punish  the  offending 
I  natives  resulted  in  an  engagement, 


(l)See  Franciscan  Htrald,  November  and  December  1914,  and  April  1916. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


301 


during  which  Captain  Ramon  was 
killed.  The  Indians  hereupon  took 
to  flight,  but  returned  after  some 
weeks  to  take  reprisals  on  the 
lives  and  goods  of  the  soldiers. 
This  practice  they  kept  up  more  or 
less  continuously  for  twenty-five 
years. 

Discouraged  by  the  hostility  of 
the  Indians  toward  the  garrison, 
the  missionary  of  Espiritu  Santo, 
in  1726,  moved  his  mission  ten 
leagues  northwestward  to  the 
Guadalupe  River, (3)  where  •  he  be- 
gan work  anew  among  the  Xara- 
name  (Haraname)  and  the  Tamique 
tribes,  who  spoke  a  quite  different 
language. (3)  Shortly  afterwards  the 
presidio  was  likewise  moved  to  the 
same  district  by  Captain  Ramon's 
successor.  The  new  location  is  now 
marked  by  the  ruins  in  modern 
Mission  Valley,  says  Bolton,  west 
of  the  Guadalupe  River  and  near 
the  northwestern  line  of  Victoria 
County.  Details  of  the  missionary 
activity  are  lacking. 

As  for  the  Indians  of  the  former 
site,  an  official  report  has  it  that 
the  Cujane,  Coco,  Guapite,  Karan- 
kawa,  and  Copane  tribes  were  con- 
sidered incapable  of  being  reduced 
to  mission  life.  One  of  the  friars 
of      San     Antonio     wrote:       "In 


truth,  since  the  year  1733,  when  I 
came  to  this  province,  I  have  never 
heard  that  one  of  these  Indians  has 
attached  himself  to  the  Mission  of 
Espiritu  Santo."  A  little  later,  in 
1751,  he  complained  that  "the  Cu- 
janes  were  for  some  thirty  years 
considered  unconquerable,  and  be- 
cause unconquerable  they  were  the 
principal  obstacle  to  the  presidio  of 
Bahia.  "(4) 

Nevertheless,  on  April  14,  1750, 
the  viceroy  exhorted  the  mission- 
aries at  New  Espiritu  Santo  Mission 
to  do  all  in  their  power  to  reduce, 
congregate,  and  convert  the  Cu- 
janes,  Karankawas,  and  Guapites. 
They  were  to  be  treated  with  the 
utmost  kindness,  given  presents, 
and  assured,  on  behalf  of  the 
government,  that  if  they  would 
settle  down  in  a  pueblo  they  would 
be  given  new  missions,  protected 
from  their  enemies,  and  supplied 
with  all  the  necessaries  of  life. 
Similar  instructions  were  sent  to 
Captain  Manuel  Ramirez  de  la  Pis- 
zina,  the  new  commander  of  the 
Bahia  del  Espiritu  Santo  presidio. 
The  Fathers,  aided  by  this  officer, 
went  to  work  with  a  will,  but  little 
or  nothing  seems  to  have  been  ac- 
complished. The  Zacatecan  mis- 
sionary,  Fr.    Juan   Jose   Gonzalez, 


(2)  But,  as  Shea  remarks,  not  before  Fr.  Diego  Zapata  and  Fr.  Ignacio  Bahena 
had  fallen  victims  to  the  malarious  climate.  Shea  dates  the  transfer  of  the  mission 
1717.  The  new  site,  Bolton  adverts,  was  later  reported  as  fourteen  leagues  northwest 
from  Bahia  del  Espiritu  Santo,  and  about  ten  leagues  northwest  of  the  later  site  of 
Bahia  or  modern  Goliad 

(3)  "In  1760,  Fr.  Bartolome  Garcia  published  a  Manual  for  the  religious  instruc- 
tion in  the  Coahuiltecan  language  which  served  for  about  twenty  tribes  represented  at 
the  missions  of  San  Antonio  and  lower  Rio  Grande.  The  form  outlined  for  the  confes- 
sional in  this  book  reflects  the  horrible  moral  conditions  with  which  the  missionaries 
had  to  contend  in  their  work  of  civilization."  (Bolton,  p.  11.)  These  moral  conditions 
were  encountered  by  all  the  missionaries  among  the  savages  of  America  from  the  very 
first,  but  our  paganized  modern  "civilization",  we  dare  say,  presents  far  more  revolt- 
ing difficulties  of  the  same  nature. 

(4)  Bolton,  pp.  59,  61,  99,  100,  285,  286. 


302 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


appears  to  have  been  in  charge  of 
New  Espiritu  Santo  Mission,  on  the 
Guadalupe.  For  a  short  time,  in- 
deed, some  Cujane  Indians  settled 
there,  but  by  the  end  of  1751  they 
deserted.  A  good  harvest  of  fif- 
teen souls  baptized  in  articulo  mor- 
tis consoled  the  missionary  some- 
what in  his  disappointment.  "This 
is  what  happens  daily  in  those  and 
all  other  frontier  missions,"  says  a 
report  of  that  date.  "The  same 
will  be  true  two  hundred  years 
hence,  unless  there  be  established 
there  settlements  of  Spaniards  and 
civilized  people  to  protect,  restrain, 
and  make  respectable  the  barba- 
rous Indians  who  may  be  newly  con- 
gregated, assuring  them  before 
their  eyes  a  living  example  of  civi- 
lized life,  application  to  labor,  and 
to  the  faith.  Without  this  they 
will  always  remain  in  the  bonds  of 
their  native  brutality,  inherited  for 
many  centuries,  as  happens  in  the 
missions  of  the  Rio  Grande,  of 
Eastern  Texas,  and  all  the  rest 
where  there  are  no  Spanish  settle- 
ments; for  the  Indians  there,  even 
after  having  been  congregated  fifty 


years  or  more,  return  to  the  woods 
atwill.,,(6> 

Alas  for  the  remedy  proposed! 
The  presence  of  white  settlers  near 
the  missions  far  oftener  proved 
a  curse  than  a  blessing  to  the  In- 
dians. The  missionaries  and  the 
Spanish  king,  too,  wished  white 
settlers  to  take  up  land  near 
the  missions,  and  by  their  in- 
dustry, sobriety,  purity,  and  fidel- 
ity to  religion  and  its  precepts  show 
the  natives  how  to  raise  themselves 
from  the  degradation  of  paganism 
and  indolence.  The  effect  on  the 
savages  would  have  been  irresisti- 
ble. The  history  of  nearly  all  the 
Spanish  missions,  however,  and 
this  is  true  of  the  French  missions 
as  well,  demonstrates  that  in  but 
few  instances  the  missions  derived 
any  lasting  benefit  from  the  pres- 
ence of  white  settlers  or  soldiers; 
and  that,  if  the  messengers  of  the 
Gospel  succeeded  in  winning  the 
savages  to  the  Faith,  it  was  in 
spite  of  the  obstacles  thrown  in  their 
way  by  the  very  persons  whom 
they  expected  to  aid  them  in  their 
apostolic  work. 


(5)     Bolton,  Texas  in  the  Middle  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  309 


INDULGENCE  OF  THE  PORZIUNCOLA 

The  Plenary  Indulgence  of  the  Porziuncola  can  be  gained  from  noon  of 
August  1  until  midnight  of  August  2,  as  often  as  one  visits  a  Franciscan 
church  or  any  other  church  that  has  the  privilege.  The  conditions  are:  Con- 
fession, Holy  Communion,  and  some  prayers  for  the  intention  of  the  Pope. 
The  Confession  may  be  made  already  on  July  30,  and  the  Holy  Commu- 
nion received  on  either  August  1  or  2.  Persons  that  go  to  Confession 
every  week,  need  not  make  an  extra  Confession  to  gain  these  indulgences. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


303 


FATHER  JAMES  MARQUETTE,  S.  J. 

By  Fr.  Odwic,   O.  F.  M. 


AMONG  the  immortal  names  in 
the  early  history  of  our 
country,  that  of  Father 
James  Marquette,  S.  J. ,  the  illus- 
trious Indian  Missionary  and  the 
discoverer  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
holds  an  enviable  prominence. 
Born  in  the  city  of  Laon,  in  France, 
in  the  year  1637,  Marquette  was 
but  seventeen  years  old  when  he 
entered  the  Society  of  Jesus.  Here 
he  chose  as  his  special  model  the 
great  Jesuit  missionary,  St.  Francis 
Xavier,  and  like  him  he  longed  to 
spend  his  life  for  the  conversion  of 
the  heathen  in  far-away  countries. 
His  cherished  desire  was  soon  to  be 
realized. 

In  1666,  Marquette  was  sent  by 
his  superiors  to  Canada,  where  he 
landed  at  Quebec,  on  September  20 
of  the  same  year.  Twenty  days 
later,  his  missionary  work  began— 
he  was  sent  to  Three  Riyers,  seven- 
ty-seven miles  above  Quebec,  to 
study  under  the  direction  of  Father 
Druillettes,  S.  J.,  the  language  of 
the  Montagnais,  their  customs  and 
habits,  and  to  inure  himself  to  the 
manner  of  life  he  would  have  to 
lead  as  a  missionary  among  the 
North  American  savages.  In  the 
spring  of  1668,  thoroughly  equipped 
for  the  great  spiritual  conflict  in 
which  he  was  to  engage,  Marquette 
received  orders  to  repair  to  the 
Ottawa  missions  on  Lake  Superior. 
He  accordingly  returned  to  Quebec, 
whence  he  set  out  for  his  distant 
mission  field  on  April  2,  with  Bro. 
Le  Soesme,  S.  J.,    and    two  other 


companions. 

The  first  stopping  place  on  that 
long-  journey  was  Montreal,  one 
hundred  and  eighteen  miles  up  the 
St.  Lawrence  from  Quebec.  The 
party  traveled  in  frail  birch  bark 
canoes,  and  made  about  thirty 
miles  a  day.  When  night  fell,  the 
priest  and  his  companions  would 
stretch  their  weary  and  cramped 
limbs  on  the  banks  of  that  lordly 
river,  with  naught  but  the  starry 
heavens  to  cover  them,  and  soon 
fell  asleep,  lulled  to  rest  by  the 
gentle  breezes  making  music  in  the 
trees.  After  a  short  stay  at  Mon- 
treal, waiting  for  a  suitable  person 
to  guide  them  through  the  hun- 
dreds of  miles  of  pathless  wilder- 
ness yet  to  come,  they  joined  a 
party  of  Indians,  who  were  about 
to  return  to  the  Lake  Superior  re- 
gions after  trading  with  the 
French. 

Ascending  the  turbid  waters  of 
the  Ottawa  River  for  nearly  four 
hundred  miles  and  passing  through 
a  chain  of  narrow  rivers  and  small 
lakes,  they  entered  LakeNipissing. 
Their  course  then  led  them  down 
the  rapid  current  of  French  River, 
through  cheerless  solitudes,  across 
the  broad  stretches  of  Georgian 
Bay,  into  the  seemingly  boundless 
expanse  of  Lake  Huron.  They 
skirted  the  northern  shore,  until 
they  reached  Sault  Sainte  Marie, 
which  marks  the  outlet  of  Lake 
Superior  into  Lake  Huron.  Here 
Father  Marquette  planted  his  first 
mission  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  on 


304 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  present  American  side  of  the 
channel,  and  began  his  heroic  and 
apostolic  career  in  the  missions  of 
the  great  Northwest. 

He  toiled  with  such  zeal  and  suc- 
cess, that  within  the  first  year  he 
baptized  eighty  children.  At  this 
time,  a  missionary  was  urgently 
needed  for  La  Pointe,  Wisconsin, 
where  Father  Allouez  had  founded 


of  the  Christian  religion,  and  in  his 
report  to  his  superior  he  describes 
these  savages  as  being  "far  from 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  above  all 
other  nations  addicted  to  lewdness, 
superstitious  sacrifices,  and  jug- 
gleries." 

In  this  letter,  too,  Father  Mar- 
quette makes  mention  for  the  first 
time  of  the  Mississippi  River,*  with 


On  the  Glassy  Waters  of  Wayagamug 


the  mission  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
had  made  quite  a  large  number  of 
converts,  although  unhappily  many 
of  them  proved  recreant.  To  "this 
ungrateful  field"  Marquette  joy- 
fully bent  his  steps,  where  he  ar- 
rived on  September  13,  1669.  Like 
his  predecessor,  he  had  irksome, 
uphill  worl^  in  his  endeavors  to 
imbue  the  carnal  Ottawas  and 
Hurons  with  the  high    moral    code 


which  his  name  was  destined  to 
become  inseparably  united.  "When 
the  Illinois  come  to  La  Pointe,"  he 
writes,  "they  pass  a  large  river 
about  a  league  in  width.  It  runs 
from  north  to  south,  and  so  far 
that  the  Illinois,  who  do  not  know 
what  a  canoe  is,  have  not  heard   of 

its  mouth It  is   hardly   credible 

that  this  large  river  empties  (into 
the  sea)  at  Virginia,  and  we  rather 


*In  Chippewa,  Misisibi  or  Mesisibi.  which  means  anything  which  is  greater  or  larger   than  •any- 
thing else  of  the  kind:  in  this  case,  a  river  greater  than  any  other  river. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


305 


believe  it  has  its  mouth  in  Califor- 
nia  At  a  distance  of  six  or  seven 

days'  journey  further  down  than 
the  Illinois,  there  is  another  large 
river  on  which  there  are  prodigious 
tribes  who  use  wooden  canoes.  We 
can  not  write  anything  else  about 
them  until  next  year,  if  God  vouch- 
safes to  conduct  us  thither." 

Burning  with  an  unquenchable 
thirst  for  the  salvation  of  these 
countless  savages  steeped  in  all 
the  miseries  of  diabolical  supersti- 
tion, Father  Marquette  began  to 
seek  an  opportunity  for  visiting 
these  distant  tribes,  especially  the 
Illinois  Indians,  who  numbered 
from  eight  to  nine  thousand  souls, 
and  to  whom  he  felt  himself  espec- 
ially attracted.  But  before  he 
could  carry  out  this  cherished  de- 
sign, he  was  fated  to  witness  the 
destruction  of  his  now  beloved  mis- 
sion at  La  Pointe.  Provoked  by 
the  Hurons  and  Ottawas,  the  fierce 
Sioux  swooped  down  on  the  mis- 
sion and  neighboring  villages  and 
forced  the  inhabitants  to  flee  for 
their  lives.  Marquette  accompa- 
nied his  scattered  flock  to  Mackinac, 
where  he  founded  the  mission  of 
St.  Ignace,  in  1671,  and  the  star  of 
hope  that  had  begun  to  light  up  his 
fancied  pathway  to  the  "great 
river  of  the  west"  grew  dim  and 
finally  faded  almost  entirely  from 
view. 

Still,  hoping  against  hope,  he 
zealously  continued  his  strenuous 
labors  in  the  Huron  mission,  pray- 
ing the  while  most  fervently  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  to  whom  he  bore 
an  extraordinary  devotion,  to  ob- 
tain for  him  the  privilege  of  discov- 


ering the  great  river  in  order  to 
spread  the  light  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  benighted  pagans  that 
thronged  its  banks.  On  the  feast 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception,  M. 
Louis  Joliet  reached  Mackinac 
bearing  orders  from  Count  de  Fron- 
tenac,  the  Governor  of  Canada,  to 
explore  the  Mississippi  River,  and  to 
ascertain  whether  its  waters  emp- 
tied into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  or  into 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  He  was,  more- 
over, instructed  to  request  Father 
Marquette  to  accompany  him  as 
guide  on  this  perilous  and  impor- 
tant expedition.  This  news,  ap- 
parently a  direct  answer  to  his 
many  prayers,  filled  the  good  mis- 
sionary with  untold  joy,  and  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  the  winter 
preparing  for  the  long  desired 
journey.  A  young  man  of  the 
Illinois  tribe,  who  had  been  cap- 
tured by  one  of  the  Hurons  and 
then  presented  to  the  missionary, 
assisted  him  in  learning  the  Illinois 
language,  the  knowledge  of  which 
was  to  be  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance during  his  voyage  of  dis- 
covery. 

On  May  17,  1673,  Father  Mar- 
quette, Louis  Joliet,  and  five  com- 
panions set  out  in  two  canoes  in 
quest  of  the  Mississippi.  Their 
nimble  paddles  cut  the  bright  sur- 
face of  Lake  Michigan  with  swift 
strokes  and  before  long  they 
reached  Green  Bay,  where  Father 
Allouez  had  established  a  mission. 
Here  they  ascended  the  Fox  River 
until  they  reached  the  portage 
which  has  given  its  name  to  the 
modern  city  of  Portage,  Wisconsin. 
It  was  at  this  time,     that  Father 


306 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Marquette  began  a  special  devotion 
in  honor  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception of  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
which  he  observed  daily  during  the 
rest  of  the  voyage.  Gliding  swift- 
ly down  the  Wisconsin  River,  the 
exploring  party  finally  reached  the 
Mississippi,  "which  we  safely 
entered,"  writes  Marquette,  "on 
June  17,  with  a  joy  that  I  can  not 
express."  In  thanksgiving  for  the 
evident  protection  and  guidance  of 
his  heavenly  Mother  Mary,  he 
called  it  the  river  of  the  Immacu- 
late Conception.  The  learned  priest 
as  solicitous  for  the  cause  of  science 
and  geographical  research  as  for 
the  salvation  of  souls,  drew  a  map 
of  the  country  through  which  they 
passed,  and  likewise  kept  a  diary 
of  the  whole  voyage.  This  docu- 
ment with  its  clear,  concise  style, 
and  valuable  information,  is  one  of 
the  most  important  and  interesting 
of  colonial  American  history. 

Their  light  birch  bark  canoes 
were  carried  rapidly  down  the 
mighty  stream,  and  they  soon 
passed  the  mouth  of  the  muddy 
Missouri,  then  the  broad  Ohio, 
down  to  the  Arkansas,  where  they 
learned  from  the  Indians  with  cer- 
tainty that  the  Mississippi  emptied 
into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Fearing 
that  by  pushing  on  further  they 
might  meet  with  hostile  Indians  or 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards, 
in  which  case  they  would  lose  the 
fruit  of  all  their  labors,  the  explor- 
ers determined  to  turn  back  and 
report  to  their  respective  superiors 
the  result  of  their  long  voyage. 

Having  rested  a  day  at  the  village 
of  the  Akamsea,    they   turned  the 


prows  of  their  canoes  about  on  July 
17,  and  began  the  painful  and  la- 
borious task  of  ascending  the  rush- 
ing current  of  the  majestic  river. 
Four  months  after  their  departure, 
they  reached  Green  Bay,  having 
traveled  a  distance  of  over  2600 
miles.  "Had  the  whole  voyage 
caused  the  salvation  of  but  a  single 
soul,"  writes  Marquette,  "I  should 
think  myself  well  repaid  for  all 
the  fatigue  endured.  And  I  have 
reason  to  think  this;  for  when  I 
was  about  to  leave  the  Illinois  Indi- 
ans on  my  return,  they  brought  me 
a  dying  child  to  the  water's  edge, 
which  I  baptized  before  it  died." 

Joliet  proceeded  to  Canada  to 
bring  the  news  of  the  great  discov- 
ery to  the  Governor,  while  the  hum- 
ble missionary  remained  at  Green 
Bay  from  September  1673  to  Octo- 
ber 1674,  to  recruit  his  declining 
health,  before  resuming  his  labors 
among  the  natives.  As  his  condi- 
tion was  somewhat  improved,  his 
superiors  granted  him  permission 
to  return  to  his  beloved  Illinois  In- 
dians and  found  among  them  the 
promised  mission  of  the  Immacu- 
late Conception.  Leaving  Green 
Bay  on  October  25,  1674,  with  two 
faithful  Frenchmen,  Pierre  Por- 
teret  and  Jacques,  he  started  south- 
ward and  arrived  in  December  at 
the  Chicago  River.  But  exposure 
to  the  cold  and  the  storms  on  Lake 
Michigan  brought  back  his  old  ail- 
ment and  much  against  his  will  he 
was  compelled  to  spend  the  winter 
in  a  wretched  Indian  hut  not  far 
from  the  present  site  of   Chicago. 

Toward  spring,  he  rallied  suffici- 
ently to  continue   his   journey   and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


307 


finally,  after  enduring  the  most 
acute  sufferings  with  heroic  pa- 
tience, he  reached  the  great  village 
of  the  Illinois  situated  near  the 
river  of  the  same  name,  where  he 
was  received  as  an  angel  from 
Heaven.  All  the  Indians  listened 
to  his  instructions  with  marked 
interest  and  docility,  and  he  was 
about  to  achieve  an  abundant  spirit- 
ual harvest 
when  he  again 
fell  so  seriously 
ill  that  he  rea- 
lized that  his 
end  was  nigh. 
His  neophytes 
became  quite 
disconsolate 
over  the  forced 
departure  o  f 
their  beloved 
Black  Robe,  and 
they  begged 
him  to  return 
as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. He  prom- 
ised to  do  so, 
or  at  least  to 
send  some  oth- 
er priest  to  in- 
struct, them  in 
the  true  faith. 
Then  the  In- 
dians escorted 
him  for  more  than  thirty  leagues, 
contending  with  one  another  for 
the  honor  of  carrying  his  little  bag- 
gage. 

Returning  north  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  the  poor 
priest  was  so  weak  that  he  had  to 
lie  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  while 
his  two  French  companions  swiftly 


Photo  by  Grace  C.  H^rn 

First  Steps  on  the  Warpath 


plied  their  paddles  lest  he  die  be- 
fore they  reached  Mackinac.  But 
soon  he  began  to  sink  rapidly  and 
perceiving  the  mouth  of  a  small 
river  with  high  banks,  which  he 
thought  suitable  for  his  burial 
place,  he  told  them  that  this  was 
the  place  of  his-  last  repose,  and 
bade  them  to  carry  him  thither. 
They  did  as  he  told  them,  and  has- 
tily built  a 
wretched  bark 
cabin  to  shield 
him  from  the 
sun.  In  spite 
of  his  terrible 
sufferings,  he 
maintained  an 
admirable 
equanimity  and 
gentleness, 
consoling  h  i  s 
weeping  com- 
panions and  as- 
suring them 
that  God  would 
not  forsake 
them  when  he 
would  be  gone. 
Then  feeling 
that  he  had  but 
a  short  time  to 
live,  he  took 
off  the  crucifix 
which  he  wore 
about  his  neck  and  placed  it  in  the 
hands  of  one  of  the  men,  asking  him 
to  hold  it  constantly  before  his  eyes. 
With  an  effort,  the  dying  priest 
clasped  his  hands,  and  with  his  gaze 
fixed  on  the  cross,  he  pronounced 
aloud  his  profession  of  faith,  and 
thanked  God  for  the  great  grace  he 
was  giving  him  in  allowing  him  to 


308 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


die  in  the  Society  of  Jesus  and  as  a 
missionary  of  Jesus  Christ,  far 
from  home  and  kindred  and  desti- 
tute of  almost  all  human  aid.  His 
last  words  were  "Mater  Dei,  me- 
mento mei  — Mother  of  God,  remem- 
ber me."  Suddenly  raising  his 
eyes  above  the  crucifix  and  fixing 
them  apparently  on  some  object 
which  he  regarded  with  pleasure, 
with  a  countenance  all  radiant  with 
smiles,  he  expired  without  a  strug- 
gle, as  gently  as  if  he  had  sunk  in- 
to a  quiet  sleep,  close  to  midnight 
on  Saturday,  May  18,  1675,  in  the 
thirty- ninth  year  of  his  age. 

Thus  he  died  the  great  apostle, 
Far  away  in  regions  west; 

By  the  Lake  of  the  Algonquins 
Peacefully  his  ashes  rest; 

But  his  spirit  still  regards  us 
From  his  home  among  the  blessed. 

His  companions  reverently  buried 
him  where  he  died*  according  to 
his  own  directions  and  marked  his 
grave  with  a  cross.  Two  years 
later,  some  Indians,  whom  Mar- 
quette had  instructed  in  the  true 
faith,  discovered  his  grave  and  on 
opening  it  found  the  body  dried  up, 
the  skin  being  still  whole  and  un- 
injured. This  did  not  prevent 
them  from  dissecting  it  according 
to  their  custom.  Having  washed 
the  bones  and  dried  them  in  the 
sun,  they  wrapped  them  reverently 
in  birch  bark  and  bore  them  to  the 
mission  of  St.  Ignace  at  Mackinac. 
The  convoy  consisted  of  nearly  thir- 
ty canoes,    many    Iroquois  joining 


with  the  Algonquins  to  do  honor  to 
the  great  Black  Robe.  Father 
Nouvel  and  Pierson  together  with 
all  the  Frenchmen  and  the  Indians 
of  the  mission  went  out  to  meet 
the  funeral  cortege,  and  brought 
the  body  in  solemn  procession  to 
the  church.  Here  it  remained  all 
day  in  state.  The  following  morn- 
ing, Wednesday,  June  9,  1677,  aft- 
er the  funeral  services,  the  pre- 
cious remains  of  the  zealous  mis- 
sionary and  intrepid  explorer  were 
laid  to  rest  in  a  little  vault  in  the 
middle  of  the  church,  where  the 
Indians  often  gathered  to  pray  at 
his  tomb. 

In  1887,  a  bill  was  passed  by  the 
assembly  at  Madison,  Wisconsin, 
authorizing  the  State  to  place  a 
statue  of  Marquette  in  the  Hall  of 
Fame  at  Washington,  D.  C.  This 
statue  is  from  the  chisel  of  the 
Italian  sculptor  S.  Tretanove,  and 
is  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  most 
artistic  in  the  Capitol.  The  A.  P.  A. 
gave  evidence  of  the  spirit  of  ani- 
mosity toward  everything  Catholic 
that  animates  them  when  they 
strove  to  have  Marquette's  statue 
removed  from  this  high  place  of 
honor,  but  their  unholy  and  un- 
patriotic efforts  were  happily 
thwarted. 

Thus  of  him,  who,  as  Shea  says, 
"sought  no  laurels  and  aspired  to 
no  tinsel  praise, "  have  been  veri- 
fied the  prophetic  words  of  Ban- 
croft, "The  people  of  the  West  will 
build  his  monument." 


fNear  the  present  city  of  Ludington,  Michigan. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


309 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  WORLD 

By  Noel  A.  Dunderdale,  Tertiary 


AS  the  Putnams  sat  down  at 
the  table,  the  elder,  Miss 
Louise,  apologized  to  their 
guest  for  the  lateness  of  the  din- 
ner. 

"I'm  very  sorry,"  she  said,  —  and 
so  she  was,  for  her  orderly  spirit 
rebelled  at  even  the  slightest  irreg- 
ularity—"but  the  cook  forgot  that 
the  stores  close  early  to-day;  she 
was,  therefore,  obliged  to  make 
other  arrangements  and  this  de- 
layed her." 

"One  of  those  typical  cases  of 
inefficiency,"  added  her  brother 
William.  "One  finds  so  many  peo- 
ple nowadays  who  have  no  place  in 
the  world  for  this  one  reason.  One 
slow  person  blocks  the  whole  pro- 
cession. One  act  of  forgetting— 
and  everything  is  upset.  I  had  a 
case  of  this  kind  only  to-day  at  the 
store.  A  customer  came  in  at  noon 
while  I  was  at  lunch.  His  business 
was  of  such  as  none  of  the  clerks 
could  attend  to;  so  one  of  them  said 
that  I  would  call  him  up  when  I 
returned.  Then  the  careless  girl 
proceeded  to  forget  all  about  it. 
She  didn't  tell  me  until  about  three 
hours  afterwards,  and  then  it  was 
too  late.     We  lost  the  business." 

'  'Which  girl  was  it?"  asked  Helen. 

"Miss  Allen,  the  girl  we  hired  re- 
cently," replied  her  brother. 

His  friend  tried  to  look  sorry. 

"Big  deal?"  he  asked. 

"No,  not  particularly.  It's  not 
that,  though.  It's  the  principle  I 
refer  to.    The  idea  of  forgetting 


drives  me  mad.  People  forget  and 
forget  continually  and  seem  to  think 
that  doing  so  is  enough  excuse  in 
itself.  So  it  was  with  this  girl. 
She  was  very  sorry  but — she  for- 
got!" 

"And  I  suppose  you  said,  'Oh, 
that's  all  right,  but  be  more  care- 
ful next  time,'  "  said  his  sister 
Helen. 

"Like  fun  I  did!  I  told  her  she 
need  not  bother  to  stay  any  longer; 
our  business  could  be  conducted 
very  satisfactorily  without  her." 

Apparently  Will  was  well  pleased 
with  himself.  The  friend  frowned 
slightly  and  ventured  further  dis- 
cussion. 

"Don't  you  think,"  he  sugges- 
ted, '  'that  there  might  have  been 
some  reason,  some  sufficiently  good 
reason,  why  the  girl  forgot?  I  mean, 
was  it  really  inefficiency  or  was 
her  mind  occupied  with  something 
else?" 

"Hm!  Occupied  with  something 
else,  undoubtedly.  But  that's 
inefficiency.  She  was  probably 
thinking  about  where  she  had  been 
the  night  before  or  something 
equally  irrelevant.  I  want  my 
help  to  know  that  during  business 
hours  they  must  think  of  business, 
and  nothing  else.  I'm  not  running 
a  business  for  fun,"  and  Putnam 
plainly  showed  his  annoyance. 

"Of  course,"  continued  his  friend 
"it's  impossible  to  say  anything 
about  the  case  without  actually 
knowing  all  the  circumstances.    But 


310 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


there's  a  possibility  that  there  was 
some  justification.  It  seems  hard 
on  the  girl  to  be  discharged  just  for 
that." 

"I  don't  agree  with  you,"  said 
Louise,  tartly.  "It  probably  is  the 
best  thing  in  the  world  for  her  and 
will  teach  her  to  appreciate  a  good 
position  when  she  gets  one." 

The  attitude  of  the  Putnams  was 
typical  of  the  qualities  that  make 
the  successful  business  man.  A 
glance  at  the  room  told  plainly 
that  they  were  quite  wealthy. 
The  soft,  thick  rugs,  the  rich  fur- 
niture, the  choice  oil-paintings, 
each  with  its  individual  light, 
showed  that  William  Putnam  was 
efficient,  according  to  his  own 
severe  methods. 

His  two  sisters,  too,  were  com- 
pletely of  his  opinion,  probably 
because  they  thought  that  a  man 
who  could  make  a  great  deal  of 
money  must  be  right  in  everything. 
Their  younger  brother  Jim  was  a 
man  of  different  type,  one  who 
looked  at  things  from  %he  other  side. 
It  was  at  his  suggestion  that  the 
offending  girl  had  been  employed. 
But  William  had  deliberately  over- 
looked this  point  when  discharging 
the  girl. 

Jim  was  always  finding  deserv- 
ing cases,  and  he  spent  much  of  his 
time  and  money  in  helping  others. 
His  brother  and  sisters  were  res- 
olutely opposed  to  this,  and  they  did 
not  hesitate  to  express  their  disap- 
proval. "People  have  only  them- 
selves to  blame, "  they  said,  '  'if  they 
are  poor.  There's  work  and  money 
for  everyone;  if  any  are  hungry, 
it's  their  own  fault." 


So  they  condemned,  dividing 
humanity  into  two  classes — those 
who  were  efficient,  who  looked 
after  themselves,  and  those  who 
through  laziness  never  had  enough 
and  who  consequently  depended 
upon  their  abler  brethren  to  give 
them  what  they  did  not   earn. 

A  few  days  after  this,  Putnam 
Brothers'  jewelry  store  was  the 
scene  of  a  great  disturbance.  The 
store  had  been  robbed,  robbed  in 
broad  daylight,  while  everyone  was 
present  and  so  mysteriously  had  it 
been  done  that  no  one  knew  any- 
thing about  it. 

William  Putnam  was  discussing 
the  matter  with  his  assistants  and 
vainly  trying  to  get  some  reliable 
information.  The  girls,  however, 
were  too  excited  to  talk  coherently 
and  Mr.  Putnam's  temper  rose 
in  consequence. 

"There  has  been  enough  fooling," 
he  exclaimed,  angrily,  "and  no  one 
has  offered  any  evidence  yet.  It's 
about  time  something  definite  was 
done."  Silence  fell  on  the  group 
of  people  about  him  and  all  waited 
for  him  to  continue. 

"Take  your  book,  Miss  Kelly," 
he  said  to  the  stenographer,  "and 
note  what  these  people  have  to 
say."  He  turned  to  the  watch  re- 
pairer. 

"Oliver,  you're  supposed  to  be 
at  your  table  all  the  time.  You 
should  know  something  about  this 
affair.  What  did  you  see?  Put 
down  his  answers,  Miss  Kelly." 

Oliver  blinked  a  couple  of  times, 
raised  his  hand  for  emphasis,  and 
prepared  for  a  lengthy  account. 

"Well,  sir,  I  was  here  all  right, 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


311 


I  always  get  down  to  the  store 
early  you  know—" 

"Yes,  yes.  What's  that  got  to 
do  with  it?"  interrupted  Putnam. 

"Nothing,  sir,  only  that  I  was 
here  before  the  store  was  opened 
for  business  and  nobody  came  in 
until  Miss  Allen  came  to  see  you." 

"Did  any  one  come  in  after  Miss 
Allen?" 

"Well,  sir,  I  can't  say  exactly, 
sir,  because  I  was  working  on  this 
watch  here  and  wasn't  paying 
much  attention  to  the  store." 

Oliver  was  always  wordy.  The 
only  way  to  get  information  from 
him  was  to  ask  him  direct  questions 
and  Mr.  Putnam  pursued  this 
course. 

"But  you  don't  think  any  one 
came  in,  do  you,  Oliver?" 

"No,  sir." 

"All  right,  Oliver;  that's  all  for 
you,  I  guess.  Did  any  one  else  see 
any  customer,  or  anybody  except 
Miss  Allen,  in  the  store  this  morn- 
ing between  eight  and  nine 
o'clock?"  All  answered  in  the 
negative. 

Mr.  Putnam  fingered  his  watch- 
chain  for  a  moment  before  he 
spoke. 

"I  don't  think,"  he  said,  slowly, 
'  'that  there  is  much  doubt  about  it 
that  Miss  Allen  is  guilty.  I  certain- 
ly placed  all  th*  ring  trays  in  the 
show  case  at  eight  o'clock,  and  at 
nine  this  one  tray  was  missing.  I 
don't  like  to  accuse  Miss  Allen,  but 
she  was  the  only  one  in  here  and 
she  was  displeased  because  she 
couldn't  keep  her  position.  After 
all  she  was  here  only  a  few  weeks 
and  I  don't  know  anything  about 


her.  I  employed  her  solely  on  my 
brother's  recommendation." 

The  employees  dispersed  to  their 
various  occupations  and  further 
discussion  was  restricted  to  the 
few  remarks  that  passed  from  one 
clerk  to  another.  Oliver  was  the 
only  one  to  make  audible  comment. 
"Friday,  the  13th,"  he  muttered 
significantly.  "Look  at  the  calen- 
dar." With  that  he  returned  to 
his  watches. 

While  the  affair  was  uppermost 
in  the  minds  of  all,  there  was  one 
who  was  more  deeply  affected  than 
the  others.  This  was  Miss  Waite 
of  the  silver- ware  department. 

Super-sensitive  and  keenly  sym- 
pathetic, she  had  been  quick  to 
realize  the  position  in  which  Miss 
Allen,  the  supposed  thief,  was 
placed,  and  while  she  had  no  knowl- 
edge of  the  robbery  or  any  con- 
nection, beyond  acquaintance,  with 
Miss  Allen,  she  felt  a  great  pity 
for  her  and  a  keen  desire  to  pre- 
vent her  exposure  and  public 
accusation.  For  Miss  Allen,  as 
she  well  knew,  was  the  only  sup- 
port of  her  mother,  and  the  world 
had  been  none  too  kind  to  them. 
Employment  was  not  easy  to  get, 
living  expenses  were  high,  the 
mother  was  sick;  all  these  troubles 
were  theirs.  If  public  disgrace  were 
added— she  could  not  think  of  what 
would  happen!  Even  if  Miss  Allen 
were  guilty, —and  there  was  al- 
ways hope  that  she  was  not— could 
nothing  be  done  to  help  her? 

A  customer  entered  and  demand- 
ed attention.  The  girl  waited  upon 
her,  her  thoughts  far  away  and  all 
her  ingenuity  bent  upon    finding  a 


312 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


way  to  help  her  friend.  The  cus- 
tomer was  hard  to  please,  too,  and 
insisted  on  seeing  all  the  stock. 
Miss  Waite  called  out  all  her  re- 
serves of  patience,  but  it  was  hard 
to  stand  there  and  try  to  be  pleas- 
.  ant  when  she  was  so  anxious  to  be 
doing  something  else.  Every  mo- 
ment might  count  against  her, 
and  as  yet  she  had  not  even  a  def- 
inite plan  of  action.  All  she  could 
think  of  was  to  see  her  friend,  to 
find  out  the  truth,  and  then— well, 
she  would  see. 

At  the  first  possible  moment,  she 
left  the  store  and  hurried  to  the 
flat  where  the  Aliens  lived.  Grop- 
ing her  way  up  the  dark  stairs  to 
the  top  floor  she  found  their  rooms 
and  knocked  loudly  on  the  door.  It 
was  opened  at  once  and  by  Miss 
Allen  herself.  She  started  in  sur- 
prise at  seeing  who  had  come. 

"Marjorie!  What  are  you  doing 
here?"  she  exclaimed. 

"Hush!  is  your  mother  in?"  de- 
manded the  other,  quietly. 

"No.  But  why?  What  do  you 
want?  Come  in  and  tell  me." 

Majorie  followed  her  into  the 
dingy  parlor,  carefully  observing 
all  the  details  of  furnishing,  the 
worn  rug,  the  broken  chair,  the  oil 
lamp  that  was  cheaper  than  gas, 
the  lack  of  all  ornaments  and  minor 
comforts. 

"I  have  no  time  to  spare,"  she 
began.  "I  rushed  away  from  the 
store  to  tell  you  about  the  rob- 
bery." 

The  other  girl  started  suddenly 
and  dropped  into  a  chair. 

"The— the— what?"  she  asked, 
nervously,  her  lips  trembling. 


"The  robbery.  Some  one  came 
into  the  store  this  morning  and  took 
a  tray  of  rings.  Mr.  Putnam  ques- 
tioned us  all  to  find  out  who  knew 
about  it,  and — and  but  what's  the 
matter?" 

"Nothing— nothing.  I  don't  feel 
well.  But  what  did  they— did  he 
find  out— does  he  know—?"  Her 
nervousness  was  extreme.  Every 
bit  of  color  had  left  her  face;  her 
whole  body  trembled;  her  teeth 
chattered.  Marjorie  ran  towards 
her  and,  kneeling  on  the  floor, 
took  Miss  Allen  in  her  arms. 

"Tell  me,  Anna,"  she  said,  kind- 
ly. "Did  you  do  it?  Don't  be 
afraid,  I'm  your  friend.  I  want  to 
help  you.  I  came  here  for  that 
purpose,  because  I  feared  that 
maybe  you—" 

Anna  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands  and  sobbed  violently.  No. 
further  answer  was  necessary. 

For  a  moment  the  other  girl 
waited  without  speaking.  The  in- 
sistent ticking  of  an  alarm  clock 
reminded  her  that  she  had  but  lit- 
tle time. 

"Hush,  dear,"  she  whispered. 
"Crying  will  do  no  good.  If  we 
act  quickly,  maybe  something  can 
be  done.  But  no  one  must  know. 
What  did  you  do  with  them?" 

The  answer  was  almost  inaudible. 

"Nothing.  I— was— too— scared! 
They're  in— the— cl— closet,"— and 
the  tears  flowed  faster. 

"Get  them  for  me,"  demanded 
Marjorie. 

The  girl  did  as  she  was  bid  and 
produced  a  package  wrapped  in  a 
newspaper.  Marjorie  slipped  it 
into  her  muff. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


313 


"I  can't  stay  now,"  she  said. 
"They'll  miss  me  at  the  store.  But 
— one  thing,  why  did  you  do  it?" 

"Bills— bills!"  came  the  reply. 
"Doctor's  bills,  rent,  medicine,  and 
—and— no  work— but  oh!  I'm  sorry. 
I  didn't  think — I  was  crazy,— tell 
them  for  me,  will  you?  Please  help 
me,  don't  let  them  do  anything  to 
me!  It  would  kill  mother!  They're 
all  there!  There's  not  one  missing. 
They  won't  do  anything  if  there 
are  none  missing,  will  they?  Oh, 
Marjorie,  Marjorie,  help  me!"  She 
sat  down  and  gave  way  to  another 
burst  of  tears. 

"I'll  see  you  again  to-night," 
said  Marjorie  as  she  went. 

At  the  corner  Marjorie  Waite 
boarded  a  street-car  to  take  her 
back  to  the  store.  So  far  matters 
had  gone  well,  she  thought.  She 
had  recovered  the  stolen  goods,  and 
now  all  she  had  to  do  was  to  put 
them  back  where  they  belonged. 
But  this  was  the  trouble.  It  might 
be  possible  to  put  the  tray  in  the 
show  case  without  being  seen,  but 
there  would  certainly  be  an  enquiry 
as  to  how  it  got  there.  She  might 
deny  all  knowledge  of  it,  but— 
could  she  do  so  without  being  found 
out?  Scarcely,  she  feared.  On 
the  other  hand,  suppose  made 
a  clean  breast  of  it  all  to  Mr.  Put- 
nam and  begged  him  not  to  say 
anything  to  Anna.  But  that  would 
not  do,  either,  for  it  would  go 
against  Miss  Allen  in  getting 
another  position,  No,  William  Put- 
nam must  not  know.  If  only  Jim, 
the  younger  brother,  were  in  town! 
Then  all  would  be  well,  surely.  Jim 
would  find  a   way   for  her.     Could 


she  wait  until  he  returned  to  the 
city?  No,  it  was  too  long.  He 
would  not  be  back  for  perhaps  two 
days,  and  in  the  meantime  Anna 
would  be  accused,  arrested  maybe 
—it  was  too  awful  to  think   about. 

Marjorie  Waite's  position  was 
strange.  She  had  been  in  the  em- 
ployment of  the  firm  for  some  years, 
and  a  strong  friendship  had  sprung 
up  between  her  and  Jim  Putnam, 
the  junior  member.  His  family, 
however,  objected  strongly  to  a 
marriage  with  one  of  lower 
station,  and  for  that  reason  she 
had  refused  to  become  engaged  to 
him,  fearing  for  his  happiness. 
William  Putnam  did  not  like  Mar- 
jorie and  he  would  have  given 
anything  to  get  her  discharged,  but 
he  realized  that  any  action  on  his 
part  would  have  the  effect  of  mak- 
ing his  younger  brother  still  more 
persistent.  So,  while  the  girl  en- 
joyed the  greatest  degree  of  friend- 
ship with  one  member  of  the  firm, 
the  other  maintained  a  severely 
business-like  attitude  that  made 
him  absolutely  unapproachable. 

Marjorie  continued  to  revolve 
the  situation  in  her  mind,  but 
without  success.  The  case  seemed 
hopeless  whichever  way  it  was 
viewed.  Now  she  had  returned  to 
the  store,  without  any  plan  of 
action  and  with  the  tray  of  rings 
inside  her  muff.  Pausing  at  the 
door  she  looked  carefully  inside 
before  entering.  Mr.  Putnam  was 
not  in  sight.  The  others-?  Well, 
they  would  not  see  anything.  She 
entered,  went  behind  the  counter, 
hastily  slipped  the  tray  out  of  its 
wrappings,  put   it  into  the  show- 


314  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


case,  and  turned  to  see  Mr.  Putnam         '  'Step  into  my  office,  Miss  Waite, 
watching  her  attentively!  will  you?"  he  said. 


To  be  continued 


g>ummrr  Mtnt 

©gr  flaming  orb  barta  from  tlyr  rlnublraa  akg 

3ta  ptrrring  glarr, 
Anb  ixkv  a  firrg  now  rnnnb  about 

Hot  burns  tgr  air. 

IKan,  irnbrr  rrraturr,  bg  tgr  glomtng  grat 

3a  aorr  annogpb; 
3Eifp  arrtna  a  burbrn  ahnoat,  not  a  boon 

®o  br  rnjogrb. 

?8nt  arr  tgr  tngriab  flomrra  in  rtrlf  bloom, 

A  monbroua  aiggt! 
Mitt?  balmg  fragranrr  atnrrtrmng  tgr  air 

iflnr  man'a  brltgljt 

Anb  arr  tgr  rrbbrning  fruit,  tgr  golbrn  grain 

Upon  tgr  Mb, 
®gat  atrrngtg  anb  tug  for  mang  muting  baga 

(Ho  gitn  mill  girlb. 

®grrr  rotnr,  too,  in  tljr  aptritual  morlb 

£>omr  araaona  birr 
Wgrn  gtnra  tgr  aoul  bg  tribulation  trirb 

Aa  if  bg  ftrr. 

Hut  in  that  grat  mgat  lourlg  flom'ra  ran  tgritir 

(§{  nirtnra  brtggt, 
ffllgat  fruita  of  turrit,  tgat  rtrmallg 

fcgall  girlb  brligljt! 

-3t.  «.,  GOUffl. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


315 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy. —The  Acta  Apostoli- 
cae  Sedis,  of  June  1, 1917,  (Vol.  IX, 
No.  6)  brings  a  decree  of  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites  re- 
garding the  introduction  of  the 
cause  of  beatification  and  canoniza- 
tion of  the  venerable  servant  of  God, 
Fr.  Andrew  Philomenus  Garcia 
Acosta,  professed  Tertiary  lay 
Brother  of  the  Franciscan  convent 
at  Santiago  de  Chile,  in  South 
America.  This  holy  man  was  born 
of  good  and  pious  parents,  Gabriel 
Garcia  and  Augustina  Acosta,  on 
January  10,  1800,  at  Hampuienta  in 
the  Canary  Islands.  He  received  in 
Baptism  the  name  Andrew  of  Our 
Lady  of  Sorrows,  but  later  on,  ow- 
ing to  his  singular  devotion  to  St. 
Philomena,  he  added  the  surname 
Philomenus. 

As  a  child,  Andrew  was  assidu- 
ous in  helping  his  parents  in  their 
household  duties  and  in  applying 
himself  to  his  books.  When  he  had 
grown  older,  while  taking  care  of 
his  father's  sheep,  he  devoted  him- 
self in  the  solitude  of  the  fields  and 
meadows  to  prayer  and  pious  exer- 
cises, such  as  teaching  catechism  to 
the  children  of  the  neighborhood 
and  instructing  them  in  their  pray- 
ers. He  bore  a  special  veneration  for 
the  Blessed  Mother  of  God  and  he 
was  wont  to  gather  together  groups 
of  boys  at  stated  times  to  invoke  her 
powerful  protection  and  to  sing  her 
praises. 

When  thirty  years  of  age,  on  ac- 
count of  the  hard  times  then  pre- 
vailing in  his  native  land,  he  went 
to  Montevideo,  where  he  sought  to 
earn  an  honest  living  by  gathering 
and  selling  religious  books.  In  the 
meantime,  his  Father  Confessor, 
Fr.  Philip  Echanagucia,  a  Francis- 
can missionary,  perceiving  his  peni- 


tent's extraordinary  piety,  and  learn- 
ing of  his  desire  to  enter  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor,  confirmed  Andrew 
in  his  holy  vocation,  and  soon  had 
the  happiness  of  seeing  him  invested 
with  the  habit  of  St.  Francis  in  the 
convent  at  Montevideo.  Although 
as  a  lay  Brother  Andrew  was  a 
model  of  religious  perfection  to  all, 
he  was  made  the  butt  of  persecu- 
tion and  fearing  for  his  own  and 
the  community's  peace  and  happi- 
ness, he  quit  the  cloister  that  had 
become  so  dear  to  him,  and  sought 
to  earn  his  daily  bread  by  the  labor 
of  his  hands,  quite  forgetful  of  the 
injuries  that  had  been  heaped  on 
him  and  seeking  only  to  lead  a 
blameless  life. 

After  some  time,  feeling  himself 
again  strongly  drawn  to  the  Order, 
he  once  more  sought  and  obtained 
admission  to  the  convent  at  Monte- 
video. Not  long  after,  a  revolution 
broke  out  in  the  city,  and  all  the 
brethren  were  forced  to  leave  the 
convent  and  to  lay  aside  their  reli- 
gious habit.  Andrew  returned  to 
his  former  occupation,  but  soon  ac- 
companied his  Father  Confessor,  Fr. 
Philip  Echanagucia,  to  Santiago  de 
Chile,  where  they  were  kindly  re- 
ceived by  the  Franciscans  of  that 
city  and  Andrew  was  again  invested 
with  the  Tertiary  habit  as  a  lay 
Brother.  With  his  customary  zeal 
and  humility  he  labored  faithfully 
for  his  brethren  by  collecting  alms, 
all  the  while  giving  them  the  splen- 
did example  of  heroic  virtue. 

In  the  beginning  of  January  1853, 
knowing  that  the  day  of  his  death 
was  at  hand,  he  received  the  last 
sacraments  with  marked  devotion, 
and  had  the  happiness,  although 
only  a  Tertiary,  of  pronouncing  the 
solemn  religious  vows.     As  the  hour 


316 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  his  death  drew  nigh,  he  made  a 
fervent  act  of  faith,  and  then  in  the 
midst  of  his  sorrowing  brethren  he 
calmly  expired  on  January  14,  1853. 
His  funeral  was  celebrated  with 
great  pomp.  His  body  was  laid  to 
rest  in  the  public  cemetery  of  the 
city.  Two  years  later,  however,  the 
citizens  of  Santiago  de  Chile  col- 
lected a  large  sum  of  money  for  the 
purpose  of  transferring  his  precious 
relics  to  the  Franciscan  church 
where  an  elegant  tomb  near  the 
beautiful  altar  of  St.  Philomena  had 
been  prepared  to  receive  them. 

From  that  time  on,  the  fame  of  his 
sanctity  spread  rapidly,  and  the  dio- 
cesan authorities  of  Santiago  soon 
undertook  the  canonical  investiga- 
tion of  his  life  and  virtues  with  a 
view  to  laying  his  cause  before  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites.  This 
investigation  has  been  successfully 
terminated  and  the  case  brought  to 
the  notice  of  the  Sacred  Congrega- 
tion, which  in  turn  has  sought  the 
sanction  of  His  Holiness  Pope 
Benedict  XV  to  introduce  the 
solemn  cause  of  the  beatification  and 
cononization  of  this  venerable  ser- 
vant of  God.  This  the  Holy  Father 
graciously  granted  on  April  24  last. 

British  East  Africa.  — The  Capu- 
chin Fathers  of  Toulouse,  France, 
have  charge  of  a  flourishing  mis- 
sion among  the  Gallas  in  British 
East  Africa.  The  Gallas  are  thought 
to  be  descendants  of  a  Gallic  colony 
in  Abyssinia.  Very  primitive  in 
their  habits,  they  adore  one  God 
whom  they  call  Waqua,  a  name 
derived  probably  from  the  Hebrew 
Jahve.  Their  cult  consists  of  fre- 
quent prayers,  composed  in  rhyth- 
mic strophes,  and  of  sacrifices  offer- 
ed in  the  shade  of  large  trees. 
They  believe  in  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  in  a  paradise,  and  in  hell 
fire.  The  upper  classes,  too  fre- 
quently of  lax  morals,  are  a  great 
impediment  to  the  conversion  of 
these  people,  while  the  younger 
generation  adapt  themselves    quite 


!  easily  to  the  practices  and  devotions 
of  Christian  life.  At  present,  the 
Franciscan  mission  among  them 
numbers  18,000  Catholics.  These 
are  in  care  of  twenty-seven  Capu- 
chin Fathers,  nine  secular  priests, 
four  religious  of  St.  Gabriel  and 
eighteen  Franciscan  Fathers.  The 
mission  numbers  fifteen  orphanages 
with  270  orphans,  seventeen  schools 
or  colleges  with  600  pupils,  and  a 
leper  hospital  with  fifty  inmates. 

West  Park,  Ohio. -The  ordina- 
tions of  the  clerics  of  the  Francis- 
can house  of  studies  at  West  Park, 
Ohio,  took  place  this  year  on  July 
2  and  4,  in  St.  Joseph's  Church, 
Cleveland.  The  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
Farrelly  officiated.  Early  in  the 
morning  of  the  two  days,  a  number 
of  our  West  Park  friends  called  at 
the  convent  with  their  automobiles 
and  brought  the  clerics  to  Cleve- 
land, where  the  ceremonies  began 
at  8  o'clock.  The  Minor  Orders 
and  Subdeaconship  were  conferred 
on  the  following:  Fr.  Ephrem 
Muench,  Fr.  Win f red  Nolan,  Fr. 
Alphonse  Coan,  Fr.  Stanislaus 
Jaworski,  Fr.  Narcissus  Tarkowski, 
Fr.  Leander  Conley,  Fr.  Sylvester 
C.  Renier,  Fr.  Sylvanus  Matulich, 
Fr.  Jerome  Lutenegger,  Fr.  Ber- 
nardo A.  Cuneo.  On  July  4,  the 
following  clerics  were  ordained 
deacons:  Fr.  Symphorian  Nothoff, 
Fr.  Leo  F.  Ohleyer,  Fr.  Cyprian 
Emanuel,  Fr.  Bernardine  Teppe, 
Fr.  Walter  Magnien,  Fr.  Cuthbert 
Malone,  Fr.  Thomas  Habing,  Fr. 
Emeran  Fox,  Fr.  Humilis  Zwiesler, 
Fr.  Michael  Ziegan,  Fr.  Lawrence 
A.  Mutter,  Fr.  Louis  Schoen,  Fr. 
Stephen  Renier.  The  same  day 
marked  the  happy  attainment  of 
the  goal  for  which  ten  other  clerics 
had  been  preparing  themselves 
these  many  years,  for  immediately 
after  the  deacons  had  been  or- 
dained, the  following  were  raised 
to  the  dignity  of  the  holv  Priesthood : 
Fr.  Peter  C.  Bartko,  Fr.  Paul  C. 
Muschelwitz.  Fr.  Francis  de   Paul 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


317 


Middendorf,  Fr.  Rayner  Micek,  Fr. 
Othmar  Berthieaume,  Fr.  Vitalis 
Bartkowiak,  Fr.  Meinrad  Wessel- 
man,  Fr.  Emeric  Kocsis,  Fr.  Vigil 
Walkowiak,  Fr.  Julius  Schott.  The 
newly  ordained  priests,  after  re- 
ceiving the  congratulations  of  their 
fellow  religious,  soon  left  for  their 
homes,  where  in  the  midst  of  their 
happy  relatives  they  offered  to  God 
the  first  fruits  of  their  priestly 
ministry. 

Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Francis 
Church.— The  solemn  ceremonies 
of  investment  and  profession  were 
held  in  the  novitiate  monastery  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  Province  at  Teu- 
topolis, Ilk,  on  June  27.  The  Very 
Reverend  Fr.  Godfrey  Schilling, 
o.f.m.,  Commissary  of  the  Holy 
Land  at  Mount  St.  Sepulcher, 
Washington,  D.  C,  as  delegate  of 
our  Very  Reverend  Fr.  Provincial, 
officiated,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Fr. 
Ewald,  of  St.  Louis,  and  Fr.  Joseph 
Calasanctius,  of  St.  Joseph's  Col- 
lege, as  deacon  and  subdeacon. 
Rev.  Fr.  Gregory,  novice-master 
at  Teutopolis,  and  Rel.  Fr.  Felix, 
acted  as  masters  of  ceremonies. 
After  the  solemn  High  Mass,  Rev. 
Fr,  Godfrey  delivered  a  very  inter- 
esting and  instructive  address  to 
the  candidates  and  novices,  and 
then  the  ceremony  of  investment 
took  place.  First,  two  Tertiary 
lay  Brothers  from  Mount  St. 
Sepulcher,  Rel.  Bros.  Didacus  Ber- 
nard and  Casimir  Timko,  received 
the  cowl  of  the  First  Order,  after 
which  the  following  young  men, 
also  from  the  College  of  Mount  St. 
Sepulcher,  were  admitted  as  clerics 
to  the  novitiate  of  the  First  Order: 
Daniel  Hanlon,  now  Fr.  Alphonse, 
David  Widmayer  now  Fr.  Godfrey, 
and  Michael  Simon,  now  Fr.  Bona- 
venture.  Immediately  after  the 
investment,  the  following  novices 
pronounced  their  simple  vows:  Fr. 
Dominic  Limacher,  Fr.  Clement 
Martin,  Fr.  Pius  Vogel,  Fr.  Pa- 
schal Kinsel,  Fr.  Maximilian  Klotz- 


bucher,  Fr.  Fidelis  Hatch,  Fr. 
Casimir  Wisniewski,  Fr.  Peter 
Curtis,  Fr.  Robert  Schmitt,  Bro. 
Felix  Burkart,  Bro.  Francis  Wag- 
ner, Bro.  Antony  Bruya,  Br.  Hu- 
golinus  Barth,  Bro.  Anselm  Pe- 
schel 

St.  Peter's  Church,  Chicago,  111. 
—The  Tertiaries  of  Chicago  that 
are  wont  to  attend  services  at  St. 
Peter's  Church  will  undoubtedly 
regret  to  learn  that  Rev.  FF.  Henry 
and  Peter  Baptist  have  been  trans- 
ferred to  Waterloo,  Iowa,  During 
their  stay  of  several  years  at  St. 
Peter's  they  greatly  endeared  them- 
selves to  all  by  their  zeal  and  gen- 
ial ways.  Rev.  Fr.  Fortunatus  has 
been  appointed  to  succeed  Fr. 
Henry  as  superior  and  pastor,  and 
Rev.  FF.  Lambert  and  Basil  have 
been  added  to  the  community  at 
St.  Peter's.. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis 
Church.  —The  regular  monthly 
meeting  of  the  English-speaking 
branch  of  the  Third  Order  held  in 
St.  Francis  Church  on  July  1,  was 
very  well  attended.  Rev.  Fr.  Cle- 
ment Neubauer,  o.'  M.  cap.,  of 
St.  Francis  parish  who  said  his 
first  holy  Mass  on  June  17,  officiat- 
ed at  the  meeting,  while  Rev.  Fr. 
Director  preached  the  sermon.  In 
the  course  of  his  remarks,  Fr.  Di- 
rector emphasized  the  great  im- 
portance of  good  reading  in  the 
home,  and  urged  the  Tertiaries  to 
see  to  it  that  their  homes  were  well 
supplied  with  good  reading  matter, 
especially  Catholic  magazines  and 
newspapers,  including  their  Ter- 
tiary monthly.  Catholic  princi- 
ples, he  said,  must  be  instilled 
and  strengthened  in  the  daily  lives 
of  our  Catholic  people  by  sound 
and  wholesome  reading.  After 
the  profession  of  seven  novices, 
Rev.  Fr.  Clement  imparted  his 
first  priestly  blessing  to  those  who 
had  not  been  present  at  his  first 
Mass.  Papal  blessing  and  general 
absolution  closed  the  meeting. 


318 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


Cleveland,  Ohio,  St.  Stanislaus 
Church.  -  The  Tertiaries  of  St. 
Stanislaus  Church  this  city  with 
heavy  hearts  bade  farewell  to  their 
Rev.  Director,  Fr.  Cyril  Mitera,  o. 
F.M.,  who  has  been  sent  by  his  su- 
periors to  Petoskey,  Mich.  Since 
Fr.  Cyril's  appointment  as  Director 
of  the  Polish  Tertiary  fraternity  of 
Cleveland  three  years  since,  it  has 
doubled  its  membership,  many  of 
the  new  members  being  young  men 
and  ladies,  and  all  are  zealously 
working  for  the  spread  of  the  Third 
Order  and  of  Franciscan  ideals. 
The  best  wishes  and  prayers  of  the 
Tertiaries  follow  Fr.  Cyril  to  his 
new  post  that  God  may  continue  to 
bless  his  labors  for  the  good  of 
souls.  Rev.  Fr.  Protase  Kuberek, 
o.f.m.,  succeeds  Fr.  Cyril  as  Direc- 
tor of  the  Polish  Tertiaries. 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.  -The  Most  Rev. 
Fr.  Venantius  de  Lisle-en-Rigault, 
Minister  General  of  the  Capuchin 
Order,  is  at  present  in  this  country 
visiting  the  various  convents  of  his 
Order.  On  July  25,  accompanied 
by  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Ignatius,  Provin- 
cial of  the  Pittsburg  Capuchin  Prov- 
ince, Fr.  General  began  the  ca- 
nonical visitation  of  St.  Augustine's 
Province  in  Kansas. 

Boston,  Mass.,  St.  Clare  Monas- 
tery.— The  feast  of  Our  Lady  of 
Peace,  July  9,  was  the  occasion  of 
especially  solemn  services  in  the 
monastery  of  the  Poor  Clares  at 
Boston,  Mass.  Rev.  Philip  J.  0'- 
Donnell,  pastor  of  St.  James  Church 
and  delegate  of  His  Eminence,  Car- 
dinal O'Connell,  presided  at  the 
ceremonies.  Solemn  High  Mass 
was  sung  by  Right  Rev.  Monsignor 
A.  T.  Teeling,  P.  R.,  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  assisted  by  Rev.  N.  J.  Mur- 
phy, of  Peabody,  as  deacon,  and 
Rev.  Antony  Sousa,  o.f.m.,  as  sub- 
deacon,  while  Rev.  R.  Lee  and  Rev. 
T.  McDonough  were  the  masters  of 
ceremonies.  Father  O'Donnell 
preached  an  eloquent  sermon  on  the 
religious   state,    and  also  dwelt  on 


the  good  that  the  Poor  Clares  are 
effecting  by  their  cloistered  life, 
which  the  world  can  not  understand 
and  hence  can  not  appreciate.  The 
music  was  rendered  by  the  choir  of 
St.  James  Church. 

The  double  chapel  of  the  monas- 
tery was  banked  with  flowers  pre- 
sented by  the  relatives  and  friends 
of  the  nuns,  and  as  the  curtain  of 
the  choir  grate  was  drawn  aside, 
the  faithful  in  the  public  chapel 
were  afforded  a  view  of  the  clois- 
tered portion.  At  the  grate  knelt 
four  young  ladies,  arrayed  as  brides 
and  carrying  shower  bouquets  of 
roses  and  lilies.  On  receiving 
their  petition  to  separate  themselves 
forever  from  the  world,  the  Rev. 
Father  O'Donnell  blessed  their  hab- 
its. Then  all  the  Sisters  formed 
in  procession,  singing  appropriate 
hymns  and  bearing  lighted  can- 
dles in  their  hands,  and  led  the 
brides  of  Jesus  Christ  out  of  the 
chapel,  only  to  return  with  them  a 
few  minutes  later  clothed  in  the 
rough  grey  habit  of  the  Poor  Clares. 
Hereupon  the  newly  invested  novi- 
ces received  the  names  by  which 
they  will  be  henceforth  known  in 
religion:  Miss  Jane  A.  Dyson,  of 
Somerville,  Mass.,  Sr.  M.  Gulielmi 
of  our  Lady  of  the  Sacred  Heart; 
Miss  Mary  E.  Tattan  of  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  Sr.  Mary  Brendan  of  Our 
Lady  of  Perpetual  Help;  Miss  Laura 
Ruggiero,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  Sr. 
Mary  Fintan  of  Our  Lady  of  Grace; 
Miss  Antoinette  Capone,  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  Sr.  Mary  Dominica  of  Our 
Lady  of  the  Holy  Rosary.  After 
the  ceremony  of  investment,  Sr.  M. 
Silas  and  Sr.  M.  Joseph,  made  their 
simple  profession  and  Sr.  M.  Jar- 
lath  pronounced  her  simple  vows  as 
an  extern  Sister,  while  Sr.  M. 
Damian  and  Sr.  M.  Pacifici  were 
admitted  to  their  final  profession  as 
choir  nuns.  Solemn  Benediction 
with  the  Blessed  Sacrament  and  a 
heartfelt  Te  Deum  closed  the  cele- 
bration. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


319 


The  fourth  lecture  of  a  series  of 
instructions  for  the  Tertiary  novi- 
ces was  given  by  Fr.  Director  on 
July  15.  These  instructions  on  the 
Rule  of  the  Third  Order  are  given 
every  third  Sunday  of  the  month  at 
3.30  P.  M.,  in  St.  Francis  school 
hall.  Any  one  interested  in  the 
Third  Order  is  at  liberty  to  attend 
these  lectures. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Our  Lady  of  Per- 
petual Help  Convent. — Most  Rev. 
Archbishop  Glennon  officiated,  on 
July  11,  at  the  solemn  dedication  of 
the  new  chapel  of  Our  Lady  of 
Perpetual  Help  and  at  the  blessing 
of  the  new  building  recently  added 
to  the  convent  of  the  Polish  Fran- 
ciscan School  Sisters  on  Gasconade 
Street,  which  serves  as  the  mother- 
house  and  novitiate  of  this  young 
but  flourishing  community.  The 
addition  to  the  convent  was  built  at 
a  cost  of  $50,000,  and  has  a  front- 
age of  45  feet  and  a  depth  of  102; 
it  is  two  stories  high  with  a  fine  ten- 
foot  basement.  Many  priests,  both 
Franciscan  and  secular,  besides 
numerous  friends  of  the  Sisters 
were  present  at  the  celebration. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.— Notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  the  vacation  season  is  now  at 
its  height,  our  church  had  few  va- 
cant seats  at  the  last  general  month- 
ly meeting  of  the  Third  Order  held 
onJuly  1.  Our  Reverend  Director 
gave  a  very  interesting  address  on 
the  novitiate  and  the  reasons  for  it, 
pointing  out  the  means  of  instruc- 
tion open  to  Tertiary  novices  and 
urging  the  professed  members  to 
take  special  interest  in  the  novices 
that  they  may  become  more  and 
more  acquainted  with  the  aims  and 
spirit  of  the  Order.  On  this  occa- 
sion, twelve  postulants  were  in- 
vested with  the  scapular  and  cord 
and  nine  novices  made  their  pro- 
fession. 

At  our  last  general  council  meet- 
ing, our  Reverend  Director  made 
known   to  us  a  grand  project  that 


he  has  had  in  mind  for  some  time 
for  the  Tertiaries  of  St.  Boniface. 
It  is  nothing  less  than  the  building 
of  a  Third  Order  Home  in  San 
Francisco  to  accommodate  those 
Tertiaries  who  have  no  home  of 
their  own  and  who  desire  to  live  in 
good  Catholic  surroundings.  If  our 
Tertiaries  bring  to  this  great  work 
the  enthusiasm  it  deserves,  the 
building  may  be  made  sufficiently 
large  to  enable  it  to  be  used  for 
social  and  charitable  work  as  well. 

On  June  24,  our  Tertiaries  were 
proud  to  see  one  of  their  number, 
the  Rev.  Charles  A.  Dransfeld,  who 
was  ordained  to  the  holy  priesthood 
on  June  20,  standing  at  the  altar  in 
his  home  parish  church  of  St.  Boni- 
face and  offering  to  God  the  holy 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  for  the  first 
time.  He  was  assisted  by  the  Rev. 
Father  Kunkel,  of  Menlo  Park,  as 
arch-priest,  while  Rev.  FF.  Ilde- 
phonse  and  Pius  acted  as  dea- 
con and  subdeacon.  Rev.  Fr.  Ilde- 
phonse  also  delivered  the  festive 
sermon. 

A  monster  whist  party  will  be 
given  by  the  Tertiaries  on  August 
23  to  replenish  their  dwindling  funds 
in  order  to  meet  some  urgent  char- 
itable purposes.  The  Tertiaries  of 
our  fraternity  are  known  for  their 
generous  charities,  not  the  least  of 
which  has  been  their  recent  effort 
to  help  wipe  out  the  large  flour  bill 
of  the  orphanage  at  Watsonville, 
which  is  in  charge  of  the  Franciscan 
Fathers. 

Fruitvale,  Cal.,  St.  Elizabeth's 
Church.  — Our  Third  Order  fraterni- 
ty, which  received  new  life  at  the 
recent  mission  held  in  our  church,  is 
already  showing  a  healthy  increase 
in  its  membership.  On  July  8,  only 
a  month  after  the  mission  when  for- 
ty-six postulants  were  admitted  to 
the  novitiate,  five  new  members 
were  invested  with  the  cord  and 
scapular  and  six  novices  were  pro- 
fessed. 

Quincy  111.,  St.  Francis  Church— 


320 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


With  gratitude  to  God  and  hearts 
filled  with  joy,  the  people  of  St. 
Francis  Church  this  city  turned 
out  on  July  8  to  give  a  worthy  wel- 
come to  a  child  of  the  parish,  Rev. 
Fr.  Francis  de  Paul  Middendorf,  o. 
F.M.,  who  had  come  home  to  cele- 
brate his  first  holy  Mass  in  their 
midst.  At  9  o'clock  the  school  chil- 
dren and  the  members  of  the  vari- 
ous societies  marched  in  procession 
from  the  monastery  and  led  the 
Reverend  Father  and  the  officiat- 
ing clergy  to  the  church.  Fr.  Fran- 
cis de  Paul  was  assisted  at  the  sol- 
emn High  Mass  by  two  of  his 
former  classmates,  Rev.  Joseph 
Klaes  as  deacon  and  Rev.  Arthur 
Mescher  as  subdeacon.  Rev.  Fr. 
Andrew  0.  F.  m.  ,  former  pastor  of 
St.  Francis,  officiated  as  arch-priest, 
while  the  present  pastor  and  his 
assistant,  Rev.  FF.  Didacus  and 
Francis  acted  as  masters  of  cere- 
monies. An  inspiring  sermon  on 
the  grave  responsibilities  and  obliga- 
tions of  the  Catholic  priest  was  de- 
livered by  an  uncle  of  the  young 
priest,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Roger  Mid- 
dendorf, o.f.m.,  Rector  of  St.  Jo- 
seph's College,  Teutopolis,  111. 
Besides  the  Fathers  and  Brothers  of 
the  monastery  and  of  St.  Francis  Col- 
lege, a  number  of  secular  priests 
were  present  in  the  sanctuary  and 
the  large  church  was  filled  to  capa- 
city with  the  congregation  that 
had  gathered  for  the  happy  occasion. 


After  the  services,  dinner  was  served 
to  some  hundred  and  fifty  rela- 
tives and  friends  of  the  young  priest 
in  the  school  hall,  and  the  day  was 
brought  to  a  fitting  close  with  sol- 
emn Vespers  and  Benediction  at  7.30 
o'clock. 

Glenn  Riddle,  Pa.,  Convent  of  Our 
Lady  of  Angels.  —Twenty-six  young 
ladies  were  received  into  the  Third 
Order  Regular  at  the  Convent  of 
Our  Lady  of  Angels,  at  Glenn  Rid- 
dle, Pa.,  on  Saturday,  July  7,  and 
twenty-six  novices  were  admitted  to 
their  religious  vows  for  one  year  on 
the  same  occasion.  The  double  cer- 
emony was  presided  over  by  the 
Right  Rev.  John  McCort,  D.  D.,  as- 
sisted by  Very  Rev.  P.  Masson,  V. 
F.,  of  Allentown,  Pa.,  and  Rev.  C. 
F.  Patterson,  chaplain  of  the.  con- 
vent, in  the  presence  of  a  large  num- 
ber of  clergymen,  relatives  of  the 
candidates,  and  members  of  the  com- 
munity. During  the  course  of  the 
ceremony  a  befitting  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Bevenute  Ry- 
an, o.f.m.,  of  New  York,  who  had 
also  conducted  the  preparatory  re- 
treat for  the  happy  aspirants  and 
novices.  A  splendid  musical  pro- 
gram, including  Rosewig's  Ave  Ma- 
ria, Jesu  Dei  Vivi,  Ave  Verum,  and 
Ave  Maris  Stella,  enhanced  the  so- 
lemnity of  the  occasion,  and  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  services  the  whole 
congregation  joined  in  singing  the 
hymn  Holy  God. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:— Catherine  Hackett,  Sr.  Elizabeth;  Mary   BomhaK, 

Sr.  Clotilde. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity: — Nora  O'Donnell,  Sr.  Frances:  Anne  Ryan,  Sr.  Anas- 
t-asia;  Marv  Lynott,  Sr.  Frances;  Mary'Clowry,  Sr.  Clare. 
Fruitvale,  Cal.,    St.  Elizabeth's  Church:- Alberta  Krieg. 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,   St.  Boniface  Church:— Hugh  Meenan,    Mary  Robertson. 
Washington,  Mo.,  St.  Francis  Borgia  Church:— Catherine  Laumann.  Sr.  Rose. 
Requiescant  in  pace 


I  Jffranrisran  IH^ralb  I 

■jLi       A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred       :Ii 
-"•        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions       •*• 

VOL.V.  SEPTEMBER,  1917.  NO.  9 


izbtinnai  (ftnmment 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

From  its  very  beginning,  Christianity  in  spite  of  its  stern  doctrine  of 
sacrifice  and  self-denial,  has  exercised  a  powerful  influence  also  over  the 
members  of  the  weaker  sex.  Among  the  first  and  closet  adherents  of  our 
Savior  were  his  own  Blessed  Mother  and  the  other  pious  women  mentioned 
in  the  Gospel.  The  nature  of  woman  is,  of  course,  particularly  adapted 
to  suffering  and  sacrifice;  but  it  was  only  after  the  advent  of  Christianity 
that  her  native  powers  appeared  to  the  best  advantage.  For  Christianity 
not  only  restored  woman's  pristine  dignity,  but  it  elevated  her  nature  and 
strengthened  her  character,  so  that  from  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
era  woman  has  rivaled  man  in  the  exhibition  of  sublime  and  heroic  forti- 
tude. The  source  of  this  supernatural  strength  that  has  enabled  innumer- 
able holy  women  to  tread  the  rugged  path  leading  to  Calvary,  is  the  cross 
of  Christ.     It  is  this  idea  that  is  concreted  in   the   present   frontispiece. 

Foremost  among  the  group  of  pious  women  that  grace  the  "Triumph 
of  Christ",  is  St.  Helen,  the  mother  of  the  first  Christian  emperor.  Hav- 
ing rescued  the  sacred  symbol  of  our  redemption  from  desecration  and 
oblivion,  she  bears  it  aloft  as  the  sign  in  which  not  only  her  own  son  but 
all  followers  of  the  Crucified  have  conquered.  A  notable  instance  of  the 
saving  power  of  the  cross  is  St.  Thecla,  the  "protomartyr  among  women", 
who  was  converted  to  Christianity  and  led  to  dedicate  herself  to  perpetu- 
al virginity  by  the  preaching  of  the  Apostle  St.  Paul.  She  was  twice 
condemned  to  death  for  being  a  Christian;  but  neither  fire  nor  wild  beasts 
had  any  power  to  harm  her.  St.  Barbara,  another  noble  virgin,  allowed 
herself  to  be  beheaded  by  her  own  father  rather  than  renounce  the  religi- 
on of  the  cross.  In  like  manner,  the  holy  maidens  Margaret,  Catherine, 
Cecilia,  and  Agnes  suffered  death  by  decapitation  to  preserve  their  virgi- 
nal innocence  and  fidelity  to  their  heavenly  Bridegroom.  St.  Ludmilla, 
wife  of  the  first  Christian  Duke  of  Bohemia,  in  all  persecutions  to  which 
she  was  subjected  by  the  enemies  of  her  faith,  glorified  only  in  the  cross 
of  our  Lord  Jesas  Christ.  St.  Notburga,  patroness  of  peasants  and  serv- 
ants, led  a  life  of  obscurity  as  a  maid.  She  drew  her  strength  to  walk 
the  thorny  path  of  virtue  and  suffering  from  meditating  on  the  passion  and 
cross  of  our  Savior.  In  the  three  holy  penitents,  Mary  of  Egypt,  Mary 
Magdalene,  and  Margaret  of  Cortona  the  power  of  the  cross  is  even  more 
apparent  than  in  the  other  woman  here  depicted,  because  from  a  life  of 
sin  and  shame  they  were  converted  to  a  life  of  penance  and  edification. 


322  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Thus,  in  all  ages,  Christianity  has  shown  its  power  over  members  of 
the  weaker  sex  by  inspiring  them  with  a  love  for  even  the  most  arduous  of 
virtues,  as  for  instance,  holy  purity.  Thanks  to  the  all-powerful  grace  of 
Christ,  there  has  always  existed  in  his  spouse  the  Church  true  chastity, 
unsullied  purity,  inviolate  virginity.  It  has  existed  not  merely  as  a  poetic 
ideal,  a  pious  wish,  or  speculative  possibility,  but  as  a  reality  expressed 
in  thousands  of  examples.  The  more  a  sceptic  world  shrugs  its  shoul- 
ders, the  more  reason  we  have  to  rejoice  over  that  faith  which  gives  to 
weak  mortals  such  strength  that,  although  in  the  flesh,  they  yet  lead  the 
life  of  angels.  If  there  is  a  virtue  which  more  than  any  other  shows  the 
triumph  of  Christ  over  the  rebellious  nature  of  man,  it  is  holy  purity, 
that  unbloody  martyrdom,  which  is  the  best  preparation  for  a  bloody 
death,  that  lifelong  battle  against  the  most  dangerous  of  all  enemies,  that 
singular  spiritual  phenomenon  so  lovely  and  tender  that  an  unhallowed 
look  may  destroy  it,  and  yet  so  terrible  and  invincible  that  fire  and  sword 
and  wild  beasts  are  powerless  against  it. 


THE  VOICE  FROM  THE  VATICAN. 

Again  the  Holy  Father  has  addressed  to  all  the  rulers  of  the  warring 
countries  an  earnest  and  fatherly  appeal  to  put  up  the  sword  and  to  com- 
pose their  differences  at  the  conference  table  instead  of  on  the  battle  field. 
This  is  much  more  than  a  general  appeal  for  a  spirit  of  concord  among 
nations  or  an  expression  of  grief  over  the  abomination  of  desolation  caused 
by  the  war,  as  was  the  case  with  his  former  encyclicals  and  allocutions  on 
the  subject.  For  the  first  time  in  his  approaches  to  the  belligerents  the 
Pope  makes  concrete  statements.  He  goes  into  details.  He  suggests 
ways  and  means  of  solving  the  territorial,  political,  and  economical  ques- 
tions that  the  war  has  brought  to  the  fore-front.  He  gives  a  precise  def- 
inition of  the  minimum  peace  terms.  He  speaks  not  so  much  as  the  head 
of  the  Catholic  Church  but  as  the  head  of  the  Vatican— a  ruler  in  close 
diplomatic  touch  with  all  nations.  It  is  this  circumstance  above  all  that 
gives  to  the  Pope's  intervention  a  tremendous  significance  and  makes  it 
an  international  event  of  the  first  order. 

That  the  Holy  Father's  appeal  will  strike  a  responsive  chord  in  the 
hearts  of  the  European  peoples,  belligerent  and  neutral,  no  one  will  doubt 
a  moment  who  has  only  a  faint  idea  of  the  sufferings  they  have  had  to 
undergo  in  "this  sanguinary  triennium".  They  have  arrived  at  the  limit 
of  their  powers  of  endurance.  They  have  "supped  full  with  horrors".  Too 
much  blood  has  already  been  shed;  too  many  sacrifices  have  been  demanded; 
too  many  sufferings  endured:  too  long  have  cries  of  hatred  and  revenge 
rent  the  air;  too  long  have  the  principles  of  charity  and  humanity  been 
forgotten ;  too  long  have  the  peoples  been  intent  only  on  mutual  destruc- 
tion instead  of  giving  their  own  wounds  a  chance  to  heal'.  Now,  they  are 
sick  of  it  all,  heartily  sick,  and  they  desire  nothing  so  much  as  an  early 
peace.  But  alas,  they  have  no  voice  in  the  matter.  So  long  as  self-willed 
diplomats  and  autocratic  rulers  obstruct  every  approach  to  a  tentative 
settlement,  so  long  will  the  common  people  be  forced  to  continue  the  work 
of  self-annihilation. 

For  the  sake  of  the  poor  suffering  humanity  the  world  over,  we  hope 
that  the  leaders  of  the  belligerents  will  give  the  Holy  Father's  proposals 
at  least  a  courteous  reception  and  careful  consideration,  and  if  they  have 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  323 


no  better  terms  to  offer  instead,  also  their  hearty  approval.  When  the 
statesmen  and  diplomats  so-called  read  the  Holy  Father's  appeal,  we  trust 
they  will  ponder  well  the  words:  "Reflect  on  your  very  grave  responsi- 
bility before  God  and  before  man.  On  your  decision  depend  the  repose 
and  the  joy  of  innumerable  families,  the  happiness  of  a  people  for  whom 
it  is  your  absolute  duty  to  obtain  their  welfare." 

"It  is  but  just,  as  we  have  said"— thus  closes  an  editorial  article  of 
The  Nation,  a  decidely  pro-British  organ— "that  the  Pope's  proposals 
should  be  maturely  studied.  Steps  should  be  taken  to  ascertain  whether 
he  speaks  in  behalf  of  Austria  and  Germany.  If  it  is  clearly  established 
that  he  does,  no  statesman  in  any  Allied  nation  can  afford  for  a  moment 
to  refuse  to  follow  the  Holy  Father's  lead.  Lloyd  George  has  said  that 
any  ruler  who  should  pursue  the  war  one  day  longer  than  is  necessary  to 
attain  its  main  object  would  be  a  monster.  But  here  are  the  main  objects 
of  the  war  in  sight.  It  is  the  manifest  duty  of  the  Allied  Governments— 
especially  of  the  United  States— to  omit  no  effort  to  achieve  and  cherish, 
through  the  Pope's  mediation,  a  just  and  lasting  peace." 

We  are  glad  that  so  influential  a  publication  as  The  Nation  has 
taken  so  impartial  a  view  and  so  bold  a  stand.  God  grant  that  Lloyd 
George  and  other  leaders  may  view  the  matter  in  the  same  light  and  have 
courage  enough  to  act  on  their  convictions.  But  whether  they  do  or  not, 
the  world  will  know  the  Papacy  has  not  failed  it  in  this  the  darkest  hour 
of  its  history. 

SOLDIER  WELFARE  WORK 

Our  decision  to  enter  the  world  war  has  brought  us  face  to  face  with 
many  and  serious  problems  undreamt  of  a  few  short  months  ago.  Fore- 
most among  these,  of  course,  is  the  problem  of  caring  for  our  soldiers  on 
and  off  the  field  of  battle.  Though  the  Government  may  be  disposed  to 
do  its  utmost  to  provide  for  the  soldiers'  welfare,  their  needs,  physical, 
mental,  and  moral,  are  yet  so  manifold  that  much  must  be  left  to  private 
endeavor.  It  is  extremely  gratifying  that  Catholic  organizations,  nota- 
bly the  Knights  of  Columbus,  have  been  eager  to  avail  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  thus  presented  to  them.  The  Knights  have  undertaken  to 
provide  centers  of  worship  and  recreation  for  Catholic  soldiers  in  the 
training  camps  and  to  support  non-commissioned  Catholic  army  chaplains. 
No  work  of  charity  at  the  present  time  is  worthy  of  more  hearty  com- 
mendation and  support,  and  we  hope  our  Tertiaries  will  not  be  slow  to 
second  the  efforts  of  the  Knights  by  contributing  generously  to  the  fund 
they  are  trying  to  raise  for  this  purpose.  So  long  as  no  organized  move- 
ment for  soldier  welfare  work  is  possible  among  Tertiaries,  the  next  best 
thing  for  them  to  do  is  to  join  hands  with  the  members  of  existing  or- 
ganizations whose  aim  it  is  to  render  war  less  dangerous  for  the  health 
and  faith  and  morals  of  the  country's  defenders. 

BOOK  REVIEWS 

By  far  the  most  elaborate  student  publication  that  has  come  to  our 
desk  in  many  a  day,  is  the  Year  Book  edited  and  published  by  the  Duns 
Scotus  Theological  Society  of  St.  Bonaventure's  Seminary,  Allegany,  N. 
Y.     It  is  not  a  year  book  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  that  term,  but  a  sym- 


324  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


posium  of  essays  and  dissertations  interspersed  with  numerous  poems  and 
illustrations  The  essays  deal  with  a  variety  of  subjects,  principally  his- 
torical and  theological,  and  the  writers,  who  are  all  students,  past  or 
present,  of  St.  Bonaventure's,  evidence  no  little  erudition  and  originality 
in  the  treatment  of  their  themes.  The  verse,  too,  is  of  an  exceptionally 
high  order  for  a  publication  of  this  sort;  and  the  illustrations  are  well- 
chosen  and  artistic.  Both  from  a  literary  and  from  a  typographical 
point  of  view,  the  Year  Book  is  a  work  that  any  institution  may  be  proud 
of,  and  it  reflects  great  credit  both  on  the  seminarians  and  on  the  Fran- 
ciscan Fathers  in  charge  of  the  institution.  Our  hearty  congratulations 
to  them,  especially  to  Fr.  Thomas  Plassman,  o.f.m.,  a  scholar  of  no 
mean  parts,  who  figures  as  "censor"  on  the  editorial  staff.  For  the  rest, 
we  hope  the  editors  of  volume  II  will  follow  the  suggestion  of  The  Fort- 
nightly Review  to  give  "special  attention  to  the  theological  and  philoso- 
phical teaching  of  Duns  Scotus,  which  is  so  woefully  unrepresented  {and 
egregiously  misrepresented— Ed.)  in  the  periodical  literature  of  the  day." 
A  more  substantial  cover  would  add  greatly  to  the  external  appearance 
and  value  of  the  book.  The  excellence  of  the  contents  would  seem  to 
warrant  and  call  for  the  additional  outlay.    But  that  is  a  matter  of  opinion. 

St.  Antony's  Almanac  is  the  first  of  the  Catholic  annuals  for  1918  to 
make  its  appearance.  The  editors  of  this  standard  almanac  are  the  Fran- 
ciscan Fathers  of  the  Most  Holy  Name  Province.  As  usual  its  pages  are 
replete  with  interesting  and  worth-while  reading  matter.  The  principal 
contributions  are  from  the  pens  of  writers  well-knpwn  to  the  American 
Catholic  reading  public.  Thus  Fr.  Zephyrin  Engelhardt,  o.f.m.,  writes 
on  the  Santa  Barbara  Mission,  Fr.  Paschal  Robinson,  o.f.m.,  has  an  ar- 
ticle on  "Bookmaking  in  the  Middle  Ages".  Dr.  James  J.  Walsh's  con- 
tribution is  "Cervantes  and  the  Franciscans".  Fr.  Fridolin  Schuster,  o. 
F.M.,  tells  of  "The  Franciscans  among  the  Pueblo  Indians  of  New  Mexi- 
co". The  best  short-stories  are  "Jem  o'  the  Logging  Camp"  by  Caroline 
D.  Swan,  and  "Renunciation"  by  Marian  Nesbitt.  Of  the  poems  "My 
Mother's  Grave"  by  Francis  Nugent  deserves  special  mention.  Without 
wishing  to  reflect  in  the  least  on  other  almanacs,  we  give  it  as  our  opin- 
ion that  St.  Antony's  Almanac  sets  the  pace  for  them  all,  and  we  hope 
it  will  long  continue  to  do  so.  Not  the  least  of  its  merits  is  that  it 
breathes  the  spirit  of  St.  Francis.  We  recommend  it  most  heartily  to  all 
our  readers, 

St.  Antony  x  Almanac,  174  Ramsey  Street.  Paterson.  N.  J .—  Price  25c. 

The  Central  Bureau  of  the  G.  R.  C.  Central  Society  has  rendered  a 
distinct  service  to  our  Catholic  young  men  about  to  be  called  to  the  colors 
by  preparing  for  their  use  two  booklets.  The  one  entitled  God's  Armor 
is  a  compact  and  handy  pocket  prayer  book  containing  the  most  necessary 
prayers  and  instructions  for  soldiers.  The  other  Guide  Right  is  a  delicate 
treatment  of  a  delicate  subject  but  a  subject  of  which  no  soldier  can  af- 
ford to  be  ignorant  if  he  wishes  to  guard  against  dangers  of  immorality 
to  which  he  will  be  exposed  in  the  camp  and  field.  These  two  booklets 
deserve  to  be  broadcasted  over  the  country.  No  better  safeguard  for  our 
Catholic  soldiers  have  thus  far  been  provided.  Let  our  Tertiary  farterni- 
ties  order  the  booklets  at  once  and  disseminate  them  among  the  young 
men  before  they  leave  either  for  the  training  camp  or  for  the  front.  The 
address  of  the  Central  Bureau  is  201  Temple  Building,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
The  price  of  the  prayer  book  is  twelve  cents  and  the  guide  five  cents. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


325 


BL  BERNARDINE  OF  FELTRE 

OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 
SEPTEMBER  28. 


AMONG  the  men  of  God  who, 
in  the  fifteenth  century, 
illumined  the  Church  with 
the  splendor  of  their  virtues  and 
labored  with  wonderful  success  for 
the  salvation  of  souls,  we  find  the 
illustrious  son  of  St.  Francis,  Bl. 
Bernardine.  He  was  born  at  Fel- 
tre,  in  Venetia,  Italy,  in  1439,  and 
received  in  Baptism  the  name  of 
Martin.  His  father  belonged  to 
the  noble  family  of  Tomitano,  and 
he  was  twice  sent  as  ambassador 
to  foreign  courts  by  the  Republic 
of  Venice.  He  and  his  pious  wife 
were  most  solicitous  for  the  spir- 
itual welfare  of  their  children  and 
carefully  trained  them  in  the  prac- 
tice of  virtue.  Martin,  who  was  of 
a  gentle  disposition  and  had  a  noble 
and  generous  heart,  responded  most 
willingly  to  their  tender  care  and 
from  his  early  childhood  gave  prom- 
ise of  great  things,  especially  by 
his  rare  piety  and  angelic  purity. 

In  consequence  of  his  remarkable 
talents  and  his  great  fondness  for 
learning,  the  pious  boy  made  rapid 
progress  in  his  studies.  At  the 
age  of  twelve,  he  was  able  to  con- 
verse in  Latin  and  to  compose  ver- 
ses in  that  language.  In  1454, 
when  festivities  were  held  in  the 
public  square  of  his  native  town  to 
celebrate  the  cessation  of  hostilities 
between  Venice  and  Milan  and  the 
kingdom  of  Naples,  Martin,  then 
fifteen  years  of  age,  read  a  poem, 
in  which  he  extolled  the   blessings 


of  peace  which  had  just  been  re- 
stored to  Italy.  Soon  after  he  was 
sent  to  the  University  of  Padua  to 
study  philosophy  and  law.  At  this 
seat  of  learning,  he  applied  him- 
self with  great  success  to  his  stud- 
ies, so  as  to  arouse  the  admiration 
of  his  fellow  students  and  teachers. 
A  brilliant  career  of  wealth  and 
honor  seemed  to  open  before  him, 
but  God  had  other  designs. 

In  1456,  St.  James  of  the  March 
came  to  Padua  to  preach  the  Lent- 
en sermons,  and  as  usual,  his 
burning  words  made  the  deepest 
impression  on  his  hearers  and  led 
many  to  embrace  a  life  of  virtue 
and  perfection.  Martin  who  had 
been  a  short  time  before  forcibly 
reminded  of  the  vanity  of  human 
affairs  by  the  death  of  two  of  the 
professors  at  the  University,  was 
deeply  moved  by  the  words  of  the 
apostolic  preacher.  He  sought  an 
interview  with  St.  James,  and  on 
his  advice  resolved  to  abandon  the 
world  and  to  enter  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor.  St.  James  himself, 
on  May  14,1456,  invested  him  with 
the  habit  of  the  Order  and  gave 
him  the  name  of  Bernardine,  in 
memory  of  the  great  apostle  of 
Italy,  St.  Bernardine  of  Siena,  who 
had  been  canonized  six  years  pre- 
viously. 

The  young  religious  began  his 
novitiate,  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
in  a  small  convent  near  Padua. 
He  gave  himself  up  to  the  practice 


326 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  the  religious  virtues,  in  particu- 
lar, of  poverty,  humility,  mortifica- 
tion, and  prayer,  with  all  the  ardor 
of  his  soul.  His  greatest  delight 
was  to  perform  the  most  lowly 
labors  of  the  convent  and  to  beg 
alms  for  his  brethren  in  the  city 
of  Padua,  where  he  was  known  as 
the  son  of  a  noble  family.  The  dev- 
il, enraged  at 
the  generous 
fervor  o  f  the 
servant  of  God, 
as  s  a  i  1  e  d  him 
with  tempta- 
tions of  all 
kinds;  but  Ber- 
nardine,  sub- 
mitting with 
childlike  s  i  m- 
plicity  to  the 
guidance  of 
his  master,  be- 
took  himself 
to  prayer  and 
practices  of 
mortifi  cation 
and  overcame 
all  the  attacks 
of  his  enemy. 

After  he  had 
completed  h  i  s 
novitiate,  Ber- 
nardine      was 

first  sent  to  Venice,  then  to  Man- 
tua, where  he  applied  himself  to 
the  study  of  theology,  and  in  soli- 
tude and  prayer  prepared  himself 
for  the  apostleship  to  which  God 
had  destined  him.  A  few  years 
after  his  ordination,  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  preach  missions,  a  com- 
mission which  he  carried  out  with 
astounding  success  for  twenty- five 


Bl.  Bernardine  of  Feltre 


years.     During    these    years,     he 
traversed    Lombardy,    Venetia, 
Tuscany,     the    Papal    States,    the 
province  of  Genoa,  and  the  king- 
dom of  Naples,    preaching    in    all 
the  cities  and  in    a    great  number 
of   villages.     The    churches     were 
not  large  enough  to  hold  the  crowds 
that  flocked  to  hear   him,    and   he 
was    generally 
obliged     to 
preach    in   the 
public  squares. 
Burning     with 
love     of  God 
and   with    zeal 
for  the   salva- 
tion    of   souls, 
Bernardine  at- 
tacked vice 
and     disorders 
wherever      h  e 
found    them, 
rep  r  o  a  c  h  i  n  g 
the    great  and 
powerful    with 
the  same  apos- 
tolic     freedom 
as    the   weak 
and  lowly.  The 
power    of    his 
preaching,  con- 
firmed   by   his 
saintly     life, 
was  irresistible.     Thousands  of  sin- 
ners were  converted,  quarrels   and 
strifes    were    quelled,      dangerous 
amusements  were  banished,    injus- 
tice    ceased,     and    everywhere   a 
great  reformation    of    morals   was 
perceived.     The    holy     missionary 
faithfully  followed  a    practice    in- 
troduced by  St.  Bernardine  of  Siena 
and  continued  by  his  disciples.    He 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


327 


had  brought  to  him  all  bad  books, 
obscene  pictures,  gaming  tables, 
indecent  finery,  and  other  articles 
that  were  occasions  of  sin,  and  on 
an  appointed  day  burnt  these  ob- 
jects before  all  the  people  in  the 
public  square.  His  success  in  re- 
storing peace  in  cities  and  districts 
rent  by  bloody  civil  strife,  was  so 
great  that  he  was  hailed  as  an  an- 
gel sent  by  God  to  reconcile  ene- 
mies and  to  appease  quarrels,  and 
he  is  justly  called  the  great  peace- 
maker of  his  time. 

The  zeal  of  the  holy  preacher 
was  directed  also  against  another 
evil  of  his  time,  the  rapacity  of  the 
Jews  and  other  money  lenders. 
These  men,  taking  advantage  of 
the  need  of  their  fellow  men,  lent 
money  at  an  excessive  rate  of  in- 
terest, and  thus  brought  about  the 
ruin  of  numberless  families  and 
sowed  the  seeds  of  hatred  and  un- 
rest. To  combat  this  abuse,  the 
sons  of  St.  Francis  had  founded, 
in  many  cities,  charitable  institu- 
tions, called  Monti  di  Pieta,  which 
lent  money  at  a  low  rate  of  inter- 
est or  on  the  security  of  objects 
left  in  pawn.  Bl.  Bernardine,  in 
his  warfare  against  the  sin  of  usu- 
ry, established  such  institutions  in 
a  very  large  number  of  the  towns 
of  Italy,  at  the  price  of  persecution 
and  of  untold  trouble  and  toil.  In 
fact,  under  his  direction  these  in- 
stitutions received  their  greatest 
development,  and  for  this  reason, 
he  is  often  represented  carrying  in 
his  hand  the  figure  of  a  Monte  di 
Pieta,  with  the  inscription  Curam 
illius  habe—  Take  care  of  him  (Luke 
10,35). 


To  preserve  piety  and  virtue  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people,  Bernar- 
dine erected  and  fostered  several 
pious  confraternities  in  honor  of 
the  Blessed  Sacrament,  of  the  Holy 
Name  of  Jesus,  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin, and  of  St.  Joseph.  He  was 
also  zealous  in  spreading  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis.  To  his  zeal 
and  charity  must  be  ascribed  like- 
wise the  building  of  churches,  the 
foundation  of  hospitals,  of  colleges 
for  the  education  of  youth,  and  of 
other  institutions  of  mercy. 

God  was  pleased  to  reward  the 
zeal  and  heroic  virtues  of  his  serv- 
ant with  ecstasies,  raptures,  and 
the  gift  of  miracles  and  prophecies. 
The  holy  preacher  cured  a  great 
number  of  sick  and  delivered  those 
possessed  by  the  devil  by  invoking 
the  Holy   Name  of  Jesus. 

At  last,  the  hour  drew  near  when 
Bernardine  was  to  receive  the  eter- 
nal reward  for  his  labors  in  the 
service  of  God.  Warned  by  a 
revelation  of  his  approaching  end,  he 
redoubled  his  fervor  in  prayer  and 
in  the  practice  of  virtue  and  joy- 
fully awaited  the  moment  when 
he  would  be  united  with  the  object 
of  his  love.  At  length,  on  Septem- 
ber 28,  1494,  he  breathed  forth  his 
soul  and  entered  into  the  glory  of 
his  Lord.  His  venerable  remains 
were  exposed  in  the  church  of  the 
Franciscans  at  Pavia;  the  peo- 
ple came  in  crowds  to  invoke  his 
intercession,  and  a  great  number 
of  miracles  were  wrought  at  his 
tomb.  Popes  Innocent  X  and 
Pius  VII  approved  the  veneration 
shown  him  from  time  immemo- 
rial. 


328 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THE  RAGING  OF  THE  STORM 

{Concluded) 
By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


IN  the  course  of  time,  as  we  have 
seen,  many  Observant  friars 
had  returned  from  exile.  It  is 
likewise  quite  probable  that  the  lot 
of  those  still  confined  in  the  Conven- 
tual friaries  gradually  became  less 
severe.  Though  well  aware  of  this, 
the  King  and  his  minister,  it  seems, 
did  nothing  to  prevent  it.  Perhaps 
they  still  hoped  that  the  friars  would 
in  the  end  submit.  At  all  events, 
they  would  have  to  be  closely  ob- 
served, especially  after  it  was 
learned  that  they,  too,  had  been 
implicated  in  the  recent  northern 
risings.  That  they  had  some  share 
in  them  seems  probable  from  the 
Articles  sent  by  Robert  Aske  to 
the  King;  for  of  these,  the  sixth 
one  read:  "To  have  the  friars  Ob- 
servants restored  to  their  houses." 
(1)  During  the  subsequent  court 
proceedings  against  the  insurgents, 
a  certain  William  Stapleton  bore 
witness  against  Fr.  Bonaventure  as 
having  used  his  influence  to  further 
the  movement.  He  had  been  staying 
with  the  Conventuals  at  Beverley. 
Besides  confirming  the  people  of 
the  town  in  their  hostile  attitude 
toward  the  King's  usurped  suprem- 
acy, he  even  "offered  himself  to 
go  into  the  quarrel  in  harness  to 
the  field."(3)      . 

The  country  was  by  this  time 
flooded  with  royal  spies,  who,  no 
doubt,    found    much   to  report  re- 


garding the  renewed  efforts  of  the 
Observant  friars  in  behalf  of  the 
Holy  See.  Henry  became  alarmed 
and  decided  on  more  stringent 
measures  to  silence  them.  This  is 
evident  from  his  letter  to  the  Duke 
of  Norfolk,  dated  March  17,1537, 
in  which  he  writes:  "From  my 
Lord  Durham's  declaration  and 
other  evidences  we  see  that  the 
Friars  Observants  are  disciples  of 
the  bishop  of  Rome  and  sowers  of 
sedition.  You  shall  therefore  do 
your  best  to  apprehend  the  friars 
as  prisoners,  without  liberty  to 
speak  with  any  man,  till  we  shall 
determine  our  future  pleasure  about 
them."<3> 

What  this  future  pleasure  of  the 
King  was,  we  can  easily  imagine. 
On  August  4,  1538,  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk  informed  Cromwell  that 
Fr.  Antony  Brown,  formerly  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Greenwich  community, 
had  been  duly  examined  and  found 
to  maintain  with  unflinching  firm- 
ness the  utter  incompetency  of  Hen- 
ry, a  merely  temporal  prince,  to 
hold  supreme  authority  in  spiritual 
matters.  Fr.  Antony  was  subse- 
quently condemned  to  death  and 
executed  at  Norwich,  probably  on 
August  9  of  the  same  year.(4)  A 
year  later,  on  July  8,  Fr.  John  Wai- 
re  with  three  others  was  executed 
at  St.  Thomas'  Watterings  in  South- 
wark  for    defending  the   spiritual 


1.     Stone:     Faithful  Unto  Death,  (London,  1892)  p.  83. 2.     Gasquef-     Henry  the  Eighth 

Monasteries,  (London,  190ti)  p.  251. 3.    Stone.  1.  c,  p.  75,  quoting  from  Gairdner's  Calendar. 

1.  c.  p.  316.    See  also  Toaddeus:     The  Franciscans  in  England,  (London,  1898)  p.  17. 


d  the  English 
-4.     Gasquet, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


320 


supremacy  of  the  Pope.(1)  From 
these  few  facts  it  is  clear  that  Hen- 
ry's hatred  of  the  Observants  was 
enkindled  anew  and  that  he  was  de- 
termined to  wreak  fearful  venge- 
ance on  the  few  who  were  still  at 
large  in  the  kingdom.  They  were 
hunted  down  like  criminals  and 
thrown  into  loathsome  dungeons, 
where  in  company  with  other 
champions  of  the  faith  they  un- 
derwent untold  hardships  till  death 
at  last  came  to  their  relief. 

What  the  imprisoned  friars  suf- 
fered during  these  first  years  of 
the  English  schism  and  how  they 
died  has  not  been  handed  down  to 
posterity;  only  this  is  certain, 
they  all  remained  true  to  the  faith 
in  papal  supremacy.  One  historian, 
however,  Fr.  Thomas  Bourchier,  has 
given  us  a  detailed  account  regard- 
ing a  few  of  their  heroic  number. 
The  little  narrative  is  especially  of 
importance,  because  its  author  was 
almost  a  contemporary  of  the  Obser- 
vant friars  whose  last  struggle  and 
martyrdom  he  relates. (3) 

Ever  since  the  religious  persecu- 
tion in  England,  Venerable  Fr.  An- 
tony Brookby,(3)  like  his  brethren 
of  the  Observance,  openly  and  fear- 
lessly defended  the  spiritual  su- 
premacy of  the  Pope.  Hence  he 
was  probably  in  the  number  of 
those  who,  in  1534,  were  imprisoned 
and  later  sent  into  exile.  At  all 
events,  in  1537  he  was  again  in 
England,  little  intimidated  by  the 
vengeful  measures  of  the  King 
against  the  Franciscan  Order.  The 
people    esteemed   Fr.    Antony   not 


only  for  his  great  sanctity  but  also 
for  his  profound  learning.  Bour- 
chier says  that  he  was  an  excellent 
Greek  and  Hebrew  scholar  and  that 
he  had  received  the  licentiate  in 
theology  in  St.  Mary  Magdalene's 
College  at  Oxford.  Here,  too,  ac- 
cording to  the  author  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Martyrology,  he  was  actively 
engaged  as  lecturer  of  Divinity. (4) 
Besides,  he  was  a  forceful  and  elo- 
quent preacher,  which  gift  together 
with  his  sanctity  and  learning 
made  him  a  most  formidable  op- 
ponent of  the  King. 

One  day,  Fr.  Antony  was  preach- 
ing in  the  church  of  St.  Lawrence 
in  London.  Boldly  he  denounced 
Henry's  new  marriage,  his  wanton 
rupture  with  Rome,  and  his  pillage 
of  the  religious  houses  in  England. 
Suddenly,  a  man  in  the  audience 
leaped  to  his  feet  and  threatened  the 
friar  with  the  King's  vengeance,  if 
he  would  not  hold  his  peace.  It 
was  one  of  Cromwell's  spies.  But 
fear  had  no  meaning  for  the  daunt- 
less preacher  and  although  he  re- 
alized what  the  sequel  would  be,  he 
quietly  continued  his  sermon.  With- 
out delay,  the  spy  reported  the  affair 
and  received  orders  for  the  friar's 
arrest.  Accordingly,  when  some 
time  after  Fr.  Antony  was  again 
preaching  in  the  church  of  St.  Law- 
rence, the  spy  accompanied  by  royal 
officers  entered  the  sacred  edifice. 
The  preacher  saw  them  enter  and 
knew  what  it  meant.  Fearlessly  he 
descended  from  the  pulpit  and  of- 
ered  no  resistance  when  the  King's 
men   seized   him,   and  binding  his 


1.     Hope:    Franciscan  Murium  in  England,  (London,  1S78)  p.  (51:  Thaddeus.  1.  c,  p.  17:  bodd:     Church  His- 
tory of  England,  (Brussels,  1737)  Vol.  I,  p  214. 2.     See   Franciscan  Herald,  June,  1917  (foot  note). 3.  He 

is  also  called   Brockly,   Brorbe,  Broche. 4.      See  Parkinson  :      Antiquities  of  English  Francitcans,  (London, 

1726)  p.  239. 


330 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


hands  behind  his  back,  they  led  him 
off  to  Newgate  prison,  the  most 
dreadful  of  its  kind  in  England. 
Gladly  he  suffered  this  public  dis- 
grace, happy  in  being  likened  to 
Him  who  also  was  bound  like  a  crim- 
inal for  the  sake  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice. How  his  soul  must  have  re- 
joiced in  anticipation  of  a  martyr's 
crown,  when  the  prison  gates  were 
thrown  open  and  he  was  cast  among 
thieves,  murderers,  assassins,  and 
other  criminals.  His  cell  was  the 
darkest  and  filthiest  in  Newgate,  '  'in 
which  within  the  memory  of  man, 
no  one  had  been  condemned  to  lie, 
so  that  the  prisoners  themselves 
were  astonished  at  so  much  cruel- 
ty. ' '  Here  amid  the  gibes  and  curses 
of  his  fellow  prisoners,  the  valiant 
champion  prayed  to  God  for  perse- 
verance and  strength  in  the  impend- 
ing struggle. (1> 

Summoned  before  the  royal  com- 
missioners for  a  hearing,  Fr.  Anto- 
ny maintained  with  unflinching  bold- 
ness that  the  King's  assumed  su- 
premacy was  contrary  to  the  ordina- 
tion of  Christ  who  built  his  Church 
solely  on  the  Rock  of  Peter.  Neither 
threats  nor  promises  could  shake  his 
constancy.  He  declared  himself 
ready  to  suffer  even  the  most  cruel 
death  rather  than  deny  that  faith 
which  for  centuries  had  been  the 
pride  and  glory  of  England  and 
which  was  still  the  dearest  treasure 
of  his  own  soul.  Finally,  when  his 
heartless  tormentors  saw  that  words 
availed  nothing  with  this  man  of 
God,  they  ordered  the  rack  to  be 
brought  in.     The  holy    friar's  face 


was  radiant  with  joy  when  the  exe- 
cutioners led  him  to  the  rack.  Rude- 
ly they  thrust  him  beneath  the 
wooden  framework  and  fastened 
his  wrists  and  ankles  to  the  rollers 
on  both  ends.  These  were  then 
drawn  in  opposite  directions,  till  the 
body  of  the  helpless  friar  hung  sus- 
pended in  the  instrument  of  pain. 
Now  the  frightful  torture  began. 
After  each  refusal  to  admit  the 
King's  supremacy,  the  rollers  were 
drawn  with  ever  increasing  force, 
so  that  finally  every  bone  was 
wrenched  from  its  socket. 

During  this  inhuman  torture,  the 
holy  martyr  fixed  his  gaze  heaven- 
ward and  prayed.  A  deadly  pallor 
came  over  his  countenance,  convul- 
sive twitchings  about  the  eyes  and 
lips  told  of  his  intense  sufferings; 
there  was  danger  that  he  would  die 
on  the  rack,  wherefore  orders  were 
given  to  desist  for  the  present. 
The  distended  body  was  then  releas- 
ed from  the  dreadful  bed  of  pain 
and  dragged  into  the  more  dreadful 
dungeon  in  Newgate.  Lying  help- 
less on  a  heap  of  rotten  straw,  the 
valiant  friar  was  left  to  breathe  his 
last  in  utter  gloom  and  solitude.  In 
consequence  of  the  cruel  racking,  he 
was  unable  to  stir  hand  or  foot.  It 
was,  moreover,  the  month  of  July 
and  owing  to  the  wellnigh  un- 
bearable summer  heat  a  burning 
fever  soon  set  in.  Since  he  could 
not  even  bring  his  hand  to  his  mouth, 
he  suffered  exceedingly  from  thirst 
and  hunger  and,  no  doubt,  would 
have  died  of  starvation,  had  not  a 
pious  woman  purchased  leave  to  visit 


1.    The  details  of  Fr.  Antony's  arrest  and   imprisonment,  which 
Barezzo  Barezzi.     See  Stone  1.  c..  p.  77. 


urchier  does  not  recount,  are  based  on 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


331 


the  prison  and  give  the  friar  food 
and  drink  through  the  iron  prison 
bars. 

It  is  quite  probable  that  during 
the  ensuing  twenty-five  days 
which  Fr.  Antony  spent  in  this  piti- 
ful condition,  repeated  attempts 
were  made  to  wrest  from  him  a  de- 
nial of  papal  supremacy.  But  in  vain; 
the  friar  remained  true  to  the  end. 
Though  his  sufferings  were  great, 
his  loyalty  was  greater.  Though, 
his  body  lay  there  helpless,  faint 
with  sufferings,  his  noble  soul  exult- 
ed in  the  freedom  of  the  children  of 
God  and  gloried  in  the  assurance  of 
an  eternal  reward  awaiting  him. 
Finally,  the  jailor  of  Newgate  receiv- 
ed orders  to  dispatch  the  friar  secret- 
ly. Accordingly, on  July  19,  1537,  one 
of  the  King's  men  entered  the  cell 
of  Fr.  Antony,  and  tearing  the  cord 
from  the  feeble  body,  strangled  him. 
Later  in  the  day,  when  the  turnkey 
made  his  usual  call,  he  saw  the  friar 
lying  with  his  face  on  the  wet  stone 
pavement  of  the  cell.  Thinking 
him  asleep,  he  tried  to  rouse  him 
with  a  rude  kick;  seeing  that  the 
form  did  not  stir,  he  went  closer 
— the  friar  was  dead.  The  news  of 
Fr.  Antony's  death  spread  like  wild- 
fire through  the  city.  And  when  it 
was  noised  abroad  that  God  was  tes- 
tifying to  the  holiness  of  the  mar- 
tyr, large  crowds  thronged  New- 
gate to  see  the  miracle.  With  min- 
gled emotions  of  joy  and  dread,  they 
gazed  on  the  dazzling  light  that  suf- 
fused the  gloomy  prison  and  formed 
a  halo  around  the  lifeless  body. 
Many  who  had  remained  untouched 
when  Fr.    Antony   preached  in  the 

1.     Stone,  I.  c.,  p.  78. 


churches  of  London,  were  now  at  the 
sight  of  this  miracle  filled  with  com- 
punction for  their  past  weakness 
and  resolved  then  and  there  to  cling 
to  the  old  faith  at  any  cost. 

Hardly  had  Fr.  Antony  Brookby 
passed  to  his  eternal  reward,  when 
another  friar  of  the  Franciscan  Ob- 
servance succumbed  to  his  barba- 
rous imprisonment  in  Newgate.  Fr. 
Thomas  Cort  was  of  a  noble  and 
deeply  religious  family.  Esteemed 
by  his  brethren  as  a  true  follower  of 
St.  Francis,  he  was  known  also  for 
his  profound  learning  and  great  elo- 
quence. From  the  very  beginning 
of  the  religious  conflict  in  England, 
Fr.  Thomas  had  been  among  the 
foremost  and  boldest  in  defending 
the  cause  of  justice  and  truth.  It 
seems  probable  that  he  was  of  the 
number  of  those  Observant  friars 
who  on  the  intervention  of  Wriothes- 
ley  had  obtained  leave  to  quit  the 
country.  Although  there  are  no  rec- 
ords to  show  when  he  returned  to 
his  native  land,  it  is  certain  that  in 
the  spring  of  1537,  he  was  in  Lon- 
don publicly  defending  papal  su- 
premacy at  the  risk  of  liberty  and 
life.  In  order  to  wipe  out  the  hate- 
ful stain  of  excummunication  and 
to  give  his  action  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people  the  semblance  of  orthodoxy, 
the  shrewd  King  appealed  to  a 
General  Council.  (1)  The  Franciscan 
Observants,  however,  were  not 
slow  to  detect  the  futility  of  such 
an  appeal.  In  a  sermon  held  in 
the  church  of  St.  Lawrence  about 
this  time,  Fr.  Thomas  bodly  de- 
monstrated to  his  hearers  that  both 
from   a    theological    and  from   an 


332 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


historical  standpoint,  the  Bishop 
of  Rome  was  the  supreme  head  of 
the  universal  Church  of  Christ, 
and  therefore  also  of  the  Church  in 
England;  that  King  Henry,  by  pro- 
claiming himself  head  of  the  Eng- 
lish Church,  had  arrogated  to  him- 
self a  title  and  power  to  which  he 
could  have  no  right  whatever; 
and  that  accordingly  he  was  to  be 
considered  a  heretic  and  a  schismat- 
ic as  long  as  he  continued  in  his  op- 
position to  the  Vicar  of  Christ. 
Nothing  short  of  imprisonment 
could  silence  the  fearless  friar  and 
thwart  his  influence  over  the  minds 
of  the  people.  Cromwell's  spies 
who  were  present  at  the  sermon, 
realized  this.  Accordingly,  when 
the  friar  had  finished  speaking 
and  descended  from  the  pulpit, 
they  arrested  the  "sower  of  sedi- 
tion" in  the  King's  name  and 
threw  him  into  one  of  the  foulest 
dungeons  of  Newgate. 

Despite  the  horrors  and  hardships 
of  prison  life,  Fr.  Thomas  remained 
true  to  his  convictions.  He  felt 
that  his  end  was  not  far  off  and  he 
glorified  God  in  the  loathsome  dun- 
geon which  he  hoped  soon  to  leave 
for  the  mansions  of  eternal  bliss. 
At  the  time  of  his  imprisonment, 
he  was  in  poor  health  and  the  close 
confinement  in  the  damp  and  filthy 
cell  soon  brought  the  ailing  friar  to 
death's  door.  After  being  in  prison 
a  few  days,  he  took  sick  and  on  July 
27,  1537,  just  a  week  after  the  exe- 
cution of  Fr.  Antony  Brookby,  his 
soul  passed  to  heaven. 

A  miracle  similar  to  the  one  that 
attended  the  death    of  his   fellow 


friar,  gave  testimony  also  to  his 
heroic  sanctity.  Fear  seized  the  by- 
standers when  they  beheld  the 
grim  dungeon  bathed  in  celestial 
light.  It  was  the  second  time 
within  a  week  that  this  singular 
spectacle  was  seen  in  Newgate. 
King  Henry  heard  of  it  and,  strange 
to  say,  his  better  nature  for  a  mo- 
ment reasserted  itself.  His  guilty 
conscience  left  him  no  peace.  He 
feared,  no  doubt,  that  these  won- 
derful happenings  were  but  a  final 
warning  from  Him  whose  sacred 
laws  he  had  so  wantonly  trampled 
under  foot,  and  who  had  power  to 
hurl  his  black  soul  into  the  fright- 
ful abyss  of  pain  and  perdition.  In 
this  paroxysm  of  fear,  the  King 
gave  orders  that  the  corpse  of  the 
deceased  Fr.  Thomas  should  be  de- 
cently buried.  Accordingly,  he  was 
laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  of  the 
Holy  Sepulcher  near  the  large  door 
of  the  church.  In  later  years,  Mar- 
garet Herbert,  the  wife  of  a  glove- 
maker  of  Ghent,  set  a  stone  on  the 
grave  of  Fr.  Thomas;  it  bore  the  in- 
scription: 

jEfac  tu  qui  transis  Christi  devote  viator 
Inprecibus,  quaeso,  sis  memor  ipse  mei.  d> 

The  third  Franciscan  Observant 
who  according  to  Bourchier  died  for 
the  faith  in  the  year  1537,  is  Fr. 
Thomas  Belchiam.  Though  only 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  he  was 
known  as  a  bold  and  outspoken 
champion  of  papal  supremacy.  Like 
Fr.  Thomas  Cort,  he  publicly  ac- 
cused the  King  of  heresy.  To  prove 
his  assertion  and  to  confirm  his  fel- 
low friars  in  their  allegiance  to  the 
Holy  See,  he  published  a  book  that 


Christ-loving  traveler  passing  this  way,  Remember,  I  beg,  for  my  soul  to  pray. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


333 


began  with  the  words  of  our  Blessed 
Savior:  "They  that  are  clothed  in 
soft  garments,  are  in  the  houses  of 
kings.  "(1)  In  this  work  written 
with  youthful  zeal  and  enthusiasm, 
he  showed  that  by  setting  aside 
the  authority  of  Rome  and  pro- 
claiming himself  spiritual  head  of 
the  Church  in  England,  the  King 
stood  in  open  rebellion  against 
the  Vicar  of  Christ  on  earth  and 
that,  therefore,  he  ceased  to  belong  to 
the  Fold  that  Christ  had  committed 
to  the  care  of  St.  Peter  and  his  suc- 
cessors. Thereupon,  he  scourged 
the  lax  morals  of  the  royal  court, 
calling  it  a  haunt  of  sin  and  vice 
and  declaring  that  "he  that  will  be 
godly  must  depart  the  court".  Fi- 
nally, he  upraided  the  clergy  of  Eng- 
land for  their  cringing  cowardice  in 
those  woful  days  when  the  rights  of 
the  Church  and  the  prerogatives  of 
the  Papacy  were  at  stake.  He 
criticized  especially  the  higher 
clergy  of  whom  so  many  were  sac- 
rificing their  God  and  their  con- 
science on  the  altar  of  pride  and 
ambition,  and  regardless  of  their 
duties  as  shepherds  of  Christ's  flock, 
were  stooping  to  the  whims  of  a 
ruthless  and  rebellious  king  who 
was  hurling  himself  and  the  country 
into  the  awful  abyss  of  heresy  and 
schism. 

Needless  to  say,  the  appearance 
of  this  book  added  fuel  to  the  fury 
of  those  against  whom  it  was  direct- 
ed. The  youthful  defender  of  truth 
and  morality  was  seized  and  thrown 
into  prison.     Here  he  was  subjected 

1.  The  book  was  entitled  Liber  Ad  Frairea—ABookto  the  Brethren.  Se3  Dodd.  1  c  p.  231  ''One  copy 
of  the  book  was  left  by  tbe  author  to  the  Oossrvants  of  Greenwich.  It  passed  through  thi  hands  of  the  eminent 
Franciscan,  Father  Thomas  Bour,;hier,  who  intended  to  publish  it,  and  Father  Anselus  vlason  says  it  was  always 
in  the  minds  of  the  friare  to  print  the  book;  but  here  we  lose  sight  of  it  entirely,  anl  it  douotless  perished,  under 
the  destroying  sway  of  the  reformers."    Stone,  1.  c.,  p.  80. 


to  every  kind  of  torture.  But  the 
resolute  friar  bore  all  with  unflinch- 
ing courage  and  constancy.  At  last, 
when  it  became  clear  that  he  was 
determined  to  die  the  most  cruel 
death  rather  than  admit  the  King's 
usurped  supremacy,  he  was  brought 
back  to  prison.  Now  began  for  him 
a  period  of  untold  suffering.  It  was 
his  terrible  lot  to  die  not  by  the 
halter  and  the  knife,  but  of  disease 
and  starvation. 

How  long  Fr.  Thomas  languished 
in  the  gloom  and  filth  of  his  prison 
cell,  is  not  known.  Historians  say 
that  he  was  deprived  of  every 
necessary  of  life,  so  that  gradually 
his  sturdy  frame  was  reduced 
to  a  mere  skeleton.  Finally,  on 
August  3,  1537,  death  came  to  his 
relief.  The  heroic  martyr  passed 
to  his  reward,  repeating  the  words 
of  the  Royal  Prophet:  "In  thee,  0 
Lord,  have  I  trusted,  let  me  never 
be  confounded."  At  the  moment 
when  he  breathed  his  last, an  earth- 
quake shook  the  prison.  The  j  ailors 
were  terrified  and  when  the  King 
heard  of  it,  he  trembled  and  gave 
orders  that  Fr.  Thomas  receive  a 
decent  burial.  On  searching  the 
cell  after  the  friar's  death,  the 
prison  officials  found  a  copy  of  the 
book  he  had  written.  It  was 
brought  to  the  King,  who  on  reading 
it  is  said  to  have  shed  tears  and 
lamented  his  utter  misery.  But 
this  seeming  repentance  was  only  a 
passing  fit  of  remorse  and  uneasi- 
ness such  as  frequently  came  over 
him  and  embittered  his  last  years. 


334 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


He  soon  silenced  the  voice  of  con- 
science and  had  the  book  thrown 
into  the  fire. 

It  is  quite  evident  that  FF.  Antony 
Brookby,  Thomas  Cort,  and  Thomas 
Belchiam  laid  down  their  life  in 
defence  of  the  Catholic  dogma  of 
papal  supremacy.  The  cause  of 
their  beatification  has,  indeed,  been 
taken  up  by  the  Sacred  Congrega- 
tion, but  at  present  is  receiving 
little  attention.  In  his  Complete 
Calendar  of  the  English  Saints  and 
Martyrs  (London,  1902),  William 
Canon  Fleming  commemorates 
them    with    the    title    Venerable. 


From  what  they  suffered  for  the 
faith,  we  can  readily  imagine  how 
pitiable  was  the  lot  of  the  other 
Franciscans  languishing  for  years 
in  the  divers  prisons  of  England. 
The  details  of  their  last  struggle 
have  not  come  down  to  us.  But 
God  who  went  down  with  them  into 
the  pit  and  delivered  them  from 
those  that  oppressed  them,  has  by 
this  time  rendered  to  the  just  the 
wages  of  their  labors,  bringing 
them  through  the  Red  Sea  to  the 
blessed  Land  of  Promise,  there  to 
sing  to  his  holy  name  and  to  praise 
with  one  accord  his  victorious 
hand.     (Wis.,  chap.  10) 


THE  WAY  OF  THE  WORLD 

(Concluded) 
By  Noel  A.  Dunderdale,  Tertiary 


FOR  a  moment  Marjorie  Waite 
was  motionless,  surprised  into 
silence.  Her  courage  left  her 
completely,  and  she  trembled  with 
nervousness.  The  whole  situation 
passed  rapidly  through  her  mind  and 
on  the  impulse  of  the  moment  her 
course  of  action  was  decided.  For 
Miss  Allen,  detection  meant  ruina- 
tion and  probably  the  death  of  her 
mother; — for  herself,  loss  of  her 
position  and  no  more.  Her  bank 
account  would  offset  any  fear  on 
that  score  so  it  was  instantly  dis- 
missed. But  Jim— how  would  he 
view  it?  He  would  believe  her,  of 
course:  he  would  understand  and 
sympathize.     It  would  all  be  well. 


She  entered  the  office,  closed  the 
door,  and  sat  down  opposite  Mr. 
Putnam's  desk. 

He  swung  round  in  his  chair, 
knocked  the  ash  from  the  end  of 
his  cigar,  and  regarded  the  girl 
with  a  smile  that  conveyed  all  the 
antagonism  that  he  had  long  cher- 
ished against  her.  He,  too,  re- 
volved the  situation  in  his  mind 
before  taking  any  action.  Here  at 
last  he  saw  his  opportunity  to  get 
rid  of  the  girl,  once  and  for  all. 
The  occasion  had  come  right  to  his 
hand,  too,  without  any  movement 
on  his  part  and  at  the  best  mo- 
ment possible— while  his  brother 
was  away.     By    the  time  Jim   re- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


335 


turned  it  would  be  all  over  and 
there  would  be  no  further  annoy- 
ance. 

"Miss  Waite. "  he  said,  deliber- 
ately, "I  seldom  make  mistakes, 
but  I  find  two  that  I  have  made. 
The  first  was  when  I  accused  Miss 
Allen  of  taking  the  tray  of  rings; 
the  second,  when  I  thought  that 
you  were  at  least  honest,  if  nothing 
more." 

The  words  stung  and  the  girl 
paled  with  anger.  She  was  willing 
to  take  the  punishment  of  a  thief, 
willing  to  bear  all  the  shame,  all 
the  disgrace;  but,  in  addition,  to 
be  told  that  all  other  qualities  be- 
sides honesty  were  wanting,  and 
to  be  told  with  such  malice— this 
really  hurt.  She  bit  her  lip  and 
kept  her  eyes  down.  At  least  he 
should  not  have  the  satisfaction  of  a 
reply. 

Mr.  Putnam  continued: 

"Why  did  you  steal  the  the  rings? 
You  had  a  good  position  here  with 
a  good  salary  and  you  have  ruined 
everything,  including  your  pros- 
pects." 

The  girl  looked  up  and  answered 
quietly: 

"I  did  not  steal  the  rings." 

Mr.  Putnam  jumped  with  sur- 
prise. 

"You  did  not— what?"  he  asked. 

"I  did  not  steal  the  rings." 

"I  know  of  no  other  word  that 
could  be  substituted,"  was  the 
sarcastic  answer. 

"It  is  not  a  question  of  another 
word.     I  simply  state  a  plain  fact." 

The  girl  was  calm  now  and  spoke 
with  a  steady  voice. 

"Mr.  Putnam,"  she  said,  "I  have 
been  with  this  firm  for  five  years 
and  have  always  been  known  as 
being  both  honest  and  truthful.  I 
now  state  positively  that  I  am  not 
guilty.  I  know  who  is  guilty,  but 
since  the  stolen  articles  have  been 
returned  intact,  is  it  not  possible  to 
close  the  matter  and  forget  it?" 


"Forget  it?  Ridiculous!  I  intend 
to  prosecute  instead!  Forget  it, 
indeed.  A  nice  thing  to  forget!" 
and  William  Putnam  literally  boiled. 

"And  whom  will  you  prosecute?" 
was  the  quiet  enquiry. 

Mr.  Putnam  moved  uneasily  and 
drummed  on  the  desk.  Then  he 
looked  up  at  the  innocent  face  be- 
fore him.  He  had  to  admit  that 
he  believed  the  girl,  that  he  knew 
she  was  not  lying,  though  doing  so 
meant  the  destruction  of  all  his 
plans, 

"There  is  only  one  other  person 
—  Miss  Allen."  The  admission  of 
Marjorie's  innocence  cut  him  like 
a  knife. 

]  'Why  Miss  Allen  ?"asked  the  girl. 

'  'Because  she  was  the  only  per- 
son who  came  into  the  store.  I 
take  it  that  you  would  not  hide  the 
name  of  the  thief,  if  he  were  one 
of  the  employees." 

"It  is  no  one  employed  here. 
But  Miss  Allen  was  not  the  only 
one  who  came  in  this  morning!" 

"The  rest  said  so." 

"I  beg  your  pardon.  They  said 
they  saw  no  one  else  but  Miss  Allen. 
Two  of  the  girls  did  not  even  see 
her,  for  they  were  late.  A  moment 
or  two  after  Miss  Allen  a  boy  came 
in  delivering  bills.  I  was  the  only 
one  who  saw  him.  It  is  just  as 
likely  that  he  took  the  rings  as 
that  Miss  Allen  did." 

"Who  was  the  boy?" 

"That  makes  no  difference.  The 
fact  of  the  case  is  that  prosecution 
is  impossible  for  you." 

"I  see  only  one  thing  to  do,"  was 
the  answer.  Mr.  Putnam  took  out 
his  check-book  and  filled  out  a 
check  which  he  handed  to  the  girl. 

"That,"  he  said,  "will  end  our 
business  relations,"— adding  to 
himself,  "and  prevent  any  others." 

The  Putnams,  had  just  sat  down 
for  dinner  and  had  barely  said 
grace,  when  the  door  was  heard  to 
open  and  Jim,  the  youngest   mem- 


336 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ber  of  the  family,  entered. 

"Good  evening,"  he  said,  cheeri- 
ly. "How  goes  it?"  He  kissed 
his  sisters  affectionately  and  shook 
hands  with  his  brother. 

"Hello,  Jim.  What  brings  you 
back  so  soon?"  they  all  asked  in 
surprise. 

"Just  got  through  sooner  than 
I  expected,"  was  the  answer,  "so 
did  the  best  thing  in  the  world  and 
came  right  home.  I'm  glad  I'm  in 
time  for  dinner." 

William  looked  rather  uncomfort- 
able. 

"Have  you  been  to  the  store 
yet?"  he  asked,  uneasily. 

"No,  haven't  had  time.  I 
dropped  off  the  train  out  here  in- 
stead of  going  into  the  city.  Busi- 
ness ail  right?" 

"Oh,  yes.  Everything  is  fine." 
The  truth  would  come  out  soon 
enough,  William  thought.  But  he 
ate  little  and  kept  looking  furtively 
at  the  fine,  open  face  of  his  young- 
er brother. 

Dinner  over,  they  all  spent  half 
an  hour  together,  business  being 
strictly  avoided.  Then  Jim  went 
out  to  visit  Marjorie. 

Two  hours  later  he  returned  and 
found  a  card  game  in  progress. 

"I  don't  like  to  interrupt,"  he 
began,  "but—"  he  looked  at  Wil- 
liam, indicating  that  further  ex- 
planation was  superfluous. 

William  passed  the  cards  to  his 
sister. 

"Your  deal,"  he  said. 

"Pardon  me,  my  deal,"  Jim  said, 
looking  at  his  brother. 

"Do  you  people  know  anything 
about  the  robbery  at  the  store?" 
he  continued   calmly  but  forcibly. 

The  sisters  exclaimed  in  surprise: 

"The  robbery?  No!  When?  Tell 
us,  what  was  it?" 

Jim  smiled. 

"I  thought,"  he  continued,  quiet- 
ly, "that  Will  had  told  you  about 
it.  It  appears  that  yesterday 
morning  Will  opened  the  safe   as 


usual  and  placed  the  various  trays 
of  jewelry  in  the  show  case.  An 
hour  later  a  tray  of  rings  was  miss- 
ing. Enquiry  revealed  that  none  of 
the  employees  knew  anything  about 
the  affair  except  that  the  only  per- 
son who  had  entered  the  store  was 
Miss  Allen,  a  former  employee,  who 
came  for  a  check.  There  was  a 
heavy  downpour  of  rain  at  the 
time  and  business  was  slack.  On 
the  face  of  it,  Miss  Allen  was  guilty. 
About  noon,  Marjorie  Waite  was 
seen  to  enter  the  store— no  one 
knew  why  she  had  gone  out — and 
slipped  the  tray  of  rings  from  her 
muff  back  into  the  show-case.  In- 
vestigation showed  that,  while  she 
knew  who  was  guilty,  she  positively 
refused  to  say  who  the  person  was, 
simply  insisting  that  it  was  not  she 
herself  nor  any  other  employee  and 
she  asked  Will  to  drop  the  matter  and 
trust  to  her  truthfulness.  Instead, 
she  was  immediately  discharged." 

He  stopped  and  surveyed  his  hear- 
ers. For  a  moment,  no  one  spoke. 
Helen  was  the  first  to  give  an 
opinion. 

"Quite  the  proper  proceeding, 
I  should  think,"  she  declared. 

Louise  added: 

"I  never  did  like  that  girl.  Some- 
thing told  me  that  she  wasn't 
straight  and  now  I  know  it." 

Jim  looked  at  his  sisters. 

"Thank  you,"  he  said,  "for  your 
frank  opinions.  It's  so  delightful 
to  know  exactly  what  you  think  of 
the  lady. ' ' 

"Will,"  he  continued,  addressing 
his  brother,  '  'I  know  this  is  a  busi- 
ness affair  and  one  that  does  not 
properly  belong  here,  but  I  started 
the  matter  assuming  that  Louise 
and  Helen  both  knew  about  it.  So 
I  suppose  it  may  as  well  be  fin- 
ished." 

William  took  the  cigar  from  his 
mouth  and  quietly  knocked  off  the 
ashes  before  he  spoke. 

"It  is  finished,"  he  said.  "I  dis- 
missed  Miss   Waite   instantly   and 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


337 


that  ends  the  matter." 

"It  does  not  end  it  at  all,"  re- 
plied his  brother  hotly.  "You 
know  well  that  Marjorie  is  innocent 
and  that  you  are  guilty  of  a  great 
wrong  in  discharging  her. 

"Innocent  nothing!  She's  the 
thief  without  a  doubt.  Didn't  I 
see  her  in  the  act  of  returning  the 
stolen  articles?  How  much  more 
evidence  do  you  suppose  I  need? 
Innocent,  indeed!" 

"Yes,  I  repeat  it,  innocent!  You 
may  have  what  you  term  evidence 
to  the  contrary;  but  you  have  known 
the  girl  for  several  years,  you  have 
been  brought  into  daily  contact 
with  her,  and  never  yet  have  known 
her  to  be  dishonest  or  untruthful, 
have  you?" 

Will  remained  silent. 

"Have  you  ever  known  her  to  be 
untruthful?"  insisted  the  younger 
man. 

"Probably,  there  was  no  occasion 
to  test  her  before, "  was  the  answer. 

Jim  felt  his  temper  getting  the 
better  of  him.  With  an  effort  he 
controlled  himself. 

"Then, if  you  can  not  believe  her, " 
he  said , '  'believe  me.  I  tell  you,  each 
of  you,  that  Majorie  Waite  is  not 
guilty  of  this  offence.  Do  you  be- 
lieve your  brother?" 

Louise  was  the  first  to  reply. 

"Of  course,  Jim."  she  began, 
"you  are  practically  engaged  to 
Majorie  and  you  would  not  be  ex- 
pected  " 

"Then  you  doubt  me,  too?"  inter- 
rupted Jim. 

"I  don't  say  that,  but " 

"But  you  do  say  that;  and  pre- 
cisely that  and  nothing  else."  He 
turned  to  his  brother  again. 

"Do  you  believe  me?"  he  de- 
manded. 

Will  squirmed. 

"The  evidence " 

"Confound  the  evidence!"  replied 
Jim,  angrily.  "Believe  what  you 
like  then,  all  of  you;  believe,  if  you 
will,  that  this  girl  is  a  thief,  a  liar, 


anything  you  like;  and  believe  that 
I  am  also  a  thief  and  a  liar.  But 
let  me  warn  you  that  you  have  no 
right  to  judge  another.  If  we  know 
not  all  the  circumstances,  we  know 
we  can  not  accuse.  As  we  hope  to 
be  believed,  we  are  bound  to  take 
the  word  of  another.  This  girl  says 
she  is  innocent;I  say  she  is  innocent. 
More  than  this  you  do  not  need." 

"Yes,  Jim,  you  are  quite  right,  we 
need  no  more,"  said  Helen.  "You 
can  let  the  affair  drop  now.  I'm 
sure  we  have  all  heard  enough  of  it. 
Will  probably  won't  prosecute,  so 
no  more  need  be  said.  We  can  for- 
get that  such  a  person  as  Majorie 
Waite  ever  existed." 

Jim  bowed.  "Thank  you,"  he 
said,  pleasantly,  "for  your  kind- 
ness. I  fear  though  that  it  will  be 
somewhat  difficult  for  you  to  forget 
the  young  lady,  since  before  this 
month  is  over  she  will  be  your  sis- 
ter-in-law.    Goodnight." 

Jim  Putnam  hesitated  for  a  mo- 
ment in  the  hall;  then,  attracted  by 
the  bright  moonlight,  he  determined 
to  go  out  for  a  walk.  He  took  his 
hat  and  coat  and  left  the  house. 
Outside  he  felt  better.  The  air  was 
clear  and  rather  cold,  just  enough  to 
make  walking  enjoyable.  Here, 
too,  things  seemed  bigger,  nobler. 
He  felt  a  sudden  revulsion  of  feel- 
ing against  mankind  in  general  for 
its  little-mindedness,  its  meanness, 
its  readiness  always  to  believe  evil 
rather  than  good.  People  seemed 
to  delight  in  being  able  to  talk  of 
the  wrong  another  had  done  and  in 
imputing  sinister  motives  to  anoth- 
er's actions.  The  good  was  usually 
overlooked.  That  people  outside  of 
the  Fold  of  Christ  should  be  guilty 
of  this  sin  was  not  so  much  to  be 
wondered  at;  but  that  Catholics,  and 
good  Catholics  at  that,  should  so  far 
forget  the  great  law  of  charity  as 
to  condemn  their  fellow  men  on  the 
slightest  suspicion,  this  shocked 
Jim's  innate  sense  of  justice  and 
his  most  sacred  religious  sentiments. 


338 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


This  very  evening,  his  own  sisters 
had  failed  in  this  regard  by  so  read- 
ily surmising  evil  of  Majorie  Waite 
without  so  much  as  a  shred  of  evi- 
dence of  her  guilt.  His  brother 
Will,  too,  had  condemned  the  girl, 
basing  his  accusation,  it  is  true,  on  a 
semblance  of  guilt,  but  the  evidence 
at  hand  fell  flat  in  the  face  of  Ma- 
jorie's  and  his  own  solemn  and  pos- 
itive assertion  of  her  innocence. 
But  no;  neither  Will  nor  his  sisters 
were  ready  to  dismiss  their  suspi- 
cions. They  would  rather  run  the 
risk  of  judging  falsely  than  accept 
the  assurance  of  Majorie's  •  inno- 
cence. Jim  felt  no  anger  toward 
them  for  this.  Instead,  he  pitied 
them  and  experienced  keenest  sor- 
row that  men  should  be  so  unkind 
toward  one  another;  particularly  that 
a  thing  of  this  kind  should  arise  to 
mar  the  happiness  that  his  family 
had  always  known.  It  was  unnat- 
ural, unnecessary,  but  it  was  the  way 
of  the  world.  For  himself,  it  mat- 
tered but  little.  He  loved  Majorie 
and  she  loved  him.  They  would  be 
married  soon  and  all  would  be  well. 
He  resolved  to  forget  the  whole  af- 
fair, to  hold  no  resentment,  to  act  as 
he  had  always  done,  as  a  brother 
should  act,  and  let  them  think  what 
they  pleased.  So  he  continued  to 
walk  until  far  into  the  night. 

On  retuning  home,  Jim  carefully 
placed  his  key  in  the  lock  and 
opened  the  door  quietly  so  as  not  to 
disturb  any  one.  Noiselessly  as- 
cending the  heavily  carpeted  stairs, 
he  perceived  a  strong  odor  of  gas  as 
he  passed  his  brother  Will's  room, 
He  rapped  nervously  at  the  door 
fearing  some  frightful  accident 
might  have  occurred.  Receiving  no 
answer,  with  blanched  face  and 
heart  thumping  like  a  hammer  he 
tried  the  knob  and  the  door  opened 
readily. 

'  'Oh,  God,  what  has  happened ! "  he 


gasped,  as  he  staggered  back  from 
the  open  doorway,  choked  by  the 
fumes  of  escaping  gas  with  which 
the  room  was  filled.  Placing  a 
handkerchief  to  his  mouth  and  nos- 
trils and  snapping  on  the  electric 
light,  he  rushed  into  the  room  and 
threw  open  the  windows.  Then 
examining  the  gas  fixture  he  found 
the  jet  wide  open.  The  room  was 
in  perfect  order.  His  brother  lay 
in  bed,  apparently  asleep.  Jim 
touched  him  lightly.  There  was 
no  response. 

"Will!"  he  said,  "wake  up." 
Still  there  was  no  answer.  Seizing 
the  bed-clothing  he  tore  it  away, 
grasped  his  brother  by  the  shoulders 
and  dropped  a  limp,  lifeless  body! 

Was  it  suicide  or  murder,  or  was  it 
merely  a  most  unfortunate  accident? 
The  world  never  found  out  for  cer- 
tain, but  according  to  its  usual  cus- 
tom it  forgot  Will  Putnam's  many 
virtues  and  magnifying  his  faults  it 
adduced  now  this,  now  that  as  a 
sufficient  reason  for  him  to  have  put 
an  end  to  his  own  life.  Investiga- 
tion brought  to  light  evidence  of  at- 
tempted theft  resulting  in  murder, 
but  the  world  cared  little  for  the 
evidence;  it  had  passed  its  verdict: 
"Will  Putnam  committed  suicide" 
—  thus  spoke  the  world. 

But  Jim,  who  knew  his  brother 
as  an  exemplary  Catholic,  felt  con- 
vinced that  the  grim  tragedy  was 
either  a  case  of  murder  or  accident, 
and  steadfastly  refused  to  harbor 
even  the  least  suspicion  that  his 
brother  had  committed  suicide.  Still, 
he  could  not  be  deaf  to  the  voice  of 
the  world,  and  he  saw  in  its  verdict, 
uncharitable  though  it  was,  the 
just  retribution  of  Providence. 
"For,  with  what  judgment  you 
judge,  you  shall  be  judged:  and  with 
what  measure  you  mete,  it  shall  be 
measured  to  vou  again." 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


339 


TERTIARY  CONVENTIONS 

By  Leon  de  Lillo.  Tertiary 


SINCE  the  year  1894,  more  than 
thirty  national  conventions 
of  the  Third  Order  have  been 
held  in  various  parts  of  the  world. 
As  these  meetings  of  the  Tertiaries 
give  an  insight  into  the  wonderful 
growth  of  the  Third  Order  within 
the  last  decades  and  exhibit  the 
great  power  of  the  Order  for  solv- 
ing the  complicated  social  problems 
of  our  day,  we  think  a  short  sketch 
of  the  more  important  of  these  con- 
gresses will  prove  both  instructive 
and  interesting  to  the  readers  of 
Franciscan  Herald.  We  have 
gleaned  our  material  chiefly  from 
several  articles  on  this  subject  in  the 
Mensajero  Serafico  of  1914,  by  the 
Rev.  Fr.  Baltasar  of  Lodares,  o.M. 

CAP. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  year  1893, 
the  Commissary  General  of  the 
Third  Order  in  France,  Rev.  Fr. 
Julius  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  o.f.m., 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Directors  of  the 
French  fraternities  decided  to  call 
a  congress  of  all  the  French  Ter- 
tiaries, in  September  1894,  at  Paray- 
le-Monial,  in  the  church  of  the  Vis- 
itation Nuns,  where  our  Blessed 
Lord  accompanied  by  St.  Francis 
had  once  appeared  to  Bl.  Margaret 
Mary  Alacoque.  This  was  the  first 
national  congress  of  Tertiaries,  and 
it  was  attended  by  an  immense 
number  of  prelates,  priests,  and 
laymen  of  all  ranks  in  society.  His 
Holiness,  Pope  Leo  XIII,  sent  an 
enthusiastic  letter  to  the  Tertiaries, 
urging  them  to  organize  in  an  effort 


to  save  France  from  the  corruption 
of  revolutionary  and  unchristian 
ideas.  This  congress  was  presided 
over  by  Rev.  Fr.  Julius  himself. 
To  insure  the  assistance  of  Heaven 
in  carrying  out  the  resolutions 
adopted  on  this  occasion,  it  was 
determined  to  consecrate  the  whole 
Order  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus, 

At  the  close  of  the  same  month 
and  in  the  same  year,  a  similar 
congress  of  the  Italian  Tertiaries 
was  held  at  Novara,  Italy.  We 
have  two  important  documents  con- 
cerning this  convention;  viz.,  a 
brief  of  Pope  Leo  XIII  granting  a 
plenary  indulgence  under  certain 
conditions  to  all  the  Tertiaries  at- 
tending the  meeting;  and  another 
brief  of  His  Holiness  addressed  to 
the  Minister  General  of  the  Order 
of  Friars  Minor,  the  Most  Rev.  Fr. 
Aloysius  of  Parma,  in  which  the 
Holy  Father  endeavors  to  impress 
on  the  Tertiaries  the  necessity  of 
leading  exemplary  Christian  lives. 

In  August  1895,  Rev.  Fr.  Julius 
of  the  Sacred  Heart  again  presided 
at  a  national  congress  of  the  French 
Tertiaries  held  this  time  at  Limoges. 
The  two  most  important  resolutions 
passed  by  the  convention  were  the 
following:  first,  to  submit  with  the 
utmost  docility  and  obedience  not 
only  to  the  decrees  of  the  Holy  See 
concerning  faith  and  morals  but 
also  to  its  counsels  and  known 
wishes;  second,  to  endeavor  by  all 
means  to  stem  the  ever-increasing 
tide  of  luxury  among  all  classes  of 


340 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


men.  Cardinal  Rampolla,  then  sec- 
retary of  state  to  Pope  Leo,  on 
receiving  the  report  of  this  congress, 
at  once  wrote  &  letter  in  the  name 
of  His  Holiness,  in  which  he  declared 
how  happy  the  Holy  Father  was  to 
learn  of  the  marvelous  success  the 
congress  had  enjoyed  and  how  much 
he  desired  to  see  the  Third  Order 
spread  daily  more  and  more. 

A  most  important  congress  of  the 
Third  Order  took  place  in  October 
of  that  same  year  in  Assisi.  It  was 
honored,  as  we  learn  from  the 
Analecta  O.M.  Capuccinorum,  by 
two  briefs  of  His  Holiness,  Pope 
Leo  XIII;  one  addressed  to  the 
promoters  complimenting  them  on 
their  choice  of  Assisi  as  the  city  of 
the  convention,  and  the  other  di- 
rected to  the  Most  Rev.  Minister 
General  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor,  Fr.  Aloysius  of  Parma,  con- 
gratulating him  on  the  splendid 
work  achieved  during  the  congress. 
A  letter  of  the  Most  Rev.  Fr.  Ber- 
nard of  Andermatt,  Minister  Gener- 
al of  the  Capuchin  Order,  touches 
on  the  important  resolutions  adopted 
during  this  convention  and  urges 
their  execution. 

The  Tertiary  Congress  held  at 
Reims,  France,  in  August  1896,  was 
set  afoot  by  Pope  Leo  XIII  himself 
to  lend  special  solemnity  to  the  cele- 
bration commemorating  the  four- 
teenth centenary  of  the  Baptism  in 
that  city  of  King  Clovis,  the  husband 
of  St.  Clotilde.  The  convention  was 
conducted  by  the  French  Capuchin 
Fathers,  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Louis  An- 
tony, Definitor  General  of  the  Cap- 
uchin Order,  presiding  at  the  meet- 
ings as  the  delegate  of  the  Father 


General.  His  Eminence,  Cardinal 
Langenieux,  Archbishop  of  Reims, 
put  the  beautiful  chapel  of  the 
French  kings,  erected  in  Reims  dur- 
ing the  twelfth  century,  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Tertiaries  for  the  sit- 
tings of  the  convention.  Many  in- 
spiring addresses  were  made  on  this 
occasion,  and  the  congress  is  to  be 
especially  complimented  on  the  prac- 
tical resolutions  that  it  passed,  two 
of  the  most  important  being  the 
following:  first,  to  enlist  the 
services  of  the  secular  clergy  in 
spreading  the  Third  Order  among 
the  faithful;  second,  to  establish 
rural  banks  even  in  the  most  remote 
villages  for  the  protection  of  the 
peasants  and  poorer  shopkeepers 
from  usurers. 

At  the  congress  held  at  Nimes, 
France,  in  August  1897,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Fathers  Provincial 
of  the  various  French  provinces  of 
the  Friars  Minor,  very  interesting 
questions  regarding  the  activity  of 
the  Third  Order  were  discussed  and 
the  following  resolution  was  adopt- 
ed: that  a  committee  be  named  to 
study  the  resolutions  passed  at  the 
various  Tertiary  congresses  and 
then  through  the  mediation  of  the 
Catholic  deputies  in  parliament 
have  these  resolutions  embodied  in 
the  laws  of  the  republic  of  France. 

The  Belgian  Capuchins  called  a 
convention  of  Tertiaries  to  Brus- 
sels, in  August  1899.  Rev.  Fr. 
Louis  Antony  of  Bruntruto,  O.M. 
CAP.,  presided  as  the  delegate  of 
the  Most  Rev.  Father  General.  The 
resolutions  passed  were  few  but 
pratical:  first,  to  establish  Third 
Order  fraternities  in  the  seminaries 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


341 


and  Catholic  colleges;  second,  to  hold 
regular  visitations  of  all  the  frater- 
nities m  the  country  every  year. 

An  agreement  had  been  made  in 
France  between  the  Friars  Minor 
and  the  Capuchin  Friars  to  take 
turns  in  conducting  the  annual  con- 
ventions of  the  French  Tertiaries. 
Thus,  in  August  1899,  Fr.  Louis 
Antony,  o.m.cap.,  also  presided  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  French 
Tertiaries.  Special  attention  was 
given  during  this  congress  to  the 
various  ways  and  means  for  mak- 
ing the  Third  Order  better  known. 

The  year  1900  is  a  memorable 
one  in  the  annals  of  the  Third  Or- 
der, for  in  that  year  the  Holy  Fa- 
ther called  a  meeting  of  all  the  Ter- 
tiaries of  the  world  to  Rome  for  a 
worthy  celebration  of  that  year  of 
jubilee.  Through  his  Cardinal  Sec- 
retary of  State,  His  Holiness  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  the  Ministers 
General  of  the  three  Franciscan 
families,  wherein  he  gave  expres- 
sion to  his  sentiment  of  great  affec- 
tion for  the  Third  Order  and  ardent 
longing  to  see  it  spread  throughout 
the  world.  The  Holy  Father  also 
directed  a  letter  to  Cardinal  Vives 
y  Tuto,  the  celebrated  Capuchin, 
who  presided  at  the  sessions  of  the 
congress,  in  which  he  dwelt  on  the 
great  importance  of  the  Third  Or- 
der and  granted  special  faculties 
for  introducing  it  into  the  various 
parishes.  This  convention  of  the 
Tertiaries  in  Rome  surpassed  all  the 
others  so  far  held  and  gave  a  new 
impetus  to  Tertiary  activities.  The 
sessions  were  held  in  the  church 
of  St.  Andrew. 

During  the  years  1901  and   1902, 


Tertiary  conventions  were  held  in 
Padua  and  Florence,  Italy,  in  Eng- 
land and  in  Switzerland.  Unhap- 
pily, we  have  no  other  information 
regarding  them  than  the  mere  men- 
tion of  them  which  we  find  in  a 
speech  of  His  Lordship  the  Bishop 
of  Lahore,  delivered  at  the  congress 
of  Allahabad,  India,  in  November 
1903.  The  Capuchin  Fathers  in  the 
missions  of  India,  had  heard  of 
the  splendid  results  of  the  Tertiary 
conventions  held  in  Europe,  and 
decided  to  call  a  national  conven- 
tion of  the  Third  Order  to  Allaha- 
bad. His  Grace,  the  late  Fr. 
Charles  Gentili,  Capuchin  Arch- 
bishop of  Agra,  in  India,  presided 
at  the  meetings.  Besides  the  Bish- 
op of  Lahore,  many  other  prelates 
and  priests  were  present,  and  the 
convention  was  productive  of  the 
best  results  for  both  the  directors 
and  the  Tertiaries.  One  of  the 
most  practical  resolutions  passed 
was  to  appoint  a  Father  for  the 
annual  visitation  of  the  various 
fraternities,  in  order  to  keep  alive 
the  zeal  and  enthusiasm  of  the 
Tertiaries  awakened  during  the 
convention. 

The  second  English  national  con- 
gress of  the  Third  Order  took  place 
in  1904,  thanks  to  the  activity  of 
the  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Joseph,  O.M.CAP., 
Commissary  General  of  the  Third 
Order  in  England.  The  sessions 
were  presided  over  by  the  Bishop  of 
Salop,  in  Shropshire.  The  princi- 
pal subjects  discussed  were  the 
teaching  of  religion  in  schools,  tem- 
perance, and  the  founding  of  Fran- 
ciscan libraries. 

The   Reverend   Fr.    Guardian  of 


342 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  convent  in  Udine,  Italy,  called 
a  provincial  congress  to  that  city  in 
1906.  Although  it  included  only 
Tertiaries  of  two  dioceses,  this  con- 
gress is  considered  of  prime  impor- 
tance, owing  to  its  masterly  discus- 
sion of  the  relation  of  the  Third 
Order  to  the  press  and  to  the  needy 
sick. 

New  life  and  zeal  was  infused  in- 
to the  Austrian  Tertiaries  by  their 
first  national  convention  held  in 
Vienna,  in  November  1907.  His 
Holiness  Pope  Pius  X  sent  them  his 
apostolic  blessing  and  all  the  Fran- 
ciscan Provincials  of  the  country 
either  were  present  in  person  or  sent 
others  to  represent  them.  We  can 
gain  an  idea  of  the  vast  number  of 
Tertiaries  that  attended  this  con- 
gress from  the  fact,  that  although 
the  sessions  were  held  in  a  very 
spacious  church,  at  the  last  meeting 
several  hundred  were  unable  to  se- 
cure admisson. 

The  signal  success  of  the  provin- 
cial convention  held  at  Udine, 
spurred  the  Tertiaries  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Polesino  to  a  similar  under- 
taking. They  met  in  Rovigo,  Italy, 
in  the  church  of  the  Capuchin  fri- 
ars, in  February  1908.  On  this  oc- 
casion they  learnt  to  their  surprise 
and  encouragement  that  the  num- 
ber of  Tertiaries  in  their  province 
had  increased  from  10,000  to  42,000 
within  the  preceding  ten  years. 

The  Director  of  the  Franciscan 
missionary  magazine,  La  Voce  di 
S.  Antonio,  was  the  chief  pro- 
moter of  a  Tertiary  convention  that 
held  its  sittings  in  Vicenza,  Italy, 
in  April  1909.  The  importance  of 
this  meeting  of  the   Third  Order  is 


apparent  from  the  fact  that  His 
Eminence,  the  Patriarch  of  Venice, 
the  Bishops  of  Treviso  and  Chiog- 
gia,  and  the  Vicar  General  of  Vi- 
cenza honored  it  with  their  pres- 
ence. 

In  July  and  August  1909,  the  first 
national  congress  of  the  Spanish 
Tertiaries  was  convened  at  Santiago 
de  Compostela,  Spain,  by  the  Very 
Rev.  Fr.  Francisco  Ferrando,  Visi- 
tor of  the  Third  Order  in  Galicia, 
in  order  to  celebrate  in  a  becoming 
manner  the  seventh  centenary  of 
the  founding  of  the  Franciscan 
Order.  The  Reverend  Father  ex- 
erted himself  to  the  utmost  in  be- 
half of  the  congress,  and  his  efforts 
were  crowned  with  extraordinary 
success.  Besides  His  Eminence 
Cardinal  Herrera,  Archbishop  of 
Santiago,  six  Bishops,  numerous 
priests,  and  many  Tertiaries  at- 
tended the  congress.  Fifty-two  re- 
solutions were  adopted,  of  which 
we  will  mention  but  two:  first,  to 
eliminate  all  entrance  fees  at  re- 
ceptions; second,  to  urge  all  the 
Tertiaries  to  daily  Communion  and 
to  the  daily  attendance  at  Mass. 

In  October  of  the  same  year,  a 
Tertiary  convention  was  conducted 
in  Bassano,  Italy,  by  the  Capuchin 
friars  of  the  province  of  Venice,  and 
the  Tertiaries  responded  in  great 
numbers.  It  was  decided  on  this 
occasion  to  publish  a  monthly  bulle- 
tin for  the  benefit  of  the  Tertiaries 
and  to  organize  in  the  various  fra- 
ternities the  discretories  or  councils 
prescribed  by  the  Rule. 

The  great  success  that  had  at- 
tended the  first  national  convention 
of  the  Austrian  Tertiaries,  induced 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


343 


the  Reverend  Directors  to  convoke 
another,  in  September  1910,  at 
Innsbruck,  Tyrol.  Special  commit- 
tees began  the  preliminary  work 
already  in  the  preceding  March  and 
their  efforts  succeeded  admirably. 
The  Tertiaries  both  clerical  and  lay 
as  well  as  the  Reverend  Directors 
and  the  Prelates  all  showed  the 
greatest  interest,  and  the  meeting 
proved  of  the  utmost  utility  for  the 
Third  Order  in  Autsria  as  also  in 
the  neighboring  German  countries. 

The  Tertiaries  of  the  dioceses  of 
Padua  and  Vicenza,  Italy,  met  in 
joint  congress,  in  October  1910. 
This  convention  was  preceded  by  a 
special  meeting  of  the  Tertiaries  be- 
longing to  the  secular  clergy,  and 
this  gave  rise  to  a  thorough  dis- 
cussion of  the  ways  and  means  to 
combat  the  opposition  that  the 
Third  Order  meets  with  in  various 
parishes. 

The  province  of  Lombardy,  with 
its  two  hundred  thousand  Tertiaries, 
held  a  most  imposing  congress  in 
May  1912.  at  Bergamo,  Italy,  at 
which  three  hundred  priests  and 
prelates  and  more  than  five  thou- 
sand Tertiaries  were  present.  This 
convention  is  also  to  be  commended 
on  account  of  the  practical  resolu- 
tions it  passed  for  spreading  the 
Order  and  for  improving  the  spirit 
of  its  members. 

Realizing  the  immense  good  result- 
ing from  the  Tertiary  congresses, 
the  three  Very  Rev.  Fathers  Pro- 
vincial of  the  Bavarian  Friars  Minor, 
Conventuals,  and  Capuchins  decid- 
ed to  call  a  convention  of  the  Ter- 
of  Bavaria  to  Munich,  in  August 
1912.     Over  3000  Tertiaries  respond- 


ed to  the  call.  The  sessions  were 
honored  by  the  presence  of  Her 
Royal  Highness  the  Queen  Regent 
of  Bavaria,  His  Eminence  Cardinal 
Francis  von  Bettinger,  Archbishop 
of  Munich,  and  many  other  emi- 
nent personages  of  the.  clergy  and 
laity.  The  enthusiasm  aroused  by 
the  meeting  surpassed  all  expecta- 
tions and  the  Reverend  Directors 
and  the  Tertiaries  returned  to  their 
homes  fully  determined  to  carry 
out  the  splendid  resolutions  made 
during  the  convention,  especially 
in  regard  to  the  social  and  charita- 
ble activity  of  the  Third  Order. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1912, 
according  to  the  Revue  Sacerdotale 
of  Belgium,  other  Tertiary  con- 
gresses were  held  in  Lendinara  and 
Turin,  Italy,  in  Trient,  Austria,  and 
in  Paray-le-Monial,  France,  all  of 
which  were  very  well  attended  and 
productive  of  much  fruit. 

The  congress  in  Milan,  in  August 
1918,  was  styled  the  Franciscan 
Week,  and  its  sessions  were  presided 
over  by  His  Eminence  Cardinal  Fer- 
rari, Archbishop  of  Milan. 

At  their  convention  held  in  Padua, 
Italy,  also  in  August  1913,  the  Ter- 
tiaries gave  a  splendid  demonstra- 
tion of  their  faith,  over  forty  thou- 
sand having  gathered  there  to  do 
honor  to  the  Wonderworker  of  Pa- 
dua, St.  Antony,  and  to  renew  in 
their  hearts  the  love  for  their  holy 
Order. 

During  all  these  years,  there  had 
been  a  movement  among  the  Italian 
Tertiaries  to  unite  the  various  fra- 
ternities in  one  grand  federation, 
the  better  to  secure  unity  of  action 
among   the   members.     It  was  for 


344 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


this  purpose  that  a  convention  was 
called  to  Rome,  in  September  1913. 
After  the  subject  of  federation  had 
been  discussed  with  great  thorough- 
ness and  animation,  it  was  finally 
decided,  owing  to  insuperable  diffi- 
culties at  that  time,  to  postpone  the 
matter  to  a  later  date.  The  Tertia- 
ries  were  much  disappointed  at  this 
turn  of  affairs,  but  to  compensate 
them  for  this  failure,  they  solemnly 
proclaimed  their  unswerving  fidelity 
and  obedience  to  the  Holy  See. 

The  marvelous  success  that  at- 
tended the  Tertiary  congress  held 
in  Cologne,  Germany,  in  August 
1913,  was  owing  to  two  principal 
causes:  first,  the  perfect  manner  in 
which  the  whole  convention  had 
been  organized  and  conducted:  sec- 
ond, the  loyal  help  given  by  the  sec- 
ular clergy  of  the  country,  many  of 
whom  are  enthusiastic  Tertiaries 
themselves.  Over  7000  Tertiaries 
and  several  hundred  priests  and 
prelates  attended  the  sessions.  With- 
out doubt  this  was  the  most  impos- 
ing of  all  the  Tertiary  conventions 
held  in  the  German  countries. 

The  Spanish  Tertiaries,  however, 
would  not  permit  themselves  to  be 
surpassed  by  their  German  breth- 
ren, and  they  gathered  from  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom  for  the  con- 
gress at  Madrid,  in  May  1914,  to 
commemorate  the  seventh  cente- 
nary of  the  coming  of  St.  Francis  to 
Spain.  The  event  was  of  such  mo- 
ment, that  even  the  secular  papers 


I  took  note  of  it  in  their  columns,  and 
'  praised  the  Tertiaries  for  the  splen- 
j  did  spirit  that  animated  them.    The 
|  sessions  were  held  in  the  church  of 
San  Francisco  el  Grande,    the  most 
magnificent  church  in  Madrid,  with 
i  the  express  permission  of  His  Cath- 
olic  Majesty   the   King  of   Spain. 
Eleven   Archbishops    and    Bishops 
|  were  present,  besides  a  vast  num- 
I  ber  of  royal  and  noble   personages, 
I  and   the   supreme   councils   of  the 
;  various   military   orders   of   Spain. 
i  The     lav    Tertiaries    attended   en 
masse,  and  in  the  procession  through 
the  streets  of  the  capital  city  at  the 
j  close  of  the   convention   8000  men 
j  took  part  wearing   their  Third   Or- 
I  der  scapular  and  cord  over  their 
I  clothes.     Various  important  resolu- 
!  tions  were  adopted  on  this  occasion, 
,  especially  in  regard  to  the  diffusion 
|  and  the  organization   of  the   Order 
in  the  fraternities.     Copies  of  these 
resolutions  as  well  as  an  account  of 
the  entire   proceedings  of  the   con- 
vention were  forwarded  to  His  Ho- 
liness Pope   Benedict  XV   for  his 
blessing   and   approbation,    both  of 
which  he   most  graciously   granted 
in  a  special    brief  of   September  1, 
1915. 

The  great  war  has  put  a  tempo- 
rary quietus  on  Tertiary  congresses. 
But  with  the  conclusion  of  peace, 
the  Tertiaries  of  all  countries  will 
no  doubt  be  among  the  first  to  meet 
and  discuss  the  best  means  of  solv- 
ing the  after-war  problems. 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD  445 


EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


"Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me." 

THE  EUCHARISTIC  DECREE 

"Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me."— 0  blessed  words  of  our 
divine  Lord  commanding  and  empowering  his  Apostles  and  their  succes- 
sors in  all  ages  to  celebrate  the  holy  Mass  as  he  himself  had  done,  till  the 
end  of  time.  "Do  this"— he  speaks,  and  the  great  Catholic  worship  is  in- 
stituted for  all  days-  He  speaks,  and  behold,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun 
unto  the  going  down  the  Lamb  of  God  is  offered  by  adoring  peoples  through 
the  ministry  of  his  anointed  priests.  He  speaks,  and  each  morning  while 
time  lasts,  the  earth  becomes  holy  and  beautiful  with  the  uplifted  Host  on 
innumerable  altars  of  Holy  Church. 

He  speaks,  and  from  sea  to  sea  and  from  mountain  to  mountain  on 
sacred  altars  anointed  hands  are  overspread  in  blessing  and  the  things  of 
earth  become  heavenly,  and  the  simple  elements  pass  into  the  august 
Sacrament — the  ineffable  substance  of  the  adorable  Savior.  He  speaks, 
and  the  Eternal  Father  is  consoled  with  infinite  reparation  and  glory  by 
the  worship  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  which  he  seeks  and  loves,  for  the  true 
victim  of  Redemption— the  Lamb  of  God  which  he  himself  has  provided, 
his  own  beloved  Son,  is  offered  to  Him;  and  not  on  one  day,  but  on  all  days, 
not  in  one  place,  but  on  countless  altars.  What  mercy,  what  graces  may 
we  hope  for  from  the  Eternal  Father  when  he  is  looking  on  the  face  of 
his  Christ  mystically  sacrificed  on  our  altars! 

Nor  is  this  all.  "Do  this"— the  divine  victim  speaks,  and  the  angels 
are  filled  with  rapture  seeing  paradise  opened  and  God  dwelling  among 
his  people  in  this  valley  of  tears.  He  speaks,  and  the  innumerable  multi- 
tude come  pressing  for  the  Bread  of  Angels  supplied  for  their  eternal  con- 
solation in  their  sweet  Communions.  He  speaks,  and  behold  the  desert 
blooms  and  the  skies  drop  with  honey. 

Praise  the  Lord,  0  New  Jerusalem,  enveloping  the  nations.  Praise 
thy  God,  0  Sion  of  the  Catholic  Church.  For  he  has  blessed  thy  children, 
he  has  filled  them  with  the  fat  of  corn  celestial.  "He  hath  made  a  re- 
membrance of  his  wonderful  works  being  a  merciful  and  gracious  Lord. 
He  hath  given  food  to  them  that  fear  him"  (Ps.  110,  4,  5).  He  speaks, 
and  the  saints  in  heaven  are  increased  in  glory  and  blessedness,  and  the 
pure  soul  of  the  Queen  of  Saints  shines  like  a  clear  jewel  in  the  rising  sun 
of  the  elevated  Host,  being  filled  with  the  eucharistic  glory.  He  speaks, 
and  purgatory  is  refreshed  with  streams  of  indulgence  and  blessing,  and 
holy  souls  pass  upward  into  radiance  and  rest. 

"Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me."— How  faithfully,  how  con- 
stantly the   Catholic  Church  has  obeyed  this  divine  command,  and  what 


446  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


great  things,  what  countless  blessings  and  graces  are  the  result  of  that 
constancy  and  obedience.  So  let  there  be  in  my  life  a  faithfulness  to  the 
commands  and  inspirations  of  the  divine  will,  as  our  Blessed  Lady  has 
counselled,  "Whatsoever  he  shall  say  to  you,  do  ye," — for,  as  the  water 
was  converted  into  wine  at  Cana,  and  as  the  elements  are  changed  at  the 
altar,  so  may  the  most  simple  actions  if  done  for  the  divine  glory  become 
meritorious,  a  blessing  to  others,  and  a  joy  even  to  God  and  his  angels 
and  saints. 


flray?r  fnr  $mtt 

(§'er  trouble  maters,  in  tlje  bistant  East. 

Utttj  lurtb  rrtmson  tare  tlje  battle  rloubs; 

®lje  nations  mtgtjtij,  tlje  nations  ttjat  are  least. 

Hetjolb  tijeir  brain?  enuirapnrb  in  sable  sijroubs. 

©Ije  ntomen  anb  tlje  rtjilbren,  too,  lie  beab, 

3n  ruins  are  tlje  fairest  fielbs  anb  touins; 

In  untolb  quantities  is  bloob  nout  sijeb, 

Htjile  Ijeauen  anb  earttj  are  rent  uritlj  fearful  sounbs. 
(§  Iflottjer,  me  implore  ilju,  august  Ban 
®o  grant  Ijts  earthly  rljilbren  peare  anb  rest; 
iHay  Ije  forbib  ttjat  bloob  like  riuers  run, 
ilay  Ije  giue  rijrism'b  balm  to  Ijearts  bistresseb. 
(Sub  of  tlje  Ages,  tjear  our  angutstjeb  rrg: 
l^peak  (Uljou  tlje  satiing  morb  ere  millions  bie! 

— (Srotter  (E.  ilarlin,  Ulerttarg. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


447 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXXIII 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  JSnqelhardt,  O.F.M. 


MEANTIME  the  Cujane  Indi- 
ans at  the  orginal  site  had 
manifested  some  disposi- 
tion to  become  Christians.  By  the 
end  of  1753,  in  view  of  the  difficul- 
ties encountered  at  Espiritu  Santo 
Mission,  the  Fathers  determined  to 
gratify  them  by  establishing  a  sepa- 
rate mission  for  the  Xarankawa 
tribes.  In  order  to  realize  the  proj- 
ect, Fr.  Juan  de  Dios  Camberos  was 
sent  to  the  College  of  Guadalupe, 
Zacatecas;  having  received  the  con- 
sent of  the  Superiors,  he  proceeded 
to  the  capital  of  Mexico.  Knowing 
from  experience,  however,  that 
material  aid  from  the  government 
at  best  was  slow  in  coming,  the 
Fathers  in  Texas  took  steps  forth- 
with to  prepare  for  the  founding  of 
the  mission.  The  funds  with  which 
to  begin  the  work  were  raised  by 
private  gifts  to  the  College,  or  ad- 
vanced by  Captain  Piszina  and  the 
missionaries  at  Bahia  del  Espiritu 
Santo. 

Without  waiting  for  the  viceroy's 
formal  approval,  Fr.  Camberos 
hastened  back  to  Texas  and  founded 
the  mission  in  November  1754.  In 
April  1755,  the  viceroy  granted  his 
approval.  "Piszina  detailed  nine 
soldiers  to  act  as  guards,  to  assist 
with  their  hands,  and  to  direct  the 
Indians  who  had  been  induced  to 
help  in  constructing  the  buildings 
and  in  preparing  the  soil  for  plant- 
ing."   Reporting  to  the  viceroy  un- 


der date  of  January  15,  1755,  Cap- 
tain Piszina  wrote:  "The  place  as- 
signed for  the  congregation  of  these 
Indians  is  four  leagues  from  the  pre- 
sidio. It  has  all  the  advantages 
known  to  be  useful  and  necessary 
for  the  founding  of  a  large  settle- 
ment. It  has  spacious  plains,  and 
very  fine  meadows  skirted  by  the 
Rio  San  Antonio,  which  appears  to 
offer  facilities  for  a  canal  to  irrigate 
the  crops.  In  the  short  time  of  two 
months,  since  the  building  of  the 
material  part  of  the  mission  was  be- 
gun, a  decent  wooden  church  for 
divine  worship  has  been  finished. 
It  is  better  than  that  of  this  presi- 
dio and  the  Mission  of  Espiritu 
Santo.  There  have  also  been  com- 
pleted the  habitation  for  the  mis- 
sionary and  the  other  necessary 
houses  and  quarters,  all  surrounded 
by  a  field  large  enough  to  plant  ten 
fanegas  (hundredweights) of  corn." 

Two  years  later  (1757),  a  report 
stated  that  a  dam  of  lime  and  stone 
forty  varas  (vara  is  a  Spanish  yard 
of  about  34  inches)  long  and  four 
varas  high  had  been  built  across  an 
arroyo  or  creek  carrying  water 
enough  to  fill  it  in  four  months,  and 
that  all  that  was  lacking  was  the 
canal,  which  would  soon  be  finished. 
It  is  not  to  be  ascertained  that  it  was 
completed.  Within  a  few  years,  a 
strong  wooden  stockade  was  built 
around  the  mission. 

The  name  applied   by   Fr.    Cam- 


448 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


beros  in  his  reports  was  Nuestra 
Senora  del  Rosario  de  los  Cojanes 
(Cujanes).  The  addition  de  los 
Cojanes  indicates  in  part,  accord- 
ing to  Professor  Bolton,  from  whom 
all  this  information  is  taken,  the 
prominence  of  the  Cujane  tribe 
in  the  mission,  and  also  the  prev- 
alent usage  of  their  name  as  a 
generic  term  for  the  Karankawa 
tribes. 

The  location  of  Mission  Rosario 
was  given  by  Piszina  as  four 
leagues  from  the  presidio  of  Bahia 
—  in  which  direction  he  does  not 
say;  but  it  was  clearly  up  stream, 
Dr.  Bolton  thinks.  Fr.  Gaspar  de 
Solis's  Diary  of  1768,  has  "Mission 
Espiritu  Santo  in  sight  of  the  royal 
presidio,"  apparently  almost  on  the 
site  of  modern  Goliad,  "with  noth- 
ing between  them  but  the  river, 
which  is  crossed  by  a  canoe;"  and 
in  1793,  Revilla  Gigedo  located 
Mission  Rosario  two  leagues  nearer 
than  Espiritu  Santo  to  Bejar.  "I 
am  informed,"  Bolton  continues, 
"that  the  ruins  to-day  identified  as 
those  of  Espiritu  Santo  are  across 
the  river  from  Goliad,  and  that 
four  miles  west  of  these,  one-half 
a  mile  south  of  the  San  Antonio 
River,  no  doubt,  are  those  of  Mis- 
sion Rosario."  In  a  note  (page 
318,  "Texas  in  the  Middle  Eight- 
eenth Century"),  Bolton  further 
writes,  "From  what  I  can  learn, 
it  seems  probable  that  the  building 
at  Goliad,  whose  remains  are  now 
called  'Mission  Aranama',  were 
connected  with  the  presidio  of  Ba- 
hia rather  than  with  a  mission." 

Lack  of  funds  appears  to  have 
prevented    agriculture  and   stock- 


raising  on  a  grand  scale.  Nor  were 
the  Indians  so  eager  to  embrace 
Christianity  as  had  been  hoped. 
They  would  come  to  the  mission 
from  time  to  time,  and  would  help 
more  or  less  with  the  work,  but 
when  provisions  gave  out  they  were 
of  necessity  allowed  to  return  to 
the  coast.  Within  less  than  a  year 
of  the  founding,  Captain  Piszina 
reported  that  one  thousand  pesos 
(dollars)  in  private  funds  had  been 
spent  for  corn,  meat,  cloth,  tobacco, 
etc.  A  year  later  he  said  that  the 
number  of  Indians  at  Mission  Espi- 
ritu Santo  — a  number  large  enough 
to  consume  five  or  six  steers  a 
week  — was  smaller  than  the  num- 
ber at  Rosario,  and  that  in  all  six 
thousand  pesos  had  been  expended 
in  supporting  the  latter. 

The  number  of  converts,  how- 
ever, was  not  commensurate  with 
the  efforts  made  and  the  money 
expended.  At  the  end  of  four 
years,  the  total  harvest  was  twen- 
ty-one souls  baptized  in  articulo 
mortis;  i.  e.,  twelve  adults  and 
nine  children.  In  May  1758,  only 
one  of  the  Indians  living  at  the 
mission  was  baptized.  This  small 
showing,  says  Prof.  Bolton,  was 
partly  due  to  the  caution  and  con- 
servatism of  Fr.  Camberos.  "If  I 
had  been  overwilling  in  baptizing 
Indians,"  he  said,  "at  the  end  of 
four  years  you  would  have  found 
this  coast  nearly  covered  with  the 
holy  Baptism;  but  experience  has 
taught  me  that  Baptism  adminis- 
tered hastily  make  of  Indians  Chris- 
tians who  are  such  only  in  name, 
and  who  live  in  the  woods  undistin- 
guishable  from  the  heathen. "  "This 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


449 


caution  on  the  part  of  Fr.  Camberos 
was  not  only  in  conformity  with  the 
rules  of  the  Church,  but  quite  in 
keeping  with  the  usual  missionary 
practice  as  well." 

The  last  sentence,  taken  literally 
from  Prof.  Bolton,  (p.  319),  shows 
the  spirit  of  fairness  that  animates 
him.  With  the  Catholic  the  remark 
would  be  superfluous;  but  Prof.  Bol- 
ton knows  very  well  that  nineteen 
out  of  twenty  non-Catholic  historical 
writers  (let  alone  novelists)  state, 
as  a  matter  of  course  which  needs 
no  examination,  that  the  Catholic 
missionaries,  in  fact  all  priests,  bap- 
tize adults  without  any  or  without 
adequate  instruction  as  to  faith  and 
obligations.  Hence  the  remark  for 
the  benefit  of  such  thoughtless  or 
bigoted  writers,  lest  they  make 
themselves  ridiculous  when  touch- 
ing Catholic  subjects.  The  days 
for  romancing  with  impunity  in  his- 
tory are  past. 

The  Indians  of  the  new  mission 
were  hard  to  manage.  They  gave 
the  soldiers  much  trouble,  and  sus- 
tained their  old  reputation  for  being 
inconstant,  unfaithful,  and  dissatis- 
fied. The  example  of  San  Xavier 
Mission,  where  a  friar  had  recently 
been  murdered,  was  fresh  in  the 
minds  of  the  missionaries,  and,  even 
when  the  Indians  at  Rosario  seemed 


*  Bolton,  "Texas  in  the  Middle  Eighteenth  Century 


best  disposed,  it  was  feared  they 
might  revolt  and  do  violence  to  their 
benefactors.  The  Cu janes  in  par- 
ticular were  feared,  for,  besides 
being  the  most  numerous,  they  were 
regarded  as  especially  bold  and  un- 
manageable. 

This  fear,  together  with  the  dan- 
ger from  Apaches,  was  the  reason 
for  building  the  stockade,  and  for 
numerous  appeals  to  increase  the 
guards.  As  soon,  for  instance,  as 
Captain  Piszina,  (one  of  the  few 
Spanish  officers  who  really  proved 
helpful  to  the  missionaries  any- 
where), had  finished  the  mission 
buildings,  he  renewed  his  former 
request  for  ten  additional  soldiers. 
He,  moreover,  asked  the  govern- 
ment to  assist  the  new  mission  with 
the  usual  one  year's  supplies,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  vestments  and  furni- 
ture. Thereafter,  his  appeal  was 
frequently  repeated,  and  was  sec- 
onded by  the  Missionary  College, 
by  Fr.  Camberos,  and  by  Governor 
Barrios  y  Jauregui.  Nevertheless, 
the  government  at  the  distant  capi- 
tal of  Mexico  only  discussed,  pro- 
crastinated, and  called  for  reports, 
until  finally  in  a  Council  of  the  War 
and  Treasury  Officials,  held  April 
17,  1758,  the  various  items  asked 
for  were  granted.     (*) 

pp.  62-63;  100;  316-320. 


350 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FATHER  GREGORY'S  FIRST  CONVERT 

By  Zelma  McDowell  Penry,  Tertiary 


BLACK,  purple,  green,  and  deep 
gray,  the  water  swirled 
about  the  rugged  rocks  and 
then  fell  away  toward  the  open  sea 
that  lay  shimmering  golden  blue, 
a  vast  expanse  that  led  far  on 
to  the  Orient.  It  was  dark  here  in 
the  cove,  dark  with  that  soft  cool 
darkness  that  refreshes  and  soothes, 
yet  seems  shot  with  millions  of  tiny 
glinting  lights,  filtering  through 
the  spaces  between  green  leaves. 

When  Jimmie  Gregory  first 
caught  a  glimpse  of  this  enchanting 
spot,  he  had  been  far  above  it, 
nearing  the  fourteenth  tee,  to  be 
specific,  on  the  golf  course  that 
adjoined  the  hotel  where  he  was 
sojourning  for  the  summer  with  his 
widowed  mother. 

Jimmie  had  not  wanted  to  spend 
that  summer  at  such  a  place;  his 
real  desire  had  been  to  lose  himself 
at  his  chum's  camp  in  the  San 
Bernardino  Mountains.  During 
their  senior  year  at  St.  Cyprian's, 
the  two  young  men  had  planned 
the  trip,  down  to  the  most  trivial 
detail.  Great  decisions  were  to 
have  been  made  out  there  in  the 
open,  where  they  could  face  issues 
that  seemed  a  bit  puzzling  while 
they  were  whirling  in  the  care-free 
pool  of  college  activities. 

Alas  for  the  best-laid  plans!  After 
the  great  day  of  graduation, 
Jimmie's  mother,  whose  sole  inter- 
est in  life  was  her  boy,  had  urged 
him  to  spend  the  summer  in  her 
company,  '  'seeing  something  of  the 
world".     Well,  after  all,  the  young 


man  had  reflected,  it  was  little  to 
ask  of  him;  little  for  the  mother 
who  had  done  so  much  for  him, 
and  whose  only  thought  had  been 
of  him.  Yes,  he  would  give  up  the 
trip  with  Hart  Winslow,  and  do  as 
his  mother  wished;  it  was,  at  most, 
but  a  summer  lost,  and  it  was  not 
as  if  he  were  really  convinced  of 
the  solidity  of  his  vocation.  He 
had  consulted  the  rector  of  St. 
Cyprian's,  Father  Keene,  and  the 
latter  had  agreed  that  Jimmie's 
decision  was  the  right  and  proper 
one  to  make  under  the  circumstan- 
ces. 

"You  know,  my  boy,"  the  kindly 
priest  had  told  him,  "a  vocation  to 
the  priesthood  is  not  to  be  played 
with;  it  is  something  too  sublime, 
but  I  do  not  think  that  you  would 
be  playing  with  it  by  doing  as  you 
suggest.  Your  attraction  toward 
the  life  of  a  priest,  coming  thus 
later  than  to  most  of  us,  may  for 
that  very  fact  be  the  more  deeply 
rooted;  then  again,  it  may  not  be 
the  real  thing  at  all.  So  I  am 
Convinced  that  the  surest  test  of  its 
genuineness  would  be  to  take  the 
summer  to  think  it  over — not  in 
solitude,  but  in  the  rush  and  bustle 
of  the  world." 

Father  Keene  had  smiled  whimsi- 
cally and  affectionately  at  Jimmie 
as  he  gave  him  this  advice,  then 
had  turned  and  looked  gravely  from 
his  study  window  for  a  moment 
before  giving  the  lad  his  blessing 
and  wishing  him  godspeed.  He 
had  been  drawn  to  Jimmie  Gregory 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


351 


since  the  day  of  the  latter's  advent, 
eight  years  before,  at  St.  Cyprian's. 

Though  endowed  with  the  usual 
apportionment  of  boyish  mischief, 
Jimmie  had  been  possessed  of  a 
singular  firmness  of  character  and 
simplicity  of  purpose.  His  piety 
had  been  spontaneous,  boyish,  but 
had  always  exhibited  a  steady 
undercurrent  of  sincerity  and  depth. 
So,  when  Father  Keene  had  given 
the  foregoing  advice,  he  had  done 
so  only  after  deep  thought  and 
many  prayers,  though  Jimmie 
would  have  been  the  last  person  in 
the  world  to  account  himself  deserv- 
ing of  Father  Keene's  thoughts 
and  prayers.  Charmingly  lacking 
in  conceit  was  Jimmie  and  charm- 
ingly replete  with  those  qualities 
which  would  cause  conceit  in  a 
character  less  stanch. 

Thus  it  chanced  that  young  James 
Gregory,  handsome,  athletic,  and 
possessed  of  an  utterly  irresistible 
courtliness  of  manner  had  taken 
the  exclusive  hotel,  chosen  by  Mrs. 
Gregory  as  a  suitable  lookout  upon 
the  "world",  quite  by  storm. 
Masculine  and  feminine  contingent 
alike  fell  under  the  spell  of  his 
manner.  Young  men  admired  him, 
their  fathers  frankly  liked  him, 
while  women,  regardless  of  age, 
sought  him— with  one  notable 
exception. 

Dorothy  Merwin,  the  charming 
daughter  of  "the  Colorado  Mer- 
wins",  had  passed  the  two  days 
since  the  arrival  of  the  Gregorys 
apparently  serenely  oblivious  of 
Jimmie's  presence.  Without  seem- 
ing to  avoid  him,  she  had  never- 
theless   given   no    one    an   oppor- 


tunity to  perform  the  ceremony 
of  introduction  which  all  the 
others  secretly  believed  would 
result  in  a  complete  loss  of  head 
and  heart  for  both  young  people. 
Indeed,  Jimmie  had  not  so  much  as 
seen  Miss  Dorothy,  though  he  was 
constantly  hearing  her  name.  It 
may  be  added  that  neither  the  other 
youths  nor  maidens  were  wildly 
anxious  to  see  the  two  meet,  the 
former,  because  to  a  man  they  had 
"fallen  for"  Dorothy  and  welcomed 
no  rivals,  and  the  latter,  because 
— well,  to  say  the  least,  they  did 
not  relish  having  the  most  desirable 
of  the  eligible  young  men  monopo- 
lized by  "that  uppish  Dorothy 
Merwin". 

On  the  night  of  the  third  day, 
however,  the  event  nad  really  come 
to  pass,  and  every  one  had  been 
forced  to  confess  that  it  had  not 
been  so  bad  after  all.  An  officious 
elderly  dowager,  with  whom  match- 
making seemed  to  be  a  solemn  duty, 
had  contrived  to  bring  the  two  to- 
gether, by  the  simple  expedient  of 
isolating  Dorothy  in  one  corner  of 
the  veranda  just  outside  the  brilli- 
antly lighted  ball  room,  and  then 
calling  Jimmie  as  he  swung  by  in 
search  of  a  breath  of  cool  air. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Gregory,"  she  had 
said,  bringing  the  youth  to  an  abrupt 
halt,  "come  here  a  moment.  Do- 
rothy, my  dear,  may  I  present  our 
latest  acquisition,  Mr.  James  Gre- 
gory? Dorothy  has  been  so  hard  to 
find  these  last  few  days,  Mr.  Gre- 
gory, that  I  haven't  been  able  to  ar- 
range a  meeting  between  you." 
Thereupon  the  self-constituted 
arbiter  of  the  destinies  of  the  young 


352 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


sighed  in  obvious  relief  as  Jimmie 
bowed  over  Miss  Merwin's  extended 
hand  with  that  curious  courtly  de- 
ference that  marked  his  manner  to- 
ward women. 

"It  is  an  honor  to  meet  you, 
Miss  Merwin,"  he  said,  his  eyes 
seeking  in  vain  to  penetrate  the 
darkness  which  hung  over  that  par- 
ticular corner  of  the  veranda. 
Then  he  made  the  usual  perfunc- 
tory addition, '  'May  I  have  the  pleas- 
ure of  the  next  dance?" 

In  the  darkness  the  girl  flushed 
with  vexation.  Did  he  think  she 
had  asked  that  he  be  called? 

"Thank  you,  Mr.  Gregory," 
she  answerd  coolly,  covering  her 
well-filled  dance  card  with  a  wisp 
of  a  lace  handkerchief,  "I'm  not 
dancing  any  more  this  evening;  I 
have  some  letters  that  call  too  insist- 
ently to  be  written." 

And,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the 
owners  of  the  names  that  filled  that 
card,  she  really  disappeared  for  the 
rest  of  the  evening;  neither  did  she 
make  her  appearance  at  breakfast 
the  next  morning,  and  to  enquiries, 
her  mother  replied  that  Dorothy  had 
risen  early,  taken  breakfast  in  her 
room  and  had  gone  for  a  walk  by 
herself.  The  only  one  who  seemed 
unperturbed  by  Miss  Merwin's  ab- 
sence from  the  place  was  Jimmie 
Gregory.  He  had  promised  to  play 
a  twosome  with  one  of  the  older  golf 
enthusiasts  that  morning,  and  as  far 
as  could  be  noted,  he  did  not  so  much 
as  perceive  the  young  lady's  absence 
—but  of  course  he  had  not  seen 
her  in  the  daytime. 

It  so  happened  that,  when  Jimmie 
came  near  to  the  fourteenth  tee,  he 


chanced  to  look  down  toward  the 
ocean,  and  made  the  surprising  dis- 
covery of  a  cove  that  he  had  not 
seen  before.  He  had  been  looking 
for  just  such  a  spot  because  he  felt 
the  need  of  a  quiet  place  where  he 
could  collect  his  thoughts  from  time 
to  time. 

He  turned  to  his  caddy,  who  was 
holding  out  the  club  for  the  next 
stroke,  and,  disregarding  the  club, 
pointed  in  the  direction  of  the  cove 
far  below. 

"Aaron,"  he  said  eagerly,  "is  it 
hard  to  get  to  that  cove  down 
there?" 

"Easy  enough,  I  guess,"  respond- 
ed the  boy,  "if  anybuddy's  fool 
enough  to  want  to— 'nd  my  name's 
Jimmie,  sir." 

"That's all  right,"  answered  Gre- 
gory obligingly,  "so's  mine;  any- 
way, your's  ought  to  be  Aaron." 

He  finished  the  eighteen  holes  in 
absolute  silence,  but  as  he  started 
for  the  hotel,  he  suddenly  halted  the 
surprised  caddy  and  handed  him  a 
shining  quarter. 

"By  the  way,  I  think  I'll  not  go 
back  just  now, "  he  said  reflectively, 
"there's  sure  to  be  a  picnic  or  some- 
thing on  if  I  do,  and  just  now  I 
want  to  think.  See  here,  boy,  you 
have  no  reason  to  believe  that  I'm 
not  striking  off  for  a  walk  toward 
those  hills,  have  you?" 

The  lad  grinned.  "No  sir,  you're 
headed  that  way  now,  and  if  yuh 
keep  on  walkin'  yuh  oughta  get 
there  if  yuh  don't  turn  'round." 

Jimmie   Gregory's   face  relaxed. 

"You're  an  intelligent  boy,  Aaron, 
if  your  name  is  Jimmie, "  he  laughed. 
"Now  listen  well;  if  I  leave  you 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


353 


now  to  take  my  clubs  back  to  the 
locker,  and  nobody  ferrets  me  out 
from  where  I'm  going  this  morning, 
something  tells  me  that  a  little  boy 
named  Aaron  is  going  to  get  a  mate 
to  that  quarter,  this  afternoon. 
I'll  fix  it  with  Mr.  Dalton  right 
now,  so  you  will  probably  not  be 
called  upon  for  any   explanations." 

So  after  comparing  scores  with  his 
companion  of  the  twosome,  who 
joined  them  at  that  moment,  and 
then  excusing  himself  on  the  ground 
of  urgent  business,  Jimmie  Gregory 
turned  his  back  squarely  on  the  hills 
and  struck  off  in  the  direction  of  the 
bluffs  that  projected  over  the  ocean. 

Scrambling  down  the  precipitous 
wall  that  formed  one  side  of  the  en- 
chanted cove,  he  soon  landed  flushed 
and  disheveled  on  its  sandy  floor. 
An  exultant  laugh  left  his  lips  as 
he  recovered  his  balance,  brushed 
his  trousers  free  of  the  clinging 
twigs  and  sand,  and  then  surveyed 
ruefully  the  large  three  cornered 
tear  in  the  sleeve  of  his  silk  outing 
shirt.  Suddenly,  across  his  consci- 
ousness, a  voice,  clear  and  cold  as  an 
ice  splinter,  cut  stingingly. 

*  'Perhaps  a  pin  would  be  of  serv- 
ice, Mr.  Gregory." 

Jimmie  gasped,  flushed,  and  stam- 
mered in  such  evident  amazement 
at  the  sound  of  the  voice,  which  his 
sense  of  hearing  told  him  belonged 
to  Dorothy  Merwin,  that  the  girl  in- 
stantly regretted  her  hastily  formed 
conviction  that  he  had  known  of 
her  presence  and  had  come  there 
because  he  wanted  to  seek  her  out. 

He  turned  suddenly  and  found 
himself  face  to  face  with  a  young 
woman,  the  exact  antithesis  of  the 


one  he  had  pictured  Miss  Merwin 
to  be.  For  be  it  admitted  he  had 
formed  an  unaccountable  distaste 
for  Dorothy  from  hearing  her 
praises  sung  so  volubly  and  con- 
tinuously since  his  arrival,  and  had 
imaged  her  as  a  coquette,  —  beauti- 
ful, perhaps,  but  none  the  less  a 
coquette.  So  much  for  the  evil  of 
rash  judgment.  The  girl  before  him 
was  slim  and  youthful;  her  soft, 
dark  hair  was  drawn  back  from  a 
broad,  white  forehead;  while  her 
large  gray- green  eyes  held  at  that 
moment  a  look  of  enquiry  that  was 
direct  and  childlike. 

"I— I'm  sure  I  beg  your  pardon, 
Miss  Merwin— that's  who  you  are, 
isn't  it?  I  had  no  idea  any  one 
was  down  here, "  stammered  James. 
"It's  a  shame  to  disturb  you  in 
such  a  heavenly  spot." 

Dorothy's  eyes  softened  still  more. 

"It's  all  right,"  she  answered; 
"naturally  you  wouldn't  expect  to 
find  any  one  in  such  an  out-of-the- 
way  place  as  this." 

She  half  stooped  to  recover  the 
book  which  she  had  dropped  at  Jim- 
mie's  precipitate  descent  into  her 
retreat,  and  as  the  young  man 
sprang  forward  to  anticipate  her, 
his  eyes  fell  on  the  title  of  the  vol- 
ume. In  utter  amazement  he  gazed 
first  at  the  book  and  then  at  the 
girl  who  stood  defensively  before 
him,  her  aristocratic  little  head  rais- 
ed high,  but  with  wave  after  wave 
of  crimson   overspreading  her  face. 

He  had  expected  that  the  book 
would  be  one  of  the  season's  "best 
sellers",  or  something  of  the  sort 
which  his  brief  experience  had 
taught    him  seemed  to  be  in   the 


354 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


hands  of  most  of  the  young  women 
at  the  fashionable  watering  place. 
But  this— he  looked  once  more, 
doubting  the  evidence  of  his  own 
senses — yes,  it  was  perfectly  plain: 
"Catechism  of  Christian  Doctrine, 
by   Rev.     Joseph  Deharbe,   S.    J." 

Her  voice,  shaking  slightly,  re- 
called him  to  his  manners. 

"I  should  like  my  book  please, 
when  you  have  quite  mastered  its 
title,  Mr.  Gregory." 

It  was  Jimmie's  turn  to  color  as 
he  handed  back  the  volume. 

"Forgive  me,  Miss  Merwin;  I 
was  unpardonably  rude;  but  some- 
how it  seemed  so  astonishing  to  see 
you  reading— that." 

"I  fail  to  see  anything  astonishing 
in  it,  Mr  Gregory,"  she  replied  curt- 
ly. "Is  it  so  amazing  that  a  girl 
should  study  her^that  is,  that  she 
should  study  religion?" 

"No,  certainly  not;  but  I  didn't 
know  you  were  a  Catholic  and,  well, 
it  isn't  usual  to  see  a  girl  putting  in 
her  time  on  the  study  of  Catholic 
doctrine,  that's  all." 

"Mr.  Gregory,  "—her  voice  had 
changed  suddenly  and  was  singu- 
larly appealing—  "I  am  going  to  ask 
a  favor  of  you.  Please  do  not  tell 
any  one  that  I  come  here,  and  par- 
ticularly what  I  do  when  I  get  here. 
You  can  not,  of  course,  under- 
stand, but  —  well  —  oh,  there  is 
something  so  lacking  to  my  life 
—I'm  not  a  Catholic;  you  are  right 
—but  sometimes  I  think  that  it  is 
religion  that  is  my  lack." 

"Well,  Miss  Merwin, "  answered 
Jimmie  gently,  "I  think  I  know 
just  how  you  feel  about  it.  You  see 
I  am  a  Catholic,  and  it's  jolly  hard 


to  imagine  what  I  would  do  without 
my  faith." 

"A  Catholic!- you?"  Dorothy's 
face  was  alight  with  interest  now. 
"Do  you  know,  I  don't  know  an- 
other Catholic  on  earth  I  bought 
this  catechism  —but  it  is  such  a  bard 
struggle  all  alone." 

The  missionary  in  Jimmie  was  up- 
permost now;  he  sat  down  on  one 
of  the  jutting  rocks,  and  soon  the 
two  were  deep  in  conversation,  she 
eagerly  questioning,  he  explaining, 
defending,  counseling.  Suddenly, 
to  their  surprise,  a  glance  at  the  sun 
told  them  that  it  was  already  noon. 
As  they  rose  unwillingly,  and  Do- 
rothy tucked  the  little  gray  book 
deep  in  her  bag,  she  smiled  at  him 
with  shining  eyes. 

"And  just  think,  how  angry  I 
was  when  you  dropped  down  so  un- 
ceremoniously into  my  cove.  Why, 
I  really  believe  God  sent  you." 

He  smiled   gravely  back   at  her. 

"This  morning  has  given  me  the 
greatest  pleasure  of  my  life,  Miss 
Merwin;  I've  never  truly  known 
before  what  it  meant  to  be  able  to 
direct  a  soul  in  search  of  light,  and 
if  I've  been  of  ever  so  little  help  to 
you—" 

"Oh,  you've  been  so  much,"  she 
breathed,  "you've  shown  me  how 
real  life  can  be.  Why,  I've  been  only 
half  unfolded  all  these  years." 

"I  only  wish  I  felt  competent  to 
give  you  all  the  instruction  you 
ought  to  have, "  he  said  regretfully, 
"but  of  course  you  know  how  it  is; 
you  wouldn't  go  to  a  doctor  to  settle 
a  lawsuit,  or  to  a  lawyer  to  mend  a 
broken  arm.  The  priests  of  our 
Church  have  made  the  studies  nee- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


355 


essary  for  properly  teaching  sin- 
cere seekers  after  truth.  They  are 
the  shepherds  appointed  to  lead  all 
the  sheep  safely  into  the  one  Fold." 

His  voice  was  deep  and  vibrant 
with  feeling,  and  Dorothy  looked  at 
him  wonderingly.  She  had  never 
thought  a  young  man  could  be  like 
this  one.  Somehow  she  had  been 
under  the  impression  that  a  young 
man  who  was  religious  would  also  be 
effeminate  or  sanctimonious.  Yet 
here  was  one  whose  religious  convic- 
tions were  deep  and  clear,  yet  who 
did  not  parade  them;  and,  what  was 
more,  he  was  superlatively  manly 
and  unquestionably  sincere.  As 
they  parted  at  the  door  of  the  hotel, 
it  was  with  an  agreement  to  walk  up 
to  the  Old  Mission  late  that  after- 
noon to  make  arangements  for  Doro- 
thy's instructions  under  one  of  the 
zealous,  brown-robed  friars,  whom 
she  had  regarded  heretofore  merely 
as  an  attractive  part  of  the  scenery. 

By  the  end  of  that  happy  summer, 
remarkable  changes  had  taken 
place  in  the  lives  of  Jimmie  Gregory 
and  Dorothy  Merwin.  Jimmie,  from 
the  moment  he  picked  up  Dorothy's 
little  gray  catechism,  was  utterly  at 
rest  regarding  his  vocation  to  the 
priesthood.  His  way  was  plain,  and 
he  walked  it  with  firm,  purposeful 
steps;  and  Dorothy,  with  a  clearness 
of  vision  given  to  few,  understood, 
sympathized,  and  encouraged  him 
in  his  lofty  ideals.  And,  after  the 
first  shock  of  the  thought  of  losing 
the  boy  she  had  lived  for,  Mrs. 
Gregory's  latent  piety  had  risen 
above  the  sordid,  earthly  goal  she  had 
destined  for  him,  and  she  realized 
the  joy  that  was  to  be  hers  as  th.e 


mother  of  a  priest. 

On  August  the  second,  Dorothy 
Merwin's  soul  was  given  its  joyous 
rebirth  in  the  baptistry  of  the  beau- 
tiful old  Franciscan  mission.  Nev- 
er had  a  happier  neophyte  asked 
for  admission  into  the  Fold  of  Peter. 
Serene  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
step  she  was  about  to  take,  and 
awed  in  the  contemplation  of  the 
divine  gift,  her  pure  soul  seemed  to 
shine  out  from  her  large  eyes  in  a 
living  light.  Her  happiness  was 
made  complete  by  the  approval 
of  her  much  loved  parents,  They 
too,  had  undergone  a  change  that 
summer,  and  after  many  serious 
talks  together,  and  a  careful  obser- 
vation of  the  change  in  Dorothy, 
they  had  decided  to  give  their  child  , 
the  singular  joy  of  being  the  first  to 
learn  of  their  decision  to  be  instruct- 
ed in  the  Catholic  religion.  The 
news  was  broken  to  her  near  the 
end  of  that  perfect  day. 

"I  never  knew  such  happiness 
could  be,  Jimmie,"  she  said  to  him 
as  they  talked  over  the  events  of 
the  summer,  the  evening  before 
his  departure  to  take  up  his  sacred 
studies  in  the  seminary. 

"Please  God,  you  may  have  the 
grace  to  surmount  all  the  sorrows 
and  crosses  that  he  may  allow  you, 
Dorothy,"  he  replied  seriously. 
"You're  starting  out  on  a  long 
road,  and  it  will  not  always  be  so 
smooth  as  it  is  now;  but  something 
tells  me  that  you  are  going  to  be 
strong  enough  to  travel  it  safely." 

'  'And  you,  Jimmie,  you  are  start- 
ing out  on  a  much  harder  road, 
even  though,  as  you  say,  it  is  the 
most  beautiful  one  on  earth;  but  you 
may  be  sure  that  the  strongest  pray- 
ers the  Reverend  Father  James  Gre- 
gory will  ever  have  said  for  him, 
will  be  those  of  his  first  convert." 


356 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy. -On   May    24,     His 

Holiness  Pope  Benedict  XV  appoint- 
ed Most  Rev.  Fr.  Seraphin  Cimino, 
Minister  General  of  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor,  inquisitor  of  the  Sa- 
cred Congregation  of  the  Office  and 
con  suitor  of  the  Sacred  Congrega- 
tion of  Religious.  In  like  manner, 
Rev.  Fr.  John  Moraleda,  a  Spanish 
friar,  became  consultor  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation  of  the  Council,  while 
Rev.  Fr.  Alexander  Bertoni,  Secre- 
tary General  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor,  was  chosen  consultor  of  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  the  Sacra- 
ments. — 

The  Holy  Father  has  definitely 
confirmed  the  decree  approving  the 
writings  of  Fr.  Peter  Lopez,  o.f.m. 
The  venerable  servant  of  God  whose 
cause  of  beatification  has  thus  been 
brought  a  step  nearer  completion, 
was  a  member  of  the  Franciscan 
Province  of  Catalonia  in  Spain.  He 
died  in  the  odor  of  sanctity  on 
March  25,  1898.  - 

The  commission  of  Biblical  Studies 
in  Rome  has  conferred  the  degree 
of  licentiate  in  Holy  Scripture  on 
Rev.  Fr.  Crescentius  van  den  Borne, 
O.F.M.  The  learned  friar  is  an 
alumnus  of  the  Franciscan  province 
in  Holland  and  acting  professor  of 
Sacred  Scripture  in  the  Franciscan 
International  College  of  St.  Antony 
in  Rome.— 

On  July  30,  Very  Rev.  Luke  Carey, 
O.F.M.,  commemorated  the  sixty- 
second  anniversary  of  his  entrance 
into  the  Franciscan  Order.  He 
spent  almost  his  entire  life  as  a 
Franciscan  in  the  Eternal  City  and 
is  well  known  as  a  true  son  of  St. 
Francis.  Many  distinguished  ec- 
clesiastics and  laymen  visited  S. 
Isidore's  to  offer  the  venerable  jubi- 
larian  their  congratulations.     Great 


was  the  joy  of  all  when  a  messen- 
ger arrived  from  the  Vatican  with 
a  congratulatory  message  from  the 
Holy  Father  and  a  beautiful  crucifix 
of  ebony  and  ivory  to  which  His 
Holiness  had  attached  a  rich  indul- 
gence. 

Lombardy,  Italy. — The  various 
fraternities  of  the  Third  Order  in 
Lombardy,  who  are  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Capuchin  friars,  had 
proposed  to  arrange  for  a  Francis- 
can pilgrimage  to  Rome  and  Assisi. 
The  hearty  cooperation  of  the  1050 
Tertiaries  comprising  the  various 
fraternities  bade  fair  to  make  the 
undertaking  a  signal  success.  But 
the  sad  conditions  of  northern  Italy 
caused  by  the  present  war  made  it 
impossible  for  the  Tertiaries  to  bring 
this  public  offering  of  love  and  de- 
votion to  St.  Francis  and  to  the 
Sovereign  Pontiff.  Instead,  a  collec- 
tion was  taken  up  by  them,  which 
the  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial  of  the 
Capuchins  presented  to  the  Holy 
Father.  His  Holiness  was  deeply 
touched  and  praised  the  Tertiaries 
for  their  loyalty  to  the  Church  in 
these  times  of  sore  '  distress.  To 
show  how  he  appreciated  their  gift, 
he  addressed  through  the  Cardinal 
Secretary  of  State  a  beautiful  letter 
of  thanks  to  the  Verv  Rev.  Fr.  Pro- 
vincial. 

Madrid,  Spain.— The  "Associa- 
tion of  Franciscan  Charities"  found- 
ed among  the  Catholics  of  Spain, 
is  very  actively  engaged  in  supply- 
ing the  poor  churches  of  their  coun- 
try with  all  the  necessaries  for  di- 
vine service.  This  became  evident 
when,  on  May  27,  the  results  of 
their  zealous  efforts  were  put  on 
public  exhibition  in  Madrid.  Even 
ladies  of  the  nobility  are  lending 
their  aid  and  influence  to  this  noble 
work  of  the  Association. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


357 


Vigo,  Spain. -On  April  22,  Rt. 
Rev.  Dr.  Eijo  Garay,  Bishop  elect 
of  Vitoria,  was  received  into  the 
Third  Order  of  St.  Francis.  The 
ceremonies  were  performed  in  the 
church  of  the  Capuchin  Friars  at 
Vigo.  After  his  investment,  the 
worthy  prelate  delivered  an  inspir- 
ing sermon  which  made  a  deep  and 
lasting  impression  on  the  faithful 
who  had  gathered  in  large  numbers 
to  witness  the   singular  spectacle. 

Valencia,  Spain. —Last  February, 
a  beautiful  monument  was  erected  in 
the  little  town  of  Mislata,  in  the 
province  of  Valencia,  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  their  fellow  citizen, 
the  Ven.  Fr.  Sylvester  Llansol  Vaz- 
quez. The  clergy  and  laity  of  the 
neighboring  parishes  gathered  in 
large  numbers  to  witness  the  solemn 
ceremonies  and  to  hear  the  various 
speakers  extol  the  blessed  memory 
of  Ven.  Fr.  Sylvester.  The  servant 
of  God  was  born  in  1730.  After 
joining  the  Order  of  Friars  Minor, 
he  spent  a  great  part  of  his  life  in 
the  Franciscan   friary  at  Valencia. 

Venice,  Italy.  — His  Eminence  Car- 
dinal La  Fontaine  who  received  the 
red  hat  in  the  last  consistory  and 
who  has  since  been  appointed  Pa- 
triarch of  Venice  in  Italy,  is  a  fer- 
vent Tertiary  of  St.  Francis  and  an 
enthusiastic  admirer  of  the  Poor 
Man  of  Assisi.  He  joined  the  Third 
Order  in  the  Seminary  of  Viterbo, 
his  native  city,  on  the  day  before 
his  elevation  to  the  holy  priesthood, 
and  ever  since  his  name  has  been 
identified  with  Tertiary  activity. 

Morocco,  Africa.— The  King  of 
Spain  has  decorated  Rt.  Rev.  Fran- 
cis M.  Cervera,  O.F.M.,  Bishop  of 
Fessea  and  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Mo- 
rocco with  the  large  Cross  of  Isabella 
the  Catholic.  The  worthy  prelate 
was  informed  of  this  distinction  by 
an  autograph  letter  from  his  Maj- 
esty. 

Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Joseph's  Col- 
lege.— With  deep  regret  we  report 
the  death   of  Maurice   Goeller,    of 


Washington,  Mo.  He  met  his  sad 
fate  during  an  outing  of  the  altar 
boys  of  the  parish.  While  swimming 
with  a  number  of  other  boys  in  the 
Burbois  River  near  Washington,  his 
strength  suddenly  failed  and  before 
help  could  reach  him,  he  drowned  in 
the  very  sight  of  his  companions. 
The  body  was  soon  recovered  and 
everything  was  done  to  resuscitate 
him,  but  in  vain.  Although  Maurice 
was  their  only  child,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Goeller  bore  the  shock  of  his  unfor- 
tunate death  with  truly  Christian 
fortitude.  Only  a  year  ago,  they 
had  brought  their  first  great  sacri- 
fice in  his  regard  by  permitting  him 
to  enter  St.  Joseph's  Seraphic  Col- 
lege with  a  view  to  preparing  him- 
self for  the  priesthood  in  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order.  During  this  year  at 
college,  Maurice  had  proved  himself 
in  every  respect  a  very  promising 
student,  and  hence  his  loss  is  most 
keenly  felt  by  the  Fathers  of  the  fac- 
ulty. In  spite  of  the  fact  that  death 
came  so  unexpectedly,  it  can  not  be 
said  that  he  was  unprepared;  for, 
true  to  his  practice  of  daily  Commu- 
nion, he  had  that  very  morning  gone 
to  Confession  and  received  Holy 
Communion.  The  solemn  funeral 
services  were  held  on  Wednesday 
morning,  August  1.  Owing  to  his 
extreme  grief  over  the  unhappy  ac- 
cident, Rev.  Fr.  Donulus,  the  pastor, 
was  unable  to  officiate.  His  place 
was  taken  by  Rev.  Fr.  Ignatius,  o.F. 
M.  Rev.  FF.  Conrad  and  Thomas,  o. 
F.M.,  of  the  college  faculty,  assisted 
as  deacon  and  sub-deacon.  Fr.  Con- 
rad also  delivered  a  short  address. 
To  the  sorely  bereaved  parents  and 
Rev.  Pastor  of  the  young  student, 
Franciscan  Herald  extends  its 
heartfelt  sympathy  and  begs  its  kind 
readers  to  remember  him  in  their 
prayers. 

Evansville,  Ind.— On  July  26,  a 
beautiful  and  touching  ceremony 
took  place  in  the  local  monastery  of 
the  Poor  Clares.  The  Ven.  Abbess 
Mother  Mary  Francis  commemorat- 


358 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ed  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of 
her  entrance  into  the  Order.  Solemn 
High  Mass  was  celebrated  by  Very 
Rev.  Fr.  Samuel  Macke,  o.f.m.  Pro- 
vincial of  the  Sacred  Heart  Province. 
Several  priests  of  the  Benedictine, 
Dominican,  and  Franciscan  Orders 
were  present  in  the  sanctuary.  The 
pews  of  the  chapel  were  occupied  by 
a  large  number  of  Sisters  from  vari- 
ous communities  and  by  the  many 
friends  and  relatives  of  the  Ven. 
Jubliarian,  who  knelt  within  the 
nun's  choir  and  received  the  pre- 
scribed absolution  and  blessing  at 
the  grille.  The  sermon  for  the  occa- 
sion was  preached  by  Rev.  Fr.  Fran- 
cis Haase,  o.f.m.  He  showed  the 
excellence,  the  utility,  and  the  hap- 
piness of  a  life  wholly  consecrated  to 
the  service  of  God.  After  Mass,  the 
happy  Jubilarian  renewed  her  reli- 
gious profession.  Thereupon,  Very 
Rev.  Fr.  Provincial  removed  from 
her  head  the  symbolic  circlet  of 
thorns  worn  by  the  Poor  Clares  at 
their  profession  and  replaced  it  with 
a  silver  wreath,  which,  he  prayed, 
she  might  "one  day  exchange  for 
the  crown  of  everlasting  glory. "  The 
Franciscan  Herald  joins  the  many 
friends  of  the  Ven.  Jubilarian  in 
their  hearty  congratulations  and 
good  wishes  for  many  more  years 
of  faithful  service  in  the  Order  of 
St.  Clare. 

Glen  Riddle,  Pa. -On  August  2, 
two  members  of  the  local  communi- 
ty of  Franciscan  Sisters  celebrated 
their  golden  jubilee  as  professed 
members  of  the  Order.  They  were 
Sister  Mary  Agatha  and  Sister  Mary 
Hyacintha.  On  the  same  day,  thir- 
ty-five Sisters  of  this  community 
commemorated  the  twenty-fifth  an- 
niversary of  their  entrance  into  reli- 
gion. Rt.  Rev.  MonsignorP.  Mason, 
v.f.,  of  Allentown,  Pa.,  was  cele- 
brant at  the  solemn  High  Mass, 
while  Rev.  John  E.  Flood  preached 
a  very  appropriate  sermon.  Rt. 
Rev.  P.  R.  McDevitt,  D.D.,  Bishop 
of  Harrisburg,  surrounded  by  about 


thirty  priests  and  two  seminarians 
graced  the  occasion  with  their  pres- 
ence. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.— This  year,  St.  Boniface's 
Church  witnessed  the  largest  and 
most  splendid  Porziuncola  celebra- 
tion in  its  annals.  The  festive  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  Rt.  Rev. 
Charles  Warren  Currier,  D.D.,  who 
also  conducted  the  triduum  prepar- 
atory to  the  feast.  In  the  after- 
noon, he  pontificated  at  the  solemn 
Vespers. 

At  the  last  monthly  meeting  of  the 
Third  Order,  on  August  5,  38  postu- 
lants were  invested  with  the  cord 
and  scapular,  and  15  novices  made 
their  profession  as  Tertiaries  of  St. 
Francis.  At  the  business  meeting 
held  on  Wednesday,  August  8,  the 
matter  regarding  the  proposed  Third 
Order  Home  again  came  up  for  dis- 
cussion. From  the  fact  that  options 
on  several  sites  in  the  immediate  vi- 
cinity of  the  church  have  already 
been  secured,  it  is  clear  that  the 
Tertiaries  of  St.  Boniface's  frater- 
nity are  in  earnest  about  the  noble 
undertaking.  The  Franciscan  Her- 
ald wishes  them  God's  blessing  and 
hopes  that  their  efforts  will  event- 
ually be  crowned  with  success. 

Fruitvale,  Cal.— On  Saturday, 
July  14,  seven  young  men.  graduates 
of  St.  Antony's  Seraphic  College, 
Santa  Barbara,  Cal..  received  the 
Franciscan  habit  and  entered  upon 
their  year  of  novitiate.  They  were: 
Fred.  Schunk,  Fr.  John  Baptist; 
Geo.  Lombard,  Fr.  Basil;  Mervyn 
Hallquist,  Fr.  James;  Matthew  Wat- 
son, Fr.  Timothy;  John  Bold,  Fr. 
Angelus;  Edw.  Poetzel,  Fr.  Mat- 
thew; Adrian  McCarthy,  Fr.  Ga- 
briel. On  the  same  day  the  follow- 
ing novices,  Fr.  Philip;  Fr.  Peter 
Baptist,  Fr.  Bernardine,  and  Fr. 
John  Joseph,  and  Bro.  Theodosius 
pronounced  their  vows,  while  one 
young  man,  Philip  Kelly,  was  re- 
ceived as  lay  Brother.  The  solemn 
High  Mass  was  celebrated  by  Very 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


359 


Rev.  Fr.  Hugolinus  Storff,  o.f.m., 
Provincial  superior  of  the  Francis- 
cans on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

New  Orleans,  La.— The  feast  of 
St.  Clare  was  devoutly  celebrated 
at  the  Poor  Clare  Monastery  on 
Sunday,  August  12.  At  6  P.  M.,  Rev. 
J.  J.  O'Brien,  S.  J.,  blessed  the  sev- 
eral hundred  little  loaves  of  bread 
placed  on  a  table  near  the  altar, 
and  intended  for  distribution  at  the 
close  of  the  ceremony.  The  pious 
custom  of  blessing  and  distributing 
bread  on  this  day  is  observed  in 
many  of  the  Poor  Clare  Monaster- 
ies throughout  the  world.  It  com- 
memorates a  miracle  wrought  by 
St.  Clare,  in  the  year  1235.  At  the 
bidding  of  Pope  Gregory  IX  who  was 
on|a  visit  at  the  monastery,  she  made 
the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the  bread 
at  table,  whereupon  each  loaf  bore 
a  visible  impress  of  the.sacred  sign. 
Those  who  devoutly  partake  of  the 
bread  that  is  blessed  annually  on 
the  feast  of  St.  Clare,  may  hope  to 
receive  through  her  intercession  a 
special  favor  from  heaven.  The  ser- 
mon for  the  occasion  was  delivered 
by  Very  Rev.  George  Mahony,  c. 
SS.R.  Most  eloquently  he  depicted 
the  beautiful  life  of  St.  Clare,  dwell- 
ing especially  on  her  great  love  of 
prayer  and  singular  devotion  to  the 
Blessed  Sacrament.  Thereupon,  Rev. 
P.  Perretta,  O.P.,  officiated  at  the 
solemn  Benediction  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  after  which  the  blessed 
bread  was  distributed  and  the  relic 
of  the  Saint  was  offered  for  vener- 
ation. Besides  a  number  of  the 
Rev.  Clergy,  a  large  gathering  of 
the  laity  were  present  at  the  cere- 
monies. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church.  - 
The  feast  of  Porziuncola  was  cele- 
brated with  great  solemnity.  At 
nine  o'clock  there  was  solemn  High 
Mass  at  which  Rev.  Fr.  Fortunatus, 
the  newly  appointed  superior  of  St. 
Peter's  officiated.  He  was  assisted 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Joseph,  professor  at  St. 
Joseph's  Seraphic  College,  Teutopo- 


lis,  111,,  and  by  Rev.  Fr.  Basil  of  the 
local  friary,  as  deacon  and  sub-dea- 
con. The  English  and  German  ser- 
mons were  preached  by  Fr.  Joseph. 
A  new  pamphlet  rack  containing 
Franciscan  literature  has  been 
placed  by  the  Third  Order,  in  the 
vestibule  of  the  church.  The  Fran- 
ciscan Herald,  the  Catechism  of  the 
Third  Order,  two  short  Tertiary 
stories,  "Father  Roch's  Smoker" 
and  "Marion's  Dream,"  besides 
other  small  pamphlets  and  leaflets 
on  the  nature  of  the  Third  Order 
will  be  found  in  the  rack.  Many,  it 
is  hoped,  will  in  this  way  become 
more  intimately  acquainted  with 
the  Third  Order.  It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  within  the  first  two  weeks 
seventy-five  copies  of  Franciscan 
Herald  have  been  thus  distributed. 
Milwaukee,  Wis. —on  July  29,  the 
Tertiaries  of  Milwaukee  were  fa- 
vored with  a  visit  of  Most  Rev. 
Venantius  Lisle-en-Rigault,  Minis- 
ter General  of  the  Capuchin  Order. 
He  had  arrived  from  Rome,  on  July 
16,  to  make  the  canonical  visitation 
of  the  Capuchin  monasteries  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada.  The 
Capuchin  friars  of  the  local  St. 
Francis  Monastery  accorded  him  a 
solemn  and  hearty  reception.  They 
met  him  at  the  entrance  of  the 
church  and  escorted  him  to  the 
sanctuary  where  the  prescribed 
prayers  were  said.  Thereupon  he 
took  his  place  before  the  high  altar 
and  each  friar  kneeling  before  him 
promised  him  obedience  and  receiv- 
ed the  miraculous  cross  of  St.  Law- 
rence of  Brindisi  to  kiss.  This  cross, 
an  heirloom  of  the  Order  and  always 
in  possession  of  the  Superior  Gen- 
eral, was  borne  by  St.  Lawrence  at 
the  head  of  the  Christian  armies 
when  he  led  them  to  victory  in  two 
crusades  against  the  Turks  some 
three  hundred  years  ago.  Having 
finished  the  visitation  of  the  vari- 
ous monasteries  of  .the  province  in 
the  West,  the  distinguished  friar 
returned  to  Milwaukee  to  preside  at 


360 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


a  general  meeting  of  all  the  Tertia- 
ries  of  both  the  English  and  German- 
speaking  branches  in  the  city. 
From  all  parts,  the  Tertiaries  assem- 
bled in  St.  Francis  Church.  More 
than  six  hundred  were  present. 
Most  Rev. Fr.  General  officiated,  as- 
sisted by  the  three  Directors  of  the 
local  fraternities.  In  his  sermon, 
delivered  in  the  English  language, 
he  reviewed  the  history  of  the  Third 
Order  and  showed  the  necessity  of 
the  Order  especially  in  our  day,  since 
it  offers  to  the  faithful  the  most  effi- 
cacious means  of  attaining  to  a  good 
Christian  life.  Then  he  imparted  the 
papal  blessing,  and  Benediction 
with  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  He 
closed  the  impressive  ceremonies 
by  offering  the  assembled  Tertiaries 
the  miraculous  cross  for  veneration 
to  which  is  affixed  an  indulgence  of 
three  hundred  days.  The  visit  of 
Most  Rev.  Fr.  General  left  a  deep 
impression  on  all  who  had  the  good 
fortune  to  be  present.  It  will 
surely  be  an  impulse  to  renewed 
zeal  among  the  Tertiaries  of  Mil- 
waukee. 

The  Most  Rev.  General  is  a  French- 
man and  was  born  at  Lisle-en-Ri- 
gault  in  the  diocese  of  Verdun,  on 
October  5,  1862.  He  studied  at  the 
of  college  Bar-le-Duc  where  Poin- 
care,  President  of  France,  was 
among  his  fellow  students.  There- 
upon he  studied  law  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Paris,  where  he  was  made 
doctor  of  law  at  the  age  of  25.  He 
soon  gained  renown  as  a  distin- 
guished barrister  attached   to  the 


Court  of  Appeal  at  Paris.  Before 
entering  the  Capuchin  Order  in  1889 
he  had  been  a  very  fervent  Tertiary 
of  St.  Francis.  With  much  enthusi- 
asm he  recalls  incidents  from  his 
life,  when  speaking  of  Tertiary 
affairs.  In  1895,  he  was  ordained 
to  the  priesthood  and  was  im- 
mediately chosen  lector  of  theology 
and  director  of  studies  at  Nantes. 
After  the  short  period  of  eight 
years,  he  was  chosen  Provincial  of 
the  Province  of  Paris,  in  1903. 
When  in  the  same  year  all  religious 
were  ordered  to  leave  France,  he 
addressed  a  letter  of  petition  to 
Minister  Combes,  which  was  pub- 
lished in  all  the  daily  papers. 
He  staunchly  defended  his  monas- 
tery of  Nantes  against  a  judge, 
who  had  been  one  of  his  former 
companions  at  the  University. 
During  the  six  years  he  served  as 
Provincial,  he  did  very  much  to 
reform  the  studies  in  his  Province. 
Several  times  he  was  sent  by  his 
superiors  to  visit  the  missions  of 
India  and  Constantinople.  In  1908, 
he  was  elected  Definitor  General 
and  Procurator  of  the  Order  at  the 
general  chapter,  and  at  the  next 
general  chapter,  in  1914,  he  was 
chosen  on  the  first  ballot  to  fill 
the  highest  post  in  the  Order. 
Wherever  he  has  held  the  canoni- 
cal visitation  he  has  gained  the 
love  and  confidence  of  his  brethren 
by  his  kindness  and  affability. 
Besides  his  mother-tongue  he  speaks 
the  German,  English,  Spanish,  and 
Italian  languages. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:—  Patrick  Broderick,  Bro.  Joseph. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:— Catherine  Collins,  Sr.  Antony. 

German  Fraternity:— Anna  Liske,  Sr.  Bridget;  Anna  Hulsman,  Sr.  Frances; 
Maria  Gerzenia,  Sr.  Barbara. 

-Ven.  Sr.  M.  Hyacintha,  O  S.F. 


Rock  Island,  111. 


St.  Antony's  Hospital: 

Requiescant  in  pace 


*:•=:.. 


m-^--=w  m$n 


|  fflranrigran  Brralft  | 

:1c  A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred  ~l 
•'  •  Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions  ■"• 
t\  * 

VOL.V.  OCTOBER,  1917.  NO.  10 

lE&ttnrtal  (Unmment 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

In  a  certain  sense,  the  life  of  every  true  Christian,  inasmuch  as  it  re- 
presents the  power  of  Christian  precepts  and  principles  over  his  rebelli- 
ous nature,  may  be  said  to  be  a  triumph  of  Christ.  In  the  Gospels,  Christ 
laid  down  certain  rules  of  life  and  conduct  which  must  be  practiced  by  every 
one  of  his  followers  as  a  necessary  condition  for  attaining  to  everlasting 
life.  Besides  these  precepts,  he  taught  also  certain  principles  which  he  ex- 
pressly stated  were  not  to  be  regarded  as  binding  on  all,  or  as  necessary 
conditions  without  which  heaven  could  not  be  obtained,  but  rather  as 
counsels  for  those  who  desired  to  do  more  than  the  minimum  and  to  aim  at 
Christian  perfection,  so  far  as  that  can  be  attained  on  earth.  Man  is.  in 
this  life,  placed  between  the  good  things  of  this  world  and  the  good  things 
of  eternity  in  such  a  way  that  the  more  he  inclines  to  the  first,  the  more 
he  alienates  himself  from  the  second.  A  man  who  is  wholly  given  up  to 
this  world,  finding  in  it  the  end  and  object  of  his  existence,  loses  alto- 
gether the  goods  of  eternity,  of  which  he  has  no  appreciation.  In  like 
manner,  the  man  who  is  wholly  detached  from  this  world,  and  whose 
thoughts  are  wholly  bent  on  the  realities  of  the  world  above,  is  taking  the 
shortest  way  to  obtain  possession  of  that  on  which  his  heart  is  fixed.  The 
principal  good  things  of  this  world  easily  divide  themselves  into  three 
classes.  There  are  riches  which  make  life  easy  and  pleasant,  there  are 
pleasures  of  the  flesh  which  appeal  to  the  appetites,  and  there  are  honors  and 
positions  of  authority  which  delight  the  self-love  of  the  individual.  These 
are  the  chief  hindrances  to  Christian  perfection,  to  the  complete  triumph 
of  the  grace  of  Christ  over  the  nature  of  man.  These  obstacles  are  re- 
moved, in  so  far  as  they  can  be  removed,  by  the  observance  of  the  three 
evangelical  counsels  of  poverty,  which  is  opposed  to  the  love  of  riches,  of 
chastity,  which  excludes  the  pleasures  of  the  flesh,  and  of  obedience, 
which  meets  the  desire  of  worldly  power  and  honor. 

It  must  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  triumphs  of  Christianity 
that  in  every  age  it  has  been  able  to  inspire  thousands  with  a  love  for  the 
observance  of  these  counsels,  than  which,  perhaps,  there  is  nothing  more 
repugnant  to  the  natural  man.  In  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  Christ 
himself  and  his  apostles  lead  the  way,  and  so  potent  was  the  force  of 
their  example  that  in  the  early  Church  there  was  a  tendency  to  exalt  these 
counsels  into  commands  of  universal  obligation.  During  the  period  of  the 
persecutions,   many  Christians  fled  into  the  desert,  there  to  live  as  ere- 


362 FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

mites  and  cenobites  in  the  observance  of  the  counsels  of  perfection.  St. 
Paul  the  Hermit  is  commonly  regarded  as  the  first  Christian  eremite, 
while  St.  Antony  is  looked  upon  as  the  founder  and  father  of  Christian 
monachism,  Other  famous  leaders  of  monks  in  the  Church  are  St.  Ma- 
carius,  St.  Pachomius,  and  St.  Serapion.  In  the  western  Church,  St. 
Bruno,  the  founder  of  the  Carthusian  Order,  St.  Francis  and  St.  Dominic, 
the  institutors  of  the  Mendicant  Orders,  St.  Ivan,  a  legendary  hermit  of 
Bohemia,  and  St.  Procopius,  a  famous  abbot  of  that  country,  are  only  a 
few  of  the  well-known  masters  of  the  higher  life  and  guides  of  pious  souls, 
who  wished  to  make  sure  their  salvation  and  to  conform  themselves  per- 
fectly to  the  divine  will,  by  leading  lives  of  voluntary  poverty,  chastity, 
and  obedience. 

Such  is  the  power  of  these  Gospel  principles  over  the  heart  of  man 
that  even  in  this  age  of  self-indulgence  there  are,  perhaps,  more  follow- 
ers of  the  evangelical  counsels  than  at  any  other  time  in  the  history  of 
the  Christian  Church.  What  more  glorious  triumph  of  Christianity,  what 
more  striking  proof  of  its  divinity  could  be  desired  than  this  grand  army 
of  religious  men  and  women  who  have  devoted  themselves  whole-heart- 
edly to  the  earnest  pursuit  of  an  ideal  so  exalted  that  pagan  antiquity 
had  not  even  a  conception  of  it,  let  alone  an  appreciation. 


THE  NEED  OF  SPIRITUALITY 

We  are  apt  to  think  that  great  results  for  God's  glory  are  achieved 
by  God's  saints  in  spite  of  their  detachment,  poverty  and  humility.  The 
real  truth  is  that"  these  are  precisely  the  weapons  that  win  the  battle. 
For,  what  are  "results"  in  the  kingdom  of  God?  The  conversion  of  hearts 
and  their  sanctification.  What  is  it  that  can  achieve  such  results?  Is  it 
material  force?  Certainly  not.  For  even  if  God's  servants  should  com- 
mand material  resources  they  could  no  more  reach  the  human  heart  by 
means  of  these  than  they  could  by  a  single  word  arrest  the  progress  of 
the  planets.  Is  it  moral  force,  that  is,  words,  example  personal  influence? 
The  heart  of  man  is  doubtless  subject  in  this  way  to  the  power  of  other 
men.  But,  considering  the  limited  and  temporary  effect  of  such  power, 
which  at  best  can  reach  only  a  small  number  of  men  and  endure  only  till 
the  death  of  the  person  wielding  it,  we  must  conclude  that  personal  influ- 
ence, though  a  great  spiritual  force,  is  insufficient  to  produce  the  results 
attained  by  such  saints,  for  instance,  as  St.  Francis  of  Assisi. 

What  then  was  the  secret  of  their  success?  How  did  they  contrive 
to  lead  so  many  souls  to  Christ?  What  means  did  they  employ  to  extend 
his  kingdom?  Whence  did  they  derive  their  influence,  not  only  over  their 
contempories,  but  over  future  generations  as  well.  The  secret  of  their 
success,  the  source  of  their  power,  is  to  be  found  in  the "  spirituality  of 
their  lives,  that  is,  in  the  faithful  imitation  of  the  poor,  humble,  and 
obedient  Christ.  Not  one  of  them  but  prepared  himself  in  seclusion  for 
the  work  of  promoting  the  reign  of  Christ,  by  the  practice  of  those  vir- 
tues that  characterized  the  hidden  life  of  our  dear  Savior,  namely,  hu- 
mility, poverty,  obedience,  piety,  and  mortification.  In  short,  they  sought 
to  detach  themselves  from  the  world  and  to  lead  spiritual  lives.  Far  from 
seeking  personal  prominence  as  a  means  to  success,  they  rather  dreaded 
and  detested  it  as  a  drawback.     It  was  St.  Philip  Neri,  we   believe,  who 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  363 


said  on  one  occasion  that   with  ten   truly  humble  and  detached  men  he 
would  undertake  to  convert  the  world. 

The  true  generating  force  of  Christianity,  therefore,  exists  in  its 
spirituality,  and  our  own  lives  will  be  productive  of  results  in  proportion 
as  we  are  spiritual.  We  are  all  more  or  less  interested  in  the  reign  of 
Christ.  Some  of  us  have,  perhaps,  undertaken  a  particular  work  for  the 
spread  of  his  kingdom.  We  are  fatiguing  our  brains  and  tongues  and 
limbs,  and  yet  our  efforts  are  barren  of  results.  Why?  Because  we  over- 
emphasize the  material  and  underestimate  the  spiritual  side  of  things. 
Do  we  not,  particularly  in  our  social  work,  lay  altogether  too  much  stress 
on  material  resources?  Even  the  social  question  has  a  spiritual,  besides 
an  economic  side,  and  if  it  is  to  be  solved  at  all,  it  must  be  solved  ulti- 
mately by  spiritual  means.  If  that  is  the  case,  will  not  some  of  our  soci- 
al workers  do  well  to  inject  a  little  more  Christian  spirituality  into  their 
lives  and  their  activities?  More  Christianity  is  indeed  the  need  of  the 
hour,  above  all  in  the  handling  of  social  problems.  It  is  Christianity  that 
teaches  us  to  gage  the  material  and  spiritual,  temporal  and  eternal  things 
according  to  their  true  value.  Where  Christianity  and  social  activity 
meet,  there  will  be  found  that  mysterious  power  by  which  Christ  and  later 
his  faithful  disciple  and  imitator  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  conquered  the  world. 


A  LOVER  OF  NATURE 

Without  joy  no  man  can  live;  without  joy  no  Christian  can  live,  not 
even  after  he  has  attained  the  summit  of  perfection.  There  is  doubtless 
more  joy  among  religious  than  among  irreligious  people.  It  is  found  in 
abundance  with  the  saints  of  God;  and  among  the  saints  there  is  perhaps 
none  that  deserves  the  title,  Saint  of  Holy  Joy  more  than  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi.  He  sought  true  joy,  where  above  all  things  else  it  must  be  sought, 
in  the  practice  of  self-denial.  But,  he  knew  where  to  find  other  sources  of 
joy.  To  him  all  nature  was  a  veritable  garden  of  delights,  a  never- failing 
fountain  of  solace. 

"Who  could  tell  the  sweetness,"  asks  one  of  his  first  companions 
and  biographers,  "which  St.  Francis  enjoyed  in  contemplating  in  His 
creatures  the  wisdom,  power,  and  goodness  of  the  Creator?  Truly  such 
thoughts  often  filled  him  with  wondrous  and  unspeakable  joy  as  he  be- 
held the  sun,  the  moon,  the  stars,  and  the  firmament What  gladness 

thinkest  thou  the  beauty  of  flowers  afforded  to  his  mind  as  he  observed 
the  grace  of  their  form  and  perceived  the  sweetness  of  their  perfume? 
And  when  he  came  upon  a  great  quantity  of  flowers,  he  would  preach  to 
them  and  invite  them  to  praise  the  Lord,  just  as  if  they  had  been   gifted 

with  reason He  called  all  creatures  by  the  name  of  brother,  and   in   a 

surpassing  manner,  of  which  other  men  had  no  experience,  he  discerned 
the  hidden  things  of  creation  with  the  eye  of  the  heart,  as  one  who  had 
already  escaped  into  the  liberty  of  the  children  of  glory." 

One  reason,  perhaps,  why  St.  Francis  is  so  popular  in  our  age,  is  be- 
cause it  affects  a  great  love  of  nature.  And  yet,  with  all  our  boasted 
love  of  nature,  how  little  is  the  joy  we  receive  from  it.  It  has  been  said 
that  "Nature  never  did  betray  the  heart  that  loved  her."  If  that  is  true, 
then  our  love  must  be  deficient,  for  it  is  evidently  unrequited.  Indeed, 
is  our  love  not  mawkish  and  selfish?  How  different  from  ours  was  the 
love  of  St.  Francis?    He  loved  nature,  not  for  its   own   sake   or   for   the 


364  FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


pleasures  it  afforded  him,  but  solely  for  God's  sake.  He  looked  "from 
Nature  up  to  Nature's  God."  The  creatures  were  to  him  but  a  reflex  of 
the  divine  perfections,  and  as  such  he  loved  them  and  reverenced  them 
and  enjoyed  them  and  called  on  them  to  sing  the  praises  of  the  supreme 
and  uncreated  Beauty.  He  loved  nature  because  he  loved  God.  His  love 
was  supernatural  rather  than  natural.  Even  if  our  love  of  nature  can 
never  be  so  purely  spiritual  as  that  of  the  Seraphic  Saint,  it  should  not 
be  wholly  natural.  For  then  nature  will  hold  out  to  us  but  few  and 
meager  joys.  As  children  of  St.  Francis,  we  should  emulate  our  Holy 
Father  in  his  tender  love  of  God.  This  is  the  best  means  of  cultivating 
a  true  love  of  nature  and  of  sharing  in  her  joys. 


A  FALSE  ECONOMY 

"The  valiant  men  ceased,  and  rested  in  Israel."  Shall  this  be  the 
pithy  summary  of  the  history  of  American  Catholics  of  to-day?  The  an- 
swer to  the  question  depends  upon  the  support  they  are  willing  to  give 
to  an  enlightened  and  energetic  Catholic  press. 

The  army  of  Sisara  is  gathering  its  chariots,  as  in  the  days  of  old, 
against  the  children  of  God.  The  convent  inspection  bills,  the  political 
attempts  of  prohibitionists  to  prevent  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Sacri- 
fices of  the  Mass,  the  cowardly  blows  aimed  in  the  dark  at  our  Catholic 
charities,  the  slow  but  certain  throttling  of  the  Catholic  Foundling  Hos- 
pital in  New  York  and  of  other  similar  institutions,  and  the  financial  aid 
to  be  given  in  an  indirect  way  to  the  murderous  Carranza  Government 
are  but  a  few  of  the  latest  instances.  How  can  Catholics  be  awakened 
to  the  needs  of  the  Church,  aroused  to  vigilance  and  stirred  to  activity, 
if  the  only  means  of  obtaining  reliable  information  on  subjects  of  Catho- 
lic interest  is  rejected  by  them? 

To  begin  economies  at  the  present  critical  moment  by  cutting  off  sub- 
scriptions to  Catholic  papers  that  are  manfully  serving  the  cause  of  the 
Church  and  continuing  their  struggle,  often  heroically,  in  the  face  of 
countless  disheartening  difficulties,  must  seem  to  sturdy  Catholics  little 
less  than  disloyalty.  It  would  be  to  slay  the  faithful  guardians  of  the 
flock  that  a  handful  might  be  saved,  while  the  whole  flock  is  heedlessly 
exposed  to  ruin. 

The  thought  of  retrenchments  is  naturally  uppermost  in  the  mind  of 
everyone.  But  the  Catholic  paper  is  neither  a  luxury  nor  a  superfluity. 
It  is  with  these  latter  we  are  to  begin  our  sacrifices.  The  Catholic  jour- 
nal is  a  necessity  hardly  less  urgent,  and  in  some  ways  even  more  so, 
than  our  daily  bread.  It  may  seem  trite  to  refer  here  to  the  warning  of 
Pope  Pius  that  churches,  missions  and  schools  will  be  all  in  vain,  if  we 
wTe  have  not  at  our  command  an  able  Catholic  press,  offensive  as  well  as 
defensive  in  the  cause  of  truth.  Yet  this  fact  is  even  now  too  little  un- 
derstood. Without  such  a  press,  as  he  said  in  his  fatherly  solicitude:  "All 
your  work  will  be  destroyed,  all  your  efforts  rendered  fruitless." 

Catholic  journals  are  therefore  to  be  reckoned  neither  as  a  luxury  nor 
as  a  superfluity.  They  belong,  in  our  day,  to  the  absolute  necessities  of 
Catholic  life.  Souls  might  once  have  been  saved  without  them,  as  Pope 
Pius  X  said,  but  there  was  then  no  evil  press  to  spread  the  poison 
against  which  an  antidote  is  now  constantly  needed.  The  Catholic  press 
must  not  be  sacrificed. —America. 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


365 


BL  BONAVENTURE  OF  POTENZA 

OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 
OCTOBER  26. 


THIS  servant  of  God  was  born 
at  Potenza,  a  town  of  south- 
ern Italy,  in  the  year  1651, 
and  received  in  Baptism  the  name 
of  Charles  Antony.  His  poor  but 
virtuous  parents,  from  his  earliest 
childhood,  carefully  trained  him  in 
the  practice  of  piety  and  they  had 
the  consolation  of  seeing  their  ef- 
forts in  his  behalf  bear  abundant 
fruit.  The  child  found  his  delight 
in  prayer  and  good  works,  and  was 
remarkable  for  his  modesty,  inno- 
cence, and  spirit  of  self-denial.  He 
mortified  his  senses  in  various  ways, 
and  fasted  on  Saturdays  and  the 
vigils  of  the  feasts  of  our  Lady, 
whom  he  loved  with  childlike  affec- 
tion. 

The  pious  boy  early  evinced  a  de- 
sire of  consecrating  himself  entirely 
to  God.  He  was  taught  the  rudi- 
ments of  Latin  by  a  good  priest,  and 
at  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  betook  him- 
self to  the  convent  of  the  Friars 
Minor  Conventual  at  Nocera,  and 
begged  to  be  received  into  the  Or- 
der. His  petition  was  granted,  and 
on  this  occasion,  he  received  the 
name  of  Bonaventure.  It  would  be 
difficult  to  describe  with  what  fervor 
he  embraced  the  duties  of  his  new 
state  of  life  and  with  what  zeal  he 
strove  to  advance  in  the  practice  of 
every  religious  virtue.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  in  a  short  time  his  extra- 
ordinary fervor  aroused  the  admira- 
tion of  his  brethren  and  that  he 
was  looked  upon  as  a  model  religious. 


A  fter  his  profession,  the  servant 
of  God  was  sent  to  the  convent  at 
Malatoni  to  devote  himself  to  the 
study  of  philosophy  and  theology, 
and  if  his  progress  in  learning  was 
rapid,  still  more  rapid  was  his  prog- 
ress in  the  science  of  the  saints. 
To  satisfy  his  longing  for  virtue  and 
perfection,  his  superiors  sent  him 
to  the  convent  at  Amalfi  and  placed 
him  under  the  direction  of  Fr. 
Dominic  of  Muro,  a  man  of  great 
learning  and  virtue.  Under  this 
enlightened  guide,  Bonaventure 
ceaselessly  strove  to  make  his  life 
conformable  to  that  of  Christ  by 
the  practice  of  humility,  self-denialr 
and  obedience,  and  so  zealously  did 
he  carry  out  the  instructions  of  his 
master  that  he  reached  a  very  high 
degree  of  perfection. 

The  obedience  of  the  servant  of 
God  was  heroic.  At  the  word  of 
his  superiors,  he  at  once  set  out  to 
fulfill  their  commands,  no  matter 
how  disagreeable  or  difficult.  He 
used  to  say,  "In  obedience  I  would 
go  to  the  very  depths  of  hell." 
This  complete  surrender  of  self-will 
was  so  pleasing  to  God  that  he  re- 
warded it  with  striking  signs  and 
miracles.  Humility  was  the  in- 
separable companion  of  his  childlike 
obedience.  It  was  once  proposed 
to  make  him  guardian  of  the  con- 
vent at  Capri  and  afterwards  of  that 
at  Ravello,  but  by  his  earnest  en- 
treaties, Bonaventure  obtained  a 
promise   that  he  would   never    be 


366 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


raised  to  any  dignities  in  the  Order. 
His  life  was  always  humble,  hidden, 
and  wholly  given  to  the  service  of 
God.  He  was  forced,  however,  to 
accept  for  a  time  the  charge  of  mas- 
ter of  novices  in  the  convent  at  No- 
cera.  In  this  difficult  and  respon- 
sible office,  he  was  most  anxious  to 
instil  into  his  charges  the  practice 

of  humility  and     

obedience,  but  [ 
h  e  never  or- 
dered them  to 
do  anything 
that  he  had  not 
first  done  him- 
self, thus  lead- 
ing them  by  his 
example  even 
more  than  by 
his  words. 

A  faithful 
follower  of  St. 
Francis,  Bl.  Bo- 
naventure  ri- 
gorously o  b  - 
served  the  vow 
of  poverty.  Pov- 
er ty  shone 
forth  in  his  ha- 
b  i  t ,  his  cell, 
and  in  all  that 
was  allotted  to 
his  use.  Though 
he  might  law- 
fully have  made  use  of  an  allevia- 
tion of  the  Rule  granted  to  his 
brethren,  he  availed  himself  of  it 
as  seldom  as  possible. 

The  servant  of  God  had  to  strug- 
gle against  many  temptations,  espe- 
cially against  the  promptings  of  an- 
ger. He  had  by  nature  a  hot  tem- 
per, was  hasty  and  quickly  aroused, 


••:SS#;r 


but  by  constant  watchfulness  and 
self-denial,  he  had,  with  the  grace 
of  God,  overcome  himself,  and  had 
acquired  a  patience  proof  against 
everything.  He  once  declared  to 
his  confessor  that  undeserved  re- 
proofs, injustice,  or  any  wrong  done 
to  him,  made  his  blood  boil  and  his 
heart  beat  violently,  although  he 
remained       si- 


BI.  Bonaventure  of  Potenza 


lent.  On  such 
occasions,  h  e 
would  say  to 
himself,  "Burst 
and  die,  if  thou 
wilt,  but  thou 
shalt  not  an- 
swer a  word." 
This  angelic 
meekness  h  e 
displayed  on 
several  occa- 
sions, when  in- 
sults, outrages 
and  calumnies 
were  showered 
upon  him.  He 
bore  them  all  in 
silence  and 
without  betray- 
ing the  least 
emotion. 

As  a  priest  of 
God,  Bl.  Bona- 
venture labored 
among  the  people  with  wonderful 
success.  His  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  souls  was  unbounded.  The  islands 
of  Capri  and  Ischia,  and  the  towns 
of  Naples  and  Ravello  were  in  turn 
the  scene  of  his  evangelic  ministry. 
His  burning  words,  and  his  life  of 
prayer  and  mortification  exercised 
the  greatest  influence  on  his  hearers. 


mmamm 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


367 


His  simple  sermons,  supported  by 
the  grace  of  God,  led  the  most 
hardened  sinners  to  repentance  and 
to  a  good  Christian  life.  Nothing 
disheartened  him.  He  would  fol- 
low people  into  their  homes,  and 
even  into  the  fields  where  they  were 
at  work,  in  his  persevering  search 
after  the  lost  sheep.  His  confes- 
sional was  besieged  by  penitents, 
and  he  sometimes  spent  whole  days 
in  it,  until  he  fell  fainting  with 
fatigue.  No  words  can  express  his 
tender  and  compassionate  charity 
for  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the 
afflicted.  When  an  epidemic  broke 
out  in  a  village  near  Naples,  Bona- 
venture  hastened  to  the  assistance 
of  the  sufferers.  He  waited  on 
them,  rendered  them  the  lowliest 
services,  cured  a  great  number,  and 
did  not  cease  his  charitable  labors 
until  he  was  overcome  by  fatigue 
and  illness  which  brought  him 
to  death's  door.  This  illness  was  a 
long  one  and  exceedingly  painful. 
Amid  his  sufferings,  the  servant  of 
God  praised  and  blessed  the  Lord, 
who,  as  he  said,  had  given  him  so 
great  a  proof  of  his  love.  As  soon 
as  he  had  somewhat  recovered,  he 
returned  to  his  labors  of  zeal  and 
charity. 

The  apostolic  ministry  of  the  holy 
man  was  accompanied  by  the  super- 
natural gifts   which   God   reserves 


for  his  most  favored  servants.  He 
was  endowed  with  the  gift  of  mira- 
cles, prophecy,  and  of  reading  se- 
crets of  the  human  heart.  During 
the  long  hours  which  he  spent  in 
contemplation,  and  sometimes  dur- 
ing Mass,  he  was  rapt  in  ecstasy 
and  was  seen  raised  from  the 
ground. 

After  serving  God  in  the  religi- 
ous life  for  forty-five  years,  Bona- 
venture,  rich  in  virtue  and  merit, 
was  to  receive  the  reward  of  his 
labors.  His  last  illness  was  of  ten 
days  duration.  When  his  last  hour 
drew  near,  he  received  the  Sacra- 
ments with  the  most  tender  devo- 
tion. He  then  made  a  public  con- 
fession which  drew  tears  from  all 
present,  as  it  revealed  to  them  the 
deep  humility  of  his  soul.  "I  have 
been  the  most  unworthy  creature," 
he  declared.  "By  my  laxity  I  have 
given  scandal  to  my  brethren  and 
to  persons  in  the  world,  wherefore, 
I  humbly  ask  pardon  of  God  and  of 
all  of  you."  With  aspirations  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  of 
longing  to  be  with  the  object  of  his 
love,  he  peacefully  fell  asleep  in  the 
Lord,  on  October  26,  1711.  He  was 
buried  in  the  church  of  the  convent 
at  Ravello.  Many  miracles  were 
wrought  at  his  tomb,  and  he  was 
beatified  by   Pope  Pius  VI,  in  1775. 


368 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


BLESSED  THOMAS  MORE 


Fr.  Frwnris  Borgia,  OF.M. 


THE  sudden  and  unexpected 
confiscation  of  the  Observant 
friaries  in  1534  has  made  it 
impossible  to  write  anything  like 
a  complete  and  accurate  history  of 
the  Third  Order  in  medieval  Eng- 
land. That  the  Order  was  widely 
known  and  fostered,  however,  we 
may  safely  conjecture  from  the 
singular  popularity  of  the  Francis- 
cans in  England  as  well  as  from 
their  characteristic  zeal  for  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  of 
the  people.  Indeed,  this  conjecture 
grows  almost  to  certainty,  when  we 
hear  that  in  the  course  of  time  many 
of  the  upper  classes  joined  the 
Third  Order,  and  that  in  particular 
Queen  Catherine,  the  first  wife  of 
Henry  VIII,  and  Blessed  Thomas 
More,  his  Lord  Chancellor,  were 
Franciscan  Tertiaries. (1) 

Blessed  Thomas  More  was  born 
February  7,  1478,  in  Milk  Street, 
Cheapside,  London.  His  pious  and 
learned  father,  Sir  John  More, 
served  as  barrister  and  later  as  judge 
in  the  Court  of  the  King's  Bench. 
His  mother,  Agnes  Graunger,  died 
a  few  years  after  his  birth.  Thomas 
received  his  elementary  training  in 
St.  Antony's  School,  Threadneedle 
Street,  which  under  the  direction 
of  Nicholas  Holt  was  considered  the 


best  of  its  kind  in  London.  Unusu- 
ally endowed  in  heart  and  mind,  he 
made  rapid  progress  at  school,  and 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  grad- 
uated with  high  honors.  Thinking 
the  boy  too  young  for  university 
life,  his  prudent  father  placed  him 
as  page  in  the  service  of  Cardinal 
Morton,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
and  Lord  Chancellor  of  England. 
This  saintly  and  learned  prelate  soon 
detected  the  promising  qualities  of 
the  quickwitted  and  winsome  lad. 
Once  he  remarked  to  his  guests: 
"This  child  here  waiting  at  the  ta- 
ble, whosoever  shall  live  to  see  it, 
will  prove  a  remarkable  man."  (2) 
At  the  same  time,  the  sanctity  and 
learning  of  the  Cardinal  made  a 
lasting  impression  on  the  sensitive 
heart  of  Thomas;  and  it  was  here, 
no  doubt,  that  the  future  martyr 
first  imbibed  those  lofty  ideals  of 
personal  holiness  and  that  heroic 
zeal  for  truth  and  justice  which 
made  him  such  a  stanch  and  fear- 
less opponent  of  heresy  and  schism. 
In  1492,  the  Cardinal  prevailed 
on  Sir  John  More  to  let  the  boy  pur- 
sue a  higher  course  of  studies  at 
Oxford.  He  was  accordingly  ad- 
mitted as  a  student  in  Canterbury 
College.  The  Renaissance  had  al- 
ready found  its  way  to  Oxford,  and 


1.  Authorities  for  the  statement  that  Blessed  Thomas  More  was  a  Franciscan  Tertiary,  are  The  Catholxe 
Encyclopaedia:  Third  Order  by  Ligarius  Oliger,  Vol.  XIV.  p.  642:  Heimbucher:  Die  Orden  und  ('ongregationen 
der  Icath.  Kirrhe  (Paderbom.  1907),  p.  492:  Holzapfel:  Geschichte  de»  Franzixkawrordtrui,  (Freiburg,  1909),  p. 
670;  Acta  Minorum,  An.  XXVIII,  p.  303 :  Catalogue  Hagiographicut  Seraphicae  Familiae.  This  official  list  of 
all  the  Saints,  Blessed,  and  Venerable  of  the  three  Orders  of  St  Francis  was  published  with  ecclesiastical  ap- 
probation, in  1909,  on  the  occasion  of  the  seventh  centenary  of  the   Franciscan  Order.    On   page  216,   Blessed 

Thomas  More  is  commemorated  expressly  as  a  member  of  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis. 2.    William  Roper: 

Life  of  Sir  Thomas  More.  Knt.  (London,  1905),  p.  5.  The  facts  of  the  inartyr"s  life  are  chiefly  based  on  this 
charming  narrative.  Its  author,  William  Roper,  was  th«  son-in-law  of  the  Bles.-ed  Martyr,  having  married  the 
latter's  favorite  daughter  Margaret.    Hence  his  work  "is  of  special   interest  and  value  to  the  historian. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


369 


Thomas,  engaged  in  the  study  of 
Greek  and  Latin.,  conceived  a  strong 
predilection  for  the  ancient  classics, 
and  was  ever  after  enthusiastic  for 
the  classic  revival.  Still,  unlike 
many  humanists  of  the  time,  he 
never  sacrificed  to  pagan  ideals  his 
religious  convictions,  but  always  re- 
mained pure  at  heart  and  faithful 
to  Christ  and  his  Church.  We  are 
told  that  his  college  life  was  "free 
from  all  excess- 
es of  play  and 
riot."  His  fa- 
ther well  aware 
of  the  dangers 
to  which  his 
son  was  ex- 
posed at  the 
university  kept 
him  very  strict. 
He  allowed  him 
no  pocket- 
money  and 
gave  him  bare- 
ly sufficient 
means  to  de- 
fray the  neces- 
sary expenses 
of  food  and 
clothing.  Later 
in  life,  More 
frequently  re- 
called the  poor  "Oxford  fare 
at  the  same  time  admitted:  "It  was 
thus  that  I  indulged  in  no  vice  or 
pleasure,  and  spent  my  time  in  no 
vain  or  hurtful  amusements;  I  did 
not  know  what  luxury  meant,  and 
never  learned  to  use  money  badly; 
in  a  word,  I  loved  and  thought  of 
nothing  but  my  studies.  "(3)  Hence 
it  is  not  surprising  to  find  that  while 


■ 

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n^ 

Bl.  Thomas  More 

"  but 


studying  at  Oxford  he  began  those 
practices  of  prayer  and  penance 
which  he  continued  to  the  end  of 
his  life.  We  are  told  that  he  held 
frequent  and  severe  fasts,  was  as- 
siduous in  prayer,  scourged  himself, 
and  wore  a  hair-shirt  next  his  skin. 
It  was  probably  at  this  time  that 
he  joined  the  Third  Order  of  St. 
Francis. 
After  about  two  years,  Thomas 
answered  his 
father's  call 
and  returned  to 
London.  His 
father  wished 
him  to  prepare 
for  the  bar. 
Hence,  in  1496, 
we  find  him 
studying  law  at 
Lincoln's  Inn. 
Here  he  made 
such  rapid  pro- 
gress that  after 
an  unusually 
short  period  of 
study  he  was 
for  three  suc- 
cessive years 
appointed  lec- 
turer on  law  at 
Furnival's  Inn. 
His  spare  time,  however,  he  de- 
voted to  his  beloved  classics,  and 
especially  to  the  Latin  and  the 
Greek  Fathers  of  the  Church. 
About  this  time  he  delivered  a  series 
of  lectures  on  St.  Augustine's  De 
Civitate  Dei  in  the  church  of  St. 
Lawrence  Jewry  in  London.  Many 
learned  men  were  present  to  hear 
the  youthful  jurist.     For  the  next 


3.    See   Bremond:    Sir   Thonwt  More,   tr.  by  Harold    Child  (London,  1913).  p.  11. 


370 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


three  years  we  find  More  lead- 
ing a  retired  life  with  the  Car- 
thusians at  the  Charterhouse  in  Lon- 
don. He  had  serious  doubts  re- 
garding his  vocation  and  thinking 
himself  called  by  God  to  the  priest- 
hood, he  lived  without  vows  the  life 
of  a  Carthusian.  He  spent  much 
time  in  prayer  and  meditation,  stu- 
died French  with  great  zeal,  and 
incidentally  applied  himself  to  his- 
tory, mathematics,  and  the  natural 
sciences.  For  a  time  he  and  his 
friend,  William  Lilly,  thought  of 
joining  the  Franciscans  Observ- 
ants. (1)  Finally,  however,  on  the 
advice  of  his  confessor,  he  gave  up 
the  idea  of  choosing  the  spiritual 
state  and  turned  his  attention  to 
public  affairs. 

In  1504,  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  parliament.  Shortly  after,  an 
event  occurred  that  forsehadowed 
the  later  defender  of  truth  and  jus- 
tice. King  Henry  VII  had  a  bill 
introduced  demanding  of  the  people 
the  enormous  sum  of  113,000  pounds 
sterling  for  Princess  Margaret,  who 
had  recently  married  James  IV  of 
Scotland.  More  opposed  the  bill  as 
unjust  and  unreasonable  and  ef- 
fected that  parliament  voted  the 
much  smaller  sum  of  30,000  pounds 
sterling.  The  enraged  King  unable 
to  mulct  the  "beardless  boy"  who 
as  yet  had  no  independent  estate, 
vented  his  anger  on  the  elder  More, 
whom,  by  devising  "a  causeless 
quarrel,"  he  fined  100  pounds  ster- 
ling and  cast  into  the  Tower  till  the 
sum  was  paid.     The  unhappy  son 


was  advised  by  Bishop  Fox  that  an 
apology  would  appease  the  King; 
but  Thomas  who  had  only  done  his 
duty  in  defending  the  people  re- 
fused to  make  it  and  would  have 
left  England  had  not  the  King  died 
soon  after. 

The  accession  of  Henry  VIII  in 
1509,  augured  well  for  the  future 
welfare  of  the  kingdom.  He  was 
already  acquainted  with  Thomas 
More,  having  met  him  about  ten 
years  before  in  company  with  Eras- 
mus of  Rotterdam,  and  received  a 
poem  from  him.  Since  then,  Henry 
had  heard  much  of  the  promising 
barrister  and  cherished  a  high 
esteem  for  his  virtue  and  learning. 
Accordingly,  he  soon  summoned 
him  to  court  and  assured  him  of  his 
royal  favor  and  friendship.  In  1510, 
More  was  appointed  Under  Sheriff 
of  London.  As  Master  of  Requests 
he  was  almost  constantly  at  court, 
and  the  youthful  King  not  only  con- 
sulted him  on  political  matters  but 
especially  delighted  in  conversing 
with  him  on  scientific  questions. 

Amid  all  these  royal  blandish- 
ments, More  preserved  his  inde- 
pendent character.  In  1517,  he  had 
to  defend  the  Pope's  cause  against 
the  English  realm  regarding  the 
forfeiture  of  a  papal  ship.  He 
argued  so  well  that  the  star  cham- 
ber decided  in  favor  of  the  Pope. 
Henry  gladly  returned  the  ship  and 
far  from  being  displeased  with  More 
sought  only  to  win  his  valuable  ser- 
vice for  himself.  As  royal  speaker, 
More   had  frequently   to  make  the 


1.     Baumstark:     Tliomas  Mo  run  (Freiburg,  1879),  p.  Ii2 :  Parkinson:  Antiquities  of   English  Franciscans 

(Loudon,  1726),  p.  211;  Du  Boys:  Cuthcrinc  D'Arogon.  (Paris,  1880),  p.  401 ;  The  Catholi*  Encyclopaedia:  Sir 
Thomas  More  by  G.  Roger  Hudleston,  Vol.  XIV,  p.  690;  Gamin:  Lives  of  the  English  Martyrs  (London,  1904\ 
Vol.  I.  p.  129,  on  the  authority  of  Cresacre  More,  a  great-grandson  of  the  Blessed  Martyr. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


371 


Latin  address;  thus  at  the  famous 
meeting  of  Henry  VIII  with  Fran- 
cis I  of  France  in  the  Field  of  the 
Cloth  of  Gold,  and  again  two  years 
later,  at  the  solemn  entry  of  Em- 
peror Charles  V  and  Henry  VIII  in 
London. 

Though  More  enjoyed  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  Cardinal  Wolsey 
and  in  turn  had  great  respect  for 
the  Cardinal's  eminent  qualities,  it 
happened  that  on  one  occasion  he 
found  it  his  duty  publicly  to  oppose 
him  in  Council.  Wolsey  was  peeved 
and  exclaimed,  "Are  you  not 
ashamed,  Mr.  More,  being  the  last 
in  place  and  dignity  to  dissent  from 
so  many  noble  and  prudent  men? 
You  show  yourself  a  foolish  coucil- 
lor."  More  calmly  replied,  "Thanks 
be  to  God  that  his  royal  Highness 
has  but  one  fool  in  his  Council."  (1) 
On  an6ther  occasion,  the  Cardinal, 
displeased  with  More's  policy,  said, 
"Would  to  God  you  had  been  at 
Rome,  Master  More,  when  I  made 
you  Speaker."  "Your  grace  not  of- 
fended," replied  More,  "so  would  I 
too,  my  Lord."  (2) 

In  1521,  More  was  knighted  by 
the  King  and  subsequently  ap- 
pointed member  of  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil and  Sub-treasurer  of  the  Exche- 
quer. Two  years  later,  parliament 
elected  him  speaker  in  the  House  of 
Commons.  About  this  time,  he  was 
active  against  the  heresy  of  Luther 
and  assisted  the  King  in  writing  his 
famous  Assertio  Septem  Sacramen- 
torum.  (3)  In  1525,  he  became  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Duchy  of  Lancaster. 
Having  been  repeatedly  employed 


on  important  foreign  embassies,  he, 
in  1529,  acted  as  English  ambassa- 
dor at  the  signing  of  the  Treaty  of 
Cambray.  When,  in  1529,  Wolsey 
fell  in  royal  displeasure,  he  suc- 
ceeded him  as  Lord  Chancellor 
of  England. 

Throughout  his  public  career 
More's  attitude  toward  the  Church 
and  her  institutions  was  one  of 
ready  obedience  and  unstinted  de- 
votion. Indeed,  he  lamented  the 
grave .  abuses  in  the  Church  and 
joined  his  friend  Erasmus  of  Rot- 
terdam in  the  general  cry  for  re- 
form; but  he  never  approved,  much 
less  shared,  his  friend's  cynical  and 
rebellious  spirit.  Further,  it  would 
be  wrong  to  deduct  More's  religious 
views  from  his  famous  Utopia. 
This  satire  was  written  before  Luth- 
er, under  the  guise  of  a  reformer,  had 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt  against 
the  Church.  We  know,  too,  how 
readily  More  would  have  burned  the 
book  had  he  foreseen  that  the  ene- 
mies of  the  Church  would  profit  by 
it.  In  1523,  he  wrote  a  book  against 
Luther  and  urged  Erasmus  to  exert 
his  learning  and  influence  against 
the  heresiarch.  For  religious  orders 
as  such,  More  had  the  deepest  rever- 
ence. This  became  clear  when,  in 
1529,  he  called  Fish  to  task  and  by 
his  Supplication  of  Souls  in  Purga- 
tory sought  to  offset  the  evil  influ- 
ence of  the  latter's  Supplication  of 
Beggars,  a  scurrilous  and  slander- 
ous diatribe  on  the  religious  orders 
in  the  Church.  <*> 

But  let  us  now  turn  to  More's  do- 
mestic and  private  life.     In  1505,  he 


1.    Camm,  I.  c,  p.  142. 2.    William  Roper.  I.  c,  p.  30. 3-    See   Franciscan  Herald,  April,  1917.- 

On  this  question  see  Gasquet:     The  Eve  of  the  Reformation  (London,  J905),  passim. 


372 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


married  Jane  Colt.  After  six  years, 
however,  his  wife  died  leaving  him 
with  four  small  children,  Margaret, 
Elizabeth,  Cecily,  and  John.  From 
an  epitaph  More  wrote  twenty  years 
later,  we  see  how  fondly  he  cher- 
ished her  memory.  But  he  had 
now  to  provide  for  the  children  and 
hence  married  Alice  Middleton,  a 
widow  who  proved  a  kind  mother 
and  a  dutiful  discreet  housewife.  (1) 
After  living  twelve  years  in  Crosby 
Place,  the  More  family  moved  to 
their  new  home  at  Chelsea,  a  village 
outside  of  London.  Their  spacious 
house  so  famous  in  history  stood  in 
a  beautiful  garden  that  bordered  on 
the  river  Thames.  Here  More 
would  resort  when  free  from  State 
duties  to  find  peace  and  comfort  in 
the  company  of  his  loved  ones.  He 
took  special  delight  in  the  education 
of  his  children  for  whom  he  en- 
gaged able  and  reliable  tutors.  Even 
when  not  at  home,  he  superintended 
their  studies.  Once  he  wrote  to 
Margaret,  his  favorite  daughter:  "I 
beg  you,  Margaret,  tell  me  about  the 
progress  you  are  making  in  your 
studies.  For,  I  assure  you  that, 
rather  than  allow  my  children  to  be 
idle  and  slothful,  I  would  make  a 
sacrifice  of  wealth,  and  bid  adieu 
to  other  cares  and  business,  to  at- 
tend to  my  children  and  family, 
amongst  whom  none  is  more  dear  to 
me  than  yourself,  my  beloved 
daughter."  In  a  letter  to  Gunnell 
their  tutor  he  says  that  his  children 
are  "to  put  virtue  in.  the  first  place, 
learning  in  the  second;  and  in  their 
studies   to  esteem  most  whatever 


may  teach  them  piety  towards  God, 
charity  to  all,  and  modesty  and  Chris- 
tian humility  in  themselves. M(2) 

Erasmus,  a  frequent  visitor  at  the 
Chelsea  home,  says  that  it  was  a 
school  of  Christianity  where  piety 
and  virtue  were  in  full  bloom. 
Daily  the  household  would  gather 
for  evening  devotion.  All  had  to 
attend  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy- 
days,  and  on  the  vigils  of  feasts  like 
Christmas  and  Easter  they  had  to  be 
present  at  the  midnight  chanting  of 
the  office.  At  table,  one  of  the  girls 
read  a  passage  from  Holy  Scripture 
concluding  as  is  done  in  convents 
with:  Tu  autem.  Domine,  miserere 
nobis.  Then  a  commentary  from 
one  of  the  Holy  Fathers  would  be 
read  or,  if  some  learned  man  hap- 
pened to  be  there,  a  discussion  was 
held  on  the  text,  till  finally  More 
himself  would  change  the  topic  by 
some  well  chosen  jest  or  story. 

Conformably  with  the  rule  of  the 
Third  Order,  More  was  especially 
devoted  to  the  poor  and  sick.  He 
would  visit  them  personally  and  re- 
lieve their  needs  by  liberal  alms. 
He  would  frequently  invite  the  poor 
of  the  neighborhood  to  his  table  and 
even  as  chancellor  converse  famili- 
arly with  them.  In  his  practice  as 
lawyer  he  never  exacted  fees  from 
widows  and  orphans.  A  home  for 
the  infirm,  poor,  and  aged  in  the 
parish  of  Chelsea  bore  testimony  to 
his  boundless  charity. 

We  have  seen  how  as  student  at 
Oxford  he  practiced  prayer  and  pen- 
ance. This  personal  holiness  only 
increased  with  years.      Next  to  his 


1.  Father  Bridgett  in  his  Life  ami  Writings  of  Sir  Thomas  More  defends  the  character  of  Alice  Middle- 
ton,  fle  refutes  the  oft-repeated  charge  that  by  her  sharp  tongue  and  shrewish  temper  she  proved  a  termagant 
and  greatly  embittered  the  domestic  life  of  More.    See  Bremond,  1.  c,  p.  52  sqq. 2.    See  Camm,  1.  o.,  p.  147. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


373 


library  he  had  a  chapel  where  he 
spent  many  an  hour  in  close  com- 
munion with  God.  If  possible,  he 
heard  Mass  every  day  and  frequent- 
ly served  the  priest.  His  collection 
of  private  prayers  and  his  psalter 
gleaned  from  the  Fathers  of  the 
Church  are  still  extant.  When  one 
day  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  found  him 
in  church  among  the  singers  clothed 
in  a  surplice,  and  objected  that  the 
King  would  be  displeased  with  such 
an  act,  the  noble  Chancellor  replied: 
"My  master  the  King  cannot  be 
displeased  at  the  service  I  pay  to 
his  Master  God,"  More  never  as- 
sumed a  new  office  in  the  State  or 
undertook  an  important  work  with- 
out seeking  counsel  and  strength  in 
Holy  Communion.  After  his  mar- 
tyrdom, in  1535,  his  confessor  wrote 
of  him:  '  'This  Thomas  More  was  my 
ghostly  child;  in  his  confession  (he 

used)  to  be  so  pure,  so  clean, I 

never  heard  many  such He  was 


devout  in  his  divine  service,  and 

wore  a  great  hair  (shirt)  next  his 
skin"."  One  evening,  More  was 
at  table  with  his  family.  When  he 
removed  the  Chancellor's  gown, 
Anne  Cresacre,  his  daughter-in-law, 
noticed  the  hair-shirt  and  began  to 
laugh.  When  Margaret  told  him 
of  it  later,  he  felt  sorry,  for  he 
wished  no  one  but  her  to  know  of 
his  penance. 

Such  was  the  man  whom  Henry 
VIII,  in  1519,  appointed  Lord  Chan- 
cellor of  England.  Though  truly 
devoted  to  his  King  and  country, 
Thomas  More  never  lost  sight  of 
God  and  Heaven.  In  fact,  we  may 
safely  say  he  was  true  to  his  King 
because  he  was  true  to  God  and 
only  when  Henry  succumbed  to  his 
lower  passions  did  his  noble  and 
saintly  Chancellor  oppose  his  law- 
less policy  and  fearlessly  unfurl  the 
standard  of  truth  and  justice. 


1.    See  Bremond,  1.  < 


(To  be  continued) 


JKg  S00ary 


(#,  3  tuoulb  make  mg  life  a  ruaarg 
(§f  oirtue  fi  jewels  mrougtjt— atuee t  rlraritg, 
meekness  anb  puritg  anb  selflessness, 
(ftnurane  to  rlasu  tlye  rruss  aritb  fonb  raress; 
A  rlraulet  morttjg  at  (gob's  feet  to  raat — 
A  strong,  unbroken  urager  unto  tlje  last. 
©Ije  telling  enbeb  at  Seato/s  stern  rommanb, 
IGet  me  begin  in  my  true  fatljerlanb, 
®lje  jugful  berabes  of  eternitg, 
Anb  rount  tlyem  o'er,  mg  ($ ueen,  unto.  (&ab  anb  tiyee. 
— (Eatljerine  M.  Hages,  ©erttarg. 


374 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


FOUL  WHISPERINGS 

By  Fr.  Giles,  O.F.M. 


HE  was  seated  on  a  stone  bench 
in  a  shady  corner  of  their 
luxuriant  garden  enjoying 
the  cool  evening  breeze,  while  near 
him  stood  his  wife  listlessly  tearing 
a  rose  to  pieces  and  scattering  the 
blood-red  petals  about  her  on  the 
pebbled  walk.  She  was  telling  an 
amusing  little  story  of  a  jealous 
young  wife  who  on  her  deathbed 
had  extorted  from  her  youthful  hus- 
band the  solemn  promise  never  to 
marry  again;  threatening,  in  case 
he  should,  to  return  from  the  grave 
and  to  scratch  out  his  eyes.  Relat- 
ing this  last  incident  with  dramatic 
emphasis,  Mrs.  West  was  suddenly 
interrupted  by  a  piercing  scream 
from  a  summerhouse  near  by  where 
the  children  were  playing  with  their 
maid.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  West  hastened 
at  once  to  the  spot,  and  learned  to 
their  intense  relief  that  Bobby,  the 
baby,  had  merely  tumbled  headlong 
from  a  bench,  thoroughly  fright- 
ening his  nurse  but  none  the  worse 
for  the  fall.  The  chubby  little  fel- 
low greeted  his  mother  with  a  joy- 
ous "Da,  da,  da,"  and  scrambled 
quickly  toward  her.  Catching  him 
up  in  her  arms,  she  covered  his 
dimpled  cheeks  with  kisses,  scarcely 
heeding  Lucille's  profuse  apologies 
for  her  momentary  negligence,  and 
dismissing  her  fears  with  a  smile. 
While  this  idyllic  scene  was  enact- 
ing in  the  happy  home  of  the  Wests, 
Murdock's  maid  happened  to  pass 
by  on  her  way  to  the  butcher's. 
Overhearing  Mrs.  West's  passionate 


exclamation,  "I'll  tear  out  your 
eyes!"  followed  immediately  by  a 
woman's  cry  of  terror,  Jane  began 
to  put  two  and  two  together  and 
soon  had  her  own  version  of  the 
occurrence.  The  Murdocks  lived 
but  two  doors  from  the  Wests,  and 
Jane  Simpleton  had  often  wondered 
how  it  was  possible  for  man  and 
wife  to  agree  so  well  at  all  times  as 
John  West  and  his  wife  Gertrude. 
For  in  all  their  married  life  they 
had  never  been  known  to  have  a 
quarrel.  But  now  Jane  was  con- 
vinced that  this  reputation  was  al- 
together unmerited,  and  that  in 
their  private  life  they  were  as  bad 
as  her  own  master  and  mistress, 
who  hardly  permitted  a  day  to  pass 
without  some  family  squabble.  In- 
deed, they  must  be  far  worse,  she 
concluded,  for  Mrs.  Murdock  even 
in  her  wildest  moods  had  never 
threatened  to  scratch  out  her  hus- 
band's eyes.  The  girl  had  gone 
only  a  block,  when  she  was  joined 
by  Alice  Brace,  a  maid-of-all-work 
like  herself,  and  like  herself  on  her 
way  to  Bisbee's  meat  market. 

"Oh,  Alice,  you've  no  idea  what 
I  just  heard,"  began  Jane,  as  the 
two  whisked  down  the  street  togeth- 
er. "I  myself  would  never  have 
believed  it  if  I  hadn't  heard  it  with 
my  own  ears." 

"Come,  out  with  it,  Jane.  Don't 
keep  a  person  in  suspense,  it  makes 
me  perfectly  nervous, "  Alice  urged 
impatiently. 

"But  you  must   promise  not  to 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


375 


breathe  a  word  of  it  to  a  living 
soul,"  continued  Jane,  "'cause  I 
wouldn't  want  this  to  get  out  for 
the  world." 

"Sure,  I'll  promise  anything; 
only  come  on  with  the  goods." 

"Well,  while  passing  Wests  a  mo- 
ment ago, —they  were  both  talking 
together  behind  that  beautiful  high 
hedge,  you  know,  —  and  all  at  once 
I  heard  Mrs.  West  say  that  if  he 
didn't  shut  his  mouth  she'd  scratch 
his  eyes  out.  Then  she  let  out  a 
scream  as  if  he  were  beating  the 
life  out  of  her  and  both  ran  toward 
the  house  as  fast  as  they  could  go. 
I  tried  to  get  a  peep  at  them,  but 
the  hedge  is  so  high  and  thick  that 
I  couldn't  even  get  a  glimpse." 

"That  certainly  is  some  story, 
believe  me!"  commented  Alice  with 
undisguised  relish;  "beats  anything 
I've  heard  for  a  long  time.  And 
you  say  it  happened  just  now?" 
she  enquired  eagerly. 

"Yes,  hardly  five  minutes  ago;  so 
I  'spose  they're  still  pounding  away 
at  each  other." 

Entering  the  meat  market,  the 
two  girls  gave  their  orders  and  then 
proceeded  to  exchange  their  sur- 
mises as  to  the  probable  causes  and 
effects  of  the  Wests'  first  known 
marital  trouble. 

"What's  that  about  John  West?" 
queried  Bisbee,  interestedly,  catch- 
ing some  unsavory  remarks  about 
the  man  against  whom  he  bore  a 
particular  grudge  owing,  no  doubt, 
to  the  fact  that  the  Wests  patron- 
ized "Poor  John's  Shop"  instead  of 
"Bisbee's  High  Class  Meat  Market. " 

"Oh,  he  and  his  wife  just  had  a 
cat-and-dog  fight  a  few  minutes  ago 


and  beat  up  each  other's  faces," 
Alice  blurted  out  with  as  much  re- 
spect for  the  truth  as  for  faithful- 
ness. 

"Oh,  Alice!"  expostulated  Jane. 

"Well,  you  don't  expect  that  a 
man  like  Mr.  Bisbee  is  going  to 
blabber  this  about  the  town,  do  you? 
And  besides,  if  they  fought  so  loud 
that  you  could  hear  them  on  the 
street,  I  don't  think  the  affair  has 
to  be  kept  so  secret  at  all." 

"Why,  of  course  not,"  agreed 
Bisbee,  "and  I  for  one  am  glad  it  has 
actually  come  out  at  last  that  these 
Wests  are  no  better  than  the  rest 
of  us  in  spite  of  their  daily  Commu- 
nions, Third  Order,  and  what  not. 
I  always  did  have  my  opinion  about 
John  West,  and  I'm  glad  he  has 
been  found  out,"  and  in  his  just 
indignation,  Bisbee  generously 
threw  an  extra  lamb  chop  into 
Alice's  basket. 

The  two  girls  had  scarcely  left 
the  shop,  when  Mrs.  O'Grady  and 
Mrs.  Blucher  entered.  While  Bis- 
bee prepared  to  fill  their  orders  for 
tasty  slices  of  steak  and  well  sea- 
soned Frankfurters,  he  regaled 
them  with  the  latest  bit  of  scandal 
that  had  come  to  his  notice,  and  he 
took  a  special  pleasure  in  so  doing 
on  account  of  his  long  nourished  ill 
will  toward  John  West. 

"Pretty  nice  mess  that  over  at 
the  Wests,  wasn't  it?"  he  began, 
as  he  sliced  off  the  tender,  juicy 
pieces  of  steak. 

"Why,  what's  happened  there?" 
eagerly  queried  Mrs.  Blucher,  a 
well  known  busybody  of  the  parish. 

"So  you  didn't  hear  about  it  yet," 
replied   Bisbee   in  a  well   assumed 


376 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


tone  of  surprise.  "Well,  when  Jane 
Simpleton  passed  their  place  a  short 
time  ago,  she  heard  an  awful  rum- 
pus. Looking  over  the  hedge, 
she  saw  John  West  and  his  wife 
going  at  each  other  tooth  and  nail. 
John  was  pulling  her  hair  and  she 
yelled  that  she'd  scratch  his  eyes 
out  if  he  didn't  let  go.  Must  have 
been  some  scrap  to  judge  from 
what  Alice  Brace  and   Jane  said." 

"May  the  saints  in  Heaven  pre- 
sarve  us!"  ejaculated  little  Mrs. 
O'Grady,  crossing  herself  and  shak- 
ing her  head  in  mute  consternation. 
"And  to  think,  Mr.  Bisbee,  they're 
both  members  of  the  Third  Order, 
and  what  a  scandal  that'll  be  whin 
the  news  of  it  gets  out.  My,  my, 
my!"  and  the  good  woman  heaved 
a  sigh  from  the  depths  of  her  soul 
as  she  looked  ruefully  first  at  Mr. 
Bisbee  and  then  at  her  dear  friend 
Mrs.  Blucher. 

"Of  course,  Mrs.  O'Grady,  we 
mustn't  let  this  get  out, ' '  Mrs.  Bluch- 
er hastened  to  assure  fearful  little 
Mrs.  O'Grady.  "My  what'UFr.  Roch 
say  when  he  hears  of  it!  You  know 
he  thinks  so  much  of  the  Wests. 
But  Mrs.  O'Grady  and  Mr.  Bisbee, 
take  this  from  me,"— here  Mrs. 
Blucher  dropped  her  voice  to  a 
sepulchral  whisper  and  shook  a 
long,  bony  finger  in  their  faces,— 
"I  always  did  know  that  Fr.  Roch 
was  mistaken  in  those  Wests  and 
that  they  aren't  by  any  means  the 
saints  people  think  they  are. 

1  'And  now  that  you  mintion  this, 
Mrs.  Blucher,  I  remember  that 
Mrs.  McGinty  told  me  sister  Brid- 
get, and  Bridget  told  me  herself 
that  she    thought    she    heard    the 


Wests  scolding  each  other  once  be- 
fore, and—" 

"And  I'll  bet  ten  pounds  of 
Frankfurters  that  they  often  had 
fights  of  which  we  'didn'thear  a— " 

But  before  Mrs.  Blucher  could 
finish  the  sentence,  the  shop  door 
opened  and  in  came  Mrs.  Swanson. 

"I  wonder  where  that  ambulance 
went  just  now,"  she  said,  setting 
a  basket  of  nice  fresh  vegetables 
on  the  floor  and  fumbling  nervous- 
ly with  her  purse. 

"Ambulance!"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Blucher  with  her  usual  eagerness 
to  learn  the  latest  bit  of  news. 

"Ambulance!"  echoed  Mrs.  O'- 
Grady, in  a  feeble  endeavor  to 
imitate  her  heroine,  the  virile  Mrs. 
Blucher. 

"Where  did  it  go?"  continued 
Mrs.  Blucher. 

"Oh,  it  came  up  Maple  Avenue 
and  turned  off  into  Washington 
Street  up  here  at  Wests'  corner. 

A  knowing  glance  passed  between 
Mrs.  Blucher  and  the  butcher,  who 
immediately  passed  it  on  to  little 
Mrs.  O'Grady.  It  was  not  lost, 
however,  on  the  lynx-eyed  Mrs. 
Swanson. 

"You  people  seem  to  know  more 
about  that  ambulance  than  I  do," 
she  remarked,  her  full  ruddy  face 
one  big  question  mark. 

"Well,"  drawled  Mrs.  Blucher 
extenuatingly,  "I  won't  say  for  sure, 
but  I  wouldn't  be  surprised  at  all 
if  that  ambulance  went  to  Wests." 

"Is  any  one  sick  there?"  asked 
Mrs.  Swanson  all  agape. 

And  then  for  the  fourth  time 
within  half  an  hour,  the  slanderous 
tale  with  variations  was  rehashed. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


377 


"I  wonder  if  both  will  have  to  be 
taken  to  the  hospital?"  conjectured 
Mrs.  Swanson. 

"Most  probably,"  concurred  Mrs. 
Blucher,  "for  Jane  said  they  were 
both  bloody  and  Mrs.  West  screamed 
just  frightfully,  didn't  she,  Mr. 
Bisbee?" 

"Yes,  she  said  something  like 
that,"  replied  Bisbee,  who  was 
beginning  to  feel  somewhat  uneasy 
over  the  part  he  had  taken  in  spread- 
ing a  story  that  was  constantly 
growing  worse. 

"What  I  hate  most  about  this 
squabble,"  said  Mrs.  Blucher,  tak- 
ing her  package  of  Frankfurters 
and  starting  with  her  two  friends 
toward  the  door,  "is  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  West  are  both  Tertiaries,  and 
to-morrow  is  our  Third  Order  meet- 
ing, and  if  they're  not  there  every- 
body will  be  asking  about  them." 

"Yes,  that's  bad,"  lamented  little 
Mrs.  O'Grady,  and  a  tear  glistened 
visibly  in  her  dark  gray  eyes. 
"Don't  you  think  we  ought  to  tell 
Fr.  Roch  all  about  it,  so  he  gets  the 
news  first  hand?"  she  enquired  hes- 
itatingly, fearful  lest  her  proposal 
be  frowned  upon  by  Mrs.  Blucher. 

"To  be  sure  we  ought,"  assented 
Mrs.  Swanson,  "  'cause  there's  no 
telling  what  he'll  get  to  hear  from 
others," 

"I'll  attend  to  that  myself,"  in- 
terposed Mrs.  Blucher,  with  a  final- 
ity that  let  her  two  companions 
fully  realize  she  would  brook  no  op- 
position. "I  can  easily  see  him  this 
evening  and  will  tell  him  just  how 
everything  happened." 

'  'But  I  do  hope  that  that  silly  Jane 
Simpleton  will  keep  her  mouth  shut. 


It's  remarkable  how  some  people 
will  tell  every  new  scandal  as  soon 
as  they  hear  it,  just  as  if  it  would 
burst  them  to  keep  a  secret!"— and 
Mrs.  Swanson, —the  dear  soul,— 
sighed  deprecatingly  over  the  weak- 
ness and  wickedness  of  some  of  her 
sisters. 

Arrived  at  the  street  crossing, 
the  three  good  housewives  parted 
company,  each  promising  in  turn 
solemnly  not  to  breathe  a  word  of 
the  West  imbroglio  to  a  living  crea- 
ture, and  each  breaking  her  given 
word  at  least  three  times  before 
reaching  her  kitchen  door.  Unfor- 
tunately for  Mrs.  Blucher,  Fr.  Roch 
was  in  the  confessional  when  she 
called  at  the  monastery  to  perform 
her  work  of  charity,  and  thus  he 
failed  to  hear  the  harrowing  tale 
"first  hand." 

The  next  morning,  as  the  bell  in 
the  tower,  that  used  its  great  iron 
tongue  only  to  honor  the  Most  High 
and  to  invite  men  to  praise  him, 
sent  forth  its  last  call  summoning 
the  Tertiaries  to  Mass,  a  small 
group  of  women  was  seen  standing 
just  outside  the  church  door  engaged 
in  a  subdued  but  spirited  conversa- 
tion. 

"It's  a  fact,  Mrs.  Beecher,  and 
they  fought  until  they  were  both 
bloody  and  the  ambulance  had  to  be 
called  to  take  them  both  to  the  hos- 
pital," averred  Mrs.  Swanson  with 
no  little  vehemence,  since  Mrs.  Bee- 
cher seemed  ill  disposed  to  put  any 
faith  in  the  story. 

"Yis,  an'  it's  that  ashamed  I  am 
of  meself  becuz  they  belong  to  our 
Third  Order,  that  I  could  cry  me 
eyes  out,"   whimpered   little   Mrs. 


378 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


0' Grady,  and  the  great  salty  tear 
which  had  glistened  in  her  dark 
gray  eyes  the  evening  before  but 
which  with  heroic  self-control  she 
had  restrained  from  falling,  was 
now  permitted  to  roll  unmolested, 
but  with  wonderful  effect,  down 
her  pale,  haggard  cheek. 

At  that  moment,  an  automobile 
stopped  in  front  of  the  church,  and 
out  jumped  Mr.  John  West  as  nim- 
bly as  ever.  With  his  customary 
gallantry,  he  assisted  Mrs.  West, 
and  then  Lucille  and  the  children 
from  the  car,  and  all  strode  smiling- 
ly toward  the  church.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
West  both  greeted  the  little  group 
of  gossipers  with  a  cordial  "Good 
morning!"  and  then  passed  into  the 
church. 

Mesdames  Blucher,  Swanson, 
O'Grady,  and  Company  stared  as  if 
they  had  seen  a  ghost.  Dear  little 
Mrs.  O'Grady  even  forgot  all  about 
her  tears,  so  great  was  her  conster- 
nation at  the  unexpected  arrival  of 
the  Wests  with  not  a  scratch  to  in- 
dicate their  bloody  fray  of  the  pre- 
vious evening.  Mrs.  Beecher  was 
the  first  to  recover  her  voice. 

"Somebody  must  have  been  ly- 
ing!" she  flashed  indignantly,  and 
without  more  ado  swept  into  the 
church.  The  rest  looked  at  one  an- 
other for  a  moment,  quite  undecided 
what  to  say  or  do. 

"Where's  that  Jane  Simpleton?" 
asked  Alice  Brace  sharply,  looking 
in  vain  for  the  originator  of  the  tale. 

"Yes,  where's  that  tattler?" 
enquired  Mrs.  Blucher  with  holy  an- 
ger. "I'm  going  to  propose  to  Fr. 
Roch  to  have  her  ejected  from  our 
fraternity  for  her  constant  gossip- 


ing." 

As  they  all  turned  about  to  seek 
the  scapegoat,  one  after  the  other 
quietly  slipped  into  the  church,  un- 
til no  one  was  left  but  Mrs.  Swan- 
and  little  Mrs.  O'Grady. 

"I  think  it  is  just  awful  for  a  per- 
son to  make  up  such  a  story  ^  don't 
you,  Mrs.  Swanson?"  remarked  the 
little  woman  in  a  scarcely  audible 
whisper.  "And  I  never  would  have 
believed  her,  but  then  a  person  can 
never  tell,  you—"  but  Mrs.  Swan- 
son, too,  was  on  her  way  into  the 
church,  and  little  Mrs.  O'Grady 
heaved  a  deep  sigh  and  followed 
her  into  the  sacred  edifice. 

Was  it  merely  a  queer  coinci- 
dence, or  had  those  blessed  invisi- 
ble spirits,  that  are  the  constant  wit- 
nesses of  our  every  word  and  act, 
whispered  into  Fr.  Roch's  ear  the 
text  and  substance  of  his  sermon  on 
that  memorable  Sunday  morning? 
Placing  the  book  of  the  holy  Gospels 
on  the  pulpit  before  him,  the  zealous 
director  of  the  Third  Order  scanned 
his  large  audience  of  Tertiaries  for 
a  moment  with  steady  eye,  and 
then  in  slow,  measured  tones  he 
cited  his  text  from  the  Epistle  of 
St.  James:  "If  any  man  think 
himself  to  be  religious,  not  brid- 
ling his  tongue,  but  deceiving  his 
own  heart,  this  man's  religion  is 
vain." 

He  then  explained  these  words  of 
the  Apostle  and  lashed  with  merci- 
less eloquence  the  all  too  prevalent 
vice  sof  the  tongue.  As  he  continued 
to  speak,  several  pairs  of  eyes  fell 
before  his  piercing  gaze  and  several 
pairs  of  cheeks  flushed  with  the 
ruddy  blush  of  shame  and  from  the 
dark  gray  eyes  of  dear  little  Mrs. 
O'Grady  rolled  tear  upon  tear,  but 
they  were  the  tears  of  a  contrite 
and  humble  heart. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 379 

EUCHARISTIC  THOUGHTS 

By  Mary  K.  F.  O'Melia,  Tertiary 


"Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me. 


THE  COMMEMORATIONS  OF  JESUS  DYING 

NEVER  again,  sweet  Jesus,  shalt  thou  be  wounded  for  our  iniquities, 
nor  shall  death  any  more  have  dominion  over  thee.  Never  again, 
0  loving  Hands,  0  beautiful,  Gospel-bringing  Feet,  never  again 
shall  you  present  your  loveliness  to  the  transfixing  nails.  Never  again, 
0  adorable  Heart  of  my  Jesus,  on  fire  with  love  for  our  souls,  never  again 
shalt  thou  be  stilled  by  death  and  pierced  by  the  wounding  steel. 

Never  again,  0  sacred  Face  of  Jesus,  whose  sight  is  food  for  the 
adoring  angels,  never  again  shall  the  pallor  of  death  come  over  thee. 
Never  again,  0  Form  divine,  shalt  thou  fill  a  silent  supulcher  and  be  wept 
over  by  a  sorrowing  Mother  and  loving  disciples.  Though  the  roses  will 
fade  and  the  stars  grow  dim,  and  glory  and  beauty  and  friendship  pass 
away,  "Thou  art  the  self-same  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail." 

Yes,  as  the  priest  utters  the  words— "This  is  my  body,  This  is  my 
blood"— the  Word  of  God,  here  also  "living  and  effectual  and  more  pierc- 
ing than  any  two-edged  sword,"  seems  directed  by  Holy  Church  to  sepa- 
rate the  precious  blood  from  the  sacred  body  of  our  Lord  and  I  apprehend 
that,  though  in  reality  the  ble'ssed  Victim  remains  living,  impassible,  and 
beautiful,  the  precious  blood  is  shed  in  figure  and  the  sublime  sorrows  and 
afflictions  of  the  God- man  on  Calvary  are  mystically  displayed. 

I  know  that  as  Holy  Church  teaches  me,  it  is  the  one  sacrifice  of 
Calvary  which  is  being  offered,  but  no  longer  is  the  Lamb  of  God  uplifted 
by  malicious  hands  of  cruel  enemies  and  merciless  executioners,  and  af- 
fixed by  pitiless  nails  to  the  wood  of  the  cross;  it  is  the  consecrated  hands 
of  adoring  priests  that  uplift  the  sacrifice  to  God.  No  longer  is  the  sublime 
Victim  uplifted  in  the  presence  of  a  mocking  rabble,  but  before  devout 
multitudes  of  the  faithful,  who  prostrate  in  spirit  raise  worshipping  eyes 
and  greet  Him  as  their  Lord  and  their  God. 

"Do  this  for  a  commemoration  of  me."  — Many  and  glorious  are  the 
works  of  my  divine  Savior,  mighty  in  his  miracles,  sublime  in  his  utter- 
ances, his  life  the  model  of  every  perfection.  Eternally  is  he  to  be  ex- 
alted in  his  resurrection  from  the  grave  and  in  his  glorious  ascension  into 
heaven.  But  above  all  he  has  caused  to  be  commemorated  in  holy  Mass 
his  blessed  passion  and  death. 

Consider,  therefore,  my  soul,  that  it  is  this  blessed  passion  and  death 
above  all  that  Jesus  would  place  before  thee  for  thy  imitation  and  for  thy 
inspiration.  God  forbid  that  thou  shouldst  glory  in  anything  save  in  the 
cross   of  Christ!     See,    he  does   not  command    thee  to  do   miracles,  or  to 


380  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


prophesy  and  understand  mysteries  and  speak  with  the  tongues  of  angels, 
but  to  take  up  thy  cross  and  follow  him.  He  lets  thee  taste  his  sweet- 
ness in  Holy  Communion— an  earnest  of  the  fuller  revelation  hereafter 
—that  thou  may  est  be  encouraged  to  embrace  the  severity  of  his  inspira- 
tions; but  amidst  this  sweetness  he  speaks  to  thee  of  his  passion  and  death 
as  he  spoke  of  it  amidst  the  glory  on  the  Holy  Mount. 

And  as,  when  risen  from  the  grave  he  visited  his  apostles,  he  did  not 
point  out  to  them  the  beauty  of  his  resurrected  body,  or  call  their  atten- 
tion to  its  strength  and  immortality  and  its  supernatural  powers,  but 
showed  unto  them  the  sorrowful  but  glorious  wounds  in  his  hands  and  feet 
and  side,  so  also,  my  soul,  would  he  have  thee  contemplate  in  Holy  Com- 
munion his  blessed  passion  and  death,  for  thy  way  is  to  be  the  way  of  the 
cross. 

0  Jesus,  how  severe  is  thy  command— the  path  of  penance  and  abne- 
gation and  self-sacrifice— like  thee  to  bear  and  to  die  to  self  upon  a  cross! 
Yet,  with  the  enchanting  vision  of  thy  beauty— now  seen  in  part  and  as 
through  a  veil  on  the  altar,  but  hereafter  to  be  revealed  in  its  fulness  — 
and  encouraged  by  the  example  and  strength  of  thy  blessed  passion,  thy 
yoke  will  be  sweet  and  thy  burden  light.  That  uplifted  hand  which  beck- 
ons us  on  to  this  course  so  severe  yet  so  sweet  and  ending  in  so  much 
glory,  was  pierced  for  us  upon  the   cross.     How  can  we  refuse  to  follow! 

And  behold,  in  the  blessed  passion  and  death  itself  of  my  Jesus  there 
is  sweetness— the  sweetness  of  love  and  mercy  and  forgiveness  which  flow 
from  the  divine  Victim  and  his  infinite  merits.  And  so  also  will  the  love 
of  Christ  make  sweet  the  way  of  the  cross  which  he  bids  us  to  tread. 
"The  charity  of  Christ  presseth  us,  for  he  died  that  they  who  live  may 
not  now  live  to  themselves,  but  unto  him  who  died  for  them  and  rose 
again"  (II  Cor.  5,  14,  15). 

Let  us  cry  with  our  Seraphic  Father,  "0  Jesus,  who  didst  die  on  the 
cross  for  love  of  me,  let  me  die  to  self  for  love  of  thee!"  May  the  death 
of  the  Lord  be  shown  not  only  at  the  altar  in  the  great  eucharistic  com- 
memoration of  it  which  he  has  established  in  his  holy  Church,  but  also  in 
the  hearts  and  lives  of  his  servants  whose  glory  should  ever  be  to  bear 
about  in  their  bodies  the  mortification  of  Jesus.  May  the  seraphic  flame 
of  love  impress  on  our  souls  the  blessed  stigmata  of  our  divine  Savior,  so 
gloriously  renewed  in  our  Father  Francis,  so  that,  aided  by  the  prayers 
of  that  human  Seraph,  our  penance  may  be  fruitful  unto  life  eternal. 


ST.  FRANCIS  TO  THE  BIRDS 


Birds— birds  of  the  air— 

Glad  wings  of  the  moun- 
tain and  valley 

Flashing  around  me  with 
scatter  of  petals  and 
rally 

Through  ilex  and  olive  in 
carnival  choir! — 

Draw  near,  little  sisters, 
and  hearken 

My  voice  of  desire! 

See,  where  the  valleys 
would  darken; 

Draw  nearer  and  list  to 
my  prayer 

To  the  Love  that  hath 
given 

Your  pinions  the  realms 
nearest  heaven, 

Bladed  your  wing 

To  parry  with  rain  and 
with  hail, 

Decked  you  for  tempests 
in  feathery  mail, 

And  taught  you  to  sing! 

Though  but  the  worm  of 
His  wounds,  I  implore 

You   and   cross   you  and 
bless   you,    with    hand 
and  with  mouth- 
Signing     North     unto 
South - 

Signing  West  unto  East- 
Let  his  praise  be  increased! 

To  the  North  then,  ye  wings  of  the 
snow  — 

Albatross,  gull,  and  all  nurslings  of 
waters  at  war! 

To  the  South,  ye  with  emerald  plum- 
age aglow 

For  the  grace  of   His   Orient  tem- 
ples, and  bear 

His  comforting  love  to   the   moon- 
stricken  rose! 

Ye  to  the  East,  0  larks,  from  your 
fountains 

To  gather  His  alms  at   morn's   lat- 
tices pale! 

Owls  to  your  tombs  and   belfries! 
Nightingale, 

Away  unto  your  sobbing  of  an   em- 
pire's woes! 

But,  eagle  wings,  ye   to  the   West 


unroltf  — 
Vanguards  celestial,   chanting  o'er 

the  mountains! 
Fowls  of  the  deeps,  be  ye   contem- 
plative there 
At  sundown   on   His   mirrors   vast 

with  prayer, 
Praising  His  love  that  keeps  us   to 

His  soul! 
Warn  ye  the  shepherds,    swallows. 

at  moonrise  then 
Swinging   like   living   censers    out 

from  eave  and  rafter! 
And  circling  doves.     Nay,  Brother 

Leo,  hold  not  back  "Amen," 
Lest  all  my  heart  go  winging  madly 

after, 
Forgetful  of  the   little  worm  and 

mole! 

—  Thomas  Walsh  in  Scribner's  Magazine. 


382 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXXIV 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqelhardt,  O.F.M. 


WITH  the  belated  aid  obtained 
from  the  government 
"Mission  Rosario  became 
as  prosperous,"  Bolton  writes  "as 
could  be  expected  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. In  1768,  it  was  able  to 
report  having  entered  two  hundred 
Baptisms  in  the  records.  This,  so 
far  as  numbers  go,  was  relatively 
as  good  a  showing  as  had  been 
made  by  its  neighbor,  Mission  Es- 
piritu  Santo,  among  tribes  some- 
what more  docile,  and  nearly  as 
good  as  that  made  by  Mission  San 
Jose,  near  San  Antonio,  once  the 
finest  mission  in  all  New  Spain. 
At  this  time,  1768,  at  least  from 
one  to  two  hundred  Indians  must 
have  been  living  intermittently  in 
the  mission ;  but  they  were  hard  to 
control,  and  were  with  difficulty 
kept  at  the  mission,  made  to  work, 
and  induced  to  give  up  their  crude 
ways.  If  corporal  punishment  was 
employed,  they  would  run  away, 
and  their  complaints  would  find 
willing  ears  among  the  soldiers." 

In  February  and  March,  1768, 
Fr.  Caspar  Jose  de  Solis  of  the 
College  of  Guadalupe,  Zacatecas, 
appeared  in  order  to  hold  the  visita- 
tion. "It  may  vivify  the  reader's 
impression,"  says  Bolton,  "and 
help  him  to  secure  a  more  correct 
idea  of  a  frontier  mission  of  the 
less  substantial  sort,  and  of  the 
conditions  surrounding  it,  to  repro- 


duce here  some  parts  of  the  account 
of  the  Mission  Rosario  given  in  his 
diary  by  Father  Solis.  I  therefore 
quote  the  following: 

"  'February  26.  I  arrived  at  Mis- 
sion del  Santisimo  Rosario,  where 
I  was  received  by  the  missionary 
with  much  attention.  The  Indians 
who  had  staid  at  the  mission— for 
many  were  fugitives  in  the  woods 
and  on  the  coast— came  out  in  a 
gala  array  as  an  embassy  to  meet 
me  on  the  way.  The  captain  of 
La  Bahia  remained  and  posted  a 
picket  of  soldiers  to  keep  guard 
day  and  night.  The  mission  is 
extremely  well  kept  in  all  respects. 
It  secures  good  water  from  the  Rio 
San  Antonio  de  Bejar.  The  coun- 
try is  pleasant  and  luxuriant;  but 
the  climate  is  very  bad  and  un- 
healthful,  hot,  and  humid,  with 
southerly  winds.  Everything,  in- 
cluding one's  clothing,  becomes 
damp,  even  within  the  houses,  as 
if  it  were  put  in  water.  Even  the 
inner  walls  reek  with  water  as  if 
it  were  raining. 

"  'February  28.  At  the  invitation 
of  the  captain,  I  went  to  dine  at 
the  royal  presidio  of  La  Bahia  del 
Espiritu  Santo.  I  was  accompanied 
by  Fathers  Ganuza  and  Lopez,  and 
Brothers  Francisco  Solano  and  An- 
tonio Casas.  The  captain  (appar- 
ently the  generous  Piszina),  re- 
ceived us   with   great  respect  and 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


383 


ceremony,  welcoming  us  with  a 
volley  by  the  company  and  four 
cannon  shot,  serving  us  a  very  li- 
beral, rich,  and  abundant  table, 
and  comporting  himself  in  every- 
thing with  the  magnificence  and 
opulence  of  a  prince. 

' '  'February  29.  I  celebrated  holy 
Mass  and  examined  the  church,  the 
sacristy,  and  the  entire  mission 

March  3.  At  night  thirty- three 
families  of  Indians,  who  had  run 
away  returned  to  the  mission.  I 
received  them  with  kindness  and 
affection 

March  4.  The  opinion  I  have 
formed  of  this  mission  of  Nuestra 
Senora  del  Rosario  is  as  follows: 
As  to  material  wealth,  it  is  in  good 
condition.  It  has  two  droves  of 
burros  (packmules),  about  forty 
tame  horses,  thirty  tame  mules, 
twelve  of  which  with  harness,  five 
thousand  cattle,  two  hundred  milch 
cows,  and  seven  hundred  sheep  and 
goats.  The  buildings  and  the  dwell- 
ings, both  for  the  missionaries  and 
for  the  soldiers  and  Indians,  are 
good  and  adequate.  The  stockade 
of  thick  and  strong  stakes,  which 
protect  the  mission  from  its  ene- 
mies, is  very  well  made.  The 
church  is  very  becoming.  It  is 
substantially  built  of  wood,  plas- 
tered inside  with  mud,  and  white- 
washed with  lime;  and  its  roof 
of  good  beams  and  shingles  looks 
like  a  dome.  Its  decoration  is  very 
bright  and  clean.  It  has  sacred 
vessels,  a  press  for  the  vestments, 
various  church  goods,  a  pulpit,  a 
confessional,  altars,  and  all  the 
things  pertaining  to  divine  worship. 
Everything    is    properly   arranged 


and  kept  in  its  place.  There  is  a 
baptismal  font,  a  silver  shell,  and 
silver  vases  for  the  Holy  Oils.  The 
mission  possesses  fields  or  crops 
which  depend  upon  the  rainfall, 
for  water  can  not  be  brought  from 
the  river,  because  it  has  very  high 
and  steep  banks,  nor  from  any- 
where else,  because  there  is  no 
other  place  from  which  to  get  it. 

"  'The  mission  was  founded  in 
1754.  Its  missionary,  who,  as  I 
have  already  said,  is  Fr.  Joseph 
Escovar,  labors  hard  for  its  welfare, 
growth,  and  improvement.  He 
treats  the  Indians  with  much  love, 
charity,  and  gentleness,  employing 
methods  soft,  bland,  and  attractive. 
He  makes  them  work,  teaches  them 
to  pray,  tries  to  teach  them  the  cate- 
chism and  to  instruct  them  in  the 
rudiments  of  our  holy  Faith  and  in 
good  manners.  He  aids  them  as 
well  as  he  can  in  all  their  needs, 
corporal  and  spiritual,  giving  them 
food  to  eat  and  clothing  to  wear. 
In  the  afternoon,  before  evening 
prayers,  with  a  stroke  of  the  bell 
he  assembles  them,  big  and  little, 
in  the  cemetery,  has  them  say  the 
prayers  and  Christian  doctrine  in 
common,  explains  and  tries  to  teach 
them  the  mysteries  of  our  holy 
Faith,  exhorting  them  to  keep  the 
Commandments  of  God  and  of  our 
holy  Mother  Church,  and  setting 
forth  what  is  necessary  for  salva- 
tion. On  Saturdays,  he  collects 
them  and  has  them  recite  the  Ro- 
sary with  its  mysteries,  and  sing 
the  Alabado.0*  On  Sundays  and 
holidays,  before  holy  Mass,  he  has 
them  repeat  the  prayers  with  the 
Christian  doctrine  in  common,    and 


184 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


afterwards  he  preaches  to  them, 
explaining  the  Christian  doctrine 
and  whatever  else  they  ought  to 
understand.  If  he  orders  punish- 
ment meeted  out  to  those  who  de- 
serve it,  it  is  with  due  moderation, 
and  not  exceeding  the  limits  of 
charity  and  paternal  correction; 
looking  only  to  the  punishment  of 
wrong  and  excess,  it  does  not  lean 
toward  cruelty  or  tyranny. 

"'The  Indians  with  whom  this 
mission  was  founded  are  the  Coja- 
nes,  Guapites,  Carancaguases,  and 
Coopanes,  but  of  this  last  nation 
there  are  at  present  only  a  few,  for 
most  of  them  are  in  the  woods  or  on 
the  banks  of  some  of  the  many  riv- 
ers in  these  parts;  or  with  another 
tribe,  their  friends  and  confeder- 
ates, on  the  shore  of  the  sea,  which 
is  about  thirteen  or  fourteen  leagues 
distant  to  the  east  of  the  mission. 
They  are  all  barbarous,  idle,  and 
lazy;  and  although  they  are  so 
greedy  and  gluttonous  that  they 
eat  meat  almost  raw,  parboiled,  or 
half  roasted,  and  dripping  with 
blood,  yet,  rather  than  stay  in  the 
mission  where  the  Father  provides 
them    with   everything  needed  to 


eat  and  wear,  they  prefer  to  suffer 
hunger,  nakedness,  and  other 
wants,  in  order  to  be  at  liberty  and 
idle  in  the  forests  or  on  the  beach, 
giving  themselves  up  to  all  kinds 
of  vice,  especially  lust,  theft,  and 
dancing.' 

"Such  were  the  difficulties  usual- 
ly attending  the  labors  of  the  fron- 
tier missionaries,"  continues  Dr. 
Bolton,  "increased  somewhat  in 
this  instance,  perhaps,  by  the  ex- 
ceptional crudeness  of  the  tribes 
they  were  trying  to  subdue.  And 
such  were  the  first  fruits  of  more 
than  a  decade's  efforts  on  the  part 
of  several  zealous  missionaries.  In 
after  years  the  wooden  church  of 
the  mission  was  replaced  by  one  of 
stone,  and  the  mission  experienced 
varying  degrees  of  prosperity.  "(2) 

Details  about  the  later  activities 
at  Mission  Rosario  are  lacking  alto- 
gether. Sotomayor  in  his  Historia 
del  Colegio  de  Guadalupe,  page  502, 
remarks  that  the  mission  was  moved 
to  another  locality,  in  which  year 
he  does  not  say,  on  account  of  the 
inundations  from  the  Rio  San  Anto- 
nio, and  that  missionary  work 
ceased  there  in  1810. 


(1)  The  words  are  "Alabado  sea  el  Santisimo  Sacramento  del  Altar;    y    Bendita 
sea  la  Inmaculada  Concepcion  de  la  Beatisima  Virgen  Maria.)" 

(2)  Bolton,  Texas  in  the  Middle  Eighteenth  Century,  pp.  320-324. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


385 


BARAGA,  THE  APOSTLE  OF  THE  NORTHWEST 

By  Fr.  Odoric,  O.F.M. 


THE  early  missionaries  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Superior, 
Menard,  Allouez,  and  Mar- 
quette, had  passed  to  their  eternal 
reward  leaving  their  Indian  mis- 
sions in  a  most  flourishing  condi- 
tion. But,  as  the  most  promising 
fields  are  often  ruined  by  wasting 
storms,  so  these  Indian  missions  in 
the  great  Northwest  that  gave 
promise  of  so  rich  a  harvest  of 
souls  were  doomed  to  devastation 
and  ruin.  Frequent  wars  between 
the  Iroquois 
and  the  Al- 
gon  q  ui  ns 
and  the  ne- 
farious li- 
quor traffic 
between  the 
French  and 
the  Indians, 
connived  at 
by  the  very 
Governors  of 
Canada,  con- 
stantly ham- 
pered mis- 
sionary work.  Finally,  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  in 
1775,  put  an  end  to  the  Jesuit  mis- 
sions in  the  Lake  Superior  region. 
Hence  we  can  say  that  practically 
from  1678  until  1835,  the  poor  In- 
dians of  this  vast  country  were 
like  a  flock  of  sheep  without  a  shep- 
herd, and  their  once  flourishing  mis- 
sions like  a  field  untitled  and  over- 
grown with  weeds  and  briars.  Su- 
perstition and  vice  again  became 
rampant  and  the  true  faith  all   but 


Father  Baraga's  Church  and  Residence  at  Arbre  Croche 
Mich. 


extinct. 

At  last,  the  good  God  took  pity 
on  this  barren  section  of  his  once 
flowering  vineyard  and  he  resolved 
to  send  another  "Black-robe"  who 
should  cause  k  to  bloom  and  thrive 
again  and  bring  forth  fruit  thirty, 
sixty,  and  a  hundredfold. 

I  will  send  a  Prophet  to  you, 

A  Deliverer  of  the  nation, 

Who  shall  guide  you   and   shall   teach 

you, 
Who  shall  toil  and  suffer  with  you. 

— Longfellow. 

In  far 
away  Carni- 
ola,  a  Slavo- 
n  i  a  n  prov- 
ince of  Aus- 
tria, there 
lived  and 
toiled  a  zeal- 
ous young 
priest,  whom 
Divine  Prov- 
idence had 
singled  out 
to  renew  the 
faith  in  the 
hearts  of  these  forest  children.  It 
was  Irenaeus  Frederick  Baraga. 

He  was  born  on  June  29,  1796, 
in  the  castle  of  Malavas,  Doebernig, 
Austria,  of  wealthy  and  God-fear- 
ing parents,  and  received  his  early 
education  from  pious  house  chap- 
lains far  from  the  seductions  of  the 
world.  Everything  was  done  to 
guard  the  innocence  of  his  soul, 
and  he  more  than  fulfilled  the  hopes 
placed  in  him.  Even  during  the 
years  spent  at    the    university    of 


386 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Vienna,  where  he  was  surrounded 
by  vice  of  every  kind,  thanks  to 
his  early  training  and  the  nobility 
of  his  character,  he  led  a  pure  life. 
A  beautiful  trait  of  this  young  man, 
whom  God  had  destined  for  the 
priesthood  and  even  for  episcopal 
dignity,  was  his  tender,  strong, 
and  pure  love  for  his  sister  Amalia, 
which  had  such  an  ennobling  and 
purifying  effect  on  his  sensitive 
heart;  for  he  never  permitted  it  to 
weaken  his  love  for  God.  "God 
himself,"  he  writes  to  her,  "gave 
you  to  me  as  a  gift,  that  by  this 
gift  He  might  remind  me  of  his  in- 
finite love  to  us.  Never  have  I 
felt  love  so  strongly  as  I  do  since 
I  have  loved  you  more  than  any- 
thing else  on  earth.  In  this  man- 
ner has  earthly  affection,  my  love 
for  you,  in  the  designs  of  the  Al- 
mighty and  All-wise  God,  become 
the  means  by  which  he  prepares 
our  hearts  for  the  joys  of  heaven 
and  draws  us  more  and  more  to 
himself." 

Young  Baraga's  spiritual  guide 
and  confessor  at  Vienna  was  that 
renowned  director  of  souls,  St. 
Clement  Mary  Hofbauer,  of  the 
Congregation  of  the  Most  Holy 
Redeemer,  whom  the  young  law 
student  frequently  visited  and  to 
whom,  no  doubt,  next  to  God  he 
owed  his  priestly  vocation.  After 
finishing  his  law  course  at  the  uni- 
versity, in  1821,  Baraga  entered  the 
seminary  at  Lai  bach,  and  was  or- 
dained priest  two  years  later,  on 
September  21,  1823.  The  fact  that 
Father  Baraga  conveyed  all  his 
rights  and  titles  to  his  paternal  do- 
main of  Treffen  to  his  sister  Ama- 


lia, even  refusing  to  retain  an  an- 
nuity of  six  hundred  florins,  shows 
how  unreservedly  he  had  conse- 
crated himself  to  the  service  of  his 
Divine  Master. 

After  working  most  zealously 
and  successfully  in  St.  Martin's  par- 
ish and  in  Medlika,  where  he  was 
revered  by  the  faithful  as  a  saint, 
Baraga  conceived  the  idea  of  devot- 
ing himself  to  the  conversion  of  the 
North  American  Indians.  In  1829, 
a  society  was  organized  in  Vienna, 
which  had  for  its  avowed  object 
the  supporting  of  the  North  Ameri- 
can missions,  and  Father  Baraga 
was  sent  as  its  first  missionary. 
He  set  sail  for  New  York  in  No- 
vember, 1830,  and  landed  there  on 
the  last  day  of  December  of  the 
same  year.  He  proceeded  at  once 
to  Cincinnati,  to  present  himself  to 
his  new  bishop,  Right  Rev.  Edward 
Fenwick,  0.  P.  Here  he  remained 
for  some  time  perfecting  himself 
in  the  English  tongue,  and  study- 
ing the  Ottawa  dialect.  But  soon 
he  received  his  appointment  to  his 
first  Indian  mission  at  Arbre  Croche 
(Harbor  Springs,  Michigan),  where 
he  arrived  on  May  28,  1831. 

With  his  customary  zeal,  he  im- 
mediately set  himself  to  convert 
his  Indian  wards,  and  he  was  so 
successful  that  within  two  and  a 
half  months  he  baptized  seventy- 
two  adults  and  children.  Accom- 
panied by  his  interpreter,  Father 
Baraga  made  daily  excursions,  en- 
tering the  birch  wigwams  he  en- 
countered on  his  rambles.  He  thus 
soon  acquainted  himself  not  only 
with  the  locality  but  with  the  peo- 
ple   as  well.     Notwithstanding   he 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


387 


had  heretofore  associated  only  with 
men  of  refinement  and  learning, 
he  delighted  to  mingle  with  these 
untutored  and  uncouth  savages  and 
by  gentle  persuasion  to  lead  them 
to  the  Good  Shepherd  of  souls. 

Truly  edifying,  too,  was  the  life 
of  these  "first  Christians"  at  Arbre 
Croche.  Daily  at  five  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  Angelus  bell  called  them 
from  their  wigwams  to  the  little 
church  for  morning  prayers,  which 
were  read  aloud  by  one  of  the 
chiefs,  after  which  they  all  re- 
mained to  assist  at  holy  Mass.  At 
nightfall,  the  Angelus  again  sum- 
moned them  to  services,  which  con- 
sisted of  hymns,  catechetical  in- 
structions, and  prayers.  Verily,  a 
model  Christian  community. 

After  laboring  at  Arbre  Croche 
for  two  years  and  four  months, 
during  which  period  he  had  the 
happiness  of  cleansing  in  the  laver 
of  Baptism  four  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  Indians,  Father  Baraga  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Indians  living  on  Beaver 
Island,  a  beautiful  tract  of  land  in 
Lake  Michigan,  as  he  had  been  in- 
formed that  they  were  eager  to  lis- 
ten to  his  instructions.  "My  heart 
beat  sensibly  when  we  approached 
the  island,"  he  wrote.  "I  had  a 
white  flag  with  a  red  cross  in  the 
center,  which  I  unfurled  when  go- 
ing to  a  mission,  to  make  the  boat 
of  the  missionary  easily  recogniz- 
able. The  friendly  banner  of  the 
cross  floated  beautifully  in  the 
breeze  and  announced  the  coming 
of  the  minister  of  the  Crucified. 
As  soon  as  the  islanders,  who  like 
all  savages,  have  a  remarkably 
keen  vision,  recognized  my  flag  in 


the  distance,  the  chief  had  his  flag 
hoisted  at  once  over  his  wigwam. 
My  Indians  from  Arbre  Croche, 
who  accompanied  me,  noticed  the 
flag  of  the  head  chief  and  interpret- 
ed this  as  a  very  good  sign,  which 
made  me  feel  at  ease.  Finally, 
when  we  landed,  the  savages  has- 
tened to  welcome  me;  the  men  fired 
a  double  salute  with  their  guns  and 
then  all  shook  hands  with  me  and 
conducted  me  to  their  chief.  Here 
I  found  that  many  Indians  had  as- 
sembled and  all  were  eager  to  lis- 
ten to  the  good  tidings  of  the  new 
apostle. ' '  Father  Baraga  remained 
with  these  good  people  for  some 
time  and  succeeded  in  converting 
twenty-two  of  their  number  to  the 
true  faith. 

In  September,  1833,  our  zealous 
missionary  established  a  new  mis- 
sion at  St.  Mary's  on  Grand  River, 
but  here  he  met  with  many  diffi- 
culties. The  pagan  Indians  were 
indifferent,  and  the  Protestant  fur 
traders,  led  by  their  minister,  op- 
posed him  as  much  as  they  could. 
In  spite  of  this  opposition,  Baraga 
remained  undaunted  and  selected 
an  appropriate  site  for  his  church, 
school,  and  rectory.  To  procure 
carpenters  for  these  buildings,  he 
was  obliged  to  go  to  Detroit,  a  dis- 
tance of  two  hundred  miles,  on 
horseback  The  roads  were  in  a  bad 
condition,  and  it  took  him  seven 
days  to  make  the  trip,  suffering 
extreme  hardships  in  consequence. 
He  was  fortunate  in  securing  the 
services  of  two  artisans,  and  at 
once  began  the  return  journey— with 
one  horse  for  three  men.  The  lit- 
tle group  suffered  exceedingly.     At 


388 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


times,  they  would  sink  knee-deep 
into  the  mud.  For  the  last  two 
days  of  the  journey  not  a  house  was 
seen.  At  the  last  house  they  had 
bought  as  much  bread  as  they  could 
obtain,  but  it  was  not  sufficient  for 
their  needs  and  thus  on  the  last 
day  they  had  nothing  at  all  to  eat. 
The  church  was  soon  built,  but  as 
the  saying  goes,  "Where  God  erects 
a  church,  the  devil  builds  a  chapel." 
This  was  verified  at  Grand  River. 
Many  of  the  white  fur  traders  there 


intoxicated  Indians  endeavored  to 
break  into  his  house  to  wreak  venge- 
ance on  him  for  his  well  meant 
censures  of  their  vices. 

During  the  winter  of  1834-35, 
Father  Baraga  labored  in  a  small 
French  mission  near  Detroit,  having 
been  morally  forced  to  relinquish 
his  flourishing  mission  at  Grand 
River  by  the  Indian  agent  of  that 
reservation.  He  writes  of  his  stay 
in  this  place:  "I  live  here  in  peace 
and    am    much    more   comfortable 


*'-■•■  ..«.•» 

ton  ',_ 

rsAt   r'  '   ^i    iB 

i&i  iff  Mt^SSK..'  *m 

1 1  .r*^}*  .,51  Mil '1*11 

dsaaS 

&  "l" 

ESSii 

U^&piWftiJJ 

,-5afe<£^ 

Present  Church  and  Indian  School  at  Harbor  Springs  (Arbre  Croche),  Michigan 


did  not  wish  the  Indians  to  be  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  and  hence 
they  gave  them  liquor  instead  of 
money  for  their  furs.  Baraga  ex- 
postulated with  the  men,  but  to  no 
avail.  They  met  his  fatherly  re- 
monstrances with  mocKery  and  in- 
sults, and  continued  to  ply  their 
degrading  trade.  Both  Indians  and 
whites  frequently  became  drunk, 
and  bloody  fights  ensued,  so  that 
the  good  missionary's  life  was  of- 
ten   endangered.      Several    times, 


than  among  my  Indians.  But  I  feel 
like  a  fish  out  of  the  water.  The 
Indian  mission  is  my  life,  and  I  am 
longing  for  the  moment  of  my  de- 
parture for  Lake  Superior.  Many, 
I  hope,  will  be  converted  there  to 
the  religion  of  Christ,  and  find  in 
it  their  eternal  salvation.  But  what 
did  I  say?  Many  will  be  converted! 
Oh,  no!  If  only  one  or  two  were 
converted  and  saved,  it  would  be 
worth  the  while  to  go  there  and 
preach  the  Gospel.     But  God  in  his 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


389 


infinite  goodness  gives  us  more  than 
we  expect." 

When  this  zealous  priest  of  God 
arrived  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Su- 
perior, on  July  27,  1835,  the  entire 
country  was  but  sparsely  settled 
and  covered  with  primeval  forests. 
He  began  a  new  mission  at  La 
Pointe  situate  on  a  beautiful  island 
in  that  lake,  and  found  the  Indi- 
ans very  docile  and  most  anxious 
to  be  instructed  in  the  true  faith. 
This  was  very  fortunate;  for  had 
they  opposed  him  in  the  least  he 
could  not  have  even  built  a  house 
for  himself,  since  he  had  only  $3.00 
left  on  arriving  at  Madeline  Island. 
The  church  erected  at  La  Pointe 
was  strong  and  durable,  50x20  feet, 
and  18  feet  high,  with  a  pretty 
steeple,  and  before  many  moons 
had  passed,  it  was  well  filled  at  di- 
vine service  with  the  many  con- 
verts, who  had  cast  away  their 
idols  and  had  learned  to  bend  their 
knee  to  the  one  true  and  living  God 
in  Heaven. 

Ninety  miles  to  the  North  was 
Fond  du  Lac  (Nagadjiwanang). 
Here  too  the  Indians  ardently 
longed  for  the  good  "Black-robe"  to 
visit  them  and  tell  them  about  God 
and  Heaven,  and  to  teach  them 
how  to  avoid  evil  and  to  do  what 
was  pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit. 
Father  Baraga  harkened  to  their 
prayer  and  went  to  their  village, 
in  September,  1835.  He  wat>  agree- 
ably surprised  to  find  a  large  num- 
ber of  them  assembled  at  the  house 
of  Pierre  Cotte,  a  French-Canadian 
who  had  been    trading  with   these 


Indians  for  thirty  years.  In  1832, 
Father  Baraga  had  published  an 
Ottawa  prayer  book,  and  a  copy  of 
this  precious  volume  by  some  good 
fortune  had  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  this  truly  pious  and  God-fearing 
trader.  He  had  often  before  spok- 
en to  the  Indians  of  the  God  of  the 
Christians,  and  now  he  began  to 
assemble  them  in  his  house  and  to 
sing  to  them  according  to  French 
melodies  the  Indian  hymns  inserted 
in  the  prayer  book.  The  Indians 
were  so  captivated  with  these 
songs,  that  they  would  often  stay 
until  midnight  and  at  times  even 
till  daybreak  singing  Ottawa  hymns 
with  Mr.  Cotte.  Noticing  their 
great  zeal,  Pierre  gave  them  a  more 
thorough  instruction  in  the  cate- 
chism and  taught  them  to  recite 
from  memory  the  morning  and 
evening  prayers  as  given  in  Father 
Baraga's  prayer  book.  Thus  it 
happened  that  many  of  these  good 
Indians  were  sufficiently  instructed 
to  be  baptized  almost  immediately 
after  Father  Baraga's  arrival  in 
their  midst. 

It  was  while  at  La  Pointe  that 
Father  Baraga  began  the  practice, 
which  he  ever  afterwards  kept  up, 
of  rising  at  three  in  the  morning 
during  summer,  and  at  four  during 
the  winter  season,  and  spending 
three  consecutive  hours  in  medita- 
tion and  prayer.  No  wonder  that  a 
man  so  highly  favored  with  the  gift 
of  prayer  and  of  such  heroic  virtues 
as  he  everywhere  displayed,  should 
become  the  instrument  of  God  for 
the  salvation  of  innumerable  souls. 


(To  be  continued) 


390 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


THE  GUIDING  HAND  OF  PROVIDENCE 

By  Grover  C.  Maclin,  Tertiary 


THE  home-coming  of  Muriel 
Stanton  was  a  social  event 
in  Bay  View.  Besides  being 
the  only  daughter  of  Beckwith  Stan- 
ton, than  whom  there  was  no  one 
wealthier  or  more  respected  in  the 
community,  Miss  Muriel  also  radiat- 
ed a  geniality  of  spirit  and  charm 
of  manner  that  would  have  won  her 
hosts  of  friends  whatever  might 
have  been  her  station  in  life. 

For  two  years  she  had  been  a  stu- 
dent in  one  of  the  fashionable  trav- 
el-schools which  made  its  headquar- 
ters in  Paris,  but  the  growing  inten- 
sity of  the  Great  War  necessitated 
the  closing  of  such  educational  insti- 
tutions. So,  after  many  experien- 
ces both  thrilling  and  inconvenient, 
she  had  safely  landed  in  America, 
and  upon  her  arrival  at  Bay  View 
plunged  into  the  social  whirl.  It 
was  commonly  remarked  that  Bay 
View  had  never  witnessed  a  more 
brilliant  series  of  society  functions 
than  followed  the  return  home  of 
Muriel  Stanton. 

At  the  close  of  an  afternoon  of 
unusual  gaiety,  Mrs.  Stanton  found 
her  daughter  in  a  secluded  corner 
of  the  spacious  Italian  garden. 

"Why,  Muriel,"  she  exclaimed, 
"I've  been  looking  for  you  these 
twenty  minutes.  Whatever  are  you 
doing  out  here?" 

'  'Just  enjoying  the  late  afternoon, 
mother,  "smiled  Muriel,  with  a  slight 
trace  of  wistfulness  in  her  expres- 
sion. '  'That  curious  cloud  arrange- 
ment over  the  western  horizon  re- 


minds me  of  the  Japanese  print  I 
have,  where  the  blackbirds  are 
flying  in  a  long  line  against  the  won- 
der of  an  oriental  sky." 

The  look  of  wistfulness  in  her 
daughter's  smile  was  not  lost  on 
Mrs.  Stanton.  She  sat  down  on  the 
marble  garden  seat  and  with  moth- 
erly affection  placed  her  arm  about 
Muriel's  shoulders. 

"Sweet,  both  your  father  and  I 
have  observed  a  certain  restraint 
about  you  since  your  return  home. 
Is  it  Dr.  Perry  about  whom  you  are 
thinking,  or  did  you  "meet  some 
dashing  French  or  English  officer 
before  leaving  Europe  and  are  now 
regretting  his  absence?" 

Turning  her  face  directly  toward 
her  mother,  Muriel  slowly  shook  her 
head  and  replied: 

"Mother  dear,  I  believe  I  like  Dr. 
Perry  best  of  my  men  acquaintan^ 
ces.  Only  last  night  he  asked  me 
marry  him,  but  I  told  him  I  was  not 
in  a  position  to  give  him  a  defi- 
nite answer.  He  pressed  me  for  the 
reason,  but  I  wished  first  to 
discuss  the  matter  with  you.  No, 
mother,  it  is  not  Dr.  Perry  that  is 
my  chief  concern,  though  naturally 
he  is  by  no  means  out  of  my  mind. 
I  hope  that  which  I  am  about  to  tell 
you  will  not  cause  you  undue  alarm 
or  misapprehension.  Please  prom- 
ise you  will  listen  quite  calmly  to 
what  I  shall  say." 

"Muriel!  You  alarm  me  even 
by  your  suggestion.  What  on  earth 
is  troubling  you?" 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


391 


'  'You  will  recollect,  mother,  that 
before  I  went  abroad,  I  expressed 
a  wish  to  be  educated  in  the  con- 
vent of  Norwood;  but  after  much 
discussion  of  the  subject,  in  fact 
after  you  had  given  utterance  to  the 
fear  that  I  should  be  so  impressed 
with  the  'pageantry  of  Romanism' 
I  might  embrace  Catholicism,  it  was 
agreed  that  I  should  go  to  Europe 
instead.  It  has  developed  that  your 
fears  were  well  founded—" 

''Daughter,  do  you  mean  to  tell 
me—" 

"Hush,  mother,  please  let  me  con- 
tinue. Please  let  me  explain  fully. 
You  will  recall  that  from  the  Rivi- 
era we  went  to  Rome,  where  we 
spent  several  months.  One  day,  we 
had  a  respite  from  our  language  and 
art  lessons  and  spent  the  afternoon 
among  the  hills  on  the  outskirts  of 
the  city.  As  is  common  to  every 
Catholic  country  in  Europe,  there 
were  small  shrines  everywhere.  On 
this  particular  afternoon,  I  discov- 
ered a  charming  little  chapel  nestled 
among  the  trees.  I  debated  for 
some  time  as  to  whether  I  should 
enter,  but  I  seemed  drawn  to  do  so 
by  an  irresistible  impulse.  So  I 
sought  the  quiet  and  coolness  of  the 
interior.  Coming  from  the  bright 
sunshine  into  the  darkened  building, 
I  was  momentarily  blinded,  but 
gradually  I  made  my  way  up  a  nar- 
row aisle  and  knelt  by  the  altar  rail. 
When  I  was  able  to  see  distinctly,  I 
found  before  me  an  exquisite  statue 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  holding  the 
Christ-child  in  her  arms.  I  knelt 
before  the  statue  for  fifteen  or  twen- 
ty minutes,  and  as  I  knelt  a  great 
peace  flooded  my  soul.     No  vague 


words  rushed  to  my  lips  or  my  mind 
but  a  great  well  of  love  filled  my 
heart— love  of  Mary  and  her  Babe. 
Catholics  possess  a  great  heritage 
in  their  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin, mother,  and  it  is  this  feature 
of  their  faith  that  has  always  drawn 
me  particularly.  The  few  minutes 
I  spent  in  that  little  chapel  are 
among  the  happiest  of  my  life." 

"And  I  suppose  that  the  moment 
you  reached  the  city  you  lost  no  time 
in  affiliating  yourself  with  the 
Catholic  Church,"  Mrs.  Stanton  re- 
marked impatiently. 

'  'On  the  contrary,  mother,  I  have 
not  yet  become  a  member  of  that 
Church,  nor  can  one  be  received 
quite  so  expeditiously  as  you  imply. 
In  fact,  f  haven't  a  doubt  you  will 
be  much  surprised  when  you  learn 
the  amount  of  preparation  required 
of  any  one  seeking  to  embrace  the 
faith  of  Rome." 

Mrs.  Stanton  arose  as  if  to  go, 
but  turning  said: 

"Muriel,  you  know  full  well  how 
much  your  father  and  I  love  you. 
It  is  needless  to  say  we  have  given 
you  every  advantage  a  young  girl 
could  possibly  wish  for;  but  when  it 
comes  to  juining  the  Catholic  Church 
I  want  to  warn  you  that  neither 
your  father  nor  myself  will  counte- 
nance such  a  procedure  on  your 
part.  Why,  it  is  impossible  if  for  no 
other  than  for  social  reasons.  Now 
take  the  Catholics  we  know,  Nora 
the  maid,  and  Tim  the  chauffeur, 
and  the  McClary  family  whose  boy 
was  run  over  by  our  limousine." 

"But,  mother—" 

Mrs.  Stanton  refused  further  to 
discuss  the  subject  and  withdrew  to 


392 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  house,  leaving  her  daughter  in 
the  depths  of  indecision  as  to  what 
course  to  pursue. 

That  night  the  family  of  three  sat 
under  the  pergola,  in  the  moonlight. 
The  night  was  beautiful  and  clear; 
a  light  breeze  was  blowing  from  the 
bay,  and  the  whole  atmosphere  was 
permeated  with  the  rich  odor  of 
mignonette.  After  a  time,  Mr. 
Stanton's  cigar  ceased  to  glow,  and 
he  said: 

"Daughter,  are  you  quite  worn 
out  with  festivity  that  you  are  so 
silent?" 

But  before  Muriel  could  make  an- 
swer, Mrs.  Stanton  replied: 

"Beckwith,  while  Muriel  was 
abroad  she  found  a  chapel  in  Italy 
that  appealed  to  her  artistic  and 
dramatic  nature,  and  now  she  wish- 
es to  embrace  Catholicism.  I  have 
told  her,  however,  that  in  pursuing 
such  a  course  she  can  not  hope  for 
your  sanction  or  mine.  With  all 
respect  to  Muriel's  good  sense  and 
piety,  I  feel  this  is  merely  a  passing 
whim.  Too,  I  have  pointed  out  the 
social  standing  of  Catholics  we 
know." 

"But  mother,"  interposed  Mur- 
iel, "genuine  religion  does  not  re- 
cognize social  difference.  Religion 
is  a  matter  of  worship,  and  not  un- 
til I  acquired  an  acquaintanceship 
with  Catholicism  did  I  have  a  glim- 
mering of  what  it  means  truly  to 
worship." 

"So  Muriel,  you  have  been  receiv- 
ing instruction  in  the  Catholic 
faith?"  her  father  asked. 

'  'No,  father,  I  have  simply  read 
books  of  instruction  to  enlighten 
myself  on   the  subject.     I   confess 


that  I  have  been  to  Mass  on  sever" 
al  occasions,  and  many  times  I  have 
been  constrained  to  seek  an  ac- 
quaintance with  the  nuns  whom  I 
met." 

"My  child,  this  is  a  most  serious 
subject  you  are  considering.  I  re- 
gret you  allow  it  to  worry  you  in 
this  manner.  I  should  dislike  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  your  happiness, 
but  I  think  you  had  better  let  well 
enough  alone  and  forget  your  ideas 
about  Catholicism.  Besides,  one 
of  these  days  you  will  want  to 
marry,  and  I  dare  say  every  man 
in  your  set  is  a  Protestant.  So,  let 
us  dismiss  the  subject,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  distress  your  mother  ex- 
ceedingly. Come,  let  us  take  a  ride 
over  to  Randall's  Island  in  the 
moonlight." 

With  this  the  family  conference 
ended,  but  the  sail  over  the  waters 
of  the  bay  dfd  not  enliven  Muriel 
in  the  least.  She  was  too  deeply 
in  earnest  to  allow  a  matter  of  such 
gravity  to  be  thrown  out  of  mind 
by  a  trip  down  the  bay,  even  though 
the  night  was  beautiful  and  the 
spirit  of  romance  lurked  in  every 
little  wave  formed  by  the  prow  of 
the  yacht. 

As  the  weeks  went  by,  Muriel 
tried  for  the  sake  of  her  parents  to 
put  on  an  appearance  of  cheerful- 
ness, while  in  reality  her  heart  was 
weighted  with  sadness.  She  shrank 
from  causing  them  pain,  but  she 
felt  that  religion  was  of  such  an 
intimate  nature  that  each  individu- 
al must  decide  the  issue  for  him- 
self. So  the  dances  and  the  par- 
ties apparently  were  as  gay  as  ever, 
but  more    and    more    she    sought 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


393 


periods  of  seclusion  for  thought 
and  study.  During  these  hours  of 
meditation,  she  discovered  that  be- 
yond a  doubt  she  was  in  love  with 
Dr.  Perry.  Her  marriage  with  him 
would  meet  with  the  hearty  approv- 
al of  her  parents,  for  the  Doctor 
had  already  established  an  excel- 
lent practice,  and  he  came  from 
one  of  the  first  families  of  Bay 
View.  Too,  he  was  totally  unlike 
the  average  youth  of  Muriel's  set, 
for  he  was  an  unusually  deep  think- 
er, and  it  was  a  commonplace  re- 
mark among  the  old  and  the  young 
of  his  acquaintances  that '  'the  argu- 
ments of  Bert  Perry  are  founded 
on  nothing  less  than  rock  bottom." 
Yes,  Dr.  Perry  had  everything  in 
his  favor  as  regarded  family  con- 
nection and  business  stability,  •  but 
there  was  the  barrier  of  religion. 
The  ideal  marriage  was  certainly 
not  of  the  mixed  variety. 

"And  for  all  I  know,"  Muriel 
said  to  herself  after  a  time  of  in- 
tense thought  on  the  subject,  "he 
may  be  downright  hostile  to  Ca- 
tholicism. But  since  I  firmly  believe 
that  the  holy  Catholic  Church  is 
the  true  Church  founded  by  our 
Blessed  Lord,  procrastination  on 
my  part  in  making  preparation  to 
enter  that  Church  is  pure  folly.  I 
shall  call  on  Father  Quinn  as  soon 
as  possible." 

Late  one  afternoon,  during  the 
following  week,  Muriel  called  at 
the  rectory  at  the  time  appointed 
for  her  third  lesson  in  Catholic 
doctrine.  Father  Quinn  himself 
answered  the  door. 

"You  are  most  prompt,  Miss 
Stanton,"  he  said  cordially. 


"Father,  I  should  like  to  come 
every  day  if  it  were  possible  for 
you  to  give  me  the  necessary  time. " 

"Please  pardon  me  a  moment, 
Miss  Stanton.  In  the  next  room  is 
a  young  man  who,  like  yourself, 
is  receiving  instruction.  I  should 
like  you  to  meet  him.  — 0  Doctor," 
he  called. 

Muriel  stepped  forward  to  ac- 
knowledge the  introduction,  and 
could  scarcely  believe  her  eyes 
when  she  saw  Dr.  Perry.  The 
doctor  was  equally  astonished. 

"Muriel!  I  can  scarcely  believe 
it!  Are  you  too  interested  in  the 
Catholic  religion?" 

'  'Very  much  so,  Bert.  I  am  here 
to-day  for  my  third  instruction." 

"Why,  I  have  just  concluded  my 
third  lesson  also,"  and  turning  to 
Father  Quinn  he  continued,  "Fa- 
ther, as  you  see,  Miss  Stanton  and  I 
are— er— quite  fast  friends.  May 
we  continue  the  instruction  togeth- 
er?" 

"Certainly,  Doctor,  that  would 
be  very  agreeable  to  me,"  smiled 
the  good  priest,  who  was  genuinely 
pleased  at  the  happy  turn  of  events. 

On  the  morning  following  their 
reception  into  the  Church,  a  nuptial 
Mass  was  celebrated  by  Father 
Quinn,  during  which  his  two  young 
converts  received  their  first  Holy 
Communion.  After  the  double  ce- 
remony, to  satisfy  the  mother  of 
the  bride,  a  brilliant  informal  re- 
ception was  tendered  the  young 
couple,  and  among  the  guests  no 
one  proved  more  popular  than 
Father  Quinn.  They  all  found  him 
wholly  pleasing  and  delightful,  so 
different  from  what  many  of  them 


394 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


had  supposed  a  Catholic  priest 
would  be,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stan- 
ton were  kept  busy  introducing 
their  guests  to  the  charming  Catho- 
lic clergyman. 

In  the  cool  of  the  evening,  the 
family  party  sailed  over  the  placid 
waters  of  the  moonlit  bay.  As 
they  rounded  the  point  on  Randall's 
Island  and  turned  the  prow  of  the 
yacht  homeward,  Mr.  Stanton,  who 
had  been  unusually  thoughtful  and 
silent  all  the  evening,  apparently 
absorbed  in  his  cigar  and  the  spark- 


ling   waters,    suddenly  threw   his 
cigar  into  the  bay  and  said: 

"My  children,  your  mother  and 
I  were  greatly  impressed  with  the 
ceremonies  this  morning,  having 
never  before  in  our  lives  witnessed 
such  devotion  and  reverence.  I 
tell  you  this  that  you  may  know  we 
harbor  no  distrust  because  you  have 
joined  the  Church  of  Rome.  Your 
course,  on  the  contrary,  has  won 
our  entire  approval.  And,  by  the 
way,  while  I'm  about  it  let  me  put 
Father  Quinn's  address  in  my  note- 
book. ' ' 


A  POWERFUL  WEAPON 

A  young  Franciscan  Missionary  of  Mary,  who  had  recently  arrived 
in  India  and  was  still  under  the  spell  of  its  star-lit  nights,  was  saying 
her  rosary  one  evening  in  the  convent  garden  shortly  after  sunset.  She 
was  tired  after  her  day's  work  in  the  stifling  atmosphere  of  the  Indian 
plain,  and  both  body  and  soul  were  resting,  as  she  sent  up  to  the  Queen 
of  Heaven  the  old  yet  ever  new  salutation,  "Ave  Maria,  gratia  plena." 

She  had  been  gazing  at  the  sky  and  when,  by  chance,  she  lowered 
her  eyes,  she  saw  an  enormous  serpent  advancing  toward  her  with  its 
tongue  out.  The  serpent  was  between  her  and  the  convent,  so  all  retreat 
was  cut  off.  But  our  Blessed  Mother  did  not  abandon  her  daughter  in 
this  danger;  she  sent  her  a  happy  inspiration.  The  Sister  waved  her 
rosary  to  and  fro  in  front  of  the  reptile,  and  this  allpowerful  weapon  so 
terrified  it  that  it  took  to  flight  with  all  possible  speed.  The  good  Sister 
was  filled  with  gratitude  to  our  Lady,  but  needless  to  say  she  never  again 
told  her  beads  under  the  stars.  —  Almanac  of  the  Franciscan  Missions. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


395 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — Some  time  since, 
Rev.  Fr.  Francis  FOrgione,  an  Italian 
Franciscan  passed  to  his  eternal 
reward.  He  was  a  man  of  acknow- 
ledged sanctity.  Those  who  had 
the  good  fortune  of  being  more 
intimately  acquainted  with  him,  de- 
clare that  ever  since  his  reception 
into  the  Order,  he  not  only  abstained 
from  meat  and  fish,  but  fasted 
every  day  contenting  himself  with 
herbs  and  vegetables.  He  slept 
only  a  few  hours,  and  these  he 
spent  on  his  knees  before  the  Bles- 
sed Sacrament.  For  his  spirit  of 
humility  and  mortification  he  was 
called  a  second  Francis  of  Assisi.  — 

A  beautiful  statue  of  St.  Francis 
has  been  placed  in  the  private  libra- 
ry of  the  Pope.  The  statue  is  a 
miniature  reproduction  of  the  large 
group  which  was  erected  last  year 
in  the  garden  of  roses  adjoining  the 
basilica  of  Our  Lady  of  Angels  near 
Assisi,  to  commemorate  the  seventh 
centenary  of  the  Porziuncola  Indul- 
gence. A  detailed  description  of 
the  statue  will  be  found  in  the 
January  1917  issue  of  the  Herald. 
It  was  presented  to  the  Pope  in  the 
name  of  the  Franciscan  Order  by 
His  Eminence  Cardinal  Giustini  and 
Most  Rev.  Fr.  General.  He  is  de- 
lighted with  the  beautiful  image  of 
the  Seraphic  Saint  and  greatly  ad- 
mires the  pedestal  on  whose  four 
sides  the  Saint's  unbounded  love 
for  creation  is  so  artistically  por- 
trayed. — 

The  Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites 
is  about  to  take  up  the  cause  of  the 
beatification  of  Fr.  Francis  de  Pic- 
ciano,  a  lay  Brother  of  the  Order  of 
Friars  Minor.  The  servant  of  God 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  as 
a  religious  in  the  friary  of  Baida,  in 
Palermo,  where  he  had  charge  of 
the  hospital  entrusted  to  the  local 
Franciscan     community.     He    was 


born  in  1773  and  received  the  habit 
in  1809.  A  man  of  singular  holiness 
he  reminded  one  of  the  first  disciples 
of  St.  Francis.  Where  there  was 
question  of  helping  the  sick,  no 
sacrifice  was  too  great,  no  work  too 
humiliating.  He  was  frequently 
seen  in  ecstacy  during  prayer. 
Many  miracles  are  ascribed  to  him. 
Thus  it  is  related  that  he  changed 
stones  into  bread,  and  water  into 
wine.  He  passed  to  his  eternal  re- 
ward in  1851,  having  spent  forty- 
two  years  in  the  service  of  God  and 
of  his  neighbor.  — 

Rev.  Fr.  Bartholomew  Filipponi, 
o.f.m.,  has  applied  to  the  Italian 
government  for  a  patent  on  a  new 
electrical  apparatus  which  he  calls 
an  automicroscopeometer.  The  re- 
markable contrivance  not  only  reg- 
isters on  a  dial  the  humidity  of  the 
atmosphere,  but  at  the  same  time 
indicates  the  variations  of  tempera- 
ture by  producing  different  kinds  of 
sounds  Some  years  since,  Fr. 
Bartholomew  established  his  reputa- 
tion in  the  world  of  science  by  in- 
venting an  ingenious  device  for 
preventing  train  wrecks.  — 

Eighteen  years  ago,  a  pious  asso- 
ciation of  women,  mostly  of  the  up- 
per class,  undertook  the  noble  work 
of  teaching  catechism  to  the  chil- 
dren in  the  various  parishes  of  the 
city.  Wishing  to  place  themselves 
and  their  work  under  the  patron- 
age and  protection  of  St.  Francis, 
they  some  months  since  organized 
among  themselves  a  special  branch 
of  the  Third  Order  subject  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Most  Rev.  Fr. 
General  of  the  Capuchin  Francis- 
cans. Quite  recently,  too,  a  num- 
ber of  students  attending  the  fa- 
mous French  seminary  in  the  Eter- 
nal City  have  been  organized  into 
a  special  fraternity  of  the  Third 
Order. 


396 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Barcelona,  Spain. — A  movement 
is  afoot  to  prepare  for  a  worthy  com- 
memoration of  the  fourth  cente- 
nary of  the  death  of  Cardinal  Jime- 
nes  de  Cisneros,  a  most  glorious 
figure  in  the  history  of  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order.  Though  entrusted 
with  the  most  important  affairs  of 
Church  and  State  and  at  one  time 
holding  the  office  of  regent  of  Cas- 
tile, the  illustrious  friar  and  cardinal 
lived  and  died  as  a  true  son  of  St. 
Francis.  A  special  commission  of  the 
Academy  of  History  in  Spain,  com- 
posed of  Rev.  Fr.  Fita,  S.  J. ,  Senor 
Perez  Guzman,  and  the  Marquis 
of  Laurencin,  had  an  interview  with 
the  Minister  of  Education  regard- 
ing the  coming  centenary,  which  it 
is  proposed  to  make  a  national 
event. 

A  lea  la  de  Henares,  Spain.  — On 
June  3,  two  thousand  Tertiaries 
took  part  in  the  sixth  Franciscan 
pilgrimage  to  Alcala  de  Henares. 
The  pilgrimage  was  made  to  honor 
the  memory  of  the  illustrious  Fran- 
ciscan Cardinal  Francis  Jimenez 
de  Cisneros,  the  fourth  centenary 
of  whose  death  will  be  commem- 
orated in  the  near  future.  A  special 
representative  of  the  Spanish  King 
together  with  a  large  body  of  ec- 
clesiastical and  civil  authorities  wel- 
comed the  pilgrims.  After  divine 
services  in  the  church,  the  pilgrims 
visited  the  tomb  of  Cardinal  Jime- 
nez and  placed  a  costly  wreath  on  it. 
Thereupon,  they  met  in  the  great 
hall  of  the  University  founded  by 
him,  where  a  musical  and  literary 
program  was  rendered. 

Serena,  Chile.  -Rt.  Rev.  Raymond 
A.  Jara,  Archbishop  of  Serena,  who 
was  called  to  a  better  life  some  time 
since,  was  a  fervent  and  zealous  Ter- 
tiary. He  ever  proved  a  true  father 
to  the  sons  of  St.  Francis  laboring 
in  his  diocese,  while  the  Third  Order 
was  constantly  an  object  of  his  care 
and  zeal.  Recommending  the  Third 
Order  in  one  of  his  pastoral  letters, 
he  said  among  other  things:  "I  con- 


gratulate myself  in  having  the  sons 
of  the  Crucified  of  Assisi,  among 
whom  I  also  am  numbered,  as  my 
assistants,  because  I  consider  it  a 
priceless  glory  to  be  a  Franciscan 
Tertiary." 

Villareal,  Spain.— Three  hundred 
years  have  now  elapsed  since  the 
beatification  of  St.  Paschal  Baylon, 
the  Franciscan  lay  Brother,  whom, 
as  is  well  known,  Pope  Leo  XIII 
chose  as  patron  of  the  Eucharistic 
congresses  and  of  all  Eucharistic  as- 
sociations and  works.  Villareal,  a 
little  town  in  Spain,  possesses  the 
precious  remains  of  St.  Paschal. 
On  May  3,  a  special  meeting  was 
held  there,  to  make  preliminary  ar- 
rangements for  the  celebration  of 
the  third  centenary  of  his  death 
which  is  to  be  observed  next  year. 
The  meeting  was  attended  by  the 
j  ecclesiastical  and  the  civil  authori- 
|  ties,  notably  by  Rt.  Rev.  Peter  Ro- 
camora,  Bishop  of  the  diocese,  and 
by  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Michael  Barrain- 
I  cua,  o.f.m.  Vicar  General  of  the 
Spanish  Franciscans.  Great  enthu- 
siasm prevailed  during  the  meet- 
ing, which  shows  how  the  Cath- 
olics of  Spain  love  and  venerate 
the  illustrious  Saint  of  the  Eucharist. 
Yun-yang,  China.— Through  the 
efforts  of  Rev.  Fr.  Silvestri,  O.F.M., 
missionary  in  Northwest  Hupeh, 
the  Catholic  Society  for  young  men 
is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  This 
year,  five  new  branches  were 
founded  in  different  Christian  cen- 
ters and  about  five  hundred  new  as- 
sociates received  into  the  Society. 
Also  the  branch  in  Yun-yang  where 
the  Society  has  its  headquarters 
has  gained  many  new  members  and 
friends  in  the  past  year.  The  mili- 
tary commander  of  the  place  and 
the  civil  prefect  were  present  at 
the  last  election  of  officers.  In  an 
address  to  the  assembled  members, 
they  praised  the  Society,  comment- 
ing above  all  on  the  assistance  it 
was  giving  to  the  poor.  The  So- 
ciety was  founded  for  the  purpose 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


397 


of  offsetting  the  influence  of  the 
Protestant  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association.  At  the  same  time,  its 
members  work  for  the  spread  of  the 
Catholic  faith  by  distributing  books 
and  newspapers,  conducting  meet- 
ings, giving  lectures,  etc.  The  So- 
ciety comprises  not  only  Catholic 
but  also  pagan  young  men  whose 
presence  is  a  great  help  to  the  mis- 
sionary in  smoothing  over  little  dis- 
putes and  difficulties  that  fre- 
quently arise  between  Christians 
and  pagans. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
—Rev.  Fr.  Maurice  Baukholt,  o.F. 
M.,  who  resigned  his  office  as  guar- 
dian of  the  monastery  at  Indianapo- 
lis, Ind.,  has  been  transferred  to 
St.  Peter's  Church,  Chicago,  where 
he  will  take  the  place  of  Rev.  Fr. 
Bonaventure  Alerding,  O.F.M.,  who 
has  been  assigned  to  St.  Boniface 
Church,  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  Father 
Maurice  is  no  stranger  at  St.  Pe- 
ter's, and  no  doubt  his  many  old 
friends  will  be  glad  to  welcome  him 
back  to  their  midst. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's 
Church.— During  the  months  of 
July  and  August,  the  membership 
of  the  local  Third  Order  fraternity 
was  increased  by  thirty-four  novices 
and  twenty-one  professed  Tertia- 
ries.  During  the  absence  of  our 
Rev.  Director,  both  the  general  and 
the  special  meetings  were  presided 
over  by  Rev.  Fr.  Agatho.  Our  Ter- 
tiaries  were  much  pleased  with  a 
visit  at  their  meeting  of  Rev.  Fr. 
Leo  Kalmer,  O.F.M.,  who  fired  their 
enthusiasm  by  telling  them  of  the 
activities  of  the  Tertiaries  in  Chica- 
go and  New  Orleans. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.,  St.  Joseph's 
Church. — A  two  weeks'  mission  is 
being  preached  at  St.  Joseph's 
Church,  this  city,  by  the  well  known 
and  popular  Franciscan  mission- 
aries, Rev.  Fr.  Titus  and  Rev.  Fr. 
John  Joseph.  The  exercises  for  the 
German-speaking  members  of  the 
parish  began  on  Sunday  morning, 


September  23.  The  services  for  the 
English-speaking  parishioners  will 
begin  on  Sunday  evening,  Septem- 
ber 30,  and  close  on  the  following 
Sunday  evening,  October  7.  Every 
day  during  the  mission,  there  will 
be  a  holy  Mass  at  8  o'clock  followed 
by  a  brief  instruction;  every  even- 
ing, rosary,  sermon,  and  benedic- 
tion with  the  Blessed  Sacrament. 
Both  on  Sunday,  September  23,  and 
on  Sunday,  October  7,  there  will  be 
a  holy  Mass,  sermon,  and  general 
communion  at  8  o'clock.  A  special 
feature  of  the  mission  will  be  the 
mass  meeting  of  the  Cleveland  Ter- 
tiaries on  Sunday  afternoon,  Octo- 
ber 7,  at  3  P.  M.,  and  the  solemn 
reception  into  the  Third  Order  of 
the  new  members.  Special  atten- 
tion will  be  accorded  the  Tertiaries 
by  the  Reverend  Missionaries 
throughout  the  mission,  and  it  is 
expected  that  an  unusually  large 
number  of  non-Tertiaries  will  pre- 
sent themselves  for  investment  in 
the  Order.  The  next  ceremony  of 
profession  in  the  Third  Order  will 
take  place  in  November. 

West  Park,  Ohio. -On  Septem- 
ber 2,  eight  young  aspirants  to  the 
priesthood  were  admitted  to  their 
solemn  vows.  Rev.  Fr.  Philip  O.F. 
M.,  professor  of  Moral  Theology  at 
the  local  monastery,  was  delegated 
by  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial  to  re- 
ceive their  profession.  They  were 
the  following:  Fr.  Sylvester  Sai- 
ler, Fr.  Bertrand  Wickes.  Fr.  Os- 
wald Pazdzierski,  Fr,  Stephen  Roth, 
Fr.  Gregory  Wollenschlaeger,  Fr. 
Chrysostom  Clark,  Fr.  Raphael 
Friederich,  Fr.  Daniel  McNamara. 
Fr.  Pancratius  Sloch,  who  is  a 
member  of  this  class  but  who  has 
been  confined  by  sickness  to  the 
infirmary  at  St.  Antony's  monas- 
tery, St.  Louis,  Mo.,  for  many 
months  pronounced  his  solemn 
profession  on  September  17,  the 
feast  of  the  Stigmas  of  St.  Francis. 
We  recommend  him  especially  to 
the  kind  prayers    of    our  readers, 


398 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


that  he  may  soon  recover  and  thus 
be  able  to  continue  his  studies  for 
the  holy  priesthood. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.  —  The  English-speaking 
branch  of  our  fraternity  wishes  to 
express  its  sincere  appreciation  of 
Franciscan  Herald's  blessing  and 
good  wishes  for  the  ultimate  suc- 
cess of  its  proposed  Third  Order 
Home.  The  Home  now  seems  to 
be  an  assured  fact.  A  committee 
has  been  appointed  to  take  the  en- 
tire matter  in  hand.  It  was  sug- 
gested at  the  last  business  meeting 
to  begin  this  great  work  by  arrang- 
ing a  temporary  Home  until  build- 
ing conditions  warrant  the  erection 
of  a  permanent  structure  for  this 
purpose.  The  last  general  monthly 
meeting  was  attended  by  the  usual 
large  crowd  of  Tertiaries,  in  spite  of 
the  poor  transportation  facilities 
owing  to  the  street  car  strike, 
which  speaks  well  for  the  zeal  and 
spirit  of  sacrifice  of  our  Tertiaries. 
The  subject  of  our  Rev.  Director's 
discourse  at  the  meeting  was  the 
section  of  the  rule  enjoining  on 
the  members  of  the  Third  Order  to 
refrain  with  the  utmost  caution 
from  dangerous  stage  plays  and 
from  dances.  He  dwelt  particular- 
ly on  the  dangerous  dancing,  be- 
cause the  dances  of  the  present  day 
are  "positively  dangerous."  Thir- 
teen postulants  were  invested  on 
this  occasion  with  the  cord  and 
scapular,  and  twenty-nine  novices 
were  professed. 

San  Rafael,  California.  —  On  Sun- 
day, September  9,  about  1500  Ter- 
tiaries from  both  branches  of  the 
Third  Order  in  San  Francisco  and 
Fruitvale,  took  part  in  the  great 
procession  at  San  Rafael  that  ush- 
ered in  the  centenary  celebration 
of  the  venerable  Old  Mission  of 
San  Rafael  founded  by  the  Spanish 
Franciscan  Padres  in  1817.  The 
day  was  one  of  jubilation;  for  the 
whole  vicinity  and  many  other  civ- 
ic     and     fraternal      organizations 


marched  in  line  with  the  Tertiaries 
to  the  historic  old  building,  while 
beautiful  floats  portraying  mission- 
ary life  and  activities  and  scenes 
from  the  history  of  California  lent 
special  interest  to  the  procession. 
Forming  at  the  Union  Depot  of  San 
Rafael,  the  procession  marched 
along  the  famous  El  Camino  Real 
to  the  City  Hall  Plaza  where  it  was 
reviewed  by  his  Grace,  Archbishop 
Hanna  of  San  Francisco,  Governor 
Stephens,  and  other  notables.  An 
open  air  solemn  High  Mass  was  cel- 
ebrated at  noon  by  Very  Rev. 
Father  Hugolinus  Storff,  Provincial 
of  the  California  Franciscans,  and 
the  sermon  was  preached  by  Arch- 
bishop Hanna.  He  spoke  in  glow- 
ing terms  of  the  wonderful  work 
begun  in  this  beautiful  spot  one 
hundred  years  ago  by  the  Spanish 
Padres,  and  fostered  by  them  and 
their  successors  up  to  the  present 
day.  Several  Franciscan  Fathers 
from  various  parts  of  the  State 
were  present,  as  were  also  several 
Dominican  friars  and  members  of 
the  secular  clergy,  and  vast  crowds 
of  the  laity. 

Fruitvale,  Cal.,  St.  Elizabeth's 
Church.— The  Tertiaries  of  Fruit- 
vale welcomed  their  new  Rev.  Di- 
rector on  Sunday,  August  12.  An 
exceptionally  large  number  were 
present  and  great  enthusiasm  for 
things  Tertiary  was  shown  by  all. 
After  dwelling  appreciatively  on  the 
splendid  work  done  by  his  predeces- 
sor in  office,  Rev.  Fr.  Humilis,  O.F. 
M.,  the  new  Rev.  Director,  Fr.  John, 
installed  the  officers  for  the  next 
term:  Prefect,  Miss  Mary  Kennedy; 
Vice-Prefect,  Miss  Nora  Clark; 
Chairman,  Mr.  Joseph  Kenny;  Re- 
cording Secretary,  Miss  G.  Murphy; 
Corresponding  Secretary,  Mrs.  E. 
Tighe.  Thereupon  twenty  consul- 
tors  were  appointed  to  further  the 
interests  of  the  fraternity  in  their 
respective  districts.  These  con- 
suitors  will  meet  on  the  Tuesday 
evenings     preceding     the    regular 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


399 


monthly  meetings  to  discuss  with 
the  Rev.  Director  business  matters 
of  the  fraternity.  A  movement 
was  then  set  on  foot  to  secure  at 
least  one  hundred  new  members  by 
October  4,  as  a  feast-day  gift  to  our 
blessed  Father  St.  Francis.  With 
an  earnest  appeal  to  all  the  mem- 
bers to  receive  their  monthly  Com- 
munion in  a  body  on  the  second  Sun- 
day of  each  month  and  to  be  regular 
in  their  attendance  at  the  monthly 
meetings,  the  Rev.  Director  dis- 
missed the  Tertiaries. 

Komatke,  Ariz.,  St.  John's  Mis-  ] 
sion.  — Extensive  repairs  and  im- 
provements have  been  made  at  the 
mission  during  the  summer  months. 
An  electric  light  system  has  been  ! 
installed,  a  garage  for  the  mission-  j 
ary's  automobile  erected,  the  sana-  I 
torium  completed,  and  the  roof  on 
our  little  convent  renewed.  This 
latter  was  especially  urgent,  for  j 
twice  during  the  summer,  portions 
of  the  roof  had  been  swept  away  by 
wind  storms.  The  interior  of  St.  j 
John's  Mission  church  also  has  been 
renovated.  An  arched  ceiling  has 
been  put  up,  and  the  sanctuary  has 
received  a  new  coat  of  paint.  All  j 
the  windows  have  been  decorated 
with  floral  designs  and  pictures, 
which  produce  a  beautiful  stained- 
glass  effect.  Work  has  likewise  been 
begun  on  our  new  farm,  about  ten 
miles  from  the  mission.  The  Indian 
children  have  returned  from  all 
parts  of  the  desert  to  the  school, 
which  opened,  on  September  10, 
with  an  enrolment  of  over  two  hun- 
dred, and  many  more  are  expected 
especially  from  the  Papago  country. 
A  thousand  thanks  to  our  kind  and 
generous  benefactors,  who  through 
our  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial,  make 
it  possible  for  us  to  carry  on  the 
noble,  if  difficult,  work  of  gaining 
these  children  of  the  desert  for  God 
and  Heaven,  by  giving  them  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  good  Catholic  educa- 
tion. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  Francis   Academy. 


—The  solemn  ceremonies  of  invest- 
ment and  profession  took  place  in 
the  chapel  of  St.  Francis  Academy, 
this  city,  on  August  12,  the  feast  of 
St.  Clare.  Three  Sisters  pronounced 
their  perpetual  vows,  forty-seven 
renewed  their  vows,  twenty-one 
novices  were  admitted  to  their  first 
vows,  and  twenty-four  young  ladies 
received  the  habit  of  the  Order. 
The  Right  Rev.  Monsignor  Rempe, 
v.G.,  assisted  by  Rev.  P.  Minwegen, 
o.m.i.,  and  Rev.  W.  Gelsdorf,  o.M. 
I.,  as  deacon  and  subdeacon,  and  by 
the  Rev.  Nicholas  Christoffel,  o.  f. 
m.,  as  master  of  ceremonies,  pre- 
sided at  the  ceremonies.  Monsig- 
nor Rempe  also  delivered  an  inspir- 
ing sermon  on  the  sublimity  of  the 
religious  life.  On  the  following  day, 
Sr.  M.  Adalberta,  Sr.  M.  Marcella, 
Sr.  M.  Victoria,  Sr.  M.  Philomena, 
Sr.  M.  Pius,  and  Sr.  M.  Henrietta 
celebrated  the  twenty-fifth  anni- 
versary of  their  religious  profession 
with  becoming  solemnity. 

Seattle,  Wash.  St.  George's 
Church. —The  Franciscans  of  the 
Province  of  St.  Barbara  have  recent- 
ly taken  charge  of  the  parish  of  St. 
George,  in  Seattle,  Washington. 
The  new  community  numbers  three 
members,  Reverend  Fathers  Clem- 
ent Berberich  and  Francis  Gliebe, 
and  Rel.  Brother  Robert.  St. 
George's  parish  has  grown  consider- 
ably during  the  past  year,  owing  to 
the  great  expansion  of  the  neighbor- 
ing shipyards,  and  the  prospects  for 
the  future  of  the  parish  are  very 
bright. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  — At  the  month- 
ly meeting  held  on  September  2, 
steps  were  taken  to  organize  the 
"Adoration  Society  of  Atonement" 
for  the  purpose  of  imploring  peace 
among  the  nations.  Over  250  new- 
members  were  enrolled.  By  this 
means  a  perpetual  plea  for  peace 
and  an  atonement  for  the  sins  that 
call  down  the  present  chastisements 
of  divine  Providence  will  be  had. 
The  half  hours  adoration  each  week 


400 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


assigned  to  the  members"  of  this 
society  are  so  distributed  that  one 
or  more  members  will  be  in  adora- 
tion before  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
throughout  the  day  from  5.00  A.  M. 
to  8.00  P.  M.  The  society  is  affili- 
ated to  the  "Adoration  Society  of 
Atonement"  in  Rome,  and  the 
members  participate  in  the  numer- 
ous indulgences  of  the  society.  It 
is  to  be  hoped  that  many  more  will 
join  in  this  prayer  for  peace  and 
that  the  society  will  become  more 
universally  known. 

The  spiritual  exercises  of  the 
Third  Order  here  will  be  conducted 
this  year  from  September  26  to  Sep- 
tember 30  for  the  English-speaking 
branch  and  from  September  30  to 
October  4  for  the  German-speaking 
branch  with  investment  of  new 
members  for  both  branches  on  the 
evening  of  October  4,  the  feast  of 
our  holy  Father  St.  Francis. 

In  the  course  of  last  month,  death 
claimed  a  most  worthy  member  of 
our  conference,  Msgr.  P.  M.  Abbe- 
len,  Spiritual  Director  of  the  Notre 
Dame  Sisters  at  the  Milwaukee 
mother  house,  who  passed  to  his 
heavenly  reward  August  24,  1917. 
The  Rt.  Rev.  Prelate  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Third  Order  since  1881. 
R.  I.  P. 


Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Joseph's  Col- 
lege.—The  fifty-sixth  scholastic 
year  opened  on  September  5,  with 
a  solemn  High  Mass  in  honor  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  celebrated  by  Rev. 
Fr.  Rector.  During  the  summer 
months,  many  necessary  improve- 
ments and  repairs  were  made  in  the 
college  buildings,  the  campus  was 
put  in  order,  and  everything 
else  made  ready  to  give  thejstudents, 
new  and  old,  a  hearty  welcome  on 
their  arrival. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  Rev.  Fr. 
Aloysius,  who  for  the  past  seven 
years  was  a  member  of  the  college 
faculty,  has  gone  to  the  Catholic 
University,  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
to  take  up  an  extended  course  in 
biology  and  natural  sciences,  and 
that  Rev.  Fr.  Celestine's  poor 
health  prevents  him  from  resuming 
his  classes,  two  new  professors  have 
been  added  to  the  faculty  in  the 
persons  of  Rev.  Fr.  Herman  Joseph 
and  Rev.  Fr.  Joseph  Hermegild. 

Hardly  had  the  students  unpacked 
their  trunks  and  arranged  their 
desks  for  the  "battle  of  the  books, " 
when  they  began  to  organize  their 
various  literary  and  athletic  clubs, 
and  they  are  now  pursuing  their 
studies  and  playing  their  games 
with  equal  zest. 


OBITUARY 


Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:— Mary  Linen,  Sr.    Anne;   Elizabeth   Henneberry,    Sr. 
Anne;  Catherine  Cahill,  Sr.  Teresa. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:  -  Mary  O'Keefe,  a  novice. 

St.  Augustine's  Church: -Catherine  Majosky,  Sr.  Agnes;  Catherine  Kraemer, 
Sr  Agnes;  Elizabeth  Lauer,  Sr.  Clare. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church:  — Wm.  Bregitzer,  Bro.  Joachim;  Sabina 
Friedel,  Sr.  Catherine;  Celina  Baron,  Sr.  Matilda;  Elizabeth  Stuber, 
Sr.  Antonia;  Matilda  Trossbach,  Sr.  Joanna;  Catherine  Coddington, 
Sr.  Antonia;  Magdalene  Paris,  Sr.  Antonia;  Juliana  Krisha,  Sr.  Clare. 

Quincy,  111.,  St.  Francis  Church:— Frederick  Rupp,  Bro.  Francis  Antony. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Michael  Lemp;  Joseph  B.  Moakley;  Bar- 
bara Spindler;  Margaret  Even;  Margaret  Granville;  Bridget    Tierney. 

Superior,  Wis.,  St.  Francis  Church:— Helen  Patterson,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
Requiescant  in  puce. 


I  jffranrignm  iigral&  I 

.';        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred        :T; 
•  '-        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions        •*• 

VOL.V.  NOVEMBER,  1917.  NO.  11 

izbtinrxal  (Enmmntt 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

Christian  perfection  is  not  confined  to  the  cloister.  It  is  found  in 
every  station  and  condition  of  life.  The  words,  "Be  ye  holy"  were 
spoken  not  to  a  few  select  souls.  They  are  addressed  to  all  Christians. 
Christianity  is  a  moral  force  that  pervades  all  classes  of  people.  It  ap- 
pears strongest  in  the  weakest,  and  its  triumphs  are  the  most  complete 
where  the  obstacles  are  the  greatest.  These  are  the  thoughts  that  are 
embodied  in  the  present  frontispiece. 

The  portentous  figure  of  St.  Christopher  is  a  fitting  emblem  of  that 
divine  power  which  manifests  itself  in  all  Christian  men  and  women  of 
holy  lives.  Every  Christian  is  a  Christopher  or  Christbearer  if  he  bears 
Christ,  i.  e.,  his  doctrine,  his  love,  and  his  grace  in  his  heart.  Like  this 
holy  martyr,  the  true  Christian  renounces  the  service  of  Satan  and  of 
man  and  with  all  his  mind  and  heart  and  strength  serves  and  loves  God 
alone. 

The  moral  force  of  the  Christian  religion  is  illustrated  also  in  those 
heroic  souls  who,  like  St.  Francis  Xavier,  leave  home  and  kindred  and 
set  out  for  distant  lands,  there  to  labor  for  the  spread  of  God's  kingdom. 
It  is  their  intense  love  of  Christ  that  urges  these  zealous  men  and  women 
to  spend  their  strength  and  to  sacrifice  their  life,  if  need  be,  that  souls 
may  be  brought  to  know  and  to  love  God.  And  what  triumphs  has  Chris- 
tianity not  achieved  through  them  over  the  sensual  hearts  and  stubborn 
wills  of  millions  and  millions  of  converts. 

This  same  love  of  Christ  has  impelled  many  to  give  up  riches,  honors, 
and  pleasures,  and  to  lead  a  life  hidden  with  Christ  in  poverty,  humility, 
and  mortification.  Of  this  group  of  Christians  St.  Wendelin  may  be 
taken  as  a  representative.  Bred  amid  the  luxuries  of  a  kingly  palace  he 
.vent  into  voluntary  exile  and  exchanged  the  royal  scepter  for  the  shep- 
herd's crook. 

St.  Isidore,  the  Laborer,  typifies  that  large  class  of  the  faithful  over 
whom  the  Christian  religion  has  always  had  the  greatest  influence— 
those,  who,  according  to  the  designs  of  an  all-wise  Providence  are  des- 
tined to  earn  their  bread  by  the  labor  of  their  hands.  This  holy  man 
lived  and  died  as  a  day-laborer.  He  vied  with  his  wife,  Maria  Torribia, 
a  canonized  saint,  in  leading  a  most  virtuous  life.  The  legend  relates 
that  he  attended  Mass  every  morning,  and  that  angels  were  sometimes 
seen  assisting  him  at  his  work.     Christianity  has  elevated  labor,    and   by 


402  FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


directing  the  laborer's  gaze  heavenward,  where  alone  he  can  hope  to  re- 
ceive his  full  reward,  it  has  taught  him  to  love  his  work  and  to  be  con- 
tented with  his  hard  lot  below.  Nowhere  has  the  tree  of  Christian  faith 
struck  deeper  roots  or  borne  choicer  fruits  of  virtue  than  in  the  hearts 
of  the  laboring  class. 

Christianity,  as  has  been  observed,  is  a  moral  force.  It  has  been 
propagated  not  by  the  death-bringing  sword  but  by  the  life-giving  word. 
Because  it  has  been  founded  to  conquer  the  mind  and  heart  of  man,  it 
is  not  dependent  on  material  or  political  aid.  In  other  words,  it  need  not 
lean  on  the  arm  of  the  State  for  support.  Oftener  than  not  the  civil 
rulers  have  opposed  the  Church  in  her  mission.  Two  notable  exceptions 
are  Constantine  the  Great,  who  was  the  first  of  the  Roman  Emperors  to 
grant  the  Church  freedom  of  worship  by  his  famous  edict  of  toleration, 
and  Charlemagne,  who  was  as  zealous  in  defending  the  rights  and  in- 
terests of  the  Church  and  in  widening  the  sphere  of  her  influence  as  he  was 
active  in  guarding  and  extending  the  confines  of  his  vast  empire.  From 
the  days  of  Constantine  down  to  the  present,  the  Church  has  had  a  be- 
nign influence  on  the  State,  notably  on  its  laws.  She  has  steadfastly  up- 
held the  authority  of  the  State.  But  she  has  just  as  resolutely  defended 
the  rights  of  the  individual.  Even  in  avowedly  atheistic  States,  the 
Church  makes  her  power  felt. 

Art  also  has  experienced  the  refining  influence  of  the  Christian  Church. 
The  Church  found  art  wallowing  in  the  mire  of  sin  and  superstition.  She 
raised  her  up,  took  her  into  her  own  household,  and  made  her  the  hand- 
maid of  religion.  Ever  since,  the  Church  has  lavished  on  her  a  mother's 
love  and  care,  and  art  has  rewarded  her  by  toiling  faithfully  in  her  serv- 
ice. Christian  artists  have  far  outclassed  their  pagan  rivals,  and  this 
superiority  they  owe  to  that  larger  vision  and  deeper  feeling  and  securer 
touch  that  religion  has  lent  to  art.  A  worthy  representative  of  Christian 
art  is  the  humble  Dominican  Fra  Angelico.  His  life  exhibits  that  happy 
union  between  art  and  religion  which  has  been  blest  with  some  of  the 
sublimest  creations  of  beauty  the  world  has  ever  seen. 

It  must  be  ever  regarded  as  one  of  the  greatest  triumphs  of  Christi- 
anity that  it  has  been  able  to  bring  under  its  sway  all  classes  of  people. 
Rich  and  poor,  young  and  old,  mighty  and  lowly,  learned  and  unlearned 
have  felt  themselves  irresistibly  drawn  to  Christ  and  to  his  doctrine  and 
have  freely  ranged  themselves  under  his  banner.  Even  in  this  material- 
istic and  irreligious  age,  millions  upon  millions  of  all  ages  and  from  alt 
walks  are  sincerely  devoted  to  him,  and  are  laboring  zealously  for  the 
triumph  of  his  cause.     Are  we  of  their  number? 


THE  NEUTRALITY  OF  THE  HOLY  SEE 

A  very  able  and  scholarly  defence  of  the  Holy  Father's  course  in  the 
present  war  has  lately  come  to  us  in  the  form  of  a  brochure  written  by 
"Diplomaticus"  and  published  in  London  by  the  society  of  SS.  Peter  and 
Paul.  In  the  prefatory  note,  the  author  declares  that,  though  an  An- 
glican, he  deems  it  his  duty  to  reply  to  criticisms  and  attacks  upon  the 
Papacy,  which  can  only  result  in  injury  being  done  to  truths  and  princi- 
ples that  all  historic  Christian  bodies  hold  in  common.  He  summarizes 
these  charges  as  follows:  1)  The  Pope  had  no  right  to  remain  neutral. 
2)  Even  if  we  pardon  his  neutrality,  we  have  still  to  complain  that  it  was 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  403 


a  neutrality  unfavorable  to  the  Allies.  3)  In  particular,  the  Pope  has 
shut  his  eyes  to  the  wrong  done  to  Belgium,  and  4)  has  plotted  against 
Italy.  5)  The  Vatican  is  intriguing  to  restore  the  Holy  Rome  Empire. 
6)  The  Papacy  and  Prussia  are  essentially  in  harmony.  One  by  one 
"Diplomaticus"  takes  up  these  allegations  and  disposes  of  them  in  quite 
a  masterful  and  dispassionate  way,  thus  making  good  his  claim  to  the 
nom  de  guerre. 

That  the  Pope  is  at  all  times  bound  to  observe  political  neutrality,  so 
as  not  to  favor  one  section  of  the  Church  at  the  expense  of  another, 
seems  to  the  author  a  matter  of  elementary  justice,  not  to  say  necessity. 
To  the  charge,  that  the  Pope  as  arbiter  of  right  and  wrong  should  have 
declared  in  favor  of  justice  and  morality,  as  the  Popes  in  the  Middle 
Ages  were  wont  to  do,  he  replies  that  if  the  critics  of  the  Pope  wish  him 
to  act  as  his  predecessors  in  the  Middle  Ages,  it  is  but  just  that  they  re- 
store him  to  the  position  they  held  in  the  Middle  Ages  and  accept  him 
unreservedly  in  the  role  of  arbitrator.  Morover,  if  the  Pope  were  to 
have  come  forward  as  arbitrator,  it  was  necessary  that  not  private  indi- 
viduals but  the  Governments  concerned  should  invite  him  to  undertake 
the  office,  and  agree  to  accept  his  word.  Finally,  the  Pope  was  utterly 
unable  to  arbitrate  because  he  lacked  the  material  for  a  thorough  and  im- 
partial investigation,  which  material  will  not  be  forthcoming  till  the 
chancellories  of  Europe  unlock  their  secrets.  "Benedict  XV  is,  there- 
fore, fully  justified  when,  after  referring  to  his  efforts  to  alleviate  the 
suffering  caused  by  the  war,  he  concludes:  'To  do  more  to-day,  is  not  in 
the  power  given  us  by  our  Apostolic  charge.'  He  can  not  do  more 
to-day.  In  a  saner  Europe,  restored  to  the  unity  of  the  Faith,  he  might 
do  very  much  more  indeed.  The  way  is  plain  for  those  who  desire  the 
arbitration  of  the  Pope.  They  see  that  his  power  is  too  weak,  let  them 
labor  to  strengthen  it." 

As  for  the  accusation  that  the  Pope  has  not  been  strictly  neutral  but 
partial  to  the  Central  powers,  the  writer  endeavors  to  prove  from  official 
pronouncements  and  from  well-known  acts  of  the  Holy  Father  that  the 
Vatican  has  condemned  the  invasion  of  Belgium:  protested  against  the 
bombardment  of  Rheims  cathedral;  refused  to  judge  the  British  blockade 
of  Germany;  reprobated  the  aerial  bombardments  practiced  in  Italy  by 
Austria;  gave  valuable  assistance  to  British  (among  other)  prisoners  of 
war;  secured  the  return  of  deported  Belgians.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
author  cites  the  testimony  of  German  writers  to  prove  that  the  Pope  has 
refused  to  support  the  peace  offer  of  the  Central  Powers:  declined  to  ex- 
cuse the  intrusion  of  Cardinals  Hartmann  and  von  Bettinger  into  the 
occupied  dioceses  of  Belgium  and  France;  offended  German  jingoes  by 
the  proportion  in  which  he  distributed  Cardinal's  hats  among  the  belli- 
gerent powers,  shown  in  his  general  policy  an  undue  affection  for  Italy. 
Considering  all  this,  "Diplomaticus"  is  inclined  to  agree  with  the  German 
view  that  papal  neutrality  has  been  more  benevolent  to  the  Allies  than 
to  the  Central  Powers. 

The  charge  that  the  Pope  aims  at  the  disruption  of  Italy  by  looking 
to  foreign  powers  for  a  settlement  of  the  "Roman  Question,"  is  dis- 
proved by  the  words  of  Cardinal  Gasparri  the  Papal  Secretary,  that  "the 
Holy  See  does  not  wish  to  create  embarassements  for  the  Italian  Govern- 
ment in  regard  to  neutrality,  and  for  the  attainment  of  an  arrange- 
ment suitable  to  its  situation  (it  looks)  not  to  foreign  armies,  but  to  the 
triumph  of  sentiments  of  justice among  the  Italian  people  in  conform- 


404  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ity  with  its  true  interests."  Also  the  words  of  the  Holy  Father  spoken 
in  his  Allocution  of  December  9,  1915,  are  adduced:  "Those  governing 
Italy  are  not  wanting  in  good  intentions  to  eliminate  these  inconvenien- 
ces" (scl.,  resulting  from  the  present  status  of  the  Holy  Father).  "Is 
this  the  voice  of  an  enemy  of  the  Italian  people?"  queries  the  author. 
"Surely  hostility,  like  ambition,  should  be  made  of  sterner  stuff." 

The  contention  that  the  Pope  is  endeavoring  with  the  aid  of  Austria 
to  establish  the  Holy  Roman  Empire,  he  deems  unworthy  of  serious  con- 
sideration because  it  is  wholly  unsubstantiated.  Assuming,  however,  for 
the  sake  of  argument,  that  the  Pope  has  any  such  designs,  he  proceeds  to 
show  in  the  light  of  history,  that  Austria,  though  a  Catholic  power,  ha3 
been  anything  but  a  loyal  and  disinterested  friend  of  the  Vatican.  Hence, 
he  concludes  the  Vatican  must  realize  that  in  such  a  partnership  it  would 
be  far  more  likely  to  prove  the  dupe  than  the  gainer. 

That  Papacy  and  Prussia  are  correlated  terms;  in  other  words,  that 
the  Catholic  Church  should  be  in  sympathy  with  the  German  Empire  be- 
cause of  similarity  of  organization  or  identity  of  aims,  the  author  dis- 
proves by  stating  the  facts  of  the  situation.  He  finds  that  "the  Papacy 
could  only  work  in  harmony  with  the  German  Empire  by  transforming 
the  Catholic  Church  into  a  German  Church." 

The  conclusion  of  the  pamphlet  contains  a  touching  appeal  to  Angli- 
cans to  refrain  from  unjust  attacks  on  the  Holy  See.  He  warns  his  coun- 
trymen that  the  question  at  issue  has  nothing  to  do  with  that  other  ques- 
tion of  spiritual  supremacy.  "The  Pope  would  be  no  less  the  successor  of 
St.  Peter  if  he  sided  with  the  Germans,  and  no  more  if  he  revived  his 
Zouaves  to  fight  for  the  Allies." 

While  we  can  not  vouch  for  the  accuracy  of  every  statement  con- 
tained in  this  masterful  refutation  of  the  charge  that  there  is  a  natural 
affinity  between  the  Vatican  and  the  Central  Powers,  we  do  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  "Diplomaticus"  deserves  the  lasting  thanks  not  only  of  every 
Catholic  but  of  every  advocate  of  Church  unity  and  every  friend  of  truth. 


HOPEFUL  SIGNS 

If  growth  is  a  sign  of  life,  then  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  in  this 
country  is  very  much  alive,  as  a  glance  at  the  news  columns  of  the  pres- 
ent is  sue  of  the  Herald  will  reveal.  Not  since  this  magazine  saw  the 
light  have  we  received  such  a  number  of  gratifying  reports  on  the  growth 
of  the  various  fraternities.  Though  these  reports  encroach  on  space 
ordinarily  reserved  for  other  matter,  we  have  been  loath  to  omit  or  cur- 
tail them,  thinking  they  would  help  to  revive  or  to  sustain  the  enthusiasm 
of  our  Tertiary  readers  for  their  holy  Order. 

It  must  have  gladdened  the  heart  of  our  Holy  Father  St.  Francis  to 
behold  thousands  of  his  children  in  all  parts  of  the  country  preparing  for 
his  feast  day  by  prayer  and  other  spiritual  exercises.  Small  wonder, 
therefore,  that  he  was  so  lavish  with  his  blessings  during  the  last  month. 
For.  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  there  never  has  been  so  notable  an  increase 
in  the  membership  of  the  Order  in  this  country  as  within  the  last  few 
weeks.  It  is  now  some  twenty  years  that  the  Third  Order,  then  a  weak, 
if  viable  infant,  began  to  show  signs  of  new  life  and  of  healthy  growth. 
That  infant  now  stands  before  us  a  robust  and  full-grown  man,  capable  of 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  405 


vigorous  action.  Indeed,  the  growth  of  the  Third  Order  in  America  has 
been  nothing  short  of  marvelous. 

Of  numbers  there  is  no  dearth.  But  there  is  sore  need  of  organiza- 
tion and  federation.  We  have  often  in  these  pages  pointed  out  this  par- 
ticular need,  and  insisted  that  without  federation  there  can  be  no  stabili- 
ty, as  without  organization  there  can  be  no  unity;  and  that,  without  sta- 
bility of  form  and  unity  of  aims,  there  can  be  no  real  and  permanent  suc- 
cess. For  some  reason,  the  Third  Order  in  this  country  has  been  slow  to 
avail  itself  of  the  advantages  of  cooperation.  The  members,  animated  by 
The  best  of  intentions,  have  all  along  kept  up  a  sort  of  guerrilla  warfare; 
but  lacking  leadership,  they  have  never  been  able  to  unite  for  a  concerted 
and  sustained  attack  on  the  enemy. 

We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  state,  however,  that,  unless  all  signs  fail, 
this  want  is  soon  to  be  supplied.  The  four  Franciscan  Provincials  of  the 
country  have  recently  agreed  to  appoint  each  a  Visitor  of  the  Third  Order, 
whose  chief  duty  presumably  will  be  to  organize  and  to  confederate  the 
various  fraternities  in  the  several  provinces.  This  is  a  step  in  the  right 
direction,  a  decision  that  is  bound  to  have  far-reaching  results.  For  the 
Province  of  the  Sacred  Heart  (Middle  West)  Rev.  Fr.  Roger  Middendorf, 
Rector  of  St.  Joseph's  College,  has  been  appointed  official  visitor,  and 
since  assuming  this  office  he  has  been  quite  active  in  behalf  of  the  Third 
Order.  Only  a  few  weeks  ago,  he  issued  invitations  to  the  Directors  and 
the  Officers  of  the  neighboring  fraternities  to  attend  a  conference  in  this 
place,  on  November  28  and  29.  The  plan  has  met  with  universal  approv- 
al, and  the  conference  promises  to  be  productive  of  much  good.  Fran- 
ciscan Herald  assures  the  delegates  of  a  hearty  welcome. 


As  a  supplement  to  the  foregoing  observations,  we  may  be  permitted 
to  quote  an  editorial  remark  of  our  esteemed  contemporary  The  Lamp,  in 
which  the  Third  Order  has  recently  gained  another  able  and  ardent  cham- 
pion: 

"America  belongs  in  a  peculiar  sense  to  St.  Francis  of  Assisi.  Not 
only  were  the  first  discoverers  of  America  Franciscans,  but  they  were  also 
its  first  evangelists,  and  although  Protestant  colonization  of  North  Ameri- 
ca is  responsible  for  the  almost  total  disappearance  of  the  Franciscans 
within  the  confines  of  the  United  States  for  a  long  period,  they  are  rapid- 
ly coming  into  their  own  again.  The  provinces  of  the  Friars  Minor,  the 
Capuchins  and  the  Conventuals  everywhere  in  America  are  making  giant 
strides,  the  Poor  Clares  and  the  other  Franciscan  Sisterhoods  abound  more 
and  more  in  numbers  and  influence,  while  the  faithful  layfolk  are  flocking 
into  the  Third  Order  Secular  by  the  scores,  the  hundreds  and  the  thou- 
sands wherever  in  fact  the  existence  of  the  Third  Order  and  its  tremend- 
ous spiritual  privileges  and  advantages  have  been  sufficiently  introduced 
to  their  attention.  Indeed,  we  hope  to  see  in  America  ere  long  such  a 
mighty  influx  of  the  layfolk  into  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis  that  the 
history  of  the  thirteenth  century  in  regard  to  it  may  be  repeated  here  in 
the  twentieth,  for  we  are  told  by  the  Franciscan  chroniclers  that  in  the 
times  immediately  after  Francis  almost  every  one  belonged  to  the  Third 
Order." 

T<Ve  echo  a  fervent  "Amen." 


406 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ST.  LEONARD  OF  PORT  MAURICE 


OF  THE  FIRST  ORDER 

NOVEMBER  26 


ST.  Leonard,  who  has  been 
called  "The  Apostle  of  Rome 
and  Italy,"  and  "The  great 
Missionary  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury," was  bom  at  Porto  Maurizio, 
near  Genoa,  in  the  year  1676,  and  he 
received  in  Baptism  the  name  of 
Paul  Jerome.  When  he  was  two 
years  old,  he  lost  his  mother,  but 
he  was  carefully  educated  and 
brought  up  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
by  his  pious  father.  The  latter, 
perceiving  the  extraordinary  work- 
ings of  grace  in  his  son,  zealously 
instructed  him  in  divine  things  and 
encouraged  him,  by  word  and  ex- 
ample, in  the  practice  of  piety,  and 
his  endeavors  bore  abundant  fruit. 
Paul  Jerome  was  remarkable  from 
his  earliest  years  for  his  docility, 
the  angelic  modesty  of  his  demean- 
or, his  spirit  of  recollection,  and 
fervor  at  prayer. 

When  the  servant  of  God  had 
reached  his  thirteenth  year,  he  was 
sent  to  Rome  to  his  paternal  uncle, 
who  wished  to  give  him  every  op- 
portunity of  acquiring  an  excellent 
education  in  the  schools  of  the 
Eternal  City.  After  three  years, 
during  which  he  studied  with  great 
success  under  a  very  able  private 
tutor,  Paul  Jerome  entered  the 
Roman  College,  directed  by  the 
Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  to 
study  the  humanities  and  philos- 
ophy. Here  he  gave  proof  of  his 
excellent  qualities  of  heart  and 
mind,    and    distinguished    himself 


not  only  by  his  diligence  and 
progress  in  his  studies,  but  above 
all  by  his  solid  piety,  innocence  and 
spirit  of  self-denial,  so  that  he  was 
looked  upon  as  another  St.  Aloy- 
sius.  At  the  age  of  nineteen,  he 
associated  himself  with  the  Oratory 
of  Father  Caravita,  and  was  en- 
trusted with  the  task  of  bringing 
boys  and  youths  to  church  on  Sun- 
days and  feast  days;  and  by  his 
prudence  and  kindness,  he  fulfilled 
this  task  with  great  success. 

After  finishing  his  studies  at  the 
Roman  College,  the  saintly  youth 
|  applied  himself  to  the  study  of 
medicine,  but  he  soon  felt  the  call 
of  God  to  the  religious  life.  In 
doubt  as  to  the  Order  he  should 
join,  he  redoubled  his  prayers  and 
acts  of  mortification ;  and  after  con- 
sulting his  confessor  and  others  ex- 
perienced in  spiritual  life,  he  be- 
came convinced  that  he  was  called 
to  serve  God  in  the  Order  of  St. 
Francis.  He  at  once  resolved  to 
follow  the  divine  call,  and  after 
overcoming  the  violent  opposition 
of  his  uncle  and  of  some  of  his 
friends,  he  betook  himself  to  the 
convent  of  St.  Bonaventure  in 
Rome,  and  humbly  begged  to  be 
admitted  into  the  Order.  The  re- 
ligious, well  aware  of  his  piety  and 
excellent  qualities,  readily  granted 
his  request.  They  sent  him  to  the 
convent  of  Santa  Maria  delle  Grazie, 
at  Ponticelli,  and  there,  on  October 
2,  1697,  the  pious  youth  was  clothed 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


407 


with  the  habit  of   the   Order  and 
given  the  name  of  Leonard. 

While  still  in  the  world,  the  serv- 
ant of  God  had  striven  to  grow  in 
virtue  and  perfection  by  the  fervent 
exercise  of  prayer,  mortification, 
obedience,  and  humility,  and  we 
can  easily  imagine  with  what  zeal 
he  now  performed 
all  religious  duties 
and  sought  to  be- 
come a  faithful 
follower  of  Christ. 
He  himself,  at  an 
advanced  age, 
spoke  of  the  day 
on  which  he  re- 
ceived the  habit 
as  the  day  of  his 
conversion,  and 
of  his  novitiate  as 
the  holy  year,  and 
complained,  in  his 
humility,  that  he 
had  lost  the  fer- 
v  o  r  which  ani- 
mated him  during 
that  year. 

After  pronounc- 
ing his  vows,  in 
1698,  Leonard  was 
sent  to  the  con- 
vent of  St.  Bona- 
venture,  in  Rome, 
to  study  philoso- 
phy and  theology. 

Here  he  fulfilled 
with  the  greatest 


St.  Leonard 


all  his  duties 
exactitude,  and 
distinguished  himself  by  his  holy 
life  and  progress  in  his  studies  to 
such  a  degree  that,  though  only  a 
deacon,  he  was  appointed  to  preach 
the  Lenten  sermons  in  the  academy 
of  St.  John  of  the  Lateran.     Burn- 


ing with  zeal   for  the  salvation  of 
souls  and  longing  for  the   martyr's 
crown,  he  asked  to  be  sent  to  the 
foreign     missions;     but    obstacles 
arose  and  his  request  was  refused. 
As  soon  as  he  was  ordained  priest, 
the  servant  of  God  was'  made   lec- 
tor, or  professor,  of  philosophy   in 
the  convent  of  St. 
Bonaventure.  But 
God  had  destined 
him   for    another 
field  of  labor.    An 
illness,  which  the 
physicians  de- 
clared to  be  con- 
sumption,   soon 
obliged  the  zeal- 
ous teacher  to  re- 
sign his  office.  As 
all  remedies  failed 
to  effect  any   im- 
provement in  his 
condition,     Leon- 
ard at  length  took 
recourse  to  the  in- 
tercession of  the 
Blessed    Virgin 
and   vowed  that, 
if    he    recovered 
his     health,      he 
would   consecrate 
his     life    to    the 
preaching  of  mis- 
sions and  the  con- 
version    of     sin- 
ners.    His  prayer  was  heard.     In  a 
short  time,   he  was  so   completely 
restored  that,  for  the  rest  of   his 
life,  he  could  undergo  the   greatest 
hardships  and  labors,    without   re- 
mitting in  any  way   his   extraordi- 
nary austerities.     He  at  once  asked 
permission  of  his  superiors   to  un- 


408 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


dertake  the  work  of  the  missions, 
and  with  their  blessing,  began  his 
apostolic  career,  which  was  to  last 
forty-four  years. 

The  Saint  preached  for  some  time 
at  Porto  Maurizio  and  in  the  vicin- 
ity, and  in  the  diocese  of  Albenga. 
Everywhere  God  visibly  blessed  his 
work.  The  favorite  theme  of  his 
sermons  was  the  Passion  of  our 
Lord:  and  in  order  to  enkindle  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people  a  great  love 
for  the  Crucified  Savior,  he  every- 
where introduced  the  devotion  of 
the  Stations  of  the  Cross,  a  devo- 
tion which  was  most  dear  to  him, 
and  which  he  subsequently  en- 
deavored to  spread  on  all  his  mis- 
sions. He  next  began  his  real  mis- 
sionary labors,  passing  to  Tuscany, 
and  from  there  to  the  dioceses  of 
central  and  southern  Italy,  and  to 
the  island  of  Corsica.  To  the  end 
of  his  life,  he  made  all  his  journeys 
barefoot,  even  over  almost  impassi- 
ble roads  and  in  the  most  inclement 
weather,  and  notwithstanding  his 
most  fatiguing  labors,  he  practiced 
the  greatest  austerities,  fasting  al- 
most continuously. 

Everywhere,  the  Saint  was  re- 
ceived as  an  apostle  sent  by  God. 
His  burning  words,  supported  by 
his  holy  life  and  by  miracles,  exer- 
cised an  irresistible  power  over  his 
hearers.  The  people  came  in  such 
numbers  to  hear  him  that  the 
churches  very  frequently  could  not 
contain  them  and  he  was  obliged  to 
preach  in  the  open.  Thousands  of 
sinners  were  converted,  abuses 
were  abolished,  scandals  were  re- 
moved, and  piety  and  the  practices 
of  the  Christian  life  everywhere 
began  to  flourish.     Clement  XII  and 


Benedict  XIV  called  the  Saint  to 
Rome  to  preach  in  the  churches  of 
the  city,  and  conversions  were  so 
numerous  that  the  priests  of  the 
different  parishes  could  scarcely 
hear  all  the  confessions.  In  the 
island  of  Corsica,  the  population 
was  split  up  in  factions,  and  the 
rivalries  and  hatred  resulted  in 
quarrels  and  murders.  At  several 
missions,  the  people  assisted  at  the 
sermons  armed  with  guns,  pistols, 
and  daggers.  But  the  prudent  zeal 
of  the  holy  missionary  everywhere 
restored  peace  and  order. 

The  Saint  founded  many  pious 
societies  and  confraternities,  and 
exerted  himself  especially  to  spread 
the  devotion  of  the  Stations  of  the 
Cross,  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Jesus,  the  perpetual  ador- 
ation of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and 
devotion  to  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception. Besides  the  celebrated 
stations  in  the  Colosseum  in  Rome, 
the  servant  of  God,  on  his  different 
missions,  erected  571  others  in  all 
parts  of  Italy. 

In  1751,  after  finishing  a  most 
successful  mission  in  Rome,  Leon- 
ard went  to  preach   in   the   diocese 

!  of  Lucca  and  Bologna.  But  the 
strain  of  his  missionary  labors  and 
old  age  had  exhausted  his  strength, 
and  there  were  indications  of  his 
rapidly  approaching  end.  Pope 
Benedict  XIV,  who  highly  esteemed 
the  holy  man  and  who  had  exacted 
from  him  the  promise  to  come  tc 
Rome  to  die,  bade  him  interrupt  his 
labors  and   return   to   the   Eternal 

I  City.  On  his  way,  the  Saint  was 
seized  with  a  fatal  illness.  He  at 
length  arrived  at  the  convent  of  St. 
Bonaventure,  in  Rome,  ontheeven- 

|  ing  of  November  26,  and  went  tc 
his  eternal  reward  during  the  same 
night.     His  body  was  placed  in  the 

[  church  of  the  convent,  and  it  is 
still  partly  incorrupt.  The  servant 
of  God  was  beatified  by  Pope   Pius 

•  VI,  in  1796,  and  canonized  bv  Pope 
Pius  IX.  in  1867. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


40') 


BLESSED  THOMAS  MORE 

(Ooneluded) 
By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


IT  was  with  a  heavy  heart  that 
Bl.  Thomas  More  yielded  to  the 
will  of  the  King  and  became 
Lord  Chancellor  of  England.  He 
realized  that  Henry  was  no  longer 
the  high-minded  and  God-fearing 
prince  of  former  years;  and  in  the 
fall  of  Cardinal  Wolsey  the  new 
chancellor  saw  clearly  what  his  own 
lot  would  be,  when  once  the  King's 
"secret  affair"  should  involve  the 
divine  rights  of  the  Papacy.  Gloomy 
presentiments,  indeed,  must  have 
enveloped  his  noble  soul  when  on 
October  26,  1529,  he  accepted  the 
great  seal  and  took  the  required 
oath  of  office. 

A  few  months  later,  on  February 
11,  the  conflict  began.  Parliament 
wholly  subservient  to  the  King  is- 
sued a  royal  proclamation  by  which 
the  clergy  were  to  acknowledge 
Henry  "protector  and  only  supreme 
head  of  the  church  and  clergy  of 
England."  Though  this  new  title 
was  not  clearly  adverse  to  papal 
supremacy,  it  was  at  least  ill-omened, 
so  that  when  More  heard  of  the  ac- 
tion of  parliament,  he  proffered  his 
resignation.  But  pressed  by  the  King 
to  reconsider  the  matter,  he  remained 
in  office  and  again  studied  the  ques- 
tion of  papal  supremacy.  Finding 
he  could  not  reconcile  his  conscience 
with  the  King's  demand,  he  assumed 
a  policy  of  silence.  Henry  was  sa- 
tisfied, hoping  in  time  to  win  over 
the  chancellor. (1) 


Thus  a  year  passed  by,  when  on 
May  13,  the  King  demanded  of  par- 
liament to  suspend  the  payment  of 
the  Annates  to  the  Pope  and  to  re- 
lax the  English  laws  against  heresy. 
Needless  to  say,  More  used  all  his 
influence  to  crush  these  bills. 
Though  the  King  concealed  his  an- 
ger, More  foresaw  the  conflict  he 
would  soon  have  to  face.  He  needed 
more  time  now  for  prayer  and  pen- 
ance and  on  May  16,  again  pressed 
the  King  to  relieve  him  of  the  chan- 
cellorship. This  time  Henry  ac- 
cepted his  resignation,  after  prais- 
ing and  thanking  More  for  his  long 
and  faithful  service.  Indeed,  by  his 
justice,  integrity,  prudence,  and  elo- 
quence the  chancellor  had  gained  the 
esteem  of  entire  Europe.  On  May 
22,  Chapuys  wrote:  "The  Chancellor 
has  resigned  ;for  he  saw  that  matters 
were  growing  worse  from  day  to 
day  and  that  he  would  be  forced  to 
act  against  his  conscience  or.  as 
|  was  already  the  case,  incur  the  dis- 
|  pleasure  of  the  King  were  he  to  re- 
main longer  in  office Everybody 

is  indignant;  for  never  did  a  better 
man  hold  this  office."  (8) 

More's  resignation  meant  poverty 
and  distress  for  himself  and  his 
family.  Deprived  of  his  profession- 
al income  he  was  forced  to  reduce 
his  extensive  household.  Having 
found  suitable  places  for  his  serv- 
ants and  having  disposed  of  all  lux- 
uries  and  superfluities  he  told  his 


1.    Camm:  Lives  of  ihe  English  Marhrn  CLemo"  m.  190  u.  p.  1st.     Urem  md:  Sir  Tkomas  M»r<-.  tr.  by  H&roN 

Vliild  (London,  1913).  p.  ISO.     Lingard:  History  of  tinplund  (New  York.  HT'O,  Vol.  IV,  p.  273  sqq. 2.    Spill1- 

man:  Die  B<><jli<eh-«.  Maerterer  (Freiburg  1900),  Vol.   I.  p.  52. 


410 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


dear  ones  of  his  plans,  cheerfully 
adding,  that  if  later  they  should 
have  nothing  to  live  on,  "then  may 
we  yet,  with   bags  and   wallets,  go 

a-begging    together at    every 

man's  door  to  singSalve  Regina,  and 
so  still  keep  company  and  be  merry 
together."  (1)  Although  the  family 
remained  at  Chelsea,  More's  pover- 
ty was  50  great  that  "he  was  not 
able  for  the  maintenance  of  himself 
and  such  as  necessarily  belonged 
unto  him,  sufficiently  to  find  meat, 
drink,  fuel,  apparel,  and  such  other 
necessary  charges."  (2) 

During  these  days  of  deep  distress 
and  dark  forebodings,  More's  one 
thought  was  to  arm  himself  by  pray- 
er and  penance  for  the  final  strug- 
gle. Although  he  maintained  a 
strict  neutrality  on  the  momentous 
questions  then  agitating  the  coun- 
try, Cromwell  and  Henry  set  on 
by  Anne  Boleyn  made  repeated  at- 
tempts to  ruin  him  in  the  eyes  of 
the  people.  In  1533,  they  linked  his 
name  with  that  of  the  Holy  Maid  of 
Kent.  But  in  a  letter  to  Cromwell, 
More  fully  established  his  inno- 
cence, <3)  and  later,  having  been  de- 
ceived by  her  supposed  confession  of 
guilt,  he  even  denounced  the  saintly 
nun.  The  two  Franciscan  Observ- 
ants, FF.  Rich  and  Risby,  who  had 
conferred  with  him  on  the  character 
of  the  nun,  likewise  declared  his  in- 
nocence. (4)  But  his  enemies  eager  for 
his  ruin,  placed  his  name  on  the  bill 
of  attainder  against  the  nun  and  her 
adherents,  thus  making  him  guilty 
of  treason  and  death.  No  doubt, 
he  would  have  been  executed  with 


them  had  not  the  Lords  begged  the 
King  on  their  knees  to  take  More's 
name  from  the  bill  and  to  await  a 
more  "just"  cause  for   vengeance. 

On  March  30,  1534,  the  Act  of 
Succession  was  passed.  It  neces- 
sarily implied,  in  fact  its  preamble 
openly  advanced,  a  rejection  of  pa- 
pal supremacy.  A  commission  was 
appointed  before  which,  More  was 
informed,  he  would  have  to  appear 
on  April  13,  at  Lambeth.  He  had 
previously  written  to  Cromwell  that 
his  soul  would  be  "in  right  great 
if  peril,  he  should  follow  the  other 
side  and  deny  the  primacy  to  be  pro- 
vided by  God."  (r>)  Whatever  others 
might  hold,  to  him  it  was  now  a  mat- 
ter of  conscience,  for  which  he  was 
ready  to  suffer  all.  On  the  morning 
of  April  13,  he  attended  holy  Mass  for 
the  last  time  at  Chelsea  and  received 
the  sacraments.  Then  he  bade  fare- 
well to  his  grief- stricken  family. 
His  own  heart,  too,  was  steeped  in 
sorrow.  '  'I  thank  our  Lord  the  field 
is  won,"  he  said  to  his  son-in-law, 
William  Roper,  when  the  boat  struck 
off  from  shore  and  he  cast  a  last 
look  on  his  beautiful  Chelsea  home. 

From  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to 
his  daughter  Margaret  four  days 
later,  we  learn  how  steadfastly  he 
refused  to  take  the  oath  which  the 
Commission  presented  to  him,  al- 
ways maintaining  that  it  would  im- 
peril his  conscience.  Accused  of 
obstinacy  and  pride  in  placing  his 
own  private  judgment  over  the  de- 
cision of  learned  and  God-fearing 
men  who  had  already  taken  the 
oath,  More  replied,    "If  there  were 


1.     William  Roix-i:    Life 

authority  of  Harpstield. 

4.  See  Spillman.  I.  c,  p.  82.— 


>f  Sir    Thomm >  More.  A"*/.  (London.   1H05).  p.  .">3. 2.     Camm,  I.  e  .  p.   l.SS.  on  the 

The   tettei  i«><iiiot«-d  by  Stone:     Faill/iii    Unto  Bmth    (London,  \K<2).  p.  S. ■ 

-5.  See  <  'a ii' in.  I.  c  .  i  .  l!  4. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


41! 


no  more  than  myself  upon  my  side, 
and  the  whole  parliament  upon  the 
other,  I  would  be  sore  afraid  to  lean 
to  mine  own  mind  only  against  so 
many.  But  on  the  other  side,  if  it 
so  be  that  in  some  things,  for 
which  I  refuse  the  oath,  I  have  (as 
I  think  I  have)  upon  my  part  as 
great  a  Council  and  a  greater  too,  I 
am  not  then  bounden  to  change  my 
conscience  and  conform  it  to  the 
Council  of  one  realm,  against  the 
general  Council  of  Christendom." 
He  declared  expressly  that  he  saw 
no  peril  in  swearing  the  Act  of  Suc- 
cession as  such,  but  only  in  as  far 
as  it  rejected  papal  supremacy.  (1) 

The  hearing  over,  More  was 
placed  with  the  Abbot  of  Westmins- 
ter. The  King  seemed  at  a  loss  how 
to  proceed.  Cranmer  proposed  a 
compromise  that  would  save  More 
and  at  the  same  time  make  it  ap- 
pear to  the  public  as  if  he  had  taken 
the  oath.  But  Henry  would  not 
hear  of  this;  he  wanted  More's  sub- 
mission in  set  terms,  and  wholly  influ- 
enced by  Anne  Boleyn,  at  last  de- 
clared that  More  would  have  to 
choose  between  taking  the  full  oath 
and  going  to  prison.  Of  course,  the 
servant  of  God  chose  the  latter,  and 
on  April  17,  he  was  thrown  into  the 
Tower. 

Though  torn  from  those  he 
loved,  the  martyr  found  the  se- 
clusion of  prison  quite  to  his  liking. 
The  conviction  that  his  cause  was 
just  and  holy,  greatly  consoled  him. 
The  prison  was  now  his  monastery 
where  he  could  pray  and  study  to 
his  heart's  content.  Although  in 
poor  health  he  continued  his  wonted 


mortifications.  He  never  put  off  the 
rough  hair-shirt  and  took  the  disci- 
pline regularly.  His  Dialogue  of 
Comfort  Against  Tribulation  writ- 
ten in  prison  breathes  the  spirit  of 
one  living  in  most  intimate  union 
with  God. 

After  a  month  of  imprisonment, 
he  was  visited  by  his  favorite 
daughter  Margaret.  His  enemies 
hoped  that  on  her  entreaties  he 
would  submit.  In  vain,  however, 
she  pleaded  and  argued;  his  loyalty 
to  God  stood  firm  against  earthly 
affections.  In  reply  to  a  letter 
which  he  received  from  her  soon 
after,  he  wrote  in  part:  "If  I 
had  not  been,  my  dearly  beloved 
daughter,  at  a  firm  and  fast  point, 
I  trust,  in  God's  great  mercy 
this  good  great  while  before,  your 
lamentable  letter  had  not  a  little 
abashed  me,  surely  far  above  all 
other  things,  of  which  I  hear  divers 
times  not  a  few  terrible  toward  me. 
But  surely  they  all  touched  me  nev- 
er so  near,  nor  were  they  so  griev- 
ous unto  me,  as  to  see  you,  my 
well-beloved  child,  in  such  vehement 
piteous  manner,  labor  to  persuade 
unto  me  the  thing  wherein  I  have, 
of  pure  necessity  for  respect  unto 
mine  own  soul,  so  often  given  you 
so  precise  an  answer  before."  (3> 

Lady  More  was  also  permitted  to 
visit  her  husband.  Once  she  chid 
him  for  preferring  a  filthy  prison 
cell  to  his  fair  home  at  Chelsea. 
"Is  not  this  house,"  he  retorted, 
"as  near  heaven  as  mine  own?"  — 
"Tilly  vally,  tilly  vally,"  she  inter- 
rupted, "Bone  Deus,  man,  will  this 
gear  never  be  left?" — "Well   then, 


1.    Roper.  1.  c.r.  111. 


4r2 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


Mistress  Alice,"  continued  the  mar- 
tyr, "if  it  be  so,  it  is  very  well." 
He  asked  why  he  should  put  much 
joy  in  a  house  that  would  so  soon 
cease  to  be  his,  and  then  added, 
"Tell  me,  Mistress  Alice,  how  long 
do  you  think  we  may  live  and  enjoy 
it?" — "Some  twenty  years,"  was 
her  ready  reply.  —  '  'Truly, ' '  the  man 
of  God  answered,  "if  you  had  said 
some  thousand  years  it  had  been 
somewhat;  and  yet  he  were  a  very 
bad  merchant  that  would  put  him- 
self in  danger  to  lose  eternity  for  a 
thousand  years;  how  much  the  rath- 
er, if  we  are  not  sure  to  enjoy  it 
one  day  to  the  end."'1. 

In  the  course  of  time,  More's  im- 
prisonment became  more  severe. 
Finally,  all  visits  were  prohibited, 
and  what  pained  him  most,  he  was  no 
longer  allowed  to  attend  Mass.  In 
November,  the  lands  he  had  received 
from  Henry  ten  years  before,  were 
confiscated  by  parliament.  This 
made  his  family  almost  penniless. 
They  appealed  to  the  King;  but  the 
cruel  tyrant  only  gloated  over  their 
misery. 

In  April,  lf>35,  Cromwell  visited 
the  prisoner  to  exact  from  him  a 
definite  statement  on  the  King's 
supremacy.  But  More  shrewdly 
evaded  an  open  declaration  and  sim- 
ply owned  himself  a  faithful  sub- 
ject of  the  King.  In  May,  Crom- 
well repeated  the  visit.  Accused 
of  cowardice,  since  for  fear  of  death 
he  dared  not  speak  his  mind  openly, 
More  gave  the  beautiful  answer, 
"I  have  not  been  a  man  of  such 
holy  living  that  I  might  be  bold   to 


offer  myself  to  death,  lest  God  for 
my  presumption  might  suffer  me  to 
fall."(2)  About  this  time,  he  was 
writing  a  treatise  on  the  Passion  of 
Christ  and  had  just  come  to  the 
words,  '  'They  laid  hands  on  Jesus, ' * 
when  officials  came  and  took  away 
his  books  and  writing  material. 
These  had  been  his  last  solace  in 
prison.  But  he  gladly  made  the 
sacrifice  and  henceforth  devoted  all 
his  time  to  prayer  and  mortifica- 
tion. Asked  one  day  by  the  gaoler 
why  he  always  kept  the  blind  down 
and  sat  in  darkness,  he  answered 
playfully,  "What  should  I  do? 
When  the  wares  are  taken  away, 
should  not  the  shop  be  closed?(3) 

A  conversation  which  he  held 
with  Rich,  the  Solicitor  General,  on 
June   12,  proved   fatal.     Asked   by 

,  the  tempter  whether  he  would  con- 
sider him  (Rich)    Pope,    if  parlia- 

,  ment  would  declare  him  such,  More 
seeing  the  trap  asked  in  turn, 
"Suppose  parliament  would  make  a 

I  law  that  God  should  not  be  God, 
would  you  then  say  that  God   were 

I  not  God?"  — "No,  sir,"  answered 
Rich,  "that  I  would  not;  since  no 
parliament  may  make  any  such 
law."— "No  more,"  replied  More, 
'  'could  the  parliament  make  the  King 
Supreme  Head  of  the  Church."'41 
That  was  enough;  Rich  forth- 
with reported  the  matter,  and  on 
July  1,  More  was  indicted  of  high 
treason  for  "maliciously,  traitor- 
ously, and  devilishly"  denying  the 
supremacy  of  the  King 

He  was  summoned  to  court  for  a 
hearing.     "To    make    the    greater 


1.    Ibid,  p. 
■  i    :><•  Agrippj 


See    ;tl.- 

e,  1685), 


Sanders: 
.P.217.- 


I>f    Orininf  in-    V rouiCRisu    SchimnOtit   Aitylicani 
-3.     Sanders,  I.   c.  p-.  81. 4.     Roper,  1.  c,  p.  S4. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


453 


impression  on  the  people,  perhaps 
to  add  to  his  shame  and  sufferings, 
More  was  led  on  foot,  in  a  coarse 
woolen  gown,  through  the  most 
frequented  streets,  from  the  Tower 
to  Westminster  Hall.  The  color  of 
his  hair  which  had  lately  become 
gray,  his  face,  which,  though  cheer- 
ful, was  pale  and  emaciated,  and 
the  staff,  with  which  he  supported 
his  feeble  steps,  announced  the  vi- 
gor and  duration  of  his  confine- 
ment."^ His  appearance  in  court 
and  his  subsequent  reply  to  the 
various  accusations  made  a  deep 
impression  on  all.  When  finally 
the  judge  passed  the  sentence  of 
death  against  him  and  declared 
that  he  was  to  be  hanged,  drawn, 
and  quartered,  the  holy  man  rose 
quietly  from  his  seat.  Now  it  was 
time  for  him  to  make  a  public  pro- 
fession of  faith.  "Since  I  am  con- 
demned to  death, "  he  said,  "and 
God  knows  how,  I  wish  to  speak 
freely  of  your  statute  for  the  dis- 
charge of  my  conscience.  For  the 
seven  years  that  I  have  studied  the 
matter,  I  have  not  read  in  any  ap- 
proved doctor  of  the  Church  that  a 
temporal  lord  could  or  ought  to  be 
head  of  the  spirituality."— "What, 
More,"  broke  in  the  chancellor  Sir 
Thomas  Audley, '  'you  wish  to  be  con- 
sidered wiser  and  of  better  consci- 
ence than  all  the  nobles  and  bishops 
of  this  realm?"— "My  Lord,"  an- 
swered More, '  'for  one  bishop  of  your 
opinion  I  have  a  hundred  saints  of 
mine;  and  for  one  parliament  of 
yours,  and  God  knows  of  what  kind, 
I  have  all  the  General  Councils  for 
1,000  years;  and  for  one  kingdom,  I 


Lingard,  op.  eit.  p.  21. -.  Camm, 


p.  224. 


have  all  the  kingdoms  of  Christen- 
dom  I  hope,  in  the  divine  good- 
ness and  mercy,  that  as  St.  Paul 
and  St.  Stephen,  whom  he  perse- 
cuted, are  now  friends  in  Paradise, 
so  we,  though  differing  in  this 
world,  shall  be  united  in  perfect 
charity  in  the  other.  I  pray  God  to 
protect  the  King  and  give  him  good 
counsel."^* 

He  was  then  brought  back  to 
prison.  When  Margaret  waiting  at 
the  Tower  Wharf  saw  her  con- 
demned father,  she  ran  up  to  him, 
fell  about  his  neck  and  kissed  him. 
With  mingled  joy  and  sorrow  he 
comforted  and  blessed  her.  But 
not  satisfied,  his  affectionate  daugh- 
ter ran  to  him  a  second  time;  "and 
at  last,  with  a  full  and  heavy  heart, 
was  fain  to  depart  from  him:  the 
beholding  whereof  was  to  many  of 
them  that  were  present  thereat  so 
lamentable,  that  it  made  them  for 
very  sorrow,  to  weep  and  mourn." 
Later,  when  the  martyr  saw  that 
Sir  William  Kingston,  constable  of 
the  Tower,  was  weeping,  he  said, 
"Good  Master  Kingston,  trouble 
not  yourself,  but  be  of  good  cheer; 
for  I  will  pray  for  you,  and  my  good 
lady  your  wife,  that  we  may  meet 
in  heaven  together,  where  we  shall 
be  merry  for  ever  and  ever."(3> 

No  date  was  fixed  for  the  execu- 
tion. But  More  knew  that  the  end 
was  near  and  he  spent  the  remain- 
ing few  days  in  closest  union  with 
God.  On  July  5,  the  day  before 
his  martyrdom,  he  sent  his  hair- 
shirt  to  Margaret  with  a  letter  that 
read  in  part:  "Our  Lord  bless  you, 
good  daughter,  and   your  husband. 

See  »lae  Sanders,  I.e.,  p.  82. 3.  Roper,  1.  c,  p.  96*w. 


414 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


and  your  little  boy,  and  all  yours, 
and  all  my  children,  and  all  my 
god-children,   and  all  our    friends. 

I   cumber  you,  good  Margaret, 

much;  but  I  should  be  sorry  if  it 
should  be  any  longer  than  to-mor- 
row  Farewell,     my  dear  child, 

and  pray  for  me  and  I  shall  pray 
for  you  and  all  your  friends  that 
we  may  merrily  meet  in  heaven." 
When  told  that  the  King  had  corn- 


Grace  for  putting  me  into  this 
place,  where  I  have  had  convenient 
time  and  space  to  have  remem- 
brance of  my  end.  And there- 
fore will  I  not  fail  earnestly  to  pray 
for  his  Grace,  both  here,  and  also 
in  the  world  to  come."(2) 

At  nine  o'clock,  he  was  led  from 
the  Tower  to  the  place  of  execution. 
When  he  placed  his  foot  on  the  lad- 
der,   he   noticed  that  the    scaffold 


Bl.  Thomas  More  Bids  Farewell  to  his  Daughter  Margaret 


muted  his  punishment  to  decapita- 
tion, he  replied,  "God  preserve  all 
my  friends  from  such  favors. "(I) 

Early  next  morning,  July  6,  Sir 
Thomas  Pope  informed  the  martyr 
that  he  would  be  beheaded  at  nine 
o'clock  "  that  morning.  "Master 
Pope,"  was  thie  cheerful  reply,  "for 
your  good  tidings  I  heartily  thank 
you.  I  have  always  been  much 
bounden  to  the  King's  Highness 
Yet  more  bounden  am   I  to  his 


shook  and  turning  to  Kingston,  he 
said  with  a  smile,  "I  pray  you, 
Master  Lieutenant,  see  me  safe  up, 
and  for  my  coming  down  let  me 
shift  for  myself."  Then  he  mounted 
the  scaffold,  and  turning  to  the  large 
gathering  of  people  briefly  asked 
them  "to  pray  for  him  and  to  bear 
witness  with  him,  that  he  should  now 
there  suffer  death  in  and  for  the 
faith  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church." 
With  profound  devotion  he  recited 


Llngard.  <p  «if..  Vol.  V.  r-  22. 2.    Ibid.,  p.  *■> 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


415 


the  psalm  Miserere,  and  when  the 
executioner  begged  his  forgiveness, 
the  martyr  kissed  him  tenderly  and 
encouraged  him  to  do  his  duty. 
Then  having  blindfolded  his  eyes, 
with  a  cloth  he  had  brought  with 
him,  he  knelt  down  at  the  block. 
The  executioner  had  already  raised 
the  ax,  when  the  holy  man  signed 
for  a  moment's  delay,  and  moved 
aside  his  beard,  because,  as  he  said, 
it  evidently  had  never  committed 
treason.'1  Then  he  once  more 
laid  his  head  on  the  block,  and 
while  his  lips  moved  in  prayer,  the 
fatal  blow  was  dealt  that  won  for 
him  a  martyr's  crown. (2) 

When  the  news  of  his  execution 
was  brought  to  the  King,  he  was 
playing  at  backgammon  wTith  Anne 
Boleyn.  Turning  to  her  he  said 
angrily,  "Thou  art  the  cause  of 
this  man's  death. "(:!) 

By  order  of  the   Governor,    the 


martyr's  body  was  given  to  Mar- 
garet, who  had  it  laid  to  rest  in 
the  chapel  of  St.  Peter  ad  Vincula 
in  the  Tower.  The  head  was  im- 
paled on  London  Bridge.  Here  it 
remained  pbout  fourteen  days,  till 
Margaret  found  means  to  remove 
it.  For  a  time  she  preserved  it 
with  herself  in  a  leaden  box,  but 
afterwards  placed  it  in  a  vault  in 
St.  Dunstan's  Church  in  Canter- 
bury.^ 

Thus  lived  and  died  the  great 
Tertiary  Chancellor  of  England, 
'  'loyal  to  his  sovereign  to  the  last, 
yet  giving  his  life  for  the  higher 
loyalty  he  owed  to  the  Vicar  of 
Christ,  and  bearing  himself  in 
every  relation  of  life  with  the  free- 
hearted joy  fulness  of  one  for  whom 
no  earthly  pleasures,  cares,  or 
trials  could  cloud  over  the  blue 
horizon  beyond  which  lay  the  vision 
of  God." 


1.    Ibid.,  p  101.    Camm.  L  c,  p-  234,  quoting  Cresaore  More 2.    The  servant  of  God  wa.^  beatific!  by  Pope 

Leo  XIII  on  December  29,  1888. 3.    Camm,  I.e..  p.  237.    See  also  Strickland:   Lives  of  the    Queens  of  Eng- 

•V«rtd(Pbiladelpia.  J899)  Vol.  II,  n.  670. \.    Dodd:   Church  History    »/  England  (Brussels,  1T3T).  p.  195.     See 

also  Camiu.  1-  c,  p.  239  sqq. 


£>aint  JFrattris 


iloiit  they  looked  on  bun  and  loned  him. 

All  the  stars  on  titgb. 
As  (Ehrist  looked  on  an?  and  looed  him 

3n  the  bags  gone  by. 

Sienerent  the  birds  saluted. 

lllhen  he  smiled  nn  them, 
Uending  lorn  the  little  floaters 

Kissed  his  garment's  hem- 


Ana  Uje  troubadour  of  heaoeu. 

As  afar  lie  trod, 
iogfnl  sang.  "(£h.  sisters,  brothers. 

Set  us  uraise  our  (Sod!" 

iFranrts.  ttyouglj  your  feet  no  longer 
(Tread  tlje  Hmbrtau  plain. 

iflay  onr  tines  gour  omn  reflecting 
Bring  you  bark  again. 

Jfilled  mitli  grace,  uiitb.  grace  exceeding. 

utyat  ttjis  earth,  can  gtne. 
£et  us  aljom  ttje  morld  sin-laden 

£till  to-day  yon  line. 

— (Gattjertne  M.  Hayes,  tertiary. 


416 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


A  CROSS  IN  THE  SAND 

Jiii  Mary  Eunice  McCarthy.  Tertiary 


SISTER  Antony  read  and  re- 
read the  last  paragraph  of 
her  brother's  letter  until  the 
paper  on  which  it  was  written  be- 
came no  more  than  a  confused 
blur. 

Well,  Goodbye,  Sis,  old  girl.  If  I  man- 
age to  get  out  of  the  war  alive  I'll  come 
back  and  tell  you  all  about  it.  By  the  way, 
please  don't  send  me  any  of  those  foolish 
pictures,  strings,  or  little  Christian  idols. 
I  don't  want  them.  That's  final.  We've 
had  fussing  enough  already,  haven't  we? 

I'll  write  from  the  other  side  of  the 
ocean.  Love 

Bob 

Slowly  she  folded  the  letter  and 
placed  it  in  itb  envelope,  looking  at 
it  the  while  with  sad,  thoughtful 
eyes,  eyes  that  seemed  to  have 
grown  older.  She  then  turned  in 
the  direction  of  the  chapel  thinking 
of  the  proud,  wilful  lad  she  loved  so 
tenderly  and  of  his  foolish  obstinacy 
in  refusing  to  own  the  faith  of  his 
early  boyhood.  "Oh,  how  I  must 
pray,"  she  thought,  "pray  as  I 
never  have  before.  He  simply 
must  come  back." 

Bob  O'Connor  was  a  great  puzzle 
to  everyone  who  knew  him.  Some 
said  he  was  a  little  eccentric,  others 
a  "dangerous  fellow,"  his  present 
companions  a  "real  sport."  Yet, 
none  of  these  descriptions  fitted  him : 
he  was  merely  a  restless,  hot-head- 
ed youth  with  an  extremely  active 
brain  and  a  very  misguided  idea  of 
"personal  independence."  His 
mother  a  young  American  girl  had 
married  wealthy  Jack  O'Connor 
when  he   was   visiting   New  .York 


and  a  few  months  later  had  sailed 
with  him  across  the  waters  to  his 
home  in  Ireland.  But  after  three 
years  those  green,  sea- girdled 
shores  never  felt  the  touch  of  her 
foot  again  and  in  the  arms  of  a 
sadder  father  baby  Bob  and  his 
tiny  sister  Kathleen  could  not  have 
nestled. 

Over  the  O'Connor  home  since 
that  day  many  a  lark  had  sped 
with  his  song  and  now  Bob  was 
ready  for  college.  Long  and  fre- 
quent were  the  entreaties  he  poured 
into  his  father's  ears  to  study  in 
the  United  States,  for  America  was 
on  his  brain  and  in  his  heart,  the 
castle  of  his  dreams,  the  roaming- 
ground  of  his  imagination.  Indeed, 
not  many  weeks  passed  before  he 
was  far  out  on  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic  with  the  great,  turbulent 
eagerness  of  eighteen  importuning 
each  sunrise  to  hurry  to  the  West, 
every  sunset  to  break  into  dawn. 

For  almost  four  years  he  had 
studied,  dreamed,  won  prizes,  wast- 
ed time,  flirted,  played  ball,  driven 
his  professors  to  desperation,  and 
won  the  heart  of  every  student  in 
the  place.  He  stopped  these  pur- 
suits but  once  a  year— and  then  he 
did  not  stop  them  all,  for  Bob 
dreamed  under  every  sky— to  visit 
his  father.  Welcome,  indeed,  was 
he  to  the  old  home,  for  his  father 
was  now  all  alone,  Kathleen,  afire 
with  zeal,  having  left  to  enter  a 
convent  in  America  six  months  aft- 
er her  brother  had  gone  to  college. 
But,  each  visit  had  left    the    gray- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


417 


haired  father  more  prone  to  mis- 
givings because  the  lad  seemed  to 
be  holding  strange  views  and  ex- 
pressing sentiments  that  courted, 
if  they  did  not  embrace,  material- 
ism. On  one  occasion,  to  his  fa- 
ther's tremulous,  half-shy  enquiry, 
he  had  answered  with  a  laugh,  "0 
Father,  don't  look  so  solemn  or  I'll 
keel  over.  I'm  just  getting  educated, 
modernized  is  the  word,  and  you 
don't  recognize  the  awkward,  little 
rube  that  used  to  be  your  son." 

But  time  had  made  great  inroads 
upon  the  young  fellow's  imagina- 
tion: modern  education  in  his  case 
had  been  a  Vandal,  sweeping  down 
with  wild  fury  upon  the  fine,  old- 
fashioned  ideals  which  the  "Isle  of 
Saints"  had  given  him,  upon  the 
dear,  old  traditions  handed  down 
by  the  reverent,  jealous  fin- 
gers of  his  ancestors,  traditions 
that  had  kept  the  melody  of  the 
joyous-throated  lark  in  his  ears  and 
the  love  of  God  in  his  heart.  True, 
it  had  given  back  to  him 
spoils,  glittering,  costly,  shining 
things;  but  the  valley  in  which  Bob 
had  been  wont  to  live  and  dream 
and  sing  was  left  burned  to  ashes. 
And  so  it  happened  that  his  last 
college  year  found  him  turned  from 
all  he  had  once  revered.  However, 
he  still  loved  Ireland  and  when  the 
great  war  came  he  decided  that  he 
could  best  serve  her  by  enlisting 
in  one  of  the  Irish  regiments.  Irish 
bravery  and  daring,  he  had  told  his 
father,  would,  to  his  mind,  secure 
more  for  Ireland  after  the  war  than 
anything  else. 

Eleven  months   of   weary   heart- 


ache had  dragged  themselves  away 
since  Sister  Antony  had  received 
her  brother's  farewell  letter  and 
then,  with  grief  pressing  hard 
against  her  heart,  she  read  his  first 
letter  to  her  from  the  front.  Again 
he  had  echoed  the  same,  derisive 
sentiments  only  tinged  this  time 
with  a  new  bitterness  in  which  he 
scorned  priests  and  religious  for 
telling  the  ignorant  peasants  to  pray 
for— Victory. 

"They  tell  our  men,"  he  had 
written,  "that  sort  of  thing  on  this 
side,  and  the  poor  peasant  kneels 
down  with  new  hope  in  his  eyes; 
another  set  tells  the  enemy's  men 
the  same  thing— they  kneel  down 
too.  I  wonder  how  the  priests  on 
the  losing  side  will  explain  this 
prayer  business  when  the  war  is 
over." 

Only  three  days  later  came 
word  that  her  brother  was  dead. 
He  had  been  killed,  according  to 
the  date  on  his  last  letter,  twenty- 
four,  hours  after  writing  it. 

That  night  sleep  did  not  come  to 
Sister  Antony.  Strange,  wild  pic- 
tures thronged  before  her  mind: 
scenes  of  deadly,  furious  battle,  of 
men  falling  to  the  ground  with 
gashed  face  and  torn  chest,  of 
ghastly  bodies  mangled  beyond  rec- 
ognition, of  dead  and  dying  sol- 
diers stretched  upon  the  lonely  field 
at  night  with  naught  but  cold,  dis- 
tant stars  to  watch  them  and  pity 
them.  She  tried  to  pray  but  a  hot, 
angry  surge  of  rebellion  snatched 
the  words  from  her  lips.  Her  heart 
would  tell  her  again  and  again  that 
her  Lord  had  forgotten  her  and  her 
brother,  that  her  prayers  had  been 


418 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


in  vain,  that  there  was  no  longer  a 
chance  for  her  brother's  conversion. 
Then  the  image  of  her  brother 
struggling  in  the  thick  of  the  fight 
would  banish  all  thought  of  conver- 
sion out  of  her  mind.  Nothing, 
nothing  seemed  to  matter  but  that 
Bob,  her  Bob,  the  playmate  of  her 
childhood,  the  dear,  lovable  boy 
whom  she  held  so  close  in  her  heart, 
was  dead.  Swift,  little  memories 
hurried  before  her  eyes:  the  time 
Bob  had  been  sent  to  bed  supper- 
less  for  some  wild  escapade  and  she 
had  stolen  upstairs  to  him,  when 
everyone  was  asleep,  with  some 
cookies  and  two  apples,  all  she 
could  find;  he  had  kissed  her  that 
time,  contrary  to  custom,  and  called 
her  a  "reg'lar  pal";  again  the  time 
he  had  come  home  to  her  with  a  bad 
cut  in  his  knee  from  climbing  a 
high  cliff,  near  which  his  father 
had  forbidden  him  to  go  and  she  had 
washed  and  bandaged  it  in  her  own 
room  lest  anyone  should  see.  Then 
the  woman  in  her  cried  out  with 
the  pain  and  misery  of  it  all,  and 
the  tears  found  their  way  to 
her  eyes.  Before  morning  came> 
peace  was  in  her  heart;  her 
trust  had  been  returned  where  it 
had  always  rested. 

"Well,  well!  Is  this  what  I'm  in 
for,  Mother  John,  story-telling? 
H'm,  and  you  don't  even  know 
whether  I  can  tell  them!"  Father 
O'Neil  said  this  with  a  genuine 
grin,  for  he  knew  quite  well  that 
wherever  he  went  he  was  asked  to 
tell  some  of  his  experiences  as 
chaplain  in  the  great  war,  and  he 
lso  knew  that  he  knew  how  to  tell 


them. 

Perhaps  no  one  listened  with. 
greater  attention  than  Sister  An- 
tony as  the  priest  told  his  stories. 
He  had  told  more  than  usual  this 
time  and  he  was  about  to  go  when  he 
tapped  his  head  with  a  sudden  jerk 
and  exclaimed,  "Well,  I'll  be 
blessed!  Here  I'm  leaving  you  with- 
out telling  you  the  best  one  of  them 
all.  You  know  I  was  with  an  Irish 
regiment  in  the  first  year  of  the 
war.  Everyone  of  those  follows 
but  one  were  good  friends  with  me 
and  he  seemed  to  avoid  me  as 
though  I  were  a  whole  row  of  the 
enemy's  guns.  But  one  evening, 
after  a  week's  particularly  hard 
fighting,  he  came  up  to  me  as  shyly 
as  a  lad  one  third  his  age.  'Fa- 
ther. '  he  said,  'could  I  talk  to  you 
a  few  minutes?'  'Why,  certainly,' 
I  answered.  'Come  right  into  my 
tent  and  sit  down. '  He  came  in 
alright  and  then  he  began.  Posi- 
tively, he  was  a  different  man  when 
he  talked  but  he  didn't  talk  very 
long.  He  told  me  he  had  been 
born  in  Ireland  but  had  gone  to  col- 
lege here  in  the  United  States. 
Like  many  others  he  had  been  swept 
along  by  the  novelty  and  daring 
of  new  teachings  and,  partly  be- 
cause of  sincere  doubts,  he  had 
given  up  his  faith.  But  now  he 
was  ready  to  own  his  mistake  and 
come  back,  but  he  did  not  tell  me 
why,  then  or  at  any  other  time,  for 
the  next  day  he  was  killed.  But 
this  is  the  thing  about  it  that  made 
me  think  it  over  for  many  a  day 
afterwards.  Those  who  brought 
him  in,  for  he  did  not  die  until  an 
hour    after    being    carried    within 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


419 


the  lines,  said  that  they  had  seen 
a  very  distinct  cross  traced  in  the 
sand  near  his  head.  You  see,  he 
must  have  done  that  before  he  be- 
came unconscious.  I  don't  know  if 
you  see  what  I  mean  but  I  thought 
there  was  something  mighty  fine 
about  that." 

Father  O'Neil  stood  up  abruptly 
and  said  goodbye,  but  Sister  Antony 
stepped  toward  him  with  shining 
eyes.     "Pardon  me,  Father,"    she 


said,  "did  that  young  man  tell  you 
his  name?"  "Why,  yes,  Sister,  he 
did.  His  name  was  O'Connor,  Bob 
O'Connor."  "Thank  you,  Father, 
I  thought  so, ' '  she  said  simply.  '  'He 
was  my  brother." 

That  night  she  knelt  humbly  be- 
fore the  altar  and  with  the  glad- 
ness of  it  all  singing  in  her  heart 
she  thanked  her  Lord  and  praised 
the  wisdom  of  His  ways. 


CARDINAL  XIMENEZ 

liq  Ft.  Ferdinand,  O.F.M. 


ii  A  MONG  those  men  who  at  the 
J\  end  of  the  fifteenth  and 
the  beginning  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  prepared  for  Spain, 
long  unhappy,  more  fortunate,  yes, 
its  most  fortunate  days,  Cardinal 
Ximenez  undoubtedly  holds  the 
most  prominent  place."  Thus  be- 
gins Dr.  Hefele's  famous  biography 
of  Francisco  Ximenez  de  Cisneros, 
Franciscan  friar,  confessor  to  Queen 
Isabella,  archbishop  of  Toledo,  pri- 
mate of  Spain,  grand  chancellor  of 
Castile,  prime  minister  and  regent 
of  the  Spanish  countries,  grand  in- 
quisitor and  prince  of  the  Holy 
Roman  Church.  "A  priest  of  saint- 
like piety,"  continues  his  biogra- 
pher, "a  bishop  and  primate  of  sin- 
gular generosity  and  of  indefatiga- 
ble zeal  for  learning  and  morality, 
a  statesman  of  rare  justice,  energy, 
and  wisdom,  he  has  reared  to  his 
memory  an  imperishable  monument 
of  fame."  It  is  the  memory  of  this 
extraordinary  personage  that  Span-  [ 
ish  speaking  countries  have  united  | 
to  honor  in  the  present  year— the  j 
quatercentenary  of  his  death. 


His  Early  Life 

Born  1436,  in  the  little  town  of 
Torrelaguna,  New  Castile,  of  an 
ancient,  but  decayed  family,  he  was 
early  destined  by  his  parents  for 
the  Church.  After  finishing  the 
study  of  grammar  in  Alcala,  he  was 
sent  at  the  age  of  fourteen  to  the 
celebrated  university  of  Salamanca, 
where  after  six  years,  he  received 
the  degree  of  bachelor  in"both  civil 
and  canon  law,  "a  circumstance," 
as  Prescott  says,  "at  that  time  of 
rare  occurrence."  In  1459,  the 
young  jurist  went  to  Rome,  expect- 
ing there  to  find  a  better  field  for 
ecclesiastical  preferment.  He  seems, 
indeed,  as  consistorial  advocate,  to 
have  attracted  the  notice  of  Sixtus 
IV.  For,  before  his  return  home, 
whither  the  death  of  his  father  and 
the  embarrassing  condition  of  his 
family  called  him,  he  secured  from 
that  pope  a  brief,  preferring  him  to 
the  first  vacant  benefice  in  the  dio- 
cese of  Toledo.  Such  a  vacancy 
was  created  by  the  death  of  the  arch- 
priest  of  Uzeda,    and   Ximenez,    by 


420 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


virtue  of  the  apostolic  grant,  took 
possession  of  the  benefice.  But  he 
met  with  determined  opposition 
from  Alfonso  Carillo,  the  archbish- 
op of  Toledo,  who  had  intended  this 
post  for  one  of  his  favorites.  Un- 
able to  persuade  Ximenez  to  surren- 
der his  pretensions,  the  archbishop 
had  him  put  in  prison  for  contumacy. 
But  rather  than  relinquish  what  he 
deemed  his  just  claims,  Ximenez 
bore  the  hardships  of  CDnfinement 
for  six  years.  Carillo  finally  be- 
came convinced  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  subdue  a  temper  so  indom- 
itable, and  he  restored  his  prison- 
er to  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  free- 
dom and  of  his  benefice.  This  is 
the  first  instance  recorded  in  the 
life  of  Ximenez  of  that  inflexible 
constancy  of  will  which  formed, 
perhaps,  the  most  prominent  trait 
of  his  remarkable  character. 

Shortly  after  his  release  from 
prison,  he  quitted  his  native  diocese 
and  accepted  a  chaplainship  in  the 
cathedral  of  Siguenza.  The  illus- 
trious Don  Pedro  Gonzalez  de  Men- 
doza  was  at  that  time  bishop  of 
Siguenza,  and  to  a  man  of  his  pene- 
tration Ximenez  could  not  long  re- 
main unknown.  In  fact,  on  being 
promoted  to  the  see  of  Seville,  Men- 
doza  made  him  vicar-general  and 
administrator  of  his  former  dio- 
cese. In  this  capacity,  Ximenez 
gained  the  esteem  and  affection  of 
all  both  by  the  faithful  discharge 
of  his  public  duties  and  by  the 
sanctity  of  his  private  life. 

The  Franciscan  Friar 

Suddenly,  however,  much  to  the 
surprise  and  the  chagrin  of  his 
friends,  Ximenez  resigned  his  vari- 
ous offices  and  sought  admission 
into  the  Franciscan  convent  of  San 
Juan  de  los  Reyes,  in  Toledo.  He 
was  forty- eight  years  old  when  he 
entered  on  the  year  of  his  proba- 
tion, and  though  in  the  world  he 
had  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  for 
learning  and  sanctity,  he  submitted 


in  all  things  to  the  direction  of  his 
superiors  with  such  docility  that 
one  might  have  taken  him  for  a 
simple  and  unlettered  lay  brother. 
He  desired  nothing  so  much  as  to 
be  forgotten  by  the  world  and  to 
lead  a  life  hidden  with  Christ  in  sol- 
itude and  contemplation.  But  Car- 
dinal Mendoza's  prediction,  that 
parts  so  extraordinary  as  Ximenez's 
would  not  long  be  buried  in  the 
shades  of  a  convent,  was  not  slow 
in  verifying.  Attracted  by  the 
fame  of  his  sanctity,  multitudes  of 
all  ages  and  conditions  placed  them- 
selves under  his  spiritual  guidance. 
His  own  brethren,  too,  showed  their 
confidence  in  him  by  electing  him 
guardian  of  the  friary  of  Salzeda. 
In  this  position,  he  strove  to  guide 
his  subjects  by  example  rather  than 
by  word. 

The  Queen's  Confessor 

In  1492,  an  event  occurred  which 
opened  to  him  a  still  wider  field  of 
action.  Hernando  de  Talavera, 
Isabella's  confessor,  had  been  ele- 
vated to  the  newly  erected  see  of 
Granada,  and  the  queen  consulted 
her  faithful  minister  Cardinal  Men- 
doza  as  to  the  choice  of  a  successor. 
He  named  Fray  Francisco  Ximenez 
as  the  man  best  qualified  for  the 
office.  The  humble  and  austere 
friar,  however,  could  be  induced  to 
accept  the  distinction  only  on  con- 
dition that  he  should  be  allowed  to 
conform  to  all  the  regulations  of  his 
Order  and  to  remain  in  his  convent 
when  his  official  functions  did  not 
require  his  attendance  at  court.  A 
learned  historian  of  the  time,  Peter 
Martyr  de  Anghiera,  chronicles  the 
event  in  the  words:  "The  queen 
has  a  new  confessor,  for  whom  she 
entertains  a  high  regard,  and  de- 
servedly: for  he  is  a  man  of  great 
virtue.  He  equals  St.  Augustine  in 
learning,  St.  Jerome  in  mortifica- 
tion, and  St.  Ambrose  in  zeal  for 
the  faith.  A  queen  with  such  a 
man  for  a  director  has  nothing  else 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


42 


to  ask  of  Almighty  God.  With  him 
and  through  him  peace  and  prosperi- 
ty will  come  to  the  State."  The 
event  proved  he  was  not  mistaken. 
For,  from  the  appointment  of  Xi- 
menez to  this  office  dates  that  era 
of  wise  reforms,  grand  undertak- 
ings, and  magnificent  achievements 
which  placed  Spain  in  the  front 
rank  of  Christian  nations.  This  is 
explained  by  the  fact  that,  as  Hefele 
says,  Isabella  having  a  delicate  con- 
science and  an  implicit  confidence 
in  the  prudence  of  her  confessor, 
asked  his  counsel  in  all  important 
affairs  of  state. 

The  Franciscan  Provincial 

Two  years  after  this  event,  Xime- 
nez  was  unanimously  elected  pro- 
vincial superior  of  his  Order  in  New 
Castile.  This  time  he  voluntarily 
accepted  the  office,  because  it 
afforded  him  an  opportunity  of  in- 
troducing some  needed  reforms 
among  his  brethren,  and  because  it 
gave  him  an  excuse  for  appearing 
less  frequently  at  court.  He  often 
visited  the  establishments  of  his 
province,  and  strove  by  every  means 
to  lead  his  subjects  to  an  austerer 
mode  of  life.  Since  he  asked  noth- 
ing of  them  that  he  did  not  himself 
observe,  he  practiced  the  greatest 
austerities  and  fulfilled  to  the  letter 
every  precept  of  the  Franciscan 
rule.  Thus,  on  his  long  and  fre- 
quent journeys,  he  always  traveled 
on  foot  and  supported  himself  by 
begging  alms.  He  seems,  however, 
to  have  been  not  very  successful 
or  intent  on  the  quest.  For  his 
biographers  relate  that  his  com- 
panion on  these  trips  Fray  Francis- 
co Ruiz,  whom  Ximenez  revered  for 
his  solid  virtue,  said  to  him  one  day 
rather  naively,  '  'Reverend  Father, 
you  observe  the  regulations  so  well 
that  you  will  have  us  die  of  starva- 
tion. God  has  given  to  every  one 
his  own  peculiar  turn;  you  will  do 
well  to  pray  and  meditate  for  me, 
while  I  go  begging  for  you." 


The  Primate  and  Chancellor 

All  this  while,  Mendoza  had  not 
lost  sight  of  Ximenez,  and  when, 
after  a  year's  illness,  the  grand 
cardinal  felt  his  end  approaching, 
he  recommended  the  simple  friar  to 
Isabella,  as  his  successor  on  the 
archiepiscopal  see  of  Toledo.  This 
dignity,  to  which  was  attached  the 
chancellorship  of  Castile  together 
with  an  immense  income,  was,  ac- 
cording to  Prescott,  "the  most  con- 
siderable not  merely  in  Spain,  but 
probably  in  Christendom,  after  the 
papacy."  The  post  had  always 
been  filled  by  men  of  the  best  Span- 
ish families,  and  the  queen,  not- 
withstanding the  admonition  of  her 
dying  minister,  was  loath  to  depart 
from  this  usage.  Finally,  she  de- 
cided in  favor  of  her  confessor, 
whose  character  presented  so  rare 
a  combination  of  talent  and  virtue 
as  amply  compensated  any  defici- 
ency in  birth.  Without  his  knowl- 
edge, she  procured  in  due  time  the 
papal  bull  confirming  her  nomina- 
tion. But  Ximenez  stoutly  refused 
to  accept  the  document,  and  he  per- 
sisted in  his  refusal  for  six  months, 
yielding  only  to  the  express  com- 
mand of  the  pope.  When  after  the 
episcopal  consecration,  which  took 
place  in  the  Franciscan  church  of 
Tarazona,  Ximenez  knelt,  according 
to  custom,  to  kiss  the  hands  of  Fer- 
dinand and  Isabella,  he  said  with 
dignity,  '  'I  kiss  the  hands  of  your 
Royal  Highnesses,  not  so  much  out 
of  gratitude  for  placing  me  on  the 
first  episcopal  see  of  Spain,  as  in  the 
hope  that  with  these  same  hands 
you  will  help  me  carry  the  heavy 
burden  you  have  placed  on  my 
shoulders." 

After  his  elevation  to  the  primacy, 
he  continued  to  lead  the  simple  and 
austere  life  of  a  Friar  Minor.  In 
his  contempt  of  all  pomp  and  luxury 
he  went,  perhaps,  too  far.  There 
is  extant  a  letter  written  by  Alex- 
ander VI,"  in  which  that  pontiff  ad- 


422 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


monishes  him  to  adopt  a  style  of 
living  more  consonant  with  the  dig- 
nity of  his  office,  if  he  would  not 
disparage  it  in  the  eyes  of  the  peo- 
ple. Ximenez,  of  course,  acquiesced 
and  changed  his  exterior  mode  of 
life  to  make  it  conform  with  that  of 
his  predecessors  in  office,  but  in  pri- 
vate he  relaxed  nothing  of  his  per- 
sonal mortifications. 

The  Reformer 

However  loath  he  might  have 
been  to  accept  the  post  of  primate 
and  chancellor,  he  was  not  diffident 
in  the  use  of  his  great  ecclesiastical 
and  political  power,  once  he  had 
entered  on  the  duties  of  his  office. 
The  first  thing  he  took  in  hand  was 
the  reform  of  the  secular  and  the 
regular  clergy  of  his  diocese.  So 
dogged  was  the  resistance  he  en- 
countered in  this  work,  that  he  was 
forced  to  call  into  play  all  the  ener- 
gies of  his  irresistible  will  and  all 
the  powers  of  his  exalted  office. 
With  the  aid  of  the  queen,  however, 
he.  triumphed  over  all  opposition, 
and  in  a  short  time  he  saw  the  ful- 
fillment of  even  his  most  sanguine 
expectations. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  work 
of  reform  was  greatly  facilitated 
by  his  own  exemplary  conduct. 
True  reform,  like  charity,  begins 
at  home.  Hence,  even  as  archbishop, 
cardinal,  and  regent,  he  was  always 
and  above  all  a  faithful  follower  of 
St.  Francis.  On  his  journeys 
through  the  country,  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  lodge  in  the  convents  of 
his  Order,  to  partake  of  the  common 
fare  and  to  observe  even  the  slight- 
est monastic  rules.  In  his  own 
episcopal  palace,  the  same  daily 
routine  prevailed  as  in  a  convent. 
He  kept  all  the  fasts  of  the  Church 
and  of  the  Order,  and  took  little 
repose  and  recreation.  In  the 
midst  of  wealth  and  luxury,  he 
was  poor  and  abstemious.  His 
chastity  was  above  reproach.  He 
shunned   the   company   of    women 


and  spoke  to  them  only  in  the  con- 
fessional. In  short,  it  was  admitted 
on  all  hands  that  he  himself  put  in 
practice  the  rules  of  conduct  he  laid 
down  for  others. 

The  Grand  Almoner 

In  his  zeal  for  the  welfare  of  the 
clergy  of  his  diocese,  he  did  not 
forget  the  needs  of  the  laity.  On 
the  day  he  became  primate  and 
chancellor  and  found  himself  in  ab- 
solute possession  of  immense  rev- 
enues, he  declared  he  would  avail 
himself  thereof  only  to  further  the 
interests  of  the  Church  and  of  the 
poor.  So  great  and  numerous  were 
his  charities  that  he  was  called  the 
grand  almoner  of  Spain.  According 
to  one  of  his  French  biographers 
Paul  Guerin,  he  divided  the  day 
into  two  parts:  the  first  half  he 
devoted  to  God  and  to  the  State,  the 
other  to  the  poor.  He  appointed 
Juan  Cardenas,  a  man  of  singular 
piety  and  benevolence,  to  search 
out  the  destitute  members  of  his 
flock  that  he  might  bring  them  aid 
and  comfort  in  his  own  person.  His 
episcopal  palace  was  the  permanent 
home  of  thirty  needy  persons,  whom 
he  deemed  it  an  honor  to  wait  on  at 
table. 

His     munificence    extended    far 
,  over  the  confines  of  his  diocese  and 
;  of   his   country.     He  relieved    the 
j  want  of  the  poor  Christians  in  for- 
j  eign  missions  and  ransomed   many 
I  from   Moorish    captivity.      At  his 
I  suggestion  and  under  his   guidance 
was   formed   the   Congregation   of 
I  the  Immaculate  Conception,  whose 
j  purpose  was  to  construct  and  main- 
tain hospitals  for  the  poor  sick,  and 
soon   there   was  hardly    a   city   of 
Spain,   as  Guerin   says,  that   could 
not   boast  a   hospice  for  the  poor. 
He  disbursed   large  sums  to   these 
institutions.     To  the  one  dedicated 
to  St.  Lazarus  in  Seville  he  donated, 
on  one  occasion,   10,000   ducats -a 
stupendous  amount  for  those  days. 
At  Torrelaguna,    his   native   town, 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


423 


and  at  Alcala  where  he  had  attended 
grammar  school,  he  founded  new- 
hospitals  and  assured  their  existence 
with  annual  incomes. 

"It  is  characteristic  of  the  spirit 
of  Ximenez, "  says  the  German  his- 
torian Weiss,  "that  by  retrenching 
on  his  own  person  he  was  enabled 
to  ransom  prisoners,  to  feed  many 
poor  daily,  to  provide  doweries  for 
indigent  maidens,  to  build  four  hos- 
pitals, eight  convents,  and  twelve 
churches." 

The  Missioner 

It  is  needless  to  sav  that  in  all  these 
enterprises  the  great  archbishop 
was  actuated  not  by  vainglory  but 
by  zeal  for  the  faith.  It  was  this 
same  zeal  that  led  him  to  undertake 
the  more  difficult  work  of  convert- 
ing the  infidel  inhabitants  of  the 
Moorish  province  of  Granada.  After 
the  conquest  of  that  kingdom  under 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  the  in- 
habitants were  guaranteed  the  un- 
molested enjoyment  of  their  anci- 
ent laws  and  religion.  Among 
a  people  reared  from  the  cradle  in 
abhorrence  of  Christianity  and 
chafing  under  the  yoke  of  their 
Spanish  conquerors,  the  progress 
of  Christianization  was  necessarily 
slow— all  too  slow,  in  fact,  for  the 
restless  and  impetuous  temper  of  a 
Ximenez. 

When  in  1499,  he  was  invited  to 
accompany  the  Catholic  sovereigns 
on  a  visit  to  Granada,  he  conceived 
the  plan  of  accelerating  the  work  of 
conversion  by  inviting  the  leading 
Moorish  doctors  to  a  conference  and 
expounding  to  them  the  founda- 
tions of  the  Christian  faith.  His 
knowledge  of  oriental  languages 
and  literature,  his  brilliant  genius, 
his  fiery  eloquence,  his  irresistible 
logic,  and  his  princely  munificence, 
all  combined  to  make  such  an  im- 
pression on  the  learned  Moors  that 
after  some  time  a  number  of  the 
most  illustrious  renounced  their  er- 
rors and   received  Baptism   at   the 


hands  of  Ximenez.  Their  example 
was  followed  by  great  numbers  of 
their  disciples,  in  so  much  that  no 
less  than  four  thousand  are  said  to 
have  been  baptized  in  one  day. 

The  success  of  the  prelate  roused 
the  fanaticism  of  some  of  the  most 
influential  among  the  followers  of 
the  prophet,  and  they  began  openly 
to  preach  hatred  of  the  Christian 
religion  and  revenge  on  their  op- 
pressors. Ximenez  promptly  threw 
a  number  of  them  into  prison.  But 
in  the  heat  of  his  zeal  he  seems  to 
have  acted  contrary  to  the  spirit,  if 
|  not  to  the  letter,  of  the  treaty  by 
I  permitting  his  chaplains  to  exert 
I  undue  pressure  on  the  prisoners  to 
j  effect  their  conversion,  and  by  caus- 
ing a  large  number  of  Arabic  manu- 
|  scripts,  mostly  copies  of  the  Koran, 
to  be  burnt  in  the  public  square  of 
the  city.  These  high-handed  meas- 
ures caused  serious  alarm  in  many 
of  his  friends.  Talavera,  Archbishop 
I  of  Granada,  remonstrated  with  him 
and  besought  him  to  use  greater 
tolerance.  But  Ximenez,  who  had 
never  known  failure,  and  who  was 
as  little  discouraged  by  opposition 
as  he  was  unnerved  by  danger, 
replied  that  it  was  no  time  to  stay 
the  hand  when  the  ruins  of  Maho- 
metanism  were  tottering  to  their 
foundation,  and  he  continued  his 
propaganda  with  unflinching  reso- 
lution. 

The  Moors  at  length  became    in- 
furiated and  slew  two  of  Ximenez's 
servants,  who  had  made  themselves 
■  particularly  odious   to  them.     This 
was  the  signal  for  a  general   upris- 
!  ing.     Towards  evening,  a    mob  of 
about  six   thousand   men   gathered 
before    the    episcopal    palace    and 
,  loudly  clamored  for    the    blood    of 
Ximenez.     He  was  warned   of   the 
I  imminent  danger  and  urged  to  save 
[  himself  by   flight.     "God    forbid," 
|  the  intrepid  prelate  replied,     "that 
I  should  think   of  my  own    safety 
when  so  many  of  my   servants   are 
perilling      theirs."     And    he   gave 


42* 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


orders  to  prepare  the  palace  for  a 
siege.  After  a  night  of  dreadful 
suspense,  Tendilla, military  governor 
of  Granada,  arrived  at  the  head  of 
his  guards  and  dispersed  the  insur- 
gents with  little  trouble. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
Moors  by  their  conduct  had  not 
only  violated  the  terms,  and  there- 
fore forfeited  the  privileges  of 
their  treaty  with  the  Catholic  sov- 
ereigns, but  also  incurred  the 
guilt,  and  consequently  also  the 
penalty  of  treason,  which  was 
death.  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  on 
the  advice  of  Ximenez,  offered  the 
insurgents  pardon  on  the  alterna- 
tives of  conversion  or  exile.  The 
majority,  about  50,000  in  all,  pre- 
ferred to  make  their  peace  by  em- 
bracing Christianity.  Their  exam- 
ple was  followed  by  great  numbers 
in  other  parts  of  the  province,  so 
that  in  a  very  short  time  the  cross 
had  everywhere  on   the 


supplanted  the  crescent— and  this 
happy  issue  must  be  attributed  be- 
fore all  others  to  Ximenez. 

He  has  been  severelyT  though 
perhaps  not  altogether  unjustly, 
criticized  for  his  intemperate  zeal 
in  this  affair.  But  the  rectitude  of 
his  intentions  and  the  success  of  his 
measures  were  too  patent  to  be  de- 
nied, at  least  by  his  contemporaries. 
"All  concurred,"  says  Prescott,  "in 
admiring  the  invincible  energy  of 
the  man,  who  in  the  face  of  such 
mighty  obstacles,  had  so  speedily 
effected  his  momentous  revolution 
in  the  faith  of  the  people,  bred 
from  childhood  in  the  deadliest  hos- 
tility to  Christianity;  and  the  good 
archbishop  Talavera  was  heard  in 
the  fullness  of  his  heart  to  exclaim 
that  Ximenez  had  achieved  greater 
triumphs  than  even  Ferdinand  and 
Isabella;  since  they  had  conquered 
only  the  soil,  while  he  had  gained 
peninsula  |  the  souls  of  Granada." 
{To  be  continued) 


morning 


Ail  farto,  rnrobrb  in  alftmmrring  rloth,  of  gold, 
Iflttif  jnorla  arintillant  of  ann-grmmrb  arm; 
(iDut  'mtb  ttjr  garbrn'a  langnorona  prrfnmr 
(gag  hntt?rfli?a  on  iribrarrnt  niinga 
Jf  laab  by,  poising  to  tourl?  tin*  inarm,  anirrt  Una 
Wf  breaming  roaea;  on  tljr  pulaant  air 
An  want  rtjnroa  pining  loub  anb  aljriU 
3n  tyot,  bry  graaa  brnonb  tljr  garbrn  rloar. 

— (Uatljrrme  M.  Hayra.  tHrrlianj. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


425 


MISSIONARY   LABORS  OF   THE  FRANCISCANS 
AMONG  THE  INDIANS  OF  THE  EARLY  DAYS 

TEXAS 
XXXV 

By  Fr.  Zephyrin  Enqelhardt,  O.F.M. 


^r^PANISH  activities  in  Tex- 
^N  as,"  writes  Prof.  Bolton, 
**-<  "were  from  first  to  last 
inspired  largely  by  fears  of  foreign 
aggression.  When  these  fears  slept, 
Texas  was  left  pretty  much  to  it- 
self, so  far  as  the  Government  was 
concerned;  but  when  serious  rumors 
of  encroaching  strangers  reached 
the  official  ears,  there  were  likely 
to  be  vigorous  proceedings  for 
a  time.  The  occupation  of  the  low- 
er Trinity  River  was  no  exception 
to  this  rule." 

This  brings  us  to  the  last  group  of 
Indian  missions  which  the  Francis- 
cans established,  or  rather  intended 
to  establish;  for  in  the  end  only  one 
poor  mission  resulted  from  the  efforts 
of  the  Fathers  in  the  Trinity  River 
district.  Quite  in  contrast  with  the 
aims  of  the  Spanish  Government, 
which  first  and  always  sought  ter- 
ritorial expansion  and  desired  to  uti- 
lize the  missionaries  for  that  pur- 
pose, the  Franciscans,  were  prompt- 
ed by  disinterested  love  for  souls, 
and  looked  to  the  spread  of  the  uni- 
versal Kingdom  of  God  and  His  jus- 
tice. They  were  not,  indeed,  in- 
different to  their  nation's  glory, 
but  ever  since  they  had  hearkened 
to  the  divine  call  which  bade  them 
"forget  their  people  and  the  house 
of  their  fathers,"  and  to    "preach 


the  gospel  to  all  nations,"  d)they 
realized  that  their  one  duty  was  to 
see  that  God  was  glorified (2) and  as 
many  souls  -  saved  as  could  be 
reached.  Here  missionaries  and 
politicians  would  frequently  differ. 
The  politicians,  despite  their  claims 
of  being  faithful  Catholics,  either 
would  not  assist  at  all,  or  only  with  a 
|  view  to  use  the  missionaries  for  the 
j  promotion  of  political  schemes.  In 
this  matter,  too,  the  occupation  of 
the  lower  Trinity  River  was  no  ex- 
ception. Any  one  wishing  to  know 
the  details,  may  examine  pages 
327-374  of  Dr.  Bolton's  "Texas  in 
the  Middle  Eighteenth  Century," 
from  which  the  facts  on  the  mis- 
sion, we  intend  briefly  to  elucidate, 
are  borrowed. 

Rumors  of  the  presence  of 
Frenchmen  among  the  Orcoquiza 
Indians  near  the  lower  Trinity  and 
the  San  Jacinto  (Nuestra  Senora 
de  Aranzazu)  rivers  were  confirmed 
soon  after  1750.  Then  followed 
the  usual  almost  interminable  cor- 
respondence back  and  forth  which 
"furnishes  a  typical  example  of 
procedure  in  the  matter  of  frontier 
defense  and  a  suggestion  of  the 
baneful  effect  of  long-distance  leg- 
islation upon  the  missions  and  col- 
onies." At  last,  the  viceroyal 
council  resolved  that,  for  the   pres- 


(1)  Psalm  xliv,  11. 

(2)  I  Peter  iv,  11. 


Matt,  xxvii 


426 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ent,  a  garrison  of  thirty  soldiers 
and  a  mission  should  be  established 
in  the  Orcoquiza  country,  "the 
centre  of  whose  population  was  a 
western  branch  of  the  San  Jacinto 
River,  usually  called  the  Arroyo  de 
San  Rosa  de  Alcazar  which  is  clear- 
ly the  Spring  Creek  of  to-day." 
The  mission  was  to  be  in  charge 
of  two  Fathers  from  the  missionary 
College  of  Guadalupe  de  Zacatecas. 
Each  Father  was  allowed  $400  as 
annual  stipend. 

Governor  Barrios  promptly  set  to 
work  constructing  the  presidio, 
which  was  accomplished  in  May  or 
June,  1756.  In  honor  of  the  viceroy 
the  presidio  was  called  San  Agustin 
de  Ahumada.  The  site  lay  near 
a  lagoon,  a  short  distance  east  of 
the  left  bank  of  the  Trinity  River, 
about  two  leagues  from  the  head  of 
the  bay,  or  near  the  north  line  of 
present  Chambers  County. '3)  On 
June  12,  1757,  it  was  reported 
that  the  presidio,  church,  granary 
and  corrals  were  completed,  and 
that  the  fields  and  gardens 
been  prepared  for  cultivation. 

The  mission    established  in 
neighborhood  of  the  presidio 
called   Nuestra  Senora   de   la 
(Our    Lady    of    Light),    with 
addition  of  "del  Orcoquiza." 
fore  the  arrival  of  the  regular  mis- 
sionaries, Fr.    Romero  of  the  Ais 
Mission  went  among  the   Orcoquiza 
and    secured    promises    that    they 
would   join.     Governor   Barrios   at 
this  date,  July,  1756,    talked   hope- 
fully of  founding  three  missions. 

The  first  missionaries   were   Fr. 


(3)     Bancroft,  History  of  Tex< 


Bruno  Chavira  and  Fr.  Marco3 
Satereyn,  the  former  an  elderly 
man,  the  latter  youthful.  Just 
when  they  arrived  is  not  clear, 
Bolton  says,  but  it  was  evidently 
after  August,  1756,  and  certainly 
before  the  end  of  January,  1757. 

Fr.  Joseph  Francisco  Caro,  for- 
merly of  Mission  Nuestra  Senora  de 
los  Dolores  de  los  Ais,  who  had 
taken  Fr.  Chavira's  place,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1758,  wrote  to  Fr.  Presidente 
Vallejo  a  mournful  tale  about  the 
physical  miseries  of  life  at  this 
swampy,  malarial,  mosquito-infest- 
ed post.  Fr.  Chavira  had  died,  he 
said,  from  the  unhealthfulness  of 
the  place;  his  companion,  Fr.  Mar- 
cos Satereyn,  and  all  the  soldiers 
were  sick  from  dysentery  due  to 
bad  water,  excessive  humidity,  and 
putrid  lagoons  near  by.  A  removal 
was  proposed,  but  never  made.  In- 
deed a  second  church  was  even  built 
in  1759. 

The  missionaries  continued  their 
wTork  and  in  the  course  of  the  next 
six  years  effected  the  "perfect  con- 
version" of  thirty  Indians,  mainly 
adults.  The  names  of  the  other 
Franciscans  who  appear  are  Fr. 
Luis  Salvino  and  Fr.  Bernardino 
Aristorena,  1764-1766;  Fr.  Bernardo 
de  Silva,  1766;  Fr.  Joseph  Marenti, 
1767;  Fr.  Ignacio  Maria  Laba,  1768- 
1771;  Fr.  Anselmo  Garcia,  1770; 
and  Fr.  Joseph  del  Rosario  Soto, 
1770. 

Passing  over  the  scandals  among 
the  military  officials  which  constrain 
Bolton  to  exclaim  of  the  presidio: 
"Truly    an    unfortunate  establish. 

places  this  presidio  one    hundred    miles  too   far 


had 

the 
was 
Luz 
the 
Be- 


north. 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


427 


ment  was  that  of  San  Agustin!" 
we  note  that  in  1767  the  Marques 
de  Rubi  honored  the  place  with  an 
inspection,  but  not  with  his  good 
opinion,  as  his  comments  demon- 
strate. "The  map  which  I  made," 
he  writes,  "shows  the  size  of  this 
presidio,  situated  in  thirty  degrees 
and  thirty-three  minutes  north  la- 
titude and  283  degrees  fifty-two 
minutes  longitude,  from  the  meri- 
dian of  Tenerife It  is  distant  a 

league  from  the  coast  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  toward  the  east  and  five 
toward  the  south,  where  the  Rio 
Trinidad  disembogues,  passing  one- 
fourth  of  a  league  wrest  of  the  pre- 
sidio. The  river  is  very  wide  and 
deep,  and  stands  in  pools,  because 
of  its  low  banks  and  a  sand  dune 
which,  blocking  its  mouth,  checks 
its  course.  For  this  reason  all  this 
country  is  full  of  lagoons  which 
make    it    diffcult    to    explore    the 

coast  

"The  garrison  of  this  presidio 
consists  of  a  company  of  cavalry  of 
thirty-one  men,  including  the  cap- 
tain, a  lieutenant,  and  a  sergeant, 
and  its  annual  allowance  amounts 
to  $13,245.90.  Besides,  there  are 
two  Religious  of  St.  Francis  who 
minister  to  the  soldiers  and  to  the 
Mission  of  Nuestra  Senora  de  la 
Luz,  which  is  nearby,  and  wherein 
is  accomplished  what  I  have  said 
of  the  others.  I  therefore  consider 
this  presidio  useless,  for  it  does 
not  serve  to  support  the  missions, 
which  are  not  much  frequented  by 
reason  of  the  slight  inclination  of 
those  natives  to  embrace  our  holy 
Religion,  a  fact  which  has  been 
well     experienced    since    the   year 


1758,  when  the  only  mission  there 
was  founded  without  accomplish- 
ing in  all  this  time  the  conversion 
of  a  single  Indian."  For  the  rea- 
sons set  forth,  and  since  Louisiana 
no  longer  belonging  to  France, 
could  not  menace  Texas,  Rubi 
recommended  that  both  the  presidio 
and  the  mission  on  the  Trinity  be 
suppressed,  a  measure  which  was 
ordered  in  1772. 

Before  that  order  came  from 
Mexico,  however,  the  place  was 
already  abandoned.  In  answer 
to  a  call  from  the  governor  of  Tex- 
as in  1770,  to  aid  against  the  Apa- 
ches. Captain  Rafael  Pacheco  set 
out  with  a  part  of  the  garrison. 
In  February,  1771,  the  rest,  except 
three,  went  to  San  Antonio  in  obe- 
dience to  another  call.  Reluctant- 
ly Fr.  Ignacio  Laba  and  his  com- 
panion, a  few  weeks  later,  departed 
with  the  three  remaining  guards, 
and  then  the  mission  as  well  as  the 
presidio  passed  out  of  existence. 

There  is  nothing  more  to  be  said 
on  the  Missions  of  Texas.  We 
now  let  them  pass  in  review  to 
afford  a  clear  understanding  of  the 
work  of  the  Fathers.  According- 
ly, like  California,  Texas  witnessed 
the  founding  of  twenty-one  mis- 
sions, but  in  seven  groups.  The  first 
and  earliest  group  comprised  the 
missions  among  the  Hasinai  or  Tex- 
as Indians  proper,  in  the  northeast 
corner  of  Houston  County  and  the 
southwestern  corner  of  Cherokee 
County.  These  missions  were  named 
La  Mision  de  San  Francisco  de  los 
Tejas,  L'i  Mision  del  Santisimo 
Nombre  de  Maria,  and  La  Mision 
de  San  Jose  de  los  Nazones  near  the 


428 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


boarder  of  Rush  and  Nacogdoches 
counties. 

Venerable  Fr.  Antonio  Margil 
founded  another  group  of  missions, 
the  first  of  which  was  Neustra  Se- 
nora de  Guadalupe  at  what  is  now 
Nacogdoches.  The  second,  Nues- 
tra  Senora  de  los  Dolores,  on  the 
site  of  the  present  City  of  San  Au- 
gustine, Texas.  The  third,  San 
Miguel  de  los  Adaes  at  what  is  now 
the  village  of  Robeline,  Louisiana. 

The  third  group  of  missions,  the 
only  ones  that  really  thrived  for  a 
long  time,  a  century  indeed,  arose 
near  the  head-waters  of  the  Rio 
San  Antonio,  at  and  near  the  City 
of  San  Antonio,  Texas.  They  were 
San  Antonio  de  Valero,  Purisima 
Concepcion,  San  Jose,  San  Francis- 
co de  la  Espada,  and  San  Juan 
Capistrano. 

A  fourth  cluster  of  missions  came 
into  existence  on  the  lower  Guada- 
lupe and  San  Antonio  rivers  in  Vic- 
toria and  Goliad  counties.  They 
were  La  Mision  del  Espiritu  Santo, 
La  Mision  Nuestra  Senora  del  Ro- 
sario,  and  La  Mision  Nuestra  Se- 
nora del  Refugio,  the  last-named 
near  the  junction  of  the  Guadalupe 
and  San  Antonio  rivers. 

A  fifth  group  were  the  San  Xav- 
ier  Missions  in  Milam  County.  The 
first  was  called  La  Mision  Nuestra 
Senora  de  los  Dolores,  or  San  Fran- 
cisco Xavier  for  short.     It  was  fol- 


lowed by  La  Mision  Nuestra  Seno  - 
ra  de  la  Candelaria,  and  La  Mision 
de  San  Lorenzo. 

The  Apache  Missions  formed 
another  group  in  the  western  part 
of  Texas  on  the  San  Saba  River  in 
Menard  County.  Only  one  mission 
was  established  there,  La  Mision 
de  Santa  Cruz,  and  a  short  time 
later  it  was  transferred  about  thir- 
ty leagues  southward,  near  the 
southern  border  of  Edwards  Coun- 
ty, where  two  missions  were  estab- 
lished under  the  titles  respectively 
of  La  Mision  de  San  Lorenzo  and 
Jja  Mision  Nuestra  Senora  de  la 
Candelaria. 

Finally,  we  have  the  mission 
just  spoken  of,  La  Mision  Nuestra 
Senora  de  la  Luz. 

The  Fathers  of  the  College  of 
Santa  Cruz,  Queretaro,  conducted 
two  Indian  missions  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  the 
modern  Eagle  Pass,  in  Mexico, 
which  were  protected  by  the  presi- 
dio of  San  Juan  Bautista.  They 
had  been  founded  about  the  close 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
were  known  far  and  wide  as  La 
Mision  de  San  Juan  Bautista  and 
La  Mision  de  San  Bernardo  respec- 
tively. Their  activity  extended  in- 
to Texas,  but  as  they  were  situated 
outside  the  State,  they  should  be 
treated  in  connection  with  the  his- 
tory ot  Mexico. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


429 


BARAGA,  THE  APOSTLE  OF  THE  NORTHWEST 


By  Fr.  Odoric,  O.F.M. 
{Concluded) 


DURING  Baraga's  first  year  at 
La  Pointe,  he  baptized  two 
hundred  and  fifty-five  per- 
sons, the  greater  number  of  whom 
were  adults.  The  little  church 
soon  became  too  small  to  accomo- 
date the  crowds  of  pious  Indian 
worshippers,  and  many  had  to  re- 
in a  i  n  outside 
during  the  ser- 
vices. To  se- 
cure the  funds 
necessary  t  o 
enlarge  the 
building,  Bara- 
ga resolved  to 
journey  to  Eu- 
rope. He  ar- 
rived in  Paris 
during  the 
early  fall  of 
1836,  and  after 
making  the 
necessary  ar- 
rangements for 
the  publication 
of  his  Chippewa 
prayerbook,  he 
preached  and 
lectured     in 

■m  i     •  Bishop 

France    and  m 

his  native  country  and  succeeded 
in  collecting  funds  sufficient  for  the 
immediate  needs  of  his  growing 
mission  at  La  Pointe.  His  youngest 
sister  Antonia,  the  youthful  widow 
of  Felix  von  Hoeffern,  returned 
with  him  to  America  to  act  as  his 
housekeeper  and  to  assist  him  in 
teaching  the   natives.     Unhappily, 


the  climate  of  the   Lake   Superior 
region  was  too  severe  for  her  frail 
constitution,  and   after   two   years 
she  was  obliged  to  leave  the  mission. 
After  grounding  his  neophytes  at 
La  Pointe  in  their  holy  Faith,    Fa- 
ther Baraga  sought   to   gain  other 
souls   for   the   Fold   of    Christ    at 
L'Anse,  where 
he   arrived    on 
October    24, 
1843,       having 
been  invited  to 
that    field     by 
Pierre    Crebes- 
sa,  an  employee 
of   the   Ameri- 
can  Fur   Com- 
pany.    Baraga 
himself   writes 
thus  of  his  new 
mission:      "L'- 
Anse,    an    un- 
pleasant, drea- 
ry, sterile  place, 
can    not    com- 
pare  with     La 
Pointe.     Only 
the  wish  to  help 
these  poor  In-. 
araga  dians    attain 

eternal  happiness  keeps  me  here. 
I  have  here,  it  is  true,  no  comforts, 
oftentimes  barely  the  necessaries 
of  life;  but  what  consolation,  what 
grand  reward,  what  unspeakable 
joy  will  it  be  for  me  when  on  the 
Day  of  Judgment,  some  of  these, 
my  good  children  in  Christ,  or 
rather  all  of  them,  as    I   hope,  will 


430 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


surround  me  and  give  their  testi- 
mony before  the  rigorous  Judge: 
'He  was  the  first  to  announce  to  us 
Thy  divine  word,  he  has  told  us  of 
Thy  mercies,  and  filled  our  hearts 
with  faith  and  love  towards  Thee!' 
Oh,  how  I  thank  my  God  for  call- 
ing me  to  this  laborious,  but  at  the 
same  time,  highly  consoling  mis- 
sionary state!" 

But  God  had  destined  Father 
Baraga  to  be  not  merely  a  mission- 
ary priest;  for  in  the  summer  of 
1853,  the  northern  peninsula  of 
Michigan  was  separated  from  the 
diocese  of  Detroit  as  a  vicariate 
apostolic,  and  Father  Baraga  was 
appointed  its  first  bishop.  He  was 
consecrated  on  November  1  of  the 
same  year,  at  Cincinnati,  by  Arch- 
bishop Purcell,  assisted  by  Bishops 
Lefevre  of  Detroit  and  Henni.  of 
Milwaukee.  Bishop  Lefevre  ceded 
to  the  newly  consecrated  bishop 
the  Indian  missions  of  his  diocese 
in  lower  Michigan,  and  Bishop 
Henni  did  the  same  in  regard  to 
those  of  northern  Wisconsin;  the 
like  was  done  by  the  Bishop  of 
Hamilton  in  regard  to  the  Indians 
of  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior. 
Bishop  Baraga  had  thus  a  very 
large  territory  with  many  Indian 
charges  and  but  few  priests  to  min- 
ister to  their  spiritual  needs.  For 
at  the  time  of  his  consecration, 
there  were  but  two  priests  in 
northern  Michigan. 

Baraga  was  not  to  be  daunted 
by  difficulties.  He  was  now  no 
longer  Mekateivikivanaie,  the  Black- 
Robe,  but  Kitchi-Mekatewikwanaie, 
the  Great  Black-Robe,  and  his  zeal 
for  the  conversion   of   the   natives 


seemed  to  increase  with  his  respon- 
sibilities. Like  another  St.  Paul, 
we  see  him  traversing  his  exten- 
sive diocese,  everywhere  preach- 
ing, hearing  confessions,  baptizing, 
and  strengthening  his  neophytes 
by  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Confirma- 
tion, erecting  churches  and  schools, 
ordaining  priests  and  appointing 
them  pastors  of  portions  of  his  scat- 
tered flock;  all  the  while  suffering 
such  hardships  and  meeting  with 
such  obstacles  as  none  but  a  saint 
could  bear.  It  is  true  that  at  times 
he  suffered  great  mental  depres- 
sion, caused  above  all  by  the  bad 
conduct  of  some  members  of  his 
flock.  Thus  he  wrote  in  his  diary 
on  November  1,  1856:  "This  is 
the  third  anniversary  of  my  conse- 
cration ;  a  very  sad  day.  I  might 
almost  say:    Dies  Me  vertatur  in 

tenebras obscurent  eum    tenebrae 

et  umbrae  mortis;  occupet  eum  caligo 
et  involvatur  amaritudine."     (Let 

that  day  be  turned  into  darkness 

Let  darkness  and  the  shadow  of 
death  cover  it,  let  a  mist  overspread 
it,  and  let  it  be  wrapped  up  in  bit- 
terness. Job.  iii,  4,  5.)  His  deep 
sense  of  the  awful  responsibility 
resting  on  the  episcopal  dignity 
was  a  source  of  continual  anxiety 
to  him.  It  was  this  that  gave  iiim 
no  rest,  but  urged  him  on  to  do  air 
he  could  for  his  people  and  his  own 
soul's  salvation.  He  felt  indeed 
that  the  burden  of  the  episcopacy 
is  an  onus  vel  angelicis  humeris 
jormidandum,—a.  burden  formida- 
ble even  to  the  shoulders  of  an 
angel,  as  he  declared  in  one  of  his 
letters. 
But,  if  the  hardships   he  encoun- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


431 


tered  were  great,  his  confidence  in 
the  help  of  God  was  greater  and 
many  a  time  it  was  even  marve- 
lously  rewarded.  On  one  occasion, 
he  wished  to  go  from  La  Pointe  to 
Grand  Portage,  Minnesota.  He  en- 
gaged a  half-breed  Indian  to  make 
the  journey  with  him,  and  although 
the  people  at  La  Pointe  laughed  at 
him  for  attempting  so  perilous  a 
trip  in  a  frail  boat,  that  had  neither 
keel  nor  center-board,  he  set  out 
bravely,  trusting  firmly  that  God 
would  guide  him  safely  across  the 
lake.  At  Sand  Island  they  awaited 
a  favorable  wind,  and  then  set  sail 
at  last  on  an  unusually  calm  day. 
But  before  they  had  gone  twenty  of 
the  forty  miles,  a  heavy  west  wind 
arose  and  the  lake  grew  very  rough. 
While  in  the  height  of  the  storm  in 
mid- lake,  the  Indian  became  fright- 
ened and  exclaimed  in  Chippewa  to 
Baraga,  who  was  lying  on  his  back 
in  the  boat  reciting  his  office  ap- 
parently unaware  of  the  wind  and 
the  waves,  "Nosse,  ki  ga-nibomin, 
ganabatch— Father,  perhaps  we  are 
going  to  perish!"  But  Baraga 
calmed  his  fears,  saying  quietly, 
"Kego  segisiken,  Wizon— Don't  be 
afraid,  Wizon  (Louis);  the  priest 
will  not  die  in  the  water.  If  he 
died  here  in  the  water,  the  people 
on  the  other  shore,  whither  we  are 
going,  would  be  unfortunate. "  Aft- 
er struggling  with  the  waves  for 
over  a  distance  of  seventy  miles, 
they  finally  landed  thirty  miles 
above  their  destination  at  the  mouth 
of  a  small  river.  Full  of  gratitude 
for  their  miraculous  escape,  they  at 
once  proceeded  to  erect  a  cross. 
"Wizon,"  said  the  missonary,    "let 


us  make  a  cross  here  that  the  Chris- 
tian Indians  may  know  that  the 
priest  coming  from  La  Pointe  land- 
ed here."  The  cross,  it  is  true, 
was  inartistic,  but  it  was  the  em- 
blem of  their  holy  faith  and  it  gave 
the  name,  Tchibaiatigo-Sibi,  Cross 
River,  to  the  little  stream  where 
they  had  landed. 

On  another  occasion,  Father  Ba- 
raga was  going  to  Ontonagan  in 
company  with  a  half-breed  Indian 
during  the  month  of  March  or 
April.  At  this  season  of  the  year, 
the  ice  on  Lake  Superior,  though 
thick,  becomes  honey-combed  and 
rotten.  Going  on  the  ice  at  La 
Pointe  Island  they  did  not  notice 
that  after  some  time  a  strong 
south-west  wind  had  caused  the  ice 
field  to  become  detached  from  the 
shore  and  that  they  were  being 
carried  out  into  the  lake.  But  be- 
fore long,  Newagon,  the  Indian 
guide,  became  aware  of  what  had 
happened,  for  he  could  see  the  blue 
waters  between  them  and  the  shore. 
The  situation  was  grave  in  the  ex- 
treme, for  had  the  wind  continued 
to  blow  in  the  same  direction,  the 
ice  would  have  been  driven  far  out 
into  the  lake,  and  broken  into  frag- 
ments and  they  would  have  surely 
perished.  The  distracted  guide 
threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  the 
bishop  and  besought  absolution. 
The  bishop  told  him  calmly  to 
repress  his  fears,  for  God  would  not 
permit  a  missionary,  on  his  way  to 
a  sick  member  of  his  flock  who 
needed  his  ministration,  to  be  cut 
off.  Then  kneeling  down  on  the 
ice,  he  proceeded  to  pray  and  to  sing 
pious  hymns  in  Chippewa  to   div  er 


432 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Newagon's  attention  from  the  dan- 
ger. Finally,  the  wind  shifted  and 
blew  the  field  of  ice  back  toward  the 
shore  where  they  easily  gained 
terra  firma.  It  is  noteworthy  that 
they  landed  near  Cadotte  Point, 
which  is  but  a  short  distance  from 
Ontonagan.  "See,"  said  Baraga 
to  his  companion,  "we  have  trav- 
eled  a    great    distance    and    have 


dence  to  shorten  and  facilitate  -  the 
saintly  priest's  journey. 

As  to  Bishop  Baraga's  personal 
appearance,  we  will  give  Hon, 
Richard  R.  Elliot's  recollection  of 
him  as  he  saw  him  in  1855:  "He 
was  a  man  frail  in  appearance, 
whose  weight,  apparently,  would 
not  exceed  one  hundred  pounds. 
He  was  short  in   stature,    with  re- 


Bishop  Baraga  Lying  in  State  at  Marquette,  Michigan 


worked  little."  La  Pointe  is  about 
sixty  or  seventy  miles  by  air  line 
from  Ontonagan  and  had  the  mis- 
sionary and  his  guide  been  obliged 
to  walk  the  whole  distrance  around 
the  bend  of  the  lake,  it  would  have 
probably  taken  them  two  or  three 
days  of  very  hard  and  fatiguing 
traveling.  Thus,  what  at  first 
seemed  to  threaten  certain  death 
was  used  by  God's   fatherly   provi- 


gularly  proportioned  frame,  small 
feet  and  hands;  his  features  were 
classic,  and  mild  in  expression;  his 
eyes  were  blue,  but  passive;  while 
his  face  was  tanned  to  the  color  of 
a  half-breed,  the  general  expression 
of  which  tended  to  abstraction. 
His  hair,  which  he  wore  rather 
long,  was  a  light  brown;  it  was 
abundant,  but  apparently  lifeless; 
it  had  probably  become  so  from  the 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


433 


necessity  of  keeping  his  head  pro- 
tected from  the  cold  atmosphere  in 
which  he  lived  during  ten  months 
of  the  year."  (American  Catholic 
Review,  1896,  page  111.) 

While  attending  the  Plenary 
Council  of  Baltimore,  Bishop  Bara- 
ga suffered  a  severe  stroke  of  apo- 
plexy from  which  he  never  thor- 
oughly recovered.  In  a  letter 
written  April  3,  1867,  he  says,  "Un- 
fortunately the  state  of  my  health 
for  the  last  six  months  has  remained 
unchanged.  I  am  so  weak  that  I 
can  scarcely  speak  audibly,  or  move. 
I  rise  every  morning  and  walk  from 
time  to  time  up  and  down  in  my 
room  in  order  to  lie  easier  in  bed. 
Everybody  that  sees  or  hears  me 
thinks  I  can  scarcely  live  a  week 
longer.  Yet  I  continue  to  live  and  to 
wait  for  my  successor,  who  is  to  come 
this  summer.  For  the  last  four 
months,  I  have  been  unable  to  say 
Mass;  but  I  will  use  all  my  strength 
to  say  Mass  on  Holy  Thursday  and 
consecrate  the  Holy  Oils." 

The  eminent  patient  lingered 
through  that  year  and  into  the  new 
year  of  1868,  when  it  became  evi- 
dent that  his  end  was  near.  On 
the  eve  of  Epiphany,  he  received 
the  last  sacraments.  To  the  very  end 
he  retained  the  full  use  of  his  men- 
tal faculties,  and  even  when  he  was 
too  weak  to  speak,  he  tried  to  make 
his  wishes  known  partly  by  writing 
partly  by  signs,  though  indeed  only 
with  the  greatest  effort.  At  last, 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
January  19,  1868,  on  which  day  the 
feast  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  fell 
that  year,  he    breathed    forth    his 


pure  and  tried  spirit  into  the  hands 
of  Him  whom  he  had  endeavored  30 
faithfully  to  serve. 

The  funeral  services  were  held  on 
January  31,  in  the  cathedral  at 
Marquette.  Owing  to  the  severity 
of  the  weather  at  the  time,  only  six 
priests  were  present,  but  the  church 
could  not  contain  the  crowds  of  the 
faithful  from  Marquette  and  the 
surrounding  country  that  gathered 
to  do  honor  to  their  father  and 
bishop. 

Rev.  Fr.  Chrysostom  Verwyst,  o. 
f.m.,  himself  a  veteran  Indian  mis- 
sionary of  the  Lake  Superior  region, 
;  justly  styles  Baraga  "The  Indian 
Apostle  of  the  Northwest."  Asa 
priest  in  the  parishes  of  his  native 
country  we  find  him  a  model  of  all 
sacerdotal  virtues;  as  an  Indian 
missionary  he  was  second  to  none 
in  self-sacrificing  labor  for  the  con- 
version of  the  aborigines,  not  to 
mention  his  untiring  labors  to  bring 
back  sinners  to  a  sense  of  their  re- 
ligious duty ;  as  a  bishop  we  find  him 
indefatigable  in  promoting  the  cause 
of  religion  and  virtue  in  his  vast  dio- 
cese; and  as  a  man  we  see  in  him 
the  paragon  of  every  gentlemanly 
virtue,  whose  purity  of  soul  and 
singleness  of  purpose,  whose  mor- 
tified life  and  burning  zeal  for  ev- 
erything good  joined  to  uncommon 
talents  and  acquirements  won  for 
him  the  respect  and  love  of  Catho- 
lic and  Protestant,  convert  and  pa- 
gan, and  whose  memory  will  never 
pass  away  as  long  as  their  is  a  heart 
capable  of  appreciating  what  the 
Church  in  the  great  Northwest 
owes  to  Frederick  Baraga. 


434 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — On  August  14,  the 
Sacred  Congregation  of  Rites  began 
deliberations  on  the  heroic  virtues  of 
Venerable  Marian  de  Rocca-Casale, 
a  lay  brother  of  the  Order  of  Friars 
Minor.  The  servant  of  God  died  in 
1866  in  the  friary  of  Civitella.  He 
attained  the  age  of  eighty  years  and 
he  was  known  far  and  wide  for  his 
eminent  sanctity.  All  the  prelates 
and  consultors  of  the  Sacred  Con- 
gregation were  present  at  the  meet-  I 
ing,  over  which  His  Eminence  Car- 
dinal  Cassetta  presided.  Mean- 
while, in  the  Franciscan  church  con-  i 
nected  with  St.  Antony's  Interna- 
tional College,  Rome,  the  Blessed  i 
Sacrament  was  solemnly  exposed 
and  the  religious  of  the  local  com-  I 
munity  as  well  as  a  large  gathering 
of  the  laity  spent  the  day  in  earnest 
prayer  to  implore  Heaven's  guid- 
ance on  the  members  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation  deliberating  on  the 
cause  of  the  holy  Brother. 

France. --George  Fonse-grive- 
Lespinasse,  the  distinguished 
French  philosopher  who  died  some 
months  since,  was  according  to  El  < 
Eco  Franciscano  a  fervent  Tertiary 
and  a  zealous  promoter  of  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis.  He  was  born 
in  1852,  and  for  many  years  taught 
at  the  Lyceum  Buffon  in  Paris.  In 
the  literary  world,  he  is  known  un- 
der the  pen-name  Yves  le  Querdec. 
The  eminent  scholar  was  a  personal  | 
friend  of  the  late  Pope  Leo  XIII  and 
had  the  rare  privilege  of  being  sum- 
moned by  this  Pope  to  give  a  lec- 
ture in  the  Vatican.  By  the  zeal 
with  which  he  supported  and  fos- 
tered social  reform  on  Christian 
lines,  he  made  himself  many  ene- 
mies among  the  leaders  of  modern 
liberalism.  It  is  well  known  with 
what  fury  Renan  opposed  his  becom- 
ing a  candidate  for  the  College  of 
France.  A  man  of  lively  faith,  the 
Tertiary  philosopher  preferred  the 


welfare  of  souls  to  the  possession  of 
honors  and  distinctions.  He  will 
probably  go  down  in  history  as  one  of 
the  four  or  five  most  eminent  Catho- 
lic philosophers  of  our  time. 

Corrientes,  Argentine.— On  July 
5,  the  mortal  remains  of  Rev.  Fr. 
Jose  de  la  Quintana,  the  well-known 
Franciscan  priest  and  professor, 
were  exhumed  in  the  church  of  St. 
Francis,  this  city.  Fr.  Jose  died 
in  1862.  after  having  spent  no  less 
than  sixty-three  years  as  professor 
educating  young  men  for  the  Fran- 
ciscan province  of  Argentine.  A 
monument  has  now  been  erected  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  this  illus- 
trious and  zealous  friar,  to  whom 
in  great  part  the  province  of  Argen- 
tine owes  its  present  flourishing  con- 
dition. 

Laguna,  Canary  Islands.  —  Impres- 
sive ceremonies  marked  the  solemn 
installation  of  a  community  of  Fran- 
ciscan friars,  on  August  10.  Be- 
sides the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  who  pre- 
sided at  the  function,  the  ecclesias- 
tical, civil,  and  military  authorities, 
various  societies  and  confraterni- 
ties, and  an  unusually  large  number 
of  the  citizens  were  present. 

Arauco,  Chile.— The  first  August 
issue  of  Revista  Sarafica  de  Chile 
brings  the  annual  report  which  the 
Minister  Provincial  of  the  Francis- 
can Missions  in  Arauca  addressed  to 
the  Government  headquarters  last 
June.  The  report  presents  a  fair 
picture  of  what  the  missionary  Fa- 
thers are  achieving  for  the  civiliza- 
tion and  education  of  those  commit- 
ted to  them  in  their  fourteen  mis- 
sions. During  the  year  ending  June, 
2607  Baptisms  were  administered, 
1716  persons  received  the  Sacrament 
of  Confirmation,  while  376  marriages 
Were  solemnized.  Their  various 
schools  are  attended  by  more  than 
2000  children,  of  whom  a  large 
number  depend  entirely  on  the  mis- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


415 


sions  for  support.  In  the  same  re- 
port, the  Very  Rev.  Provincial 
draws  the  attention  of  the  Govern- 
ment to  the  heroic  zeal  with  which 
the  Franciscan  Sisters  of  the  Third 
Order  are  aiding  the  Fathers  in 
their  vast  mission  fields.  They  are 
conducting  boarding-schools  for 
girls  in  Angol,  Lautaro,  and  Nueva 
Imperial,  and  are  now  on  the  point 
of  opening  another  such  school  for 
girls  in  Cholchol. 

Santarem,  Para,  Brazil. — The 
Franciscan  Fathers  engaged  in  the 
vast  mission  fields  of  Santarem  are 
now  occupying  the  beautiful  new  fri- 
ary recently  erected  for  them.  A 
new  residence  for  Rt.  Rev.  Amandus 
Bahlmann,  o.f.m.,  Bishop  of  San- 
tarem, is  also  in  construction.  Re- 
cently, the  Minister  Provincial  of 
the  Franciscans  in  Brazil  visited 
Santarem.  From  there  he  contin- 
ued his  journey  up  the  Tapayos 
River,  and  after  many  days  of 
weary  travel  reached  the  distant 
missions  among  the  Mundurucus. 
Rev.  Fr.  Ambrose  has  been  trans- 
ferred from  the  province  to  the 
prelature  of  Santarem  in  order  to 
devote  himself  to  missionary  work 
on  the  Amazon  River.  The  Fran- 
ciscan province  of  Brazil  has  suf- 
fered a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of 
Rev.  Fr.  Bonaventure.  He  was 
born  in  1876  and  entered  the  Fran- 
ciscan Order  in  1894.  Seventeen 
years  ago  he  was  ordained  priest 
and  was  known  and  cherished  by 
all  for  his  learning  and  piety.  He 
was  master  of  novices  until  a  year 
ago,  when  ill  health  necessitated  his 
removal  from  this  arduous  post. 
He  spent  the  last  vear  of  his  life  in 
the  friary  of  Olinda.  R.  I.  P. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 
— The  biennial  retreat  for  our  Ter- 
tiaries  was  conducted  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Leo,  o.f.m.,  from  September  30  to 
October  7.  The  Reverend  Father 
dwelt  especially  on  the  great  love 
of  St.  Francis  for  God,  for  our 
Blessed  Savior  in   his   passion   and 


in  the  Eucharist,  and  also  on  his 
marvelous  love  for  his  fellow  men. 
At  the  close  of  the  retreat,  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  new  mem- 
bers were  received  into  the  Third 
Order.  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial 
Samuel  Macke  conducted  the  ser- 
vices on  this  occasion  and  after  the 
reception  addressed  the  Tertiaries 
in  his  own  fatherly  way,  exhorting 
them  to  be  true  children  of  their 
Seraphic  Father  and  to  give  to  all 
the  example  of  faithful,  zealous 
Tertiaries.  An  informal  meeting, 
at  which  Rev.  Fr.  Provincial,  Fr. 
Leo,  and  Fr.  Fortunatus  were  the 
guests  of  honor,  was  then  held  in 
the  church  hall,  thus  affording  the 
Tertiaries  an  opportunity  for  be- 
coming better  acquainted  with  one 
another. 

Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church: 
—The  canonical  visitation  of  our 
local  Tertiary  fraternities  took  place 
in  the  afternoon  of  October  7. 
Seventeen  hundred  Tertiaries 
marched  in  the  procession  that 
conducted  the  Reverend  Visitor,  Fr. 
Roger,  o.f.m.,  from  the  parish 
school  to  the  church,  which  had 
been  gorgeously  decorated  for  the 
occasion.  When  the  Tertiaries  had 
filed  into  the  church  all  available 
space  was  taken  up,  and  the  ushers 
were  compelled  to  refuse  admission 
to  the  crowds  of  non-Tertiaries  who 
had  come  to  witness  the  ceremony. 
This  was  undoubtedly  the  largest 
gathering  of  Tertiaries  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  fraternities  and  was  a 
source  of  joy  and  edification  to  all 
who  witnessed  it.  The  Reverend 
Fr.  Visitor  addressed  his  hearers 
both  in  English  and  in  German, 
drawing  attention  to  the  Rule  of 
the  Third  Order  as  a  most  excellent 
means  for  self-sanctification,  and 
then  dwelling  more  at  length  on 
Tertiary  activity,  especially  in  re- 
gard to  neglected  children,  the 
poor,  the  Indian  missions,  and  the 
spreading  of  wholesome  literature. 
After  imparting  the   general   abso- 


436 


FRANCISCAN    HERALD 


lution,  he  admitted  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  postulants  into  the  Third 
Order.  In  the  evening  of  the  same 
day,  the  two  weeks'  mission  which 
had  been  preached  in  our  church 
by  Rev.  Fr.  John  Joseph,  O.F.M., 
and  Rev.  Fr.  Titus,  o.f.m.,  was 
brought  to  a  close,  and  again  the 
Tertiaries  assembled  in  large  num- 
bers for  this  solemn  service.  The 
Reverend  Missionary,  on  beholding 
their  zeal,  could  not  but  commend 
the  splendid  spirit  that  animated 
them.  The  Reverend  Director 
wishes  through  the  columns  of  the 
Herald  to  thank  the  Rev.  Visitor, 
the  Rev.  Missionaries,  the  Rev. 
Fathers  of  the  local  monastery  and 
of  West  Park,  the  choir,  and  finally 
all  the  Tertiaries,  especially  the  so- 
called  "workers,"  for  their  hearty 
cooperation  in  making  this  the  first 
canonical  visitation  of  the  fraterni- 
ties so  signal  a  success. 

Pierz,  Minn. -The  little  Tertiary 
fraternity  in  this  city  received  a 
notable  increase  in  its  membership 
on  October  4,  when  eleven  candi- 
dates were  admitted  to  the  noviti- 
ate of  the  Third  Order.  Although 
the  fraternity  is  rather  small  in 
numbers,  yet  the  Tertiaries  them- 
selves are  quite  fervent  in  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Rule  and  are  con- 
stantly endeavoring  to  secure  new 
members  for  the  Order. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis 
Church. — October  4  last  will  go  down 
in  the  chronicle  of  the  Third  Order 
conference  of  this  parish  as  one  of 
the  greatest  red  letter  days  of  its 
history,  for  on  this  day  our  Tertia- 
ries were  privileged  to  see  their  be- 
loved Archbishop,  the  Most  Rev. 
Sebastian  G.  Messmer,  D.D.,  with 
sixty-two  other  persons  invested 
with  the  scapular  and  cord  of  the 
Third  Order  of  St.  Francis.  From 
September  26-30,  spiritual  exercises 
were  held  for  the  English-speaking 
Tertiaries,  and  were  concluded  Sun- 
day of ternoon,  at  3  o'clock.  At  8. 45 
p.  m.,  of  the  same  day,   a  retreat 


opened  for  the  German-speaking 
members  of  the  Third  Order.  Both 
retreats  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Basil,  o.M.  cap.,  guardian  of  Holy 
Cross  Monastery  at  Wauwatosa, 
Wis.  At  the  close  of  the  second  re- 
treat in  the  evening  of  October  4, 
crowds  hurried  to  St.  Francis  Church 
long  before  the  appointed  time,  and 
it  is  estimated  that  approximately 
one  thousand  people  thronged  the 
spacious  building  to  the  very  doors. 
"Just  like  Christmas,  at  the  mid- 
night Mass,"  as  one  of  the  ushers 
expressed  himself.  The  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Provincial  Antonine  Wilmer,  o. 
M.  cap.,  officiated,  assisted  by  two 
Tertiary  priests,  Rev.  Henry  Ries 
and  Rev.  M.  M.  Gerend,  while  sev- 
eral other  priests  were  present  in 
the  sanctuary.  Rev.  FF.  Benno 
and  Bernardine,  O.M.  cap.,  attended 
the  Archbishop.  After  the  conclud- 
ing sermon  of  the  spiritual  exercis- 
es, the  Rev.  Retreat  Master  gave 
the  papal  blessing,  whereupon  the 
investment  of  the  candidates  took 
place.  In  his  address,  Rev.  Fr.  Pro- 
vincial referred  to  the  edifying  act 
of  our  much  loved  Archbishop  in 
being  thus  publicly  invested  with 
the  humble  garb  of  the  Third  Or- 
der of  St  Francis  and  expressed  his 
joy  in  being  privileged,  though  with 
much  embarrassment,  to  receive 
him.  He  also  exhorted  the  Tertia- 
ries to  be  more  mindful  of  His 
Grace  in  their  prayers  now  that  he 
was  to  be  their  brother  Tertiary. 
After  the  investment,  the  Archbish- 
op also  addressed  the  congregation. 
In  warm  words  he  expressed  his 
pleasure  at  having  been  admitted 
to  the  ranks  of  the  Tertiaries,  de- 
claring it  to  be  an  honor  and  a  priv- 
ilege to  become  a  member  of  the 
great  Franciscan  Order.  For  some 
years  past  congregational  singing 
has  been  in  vogue  at  the  regular 
conferences  of  the  Tertiaries,  and 
this  solemn  occasion  made  no  ex- 
ception to  the  rule.  The  ceremony 
was  brought  to  a  close  with  solemn 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


437 


Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment, at  which  His  Grace  officiated. 

A  new  field  for  Tertiary  activity- 
has  been  recently  inaugurated  here 
in  Milwaukee  in  the  form  of  the  "St. 
Francis  Day  Nursery."  A  very 
suitable  building  for  the  purpose 
has  been  secured  directly  across  the 
street  from  our  church,  and  the  nur- 
sery will  be  under  the  supervision 
of  both  Tertiary  fraternities.  It 
has  long  been  felt  that  an  institu- 
tion of  this  kind  is  a  necessity  in 
our  city  and  the  Tertiaries  now 
have  the  honor  of  conducting  the 
first  Catholic  day  nursery  in  Mil- 
waukee. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.— Deeply  im- 
pressive were  the  ceremonies  con- 
nected with  the  dedication  and  ca- 
nonical erection  of  the  convent  of  the 
Poor  Clares,  1904  Girard  Avenue,  in 
this  city,  on  the  feast  of  St.  Francis 
of  Assisi.  Attended  by  members 
of  the  reverend  clergy,  the  Right 
Rev.  Bishop  McCort  proceeded  from 
room  to  room,  blessingthe  new  struc- 
ture, and  later  he  signed  the  docu- 
ments establishing  the  papal  enclo- 
sure of  the  convent.  He  then  of- 
fered up  holy  Mass,  assisted  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Tully,  s.J.,  chaplain  of  the 
convent,  and  the  Rev.  John  B.  Mc- 
Shea.  Benediction  of  the  Most 
Blessed  Sacrament,  given  by  Father 
Tully,  followed. 

The  Sisters  of  this  convent  observe 
the  rule  of  St.  Clare  in  its  primitive 
rigor,  without  reformation  or  miti- 
gation. The  Order  was  introduced 
and  established  in  this  country  in 
the  year  1875,  by  the  Reverend 
Mothers  Mary  Maddalena  and  Mary 
Constanza  Bentivoglio,  who  were 
sent  by  his  Holiness  Pope  Pius  IX 
and  by  the  Most  Rev.  Fr.  Ber- 
nardine,  Minister  General  of  the 
Friars  Minor,  to  establish  monas- 
teries of  the  Poor  Clares  in  this 
country  in  which  the  original  Rule 
in  all  its  rigor  should  be  observed. 
Previous  to  this,  many  attempts 
had  been  made  to  found  houses  of 


the  Order  in  this  country,  but  they 
all  failed.  God  blessed  the  work  of 
the  Bentivoglio  Mothers,  however, 
and  this  present  convent  at  Phila- 
delphia is  the  ninth  that  owes  it 
origin  to  these  two  saintly  Sisters. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.— The  feast  of 
St.  Francis  was  celebrated  with 
more  than  usual  enthusiasm  and 
fervor  this  year  in  St.  Joseph's 
Church.  Goodly  numbers  of  the 
faithful  attended  the  various  Masses 
in  the  morning  and  especially  the 
devotions  in  the  evening.  The  Ter- 
tiaries from  far  and  near  received 
Holy  Communion  in  a  body  at  the 
eight  o'clock  Solemn  High  Mass,  at 
which  Rev.  Fr.  Theophilus,  O.F.M., 
preached  a  stirring  sermon  on  St. 
Francis,  the  perfect  copy  of  Christ 
Crucified.  At  the  evening  service, 
twenty  new  members  were  received 
into  the  local  fraternity  of  the 
Third  Order  by  the  Rev.  Director, 
Fr.  Julius,  o.f.m.,  who  filled  the 
Tertiaries  with  renewed  fervor  by 
briefly  yet  forcefully  outlining  the 
nature,  aim,  and  excellence  of  this 
highly  privileged  and  greatest  of 
all  Third  Orders  in  the  Church  of 
God. 

Teutopolis,  111.,  St.  Joseph's  Col- 
lege.—The  customary  solemn  ser- 
vices in  the  chapel  marked  the  great 
feast  of  our  Seraphic  Father  St. 
Francis.  On  the  same  day,  six 
novices  of  the  college  Tertiary  fra- 
ternity were  admitted  to  holy  pro- 
fession. That  our  student  Tertiar- 
ies are  wide-awake  members  of  the 
Third  Order  was  evinced  again  by 
the  fact  that  a  number  of  them  on 
their  return  to  college  from  their 
summer  vocation,  brought  with 
them  a  fine  assortment  of  vest- 
ments, altar  linens,  and  the  like 
for  the  fraternity's  annual  gift  to 
the  Indian  missions.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  beginning  thus  early  to 
take  interest  in  the  missions,  they 
will  develop  a  real  missionary  spirit 
and  in  God's  own  good  time  will 
give  not  only  alms    but   themselves 


438 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


to  the  Indians  in  the  effort  to   gain 
them  for  Heaven. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Mt.  St.  Se- 
pulchre.—The  feast  of  St.  Francis 
was  celebrated  here  with  special 
splendor.  His  Eminence  Cardinal 
Gibbons,  the  Rector  of  the  Catholic 
University,  a  goodly  number  of 
Dominicans,  several  professors  of 
the  University,  and  a  large  con- 
course of  the  laity,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent non-Catholic,  were  present  at 
the  Mass  celebrated  according  to 
the  Dominican  rite.  Dr.  Turner 
gave  a  fine  sermon  on  the  simplicity 
of  the  Seraphic  Father.  Dr.  Shields 
had  given  a  half-holiday  to  the  Sis- 
ters' College,  so  that  all  the  Sisters, 
about  ninety  in  number,  could  be 
present.  They  consider  Mt.  St. 
Sepulchre  as  their  parish  church. 
Perhaps  one-half  of  these  Sisters 
are  Franciscans.  At  the  dinner, 
the  number  of  guests  was  about 
seventy,  as  most  of  the  professors 
of  the  University  made  their  ap- 
pearance at  the  monastery.  In  the 
afternoon,  there  was  solemn  Com- 
pline, procession  to  the  chapel  of 
St.  Francis  in  the  garden,  and  la- 
ter the  Transitus  was  chanted  in 
the  church.  Benediction  and  ven- 
eration of  the  relic  of  St.  Francis 
brought  the  celebration  to  its  close. 

Fruitvale.  Cal.,  St.  Elizabeth's 
Church.— A  triduum  in  preparatioi. 
for  the  feast  of  St.  Francis  was 
held  in  St.  Elizabeth's  and  was  very 
well  attended,  especially  by  our 
Tertiaries.  The  usual  solemn  ser- 
vices marked  the  great  day,  and  in 
the  evening  seventy-nine  persons 
were  admitted  to  the  novitiate  of 
the  Third  Order  and  nine  novices 
to  their  holy  profession.  Very  Rev. 
Fr.  Provincial  Hugolinus,  O.F.M., 
officiated  at  the  ceremony  and 
preached  a  glowing  sermon  on  the 
true  spirit  of  a  Franciscan  Tertiary. 
A  social  gathering  of  Tertiaries  in 
the  parish  gymnasium  brought  the 
celebration  to  a  happy  close. 

Wooster,  O.-The    Church  of  the 


Immaculate  Conception  at  Wooster 
boasts  of  a  Tertiary  fraternity, 
which  though  small  in  numbers  is 
great  in  zeal  for  things  Franciscan 
in  general  and  for  things  Tertiary 
in  particular.  Our  beloved  pastor, 
Rev.  Dr.  Kramer,  who  is  likewise  a 
Tertiary,  points  out  to  us  by  word 
and  example  the  Franciscan  road  to 
perfection,  thus  making  it  easier 
for  us  to  walk  it.  We  are  only  fif- 
teen in  number,  but  with  our  alms 
we  have  furnished  our  new  church 
with  a  pulpit,  candlesticks,  and 
cassocks  for  the  altar  boys,  and  we 
hope  to  do  still  greater  things  yet 
for  the  house  of  God.  We  Ter- 
tiaries are  also  especially  interested 
in  a  small  boys  club  all  the  mem- 
bers of  which  desire  to  enter  the 
ranks  of  the  holy  priesthood  or  to 
become  religious,  and  we  beg  our 
fellow  Tertiaries  to  join  us  in  our 
prayers  that  they  might  persevere 
in  their  pious  vocation. 

Louisville,  Ky.  —At  the  Church  of 
St.  Boniface  on  October  5,  the  par- 
ish choir  presented  the  sacred  ora- 
torio "St.  Francis"  by  Edgar  Tinel. 
An  appreciative  congregation  lis- 
tened with  great  attention  to  this 
rare  musical  treat.  Mr.  Joseph 
Schenke,  a  Cincinnati  tenor,  sang 
the  solo  parts  of  St.  Francis.  The 
other  soloists  were:  "Voice  from 
Heaven,"  Mrs.  Wm.  Stegner;  "An- 
gel of  Love,"  Miss  Louise  Wiegand; 
"Angel  of  Victory,"  Mr.  Frank 
Schaefer;  "Spirit  of  Hatred,"  Mr. 
Louis  Herm.  The  oratorio  was  pre- 
ceded by  a  beautiful  discourse  on 
the  life  of  St.  Francis,  delivered 
by  the  well  known  and  popular 
Franciscan  missionary  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati Province,  Rev.  Fr.  Flavian. 

Baltimore,  Md.  —  On  Monday,  Sep- 
tember 17,  the  new  St.  Elizabeth's 
Home  for  colored  orphans  was  dedi- 
cated by  His  Eminence  Cardinal 
Gibbons  in  the  presence  of  a  dis- 
tinguished body  of  clergy  and  laity, 
including  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore 
and  other  city  officials.     The  sermon 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


439 


was  preached  by  Rev.  Lucian  Johns- 
ton, Rector  of  the  Church  of  St. 
Thomas  of  Aquin.  At  the  close  of 
the  ceremony  the  venerable  Cardi- 
nal paid  an  eloquent  tribute  to  the 
devoted  and  hidden  labors  of  the 
Sisters,  and  traced  the  origin  and 
development  of  their  institutions  in 
the  diocese. 

The  spacious  new  buildings  of  St. 
Elizabeth's  Home  are  beautifully 
situated  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city, 
and  are  intended  to  replace  the  old- 
er institution  of  the  same  name  as 
an  infant  asylum  and  industrial 
school  for  colored  children.  The 
Sisters  of  the  Congregation  have 
another  industrial  school  in  connec- 
tion with  their  house  of  Novitiate  in 
Baltimore,  and  have  charge  of  the 
schools  of  SS.  Philip  and  James. 
They  also  conduct  parochial  and  in- 
dustrial schools  for  colored  children 
at  Richmond,  Va.,  Norfolk,  Va., 
and  Wilmington,  N.  C,  and  visit 
the  poor  and  sick  in  their  homes, 
besides  visiting  the  alms-houses  and 
jails.  In  addition  to  these  estab- 
lishments the  Sisters  have  large  and 
successful  missionary  schools  in 
Africa.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
public  tribute  paid  to  these  Sisters 
and  their  labors  by  the  highest  dig- 
nitaries of  Church  and  State  on  the 
occasion  of  the  dedication  of  the  new 
St.  Elizabeth's  Home  in  Baltimore 
may  lead  many  new  candidates  to 
enter  the  Novitiate  of  the  Francis- 
can Sisters  for   Colored    Missions. 

Odanah,  Wis.,  St.  Mary's  Mission. 
—  St.  Mary's  Industrial  School  con- 
ducted by  the  Franciscan  Sisters  of 
the    Perpetual     Adoration    of    La 
Crosse,  Wis.,  is  one  of  the  few  Cath- 
olic Indian    Schools   in    Wisconsin, 
and  the  only  Catholic  Indian  School  , 
in  the  State   for  the   education   of  I 
both     boys     and     girls.      Though 
struggling   for   existence  since  its 
erection  in  1883,  as  a  log   building,  I 
and  lacking  many  of  the  more  mod-  ! 
era  equipments,  it  carried  off  four- 
teen prizes  at  the  State  Fair  held  in 


Milwaukee,  in  the  early  part  of  Sep- 
tember —  a  proof,  were  proof 
needed,  that  it  is  fully  up  to  the 
standard.  These  prizes,  seven  of 
which  were  first  class,  were  awarded 
for  proficiency  in  penmanship, 
drawing,  composition,  and  needle 
work;  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  that 
one  of  these  first  prizes  for  penman- 
ship was  won  by  a  six-year  old  girl 
in  the  primary  department. 

Franciscan  Herald  knows  that 
comparisons  are  always  more  or  less 
odious;  yet,  it  hopes  it  will  be  par- 
doned for  saying  that  none  of  our 
Catholic  Indian  schools  has  attained 
a  higher  degree  of  proficiency,  while 
few  if  any,  have  had  to  struggle 
against  odds  so  heavy,  as  has  St. 
Mary's  Industrial  School.  This  re- 
view, therefore,  is  glad  to  be  able  to 
say  a  good  word  for  the  Franciscan 
Sisters  and  the  Reverend  Mission- 
ary, Fr.  Optate,  o.  f.  m.  May  God 
continue  to  bless  their  efforts  on  be- 
half of  the  poorest  of  his  children. 
May  he  '  'send  them  help  from  the 
sanctuary  and  defend  them  out  of 
Sion,"  especially  during  the  present 
distressing  time  of  war  and  want 
and  winter. 

Maryville,  Mo.  —  Sr.  M.  Salesia 
Schlegel,  o.  s,  f.,  a  very  prominent 
member  of  the  Franciscan  Sisters' 
community  at  Maryville,  passed  a- 
way  on  September  21,  after  a  long 
illness  of  four  years.  Sister  Sale- 
sia was  born  at  Belleville,  111.,  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1856,  and  took  the  veil  on 
October  4,  1875.  In  1895,  she  was 
appointed  mistress  of  novices  and 
first  assistant  to  the  Ven.  Mother  Su- 
perior, and  she  held  these  responsi- 
ble offices  until  two  years  ago.  when 
poor  health  compelled  her  to  resign. 
The  funeral  took  place  from  the 
convent  chapel  at  Maryville,  on 
Monday  morning,  September  24. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Hos- 
pital.—In  spite  of  the  arduous  and 
self-sacrificing  life  of  the  hospital 
Sisters,  there  is  never  a  dearth  of 
young   Catholic  maidens   who  are 


440 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


willing  to  forsake  the  world  and  all 
it  can  offer  them  in  order  to  devote 
themselves  to  the  service  of  their 
Divine  Master  in  succoring  the 
needy  and  the  sick.  This  fact  was 
again  forcefully  brought  home  to  a 
large  gathering  at  St.  Antony's  Hos- 
pital on  the  feast  of  St.  Francis 
Borgia,  October  10,  when  nine 
young  ladies  were  invested  with  the 
humble  garb  of  St.  Francis,  and 
thirty  Sisters  were  admitted  to  their 
vows.  They  had  prepared  for  this 
momentous  event  by  a  retreat  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  George  A.  Hild,  c. 
SS.R.  A  large  number  of  the  rev- 
erend clergy  and  of  their  friends 
and  relatives  gathered  in  the  beau- 
tiful chapel  of  the  hospital  to  wit- 
ness the  ceremony. 

Sacramento,  Gal.,  St.  Francis 
Church. —The  Tertiaries  of  Sacra- 
mento very  appropriately  celebrated 
the  feast  of  their  Seraphic  Father 
by  attending  High  Mass  and  receiv- 
ing Holy  Communion  in  a  body.  In 
the  evening,  services  were  held  and 
an  eloquent  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  P.  J.  O'Reilly,  a  Jesuit 
missionary,  who  endeavored  to  ani- 
mate the  Tertiaries  with  a  burning 
desire  to  emulate  the  example  of  St. 
Francis  especially  in  his  admirable 
humility.    On  the  following  Sunday, 


thirteen  candidates  received  the 
scapular  and  cord  of  the  Third  Or- 
der and  twenty  were  professed. 
The  address  on  this  occasion  was 
made  by  our  Rev.  Director,  Fr. 
Anselm,  o.  F.  M.  A  social  hour 
was  much  enjoyed  in  the  parish  hall 
after  the  religious  services.  The 
Sacramento  fraternity  is  now  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  flourishing 
in  California. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church.  — During  the  first  week  of 
October,  our  large  church  was 
crowded  each  evening  by  the  faith- 
ful eager  to  partake  of  the  blessings 
of  the  annual  Tertiary  retreat.  The 
exercises  were  conducted  by  our 
former  and  much  beloved  Rev.  Di- 
rector, Fr.  Juniper  Doolin,  O.F.M., 
who  is  now  missionary  in  China, 
but  who  has  been  spending  the  past 
months  in  this  country  to  gather 
funds  for  his  impoverished  mis- 
sions. At  the  close  of  the  retreat 
on  October  7,  thirty-one  candidates 
were  admitted  to  the  Third  Order 
and  twenty  novices  made  their  pro- 
fession. As  a  token  of  their  appre- 
ciation for  his  untiring  zeal  in  our 
behalf  during  the  retreat  and  form- 
erly as  our  Rev.  Director,  the  Terti- 
aries tendered  a  reception  to  Rev. 
Fr.  Juniper  on  October  17. 


OBITUARY 


Cath- 


st. 


<;, 


Maryville.  Mo.,  St.  Francis  Hospital:-Sr.  M.  Salesia  Schlegel,  O.S.F. 
Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity: — George  Ward,  Bro.  John;  Margaret  Shea,    Sr. 
erine;  Elizabeth  Connell,  Sr.  Clare. 
Louis    Fratei -nitii:— Catherine  E.  Hogan,    Sr.    Mary;    Catherine   Ganier, 

Sr.  Elizabeth. 
man  Fraternity:— Jacob  Weiland,  Bro.  Francis;  John  Schlepermeier,    Bro. 
Antony. 
Cleveland,  O.,  St.  Joseph's  Church:  —  Julius  Schultz,  Bro.  Francis;  Mary  Bauer, 
Sr.  Clare;  Margaret  Schmoldt,    Sr.    Agnes;    Julia    Doyle,    Sr.    Rose; 
Mary  Kent,  Sr.  Bridget. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Sr.  H.  Rotmann;  Sr.    M.    Manning;    Sr. 

B.  Schmitz. 
St.  Paul,  Minn.,  Sacred  Heart  Church:— J.  Shinner,  Sr.  Frances. 
San  Francisco,  Cal..  St.  Boniface  Church:—  Franz  von  Herlwert;  Mai'garet  King. 
Washington.  Mo.,  St.  Francis  Borgia  Church:  — John  Trentmann,  Bro.   Antony. 
San  Diego,  Cai.: — Frederick  J.  Erkens,  Bro.  Francis. 
Iiequ'c scant  in  pace. 


•J:        A  monthly  magazine  edited  and  published  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  of  the  Sacred        lie 
-"•        Heart  Province  in  the  interest  of  the  Third  Order  and  of  the  Franciscan  Missions        •' • 

«  m 

VOLV.  DECEMBER,  1917  NO.  12 

iEftttnrtal  (Emmnmt 

OUR  FRONTISPIECE 

The  illustration  on  the  opposite  page  represents  the  triumph  of  Christ 
in  the  three  Orders  of  St.  Francis.  Those  of  our  readers  that  have  fol- 
lowed the  series  of  frontispieces,  will  notice  a  slight  difference  between 
this  representation  and  the  others.  This  difference  is  accounted  for  by 
the  fact  that  the  frontispiece  of  this  number  is  the  work  of  the  Herald 
artist  and  not  of  Joseph  von  Fuerich.  While  we  do  not  claim  for  it  that 
perfection  of  technique  that  marks  the  latter's  work,  we  think  we  are 
warranted  in  saying  that,  in  chasteness  and  delicacy  of  artistic  finish,  the 
production  is  in  every  way  worthy  of  its  predecessors.  But  we  are  con- 
cerned not  so  much  with  the  art  as  with  the  idea  embodied  in  the  drawing. 

The  first  figure  that  meets  our  gaze  is  that  of  a  little  cherub  holding 
a  book  with  the  legend  Tres  Ordines  hie  ordiwat—  "This man  has  founded 
three  Orders."  The  man  referred  to  is  St.  Francis  of  Assisi,  who  in  the 
picture  is  represented  as  bearing  the  wounds  and  the  sign  of  the  Crucified 
and  leading  a  group  of  representative  men  and  women  of  his  three  Orders. 
Few  men  have  been  so  eminently  qualified  to  lead  others  to  Christ,  be- 
cause few  have  been  such  faithful  copies  of  that  divine  prototype.  He 
was  literally  a  living  image  of  Christ  crucified,  both  by  his  inward  and  by 
his  outward  conformity  to  him.  In  St.  Francis,  the  triumph  of  the  re- 
ligion of  the  Cross  seems  to  have  been  complete;  at  least,  there  is  hardly 
another  saint  in  whom  this  victory  is  so  apparent.  He  could  in  truth  say, 
"I  live,  now  not  I;  but  Christ  liveth  in  me." 

That  such  a  man  should  have  become  a  great  captain  in  the  army  of 
Christ,  is  not  at  all  surprising;  and  indeed,  he  numbers  his  followers  by 
the  millions.  Among  those  that  followed  him  most  closely  in  the  first 
Order  he  founded  are  St.  Bonaventure,  the  Seraphic  Doctor,  who  repre- 
sents the  dignitaries  of  the  Church  that  have  worn  the  garb  of  St.  Fran- 
cis; St.  Antony,  the  great  wonder-worker,  who  is  the  best-known  of  the 
confessors  of  the  Order;  Blessed  John  Duns  Scotus,  the  champion  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception,  who  is  the  most  brilliant  intellectual  light  in  the 
galaxy  of  Franciscan  doctors;  and  St.  Berard,  who  is  known  as  the  proto- 
martyr  of  the  Order.  These  men,  each  in  his  particular  sphere  and  man- 
ner of  life,  were  faithful  imitators  of  their  holy  Father,  as  he  was  of 
Christ.     In  all  of  them,  therefore,  Christ  may  be  said  to  have  triumphed. 

This  triumph,  however,  was  not  less  glorious  in  the  holy  women  who 
strove  to  realize  the  ideal  of  the  poor  and  suffering  Christ,  as  figured  in 
St.  Francis.     Such  were,  for  instance,   St.  Clare,  the  firstborn   daughter 


442  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


of  the  holy  Patriarch  and  with  him  the  foundress  of  the  Order  that  bears 
her  name;  St.  Colette,  the  reformer  of  this  Order  and  herself  the  mother 
of  numerous  daughters,  called  for  her  the  Colettines;  Bl.  Isabelle,  of  royal 
blood,  whom  the  Urbanist  Clares  revere  as  their  progenitrix. 

But  not  only  for  the  cloistered  men  and  women  was  St.  Francis  a 
model.  Christ  is  a  model  of  holiness  for  all  men,  no  matter  what  their 
sex  or  station  in  life.  In  like  manner,  his  faithful  servant  served  as  a 
guide  for  all  classes  of  Christians.  For  those  who  could  not  leave  the 
world  he  instituted  a  secular  religious  Order.  Of  this  great  family  of 
Franciscans,  St.  Louis  of  France  and  St.  Elizabeth  of  Hungary  are  the 
two  illustrious  patrons  and  shining  lights.  In  them  also  shone  the  love  of 
Christ  crucified.  In  them  their  faith  and  trust  in  Christ  triumphed  over 
all  the  enemies  and  obstacles  of  their  salvation. 

Even  children  have  come  under  the  spell  of  the  Seraph  of  Assisi.  St. 
Louis  of  Japan  was  but  a  mere  boy  when,  like  a  true  son  of  the  Knight  of 
the  Cross,  he  gave  his  life  for  Christ  his  King.  St.  Rose  of  Viterbo,  even 
as  a  child,  opposed  her  angelic  innocence  and  dovelike  simplicity  to  the 
devilish  cunning  and  rapacious  fury  of  the  Church's  enemies,  and  in  thus 
combating  the  forces  of  evil  she  but  followed  the  injunction  and  the  pre- 
cept of  her  Seraphic  Father.  In  both  these  youthful  saints  the  power  of 
Christ  is  strickingly  apparent. 

St.  Francis's  motto  was  Non  sibi  soli  vivere,  sed  aliis  proficere—  "Not 
to  live  for  oneself  alone,  but  to  benefit  others,"  and  true  to  this  principle 
he  made  the  solution  of  the  social  question  the  object  of  his  life.  With 
rare  insight  into  the  evils  and  the  needs  of  medieval  society,  he  strove  to 
heal  its  wounds,  as  Christ  had  done,  by  instilling  Christian  ideals  into 
the  social  organism.  That  this  is  the  only  effectual  cure  for  the  ills  of 
human  society,  has  long  been  recognized  by  all  far-sighted  men  and  wom- 
en. This  is  true  above  all  of  the  Catholic  priesthood  and  the  Catholic 
sisterhoods  in  modern  times.  Hence,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  great 
social  reformer  should  find  many  followers  in  the  one  as  well  as  well  as 
in  the  others.  As  a  type  of  the  former  may  be  regarded  Blessed  John 
Vianney,  the  venerable  Cure  D'Ars,  who  spent  himself  unselfishly  in 
pouring  the  healing  wine  and  oil  of  Christian  ideals  into  the  gaping 
wounds  of  modern  society,  robbed  of  its  most  precious  possession,  divine 
faith,  by  those  ruthless  despoilers,  rationalism  and  materialism.  Bl.  An- 
geline,  the  foundress  of  the  first  Tertiary  sisterhood,  which  has  served 
as  the  model  of  numerous  similar  organizations,  is  representative  of  those 
charitable  daughters  of  St.  Francis  who,  to  continue  the  comparison,  are 
completing  the  work  of  the  good  Samaritan  by  nursing  back  to  life  socie- 
ty sick  unto  death.  They  are  those  heroic  women  who  have  consecrated 
their  lives  to  the  performance  of  the  works  of  mercy,  corporal  and 
spiritual. 

What  a  grand  triumph  for  Christ,  this  innumerable  army  of  men  and 
women  following  the  Rule  of  St.  Francis,  which  has  been  declared  to  be 
nothing  else  than  a  practical  application  of  the  Gospel.  May  they  grow 
and  multiply  till  they  become  as  numerous  as  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore, 
and  may  they  by  their  holy  lives  make  known  to  all  the  world  that 
Christ  their  King  is  God,  whose  power  and  glory  be  blessed  forever. 

$•       *&       41 

THE  THIRD  ORDER  AND  THE  PARISH 

In  every  parish,  there  exists  a  coterie  of  especially  zealous  and  faith- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  443 


ful  members  who  are  foremost  in  all  works  of  piety  and  charity.  They 
are  leading  Catholics  in  the  true  sense  of  that  much  abused  term,  and 
form,  so  to  speak,  the  heart,  the  backbone  of  the  parish.  They  do  lauda- 
ble work,  each  in  his  or  her  way.  Yet,  their  efforts  are,  for  the  most 
part,  spasmodic,  haphazard,  and  to  a  great  extent,  ineffectual.  What 
they  need  is  direction  and  orgnization,  and  to  give  them  both,  the  Third 
Order  of  St.  Francis  is  admirably  adapted. 

Far  from  being  prejudicial  to  existing  societies,  it  rather  perfects 
them  by  leavening  them  with  the  ferment  of  the  Gospel.  It  unites  the 
most  zealous  of  the  various  societies  and  forms  of  them  a  sort  of  corps 
elite  for  special  service  in  the  army  of  Christ.  It  is  recruited  from  all 
ages  and  from  both  sexes.  Men,  women,  children,  the  rich,  the  poor, 
priests,  savants,  soldiers,  artisans,  mothers,  maidens,  workwomen,  all 
may  be  enrolled  in  this  picked  body  of  Christians. 

And  what  a  power  for  good  is  contained  in  such  an  organization? 
There  is  no  work  of  piety  or  charity  that  is  foreign  to  its  scope;  no  need 
it  is  unable  to  meet;  no  aid  it  is  unwilling  to  give.  All  this  the  Third 
Order  is  able  to  do,  because  it  is  a  society  of  prayer,  a  form  of  life  truly 
Christian,  an  organization  active  and  interested  in  every  good  cause,  an 
army  that  unites  all  classes  of  society  in  a  common  activity,  under  the 
direction  of  their  appointed  leaders,  the  pastors.  Imbued  as  tne  mem- 
bers are  with  the  spirit  of  submission  to  authority,  assiduous  in  the  dis- 
charge of  their  duties,  regular  in  the  reception  of  the  sacraments,  zeal- 
ous in  promoting  all  that  pertains  to  the  welfare  of  the  parish,  they 
possess  all  the  requisites  of  a  well  disciplined  and  effective  force  which 
is  always  at  the  disposal  of  the  pastor. 

In  view  of  all  this  it  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  opposition  this  or- 
ganization sometimes  meets  with  even  from  those  who,  of  all  others, 
should  be  the  first  to  shield  and  promote  it,  if  only  from  motives  of  self- 
interest.     If  they  only  knew  the  gift  of  God. 

>Z>        >b    ■    <$> 

A  PARALLEL 

In  the  past  few  weeks,  two  important  anniversary  celebrations  were 
held,  the  one  to  commemorate  the  birth  of  that  great  political,  religious, 
and  social  revolution,  wrongly  styled  the  Reformation  and  inaugurated 
by  Dr.  Martin  Luther;  the  other  to  recall  the  death  of  the  eminent  Francis- 
can Cardinal  Francisco  Ximenez  de  Cisneros.  The  first  of  these  quater- 
centenaries,  though  attracting  wide  attention,  was  much  less  general 
and  enthusiastic  than  it  would  perhaps  have  been  but  for  the  war;  the 
other  was  barely  noticed  outside  the  Spanish-speaking  countries,  and 
this  neglect,  too,  can  be  conveniently  charged  to  the  war. 

The  two  singular  men  in  whose  honor  these  demonstrations  were 
held,  had  much  in  common,  and  yet  the  one,  in  many  respects,  was  the 
exact  antithesis  of  the  other.  Both  lived  in  stirring  times.  Ximenez, 
however,  closed  his  glorious  career,  when  Luther  entered  on  his  mad  and 
reckless  course.  Both  were  members  of  religious  orders;  the  first  a  Fran- 
ciscan friar,  the  second  an  Augustinian  monk.  The  one  remained  faith- 
ful to  his  vows  to  the  end  of  his  life,  the  other  wantonly  broke  them. 
Ximenez,  no  less,  nay  much  more,  than  Luther  was  a  reformer,  a  true 
constructive  reformer,  who  began  by  amending  his  own  life,  and  who,  in 
his  efforts  to  improve  others,  worked  in  closest  harmony  with  the  proper 
authorities;  while  Luther  was  a  self-constituted  innovator,  who,  far  from 


444  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


converting  himself  or  others,  perverted  the  sacred  truths  and  left  moral 
ruin  in  his  train.  Both  opposed  the  preaching  of  indulgences  in  the 
manner  then  in  vogue,  the  Franciscan  with  prudent  restraint  and  due 
deference  to  authority,  the  Augustinian  with  reckless  zeal  and  gross 
abuse  of  his  superiors.  The  former,  in  fact,  was  always  a  staunch  de- 
fender of  lawful  authority,  the  other  a  roaring  revolutionist. 

A  new  impetus  to  Bible  study  was  given  by  one  as  well  as  the  other: 
by  Ximenez  through  his  epoch-making  polyglot,  by  Luther  through  his 
famous  version.  But  as  a  literary  work,  the  first  is  the  more  scholarly 
an  important  production.  Again,  the  cardinal  labored  to  restore  the 
purity  of  the  sacred  text;  the  doctor  deliberately  falsified  it.  The  former 
was  without  doubt  the  abler  theologian;  the  other,  perhaps,  the  better 
preacher.  The  friar  as  well  as  the  monk  often  came  into  contact  with 
rulers  and  princes.  But  while  the  one  neither  sought  their  favor  nor 
feared  their  hate;  the  other,  on  occasion,  showed  himself  their  willing 
tool.  Ximenez  and  Luther  are  regarded  by  many  of  their  countrymen  as 
types  of  their  respective  races.  The  Spaniard  represents  all  that  is  great 
and  noble  in  his  nation;  but  the  German  exhibits  many  mean  and  repul- 
sive features  of  his.  The  cardinal,  as  an  ardent  patriot,  labored  unceas- 
ingly for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  his  people;  the  innovator  was  a 
confirmed  egotist  and  incited  his  countrymen  to  civil  war.  The  Francis- 
can together  with  the  Augustinian  displayed  a  certain  inflexibility  of 
character  and  •  intolerance  of  the  opinions  of  others,  which  traits  were 
coupled,  in  the  one  with  deep  humility,  and  in  the  other  with  towering  pride. 

In  their  private  lives,  the  two  men  followed  widely  divergent  lines  of 
conduct.  Ximenez,  even  in  the  midst  of  wealth  and  luxury,  led  a  simple, 
abstemious,  austere  life.  Luther,  especially  in  his  later  days,  gave  him- 
self up  unrestrainedly  to  the  joys  of  the  bottle  and  of  the  table.  Constan- 
cy and  firmness  were  characteristic  of  the  prelate;  the  doctor  all  through 
his  life  was  inconsistent  and  vacillating  both  in  his  conduct  and  in  his 
opinions.  The  former,  though  a  statesman,  loved  truth  and  sincerity  as 
dearly  as  his  life;  the  latter,  an  avowed  apostle  of  truth,  practiced  and 
even  counseled  hypocricy  and  deceit.  Contemporary  writers  do  not  re- 
cord a  single  word  of  the  cardinal's  unworthy  of  an  ecclesiastic  and  a 
nobleman.  The  "reformer"  was  anything  but  a  gentleman  in  his  speech, 
which,  on  the  admission  of  his  friends  and  on  the  testimony  of  his  writ- 
ings, was  at  times  horribly  vulgar  and  shocking.  While  the  latter,  con- 
trary to  all  the  dictates  of  charity  and  decency,  berated  and  lam- 
pooned his  enemies,  real  or  imagined,  and  burned  in  impotent  rage  to 
crush  them;  the  former,  though  sometimes  forced  to  take  stern  measures 
against  his  political  opponents,  habitually  showed  himself  forgiving  and 
magnanimous,  and  disdained,  even  when  he  had  the  power,  to  take  re- 
venge on  those  that  had  given  him  umbrage. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  the  chief  points  of  comparison  between  two 
of  the  most  remarkable  characters  of  history.  We  leave  it  to  the  reader 
to  complete  the  parallel  at  his  leisure,  and  we  are  confident  that,  when 
he  has  finished,  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  him  to  decide  which  of  the  two 
is  the  greater  man.  Anyone  who  has  studied  their  lives  and  who  knows 
wherein  consists  true  greatness,  will  not  hesitate  to  declare  that  while 
Luther's  name,  perhaps  before  the  lapse  of  many  centuries,  will  be  forgot- 
ten, like  that  of  other  heresiarchs;  Ximenez's  is 

"One  of  the  few,  the  immortal  names, 
That  were  not  born  to  die." 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


445 


BL  JANE  OF  SIGNA 

OF  THE  THIRD  ORDER 
DECEMBER  9. 


BL.  Jane,  in  whom  God  has 
given  to  the  world  a  won- 
derful example  of  simplicity 
and  innocence,  was  born  at  Signa, 
near  Florence,  Italy,  in  1244.  Her 
parents  were  peasants,  poor  in  the 
things  of  this  world,  but  rich  in 
faith  and  good  works.  Seeking  in 
all  things  the  will  and  pleasure  of 
God,  it  was  their  earnest  endeavor 
to  educate  their  child  for  Heaven, 
and  by  word  and  example,  they  en- 
couraged her  in  the  practice  of  piety 
and  virtue.  Jane,  on  her  part, 
faithfully  followed  the  teachings  of 
her  parents  and  the  promptings  of 
grace,  and  was  remarkable,  from 
her  earliest  years,  for  her  obedience, 
modesty,  self-denial,  and  love  of 
prayer. 

As  a  child,  she  tended  her  fa- 
ther's sheep.  This  occupation,  which 
removed  her  from  the  noise  and  dis- 
tractions of  the  world,  became  for 
her  the  means  of  uniting  herself 
more  closely  with  God.  In  the  soli- 
tude of  the  field  and  forest,  her  in- 
nocent soul  found  the  greatest  de- 
light in  prayer  and  contemplation ; 
and  God,  who  looks  with  pleasure 
on  the  humble,  bestowed  on  her  su- 
pernatural light  and  consolation,  so 
that  she  became  more  and  more  de- 
tached from  the  things  of  the  world 
and  filled  with  the  desire  of  conse- 
crating herself  entirely  to  his  serv- 
ice. The  holiness  of  her  life  also 
exercised  a  great  influence  on  the 
other   shepherds   of  the   neighbor- 


hood. These  she  would  frequently 
gather  round  her  to  pray  with  them, 
to  speak  to  them  of  the  happiness 
of  serving  God,  and  to  instil  in  them 
a  horror  of  sin. 

God  was  pleased  to  make  manifest 
the  holiness  of  the  humble  shepherd- 
ess by  miracles.  It  sometimes  hap- 
pened that  the  river  Arno  rose  in 
consequence  of  heavy  rains,  so  that 
Jane  found  it  impossible  to  reach 
her  home  by  natural  means.  Full 
of  confidence  in  God,  she  then 
spread  her  cloak  on  the  water  and, 
kneeling  on  it,  she  was  carried  safe 
to  the  opposite  bank.  On  one  occa- 
sion, when  a  storm  broke  over  the 
district  and  the  hail  and  rain  fell  in 
torrents,  Jane  gathered  her  flock 
under  an  oak;  and  while  the  sur- 
rounding fields  were  covered  by 
the  water,  she  and  her  flock  suffered 
no  harm,— not  a  drop  of  rain  fell  on 
them.  The  fame  of  this  prodigy 
spread  among  the  other  shepherds, 
and  whenever  they  saw  a  storm  ap- 
proaching, they  hurried  with  their 
flocks  to  Bl.  Jane,  and  likewise  en- 
joyed the  divine  protection.  The 
oak  under  which  she  and  the  other 
shepherds  found  shelter  is  still  re- 
ligiously preserved  by  the  people  of 
the  district  in  memory  of  the  mira- 
cles wrought  in  favor  of  the  saintly 
maiden. 

The  fame  of  Bl.  Jane's  holy  life 
also  caused  many  people  of  the 
neighborhood  to  visit  her,  in  order 
to  recommend   themselves   to  her 


446 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


prayers  and  to  ask  her  counsel. 
This  pained  her  humility,  and  she 
resolved  to  escape  from  the  eyes  of 
the  world  by  giving  herself  up  en- 
tirely to  a  life 
o  f  prayer 
and  mortifi- 
cation as  a 
recluse.  She 
was  proba- 
bly also  in- 
spired to  do 
this  by  the 
example  o  f 
Bl.  Viridia- 
n  a,  who 
lived  as  a  re- 
cluse at  Cas- 
telfiorentino, 
not  far  from 
Sign  a.  Bl. 
Jane,  there- 
fore, had  a 
poor  cell  con- 
structed a 
short  dis- 
tance from 
Signa,  near 
the  banks  of 
the  Arno. 
Before  shut- 
ting herself 
up  in  it,  she 
went  to  the 
convent  o  f 
the  Friars 
Minor  at 
Carmignano, 
and  received 


the  habit  of  the  Third  Order 
Francis. 

The  holy  virgin  lived  in  this  soli- 
tude for  forty  years,  leading  a  life 
more  angelic  than  human.     She  re- 


Bl.  Jane  of  Signa 

of  St. 


lied  entirely  on  the  charity  of  the 
people  for  the  food  necessary  for 
her  subsistence.  In  her  love  for 
the  Crucified  Savior,  she  made  war 
on  her  inno- 
cent body  by 
practicing 
the  severest 
austerities. 
To  mortifica- 
ti  on ,  she 
added  fer- 
vent prayer 
and  constant 
contempla- 
tion of  heav- 
enly things, 
and  thus  ad- 
vanced to  a 
high  degree 
of  virtue  and 
perfection. 
God  reward- 
ed her  zeal 
and  fervor 
b  y  flooding 
her  soul  with 
the  greatest 
spiritual  joy 
and  enrich- 
ing her  with 
extraordi - 
nary  graces. 
Howeve  r 
great  the 
happiness  of 
Bl.  Jane  in 
her  hidden 
life  was,  and 
whatever   repugnance  she   felt  for 


the  things  of  this  world,  the  charity 
which  burned  in  her  heart  filled  her 
with  compassion  for  the  miseries  of 
her  fellow  men.     The  poor,  the  sick„ 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


447 


and  the  afflicted  flocked  to  her 
hermitage  to  find  consolation  in 
their  troubles  and  relief  in  their 
ills.  Her  kind  words  brought  peace 
and  courage  to  the  dejected  and 
sorrowing,  her  fervent  exhortations 
led  back  many  souls  to  God,  and  her 
prayers  cured  many  from  their 
bodily  afflictions.  She  restored  the 
sight  of  a  blind  person,  raised  a 
child  to  life,  and  multiplied  bread 
for  one  of  her  friends. 

After  thus  serving  God  in  prayer, 
penance,  and  the  exercise  of  chari- 
ty, Bl.  Jane  was  called  to  her  eternal 
reward,  on  November  9,  1307.  She 
was  then  sixty-three  years  old.  At 
the  moment  of  her  death,  the  bells 


of  three  neighboring  churches  be- 
gan to  ring  of  their  own  accord. 
The  people  hastened  to  the  hermit- 
age, and  when  they  had  made  an 
opening  in  the  wall  of  her  cell,  they 
found  her  lying  on  the  ground, 
with  a  faggot  under  her  head,  like 
one  asleep.  Her  body  was  taken  to 
the  parish  church  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  and  there  it  has  rested  for 
nearly  six  centuries.  Many  miracles 
were  wrought  at  her  tomb.  The 
inhabitants  of  Signa  invoke  her 
especially  in  times  of  drought  and 
against  hail  and  lightning.  In  1797, 
Pope  Pius  VI  sanctioned  the  devo- 
tion paid  to  her  from  time  immemo- 
rial. 


(3  joyful  nigh.t  of  Him?rt  Migtjt, 
GJtjp  2ung  of  $?arr  is  born; 

An  angel-throng,  a  Ijratmtln,  aong 
frorlaim  Strorntntion'a  morn, 

Into  tlje  (Utjtlb  ho  merk  ano  milo 
Otfu>  aljeoljerbo  tuonb'ring  go; 

ullfru,  go  to  teat  %  linings  bleat, 
Pljirij  set  tbeir  hearts  aglotu. 

(Htjeo,  now  brijolb  ttje  GHjriat  foretolb, 
Sljetr  S>amor,  Horb,  anb  King; 

Adoringly  tljry  beno  tljeir  knee 
6tu>  gift  of  lone  to  bring. 

— 3v.  lutorine.  ®3M. 


448 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


QUEEN  CATHERINE  OF  ARAGON 

By  Fr.  Francis  Borgia,  O.F.M. 


THE  history  of  the  English  Ob- 
servants during  the  first 
years  of  the  religious  perse- 
cution would  be  incomplete  with- 
out a  special  chapter  on  Queen 
Catherine.  Her  private  and  public 
life  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to 
that  of  Bl.  Thomas  More.  Like 
him  she  was  a  Tertiary  of  St.  Fran- 
cis (1)  and  by  unfeigned  loyalty  to 
her  God  and  to  her  King  made 
manifest  how  deeply  the  spirit  of 
St.  Francis  was  rooted  in  her  noble 
and  beautiful  soul. 

Queen  Catherine  of  Aragon  was 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Ferdi- 
nand of  Aragon  and  Isabella  of 
Castile.  Born  at  Alcala  de  Henares, 
Spain,  on  December  15,  1484,  she 
passed  her  infancy  and  early  child- 
hood in  the  Christian  camp  before 
the  walls  of  Granada.  In  1492, 
this  last  Moorish  stronghold  in 
Spain  surrendered  and  henceforth 
became  the  home  of  Catherine. 
Her  early  education  was  entrusted 
to  the  Franciscan  Observants,  (2) 
who  enjoyed  the  favor  and  esteem 
of  the  Catholic  Sovereigns  of  Spain. 
Under  the  vigilant  care  of  her  ex- 
cellent mother,  the  gifted  princess 
secured  those  noble  endowments  of 
heart  and  mind  which  were  one  day 


to  signalize  her  career  as  queen  of 
England. 

At  the  tender  age  of  twelve 
years,  Catherine  was  promised  in 
marriage  to  prince  Arthur,  the 
elder  son  of  Henry  VII  and  heir 
apparent  to  the  English  throne. 
Four  years  later,  on  September  26, 
she  bade  farewell  to  her  cherished 
home  and  kindred  and  attended  by 
a  splendid  retinue  embarked  for 
England.  After  a  voyage  of  six 
days,  she  landed  at  Plymouth. 
Elaborate  festivities  marked  her 
subsequent  journey  to  London, 
where,  on  November  14,  in  St.  Paul's 
Cathedral,  the  Archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury attended  by  nineteen  bish- 
ops and  mitered  abbots  performed 
the  solemn  marriage  ceremonies.  (3) 
Little  did  Arthur  and  Catherine, 
amid  the  rejoicings  of  whole  Eng- 
land, imagine  how  soon  grim  death 
would  shatter  their  bright  prospects 
for  a  long  and  happy  union.  But 
God  directs  the  destinies  of  men; 
they  were  never  to  live  together  as 
husband  and  wife.  Shortly  after 
the  wedding,  prince  Arthur  fell 
dangerously  ill,  probably  of  the 
plague, (4)  and  the  next  spring,  on 
April  2,  he  breathed  his  last.(5) 

Catherine  broken    in    spirit    an- 


1.  Dr.  Nicolas  Sander  is  our  main  authority  on  this  question.  He  lived  from  1530  to  1581.  His  muoh-cited 
Book  on  the  liise  and  Growth  of  the  Anglican  Sohitm  was  published  for  the  first  time  four  years  after  his  death. 
"It  is  now  acknowledged  to  he  an  exeelleut.  popular  account  of  the  period  from  a  Catholic  point  of  view,"  says  J 
P.  Pollen  in  The  Catholic  Encyclopaedia  (Vol.  XIII.  p.  436).  Sander  himself  affirms  in  the  preface  of  his  work 
that  he  will  recount  the  history  of  the  schism  "conformably  with  what  we  have  gathered  from  public  records,  or 
have  drawn  lrom  both  the  writings  and  sayings  of  very  creditable  men,  or  at  least  have  known  and  seen  our- 
selves.' On  page  5,  we  read:  "Under  the  royal  robe,  she  (Catheriue)  wore  the  habit  of  Bfcsied  Francis  iu 
whose  third   order  she  had  enrolled  herself."    This  fact  is  likewise  attested  by  Francis  a  Sta  Clara,  Wadding, 

Parkinson,  Leon,  Strickland.  Du  Boys.  Guerin,  Magl'.ano,  lleimbucher.  Hop*,  Stone. 2.     Guerin:  Le  Palmier 

Seraphiqve  (Bar-de-Duc.  1872),  Vol.  I,  p.  124. 3.     It  ia  worthy  of  note  that  on  this  augpioioui  day  Catherine  was 

escorted  from  the  bishop's  palace  to  the  cathedral  by  the  Duke  of  York  woo  in  after  years,   as   Henry   VIII,   so 

cruelly  embittered  her  life  and  brought  ruin  en  the  Church  in  England. 4.  See  Strickland:  Liv**oft)w  Qutns 

of  England  (Philadelphia.  IW9),  Vol.  II,  p.  485. 5.     From  the  testament  of  Arthur  ia  which  he  leftmothing  to 

Catherine,  historians  rightly  infer  that  he  never  considered  her  as  actually  his  wife.     See  Strickland,  1.  c.  p.    48«. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


449 


swered  the  summons  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  her  mother-in-law,  and 
for  the  present  resided  in  the  coun- 
try palace  of  Croydon.  Her  par- 
ents wished  her  to  return  to  Spain. 
The  English  King,  however,  anx- 
ious to  secure  the  remaining  half 
of  her  marriage  portion  which  con- 
sisted of  200,000  ducats,  proposed 
that  she  marry  his  younger  son 
Henry.  Indeed,  after  the  death  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  he  himself  wished 
to  marry  Catherine.  But  Queen 
Isabella  of  Spain  would  not  hear  of 
it  and  the  English  King  did  not 
urge  the  matter. (1)  Finally,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  gaining  the  consent  of 
the  Spanish  sovereigns  in  behalf 
of  his  son,  and  in  1504,  Pope  Julius 
II  granted  the  necessary  dispensa- 
tion. Though  Catherine  had  not  the 
least  misgiving  as  to  the  legality  of 
a  union  with  prince  Henry,  she  was 
averse  to  a  second  marriage,  es- 
pecially with  a  prince  who  was  five 
years  her  junior.  She  desired  to 
return  to  her  native  land  and  to 
join  the  Order  of  Poor  Clares  in 
the  convent  of  Toledo.  (?)  Hence  it 
was  only  to  please  her  parents  that 
she  made  the  sacrifice,  and  on  June 
25,  1504,  consented  to  her  betrothal 
to  Henry.  A  few  months  later, 
Queen  Isabella  died.  "Thus  un- 
happily deprived  of  her  admirable 
mother,  she  was  left  a  passive  vic- 
tim at  the  disposal  of  the  two  wily 
diplomatists,  her  father  King  Fer- 
dinand and  Henry  VII.  "<3)  The 
English  King  subjected  her  to 
every  privation   and    indignity    to 


extort  from  her  father  the  remain- 
ing share  of  her  dowry,  while  Fer- 
dinand, greatly  impoverished  by  the 
death  of  Queen  Isabella,  could  not 
be  induced  to  pay  it.  Then,  actu- 
ated by  rather  unseemly  motives/4' 
Henry  VII,  about  1506,  not  only 
debarred  his  son  from  meeting  his 
future  consort  but  even  forced  him 
to  sign  a  written  protest  against 
his  previous  betrothal  to  her.  All 
this  combined  to  make  Catherine's 
situation  very  embarrassing.  At  last 
a  change  came.  Henry  VII  died 
on  April  22,  1509,  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  his  son,  Henry  VIII. 

Catherine  had  gradually  learned 
to  love  and  esteem  Henry;  and  he, 
especially  since  his  father's  brutal 
interference,  had  become  sincerely 
attached  to  her.  All  England  re- 
joiced, when  on  June  11,  1509,  they 
were  solemnly  married  at  Green- 
wich, {5)  and  on  June  24,  were 
crowned  at  Westminster. ("'  No  one, 
least  of  all  Catherine,  then  thought 
that  within  a  decade  her  crown  of 
gold  would  become  a  crown  of 
thorns. 

The  first  years  of  their  union 
were  all  in  all  happy  ones.  They 
held  court  chiefly  in  the  palace  at 
Greenwich,  since  Henry  had  a  pre- 
dilection for  this  place.  (7'  How 
highly  the  King  esteemed  his  wor- 
thy spouse,  we  see  from  his  letter 
to  Ferdinand  of  Aragon.  "Her 
eminent  virtues, "  he  wrote,  "daily 
more  shine  forth,  blossom,  and  in- 
crease so  much,  that  if  we  still 
were  free  her  we  would  choose  for 


1.  DuBoys:  Catherine  D'Arouon  (Paris,  1880),  p.  30. 2.  (iuerin,  1.  c,  p.  145. 3.  Strickland,  I.  c,  p.  488. 

4.    See  Strickland,  1.  c,  p.  497 6.    Probably  in  the  Franciscan  church  adjoining  the  royal   palace. 6.  It 

is  important  to  note  that  oa  this  occasion  Catherine  appeared  with  flowing  hair  and  in  a  white  robe,   which  ac- 
cording to  custom  was  permitted  only  to  a  virgin.    See  Strickland, 


Timbs:  Ahbov* 


of  Enaland  and  W,i/rt  (London),  Vol.  I,  p.  122. 


I.e.,  p.. 'VIS:  also   Dn  l$<i 


450 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


our  wife  before  all  others."  Nor 
was  this  mere  policy  on  his  part. 
Catherine,  indeed,  became  his  ad- 
viser and  confidante  in  all  affairs 
of  State.  In  1513,  during  his  mili- 
tary sojourn  in  Flanders,  he  ap- 
pointed her  regent,  granting  her 
powers  such  as  no  English  queen 
had  ever  held.  It  was  in  great 
part  due  to  her  that  in  the  same 
year  the  English  army  vanquished 
the  invading  Scots  at  Flodden 
Field.  Catherine,  indeed,  was 
wholly  devoted  to  Henry  and  to 
the  interests  of  the  English  realm. 
She  rejoiced  at  the  news  of  Henry's 
victory  over  the  French  at  Guine- 
gate,  and  after  making  a  pilgrim- 
age to  the  Lady-shrine  at  Walsing- 
ham,  hastened  to  Richmond  to  wel- 
come him  home.(1) 

In  his  treatise  on  Christian  Mat- 
rimony, Erasmus  cites  Catherine 
as  a  model  wife  and  mother.  "What 
house  is  there,"  he  asks  inciden- 
tally, "among  the  subjects  to  their 
realm,  that  can  offer  an  example 
of  such  united  wedlock?  Where  can 
a  wife  be  found  better  matched 
with  the  best  of  husbands.  "'^  In 
her  private  life,  the  Queen  was  a 
mirror  of  holiness.  She  was  wont 
to  rise  at  midnight  and  to  pray  in 
the  church  while  the  friars  chanted 
Matins  and  Lauds.  At  five  in  the 
morning,  she  dressed  hurriedly, 
frequently  averring  the  only  time 
she  wasted  was  that  spent  in  dress- 
ing. Beneath  her  royal  robes  she 
wore  the  Tertiary  habit  of  St. 
Francis.     Every    Friday   and   Sat- 


urday she  fasted,  while  on  the  vigils 
of  the  feasts  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
she  contented  herself  with  bread 
and  water.  Twice  a  week,  on  Wed- 
nesday and  Friday,  she  went  to 
Confession  and  received  Holy  Com- 
munion every  Sunday.  She  recit- 
ed the  office  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
daily,  and  spent  six  hours  every 
morning  in  church.  At  dinner  she 
would  read  for  the  space  of  two 
hours  the  lives  of  the  Saints  to  her 
servants  and  attendants.  Then  she 
returned  to  church  and  remained 
there  till  almost  supper,  of  which 
she  partook  very  sparingly.  She 
prayed  on  her  knees  never  using 
the  comfort  of  a  cushion.  "Who 
will  wonder,  that  so  saintly  a  wom- 
an had  to  be  tried  in  some  greater 
fire  of  tribulation,  in  order  that  the 
odor  of  her  virtues  might  be  more 
readily  diffused  over  the  entire 
Christian  world. "(!) 

Needless  to  say,  the  pious  Queen 
as  a  Tertiary  of  St.  Francis  held 
the  Franciscan  Observants  in  great- 
est esteem.  Having  spent  her  child- 
hood under  the  wholesome  influence 
of  their  brethren  in  Spain,  she  was 
happy  now  to  find  them  equally 
zealous  and  popular  in  England. 
Their  friary  at  Greenwich  adjoined 
the  royal  palace,  which  naturally 
entailed  her  becoming  more  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  them.  Be- 
fore her  marriage  with  Henry,  she 
requested  her  father  to  send  her  a 
Franciscan  Observant  from  Spain, 
since  she  could  not  confess  in  Eng- 
lish/4' Later,    however,    when   she 


1.    Hoi>e:  Fir»t  Divorce  of  Henry  17// (London,  1884),  p.  >4  sqq. g 

This  fair  picture  of  Catherine's  pergonal  sanctity  is  taken  from  Sander,  I.  c 
quoting  a   fragmentary  letter  of  Catherine  to  her  father. 


Strickland.    1.  c,  pp.   5IK,   5.11. B> 

p.  5. i.    Strickland,  I.  c  .  p.  490- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


451 


had  sufficiently  mastered  the  lan- 
guage, Bl.  John  Forest  became  her 
confessor  and  adviser,  and  we  have 
every  reason  to  believe,  that  her 
subsequent  conduct  was  in  great 
part  due  to  the  advice  given  her  by 
the  saintly  friar. (1) 

No  doubt,  during  the  first  years 
of  his  reign,  <2)  Henry  zealously 
shared  in  the  pious  practices  of  his 
Queen.  But  alas!  clouds  of  adver- 
sity gradually  began  to  darken  their 
mutual  love  and  happiness.  Of  the 
five  children  with  which  their  mar- 
riage had  been  blessed,  all  had 
died  except  Mary  the  youngest,  who 
subsequently,  in  1553,  ascended  the 
throne  of  England.  These  prema- 
ture deaths  together  with  the  gay 
and  loose  life  at  court  gradually  es- 
tranged the  heart  of  Henry.  Cath- 
erine knew  that  he  was  no  longer  a 
true  and  faithful  husband;  she  felt 
that  her  piety  bored  him,  that  her 
very  presence  was  becoming  irk- 
some to  him.  Thus  matters  stood 
when,  early  in  1527,  to  her  utter 
dismay  she  learned  that  Wolsey 
had  summoned  Henry  to  his  lega- 
tine  court  to  examine  the  scruples 
of  conscience  he  alleged  regarding 
his  marriage. <8)  The  Queen  had 
only  recently  recovered  from  a  se- 
vere illness,  and  the  news  of  Hen- 
ry's hypocritical  scheming  against 
her  harassed  her  innermost  soul. 
Finally,  on  June  22,  1527,  the  King 
himself  laid  the  affair  before  Cath- 
erine. (4)     The  helpless  Queen   was 


now  convinced  of  the  lying  hypoc- 
risy of  her  faithless  consort  and 
burst  into  tears  when  told  that  he 
would  no  longer  share  her  company. 
She  argued  with  him  and  declared 
she  would  never  live  apart  from 
him.  Even  now  she  treated  Anne 
Boleyn  with  sweet  forebearance, 
although  she  knew  her  to  be  the 
King's  favorite  and  constant  at- 
tendent.  Only  once,  at  a  game  of 
cards,  did  she  tenderly  reproach 
her  rival,  saying,  "My  lady  Anne, 
you  have  the  good  hap  ever  to  stop 
at  a  king;  but  you  are  like  others, 
you  will  have  all  ornone."<5) 

In  May  and  June,  1528,  a  plague 
called  the  sweating  sickness  carried 
away  a  number  of  courtiers.  Anne 
Boleyn  was  the  first  to  contract  the 
disease.  Henry  stricken  with  fear 
and  remorse  returned  to  Catherine 
and  "instead  of  attending  to  his  'se- 
cret matter',  joined  the  Queen  in 
her  devotional  exercises,  confessing 
himself  every  day  and  receiving  the 
Communion  every  Sunday  and  fes- 
tival." (fi)  But  no  sooner  had  the 
plague  abated  than  he  recalled  his 
favorite  to  court.  The  following 
October,  Campeggio,  the  papal 
legate,  arrived  in  England.  The 
Queen's  ascetic  habits  made  Henry 
and  his  pliant  minister  hope  that  on 
the  latter's  suggestion  she  would 
readily  enter  the  convent.  But  in 
an  interview  Catherine  soon  in- 
formed Campeggio  that  as  queen 
and  mother  she   could  never  con- 


1.    This  partly  accounts  for  Henry's  subsequent  hatred  of  the  Franciscan  Observants.    See  Stc 
Unto  Death  (London,  1882),  p.  6. 2.    See  Franciscan  Herald, 


Faithful 

April,  1917. 3.    Cardinal   Wolsey  is  often  ac- 

«used  of  having  first  raised  these  doubts  in  Henry's  mind.  Dodd  in  his  Church  History  of  England  (Brussels, 
1737),  Vol.  I.  p.  72  sqq  ,  carefully  examines  the  various  theories  held  by  historians  on  this  question  and  then  con- 
cludes with  Cavendish  who  waa  Wolsey 's  secretary,  that  the  King's  passion  for  Anne  Boleyn  "not  only  gave  the 

first  motion  to,  but  carried  on  the  whole  affair." 4.    Hope:  p.  nO:  see  also  Stone:   Mary  the  Firet,    Queen  of 

Bngland  (London.  1901).  p .38. 5.    Strickland.  1.  o.f  p.  63K *>.    Lingard:    History  of  England  (New   \ork. 

wra).  Vol.  ry.  p.  sso. 


452 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


sent  to  such  a  thing,  and  boldly 
upraided  Wolsey  for  his  share  in 
the  King's  shameless  perfidy.  "Of 
malice,"  she  said,  "have  you 
kindled  this  fire,  especially  for  the 
great  grudge  you  bear  to  my  nephew 
the  emperor,  whom  you  hate  worser 
than  a  scorpion,  because  he  would 
not  gratify  your  ambition,  by  mak- 
ing you  pope  by  force As  for  me, 

his  poor  aunt  and  kins-woman,  what 
trouble  you  put  me  to  by  this  new- 


nals  solemnly  appealed  to  Rome  for 
a  hearing,  convinced  that  her  cause 
would  be  lost  if  tried  in  England.  ( !' 
On  June  11,  the  King  and  Queen 
were  ordered  to  appear  in  person. 
When  Henry's  name  was  called,  he 
arose  and  to  delude  the  judges 
loudly  extolled  the  virtues  of  his 
Queen,  at  the  same  time  professing 
his  unwillingness  to  part  from  her 
but  for  the  scruples  that  panged  his 
"tender"  conscience.   Catherine  on 


Queen  Catherine  before  Henry  VIII 


found  doubt  God  knoweth,  to  whom 
I  commit  my  cause."0 

On  June  18,  1529,  Wolsey  and 
Campeggio  held  a  legatine  court  in 
the  palace  at  Blackfriars.  The 
King  was  present  by  proxy.  Cath- 
erine, attended  by  her  counsel  of 
four  bishops  (2)  and  a  great  train  of 
ladies,  appeared  personally  and  with 
due  respect  to  the  presiding  cardi- 


her  part  again  appealed  to  Rome. 
When,  however,  the  judges  denied 
the  justice  of  her  appeal,  the  help- 
less Queen  went  over  to  where  Hen- 
ry sat  and  falling  on  her  knees 
before  him,  made  a  heroic  effort  to 
touch  his  heart.  "Sir,"  she  said, 
"I  beseech  you,  for  all  the  loves 
there  hath  been  between  us,  and 
for  the  love  of  God,   let  me   have 


1.  Strickland,  1.  c,  p,  542.  Du  Boys,  1.  c,  p.  264,  citea  a  letter  of  Mendoza  to  the  Emperor,  dated  Nayetnfcer 
18,  1528.  History  bears  out  the  justice  of  the  Queen's  charges  against  Wolsey.  See  Hope,  I.  c,  pp.  52-;>7,— =?  2, 
One  of  their  number  was  a  Franciscan.  Fr.  Henry  Standish,  Bishop  of  Asaph.    See    Parkinson:    Antiques  .<>{. 

English  Franciscans  (London,  1276),  I,  p.  237. 3.    For  the  original  account  of  these  proceedings  together  -wi^h 

a  copy  of  the  Queen's  appeal  see  Poeock:    Records  ofthc  Reformation  (Oxford.  Clarendon  Press,  1370>.  VoJ  I.  pn; 
216-222. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


453 


some  right  and  justice.  Take  of  me 
some  pity  and  compassion,  for  I  am 
a  poor  stranger,  born  out  of  your 
dominions;  I  have  here  no  unpreju- 
diced counsellor,  and  I  flee  to  you 
as  to  the  head  of  justice  within  your 
realm.  Alas!  alas!  wherein  have  I 
offended  you?  I  take  God  and  all 
the  world  to  witness  that  I  have 
been  to  you  a  true,  humble,  and 
obedient  wife,  ever  conformable  to 
your  will  and  pleasure.  I  have  been 
pleased  and  contented  with  all 
things  wherein  you  had  delight  and 
dalliance ;  I  loved  all  those  you  loved, 
only  for  your  sake,  whether  they 
were  my  friends  or  mine  enemies. 
This  twenty  years  have  I  been  your 
true  wife,  and  by  me  ye  have  had 
divers  children,  although  it  hath 
pleased  God  to  call  them  out  of  the 
world,  which  has  been  no  fault  of 
mine.  I  put  it  to  your  conscience 
whether  I  came  not  to  you  as  a  maid? 
If  you  have  since  found  any  dishonor 
in  my  conduct,  then  I  am  content  to 
depart,  albeit  to  my  great  shame 
and  disparagement;  but  if  none 
there  be,  then  I  beseech  you,  thus 
lowlily,  to  let  me  remain  in  my  prop- 
er state Ye  cause   me  to   stand 

to  the  judgment  of  this  new  court, 
wherein  ye  do  me  much  wrong  if  ye 
intend  any  kind  of  cruelty;  for  ye 
may  condemn  me  for  lack  of  suffici- 
ent answer,  since  your  subjects 
cannot  be  impartial  counsellors  for 
me,  as  they  dare  not,  for  fear  of 
you,  disobey  your  will.  Therefore 
most  humbly  do  I  require  you,  in 
the  way  of  charity  and  for  the  love 
of  God,  who  is  the  just  Judge  of  all, 
to  spare  me  the  sentence  of  this  new 
court  until  I  be  advertised  what  way 
my  friends  in  Spain  may  advise  me 
to  take;  and  if  ye  will  not  extend  to 
me  this  favor,  your  pleasure  be  ful- 
filled, and  to  God  I  commit  my 
cause."      Then   she  arose    bathed 


in  tears  and  bowing  to  the  King 
left  the  court.  When  told  that  the 
crier  at  the  King's  bidding  was  call- 
ing her  back,  she  said,  "I  hear  it 
well  enough;  but  on  — on,  go  you  on, 
for  this  is  no  court  wherein  I  can 
have  justice.  Proceed,  therefore."  (1) 

Her  touching  appeal  had  made  a 
deep  impression  on  all  present. 
This  the  King  noticed  and  with 
seeming  emotion  declared,  "Foras- 
much as  the  Queen  is  gone  I  will  in 
her  absence  declare  unto  you  all, 
my  lords,  she  hath  been  to  me  as 
true,  as  obedient,  and  as  conform- 
able a  wife  as  I  could  in  my  fancy 
wish  or  desire.  She  hath  all  the 
virtuous  qualities  that  a  woman  of 
her  quality,  or  of  any  lower  rank, 
ought  to  possess."  m  Arriving  at 
Baynard's  Castle,  Catherine  said  to 
her  council,  "This  day,  for  the 
first  time,  lest  I  hurt  my  cause,  I 
have  not  obeyed  my  lord  the  Xing; 
but  the  next  time  I  meet  him,  I  will 
crave  his  pardon  on  my  knees."  (3> 
Summoned  again  on  June  25  and  28, 
she  refused  to  appear.  Instead, 
her  written  appeal  to  the  Pope  was 
solemnly  read  in  court. 

Shortly  after  these  occurrences, 
Wolsey  and  Campeggio  visited 
Queen  Catherine  in  the  palace  of 
Bridewell  and  begged  her  in  the 
King's  name  to  consent  to  a  divorce. 
Taking  the  cardinals  aside,  she  re- 
mained for  some  time  in  earnest 
conversation  with  them.  What  she 
told  them  was  never  made  known. 
It  is  probable  that  she  again  re- 
proached Wolsey  for  having  let  mat- 
ters come  to  this  pass.w  Certain  it 
is,  both  cardinals  were  after  this 
interview  more  favorably  disposed 
toward  her.  The  next  October, 
when  the  legatine  court  resumed 
its  sittings,  Henry's  council  press- 
ed the  legates  to  give  judgment. 
Then  to  the  great  disappointment  of 

1.     Strickland,  1,  c,  p.  541,  where  the  author  quotes  from  Cavendish;  see  also  Hope,  I.  c.  p.  128  sqq.   and    fa 

Boys,  1.  c,  p.  327  (footnote  2). 2.     Hope,  1.  c,  p.  131.     For  a  dramatic  ami  historically  accurate    version  of  tlwa 

trial  scene  at  Blackfriars  see  Shakespeare's  Henry  the  Eighth,  Act  II.  Scene  IV.  Shakespeare'ssympathetic  treat- 
ment of  Queen  Catherine's  character  in  the  drama  mirrors  the  sentiments  of  the  English  public  in  the  early  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century. 3.     Sander.  I.  c.  p.  37. 4.     Du  liovs,  1.  c.,  p.  346. 


454 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  King,  Campeggio  declared  that 
the  Pope  had  found  Catherine's 
appeal  justified  and  had  already  re- 
voked her  cause  to  Rome.  With 
this  the  court  was  dissolved  and 
Campeggio  soon  after  left  England. 

Though  incensed  at  the  turn  of 
affairs,  Henry  for  a  time  feigned 
kindlier  feelings  toward  Catherine. 
Indeed,  when  told  that  Rome  would 
likely  decide  against  him,  he  was 
even  on  the  point  of  dropping  the 
matter  entirely  and  of  reinstating 
the  Queen  in  her  rights. n)  But  he 
had  already  gone  too  far  and  egged 
on  by  Anne,  again  began  to  treat 
the  Queen  with  cruel  contempt. 
Her  sufferings  now  became  well- 
nigh  unbearable.  In  the  autumn  of 
1530,  Chapuys  wrote  to  the  Emper- 
or, 'The  queen's  ailment  continues 
a  s  bad  or  worse  than  ever.  The  king 
absents  himself  from  her  as  much 
as  possible,  and  is  always  here  (at 
London)  with  the  lady  (Anne), 
whilst  the  queen  is  at  Richmond. 
He  has  never  been  so  long  without 
visiting  her  as  now,  but  states,  in 
excuse,  that  a  death  from  the  plague 
has  taken  place  near  her  residence. 
He  has  resumed  his  attempts  to 
persuade  her  to  become  a  nun;  this 
is,  however,  only  lost  time,  for  the 
queen  will  never  take  such  a  step. 
The  continual  uneasiness  which  she 
endures  causes  her  to  entreat  your 
majesty,  as  well  in  my  letters  as 
yours,  that  her  suit  be  brought  to  a 
final  conclusion." (2) 

During  the  ensuing  Christmas 
festivities  which  Henry  attended 
with  Catherine  at  Greenwich,  he 
again  asked  her  to  revoke  her  ap- 
peal to  Rome,  and  to  submit  the  af- 
fair to  four  English  prelates  or  sec- 
ular lawyers.  On  her  refusal,  the 
King  broke  up  the  festive  gather- 
ing and  withdrew  to  Whitehall.  Her 
subsequent  refusal  to  acknowledge 


the  King's  supremacy  in  spiritual 
matters  brought  the  affair  to  a  cri- 
sis.(3)  At  Whitsuntide,  1531,  a  roy- 
al deputation  again  visited  Cather- 
ine and  requested  her  to  submit  the 
question  to  four  English  prelates 
and  four  nobles,  since  the  King 
suffered  great  pangs  of  conscience. 
"God  grant  my  husband,"  re- 
plied the  Queen,  "a  quiet  con- 
science; but  tell  him  I  am  his  lawful 
wife,  married  to  him  by  the  power 
of  Holy  Church.  The  court  of 
Rome  has  taken  the  matter  in  hand ; 
when  it  speaks  I  will  submit."  (4> 
After  the  festival  of  Trinity,  Henry 
and  Catherine  set  out  together  for 
Windsor.  The  cruel  monarch  was 
by  this  time  determined  to  take 
the  fatal  step.  Accordingly,  soon 
after  their  arrival,  he  left  the  royal 
palace  and  proceeded  on  a  hunt- 
ing tour  with  Anne  Boleyn.  We 
can  readily  imagine  the  bitter 
anguish  that  filled  the  soul  of  Cath- 
erine. But  her  grief  knew  no 
bounds,  when  about  the  middle  of 
August  she  received  a  message  from 
the  King  telling  her  that  she  and 
her  daughter  Mary  were  to  leave 
Windsor  before  his  return.  "Go 
where  I  may,"  the  noble  Queen  re- 
plied, "I  am  his  wife  and  for  him  I 
pray."  In  October,  the  King's  en- 
voys once  more  entreated  Catherine 
on  their  knees  to  submit  to  a  deci- 
sion of  English  bishops.  Thereupon, 
Catherine,  too,  fell  on  her  knees 
and  begged  the  envoys  to  use  their 
influence  with  the  King  in  her  be- 
half. At  first,  she  refused  to  go  to 
the  More  in  Hertfordshire,  as  Hen- 
ry commanded,  because  the  place 
was  unhealthy.  Finally,  declining 
even  to  chose  a  place  of  her  own 
liking,  she  humbly  obeyed  his 
command,  offering  a  silent  prayer 
for  him  whom  she  was  never  to  see 
again  in  this  life. <5) 


1.    Du  Boys,  1.  c-,  p.  410,  on  the  authority  of  Cardinal  Pole. 2. 

I,  gqq 4.     Du  Boye,  1.  <•  .  p.  4JO. 5.    Strickland,  1.  c,  p.  561 ; 


Strickland,  I.e.,  p,  549. 3.     Hop. 

=ee  also  Hope.  1.  c,  p.  834gqq. 


(To  be  continued) 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


455 


THE  END  OF  A  CHRISTMAS  FROLIC 

By  Ft.  Giles.  O.  F.  M. 


MR.  Winters  was  right.  Some- 
thing was  troubling  Dan. 
All  during  supper  he  had 
been  quite  reticent— a  thing  most 
unusual  with  the  vivacious  college 
boy— and  immediately  after  grace, 
he  followed  his  father  into  the  sit- 
ting room. 

"Father,"  he  began  nervously, 
as  Mr.  Winters  sought  his  easy 
chair  for  a  smoke  and  a  glance  at 
the  evening  papers,  "Jack  Eaton 
has  invited  me  and  several  other 
boys  to  a  little  Christmas  eve  party 
at  the  Imperial  in  honor  of  his 
twenty-third  birthday." 

"Jack  Eaton!  Since  when  are 
you  intimate  with  him?" 

"Oh,  I'm  not  intimate  with  him 
at  all,  but  he  chums  with  Bert 
Shannon,  you  know,  and  he  invited 
me  for  Bert's  sake.  Rob  Van  Camp 
is  the  only  one  else  invited." 

"But  Jack  and  Rob  are  both 
Protestants,  Dan,  and  I  don't  ex- 
actly fancy  your  associating  with 
such  boys." 

"Ah,  Henry,  let  Dan  go,"  ap- 
pealed Mrs.  Winters,  coming  into 
the  room.  "You  know  it's  his  last 
Christmas  at  home;  so  let  him  en- 
joy it  as  much  as  he  can.  It  cer- 
tainly won't  do  him  any  harm  to 
dine  once  like  this  at  the  Imperial." 

"The  musical  program,  father,  is 
going  to  be  especially  good  to-night; 
Gladys  Keely,  the  famous  so- 
prano, is  booked  for  several  Christ- 
mas carols,  and  I  should  like  to  hear 
a  good  singer  like  her,"  chimed  in 
Dan  coaxingly. 

"Well, that  may  be  all  right;  still, 
I  don't  think  a  candidate  for  the 
Franciscan  Order  and  for  the 
priesthood  ought  to  spend  Christ- 
mas eve  that  way, "  returned  Mr. 
Winters  firmly  though  not  un- 
kindly. 

"But,  Dan  is  no  religious  yet  and 


doesn't  have  to—" 

'  'But  he  is  a  member  of  the  Third 
Order,  as  we  ourselves,  and  surely, 
it  is  not  becoming  for  a  Tertiary  to 
spend  this  holy  night  in  feasting 
and  revelry." 

Mrs.  Winters,  however,  who 
fairly  worshipped  the  boy  and  ex- 
perienced no  little  motherly  pride 
in  having  him  invited  by  Jack  Eat- 
on to  a  birthday  party  at  the  most 
fashionable  hotel  in  the  city,  con- 
tinued to  champion  his  request.  At 
last,  Mr.  Winters  reluctantly  gave 
his  consent  on  condition  that  Dan 
would  not  miss  his  Christmas  Com- 
munion in  consequence.  Reassur- 
ing his  father  on  this  point  and 
thanking  him  heartily,  the  boy  has- 
tened to  his  room  to  dress  for  the 
evening. 

Dan,  the  eldest  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Winters'  five  children,  was  their 
pride  and  joy,  whom  they  fondly 
hoped  to  see  clothed  the  following 
June  with  the  habit  of  St.  Francis, 
and  then,  in  God's  own  good  time, 
offering  for  the  first  time  the  Au- 
gust Sacrifice.  He  had  gone  to 
St.  Ives  College  with  the  intention 
of  preparing  himself  for  a  medical 
career,  but  already  during  his  first 
year  he  decided  to  study  for  the 
priesthood  in  the  Franciscan  Order. 
His  parents  greeted  this  with  de- 
light and  did  all  in  their  power  to 
encourage  him.  The  boy  was  con- 
firmed in  his  purpose  the  following 
year  during  the  annual  retreat, 
conducted  for  the  students  by  a 
priest  from  his  own  parish,  gooa 
Fr.  Roch,  and  at  close  of  the  exer- 
cises he  with  many  others  joined 
the  college  Third  Order  fraternity, 
the  better  to  prepare  himself  for 
his  holy  calling. 

Meeting  Fr.  Roch  on  the  campus 
after  the  ceremony,  Dan  laughing- 
ly remarked,  as  he  drew   forth  his 


456 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


Tertiary  scapular  from  his  bosom, 
"Father,  I  can  also  say  now  when 
reciting  the  Confiteor,  'beato  patri 
nostro  Francisco,1  can't  I?" 

"Yes,  my  boy,  and  I  trust  that 
you'll  make  an  exemplary  Tertiary 
and  that  you'll  never  lay  aside 
your  scapular  of  the  Third  Order 
until  you  exchange  it  for  the  habit 
of  the  First  Order." 

"Indeed,  I  won't  Father,  for  I 
prize  it  too  highly  to  do  that," 
came  the  ready  reply. 

His  years  at  college  were  fast 
drawing  to  a  close  and  there  were 
now  but  five  months  before  the  ar- 
dently desired  day  of  his  reception 
into  the  First  Order.  Dan  was, 
to  be  sure,  not  the  brightest  boy  in 
his  class  nor  was  his  conduct  always 
above  reproach.  Indeed,  the  mas- 
ter of  discipline  had  occasion  more 
than  once  to  call  him  to  task  for 
minor  infringements  of  the  college 
rules.  Yet,  in  spite  of  all,  the  boy 
was  quite  popular  with  both  the 
faculty  and  the  students. 

One  evil  trait,  however,  in  his  char- 
acter seemed  to  escape  the  notice  of 
all  except  the  vigilant  and  experi- 
enced master  of  discipline,  who  ear- 
nestly warned  the  boy  on  several  oc- 
casions against  this  weakness, 
which,  if  not  overcome  in  time,  would 
certainly  lead  him  into  evil  ways. 
This  weakness  was  none  other  than 
a  sort  of  moral  cowardice.  Dan 
loved  virtue  and  hated  vice,  but 
was  afraid  to  stand  up  for  princi- 
ples when  there  was  danger  of 
thereby  incurring  the  displeasure 
or  the  ridicule  of  others.  This  it 
was  that  kept  him  on  good  terms 
with  Bert  Shannon,  one  of  his 
childhood  chums.  Shannon  was  a 
good  boy  as  far  as  appearances 
went;  but  his  growing  intimacy 
with  Jack  Eaton  and  Rob  Van  Camp 
was  gradually  blunting  his  moral 
sensibilities  and  leading  him  into 
the  slippery  paths  of  indiff  erentism. 
With  deep  regret  Dan  noticed  this, 
but  was  afraid  to  warn  his   friend. 


That  very  afternoon,  for  instance, 
when  Bert  told  him  of  Jack  Eaton's 
invitation  to  his  birthday  party, 
Dan  realized  the  impropriety  of  his 
attending  the  feast  on  Christmas 
eve,  but  fearing  to  offend  his  friend 
said  he  would  ask  his  father's  per- 
mission. Now,  that  his  father  and 
mother  had  both  given  their  con- 
sent, Dan  brushed  aside  all  scruples 
and  looked  forward  to  the  party  with 
eager  interest.  Often  in  his  early 
boyhood  days,  when  passing  the 
Hotel  Imperial,  he  had  envied  those 
whose  fortunate  circumstances  per- 
mitted them  to  dine  amid  such  lux- 
ury. Now  he  himself,  all  unex- 
pectedly, was  to  be  of  their  num- 
ber, and  that  on  Christmas  eve, 
when  the  management  of  the  hotel 
would  make, special  efforts  to  please 
their  patrons. 

On  Dan's  arrival  at  Jack  Eaton's 
home,  the  merrymakers  departed 
for  the  hoted.  The  weather  was 
anything  but  the  proverbial  Christ- 
mas sort.  Not  a  speck  of  snow 
was  to  be  seen;  countless  stars 
sparkled  in  the  cloudless  sky, 
and  the  moon  almost  full  cast  a 
silvery  sheen  over  the  bustling  city, 
while  the  mild  air  reminded  one 
more  of  early  spring  and  Easter- 
tide than  of  the  season  of  Christ's 
birth.  The  shop  windows,  how- 
ever, filled  with  Christmas  cheer, 
supplied  the  deficiencies  of  the 
weather  in  diffusing  the  holiday 
spirit. 

Moving  gaily  arm  in  arm  down 
the  streets  and  chatting  merrily, 
Jack  and  his  friends  at  last  arrived 
at  the  palatial  entrance  to  the  Hotel 
Imperial.  Passing  through  the 
lobby,  they  paused  an  instant  in  the 
doorway  of  the  superbly  decorated 
dining  hall, and  Dan  thought  he  had 
never  before  seen  anything  so  beau- 
tiful. 

"Say  fellows,  let's  go  to  that 
corner  where  we  can  be  near  the 
orchestra  and  get  the  full  benefit 
of  the  music  and  singing,"  he  sug- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


457 


gested  eagerly. 

"Naw,  kid,  we  don't  want  to 
stay  up  here  and  listen  to  those 
crazy  symphonies  and  to  that  old 
screech  owl,  Gladys  Keely,"  growl- 
ed Eaton  good  humoredly.  "We're 
going  to  the  cafe  downstairs,  where 
we  can  listen  to  some  music  and 
see  something  worth  seeing  in  the 
bargain." 

Dan  gulped  down  a  big  dose  of 
disappointment  on  hearing  Jack's 
remark  about  the  "crazy  sym- 
phonies" and  the  "screech  owl," 
for  these  were  the  particular  fea- 
tures that  had  made  him  wish  to 
attend  the  party  that  evening. 
He  said  nothing  but  followed  his 
companions  through  a  heavy  ma- 
hogany side  door  down  the  richly 
carpeted  stairs  to  the  cafe  below. 
This  room,  too,  was  gorgeously, 
or  rather  gaudily,  decorated  with 
varicolored  lights,  holly,  misletoe, 
and  potted  plants  innumerable;  the 
exquisite  taste  that  characterized 
the  decorations  of  the  grand  salon 
above  was  entirely  wanting  here. 
The  patrons  of  the  Imperial  also 
that  flocked  hither,  although  ar- 
rayed in  the  garments  of  wealth, 
were  wholly  lacking  in  the  quiet 
gentility  that  marked  the  diners 
above,  and  were  giving  themselves 
up  without  restraint  to  mirth  and 
the  joys  of  the  palate.  If  Dan 
Winters  had  been  delightfully  im- 
pressed by  the  magnificent  splen- 
dor of  the  dining  hall  he  was  now 
sorely  depressed  by  the  sensual 
atmosphere  that  pervaded  the  cafe, 
and  he  wished  most  devoutly  that 
he  had  not  come;but  there  was  no 
backing  out  now. 

"Bert,  there's  just  the  place 
we're  looking  for,"  exclaimed  Jack 
Eaton,  scanning  the  room  from  the 
foot  of  the  stairs.  "Come  on,  we'll 
capture  it  before  some  one  else  gets 
there."  With  this,  Jack  led  the 
way  to  a  vacant  table  only  a  few 
feet  from  the  low  stage,  which,  ac- 
cording to  him,    was    to     furnish 


something  "worth  seeing."  They 
had  hardly  seated  themselves,  when 
the  orchestra  struck  up  a  lively 
march. 

"That's  what  I  call  music,"  Ea- 
ton said,  when  the  piece  ended 
with  a  great  flourish,  "That  high 
class  stuff  they  play  upstairs  makes 
me  sick.  And  now  let's  have  a  lit- 
tle drink  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 
Here  waiter,  bring  us  a  dry  Marti- 
ni each." 

"I'd  rather  have  a  ginger  ale," 
corrected  Winters  with  an  apolo- 
getic smile. 

'  'No,  none  of  that  soft  dope  here 
to-night,  kid,"  Jack  hastened  to 
reply.  "This  is  my  party  and  I'm 
going  to  order  the  drinks." 

"The  stuff  won't  hurt  you,  Dan," 
Bert  assured  his  friend,  "and  I 
know  you'll  like  it  after  you've  got 
the  first  one  down." 

"And  now  what'll  we  have  to 
eat,  Jack?"  questioned  Van  Camp, 
taking  up  a  menu  card  and  running 
his  eye  over  the  long  list  of  tasty 
dishes. 

"Oh,  after  our  soup,  we'll  have 
some  of  this  delicious  chicken  a  la 
King  and  all  that  goes  with  it,  as 
an  appetizer,  and  then  we'll  try 
that  famous  Imperial  turkey  din- 
ner they've  got  down  here  under 
the  Christmas  specialties." 

"Here's  to  the  health  of  our  amia- 
ble host  for  many  happy  returns  of 
this  day,"  cried  Bert  Shannon,  as 
the  waiter  placed  the  cocktails  on 
the  table.  The  glasses  were  drained 
amid  much  hilarity  and  Dan  was 
compelled  to  admit  that  he  liked  the 
mixture.  Then,  while  they  were 
leisurely  eating  their  soup,  he  was 
dumbfounded  to  see  several  young 
women,  disgustingly  attired,  appear 
on  the  stage  and  go  through  a  series 
of  senseless  skippings  and  impudent 
pirouettings  that  bathed  his  face 
with  crimson  and  made  his  hair 
stand  on  end.  He  wished  in  his 
heart  he  were  home  with  his  moth- 
er,   brothers,   and  sisters;  but  his 


458 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


companions  seemed  to  enjoy  the 
performance,  for  they  applauded 
vociferously  as,  with  a  parting  kick, 
the  dancers  retired  behind  the  stage. 

"Gee,  that  was  rich!"  Eaton 
burst  forth,  taking  up  his  spoon  to 
continue  his  interrupted  meal. 

Van  Camp  and  Shannon  shared 
his  opinion  and  Dan,  too,  finally 
acknowledged  that  they  were  cer- 
tainly "some  dancers."  Interiorly 
ashamed  of  his  weakness  in  fearing 
to  condemn  the  indecent  exhibition, 
he  rejoiced  that  the  girls  were 
gone  and  began  to  busy  himself 
with  his  dinner.  He  had  just  put 
the  third  toothsome  morsel  of  ten- 
der chicken  into  his  mouth  when, 
with  an  involuntary  "Oh!"  he  re- 
called that  it  was  the  vigil  of  Christ- 
mas—a day  of  fast  and  abstinence! 
True,  Dan  was  but  twenty  years  of 
age  and  hence  not  bound  to  fast, 
but  there  was  nothing  to  excuse 
him  from  observing  the  abstinence. 
No  one  appeared  to  have  noticed  his 
embarrassment.  He  glanced  across 
the  table  and  saw  Bert  Shannon 
eating  his  chicken  apparently,  at 
least,  without  a  scruple  of  con- 
science and  with  considerable  gusto. 
For  a  moment  he  was  nonplussed. 
He  dreaded  being  made  again  the 
butt  of  Eaton's  cutting  sarcasm  and 
feared  that  by  abstaining  he  would 
make  things  disagreeable  also  for 
Shannon.  Then  making  the  good  re- 
solution to  confess  the  sin  on  the 
morrow,  although  his  heart  still  beat 
at  a  furious  rate,  he  deliberately 
continued  to  eat  his  chicken.  Now, 
that  Satan  had  secured  admittance 
to  Dan's  soul,  he  had  little  difficulty 
in  leading  him  whither  he  pleased. 
Turkey  succeeded  chicken,  highballs 
followed  cocktails,  ribald  ballads 
alternated  with  coarse  sensual 
music,  and,  when  the  dancers  reap- 
peared as  woodland  nymphs  and 
pagan  goddesses,  Dan  applauded 
their  unseemly  gambols  as  lustily  as 
did  his  companions. 

The  night  was  now  far  advanced 


and  the  patrons  of  the  cafe  were 
beginning  to  leave.  The  warm  air 
in  the  room  was  heavy  with  the 
fumes  of  tobacco  and  strong  liquor, 
and  Van  Camp  suggested  a  "spin" 
through  the  city  to  cool  off  before 
going  home.  Eaton  hailed  the  prop- 
osition with  delight  and  since  he 
was  acquainted  with  several  of  the 
"pirouetting  nymphs,  "he  sent  them 
an  invitation  to  a  joy  ride  through 
the  parks.  The  girls  having  fin- 
ished their  dances,  soon  appeared 
and  Jack  with  much  mock  solemnity 
introduced  them  to  his  friends,  who 
in  turn  were  profuse  in  praising  the 
evening's  performance.  Having 
sent  a  waiter  to  order  a  car,  the 
party  drained  a  last  highball  in 
honor  of  their  host  and  his  fair 
guests.  Then  they  left  the  cafe 
with  a  plentiful  supply  of  bottled 
"good  cheer"  for  the  auto  ride. 

It  was  almost  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  when  the  chauffeur 
brought  Dan  Winters  home.  The 
boy  was  now  quite  intoxicated 
and  could  hardly  make  his  way  up 
the  few  steps  to  the  house.  His 
mother  had  cautiously  left  the  door 
unlocked,  so  that  he  would  have  no 
difficulty  in  entering  on  his  return. 
But  Dan  was  too  dazed  to  find  the 
knob.  Seeing  the  phosphorescent 
electric  button,  he  began  to  ring 
the  bell  as  if  he  wished  to  raise  the 
dead,  singing  the  while  at  the  top 
of  his  voice  snatches  of  the  maudlin 
songs  he  had  heard  that  evening. 
Mrs.  Winters  aroused  from  her 
restless  slumbers  on  the  couch, 
where  she  had  thrown  herself  in 
sheer  despair  after  waiting  in  vain 
until  twelve,  one,  two  o'clock  for 
the  return  of  her  darling  boy, 
hastened  to  the  door  to  admit  him 
before  he  should  awaken  his  father 
by  the  awful  din.  Snapping  on  the 
electric  light,  she  opened  the  door 
and  the  young  man  staggered  into 
the  room. 

"Mer— mer  hie— mer' Christmas!" 
he  sang  out   thickly,  grasping  the 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


450 


door  frame  to  steady  his  feet. 

"My  God!  Dan,  can  that  be  you?" 
quavered  the  poor  woman  aghast  at 
the  sight  of  his  flushed  face,  bleared 
«yes,  and  disheveled  appearance. 
"Oh,  my  boy,  my  boy,  how  could 
you  ever  act  like  this!" 

"Dan!"— fell  a  voice  like  a  thun- 
derbolt from  the  blue— "leave  this 
house  instantly  and  don't  you  dare 
come  here  again  until  you  know  how 
to  take  care  of  yourself!" 

It  was  Mr.  Winters  who  had  come 
unnoticed  into  the  room.  Near 
midnight,  he  had  telephoned  to 
an  acquaintance  at  the  Imperial 
to  enquire  about  Dan  and  his 
friends,  and  learning  that  the 
party  in  question  had  gone  for  a  joy 
ride  with  a  number  of  cabaret 
dancers,  he  went  to  his  room  in  a 
towering  rage.  Each  successive 
hour  had  added  fuel  to  his  anger, 
and  as  the  boy  now  stood  before 
him  in  his  drunken  plight,  Mr.  Win- 
ters could   hardly  contain  himself. 

"Go,  I  say!  Do  you  hear  me?" 
he  shouted.  '  'Or  shall  I  throw  you 
out?"  he  went  on,  stepping  forward. 

"Oh,  Henry,  for  God's  sake,  calm 
yourself!"  implored  his  wife,  rush- 
ing before  him  to  shield  the  boy 
from  his  fury. 

This  terrible  burst  of  temper 
sobered  Dan  immediately.  He 
stared  at  his  father  and  quailed  be- 
neath his  relentless  gaze.  He 
turned  nervously  toward  his  mother 
—she  was  powerless  to  aid  him. 
What  should  he  do?  Driven  in  dis- 
grace from  his  home,  he  can  not 
face  Fr.  Roch,  he  can  not  go  back 
to  college.  Gone  are  his  hopes  for 
the  priesthood,  gone  all  prospects 
for  an  honorable  future.  His  life  is 
ruined.  He  is  an  outcast.  Over- 
whelmed with  shame  and  despair 
and  cursing  his  folly,  he  disappears 
in  the  darkness. 

It  was  a  sad  and  dreary  Christ- 
mas that  dawned  that  morning  for 
the  Winters.  The  distraught  moth- 
er was  prostrated  with  grief  and 


cried  hysterically  for  her  boy,  say- 
ing that  not  he  but  she  had  sinned. 
News  of  the  unhappy  affair  soon 
reached  Fr.  Roch,  and  he  hurried 
to  the  bedside  of  the  broken-hearted 
woman.  She  stared  wildly  at  him, 
at  first,  then  bursting  into  tears  ex- 
claimed: 

"Oh,  Father,  I've  sent  my  boy  to 
hell,  I've  sent  him  to  hell!" 

Hereupon  she  grew  hysterical 
again,  calling  on  Dan  to  forgive  her 
and  moaning  most  pitiably.  The 
good  priest  sought  out  Mr.  Winters, 
but  could  do  nothing  with  him. 
Always  of  a  stern  disposition,  he 
was  now  as  hard  and  immovable  as 
the  mountain  granite.  Dan  had 
disgraced  not  only  himself,  he  de- 
clared, but  his  family,  his  parish, 
his  college  and  professors;  he  had 
wounded  his  father  in  his  holi- 
est and  tenderest  sentiments;  and 
he  had  received  but  the  punishment 
he  deserved.  When  Fr.  Roch  urged 
him  to  leniency,  on  account  of  the 
boy's  mother,  the  flood  gates  of  the 
man's  pent  up  passion  gave  way 
and  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul  he 
shrieked: 

1  'Yes,  she,  too,  has  got  what  she 
deserves.  She's  the  fault  of  it  all. 
If  she  hadn't  insisted  on  letting  him 
go,  he  would  never  have  gone." 

The  priest  saw  that  it  was 
worse  than  useless  to  urge  the  mat- 
ter as  long  as  Mr.  Winters  was  in 
his  present  state  of  mind,  and  he 
left  the  house,  his  soul  wrung  with 
sorrow.  Later  in  the  day,  he  sum- 
moned Judge  Adams  and  arranged 
with  him  to  send  a  detective  in 
search  of  the  missing  boy.  As  Dan 
had  not  been  seen  after  leaving 
home,  all  kinds  of  rumors  as  to  his 
whereabouts  and  subsequent  fate 
were  afloat  in  the  city.  After  search- 
ing vainly  for  many  months,  the  de- 
tective finally  gave  up  the  quest  and 
nothing  more  was  done  in  the  mat- 
ter. 

For  weeks,  Mrs.  Winters  hovered 
between  life  and  death.     And  even 


460 


FRANCISCAN   HERALD 


when  she  had  sufficiently  re- 
covered through  the  admirable  skill 
and  care  of  Dr.  Woodbury  to  go 
about  her  usual  household  duties, 
there  was  still  grave  danger  that 
her  constant  worry  over  the  proba- 
ble fate  of  her  idolized  boy  would 
finally  bring  on  insanity.  Mr. 
Winters'  hardened  heart  gradually 
softened  under  the  terrible  blow 
that  had  fallen  so  heavily  on  his 
once  happy  home,  and  one  evening, 
when  Fr.  Roch  called,  as  he  often 
did,  in  his  endeavor  to  bring  back 
sweet  peace  to  the  sorrowing  family, 
the  stern  man  broke  down  com- 
pletely and  with  a  flood  of  tears 
begged  pardon  of  the  priest  for 
speaking  to  him  as  he  had  done  and 
entreated  his  poor  wife  to  forgive 
the  harsh  treatment  he  had  so  un- 
justly accorded  her.  And  then,  as 
father  and  mother  and  the  four  re- 
maining children  knelt  with  bowed 
heads  beneath  the  beautiful  picture 
of  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows  that  looked 
down  on  them  with  so  much  pity 
from  the  wall,  Fr.  Roch  raised  his 
hands  in  blessing  above  the  group 
and  prayed:  "Visit,  we  beseech 
Thee,  0  Lord,  this  house  and  drive 
far  from  it  all  snares  of  the  enemy. 
May  Thy  holy  Angels  dwell  herein 
and  preserve  all  in  thy  peace,  and 
may  Thy  blessing  be  upon  them  all. 

Amen." 

*  * 

It  was  snowing  heavily  and  the 
cold  wintry  wind  was  howling  dis- 
mally. The  hour  was  already  past 
ten  and,  although  it  was  Christmas 
eve,  only  a  few  pedestrians  were  to 
be  seen  braving  the  storm  in  the 
dimly  lighted  streets  of  the  great 
city. 

Every  now  and  then  as  the  doors 
of  the  Franciscan  church  closed 
noiselessly  on  some  penitent  who 
was  hastening  home  from  Confes- 
sion with  lightened  heart,  a  ragged 
figure,  that  was  slowly  and  pain- 
fully making  his  way  through  the 
blinding  storm,  paused  suddenly  on 


reaching  the  church.  He  turned 
toward  the  door,  wondering  wheth- 
er he  should  not  enter.  Then  he 
gathered  his  threadbare  coat  as  well 
as  he  could  about  his  shivering 
limbs  and  continued  on  his  way.  A 
short  distance  beyond,  he  entered 
a  saloon  and  throwing  down  his 
last  quarter  called  for  a  brandy. 
Hardly  had  he  emptied  the  glass, 
when  the  bartender  ordered  him 
out,  declaring  that  he  didn't  want 
to  have  the  likes  of  him  hanging 
about  to  scare  away  customers. 

Without  a  word,  the  lone  figure 
quit  the  saloon  and  trudged  slowly 
onward,  but  had  not  gone  far  when 
he  sank  unconscious  to  the  ground. 

The  door  of  the  Franciscan  church 
opened  again  and  a  sturdy  lad  of 
fifteen  started  down  the  street, 
well  protected  from  the  piercing 
wind  and  the  driving  snow  by  a 
warm  fur  coat  and  stout  leggings. 
It  was  Harry  Winters.  He  had 
worked  over  time  that  day  and  it 
was  then  only  after  several  hours  of 
patient  waiting  that  he  had  finally 
made  his  way  to  the  confessional. 
As  he  hurried  homeward,  he  was 
suddenly  startled  by  low  moanings 
proceeding  from  a  shadowy  door- 
way. Whisking  a  small  flash  light 
from  his  pocket,  he  turned  its  rays 
into  the  dark  corner  and  was  horri- 
fied at  the  sight  of  a  young  man  ly- 
ing there  unconscious,  his  face  and 
clothing  bathed  in  blood.  Recall- 
ing that  Officer  Maloney  had  gone 
to  Confession  immediately  after 
himself  and  that  he  was  probably 
still  in  the  church,  Harry  hastily 
retraced  his  steps. 

"Shure,  me  boy,  this  very  min- 
ute, and  may  God  help  the  poor 
divil,"  replied  the  simple  police- 
man, putting  his  beads  in  his 
pocket  and  preparing  to  follow  the 
boy.  They  were  about  to  leave 
the  church,  when  Fr.  Roch  emerged 
from  his  confessional,  after  dis- 
missing his  last  penitent.  Harry 
informed  him  of  what  he  had  seen. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


461 


and  then  ventured  to  add,  "Don't 
you  think  you  could,  perhaps,  come 
too?" 

"Why  certainly,"  replied  the 
priest  kindly.  "Here,  Mr.  Maloney, 
you  go  with  Harry  and  bring  the 
man  to  Winthrop's  drug  store.  He 
has  a  small  room  fitted  up  in  the 
rear,  just  the  place  for  the  purpose. 
I'll  'phone  for  Dr.  Woodbury  and 
then  follow  at  once." 

When  Fr.  Koch  entered  the  room 
and  saw  the  stranger  lying  on  the 
couch,  he  gave  an  involuntary 
start  and  whispered  few  words  to 
Dr.  Woodbury,  who  had  just 
arrived.  The  physician  adminis- 
tered a  restorative,  and  soon  the 
sick  man  wearily  opened  his  eyes. 
He  seemed  perplexed  at  first,  on 
seeing  himself  in  a  neatly  furnished 
room,  surrounded  by  a  sympathe- 
tic group  of  men.  Then  his  eyes 
brightened,  as  they  fell  on  the  priest. 

"Is  that  you,  Fr.  Roch?"  he 
asked  faintly,  a  smile  playing  about 
his  lips,  and  he  raised  his  hand  to 
grasp  that  of  the  priest. 

"Yes,  Dan,  it  is  I,"  replied  the 
priest,his  heart  throbbing  violently. 
"Don't  be  afraid.  Dr.  Woodbury 
is  here  and  he  will  do  all  in  his 
power  to  put  you  on  your  feet 
again." 

"There's  no  use,  Father,"  inter- 
rupted the  boy  sadly,  making  a 
great  effort  to  speak.  "This  is  the 
third  hemorrhage  I've  had  to-day 
and  I  feel  that  I'm  done  for.  But 
I  can  go  to  Confession,  can't  I?" 
he  pleaded  "For  in  spite  of  all  I've 
kept  this,"  and  he  drew  forth  his 
Third  Order  scapular.  "Somehow,  I 
could  never  part  with  it,  for  it 
filled  me  with  a  vague  hope  that 
all  would  yet  end  well.  Oh,  Father, 
you've  no  idea  how  I  suffered  dur- 
ing this  past  year.     You  see,  — ' ' 

Here  the  priest  wisely  interrupt- 
ed, lest  the  sick  boy  exhaust  him- 
self before  receiving  the  holy  Sa- 
craments.    After  hearing  his  Con- 


fession- a  more  contrite  one  he  had 
never  heard— he  proceeded  to  ad- 
minister the  Viaticum  and  Extreme 
Unction,  and  when  Harry  Winters 
arrived  with  his  father  and  moth- 
er, to  whom  he  had  brought  the 
glad  tidings,  Fr.  Roch  was  softly 
saying  the  prayers  of  thanksgiv- 
ing after  Communion. 

"Oh,  Dan,  my  darling  boy,  for- 
give me;  it  was  all  my  fault,  I 
should  not  have  let  you  go!"  sobbed 
the  grief-stricken  mother,  throw- 
ing herself  on  her  knees  at  the 
bedside  of  her  dying  boy  and  cov- 
ering his  haggard  features  with 
fondest  kisses. 

"And,  Dan,  my  boy,  forgive 
your  blundering  father!"  exclaimed 
the  gray  haired  old  man,  as  with 
tears  streaming  down  his  furrowed 
cheeks,  he  knelt  beside  his  wife 
and  took  his  long  lost  boy's  hand 
and  pressed  it  tenderly  to  his    lips. 

"No,  father,  mother,  it  is  I  who 
must  ask  forgiveness,"  Dan  has- 
tened to  reply,  his  voice  choked 
with  emotion.  "You  don't  know 
how  sorry—"  A  violent  hemor- 
rhage, brought  on  by  the  shock  of 
the  meeting,  cut  short  his  words. 

After  some  time,  he  recovered 
slightly,  but  all  realized  that  the 
end  was  near,  Opening  his  glassy 
eyes  and  fixing  them  lovingly  on 
his  weeping  parents,  he  whispered 
faintly,  as  a  sad  but  peaceful  smile 
lit  up  his  wan  countenance: 

"Don't  cry.  God  has  been  good 
to  me  and  I  am  now  so  happy!" 

There  was  a  gasp  — then  another. 
Then  all  were  still.  Peace  and  rec- 
onciliation had  come  at  last. 

At  that  very  moment,  in  a  far 
distant  Franciscan  convent,  a 
group  of  fervent  novices— Dan 
Winters'  former  classmates  — were 
chanting  in  the  midnight  silence 
the  joyful  Matins  of  Christmas  day: 
Hodie  nobis  de  coelo  pax  vera  de- 
scendit—  "To-day  true  peace  has 
descended  upon   us  from  heaven." 


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464 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


CARDINAL  XIMENEZ 


Ferdinand,  O.F.M. 
( Concluded) 


WE  have  seen  Ximenez  ex- 
change the  cassock  for  the 
habit.  We  have  witnessed 
him  give  up  the  cowl  for  the  miter. 
We  shall  now  behold  him  lay  aside 
the  crook   for  the  sword. 

The  Conquistador 

Alvaro  Gomez,  his  first  bio- 
grapher, is  of  opinion  that  Xime- 
nez was  intended  by  nature  for  a 
military  career,  since  he  possessed 
all  the  requisites  of  a  commander. 
This,  of  course,  is  mere  conjecture. 
Certain  it  is  however,  that,  as  Pres- 
cott  puts  it,  ''the  spirit  of  the  sol- 
dier burned  strong  and  bright  un- 
der his  monastic  weeds."  Indeed, 
he  was  as  much  a  conquistador  as 
either  Pizarro  or  Cortez,  with  this 
difference,  however,  that  he  entered 
on  his  expedition  of  conquest  from 
motives  infinitely  purer  than  theirs. 

Always  keenly  alive  to  the  needs 
of  the  Church,  Ximenez  had,  short- 
ly after  his  elevation  to  the  chancel- 
lorship, endeavored  to  interest  the 
kings  of  Aragon,  Portugal,  and 
England  in  a  crusade  to  the  Holy 
Land.  But  these  monarchs  were 
too  much  engrossed  in  their  own 
petty  schemes  of  aggrandizement 
to  lend  a  willing  ear  to  his  sugges- 
tions. His  zeal  found  some  vent, 
however,  in  a  punitive  expedition, 
set  on  foot  at  his  instigation  by 
Ferdinand,  against  the  neighboring 
Moslems  of  Africa,  who  made  fre- 
quent descents  on  the  coasts  of 
Spain  and  committed  the  most  law- 
less depradations  on  maritime  com- 
merce. The  expedition  resulted  in 
the  capture  of  Mazarquivir,  an  im- 
portant harbor  city  and  formidable 
nest  of  pirates  on  the  Barbary  coast. 
Considerable  as  was  the  conqueit 
of  this  city,  there  were  others 
equally  important  and  formidable, 
and  Ximenez  foresaw,  that,  unless 


these  were  taken,  the  Spanish 
garrison  would  be  in  continual 
danger  of  extermination. 

As  soon  as  the  internal  affairs  of 
Spain  permitted,  he  determined  to 
undertake  a  vigorous  campaign  a- 
gainst  the  Moors  of  Africa.  He 
meditated  nothing  less  than  the 
conquest  of  Oran,  a  large  city  and 
strong  fortress,  not  far  from  Ma- 
zarquivir. It  formed  the  principal 
mart  for  the  Levantine  merchants 
as  well  as  the  naval  basis  for  a  fleet 
of  pirate  cruisers  that  swept  the 
waters  and  the  coasts  of  the  Medi- 
terranean. Ximenez  believed  that 
by  taking  this  strong  place  he  would 
deal  a  staggering  blow  to  Moslem 
power  in  Africa,  and  in  this  light 
he  represented  the  expedition  to 
the  king.  But  Ferdinand  objected 
for  want  of  funds.  Undaunted  the 
cardinal  replied  that  he  was  ready 
to  finance  and  even  to  lead  the 
crusade  in  person.  He  would  thus, 
he  thought,  be  able  to  pursue  his 
own  plans  with  greater  freedom 
and  exempt  the  king  from  responsi- 
bility and  loss,  which  he  might  not 
be  able  or  willing  to  incur.  Fer- 
dinand readily  acquiesced  in  this 
proposition,  and  Ximenez  lost  no 
time  in  making  the  necessary  prepa- 
rations. The  enterprise,  however 
disproportionate  it  might  seem  to 
the  resources  of  a  private  individ- 
ual—or even  of  a  king,  was  not  be- 
yond those  of  the  cardinal,  and  the 
thoroughness  with  which  he  planned 
the  undertaking  left  no  doubt  as  to 
its  outcome. 

He  had  advised  as  to  the  best 
mode  of  conducting  operations  with 
his  friend  Gonsalvo  de  Cordova,  to 
whom,  if  the  King  so  pleased,  he 
would  have  gladly  «ntru«ted  the 
supreme  command.  But  the  Great 
Captain  was  no  longer  in  favor  at 
the  court,  and  he  suggested   Count 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


465 


Pedro  Navarro  as  commander  of 
the  forces  to  be  levied.  In  a  few 
months,  an  army  of  about  four 
thousand  horse  and  ten  thousand 
foot  and  a  fleet  of  ten  galleys,  eighty 
large  transports,  and  many  smaller 
vessels,  together  with  abundant 
supplies  of  all  kinds  had  been 
gathered  in  the  harbor  of  Cartha- 
gena.  Though  unskilled  in  war- 
fare; oppressed  with  bodily  infirmi- 
ties (he  was  now  over  seventy) ; 
thwarted  at  every  turn  by  the 
nobles,  who  ridiculed  the  idea  of  a 
friar  fighting  the  battles  of  Spain, 
while  the  Great  Captain  was  left  at 
home  to  tell  his  beads;  braved  by 
the  soldiers  who  refused  to  sail  un- 
less paid  in  advance;  flouted  by 
their  leader,  who  sought  to  displace 
him  in  the  supreme  command;  and 
deserted  by  the  King  who  was 
jealous  of  his  power:  yet,  such  was 
the  energy,  the  resourcefulness  of 
his  genius  that,  rising  with  the  ob- 
stacles it  had  to  encounter,  it  tri- 
umphed over  all  in  reconciling  the 
King,  disappointing  the  nobles,  and 
restoring  obedience  and  discipline 
to  the  army.  "His  character  was 
such,"  says  Hefele,  "that  the  more 
obstacles  he  met  with  to  oppose  his 
designs,  the  stronger  his  resolutions 
became  to  carry  them  into  execu- 
tion." 

On  May  16,  1509,  the  fleet  weighed 
anchor  and  reached  Mazarquivir  on 
the  following  day.  The  plan  was 
to  attack  Oran  by  land  and  by  sea. 
The  immediate  objective  point,  how- 
ever, was  a  ridge  of  land  command- 
ing the  latter  city,  and  before  this 
height  the  Spanish  army  formed  in 
order  of  battle.  When  all  was 
ready  for  the  attack,  Ximenez  ap- 
peared on  the  scene.  He  was 
mounted  on  a  mule  and  dressed  in 
his  pontifical  robes,  with  a  belted 
sword  at  his  side.  Riding  along 
the  ranks  he  imposed  silence  on  the 
troops,  and  made  to  them  the  fol- 
lowing spirited  harangue,  which  is 
a  model  of  forceful  eloquence. 


"Soldiers: 

If  I  thought  that  your  courage  and  con- 
fidence stood  in  need  of  being  exited  by 
words,  I  would  not  address  you  myself, 
but  leave  this  task  to  one  of  your  brave 
generals  whose  stirring  eloquence  has 
often  led  you  to  victory,  and  who  has 
gained  your  confidence  by  sharing  your 
dangers  and  triumphs.  But,  knowing  your 
ardor  for  this  holy  war,  which  will  redound 
to  the  glory  of  God  and  to  the  welfare  of 
your  country,  I  wish  to  be  a  witness  of 
your  courage  and  magnanimity  now  that 
the  fateful  die  is  cast.  For  years  the 
Spanish  coasts  have  been  ravaged  by  the 
infidel,  your  children  dragged  into  slavery, 
jour  wives  and  daughters  dishonored,  and 
atrocities  of  all  kinds  perpetrated.  Sol- 
diers, you  have  long  thirsted  to  avenge 
these  crimes,  and,  in  accordance  with  the 
wishes  of  your  country,  I  have  endeavored 
to  prepare  for  you  an  opportunity.  The 
mothers  of  Spain  have  seen  us  embark  on 
this  expedition,  and  prostrate  before  the 
altars  of  the  Most  High  they  have  entreat- 
ed him  to  bless  our  undertaking.  They  are 
anxiously  awaiting  our  triumphant  return. 
Already  in  imagination  they  behold  us 
breaking  the  chains  of  their  captive  chil- 
dren and  restoring  them  to  their  fond  em- 
brace. The  day  so  long  desired  has  arrived. 
Behold  the  accursed  country.  Behold  the 
proud  enemy  athirst  for  your  blood.  Prove 
to  the  world  to-day  that,  if  you  have  not 
struck  this  blow  for  the  glory  and  defense 
of  your  country  before  this  time,  it  was 
not  for  lack  of  courage,  but  for  want  of  a 
fitting  opportunity.  As  for  myself,  I  will 
be  the  first  to  face  every  danger.  For  I 
have  set  out  with  the  resolution  to  conquer 
or,  which  God  forbid,  to  die  with  you. 
Where  can  the  priest  of  God  find  a  better 
place  to  die  than  on  the  battle  field,  de- 
fending the  cause  of  religion?  Many  of 
my  predecessors  on  the  see  of  Toledo  have 
set  me  the  example,  and  have  found  a 
most  glorious  death  on  the  field  of  battle." 

This  heart-stirring  address  en- 
kindled indescribable  enthusiasm  in 
the  bosoms  of  his  martial  audience. 
The  officers,  however,  crowded 
about  him  and  besought  him  not  to 
expose  so  precious  a  life  to  the  haz- 
ard of  the  fight.  Reluctantly  yield- 
ing to  their  entreaties,  he  appointed 
Navarro  commander-in-chief  and, 
after  bestowing  a  parting  benedic- 
tion on  the  prostrate  army,  he  with- 
drew to  the  neighboring  fortress  of 
Mazarquivir.  Hardly  had  he  en- 
tered his  oratory  to  pray  for  the 
success  of  the  Christian  arms,  when 


466 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Navarro  appeared.  He  had  come 
to  inform  Ximenez  of  a  change  he 
intended  to  make  in  the  plan  of 
battle.  Owing  to  the  difficult  ter- 
rain, he  had  decided  not  to  use  the 
cavalry,  and  since  the  day  was  al- 
ready far  spent  and  his  men  were 
exhausted  from  the  voyage,  he  had 
thought  it  advisable  to  defer  the 
storming  of  the  hill  till  the  next 
morning.  But  Ximenez  stoutly  op- 
posed such  a  measure  and  urged 
him  to  begin  the  attack  without 
delay.  The  intrepid  bearing  of  the 
prelate  allayed  the  soldier's  fears, 
and  returning  to  the  army  he  gave 
instant  orders  to  advance. 

Space  will  not  allow  to  give  a  de- 
tailed account  of  the  battle.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that,  after  a  short  but  vio- 
lent engagement  in  which  the  land 
army  was  assisted  by  the  fleet,  the 
city  was  carried  by  storm  in  the  in- 
credibly short  period  of  four  hours. 
The  first  to  mount  the  wall  was  a 
captain  of  the  cardinal's  guard,  who 
shouting  forth  Santiago  y  Ximenez 
unfurled  his  banner  emblazoned 
with  the  primate's  arms  and  planted 
it  on  the  battlements.  Hardly  had 
the  city  surrendered,  when  strong 
Moorish  reinforcements  arrived, 
but  seeing  the  city  in  the  hands  of 
the  Christians  they  disappeared  as 
quickly  as  they  had  come.  That 
the  cardinal's  wisdom  and  intrepid- 
ity had  saved  the  day,  was  admit- 
ted on  all  hands. 

The  next  morning,  he  made  his 
solemn  entry  into  the  city.  He  was 
received  with  acclamations  of  joy 
by  the  soldiers,  who  declared  that 
he  was  the  real  conqueror  of  the 
infidels.  Ximenez,  however,  re- 
ferred all  honor  to  God  and  thanked 
and  rewarded  the  troops  and  their 
leaders  for  the  signal  courage  they 
had  displayed  in  the  capture  of  the 
Moorish  stronghold.  After  a  few 
days,  the  cardinal  determined  to 
return  to  Spain.  Differences  had 
arisen  between  him  and  Navarro  as 
well  as  the   King,   who   both  were 


jealous  of  his  power,  and  he  did  not 
wish  to  imperil  the  success  of  the 
expedition  by  his  presence  in  Oran. 
After  taking  every  precaution  to 
insure  the  safety  and  stability  of 
the  new  acquisitions,  he  embarked 
in  an  unarmed  galley,  "showing,  as 
it  were,"  says  Prescott,  "by  this 
very  act,  the  good  effects  of  his 
enterprise,  in  the  security  which  is 
brought  to  the  before  perilous  navit 
gation  of  these  inland  seas. ' '  Mag- 
nificent reception  were  prepared- 
for  him  in  Spain,  but  he  modestly 
declined  all  invitations  and  compli- 
ments, and  repaired  without  delay 
to  his  favorite  city  of  Alcala  de 
Henares. 

The  Man  of  Letters 

This  city  was  soon  to  become  fa- 
mous throughout  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world  as  harboring  within  its 
walls  "the  eighth  wonder  of  the 
world."  So  the  Spaniards  called 
the  university  of  Alcala,  which 
owed  its  establishment  wholly  to 
the  zeal  and  munificence  of  Ximenez. 
Already  in  1498,  he  had  the  plans 
for  the  buildings  drawn  by  Pedro 
Gumiel,  a  noted  Spanish  architect, 
and  in  1500,  or  thereabout,  he  him- 
self placed  the  cornerstone  of  the 
principal  college  of  San  Ildefonso. 
From  that  time,  he  never  lost  sight 
of  this  magnificent  project  and  did 
everything  in  his  power  to  hasten 
its  execution.  Amid  all  the  engross- 
ing cares  of  Church  and  State,  he 
might  be  frequently  seen  on  the 
ground,  with  his  own  hand  taking 
the  measurements  of  the  buildings 
j  or  encouraging  and  rewarding  the 
industry  of  the  workmen.  Besides 
the  college  already  mentioned,  nine 
others  together  with  a  hospital  for 
the  students  were  erected  within 
the  space  of  eight  years.  These 
edifices  were  built  in  the  most  sub- 
stantial manner,  and  the  whole  plan 
was  executed  on  a  truly  magnifi- 
cent scale.  Even  the  ancient  city 
of  Alcala  was   remodeled   and   em- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


467 


bellished  to  make  it  in  every  way 
worthy  of  its  great  university.  All 
of  these  projects  caused  the  people 
to  observe  punningly  that  "the 
Church  of  Toledo  never  had  a  bishop 
of  greater  edification  in  every  sense, 
than  Ximenez."  If  one  reflects 
that  the  whole  vast  design  was  de- 
vised and  executed  by  a  private  in- 
dividual, one  can  understand  the 
admiration  of  Francis  the  First, 
who  on  seeing  the  university  is  re- 
ported to  have  said,  "Ximenez  has 
executed  more  than  I  should  have 
dared  to  conceive;  he  has  done 
single-handed  what  in  France  it  has 
cost  a  line'  of  kings  to  accomplish." 
He  referred,  of  course,  to  the  uni- 
versity of  Paris. 

Even  before  the  buildings  were 
completed,  Ximenez  busied  himself 
with  digesting  a  curriculum  and 
providing  teachers  for  his  infant 
university.  In  doing  this,  he  sought 
light  and  aid  wherever  they  were  to 
be  found,  notably  at  the  celebrated 
schools  of  Salamanca  and  Paris. 
When  the  university  opened,  it 
could  boast  of  forty-two  chairs,  of 
which  six  were  appropriated  to 
theology;  six  to  canon  law;  four  to 
medicine;  one  to  anatomy;  one  to 
surgery;  eight  to  arts,  as  they  were 
called,  embracing  logic,  physics, 
and  metaphysics;  four  to  rhetoric; 
and  six  to  grammar.  These  pro- 
fessorships were  held  by  scholars 
of  established  reputation,  whom 
Ximenez  had  tempted  to  Alcala  by 
promises  of  rich  emoluments.  The 
fame  of  these  men  in  turn  attracted 
students  by  the  thousands  from  all 
parts  of  the  world,  and,  in  a  short 
time,  the  university  of  Alcala  could 
compete  in  point  of  learning  and 
attendance  with  the  best  institu- 
tions of  its  kind  in  Europe. 

Hardly  had  the  cardinal's  plans 
for  the  university  taken  definite 
shape,  when  he  conceived  a  project 
equally  important,  if  not  so  vast.  It 
is  the  publication  of  his  polyglot 
Bible,  which  is    called  the    "Com- 


plutensian,"  from  Complutum,  the 
supposed  ancient  name  of  Alcala. 
Ximenez  wished,  he  writes,  "to 
revive  the  languishing  study  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,,,  and  to  this  end, 
he  undertook  to  furnish  students 
with  accurate  printed  texts  of  the 
Old  Testament  in  the  Hebrew, 
Greek,  and  Latin  languages,  and 
of  the  New  Testament  in  Greek  and 
Latin.  The  Bible  contains  also  the 
Chaldaic  paraphrase  of  the  Penta- 
teuch, an  interlinear  translation  of 
the  Greek  Old  Testament,  a  Hebrew 
and  Chaldaic  dictionary,  a  Hebrew 
grammar,  and  a  Greek  dictionary. 
It  was  a  stupendous  work,  demand- 
ing great  critical  acumen  and  erudi- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  eminent 
scholars  to  whom  it  was  entrusted. 
Ximenez  himself  with  noble  gener- 
osity furnished  them  with  every- 
thing necessary  for  the  compilation. 
He  had  all  the  great  libraries  of 
Europe  searched  for  manuscripts, 
and  whatever  was  of  value  he  either 
borrowed  or  bought  outright,  with- 
out regard  to  cost.  Some  idea  of 
his  lavish  expenditures  may  be 
formed  from  the  fact  that  on  one 
occasion,  he  paid  for  seven  foreign 
manuscripts  four  thousand  ducats. 
The  total  expense  of  the  publication 
amounted  to  50,000  ducats— "a 
sum,"  says  Hefele,  "which,  if 
estimated  at  the  value  that  money 
then  had,  could  have  been  expended 
only  by  a  man  who  united  the  wants 
of  a  monk  to  the  revenues  of  a 
king." 

This  is  not  the  place  to  discuss 
the  merits  of  this  great  work. 
Modern  critics  may  be  able  to  de- 
tect in  it  flaws  which  escaped  the 
less  practiced  eyes  of  the  compilers. 
When  every  deduction  has  been 
made,  however,  even  modern  critics 
will  agree  with  the  Protestant  his- 
torian Prescott  when  he  says,  '  'The 
cardinal's  Bible  has  the  merit  of 
being  the  first  successful  attempt 
at  a  polyglot  version  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  consequently  of  facilitat- 


468 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ing,  even  by  its  errors,  the  execution 
of  more  perfect  and  later  works  of 
the  kind.  Nor  can  we  look  at  it  in 
connection  with  the  age,  and  the 
auspices  under  which  it  was  ac- 
complished, without  regarding  it  as 
a  noble  monument  of  piety,  learn- 
ing, and  munificence,  which  entitles 
its  author  to  the  gratitude  of  the 
whole  Christian  world."  It  is  with- 
out doubt,  the  greatest  literary 
work  of  its  age,  which  alone  would 
have  been  sufficient  to  render  the 
name  of  Ximenez  immortal. 

The  Statesman 

Such  were  the  gigantic  projects 
with  which  the  great  cardinal 
amused  himself  during  his  leisure 
hours.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  all  through  these  labors  he 
took  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of 
Church  and  State.  We  have  wit- 
nessed his  achievements  as  a 
churchman,  let  us  now  briefly  re- 
view his  labors  as  a  statesman.  No 
sooner  had  Ximenez  assumed  the 
office  of  chancellor  of  Castile,  to 
which  he  had  been  invited  by 
Queen  Isabella,  when  he  displayed 
such  penetration,  energy,  firmness, 
fortitude,  and  independence,  as 
surprised  his  friends  and  awed  his 
enemies.  The  Queen  herself  had 
unbounded  confidence  in  her  new 
minister  and  asked  his  advice  on  all 
important  affairs  of  state.  He,  in 
his  turn,  served  her  interests  and 
those  of  her  kingdom  with  untiring 
zeal  and  unswerving  loyalty.  Even 
after  her  death  he  showed  himself 
faithful  to  her  by  executing  to  the 
letter  the  terms   of  her  last  will. 

One  of  her  last  earthly  cares 
had  been  to  regulate  the  succession 
of  the  throne  by  appointing  her 
royal  husband  Ferdinand  regent  of 
Castile  during  the  nonage  of  her 
grandson,  later  known  as  Charles 
V.  The  jealous  and  haughty  aris- 
tocracy of  Castile,  however,  resisted 
this  wise  provision  and  invited  his 
son-in-law  Philip  the  Fair  to  assume 


the  regency.  A  struggle  ensued 
between  the  two  sovereigns,  in 
which  Ximenez  sided  constantly 
with  Ferdinand.  Their  differences 
would  have  probably  resulted  in 
civil  war,  had  the  prelate  not 
mediated  between  them  with  ad- 
mirable tact.  His  success  was  all 
the  more  remarkable,  because  he 
found  Philip  a  faithless,  strong- 
headed,  and  vindictive  man,  the 
slave  of  passion  and  the  dupe  of 
evil  counselors;  while  the  confi- 
dence reposed  in  him  by  Ferdinand 
was  not  always  complete  nor  equal 
at  any  time  to  that  placed  in  him 
by  the  noble  and  virtuous  Isabella. 
When  Philip  was  prematurely 
carried  off  in  1506,  Ximenez  again 
was  forced  to  act  as  mediator  be- 
tween the  factious  nobles,  and  it 
was  no  easy  task  even  for  a  man  of 
his  vigor  and  resourcefulness  to 
restrain  their  turbulent  spirits. 
Philip's  consort  Joanna  the  Imbe- 
cile, as  she  is  known  in  history, 
was  incapable  of  ruling  the  king- 
dom, and  Ferdinand  had  been  vir- 
tually forced  to  leave  the  country. 
Various  factions  sought  control  of 
the  government,  and  party  spirit 
ran  high.  Anarchy  was  inevitable 
unless  a  ruler  were  found  that 
could  conciliate  and  control  the 
jarring  elements.  In  this  crisis, 
Ximenez  was  chosen  provisional 
administrator  by  the  grandees,  and 
a  happier  choice  they  could  not 
have  made.  His  position,  however, 
was  anything  but  enviable.  On 
the  one  hand,  the  Castilian  nobles 
constantly  intrigued  against  him 
and  against  one  another,  and  on 
the  other  hand,  the  weak-minded 
widow  Joanna  refused  to  endorse 
his  authority  as  regent.  Ximenez, 
therefore,  pressed  Ferdinand  to  re- 
turn from  Italy  and  to  assume  the 
reigns  of  government.  The  king 
was  loath  to  accede  at  once  to  his 
request,  and  bestowed  on  him  full 
power  and  authority  to  rule  Castile 
in  concert  with  other  grandees  who 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


469 


should  seem  proper  persons.  The 
prelate  now  labored  more  inde- 
fatigably  than  ever  to  win  the 
nobles  over  to  Ferdinand,  of  whose 
right  and  ability  to  rule  the  king- 
dom he  had  no  doubt.  The  result 
was  that,  when  the  king  finally 
arrived  and  assumed  the  conduct  of 
affairs,  he  met  with  little  opposi- 
tion from  the  nobility,  and  Ferdi- 
nand was  generous  enough  to 
acknowledge  Ximenez's  great  serv- 
ices in  his  cause  by  procuring  for 
him  the  cardinal's  hat. 

The  king  was  too  astute  a  politi- 
cian not  to  avail  himself  of  the  car- 
dinal's genius  and  authority  when- 
ever his  interests  seemed  to  de- 
mand it.  For  the  rest,  he  fre- 
quently showed  himself  cold,  ca- 
pricious, and  ungrateful  to  the  emi- 
nent and  deserving  prelate.  It  is 
quite  possible  he  had  reason  to 
say  with  Macbeth, 

Under  him 
My  Genius  is  rebuked;  as  it  is  said, 
Mark  Antony's  was  by  Caesar. 

If  the  cardinal  at  times  showed 
his  displeasure  with  the  king's  un- 
worthy conduct,  he  never  bore  him 
any  resentment,  and  on  occasion, 
he  generously  aided  him  with  his 
counsel  and  supported  him  with 
his  authority.  Hence,  it  is  not 
surprising  that,  when  Ferdinand, 
shortly  before  his  death,  appointed 
him  regent,  Ximenez,  though  now 
in  his  eightieth  year  and  broken  in 
health,  once  more  seized  the  helm 
with  ready  hand. 

Now  that  he  was  vested  with  full 
authority,  the  cardinal  did  not 
icruple  to  make  use  of  it  when 
expediency  counseled  or  necessity 
required.  Nothing  could  exceed 
the  promptitude  and  energy  of  his 
measures.  The  very  first  act  of 
the  new  regent  was  an  indication 
of  his  power  and  popularity.  Con- 
trary to  the  usage  and  the  wishes 
of  the  country,  Prince  Charles 
wished  to  be  proclaimed  king  of 
Castile  even  during  the  lifetime  of 


his  imbecile  mother.  The  nobles, 
as  usual,  showed  themselves  espec- 
ially refractory.  Ximenez  suspect- 
ing their  motives  declared  peremp- 
torily in  a  meeting  of  the  lords, 
temporal  and  spiritual,  "I  will  have 
him  proclaimed  in  Madrid  to-mor- 
row, and  I  doubt  not  that  every 
other  city  in  the  kingdom  will  fol- 
low the  example."  He  was  as 
good  as  his  word,  and  the  country, 
with  little  opposition,  acknowledged 
the  prince. 

The  Castilian  aristocracy,  how- 
ever, were  little  disposed  to  sub- 
mit to  "a monk  of  base  extraction," 
and  they  tried  their  utmost  to  in- 
cite the  people  to  rebel  against  him, 
He  thwarted  them  by  organizing  a 
national  volunteer  army,  the  first 
of  its  kind,  of  thirty  thousand  citi- 
zens, for  protecting  the  liberties  of 
the  people.  Backed  by  this  strong 
force,  the  grand  old  man  projected 
the  boldest  schemes  of  reform,  es- 
pecially in  the  finances  of  the  coun- 
try. He  made  a  strict  inquisition 
into  the  funds  of  the  military  or- 
ders, abolished  all  sinecures,  cut 
short  numerous  pensions,  and  low- 
ered excessive  salaries  of  state 
officials.  In  short,  he  prevented 
waste  and  misappropriation,  and 
remonstrated  sharply  with  Charles 
on  his  reckless  expenditure  of 
Spanish  revenues.  He  transferred 
the  seat  of  Government  from  Gua- 
dalupe to  Madrid  as  being  centrally 
located  and  enabling  him  to  put 
down  rebellions  with  greater  ease. 
He  improved  the  defences  of  the 
country  by  fortifying  the  principal 
cities  and  the  southern  maritime 
towns  and  by  equipping  a  numer- 
ous fleet  against  the  corsairs.  He 
despatched  a  large  force  into  Na- 
varre, which  inflicted  a  signal  de- 
feat on  an  invading  army  of  French. 
He  sent  a  commission  to  the  New 
World  to  ameliorate  the  condition 
of  the  natives,  and  did  all  in  his 
power  to  abolish  slave-trade  and  to 
repress  every  form  of  cruelty    and 


470 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


rapacity.  Most  of  these  measures 
were  not  of  a  nature  to  conciliate 
the  grandees,  and  they  endeavored 
by  every  means  to  hinder  the  exe- 
cution of  these  projects.  But  the 
cardinal  kept  a  watchful  eye  on 
them  and  when  other  means  failed, 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  proceed 
against  them  with  severity.  On 
one  occasion,  he  is  said  to  have 
razed  to  the  ground  a  whole  town 
that  had  defied  his  power  by  abett- 
ing a  number  of  rebellious   nobles. 

The  Reward 

Though  these  measures  were  ad- 
mirably suited  to  promote  the  peace 
and  security  of  the  country  and 
though  Ximenez  was  actuated  by 
the  most  exalted  patriotism,  he  was 
rewarded  with  the  blackest  ingrati- 
tude. Shortly  after  arriving  in 
Spain  to  take  possession  of  the  king- 
dom, Charles  V,  by  the  persuasions 
of  his  evil  counselors,  addressed  to 
the  regent  a  letter  which,  according 
to  Prescott,  "is  unmatched,  even 
in  court  annals,  for  cool  and  base 
ingratitude."  In  this  memorable 
letter,  the  King  thanked  his  minister 
for  past  services  and  appointed  a 
place  for  an  interview  where  he 
might  receive  the  cardinal's  advice 
on  the  government  of  the  kingdom; 
after  which  he  should  be  permitted 
to  return  to  his  diocese  to  seek  from 
Heaven  the  reward  which  Heaven 
alone  could  adequately  bestow. 

Before  this  heartless  epistle  reach- 
ed Ximenez,  he  had  received  from 
Heaven  the  reward  of  the  good  and 
faithful  servant.  Anxiety  and  dis- 
ease had  done  their  work  on  his 
once  hardy  constitution,  and  he 
closed  his  glorious  career  on  Novem- 
ber 8,  at  Rosa,  whither  he  had  gone, 
at  the  greatest  inconvenience  to 
himself,  to  meet  the  King.  His 
death  was  most  edifying.  Having 
arranged  his  temporal  affairs,  he 
summoned  his    servants  and   dis- 


coursed to  them  on  the  vanity  of 
earthly  things  and  the  infinite  mer- 
cies of  God.  Then  embracing  a 
crucifix  with  pious  affection,  he 
asked  God  for  the  remission  of  his 
sins  and  invoked  the  intercession  of 
the  saints.  He  then  received  Holy 
Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unction  with 
touching  devotion;  after  which  he 
peacefully  breathed  his  last,  with 
the  words,  JTn  thee,  0  God,  have  I 
hoped."  Such  was  the  end  of  this 
remarkable  man,  the  most  remark- 
able, in  many  respects,  of  his  age. 
The  fame  of  Ximenez  is  secure. 
His  greatness  has  weathered  all  the 
storms  of  time.  It  is  acknowledged 
not  only  by  the  ccuntry  that  gave 
him  birth,  and  to  which  he  gave 
himself,  but  in  every  land  under 
the  sun  where  the  name  of  Spain 
is  known,  for  he  is  part  of  the 
Spaniard's  nationality.  It  is  no 
small  praise  to  excel  as  a  prelate  or 
a  general  or  a  statesman  or  a  man 
of  letters.  But  to  shine  foremost  in 
all  these  capacities,  as  did  Ximenez, 
to  make  a  lasting  impression  on 
one's  age  in  this  fourfold  character 
and  to  shape  the  destinies  of  a  na- 
tion in  virtue  thereof,  this  has  been 
the  lot  of  few,  the  ambition  of  none. 
The  Franciscan  Order,  so  rich  in 
great  men,  has  not  his  peer;  the 
Catholic  Church,  that  mother  of 
genius  and  nurse  of  greatness,  has 
few  that  are  his  superiors;  the 
world  at  large,  perhaps,  will  never 
see  his  like  again. 

"This  was  a  man." 
Bibliography:  Waddinc.  Annaks  Mi- 
iiorum  (Lyons,  1648),  Scriptoret  Ordinis 
Minorum  (Rome,  1650);  Hefele,  Iter  Car- 
dinal Ximenez  (Tuebingen,  1851);  Dalton, 
The  Life  of  Cardinal  Ximenez  (London, 
1860);  Weiss,  WcUgtschichU  (Graz  &  Leip- 
zig, 1892);  Prescott,  Ferdinand  dt  Isabella 
(New  York,  1885);  Magliano,  St.  Francis  & 
the  Franciscan  Order  (New  York,  1867); 
Guerin,  Lc  Palmier  Seraphique  (Bar-Le- 
Duc,  1882);  Catholic  Encyclopedia  (art.  Xim- 
enez, Alcala,  Polyglot);  The  Catholic  World 
(Vol.  8,  No.  47). 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


471 


PROGRESS  AMONG  THE  APACHES 

By  Fr.  Augu*tine,  0.  F.  M. 


HISTORY  and  fiction  have 
helped  to  make  the  Apaches 
and  their  bloody  raids 
known  the  world  over.  Although 
most  of  the  Apache  tribes  were  al- 
ways of  a  hostile  disposition,  still, 
according  to  Government  docu- 
ments, "the  most  serious  modern 
outbreaks  have  been  attributed  to 
mismanagement  on  the  part  of  civil 


authorities.' : 
recent  hos- 
tilities o  c  - 
c  u  r  r  e  d  , 
with  brief 
intermis- 
sions, dur- 
ing the  pe- 
ri od  from 
18  7  0  to 
1886,  while 
the  Govern- 
ment was 
pursuing  its 
policy  of 
concentrat- 
ing the  In- 
dians in  re- 
servations. 


The  most   important 


Southern  Arizona  and  New  Mexi- 
co and  northern  Chihuahua,  Mexico, 
were  the  scenes  of  these  deprada- 
tions.  Thousands  of  settlers,  sol- 
diers, and  Indians  lost  their  lives 
in  bloody  battles  and  surprise  at- 
tacks. The  most  noted  Apache 
warrior  chiefs  were  Cochise,  Vic- 
torio,  Nachi,  Nana,  and  Geronimo. 
The  last  bands  of  marauders  sur- 
rendered in  September,  1886,  and 
with   others   they   were    taken   to 


Florida  and  then  to  Alabama  as 
prisoners.  Later,  they  were  trans- 
ferred to  Fort  Sill,  Oklahoma,  where 
their  chief,  Geronimo  died  as  a 
Catholic  about  three  years  ago. 

At  present,   the   various   Apache 
clans  are  distributed  among  several 
reservations  in  Arizona,  New  Mexi- 
co, and   Oklahoma.     At  least  five 
thousand  live  in  the  White  Mountain 
and  San  Carlos   Reservations,    Ari- 
zona. Camp 
McDowell, 
Ar  izon  a, 
numbers 
about  two 
hundred.  In 
New    Mex- 
i  co ,     the 
Mescalero 
Reserva- 
tion    har- 
bors   about 
six  hundred 
Ap  aches, 
and  several 
hundred 

Mescalero  Apaches  and  Tepee  are       Scat- 

tered   in    various  sections    of  Okla- 

i  homa. 

With  the  help  of  schools   and  un- 
der the  supervision  of  Government 

i  officials  these  Indians  are  making 
more  or  less  rapid  strides  in  civili- 
zation.    Farming  and  stock-raising 

|  are  their  principal  occupation  and 
source  of  livelihood.  As  for  religi- 
on, the  Apaches  have  not  had  so 
many   opportunities  as    some  other 

J  tribes  of  learning  and  practicing 
the  Christian  faith.    Those  living  in 


472 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


the  Mescalero  Reservation  seem  to 
have  been  favored  more  than  the 
rest  in  this  respect. 

This  reservation  is  situated  about 
one  hundred  miles  northeast  of  El 
Paso,  Texas,  on  the  pine-clad  sum- 
mits of  the  Sacramento  Mountains. 
Perennial  springs  send  their  spark- 
ling waters  through  broad,  fertile 
canons  and  enchanting  valleys, 
whose  fresh  green  is  agreeably 
broken  here  and  there  by  the  Apa- 
ches' primitive  tepees.  TheMescal- 
eros  have  inhabited  this  region  for 
a  very  long  time. 

Practically  all  of  this  group  of 
Apaches  are  Catholics.  Some  of 
the  old  people  were  baptized  in  El 
Paso;  but  during  the  last  forty  years 
secular  priests,  in  charge  of  neigh- 
boring Mexican  parishes,  with 
great  difficulty  paid  the  Indians 
quarterly  and  even  monthly  visits. 
To  Fathers  Juan  Lugue  and  Narciso, 
among  others,  and  especially  to 
Father  Migeon,  who  for  nineteen 
years  was  pastor  of  Tularosa  (eight- 
een miles  distant),  it  is  due  that 
the  younger  generation  of  the  Mes- 
caleros  have  been  received  into  the 
Church. 

In  1904,  the  remnant  of  the  Lipan 
group,  which  owing  to  its  hostility 
had  been  almost  destroyed  in  Chi- 
huahua, was  removed  from  Mexico 
to  this  reservation  at  the  invitation 
of  the  Mescaleros,  with  whom  they 
are  related.  The  Lipans  also  are 
almost  all  Catholics. 

Eight  years  ago,  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed Church  opened  a  mission 
near  the  Mescalero  agency.  A  neat 
church  was  built  and  a  resident 
missionary  placed  in  charge.    Dur- 


ing the  protracted  absence  of  the 
Catholic  priest,  the  minister  and 
his  helpers,  by  means  of  gifts  and 
under  false  pretenses,  managed  to 
draw  a  goodly  number  of  poorly 
instructed  Indians  to  the  Protestant 
church.  But  as  soon  as  the  gifts 
ceased,  the  large  attendance  also 
dwindled. 

About  five  years  ago,  the  Chirica- 
hua,  who  composed  Geronimo's 
band  and  who  were  then  living  at 
Fort  Sill,  Oklahoma,  were  invited 
by  the  Mescaleros  to  come  to  New 
Mexico  arid  share  their  land  with 
them.  These  Fort  Sill  Indians,  as 
they  are  generally  called,  now  be- 
long for  the  most  part  to  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church.  Many  of  the 
old  people  had  been  baptized  Catho- 
lics, and  a  number  of  the  young 
men  had  attended  Catholic  schools 
in  Oklahoma.  But  at  one  time  they 
fell  in  with  some  Protestant  minis- 
ters who  baptized  them  all  Protes- 
tants in  a  body. 

When  the  Fort  Sills  arrived  at 
Mescalero,  great  efforts  were  made 
(it  is  needless  to  say  by  whom)  to 
keep  them  from  mingling  with  the 
Catholic  Mescaleros.  That  may  be 
one  reason  why  the  newcomers  fi- 
nally settled  at  White  Tail,  eighteen 
miles  from  the  Mescalero  agency. 
There  they  have  a  little  Protestant 
chapel  and  a  resident  minister. 

When  the  zealous  pastor  of  Tula- 
rosa saw  the  activities  of  the  Protes- 
tants among  his  Indians,  he  built  a 
little  adobe  church  in  honor  of  St. 
Joseph,  with  the  help  of  the  Mar- 
quette League.  It  is  prominently 
and  beautifully  located  on  a  hill, 
overlooking  the  valley   which   sep- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


473 


arates  it  from  the  agency. 

Still  it  was  evident  that  only  a 
resident  missionary  could  stem  the 
tide  of  proselytism  and  preserve  the 
faith  of  these  Indians.  Accordingly, 
at  the  urgent  request  of  Father 
Ketcham,  the  Franciscan  Fathers 
of  the  Province  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  took  charge  of  the 
Mescalero  Reservation. 

In  1914,  Fr.  Ferdinand  Ortiz,  o.F. 
m.,  arrived  at  Mescalero  and  began 
the  arduous  task  of  reclaiming  the 


of  the  Indians  are  Catholics.  Regu- 
lar visits  are  paid  to  other  Indian 
villages  in  the  reservation,  especial- 
ly to  White  Tail  where  the  move- 
ment among  the  Fort  Sills  toward 
the  Catholic  Church  is  gaining 
ground.  It  is  Fr.  Albert's  cherished 
hope  that  Divine  Providence  will 
soon  enable  him  to  build  a  chapel  at 
White  Tail,  which  would  still  more 
increase  the  interest  of  the  Fort 
Sills  and  hasten  the  day  when  all  the 
Indians  of  this  reservation  will   re- 


st. Joseph  Church  and  Hall,  Mescalero,  New  Mexico 


lost  sheep.  His  efforts  were  crowned 
with  gratifying  success.  He  com- 
pleted the  church  and  erected  a 
club-house  or  hall,  where  the  Indians 
find  ample  means  for  recreation  and 
entertainment. 

Last  year,  Fr.  Ferdinand  was  ap- 
pointed pastor  of  Tularosa  and  Fr. 
Albert  Braun,  o.f.m.,  tooKhis  place 
at  Mescalero.  He  is  continuing  his 
predecessor's  work  with  marked  re- 
sults.    At  present,  about  two  thirds 


turn  to  the  true  fold.* 

As  was  mentioned  before,  the 
Apaches  in  other  reservations  have 
not  been  so  fortunate.  Regarding 
Oklahoma  I  have  no  definite  infor- 
mation. As  far  as  Arizona  is  con- 
cerned, a  wide  field  is  still  open  for 
pioneer  missionary  work.  The 
Apaches  at  Camp  McDowell  have 
received  monthly  visits  for  a  fewr 
years  from  the  Fathers  laboring 
among  the  Pimas;   but   until    more 


fSee  Franciscan  Herald:   vol.  2,  p.  396;  vol.  3,  p.  143;  vol.  4,  p.  329. 


474 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


favorable  conditions  prevail,  not 
much  intensive  work  can  be  done 
there. 

Turning  to  the  White  Mountain 
and  San  Carlos  Reservations,  where 
the  bulk  of  the  Apaches  reside,  we 
encounter  the  sad  fact  that  these 
thousands  have  as  yet  had  no  Cath- 
olic missionary  in  their  midst.  The 
Dutch  Reformed  Church  has  been 
conducting  a  mission  among  them 
for  a  few  years,  but  with  very 
meager  results.  The  Catholic 
Church  alone  possesses  the  power 
and  the  means   of  influencing  per- 


manently the  minds  and  hearts  of 
these  intelligent  children  of  nature 
and  of  nature's  God. 

From  several  sources  it  has  been 
reported  that  efforts  are  being  made 
to  induce  some  missionary  Order  to 
take  charge  of  these  neglected 
Apaches.  Would  that  it  were  done 
as  soon  as  possible,  before  it  is  too 
late.  '  'Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord 
of  the  harvest,  that  he  send  labor- 
ers into  his  harvest":  men  and 
means  to  bring  about  the  conversion 
of  the  Apaches  and  their  entrance 
into  the  one  true  Church. 


CARD  OF  THANKS  TO  ST.  ANTONY 

A  Franciscan  Father  in  a  city  of  California  has  requested  us  to  pub- 
lish the  following  favor  received  through  the  intercession  of  St.  Antony. 

Twelve  years  ago,  a  certain  woman  was  deserted  by  her  husband, 
and  soon  after  she,  too,  disappeared.  Although  a  diligent  search  was 
made,  no  trace  of  her  whereabouts  could  be  found.  One  of  the  missing 
woman's  friends,  however,  would  not  give  up  hope  and  began  a  series  of 
novenas  and  prayers  that  were  destined  to  continue  for  twelve  long  weary 
years.  At  last  the  good  woman's  confidence  in  the  power  of  St.  Antony 
was  to  be  rewarded  and  the  missing  one  has  returned  to  her  own. 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


475 


WHEN  PRIDE  HAS  VIRTUE 

Bij  Grover  Cleveland  Mnclln,  Tertiary 


"H 


EY,  Bill,  wait  a  minute. 
Are  you  going  to  the 
dance  to-night?" 

"Hello,  Larry,  glad  to  see  you. 
Come  and  walk  as  far  as  the  viaduct 
and  we'll  discuss  the  dance." 

So  arm  in  arm  the  two  chums, 
Billy  Carr  and  Larry  Hayes,  jaunted 
down  the  street  exulting  in  the 
bracing  air  which  was  chilled  with 
the  first  breath  of  autumn. 

"Oh,  come  on  and  go,  Bill.  Why, 
you  haven't  been  to  a  dance  for  a 
year  or  so,  and  you  used  to  be  crazy 
about  dancing.  What's  got  the 
matter  with  you,  old  scout?  Has 
dancing  lost  its  charm  since  Irene 
moved  away?"  Larry  teased. 

"Boy,  if  my  brow  is  furrowed 
with  wrinkles,  it  certainly  isn't  from 
worry  over  Irene.  In  truth,  I'm 
still  as  fond  of  dancing  as  ever,  for 
you  know  that  it  is  the  only  means  I 
have  of  giving  expression  to  the 
music  in  me.  And  I  don't  think  any- 
body was  ever  more  chuck  full  of 
music  than  I  am.  But, "  he  contin- 
ued, the  laugh  fading  from  his  lips 
to  be  superseded  by  a  characteris- 
tic pucker  around  his  eyes,  "you 
know,  Larry,  I  became  a  member 
of  the  Third  Order  of  St.  Francis 
something  over  a  year  ago,  and  it's 
that  which  makes  the  difference. " 

"But,  good  night,  Bill,  that  don't 
make  any  difference  about  dancing 
does  it?  As  you  know,  I  try  to  be 
be  a  pretty  decent  Catholic,  too, 
but-" 

"Let  me  explain.  In  the  broad 
sense,  members  of  the  Third  Order 


are  not  more  limited  in  their  social 
activities  than  are  Catholics  who  do 
not  belong  to  the  Order,  but  in  a 
particular  sense  Tertiaries  are  very 
much  bound.  We  agree  to  be  mod- 
est in  our  wearing  apparel,  and  to 
conduct  ourselves  in  a  manner  be- 
fitting children  of  St.  Francis.  Per- 
haps every  member  of  the  Church 
should  do  this  in  order  truly  to  con- 
form to  the  spirit  of  our  faith  but 
St.  Francis  conceived  this  Order  for 
laymen  to  counteract  the  very  laxity 
that  is  countenanced  even  by  some 
of  our  most  sincere  Catholics.  In 
the  past,  I've  often  wanted  to  take 
part  in  certain  affairs;  but,  in  the 
light  of  my  new  obligations,  I  am 
unable  to  reconcile  some  of  the 
present-day  pleasures  with  the  spirit 
of  the  Third  Order,  and  this  is  the 
reason  I've  not  been  attending 
dances  during  the  past  year.  Take 
this  gathering,  for  instance,  you  ex- 
pect to  attend  to-night:  all  the  girls 
will  be  decked  in  the  most  stunning 
creations  obtainable,  and  the  modern 
styles  in  feminine  apparel  are  not  re- 
markable for  their  modesty  you 
know  as  well  as  I.  And  when  it 
comes  to  the  modern  dance— well, 
honestly,  I've  about  reached  the 
place  where  I  can't  understand  how 
any  sincere  Catholic  can  attend 
dances  as  they  are  'bunny-hugged' 
to-day." 

"But,  Bill,"  Larry  championed, 
1  'we  would  be  forbidden  to  attend 
these  dances  and  entertainments  if 
they  were  as  you  contend,  and  yet 
our  pastor  never  has  put  his   foot 


476 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


down  on  dancing." 

"I  can't  agree  with  you,  old  fel- 
low. There's  no  disguising  the  fact 
that  the  modern  dance  is  innately 
vicious.  When  you  take  into  con- 
sideration the  way  girls  and  women 
dress  nowadays,  and  the  freedom 
of  position  allowed  in  dancing,  you 
will  necessarily  begin  to  wonder  if 
dancing  should  be  allowed  at  all  as 
we  see  it  from  the  Catholic  view- 
point. Surely,  Tertiaries  were 
never  more  badly  needed  than  now. 
From  past  experience  1  know  that 
under  most  circumstances  you  would 
not  wish  to  wait  until  your  pastor 
has  condemned  a  thing  before  giv- 
ing it  the  go-by;  and  to  be  frank, 
Larry,  I  think  your  argument  on 
that  score  is  mighty  weak.  I'm  no 
prophet,  but  I  dare  say  that  sooner 
or  later  you'll  get  thoroughly  dis- 
gusted with  ail  this  modern  social 
stuff  and  right  penitently  ask  for 
admission  to  that  wonderful  organi- 
zation, the  Third  Order  of  St.  Fran- 
cis." 

"Not  on  your  life,  Bill.  I'm  keen 
for  our  faith,  yet  I  don't  see  any 
harm  in  dancing  and  having  a  good 
time,  and  I'll  be  at  that  dance  to- 
night with  bells.  Here  we  are  at 
the  viaduct,  old  boy,  so  I'll  have  to 
be  leaving  you.  Now,  don't  go  and 
bury  yourself  just  because  you're  a 
member  of  the  Third  Order.  Good- 
bye, and  say,  you'd  better  come  to 
that  dance  to-night!" 

As  Larry  swung  up  the  avenne, 
Bill  gazed  at  the  retreating  form  of 
his  friend.  Yes,  he  would  like  to 
go  to  a  dance  once  again!  Should 
he  shout  that  he  had  changed  his 
mind  and  would  be  at  the  Masons? 


No!  He  would  not  prove  recre- 
ant to  the  obligations  he  had 
assumed.  As  he  continued  on  his 
i  way,  however,  his  mind  recurred 
again  and  again  to  the  dance  and 
to  handsome,  impulsive  Larry,  who 
was  always  so  prone  to  act  first  and 
to  consider  the  consequences   later. 

"But,  is  there  really  any  virtue 
in  this  steadfastness  with  which  I 
cling  to  an  ideal?"  he  asked  him- 
self, and  so  much  in  earnest  was 
he  that  he  stopped  dead  still  in  the 
middle  of  the  sidewalk. 

"Bill  Carr,  just  imagine  what 
Saint  Francis  would  have  to  say  on 
the  subject  of  the  modern  dance!" 
his  sensitive  conscience  reminded, 
and  this  thought  settled  the  ques- 
tion. 

On  reaching  home,  his  little  sister, 
rushed  to  meet  him,  exclaiming: 

"The  telephone,  Billy,  the  tele- 
phone wants  to  talk  to  you." 

"All  right,  little  sister,  and  here's, 
a  kiss  for  your  kindness, "  and  after 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he 
went  to  the  telephone. 

"Bill  Carr  speaking.  Why,  hel- 
lo, Gertrude  — Well,  thank  you— 
No,  I'm  not  going. —Yes,  Larry 
says  he's  going. —  Can't  possibly.  — 
Honest,  Gertrude,  I'd  like  to  be 
with  you  all,  but  I've  made  up  my 
mind  not  to  go  to-night.  Some 
other  time,  perhaps. —Thank  you 
for  calling.  — All   right,  good-bye." 

For  a  moment  the  young  man 
stood  in  an  attitude  of  reverie,  his 
fingers  on  the  replaced  receiver,  his 
forehead  lined  with  furrows.  Then, 
as  he  met  the  eyes  of  his  mother, 
he  said; 

"It's  the  deuce  how  things  work 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


477 


out!  Larry  tried  to  argue  me  into 
going  to  that  dance  at  Masons  to- 
night, mother,  and  now  Gertrude 
Smythe  has  to  call  up  and  ask  me 
to  be  sure  and  save  some  dances  for 
her!" 

'  'Never  mind,  my  boy.  You  real- 
ly are  much  better  off  at  home  with 
your  books,  and  I'm  glad  you  have 
the  sense  to  stay  away  without  my 
having  to  insist  on  it." 

While  Carr  sat  before  the  softly 
glowing  grate  immersed  in  his  book, 
Larry  stood  before  the  mirror  giv- 
ing his  attire  the  last  critical  in- 
spection. With  his  slender  form 
garbed  in  a  perfect  fitting  tuxedo 
he  looked  the  embodiment  of  grace, 
while  his  cheeks  were  charged  with 
color  and  his  eyes  fairly  scintillated 
in  anticipation  of  a  joyous  evening. 

Stepping  on  the  veranda,  he  dis- 
engaged his  thoughts  from  the 
dance  to  the  extent  of  realizing  how 
glorious  the  night  was.  The  at- 
mosphere was  wondrously  clear  and 
the  streets  were  flooded  with  moon- 
light. The  air  was  deliciously  cool, 
and  he  involuntarily  drank  in  deep 
draughts  of  ozone. 

"By  George,  it's  a  delight  to  be 
alive  in  such  weather,"  he  solilo- 
quized, "and  then  besides  to  have  a 
glorious  evening  in  prospect!  I  feel 
so  good  I  can  hardly  contain  myself. 
And  to  think  of  that  rascal  Bill 
Carr  mooning  at  home, —entirely 
oblivious  of  this  enchanting  night, 
I'll  warrant— when  he  might  be, 
well— even  as  you  and  I."  And 
laughing  aloud  at  his  sociability 
with  himself,  he  strode  off  down 
the  street. 

As  the  great  clock   was   striking 


the  hour  of  nine  in  the  splendid 
home  of  the  Mason  family,  Larry 
Hayes  and  Janice  Rambeau  were 
being  divested  of  their  wraps.  A 
moment  after,  the  opening  bars  of 
the  latest  one-step  were  wafted 
through  the  portieres  from  the  bril- 
liantly lighted  ball  room,  and  in 
unison  two  score  couples  swayed  to 
!  the  measure  of  the  music.  Every- 
I  where  there  was  gaiety  and  laugh- 
ter. 

"Do  you  know,   Larry,  I  haven't 

caught  a  glimpse  of  the  people  I 

t  expected  to  find  here,"  began  the 

young  lady  as  the  two  stole  away  to 

I  the  conservatory  after  several  dan- 

1  ces. 

"Oh,  please,  Janice,  don't  be- 
j  gin  to  find  fault  with  the  gathering. 
i  It's  too  jolly  good  fun  for  complaint. 
:  Let's  give  ourselves  up  to  the  full 
i  enjoyment  of  the  evening." 

"But,  Larry,  I  believe  you  and  I 
|  are  the  only  Catholics  in  the  entire 
!  crowd,  and  I'll  be  fair  with  you,  I 
I  don't  like  to  be  so  representative 
j  in  such  a  gathering  as  this!" 

"What  of  it,  Janice?  I'll  admit 
there  are  some  'near-rough-necks' 
present;  in  fact,  it's  a  little 
worse  than  I  had  expected  to  find 
it,  but  we  don't  need  to  mix  with 
them  at  all.  'Pretty  is  that  pretty 
does,'  you  know.  So  please,  don't 
ruin  the  evening  by  imagining 
all  sorts  of  things.  We're  here 
and  we  might  just  as  well  go  in  for 
all  the  good  there's  in  it.  Shall  we 
get  in  on  this  fox-trot?"  And  with 
that  the  couple  lost  themselves 
again  in  the  maze  of  dancers. 

As  the  evening  wore  on,  it  was 
evident  that  the  spirit  of  abandon 


478 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


was   rampant  among  the  dancers. 

"Larry,  I  think  we  had  better  go 
home, "  whispered  Janice  during  an 
intermission.  "Really,  I  am  getting 
alarmed.  I  have  had  to  refuse  sev- 
eral dances,  and  it  is  getting  more 
and  more  difficult  to  persist  in  the 
refusal.  And  you  know  I  can't 
dance  with  you  every  dance.  Don't 
you  think  we  had  better  go  home?" 

"No,  let's  stay  a  while  longer. 
It's  just  a  little  past  eleven. 
My,  come  on,  that  'Honolulu  Glide' 
they're  playing  now  would  make  a 
bronze  statue  want  to  dance." 

The  minutes  rushed  on  with 
winged  feet.  About  an  hour  later, 
above  the  music  and  the  chatter  of 
the  dancers,  a  piercing  shriek 
echoed  from  the  conservatory.  In- 
stantly silence  reigned,  and  the 
dancers,  with  one  accord,  turned  to 
ascertain  the  trouble. 

"My  pearls  are  gone!"  screamed 
a  gorgeously  gowned  young  woman, 
rushing  excitedly  into  the  room. 
"Just  missed  them  a  moment  ago— 
Yes,  necklace  of  perfect  Ceylon 
pearls — Somebody  'phone  the  police, 
quick!" 

Hereupon  two  score  tongues 
started  wagging  at  once,  and  pan- 
demonium seemed  to  have  broken 
loose.  It  dawned  at  once  on  Larry 
and  Janice  that  an  unpleasant  scene 
must  surely  follow  and  they  sought 
the  nearest  exit,  but  all  the  doors 
had  been  closed  and  a  servant  sta- 
tioned at  each.  In  a  very  short 
time  a  squad  of  police  officers  ar- 
rived. After  apologizing  for  the  in- 
trusion, the  captain  continued: 

"And  I  must  further  apologize 
for  insisting  that  each  individual  be 


searched.  This  is  the  only  way  we 
can  learn  who  is  innocent  and 
who  guilty.  We  shall  begin  with 
the  men.  The  ladies  will  please 
withdraw  to  the  adjoining  room  un- 
til it  is  determined  if  they  need  be 
included  in  the  search." 

A  dozen  men  had  been  searched 
without  a  trace  of  the  pearls,  when 
Larry  was  called.  With  a  good-na- 
tured smile  on  his  face  he  raised 
his  arms  to  allow  his  pockets  to  be 
ransacked.  The  captain  had  gone 
through  all  but  one  pocket  and  was 
in  the  act  of  dismissing  his  subject 
when  caution  prompted  him  to  in- 
sert his  hand  in  the  remaining  open- 
ing. With  an  exclamation  of  pleas- 
ure he  drew  forth  the  miss- 
ing necklace.  Stunned  with  sur- 
prise, Larry  took  a  step  backward, 
and  could  scarcely  believe  that  the 
pearls  gleaming  in  the  hands  of  the 
officer  had  been  produced  from  his 
pocket.  A  pair  of  handcuffs  were 
fastened  on  the  wrists  of  the  puz- 
zled lad  even  before  he  managed  to 
gasp: 

"Captain,  I  didn't  steal  those 
pearls  — I'll  swear  I  didn't." 

"Oh,  no,  perfectly  innocent,  of 
course,"  the  officer  rejoined  with 
withering  sarcasm.  '  'Come  along, 
you  can  explain  at  the  station." 

As  two  towering  policemen  es- 
corted the  crestfallen  lad  from  the 
dance  floor  to  the  patrol  wagon 
waiting  without,  and  the  dancers 
proceeded  to  resume  their  inter- 
rupted frolic,  the  captain  noticed 
a  well  known  pickpocket  leaving 
the  hall  by  a  side  door.  In  an  in- 
stant he  was  at  his  side  and  linking 
his  arm  familiarly  in   his,    he  ex- 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


479 


claimed  with  a  little  laugh: 

"Simpson,  it's  swell  company 
you're  keeping  these  days.  I  never 
knew  you  were  a  friend  of  the 
Masons.  By  the  way,  what  do  you 
know  about  these  pearls?" 

"Nothin'!"  growled  Simpson, 
apparently  not  over-pleased  at 
meeting  the  officer. 

"  'Nothing'  "  repeated  the  cap- 
tain. "That's  little  enough.  Now, 
look  me  in  the  face  and  tell  me  the 
truth,  and  be  quick  about  it!" 

"I  told  you  once  that  I  don't 
know  nothin'  about  'em  and  I 
guess  that  ought  to  settle  the  mat- 
ter!" Simpson  was  evidently  riled 
at  what  he  considered  the  officer's 
impertinence. 

"And  it  would  settle  it,  Simpson, 
if  you  were  an  honest  man.  How- 
ever, as  it  is,  I'm  going  to  take 
you  along  with  me  pending  an  in- 
vestigation of  this  theft  to-mor- 
row." With  this  Simpson  was  hur- 
ried into  the  patrol  wagon  along- 
side of  Larry  Hayes  and  within  a 
few  minutes  they  were  both  safely 
stowed  in  neighboring  cells  at  the 
police  station. 

The  following  evening,  as  Bill 
Carr  was  reading  aloud  to  his    lit- 


tle sister  the  wonderful  stories  of 
Uncle  Remus,  the  bell  rang.  Open- 
ing the  door,  he  discerned  the  fa- 
miliar form  of  Larry  standing  in 
the  bright  moonlight. 

"Why,  Larry,  I'm  tickled  to 
death  to  see  you.  Come  in."  It 
was  a  shamefaced  young  man  that 
responded  to  the  invitation.  With 
quick  perception  Bill  placed  his  arm 
about  his  friend's  neck  and  whis- 
pered cheerily: 

"I  haven't  a  word  of  censure, 
old  scout.  Of  course,  I  saw  the  re- 
port of  last  night's  unfortunate 
proceedings  in  this  morning's  pa- 
pers; and  although  that  scoundrel 
Simpson  finally  admitted  the  theft 
and  his  attempt  to  throw  the  blame 
on  you,  still  I  can  well  imagine  how 
it  must  have  hurt  you  to  be  locked 
up  at  the  station  on  the  suspicion, 
and  I  realized,  too,  that  you  would 
rather  come  to  me—" 

"Say,  you  dear  old  Bill,  you're 
a  brick!  But  get  your  hat  and  coat: 
it's  a  wonderful  night  for  a  good 
long  tramp,  and— I'd  like  to  talk 
over  that  Third  Order  with  you  a 
bit.  I'm  beginning  to  think  that 
pride  itself  is  not  without  virtue 
when  it  leads  one  so  directly  to  a 
change  of  morals  and  opinion." 


X  2? 


K  A  iMfrnj  (Hhriatmaa  ®a  All  ©ur  Srabrra 

I  ! 

KKKKKKKKKKKXJOOSKKKKKK54KKJOSKK: 


480 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


FRANCISCAN  NEWS 


Rome,  Italy.  — Last  May,  the  Sa- 
cred Congregation  of  Rites  held  a 
canonical  inquiry  regarding  the  un- 
broken veneration  accorded  the  Ven- 
erable Beatrice  de  Silva,  foundress 
of  the  Franciscan  Sisters  of  the  Im- 
maculate Conception.  She  was  born 
in  1430,  at  Coimbra,  Portugal.  Her 
parents  belonged  to  the  nobility,  and 
Beatrice,  in  1447,  acted  as  maid  of 
honor  at  the  marriage  of  her  aunt 
Isabella  with  John  II  of  Castile.  In 
time,  the  Queen  grew  jealous  of  her 
niece's  popularity  at  court  and  only 
too  willing  to  lend  an  ear  to  base  cal- 
umny had  the  innocent  maiden  cast 
into  prison.  After  three  months, 
however,  Beatrice  obtained  her 
freedom,  and  anxious  to  quit  the 
world,  she  joined  the  Dominican 
Sisters  in  the  convent  of  Toledo. 
After  devoting  thirty  years  to 
works  of  prayer,  penance,  and 
charity,  she  founded  a  community 
of  Sisters  who  in  their  profession 
promised  to  foster  a  special  devotion 
to  the  Immaculate  Conception.  She 
died  on  August  17,  1490.  Eleven 
years  after  her  death,  Pope  Alexan- 
der VI,  at  the  earnest  request  of 
Cardinal  Ximenez  and  Queen  Isa- 
bella of  Castile  placed  the  Congre- 
gation of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception under  the  direction  of  the 
Friars  Minor  and  provided  that  the 
Sisters  observe  the  Rule  of  St.  Clare. 

Viterbo,  Italy.— Five  years  ago, 
Monsignor  Grasselli,  o.  M.  conv., 
then  Bishop  of  Viterbo,  laid  the  first 
stone  of  the  new  basilica  in  honor  of 
the  saint  through  whom  the  city  is 
known  in  the  entire  world.  Thanks 
to  the  pious  offerings,  among  which 
we  must  reckon  those  of  Pope  Pius 
X  and  of  his  illustrious  successor, 
Pope  Benedict  XV,  work  on  the 
beautiful  edifice  progressed  rapidly, 
so  that  early  last  September  the  gor- 


geous cupola  together  with  a  part  of 
the  temple  could  be  solemnly  dedi- 
cated. Professor  Joseph  Cellini  has 
decorated  the  ceiling  with  a  beauti- 
ful painting  representing  the  vari- 
ous saints  of  Viterbo.  Among  them 
are  the  Franciscan  saints,  St.  Hya- 
cinth of  Mariscotti,  Blessed  Crispin 
of  Viterbo,  and  also  our  holy  Father 
St.  Francis,  to  whom  the  citizens  of 
Viterbo  have  a  special  devotion. 
But  one  figure  especially  attracts 
the  attention  of  the  beholder.  It  is 
that  of  St.  Rose,  in  whom  all  the 
love  and  veneration  of  the  people 
centers.  She  passed  to  her  eternal 
reward  when  only  eighteen  years 
old ;  but  by  the  resistance  she  offered 
the  Emperor  Frederick  II,  who  at 
the  time  was  waging  war  against 
the  Pope,  the  saintly  virgin  gained 
the  love  of  the  people  which  has  not 
grown  cold  after  a  lapse  of  more 
than  six  centuries.  Touching  on 
the  present  hostile  relation  between 
Italy  and  Germany,  the  Bishop  of 
Viterbo  concluded  his  sermon  at  the 
dedication  of  the  basilica  with  the 
beautiful  prayer  to  St.  Rose:  "0 
sweet  and  gentle  child,  glory  of 
our  Viterbo  and  delight  of  the 
Holy  Church,  unite  thy  prayer 
for  peace  with  that  which  the  Vicar 
of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Sovereign  Pon- 
tif  Benedict  XV,  has  j  ust  pronounced. 
Would  that  his  generous  and  noble, 
loving  and  fatherly  appeal  might  be 
reechoed  in  the  hearts  of  all  the 
peoples  and  governments,  and  that 
men  might  again  become  brothers 
united  in  the  kiss  of  peace." 

Oxford,  England.— A  tablet  has 
been  unveiled  here  in  memory  of  the 
Franciscan  Friar  Roger  Bacon.  It 
has  been  placed  in  a  fragment  of 
the  old  city  wall,  in  King's  Terrace, 
at  the  back  of  Pembrock  College, 
and  bears  the  following  inscription 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


481 


in  Latin  and  English.  "The  great 
philosopher  Roger  Bacon,  known  as 
the  'Wonderful  Doctor',  who  by  the 
Experimental  Method  extended 
marvelously  the  realm  of  Science, 
after  a  long  life  of  untiring  energy 
near  this  place,  in  the  house  of  his 
Franciscan  brethren,  fell  asleep  in 
Christ  A.  D,  1292."  The  site  for 
the  tablet  is  well  chosen.  It  was 
here  in  the  parish  of  St.  Ebbe's 
that  the  ancient  Franciscan  friary 
stood,  and  Rev.  J.  S.  Stansfeld, 
M.A.,  who  spoke  at  the  recent  cere- 
monies of  unveiling,  recalled  with 
pride  and  pleasure  the  heroic  work 
of  the  ancient  Grey  Friars  in  the 
neighboring  leper  houses  and 
prisons.  In  this  friary,  too,  the 
great  Roger  Bacon  after  a  long  life 
of  prayer  and  study  passed  to  his 
eternal  reward.  On  Folly  Bridge, 
near  by,  as  also  in  the  tower  of 
Sunningwell  church,  four  miles 
out  in  Berkshire,  he  is  said  to  have 
had  his  observatories.  The  memo- 
rial tablet  has  been  entrusted  to  the 
guardianship  of  Rev.  Fr.  Cuthbert, 
o.M.  cap.,  superior  of  the  Francis- 
can house  of  studies  in  Oxford. 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Peter's  Church. 
—At  a  special  meeting  of  the  offi- 
cers and  promoters  of  the  St.  Fran- 
cis and  the  St.  Louis  fraternities  it 
was  decided  to  interest  the  members 
in  aiding  missionary  priests  in  the 
noble  work  of  gaining  immortal 
souls  for  Heaven.  Some  missiona- 
ries are  active  among  the  heathen 
in  foreign  countries,  others  are 
laboring  among  the  Indians  of  our 
own  country,  while  others  finally 
are  engaged  in  the  no  less  meritori- 
ous and  difficult  work  of  bringing 
the  consolations  of  our  holy  Faith 
to  Catholics  in  remote  places,  where 
they  are  exposed  to  the  greatest 
danger  of  losing  their  religion  en- 
tirely. To  engage  in  this  missionary 
work,  the  priests  are  generally 
obliged  to  depend  wholly  on  the 
alms  of  generous  Catholics.  That 
even  our  poorest    Tertiaries   might 


assist  in  this  worthy  charity,  re- 
course will  be  had  to  the  so-called 
mite  boxes,  and  the  money  thus 
collected  will  be  equally  distributed: 
one  share  to  be  sent  to  the  Francis- 
can missions  among  the  Indians  of 
Arizona,  a  second  to  the  Church 
Extension  Society,  and  a  third  to 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith.  The  women  Tertiaries 
are,  moreover,  requested  to  aid  in 
furnishing  poor  churches  by  making 
the  various  altar  linens,  surplices, 
and  other  articles  necessary  for 
divine  worship. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's 
Church.  —  The  English-speaking 
Tertiaries  of  St.  Louis  had  their  an- 
nual spiritual  exercises  from  Sep- 
tember 30  till  October  7.  They 
were  conducted  by  Rev.  Fr.  Peter 
Crumbly,  o.f.m.,  and  the  attend- 
ance throughout  was  very  gratify- 
ing. At  the  close,  eighty-nine  postu- 
lants were  invested,  and  twenty- 
five  novices  professed.  A  retreat 
for  the  German  Tertiaries  was 
preached  in  St.  Antony's  by  Rev. 
Fr.  Leo  K aimer,  o.f.m.,  from  No- 
vember 4-11.  Rev.  Fr.  Leo  has 
recently  been  appointed  chaplain  of 
the  Joliet  penitentiary  to  succeed 
Rev.  Fr.  Peter,  who  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  St.  Louis. 

At  the  visitation  of  the  St.  Louis 
fraternities  last  May,  the  Rev.  Fr. 
Visitor  suggested  the  erection  of  a 
Tertiaries'  Home.  The  recommen- 
dation was  received  with  enthusi- 
asm by  all  and  acted  on  at  once. 
The  site  for  the  proposed  "Con- 
vent"—as  it  may  be  appropriately 
styled— has  already  been  selected 
and  definite  steps  for  securing  the 
necessary  funds  have  been  taken. 
The  Tertiaries,  it  is  well  to  note, 
will  not  have  recourse  to  picnics, 
bazaars,  and  similar  means  for  rais- 
ing funds,  but  will  depend  entirely 
on  the  free  contributions  of  the 
members,  knowing  well  that  the 
Lord  loves  a  cheerful  giver.  The 
latest  report  states  that  $2115  hare 


482 


:RANCISCAN  HERALD 


been  donated  for  this  praiseworthy 
purpose.  Franciscan  herald  is  fol- 
lowing with  no  little  interest  the 
efforts  of  the  St.  Louis  and  the  San 
Francisco  fraternities,  both  of 
which  are  engaged  in  founding  Ter- 
tiary Homes  for  the  use  of  their 
members.  We  beg  God  to  bless 
their  endeavors  and  trust  that  fra- 
ternities in  other  cities  will  emulate 
their  laudable  example. 

Joliet,  111.,  St.  John's  Church. - 
During  the  week  beginning  October 
14,  Rev.  Fr.  Timothy,  o.f.m., 
Director  of  the  Third  Order  in  this 
city,  gave  a  retreat  to  the  Tertiaries, 
which  proved  a  signal  success.  This 
is  evident  not  only  from  the  large 
number  of  postulants  invested  at 
the  close  of  the  retreat— seventy- 
one  in  number— but  also  from  the 
renewed  zeal  and  interest  in  things 
Tertiary  that  animates  the  members 
since  those  days  of  grace.  Another 
noteworthy  result  of  the  spiritual 
exercises  is  the  fact  that  a  large 
portion  of  the  new  members  is  made 
up  of  younger  people.  In  order  to 
retain  the  present  fervor  of  the 
Tertiaries  and  even  to  increase  it, 
the  Reverend  Director  proposes  to 
reorganize  the  fraternity  especially 
with  a  view  to  engaging  in  various 
charitable  works. 

Washington,  D.  C.  —  Thursday, 
November  15,  marked  the  dedication 
of  the  new  $200,000  Chemistry 
Building,  donated  by  Marquis  Ma- 
loney  to  the  Catholic  University  of 
America.  Present  on  this  occasion 
were  a  number  of  dignitaries  of  the 
Church  and  State  including  Cardi- 
nals Gibbons  and  Farley.  Follow- 
ing the  ceremony  of  dedication, 
Cardinal  Farley  took  advantage  of 
the  opportunity  to  visit  the  Francis- 
can Monastery  of  Mount  St.  Sepul- 
chre. His  Eminence,  who  says  that 
he  feels  quite  at  home  with  the 
Franciscans,  spent  some  time  in  this 
informal  visit,  recounting  various 
incidents  of  his  pilgrimage  to  the 
Holy  Land  a  few  years  ago,  at  which 


time  membersof  the  present  com- 
munity of  the  Monastery  were  his 
guides  and  companions  in  Palestine. 
The  Cardinal  with  pleasure  relates 
the  fact  that  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Third  Orderof  St.  Francis,  having 
been  receivedas  Brother  Francis  in 
Assisi  yearsago.  That  God  may 
spare  to  HisChurch  for  many  years 
the  venerable  Pastor  is  the  prayer 
of  his  Franciscan  brethren. 

Cowlitz,  Wash.— The  Franciscan 
Fathers  in  charge  of  Cowlitz  Mis- 
sion, Washington,  had  the  great 
pleasure  of  seeing  their  new  con- 
vent, beautiful  in  its  simplicity,  de- 
dicated amid  solemn  services  on 
Sunday,  October  28.  The  Rev.  Hu- 
golinus  Storff,  o.f.m.,  Provincial  of 
the  Western  Province,  officiated  at 
the  ceremony  and  preached  an  im- 
pressive sermon  on  the  saving  influ- 
ence the  Franciscan  Order  has  exer- 

|  cised  and  still  exercises  on  society. 

I  He  was  assisted  at  the  altar  by  Rev. 
Joseph  Kolb,  o.s.b.,  as  deacon,  Rev. 

I  Fr.  Paschal,  o.f.m.,  as  subdeacon, 
and  FF.   Apollinaris   and   Felician, 

'.  o.f.m.,  as  masters  of  ceremonies. 

!  Immediately  after  the  divine  servi- 

■  ces,  a  banquet  was  served  in  the 
basement  of  the  new  convent.  In 
the  afternoon  a  musical  and  dra- 
matic program  was  rendered  and  a 
social  gathering  held  by  the  many 
friends  of  the  Fathers  who  had  come 

:  to  celebrate  the  happy  event. 

San  Francisco,  Cal.,  St.  Boniface 
Church. — In  the  November  issue  of 
the  Herald,  it  was  noted  that  in 
every  Franciscan  church  the  month 
of  October  had  been  the  banner 
month  of  the  year  for  gaining  new 
clients  for  our  Seraphic  Father,  and 
it  is  with  pride  that  we  hear  com- 
ments from  outsiders  on  the  constant 
growth  of  the  Third  Order  and  on 
the  splendid  work  of  the  Tertiaries 
throughout  the  country.  We  are 
glad  to  announce  that  at  every  meet- 
ing we  gain  new  members.  At  the 
last  meeting,  held  on  November  4, 
thirteen    postulants    were    clothed 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


483 


with  the  scapular  and  cord  and  nine 
novices  were  admitted  to  profession. 
Among  the  thirteen,  were  two  young 
altar  boys  who  served  during  the 
meeting;  and  it  was  an  edifying  sight 
to  see  our  Reverend  Director  invest 
them  at  the  altar  of  Our  Lady.  On 
the  occasion  of  our  last  general 
monthly  Communion,  breakfast  was 
served  after  Mass  in  the  parish  hall. 
This  was  a  departure  from  the  usual 
custom,  and  the  result  was  so  grati- 
fying that  the  practicew  ill  be  made 
a  permanent  feature  of  our  Commu- 
nion Sundays. 

Allegany,  N.  Y.  — On  October  14, 
the  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Shahan,  Rec- 
tor of  the  Catholic  University  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  visited  our  Sem- 
inary of  St.  Bonaventure.  The  Bish- 
op was  accompanied  by  Rev.  Bernad 
McKenna,  his  secretary,  and  by  Rev. 
Paschal  Robinson,  o.f.m.,  Professor 
of  Medieval  History  at  the  univer- 
sity. In  the  evening,  he  addressed 
the  seminarians,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day  presided  at  an  academic 
function,  at  which  addresses  were 
delivered  in  fourteen  languages. 
In  his  reply,  Bishop  Shahan  congrat- 
ulated the  friars  for  keeping  up  the 
old  traditions  of  learning  as  was  evi- 
denced by  the  addresses  made. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  St.  Francis 
Church.— The  monthly  meeting  of 
the  English-speaking  members  of 
the  Third  Order  was  held  on  Novem- 
ber 4, and  was  unusually  well  attend- 
ed. Our  Rev.  Fr.  Director  re- 
marked that  the  attendance  is  just 
double  that  of  last  year  and  congrat- 
ulated this  branch  of  the  fraternity 
on  its  rapid  growth,  which  bids  fair 
to  outnumber  the  German-speaking 
branch.  Fifteen  novices  pronounced 
their  holy  profession  on  this  occa- 
sion. The  board  of  officers  has  de- 
cided that  a  special  prayer  be  said 
at  each  regular  monthly  meeting  of 
the  fraternity  for  the  sick  brethren. 

New  Orleans,  La.,  Poor  Clare 
Monastery.  —  On  the  feast  of  the  sa- 
cred stigmas  of  St,   Francis,   Miss 


Mary  Gleason,  of  this  city  was  sol- 
emnly received  into  the  Order  of  the 
Poor  Clares  by  Very  Rev.  Fr.  Sam- 
uel Macke.  o.f.m.,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Besides  a  large  gathering  of  the 
young  lady's  relatives  and  friends, 
a  number  of  secular  and  religious 
priests  were  present  at  the  ceremo- 
ny. Miss  Gleason  will  be  known  in 
religion  as  Sr.  Mary  Clare  of  Jesus 
Crucified.  — On  the  following  Sun- 
day, Very  Rev.  Fr.  Samuel  presided 
at  the  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Third 
Order  fraternity  of  the  city  held  in 
the  chapel  of  the  Poor  Clares,  dur- 
ing the  course  of  which  the  novices 
who  had  completed  their  year  of 
probation  were  admitted  to  profes- 
sion. He  was  much  edified  and 
pleased  to  see  the  Tertiaries  wear- 
ing the  habit  of  their  Order  at  the 
meeting. 

Spokane,  Wash.  — The  feast  of  the 
Seraphic  Father  was  celebrated  in 
the  church  of  the  Franciscans  in  this 
city  with  special  solemnity.  The 
Reverend  Pastor,  Fr.  Burchard,  o. 
F.M.,  officiated  at  the  solemn  High 
Mass,  assisted  by  Rev.  N.  Metz,  as 
deacon,  Rev.  James  Cunningham, 
as  subdeacon,  and  Rev.  Fr.  Leo 
Simon,  o.f.m.,  as  master  of  ceremo- 
nies. Rev.  John  J.  Laherty,  S.J., 
preached  the  festive  sermon.  On 
October  28,  at  the  regular  meeting 
of  the  local  Third  Order  fraternity, 
twenty  new  members  were  received 
into  the  novitiate.  Rev.  Fr.  Burch- 
ard, the  Director,  preached  a  very 
timely  sermon  on  "The  Spirit  of  the 
Third  Order  vs.  the  Spirit  of  the 
Twentieth  Century. ' '  Our  Tertiary 
fraternity  now  numbers  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-one  members,  —sure- 
ly a  splendid  showing  for  the  short 
period  of  its  existence. 

Portland,  Ore.,  Church  of  the  As- 
cension.—On  November  4,  the  Ter- 
tiary novices  of  our  fraternity  were 
professed.  This  being  the  first  time 
that  this  impressive  ceremony  was 
witnessed  in  our  church,  — the  fra- 


484 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


ternity  is  but  a  year  old,— it  made 
a  deep  impression  on  all  present. 
Rev.  Fr.  Apollinaris,  o.f.m.,  pas- 
tor of  the  church;  delivered  an  in- 
structive and  encouraging  address 
that  will  certainly  be  productive  of 
good  fruits.  On  the  same  occasion, 
twelve  new  members  were  added  to 
the  fraternity's  roster,  and  our  Ter- 
tiaries  are  looking  forward  to  a  rapid 
growth  of  the  Order  in  this  city. 
After  the  services,  an  informal 
meeting,  a  la  "Fr.  Roch's  Smoker, " 
was  much  enjoyed  in  the  parish  hall 
by  the  little  family  of  Franciscan 
Tertiaries.  Rev,  Fr.  Urban  Habig, 
o.f.m.,  is  our  genial  and  zealous 
Director. 

Pellston,  Mich.— The  mission  of 
Pellston,  eighteen  miles  north  of 
Petoskey,  is  one  of  the  many  small 
parishes  attended  by  the  Francis- 
cans in  Michigan.  Rev.  Fr.  Innocent 
o.f.m.,  the  present  pastor,  has  la- 
bored faithfully  fo  rseventeen  years 
in  these  parts  both  for  the  Indians 
and  for  the  scattered  white  set- 
tlers of  all  nationalities,  keeping 
alive  in  them  the  faith  by  numerous 
missions.  Thus  from  September  23- 
30,  Rev.  FF.  Damian  and  Cyril,  o.F. 
m.,  gave  a  mission  in  English  and 
Polish.  The  Catholic  population  of 
this  section  is  mostly  Polish.  They 
are  steady,  strong,  and  willing 
laborers,   and  not  readily  daunted 


by  the  extreme  difficulty  of  re- 
claiming these  wasted  forest  lands 
for  cultivation.  Men  and  women 
alike  work  eagerly  in  the  fields, 
although  by  no  means  neglect- 
ing their  duty  to  their  families, 
which  are  unusually  large  and 
healthy,  With  the  progress  that  is 
made  in  farming,  the  climatic  con- 
ditions are  steadily  improving,  and 
many  families  from  the  congested 
districts  of  Chicago,  Detroit,  and 
Pittsburg  are  seeking  new  and 
healthful  homes  among  their  coun- 
!  trymen  in  northern  Michigan,  where 
i  land,  now  being  sold  at  a  low  price 
(  to  prospective  farmers,  will  no  doubt 
I  richly  repay  the  labor  spent  on  it. 
The  Vice  President  of  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Thomas  Marshall,  who 
recently  spent  several  weeks  in  this 
section  of  the  country,  spoke  in 
terms  of  the  highest  praise  of  the 
Polish  settlers,  and  said  that  the 
district  was  to  be  congratulated  on 
acquiring  such  thrifty  and  persever- 
ing tillers  of  the  soil. 

Pittsburg,  Pa.,  St  Augustine's 
Church.— At  the  last  meeting  of  the 
English  branch  of  the  Third  Order 
held  recently  in  St.  Augu&tine's 
Church,  twenty-six  new  members 
were  admitted  to  the  novitiate  of 
the  fraternity.  On  November  18, 
the  German  branch  was  increased 
by  twenty-eight  new  members. 


OBITUARY 

Chicago,  111.,  St.  Augustine's  Conrent:— Rel.  Bro.  Vitus  Bombeck,  o.f.m. 
St.  Peter's  Church: 

St.  Francis  Fraternity:— Catherine  Cunningham,  Sr.  Mary;  Mary   Keat- 
ing, Sr.  Colette;  Margaret  Ryan,  Sr.  Elizabeth. 
St.  Louis  Fraternity:— George  Dissett,  Bro.  Francis;  Anne   Pollard,    Sr. 
Veronica;  Margaret  Killeen,  Sr.  Frances;  Anne  Murray,  Sr.  Agnes. 
German  Fraternity:— Ludowiga  Bartkowski,    Sr.    Helen;    Helen    Breit, 
Sr.  Frances. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  St.  Antony's  Church:— Sr.  Hyacintha    O'Hanlon;    Sr.    C.    Fox; 
Sr.  C.  Gray;  Sr.  Elizabeth  Golden. 

Requiescant  in  pacn 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  485 


INDEX  TO  VOLUME  V--FRANCISCAN  HERALD 

Verse 

Gloom  and  Gleam  of  Winter,  The 9 

Holy  Name  of  Jesus,  The 25 

Hymn  for  Christmas  Day,  A 462 

Is  it  Worth  While? 112 

Lauda  Sion  Salvatorem 141 

May  Song,  A 181 

Morning 424 

My  Beloved  is  Mine 94 

My  Rosary 373 

Peace 233 

Prayer  for  Peace 446 

Robin's  Spring  Song,  The 131 

Sacrament  of  Love,  The 207 

St.  Francis 415 

St.  Francis  to  the  Birds 380 

Summer  Heat 314 

Two  Worlds,  The 255 

Wounded  Rose,  The 257 

Patrons 

Bl.  Agnes  of  Bohemia,  II  Order 85 

Bl.  Bernadine  of  Feltre,  I  Order 325 

Bl.  Bonaventure  of  Potenza,  I  Ordar  Conv 365 

Bl.  Jane  of  Signa,  III  Order 445 

Bl.  Jane  Mary  Maille,  III  Order 124 

Bl.  John  of  Alverna,  I  Order 285 

Bl    Matthew  of  Girgenti,  I  Order ' 7 

Bl.  Pacificus  of  Cerano,  I  Order 205 

St.  Elizabeth  of  Portugal,  III  Order 245 

St.  Ives  of  Brittany,  III  Order 165 

St.  Joseph  of  Leonessa,  I  Order  Cap 45 

St.  Leonard  of  Port  Maurice,  I  Order 406 

Third  Order 

Good  Work  (Ed.  Com.) 5 

Gossiping  Tertiaries  (Ed.  Com.) 82 

Hopeful  Signs  (Ed.  Com.) 404 

Tertiaries  and  the  War  (Ed.  Com. )   162 

Tertiaries  and  Our  Soldiers  ( Ed.  Com.) 202 

Tertiary  Conventions 338 

Third  Order  Activity  (  Ed.  Com. ) 83 

Third  Order  and  Dancing,  The  ( Ed.  Com.) 42 

Third  Order  and  Freemasonry,  The 253 

Third  Order  and  Home  Life,  The 258 

Third  Order  and  the  Parish  (Ed.  Com.) 442 

Third  Order  in  Colleges,  The  (Ed.  Com.) 122 

Third  Order  vs  Time  Spirit 1° 

Biographical  and  Historical 

Activities  of  English  Franciscans 88 

Allouez,  S.  J.,  Father  Claude 191 

Anselm  Mueller,  O.  F.  M.,  Rev.  Fr 180 

Arrival  of  the  Franciscans  in    England 13 

Baraga,  The  Apostle  of  the  Northwest,  Bishop 385,  429 

Calm  Before  the  Storm 127 

Catherine,  Queen 448 

Colored  Tertiary,  A 176 

Commercial  Traveler,  A     72 

Falconio,  O.  F.  M.,  Cardinal 113 

John  Gafron,  O.  F.  M.,  Rev.  Fr 265 

Leonarda,  O.  S.  F.,  The  Late  Mother 95 

Lowering  Clouds 168 

Marquette,  S.  J.,  Father  James 303 

Mathias  Rechsteiner,  O.  F.  M.,  Rev.  Fr 26 

More,  Bl.  Thomas  368,  409 

Outbreak  of  the  Storm 208 

Raging  of  the   Storm,  The 248,  288,  328 


486  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


Spread  of  Franciscans  in  England 48 

Ximenez,  Cardinal 419,  464 

Missions 

Blackwater  Mission,  Arizona 225 

Christmas  at  San  Xavier,  Arizona Ill 

Comedy  of  Failures,  A 63 

Federal  Government  and  our  Indian  Schools,  The 142 

My  Last  Visit  to  Atemoie 105 

Missionary  Labors  of  the  Franciscans  Among  the  Indians  of    the  Early  Days 

60,  102,  145,  182,  222,  261,  300,  347,  382,  425 

Progress  Among  the  Apaches 

Short  Stories 

Barbara's  Vow 53 

Beauty  Contest,  A 293 

Bellevue  Cove 213 

Cross  in  the  Sand,  The 416 

Elaine 30,     69 

End  of  a  Christmas  Frolic,  The 455 

Father  Gregory's  First  Convert 350 

Foul  Whisperings 374 

Francisca— A  Story  of  Mexico 173 

Gilbert's  Choice 185 

Guiding  Hand  of  Providence,  The  390 

Out  of  the  Darkness 270 

Philosophy  of  Charity,  The  149 

Stone  Rolled  Awav,  The 127 

Way  of  the  World.  The 309,  334 

When  Pride  Has  Virtue 475 

Wrong  Righted,  A 1°8 

Virginia  Austin 227 

Miscellaneous 

Aracoeli  and  the  Santo  Bambino 18 

Eucharistic  Thoughts 22,  58,  100,  140,  178,  220,  256,  298,  345,  379 

Golden  Record  of  Fifty  Years,  A 34 

Promenade  de  Longchamps 138 

San  Francisco  el  Grande 273 

What  Others  Say  of  Us 40 

Editorial 

As  to  Advertisements •  •  •       5 

Book  Reviews 84,  313 

Dementia  Americana 242 

Easter  Thoughts }22 

Education  in  Mexico  under  the  New  Constitution 162 

False  Economy,  A 364 

Famine 241 

Fast  of  the  Spirit,  The &» 

Force  of  Good  Example,  The  244 

•  'God  Befriend  Us  as  Our  Cause  is  Just' ' 44 

Good  Work   J 

Gossiping  Tertiaries 82 

Happv  New  Year 4 

Hopeful   Signs 404 

Japanese  Professor  Lauds  Franciscans ^4 

Juvenile  Delinquency • 284 

Leading  Catholics  ' 283 

Lover  of  Nature,   A .    • 363 

•  'Modern  Improvements"  in  Education 203 

Month  and  the  Queen  of  May,  The  163 

Need  of  Spirituality,  The 362 

Neutrality  of  the  Holy  See,  The 402 

No  Peace  in  Sight 43 

Nurses  and  Nurses 243 

Our  Frontispiece 3,  41,  81,  121,  161,  201,  241,  281,  321,  361,  401,  441 

Parsl  el,  A 442 

Peace  to  Men  of  Good  Will 6 

Protestant  Tribute  to  St.  Francis,  A 6 


FRANCISCAN  HERALD  487 


Soldier  Welfare  Work 323 

Students  and  the  War 282 

Tertiaries  and  Our  Soldiers 202 

Tertiaries  and  the  War 162 

Third  Order  Activity 83 

Third  Order  and  Dancing,  The 42 

Third  Order  and  the  Parish 442 

Third  Order  in  Colleges,  The 122 

Voice  from  the  Vatican,  The 322 

When  Will  it  End? 282 

Word  with  our  Readers,  A i 

Franciscan  News— Foreign 

Argentine 75,  76,  115,  434 

Brazil 155,  435 

British  East   Africa 316 

Canada 75 

Canary  Islands 434 

Chile 75,   396,  434 

China 35,  116,  196,  396 

Columbia 234 

England 480 

France 434 

India 115,  235 

Italy  35,  275,  356,  357,  480 

Japan 75 

Majorca 275 

Morocco 357 

Phillipine  Islands 75 

Rome 35,  75,  115,  155,  195,  234,  274,  315,  356,  395,  434,  480 

Spain 115,  196,  275,  356,  357,  396 

ItRANciscan  News  -Domestic 

Allegany.  N.  Y 483 

Baltimore,  Md 198,438 

Boston,  Mass 318 

Cababi    Ariz  119 

Chicago.  Ill  .."■!!."."!.' .' ....  36,'  77,'  116,"  157, '  197  ^  237',  277,'  317,'  '359,  397,  435,  481 

Cleveland,   Ohio 78,  158,  237,  277,  318,  397,  435 

Cowlitz,    Wash 482 

Denver,  Col 36 

Evansville,  Ind   357 

Fruitvale,  Cal 277,  319,  358,  398,  438 

Glenn  Riddle,  Pa 32n,  358 

Graymoor,   N.  Y -. 197 

Hartwell,  Ohio 77 

Joliet,  111 78,  117,  157,  158,  198,  199,  238,  399,  482 

Komatke,  Ariz 119,  156,  198,  276,  399 

Lafayette,  Ind ~ 118 

Los  Angeles,  Cal 437 

Louisville,  Ky 438 

Maryville,  Mo 439 

Milwaukee,    Wis 117,  238,  277,  317,  359,  399,  436 

Nashville,  Tenn 158 

New  Orleans,  La 157,  238,  359,  483 

New  York,  N.  Y 157,  237 

Oakland,  Cal 198 

Odanah,  Wis 439 

Pellston,  Mich 484 

Petoskey,    Mich : 76 

Philadelphia,  Pa 437 

Pierz,  Minn , 436 

Pittsburgh,  Pa 318 

Portland,  Ore 483 

Quincy,   111 276,  319 

Sacramento,  Cal 27H,  440 

San  Diego,  Cal 37 

San  Francisco,  Cal 118,  155,  198,  237,  276,  319,  358,  398,  440,  482 


488  FRANCISCAN  HERALD 


San  Rafael,  Cal   398 

Santa  Barbara,  Cal 235 

Springfield,  111 158 

Seattle,  Wash 399 

St.  Louis,  Mo 36,  78,  117,  197,  235,  236,  319,  397,  437,  481 

Spokane,    Wash 483 

Teutopolis,  111   76,  317,  357,  400,  437 

Toledo,  Ohio 197 

Washington,  D.  C 438,  482 

West  Park,  Ohio 397 

Wooster,  Ohio 438 

Illustrations 

Anselm  Mueller,  O.  F.  M.,  Rev.  Fr 180 

Atemoie  and  Tabassibines  at  Reserve,  Wis 106 

Arbre  Croche,  Mich. ,   Baraga's  Church  at 385 

Baraga,   Bishop 429 

Baraga,  Bishop,  Lying  in  State  at  Marquette,  Mich 432 

Blackwater,  Ariz. ,   Holy  Family  Mission— Exterior 225 

Black  water,  Ariz.,  Holy  Family  Mission— Interior 226 

Bl.  Agnellus  of  Pisa 14 

Bl.  Agnes  of  Bohemia   86 

Bl.  Bernardine  of  Feltre   326 

Bl.  Bonaventure  of  Potenza 366 

Bl.  Jane  of  Signa 446 

Bl.  Jane  Mary  Maille 125 

Bl.  John  of  Alverna  286 

Bl.  Matthew  of  Girgenti   8 

Bl.  Pacificus  of  Cerano 206 

Bl.  Thomas  More 369 

Bl.  Thomas  More  Bids  Farewell  to  his  Daughter  Margaret '. .  414 

First  Steps  on  the  Warpath 307 

Gila  River  at  High  Water 64 

Harbor  Springs  (Arbre  Croche)  Mich. ,  Present  Church  at 388 

John  Gafron,  O.  F.  M  ,  Rev.  Fr 265 

Lac  Courtes  Oreilles,  Wis 105 

Lac  du  Flambeau,  Wis 192 

Leonarda,  O.  S.  F.,  Mother 96 

Map  of  the  Pima  and  Papago  Missions,  Ariz 65 

Mathias  Rechsteiner,  O.  F.  M.,  Rev.  Fr 27 

Odanah,  Wis. ,  St.  Mary's  Church 267 

Odanah,  Wis.,  St.  Mary's  School 269 

Santo  Bambino 19 

San  Xavier,  Ariz. ,  A  White  Christmas  at Ill 

St.  Elizabeth  of  Portugal 245 

St.  Francis  to  the  Birds 381 

St.  Francis  before  the  Crib 462 

St.  Ives  of  Brittany 166 

St.  Joseph  of  Leonessa 46 

St.  Leonard  of  Port  Maurice 407 

Tertiary  Officers  at  St.  Joseph's  College,  Teutopolis,  111 159 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Age  of  the  Patriarchs Frontisp.  No.  1 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The-The  Age  of  the  Law Frontisp.  No.  2 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Age  of  the  Prophets Frontisp.  No.  3 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Sybils Frontisp.  No.  4 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The-The  Fulness  of  Time Frontisp.  No.  5 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The  -Christ  Triumphant Frontisp.  No.  »> 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Apostles Frontisp.  No.  7 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Martyrs Frontisp.  No.  S 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The-The  Virgins  and  Widows Frontisp.  No.  9 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Monks  and  Friars Frontisp.  No.  10 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The— The  Confessors Frontisp.  No.  11 

Triumph  of  Christ,  The-The  Three  Orders  of  St.  Francis Frontisp.  No.  12 

Wayagamug,  On  the  Glassy  Waters  of 304 


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