Bøger af Brother Hermenegild Tosf

Originally written by Monsignor Robert Hugh Benson after World War I, these meditations are just as appropriate today with all of the wars surrounding us. THE present volume is an attempt to supply material and suggestions for prayer during the time of trouble now upon us, for those who desire more precise and individual aids than can be put forward by public authority. The compiler has followed more or less the lines indicated by the Offices of the Church, believing that so venerable and orderly a system must surely guide the soul more skilfully and effectively than can any spasmodic or emotional method. Further, since it is obvious that prayers consecrated by centuries, and, supremely, the words of Holy Scripture, offer more security in the approach to the Throne of Mercy than can any original compositions, he has done his utmost to use these so far as possible (especially the words of the Psalter) with but few adaptations even in the prayers he has translated; and has only composed a few others so far as he found it absolutelynecessary. Several of the prayers are taken, by kind permission of the publishers, Messrs. Parker & Son, at Oxford, from Bright's "Ancient Collects." He has drawn up a different scheme for each day of the week, suggesting by the titles of each a particular intention; and has added a number of detached psalms and prayers and other devotions, for each individual to use as it pleases him. The book, from the conditions under which it appears, has been drawn up very rapidly; and the compiler begs pardon for any slips or omissions of which he may have been guilty. Finally, since he believes that, along the broadest and deepest lines, England and her allies are fighting for the cause of justice and liberty against the assault of cruelty and tyranny, he has not scrupled to insert petitions that entreat, outright, for victory from the God of Battles.

REVEREND FATHER, The Holy Father has confided to me the agreeable mission of conveying to you his warm and sincere thanks for the remarkable treatise on Mystical Theology entitled: Les Graces d'Oraison, the fifth edition of which you have just published. His Holiness is rejoiced at the fruitful result of your long years of study, spent in observing the ways of grace in souls aspiring to perfection. He is happy to see that now, thanks to you, directors of consciences possess a work of great worth and high utility. You not only rely upon the incontestable doctrine of the olel masters who have treated this very difficult subject, but you present these teachings, which constitute your authorities, under the form that our age requires. While wishing your work a great success and abundant spiritual fruits, His Holiness grants to your Paternity the Apostolic Benediction. In acquainting you with this favour, I am happy to assure you of the sentiments of high esteem with which I am, Yours very affectionately in the Lord, CARDINAL MERRY DEL VAL. ROME, April 2, 1907. Father Poulain's book is an example of modern scientific methods applied to a subject-mysticism-which critics outside the Church commonly regard as a mere form of brain-weakness peculiar to pious persons, and over which even Catholics are sometimes apt to shake their heads. Is there to be found in the interior life of devout souls, in their intercourse with their Maker, a life more intimate still-a secret door opening into a world still further withdrawn from sense, where very few may enter, but where the chosen ones have a sight and ieeling of God, and enjoy His presence not less, but more really than we apprehend objects with our bodily senses? This is clearly a question of no little importance, and one which should not be without interest for a day like our own when we hear so much of Occultism and Theosophy and Spiritualism in its different branches-all of them attempts in their own way to pass material bounds and explore the region beyond. Pere Poulain's book is much more than an examination of spiritual marvels. It is a survey of the Kingdom of Prayer in all its length and breadth, in its lowest as well as its most perfect forms. The interior life is seen to be a process, an orderly evolution, of which we can outline the laws and mark the successive stages. Even in its highest development we are permitted, as it were, to watch the first sprouting of the wings, then their gradual growth and freer play, until at last, with gathered strength and unerring aim, they bear the soul towards God beyond the range of our sight. There are comparatively few problems of the ascetical life which do not fall in some degree within the scope of this treatise-the helps and hindrances of prayer, interior trials, scruples, discouragement, presumption. On all these topics the teaching of the author, deduced, be it observed, from the words or actions of the saints which he cites, seems to us eminently helpful and sane. Not unfrequently it lurks in unexpected places, in what appear to be casual remarks, in brief comments on some unusual point of theory or practice, but it will not escape the eye of a careful reader; and, above all, it will be treasured by those who are entrusted in whatever way with that most difficult and delicate of tasks, the direction of souls. The experiences of those who have climbed the highest peaks of Perfection, their successes, even their mistakes, cannot fail to be useful even to those who are still stumbling on its lower slopes, or only gazing wistfully upwards from its base.

This work is by Saint John Eudes, but translated prior to his canonization. Saint John Eudes begins: "How often have we been obliged to witness, in the every-day occurrences of human life, scenes which should call forth tears of blood, in beholding the many persons who, after having become by Baptism the children of God, the members of Jesus Christ and the living temples of the Holy Ghost, yet live rather as infidels and pagans than as true Christians. In truth, do we not behold men live, as if neither faith, nor reason, made any impression upon them, who, wholly occupied with the world and its vanities, seek nothing. beyond the gratification of their own passions, and who, allowing themselves to be entirely carried away by evil, have no more respect for God than pagans? If these persons perform any act of religion, it is only in compliance with the family routine, or following the habits acquired in early youth, while they are strangers to the spirit of true piety." Let us consider this: "The name of contract is given to any agreement entered into by two or more persons, in which the parties contracting incur mutual obligations. This clearly shows that a contract has been entered into by the most Blessed Trinity and you in Baptism; since You have incurred many obligations towards the Blessed Trinity, and the Blessed Trinity has also obliged itself in regard to you. What is the nature of this contract? It is a reciprocal contract of gifts, the highest and most entire that can" enter into the heart of man to conceive;" for in making it you are obliged to give yourself entirely and forever to God; you have renounced all things to be united to Him, and for Him, and God on his part has given himself entirely to you. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, come to you and take up their abode in your soul, in order to confer honors and benefits on you. They enrich you with spiritual treasures to render you worthy of their three divine Persons." We have entered a solemn contract with Almighty God. Let us learn our obligations in this holy contract and live up to them.

IN all conceivable acts in the life on this earth, the lowly, familiar, and unobtrusive Mass holds the first place. There can be no comparison with other great acts of the world: neither with heroes or their wars and conquests, nor with vast popular movements that have changed the face of a nation. One day it is certain this truth will be recognised in a very awful and overwhelming way. Even in the order of human dispensations, this simple rite is a phenomenon that might well distract and mystify the Protestant mind when speculating over the course of terrestrial incidents. All fashions flourish, decay, change, or become extinct. But for nearly twenty centuries the Mass has endured. It seems the one imperishable monument of the world which will never pass away. No one, of whatever denomination, but must forecast that here there is evidence of endurance, as permanent in the future as it has been in the past. Every hour the Mass strikes deeper and deeper roots. It seems to overrun the earth with all the fertility of some tropical plant which defies the efforts of the most industrious gardener. With what mingled satisfaction and wonder does the Catholic recall the prophecy of Malachi, which he sees so largely, mysteriously, and literally fulfilled, that 'from the rising to the going down of the sun' this sacrifice should be constantly offered. It has been found that without metaphor there is no moment of the twenty-four hours without its: Mass. It literally travels with the sun. At every moment and particle of a moment the sacrifice is being offered; so that it seems like one unbroken act, continuous and uninterrupted. At any moment of the day or night the devout Catholic in these islands may transport his thoughts to the distant sacrifice, knowing that it is actually going on, and that he can join in spirit. In Europe at six in the morning there are Masses being celebrated; at seven, in portions of Africa, St. Louis, the Canary and Coral Islands. From eight to noon they are being said in South America, North America, and the various islands adjoining; and from noon to five o'clock, in portions of North America, California, Tonga Islands, Tahiti, etc. From six o'clock to ten at night, there are Masses going on in all the Austr lian colonies, in New Caledonia, Japan, Corea, etc.; from ten until three a.m., in China, Tonquin, Thibet, Madagascar, Abyssinia, Zanzibar, Central Russia, etc.; from three until five, in Asia Minor, Turkey, Egypt, Tunis, Algiers, and parts of Europe. And thus is wondrously fufilled the prophecy, 'In every place there is offered to My name a clean oblation.' The Catholics of the world are estimated at about two hundred millions; and taking the proportion of Masses to every hundred thousand as one thousand, which is rather low, we shall find that about two millions of Masses are said daily! But if we put it at even half the number, what an idea it gives of the living force of this stupendous institution!

There is nothing of more importance for anyone who wishes to secure his salvation, than to know himself that is to say, to know-at least as far as this is possible-in what state his conscience is. This knowledge is to be attained only by frequent and serious examen, and such examen is distinguished into different classes. 1st. The examen which all should make, when preparing for Confession. 2d. The daily examen which should be made every evening before going to bed, to discover the faults we may have been guilty of during the day, and to ask pardon for them. 3d. Finally the particular examen, so called because it limits itself to some particular fault we are anxious to eradicate, or some virtue that we wish to acquire. It is for the purpose of facilitating the practice of this last class of examens, that the subjects treated of in the present work have been arranged. To perform an exercise of so much importance with advantage, it is necessary to choose, with the advice of one's director, the subject on which we should wish to examine ourselves, for a certain number of days or weeks, or even for a longer time, if he should think it advisable. If the examen has for its object some fault we wish to correct, such fault should be our most habitual, our predominant sin, the one that causes those faults that lead us most frequently to the tribunal of penance, and the one that offers the greatest obstacle to our advancement in the way of perfection. If, on the other hand, the examen has for its end to acquire some virtue, it ought to be one of those virtues which are most necessary for us in the state we have embraced, and in the employment we follow; the virtue most painful and repugnant to nature, that, in fine, which helps us to advance in the way of salvation, and gives merit to the good works adapted to the profession in which we have been called to sanctify ourselves. This matter once settled, we must first choose a fixed and definite time each day for this exercise; second, we must read over by ourselves and with attention the subject we have selected; third, we must seriously question ourselves as to the conduct we have observed with regard to that particular fault or virtue since our last examen; and, fourth, we must make a firm resolution to labor at correcting that fault or practising that virtue, and to do so by the employment of means distinctly determined upon. It is not sufficient, however, to know our predominant sin, and reckon up and weigh the number of faults we may have committed under that head; we must also seek out what are the causes of our faults, that we may courageously assail them; without" which, we shall obtain no satisfactory results. A tile on the roof of the house gets out of place, and the water drops into the apartment; should we confine ourselves to drying the spot, we should have to renew our task every day; but if we go to the cause, and replace the tile, the water will soon cease to flow. "When a thorn has entered the hand, we must first of all extract it; without this, no remedies will be of any avail. It is so with our predominant sin; if the cause is not got rid of, the effects will always remain.

THE author who should attempt to write a book on the elements of intellectual philosophy should in our opinion strictly attend to, and be guided by, the following principles, which have reference to the language, to the style, and to the matter of the book. I. The book should be written in English. The matter treated of in philosophy is hard enough to understand, even by the brightest intellect which just comes from the study of belles-lettres, fascinated by the matchless beauties of the ancients clothed in the finest language, to undertake to master hard, dry things, without flesh and blood, but abstract and immaterial. Now, to present such things in a foreign language is to render the difficulty of apprehending them unnecessarily greater, and to heighten the aversion which young minds naturally feel for abstract ideas. It is like covering a beautiful painting with a double veil. For language, after all, is a veil which covers the idea. Now, if you clothe an idea in language foreign to the student, no matter how well he may be supposed to know it, you oblige him, in order to look at the idea, first to uncover the veil of the foreign language to make room for the veil of his own native language, and then to catch the idea. In other words, you oblige the student first to translate into his own language, and then to grasp the matter. In the second place, to write a book on the elements of philosophy in the Latin language is to confine the study of this most necessary science only to those who have gone through a classical course; whereas we know by sad experience how necessary and how important it is for all our young men to be imbued with proper, true philosophical principles, to the absence of which we may attribute all the errors and evils which afflict society. With regard to the style, of course it must be of a didactic nature-that if-, brief and concise, but above all perfectly clear. Nor would we be averse now and then, when the occasion presents itself, from changing the nature of the style for one a little more pleasing and attractive, so as to lighten the difficulty and mix the useful with the sweet. Finally, with regard to the matter, a book of elementary philosophy should contain nothing but the doctrine. received by the best and greatest of Christian schools, the doctrine most received in the Church, that upon which the Huly See has. Always looked upon with marked and never-ceasing partiality.

WHAT is this Mrs. McCann row about? What is the Decree Ne temere ? Such are the questions we hear asked on every side. People defend or condemn the agitation about Mrs. McCann according to their different religious beliefs and political opinions. To some, like Mr. Campbell, K.C., it is the protest of freemen "against an act of intolerable aggression on the part of a foreign power." To others it is partly a political agitation, and partly the work of the old microbe of Protestant ascendency and intolerance, which was supposed to have been exterminated, but which, they say, is still with us, alive and active, producing a paroxysm of passion, because, forsooth, the Pope of Rome did not enter into diplomatic relations with the ministers of the "Reformed" religion in Ireland before promulgating his recent marriage regulations. Speaking of Rome, The Church of Ireland Gazette writes: " It is not long since her priests dare not perform a marriage between a Protestant and a Roman Catholic."* There is the cause of the agitation, people say: the memory of the days of full-blown ascendency, and madness at the thought that the Catholic Church now insists on having the marriages of Catholics in Ireland, even mixed marriages, celebrated according to general ecclesiastical law. I offer no opinion myself about the relative merits of these explanations. I prefer to treat of the doctrine and discipline of the Church in relation to Christian marriage. And it will be found that the Church's marriage doctrine is sacred and sublime, and that her discipline is not unreasonable even in cases such as the case of Mrs. McCann.

IN the order of grace as in the onler of nature, in the usual course of things no phenomena are seen, no events occur which have not been brought about by a gradual process. In everything there is an organic connection and continuity, and from the tender germ, the small and feeble beginning, the plant is developed until it reaches perfection in the brilliant blossom or fully matured fruit. In like manner the devotion to the Sacred I-Ieart of Jesus did not appear all of a sudden in the Church, as a meteor in the nightly firmament; during the centuries preceding its introduction and propagation, its rise was long foreseen and the hearts of the faithful 'were prepared to' welcome it. It may be asserted with perfect justice that the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus dates h'om the foundation of the Church. For its theological basis rests upon the principal and most well-known truths of our holy faith, and the sacred humanity of Our Lord was from the outset venerated and adored; hence it would be strange if Christian sentiment and love for Christ had never led the faithful in the first centuries to iric1ude the cultus of the Sacred Heart of the Redeemer in their practices of piety and devotion. .And if in the earliest ages of Christianity little definite evidence is found to substantiate this fact, yet there are unmistakable elementary indications and traces of this devotion both in the writings of St. Paul, and also in those of St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom.

n the motto 'Grip fast' we read: "THERE is a pretty story a bout the origin of this motto. The good Queen Margaret of Scotland was one day travelling on horseback with her attendants. She reached the bank of a rapid mountain torrent, which she attempted to cross. Owing to the fright of her palfrey, or the force of the current, she was in imminent danger of being swept away and drowned, when Leslie, Earl of Roth, rushed to her assistance, and, crying to her, "Grip fast," rescued her from her peril. From that time the words, "Grip fast," became the motto of the Leslies. "It is a good motto for anyone to adopt, for it expresses the tenacity of purpose and the perseverance, without which no undertaking of moment can be carried to success. A young man beginning his career might with advantage act in the spirit of it in little actions, as well as in important affairs. It may be confidently asserted that it is more for his interest to be mindful of doing so in what he is often tempted to look upon as trifles, for, if in them he adheres to it, he will acquire a habit which will render a similar fidelity assured in matters of consequence. "The qualities which the motto exacts are not to be found ready made, so to speak, in the character. The rock is pierced by the drop of water that ceaselessly falls upon it, and resolution, self-reliance, and perseverance must be created and nurtured by repeated acts if they are to impart that steadfastness which withstands temptation in the hour of trial. To rise at a reasonably early hour in the morning, to be punctual at meals, to anticipate rather than delay the time for commencing business, to be strict in keeping a deliberate promise, even in small things, to persevere in fidelity to daily religious duties -each of these may not require an heroic effort, but the man who is unfailing on principle in attending to them acquires a strength that one who regards them as bagatelles will never possess, and he will be trusted and honoured by employers and friends. In the momentous truths that help us to serve God, this motto, or the character which it denotes, is especially to be kept in view. The whole success of our career on earth depends, not on material prosperity, wealth, and power, but on the principles which teach the self-denial, courage, and charity that characterize the true follower of Christ. The concluding passage of Mr. Timothy Healy's great speech in the House of Commons during the debate on the second reading of the Education Act (May, 1906) expresses admirably this truth, and I here quote his words: " I would rather that my children understood their religion in preparation for the eternity that is to come, than that they should be rich, prosperous, and educated people in this world. I care very little for your so-called education. I cannot spell myself. I cannot parse an English sentence. I cannot do the rule of three. I am supposed to know a little law, but I think that is a mistake. But there is one thing that I and mine have got a grip of, and that is a belief in the Christ to come, and a belief that our children, whatever be their distress, whatever be their misfortunes, whatever be Their poverty in this world, will receive a rich reward, if, listening to the teaching of Their faith, they put into practice the lessons they receive in the Catholic schools.""

THE Arch-Confraternity for the relief of the souls in Purgatory, being favored in a most extraordinary manner both by the Holy See and the Heads of several Heligious Orders, a quarter of a century had not elapsed after its establishment, when four hundred confraternities were already incorporated with the mother association at Rome, the number of its members exceeding one million. Thus it became an absolute necessity for the Very Rev. Father Brixious Queloz C. S. S. R. Chief Director of the Arch-Confraternity, to compile, for the use of its members the manual of devotion. This manual has been translated into several languages, and as the Arch-Confraternity has already been established in- six dioceses of this country, and continues to spread rapidly, the many and pressing demands of its members have made the translation of this manual an absolute necessity. The translation is substantially the same as the original, with the exception of some additional prayers, devotions, and instructions, mostly taken from the writings of St. Alphonsus, and more especially adapted to this country. In the selection of prayers, the translator was guided both by the advice of St. Alphonsus, viz: that our prayers should be petitions rather than affections, especially for the grace of divine love and final perseverance, and by the later and more stringent rules of the Church concerning prayer books, and as this manual has already become the favorite manual of thousands of pious Catholics throughout Europe, the translator confidently presents it, not only to the members of the Purgatorian Arch-Confraternity, but also to the public in general. As a prayer-book it combines force and solidity, and is well calculated by the pious instructions on Purgatory which it contains, and the extraordinary spiritual advantages and privileges which it holds out to induce the clergy as well as the laity to promote to the best of their power the spreading of this pious Association. Finally, this manual will not fail, as general experience has proved, to stir up in the hearts of the faithful both great charity toward the suffering souls in Purgatory and true love of Jesus Christ, inspiring them, by the reflections on the Purgatorial torments with a holy fear of the severe chastisements of Almighty God, with a true hatred of sin, both mortal and venial sin, and an effectual desire to perform works of sincere penance and charity whilst they have time and grace to do so.

This work by Henry Edward Cardinal manning is an excellent spiritual book. My object in the following pages is to speak of the Sacrament of Penance, not so much as it is divinely proposed to us through the Church as an object of our Faith, but as it is, an object of our love. I may, therefore, pass over as already known its Divine institution, its form, its matter, and its effects, to use the language of our Theology, and speak of it as it manifests to us the special tenderness of the love of Jesus, and draws us to itself by the effusion of special gifts of grace. The Sacrament of Penance is loved by Catholics, and hated by the world. Like the Pillar, which of old guided the people of God, to us it is all light; to the world it is all darkness. There are two things of which the world would fain rid itself-of the day of Judgment and- the Sacranlent of Penance: of the former, because it is search ing and inevitable; of the latter, because it is the anticipation and the witness of judgment to come. For this cause there is no evil that the world will not say of the Confessiona1. It wonld dethrone the Eternal Judge if it could, therefore it spurns at the judge who sits in the tribunal of Penance, because he is within the reach of its heel. And not only the world without the Church, but the world within its unity, the unpure, the false; the proud, the lukewarm, the worldly Catholic, and in a word, all who are impenitent, both fear and shrink from the shadow of the Great White Throne which falls upon them from the Sacrament of Penance. But to all who are penitent, in whatsoever degree and of whatsoever character, it is an object of love next after the Holy Eucharist, and for reasons which even the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar does not equally present. The presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is real and substantial, proper and personal, in all the fulness of His Godhead and Manhood. His presence in the Sacrament of Penance is by representation and by grace. In this then there is no comparison possible. In the Holy Eucharist Jesus manifests Himself in His royalty, power, and glory. In the Sacrament of Penance, in His tenderness as a Physician, and Ilis compassion as the Good Shepherd. In the forn1er He attracts and transforms us chiefly by His divine attributes; in the latter by His human experience, sympathy, and pity. In the Holy Eucharist Jesus draws us upwards to Himself; in the Sacrament of Penance He stoops down to listen to us, and to open to us His Sacred Heart, in the midst of our sins and in the hour of our greatest miseries. The Holy Euchnrist is Jesus reigning amongst the just; the Sacrament of Penance is Jesus seeking among sinners for those that are lost; the former is the Sacrament of Saints, the latter, of the sinful; and therefore to such as we are it comes down with a singular nearness, an intimate contact with our needs, and an articulate and human voice of help and solace. What, then, I would wish to do is to set do, vn some of the reasons why we ought to contemplate and to approach it with love

Saint Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri presents the proper method of preaching, that will move hearts to repentance and encourage people to live a virtuous way of life. The first chapter is devoted to this method of preaching, which is opposed to the showy method of many preachers of his day and even ours. Many seek to gain the praise of their listeners, rather than to bring them to repentance and educate them in the way of salvation. Saint Alphonsus, following the example of Saints Francis de Sales and Vincent de Paul sought to teach priests how to make saints and save souls rather than impress audiences. The second chapter refutes a critis. Saint Alphonsus begins by explaining the criticism:

Similarly, the Holy Father has repeatedly expressed the desire that the cultured classes be given clear evidence of the limitless, erroneous complications of so-called modern science, and of the harmony between the Church's doctrine and the incontestable data of the natural sciences. Dr. Zahm's lectures corresponded to this desire. It is simply silly to maintain that such questions are the exclusive prerogative of the secret circles of specialists and savants, since they are day after day brought before the general public by all manner of press products, newspapers, monthlies, books, and brochures, and are reasoned about by the masses. These very circumstances evince the manifest need of elucidating as much as possible, to at least the more or less educated circles, the religious and social significance of such scientific themes, and their relation to Christian belief.

Nicholas Patrick Cardinal Wiseman very ably proves that the Bible proves the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Eucharist and in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He begins by presenting the Catholic doctrine as well as the beliefs of the other Christian Churches. He then proceeds to the proof from various portions of Sacred Scripture, such as chapter six of Saint John's Gospel and he words of institution of Jesus, Himself. He then demonstrates how the Protestant interpretation does not fit the clear meaning of the Bible. He closes with a discussion of the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation.

Of her vocation we read: "Only those who have yearned to bring souls to Christ can understand the sentiments which filled Irma's heart during her four years of patient waiting. But the summons came at last. In 1839 Bishop de la Hailandiere of Vincennes, Indiana, an intimate friend of the family, who was in France, seeking aid for his mission, visited Irma's home. Here was the heaven-sent messenger. Never did a Desdemona listen to an Othello with half the eagerness with which Irma listened to the details which Bishop de la Hailandiere gave of those distant lands in America where so many souls were in darkness and in the shadow of death. Immediately after the visit, Irma wrote to a friend: 'We had a visit yesterday from Bishop de la Hailandiere, who spoke of his diocese and his great labors. Cecile wished to set out with him immediately. I did not say any thing, but I thought, "It is there perhaps that God calls me." Eugenie laughs and will not believe me; her gayety and her assurance make me heartsick. Poor dear sister how she will weep when I leave her.'"

THE Memoirs of the Vatican Council which are here presented to the public, are the work of a sincere and liberal Roman Catholic, and are inspired by a genuine desire to promote the welfare of that religion. The book is marked by a spirit of frankness and moderation, and there is abundant internal evidence to show that the writer had peculiar means and opportunities of closely observing the incidents which he depicts, and of recording them with accuracy. When to these recommendations it is added that the subject is one of universal and enduring interest, enough has been said to justify the attempt that is made to render the work accessible to the generality of English readers by this translation. The Translator is however sensible, that some injustice may have been done to the original, in a version which has been undertaken by one who is little acquainted with the metaphysical arguments in which the Author frequently engages; and with the technical language in which those arguments are embodied. The general meaning of the original has, it is hoped, been invariably preserved; but there are refinements and distinctions in the Italian, which may not have been always rendered with perfect accuracy, and which the English language is, perhaps, scarcely fitted to reproduce. To errors of this nature, for which the Translator must be held responsible, the Author and the reader will, it is hoped, alike extend their indulgence. The author explains his method of presentation: "After this preamble, it is hardly necessary to add that the Council is here regarded, not in its bearing on theology and canon law, but in its relation to civil life; and that it is studied, not from within, which was, indeed, impossible for common spectators, but from without, as the title-page is intended to indicate. It only remains for us to assure the reader that, though these sketches may be wanting in the depth and research which 80 grave a subject demands, yet by way of compensation they are strictly conformable to truth; for there is very little related of which the Author was not a personal witness, or which he did not receive on authority of equivalent value."

This is a 2 volume set this is volume 1. Our blessed Lord was innocent, and pure from all stain; yet He endured torments greater than any of the martyrs. His sufering was voluntary, and, if' it be lawful to say so, superfluous, for the least of' His agonies was more than sufficient to redeem the world. So again, saints who never lost their baptismal innocence, have voluntarily punished themselves, and endured torments of incredible severity. They might have perhaps abstained from all these inflictions; yet such was their love of God, that they must enter into the communion of His sufferings, and offer up their own bodies, cruelly punished, in imitation of Him, and in deprecation of His wrath, deserved by the sins of their fellow creatures. It was heroic charity that led innocent souls like S. Aloysius and Cardinal Baronius to punish their bodies, and tender women like S. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi and S. Rose of Lima to put crowns on their heads that drew blood from their pierced flesh. It would be tedious to enumerate the penances and strange austerities of the servants of God, which they willingly underwent for their own sins, and in reparation for the wickedness of others, who thought not of God and His holy laws which they were daily transgressing. The contents of these volumes will supply abundant illustration of this matter. It may suggest itself to some that this account of the saints and their actions which Benedict XIV. has given us is technical, and reduces too much to rule and system the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit. But what is the fact? He has but collected together the recorded acts of the saints, and referred them to their several heads. The virtues which the Gospel enjoins are definite and known; and the saints who observed them are known, and so also the history of their lives. He has but compared the facts with the theory, and if the theory becomes clearer and more definite, that is the case with every other theory or system whatever. He had the advantage of the labours of others who preceded him in this discussion, and also the results of his own experience as Promoter of the Faith, and was, consequently, minutely conversant with the very details of the subject. He has done with the practice of the Church what S. Thomas and the Schoolmen did with reference to the Faith. These saw the records of our Saviour's life and doctrine, and constructed therefrom that wonderful and harmonious system which we revere, and the ignorant and the wicked ridicule-the scholastic philosophy of Holy Church. That system was begun before Peter Lombard, but he reduced it to its proper heads, and then the sanctified intellects of the Dominican and Franciscan Orders raised it in its grand proportions, and at the Council of Trent it proved to the Church an impregnable fortress, against which heresy raged in vain. Perhaps, too, in the present form of unbelief, and the prevalence of strange superstition which has taken possession of psychological inquirers, this systematic discussion of moral and intellectual phenomena which are displayed in the lives of the saints, may prove to many a solution of difficulties, and a safe guide to lead them out of danger. Learning is in our circumstances become a matter of necessity, and those who dwell much on the simplicity of the evangelical law, and on the danger of subtle discussions and minute investigations, will do well to remember that our Blessed Lord was once found "sitting in the midst of the doctors."

This is the 1910 edition of the Raccolta. Ambrose St John was a convert to Catholicism at the same time as John Henry Cardinal Newman and was ordained subdeacon along side Newman. The translation of the Raccolta by Father St John was one of the first books of popular devotion issued by the Fathers of the Birmingham Oratory, and it supplied them with the congregational prayers, still in use in their church, for the Stations of the Cross, for the 1110nth of May, the Triduo and Novenas in preparation for the Feasts of our Lady, and similar devotions. The fifth edition of the book, brought out after Father St John's death, was printed in Birmingham by the direction and under the supervision of Cardinal Newman himself. Concurrently with the issue of the English Raccolta Father St John translated and published a work on Indulgences by the Abbate Dominico Sarra, Recorder of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences and Holy Relics, a handy popular treatise on the doctrine and use of Indulgences published by authority at Rome. This Edition has been conformed to the latest Roman Raccolta, approved July 23, 1898, and the Supplement, approved July 31, 1902; and contains also the Indulgences and decisions since recorded in the Acta Sanctae Sedis up to the present time. This edition contains the original or 'long' Saint Michael's prayer composed by Pope Leo XIII after his vision. This prayer was shortened in later editions of the Raccolta.

There is another shorter edition of this work in reprint, which omits some of the chapters contained in this volume. "There is no doubt but that the question of our existence after death is the most important and consequential of all questions. It is the fundamental question of life, decisive of our eternal destiny. Therefore it ever was, and must be, the ultimate and essential purpose of Religion to answer this question." begins Father Nageleisen in this work on Purgatory. Father summarizes the doctrine of Purgatory in two simple sentences: "1) There is, in the next world, a temporary place for the atonement of such venial sins, and temporal punishments of sin, as man is found guilty of on his departure from this world. 2) The faithful can, by prayer and good works, especially by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, assist the souls suffering in Purgatory." He proceeds to prove that all reasonable people believe in the doctrine of Purgatory and concludes: "There is no doubt that in all these cases each one receives a gracious sentence; that all are saved because they died in the grace of God: but can they enter heaven immediately? No; "there shall not enter into it anything defiled."" The consideration of the condition of those in Purgatory begins: "There is a middle state-a state of purification-after this life: this is a natural claim of the human heart's affection, acknowledged unanimously by all nations, but of which we receive certainty and a complete and correct conception only by revealed religion. 'The souls of those who died in the state of grace, but were not found Sufficiently pure to enter the heavenly Jerusalem, are sentenced to this state." He considers the sufferings, consolations, duration and location of Purgatory. After this consideration a great deal of space is devoted to discussing the many works we can do to relieve the poor souls in Purgatory and indeed what we can do for ourself in order to reduce and even eliminate our own need for Purgatory after death. This chapter is followed by the motives that should encourage us to pray for the Poor forgotten Souls in Purgatory. "Devotion to the Suffering Souls is essentially the exercise of the love of God and our neighbor, sometimes in a heroic degree. Its preeminence over other devotions is due to the fact that it leads us to the fulfilment of our duties towards God and man. This devotion tends in many different ways to the one end, namely our reconcilation with God by contrition, confession and amendment." We should meditate on why people are in Purgatory and what we can do to avoid going there our own self. And there are stories in this book, such as the following, to inspire us: "When the Venerable Frances of the Blessed Sacrament was occupied with her daily work, she would often see herself surrounded by souls from Purgatory who plaintively informed her of their sufferings and implored her help. Amongst others a Cardinal appeared to 'her twice; and after telling her his name and rank he asked her to pray for him; and he concluded saying, "Oh, that I had been a simple lay-brother in a convent! For the duties and responsibilities of a prince of the Church are exceedingly grave; and because I have not been as attentive to some of my duties as I might have been, I am now in the torments of expiation."" We next find out the gratitude the Poor Souls have for our assistance. Who would not be grateful to someone that frees them from a terrible prison? We can hope that the prayers of those we liberate will help us become saints! A chapter is devoted to the Heroic Act of Charity in favor of the Poor Souls and its benefits.

This work not only supplies the faithful with a number of very beautiful prayers to the Holy Ghost, it also brings to their notice and stresses a very important dogmatic truth. The prayers reveal the universal activity of the Holy Ghost in the life of the Christian. By what in theology is called "the law of appropriation," the effective agency in the economy of redemption is attributed to the Third Divine Person. That this appropriation is not the indulgence of mere poetic fancy on the part of the theologian is made manifest by the words of our Divine Saviour, at the close of the Last Supper. It goes without saying that there is an indivisible oneness in all the activities of the Divine Nature, as exercised outside the circle of the Divine Life proper. Yet the utter distinction of the Divine Persons from one another is a truth on the same level as the absolute oneness of the Divine Nature which each possesses in its fullness. The Second Person alone became incarnate. Neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost took flesh. On the Son alone, through the humanity He assumed devolved the role of cancelling out sin and meriting redemption for mankind. His part in this divine drama ended, in a certain sense, with His ascension into heaven. The Third Divine Person then appears on the stage as the chief protagonist in all the succeeding scenes which have their denouement in eternity. He carries out the, vork of redemption by forming the souls of men to the life, von for them by Christ: He had inaugurated the work of redemption by forming Christ Himself in the womb of Mary. All this is adumbrated in the Saviour's parting words to His apostles on the eve of IIis death. He intimated to them that, in a mysterious manner, His own part in their supernatural formation was drawing to a close, and that His place in that work was to pass to another. As the Word of God, that is the Living Expression of what God is, it had been for Him to reveal God and God's mind. He had spent three years developing for them and for others the divine message. He had spoken clearly: men heard His words: but their souls did not lay llold of tIle implications of what He had said to them. The apostles caught the terms but missed the meaning of the sentences which were woven of these terms. Jesus says so explicitly: what is more He implies that it could not but be so. "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach YOU the truth. The Holy Ghost will teach you all things and bring all things to your mind, whatsoever I shall have said to you." (St. John XVI. 12, 13, and XIV. 26). Christ's exposition of Divine Truth was but part of a whole process. He revealed: it belonged to Another to carry that supernatural doctrine into the very spirit of men and to cause the intelligence to be illuminated by it. The apprehension of Christ's meaning which was to come only after Christ's exaltation is to be due entirely to the active intervention of the Third Divine Person. Not only does the Holy Spirit enlighten the mind, He, as well, strengthens the will, so that it does not falter in face of the rude discipline of life that becomes of obligation on the apprehension of the Divine Truths. The moral code of Jesus is the logical consequence of the lofty status which He reveals as the condition of man when redeemed. Noblesse oblige. Born of water and the Holy Ghost, the Christian is an adopted child of God and co-heir with Christ. His actions must, of moral necessity, be stamped with the dignity that is his. But no external teaching, no stirring exhortation, will suffice to enable the Christian to play worthily the part that has been assigned to him. There is needed for this a divine energy working from within. The Holy Spirit imparts this divine energy. The Passion generated the exhaustless reservoirs of the divine power. The Holy Ghost engineers the connections between these reservoirs and the soul of man.

The desire of the Father in composing it, was to contribute to spread devotion to St. Joseph, as well as nourish his clients' piety. The same is our desire. Does not this great Saint, whom God has distinguished above all others by the glorious titles of Spouse of Mary and Father of Jesus, and whose heroic aets have admirably corresponded to this twofold dignity, which no creature, human or angelic, can ever share with him-does not, I repeat, this great saint merit on our part a special worship and particular homage? A great number of writers and sacred orators have undertaken, in elegant panegyrics, to show forth the prerogatives and the virtues of St. Joseph, and they have succeeded in rallying around him a multitude of devout clients, who invoke him as their advocate and their father, as the worthiest object of their confidence and love, after Jesus and Mary. We shall endeavor, our turn, to attain the same result, hut by an easier and shorter way-that of examples; a way to which Fr. Patrignani has given the preference. Examples, in fact, more easily enter into the mind, and penetrate more readily into the heart, than do the most solid reasonings. 'The latter merely convince; the former, besides conviction, carry something more soul-stirring-persuasion. In the first book we shall present the homage and services which have been rendered to St. Joseph, as so many motives for attaching ourselves to his worship: in the second, we shall narrate the favors granted by this saint to those devoted to his interests. The third book will contain certain pious practices calculated to honor St. Joseph and to make him known.

THIS book of Preparation for First Communion, which it is my privilege to introduce to the reader, was originally undertaken at the suggestion of the late Father John Morris, S.J., who as long as he lived took the warmest interest in its progress. Unhappily only a few chapters had been completed at the time of his lamented death, and in the sense of that great loss the work for a while was laid aside. It would have been a matter for much regret if the author had made this decision a final one. The book now completed has suffered, we cannot doubt, from the lack of Father Morris's always helpful criticisms, but the originality of its conception and the knowledge of child nature displayed in it can hardly fail to justify its publication. In the address "To the Children" which will be found further on, it is stated that the book is intended to aid the little ones to prepare themselves for First Communion. Perhaps it may be well to add a word of explanation here to anticipate possible misconceptions. It is not in any way the idea of the author that a child should be presented with a copy of this work and then cut adrift without further help, in the expectation that when the proper time comes the needful process of preparation will have worked itself out automatically. None the less, it is believed that many children are quite capable, under the supervision of parents or teachers, of reading for themselves instructions couched in simple child's language such as this book offers them, and furthermore the author has assumed that it may be helpful to some who have to prepare others for First Communion, and who, while conscious of the importance, are not a little embarrassed by the difficulty of their task. To cram children's minds with certain facts of dogmatic knowledge about the Blessed Eucharist is comparatively easy, to prepare their hearts so that they may approach this Divine Mystery full not only of faith, but of love, this is a duty sometimes relegated by teachers to a secondary place simply from a sense of helplessness and ignorance of how to set about it. While the method developed in this volume does not pretend to be better than many others which might be devised, it will be found, I believe, to possess many advantages of its own. And here I cannot do better than quote a few sentences from a Prospectus previously issued, in which the idea of the book is described in the author's own words: "To make the Life of our Blessed Saviour enter largely into preparation for First Communion seems the most natural way of drawing the hearts of the young to Him. It would be sad to think of children coming to the altar-rails knowing little or nothing of His Life beyond such facts as the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist supposes. Yet there is danger of this. There is so much to be done in the simple teaching of the Christian doctrine during a child's school life, that the time devoted to it barely suffices. But in the preparation for First Communion time might surely be found, and ought to be found. Their hearts are fresh and tender, and full of an eager longing, that will never again in their lives be quite the same. If we could tell them a little more about Him then, His character, His ways of dealing with us, and so bring them to the altar able to say, in their own fashion and degree: 'I know Whom I have believed, ' would there not be solid work for the future done in their souls? Knowing Him better, they would come to love Him more. Faith, Hope, and Charity would have a firmer foundation; they would make the acts more easily and more fervently, for there would be a living picture of Him in their hearts.

Benson writes: "I am perfectly aware that this is a terribly sensational book, and open to innumerable criticisms on that account, as well as on many others. But I did not know how else to express the principles I desired (and which I passionately believe to be true) except by producing their lines to a sensational point. I have tried, however, not to scream unduly loud, and to retain, so far as possible, reverence and consideration for the opinions of other people. Whether I have succeeded in that attempt is quite another matter."

Wherefore in our country, where aspirants to the priesthood must make a goodly part of their training in colleges where the influence is worldly rather than ecclesiastical, it is the exception that has anything but a hazy notion of his calling. In fact it is not of rare occurrence that the student learns of Tonsure and the character of the clerical state for the first time only after entering the seminary. The development of a true clerical spirit is, however, of absolute necessity, and often this means a radical change. Anything that will help to this is certainly invaluable. This little book has a proven efficacy in this work; for much depends on the preparation made for each successive ordination. The aspirant who has a good understanding of each Order he receives and is imbued with its spirit, is blessed indeed. This book treats exhaustively of the first step in the clerical career, both as to instruction and meditation, being the ripe frui t of a rich experience. To be thoroughly impressed and imbued with the truths of faith, prayer is indispensable. They must be reflected upon at leisure, the reasons seriously weighed, the consequences foreseen as far as possible, firm and definite resolutions as to conformity of thought and act must be taken, and finally fervent aspirations made in order to bring down upon one's self the graces of Heaven, without which it is impossible to strive for or maintain the perfection of the clerical life. For if it is profitable to study and read, still more profitable is it to have recourse to God, to invoke His Holy Spirit, and to render one's self worthy of His communications. Pure and humble souls gain more through prayer than study. A ray of God's illuminating grace which brings a truth home to our souls, a word of that interior voice, feebly uttered perhaps, but which comes from heaven to our groping hearts, or a pious emotion making us to forget self and hasten to God, gives us more light and strength and leads us farther on the road to sanctification than all the tomes and treatises written.

This is the golden thread interwoven with the noble life-work of an Isabella of Castile-a princess of great renown in her own and all succeeding times, on account of the masculine energy of character which impelled her to high heroic deeds for the glory of God and the defence of His Church, softened and refined by the gracious sweetness and womanly tenderness which made all hearts her own. Turning from this grand and queenly figure we find the same all-pervading supernatural element in the lovely and loveable Margaret Roper, the perfect daughter of the saintly Sir Thomas More, her filial devotion to whom, in circumstances the most trying, forms the brightest gem in her immortal crown of glory. On the other hand, we have here Fannie Allen, the great, enlightened daughter of the infidel Ethan Allen, the sweet odor of whose truly Christian virtues won all hearts to Christ and brought many of her relatives and friends to embrace the true faith. In her, we behold the first scion of the New England stock, the first daughter of the Puritans, who took the monastic habit and consecrated herself to God in holy religion for the service of His suffering members-the Hospital Sister of St. Joseph whose memory is in benediction amongst her Sisters in religion. Another striking example we have here in Margaret O'Carroll, an illustrious Irish lady of the fifteenth century, the daughter, wife, and mother of heroic chieftains who fought and, in some instances, fell, for their country and their God. A woman of a princely race, endowed with rare beauty of person and with all the accomplishments usual at that time, assisting her brave and pious husband alike in the government of his principality and in the management of their temporal affairs, promoting, at the same time, all works of public utility, -yet, amid all this multip1icity of occupation, finding time for the exercises of piety and even for the making of pilgrimages to distant countries-incalculably more of an undertaking then than now. Truly, the valiant woman of Holy Writ was this magnificent Irish princess of an elder day! Lastly, the author has placed before us, in life-like reality, the two greatest women of Canadian-we might say of American history, the celebrated Ursuline Mary of the Incarnation, not inaptly styled the St. Teresa of Canada, because of her high and mystical endowments, and the no less illustrious Marguerite Bourgeoys, the foundress of the great teaching order known as the Congregation of Our Lady. These two admirable religious, daughters of France, were not only great in religion, but great in the management of temporal affairs, wise and prudent beyond conception, and so eminently practical in the conduct of all matters of business appertaining to the public interest that they might be, and, indeed, were considered, the one in Quebec, the other in Montreal, as the Providence of the infant colony of New France. Both will, in due time, be raised to the altars of the Church, and, therefore, scarcely come within the sphere which the author had designed for her work in these volumes, viz., that of eminent Catholics, men and women, not canonized saints, yet whose lives were modelled in the sublime teachings of the Church. It is, however, on account of the important parts they played in the history of their adopted country and the benefits they conferred on their compatriots, that these two remarkable women are presented to the readers of this volume

To the ordinary reader the history of the Scottish monasteries of old is far from familiar. It is true that for many years past various antiquarian societies have given to the world the chartularies of some of the old abbeys and priories, but these are not likely to attract any except professed students of antiquity; for apart from the uninteresting nature of their contents, as far as the average reader is concerned, the language in which they are written-Latin of a curious style, often rendered more obscure by recognised abbreviations in vogue at the period in which they were penned-would debar the majority from attempting to master their meaning. Of some few monasteries, it is true, monographs have been published, but in many instances their writers display a want of understanding of the Religious State (only to be expected in ardent advocates of a faith hostile to that of the inmates of the dwellings whose history they relate), which well-nigh counteracts the benefits offered by such treatises in the shape of valuable local traditions. But of many-indeed, we may venture to say of the majority-of Scottish monasteries, very few reliable records remain. Scattered fragments of information have been gleaned from old historians and other such sources and embodied in ponderous tomes and multitudinous volumes like those of Chalmers' Caledonia, the Statistical Account of Scotland-Old and New, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, etc.; but works of the kind do not attract the casual reader. It is with the hope of awakening in some minds a keener interest in the glories of bygone days that the writer has attempted to bring together from the above sources the chief facts relating to the history of the monasteries in Scotland which were peopled by the sons of St Benedict in the Middle Ages. To him it has been a labour of love to gather together the materials of this volume, and it will be an added satisfaction if such labour should serve to make more widely known what the monasteries of old were for Scotland. It will be something gained if this book but helps to lift the veil of obscurity which-in spire of their fuins, studding the face of the land, and their names, living in many a town and village-still shrouds houses which for cllnturies were universally regarded as homes of sanctity, prayer, and farreaching charity.

A RECENT work by a learned and brilliant writer contains the following passage: "It was the age of S. Vincent de Paul, patron Saint of practical philanthropists. The air was thick with orphanages and hospitals, with Sisterhoods of Charity, with schemes for evangelizing the inferior clergy. But practical philanthropists seldom escape a touch of superficiality. They may be content with little, with small profits and quick returns; but a brisk turnover they must have." This-if we can eliminate the note of scorn-is representative of the popular view of Vincent de Paul. He is accepted as the pioneer of social reform and organized-charity- the charity of Annual Reports and Balance Sheets. The biographical study contained in the following pages is an attempt to pierce the veil with which the celebrity of his achievements has enshrouded him. His own choice, undoubtedly, would have been to remain unknown, but as fame has been forced upon him, it is well to connect it as nearly as we may with the reality of his labours and of his aspirations. An endeavour to show that he was not chiefly a philanthropist does not involve any denial of the value and success of his philanthropic labours. He was born in the sixteenth century, and by a combination of inspirationand experience he arrived at conclusions which are regarded as discoveries in the twentieth. He dealt almost single-handed with problems of destitution involving many thousands of lives, and devised remedies for some of the diseases of social life which are still in use. Of the difficulties that harass and discourage the benevolent there were very few that did not come under his eye, for the whole field of social service lay open before him. He realized and met the need for the teaching and tending of the young, the nursing of the sick, the aiding of the prisoner, and passed on to the more difficult enterprises that concern the fallen and the wastrel. In his old age a grateful nation hailed him as Father of his Country, and in the ungodly Paris of the present day his effigy may still be seen presiding at the corner of those streets where the poor will find assistance for their wants. Originally published in 1913

The idea of this book is to combine a course of Christian Doctrine and one of Scripture History, especially that of the New Testament, and to put the whole into language such as children, say from seven to fifteen, may easily understand for themselves without the help of a teacher. Such a book may also be a help to teachers in giving to children simple explanations of the Catechism and of Scripture. Experience has shown that careful explanation, and exceedingly simple explanation, of the words of the Catechism is absolutely necessary, in order that young children may properly understand them, and may obtain through them any real and lasting grasp of the sublime mysteries of the Faith which they teach. Hence too frequently it unfortunately happens that, for want of such explanation, our children leave school with very imperfect ideas of doctrine, and thus, forgetting the sense, forget also, quickly and entirely, those words of the Catechism which they had so diligently studied. Thus, though they have seemed to do well at school, they grow up very ignorant of their religion. A book, therefore, by the help of which children may be able by themselves to take in and be interested with the necessary truths and ideas, will be a great assistance to them towards understanding the Catechism, and so towards keeping in their minds during life both its doctrine and its words.

IN reply to a petition made to him by the Bishops of the Province of Piceno, in which Loreto stands, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XV. has issued a Decree, dated April 12, 1916, ordering the Feast of the Translation of the Holy House to be henceforth observed each year, on the loth of December, in all the Dioceses and Religious Congregations of Italy and the adjacent isles. Moreover, by the same Decree he grants permission for the extending of the festival to all other Dioceses and Religious Congregations, on its being applied for by the Ordinaries. The Pontiff expressly grounds the granting of this favour on the acknowledged pre-eminence of the Loreto Sanctuary, it being, as the preamble states, "the House itself-translated from Palestine by the ministry of Angels-in which was born the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in which the \'Yord was made flesh." In view of this decisive pronouncement of the reigning Pontiff as to the peculiar sanctity of the Loreto Shrine, it is hoped that the following account of that peculiarly sacred shrine and of its wondrous history, on which the writer has been engaged for several years, will be welcomed by many, and especially by those to whom the attacks of critics on the Holy House have given pain. The groundlessness of those attacks, and the solidity of the foundation on which the Loreto tradition rests, are here, he trusts, made plain. It was a special encouragement to him in his pursuance of the work to receive, through his Superior, the blessing on it of the late saintly Pope Pius X., a few weeks before his death. In obedience to the Decrees of Pope Urban VIII. he unreservedly sublnits what he has written to the judgment of the Holy See, especially with reference to the luentioning of any occurrence as miraculous.

The life of St Gertrude which is here given to the public is proof, were proof needed, of this commonplace of spiritual writers. That a nun vowed to the humility of the cloistered life should have been chosen by our Lord as the instrument whereby He would reveal to the world the mystery, till then hidden, of the love of His Sacred Heart for men, is but one of many such mysterious events of which the lives of so many of the Saints are full. Her own sweet unworldly character, her simplicity, her quiet uneventful life, so uneventful, that is to say, in stirring incident or dramatic interest, but so fun of wonders in its hidden beauty, would appeaJ perhaps to but few, though, told as her history is here told, it will be felt to possess a charm and character all its own; and. like all the saints whom the Church proposes to us for veneration and imitation. St Gertrude's life must surely claim and merit our deepest study. But there is another reason why our Saint deserves to be better known, loved more fervently, honoured more abundantly, and that is because of the high privilege which was hers, of being to the Church the mouthpiece of the abundant mercies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to us poor sinners. To Saint Gertrude belongs this glory; this is her claim to the love and devotion of the Church. There had been, of course, from the beginning of Christian history, an unceasing study of the love of Christ (or men, and God's servants in every age had studied, lived, and died for this, that they "might be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, to know also the charity of Christ which surpasseth all knowledge." But of specific devotion to our Lord's Divine Heart, as the seat and symbol of His love and compassion, there are not many traces before the days of St Gertrude. One, St Paulinus of Nola, may be taken as a witness from early days. In a letter to Sulpicius Severus, t he writes as follows: "Everyone humble of heart proceeds from the very Heart of Christ.