Priestly Vocation and Tonsure

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.