The Religious State

SOME years ago, finding my ideas to be inadequate and, at least to that extent, erroneous with regard to certain details of the Religious Life, I resolved to read from beginning to end the great work of Suarez - De Statu Religionis I found it to be a mine of learning on the subject; and I had not spent many days in exploring it before the thought came to me that many persons might be glad to have some of its treasures placed within their reach in a more readily accessible and portable form. Hence the following Digest. I have aimed simply, to change the metaphor, at giving the marrow of the doctrine of my author, separated from the dry bones of controversy; and I hope the work may prove to be of service not only to religious but to seculars, and not only to Catholics but to others who although not Catholics desire to have information with regard to an essential constituent, and salient feature of the Catholic Church. No words are needed in commendation of the doctrine of so renowned a theologian, so perfect a religious, and so saintly a man as Father Suarez. of the Society of Jesus.