LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, tat, iqrongMxu-- 1 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, LITTLE MANUAL OF NOVICES; BY THE AUTHOR OF, GOLDEN SANDS. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF THE FIFTH EDITION, AND REVISED BY A MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS. New York : D. & J. SADLIER & CO., 31 Barclay Street. Montreal: 275 Notre Dame Street. 18S0. 9r Copyright, ELLA J. McMAHON. 1879. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Chapter to the Novices 5 CHAP. I. —Importance of the novitiate, ii 1. During the Novitiate we study our voca- tion more calmly and with more light, and we decide it with more security. . . 12 2. During the Novitiate we test our courage, our disposition and our acquirements.. 15 3. During the Novitiate, you study whether the community you have chosen suits you, and the community on their part learn whether the novice is a suitable subject for the order 18 4. During the Novitiate, the soul makes abundant provision for its welfare and that of others 19 5. During the Novitiate the novice is formed for the spiritual life 22 CHAP. II.— The Spirit of the Novitiate .. . 25 A spirit of faith 28 A spirit of trust and confidence 29 A spirit of candor and simplicity 33 A spirit of order and regularity . . 34 A spirit of peace and charity 35 . A spirit of courage. 37 A joyful spirit. . . 38 A spirit of sacrifice and self-denial. 42 iv CONTENTS. CHAP. III. — Faults to be corrected in the Novitiate 47 Faults of the mind 50 Faults of the heart 55 Corporal faults 60 CHAP. IV. — Spirits to be avoided in the Novitiate 64 A fretful spirit 64 A worldly spirit 65 A spirit of singularity „. 67 A spirit of ridicule 68 A spirit of criticism 7° Party spirit 72 CHAP. V.— Virtues to be acquired and prac- tised in the Novitiate 74 Obedience *]6 Motives for obedience 77 Practices of obedience , 79 Simple reflections on obedience 83 Fraternal charity 85 Motives for the practice of fraternal charity 87 Practices of fraternal charity 88 Humility 93 Motives for practising humility 94 Practices of humility. 96 Mortification 100 Motives for practising mortification .... 102 Practices of mortification 103 CONTENTS. v Notes on mortification ioS Simplicity 113 Motives for acquiring simplicity 114 Practices of simplicity 116 Simplicity of mind 116 Simplicity of heart 116 Simplicity of disposition 117 Simplicity of action 117 Simplicity of exterior 1 18 Simplicity in piety 118 Sketch of life at St. Sulpice 119 CHAP. VI. Maxims of the Novitiate 127 Litany of Humility 132 CHAP. VII. — Labors of the Novitiate 150 Summary of a treatise on the religious state, 154 Nature of the religious state 154 Conditions requisite for entering religion. 162 The ordinary marks of a divine vocation. 166 The obligation of following one's vocation 1 70 Taking the veil 1 71 The Novitiate 173 The obligations of Novices 175 " " "Profession 178 Vows:.... 181 Vow and virtue of poverty 184 Vow and virtue of chastity 193 Vow and virtue of obedience. 197 The cloister 200 vi CONTENTS. CHAP. VII.— {Continued.) Summary of a treatise on the Interior Life. 203 Nature of the interior life 203 Excellence of the interior life 205 Acts of the interior life 208 Means of attaining the interior life 209 Obstacles to the interior life 212 The pious novice's day. . . . 215 CHAP. VIII.— The trials of the Novitiate. 221 Source of trials 222 Trials directly from God 223 Trials on the part of the mistress 225 Trials coming from our companions 229 Manner of bearing trials : 23 1 With generosity 232 With constancy 237 CHAP. IX. — Devotions in the Novitiate... 240 General rules 240 Particular rules 247 Devotion to the Most Blessed Trinity... 247 Devotion to divine Providence 249 Devotion to the Holy Eucharist 250 Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. . 253 Devotion to the Mysteries of Jesus 253 Devotion to the Blessed Virgin 255 Devotion to St. Joseph 258 Devotion to the Angel Guardian 259 Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory 261 CONTENTS. vii CHAP. X. — Aids of the Novitiate 265 Meditation 266 Particular Examen 275 Monthly Retreat 279 Examen to be made during the monthly retreat 280 Act of renovation 291 Particular rule 293 Exterior aids 296 The Rule 296 Prayer in common 303 Direction , 305 Chapter 309 Spiritual reading. 311 Sister Simplicienne. 313 CHAP. XI. — Temptations which the devil SUGGESTS DURING THE NOVITIATE. 317 CHAP. XII. — Last days of the Novitiate... 327 General trials of the religious life 328 Consolations of the religious life 338 The religious lives more purely and meritoriously 340 falls more rarely 341 rises again more quickly 342 walks more cautiously 343 —receives more abundant graces. 343 shortens her Purgatory 346 —gains a more beautiful crown 347 a iii CONTENTS. Prayer of the novice preparing for pro- fession 348 The symbol or creed of the religious .... 349 APPENDIX. Considerations on the Religious State and the Secular State, to help the soul in its choice* 353 The Convent and the World 362 A departure for the cloister 365 A few pages from the life of Madam Louise of France, Carmelite religious, and daughter of Louis XV 370 Prayer of Madam Louise to obtain the grace to enter the Carmelite convent 371 Happiness of Madam Louise at Carmel 374 The happiness which the Prince Schouvaloff experienced in the religious life 377 The novice unfaithful to her vocation 380 PREFACE. We humbly beseech Almighty God to bless this little book and to grant that, having be- come the Manual of Novices, it may serve to enlighten them in their vocation, and prepare them for the very important grace of a religious calling. We know well that God does not need our labor to perfect souls ; therefore, we do not so much offer it to Him, as beg that He will deign to accept it, and let it serve His designs. We are further aware that the Novitiates of the different religious houses possess, under the title of the Novices' Directory, wise rules which, up to the present moment, have helped to form holy religious, who, filled with the spirit of their respective founders, will always serve as guides and aids to the souls who go to seek shelter in these holy asylums. Therefore, our idea is less to replace these books, written with so much learning, prudence 2 Preface. and piety, than to prepare the novice to com- prehend, appreciate, and love them. It is not all at once that a young girl from the midst of the world, even though she may have led a devout life, assumes the spirit of a religious community, and forms herself to that supernatural life which is that of every person consecrated to God. The spirit of every re- ligious house is a special atmosphere, which gradually penetrates and permeates the souls and characters under its influence. Its effect on souls is stronger, in proportion as they are better prepared to receive it. Our little book has no other aim than to prepare souls for the influence of this religious atmosphere by teaching them what they should retrench, what they should add; the exercises they should practise; the thoughts with which they should slowly nourish their souls. Its counsels are simple, within the reach of every understanding, and inculcate nothing which the youngest Novice cannot comprehend and strive to practise. Later, God willing, we will aspire somewhat higher, and endeavor to address ourselves to the Professed. Let the Preface. 3 Novices pray for us ; and the Mistresses, if they find in our book any assistance for the instructions they have to give, will they not ask Gcd to grant that we may sanctify our- selves whilst laboring for the sanctification of others ? S. December 2$tk, Birthaay of the Infant Jesus, the special Protector and Model of A T ovitiates. TO THE NOVICES. Devout Novice, faithful to the teachings of those who direct you in the silence of medita- tion, and in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, ask yourself, Why have 1 come here? Listen to the sweet and gentle voice of your angel Guardian, who whispers to your heart: '* You have come here to be a religious; that is, to unite yourself to God by an eternal bond; and every action of your Novitiate forms a link in the mysterious triple-chain which will soon unite you to Jesus Christ forever." And at this very simple and truthful reply, your heart will exclaim with emotion : 1 ' Oh ! how I long for the day which will unite me to Jesus Christ ! Oh ! how I long to say, I can never, never more, be separated from Jesus Christ! Ah ! to be united to Him I do not regret the sacrifices I have made ; and, notwithstand- 6 To the Novices. ing their painful memories, I am still ready to renew them. When I am Thine, my God, wilt thou not take to me the place of father, mother, brothers, sisters ? And one day will we not all, my loved ones and I, be reunited with Thee in heaven to love Thee for all eternity ? And, perhaps, from the lips of loved ones whom I have left for Jesus Christ, I may hear these words: My child, it is to thee, to thy prayers, that we owe our salvation ! "Yes, yes; I desire to be a religious I" II. And the voice continues: "You are here, that you may attain your salvation more easily, and more securely; in a state where every thing speaks of God, where every thing leads to God, where every thing is done in the name of God. Look ! you are already rid of the responsi- bility of your actions. In the world you would To the Novices. 7 have yielded to the influence of your interest, of your humor, of your position. You could not have distinctly heard God's voice asking a sacrifice, suggesting self-denial, indicating a duty. Once you are a religious, your Superior will tell you, Do that; and, in your obedience, you are sure of doing the will of God. She will tell you, Go there; and you are sure that God desires you should go. Later, you will be delivered from the yoke of your natural inconstancy. The links which then bind you to Jesus Christ will fix your instability; you can no longer do anything but what will virtually tend to your salvation. You will be tempted to acts opposed to the law of God, and you will answer: I am no longer my own mistress. Nature will urge you to throw off the yoke, and you will answer: I can no longer do it. And in spite of yourself, so to speak, you will follow to heaven Jesus Christ, your Mas- ter, to whom you will have bound yourself. 8 To the Novices. III. "You have further come here to serve as an instrument of God's glory and mercy. " Doubtless God does not need to ask the permission of creatures to use them for His designs; yet, when He wishes a particular crea- ture to serve as one of His direct instruments, He asks her, if she is willing; and this insignifi- cant being can say to her Creator, / am un- willing to chain my liberty to Thy good pleasure. But you, you have not feared to break your heart to reply to this appeal. You have given your consent ; and, behold, you are now, so to speak, a pupil in the school of God. In effect, the Novitiate is a school : 2l school where God forms the souls who have given themselves to Him: Some that they may win other souls to Him by the preaching of the gospel; Others, that they may glorify Him by their prayers; Others, that they may expiate sin by their voluntary suffering; Others, that they may plant His love in the hearts of little children. To the Novices. 9 Others, that they may care for the bodies of the sick, prevent the blasphemies which they utter in their pain, and gently lead them to heaven. IV. H Behold why you have shut yourself within the walls of this Novitiate, under the direction of experienced mistresses. " Receive from their hands this little book, which will complete their teachings; read it with attention; it will suggest means of profiting by this school of God, and of making yourself worthy of what He asks of you. " Be simple, that you may comprehend this reading; "Be humble, that you may receive it; " Be docile, that you may love it; " Be generous, finally, that you may practise the counsels which you will receive. " The following are the titles of the chapters treated in the book: 1st . The importance of the Novitiate, io To the Novices. 2d. The spirit of the Novitiate, 3d. The faults to be corrected in the Novitiate. 4th. The different spirits to he avoided in the Novitiate. fth. The virtues to be acquired and practised in the JSovitiate. 6th. Maxims of the Novitiate. fth. The labor of the Novitiate. 8th. The trials of the Aovitiate. gth. The devotions of the Novitiate. loth. The aids of the Novitiate. nth. The temptations which the devil suggests during the Novitiate. 12th. Last days of the Novitiate. LITTLE MANUAL OF NOVICES. » • < CHAPTER I. IMPORTANCE OF THE NOVITIATE. The Novitiate is a time during which one who believes herself called to a religious life puts to the test, in the community which she has chosen, her strength, her disposition, her general fitness for the life ; while the community also study and prove her character to discover whether she is suited to the order. It is sufficient to read this definition atten- tively to comprehend the great importance of the Novitiate. 1 2 Importance of the Novitiate. I. During the Novitiate we study our vocation more caimly and with more tight, and we decide it with more security. Souls, even the most upright, frequently form in the world erroneous, or at least very incom- plete ideas of a religious life; and the greater part are led to embrace it by an attraction which is rather the effect of imagination than of grace. They know in a general way that it is a life of self-denial; but they have never considered the details of this abnegation. They have seen the brilliant side of the sacrifice, — and certainly there is something heroic and beautiful in that adieu to the world, and everything alluring, captivating, and flattering, at an age when life is so full of pleasure, — and, without seeking or weighing what follows, they are seized with envy of a soul which has proved itself so generous. They know that it is necessary to do violence to the heart in leaving one's family; that habits of a lifetime must be abandoned; home- comfort sacrificed, which, though composed of perhaps a thousand insignificant nothings, made family life very sweet. Importance of the Novitiate. 13 But they have read of the happiness of a religious life: of the charms of community life; of the sweetness of the yoke of Jesus ; of the peace which is born of retirement from the world; of the rewards promised and assured to those who have left all for Christ; they have read pages so touching, so devout, so convincing, that they tell themselves: Once there I shall be happy ! Oh ! yes, you will be happy in a religious life — yes, your heart and your soul will there find unspeakable joy and peace — but on con- dition that you be seriously called to it, and that you faithfully correspond to your vocation. Now the Novitiate has been established, that you may judge of the sincerity of your vocation, not with the impressions produced upon you by a touching ceremony like the taking of the veil, or by the reading of books written by ardent souls, but with the calmness which reason enlightened by faith begets. Moreover, you alone do not judge ; your superiors who you see at work, who watch you closely, and who, like you, are equally and strongly interested to prevent the admission 14 Importance of the Novitiate. into their community of a wavering and doubt- ful vocation, will themselves judge you with the wisdom which grace and experience give them. And if at the end of the year their voice, in accord with the voice of your conscience, tells you, Take your vows, you can then take them without fear. II, During the Novitiate a trial is made of strength, of character, of acquirements. Being a religious is not only faithfully ful filling, like a true Christian, the engagements you made in baptism, when, by the lips of an- other, you promised to renounce the devil and all his works and pomps, and give yourself to fesus Christ forever ; it is the binding yourself still more closely to fesus Christ, and following Him every- where, to heaven, doubtless, where the ties which bind you to Him, if they remain un- broken, will necessarily lead you; but first walk with Him along the road of Calvary which he Importance of the Novitiate. 1 5 has dyed with His blood, and like Him let yourself be crucified if necessary. With our ideas of independence, and our self-indulgent habits, is not this an alarming thought ? Therefore what priest is not a little anxious, and does not ask himself, Will she have sufficient strength? when a young girl comes to him and tells him, / would like to be a religious. With the majority, becoming a religious is doubtless gaining heaven ; but frequently it is also leaving an undecided, anxious path to em- brace the calm monotony of a rule sweetened by the love of God, and the affection of a family of sisters. There is all this in the religious life : there is even still more . . . but that is not all. Do you know the bridal gifts Jesus bestows on her whom he espouses? — His Cross , — the nails, — His crown of thorns. Do you know what He whispers to the heart of her who vows fidelity to Him ? — If you love me, take up my cross and follow me. Do you know the portrait He leaves with 16 Importance of the Novitiate, her, that in days of absence she may not forget her Spouse ? — A crucifix. Then it is to bear this cross, and this crown of thorns, — it is to walk all your life on this road of Calvary, that we are going to train you during your Novitiate. We are going to teach you how to renounce your inclinations and habits in exchange for those of Jesus. We do not wish that, once engaged as a follower of Jesus Christ, you should find the life too hard, and be able to say: If I had known!. . Do not conclude, however, that there are. only painful days in the Novitiate. Oh ! no, no, Sister ; neither consolation nor joy nor peace is lacking in these blessed asy- lums, which have been so fitly called paradise upon earth\ for here, as in heaven, is felt, in an ineffable manner, the goodness of Him who has said : Come to me; my yoke is sweet, and my burden light. No; happiness is not lacking in those houses of God, where the whole year is but one joyous festival; where the laughter of all rings out to the walls which separate them from the world. Thus wrote, from her Car- Importance of the Novitiate. \J melite convent, Mme. Louise of France, who nevertheless had enjoyed here below all of which the imagination could dream. And why should not religious have hap- piness, joy, and consolation? They live with God, they obey God, they repose near God, they are useful to God, their life is slowly con- sumed in the service of God, and, above all, they feel that God loves them ! "Ah ! " cried a Trappist nun ! " though it were necessary to walk over burning coals to become the Spouse of Christ, could one hesi- tate?" III. During the Novitiate you study whether the community you have chosen suits you; and the community, on their part, learn whether the novice is a suitable subject for the congregation. God has respected your liberty by not asking you to engage yourself without reflec- tion. The Church in His name, to leave you a choice, has multiplied religious communi- ties, giving to each one a particular character; and she desires that, during one year, the 18 Importance of the Novitiate. house in which you have chosen to make your trial of a religious life, should make itself manifest to you with the spirit which directs it, the virtues which it asks, the practices which it imposes, the labor which it exacts; . . . and when you have seen and know all, it tells you: You are free to remain with us, ot- to go elsewhere to make a new trial, or to return to the world. But this freedom which is granted you, the community should also be privileged to exercise in accepting you or refusing you. Your indif- ferent health, your disposition, your natural faults, which may not prevent you from winning heaven, but would disturb the general harmony of the community, your acquirements wholly opposed to those which the house requires, may all be reasons for not keeping you. Should you separate, there is no reason for anxiety on either side. There has been no injustice; the charity which might have become more intimate remains as it was before. You will not cease by your prayers mutually to aid each other on the way to heaven, only you will not go by the same road. Importance of the Novitiate. 19 IV. During the Novitiate the soul makes abundant provision for its own good, and for the good of others. For much is given to it: There is the con- tinual example of souls rivaling each other in their efforts after perfection; Defects assiduously and constantly corrected with gentleness and experience; Frequent exhortations, the aim of which is to strengthen, encourage, and stimulate you to the practice of virtue; Obligatory studies, clearly taught and long continued; assiduous vigilance, which never wearies for a moment, which sees all, which divines all, which seeks to know all, but with the sole aim of perfecting and sanctifying you. Devotion which meets every trial, which is always ready to solve difficulties, to listen to troubles, to enlighten doubts . . . and which meets you every day with renewed and untir- ing patience. 20 Importance of the Novitiate. Though much is given in the Novitiate, very little is asked. But two things, first of all, are required of the novice: docility of character, in allowing her- self to be moulded ; a strong will, that she may not be discouraged. And what magnificent results, what unlook- ed for miracles, follow a good Novitiate ! The Novitiate is the furnace whence the soul comes forth, transformed and purified from all the grosser faults which marred its beauty. The Novitiate is the mould whence the soul comes forth moulded to a new life, the life of Jesus Christ. The Novitiate is the arsenal whence the soul draws the rudiments of the knowledge with which she is about to begin the work of God; where particularly she has strengthened herself to receive and preserve the graces neces- sary for the employment which will be given to her. 1 'The Novitiate is that regenerating work of the mind which, as much as possible, delivers to divine grace the entire possession of the fac- ulties, the forces, the habits of the. soul. Importance of the Novitiate. 2 1 "It is a sort of creation, a powerful trans- formation, which must free the soul from innumerable obstacles with which it was em- barrassed by the interests, the ideas, the affections, and the passions of nature. " It is the fire where the iron is softened, to take a new shape; it is the file which smoothes the rough edges, removes the rust, and pre- pares the instrument to be useful in the hands of the workman. "Then is impressed on the soul a direction which replaces in it all purely human direction by the sole ambition for the Divine glory, and the eternal salvation of all." P. de Ravignan. St. Ignatius is so convinced that during the Novitiate such a great change is effected in the soul, and that the novices leave it with so great a spirit of fervor, mortification, love of retreat, and such great ardor for meditation and spirit- ual exercises, that he believes himself obliged to warn those who still continue their studies, to moderate their fervor, and to practise fewer austerities than usual. — Happy novices to whom such recommendations are necessary ! 22 Importance of the Novitiate. During the Novitiate the fidetity of the novice is so important, that, morally speaking, all her re- ligious life depends upon the fervor or slothfulness of her Novitiate. The experience of all religious, as well as the teachings of masters in the spiritual life, are unanimous in justifying this assertion. Alas ! says a pious author, it is not a rare thing to see a fervent novice fall from her first fervor; but, among tepid novices, I do not know that it is possible to count on one out of a hundred becoming sincerely converted after her profession, and later proving herself an exem- plary religious. A Novitiate badly spent is a misfortune which is repaired with difficulty. Hear Rodriguez's words to a Novice: "Now that you are in your Novitiate you have much time to apply yourself to your spiritual advancement, and many means which can contribute towards it; for it is the sole object of your superiors, and they make it their principal duty. Importance of the Novitiate. 23 " You have before your eyes the example of other novices whose only thought is to sanctify themselves; and example usually makes such an impression upon us, that living continually with persons devoted to and making consider- able progress in the practice of virtue, it is difficult, however indolent we may be, not to feel roused to abandon our slothfulness. "You possess, moreover, a heart disengaged from all the opinions of the world, and which even seems inclined to the practice of virtue; you encounter no object which curns you from it: on the contrary, you have a thousand which lead you toward it. "If then, now that you are here solely to be- come virtuous, and with nothing to occupy you but the acquiring of virtue, you make no progress, you lay up no provision of piety for the future, how will it be when your heart is filled with a thousand distracting cares ? " If now, with so much leisure, so much facility, and so much assistance, you do not make your meditation or your examen well; if you do not devote yourself to performing your spiritual exercises with fidelity and piety, 24 Importance of the Novitiate. how will it be when you will be charged with an office filled with exterior duties ? " If with so many conferences and so many exhortations, so many examples and so many solicitations, you make no profit; how will it be when you are left almost to yourself, and you encounter unexpected impediments and obstacles of every sort ? Oh ! then profit well of this precious time of the Novitiate; remember that you have probably no other time so favorable for laboring at your advancement in virtue, and amassing spiritual treasures. Lose not one day, one hour. CHAPTER II. THE SPIRIT OF THE NOVITIATE. The Spirit of the Novitiate is the atmosphere, so to speak, which the soul breathes there. The novices are not conscious of this special atmosphere which surrounds — nourishes their souls, and gradually transforms them; but if a stranger spend but one day in their midst, she experiences an atmosphere of peace which astonishes her. She finds herself in the midst of a family which delights her, and she in- voluntarily exclaims: How peaceful it is here! Yes, all is peace in the Novitiate-, and the young girl who brings to this blessed house a purified heart, an upright soul, a strong will to belong to God, experiences a gradual transformation throughout her whole being. It is as if a new nature was given her; her bearing, her thoughts, her language, her man- ner, her ideas, even her countenance, have something heavenly about them which charms the beholder. 26 The Spirit of the Novitiate. The Novitiate in religious life is like child- hood in home life. The young girl in the Novitiate, like the child in the family, has: A little pain, and much joy; A little labor, and many rewards; A little self-denial, and much affection. Oh, if one could long remain child and novice ! The spirit of the Novitiate is called in gen- eral the spirit of God; for God rules there as Master, and is so recognized, and all that is done there is approved by Him, willed by Him, commanded by Him. It is particularly within that this spirit oper- ates; within that is effected the transformation which the Church expects in young souls whom she submits to the test of a Novitiate. " If," says the Imitation, n we place our prog- ress in religion in these outward observances only, our devotion will quickly be at an end. A good religious ought to be much more in his interior than he exteriorly appears ; because he who beholds us is God, of whom we ought exceedingly to stand in awe, wherever we are, and like angels walk pure in his sight." The Spirit of the Novitiate. 27 A good novice is not one who never fails in any of the observances of the Novitiate: who is prompt in rising in the morning; who is the first in the choir ; who punctually acquits her- self of her charge ; who never rebels against a command ; who is reserved in her words ; who willingly lends herself to the necessities of others . . . Doubtless all these things are necessary in a good novice, but they must be practised with the intention of pleasing God, of obeying God, of glorifying God, Oh ! if the spirit of God does not animate a novice who is almost forced to be punctual, silent, modest, — for she is al- ways observed, and all about her are punctual silent and modest ... it is much to be feared that she acts through temperament, habit, or even vanity and hypocrisy. It is important then, that from the beginning she should allow herself to be guided, and thoroughly penetrated, by the spirit which forms, as we have said, the atmosphere of the Novitiate. Now this spirit is : 28 The Spirit of the Novitiate. A SPIRIT OF FAITH. A spirit of Faith causes you to regard the Novitiate as the house of God, a house in which God is sovereign Master. The rule is the expression, not of such a person's will, but of the will of God. The creatures who surround us are, each according to her position, character, intelli- gence — even her faults, the material means by which God communicates Himself to us. A spirit of Faith causes you to behold God directing you by the voice of your confessor; God commanding you by the words of the rule and the voice of your superiors ; God trying you by the disposition of such a companion ; by the monotony of such an employment ; by the suffering of such an illness ; by the humiliation of such a reproach. A spirit of Faith makes the novice always modest, always reserved, always industrious ; for the eye of God never leaves her, and she would not displease God. The Spirit of the Novitiate. 29 A spirit of Faith makes her also ever con- tented; for it causes her to behold God watching over her with love: taking the place of all those whom she has left for love of Him, counting her every action, her every step, her every tear, that He may reward them in heaven. II. A SPIRIT OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE \ In God, who has called the novice ; and accompanies her all along the route, to raise her when she falls, to encourage her, to strengthen her, to sustain her. . . God, by whom she feels she is loved, and whom she loves with all her heart, relying upon Him always and in all things. God, to whom she prays with so much hap- piness; to whom she appeals for pardon with so much filial affection, lovingly repeating the words, My Father. In the world the fatherly providence of God cannot be felt as it is in the convent; for in the convent God is every thing. Happy the novice who truly comprehends the words, God is every 30 The Spirit of the Novitiate. thi?ig to me!* How willingly she goes to prayer! How happy she is to be obliged, several times a day, to present herself before God for meditation, office, a visit to the Bless- ed Sacrament ! She has been told that the convent was a house of prayer, and she comprehends the sweet- ness, the strength, the consolation of this title; and she goes to her mistress and her confessor to learn how to practise this continual prayer, of which she reads in pious books. "Be a child of prayer," said a mistress of novices, "and I answer for your happiness in the community." Trust and confidence in the priest to whom obedience has confided her soul, and who is * "It seems but a day," wrote Trappist nun, "since I made my profession, and I only count my age from the date of that event. Behold then what a little one I am ! / am only a year old! This thought pleases me the more, that it sends me to Our Lord with more confidence; for a little child a year old can only love its mother, and she pardons it every thing. I think these little fancies only stimulate our love for Him." The Spirit of the Novitiate. 3 1 God made visible to it ; his words are those of God, his counsels are those of God. She shows him her soul with simplicity, and she lives without anxiety, sure that he will lead her to heaven. What matters it to her that she no longer hears the voice which directed her in the world ? Doubtless she does not forget him who for so long a time devoted himself to her soul; she remembers his counsels, she prays for him, but she does not regret him in the sense which the world attaches to this word. God had given her a holy priest, it is still a holy priest whom God gives her, and in the confes- sional she sees only God. If some words appear to her less pleasant, if the doctrine she hears seems more austere, certainly her heart will sometimes sink; but she understands that she is not yet sufficiently strong, and she calmly awaits a better initiation into religious life, and a better understanding of renouncement. Trust and confidence in her superior, who is Gods ambassador to her, who takes her 32 The Spirit of the Novitiate. mother's place, with whom she is at once on terms of intimacy, and to whom she opens her heart with the abandonment of a child. It is by means of this intimacy of two hearts, or rather two souls, that the good God softens the anguish of the separation which has just been made. Her superior ! Her mistress ! the novice does not need to know them to love them ; by a special grace on the part of one and the other, a confidence exists between their souls; from the first they comprehend each other; the novice pours out her soul, and thus the sweet union of a family is formed . . . and if the novice always continue to love God as she does on entering, it will form her happiness during all her religious life. Trust and confidence in her companions to whom she is happy to give the title of Sister, and who recall to her the sweet joys of her home fireside. And why should not their hearts be united which have experienced the same sorrow, which The Spirit of the Novitiate. 33 have the same aim, and are pursuing the same path ? . . . They love one another with sim- plicity, they tell one another of their affection, and prove it in a thousand ways. There is no formal etiquette among them, but a pleasant amiable informality, a natural easy complacency, a cordial frankness which at once converts acquaintances of yesterday into old friends. Doubtless there is a certain reserve to be observed by the novices in their intercourse with their companions, but this prudent reserve will not in any way alter the cordiality of their affection. III. A SPIRIT OF CANDOR AND SIMPLICITY. This spirit causes the novice to act without any ulterior thought. Without self-love or vanity she accomplishes the work which is commanded her as perfectly as she can, simply because she has been told to do it. She acts in such a manner on such an occasion, simply because it is the will of her Superior. She 34 The Spirit of the Novitiate. tells her acquirements without any pretension, and acknowledges her ignorance, whatever it may be, without embarrassment. She makes known her joys, her trials, her anxieties, her repugnances, her defects, such as she sees them and knows them, simply because she has been asked to do so. If she feels any indisposition she tells it with simplicity, and accepts the the remedies which are given to her. If she is attacked by some disorder she tells it also. And if the thought comes to her that it may be an obstacle to her reception, the spirit of faith within her whispers : '* Would you desire to be a religious against the will of God ? You would not. Then if God, who has sent you this infirmity, makes it an obstacle to your vocation, why should you struggle against Him ? And if God wishes you to be a re- ligious, be at rest ; He will know well how to cure you or cause you to be accepted, in spite of everything." IV. A SPIRIT OF ORDER AND REGULARITY. With this spirit the novice never permits The Spirit of the Novitiate. 35 herself to be overwhelmed by the multiplicity of duties to be performed. She does but one thing at a time, and always finishes it before undertaking another : she begins the day by putting each thing in its place ; she is punc- tual as to time, place, manner, and all with- out inconvenience, constraint or scruple ; she leaves the task she has begun, when obedience commands another, then calmly resumes the incompleted task and finishes it without any impatience. All work has the same value in her eyes from the moment obedience exacts it : praying, sweeping, mending. . . what matters it to her? To remain before the Blessed Sacrament, or with one of the sick, or alone in her cell, or in the midst of her sisters at recreation . . . she finds every task good, for she beholds the will of God in every thing. V. A SPIRIT OF PEACE AND CHARITY Which causes the novice to bear patiently what does not please her, to quickly forget 36 The Spirit of the Novitiate, any wrong, to count as nothing the contra- dictions inevitable in a numerous community, to make it a study to avoid wounding any one, to avoid complaining, to turn a deaf ear to detraction, and to use all her tact to recon- cile those who are at variance. A bickering caviling disposition, which takes umbrage at every thing, is not fitted for community life. A spirit of charity, by which she ceases to belong to herself, and is in a measure at the disposition of every body; a spirit of charity which makes her devoted : ever ready to be of service to help every body, to replace a tired companion, to perform a task which others have abandoned ; a spirit of charity which makes her generous ; she never pauses to ask, Is this my work? but promptly and un- ceasingly lends herself to the assistance of others supported in her fatigue by this thought, all that I do for others for God's sake, God will do for me, This spirit is essentially the spirit of the religious life. "Examine particularly the amount of charity The Spirit of the Novitiate. 37 which a soul contains," says a Saint, " and if it be capable of great love for God and its neigh- bor, make it a religious." VI. A SPIRIT OF COURAGE Which suffers, is silent, and waits. The novice knows that in the holiest relig- ious houses she will meet with trials, and that trials have the special mission of sanctification; therefore, she calmly looks forward to them, and receives them also as a means of expiating her faults; she knows that their mission is to mould her to a religious life; therefore, she awaits them with courage and almost impatience ,for she is anxious to see her failings disappear. Trials perform the office of the pruning-knife, by lopping off the useless branches in her na- ture which impede her spiritual growth; like a plane they smooth all the rough angles of her character. She speaks of her interior trials to God, her confessor, her superior, , . no other person even suspects them. 38 The Spirit of the Novitiate. As to exterior trials coming from those about her, she knows she does not. live with angels, and that she herself has the same defects; and that, according as she becomes more holy, she will be less sensitive to the failings of others ; she dwells upon them as little as pos- sible, and the annoyance she cannot help feeling she bears calmly. VII. A JOYFUL SPIRIT Which makes the novice contented with God and all that He sends ; which gives her an habitually cheerful countenance; which animates the recreations, makes her energetic in her tasks, finds the bright side of everything, and, finally, without being either importunate, lax or frivolous, creates an atmosphere of hap- piness and gaiety about her. St. Francis de Sales used to say, a Saint sad is very often a sad Saint. With his usual kindliness, he refrained from saying it in public through fear of wounding some dispositions; but let it be the novice's motto, and these more The Spirit of the Novitiate. 39 practical words, her rule: Being unable to give much to others I will seek every possible occasion to afford them a little pleasure. The joyous family reunions of former days have ceased, and the home fire-side is deserted: that beloved fireside where the children and little ones gathered around the grand-parent, listening to his merry tales while the house rang with their noisy laughter; * therefore it is only in religious communities that we find * Permit us to insist on this joyful spirit which should pervade the entire Novitiate. Is it not the mark of an innocent, upright, trustful soul filled with peace and charity ? If we could tell you all we know of the recreations of some novitiates, what sprightly, charming things we might relate ! We will content ourselves with reproducing a page from the life of Mother Mary Ephraim, a religious of St. Thomas of Villanova, many years mistress of novices: — " Mother Mary Ephraim not only saw her novices during the hours of the Novitiate, she also kept them with her during the daily evening recreation, and rarely deprived herself of this sweet pleasure, as she termed it. This good mother loved to see herself surrounded by her numerous daughters; she had a smile, a kind word, a delicate attention, for all without 40 The Spirit of the Novitiate. again that happy mirth, the merry games, the in- nocent tales which refresh the soul and recreate the stern and over- tired mind, even as formerly distinction. Therefore the moment she appeared in their midst every face brightened, the liveliest joy was visible in every countenance, and cries of Mother! It is Mother! Here is Mother! Good morning, Mother! resounded on every side. "In summer the joyous procession of white and black veils (novices and postulants) hastened to sur- round the mother. We delighted to walk in the country. We directed our steps from preference, first to the La Salette path, and when we reached the charming little shrine which most picturesquely termi- nates it, all spontaneously saluted with a pious hymn the venerated statue of Mary grouped with the two shepherds ; then,kneeling, we recited a Hail Mary; and when each in turn had greeted the hand of Mary with a kiss, the merry flock proceeded toward the pines, and sometimes resorted to the grove, the frank bur'sts of joyous laughter, repeated by the evening echo, told from afar the joy of these young hearts. "Mother Mary Ephraim was happy in the midst of her daughters, a sweet smile brightened her usually thoughtful and serious countenance; * Amuse your- selves, children, ' she used to say, * yes, amuse your- selves; your mirth rejoices my heart and does good to my soul. We give pleasure to Jesus and His Mother when we spend the recreations as we should/ The Spirit of the Novitiate, 41 a graceful, forward little partridge served to divert and amuse the apostle St. John. A community without this joyful spirit lacks more than half its vital force. "Frequently she was unable to reply to all the questions which were put to her ; then an amusing struggle for her attention ensued among them. 'Oh ! Mother, you have not said a word to me yet,' cried one. — 'And I,' said another, 'have not yet had your "good morning," though I repeated mine so often. — ■ And my charade,' added a third, ' I am sure, Mother, you have not dreamed of guessing it . . . Mother Mary Ephraim usually met these reclamations with a merry laugh, and hastened to rectify them. ' How is this,' she said, smiling; 'why, I am very much behind in my replies; let us see, how many do I owe ? One, two, three," , . . and the mirth became still greater. "But frequently the sound of the clock arrested on their lips the half-uttered words which were then ended by the approving and silent smile of the good mistress. " During Winter these recreations also had their charms ; they were held in the large work-room. We gathered around Mother; we laughed, we chatted, we spoke of the good God, we sang pious canticles, we related anecdotes — edifying traits; the mind always found here pleasant relaxation, and the soul a sort of nourishment. M O good, O sweet, O holy joy ! " 42 The Spirit of the Novitiate. VIII. A SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE AND SELF-DENIAL. The novice imbued with this spirit tells her- self firmly, from the first day of her Novitiate, I belong no more to myself but to God and my superiors who take His place; and she remits to them her will, her intellect, her talents, with full liberty to use as they think best, as simply as she would place in their hands a material object of which she wished to rid herself. A religious, you will be told later, is a soul which devotes itself wholly to the service of God, and offers itself as a holocaust to Him. "In reality, the religious state," says St. Thomas, "may be considered as a holocaust by which we offer ourselves and all that we possess to God. We offer Him our temporal goods by the vow of voluntary poverty ; we consecrate our bodies to Him by the vow of chastity ; we consecrate our souls completely to Him by the vow of obedience, since this involves the sacrifice of our own will." The Spirit of the Novitiate. 43 " Do you know what it is to be a religious ? " says St. Francis de Sales. "It is being bound to God by continual mortification of ourselves and living for God alone. For you must not tell those entering religion, that when they are religious our Lord will conduct them to Mount Thabor, where they will exclaim with Peter, // is good for us to be here. On the contrary, whether they desire to make their vows or enter the Novitiate, tell them: 'You must go to the mount of Calvary, there to be continually cruci- fied with your Saviour; you must crucify your understanding ; that you may restrain your thoughts and never voluntarily admit any con- trary to the vocation you have chosen. In the same manner you must crucify your memory, never permitting it to dwell on what you have left in the world. In the same manner your own will must be crucified and bound to the cross of Our Saviour, that you may no longer follow your own inclinations but live in perfect submission and obedience all the days of your life. " Then from the beginning of the Novitiate it is necessary: 44 The Spirit of the Novitiate. ist. That we be divested of our own will; never saying, 1 wish or 1 do not wish; but trying to do all that our superiors desire, and fre- quently asking of God the grace never to discuss interiorly the occasion or the wisdom of a command which we receive. 2d. That we allow ourselves to be contra- dicted in our tastes, deportment, manner of walking, praying, working, speaking. 3d. That we permit the retrenchment of all superfluous objects : those, for example, which we have brought with us from the world, and to which we are attached on account of their association. 4th. That we accustom ourselves not to complain of a scolding, a humiliation, a want of attention, a neglect. We do not yet ask the novice to make sacrifices of her own accord, but allow others to exact them of her, A novice may know that she is animated by the spirit of the Novitiate , or, in other words, the spirit of God, if she perform her daily actions, The Spirit of the Novitiate. 45 1st, with exactness; Never voluntarily omitting one, performing them within the time marked, at the place fixed for them, and in the manner prescribed. The novice who is exact sees and knows nothing but her rule. Therefore the moment the rule requires it, she leaves one occupation, she begins another ; she leaves the place where she is engaged, she goes to another. To her the sound of the bell is like the star which called the Magi to the manger of Jesus ; the voice of her mistress, like the voice of Jesus when he said to his apostles, Follow me. 2d ; with fervor; Not of course with relish and sensible pleasure ; for we may be very fervent and have a natural distaste for what we do ; feel repug- nance for an employment, and experience dislike for a companion with whom obedience places us; but we must proceed firmly and valorously, never letting the impression we feel be visible ; encourage ourselves by the thought that we are working in the presence 46 The Spirit of the Novitiate. of God, that He is Master to command such a labor with such a person, in such a man- ner, and that because we love Him we wish to please Him. 3d, with perseverance; This is the essential point ; it is also the dif- ficult point. A novice who does to-day what she did yesterday, and must still do to-morrow, and continues with the same attention, the same care, the same perfection, is sure, later, to be a holy religious. ' ' She slowly endures, " say the Saints, * ' one of the most painful martyr- doms ; but, let her therefore raise her eyes to heaven, the martyr's crown awaits her. CHAPTER III. FAULTS TO BE CORRECTED IN THE NOVITIATE. The faults which we bring to the Novitiate, and which we must labor to correct, may be found in the mind, in the heart, in the body. We do not wish to speak here of those faults absolutely incompatible with the religious life, but only those which the germ of original sin has left in each one of us, and which earnest efforts, aided by grace, will destroy or sensibly weaken. Nor do we insist that the novice be faultless at the end of her Novitiate ; no, but that she shall have daily struggled against those faults which she has discovered. The following are the principal things which make a community refuse to receive a postu- lant into the Novitiate, or to allow a novice to make her vows if her faults have only been discovered during the Novitiate : — 48 Faults to be corrected, ist. If these postulants or these novices have not the health, the talents, the acquire- ments needed for the institute — particularly if with delicate health their virtue is only medi- ocre. In this case they could only be a burden to the community. 2d. If they are excessively melancholy, naturally scrupulous, always in trouble and disquiet, subject to weakness of the imagination, opinionative, controlled by their humor, and unwilling to do any thing but what to them seems good and useful: these faults are gen- erally incurable. Blind obedience alone will benefit these souls, but they do not understand that they must obey. 3d. If they have a bad disposition, a violent, passionate spirit which can brook nothing ; an unquiet, meddling spirit which can not be at rest, and finds something to censure in every- thing; a jealous, distrustful spirit, which manu- factures to itself a thousand suspicions ; an intriguing, dissimulating spirit, which always proceeds with artifice, is frequently surprised hiding, and whose intentions one can never penetrate. Faults to be corrected. 49 4th» If they are naturally slothful, sensual, intemperate in eating; tenacious of those thou- sand little attentions to the body and toilet which indicate a narrow mind ; if they are indolent, leaving the laborious work to others while appearing to be occupied themselves ; . . . sensitive to the least remark. "As to those women who are so tender that they cannot bear a correction without being troubled, or made ill in consequence, you must show them the door " says St. Francis de Sales ; " for, since they are ill and are unwilling that one should treat them, it is very evident that they make themselves incorrigible, and give no hope of being cured. As to those who are equally tender in mind and body, it is one of the greatest impediments in the religious life ; and everywhere great care must be taken not to receive those in whom this fault exists in anv excess, for they are unwilling to be cured, refusing to make use of what can give them health. These are all grave faults ; and when they are inherent they are sufficient to make us conclude, that the unfortunate young girl in 50 Faults to be corrected. whom they exist, and who, up to the time of her entrance into the Novitiate, has not even dreamed of correcting them, will not be a good religious. I. FAULTS OF THE MIND. The fast fault of the mind, the one which it is most important to conquer, which requires a strong, constant will, and, above all, repeated acts of the contrary virtue, is pride ; which we believed conquered, because perhaps it has not shown itself for a long time, but which clings with diabolical tenacity to all our thoughts and actions. It appears, it disappears ; it seems dead, it revives. . . If we do not destroy it during the Novitiate, what weariness it will cause us, and what sins it will make us commit ! Pride leads us to prefer ourselves to others ; to believe ourselves above them ; to think ourselves more ingenious, more discreet ; to imagine ourselves more faithful, more virtu- ous, more fervent, more deserving, than others. Faults to be corrected. 51 Pride goes so far as to insinuate to us, that the community is fortunate in possessing us ; either because of a considerable dowry which we bring, or because we find ourselves possessed of more talent, or more tact, than our com- panions. Pride makes us examine every thing, and gently reveals to us, that several points of the rule may need reform ; it gradually insinuates ideas of independence, fleeting at first, but which in time become fixed in the mind, and give rise to contempt for the observances — disdain for little things ; makes us fly from corrections, withdraw from the watchfulness of the mistresses, tire of constantly asking little per- missions, and leads us to make sharp, sometimes impertinent, replies to the least suggestion. A second fault which greatly impedes the progress of virtue is frivolity \ It confers a certain air of amiability, which is sometimes pleasing in the world where every thing is superficial; but in a community it is either a cause of scandal, or entices others from their duty. The frivolous novice is forgetful: the recom- 52 Faults to be corrected. mendations she has heard, the resolutions shs has formed, the promises she has made, ara speedily forgotten. She is talkative; deafening everybody at recreation; and, at other times, never remem- bering that silence is a point of the rule ; she believes herself excused, when she naively says : / can not restrain myself. She is inattentive; incapable of making medi- tation, or even following a reading; mistaking one command for another, and disturbing the order of the community* She is inconstant; desiring frequent change of place, employment, companions, etc. These two faults are very grave ; we especially commend them to the vigilance of the mis- tresses, and the attention of the novices. It is because they are not incurable, that we do not expel from the Novitiate the postulant who has not yet corrected them ; but we con- jure her to submit blindly to all that her mistress will exact of her ; a proud, frivolous novice will not be allowed to make her vows. "Be well on your guard," says St. Francis de Sales, "against those great minds which Faults to be corrected, 53 are generally vain and self-satisfied ; which in the world were receptacles of vanity, and enter religion, not to learn humility, but as if they came to give lessons in philosophy and theology, and wish to lead and govern in everything." " An inconstant mind," says Collet, " seems marked for rejection." We will further mention another fault of the mind; for though it is impossible completely to correct it, yet it may not injure the commu- nity if the novice in whom it exists succeeds in being absolutely submissive : this fault is nar- rowness of ideas; which will end, if the heart is not very good and the devotion very simple, by producing scruples, one of the plagues of communities of which we will speak in our Book for the Professed* We limit ourselves here to indicating the above mentioned faults ; the other faults of * Narrow-mindedness is a want of good sense . "When sense is wanting," says St. Theresa, " I do not see in what way a person could be useful to a community; but I see very clearly that she could be very injurious to it." 54 Faults to be corrected. the mind, vivacity, slowness, etc., will be gradu- ally weakened under the influence of piety, the rule, and good example. "The fact that postulants are still weak or quick-tempered, or subject to some other sim- ilar fault, should not prevent their remaining in the Novitiate, provided they have a good will to amend, to be submissive, and to make use of the means and remedies proper for their cure; and though they may feel repugnance for them and take them with great difficulty, it proves nothing provided they do not weary of using them .... and show a firm will to be cured no matter what it may cost them. Such per- sons, after long labor, will reap great fruits in religion, become great servants of God, and acquire strong and solid virtue ; for the grace of God supplies for their defects, and usually where there is less of nature there is always more of grace. Faults to be corrected. 55 II. FAULTS OF THE HEART. The faults of the heart are : 1st. Indifference. There are cold natures not easily moved which in the world would have become selfish. These natures are generally exact, punctual, polite, but they are not very considerate, because they do not reflect ; they are not very compassionate, because they do not divine suffering or because they do not understand it. The piety which they will gradually acquire in the community, frequent meditations upon how God has loved them, the precepts of fraternal charity which they will practise, under- standing their importance, will make them if not affectionately charitable at least merito- riously charitable ; that is all that can be exacted of them. They will die without having loved any one, and without having been loved by any one ; but they will bear with them to heaven the consolation of never having been gravely wanting in their duty. 56 Faults to be corrected. 2d. Antipathy. There are natures which the least fault estranges, and which can not endure dispositions opposed to their own ; hence arise aversions, petty acts of malice, little resent- ments, the affectation of pointing out faults, impatience, cold, sharp, quick, ill-natured re- plies. These unhappy natures must make violent and constant efforts, that they may learn to endure, to be silent, to become kindly. They will succeed, however, with the assistance of grace, and the means which their mistress will point out to them, if they are faithful and true in making known their dispositions as they really exist. There are fewer resources in them than in indifferent natures, and they give much more trouble. 3d. Melancholy. In a community this is a more serious fault than at first appears, and St. Theresa and St. Chantal expressly recommend their daughters not to admit melancholy persons among them. " Fly this defect," says St. Liguori; "it is the plague of devotion, and the cause of a thousand faulfs, It injures the soul as the gnawing Faults to be corrected. 57 worm does the cloth ; it gradually makes it indifferent to every thing, and leaves it entirely abandoned to the Evil One. A sweet and holy affection — that of your mistress, frequent readings on the mercy and love of God, will help the novice to counteract all that is dangerous in this fault. Transitory feelings of sadness do not indicate a melancholy disposition. We understand that there are times when an aching heart feels the need of being alone, — painful moments when a smile would be unnatural. During the Novitiate sadness usually comes from that terrible malady called home-sickness. The author of Letters on the Religious Life depicts it thus : A young person in the world has long sighed for the happy moment when she can be ad- mitted into a religious house ; she generously submits to prolonged trials ; she hails with de- light the long-sought permission, and, bidding farewell to all who are dear to her, leaves the world protesting her joy and her happiness. During the first days of her Novitiate every- thing in fact is satisfactory and pleasant. The 58 Faults to be corrected. days speed like hours, every one is agreeable, ev- ery thing pleases her ; but gradually the tempter draws near ; difficulties spring up, cheerfulness disappears. A pensive air replaces her former gaiety ; she becomes more grave, she talks less ; her laugh is no longer heard ; the recreations seem long to her ; the work wearies her, she loses her appetite, sleep flies from her : while the memory of her family pursues her everywhere. She likes to be alone ; in secret she permits her tears to flow ; she begins to pine and grow thin ; she regrets having come ; she fears she has taken a false step; she dreams of returning. Behold a picture of home- sickness, a dangerous and very common temptation at the beginning of the religious life. Come ! my sister, courage, energy, above all, confidence. Go, cast yourself into the arms of your mistress; say to her with affectionate simplicity, / am lonesome. Listen to her counsels, accept her caresses, and peace will be restored to you; and God will say to you in the silence of meditation: I am thy Father, I am thy mother, I am thy brother. . . and for those whom thou hast left be not troubled, I will console them. Faults to be corrected. 59 4th. Human attachment. This fault is very common in the early part of the religious life. It is so natural to become attached to a mistress, a companion whose disposition and character are congenial to ours. There is something so holy and so pure in this affec- tion ; it affords us so much pleasure, helps us so much in bearing the separation from our family; it even gives us more fervor in prayer, it makes us find so many charms in the com- munity and seems so clearly blessed by God, that we are quite astonished when told that it is a fault. We regard this feeling of our heart as all that is most delicate in charity, and as a grace from God compensating us for our sacrifices. And we do not perceive that we isolate ourselves from the others, — that we^place this loved companion in the sanctuary of our hearts where God alone should dwell, — that during prayer we are more occupied with her than with God to whom we speak. Nor do we perceive, that in her society we habitually fail in holy charity: passing in review our mistresses and companions, either 60 Faults to be corrected. for our amusement or for criticism ; that one cannot bear the slightest fault to be found with the other ; that we mutually magnify each other's virtues ; that we sustain and encourage each other in whatever lax or melancholy ideas we may have, sometimes in ideas of resistance and opposition. This fault persevered in will gradually produce one of those bad spirits of which we will speak later, and which must be banished from the Novitiate, at any price, III. FAULTS OF THE BODY. We do not mean those grave corporal defects which in some religious houses prevent a young girl from being admitted into the Novitiate, but those faults which are mani- fested in one's deportment, manner of dressing, walking, and which result from a want of education. Among these are coarse expressions, — awk- ward manners, — a careless or affected walk, — Faults to be corrected. 61 a certain carriage of the body intended to attract attention,— an affected pose, though often inadvertent, — want of neatness, — exces- sive delicacy,— noisy bursts of immoderate mirth, — demonstrations of friendships contrary to good breeding and religious modesty — games in which there is too much familiarity. . . . These are things which, while they may not hinder one from going to heaven, will never- theless destroy the good order of the community and injure its union and fraternal charity. To correct these faults it is necessary : ist. To know them. Now, as a general rule, we ourselves rarely know our faults ; they must be pointed out to us ; and this cannot be done without frequently wounding our self-love. 2d. To be docile in accepting with simplicity the advice which is given us, the reprimands we receive, and the little humiliations which our blunders and our faults bring upon us. 3d. To be firm to undertake, and constant to continue for years, if necessary, a struggle which has been generously begun. 62 Faults to be corrected. Corporal faults are those which we correct most easily, for they bring us frequent humilia- tion ; and humiliations are the surest and most rapid means of reaching perfection. In contrast with these faults let us resume in a few words the qualities which, according to the doctors of the Church, fit one for a religious life. Doubtless these qualities do not prove a vocation, but they give those who are called in other ways a stronger assurance that the voice they hear is from God. "An upright, cheerful, docile, gentle,; pa- tient spirit, with health in proportion, is emi- nently fitted for life in a cloister. "The qualities which indicate that a soul will be happy in religion, are: simplicity, open- ness of heart, gentleness of character, a compas- sionate heart, an upright mind capable of being guided by reason, and exempt from whims and caprices. " The disposition which best endures the trials of the cloister is a kind, tractable, coura- Faults to be corrected. 63 geous disposition, more inclined to gaiety than sadness. " "It is evident," says the author of Religious Conferences, ' ' that it is more the postulant's dis- position than her virtue that must be consid- ered. If she is not virtuous she will become so in religion, provided she have a true desire and sincere will ; the good example she will witness, the reiterated instructions she will receive, the pious exercises at which she will be obliged to assist, will be to her so many infallible means of becoming virtuous from the moment she endeavors to use them efficaciously. But if she bring to the cloister an ill-natured disposition, incompatible with society, she will never change it, or at least with great difficulty. . St. Francis de- Sales was so convinced of this truth, that he recommended his religious to receive only good dispositions ; that is to say, well regulated, and very sensible dispositions. Piety is acquired in the cloister, but the cloister does not give a good disposition. CHAPTER IV. SPIRITS TO BE KEPT OUT OF THE NOVITIATE. The faults of which we have just spoken engender in the Novitiate, certain bad spirits, which cause the spirit of God to disappear; we must know them, in order to destroy them promptly. A SPIRIT OF POUTING. This spirit consists in keeping outside of the community, not in a material sense, but outside of their thoughts, their joys, their plans. A spirit of pouting affects silence during rec- reation, sadness at work, fatigue during prayer, dissatisfaction everywhere, with every thing. It is caused by jealousy at seeing that a com- panion is preferred to us, or that she is better or more intelligent ; by the vanity which is roused Spirits to be kept out, 65 in us by a reprimand, a neglect, a compliment given to another ; by the capriciousness to be expected in one who heretofore has completely followed her own will. Its object is to attract attention, to be sought after, to be petted. A pouting spirit is very common the first months of the Novitiate, when it is too leniently called childishness; doubtless it is the spirit of a spoiled child, but there should be no spoiled children in the religious life. The essence of virtue is strength; now pouting is a mark of weakness and cowardice. We beseech the mistresses not to let this fault become acclimated about them; it de- stroys piety, charity; it is the beginning of that criticising spirit, and party spirit, of which we will speak later. II. A WORLDLY SPIRIT. A worldly spirit consists in preserving in the Novitiate the customs, the habits, the ideas, the views and judgments, we entertained in the world. 66 Spirits to be kept out This spirit is recognized: ist. In conversation; when the novice talks almost continuously and unguardedly of what she did in the world, the persons she saw, the visits she received, the worldly amusements which have left her such sweet memories. . . When she eagerly seeks for news from the world ; grows excited about political opin- ions ; is always the first to hear and relate any thing that happens ; relates, under pre- text of enlivening the recreations, anecdotes which are inconsistent with religious reserve. When she reads every fragment of newspaper she finds, and awaits with impatient eagerness the religious publications, finding it almost impossible to do without them.* A worldly spirit is further recognized: In the whole exterior : when the novice affects to be more proper, and more comme il faut * There are Novitiates where they receive monthly or weekly religious publications giving news of the Sovereign Pontiff and religious works; — it is not for us to pronounce upon the fitness of these papers for the Novitiate, and we leave each mistress to judge for herself what she has to do for the greater good of all. of the Novitiate. 67 than the others ; when she gives a turn a trifle more elegant to her coiffure or her veil, partic- ularly when she is called to the parlor ; when she walks with an affected gait, or with a graceful swing which seems meant to attract attention. This spirit which is the result of one's education will gradually disappear ac- cording as piety penetrates the soul. III. A SPIRIT OF SINGULARITY. A spirit of singularity doubtless does not consist in an unwillingness to do what the others do, for you understand that would be a grave want of obedience, but in doing one's works differently from the others : in a better way, or in longer time than the others. Thus a novice will remain in the chapel a little longer than the others, — prolong her act of thanksgiving, — make one communion more than the others, — fast more rigorously than her companions, or than her mistress allows her. She would like to go to the Novitiate or the chapel when the others are at recreation, — ■ 68 Spirits to be kept out say her office in such a place, or at such a time, — observe silence during the hours when all the others are taking recreation, — isolate herself for a work which the novices do in common. She will have a melancholy air on days of general rejoicing, — she will be more recollected and absorbed on a feast-day, when the chapel is more brilliant, and more richly ornamented, — she will walk with a slower or freeer step than the others, — she will laugh more vehe- mently. ... It is most trying this spirit of singularity; it needs a great deal of patience and firmness to repress it, and if the novice does not yield absolute obedience, she will later become restless, whimsical, and be an annoyance to the community. IV. A SPIRIT OF RIDICULE. A spirit of ridicule consists in remarking and attracting the attention of others to all the little mistakes, little faults, little neglects, little blunders which each member of the community of the Novitiate. 69 is liable to commit ; it is doubtless not done with the idea of ridiculing them, but to excite a laugh. This is one of the spirits which is most opposed to the religious life, though at first it seems only amusing. It destroys charity — it spreads with great rapidity — it deeply wounds the persons who are the objects of it, and some- times makes them leave a house where they find themselves constantly humiliated ; it prevents the work of grace in any one addicted to this fault, and gradually ends by making her uni- versally dreaded. St. Basil was unwilling that any one who had this spirit of ridicule should be kept in religion. A spirit of ridicule springs from self-love, and a consciousness of one's own merits which the devil well knows how to magnify. A few public humiliations and punishments, inflicted each time a word of ridicule escapes, will powerfully serve to correct this fault Frequent meditations before the Blessed Sacrament on a spirit of charity and one's JO Spirits to be kept out own miseries, will soon teach one to be silent, and compassionate of others' failings. A SPIRIT OF CRITICISM. A spirit of criticism is frequently only a spirit of ridicule which has grown upon us^ and which gradually carries its inquisitive glance even to the actions and intentions of our superiors. We understand all the evil of this spirit, and how important it is to destroy it. Judge and criticise ones superiors ! O alas, for the novice who would willingly indulge in such criticism, even in thought, and particularly if she communicates her thoughts to others ! Criticism sometimes simply assumes the name of a complaint and has an appearance of being just, for it always seems to us well founded — as if the devil ever failed to furnish a plaus- ible reason. As complaints are, in their nature, a very invading evil, we are about to indicate a few of the principal complaints to which religious are tempted : — of the Novitiate. Ji The most difficult and tiresome work in the house is always given to me. One would imagine I was not as good as the others. If there is a difficult and humiliating commission to be executed it is ahvays given to me. No attention is paid to me when I make a remark, and the others are always heard. I do not stand well with them, and yet what have I done ? The reprimands always fall upon me. I have asked, at least ten times, for what I need ; they never have time to give it to me. . . nevertheless, they are attentive enough to others. The fare is abominable ; they take no care of us. The superiors are like all the others, they like those who like them ; alas, for the poor sisters who are not in favor. . . etc. 72 Spirits to be kept out VI. PARTY SPIRIT. This is the most terrible of these bad spirits. It does not manifest itself openly during the Novitiate, but slowly grows in a recess of the heart engendered by pouting and murmurs. If, unfortunately, it is not destroyed the moment it appears, what a sad future is in store for a Novitiate ! This spirit of party or cabal springs from pride which seeks to know more than the others ; from sensuality, which will not be inconveni- enced; it sustains and strengthens itself by particular friendships. Its aim is to slowly, gradually, form to itself a party, and then overthrow what is established. Is not this a terrible idea ? Innocent and holy novices, we proceed no further, for fear of scandalizing you ; but we conjure you, in the name of your holy vocation which has cost God so many miracles, and you perhaps so many sacrifices, to submit with simplicity to the guidance of those in authority oyer you. of the Novitiate. 73 Let yourself be blamed ; let yourself be humiliated ; let your heart be torn; at any price let the bad seed be plucked out of your soul. O you upon whom the hopes of the com- munity are founded, if you are one day to become the cross of that house which received you with so much love ; if you are one day to rend the heart of your mother, scandalize your sisters, serve as tool to the devil — ah ! I will not tell you, return to the wortd, — but ask God, He will not refuse you the grace now when you love Him so much, ask him to let you die during your Novitiate ! v Yes, my sister, die, and secure your salvation! CHAPTER V, VIRTUES TO BE ACQUIRED AND PRAC- TISED DURING THE NOVITIATE. The special virtues of the Novitiates, those which the novices should particularly endeavor to acquire, are obedience, fraternal charity, humil- ity, mortification, simplicity. They are the first or rather the active result of the spirit which reigns in the Novitiate, and which, as we have already said, penetrates of itself into the soul which has given itself sincerely to God. We shall show the practical side* of the vir- tues, and in our Book for the Professed, we shall reconsider a few of them. Is it not to the practical view of these virtues, that the labor of the Novitiate is directed ? and will not the novice who has acquired the habit of making acts of humility and self- denial, attach herself with more love to these virtues later, when she studies their nature, their importance, and their different degrees ? Virtues to be acquired. 75 At present it suffices her to know that God wishes her to practise such and such acts, and that these acts done with a pure intention will sanctify her.* * Could not the mistress, every week or fortnight, designate one of the virtues we are about to mention as the Virtue of the Novitiate, — that is to say the one of which each novice will endeavor to make a few acts — to be practised during the ensuing week or fortnight ? The name of this virtue might be even publicly placarded in the Novitiate. At chapter or on a day designated, each novice might give with simplicity an account of the acts she has practised, whether she has been pleased to limit herself to those here mentioned, or whether God has inspired her with others. The virtues should be changed each fortnight, though limited to the five mentioned, each of which can be resumed again in turn. It seems to us that this would be a means of sustaining emulation and, particularly, unity. This virtue, common to all the Novitiate, will not prevent the novice from applying herself to the acquirement of the particular virtues designated to her by her mistress or her confessor. j6 Virtues to be acquired I. OBEDIENCE. Obedience, which consists in submitting one's will to the will of another, is, according to the saints and doctors of the Church, the special virtue of the religious life. "One who is not obedient," says St. Ther- esa, "is not a religious. " Obedience prepares the soul to acquire other virtues ; it gradually destroys the seeds of evil inclinations ; it polishes all that is rude, it softens all that is hard in the soul; it acts on a community like fire, melting the hardest metals, fusing them so that they may be cast into a mould whence they emerge in a new form. If during the Novitiate you have been con- stant in the practice of this virtue, oh ! what a pious, what a fervent, what a holy and happy, religious you will be in consequence.* Obedi- * Do you remember when a child you were taught to write, they told you to let your hand be guided, and to follow only the movement given to it, that it might be trained to form the strokes of the letters; otherwise your writing would only have been scrib- during the Novitiate. yj ence seems hard at first, it exacts heartrending denials of will and judgment ; but once we have fully abandoned ourselves to obedience, it gives such a charm to life, it fills it with such delightful peace, that we would not be without its yoke. " Obey ; " said a religious, who had tasted all the happiness of this virtue, "by obedience you exhaust the source of your sins ; an obedient soul is, in a measure, im- peccable. Obey, and fill every moment with merit ; each action, each inconvenience, each step, is a diamond for your crown. "Obey: in obeying you will be always contented, for you will always be sure of doing the will of God." MOTIVES FOR OBEDIENCE. ist. The excellence of this virtue. — It sur- passes all the sacrifices we could offer to God ; bling. To train yourself to become a religious, you are not told to make your hand dead, and let it follow- that of its mistress, but you are told, deaden your willy and have no longer any but that of your Superior, otherwise your virtue will be only a species of spiritual scribbling. 78 Virtues to be acquired for our will which we submit to Him is some- thing greater and more perfect than all the victims in the world ; therefore when Saul had reserved ten animals to be offered in sacrifice to God, contrary to the express command he had received from Him, Samuel told him, that to refuse to obey was tike the crime of idolatry, and that obedience was better than sacrifice, 2d. The merit of this virtue. It gives such a value to every action, that the most trifling customary practice — a fast, for example, ob- served through a motive of obedience (par- ticularly when, being professed, it is done in virtue of a vow) — has not only the merit of a religious virtue, the most perfect of all the moral virtues, but if one's charity is equal to his obedience, the act is more meritorious than the most austere penance performed outside of obedience. 3d. The confidence which this virtue gives. An inferior obeying in things which are not contrary to the law of God, is sure of not making a mistake before God, and of doing an action which is very pleasing to this sovereign Master, even though the Superior who during the Novitiate. 79 commands her may be mistaken. Obedience is always an acceptable excuse before God, and if God, so to speak, were to reproach a soul for not having done sufficient penance, if the soul could tell Him she was not permitted to do more, God would accept this excuse. 4th. The example of Jesus. The life of our Saviour was but one long act of obedience : My meat, saith He, is to do the will of Him that sent me. He was obedient to His mother, to His executioners ; obedient unto death on the cross. He lived in obedience, He died in obedience ; preferring , says St. Bernard, to die rather than disobey, Practices of Obedience, Accustom yourself to behold God in the person of your mistress, and to receive her orders as coming from God. God will not speak directly to you ; He will not tell you each morning : Do this action, do that action. . . but He will command you through the person who has been legitimately chosen to direct vou. 80 Virtues to be acquired If you be convinced of this — and you are, since you have come to the Novitiate but to do the will of God more expressly than in the world — and you perfectly understand that this will is only manifested to you through your superiors, then nothing will be difficult to you. Allow your mistress full and entire liberty to charge you with any employment or to take it from you ; to assign you any place, or to make you change to another ; to command you any task, and to prevent your finishing it; . ... so that whenever you are called, you may say with simplicity: What do you wish me to do? Never reason about the motive, the occasion, the nature of a command you receive, but say : It is commanded, I wilt do it; It is no longer commanded \ I will leave it ; I am sent, I will go. Do not seek within yourself to discover the during the Novitiate. 81 cause of a command, an advice, a reprimand. If your mistress is deceived, she is responsible before God, not you. What matters it that you do not see the end she has in view? You have only to act or accept.* Submit promptly, without delay, without hesitation ; leaving what you are engaged in, to do what you are commanded, and be ready every moment to answer : / am ready. Submit completely to what displeases you, as well as to what pleases you ; to what disturbs and inconveniences you, as well as to what delights you : to repose as well as to labor ; to conversation as well as to silence ; to granting yourself an indulgence, as well as to denying yourself. Submit joyfully, . . . and certainly if you remember that you are obeying God, how can you fail to be joyful? O my God! my God! 82 Virtues to be acquired what happiness to feel that every moment I am doing as Thou wiliest, that I am pleasing Thee, that I am glorifying Thee ! Never do anything without permission, even the most ordinary things, unless they be clearly included in the duties of your charge ; in this way one proves her delicacy of conscience and her desire to please God. Never half-ask a permission, or express it in covert terms, as if you feared to be under- stood ; never importune for a permission, in order to extort what one is unwilling to grant you. As a general rule a good religious needs to ask very few permissions outside of those which the rule tells her to ask. Scrupulously accomplish what is command- ed you, but without anxiety, and with that affectionate spirit which seeks to please God ; do not assume more than a permission really grants, either as regards time, place, orcircum- during the Novitiate. 83 stances; and each time you ask a permission prepare yourself to receive a refusal calmly.* SIMPLE REFLECTIONS ON OBEDIENCE. If Jesus were to make Himself visible and should speak to me, at the first sound of His voice would I not leave every thing in which I was engaged, however urgent, or useful it seemed to me ? Would I not leave a syllable, even a letter, unfinished, to fly where He called me ? Would I even wait till He had spoken clearly to me ? And the moment I could divine His intention in His eyes, or from a sign, would I ask that He should explain it further ? * In our Book for the Professed, we will mention, in order to refute them, the pretexts which the devil furnishes religious to prevent them from obeying, or at least to rob them of the merit of their obedience. The devil does not so easily attack novices on this point ; he fears them, particularly if they retain the simplicity which they brought with them to the Novitiate, and if they preserve that affection which made them regard their mistress as a mother, and their companions as sisters. 84 Virtues to be acquired If Jesus made Himself visible, would I make any difference between the great and little things which He commanded me ? Would I dare to say : // is too difficulty it will give me too much trouble, it will be prejudicial to my health* If Jesus were to make Himself visible to me, would I weary Him until He had granted me what I desire : until He had placed me according to my inclination, my vanity, and my taste — until He had given me what my sensuality, rather than my necessity, claims ? Would I seek to gain my cause by dint of acts of civility offered through a spirit of hypocrisy rather than a sentiment of respect and submission ? If Jesus were to make himself visible, would I reason — murmur against His orders, when I did not perfectly comprehend the justice of them ? * Each time that a religious voluntarily fails in a point of her rule, she can truly say: I am actually doing what God does not wish me to do. during the Novitiate. 85 Would I find it difficult to believe that His reasons were better than mine, though I did not understand them ? Would I not feel that all He commanded was holy, good, and useful, and that I must obey Him always and in all things? Would I not be happy to be under His orders, and to be chosen by Him to execute His will ? Then do I not know that by virtue of my rule it is Jesus who commands when my su- periors command me ? That it is Jesus whom I obey when I obey my Superiors ? Oh, when this thought is well understood how all murmurs, repugnances, and slothful- ness disappear ! My God ! help me to comprehend it, to love it, to make it my guide. II. FRATERNAL CHARITY. Little children, lave one another! We would have the mistress repeat, each morning, these 86 Virtues to be acquired touching words of the apostle St. John when her novices are assembled for their first exercise: Little sisters, love one another; let us love one another dearly. And like the apostle the mistress, when asked, why do you always tell us the same thing ?—may reply : Love one another \ sisters Jove one another , and the Novitiate will be a reflection of heaven. Yes, it will be a reflection of heaven the Novitiate where all the sisters love one another. To love one another— that is, to bear with one another, to help one another, to esteem one another, to make one another happy, to care for one another, to give one another pleasure, to perfect one another, to sustain one another, to lead one another to heaven. . . My God ! how beautiful this would be ! We will never attain this perfection, but we should tend to- wards it with all our strength. Charity should be the virtue of predilection in religious houses ; it is the special virtue of the Heart of Jesus ; it is the soul of every association formed in the name of Jesus ; it constitutes the wealth, the glory, the honor of during the Novitiate. 87 a community ; it is its charm ; it banishes mel- ancholy from it ; it binds the members together; it prepares each one for a sweet, peaceful, happy death, and ensures them an eternity of peace and love ! Motives for the practice of Fraternal Charity: 1 st. The obligation of this virtue. Jesus makes it the subject of a formal precept : This is my com- mandment, that you love one another. Doubtless all the other commandments are precepts of our Lord, but this one to love our neighbor is His most especially. This is my commandment, says our Saviour, of the observance of which I am most tenacious. It is the distinctive mark of the true disciples of Jesus Christ : By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, says Our Saviour. He does not say if you are given to mortification or even to prayer, but if you have love one for another ; hence it follows that Jesus will not recognize him who is without charity. Even as we can not be saved without loving God, in like man- ner we can not be saved without loving our neighbor ! The two commandments are one, according to the w r ords of Our Lord Himself. 88 Virtues to be acquired 2d. The merit of this virtue. This is His commandment, says St. John, that we love one another. If we love one another God abideth in us, His charity is perfected in us. What con- soling words are these ! Charity obtains for us the remission of sin. // covers a multitude of sins ', says St. Peter. God has formally promised to do for us as we shall have done for others. If we love our neighbor, He will love us ; if we pardon, we shall be pardoned. Who could be unmoved by such promises ? 3d. The example of fesus. It was for love of us that He came upon earth, for love of us that He suffered, for love of us that He died. The life of our Saviour was one succession of charitable acts : He sought the poor and the guilty, He went forward to meet them, He defended them, He bore with them, He par- doned them. Were not His last words, words of love and pardon ? Practices of Fraternal Charity. Have much esteem and veneration for all your sisters. during tke Novitiate. 89 They are, like you, privileged souls chosen by God from out a multitude of others ; they are the beloved of Jesus Christ even though they have faults ; they are called like you to be great saints in heaven. Remember, then, that it is of each one of them that Jesus speaks when He tells you : As thou lovest her I will love thee ; as thou dost to her 1 will do to thee ; as thou judgest her 1 will judge thee. Always meet your sisters with an open, frank kindness, that they may approach you with- out fear or hesitation and feel perfect confidence in you. Avoid making any of them suffer in any way whatever ; and if you are engaged on the same task with a companion, leave the easiest portion to her ; God will reward you for it. Bear with your sisters, if not in that pleasant manner which is so difficult sometimes to as- sume, at least with the patience with which God bears with you. 90 Virtues to bs acquired Frequently recall to mind, as the Imitation so forcibly says, that you also tax the forbearance of your sisters. If you have not the courage and virtue to seek the society of those who are not congenial to you, at least do not ostensibly avoid them. When Providence places you with them, be very affable, kind and indulgent. — O what pleasure you will give the Heart of Jesus by not repulsing a soul which He loves ! * Never refuse your sisters any service you can render them. It is particularly in this way that fraternal charity is shown : by helping one another, by relieving one who is overburdened, by silently and unostentatiously completing a task which a companion has not been able to finish, . . What delight God takes in a community which mutually help one another, and practise the sweet virtue of forbearance ! Console your sisters in their annoyances and their trials ; when you see them disturbed, try to during the Novitiate. 91 be more gentle and considerate toward them. Tact should guide you here, and prevent you from seeking to bruskly dissipate the sadness of a poor companion whom you may surprise in tears, — To weep with those who weep is the surest means of consoling suffering. Never cherish resentment against any of your sisters ; literally follow that precept of the Gospel : Let not the sun go down upon your anger ; and bear in mind this still more explicit command : If thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother ; and then coming thou shall offer thy gift Be the first to acknowledge your faults and to apologize even though you have some fears of being coldly received. If you think it well to defer speaking to a companion who is offended with you, seek an occasion of doing her some little service, without letting it be too apparent to her; pray fervently for her, and force yourself to say something in her favor. 92 Virtues to be acquired Make it a rule to excuse everybody, to poinc out at least the good qualities of others ; and reconcile by the thousand means which your good angel will suggest, those who appear to be living less harmoniously together. Take upon yourself the sweet mission of bringing every where a simple, frank, pleasant cheerfulness : take part in the recreations in spite of your age and your tastes ; enliven the recreations when you perceive a tendency to pouting or murmuring ; let the sunshine of your lips gladden their hearts. Oh ! what good you will do, and how grateful God will be to you for having amused his children. Each morning impose upon yourself the obligation of giving some trifling alms : the alms of a consoling word, the alms of a good counsel, the alms of a smile, the alms of a prayer, the alms of a service rendered, etc. during the Novitiate. 93 HUMILITY. "Humility," says St. Thomas, "is not, of itself, the first of virtues ; but it holds the first place among all virtues in being the foundation of all the others. A soul which is humble experiences no trouble in obeying or devoting itself. It feels that nothing is due it ; that it is indebted to ev- ery body for the favor of having been received into the community — for the favor of bearing with it ; and it is happy to prove its gratitude by its labor, and by seeking to give pleasure. Such a soul is contented with every thing: with coarse clothes, the least brilliant employ- ment, the commonest food, — contented to be forgotten, neglected. . # it never supposes that any one could do it wrong, or particularly that any one would wish to. . . Oh, such a novice spares herself a multitude of petty vex- ations and a multitude of trials which, in a community, are so tormenting, so trying, and end sometimes by making life unbearable. Humility is one of the most difficult virtues to acquire. 94 Virtues to be acquired It is acquired by frequent reflections on the obscure, forgotten, hidden life of Jesus — on the silence of this good Master when He was out- raged ; by frequently recalling our own faults which, if known, would bring upon us shame and contempt ; by remembering that we are only the guardians of the talent and tact in us, and that if we attribute to ourselves the least glory therefrom, we rob God of it, who will not fail to exact restitution. . . We acquire it particularly by the repetition of the acts which we are about to mention, which, performed in the presence of God, will neces- sarily draw this grace into our souls. MOTIVES FOR HUMILITY. 1st. The excellence of this virtue. It is the guardian of other virtues; it keeps them enclosed so to speak, and prevents our being robbed of them. "He," says St. Gregory, " who would amass virtues without humility is like one who leaves a precious dust exposed to the wind." — - " He who is not humble cannot be chaste/'' says another Saint. during the Novitiate. 95 Since pride, according to Holy Scripture, is the beginning of all sin, — for the source of all sin is in the rebellion of the sinner, who seeks to do his own will rather than that of God — by a contrary reason, humility is the source of all virtue, for it submits the soul to God and does His will in all things. 2d. The merit of this virtue. It appeases the anger of God, as we learn from several pages of the old and new Testament. David, Manasses, Achab, are spared because they hum- bled themselves before the Lord ; the Publican is justified because of his humility. It makes us loved by all ; for, imbued with this virtue we contradict no one, we yield to all, we are obliging to all. 3d. The example of Jesus. — He expressly commends this virtue to us, as one of those which will make us resemble Him. He does not say: Learn of me to do miracles, but to be meek and humble of heart And what examples has He not given us : when, as a little child, He hid all marks of His Divinity, — when He submitted to pass as a criminal, — when, kneel- ing before Judas, He washed his feet — when finally, He died between two thieves ! 96 Virtues to be acquired PRACTICES OF HUMILITY. Do not think too much of your good qual- ities — your tact, your talents. Do not let your mind dwell upon what you did in the world, upon the esteem with which you were surrounded, upon the compliments you received. Do not maintain your opinion with obstinate haughtiness nor abandon it with that contemp- tuous air which seems to tell an opponent: 7" do not care to discuss with a person of so little intelligence. Do not desire to know every thing nor to be the first to give news to the community. be- speak of yourself as little as possible ; hardly ever of your family, your country, your position in the world, — what you could have been, the persons whose society you frequented, the visits you receive. Do not dwell upon murmuring thoughts, during the Novitiate. 97 which always spring from wounded pride, but say softly to yourself : God has permitted that they should neglect me, that they should wound me, that they should humiliate me ; He has done wisely. Sometimes repeat, before the Blessed Sacra- ment, these words of the Imitation as if Jesus Himself addressed them to you : If thou wouldst know and learn anything to the purpose, love to be unknown and esteemed as nothing. Recite the Litany of Humility which you will find in the chapter of Maxims for the Novitiate. Have no ambition for any special charge or employment ; reply with simplicity to the questions of your superiors concerning your acquirements and what you were accustomed to do in the world, and be at peace. Do not excuse yourself too vehemently, even when you believe you are right; and make every effort to forget the person who has offended you and the subject of the offense. 98 Virtues to be acquired Banish from your exterior all appearance of hauteur and self-sufficiency, everything which seems presuming, every measure which savors of pride or worldliness; from your tanguage every word which seems like a command, or which is cold and unfriendly. From your tone all that is brusk and im- perious. Oblige yourself to wait a few days, through a spirit of humility, before asking again for something which is not absolutely necessary and which they have forgotten to give you. Always ask your permissions in the terms and the position prescribed by the rule and custom. — In some houses every permission is asked kneeling. If your dress is not as good — if it is coarser than that of others, if it is not as well cut, wear it without appearing to notice it ; let it be the same in regard to everything that is given for during the Novitiate. 99 your use : an old book, a rosary which is some- what worn, bedding which is less convenient, etc. . . Ask, but with simplicity, for the employments which are usually most repugnant to nature, and those which are the office of servants in a household; accept cheerfully whatever employ- ment is given you : sweeping, for example, or washing the dishes, etc. Regard yourself, before God, as the servant of others; and frequently, without letting any one perceive you, act towards every body as if you really were the servant of all. If God has gifted you with any particular talent — skill in needle-work, a flexible, sweet voice, taste in decoration — doubtless, you must not parade it too much ; but when there is ques- tion of rendering a service or giving pleasure, do not require too much urging, under pretext that you do not know how, that you are not gifted in that way, etc. ioo Virtues to be acquired Do not talk too much of your spiritual miseries, of your little love of God ; nor affect to despise yourself in everything, nor to say that you are the last, the most worthless in the house. . . Think it, if you can, but do not say it. There is often more self-love than humility in saying it. IV. MORTIFICATION. Coming from the world into a community you must banish from your heart, your mind, your imagination, your senses, a multitude of things which have germinated and been fos- tered by the world in which you lived. These things are, perhaps, not bad in themselves, but they are incompatible with the religious life. Saint Jane Frances de Chantal enumerates them thus: "It is most important not to receive young girls who have a complacent care of their faces, a too tender love of their bodies, and who are still more tender in mind/' Each climate has its different productions. The climate of a religious life can not endure the productions of life in the world. during the Novitiate. ioi The cutting-off of these worldly productions is called mortification; for as branches die when separated from the trunk which afforded them life, in like manner die thoughts, desires, affec- tions, actions, when separated from the will. On the threshold of the Novitiate the follow- ing words of our Saviour should be written: If any will follow me let him deny himself! In the Novitiate these words of the Imitatioii should be written/ The more perfectly one for- sakes these things below, and the more he dies to himself by the contempt of himself the more speedily grace cometh, enter eth in more plentifully, and the higher it elevateth the free heart. ( What, then, must be cut off? You will soon learn by being attentive to the lessons of your mistress, by reading your rule, by seeing your more advanced com- panions, and, particularly, by obeying the voice of your conscience.* *We would not speak of corporal mortifications, such as fasts f disciplines, hair-cloth, etc. A religious must never practise any of these without the authority first of all of her confessor, then of her superior, un- less they are prescribed by the rule of the house. io2 Virtues to be acquired MOTIVES FOR THE PRACTICE OF MORTIFICATION. 1st. The necessity of this virtue. Jesus having said: "Ifany man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me; and salvation being only possible in as far as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we must conclude that self-denial, that is to say mor- tification, is necessary for salvation. The council of Trent declares that "those who are baptized still retain within themselves a fire of concupiscence, against which they must unceasingly struggle, and which is a source of merit for them if they courageously resist with the grace of Jesus Christ ; for we shall not be crowned till after we have fought." "The flesh, " says St. Thomas, "is the source of viqe ; " if, then, we would be free from vice, we must subdue the flesh. 2d. The ?nerit of this virtue. It causes us to expiate our sins, and makes us more worthy of the regard of God. It makes us less suscep- tible to temptation and stronger to resist it. It fits us for meditation, and causes us to receive the impressions of grace with greater facility. during the Novitiate. 103 3d. The example of Jesus Christ, The words of St. Paul, Christ did not please Himself should enable us to form a general rule for our mortifications ; and, to silence the revolt of the senses before a trial, a contradiction, a humiliation, we need but to cast our eyes upon a crucifix, saying : Behold my model. PRACTICES OF MORTIFICATION. Your mind must gradually become less cu- rious to know everything, to penetrate every- thing, to read or to relate everything ; Less inclined to parade its knowledge ; Less keen in conversation, less ardent in speaking, less disturbed at the least contra- diction, less eager for news, less quick at repartee. Let it not discuss with warmth ; let it not always seek to be justified ; let it know how to yield with a good grace ; let it not suppose that it knows more than others. Your will must not seek to rule everybody nor obstinately hold to its own views. 104 Virtues to be acquired Let it yield to what is commanded without seeking the motive of the command ; and, particularly, let the command not be despised on account of the faults of the one who gives it. Let it not seek to choose its occupations or office, nor a companion whom it finds more congenial, a position which flatters its self-love, nor even a place which affords it more material comfort. Let it never be heard to say, / wish or I do not wish. Your heart must be less easily attracted to creatures, less attached to the charms of the senses — to what is sympathetic ; let it regulate its affections and never suffer one which affords it a certain tenderness, a certain enjoyment ; let it preserve, if it will, the memory, and even a very tender and a very affectionate memory, of its family, but let not this affection occupy it during prayer ; let it only serve to make it daily recommend its loved ones to God, but it must never interfere with any duty. Let it carefully avoid forming any of those friendships which doubtless give a certain during the Novitiate. 105 charm to life, which smooth all the trials of community life, but which gradually enervate and detach the heart from God, duty, obedi- ence, make the character dissimulating, hard to govern, and, in a short time, tarnish the soul with grave faults. Your imagination must accustom itself to dwell in the presence of God : let it be unre- lenting in banishing those memories of the past which appear in most attractive shapes, — those schemes of perfection which lie outside the work of obedience, which disgust you with what you have to do, and destroy the joy and merit of accomplished duty, — those sometimes ridiculous efforts by which it seeks to satisfy our curiosity, our inclinations, our predominant passion, — all dwelling upon what has been said to us, upon what has been done to us, which only excites discontent, leads sometimes to resent- ment, and makes us lose the religious spirit. Your body must know how to endure, some- times cold, sometimes heat, sometimes weari- 106 Virtues to be acquired ness. . . and not, like a spoiled child, cry out, for a small trifle which the will can obviate better than remedies. The true mark of a generous soul in an inferior body is, that it never complains, that it does not amuse itself by dwelling on its malady, or upon what it requires or upon what is given it. It tells its indispositions without exaggerating them, accepts the remedies which are given, takes the rest which is ordered, then suffers patiently and awaits the accomplishment of God's will. Your senses must be subservient to your reason. Let your eyes be forbidden the gratification of pure curiosity ; withhold your gaze when neither a motive of instruction or a motive of good breeding prompts you to look ; with still greater reason must it turn from what is sensual, frivolous, or in the slightest degree immodest. Let your ears refuse to lend themselves to useless frivolous discourses which risk awak- ening in your heart profane, worldly, sensual during the Novitiate. 107 memories, or which will teach you what your vocation forbids you to know. Let your sense of taste never seek its gratifi- cation ; let it accept with gratitude what pleases it, but let it not sharply reject what displeases it ; between meals let it be deprived of all that is not absolutely necessary, and even at table let it not always take the dishes which are best seasoned to its liking ; let it be forbidden all reflection upon what is served in the refectory, and let it particularly guard against yielding to murmurs. Let your hands be deprived of all which tends merely to gratify sensuality. . • respect your body, respect that of others : the body is the temple of God ; always conduct yourself as if you were in a temple. Do not say: // is a trifle: say rather, Would it not offend the glance of my Angel Guardian? Avoid all games in which there is too much familiarity; every caress, however slight it may be, particularly if it is given without witnesses, 108 Virtues to be acquired and hold strictly to what the rule prescribes on this point. Let your tongue also be subservient to reason and faith. Know how to restrain it when the rule imposes silence : in the dormitory, in the refectory, in the chapel, going and coming in the corridors. . . and if necessity or charity oblige you to speak, do so in a low voice and with few words. Restrain your tongue during recreation, and be as the apostle tells us : swift to hear, but slow to speak. Speak little, and leave the conversation to others. Speak profitably, that you may give edifica- tion or amusement. Speak rather in a low than a loud voice. Withhold a jesting word, when the conversa- tion is sufficiently enlivened. Abstain, particularly, from all that is sin. IMPORTANT REMARKS ON MORTIFICATION. There are very fervent but inexperienced novices, who believe themselves obliged to during the Novitiate. 109 make every act of mortification which occurs to them. And thus they live in continual con- straint ; and self-denial, which brings joy to the soul, is for them real suffering and a source of scruples, so that they end by abandoning everything. Here are some practical counsels given by Father Marin: "We must distinguish three kinds of acts of mortification : — " Those which you are free to practise or omit, as you please, without incurring any fault ; "Those which you can not omit without some fault, or without gratifying nature too much. "Those, finally, which you can not omit without failing in the principal duties of your state. "Thus, in the first case, during recreation the thought comes to you to withhold an insig- nificant remark ; in the refectory it occurs to you to deprive yourself of part of your portion, which you would willingly eat, etc. . . You are perfectly free to act or not to act, and you should reject as a tendency to scruples, all no Virtues to be acquired remorse at not having performed these acts of mortification. "In the second case, you perceive that the repartee which you are about to make will only flatter your self-love, and be of no benefit to any one ; you feel a too ardent desire to go forward to meet a sister whom you love . . . be silent in the first instance, moderate in the second. It is by repeated acts of this kind that the soul becomes strong ; by neglecting them that it becomes tepid. "In the third case, you are commanded something which contradicts your will: you do not care to do it yet, — or you would do it in such a manner ; you are given as a com- panion a sister with whom you do not sympa- thize. . . Obey, and by an elevation of yout heart to God subdue the opposition which you feel. You are obliged to make these acts of mortification." "To preserve a just medium and avoic going beyond grace, it is necessary," says th( venerable Boudon, " to take the advice of a wis< and enlightened director. Many persons hav< ruined their health by indiscreet penances daring the Novitiate. 1 1 1 By too much vigil and fasting they destroy their stomach and their head ; they wish to restrain, to apply themselves too much, and they exhaust their strength and are soon unable to do anything. Wishing to imitate the penances of the saints, they do not reflect that the ways of grace are very different, that each one must live according to the measure of grace which God has given him, and they regard as an inspiration from heaven what is only a temptation of the devil/' A fault into which new-born fervor fre- quently falls is that of practising austerities beyond its strength. We leave the world ; we behold ourselves covered with the stains we have received there, — we have a horror of our condition, — we read with admiration, mixed with fear, of the bloody macerations inflicted upon themselves by those victims of penance who have made the deserts of Palestine illus- trious. A young person still weak and delicate wishes to imitate them. Her bed is anything but soft, nevertheless she would sleep on the hard ground ; her food is already very frugal, and she still retrenches a portion ; hair-cloth, 112 Virtues to be acquired sharp pointed girdles, are the objects of her desires and repeated supplication ; frequently she even uses these instruments of penance without any authority, impelled by the con- viction that these mortifications are necessary for her. What is the result of such conduct ? Two things : one is that God does not bless what she does ; for it is her own will, not obedience, which influences her. The other, that she early exhausts her strength, ruins her health, and if she does not render herself incapable of any good, she makes herself incapable of the great services which she might have rendered. Finally, that you may not be exposed to these mistakes, render an account in all sim- plicity to your mistress, of your daily self denials, of the desire of further privations which arise in you, and the motives which impel you not to limit your mortifications to those usually practised in the Novitiate. during the Novitiate 113 SIMPLICITY. Simplicity, like humility, is a difficult virtue to acquire ; and unless it be our natural dis- position or a special grace, we rarely possess it in all its fulness. It has almost disappeared from the world, and it is only in communities, and particularly in novitiates, that we find it again in all its charms. Bat there how beautiful and attractive this virtue is ! It gives the novice all the love- liness of a child, all the charms of infancy, all the candor of a heart which has never loved but God and its Mother, and knows not even ' the name of sin. "Simplicity," says St. Francis de Sales, "makes us resemble children who think, speak, and act openly without malice. They believe all they are told. They have no care or anxiety for themselves, — are they not protected by their parents ? They love honestly, without dwell- ing upon their own satisfaction ; they take everything in good faith, rejoicing in all good 114 Virtues to be acquired nature, without desire or curiosity to study its cause and effects." Simplicity is a contagious virtue it is so full of charms, and one truly simple soul in a Novitiate suffices to make all the others in- stinctively seek to be like it. The desire alone of simplicity supposes a beautiful soul and a kind heart. . . In pro- portion as we become less kind we wish to be less simple, and we ridicule simplicity. Apply yourself to the practice of the acts which we will mention to you, and God will bless your efforts. MOTIVES FOR ACQUIRING SIMPLICITY. i st. The excellence of this virtue. — It is the character of the children of God and the disciples of Jesus, who are compared in Holy Scripture to sheep and to doves, on account of their candor and innocence. But what is more, it is the character of true religion ; for there is nothing more opposed to eternal truth than untruth and dissimulation. 2d. The merit of this virtue. — It makes us pleasing in the sight of God, who hates dis- during the Novitiate. 115 simulation, anathematizes a double heart, and loves to converse with the simple. It makes us the beloved of Jesus, who caressed little children, who preferred St. John to the other apostles, on account of his purity and candor, — virtues which never dwell in a soul whence simplicity is banished. It also makes us pleasing to others ; for a simple soul is never a burden to any one, never troubles or interferes with any one, is useful and kind to all, and does not know how to think evil of any one. 3d. The marks of this virtue. The simple soul is constantly the same to every one and before every one ; it is equally charitable to all without exception, possessing always that cheerful air which comes from the testimony of a good conscience ; when it has committed a fault it frankly acknowledges it, and calmly bears the punishment or humiliation which follows ; it proves itself every where and in every thing the enemy of duplicity, and has no intention but to please God. Ii6 Virtues to be acquired PRACTICES OF SIMPLICITY. Simplicity of Mind. Without pretension, never striving to excel others nor even to be remarkable ; but ac- complishing to the best of one's ability the duty which is imposed. Never comparing ourselves with others, or priding ourselves upon the natural advantages or spiritual favors we have received from God, and, above all, never preferring ourselves to others. Simplicity of Heart. Towards God: Entertaining a filial fear free from trouble and disquietude ; an affectionate confidence free from presumption ; an exact fidelity free from over-exactness and subtlety ; a continual desire to please God and do His will, like a child who tenderly loves its mother and appreciates all her love for it. Towards our neighbor : Sincere and cordial affection, amiable but discreet frankness, sweet, patient, considerate charity free from trouble or silliness. during the Novitiate. \\J Towards oneself. A spirit of order and peace ; patience with defects, mistakes, and failures. Simplicity of Disposition. Without whim or caprice ; without ardor or indifference ; without vivacity or oddity; yielding without letting it appear that we yield; sacrificing our will and opinion, without let- ting the effort or the sacrifice be apparent ; accommodating ourselves to all without seek- ing to parade or make a merit of what we do. Simplicity of Action. Without hurry or anxiety; without encum- bering ourselves with several duties at one time ; solely occupying ourselves with the present duty as if we had but that one to perform : completely for God in prayer, com- , pletely for our neighbor in our charitable relations ; completely for work when duty commands it. . . but always for God, according to the spirit of God, in the presence of God, Ii8 Virtues to be acquired Simplicity of Exterior \ In dress : Modest, free from affectation, being neither painstaking nor careless ; in manner, natural and unstudied ; in our walk thinking only of going where we have to go ; in deportment, serious without stiffness ; in speech, free from malice, subtlety, particular accent or affected expressions ; in every thing, free from a desire to please, no less than a fear of not pleasing. Simplicity in Piety. Avoiding, equally, the eccentricities which disfigure it, the whims which dishonor it, the narrowness which ridicules it, the illusions which destroy it, the scruples which torment it and end by making it odious. Avoiding the discouragement of pusillanimity, the trans- ports of presumption ; desiring no other doc- trine than that of one's director and superiors; reading no other books than those which we are counseled to read, and frequently asking God to retain us in the common path of perfection. during the Novitiate. 119 Happy the novice who each day endeavors to practise a few of these counsels ! To sum up, as it were in an animated pic- ture, the important doctrine of this chapter and the chapter on the Spirit of the Novitiate, we are going to transcribe here a precious testi- monial which you may read with profit: — SKETCH OF LIFE AT ST. SULPICE AT THE BEGINNING OF ITS ESTABLISHMENT. The recreations were very profitable and very useful. The members all remained together, never separating into couples. They enter- tained one another with frank gaiety ; they made short reflections on the subjects of the meditation, the spiritual reading, the reading in the refectory, the examples in it which they had remarked ; these were the usual topics at recreation. They conversed thus together in fraternal union, with great gentleness, cordial- ity, simplicity, honesty, and deference, towards one another. They took pleasure in conquering the pre- judices which one sometimes feels against 120 Virtues to be acquired certain persons ; so that they manifested more friendliness towards those who pleased them least, and, to make it still more perfect, they endeavored to win them by the most entire cordiality. They possessed nothing which was not at the disposition of their fellow-members ; it was even necessary to put a limit to this great desire of helping their neighbor. Each one was zealous in encouraging himself and others to love God. They endeavored to cultivate a real love for a poor, hurnble, obscure state of life ; they frequently spoke of the advantages of this manner of living. They frequently spoke of the practice of union with Our Lord. Love of poverty was so great that they gloried in the poorest things, and profited of different occasions to show the absurdity of those who seek to conform to the world. They ridiculed any one who was affectedly neat about his shoes, his girdle, and his hat. They had a holy enthusiasm for the employ- ments which were humble and humiliating, or during the Novitiate. 121 in which there was any difficulty : not only did they offer themselves for such employments, but they earnestly sought them. The greater number — and even all — mani- fested more affection for the good order and spiritual welfare of the house than if it had been their own. The majority were most grateful that they had been received and were suffered to remain in the community. They had a great regard for their brothers ; they yielded to them in everything, each look- ing upon himself as the last and least among them ; they considered themselves very much honored if they were employed in the least little ceremony. Love of the world was so banished that any one would have felt great remorse of conscience to have it spoken of with the least esteem, and it would have given pain to the others to have it spoken of in this way. If it was mentioned, it was who could decry it most They re- nounced all attachments to country, kindred, and the world, and they went to God with their whole hearts, abandoning themselves to tfie arms pf His Providence, the will of their 122 Virtues to be acquired superior, of their director — at whose simple word they would have gone to the ends of the earth. They showed him their letters, and loved to open their hearts to him upon all things, great or little, ordinary or extraordinary. The cordial feeling, or perfect union, which existed among the seminarians was considered a special characteristic of the house. They had a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin which they manifested on all occasions, particularly by never doing anything or under- taking anything without asking her permission; they saluted her image on entering and leaving their room or that of their director. They frequently spoke of this devotion and its prac- tices : such as fasting, practising some mortifica- tion or giving alms on the vigils of her feast, or visiting one of her churches. The least imperfections — self indulgence, want of modesty, obstinacy and dissipation of mind were strongly disapproved, and they were well on their guard against yielding to them. They never spoke to any one of the mor- tifications they practised ; if one spoke to during the Novitiate. 123 another of them he was given to understand that it was not wise. They were faithful to offer to God the first fruits of all things, depriving themselves of all they could for love of Him. They made a practice always to wear a crucifix and a medal of the Blessed Virgin. They never spoke of eating ; they sought what was least palatable, such as the remains of stale bread, etc. They mutually encouraged one another to adopt some of the practices of Blessed Berch- mans, principally the following : "I will allow myself to be guided as if I were an infant a day old. HI will avoid, as a veritable evil, asking a dispensation, without a real and great necessity. "I will regard my admission to the house as a special favor, and all that is given me I will receive as unmerited. "With my brothers I will always be filled with respect and humility. "When an occasion for denying myself occurs I will embrace it with all my heart. "The mortifications to which I will attach most importance shall be those of every day life." 124 Virtues to be acquired There were some who carried their obedience so far, that they watched the least sign, the least motion, the least indication, of the will of the superior, so that the latter had to be very care- ful to sav nothing which could be taken as an order to do anything prejudicial to their health. They never knew what it was to dispense themselves from any exercise ; at the first sound of the bell every door opened. They preserved a strict silence ; they never recognized one another even in the halls or on the stairs ; and one frequently saluted another without knowing who he was. Each one had one or two monitors who warned him of his faults, and he said a Hail Mary for him from whom he received the ad- monition. Each one took in good part all that the others said ; they avoided almost as. a crime every kind of suspicion, and charitably bore with those who appeared grave or sad. When they beheld a fellow-member sad or thoughtful, they compassionated his suffering and gently endeavored to cheer him. When they had the least trouble they hastened to reveal it to their director or superior. duri?ig the Novitiate. 125 They detested particular friendships and held them in horror as the pests of a community. Pious practices which they proposed to themselves. Before beginning an action always to take a moment to direct one's intention. To repress the first impulse of nature : for instance, when one returns very tired from a walk the first impulse is to rest ; to repress this impulse it is well to wait a few moments before taking a seat. When there is something to be seen, do not look at once ; and the same with the other senses. To do all things through love, through a supernatural motive, according to a spirit of faith and the maxims of the Gospel. To have at heart one's spiritual progress, that of his brothers, and the spiritual welfare of the community. To be faithful to the least practices of virtue, of punctuality, of modesty, of religion, of mortification, and of humility. To be as cordially frank and open as a child with one's director, even in the most trifling 126 Virtues to be acquired. things ; to frequently speak of this practice and inspire others with it. To practise obedience in everything, avoid- ing doing anything through our own choice. To always select the most inconvenient objects for oneself. To like only what is poorest in food and clothing. Never to say a word in a spirit of raillery. It is a mark of fervor to be ingenious in inventing means of mortifying oneself in every- thing : for example, in bodily postures, at table, at recreation, in conversation, in walks, in curiosity, and the different opportunities for satisfying the senses." CHAPTER VI. MAXIMS OF THE NOVITIATE.* We understand by these words — maxims of the Novitiate, the thoughts with which the mind should be almost continually nourished during all this time of formation to a religious life. These maxims are like a summary of the spirit and virtues of the Novitiate ; they are expressed in few words, that they may penetrate more deeply, that they may recur more easily * The maxims contained in this chapter and the treatise which we will give in the next, may serve mistresses and superiors as subjects of conference. One could easily, by commenting on these materials, speak with profit to the novices every Sunday of the Novitiate year ; sometimes you might even oblige the novices themselves to develop a few of these maxims in writing. To do this it will suffice to reply to these two questions : Why ? How ? The end of this labor will be to form and strengthen the judgment, and at the same time teach them to reflect. One never reflects so well as pen in hand. 128 Maxims of the Novitiate. to the memory, and that they may serve as a point of recall, in a moment of doubt, of anxiety, of temptation, or even of a fall. They are like seeds which must be almost daily sown in the soul : sown with abundance during the Novitiate, they will germinate sooner or later ; and many an act of virtue, many a pious thought, many an impulse for good, will be the effect of one of these maxims with which we have been impressed. They are numerous ; for all of them not being suited to every character, we judged it necessary to multiply them. They are diversified : for we wished that they might apply to almost every situation of the soul, and serve as guidance for every action of the day. The maxims which should particularly nourish the soul of a religious are the grea truths of faith which form the basis of ever) christian and religious edifice. They are expressed in clear, precise term* Maxims of the Novitiate. 129 in the Gospel, and we will merely indicate them here. 1 st. The eight beatitudes, and all that magnifi- cent sermon on the mount (St. Matt, v, vi, vii.) which is an abridgment of the evangelical doc- trine, and contains in a few words a sure rule for every occasion, a perfectly attainable means of 'sanctity \ a complete code of peace and happiness. 2d. Those striking words of our Saviour which, though always the subject of meditation, ever afford new food to the soul, and form a sure and practical rule of conduct. * What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul ? Martha, Martha, thou art troubled about many things ; but one thing is necessary. If any man will come after me let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. 130 Maxims of the Novitiate. Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart. * 1 No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven. * He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Every one that hath left house, or brethrei^ or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall possess life- everlasting. ■<■ ■ '>' We have borrowed the following maxims from ascetic authors. * * We have not thought fit to gather the maxims of St. Francis de Sales, St. Liguori, Father Bertrand, as they are to be found in all the books authorized. for use in the Novitiate. We counsel the novices to extract from these books and preserve for tlieir use the maxims and sentences which most impress them. Maxims of the Novitiate. 131 HAPPY THE RELIGIOUS I Who has found peace of heart, and will not let it be disturbed ; Who sees Jesus every where: in her superiors, her companions, her employment; Who frequently consults her Angel Guardian ; Who never discusses, but does all that others wish; Who finds nothing impossible to obedience or charity ; Who never interferes in what does not concern her ; Who bears Contempt without a murmur, Correction without an excuse, Praise without pleasure, Suffering without complaint, Confusion without trouble, Commandment without a reply; Who judges no one, and is pleasant to every one ; Who accepts with indifference every office, every companion, every task ; Who, finally, bears with patience her own defects and those of others. THE EIGHT BEATITUDES OF A RELIGIOUS. To be humbled, To be contradicted, To be refused, 132 Maxims of the Novitiate. To be reprimanded, To be punished, To be forgotten, To be the last everywhere* To be abandoned* LITANY OF HUMILITY. O Jesus meek and humble of heart ! Jesus, hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being sought, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being preferred, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus, From the desire of being considered, Deliver me, Jesus, Maxims of the Novitiate. .133 From the fear of being humbled, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being rebuffed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus. * That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may grow in the opinion of the world and I diminish, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may be employed and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may be praised and I forgotten, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may be preferred before me in every- thing, 134 Maxims of the Novitiate. Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. That others may be more holy than I, provided I am as holy as I can be, Jesus, grant me the grace to wish. MEANS OF ACQUIRING AN INTERIOR SPIRIT. I. AVOID : 1st. The least sins. Because they oblige God to refuse us many graces ; Because they take from us a portion of light necessary to know God's will ; Because they destroy the vigor of the soul, and take from it its relish and facility for virtue. 2d. The least things which displease God. For we grieve God when we voluntarily displease Him ; it is showing Him little love or gratitude ; it is showing Him in a measure regret that He called us to a religious life. 3d. Pleasures of the senses. Because even legitimate pleasures, when we indulge in them immoderately and without being careful to refer them to God, gradually destroy the vigor of the character, open the heart to all kinds of thoughts, and weaken the will. Because the soul which indulges in Maxims of the Novitiate. 1 3 5 every permitted pleasure is in danger of yielding to forbidden pleasures. 4th. Seeking to gratify nature. Because in proportion as we gratify nature we diminish grace ; because, being the disciples of Jesus, we should follow in His footsteps, and " Chris t," .says St. Paul, " sought not the things of this life." 5 th. Worldly conversations. Because we always lose in them a little of the interior spirit ; because these conversations disgust us with meditation and fill our mind with memories or visionary plans, 6th. Satisfactions of the mind. Because if sought with avidity they engender pride, contempt of others, and even insubordination; because nothing impedes the interior life and the action of the Holy Spirit in a soul like studies pursued outside of duty; even those counselled by duty have the same effect when pursued with too much ardor. Therefore the mind which is too ardent in the pursuit of science, will with difficulty apply itself to meditation. The mind which runs after news will never be recollected. 7th. Sensible consolations in spiritual exercises. Because they are not devotion, and under this sen- L SSL 136 Maxims of the Novitiate. sibility may be hidden grave faults and humiliating weaknesses. Because illusion is more easy in consolations than indrynessor even in ordinary devotion. Because the saints who were most favored with them have always feared them. Because they are frequently the result of tempera- ment rather than the grace of God. II; RENOUNCE : 1st. Your own will. Because Jesus renounced His. I came not to do my wil^ but the will of my Father; and because He was submissive to Mary and Joseph, and even to His executioners. Because self-will is the cause of all sin,— take away self-wjil and there would be no hell. 2d. Your own judgmfnU Because since the entrance of sin into the world, it is rarely upright or, above all, disinterested, jn what relates to ourselves. Because God in His mercy has willed that w£ should all be dependent, one upon another, and that consequently we should submit our judgment to £hat of those wrjom He has placed over us. Maxims of the Novitiate. 137 IIL be faithful: 1st. To your rule. For it is the most powerful means of sanctification in a community : the one which gives value to all the other means, the one which is most calculated to maintain your peace of soul. For in a community we only receive grace in proportion as we are faithful to the rule. 2d. To the smallest little practices of the community. For they emanate from a Superior who had a right to establish them, for which reason they come under the head of obedience. For, according to the Gospel, he who is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater. 3d. To the inspirations of grace. For these inspirations are special lights which God gives us to enlighten us in particular cases. For by repelling them we expose ourselves to be deprived of them in future; we resist the Holy Spirit and offer an insult to God. IV. ENDEAVOR : 1st. To live in the presence of God. For this presence will make you avoid sin, support 13s Maxims of the Novitiate. you in temptation, cheer you in discouragement, rouse you in weakness, stimulate you in labor. 2d. Have a spirit of faith. For it is the. means of giving our actions, even the most trifling, even the unsuccessful ones, a true value for heaven. Without this spirit our most brilliant actions will be counted as nothing before the tribunal of God. 3d. To meditate well. For it is in meditation that the soul gathers strength to labor for the glory of God ; it is in meditation that the soul clearly sees God's will in its regard; it is the exercise of the angels, and the souls who apply them- selves to it end by leading a life conformable to that of the Angels. avoid: 1st. Murmurs. For they gradually destroy the spirit of submission, accustom you to live in independence and discontent, and prevent you from relishing the joys of community life. They take away the respect due to superiors, frequently do irreparable evil, and sooner or later are severely punished by God. Maxims of the Novitiate. 139 2d. Ridicule, For it is opposed to the spirit of charity ; it some- times causes wounds impossible to heal, and has been the cause of several lost vocations. It nourishes vanity in the heart of him who practises it, insensibly leads him to believe himself above others, and deprives him of the secret communications of grace. 3d. Particular friendships . For they destroy the family spirit which should reign in a community: they enervate the heart, wither the soul, weaken devotion, incline us to avoid the eyes of our superiors and gradually lead to sensuality. GOD WISHES : That we should obey without a word, That we should labor assiduously, That we should be silent without pouting, That we should be modest and habitually cheerful, That we should seek every occasion to be useful and to give pleasure, That we should banish every thought which is dis- turbing or a loss of time to us, That we should have recourse to Him as soon as we have committed a fault. rejoice: If you are unknown and forgotten, 140 Maxims of the Novitiate. If you possess few natural gifts of mind or body, If you are neglected, If you are given the lowest employment, If you are not made useful, If your advice is never asked, If ihere is no confidence placed in you, If you are assigned the last place, If you are never complimented, If aH others are preferred to you. YOU WILL BECOME A GREAT SAINT : If you are tenacious of nothing, If you love abandonment, If you suffer in silence, If you accept all that God sends you, or permits to be done to you. THE RELIGIOUS WHO WILL NEVER BE PERFECT «IS: She who excuses herself; She who murmurs and finds fault with everything ; She who complains of the food; She who ridicules others ; She who is indifferent about little things; She who evades the vigilance of her superiors. Maxims of the Novitiate, 141 Two things of which one must never complain: clothes or food. * Two persons whom one must never criticise : the superior and the confessor. * Two prayers which one should frequently repeat: My God, let me be neither curious or talkative. Two virtues which one must constantly practise : obedience and humility. « Two actions for which one must be always ready : to Communicate, to die. THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS OF A RELIGIOUS. Disobedience, Irregularity, Neglect of silence, Criticisms and murmurs, Particular friendships, Jealousy, Antipathies and rudeness. 142 Maxims of the Novitiate. MEANS OF PERFECTION. In conduct. Even temper, — uprightness, — modesty, — prudence, — gentleness, — firmness. In conversation. Gaiety free from frivolity, — reserve in words,-~ forgetfulness of self,— deference to others. In frequenting the sacraments. Purity of heart,— purity of intention, — detachment from sensible consolation, — lively faith, — practical fervor. In failings. Humble and sincere acknowledgment, — deep sor- row free from dejection, — immediate recourse to God, — abandoning oneself to His mercy, — expiation. With God. Filial confidence, — simple but affectionate study of His will, — peaceful waiting for His grace, — prompt and unreserved obedience to His inspirations. With one's superiors. Deep respect for God's sake, whose place they fill towards us, — simple, straightforward, entire obedi- ence, — unlimited confidence. Maxims of the Novitiate. 143 - •-> With one's neighbor. Cordiality, — consideration, — forbearance, — compla- cency free from fawning,— deference free from flattery, — condescension free from human respect. With self. Severe modesty, — sincere humility, — unremitting mortification, — patience with every trial. For the mind. Wise distrust of its lights, — happy ignorance of its merits, — holy use of its talents. For the heart. Fidelity in banishing every kind of trouble, — vigi- lance over all its movements, — sacrifice of its inclina- tions, — victory over its repugnances. For the imagination. Unalterable tranquillity in its wanderings, — con- tempt of its whimsical creations, — skillful evasion of its importunities. For the body. Moderate care,— discreet rigor, — general sobriety. In one's sentiments. Conformity with those of Jesus, — continual and entire dependence on the good pleasure of Jesus for health, sickness, success, contempt, life, death. 144 Maxims of the Novitiate. THE SOUL FAITHFUL TO ADOPT THESE MEANS \ Will delight God; Will herself enjoy God ; Will find unalterable peace in God ; Will assure herself the eternal possession of God. A GOOD RELIGIOUS SHOULD ASK OF GOD: More humility than humiliations ; More patience than suffering ; More good will than works ; More love than actions ; More detachment from all than abandonment by all ; More obedience than commands ; More works than words; More devotion to sanctity than to health. A GOOD RELIGIOUS SHOULD BE INDIFFERENT: To every kind of place and employment; To every kind of cross and suffering; To every kind of treatment on the part of creatures; To their remembrance and their neglect; To their esteem and their contempt; To their affection and their aversion; To every kind of treatment on the part of God \ To light and to darkness ; Maxims of the Novitiate. 145 To consolation and to spiritual dryness ; To repose and to labor ; To health and to sickness ; To life and to death. TWELVE IMPORTANT MAXIMS. To always have God in view and God alone, for after all it is God alone who will judge us. To regard and accept every humiliation, every affliction, every suffering, as a portion of the cross of Jesus, and as a drop from His chalice. God sends them to us, to make us share in His merits. Never to speak of self, never to be occupied with self; God is occupied for us, — is not that sufficient? To suffer everything on the part of others, and never to voluntarily cause ihem suffering. To do everything for others, and exact nothing for self. To accept with gratitude all that is done for us. 146 Maxims of the Novitiate. To keep one's eyes ever closed to the defects of others and open to their virtues, excusing all that seems unfavorable. Never to excuse oneself even though unjustly reproved. . • what does it matter before God ? To ask nothing, to refuse nothing ; to rely upon God for everything. Never to allow oneself to judge, or even to examine the conduct of one's superiors or confessor. * To be solely occupied with one's own duty, never with that of others. Before God, each one works for himself, — each one renders an account of what he has to do. To regard creatures, whatever they may be, as sent to us from God : some as a means of merit, others as a means of expiation. To believe oneself the last in a community, and in all things to unaffectedly seek the place which no onet cares for. Maxims of the Novitiate. 147 A FERVENT RELIGIOUS: Listens with docility to Readings, counsels, reproofs; Is faithful to be Respectful, obedient, punctual; Lives in charity with Her equals, her inferiors, those who do not like her, those who cause her suffering ; • Yields with humility To her equals, to her inferiors; Bears benignly The trials which God sends her, those which spring from her family, her employment, her health, her want of success. Labors assiduously Even though the labor be distasteful to her — seems useless, is to afford her no satisfaction. PORTRAIT OF A GOOD NOVICE. She thanks God that she has had the courage to leave all to enter religion. 148 Maxims of the Novitiate. She is convinced that during all her religious life she will be what she has been during her Novitiate, * She doubtless thinks of her family, but only to recommend them to God. * She makes every effort to faithfully fulfill the rule in every point, feeling that there only lies her perfection. She is fervent at prayers, charitable to her sisters, interiorly recollected, outwardly modest. * She regards violation of silence as a fault capable of most serious consequences. * When the rule seems hard to her, she thinks of her past sins, of God's holy will, and then she patiently bears it, she loves it, and applies herself to the strict observance of it. When she is reproved for her faults, and when she is humiliated, she does not excuse herself, but, after expressing her gratitude, is silent and endeavors to do better. Maxims of the Novitiate. 149 She has perfect confidence in her mistress, and in him who directs her conscience; she regards them as taking God's place to her. * She is very careful not to neglect little things, persuaded that their observance is a proof of her love for God, and will draw upon her great graces. * Humility is her support, Prayer her consolation, Obedience her guide, Vocation her study, The cross her master, Examination of conscience her book, Meditation her food, Communion her joy and her strength, Mary is her Mother, St. Joseph and her good Angel are her protectors. CHAPTER VII. THE WORK OF THE NOVITIATE. The end of the Novitiate being to prepare the soul and form it for a religious life, we may consider the Novitiate : ist. As a mould in which the soul is trans- formed, stripped so to speak of worldly prin- ciples, and assumes divine. I his transformation exacts a labor which is sometimes rude : it is not without effort and self-denial, that one acquires the virtues we have indicated, and casting aside natural defects becomes obedient, humble, charitable, simple, mortified. This work is gradually effected by prayer, by meditation aided by direction, and trials of which we will speak later. 2d. The Novitiate may also be considered as a school in which the novice learns, theoreti- cally and practically, the principles, at least, of that knowledge which she will need later, to correspond to her vocation. The work of the Novitiate. 151 Now in every Novitiate there are two kinds of studies. The first relate to the end of the order or community. You understand, for example, that novices destined to care for the sick receive different instruction from that given to those destined for a contemplative life or for the edu- cation of youth. We need not occupy ourselves with these instructions, the directories proper to each house sufficiently indicate them. The second kind of study, common to all novitiates, consists in learning the obligations of the religious state which the novice is about to embrace, and the principles, at least, of the interior life, which must be the life of those who consecrate themselves to God. To facilitate this study we are about to state briefly, doubtless, yet in a manner to afford sufficient knowledge, what is necessary to know of the religious state and the interior life. May not a special and profound study of christian doctrine be one of the duties in novitiates ? How many young girls wish to give them- 152 The work of the Novitiate. selves to God with a generous soul and devoted heart, and yet have a very superficial religious instruction? And they are sometimes those who in the world have received the most brilliant education. " If there is one thing which at times deeply saddens and alarms me for the eternal salvation of souls/' says Bishop Dupanloup, " it is to see how little people know and what little trouble they take to learn their religion. . . At the present day there is a deplorable ignorance of religious matters among us. How many times have I not encountered, even among men otherwise well instructed — even among practical christians, veritable depths of igno- rance in this respect ! " They are frequently ignorant of all their religion; they know nothing, or almost nothing, of its teachings — sometimes the most essen- tial ; nothing of its laws, its liturgy, its proofs ; nothing of its rights, of its action in the world ; almost nothing of its origin, its history, even of the history of Christ ; they do not comprehend its most apparent interests ; they are incapable of serving them and defending them." They The work of the Novitiate. 1 5 3 have a certain taste for piety, they practise certain devotions, they know the current things of religion, and they are satisfied ; giving them- selves up to ascetic reading without realizing the need they have to strengthen and justify their faith. Then let not the novice feel humiliated in the Novitiate if she is made to read a catechism which is a development of what she knows by heart perhaps, but upon which she has reflect- ed little. " People, generally," says Bishop Dupanloup, "have a very poor knowledge of the catechism and the gospel, and, con- sequently, of their religion." The religious who teach will of course make it a strict duty to prepare their religious instruc- tions; but they should read in public either the Catechism of Perseverance, or that of Guillois, Rodez, Bourges, Challoners Christian Instructed, Powers' Doctrinal, Moral, Historical and Lit- urgical Catechism, or, better still, the Catechism of the Council of Trent. 154 The work of the Novitiate. FIRST. SUMMARY OF A TREATISE ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE * I. NATURE OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE. I st. The religious state is a fixed state of community life under one rule approved by the Church ; a state in which souls who aspire to perfection consecrate themselves to God by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and the observance of a common rule. 2d. A bishop, in his diocese, may, accord- ing to a custom known and permitted by the Holy See, approve a religious community, at least provisionally, and authorize in it the three * We do not pretend to give, in these few pages, a complete treatise of the religious state, but simply to teach the novice what it most concerns her to know of the state she wishes to embrace. The authors we have specially consulted and fol- lowed are: Father Gautrelet's Treatise on the religious state, — Fabre's Catechism of the religious life, — Crais- son's Manual of Canon Law. The work of the Novitiate, 155 vows ; but this does not constitute such a community a religious order, properly speaking. 3d. Though the rule be approved by the Holy See the community is not even then a religious order; it is further necessary that the vows be perpetual and recognized as solemn by the Sovereign Pontiff. It is this express recog- nition of solemn vows which constitutes a reli- gious order. The Sovereign Pontiff could, at the same time, grant the title and privileges of a religious order \ properly so called, to a con- gregation which takes only simple vows. Thus, by a decree of Pius VII. and Gregory XVI. , the religious of France, though they do not take solemn vows like their sisters established else- where, receive the indulgences attached to the order the rules of which they follow.* *As every Frenchman is legally competent to in- herit, make over, and will property, it has been con- cluded that a solemn vow of poverty no longer exists in France, (since a solemn vow makes null and void every act, every contract opposed to it,) nor are there, consequently, the other solemn vows, inasmuch ss the three religious vows are not solemn unless taken conjointly. . . But as the solemnity of vows is wholly of ecclesiastic institution, and may, up to the present i"56 The work of the Novitiate. The end of the religious state is to tend towards perfection, by the exact observance not only of the com?nandments of God and the Church, but still more of the evangelical counsels. This tending towards perfection is the end of every religious body, and the reason of all the obligations which it imposes on its members. To be holy and perfect is the portion of the blessed in heaven ; to wish to be saved and to do what is absolutely necessary for that purpose is the condition of the simple Christian ; to aspire and tend towards perfection, is the characteristic of a religious. The means of attaining perfection is the practice of the three evangelical counsels — poverty, chastity, and obedience. moment, be dispensed with by the Pope on the re- quisite conditions, all we need do, to assure ourselves whether a vow is solemn, is to discover the opinion of the Pope in regard to it. Now it appears : 1st, that the vows of religious women in France are not solemn, but that they enjoy the same spiritual favors as if they were ; 2d, that it is not the same with the vows of men in religion, which are solemn, — at least for the greater number. Conferences of Puy IV m The work of the Novitiate. 157 Voluntary poverty is the first disposition Jesus requires of those seeking perfection. If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou had and give it to the poor, and follow me. Chastity, freeing one from the cares of a family, renders the practice of poverty easier; moreover, it raises the soul above sensual things, and enables the heart to attach itself to God alone. Obedience submits the will to a superior and permits him to command all that he judges necessary to perfection. Hence, certain re- ligious orders, the Benedictines for example, do not explicitly take any vow but that of obedience, which implicitly contains the two others. To be truly religious ; those who give them- selves up to the practice of the evangelical counsels, must be bound to their observance by a vow made in a community. Without this bond they would remain free to tend towards perfection or not ; and this liberty is incompatible with what is called a stale, which indicates something permanent. These vows are perpetual in religious orders, properly so called ; they may at first be only 158 The work of the Novitiate. temporary in religious congregations, * but it is necessary that they be perpetual to make a real profession, in the strict sense of the word. P. Gautrelet 1, 112. These vows should be made according to a rule which determines their matter and practice. In canonical law the rule, or rather the rules, in- dicate the manner in which the vows of poverty chastity, and obedience, should be understood * We comprehend, under the name of Religious con- gregations, says F. Gautrelet, every institute in which the members engage themselves to tend towards per- fection by the practice of simple vows admitted as such by the superior, who thus reserves to himself the power of dispensing them. The proper characteristic of these congregations, and that which essentially distinguishes them from religious orders, is the nature of the vows they take. These vows are simple, and not solemn . There is doubtless in the person, who makes them without limiting their duration, a desire to engage herself forever as far as she is able; the obligation which she assumes may well be for her absolute and irrevocable, in the sense that she cannot, without sin, unless for a just cause, wish to recover the liberty which she has voluntarily sacrificed; but the institution, or its first superior, retains the power to break these bonds when they may become detri- The work of the Novitiate. 159 and practised. St. Augustine and St. Benedict have each drawn up rules, which are approved by the church, and those of one or the other saint are substantially adopted by all congrega- tions which wish to receive the approbation of the Holy See. To these rules are added the constitutions, which indicate in a special manner, according mental to the congregation or the individual, and can for grave reasons dispense them. It follows from this: 1st, that all obligation attached to solemn vwws % precisely because they arc solemn, is not attached to vows taken in religious congregations. 2d. That as much must be said of the effects at- tached to religious profession, properly so called, unless by concession of the Sovereign Pontiff the communi- ties enjoy the privileges of religious orders. The appellation, religious orders^ which canonists do not give to congregations taking simple vows, does not prevent the members of those congregations (both men and women) from being and receiving the title of religious in the ordinary meaning of the word, the essence of the religious life being the taking of the three vows. — Craisson, 2517, — Gautrelet, I, 127. In canonical language alone is the name oi religious, in the proper sense of the word, applied only to mem- bers of those orders which take solemn vows. 160 The work of the Novitiate. to the end of each congregation, how its members may by means of these rules attain perfection. In ordinary language, which is not precise like canonical language, the two words, rules and constitutions, are used indiscriminately to express the same thing. In ordinary language, again, a religious, by the word regulation or rule, does not understand the fundamental rules which make her a mem- ber of a religious congregation, but simply the special different points of the rule which do not leave her free to act according to her own views, and which can be changed according to time and place. The approbation of the bishop of the diocese suffices for the rules and constitutions of religious congregations. The bishop is then the first superior in whom is vested all authority. The Sovereign Pontiff's approbation, being asked and received, does not of itself confer upon these communities the character and nature of religious orders. The approbation has the effect : ist, of giving more authority to the rule; 2d, of authorizing the congregation The work of the Novitiate. 161 to establish itself in every part of the church with the consent of the Ordinary ; 3d, of pre- venting the end of the congregation, its means for attaining it, and its approved constitution, from being changed or modified by an inferior authority; 4th, of obliging the congregation to have recourse to the Holy See when any unforeseen question of importance arises in its government. — P. Cotel. When the approbation of the Holy See is solicited, the Sovereign Pontiff, after being assured by the bishop of the diocese, that the rules have been observed with edification dur- ing a certain number of years, gives first what is called a decree of approbation ; later, after examination he approves the institute in its fundamental points and institutes it, by apos- tolic authority ; or he may, at the same time, examine and approve its special constitution or body of rules. 1 62 The work of the Novitiate. II. CONDITIONS REQUISITE FOR ENTERING RELIGION. Two conditions are required to enter religion: vocation, —fidelity to this vocation. * Vocation, which means a call from God, is generally recognized : 1st. By a fitness; that is, a disposition of mind and body to comprehend the obligations of the state, and endure its labors and fatigues. 2d. By an attraction ; that is, a feeling, be it * If there be states which require a special vocation, they are those of the priesthood and the religious life. The important duties of the one and the other cannot be fulfilled without special grace, and this grace God does not give to those who take upon themselves to enter a state to which He does not call them. Those vocations of which God is not the author have the most deplorable results in the cloister; their sub- jects perceive only the cross and never feel the unction which alone could lessen its weight. Love has nothing to do with their observance of the rules ; fear, and pure- ly human fear, is their only motive for observing them. They are delighted when they can transgress them with impunity, and still more so when they can gather accomplices in their transgressions. — Collet. The work of the Novitiate. 163 instinctive or be it the result of reason, which leads the will to choose the religious rather than the secular life. This sentiment may arise from a supernatural motive, or even from a purely natural motive. This last, if it be confided to a prudent di- rector, if it lead the soul to become more pious, more retired from the world, more devoted to its duty, and if it persevere, may be a direct call from God. The supernatural motives may be : disgust with the world, though we have met with no disappointment ; the desire of doing penance and expiating past faults ; the desire of gaining heaven more surely ; the happiness of living in a community, sheltered from the dangers of the world and the occasions of sin ; the certainty of doing the will of God in all things by obedience ; the desire of being more pleas- ing to God — to give ourselves to Him in grati- tude for the benefits He has bestowed upon us and the love He bears us ; zeal for the salvation of souls. The natural motives may be : a great hu- miliation from which one desires to escape, 164 The work of the Novitiate. vexation at not having succeeded in an institu- tion, or an enterprise. . ♦ God frequently makes use of such causes to lead souls to Himself.* Other motives, such as the ambition to be more respected in a religious habit, the hope *"We should not be disquieted/' says St. Francis of Sales, " as to whence the first inclination to a religious life comes, for our Lord has several ways of calling His servants: " Sometimes He makes use of preaching, sometimes of good books. 44 Some are called through the words of the Gospel; others in the midst of the afflictions, the deceptions, the cares of the world, find a motive which determines them to leave it. Though the latter come to God in. disgust and vexation with the world, nevertheless they give themselves with a full and entire will to God; and frequently they become more perfect, and more holy than those whose vocation has been more ap- parent. Thus, a certain nobleman having mounted a superb horse, with the design of parading his fine appearance, was thrown from his horse into a ditch whence he arose covered with mud and dirt. This accident caused him so much confusion that he in- stantly resolved to enter religion where he led one of the holiest lives, and yet his vocation came from a The work of the Novitiate. 165 of holding an honorable office in the com- munity and of enjoying more ease, etc., being bad in themselves can never become good ; and if we embrace the religious state with such motives we may expect remorse and tortures of conscience, which will only cease after a very long and sometimes very hard penance. Salvation is doubtless not impossible for the soul which has entered religion without a vocation; but it is very difficult, and requires on its part rigid obedience to the director to whom it has confided its fault. The marks that an attraction for the religious life comes from God, are : constancy in spite of obstacles ; peace of soul in spite of exterior op- position and the repugnances of nature; a life more pure, more submissive, more faithful to every duty. Whatever be the motives which impel one to the religious life, it is necessary : 1st. To expose them simply to an enlight- ened director, who is unprejudiced, free from every human consideration in his judgment, full of esteem for the religious life, and, if possible, having some experience of it him- 1 66 The work of the Novitiate. self; if the confessor have these qualities, the grace of his state particularly fits him for discerning a vocation. 2d. To pray well; for entering religion is not a temporal affair in which we may be more or less wisely guided by human prudence alone, but an affair of spiritual, supernatural, and eternal interest, and of such importance that to avoid the risk of being mistaken we must make use of every supernatural means which Providence deigns to place at our dis- position. — Fabre. III. THE ORDINARY MARKS OF A DIVINE VOCATION FOR THE RELIGIOUS STATE. 1st Mark. The wish to leave the world and embrace the religious life, impelled by a sincere desire to make ones salvation more secure. This mark becomes stronger when there is added to it a desire to labor for the glory of God by cooperating more efficaciously and more directly in the salvation of souls. 2d Mark. The desire to aspire to perfection The work of the Novitiate. 167 by embracing the evangelical counsels which Jesus offers as a means of attaining it, and the desire of being more intimately united with Jesus Christ. 3d Mark. The desire to sacrifice to Jesus Christ, be it to make ourselves more pleasing to Him or in gratitude for His benefits, our life, our members, our heart, our entire will. 4lh Mark. To be attracted, but calmly and quietly, by the spiritual advantages of the religious life, where, according to St. Bernard, "one lives more purely, falls more rarely, rises more promptly, receives grace more abundantly, dies more holily, is rewarded more largely." ^th Mark. To feel a very decided antipathy for marriage, even though we may be unable to assign a cause for it, and be determined to live a life of celibacy. 6th Mark. To be inclined to the relig- ious life instinctively, as it were, and not through enthusiam, sentiment, or expediency, nor affec- tion for one whom we are to find there; and this inclination should have existed for a certain time without being either destroyed or shaken 168 The work of the Novitiate. by the knowledge of the sufferings and trials of the life, nor the reasons which may be alleged to turn us from it, nor even the rebuffs we may have received on the subject. fth Mark. To always return to the thought of a religious life in spite of moments of trial and terrible crisis through which God permits us to pass, and during which it seems as though we would abandon all. In the life of souls seriously called to the religious life, there are sometimes moments of terrible crisis. " My soul," says St. Theresa, " experienced a mys- terious agony when I left my father. " — At such times it seems as though God does not wish us; that the separation we are meditating is impossible ; that every thing within us and about us rebels. . . . Let these bitter hours pass, and let us await the return of calmness and reason to make our decision. Slh Mark. An interior conviction that God calls us to the religious life, that He asks this sacrifice of us ; that our salvation and that of our parents is attached to it. glh Mark. An almost certain assurance that our health will be able to endure the fatigues The work of the Novitiate. 169 to which we look forward, that the life is not too much opposed to our tastes, and that it will even afford us a work conformable to our acquirements and character. \oth Mark : and the most impo7'tant. The assent of a prudent director to whom we have made known our soul, — to whose questions we have replied with simplicity, — to whom we have been submissive in the different trials by which he thought proper to test us, and whom we have not sought to influence in any way. Remarks : 1st. It is not necessary that all the marks which we have just mentioned should be found, at the same time, in one person ; the more numerous, however, the marks are, the more certainty there is of a religious vocation. 2d. Religious vocation is a personal affair which should be treated of in meditation between God and the soul. The director or confessor interposes solely to indicate what is to be done, — to examine the motives which in- fluence the soul, — to follow the voice of grace. After he has helped the soul by his counsels, enlightened it by the lights he has received, he must leave it perfectly free. 170 The work of the Novitiate. IV. THE OBLIGATION OF FOLLOWING OUR VOCATION. Generally speaking, we are not obliged, un- der pain of grave sin, to embrace the religious state, since this state is only of counsel; but to resist a call from God, confirmed by our director and our conscience, is to prepare for ourselves a life of remorse, trouble and anxiety; it is, above all, greatly risking our salvation. * Parents who formally oppose an acknowl- edged vocation in their children, and prevent them from entering the religious life, sin mor- tally; and when there is question of a daughter * St. Liguori adds : "When a person is persuaded that she will be damned in the world, whether on account of her weakness in the midst of dangerous occasions, or for want of the powerful aids which heaven has prepared for her in religion, she can not be excused, under pain of mortal sin, if freely, of her own accord, she risks her salvation by refusing to follow her vocation. " "Even though there may be no sin," says Lessius, "in not following one's vocation, this resistance to grace is frequently the beginning of many disorders, and a first step in the way of perdition." The ivork of the Novitiate, 1 7 1 are threatened with excommunication by the- council of Trent. Parents may doubtless ex- amine and prudently test the vocation of their children, but the trial should last no longer than is reasonably necessary. The weak faith of parents, their unreasonable opposition, their too human attachment, authorize a child, if he be of age, to disregard the wishes of his family and enter a religious community. Excommunication is pronounced against all persons who would force a girl to enter a convent, to take the habit of a religious order, to make a religious profession ; and against all persons who, other than by entreaties, would prevent her from following her vocation. This penalty is not incurred when there is question of religious communities which take simple vows like the communities of women in France, but the fault would always be a serious one. V. THE CLOTHING. Before taking the veil a young girl should have passed in the community a longer or 172 The work of the Novitiate. shorter time, fixed by the constitutions, to prepare herself for the Novitiate. During this time she receives the name of postulant, or aspirant. A postulant cannot take the veil in a re- ligious house : 1st. If she have not received baptism and confirmation, (confirmation, however, is only necessary for her profession). 2d. If she have not attained the age required by the Council of Trent. The church has not fixed upon any age for beginning the Novitiate ; she only forbids taking the veil before twelve, and making profession before the sixteenth year of one's age is completed. 3d. If she have not been examined by the bishop or his delegate, who puts to her the prescribed questions. 4th. If her parents are absolutely dependent upon her for subsistence, and if without her as- sistance they would be obliged to have recourse to public charity, or to go to a hospital to be cared for ; if she be necessary to her little brothers and sisters on account of their age. These are the general principles established The work of the Novitiate. 173 by religious orders, and followed even by other communities. The rules of several institutes exact other conditions to which the novice should submit. VI. THE NOVITIATE. The Novitiate is a time when we prepare ourselves for the religious life, by practising and studying approved rules, that we may learn whether the community is suited to us, and in order that the community may discover whether we are suitable for their order. The Novitiate should last a complete year. This period should be strictly adhered to — even a few hours might prevent one from taking the vows. * The superior is free to prolong this period. * According to a decree of Pius IX., the novices of orders taking solemn vows should, for three or live years after their novitiate, take only temporary vows, and can not be admitted to pronounce solemn vows till after this second novitiate. — March 19th, 1857. 174 The work of the Novitiate. In case of fatal illness the novice is admitted to her profession, whatever time has elapsed since her entrance provided she have completed her sixteenth year. This profession, however, does not bind the community to the novice like the profession made in its own proper time, and it should be renewed if the novice be restored to health. The Novitiate is not interrupted by an illness of several months, even when the time is pass- ed at home, nor by a somewhat prolonged stay, when it is sanctioned by permission, and its object is to be of service to one's family; but one day, spent away from the religious house without authority, unless detained by an insu- perable obstacle, obliges one to recommence the year. According to the Sacred Congregation, nov- ices of religious orders should be separated from the professed even during recreation. This wise measure is generally mentioned in the rules of communities taking simple vows. The novices are only obliged to give to the communities the money necessary to pay their expenses during the Novitiate. The work of the Novitiate. 175 VII. THE OBLIGATIONS OF NOVICES. In regard to chastity a novice has no other obligations than those she had before entering the Novitiate. A greater abundance of grace, a more perfect knowledge of her duty, may render her sin more grave, but the nature of the sin is not changed. As regards poverty she has the same liberty about her personal possessions that she had before entering the Novitiate. This liberty is only restrained by the rule. She commits then a fault against the rule by disposing of any- thing without permission, but does not com- mit a fault against poverty. As regards the possessions of the community, she can appropriate nothing, and should only make use of what is assigned for her use ; if she fail in any way on this point, she commits a fault against justice, and may render herself guilty of sacrilege by perverting objects conse- crated to the service of God. (A sacrilege may not be a mortal sin, either on account of 176 The work of the Novitiate. the want of intention, or the lightness of the matter.) As regards obedience, the novice is not strictly, and under pain of sin resulting directly from her act of self will, obliged to obey her superior nor the rule, because this obligation for re- ligious comes from the vow of obedience, and the promise contained in their profession; and a novice has made no vows. But disobedience may become a grave sin against charity : 1st, if it be a cause of scan- dal to your sisters, if it introduce laxity in the observance of the rules and a decline of discipline ; 2d, disobedience may become a more or less grave sin because it violates the tacit engagement which a novice makes, on entering the Novitiate, to observe the rules, to obey the superior, and to maintain good order. Whatever the reality or gravity of the fault which a novice may commit, she is obliged to undergo the penance which is imposed upon her for violation of the rules. A novice can leave during the time of the Novitiate without incurring any sin, provided she act with prudence ; generally, she should The work of the Novitiate. 177 not do it without having consulted her supe- riors and obtained their assent. The novices are bound through charity, fidelity, and, I would almost say, justice, to offer the suffrages prescribed by the community for its benefactors and founders; as regards the suffrages pre- scribed for the deceased members of the com- munity there is a certain justice in acquitting oneself of them, since in case of our death the same would be done for us. VIII. THE PRIVILEGES OF NOVICES. The novices generally enjoy all the privileges granted to the community they have entered, and which are not attached to the religious profession or to the existence of vows. They participate in the indulgences and spiritual favors of the community, and are not bound during their Novitiate to accomplish the private vows which they may have made before their entrance, and which might be incompat- ible with the rule of the house. Such vows are then suspended. 178 The work of the Novitiate. IX. I PROFESSION. Religious profession is a contract by which the novice in a congregation, approved by the Church, gives herself to God by formally mak- ing the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to the rule and constitu- tions of the congregation. To make her profession, a novice is strictly bound : 1st, To be free and to act with the full consent of her will, under the authority of her superior who in the name of God accepts her consecration, and thus gives her the right to become a member of the congregation and share in all its advantages ; 2d, She must have completed her sixteenth year ; 3d, She must have made an entire year of Novitiate ; 4th, She must have contracted no engagement which still exists, whether it be in marriage or in another community the rule of which is more perfect. She must have no impediment contrary to the statutes of the order or the community. The work of the Novitiate. 179 Religious profession renders one incapable of receiving the sacrament of marriage. This sacrament would be null if the vows were solemn, valid but sacrilegious if the vows were simple. It deprives one of all personal rights incompatible with the vows of poverty and obedience, according as they are made in the community. It places the religious in sub- jection to the rules and to her superiors. It imposes upon her the duty of observing the rules of the community after the manner in- dicated by these rules. It gives the community the right of directing all her actions through the authority of those persons charged with its government. The temporal punishment due to sin is re- mitted by profession in a religious order, or in a congregation the vows of which are simple but perpetual and to which the Holy Father may have granted the privileges of solemn vows. Profession permits the superior to commute the vows which a religious may have made before those of her profession.* — It renders a religious * The vows of religion whether simple or solemn are superior in power and extent to vows made in the 180 The work of the Novitiate. sacred, (that is to say, anyone would incur ex- communication who would unjustly or seriously strike a religious,) even though, according to the common opinion of canonists, she belongs) but to a simple religious congregation approv- ed only by the Ordinary. It prevents a religious from leaving her community, without having obtained the au- thority which the Pope alone can grant when there is question of solemn vows, and even of simple but perpetual vows, when the communi- ty is approved by the Holy See, unless special powers are given to the bishop. The bishop of the diocese can grant permission to return to the world when the community is not approved by the Holy See. (Recourse must always be had to the Sovereign Pontiff for dispensation from the vow of perpetual chastity.) world, "for the religious vows," says St. Thomas, "eminently contain special vows." The religious vows put an end to the practices of associations in which one has been enrolled in the world, as well as to all practices other than those of the institute. — They render null any practices in relig- ion which are assumed without permission. — Leguay, The work of the Novitiate. 181 VOWS. A vow is a deliberate promise made to God by which one engages himself for a thing which it is better to do than not to do. A private vow, that is, one made only between God and oneself binds only according to the will of him who makes it ; while a religious vow, that is to say, one made in a community for the purpose of becoming one of its members, binds according to the comprehension of the rules and constitutions of the community, — so that if a religious in pronouncing her vows were to make any reservation, whether mental or verbal, she would commit a sin, and would be no less obliged to fulfill the obligations imposed by the community. The vows of religion are either temporary, that is, for a certain fixed time; ox perpetual, that is, taken forever ; or simple, that is, pro- nounced in a congregation approved by the Church, but in which the vows are not declar- ed solemn by the Sovereign Pontiff ; or solemn, 1 82 The work of the Novitiate. that is, approved and recognized as such by the Sovereign Pontiff. We see that it is the decla- ration of the Pope which alone renders the vows solemn. The solemnity of vows, together with some other special conditions of which we will speak in relation to the vows of poverty and chastity, renders dispensation from these vows excessively difficult. " The Sovereign Pontiff alone, and in extremely rare cases," says Gautrelet, "can pronounce them no longer binding." In communities of women in France, even though the rules are approved at Rome and the vows formerly were solemn, those of to-day are now only simple. (See Page IJJ 4 )* Though these communities are not religious orders they share nevertheless in all the in- dulgences of religious orders which take solemn vows, as we have already said. (See page I55-) One may be absolved by the bishop of the diocese, from perpetual vows taken in a sim- ple religious congregation, if its rules be not approved at Rome ; it is generally necessary to have recourse to the Pope if the rules be * This is true, also, of almost all the religious communities of women in the United States. The work of the Novitiate. 183 approved at Rome, unless special powers be given to the Bishop.* As regards dispensation from the vow of per- petual chastity, recourse must always be had to the Sovereign Pontiff even though the rules have not been approved by the Holy See. Temporary vows only bind as long as they last. If one should desire to break them before their term of duration expires, he must follow the rules we have just given for perpet- ual vows. The violation of a vow is always of a grave nature, and can only be a venial sin from the lightness of the matter or lack of full consent. The accomplishment of an act done in * The decree of January 2d, 1836, which contains the question — Can the Ordinary, where there is sufficient reason, dispense the vows taken by religious, (of France) the vow of chastity remaining reserved? — replies that the Ordinary can dispense with them ; and does not specify whether the rules be approved or not by the Holy See. Mgr. Gousset also simply says: "In the present state of things vows, (of religious in France,) if we ex- cept that of chastity, cease to be reserved to the Sover- eign Pontiff. " 1 84 The work of the Novitiate. virtue of a vow gives to the act a double merit. Thus an act of obedience, performed by a religious, has the merit of the act in itself, and the merit of the virtue of religion to which the vow belongs. For the same reason the viola- tion of a vow includes two sins : one against the commandment violated, the other against the vow. XL THE VOW AND THE VIRTUE OF POVERTY. The vow of poverty interdicts the right of pos- sessing and ceding; or if the right remain, the vow interdicts all acts of possession or cession. * A solejnn vow renders one incapable, even with the superior's permission, of personally possessing any goods whatever which are estimable in money, and of disposing, as master, of goods which are for her use. — A * It is not possible to say strictly what any particu- lar religious renounces by the vow of poverty, for this vow depends more or less on the severity of the rules of each institute. — It is necessary, then, to consult the rule of each house to be able to exactly state the extent of the vow which its members take. The work of the Novitiate. 185 simple vow prevents one only from lawfully using or disposing of personal possessions without the express or tacit permission of the superior. — One's honor, reputation, one's writings, are not counted as temporal goods. * *Here are the declarations of the Holy See in regard to the practice of the vow of poverty in con- gregations which take only temporary vows : '* The vow of poverty does not take from a professed religious the power of preserving the simple proprie- torship of his temporal goods ; but it takes from him all right to administer these goods and to dispose of their fruits or revenues while he remains in the con- gregation. "That is why a sister, before taking her vows, should, even by a private act, cede the administration, use, and profits of said goods to whom she may please, and even to her own institute if she prefers. But the said cession will be of no effect if the sister leave the congregation. She may even add the clause that the said cession will be always and at all times revocable, even though she remain in the institute; at the same time as long as her vows last, she is interdicted from using, without the permission of the Holy See, the power which she thus reserves to herself. "The same rule should be observed in regard to goods which, after her profession, may come to her by right of inheritance. 1 86 The work of the Novitiate. The matter of a vow of poverty, in a simple congregation, includes : All goods movable or immovable which do not belong to the religious ; all that a religious has given or ceded to the congregation: her trousseau, for example, and other gratuitous donations which she may have made, — (a nov- ice who leaves or is sent away, before making her vows, can take again all that she brought with her at her entrance, outside of the expenses of her maintenance). All the gifts she receives through alms, affection, or gratitude ; all the products of her industry, her labor, and her patrimonial possessions ; every act of propri- etorship in relation to her patrimonial posses- sions of which she can make no disposition without the permission of her superiors.* "As regards the domain of her possessions, she will have the power of disposing of it by testament, and of exercising on this subject, but with the per- mission of the superior, all the acts of proprietorship prescribed by the laws. — Cited by Father CoteL * To preserve the vow of poverty in France a reli- gious should be only nominally a property holder before the civil law; but the direction, employment, disposition, The work of the Novitiate. 187 It follows from this : 1st. That a religious can retain no sum of money, however small and trifling. 2d. That she can receive no deposit oblig- ing her to be responsible if the object confided to her be destroyed, since such an act is a veritable contract. 3d. That she can accept nothing in her own name, either from her parents, or her friends, or any person whatever, or under any title, either as a remuneration for services, or as a simple gift ; anything she receives in this way should be remitted to the superior who disposes of it as she judges proper. 4 th. That she cannot give to the poor what she may retrench from her own food ; for what she does not consume belongs to the commu- of her revenues should be made in complete submis- sion to the will of her superiors. After having given the community the prescribed dowry, or portion, the religious is free to will her patri- monial possessions to whom she pleases. The superi- ors, to whom she should always submit her intentions, authorize this cession, which is indicated moreover by the different rules of the communities. 1 88 The work of the Novitiate. ntty and not to her, unless a certain prescribed quantity of food is given her, with a clearly ex- pressed right to dispose of it in good works and without rendering an account of the surplus of what remains above her own necessities.* 5th. That she cannot hide clothes, books, utensils, etc., which are assigned for her use, through fear that the superior will take them from her. 6th. That she cannot, of her own accord, change with her sisters objects which have been given for her use. 7th. That when she is charged to distribute any thing she cannot dispose of it in a manner contrary to the will and instructions of her su- perior. If she give more or less or something better or inferior, according to her taste or ca- price, she acts as proprietor ; this might happen on the part of the treasurer, the sister charged with the linen, the innrmarian, etc., who might allow themselves to be guided by sympathy or aversion. * A member of a community on a mission is permit- ted to give alms to the poor, and make certain pious little gifts. Superiors tacitly authorize this custom. The work of the Novitiate. 189 8th. That she cannot injure, destroy or trans- form, objects which are given for her use and for a certain purpose. 9th. That she cannot lend to others what she has received for her own use, unless when there is question of ordinary objects which every one needs, and which are, so to speak, public property of the community. In these little mutual loans, she must avoid the indiffer- ence of laxity as well as minutiae, or rudeness : when one sister asks something of another, charity should generally make one presume that she has permission. 1 :th. That she cannot, without permission, renounce any legacy or inheritance, as such renunciation would be an act of proprietor- ship. " These decisions," says Bishop Bouvier, "ap- ply to the religious who are only bound by the simple vow of poverty, as well as to those whose vows may be solemn; with this difference, as we have already remarked, that any acts of the former, contrary to the vow of poverty, are illicit though valid, while those of the latter are both illicit and nulL 1 90 The work of the Novitiate. Every permission which is valid, that is, given by those who have a right to grant it, and licit, that is, given for good reasons, saves one from a fault against poverty. A permission may be express or formal, given in a precise manner, either verbally or in writing. Tacit, that is, contained in a permission already given : for example, the permission to buy an object includes that of spending mon- ey ; a tacit permission may also be given even by the silence of the superior who permits that to be done which she could easily forbid. Special, that is, given for a single case. General, that is, either given to many for one case or to one individual for many cases. Presumed, that is, supposed to exist in the will of the superior, because we reasonably judge that it would be granted if asked ; this permission is only licit and valid in as far as there is necessity for acting, and difficulty in having recourse to the superior.* * A religious may meet with an unforeseen circum- stance which may be so urgent that it will not admit of delav. In this case if she cannot wait for the reply The work of the Novitiate. 191 A superior cannot give irrevocable per- missions. A violation of the vow of poverty is always a more or less serious fault according to the matter. It is generally agreed that the matter which makes a child stealing from its parents guilty of a mortal sin of theft, suffices to constitute in a religious a mortal sin against the vow of poverty. The virtue of poverty extends much further than the vow, since it regulates even the desires of the heart and leads it to detach itself from all affection for temporal possessions. There- fore a religious may sin against the virtue of poverty even though she does not violate her vow. The vow empties the hands ; the virtue empties the heart. One may sin against the virtue of poverty even though the vow be unviolated, by regrets of her superior, and she, in good faith, thinks that her superior, present, would authorize what she is about 'to do, should act accordingly, and afterwards relate what she has done. 192 The work of the Novitiate. or desires contrary to this virtue : by an ill- regulated attachment to some object one is using, were it only a book, a rosary, (it is the affection which makes the sin, ) — by the use of superfluous objects, that is, those which are useless, or too costly or too elegant*. . etc. The virtue of poverty should be practised in the lodging, by not asking either the most con- venient or the best situated ; in the furniture of the cell, by having but what is sufficient, and desiring only a plain and simple kind ; in dress, by preserving it uniform, simple and neat ; in food, by asking only what is beneficial for health ; in journeys, by not making those which are not necessary or useful, and by not choosing, unless for a good reason, expensive modes of traveling ; in the employment of time, by not wasting it, and by employing it accord- ing to the rule ; in the presents which one is * It was to prevent these attachments for trifles which encumber the heart, that St. Francis of Sales wished that every year the religious of the Visitation should place their books, rosaries, crosses, medals, pictures in common, and that each of these objects should then be distributed to them by the superior. The work of the Novitiate. 193 authorized to give, by not making them too expensive, and by seeking those which will benefit the soul. However, a sister who endeavors to faithfully follow the common life of the community rarely sins against the virtue of poverty. * XII. THE VOW AND THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY. The vow of chastity imposes two obligations: 1st. to renounce marriage ; 2d, to avoid every interior or exterior act already forbidden by the sixth and ninth commandment. This vow, as we have already said, can only be commuted by the Sovereign Pontiff, even in communities where the rules have not been approved by the Holy See. * The most frequent cause of sins against poverty is the use of the peculia. By this is meant a certain sum of money coming either from the private property of the religious or from gifts, and which, in some houses, a religious is free to use. It is an abuse which the superiors have a right to banish; happily, it does not reign to any extent in our communities. 194 The work of the Novitiate. A grave sin against chastity, committed by a religious, is, first of all, a mortal sin against the sixth or ninth commandment ; then a sacrilege on account of the vow, and, if the fault is ex- terior, a scandal to the faithful; and a sin against charity, on account of the dishonor it brings upon the community. Sins against chastity may be : interior acts produced by desires, thoughts, memories \ represen- tations, too tender affections, sensual friendships ; or exterior acts, caused by too much liberty of the eyes in glances, in reading, in seeking what is dangerous or only sensual, — of the ears, by listening to what is unbecoming : to flatteries, suspicious compliments, expressions of too ten- der a nature, effeminate songs too sensual in their character, — of the tongue, by the use of equivocal words, indelicate expressions, by singing profane songs, etc., — of the hands, by indulging in games in which there is too much familiarity, in marks of sensual affection, in un- becoming actions. An act which may be venial in a person in the world may become a grave sin in a re- ligious, on account of the scandal it gives. The work of the Novitiate. 195 The means for preserving intact the vow and virtue of chastity, are, —besides prayer, devotion to the Holy Eucharist and to the Blessed Virgin, — guarding the senses, and particularly that of sight, — avoiding idleness — flying all occasions the moment conscience warns that they are dangerous for us, — promptness in repelling temptation however light it may be, — carefully avoiding tender friendships, even those which seem to us the holiest, if they enervate the heart, — reserve in the most spiritual inter- courses, and moderation in the expressions of gratitude which the heart may suggest,* — * We may recognize by the following marks when an affection is too natural and becomes dangerous : 1st. The material pleasure it affords us to remain with the person loved ; the pain we feel at leaving her. 2d. The affectionate glances we direct toward her, even though she cannot see us. 3d. The disquiet, discouragement, and want of energy in work which her absence causes us. 4th. The jealousy we experience at seeing her loved by others. 5th. The blindness which makes us find every thing perfect in her. 196 The work of the Novitiate. temperance, — finally, great frankness with him who is charged with the direction of our soul. The virtue of chastity, which is the guardian of the vow of chastity, leads the religious to indulge moderately in permitted pleasures, and sometimes to even deprive herself of them, through a motive of mortification, when she can do so unperceived. Here are the precautions to be taken when we begin to experience these dangerous feelings: 1st. Never to speak, without necessity, to the sister who is the object of this affection. 2d. At recreation to let others take their places before choosing ours, — we will rarely be at her side. 3d. Never to be voluntarily occupied with her, and to banish her memory as an importunate thought. 4th. Never, doubtless, to refuse her any service, but to perform it with exterior and, more particularly, interior moderation. 5th. To repress all emotion of joy which we may feel at seeing her after a more or less prolonged absence. 6th. To make known to our confessor the efforts we are making. The work of the Novitiate, igj XIII. THE VOW AND THE VIRTUE OF OBEDIENCE. The vow of obedience is one by which a religious engages herself before God to obey her lawful superiors in all that they command according to the rule. The rule is the basis of the power of supe- riors ; they can command nothing contrary to the rule or outside the rule, but they can command all that is necessary for the exact observance of the rule, and also what it implicitly includes, such as penances for its transgressors, the manner of fulfilling its obligations, etc. When there is a doubt whether the command is against the rule, the inferior is obliged to obey unless recourse is had to a superior authority. The vow of obedience is the most excellent of the three vows ; it is the most necessary for the good of the community ; it is the most no- ble since it consecrates to God one's whole life and the most intimate faculties of the soul. The simple vow of obedience renders illicit, that is, 198 The work of the Novitiate. culpable, every obligation contracted by a reli- gious without the consent of her superior, but does not of itself annul it ; the solemn vow, on the contrary, renders null every obligation contracted without permission. We sin mortally against the vow of obedience whenever we formally, and in a grave matter, disobey an order given in virtue of holy obedi- ence; when we obstinately and opinionatively resist the superior who commands; when our disobedience results in any serious injury to the community, or to ourselves, or to a third person. The rule, generally, does not in itself oblige under pain of sin, particularly when there is question of points of the rule; that is, articles which are not expressed in the obligations of vows ; " but one rarely violates the rules with- out sin," says St. Thomas, " on account of the motive which impels the violation. When one disobeys, it is really through pride, or self- indulgence, or laziness, or human respect, or some other motive which is always vicious. The sin can even become grave if one despises a point of the rule as coming from God." The work of the Novitiate. 199 The habitual transgression of the rules becomes more culpable, on account of the scandal and laxity which it introduces into the community. Obedience is due, not only to the superior, when he speaks himself, but to all those who have received any authority from him, when what they command is within their province. The virtue of obedience requires that the interior should be in accord with the exterior act, while the vow, strictly speaking, exacts only the exterior act. The virtue of obedience to be perfect should be prompt : without delay — at once abandon what you are doing, even if you leave it un- finished; complete : accomplishing, to the least detail, the command which is given ; super- natural ; accomplished with a view to please God, and as a command from God ; absolute : without reasoning or objecting (it is permitted, however, to make to the superior representations which we consider just, but with respect, sin- cerity and submission) ; joyful ; with pleasure, moved by the thought that we are obeying God and gaining heaven; generous : without 200 The work of the Novitiate. being troubled by the obstacles which arise, and the sacrifices which are to be made. Besides the direct faults against obedience, there are certain defects which wound it and prepare the soul for a formal violation. These are prejudices against superiors, antipathies, mur- murs, excuses, tardiness, etc. Other defects destroy all the merit of obedi- ence and render the soul culpable : such as obeying without submitting the will, and only as a matter of form ; obeying through fear, like a slave, and only because we are seen ; obeying through policy and self love, to win the good graces of the superior. "This is not an ex- ercise of virtue/' says St. Bernard, "but a cloak with which we hide our malice." XIV. THE CLOISTER. The laws of the Church concerning the cloister of religious who take solemn vows can- not apply in France where, as we have already said, all the religious (decree of Jan. 23d, 182 1.) take only simple vows. The work of the Novitiate. 201 The cloister, however, should be strictly ob- served after the manner prescribed by the rule, and its violation cannot but be a mortal sin in itself. It is so regarded by all cloistered reli- gious, and this opinion explains and justifies the care with which the cloister is observed in all fervent communities. 11 There is nothing, in fact," says Father Gau- trelet, "which a religious should have so much at heart ; there is no point more important than the cloister, none the violation of which carries with it more inconveniences, and none, consequently, more necessary to be observed. "The bishop can oblige religious to observe the cloister, and it is even fitting that he should impose this obligation on all the religious of his diocese, that, in the language of the Sacred Penitentiary, sheltered from the world and its dan- gers, they may have more liberty to apply themselves to the service of God. It is understood that here there is no question of congregations where the nature of their institute and occupations requires that they should live in the world ; such as those, for example, which are devoted to the care of the sick." 202 The work of the Novitiate. But neither religious leaving their convent, nor strangers entering into the cloister, with- out permission, incur the excommunication pronounced by canon law against violating the cloister of religious who take solemn vows. The bishop may have made this violation a reserved case in his diocese, and pronounced excommunication against it, which is then in- curred. XV. As it is absolutely impossible to determine, in a precise manner, the obligations proper to each one of the numerous congregations existing in the church, we limit ourselves to referring each of them to their own rules, the lawful customs which explain the rule, and, particularly, to the decision of the bishop in all doubtful cases. "It is," concludes Father Gautrelet, "the province of the oldest superior in the congre- gation to interpret the rules or dispense from them, and the church relies upon him in what concerns them." The work of the Novitiate. 203 SECOND. SUMMARY OF A TREATISE ON THE INTERIOR LIFE.* L NATURE OF THE INTERIOR LIFE. The interior life is living constantly in the presence of God and in union with Him. It accustoms one to look upon the heart as a temple in which God dwells — sometimes glo- rious as in heaven, sometimes hidden as in the Eucharist; and it is in the presence of God that the soul thinks, speaks, acts, and accom- plishes all the duties imposed upon it. The end of the interior life is : to avoid sin — to be detached from temporal goods through a spirit of poverty, — from sensual pleasures by purity and mortification, — from pride, by hu- mility, — from natural advantages, by purity of intention, — from dissipation, by recollection. * From Golden Sands. 204 The work of the Novitiate. We, generally, are prejudiced against the interior life. Some fear it, and look upon it as a life of bondage, of sacrifice and restraint ; others despise it as a collection of minute prac- tices calculated to cramp genius and render one useless in the world, and regard it as only fit for little minds. Therefore we are on our guard against it and avoid reading books which treat of it. Doubtless we wish to serve God, but we do not wish to subject ourselves to this continual de- pendence on the movement of His Spirit; so that it is less difficult to lead a soul from a state of mortal sin to a state of grace and the exterior practice of the christian virtues, than from this exterior virtue to the interior life. * * To form an exact idea of the interior life it is necessary to distinguish in the Christian: 1st. The life of the senses, which is that of those per- sons who, indifferent to the thought of offending God, grant themselves every gratification ; and of those also, who, while unwilling to offend God grievously, will not deny their senses little enjoyments which are mere sensual satisfactions. 2d. The life of reason, which is that guided by natural reason, independently of the lights which The work of the Novitiate. 205 II. EXCELLENCE OF THE INTERIOR LIFE. It is the reign of God in souls ; it is the life of the Blessed Virgin on earth; that of Jesus Himself who lived always subject to his Father. It is the life of which St. Paul speaks when he says : // is no longer I who live, but Jesus Christ who liveth in me. All the saints live this life, and the degree of their sanctity is in proportion to the perfec- tion of their union with God. faith biings to the assistance of reason. This life is called in Holy Scripture human wisdom ; it is that of which St. Paul has said: The sensual man perceive th not these things that are of the spirit of God ; for it is foolishness to him and he cannot understand. It was in reference to it that Jesus said : / give thee thanks O Fat/ier, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones. This is the life of respectable people, according to the world, philoso- phers, sages, who understand nothing of the stabie of Bethlehem, of the workshop of Nazareth, of the igno- minies of Calvary, of the beatitudes preached by Christ: who laugh at acts of humility and self-denial, 2o6 The work of the Novitiate. As the soul animates their bodies, in like manner Jesus animates their souls. Jesus is their Master, their Counsellor, their Director, and they do nothing without con- sulting Him, without submitting it to Him, without begging His approval. Jesus Christ is their stay, their refuge, their defence. They live subject to Him, as to a father, a protector* an all-powerful king. They attach themselves to Him as a child through love, as a mendicant through want. They permit themselves to be guided by who cannot bear the reading of the lives of the saints, and whose only aim is glory, riches, ease. 3d. The Supernatural life, that is, above reason and nature, which is illumined by the lights of faith and sustained by the reading of the Gospel, and which is practised by those whom we call saints. It is that of which we here speak, and which we call the interior life, because its principle is within us, whence it commands our senses and our reason. The 54th chapter of the 3d book of the Following of Christ, admirably describes the life of nature, and the life of grace, that is, the natural life and the super- natural life. The work of the Novitiate. 207 Him, as a blind man permits himself to be guided by a child to whom he is confided. They bear everything from Him, as the sick who wish to be cured bear everything from the physician ; and they rest in Him like a child in its mother's arms. Therefore, they are gradually raised above the troubles and miseries of this life. Let the universe be a prey to all calamities : they them- selves, despoiled of their worldly goods by injustice or accident ; deprived of their families by death or exile, of their friends by treason or neglect ; of their reputation and their honor by calumny; of their health by the most cruel malady, even of joy by abandonment and temp- tation. . .ah! doubtless, they will feel these trials — their eyes no doubt flow with tears, but they will be calm and peaceful : and, beholding God in their hearts, who permits all, who with His own divine hand conducts all, they will say to Him with transports : Thou art left us 1 Thou ! — we ask no more. 208 The work of the Novitiate. III. ACTS OF THE INTERIOR LIFE. ist. To see God, — that is, to keep ourselves continually in His holy presence : to have Hirn near us in our work, our prayer, our walks, our repose, as a friend from whom we are never parted. God is not importunate ; He is not exacting: He is kind ; it is He who directs all : who proportions to our strength the trial which He sends, and which He knows is necessary for us. 2d. To listen to God, — that is, to be attentive to His prohibitions, to His counsels : He speaks by the words of the Gospel which come back to our memory ; by the good thoughts which suddenly enlighten our mind ; by the pious words which we read in a book, a pamphlet, or which fall from the lips of a preacher, a friend, or sometimes even a stranger. 3d. 7o speak to God, — that is, to converse with Him rather with the heart than the lips: by the morning meditation, ejaculatory and vocal prayer, and by a holy repose of The work of the Novitiate. 209 heart, particularly when we have the happiness of visiting Him in the most Blessed Sacrament. 4 th. To love God, — that is, to attach our- selves to Him and to Him alone ; to love others only in union with Him ; not to desire or accept any affection which can weaken His ; to lend ourselves to all through love for Him, but to give ourselves to Him alone. 5th. To think of God, — that is, to reject all thought which excludes that of God. We must of course occupy ourselves with our duties, and accomplish them as perfectly as we are capable, but perform them in the presence of God with the thought that He has com- manded them, and that the careful fulfilment of our duties is pleasing to Him. IV. MEANS OF ATTAINING THE INTERIOR LIFE. 1st. Great purity of conscience, — procured by the frequent, regular, and serious reception of the Sacrament of Penance, by a horror of all sin, of all imperfection, of all infidelity, by calmly, but energetically, avoiding all occasions of sin. 210 The work of the Novitiate. 2d. Great purity of heart, — detachment from all created objects : riches, the goods of this life, reputation, family, friends, fastidious tastes, health, life itself. . .not that we must cease to love our family and our friends, devote our- selves to them and show them our affection, but in the sense that their memory must only re- main in the heart united to the memory and love of God. 3d. Great purity of mind, — to banish, with assiduous care, all useless thoughts and reflec- tions on the past, the present, or the future ; all preoccupation about the success of an en- terprise, all desire to be known and applauded. 4th. Great purity of action, — not to charge ourselves with what does not enter into our obligations ; to repress all eagerness and undue activity ; to act in direct correspondence with the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and to bear in mind that our actions glorify God ; to pause for a moment before passing from one duty to another, in order to direct our inten- tion ; to have always some occupation. 5 th. Great recollection and mortification of the senses — to withdraw as much as possible The work of the Novitiate. 2 1 1 (always considering the duties of our position) from visits, festivities, and noisy pleasures ; never to voluntarily permit ourselves useless glances, words, or enjoyments ; let them be governed by reason, decorum, edification, and charity ; to say our prayers more slowly, dis- tinctly pronouncing the words, and applying ourselves sometimes to relish their meaning. 6th. Great exactness in all things: in the or- dinary actions of life, and particularly in our religious exercises ; let nothing be governed by chance or whim ; consider your rule as the expression of God's will; and say to yourselves sometimes when the hour for a duty comes: Let us go quickly ; God calls us. 7 th. Great freedom with God: speaking to Him with simplicity, loving Him affection- ately, consulting Him in all things, rendering Him an account of everything, frequently thanking Him — above all, visiting Him with joy in the Holy Eucharist. This freedom with God cannot exist without a firm and constant fidelity to the morning meditation, of which we will speak later. 8th. Great charity towards our neighbor; be- 212 The work of the Novitiate. cause he is the beloved child of God, pray for him, console him, encourage him, instruct him, strengthen him, and help him in all things. OBSTACLES TO THE INTERIOR LIFE. 1st. Natural impulsiveness which always im- pels us forward, making us act precipitately. It shows itself: In our projects : multiplying them, accumu- lating them, reversing them, repeating them. It allows no repose to itself or others until it has accomplished what it has conceived. In our actions. Nature craves movement. It burdens itself with a thousand things out- side of duty and sometimes contrary to duty. It impetuously gives itself up to what it is doing ; it runs, it hastens, it is ever troubled, and always impatient to see the end. In our repasts. The impulse of nature is to seize impetuously all that is put before it, with- out allowing reason or faith time to restrain its natural avidity. The work of the Novitiate. 2 1 3 In our conversations. Impulsiveness makes us speak without reflection, interrupt without politeness, reprove without charity, judge with- out discretion. It makes us talk loud, dispute, and murmur. In our prayers. It charges itself with a number of prayers, which it recites hastily with- out attention or understanding, impatient to finish them; it cannot remain in meditation ; it torments and vexes itself, it wearies the brain, exhausts the piety of the soul, and prevents the action of the Holy Spirit. 2d. Curiosity. It lays the soul open to all exterior objects ; it fills it with a thousand curious, agreeable, or sorrowful ideas which excite it and occupy it for entire days. Hence the impossibility of entering into one- self, and particularly of remaining there ; hence result disgust, sloth, weariness of everything like silence, recollection, or meditation. Curiosity shows itself in studies : pursued through vanity, through a desire of knowledge, and of appearing clever rather than instructing oneself and becoming useful ; in our reading : devoting a great portion of our time to stones, 214 The work of the Novitiate. news, journals ; in our walks : leading us with the crowd in order to see and learn news that we may relate it afterwards ; in a multitude of actions : for example, hastening with feverish impatience to open a letter which is addressed to us, or to look at an object of interest, or to be the first to impart news. God, whom we have forgotten, retires from the heart leaving it empty ; hence the ardent desire to fill it with anything that presents itself. 3d. Cowardice. God does not forbid a sub- missive and resigned complaint ; He forbids cowardly murmurings, and He withdraws from the soul which knows not how to lean upon Him. Cowardice shows itself in the trials of life, when we resist, and when we revolt against the divine will which sends us an illness, an accusa- tion, a privation : in spiritual dryness, when we give up prayer, meditation, communion, be- cause we feel no comfort in them — when we experience in them a moral and physical weariness which disgusts us and leads us to believe that God has forgotten us. The soul The work of the Novitiate. 2 1 5 which leaves God goes to amuse itself in the world — and God is not found in the midst of the world. Cowardice shows itself, finally, in temptations : when the soul weary, tormented, frightened, retires far from God, and, instead of casting itself into His arms, cries that it is abandoned ; when the temptation is only per- mitted by God to make it more watchful, to preserve its humility, and give it an oppor- tunity to show greater love. VI. THE PIOUS NOVICE'S DAY. As an illustration of the principles we have just mentioned, we reproduce the following pa- ges inserted in our Livre de piete de iajeune fille y under the title of the Pious communicant's day. Why should it not be that of the pious novice? " It is no longer I who live, it is Jesus who lives in me. "It is no longer I who act, but Jesus who acts through me. " It it is no longer I who love ; but Jesus who loves in me and through me. 216 The work of the Novitiate. "Therefore, I must perform all my actions as Jesus would have done them. "Therefore, I must not for a moment forget the presence of Jesus. "Jesus is my helper and shares with me half of what I have to do. "He is my model, and softly whispers how He would have performed the duty which is imposed upon me. " He is my support: He encourages me and enables me to endure fatigue and weariness. " He is my recompense, and counts, that He may reward me for it, every moment I spend in the performance of my duty. "He is my protector, and keeps the Evil One from me ; whilst I pray or work, He guards me from the wicked or strengthens me against their words, never permitting me to be over- come. "Therefore, I love Jesus ! "At my recreations I think of His gentleness, His kindness, His habitual sweetness. " He repulsed no one, He despised no one ; He was always the same: full of consideration and kindness, never weary of helping others, The work of the Novitiate. 217 happy, particularly, when He inconvenienced or weaned Himself for others. "In my conversations , I speak sometimes of Him, always, at least, in His presence, so that nothing rude, unbecoming, or even imprudent may escape me ; I am happy when I can lead any one to love Him. 11 In my studies, I think of our Saviour's good- ness in instructing His disciples, explaining to them, Himself, what they did not understand ; and, remembering that it is He who speaks to me by the voice of my mistresses, I listen to them with respect and gratitude. "I invoke Him when I experience any difficulty ; I submit when I meet with a hu- miliation, or when I encounter an obstacle; when I am somewhat successful, I thank Him, for it is He who has enlightened my understanding. "At my meals I think of His temperance, His sobriety, His mortification; of how kindly He Himself served His apostles; with what charity He worked miracles to feed the poor. "Oh ! if I were free to dispose of anything how abundant I would always make the portion of 2 1 8 The work of the Novitiate. the poor ! Jesus would have made it so abun- dant ! Well, I wish to give all that I can : my intelligence, my skill, and my strength. " In my prayers, I imagine myself near Jesus, and I hear Him say to me, " Whatsoever yon will ask the Father in my name, that will I do" And I seek to be as recollected as He was, and I love to repeat some of the words which He Him- self used : Father, not my will, but thine be done! Father, give us this day our daily bread ! Father, may all know Thee and love Thee ! "In manual labor, I think of the actions, sometimes quite similar to mine, which Jesus performed ; He did all He was commanded, and did it perfectly ; He left His work the moment He was called, then resumed it or left it again. He never complained either of the length, or the monotony, or the difficulty of His task ; and He never hesitated, He who knew all things, to ask St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin how a task should be done, and He perfectly followed the advice they gave Him. "In my trials I call upon Him. . . and I wait. . . I know He is with me, and even though He say no word to me I do not fear ; The work of the Novitiate. 219 He will not let misfortune press me too sorely, nor weariness be so prolonged as to overwhelm me, nor temptation vanquish me. . . I invoke Him. . . I know that He will come in His own good time, and I continue, though some- times with tears and sighs, my work, my prayer, my ordinary life. "In the afflictions which Providence permits, I draw nearer to Him, and, if I do not find Him at my side, I seek Him. . . I find Him in the arms of the Blessed Virgin, who always gives Him to me after a fervent decade of the rosary ; I find Him in the midst of my sisters, particularly during prayer ; for He has said : Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them; 1 find Him in the house of Nazareth where He worked with His hands, and He comes to me when I work as zealously as He did ; I find Him on the cross, and the Way of the Cross which I make in the chapel restores Him to me with peace, calmness and resignation. I find Him, finally, in Holy Communion, and then I say to Him : Leave me no more ! Leave me no more ! 220 The work of the Novitiate. " When going to sleep, I think of Jesus aban- doning Himself to rest, and I see Him sleeping peacefully and innocently : sometimes in the arms of Mary, sometimes in the tempest-tossed barque, sometimes in His crib at Bethlehem. I say to Him, O Jesus, may my rest be as peaceful as Thine, and may my heart be ever watching ; I desire that, during my sleep, each respiration should be a sigh of love, that, on awakening, my first words should be : Jesus, I love Thee. "Oh! how sweet my day is spent thus in union with Jesus \" CHAPTER VIII. TRIALS OF THE NOVITIATE. To try, is to test a person or an object, in order to discover whether it is really what it appears, or whether it is fitted for the purpose for which it is intended. Thus, when a bridge is thrown across a stream, a weight, superior to any it will have to bear, is placed upon it. If it bear this extra- ordinary weight we are sure it will resist an ordinary weight. It is in this way that we try the bridge. In like manner, before confiding a delicate piece of work to a workman, we ask to see a specimen of something equally dif- ficult and delicate which he has already done. Thus we try the workman. Destined for the service of God and for a dig- nity still more elevated — that of spouse of Jesus Christ, and on the point of contracting this di- vine alliance, is it not most just that they should not accept you till after they have assured them- 222 Trials of the Novitiate. selves that you possess the qualities which this dignity requires ? The Novitiate has been like your apprentice- ship ; you have been told the faults which you should conquer, and the virtues which you should possess, to become the spouse of Jesus Christ; is it not just that those persons to whom God has confided your apprenticeship should see whether they can worthily present you to your Spouse, and whether you have the cour- age, the patience, the strength, the submission, which He asks ? It is for this that you must be tried. Trials are the different interior and exterior acts, usually painful to nature, which are exacted in the Novitiate to test the degree of fortitude and patience which the novice has attained, and at the same time to destroy the remains of her faults. I. SOURCE OF TRIALS. Trials come from God, the mistress of nov- ices, or your companions. Trials of the Novitiate. 223 Trials on the part of God. We may say that, generally, God tries* nov- ices less than the religious ; in our Book for the Professed we will speak of the different trials to which God subjects a soul which He destines for a high degree of perfection, — terrible trials, sometimes, which poor, inexperienced novi- ces probably could not bear. Usually, God begins to attach souls to Him by affection, and not until they have once tasted the happiness of being loved by Him, and loving in return, does He begin gradually to purify them of their faults, and cause them to undergo the transformations which He judges necessary for His glory and their salvation. Hence it is that there is usually something so sweet, so peaceful, so pure about the Novi- *God certainly does not need to try us, He knows well what we are and what we are worth; but we need to be tried in order to discover of what we are capable with grace, and how weak we are of ourselves. That which is a trial on our part is not one on the part of God ; but, in speaking of the Sovereign Majesty, we are obliged to make use of the same expression which we use in speaking of men. 224 Trials of the Novitiate. tiate : obedience is so well practised there, — its direction is so simple, — God manifests Himself so kindly to these young hearts so fill- ed with good will, — that we may say, without exaggeration, that the Novitiate is the most beau- tiful period of the religious life. God sends special blessings to it as He sends special dew to the tender little sprouting plant. There are doubtless weary hours in the Novi- tiate. Sometimes it is prayer which no longer offers any attraction— sometimes communion which no longer affords us consolation, — sometimes it is the confessor or the mistress who has been a little brusk with us, — or a humiliation which we believe to be more than we can bear, — or an expected letter which does not come. There are hours of fear : we will never attain the degree of virtue required of us, — we will never be good for anything. . . There are hours of discouragement : we can- not do anything better, — we are misunder- stood, — we are not appreciated, — we cannot succeed, — every one neglects us. Trials of the Novitiate. 225 But these are passing clouds, and a word from the mistress to whom we confide our trou- bles dissipates them and restores serenity. 2d. Trials on the part of the Mistress. The Mistress of novices must frequently try those who are confided to her care. " Let her ground her daughters well in solid virtues, " says St. Francis of Sales ; " let her render them as pliable as a glove ; let her deprive and detach them from all things — thwarting, at every turn, their inclinations, their judgment and their will ; let her enlarge their hearts by uproot- ing from them the trifles, the tender senti- ments, the indolent moods, which usually en- ervate and weaken the minds, principally of girls. . . behold the salutary mortifications which she should make them continually practise during the Novitiate, and all through a spirit of love for God/' 44 Understand well, my dear daughters," again says the amiable saint, "that a grain of wheat in the earth does not bear fruit unless it die, but if it die it will bear fruit a hundredfold; the words of holy Scripture are very clear, that 226 Trials of the Novitiate. which thou sowest is not quickened except it die first. Therefore you who aspire to the habit, and you others who aspire to holy profession, examine well, and more than once, if you have sufficient resolution to die to yourselves and live only to God. Weigh it all well ; you have still sufficient time to consider it before your veils be dyed black ; for I declare to you, my daughters, and I do not wish to flatter you, whoever desires to live according to nature let her stay in the world; and let those who are determined to live according to grace come to religion, which is no other than a school of abnegation and mortification of self. That is why you are furnished with instruments of mortification as much interior as exterior." We cannot enter into a detail of the trials which may be imposed upon you, but the novice must well understand, that the Mistress never acts through caprice or malice ; her aim, as well as her duty, is to assure herself that the novice has made some progress in the spirit and virtues of the Novitiate of which we have spoken, the special object of which is to subdue the will of the novice. Trials of the Novitiate. 227 Sometimes the mistress will have one of the least efficient novices replace her for surveil- lance and the granting of little permissions, in order that she may see how the better instructed novices conduct themselves to- wards her. Sometimes she will appoint a postulant, who has just entered the convent, mistress of work, recommending her not to hesitate to oblige the novices to undo their finished work, if there be anything incomplete about it. If she perceive that a novice is a little too fond of study, and turns with reluctance to manual labor, she forbids her for a certain time all kinds of reading and keeps her exclusively occupied with mending. Does she see that another holds too much to her prayers, she chooses the moment when the bell rings for the exercise to which she is most attached, to ; send her to sweep a hall, to work in a garden, ! or to do some similar work. She frequently I asks a sister who is wanting in simplicity, to give an account of her meditation or the num- ber of her self-denials during the day. If she perceive that a sister has a natural 228 Trials of the Novitiate. antipathy for another, she places her beside the companion whom she does not like, obliging her to work with her, to pray near her, to take her recreation with her. She makes us begin, several times over, a piece of work with which we are disgusted, because, perhaps, we find it inferior to what we believe ourselves capable of doing. She obliges a novice of a haughty, proud disposition to ask all her permissions of the companion whom she seems to despise. Sometimes she affects not to see a piece of work that she may not have to praise it, when it is set before her for the purpose of eliciting a compliment. She passes several days without speaking to a novice who, with a too natural affection, eagerly seeks her and always wishes to be near her. She obliges a sister who affects to be more interior than the others, to speak of God, on a given subject, before all her companions, and afterwards shows her how little she knows. She informs a sister that she has a letter for her and will not give it to her for a week. She makes a sister who mumbles or recites the prayers too quickly say them aloud more fre- Trials of the Novitiate. 229 quently than the others. She makes one who is affected in her walk wear a coarser and heavier shoe. In the kitchen, for house-cleaning and domestic duties, she employs in preference those who are inclined to think themselves better than the others. We do not call trials penances imposed as the expiation of a fault. The trials imposed by the Mistress are not, in one sense, merited ; but the penances usually are — at least the Mistress always judges them to be so ; they become trials for the novice when she sees clearly that they are not merited, or that they are exaggerated ; in this case she must receive them as real trials. 3d. Trials coming from our companions and the rule. A spirit of charity doubtless reigns in com- munities, particularly in Novitiates : neverthe- less, the difference in characters — sensitiveness, 230 Trials of the Novitiate. prejudices, jealousies — inherent in certain temperaments, are almost continually an occa- sion of little trials. Certainly the rule imposes no obligations beyond the ordinary strength of nature ; more- over, these obligations are known to us ; we have studied them and we have been convinced that they involved nothing too difficult ; yet there are days when this rule weighs heavily, and we are pursued with the thought of casting off its yoke. " I am not deluding myself as to the nature of the life which I wish to embrace ; " wrote a young girl who, for some time had been pre- paring to enter La Trappe, " I look forward to more than one difficulty, to more than one temptation, and the idea of a paradise on earth has never entered my mind ; what is more, if there were one I would not have it at any price. " To satisfy the justice of God, as far as pos- sible, to acknowledge his innumerable bene- fits, and to testify my gratitude and love, by labor, prayer, suffering, is my sole ambition ; Father de Ravignan's motto—struggle, or suffer, is mine. Trials of the Novitiate. 231 " There will be vexations in the convent, as there are everywhere, and particularly in my intercourse with the sisters, I presume : but I hope that God will help my weakness, and aid me to bear with others who will also have to bear with me. This forbearance, moreover, will be a just expiation of my past indepen- dence." * ' Do you know what a monastery is ? " says St. Francis of Sales. " It is an academy of strict correction where each soul must learn to allow itself to be treated, planed, polished, so that be- ing very smooth it may be joined, united, and glued to the will of God. All this is done in the Novitiate. Oh! happy the simple, docile, patient novices, who allow themselves to be treated, planed, polished! What a life of sanctity and union with God they prepare for them- selves 1 " II. MANNER OF BEARING TRIALS AND PUNISHMENTS. We must bear the trials to which they are good enough to subject us : 232 Trials of the Novitiate. 1 st. With generosity. Never letting a correction which we believe rather unmerited, or a trial the object of which we do not see, make us yield to sadness, weariness, tiouble, discouragement, pouting — all the exaggerations of an excited imagination, which sadden us to tears and cause us to find only ridiculous minutiae everywhere. . ■* It costs much to become a saint. Hear what Father Lacordaire, when provin- cial of the Dominicans, did to correct his faults! "One day the lay brother, as he was serving in the refectory, was the cause of some delay. The father, who never made any one wait, liked * A novice, whose courage was almost exhausted, went to her mistress, and, after relating her troubles, added: " I do not come to say that I will not, but only to tell you that I am suffering." The mistress, who knew the generosity of the soul she addressed, replied rather coldly: "Really, sister, if you have not come here to suffer, it is a different thing ; you can go.". . The novice, who later became a relig- ious, added, when relating the fact, "there is no an- swer to such an argument, so we continue on our way." Happy the houses where we can so speak and be thus understood ! Trials of the Novitiate. 233 to see the same punctuality in others. As the brother did not appear, Father Lacordaire could not repress a movement of impatience which appeared in his countenance. In the evening as soon as he was free, he sought the brother and, confessing his fault on his knees, besought him to scourge him for it and send him away with the most injurious epithets. This is only one instance among a hundred/' says the author of his life. " At the convent in Paris, he also tells us that Father Lacordaire's door during his hours of reception was besieged by numerous visitors, all of whom were not equally welcome. He one day told his director that one of the things to which he had not yet been able to accustom himself was being interrupted at his work. ' Each time/ said he, ' that they knock at my door, I cannot control a first movement of impatience. I want to correct myself of this fault, and, if you approve, you shall enter my cell at all hours, and without knocking. If you perceive in my countenance the slightest expression of impatience, you will give me the discipline.' 2J4 Trials of the Novitiate. 1 Yes, Father, I will do so/ " And the same day, in order to te9t his pen- itent, he abruptly entered his cell. Father Lacordaire fell on his knees, saying : ' Strike, Father/" ' But I observed nothing in your manner/ 1 Ah ! you did not see my impatience, but I felt it, replied the culprit, baring his shoul- ders/ " What do you think of such courage ! But here is a more consoling and encoura- ging page : 44 My child," said a mistress of novices to one of her dear daughters, 44 since you wish to overcome your self-love, it is necessary that we act in concert, and that you follow exactly what 1 tell you : From time to time I will correct you in public, for things that are not faults, properly speaking. I will warn you beforehand, and thus, knowing that I only do it to accustom you to overcome yourself, you will feel it less sensibly; I will even impose some penance upon you, and you will see that you will grad- ually learn to bear correction with humility. "Are you willing ?" "O yes, Mother!" Trials of the Novitiate. 235 " Then let us begin this evening. . . Do not be alarmed however, I will spare your sensitiveness. " When we are at conference this evening, and while I am speaking, look me in the face for a moment ; I will reprove you for a want of modesty, — I will tell you that you are very dissipated, and order you to kiss the floor. You will render me an account after- wards of the feelings you will have experi- enced. " Everything happened in the evening as they had arranged. The next day the novice sought her mistress. " Well, my child/' said the lat- ter, holding out her arms to her. "Oh ! Moth- er/' replied the novice, "if you had seen my soul, how filled with pride you would have found it ! Oh ! how I trembled going to conference ! And how my heart beat when you had begun to speak ! I said to myself: * Presently, I must look at my mistress, she is going to mortify me before every one/ I hesi- tated ; then, suddenly shaking off my fear, I invoked the Blessed Virgin, and my resolution was taken. After that it hardly cost me at all, and if you had scolded me still more severely, 236 Trials of the Novitiate. and if you had imposed a still more humiliating penance, I would have done it with all my heart ; and when we retired, I felt a joy which I had never before experienced." " Good, my child, good ; we will begin again sometime will we not ? and then we must walk alone. . . I shall not warn you anymore ; but God will be with you, and in a short time you will know how to remain calm under every- thing." Comprehend well the following words, writ- ten by St. Francis of Sales : 4 ' Every convent is a hospital for the spiritual sick who desire to be cured, and who to that end subject themselves to suffer, to be bled: to the lancet, to the knife, to the iron, to fire and all the bitterness of every kind of medicine. In the early Church religious bore a name which signified cure, and this you must desire when you enter religion, and make no account of what self-love may say to the contrary ; you must gently and courageously take this resolu tion : "To die, or to suffer ; and since I would not die spiritually, I wish to be cured ; and to be cured I wish to bear correction and Trials of the Novitiate. 237 beseech the physicians not to spare me pain, in order that my cure may be complete/' With constancy. Do not tire, do not tire. Becoming humble, patient, simple, obedient, is not the work of a day. In working on our souls we have not a block of marble which preserves the form given to it by the blows of the chisel, but a living being from which we cut a part of itself and which has the property of almost indefinitely repro- ducing the portion we have cut from it. . . Then let the mistress do with you what she will, whenever she has the charity to occupy herself with you, and do not imagine that all the suffering and all the weariness are yours ; there are times when the duty of correction is very painful. Do you think it is human nature to be indifferent to the iact that one is subject- ing herself to be considered too severe, unjust, partial, whimsical, when she is only doing her duty ?— that she is causing herself to be shunned when she could so easily surround herself with 2*8 Trials of the Novitiate. sympathy ? — that she is making herself detested even (they go as far as that sometimes) when it would be so pleasant to make oneself loved ? Ah, if you understood your interests you would cast yourself at the feet of your mistress and say to her : In the name of God, have mercy on my soul, correct me, scotd me, punish me ! Hear the motherly words of a mistress of nov- ices, Mother Mary Ephraim, to her children: "I will not hide from you the thorns of the route. Oh ! no, my children, I wish you to see them all ; in the beginning, however, I will soften them with all the tenderness of a Mother, — this I owe to your weakness; later, I will let you feel them. The stones of the route may also wound and bruise your feet ; but is it not necessary that you learn to suffer some- thing for Jesus ? Hardship makes one strong; after an energetic struggle usually follows ex- haustion, but it is of short duration; new courage is born again in the soul after combat, and we keep on still longer. . . I do not say that I will not sometimes wipe the sweat from your brow, and that I will not help you. O my poor children, I will do it each time that Trials of the Novitiate. 239 the good of your souls requires it, and that life seems too bitter to you. There are on earth such days of gloom and weariness ! You are still young, my children, but God has therefore given you a Mother — bear this in mind; you will always find her in your fatigues, your dis- couragement, your weariness ! And when you are professed, oh! then, my children, it is Jesus who will do all, and your Mother will tell you to always permit Him to do what He will with you, and not to spoil His work by wishing to act according to your inclinations. " CHAPTER IX. \ DEVOTIONS OF THE NOVITIATE. I. GENERAL RULES. " During the Novitiate of sisters," says St. Francis of Sales, "one should endeavor to strengthen their hearts and render them devout, not with mincing, tender, or weeping devotion, but with a devotion equally sweet, courageous, and confident. " Many novices are inclined, either through education or temperament, or because of books which they have read, to cultivate this mincing, tender, or weeping devotion, spoken of by the amiable saint whom we have just cited. They do not reflect that a multiplicity of pious feel- ings weakens the disposition; that pious feelings too eagerly sought expire quickly, particularly when youth has flown, and then, when the soul is left cold and barren, they believe themselves Devotions of the Novitiate. 241 abandoned by God, they murmur, they neglect even obligatory prayers. They do not reflect that they are making themselves singular, attracting remark, afford- ing the devil an opportunity of tempting them to vanity, and of leading them to despise others; that they disturb the harmony of the community and can never conform their humor and inclina- tions to the rule of charity* From your entrance into the Novitiate re- nounce your special devotions \ to attach yourself to those which your companions practise ac- cording to the rule and custom. Tell your mistress the practices to which you have been accustomed, — the prayers you recited, — the * "The devotion of religious, " says St. Francis of Sales, " must be strong : " 1st. To resist the temptations which are never want- ing to those who seriously wish to serve God. 2d. To bear with the variety of dispositions which are found in a congregation, and which to weak minds is as difficult an exercise of patience as they can find. 3d. To bear each one his imperfections, that he may not be disquieted at seeing that he is subject to them. 4th. Strong to fight one's imperfections. 5 th. Strong to despise the remarks and opinions of 242 Devotions of the Novitiate^ confraternities to which you belonged. . .and retain only those which she tells you to con- tinue, or abandon all if she judge it wiser. Here are some practical counsels which you should rigidly follow : : 1st. Never to assume any pious engagement without having consulted your mistress and your confessor, whatever may be the attraction which this engagement has for you ; not even if it were recommended in public, or, specially, by a person to whom you owe respect. 2d. Always prefer the exercises of the rule to those which you may prescribe for yourself, and hold strongly to performing them with all the world which never fail to censure pious institutes. 6th. Strong to maintain oneself independent of affections, friendships, particular inclinations, in ordei not to live according to impulse but according to th< light of true piety. 7th. Strong to maintain oneself independent of tenderness, sweetness and consolations, which com< to us as much from God as from creatures, that w< may not be entangled by them. 8th. Strong to undertake a continual war agains our evil inclinations, humors, habits, and propensities Devotions of the Novitiate. 243 the community rather than alone, even though you may be more distracted when with others. 3d. Do not multiply your devotional prac- tices too much, — above all, do not be eager to adopt all those propagated by pious persons, and which suddenly take hold of your imagi- nation or your heart because they are beautiful and appear to you calculated to do immense good. You encumber your mind, you spend a great deal of time on them, and perhaps neglect your duties. 4th. Avoid every devotion, every practice, which appears too much in the eyes of the com- munity ; it will expose you to be considered singular and perhaps make you vain. 5th. Do not be such a slave to your prac- tices that you may not leave them without regret when obedience, charity, or even de- corum requires it. 6th. Whatever may be your method of medi- tation — whatever the authority which counseled it, submit it to your mistress; and if she judge proper to restrict you to the method followed in the community, obey without a word. 7th. Show all the pious books which you 244 Devotions of the Novitiate. have brought with you, and all those which will be given you or lent you ; acknowledge with simplicity those volumes which have a special attraction for you, and retain only those which they would willingly leave you. 8th. Remember that the word "devotion" means devotedness ; and that devotion does not consist in such an act which pleases us or flat- ters us, — in such a. prayer which touches us, — in such a reading which moves us to tears ; but in a full and entire acceptance of the state in which God wishes us, and in the perfect accom- plishment of imposed duly, in spite of the repug- nances of nature and the trouble which arises from the imagination. 9th. Doubtless, during your religious life, you will be allowed all the time necessary for per- forming your religious duties; but suppose that some day you are obliged to shorten your thanksgiving after communion, — to curtail part of your prayers, — forbidden a prescribed fast, — taken from the choir for some time, — deprived even of communion. . . remain in peace, and understand well that you honor God more by your simple unmurmuring sub Devotions of the Novitiate. 245 mission than by the prayers which you would have said or the privations to which you would have submitted by following your inclinations. 10th. Avoid obstinacy in your devotions. That tenacious clinging to one's prayers, communions, special devotions, etc., is one of the things which cause us to fear that the de- votion may be false. "Devotion." says St. Thomas, " is a partic- ular disposition of the will, by which the soul eagerly embraces all that relates to the service of God." The service of God! Behold the important words in this definition; and this service is God's to command, and not ours to choose. Do not think everything is lost, when you have no relish for prayer, — no attraction for holy communion, — no joy after confession. These emotions may, doubtless, be an effect of grace; but very often they are also the effect of natural sensibility and imagination ; and there is no commandment which obliges us to experience them. You should pray, receive holy communion, go to confession, because God wishes it, and 246 Devotions of the Novitiate. not because you experience a certain comfort in performing these duties. " You do well," writes St. Francis of Sales, "to continue your pious exercises in the midst of dryness and disgust. For since we only serve God through love for Him, and as the service we render Him in the midst of dryness is more pleasing to Him than that performed with sweetness, it should also be more pleasing to us, at least to our superior will ; and though, according to our taste and self-love, consolations are sweeter, yet dryness, according to the will of God and according to His love, is more profitable." "Alas!" adds the saint, " we are devoted to the delightful consolations of piety ; yet the burden of dryness is more fruitful ; and though St. Peter loved Mount Thabor, and fled from Calvary, the latter does not cease to be more useful than the former, and the blood shed on the one is more desirable than the light which filled the other. ''Our Lord already treats you as a strong soul: try to live as one ; it is better to eat bread without sugar, than sugar without bread." Devotions of the Novitiate. 247 II. PARTICULAR RULES. We simply mention the principal devotions common to all Novitiates. Not wishing to write a book of prayers, we confine ourselves to generalities; moreover, the Directories, or Constitutions of the different houses, give the exercises to stimulate the piety of the novices.* 1st y Devotion to the most blessed Trinity. The happiness of the angels and saints in heaven consists in contemplating, face to face, this Holy Trinity: adoring It, praising It, loving * Each Novitiate has a particular devotion to the mystery or saint under whose name they have been approved. We only mention that devotion, expressing at the same time our regret that the plan of our book does not permit us to develop the subjects mentioned below. It would have been so consoling and so sweet to speak at length of the Holy Eucharist ', of Communion, of the Heart of Jesus, of the Blessea Virgin. . . and to lead the novices to love with still more ardor, and still more devotion, Jesus and Mary. We recommend to the novices our Livre de PUU de la Jeune Fille. 248 Devotions of the Novitiate. It; unceasingly singing the canticle, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord ! The Church, at the moment when the holy Victim descends on the altar, puts in the mouth of the priest, and the choir of the faithful, this same canticle of the angels. She begins the august Sacrifice, the admin- istration of the sacraments, all her prayers, particularly those which compose the divine Office, by an invocation to the Holy Trinity ; she terminates all the psalms, all the canticles, all the hymns, all the prayers, by rendering glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. * * You, pious novices, who far from the world, endeavor already to become angels on earth, love — love to repeat this hymn which will be on your lips for all eternity : Holy ! Holy ! Holy God I Almighty God ! Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost! " Renew your sentiments of faith, respect and love, for the Holy Trinity each time that you make the sign 0/ the cross, or say the Glory be to the Father \ at office ; bow your head as the Church prescribes, and pronounce softly an act of submission and love/' Devotions of the Novitiate. 249 St Vincent of Paul asked the Pope, that in his bull, instituting his congregation, it should be made a duty for its members to honor, in a special manner, this august mystery. 2d, Devotion to divine Providence. This should be the great devotion of religious communities. Providence ! That is God regarded as a Father, and, under this touching title, charged with the maintenance, sustenance, honor, defense of all the community! Oh! truly when we read with attention the texts of the Gospel which show God's care for the smallest being of creation: God conjuring us to trust ourselves to Him ; God assuring us that if we are occupied in seeking the king- dom of heaven, He will charge Himself with all concerning us; God who has promised us — who for Him have left father, mother, brothers, sisters, lands — a hundred fold, even in this life, — how is it possible not to feel moved and grateful, and the most unlimited confidence ! O my God ! my God ! Thou who art my Father ! Thou wilt never let me want for 250 Devotions of the Novitiate. anything! Thou who art my Mother, Thou wilt love me ! Thou who art my Brother, Thou wilt defend me ! Thou who art my Sister, Thou wilt care for me ! My God, how happy am I who can call Thee "Father" with so much more truth than all other creatures whom Thou hast not called to the religious life ! Many communities recite every day the Litany of Providence ; lovingly recite at least an Our Father, and let this prayer be the one which you love most. jd } Devotion to the Holy Eucharist. Behold your heart's devotion ! you who have the happiness of living so near to the real pres- ence of Jesus, — of dwelling under the same roof with Him, — of going several times a day to visit Him, — of seeing almost every hour the blessed walls which hide Him from your view, but which do not hide you from the gaze of His love. Devotions of the Novitiate. 251 Love to visit the Blessed Sacrament. ' •' There is no more solid devotion," says Bourdaloue, " there is none more conformable to the views ana intentions of Jesus Christ; there is none more 1 salutary for ourselves, nor more useful. " Eagerly go before the altar each time the rule calls you thither or permits you to go ; make it your delight to be with Jesus ; and there love, pray, weep, supplicate, give thanks ; and if you can rouse no sentiment in your heart, remain there letting your poor soul be inflamed at this fire of love — gazing, and wait- ing in patience. Assist at the Mass with the interior and ex- terior respect which indicates to the angels and your sisters the sentiments with which you are penetrated. All the Directories give the pray- ers for Mass and methods of uniting oneself with Jesus Christ during the holy Sacrifice ; say these prayers, study these methods, follow them faithfully and do not modify them without the permission of your mistress. And Holy Communion P Oh ! yes, my sister, love to receive Holy Communion. Communion is the life of the soul, — it is the cure of the 252 Devotions of the Novitiate. sick, — it is the strength of the weak, — it is the perfection of the saints. The number of communions in the Novitiate is usually fixed by the rule ; and it must be said that, for the greater number of novices, the privation of frequent communion which was permitted them in the world, is one of the most painful trials. God forbid that we should urge you to withdraw from the Holy Table ; we heartily approve the almost daily communion which you had the happiness to make in the world, and yet we tell you : Make no communions but those indicated by the rule ; if there are but two, but one a week ; make but two, — but one ; and let spiritual communions supply the place of those which made you so happy. It is useless to tell you the motive which restricts the number of communions in the Novitiate ; it suffices for you, to know that it is a point of the rule ; later, when you are pro- fessed, God will know well how to compensate for this temporary privation. Devotions of the Novitiate. 253 4th, Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion is essentially united with that of the divine Eucharist. It was a religious whom Jesus Christ charged with propagating the devotion to His Sacred Heart, and it appears that it is to religious, more than to others, that God has confided the care of loving this divine Heart : of making It known, of making reparation for the outrages which are committed against It. Therefore, you will love this Sacred Heart, and you will cause It to be loved ; you will frequently go before the Tabernacle to medi- tate upon Its love, so tender, so sincere, so ardent, so liberal, so disinterested, so constant ; you will unite yourself to It, that you may become humble, gentle, patient, devoted ; and you will find in this union light, strength, and consolation. jth, Devotion to the mysteries of Jesus Christ. The Church in her festivals brings us back each year to the memory of the mysteries of Jesus Christ : His Incarnation, His Birth, Hi? 254 Devotions of the Novitiate. Hidden Life, His Passion, His Death, His Resurrection, His Ascension, come, in turn, to remind us of the love He manifested for us, and the duties which we owe Him. These various mysteries are the foundation of our faith, the support of our hope, the con- soling object of our love. It is through these mysteries that we learn to know Jesus Christ — the only science necessary for a Christian, the only one to which St. Paul professes to devote and apply his disciples : / judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Therefore you will celebrate them piously, seeking to be pen- etrated with the spirit of the mystery. There are two which we particularly recommend to you : The holy infancy of Jesus, which should be the special model in novitiates, and the mystery of the cross. Nearly all religious wear a cross on their breasts ; kiss yours on rising in the morning and retiring at night, and in temptation, in hours of discouragement — at those times when obedience seems so hard, have the pious habit of gently kissing the head of your Saviour, of Devotions of the Novitiate. 255 looking at your crucifix, and saying softly to Jesus : Leave me not, good Master. Days when you are most downcast, love to make the Way of the Cross; you cannot follow after Jesus in this route without feeling strength- ened and encouraged to suffer.* 6th, Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. All novitiates are under the protection of the Blessed Virgin. Her statue is always placed on a throne in the large room where the novices usually assemble, and there she reigns over all hearts and all souls. All prayers are recited facing this beloved statue ; it is at its feet a novice sometimes * We do not make a special article of devotion to the Church a necessary result of devotion to Jesus Christ who has charged her to continue His work. It is no longer Jesus Christ who speaks, it is the Church. Respect then every decision, and even every word, of the Sovereign Pontiff; respect bishops and priests; and never from your lips, even though you believe you speak with good reason, let a word of Contempt or blame fall upon them. , 256 Devotions of the Novitiate. obtains the favor of pursuing her work ; in the absence of the mistress all permissions are asked with pious simplicity of her whom it represents; during the hours of work many times do the eyes of the weary novices turn towards it to ask for courage ; in many novitiates, the novices, kneeling round it each evening, recite aloud an act of consecration. Devotion to Mary, so well named "The devo- tion of the Predestined," since it is inseparable from that of Jesus Christ, will be frequently preached to you in the Novitiate. Open your heart to the good words you will hear, joyfully embrace the pious practices which will be sug- gested to you, and celebrate with profound recollection and at the same time great joy, all the feasts in honor of Mary. Among the prayers of the rule, be particularly attached to the recitation of the rosary; in sick- ness let it be the last prayer you relinquish when you are told to suspend some of them. The rosary is not fatiguing ; it can be re-com- menced and interrupted with facility ; it can take the place of meditation, of preparation for communion, of thanksgiving after commu- Devotions of the Novitiate. 257 nion. . . How happy you will be at the hour of death to be able to say : Since my entrance to religion I have never voluntarily omitted my rosary. "When you are in tribulation," said Thomas a Kempis, many years ago, to the novices whom he directed, — "when you are in tribula- tion, if you desire relief, go to the mother of Jesus: go to Mary I" With this zealous servant of Mary we will tell you with all the ardor of which we are capable : "Think of Mary, — appeal to Mary, — honor Mary, — speak to Mary, — salute Mary, — re- commend yourself to Mary ! "With Mary remain solitary in your cell, — with Mary preserve silence, — with Mary live joyfully, — with Mary bear your trials, — with Mary labor, — with Mary pray, — with Mary take your recreation, — with Mary take your repose. "With Mary seek Jesus ; in your arms bear Jesus, and with Jesus and Mary fix your dwel- ling at Nazareth. " With Mary go to Jerusalem; remain near the cross of Jesus; bury yourself with Jesus. zr t 8 Devotions of the Novitiate. " With Jesus and Mary rise again; with Jesus and Mary mount to heaven; with Jesus and Mary live and die ! "Oh! beloved novice, if you do thus, the devil will fly from you, and your soul will be gradually raised to heaven. " Happy he who lives in holy familiarity with Jesus and Mary : who invites them to his table, chooses them as the companions of his route, as the consolers of his troubles, as his refuge in discouragement, as his counsellors in doubt ; particularly, as his support at the last hour/' 'Jth, Devotion to St. Joseph. In the last few years, devotion to St. Joseph has spread in a manner which may be called miraculous. Every Christian heart rejoices at it ; rejoice you, also, religious, who are of the family of Jesus, for St. Joseph by this very fact has be- come your protector, or, rather, your steward. Was it not he who was charged with pro- viding for the material cOmfort of the Holy Devotions of the Novitiate, 259 Family ? And since you, living with Jesus and Mary, continue this family of Nazareth, must he not care for you ? The annals of religious houses are filled with miraculous facts which attest the special in- tervention of St Joseph. Sometimes it is a depopulated Novitiate which receives subjects filled with piety; sometimes it is food for the day which is wanting ; or, again, it a sum of money needed to meet a pressing obligation, or to receive a poor, infirm patient into the hospital, which, after a fervent prayer to St. Joseph, is brought, sometimes by unknown hands, and frequently by charitable persons saying : We felt impelled to come to you, Go to St. Joseph, pray to him, meditate upon his virtues ; near him, you will learn to pray, to labor, to suffer — above all, how to at- tain a happy death. 8th y Devotion to the Holy Angels. Devotion to the Holy Angels and particularly the Angel Guardian, should also be one of the special devotions of the Novitiate. 260 Devotions of the Novitiate. It leads to the practice of the interior life, and a life of union with God ; it is the result of devotion to divine Providence. There are few thoughts so consoling and encouraging as thei following : " I have at my side an Angel who will never leave me. God in His goodness has said to him : Be for this soul ; now, particu- larly, that it has left father and mother, and loved ones, to attach itself to Me, be its consoler ; speak to it of its father and mother ; show it its family protected by a special Providence. 44 Be its guardian: keep from it discourage- ment, temptations, sin. "Be its guide; show it its rule as the sure path which must lead it to Me ; smooth for it the difficulties it will encounter, afford it some joys in the midst of its sacrifices. 4 ' Be its protector; warn it by counsels, re- proaches, punishments if necessary, but do not let it fall ; if, notwithstanding thy counsel, it commit a sin, help it to rise again and conu back to me." Then, frequently think of your Angel Guard ian, and as you have the pious habit of invo king him morning and evening, say the littl< Devotions of the Novitiate. 261 prayer you address to him with deep sentiments of respect and joy. pth, Devotion to the souts in Purgatory. In nearly all communities superiors have proposed to their sisters the heroic act for the souls in Purgatory, since the practice has been approved by the Holy See and enriched with precious indulgences. * * We know that this heroic act is a voluntary offer- ing or donation of the personal satisfactory works of our life, and the suffrages which will be offered for us after our death, which we place in the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that this tender Mother may apply them as she pleases to those souls in Purgatory whom she desires to release. In virtue of this act, once made, we forever deprive ourselves only of the fruit of these satisfactions and suffrages, and are not prevented from praying for our- selves, for our relatives, etc. — This act does not oblige under pain of sin; it needs no special formula, but suf- fices that we desire in our hearts to make the offering. The Popes Benedict XIII, Pius VI, and Pius IX, have enriched it: 1st, with a plenary indulgence appli- 262 Devotions of the Novitiate. All religious have eagerly accepted this act of chanty, and there is not an hour of the day or night during which God does not receive, for the deliverance of His dear souls in Purgatory, an almost infinite number of prayers and satisfactory works. Nor is there hardly an hour during which a religious, faith- ful to her rule, assiduous in work, patient in trouble, does not (by the very fact that she has given the merit of her actions to the souls in Purgatory,) perform one of those works of mercy for which God has promised a crown at the last day. Hear the consoling doctrine of St. Francis of Sales: — 1st. Is it not in one way visiting the sick : descending into those devouring flames to cable only to the souls in Purgatory at each com- munion, provided that he who communicates pray in a public church or oratory according to the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. 2d, A plenary indulgence every Monday for hearing Mass for the souls in Purgatory. Holy Communion is not necessary to gain the indul- gence ; it suffices to pray according to the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. Devotions of the Novitiate. 263 bring the souls lying on their bed of fire the alms of your prayers ? 2d. Is it not giving drink to the thirsty, when we pour the sweet dew of heavenly grace on souls consumed with a devouring thirst to see God face to face ? 3d. Do we not truly feed the hungry, when we hasten, the moment of their entrance, into the possession of their happiness : of heaven, of God, for whom they hungered more than the beggar for the morsel of bread which we give him? 4th. Yes, we ransom the captive by paying the ransom of holy souls, captives to divine Justice : by breaking the chains which held them far from heaven — and what chains ! 5th. We magnificently clothe the naked when by our penance we open to the dead the abode of glory where the Lord has prepared for them an incomparable garment of the light of eternal splendor. 6th. What admirable hospitality do we not exercise by introducing them into the heavenly Jerusalem, the triumphant city of the Blessed! 7th. Can we compare the merit of burying 264 Devotions of the Novitiate. a body, the food of worms, to the inestima- ble happiness of sending immortal souls to heaven ? * * We recommend the novices to sanctify each day of the week by one of the following devotions: Sunday, the Blessed Trinity and Divine Providence;— -Monday, the Souls in Purgatory; — Tuesday, our Angel Guard- ian; — Wednesday, St. Joseph; — Thursday, the Bless- ed Sacrament;— Friday, the Passion and the Heart of Jesus; — Saturday, the Blessed Virgin* CHAPTER X. AIDS OF THE NOVITIATE. In the Novitiate there are interior aids which are like the sap of vegetation to the soul, pro- moting its growth, strengthening it, and per- fecting it ; these are : Meditation. Particular Examen. Monthly Retreat. Special Rule. SPECIAL RULE. There are still exterior aids, which are to the novice like props, by the aid of which she remains firm in spite of the storms which some- times pass over her ; — courageous in spite of the disheartening and wearisome thoughts suggested by the devil. These exterior aids are : The Rule. General Prayers. 266 Aids of the Novitiate. Direction. Chapter. Spiritual Reading. We do not speak of the sacraments which are common to all the faithful, and about which all pious books give the wisest counsels. It is particularly from confession and communion that the novice gathers the strength and courage she requires. Let her bring to their reception the same earnest care that she did before her entrance to the community. Perhaps the first days she may find in them less joy, less sweetness ; but let not this deceive her ; the direct fruit of Holy Communion is not joy, is not sweetness : but vigilance over self horror of sin, devotion to duty and union with God. INTERIOR AIDS. MEDITATION. Is it necessary to remind you at any length of the necessity of meditation ? After all that we have said of your duties do you not understand that without at least a half hour of daily converse with God: rendering Him Aids of the Novitiate. 267 your homage, listening to His word, promis- ing your submission, offering yourself for His service, exposing to Him your wants, showing Him your weakness, telling Him your fears — the obstacles you apprehend, asking His assistance and promising to do something to please Him,— do you not understand, that with- out this it is impossible to fulfill your obliga- tions, — impossible, particularly, to attain that interior life, of the necessity of which we have given you a partial glimpse? You will apply yourself then to meditation ; and to encourage you in it we are going to gather here a few words of the saints, which will serve to animate your fervor and your will, in moments of disgust and weariness. Meditation is the basis and foundation of solid virtues ; if the basis be wanting the whole edifice is soon overthrown. — St. Theresa. * Meditation and sin cannot exist together in one soul. — St. Philip Neri. 268 Aids of the Novitiate. The holy hermits had little or no spiritual conferences, the greater number of them did not even have the happiness of frequently re- ceiving the Holy Eucharist ; and yet by means of meditation they became angelic men, of consummate virtue, full of contempt and in- difference towards themselves, and the most lively and ardent charity for their neighbor. — St. Francis of Sales. ■5* We find Christians who communicate daily, and are in a state of mortal sin ; Christians who give abundant alms, and are in a state of mor- tal sin ; Christians who mortify themselves in every way, and are in a state of mortal sin ; but we never find a soul which makes a daily meditation, and lives in a state of mortal sin. St. Liguoru Would you suffer with patience the vicissi- tudes and miseries of life ? Be a child of meditation. Would you obtain courage and strength to overcome the temptations of the enemy ? Be a child of meditation. Aids of the Novitiate, 269 Would you mortify your own will, its in- clinations and evil tendencies ? Be a child of meditation. Would you recognize the snares of the Evil One ? Be a child of meditation. Would you live joyfully and walk gently in the path of self-denial ? Be a child of medi- tation. Would you nourish your soul with the sweet- ness of devotion, and have it always filled with good thoughts and desires ? Be a child of meditation. Would you finally uproot from your soul all vices, and plant in their place virtues which will make you cherished by God and your neighbor? Be a child of meditation. St. Bonaventure, The religious who neglects meditation is indevout in church, distracted at choir, want- ing in the modesty of the cloister, dissipated at conference, — chagrined and dissatisfied ev- ery where. Work annoys her, obedience displeases her, 270 Aids of the Novitiate. the artifices of the devil deceive her, tempta- tions triumph over her frailty. — *SV. Thomas of Villanova. The soul which abandons meditation needs not the devil to tempt it; it is its own tempter. That soul, on the contrary, which is faithful to meditation in spite of the weariness and disgust it may experience in it, will, sooner or later, reach the port of salvation. — St. Theresa. Meditation is the holy soul's rampart ; the consolation of its good angel, the torment of the evil one; the destruction of vices, the mother of virtues ; the mirror of the soul, the strength of hope, the path of knowledge, the solace of fatigue, the focus of charity, the source of com- punction, the exterminator of evil inclinations, the advocate which obtains for us all spiritual good. — St. Lawrence Justinian. We shall pause here, though we could easily multiply these extracts ; for there is not an as- cetic author who does not insist on the necessity Aids of the Novitiate. 271 of meditation ; we will only give a few general counsels. * ADVICE UPON MEDITATION. During meditation assume the posture most conformable either to the state of your soul, or even to the weakness of your temperament. Whether standing, kneeling, sitting, or pros- trate. — St. Ignatius. Apply yourself less to thinking much, than to well understanding and interiorly relishing the truth upon which you meditate. Apply your- self particularly to learning and comprehending what Jesus Christ has said, has thought, has done, upon the subject you are considering. Jesus should be your model. Happy they who always have Jesus Christ present to their souls during meditation ; He * We do not think it necessary to indicate any meth- od of meditation, as each community adopts the one which best suits it, and each sister should conform to it j unless in case of a particular attraction for some other method, which she must first submit to the direc- tor and the superior. 272 Aids of the Novitiate. alone is the way, the truth, and the life. . . M Oilier. If a thought moves you, dwell upon it as long as the impression lasts, without seeking to pass to another. Do not neglect the method indicated, which laziness may frequently prompt you to do ; be no less enslaved by it to the point of seeking to follow to the very letter all that it suggests. From the moment your soul experiences a sweet emotion which makes it feel the pres- ence of God, abandon all method, and remain with God. Do not go seeking in your mind for what you have in your heart. — St. Francis of Sales. Attach yourself more to affections than to reasonings. If you experience dryness, temptation, weari- ness, — patience, courage 1 Remain to the end in the presence of God ; it is then that medi- tation, in the form of prayer, is useful. Aids of the Novitiate. 273 Love to prolong your pious colloquies with Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin ; remem- ber that meditation is, particularly, converse with God. — St. Ignatius. The object of all meditation should be to render you more faithful to your duties : more humble, more obedient, more patient, more mortified. . . Do not estimate the value of your meditations by the consolations you ex- perience or the weariness you endure ; but by your good will at the end of it, and the efforts vou make to become better. It is not a question of feeling in meditation, but of will. Frequently the feeling does not depend upon us. God purposely takes it from us to make us know our poverty, to accustom us to the cross by interior dryness, and to purify us by keeping us attached to Him without this sensible consolation. He will restore it to us, from time to time, in compassion for our weak- ness. — Fenelon. Remain with God, not in formal converse, as with people whom we receive ceremoniously 274 Aids of the Novitiate. and with whom we exchange measured com- pliments ; but as with a good friend who in- conveniences us in no way, and to whom we are no inconvenience. We see one another. We talk, we listen, we are silent ; contented to be in each other's society without saying anything; the two hearts repose and are mirrored in each other, — they form but one; we do not measure what we say ; we take no pains to insinuate, to lead to any subject, we simply speak as we feel and without any special order ; we are as con- tented the day we have said little as the day we have had much to say. We must not visit God, to render Him a transitory duty; we must live with Him in the familiarity of servants, or rather cbildren. Be with Him like a child with its father ; and thus you never grow weary in His presence. — Fenelon. You do nothing at meditation you say ; but what is it, then, that you would do if it is not what you are doing : which is presenting and representing to God your nothingness and your misery ? The most effective speech a beggar can make us is to expose to our sight his sores and his necessities. But sometimes you do Aids of the Novitiate. 275 not even do this, but remain before Him like a phantom and a statue. Well, it is no little thing to remain in this way before Him. In the pala- ces of princes and kings there are statues which serve only to please the eyes of the prince ; be satisfied to perform a like service in the presence of God ; He will animate the statue when He pleaseth. St. Francis of Sales. When your mind is fatigued make use of the book in which you have prepared your meditation; read for a moment, then meditate, and continue in this way till the end of the prescribed time. You must always have the book in your hand, you say, otherwise you do nothing. Then let it be book in hand, and whether you have recourse to it from time to time or do with- out it, what matters it, if you pray and unite yourself to Our Lord ? II. PARTICULAR EXAMEN. Those who neglect particular examen remain stationary, or even recede in the path of virtue; 276 Aids of the Novitiate. while those who acquit themselves of it with faithful earnestness, necessarily advance. Particular examen, faithfully practised but for the space of a month, gives at the end of that time astonishing results. It consists, as you know, in determining a fault or habit we wish to destroy, and render- ing an account to ourselves once a day of the struggles we have had to sustain against it, of the victories we have gained over it, or the number of times we have fallen into it. Choose, then, in concert with your mistress, one of your defects, — attack, first, those which offend and scandalize your neighbor. Do not change the subject of your examen till you have destroyed, or visibly weakened, the fault which was pointed out to you, and never do it without authority. If it be judged wise, and the custom be established in the community, mark, every day, in one manner or another, and very exactly, the results of your examen ; and oblige your- self to present to your mistress, every week, or at least once a month, the leaf upon which you shall have written these results. Aids of the Novitiate. 27 J Impose upon yourself each day some morti- fications in relation to the fault you wish to conquer or the virtue you wish to acquire. Do not be satisfied with sighing before God over your infidelities, your weakness, your cow- ardice ; punish yourself. If you get a thorn in your hand, all the dressing in the world will not cure the wound it has made ; you must first pluck out the thorn. Particular examen may be made during one's visit to the Blessed Sacrament if one has no other fixed time for it. Method of particular examen. 1st. Place yourself in the presence of God, and ask of Him light to know your sins, your faults, your imperfections; grace to understand their hideousness, and to see the harm they do ; strength, finally, to pluck them from your heart. 2d. Ask of yourself, hour by hour, a strict account of the occasions you have resisted, the number of your falls, the weaknesses with which you reproached yourself, the victories you have gained. 278 Aids of the Novitiate. 3d. Mark the number of your falls and your victories, if your mistress have so counselled you. 4th. Reflect for a few moments how this fault will increase your suffering in purgatory or diminish your glory in heaven, — that it may, gradually, even lead you to mortal sin, — that it renders you incapable of rising to the perfec- tion God asks of you,— that it prevents you from accomplishing the good for which God destines you, — that it grieves the Holy Spirit, — that it wounds the heart of Jesus, — that it estranges the tender affection of the Blessed Virgin, — that it deprives you of the sweetness of Holy Communion. 5th. Will not such considerations lead you to sincerely ask pardon of God, and impel you to make some acts of expiation ? 6th. Add a fervent prayer to Jesus, to Mary, to your Angel Guardian; and sincerely promise God that you will do better to-morrow. 7th. Impose upon yourself two or three acts of mortification, according to the number of your faults : for example, strict silence during a certain occupation ; stricter modesty of the eyes in passing a particular place ; rendering Aids of the Novitiate. 279 some service to a companion whom you like less than the others; reciting a particular prayer, kneeling erect without any support, etc. III. MONTHLY RETREAT. " Religious houses," says Father Bautrand, "are composed of fervent, tepid, sometimes, defective souls." In all these states, one needs to frequently enter into oneself : the perfect souls to perse- vere, the tepid souls to rouse themselves, the irregular souls to re-enter the path from which they have wandered. Behold why there have been established in all communities, daily examen, weekly confess- ion, monthly retreat ; finally, a longer retreat once a year. "There is no clock, however good it may be, that does not need to be wound and regulated/' says St. Francis of Sales. "It is necessary, from time to time, to take all the pieces apart, 280 Aids of the Novitiate. and remove the rust which has gathered on them, in order to rectify the parts which have become stiff, and replace those which are worn. He who has a true care for his heart regu- lates it in like manner before God ; and to this end he should frequently observe its condition, rectify and repair it, by examining each piece separately — that is, each passion and affection, in order to remedy the faults which are found in it — and, like the watch-maker, put a drop of fine oil on all the wheels, springs and machin- ery of his watch, in order to make it work more easily and preserve it from rust. This exercise will repair your forces weakened by time, inflame your heart, revive your good resolutions and cause the virtues of your soul to flourish again. " The exercises of the monthly retreat are tra- ced in the Directory of each community; we only indicate here an examen which we counsel you to read reflectively, either before the Bless- ed Sacrament, or during the evening medita- ' tion. It is well, from time to time, to recall in detail all one's obligations. This examen is, doubtless, incomplete, but it is sufficient to recall our duties. Aids of the Novitiate. 281 DUTIES OF VOCATION AND CARE OF PERFECTION. What idea have I of my vocation ? Have I strengthened it by the faithful accomplishment of my duties ? Have I for it the esteem which it merits, and the gratitude which it should inspire in me ? Is my principal object to advance in the way of perfection ? Are my dispositions in regard to my amend- ment, or my advancement, what they were in the first days of my Novitiate ? What progress have I made in Christian or religious virtues ? Is my faith simple, lively and efficacious ? — my hope firm, without discouragement or presumption ? What is my love for God ? Is there not in my heart some irregular attachment to crea- tures? Ambition, too tender friendships, al- ways produce this unhappy effect. Am I zealous for God's glory ? Am I grieved at the outrages which He receives ? Have I that delicacy of conscience which makes a good religious tremble at even the appearance of evil ? 282 Aids of the Novitiate. Have I not indulged in many faults for the reason that they were but venial sins ? Have I not exposed myself to the risk of committing some grave fault ? Am I united with God ? Do I, remembering His presence, live in conformity to His holy will ? Examine particularly, your efforts against your predominant passion, your progress in the virtue you were recommended to acquire. Examine particularly, whether your little pro- gress has not afforded your soul a motive of discouragement. IN REGARD TO POVERTY. * Have I received, taken, bought or borrowed anything without permission ? Have I kept anything without authority ; anything which I retained through an ill-regulated attachment ; * If the novice is not bound to practise poverty and obedience, in virtue of the vows which she has not yet taken, she is bound in virtue of the rule ; and also to prepare herself for the obligation which she intends to contract. Aids of the Novitiate. 283 anything which was superfluous and uncon- formable with poverty? In all such cases, I must strip myself of these objects without delay, and return to the strictness of holy poverty. Do I take care of all that is given for my use, as belonging to religion and Our Lord ? Do I love poverty as a mother rejoicing to wear its livery and to experience its effects ? Does it not happen that I seek the best for myself, leaving the remains to others ? TN REGARD TO CHASTITY. Am I faithful in guarding my thoughts, my heart and my senses ? Have I permitted my- self anything which could be for me, at least, an occasion of trouble? Am I faithful to promptly have recourse to God, the moment the enemy attacks me ? Have I carefully struggled against too natural affections ? Have I avoided all familiarity, all too tender de- monstrations? How have I observed religious temperance ? Do I do all that depends upon me, to imitate the purity of the angels in body and soul ? 284 Aids of the Novitiate. IN REGARD TO OBEDIENCE. In my obedience is there a spirit of faith and equal submission of the will and judgment ? Do I behold God in the person of my su- periors ? Have, I listened to their voice as to that of God ? (This disposition is the soul of obe- dience. ) Do I do nothing covertly P Do I obey promptly, at the first sign, at the first sound of the bell ? Have I relinquished such an employment, such a residence, at the first order, and even at the first intimation, remem- bering that I must be indifferent to everything here below except the will of God expressed through the will of my superiors ? Have I not, on the contrary, indulged in re- flections, jests, criticisms, murmurs against the cause, or the accessory of the order, or the person of the superior, thereby decreasing, in my own mind and that of others, the respect which is due her ? Is my intercourse with my superiors frank and loving ? Aids of the Novitiate. 285 Am I faithful to observe all my rules, or may there not be one which I have formally ex- cluded from my obedience, or the violation of which has become habitual with me ? Have I, above all, esteemed and followed the rule of silence, so important for the community in general and myself in particular ? IN REGARD TO HUMILITY. How do I stand in regard to humility ? Have I wounded it by boasting, by the suscep- tibility of pride, by self conceit, or by haughti- ness toward my sisters ? Have I sought esteem and praise, instead of loving neglect and humil- iations ? Have I acted through human respect ? Have I had too good an opinion of my talents and my virtues ? Have I not a habit of speak- ing of myself, of excusing myself? Am I faith- ful to acknowledge my faults with simplicity, to render an account of my conscience with that humility and child-like confidence which is so much the spirit of the rule ? Am I not disheartened when I do not succeed, when I am blamed ? Do I make frequent acts of 286 Aids of the Novitiate. humility by offering myself for employments repugnant to nature? By at least accepting them with submission ? IN REGARD TO FRATERNAL CHARITY. I owe my sisters the most tender, the most cordial affection, esteem and good will; I should make every effort to promote the union of hearts. Have I done nothing which was con- trary to these duties ? May I not have allowed myself to yield to aversion, envy, malicious in- terpretations, resentment, disputes, anger ? Have I vigorously repelled that base jealousy which grieves at seeing others distinguished, is afflicted at their success and even their virtues ? I owe my neighbor, whosoever he may be, love, forbearance, pardon. Have I indulged in detraction against him, indiscreet reports, calumnies, revengeful de- sires, sallies of ill-humor, anything which could disedify or produce disunion ? Have I avoided correcting others without authority, or criticising my sisters ? Is my affection for Aids of the Novitiate. 287 them founded on the love of Jesus. Is it gen- erous, practical, general without exception. Have I a horror of those wretched particular friendships which scandalize one's neighbor, divide the heart, and turn it from God who wishes to completely possess it ? Have I reflected on the pernicious results of scandal in a community, and the necessity of giving good example ? IN REGARD TO MORTIFICATION. Have I relaxed in any way as regards mortifi- cation ? Have I fulfilled with all integrity, and according to their spirit, the rules contrary to my natural inclinations ? What efforts have I made to attain the perfect observance of exte- rior modesty of the eyes in going from one place to another, and in all my proceedings ? In trying circumstances have I given no sign of impatience, anger, or at least of disturbance ? Have I, with courage and constancy, practised the mortifications and penances customary in the community ? Have I applied myself particularly to interior mortification and self- 288 Aids of the Novitiate. denial ? Have I made efforts to reform my disposition? . .How have I received the trials sent by Providence ? Have I labored to acquire perfect conformity to the will of God ? Finally, have I had the spirit of mortification ; or, in other words, knowing that suffering is an ex- cellent means of expiating my faults, rooting out my vices, rendering me more like Jesus, have I loved and desired it ? IN REGARD TO PIOUS EXERCISES. How is it in regard to my religious exercises ? Have I made them with zeal and fidelity? Has it never happened that I omitted them through my own fault ? When obliged to defer them have I not afterwards performed them with negligence, or even totally neglected them ? And my meditation ; how is it in regard to preparation, following the method prescribed, the resolutions, the practical results ? What is the cause of my distractions r Is it negligence in the immediate preparation, or habitual dis- sipation ? Aids of the Novitiate. 289 Do I carefully and profitably make the ex- amens, especially the particular examen ? How do I make my spiritual reading ? How do I assist at Mass ? Is there nothing relating to my confession and communions in which I could improve? What preparation do I bring to them ? What fruits do I gather from them ? Is my rosary piously recited ? What is my docility in following the counsels I receive ? Am I faithful to regard my mis- tress as holding the place of Jesus, as having been sent me by Him to conduct me according to the rule and spirit of the community ? Have I been faithful in seeking direction ? Have I presented myself at a fitting moment, when unable to go on the day or at the time prescribed ? How have I said my daily prayers, and par- ticularly the short ones before and after meals ? What graces would I not have received if I had been faithful to say all these short prayers well, and if I had been recollected in going from one exercise to another ? 290 Aids of the Novitiate. IN REGARD TO EMPLOYMENT. Am I happy in the employment which has been confided to me ? Why am I not ? With a little more spirit of faith and love of God, would I not be happy ? Why can I not say to myself each morning : 1 am going to do what God asks of me? Have I fulfilled my office with zeal, activity and prudence ? Have I not wounded those who are engaged in the same employment with me? Have I helped them, borne with them, tried to make them contented ? Have I not allowed myself to yield to dis- couragement, sensitiveness, jealousy, vanity, too great eagerness ? IN REGARD TO ORDINARY ACTIONS AND THE USE- FUL EMPLOYMENT OF TIME. How do I perform my ordinary actions ? Do I work constantly for God ? Am I faithful to animate all my actions by a spirit of faith ? Am I persuaded that my perfection consists in performing my ordinary actions well ? Have I Aids of the Novitiate. 291 I economized my time ? Is the order of my labors conformable to obedience ? Are my actions distinguished by pious diligence ; or rather by ill-regulated enthusiasm, slowness, indolence, idleness, loss of time ? How are my recreations, my walks, spent on holidays ? Am I careful to sanctify my repasts, my sleep, my corporal exercises ? After this examen, kneeling, recite the fol- lowing prayer : ACT OF RENOVATION. "It is necessary, then, that I should think of a pious renovation, which will cause me to re-enter the paths of perfection to which Thou, my God, dost call me. Here are the principal points which render this renovation absolutely necessary for me : "Renewal of fidelity in all my religious exercises ; renewal of purity of intention ; re- newal of preparation for the sacraments ; re- newal of inviolable fidelity to grace ; renewal 292 Aids of the Novitiate. of dependence and complete submission to- wards my superiors ; renewal of gentleness, of charity, towards all without exception ; renewal of the generous accomplishment of the du-l ties of my employment ; renewal of absolute detachment of my heart, which is made for Thee alone." Then determine the particular resolutions you should take, and, offering them to God, say to Him from the depths of your heart : "Behold, O my God, my pious resolutions, and the new plan of life which I have resolved to follow in future. I owe this pious renovation to the sanctity of the state which I have em- braced ; I owe it to the gratitude with which I am inspired by the many graces which I have received ; I owe it to the sorrow and repar- ation required for the many faults which I have committed ; I owe it to the edification of those persons with whom I have the happiness to live ; I owe it to the care of my perfection which, alas, I have neglected ; I owe it, finally, to my preparation for eternity, where I shall enter, perhaps, before another renovation pre- sents itself. I understand what I have to fear ■Aids of the Novitiate. 293 from my weakness, after the sad experience I have had ; after so many other renovations when I made Thee the same promises ; but this one, I trust, will be more efficacious ; help me anew with Thy grace, O my God ! I promise Thee, with Thy assistance, a more constant fidelity in the performance of my duties ; from this moment, I will daily labor to attain it ; may I never swerve from this resolution during my life. Holy Virgin, St. Joseph, my good Angel, my holy protectors, keep me faithful to these resolutions." When finishing, endeavor to foresee the means best fitted to insure your complete ren- ovation. Place all your hope in God, and ardently resume your course without allowing yourself to be cast down at the sight of your misery however great it may be. IV. PARTICULAR RULE. 1st, Particular regulation is that which each novice traces for herself, and which she writes in a special book, for the purpose of reading it 294 Aids of the Novitiate. from time to time. In this book she deter- mines the employment of every moment of the day which is not given to the general exercises. 2d, The intentions she proposes to herself for each one of her actions : rising, work, etc., in order to render them more holy and meri- torious. For she is aware, " that all the good works of the just soul, even its least action, performed with the assistance of God's grace, truly acquire for it, in virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, of whom it is a living member, an increase of grace here below, and prepare for it a new degree of glory in heaven. " — Council of Trent. 3d, She marks the special virtues which she wishes to acquire, her particular devotions, and the mortifications she purposes to impose upon herself. 4th, She marks the subject of her partic- ular examen which she has had her mistress point out to her, and the manner in which it should be made ; her occupations during Mass, the rosary, the visit to the Blessed Sacrament. 5 th, She notes the anniversaries of graces which she has received ; her resolutions o Aids of the Novitiate. 295 the monthly retreat ; the circumstances under which she has been more deeply touched by God's love ; the thoughts which have impressed her during her meditation during instruction ; those counsels of her confessor which she has found most beneficial ; the counsels and re- proofs of her mistress, that she may bear in mind the fault she has to correct, the good examples she has before her eyes. This book should be made only with the assent of the mistress, to whom it should be presented from time to time, and who has the right to ask for it if she so desire. Written simply and unaffectedly, without a desire of being appreciated, (which the mistress however will soon see and will easily know how to repress, ) this little book may be very useful in times of discouragement and weariness, when temptation or several days of laxity make the Saviour s yoke seem very heavy ; the poor novice or religious, on reading expressions of former happiness, may ask herself : Is it God who has changed, or have I? 296 Aids of the Novitiate. EXTERIOR AIDS. The Rule. The rule! the rule I Such should be the cry of the soul which feels that it is wandering, and would not be completely lost. The rule ! the rule ! should be the cry of the soul which feels that it is falling, and would rise again ! The rule in religious houses is to the soul like a path traced through an un- known desert ; it leads directly to the end, and can be followed without danger or fear of be- ing deceived. The rule, like thoseparafie/s placed on either side of a bridge over a deep river, preserve one from falling, keep one in the path, and help one to rise when he falls. And God Himself has traced this pathway, has placed this guard on the edge of the precipice. Oh ! how fortunate you are, sister, to have been placed by God in this path which neces- sarily leads you to heaven ! Then love your rule, — appreciate it, — ob- serve it ! Aids of the Novitiate. 297 MOTIVES WHICH SHOULD LEAD YOU TO OBSERVE THE RULE. I St. Observing the rule will render you pleasing in the eyes of God, It is the expression of His will, — you are assured of this by the approbation which the Church has given to it; now, do you not see that by faithfully observing it, you give God every moment of the day and night a proof of your love : you glorify Him ; you acknowl- edge His dominion over you ; you seek to please Him ; you imitate Jesus who only sought to do the will of His Father ? At each call from God you are ready to say to Him with a joyful heart : I am here, Master, what wouldst Thou that I do ? And God, after each action done to please Him, will say of you as He did of Jesus : Behold my well-beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased! 2d. Observing the rule will cause you to be respected. It may doubtless happen by the permission of God, that, in spite of your piety and your 298 Aids of the Novitiate. fervor, you will not have the sympathy of your sisters ; but rest assured that if you have been faithful, through a spirit of faith, and without constraint or affectation, there is not one who in the depth of her heart does not esteem you and wish to imitate you. What do you yourself think of the sisters whom you know are very faithful ? Would you not go to them for counsel rather than to any of the others ? And even were you not appreciated, do you not feel that you are pleasing to God, and does not that satisfy you ? 3d. Observing the rule will make you happy. No, sister, God will never be outdone in gen- erosity ; the more you give Him, the more He will return to you; the more you endeavor to serve Him, to be faithful to Him — to avoid what displeases Him ; the more He will console you, the more He will protect you, the more He will reward you ! And protected by God, what could trouble you ? Aids of the Novitiate. 299 Could fear of the future ? But is not the thought of God's providence sufficient to make you hope always and in spite of everything ? Sister, you have a better right than all others to rely upon this providence, since God can rely upon you ; you will always find God ready to care for you, because God always finds you ready to obey Him. Could suffering ? But does not the sight of your crucifix encourage you ? And does not Jesus say to your heart : / am with thee, since thou hast chosen Me. Courage ! the trials will pass; an eternity of joy is coming / Could the sacrifices exacted by obedience? — But you know well — you who would not break one of the links, even the smallest which binds you to Jesus — you well know that this divine Master will follow you everywhere ; and is it not always paradise where Jesus dwells ? We will not speak of the affection of your mistress, which will be no less wanting to you ; and it will be in sweet proportion as you feel you have merited it. 300 Aids of the Novitiate. 4 th. Observing the rule will sanctify you. Benedict XIV. has promised to canonize the novice who, during the Novitiate, will have perfectly observed the rules of the Institute. It is because there is nothing more sanctify- ing than the observance of a rule. Embracing as it does every moment of the day and night, every act which may be performed, it leaves nothing to caprice, nothing to the senses, nothing to self-will. It causes one to act ac- cording to the orders of God, in the presence of God, in union with God, with the intention of pleasing God. Is it not in this that sanctity consists ? MANNER IN WHICH THE RULE SHOULD BE OB- SERVED. I st. The rule should be observed completely. All that comes from God is equally worthy of respect ; and obedience raises everything, ennobles everything, renders everything meri- torious. Aids of the Novitiate. 301 Oh ! do not amuse yourselves with drawing distinctions between what appears to you impor- tant and what appears a small matter; between what appears to you to be commanded and what seems to be only counselled. Do not authorize yourself to transgress an observance under pretext that the rule does not oblige under pain of sin. No ; doubtless dif- ferent points of the rule do not oblige under pain of sin, but you well know — all the saints tell you — that the motive which leads you to voluntarily transgress this observance ifc a sin ; because the motive is always sloth, pride, or sensuality. And were there no sin, is it noth- ing to accustom yourself to immortification and independence? 2d. The rule should be observed punctually. 1st, In regard to time; doing the action pre- scribed at the time fixed for it, and regard- ing the clock which calls you as the voice of Jesus ; it is He who wishes that we should rise at such an hour, that we should go to recrea- tion, to work, to the chapel. . . Let us not despise His call. 3<32 Aids of the Novitiate. 2d. In regard to the manner; in spite of self- love which whispers that we would do better another way, — that we would finish sooner, — that they do not know the new methods in the community, etc. 3d. In regard to place: never going but where we should, and where we are allowed to be, — never withdrawing from surveillance, and manifesting no annoyance when we are sent from one place to another. 3d. The rule should be observed lovingly. And it will be, if you regard it as the voice of God calling you, directing you, instructing you, commanding you. Oh 1 if you had lived in the time of this good Master, and, having accepted you among His followers He had given you the same counsels that are given you in the Novitiate, with what joy and happiness you would have obeyed ! Sister, it is still He who commands you I Aids of the Novitiate. 303 PRAYERS IN COMMON. This support is wanting to you in the world; in the community, it will be for you a source of grace and consolation. Of grace : because to this prayer is attached the special promise, that God will be in the midst of those who are thus united in His name ; and because when God comes expressly, so to speak, He always, according to the saints, leaves after Him a token of His love. Of consolation: because your own prayer, weak, perhaps slothful and distracted, will be strengthened and animated by ihe fervent prayer of your sisters. Oh ! how sweet it is to be able to say during prayer, even though we feel we are guilty and merit not to be heard : "God willingly hears this common prayer to which I unite mine ; the voice of the just ascends higher than the voice of the guilty. " We will have to develop these thoughts in our Book for the Professed, when we speak of the divine office ; we will only recommend you here not to absent yourself from common prayer 304 Aids of the Novitiate. unless for real and serious reasons. What graces are lost, from having wished to follow a particular attraction which led us to separate ourselves from the community, under pretext that we are more recollected when we prayed by ourselves 1 II. DIRECTION. "Every month," says St. Francis of Sales,' speaking to his religious, "the sisters should briefly and summarily discover their hearts to the superior, and in all simplicity and faithful confidence show her its secret folds, with the same sincerity and candor that a child would show its mother how it had been stung by a wasp ; and by this means they will render an account of their advancement and progress, as well as of their losses and failings, in the exer- cises of prayer, virtue, and the spiritual life ; manifesting, also, their temptations and in- terior troubles, that they may be not only con- soled, but also strengthened and humbled." "Happy those/' adds the saint, " who in- Aids of the Novitiate. 305 genuously practise this article,* which teaches a portion of the spiritual infancy so much re- commended by Our Saviour, and which also gives and preserves true tranquillity of mind." We will make only a few remarks on this important subject of direction, having pub- lished a small work in which all the questions relating to it are treated. f Direction is not a confession, it consists of confidences ; in it we do not speak of what is precisely matter of absolution, but of that which requires counsel, guidance, and a par- ticular manner of proceeding. It is not as a criminal that the sister comes to unveil her soul, but as an imperfect soul needing to be shown the means of perfecting itself. A novice, more than all others, needs direc- tion. The religious life is all new to her ; all that she sees, all that she hears, astonishes her, and makes her desire to be enlightened *This should be read in reference to a decree of Pius IX. — Translator. t See La Direction Spirituelle, by the author of Petit Livre des Superieures and Novices' Little Manual. 306 Aids of the Novitiate. upon a multitude of details which she needs to know, — the questions which press into her soul form matter of direction. The novice easily experiences uneasiness, disgust, weari- ness, from a multitude of causes ; at times there are even regrets in this poor heart which was so strong in the hour of sacrifice, and believ- ed that its strength could never be shaken. . . . Must there not be some outpouring of these trials and this weariness ? This outpouring is matter of direction. The novice understands piety as it is fre- quently understood in the world : with self- chosen, sweet, easy, independent practices, free from any precise rule, — free particularly from sacrifices and contradictions ; and she is griev- ed at not being able to pray as much, at finding herself restricted to a certain manner of prayer which she does not like, at no longer feel- ing any relish for Holy Communion, and she becomes discouraged and alarmed. . . To calm this agitation, must she not expose the state of her soul ? This exposition is matter of direction. The novice hears reading and instructions Aids of the Novitiate. 307 which are all new to her mind: they speak of the maladies of the soul ; of the means of rec- ognizing them; of the remedies to be applied to them; of the obligations religious are under to become perfect, etc. . . Books never give but generalities ; must she not have that ex- plained which she only partially understands ? — These explanations are matter of direction. The manner of making our meditation ; the joys, the consolations, or the weariness we experience in it ; the happiness we experience at prayer, at office ; the disrelish which for some time has made this exercise tiresome to us ; the virtues to which we apply ourselves ; the fruit we gather from Holy Communion, — all these things, and all that regards the soul, the mind, the body — except that which is sin, may be matter for direction. Look upon your mistress as a Mother whom God has given you to protect you during your religious infancy. * * "The novices," says St. Francis of Sales, " should cordially love their mistress, and feel in her a most filial confidence accompanied with respect ; manifest- ing to her their gratitude, and acknowledgment of her labor in training their minds." 308 Aids of the Novitiate. III. CHAPTER OF FAULTS. We call chapter of faults, or simply chapter, the periodical reunions of all the community, during which each novice makes a public ac- knowledgment of her exterior faults against the rule, listens while her sisters point out to her the faults she may not have perceived, and accepts, finally, from the superior, a reproof and a penance. For many years, and, sometimes, during all their religious life, there is nothing certain temperaments dread so much as chapter. Self- love makes it so hard to accuse ourselves, and be publicly accused ! But there is nothing more efficacious, or which contributes more powerfully to prevent falls and correct defects. We read in the life of St. Dominick, that one day the devil appeared to him in human form. The saint had a revelation of the pres- ence of the spirit of darkness. " You are the enraged enemy of souls," he Aids of the Novitiate. 309 said to him ; " then what are you doing in this monasteiy ?" "I am pursuing my office of tempter, and not fruitlessly either." " What do you effect in the chapel ?" 11 1 endeavor to have the religious come late, to dissipate their fervor, and give them worldly thoughts." " What do you do in the parlor ?" •'The parlor belongs to me. There I urge them to immoderate mirth ; I impel them to idle words, to murmurs. . . Your religious come there and lose all they have gained else- where." St. Dominick having conducted the devil to the room where chapter was usually held, the proud spirit refused to enter. "That room," he explained, " is hell to me ; there your broth- ers confess the evil I have caused them to do ; and this avowal which covers them with con- fusion, strengthens them against my attacks for several days." To profit of chapter, we must prepare ourselves for it by prayer, and say to ourselves energet- ically : / wish to humble myself ; we must 310 Aids of the Novitiate. acknowledge our fault briefly, and without a word of excuse ; then wait patiently. We must listen calmly, (I dare not say joy- fully,) to the companion who points out a fault to us ; subdue by an act of the love of God the interior revolt which we sometimes experience, particularly when we think that our sister is mistaken; oblige ourselves to recite a prayer for her who accuses us; and, chapter being ended, forbid ourselves any remark upon what has passed or been said. ' ' The religious " says F. St. Jure, "who loves correction will soon be perfect ; she who hates it will never be." To tell the faults of another at chapter is fre- quently more difficult than to hear our own faults repeated ; it requires courage, very pure friendship, and a great love of duty. The fear of offending or estranging a companion often keeps us silent. Doubtless it must be done with much prudence, much tact; we must nev- er absolutely affirm anything, nor must we say anything of a nature to make another blush or humiliate her too much, but let us be simple, charitable ; there is always something in the Aids of the Novitiate. 311 tone of the person who really loves his neigh- bor, and in his manner of expressing himself, which prevents his censures from producing a bad impression. It is customary in some communities for the mistress of novices to give each of her sisters a companion, who, under the name of assistant or admonitrix, is charged to point out to her, in private, every week, the faults into which she has fallen. This practice is a great assistance, and we earnestly commend it in the houses where it is practised. Correction, on the part of a virtuous friend, is more easily accepted; given privately it does not irritate self-love, and tempered by affection it does not discourage us. IV. SPIRITUAL READING. In prayer, we speak to God ; in spiritual reading, it is God who speaks to us. A good book sometimes effects in us what a familiar conversation fails to do ; particularly when there is question of pointing out to us 312 Aids of the Novitiate. a humiliating fault which another has not the courage to mention, for fear of irritating us. Every pious reading, like every instruction, always contains, by a special grace, something useful to each one of those who hear it in a spirit of faith. Go, then, to the reading and to the instruc- tions, with the thought that God is about to give you a special counsel; and be watchful that it does not pass without your profiting by it. It is unnecessary to speak to you about choosing your reading. In the Novitiate you can neither retain or read any book without permission. Those which are publicly read are not selected by you, and those which are lent you have been specially chosen in reference to the wants of your soul. Do not read with avidity the books your mistress lends you, nor with childish vanity pride yourself upon fin- ishing a volume each week. Ask your mis- tress if it would not be well for you to make a selection of the thoughts which will have im- pressed you. Do not lend to your companions, without permission, the book which has been given Aids of the Novitiate. 313 for you ; and do not ask to read those which have been lent them. If you are permitted the use of any books, be careful of them, love them ; for it is not without a purpose that God permits a certain book to be given to you ; be always ready, how- ever, to make the sacrifice of it. And if your mistress permit you to keep this (l Novices Little Manual" ask God, when you read it, to grant that the book may do you good, and pray sometimes for the author. * # * As a summary of the preceding chapter we will transcribe here one of the most charming pages from St. Francis of Sales : A sister of Annecy, Sister Simplicienne, had the simplicity to ask the holy bishop this ingenuous question : My Lord, if you were a religious among us, what would you do that you might soon become perfect? And the amiable saint replied : "It seems to me that, with the grace of 314 Aids of the Novitiate. God, I would be so attentive to the practice of the least and smallest observance, that by this means I would gain the heart of God. ' ' I would observe silence well, but I would also speak sometimes, even during silence ; I mean I would always speak when charity re- quired it, but never otherwise. "I would speak very gently, because it is commanded by the constitutions; I would open and shut the doors very softly, because our mother wishes it, and we are anxious to do all that we know she desires. " I would keep my eyes carefully cast down, and I would walk very softly; for, my dear daughter, God and His angels are always looking at us, and they love those extremely who are doing right. "If I were employed upon anything, or a charge were given me, I would love it very much, and I would try to be very faithful to it. If no employment were given me, and I were set aside, I would not concern myself about anything whatever but practising obedi- ence well and loving Our Lord well. " Oh ! it seems to me that I would love Him, Aids of the Novitiate. 315 this good God, with all my heart ; and that I would diligently apply my mind to observing the rules and constitutions faithfully. " Oh yes, my daughter, we must certainly do it to the best of our power, for was it not for that, that you and I became religious ? I am truly very glad that there is a sister here who is willing to be a religious in my place, and I am much pleased that it is Sister Simplicienne, for I love her very much. " It is further my opinion, that I would be always very cheerful, and that I would always avoid over-eagerness. That, thank God, I do already ; for I never hurry. " I would consider myself very small and in- significant ; I would humble myself and make acts of humility, according as I encountered the occasions ; and if 1 were not humble, I would at least be humbled at my want of humility. " I would do all that is possible to keep my- self in the presence of God, and to do all my actions for love of Him ; for thus, my daughter, are we taught to do here. And what have we but that to do in this world ? Nothing at all. 316 Aids of the Novitiate. "We know all that is required, if we know that. Bat, my daughter Simplicienne, do you know what I would still do? I hope that I would willingly let them do with me all that they wished, and I would frequently read in our constitutions the chapter on modesty and humility. . . Oh, my dear daughter, it is very necessary to read them.'' nrrrrm CHAPTER XL TEMPTATIONS WHICH THE DEVIL SUG- GESTS DURING THE NOVITIATE. Many young girls imagine, that once they have entered a religious house they will no longer be tempted as they were in trie world ; and, during the first days, as their fervor, the total change of occupation, the novelty of the exercises which fill their day, the almost con- tinual labor to which they are constrained, absorb their thoughts they rejoice that they are no longer subject to sensuality and to evil thoughts, to vanity and a desire to please ; and they believe it will always be thus. But, after a few weeks, the novelty wears off; and the novice finds that the self of former times returns, and she feels all the old temptations ; and, being inexperienced, and never imagining that one could be so tempted in a religious house, she is disquieted, grieved, dishearten- ed, and concludes at once that God does not wish her. i 318 Temptations. Go simply, and without fear to your confess- or, and tell him all you feel; profit of the occasion to make known to him, if you have not done so already, what the state of your soul was before entering the community, as this will make his counsels more useful ;* faithfully follow all his advice. Your confessor has special grace for reassuring you, enlightening you, and for indicating to you the means of resisting the Evil One. We would not in this chapter speak of those temptations which God permits in the Novi- tiate as well as after profession, but of a few temptations, peculiar to the time of the Nov- itiate, which the devil suggests to the novice, in order to overthrow her vocation ; while God permits them, in order to strengthen it by obliging her to show greater love for Him. * It is customary on entering a community, to make a general confession to the confessor of the house. Some directors, without obliging it, recommend this act of humility to the postulant, which may be very useful in enlightening the confessor. However, it is always for the confessor to judge the fitness of a general confession. Temptations. 3*9 Your family loved you so much, and now you ungratefully leave them ! — Trials will come to your father and mother, and you will not be with them to console them ! — Sickness will overtake them; in vain will they wish you near their pillow I This is the most painful as well as the most frequent temptation, which rends the heart of the novice, and sometimes saddens her to tears. To overcome it, call to your assistance the thoughts of faith which gave you courage to leave your father and mother. Human rea- sons are powerless here. It is only before the Blessed Sacrament and in Holy Communion that you will appease these sorrowful thoughts. Oh ! yes, yes, your parents love you, but God loves you still more ; and if God call on the one side and your parents on the other, whom must you obey ? Repeat those, doubt- less, heart-rending but solemn words : He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. God is not ungrateful, rest assured of this ; He will take your place with your father and mother; He will not let them want for the 320 Temptations. assistance which you would have given ; He will help them, and will not let them be de- serted. God, in a measure, owes it to you ; rely upon Him. This separation which is a continual sacri- fice, gives you a right to obtain continual graces. Listen : Every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, cr mother, or wife, or chil- dren, or lands, for my names sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and possess life everlasting. An hundred fold in this world! Now, what do you wish in this world ? Above all, do you not desire for your parents peace, happiness sanctity ? Sister, you will — you will have all this. Pray for your father and mother ; frequently ask your dear Saviour to go to them, to console them and strengthen them. Speak to them of heaven when you see them, and live in peace. God will take your place toward them, and for your sake who have left them for Him, He will give them such abundant grace that they will be sanctified, and one day in heaven they will thank you for this separation which now costs them so many tears. Temptations. 321 Your health will not permit you to remain here, it will soon give way ; at an early age it will be completely broken, and then what will you be good for? — To suffer and make others suffer,— you had much better leave. Reply as all the saints have : 1st. I have not entered religion for the sake of my health or to preserve it, but to sanctify myself, and, particularly, to die well. 2d. I came with an earnest desire and good will ; I made known to my superiors my tem- perament and its weaknesses ; if they judge I can be useful in the community, they will keep me ; if they see I can not be of use, they will tell me so ; therefore, I have only to wait their decision. 3d. Doubtless I shall be overtaken with in- firmities, but would I be free from them in the world ? Here, at /least I shall have the advantage of being able to say to God : // was to serve Thee better that I became ill. — Is not this consoling ? 322 Temptations. II. It is a hard tife: one spent in total dependence on the will of another ; a whole life spent in an employment distasteful to my nature; a whole life spent with dispositions in antipathy with mine ; a whole life of privation, inconvenience, restraint Tell the devil flatly, This is not true. Obedience has its sweetness which the devil does not know ; and more than once already have I tasted its consolations. Is not this thought alone, / am doing what God wishes, capable of making me endure all the bitterness of life? The employment may not always suit my disposition, but it is to the interest of my supe- riors that I should do it properly ; if therefore, they leave it to me, it is because I succeed with it, and we generally end by liking what we do well ; if I do not succeed they give me other work. It is impossible that I should find all dis- positions congenial to mine, but charity softens all that at first appears hard. We love one Temptations. 323 another in a community quite as much, and far more sincerely than in the world. After all, it depends upon me to make myself loved. The words, privation, inconvenience, restraint, even were they true in this case, do not form all the religious life. Why look only at one side ? Is there then no inconvenience, no pri- vations, no restraint, in life in the world ? And in a religious life is there not rest, calm of conscience, peace of soul, hope of heaven ? Moreover, if it be sometimes hard to live in religion, it is always sweet to die there ; and is not a good death every thing ? III. You entered religion to live more calmly, and you enjoy less calm than when you were with your family ; you came here to be more pious, and you are much less so than when you were in the world ; you have less time to spend in church, you make fewer communions, you experience less fervor and piety. 324 Temptations. No, I have not come to the convent precise- ly to live more calmly, but to live more holily ; now sanctity does not consist in exterior calm and leisure, but in submitting the will to the will of God ; and that is all I desire. If God wills that I should labor much, that I should not have a moment's repose, is He not Master? Then is not that exterior calm which gives us joy, the calm of the soul ? — and that, I know, will never be wanting to me, as long as I can heartily say, Fiat I I have less time to spend in church, but all my time is spent in doing the will of God, and is spent where God wills me to be, and this is much more consoling ! I communicate less frequently, but it is only through obedience that 1 abstain from Holy Communion ; God understands well that it is not through want of love for Him. When my superiors judge me worthy they will perhaps permit me daily communion, and then I will be compensated for this abstinence. I feel at times, it is true, very little sensible fervor, and it is a source of real trial to me ; bit I have been taught that fervor is not Temptations. 325 sensibility, hut fidelity; that love does not consist in the joy we experience, but in the sacrifices we make for Him whom we love. IV. You would do more good in the world than here; how many ignorant souls of whom no one thinks, and whom you might instruct; how many abandoned children you could care for ; what good you could do in taking care of the neglected sick. . . Here you do all this, but it would be done by others without you, while no one thinks of the unfortunate ones of whom I speak. This is all very beautiful and very attractive, but is it what God wishes me to do ? If ir were, He would have had it made known to me, as He made it known to me that I was to come to the convent. It is all very beautiful, and I might even suc- ceed in it were I to undertake it ; but would I not lose my soul in doing it ? Am I sufficiently proof against vanity, sensuality, the thousand occasions of sin which I should encounter ? 326 Temptations. Who would sustain my inconstancy ? Who would strengthen me against deception ? Oh ! my God, a little less attractive labor, and more safety. A little less glory, and more occasions of merit. Fewer desires, and more attention to doing at the present moment Thy holy and ador- able will. CHAPTER XII. LAST DAYS OF THE NOVITIATE. The last days of the Novitiate are spent in retreat, and it is very sweet this blessed time of immediate preparation for that day so ardently desired when the novice pronounces her vows. " Hasten, hasten, lagging hours! fly with me to Jesus !" wrote a novice. "Then, Thou dost desire me, O Jesus! Thou dost permit me to attach myself to Thee! And not only dost Thou permit, but Thou hast extended Thy goodness so far as to ask me daily during the last year, Art thou willing ? "Oh yes, Jesus, I desire it ! "And the word ' eternal' thrills me with a happiness which the words of this world are powerless to give ; the vows which I am about to pronounce are eternal, " Eternal, the ties which are about to bind me to Jesus ! 328 Last days of the Novitiate. "Eternal, the title of Spouse which Jesus is about to confer upon me, and which I give Him in return ! ' • Eternal, the words ' I belong not to myself but to Jesus I ' " . . . We offer to the novice, as subjects for medi- tation during the last days of the Novitiate, re- flections which will make the life she is about to embrace known to her in all its different points of view. This life has its trials, and it has its consola- tions. GENERAL TRIALS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. We have spoken in the first pages of this book of the mistaken ideas many young girls form of the religious life, and the too human joys to which they look forward in community life. A whole year of Novitiate, no doubt, has a little modified the ardor of a young imagi- nation, and of a heart which saw no diffi- culty whatever in obedience and devotedness ; perhaps the devil has even exaggerated the Last days of the Novitiate. 329 difficulties of the future during those hours when a novice was feeling a painful trial to which her mistress subjected her, or during those more sorrowful times still, perhaps, when God permitted her to remain cold, insensible, and devoid of fervor. We think it is our duty to make known with the precision which such a subject demands, the truth concerning the general trials of the religious life, and to this end we borrow the words of Father Bourdaloue, always so exact in doctrine.* * ' When we speak of the religious state, it seems to me that we sometimes give very human ideas of it. I am loath to hear preach- ers representing the religious state as a sweet life free from all trials and exempt from all care. One would say on hearing them, that a religious has nothing to suffer, nothing to bear ; that he wants for nothing, that all his surroundings are sweet and pleasant, that every- thing succeeds according to his desires. For * In our Book for the Professed, we will treat in de- tail each one of the trials of the religious life. 330 Last days of the Novitiate. one house which he has left, a hundred, and more, are open to him ; for one father and mother from whom he has separated, he has as many as there are superiors charged with his guidance. All this is beautiful ; but the worst of it is that it is scarcely evangelical. And why need one renounce the world if it contained the hundred fold promised by Christ, and which we expect in religion ? Besides, finding much to undeceive the hopes we had formed on em- bracing the religious state, it would certainly be very strange to seek in retirement from the world what we pretended to fly from by leaving it : that is, purely temporal advantages, and wholly natural enjoyments. "The great advantage of the religious pro- fession is Christian self-denial, it is mortifica- tion of the senses, it is the cross ; and this is how we should regard it. All that turns us from this view turns us from truth; consequently is but illusion. I wish, then, that nothing should be hidden from a young person who intends to enter a religious house, and who Last days of the Novitiate. 331 feels herself called thither. I wish that nothing should be disguised from her by brilliant but false pictures ; that she should be allowed to see all the consequences of the choice she is making; that every thing should be proposed to her as it really is, and that she should be shown the thorns which strew the path she is entering. For what is the religious life if not the Gospel reduced to practice, and the most perfect prac- tice ? And what is the Gospel if not a law of self-denial, of death to self, of continual war againt self? " But such thoughts, you will tell me, may discourage and repel a soul ; and I reply, on the contrary, it is from these very thoughts that it can and should find motives calculated to determine and confirm its resolutions. And why? Because they teach it to esteem the religious life in the way in which it is precisely most worthy of sovereign esteem : that is, as a state of sanctification, as a state of perfection, as a state of salvation, as a state where the religious soul may daily amass new merits for eternity, and unceasingly accumulate crown upon crown. This should be the capital point 332 Last days of the Novitiate. to which she should solely attach herself, and in which her happiness on earth should consist. Therefore, it is upon this alone that the preacher should insist, and in this alone should he make the excellent prerogatives of the religious life to consist. However it may be in regard to all the rest, and whatever colors we may employ to embellish and relieve it, the moment we wander from this important consid- eration of salvation, I do not hesitate to say particularly of the religious state and those who embrace it, what St. Paul said in general of Christianity and Christians who profess it : If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are, of all men, most miserable. "Behold what I would say without fear of being contradicted by any of those who have any knowledge of the religious life, or, partic- ularly, by those who have any experience of it But the moment they allege salvation to me as the object of the religious state, that they speak to me of religious vocation as a pledge of predestination and salvation, that they make it known to me as a predilection on the part of God for me, as a special Providence in Last days of the Novitiate. 333 regard to my salvation, ah ! then I will exclaim again with St. Paul : In the midst of tribulations, in the rudest trials of my state, I am filled with comfort, I exceedingly abound with joy. " I will further add," like the Royal Prophet, I have chosen to be abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sin- ners. Let me be humbled in this house of God, let me occupy the lowest place ; let me feel all the inconveniences of strict poverty, let me bear all the burden of rigid obedience ; let nature, with all its covetousness, be there combated, conquered, immolated; it suffices that it is a house of salvation to render it to me not only bearable, but agreeable, pleasant. I ask but this ; it is the end of all my aspirations. Treating the happiness of the religious state in this way is taking all that is most real and solid in the subject, and it is upon the real and solid parts of every subject that a preacher should always dwell ; otherwise, he will make fine speeches which will sound in the air but will not convince minds or touch hearts." 334 Last days of the Novitiate. (< And do not reply that after all, the Gospel, and all the fathers of the Church, supported by the words of Christ, promise religious not only a hundred fold in the life to come, which is eternal happiness, but even in this present life a hundred fold, which cannot but be the repose they enjoy and all the sweetnesses which ac- company it. It is true that Our Saviour has spoken of this double hundred fold : one in the life to come, the other in the present ; in the most formal terms has He declared : There is no man who hath left house \ or brethren, or sisters, or father or mother, or children, or lands for my sake, who shall not receive an hundred times as much now in this time, and in the world to come life everlasting. It is no less true that the hun- dred fold in this life cannot but be for the religious soul the enjoyment of peace which its state affords, and which is a hundred times more valuable than all the inheritance and lands which it has renounced : for it is thus that commentators verify this beautiful passage in St. Mark, and that they understand the pro- mise of the Son of God. But what is this peace? Behold the essential article, and Last days of the Novitiate. 335 concerning which young people may be in error ; and it is well to undeceive them on this point, instead of maintaining them in their delusion by flattering discourses and vain ex- aggerations. "When Jesus Christ gave peace to His disci- ples, He warned them that it was not the peace such as the world conceives and desires. * My peace I give unto you ', said the divine Master, 'not as the world giveth do I give unto you.' That peace of the world, that false condemned peace, is an idle effeminate peace formed on the comforts and conveniences of life, particu- larly upon all that which pleases nature and which satisfies self-love ; but the peace of the religious soul is founded on completely con- trary principles : on hatred of self, on perpetual sacrifice of one's sensual appetites, one's incli- nations, one's passions, one's desires. So that a religious can be contented in his retreat only in proportion as he knows how to humble himself, to crucify himself, to conquer himself, to render himself obedient, poor, patient, assid- uous in work, faithful to his duties : dispensing 336 Last days of the Novitiate. himself from nothing, considering himself in nothing, seeking to spare himself in nothing. This must cost him much ; but, by a sort of miracle, the less he considers himself, the less he spares himself, the more does he feel the abundance of peace in his heart." "And do we not see also that it is precisely in the most regular and austere communities that more content is manifested, and that the yoke of Jesus Christ is found more sweet and His burden more light ? Every thing con- tributes to this contentment and this tranquil- lity of a truly religious soul: its indifference in re- gard to all human things, and its freedom from the interests which give worldlings so much anxiety ; its entire abandonment into the hands of its superiors to allow itself to be guided by their views ; the calm of its conscience, the hope of that beatitude which is the sole object of its aspirations, and toward which it daily labors by new progress ; and particularly the interior unction of the grace with which it is filled. Last days of the Novitiate. 337 For God, faithful to His word, has a thousand ways of communicating Himself to this soul to fill it with His delights. "Judging by the exterior, we see nothing in all this plan of its life but what is hard and repellent: cloister, solitude, silence, continual dependence, absolute submission, restraining rule, troublesome observances, laborious func- tions, humiliating exercises, abstinence, fasts, macerations of the flesh. But under this exterior, capable of alarming souls which have never penetrated further, or have learned by no trial to recognize the mysteries of God, how much consolation there is hidden, according to the testimony of the Prophet, and reserved to those who fear the Lord? And how much more still to those who love Him and serve Him in spirit and in truth ? "Hence, by a miracle — which the worldly and carnal man does not and never will under- stand, but which is manifested to the religious and spiritual man by experience and the most sensible relish — hence it happens, I say, that 338 Last days of the Novitiate. while people of the world with all their wealth, with all their honors, with all their pleasures, are nearly always discontented and incessantly complaining of their lot, the religious in his poverty, in his obscurity, subject to the most rigid obedience and the most mortifying prac- tices, does not cease to bless his condition and peaceably runs his career. The peace he pos- sesses is the peace of God ; and the apostle who had experienced it himself, assures us that the peace of God surpasseth all understanding. Now behold once more how I would represent to religious persons the happiness of their state. Behold the points upon which I wish to insist and which will serve to excite their zeal, their watchfulness, their fervor, by convincing them that their happiness consists in these things, and that in this way also their happiness will be full and constant. " II. CONSOLATIONS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. We will be more at ease in speaking of the consolations of the religious life. Last days of the Novitiate. 339 We might extract what we wish to say from some pages written by religious speaking of their happiness ; but perhaps these sentiments which now may thrill you and move you to tears will no longer find an echo in your soul when sensible grace has disappeared, and you may accuse them of being the result of an excited imagination. Therefore we will let the saints speak ; their words are more calm and always offer a safer refuge in the different sit- uations of the soul. No one paints better than St. Bernard the consolations of the religious state. This Doc- tor, so devoted to the Blessed Virgin, expresses himself thus : In the religious state the soul Lives more purely, Falls more rarely, Rises again more quickly, Proceeds more cautiously, Is filled with more graces, Enjoys more peace, Dies with more confidence, Shortens its purgatory, Gains a more beautiful crown. 34° Last days of the Novitiate. Let us examine the consoling thoughts, one by one, and try to discover the riches contained in each. The religious lives with more purity and merit. Because all that she does, is done in the presence of God, in union with God, and to be offered to God. The servant of God, it is He whom she obeys. Bound to God by the vows of chastity, pov- erty, and obedience, it is without power to sep- arate herself from God that she labors, that she prays, that she takes her recreation, that she takes her repose. There is not one moment or one act of her life which is not commanded by God, and which she is not obliged to offer Him. She comprehends this, and the thought of it sustains her in labor and trials, obliges her to act with a purity of intention and a pure love which give to all her actions incalculable merit. Add to this merit, that which she acquires in virtue of her vows, and see what riches she amasses and what glory she renders to God ! Last days of the Novitiate. 341 "How beautiful and meritorious are the least actions of a religious," exclaims a pious author. " The diadem of a princess does not equal in value the simple broom of a religious, when the rule places this humble implement in her hand ! " The religious soul falls more rarely. Because the walls which separate her from the world, — the rule which embraces every moment of the day and night, — the eyes of her superiors which lovingly follow her, — the thought of God which she does not easily lose, — the almost continual occupations which absorb her every hour. . . forcibly keep her from occasions of sin. Happy necessity which obliges one to live faithfully and modestly ! Happy constraint which keeps the members always subject to labor, the mind always ab- sorbed, the will always excited to turn to God! "O blessed walls!" cries St. Magdalen of Pazzi, ' ' from how many dangers do you pre- serve me ! " 342 Last days of the Novitiate. The religious rises again more quickly. Because she finds herself surrounded by the most affectionate, most powerful, most effica- cious aids. Prayer, confession, counsels, pious readings, good examples, holy inspirations, remorse of conscience, continually surround her, at every hour, to urge her, to exhort her, to help her, to console her, to raise her up, to strengthen her, to pardon her. A religious must be very wicked to remain one day separated from God. Every moment she can rise again at least by prayer and an act of charity or obedience which prepare her for a good confession. Every hour, every day at least, she can have recourse to her superior for counsel, advice and encouragement. Then does she not continu- ally enjoy the graces drawn down upon the com- munity by the holy souls which compose it ? " When a religious falls," says a priest, "God hastens to him, extending him His hand to help him rise again. " Last days of the Novitiate. 343 The religious proceeds more cautiously. Because she better understands her duties ; she feels her own weakness more ; she appre- ciates better the beauty of her innocence ; she comprehends all the gravity of her vows ; she feels, particularly, how she would grieve Jesus by the least voluntary fault. Therefore, she is carefully watchful, but without inconvenience, constraint or scruples, over her glances, her imagination, her words. Therefore, she fre- quently recommends herself to her angel guar- dian in whose presence she is happy to live. Therefore she is assiduous, each morning, in making her examen of anticipation, which causes her to avoid the occasions of sin and renders her more vigilant. The religious receives more graces. Because she lives, almost necessarily, more united to God ; God is the focus whence innu- merable graces are continually proceeding. All creatures, doubtless, have a share in these graces, but do not those who dwell near this focus receive a more abundant share ? 344 Last days of the Novitiate. And the religious dwells in a house which belongs to God : she lives, she rests under the same roof with Jesus ; she draws near to Him in almost daily communion ; several times a day, she goes before the tabernacle where Jesus dwells ; several times in prayer, she invokes Him, adores Him, gives Him thanks, asks for graces ; even her work does not separate her from God since it is done by the order of God, in the presence of God. How could she fail to be filled with sanctifying graces ? The religious enjoys more peace. What then may trouble a religious ? Is she not with God, and above all is not God with her? Sickness may take away the health of her body, — -calumny may destroy the esteem she enjoys, — infirmities may render her mate- rially useless, -the devil may fill her imagination with terrifying phantoms, fears and apprehen- sions, — her superiors and her companions, by the permission of God, may regard her hence- forward as a burden.. . . if she be faithful to Last days of the Novitiate. 345 fulfill her duties, according to her strength ; if her soul and her will be for God, even though it may seem to her that her heart is no longer His, she can always say to herself : 1 belong to God, and God will never abandon me I And with this thought is there not always peace in the depth of the soul ? The religious dies with more confidence. A holy death ! — this, after all, is the important point. . . Over the entrance of all religious houses may be inscribed these words which we read over the entrance to the monastery of La Trappe : If it is sometimes hard to live here, it is very sweet to die / Yes, it is very sweet to die in a religious house, for there we have lived more fervently than in the world ; we have denied ourselves more constantly, we have suffered more pa- tiently, we have labored more assiduously, we have above all confessed and communicated more piously. "Why," said a religious in her agony, with a smile upon her lips, "why should I not die 346 Last days of the Novitiate. happy? God has promised heaven to him who leaves all for Him ; now I have left all for His love, and God is going to accomplish His promise." It is also a religious who has said, that every religious who has been faithful and devoted, can say at the hour of death : / did not think it was so sweet to die ! The religious shortens her purgatory. For, according to theologians, the religious, in virtue of her profession, obtains the remission of the temporal punishment of all the sins she committed in the world ; so that on that day if she be well disposed, — and on that day what religious is not perfectly disposed ? — she receives a grace of pardon which would send her to heaven if she were to die. Because, finally, the venial sins committed after profession are easily expiated by prayer, mortification, communion, the labors of each day, and by the numerous indulgences attach- ed to nearly all the exercises of the community ; and, finally, after the death of each religious, Last days of the Novitiate. 347 a great number of prayers are said by the sisters, and a great number of masses offered, for the soul of the deceased member. The religious gains a more beautiful crown. Because the splendor of heaven's crown is in proportion to the soul's love for God and the number of her sacrifices for Him. Now who has loved God more than a relig- ious ? For Him she has given up all she loved: her father, her mother, her brothers, her sis- ters, — all that she had to expect of human joys, material welfare, comforts, glory ! She has given her body and her heart to Him by the vow of chastity ; her temporal goods, her time, her industry, by the vow of poverty ; her whole being by the vow of obedience. "Ah! if worldlings," says St. Liguori, " were to see the reward reserved for religious, they would abandon their houses, they would descend even from a throne and, like them* shut themselves within the walls of a convent and consecrate themselves to God 1 348 Last days of the Novitiate. After these reflections which we counsel you to re-read and meditate upon, kneel and re- peat the following prayer : O Jesus ! my Redeemer and my God ! Whilst Thou hast left so many innocent per- sons in the world, how is it that Thou art will- ing to grant me, a poor sinner, the favor of becoming Thy spouse, and hast opened to me the doors of this Thy blessed house ? O my God, since Thou dost design to be- stow on me so great a favor, grant that I may know how to appreciate it : that I may be grateful, and that I may respond by my love to that which Thou dost manifest for me. Thou hast preferred me to so many others, is it not just that I should prefer Thee to all the world ? Thou wiliest me to share in Thy most intimate graces by admitting me into Thy family ; is it not just that I should give Thee all that I am and all that I have ? Yes, Jesus, I give Thee all power over me : take my senses, my members, my heart, my will, and let me no longer be mistress of any- thing. Yes, Jesus, in that blessed hour when I shall be permitted to pronounce my vows, I Last days of the Novitiate. 349 wish to have no other intention but Thine ; no other desire but Thine ; no other will but Thy holy and ever adorable will ! And if the emotion of my heart leave me not sufficiently calm to clearly pronounce the formula of these vows which are the object of all my desires, I protest now against anything which could lessen the meaning of the words I will utter. Mary ! O my Mother ! it is thou who hast brought me here ; thou who hast helped me to make the sacrifices which I long believed to be beyond my strength ; O I thank thee, Mary ! 1 will soon be the spouse of Jesus ; then still more than now wilt thou be my Mother. O Mary, Mary, guard me, protect me, defend me, love me ! Amen. As a summary of this little book, read slowly THE SYMBOL OF A RELIGIOUS. I believe that a vocation for the religious life is one of the greatest graces God can give a soul. 350 Last days of the Novitiate. I believe that salvation, in the religious life, for the religious who is submissive to her superiors, faithful to her rule, devoted to her employment, is easier and more certain than in the world ; but more difficult for the religious who lives in laxity, in murmurs, and habitual discontent. * I believe that under the crosses of the relig- ious life, when borne with calm, patience and resignation, are hidden consolations all divine, which render them light, which even make us love them, and, particularly, render them glo- rious ; but that these same crosses, when borne with impatience and interior revolt, are accom- panied with grievous bitternesses which render them overwhelming and, above all, unmeri- torious. I believe that for the true religious, the house which shelters her is a foretaste of paradise ; there she finds the certain accomplishment of the will of God, the company of Jesus, the inef- fable happiness of almost daily communion, Last days of the Novitiate. 351 and that other happiness which she does not have in heaven: of proving her love for God by suffering, — she enjoys a well-being and peace which human language cannot express ; but that for the bad religious, this house is a fore- taste of helL . . which, however, she can change into paradise by her tears and a sincere repen- tance. I believe that retigious obedience is true liberty, or veritable bondage, according as we observe it to please God, or only through human mo- tives or necessity. I believe that the salvation of a tepid, lax, imperfect religious is in great danger, and that a submissive, devoted, watchful religious each day makes more and more sure the great affair of her eternity. I believe that weariness in a religious house comes nearly always from unfaithfulness to lit- tle practices, to little observances, and from the facility with which we yield to slight murmurs 352 Last days of the Novitiate. and to little criticisms ; and that the sover- eign remedy for all tediousness, all trials and nearly all temptations, is strict submission, fraternal charity, and respect for authority. I believe that the religious is bound to greater sanctity than the simple faithful ; and that the sin she commits offends God more than the same sin committed by an ordinary soul. I believe that fidelity to the little points of the religious life is a source of great sanctity; and that the soul which carefully watches to fail in nothing, daily acquires an almost infinite sum of merits. I believe that a faithfut religious will be eternally higher in the happiness and glory of heaven than all the other elect ; but that a lost religious will also be eternally more unhappy than all the other reprobates. APPENDIX. CONSIDERATIONS ON THE SECULAR STATE, AND THE RELIGIOUS STATE, TO HELP THE SOUL IN ITS CHOICE. (Extract from Mgr. Luquet's work, Vocation.) It is kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament that one should read these pages and ask oneself, after the advice of St. Ignatius : 1st. If a person whom I had never seen, but in whose perfection I was interested, were in my position and asked my advice, what would I counsel him for the greater glory of God and the greater perfection of his soul ? 2d. At the hour of death how would I wish to have conducted myself in this deliberation ? 3d. What choice shall I wish I had made when I am called before the tribunal of God? I. REASONS IN FAVOR OF THE SECULAR STATE. I. We can be saved in the world, and many have led holy lives there. In the ancient law there was only the state of matrimony ; and in this state how many patriarchs and prophets have attained great sanctity ? 2d. God does not exact from a layman the perfec- 354 Appendix. tion of a religious ; the latter is obliged to lead a holier life by reason of the sublimity of his state. 3d. We find in the world powerful means of salva- tion : confession, communion, pious reading, every fa- cility for applying ourselves to meditation, prayers, and for hearing the word of God. . . All this is possible, and if we know how to profit by it we shall certainly go to heaven. 4th. In the world there are occasions of doing good which are not found in the religious state } for exam- ple, giving alms, visiting the poor, edifying the parish. The education of children, which has raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament, is very meritorious be- fore God. A mother of a family who is an example of virtue to her household, who inspires in them all a holy emulation to imitate the virtues which they see her practise will be rewarded with treasures of grace and glory. How beautiful it is to see order, regular- ity and sanctity reign in a family ! 5. All those who embrace the religious state do not lead a holy life ; the same misfortune might overtake you if you entered this state without a vocation ; we cannot rid ourselves of our bodies on entering relig- ion, and the devil does not lose the power of tempting us through them. 6th. It is hard to be unceasingly dependent on the will of another, particularly if we are so unfortunate as to have exacting superiors. 7th. The burdens of life are easier to bear when there are two to share them. Appendix. 355 8th. The hope of an honorable office, honest gains, justly acquired riches, honors, are things that can be licitly enjoyed in the world. 9th. Consider your abilities; examine your inclina- tions, your talents, your disposition, the faults to which you are subject, and the ascendency they have over you. Could you be useful in the religious life ? REASONS AGAINST THE SECULAR STATE. 1st. One encounters therein numerous and real perils to salvation. So much bad example, so many occasions of sin, so many means of seduction are capable of perverting and insensibly leading to ruin even those who have resolved to lead a Christian life. 2d. What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole worlds and suffer the loss of his own soul? Everything earthly is transitory ; heaven and hell are eternal. 3d. What are the pleasures of the senses? Transi- tory, (man shares them a moment with the brute,) mo- mentary pleasures, and eternal sufferings, for it is very difficult, not to say impossible, to enjoy the delights of earth and the delights of heaven. 4th. One day what will all your daintiness and abun- dant cheer avail you ? The wicked rich man had always a luxurious table, and he was buried in hell ; while poor Lazarus was carried up to heaven. Why so care- fully nourish a body, which, soon changed into corrup- tion, will become an infectious corpse, and the food of worms ? 356 Appendix. 5U1. What are even the most brilliant honors ? The breath of a moment. Were I to enjoy them a hundred years, what are a hundred years compared to eternity ? . 6th. Crosses and adversities are innumerable in theg world; if you are observing you will find that seculars have more to suffer than religious. The latter suffer for heaven; the former for vanity and, frequently, for hell. 7th. How would it be if you were thrown with a person with whom you could not agree ? Her pres- ence would be a continual torment in your house ; her death or yours alone could deliver you from it. 8th. How would it be if you had disobedient, vicious children who were a disgrace to their mother ? What a source of affliction it would be ! What a severe ac- count you would have to render to the Sovereign Master if they were badly brought up through your fault! 9th. The daily, constantly-recurring household cares are an inexhaustible source of trouble and anxiety. This uninterrupted attention to things of this earth is so absorbing that it hardly leaves one time to think of God and the soul's salvation. ioth. What labor is expended in amassing riches, what fear and anxiety in preserving them ! If God should permit your efforts to be fruitless, how would you bear poverty? It must be acknowledged that misery has occasioned many base actions and even many crimes. Appendix. 357 Iith. Death is a cruel sacrifice to people of the world ; it is hard for them to separate from relatives, to abandon the riches to which they were attached. I2th. It is difficult to live in the midst of flames without being burned ; to touch pitch without being defiled; to enjoy the goods of this world without hav- ing the heart attached to them. And yet, according to St. Paul, the Christian must use the things of this world as if he possessed them not.* Finally, it is easy to amass riches by unjust means, particularly when necessity is urgent. ijth. At the same time these considerations should not drive you from the secular state if God calls you to it : You can do all things in Him who strengthened you.\ So many persons have had the grace of sanctifi- cation in this state, why should not you ? Examine your strength, your means of resisting evil, and your inclinations. II. REASONS AGAINST THE RELIGIOUS STATE. 1st It is very difficult to constantly lead a perfect life ; that is, one completely opposed to the senses and to the love we bear ourselves. Many times there have been men who in religion sought comforts and sat- isfaction of the senses, and who thus lost all inclination for the exercises of the interior life. * 1 Cor. vii, xxxi. t Phillip, iv, xiii. 358 Appendix. 2d. The practice of the three vows is an equally seri- ous thing. It is hard to renounce one's own will forever. It costs many combats to preserve the vow of chastity intact ; the violation of it is a sacrilege. Poverty strips a man of all his possessions during his whole life. 3d. To renounce, forever, all we possess or may ever possess : all one's comforts in lodging, clothing, food ; to renounce one's friends, relatives, legitimate pleasures, honors, dignities, rank, is something easier imagined than practised. 4th. Always frugal fare, rigorous penance, cloister, solitude, daily repetitions of the same actions and similar mortifications, — behold what he who is delib- erating should weigh well ; again I say it is easier imagined than practised. 5th. It is rash to enter such a difficult state without a clear vocation from God; religious who have entered it without being called have afterwards abandoned it, or they have lived in such tepidity that it would have been much better for them had they never em- braced it. It might happen that one would regret having entered religion at a time when it would be impossible to draw back. 6th. There are difficulties and perils in this state, which you can not overcome if your vocation is not from God, and if you do not merit His grace by faith- fully observing the rule. 7th. God does not wish all to be religious; therefore He does not give to all the talents and strength neces- sary for this state. Appendix. 359 REASONS IN FAVOR OF THE RELIGIOUS STATE. 1st. In perfection and excellence the religious state surpasses all others, either because it removes the ob- stacles to salvation, or because it wholly consecrates one to God in the most perfect manner. 2d. God has most solemnly promised heaven to religious: Amen, I say to you every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold and shall possess life everlast- ing, * Entering religion is a mark of predestination. 3d. In religion one escapes the dangers to salvation, the occasions of sin, the evil attractions of the world. The vices of the flesh are conquered by chastity and mortification ; ambition is chained by obedience, and a love of riches by poverty. There are no perverse examples to lead one astray, no alluring occasions of sin. 4th. Religion further affords abundant and most efficacious means of salvation, which force a man, so to speak, to be virtuous. These are, the rules, the vig- ilance of the superiors, the frequentation of the sacra- ments, public and private exhortations, the example of the holy lives, the daily pious reading, mortification, meditation on the truths of religion, pious confer- ences, the absence of worldly interests, the continual use of the things of God, the correction of faults. * Matt, xix, 28, 29. 360 Appendix. 5th. According to St. Thomas and other saints, entering religion produces the entire remission of past sin. 6th. Religious have no need to concern themselves about their food, clothing, dwelling and other things. Free from earthly cares, they can more easily apply themselves to meditation, and devote themselves with their whole heart to the service and love of God, and secure their salvation. 7th. The religious, docile to the direction of her superiors, is always sure of doing the will of God. Therefore she can never make a mistake provided she act in accordance with the will of her superiors, of whom Jesus Christ has said : He that heareth you heareth me* 8th. The religious life is no other than a continual practice of virtues, which, according to St. Thomas, are much more meritorious from being practised through obedience or vow. 9th. The mutual participation in the good works performed by the religious of the same order, scattered throughout the world, procures each one as much merit as if she herself were the author of these works. ioth. What merits, what treasures of glory a re- ligious amasses who assists the dying, who teaches catechism, who cares for the sick, who is a mother to the orphan, who immolates herself for the glory of God! * Luke x, 16. Appendix. 361 Ilth. Death is sweet and easy to the religious either because she has long since bidden adieu to the things of this world, or because she experiences great joy at the memory of a life consecrated to serving her God. Thus the thought of the supreme Judge, so terrifying to people in the world, leaves her filled with confi- dence. 12th. After the death of a religious, her sisters offer a great many communions for her, and have a great many masses said. 13th. Even did not religion present all these advan- tages, there would still be a sufficient number ; for God is better loved there, — He is more faithfully served by the perfect imitation of Jesus Christ; is not this a powerful reason for determining one to embrace so holy a state ? 14th. Consider the singular advantages of the re- ligious life alleged by St. Bernard, which we devel- oped on page 338 ; "In religion" says St. Bernard, ' ' the soul lives with greater purity of conscience, because there it observes chastity, obedience, and poverty ; it falls more rarely, for it does not find occasions of evil, dangerous conversations, or the perils of the world. It rises more promptly from a fall, for it has unceasing- ly before it the teachings of the Gospel, the example of the saints, and the fervor of others. It proceeds more cautiously at the sight of its past sins, its present imperfections and the recompense which is prepared for it. It rests with more security, for it tastes the 362 Appendix* sweetness of the gifts of the Holy Ghost and interior consolations. It more frequently receives the celes- tial dew, on account of the continual increase of its good dispositions, of divine grace, and its more intim- ate familiarity with God. It is purified more prompt- ly, owing to the abundant succors which are offered it — good inspirations, frequent exhortations, etc. It dies with more confidence, on account of the indul- gences granted to religious for meritorious works and the assistance of its brothers. Its reward is greater, owing to its more perfect imitation of Jesus, the la- bors of the religious life, and the victory gained over the world, the flesh and the devil." THE WORLD AND THE CONVENT. In the world, one most frequently lives in ignor- ance of the practical truths of Christianity and the grave duties of his state. In the world, temporal prosperity is the object of one's desires ; the end of one's labor to make a for- tune, to have an advan- tageous establishment. In the world, little time is given to the grand and important affair of salva- tion. In the world one ap- plies himself to prayer in a very superficial manner ; In the convent, one con- tinually seeks to instruct herself in the 4a w of God and the obligations of the rule, and applies herself to accomplish all that is prescribed. In the convent, the sole object of one's desires is to be detached from all things, and to labor for heaven. In the con vent, salvation is the end of all one's thoughts, labors, and fa- tigues. In the convent, one prays several times a day; Appendix. 363 rarely during the day does the thought of God make any impression on his heart. In the world, a young girl seeks to attract ad- miration, to shine by the brilliancy of her toilet, her ornaments, and adorn- ments and all the inven- tions of vanity. In the world, a young girl endeavors to preserve her youth, her freshness, her exterior graces, to attract the regard, admira- tion, esteem and friend- ship of creatures. In the world, a young girl occupies herself as much as she can with frivolous reading which spoils her mind, poisons her heart, causes her at least to lose her time. In the world, a young girl amuses herself in so- ciety, in profane assem- blies where purity is fre- quently tarnished, where charity is nearly always wounded. In the world, a young girl seeks to follow her own will, to satisfy her self-love, to gratify her sensibility, — to avoid all that inconveniences her. she meditates, she visits Jesus, she is almost un- ceasingly reminded of the presence of God. In the convent, the nov- ice seeks only to humble herself, to be forgotten, to hide herself under a simple, modest, even coarse dress. In the convent, the nov- ice sets no value on exter- ior advantages, she seeks only to please God, know- ing well that what He loves is the beauty of the soul. In the convent, the nov- ice occupies herself with serious reading which nourishes her piety, en- lightens her mind, and purifies her heart. In the convent, the nov- ice makes silence a strict duty which she never in- terrupts but at the hours prescribed by the rule, and she is watchful to let no uncharitable word es- cape her. In the convent, the nov- ice seeks to obey in all things to deny herself; to destroy her self-love, to uproot her faults. In the convent, the nov- ice acts with upright 364 Appendix. In the world, a young girl uses a thousand arti- fices, a thousand wiles, licit or illicit, to make herself sought and ad- mired. In the world, a young girl loses a great portion of her time in a thousand frivolities of dress, of dis- sipation; in almost ridic- ulous care of her health and appearance. In the world, a young girl is distressed at a hu- miliation, a failure; she abandons herself to ennui, vexation, and ill-humor, when events happen con- trary to her wishes. In the world, a young girl makes little serious preparation for the recep- tion of the sacraments, thinks little of correcting her faults, and on the day she receives Holy Com- munion satisfies herself with a few prayers, and, at most, with a little re- straint. In the world, a young girl yields to the incon- stancy of her disposition : she takes a multitude of resolutions which she never executes ; she is faithful scarcely a week, frankness and simplicity, and seeks only to merit the regard and love of God. In the convent, the nov- ice rigidly devotes her time to useful labors, al- lowing herself no amuse- ment, no leisure, outside of the hours prescribed for relaxation. In the convent, the nov- ice does not allow herself to be troubled at a reproof or humiliation; and when she does not succeed, she regards her failure as the will of God and endeavors to do better another time. In the convent, a nov- ice applies herself partic- ularly to receiving the sacraments with a spirit of faith: each confessior is for her an occasion o renewing all her obliga tions; each communior renders her stronger more vigilant, more vir tuous. In the convent, the nov ice submits to a rula which does not leave he mistress of her time no permit her to choose he work ; her labor is pel formed in the presence superiors who oblige he Appendix. 365 when she wearies and be- comes careless again ; she begins a thousand things which she never finishes, for she is her own mis- tress, and has not the strength to overcome the weariness which necessa- rily arises from a continu- ance of the same labor. Read slowly the above pages, and consider which it is — the convent or the world — which must afford most peace to your soul, and which should most surely lead you to heaven. to continue what she has begun; she is sustained, incited, encouraged, by the thought that she is doing the will of God, that God counts her fa- tigues to reward her still more for the weariness she will have overcome. III. A DEPARTURE FOR THE CLOISTER. One day, the curate of St. Maurice d' Angers saw a peasant from GenGt, his former parish, entering his house. He was a strong vigorous man, not yet thirty, with a countenance expressive of goodness, frankness and piety. " Is it you, Pierre V exclaimed M. le Cure\ delighted to see him. " How are they at Gen&t? Are the harvests promising? Is your family well ? " " Ah! M.LeCureV' said the peasant, with a little embarrassment, " I came because I am undertaking a great enterprise : I am going away to La Trappe, 1 which is near Le Mans, on the road to Paris." " You are going to La Trappe ? " 366 Appendix. " Oh, yes j you told us so often that we could never do too much for the good God, that at last I decided to leave every thing for Him." " But you were very necessary to your Mother ; she is a poor widow, and yours is a very heavy farm to manage." " That is why I have not hurried M. le Cure\ It is more than ten years since the idea of becoming a monk has been knocking at my heart. I waited till my little brother, Jean, should have passed the conscription ; he drew a good number — he is free now, so I thought I could go." "And your good mother who loved you so much and whose support you have been, how did you tell her this ? ' ; *' Ah ! M. le Cure, my heart still bleeds. . . You see I thought I never could do it. She suspected I had some design I would not speak of. In the evening as we sat by the fire, she spinning and I thinking, frequently her wheel would stop, and I would find her eyes fixed upon me ; I would try to open my mouth, but it was impossible ; my knees knocked against each other, my lips trembled, my heart froze the rest of my body, my lips refused to form the words, when I thought of my mother. — ' Pierre, my son,' she said to me, * if every thing is not as you like it, tell me. Do you want to marry ? We are not rich but we have a good name ; your father lived and died like a saint, and every family in the country would think well of an alliance with ours/ " Appendix. 367 "The more my mother pressed me, the more I feared to confess that I was thinking of something very different — of becoming a monk. " Finally, the other evening, my mother having assembled us all to open the month of the Blessed Virgin, she and I remained alone in prayer after the others had gone. " The idea came to me that this was the moment, and my thought escaped suddenly: "Mother, if you will permit it I am going to La Trappe ; I am going to pray for you and do penance. — O my God ! when you think such things as that have to be said. "My mother, for a moment, remained immovable before me without speaking, — almost without breath- ing; then, still on her knees, with her eyes raised to heaven, she said in a quiet tone: 1 Pierre, the good God is thy first Father ; religion is thy first mother ; they are to be preferred before me. Go, since thou hearest their call in thy heart. If I stop- ped thee a moment when there was question of thy soul I would die of grief. Thou hast loved me well, and well assisted me ; I bless thee.' She turned towards the image of the Blessed Virgin and continued in prayer. " I could not utter a word, M. le Curej I rushed out in the air to be able to breathe more freely ; it was the hour when the cattle return home, and our cows came toward me and, looking at me, seemed to say with their great eyes: Master, why are you going away ? 368 Appendix. " I fled into the fields without being able to escape from my pain. There was not a thing, even to the trees I planted and pruned, the earth I had sown, which did not, like my poor cattle, seek to keep me in my home. Holy Virgin ! what roots our hearts have here below! I threw myself on my knees — I prayed — I took my crucifix and I asked for assistance ; for my cour- age was going from me. Then, looking at our Lord, upon the cross, I was ashamed of my cowardice, and it was at an end. " I did not sleep at home, — I would not look again upon what had so shaken me, and, in the morning before daylight, I took my departure. I passed through our parish as they were saying the first Mass ; it re- stored the calm of my heart, and here I am to tell you good-by and to thank you very much for the good sentiments with which you inspired me in my youth." "That is right, my child, you are obeying God. But why have you preferred La Trappe of Mortagne, which is so far from your village when you had quite near you La Trappe of Bellefontaine ? " "I often thought of that, M. Le Curfe; it would have been more convenient as you say, but, you see I had an experience of what a coward affection makes me. If once I had assumed the woollen dress, and my people came weeping to see me, would I have kept to it ? I would have been in danger of flinging it aside or at least of carrying beneath it a broken heart, for a long time. Now when one gives himself to the service of God it is my opinion that he should set Appendix. 369 about it joyfully and be contented in it. Is it not better to take the hardest at once in order that we may better persevere?" "Truly, my friend, it is to perseverance your efforts riust tend. You are young and strong, and in the austerities of La Trappe life may seem long to you." " Ah, M Le Cure, as to that it is sooner ended than we are accustomed to think ; and we are not long in coming to the end. Everything in this world tells us that life is short. "Some weeks since I was dragging a pond. It was large and deep, a terrible volume of water, — you know the pond of the Two Elms. Well, when we had re- moved the flood-gate and the current started, in no time the water had disappeared, and said I to myself: Behold how this life runs and flows into the eternity of God ; and as I stood motionless on the edge of the pond, I thought of Him the unmoved Spectator of life. "And then, M. le Cure, whether our course is rapid like the torrent, or slow like the rivulet, all the same we reach our last hour — you impressed this well upon us. And then what can comfort the soul but the con- sciousness of having done all it could for the good God ! "Behold what urges me to penance. Therefore, Father, give me your blessing ; the stream flows on, life is going, I hasten to bring something to the good God. "The curate blessed Pierre, saw him depart, then fell on his knees in prayer ; and when he had prayed he wrote the words of the peasant, to keep them in mem- ory and nourish his heart with the works of God in chosen souls." 37° Appendix. IV. A FEW PAGES FROM THE LIFE OF MADAM LOUISE OF FRANCE, CARMELITE RELIGIOUS, AND DAUGHTER OF LOUIS XV. Motives which led Madam Louise to become a re- ligious. The precise motives which led Madam Louise to embrace the religious life are found in a letter which she wrote to a young person who became a Carmelite, and consulted her on her vocation. " I have never written letters of direction," she says, "and I would never take upon myself to decide any one's vocation ; but I will tell you the motives which led me to leave the world, however brilliant it could have been for me and though I was sheltered by my rank from certain dangers which others would en- counter. "These motives were: My sins ; what it cost Jesus Christ to save me; the necessity of penance in this life or the next, — penance, a thing so difficult to practise in a life of ease, particularly for one as fond of comfort as I was ; the parable of the camel, who can sooner pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man can enter heaven; finally, the desire of possessing God eternally and enjoying the crown which is prepared for us in heaven." Appendix. 371 Pray Br which Madam Louise of France addressed to St. Theresa to obtain through her assistance grace to enter the Carmelite convent. The princess composed the following prayer which she daily addressed to St. Theresa. It is the voice of a loving daughter who in her pressing need familiarly pours out her heart to that mother whose affection for her and power with God she so well knows : " Behold me once more at thy feet, O holy mother, and always to obtain the grace which I have solicited so many years. My hopes are increased ; but, alas ! they are still but hopes. I am still in the world, still far from thy blessed asylums, and I do not yet even see any certain route which will bring me to them. " I persist, O my God, in submitting to Thy holy will. I ask but to know it ; and were it opposed to all my desires, Thou knowest I would at once submit. Yes, I would renounce my most cherished designs and settle in the state where Thy adorable Providence would retain me. But be Thou for ever praised, O my God! Thy mercy has not rejected the desires of my heart. Thou hast accepted my sacrifice ; and it only remains for me to await the moment marked by Thee. I await it, O my God, with equal submission an^l eagerness. O my good Mother! join thy entreaties to those of thy child whom thou canst not disown. Look upon me, behold the slavery in which I am, and the agitation in which I live : my prayers restrained, my meditations cut off, my devotions thwarted. Behold the temporal affairs which assail me; behold 37 2 Appendix. how the world scatters at my feet its pomps, its plays, its pageants, its maxims, its delights, its vanities, its corruptions, all its temptations, without my being able to fly or turn from them. See the dangers I run, and the thorns which strew my path. Be moved at my faults and the little good I do. Behold my desolation, my sadness, my weariness. Have pity on me ; finally, obtain for me the holy liberty of the children of God. "Holy Mother, am I not sufficiently tried? Knowest thou not the desire in the depth of my heart ? After so many years of constancy, wilt thou still doubt my res- olution ? Have I wavered for one moment ? Hast thou not always seen me turn toward the Voice which called me : tending towards it with all my strength ; unceas- ingly sighing after the happiness of following it, and sometimes melting into tears at finding myself put back year after year ? Yes, it is with all the ardor and sincerity of my soul that I conjure God to break the ties which bind me ; that I solicit thee to help me to break them, and that I implore to render thee propitious to my vows the intercession of thy dearest daughters. Have I not sufficient knowledge of the world to detest it forever and never regret it ? I have long considered, one after the other, the pleasures of the state I wish to renounce, and Thou art my witness, O Jesus, that there is not one which I have hesitated to sacrifice to Thee. Vain, perfidious pleasures filled with bitter- ness ! Were they a thousand times more pure I would prefer the chalice of my Saviour. Tell me not, O my good Mother ! that I do not yet know thy Appendix. 373 holy rule. Ah ! hast thou not seen me read it, meditate upon it, wear it about me and make it my delight ? No, I have disguised nothing to myself. Abasements, poverty, austerities of all sorts, privations of every kind, — solitude, abandonment contradictions, humiliations, contempt, ill-treatment, — I have studied it all in its worst light, and by the grace of God nothing has frightened me. I have compared the state of a princess with that of a Carmelite and I have always de- clared the latter to be of more value ; never will my heart retract this judgment. I have seen, O my Jesus ! and I have weighed the cross which I pray Thee to set on my shoulders. Ah ! why is it not as heavy as Thine ? " O my Mother ! what then wiliest thou of me and what must thou have more ? My days are fleeting, my years are speeding. Alas ! what will I have left to give my God ? O my Mother ! open then at last, open to me the doors of thy house ; show me the path thither ; prepare me the way, smooth all the obstacles for me ; I need all thy assistance to take the first step ; I need it to declare my desire to him whose consent I require. Cause a favorable occasion to arise ; prepare his heart ; dispose it to listen me, defend me against his tender- ness, defend me against my own. Give me the courage to speak to him, and put in my mouth persuasive words which will overcome all his repugnances. Place on my lips what I must tell him, the replies I must make him ; speak to him thyself for me, make my replies. Thou didst obtain so much grace to break the ties which kept 374 Appendix. thee in the world, thou hast obtained so many similar graces for thy daughters, intercede then for me, also, my mother ; and before I leave here whisper to my heart that I may speak when I will, and that the heart of the king is ready to yield to my desires. . . But, holy mother, will the king learn my resolution, will he con- sent to it, will he see it executed without being moved to turn to God ? I a Carmelite, and the king wholly for God, — what happiness ! God can do it, — God will do it, if you ask Him, holy mother. Alas ! he would even do it at my prayer if my faith corresponded to my desires. Ah ! I believe. O my God, I believe ! . . O my mother, lay my faith at the feet of thy divine Spouse ; may it grow, may it increase in thy hands; may it equal thine ; may it merit like thine to work miracles. After that what could I desire, and will I not be very happy to die, — to die a Carmelite, leaving all my family here below in the path of heaven ? " The happiness of Madam Louise of France, A few days after her entrance the fervent Carmelite wrote to one of her friends : " Everything here breathes the gayety of heaven. I have just come from recreation where I thought I should die laughing, though I had received bad news which touched me very much ; see how powerful is the joy of a good conscience !" And a month afterwards she writes to the same person " So my bed moved you to compassion ? Nevertheless I am not to be pitied in it, — I find myself Appendix. 375 very well off there; and no later than last night I slept eight hours in it. I assure you that is not so pitiable when we think of what Jesus has done for us. More- over it does not cost me anything. I am ashamed to say that while every body is edified by it I am as much at my ease on my straw mattress as if I were on a bed of feathers." Always equally contented under the habit of the Carmelite, the princess frequently spoke of her hap- piness — never of her sacrifices ; and if she compared her past life with that of Carmel it was only to prove that she had left little to find much. Here is the parallel she drew between these two states so different from each other: "Believe me," she was accustomed to say to her companions in that tone of candor which carries persuasion with it, " believe me, I am truly happier than I deserve to be ; and physically as well as morally I have gained infinitely by coming here. It is true that at Versailles I had a good bed, but in it I had but broken slumber. I had a well-served table, but frequently I could bring no appetite to it. Here, my bed is only a mattress stuffed with straw ; but on this I sleep wonderfully well. Our refectory offers me sufficiently frugal fare, but I enter it with an appetite which perfectly seasons every dish which is placed before me ; and to such a degree that I often feel a scruple at finding so much pleasure in eating our peas and carrots. I can say literally, and with all truth^ that a single day in the house of the Lord brings me more solid contentment than could a thousand spent in 376 Appendix. the palace where I dwelt. We have our customs here, and the court also has its own, but they are much harder than ours ; and when one lives at the court he must, in spite of his repugnances, follow the exercises of the court. Here, for example, at five o'clock I go to meditation ; at Versailles, I had to go to the card-table. At nine o'clock in the evening the bell calls me to prayers ; at Versailles I was informed that it was the hour for the play. One is never at rest at court, though he unceasingly seeks to surround himself with the same circle of inutilities. What fine mornings I have wasted there! Part of the morning went in resting from the fatigues, frequently disagreeable fatigues, of the previous evening ; another portion in a tiresome toilet ; the rest in listening to importunate, wearisome people. Here, as I sleep at night, I am ready to get up in the morning. My whole toilet does not take two minutes, after which I occupy myself all day in a man- ner agreeable to my mind, for I know that it is profita- ble to my soul. Finally, all that surrounded me at court promised me pleasure, and no where did I find it; here, on the contrary, where all appears made to sadden nature I experience pare enjoyment; and during the year I have spent here I daily ask myself, Where are those austerities with which they sought to frighten me? But when it is evident that in every respect I have gained by changing the court for Carmel, judge what foundation they have for honoring me so much for the step I have taken." Appendix. 377 " You would hardly believe " says the new Carmelite, "what joy a good conscience gives. The whole year that I have been here is but one feast-day. Yes, truly, I feel too happy in this house ; every thing about me is pleasant even to the walls which separate me from the world I" V. THE HAPPINESS WHICH THE PRINCE SCHOUVALOFF EXPERIENCED IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. Better is one day in Thy courts, O Lord ! above thousands. I have chosen to be abject in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners. — (JPs. lxxxiii., II, 12.) Nearly sixteen years have passed since I left the Greek church, and nearly three years since I bid an eternal adieu to the world. My experience is comple- ted. The dreams of manhood, the illusions of youth have entirely disappeared. I am fifty-three : a period in life when we reason more ; when poetry gives place to logic ; when the mind is less rash, the body more indolent ; when, in fine, things appear in the reality of their nakedness, usually so hideous and so sad. Yes, my experience is completed, and for me the reality is beautiful. I, a traveler or pilgrim, have reached the terminus, the summit of the mountain, that sanctuary which I desired and contemplated so far off; and to. day I look serenely upon the valleys which extend at my feet, and are gradually lost in the shadow. During 378 Appendix. seventeen years I have risen from truth to truth, from light to light ; and I have found the place of my repose in the religious life, — on its blessed heights which raise us above the regions of storms, and where my soul is warmed by the rays of the eternal Sun. For me the reality is beautiful, and I would dream no more ; all my dreams are accomplished, all my desires realized. Contented with the present, hoping better of the future, I sigh not for the past; and gathering abundantly the fruits of autumn I regret not the faded flowers of spring. Ah ! when I compare my youth, so brilliant and so empty, with my present life, so modest and so full, — when I compare what I experienced in the assem- blies and gilded drawing-rooms of the world, with what I to-day experience in the calm of my poor cell — oh, how my soul rises in gratitude to God ; how I appreciate my happiness ! When I compare my travels through Europe with the blessed journeys which I have now to make; when I think that, instead of the Hussar's uniform of which I was so proud in my youth, I wear the austere robe of the Barnabites; that in- stead of assisting at the noisy festivals of the world, I take part in the festivals of our Church — and the daily banquet of the Eucharist replaces with me the frivolous or guilty banquets ; — oh, I repeat that I appreciate my happiness ! Then I drank long draughts from the cup of pleasure, and I was wretched ; the world called me rich, and I found myself poor; they believed me free, and I felt myself a slave ; but now that I have pronounced the three solemn vows which have nailed Appendix, 379 me to the cross forever ; now that I possess nothing, — that I have sworn to renounce all will, all pleasure, I have found riches, liberty, and happiness : riches in the plenitude of sentiments with which my heart overflows, and which elevate and unite me with my God ; liberty in the conformity of my will with His ; happiness in flight from pleasure in sacrificing the in- stincts of nature to the inspirations of grace, and in the calm which comes to me from the intimate, firm, unshaken conviction of having accomplished my duty. "O calm of heart which God alone can give, con- viction, peace, and happiness, treasures and joys of the soul, I had never known Ye ! "O you whom God calls from the world; happy chosen souls who awaken in me pious sympathy and holy tenderness. Oh, I conjure you, resist not, — obev and persevere. Ah ! you will also know these spiritual joys ; you will know the gift of God. No doubt there are sorrows in the religious life, for there are sacrifices ; but it is only through sacrifice that you will be happy. Sacrifice is the measure of your love, it is the condition of your happiness. And in the world have you not also your sufferings ? Yes, and they are more numer- ous, more cruel, and very frequently useless ! While our sacrifices are counted, — each tear is weighed in the balance of divine mercy. i "Yes, in the religious life there are sorrows ; but one does not sin,— at least he sins less. God is less offended 380 Appendix. there : therefore, there is more happiness. And then death, — the thought of death ! Is it not sweet to know that when he comes knocking at our door, that it is in the arms of God we will receive him?— while worldlings, where will he find them ! At the theatre, in the midst of a ball, of an orgy, in the act of sin. perhaps. . .This thought strengthens me, and I bless Thee, O my God !" THE NOVICE UNFAITHFUL TO HER VOCATION. When God calls a soul to a more perfect life, He certainly does it a special and very great favor, — it is a favor which is only granted to the few ; it is very just, then, that he should be indignant against those who make little account of it. How offended a prince would feel if he called one of his subjects to serve him more intimately as his favorite and was refused ! And will not God resent a similar injury? Ah! He resents it but too much ; He threatens with the last misfortune, the soul which contradicts his designs : Vce qui contra- ct kit jictori suo ! This word Vce (woe,) in holy scrip- ture, signified eternal loss. The punishment of such a soul begins in this life; it will never, as Job warns us, know repose. It will be deprived of the abun- dant and efficacious assistance which would have kept it in the right path. Therefore its salvation will be most difficult. "It will remain part of the body of the Church," says a learned theologian, " but like a dis- located member which can be used with great difficulty." Appendix. 381 And therefore he concludes that though, absolutely- speaking, this unfortunate soul can still be saved, it will with much difficulty avail itself of the necessary means of salvation. St. Bernard and St. Leo teach the same thing. The emperor Maurice having by an edict for- bidden his soldiers to become religious, St. Gregory wrote to him and declared that it was against law ; for it closed Paradise to many Christians who could be saved in the religious state and might be lost in the world. What terrible examples we read of sudden and appalling deaths as the punishment of a despised voca- tion ! How many unfortunate souls will we not see condemned at the Last Day for not having followed their vocation ! They have been rebellious to the light, the Holy Spirit tells us by the mouth of Job, and by a just punishment they are deprived of light ; and because they have refused to walk in the path to which God called them, and blindly follow one of their own choosing, they shall follow it to their perdition. In Proverbs God expresses himself still more forcibly : each word merits to be weighed. I will utter my spirit to you : that is, I send you the grace of vocation, but you refuse to correspond to it, you despise all my coimsels . . . Then I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock when that shall come to you which you feared ; when sudden calamity shall fall on you and destruction as a tempest be at hand, when tribulation and distress shall come upon you, then shall they call on me 382 Appendix. and I will not hear: they shall rise in the morning and they shall not find me. Yes, when the temptations of the world will come upon you like a tempest; in the anguish and distress of death you will call upon Him, and He will not hear you ; you will seek Him, and you will not find Him. . ." Senseless souls," exclaims St. Augustine, " you resist the voice of God which calls you; you fly from His arms which only seek you for your good, but you cannot fly from His justice which will pursue you to punish you ! " Ah! if regret for having through our own fault lost some great good, or voluntarily caused some great evil, so pursues us in this life that it becomes an insupportable torment, what then will be the suffering of a soul in hell whom God by a special favor called to the religious life ! For it will be ever present to her mind that by obeying God she would have acquired a high place in heaven, while now she is condemned to this place of torment with no hope of ever leaving it ! Here will be the undying worm which will gnaW her heart with unceasing remorse. And she will cry: Senseless soul that I was ! I could have been a great saint. If I had obeyed I would be now in heaven ;' and behold, I am lost, — lost for all eternity ! At the Last Judgment she will see ranged at her Saviour's right hand and crowned as saints those who' have been faithful to their vocation, and who, renoun- cing the world, retired into the house of God whither . she herself was invited ; and for having disobeyed the voice of God she will find herself separated from the Appendix. 383 company of the Blessed and cast with the innumerable multitude of the reprobates. O what torture will the thought of her vocation then be to her ! Then, dear daughter of Jesus Christ, you who are called by your Father and Master to sanctify yourself in this His house, close not your heart to His affection- ate appeal. Feast of the Purification, February 2d, 1879. to'N Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Feb. 2006 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 017 425 838 7