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THE LIFE 
 
 4 
 
 BLESSED JOHN BÈRCHMANS, 
 
 OF "P 
 
 ATE 
 
 ■ 
 
 THER 80ERO, S. 
 
 • 
 
 PETER F. CUKK 
 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS, 
 
 OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS. 
 
 TRANSLATED EROIVI THE ^RENCH. 
 
 WITH AN APPENDIX, 
 
 GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MIRACLES AFTER DEATH, WHICH 
 HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE HOLY SEE. 
 
 FROM THE ITALIAN OF FATHER BOERO, S. J. 
 
 PUBLISHED WITH THE APPROBATION OP 
 
 THE RT. REV. BISHOP OF PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 $ï)tlafcelpï)fa: 
 PETER P. CUNNINGHAM, Catholic Boofes^^i 
 
 No. 216 South Third Street. 
 1866. 
 
 Q 
 

 PERMISSU SUPERIORTJM. 
 
 /T° 
 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress in the vear 1866, by 
 
 PETER F. CUNNINGHAM, 
 
 in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, 
 
 in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Stereotyped by Theodore Brown, 605 Sansom street, Philadelphia. 
 
 "3 OH^ -7 
 
PREFxlOE. 
 
 The lives of those who have been eminent 
 by their virtues, and around whose names clings 
 the odor of sanctity, even after they have fin- 
 ished their mortal career and disappeared from 
 amongst men, are like beacon-lights upon the 
 great ocean-track of life, and at the same time 
 infuse encouragement, emulation, and confi- 
 dence into the heart of the sometimes discon- 
 solate pilgrim, who is still left to toil and 
 struggle on his voyage from time to eternity. 
 Some have dazzled by their brilliancy, others 
 have astounded by their austerities, and others 
 by the singular graces and privileges with 
 which God's love has chosen to favor them. 
 To others again, God has imparted no special 
 prerogative of miracle, or ecstasy, or unap- 
 proachable sanctity; but has conducted them 
 over the beaten road of the virtues proper to, 
 and expected from their state of life, and has 
 rewarded their fidelity with the same crown, 
 that he deigns to place on the head of him, 
 
 (m) 
 
IV PKEFACE. 
 
 whose grandeur of virtue and miraculous 
 power astonish the world. Amongst those 
 whose quiet, humble virtues have lifted them 
 even to the honors of the altar — whose merit 
 consisted in the exact and perfect observance 
 of Religious Eule — the Blessed John Berch- 
 mans holds a prominent position. He is a 
 model to old and young, but especially to 
 youths who are pursuing their studies, and 
 beyond all to the students of the Society of 
 Jesus, who have to pass through the same rou- 
 tine of study and discipline in which John 
 Berchmans sanctified himself, and merited 
 and finally acquired the title of Blessed. For 
 a long time this honor was withheld — there 
 was nothing extraordinary in him — all was 
 such as might have been accomplished by any 
 man of equal fervor, diligence, and fidelity. 
 There were no wonders of mystic and interior 
 life, no raptures, no visions, no miracles — all 
 was common, yet so perfect and absolute that 
 nothing seemed wanting to its perfection. 
 Virtues and miracles must go hand in hand to 
 convince the Church of the sanctity and reward 
 of those proposed for beatification and canoni- 
 zation. God himself intervened after the death 
 of the saintly youth, to show to the world his 
 approval of the virtuous life of Berchmans, and 
 his desire that he should receive honor in the 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 Church, and his memory be held for ever in 
 benediction. 
 
 The life of this blessed youth is indeed a 
 mirror of every virtue that can adorn the reli- 
 gious character, or that of a young student in 
 the world. After a virtuous childhood, in 
 which his rare innocence, piety, obedience, self- 
 denial, and humility made him already an ob- 
 ject of admiration to those who knew him, and 
 caused him to be pointed out by parents as a 
 model to their children, he entered the Society 
 of Jesus, at the age of seventeen years and six 
 months, that he might thus early make a com- 
 plete holocaust of himself to God in the sanctu- 
 ary of religion. His whole religious career 
 was confined to the short space of a little less 
 than five years. Yet during that brief period, 
 what admirable virtues did he practise ! how 
 exact in the discharge of every duty! how 
 ardent in divine love ! how delicate in frater- 
 nal charity ! how angelic in his communications 
 with God! how faithful to every inspiration! 
 how actively and steadily progressive each day 
 on the great highway of the divine service! 
 To him with eminent truth may the words of 
 the Wise man be applied : " Consummatus in 
 brevi explevit tempora multa." " Being made per- 
 fect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time." 
 He from the first was inflamed with an ardent 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 desire of walking in the footsteps of Blessed Alo 
 ysius, whose wonderful life had just been pub- 
 lished. A close imitation of this admirable lover 
 of Jesus, this fervent, zealous, and irreproach- 
 able Religious, formed the ground- work of his 
 efforts to make himself a saint. Never was 
 copy more faithful to the original. Aloysius 
 seemed to live again. Those astonishing vir- 
 tues, which had for so long a time diffused a 
 spell of sanctity through the hallowed precincts 
 of the Soman College, and whose like were 
 never expected to be witnessed again, revived 
 once more with all their beauty and sweetness 
 in the person of John Berchmans. His modesty 
 was angelic, his prayer absorbing, his exacti- 
 tude marvelous, his diligence unabating, his 
 mortification unflinching, his devotion to Mary 
 most tender, his love of God most glowing, his 
 sweetness of character, blandness of manner, 
 sympathetic charity and humility of demeanor 
 enchanting to the eyes of every beholder, and 
 endearing him continually more and more to 
 the hearts of his religious brethren. 
 
 God has been pleased to raise up in the So- 
 ciety of Jesus three young saints, in rapid suc- 
 cession, each of whom is a model to youth and 
 a powerful stimulus to those advanced in life; 
 Stanislaus Kostka, Aloysius Gonzaga, and 
 John Berchmans. They each represent differ- 
 
PREFACE. Vil 
 
 ent ways of divine guidance, all animated by 
 the same spirit, embracing the same substantial 
 virtues, tending to the same glorious end, and 
 obtaining the same eternal reward. Those 
 who are not favored with the singular privi- 
 leges of an ecstatic Stanislaus, or who are ter- 
 rified at the austerities of an innocent Aloysius, 
 may find in the exactitude of Berchmans and 
 in his diligent practice of the ordinary virtues 
 of his state of life, not only an object of admi- 
 ration, but a model for imitation, and an un- 
 answerable argument of the practicability of 
 perfect virtue. John Berchmans reached a 
 high and heroic degree of perfection ; yet how 
 did he succeed in this sublime undertaking ? 
 By a continual and vigilant guard over him- 
 self; by carefully shunning the least deliberate 
 fault; by a filial and most tender love of 
 Mary ; by a full subjection, both interiorly and 
 exteriorly, to the will of his superiors, and to 
 every requirement of obedience ; in a word, by 
 following in all things the discipline of common 
 life, and observing with the utmost exactitude 
 even the least rules of the Institute. What an 
 incentive should not this prove to the acquire- 
 ment of perfection! The example of Berch- 
 mans demonstrates, that it is in each one's 
 power to become a saint. God grant that so 
 bright an example be not lost on the religious 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 and secular world, especially on the youth of 
 our day! On the contrary, may there be 
 thousands in every age of the world, till time 
 shall cease, who, by the perusal of his Life, will 
 feel themselves drawn after him in the sweet 
 odor of his virtues, and, walking faithfully in 
 his footsteps, receive one day from the reward- 
 ing hand of God a diadem, equal in brilliancy 
 to that which now glitters on the brow of the 
 Beatified Berchmans. 
 
 In now re-publishing, for the first time in 
 America, the "Life of Berchmans," translated 
 from the French by the Fathers of the Oratory 
 in England, we have deemed it advisable for 
 the edification of the faithful to add to it, by 
 way of Appendix, the narrative by Father 
 Boero, S. J., of the miracles which were per- 
 formed through the intercession of the holy 
 youth, after his death. These miracles have 
 all been approved, after the severe scrutiny to 
 which they had to be subjected in the Process 
 for Beatification. 
 
 LAUS DEO SIT. 
 
 Loyola College, Baltimore, \ 
 Feast of St. Agnes, 1866. ) 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS, S. J. 
 BOOK I. 
 
 Diest, a small town in the Low Countries, 
 situated on the Demur, was the birth-place of 
 John Berchmans. He was born on the 13th of 
 March, in the year 1599, under circumstances 
 which seemed to indicate his future sanctity. 
 He was born upon a Saturday, the day conse- 
 crated by the Church to honor the Blessed 
 Virgin Mary, to whom he was to be so espe- 
 cially devoted in after-life. His baptism seems 
 to have been deferred till the following day, 
 that the servant of Grod might receive the grace 
 of regeneration on the day dedicated to the 
 memory of our Divine Lord's resurrection. He 
 was named John, by a particular dispensation 
 of Providence, who, designing to make of him 
 another John the Baptist, a child of grace and 
 benediction, had given him for mother a virtu- 
 
 (7) 
 
8 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ous lady named Elizabeth, and for father, a man 
 of singular piety, who afterwards (like Zachary) 
 was honored with the dignity of the priesthood, 
 Snch were the parents of Berchmans, of eminent 
 virtue, much better provided with heavenly 
 riches than with the goods of this life, and 
 much more solicitous to procure treasures of 
 grace for their dear child, than the advantages 
 of fortune. 
 
 All their care was to bring up holily him 
 whom they acknowledged to have received from 
 the Author of all holiness, and to whom they 
 frequently dedicated him at the foot of the 
 altar, earnestly praying that he might never 
 lose the grace of baptism by any mortal sin. 
 Their prayers were heard and granted, as the 
 sequel of this history will show ; the holy child 
 preserved the white robe wherewith he was 
 clothed at the sacred font unsullied even to 
 his latest breath. No sooner did reason begin 
 to disperse the clouds of his infant mind, than 
 his parents (who were his first masters in the 
 science of the saints) taught him to revere the 
 Author of his being ; engraving in his soul the 
 knowledge and love of Him, together with an 
 extreme horror of everything which could be 
 in the least degree displeasing to Him. He re- 
 ceived these salutary impressions w^ith pleasure, 
 and faithfully corresponded to them. Equally 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 9 
 
 docile to the instructions of those who taught 
 him the first elements of grammar, lie learnt as 
 easily the principles of it at school, as he did 
 the principles of piety at home. When he was 
 only seven years of age he would rise at day- 
 break, that he might have more time to divide 
 between study and devotion; and he used to 
 say that he found devotion an excellent prepa- 
 ration for study. Every day he served several 
 masses, and the facility with which he after- 
 wards applied to study, proved that his scho- 
 lastic duties suffered no loss from the length of 
 time which he had previously spent in the 
 church. As he grew in age he also grew in 
 grace and wisdom, upon the model of the Di- 
 vine Infant Jesus, to whom he had consecrated 
 his heart, and whose example he studied that 
 he might become a faithful copy of it : hence 
 he was an example to his equals, the admira- 
 tion of his masters, and the delight of his 
 parents. Child as he was, he never joined in 
 the amusements of childhood, nothing of levity 
 appeared in his conduct, and he never spoke 
 but on edifying subjects. The Holy Ghost, who 
 dwelt in his heart, (as in His own temple,) re- 
 gulated all its movements, and shed such an 
 unction on his words, that they touched the 
 hardest and consoled the most afflicted hearts. 
 His good mother experienced this during a 
 
10 TUE LIFE OF 
 
 long and painful illness: on one occasion her 
 sufferings were so acute, that her patience was 
 almost exhausted ; Providence permitting that 
 her soul should be overwhelmed with a mortal 
 sadness, at the same time that her body suffered 
 excruciating pains ; in this distress a thought 
 struck her to call for her little angel, for such 
 was he then considered. No sooner was he by 
 her bedside, than she became immediately re- 
 lieved, the clouds of melancholy dispersed, and 
 she regained her usual serenity. 
 
 After she had experienced this surprising 
 effect, caused by the presence of her holy child, 
 she could not bear to have him out of her sight, 
 wishing to have him always at home : this was 
 also his own wish, because he found himself 
 secure there from the inevitable dangers to 
 which his age was exposed when absent from 
 home : he never quitted this happy asylum, un- 
 less the duties of piety or study called him else- 
 where. Without exaggeration, we may say of 
 him what is related of St. Basil and St. Gregory 
 Nazianzen ; that, like them, he knew but two 
 streets, one which led to the church, and the 
 other to the school. His disrelish of the world 
 was so great, that he would gladly have re- 
 nounced all intercourse with it, if his age (which 
 was only twelve years) had permitted it. He 
 had already renounced it in his heart ; and bav- 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMANS. 11 
 
 ing obtained leave to throw off its livery, lie 
 very joyfully clothed himself in a clerical habit, 
 which he called the livery of Jesus Christ, and 
 which he had chosen for his inheritance. This 
 happiness was much increased when he was af- 
 terwards placed under the care of Peter Em- 
 meric, religious of the Premonstratensian Order, 
 and curate of the church of our Lady at Diest. 
 His house was a kind of seminary, where chil- 
 dren were formed, by the study of Christian vir- 
 tues and of literature, to become, later in life, 
 faithful ministers of the altar. During the three 
 years which our holy youth spent here, he was 
 a constant subject of astonishment to all, from 
 the maturity of his judgment, so much beyond 
 his age, from his angelical conduct, and from his 
 extraordinary love of prayer, which he so well 
 knew how to reconcile and combine with study. 
 These two duties completely occupied his time, 
 never sparing any to the amusements of his age, 
 which, however innocent they might be, he dis- 
 liked ; and when his companions were engaged 
 in them, he would slip away quietly, to seek the 
 company of God; resembling in this, and in 
 many other things, Tobias, of whom the holy 
 scripture records, that when children of his age 
 went to adore the golden calves, he left the pro- 
 fane troop of little idolaters, to retire alone into 
 the temple, to pay homage to the Lord. Berch- 
 
12 THE LIFE OF 
 
 mans did much the same ; and leaving his com- 
 panions at their games, he would withdraw to 
 some retired part of the house, and there pour 
 forth his heart in the presence of his Creator. 
 No one took offence at his conduct ; the esteem 
 they all felt for him commanded their respect ; 
 and if by chance any of his companions re- 
 proached him for not joining in their sports, 
 the gentleness with which he always answered, 
 obliged them to own that nothing of ill-humor 
 or melancholy occasioned his love of solitude, 
 and that " the Holy Ghost led him to the desert, 
 there to speak to his heart." He made his first 
 communion about this time, preparing himself 
 for it with extraordinary fervor and by a general 
 confession, which, at his own request, he made 
 to his master. If the good religious had been 
 before charmed with the piety and assiduity of 
 his pupil, he was more so now by the innocence 
 of his penitent ; scarcely finding, in a very exact 
 confession, a single sin which was matter of ab- 
 solution. " I wept more than once," said his 
 confessor, " over the angel at my feet, himself 
 bathed in tears, accusing himself of the lightest 
 faults with the most lively contrition." Being 
 thus purified by the waters of penance, he ap- 
 proached with a holy fear and tender love to 
 the Author of all purity, at a mass celebrated 
 by his master. The man of God assures lis that 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 13 
 
 he perceived something more than human in 
 the holy child at the moment he approached 
 the altar, which he did with so much respect, 
 and with a countenance so modest and inflamed, 
 that the angels must have been delighted at the 
 spectacle. 
 
 Our most amiable Lord, whose delight has 
 always been to converse with the children of 
 men, took a singular pleasure in the soul of 
 Berchmans, to whom He communicated Himself 
 without reserve, establishing -His reign there 
 f jrever. This new possession of the Word In- 
 carnate, produced effects which every one per- 
 ceived and admired. Eegular as his comport- 
 ment had always been, it became still more so 
 after this time of grace ; he seemed to bve in a 
 total forgetfulness of creatures, when so happily 
 possessed of his Creator. The world became con- 
 temptible in his eyes, his greatest desire was to 
 quit it entirely ; his only consolation was in 
 solitude and silence, and all his happiness, the 
 fréquentation of the sacraments. He confessed 
 every week, and communicated every fortnight 
 at the least. He did not defer his preparation 
 till the day arrived, he always began it on the 
 eve ; and amongst other practices of devotion, 
 he never failed at night to throw himself at the 
 feet of his master., begging pardon for his faults, 
 hoping to obtain by this humiliation the graces, 
 
14 THE LIFE OF 
 
 which are always bestowed upon the humble. 
 In this good priest he considered only the per- 
 son of Jesus Christ. He did the same with re- 
 gard to all those who, like him, were invested 
 with the dignity of the priesthood ; he conducted 
 himself towards them, with a sort of religious 
 veneration, his faith and piety acknowledging 
 and respecting in them the sovereign Pastor of 
 souls. He never approached them with his hat 
 on, and when at meals with them he always re- 
 mained bareheaded, even in the depth of winter, 
 unless an express order obliged him to do other- 
 wise. His excellent master, Peter Emmeric, felt 
 almost equally distressed, whether he saw him 
 bare headed in the very severe season, or in offer- 
 ing violence to his humility by obliging him to 
 wear his cap; however, w r hen he insisted upon 
 the latter, in order to compensate for the loss of 
 this little consolation, he would appoint him the 
 duty of reading at table, a duty w r hich he exe- 
 cuted with great satisfaction, and which he 
 would have reserved for himself always, if it had 
 depended on his own choice. It had been his 
 custom from childhood, to have a book before 
 him when he took his meals ; and was so atten- 
 tive to this spiritual reflection, that he scarcely 
 heeded what he ate. He most frequently se- 
 lected as the subject of his pious lecture, the 
 sacred passion of our Divine Lord, to which he 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMANS. 15 
 
 was most tenderly devoted. It had been the 
 constant subject of his meditations from a very 
 early age. The Holy Ghost, even then, had been 
 his Master, teaching him how to speak to God 
 almost before he knew how to speak to men. 
 The same Holy Spirit, which had inspired so 
 ardent a love for Jesus crucified, infused into his 
 heart a love no less tender towards the Mother 
 of Jesus. He endeavored to show every mark of 
 respect and devotion to both, on all occasions. 
 As soon as he could compose poetry, he wrote 
 most devout and affectionate verses in their 
 honor. One of his school companions kept as a 
 relic, the translation into Latin verse of the Salve 
 Eegina, written by him. He had fixed certain 
 days to go and offer his devotions to the Queen 
 of Angels, in a chapel dedicated to her at Mon- 
 taigu, about a league distant from Diest. He 
 went alone, that he might be free from interrup- 
 tion or distraction ; and during his little silent 
 pilgrimage, he spent the time, partly in saying 
 his beads, and partly in meditating on the excel- 
 lences and grandeur of the august Queen, to 
 whom he was going to offer his homage. That 
 he might not appear in her presence with empty 
 hands, he used to offer with his heart some little 
 mortifications ; for it was his custom, on the eves 
 of his pilgrimages, to deprive himself of his 
 breakfast, and also of any little luxuries which 
 
16 THE LIFE OF 
 
 wore given him, that he might regale the poor 
 in her honor, and have some little sacrifice to 
 offer her. Trifling as these sacrifices may appear, 
 they were very agreeably to this Mother of all 
 goodness, and* she recompensed his love and 
 confidence, by frequent marks. of her special 
 protection. It was doubtless this protection 
 which guarded his purity, and rendered it inac- 
 cessible to all the contagious attacks of the world. 
 He seemed not even to know the name of the con- 
 trary vice. He avoided every appearance of 
 danger ; and the smallest irregularity, either of 
 conduct or language, in any of his companions, 
 was enough to make him shun the company of 
 such a one forever after. But this seldom or 
 ever happened ; the presence of Berchmans suf- 
 ficing to silence indiscretion. It was this ac- 
 knowledged virtue which gained him the re- 
 spect of his equals, and a certain ascendancy 
 over their' minds which always kept them with- 
 in due bounds. There w^as nothing imperious 
 in his manner ; yet all felt his superiority, be- 
 cause he had made himself master of their hearts ; 
 and whilst his piety and wisdom commanded 
 their respect, his mildness and affability gained 
 their affection. One only companion (whose evil 
 disposition was despised by all who loved virtue) 
 showed a great aversion to our holy youth; he 
 lost no opportunity of ill-treating him, though 
 
BLESSED JOHX BERCHMANS. 17 
 
 lie, on his part, never gave him the slightest 
 provocation. Almighty Gocl no doubt permit- 
 ting this as a counterpoise to the general esteem 
 in which he was held, in order thereby to exer- 
 cise his humility and patience ; both were un- 
 alterable under the rudest trials, so that his dear 
 companions were filled with admiration at his 
 conduct, as they were with indignation at that 
 of his tormentor. It was necessary to force him 
 from their arms when he q.uitted the house of 
 Peter Emmeric, in obedience to his father, who 
 recalled him home, where a severe trial was 
 appointed him by Providence. It was caused by 
 amost u nexpected proposal on the part of his 
 father, who thus addressed him, "It is impossi- 
 ble, my dear child, for me to continue the ex- 
 pense of your studies ; y on must be resigned to 
 give them up, and choose some other state of 
 life more suitable to the resources of your family ; 
 I am well aware that this change will be a sub- 
 je-ct of great grief to you, as it likewise is to 
 me ; there is nothing which I would not gladly 
 do for your advantage, but I must do this in 
 the manner best proportioned to my means." 
 Berchmans was overwhelmed by this intelli- 
 gence, and for sometime was unable to make 
 any answer ; at length, bathed in tears, he threw 
 himself at his father's feet, beseeching him to 
 continue his pecuniary assistance some time 
 
 2 
 
IS TITE LIFE OF 
 
 longer, adding, that in a few years lie should be 
 devoted to God in the service of the Church. 
 kk It is to that," said he, " that I am called ; you 
 know it, my dear father, and you cannot resist 
 the Divine will, nor can I follow this Divine 
 will, unless I am enabled to continue my stu- 
 dies. You have too much submission to God, 
 and too much affection for me, to prevent me 
 from following a vocation on which all my hap- 
 piness depends, and perhaps the happiness of 
 our family likewise ; all this will be at once 
 checked if my education is to be discontinued, 
 since this is the only means to effect the desired 
 object. As to the expense, I beg you will have 
 no anxiety about it. I will economise so well, 
 that the family shall be subject to no inconve- 
 nience on my account ; only allow me a little 
 bread and water, with permission to continue 
 my studies, and I shall be content." His father 
 was much affected, and convinced at the same 
 time of his vocation, he embraced his dear son, 
 and consented to all his wishes; in order to 
 accomplish them, he was placed most fortu- 
 nately under the care of a canon of Mechlin 
 Cathedral, named John Freimont. This was a 
 most providential arrangement for young Berch- 
 mans; the excellent ecclesiastic, whose merits 
 equalled his distinguished rank, treated him 
 with the tenderness of a father, and supplied 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMÀNS. 19 
 
 those means which, his own father was unable 
 to afford, furnishing all that was requisite to 
 complete his education : everything seemed to 
 concur favorably for this purpose; the libe- 
 rality of the illustrious protector, and the ardor 
 of the pious youth, together with the opening 
 of a new college at Mechlin by the fathers of 
 the Society of Jesus, seemed evidently to prove 
 the Divine will with regard to Berchmans' vo- 
 cation. No sooner was this college opened, 
 than the youth of the town and surrounding 
 country flocked in crowds to attend its classes, 
 drawn thither by the reputation of the fathers 
 who directed it: it was universally believed 
 that Almighty God granted some special bless- 
 ing to their endeavors, in imprinting on the 
 minds of those committed to their charge, prin- 
 ciples of the most solid piety, at the same time 
 that they taught them human science. Berch- 
 mans felt a strong desire to partake of these 
 advantages : some obstacles arose to prevent it, 
 3hiefly in consequence of some certain persons, 
 who, not knowing, or not understanding the 
 character of the society, misrepresented the con- 
 duct of its members ; but these obstacles were 
 soon removed; the discernment of the Canon 
 Freimont quickly appreciated their merits, not- 
 withstanding the calumnies raised against them, 
 and his pious scholar was most urgent in his 
 
20 THE LIFE OF 
 
 entreaties lor permission to attend their classes, 
 in which he at length succeeded. Upon his first 
 examination, the prefect judged him capable of 
 rhetoric. lie had scarcely studied it a month, 
 when his indefatigable application, joined to his 
 naturally powerful talents, gained him all the 
 prizes and honors ; he composed pieces in prose 
 and verse, which might have passed for the pro- 
 ductions of his masters. The father who taught 
 him considered him even then capable of teach- 
 ing others ; and all the college looked upon him 
 as a prodigy of talent for his age, and as a 
 model of piety and regularity of conduct. So 
 many good qualities (which his angelical mod- 
 esty seemed to embellish) struck every one there 
 with admiration, and soon procured his admis- 
 sion into the congregation of our Blessed Lad^y; 
 the father who governed it having as much 
 pleasure in granting this favor, as the virtuous 
 scholar had eagerness in asking it. 
 
 Berchmans' joy was at its height when he 
 was admitted into this pious association ; he was 
 delighted that devotion to his good Mother 
 should be so religiously observed ; and that at 
 an age when corruption so easily insinuates 
 itself, purity of morals should be so strictly 
 maintained, through the protection and assist 
 ance of the most pure Virgin Mother. He 
 engaged as many as he could to join this holy 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 21 
 
 devotion, as well for their own advantage, as 
 to increase the number of courtiers to the 
 Queen of Angels. He fasted in her honor on 
 Saturdays and the vigils of her feasts ; he daily 
 recited certain prayers with this same intention ; 
 and 'at the beginning of each month he con- 
 suited the father- superior of the congregation, 
 to learn from him what faults he should correct, 
 and what penances he should practise, in honor 
 of our Blessed Lady and his monthly patron. 
 He usually spent the greater part of the night 
 on his knees in prayer upon the bare ground, 
 which afterwards served him for a bed, on which 
 he took a little rest till day-break. Whenever 
 he had the happiness to communicate, it was 
 his pious custom to retire and pass two or three 
 hours in profound and silent homage before his 
 heavenly Guest, and return Him thanks for the 
 honor of His visit. Nevertheless, Berchmans 
 did not seek to establish his devotion on Mount 
 Thabor, he would follow our Divine Savior to 
 Mount Calvary, preferring the happiness of 
 sharing in His sufferings, rather than in His 
 honors. Every Friday he made the seven sta- 
 tions, to honor the mysteries of the Passion, but 
 anxious that the God of all love, whom alone 
 he wished to please, should be the only witness 
 of his devotion, he did not undertake it until 
 towards the evening, and then performed it with 
 
22 THE LIFE OF 
 
 bare feet, using for this purpose shoes which 
 merely covered the upper part of the foot, and 
 which he had arranged himself, that he might 
 more effeetuallv conceal his penance from the 
 eyes of men. But God, whose pleasure it is to 
 exalt the humble, manifested the merits of His 
 servant in proportion to the pains he took to 
 hide them. A singular intervention of Provi- 
 dence, apparently in favor of Berchmans, 
 occurred about this time, which served not a 
 little to augment the esteem in which he had 
 hitherto been held: the circumstance is thus 
 related : Freimont, the pious ecclesiastic of 
 whom we have already spoken, returning from 
 a journey of devotion to our Blessed Lady's 
 Chapel at Montaigu, accompanied by Berch- 
 mans, from whom he could scarcely endure to 
 be separated, unfortunately missed the right 
 path: this accident was followed by another, 
 which distressed him very much: a violent 
 tempest suddenly arose : the atmosphere seemed 
 to be on fire: thunder rolled most awfully, and 
 lightning flashed most vividly : and what made 
 his situation still more perilous and diffic 
 was being in the midst of a thick forest, with- 
 out the slightest idea how to find his way out 
 of it. In this «extremity, he recommended 
 himself and his companion to the guardian 
 angel of Berchmans, whom he considered to be 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 23 
 
 little less than an angel. No sooner had he 
 done this, than raising his eyes he perceived a 
 female figure of gigantic stature on the top of 
 a rock. This monstrous woman rolled down 
 the precipice, and falling at the feet of our 
 holy youth, in horrible contortions, threatened 
 him both by words and gestures; yet without 
 touching him, or doing him any injury. As 
 soon as she had disappeared, the storm ceased, 
 the air became clear, the sky resumed its usual 
 serenity, and the two pious pilgrims found 
 themselves at the entrance of a small village, 
 where, upon inquiry, they learned that the 
 woman they had seen in the forest belonged to 
 that neighborhood, where she was looked upon 
 as a sorceress, and shunned accordingly. From 
 all this Freimont concluded, that the spirit of 
 darkness (the declared enemy of all devotion to 
 our Blessed Lady) had probably raised this 
 tempest ; and that the angel guardian of Berch- 
 mans had appeased it, in consideration of the 
 innocent youth; to whom he attributed ever 
 after the preservation of his life on that danger- 
 ous occasion. As to Berchmans himself, he 
 was filled with the most lively gratitude, and 
 made a new offering to God of the life He had 
 so wonderfully preserved, making a resolution 
 to consecrate it entirely to the divine service in 
 a religious house. His soul was too precious 
 
24 THE LIFE OF 
 
 in the sight of God to be left exposed to the 
 dangerous contagion of a profane world. The 
 asylum to which Divine Providence and his 
 own inclination led him, was the Society of 
 Jesus. Although the order had only been 
 known to him about a year, he felt particularly 
 drawn to it. But to be more certain of the 
 will of God in his regard, he had recourse to 
 fervent prayer. He redoubled his penitential 
 austerities, confessed more frequently, and re- 
 quested permission of his director to communi- 
 cate twice a week, hoping to be thoroughly en- 
 lightened by Him who is the source of all light. 
 And that he might omit nothing to merit this 
 great favor, he distributed all the savings of 
 his pocket-money, amounting to twenty-five 
 florins, partly in relieving the poor, (whom he 
 wished to be his advocates with Heaven,) and 
 partly in procuring masses in different chapels 
 dedicated to our Blessed Lady, hoping, through 
 her intercession, to be assured of the good 
 pleasure of her Son. He frequently consulted 
 the director of his soul upon the subject, being 
 convinced that he would be the organ through 
 which Almighty God would intimate His will 
 to him. He sought this knowledge with too 
 much good faith to be mistaken ; indeed, it was 
 imprinted on his mind too clearly to allow any 
 doubt as to his vocation to the Society of Jesus. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 25 
 
 He often said afterwards, that the epistles of 
 St, Jerome had given him a great disgust of 
 the world, with a strong predeliction for the 
 religions state; but that the Life of Blessed 
 Aloysius Gonzaga, (then just published,) had 
 drawn his affection completely to the society ; 
 that his choice became fixed by witnessing the 
 apostolic zeal of the Jesuits in Flanders, the 
 abundant harvest which they were gathering 
 there, their incessant efforts against the religious 
 innovators of France and Germany, and by the 
 news which so often reached them from Eng- 
 land, that the fathers there had the honor of 
 suffering for Christ, being confined in horrid 
 dungeons, or put to a most cruel death, to which 
 they exposed themselves most willingly, in the 
 hope of regaining to the centre of unity innu- 
 merable souls which schism and heresy had sev~ 
 ered from it. Being convinced that Almighty 
 God required of him to be a Jesuit, he bound 
 himself by vow to use all his endeavors to be- 
 come one; and that there might be no delay 
 between the promise and its accomplishment, he 
 applied at once to Father Scribini, then pro- 
 vincial of the Flemish Jesuits, for permission to 
 enter the noviciate. The good father, who had 
 already heard of him in the most advantageous 
 manner, received his request favorably, and 
 gave him hopes of being immediately admitted, 
 
26 THE LIFE OF 
 
 if lie could obtain liis parents' consent. To effect 
 this, lie wrote them a most moving and persua- 
 sive letter, in which he tenderly conjured them 
 to oppose no obstacle to the execution of his 
 design, nor even to delay it ; he reminded them 
 that he owed it in great measure to their pious 
 instructions, of which he should be little able 
 to profit if he remained in the world, which 
 they had taught him to despise ; that, in fine, 
 he had vowed to consecrate himself to God in 
 religion ; that this was a promise made before 
 Heaven, consequently it was not lawful, either 
 for him to fail in it, or for them to oppose it» 
 He entreated them to reflect, that he belonged 
 to God, before he had belonged to them ; that 
 this great Master called him, and that he only 
 waited their consent to answer to the call. 
 
 It will not be difficult to imagine the impres- 
 sion which this declaration made on the hearts 
 of his affectionate parents : they loved this dear 
 child too tenderly, not to feel a lively sorrow 
 at the idea of losing him ; but they were ex- 
 cellent Christians, filled with the spirit of re- 
 ligion, and possessed of piety far surpassing the 
 ordinary number of secular persons. With su ch 
 dispositions, they were careful not to oppose 
 their son's design of giving himself wholly to 
 God; they did not forget the offering they 
 had made of him to God in his tender in- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 27 
 
 fancy ; they were far from wishing to disavow 
 or revoke the donation ; but they would have 
 felt much more satisfied had Berchmans been 
 content to serve God in the ecclesiastical state 
 in the country and diocese which gave him 
 birth, instead of choosing an order which so 
 positively renounces all ecclesiastical benefices ; 
 they engaged the fathers of the Franciscan 
 order to repeat and enforce their reasons upon 
 the mind of their son: they did so after the 
 manner of true servants of God, not intending 
 to shake, but only to prove his vocation. And 
 having recognized it as the work of God, they 
 animated him to pursue it courageously and 
 faithfully. One only religious amongst the 
 number, (whose zeal was less enlightened, or 
 his judgment less profound,) acted differently. 
 He undertook to change his resolution ; but 
 Berchmans having upon several occasions lis- 
 tened to his reasonings and refuted them thought 
 it was his duty at last to put an end to them, 
 grieving that a religious man should have un- 
 dertaken to plead so bad a cause; therefore, 
 without wounding in the slighest degree the 
 honor due to his order or himself, be begged 
 him to retire and spare himself the trouble of 
 any further visits or communication on the 
 subject. He sought and obtained his spiritual 
 strength in prayer alone ; it supported him in 
 
28 THE LIFE OF 
 
 all these danserons occurrences, and at length 
 
 triumphed over the resistance of his parents. 
 Having obtained their consent, the provincial 
 of the Jesuits immediately granted him the 
 favor which his perseverance so well deserved. 
 He entered the society on the 24th of Septem- 
 ber, 1616, aged seventeen years and six 
 months: he had for a companion in his happi- 
 ness, a young Fleming, who had formerly been 
 his fellow-student. These two were the first 
 fruits which the college at Mechlin gave to the 
 Society of Jesus. Berchmans thought himself 
 in the company of angels as soon as he had 
 joined the novices ; the sight of them trans- 
 ported him with joy; he embraced them, and 
 received their cordial welcome with a sweet 
 and holy friendship. The frivolous ceremonies 
 of the age had no part in their mutual expres- 
 sions of regard ; pure and simple love of Jesus 
 Christ could alone unite the hearts of so many 
 young men of different nations and of different 
 characters, which were there dwelling together 
 in perfect union of heart and sentiment. A 
 prodigy of this nature, (happily so common in 
 the houses of the noviciate,) was immediately 
 perceived by our young novice, who was de- 
 lighted with it, as well as with all his new 
 brothers, whose example he believed would 
 teach him how to live for God alone. Filled 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 29 
 
 with the idea of his happiness, the tears streamed 
 down his cheeks, sighs burst from his over- 
 flowing heart, and the terms in which he spoke 
 of the grace of his vocation, showed how highly 
 he appreciated it. "When he had been but a 
 day or two in the noviciate, and before he had 
 been appointed to any of its arduous duties, he 
 saw one of the brothers digging in the garden. 
 " Come," said he, cheerfully to his companion, 
 u let us go and help that good brother ; we 
 cannot better begin to serve Jesus Christ than 
 by practising humility and charity, of which 
 He Himself gave us so many examples ;" and 
 taking up a spade, he began to work with great 
 diligence and fervor. ■ 
 
 This virtue, (which is nothing else than the 
 love of God in its most active and most puri- 
 fied form, and which may consequently be 
 called the quality of the perfect, rather than 
 the virtue of beginners,) belonged pre-emi- 
 nentlj^ to our holy novice. The sole motive of 
 pleasing God ruled all his actions, and from his 
 first entrance into religion, he always aimed at 
 the highest degree of sanctity. He had often 
 declared to his director, when speaking on the 
 subject of his vocation, that he hoped by the 
 grace of Jesus Christ to become a great saint. 
 "I cannot conceive," said he, with an inflamed 
 countenance, " how I could have any other 
 
30 THE LIFE OF 
 
 idea in the holy society to which God calls me ; 
 and it seems to me impossible to be a member 
 of it without attaining to a very eminent per- 
 fection, so powerful and so numerous are the 
 means furnished by the rules in order to attain 
 it." Faithful to his promise, as well as to the 
 graces with which our Lord had blest him, he 
 studied from the beginning to acquire and 
 practise the high degree of perfection to which 
 he aspired. There was no need of sparing him ? 
 as there usually is with regard to certain weak 
 souls, who would soon become weary of our 
 Lord's sweet yoke, unless some condescension 
 were shown them, to accustom them by degrees 
 to the things of God, which condescension, 
 joined to the example of others, enables them 
 at length to bear the weight of their duties 
 without feeling oppressed by them. "We may 
 truly say of Berchmans, that he never exhibited 
 this weakness. Acting upon the important 
 advice of St. Bernard, he began by beginning 
 perfectly; being fully convinced, that it was 
 vain to expect he could become a good reli- 
 gious, if he neglected to be a perfect novice. 
 It was not that he performed any extraordinary 
 actions, but he had fixed deeply in his mind 
 this principle, (so necessary in a spiritual life,) 
 that perfection does not consist in great things, 
 but in doing well those duties which obedience 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 31 
 
 prescribes. It was his grand maxim to perform 
 the most common actions in an uncommon man- 
 ner. The elder novices were surprised to see 
 that he had advanced as far at the end of the 
 first month, as they had at the end of two 
 years ; they could never sufficiently admire the 
 easy, fervent, and animated air, with which he 
 went through the duties of the noviciate, 
 adapted, as he seemed from the yery beginning, 
 to the order and regularity prescribed there ; 
 they all agreed in saying, that God had sent 
 them this dear brother, to be their accomplished 
 model of a perfect novice ; with this idea, they 
 all respected him as an angel, and one of them 
 good humoredly remarked, that at the time our 
 Blessed Lady began to perform miracles at 
 Montaigu, she performed one no less surprising 
 at Diest, namely, sending them an angel in the 
 person of Berchmans. It is true that he had 
 the purity, the candor, and the modesty of an 
 angel; something angelical seemed to shine 
 upon his countenance, which struck with de- 
 light those who beheld him. Moreover, he was 
 not one of those whose austere piety leads them 
 to suppose, that they cannot be virtuous but 
 in proportion as they are severe and gloomy ; 
 such conduct injures, rather than honors virtue. 
 In our holy novice, who was cheerful, polite, 
 and amiable to every one, devotion appeared 
 
32 THE LIFE OF 
 
 so full of charms, that to esteem and love it, 
 nothing more was necessary than to cast a look 
 on him. While he was thus causing virtue to 
 be loved for its charms, he loved and embraced 
 its rigors; always choosing those duties which 
 were most humiliating and laborious : he set no 
 other bounds to his desires of mortification, 
 but those prescribed by obedience : without 
 offending against this virtue, which he believed 
 ought to be the rule of all other virtues, he 
 made it his duty to declare to his superior, the 
 ardent wish of his heart, that he might be per- 
 mitted to bear in his body the mortification of 
 Jesus Christ ; and he represented this in terms 
 so persuasive, that the master of novices thought 
 he could not refuse his permission to this 
 weakly constitutioned youth, of practising au- 
 sterities which he scarcely allowed to the most 
 robust. At the noviciate of Mechlin may be 
 seen, even at the present time, the instruments 
 of his austerities, which are carefully preserved 
 there as so many precious relics ; particularly 
 part of a rough penetrating hair-shirt which he 
 usually wore, and some linen stained with his 
 i, caused by the severity with which he 
 used the discipline : he never seemed more joy- 
 ful, than when he was allowed to practise these 
 pious cruelties upon himself: he was equally 
 >1 ;ased to wear the oldest and worst cassock in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. 33 
 
 the house ; which he procured by his earnest 
 entreaties : he always kissed it with great re- 
 spect whenever he put it on. But convinced 
 that these exterior humiliations were pleasing 
 to God, only inasmuch as they emanated from 
 humility of heart, he took care to carry a 
 humble heart under his humble habit ; and 
 happy as he felt, when clothed with it, he did 
 not consider that it made him at all more vir- 
 tuous. Ever watchful against secret pride, 
 which often slides in under an equivocal cover- 
 ing, he always endeavored to be animated by a 
 true spirit of interior abnegation ; so that when 
 he humbled himself before men, he humbled 
 himself still more profoundly before himself 
 and before God. He accused himself of his 
 faults, that he might receive correction and con- 
 fusion for them ; he sought them with the lamp 
 always in his hand ; and fearing lest self-love 
 should conceal them from his sight, he earnestly 
 entreated his companions to observe and ad- 
 monish him of them, begging his novice-master 
 to desire this act of charity at their hands. 
 This disposition proceeded from the high idea 
 which he had of the sanctity and infinite purity 
 of God ; and also of that which He exacts from 
 those souls who have the honor of approaching 
 Him frequently ; a disposition quite uncommon 
 at the present day, when immortification is so 
 
 3 
 
34 THE LIFE OF 
 
 general, that the most gentle reprimands fre- 
 quently cause severe wounds. Berchmans so 
 passionately desired reprehension, that he re- 
 quested his superior to appoint four of his fel- 
 low-novices, to observe and admonish him of 
 his defects. One day it happened that one of 
 them noticed a slight omission which escaped 
 him whilst he was engaged in some office of 
 charity which took up his attention ; never was 
 joy more evident, or gratitude more sincere, 
 than that of our holy novice ; he looked upon 
 him who had admonished him of the failing as 
 his benefactor and friend ; he offered to God a 
 number of prayers for him, promising to re- 
 peat the number every time his companion 
 should exercise the same act of charity. The 
 greatness of the recompense animated his young 
 admonitor, who redoubled his vigilance, but he 
 declared afterwards that however careful he 
 might be in examining Berchmans' conduct 
 with the strictest exactitude, he never could 
 detect a single fault ; this must appear surpris- 
 ing:, but what follows can be considered as little 
 less than miraculous. The rector of the novi- 
 ciate relates the circumstances: i- Having been 
 frequently solicited by the young novice to tell 
 him publicly of his faults, I could not refuse 
 him this satisfaction. According! y I desired 
 all the novices, amounting to near I undred, 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 35 
 
 to mark down in writing whatever they per- 
 ceived defective in Berchmans. I then assem- 
 bled them together in the hall of the noviciate, 
 where having received and opened their notes, 
 not one of them contained a single complaint»; 
 no one having observed the slightest fault in 
 him, which is the more surprising if we con- 
 sider the number of these young persons, all 
 beginners in a spiritual life, and of very deli- 
 cate consciences, which, joined to their natural 
 vivacity, would make them extremely liable 
 to observe tjie smallest faults in their equal, 
 especially if he be the object of peculiar esteem 
 or preference. The result of this meeting 
 caused much greater confusion to our humble 
 novice, than the declaration of the greatest 
 faults could have done. We were all obliged 
 to pity him in the affliction which overwhelmed 
 him, and to console him as if he had fallen into 
 some terrible disgrace; in fine, all who were 
 present felt equally delighted and edified by 
 his innocence and humility." The oldest and 
 most experienced amongst the fathers were 
 struck at his extraordinary virtue, and having 
 examined him attentively, more particularly 
 during the inexperience and vivacity of youth, 
 unanimously agreed that all the perfec- 
 tion, (suitable to the state and age of Berch- 
 mans,) which we read of in the Lives of the 
 
36 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Saints, might be found in an eminent degree in 
 this incomparable novice. This was more par- 
 ticularly the opinion of his novice-master, who 
 knew him even to the bottom of his soul ; and 
 who saw, as with the naked eye, all his holy 
 dispositions. This prudent director was care- 
 ful tO'Conceal from Berchmans the good opinion 
 which he had of him ; being well persuaded 
 that to let him know his elevated state would 
 be exposing him to the danger of declining 
 from it ; and remembering that this angel of 
 earth was not stronger than were ihe angels of 
 heaven, that, like them, he was liable to fall; 
 and that if they could not support the sight of 
 their own perfections, without being dazzled 
 by its splendor, it would be exposing his still 
 more fragile nature to the dangers of vain com- 
 placency, were he made sensible of the singu- 
 lar graces with which our Lord favored him. 
 The aim then of this good father was to con- 
 ceal them from him, by seconding, to the ut- 
 most of his power, the fervent dispositions of 
 his disciple, who strove to acquire the spirit of 
 self-abnegation, by the continual consideration 
 of his own lowliness and baseness. It is true 
 he was distinguished amongst his companions 
 by being named their admonitor-general, when 
 he had been only a few months in the noviciate ; 
 as such, it belonged to him to see that exterior 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 37 
 
 regularity was observed, to give the sign for 
 beginning their customary duties, to inquire 
 daily of their master what was to be done, and 
 then give notice to the novices accordingly. It 
 is true, I say, that this distinction was con- 
 ferred upon him in consideration of his merits, 
 but it was done with such precautions as were 
 much more likely to humble than to elevate 
 him. We may judge of his sentiments upon 
 this subject by his writings, which were found 
 after his death, in which he declares that he 
 was chosen to this office only because he was 
 the most unworthy, and to give him subject of 
 confusion, at the same time that it was a sub- 
 ject of mortification to his companions ; that 
 this shadow of elevation might make his de- 
 fects more evident to all, and call for the charity 
 and forbearance of all. His dear brothers 
 found nothing reprehensible in his manner of 
 discharging this office, nor indeed in any other 
 respect ; on the contrary, his charity, his mod- 
 esty, and his kindness, delighted them, and led 
 them unanimously to declare, that whatever 
 marks of favor or consideration might be 
 shown him, he certainly deserved still more. 
 They felt happy to have him at their head, 
 saying, that though in age he was only their 
 equal, his eminent virtue made him grea.tly 
 superior to them. 
 
38 THE LIFE OF 
 
 This extraordinary sanctity, acquired in so 
 short a time, proceeded from his intimate union 
 with Him who in the sacred writings is called 
 the God of virtues. This God of all goodness, 
 who manifests himself so willingly to pure 
 souls, communicated Himself to Berchmans, 
 and enlightened him in all his doubts ; for he 
 made it his rule to carry them to the Blessed 
 Sacrament, when he went to pay his respects 
 there; and he never failed finding the lights 
 and the help he sought. His heart was ever 
 intimately united to this amiable Saviour. He 
 visited him as frequently, and remained as long 
 a time, as the regulations of the noviciate al- 
 lowed ; and to manifest the desire he felt of 
 being always in presence of the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment, he would, when compelled to leave the 
 church, beg of St. Stanislaus, or Aloysius, to 
 take his place there, and present his heart to 
 our divine Lord during the time that he should 
 be absent. 
 
 When engaged in devotion, either in the 
 church or in his oratory, he appeared pene- 
 trated with the presence of God ; his eyes were 
 either raised towards heaven, or closed to all 
 on earth; his hands joined before his breast, 
 always kneeling, and his whole person calm 
 and immovable. His countenance, which was 
 always serene, became inflamed during the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 39 
 
 course of his prayer. His companions would 
 endeavor to approach, as near as they possibly 
 could to him, in hopes of sharing in his fervor, 
 or at least of being animated by his example. 
 On his part, he thought his prayers worth little, 
 unless they were united to those of his dear 
 brothers. So great was the esteem he felt for 
 them, and so high his opinion of their virtue, 
 that he hoped to obtain all he asked when his 
 prayers were supported by theirs. Three things 
 he most ardently prayed for, angelical purity, a 
 constant fidelity to his vocation, and grace to be- 
 come, one day, a worthy member of the society. 
 He felt a holy impatience to bind himself to it 
 by the vows of religion. He did so, a thousand 
 times, from the bottom of his heart, whilst he 
 was unable to do so in reality, because the term 
 of his noviciate was not expired. To console 
 him under the afflicting necessity of the delay, 
 he was permitted to make the simple vows of 
 devotion, a favor which is only allowed to the 
 most fervent. He had in his childhood made a 
 vow of virginity, in honor of the Queen of Vir- 
 gins, to whom he was most tenderly devoted, 
 as well as to her chaste spouse, St. Joseph. He 
 admired in them both their sublime greatness 
 and their profound humility. Their example 
 excited in him a g^eat love for the latter, which 
 he looked upon us the foundation of all other 
 
40 THE LIFE OF 
 
 virtues. It was this that kept him perpetually 
 annihilated, as it were, in the lowly opinion he 
 had of himself; and being persuaded that he 
 had been received out of pure charity into the 
 house of God, he felt bound to look upon him- 
 self as the last and least of all. Fixed in this 
 principle, he had no fear of vain-glory, as he 
 himself owned to one of his companions, who 
 questioned him upon the subject, adding cheer- 
 fully, that he felt no dread of that beast. 
 
 A heart so humble, could not be otherwise 
 than obedient. Obedience was singularly dear 
 to him ; all that he heard upon this virtue, so 
 essential to a Jesuit, pleased him ; but nothing 
 delighted him more than the admirable letter 
 which St, Ignatius had formerly written to the 
 fathers of Portugal; the reading it had at- 
 tached him most tenderly to this great saint; 
 he admired in it his exalted wisdom, illumin- 
 ated by the pure* light of heaven; and he re- 
 spected every word as an oracle. Like a worthy 
 son of so wise a father, he used to say that we 
 ought to obey in the smallest things, that doing 
 so served as a preparation for the obedience 
 to be practised in the greatest, and that we 
 cannot better show our respect to superiors 
 than by executing their orders most faithfully, 
 even though they be of the least importance. 
 He was a stranger to those convenient inter- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 41 
 
 pretations that self-love sometimes suggests, in 
 order to evade obeying strictly to the letter, he 
 always confined himself to the terms prescribed, 
 preferring that men should accuse him of want 
 of prudence, rather than give our divine Lord 
 the least reason to reproach him with a want 
 of submission. On one occasion, being sent to 
 the door by his superior to received a stranger, 
 who had asked for him, a second visitor ar- 
 rived during the time that he was speaking to 
 the first; he begged the new-comer to allow 
 him to go first and ask permission, before he 
 could begin to converse with him. He acted 
 in the same manner on numberless other occa- 
 sions; and he did it with so much sweetness 
 and modesty, that no one could ever be offended 
 at it. His manner of observing silence was so 
 pleasing, that it might not inaptly be called the 
 seasoning of his exactitude. Being questioned 
 upon his method of observing it, he frankly an- 
 swered, " I respectfully salute every person that 
 I meet ; if any service is required of me, I per- 
 form it as promptly as possible ; if I am asked 
 a question, I answer in as few words as I can, 
 avoiding on my part, to say any words not ab- 
 solutely necessary." It was likewise his cus- 
 tom to' salute the guardian angels of the per- 
 sons whom he met, stopping for a moment, and 
 stepping a little aside, that he might respect- 
 
42 THE LIFE OF 
 
 fully leave the path free; this was a mark of 
 deference and respect, in which he never failed, 
 and he did it with so much sweetnes and mod- 
 esty, that every one was pleased to meet him. 
 
 This air of modest gaity accompanied him 
 everywhere. He never seemed dull or severe 
 but when the interests of purity seemed to re- 
 quire it, which very seldom happened ; for hav- 
 ing little or no commerce with the world, those 
 with whom he habitually associated, were far 
 removed from anything which could in the least 
 degree shock the strictest delicacy. Moreover, 
 his very looks inspired a love for this virtue ; 
 he neglected nothing on his part to acquire it 
 in perfection, or to preserve its lustre unsullied. 
 His delicacy on this point made him watchful 
 over all his movements, both during the day 
 and night ; he never changed his position when 
 in bed, however much he might suffer either 
 from the cold in winter or the heat in summer. 
 In order to keep the spirit of darkness at a dis- 
 tance, he besought the angels and his holy 
 patrons to watch over him whilst he slept ; he 
 armed himself with the sign of the cross, and 
 placed his crucifix opposite to him, that Jesus, 
 the Author of all purity, might be his sovereign 
 protector. As his last thought before sleep was 
 holy, so likewise was his first upon waking ; he 
 began and finished the day by profound adora- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 43 
 
 tion of the Blessed Trinity, and by an act of 
 homage to the Queen of Angels, whom he 
 looked up to as the grand protectress of his 
 chastity. He applied himself more particularly 
 to the practice of those virtues which are most 
 closely cennected with purity, contending with 
 his enemies incessantly. "I will wage war 
 against them," said he, " and will never rest 
 until I have destroyed them." Idleness, pride, 
 and gluttony, were the vices he most vehemently 
 denounced, because he believed them to be the 
 most dangerous to purity. It was his opinion 
 that we must combat them the first moment 
 we enter into religion ; beginning our spiritual 
 warfare by laboring to destroy them ; that the 
 most efficacious means of success will be to arm 
 ourselves with the virtues most contrary to 
 them ; that fervor is the most powerful remedy 
 against sloth, as humiliations and abstinence 
 are against pride and gluttony. What he coun- 
 selled with wisdom, he practised with fidelity; 
 he more passionately desired contempts and 
 abasement, than the most ambitious could desire 
 honors and esteem. His temperance was car- 
 ried to the highest degree, so that in his exam- 
 nations of conscience, he never could discover 
 on this subject anything to accuse himself of 
 in confession. So little was he concerned about 
 his meals, that he never so much as thought 
 
M THE LIFE OF 
 
 of them until the sound of the bell summoned 
 him to the refectory, where answering to the 
 usual prayers and blessing, his look and man- 
 ner plainly showed that he was quite indifferent 
 to these material refreshments, and that he per- 
 formed, in an angelical manner, an action alto- 
 gether animal, being obliged to it by obedience 
 and by the necessity of nature. Whilst at table 
 bis mind was in a state of profound recollection, 
 offering his meal to our Divine Lord ; in fact, 
 he partook of nothing that was placed before 
 him until he had offered it to Him. representing 
 to himself, (as it was found in his writings,) that 
 ed the Infant Jesus in the persons of the 
 poor, to whom he always gave in spirit what he 
 retrenched from his own allowance. This idea 
 gave him great pleasure, and induced him to 
 deprive himself of the best things that he might 
 present them to the Blessed Infant. His youth 
 and delicacy of constitution, obliged him for 
 some time to take something in the morning ; 
 this practice was always accompanied by an in- 
 demnifying mortification, and by lessening the 
 quantity of food by degrees, he became able to 
 fast as long as the rest of his companions ; this 
 tisfaction to him, because it allowed 
 him to devote more time in the morning: to 
 Almighty God. In recompence of this fervor, 
 he became in a short time so superior to the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 45 
 
 wants of nature, as to attend only to those of the 
 soul. Pious reading, spiritual exhortations, and 
 sermons, were to him as spiritual banquets. He 
 went to them with eager alacrity, and his atten- 
 tion and recollection plainly told how much he 
 desired to profit by them. He was for some 
 time much troubled by the temptation of sleep 
 and drowsiness, but his courage and self-denial 
 soon overcame it; sometimes he bit his lips 
 till they bled, at other times he pinched his 
 arms till they were quite discolored, and by 
 these means he contrived to banish sleep. 
 When his companions complained of feeling 
 drowsy during spiritual duties, he taught them 
 this method of rousing themselves, which had 
 succeeded so well with him. It was thus that 
 these fervent novices communicated their little 
 trials to each other, and thus did our blessed 
 Lord teach them how to remedy them, even 
 during the time appointed by obedience for re- 
 creation. Berchmans had a peculiar talent for 
 rendering the hours of recreation useful, with- 
 out being too serious and grave; indeed, his 
 • companions declared that one hour spent with 
 Berchmans, was as profitable to them as the 
 hour they spent in meditation; whilst he, on 
 his part, said that the conversation after dinner 
 helped to keep him recollected until evening, 
 and that the evening recreation prepared him 
 for the morning's meditation. 
 
46 THE LIFE OF 
 
 His great delight was to hear and speak 
 about the Indian missions, particularly those of 
 China and Japan ; and the idea, that he might 
 one day labor there for the glory of Jesus 
 Christ (and perhaps lose his life for the cause) 
 transported him with joy, and made him weep 
 with devotion. The vast empire of China, 
 (whose provinces even may be considered large 
 kingdoms,) seemed to him most worthy of a 
 Jesuit's ambition : his inclination led him par- 
 ticularly to that flourishing, yet singular coun- 
 try; he frequently spoke of it to his compan- 
 ions, who, like himself, eagerly hoped to labor 
 there in the vineyard of the Lord. Our holy 
 novice was not of the number of those who 
 nourish the futile hopes of some day perform- 
 ing great things, and yet neglect to perfect 
 themselves by the practice of smaller virtues, 
 and by well performing their present ordinary 
 duties. He was convinced, that the noviciate 
 of the society was nothing less than a noviciate 
 of the apostleship; and that the candidates 
 labored in silence and retirement during two 
 years to sanctify themselves, only that they 
 might be qualified to labor at the sanctification 
 of others during the rest of their lives ; and 
 that the most essential duty of a novice, is (by 
 the grace and help of Jesus Christ) to begin 
 betimes to lay the foundation of a stock of vir- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 47 
 
 tue capable of sustaining the weight of the 
 apostleship. With these exalted views, he 
 never lost a moment of his time, and omitted 
 nothing that could help to fit him for so sub- 
 lime an office as the conversion of souls. He 
 joined to the other duties of the noviciate the 
 study of the French language, in obedience to 
 the orders of his master, who had observed his 
 facility in its pronunciation ; and he was most 
 assiduous in his application, because he thought 
 it highly necessary for the good of souls, espe- 
 cially in Flanders, where the people have so 
 much communication with France, He mas- 
 tered the difficulties in an incredibly short time ; 
 and was able to make little French discourses 
 in the refectory, as easily as if it had been his 
 native language. One, which he made in honor 
 of his patron, Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga, sur- 
 prised all who heard it; and they were equally 
 delighted at his devotion towards the saint, and 
 the facility with which he explained and com- 
 mented on his virtues. 
 
 He did not confine his zeal to the noviciate 
 only; he was truly happy when exercising it 
 in the surrounding villages and hamlets, whither 
 the novices of the society are sent from time to 
 time to make little missions. Berchmans con- 
 sidered these missions his seasons both for sow- 
 ing and reaping, and abundant harvests every- 
 
48 THE LIFE OF 
 
 where attended his labors. He sought out the 
 poor in their cabins, and after consoling them 
 under their respective trials, he would conduct 
 them to the church, and there teach them how 
 to secure happiness in the next life by patience 
 under the afflictions of this. These good simple 
 people delighted to hear him speak of the 
 kingdom of God, and listened to him with ear- 
 nestness and eagerness. Fathers and mothers 
 led their little ones to him, who, gained by the 
 sweetness with which he taught them the Chris- 
 tian doctrine, received his instructions with 
 docility, and following him in crowds when he 
 left the church, would accompany him to his 
 own door, where distributing some trifling 
 presents amongst them, he dismissed them ; 
 though his most precious gift was the treasure 
 of celestial doctrine, which he studied to im- 
 print in their young and tender minds. From 
 his care and solicitude for these poor unknown 
 strangers, we may easily infer how great must 
 have been his affection for his brothers in re- 
 ligion. He carried them all in his heart, and 
 shared in all their afflictions, receiving the 
 counter-blow of all their trials. Observing 
 that one of them was grievously troubled, and" 
 tempted to quit the noviciate, he tried to con- 
 sole him, (having first gained his confidence,) 
 representing to him all the motives best calcu- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 49 
 
 lated to fix and strengthen his poor wavering 
 mind. But perceiving that the agitation of his 
 companion was too great to allow of his seeing 
 his own danger, and that he was determined to 
 abandon all without delay, Berchmans, with 
 tears in his eyes, and in most moving terms, 
 besought him to postpone his departure at least 
 for a few daj^s. Having obtained a promise to 
 this effect, he spent his time in most earnest 
 prayer, tenderly beseeching our Blessed Lady 
 to succor this poor fugitive, and to recall him 
 to his former sentiments. His prayer was too 
 fervent and too sincere not to be granted. The 
 novice recovered his usual tranquillity and 
 peace of mind, together with his former attach- 
 ment and devotion to his vocation. 
 
 Berchmans exercised his charity in the same 
 high degree towards all his companions ; and 
 so perfectly conciliated their friendship and 
 esteem, that he was the delight as well as the 
 example of all. He was ever most welcome 
 amongst them ; and they often declared, that 
 they never quitted his company without profit ; 
 that his very look was sufficient to fortify the 
 weak, and to inspire fervor in the tepid ; and 
 that, like a talisman, he engaged all (even the 
 most indifferent) to love their Creator, with 
 whose love he was so powerfully inflamed ; he 
 became still more so as the time of his religious 
 4 
 
50 THE LIFE OF 
 
 profession drew near. He had now no ties of 
 relationship ; after seven years of heroic suffer- 
 ing, death had released his mother, and his 
 father was spiritually dead to him, having con- 
 secrated himself to God in the ecclesiastical 
 state. Berchmans being thus disengaged from 
 all that could attach him to this world, and re- 
 plenished with most holy joy, thought only of 
 preparing himself for the worthy consummation 
 of his sacrifice. He wrote to his father in 
 these terms: "I am too near the happy day, 
 when I shall consecrate myself to God, not to 
 inform you of it ; I consider it the most glori- 
 ous day of my life, and I watch its approach 
 with most heart-felt consolation. This infor- 
 mation, which respect and gratitude require 
 that I should give you, will no doubt produce 
 the like sentiments in you ; for in fine, my dear 
 father, what an honor is it for you, that the 
 Creator of all things should thus distinguish 
 one of your children from amongst a million of 
 others, in order to honor him with His alliance, 
 and condescend to receive him into the society 
 of His Son! I entreat you to join your grati- 
 tude with mine, for this so great benefit ; and in 
 order to obtain the graces necessary for me, in 
 such happy circumstances, I beg three masses of 
 the Holy Ghost, to be celebrated in the Chapel 
 of our Lady at Montaigu. If you add this 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMÀNS. 51 
 
 favor to the many others I have received from 
 you, I hope that this spirit of love will inflame 
 my heart, and quite consume its victim." It 
 was on the 25th of September, 1618, he offered 
 in the purest flames of charity his sacrifice to 
 God. He pronounced his vows with the ardor 
 of a seraph, and immediately afterwards re- 
 ceived his amiable Lord, to whom he had just 
 given himself. This reciprocal donation filled 
 him with transports of joy, and banished every 
 thought but that of his happiness. He con- 
 sidered that he might, with a holy and loving 
 liberty, use those words of the sacred Spouse, 
 "My Beloved is all mine; and I am all His." 
 The whole day passed in these transports ; it 
 was truly a solemn festival to him, and the 
 whole house was edified by his devotion ; no 
 one was more so than the master of novices ; 
 but he was not surprised, for he expected no 
 less, knowing, as he did, the dispositions with 
 which Berchmans had prepared for this great 
 and important act ; he had found them so per- 
 fect, that he did not judge it necessary for his 
 novice to make the spiritual exercises of eight 
 days, which is the usual practice of the society 
 previous to the profession ; his two years of 
 probation had been one uninterrupted retreat. 
 Thus finished the noviciate of John Berch- 
 mans, a moment which came too soon, if we 
 
52 THE LIFE OP 
 
 only consider the advantage and edification of 
 his fellow-novices. The idea of being sepa- 
 rated from him overwhelmed them with great 
 grief, and there was not one that did not weep 
 when embracing him in the final farewell. He, 
 on his part, gave every proof of sincere friend- 
 ship ; they mutually promised an eternal alli- 
 ance in Jesus Christ, and having nothing at 
 their disposal but prayers and good wishes, 
 they promised to offer them for each other ; 
 after which they separated, the novices to com- 
 plete their term of probation, and Berchmans 
 to go and commence his studies in the college 
 appointed by his superiors. However, before 
 we enter with him on his new career, I cannot 
 omit an unquestionable witness of the perfec- 
 tion he had reached whilst only a novice, that 
 of no less a person than Father William Bau- 
 ters, the master of novices. Virgilius Cepari, 
 first writer of the Life of Berchmans, having 
 finished it up to the time of Berchmans' reli- 
 gious profession, sent it to Father Bauters, that 
 he, who had been so intimately acquainted with 
 the virtues and interior dispositions of the 
 novice, might judge of the accuracy with which 
 it was committed to paper. "We subjoin the 
 novice-master's answer, as it will show the 
 esteem he had for his disciple, as well as his 
 opinion of the first part of his Life, which the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 53 
 
 Italian Jesuit had sent from Eome: "I have 
 received, Eeverend Father, what you have 
 compiled of the Life of our very dear brother 
 John Berchmans, with all the respect and es- 
 teem due to its author ; and I have read it with 
 all the pleasure which so edifying a work would ' 
 naturally inspire. It would be impossible to 
 draw a portrait more natural, or more strik- 
 ingly resembling the original, than the one you 
 have traced. In considering the features, which 
 your pen has so faithfully depicted, he seems 
 to revive amongst us ; we recognise him, as he 
 was, in the angelical character so peculiarly his 
 own, and which you have justly ascribed to 
 him. It is, I assure you, a real satisfaction to 
 all the Jesuits ia Flanders, to recover in your 
 writings the angel we had thought to have lost. 
 To myself in particular, (who had the hono* of 
 being his father in Jesus Christ,) it is indescri- 
 bably consoling to read his Life, and to recall 
 to mind the examples of virtues which edified 
 all in this house. I admired him more than 
 any one, being obliged by the duty of my office 
 to penetrate the inmost recesses of his soul. 
 There was no difficulty in doing this ; his inno- 
 cent candor concealed nothing ; and it was with 
 continued and renewed astonishment that I 
 observed the sweet benedictions and favors, 
 with which our Lord prevented him on the one 
 
54 THE LIFE OF 
 
 side, and on the other the faithful correspond- 
 ence of the docile servant. My earnest peti- 
 tions to Heaven, even them, were that I might 
 have grace, if not to equal him, at least to fol- 
 low his footsteps. I cannot conceal from you, 
 Eeverend Father, the confusion I experienced 
 to see that young novice, so superior to myself 
 in sanctity ; a confusion which is renewed every 
 time I look upon and kiss a little picture which 
 he gave me when he was leaving Flanders, and 
 which he begged I would accept, as the pledge 
 of his eternal gratitude for all the goodness 
 which he believed I had shown him. What 
 confounds me most of all, is the inscription 
 which he put upon it, wherein he styles himself 
 my unworthy son. Alas ! this worthy son 
 ought rather to have called me his unworthy 
 father ! being so far removed (after many years 
 of religious life) from the perfection he had 
 attained to, even in the commencement. I 
 cannot recall him to mind without blushing; 
 and I fear my confusion will be yet greater at 
 at the day of judgment, when, confronted with 
 my novice, I shall be found so different from 
 him, and so much inferior to him in solid vir- 
 tues. Whilst I reproach myself, Eev. Father, 
 for having profited so little by his brilliant 
 example, I reproach my memory no less, for 
 having forgotten so many striking instances of 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCIIMANS. 55 
 
 his fervor. I sent you those I could collect, in 
 compliance with the order I had received from 
 Eev. Father-general, as soon as I knew that 
 you were preparing to write the Life of Berch- 
 mans. But truth obliges me to declare that 
 what I had the honor of forwarding to you, is 
 nothing in comparison of what I saw. What 
 I advance may perhaps surprise those persons 
 who measure the merits of saints by their ex- 
 terior conduct, but those who believe with the 
 royal prophet, that the beauty of the daughter 
 of Sion, (that is to say, the perfection of just 
 souls,) is quite interior, will not be at all sur- 
 prised at the manner in which I express myself 
 when speaking of the high sanctity of this 
 faithful servant. The little that appeared in 
 his exterior, bore no proportion to his intrinsic 
 merit, and of which I only was made acquainted 
 because I was his superior ; and as such, hold- 
 ing in his regard the place of God, he con- 
 sidered himself obliged, according to our rule, 
 to disclose the inmost recesses of his soul to 
 me. I there remarked the traces of Divine 
 Providence, which had from his earliest age 
 conducted him, as it were, by the hand in the 
 paths of grace, and which continuing to direct 
 him through the term of his noviciate, had led 
 him in an incredibly short space of time to 
 most eminent perfection. After having well 
 studied his character and conduct, I dare affirm 
 
56 THE LIFE OF 
 
 without fear of encroaching upon truth, that 
 from the day he entered into this house, until 
 the day he quitted it to set off* for Italy, he 
 never neglected or left void any one of the 
 graces which Almighty God vouchsafed to 
 grant him ; that he constantly and uniformly 
 maintained the fervor which animated him in 
 the beginning ; eagerly thirsting to attain the 
 degree of perfection to which God in His eter- 
 nal predestination called him. This is not my 
 opinion only ; all who were so happy as to live 
 with him believe the same. All unanimously 
 agree that the virtues requisite to form the 
 character of a perfect man, were realized in 
 him ; in fact, there were seen in him innocence 
 the most pure, with humility the most profound ; 
 a modesty which seemed to deprive him of his 
 eye-sight, with a charity that seemed to restore 
 it whenever his neighbor required comfort or 
 assistance; a kindness and consideration to- 
 wards everybody, joined to the most exact re- 
 gularity, entirely free from all human respects ; 
 a wisdom and intelligence equal to the maturity 
 of old age, with the simplicity of a child to- 
 wards his superiors, to whom he always yielded 
 the most implicit obedience. This, Eeverend 
 Father, is the most simple and the most correct 
 idea that I can give you of John Berchmans, 
 whose history you are writing. lie is already 
 venerated in Flanders as a saint, and considered 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEBCHMANS. 57 
 
 one of the patrons of the country. No sooner 
 was his death announced, than the most skilful 
 artists made copies of his portrait ; they found 
 it difficult, notwithstanding their zeal and ac- 
 tivity, to satisfy the eagerness of the public to 
 secure these pictures ; an eagerness which was 
 by no means confined to the common order of 
 people, the most distinguished and the most 
 illustrious amongst all religious orders, desired 
 to have his portrait in their houses. The one 
 which you are going to present to the public 
 will be far more precious, inasmuch as it will 
 represent the mind and the most secret virtues 
 of his soul ; whereas, the art of the most excel- 
 lent painters and engravers can only trace the 
 features of his face. You will (much more 
 effectually than they) augment in our hearts the 
 devotion towards him, which is already cher- 
 ished there ; you will transmit it to those who 
 shall succeed us; and in placing before our 
 eyes this wonderful example of sanctity, you 
 will teach us that it requires less of years than 
 of courage to become a saint. Pardon, dear 
 father, the length of this letter ; it is excessive 
 if measured by the ordinary rules of corres- 
 pondence ; but, on the other hand, I must say 
 it is too short as regards the subject of it, as 
 well as the merits of the holy novice, whose 
 virtues could not possibly be expressed in 
 fewer words." 
 
68 THE LIFE OF 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 Although it was the will of Almighty God 
 to give John Berchmans especially to Flanders. 
 He was nevertheless pleased to edify France by 
 his presence, though but for a moment, and 
 then, previously to taking him to Himself, to 
 lend him for a few years to the capital of the 
 Christian world, whither we are now to accom- 
 pany him. 
 
 His provincial, Father Scribani, being at Ant- 
 werp, (making the visitation of the province,) 
 summoned Berchmans thither, telling him that 
 the will of God required he should repair to 
 Home for the completion of his studies, desiring 
 him to proceed in the first instance to Diest, 
 (to take leave of his father) and from thence 
 continue his journey to Eome. Whilst on the 
 road to his native place, he received news of 
 his father's death, in consequence of which he 
 changed his plan, and instead of visiting Diest, 
 he preferred offering his prayers for the repose 
 of his good father's soul, as being more con- 
 formable to his ideas of filial piety. Having 
 no longer any father on earth, he threw himself 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 59 
 
 with renewed confidence into the arms of his 
 Heavenly Father. As the provincial's order 
 had not specified that his visit to Diest was on 
 account of his brothers and sisters, (although 
 he might have so interpreted it,) he had no de- 
 sire to go to them ; having made it an inviolable 
 rule from his first entrance into the noviciate, 
 to obey his superiors punctually to the very 
 letter. He considered, therefore, that he should 
 comply with the duty of fraternal friendship, 
 by writing two letters in behalf of his brothers 
 and sisters, one to the person who was ap- 
 pointed their guardian, and the other to his 
 former friend and master, Preimont, begging 
 him to act the part of a father towards his 
 family, as he had formerly so kindly done to- 
 wards himself. 
 
 This was all the farewell he made his native 
 country. He started for Eome on the 24th of 
 October, 1618, accompanied by Bartholomew 
 Pennemann, a young Jesuit of his own age, and 
 whose pious dispositions nearly resembled his 
 own; it was on this consideration that he was 
 chosen, together with Berchmans, by his supe- 
 riors for the Roman College. Pennemann 's 
 time there was but short. A pulmonary com- 
 plaint attacked him soon after his arrival; he 
 was sent to Naples for change of air, where he 
 died a holy Jesuit, as he had been a holy 
 
60 THE LIFE OF 
 
 novice. It seemed, therefore, that Providence 
 bad taken him to Italy, only that he might be 
 the companion of Berchmans on the journey, 
 which they undertook at a very unfavorable 
 season of the year ; however, the tediousness of 
 it was much diminished by their cheerful and 
 edifying conversation. " What an advantage 
 for us, my dear brother," said Berchmans, "to 
 live in a city consecrated by the blood of mar- 
 tyrs ; to be able to honor there the princes of 
 the apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, to kiss their 
 chains and the dust upon their tomb ! What a 
 consolation for us to go through our studies in 
 the first college of the society, where we shall 
 learn the science of the saints by following the 
 examples of those with whom we are going to 
 live !" Such were the pious sentiments of this 
 holy young man, nor were those of his faithful 
 companion dissimilar to his own ; they mutu- 
 ally animated each other in their resolution of 
 striving to live like saints, in a place where 
 they would meet with so many means to be- 
 come such ; neither of them probably foresee- 
 ing that Italy, which was to be the term of their 
 journey, would also be the spot destined by 
 our Divine Lord to receive their last breath I 
 On their road thither they passed through seve- 
 ral provinces of France, everywhere leaving a 
 sweet recollection of their virtues. One vene 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 61 
 
 rable father in Champagne, distinguished for 
 his merits and for the important functions he 
 discharged in the society, always rejoiced that 
 he had been able to see these two angels on 
 their passage to Italy ; and towards the close of 
 life, when bending, as it were, beneath the 
 weight of years and virtues, it always filled his 
 heart with holy delight when he recalled to 
 mind these amiable youths, whose piety, he said, 
 had so charmed him. They made the same favor- 
 able impression at Paris and Lyons ; and though 
 the lateness of the season, which obliged them 
 to hasten their journey, scarcely allowed them 
 to spend more than one night at the different 
 houses of the society which lay on their road, 
 they everywhere left such strong impressions of 
 their modesty and piety, as were never oblite- 
 rated : several letters expressive of this reached 
 Rome before they did. 
 
 Our travellers had the happiness of reaching 
 Loretto on Christmas Eve. To Berchmans, who, 
 was so singularly devoted to the Infant Saviour 
 and his Virgin Mother, it was peculiarly grati- 
 fying to celebrate the solemn festival of the 
 Nativity in the place where the Incarnate Word 
 vouchsafed, for love of us, to clothe Himself 
 with our mortality. The devotion to which he 
 entirely abandoned himself in this consecrated 
 place, made him forget the ordinary wants of 
 
62 THE LIFE OF 
 
 nature; for instead of taking rest during the 
 night, (which the fatigue of travelling made so 
 necessary for him,) he spent the greater part of 
 it in long exercises of devotion, assisting at 
 matins, which are sung with great solemnity in 
 that holy chapel: his modest and recollected 
 comportment was a subject of admiration to the 
 numerous pilgrims then assembled at Loretto. 
 His devotion increased during the mass, and at 
 the moment of communion seemed completely 
 to transport him ; nevertheless, his ardor w r as 
 of that sweet and tranquil nature, that it forti- 
 fied rather than weakened him; and produced 
 the same effect that sleep and nourishment usu- 
 ally do, for he had scarcely allowed himself time 
 for either, during the two days he spent at Lo- 
 retto. Before he left, a father of the Society, 
 who had remarked his great devotion to Blessed 
 Aloysius, gave him some relics of that glorious 
 saint, w r hich he looked upon as his most precious 
 treasures. He and his companion hastened their 
 journey to Eome, where they arrived just in time 
 to celebrate the Festival of the Sacred Name of 
 Jesus, which is kept w r ith great devotion in the 
 Jesuits' church. They w r ere most cordially wel- 
 comed by all the fathers in Eome, but particu- 
 larly by him who was father to them all, the 
 Father-General, Mutio Vitelleschi, an Italian. 
 This illustrious man was delighted to receive 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 63 
 
 those two angels, for he was himself called, 
 " The Angel of the Couucil," on account of his 
 profound wisdom and singular modesty. Hav- 
 ing allowed them time to recover from the fa- 
 tigues of their journey, he conducted them to the 
 college, where they were as cordially welcomed 
 as they had been at the professed house: they 
 were lodged in the apartment appropriated to 
 the young Jesuits, immediately upon the comple- 
 tion of their noviciate. This separation, which 
 the society considers to be of the greatest import- 
 ance to the junior members, is intended to main- 
 tain and even perfect in their minds, the true 
 spirit of their state ; it precludes not only all 
 commerce with strangers and seculars, but all 
 intercourse with the inmates of the house also. 
 This ancient custom was confirmed by the sixth 
 congregation of the order, as being very proper 
 to maintain the spirit of fervor and recollection 
 in beginners ; accordingly a decree to this effect 
 was passed, ordering this holy custom to be ob- 
 served, but more particularly in the seminaries, 
 for the advantage of the numerous youth therein 
 assembled ; recommending the provincials (who 
 have an express rule upon this point) to take 
 care that it was observed, and, moreover requir- 
 ing the father-general to draw up an instruction, 
 which might serve as an explicit rule to the 
 whole society. Berchmans entered with great 
 
6-i THE LIFE OF 
 
 alacrity and fervor into this sort of second no- 
 viciate, which only differed from the first, in- 
 asmuch as he practised a more exalted virtue, 
 and joined the study of human literature to the 
 science of the saints. His extraordinary merit 
 soon became generally appreciated, and every 
 one in the house was struck at his wonderful 
 sanctity, which was no less amiable than ad- 
 mirable. There was nothing of austerity in his 
 recollection, retirement, and silence ; he was 
 cordial and cheerful in his intercourse with his 
 companions at the hours appointed for conver- 
 sation ; and if spoken to at a time of silence, he 
 would answer, as briefly as possible, it is true, 
 but always with kindness and civility, being 
 convinced that exactitude and devotion without 
 charity, are chimerical, and that no one can 
 truly love either God or his rule, unless he love 
 his neighbor for God, proposing to himself this 
 grand "motive of charity as the first and chiefest 
 of all his rules. Nothing was dearer to his heart 
 than this important virtue; to perfect himself 
 in it, and to be continually on the watch against 
 everything which could in the least degree im- 
 pair its lustre, he made it the subject of his 
 particular examen, upon the plan which St. 
 Ignatius had traced out for practising this exer- 
 cise ; not, indeed, that this saint originated the 
 practice, but it is only justice to him to say 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 65 
 
 that lie gave such precise and clear rules upon 
 the subject, that whoever faithfully observes 
 them would most certainly succeed in the re- 
 formation of his interior. This examen differs 
 from the general, inasmuch as the latter ex- 
 tends to all faults, whereas the former confines 
 itself to the defects arising from one particular 
 vice. St. Ignatius requires that we begin with 
 that one vice which sensibly predominates in 
 us ; in the morning we must resolve to combat 
 it, foreseeing and guarding against the occa- 
 sions which may possibly surprise us, keeping 
 every day an exact account of the faults com- 
 mitted ; so that at the end of the week, by com- 
 paring one day with another, we may be able 
 to judge how far we have repelled the enemy 
 we undertook to defeat. This was a stratagem 
 the wise legislator had learnt from the system 
 of secular warfare, to which in early life he 
 had been trained ; he found it extremely profit- 
 able in a spiritual life, when properly directed, 
 frequently remarking that to be able to van- 
 quish our enemies it was only necessary to sepa- 
 rate them. 
 
 He recommended the same practice in the 
 acquirement of virtues, saying, that to become 
 master of all, they must be taken up singly, 
 and it was his decided opinion, confirmed by 
 constant experience, that we should assuredly 
 5 
 
6(3 THE LIFE OF 
 
 conquer, if we undertook them thus one by 
 one, applying all the energy of our mind and 
 soul to this grand object. Berchmans never 
 failed to comply with this pious duty, which he 
 considered one of the most efficacious means to 
 acquire purity of heart. Another motive which 
 induced him to practise it exactly was the ex- 
 ample of St. Ignatius himself, who never omit- 
 ted it, even when overwhelmed by the pressure 
 of most important affairs. The first fathers of 
 the society were equally zealous in its practice ; 
 always finding time to acquit themselves of this 
 great duty, though they often wanted time to 
 satisfy the pressing necessities of nature in the 
 midst of their multifarious occupations. Berch- 
 mans' diligence on this point equalled .the idea 
 he had of its importance. He observed its 
 slightest rules with the greatest attention ; and 
 if through forgetfulness he failed in the least 
 degree, besides the penance which he imposed 
 upon himself, he always rej:>aired to his supe- 
 rior, and asked an extra penance, saying that 
 this practice answered the purpose of a spur, 
 continually urging him forward on the path of 
 duty. It was by this holy industry that Berch- 
 mans so happily succeeded in the study and 
 acquisition of religious virtues, which in fact 
 constitute perfection. The perfection of this 
 holy servant of God did not merely consist in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BÈRCHMANS. 67 
 
 being free from ordinary faults ; his innocence 
 was bat the first prop in the foundation upon 
 which our Lord raised so sublime an edifice. 
 According to the testimony of Father V. Cepari, 
 (who was his superior in the Eoman College 
 during his life, and the writer of his Memoirs 
 afterwards,) the most eminent virtues were to 
 be found in Berchmans, those even which St. 
 Thomas considers as belonging only to the 
 most perfect and purified souls, such as zre 
 seldom found but in heaven, or, at the most, in 
 a small number of persons, who are so entirely 
 disengaged from the imperfections of this earth, 
 that they may without much impropriety be 
 considered as already belonging to heaven. In 
 this class maybe numbered our holy religious; 
 to form this opinion it was only necessary to 
 see him ; his every look inspired esteem and a 
 certain feeling of respect and veneration, which 
 we usually, and in a manner involuntarily, feel, 
 when in the presence of exalted sanctity. 
 
 The fervor and piety with which he per- 
 formed his most common actions, convinced 
 those who saw him, that the intention which ani- 
 mated and actuated him, must have been most 
 sublime and perfect. " Whenever I had the hap- 
 piness/' continues Father Cepari, "to fathom 
 the depths of this highly-favored soul, I was 
 as much astonished as I was delighted ; and 
 
68 THE LIFE OF 
 
 this happened to me very frequently. I had 
 no occasion to remind him of his duty on this 
 point ; he came every fortnight with the con- 
 fidence and docility of a son, to manifest the 
 secrets of his heart. I remember particularly 
 on one occasion, when describing to me with, 
 his usual candor the singular favors which God 
 conferred upon him, and the exact fidelity with 
 which he endeavored to correspond to these 
 graces, I was seized with admiration, (which 
 however I was careful to conceal,) and ex- 
 claimed within myself, ' O my God ! this is 
 truly a precious soul in whom You are well 
 pleased, since You adorn him thus early in life 
 with the most tender proofs of Your mercy. 
 This grace of the new man which You have 
 conferred upon him, appears to me to resemble 
 that first state of innocence in which You 
 created man ! So slight are the traces of ori- 
 ginal corruption in this young heart, that it 
 seems to be re-established in the state of prim- 
 itive purity.' Such,'' continues Father Cepari, 
 " were my thoughts ; not that I believed them 
 strictly to the letter, but that no others would 
 better express what I saw and admired in his 
 pure and well-regulated interior ; besides, I was 
 well aware that however great and wonderful 
 the innocence of this pious youth might be, it 
 was of course not quite exempt from slight 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 69 
 
 failings ; since, in the greatest saints, (as well 
 as in the most brilliant stars,) some specks may 
 be discovered." To the above testimony we 
 may add what has been related by those fathers 
 who were his confessors from the time of his 
 arrival in Borne until his death, to whom he 
 gave full permission to make what use they 
 pleased of the secrets of his conscience. Father 
 John Baptist Cecotti, a very spiritual person, 
 (appointed for this reason by the superiors to 
 be the director of the young Jesuits when they 
 left the noviciate,) thus writes : " Amongst the 
 great number of persons whose interior dispo- 
 sitions I have known, I have never met with 
 one whose purity of heart surpassed that of our 
 dear Brother Berchmans ; the sins of which he 
 accused himself were only such as the most 
 holy persons fall into, which are more the 
 effects of human weakness, than of any unruly 
 will of the heart. With him they were never 
 either mortal in their nature, nor even delibe- 
 rately venial ; for, besides being light of them- 
 selves, they were still more so by the manner 
 in which they escaped him ; being the effect 
 either of surprise or of human frailty, and never 
 with consent of his free will." "What gave 
 me a secret veneration for him,' 7 adds another 
 of his confessors, " was the acknowledgment 
 he often made, '(with expressions of humble 
 candor and intense gratitude towards God,) that 
 
70 THE LIFE OF 
 
 lie did not remember having committed during 
 the whole course of his life one deliberate ve- 
 nial sin." He carried his horror of the least 
 fault to its highest degree in everything con- 
 nected with his vows, never finding matter of 
 confession on this point. Eather than commit 
 the slightest fault -against any of them, espe- 
 cially that of chastity, he would have preferred 
 a thousand deaths. This virtue was incompar- 
 ably more precious to him than his life : to 
 preserve it he willingly sacrificed all natural 
 attachments and pleasure. Instructed by the 
 wdse man that this virtue is the gift of Heaven, 
 he incessantly directed his prayers thither, that 
 he might draw it to himself; but fearful lest 
 his confidence in God might be presumptuous 
 if he did not join to it his own endeavors, he 
 watched over himself, and continually morti- 
 fied hi3 innocent body- ; thus practising to the 
 letter the advice w T hich our Divine Saviour 
 gave to His apostles, " Watch and pray." He 
 w 7 atched, that nothing might be wanting on his 
 side ; and prayed that he might obtain from 
 God wdiat was beyond the reach of mere human 
 power. By uniting these two means so neces- 
 sary to the preservation of innocence, he hap- 
 pily carried his without blemish from the bap- 
 tismal font to the tomb ; nay, he did more, for 
 he perfected it by the practice of religious vir- 
 
 fcnAS. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 71 
 
 As lie had made an inviolable resolution 
 faithfully to observe the laws of God, so did he, 
 with the same fidelity, resolve to observe the 
 rules of his religious state. He would have 
 exposed his life to every danger rather than 
 transgress the least rule, or fail in submission 
 to any order of his superiors, for he considered 
 that both emanated from the same authority ; 
 and he did not think that a religious could 
 flatter himself with the hope of being obedient 
 unless he showed equal deference for every 
 duty bearing upon it the stamp of obedience. 
 Everything in "the house of our Lord" was of 
 importance to Berchmans, who looked upon the 
 least observances as so many honorable bands, 
 which bound him to the service of the Great 
 Master, under whom slavery was far sweeter 
 than the most unrestricted liberty elsewhere. 
 Under these impressions, the minute details of 
 regularity which are so troublesome to the im- 
 perfect were delightful to him ; and he found 
 greater satisfaction in his state of absolute dé- 
 pendance, than others did in following nothing 
 but their own wills. Hence, he never quitted 
 the apartment assigned to the young Jesuits 
 without first asking permission ; never spoke 
 to any but the companions of his study with- 
 out the same permission; always answered in 
 Latin, as the rule prescribed; when at the 
 
72 THE LIFE OF 
 
 country liouse, (where usually more liberty is 
 allowed pjid taken,) he made no use of the 
 privilege; was careful to observe the same 
 strict rules of modesty ; acquitted himself of 
 his spiritual exercises as regularly and exactly 
 as when in the college, performing them on 
 those recreation days with as much recollection 
 as if he were in retreat; and, in fine, he ob- 
 served a, thousand minute details of duty w r ith 
 a fidelity which never wavered. Such was the 
 life of Berchmans ; composed of actions small 
 of themselves, but which, when united together, 
 were able to form a great saint, springing from 
 so pure a motive as the pleasure and will of 
 God alone. I might produce numberless ex- 
 amples of all kinds ; a few however will suffice 
 to enable us to judge of the rest. Returning 
 one day from walking with two of his compan- 
 ions, they were invited by one of the older 
 fathers to join their company, because their 
 being in the country allowed that construction 
 to be put upon the rule, which in college for- 
 bids the intercourse between the elder fathers 
 and the young professed: but Berchmans, who 
 always confined himself to the strict letter of 
 the law, thanked the good father for the honor, 
 but civilly declined to accept it, and left him as 
 much edified by his exactitude, as he was 
 pleased with his amiable modesty. He gave 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 73 
 
 proofs both of one and the other in an occur- 
 rence of a somewhat similar nature. Being 
 pressed by a Flemish Father to become associ- 
 ated with himself and a young Jesuit who had 
 just left the noviciate, and who was of the same 
 country, Berchmans begged to be excused, and 
 deprived himself of the pleasure he would 
 naturally have felt in being united in friend- 
 ship with those of his own nation : a bond of 
 union, usually so strong and so persuasive, 
 made no impression upon the mind of Berch- 
 mans; agreeably to the spirit of the society, he 
 loved all his brethren with an equal love ; or if 
 he ever showed a more marked affection towards 
 any one of them, it was only because they 
 seemed more virtuous, and more strongly ani- 
 mated by the love of Jesus Christ ; and that he 
 hoped thereby to strengthen and confirm the 
 same sentiments in his own heart ; but he would 
 not even agree to an intimacy so well purposed, 
 without the consent and approbation of his 
 superiors. During his last visit to the Jesuits 1 
 country-house, recreating himself with his com- 
 panions in a filbert- walk, w^here the fruit had 
 been already gathered, one of them perceiving 
 a nut remaining upon the tree, w^as on the 
 point of gathering it, when Berchmans reminded 
 him of the rule which forbids the young Jesuits 
 to take fruit off of the trees : his young com- 
 
<4 THE LIFE OF 
 
 panion jocularly remarking that the rule did 
 not refer to a tree which had been stript of its 
 fruit, nor to a solitary nut, Berchmans no 
 longer insisted upon the point : he was careful 
 however not to allow himself the liberty of 
 such interpretations: in fact, such had been his 
 uniform practice from his first entrance into the 
 noviciate. Another of his self-imposed laws, 
 was to avoid all dispensations. "I will detest 
 every shadow of dispensation in matters of 
 regularity," remarked this holy young man, 
 "which I consider highly pernicious to reli- 
 gious discipline." He equally disliked general 
 permissions, which he thought were usually 
 asked, only to be freed from the importunate 
 yoke of constant dépendance: at all events, he 
 thought there was less risk and more merit in 
 having recourse to superiors on particular occa- 
 sions, with an humble dépendance on their 
 good pleasure. These holy maxims were re- 
 ceived by his dear companions as so many ora- 
 cles, which were practised with so much the 
 more exactitude, as being traced in so lively 
 and pleasing a manner in the conduct of Berch- 
 mans. Love of regularity nourished amongst 
 these fervent youths: and whilst the servant 
 of God was, as it were, the soul of it, (animat- 
 ing all the others by his fervor,) he little 
 thought that our Divine Lord was making use 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAN3. 75 
 
 of him to enkindle this holy ardor, the effects 
 of which he so much admired in his brethren. 
 It delighted him to see in this celebrated 
 seminary, such a multitude of religious, flying, 
 in a manner, to discharge their various duties 
 with an emulation which the purest charity 
 alone could produce. All were animated by 
 the same spirit, and moved by the same main- 
 spring, so that the least signal sufficed to draw 
 them all whithersoever Grod or obedience might 
 call. Nothing could be more gratifying than 
 to observe these young religious during their 
 recreation hours ; some walking in the garden, 
 others seated in arbors or in open galleries, all 
 conversing either on their studies or pious sub- 
 jects ; at the first sound of the bell, which rung 
 when the hour of recreation had expired, they 
 instantly retired in silence and recollection, 
 which it was evident their conversation had 
 neither interrupted or troubled. This excellent 
 order being the effect of well-observed rules, it 
 will not be a subject of surprise that Berch- 
 mans cherished them so tenderly, or that he so 
 ardently begged of our Lord grace to observe 
 them faithfully and constantly. He particularly 
 recommended this favor to the intercession of 
 St. Ignatius, persuaded that he still watched 
 over in heaven the observance of those rules 
 which he had bequeathed to hi? children upon 
 
76 THE LIFE OF 
 
 earth. lie did this with redoubled fervor on 
 the festival of his holy father, as he himself 
 acknowledged to one of his companions who 
 had assisted with him at mass in the church of 
 the Gesu. On their return home he was asked 
 what favor he had asked of St. Ignatius. u To 
 die in the society, my dear brother, without 
 having transgressed the least of its rules," an- 
 swered Berchmans. These beloved rules were 
 ever present to his mind ; the book was always 
 open on his table whilst he studied, and at 
 night he placed it under his pillow, sleeping 
 tranquilly whilst his head rested upon that, 
 which, when awake, was so inexpressibly dear 
 to his heart. 
 
 However great Ms love might be for all his 
 rules in general, lie was most solicitous about 
 those which referred to purity, and which in 
 fact are the guardians of it. This angelical vir- 
 tue was the charm of his existence; he had 
 loved it from his infancy, and its brilliancy had 
 never either then or afterwards been tarnished 
 in the slightest degree. His strong inclination 
 to this virtue had been acquired in the chapel 
 of our Blessed Lady at Montaigu. His devo- 
 tion towards this most spotless Virgin increased 
 every day, and perfected his love of her most 
 favored virtue. Always serious, temperate, and 
 recollected, he watched over, and curbed his 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMÀNS. 77 
 
 senses against everything that could soil his 
 heart. Nothing could exceed the severity with 
 which he mortified his appetite, considering it 
 to be one of the greatest enemies both of chas- 
 tity and prayer. To see him at table, one 
 would suppose that he was there for no other 
 purpose than to practice abstinence. As the 
 pleasure which nature is apt to take in eating, 
 is a sort of bait to cupidity, (which often sur- 
 prises even those who aim at perfection,) Berch- 
 mans carefully guarded against it. He invari- 
 ably left untasted whatever was most palatable ; 
 and for the rest, however great might be his 
 necessity for food, he took so little of it, that 
 in a short time his stomach became weakened, 
 and his strength undermined. When warned 
 that his abstemiousness was injuring his health, 
 he answered, that having offered it with every- 
 thing else into the hands of God, he felt no 
 trouble about it. Nor would he ever allow any 
 extrardinary dishes to be prepared for him, as 
 was sometimes proposed when the common diet 
 seemed to disagree with him, remarking on 
 such occasions, that the blessing of God could 
 make the coarsest food useful to him ; and that 
 after all, the consolation of having nothing sin- 
 gular would benefit him more than the most 
 exquisite delicacies. 
 
 The caution with which he guarded his eyes 
 
78 THE LIFE OF 
 
 was even still more vigilant ; they were con- 
 stantly cast downwards unless necessity required 
 otherwise ; and when any stranger accosted him 
 he would merely take a hasty glance to satisfy 
 himself as to the person he was speaking to, 
 and then resume his usual modest look. If ad- 
 dressed by any one whose voice was familiar to 
 him, he did not raise his eyes, being content to 
 answer with charity and sweetness whatever 
 was desired of him. This reserve became so 
 habitual to him, that it caused him no trouble 
 or inconvenience; he maintained it even in 
 sudden occasions of surprise, where usually the 
 head at least turns round to discover the cause. 
 Some young secular students of philosophy often 
 made a sudden noise, as they afterwards declared, 
 on purpose to put his constant watchfulness to 
 the proof, but they never could succeed in dis- 
 turbing it. In fine, his sight was so completely 
 under his control, that it was never directed but 
 as he pleased, and so little liberty did he allow 
 it, that several persons who had lived years 
 with him scarcely knew the color of his eyes. 
 Curiosity, which is so natural to strangers who 
 visit Rome, and where there is so much to 
 awaken it, had no power upon him. Neither 
 the splendor of the court, the magnificence of 
 palaces, or the pomp of festivities had any charm 
 for him. The visits of princes and ambassadors 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAN3. 79 
 
 to the college, or the representation of theatri- 
 cal pieces on certain occasions, were equally un- 
 interesting to him. Being once desired to go 
 and see an exhibition of the latter description, 
 where the young nobles of the college were the 
 performers, he conceived that he should suffi- 
 ciently satisfy the duty of obedience by being pre- 
 sent at it, but he did not think himself obliged 
 to do more ; therefore he remained quietly 
 seated without once raising his eyes towards 
 the actors ; this was observed by a gentleman 
 who occupied the next seat to Berchmans, and 
 who was struck with admiration at his surpris- 
 ing recollection of mind. Another gentleman 
 of high rank, delighted with the modesty of the 
 young Jesuit, (of which he had seen many in- 
 stances,) was never tired of speaking of it 
 wherever an opportunity occurred. Visiting 
 Father Ignatius Lomellino, his friend and coun- 
 tryman, and the discourse falling upon the de- 
 votions practised in the Jesuits' church, he ad- 
 dressed him thus, "Can you guess what draws 
 me so much to your church, and causes me to 
 attend it so regularly?" " There is no great 
 difficulty in answering your question," replied 
 Father Lomellino, "to one who has the honor 
 of knowing you as I do. A man of piety like 
 yourself would naturally go to assist at vespers 
 and hear the sermons." " That intention is very 
 
80 THE LIFE OF 
 
 good/ 7 continued the gentleman, " and were I 
 as good a man in reality as I am in your estima- 
 tion, I should probably have no other ; but I 
 will candidly tell you, that another motive 
 draws me thither, it is the pleasure of observing, 
 without interruption, one of your young Jesuits, 
 whom I have never once seen raise his eyes ; 
 he is the perfect image of a saint. Prom the 
 moment he enters the church until he leaves 
 it, he remains on his knees immovable as a 
 statue, penetrated with devotion, which even 
 appears upon his countenance, and gives him a 
 look altogether angelical." " Oh I" interrupted 
 the Jesuit, "I know of whom you speak; he 
 is a young Fleming; we all admire him as 
 much as you do ; in fact, he is looked upon as 
 an angel by the whole college, and we usually 
 propose him to our young students as a model 
 of modesty and devotion. There is not one of 
 our scholars who has not the same opinion of 
 him ; they follow him in crowds, drawn by the 
 charms of his sweetness and modesty." We 
 will add another example which deserves to be 
 recorded here. When a newly elected Pope 
 goes to take possession of the church of St. John 
 Lateran, it is customary for the Jesuits to assem- 
 ble in front of their house, and there await the 
 passage of his Holiness, to receive his benedic- 
 tion. On the day that Pope Gregory XV. was 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 81 
 
 elected, Berchmans was sent with many others 
 of the college to be present at this solemnity. 
 On his way home being asked by his compan- 
 ion what he thought of the pompons ceremony 
 they had just witnessed, " Pardon me, 7 ' answered 
 Berchmans, "I scarcely saw anything of it; I 
 was placed in a position which concealed it from 
 my view." This answer, which humility sug- 
 gested, was nevertheless true, for he had pur- 
 posely placed himself in the back-ground, where 
 he remained during the whole ceremony en- 
 gaged in silent prayer ; preferring the pleasure 
 of contemplating the celestial glory of Jesus 
 Christ, rather than the gratification of his eyes 
 by the magnificent spectacle and triumphant 
 procession of His Vicar upon earth. 
 
 Berchmans 7 great object was to hide from men 
 what he did for God ; thus he mortified himself 
 on every possible occasion, but was most anxious 
 to conceal his mortifications ; and he was inge- 
 nious in his method of doing this, as will ap- 
 pear in the following example. The Cardinal 
 of Savoy being informed soon after his promo- 
 tion, that the Jesuits were more particularly 
 gratified at his new dignity, honored them with 
 a visit to the Roman College. As his Eminence 
 had always favored the society, and shown it 
 marks of his good- will and protection, the fa- 
 thers prepared to give him the most magnificent 
 6 
 
82 THE LIFE OF 
 
 reception they were able, in proof of their re- 
 spect and gratitude. As the Cardinal was par- 
 ticularly partial to the study of languages, in 
 which he excelled, the Jesuits belonging to dif- 
 ferent countries were desired to compliment his 
 Eminence, each one in his native language. 
 Berchmans was ordered to do it in Flemish, 
 and acquitted himself of the charge with so 
 much elegance, animation, and modesty, that 
 the Cardinal was on the point of praising the 
 performance, which being perceived by Berch- 
 mans he quickly glided behind his companions, 
 as if to make place for the next speaker. He 
 took no other interest in the ceremony, and 
 watching his opportunity he slipped out of the 
 room, from whence he went to the kitchen and 
 begged the cook to employ him in some mean 
 office there, which being refused, he repaired to 
 the church, and spent in prayer all the remain- 
 ing time of the festivity. The delicacy and 
 purity of his love for Jesus Christ was so great, 
 that his only pleasure was to study how he 
 might increase it by the sacrifice of all those 
 satisfactions which are most dear to human 
 nature, but which he believed to be most pre- 
 judicial to that holy charity which reigned the 
 sovereign mistress of his heart. Nothing seemed 
 to him more likely to weaken this pure flame 
 than private friendship and partialities. He 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 83 
 
 detested them from the inmost of his soul, and 
 condemned them in his conversations with his 
 brethren whenever he had the opportunity. 
 "Let us love one another," would he say to 
 them with his usual sweetness and fervor, "but 
 let us love one another in Jesus Christ, with an 
 equal and universal love. We all serve the 
 same master ; we are all children of the same 
 order; consequently we should all be of one 
 heart ; that friendship which is bestowed upon 
 one individual, is a theft upon all the rest; 
 nature is the source of such a distinction ; and 
 so bad a cause can never produce good effects." 
 His own fixed resolution was to love all, but 
 to be particularly familiar with none ; to en- 
 courage himself to fidelity on this point, he had 
 collected in writing the opinions of the most 
 skilful spiritual masters, and especially the 
 essential marks of these particular friendships 
 which St. Bonaventure has left us in his worjvs, 
 but which I omit for the sake of brevity ; how- 
 ever I will just observe, that Berchmans had 
 remarked (like that great saint) that one of the 
 most ordinary defects, especially amongst young 
 people living together consists in the slight fa- 
 miliarities, so opposed to the rules of strict mod- 
 esty which intimacy seems to tolerate ; such as 
 caressing or touching each other in jest and 
 friendship. He had frequently reflected upon 
 
84 THE LIFE OF 
 
 this sort of freedom, and was persuaded that 
 however innocent it might be in itself, it was 
 not quite conformable to the perfection of purity 
 for which he was so ardently zealous. Our 
 Divine Lord did, not fail to recompense the 
 lively and constant attention with which Berch- 
 mans watched over the preservation of this ce- 
 lestial virtue ; he possessed it in a most eminent 
 degree, being preserved during the whole course 
 of his life from temptations contrary to it, a pri- 
 vilege so rare, as scarcely to be conferred even 
 upon the most innocent souls. Conversing once 
 with one of his companions on the admirable 
 purity of the Queen of Angels, and of the in- 
 terest she takes in the welfare of those who 
 cherish this virtue, he added, " I am under in- 
 finite obligations to her, for having obtained for 
 me of her dear Son an ardent love of chastity, 
 with the precious grace of never being tempted 
 to the contrary vice ; I may and ought to say 
 this, in gratitude for her powerful protection, 
 which guards me against the first appearance 
 of danger." Father Cepari confirms this cir- 
 cumstance, though little less than miraculous ; 
 and assures us that towards the end of the year 
 1620, Berchmans, in giving him an account of 
 his conscience, repeated the same thing ; declar- 
 ing that he owed to our Blessed Lady the favor 
 of being preserved from all impurity, even in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 85 
 
 his sleep ; and more particularly since lie had 
 made it his custom to say every night one Ave 
 Maria in honor of the immaculate conception, 
 just before he stepped into bed. Father Cepari 
 further adds, that on the same occasion in the 
 following year, the saintly youth owned with 
 evident consolation of soul, that during the pre- 
 ceding year he had never suffered, either by 
 day or night, sleeping or waking the least 
 thought or impression contrary to purity. 
 
 Thus did the Mother of Virgins perfect in 
 him more and more this virtue so precious to 
 her heart. A Jesuit, well acquainted with the 
 state of his interior, having related this prodigy 
 of grace to the pious and learned Cardinal 
 Bellarmine, he was moved to tears of surprise 
 and joy, exclaiming, u O God, how admirable! 
 what a singular favor in a young man, so 
 lively and full of fire ; he may well be called 
 an angel, since he has the purity of one." But 
 when his Eminence w r as further told, that to 
 look upon him sufficed to inflame the heart 
 with a love of purity, and that his presence 
 alone would dissipate in the minds of others 
 temptations contrary to it, the Cardinal an- 
 swered, weeping abundantly at the time, that 
 this virtue, being essentially the privilege of the 
 . purest of virgins, the holy youth must be very 
 dear to her, to have been favored by her so 
 
86 THE LIFE OF 
 
 pre-eminently in this respect. In effect, it was 
 the constant subject of his prayer to this good 
 Mother, reciting daily the little chaplet of twelve 
 Ave Marias, in honor of her supreme purity. 
 According to the testimony and constant expe- 
 rience of others, one singular grace seemed to 
 be peculiarly his ; that namely, those who lived 
 and conversed with him, always quitted his 
 company with a most sensible and tender affec- 
 tion for chastity. If our Divine Lord granted 
 this great privilege to Berchmans during his 
 life, it appears to have increased after his 
 death; many persons, secular as well as reli- 
 gious, having declared to the glory of God and 
 the honor of His servants, that having recom- 
 mended themselves to the holy young Jesuit, 
 when exposed to imminent clangers of sinning 
 against chastity, they received from him imme- 
 diate succor, which subdued the risings of con- 
 cupiscence at the moment even that the danger 
 seemed most pressing. Some, in gratitude for 
 so signal a benefit, publicly acknowledged that 
 they owed it to Berchmans 7 intercession ; others 
 who wished to give more positive proofs of 
 their gratitude, brought offerings of devotion 
 to his tomb, having previously promised to do 
 so, if their trials were removed or relieved by 
 his intervention. 
 
 In the conduct of God towards His saints, it 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 87 
 
 has often been remarked, that besides the essen- 
 tial glory which He honors them with, and 
 which He confers upon each in proportion to 
 their sanctity and merits, He likewise commu- 
 nicates to them an accidental glory peculiar to 
 each one alone, which procures for them the 
 especial veneration of the faithful. And He 
 does this by imparting to them some degree of 
 His own supernatural power, for the cure of 
 those vices most opposite to .the respective vir- 
 tues which chiefly distinguish each particular 
 saint. In this view, we may consider that 
 Berchmans was rendered most efficacious 
 against the vices of impurity, and most chari- 
 table and zealous in succoring those who suffer 
 from its dangerous attacks. God, so infinitely 
 liberal towards His servants, and who is pleased 
 to crown His own works in them, began even 
 in this life to recompense (by so great a favor) 
 a purity so angelical as seldom to be equalled 
 excepting in heaven. 
 
 The great apostle tells us that our Divine 
 Master destines us to a crown of justice, but 
 that to merit it He requires of us that we apply 
 vigorously to the affair of our sanctification ; 
 that having by his goodness graciously begun 
 it, it belongs to us courageously to pursue it 
 with corresponding fidelity. That such was 
 the conduct of Berchmans, the sequel of this 
 history will evidently prove. 
 
S3 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Divine Providence in creating Berchmans, 
 bestowed on him a constitution best suited to a 
 life of virtue, and which should serve as the 
 foundation-stone in the spiritual edifice which 
 the Holy Ghost designed to perfect and conse- 
 crate by His grace. The lively ardor of his 
 character only made him more susceptible of 
 the impressions of Divine love, but never 
 troubled the equal serenity of his soul. His 
 conduct was uniform, gentle, and courteous. 
 The operations of grace found no obstacle either 
 in his well-regulated mind or heart ; the king- 
 dom of God was securely established there as 
 on a throne of truth and justice. Hence, sprung 
 up in his soul that source of peace which was 
 never disturbed, and which enabled him so 
 lovingly to enjoy the presence of his God. No 
 cloud ever obscured his countenance, and his 
 whole person seemed to combine a pleasing 
 mixture of reserve and cheerfulness which edi- 
 fied and delighted every one. Although he 
 •was grave and serious, there was nothing of 
 melancholy about him; in fact, he frankly 
 owned that he had no idea what it could be, at 
 least from practical experience, for on one oc- 
 casion that he had heard a public discourse 
 made by the rector of the college, on the perni- 
 cious effects which melancholy is capable of 
 producing in religious souls, Berchmans and 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 89 
 
 his companions conversing afterwards upon the 
 subject, and compassionating the misfortune of 
 those who are under the influence of this dan- 
 gerous passion, the former concluded his re- 
 marks by adding, "However, what I say is 
 said upon the authority of father-rector, for, 
 thanks to the goodness of God, I have never 
 experienced it myself." 
 
 As there was nothing of sadness in his gra- 
 vity, so likewise there was nothing dissipated 
 in his cheerfulness. His laugh always mode- 
 rate, was sometimes seen but never heard. His 
 constant easy uniformity of conduct, was free 
 from all affectation ; his conversation was cheer- 
 ful, though always holy and conformable to the 
 spirit of divine grace which filled his soul ; its 
 charms consisted in the lively and affectionate 
 feeling which animated all he said and did ; and 
 never was he known to notice (much less to 
 ridicule) the weaknesses or peculiarities of 
 others, for which, on the contrary, he showed 
 all sweetness and charity. If corrected or re- 
 primanded by others, he expressed the greatest 
 gratitude, but when commended, a blush was 
 his only answer. Praise was the only thing 
 which seemed to alter the serenity of his coun- 
 tenance ; on all other occasions, the most un- 
 foreseen accidents could not disturb his tran- 
 quillity. Besides his total and inviolable de 
 
90 THE LIFE OF 
 
 pendence upon the holy will of God, which was 
 the ground-work of his happy peaceful state of 
 mind, it was no doubt much increased by the 
 spirit of regularity which directed his exterior 
 conduct, every hour had its appointed duty, no 
 moment was left either to caprice or idleness. 
 He drew up his distribution of time twice a 
 year, namely, during the retreats which are 
 made in the society before the renovation of 
 vows. lie was careful to specify in his plan of 
 regularity all his ordinary actions, and also all 
 those which he foresaw might possibly occur, 
 together with the spirit and method he was to 
 observe in the practice of all ; he did this to 
 prevent being taken by surprise or at unawares. 
 To this cautious foresight may be added the 
 strict attention which he gave to all his words 
 and actions, never doing or saying anything 
 without entering into himself and consulting 
 the Holy Ghost as his oracle. One of his com- 
 panions, surprised to see him conduct himself 
 always with the same wisdom in his actions as 
 well as in his words, asked him how it hap- 
 pened that such appropriate answers always 
 occurred to his mind at the right moment and 
 yet in so many different occasions. Berchmans 
 modestly replied, "I believe it is because I 
 always weigh and measure my words in the 
 sight of God before I pronounce them." It 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEItCHMANS. 91 
 
 was this sacred art which, taught him so well 
 how to govern his tongue ; he applied himself 
 to this from the moment he entered into reli- 
 gion, being fully persuaded that it was of the 
 highest importance to regulate and curb its 
 movements. He practised to the letter St. 
 James's instruction upon this subject ; by this 
 necessary but too much neglected circumspec- 
 tion, he was enabled always to speak what and 
 as he wished ; nor did he ever wish to speak 
 but to the honor and glory of God, or for the 
 consolation of his brethren. It is true his con- 
 versation was always holy, but he managed it 
 with so much simplicity, sweetness, and candor, 
 that no one ever felt tired of listening to him. 
 He generally preferred leaving the conversation 
 to others, showing much more pleasure in hear- 
 ing them speak than :n speaking -himself; dis- 
 liking *an overflow of words, however holy, 
 under the idea that the best thing should be 
 used with moderation, and that satiety is always 
 to be avoided lest the appetite be spoiled. Ee- 
 served as he was during the hour of recreation, 
 he was still more so in the time of silence ; he 
 never made use of the liberty which the rule 
 allows of speaking in few words to a passer-by. 
 Nothing but necessity, obedience, or charity, 
 could unclose his lips on these occasions ; and 
 no sooner had he in a low tone satisfied the 
 
92 THE LIFE OF 
 
 demand, than lie resumed his usual silence. So 
 great was his exactness, that he would check 
 himself in the middle of a word if the bell at 
 that instant rung to announce the end of re- 
 creation. A companion of his studies, who 
 had leave to call upon him in his room to ask 
 his help when he met with any difficult passage, 
 was always very kindly received and assisted, 
 but as soon as the question was solved, Berch- 
 raans stopped the conversation; or if more 
 time were required for examining the proposed 
 difficulty, he would beg his dear brother to 
 defer the business until the hour allowed by 
 the rule for conversation. He carried his re- 
 spect and consideration for the foreign Jesuit 
 to a very high degree; nevertheless, he would 
 not allow it to interfere with his strict observ- 
 ance of silence. One of these fathers, wmo had 
 shown Berchmans great kindness at Loretto, 
 arriving at Rome, met him suddenly, and after 
 the first affectionate salutations, w^as beginning 
 to converse with him in an easy familiar man- 
 ner; but our holy youth modestly excused 
 himself, begging the good father would allow 
 him first to go and ask permission, and then 
 return to entertain himself in his company: 
 this little circumstance much edified the 
 stranger, and increased his already favorable 
 opinion of his young brother. 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMANS. 93 
 
 Nothing could exceed the pleasure which every 
 one felt in his society, which was eagerly sought 
 by all, though he on his part was quite indif- 
 ferent as to whom he conversed with, for he 
 sincerely loved and esteemed all without either 
 preference or distinction; and they, knowing 
 that nothing gave him greater pleasure in re- 
 creation than to speak of the things of God, very 
 willingly excluded all profane subjects; those 
 which were indifferent were lightly passed over 
 to fix upon those which were most holy, every 
 one saying with candor and simplicity what- 
 ever the Spirit of God inspired. Those who were 
 his superiors in age, were always willing to hear 
 him introduce these discourses, which he did in 
 so respectful a manner, that the most jealous 
 of their own authority could not possibly take 
 offence. He was less reserved with his equals, 
 and whilst he considered himself the last and 
 least of all, they esteemed him as their master, 
 and felt themselves happy in being able to profit 
 by his example and discourse. A remark which 
 he had committed to paper, and which was found 
 after his death, is singular enough to deserve no- 
 tice ; namely, that he had never found any diffi- 
 culty in introducing pious conversation, except- 
 ing on two occasions, and then not because any 
 of the party was opposed to it, but simply be- 
 cause so many happened to be assembled to- 
 
94 THE LIFE OF 
 
 gether at the same time, so that it was difficult 
 to continue a discourse upon any single subject 
 without frequent interruption. This trifling in- 
 cident pained him somewhat for the moment, 
 and made him determine to avoid a crowd for 
 the future whenever it was in his power ; he re- 
 commended the same thing to others, using for 
 the purpose these consoling words of our Divine 
 Master, " When two or three are assembled to- 
 gether in my name, there am I in the midst of 
 them." And then he would add, " What a hap- 
 piness for us, my dear brothers, to have so good 
 a Master for our dear companion ; but it is on 
 condition that we assemble two or three together, 
 not more. This circumstance He Himself has 
 condescended to notice ; and experience teaches 
 us, that when there are large numbers, there is 
 but little facility either of speaking of Him, or 
 of enjoying the blessing of His presence." He 
 did not think that conversing in the name of 
 Jesus could bo reconciled with the custom of 
 talking about frivolous news, or vain curiosities. 
 If he found himself in company with others en- 
 gaged on such subjects, he would endeavor to 
 change them to such as were more useful ; and 
 he could generally succeed herein ; but if the 
 company consisted of his elders, or persons to 
 whom he owed consideration and respect, he 
 did not attempt to take this pious liberty, but 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 95 
 
 recollecting, and placing himself in the pres- 
 ence of God, he closed his ears to the voice of 
 creatures, to attend only to that of his Creator. 
 Two distinguished Jesuits, wishing to have per- 
 sonal experience of Berchmans' conduct in this 
 respect, seeing him approach them, broke off 
 their discourse, and began to speak of war and 
 other things as foreign to their state. They were 
 gratified to find their experiment had succeeded, 
 for the servant of God, after the first salutations 
 of civility, let them continue their discourse with- 
 out attempting to join in it, and entering into 
 himself he remained silent, until the fathers, 
 edified by this proof of his interior spirit, re- 
 sumed the subject of piety, which they had only 
 interrupted to make a trial of Berchmans' fidel-. 
 ity. Joining in pious discourse was never cliffi 
 cult to him ; divine love had made him ingeni- 
 ous in this holy art; and he made a point of 
 committing to memory everything that he 
 thought would edify and recreate his c<55npan- 
 ions. He was particularly assiduous in collect- 
 ins: whatever was most movino* and instruc- 
 tive in the annals of the society, and of the 
 Lives of Saints, or other distinguished charac- 
 ters, who have illustrated it; their actions, 
 and most remarkable traits of character, were 
 familiar to him ; and his ever-faithful memory 
 was sure to recal them, at the very moment 
 
96 TUE LIFE OF 
 
 that it would be most useful to introduce them; 
 at the same time, lie would endeavor to associ- 
 ate with their memory some point of the rules 
 or constitutions which seemed to bear upon the 
 subject; and whenever he spoke of these with 
 his companions, he always inspired them with 
 an increased love and esteem of them. We owe 
 t > Berchmans' zèal and industry (sanctioned by 
 the approbation of superiors) a pious custom 
 amongst the numerous youth of the Roman Col- 
 lege, of establishing a sort of spiritual academy, 
 the discussions to be held on recreation days. 
 The idea was entirelv Berchmans' ; he drew 
 up the plan of it, and maintained its practice 
 with constant fervor and assiduity ; the custom 
 continues to the present day, and is of great ad- 
 vantage to the young Jesuits. In these academi- 
 cal meetings spiritual subjects were treated of 
 in order and with strict regularity. They were 
 generally held in the country, and if in the 
 summer, they met together in a pleasant arbor 
 belonging to their country house, at the ap- 
 pointed hour ; and then every one freely said 
 what they thought upon the subject, which had 
 been agreed upon some days before. If the 
 subject chosen was some particular virtue, the 
 first speaker explained its nature; the second 
 distinguished its several acts : a third described 
 its advantages ; a fourth proposed its motives; 
 
â 
 
 BLESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 97 
 
 another the means to acquire it; this one dis- 
 covered its difficulties ; that other brought for- 
 ward texts from the constitutions which re- 
 ferred to it ; or examples of it, gathered from 
 the lives of early fathers of the order. Every 
 one had full liberty to propose any doubts 
 which might arise in the course of the discus- 
 sion; which were to be cleared up then, unless 
 the difficulty should be so great as to require 
 the experienced judgment of an elder father; 
 they did this in order to maintain unanimity, 
 for this holy youthful assembly was extremely 
 cautious to banish from it the slightest symp- 
 tom of contention. Thus did they spend their 
 hours in pious discourses, through the address 
 of our saintly young Jesuit, whp was consid- 
 ered the soul of this devotion ; whilst he him- 
 self reaped from it most precious fruit, for by 
 this means reereation days became as valuable 
 as days of retreat. He stood little in need of 
 these latter, his habitually profound recollec- 
 tion made his life one continual retreat ; never- 
 theless, he omitted no opportunity of making 
 particular retreats ; besides that of eight or ten 
 days, made always at the close of the year, and 
 the other of two or three days, previous to th^ 
 renovation of vows, he dedicated some hours 
 on communion days, and one entire day in 
 every month, to retirement and recollection. 
 7 
 
PS THE LIFE OF 
 
 The latter is still piously practised in the so- 
 ■'. in ordei r able to preserve the 
 
 it of fervor acquired in the noviciate. 
 We will here trace Berchmans' method of 
 
 performing it. that it may serve as a 
 the many young Jesuits who are n 
 to imitate him. He looked upon it as a k::; ! 
 of spiritual solemnity, which he celebrated at 
 the commencement of every month: he began 
 his ] tion on the eve by penances 
 
 humiliations. TVith permission of his superior 
 he lid not join in the ordinary evening's recre- 
 ation, depriving himself of all communication 
 with creatures, to prepare himself the better for 
 that of his Creator, which he hoped to enjoy 
 the next day. During this time of silence he 
 regulated the exercises of the following day, 
 not to lose the least part of it in uncertainty 
 and deliberation, according to the advice of the 
 Holy Ghost. He fell asleep, filled with pious 
 sentiments, and scarcely was the night past, 
 than he arose with alacrity and fervor to begin 
 this day of grace in tke h?st :nann;-r he was 
 able, adoring with profound reverence Him 
 was the Author of it. and consecrating to 
 Him every instant of this so precious a day. 
 He earnestly invoked the intercession of his 
 patron saints, but more particularly of Her who 
 is the sovereign of them all the in rable 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 99 
 
 Mother of God. He spent the da)' at the foot 
 of his crucifix, seriously examining in the 
 presence of Jesus Christ, whether he had ad- 
 vanced or fallen back in His service; and 
 whether he hoped to have made some progress, 
 or that he feared he had not advanced enough, 
 he attributed whatever appeared good to the 
 grace of Almighty God, and to his own tepidity 
 and negligence whatever seemed defective in 
 his conduct. He wept most bitterly for the in- 
 fidelities he thought he had committed against 
 a God so good, and he took every precaution to 
 prevent future relapses. He carefully endea- 
 vored to distinguish the graces which he had 
 received during the past month, and those 
 which he hoped to receive in the course of the 
 ensuing month ; in fine, after specifying in de- 
 tail what our Divine Lord might justly exact 
 from his future fidelity, he concluded his devo- 
 tion by a firm and sincere resolution to spare 
 no pains to please Him, and also to use his 
 best endeavors to become a saint ; this had 
 been his earnest desire from a very early age, 
 as we have already remarked, a thought that 
 was ever present to his mind. "I -am nota 
 true Jesuit," he would very often say, " unless 
 I am a saint; and if I do not hasten to become 
 such whilst I am young, I have reason to fear 
 that I shall never be one." Towards the so- 
 
100 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ciety, which furnislied so many means of sanc- 
 tification, he felt the highest esteem, and could 
 not speak of it without transport: he called it 
 his dear society, the society of his heart, the 
 work of an Almighty finger, and the lively 
 image of the life our Blessed Lord led on earth: 
 not that he intended to exalt it above other re- 
 ligious orders, but he considered it just and 
 lawful to feel for his own all the esteem and 
 respect which a good son owes to a tender 
 mother, and he supposed that every religious 
 person felt the same towards the institute of 
 which he was a member. This filial devotion 
 to his order did not prevent him from honoring 
 all other orders approved of by the Church: 
 whoever wore the habit of religion was an ob- 
 ject of respect to him ; hence we cannot wonder 
 that his own was so precious to him ; to show 
 his love of it, he always kissed it most respect- 
 fully before he clothed himself with it, as was 
 discovered from his memorandums after his 
 death. In imitation of Berchmans, this pious 
 custom is very much in use even to the present 
 day in the society. "I was sensibly affected," 
 says his spiritual director, u at the wonderful 
 devotion with w r hich he was penetrated when 
 speaking of the benefit of his vocation. ' O 
 great and inestimable favor!' said he a few 
 months before his death ; ' how contented, how 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAN3. 101 
 
 happy I am, my dear father, to have the hap- 
 piness of living and the hope of dying in the 
 society! During the last six months, I feel 
 that my love for it has redoubled : thanks to 
 the infinite mercy of our Lord, (who called me 
 to it,) I have never, from the moment I entered 
 it, had the least thought or temptation to quit 
 it.' " The high opinion which he had of it was 
 grounded upon the conviction, that Heaven had 
 inspired St. Ignatius when compiling his admi- 
 rable rule ; he admired the secure means em- 
 ployed by this sagacious founder to prevent the 
 ruin of his order, but particularly those two 
 doors belonging to the spiritual edifice, the 
 one closed to good workmen, the other open to 
 those who will not study to become such. This 
 great respect for St. Ignatius and his institute, 
 was not peculiar to Berchmans alone. One of 
 the most learned Pontiffs that had ruled the 
 Church of God on earth, declared the same 
 thing nearly in the same terms ; adding, that 
 he had no sooner read through the rules, than 
 he recognized the finger of God guiding the 
 pen of St. Ignatius. In fine, this opinion has 
 been universal amongst the most enlightened 
 and illustrious persons. A celebrated cardinal 
 of the last century, whose wise policy governed 
 France and astonished Europe, declared that 
 with the institute of Ignatius he would under- 
 
102 THE LIFE OF 
 
 la ko to rule the world. The reader must par- 
 don this little digression, which Berchmans' 
 love and esteem of his order has insensibly in- 
 troduced. Loving the mother thus tenderly, 
 we cannot wonder that the children were so in- 
 expressibly dear to him: he respected them as 
 his superiors, but cherished them as his breth- 
 ren. If a person had once had any spiritual 
 authority over him, that character was never 
 effaced from his mind. The priesthood pro- 
 duced the same deferential feeling; and who- 
 ever was elevated to either of these dignities, 
 was always treated with profound veneration 
 by our holy young Jesuit: he lost no occasion 
 of showing this respect ; and even when walk- 
 ing with them in the city, he kept the distance 
 of about a step behind them, being too humble 
 to consider himself on terms of equality with 
 them. On the arrival of any foreign father at 
 the Eoman College, it was sufficient that he 
 wore the habit of the society to secure the 
 esteem and attentions of Berchmans, who would 
 immediately quit his more familiar associates 
 to welcome and assist the stranger, showing 
 him the same respect and honor which he would 
 to Jesus Christ. This holy eagerness was 
 founded upon our Saviour's consoling assur^ 
 ance, "He that receives you, receives Me." 
 He would exclaim sometimes transported with 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 103 
 
 joy, " What goodness, what condescension on 
 the part of our Creator, to place to His own 
 account the services which we render to His 
 creatures !" 
 
 He well knew that charity was not only the 
 spirit of the Gospel, but likewise the spirit of 
 St. Ignatius and his first companions, who be- 
 queathed it to the society, having drawn it from 
 the sacred heart of their Divine Master, and 
 therefore to be cherished as a legacy of love, 
 and to be constantly maintained and exercised. 
 When we are enlightened by such celestial 
 light, w r e make no distinction, in imitation of 
 St. Paul, between Jew and Gentile, domestic or 
 stranger ; for receiving all in the name of Jesus, 
 the same marks of benevolence and kindness 
 should be shown to all. Solidly grounded in 
 these principles, Berchmans' affection for his 
 dear brothers was universal, or if he ever made 
 any distinction, it was in favor of those who 
 were the least considerable, either for offices or 
 talents, studying herein the example of our 
 Saviour, who bestowed a greater proportion of 
 his favors upon the poor, in preference to the 
 rich. Berchmans was particularly kind to the 
 temporal coadjutors, as those are called w^ho 
 are admitted into the society to perform the 
 household duties ; he had great pleasure in con- 
 versing with them, because he there discovered 
 
104 THE LIFE OF 
 
 that holy littleness which he himself so pas- 
 sionately loved, together with a candor and sim 
 plicity well suited to converse on the things of 
 God. These simple brothers, whom he re- 
 spected for their innocence, and other graces 
 which he perceived Almighty God bestowed 
 upon them, loved him in return with a most 
 tender and respectful love ; they revered him 
 as a saint, and consulted him as their oracle; 
 as soon as they had discharged the duty of their 
 offices, they would repair immediately to him, 
 and recount to him their various little trials, 
 and they always derived from his instructive 
 advice an unction which encouraged them under 
 present labors, and fortified them to bear cheer- 
 fully those which were to come. He spoke to 
 them in a manner so suited to their capacities, 
 so conformable to their dispositions, and in a 
 manner so likely to gain their affection, that he 
 could in fact, persuade them to do anything he 
 wished, and as he never sought to persuade 
 them any other thing than the love of our Di- 
 vine Lord, these good brothers never left him 
 without being more and more confirmed in their 
 determination to love and serve so good a 
 Master ; a feeling which may be attributed to 
 Berchmans' example even more than to his 
 words. Never did they experience the delight 
 of his society and kindness so effectually as 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEBCI1MAN3. 105 
 
 during illness, when his tender care and solici- 
 tude were redoubled ; then his animated faith 
 considering only Jesus Christ in their persons, 
 took every opportunity of visiting and consoling 
 Him in these His humble servants. Fixed, as 
 it were, to the bedside, he at once performed 
 the office of consoler, servant, and infirmarian. 
 In Italy, during the summer season, the heat 
 for a few hours of the day is sometimes exces- 
 sively oppressive, especially to invalids ; he was 
 ingenious in devising methods to mitigate this 
 inconvenience, and when he could do nothing- 
 better, he would fetch fresh water from the foun- 
 tain wherewith to bathe their hands and refresh 
 their parched lips. But with all this, his prin- 
 cipal aim was to teach them how their suffer- 
 ings might become meritorious, by uniting them 
 with those of Jesus Christ, and presenting them 
 to the Eternal Father through the hands of our 
 Blessed Lady. To supply, in some manner, the 
 loss of public exhortations, which illness pre- 
 vented their being present at, he used to repeat 
 them afterwards for their edification and in- 
 struction. These poor sick brothers seemed 
 half cured whilst he was with them, and were 
 never wearied or fatigued, however long his 
 visits might last. Once, when the malady ap- 
 peared contagious, he was desired not to enter 
 the infirmary ; in this circumstance where his . 
 
10(3 THE LIFE OF 
 
 charity was restrained by obedience, he endea- 
 vored to reconcile the two virtues together, 
 depriving himself, for the sake of obedience, of 
 the pleasure of visiting the sick, yet not ceasing 
 to be charitable, for he was constantly inquir- 
 ing about them, and charging the infirmarian 
 to assure them that, though unable to visit them, 
 his heart was in the infirmary. 
 
 Although he was thus affectionate and atten- 
 tive to the sick, he was no less so to those who 
 were in health. He always found leisure to serve 
 every body in the house, and whatever his oc- 
 cupations might be, none of them appeared to 
 him more necessary than the exercise of charity. 
 He did not belong to that class of persons who 
 are always overpowered with business when 
 their aid is required ; nor was he one of those, 
 who, when they do oblige, do it so ungraciously 
 that they spoil their good offices by the manner 
 in which they are done* For his part, he knew 
 not what it was to feel a difficulty in obliging; 
 he was always before hand in offering his ser- 
 vices, and when opportunity of conferring 
 pleasure occurred to him, we may say that the 
 pleasure was doubled by the cheerful affability 
 which seasoned it. He was the general com- 
 panion, called upon by the fathers to accompany 
 them when they had occasion to walk the streets. 
 Many chose to have him on account of his modest, 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMANS. 107 
 
 edifying manner, and all called upon him on 
 account of his obliging good will. One day 
 that he had great need of applying assiduously 
 to his studies, he was pressed by an elder father 
 to accompany him -through the city ; he felt at 
 the moment some slight repugnance, which, 
 however, he did not allow to appear, and com- 
 plied with the request in his usual prompt man- 
 ner; but on his return home, making a serious 
 reflection upon the impulse which had risen for 
 the moment in his soul, the humble, charitable 
 young man was confounded ; he thought him- 
 self guilty of feeling pain in performing an act 
 of kindness, and to prevent any such surprises 
 of nature for the future, he made it for some 
 time the subject of his particular examen; dis- 
 trusting* his OAvn heart, which he believed had 
 betrayed him, he carefully watched all its move- 
 ments, and subjected them so completely to the 
 empire of charity, that he never afterwards ex- 
 perienced the slightest difficulty in its practice, 
 even under the most unforeseen circumstances. 
 When his philosophical disputations were con- 
 cluded, he had abundant opportunity of exer- 
 cising it, for scarcely had he reached home 
 with one father, than he was sent out with 
 another ; so that it not unfrequently happened 
 to him to go out in this manner three or four 
 times in a day during the excessive summer 
 
108 THE LIFE OF 
 
 heat. On some such occasion one of bis young 
 companions was moved with compassion on 
 seeing him return quite exhausted and covered 
 with perspiration. " You are surely not think- 
 ing of what you are about," said he to Berch- 
 mans ; " if you continue this game much longer 
 you will certainly become quite ill : where is 
 your discretion?" " I have left it in the hands 
 of my superior," answered Berchmans, with his 
 usual sweetness and cheerfulness; " it is his 
 place to command, and mine to obey." 
 
 On another occasion that he was en^asred in 
 praj^er, one of his fellow-students came in great 
 haste, begging he would accompany him in his 
 walk. Berchmans made no difficulty to leave 
 God for God, and to leave his prayer for the 
 sake of charity. The young man who had 
 chosen him for his companion, conducted him 
 immediately to the Carthusian monastery, and 
 inquiring for the superior, he withdrew with 
 him, leaving Berchmans in another room quite 
 ignorant of his design. Enlightened however 
 by a supernatural light, as soon as his compan- 
 ion had rejoined him, he thus accosted him: 
 11 It is in vain to attempt concealment, my dear 
 brother, this is a temptation of the devil, who 
 under various pretexts seeks to withdraw you 
 from the society, but you shall not leave us." 
 The young man, whose vocation really was 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 109 
 
 shaken, was much surprised to find that the 
 secret of his heart was thus known to his holy 
 companion ; but he was still more surprised, 
 when upon inviting Berchmans to assist at the 
 sermon in the church of the Gresu, he firmly per- 
 sisted in refusing to do so, (a thing very unusual 
 with him,) and he insisted upon returning home 
 immediately. The object of the young man in 
 seeking to obtain this delay, was that he might 
 be able to return alone to the Chartreuse, and 
 conclude his arrangements for quitting the Je- 
 suits, in order to enter amongst the Carthusians, 
 but his object was defeated by the clear-sighted- 
 ness of Berchmans, who immediately they had 
 reached the college, repaired to the superior and 
 informed him of the state of his young associ- 
 ate's mind. The poor young man had got the 
 idea that he should be of no use to the society, 
 that he was incapable of serving it, that an 
 order which had little or no intercourse with 
 seculars would be better suited to his disposi- 
 tion, and that he should there work out his 
 salvation with greater security. But no sooner 
 had he entered his superior's apartment, (who 
 sent for him upon receiving Berchmans' commu- 
 nication,) than his trouble of mind was instantly 
 dissipated, he felt resolved to live and die a 
 good Jesuit, as in fact he happily did by the 
 grace of Jesus Christ and the charity of his 
 
110 THE LIFE OF 
 
 zealous companion, to whom under God he ever 
 after acknowledged himself indebted for so <n*eat 
 a favor. The holy prior of the Carthusians, 
 who had been thus reluctantly called out of his 
 solitude to undertake this affair, was most happy 
 to hear of the young man's altered sentiments, 
 and as he had in common with his order a s^reat 
 regard for the Society of Jesus, he was delighted 
 to learn from the young Jesuit himself, his de- 
 termination to persevere. Berchmans felt deeply 
 convinced that this perseverance was the seal 
 of predestination in a religious soul, that it was 
 impossible to separate one from the other ; and 
 hence he looked upon the grace of dying in re- 
 ligion as one of the most infallible assurances 
 of salvation " How can it possibly be other- 
 wise?" said he, with the look and manner of 
 a seraph, u is it possible to die a Jesuit without 
 dying a saint ? it is true we cannot merit the 
 latter grace, but we may hope it when we have 
 the former. Yes, it depends upon ourselves to 
 be saints by following the rules of our holy in- 
 stitute ; let us not imagine that it is necessary 
 for this purpose to perform great and extraor- 
 dinary actions. No ; our perfection consists in 
 doing our common duties with an uncommon 
 love of God." This principle was deeply graven 
 in the heart of Berchmans, and was ever present 
 to his mind. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. Ill 
 
 His great devotion was to observe the rules 
 of the community. " Of all mortifications," said 
 he, " that which, gives me the greatest pleasure, 
 and to which I most willingly attach myself, is 
 to discharge with strict fidelity all the duties of 
 community life." One of the most striking 
 characteristics of his virtue was the absence of 
 all singularity; he never stepped beyond the 
 beaten path ; the slightest duties, if prescribed 
 to the community, were precious in his sight, 
 not only because it was a favorite maxim with 
 him, to esteem little things, but chiefly, be- 
 cause being common to others, and being regu- 
 lated by superiors, he found therein less danger 
 of gratifying self-love, and more certainty of 
 practicing the love of God. From amongst 
 numerous examples we will select but one, 
 which though trivial in itself, is not less worthy 
 of record, if we estimate actions as we ought, 
 by the motive which animates them, and by 
 the virtuous circumstances which enhance their 
 value. Berchmans took no pleasure in amusing 
 games, he preferred conversing with his brothers 
 either on spiritual or studious subjects. Never- 
 theless, as certain games or trials of skill were 
 permitted, in order to divert these young men, 
 and to unbend their minds, so continually en- 
 gaged in serious application, he generally yielded 
 to their pressing solicitations, and joined in their 
 
1 12 THE LIFE OF 
 
 -anus with groat cheerfulness, noth withstanding 
 
 the repugnance he really felt for everything of the 
 sort; whether he lost or gained, the sweet sere- 
 nity of his countenance never altered. When 
 the game seemed doubtful, he expressed his 
 opinion without heat or contention ; if he tri- 
 umphed he was not elated, and if he was van- 
 quished he was just as joyous as the victors, 
 and kneeling down he immediately recited the 
 prayer which had previously been agreed upon 
 as the price of victory. Such were the inno- 
 cent amusements of these fervent youths, which 
 were always animated by obedience, meekness, 
 and modesty. These were the steps by which 
 Berchmans mounted to so high a decree of 
 sanctity as to be looked upon as a perfect 
 model of a young Jesuit, more particularly 
 during the scholastic term. Whilst upon this 
 subject it will not be amiss to trace the excel- 
 lent method he pursued in his studies, and the 
 admirable alliance which he made of the most 
 tender devotion with the dry speculations of 
 science. According to the evidence of the pro- 
 fessors under whom he studied philosophy and 
 mathematics during three years, his mind was 
 of the most comprehensive order; capable of 
 the highest sciences, possessed of a retentive 
 memory, a quick conception, a solid judgment, 
 in fine, all that could enable him to become 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. H3 
 
 learned with little trouble on his part ; never- 
 theless, he took as much pains to supply the 
 want of talent, as he could have done had he in 
 reality been possessed of none. Excelling his 
 fellow-students by diligence and facility in learn- 
 ing, it is easy to imagine how much he must 
 have been their superior in ability ; yet he made 
 no account of these advantages ; his humility 
 was far greater than his learning. If he studied 
 more than others, it was from no vain desire of su- 
 periority, but merely that he might be better able 
 to serve the society, as he always observed, 
 when admonished that his excessive applica- 
 tion was injurious to his health ; adding, that 
 in a religious no application could be too great, 
 since his zeal and capacity ought to be without 
 measure. 
 
 The elevated idea he had of his sublime vo- 
 cation was a sort of goad, which constantly 
 urged him forward with generous emulation, to 
 pursue the thorny career of abstract sciences, 
 which beginners usually find so difficult and 
 repulsive. Philosophy alone did not satisfy 
 either the activity of his mind, or the assiduity 
 of his study : he added to it mathematics, from 
 which physics derive such help, and borrow 
 such certain light ; to these studies, compre- 
 hensive as they were, he added history and lan- 
 guages ; and in fact, neglected no means of ac* 
 
114 TUE LIFE OF 
 
 quiring useful information. This assemblage 
 of different ideas caused no confusion in his 
 well-regulated mind ; all was arranged there in 
 most distinct order, to be subservient to use 
 when necessity might require it. His masters, 
 who discerned the extent of his mental powers, 
 charged him with this multiplicity of study; 
 for in this, as in everything else, he acted only 
 by obedience, without which he would not so 
 much as cast his eye upon a book, persuaded 
 that in study, no less than in devotion, the best 
 security of advancement is to act with dépend- 
 ance upon the advice of those whom God has 
 given us for superiors. But as we have already 
 remarked, the variety of his studies did not 
 impede the progress of the one grand lesson, 
 perfection, to which he always dedicated his 
 best hours, looking upon the rest as only acces- 
 sories, bestowing upon them that time which 
 others usually spent either in useless visits or 
 in entertainments little to the purpose. 
 
 He had made it an inviolable practice from 
 his first entrance into the noviciate, to fill up 
 every vacant moment by some exercise, either 
 of piety or study : this resolution was much 
 strengthened during the time he lived in the 
 Eoman College : he very frequently renewed it 
 in his meditations, (as we learn from his mem- 
 oranda,) protesting before God, to apply with 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 115 
 
 unremitting ardor to attain the end of liis vo- 
 cation; adding, "I will apply most seriously 
 and constantly to my studies, as to one of the 
 most efficacious means to reach this end : I did 
 not enter into religion to lead an idle life, but 
 to labor : it was only on this condition that the 
 Father of the family condescended to open the 
 door of His house in my favor : to correspond, 
 therefore, with His goodness, I must do my 
 utmost to render myself able to glorify Him 
 throughout the world. Alas! how many labor 
 only to dishonor Him ! ungrateful should I be 
 if I did not seek His honor! True glory con- 
 sists in advancing the glory of God ; and I 
 shall never succeed in this unless I give all the 
 application of my mind to study, and all the 
 affections of my heart to virtue." As he had 
 drawn up his plan of conduct for the latter, so 
 did he likewise minutely regulate the order of 
 his studies. He wrote for this purpose a small 
 treatise, which he entitled, " The Perfect Scho- 
 lar of the Society." It shall be inserted in the 
 4th book of this Life. The model he there 
 drew of a perfect student was accomplished in 
 his person, for he was a faithful copy of it, so 
 that it may with truth be said, that he sancti- 
 fied himself as much by study as by the study 
 of sanctity. Towards his masters he ever 
 showed the most profound respect; they were 
 
116 THE LIFE OF 
 
 oracles in his regard; lie received their opinions 
 with docility, and maintained them with ardor. 
 Sometimes his companions would oppose them 
 for the mere pleasure of making Berchmans 
 argue in their defence, which he did in so lively 
 and animated a manner, yet at the same time 
 with so much modesty and civility, that whilst 
 he honored the doctrine of his professors, he 
 never offended those who were pretending to 
 oppose him. In order to obtain from Heaven 
 the gift of wisdom, he often recited the prayer 
 of Solomon, " Give me, Lord, a share of that 
 wisdom which assists at Thy councils, that it 
 may labor with me and remain with me." lie 
 always recited it on his knees, and he candidly 
 owned that he derived more light from it than 
 from the most profound speculations. He never 
 separated study from prayer, and as it was im- 
 possible for him to pray more frequently than 
 he did, so neither could he study with greater 
 application ; the excess to which he carried it 
 often occasioned serious headaches ; his remedy 
 in these cases, was to read some spiritual book 
 or recite the beads, which never failed to re- 
 lieve hiin, so great was the pleasure produced 
 by prayer and pious lecture. When our 
 Divine Lord was pleased to leave Berchmans 
 iu obscurity of mind, (which sometimes hap- 
 pened,) he would go at the appointed hour to 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCIIMANS. 117 
 
 expose his difficulty to his master, acting with 
 great respect and precaution. If he found the 
 professor pre-engaged, he waited silently at the 
 door until the person within had finished; then 
 entering with his eyes cast down, making a 
 profound reverence, he proposed his doubts, 
 always standing bare-headed, unless expressly 
 ordered to put on his cap, and even then he 
 always raised his cap at the beginning of each 
 new subject. When the answer was given, if 
 he did not clearly understand it, (which very 
 seldom happened,) " Excuse me, father,' 7 he 
 would say with great humility and modesty ^ 
 " if I trouble you to repeat your solution, I do 
 not as yet comprehend it well." If when made 
 tolerably clear, he still remained unsatisfied, he 
 always applied in a manner which appeared 
 less a contradiction than an inquiry for more 
 ample explanations, which were no sooner 
 given than he would retire with thanks, care- 
 fully avoiding to introduce any superfluous 
 subject of conversation. 
 
 After having employed the first hours of the 
 day in prayer and study, he prepared himself 
 for class duties by a visit to the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment. Not to be hurried in the performance 
 of this devotion, he always left his room some 
 time before the bell rung ; upon hearing it he 
 rose from the spot where he had been kneeling, 
 
US THE LIFE OF 
 
 waiting at the door for admission in strict 
 silence, with a book in his hand that he might 
 lose no time. During the class-hours his eves 
 never wandered from his books, and nothing 
 seemed able to divert his attention from the 
 then present duty. He was never heard to 
 complain either that the dictation was too rapid 
 or continued too long ; if any word escaped 
 that he could not write at the moment, he left 
 a space for it to be filled up after the lesson, 
 not to break silence during the time it lasted. 
 According to his custom he made a repetition 
 of the lesson afterwards to some young scho- 
 lars of distinction, who had formed amongst 
 themselves a sort of academy, which terminated 
 immediately the clock summoned them to some 
 other duty ; for however much these young 
 people might regret the loss of his company, 
 Berchmans preferred his duty to the pleasure 
 they would all have felt in remaining longer 
 together. He quitted class with the same si- 
 lence and recollection that had accompanied 
 him to it, never allowing himself the liberty of 
 speaking a word. He used the utmost reserve 
 in his scholastic disputations, and when it was 
 his turn to debate, he proposed his arguments 
 with powerful vivacity, yet always giving his 
 opponent full leisure to repeat them, to examine 
 them, and to disprove them if he could, but 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 119 
 
 never interrupting him till his chain of argu- 
 ments was ended, which Berchmans would im- 
 mediately resume, would combat the answer, 
 expose its weak points, and crush it by the 
 mere force of intellect ; yet he did this without 
 raising his voice immoderately, and without 
 the slightest change of countenance. In fine, 
 his manner altogether proved how totally un- 
 conscious he was of his own superiority. When 
 it was his turn to defend a point, he maintained 
 throughout the discussion the utmost presence 
 of mind, enlivened however by a discreet and 
 graceful energy which delighted every one. 
 He was attentive to every word of the proposed 
 argument, subtle and prompt in giving his 
 solutions, clear and precise in defending the 
 opinions of his master., modest and reserved in 
 refuting those of his adversary, and thus gave 
 equal proofs of his virtue and of his capacity. 
 Both of these appeared in full lustre at his 
 examination in philosophy, which happily took 
 place on the day dedicated by the Church to 
 the festival of St. Joseph. He begged of this 
 great saint (the spouse of our Blessed Lady) to 
 be his protector, d!hd of this holy Mother, that 
 she would condescend to be his mediatrix with 
 her dear Son, in whom is "hidden all the 
 treasures of wisdom and science of the Eternal 
 Father." He added many penances to his 
 
120 THE LIFE 0F 
 
 prayer ; and, to omit nothing on his part which 
 might draw down the benedictions of Heaven, 
 he went to the father-rector, a moment or 
 two before the examination began, to beg his 
 blessing and prayers. The success answered 
 such holy dispositions. Nothing could surpass 
 the solidity and clearness with which he an- 
 swered the arguments of the fathers ; he satisfied* 
 them so completely, that they unanimously chose 
 him to maintain the whole course of philosophi- 
 cal disputations. He received this mark of their 
 consideration and esteem with the most sincere 
 conviction of his own unworthiness. And as 
 he had an extreme aversion for everything 
 which might bring him honor, he dreaded this 
 much, and felt himself strongly inspired in 
 prayer to refuse it, unless his confessor judged 
 that it might contribute to the glory of God. 
 His wise director listened to his reasons and 
 approved of his sentiments, but wished him to 
 undertake the task in a spirit of obedience, and 
 he discharged it in a manner which gained the 
 applause of the whole assembly. 
 
 He acquitted himself with the same success 
 in all his other duties, particularly in those 
 which were common to the young students of 
 the society. He looked upon his superiors as 
 the representatives of God to him, and those 
 rules which related to them were of such im- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 121 
 
 por tance in his sight, that he was as exact in 
 them as he was in those duties which referred 
 immediately to Almighty God Himself. This 
 impression inspired him with a filial veneration 
 for their persons and character, which made 
 him sometimes say that there would be little 
 merit in obeying, if the merit of obedience con- 
 sisted only in, the pain of receiving, or in the 
 difficulty of accomplishing, the orders given ; 
 that his duty in this respect had always been 
 conformable to his inclination ; that from the 
 moment he became a Jesuit, he had always con- 
 sidered as fathers those whom Providence had 
 assigned him for masters, and that consequently 
 he had never felt the least objection to them, 
 nor any difficulty in submitting to their will. 
 It is the practice in the Roman College for the 
 students in philosophy to serve a mass every 
 morning. The one which fell to Berchmans' 
 share was unusually long, and occupied a good 
 part of the time which was most proper for 
 study; yet he never had a thought to ask to 
 have it changed ; and when, after some time, a 
 change was made in the arrangement, it was 
 to desire Berchmans to serve the mass of a good 
 father whose infirmities made him unable to 
 appoint any fixed hour for the purpose ; conse- 
 quently he was liable to be called, now at one 
 hour, now at another, thus interfering sadly 
 
122 THE LIFE OF 
 
 with his time of study. The sacristan express- 
 ing his compassion at the inconvenience, " I de- 
 serve none, my dear brother," answered Berch- 
 mans, with his usual composure; "it can at 
 no time be troublesome to obey, more particu- 
 larly when we have the honor of serving at the 
 holy sacrifice of the mass." Animated with 
 these pious sentiments, he went daily to the 
 professed house, there to devote the morning to 
 this holy exercise, of which even angels may 
 be jealous, the manner in which he discharged 
 this -duty giving him a strong resemblance to 
 these celestial beings. His love of God con- 
 tinually drew him to the presence of the Bless 
 ed Sacrament ; he never lost an opportunity of 
 repairing thither to offer his respectful homage. 
 He was always glad when any of the fathers 
 called him to accompany them in their visits 
 to our different houses in the town, because 
 whilst they were arranging affairs, he took the 
 opportunity of retiring to the church; he was 
 however most punctual in being at the door 
 again at the moment which the father had ap- 
 pointed. It was a great pleasure to him to ac- 
 company those who were desired to catechise 
 in the public places; bat when he himself was 
 commissioned to do it, his joy was inexpressi- 
 bly great. Being one day ordered to go for 
 this pious purpose to a street near to the church 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 123 
 
 of our Lady on the Mount, he found a sort of 
 table surrounded by gamblers and other profli- 
 gate characters ; he wished to stand upon this 
 table that he might be more easily heard by 
 the crowd around ; but these rude men would 
 not allow it, and ordered him to go off' else- 
 where, applying at the same time the most in- 
 sulting epithets. Berchmans, with, great com- 
 posure, and without even a change of counte- 
 nance, entered the church of our Lady, where 
 he made a short prayer ; then returning to the 
 spot where he had left the gamblers, he stepped 
 upon the table in the midst of them all, no one 
 daring to oppose him, and began to preach as 
 usual. Scarcely had he uttered the first few 
 words, than (according to the prediction he 
 made to his companion a moment or two before) 
 these men surrounded him and listened with 
 the greatest attention till the instruction was 
 ended, which so touched their hearts, that they 
 threw down their dice and cards at the feet of 
 the holy young preacher, and conducted him 
 back with honor to the college doors. The art 
 of instructing the minds and moving the hearts 
 of his hearers, was so peculiar in Berchmans, 
 that, young as he was, he was charged with the 
 spiritual instruction of the servants. This 
 office was just suited to his own inclination, and 
 he acquitted himself of it so perfectly, that all 
 
12-i THE LIFE OF 
 
 of them well understood what they were obliged 
 to believe and practise for the perfection and 
 salvation of their souls. He induced them to 
 adopt the good custom of frequent confession, " 
 and that they might give general edification, he 
 made them communicate altogether at the same 
 mass with those of the house who were not yet 
 admitted to the priesthood, which communion 
 is given by the superior. This enlightened 
 man continually exercised the obedience and 
 humility of Berchmans; he took pleasure in 
 charging him with acts both of one and the 
 other; he received the orders with joy, and 
 practised them with alacrity. Being desired 
 to assist the spiritual father in taking care of 
 his room, he kept it so neat and clean, and 
 so well provided with the little conveniences 
 suited to a man of his years, and was besides 
 so quiet and so little importunate, that the good 
 father was quite delighted. Although his own 
 room was very scantily furnished, he loved it 
 tenderly, and might always be found in it, un- 
 less piety, obedience, or charity, called him 
 elsewhere. " I will love," said he, " this dear 
 cell ;" for he had learned from St. Bernard, 
 that God was to be found there no less than in 
 heaven; and that the true means to make a 
 Paradise of it, was to remain much in it. He 
 was careful whilst in it not to inconvenience 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 125 
 
 his companions: to whom, however, he gave 
 full liberty to do just as they pleased, assuring 
 them that nothing could give him greater 
 trouble than to feel that his presence imposed 
 any restraint upon them. His affability and 
 kind consideration made his companions all 
 eager to share his room with him ; not that it 
 was more convenient or more ornamented than 
 the rest ; on the contrary, it was the most plain 
 and unadorned of any, having barely the fur- 
 niture of the holy prophet's chamber. He 
 would have had a scruple to have admitted the 
 least ornament, and would have thought him- 
 self wanting in the spirit of poverty, had his 
 lodging been provided with everything conve- 
 nient. In compliance with this rule, he loved 
 poverty as he would have loved his own 
 mother, and was delighted to bear the marks 
 of it about his person, and in everything he 
 made use of, being more fearful of superfluity 
 than most persons are of wanting necessaries. 
 He had brought with him from Flanders a sash 
 of a somewhat finer texture than those usually 
 worn in the Eoman College ; he had no rest 
 until he had got rid of it. It was the same 
 with some engravings which had been given to 
 him: he placed them all in the hands of his 
 superiors, even those inscribed with the names 
 of the friends who had given them to him, fear 
 
126 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ful that if lie retained these small pledges of 
 affection, the perfect love of Jesus might there- 
 by suffer from a division of his heart, and that 
 strict poverty would likewise be infringed. 
 
 On one occasion that he was unable to ask the 
 father-rector's permission to give away a little 
 picture, the occasion seemed so pressing that he 
 presumed upon a tacit leave to dispose of it, 
 but scarcely had he done so than his conscience 
 became alarmed, and however good reason he 
 had to know that his superior approved of 
 what he had done, he most bitterly deplored 
 it to the end of his life; and that he might 
 never lose the recollection of it, he made a 
 memorandum of it in these words: "I once 
 gave away a picture without having previously 
 asked permission ;" so great was his delicacy of 
 conscience on this point. Two common paper 
 prints, one pasted on the wall, and the other 
 fixed upon his table, that it might always be 
 before his eyes when he studied, a wooden cross 
 blackened only with ink upon his praying-place, 
 and a rosary of the same description suspended 
 from his girdle, formed the catalogue of his 
 riches, or more properly, of his devotion. He 
 always chose the coarsest sort of paper for his 
 writings, and was careful to leave as small a 
 margin as he possibly could, and to write in 
 small characters ; for he considered these little 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 127 
 
 observances (which certain strong minds may 
 call absurd) as duties very dear and precious 
 to souls penetrated with the love of Jesus Christ 
 and of His holy poverty. His love of poverty 
 increased daily, from the desire he had to imi- 
 tate in all respects St. Aloysius Gonzaga. It 
 was this spirit that induced him to say, (after a 
 visit to Cardinal Bellarmine, when asked what 
 he would have done if his Eminence had of- 
 fered him a present,) " I should not have ac- 
 cepted it, and I am sure that this religious 
 prelate would not ha%ve been displeased. 7 ' This 
 remark of Berchmans' was afterwards related 
 to the cardinal, who quite approved of it, add- 
 ing, "It is just as Blessed Aloysius would 
 have answered and acted." Like this young 
 saint, Berchmans always sought the most hum- 
 ble offices ; he was ingenious in contriving how 
 they might fall to his share. To help in the 
 kitchen, wash the dishes, and sweep the house, 
 were the occupations most desired by his am- 
 bition. Being sent with some other students 
 to Frescati, to assist in the offices of Holy 
 Week, he arrived the first, and immediately 
 took up a broom to sweep and clean the house, 
 that all might be neat and ready for his com- 
 panions on their arrival. They had been over- 
 taken by a storm, and in consequence did not 
 reach Frescati till late; they were quite wet 
 
128 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and covered with mud. Berchmans exerted 
 himself to relieve their pitiful condition by 
 every means he could devise : he secretly car- 
 ried away their shoes, and having dried and 
 cleaned them he conveyed them to their cham- 
 bers ready for the morning. His dear brothers 
 noticing this office of charity, concluded imme- 
 diately that it was a holy contrivance of Berch- 
 mans ; they taxed him with it with a friendly 
 reproach, which he received in silence and with 
 a smile, leaving them as much edified by his 
 humility as by his charity. The practice of 
 these two virtues may be said to have been the 
 delight of his heart ; and as serving in the re- 
 fectory gave him the opportunity of exercising 
 both, he had a great devotion to this duty : be- 
 sides the two days every week which fell to his 
 share, he contrived by pious ingenuity to secure 
 two others, so that by some means or other, 
 scarcely a day passed without his serving at 
 table, and then nothing escaped his vigilance ; 
 his strict modesty did not prevent him from 
 serving and providing for all. There was no 
 one who was not pleased with the manner he 
 discharged this duty, the father-rector more so 
 than any one; nevertheless, thinking that he 
 was burthened with it too often, he desired him 
 to be content with serving when his day came. 
 Berchmans, still more submissive than fervent, 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 129 
 
 or to speak more correetly, judging that there 
 could be no true fervor without submission, 
 received the order without reply, and fulfilled 
 it with his usual exactness. There was no 
 action, however holy, which he would not aban- 
 don for the sake of obedience. Amongst nu- 
 merous proofs of this religious spirit, one was 
 continually observed and admired, though tri- 
 fling in itself. When he had finished serving, 
 he generally paid a little visit to the Blessed 
 Sacrament, between the first and second table ; 
 it frequently happened that he was scarcely 
 upon his knees than the bell rang for the 
 second table ; he arose immediately, preferring 
 the accomplishment of the Divine will, intimated 
 by the sound of the bell, to the satisfaction he 
 would have had in sweet communication with 
 his Saviour. Under any other consideration, 
 quitting the church for the refectory would 
 have given him great pain; indeed, nothing 
 could make eating and drinking supportable to 
 him but obedience, and the opportunity it gave 
 him of mortifying himself. 
 
 Besides this abstemious diet, which has been 
 already noticed, he had many other pious peni- 
 tential practices ; particularly prostrating to kiss 
 the feet of his brethren, which he always did 
 with evident consolation of soul. No one could 
 see him in this pious exercise without emotion; 
 9 
 
130 THE LIFE OF 
 
 he was not content to kiss their feet, he pressed 
 them to his lips, and seemed as if he wished 
 to imprint his heart upon them. Father Oepari, 
 the rector, declares this of him, adding, that he 
 could not cause him a greater joy than to ap- 
 point him to the most humiliating offices. It 
 was a great pleasure to our fervent young Jesuit 
 to collect the fragments left upon the dinner- 
 tables, and distribute them amongst the poor : 
 the cheerfulness with which he executed these 
 and similar commissions, appeared even upon 
 his countenance. 
 
 To clean and arrange the lamps was the 
 occupation he coveted, on account of its many 
 inconveniences: it was doubly precious to him, 
 because Blessed Aloysius had previously exer- 
 cised it in the same house and in the same cir- 
 cumstances, with great edification to all. Berch- 
 mans, who made it a pious duty to walk in the 
 footsteps of his youthful patron, procured this 
 office (like him) through his own earnest entrea- 
 ties, and discharged it with the same exactitude. 
 We may add by way of remark, that it was no 
 easy employment in the Eoman College, where 
 the lamps were so numerous, to keep them clean 
 and well furnished; to light them and extin- 
 guish them, especially in the depth of winter, 
 required a great deal of time and care. He 
 never failed in the least point of so unpleasant 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 131 
 
 a duty, arranging them daily, even those which 
 were only used for diversion in the country. 
 Early in the morning he did part of them before 
 he began his studies; and in the evening he 
 made his rounds, in order to complete what he 
 had before been obliged to leave unfinished. 
 Never had been seen better order or more 
 cleanliness in an office where it is so difficult to 
 preserve either. The superior wished to take 
 it from him, perceiving his hands swollen, and 
 his fingers frozen by the cold of winter, which 
 though of shorter duration in Eome, is not less 
 severe there than elsewhere ; but Berchmans 
 was so urgent in his solicitations to continue it, 
 that the superior could not persist in depriving 
 him of this opportunity of suffering for Jesus 
 Christ. The frost that year was so intense that 
 his face was parched, and in a manner excoria- 
 ted by it. "What have you been doing to 
 yourself, my dear brother?" said one of the 
 older fathers, who met him in this pitiable con- 
 dition, and suppose he had done it for mortifica- 
 tion. " Pardon me, Eeverend Father," answered 
 the disciple of a crucified Jesus, " I have done 
 nothing to put myself in this state, but even if 
 I had, I am sure your Eeverence would not be 
 displeased that I should bear some marks of 
 the mortification of our Divine Master." Still 
 more profoundly engraven in his heart were 
 
132 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the sentiments of deep humility, which the 
 same Divine Lord taught him so affectionately 
 to love. Founded upon the principle of which 
 we have already spoken, that he had been 
 received into the society from pure charity, he 
 felt bound to conduct himself as a servant to 
 them all : he always looked upon them as his 
 masters, and this humble idea, which was 
 never effaced from his mind, nourished in him 
 an utter contempt and disregard of self, with 
 the highest esteem and respect for all his 
 brothers. His upright mind recoiled at the 
 least symptom of flattery, which generally 
 wounds truth in the person who offers it, and 
 humility in the person who receives it. When 
 any of his companions were particularly success- 
 ful in their public dissertations, he did not load 
 them with complimentary congratulations, espe- 
 cially in the presence of others, and his reasons 
 for it were, that he must either praise all, or be 
 silent with respect to some. "How," said he, 
 " to praise all, exposes me to the danger of false- 
 hood; to praise but a few, may be painful to 
 the rest ; silence shelters me from both these 
 inconveniences." Moreover his caution did not 
 lead him into the opposite extreme, so much 
 the more dangerous as being liable to destroy 
 the best feelings of charity. We allude to those 
 criticising, self-sufficient minds, who think 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 133 
 
 nothing good but what they do themselves. 
 No one imputed anything of this spirit to the 
 reserve of Berchmans ; it was too well under- 
 stood, and was besides, accompanied by a smile 
 and look of such sincere approbation and 
 pleasure, that though his tongue were silent, 
 everything in him seemed to speak and declare 
 the satisfaction he felt at the success of these 
 dear brothers: his prudent conduct in their 
 regard was ever animated and ruled by the 
 most perfect charity. 
 
 It remains for us now to observe his conduct 
 towards God, and his constant spirit of devotion, 
 which led him to the most exact accomplish- 
 ment of all the duties of his holy state. Devo- 
 tion is nothing else than a fixed purpose of soul, 
 which carries her with promptitude to accom- 
 plish all that Grod requires, and more particu- 
 larly all that relates more immediately to His 
 own divine service. It is frequently confounded 
 with a certain spiritual tenderness sometimes 
 experienced in spiritual duties. Berchmans 
 carefully distinguished devotion from sensibili- 
 ty, and was quite content to love God without 
 seeking to enjoy the sweetness of His love. A 
 Jesuit did not appear to him deserving of pity, 
 merely because he was deprived of sensible 
 devotion ; but truly deplorable is he who pos- 
 sesses not true devotion. " It is the soul of a 
 
134 THE LIFE OF 
 
 memoer of the societ}^" said he with great 
 animation; "without it, vain will be all his 
 studies, preachings, and labors : never will he 
 do anything worthy of God, but with it he will 
 do wonders, even though his talents should 
 not surpass mediocritj^" Penetrated with these 
 sentiments, he earnestly begged it of Almighty 
 God, neglecting nothing on his part that could 
 enable him to acquire it. He labored particu- 
 larly in his spiritual exercises, to enkindle 
 this sacred fire, nourishing its flame by holy 
 thoughts, and fortifying it by the practice of 
 severe penitential austerities. He regularly 
 took the discipline three or four times a week 
 even unto blood. In addition to a kind of fast 
 prescribed by the rule on all Friday s r he fastened 
 upon Saturdays also in honor of his dear Mo- 
 ther, our Blessed Lady, and wore a very rough 
 hair-shirt. Had it depended upon him, he would 
 have gone much further in this respect, but 
 his superiors, having more consideration for the 
 weakness of his constitution than for the fervor 
 of his soul, obliged him to moderate his austeri- 
 ties; judging moreover, that his manner of 
 life, which was one continued recollection 
 joined to an incessant application, was of itself 
 a severe mortification, more likely to reduce 
 and debilitate him than any penances. To sup- 
 ply the deficiency of these, of which he had so 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEBCHMANS. 135 
 
 ardent a thirst, he was careful to lose none of 
 those which Providence placed in his way, es- 
 teeming them as highly as he would if some 
 precious relics of the holy cross had been pre- 
 sented to him ; differing widely from those who 
 pursue the mortifications which are forbidden 
 them, and neglect such as are prescribed them, 
 showing clearly by the irregularity of their 
 conduct, that they seek less to mortify their 
 self-will than to indulge it in their mortifica- 
 tions. Berchmans' vigilance was incessant, 
 that he might let slip no opportunity of curb- 
 ing and destroying his own will ; and what self- 
 love does in imperfect souls by making them 
 seek their own pleasure and comfort, divine 
 love did in him by inducing him to do every- 
 thing that was contrary to his own inclination. 
 He was ingenious in the art of self-tormenting, 
 or at least of depriving himself of natural con- 
 veniences. Whether he was seated to read, or 
 kneeling to pray, he never supported himself 
 either upon his table or oratory ; he considered 
 that his lecture would have been less merito- 
 rious, and his prayer less respectful, if he had 
 sought in either a comfortable position. When- 
 ever he was spared on one point, he took care 
 to make up for it some other way. The weak- 
 ness of his chest did not allow him to read at 
 table in the large refectory of the Eoman Col 
 
136 THE LIFE OF 
 
 logo. lie looked upon this indulgence on the 
 part of his superiors as a great loss to him; to 
 compensate him in some manner for it, he ob- 
 tained their permission to go and read to the 
 sick in the infirmaries at certain hours of the 
 day ; this was to him a sweet recreation, nor 
 did he ever desire any other. 
 
 The half hour which is allowed at the end of 
 recreation to those who have been employed in 
 serving at table, or in washing dishes, was 
 always devoted by Berchmans to this spiritual 
 reading. When at Frescati, during the long 
 vacations, he gave an hour at least toit: for 
 the diversions would have been tedious to him, 
 if he had not divided his time between the 
 amusements of his companions, and his much 
 more delightful entertainments with God. 
 "When in the country he formed a kind of spir- 
 itual desert in his interior, out of which obe- 
 dience called him from time to time to recreate 
 himself with his dear brothers, but to which he 
 retired again as soon as possible, to enjoy in 
 silence his sweet intercourse with his heavenly 
 Father. It was thus he sanctified his recreation 
 days, in which piety had far the greater share. 
 Careful as he was to spend them in devotion, 
 they seemed to him too distracting and dissi- 
 pating to allow of his approaching the Author 
 of Grace by holy communion; and however 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMÀNS. 137 
 
 ardent his desires might be, lie did not think 
 that he could bring to it that recollection of 
 mind which so holy an action deserves, particu- 
 larly as he had not the entire morning at his 
 own disposal to consecrate to it. When it hap- 
 pened (as it occasionally did) that his devotion 
 could be gratified on this point, his admiring 
 companions were careful to do nothing that 
 could disturb his calm serenity of soul, leaving 
 him full liberty to enjoy the delights of his 
 Heavenly Guest, contenting themselves with 
 the share he gave them in his fervent prayer ; 
 they did the same for him on similar occasions, 
 and in this charitable alliance, which St. Basil 
 terms a commerce of piety, he begged they 
 would obtain for him of our Lord grace to ad 
 vance in the science of the saints, and to grow 
 strong in health and in doctrine, if it were to 
 the greater glory of God. He made this dis- 
 tinction between the first of these favors and 
 the two last, that he absolutely desired and 
 sought the former; and the others, only on 
 condition that he should make a holy use of 
 them, devoting them to the good of souls and 
 the glory of his Creator ; which proves how 
 near and dear to his heart were the interests of 
 Almighty God. 
 
 Dead to everything else, he led, according to 
 the maxim of St. Paul, life hidden in God with 
 
133 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Jesus Christ, being interiorly occupied with 
 His divine mysteries, and ever disposed to con- 
 template His sovereign greatness. Not that the 
 humble young man affected any extraordinary 
 methods of prayer, for esteeming himself un- 
 worthy of the lowest rank before God, he held 
 himself profoundly annihilated at the foot of 
 the throne of this Sovereign Majesty. Like a 
 true son of St. Ignatius, he diligently studied 
 the manner of prayer, of which this great 
 master of spiritual life has traced such excel- 
 lent rules, observing even the least of them 
 with most scrupulous fidelity ; in fact, his ex- 
 actitude could not possibly be greater, and in 
 recompense our Lord raised him to a most sub- 
 lime degree of prayer. Every night he pre- 
 pared his meditation for the following morning, 
 arranging the points and the principal affec- 
 tions to be excited ; he repassed all this in his 
 memory just before he fell asleep, and recalled 
 them to mind the moment he woke. As soon 
 as he arose, he fell upon his knees to offer 
 homage and thanksgiving to his Creator. This 
 first action of the day was performed prostrate 
 before that poor cross which has been already 
 mentioned in alluding to his love of poverty; 
 he kissed it with tender devotion, and amor- 
 ously adored this God of goodness, to whose 
 passion he was so sensibly devoted. His love 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 139 
 
 was testified by inflamed sighs, which burst 
 from his heart as soon as his companions had 
 left the room. Surprised in these transports of 
 devotion by one of them who had remained in 
 the room unperceived by Berchmans, he was 
 confounded that any other than Almighty Grod 
 should have witnessed his emotion, and resolved 
 in future to be so careful and watchful, that 
 nothing should exteriorly appear to indicate 
 those favors which our Divine Lord was pleased 
 to operate in his soul. However, notwithstand- 
 ing all his vigilance, there were moments when 
 he was no longer master of himself; and then 
 praying in the company of others, he could not 
 conceal the sacred fire which inflamed him; 
 he could neither suppress his sighs, nor certain 
 ardent expressions of love, which, in spite of 
 himself, betrayed the secret of his heart. These 
 exterior marks of his vehement love, far from 
 troubling those who were praying with him, 
 served to recal them to most profound recollec- 
 tion ; and, as if the charity of their holy brother 
 had become common to all, they owned that how- 
 ever cold or tepid they had previously felt, 
 -they then became animated by an extraordinary 
 fervor, and penetrated with a holy unction most 
 consoling to them. At the conclusion of his 
 prayer (which he could with difficulty force 
 himself to quit) he arose, and repeatedly kissed 
 
14:0 THE LIFE OF 
 
 a picture of our Blessed Lady holding the 
 Divine Infant in lier arms, intending to show 
 by this action the desire he had to leave his 
 heart at the sacred feet of Jesus and Mary. It 
 is not surprising that he was thus affectionately 
 devoted to them; he received from them an 
 abundance of graces and consolations, which 
 seemed to increase as the end of his life drew 
 nigh ; for about eight months before his death 
 (on Saturday, the 18th of December, 1620), it 
 was, as he himself acknowledged, like a flood 
 of peace, the most delicious peace, which our 
 Lord infused into his soul ; the sweet effects of 
 it were perceived by all who had the happiness 
 of conversing with him ; and they unanimously 
 declared that the w^ords of the servant of God, 
 at this period of his life, impressed on their 
 hearts sentiments of most tender devotion. 
 
 Although these feelings of consolation and 
 sweet sensibility of soul were very frequent at 
 this time, their current did not flow so uni- 
 formly, but that the spring seemed occasionally 
 to be dried up. From time to time he suffered 
 the most distressing aridity of soul, which 
 obliged him to exclaim with holy David, u Ee- 
 store to me, O Lord the joy of Thy Holy 
 Spirit;" and " Let a ray of Thy light shine on 
 my soul, and the cloud shall be dissipated." 
 He endured these bitter privations with most 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 141 
 
 perfect resignation, and however painful they 
 might be to him, his fervor, like his submis- 
 sion, was uniform and constant. Faithful to 
 God under these trials, he advanced as rapidly 
 in the way of perfection when Providence 
 planted thorns in his path, as he did when it 
 was strewed with flowers ; and notwithstanding 
 the obscurity caused in his soul by the absence 
 of the Sun of Justice, the same calm repose 
 reigned there as if it were illumined by the 
 brilliant rays of joy. Moreover this obscurity 
 was seldom of long duration : a soul so pure 
 would soon discern its God amidst the thickest 
 gloom, and this generally occurred during the 
 days of his retreat, more especially in the retreat 
 made by the students at the termination of the 
 scholastic year ; and then the Holy Ghost find- 
 ing him totally disengaged from every other 
 study but the science of the saints, communi- 
 cated Himself to him with such a profusion of 
 graces, and so enlightened his mind, that He 
 seemed almost to open heaven to him, and sub- 
 mit to his view the Eternal Truth divested of all 
 shade or cloud, and encompassed by majesty and 
 beauty. During these seasons of spiritual abund- 
 ance he provided himself (according to his own 
 remark) with all that could be necessary against 
 a day of sterility ; so that nothing should be 
 wanting to him during the whole ensuing year, 
 
142 THE LIFE OF 
 
 owing to the gracious liberality of our Divine 
 Lord. One thing that helped materially to sus- 
 tain his devotion, was his frequent practice of 
 visiting the Blessed Sacrament. We have al- 
 ready remarked, that, like a faithful courtier, he 
 was assiduous in rendering homage to his hea- 
 venly King : his ordinary custom was to visit 
 Him six or seven times a day at least, besides 
 the extraordinary visits from time to time when 
 he found more leisure, especially during any 
 public diversions, from which this tender favor- 
 ite of our Lord would steal away, to go in secret 
 and spiritually recreate himself with the beloved 
 Friend of his soul. The most delicious pleasure 
 to him in this world was found at the eucharistie 
 table ; and his most ardent desire was to approach 
 it frequently. This heavenly manna created in 
 his soul an appetite that w^as ever on the in- 
 crease, and produced effects which were evident 
 to all. The same happened to him with regard 
 to this spiritual nourishment, that the corporal 
 appetite experiences when left too long without 
 support : in proportion as the day of one com- 
 munion passed, he longecl for the arrival of the 
 next; and when a festival happened to fall upon 
 a Sunday, he would say to his companions with 
 a deep sigh, " Ah, my brothers, what a loss for 
 us ! we shall now be deprived of a communion ;" 
 and unless some feast occurred in the week, he 
 

 BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 143 
 
 always implored leave to make an extra com- 
 munion, in order to supply the deficiency. His 
 superior never refused him this satisfaction, 
 being too glad to assist his devotion by all pos- 
 sible means. Whilst enjoying the presence of 
 his Saviour, he was so penetrated therewith, 
 that he could with difficulty be roused to a sense 
 of what was passing around ; nor could he, with- 
 out effort, be drawn from the spot where he 
 knelt to make his thanksgiving. His feelings 
 were much the same when, after spending some 
 time in the chureh, he was obliged to quit it : 
 his companion usually found it necessary to 
 shake him several times, to arouse him from 
 this sort of mystic slumber, which entranced 
 him and suspended every other thought and 
 feeling which was not connected with the loved 
 Spouse of his soul. It would be impossible that 
 Berchmans, so filled with the love of Jesus, 
 should not most tenderly love His holy Mother. 
 His devotion to her had been imbibed in early 
 infancy ; even then he consecrated himself en- 
 tirely to her service. That he might have more 
 liberty to make her the ordinary subject of his 
 conversation, he made open profession of belong- 
 ing to her. " Yes, I am wholly her's," would 
 he say with most lively affection, " and I will 
 remain her's to the last breath of life :" then 
 amorously addressing himself to this august 
 
144 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Queen, fa e added, " You are my dearest patroness; 
 the patroness of my soul, of my studies, of my 
 salvation, and of my perfection. I depend in 
 all things on your maternal goodness, and here 
 will I repose with the confidence of a child.' 7 
 He addressed himself to her at the beginning 
 of every action ; and as he considered recrea- 
 tion to be one of the most dangerous duties, he 
 always went to her altar to recommend it to 
 her particular care. One day that he was led 
 off by three or four of his companions, who were 
 eager to secure the pleasure of conversing with 
 him, he forgot this little preparatory visit for 
 some minutes ; but no sooner did he recollect 
 himself than, interrupting the discourse, he 
 begged their permission to go and pay his ac- 
 customed respects to his dear mother. To this 
 they willingly assented ; and on his return, after 
 satisfying his devotion, he took the opportunity 
 of speaking highly in her honor. He made it a 
 rule to say the rosary in the chapel dedicated to 
 her, as well as other prayers, which he called 
 the flowers destined for a spiritual bouquet, to 
 be presented to her on her festivals. lie com- 
 pared his beads to a happy chain, which bound 
 him to the Queen of Angels: he wore it fas- 
 tened to his girdle during the day, and round 
 his arm in the night, though for the last year 
 of his life he wore it round his neck. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 145 . 
 
 About this time lie thought of a devotion 
 which delighted Cardinal Bellarmine. This 
 zealous servant of Mary, always ardent in 
 honoring the mystery of the Immaculate Con- 
 ception, was not content with believing it from 
 the bottom of his heart, (not doubting for a 
 moment but that God had thus pre-eminently 
 distinguished her,) but he made an express vow, 
 that if he were ever capable of writing a work 
 fit for publication, that should be the subject of 
 it; and until his capacity should be equal to 
 this, he promised to defend the truth of it by 
 all the means in his power. It was in the follow- 
 ing terms that he made this engagement, which 
 was found in his own hand- writing amongst his 
 papers after his decease: " Holy Mary, Mother 
 of God, in the presence of your dear Son, whom 
 I believe to be truly present in the most holy 
 Sacrament of the altar, I promise to Him and 
 to you that I will ever believe and defend, to 
 the end of my life, the truth of your Immacu- 
 late Conception. Accept this promise from 
 John Berchmans, most unworthy son of the 
 Society of Jesus." The paper containing this 
 promise was placed by Berchmans in the hand 
 of an image of our Blessed Lady. When this 
 circumstance was related to the learned and 
 pious cardinal, he exclaimed with great emotion, 
 "0 dear child of Mary! O precious engage- 
 10 
 
146 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ment, worthy of the mother and of the Son! 
 She only can have inspired him with this noble 
 gn. Xo doubt she desired that this saintly 
 young man should join his testimony to that 
 which so many illustrious persons have given 
 of her Immaculate Conception." 
 
 Berchmans lost no opportunity of honoring 
 his holy mother. When he went to Frescati, to 
 enjoy the benefit of country air with his fellow- 
 students, he seemed only to be there that he 
 might spend the time in a solemn octave dedi- 
 cated to her honor, and to engrave the love of 
 her more deeply in the hearts of his dear broth- 
 ers. As soon as they were out of Borne, and 
 had finished the Itinerary, he always recited 
 the office of our Blessed Lady ; and the praises 
 which he there found, drawn from scripture and 
 from the Fathers, furnished ample subject of 
 entertainment for these her zealous servants, 
 who were never weary of discoursing upon the 
 excellences and grandeur of their divine Mis- 
 tress. Berchmans was never at a loss upon 
 this cherished theme, so that when the memory 
 of others seemed exhausted, love kept his per- 
 petually replenished ; so that it was frequently 
 remarked of him, that- he seemed to have read 
 everything, and to have forgotten nothing, that 
 related to the honor and praise of the Mother 
 of God. The church dedicated to her at Grotta 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEECHMAXS. 147 
 
 Ferrata was the usual term of his walk. He 
 held this place in singular veneration ; first, 
 because our Blessed Lady is especially honored 
 there; and secondly, because it was miraculously 
 built by St. Nilus, assisted hj his companion, 
 St. Bartholomew: on this account both these 
 saints are honored in the Farnesian chapel. 
 We need not detail a thousand other practices 
 of devotion, of which he acquitted himself with 
 most constant fidelity, particularly upon Satur- 
 day, which was very dear to him, because con- 
 secrated to the Queen of Angels: moreover he 
 had been born on that day, was received into 
 the society on it, and, as it afterwards happened, 
 he was buried on a Saturday. Several times 
 in the day he recited this sentence, "I desire 
 and resolve to love Mary, and will never rest 
 until I obtain from our Lord a tender love of 
 His most holy mother." Whenever he had 
 any particularly important favor to beg of her, 
 he used to write it upon paper, together with a 
 promise to recite certain praj^ers, or perform 
 some mortification in her honor : then he fasten- 
 ed this paper to an image of her, and thus 
 recommended the success of his affair. The 
 Mother of God seemed pleased with the confi- 
 dence and simplicity of heart of this her favo- 
 rite child, and generally granted what was so 
 filially asked of her. 
 
148 THE LIFE OF 
 
 He was not content with loving lier only. 
 He revered all who were connected with her. 
 St. Ann, her blessed mother, and St. Joseph, 
 her holy spouse, were of this number, particu- 
 larly the latter ; not only as being head otf the 
 holy family, and as such foster-father and 
 guardian of the Incarnate Word, but more 
 especially because he considered him the per- 
 fect model of a hidden life, aiifa this had great 
 charms for our holy Berchmans. So devoted 
 was he to this privileged patriarch, that he col- 
 lected in writing whatever he met with in books 
 relating to the singular favors conferred upon 
 him by Heaven, and also the numerous miracles 
 which had been wrought through his interces- 
 sion. He declared that from the time he had 
 chosen him to be his advocate, he had never 
 asked anything in his name without obtaining it. 
 His devotion towards his angel guardian w^as 
 not less tender and confiding. St. John the 
 Evangelist was one of his favorite patrons ; he 
 honored St. Ignatius and St. Francis Xavier as 
 the fathers of his soul, whilst he loved St. 
 Stanislaus and St. Aloysius as his most dear and 
 holy brothers. His affection for the latter was 
 strengthened by a feeling of gratitude, for he 
 considered himself indebted to St. Aloysius for 
 the grace of his vocation in consequence of 
 having read his Life, and he was persuaded 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 149 
 
 that it could be only by the imitation of his 
 virtues and by the power of his intercession that 
 he himself could hope to attain to sanctity. 
 He repaired very frequently to the little chapel 
 where the relics of this saint were deposited, 
 and there-most earnestly begged to be animated 
 by the same spirit of fervor and devotion. The 
 praises of this young saint were ever in his 
 mouth, and the desire of imitating him was 
 ever in his heart. In this he succeeded so per- 
 fectly, that St. Aloysius never had a more 
 faithful copy than John Berchmans. This 
 opinion of him was universal in Borne, especial- 
 ly amongst the Jesuits, who had had the oppor- 
 tunity of knowing both St. Aloysius and Berch- 
 mans. In fact, one of our most distinguished 
 fathers openly expressed as much on the cele- 
 brated occasion of translating the body of the 
 former ; for accompanying the solemn proces- 
 sion then made, Father Theodore Buseus, seeing 
 Berchmans pass along, made this remark: 
 " Behold the living image of Aloysius Gonzaga !" 
 A few months after this solemnity Berchmans 
 entered upon the last year of his life. Like 
 those which had preceded it, he spent it in the 
 exercise of all virtues, especially of charity, 
 which he considered the chief of all, and the 
 one which was to crown all the rest. He could 
 speak of nothing but of charity ; he made it the 
 
150 THE LIFE OF 
 
 subject of his particular examen. Amongst all 
 his writings of that period, scarcely a page 
 occurs without these two words, "Charity, 
 charity. 17 Such was the disposition of mind of 
 this servant of God, when Divine Providence 
 was pleased to withdraw him from this world, 
 where he had been left sufficiently long to serve 
 as a model to young persons of his age and 
 state. We have seen in the two first books of 
 this history, what the novices and students of 
 the society should do to live well, it remains to 
 show in the next what both must do in order to 
 die well. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 151 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 With respect to death, how different are the 
 dispositions of the just and those of sinners! 
 It deprives the latter of the goods of this life, 
 without promising them the blessings of the 
 next. Even when contemplated at a distance 
 it occasions regret, but as it approaches they 
 are seized with alarm, which often degenerates 
 into despair. The saints, on the contrary, ex- 
 pected it with tranquillity and receive it with 
 joy, because it is the beginning of their felicity 
 and the end of their sorrows. With this im- 
 pression, St. Bernard, tracing the portrait of a 
 faithful soul, concludes with this remark : " He 
 lives with patience. He dies with pleasure." 
 Patience sustains him during life, which sepa- 
 rating him as it does from the God whom he 
 loves, cannot be otherwise than distasteful to 
 him. Death overwhelms him with joy, because 
 it unites him to the Object of his happiness, 
 and secures him the possession of it for ever. 
 This portrait of the just man was never more 
 literally verified than in our holy young Jesuit. 
 It is certain he was attached to nothing in this 
 
159 THE LIFE OF 
 
 world, his treasure as in heaven : t: 
 
 - more painful to him than d 
 s, however great his motives might- 
 be for desiring death rather than life 
 1 the former and supported the latter 
 . qua! tranquillity of soul ; willing : - 
 a and willing to depart as it might pk g .- 
 Almighty God, whose will regulated all his 
 desires. This was the true state of his soul, as 
 he acknowledged to one of our most spiritual 
 fathers, to whom he was in the habit of speak- 
 ing without reserve. "Yon are young/ 1 said 
 this father to him," and according to human 
 : ..ranees, you have many years of life before 
 you: but if it should please God to abridge 
 their course, and send you an early summons, 
 what would yon say?" "I should say that 
 God showed me great goodness," replied Berch- 
 mans, "in thus shortening the term of my 
 exile, by calling me to my true country." 
 " What!" said one of his companions, who, 
 though nearly of his own age, was by no means 
 as indiffèrent upon the subject, :i what, would 
 you be content to die so young:*' "What 
 matters it," replied Berchmans, "whether we 
 die young or old, provided that by dyin_ 
 perform the will of God ? In fact, my dear 
 brother, would it not be a great happiness for 
 us to be removed fire :rld where we are 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 153 
 
 constantly in danger of offending the God whom 
 we love, and to be placed in the happy home 
 where we shall be certain of never displeasing 
 Him? 1 ' " What you say is all very good," 
 observed his faithful friend; "the advantage 
 of dying young is very evident, I allow, but to 
 enjoy this consolation, we must have deserved 
 it by a very fervent life, and who can flatter him- 
 self of this ?" " No one," answered the servant 
 of God. " We must on our part labor with cour- 
 age, and then expect all from God, who is good 
 and faithful. His grace supports us, and His 
 mercy crowns us. I confide in the first to live 
 well, and in the latter to die well." His com- 
 panion wishing to press him still further upon 
 the subject, remarked, " Now if it were neces- 
 sary to undertake the voyage of eternity imme- 
 diately, should you be walling to do so?" 
 " Truly," answered Berchmans ; " if the choice 
 depended upon myself, I should be glad to make 
 the spiritual exercises by way of preparation ; 
 but if our Lord decided otherwise, I am quite 
 ready to clo His will ; and if at this moment that I 
 speak to you, He should demand my soul, I could 
 surrender it very willingly into His divine 
 hands." These w r ere the sentiments of the fol- 
 lower of "the Lamb," who came into the 
 world not to do His own, but His Father's will. 
 A remark somewhat similar to the above was 
 
154 THE LIFK 0? 
 
 made by him to the celebrated Father Strada, 
 who was both touched and edified by it. This 
 Jesuit (so well known for his History of the 
 
 oish War) being in Rome, chose our young 
 Fleming for his companion when visiting the 
 church of St. Mary Major, and perceiving that 
 the thought of death occupied the mind of his 
 young associate, he took the opportunity of 
 noticing the great happiness of religious, the 
 greater number of whom die with tranquillity 
 and content; "And to speak of those of the 
 society." said Father Strada. " I have seen 
 many among them die in sentiments of most 
 
 ;-: and holy confidence. Ah. may I. like 
 them, die the death of the just!" "You have 
 a right, my dear Reverend Father." immediately 
 rejoined Berchmans, " to desire the death of the 
 just, having led the life of one for so many 
 years; as for myself, who have not this advan- 
 tage, I must begin by desiring to live the life 
 of the just, that I may be able later to hope to 
 die like them." Strada received this answer as 
 a caution sent him from Heaven; and through 
 these expressions, so honorable to himself, and 
 at the same time humiliating to Berchmans. he 
 discerned a solid truth, which struck his mind 
 and remained for ever engraven there. He ad- 
 mired the innocence and candor of the person 
 employed by Divine Providence to inspire irim 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 155 
 
 with sentiments of a more elevated sanctity ; 
 and afterwards effects proved that Berchmans 
 had not spoken as a man of this world. In 
 truth, his body only belonged to it ; his heart 
 was already with his desires ; and all his desires 
 were in heaven with Jesus Christ, the only love 
 of his soul; with St. Paul, he passionately, de- 
 sired to be united with Jesus, so that we may 
 say, he languished rather than lived here below. 
 Our Lord had compassion upon the state of 
 violence to which these holy transports reduced 
 him. He heard his desires, and distinctly inti- 
 mated to him that He designed shortly to call 
 him to Himself. This occurred on the last day 
 of July, on which is celebrated the feast of St. 
 Ignatius, founder of the society. In the distri- 
 bution of suffrages for the ensuing month, this 
 sentence fell to Berchmans' share, " Watch and 
 pray, for ye know not the hour when the Lord 
 will come." These words, taken from the third 
 chapter of St. Mark's Gospel, struck him most 
 forcibly, and seemed to him to be a warning 
 from the Holy Ghost that his end was approach- 
 ing. He proceeded immediately to Father 
 Francis Piccolomini, his dear master, to com- 
 municate the happy news to him, and he also 
 mentioned it to his companions, so that it was 
 soon spread through the Roman College, and 
 caused many different impressions. Some 
 
156 THE LIFE OF 
 
 looked upon the assertion of the holy young 
 man less as a prediction than as the expression 
 of his desires ; others feared it would prove to 
 be too true. 
 
 A short time sufficed to convince all of its 
 reality, for scarcely had five days elapsed, be- 
 fore he fell ill on the day dedicated to the feast 
 of our Lady ad Xives; so that the first notice 
 of his death seems to have been given by his 
 holy father St. Ignatius ; and the second, by our 
 Blessed Lady, his incomparable mother. His 
 malady began by diarrhoea, which he neglected, 
 as he generally did all his indispositions. So 
 little did he apprehend the consequences, that 
 he accompanied his associates to the country- 
 house, as usual, it being a recreation day. The 
 pleasure he felt in sharing their spiritual enter- 
 tainments made him almost forget his indispo- 
 sition ; and all idea of it seemed banished, when 
 after dinner he joined Father Octavius Loren- 
 zini, to whose wonderfel piety was added an 
 intimate acquaintance with the history of the 
 society. The hour they spent together seerned 
 scarcely longer than a moment to Berchmans, 
 who had been delighted by hearing this learned 
 father describe the birth and progress of the 
 society, with the lives of the first Jesuits who 
 so much honored it, and the zeal of those fer- 
 vent missionaries who had already carried the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 157 
 
 name of Jesus to the extremities of the world. 
 All that he heard from this father, distinguished 
 for talent and sanctity, filled with him joy, and 
 shed over his soul a holy unction, which continued 
 throughout that whole day. On the morrow 
 he was desired to go with a young man of his 
 own age, and be present at the disputations in 
 philosophy which were held in the Greek Col- 
 lege. A certain doctor, who had been invited 
 to open the session, having been from some 
 cause or other hindered from attending, Berch- 
 mans was so urgently pressed to supply his place, 
 that, notwithstanding his reiterated excuses, 
 the unanimous voice of the assembly over- 
 powered his modest diffidence, and obliged him 
 to open the argument, w^hich he did with so 
 much grace, dignity, and modesty, that the 
 audience, charmed with seeing and hearing him, 
 suffered him to continue speaking a whole hour 
 without interruption. There can be no doubt 
 but this exertion must have contributed to over- 
 heat his blood, however great his moderation 
 in speaking may have been. Moreover, in order 
 to reach the scene of discussion in time, he was 
 obliged to take a long walk during the greatest 
 heat of the day; at all events, the following 
 night was a painful one; a fever, added to his 
 previous malady, allowed him no repose ; never- 
 theless, his courage led him to rise at the or- 
 
1^8 THE LITE OF 
 
 dinary hour; he discharged all his duties, and 
 passed the morning without speaking of his 
 sufferings ; he feared to lose the merit of them 
 if disclosed before necessity compelled it, and 
 as yet that necessity did not appear sufficiently 
 pressing. It is the practice of the true servants 
 of a crucified Jesus, to conceal their crosses as 
 much as they can, lest the relief and compassion 
 caused by their exposure, should deprive them 
 of the honor and pleasure of enduring them. 
 It was in vain that our fervent invalid, (in con- 
 formity with these heroic sentiments,) struggled 
 against nature ; his illness became so evident, 
 that he could no longer conceal it, fearing, I 
 will not say the risk of life, which he cared 
 very little to preserve, but a failing in obe- 
 dience, which was far more precious to him 
 than life, the rule requiring that when the 
 Jesuits feel their health notably impaired, they 
 give information of it to proper authority. This 
 consideration induced Berchmans about mid- 
 day to seek the father-rector, and frankly ac- 
 knowledge his indisposition. There was no 
 need of his speaking for this purpose; the 
 superior saw it immediately in his pale and 
 worn countenance, and desired him to go with- 
 out delay to the infirmary. The true son of 
 obedience offered no reply, and making a pro- 
 found reverence, went straight from his supe- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 159 
 
 rior to the infirmary, without so much, as going 
 to his own room. Having informed the infir- 
 marian of his malady in as few words as possi- 
 ble, and being desired to go to bed, he imme- 
 diately complied, offering the sacrifice of his 
 life, if Almighty God should so ordain it. We 
 enter thus minutely into the details of a malady 
 which deprived us of this holy religious, with 
 the idea, that if any of the circumstances were 
 omitted the portrait offered to the imitation of 
 the youth of the society would be incomplete ; 
 and Berchmans was as perfect a model in sick- 
 ness as he had been in health. 
 
 It was on a Saturday afternoon that Berch- 
 mans took to his bed, in a profound calm of mind, 
 caused by his entire resignation to the divine 
 will : he expressed this to the infirmarian, who 
 said to him as soon as he entered the infirmary, 
 " Well, brother Berchmans, what are we to do 
 with you ?" " You will do just what you please," 
 answered he ; " and as for me, I hope to do what 
 our Lord pleases ; I am in his hands, and yours; 
 ready to obey Him, and to obey you as repre- 
 senting Him." 
 
 He expressed himself in the same terms to 
 his master, of whom we have already spoken. 
 He was better skilled in the philosophy of Jesus 
 Christ, than in that of Aristotle, though he 
 had a particular talent of inspiring the former 
 
160 THE LIFE OF 
 
 whilst lie taught the latter. Berchmans had 
 boon fortunate in falling under his care when he 
 left the noviciate ; the two were strictly united 
 by the Holy Ghost in the sacred bands of reli- 
 gious friendship. u You see, I was not mis- 
 taken, my dear father," exclaimed Berchmans, 
 " when I told you that Providence had its own 
 design in sending my suffrage a few days ago : 
 it was not in vain that it cautioned me to watch 
 and pray, in expectation of our Lord's coming." 
 Piccolomini felt his heart pierced by these 
 words, and could only say in reply, that he 
 would go and beg Almighty God to cure him. 
 His pupil, however, only prayed for the accom- 
 plishment of the divine will, which thought 
 occupied him the whole night, during which he 
 never closed his eyes to sleep. He was con- 
 firmed in this holy state of abandonment by 
 the grace of communion, which the father- 
 rector, who visited him in the morning, could 
 not refuse to his devotion ; but he would not 
 allow him to rise and prostrate himself upon 
 the ground, as he wished to do, in order to re- 
 ceive our Lord with more respect, though he 
 was permitted to kneel upon his bed. He re- 
 mained in this posture, filled with the most 
 humble confusion at receiving with so little re- 
 spect, as he thought, so great a Guest: he en- 
 deavored to repair this exterior irreverence, by 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCITMANS. 161 
 
 annihilating himself in most profound interior 
 homage. 
 
 After this holy action his deep recollection 
 of mind continued uninterrupted until the 
 arrival of the physician, who pronounced him 
 to be somewhat better ; so that the fever either 
 was diminished, or that the presence of the 
 heavenly Physician had suspended its violence. 
 He remained tranquil throughout the day, 
 during which the infirmary was never without 
 some faithful friends, who anxiously came to 
 offer their services to the dear invalid. He 
 acknowledged and returned their friendship 
 with many assurances of lively gratitude ; bat 
 he was far more anxious to cause them no pain, 
 than he was -to relieve his own. He looked 
 upon the effects of sickness, and the remedies 
 to be employed, as so many happy necessities 
 of mortifying self. He took the most bitter 
 draughts, as so many precious drops from the 
 chalice of our Lord, without ever showing the 
 least reluctance. Once when a very nauseous 
 medicine was presented to him, he begged a 
 father who was present to bless it ; and when 
 he had swallowed it, he desired the father to say 
 the grace after meals, as if he had just finished 
 a pleasant repast. 
 
 His remedies were useful only to his soul ; 
 the body was by no means relieved by them : 
 11 
 
162 THE LIFE OF 
 
 liis fever returned, and he determined to confide 
 in spiritual remedies. On the eve of St. Law- 
 rence he asked the infirmarian if he might 
 hope for communion on the next day ; and being 
 answered, that it was not usual in the college 
 to carry the Blessed Sacrament to the sick 
 excepting upon Sunday, without great necessity, 
 but that he could easily obtain that permission 
 for him if he asked it ; ;> Xo, no," immediately 
 replied the humble Berchmans, "I am unworthy 
 of any particular privilege ; it is too much for 
 me to share in such as are common ; I desire no 
 others." This answer edified all who heard it; 
 and whilst it increased the esteem in which he 
 was already held, it redoubled their dread and 
 unwillingness to lose him. Up to this time 
 their apprehensions had been but light, because 
 his illness did not appear to be of a serious 
 nature ; but on the following Tuesday alarm 
 was excited by the extreme debility to which 
 he was reduced, and which required the frequent 
 help of stimulating cordials to prevent him from 
 fainting away. On the evening of that day, 
 when every one excepting the rector had left 
 the infirmary, he, perceiving that danger of 
 death was threatening, like a good father, spoke 
 thus to Berchmans : " If it should please our Lord 
 to call you to Himself, my dear brother, have 
 you any dread, or is there anything that troubles 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 163 
 
 you, that you could wish, to settle before you 
 quit this world ?" " Nothing whatever/' replied 
 Berchmans, with most holy confidence ; " I have 
 to deal with too good a God to be afraid of 
 appearing in His sight; yet, if anything at this 
 moment were capable of causing me uneasiness, 
 it is the fear lest the Flemish province of the 
 society, seeing both my companion and myself 
 die thus early, might be unwilling to send any 
 more young Jesuits here ; so that on this account 
 the international communication, so well calcu- 
 lated to unite the different parts of the* society, 
 might be interrupted in consequence of my 
 death. But the God of charity, who animates 
 this great body, and who unites all its members 
 in Jesus Christ, knows well what He does ; He 
 is the Master, and I am His most humble servant, 
 devoted only to His will. If He desires my 
 death, I am here, quite ready, for such also is 
 my desire ; and if the decision of my destiny de- ' 
 pended upon myself, I should not hesitate a single 
 moment." His superior was exceedingly con- 
 soled at finding him in such holy dispositions ; 
 but at the same time he was inexpressibly 
 grieved by the thought, that the college was so 
 soon to lose such a perfect model of perfection. 
 His increasing weakness made the superior 
 fear that something sudden might occur; he 
 therefore ordered the infirmarian to keep watch 
 
164 THE LIFE OF 
 
 by liis bed-side, and observe any change that 
 should take place. 
 
 John Baptist Ballerati, the infirmarian, was 
 
 a very skilful man ; but his indefatigable charity 
 and unalterable meekness (both of which ex- 
 ceeded even his ability) made him particularly 
 well suited to his office. Perceiving that his 
 dear invalid had little or no chance of sleep, 
 he did his best to entertain him with discourses 
 upon heaven ; and his debility still increasing, 
 he said, "I find }^ou very weak, my dear bro- 
 ther, should you not like to fortify yourself by 
 holy communion to-morrow?" "Bj r way of 
 viaticum?'' observed Berchmans. "I mean it 
 in that sense, 7 ' replied Ballerati; "for it seems 
 to me 3'ou are soon to undertake the grand 
 voyage." At these words Berchmans 7 strength 
 seemed to be restored; and throwing himself 
 on the breast of the infirmarian, he exclaimed, 
 " happy, delightful news! my dear brother ; 
 the sweetest and most consoling I have ever 
 had!' 77 Poor Ballerati was so much affected, 
 that he could only answer by his tears. " Why 
 do you weep? 77 continued Berchmans. "Yon 
 love me; and do you regret my happiness?" 
 Then taking the crucifix in his hands, he said, 
 with a look of tender devotion and lively confi- 
 dence, " my God, Thou knowest I have loved 
 nothing, desired nothing, possessed nothing in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 165 
 
 this world, but Thee : and thanks to Thy infinite 
 mercy, at this moment I only love and desire to 
 possess Thee. To Thee only I have recourse ; 
 in Thee I place all my confidence. Thou 
 God of my heart, my merciful Jesus, forsake 
 me not." Whilst he was making this amorous 
 prayer, the infirmarian was absorbed in grief, 
 sighing and begging not to be forgotten when 
 he should enjoy the presence of the One Su- 
 preme Master ; but perceiving that this name 
 only revived the pious efforts of the invalid 
 already nearly exhausted, he desired him to 
 moderate his transports, and try to take a 
 little rest. He immediately obeyed, prefer- 
 ring to deprive himself of his sweet entertain- 
 ment with his Saviour, than to lose the merit 
 of obedience: therefore, instead of conversing 
 with Jesus, he begged the infirmarian to take 
 the trouble of writing his last washes, which he 
 dictated in the following terms : 
 
 " I most humbly ask pardon of my most kind 
 and most honored Father, the Eeverend Father 
 Mutio Yittelleschi, general of the society ; pro- 
 testing that my heart is penetrated with grief, 
 at having been his so unworthy son. I thank 
 this dear society, mj good Mother, for its ma- 
 ternal care of me, who have deserved so little. 
 I offer my very humble thanks to the Eever- 
 end Father-rector; to my masters, to the bro- 
 
166 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tlier infirmarians, and generally, to every one 
 of the house ; from all I have received so much 
 friendship, though I have only given trouble 
 during the little illness it has pleased our Lord 
 to send me. I beg the Reverend Father- rector 
 will allow me to receive the holy viaticum on 
 the ground, or, at least, upon a mattress: I 
 hope this great consolation from his goodness ; 
 and also, that he mil allow all the young 
 Jesuits, my dear brothers, to be present at my 
 last communion, that they may help me to 
 make it well, supplying for my imperfect dis- 
 positions by the fervor of their prayers. It is 
 my wish, to embrace them all ; and if he will 
 allow one of them to do it for me, it is a favor 
 for which I shall feel eternally grateful to him. 
 In fine, the last request which I venture to 
 make of him, and which will crown all the 
 rest, is that I may die clothed in the habit of 
 the society." 
 
 The father-rector fortunately entered the 
 room at the very moment the infirmarian was 
 going to carry him this memorial ; having read 
 it he immediately granted every request, and 
 promised the dear invalid to do everything in 
 his power that should contribute to the conso- 
 lation of his soul. Berchmans proposed to 
 make a general confession of his whole life to 
 him; which however the father did not think 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 167 
 
 proper to allow, being well aware of his an- 
 gelical purity, and the extreme exactness with 
 which his ordinary confessions were made ; he 
 desired him, therefore, to be content with de- 
 claring his faults, in the same manner that he 
 did every week. He did so in few words, but 
 with extraordinary contrition; offering, as a 
 sacrifice of obedience, the desire which he had 
 to detail, at the moment he was about to close 
 his life, all the faults which he had committed 
 during it. This being done, he thought of 
 nothing else than to dispose himself to receive 
 the holy viaticum. All the young Jesuits were 
 ordered to repair to the infirmary when it was 
 to be administered to him. They were sum- 
 moned to it in the morning by the brothers who 
 had charge of awakening them at the hour of 
 rising. From all parts of the house sighs and 
 lamentations were heard ; each one hastened to 
 the church, where the priest had already arrived 
 to convey the Blessed Sacrament ; and every- 
 where might be heard these and similar excla- 
 mations: u O God, what a misfortune! What 
 a loss to the college ! this dear brother ! 
 what a saint we lose !" 
 
 In the midst of this universal grief and con- 
 sternation, caused by the approaching death of 
 Berchmans, he alone was calm, and joyfully 
 awaiting the coming of his Saviour, as he ac- 
 
16S THE LIFE OF 
 
 knowledged to a pious and learned father, who 
 approaching to his bedside asked him in a 
 whisper, whether he had any trouble of con- 
 science. "None whatever, thanks to the good- 
 ness of our Lord," answered he; "I am con- 
 tent; and by His grace I enjoy a peace which 
 the whole world would be unable to give me." 
 In compliance with his request a mattress was 
 spread upon the floor, and he was placed upon 
 it, clothed in that dear habit which he had so 
 often kissed. He was in this humble and de- 
 vout position, his countenance serene, his eyes 
 raised towards heaven, and his heart inflamed 
 with Divine love, when the father-rector brought 
 in the Blessed Sacrament, accompanied by a 
 great number of Jesuits, all bathed in tears. 
 No sooner did he perceive our amiable Saviour 
 (in whom alone he placed all his hopes) than 
 his strength seemed to revive by the ardor of 
 his love ; he arose and knelt upon his mattress ; 
 and that he might be able to maintain this pos- 
 ture throughout the holy ceremony, he accepted 
 the kind offers of two of his young brothers, 
 to support him on each side. In this state, 
 bare-headed, his whole body bending forwards, 
 he profoundly adored Him whom the priest 
 held in his hands before him ; and having re- 
 cited the Confiteor, he added these holy protes- 
 tations, in as loud a voice as he could command : 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 169 
 
 " I protest, with, all my heart, that I have here 
 present my Lord Jesus Christ, true Son of God 
 the Father Almighty, and of the Blessed Vir- 
 gin Mary, God and Man : I also protest that I 
 will live and die a true child of the Catholic, 
 Apostolic, and Eoman Church, in whose bosom 
 I have received the inestimable grace of spiri- 
 tual regeneration ; and as I have the honor of 
 belonging in this quality to the most sacred 
 Virgin and to the Society of Jesus, I protest in 
 the presence of my Lord and my God, who 
 sees the sincerity of my soul, that I am resolved 
 to have the heart and feelings of a son to the 
 last moment of my life." He pronounced these 
 words with a devotion that would have inspired 
 the most obdurate, and have moved the most 
 insensible; after which he received with the 
 respect and love of a seraph, the adorable body 
 of Jesus Christ, from the hands of the father- 
 rector, whose tears fell fast as he recited the 
 sacred words. 
 
 This angel of the earth having received the 
 God of heaven, remained in most profound re- 
 collection with his head bowed down and his 
 arms crossed upon his breast ; being confounded 
 at receiving in a house of clay Him who was 
 already opening the gates of the eternal palace 
 to him. In this sort of ecstacy, where his 
 soul was fortified, his body became so much 
 
170 THE LIFE OF 
 
 weakened, that it was judged expedient not to 
 defer extreme unction, which he wished to re- 
 ceive immediately. To dispose himself with 
 more respect and modesty, he had taken the 
 precaution the night before to have his feet 
 washed. The rector, who had undertaken to 
 perform the religious ceremony, was so much 
 overcome as to be scarcely able to pronounce 
 the prayers ; the assistants penetrated with grief, 
 could not answer. Berchmans, who had been 
 replaced on his mattress, made the responses 
 himself, with great piety and presence of mind, 
 as tranquil, and considering the sacrament as 
 attentively, as if he had not been the sick per- 
 son, feeling happy in being thus fortified by the 
 Church against the powers of darkness. Being 
 thus purified before God of any remaining stains, 
 he desired the satisfaction of being confounded 
 at his faults in the sight of men ; for this pur- 
 pose he obtained the father-rector's permission 
 to make a public confession, and beg pardon of 
 his dear brothers. And as he had, in his own 
 humble opinion often scandalized them in his 
 life-time, he had a wish in death to say some- 
 thing that might perhaps edify them. Never 
 theless, he distrusted his own judgment upon 
 the point ; and however holy his intention might 
 be, he feared lest some secret pride might insin- 
 uate itself and corrupt the action ; he found no 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 171 
 
 better preservation against this dangerous poi- 
 son, than to disclose his idea to his superior, and 
 blindly to submit to his decision. 
 
 The father, understanding what our Lord, and 
 the interests of His glory, inspired Berchmans 
 to do, and thinking it, moreover, likely to pro- 
 duce great spiritual profit, undertook to deliver 
 his sentiments for him ; and speaking in a very 
 audible and impressive tone, he informed them 
 that their dying companion, penetrated by the 
 many proofs of kindness they had shown him, 
 and filled w^ith gratitude for their friendship, 
 wished at this last hour to give them a mark 
 of his affection and confidence, by assuring 
 them, that he felt at that moment filled with 
 sensible consolation, in consequence of the ines- 
 timable grace which our Lord had granted him, 
 of never having committed any deliberate venial 
 sin from the time he entered the society, nor 
 with having voluntarily violated any one of his 
 rules, or transgressed the least order of a supe- 
 rior. This acknowledgment, drawn from him 
 by a pure desire of glorifying God, and of edify- 
 ing and encouraging his brothers to bear cour- 
 ageously the inconveniences of a pure, regular, 
 and fervent life ; this acknowledgment, I repeat, 
 redoubled both the esteem in which he was 
 held, and the regret caused by his approaching 
 death in the flower of his age. Most of the 
 
172 THE LIFE OF 
 
 assistants were convinced by the very circum- 
 stance of this declaration, that his end was near ; 
 being persuaded that humility, which was so 
 dear to him, and which had kept his mouth so 
 constantly closed, would not have opened it 
 then to declare his favors if he had not been 
 pretty certain that they were on the point of 
 being veiled by the cloud of death. Hence, 
 they concluded that this holy brother would 
 shortly die; and by permission of the rector 
 they all embraced him with most tender and 
 religious friendship, each one confidently charg- 
 ing him with this spiritual commission for the 
 next life, and asking of him some advice for 
 this. 
 
 Amongst all his masters, the one who held 
 the first place in his heart was the last to em- 
 brace him ; a dread of showing too much sensi- 
 bility had hitherto prevented this manifestation 
 of tenderness. The grateful disciple, stretching 
 out his hands to him, said, u I have well remem- 
 bered you, my dear father : the note which I 
 dictated, in the night must be the faithful pledge 
 of my sincere gratitude." Piccolomini, throw- 
 ing himself upon his knees, begged pardon for 
 not having done more to serve him. The hum- 
 ble Berchmans, confused at seeing his master, a 
 priest of Jesus Christ, in such a posture, showed 
 so much distress, that he obliged his master to 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMAXS. 173 
 
 rise, promising that if he would do him that 
 favor, he would endeavor to obtain other fa- 
 vors for him, if he should be so happy as to 
 have any power in heaven. " O then, my dear 
 brother," said Piccolomini, " ask for me a great 
 spirit of prayer as soon as you enjoy the sight of 
 Almighty God !" The disciple sighed for nothing 
 more than the celestial country: he counted 
 every moment of his exile. Expressing to this 
 father the desire which he had to flee and be at 
 rest, "Father-rector struggles for me, as Jacob 
 did," said he, with a sort of prophetic sight. 
 Nothing was more true ; for at the very mo- 
 ment that the invalid announced this spiritual 
 conflict of his superior with heaven, he was 
 actually at the altar celebrating mass, and most 
 earnestly entreating Almighty God not to de- 
 prive the house of so great an example of vir- 
 tue. " However," continued Berchmans, "it is in 
 vain ; were he to redouble his prayers to obtain 
 my cure, he would not succeed ; my hour is 
 come." This opinion was confirmed by Angelo 
 Bagnarea, one of the most able physicians of his 
 time, who having visited Berchmans, and seeing 
 all the college assembled round him, anxiously 
 waiting for his decision upon the case, thus ad- 
 dressed them : u The malady of this young reli- 
 gious is beyond the reach of our art. My fa- 
 thers, Heaven re-demands this angel, which it 
 
174 THE LIFE OF 
 
 only lent you. I had tlie honor of seeing 
 Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga in a similar state : 
 behold here his true copy : this young man 
 seems to have resembled him in his innocence 
 and purity of life ; no wonder then that he 
 should be like to him in death. In real truth, 
 I consider you happy in having so many young 
 persons so detached from life, and so willing to 
 die in the flower of their age ; whilst in most 
 other places, we are obliged in a manner, to 
 drag even the oldest to the gates of death," He 
 uttered these words with a profound sigh, much 
 moved and edified by what he had just wit- 
 nessed. 
 
 The general of the society was not less so, in 
 the visit which he made to his dear dying son. 
 The innocent young man, delighted at seeing 
 his good father, told him, with most tender re- 
 spect, that he had much wished to see him, that 
 he might have the consolation of returning 
 thanks for all his paternal care of him, to en- 
 treat of him the forgiveness of his faults, and 
 to beg his benediction. " I have always loved 
 you, my dear brother," said the general to him, 
 "with great affection; from the moment of 
 your arrival here, you found a place in my 
 heart, where you have ever since been con- 
 stantly cherished'; and I had hoped, at a later 
 period, to have given further proof of my affec- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 175 
 
 tion. Our divine Lord, however, is going to 
 give you much, stronger proofs of His. As for 
 my forgiveness, I must own. there is no cause 
 that can require it ; but for my blessing, I give 
 it you with all my heart:" and having made 
 the sign of the cross over him, the father-gene- 
 ral withdrew, exceedingly consoled at seeing 
 one of his most cherished children dying in 
 such holy dispositions. 
 
 There was scarcely any one in the college, or 
 in the other houses of the society in Eome, who 
 did not wish to be present at the consoling 
 spectacle of his happy and edifying death ; and 
 no one left him without feeling convinced of 
 this important truthj that the true means of 
 dying with content is to please and love God 
 during life. 
 
 There was a holy eagerness to watch by his 
 bedside. Those whom the superior appointed 
 to this duty looked upon themselves as singu- 
 larly favored; and in reality the favor was 
 sterile in regard to none of them. The ex- 
 hausted patient found no repose but in his -en- 
 tertainments with God ; these caused him no 
 effort ; he was constantly heard sighing towards 
 the Beloved of his soul, thanking Him for the 
 ineffable grace of his vocation; nevertheless, 
 he always conversed very willingly with all 
 who seemed to wish it, never losing his accus- 
 
176 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tomed sweetness and civility. These two vir- 
 tues accompanied him even unto the end. One 
 of his companions, who was sitting by him, 
 perceiving his extreme and increasing weak- 
 ness, gave him at frequent intervals a spoonful 
 of liqueur which was rather of high price; 
 this kind of profusion pained the faithful imi- 
 tator of poverty, and was a cause of scruple to 
 him. "My sickness," said he, " will cost dear 
 to the society." By way of calming his un- 
 easiness, he w^as answered that the charity of 
 the society resembled that of a mother for her 
 children. " Ah !" exclaimed Berchmans, "I 
 had no need of this experience to be assured of 
 its goodness towards me ; I have had as many 
 proofs of it as I have had the happiness of 
 living moments amongst its members." 
 
 Another asking him whether he would like 
 to hear a little reading, he answered, " I should 
 be very glad of it ; I could willingly listen to 
 the chapter which relates to the death of Blessed 
 Aloysius." It was read immediately, and w T hen 
 they reached that part where the historian tells 
 us that the tediousness of his long and painful 
 malady never provoked the slightest symptom 
 of impatience, Berchmans, casting an amorous 
 look upon the image of his crucified Saviour, 
 exclaimed with a sentiment of filial fear, "My 
 Saviour and my God, if I have unknowingly 
 12 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 177 
 
 committed any fault in this respect, I most 
 humbly implore Thy pardon." Then hearing, 
 a little further on, that when his approaching 
 death was announced to St. Aloysius, he began 
 in a transport of holy joy to sing the Te Deum, 
 his faithful imitator strove to collect his little 
 remnant of strength, and intoned it likewise, 
 entreating the assistants to unite their voices, 
 the better to sustain his own. He was evidently 
 now advancing towards his end. The infir- 
 marian, attentive to every movement or altera- 
 tion, having felt his pulse, said without any 
 fear of alarming him, "We are going, Brother 
 Berchmans, we are going !" The saintly invalid 
 at this good news took up his crucifix and in- 
 tertwining his rosary around it, and adding to 
 these two the book of the rules, (which he had 
 always so well loved,) casting his eyes tenderly 
 upon them, he said, "These are what I hold 
 most dear in this world, with them I am ready 
 to die." Admirable words ! which ought never 
 to be effaced from the memory of religious per- 
 sons, since they teach them that all their per- 
 fection in life, and all their consolation in death, 
 consists in the love of Jesus cru'cified, in devo- 
 tion to our Blessed Lady, and in the exact 
 observance of rules. He then placed these 
 three objects upon his breast, that he might 
 make them, (according to the expression of 
 
178 THE LIFE OF 
 
 scripture,) "the buckler of his hearty' which 
 should be impenetrable to the attacks of his 
 enemies, against whom he opposed the assist- 
 ance of his heavenly protectors. Having done 
 this, he caused to be read over to him the 
 names of all his monthly patrons, together with 
 the sentences of all his suffrages, which he had 
 carefully registered, that he might always be 
 armed wdth the divine word, in imitation of our 
 Saviour, and thereby repel and confound the 
 tempter. He was particularly pleased at having 
 the Gradual Psalms read often to him, drawing 
 from them great support during his illness, as 
 he had previously found much comfort and in- 
 struction in them whilst in health. The sacred 
 words were to him like spiritual manna, in 
 which this true Israelite found, as it were, a 
 most delicious flavor. To suggest to him a 
 w T ord only from the sacred writings, was enough 
 to fill his soul with divine unction. 
 
 About four o'clock in the morning of Thurs- 
 day, which was the eve of his death, the father- 
 rector (who desired exceedingly not to lose 
 him) came to visit him ; and to inspire him with 
 sentiments of confidence, recited one of the 
 responsaries in the office of St. Lawrence, which 
 he had just been saying ; it ran in these terms : 
 u Fear nothing, my son, for I am with thee, 
 saith the Lord ; if thou passest through fire, its 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 179 
 
 flames shall not hurt thee, neither shalt thou 
 feel it ; I will deliver thee from the hands of 
 the wicked, and from the might of thy most 
 powerful enemies, although thou wert already 
 in their hands." "I hope, my dear brother," 
 continued the father, "that this promise will 
 be accomplished in you." "I trust it will, 
 Eeverend Father ; and I hope it, through the 
 merits of our Blessed Lady," rejoined Berch- 
 mans. " Yes, my most holy mother," said he, 
 in a very tender yet distinct voice, when he 
 thought he was alone in the room, "you have 
 ever been my hope, and will continue such 
 unto the end ; you will not expel me from your 
 maternal bosom, in which I have rested through- 
 out life, like a child." He was in these amorous 
 colloquies, when Father De Lugo came to 
 recommend to his prayers some very important 
 affair, which was then requiring his attention ; 
 for, able theologian as this father was, he relied 
 less upon his own science than upon the prayers 
 and merits of the innocent young man. 
 
 Scarcely had he left the infirmary, than they 
 were obliged to introduce a young nobleman 
 of the highest distinction, who was drawn to 
 the college by hearing of the extremity to which 
 Berchmans was reduced. He was son of the 
 Duke of Acquasparta, called Angelo Celci, 
 still more illustrious for piety than for nobility 
 
180 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of descent. He had been the constant admirer 
 of Berchmans 3 angelical modesty, no less than 
 his extraordinary regularity : that he might 
 be edified by both, he had often joined the 
 young students in their recreation hours ; and 
 it was his delight to observe Berchmans (whom 
 he called his little saint) as recollected whilst 
 conversing with his companions, as if he were 
 conversing with God. Nor was this young 
 nobleman less edified at seeing such a number 
 of young Jesuits, when the first sound of the 
 clock announced the end of recreation, retire 
 from their amusements, as profoundly recollected 
 as if they had but just quitted their meditation. 
 All this appeared so admirable, that he felt 
 anxious to know what kind of death was reserved 
 for } r oung men who lived like angels. In the 
 one he was just come to visit, he saw so sweet 
 and tranquil an air, lie heard him speak of this 
 life with such perfect detachment, and of the 
 next with such transports of joy, that he looked 
 upon him more as an angel than a mortal man ; 
 and having earnestly recommended himself to 
 his prayers, he withdrew, fully persuaded of 
 the happiness those enjoy in death, and even 
 before death, who renounce all things for the 
 love of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Towards evening the physicians observed a 
 debility more than could be accounted for by 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 181 
 
 the mere force of his fever ; but reasoning only 
 upon their own principles, they did not think 
 his malady beyond cure. Berchmans having 
 listened to them some time, said, " Gentlemen, 
 you give yourself too much trouble; my com- 
 plaint cannot be cured ; the great Master calls 
 me." "And where does He ^all you?" asked 
 one of them. "To heaven, Sir, to heaven," 
 replied the dying saint. They looked upon 
 this word as an oracle ; and unanimously agreed, 
 that there are maladies which completely baffle 
 the science of medicine, in which -physicians 
 and invalids must equally adore the Hand that 
 sends them. Berchmans' malady was unques- 
 tionably of this description ; consequently they 
 had only to abandon him to that superior Provi- 
 dence which ruled him. 
 
 This determination was highly satisfactorj^ to 
 the poor patient; exhausted as he was by so 
 many visits, he only desired to repose in the 
 bosom of his Saviour, until the final moment 
 should release him from his earthly bonds. 
 However, he sacrificed this desire to the duty 
 of charity ; for understanding that some Jesuits 
 were at the infirmary door, wishing to take a 
 last farewell of him, he begged they might be 
 permitted to enter, one by one ; recommending 
 to them all, (when similarity of age authorized 
 familiar confidence,) what he himself had always 
 
182 THE LIFE OF 
 
 had so much at heart, viz., devotion to our 
 Blessed Lady, love of prayer, and the exact 
 observance of rules. To this general advice he 
 added some more particular, and so well fitted to 
 the disposition of each one's soul at the time, that 
 they felt convinced he must have been inspired 
 by Heaven; and in truth, the extraordinary 
 effects produced by his words in the hearts of 
 those to whom they were addressed, left no 
 room to doubt of such being the case. Modest 
 and reserved as he was, he spoke with a kind 
 of authority, with which no doubt Almighty 
 God was pleased to invest him, in order that 
 his words might make due impression upon all 
 hearts, and lead the hearers to receive and ac- 
 complish the divine will thus intimated to them. 
 Animated then by this supernatural spirit, which 
 gave him a respectful liberty, he excited the 
 elder fathers to seek always the glory of Jesus 
 and of His holy mother. He exhorted Father 
 Andrew Eudemon, a very able controversialist, 
 to continue writing upon heresies, particularly 
 that of Calvin ; deploring most bitterly the 
 ravages occasioned by it in the most flourish- 
 ing kingdom of Christendom. To Father Alex- 
 ander Eocca, a German Jesuit, he said, . " I 
 beseech you to convey into your country an 
 antidote against the venom of Lutheranism." 
 He most earnestly entreated Father Joseph 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 183 
 
 Copponi (one of the most famous preachers of 
 his time) to consecrate his eloquence to the 
 defence of the Immaculate Conception of our 
 Blessed Lady: in the like manner he urged 
 Father John Baptist Ferrari to continue to 
 employ his pen, as he did most admirably, in 
 eulogizing the saints by whom God has been 
 most honored in the society. Every body 
 quitted him as much penetrated by his words, 
 as if an angel immediately sent by God had 
 spoken to them. No one, however, was so 
 much touched by his words as a young Hun- 
 garian, whose extraordinary piety and confi- 
 dence had merited his esteem. Of these two it 
 might be said, that the grace of Jesus Christ 
 had bound their hearts in one and the same 
 knot ; both being animated by the same zeal 
 and sanctity. When all the rest had with- 
 drawn, Berchmans retained this tender friend, 
 that they might once again speak heart to heart ; 
 and embracing him affectionately, said to him, 
 " It is now in reality, my dear brother, that I 
 bid you a last adieu ; I speak to you now for 
 the last time in this life ; I am dying, but my 
 friendship for you will never die ; as I have 
 loved you on earth, so shall I continue to love 
 you in heaven." The poor young man, whose 
 heart was pierced with a most lively grief, was 
 for sometime unable to answer excepting by his 
 
184 THE LIFE OF 
 
 tears ; but exerting himself by a strong effort, 
 he said to Berchmans, " Obtain for me of our 
 Blessed Lady the graces which you judge ne- 
 cessary for me ; particularly that I may live 
 and die a true child of St. Ignatius." The 
 promise being given, the dear dying saint con- 
 soled him, and gave him every hope of their 
 being one day re-united in heavenly friendship. 
 Although the superior was fully persuaded 
 of the humble dispositions of the servant of 
 God, from the knowledge which he had of his 
 interior, ho was fearful lest the marks of esteem 
 testified by the whole Eoman College might 
 prejudice his humility, or lessen his virtue, so 
 necessary at this momentous passage ; he fa- 
 thomed his heart once more, to be satisfied on 
 the point, and was exceedingly consoled to find 
 therein a spirit of most perfect self-contempt, 
 which rendered him inaccessible to vain-glory ; 
 and also a faith so lively, and a confidence so 
 humble, as completely to arm him against the 
 attacks of the spiritual enemy. Indeed this 
 spiritual armor became necessary to him, ac- 
 cording to his own prediction ; for in the early 
 part of the last night of his existence, he re- 
 peatedly told two or three of his friends, parti- 
 cularly his dear master, that he should have to 
 sustain some dreadful combats. To prepare 
 himself for them, he begged the fathers present 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 185 
 
 to recite the prayers of the Church ; and al- 
 though the case did not then appear urgent, 
 they complied with his request in order to 
 satisfy him. On reaching that part of the lita- 
 nies where the holy confessors are named, he 
 begged them to include the saints of the society. 
 As soon as this was finished, he himself began 
 to sing the Aye Maris Stella ; and passing on- 
 wards to these tender words, "Show thyself a 
 Mother," he made a considerable pause, in 
 order to enjoy at leisure the sweetness of the 
 expression. His countryman, Father Aligante, 
 here took occasion to excite him to love our 
 Blessed Lady, remarking, that having loved 
 her during life, he no doubt loved her still 
 more in death. "I dare not flatter myself," re- 
 plied the humble young man, "that I have 
 loved her well, but I have wished to do so ; and 
 I hope that her maternal goodness will conde- 
 scend to love me in my present extremity." 
 "Is it not true," continued the father, "that if 
 you had a thousand hearts, you would conse- 
 crate them all to her love?" "Yes, indeed," 
 answered he, "a thousand hearts would not be 
 too imich to devote to her." " She is your 
 dear mother; you are her dear child," resumed 
 the Jesuit; "you are now going to love each 
 other with an eternal love." 
 
 These conversations were too holy and too 
 
186 THE LIFE OF 
 
 consoling not to be disturbed by the enemy of 
 all good. It is not known of what nature the 
 temptations were with which he assaulted the 
 innocent young man ; but their violence was 
 very evident, from the alarm and agitation 
 which they caused; for Berchmans, after ap- 
 pearing to doze for a minute or two, surprised 
 those who were with him, by suddenly starting, 
 with an inflamed countenance, his eyes raised 
 towards heaven, his lips trembling, and crying 
 out most pitiably with a loud voice, " I will 
 not consent, no, my God, never will I offend 
 Thee. O holy Mother, do not permit me to 
 displease your dear Son ; I prefer a thousand 
 deaths." He repeated these words several 
 times, always with fresh ardor. His cries w^ere 
 heard in the adjoining chambers; every one 
 hastened to him, and approaching his bed, 
 compassionated the doleful state to which Pro- 
 vidence (ever adorable in its dispensations) 
 abandoned this innocent victim, in order, no 
 doubt, to purify him still more and more. All 
 present immediately had recourse to prayer ; 
 and Berchmans, taking the crucifix in his 
 hands, together with his beads, reliquary, and 
 book of the rules, exclaimed, " This is my 
 armor; with these I am secure of victory!" 
 In effect, his alarm was suddenly dissipated ; 
 his countenance regained its usual serenity, and 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 187 
 
 he had no other feeling than of contempt for 
 the enemy that had assaulted him. He was, 
 however, most diligent in devoting to prayer 
 the little remnant of his life; in order that he 
 might secure the last graces, which he knew 
 were to decide his eternity, he affectionately 
 placed his rosary around his neck, as the pre- 
 cious mark of filial devotion to the Blessed 
 Virgin ; he read with singular tenderness the 
 formulary of his vows, that he might renew to 
 Jesus Christ the entire sacrifice of himself. 
 The zealous missionary, who had the charge of 
 public catechetical instruction, standing by his 
 bedside, recited the Litanies ; when he came to 
 these words, "Lamb of God, that takest away 
 the sins of the world, pardon him," the servant 
 of God was evidently much affected by them, 
 begging the father to pause a little, that he 
 might reiterate this tender sentiment. More 
 than thirty times did he repeat, with most 
 lively affection, "Jesus, Lamb of God, that 
 takest away the sins of the world, pardon me." 
 His superior finding him in these humble and 
 penitent dispositions, exhorted him to continue 
 so unto the end, and again gave him the last 
 absolution. After this Berchmans lost his 
 speech, without however losing either his pres- 
 ence of mind or his constant application to 
 Jesus crucified, whose image was continually 
 
ISS TIIE LIFE OF 
 
 before lus eyes. Under his inability to speak, 
 he answered by signs to all suggested acts of 
 piety ; his looks amply supplied the place of 
 words, and expressed his desires ; for, in fact, 
 he had no other desire than to resign his soul 
 
 o 
 
 into the hands of Jesus Christ. 
 
 In the state to which he was reduced, his 
 sweetest consolation was to keep his sight 
 incessantly fixed upon the three objects of his 
 love and hope, of which we have already 
 spoken. That he might consider them with 
 more facility, he placed them against his knees, 
 w^hich he had raised as well as he could for 
 this purpose. The whole community, when 
 beholding him, felt nothing of the horrors of 
 an approaching death; all were delighted by 
 the sight of him : the only circumstance which 
 gave pain to some of them, was the appearance 
 that one of his predictions would not be veri- 
 fied, for he had declared that he should die in 
 the act of speaking. After four hours of trial, 
 Grod vouchsafed to console them by loosening 
 the tongue of His faithful servant, that he might 
 be able to pronounce His holy name. He re- 
 peated several times the name of Jesus ; this 
 sweet name was like honey to his mouth, and 
 carried calm and comfort to his heart ; and now 
 he was not disturbed by any further bitterness, 
 notwithstanding the fresh efforts of the devil to 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 189 
 
 shake his constancy; our Lord probably so 
 permitting this, in order to complete or embellish 
 the crown of this holy young man. However, 
 the solidity of his joy was in no ways moved; 
 nor was the grace of innocence (the true foun- 
 dation of his holy joy) in the least degree im- 
 paired. A sort of reflection upon the past, 
 which should only have been consolatory to 
 him, seemed to give him some uneasiness : it 
 related to that young Jesuit spoken of in the 
 second book, whose staggering vocation had 
 been upheld and confirmed through Berchmans 7 
 intervention. We know not what the enemy 
 of our peace may have suggested to his mind, 
 as having been defective in this action, which 
 had sprung from the purest motive of charity ; 
 but .the trouble was of short duration : a ray of 
 heavenly light, which the Sun of Justice shed 
 upon his soul, dispersed the cloud, and re- 
 established his usual serenity. 
 
 Berchmans, feeling that his last hour was 
 come, would be obedient even unto death ; he 
 therefore sent word to the father -rector that he 
 was going. The superior, who treated this 
 privileged soul in a manner very different to 
 that in which he would have dealt with ordinary 
 persons, had desired him not to depart this 
 life without summoning him to his bedside, 
 that he might be there to receive his last sigh. 
 
190 THE LIFE OF 
 
 This sort of spiritual conduct may perhaps 
 appear presumptuous or ridiculous to the false 
 prudence of the present age, but our Lord, who 
 abhors this prudence as much as He loves 
 evangelical simplicity, was pleased to bless this 
 obedience of His servant, by enabling him to 
 fulfil a promise which had been made only 
 with the intention of pleasing Him, and in a 
 spirit of blind submission. lSo sooner did the 
 superior enter his room, than a spiritual joy 
 filled the hearts of both ; the obedient dying son 
 was delighted to have kept his word, given to 
 his good father, whilst on his part, this tender 
 father was consoled by witnessing the saintly 
 death of his dear child in Jesus Christ, who 
 was endeavoring to surrender his soul to God 
 whilst in the actual exercise of most heroic 
 virtues. He redoubled the fervor of his love, 
 he sought new strength by imploring the assist- 
 ance of the saints, particularly of his monthly 
 patrons, whose litanies he had composed, 
 and which he begged might be recited to him : 
 to these were added, in compliance with his 
 request, the Litany of our Blessed Lady. He 
 answered to all with tender devotion, although 
 pronunciation was difficult to him. He showed 
 extreme pleasure at hearing the praises of the 
 Blessed Virgin, as they are expressed in 
 her Litany, but these two titles, "Virgin of 
 
LESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 191 
 
 virgins/ 7 and " Mother most chaste/' had singu- 
 lar charms for him ; his whole countenance 
 beaming with delight as he cast his tender 
 looks upon the picture of this Queen of Angels, 
 whenever she was named. In fine, everything 
 in him denoted his devotion towards this 
 most pure Virgin, and the love he had for this 
 her favorite virtue. His agony, though long, 
 had nothing distressing or frightful in it ; 
 every moment of it was consecrated by the 
 most holy exercises of religion ; he made acts 
 of continual homage, thanksgiving, and love 
 towards Jesus crucified, from whose image 
 he never withdrew his ej^es; of confidence in 
 our Blessed Lady, whose beads he held clasped 
 in his dying fingers ; of gratitude towards St. 
 Ignatius, esteeming himself happy to die his 
 son, and whose rules he kissed a thousand 
 times, declaring that his consolation in death 
 sprung from fidelity in observing them during 
 life. It was in these acts that the faithful ser- 
 vant of God closed his life, and in the manner 
 he had foretold, viz., in the act of speaking; 
 and the last words he pronounced were thé 
 holy names of Jesus and Mary: no sooner had 
 he uttered them, than he surrendered his pre- 
 cious soul into the hands of his Lord. This 
 happened on the 13th of August, between eight 
 and nine o'clock on Friday morning, the day 
 
192 THE LIFE OF 
 
 dedicated to the memory of Jesus crucified, 
 whom he had so tenderly loved, and two days 
 before the glorious Assumption of our Blessed 
 Lady, so that on that day he was in heaven to 
 witness her triumphant festival : it was, I say, 
 under these happy circumstances that John 
 Berchmans died, at the age of twenty -two years 
 and some months, as full of grace and merit as 
 one could be who had grown old in the long 
 and constant exercise of most heroic virtue. 
 
 Grace and nature seemed to concur in the 
 design of constituting Berchmans one of the 
 most perfect models that could be presented to 
 youthful imitation. His person was well pro- 
 portioned ; his countenance cheerful and agreea- 
 ble : his eyes lively ; his complexion and hair 
 fair. These natural graces were enhanced by 
 his surpassing modesty, which gained for him 
 the name of "Angel." Animation was not 
 wanting to him; but it was of a sweet and 
 tranquil nature. His sanguine temperament 
 would no doubt have induced a strong inclina- 
 tion to pleasure, if he had not subdued it in 
 early life by the exercise of strict and constant 
 mortification, which, in fact, was become a 
 second nature to him. His constitution was 
 naturally good ; but he ruined it in a few years 
 by his austerities and by his incessant applica- 
 tion. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 193 
 
 It must be remarked, that his attention to 
 the presence of God, and his desires to please 
 Him, did not lead him to negleet the duties of 
 charity and civility towards his fellow- creatures : 
 the more he was interiorly united with God, the 
 more eager he was to serve everybody ; and 
 his recollection of mind, however profound, 
 never interfered with his benevolent inclina- 
 tions. This happy alliance was very apparent 
 in his countenance, which reflected, like a faith- 
 ful mirror, the admirable virtues of his soul ; 
 insomuch, that we may say of this Son of Mary, 
 what St. Ambrose said of Mary herself, that 
 his exterior was the true portraiture of his 
 interior, and that through the features of the 
 former might be traced the sanctity of the lat- 
 ter. This was the universal opinion, in the 
 Eoman College, of John Berchmans during his 
 life, an opinion which much incre-ased after his 
 death. 
 
 No sooner had the tolling bell announced his 
 decease, than crowds flocked to the infirmary, 
 all equally moved at the great loss which the 
 society had sustained by the death of so holy a 
 young man. The old as well as young were 
 anxious to show him the same marks of esteem, 
 which are usually awarded to great saints only. 
 They respectfully kissed his hands, bathing 
 them at the same time with their tears, earn- 
 13 
 
194 THE LIFE OF 
 
 estly begging some little memorials of him to 
 keep as relics. 
 
 During the last three days of his life his room 
 had been completely stripped ; the poor pictures, 
 before which he had prayed and studied, and 
 the instruments of his pious austerities, were 
 objects of universal desire. A kind of spiritual 
 strife arose among the most distinguished fa- 
 thers of the college for the possession of his 
 beads, and the little book in which he had in- 
 scribed the names of his monthly patrons. The 
 feet of the pious deceased were beseiged by a 
 troop of affectionate friends, particularly of 
 young Jesuits, who spent their time in exercis- 
 ing towards him the duties of most tender piety. 
 The confusion in the classes was no less than in 
 the house : as soon as it became known that 
 Berchmans had expired, masters and scholars 
 were equally afflicted; nothing was observed 
 but sighs, tears, and groans. The masters were 
 doubly grieved ; in the first place, for their own 
 loss ; and in the second, because they consid- 
 ered it a misfortune, not to have witnessed the 
 edifying spectacle of his death : they found no 
 other consolation in their distress, than by 
 changing their lessons into an eulogistic dis- 
 course upon him, who was the subject of their 
 mutual regret : masters and scholars mingling 
 their tears, related what each had seen and 
 
BLESSED JOHX BERCHMANS. 195 
 
 known of him ; and this conversation enkindled 
 in all hearts such a lively ardor, to go immedi- 
 ately and honor the holy young man, that it was 
 with great difficulty they could be restrained 
 from rushing in a body to the infirmary for this 
 purpose : nothing, in fact, could have withheld 
 them, but the promise of allowing them this 
 satisfaction before his burial ; their great num- 
 bers, however, amounting to nearly two thous- 
 and, scarcely permitted this. In a few hours' 
 time the news was spread all over Rome, that a 
 young man, of most eminent sanctity, was just 
 dead in the Jesuits' College: the whole city was 
 filled w r ith regret : a concourse of persons, most 
 distinguished for rank and talent, hastened to 
 the college, that they might console the fathers ; 
 and at the same time express their own regret, 
 that the death of the servant of God had occurred 
 before they were even apprised of his illness. 
 Amongst the prelates who honored him with 
 their esteem, Cardinal Bellarmine w r as pre- 
 eminent : he expatiated upon the merits of the 
 blessed deceased in a manner which clearly 
 showed the high opinion he had of him. The 
 fame of his virtues drew immense crowds to the 
 Jesuits' church; so that fearing an indiscreet 
 devotion, it was judged advisable to keep the 
 doors closed until the commencement of the 
 office-for the dead. No sooner w 7 ere they opened, 
 
196 THE LIFE OF 
 
 than Father Theodore Buseus began it in hopes 
 of keeping the multitude within due bounds. 
 To prevent too near an approach to the bier, 
 four robust persons had been placed in the 
 lighted chapel, to be the better able to maintain 
 order : these precautions succeeded at first ; but 
 after a little time, the pious spectators were not 
 content with merely gazing upon the features 
 of the amiable Berchmans, where still might 
 be admired the traces of angelical modesty and 
 sweetness ; these could not be effaced, even by 
 the paleness of death. The people, I say, were 
 not satisfied with looking at him, nor with kissing 
 his hands, and taking away the flowers which 
 were strewn upon his body ; they even took off 
 the cap from his head, the crucifix from his 
 hands, and his beads were exchanged several 
 times ; his habit was cut in a hundred places 
 at least; and the body would no doubt have 
 been entirely despoiled, if it had not been hur- 
 riedly conveyed into the sacristy. It was here 
 that the most illustrious persons, both of rank 
 and character were enabled to satisfy their piety, 
 by respectfully kissing the feet of the servant of 
 God, honoring the tattered remnants of his habit 
 as relics, touching his face with their beads and 
 handkerchiefs, and loudly extolling the Lord, 
 for having given at so early an age such a 
 wonderful example of consummate virtue. Some 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEECHMANS. 197 
 
 ladies of high quality who had not been able 
 as yet to see him, fearing they should lose 
 this satisfaction if he were interred that same 
 evening, so urgently entreated that the cere- 
 mony might be deferred until the following day, 
 that it was impossible to refuse the request. 
 This delay enabled a painter to finish a portrait 
 of him, and gave the father-rector time to have 
 a leaden coffin made wherein to deposit his pre- 
 cious remains. 
 
 It was judged advisable, moreover, to have 
 his body opened, in order to discover the cause 
 of so early a death in one whose fine constitu- 
 tion seemed to promise an unusually length- 
 ened life. When the operation was performed, 
 his interior was found to be completely dried 
 and parched, which could only result from in- 
 cessant application, continual mortification, and 
 an extreme ardor which charity alone could 
 enkindle. But what caused the greatest sur- 
 prise, was the discovery of a sort of prodigy, 
 by which Divine Providence would seem to 
 verify what had often been said of him ; namely, 
 that a young man so mild, and so uniformly 
 sweet tempered, could not have any gall ; and 
 in effect the surgeons found none whatever. 
 When his heart was extracted, which was done 
 that it might be sent to the college at Louvain, 
 it was found full of blood, a circumstance which 
 
198 THE LIFE OF 
 
 proved what has been already remarked, that 
 the love of Jesus Christ in him must have been 
 very predominant, so completely to have extin- 
 guished the love of pleasure, which naturally 
 belonged to him. When the operation was 
 ( ompleted, he was replaced in his coffin, and 
 carried back to the church, there to remain 
 until his interment, exposed to the view of those 
 persons who had not been able to satisfy their 
 piety the previous day. As they were chiefly 
 persons whose dignity and authority could not 
 well be resisted, it was necessary to allow them 
 the whole day to gratify their devotion. Dur- 
 ing this time, carefully as the body was watched, 
 it was impossible to prevent the people from 
 taking away what they considered precious 
 relics, and which every one seemed anxious to 
 possess. The new cassock, in which he had 
 been just clothed, was spared no more than his 
 own old ones, pieces were cut off in all direc- 
 tions ; his hair and his nails were cut off; and 
 some one even went so far as to cut off one of 
 his toes. The only means of checking this 
 pious violence, was to consign his precious re- 
 mains to the tomb. This devoted imitator of 
 Aloysius Gronzaga, was first conveyed to his 
 chapel in a coffin, on which was a leaden plate, 
 with an inscription in his honor ; from thence 
 he was carried to another chapel, in which the 
 
BLESSED JOH^" BEBCHMANS. 199 
 
 body of his youthful patron bad likewise re- 
 posed : in both these chapels he received con- 
 tinued marks of public veneration. His tomb 
 was honored by successive crowds of visitors; 
 every morning it was strewed with flowers, and 
 tapers were lighted before it : the stone which 
 covered his remains was kissed with religious 
 veneration ; recourse was had to his interces- 
 sion, and many, who acknowledged to have 
 been helped by him in their necessities, pub- 
 lished the power of the holy young man, and 
 brought offerings to the chapel where they had 
 felt the influence of his intercession. We may 
 here remark, that this eagerness to honor 
 Berchmans was not the blind devotion of the 
 common people, whose simple, and sometimes 
 superstitious piety easily yields to excess ; but 
 the most enlightened persons in Borne, min- 
 gling with the populace, strove who should show 
 him most honor by openly proclaiming their 
 confidence in him. The most profound politi- 
 cians were not ashamed to seek lessons of true 
 wisdom at the tomb of this young religious, 
 who in life had only exhibited the simplicity of 
 a dove. 
 
 This would perhaps be the proper place to 
 relate the wonders which our Lord wrought to 
 glorify His servant ; the wonderful favors 
 granted through his intercession ; the numerous 
 
200 THE LIFE OF 
 
 miracles which occurred on the day of his 
 burial ; the apparitions which several persons 
 of undoubted veracity had of him ; his own 
 predictions of his death, and many other prodi- 
 gies, juridically verified in the process ordered 
 by Pope Gregory XY. ; but as they have not 
 yet the full character of authenticity, (sanc- 
 tioned by the authority of the Holy See,) my 
 aim has not been so much to describe an extra-" 
 ordinary saint, to be held up as a spectacle of 
 admiration to the whole world, as to trace out, 
 as I have already remarked, a perfect model of 
 imitation for young Jesuits. And surely a 
 model such as this, completed in so short a 
 time, must be itself a miracle ; a young man, 
 thus exalted by the grace of Jesus Christ to the 
 most eminent degree of sanctity, at an age when 
 others have scarcely made the first advances, 
 may be looked upon as wonderful. One cir- 
 cumstance that evidently proves the extraordi- 
 nary virtues of John Berchmans, is the general 
 impression made by his death on the souls of 
 an infinite number of Jesuits, whom it excited 
 to a singular renewal of fervor. No sooner 
 was the news of his death spread through our 
 houses, than every one thought much more of 
 imitating him than of weeping for his loss. 
 The younger members in particular seemed 
 animated with a holy desire to imitate him in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEBCHMAN3. 201 
 
 his love of prayer, modesty, and recollection; 
 each one strove to excel in humility and morti- 
 fication ; nothing was heard at recreation but 
 pious discourses ; in fine, the idea of this holy 
 young man seemed to inspire all with heavenly 
 ardor. From Italy this laudable emulation was 
 immediately extended to other countries, par- 
 ticularly to Flanders. The college at Louvain 
 (whither the Reverend Father-general had sent 
 the precious deposit of Berchmans' heart) and 
 the noviciate at Mechlin, were foremost in their 
 endeavors to keep alive the memory of Berch- 
 mans, by imitating his virtues, laboring with 
 all their strength to become faithful copies of 
 their holy brother; and whether it be, that 
 their tender love for him was a lively spur 
 which urged them onwards to that high perfec- 
 tion of which he had given them such fine ex- 
 amples, or that he in heaven obtained for them 
 singular graces to attain to this perfection, cer- 
 tain it is, that in these two holy communities 
 many Berchmans may yet be found. Nor was 
 it only in our communities that this sacred fire 
 was enkindled : it soon extended to the schools, 
 and was thus communicated to the youth there 
 taught. A great number of young persons of 
 rank and talent conceived a strong desire to 
 follow him in the paths of purity, innocence, 
 and contempt of the world. The deserts of re- 
 
202 THE LIFE OF 
 
 ligion became peopled ; and we may say, to the 
 comfort of the society, that this same society at 
 least reaped an abundant harvest. Even those 
 who remained in the world cherished the 
 memory of the servant of God, and frequently 
 owned that it had been a powerful preservative 
 against the corruptions of the age. These are 
 indubitable proofs of true sanctity. 
 
 Such is the portrait I propose to trace of 
 John Berchmans : there remains nothing more 
 towards its completion, but to add his senti- 
 ments, which may be called, "the features of 
 the inward man ;" and as these need never be 
 distrusted, when sustained by action, I shall 
 describe the manner in which he performed his 
 most important actions, which will form the 
 subject of the fourth, book. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 203 
 
 BOOK IV. 
 
 The lives of those saints who began their 
 saintly career early in life, and whose fervor 
 never afterwards relented, are composed of 
 "full days," according to the expression of 
 holy writ; and this plenitude consists in a 
 chain of holy actions, which occupy all the 
 hours of those precious days, without allowing 
 one to pass empty away. Such was the life of 
 John Berchmans, of whom it may be said, 
 (without intending to raise him above other 
 holy souls, whose memory we honor,) that there 
 are few whose years were more uniformly made 
 up of piety and virtue, by the care he took to 
 sanctify every moment of his time. From his 
 entrance into the noviciate, he drew up a plan of 
 action, which he observed to the last day of his 
 life, merely changing it according to circum- 
 stances when he quitted the noviciate to begin 
 his studies. We shall give it here, as it was 
 found amongst his writings. 
 
 His spiritual occupation in rising is thus 
 traced out : u At the sound of the bell to rise, I 
 will imagine that our Lord Himself calls me 
 
204 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and making the sign of the cross, I will imme- 
 diately answer, c Lord, what wilt Thou have me 
 to do? my heart is readj^;' then banishing 
 from my mind every other thought but that of 
 my meditation, I will arrange the principal 
 points. In taking my dear habit I will kiss it 
 tenderly, rejoicing that I am allowed to wear 
 the livery of Jesus Christ, by returning Him 
 my humble thanks and begging Him never to 
 permit me to become unworthy of it. As soon 
 as I am decently clothed, I will fall upon my 
 knees, to pay my acts of adoration and thanks- 
 giving to the Most Holy Trinity ; and that they 
 may become more agreeable to the Eternal Fa- 
 ther, I will unite them with those offered to 
 Him by the Word Incarnate during His mortal 
 life, to whom I will show my respect and love 
 by kissing His crucified image. I will next 
 address myself to our Blessed Lady, to my good 
 angel, to my father, St. Ignatius, and to my 
 other holy patrons, particularly the one I shall 
 have chosen for my protector during that day, 
 through whose hands I will present all my 
 prayers to the Divine Majesty : the prayers to 
 be particularly recited are the Pater, Ave, 
 Credo, the prayer of the congregation, and the 
 formulary of my vows, protesting that I will 
 live and die a true son of the Church, of our 
 Blessed Lady, and of the society. After this I 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 205 
 
 will propose these four things : 1st, to perform 
 all my actions purely for the glory of God, in 
 thanksgiving for His benefits, and in the hope 
 of obtaining new graces ; 2nclly, to be particu- 
 larly attentive to the subject of my particular 
 examen ; 3rdly, to die rather than commit the 
 least venial sin, or to transgress the least of my 
 rules; 4thly, to live and die in the society. 
 Having acquitted myself of this exercise, I will 
 prepare for meditation by fervent aspirations, 
 saying, in imitation of David, i Open, Lord, 
 my lips and my heart, that I may study Thy 
 greatness, and proclaim Thy praises ; 7 or, ' O 
 my God, may the fire of Thine holy love be 
 enkindled in me during my meditation;' or, 
 i Teach me, Lord, how to pray. 7 The moment 
 I hear the signal to begin prayer, taking holy 
 water, I will make the sign of the cross, place 
 myself in the presence of God, adoring Him 
 profoundly; then I will commence the grand 
 affair of communication with Him, omitting 
 none of the regulations left us by St. Ignatius, 
 under the name of additions. I will excite my 
 soul to bless the Lord, uniting all its powers to 
 praise Him, saying with the royal phrophet, 
 1 My soul, bless thou the Lord, and may all 
 that is within me praise His holy name. 7 I 
 will apply my memory to the recollection of 
 the mystery or truth upon which I am to be 
 
206 THE LIFE OF 
 
 engaged ; my understanding to conceive and 
 penetrate its depth; my will to be affection- 
 ately attached to it; being fully persuaded, 
 that without this union of my heart with God, 
 my meditation will only be a dry and barren 
 speculation. Towards the end I will address 
 myself to the three persons of the Blessed 
 Trinity, begging Them to place a seal upon 
 my heart, in order to preserve what They have 
 operated therein ; and in this sort of colloquy, 
 I will endeavor to observe great respect to- 
 wards the Sovereign Majesty. "When I have 
 finished my prayer, I will make a short reflec- 
 tion upon all that passed during it, thanking 
 God for all the good he condescended to confer 
 upon me, and confounding myself for all the 
 imperfection mingled in it, which alone belongs 
 to me. Then I will mark on paper the graces 
 received from our Lord, the resolutions He in- 
 spired me to make, and the most powerful 
 motives wdiich induced them. When the time 
 of mass approaches, I will endeavor to be 
 among the first in the church. In going thither 
 I will question myself thus : L Whither art 
 thou going, Berchmans ? what art thou going 
 to do ?' to which I will answer nryself from the 
 bottom of my heart, ' I am going to present 
 myself to the Eternal Father, to offer Him the 
 sacrifice of His dear Son.' As soon as I am 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. 207 
 
 before the holy altar, after placing myself upon 
 my knees, and making an act of profound 
 adoration, I will renew my morning's general 
 intention ; adding to it those others suitable to 
 this most holy and august mystery of religion. 
 Prostrate then in spirit at the foot of the cross, 
 I will assist at this unbloody sacrifice as I 
 should have done at the bloody immolation on 
 Calvary ; accompanying the priest, and conform- 
 ing the sentiments of my heart to the words he 
 pronounces until the Offertory ; then applying 
 myself entirely to the passion of our Lord, I 
 will review the principal mysteries of it. Towards 
 the beginning of the Canon I will represent to 
 myself the only Son of God stretching Him- 
 self upon His cross as upon His bed of sorrows, 
 presenting His hands and feet to His execution- 
 ers : at this spectacle, raising my eyes and heart 
 to the Eternal Father, I will say to Him, ' O 
 my God, look upon the face of Thy Son.' By 
 the adorable head of this Divine Victim, crowned 
 with thorns, I will pray for the Sovereign Pon- 
 tiff, and for Christian kings and princes; that 
 the first may govern the Church holily, and 
 the latter defend it with zeal. In consideration 
 of this divine head, I will recommend him who 
 is the head of the society, and its other superiors. 
 By the right hand I will conjure the Father of 
 Mercies to show mercy to those who are allied 
 
208 THE LIFE OF 
 
 to me by blood, granting them grace to observe 
 His holy law ; and particularly to show His 
 most tender favors to those who are spiritually 
 united with me ; such as those with whom I have 
 the honor to live, and, in short, every member of 
 the society, with whom I am closely bound in 
 Jesus Christ ; begging Him to grant them grace 
 to persevere until death angelical purity ; that 
 they may be worthy instruments of the society, 
 and preserve with constant fidelity in the grace 
 of their vocation. By the left hand, I will 
 recommend all my enemies to God, (in case I 
 have any,) begging Him to bless them with His 
 good gifts. By the same hand I will beg the 
 light of faith for infidels and heretics, and the 
 grace of charity for all bad Christians in a state 
 of mortal sin. By the right foot I will present 
 to the Eternal Father all those members of the 
 Society of Jesus, who perhaps do not live up to 
 the perfection of their state ; that they may be 
 animated by a new fervor, and concur with the 
 other members of this holy order in promoting 
 the honor of the sacred name. In fine, by the 
 left foot I will beg Him to have pity on all those 
 who have quitted the order, whether through 
 levity or weakness, that they may have grace to 
 return to their duty. At the elevation of the 
 Sacred Host I will adore our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 as truly there present as He was on the tree of 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 209 
 
 the cross ; saying from the bottom of my heart 
 these words of the Church : ( We adore Thee, 
 O Lord, and we bless Thee, because Thou hast 
 redeemed the world by Thy holy cross.' Con- 
 tinuing the same spirit of amorous devotion, I 
 will recite leisurely the 'Anima Christi' attentive- 
 ly considering every word of this devout prayer, 
 so well calculated to inspire love and confidence 
 towards Jesus crucified. When the priest says, 
 'Nobis quoque peccatoribus,' I will enter with 
 most respectful tenderness into the wound of 
 the sacred side of my dear Saviour; conjuring 
 him to inclose therein, to preserve, strengthen, 
 and protect the society ; to permit me, notwith- 
 standing my unworthiness, to dwell there, as in 
 a secret asylum, secure from the attacks of my 
 enemies ; and that by the immense charity which 
 induced Him to receive this holy wound, He 
 will be pleased to penetrate my heart with the 
 flames of His most pure love, producing therein 
 those virtues which will make me most pleas- 
 ing to Himself, but especially those which will 
 enable me to live and die a true son of the 
 society ; to give me, for this purpose, an exalted 
 sanctity and great learning, if the latter will 
 tend to the greater glory of God. I will then 
 conclude all my petitions, by begging a filial love 
 of our Blessed Lady ; not forgetting an earnest 
 recommendation in favor of the dead, with 
 
210 TIIE LIFE OF 
 
 whom I may be united either by the ties of 
 blood or by religion, and particularly for those 
 most abandoned. At tlie priest's communion 
 I will unite my heart with his, by way of spirit- 
 ual communion ; and after receiving in spirit 
 what the holy minister receives in reality, I will 
 join my acts of thanksgiving to his. After 
 this, reflecting upon the manner in which I 
 have performed this action, I will beg pardon 
 of our Lord for the faults that may have slipped 
 in ; and then entreat him to present my offering 
 to His divine Father, in union with the sacrifice 
 of Himself, just offered by the priest in His name. 
 I will observe this same method of hearing mass 
 on communion days ; only adding frequent acts 
 of desire of this ineffable grace, vouchsafed to 
 me by our Lord, begging Him, by the merits of 
 His passion, to prepare for Himself a worthy 
 resting place. I will occupy myself with these 
 thoughts more particularly from thePater Xoster, 
 using some of the most tender expressions from 
 the Holy Scriptures, in proof of my impatient 
 desire to be united to Him; such as, 'The stag, 
 when thirsty, seeks fountains of water ; so does my 
 soul, Lord, seek Thee ;' or, ' "Who will procure 
 for me the pleasure of enjoying Thee, my Broth- 
 er?' or, 'Come, my Beloved, come into Thy 
 garden.' Then, full of confidence that the Lord 
 hears my sighs, T will imagine that He says this 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 211 
 
 consoling word to me : ' I will go and cure him.' 
 At this favorable answer, confounded like the 
 humble centurion in the Gospel, I will say, ' I 
 am not worthy to receive Thee into my house, 
 Lord ; say but one word, and I shall be cured.' 
 Seeing that this God of goodness, notwithstand- 
 ing my un worthiness, still condescends to honor 
 me with His presence, I will affectionately say, 
 conformably with the priest's words, - May the 
 body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my 
 soul to everlasting life!' At the moment I 
 shall have received Him, in a sentiment of pro- 
 found recollection I will pay Him my respect- 
 ful homage, and acts of thanksgiving, and of 
 lively faith, most firmly believing, that He 
 whom I possess is the true Son of God and of 
 the Blessed Virgin. Filled with astonishment 
 at the consideration of His greatness and of my 
 own unworthiness, I will ask, ' Whence is this 
 favor, that my Lord and my God should come 
 to me?' With the design of testifying my 
 gratitude, I will beg my holy patrons to supply 
 for my insufficiency by their ardent love. I 
 will add my little devotions and light mortifi- 
 cations to what they are doing for me, together 
 with the renovation of my vows, as the humble 
 and loving tribute of my heart. In fine, after 
 asking of the Eternal Father, in consideration 
 of His dear Son, grace to serve Him perfectly, 
 
212 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and to love our Blessed Lady more tenderly, I 
 will conclude my thanksgiving with the ordi- 
 nary reflections. Although the foundation of 
 my intentions for communion should be always 
 the same, I may occasionally vary some cir- 
 cumstances, according to the different myste- 
 ries which the Church celebrates, having learnt 
 from St, Ignatius, that to follow the spirit and 
 sentiments of the Church is the characteristic 
 mark of solid piety, and is always secure from 
 illusions. Therefore, as this mother of the 
 faithful teaches us to honor Jesus Christ in all 
 the stages of His life, by dividing them into 
 different festivals, I wall endeavor to make my 
 devotions conformable to them. This is the 
 plan I may follow during the holy time of 
 Advent, consecrated to the memory of the In- 
 carnation of the Eternal Word, and to the 
 birth of an Infant-God, to whom I have for 
 ever devoted all my affections. In going to 
 the church I will imagine that I am about to 
 witness the spectacle of a God made man, and 
 reduced to the infirmities of infancy. As the 
 priest goes up to the altar, I will in spirit ac- 
 company the most holy Virgin, and her chaste 
 spouse St. Joseph, on their journey from Na- 
 zareth to Bethlehem : I will attentively con- 
 sider these holy persons, be the witness of their 
 patience, of their recollection, and of their mod- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMÀNS. 213 
 
 esty. These thoughts will occupy me until the 
 Gospel, during which I will renew my faith 
 upon the mysteries of this God-Man ; some- 
 times contemplating the grandeur of His eter- 
 nal generation, and then reverting to the 
 annihilations of His temporal birth. At the 
 Offertory, I will imagine I behold the Queen 
 of Angels vainly seeking for a lodging in the 
 town of Bethlehem ; filled with compassion and 
 astonishment at seeing her thus' repulsed, I will 
 offer her my heart, to be the residence of her- 
 self and her divine Child. I will admire this 
 august princess entering a lowly stable, there 
 to bring forth the Creator of all things; and 
 beholding Him in the priest's hands at the eleva- 
 tion, I will adore Him as if He were just born. 
 With loving respect I will contemplate His 
 poverty, His lowliness, and His humiliations; 
 at the same time, I will firmly believe, that He, 
 who sits at the right hand of his Father in 
 splendid glory, is the same whom I now behold 
 under the sacramental species, as He who was 
 clothed in poor swathing-bands. I will love Him 
 tenderly in this contemptible and humble state ; 
 urging Him with fresh ardor to enter into my 
 heart, as, at the moment of communion, He in 
 reality will do. I will adore Him there most 
 profoundly, with all the powers of my soul, re- 
 presenting to Him, that as He is all-powerful 
 
21-1 THE LIFE OF 
 
 with His Father, so I hope He will establish and 
 constant!)' maintain me in His gracious favor; 
 protesting, as Jacob did to the angel, that I will 
 not let Him depart, until He has blessed me 
 and granted me the fruits of a holy communion. 
 As nothing better conduces to this than an exact 
 confession, which purifies the heart of the stains 
 which make it offensive to the Author of ail 
 purity, before I receive this amiable Guest I 
 will have recourse to the sacrament of penance. 
 In order to do this with greater profit, I will 
 address myself to our Blessed Lady, to obtain 
 through her means, grace to know and detest 
 my sins ; I will beg the same of her dear Son, 
 and His mediation with His Eternal Father. 
 After this short prayer follows my examination 
 of conscience, which must be made without 
 negligence and without anxiety. I will next 
 endeavor to excite a lively sorrow, from a motive 
 of most pure love ; and as my desire to please 
 Jesus Christ must be without reserve, so like- 
 wise my regret for having displeased Flim, and 
 my resolution never more to displease Him, 
 "must be without exception. For my method of 
 confession, I will observe that which is common 
 to the society ; and my interior disposition at 
 the moment of receiving absolution shall be to 
 consider myself at the feet of my crucified Jesus, 
 receiving the drops of His precious blood, flow- 
 
BLESSED JOHX BERCIIMANS. 215 
 
 ing from His wounds, for the purification of my 
 soul ; and hearing from His sacred lips these 
 words of grace, ' Go in peace, your sins are for- 
 given. 7 On quitting the holy tribunal, I will 
 most affectionately thank my Judge for the 
 merciful decree He has just pronounced in my 
 favor. I will renew my protestations of fidelity, 
 and acquit myself of my penance ; and in con- 
 clusion, will say with humble gratitude, 'Accept, 
 O Lord, the confession I have just made, how- 
 ever imperfect it may have been ; receive it 
 through the prayers and merits of the Blessed 
 Virgin, and of my holy patrons. If any fault 
 has glided in, either in this or in any of my 
 former confessions, whether from want of integri- 
 ty in the accusation, from want of vehemence in 
 the sorrow, or from want of strength in the pur- 
 pose of amendment, be pleased to supply for all 
 'this by Thine infinite mercy, and grant that 
 the absolution I have received on earth may be 
 ratified in heaven. Amen. 7 
 
 " Next to the study of virtue, nothing is more 
 necessary for a Jesuit, than the study of the 
 sciences ; therefore I must never separate the 
 duties of the scholar from the duties of the reli- 
 gious. I reduce them both to these three heads. 
 The first and most essential, which relates to 
 God, consists in desiring only the greater glory 
 of God in all studies. The true means to nourish 
 
216 THE LIFE OF 
 
 this pure intention, is union with Him by pray- 
 er : it is there I shall find light in the obscure 
 path of science, and that holy unction so neces- 
 sary in dry study, to which my state obliges 
 me. To prayer I must join the general and 
 particular examens; assiduity in daily assisting 
 at holy mass with all possible devotion, and the 
 sacraments of penance and communion every 
 week. These are the means to maintain an in- 
 terior spirit, which our holy founder employed 
 whilst he was studying in Paris. Having ac- 
 complished this duty of piety, (which should be 
 the soul of my studies,) the most useful and the 
 most meritorious method will be to study accord- 
 ing to the spirit of the society ; to do this exactl} r , 
 I must be indifferent and without choice; I 
 must apply to that branch of study, and take les- 
 sons from that master assigned me by obedience. 
 Having consecrated the first moments of the 
 day to mediation on the science of the saints, 
 I must devote the time which follows to the 
 speculations of human science ; carefully read- 
 ing and studying the lessons of my master ; 
 clearing away their difficulties if I am able, if 
 not, I will mark them upon paper, and ask an 
 explanation later. Faithful in studying at the 
 time appointed, I will be equally so in not 
 exceeding the prescribed limits ; remembering 
 that the same authority which requires study 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 217 
 
 for a certain length of time, forbids its continu- 
 ation beyond that time; therefore, after two 
 hours' application I will interrupt it, in order 
 to return to it with fresh ardor after allowing 
 myself the usual relaxation. In domestic reci- 
 tations, and in public disputations, I consider 
 that a scholar of the society is obliged to give 
 proof of his talent and capacity, never forget- 
 ting at the same time, to give proofs of his 
 modesty and humility. Lastly, I have two 
 things to observe, with regard to the compan- 
 ions of my studies : the first is, alwaj^s to ad- 
 dress them in Latin, (according to the rule,) 
 except during the hours of recreation, if they 
 are Jesuits ; the second is, if they are not Jesuits, 
 never to speak to them without permission, to 
 which I add, that having obtained this permis- 
 sion, I will use it only to discourse with them 
 either upon piety or study, in order that they 
 may be either edified or instructed. In a word, 
 that I may fail in none of my obligations, I will 
 have this thought ever present to my mind, ' I 
 have the honor of being a son of the society.' 
 I will give great attention to those actions which 
 are most essential to a religious during the 
 term of his studies, and to neglect none, how- 
 ever light they may seem; besides my morn- 
 ing's general intention, which consecrates them 
 all to God, I will offer them again in particular, 
 
218 THE LIFE OF 
 
 before and after performing them. At the 
 commencement, raising my heart to God, I will 
 say to him, ' My Lord and my God, in acknowl- 
 edgment of Thine absolute dominion over me, 
 and of the ineffable goodness Thou hast shown 
 me, I offer this action, together with my whole 
 self, to Thee, wishing neither to act nor to exist, 
 but for the interests of Thy glory ; I also offer 
 it to obtain from Thy Divine Majesty the 
 graces and virtues necessary for me, such as 
 humility, devotion towards our Blessed Lady, 
 and those dispositions of heart which will make 
 me agreeable to you and her. In fine, I unite 
 it to every similar act of my Lord Jesus Christ, 
 hoping that this union will stamp value and 
 merit upon my action, which it could not other- 
 wise deserve.' Towards the end I will renew 
 my offering, somewhat in these terms : ' The 
 action I have just performed belongs to Thee, 
 O adorable Trinity; I wish I had a thousand 
 hearts, wherewith to offer it to Thee ! I pre- 
 sent it, together with the tears, blood, and sor- 
 rows of Jesus Christ : with the merits of the 
 holy Virgin ; with the blood of the martyrs, 
 especially those of the society ; with the praises 
 and love of all the angels and saints, who will 
 glorify Thee throughout etermiy. Amen.' " 
 
 After this detail of exterior actions, chosen 
 from among many others, there only remains 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 219 
 
 to describe the interior sentiments of the ser- 
 vant of God : it would scarcely be just to sepa- 
 rate one from the other, the sentiments of the 
 heart being the main-spring which regulates 
 the actions of saints, whilst their actions are 
 solid proofs of the sincerity of their sentiments. 
 Berchman's are scattered through his writings, 
 without attention to order. Perhaps it will be 
 well to arrange them under certain heads, 
 taking also the liberty to express their sense, 
 rather than strictly to follow his words; de- 
 signing thereby to make them more useful to 
 my readers, who will find a faithful mirror, in 
 which the whole interior of the holy young- 
 man will be clearly represented. The follow- 
 ing, therefore, are the pure sentiments of Berch- 
 mans' heart. 
 
 " To Love God, and to love nothing but Him ; 
 or if we love something else, it must be loved 
 only in Him and for Him. It is this which 
 constitutes the felicity of the saints in heaven, 
 and it must also be the merit of those who 
 strive to be such on earth. However slight our 
 attachment to creatures may be, it slackens the 
 cord which binds us to God ; we withdraw from 
 the latter what we give to the former. This 
 great God owns no sympathy with a divided 
 heart; He seeks to possess without division 
 what He deserves without reserve. A divided 
 
220 THE LIFE OF 
 
 heart is unworthy of Him, and such an illiberal 
 offering is well calculated to restrain His gene- 
 rosity. What does it signify whether or no 
 
 our fellow-creatures love us ? They are so in- 
 significant ; in fact, it is far better not to be 
 loved by them ; their friendship is dangerous, 
 and generally costs the person who seeks it, if 
 not the love, at least the caresses and special 
 favors of God. TTe must not value the esteem 
 of the world; it is at best but a bad judge, 
 which often despises what ought to be esteemed, 
 and esteems what deserves contempt. TVe are 
 only worth the price at which God values us; 
 true merit must be weighed in His scales ; for 
 it is His judgment which alone can decide be- 
 tween real and counterfeit virtues. T vVe risk 
 all when we place our confidence in men: their 
 protection is weak, inconstant, and fragile : 
 they clo us but little good, and that little is 
 uncertain : their power is so limited, that all 
 their good- will cannot make us happy. On the 
 contrary, how sweet it is to rely on God ! I 
 have then nothing to fear. He is my Father, 
 and my Father is all-powerful : I need not fear, 
 either that He is unwilling or unable to sup- 
 port the child who throws himself upon His 
 bosom. O Jesus, my Love ! God of my heart, 
 and centre of all my affections: all my happi- 
 ness, all my good, both for time and eternity, 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 221 
 
 rests in Thee alone ! I expect no graces, no 
 virtues, but inasmuch as I shall be united to 
 Thee. Thou art the true Yine ; I am only an 
 unprofitable branch, having no other life than 
 what Thou givest me' by Thy grace. If I re- 
 main inseparably united with Thee, I shall 
 share Thy fruitfulness ; and sterile as I am of 
 myself, shall bear immortal fruit; but if, un- 
 happily, I separate from Thee, I shall become 
 dry, withered, useless, and only fit to be thrown 
 into the fire. The world, the flesh, and the 
 devil contend with Jesus Christ for the domin- 
 ion of my heart. Miserable indeed shall I be 
 if they succeed ! and I should be deservedly 
 punished for my evil choice, by the cruel sla- 
 very that these harsh masters would reduce me 
 to. On the contrary, my Saviour, how sweet 
 it is to live under Thy laws! Servitude under 
 Thee becomes delightful, and is far preferable 
 to the most unrestricted liberty. In Thee I 
 find everything that can comfort and reassure 
 me in the grand voyage to eternity. Thou art 
 the way I must follow, the light which must 
 guide me, and the true life, to which I look as 
 the term of my pilgrimage. Yfhat can I seek 
 for elsewhere ! It is true, my Lord, Thou 
 sometimes seemest to hide Thyself from me, 
 and then all is darkness and dryness ; but it 
 seldom lasts long, and I knew that Thy loving 
 
222 THE LIFE OF 
 
 providence permits it for my good. As soon 
 as I call upon Thee, Thou nearest my sighs. 
 Thou becomest propitious to my prayers ; and 
 raising the veil which concealed the charms of 
 Thy divine countenance, it appears that Thou 
 didst withdraw Thyself for a moment only to 
 make our approaching re-union more close and 
 binding. Thou art good, but Thou art like- 
 wise jealous ; and Thy sensibility keeps pace 
 with Thy goodness. Thou insistest upon fidelity 
 in Thy servants ; and can we flatter ourselves 
 that we are such, when we deliberately consent 
 to displease Thee ? 
 
 " Perfect love, and the smallest deliberate 
 sin, are incompatible in the same heart ; we 
 must be determined never to consent to sin, if 
 we desire the perfection of Thy love. Now, 
 whoever sincerely loves Thee, my Divine Sa- 
 viour, must love Thee upon the cross and upon 
 the altar : there Thou diest ; here, Thou livest 
 for us : it is in these two places I will live and 
 die. Xothing can be more consoling during 
 life, than to pass a great part of it with our 
 Lord residing in the Blessed Sacrament ; and 
 nothing can be more consoling in death, than 
 to have truly loved our crucified God : we may 
 then with confidence kiss His image, if we have 
 had courage to copy it faithfully. 
 
 "I cannot love Jesus, without loving His 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 223 
 
 holy Mother. "What a fund of consolation for 
 me to know, that the Mother of my God conde- 
 scends to be my Mother ! and that she adopts 
 me as her child ! Yes, from my earliest years, 
 I have had the honor of being such ; scarcely 
 was I capable of knowing my mother according 
 to the flesh, than you, Divine Virgin, became 
 my Mother according to the spirit ! It was in 
 the chapel of Montaigu, that I received the fa- 
 vor of this holy adoption, which has been fol- 
 lowed by an infinity of others ; but the greatest 
 and most inestimable of all, was that of being 
 led, as it were, by the hand into the society of 
 your dear Son ; hoping through your interces- 
 sion to die in it ; and this will be the crown of all 
 the rest. As there are no Jesuits who do not 
 acknowledge, that they owe the favor of being 
 such to our Blessed Lady ; so, none can hope to 
 be good Jesuits, unless they profess a tender and 
 solid devotion towards this Sovereign Benefac- 
 tress. It is in vain to flatter ourselves that we 
 have this solid devotion to the Queen of Angels, 
 if we do not love with her the virtues she so 
 singularly loved, particularly her modesty and 
 her purity. The first was so incomparable, 
 that it appears more than human ; the second 
 was so excellent, that it drew to her Him who 
 is purity itself; and as the love of Mary cannot 
 exist in a heart without the love of purity, 
 
224 THE LIFE OF 
 
 so neither can the love of purity long main- 
 tain itself there without the aid of modesty, 
 which is its most faithful guardian. After our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Sovereign Media- 
 tor, all my confidence is in our Blessed Lady, 
 my dear Mother and my all-powerful Protec- 
 tress: the wounds of Jesus and the bosom of 
 Mary are my two precious asylums. It is in 
 vain the devils seek my loss ; like the timid dove 
 pursued by the hawk, which hides itself in the 
 cleft of the rock, so will I retire into these se- 
 cure fortresses, which are inaccessible to their 
 fury. If we have not a filial confidence in the 
 Mother of God, how can we live in repose? 
 And can we die tranquilly if we are not shielded 
 by her maternal protection ? 
 
 " Every religious ought to be particularly 
 attached to the order in which Providence has 
 placed him ; it is a duty of justice and charity 
 to respect all other orders approved by the 
 Church ; but it is moreover, a duty of gratitude, 
 to add tenderness and respect to justice and 
 charity, with regard to the order to which each 
 individual belongs. The honor which God does 
 to the society, by making use of it to His own 
 glory, must ever oblige me to respect it ; but 
 the honor it does me, by ranking me in the 
 number of its children, obliges me to love, no 
 less than to respect it ; and how can I show my 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 225 
 
 lively, my heartfelt gratitude to the order other- 
 wise than by honoring and loving it as a mother, 
 and considering all my brothers as my masters, 
 rendering them, as such, all the services' I am 
 able ? Even if my unworthiness, joined to the 
 favors I have received, did not inspire these 
 sentiments, the example of Jesus and Mary 
 would engrave them profoundly in my heart. 
 A God descends from the throne of His gran- 
 deur, and from being Master of the universe, 
 becomes a Servant : a Mother of God glories in 
 being the hand-maid of Him whose mother she 
 is declared to be, and could the thought of 
 being served, instead of serving others, enter 
 for a moment into my heart after such an ex- 
 ample! I must look upon my superior as 
 God's delegate, invested with His authority, 
 the interpreter of His will, in my regard ; 
 therefore, when I speak to him, I owe him the 
 most profound respect ; when he speaks to me, 
 I owe him the most submissive obedience. 
 As long as my heart is open to him, the 
 devil will never gain access there ; and it will 
 be open to him in proportion as I confide in 
 and love him. To preserve these due disposi- 
 tions I will always consider him as my father, 
 and as holding the place of the best of fathers. 
 I shall never interfere in my destination, whe- 
 ther with regard to place or employment ; and 
 15 
 
22(5 THE LIFE OF 
 
 as I certainly should not wish to die either in 
 a house or office of my own choosing, so neither 
 should I seek to live according to my own ar- 
 rangements. 
 
 "I will carefully avoid asking my superiors 
 the motives of their conduct; that concerns 
 them, not me : all my concern must be to re- 
 ceive their commands, and submit to them: 
 what they appoint is the will of God, and that 
 is reason enough for me. I must be severe to- 
 wards myself, but show only sweetness and con- 
 descension towards my brothers. My eyes shall 
 be constantly open to my own faults ; I will 
 establish* a tribunal in my heart, where I may 
 always accuse myself, but where I may never 
 condemn them. Ever ready to oblige them, 
 my chief pleasure shall be to please them for 
 God's sake. I cannot deny, that if I should 
 meet with any tepid dispositions, whose hearts 
 I could not hope to inflame with the love of 
 God, their society would certainly be painful 
 to me, from a just fear that it might prove con- 
 tagious ; thanks, however, to the Lord, I know no 
 such persons ; for all here are animated by ex- 
 traordinary fervor, therefore it matters little 
 with whom I may associate in the recreation 
 hours, since I may derive profit from the con- 
 versation of every one. As Almighty God dis- 
 penses His favors differently to His servants, 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 227 
 
 some appear to be more fervent than others ; and 
 I own, that the same principle which would lead 
 me to withdraw from the imperfect and tepid, 
 would give me a strong inclination towards the 
 more fervent, on account of the spiritual inter- 
 course I might have with them ; but which it 
 would be difficult to maintain with persons indif- 
 ferent to the interests of God and their own sal- 
 vation. 
 
 "I do not consider that I offend common 
 charity, by showing particular regard to the 
 lay-brothers, who are placed by obedience, and 
 by their state, in humble offices ; for laboring all 
 day as they do, for the convenience or comfort 
 of our bodies, it is only just that we endeavor to 
 procure the good of their souls. I will love all 
 my brothers, but be particularly attached to no 
 one ; private friendships are dangerous to a 
 community ; when once they glide in, charity is 
 weakened, and good order is reversed. Thanks 
 to our Lord, my heart is free ; and as it is tied 
 to nothing, so likewise is it attached to no 
 person. I love nothing, but in Thee, and for 
 Thee, O my God ! and if I knew that any other 
 love existed in my heart, I should consider it a 
 profane flame, capable of extinguishing the 
 sacred fire of Thy holy love. Can we persuade 
 ourselves, that we respect our holy founder, that 
 we love our order, or that we seek our perfec- 
 
22S THE LIFE OF 
 
 tion, if we neglect the spirit of our legislator, 
 the good order of religion, or the sanctity of the 
 religious and all comprised in the rules ? If the 
 rules of religion be ill-observed, violation of the 
 vows may be expected : a besieged city is soon 
 taken when the out-posts are in the hands of 
 the enemy. AVe must not undervalue any of 
 the rules because they appear little ; they can- 
 not in reality be so, since the salvation and per- 
 fection of a religious depend on them ; but even 
 if they were little, I would always love them, as 
 being the sacred cords which bind me to Jesus 
 Christ ; cords, formed by St. Ignatius, whom I 
 must ever wish to please ; and I am certain of 
 pleasing him, whilst I love my rules. Now, as 
 I am incapable of doing great things, my only 
 resource is fidelity in little things; consequently, 
 I would rather lose my life than transgress any 
 one of mv rules, beino* anxious to have at death 
 the consolation of having kept them all. I will 
 never ask a dispensation, but in case of great 
 necessity; as for general dispensations, I will 
 have the greatest horror of them, as being con- 
 stantly opposed to the spirit of dépendance ; 
 moreover, they are usually asked, in order -to 
 avoid the trouble of frequent applications to 
 the superior, and to insure our own greater 
 liberty. 
 
 The idea which most frequently recurs to my 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 229 
 
 mind, and gives me the greatest consolation, is 
 to consider all my brothers as my superiors, and 
 myself, prostrate at their feet ; the honor of 
 living amongst them, is a favor of which I am 
 so wholly unworthy, that I am equally surprised 
 at my own presumption in asking it, and at the 
 condescension shown in granting it. Being in 
 myself only nothingness and sin, I must esteem 
 myself unworthy of all honor, on account of the 
 first, and deserving of all contempt, on account 
 the second ; this must be the rule of my self- 
 valuation ; and if my justice in this respect be 
 true and sincere, I shall be glad that others 
 have the same opinion of me : to be humble 
 only in my own eyes, is to be humble by halves ; 
 but to be humbled in the eyes of others, is true 
 humility. The desire I have for humiliations, 
 is the real measure of my humility : if I seek to 
 avoid the former, I have no sincere affection for 
 the latter ; and if I have but little love for this 
 virtue, which is the foundation of all sanctity, 
 it must follow, as a necessary consequence, that 
 I have no real intention to become a saint. 
 We shall never attain to this humiliation, so 
 precious in the sight of God, unless we are 
 deeply impressed with this conviction : ' Of 
 myself, I have nothing ; and the mere weight 
 of nature would again reduce me to nothing, if 
 the hand of my Creator did not sustain me. If, 
 
230 THE LIFE OF 
 
 of myself, I have anything beyond this nothing, 
 it is another weight which draws me to sin. 
 and which would occasion a thousand danger- 
 ous falls, if the hand of my Eedeemer did not 
 support me. Behold here, the root of my self- 
 contempt ; the fruit of it must be to seek my 
 own abasement on every occasion.' 
 
 " I shall flatter myself in vain that I love my 
 crucified Jesus, if I do not also love His cross. 
 If He had not loved it, would He have given so 
 many proofs of His love? Has He not a right 
 to expect from me the same proofs of love ? and 
 if He has a right to expect them, dare I presume 
 to withhold them? Even if my duty, as a 
 Christian, did not oblige me to love Thy cross, 
 
 my Jesus! the quality of Jesuit would surely 
 be sufficient: as such I have the honor of being 
 Thy companion; shame then would it be on 
 me. to accompany Thee to Mount Thabor. and 
 refuse to follow Thee to Mount Calvary! Self- 
 renunciation is the fundamental law imposed on 
 us by the Gospel: it must be without limits, if 
 
 1 desire to have perfection. This renunciation 
 must begin by the senses, and will produce strict 
 modesty ; but it is necessary that it should pass 
 to the soul, and there produce obedience by a 
 total subjection of the will and judgment. We 
 advance in the path of divine love, only in propor- 
 tion as we check the movements of self-love: 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 231 
 
 and as the love of God is and must be perfection 
 itself, we can only hope to become perfect by 
 offering violence to ourselves. One of the safest 
 mortifications, and the one which I consider least 
 subject to illusion, is to do what others do, to do 
 it constantly, and with a pure intention. There 
 is nothing in community life, either to wound the 
 body or to nourish pride. Another sort of morti- 
 fication to which our Lord particularly inclines 
 me, is the custody of my eyes, as being necessary 
 to purity of heart and recollection of mind, with- 
 out which it is impossible to be a man of prayer. 
 The regulation I have made on this point, is to 
 keep my eyes always cast down, unless charity 
 or necessity oblige me to raise them. The virtue 
 which must watch over them is continual mod- 
 esty. This virtue has always appeared to me 
 as becoming to a Christian, of obligation to a 
 religious, and of necessity to a Jesuit. It is 
 ornamental to the first, because it was one of 
 the distinguishing features of Jesus Christ, 
 whom the Christian ought to resemble; it is 
 expected from the second, whom it should not 
 only adorn, but even cover, as a cloak, accord- 
 ing to St. Paul's expression ; it is necessary to 
 the third, because, being obliged by his state 
 to an intercourse with the world, he will never 
 instil principles of virtue in the hearts of others, 
 unless he first edifies them by his modesty ; 
 
232 THE LIFE OF 
 
 which must be, as it were, a silent lesson before 
 he begins to speak to them ; and unless this 
 dispose them to hear him favorably, his dis- 
 courses will do but little. Besides this motive 
 there are several others which lead to the esteem 
 of modesty. One of the most powerful with, 
 me has always been a desire to imitate therein 
 the Blessed Virgin, who, according to St. Denis, 
 was in this respect pre-eminently remarkable. 
 Next to the example of this good mother, I 
 respect that of St. Ignatius, my holy father, 
 whose rules were not compiled without being 
 watered by his tears, and frequently carried to 
 the holy altar. Moreover, the presence of God, 
 who exacts this respectful comportment, im- 
 presses it deeply in my heart, no less than the 
 passion of Jesus Christ, who suffered in all the 
 members of His natural body, to expiate the 
 undue liberties of which the members of His 
 mystical body are guilty. 
 
 "I entered into religion, only that I might 
 abandon the inclinations of the world ; and I 
 quitted the world on purpose that I might enter 
 the paths of sanctity. I made myself a reli- 
 gious, that I might become a saint; and a 
 Jesuit that I might become a great saint; yet, 
 I shall never be such unless I labor at it in 
 good earnest. Whilst we drag on an imper- 
 fect life, time is passing away ; our good designs 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 233 
 
 weaken, the heart of God cools, graces are lost, 
 sanctity slips from us, and we find ourselves at 
 the end of life when we are scarcely at the be- 
 ginning of perfection. What will it avail me 
 before God to have been a Jesuit, if I have not 
 been a good Jesuit ? or, to have been a mem- 
 ber of the society, if I have not been animated 
 by its spirit ? or, to have been honored with a 
 holy vocation, if I have not duly sustained its 
 sanctity? To become a great saint, it is not 
 always necessary to do great things ; it is often 
 sufficient if we do the least, provided that we 
 do them perfectly, when we act with great 
 purity of intention, with order, and by obedi- 
 ence, avoiding caprice and inconstancy. The 
 distinguishing mark of a faithful soul, is to 
 have a great esteem of all things, and a gene- 
 rosity of heart which prepares us for the great- 
 est. 
 
 " Thanks to the goodness of Almighty God, 
 I feel a sincere desire and determination, to 
 observe everywhere, and without human re- 
 spect, the smallest practices of humility, exacti- 
 tude, and mortification, in the manner suggested 
 to me during my noviciate. They were the 
 seeds of sanctity, which Thou, my God, cast 
 into my heart : can I resolve to stifle them ? 
 Shall I render sterile those graces which have 
 cost Thee every drop of Thy precious blood ? 
 
234: THE LIFE OF 
 
 No] never will I forget Thy divine goodness; 
 and rather than fail in my resolutions (which 
 are the effects of it) I would prefer a thousand 
 deaths. Such is the disposition, in which Thy 
 mercy has placed me ; through the same mercy, 
 I hope my conduct will ever correspond with 
 such great favors. The great means to secure 
 a continuation of these favors, so necessary for 
 me, is prayer; by which I do not exactly mean 
 that prayer which is made when we are sum- 
 moned to it by the sound of the bell ; we must 
 then pray with the greatest exactitude ; be- 
 cause, being made in common, our Lord usually 
 bestows particular blessings upon it; but I 
 must not be content with that ; the signal which 
 ends that prayer, must be the signal for me to 
 begin another ; less methodical, it is true, but 
 equally lively and loving ; it consists in a con- 
 tinual union of my heart with God, which no 
 occupation of the day ought to be able to in- 
 terrupt. All the peace of my soul, all my ad- 
 vancement in virtue, depends upon my exacti- 
 tude in performing spiritual duties : when they 
 are well discharged, we are tranquil, and we 
 enjoy a sort of supernatural health and strength ; 
 however little we may fail in them, we become 
 liable to trouble, exposed to a thousand imper- 
 fections, and deprived of a certain vigor neces- 
 sary to resist and overcome them. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS. 235 
 
 " However mucli I may be persuaded of the 
 importance of study, I am still more so of the 
 necessity of prayer ; the devotion there imbibed 
 is the soul of a Jesuit. Yain will be his skill 
 in human sciences, if he be unacquainted with 
 the science of the saints ; he is only a counter- 
 feit Jesuit in the sight of Jesus Christ, who 
 will not fail one day to make him the same re- 
 proach, as he formerly did to the Bishop of 
 Sardis: 'I know your works; you have the 
 reputation of being a living man, nevertheless, 
 you are dead.' " 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 BOOK V. 
 
 Of the estimation of sanctity in which 
 the Blessed John was held; and of 
 the many miracles, by which god was 
 pleased to glorify him after death. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Measures adopted by Father Mutius Vitelleschi 
 General of the Society, to confine within due 
 limits the devotion towards the Blessed John. 
 He orders his Life to be written and published, 
 and prefaces it himself with a high eulogium. 
 
 It now remains for us to speak, in this Fifth 
 Book, of the great esteem of sanctity, in 
 which the Blessed John was held, especially by 
 his brethren, with whom he almost solely con- 
 versed, and of the many miracles, by which 
 God was pleased to render his name glorious 
 and his memory venerated after death. 
 
 Although the virtues of this holy youth, 
 confined within the domestic walls, came but 
 little under the observation of externs ; never- 
 theless, scarcelv had the first intelligence of 
 
 237 - 
 
2oS THE LIFE OF 
 
 his precious death spread through Rome, when 
 a multitude of people of every age and condi- 
 tion, flocked immediately, as has been already 
 stated, to the Church of the Roman College, to 
 see and venerate his mortal remains. And 
 this concourse kept on increasing during the 
 two days that his body remained unburied ; 
 nay, it did not cease, even after the corpse was 
 enclosed in the coffin and deposited in the 
 tomb. Wherefore, Father Mutius Vitelleschi, 
 General of the Society, entertaining a well- 
 grounded fear, that in these almost universal 
 demonstrations of honor, the bounds prescribed 
 by the Apostolical Constitutions and by recent 
 decrees of the Sovereign Pontiff, might be over- 
 leaped, found himself obliged to apply a curb 
 to this excessive transport of devotion; and 
 thereupon wrote a letter to Father Virgil Ce- 
 pari, Rector of the Roman College, w^hich was 
 to be communicated also to the Superiors of 
 our other houses in Rome. This letter, as 
 given in full in the Processes, is as follows : 
 
 " Very Reverend Father in Christ: Though 
 all should entertain for virtue and for the par- 
 ticular graces of our good God that esteem 
 which they deserve ; nevertheless, on the pres- 
 ent occasion of the happy departure of our 
 Brother John, I would remind Your Reverence 
 to admonish all in your College, and to extend 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 239 
 
 the admonition to our other houses in Home, 
 that, both in words and in every other external 
 demonstration, they should remember the first 
 spirit of the Society, which characterised its 
 proceedings at the death of the Blessed Father 
 Ignatius himself, and of Father Faber, and of 
 Father Borgia, and of so many other eminent 
 servants of God. Moreover, that they are not 
 to give to seculars any thing which belonged to 
 the said Brother, nor relics of any sort apper- 
 taining to him; it being not proper in such 
 matters to anticipate the divine disposition, but 
 rather to await with humility and reserve the 
 times determined by the providence of God. 
 In conclusion, I beseech the Divine Majesty to 
 multiply his blessings upon the whole College, 
 in such a manner that in each one may shine 
 forth the modesty, the regularity and every 
 other virtue of our departed Brother, and that 
 all may become living pictures and relics of 
 him. I commend myself to the prayers and 
 holy sacrifices of Your Eeverence and of all. 
 From the Professed House, August 15, 1621. 
 Your Eeverence's Servant in Christ, Mutitis 
 Vitelleschi." 
 
 Such measures did he with great wisdom 
 adopt, but two days after the death of the ser- 
 vant of God. T3ut things had already gone too 
 far. For, various miracles having taken place 
 
240 THE LIFE OF 
 
 at the time of the obsequies, as we shall pres- 
 ently relate, so universal a commotion was ex- 
 cited in Rome, that such caution could no longer 
 be observed, and images and relics had to be 
 distributed in greal numbers, demanded as they 
 were with such instance even by persons illus- 
 trious for their dignity and pce-eminence. For 
 this reason, Father General Vitelleschi ordered 
 Father Virgil Cepari to write the life of John ; 
 and upon its completion in 1625, he himself 
 read it, and instead of the usual formula of ap- 
 probation, chose to prefix to the work the fol- 
 lowing most loving testimony of his own. 
 
 "Our blessed Brother John Berchmans was 
 truly a youth of remarkable innocence and 
 purity, of angelic manners, of wonderful devo- 
 tion, of solid and perfect virtues: most obser- 
 vant of our Institute and Rules, and most 
 exemplary to all who had intercourse with him, 
 in every place, at all times and on ail occasions; 
 in so much that we have not found one who 
 ever observed in him the slightest defect or im- 
 perfection. And therefore we hope, that this 
 Life, which I have thoroughly and carefully 
 read, and which is full of virtuous actions 
 proper to a singularly observant and perfect 
 son of the Society, will be the source of great 
 spiritual help to all who read it, but especially 
 to our Fathers and Brothers, and will spur 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 241 
 
 them on to the acquisition of religions perfec- 
 tion. And every one may rest assured, that 
 the virtues and heavenly favors, and all that is 
 related of him in this history, are true; since I 
 myself have seen a great array of learned, 
 grave, wise and God-fearing persons, who of 
 their certain knowledge depose to them, and I 
 have read their depositions. May it please our 
 Lord to grant us the grace of being able to 
 imitate him herein ; this was my intention in 
 causing his Life to be written ; and may we 
 hereafter come to the enjoyment in heaven of 
 those eternal goods, which, as we piously be- 
 lieve, he now enjoys. July 18th, 1625. Mutins 
 VitelleschiP 
 
 CHAPTEE II. 
 
 Numerous testimonies to the perfection and sanc- 
 tity of the Blessed John, Of these a splendid, 
 one of Father Cornelius a Lapide is here given. 
 
 Being obliged therefore, in execution of the 
 order given, to compile the Life of the Servant 
 of God, Father Virgil Cepari applied to the 
 Fathers of gravest authority in the Koman Col- 
 lege, and begged of each of them to state in 
 writing, according to truth and conscience, 
 every thing virtuous and perfect that they had 
 
242 THE LIFE OF 
 
 observed in the demeanor and habits of the 
 angelic youth. This they did ; and so by 
 degrees, counting those of Rome alone and not 
 including a few others sent from Flanders, about 
 ninety most beautiful and uniform testimonies 
 were obtained, which were afterwards inserted 
 one by one in the first ordinary process. But 
 still more than the number of these testimonies, 
 is the character of their authors to be prized ; 
 men, for the most part, famed for learning, for 
 prudence, for sanctity of life and spiritual dis- 
 cretion : such as were at that time, to mention 
 only a few, Fathers John de Lugo, Cornelius a 
 Lapide, Famianus Strada, Philip Alegambe, 
 Francis Piccolomini, John Paul Oliva, Horace 
 Grassi, Tarquinius Galluzzi, John Baptist 
 Ceccotti, Bruno Bruni, and Thomas Massucci. 
 Their testimonies would be well worth intro- 
 ducing here, did I not fear fatiguing the reader 
 by repeating what he has already learned in 
 the preceding history. I shall content myself 
 with subjoining only that of Father Cornelius 
 a Lapide, which Father Cepari wished to be 
 added to all the editions of his Life ; and I will 
 translate it faithfully from the original Latin 
 into our own language. 
 
 "I have observed," says he, "in our John 
 Berchmans, a virginal bashfulness, candor, 
 modesty, silence, innocence, and purity. Often 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEROHMANS. 248 
 
 have I heard from ours, that they marvelied 
 and were unable to say whether greater virtue 
 existed in Blessed Aloysius, and that they did 
 not see what could be added to the virtue of 
 John. He was adorned with a remarkable 
 humility, by which he yielded to every body. 
 He always first uncovered his head to all our 
 lay Brothers, although they may not have 
 noticed it or returned his salutation. He re- 
 spected all, not only Superiors, but every one 
 else, and especially priests. It has many times 
 happened me, that walking hurriedly in the 
 winter time on account of the cold in the hall, 
 and meeting him, he suddenly stopped, un- 
 covered his head and remained there immov- 
 able with humble countenance until I had 
 passed. 
 
 I have frequently heard from his Master, 
 that every month he presented him a note of 
 the prayers and penances which through grati- 
 tude he offered to perform for him. He was 
 dear to all by his affability and sweetness ; and 
 I have heard no one ever complain of him, or 
 notice in him any defect, so that he seemed 
 already ripe for heaven, having in a short time 
 accomplished a long career of life. He always 
 wore a pleasant and cheerful countenance ; 
 his speech was frank, his gait quick, but not 
 hasty. In a word, his manners and his actions 
 
244 THE LIFE OF 
 
 seemed more angelic than human. He attended 
 to the lamps with wonderful diligence, and 
 often served in the kitchen. The lay Brothers 
 and the sick extolled his charity to the skies. 
 He helped, consoled, respected and served all. 
 He was inflamed with a fervent spirit of 
 charity. He was most zealous for obedience 
 and observance of the Rules. Being sent to me 
 occasionally by someone, and knocking at my 
 chamber door, though he heard me say that he 
 should come in, he remained in silence, and 
 repeated the knock a second and third time, 
 till finally I arose and went to the door ; be- 
 cause he said, that for that time he had not 
 asked leave to enter my chamber. He often 
 exercised himself in penances and mortifications, 
 both private, and public, in the Refectory, as 
 we ourselves have repeatedly seen. He at- 
 tended much to prayer, and seemed to be always 
 in the presence of God ; hence he did every 
 thing with exactitude and perfection, in so 
 much that even in the least things there ap- 
 peared in him beyond others propriety of con- 
 duct and virtue ; he seemed to be truly a child 
 of grace. Of his diligence and study an illus- 
 trious testimony is rendered by his teacher, 
 who proposed him in the Roman College as the 
 model of a true student of the Society of Jesus. 
 And God orrant that all mav imitate him ! For 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEKCHMANS, 245 
 
 he shone brightly in the Eoman College, as a 
 star shines in the heavens. When after dinner 
 and supper he stopped to converse with me, he 
 recreated me in our Lord, by not speaking of 
 any but religious and spiritual things, and 
 especially of those that appertain to our 
 Institute, in regard to which he was most 
 zealous. A short time before his death, while 
 visiting Saint Paul's at the three fountains in 
 company with me, the whole way he spoke of 
 nothing but the aforesaid things, and gave a 
 bright proof of obedience and modesty. For I 
 desiring to go to Saint Sebastian, and pre- 
 ceding him a little to induce him to follow me, 
 there he stood before the church with head 
 uncovered, with bashfulness and with downcast 
 eyes making a sign of turning back. I ques- 
 tioned him upon this; and he with great 
 humility answered me : My Father, we will 
 not arrive in time for the hour of table, if we 
 do not return the same way we have come. I 
 then turned back, and after dinner, thinking 
 that I wished to return home^ he said to me : 
 Your Eeverence can return with another com- 
 panion, as I have not permission to go back ; 
 wherefore on his account I remained at the 
 villa till evening. In familiar conversa- 
 tions, if I had some opinion different from his 
 own, he was silent, listened and remained 
 
2 4:6 THE LIFE OF 
 
 quiet. He was exceedingly devout to • the 
 Blessed Virgin, whose son he used to call him- 
 self. At death, although inexpert in sin zing, 
 he sang most sweetly : Monsêra te esse Ma 
 Si w thyself a Mother. To one of our prea îhers 
 who begged of him some salutary ac.vice. 
 within my hearing he said: Let your Refe- 
 rence defend always the Immaculate Concep- 
 tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary until death. 
 A paper was found, subscribed with his own 
 blood, as is believed, in which he affirms with 
 an oath, that he would always defend it. Of 
 his purity, and immunity from all mortal sin 
 in his whole life, and from all deliberate T enial 
 sin in Religion, and also from carnal emotions, 
 "_:s Confessor has rendered public testimony 
 in his funeral oration, which I myself and 
 others heard. 
 
 "When about to die he gave no sign of sad- 
 ness or other affliction, as I have also noticed 
 at other times during his life ; nay, he was al- 
 ways resigned, patient, serene, and tranquil. 
 A little before he received the Viaticum, I 
 asked him in secret if he had any thing which 
 disturbed him and afflicted his mind : and he 
 with open hands and with erect brow smiling, 
 asserted, that nothing whatever disturbed him. 
 Then speaking to himself, and burning with 
 fever, he asked for some water to cool his 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 247 
 
 mouth and hands ; and I gave it to him in a 
 cup. I asked him if the fever tormented him. 
 He answered that it did, but in such a manner 
 that he uttered no audible groan, nor gave any 
 indication of pain ; he then took the syrup, and 
 immediately requested me to return thanks, as 
 if he had supped. I recited the grace, while he 
 remained attentive and made the answers ; and 
 then discoursing on devout subjects, I suggested 
 to him to say : Jesus meus, amor meus, et omnia ; 
 My Jesus, my love and my all: rejoicing, he 
 replied: " Yes, yes: Jesus centrum cordis, Deus 
 cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in seternum ; Jesus 
 is the centre of my heart, the God of my heart, and 
 God is my portion forever ; and he repeated what 
 he had heard from the Father Rector : Puer 
 meus, noli timere, quia ego tecum sum, dicit Do- 
 minus : si transieris per ignem, flamma non noce- 
 bit tibi, et odor ignis non erit in te: liberabo te de 
 manu pessimorum, et eruam te de manu fortium. 
 My child, fear not, for I am with thee, saith the 
 Lord: if thou pass through fire, the flame shall 
 not hurt thee, and the smell of the fire shall not 
 be in thee: I will deliver thee out of the hand of 
 the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand 
 of the mighty. I inquired of him if he desired 
 any thing ; and his answer was, that I should 
 celebrate holy Mass for him the next day. I 
 did so, but did not obtain what I desired, that 
 
243 THE LIFE OF 
 
 is to say, his cure, but what he desired, that is, 
 to die and be with Jesus Christ in heaven : for 
 he expired at the end of the Mass. Pray for 
 me, my Father, he added, that I may no: be- 
 come disgusted with these sweet things which 
 are given me : and he obtained what he desired, 
 for soon after he was reduced to extremity. 
 Ours distinctly recommended themselves to 
 him when about to die, begging of him come 
 advice, which he gave to each of them so ap- 
 propriately, that some remarked, that he could 
 not have given them any counsel more suitable 
 to them if he had penetrated into the secrebs of 
 their consciences. So great was the concourse 
 of exter.us at his funeral, that it became neces- 
 sary to employ guards ; and notwithstanding 
 this they carried off his beretta, his slippers, 
 his cross, his Eosary, and even his habit. It 
 seemed to me that I saw once more in Home 
 the concourse at the funeral of St. Alexius. 
 Many are continually asking for his relics, and 
 not a few confess that they have obtained favors 
 from God by means of them. But I esteem 
 still more. the affection of love and piety, which 
 after his death infused itself into the entire Col- 
 lege, as if inspired by God through the merits 
 of his Servant. 
 
 It is with difficulty that I burst into tears; 
 yet when in the church I looked upon his. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 249 
 
 countenance I could not restrain them, and 
 therefore I turned away my face from him, that 
 I might be able to go on with the office of the 
 dead. Often is he present to my mind, and I 
 seem to behold him before me day and night. 
 Nor am I terrified at this; on the contrary, 
 filled with a spiritual joy, I feel myself in- 
 flamed to serve God more ardently. Nor can 
 I induce myself to pray for him deceased, but 
 rather I desire that he should pray for me, and 
 that my soul may one day be with his. Ah, 
 yes! may my soul live and die, as lived and 
 died the beautiful soul of John. Many cannot 
 satisfy themselves with speaking of him. Grod 
 grant, that there remains in us a holy memory 
 of him, which we may often consider and emu- 
 late. He was a youth in age, bat in virtue he 
 was advanced ; constant, always the same ; 
 exact, but not scrupulous; cheerful, but mode- 
 rate, and he tempered cheerfulness itself with 
 religious gravity. He made such account of 
 time, that he was never seen idle, but always 
 occupied, always serious. Not to take away 
 time from his studies, he sometimes shortened 
 the recreation he took with me, though pleasant 
 and devout, and after the fashion of a lay 
 brother, girding himself with an apron he then 
 attended to his lamps, in order not to be obliged 
 to spend therein any time destined to study. 
 
8ÔÔ THE LIFE OF 
 
 His laugh was moderate without discomposure ; 
 he had wit without wounding any one, he had 
 grace of manners without affectation. The 
 saying of the Apostle was appropriate to him: 
 Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus ; 
 Let your speech he always in grace seasoned with 
 salt I do not remember to have ever heard 
 from his mouth an idle word, and much less 
 one that was offensive to anybody. He thought 
 well of all and spoke of them with honor; 
 never have I seen him melancholy, never in a 
 passion ; nor was he therefore slow in working, 
 or indolent, but on the contrary diligent and 
 expeditious. He publicly defended the whole 
 of philosophy with great praise for learning 
 and modesty. He venerated the Saints to a 
 wonderful degree ; he had chosen several of 
 them as his protectors, distributing them alter- 
 nately for each week ; and once he repeated to 
 me the catalogue and order of them. He had 
 no particular affection for any one, but his love 
 was the same and common to all. In recreation 
 he joined with whomsoever he met first, and 
 often and willingly with the Brothers, who 
 still eulogize his spirit. He entertained great 
 things in his mind. He desired to live and die 
 in the encampments, assisting the soldiers who 
 fought for the faith, as another soldier, nay, as 
 the standard-bearer of Christ. He foretold his 
 
BLE33EP JOHN BERrtîHMANS. 251 
 
 death and the combat he sustained in it, and 
 generously overcame ; then recovering his 
 breath, which he had lost, joyfully sighing to- 
 wards heaven, he placidly and holily expired 
 in the Lord. He wished to be placed on the 
 ground ; and then he received the holy Viati- 
 cum, previously protesting that he desired to 
 live and die in the Catholic faith, in the Society, 
 &c. He asked for the Kules of the Society, 
 saying that he had never deliberately trans- 
 gressed any of them. He held the cross in his 
 hand, and not being able to hold it up any 
 longer, another held it before him, and whith- 
 ersoever the latter moved it, he followed it 
 with his eyes and with his mind. Some grave 
 personages used to come to the schools and to 
 church, solely to admire his modesty and piety. 
 I met him ordinarily, when I went up to the 
 school, and I always saw him with a serious 
 countenance that breathed joy ; and even now, 
 looking upon his image, it seems to me that he 
 excites joy by his merits and mediation with 
 God. In a w ord he was, both for me and others, 
 a continual mirror and spur to the exercise of 
 virtues. God grant, that on the last and great 
 day of judgment, I may rise again with him to 
 glory, and that, before the throne of God and 
 of the immaculate Angel, I may deserve to 
 raise my head at his feet. Amen. 
 
 Cornélius a Lapide" 
 
252 THE LIFE OF 
 
 CHAPTEE III. 
 
 God manifests to several persons the glory of Ids 
 Servant. 
 
 Such then was the idea which all entertained of 
 the virtue and perfection of John ; and God, al- 
 ways wonderful in his Saints, soon designed to 
 confirm and augment this opinion, by manifest- 
 ing through special revelations, accompanied 
 by numerous miracles, the high post of glory, 
 which, in accordance with his merits, his faith- 
 ful servant had already attained in heaven. 
 
 At the time that John passed from this life, 
 there was in the infirmary of the Eoman Col- 
 lege, as a convalescent, a lay Brother of the So- 
 ciety, Thomas di Simone, a Perugian, who died 
 some months afterwards. This man was very 
 humble and simple, a contemner of himself, and 
 dear to God by his religious virtues. All the 
 time that was left him from his ordinary occu- 
 pations, whether by day or by night, he spent 
 in prayer ; and not unfrequently he was therein 
 favored by God with supernal illuminations of 
 mind, and by the most holy Virgin with vari. 
 ous apparitions. - 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 253 
 
 On the night immediately following the deaths 
 of John, between seven and eight o'clock, being 
 according to his custom in prayer, he saw all 
 at once the heavens open, and from a lofty 
 throne of clouds full of light he beheld descend- 
 ing the most glorious Mother of God, the Queen 
 of Angels, who with great exultation and un- 
 usual joy was borne on a cbair of majesty by 
 two celestial personages. One of those who 
 carried it wore a supplice ; but the person of the 
 Blessed Virgin hindered Thomas from seeing; 
 his face in passing ; he did not therefore know 
 who he was, but it occurred to his mind that it 
 was the Blessed Aloysius. The other, who was 
 on the side nearest him, he saw distinctly, and 
 knew perfectly; it was Brother John Berch- 
 mans, who was clothed after the manner of the 
 Jesuits, most modest in countenance, and with 
 great joy and contentment. Passing rapidly 
 across, they seemed to him to enter as if into a 
 spacious field, where were many glorious and 
 happy souls, to whom the most holy Virgin with 
 great jubilee and joy exhibited the new acquisi- 
 tion she had made in the glory of Paradise, of 
 this her beloved servant and son, in order that 
 they might rejoice with her thereupon and 
 make a feast of the occasion. When this 
 vision had disappeared, Thomas remained much 
 consoled and assured, that John enjoyed great 
 
254 THE LIFE OF 
 
 glory in Paradise, and was tetiderly caressed 
 by the Mother of God. He related all to the 
 Father Eector, as his Superior, for the glory of 
 God and of his servant John.* 
 
 Xot only in Eome, but also in distant coun- 
 tries did God wish to make known the glory of 
 this blessed youth. There lived in Mantua, in 
 great esteem for sanctity, a lady, D. Margaret 
 Eossi, a Florentine, who held the office of 
 maid in waiting to the pious Duchess Eleanora 
 Medici. From her earliest years she had con- 
 secrated her virginity to God by vow ; and now 
 at the age of about seventy years she was lead- 
 ing in the midst of the court a very devout and 
 spiritual life. This virgin, on the morning of 
 the 16th of August, 1621, came to the College 
 of the Society, and having sent for Father 
 Alexander Caprara, her confessor, she said to 
 him : One of your young men, who is a Saint, 
 has died in a distant place : there was a great 
 concourse of people at his obsequies, and by his 
 relics God operates many miracles. The Father 
 answering that he knew nothing of this, she 
 added: You will see that you will be written 
 to concerning this matter. Some days having 
 elapsed, Father Caprara received from Lucca, 
 a letter from Father Paul Bambino, which in- 
 formed him, that on the I3th of August, a 
 * Ex. MSS. P. Virgilii Cepari. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 255 
 
 young scholastic of ours, named John Berch- 
 mans, had died in the Roman College, and that 
 his death had been glorified by God with a great 
 concourse of people and by miraculous favors. 
 Considering, however, that Margaret could not 
 have known such things by any human means, 
 the Father desired to examine her more for- 
 mally, and to hear from her the whole matter. 
 
 She said, that on the night between the feast 
 of the Assumption and of St. Roch, that is, be- 
 tween the 1.5th and 16th of August, having 
 finished her accustomed mental prayer at eight 
 o'clock, she wished then to say the matins of the 
 Blessed Virgin, as she usually did the day be- 
 fore ; and in the meantime she was rapt out of 
 herself, and conducted by a young man to a 
 distant place into a church, where there was a 
 great gathering of people for a deceased ytmth 
 of ours, who was on a bier, clothed in white, 
 and honored as a Saint. She did not see him 
 perform miracles ; but she distinctly saw that a 
 Father was writing in the sacristy, and one of 
 our young men, who had charge of the bier, 
 was going backwards and forwards relating 
 some things that were occurring; she thought 
 that miracles were written down* She re- 
 
 * It was true, that in the Sacristy a Flemish Father 
 was noting in writing the favors which took place, as they 
 were related to him by a young student. 
 
256 THE LIFE OF 
 
 mained in this rapture till about ten o'clock ; 
 and then returning to herself, she found her 
 strength exhausted, as if she had accomplished a 
 long journey. Then reciting the office of the 
 Holy Virgin, she experienced in herself great 
 consolation, that one of the young men of the 
 Society was so honored by God. After she 
 had related all this, her Father Confessor read 
 to her the letter he had received from Lucca ; 
 the pious lady returned many thanks to God 
 for having made her a partaker in such a 
 vision, and bescged the Father to obtain for her 
 a little piece of the clothing of John ; and she 
 received it soon after from Father Virgil Cepari, 
 Rector of the Roman College, to whom she 
 afterwards wrote, that God had operated many 
 miracles by means of that relic* 
 
 Similar to this was the favor which a pious 
 virgin of Rouen in France received from God. 
 On the night of 13th of August she also was 
 rapt in spirit, and saw a young scholastic of 
 the Society, w T ho lay dead before the altar, and 
 his soul was glorious in heaven, and equal both 
 in merit and in reward, to the Blessed Aloysius. 
 She did not know of what young man of ours 
 this vision was to be understood, for she could 
 not apply it to any one of those who were then 
 
 * Ex. MSS. P. Virgilii Cepari, et ex Epist. P. Alexandri 
 Caprara. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERGHMANS. 257 
 
 present in the College of Eouen. It happened 
 a short time after, that two Fathers passed 
 there, who were going to Flanders and who 
 carried in a casket the heart of John Berch- 
 mans. The devout virgin knowing nothing 
 of the arrival of the Fathers, repaired to the 
 College, at an hour to her unusual,- to make 
 known to the Father Eector, her confessor, a 
 certain trouble and affliction of mind, which 
 tormented her. On this occasion having heard 
 the account of the arrival of the two Fathers 
 and of the relic of which they were the bearers, 
 she was permitted to see and to "kiss it : in- 
 stantly she felt all her trouble and affliction 
 vanish, and her heart was filled with incom- 
 parable consolation; so that when she had 
 entered the church and put herself in prayer, 
 she was wholly dissolved in the most tender 
 tears of devotion ; and during this it seemed to 
 her that she heard a voice, which said to her, 
 that this was the heart of that young man, 
 whom she had already seen in her vision. She 
 desired to call her confessor again, to make 
 known to him what had happened; but as it 
 was already dark, she concluded to return home. 
 But in leaving the church she found herself 
 impeded to such a degree, that she could not 
 proceed a single step further; and in the mean- 
 time, the Father Eector meeting her, beyond 
 
25S THE LIFE OF 
 
 all expectation, she related the fact to him in 
 full, and felt herself free from all impediment: 
 On her return home, she placed herself in 
 prayer, and saw, more clearly than before, the 
 glory and beatitude, which the Blessed John 
 Berchmans enjoyed in heaven; by whose in- 
 tercession she now obtained from God a par- 
 ticular grace, which she had so long prayed for 
 without effect. This whole matter is found 
 recorded in the annals of the College of Rouen ; 
 and the account of it was sent in various ways 
 from France to the Father Rector of the Roman 
 College, subscribed both by the Father con- 
 fessor and by the virgin herself.* 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Miracles which took place at the time of the 
 obsequies. 
 
 Let ns now proceed to the miracles wrought, 
 giving the first place to those which occurred 
 at the time that the obsequies of the Blessed 
 youth were taking place in the church of the 
 Roman College. And first of all I will tran- 
 scribe a fact in the very words in which it was 
 
 * All this account, as well as the two preceding, is 
 Father Cepari's : the letter, with the original subscrip- 
 tions of the Rector of Rouen and of the pious lady, is 
 still preserved. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 259 
 
 narrated by one who was not only» an eye- 
 witness, but also a party to what transpired. 
 " Catharine du Eecati, a woman of seventy-eight 
 years of age, who was blind of both eyes, 
 having heard that a scholastic of the Society 
 of Jesus had died in the Eoman College with 
 the reputation and opinion of sanctity, came 
 to the church during the time of the obsequies, 
 with the purpose and desire of approaching the 
 body of the deceased, and of touching her eyes 
 with his hands or clothes, hoping to receive aid 
 and a remedy for her blindness. But as the 
 concourse of people, which was almost count- 
 less, did not permit a near approach, she was 
 unable to put her good desire into execution, 
 and was forced to return home afflicted and 
 disconsolate. It pleased our good Lord, for the 
 advantage of this poor blind woman and for 
 the exaltation of his holy Servant, that on the 
 following day, which was the 14th of August, 
 she should visit the house of the lady Victoria 
 Altieri, who, moved by the fame of his sanctity, 
 was desirous of seeing the body of the youth, 
 to which sepulture had not yet been given, in 
 order to satisfy many of the principal ladies, 
 and amongst others that most noble lady the 
 Duchess Sforza. Upon this the desire of the 
 poor blind one, of doing what she had been 
 unable to accomplish the day before, was 
 
260 THE LIFE OF 
 
 renewed* within her, ana she said: Oh! if I 
 too could go and see the body of this holy 
 
 youth, I would hope to receive some favor for 
 my eves. The lady Victoria took her into the 
 carriage with her and brought her to the church. 
 Immediately Catharine had herself conducted 
 to the bier, on which lay the deceased ; and 
 stating that she wished to touch her eyes with 
 something appertaining to the Servant of God, 
 she was told by one of the Society who was 
 present, to take the fingers of the dead and 
 touch her eyes with them. She did so, and in- 
 stantly exclaimed : I am cured : I see. She 
 ;.red the touch, and recovered her sight 
 entirely : for at the proof made of it she could 
 really see and discern the most minute objects. 
 There were present at the miracle, Lorenzo and 
 Lady Victoria Altieri. Maria Testa, and Sera- 
 fina Maneini, who uniformly testify, that the 
 said Catharine was blind, and that what is here 
 written is true. 
 
 And- I. Aloysius Spinola of the Society of 
 Jesus, have written this account, as I was pres- 
 ent on the occasion, and was the one who said 
 to the woman: take the fingers of the deceased 
 in your hand and touch your eyes with them. 
 For all of which be praise and glory to God, to 
 the Blessed Virgin, and to the good John Berch- 
 mans for ever and ever. Amen,"* 
 
 * Proc. Ordm. Rom. page 26S, 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 261 
 
 Arsilia Altissimi of Tivoli, a lady of great 
 perfection and singularly favored by God, had 
 been suffering for several days with a most 
 acute pain in the side, which drove sleep from 
 her eyes and allowed her no repose. As she 
 resided near the Eoman College, having heard 
 the bells tolling for the dead on the morning of 
 the 13th of August, 1621, she called to her her 
 daughters Victoria and Anna, and placing her- 
 self with them before the oratory, where she 
 was accustomed to pray : Let us, she said, recite 
 a De profundis for this Father, who must have 
 died in the College. Thrice did she force her- 
 self to begin the prayer ; and thrice, in place 
 of the De profundis, the Te Deum rushed into 
 her mind and upon her tongue ; and the same 
 thing happened to her two daughters. Aston- 
 ished at this, she arose and said: Some great 
 servant of God has expired in the College. At the 
 same time she felt engendering in her heart a 
 lively desire of seeing him, and a firm confi- 
 dence of being cured of her malady through 
 his intercession. The evening of the same day, 
 accompanied and supported by her daughters, 
 with great difficulty and much suffering, she 
 reached our church, when a great number of 
 people were still assembled. Approaching the 
 corpse, she was seized with an internal move- 
 ment of spirit, it appearing to her, as she said, 
 
262 THE LIFE OF 
 
 that she saw an Angel of heaven. She placed 
 her handkerchief over the face of the dead ; she 
 then applied it to her side, and in that instant 
 was free from all pain and perfectly cured. 
 Grateful for the benefit received, she of her own 
 will committed all the facts to writing at that 
 time, and the year following deposed to them 
 upon oath in the Process, which was compiled 
 in Rome on the virtues and miracles of John 
 Berchmans.* 
 
 Before the funeral rites, many scholars, who 
 desired to have a good view of the body of 
 John, were admitted into the church by the 
 door of the house. Among these was a noble 
 youth of fifteen years, a boarder in the Eoman 
 Seminary, who was much esteemed by all for his 
 wisdom, goodness, and purity of life. Having 
 approached quite near to the deceased, he re- 
 mained a good while motionless, regarding him 
 fixedly with indiscribable pleasure. He re- 
 turned several times to the same spot, while 
 the Fathers were reciting the office ; and at one 
 time standing, at another kneeling, he stopped 
 a long time to look with delight upon the body 
 of John, and seemed unable to withdraw him- 
 self from the sight. The ceremony having 
 terminated; he finally returned to the house, 
 and having arrived there, he with much sim- 
 * Ex Relat. antogr. et ex Proc. Ordin. Rom. 
 
BLESSED JOHN EERCHMAXS, 263 
 
 plicity and ingenuousness asked the Perfect, 
 why the Fathers had put those diamonds on 
 John's forehead. The Perfect answering, that 
 there were none there, the youth reasserted that 
 he had certainly seen two diamonds placed over 
 the eyebrows of the deceased, and moreover a 
 most vivid splendor around his head. The 
 Perfect judging this to be something super- 
 natural, requested the youth to relate the fact 
 to Father Francis Piccolomini ; but becoming 
 aware of the estimation in which his account 
 was held, he through modesty withdrew, and was 
 unwilling to say any more. The Prefect did 
 not deem it proper to let this matter pass, and 
 betimes the next morning he was in the Col- 
 lege to relate it to Father Virgil Cepari, in- 
 forming him at the same time that this youth 
 reposed great confidence in a certain Father of 
 the College, to whom he believed he would tell 
 it. The Father Eector thereupon, commis- 
 sioned this Father to interrogate the youth 
 adroitly about it, as he did that very day : and 
 the boy, with modest blushes, again affirmed 
 as true, that he had seen over the eyebrows 
 and eyes of John some jewels of the greatest 
 brilliancy, and around his head a halo of most 
 vivid light which dazzled his eyes ; and that 
 on this account he had conceived a special de- 
 votion to him. It seems as if God had wished 
 
2⣠THE LIFE OF 
 
 by this to show the accidentai glory which 
 John enjoyed on account of the singular mod- 
 esty of his eyes, which all agree in saying was 
 in him most remarkable.* 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Favors and miracles operated in behalf of the He- 
 ligioiis of the Society in Italy. 
 
 It is impossible to express to what an extent 
 these miraculous manifestations, with which 
 God glorified his Servant immediately after 
 death, increased his reputation and enlivened 
 confidence in him, especially among the Reli- 
 gious of the Society of Jesus, who had more 
 nearly looked with admiring gaze upon the 
 holy Kfe and consummate perfection of John. 
 For three months Father John Baptist de Ruschi 
 had been lying ill in the infirmary of the Ro- 
 man College, attacked by a continual and slow 
 fever, which was little by little wasting his 
 strength. All the remedies of medical art 
 having failed, he was declared an incurable 
 consumptive. To this was added, in the Au- 
 gust of 1621, a most severe pain in the head, 
 which gave him neither peace nor rest, and 
 brought him to death's door. It was at this 
 
 * All this account is F. Cepavi's. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 265 
 
 time that the Blessed John died, and instantly 
 the report spread of the miraculous favors ob- 
 tained through his intercession, while his corpse 
 was still present in the church. Animated 
 therefore with a firm confidence, Father John 
 Baptist asked for a relic of the Servant of God, 
 and placed it with great devotion under his 
 pillow: on the instant the pain in his head 
 ceased. His fever still remained, and was so 
 far from abating, that it seemed to have ac- 
 quired new strength. Then, says he, in his 
 attestation, the mattress on which died John of 
 holy memory was placed under me ; and it was 
 a wonderful thing, that from that time forward 
 I had no farther attack of fever, I regained my 
 strength, and arose from my bed completely 
 restored; and several months have since elapsed, 
 during which I have enjoyed perfect health. 
 In faith of all which, I have written and sub- 
 scribed to the present attestation with my own 
 hand, this 9th day of December, 1621, render- 
 ing thanks for all to God our Lord, and to his 
 Servant John, through whose intercession I 
 believe that I have obtained this favor.* 
 
 A young scholastic of ours, named Julius 
 Rettabene, after long and complicated maladies 
 which succeeded each other, was also attacked 
 by a high fever, accompanied by dangerous 
 
 * Ex Relat. authent. et ux Proc. Ordin. Rom. fol. 300. 
 
2l)t3 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and fatal symptoms. He suffered in addition 
 violent qualms of stomach, and a stricture of 
 the throat of such a nature, that he suffered the 
 pains of death every time he swallowed a little 
 food or drink. Given up by the physicians, he 
 disposed himself to receive the last sacraments 
 and prepare for death, which he anticipated as 
 assuredly near at hand. A Father who con- 
 tinually attended him, moved to compassion 
 for him, suggested to him at a happy moment to 
 recommend himself to the dear John Berch- 
 mans, who had just passed to a better life, and 
 who had commenced operating miraculous 
 favors both within and out of the house. Julius 
 thereupon assuming courage and confidence, 
 with great tenderness of devotion exclaimed: 
 " good John, aid me, thou, who seest how 
 much I suffer." Scarcely had he pronounced 
 these words, when he was able to take a most 
 placid repose of half an hour : then entertain- 
 ing the hope of obtaining a complete cure, he 
 caused the relic of the heart of John to be 
 brought near his bed, and with much feeling 
 prayed thus : " If it be for the greater glory of 
 God and the salvation of my soul, obtain for 
 me of his divine Majesty the desired health: 
 otherwise give me strength and patience to sup- 
 port my pains to the last." Having finished 
 this brief prayer, he took -the relic into his 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 267 
 
 hand, kissed it, and placed it near him. The 
 effect which followed, was, that his fever and 
 pains ceased, and in a very short time he re- 
 gained his strength and recovered his health 
 perfectly, as he himself deposed, and other 
 eye-witnesses confirmed the statement.* 
 
 Very similar to this is the favor which 
 another religions of the Society received, shortly 
 after John's death ; and it will be perhaps better 
 to hear the succinct account of it from his own 
 lips : u I, Louis Gabrieli of Fano, a religious 
 of the Society of Jesus, finding myself ill of a 
 very dangerous fever, which was growing ma- 
 lignant, with a most acute pain of the head, 
 and at the same time with much fear for my 
 life, and having heard the account of the many 
 favors and miracles which God our Lord had 
 wrought in many persons, by the invocation of 
 his servant John Berchmans of our Society, 
 who died in the Eoman College on the 13th of 
 August in the order of sanctity ; whilst I was 
 in the height of the fever, and suffering a pain 
 in the head more severe than usual, I recom- 
 mended myself to the Venerable John, promis- 
 ing him, if he cured me, that I would strive to 
 be devout to him, to honor him, and to pro- 
 claim his virtues to all. On this, the pain in 
 my head vanished at once, insomuch that I did 
 
 * Proc. Ordin. Rom. fol. 251, 302, 303. 
 
268 THE LIFE OF 
 
 not trust myself, and shook my head to see 
 whether it were true that it did not pain me. 
 Moreover the fever, which was still at its 
 height, ceased, and returned no more; I then 
 regained my strength to such a degree, that 
 rising from bed without any assistance, I went 
 to the desk, fell upon my knees, and returned 
 thanks to the Lord God and to his servant 
 John for the favor received. In faith whereof 
 I have written the present attestation with my 
 own hand, to the praise and glory of God and 
 of his servant John, this 9th day of December, 
 1621."* 
 
 Lorenzo Mori, a Lay Brother of the Society, 
 was attacked about the 24th of June, 1621, with 
 so great a pain in the head, accompanied by a 
 slight fever, that he went out of his mind and 
 became completely delirious. He remained in 
 this condition for fifteen days, after which he 
 rallied somewhat, but only for a short time : 
 relapsing then into the same malady worse than 
 before, after having uselessly tried many and 
 various remedies for an entire month, he was 
 judged incurable. Nevertheless, before giving 
 him up, the physician, importuned by those of 
 the house, ordered him a certain medicine, I 
 know not what. But the evening preceding 
 the morning on which he was to take it, he 
 
 * Ex Relat. authent. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 269 
 
 was urged by the infirmarian to recommend 
 himself to John Berchmans, who had died a 
 few days before, and was now working won- 
 ders. The sick man agreed, and though he 
 had been till that hour unable to close his eyes, 
 he suddenly fell asleep and rested tranquilly. 
 When morning came, he felt himself so well, 
 that he judged the medicine to be no longer 
 necessary ; he nevertheless took it, saying within 
 himself, that it could do him no harm. He 
 could not, however, retain it, and immediately 
 rejected it, remaining notwithstanding entirely 
 well. Three days after he was awake during 
 the night, with such violent pains in the head, 
 that he greatly feared relapsing into his former 
 condition. But having resumed his sleep, he 
 seemed to behold four of the Society, and 
 amongst them a most beautiful youth, whom he 
 supposed to be John Berchmans, whose relic 
 he kept near him. The latter looking fixedly 
 upon him, said with a smile : You were afraid 
 then, were you ? And having placed his hand 
 on the head of the sick man, he recommended 
 to him the exact observance of the Eules, and 
 disappeared, leaving him entirely cured.* 
 
 Father John de Angelis was reduced to a 
 still worse state in the College of Sezze. He 
 had been suffering for six years with the gout ; 
 * Proc. Ordin. Rom. fol. 307, 320, 395. 
 
270 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and in 1627 the disease increased to such a 
 degree, that not being able to maintain himself 
 upon his feet, he was forced to lie in bed for a 
 long time, attacked by the most violent pains. 
 lie had already lost all feeling in the right 
 arm. and in addition to this, his legs, knees, 
 and stomach became unusually swollen; and 
 his condition threatened to terminate in the 
 dropsy with an obstinate obstruction of the 
 liver. The physicians employed all their skill 
 and industry, at least to mitigate the violence 
 of so many diseases united: but all availed 
 nothing. Then the sick man having nothing 
 more to hope for from human remedies, turned 
 with lively faith to implore the aid of heaven, 
 invoking the intercession of Venerable Eerch- 
 mans, whom he had known in the Eoman Col- 
 lege, and to whom he bore a great affection. 
 To him therefore he recommended himself from 
 his heart : and in that very instant he found 
 himself free from his disorders, and arose from 
 his bed in better health, than that which he had 
 enjoyed before his sickness. The news of a 
 cure so sudden and so perfect spread through 
 the city, and formed for a long time a great 
 theme of glory to God and of exaltation to his 
 servants* 
 
 The Blessed John having been, during his 
 
 * Proc. Ordin. Setin. in Roman, compulsât. 
 
BLESSED JOH^ BERCHMANS. 271 
 
 life, not only an admirer, but a most faithful 
 imitator of the angelic Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, 
 God was pleased that they should frequently 
 concur in rendering aid to their clients. Mem- 
 orable is the cure of Joseph Spinelli, a young 
 man of twenty-two years of age, who was 
 struck with apoplexy in the College of Palermo, 
 where he was pursuing his theological studies. 
 The narrative of this fact, with all its most 
 minute circumstances, is given at full length 
 by the continuators of the Bollandus in the 
 acts of Saint Aloysius. I shall content myself 
 with presenting here a very brief summary of 
 it. After his apoplexy, then, young Spinelli, 
 being left speechless and paralyzed, received 
 the last sacraments, expecting death from hour 
 to hour. His mental faculties, however, were 
 still perfect, and he had recourse to the inter, 
 cession of Saint Aloysius, to whom he was 
 most devout. On the night of the 11th of Feb- 
 ruary, 1634, Blessed Aloysius appeared to him 
 accompanied by the Venerable Berchmans, and 
 turning towards him most lovingly, inquired 
 what he washed of him. Joseph answered^ 
 speech and health, should such be God's plea- 
 sure. Aloysius said to him : you shall have 
 both ; and then added : Be of good heart and 
 arm yourself with courage, for a long career 
 remains before you. He then predicted to him 
 
272 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the journeys and toils he would have to sustain 
 in going to and laboring amongst idolatrous 
 nations. Not long after this first apparition 
 Joseph was overtaken with a sweet sleep, in 
 which the two angelic youths were before him 
 again. Berchmans held a cup in his hand ; 
 Aloysius, after having spoken for some time to 
 the sick man, animating him to perfection, to 
 make good use of his speech, and to meet 
 generously for Christ's sake the fatigues which 
 awaited him, desired him to renew the vow he 
 had made some days before of fasting on his 
 vigil and practising certain other devotions. 
 He then dipped his finger in the cup and made 
 the sign of the cross on Joseph's tongue. The 
 latter awaking exclaimed in a loud voice : " O 
 Blessed Aloysius !" and thus he first regained 
 his speech. About four days having elapsed, 
 Berchmans appeared to him in a dream, and 
 told him that the time had now arrived for his 
 entire cure, and that therefore he should re- 
 commend himself from his heart to Blessed 
 Aloysius. The sick man did so; and the night 
 following he saw again the two holy youths 
 together. Berchmans had again his health- 
 bearing cup, and Aloysius, after having given 
 some counsels to Joseph, dipped his fingar in 
 the vase, and with the sign of the cross anointed 
 his legs, side and arm. Berchmans reverently 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 273 
 
 wiped the anointed parts, and Aloysius turning 
 towards the sick person, said : "rise up, for thou 
 art well ; keep thy promises and make thyself 
 a saint." Saying this, the heavenly benefactors 
 disappeared, and Joseph, awaking, exclaimed: 
 " I am cured. I have no more sickness." He arose 
 immediately from bed, and full of vigor and 
 strength went down into the church, where he 
 served mass and received holy communion. 
 On the completion of his studies he was made 
 priest, and, according to his vow, asked to go to 
 the missions of India, and was sent to the 
 Philippine Islands, where he lived and labored 
 many years like an apostle, and terminated his 
 life by a holy death.* 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Favors and miracles wrought in behalf of his 
 relations and countrymen. 
 
 The Blessed John was as lavish of favors to 
 those united to him by blood and by the ties 
 of a common country, as he was to the religious 
 of the Society. He had an aunt, named Mary 
 Berchmans, who from her tenderest years had 
 dedicated herself to God in a congregation of 
 pious ladies, who in Flanders, where they are 
 
 * Ex Proc. Ordin. Panormit. 
 
1:74 THE LIFE OF 
 
 still flourishing, are called Béguins. From 
 thirteen to fourteen years she was afflicted with 
 a flux of blood, which at certain given periods 
 continued to flow, for fifteen or more days, even 
 from her mouth and nose. Reduced thus to 
 extreme weakness, she was obliged for the most 
 part to lie in bed, and to pass many days in a 
 total prostration of strength, which she was not 
 able to restore by taking even the least food. 
 To this were afterwards added most acute pains 
 in the head, which deprived her of her reason, 
 and caused her to rave like a maniac. The 
 physicians of greatest reputation in the Univer- 
 sity of Louvain were consulted, and after 
 having vainly employed all the remedies their 
 skill could suggest, unanimously declared, that 
 no further hopes were to be entertained of the 
 cure of the invalid. Having passed thus many 
 years in continual distress and with most 
 edifying resignation to the will of God, Mary 
 received the news of the happy death of John, 
 her nephew, which took place in Rome on the 
 18th of August, 1621 ; she was also informed of 
 the miracles which God wrought by his inter- 
 cession, and of the relic of the heart, which had 
 been brought from Rome to Louvain. In con- 
 sequence the desire of miraculously recovering 
 her health was aroused within her ; and having 
 procured an image of her dear nephew, she 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMAXS. 275 
 
 placed it devoutly beside her bed. The disease 
 nevertheless, so far from giving way, increased 
 beyond measure, and the pious lady prepared 
 herself for death by the reception of the holy 
 Viaticum and Extreme Unction. When re- 
 duced to this state, she one night thought she 
 saw the servant of God, who, stretching forth 
 his right arm from the image, and as it were 
 appoaching her with a countenance full of loVe 
 and pity, said to her : " You, dear aunt, shall be 
 free from your infirmity." On hearing this, 
 she rallied, and promised in token of gratitude 
 to her benefactor, to present to our College in 
 Louvain a heart of wax, and two torches also 
 of virgin wax ; and she found herself perfectly 
 cured. She fulfilled her vow, and before the 
 Parish Priest of Saint Sulpice of the city of 
 Diest she deposed on oath to the whole fact of 
 her miraculous cure.* 
 
 A little daughter of the nobleman Everard 
 Pipenpay having been attacked by a violent 
 and malignant fever, her mother had recourse 
 to the intercession of John : and in a very short 
 time the good parents obtained the favor they 
 desired. So also, a youth named Sixtus, the 
 son of Mr. Yander Laen, who was brought to 
 the very point of death under the force of a 
 
 * Ex deposit, iurata in oppido Diest ; et ex Proc. Ordin. 
 Antuerp* 
 
27$ THE LIFE OF 
 
 raging fever, recovered his health instanta- 
 neously, by lighting two candles before the 
 image of John, and reciting a few prayers in 
 his honor.* 
 
 Rainer Hautmans, a student of theology in 
 the College of Louvain, at the commencement 
 of the Easter vacation in the year 1623, fell 
 dangerously ill. His sickness growing worse 
 every day, by good chance he happened to be 
 present when Father Leonard Lessius was 
 reading some letters which had just arrived 
 from Eome, in which it was related, how the 
 servant of God, John Berchmans, had after his 
 death, aided his clients with miraculous favors, 
 and that the Sovereign Pontiff Gregory XV. 
 had given orders that juridical investigations 
 should be made regarding his life and virtues. 
 On hearing this he felt springing up in his 
 heart a firm confidence of obtaining by this 
 means a speedy cure, and that too so as not to 
 disarrange his studies. lie promised John to 
 be singularly devout to him, and recommended 
 himself to him with ardent affection. He was 
 heard according to his desires ; for on the 
 morning of the Monday after Low Sunday, on 
 which day the schools are resumed, he re- 
 covered on the instant, and was able to prose- 
 cute his studies with the others as before.f 
 
 * Ex attestât, in Proc. Ordin. Antuerpiens. 
 t Ex attestât. Ibid. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 277 
 
 It was perhaps this favor which gave courage 
 to Andrew Van Boeregen to seek a similar one 
 for himself. In the October of the same year, 
 1623, he was seized in Lou vain with a fever, 
 which becoming tertian, was gradually wasting 
 his strength. He too had recourse to John, 
 and promised to recite every day five Paters 
 and Aves before his image. Having pro- 
 nounced his vow with great tenderness of affec- 
 tion, which caused him to shed abundant tears, 
 he fell into a placid sleep, and as soon as he 
 awoke he knew that he was entirely cured. 
 He presented himself before the ecclesiastical 
 tribunal, and deposed upon oath to the favor 
 received.* 
 
 Father Anthony de Greef, also a religious of 
 the Society, escaped, thanks to the Blessed 
 John, not from sickness, but from imminent 
 danger of being imprisoned or put to death. 
 He was a missionary apostolic in the United 
 Provinces of Holland, and was exercising the 
 sacred ministry in Nimega, while that city was 
 occupied by a strong garrison of heritics, who 
 through hatred to religion were hunting down 
 Catholic priests. Being obliged one night to 
 go out of the house, whether to assist a sick 
 person, or for some other urgent necessity of 
 his office, I am unable to say ; he fell in with a 
 
 * Ex attestât, in Proc. Ordin. Antuerpiens. 
 
278 THE LIFE or 
 
 heretic soldier, who. recognizing him for what 
 he was. grasped him suddenly by the arm, and 
 threatened to bring him as a prisoner before 
 the officer on duty. In this strait the Father 
 could do nothing else than raise his mind to 
 God, and place himself under the protection of 
 John Berchmans. whom he invoked interiorly 
 with great confidence. At that very moment 
 a young man oi most beautiful aspect, who in 
 his features was Berchmans himself, made his 
 appearance, and turning to the soldier, with a 
 firm voice, said to him: "let go this man. for 
 he is a good citizen :" and the assailant left him 
 free, and took his departure. The Father was 
 desirous of thanking his noble benefactor, but 
 much as his eye searched for him about the 
 public square in which he was. he could see no 
 one. He then continued on his way. thanking 
 God and his Servant, and afterwards testified 
 before the Bishop of Pairemonda to what had 
 happened to him on that occasion.* 
 
 I conclude by citing another attestation. 
 which I find m the Roman ordinary Process : 
 "We. the municipal authorities of the city of 
 Diest in Brabant, and in the arch-diocese of 
 Matines, at the instance of the Reverend Fathers 
 of the Society of Jesus in Louvam. attest that 
 the devout lady. Anna Ylaeyen, aged about 
 
 * Ex attestât. Episcopi Ruremonden. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 279 
 
 seventy-five years, appeared before us, and 
 upon oath declared, that sixty years before, some 
 lads having met together in the house of her 
 parents, Philip Vlaey en and Catharine Vanpant- 
 egen, situated opposite the convent of the Céno- 
 bites, as they were gathering powder to load 
 some pieces of artillery, it happened that a 
 quantity of it, which had been placed in a 
 corner of a room near the kitchen, and over 
 which hung an image of the Venerable John 
 Berchmans of the Society of Jesus, accidentally 
 took fire, and greatly damaged the whole 
 house. The passage leading to the room came 
 down in pieces, as well as the walls, and the 
 ceiling above. The window-frames were wrench- 
 ed from their places, and every pane of glass 
 was broken; the pewter plates and all the 
 copper vessels that were in the kitchen, were 
 thrown to the ground, and all the images in 
 that room, ruined and shattered, except that of 
 the Blessed John Berchmans, which, though 
 hanging immediately above the powder, still 
 remained suspended by a cord to the wall and 
 without sustaining any injury. And what is 
 still more wonderful is, that a servant of Mr. 
 Van Budinghen, who happened to be in the 
 same room, was thrown to the ground and 
 taken thence as dead, after those of the house 
 had extinguished with beer the fire which was 
 
280 THE LIFE or 
 
 near bis clothes; and the same accident hap- 
 pened to a maid-servant who was going up 
 
 stairs carrying in her hands some bottles of 
 beer. But neither the one nor the other suf- 
 fered any harm either then or afterwards. All 
 of which things were always regarded both by 
 those then present and by others who afterwards 
 heard them related, in the light of a miracle, 
 wrought through the intercession and merits 
 of the Venerable John Berchmans. And in 
 testimony of the truth we have ordered that 
 this attestation be subscribed by one of our 
 Secretaries, and be authenticated with our seal, 
 this loth day of February, 1742."* 
 
 CHAPTEE YIL 
 
 His special protection of Virgins consecrated to 
 
 God. 
 
 The protection of the Blessed John extended 
 to Virgins consecrated to God has been at all 
 times extraordinary. Numerous are the favors 
 conferred by him upon them : and I would 
 protract this life to an unusual length, were I 
 to relate merely those which have been authen- 
 ticated by public documents and deposed to 
 under oath in the various Processes. I shall 
 * Relat. conipuls. in Proc. Ordin. Roman. 
 

 BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 281 
 
 select only a few, which I shall arrange, not 
 according to their date or their nature, but 
 consulting rather variety for the greater interest 
 of the reader. 
 
 Sister Mary Perpétua Ruis, Oblate in the 
 Monastery of Torre di Specchi at Eome, in the 
 year 1623, had been for a month confined to her 
 bed with a constant fever, and so far was she 
 from hoping soon to be freed from it, that she 
 had made up her mind to continue in the same 
 condition until God would relieve her. How- 
 ever, she experienced some grief that she was 
 not able to keep the lent or apply to her ordi- 
 nary duties in the monastery. It opportunely 
 occurred to her to implore the intercession of 
 the Blessed John Berchmans, one of whose 
 relics she had ; and at the same time she wrote 
 to Father Virgil Cepari, Eector of the Roman 
 College, entreating him kindly to recommend 
 her to the Servant of God, with whom he had 
 been so intimate and influential, as his superior 
 and confessor. The Father replied that he 
 would do so with great pleasure. The result 
 is given in her own .words : "The following 
 morning, at the time the fever usually seized 
 me, I began and continued for three hours to 
 perspire : I then arose from bed,, and found 
 myself in perfect health and without any fever." 
 She continues to say that she was able, as she 
 
282 THE LIFE OF 
 
 desired, to observe the lent very strictly and to 
 perform all the duties and austerities prescribed 
 by her rule.-' 
 
 '•The truth is." deposes Sister Catharine 
 Giacinta Sacripante, a religions of the Monas- 
 tery of St. Bernard, in the city of Narni, "that 
 for about two years and a half I was subject to 
 a flow of humors from the head, which falling 
 upon my breast caused me continual and ex- 
 cessive pain; and two months afterwards, in 
 the beeinnino* of autumn, I was seized with a 
 dry and constant cough which lasted during 
 the winters of 1663 and 1664, In the spring 
 my continued coughing abated, but the pain in 
 my chest constantly increased. In the autumn 
 of 1664 my cough returned with renewed vehe- 
 mence, so as to excite apprehensions in those 
 that heard it, and frequently caused me to 
 vomit with very great pain and danger of 
 bursting a blood-vessel. Besides this, my fever, 
 attended with other maladies, was almost con- 
 tinual. My physicians having employed many 
 remedies to no purpose, were of opinion that 
 my life must soon terminate. During the years 
 1664 and 1665'the above maladies oppressed 
 me still more. The following summer. I felt a 
 little better than usual ; but at the end of the 
 succeeding September, my sickness returned 
 
 * Attestât. MSB. autogr. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 283 
 
 with greater violence than during the pre- 
 ceding year. The nuns, seeing my malady so 
 serious and dangerous, exhorted me to place 
 myself in the hands of a physician; but having 
 derived little advantage from medicines the 
 previous year, I was not disposed to submit 
 myself again to their treatment. Hearing from 
 Francesca Maria Bucciarelli, a professed nun, 
 some details of the life of the great Servant of 
 God, John Berchmans, of the Society of Jesus, 
 who died with the reputation of sanctity, I sud- 
 denly experienced a particular devotion and 
 desire to have a picture of the Servant of God. 
 On the vigil of Saint Ursula, the 20th of last 
 October, the Canon Bucciarelli gave a picture 
 of the Servant of God to Francesca Maria, his 
 aunt, who immediately came to see me. Un- 
 able to remain in bed, on account of my cough, 
 asthma and fever, I was sitting in the sacristy, 
 at the same time suffering from a temptation 
 such as I had never experienced in my sick- 
 ness. It seemed to me that neither God nor the 
 Saints were willing to confer any favor upon 
 me. I did not wish to look at the picture, but 
 upon being importuned by the nun, I took it 
 in my hands with great impatience, and uttered 
 these very words : 'If it be true that the Ser- 
 vant of God, John Berchmans is in Heaven and 
 enjoys the glory of God, as it is said, let him 
 
284 THE LIFE OF 
 
 obtain for me the favor to recover from my 
 sickness; if he do not, I do not believe it.' 
 Being reproved by Maria Francesca for speak- 
 ing in this manner, I replied : ' Do what you 
 please ; as for me, I do not believe in him, if 
 he give me not this grace.' Wonderful to re- 
 late ! In an instant I was free from my cough, 
 my fever, my pain in the breast, and from 
 every malady, and I began at once to get ready 
 for matins and continued to perform all the 
 regular exercises and duties of one in perfect 
 health."* 
 
 Maria Angela Guinigi, a professed religious 
 in the Monastery of St. John of Lucca, suffered 
 for about three years such weakness and 
 nausea of stomach, that she was unable to retain 
 any food. Physicians of the highest repute 
 being called in consultation seeing that all their 
 remedies could not overcome the violence of 
 the disease, unanimously declared that her case 
 was desperate. But apart from this, her de- 
 bility having reduced her to so emaciated a 
 condition that she looked like a mere skeleton, 
 she herself had no longer any hopes of being 
 cured by human remedies. She was in this 
 state on the 13th of August, 1672, when hear- 
 ing the Mother infirmarian read the life of the 
 Blessed John Berchmans and reflecting that 
 
 * Ex Proc. Narnien. in Ordinar. Rom. compuls. pag. 635. 
 
BLESSED JOHX BERCHMANS. 285 
 
 it was the anniversary of his happy departure 
 from this world, she turned towards a picture 
 of the Servant of God, which was hanging near 
 her bed, and said to him : " What would it cost 
 thee, blessed Father, to restore me my health, 
 if it be the will of God?" 
 
 " Utlering these words," she subjoined in her 
 juridical deposition, "I felt a firm confidence 
 without any doubt of obtaining the favor. 
 This I had not experienced at other times, 
 though I frequently recommended myself to 
 different Saints. Nor was my hope frustrated, 
 for, towards sunset, I felt an inclination to leave 
 my bed for half an hour, as was my custom on 
 other days ; but scarcely had I touched the floor, 
 when I felt that I was not in my usual state of 
 debility, but rather very vigorous, and I per- 
 ceived that I suffered, very little. Meanwhile, 
 I put on my dress, and finding myself always 
 getting better, and that the pain which had af- 
 flicted me for the space of three years, had en- 
 tirely disappeared, I felt a desire to go to the 
 church, in which the religious were at that time 
 assembled ; but I was advised not to trust my- 
 self, and to be content with going to an oratory, 
 which was near at hand. I did so, and remain- 
 ed kneeling for half an hour without the least 
 inconvenience. Unable to refrain from announc- 
 ing my recovery to the other sisters, an hour 
 
288 THE LIFE OF 
 
 afterwards, I ran to a little chapel of the Bless- 
 ed Virgin, where a large number of the nuns 
 were assembled, and to reach it, I had to ascend 
 four flights of stairs — this I did with the great- 
 est ease and without the slightest inconvenience. 
 Entering the chapel, I said to all that I was 
 cured, and did not feel any pain. At this sight 
 the Mother Prioress ordered me to entone in a 
 loud voice, the Te Deum laudamus which was 
 continued by the other nuns with indiscribable 
 joy, all returning thanks to the Blessed Virgin 
 and her most faithful Servant. The following 
 day I joined in all the exercises of the commu- 
 nity, and have continued ever since in excel- 
 lent health, without perceiving the slightest 
 trace of my former sickness. My physicians 
 have testified that it was absolutely impossible 
 for me to recover my health by any human 
 means."* 
 
 A religious of the venerable Monastery of 
 our Lady at Tournon, in France, was instanta- 
 neously freed from a more serious malady on 
 the 29th of September, in the year 17-10. Mary 
 Frances di Monteils was for a long time a great 
 sufferer from paralysis, which extended to her 
 whole body, and prevented its free use. Not 
 
 * This miraculous cure is attested in the Ordinary Pro- 
 cess of Lucca, by six eye-witnesses, of whom one was the 
 person healed, and two were the physicians attending 
 her. Proc. Ordin. Rom. compuls. page 646. et seg. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 287 
 
 only was she unable to leave her chamber, but 
 she could not even rise from her bed, or per- 
 form any action without the assistance of 
 another. There was no remedy which she did 
 not try; but so far from experiencing any 
 relief, she remained only more enfeebled. The 
 physicians who attended her no longer enter- 
 tained any hope of her cure, and announced that 
 no resource was left her save in the protection of 
 heaven. Some years previously, Sister Monteils 
 had read the life of the angelic youth the Blessed 
 John Berchraans, and had conceived for him a 
 very high esteem. Then passing from admira- 
 tion to confidence, it came into her mind that 
 he was to be her deliverer. On the 26th of 
 September, 1740, after having received holy 
 communion, this thought made a still deeper 
 impression on her mind, and she regarded it as 
 an inspiration from heaven. Hence she very 
 earnestly entreated the nuns to unite with her 
 in making a no vena in honor of the Servant of 
 God. All consented, and on the 29th of the 
 same month the novena began with a general 
 communion. The same day the Blessed Sacra- 
 ment was carried to the sick nun, who received 
 it seated in an arm-chair, because she had not 
 strength to support herself on her knees ; and 
 full of unusual fervor she recited a most devout 
 supplication to the Blessed John, which she 
 
L' v iHK LIFE OF 
 
 promised to renew every day; and finally with 
 the permission of her confessor, obliged herself 
 by vow to fast on the vigil and to communi- 
 on the anniversary of the Servant of God. 
 This she promised to do for ten years, if she 
 obtained the favor which she asked. From 
 that time forward she thought of nothing else 
 but of invoking frequently the Blessed John, 
 and while these thoughts occupied her mind, 
 she perceived that some extraordinary change 
 was taking place within her. She continued 
 all the morning in this state; afterwards re- 
 turning to her normal condition, she found her- 
 self oppressed with sleep and had herself placed 
 in bed. where, after a short prayer, she enjoyed 
 a placid slumber. Awakening soon after, she 
 felt as if a new vigor was diffused through her 
 whole frame. She immediately arose from her 
 bed. and ran to her kneeling-bench to return 
 thanks to God for the change which she expe- 
 rienced in herself. Her astonishment had 
 almost bereft her of her senses, nevertheless, 
 fearing that she was deluded by a disturbed 
 imaçcination. and that her cure was not real, 
 she returned to bed. and arose from it several 
 times ; until evidently seeing that she had re- 
 covered the use of her paralyzed limbs, and 
 that in moving her body, she suffered no pain, 
 transported with joy and gratitude, she went 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 280 
 
 from her chamber and hurriedly ran to the 
 place where the sisters were assembled to give 
 them the news of her miraculous cure. Upon 
 first seeing her the sisters were confounded, as 
 if unwilling to believe the testimony of their 
 own eyes ; soon, however, recovering from their 
 perplexity, they all cried out with a loud voice : 
 "a miracle!" and with the sick nun in their 
 midst, they immediately repaired to the church, 
 where shedding copious tears of tenderness, 
 they returned, as best they could, due thanks 
 to (rod, who, in such a manner had vouchsafed 
 to exalt the merits of his Servant John Berch- 
 mans. The news soon spread throughout the 
 city ; and a multitude of relations, friends, and 
 people of every rank and condition came for 
 several days to the monastery, desiring to see 
 with their own eyes the wonders of God, which 
 were afterwards confirmed by many eye-wit- 
 nesses, examined juridically by Monsignor 
 Alexander Milon, Bishop and Count of Valentia.* 
 Sister Claudia Eegina Cellard, in the year 
 1756, was ill of a fever in the same monastery 
 at Tournon. Though for several months she 
 was subjected to every variety of treatment by 
 her physicians, her malady so far from impro- 
 ving, became more aggravated ; while in course 
 of time, headaches, difficulty of breathing, vio- 
 * Ex Proc. Ordin. Valentin. 
 
 10 
 
290 THIS LIFE OF 
 
 lent fits of vomiting and other very serious and 
 dangerous symptoms followed in rapid succes- 
 sion. Not a ray of hope for her recovery being 
 left, the good religious directed all her thoughts 
 to her soul; and having received the last sacra- 
 ments on the 16th of October, she asked that 
 the prayers for the dying should be recited in 
 order to prepare herself for her departure from 
 this life. At this time a Father of the Society 
 of Jesus came to see her, suggested that she 
 should have recourse to the intercession of the 
 Blessed John Berchmans. The physician also 
 arrived, who, hearing of her recurrence to the 
 Servant of God, declared, that if she were cured 
 it would be by a manifest miracle. Upon the 
 departure of the physician, the sick nun asked 
 for a relic of John which was immediately 
 brought. All the religious who had assembled 
 to unite in recommending her soul to God, 
 knelt dow r n to pray, Sister Claudia in the mean- 
 time applying the relic to the parts of her body 
 which were suffering from her infirmities. To 
 apply the relic and to be cured, were one and 
 the same thing. At the news of this miracle, 
 the physician repaired without delay to the 
 monastery and saw his patient, who was now 
 cured, and vigorous and strong with the other 
 religious in the choir was returning thanks to 
 God.* 
 
 *Ex. Relat. MSS. 
 
•BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. 291 
 
 Not inferior to the former cure, both in re- 
 gard to the serious nature of her disease and 
 the suddenness of her recovery, was the follow- 
 ing event which I transcribe word for word 
 -from the authentic relation now in my hands. 
 Maria Feoclora Omaccini, born in Florence, and 
 a choir nun in the Monastery of St. Joseph in 
 the city of Castello, about the year 1731, and in 
 the 21st year of her age, began to be afflicted 
 with various and complicated infirmities, which 
 terminated in consumption, joined with a violent 
 coughing, spitting of blood and continued fever. 
 Although nothing was left undone to arrest so 
 many maladies by the application of remedies 
 the best adapted and most efficacious which art 
 and experience could employ ; notwithstanding, 
 all were of no avail ; for 'the sick person con- 
 tinued for nine successive years to grow worse, 
 suffering from pains in the head and breast, 
 difficulty of breathing, convulsions, loss of 
 appetite and sleep, together with extreme de- 
 bility, particularly in the knees. Hence, the 
 physicians regarded her as incurable, saying 
 that she had reached the last stage of consump- 
 tion. It happened that while Father Valeriani 
 of the Society of Jesus was preaching in 1750 
 in the same monastery, and was fervently re- 
 commending to the religious devotion to the 
 Blessed John Berchmans, Maria Feodora 
 
292 THE LIFE OF 
 
 felt in her heart a very lively confidence of ob- 
 taining through the intercession of this immac- 
 ulate youth the grace of recovery which she 
 desired. For this purpose, she resolved on the 
 4th of April of the same year to make a devout 
 novena to the Servant of God. When the 
 novena commenced, and during its progress, 
 instead of getting better, her malady con- 
 stantly grew worse. However, receiving a relic 
 of her venerable patron from Father Dominic 
 Ottolini, Eector of the College, she heard, as it 
 were, an internal voice which said to her. 
 " When you shall have been touched with my 
 relic, you shall be healed." Upon this her res- 
 piration became still more impeded, her fever 
 increased and the sick person was reduced to 
 extremities. The physician, to give her some 
 relief, wished to minister new remedies to her ; 
 but reviving her faith, she refused them and 
 sent to the abbess requesting her to come 
 quickly and apply the relic of the Venerable 
 Servant of God, feeling certain that without 
 the aid of human remedies she would instanta- 
 neously recover her health. And such in 
 reality was the case : for upon the application 
 of the relic an unusual healthy vigor ran 
 through all her frame. Not doubting her cure, 
 she exclaimed, "I am healed: the Blessed 
 John Berchmans has done me the favor." Say- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 293 
 
 ing this, she arose from her bed, dressed her- 
 self without assistance, and went with the other 
 religious to the church to return solemn thanks- 
 giving to God. The same day, the 14th of 
 April, she dined with the other religious in the 
 common refectory, went up and down the most 
 inconvenient stairways of the Monastery, nor 
 had she anything ever afterwards to suffer 
 from her former ailments.* 
 
 Let us turn now to the monasteries of Konie, 
 where the Angelic Youth, in preference, per- 
 haps to any other place, showered his blessings 
 from heaven. And first, we must speak of two 
 remarkable miracles which occurred one after 
 the other in the Monastery of St. Ann, then 
 occupied by the religious of the Order of St. 
 Benedict, who were afterwards transferred to 
 that of Campus Martius. Juridical informa- 
 tions and testimonies were taken regarding 
 these two events in the Processes formed by 
 episcopal and apostolic authority. My narra- 
 tion would be long, were I to relate all the 
 minute circumstances as they took place. I 
 will rather, therefore, give a compendium of 
 the events. 
 
 Maria Costanza Chiaramonti, by more than 
 
 * Besides the authentic relation confirmed by the re- 
 ligions as eye-witnesses of this miraculous cure, we have 
 the opinions of two physicians who successively attended 
 the sick nun during the course of her malady. 
 
294 THE LIFE OF 
 
 seven years of continued sickness, had been 
 reduced to so emaciated a condition and to such 
 an exhaustion of natural vigor, that unable to 
 stand on her feet, she was compelled either to 
 lie in bed or to pass entire days seated in a 
 chair. Her malady was not merely of one 
 kind, but a strange complication of various 
 ailments, which attacked her at one time singly, 
 at another time with their united strength : she 
 suffered from deafness and a ringing in the 
 ears ; from headache and softness of the brain ; 
 from colics and a twisting of the bowels ; from 
 the cardiac passion; from violent contortions 
 of the limbs ; finally, from deadly fits and a 
 total loss of motion, especially in the arms, 
 knees, and withered lower extremities. The 
 many remedies applied to her case, in so long- 
 continued an illness, were of no avail except 
 to prolong the exercise of her patience ; * and 
 she had already tranquilized her mind and 
 prepared herself to suffer until death, without 
 any hope of relief from her miseries. However, 
 seated one day in her chair, she heard Sister 
 Maria Ignazia Mauri, who was also ill, speak 
 at length of the angelic life of the Blessed John 
 Berchmans, and conceived a great devotion 
 towards him, and a lively confidence in his 
 intercession. Butas her maladies, far from 
 diminishing, were daily increased, she lost 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 295 
 
 heart and relented much in her fervor. The 
 Servant of God appeared several times in a 
 dream to Sister Mauri, and ordered her to ad- 
 monish Sister Costanza to renew her devotion, 
 if she wished to receive the grace which she 
 had asked. The admonition produced a good 
 effect. She revived her confidence in the Ser- 
 vant of God, began to read his life, and noticing 
 that he was born on the 13th of March, the 
 very day, when she renewed her fervor, she 
 said: u O great Servant of God, will you 
 not grant me the desired favor on this your 
 birthday?" The same evening, towards sunset, 
 seated in her chair, she asked the religious, who 
 were present, to place her on her bed. They 
 raised her accordingly, she herself being power- 
 less ; but in the act of laying her on the bed, 
 she fell with her face downwards, and appeared 
 like a dead person, all her limbs being rigid. 
 She was for a time motionless and insensible, 
 and seemed momentarily about to expire. 
 " Then, (continues the narration in the very 
 words which, after her cure the sick nun em- 
 ployed in the Process,) the other Sisters began 
 to recal to my mind the confidence which I 
 had felt in the Servant of God. They brought 
 me one of his pictures, and placed it upon my 
 spine : I immediately felt a certain twittering 
 in my lower extremities, while at the same time, 
 
296 THE LIFE OF 
 
 I could not say bow, my right arm was extended, 
 though still continuing rigid. At this unex- 
 pected change, the nuns yet more confidently 
 hoped to obtain my cure, and therefore recited 
 three Our Fathers and three Hail Marys, in 
 honor of the Blessed Trinity, praying the Ser- 
 vant of God to complete the favor. I was moved 
 and consoled by the confidence which the nuns 
 manifested in the Servant of God. Either 
 while saying those prayers or after them, they 
 laid the picture on my breast, and I immedi- 
 ately extended both my arms, and was able 
 with them to press the picture to my heart. 
 Their confidence still increasing, they placed 
 the picture below my breast, that motion and 
 vigor might return to the upper portion of my 
 body, and at the same time they applied a 
 small piece of linen dipped in the blood of the 
 Servant of God. At this moment, I felt per- 
 fectly free to move and to turn myself at plea- 
 sure. I could also sit in my bed without 
 assistance. They then repeated the same 
 prayers, and touched my knees with the pic- 
 ture and the linen ; after which I was bid to rise, 
 they removing at the same time my chair: but 
 the truth was that my lower limbs had not yet 
 been healed and I would have fallen upon the 
 floor, if I had not been supported in the arms 
 of the nuns. I therefore remained sitting in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 297 
 
 my chair. At the same time it occurred to me 
 that perhaps my confidence was rather pre- 
 sumption in wishing to obtain all the favors at 
 once, and on the day which I myself had selected. 
 I humbled myself — I resigned myself to the 
 divine will. The nuns who were present then 
 said that my knees should again be touched in 
 the same manner. This they did, and consigning 
 into my hands the picture of Venerable Berch- 
 mans. said to me with great confidence : ' arise 
 now, you are cured.' I arose, supported by the 
 nuns, and being well balanced on my feet, at 
 that moment I experienced a great vigor in my 
 knee and leg, so that, extending my foot to 
 make the first step, I said that they should 
 leave me, for I was cured. In fact I felt per- 
 fectly restored and free from all my former 
 maladies. The nuns left me to my own efforts, 
 and I began to move myself and walk briskly 
 with the same freedom and vigor that I now 
 possess. I went immediately to thank the 
 Blessed Sacrament. Afterwards I repaired to 
 the refectory in sight of all the religious, who 
 were overwhelmed with astonishment. I bore 
 in my hand the picture of my deliverer. The 
 following morning the Te Deum was sung in 
 choir by all the nuns, by order of the Mother 
 Abbess.*" Such are her own words. This 
 miraculous cure occurred March 13, 1729. 
 
 * Ex Proc. Ordin. Apost. 
 
THE LIFE OF 
 
 Two months bad not passed when the joy 
 and thanksgiving of the same monastery were 
 renewed by the cure of Sister Maria Ignazia 
 Mauri. She had been seriously indisposed for 
 three years, having finally lost the use of her 
 voice, and her arms, which were contracted. 
 After Sister Costanza Chiaramonti had obtained 
 her cure, in which sister Ignazia had a great 
 share, the latter was ordered by her confessor 
 to recommend herself to the intercession of the 
 Blessed John Berchmans, who had so often ap- 
 peared to her, and towards whom she enter- 
 tained a very tender devotion. She obeyed, 
 and upon the application of his relics w r as in- 
 stantaneously healed. " The 3d of May, 1729/' 
 thus deposes Marcus Antonius Eosette, a physi- 
 cian, " I visited her about four o'clock, and 
 having prescribed bleeding the following morn- 
 ing, in order to relieve the contraction of the 
 arms, I departed. Being recalled about an 
 hour afterwards. I found the religious suffering 
 from a contraction of her lower extremities, 
 attended with convulsive motions, like those in 
 the arms, together with shortness and difficulty 
 of respiration, so that she was unable to swal- 
 low a drop of water. Seeing that all human 
 skill was powerless in her case, and the sick 
 person, though unable to speak, manifesting a 
 desire to see her confessor, I advised the reli- 
 
BLESSED JOHN" BERCHMANS. 299 
 
 gious to send for him without delay, as there 
 was danger of her dying of suffocation, her 
 pulse being also very bad, and I promised to re- 
 turn that evening to see if she were able to take 
 any remedies. I returned at six o'clock, and 
 meeting the Father Confessor, as I was about 
 entering the door of the Monastery, I was told 
 by him that Sister Maria Ignazia had been 
 cured through the intercession of the Servant 
 of God, John Berchmans, and that she was then 
 going into the choir to return thanks to our 
 Lord. After a short time, Sister Maria Ig- 
 nazia with all the religious, related to me the 
 miracle performed by the Servant of God, John 
 Berchmans, with the touch of his picture and 
 of a small piece of linen dipped in his blood, 
 by which applications an instantaneous cure 
 had been effected, leaving the patient free from 
 all pain and debility. I remained for some 
 time wrapt in astonishment, knowing that I had 
 left the patient in a most dangerous condition, 
 and with but little hopes of recovery."* 
 
 Maria Anna Girelli, a religious of the Maestre 
 Pie, at Rome, in the school, called all 'Arco de- 
 Ginnasi, was the victim for some years of most 
 violent convulsions and contractions of the 
 nerves. In the June of 1731, these maladies 
 increased to such a degree that they became 
 
 * Ex Proc. Ordin. et Apost. 
 
300 THE LIFE OF 
 
 insupportable, both on account of the frequency 
 with which they assailed her, and the pains 
 and spasms which they caused throughout her 
 entire frame. Having been advised by Father 
 John Charles Senepa, of the Society of Jesus, 
 to have recourse to the intercession of John 
 Berchmans, she began a novena, and imposed 
 upon herself to visit daily the tomb of the Ser- 
 vant of God, and w r hen she was unable to do so 
 on account of her sickness, to send thither in 
 her place one of her religious Sisters. Towards 
 the conclusion of the novena, her malady w r as 
 much augmented, and for five successive hours, 
 she endured the pangs of death, her whole 
 person being contracted and drawn up, and 
 her respiration so slight and difficult, that it 
 merely indicated that life was not extinct. In 
 this utter prostration of her system, it seemed 
 to her that she saw before her a member of the 
 Society of Jesus, a youth of most beautiful 
 countenance, who said to her: " Well ! this is 
 the last time that you shall suffer from this 
 malady ; the grace is already obtained ; send 
 for Father Senepa, for I wish him to be pres- 
 ent.'' The Father came, bringing with him a 
 relic of the Servant of God, which, while re- 
 citing some few prayers, he applied several 
 times to the sick nun. " Then," she subjoins 
 in her account of the cure, u as if aroused from 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 301 
 
 a profound sleep, (but in reality I am certain 
 that I did not sleep,) shedding tears, I extended 
 my arms and said : 'Yes, my venerable patron, 
 I will do so ; I will begin from this day to read 
 your life. Give me my dress — I wish to clothe 
 myself; I am free from all my ailments.' All the 
 by standers testify that I spoke thus : although 
 I do not remember what I said or where I was, 
 I can only say what I conjecture and believe 
 to be certain. I again saw the Jesuit youth 
 standing before me, and I certainly knew that 
 it was the Blessed John Berchmans. He kindly 
 reproved me for the tepidity of my life ; but in 
 so earnest a manner that he excited in me a 
 great sorrow, which I still retain, for my past 
 defect. He commanded me to read every day 
 a small part of his life and to put it in practice, 
 never to omit my mental prayer, the great ad- 
 vantages of which he praised, and finally added : 
 ( Well ! this is the last day of your sickness, 
 and you shall be delivered from it.' All this I 
 certify, on oath, it appeared to me that I saw 
 and heard. My dress was placed in my hands ; 
 I arose, and felt as strong as if I had never 
 been unwell. From that time forward my con- 
 vulsions did not return, and I always enjoyed 
 perfect health."* 
 
 On the first of June, 1745, three daughters of 
 
 * Ex attestât, authent. 
 
dU2 the life of 
 
 Monsieur Digne, Consul of France, entered as 
 pupils the Monastery of the Ursulines at Rome. 
 The second of these children, aged about six or 
 seven years and Theresa by name, besides hav- 
 ing an issue on one of her arms, was afflicted 
 with ulcers on both ears which constantly 
 emitted a putrid matter, whose odor was in- 
 supportable. Placed under the care of Sister 
 Ursula del Crocifisso, a lay-sister, the latter 
 suggested that the child should recommend 
 herself to the Blessed John Berchmans. The 
 obedient pupil consequently recited every day 
 some few prayers to the Servant of God, at the 
 end of which she added : " If it be the will of 
 God, cure my ears." In the meantime the mal- 
 ady constantly increased and from the ear ex- 
 tended to the nostrils. The most experienced 
 physicians and surgeons were consulted, who, 
 after employing all the remedies of art, finally 
 came to the conclusion that the malady was al- 
 together incurable. The good lay-sister then 
 exhorted the child to place still greater confi- 
 dence in the intercession of the Servant of God. 
 On the morning of the 3d of May, 1745, hav- 
 ing recited her customary prayers, the little 
 sufferer felt impressed with lively sentiments 
 of devotion and confidence, and begged the 
 Sister Infirmarian to touch her ears and fore- 
 head with the relics of the Blessed Berch- 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. 80S 
 
 mans. This was done. At their touch the is- 
 sue was immediately closed, her lost hearing 
 was restored and the child perfectly cured, 
 continued afterward, to enjoy uninterrupted 
 health : as the following witnesses attest upon 
 oath : The Superioress Maria Adelaide Rofieni, 
 Sisters Joseph di Middebborg, Saveria Spezzani, 
 Lanora della Torre, Eleanora Saracinelli, Clara 
 Deva, Costante Isabella Aleppi, Victoria Ossoli, 
 Agnes Ressé, Louisa Schiantanelli, Cassandra 
 Depuis, Serafina Buzi, Ursula del Crocifisso, 
 all Ursuline religious.* 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Wonderful favors conferred upon every class of 
 persons, 
 
 Muzio Cittadini, a native of Sienna and a 
 notary by profession, while at Rome in the 
 September of 1621, was attacked by a most 
 violent fever attended with rather dangerous 
 symptoms. A relative of the sick man, Donna 
 Ersilia Altissimi, by name, informed of the 
 fact, immediately repaired to the church of the 
 Roman College, and prayed for a considerable 
 time for his recovery, inspired by the confi- 
 dence which the extraordinary favor she had 
 
 * Ex attestât, authent. 
 
304 THE LIFE OF 
 
 already received through the intercession of the 
 Venerable John Berchmans, gave to her peti- 
 tions. Having returned* home, she is met by 
 the wife of Muzio who, with serene countenance 
 and joyful heart, informs her that the patient is 
 not only out of danger, but instantaneously 
 cured, she knows not how, nor by whom. But 
 upon remarking the hour and moment of the 
 cure, it was found to have occurred at the very 
 time in which the intercession of the Servant 
 of God was implored. Hence it was that on 
 the same day the entire family of Muzio to- 
 gether with Donna Ersilia went to return 
 thanks to God, and to offer two candles, as was 
 then customary, to be burned before the sepul- 
 chre of the Venerable John.* 
 
 In the October of the same year, 1621, Mag- 
 dalene Navarra, a Eoman young lady, twenty- 
 two years of age, was cured in a like miracu- 
 lous manner. For three months she was com- 
 pelled to keep her bed on account of an obsti- 
 nate contraction of the nerves, which caused 
 her the most frightful spasms. " Having," says 
 she in her sworn deposition, " used to little or 
 no purpose the various remedies recommended 
 by physicians and particularly by Signor Luigi 
 Eamino, I recurred to the devout intercession 
 of a Father of the Society of Jesus, called 
 
 * Proc. Ordin. Roman, fol. 218, 270, 271, 273. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 305 
 
 Father John, a native of Flanders, who, I 
 learned, had died on the 13th of August, 1621, 
 with the reputation of great sanctity. A stu- 
 dent of the Koman College, named Julius Sca- 
 lano, a relative of mine had given me a piece 
 of the habit of the aforesaid Father, and through 
 devotion I put it around my neck, earnestly re- 
 commending myself to the same blessed Father, 
 and suddenly I commenced to feel better and 
 was entirely cured, and returned to my former 
 state of life, and never since have I been afflict- 
 ed with the same miseries ; and I attribute all 
 to God through the intercession of the aforesaid 
 holy Father, and I therefore return thanks for 
 this favor, and I recommend myself to his inter- 
 cession, I venerate his image and revere his 
 relics as holy, and I know that he has performed 
 many and various miracles in favor of those who 
 recommend themselves to his intercession."* 
 
 Aloysius Eiccardi, Eector of the Church of 
 St. Antony in the city of Corneto, in the year 
 1621, fell sick of a fever, which for more than a 
 month continued to waste his strength, and 
 which was accompanied by very severe asthma 
 and difficulty of breathing. The physicians, to 
 whose care he was entrusted, seeing all the skill 
 of their art unavailable, began to despair not 
 only of his cure, but even of his life. The sick 
 
 * Proc. Ordin. Rom. fol. 326. 
 20 
 
306 THE LIFE OF 
 
 man himself lost hope especially, when in Sep- 
 tember of the same year, he was seized with an 
 extremely violent attack, accompanied with 
 dangerous symptoms and deadly swoons. At 
 this time a letter was brought'to him from his 
 nephew, Gregory by name, who was studying 
 at Rome in the College of the Society of Jesus; 
 but not being able to read the letter, through 
 the violence of his pains, he held it in his hand, 
 and at the same time felt that his fever abated 
 and that great joy swelled his heart. He wished 
 to open the letter, and finding within it a small 
 piece of a blaGk garment, he unfolded it con- 
 temptuously, under the impression that his 
 nephew had procured for him a new cassock of 
 the cloth of Avhich a sample had been sent. 
 His sufferings however continuing to be re- 
 lieved, while at the same time he experienced 
 internal consolation of soul, and not being able 
 to divine the cause, he finally read the letter, 
 which was couched in these terms : u Father 
 John of Flanders, a member of the Society of 
 Jesus, died in our College here at Eome on the 
 13th of last August, with the reputation of 
 sanctity ; and when his body was carried into 
 the church, there was a large concourse of 
 people, who came to see him and to obtain some 
 of his relics; and this piece of his habit fell to 
 my lot, which I inclose in this letter, to your 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 307 
 
 Reverence. v But the most remarkable of all 
 was, that upon finishing the reading of the 
 letter, the sick man was perfectly well, and 
 rising without delay from his bed, walked 
 through the city to the astonishment and 
 amazement of every one. Moreover in his jurid- 
 ical deposition, he added that by means of 
 that little relic many graces were operated by 
 the Almighty, in the same city, through 
 the intercession of John, and that to testify his 
 gratitude he willingly repaired to Rome and 
 suspended at the sepulchre of the Servant of 
 God, a votive tablet in which all the circum- 
 stances of his extraordinary cure were accu- 
 rately represented.* 
 
 In the usual Roman Process, Santa Speran- 
 dino, the wife of Octavius Sabaudi, residing in 
 Penna, in the diocese of Amelia, thus testifies 
 regarding herself: "On the 15th of July, 1622, 
 being confined to my bed by erisypelas in the 
 face, attended with fever and excessive pains in 
 in the head, on account of which, I could not 
 endure the sound of persons walking in the 
 street, and my pains and fever increasing to 
 such a degree that I almost despaired of my 
 life, and besides a flow of blood unexpectedly 
 following with such violence as to make me 
 like a dying person, (such indeed was the opi- 
 * Proo. Ord. Rom. fol. 310, 315, 319. 
 
308 THE LIFE OF 
 
 nion of my physician, Peter Felice, when he 
 Came to visit me;) my* mother brought with 
 her to my house a picture of Father John Berch- 
 mans, of the Society of Jesus, who died, on the 
 13th of August, 1621, in the Eoman College, 
 with the reputation of a saint, and who per- 
 formed many miracles; and she advised me to 
 recommend myself to his intercession, which 
 when I had done, and placed his picture on my 
 head, I suddenly felt myself free from my head- 
 ache ; and, a few days afterwards, cured of my 
 infirmity, I arose from bed as if I had never 
 been sick. And for the above grace attained 
 by the intercession of the aforesaid Father John 
 I placed a votive tablet together with his pic- 
 ture where the body of the above Father re- 
 mains in the Eoman College."* 
 
 In like manner, by the mere application of 
 a relic of the blessed youth, Dorotea Grisalli, of 
 the district of Palo, and diocese of Bari in the 
 Neapolitan Kingdom, was cured of a most vio- 
 lent headache which during fifteen days almost 
 deprived her of reason, and hurried her to the 
 excesses of one under the influence of madness. 
 In consequence of the favor which she had re- 
 ceived, she entertained so great confidence in 
 the intercession of the Servant of God, that she 
 recurred to him alone in all her necessities.. 
 * Proc. Ord. Rom. fol. 309. 322, 324. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 309 
 
 A dangerous cancer appearing in her leg, she 
 was unwilling to obtain the services of a phy- 
 sician or a surgeon. She applied to the diseased 
 part the relic of John ; the tumor suddenly dis- 
 appeared, and she was entirely healed, as she 
 herself testifies upon oath in the Process which 
 was drawn up in 1626* 
 
 Lucretia Pettorelli, a Roman, had upon one 
 of her knees a tumor of so genuine a charac- 
 ter, that it caused her the most intense pain. 
 She could not make the least motion without 
 great inconvenience, nor was she able to endure 
 the slightest touch. Hearing, after some time, 
 that one of her relations had been recently re- 
 stored to health through the intercession of the 
 venerable John Berchmans, she cared not for 
 medicines or physicians: and had herself car- 
 ried as well as she could, to the sepulchre of the 
 venerable Servant of God in the church of the 
 Roman College; when there, with bare knee 
 she placed herself on the marble slab, and hav- 
 ing made a short prayer, arose without pain 
 and speedily returned home free from all suf- 
 fering.*!* 
 
 One of the legs of Julia Drosolini, likewise 
 a Roman, was in a still worse condition. By a 
 strange contraction of the nerves, she had be- 
 
 * Proc. Ordin. Palen. in Roman compnls. 
 f Ex attestât, authent. 
 
810 THE LIFE OF 
 
 come a cripple. She could neither move her- 
 self, nor walk, without the assistance of another. 
 With all her heart she recommended herself to 
 the protection of the venerable John Berchmans 
 promising, if cured, to carry as a mark of grat- 
 itude, a leg of silver to his tomb. Her prayer 
 being finished, she immediately received the 
 desired favor, and went herself the same day 
 to the church and fulfilled her vow.* 
 
 Lady Angela Felisboni, the wife of Signor 
 Giulio de Giulii, a Eoman, towards the end of 
 April, 1729, was attacked by hysterics, to which 
 from time to time she was subject. On this oc- 
 casion, however, their violence was very great ; 
 for besides suffering from difficulty of respira- 
 tion and palpitation of the heart, her throat was so 
 compressed that for eighteen successive days she 
 was unable to take any food, and found herself 
 reduced to the utmost debility. No remedy avail- 
 ing, she sent for the Curate of S. Maria di Fras- 
 tevere, her Confessor, to administer to her the 
 last sacraments. He, seeing the condition of 
 the sick lady, returned home for a picture of 
 the Blessed John Berchmans which he possessed, 
 and visiting immediately his penitent, made 
 with the image the sign of the Cross three 
 times over her, putting his confidence in the 
 intercession of the Servant of God. The lady 
 *Ex. attestât, authent. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 311 
 
 at the same moment recovered her strength, 
 and exclaimed : " I am cured, and the Venera- 
 ble Berchmans has conferred on me this favor." 
 And such was really the case ; for, free from 
 all pain, she left her bed, as strong as she ever 
 was, and what was more remarkable, she never 
 afterwards suffered from the same infirmity.* 
 
 Still nearer his end was a youth of twenty- 
 two years of age, named Peter Spadoni, a pupil 
 of the College of Salviati, at Rome. An artery 
 in his breast having burst on the 8th of Septem- 
 ber, 1742, he began and continued for eight en- 
 tire clays to vomit blood in very great quantity. 
 Abandoned by the physicians, he received the 
 last Sacraments, and with great piety prepared 
 himself to pass from this life. The prayers of 
 the dying were being recited for his soul, when 
 it was opportunely suggested by one of his 
 companions that he should recommend himself 
 to the Blessed John Berchmans, whom God 
 at that time was glorifying by astounding mir- 
 acles. The sick young man took in his hand 
 a picture of the Servant of God, and kissing it 
 several times, with tender affection, placed it 
 upon his breast. A short time afterwards he 
 fell asleep ; and it appeared to him that he saw 
 in a dream before him a youth of the Society, 
 who with amiability expressed on his counte- 
 nance, approached his bedside. The sufferer 
 * Ex attestât* authent. 
 
312 THE LIFE OF 
 
 asked if it was the Venerable John Berchmans 
 whom he saw, and, receiving an affirmative 
 answer, begged with all possible earnestness 
 that the Servant of God would obtain from the 
 Almighty and from the Blessed Virgin the 
 health of his body, now entirely despaired of 
 by the physicians. The Servant of God replied : 
 " Yes, my son, I will do so willingly." Here- 
 upon the sick man awoke, and, to the astonish- 
 ment of all, was perfectly cured. A few clays 
 afterwards, with all his companions, he pro- 
 ceeded to the Church of St. Ignatius, in order 
 to receive holy communion, and to return 
 thanks at the tomb of his heavenly preserver. 
 
 In proof of this fact we have the sworn depo- 
 sitions of Eev. Andrew Secci, Eector of the 
 College of Salviati; of Fabricius Leandrini, 
 infirmarian ; of Cipriano Cipriani and Charles 
 Cecchetti, pupils of the College ; and of two 
 physicians, whose authentic testimony I prefer 
 in this place to give, copied from the original 
 now in my hand. 
 
 "We, the undersigned, compelled by truth, 
 testify, on oath, that being the ordinary physi- 
 cians of the College of Salviati, we attended a 
 pupil of the same College, named Peter Spa- 
 doni, who, from the 8th of last September, began 
 to vomit very large quantities of blood, and 
 continued to do so on the subsequent days 
 until the evening of Saturday the 15th of the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 313 
 
 same month ; and as these sanguinary ejections 
 were very copious and frequent, every available 
 remedy which the medical art can supply in 
 similarly dangerous maladies was brought into 
 requisition, not only by having recourse to re- 
 peated bleedings, but also finally to the most 
 powerful astringents — all, however, without 
 any benefit or advantage; the malady even 
 seemed constantly to increase. Its origin was 
 discovered to be a very considerable rupture 
 of an arterial vessel in the breast; this we con- 
 jectured from the frequency of the above-men- 
 tioned ejections of blood, (which on the 14th 
 and loth especially occurred even as often as 
 four or five times a day, and as many during 
 the night :) and from the frothy quality of the 
 blood, and the excessive copiousness of these 
 discharges from the mouth; for it was com- 
 puted that he had thrown up no less than six- 
 teen pounds of blood, besides the repeated 
 bleedings prescribed in his case. For these 
 reasons, and because all the remedies applied, 
 as was said, were found useless, though effica- 
 cious in themselves, it was judged impossible 
 to obtain his cure by any natural means. We 
 were still further confirmed in this judgment 
 when we saw him attacked still later by a fever 
 so violent that in a few days it reduced the 
 poor sufferer to extremities. Hence, it was 
 that after he had received the last Sacraments, 
 
314 THE LIFE OF 
 
 be was advised to have recourse to the divine 
 assistance, since no confidence could be placed 
 in human aid. Such was his condition on 
 Saturday, the loth of September, when we left 
 him in the hands of his Spiritual Fathers, who 
 were of opinion that he was soon to pass to a 
 better life. "When Ave returned next day to the 
 College, we heard to our great astonishment 
 that the sick youth was cured: and, in fact, 
 upon examining his pulse, we found him with- 
 out fever; we observed that he spat up no 
 blood, and, in fine, that he was entirely healed. 
 It was on this occasion we learned that he had 
 recovered instantaneously through the inter- 
 cession of the Venerable John Berchmans, of 
 the Society of Jesus. Acknowledging that the 
 above cure could not in any manner have been 
 attributed to human remedies, we judged it 
 expedient to suspend all treatment in order to 
 see whether a permanent recovery had been 
 effected. This we found to be the case; for 
 from that up to the present time he has suffered 
 no inconvenience from his former sickness. In 
 testimony whereof we have subscribed our 
 names, this 10th day of October, 1742. 
 
 "Nicholas Michelangbli, ordinary and 
 principal Physician of the above-mentioned 
 College. 
 
 " Charles Mocchi, assistant Physician of the 
 above-mentioned College." 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 315 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Miracles laid before the sacred Congregation of 
 Rites, and approved by our holy Father, the 
 Pope. 
 
 Maria Angela Gilivet was born at Rome in 
 March, 1717. She contracted from her parents, 
 who both died a few months after her birth, so 
 delicate and diseased a constitution, that through 
 fear of appraching death, it was necessary with- 
 out delay to administer to her the holy sacra- 
 ment of baptism. God willed, however, that she 
 should survive ; but as she advanced in years, 
 she gave manifest indications that her physical 
 system was a prey to innumerable bad humors. 
 From childhood she began to experience great 
 weakness in her limbs, utter exhaustion of 
 strength and difficulty of respiration. After a 
 time her gums appeared swollen and pregnant 
 with black and putrid blood, which gradually 
 infected all her teeth, and her entire body was 
 covered with livid spots, which soon took the 
 form of pustules and running sores. Desiring 
 most ardently to consecrate herself to God, she 
 went from Rome to Nepi, and there entered the 
 Monastery of St. Bernard, of the Cistercian 
 order. The nuns refused to receive her on ac< 
 
316 THE LIFE OF 
 
 count of lier feeble health; but afterwards con- 
 vinced of the piety of the young lady, they 
 cheerfully admitted her to the novitiate and to 
 her profession. Her maladies were much in- 
 creased by the tenor of the religious life, and 
 she was subject to epileptic fits and convulsions, 
 contractions of the nerves and tendons, lesions 
 of the bones and paralysis of the limbs. In 
 1747, her left leg was contracted, and a few 
 months afterwards also her right one, both being 
 shortened by about three inches; and one of 
 her ribs being moved from its natural position, 
 was contracted, while its point entered near the 
 breast. Two years from that time the poor 
 sufferer was taken with most violent convul- 
 sions in all her limbs, followed by the almost 
 entire loss of the use of her tongue and arms. 
 Thus, with her most acute pains, she remained 
 powerless to perform any duty of life. The 
 physicians, to whose care she was intrusted, 
 after having for many years uselessly employed 
 all the remedies of their art, declared that 
 Angela Maria was affected with scurvy in the 
 highest degree, which therefore naturally could 
 not be cured. In fact they ceased to apply 
 other remedies and abandoned the case as des- 
 perate. 
 
 On the 12th of August, 1749, Eev. Angelo 
 Milizia, ordinary Confessor of the Monastery, 
 
BLESSED JOHK BERCHMANS. 317 
 
 related the deplorable condition of the patient 
 to Monsignor Silvestri, Bishop of Nepi, who 
 exhorted her to recommend herself to the inter- 
 cession of Venerable John Berchmans, whom 
 God had pleased to glorify in Eonciglione by a 
 famou^miracle, of which the Process had then 
 been drawn up. In consequence of this advice 
 the whole community united in fervent suppli- 
 cations to God, and Angela Maria conceived the 
 firm confidence of obtaining her cure through 
 the intercession of Venerable Berchmans. Nor 
 was she mistaken, as the following narration of 
 the fact taken from her own deposition in the 
 Apostolic Process, will sufficiently tell : " About 
 the vesper hour, which may have been two 
 o'clock, on the 16th of August, after holy com- 
 munion, I was seized, as usual, with convul- 
 sions, which ceased towards night. Having 
 then taken in bed a slight refection — such as is 
 usually given to the sick — I placed upon my 
 knees the picture of my Venerable John Berch- 
 mans, and if I may be permitted to say it, I 
 entreated him with more faith than on the pre- 
 ceding da}^s, to grant me health, if it were for 
 the salvation of my soul, so that T might serve 
 Jesus, my spouse, in this holy place, and not be 
 so great a burden to the community and my 
 sisters in religion. I then sweetly fell asleep 
 and enjoyed a calm repose, which lasted about 
 
318 THE LIFE OF 
 
 seven hours, never during my life having slept 
 so tranquilly and for so long a time. Next 
 morning at sunrise, when the religious were 
 going to matins, I awoke, and perceived that 
 my limbs were completely unbent, that my neck 
 was erect, and upon touching my left*side, I 
 found that my rib which had been very con- 
 siderablv raised, had returned to its natural 
 position, and did not differ from the others. 
 I felt that the pressure on my left shoulder had 
 been removed, and that the arm attached to it 
 was free and possessing its natural strength. 
 At first, I thought that I was deluded by my 
 imagination, but upon moving all the parts of 
 my body, I felt persuaded that I had been 
 miraculously healed, and without delay sprang 
 from my bed as lightly as a feather. Finding 
 myself well, and endowed with such strength as 
 I never before had, while my gums were ex- 
 empt from all humors; alone, without any 
 assistance, I put on all my clothes, and experi- 
 enced very great regret, that I had not made 
 known the miracle to my sister, Innocenzia 
 Gilivet, who slept in the same room, and had 
 already gone to the choir; but when I was about 
 to awake, it seemed to me that I was dreaming. 
 After having clothed myself, I arose, made my 
 bed and arranged every thing in my room. I 
 then left it, and went to a grate which was near 
 the choir, while the religious were reciting 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 319 
 
 matins, for the purpose of hearing a mass which 
 was offered at the altar of our Lady, opposite 
 the above-mentioned grate. I might almost 
 say that I flew from one place to the other. I 
 heard the holy mass, affectionately thanking 
 my Venerable John Berchmans, and I mentally 
 repeated that I united myself with him, who 
 was now in heaven, in thanking the most august 
 Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin for the great 
 miracle operated upon me through his inter- 
 cession, which I had invoked. Meanwhile the 
 Mother Abbess came out of the choir : I knelt 
 before her, saying ; ' A miracle, mother ; I am 
 perfectly cured through the intercession of the 
 Venerable Servant of God, John Berchmans. 7 
 The Mother Abbess was astounded, and told 
 me that I should thank God and the Venerable 
 Berchmans : I replied that I had already done 
 so in the Mass which I had just heard. Mean- 
 while the religious came out of the choir, and 
 all were astonished at seeing me healed. Some 
 of them wept, while others laughed, and each 
 one endeavored to embrace me and rejoice with 
 me. To give the whole community a proof of the 
 miracle performed upon me, the same day I 
 swept the kitchen, carried the wood and rang 
 the bells, which sounded merrily on account of 
 the approaching festival of our glorious St. 
 Bernard." Such are her own words.* 
 * Proc. apost. Nepesin. fol. 183 et seq. 
 
320 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Not loss extraordinary was the aid received 
 from Heaven, through, the intercession of the 
 Blessed John, by Sister Maria Angelica, of the 
 Most Holy Trinity, a novice of the third order of 
 St. Francis, at Ronciglione, in the Monastery of 
 St. Ann. She fell sick in the beginning of July, 
 1782, and her malady gradually taking the 
 form of a scirrhus in the stomach, accompanied 
 by dangerous symptoms of fatal gastritis, be- 
 came so aggravated that on the 16th of October, 
 her physician, Joseph Antony Diotallevi, re- 
 garded her case as hopeless, and directed that 
 the last Sacraments should be administered to 
 her without delay. The religious grieving to 
 lose so prematurely a young person of parts so 
 rare, excited their^ confidence in God, hoping 
 to obtain her cure, though beyond the power 
 of nature, through the merits of Blessed John 
 Berch,mans, one of whose pictures had been 
 seen by a religious in the breviary of Sister 
 Teresa of St. Antony. The latter, however, 
 declared that she knew nothing of any such 
 image, and that she never had one even casu- 
 ally in her breviary. Notwithstanding, taking 
 up the book, as soon as she opened it, she saw 
 before her in reality the picture of the Servant 
 of God. This was regarded by the religious 
 as a good omen, exciting them to great devo- 
 tion, and to the confidence of obtaining the cure 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 321 
 
 of the sick person. However, in the afternoon 
 of the same day, the Mother Abbess exhorted 
 the afflicted nun, to confide in the protection 
 of the Venerable Berchmans and to promise, 
 if cured, to send to his tomb a silver heart. 
 Having said these words, she retired, leaving 
 the devout picture upon the breast of the pa- 
 tient. Sister Angelica took it in her hand, and 
 gazing fixedly upon it, said that she seemed to 
 behold in it a certain brightness which daz- 
 zled her eyes. She then subjoined: See 
 how beautiful are the eyes of this Servant 
 of Grod; see how they move; he seems to 
 look at me. For some time she continued 
 thus speaking to herself, as if in an ecstasy. 
 Sister Felix Victoria, of St. Francis, who was 
 attending the sick nun, at first did not pay 
 much regard to these words, thinking she was 
 delirious : but upon perceiving that she was in 
 the full possession of her faculties, animated 
 her to confide more and more in the venerable 
 youth. The following morning, Sister Maria 
 Angelica asked for the Holy Viaticum and 
 Extreme Unction, saying that she had been 
 assured by the Servant of God, that after re- 
 ceiving the last sacraments she would be healed. 
 She was communicated, as she desired ; but as 
 evening came on, finding that her strength was 
 failing, she earnestly begged that she might be 
 21 
 
322 THE LIFE OF 
 
 anointed. As soon as the sacred unction was 
 finished, she found herself perfectly well, as if 
 she never had any sickness. The thought now 
 occurred of sending to Eome the silver heart 
 in fulfilment of the vow, but learning that no 
 votive offerings were permitted to be suspended 
 at the tomb, it was deemed better to abandon 
 the idea. But on the 24th of November, the 
 novice relapsed into the same sickness, and in 
 four clays was again brought to the verge of the 
 grave. Such was her punishment for not hav- 
 ing fulfilled her vow. Hence she made no 
 delay in sending directions to Eome to have 
 some wax candles burned on the great altar of 
 the Church of St. Ignatius, before which lie the 
 remains of the Servant of God. The patient 
 recommended herself to him once more with 
 great fervor, and after receiving the sacraments, 
 while all feared that her death was near, she 
 was again cured in an instant, and arose from 
 her bed entirely healed. 
 
 Another miracle, which, if we may use the 
 expression, comprehends several, happened at 
 Eome, in the person of Sister Maria Crocifissa 
 Ancaiani, a professed religious of the Order of the 
 Visitation. I prefer rather to give here, in part, 
 the very words of the person cured, as they were 
 juridically set down in the Apostolic Process. 
 u In the beginning of the month of March," 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 323 
 
 says she, " I began to be attacked by a slow 
 fever, which constantly preyed upon me, 
 and at the same time I suffered from a slight 
 pain in the breast, attended with continued 
 coughing and spitting of blood. My physicians 
 gave me many remedies ; but I received not the 
 least relief from them. My malady grew con- 
 stantly worse, and to such a degree that not 
 only did the usual slow fever continue, but at 
 times the pain in my breast became more vio- 
 lent, while my coughing and spitting of blood 
 likewise increased; whence the same physicians 
 judged that my malady was a consumption 
 that was absolutely incurable. I continued in 
 this state until the month of December, 1728, 
 when I was taken with a most acute pain on 
 the left side of my heart, attended with so vehe- 
 ment a palpitation of the same, that I can not 
 express it. Besides, all the left part of my 
 body, my arm, my thigh, and my leg, were so 
 entirely paralyzed, that I could not move them. 
 My physicians hoped to relieve me from this 
 new affliction by bleeding me in the right arm 
 and foot ; but in vain, for in the same month 
 of December, my malady increased with symp- 
 toms so striking that the physicians were con- 
 vinced that a polypus was formed in the region 
 of the heart. Hence they considered my case 
 desperate, and my death near at hand. After 
 
32-4 THE LIFE OF 
 
 this, in consequence of a medicine which was 
 given me, I was taken with strong convulsions, 
 and my jaws closed so tightly that I was unable 
 to open my mouth, either to eat or to speak. 
 The sacraments having been ordered, Rev. Fer- 
 dinand Landolfi, my confessor, came, and as I 
 could not speak, heard my confession by signs, 
 and gave me absolution. I was unable to re- 
 ceive the Blessed Eucharist, and Extreme Unc- 
 tion was deferred on account of my having 
 fallen into a lethargy, from which it was hoped 
 I would be aroused, so as at least to be restored 
 to a slight degree of consciousness. 
 
 " The Mother Superioress, Sister Angela 
 Eleanora Lazzari together w T ith Mother Paola 
 Maria Scotti, then infirmarian, on the evening 
 of the 6th of April 1729, came into the Infir- 
 mary, and approaching my bed, presented to 
 me a picture of the Venerable John Berchmans, 
 of the Society of Jesus, given to her by a cham- 
 ber-maid of the Duchess Bonelli, who had 
 the same morning received it from Brother Jo- 
 seph Bruschi, of the Society of Jesus. In hand- 
 ing it to me, she said : 4 As for you, there is no 
 remedy for you, you cannot be cured ; recom- 
 mend yourself to this Servant of God, if you wish 
 to be cured.' I was still in my lethargy, but 
 yet I heard the voice of my Superioress. I con- 
 tinued in my lethargy during the night, which 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 325 
 
 % 
 
 I passed very badly, suffering more than usual 
 from convulsions and fits of fainting, so that 
 those who were around me, were of opinion that 
 the prediction of my physician, Pesce, would 
 be verified, viz. : that I would not survive un- 
 til morning. Notwithstanding this, early the 
 next morning, which was the 7th of April, it 
 appeared to me that I recovered somewhat from 
 my lethargy and had sufficient consciousness 
 to cast a glance upon the picture of the Servant 
 of God, John Berchmans. Seeing it, I remem- 
 bered all that the Superioress had told me; 
 hence, taking it in my right hand, which was not 
 embarrassed, I applied the picture to my fore- 
 head, to my head and breast, recommending my- 
 self to his intercession. I applied it first to my 
 head, making with it the sign of the cross, and 
 immediately afterwards, I placed it on my breast, 
 where the physicians had located the polypus, 
 and where I suffered excessive pain ; and at 
 that very instant I felt that I was free from all 
 my maladies, my mind was restored to its usual 
 tranquillity, and all my senses to their nor- 
 mal condition. I was able to open my mouth 
 and to speak without any difficulty. My left 
 side, which for a long time had been paralyzed 
 and motionless, suddenly recovered its mobili- 
 ty. I at once sprang from my bed and knelt 
 down to recite three Our Fathers and Hail 
 
3*26 THE LIFE OF 
 
 
 
 Marys to the Holy Trinity, in honor of the 
 Venerable John Berchmans." Such are her 
 words. She then continues to relate that she 
 herself took off the bandages which had been 
 fastened around the diseased parts of her body, 
 put on all her clothes, and rapidly passed 
 through the house to the astonishment of all 
 the religious and the physician himself, who, 
 unsolicited, left in writing an open attestation 
 of the miracle which had occurred. 
 
 Cured of this first sickness, Sister Maria 
 Crocifissa continued for two years and two 
 months in a state of perfect health, exercising 
 the office of porteress, and employing herself in 
 all the duties of the monastery. In October, 
 1731, she fell ill again; but her malady was 
 quite different from the former. She experi- 
 enced at first a severe pain in the right side of 
 the breast, which was soon found to be the 
 effect of a cancerous tumor, that annoyed her 
 exceedingly. Unwilling through modesty to 
 submit herself to the examination of a physi- 
 cian, she made use of a very violent remedy, 
 prepared by an inexperienced and unprofes- 
 sional man. The result was that her ailment 
 far from being diminished, was only the more 
 aggravated. Her right arm contracted and was 
 benumbed, and from the irritated ulcer of the 
 breast issued an humor, corroding, bloody, and 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 327 
 
 fetid. Constrained by obedience to place her- 
 self in the hands of physicians and surgeons, 
 they came to the conclusion that her blood was 
 already corrupted, and her malady by its nature 
 was incurable. The 13th of August, the anni- 
 versary of the death of the Venerable John 
 Berchmans, drawing near, Eev. Francis Calucci, 
 the ordinary confessor of the monastery, ex- 
 horted the sick nun to make a devout novena 
 to the Servant of God, and earnestly to beg him 
 to grant a new cure. She obeyed, and on the 
 morning of the 19th of August, after having 
 passed a very restless night, she slept a little ; 
 as soon as she awoke, the thought of the Ser- 
 vant of God came to her mind and she ex- 
 claimed : My venerable patron, grant me the 
 desired favor. With these words she arose 
 from bed and kneeling down, recommended 
 herself with all her heart to the blessed 
 youth. She continued for some time thus pray- 
 ing with internal consolation. When upon a 
 moment's reflection, she noticed that she was 
 able to move freely her whole body, and 
 was entirely without pain. Then, like one 
 filled with astonishment, she said to herself: 
 What is this ? Am I dreaming, or have I 
 received the desired favor?" She was radically 
 cured : the cancerous tumor had disappeared ; 
 her ulcers were healed; all pain had ceased. 
 
62S THE LIFE OF 
 
 Unaided she dressed herself, and hastened to 
 call the religions to join her ki thanking her 
 heavenly benefactor. The physicians and Sur- 
 geons, who had attended her, upon being called, 
 united in the opinion that her cure was super- 
 natural, and an incontestible miracle effected 
 instantaneously by the Almighty, through the 
 intercession of his Servant, the Venerable John 
 Berchmans. 
 
 Their opinion not only regarding the above 
 miracle, but likewise the two preceding ones, 
 was confirmed by the learned writings of two 
 excellent defenders of the cause of the Servant 
 of God, Monsignor Francis Mercurelli and Pro- 
 fessor Hilary Alibrandi, advocates, and by 
 three celebrated doctors in medicine and sur- 
 gery, Cajetan Tancioni, Gabriel Taussig, and 
 Joseph Maria de Eossi, who presented their 
 sworn attestations in writing before the com- 
 mission of the Sacred Congregation. 
 
 CHAPTEK X. 
 
 Acts of the Beatification. 
 
 The Servant of God having died on the 13th 
 of August, 1621, and the fame of the numerous 
 miracles which the Almighty operated through 
 his intercession having daily increased, it was 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 329 
 
 resolved to introduce the cause of his Beatifica- 
 tion to the notice of the Sacred Congregation of 
 Eites. The first to take effectual steps in the 
 matter, was his Excellency Don Philip d'Arem- 
 bergh, Duke of Arscot, one of the most reli- 
 gious and distinguished personages then living 
 in Flanders. A few months after the death of 
 John, he presented a petition to Gregory XV. 
 earnestly praying the Sovereign Pontiff that 
 information might be taken regarding the life, 
 virtues and miracles of the Servant of God, and 
 at the same time, he selected as his agent and 
 procurator at Eome, the Eev. Abbot Octavius 
 Sacco. The memorial of the Duke was kindly 
 received by his Holiness, and referred to Mon 
 Bxgnor Alexander Boschi, Vicegerent of the 
 Cardinal Vicar, who received verbal orders to 
 draw up in due form the process of information. 
 There was no delay on the part of the Vice- 
 rTent in executing the command, and on the 
 17th of January, 1622, he commenced the Pro- 
 cess, which begins as follows: " On the 17th 
 of January, in the year 1622, in presence of the 
 most illustrious and Eeverend Monsignor Alex- 
 ander Boschi r by the grace of God and favor 
 of the Apostolic See, Bishop of Serajo, and 
 Vicegerent of the most illustrious and Eeverend 
 Cardinal Vicar of Eome, and in presence of me, 
 *he undersigned, appeared the Eev. Abbot 
 
odO THE LIFE OF 
 
 Oofcavius Sacco, of Eeggio, who in his own 
 name and in the name of the most illustrious 
 lord, Philip, Duke of Arscot, recalled to the 
 memory of the aforesaid Most reverend Mon- 
 signor Vicegerent, that his Holiness Pope 
 Gregory XV. had referred to his illustrious 
 lordship a memorial, previously presented to 
 his holiness on the part of the above most ex- 
 cellent Duke, in which it was petitioned that 
 information might be taken on the life, death, 
 sanctity, miracles and other good works of 
 John Berchmans, of pious memory, who was 
 born in Diest, in Flanders, was a religious of 
 the Society of Jesus, and died at Eome on the 
 13th of August, 1621. Therefore the aforesaid 
 Lord Abbot Octavius Sacco in the name of the 
 parties above-mentioned, humbly supplicates 
 your lordship, that in consequence of the afore- 
 said memorial, yqu would order the Process 
 to be drawn up by your ordinary authority, 
 appointing for that purpose the one who is best 
 qualified, giving him all the necessary faculties, 
 and performing every thing in the best possible 
 manner," etc. 
 
 Thirty-six witnesses of the highest authority, 
 were summoned to give their testimony, nearly 
 all of whom had been personally acquainted 
 with the Servant of God, and had enjoyed 
 familiar intercourse with him at Eome and in 
 
BLESSED JOHN BEBCHMANS. 331 
 
 Flanders, viz. : three of his Confessors, Fathers 
 Virgil Cepari, Thomas Massucci, and John 
 Baptist Ceccotti ; two of his teachers, Fathers 
 Francis P ; ccolimini and Horace Grassi; and 
 besides these, Fathers Cornelius a Lapide, James 
 Tirino, and nearly all his classmates. 
 
 The following year, 1623, at the request of 
 Father Antony Sucquet, Provincial of Flanders, 
 and of Father Walter Clerici, Rector of the 
 College of Anversa, Monsignor John Maldero, 
 Bishop of that city, drew up another Process 
 of information in which were given the deposi- 
 tions of twenty-three other witnesses, who had 
 known the Blessed John when a secular and a 
 religious : and in the same Process were inserted 
 various documents concerning certain miracles 
 of his which had been authenticated by the 
 municipal authorities of the district of Diest. 
 
 Those two Processes having been terminated, 
 Father Muzius Vitelleschi, General of the 
 Society, in the year 1625, appointed Father 
 Virgil Cepari, postulator of the cause with 
 ample faculties to expedite the proceedings in 
 the Sacred Congregation of Rites. Nor could 
 one more competent have been selected; for 
 besides having been very much versed in this 
 matter, as appears from the Directory which he 
 has left in writing, he had been engaged for 
 more than twenty-five years in promoting other 
 
où2 1±iK LIFE OF 
 
 causes oi canonization. But passing to a better 
 life a few years after his appointment, and other 
 causes of importance in the meantime arising, 
 ours for more than a century remained aban- 
 doned and neglected. But the Venerable Ser- 
 vant of God took upon himself to revive the 
 memory of his cause, by performing new and 
 astonishing miracles at Eome and in the neigh- 
 boring country. Another Process in the usual 
 manner being formed, an abridgment of it and 
 of the two former ones was presented to the 
 Sacred Congregation : and in the year 1745, 
 the Sovereign Pontiff', Benedict XIV. approved 
 with his signature the introduction of the cause, 
 being moved thereunto by the merits of the 
 Servant of God, and the fervent supplications 
 directed to the Apostolic See by Augustus, 
 King of Poland, John V., King of Portugal, 
 Maria Theresa, Queen of Hungary, Marianna 
 of Austria, Eegent of Belgium, the Cardinal of 
 Alsace, Archbishop of Mechlin, the Bishops of 
 Bruges, Ypres, Ghent and Anversa, the Canons 
 of the Cathedrals, the Senate and municipal 
 councils of Belgium, and the University of 
 Louvain. 
 
 Afterwards, the remissorial letters, as they 
 are called, were expedited, and the Apostolic 
 Process in Eome was drawn up, together with 
 two others in Eonciglione and Nepi, relating to 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 333 
 
 two recent miracles, and finally one in Belgium, 
 concerning the examination of the writings of 
 the Servant of God. However, the lamentable 
 political disturbances which occurred from the 
 latter part of the past century until the return 
 of Pius VII. to Rome, presented new obstacles 
 to the progress of the cause. The question of 
 his virtues having in these latter times been 
 resumed and discussed, according to custom, in 
 three congregations, the Sovereign Pontiff, 
 Gregory XVI., on the 7th of June, 1843, decreed 
 that John Berchmans had practised all virtues 
 in a heroic degree. 
 
 While the second question, relating to his 
 miracles, was discussed, the Cardinal Arch- 
 bishop of Mechlin, with all the Bishops of Bel- 
 gium, humbly petitioned the Apostolic See to 
 expedite the cause, suggesting at the same time 
 the spiritual advantages which would result 
 therefrom, especially to youth. The following 
 is their letter, translated from the original Latin. 
 
 "Most Holy Father: — The cause of the 
 beatification of the Venerable Servant of God, 
 John Berchmans, seeming now to be drawing 
 to a close, I deemed it advisable to present again 
 my supplications to the August Head of the 
 Church, earnestly praying that the honors of 
 the altar may be decreed by apostolic authority 
 
834 THE LIFE OF 
 
 to this angelic youth. Such an event would be 
 most pleasing to all. and especially to the Church 
 of Mechlin, in which our Venerable Berchmans, 
 dear to God and to men, passed a great portion 
 of his most innocent life. For he was born in 
 Diest. and was there educated up to the four- 
 teenth year of his age. He afterwards lived 
 two years as a secular in Mechlin, and two 
 more as a religious in the novitiate of the So- 
 ciety of Jesus. This Diocese, therefore, will 
 with great reason rejoice to see this new honor 
 conferred upon the Servant of God. and all the 
 inhabitants of Belgium will exult in conse- 
 quence of the tender affection which they enter- 
 tain for their countryman. 
 
 i; Besides-, the beatification for which I peti- 
 tion will not only be a subject of great joy and 
 jubilation, but an occasion of the greatest util- 
 ity. For it is certain that men are ordinarily 
 more devoted to the Saints of their country, and 
 more easily induced to imitate their example. 
 Now, the devotion of the Belgians is more- 
 ardent, more intense towards the Venerable 
 Berchmans. from the fact, that though we have 
 many saints in this country, who lived, here 
 loner since, vet no Belgian has been raised to 
 the honors of the altar in these latter times. 
 To this we may add. that as we are now pro- 
 •noting. in Belgium, the Christian education jf 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 335 
 
 youth, upon which the future prosperity of the 
 Church in these parts depends, we cannot pro- 
 pose a more suitable example to our youth, than 
 this most innocent Servant of God, who in so 
 tender an age gave proof of so many and excel- 
 lent virtues. 
 
 Finally, as the example of John whilst still 
 living inflamed the beholders to perfection, so 
 now the narration of his virtues to the young 
 not only produces admiration, but wonderfully 
 excites to imitation. Such are the fruits, 
 which will be gathered in still greater abund- 
 ance, Most Holy Father, when the Venerable 
 Servant of God shall have been raised to the 
 honors of the altar. 
 
 " I therefore pray your Holiness graciously 
 to receive this my petition, by declaring Blessed 
 as soon as possible,the Venerable John Berch- 
 mans, to the glory and utility of this our dio- 
 cese of Mechlin, and of all Belgium ; and pros- 
 trate at the feet of your Holiness, I humbly 
 implore your apostolical benediction. 
 
 " Mechlin, October 25, 1853. 
 
 " Engelbert, Oar. Archbishop of Mechlin. 
 
 " We, the undersigned, Bishops of Belgium, 
 subscribe to the above petition of his Eminence, 
 the Most Keverend Archbishop of Mechlin, and 
 earnestly pray your Holiness to raise to the 
 honors of the altar, as soon as possible, the 
 
336 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Venerable John Berchmans, of the Society of 
 Jesus, a native of Belgium, and, the future pa- 
 tron, as we trust, of youth, especially in this 
 country. 
 
 11 Mechlin, feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, 1853. 
 
 "Gaspar Joseph, Bishop of Tournât/; Nigh- 
 olas Joseph, Bishop of Namur ; Louis Joseph, 
 Bishop of Ghent ; JOHN Baptist, Bishop of 
 Bruges ; Theodore, Bishop of Liege." 
 
 Having^ according to custom, in three con- 
 gregations maturely examined the nature and 
 discussed the proofs of the proposed miracles, 
 His Holiness, Pope Pius IX., graciously ap- 
 proved of them, by decreeing that the solemn 
 beatification of the Servant of God, John Berch- 
 mans, could be proceeded with in perfect 
 security. 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 337 
 
 BRIEF OF BEATIFICATION 
 
 OP THE 
 
 VENERABLE SERVANT OF GOD, JOHN BERCHMANS. 
 PIUS IX. POPE, 
 
 FOR A PERPETUAL MEMORIAL. 
 
 As youth, is a kind of foundation for man- 
 hood, and as men do not, without great difficulty 
 in after life, turn themselves from the path upon 
 which they have travelled from their earliest 
 years, therefore that there might be no excuse 
 on the score of age or strength for swerving 
 from the path of virtue, it has been arranged 
 by the all-wise Providence of God, that there 
 should flourish from time to time in the Church, 
 some one youth eminent for sanctity, on whom 
 that high eulogium might be passed: "Made 
 perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long 
 time :" — who abundantly compensated for the 
 short span of his life by the greatness of his 
 merits, and excited others to the imitation of 
 his virtues. Among such may be fairly num- 
 bered the Venerable John Berchmans, scholas- 
 tic of the Society of Jesus, who strove so vigo- 
 rously to guard his baptismal innocence unsul- 
 lied, and adorned his soul with such an abund- 
 ance of virtues, that he seems to have shone 
 forth as a new star to illumine the whole Church, 
 
338 THE LIFE OF 
 
 and more especially the Eeligious Order of 
 which he was a member. He was born in the 
 town of Diest, in Brabant, of parents not dis- 
 tinguished by rank or fortune ; but conspicu- 
 ous for religious zeal, and was by them trained 
 to every virtue. The child, being blessed with 
 an excellent disposition, amply repaid them 
 for their solicitude. For to a degree quite be- 
 }^ond his years, he became distinguished for the 
 gravity of his manners : never did he give any 
 trouble, nor seek amusement in the sports com- 
 mon to children ; but it was his delight to be con- 
 stantly in the church, and to withdraw himself 
 from intercourse with his companions, in order 
 to betake himself to solitude, and there turn 
 his soul to the contemplation of divine things. 
 He had attained his eleventh year, when he 
 was admitted for the first time to the Holy 
 Table, and so great was the ardor of his love, 
 when he approached to receive the most sacred 
 Body of Christ, that the divine fire glowed on 
 the whole countenance of the most chaste youth. 
 Being sent to college to study the rudiments of 
 literature, piety no less than letters became the 
 object of his endeavors; so that as often as his 
 fellow students cast their eyes upon him, they 
 were excited as b}^ some silent monitor to the love 
 of purity, modesty, and every kind of virtue. 
 To bind himself more closely to the service of 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMAXS. 339 
 
 God, lie asked and obtained his father's consent 
 to enrol himself among the number of the 
 clergy. Three years afterwards, however, he 
 heard that his father, on account of his narrow 
 fortune, had determined to apply him to some 
 trade, in order to have his help in obtaining 
 the means of subsistence. News such as this 
 was sad and afflicting for John : he began to im- 
 plore his father not to withdraw him from the 
 ecclesiastical profession which he had so eagerly 
 embraced: he declared that he had cast aside 
 all anxietjr for temporal interests, and rested all 
 his hopes upon Divine Providence. Having 
 obtained his wish, he proceeded to put the 
 finish to his literary studies, and to press on 
 with alacrity in the path of virtue upon which 
 he had entered ; and therefore, as he saw his 
 innocence surrounded by very many dangers, 
 in order to place it in safety, in imitation of St. 
 Aloysius Gronzaga, w T hose life he had long and 
 deeply pondered, having weighed the matter 
 well and implored the assistance of heaven, he 
 determined to give himself to the Society of 
 Jesus. And, indeed, the particular form of life 
 followed by that Eeli^ious Order w^as above 
 all others pleasing to this innocent youth, who 
 was all on fire with love for his neighbor, be- 
 cause he felt certain that by embracing it an 
 opportunity would be given him of passing to 
 
84:0 THE LIFE OF 
 
 the remotest parts of the earth ? topour the light 
 of faith upon barbarous nations. Long and 
 earnestly had John to struggle to gain the con- 
 sent of his parents, who placed their hopes and 
 those of their family on their son, and that all 
 the more, as they saw him endowed with such 
 great virtue. 
 
 At length, having obtained the desired leave, 
 he was received into the Society at Mechlin, in 
 the seventeenth year of his age. He entered it 
 as a haven of security and rest, and gave him- 
 self forthwith to that more perfect course of 
 life, which all can esteem and admire, but very 
 few take up and follow. Indeed, he shone as a 
 most perfect model of every virtue, not only for 
 Novices, but even for the more advanced among 
 his brethren. Beginning with humility, which 
 is the root of all other virtues, full of a mean 
 opinion of himself, he performed the lowest 
 offices with alacrity. Meek and gentle towards 
 others, but stern and severe towards himself, 
 he used to scourge his tender body, and took 
 food in such small quantity, as seemed scarce 
 sufficient for sustaining and recruiting his 
 strength. Even the slightest rules of religious 
 discipline he observed and guarded with the 
 greatest care; he did not allow the smallest 
 particle of time to pass in idleness, but spent 
 all usefully either in reading or praying, or 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 341 
 
 conversing upon spiritual things. Nothing de- 
 lighted him more than to turn his heart and 
 soul to God as to a most loving Father. In 
 meditating upon Him, and paying his homage 
 to Him, so great was the ardor of the love with 
 which he burned, that his heart was too narrow 
 to contain its noble flame. The most Blessed 
 Virgin, Mother of God, he honored with every 
 mark of devotion, — even from his earliest years 
 he chose her for his heavenly Patroness, to 
 guard for him the flower of his virginity. The 
 two years of his novitiate being completed, he 
 was admitted to the simple vows, which he pro- 
 nounced all the more fervently, because he knew 
 that by these vows he was to consecrate himself 
 irrevocably to God. Then he was sent to Ant- 
 werp, and afterwards to Eome, to give himself 
 to the study of philosophy. Nor indeed could 
 anything have been more to his liking, than to 
 make a stay in the City which is the chief seat 
 and the bulwark of the Catholic Eeligion ; 
 where he could pay his homage to the sacred 
 remains of the Princes of the Apostles, as also 
 to the tombs of his Father St. Ignatius and 
 St. Aloysius Gonzaga, in whose footsteps he was 
 walking. And so he came to the Eoman Col- 
 lege to study philosophy, and led such a life 
 there, that the heavenly youth Aloysius, by 
 whose virtues that house had been ennobled, 
 
342 THE LIFE OF 
 
 almost seemed to have returned açain to life. 
 At length, ripe for heaven, he was attacked by 
 a sickness, which, though trifling at first, grew 
 worse and worse, until it caused his death on 
 the loth of August, in the year 1621, before he 
 had completed his twenty-third year. 
 
 Virtue so eminent and constant as his, could 
 not fail to draw the attention of all ; so that his 
 reputation for sanctity, which had been gaining 
 ground during his life, increased and spread all 
 the more after the chaste youth had exchanged 
 this mortal life for a more blessed one. Where- 
 fore, according to custom, an account of his life 
 and virtues was drawn up at Antwerp and at 
 Borne, to the end that afterwards an inquiry 
 into the heroic degree of his virtues might be 
 instituted by authority of the Holy See. But 
 his cause was interrupted for a long time, until 
 it was called to life again by the report of the 
 miracles, by which God was said to have pro- 
 claimed the sanctity of his servant. Therefore } 
 under Pope Gregory XVI., our Predecessor, 
 after the arrangement of such preliminaries as 
 were necessary in a case of this kind, in the Con- 
 gregation of Cardinals charged with the care of 
 Sacred Rites, an inquiry was set on foot into 
 the virtues for which the Venerable John had 
 been eminent, and these our Predecessor, the 
 same Pope Gregory XVI., with the assent 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 343 
 
 of the same Congregation, on the 5th of June, 
 in the year 1843, declared to have reached an 
 heroic height. Next followed an examination 
 of the miracles, which were said to have been 
 wrought by the Almighty through the interces- 
 sion of His Venerable Servant John Berchmans. 
 All the circumstances beino; weighed and con- 
 sidered with the greatest care by the judges, 
 three were found to be true and indubitable 
 miracles ; and We, after imploring the help of 
 Heaven, at length, on the 27th of February of 
 the present pear 1865, published a decree con- 
 cerning the truth of the said three miracles; 
 and We allowed.further measures to be taken, 
 without the necessity of an examination of any 
 other miracles. 
 
 This alone remained, to ask the Cardinals of 
 the aforesaid Congregation, whether in their opi- 
 nion it were safe to decree the honors of the 
 Blessed to the Venerable John. Wherefore on 
 the 8th of April of the present year, the same 
 Congregation of Cardinals, assembled before us, 
 after taking the votes of the Consultors, were 
 unanimous in their opinion, that the Venerable 
 John might be declared Blessed, with all the 
 the usual privileges, until solemn ceremony of 
 his canonization should be performed. We then 
 having implored assistance from the heavenly 
 Father of Lights, published a decree on the mat- 
 ter on the 2nd of May, of the current year. 
 
344 THE LIFE OF 
 
 Now, in order that in this degenerate age 
 Ave may propose to the young, surrounded as 
 they are by so many snares laid by perfidious 
 men, a perfect model for their imitation ; and 
 that we may find for them in Heaven a Patron, 
 by whose aid and under whose protection they 
 may come forth from these snares unscathed ; 
 moved, moreover, thereunto by the prayers of 
 the whole Society of Jesus, by the advice and 
 with the consent of the aforesaid Congregation, 
 of our Apostolic authority, by virtue of these 
 letters, we grant permission that the Venerable 
 Servant of God, Johtn Berchmans, be called 
 hereafter by the name of Blessed, and his relics 
 be exposed for the public veneration of the 
 faithful, (though they are not to be carried in 
 public processions,) and his picture be sur- 
 rounded with rays of glory. Moreover, by 
 Our authority we allow a yearly office to be 
 said in his honor, and à Mass of the Common of 
 Confessors to be celebrated with proper prayers 
 approved by Us, according to the Eubrics of 
 the Eoman Missal and Breviary. The recital 
 of this Office and the celebration of the Mass, 
 we allow only in Rome and ? its district, in the 
 diocese of Mechlin, and in all Churches and 
 Religious Houses of the Society of Jesus, by 
 all the faithful who are under obligation to 
 recite the Canonical hours, and as for the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 345 
 
 Masses, we allow them to be celebrated by all 
 Priests, secular as well as regular, frequenting 
 churches in which the feast is kept. Finally we 
 allow the solemnity of the Beatification of the 
 Venerable John Berchmans, to be celebrated 
 within one year from the date of this letter, in 
 the above-mentioned churches, with the Office 
 and Mass of a Greater Double ; which indeed 
 we direct to be clone on a day to be fixed by the 
 Ordinary, and after the same solemnity shall 
 have been celebrated in the Vatican Basilica : 
 notwithstanding all Constitutions and Apos- 
 tolic Ordinations, and all decrees issued de non 
 cultu, and all others whatsoever to the contrary. 
 And We desire that the same credit which 
 would be given to the signification of Our will 
 in this letter, be also given in juridical decis- 
 ions to printed copies of this, provided they be 
 signed by the hand of the Secretary of the 
 above-mentioned Congregation, and bear the 
 seal of the Prefect. 
 
 Given at Pome, at St. Peter's, under the seal 
 of the Fisherman, on the 9th day of the Month 
 of May, in the year of our Lord 1865, and the 
 19th of Our Pontificate. 
 
 N. Card. Paracciani Clarelu. 
 
 THE E JST D. 
 
346 THE LIFE OF 
 
 The First Feast of Blessed John in Rome. 
 
 (Sunday, 13th August, 1865.) 
 
 We give here a yery beautiful description of the first Feast 
 in Rome, taken from the London Tablet, and we think it will 
 be very interesting in connection with the life : 
 
 To the Editor of the London Tablet. 
 
 Dear Sir : As a festival, such as that we have just been keep- 
 ing here in Rome, cannot come around again for many a day, I 
 venture to believe that your readers will care for a fuller account 
 of it than that which the limits of one of her able letters will 
 allow your correspondent to give. 
 
 The approach of the feast of so young a Saint has naturally 
 aroused a great deal of fervor amoDg us. It was impossible 
 that the consideration of the life of Blessed John should fail to 
 make a deep impression. For it was a life oaly distinguished 
 by its sweet simplicity and happy joy ousness, and by the uncom- 
 mon exactitude and merryheartedness with which he performed 
 his most trivial duties, and seized the merest opportunities, and 
 so a life unmarked by those extraordinary favors which make us 
 ordinary men hold our breath and almost despair. From the 
 Beatification up to Friday last there has been no cessation to 
 the Novenas, and every morning's little Function has attracted 
 considerable numbers. Exvotus had begun to gather about his 
 pictures, and the visits to the altar over which it was placed had 
 been frequent and general. Your readers will remember that, 
 by what seemed a strange ordering of Providence, the first move- 
 ment towards the Beatification of Blessed John fell through, and 
 that his body, after laying apart for several years in expectation 
 of the resumption of the cause, was taken off to the common 
 burial-place, and laid there with no other mark but his name 
 written in ink upon the whitewashed case of lead that contained 
 what was believed to be his body. Before the ink had faded, 
 Almighty God interposed, and some suitable miracles recalled 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 347 
 
 Blessed John to memory. It was then thought wise to open the 
 case, and verify the body, This turned out no easy matter- - 
 the leaden case was not the original coffin, and all that was 
 known was that on the original coffin there had been a leaden 
 tablet scratched with his name. This was searched for appa- 
 rently in vain, and only after recovering the bones and dust and 
 pieces of coffin was it found in the bottom of the case. Soon 
 after this, Benedict XIV inaugurated a new movement, but the 
 political difficulties of the last and the present century have re- 
 tarded the accomplishment of the pious desire until our own 
 times. It would seem as if Almighty God had been reserving 
 for this obscure Flemish lad a destiny grander than that of his 
 two nobler brothers. The marvellous charity of the sweet-souled 
 Polish boy, and the strange union of the deepest penance with 
 the brightest innocence that marks the young Italian Prince, will 
 always tell upon individual rulers. But the every-day life of 
 Blessed John, who went through the ordinary duties of his state, 
 and improved his opportunities with so grand a fervor and heroi- 
 city, as to make every one who reads his life, feel utterly ashamed 
 of his own laxness, and laziness, and stupidity, will probably tell 
 more widely upon the body of Christian youths so tempted to be 
 disloyal and half asleep, when the world is first pooh-poohing the 
 idea of being loyal to Jesus Christ, and yearns for Him, as it 
 never dared do before. 
 
 For many weeks past preparations have been going on in the 
 Church of the Roman College. The Church of St. Ignatius, one 
 may as well say, is a very large church, and more than double 
 the size of the renowned Gesu. It has a wide and lofty nave, 
 and two good aisles, which are more properly a succession of large 
 chapels, three on either side. These are entered from each other 
 by arches resting on lofty pillars. Fine round arches and pillars 
 open from the nave into the aisle chapels, though the division is 
 really made by massive piers set with Corinthian pilasters. Only 
 one of the chapels has marble pillars, and is coated with marble, 
 but the pillars of this chapel of St. Joseph — the upper part of 
 which marks the corridor wherein was the room in which St. 
 Aloysius died — are coated with Sicilian jasper, the walls • are 
 
313 THE LIFE OF 
 
 covered with finest marbles, and the altar columns are of verd 
 antique. All the chapels have cupolas, but this cupola of St. 
 Joseph's chapel is the only one that is painted. There are paint- 
 ings also on the upper walls of this chapel. As compared with 
 this, the other chapels are bare and white-washy, and the stuc- 
 coed pilasters of the nave and the stucco frieze above them, and 
 the brick pavement, create an impression rather damaging, until 
 the eye takes in the scale of the building, and rests on the painted 
 roof, upon which the famous Jesuit artist Father Pozzi lavished 
 his strange perspective in the apotheism of St Ignatius and the 
 earlier Saints of the Society. Passing from the nave there are 
 the transepts which form two immense chapels, decorated alike 
 with a wealth of fine marbles. The floors are patterns of colored 
 marbles, the grand balustrades of the altars are of fine yellow 
 and verd antique, the dais of the sanctuary is all of fine marble, 
 the rather heavy-looking Corinthian pediment over the altar is 
 of yellow and verd antique, and each rests on four serpent-twisted 
 columns of verd antique of great size, with gilt capitals and bases, 
 and gilt leaves wreathed around them. All around the altars 
 and the walls are variegated marbles. Over each altar is a grand 
 relief, the figures coiossal. To the right as we face the high altar 
 is St. Aloysius borne to heaven by angels, his figure in high re- 
 lief, and the pose and expression very striking and of a masterly 
 beauty. To the left is a famous Annunciation in half relief, de- 
 signed by Father Pozzi. Under the altar to the right, in a beau- 
 tiful urn of lapis lazuli, richly decorated and guarded by boy 
 angels, lies St. Aloysius. Under the altar of the Annunciation 
 has been placed the body of Blessed John, not as yet in an urn 
 of lapis lazuli, but in one made like the other, and painted with 
 that power of imitating marble which these Roman workmen 
 possess so largely. It is also richly gilt, and its centre medal- 
 lion is a silvered bust of Blessed John as he lay dead on his pil- 
 low. Here the boy angels are made only of plaster, but they are 
 very happily cast, and while one holds up his beloved crucifix 
 and rosary, the other holds up his equally dear book of the Con- 
 stitutions. The vaults of the transept are also by Father Pozzi, 
 and the vault of the chancel is equally remarkable. The chancel 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 349 
 
 is altogether a very fine one, and ends in an apsis. A singular 
 contrast with all this is the dome of the church, which has been 
 left to the last, and remains dark and unadorned, for upon it has 
 been placed the famous observatory of the Roman College. 
 
 The aspect of the church which I have so lamely described 
 has been for the last few years in course of transformation. 
 Every inch of stucco and bareness in the nave and transepts and 
 chancel has been covered with hangings or panellings of crimson 
 velvet or silk damask, and cloth of gold and silver. The white 
 pilasters were turned into pilasters of crimson richly banded 
 with gilt lace, the columns were covered with velvet and pat- 
 terns of gilt and silver lace disposed upon them. The round 
 form of the arches were traced in velvet and gilt lace, and the 
 very keystones were gilt. The inner side of the arches were 
 richly draped with crimson silk and velvet, and white muslin 
 festooned with gilt and silvered lace. Before the chapels of the 
 Immaculate Heart and St. Joseph, the white muslin was sup- 
 planted by clotn of silver. The stucco figures of the frieze 
 stood out from a crimson background, and nothing was left bare 
 but the masonic cornice of marble with its fine mouldings, which 
 was only gracefully festooned, and the capitals of the columns, 
 white or gilt, and their marble bases. Curtains of white and red 
 silk draped the great entrance of the church, and immediately 
 over the door inside was a painting representing Blessed John, 
 as he lay exposed in the church after death. At the other end 
 of the church the high altar was canopied in crimson velvet and 
 cloth of silver, and the fine columns at the apex, cased in velvet, 
 were covered with the richest devices. Under the canopy was 
 an oval painting of Blessed John rising to Heaven — itself rather 
 indifferent — but it had served its purpose also at St. Peter's, as the 
 picture of the Beatification. All about the altar, and the two 
 projecting singing galleries just outside the sanctuary, the panel- 
 ling was of the richest kind and tastiest devices. Besides all 
 this, there were the arrangements for lighting the church. The 
 cornice of the nave and transepts was lit with tall wax candles 
 four or five feet long, arranged in groups of threes, fives, sevens, 
 and elevens, of griKiations in height caused by the form of tha 
 
THE LIFE OF 
 
 DO 
 
 branches which hold them. Every arch in the nave was traced 
 by five glass chandeliers of large candles. The capitals of the 
 pilasters were also traced in chandeliers. Immense chandeliers 
 of rare large candies hung in the arches, and marked the line of 
 the pilasters. The great arch of the chancel was completely 
 traced out from near the ground on either side by large chande- 
 liers. A similar arch of light traced out the commencement of 
 the apsis. In the galleries, on the walls, in the lines of the tran- 
 irepis were lights dispersed in chandeliers or in branches. A very 
 beautiful effect was produced over the canopy of the high altar 
 by a tasteful arrangement of some very tall lights about the 
 famous words that are painted there. '• Ego vobis Romas propi- 
 tius ero." I endeavored to count the lights and made a reckon- 
 ing which I feel since was under the mark. Not including the 
 six lights upon every altar — the double rows on some of the 
 altars, the number of lights about the altar of Blessed John, the 
 lights on the high altar, which at the close of Sunday's Functions 
 were considerably increased, not including any sanctuary lights, 
 I reckon them as 1950. Of these there were 660 in the transept, 
 and in the chancel 782. The effects of this temple traced in 
 light may perhaps be imagined by any of your readers who have 
 seen a grand Roman Festa ; to describe it to those who have not 
 would utterly exceed my poor powers of description. It was the 
 grandest thing I ever saw, — it was at once complete and unique, 
 and had none of that distance and vastness which make the in- 
 terior lighting of St. Peter's seem quite beyond one's grasp to 
 realize. The windows were all curtained, so as to make the 
 effect more perceptible. 
 
 Ail this preparation came to an end on Thursday, and Thurs- 
 day evening was fixed for the translation of the body, which had 
 been taken some weeks ago from the common sepulchre, and car- 
 ried in state to the upper chapel. From this it had been borne 
 on Thursday to the Aula Maxima, the upper corridor of the 
 Quadrangle, and there it lay in state till six o'clock. The corri- 
 dors of the Quadrangle, «along which the procession was to pass, 
 had been prepared with much taste. The inner walls were hung 
 with silk and satin damask, and Prince Barberini had lent his 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 351 
 
 far» N us old scripture tapestries, which went round the whole line 
 of windows. The arches were hung with white and red silk cur- 
 tains, and the upper was filled in with red and white and yellow 
 and white, arranged in fluted rays with capital effect. In the 
 corridor facing the great entrance were suspended large oval 
 portraits of the fire stars of the Roman College, each filling an 
 arch. In the centre was placed Blessed John, having on his 
 right St. Aloysius and Blessed Leonard of Porte Maurice, and on 
 his left St. Camillus of Lellis and Blessed John Baptist de Rossi. 
 Under the portrait of B. John was this inscription : 
 
 11 Joanni Berchmans 
 Quinto ex condiscipulis nostris 
 Ad caslitum honores evecto 
 Ateniui festo cultu exornavimus." 
 
 There were flowers in plenty dispersed about the picture ; be- 
 tween the arches were stands of flowers, and in the piers were 
 placed elegant couplets, happily expressing his various virtues, 
 while the pavement was a mass of bay leaves and box. 
 
 At six o'clock the procession began to leave the Maxima, 
 chanting the Te Deum, the pauses between the verses being 
 filled up by the powerful band of the gendarmerie. It passed 
 along the upper corridor and down the east staircase, and filed 
 along three of the lower corridors and the Porteria into the 
 church, where it passed by the south aisle up the nave towards 
 the High Altar. The procession was very long. It was headed 
 by the cross-bearer of the sodality of the Prima Primaria and 
 his attendants, the cross-bearer being the son of a Prince of one 
 of the oldest Roman families. Then came the externs of the 
 schools with their professors — so far as philosophy. The mem- 
 bers of the colleges and seminaries came next in their various 
 uniforms. Behind the German College came the cross-bearer of 
 the church and the Jesuit novices, scholastics and professors, all 
 in cottas, followed by the Bishop, the Archbishop of Selucia in 
 partibus, with his ministers. Then came the choir of the Roman 
 College, and boys strewing flowers. The chest which contained 
 the body was borne by five scholastics in Dalmatics, who bore 
 
oO_! THE LIFE OF 
 
 on their shoulders the velvet-colored poles of the bier, rich with 
 crimson and gold, and richly canopied, which supported the 
 chest. On the chest itself was a white silk pall and a large 
 wreath of rare flowers, festoons of rare flowers decorating also 
 the bier. The Jesuit Fathers from the other houses followed 
 the bier, and various other persons admitted to the procession, 
 which was closed in by the band of gendarmerie. Unhappily, 
 one well-known face was missing — the Father General being too 
 unwell to come into Rome from the country where he had been 
 recruiting, though he managed to return on the following day. 
 This procession had a striking character of its own, for in it 
 there were many men walking humbly who have earned a repu- 
 tation wide as civilization. Every one carried a long taper, 
 and by the time the body entered and the procession began to 
 move up the nave, the effect in the church was very remarka- 
 ble. The throng in the corridors had been notable, but there 
 no women were allowed. But in the church had gathered a 
 vast crowd, the kneeling sea of heads in the dim nave and aisles 
 contrasting with the stage of lights in the transepts about the 
 High Altar — the whole illumination coming from the tapers of 
 the procession, as only a few lights burned on the High Altar 
 and the Altar of the Annunciation. Through that crowd the 
 bier was borne up to the High Altar and set down before it, 
 while the Iste Confessor was sung and the Collect said. It was 
 then borne to its resting-place, and deposited on the New Altar, 
 and later placed privately in the urn. 
 
 Saturday. — This second day of the Triduo was marked by 
 many more communions and by a vaster crowd of worshippers. 
 A peculiarity of to-day was a Greek low mass at the High Altar, 
 at which the students of the Greek College made their commu- 
 nion. It was at the Greek College that B. John made the Dis- 
 putation which tried his strength too much. The High Mass of 
 to-day was pontificated by an Augustinian Bishop, Monsignor 
 Michaelief, and was remarkable for its exceeding beauty. 
 Thundering orchestras are very rare in Rome, and the double 
 choir of the Roman College needed no orchestra. In the pauses 
 of the voices, instruments were to-day introduced with splendid 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 353 
 
 effect. The panegyric was preached by Father Gallerani, a 
 young Ferrarese Jesuit, who has a great reputation in Rome. 
 Father Gallerani is a spare man, of ascetic aspect, and his voice 
 is not powerful, though it seems to acquire strength. He can 
 always fill the Gesu — he was less distinctly heard in all parts of 
 St. Ignatius by the vast crowd that had gathered to listen to 
 him. He preaches simply, but his ideas are beautiful,- he uses 
 action less than most Italian preachers, but what he does use is 
 never florid or studied. His secret lies in this : his words liter- 
 ally burn by their earnestness. There is no doubt of his mean- 
 ing fully every syllable he utters. To-day he preached from the 
 words, "Incipe, et fac secundum exemplar quod tibi in monte 
 monstratum est." The "monte" was the Vatican, and the 
 words were the Pope's words to the Christian youth of the 
 world. He powerfully contrasted the manners of B. John with 
 the manners current among the youth of our days — the true 
 philosophy of his self-education with the false philosophy of 
 theirs. He preached for quite an hour, but no one seemed 
 weary of listening. At the Vespers, the venerable Capuchin 
 Bishop of Muro, in Naples, pontificated. The voices of the 
 boys seemed to have reached perfection, and there were some 
 fine solos by members of the Papal Chapel. The crowd beggars 
 all description. 
 
 Sunday. — The day of the feast was equal to the most sanguine 
 desire. The doors of the church were opened at half-past 5 a.m. 
 A large crowd was waiting outside as early as five. By seven 
 o'clock the church was so full that it was difficult to make one's 
 way. Communions were incessant, and priests were stationed to 
 give communion out of mass to prevent any delay in the masses. 
 Several Cardinals said mass, and members of schools and reli- 
 gious ladies visited the shrine. There were offerings of choice 
 flowers, mothers brought their children to lay them before the 
 altar, or to have them, if sick, touched by a relic. At eight 
 o'clock the students of the college entered in solemn procession, 
 singing the Psalms of our Lady. All the colleges and seminaries 
 that attend the Gregorian University and are still in Rome, were 
 present. Our own college was in the country. There were 
 
ooz THE LIFE OF 
 
 in the procession wreath? and baskets of magnificent 
 I, nivi letters to B. John, which were deposited at his altar. 
 At the high altar Cardinal Sacconi said mass for the students. 
 and gave communion, with the assistance of a priest, to the vast 
 numbers. Every one received a compendium of the Saint's life, 
 and the mass which was raised by mottets ended with a grand 
 Te Deum. At half-past ten the High Mass was pontificated by 
 Monsignor Castellaeci. Archbishop of Petra. in partibus, and 
 Vicegerent of Rome. The crowds that were present during the 
 morning were beyond ali comprehension, for the feast had also 
 attracted whole multitudes of people from the country. The 
 amount of demands for pictures, big and little, and the lives of 
 the Saints and compendia of lives, during the three days reached 
 a height which seemed to threaten beggary to the College. The 
 church was not shut till long past one, and at three there were 
 numbers waiting in the burning August sun at the different 
 doors of the church and college. The visits to the rooms in the 
 afternoon can only be described as the passing and repassing of 
 continuous streams. The only visitors were of course males, but 
 they were persons of almost every grade of life . The workhouse 
 boys were prominent amongst the number. The room of St. 
 Aloysius and the chapel wherein St. Stanislaus was received into 
 the Society were equally public. The sight in the church beg- 
 gared all experience of Roman crowds. Happily a Roman crowd 
 is one of the gentlest and most good-tempered in the world, or in 
 such a scene as that of yesterday afternoon in the Church of St. 
 Ignatius, there would have been some serious difficulties. Every- 
 body had his or her prayer to say before the shrine, that was 
 glittering with light and set with the rarest flowers. The pane- 
 gyric was not long but very eloquent, and preached by Mon- 
 signor Anivetti, Domestic Prelate of the Pope. The Vespers 
 were pontificated by Monsignor Clémente. Bishop of Damascus. 
 Their elaborate singing was so curtailed that they were finished 
 by the Ave Maria. They did not lose by the curtailment. There 
 were fewer solos, but the voices of the boys were at their best, 
 and the harmonies beyond description beautiful. More lights 
 were placed about the High Altar, and the appearance of the 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 355 
 
 church at the close of Vespers was quite indescribable. The 
 people still crowded the church, not dwindling off as they gene- 
 rally do at the close of Vespers, and Benedictus followed. When 
 the Blessed Sacrament was exposed, the Te Deum began. As 
 the choir and the congregation sang alternate verses, the effect 
 was extremely grand. Then followed a fine Tantum Ergo by 
 the choir, and the Bishop gave Benediction. The corridors of 
 the Quadrangle were once more swarming with men and boys, 
 and the rest of the congregation stayed to look at the façade of 
 the churcli traced out cleverly in light. A military band was 
 stationed there, and the Piazza was more or less full for a long 
 time. The other parts of the College were also illuminated and 
 the neighboring houses contributed their quota of lights. 
 
 In this way came to a close those three happy days, and the 
 first Feast of Blessed John Berchmans will be a life-long memo- 
 ry to the least, as well as the greatest who took part in it. The 
 effect that moy come of it who shall attempt to measure ? God's 
 ways are not our ways. But surely not for nothing will He have 
 allowed this young life to come so vividly before the youth cf 
 Rome in these evil days. There must be something great to 
 come out of a life that has attained honor greater than ever king 
 or emperor even, amongst his fellow men, through the turning 
 his back entirely upon all that the world holds up for love and 
 reverence. 
 
 E. H. MARTIN. 
 
 We also annex a letter from Belgium, giving an account of 
 the celebration of the first feast in his native city of Diest : 
 
 Ghent, August 18th, 1865. 
 
 All here are occupied with the solemnities in honor of the 
 Blessed Berchmans, whose beatification, as you are aware, took 
 place at Rome the 28th of May last, our Very Reverend Provincial 
 and several other Belgian Fathers being present. The cere- 
 monies are said to have been of the most magnificent character, 
 and even to have surpassed the usual celebrations of the kind, 
 which are always carried out at Rome with such unequalled 
 
8)0 THE LIFE OF 
 
 splendor. Our Cardinal Archbishop of Malines was present by 
 invitation from the Sovereign Pontiff, and brought with him on 
 his return, some valuable relics, a bone from the saint's forearm, 
 which he has had deposited in his metropolitan cathedral, on a 
 superb altar lately erected for the purpose, and which he has 
 consecrated in honor of his blessed Diocesan. The solemnities 
 on this occasion lasted three days, consisting of imposing pro- 
 cessions, sermons, <fec, with a spontaneous illumination of the 
 whole city. His eminence had petitioned that all the clergy of 
 his archdiocese should be favored with the power of celebrating 
 every year, the Feast of the Beatified, which has been fixed on 
 the 13th of August, the day of his death. Accordingly, the 
 festival was celebrated on Sunday, 13th inst., in all the 
 churches, and the blessed John Berchmans was publicly invoked 
 for all the faithful ; Diest, his native city, endeavoring, as was 
 natural, to carry awny the palm. ' ; It is now fifteen days." 
 writes a friend from Dieste, "since our blessed compatriot re- 
 ceived the homages of the city of Malines, where he finished his 
 course of humanities, and commenced his religious life in the 
 novitiate of the Society of Jesus/' It was fitting that his 
 Feast should be celebrated the first time with the greatest so- 
 lemnity in the city which gave him birth. For a long time the 
 inhabitants of Dieste had been preparing to pay to their sainted 
 fellow-citizen this debt of affection and respect, and we are 
 most happy to add that their zeal and piety rendered the event 
 every way worthy their elaborate preparation. 
 
 On the Saturday before the solemnity, Diest presented a 
 most animated sight. The streets were planted with ever- 
 greens. The fronts of the houses were hung with garlands and 
 inscriptions, while the parochial church of St. Sulpice presented 
 in the words of our correspondent, " un coup (Vail ravissant" 
 From all parts of the vaulted roof descended festoons and ban- 
 ners, with statues of the various saints of the Society of Jesus, 
 the arms of Pius IX, &c. Finally, in the choir there ap- 
 peared over the altar, the picture of Berchmans, with hands 
 clasped, the eyes raised to heaven, and borne on a cloud, as if 
 ascending to take possession of eternal glory. On Sunday 
 
BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 357 
 
 morning His Eminence the Cardinal celebrated Mass at six 
 o'clock, and gave the Holy Communion ; at ten o'clock the 
 grand High Mass was sung by Mgr. Laniers, Vicar-General, in 
 full pontificals, and with all the ceremonial used at Rome on oc- 
 casions of like solemnity. An immense but respectful throng 
 filled the church, while strangers from all parts of the city were 
 continually passing in and out. 
 
 At three o'clock the procession began to form. The garrison 
 of the city, which the military authorities had placed at the 
 disposal of the clergy, maintained order, and gave to the cere- 
 mony a character still more imposing. 
 
 It was outside the city, near a chapel dedicated to the 
 Blessed Virgin, that young Berchmans used to make frequent 
 visits, and here was deposited the case containing his relics. 
 The clergy intoned the Litany of the saints ; at the chanting of 
 the Sancia Maria ora pro nobis, the bells sounded and the pro- 
 cession moved forward. 
 
 At the head walked the members of the Sodalities of the 
 Holy Virgin, who had come from Louvain to venerate the new 
 patren of youth. They were followed by the various confra- 
 ternities and societies of Dieste and the surrounding country, 
 each preceded by its banners, and carrying tapers, statues, de- 
 vices, and flags. Between these two files of pilgrims walked 
 the children of the most noble families of the city; some carried 
 lilies, some curious and emblematic devices, and others vessels 
 of perfumes or garlands of flowers. Several assumed characters 
 of the principal personages referred to in the ceremonies. 
 Berchmans was represented in a special manner between St. 
 Aloysius and St. Stanislaus Kostka. After the cross defiled 
 slowly more than a hundred ecclesiastics, each bearing in his 
 hand a lighted taper. Lastly, came the reliquary, borne by the 
 ecclesiastics of Dieste, and accompanied by eight priests in 
 copes. Among them were the Deans of Alentours and their 
 Provincial ; while around it, as a guard of honor, were the 
 Canons of the Chapter of Malines, Priests of the diocese and of 
 the different Religious Orders ; after these advanced the Cardi- 
 nal, followed by his Vicars-general, and a platoon of infantry 
 
868 THE LIFE OF BLESSED JOHN BERCHMANS. 
 
 closed the line, though thousands of the faithful followed, pray- 
 ing and invoking in a loud voice the Beatified. 
 
 As soon as they had entered the church the Cardinal blessed 
 them three times with the relics of their sanctified fellow-citizen. 
 An hour after the Cardinal intoned the hymn of the Beatified' 
 and the panegyric was pronounced by our Father Schoopts in 
 the presence of an immense audience. The fête was continued 
 the entire week with solemn offices, sermons, &c, <fcc. The 
 house where the Saint was born is to be converted into a chapel 
 in his honor. 
 
 And now, my dear friend, what salutaTy thoughts should 
 present themselves to our minds! Behold how the Lord glori- 
 fies His faithful servants, and causes them to be honored by 
 men. They left all things, to unite themselves with and follow 
 Him in poverty, humility, obedience, suffering, and the de- 
 rision of the world, and for this He returns them a hundred 
 fold in glory, honor, riches and jubilation withont end. Oh, 
 pray, then, for me, that I may imitate, at least in a distant 
 manner, my blessed Brother Berchmans, and that like him I 
 may be faithful in little things ! And you, dear readeT, take 
 him for your model, patron, and guide towards perfection. 
 
 Enclosed I send you a photograph of the Beatified and lita- 
 nies. Please have them translated into English, in order to 
 propagate devotion as much as possible towards this young and 
 so amiable saint. You will soon begin to see its wonderful 
 effects. And greatest joy of all, I send herewith two little relics 
 of the Saint, — pieces of his soutan. You can guarantee them. 
 
 Your brother and very dear friend in J. C, 
 
 P. J. WALLE, S. J 
 
 To , Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
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