Obrázky na stránke
PDF
ePub

undertaken. After this he entered upon matters of business, put his signature to, or read and corrected, letters, &c. In the evening, after supper, he regulated the labours of the following day, told the Superiors of the house what they had to do, and then gave himself to very attentive business with his secretary. As soon as he had quitted him, he paced to and fro a long time, alone and leaning on his staff, absorbed in profound recollection. He slept the remainder of the night, but never more than four hours. This is, I know, only the exterior shell, and, as it were, skeleton of his life, but all this was animated within by an intimate union with God, and in this part of their life the Saints can only be revealed to us by themselves.

It may be readily supposed that the piety of the head would naturally communicate itself to the members. In fact all the accounts we have of the time show that these admirable men led an angelical life, and that minds the most prejudiced against them could not withstand the edifying sight. We will give one example. A young man of talent came to Rome at this period from the furthest north to spread the Lutheran doctrines. He first set himself to attack the morals of the Clergy in places of public resort. By little and little he went further, and spoke against the Catholic faith, thinking, perhaps, that he had now gained over his listeners. But he was mistaken; he was suddenly seized, and would have been dealt with according to the rigour of the law, had not his worth and talents excited some interest and compassion. He manifested, however, the most obstinate resistance to the efforts of the Clergy who visited him and endeavoured to bring him to a better state of mind. Discussions, as it almost always happens in such cases, only strengthened him in his opinions, and persuaded him that he had got the best of the argument. A happy thought struck them of placing him in the house of St. Ignatius, and, instead of disputing with him, of leaving him there to see and observe with his own eyes all that passed. The real charity and spirit of the Gospel which he witnessed touched his heart, and he learned that the life and power of the faith shows itself not in controversy, but in practice. He lost by little and little the fanaticism which had clouded his understanding and

hardened his heart, and of his own account surrendered himself to the truth which he had found out. Some persons of distinction having asked him afterwards how he had not yielded to the reasons which had been adduced to convince him, he replied that it was not by learned proofs and objections that he had been converted, but by the virtue and sanctity he had seen in the companions of Ignatius; that in beholding them he had come naturally to this conclusion, that it was impossible that the true faith should not be found united to a life so pure and so saintly, to so great charity and such oneness of heart.

As the last fifteen years of the life of Ignatius belong to the second part of this work, it only remains for us to say a word on the mission to Ireland, which took place during this year. Every one knows what hard treatment the inhabitants of that island have always met with at the hands of the English. Under the reign of Henry VIII., in addition to the evils with which the unfortunate country was already afflicted, were added those of religious persecution, the English nobles of Ireland having joined the schism and acknowledged the King's supremacy, while the people remained faithful to the Church. As relations with Rome were both extremely dangerous and extremely difficult, Robert, the Archbishop of Armagh, had a little time before begged the Pope to send an Apostolic Nuncio with full powers to fortify the faithful Catholics, and to grant the necessary dispensations and favours. Paul III. had in the preceding year asked Ignatius for one of his companions, and Codurius had been chosen for this mission. But the matter having been delayed, and Codurius having meanwhile died, Salmeron and Brouet were sent out as Nuncios on the 16th of September. They were accompanied by Brother Zapata, who, after having been secretary in one of the Pontifical Chanceries, had afterwards entered as a Novice into the Society. The two Fathers being without money, he was to undertake the charges of the voyage, which presented dangers both by sea and land.

As a very severe law had been passed by the King, enjoining that every envoy from Rome found in the island should be seized and sent to England, their stay in this country was very insecure. They were in continual danger of being

discovered by the numerous spies of the Government, they were obliged often to change their hiding-place, and could remain for only thirty-four days in the island. To escape the penalty of death pronounced against them, and still more to save the lives of their protectors, they resolved to return into Scotland, whence they had crossed over, after having made, however, frequent and salutary use of their powers during the short space of time they could remain. But even in Scotland they found the roads closed to them, and were obliged to return by way of France, having run the greatest risks and suffered much hardship. This mission furnishes an occasion to set before the reader the instructions which St. Ignatius gave to the two Fathers whom he sent.

When we have to treat of matters of business, particularly with equals or inferiors, we ought to speak little and slowly, having due regard to the distinction of rank and station of each one, and listen readily and patiently until the person addressing us has finished all he wishes to say. Then we should answer each point in particular, and take leave when we have no more to say. If the conversation is continued, we should answer as concisely as possible, and our parting should be brief, but amicable.

When we have business to transact with some great personage, we must study well his natural disposition, and act so as to gain his goodwill for the greater glory of God our Master. If, for example, he is of a choleric temperament, and speaks quickly and sharply, our manner and tone should be courteous in all things good and holy, nor should we show ourselves too serious, cold, or morose. In our relations with those who, on the contrary, are reserved, are slow in speaking and grave and measured in their conversation, we too must observe the same manner. This is a means which is sure to please-Omnia omnibus factus sum.

When two persons of a choleric temperament have to transact business between them who are not quite of a mind, they run great risk of misunderstanding each other. If one be aware that he is choleric, he ought to study in detail all that concerns his manner of conversing with others and to prepare himself, if possible, by an attentive self-examination, or by taking a resolution to suffer everything rather than give way in the least to the natural heat of his character, especially if he knows that the person with whom he has to deal is of feeble health. Should he have to treat with a melancholy or phlegmatic person, he runs less risk of making him lose his temper by an inconsiderate expression.

If we observe that a person is tempted or is sad, let us be kind and amiable with him, let us talk readily, and show both interiorly and exteriorly much gaiety and pleasantness of manner. To help and console

persons of this kind, we should manifest a disposition of mind directly opposed to that which they have themselves. Upon spiritual matters, . or where the reconciliation of enemies is involved, we require to be on 'our guard, bearing in mind that all which we say may be, or probably will of a certainty be, known in public.

In expediting affairs we must be liberal in the time we give to them -that is to say, we must secure that each matter be really settled on the same day if possible. If you have the administration of money to arrange, it will be well for Master Francis (Zapata) to charge himself with it, that you may the better fulfil your duties in all cases without any of the three touching money. Send it rather to a banker, or let him who applies for a dispensation, take the sum to the banker and bring an acquittance in due form, after which the dispensation may be granted; or take any other means you may find most convenient, yet so that in every case each one of you may say that he has not derived a penny from his mission.

[blocks in formation]

AND THE MEANS THEY PRESCRIBE TO ATTAIN IT. THE
EXAMINATION AND APPROBATION OF THE RULES.

IN the first part of this history we have spoken of the innumerable sufferings and difficulties in the midst of which the Society of Jesus was founded. We have related how St. Ignatius was led to change the place in which he intended to establish it, and how, in consequence of this important change, by a particular dispensation of Providence and to the great good of the Catholic Church, he carried out his plan, not at Jerusalem, as he had first proposed, but at Rome.

We now proceed in this second part to look upon him as the legistator and ruler of the new Society, keeping exclusively to what concerns his personal history, and setting aside all that regards the Society itself as alien to our subject. The order of things, for the better understanding of the whole, obliges us to speak first of what St. Ignatius did for the development of the Society. At the same time, we will give a succinct idea of his Institute as it existed in his mind, and the original draft of it which he conceived. We shall thus refute the false and absurd opinion of those who

« PredošláPokračovať »