CHAPTER VI

CLOSELY linked with the names of S. Vincent de Paul and Père de Condren, as God's instruments for the spiritual reformation of the Church and Clergy in France, is that of Jean Jacques Olier, the Founder of the Seminaiy of Saint Sulpice. He was the youngest son of Jacques Olier de Vemeuil, Secretaiy and Mattre des Requêtes to Henri IV.^ and was bom Sept 20, 1608, at which time his parents were living in Paris ; but Henri IV. was murdered in 16 10, and a few years later Louis XIII. appointed M. Olier to the post of Intendant, or Govemor of Lyons, and hère he and his family became intimate with S. Francis de Sales. They had always thought that Jean Jacques displayed a vocation for the priesthood, and though judging by aller events Madame Olier thought at least as much of the worldly side of the matter, and of temporal dignities for her son, as of a higher aim, still they were disturbed by the very impetuous wilM nature of the lad, whîch from time to time roused

serions doubts in their minds as to his fitness for the sacred calling. At last Madame Olier took an opportunity of laying her misgivîngs before the vénérable Bishop of Geneva, and asking his opinion. He promised to weigh the matter well, and accordingly one Thursday after Mass had been said in the Chapel of the Visitation, when Madame Olier brought her children to S. Francis, '' he received them with ail Êitherly kindness, kissed them, and as he spoke with the like goodness to ail, the mother told that great prelate that Jean Jacques, the youngest, was not a good boy, but refractory, and so imruly in his ways that he often put her and his father very much out Whereupon the Saint, to console this dolorous mother, answered, ' Hé ! Madame, a little patience 1 Do not be affîcted, for God is training up a great servant of the Church in the person of this dear child ;' and putting his hands on the bo/s head, he kissed him tenderly, and gave him his blessing."*

S. Francis, moreover, promised to take her son, when^ as he proposed, he should retire to his quiet hermitage on the Lake of Annecy, and train Jean himself for his sacred calling ; but very soon after this the vénérable Bishop was given a more perfect rest from the many cares of his busy diocèse, and this promise could not be fulfiUed. Young Olier grew up a vigor- ' Vie de M. Olier, pt. L &

aS4 PRIESTL Y LIFE IN FRANCE.

ons hearty schoolboy, yet wiA a deep-seated rd^fteo» ftielii^; for fie tt^ed to say liimself In aftér lîfe Aàt if lie haA dotie anything really wrong he never cotild get on with his lessons, or râbtiember what he liad learnt by heart, untîl he had confessed ît Hfe fkther beîng appointed Conseiller d*Etat, retumed to Paris, and young Olier's éducation Was carried on in the tJniversîty of that dty and at the Sorbonne. He distîngulshed hitnself, and his father looked forward to a T)rilliant worldly career for hiïù, "which according to the Views of those days was not at ail incompatible with the ecdesiastical profession. Accordingly he obtâined the Priory of la Trinité de Clisson in the Diocèse of Nantes, and the Abbey of Notre Dame de Pâ)rac in that <Â Saint Flotir, for his son, and at eighteen the handsome schoolboy, for he was scarCely more, took possession of his Abbey, to "which was shottly added the Pridry of Bazainville in the Diocèse of Chartres, and the title of Chanoine Comte in the Chapter xA Saint Julien de Brioude !

With the same object in view, hîs parents ^ere anïious that he should display his natural gifts of éloquence, and although not in Holy Orders, his tlde of Abbot was a qualification as preacher. So he was handed about, itiaking a great display in sundiy of the most Êimed Parisian pulpits, to the great delight of his mother, who drank in ail the pretty things that

were said about her son greedily. He says himself that she was highlj pleased with him wheti she saw him prîzed and flattered by the world, preaching with entrain ziA genttUesst, fine fashionable sermons, full of vanity, bristling with éloquent and fanciful conceits, so long as he said nothing that could offend the world and its waysl AU the more likely, as at the same time young Olier mingled freely with the said world and its pleasures; and his parents were in nowise reluctant to afford him the means of doing so. They gave him a liveried suite, two handsome carnages, and promoted his success in society to the utmost

Nevertheless there came a day when the motiier at least opened her eyes to the danger she had helped to gather round her son, and to désire his conversion eamestly. Such a manner of life was too common among the upper ranks of the Clergy at that period to excite any astonishment save among the few; but a few there were who shuddered at the frightfiil desecration of holy things which prevailed ail around, and fix)m

. . . " Many a hidden dell, From many a rural nook, unthought of there, Arose for that proud world the saints' prevailing prayer/'

Nor were such intercessions confined to the ^^ rural nooks." A poor woman, by name Marie Rousseau, widow of a wine-seller, was constant in pràyer for a

revival of Cûth and holiness among the Cleigy» and speciaUy for those of the Faubouig Saint Germain, wherein she dwelty and which (as S. Vincent de Paul's histoiy and tfaat of the Mission conducted there by the members of his Conférence shew) was one of the very worsl parts of Paris. One day, meeting Jean Jacques Olier and some other young ecclesiastics whose lives were more fashionable than sacerdotal, Marie Rousseau addressed them, exclaiming that they cost her many a weary hour in praying for their conversion, but that she hoped some day God would grant her prayers 1 To this cîrcumstance M. Olier attributed his first awakening to the périls of his présent life. He broke away fix)m his social bonds, but for the time being it was only a transfer of worldly eagemess to a différent channeL A new ambition seized him to disringin'sh himself at the Sorbonne in Hebrew, and he hastened to Rome, where he expected to find greater opportunities of studying this language than in Paris. But an acute inflammation of the eyes, which for a time even threatened total loss of sight, put an end to his Project, and this malady was followed by a severe fever which seized him while on a pilgrimage to Loretto. Thèse shocks, and God's mercifiil deliverance from both, feirly roused J. J. Olier from his spiritual torpor ; and he was seriously contemplating entering upon the reUgioos life in some Italian convent, when his fitther

died; and .Madame OUer urgendy recalled h&t sott^to^ Fran€&. In spite of.her better sd^ Madame OKer* waa ai> iateiMiely^'amlûtiotis mother. She had snoceeded'iik obtatmng hig^ office for her* two 1^ sons»» andiske was anxioua that'her {^esllyson should notv fare : worse than his brothers. Ax^cosdiaigly she had ^ oblained the promise of a Chaplaincy to the King fop^ him, whkh she hoped wouM be the first-ifruits of^' great^ digmties, and she was eager, her-son sa)rs, that he shoukl be kxiown in the world, and beeome con^ spicoous at Court. She wanted hîm to attract peopte^ to lier houjse^ and meant to shine in the reflected crédit > of her child. Accordingly, when Madame Olier found^ thatbe resolutely persevered in a perfectly différent line» forsaking the Court and ail worldly society, andgivii^ hîmsdf up tO) the poos> the sidc, and the igiKusant, she was indignant, andlooked upon hinr as a dii^grace . to the famiiyy Her motherly af^ction se^ned to be ail:gone^: and she became positively un* kind.to hîm, so «that sometimes he used in sadnes&of*^' heart to^tom into^ Notre Dame, and kx^eeling down^ before the-statue of the Hessed Virgin^ would ciy out; "Be n^^other, sincemy own mother casts nieouti*^ Meanwhile, another saintly person was led by God to pray fenrently for Jean Jacques Cher, though she had neva: seen hîm. This wa» the Prioress of theDonânican- Conventcat Langeac^ not far from Bébra<x This hdy-^

25» PRIESTL Y UFE IN FRANCE.

womaHy like most other really eamest people, felt that tbe only hope for reforming the laity lay in a reformed Cleigy, and her prayers and intercessions were perpétuai on behalf of the Church. One day, when the spiritual désolation of her country was weighing more heavily than usual on her heart, the Mère Agnes prayed, £lijah-like, that she might leave this sinstricken, weary world ; when within her soûl the Lord Himself seemed to say, " I hâve need of thee yet to help a soûl which is desdned to set forward My Glory:" and not long after, in the same way, it was revealed to her that the Abbot of Pébrac was the person indicated.

She had then never heard his name, but for three years the Mère Agnes persevered in prayers and mortifications on his behalf without any further knowledge of the object of her intercessions. The Abbé Olier had an instinctive consciousness that powerful spiritual influences were drawing him, but he knew not whence they came, and he was meditating an entrance into the Carthusian Order, with a view of labouring for life for the salvation of soûls, when a remarkable dream altogether altered his plans. His own accoimt of it is as foUows : —

^'The Mère Agnes was praying for me without my knowing it, and I was very much troubled as to my vocanon* I had no director then; I did not even

fed my need of one, but I thought of becoming a Carthusîan. I had eut m3rself off to the best of my ability trom what was sinful in my life, and just then a worthy Curé, who had ministered to me for a time, was dying, and I went to see him. Knowing that there was nothing he cared for more sincerely than my salvation, I begged him, that the first thing he asked of God on entering into His more immédiate Présence might be on my behalf, — ^namely, grâce for me to know dearly in what way He would hâve me serve Him ? Two nights running, soon after, it pleased God that in my sleep I saw Heaven's gâtes opened, and S. Gregory sitting on a throne, with S. Ambrose on another below. Lower still there was an empty cure, and lower still a number of Carthusian monks. Perhaps, I thought, this means that it is God's Will that I should serve in the ranks of the Clergy, wherein those two great men ministered, filling the post of parish priest, which may be a more necessary duty than that of a Carthusian ; and I may be intended to work with an order of priests and curés whose mission is to help on and sanctify the Clergy."

From this time M. Olier felt a decided distaste to the idea of joining the Carthusians, though his respect for the Order, and his pleasure in joining their offices and striving to imbibe their spirit, was as strong as ever, He now determined on taking Holy Orders;

fléfli Piti^STltY LiFR mPRAlfCS:

aaâsa.dowg, he ^«i^oBue of ?the fint sst otomdidatott iKilio iBade. tbeir OrdioatiDn Retretut- al the^^Gott^ (ks Boafi. EQ&iit%;uod^ StiVinoent dePaal^ wlÉott; hob^UK^eptdd thencefoi^tbashiscoDieflaorajod spâritaaL guide. After.workîog asa missîoiiaiyâiiithe coimtijr/ for aty^aiv.uaâer. Vinœnt's ocdeoi^ Oljcc^^rctimieéito thft Boof EnftiiUifeF hâs.Priesfs Oideis,.but hece he was sa overwhebned by^iseoseof theawftd re^oAsibility;Of tbe Bnesthooâ^andiof his own iâsiifiideB^' for ity.tbat bol f<^ Vinceirt de Baid'^ avthoril^t h» wottld hâve sfarunk badc from being ordainedr He^ speat tluree months in a prq)anitO(ry Retreat, aad o»' March,2x, 1^33} the fiitiffe foander of Saint Suipice» was \ admitted ta Friesf s Orders. He was : oiie> ofc the ypung priests who first gathered round S. Vincent' as tbe niifîleus of the Confirenas de SaM Lazare^ and : be£^e long he went wîth several. other members to eyangdizethe parêhes hetongmg torhis-own èâda&f^' Péhrac Dwng a tea days'.Retreat which hei>ad« w preparaticm fortUs. Missicm, Jeaa Jacques Oliecrtwîoe' saw, while p»yi]^ the ^gure of a Domiatcaness, irfio^ said, '' I weep for thea*^ He tcdd . his tiisector dh the^ vision, but neilher <^ them knevrat ail wh0 the nuntxndd bej and he proceeded into Auv»gnex>n.htsnûs8ioiiJ Dising this nûasion, Oliero&en heard mentioD made of the^exceedingsaintlinees ofithe Brioress oCiLangeacp^ andiaftrsooaias hk nûsmisoy. Is^ouks afiorwed tinwf^

SAINT SULPICE AND JEAN JACQUES OLIER.^i

he w^t to see^her; btit it iK^ut only aâer sevecal (frmldessattempls that ke succeeded m^ot^sming^ân

interview with the Mère Agnes, when he làt «Mice ibeheikl in her the nmiJôf his^yisÛMis^And sherecog- ^nised the ôbject^ofher perseyeiing-prâyers. >Fc«m

that time one of thoi» dose spiritual^ fiiendi^ps which <it soMKétimes pleasesGiod tocall forâi between two csouls» and to bless with such wondrous ûuit, arose,

aaâ ksted dunng the Prioress's brief life. ^Well versed

în thef ileUgious life, 4she couoselled him in the reform

éf his own Abbey, which M, Glier undertook at once, '.but in the teeth of violent opposition— fostered by his v«im motiber, «who saw that her son was thereby tthrowing away, ^^twere in her eyes, the good tlrâgs

af'tbis^woiMI And ^while the Mère Agnes helped 7M. Olier ndt^a Uttle by her dévotion and her deep <insight into the hidden Ufe, he led her «n into a i dearer, biâghtery niOTe dieeiful porception^of tiie things

of God than she had hitherta cnj<>yed.

ŒbwasQOt' for long. Those members oftherGom-

anmity^of Pébracwho did not wish to be rcfanoed

^attadced theirtAbbot vehemendy, aaid he was^^œn- • DMtted to appear befinre Cardinal de la Rocdiefoncsiild ^en^tbe «natter. Pèxe de Condren, Gcttesal of «tiie tântoriaiis, wrote to uxge his t immédiate présence in ^ansy and tfae two fri^ds wfao èad* been so toachingly

drawn together parted, never to meet agaûi<in tkis

è62 priestl y ufe m frange.

world At their last interview Mère Agnes gave M. Olier her own crucifix^ taking a final leave of him, and almost immediately afterwards fell ill and died; writing just before her death to the Père de Condren, whom she knew intimately, to commend M. Olier to his spécial spiritual affection and guidance.

M. Olier was hearing confessions in the Church of Saint Paul on AU Saints' Day 1634, when the tîdings of Mère Agnes's death reached him. " Much touched,"* he says, '' I knelt at once before the Blessed Sacramenty to pour out my sorrow to our Dear Lord, Who had taken away this great help to my soûl ; . . . and soon my tears were stayed, and I felt unable to grieve any longer : for indeed at that time I was still foolish enough to believe that one must grieve at such losses, and that it was a token of respect and affection to those who were gone — a very worldly notion forsooth, as if the saints who go hence were not infinitely gainers by their departure 1"

This was a new stage in M. Olier's spiritual life. Hitherto Vincent de Paul, doubtless with good reasonSy had advised him to retaîn his carnage and horses, and a certain amount of retinue and conventional habits. But Mère Agnes's love of poverty overruled this, and M. Olier gave up everything except the services of one servant, who was only retained by S. Vinceuf s express command.

The important business forwhich Père de Condren mged M. Olier's présence in Paris was a proposai to laise him to the episcopate, a Bishop who had become aware of his great zeal and eamestness having applied to the King for Olier's appointment as his coadjutor and successor. He was not adverse to the idea, and S. Vincent de Paul would at once hâve encouraged him to accept it, but it was not God's Will — He had other work in store for His servant

The matter was decided in this wîse. Nothîng particular had corne of Mère Agnes's dying request to Père de Condren, of which M. Olier probably knew nothing, and for some months he continued as before under Vincent de Paul's guidance; but he was unsettled and disturbed in his mind. He felt that God had spécial designs for him, but he could not read them; and apparently Vincent himself felt that there was something he knew not how to deal with in his penitenf s mind, for he Êiiled to quiet or comfort him. Then Olier went into Retreat, hoping therein, face to fece with God, to find the rest he needed; and even so it was. While struggling with the fear of having committed a grievous sin (he does not say what it . was), suddenly an irrésistible voice whispered within him, " Père de Condren would give you peace :" and from that moment he was at rest Most assuredly, that most humble of saintly men, S. Vincent de Paul,

'^MMdd bcthe lastto feel îniured or giîeved ^at^one of vhis.pcttktnts finding more hdp fiom anotker^duui «buDMlfraiiâ he gkuUy assented tso OUer's seeking ^die jâme source whence he had hîmself deriTed^sofluich wstveogth at an eariier period — witUn the Oiàtofy.

. Apparently it pleased God Co give Père ëe Gookktn .plainer light as to His designs for OltcTi as'ûom tbe '£i6t he resolutely opposed the îdea of a Jbishopnc, whereas S. Vincent de Paul encooraged ;it *^God has other mtwitions for you," de Condr^isaid ; " they are not «o l^liant or so conspicuous as the efttsoqpate, >l»ut they wiU make you more useful to the GhHrch." •From this time Olier put himself oitirely under. Père 4e Condren''S spiritual direction, witho«t ccasing to maintain tfaewarmest friendshipand most ccMsftaat 'întercoorsewith Vincent de Paul; ami althoughthat «iK)|y man ^^i^as aever again his director, ^M. OUer did ^aotcease to consult him ia ail the impoitaat questions «whichotrose during his life: and when the iyoonger cfriest dîed, at the<comparatively early âge of ^i$ittf^ y4ii^\^ the vénérable Samt stood beside his ^dngbed, >aad ministered to him/ to the last.

jMeanwhile Père de Condren used every effort to prépare l^eyoung priest, whom he beUeved destined to a,;great'Work for the Church, ri^dy to fiilôl that destioy. An ever-increasing knowledge of tiie importance, .theireçpoasibilities, and the duties of theipriesthood,

SAINT SULPICB AND JEAN ^JACQUES OUER. »6s

'Was what htiàa set beiore them; and'OKer's ladmâmrtion forthe nmttylile ofliis teacherMade liim an apt HfMtpO. f He^Rfrites o£ Pbre de Condren «s fd^Hmg more 4lum any one lie tver knew the AposHe^s description sof-hoUnesi^^Christ living in^the maoy^so that iti«as aK)>loi^er'ihin8df>ubtit Chiist in Um tfaat serred on i^ai^L

The' Oiatotiaii's dûef aim im>w was so to train his

diad^es to the highest views of the priesthood as to

ifltakevtàem ^capable of training others, and for the

ipreseat he couAselled M. Olier to persévère in mission

^mofA, A Retreat which he made uiider de Condren

before retumk^ for this puipose to Auvergne, had a

lasting iafliMice upoQ hîm. '^My second cUrector/'

he writes, ^1b^;an by giving me up more to the $|Hrit

of God than the first had d^ne. He lelt meveiy

tm«ch«to^m3r8elf in my Retreat, not even giving me

«sttbjectst for die four méditations of an hour eadi which

I made daily, and only coming to see me cmce ; his

^ocoQpaticms hindering him âx>m comkg into the

cowitiy often. And now I begim OHisdously to realise

the guidance oi God's Holy Spirit, and the wonderfiil

care He toôk of me. I remember how'I leamt

then for the first time, and to my great astonishment,

that Jésus Christ is really Présent to our soûls. When

my director came to me I was glad to be taught and

enlightened concemiqg this tmth. 'It is ^ven^ao/

s66 PRIESTL Y LIFE IN FRANCE,

he saidy 'Our Lcml is reaUy Présent to oar soûls. Christum habUare per fidem in €ordibus vestris. Fer fidem^ tfaat is, Êdth is the fotindation oi His IndweUiog, and it is formed by His Holy Spiii^ dotuc Jàrmdur Christus in vcbis* And he said further to me, ' Now henceforth you must perform ail your woiks in union with the Son of God, either by feeling, intention, or Êdth. If you hâve a consdous feeling of His Présence, unité yourself to Him through feeling. If you hâve none of that, unité yourself to Him in intention, that is to say, try to work with the same mind and intention as He had ; and if you cannot do this, then unité yourself to Him in faith, that is to say, make a spiritual offering of ait you do in union with His works, thus offering those as well as your own to God' "

This teaching henceforth became the foundation of M. Olier's own spiritual lifç, and the key-«tone of ail his efforts to lead others to the perfection of the priesthood at Saint Sulpice.'

At this time M. Olier was firmly persuaded that he had not physical strength for mission work ; indeed, his

' M. Olier gave the Saint Sulpiciens a short prayer which Père de Condren had given him, and which has continued in daily use, night and moming, among them : '* Venez, Seigneur Jésus, et vivez en votre serviteur dans la plénitude de votre force, dans la perfection de vos voies, dans la sainteté de votre Esprit, et dominez sur toute puissance ennemie dans la vertu de votre Esprit, et la gloire de votre Pèie."

doctors had said as much. But hîs health grew visibly stronger^ and, like other obstacles, he triumphed over this, in spite of most exhausting toil, and a hardness and roughness of life which must hâve been more trying to a man nurtured so long in luxury than to many a fellow-labourer. Whatever time was not filled up by the aiduous toils of the Mission (one of his coadjutors says) was spent in prayer, and when interrupted by a summons to meals, M. Olier might be heard ejaculating ^^Amor meus crucifixus est " (" Jésus, my love is cracifiedi") in a tone which penetrated ail hearts.

In a letter written during this Mission to Vincent de Paul and the priests of the Conférence, pleading for more workers, M. Olier says : " Do not refuse such help to Jésus : it is too great an honour to work under Him, to set forward the salvation of soûls, and His Gloiy therein, which will last for ail etemity. ... Go on in this blessed work — ^there is nothing like it on earth. O Paris ! Paris I you and your trifling distract men who might convert several worlds 1 *' In another letter, describing a subséquent mission in Auveigne, M. Olier says that though they were but a body of six priests, they had heard more than two thousand gênerai confessions. The country-people from long distances brought provisions for two or three days, and slept as they might in bams and sheds, where they might be

«68 PRÏESTL Y LIFE IN FRAHCB.

rinaid'taikn]^ overwhat thcy had heard, and Au§sè% *tiie hymns'theyhadibcen tauglit He.made great ««ffMts toindsce'tfaeioQal dergy torottse tiieinsefares

«nd aasist tiie iMisnonors, «ad tfaat most snccessiiilty; >for maay 'eathednd dignilazks and priofs of omvvHits joaed'themy and went àbout helping to preach :œd catéchise. M. OUer says tiiat he could not hdp vatdibmti]:^ ans in a great measnre to the persevering »pi«]fcn of the Mère Agnes; and he adds tbat Père de *Coiidren nsed often to say that he belieyed the>whole trescdts ofia^sermon orinstniction were often owing to

prayer, — ^it might be the prayers of some poor, t«nleamed woman in the congrégation.

:Eîghteen months of such work, however, proved toc rnmdi for the Missioner's strengtfa. His own acc<Mint ?éf}àis iUoess^ts too touching to pass over. '^Ihad ibeen sajtDg to one bf my friends that I wanted >iiothing bit a'fortn^t''S'illnessto be sure thatGod ilidâ accepted«iOiir work ; and so it fdl xMit, that on the ^vcvy last day of our^ iast : Mission — that of De la Motte- 'Gaaillac — asiwas retnminghome/I fdt îna varyunxconted state of peace^âree fiom ail oares, although ràitiieito I had been snrrounded witiiaaxieties. It '^seeaaed as if crosses^were a Tery^istrength and '«toy to 'lay soul^ withoat wfaich I was weak; and nowil/felt 1 <|i]ite orerwlMlined: et tàeir apparent absemce. It was motlo^be for long; for^just^s I arrived «t «Lai^eac,

SAINT SVLFfCB AND JBAt^yACÇUES OLIER. »éy.

and:wa9^eiileimg:th& chmdr of the mannteiy liaxitf the blessed Sister Agnes JiJMl!liv€d aad^dkd^^^e'who^i had'fQretold sa many crosse8;to:ni6'*-^)was:seized witba mo8t violentrhcadache^ which was the^b^bifr nii^ of a severe iUness. Dkecdjjthai.Iiwarstizcë^ witib the pain, I.felt inwanlly vdtawn to make a voweta^ Mgr^ deGrCfiève for restorationita'health^aiid l'fck? somehow sore of it at' cmce< I^ remeislmi thaA|. althoug^ half uiiconscious> . I feit as thoi^ somevoUe "viôthifi had blessed me and» assurée me^ that. I^ shonU not die; and I called my.-dear frîend M. de* Foix and said». 'I shall not die; go and^fetch the Blessed Sacrament from the convent dnirch.' We* were then in the Aumonier's room, and as it irastwo* o'dock in the night, he could not haye procored that- Blessing for me elsewhere. Meanwhile the paôri became so intense that the doctors gave>m& up^ aad < exhausting ail their remédies» they tneé one wiiidi» threinne iirîo a sort of apof)lezy»r During this tnne> th^ triedto confess me, but I could onlygive bvdbeor answerSy and soon lost ail power. of speech. Tbt doctors struck' their lancets. deep into n^. slMmlder»; withootr my seeming to feel anjrthing, and belietw ing that my. last hour was come, they admmistered the Extrême Uncdon. I just' remember then tfaatf although I had lost speech and hearing, liansweredf atithe Nameof Je80Sy:as alsoto that- of) the Blessed

«TO PRIESTL Y UFB IN FRANCE.

Vii^y whom I called my maman like a child^ for I had no command of my reason then. . . .

^'Thisillness wasaproof tomeof theSavioui's Promise that He will give a hundredfold to those who hâve forsaken or sacrificed an3rthmg for Him. Beîng thus in extremis^ in a lonely place far away from my Êunily, God willed to succotir me with His Providence, and to give me eveiy possible earthly assistance. It so happened that that very day, two first-rate physicians came to Langeac, as if on purpose for me, one without any summons from a place two hundred miles offy the other had been sent for to see the little daughter of th* seigneur de la ville, The impossibility of getting to my own abbey was a fresh sign of God's Providence, because I remained close to thèse good doctors ; and instead of the mother, sister, and two brothers whom I had left, I found numberless people who shewed more than mother's and brothers' love for me — ^all they did was done out of such pure, disinterested charity, that it seemed as though God only were ministering to me. My own &mily were far ofl^ but I had the family of God my Father round, and they provided for ail my wants with such abundance and profusion, that our Lord not only fiilfilled in my Êivour the prophecy, that they who forsake flesh and blood for His Sake shall receive a hundredfold, but in exchange for those I had left, He gave me far holier

ties — ^people who were able to do far more for me than my own relations — especially my friends,> who ministered continually to me, and were more than brothers to me. . • .

'^ During this time my sister, who was in Paris, and who was greatly opposed, like the rest of my relations, to my work, died in the midst of her famîly without being assisted by any one, forsaken of ail her friends. Surely this might be a proof to ail my family that there is no profit in serving the world, which forsakçs one in extremity, while on the other hand there is everything to gain in serving God, Who uses even men of the world in spite of themselves for the service of His children.

'* I had gone to those wild parts against the will of my relations, but now God sent my mother and my youngest brother to me. On hearing of my illness, my mother set out, meaning to take me back to Paris in her carriage ; for in my great weakness I could not hâve sat a horse. But she found me cured, and in order to shew her Who had watched over me while I was serving Him, I let her see some three or four hundred poor people, who followed me out of the town ; and then she saw how they loved me, and how their prayers and entreaties had won my cure. Poor

> His brother Missioners, M. de Foiz, M. Meyster, and M. d« PanocfaeL

87» PRIESTLY I£FB IN FfUtfCS^.

tMi^ iii tMeir*aitOBishm€iit * at$ n|f veeoreijr^ th^-alt : kept'sayiùgy ^He-^waa'gone ta* Buadve» bvt he^haic oone^D^ack!" NotaUtbe wcalthiaiid^poskkMinoffnyv Êimily could hâve obtained my cure, as the prayos ofe thèse poerpeopledicL Tbuto beto Gad^ Wfaomcver fails tO" préserve thcin tbat are Hi^LbofwtRrar^eidDrattd' needy*— of a truâv<ire' Q«rer< lose anytiiûig.byisefms^

On Ui reton» t(»t Pam^ M. Olier was^waimlgrr receîved iDfythe reHgiotis worid generally^ asf.weUas; by Vincentde Paul, who embrach^ hû% saidy '' I dor> not knowwhi^ you dé to bnng itmboat, but assuredif!^ God'â Blessing follows^^you i«4ierever )rott/go,"' He continued working thus, reforming several large com vents, and girâig eveiywbere the nile of his ownt life — " Haire à Dieu'^ (" to pleas^ God,'')-^-nas thr walctewoid'of aholy Itfe^

Apparenttfttims at'thistiwerthat.M. Olierrboeame intnnate wiih the P^ Bcmrdoiscv alteady.iaantiQaedî as Tmidng \tt the causeof eeclésîàstical éducation aiidf refcHm. He ^seems tô hâve > been veiy^rougb aadrin»i* complkn^EitaTy m lus language^and somewfaatreKactr. ing in 1ms standard of ecdesiastioal * fitness ; for he^ rebuked M. Olier and hôs companions de FoiiSiandnde> Perrier, as wantii^ in external derical simpUcity, aadi he is said to hâve taxed S. Vincent de Paul with * Vie, pt L p. 86t

tîp)i<^ ^ cQii^dice, so 1^ as ta baiHi ^alte4 ^^ ^ peitfféi nmiUk^^ Nevertheless bis adviçe qa yaôaus points çmp^ted witb the subject wJhich was so dose ^, bp^ their hearts proved veiy valuablis to M. ÇMsi^t ^4 he ai^ bis comp»)ion$ alusays looked iipop. t)^ Père Bourdoise as their master in clérical

Agaii^ M. Olier nf^ on, the point of receiving the ^^^{i^pate, and again Père de Condren interfered. The Bishop of Châlons, like ail other true pastors, iftpum^d over the déplorable condition of bis diocèse ; a^ b^lieving that nothing wonld tend so mucb to its refoimation as agood Training Collège for the Clergy, ^a{]^lied to Cardinal Bichelîeu for M. Olier as bis qg^uto;; Louis XIII. at once confirmed the appointvç^t^ and the brevet was actually sent to M» Olier ; ^i|^. bpw^ver referred the question to Père de Condren, and was again told that God bad otber designs for him : wbereupon be immediately declined the office.

Cardinal Bicbelieu pressed tbe appointaient, and it was only after a personal interview witb tbe Missioner that be could believe in an ecclesiastio of that day d^berately refusbg such an office, whicb beld out tbe additional attraction of making its bolder a ^air (if J^ancç. Tbe disappointment of Madame Olier on ^ occasion kAew no bounds. However ligbtly ber ' Vie de M. Olier, pt. i.p. 99.

son might esteem such worldly dignities, they had the highest possible attraction for her, and her mortification took vent in the most bitter reproaches and almost estrangement from her son. He was not living under her roof at this time. Guided by de Condren's advice, M. Olier and his friends were living at Saint- Maur-des-Fossâ(, near Paris, preparing for theîr great work, and leading a community life, with M. Amelote as their Superior. M. Olier was an object of gênerai esteem and admiration — ^his personal advantages, his successfiil work, his resolute indifiference to high worldly office, ail tended to make him a great name, and he suffered acutely from the temptations of pride and vanity which beset him. He says that he felt himself entangled in a veiy network of self-<x)nceit and human respect ; and '^ when I came to that part of my confessions," he says naïvely, " I was in despair! Sometimes, walking alone in our garden after meals, I was so tormented by thèse ideas, that with tears I used to cry out, * When shall I find the Divine Life, and live to God Only ! ' "

His eamest prayers to be made humble were answered — ^as God is wont to answer the sincère prayers of His children — in a way M. Olier did not look for, and through bitter sufiering. A complète mental paralysis seemed to come upon him. He lost ail powers of memory and appréhension ; he could not

understand what he heaxd, or express hîs own thoughts ; sometimes when he tried to write, he did not succeed in producing two or three legible Unes after some hours* work. Whatever he undertook failed — ^a thick cloud had passed over ail his faculties, naturat and supernatural Of thèse last, he says (writing about that daik season) : '^ I had looked upon them (supematural gifts) as Personal acquisitions, and their withdrawal left me in a strange state of darkness and dryness — wîthout any sensé of God in me, fuU of ebuUitions of pride atnd self-love, hedged in with human respect, sensitively anxious as to what the world would think of me. Thèse notions gave me no rest, and were the greater cross that I seemed to yield to them. From the bottom of my soûl I longed to do nothing save for God, but nevertheless I felt as if I did everything for myself. So, too, I had fancied that the blessings attendant on my ministry were personal, and God in His Goodness withdrew them, in order to make me realise what I was without His Hdp, and Whose were thèse gifts which I had fondly thought to be my own, Thus, when I had to speak or expound some passage of Holy Scripture, I did it so confusedly and badly, in such incorrect words, as to prove that there was no spark of heavenly fire in me.

'^ Hearing confessions, I knew not what to say to my pénitents ; I was as one forsaken of (jod. I felt so

aTé ^tUEST£ Y LIFE IN FRA^fCE.

sorry; foc the people who came to me tkat i useiL to ejaculate mentally, ^Foor soulsl you knaw not whom yousedci "VlSiat amisfoitune I am toyoul' Whqi I was caHed on ta preach I had neither ideas or wavU at command; and thoug^ I continued at^âfi^t in pis^ei^ no ray of light gladdened me in it I ielt nought save daikness, diyness, impossibilhjr of looking up to God ; and so I thought ail I had ri&joiceâ î% before was but an illusion, and my worst trouble of ail was that I had no gr^unds to believe tiiat God loved me. One day Père de Condren was assuring me rïiat ail this was but trial and temptation. ^Would to God/ I answered, ' that thèse were only tnals, e¥en.if they lasted to ail etemity; so long as I am not abhorred of God, I should not mind' And my l^g teais feU^st'^

Every kind of extemal humiliation was adi|ed to thèse severe inwaid tnals — the whole woild, relations, fidendfi, attendants, gre^ and small, eveiy one seemed to.de^>ise and reject him. His refusai of the Kdiopric of ChiUons was tumed against him as thovigh he "9^^ déficient in intellect to Ipse such an oSicer-the !l^Ling, the Cardinal, the Chancellor, the Bishops, ail his relations and friends, spoke contempluously of him — ^stranger still, his fellow-labourers changed their high opinion of his merits, and b^an ta look down upon him aa foolish and devoid of God's guidtpg

SAINT SULPÎCn AND JEAN JACQUES OLIER, ^

Spîrît They restraihëd Mtû *)iii Ws wdifiary woHc j forbade him to preach or teach, or to heflârtcfilfessibns ssl^è hi c^tôè of ftbsoldte'iiecesri^^ tii«y ^Kttributedliis éxit^Hâé ^pre$isdoti to t@gti^ itt hsetibg beeii Undered acbéptftig tM% l^hôprfc, smd fte «ti|$âibr t)f dtaif HtHë cobnhùnitj, Ameldtè, told Mm thàt Ite was good for lidthiiig, aâd had better go awa^ «lid Mde himielf !

Tmty his prayèr that the hîgh eâtfecm and periloos good opinion ittén had of him might be aVertcd hàd recélved a bitter answèr I Even Père de Coti^n, in Whom poor M. Olier rested more than in any other human being, appearied to his troubled mind to fersake him, although evidently that saintly man, who had himself gone through spiritual trials and knetf their signification, looked upon thèse Which beset his spiritual son as only a part of Ood's training to makè hitn fitter for the great work. De Gondren's Hfe wte drawing to a close ; and on the very last occasion that M. Olier visited him, after dwelUng upon the Angèl èf the Apocalypse, and uiging dévotion to ^be Ble^sed Sacrainent as that specially incnmbent on the priesthôod, hé conduded by saying veiy earnestly, " Take the Infant Jésus for your Director" — ^Words Whith itapriessed M, Olier ail the more fordbly, diat he had ahreâdy givan himself up to the spécial guidance df the Child Jésus, — ^feeUng drawn above ail else to fhe 9weet helplessuess and tender patience of the Soviotit^s

Infoncy, in his own mental and ph3rsical weakness and incapadtjr.

They never met again. De Condren had by dûs time woiked out bis ideas conceming the éducation of the Cleigy, and intended committing them to writing, a proceeding whicb be bad delayed, not from indolence, but, as it would appear, from a désire to give prolonged tbougbt and considération to tbe matter. Now his iUness advanced in rapid strides upon him, and when Marie Rousseau (that devout widow wbose influence was so marked and peculiar among ail thèse leamed holy men) came to see him, and he spoke of beginning to write, she told him at once that it was too late. Père de Condren accepted her assertion calmly, and resolved to impart his thoughts verbally instead to M. du Ferrier, the disciple who was nearest at hand, and who was asking instruction on certain points. " We will leave thèse matters for the présent," de Condren said; "I bave other things to speak of, but it is late now : come to-morrow at eight o'dock."

Accordingly, the next moming, the vénérable Father entered at length into his views, and set forth his belief that, however valuable missions might be, their value was comparatively lost if the impressions made therein were not followed up by compétent handling of the people on the part of the local Cleigy ; expressing a strong opinion that if any real work of reforma-

tion was to be eflfected in the Church, it must be by deepening the religious life of the priesthood, and training the younger members thereo£ M. du Ferrier alteged the many difficulties which were looked upon as well-nigh msurmountable, but the vénérable Oratorian dismissed them ail, only requiring that those received into the Seminaries he wished to see established should not be mère bojrs, but young men, with character so sufficiently formed that a short time might give évidence as to their vocation and the probable good resuit of training them.

De Condren was still talking eamestly when his attendant lay brother came to summon him to say Mass. He bade him wait At eleven Frère Martin retumedy and was rather urgent with his superîor. Du Ferrier, knowing his master's usually exact habits, was surprised to hear him say, '^Brother, if you knew what I am doing, you would not hurry me; this is even more important than what you want of me." And he went on talking till midday, when he broke oflf, saying, " Poor Frère Martin, he will be quite vexed — we will leave the rest till to-morrow moming." So sa3ring, the General of the Oratory went to say Mass, and M. du Ferrier nevet saw him again. The next moming he was sufiering from such acute inflammation of the lungs that he was unable to speak, and during the week for which

«8c PRIESTL Y LIFE IN FRAITCE.

his Itfe wâs prolongea, anything like eéntbiifêd coiivërsfttieii was impossible. Dti Ferriar of ti9mt eoiiinranitàted d Aat hâd p«ssed benreen him and t1^ Tenottted ëirector to the ôther priis^ of ihe ttiâè Companjr ; atid foit^edng that thët« Wotild be «o fitrtiier opporttinity of siiy terb^J ktlextgoufSM^ he 96Ét a litige note on ^ erening of ^phemy fâlê issit night of Père de Condr^'s life), entreati&g that M'<}od called their Father to Himself, he VHrM ^y tiiat Ms mind and lights ccmceming the inost impc^tant stilyject might be inherited by sotne Hlût amoitgst âiefh.

Meaiiwhile Père de Condreû's last hoilr dtel7 near. In his intense humility he wished to niake his last gênerai confession before the whole coinmtmifyy and this being refused to him, he b^ged thê Fà^a: who confessed him to make no secret of his skis, afiS eamestly entreated every one to forgive his Ûa&ticomings and feîlings. There was a great ^in «hfe religions world when it was known that the Qenéfttl of the Oratorlàns lay djring, and his wa)n¥»d penifimt, Gaston, Duke of Orléans, came, in teal sorrdw of hesirt, to the bedside of his vénérable direct<nr to hear softte few parting words of eamest exhort£tti<^ P(^ ^ Condren accepted ail remédies patifently, only ëtMttétimes he said, '^ It is a misfortuo^ to be à Siipefidl?^4f more is to be done for him thaii Ibr othferSi" " ^n^ that God will this day convert the greatest of rimiêtti**

SAINT SULPTCB AND JEAN JACQUMS OUER. 2»!

he said of liBfiâêlf to the Father who i¥âs ministérii^ tb hîtti. Aftér teceivîlig ExtretHe Uiictiôn, he gave Mis last blessing to thfe assembled community : ** Pmi DûMBtâ Jesu^ d vive ih hisfamulis Ihis in plémfudIffK ^rhiNs TiuB, d donUftàre aâversa pi^iest(dty fâi 'ùvùk ft r^nas in secula secuhrum.^

He Iras constantly making àcts of édntrition and hôpe, through the pains of death, Which Were SévC^. ^'Mmiis imnini tdigif iner^ hé éxdaimëd shc^Ijr béfore the last Jiist at the end, wheh sorely ovërwhélmed with a bitteiness which thosé af ôtind likéâëd to our Lbrd's last Agony on the Cross, he cried but, ^^ Domine^ propitiaberis peccato meo^ mtMm est eHOnl^^

Père de Saînt Pé, who stood by, said, "Fathér, give yoursélf up to God." Wherëupon, With a clear starong Voice, the d)dng man replied, " My God, 1 éoihiÉnt Wy ébul into Thy HaiidsT àild so àqdrig he ëxpired, January 7, 1641.

Du Ferrier's little note had béen receîved the night befote, but no reply was sent, or indeed expected. The day after Père de Coiidren'ô burial, hoWeVër, M. Meyster — ohe of the small band he was trainiiig'fôr hi^ great Work — saw him in a vision, and reeeivéd (ébmmûmc&tiôBis as to that work, Whiëh exactly fittèd

« "The Hand of God hath touched me.*'— Job xix. 21. " Vulgate, Psa. xxiv. 11, English version, xxv. 10: "For Thy Kattté's Sake, Lord, be ihercifnl unto my dtt; for it h greiCt''

in with those already given to du Femer, beginning in îajci where Père de Condren's spoken instructions had ended ; and M. Olier himself was likewise permitted to see his bdoved spiritual Father in vision, who repeated our Lord's words, " Confidiit^ ^ vid mundum!*

At the time of Père de Condren's death, M. Olier was still suffering under the spiritual trials already mentioned, and this fresh grief might hâve been ezpected to increase his misery^ but he accepted it with the most absolute résignation, as may be seen from a letter written at this time to a nun in one of the communities he had reformed.

" Of a truth, my dear daughter," he says, " if we are to be overwhelmed at every change and chance, we should know but little peace in this world. I will tell you what has happened to me — ^my Êither and master has been taken from me by the Divine Will, which is our dearest Master, alike in giving and taking away, in dryness or in the sweetest joys. He was a man who helped me greatly in reaching towaids God, which is what I crave and delight in most He led me to try and be usefiil to you, and recommended your House to my care. He has taught me so many good and holy things ! Well, my Sister, but is not God's Will worth as much to me as even this holy man, who had nothing in himself save through that Holy Will?

Cannot He make up for ail that He takes away ? and cannot He do now above that which it pleased Him for a while to do through another ? My very dear daughter, let us adore the Will of Jésus, let us adore our Dearest Master ; He tums the thomîest paths to our sanctification."

It was not till late in that same year that M. Olier was gradually delivered fi*om his spiritual trials; by which time the little Community had moved to Chartres, where they hoped to begin a Seminary for priests. But the plan entirely feiled there, and the members were scattered about, and différences of opinion and plan — not as to the main object, but as to its exécution — threatened to extinguish the whole concem. Just as tliey were in this doubtfiil position, one of the number, M. Picoté, went to Vaugirard, on the outskirts of Paris, to help a devout lady, a former spiritual child of Francis de Sales, who had established a Community for the object of educating the peasant children around. Madame de Villeneuve, like other pious people, longed for better things among the Clergy, and had prayed for yeais that God would prosper the work of Seminaries ; and when M. Picoté told her of the failure at Chartres, she suggested that perhaps God would hâve His servants try to establisb the work at Vaugirard ? At first M. Picoté altogether put aside the idea, but it gradually approved itself ta

lS4 PRIESTL Y LIFE IN FRANCE.

\m vi&bA^ enough to make him wiite Usent it to his bréthiënj ahd afler many objectiofis raised \ff «fi, e^ëcii^ hf M. Olier^ it pleased Ood to tOEd^e die ktkter (whik in Retreat expr^fy wkh the ol3^ # ascertaining His Will) see dearly that it ifas ïhere God would hâve them go. Accordingly, a Tfety sBudl, poor hcMse was taken in the village, and ^ey ^egan thcir riew life^ without any servant, dépend^ npon Madame de Villeneuve, who used to sehd Uiem sonie potage and b&uiili daily for their dinner, and '^ a tittle roast mutton " at hight for supper as their only food. They put themselves under the direction x^ Ae Superior of the Bénédictines of Saint Màur — a Teiy holy man ; and M. Olia* ftutha* consulted S. VinceiiC de Paul, the Père Saint Jure, Pfere Bataille, a Bénédictine, and other persons 6î emineht wisdom and saintiiiiess, as to their course. M. BouidcHS^ toc^ éntered with great ardour into theîr plans. "€4ij what a great thing it would be,** he wrote te thékH "ifwecould find even tiiree priésts fiill enough ttf love for Christ's Church to foUow the leadhig of Ood^ Holy Spirit, and make a stand against the world atid its wajrs ! three priests who, wh«i they are shewn whttt He through His Church has Oïdered, do not fortiiwiHi answer, 'It is not the custom— we do nôt so— ^what would be said? — it is inconvénient — ^the wdrld WOtiW \ft offended — ^people would laugh at us— let us be cootéot

to, ^)^ thifig^ 9^ w^finfi them, ai^4 t^\ se^ up to bç igf^ Uim tj^o^ vhQ ^ent Mpre ^^ 1'" Hor nuist idl^ ]^o|i§6^^ b^ ov^lool^ Tbi^ w^W^t îp ^t^. of h^ buaibl^ çQ^^Udoi^ in life, filled a vexy r^gyiybvble positjm sunoog the inore devout part of q^^ty ajt t)^t time. '' She i» a light a^ a couosellpr tft.^D^ai^ Qfthç ipoet illustrious as wel) as. t)ie boUest p^optft m Paris^" 1^ Olier \nx>te. And after enumerating princesses apd ducbesses, tbe Ducbessç of Oidé^iï^ th$. Princesse de Cond^, andotbers» he adds, HAod apostoUc men a^d missionaries are glad to tt^nv God's Ways from b^ moutb. Tbe Père Eudes»» t^ gres^^t jnrjeacber qf our day, often consulUi b^» 9fif^ fif^ did Pèi^ dp Condren. Sbe ba3 been tbe çouas^r, qC M. du Cpudrtiyy r^ised up of Qod U>^ <èur $^ç)?(Jtfis$ipn$i" and SQ be g<3iM on witb a (o^g liit of ^ gQod iforks ifbicb were forn^ayd^ by A^uîe Sûttf^^s piayers and coiinsftlq. AU tbrougb l(^. Obères trfMibl^ £^ bad never questioned ipr a montât but tbat they were trials intended tp lead bim tpg^f^te]:beigbts of grâce» and now sbe urged some 9f tbP§c wbo bad taken a diffiprent view of tbe case to CQPQ^.tp Vaugirard» and see wbat be was doing. Ail bi^ mental, gifts bad retumed, bis preacbing» speakingi i^tever be uadertook» was adipirably done. It cb^nœd tbat tbq Curé of Vaugirard was called awaj^ and he left big parisb in cbarge of tbe litde Company»

sS6 PRIESTL Y UFE IN FRANCE.

who worked it admiiably. Priests began to flock in — some men of note^ such as M. de Bassancourt, and M. de Gondrin, who in two yeais' time became coadjutor of Sens. They were soon twenty in nmnber, and M. Olier was unanimously chosen as Superior, and thus at last the work which de Condren had looked upon as his '^ principal vocation " was Êiirly b^un in spite of difficulties and hindrances. But M. Olier was not destined to remain at Vaugirard

The frightful condition of the Faubouig Saint Germain, both moral and spiritual, has been already alluded to, as also the Mission held there by the priests of the Conférence de Saint Lazare ; but it was an illustration of what ail thèse holy men — de Bérulle, de Condren, Vincent de Paul, M. Olier, etc. etc., had ever said, — ^that no Mission can hâve more than a passing influence, where there is not a steady consistent work kept up by the local Clergy. The paiish of Saint Sulpice — ^which was at that period of a vast extent, ail subject to the jurisdiction, both civil and ecclesiastical, of the Abbé of Saint Germain — is described by ail who speak of it as the very sink oi Paris, for its utter irreligion and immorality^ and the Mission seemed to the Curé M. de Fiesque merely to hâve stirred up and brought to light the hopelessness of the evil. In utter despair he determined to resign his post, and knowing M. Olier, and seeing

how well he was supported by his company of priests, M. de Fiesque urged upon him to undertake the charge. At first the request was utterly rejected, but it was pressed by many whose opinion had great weight with M. Olier, — S. Vincent de Paul, Père Tarrisse, M. Bourdoise, and Marie Rousseau among others, — ^and at length he felt himself that it was a call from God, and once seeing that, he undertook the heavy burden cheerfuUy and gladly. Three points he set before himself as his work — the instruction and sanctification of the people, the sanctification of the Cleigy, and the training of young men for Holy Orders. "I feel such boundless longings for the salvation of ail men," he wrote, " and to infiise the zeal for God's Love and Glocy into ail hearts ; I think what it would be to send forth a thousand disciples to carry abroad the Love of Jésus Christ, and to do honour to the Blessed Sacrament on ail sides ; — ^and then when I reflect that this charge oflfered me may set ail this forward, I am overcome with happiness, and I désire nothing save to glorify my Master."

M. Olier's Êunily took a différent view of the matter. It was even worse than his rejection of the Bishopric of Châlons ; they looked upon his taking the office of an obscure parish priest as a dégradation to their house, and his mother and eldest brother came to Vaugirard and used eveiy means in their power^

ooAxîog and reviling altanately, to dissuade him from tlie 8t^; and finding ail in vain, his motlier refused taseehimagain.

M. Olier went at once into Retreat as a preparatic» for the new undertaking, and on the Assumption 1642 be and his fellow-workers and their Seminaiy took possesâon of Saint Sulpice ; the King, Cardinal Richeliçu, the Princesse de Cond^ the Duchesse d'Aiguillon, and numberless other great personages, testifying their hearty interest in the work, — which must hâve tended to modify Madame Olier's views as toi the loss of social position she thought her son was ÎBCurnng. Indeed, thèse great ladies, with seveial othexs, went to see the irate mother, and sti^^ve to appease her wounded vanîty by the interest they testified in her son's noble work for the Church.

Saint Sulpice was no bed of roses. M. Olier and his Communia (which ère long numbered fifty priests) devoted themselves not only to the active work of evangelizing the depraved wildemess which the parish presentedy but they also studied in every way to make their own lives forward that work. In order to avert die possibility of scandai, no women were allowed to enter the Seminaiy ;— ail fiinds were common, each member of the Community receiving food and raimenti but no one appropriating anything, whether revenue or offprings, to himself. '^It pertains to me," M.

OUejç wrptç» ''^ receive wkh (Hsie^hand^ and gnre with the odier — ^to. affoijçl tha nch an qppoitunity oî giving. to. OUI Dear liOrd througK His Mem)>ei6» but to take npthijQg from the p^uîsh for myself— appropnatmg part, of that which cornes in to the poor, part ta die maior lienance oC supeiamiuated Clergy, and the rest to the wants of the Community." Nothing coukL be simpler than the are provided for thèse last ; nevertheless M. Bourdoise used to laugh at his Mend for accustoomig men who were intended to go forth as poor country curâtes to a manner of living far more plentiâil than they would hereafier get in their village curacies. M. Oliez wisbed ail to wear the plainest dress possible ; his own cassock was made of coarse seige, and he would not hâve any of their surpUces trimmed with lace — ^a custom which has prevailed at Saint Sulpice to the présent day* The rules of the house were simple ; but M. Qlier laid great ^ess on their being fiaithfuUy kept; and without absolute necessity no one was to miss keeping the Canonical Hours» or the moming méditation. He divided the huge padsh into eight districts, over each of which a priest presided, who in his tum was aided by ten or twdve more, woïking under his direction. In every street some devout layman was to assist the Cleigy, keep a list of the parishioners, repoil: cases of sickness, and the likç. Those who were dangerously ill were to be visited

daîly, and othen less serioudy sick ware never to be Jeft more than two days without care, and the opportunity used for giving some religions help. Certain priests were intrusted wîth the administration oi the sick, others wa*e to attend to the Sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony^ giving heed that no one was neglected in those inatters ; — others were always ready to hear Confessions. Eveiy day after the principal meal, ail difficulties and cases of conscience were laid before the Superior, and if he could not résolve them, he used to send some member to the Sorbonne to ask comisel, and the answer was made known in the evening after supper. Such questions were continually arising, and the discussions and investigations conséquent upon them proved a most valuable part of the training for the Conmiunity. M. Olier shared in everything with the rest, refusing to accept any privil^es as Superior, save those of harder work and more anxiety than any one else ; and with this intention he took a vow "to serve ail Christians"* — by which he devoted his time, his property, himsel^ wholly to others ; adding to this yet another vow — " In ail things to seek the more perfect way."

One point of parochial labour to which M. Olier devoted spécial attention was teaching and catechising the children^ whose déplorable ignorance bade £ûr

' "servitude à tous les Chrétiens."

to produce another génération of no better morals than their parents. He also arranged classes and instructions for domestic servants, a much neglected section of society; besides varions others to meet the wants of ail ranks and âges ; and he set himself to stem, in every conceivable way, the tide of profligacy which ran strong on ail sides — ^taking uigent measures among the rest to hinder the habit of duelling, which was carried at that period to an inconceivable extent in Paris.

On ail sides the great work of Saint Sulpice was a matter of discussion and admiration. Statesmen and Bishops were found consulting its founder, who at this time was only thirty-four years of âge, although bis wisdom in spiritual things led men of double his years to tum to him for counseL But he was not self-reliant, and one of his constant objects was to draw other men whom he knew to be stronger than himself, as theologians, controversialists, or preachers, into his society, and thus to strengthen his hands. He knew, too, how to use the help of good la3rmen ; and indeed it cannot but strike one as a secret of M. Olier's success, that he was so quick in tuming whatever came to hand to good account For instance, finding that a sale of bad books and charms went on close to the church doors, he lost no time in setting up a rival libraiy of good books, and to this day a certain bookseller is

19» BRIBS2Z Y UFB m FRANCB.

ppvil^;ed lo keep his bookstall agakisfe the waUs pf Saint Sulpice, though whethec tfae Cl^gj^ sdtt aQ>aMb leod and revi^ its contents we^knownot

4i;ain» coming suddenly one day upon, a, km^ assembly of people suirounding a juggler, idbo mia canying on sundry unseemly buâboneries^ the Cuj:é of Sainjt Sulpice (whose powers of preaching wa» attractivi^ if not spedaHy leamed) atationed hîoiseli at a littl^ distance, and began to address the mob^ who soon forsook the juggler to hearken, and befoœ long, fasdnated by his eamest and vigorous woids, the whole assemblage was gathered round him.

A Confratemity of the Blessed Sacrament tendeé greatly to promote eamestness and devotiai, and it is a chaiacteristic anecdote of the times and persons, thaï one Thuisday, at the weekly meeting of tke Confrar teioity, when M. OKer was rebuking the i^per classes for their irr^^ulaiity in adoration of the Bessed Saoament, Charlotte de Montmorenci» Princesse d&Condi^ stood up and said humbly, ^ Monsieiu^ I n^lected il on Sa^rday> for I went to see the Queen instead;*^ ta which M. Olier replkd^ " It would hâve beea moie to your crédit, Madame, if you had corne ta the Court of the King of Kings."

& >^cent de Paul's Confrérie de k Chaské had

X ^' Monsieur, j'y ai manqué samedi, étant allée foire ma cour à bi Rtînc*''— Vie, pt ii. p. 194.

SAINT SULPICE AND ^EAN JACQUES OLIER, im

once begun to vrark in the parish, but <hftd afanost ékd out M. Olier re-established it, as well as Sisters of Charity, to minister among the poor and sick.

The old Church soon proved mnch too small for the worshif^ers, and on Febraary 20, 1646, the Qneon Mother, Anne of Austria, laid the ôrst stone of the new Samt Sulpice, built by the great architect of his day, <jramard; and in spite of ail the troubles of the Fronde, and various local disturbances raised up l^y the more profligate part of the parish, who found their profits hindered, the work went on bravely. It would be tedious to describe in détail ail the différent plans and Works which M. Olier set on foot for the benefit t>f his large parish, some of which, called forth by the «piedsing necessities of the day, in conséquence of the civil wars of the Fronde, were temporary only. It can scarcely be a matter of wonder that such ceaseless and anxious labours should hâve told upon anyman's health. M. Olier had alwa)rs believed that God Onty intended him to work the parish of Saint Sulpice for ten years, and had often said so to his intimate associâtes. One day early in the year 165», one ol ^ese remarked to him that it was almost ten years dnce he entered the parish, and that there was no fHrobability*either that he would or could leave it at à

présent "Ail that will be as it pleases God,'* was *

•the aiisweri; '^^we hâve only to leave ourselves and y

everything whoUy to Him, wîthout any thought of sel^ • aad He will do as seems best to Him."

M. Olia: knew even then that hîs health was fail* ing — he was already under médical treatment; but the one most needful remedy — ^rest — ^he was not taking. In June, however, he succumbed to a severe fever, and on the 2oth of the month the doctors declared that he could not live twenty-four hours. On beîng told this, M. Olier forthwith signed a document by which he resigned his cure unconditionally to the Abbot of Saint Germain, who (as has been said akeady) had suprême jurisdiction over it; and he also made his wilL This time, however, it pleased God to restore his health, not however until one of his fellow-labourers, M. de Bretonvilliers, had been appointed Curé of Saint Sulpice.

That he left it himself without any vainglorious satisfaction in the great work he had done may be gathered from a circumstance recorded a few months later. When passing through Lyons, M. Olier weiit to the Chiux:h of the Feuillants, and having taken his place in the first vacant confessional, he was seen to make his confession with such tokens of visible sorrow and contrition, in the shape of tears and sighs, that the lookers on supposed him to be some specially notorions fiînner graciously moved to pénitence !

In the year 1645, M. Olier had hegasa to build a

collège, which was a necessity under the circumstance of his rapidly increasing community. Various troubles had beset him in the process — ^among otheis a violent émeute kindled by the profligate people whose trade he had so greatly destroyed. It is a curious bit of contemporaiy history, illustrative of the times, to find a body of three hundred of the notoriously bad women living in the parish going first to the Luxembourg, and afterwards to the House of Parliament itself, to protest against their reformer ! They were altogether repulsedy it is true ; but M. Olierlived through stormy da3rs at that period, and for long he was obUged to hâve a guard of soldiers posted in the Community house to keep ofif the rabble. The Bishop of Rodez had attempted just after this to induce M. Olier to let him resign his see in his, M. Olier's, Êivour; and, as on similar occasions, refusing to décide for himself, M. Olier had referred the décision to his Superior, the Abbpt of Saint Germain, who, though originally opposed to the Seminaiy, now came entirely round, and entreated its founder to persévère. The Seminary was offidally confirmed as an ecclesiastical community in October 1645, and this new building was entrusted to Jacques le Mercier, aichitect of the Palais Royal and of part of the Louvre; — ^the chapel was painted by le Brun. The keynote to the whole inner Êibric was " Now I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;"

and in hannony With this, the Hidden Life ôT Otir Lord Was tnade the spécial object <A à weekly miner as of a yearly great festival. " If you can aroirie tlie hidden We in our piiests," M. OKer was wont to say, " we sball doj" and he continnally quoted S. Anibro^: ** Omnia Christus est nohis^ signaculum in jrùHie^ id semper cor^teamur: signaculum in corde^ ut ^semper diligamus : signaculum in brachio^ ut semper cpéremury " Per Christum^ cum Christo^ in Chritto!*

Some of the members wanted to put the inscription " CoUegium Apostolicum " over the entraiïce, titit M. Olier observed that if they put anything it oughtonly to be "Séminaire de Saint Sulpice," the name by which the woA was known. "But," he added, "I would rather put nothing, and let the institution be known more by its results than by its name. I w6uld ask 6ur Lord to let the thing speak for itsel^ and that our disciples may be known by their mannér of life, by their conversation, and their work for love off Ckxi and of His Church, so that it may be £Uy said cf our House, ^Nomen habet quod vivat.^ "

Once a year he appointed a day'On which ail the Comnmnity publicly renewed their ecclesiastical vows, Some Bishop, if possible, f)residing at the ceremony. Oit of affection for the memoiy ôf la Mère Agnes, to whom M. Olier always considered that he owed his vocation, lie a^ed to be admîtted intc the Third

SAINT SVLPICE AND JEAN JACQUES OLIER, 2i^1

Ot&sx di EkwninicaCiïs, which was gladly giianted irim Jhortly before he re^igned the parochial diaige of Stthxt Snlplce.

ÏVôin that time ail iiii^tiiûe and thongfats were gîven tô the Wotk which hâd so long been foremost in his heèùt — ^tttdning the Clergy; and his sucœss was as- «uredly great As the Bîshop of Nevers remarked: '' The extemal building is &ie, bat the inwaid building iq> of ecdesiastical life is far finer, and instead of saying with the Apostle, 'Behold what manner of stones aie herel' we might well exclaim, 'Behold what maimer of men are hère ! ' Freedom from worldliness, fraternal charity, lowliness and readiness for the htnnblest occupations, obédience and punctoaUty, are amdng the spécial characteristics of the Saint Sulfpîdensy as mentioned by contemporaiy writers. M. ^^er^ Personal influence with the Sëminarstes must hâve been great Many who came thinking themselves liestrly ready for ordination, leamt to take a higher, tftier view of the priesthood, and requhred to be uiged and encouraged to proceed when the time came. Not aU the students were young men. A certaih M. de Sève, iormerly Président aux enquêtes to the Pariia- 'tnent of Paris, came at sixty to be trained, and seems to tapve been mortifîed at being kept back from Holy Orders longer than he expected, in spite of his perseverii^ eitertions to prépare. A lettcr froto M. OKôr,

written with a view to console this worthy man, condudes thus : — " Humble yourself utterly before God, be patient, and listen quietly to your Master's Voice, saying to you as to His disciples, ' In your patience possess ye your soûls.' He will speak soon, but wait till He does ; and from the bottom of your heart — which knows how far you are from the perfection of those Orders to which you aspire — ^tremble lest you approach them before He sees you confirmed in His Wa3rs. Ail the future blessing and well-being of your life dépends upon the spirit in which you go up for Ordination, and your obédience to your Divine Master's Law. He does not accept the service of any one who thrusts himself forward, who does not wait His Call reverently, humbly, and patiently."

One b glad to leam that M. de Sève in due time obtained his object and proved a valuabl^ eamest priest

M. Olier pressed the importance of study with great urgency on his disciples, especially such as immediately concemed their office. " In the Confessional,'' he said, " you are called upon suddenly, and without time for consultation or référence, to give décisions on the most important of questions, décisions against which there is no appeal, and which will influence your fellow-men through ail etemity. In the pulpit you hâve to deal alike with the leamed and the

ignorant, to maintain Gospel truth, to combat against vice, to resist the force of public opinion, to réfute and expose heresy, so tbat the simplest can understand you; ail of which necessarily requires a more than ordinaiy amount of knowledge — deeper and fuUer than that men commonly acquire— of a stronger, more practical character." Day by day more men flocked in to obtain such teaching, and before long Seminaries were started on ail sides, ail of which M. Olier was glad to promote by sending members of his Society to start them, tbough he did not wish to take them permanently into the hands of that Society. He always maintained that Saint Sulpice could do more good by training priests who should retum to their own diocèses, and themselves found and govem similar institutions. Wherever he went, he was beset with requests on behalf of Bishops or towns wanting to train Clergy, and Seminaries at Rodez, Limoge^ Nantes, Aix, and many more, soon arose.

On two or three différent occasions, after resigning his parochial charge, the missionary spirit rose so strongly in M. Olier, that in spite of his failing health he would fain hâve gone to China with Père de Rhodes, who however, believing that the Founder dl Saint Sulpice was in his rîght place, declined to take him, a refusai which M. Olier attributed to his own uur worthineas. He was offered the Bisliopric of Babylon,

30O PRIESTL Y LIFE W FRANCE.

idth a yieir to the Fersian Missions, but tfae Saint Stilpiciens tmammously declared âiat he must not leave them. The final i^esnlt 6f ail tMs ii^as the establUbment of the Séminaire âes Misions Etrangères. M. OHcr was also activeîy condefrtied in North American Missions, and a great promota* of the Spiritual Wdfare of the French colonists.

This active life, spent so entirely ^ his Mastei's scîrvice, was hoWever fest drawing to a dose. M. OKer had never been really well since the illness Which immediately led to the résignation of bis parochiad charge, and one malady after anotho: laid hold of him with unrelenting tenacity. His doctors sent him to varions places for change oî air, or minerai wàters, bot a stroke of paralysis came, and deprived 'hhn of the use of his left side. This occurred at Péray, near CorbeiL He was removed as soon as it H^^Ss practicable to Paris, and during the long ilhiess that ensued, his remarkable cheerfulness and calmness impressed S. Vincent de Paul so strongly that he could not refrain from commentîng on it to those who wéÈtched over the sick man. Yet some portion of the spiritual trials which had so harassed him formerly caftne again upon M. 0Uer, with this remarkable <eature ho^ever, that now, even when most dry and *powerless, asitseemed, hewas ah<ra)rs completelyHce ihis former sel^ overflowing with rich spiritoal and

SAINT SULPIÇE ANi> JEA^ JACQUES OLIER, y>i

naental^o);eswhenai^oQiecameto.çon$uUhiin» Sp^e one noticed thb to him, and ûkq an^weir giv^n» ^th,a SQÛle, was — ^that he seemed now to, havje two hesydsi ooe his own, whkh was in a sony state^— the oih&i one provided by God for \m neighboui's s^iyice. Tk^ Queen» came to see hûn, and after his departure on^ of hU attendant priests, who Ç^ed that he was. no. longer equal to the occasion, a^ked something coi^ cerning the interview? ''God gave me sonie Uttlfr malters to satisfy her ^th," was the ansiwei;.

Frequently M. Olier could neither çead nor meditî^t^ npr do anythiçg to lighten the weapsoroeness of his confinement, and just then it was that interior diyness would press heaviest But he would only say, " Onij Dear Lord will not hâve me find pleasure in anything. I must be satisfied^ and submit willingly to His commands." It is touching to hear of bis deligbt u^ i^ little tame bird, which would sit on his table and pick up crumbs, but one day the wmdow was left c^er lessly open, and the bird flew away i

The doctorg wished him to take the Eamç de Boi;m> bon, and though not expecting any benefit himself» bç obeyedy travelling thither by slow stages. There ?^ some cbfficul^, in arrangii^ the joumey so, ^^^ to xest in hôtels near to a churcb, and it was suggested that duxing tl;^ joumey he should abstain fnm receiving Holy Conununiop. ** Hay^" the sick nuu^ exçVtiq^

*' take what else you will away, but leave me that, the one only comfort I bave."

M. Olier felt that his end was at hand; and he wished once more to visit Notre Dame du Puy, and JLangeac, where his still well-loved friend the Mfere Agnes rested. At the latter place he said, smiling, to the Prioress, pointing to the stick by help of which he walked painfiilly: "You see what I am brought to, ma mire; it is ail thanks to ia Mère Agnes /" meaning that she had foretold the many crosses which, in God's mercy and love, were to lead him heavenwards.

As death drew nearer those around were struck with his increasing delight in dwelling on the Résurrection, a mysteiy which had always had a peculiar attraction for him. He asked for a picture représenta îng it, and feeble as he was, one day he remained for an hour on his knees before this picture. His nurse remonstrated at length, and was permitted to lift him back to his arm-chair ; but M. Olier exclaimed, " Who could ever grow weary while thinking of that mysteiy!" From time to time he was heard murmuring to himself, " Ah, sweet Etemity, — not far oflf now 1 " He refrained from talking much of his coming death, seeing that it distressed his brethren, but on Ash-Wednesday 1657, he said to M. de Breton villiers, "Let us make ready, for we shall soon hâve to part Easter will bring the parting." He then named M. de Breton-

villiers as his successor, and henceforward daily conferred at length with him conceming the working of their Seminaries. To the last he continued such ministrations as he was able to perform. A lady of high rank, long his pénitent, asked him to fix the time most convenient to hîmself for hearing her confession. "It must be before Easter," he replied; and it was observed that as another person for whom he had a great r^;ard left his room, he gave her his blessing unperceîved by her. On Monday in Holy Week, March 26th, he had another slight stroke, without losing his consciousness, but henceforth he ceased to notice anything save that which had référence to God. On Easter Eve some one asked M. Olier to remember him when he entered upon the blessedness of the Saints, using some expressions of praise which roused the patientas humility. *' You grieve me very much," he said eamestly. During Easter Day he had fréquent attacks of unconsdousness, and the power of speech was entirely gone, but at intervais he was able to make signs of afifection to his friends, and his countenance was beautifully calm. On Easter Monday, S. Vincent de Paul came to see him as usual, and remained beside his seemingly unconsdous friend until he drew his last breath towards the evening. This was April 2, 1657.

The great woiii of revival among the Clergy io

30i PEiBSTLX UFS IN mAd^CM.

France had now i^eadml ita dimax, and ii the œoB& conspiaiocia skaro resta wkh &e Lazaijsts. ajad tfae Saint Sulpiciens, in wkose hands the smaE seed gceiv. to a mighty tiee, we cannot forget tkat the seed ihself was planted and watered by dieir farethren, die QcatorianS) and espedally by their âdthôil friends» Pi^se de Bâiille and Charles de Condren. It was a &votirite maxim of the latter tkat ^ a man skcMiU onty love his own Cc^regation relatively to. tibe wbi^e body of the Church;" Le. that no narrow party spjpt savouringof I amof Paul, and I of ApoUos,^ shouU mar the breadth which sa3rs of ail, '' I am of Chiîst^' Oratorians, Lazarists, and Seminaiists ail alike soughl one end — ^the Glory of God j aU combinée^ each aftet' his own gift, to set it forth. Surdy ail, drawing round the Great White Throne hereafter, wilà the counttess soûls their loving labour has gathered in, will joi^ i& the same song of trnimph, ^^SalvatioA is of our God Wtôch sittetk uppn the Throne, aïKl of tàsi LamkL^