Dear Readers,

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”

There is still out there, in the midst of a crazy world, a generous youth aspiring to purity of heart and nobility of soul, seeking “a higher chivalry.”

Some time ago, when the war against the Holy Mass led to the destruction of religious life seen as something impossible to live, a saint gave some wise rules, a sort of ‘Catholic spirit check-list.’ It included these two:

- “To praise much Religious Orders, virginity and continence, and not so much marriage as any of these.

- “To praise vows of Religion, of obedience, of poverty, of chastity and of other perfections of supererogation” (St. Ignatius).

The very existence of souls striving to live up to the evangelical counsels is an apologetic proof of the one true and holy Church; it draws souls. Archbishop Lefebvre observed that to see some modern-day youth living in such an impure world and nevertheless wanting to be “eunuchs for the kingdom of God” is a proof that God is still with His Church.

Nothing is new under the sun. There has always been and will always be youth taking up the challenge of the Beatitudes.

Remember a young Anthony filling the deserts with monasteries, or the disquieted and about-to-be-conquered Augustine hearing Lady Continence “honestly alluring me to come and doubt nothing, and extending her holy hands, full of a multiplicity of good examples, to receive and embrace me; there were there so many young men and maidens, a multitude of youth and every age, grave widows and ancient virgins…” (Confessions). Tolle! Lege!

Every century has had its legions of generous hearts. Some just know how to tap these “fountains of living waters.” The good mothers of the Italian village of Lu did so with their weekly holy hour for vocations. In about 50 years, 323 vocations (priests and religious) came out of a tiny village of 3,000 souls! Their motherly prayer was perfect:

O God, grant that one of my sons may become a priest! I myself want to live as a good Christian and want to guide my children always to do what is right, so that I may receive the grace, O God, to be allowed to give you a holy priest! Amen.

Go and do likewise!

 

Fr. Daniel Couture