The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-07
SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN.
(Concluded.]

Cf1OuteO MS properly among nef cNlluren,
and abandoned the outward pomp which
surrounded her, to lead poor and peni-
tential life, never wearing linen articles OF
dress, except a veil of that material to cover
her head. When her worldly minded friends
found fault with her for this, and called her
weak-minded woman, she replied: al
did not begin this manner Of life to please
you, and your railleries cannot make me
change my resolution" AS the praises of
the world did not affect her, neither did its
disdain make any impression upon her
heart. She was confirmed in her pious de-
sign by our Lord. who appeared to her in
the midst of a luminous cloud, and said to
her " I am thy Master and thy God; thou
shalt be my spouse, and through thee l will
make known to men many secrets they are
now ignorant of. What thou shalt say will
contribute to the salvation of many. Hear
my voice, and give to thy confessor faithful
account of all the mysteries shall manifest
to thee" This was the commencement of
her revelations, and thenceforwafd she
never undertook anything without being
moved to it by the impulse Of the Holy
Ghost. A celebrated theologian, named
Matthias, Il canon of the Cathedral of LinkG-
ping, was her cOnfessOr Mt that time.
During the thirty years she lived after
the death of her husband, she practiced the
greatest austerities ; size used innumerab1e
ways of following the advice of the Great
Apostle, and subjected her body to the
spirit by many external penances; she took
but little sleep, and that ON n carpet spread
on the floor beside her bed. When asked,
one day, how she could bear the cold which
is SO intense in Sweden, she avowed that
she felt SO much ardor interiorly, that she
was almost insensible to the severe climate.
She often arose to pray during the night,
kneeling SO long, making so many pious
prostrations, that it was a subject of wonder
that n lady of her rank and of such delicate
organization could bear such excessive aus
terities. Every Friday she let fall melted
wax from lighted taper upon her flesh,
until severe burn was made, and if the
wound healed before the next Friday, she
I would reopen it with her nails, SO much did
she desire to suffer, SO much did she fear to
be without. some new pain. On the same
day, in cOmmemOratiOn of the bitter draught
presented to our Lord, on the cross, she
held in her mouth bitter herb, in order
thus to participate in the sufferings of her
Divine Master. She did the same whenever
she happened to speak too hastily, thus ex-
plating Immediately the slight faults of her
tongue. From childhood she was accus-
toned to confess every Friday, but after
frequently to confession. She made her
confession with profound humility, and
though she had but inconsiderable faults to
confess, she had an extreme sorrow for them,
| weeping and grieving more bitterly for
having fallen into them than others ordina-
offenses. Every Sunday and ON solemn
festivals of the Church she received the
most Holy Eucharist with incredible devO-
ton and abundant tears. She did not limit
herself to the fasts of the Church, but tasted
regularly four days in the week, and oftener,
On Friday she took nothing but bread and
water, and observed other fast days with
the same rgor. In fact, she avoided no OPP
portunity of doing penance, but sedulOusly
sought occasions of suffering and of humili-
ating herself, being fully convinced that such
her soul capable and worthy of receiving the
immense treasure of graces with which her
Divine Master favored her.
But though severe to herself, she was full
of sweetness and consideration for others,
and all her actions bore the imprint of
charity and humility. She had, above all,
an extreme tenderness and compassion for
the poor. Every day she fed twelve poor
persons, waiting upon them herself at table,
and on Thursday washing their feet. She
founded hospitals for the sick and conva-
lescent, and, besides serving the sick, paid
others to attend to the hospitals she had
founded. Her love of poverty was so great,
that she resigned, for a time, her own rev.
enue to another, receiving as an aims what
was necessary for her support. She mingled
with the poor women begging at the doors
of converts; and, even, when in Rome, and
occupIeu WIFI iihPoi tahU aiialrs, Sne Woulu
take her place and ask aims at the gate of
the Monastery of st. Laurence, in which
she was afterward buried and especially
honored. She preferred the bread she
received as an aims to the most delicious
viands. '.'
Her zeal for the glory of God was mani
tested not only in her familiar discourscs
with friends and the advice she gave 70 the
multitude of persons who were attracted to
her by her many virtues, but also by the
numerous letters She wrote to all kinds of
persons-to the emperor, to kings and
princes, bishops, and priests, and religious,
and oven to the Holy Father himself. But
the light she received from On High, that
enabled her to give sound and malicious
advice and instruction to all, made her more
humble Def re God and before men. She
was ALWAYS obedient to her confcssor and