The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-07-28

learning which God has been pleased to
accumulate in person so young and yet
so grave and as the possibility of availing
myself of it may be too short, will not
allow these precious moments to pass
away without asking you to give me in
structiou on a subject to me most impor-
tant. understand that your reverence is
a Carmelite. What does your paternity
think of the Capuchin order?"
"My LADY," said the young friar, "ths
is, as your ladyship observed very i'm
portant question but, at the same time,
one which / could not possibly answer
without assuming the gravest responsible
ty. May l therefore beg of your lady
ship ?'-
Holy father" said the lady, "please
do not plead any excuse This question is
to me of the greatest importance, and may
interest my salvation itself, especially as
my confessor."
What? Does the confessor or your
ladyship belong to the Capuchin order ?"
Yes, my reverend father, he does"
In that case, my lady, it is doubly
incumbent on me to be entirely silent on
this subject especially as''-
Especially as what? Oh please, my
reverend father, do not torture me. Do
not torture poor sinner who humbly seeks
to know whether the guide to whom she
has intrusted her spiritual interests be
worthy of her confidence. And if there is
indeed any special reason why should not
commit the care of my soul to a member of
the Capuchin ORDER pray let me know it
before it be too late"
The fact is, my lady, that there is no
absolute reason why the Capuchin order
should not be considered worthy of conf
dence, especially as that order is confirmed
by the authority of the Holy See, which
we are all bound to obey, although
Although what? Oh 1! my father for
PHYS sake, reveal unto me that secret, or
else-shall throw myself at your knees ?''
"My lady, was only going to say that
we are bound by our respect for the Holy
See to entertain the deepest reverence for
the holy Capuchin order although-al-
though |, for myself, should on no account
have wished to enter it, and have my rea-
sons TO prefer the Carmelite order"
And may know what those reasons
are"
My lady, nothing that could be con-
sidered as being in the least degree dis
creditable to the holy Capuchin fathers.
If any thing, it is rather creditable to their
humility, although
Was your reverence going to say,
Although their humility is not COM
plete' ?"
"on the contrary, it is so complete that
it is even carried into excess, to such an
excess, indeed, that should really hesi-
tate to say in what it consists"
"Reverned father, as it is only an excess
of virtue, your telling of it cannot in the
slightest degree injure the venerable Ca
puchin fathers, and can only add to the
esteem in which we hold them.'
"Your ladyship is right. This is the
point Of view in which should place my
self, and not to speak in such matter
would be indeed sinful, as it would leave
the people in ignorance of some of the
virtues of the holy Capuchin order-virtues
of which those holy fathers themselves do
not boast, being, of all the monastic or
ders, the most specially addicted to the
practice Of humility. Know, therefore,
my lady, that those holy fathers are SO
humble that they carry humility to de-
gree of which most men are, and Iacknowl-
edge myself to be incapable. Whenever
they commit mortal sin, instead of telling
it to their confessor alone, and concealing
it from the whole rest of the world, they
make silent but public acknowledgment
of it by sewing an additional patch to their
robe"
My readers must be told that one of the
ehiefest points in which the Capuchin order
boasts of humility consists in wearing
garments as old as possible; and the holier
Ter Capuchin is the more is his garment
covered with patches, of all dates, sizes,
and shapes, and of all the shades of brown
from a dead-leaf color to almost black.
Some Capuchins enter the order at the age
of fifteen, and reach that of hundred
years without having had, during all that
time, more than one robe, the appearance
of which, as far as patching is concerned,
may be imagined The number of patches
is not however, so far as am aware, in
any direct ratio with the number of mortal