Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-10-06
CATHOLIC Retreat.
a Severe Spiritual Discipline for the
Promotion of Religious Life---The
Object of the Retreat---Periods of
Absolute Silence.

OBJECT OF the Retreat---Periods of
Absolute Silence.
New York Sun.
At the present moment the Roman
Catholic archbishop of Toronto, Bishop
Mahoney, and twenty-seven priests of
all ranks. from the vicar general to the
humble backwOods pastor, have shut
themselves up in strict retirement
since Monday, and will continue till
Saturday morning in one unbroken
round of prayer, self. examination. and
meditation. This discipline is Of an
nual recurrence with all ecclesiastics
and members of religious orders in
the Church of Rome 1t is also not
unusual with such of the laity as are
devoutly disposed. 1t is also of obi.
CATION that all clerics and religions
who are about TO take holy orders or
to assume the obligation of the
mOnastic or religious life, should spend
ten days in retreat before they incur
the responsibilities of the state TO
which they aspire, Il course not unfre.
quently pursued by lay persons before
entering on the married state. or TAX
ing any steps in life which entails
fresh or higher obligations. In the
case of the laity, however, as thew
have neither the time nor the opportn.
nifty Tor such a retirement, retreat
generally assumes the form of a mis-.
sion pre- Iched in one of the public
churches by some member of the
Jesuit, Passionist, Dominican, or Re-
demptorist orders, who. by FREQUENT
services, constant and fervent preach
ing, and eXhorting for fortnight. en-
deayor to accomplish in a different
way the same end.
The object of the retreats is TO di-
rect the whole bent of the soul to-
ward its beginning and its last erd.
TO cause the man to enter into himself.
to examine into his past life, and see
how far he has fallen short of attain
ing to the object for which he was
sent into the world, to know, love and
serve his Maker on earth, and to dis
cover. 10y determination, whether he
Is likely 20 attain the end for which he
ought TO be living-the salvation of
his soul, and Gods greater glory. In
order to find this out more perfectly he
re'ires from the world, and, under the
directions of some experienced ecclesi-
astic, gives himself up to a course of
religious exercises. This is called. in
the Catholic church, going into re-
treat.
The conduct of a retreat is ALWAYS
entrusted TO some skilled ecclesiastic.
generally member of religious or
der. In the present case, the bishop
or Buffalo has undertaken the task.
y retreat for priests differ from that
given to lay people, and is always con-
Quoted in private. This is an invariable
rule, and With good reason. The d.
rector has to deal with them both as
| priests and as men. In the former ca
pacity he has to instruct them as to
their pastoral duties, and often to en-.
ter into delicate matters concerning
the confessions and their treatment of
the penitents. AS men, he has to
touch with the sparing hand on the
faults and sins incidental to human
lily. some Of which assume different as
poets TO scclesiastics.
Complete silence is the first rule IN
every retreat. The retreatants are in
separate rooms. They meet i'm common
10 make their meditatiOns, to hear the
instructions, to say their breviary. and
10 have their meals, during which last
a portion of scripture and chapters of
some spiritual work are read aloud. all
conversation being expressly forbidden
rs a matter of conscience. During
their seasons of recreation they walk
10y themselves in the garden or corrld-
ors OF the college or palace, brother
passing brother and friend friend with
out the slightest token of recognition.
At certain times they keep solely TO
their rooms, praying, reading devotion.
al works, meditating on what they have
heard, or preparing for the general con-
fessiOn they have TO make at the end
of the retreat. Every morning they
hear or say mass. AS rule, they re.
frain from saying mass during the first
two or three days, called the purgative
period, when the meditations are all
directed toward making the penitent
see what his spiritual condition is.
how far he has gone astray during his
life, and especially since his last re-
treat. The whole period of his life
time he marks out into stages, and de-
votes as much time to recalling his act
ions and words, if possible his very
thoughts, during each of these stages.
These he cOnfesses before the alter
privately, and bears in mind for the
general confession he has to make to
the director. Toward attaining this
end perfectly he makes his meditation
at $50 every morning, hears or says
mass, visits the blessed sacrament. at
tends another instruction, says his of
ice and rosary, meditates again, and
examines his conscience once more. all
with the same intention. During the
day also he listens to a discourse on
the priestly life, what it ought to be
and is not, and in fine is supposed 10
be 50 thoroughly spiritually introvert-
ed that he goes to confession a true
penitent. and, having received absolu-
ton and good advice, is ready for the
llluminative period, when comfortable
things are spoken, words of encourage
ment and cheering.
His soul is now supposed to be made
whole, but still to require nourishing
and building up through the Holy Spir-
IL, Tor whose illumination and aid he
prays as constantly now as he did be-
lore Tor the spiritual searching out of
ms soul as with lanterns. Instead of
the Miserere he says the Magnificent.
and for the DE Profundis he substitutes
the Benedicite. The theme of the
preacher is of the sheep that was
found, while at the same time a strain
OF caution underlies his exortations.
Ihey stand now, let them take heed lest
they fall. Watch and pray" is the key
note. Take unto yourselves the whole
armor of God" the golden text. Silence
Is still prescribed, but often the silent
echoes of the night are awakened by
The sound Of the penitential discipline
or scourge which some enthusiastic