The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-04-26

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duced into France, where the celebrated
Cardinal de Berulle became its pro-
tector, and where it was rendered
/ illustrious by Blessed Mary of the In.
carnation, and later by the sanity life
Of the daughter of Louis XIV, known
as Madam Louise de France. From
France the order spread to Belgium
and in the beginning of the seventeenth
century monastery was founded at
Antwerp by an English woman, Lady
Mary Lovel. The first religious of this
community had all been formed by the
Spanish mothers, the companions of St.
| Teresa herself. and from this English
Carmelite convent OF Antwerp our
| American Carmel derived its origin, be.
ing thus directly connected with the
great reformer of Carmel. Certainly an
! order so serene, 50 exact in the observ-
I ance Of its rule, SO devout to the Queen
and Lady of Carmel, so fertile in saints,
must be
DEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD
and ought to command our admiration.
But in this busy, active country of ours,
this age OF iron. steam and electricity,
men require more tLan objects of admi-
ration. The Order of Carmel may be
beautiful, it may be poetical, it may be
admirable, but we stand in need of
something more than beauty and poetry;
we need that which is useful. OF what
good are the contemplative orders, espe-
ciany in the nineteenth century, when
the ways and methods of the past are
fast drifting away. and above all in this
country, where the Church requires
more active orders? There is so much
to be done; churches aud schools must
be built and supported, higher educa-
tion must be promoted, Catholic liter
ature encouraged. What room can we
possibly have for contenplative ordersp
These are the questions that arise before
the minds Of some Catholics.
After defining the word useful the
speaker said: II we had no other eud
beyond this transitory existence, and if
our final destinv were merely to eDjov
1.-THE pleasures of this life, should say:
The contemplative orders are not use
full; they are opposed to our felicity; do
away with them. But we, enlightened
by reason and faith, we know that we
have higher destiny to accomplish,
that we are now only in the morning Of
our existence, that we have merely be
gun to live. We have an end that
stretches far beyond the limits of this
mortal life. Philosophy and faith both
teach US that
MAN HAS A TW0-FoLD END.
Primarily, God s glory. and, in the
second place, his own happiness. We
are all created for Gods glory. We
could not have been created for any
thing else. Consequently, If we only
glorify God in the way He desires chat
we should. we are useful and reach our
last eud. You ask me of what use the
contem p!ative orders are. Is there not
utility in the stars, the lamp, the
seraDhim who stand around the throne
Of the Omulpotent2 Then 1 answer,
those pure souls who surround the altar
of God in the contemplative life glorify
their Creator according to their vOca-
tion. They do what the flower does in
the desert, what the stars do in the hr-
mament, what the lamp does before the
blessed sacrament, what the angels do
in heaven. A c0ntemplative convent
in the midst of busv, pleasure loving
city is a lesson in itself. O. if Boston
only possessed a Carmelite convent,
what a splendid example would be
given us, aud how we would run in the
sweet odor of the virtues practissd by
those daughters of st. Teresal
Add to the advantages just enumer-
ated that Of the prayers of the contem.
platives, and we will form some small
idea of the profit to be gained by the
possession of Carmelite monastery In
our midst. He who can seriously ask
himself the question whether the CON-
templative orders are useful must doubt
the efficacy of PRAYER. Do we not be-
lieye in the communion of saints? But
whv are the prayers of contemplatives
better than those OF othersi Because
thev are further removed from the con.
taminatiOn of the world; because they
pray. more; because prayer is their life.
Our Young American churc1 has done
wonders ia century, but we must not
lose sight of the fact that our interior
progress must keep pace with our ex-
terror advancement, for all is not GOLD
that glitters. We have vet much to
learn in the line Of reflection, conten
platlOn and PRAYER.
And when our sins arise before the
GOd OF Justice the
HOLY CONTEMPLATIvES
will be as spiritual lightning rods to
avert the thunder bolts of the Al
mighty's indignation. Ten just men
.cnuld have saved the guilty cities OF
ES5dOm and GnmOrrah, and shall not
many holy souls be able to effect the
same incur tlay?. And who knows, the
day may not be far distant when we