The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-05
CALL TO ALTAR OR cLoIsTER.

CALL TO ALTAR OR cLoIsTER.
St. Paul names the universal
Christian state as vocation, says the
Rev. Walter Elliot, c. S. P. Address
ing "all the saints" and "all the faith
full at Ephesus, he says: Brethren,
l, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech
you that you walk worthy of the vo-
cation in which you are called (Eph.
iv. y. And the holy promises of bap-
tism are immemorially called vows.
The same apostle in the next chapter
of Ephesians again includes every
body in the exhortation ito advance
towards the perfect man, in the meas
ure of the age of the fullness of
Christ" Our present Holy Father,
Plus X, calls attention to this all
embracing counsel in one of his En-
.cyclicals. A most interesting subject
is this, my brethren; but we must
ask you to wait for it's treatment at
another time. For at present we are
to consider the special call which in
vites men to enter the priesthood, or
causes men and women to join re-
ligious communities. Everyone knows
that the pursuit of perfection is or
ganized into separate associations for
particular ends. Each of these orders,
as they are called, has its own in
SEPARATIONS, history, saints, and other
holy personages; and its rule of life
is the Gospel of our Lord, arranged
appropriately to the purposes in
view. Let us consider how one
passes from the ranks of "all the
faithful into one of these specially
organized bodies.
The Apostle says that every one
hath his proper gift from God, one
after this manner, and another after
that" Il Cor vii. y. And each one
learns just where God would lead him
by various plain signs. But out
ranking all other signs is the pur-
pose of perfection, an interior sign
which is a powerful drawing away
from ordinary human existence to-
wards divinely holy one. A general
state of piety oVerspreads the
thoughts and sanctifies the conduct
of such a person. A sharp purpose
of advancing deeper into religious
conditions accompanies it-holy prog
ress rules supreme. In this souls
vocabulary there are two words never
found together, the word "good" and
the word enough" What is good is
never good enough to one who is be-
ing drawn onward to closest union
with that Good which is infinite.
This explains why so many voca-
tions to particular orders are gen
Grated at missions or other such
spiritual exercises. No order of re-
ligion is mentioned in the sermons,
but from beginning to end the worth
of the soul, the infinite fullness OF
Gods claims upon it, the folly OF
earth's joys, and the lessons of death
and judgment, heaven and hell-all
these tremendous spiritual forces are
driven home Providence soon pro
vides the pointer to particular and
definite outlet for the overflow of the
spirits fervor Sometimes it is
acquaintanceship with some priest
either religious or diocesan, or with
a member of a brotherhood, or nun;
sometimes a mighty impression oil
love for some religious institute is
gained in the persons reading Of
history; not seldom the institute
joined is the positive suggestion of &
spiritual guide
St. John of God in the earlier era
of his marvellous career was so deeply
moved by the sight of any poor man
that while yet a layman he otter
gave away his outer garments anC
returned home stripped to his shir
and breeches This caused something
like scandal, but it was the origin o
his founding his order for the car
of the sick and the insane. For tn,
Bishop, to prevent John from thu
acting, chose religious garb for him
and compelled him to wear it-some
thing decent that he could not Civ
away. Such was the beginning of hi
community. But his real calling from
the Holy Spirit was given him lon
before he got his habit. This haI
pened from his attending missio
preached by Blessed John of Avils
during which he was almost drive,
wild by the realization of God
majesty and his own sinfulness.
Now it is that development into
definite choice of community, or G
the diocesan or religious priesthood
which is commonly and not unreaso1
ably called vocation. It's validit
is thus tested by St. Frances de Sales
"A good vocation is simply a fri
and constant will which one has, t
serve God in the way and in tn
places that Almighty God has Gale
him to. That is the best mark ths
one can have, of showing when
vocation is good (Letters to Person
in Religion, Mackey, p. 1867. Thu
the best mark is simple enough; an
yet it is essentially interior, "a fir
and constant will" Soon it is exte
nalized under the indispensable gui
ance of ones father confessor
When God speaks. mans part
quickly to kneel and listen and ador