The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-10-01

10 Our LOrd-not g0ld, lnQeeQs DUt
golden, living faith, pure and I'M
alloyed.
He brought not frankincense,
but the unrningled sweet odor of
Justice and charity. He gave NOT
myrrh, but the lowliness Of .
psnitentisl heart. And his pen
anees were constant and mani.
fold He bore with UnFuffled pa
Fienes the cross OF bodily FraiItY
and recurring illness.
He endured misunderstanding,
prosecutions extending to attempts
upon his life, calumnies and mis-
representations before the Holy
See, Imprisonment, and finally re-
preston of his missionary labors
when they we're most fruitful in
conversions. But he bore the heav-
lest of all afflictions-tempcrary,
but he did not know it was tempo
rary-in having his rule and insti-
tute rejected by the Holy See at
the very moment when, at long
last, he seemed to have insured
their permanenee.
The first and most striking of
the virtues of Saint Gaspar was his
vividly living faith. Faith and the
Agirtues Immediately consequent up
on it,-humility, self-effaeement,
zeal for souls, unremitting effort
in the service of the Church,-ex-
press the very life of this Saint.
1t appears that never, even momen-
| tarily, no matter what the weight
of his trials, had Gaspar the least
temptation to doubt Gods good
ness or the wisdom of His Provi-
dence. From early childhood, Gas
par saw God in everything and ev-
erything in God. God was the sole
and sufficing object of his heart,
his mind, his will, his sentiments.
He was always concerned that
God should be known and honored,
that grace should suffuse the souls
Of men, that Catholics should be
ardent in their love of the Holy
Mass, and Sacraments, and that
they should have an appreciative
and loyal allegiance to Christ liv-
ing in His Church. These were the
purposes that Gaspar served from
the days of his boyhood. He was
instant in prayer" he was devot-
ed TO the studies that equipped
him for the priesthood and the
service of souls.
Throughout his life, despite his
intense activity, he managed to re-
view, again and again, his theo-
logical studies, and even, when the
opportunity offered 10 sit in the
classroom with seminarians and to
hear the lecturer as the humblest
and most attentive of pupils. Gas
par was tireless in forming and in
spring associations of young men
for the instruction of the ignorant
the care of the poor, the rescue of
what now we should call delin-
quents.
He was forever opening little
schools of estseheties, which he
called orstoriss, and assembling
In them, at evening, the Iaborers,
and the losfers too, OF the Ro-
man SlUms. TonsuFsd at four.
teen, he was permitted, . year or
so later, 10 teach religion pub
liely, not only in his oratoriss
but on the street corners and in
The market place. His work was
sinsularlY successful. But not for
. moment, or in the least de-
gree, did success turn his head.
So vital was his faith, so intent
his purpose in making it vital to
others, that, quite literally, he
never thought of himself at all
He was the inspiring force and
the driving power in many com
munity enterprise, large and small
yet he never cared a whit about
being considered as leader or about
being regarded as the Inauguration
or founder. On the contrary he
was always anxious to have other;
take the place of prominence. Ever
with reference to the Congrega
ton of the Most Precious Blood