Jean-Baptiste Berthier

“ For, frequently, the desire to enter religion springs up in the soul on the occasion of some temporal misfortune, while afterward the motive which decides us to put this desire into execution is not the temporal misfortune, but the will to serve God. At times some failure, some sorrow, leads us to think on eternal goods, to despise everything transitory; and thus a man comes, little by little, to wish to seek after the things of heaven, and renounce all that is earthly. ”

“ Indeed, to follow the counsels of Christ, many are far more in need of encouragement than of trial.
In regard to those upon whom it devolves to receive persons into religion, they should follow the rules of prudence, and never receive only those who are fit for the religious life, who are called by God, and who have the qualities necessary for the order to which they aspire. The superior of a religious house or order is bound to follow these rules : it is a duty of his office, and it is also a duty of charity, in reference to the one seeking admission. ”

“ Liguori, that the most essential condition for a religious vocation is a right intention. "This disposition," says Suarez, " is required for every good, and therefore still more so for a work of such grave importance. Hence they deceive themselves who become religious on account of family troubles, and the hardships which they endure, or to escape poverty and contempt. Motives of this kind are not good, or at least they are not so good as the holiness of the religious state requires motives to be." ”

“ Francis of Sales, " if in her chief actions she is moved by grace, and not by nature, according to grace and not according to nature she deserves to be accepted, with love and respect, as the temple of the Holy Ghost ; though she is a wolf in nature, she is a lamb by grace. I do not think that monasteries ought to send away all repentant girls. Prudence must be moderated by sweetness, and sweetness or gentleness by prudence. At times so much is to be got from repentant souls, that nothing should be refused them." ”

“ Let us here reply, with Suarez, to the following question : Is he who, in any religions order, has power to receive subjects, bound to admit a postulant that possesses all the requisite qualifications ?
The learned theologian says that he is bound by duty and by charity, unless he has some reasonable cause for refusing admission. To reject a candidate without good reason, would be to deprive religion of a member, and to shut out a soul from a great good in which the children of the Church can share. ”

“ Can it be straightway said that a man is unfit for the religious state, because he has for some time led a life of sin, or still feels strong inclinations to sin ? As we have already seen, St. Thomas teaches that the religious state is suited for sinners who return to God. ”

“ Even when secondary views, such as hope of temporal advantages, are connected with the supernatural motive, the vocation is still to be accepted. For, among other advantages, the religious state also comprises temporal good : and this good can be taken into account, provided it is neither the chief nor the only motive that sways us to enter religion. The gold dug up from the mine is none the less gold because some earth clings to it ; [10] so, a religious vocation does not cease to be true, though linked in a secondary way with some human motives. ”

“ What can be more opposed to right reason and to real prudence than to seek in so dangerous a way to know what in another way can be known more surely, and without any danger at all? The world is not the place to remain in order to test one's self. Fly as quickly as possible to some secure asylum." [5]
Should we view as doubtful the vocation of persons who, on account of the deceptions and misfortunes of life in the world, resolve to enter religion ? To throw light on this question, we first admit, with Suarez and St. ”

“ All these reasons go to prove that the inspiration came from God, since it is strengthened by good works and weakened by evil deeds. Sins and falls are of great assistance in teaching us the nature of divine inspirations, even while they trouble them, and seem to interrupt their course. ”

“ Although these latter come to God in bad humor with the world, they still withal give themselves to him freely and generously ; and such persons often rise to greater holiness than those who entered the service of God with more apparent vocations. Flatus relates that a gentleman dressed in the height of fashion, one day, did all in his power, when mounted on a superb steed, to win the admiration of some ladies who were near him. ”

“ Speaking of those who rejoice within themselves, and boast before others, of having been so prudent in allowing persons to enter novitiates that none whom they sent ever left afterward, Bishop Lucquet says that they pride themselves on what ought to be for their conscience a serious cause of fear before God ”