Thomas Joseph Campbell

“ As a Bishop he was famous for his care of the poor, his vigour in the reformation of relaxed monasteries, the building of new ones, and the splendour with which he invested divine worship—Henry IV himself contributing lavishly to enrich the church of Passau, chiefly through the intervention of the Empresses Agnes and Bertha, his wife and mother—and finally for the opposition which he aroused in enforcing Gregory's decree of celibacy of the clergy. ”

“ She then beheld the Blessed Virgin, as she is described in the Apocalypse, and saw also all the various stages of her life: how when she came into the world God ordered the angels to transport her into the empyrean heaven, appointing a hundred spirits from each of the nine choirs to attend her, twelve others in visible and corporeal form to be always near her, and eighteen of the most splendid to be ambassadors perpetually ascending and descending the Ladder of Jacob. ”

“ He died in the Jesuit College of Rio de Janeiro, having reached the extraordinary are of eighty-two years, despite his austerities and the privations of his missionary career. The news of his approaching end filled the city with anxiety and concern. "The saint is dying" was heard on all sides, and the scenes at his funeral, and the miracles that are recorded as wrought at that time form a chapter in the colony's history. ”

“ When a youth of twenty, he fled from his home and became a monk near Tours, resisting all the efforts of his family to withdraw him from his mode of life. Following what he regarded as divine inspiration, he betook himself to Bourges, where under the direction of St. Austregisile, the bishop of the city, he remained in solitude for fifteen years, living in a cell and subsisting on bread and water. After a pilgrimage to Rome, he was consecrated in France as a missionary bishop at the age of thirty-three. ”

“ Alvarez, Balthzar, a Spanish mystic, who was the spiritual director of St. Teresa, b. at Cervera, in Spain, in 1533, of a noble family; d. at Belmonte, 25 July, 1580. He studied philosophy and theology in the University of Alcalá. When only eighteen years of age, he was remarkable for his extraordinary habit of prayer and piety. His inclination was first towards the Carthusians, because of their life of contemplation, but, finally, he entered the Society of Jesus, at Alcalá, in 1555, fifteen years after its foundation. ”

“ Oliver Cromwell then ruled England, and de la Tour crossed the ocean and obtained a commission from the Protector to govern the colony, one of the stipulations being that no Catholics should be allowed to settle there. With him were associated two Englishmen, Crowne and Temple. In 1667 it was again restored to France by the treaty of Breda, and Grandfontaine, the new Governor, reported that there were only 400 souls in Acadia, more than three-fourths of whom lived in and around Port Royal; but it is probable that many had married Indians and were coureurs de bois. ”

“ The period of his generalship was the most notable in the history of the Society for the men it produced, and the work it accomplished. The names of Suarez, Toletus, Bellarmine, Maldontus, Clavius, Lessius, Ripalda, Ricci, Parsons, Southwell, Campion, Aloysius Gonzaga, and a host of others are identified with it. Royal and pontifical missions to France, Russia, Poland, Constantinople, and Japan were entrusted to men like Possevin, and Bellarmine, and Vallignani. Houses were multiplied all over the world with an astonishing rapidity. ”

“ Francis entered the Society of Jesus in Portugal, whither he had been sent to pursue his studies. He was recalled to Rome, where he taught theology, and gained at the same time the reputation of being one of the greatest orators in Italy. ”

“ The Queen was Anne of Denmark, and her father, an ardent Lutheran, has stipulated that she should have the right to practice her own religion in Scotland, and for that purpose sent with her a chaplain named John Lering who, however, shortly after his arrival, became a Calvinist. The Queen, who abhorred Calvinism, asked some of the Catholic nobles for advice, and it was suggested to call Father Abercromby, who, with some other Jesuits, was secretly working among the Scotch Catholics and winning many illustrious converts to the Church. ”

“ He took charge of, and put on a firm basis the famous Kaskaskian mission, which death had compelled Marquette to relinquish. None of the missionaries of his time dared more or travelled over a wider territory than Allouez. He even reached the western end of Lake Superior. His life was one alternation of triumphs and defeats. At times he had to prevent the Indians from adoring him as a god; at others they were about to sacrifice him to their deities. ”

“ Especial praise is given to Alexander for the library he built at Jerusalem. Finally, in spite of his years, he, with several other bishops, was carried off a prisoner to Cæsarea, and as the historians say, "the glory of his white hairs and great sanctity formed a double crown for him in captivity". He suffered many tortures, but survived them all. When the wild beasts were brought to devour him, some licked his feet, and others their impress on the sand of the arena. ”

“ From 1671 the inhabitants began to attach themselves to the soil; agriculture was an almost universal Occupation, and where the population was remote from Port Royal and unmolested it developed into a peaceful, prosperous, and moral people. But from the time of the treaty of Breda till 1712, Port Royal had been besieged no less than five times. ”

“ He entered the novitiate at Louvain, in 1607, studied philosophy in the English College at Seville and theology at Louvain, and was made a professed of the four vows (see Jesuits) in 1619. After his ordination, he was sent to Naples to minister to his fellow countrymen there, as well as to the British merchantmen and sailors who frequented that port. From thence he was sent to Rome, where he filled the office of Penitentiary from 1615 to 1620. He then became Socius to the Master of Novices, and, subsequently, rector of the Society's College at Ghent. ”

“ Adam, John, a distinguished preacher and a strenuous opponent of Calvinists and Jansenists, born at Limoges in 1608; died at Bordeaux, 12 May, 1684. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1622. He wrote "The Triumph of the Blessed Eucharist"; "A Week's Controversy on the Sacrament of the Altar"; "Calvin Defeated by Himself"; "The Tomb of Jansenism"; "An Abridgement of the Life of St. Francis Borgia"; Lenten sermons; some books of devotion; and translations of hymns. His views on St. Augustine brought him in collision with Cardinal Noris who attacked Father Adam in his "Vindiciæ Augustinianæ". ”

“ After teaching literature for twelve years in the various Jesuit colleges in Poland, he was entrusted with the care of the great library founded by Zaluski, the famous prelate and litterteur, who had revived literature in Poland. This library which he bequeathed to Poland was seized by Russia and now forms the nucleus of the Imperial library. ”

“ Finally, by the treaty of Utrecht 13 April, 1713, all Acadia was ceded to England, The French inhabitants then determined to leave the country, and their kindred at Cape Breton and Prince Edward's Island endeavoured to have them migrate in their direction. This the English Governor opposed, although Queen Anne had commanded him to let them withdraw; but, as she died shortly afterwards, Nicholson had his way, and the Acadians took the oath of allegiance to King George, with the clause, however, that they should not be bound to take arms against the French or their Indian allies. ”

“ Augustine, though younger than he, was, after studying under Augustine at Milan, conspicuous at first as a magistrate in Rome. He abandoned that honour to follow his master into the Church. It is noteworthy that there is no mention of him as a saint in the ancient catalogues. ”

“ He is called a philosopher, but it is not certain that the term is to be taken literally. His philosophy consisted rather in his preference of heavenly to earthly things. The discovery of his virtues was due to the very contempt with which he had been regarded. St. Gregory Thaumaturgus had been asked to come to Comana to help select a bishop for that place. As he rejected all the candidates, someone in derision suggested that he might accept Alexander, the charcoal-burner. ”

“ In the opinion of a recognized authority on mysticism, Father Poulain, S.J., writing in Vacant, "his bent is not so much to observe patiently, as to philosophize and display much erudition. He is the first to use the expression oratio affectiva, implying a species of contemplation or meditation in which the affections dominate. He does not appear to have read St. Teresa, whose works were just published, and he may be regarded as one of the last representatives of the ancient schools of mysticism." ”

“ The famous Father Bustamente was his master of novices and subjected him to the Alcalá trials. In the novitiate of Simancas he met St. Francis Borgia, and the strongest affection was established between them. ”

“ From that time he began a life of prayer and mortification, although separated from the world around him. On the death of his third child his thoughts turned to a life in some religious order. Previous associations had brought him into contact with the first Jesuits who had come to Spain, Bl. Peter Faber among others, but it was apparently impossible to carry out his purpose of entering the Society, as he was without education, having only had an incomplete year at a new college begun at Alcalaá by Francis Villanueva. ”

“ Nine years after his ordination he was made Bishop of Le Mans, and, besides being conspicuous for the most exalted virtue, was distinguished by his civic spirit in constructing aqueducts, as well as for building churches, restoring monasteries, ran.soming captives, etc. In the civil wars that followed the death of Louis, his fidelity to Charles the Bald resulted in his expulsion from his see, and he withdrew to Rome. ”

“ While this was going on the Italian nobles, weary of Berengarius, had invited Otho to invade Italy. He met with little resistance, and betook himself to Canossa where he met Adelaide, and married her on Christmas day, 951, at Pavia. This marriage gave Otho no new rights over Italy, but the enthusiasm of the people for Adelaide, whose career had been so romantic, appealed to them and made Otho's work of subjugating the peninsula easy. In Germany she was the idol of her subjects, while her husband lived. ”

“ Subsequently other missionaries like Bigot, Thury, and de la Chasse laboured among them, but three years after the murder of Father Rasle, that is to say in 1727, when Fathers Syvesme and Lauverjat withdrew, there was no resident pastor in Maine, though the Indians were visited by priests from time to time. They remained unalterably attached to the Faith, and during the Revolution, when Washington sent to ask them to join with the colonies against England, they assented on condition that a Catholic priest should be sent to them. ”

“ He was indeed condemned to death, but the Emperor released him from prison after he had undergone considerable suffering. He was famous both for the splendour of his doctrinal teaching and the miracles he wrought. There was a younger Acacius, who was also Bishop of Melitene, and who was conspicuous in the Council of Ephesus, but it is not certain that he is to be ranked among the saints. ”

“ She took no revenge upon her enemies; her court was like a religious house; she multiplied monasteries and churches in the various provinces, and was incessant in her efforts to convert the pagans of the North. ”

“ At that time the Latins occupied Jerusalem and, the Patriarchate falling vacant, Albert was implored by the Christians of Palestine to accept the see. As it implied persecution and a prospect of martyrdom, he accepted, and was appointed by Innocent III, who at the same time made him Papal Legate. His sanctity procured him the veneration of even the Muslims. It was while here that he undertook a work with which his name is particularly and peculiarly associated. In Paslestine, at that time, the hermits of Mount Carmel lived in separate cells. ”

“ After finishing his studies he went to Spain, in the service of the Duke of Osuna, whom he accompanied to Sicily. There he entered the Society of Jesus at Palermo, on 7 September 1613, studied at Rome, taught philosophy and theology at Gratz, Austria, and for several years traveled through the various countries of Europe, as preceptor of the Prince of Eggenberg. ”

“ At the request of Clotaire II, he began first to evangelize the inhabitants of Ghent, who were then degraded idolaters, and afterwards extended his work throughout all Flanders, suffering persecution, and undergoing great hardship but achieving nothing, until the miracle of restoring the life of a criminal who had been hanged, changed the feelings of the people to reverence and affection and brought many converts to the faith. ”

“ He has given the world a census of China for the 25th and 26th years of the reign of Kiang-long. His list and the Chinese translation reached Europe in 1779. The work is precious for the reason that the Tatar conquerors objected to census-taking, or at least to census-publication, lest the Chinese might recognize their strength and grow restless. Another element of its value is that it confirms all the calculations of one of his predecessors, Father Amiot (q. v.) and affords a proof of the progressive increase of the Chinese population. ”

“ He was a favourite of Choiseul, who sent him as French ambassador to Venice. It is said that he knew all the languages of Europe and possessed a rare gift of communicating his knowledge to others. For many years he had been professor of eloquence at the College of Lisieux. ”

“ Bad actions are not considered as committed against him. There is an evil spirit who has to be propitiated, and besides him are many others who bring all temporal misfortunes. Hence the universal superstition, magic, sorcery, and the like. According to one authority the number of Indians of Algonquin stock in 1902 was estimated at about 82,000 souls, of whom 43,000 are in the United States, the remainder being in Canada with the exception of a few refugees in Mexico. ”

“ On 16 January, 1748, Benedict XIV, in a letter which La Fuente, in his "Historia eclesiástica de España", finds "sumamente curiosa", wrote to the General of the Observantines instructing him as to the investigation of the authenticity of the writings, while conceding that the book had received the approbation of the Universities of Salamanca, Alcalá, Toulouse, and Louvain. ”

“ Migrations, inter-marriages, political alliances, wholesale absorption of captives and desertions, however, make it impossible to fix the tribal limits with any degree of exactness; yet the Algonquins may be said to have roamed over the country from what is now Kentucky to Hudson Bay, and from the Atlantic to the Mississippi and perhaps beyond. ”