FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49  
50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   >>   >|  
se and many others of the town, he arranged for every Friday of that Lent a procession of blood, in which the bishop himself marched barefoot. This procession left the cathedral in the evening, and proceeded to the other church (of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady), some distance away. In the meantime the rest were flagellating themselves, even to the extent of drawing blood; and while the choir was singing the _Miserere_, the holy bishop scourged himself alone in the sacristy. How the Christian religion extended in the island of Bohol. Chapter XXXXII. Through the solicitude and fervor of the two fathers who were in Bohol, who soon received the help of a brother, that new Christian church was notably increased, especially among the old people, from sixty to eighty years of age. These--the world no longer for them, or they for the world, but for Him who died for them--He did not disdain to receive into His church when their sun was setting, although they had not begun so early to follow and obey Him as He had to seek and invite them; many of them died shortly after they were baptized, having left many tokens and proofs of their salvation and the sincerity of their faith. All of them--little children and grown men, youths and aged people, the well and the sick--all convinced and persuaded by the truths of Catholicism, are certain that no other road leads to heaven; and so, without resistance or objection, they prepared themselves for holy baptism--although the fathers with praiseworthy prudence, restrained them by conferring the sacrament on those only who were well prepared, or really in need of it. Many who received the holy sacraments were cured of their maladies, and, consequently, the earnestness and devotion with which they sought and received them were intense. Even when they are in health, it is indeed marvelous to see the satisfaction and willingness with which they repair to all virtuous exercises, especially to confessions and masses. There was no scent or trace of vice or idolatry, or witchcraft, or of other evil customs practiced by them while they were pagans; and if, in confession or elsewhere, mention were made to them of these things, they became deeply offended, saying: "Since we are now Christians, how could we do such things again?" Especially notable is the fidelity maintained by married people, which they observe not only in outward act, but in their hearts. I cannot mention without
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49  
50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
received
 

church

 

people

 

things

 
mention
 
Christian
 

procession

 
bishop
 

fathers

 

prepared


devotion

 

maladies

 
earnestness
 

heaven

 
resistance
 
objection
 

convinced

 

persuaded

 
truths
 

Catholicism


baptism

 

praiseworthy

 

sought

 
sacrament
 

prudence

 
restrained
 

conferring

 

sacraments

 

confessions

 

Christians


deeply

 

offended

 
outward
 

hearts

 

observe

 

married

 
Especially
 
notable
 

fidelity

 

maintained


repair

 

willingness

 

virtuous

 

exercises

 
masses
 

satisfaction

 
health
 

marvelous

 
practiced
 

pagans