COMPILED FROM APPROVED SOURCES. NEW YORK: JOSEPH SCHAEFER, 9 Barclay Street. Nihil obstat: THOMAS B. COTTER, PH.D.,         Censor. Imprimatur         cross JOHN M. FARLEY,        Archbishop of New York. October 22, 1910. Copyrighted, 1911, by Joseph Schaefer....

Spiritual reading has always been encouraged by our Holy Mother Church, because it strengthens our faith and stimulates us to be more devout in the practice of our religion. The materialistic tone and trend of most modern literature, however, makes the reading and dissemination of Catholic books all the more urgent and necessary at the present time. The mind is moulded largely by reading and good minds were never more needed than to-day, to combat the effects of the mental poison, which is daily

O N January 8, 1905, John Baptist Marie Vianney, that most humble of country curates, was admitted by our Holy Father, Pope Pius X, into the glorious ranks of the beatified of the Catholic Church. And in very truth that devoted guardian of souls had well merited the exalted distinction thus conferred; for, during the forty-two years of his holy life, countless thousands had come under the influence of his active and untiring zeal, and were guided by him in the way of their salvation. The fame of

J EAN Baptist Marie Vianney, afterwards to become famous as the curé of Ars, was born May 8th, 1786, at Dardilly, in the South of France, not far from the City of Lyons, and was the fourth child of humble country folks. His father, Mathieu Vianney, and his mother, Marie Beluse, possessed some land adjoining their simple dwelling. Despite the fact that they were not rich they practiced the greatest hospitality toward the poor and needy. With joyful wonder the youthful Jean beheld, evening after e

W HEN Jean Baptist Vianney entered his parish on that winter evening in February, 1818, he quickly realized the religious indifference prevailing there and the contrast in this respect to the kindly and religiously inclined Ecully. Upon his arrival, no one came forward to bid him welcome. The very atmosphere of the neighborhood seemed cold and repellant. The people of that place, while not positively bad, were for the most part indifferent in the matter of their eternal welfare. Daily Mass was a

I N 1825, seven years after Father Vianney had been appointed to the parish at Ars, he resolved upon a new and important undertaking. He wanted to bring together in one home all the neglected poor and orphan children of Ars and the surrounding country, and to provide at one and the same time for both their physical and spiritual needs. Facing the village green there stood a desirable house, which he would gladly have acquired for this purpose. One day he received from an anonymous donor a consid

N OT only to the villagers, but in a greater degree to the pilgrims who journeyed to Ars, Father Vianney's departure would have been particularly disappointing. As early as the period between 1825 and 1830, these remarkable pilgrimages had taken place. So great was the multitude of people who kept coming that increased traveling accomodations had to be arranged between Ars and the outlying country places. The pilgrims arrived from every province of France; others came from Belgium and England; s

I NNUMERABLE were the miracles worked by the holy man whose history we are relating. They resemble in their marvellous scope and variety, those of the Divine Master, who foretold the accomplishment of wonders greater than His own in the ministry of His faithful servants. The account of the upbuilding of the House of Providence has given us an insight into the power of the holy man who reproduced the scriptural story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. We have there seen that often ma

I N the preceding chapters we have recounted many things both edifying and interesting in the external life of the pious curé. But for a better knowledge of his noble personality we must look into his inner life. Many readers of these lines have doubtless asked themselves how the curé, in his unremitting labors for others, could have bestowed the necessary care upon his own soul. Let it be understood that the very moment when the curé seemed to have any leisure for himself, he was more actively

I T was in the summer of 1859, that the venerable curé showed that his energies were nearly spent. He was then heard repeatedly to exclaim: "Alas, the sinners will kill the sinner." On Friday, July 29th, after having as usual spent from sixteen to seventeen hours in the confessional, he returned to the rectory completely exhausted. He sank into a chair saying: "I can do no more." The priest who saw him, immediately put him to bed. On the following morning his illness was so pronounced that a fat

(FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION.) Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Holy Mary, pray for us. Blessed John Marie, pray for us. B. J. M., endowed with grace from thine infancy, pray for us. B. J. M., model of filial piety, pray for us. B. J. M., devot

FIRST DAY.—FAITH. On this first day of the novena we shall consider the faith of this holy man. A lively faith is necessary in order to please God. We believe every word which God has spoken by His Holy Church. We must practise this faith also in works. Faith without works is dead. Without works it would be only an empty assertion that we believe. In a firm unflinching faith Blessed Vianney lived and died and became a saint. PRAYER FOR FAITH. Pour into my soul, O God, through the intercession of