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HOLINESS OF LIFEBEINGDeST.BONAVENTUREPerfectione VitaSTREATISEadSororesENGLISHED BY THE LATELAURENCE COSTELLOO.F.M.AND EDITED BYFr.WILFRID, O.F.M.SECOND EDITIONHERDER BOOKB.15&17SOUTH BROADWAY,CO.,ST. LOUIS, MO.,AND33QUEEN SQUARE, LONDON,1928W.C.

NIHIL OBSTATSti.Ludovici, die19.March,1923.F. G, Hohveck,Censor LibrorumIMPRIMATURSti.Ludovici, die19.March, Joannes1923.J.Glcnnon,ArchicpiscopusSti.Copyright, 1923,byB. HerderBook Co.Printed in U. S. A.*Ludovici

CONTENTSPAGBFOREWORD BY THE MT. REV. JOHN MC!NTYRE, ARCHBISHOP OF ITRUE SELF-KNOWLEDGE.iTRUE HUMILITY10IIIPERFECT POVERTY23IVSILENCEIIV THEVI36PRACTICE OF PRAYERTHE REMEMBRANCEOF.CHRISTPASSIONVIIVIIITHE PERFECT LOVE45S62OF GOD.82FINAL PERSEVERANCE88INDEX99

HOLINESS OF LIFEPREFACE"BlessedOstruct,istheman whom Thoushalt inLord, and shalt teach out ofThyhold that only the man taught by theHoly Spirit and imbued with His blessed uncThe Prophettion, is to be considered lonehappy and wise whose mind the Lord"The Law ofhas made learned in the Law.is reallyGod,"he notes elsewhere,"withoutfault"2isolises the secret of "convertingwayof salvation.suffice.WeTodiscoverread theitsing and reap the fruits of1Ps. xciii, 12.2Ps. xviii, 8.Itsouls"Lawweal hitsonly lawtheand irreproachable.monopto thedoes notofmeanprofound learn-

Holiness of ,"meditation.conscientiously, areWe must beg thewith ardent longing, to give usThe Holy Ghost alone knowsto seek this meaning.HolySpirit,thesefruits.howanddevoutto bring to light the sweetness hiddenawayunder the rugged exterior of the words of theLaw. To the Holy Ghost must we go for interior guidance.The Law ofwhatlive,istheLord teaches usto bethedone, avoided,waytobelieved,prayed for, longed for and feared. It teacheshow to live the blameless and spotless life, howto keeponespromises, andcontrite for onesfailings.howto be sincerelyThe Lawof theLordteaches contempt for earthly things, anda loathing for all things of the flesh.Finally,explains how with whole heart, whole soul,and whole mind we are to be converted toitGod"As1 14s4Compared with the doctrine ofLaw, worldly wisdom is vain and foolish.Jesus Christ.long as aThess.i,5.Matt, xxii, 37.mandoes not fear or love God,

HiPrefaceno matter how greatmaysays St.be,"himsidermanyhis reputation forBernard,BIwise."would remind you thatwhat they hear.forgetwisdomnever conshall"ITheyare notnumbered among the wise. The truly wiseman acts, and does zealously what the Law preThe , andthe wiseand the happyman whom Thoushalt teachThy Law."You asked me, Reverend Mother,and devotedtoGod, to outlinemytreasures ofheart somefor the time beingtionReally,asmylife isInwardly,tion.is IIdear tomefrom the poorthing thatlittlewould be a help to devoand would bring someitshalthim out ofwho needlight toyoursoul.such help, particularlynot a shining example to others.not burning with tender devoamFurther,Ihave scarcely the knowledgeNevertheless,necessary to do what you ask.out of regard for your repeatedly expressedwishes, and anxious to oblige you,Ihave donewhat you so earnestly prayed of me.Sern. 73 de Diversis.

Holiness of LifeivLet me, however, beg of Your Beatitude, 6dear most holy Mother, not to think so much ofwhatIhave written, as ofintentions.Imygood and kindPlease look for the truths of whichspeak rather than for beauty of expression.I do not come up to your expectations,Wherepardon me, and putmyplease, to lack of time6See Editorsshortcomings down,stress of business.andIntroduction.

FOREWORDTHE MOSTREV.ByJOHN MCINTYRE, ARCHBISHOPOF BIRMINGHAMAlthough written primarily for women living in Religion, St. Bonaventure s treatise onHoliness of Life(De PerfectioneVitaeadSorores) will strongly appeal to every CatholicIts value as a manual of spiritual readonceatelevating, inspiriting and practical,ing,heart.can hardly be over-estimated.wayto asound andItopens an easyprofitable self-knowledge;wins the soul to Christian humility, and to anunworldliness which is the secret of a contenteditand joyful heart; it teaches a method of contemplation on the Passion of Our Lord, full ofdevout attractiveness;fruitfulanditheartfelt prayer.In aworditand permanent things inand practice, and does this withtreats of the greatspiritual lifereveals the secret ofI

ForewordIIsuch living fervour thatitsetsour hearts onThere are no gloomy spaces darkened bythe shadow of that Calvinism that was tofire.come; no hardJansenism.linesof rigour to remind us ofEverywhere wefind the cheerfulseriousness of Catholicism, the reflection of thesoul of a saintciouswholived in the brightdays of that gloriousand spaand supremelyCatholic century, the Thirteenth.Tothose acquainted with thelifeof St.Bonaventure his very name will be a sufficientrecommendation of the treatise now translated.John Gerson, the learned and pious Chancellorof the University of Paris, who has been reputed by many to be the author of the Imitation of Christ, set the highest valuewritingsofSt.Bonaventure.Heon theregardedBonaventure as the most perfect of the UniverHe did not know if the University teachers.sitytoSt.had ever produced his equal. He appliedthe words of Our Lord concerningJohn the Baptist, "He was a burning and ahimshininglight."Cherub andtoTherefore he compared him toSeraphto Cherub,for the

Forewordbrightness of hisfireintellect, toof his heart.IIISeraph, for thenot foundHe hadburningany teaching more elevating and salutary thanhis.He admired him for keeping clear ofcurious and useless questions, and for beingsolid, safeand devoutin all he said.To the testimony of one who knew St. Bonaventure in his writings, it will be interesting toadd the testimony of one who knew him also inlife.This was Peter of Tarentaise. He wasa Dominican, and had been professor in theUniversity of Paris, where he won the title ofDoctor Famosissimus. He became successivelyArchbishop of Lyons, Cardinal Bishopof Ostia, and Supreme Pontiff.fied,and knownHeisas Blessed Innocent V.yet Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, hebeati\Yhilehad takentogether with St. Bonaventure a prominent partin the Council of Lyons.St. Bonaventure diedbefore the Council had concluded, andwhenPope and Council attended the funeral servicein the Franciscan Church in Lyons, Peter ofTarentaise preached the funeral sermon.feeling towards BonaventureisshownHisin his

ForewordIVchoice of text; for he chose those tender andtouching words with which David had lamentedAll whothe death of his friend Jonathan.would have approvedthe description of Bonaventure as one who waslistened to his discoursealways gentle,so thatallaffable,humble, pleasing towho knew him held himinall,highesteem, and had great affection for him.BonaventureSt.swritings reflect his charLike the Saint, himself inacter.a magneticpower which drawsdesire of higher things.life,they havethe heart to aThey conquer, not byforce of eloquent language, but by the persuasiveattractivenessspirit.Thesoul puts toof a calm and beautifultransparent humility of a greatshameallthe vanity of ourlittleHis thought glows frequently with myssplendour, which warms and inspires. Theness.ticon Holiness of Life is written in anIt is like a friendlyeasy and familiar style.The mysticism is subdued and there istalk.treatise;not wanting, as in the section on silence, anelement of keen observation and humorous sarcasm.As weread the wise, friendly, and fer-

Forewordvent wordswerejoice inVan experiencelike that"Was not our heart burnof the two disciplesing within us, whilst he spoke in the way, and:opened to us theWeoweScriptures?"the translator(Lk. xxiv, 32)and the editor a greatdebt for giving us in English this beautifultreatise.onesaintto\Ve wishwill regretwho,all.ita wide circulation.Nohaving been in the company of ain life,wasgentle, affable, pleasing

EDITORSt.SINTRODUCTIONBonaventure was born1221.atinAccording to tradition he received thename of Bonaventure throughthe lucky chancethat caused St. Francis to greetwords,Bagnorea"Obuonaventura."Behim withthat asitthemay,age of seventeen, some say twenty-two,he knocked at the door of a Franciscan friaryat theand asked admittance.Haymon of Faversham,an Englishman, was General of the Order,liesawthe aspirant, recognised his worth,andadmitted him.Our purposewill be answered though we skipAfter profession, the Superiors ofthe Order sent Bonaventure to the Universityof Paris to continue his studies.Alexander ofthe years.Hales, an Englishman and a Franciscan,teaching theology there,ter for his teaching.and Paris was thewasbetAfter a time BonaventureVII

EditorVIIIwas appointedsIntroductionto teach.His accession to achair in the University brought Paris greaterfamebardstill.sHis commentary on Peter"Sentences"clearnessallsScotus was notsthe heightcareer as university lecturer,Dominican Order was representedby amanBona-yet.Atstudents idolised him.of our SainttheLomwisdom andothers which the Franciscan Orderhad produced.venturesurpassed inat Parisdestined to be called the greatestThomas of Aquin.make no comparison, Bonaventure andThomas were bosom friends. The friendshiplight of Scholasticism, St.Webetween the two showed up wellin their uniteddefence of the Mendicant Orders,whenthe latbecame the object of general attack. Despite the wonderful lives and profound learning of the representatives of the Mendicantsteratthe University, a certain William ofAmournevervectives at,lostan opportunity of hurlingSt.inand voicing a vicious and growingantagonism to, the Orders. He spoke againstthem and wrote against them. He summed uphis hate in branding theMendicants as danger-

EditorsIXIntroductionous to Christian society. Bonaventure wrotedefence entitled, "The Poverty of JesusChrist," showing that the practice of povertyaleads directly to Christian perfection.Quoting the Fathers in support of his teaching, hewent on to crush objection after objectionraised by the arch-enemy.While the sameattack raged, he published in similar defence,"Repliesto Different Questions raised concerning the Rule of the FriarsFriarsMinor"; "WhyMinor Preach and hear"Apologyfor the FriarstheConfessions";Minor."The comof the works which were to keepBonaventure before the world as a profoundphilosopher, a safe theologian, a mystic, a conpositiontemplative, a Scripture scholar, and an exegeteof repute, was for the time being suspended.All his efforts were focirssed on the defence ofthe Mendicants.Toconclude our account ofthe incident the Saints inWhenarms won the day.St. Bonaventureone reads the \vorks ofwritten in defence, one wondersof St.Amourshow Williamantipathy could have enduredso long, and one marvels, too, at the ease with

XEditorsIntroductionwhich the authorities permitted the attack tocontinue.Meanwhile the story of Bonaventure s abiliand activities was not lost on the memberstiesof theAOrder.dispute ragedamongtheBrethren about the interpretation of the Rule,in particular about poverty.That disputeandmay gofarto explain thewhich William ofAtSt.lawlessness withAmourattacked theGeneral, strove totwo views of poverty foundOrder. John of Parma, askeep the poverty of St. Francis as the heritageof his children.Friars.leastacceptance in theHe wasfullof fervour and worked to keep to the fore theHeprimitive conception of the Rule.General,whoif it isfailure not tofailed aswin over thosenothing good in a good man sDuring the reign of Pope AlexanderIV, he bowed his head to the storm of opposition raised against him, resigned, and nomiwill seeworks.nated Bonaventure in his stead.Itwas a sad dayno ambitionforfor Bonaventure, as hefirst places,ious day for the Order.butithadwas a glorBonaventure proved