The Catholic World, Vol. 09, April, 1869-September, 1869Various
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 09, April, 1869-September, 1869
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
"The facts, in all their simplicity, are as follows: It is
quite true that, after the young foreigner had been converted
in Italy, he was furnished at Rome with an introduction to F.
de Ravignan; but by this time he had given up his magic at the
same time that he gave up his Protestantism, and he was
received with the interest which is due from a priest to every
soul ransomed with the blood of Jesus Christ, and especially,
perhaps, to a soul which is converted and brought back to the
bosom of the church. On his arrival in Paris, he was again
absolutely forbidden to return in any way to his old practices.
F. de Ravignan, agreeably to the principles of the faith which
proscribe all superstition, prohibited, under the severest
penalties he could inflict, all participation in or presence at
these dangerous and sometimes guilty proceedings.
{120}
Once the unhappy _Medium_, beset by I know not what man
or devil, was unfaithful to his promise; he was received with
a severity which prostrated him; I chanced at the time to come
into the room, and I saw him rolling on the ground, and
writhing like a worm at the feet of the priest, so righteously
indignant. The father was touched by a repentance which led to
such bodily agony, raised him up, and pardoned him; but,
before dismissing him, exacted a written promise confirmed by
an oath. But a notorious relapse soon took place, and the
servant of God, breaking off all connection with this slave of
the spirits, sent him word never again to appear in his
presence."
We shall not undertake, in the brief space that remains, to
describe the beauty of Father de Ravignan's character--his
touching humility, his rare sweetness of soul, his complete
detachment from earth, his patience, his charity, and his
unflagging zeal. He was once asked how he had attained such
mastery over himself. "There were two of us," he replied; "I
threw one out of the window, so that only I remained where I
was." Father de Ponlevoy applies to him the description which St.
Francis Xavier gave of St. Ignatius: "His character is made up of
three elements; a humility of mind which we can scarcely
understand, a force of soul superior to all opposition, and an
incomparable kindness of heart."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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