Course 3, Chapter 37

Christianity preserved and propagated. — Founding of the Contemplative orders. — Founding of the Teutonic Knights and Religious of the Holy Ghost. — Twelfth Century continued.

1. How did God remedy the scandals which afflicted the church during the twelfth century?

By the establishment of the contemplative or ders, by the example of many great saints, and by the conversion of a large province in the north called Pomerania.

2. How did God defend the church?

He defended the church by the religious military orders; in the north, by the Teutonic Knights; in the east, by the Knights of the order of St. John of Jerusalem and of the order of St. Lazarus; in the south by those of St. John of the sword, those of Calatrava, of Alcantara and of Avis.

3. What vows did these latter orders make?

They made a vow to defend the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin. During many cen turies they were the rampart of the Christians, and the terror of the Saracens, who, notwithstanding theii efforts, made many captives.

4. How were these captives comforted?

They were comforted and redeemed by the order of the Holy Trinity, founded by St. John of Matha. He was born in the south of France, passed his youth in the practice of virtue, and having completed his studies at Paris with great success, entered the ecclesiastical state. The day he said his first mass in the

316 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

presence of the bishop of Paris and many great person ages, God wrought a miracle to make known to him his vocation.

5. What was this miracle?

At the elevation of the sacred host, an angel appeared in the shape of a young man — he was dressed in a white robe with a cross of red and blue on the breast, and his hand resting on two captives. The bishop of Paris sent St. John of Matha to Rome, to ask of the sovereign pontiff what was the will of God in the matter.

6. What did the sovereign pontiff do?

The sovereign pontiff ordered fasting and prayers and he himself celebrated the holy mysteries. At the elevation the same miraculous vision appeared, and the pope directed St. John of Matha to establish an order for the redemption of captives who were groan ing under the yoke of the infidels.

7. Did the saint remain at Rome?

He did not remain at Rome — he returned to France, built a monastery, collected alms, and sent two of his religious to Africa to ransom the slaves — they brought back one hundred and eighty. The saint went thither himself, and ransomed a great number.