Letter 2. To a Priest About to Be Consecrated Bishop

BISHOP.

Annecy, 3, 1603.

.. •.. You are attaining the summit of ecclesiastical life, and I would say to you, as it was said to the shepherd who was chosen to be King of Israel: “ Muta-beris in virum alterum." You must be altogether a new man, both externally and inwardly, and to attain this great and solemn change you must stir up your whole mind Thanks be to God who has given you the desire so to do; I trust that He will also give you the power, and so perfect His work in you.

In order to effect this change, you must seek the assistance both of the living and the dead; of the living, for you should seek out one or two very spiritually-minded men, by whose intercourse you may profit Such confidence is a great relief to the mind

Then as to the dead, you must have a little library of two kinds of spiritual books; one kind suitable to you as an ecclesiastic, the other specially so as a Bishop. Make use of Grenada's works, almost as a second office book; they will frame your mind to a true loving devotion. To read profitably you must not be voracious, but weigh and ponder, applying what you read bit by bit to your o\vn soul, with much meditation and prayer. [Here follow the names of various other spiritual authors of that day — Stella, Arias, Avila, &c., and specially the Fathers SS. Augustine, Jerome, Gregory, and Bernard.]

I would further say that it is of infinite importance that you receive consecration with the greatest reverence and devotion, and with a full apprehension of the dignity of the ministry. The beginning is most important in all things, and we may well say, “ Primum in imoquoque genere est mensura cseterorum.” *

I would also urge upon you great confidence and love for your Guardian Angel, the patron of your

Diocese Make a resolution to be diligent in preaching to your people. The Council of Trent, as well as all the Fathers, considers preaching to be a foremost office of Bishops. Do not aim at being considered a great preacher; do it simply as God’s Will and your duty — a, Bishop’s fatherly sermon is worth more than the most elaborately got-up discourses of other men. He does not need much; his sermons should be about practical matters, not studied or curious; his words simple and unaffected; his action natural and fatherly, not studied; and then let his words be few, they will be enough I pray you, commend me to God; I will do the like for you, and will ever be yours, &c.

• ** The first step is the measure of all that follows.”

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