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Conversion of the Duke of Aquitaine

 Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen. By Saint Bernard

Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

"ST. BERNARD was born in Burgundy, and finding great difficulties in living up to the rules of the Gospel in the world, at the age of two-and-twenty entered into a religious house of the Cistercian monks. Here he applied himself wholly to the exercises of humility, piety, watching, and prayer; and was so rigorous in fasting, that at length eating became a greater mortification to him than abstinence. He refused great dignities, several times offered to him. He labored very much in composing many differences among Christian princes, and settling all ecclesiastical affairs, particularly here in England, under King Henry II., to whom he wrote many letters. He has left great proofs of his wonderful piety and learning in his writings. He died at the age of sixty-three, in the year 1153.

Pray for all the religious of his order, who from him are called Bernardines.From the pious resolution of this saint, who, the better to secure his salvation, withdrew from the world, reflect seriously on the world, and considering its common method, see how far you are obliged to forsake it, for securing your eternal good. Do you not observe that it goes contrary to the gospel, and not only approves, but encourages those very things, which are condemned by Christ? It promotes all manner of vanity, pride, and intemperance: it recommends pleasures, sensuality, idleness, and ease. It puts you upon all manner of curiosities, detraction, and revenge. It sets a value on all that is temporal, and disesteems whatever is for your eternal advantage. What, in these unhappy circumstances, can you do? If you follow the world, you are miserable; if you do not follow it, you appear ridiculous. This is the condition of those who live in the world. Can you then wonder at those who retire from it? Do you not see that they choose the much better part, in avoiding both its snares and its censures? If you are not called to this, you are obliged to come as near it as you can, in not being one of the world, while you live in it. live in it. And how can this be, but by taking in all things that way which it most disapproves, and forsaking that which it admires? It passes very wrong judgments upon every thing: therefore, how can you go right, but by letting its censures direct you in what you are to choose? This it will call folly: but is not the folly of the world the wisdom of Christ? If you have not courage to pursue this method, you have not the courage necessary to secure you from those dangers in which you live. For if you cannot stand against the torrent, you must be carried down by it: if you cannot overcome the world, you must be overcome by it. And if that perishes, what will become of you? These circumstances are very hard; watch then and, pray, and let your daily endeavors be answerable to the dangers in which you live." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother