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PERSECUTED VIRTUE.-Persecution seems to be the portion of virtue. God desires or permits it in accordance with His ever-wise designs, which it behoves us to adore without seeking to penetrate. Amatus gave himself up to all the fervor of piety in a cell attached to the monastery of Agaune, near which was built a little oratory that still exists, called "Our Lady of the Rock," whence he was drawn to be raised to the see of Sion, in the Valais. He discharged the functions of this high office for many years with such edification that his reputation for sanctity continued to increase day by day. But the weak-minded , Thierry III swayed by his mistresses and by the atrocious Ebroin, mayor of the palace, allowing himself to be influenced against him, condemned him without appeal, and banished him from his diocese. The pious bishop patiently bore this unjust treatment, and withdrew to a monastery, where he died a holy death towards the year 690. Thierry, having returned to better thoughts, reproached himself bitterly with his mode of dealing, and repaired the mischief by numerous deeds of benevolence.

MORAL REFLECTION.-The just man when persecuted resembles our Savior more nearly: "Let him then take up his cross, and follow" the divine model.-(Mark viii. 34.) Half Hours Pictorial with the Saints by Fr. Lecanu

St. Paphnucius

"HONOURABLE WOUNDS. - St. Paphnucius, the disciple of St. Anthony, and one of the most holy bishops of Upper Egypt, nobly confessed the faith during the persecution of Maximinus. He was grievously wounded in the ankle and thumb, and had his right eye torn out previous to being sent to labor in the mines with the other martyrs. On peace being restored to the Church by Constantine the Great, he reappeared in his diocese with all the more authority, because the halo of the martyr surrounded him. This glorious title, as well as his personal sanctity, attracted towards him the reverent homage of the fathers of the Council at Nicea, where he was anxious to be present, despite his state of suffering. Constantine, who loved to converse with him and consult him as a parent, never parted from him without respectfully kissing his cheek or the scars in his hand. Paphnucius was present likewise at the council of Tyre, and there brought about a reconciliation between Maximus, patriarch of Jerusalem, and St. Athanasius, who had been calumniated by the enemies of the faith. The precise date of his death is not recorded.

MORAL REFLECTION.-If to fight for one's country be glorious, "it is likewise great glory to follow the Lord," saith the Wise Man.(Eccles. xxiii. 38.)" Pictorial Half Hour with the saints by Fr. Augustine Lecanu

"THIS saint received his surname from the town which was his residence for the greater part of his life, and where he died. He was piously educated, and gave early signs of a virtuous life. In his childhood, he spent hours together at his prayers, with wonderful application of his mind to God. He had a tender love for the poor, and from his tender age had a habit of fasting three days in the week on bread and water. When grown up he became a religious of the Order of the reformed Augustins; and here he lived a wonderful example, not only of great austerity, but also of charity, patience, and humility. He suffered very much in his devotions from the malice of a subtle enemy, without being discouraged. Thus he went on, till he was called to a better life, in the year 1306.

What can you now learn from the method of this saint? You are not to oblige children at his tender years to fast. But if you will be kind to them, flatter not their appetites with choice bits; give them what is wholesome, but teach them not to be nice. For by courting their palates, you would teach them to love themselves, make them unfit for the penitential way of the Gospel, and very miserable, if forced at any time to struggle with the difficulties of the world. Observe the rigors of this saint: for though you cannot follow them, they will yet serve as a reproach to your selfish way, in seeking every thing that pleases. Did he think Heaven worth all his self-denials; and will you suffer nothing for it? Reflect well on this point: for all who follow Christ being commanded to deny themselves, he can be no true disciple, who is a stranger to the practice of self-denial. Learn something as to prayer. Be not discouraged with the distractions of wandering thoughts; and let no temptations frighten you from your usual exercise. Do the best you are able, and hope that God will pardon your weakness. Endeavor to prevent the growth of tares; but do not think your labor unprofitable if there be some tares among the corn.The harvest may turn to good account notwithstanding this mixture." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"At the beginning of the seventeenth century the Jesuit College of Majorca was blessed with the presence of a holy lay brother, called Alphonsus Rodriguez, whose name has lately been added to the catalogue of the Saints. Though holding the humble office of college porter, he was able by his admirable example and burning words, issuing from a heart inflamed with Divine love, to exercise a powerful influence for good upon the students. Among these was a youth of noble birth, a native of Catalonia, named Peter Claver, whom he inflamed with so ardent a zeal for the salvation of the poor abandoned negro slaves in the Spanish colonies of South America, that the labours and sacrifices of this painful apostolate became the object of his longing desires and his highest ambition. Almighty God responded to his generous aspirations, and in the year 1615 he was sent by his superiors to reinforce the mission at Carthagena, the principal seaport of Peru.

Upon his arrival at his destination, Father Claver was moved with the most tender compassion on beholding the sufferings of the poor negroes who were landed at this port from the slave ships, and bought and sold like cattle. Their fate was indeed a hard one, for no sooner were they discharged from the vessel where they had been crowded together for weeks beneath the hatchways, enduring all the horrors of hunger, thirst and foul air, than they found that their sufferings were just commencing. The silver mines where they had to labour in the bowels of the earth, and the plantations where they had to toil beneath the burning sun, were to be the scene of their life-long misery; and when exhausted by excessive labours and debilitated by hardship and disease, they became no longer of service to their brutal masters, they were often thrust aside and left to perish uncared for either in soul or body. It was to alleviate the cruel sufferings of these poor outcasts and ensure them the enjoyment of eternal happiness hereafter that Claver devoted the forty years of his missionary life.

When taking his four final vows Father Claver added a fifth, intended to bind him more closely to his heroic work. It is expressed by the words in which he signed his solemn act of profession, "Peter, slave of the negroes for ever." Faithful to his vow he wore himself out by his unceasing labours in their behalf, until at length, utterly exhausted in body and paralysed in all his limbs, he breathed out his soul to God on September 8, A.D. 1654, at the age of seventy-four." Short lives of the saints, for every day in the year, Volume 3,Catholic Truth Society By Rev. Fr. Henry Gibson, 1897 p. 29

"St. Eleutherius, was abbot of St. Mark's, near Spoleto in Italy, and favored by Almighty God with the gift of miracles. A wonderful simplicity and spirit of compunction were the distinguishing virtues of this holy man. A child who was possessed by the devil, being delivered by being educated in his monastery, the abbot said one day that since the child had been among the servants of God, the devil had not dared to approach him. These words seemed to savor of vanity, and they were no sooner spoken, than the devil began again to torment the child. The abbot humbly confessed his fault, and fasted with his whole community, till the child was again freed from the devil, who never more entered into him. St. Gregory the Great not being able to fast on Easter Eve, on account of the extreme weakness of his breast, engaged St. Eleutherius to go with him to the church of St. Andrew, and put up his prayers to God for his health, that he might join the faithful in that solemn practice of penance. The saint prayed with many tears, and St. Gregory coming out of the church found himself suddenly strengthened, so that he was enabled to keep the fast as he desired. St. Eleutherius also raised a dead man to life. Resigning his abbacy, he died in St. Andrew's monastery in Rome, about the year 585. From the first event above related, you see the evil of vanity, and how great reason you have to be on your guard, since the elect of God are thus in danger. As vanity is displeasing to God, be careful to oppose the first approaches of it; and set the memory of your sins against whatever supposed advantages come into your mind. Never praise yourself, nor think well of yourself; and never put others upon praising you. Boast not of anything belonging to you: but if after your boasting, you find something unusual befall you, wonder not; for it is thus that God punishes your rashness, and brings you to the true knowledge of yourself." The Catholic Year; Or Daily Lessons on the Feasts of the Church by Rev. Fr. John GOTHER

Moral reflection: "Appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in heaven, and thy Father, Who seeth in secret, He will repay thee." (St. Matthew 6.18) Pictorial half hours with the saints by Rev. Fr. Auguste François Lecanu