minister to the supposed need of a parent, no man can gainsay her right to give herself to her heavenly Bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Parents and relatives will often oppose the entrance of a woman into Religion, insisting that it would be a disregard of duty to leave an aged father or mother, or younger brother or sister, to answer such vocation. If, however, the opportunity arose for her to make what the world would regard as a good marriage, these same relatives would perhaps be equally insistent that she avail herself of it, and thus settle herself for life.

It stands without any question that when a woman would be free to marry and leave her parents to their own resources for support and care, she is also free to enter Religion.

Those desirous of entering Religion are to be warned to be on their guard against these unjust influences and demands. Our Lord would not accept the one who desired first to bury his father. The argument was the same that we find offered so often to-day. "The old man has not long to live. Let me remain with him to the end, and bury him, and after that I will come and follow Thee." Our Lord would not accept such an offering then. He will not accept it

now.1

The natural tendency of friends and kinsfolk to discourage one from entering Religion is the basis of the opinion held by all authorities that ordinarily it is not wise for one to take counsel on the subject with

1 St. Cyril, In Luc., cap. ix. Quoted by St. Thomas, Summa. 2. 2, Q. 101, Art. 4.

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those who are near to one by ties of blood or friendship, since their view of the case would, almost of necessity, be prejudiced. Let counsel be taken of those pastors and spiritual guides who can give an unbiased judgment; and in the great majority of cases it is well to let the matter be decided as finally as possible before taking counsel with those whose love and interest would make it difficult for them to weigh the matter aright.

Where such opposition makes itself effective, however, and, through no fault of his, prevents the aspirant from entering Religion, it is not to be taken as a proof that one is not called of God. God's will and purpose in this respect can be baulked, just as in other things the sin or ignorance of men makes His purpose of no effect.

"If after all efforts you cannot succeed," says St. Francis de Sales, "you could not please our Lord more than by sacrificing to Him your will, and remaining in tranquillity, humility and devotion, entirely conformed and submissive to His divine will and good pleasure, which you will recognize clearly enough when, having done your best, you cannot fulfil your desires. For our good God sometimes tries our courage and our love, depriving us of the things which seem to us, and which really are, very good for the soul; and if He sees us ardent in their pursuit, and yet humble, tranquil and resigned to the doing without, and to the privation of the thing sought, He gives us blessings greater in the privation than in the possession of the thing desired, for in all and everywhere God loves those who with good heart and

simply, on all occasions and in all events, can say to Him, Thy will be done." "

V. Of the Obligation of Parents to Children

If a child is bound to come to the relief of the parent, the parent is under a still more binding obligation to relieve a child under the circumstances described. He is the author of the child's being, and cannot without sin evade the duty of caring for the child. He is debarred from entering Religion unless he is certain beyond all reasonable doubt that the child will be brought up and educated in a manner commensurate with his station in life. If others undertake to relieve him of the child's care and training, he must make sure of their ability to carry out their agreement, and he is bound to leave his monastery and assume his own parental responsibility should they fail for any cause whatever to fulfil their agreement. The same principle of duty holds good here as obtains in case of a son leaving his community to relieve a parent.3

1 St. Francis de Sales, Letters to Persons in the World (Mackay), p. 41. 2 St. Thomas, Summa, 2. 2, Q. 189, Art. 6.

3 St. Francis de Sales deals in some detail in chapter xliii of the Visitation Constitutions with the reception of widows who are leaving children behind them. He says: "Caution shall be had not to receive any who have children in such a situation as to render it necessary for them that their mothers remain in the world; nor any of those who are known to be overfond of their children, or subject to solicitudes. For although these seem at first to be well-disposed, as being still animated by the fervour of their first impressions, they nevertheless prove shortly after liable to temptation to anxiety, which upon the least difficulty that occurs will come upon them, work their fancy into a thought that if they were still in the world they might do great things for their children, and incessantly move

In certain cases of necessity one is bound to remain in the world to relieve brothers and sisters. This is particularly so when the parents without such aid would not be able to give younger children the training and education due to their station in life. No one has the right to leave an aged or delicate parent, or a widowed mother, to bear such a burden alone.

Ordinarily one is not bound to defer entering the Religious Life because of the necessity of any other kinsfolk whatsoever; but cases arise where the course to be followed would be dictated by the principles of charity. Such cases have to be decided on their own merits, and no rule of universal application can be laid down for them. As a general thing, fosterparents who have brought up a child, devoting themselves to its rearing, giving the love and care which are ordinarily looked for in a parent, have the same claim on the child as a parent would have, and should not be abandoned in their age or necessity.

VI. Of the Obligation of Debts

No one is free to enter Religion when it would work injury to another. One who believes he is called to the Religious State must therefore take into consideration in reaching his decision, what debts or obligations he owes to others, and all these must be satisfied their tongues to speak of them with lamentations; and though their entrance into Religion might in itself have proved greatly useful to their very children, yet any regret however so little that might be raised in them from other causes would become for them, to the great scandal of many, an occasion of censuring and blaming themselves for retiring from the world."

before an aspirant can be permitted to offer himself for the habit.1

Debts are classed as certain and uncertain.

Certain debts are those of undoubted and definite sums owed to definite persons. No one can be allowed to enter Religion until all such debts are arranged to the satisfaction of the creditor; unless there is no possibility of the debtor being able, either now or in future, to make such a settlement. When it is impossible to pay the debt in any event, he does his creditor no injury by entering Religion, and is free to do so at any time. But if he has any means whatever he is held to do what he can, and must in such a case turn over what he has to his creditors. The expectation of being able to discharge his obligation cannot prevent one from entering Religion, however, unless it amounts to a moral certainty. He is not bound to defer his vocation for an indefinite length of time in the vague hope of some circumstances arising that might enable him to pay his debts.

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Debts are uncertain when it cannot be definitely determined to whom they are owed or in what sum. Such debts do not prevent entrance into Religion. For example, a man may have engaged in a dishonest business, the nature of which is such that he cannot tell to whom or in what amounts restitution should be made; or he may have inherited a fortune that had been unlawfully accumulated. By entering Religion such an one dispossesses himself of such

1 St. Thomas, Summa. 2. 2, Q. 189, Art. 6. Also St. Basil, Reg. Brev., 94. 3 Ibid.

2 St. Thomas, Summa. 2. 2, Q. 189, Art. 6.