Amongst the great saints of this period who exercised their ministry in the countries about Germany, combating heresy and vice, guiding the erring and sinners on the way of salvation, and showing themselves true shepherds and fathers of the faithful, Blessed Peter Canisius, who was raised up by God as the protector of the Church in our own unhappy land, well deserves mention. He was born at Nymwegen, in the same year (1521) as that in which St. Ignatius received the memorable wound in the battle of Pampeluna, which caused him to quit the warfare of this world and enroll himself as a soldier of Jesus Christ. And it was into the society of which St. Ignatius was the founder, that Blessed Peter Canisius was one day destined to enter; and under the leadership of its head, that he was to do battle for the Church in Germany, revive the Catholic faith, and save countless souls, nay whole provinces even, from apostasy.

When Canisius first entered on his work, the condition of religion in Germany was most deplorable. Heresy was at that time especially active in its endeavors to insinuate itself everywhere, and to seize for its representatives the pulpits in the cities, the chairs in the universities, and the influential places in the government. The clergy, who should have been its opponents, were discouraged. Great numbers of them were ignorant, and some were inclined towards the innovators. The parishes were often left without priests, or with such priests only as were no credit to their office. The authorities, for the most part, were zealous supporters of Protestantism, and hindered to the best of their power all measures taken by the Emperor in behalf of the Church. They even went so far as to demand from him fresh concessions, as the price of their aid against the common enemy, the Turks. Then if ever, Germany stood in need of help from on high, if the true faith were not entirely to perish out of her.

St. Ignatius, deeply troubled at the state of the country, had already on different occasions sent thither four of his first companions, namely Favre, Le Jay, Salmeron, and Bobadilla; but to neither of these was a long course of successful labour granted. Le Jay died young, the others were forced to employ their activity elsewhere, and Germany was still left waiting for an apostle, who, armed with divine power, should raise up the oppressed Church and cause her to triumph gloriously over her enemies. And such an apostle had been provided for her in the blessed Peter Canisius.

From his earliest youth, God had specially protected him, and had markedly endowed him with a tender fervency in prayer and a predilection for heavenly things. He also had the advantage during his years of study, of a most excellent director, who guided him onwards in the path of holiness, and to whom he on his part daily confided with a generous humility his actions, words, and even his most secret thoughts. Eventually it was God's will that he should become acquainted at Mayence, with Father Peter Favre, and by his means led to join the Society of Jesus. He had already, as a young priest at Cologne, given proofs of extraordinary zeal, which had won public recognition. Herman von Wied, the misguided Archbishop of Cologne, had at that time invited some of the innovators into the city, thus bringing ravening wolves into Christ's fold. The firmness with which Canisius opposed the heresies of the new teachers, and the high esteem in which he was already held, caused him to be sent by the clergy and people to the Emperor, to ask help against their false pastor; and he fulfilled his mission so well, that shortly afterwards the hireling, for he was no longer a shepherd, was deservedly deposed and excommunicated.

Canisius was sent at the age of twenty-six, as a distinguished theologian, to assist at the Council of Trent, and afterwards summoned to Rome by St. Ignatius. At the altar of the Apostles Peter and Paul, he was professed as a member of the Society of Jesus in the presence of its holy founder, and here he ardently besought of God the grace to live and die for the spiritual welfare of his native land. Thither he returned in the year 1550, and there for thirty years carried on a most efficacious ministry.

To form an idea of his labours, we should have to accompany him on his journeys, and witness his fatigues and sufferings, as well as his battles and his victories. We first find him in Bavaria. He quickly won the admiration of all as professor of theology in Ingoldstadt, and was elected rector of the university. Through his means, an interest in theological science was revived among the students, and the sacred calling of the priesthood came to be held in high honour. His sermons terrified the most hardened sinners, awoke the slumbering faith of the people, and kindled in all hearts a zeal for religion. On account of the veneration he everywhere inspired, the Emperor Ferdinand, placing confidence in him in a case which seemed almost desperate, summoned him to Vienna. Here there was indeed enough to cause him sorrow in the many and deep wounds which the heretics had inflicted on religion. He found the people demoralized, the clergy degraded, God's worship neglected, and most of the towns deprived of their pastors. The once flourishing university had not for twenty years produced a single priest, and there were three hundred parishes without pastors in the territory then belonging to Austria.

Canisius strove with his whole might, by word and example, to combat these evils. His first care was to reintroduce orthodox teaching into the higher schools, and to secure that their authorities should be men of approved faith. But neither did he forget the poor country people. When he learnt how that, far and wide in the country about Vienna, most of the villages were deprived of all spiritual aid, he set forth himself, and made toilsome journeys from place to place, preaching, instructing, and administering the sacraments. And the poor people thanked God with tears of joy, for His mercy in sending to them, as they said, this angel from heaven. From Vienna, Canisius was sent by the Emperor to Bohemia, where religion was attacked by foes still fiercer and more powerful. But nothing could shake the courage of God's servant. The heretics raged against him, insulted him, and pelted him with stones; but in vain. The power of his preaching, his patience, gentleness, and charity, in the end disarmed their wrath, and led back a great part of the people into the bosom of the Church.

In Poland also a fierce battle awaited him with the enemies of the faith. Here too, his words restored the drooping courage of the weak, put the arrogance of the heretics to shame, wrought in King Sigismund a zealous determination to protect the rights of the Church, and thus prepared the way for her ultimate triumph. Much more might yet be said of his long years of labour in Bavaria, Austria, Franconia, Swabia, Alsace, and Breisgau; of the important and difficult missions entrusted to him by the popes, and of the share which, as a distinguished theologian, he was repeatedly called on to take in the deliberations of the Council of Trent; and much too, of the many colleges which he founded in Germany, whereby not only were the fruits of his own labour multiplied, but solid support was provided for religion, and blessings laid up for future centuries.

It is impossible to witness without astonishment the labours of this one man, whom we meet with, now at Diets as the councillor of Catholic princes,--now at religious conferences, confuting error with truth,--journeying to and fro to Rome, sent hither and thither in the service of the Church, ever devoting himself as teacher and confessor to the salvation of souls; and in spite of all, finding time to produce voluminous writings in defense of the faith. Amongst these, besides many larger works, may be mentioned his well-known catechism, or "Abstract of Christian Doctrine," which has served in Germany ever since his time as a textbook for instruction in schools and churches. We cannot wonder at the veneration in which Canisius was held by all the greatest men of his time, and which caused him to be named "the pillar of the Northern Church" and the "Xavier of the West." His enemies too, paid him tribute of the highest possible praise, saying, as Protestants bear witness, that had it not been for him, all the south of Germany would have ceased to be Catholic. The latter years of his life were spent by Canisius at Freiburg in Switzerland. Even to extreme old age he continued his apostolic labours, and at last, December 21, 1597, closed his active and holy life by an equally holy death.

I shall always love and reverence the Apostles sent by Christ, and their successors in sowing the seed of the Gospel, those zealous and tireless cooperators in propagating the word, who may justly say of themselves: Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. For Christ, like a most watchful and most faithful householder, wished that the Gospel lamp should be lighted by such ministers and delegates with fire sent down from heaven, and once lighted, should not be put under a measure, but set upon a candlestick, so that it may spread its brightness far and wide, and put to flight all darkness and error rife among both Jєωs and Gentiles.

Now it is not enough for the Gospel teacher to be a brilliant speaker in the eyes of the people; he must also be as a voice crying in the desert, and endeavor by his eloquence to help many to lead good lives, lest, if he omit his duty of speaking, he be called the dumb dog that is not able to bark, spoken of by the prophet. Yes, he should also burn in such a way that, equipped with good works and love, he may adorn his evangelical office, and follow the leadership of Paul. He indeed was not satisfied with bidding the bishop of the Ephesians: This command and teach: conduct thyself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus; but he unflaggingly preached the Gospel to friend and foe alike, and said with a good conscience to the bishops gathered at Ephesus: You know how I have kept back nothing that was for your good, but have declared it to you, and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jєωs and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort, and finally, every one whatever is necessary for salvation. And so Christ, when he wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit himself to saying to his disciples: You are the light of the world; but also added these words: A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house. Those churchmen err who imagine that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of and all-embracing love, they fulfil their office.

O Jesus, friend of children, Who from thy most tender years didst grow visibly in wisdom and in grace before God and men; Who at the age of twelve wast seated in the Temple, in the midst of the doctors, listening to them attentively, humbly asking them questions, and exciting their admiration by the prudence and wisdom of thy discourse; Who didst receive so willingly the children, blessing them and saying to Thy disciples: Let them come to Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven, inspire me as Thou didst inspire Blessed Peter Canisius, model and guide of the perfect Catechist, with a profound respect and a holy affection for childhood, a taste and a marked devotion for instructing them in Christian doctrine, a special aptitude in making them understand its mysteries and love its beauties. I ask this of Thee, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary. Amen.

For the sake of obtaining that eternal life no works of piety ought to seem too hard to a true believer, no toil too heavy, no pain too bitter, no time spent in labor and suffering too long or too wearisome. For if nothing is sweeter or more desirable than this present life which is so full of calamities, how much more desirable must that other life be deemed which is so far removed from all sense of evil or fear of it, which will in every conceivable way always abound in the unspeakable and unending joys, delight and happiness of heaven.

Better that only a few Catholics should be left, staunch and sincere in their religion, than that they should, remaining many, desire as it were, to be in collusion with the Church's enemies and in conformity with the open foes of our faith.



We are to pray as though everything depended on God, but work as though everything depended on us, we do have a free will.



If you have too much to do, with God's help, you will find time to do it all.