Index.

Actions: perfection consists in performing our actions well, p. 186

— means, p. 187

Acts of faith, of hope, and of charity, p. 710

AMBITION, evil that it produces in convents, p. 325

ANGER, we must try to restrain it, p. 361

APPETITE, mortification of, p. 229

ARIDITY, see Desolation

BURSAR, particular admonitions, p. 684

CARNIVAL, how religious should employ this time

— abuses to be avoided, p. 707

CHANT figured, is not suitable for religious, p. 680

CHARITY towards our neighbor, its necessity and advantages, p. 346

— practice of charity in our thoughts and sentiments, p. 351

— in words, p. 355

— in actions, p. 366, p. 677, p. 681

CHASTITY, means to preserve it, p. 28, p. 218, p. 232, p. 235, p. 413, p. 418

— dangers to be avoided, p. 288

COMEDIES, a kind of recreation not suitable for convents, p. 707

COMMUNION, its effects, p. 563

— teaching of the Church in regard to Holy Communion, p. 566

— Decree of Pius X on frequent Communion, p. 568

— dispositions required, p. 571, p. 572, p. 578

— preparation for Communion, p. 574, p. 583

— thanksgiving, p. 576

— exhortation to receive Communion frequently, p. 584

— , p. 719

— it is a means to preserve purity, p. 29

— Spiritual Communion, p. 586, p. 719

CONFESSION: utility of frequent confession, p. 525

— examination of conscience, p. 527

— contrition, p. 528

— purpose of amendment, p. 530

— false shame, p. 532

— doubts, p. 536, p. 555

— wise reserve, p. 540

— utility of a general confession, p. 555

CONFESSOR: need and choice of a director, p. 541

— obedience to the director, p. 550

— wise reserve in regard to him, p. 292, p. 419, p. 540

— Resignation and behavior when one loses him, p. 400

— The confessor should not receive presents, p. 272

— An account to be given to God if he hinders the spiritual progress of a soul, p. 281

— The extraordinary confessor, p. 173

CONFIDENCE in prayer, p. 614

CONFORMITY to the will of God, see Death, Patience, Resignation

— It is better and surer to act through a motive of doing the will of God than with the intention of promoting his glory, p. 604

CORRECTION, how to give it, p. 368, p. 673

— and to take it, p. 166

COUNSELLORS, particular admonitions, p. 184

CROSSES, inevitable in this life, and are for our own good, p. 379, p. 437

— See Patience, Resignation

DEATH: one dies more confidently in religion, p. 54

— one should accept death, should it come, and even desire it, p. 398, p. 720

— an act of conformity to the will of God at the moment of death delivers from hell and from purgatory, p. 437

— we should often think of death, p. 721

— Desire of perfection or holy love, p. 80, p. 641, p. 644, p. 719

— fruitless desires, p. 89

— Desire for death, p. 398, p. 719

DESOLATION, spiritual, how to behave when afflicted therewith, p. 403, p. 433, p. 465

DETACHMENT from creatures, p. 63, p. 72, p. 653

— from relatives, p. 277

— from other persons, p. 287

— from animals, p. 297

— See Mortification

DETRACTION, the harm that it does in the Community, p. 355

DIRECTOR, spiritual, see Confessor

DISCIPLINES or FLAGELLATIONS, their use, p. 245

DISPUTES should be avoided, p. 359

DRESS, modesty and poverty in the manner in which we should clothe ourselves, p. 224, p. 265, p. 330

ENVY, should be banished, p. 354

EXAMINATION of conscience for confession, p. 527

— Examination of conscience should be made every day, p. 203

EXAMPLE: we should profit by the good example and give it to others, p. 96, p. 222, p. 370, p. 601

— Examples cited: Divine love, Jesus Christ preferred to all spouses, p. 19

— Charity towards our neighbor, p. 351, p. 375

— Chastity, virgins who deformed themselves to preserve their purity, p. 31

— Confession, p. 526, p. 532, p. 550, p. 683

— Conformity to the will of God, p. 436

— Sacrilegious Communion, p. 533

— Spiritual Communion, p. 586

— Conversion, or return of fervor, p. 94, p. 519, p. 531, p. 716

— Detachment from creatures, p. 64, p. 72, p. 76, p. 289

— from relatives, p. 279, p. 281

— Religious state, happiness that it procures, p. 51, p. 55, p. 58

— Humility, p. 200, p. 300, p. 315, p. 330

— Detraction, p. 357

— Modesty of the eyes, p. 219, p. 223

— Interior mortification, p. 134, p. 139

— exterior, p. 206, p. 208, p. 230, p. 234

— rigorous penances, p. 215

— Obedience, p. 144, p. 147, p. 157, p. 162, p. 174, p. 183, p. 191, p. 193, p. 202

— Pride, p. 299, p. 302, p. 306, p. 319, p. 332

— Parlor, p. 281

— One must never cease to combat passions, p. 130

— Patience and resignation in sickness, p. 211, p. 326, p. 389, p. 397, p. 432

— in our work, p. 214

— in humiliations, p. 339, p. 362

— Poverty, p. 267, p. 272

— little faults against this virtue, p. 108, p. 175, p. 250, p. 264

— Perfection, desire of reaching it, p. 86, p. 88, p. 93

— a religious should serve God in a perfect manner, p. 108

— Temptations, p. 201, p. 314, p. 410

— Visit to the Blessed Sacrament, p. 588

EXERCISES, spiritual, p. 679, p. 712, p. 719

— Spiritual maxims for meditation, p. 723

EXPENSES, excess to be avoided, p. 269, p. 686

EYES, modesty and mortification of the eyes, p. 217, p. 330

FASTING recommended, p. 237

FLESH-MEAT, hurtful to the soul, p. 235

FOOD that we should take: quality, p. 235

— quantity, p. 236

— manner, p. 240

— To eat little, especially at supper, p. 232, p. 239

FRIENDSHIPS, dangerous, p. 288

— marks by which we may ascertain whether an affection is not pure, p. 293, p. 242, p. 636

FURNITURE, poverty to be practised in regard to it, p. 267

GRACE: God withdraws graces in punishment of voluntary and habitual sins, p. 104

GRATE, see Parlor

HAIR-CLOTH, various kinds, p. 244

HEALTH, we should take a reasonable care of it, p. 169

HUMILIATIONS, we should suffer them patiently, p. 331, p. 395

— and joyfully, p. 343

HUMILITY, advantages that it procures, p. 299

— humility of the intellect or the judgment, p. 308

— humility of the heart or of the will, p. 318, p. 331

— Humility in relation to faults that are committed, p. 122

— when we have offended any one, p. 364

— in temptations, p. 415

— in prayer, p. 613

IDLENESS, an evil that should be avoided, p. 490

INFIRMARIAN, particular admonitions, p. 687

INTENTION: the good intention gives value to acts, p. 597, p. 604

— marks of a good intention, p. 600

— the intention may be good in three ways, p. 602

— its practice, p. 606

JESUS CHRIST, a Spouse preferable to all spouses, p. 18

— his poor and humble life, p. 252, p. 300

— his love for us, p. 644

— he wishes to be loved, p. 662

— The means to acquire divine love, p. 652

— Aspirations of love, p. 726, p. 652

JUDGMENT: in obedience we should submit our judgment, p. 198

— judgments contrary to charity, p. 351

LAY-SISTERS, care that is to be taken of them, p. 681, p. 690

— particular admonitions, p. 691

LETTERS, advice in regard to correspondence, p. 291

LIFE, Community

— its advantages, p. 260

— its obligation connected with the vow of poverty, p. 265

LIVES OF THE SAINTS, how useful it is to read them, p. 521

LOVE, DIVINE

— God loves us, p. 644

— and wishes to be loved by us, p. 662

— we should love him on account of his perfections, and through gratitude, p. 643

— Means of acquiring the love of God, p. 63, p. 72, p. 652

— Desire for holy love, p. 85, p. 641, p. 652, p. 719

— It is the principal effect of Communion, p. 565

— In obtaining divine love we obtain all graces, p. 462, p. 728

— He that loves God suffers willingly for him, p. 214, p. 388

— An act of perfect love suffices for the remission of all our sins, p. 460

— Acts of love, p. 658, p. 665, p. 710

MARY, Mother of God, her power, p. 624

— her desire to assist us, p. 627

— she is the advocate of sinners, p. 630

— A true servant of Mary cannot be lost, p. 624

— what are the true servants of Mary, p. 634

— Practices, p. 636

MASS, the greatness of the sacrifice of the Altar, and how to be present at it, p. 702

— the Mass hurriedly said, p. 679

MEEKNESS towards every one, p. 360

— in giving correction, p. 676

— See Charity

MELANCHOLY, an evil that should be avoided, p. 227, p. 712

MENTAL PRAYER, its moral necessity, p. 441

— practice of mental prayer, p. 453, p. 695

— mental prayer should be continual, p. 467

— It is a means of preserving purity, p. 28

— of arriving at perfection, p. 90, p. 448

— A religious who is very busy should profit by every moment, so as to recollect herself in prayer, p. 168

— Mental prayer that one should make in sickness, p. 396

MISTRESS of the pupils, how watchful she should be in regard to particular friendships, p. 295

MISTRESS of novices, particular admonitions, p. 682

MODESTY of the eyes, p. 217

— modesty in our dress, in our walk, in sitting, in eating, in speaking, p. 224, p. 330, p. 705, p. 706

— See Parlor

MORTIFICATION, interior, p. 129

— means to acquire it, p. 137

— Exterior mortification, its necessity and advantages, p. 205

— mortification of the eyes, p. 217

— of the appetite, p. 229

— of the sense of hearing, of smell, p. 243

— and of the touch, p. 244

— Mortification is a means of preserving purity, 29, NOVENAS that should be made, p. 29, p. 711

OBEDIENCE, the good that it brings us, p. 142

— merit of obedience, p. 154

— four degrees of perfect obedience, p. 190

— blind obedience, p. 200

— Obedience due to the Superiors, p. 160

— to the Rule, p. 172

— to the confessor, p. 548, p. 558, p. 561

— We must obey in doubt whether the thing commanded is bad, p. 163

— Obedience does not forbid us to manifest unknown difficulties, p. 169

OBSERVANCE, zeal and firmness to sustain it, p. 350

— See Rule, Occasions, dangerous, necessity of avoiding and removing them, p. 125, p. 222, p. 287, p. 417, p. 531

— See Parlor, OFFICE, divine, its importance, advice concerning its recitation, p. 695

— privileges granted to religious, p. 701

PARLOR, behavior while in it, p. 283, p. 290, p. 354

— dangers that should be avoided, p. 32, p. 287, p. 477

PARTY-SPIRIT in convents, the evil that it creates, p. 349

PASSIONS, how we should strive to combat them, p. 113, p. 131

— we cannot root them out entirely, p. 130

PATIENCE in general, p. 379

— humiliations and persecutions, p. 331, p. 361, p. 401

— in sickness, p. 395

— in poverty, p. 399

— in the loss of dear friends, p. 399

— in the loss of a director, p. 400

— in interior trials, p. 403

— in temptations, p. 408

— Practical counsels in order to obtain and practise patience, p. 406

PEACE, interior, fruit of obedience, p. 148

— peace and union in the Community, the fruit of charity, p. 348, p. 358

PERFECTION, every Christian must strive to attain it, p. 77, p. 83

— and especially the religious, p. 107, p. 119

— the religious must overcome himself and courageously strive to attain perfection, p. 71, p. 132, p. 381

— Means of attaining perfection, p. 77, p. 80, p. 90, p. 185, p. 448

— All perfection consists in divine love, p. 642

— See Divine Love

PERSEVERANCE in prayer, and final perseverance, p. 616

PORTRESS, particular admonitions, p. 686

POVERTY, religious, its necessity, p. 249

— the vow, p. 250

— the perfection of it, p. 251

— reward, p. 254

— in what consists poverty of spirit, p. 257

— four degrees of perfect poverty, p. 263

— Poverty in dress, p. 224, p. 265

— in furniture, p. 267

— in food, p. 234, p. 268

— in money, p. 268

— in expenses, p. 686

— The obligation of poverty in view of Community life, p. 261

PRAYER, its necessity, p. 446, p. 609

— its efficacy, p. 612, p. 617

— how we should pray, p. 613, p. 697

— the spirit of prayer, p. 617

— We should pray during meditation, p. 461

— Prayer is a great means of preserving purity, p. 28, p. 416

— to obtain patience and strength in trials, p. 406

— We must pray for sinners, p. 370

— for our persecutors, p. 377

— for priests, and for souls in purgatory, p. 372

PRESENCE of God, effects produced by this holy exercise, p. 495, p. 505

— Practice: as to the intellect, p. 500

— as to the application of the will, p. 508

PRIDE: the proud man is a robber, is blind, is a liar, p. 301

— God cannot bear with him, p. 303

— he never finds peace, p. 306

PURGATORY, pains that must be endured there, p. 384

— and as a religious one is cleansed in purgatory more quickly, p. 56

— an act of conformity to the will of God at the moment of death may deliver us from it, p. 437

— We should pray for the souls in purgatory, p. 372, p. 463

PURITY: see Chastity

READING, spiritual, its utility, p. 513

— manner of reading with fruit, p. 522

— books the reading of which is hurtful to religious, p. 514

— books useful for religious, p. 520

RECREATION: modesty in conversation, p. 225

— , p. 706

— charity, p. 359

— when and how we should speak, p. 478

REFECTORY: virtues that one may practise therein, p. 705

— See Food

RELIGION: see Religious State

RESPECT, human, p. 296

RETREAT: see Spiritual Exercises or Solitude

RISING in the morning, advice regarding it, p. 694, p. 636

RULES: obedience to the Rule, p. 172

— it is difficult to transgress it without sin, p. 84, p. 177

— Special duty of Superiors, p. 669

— A religious to sanctify herself will not confine herself to the mere discharge of the duties prescribed by the Rule, p. 78

SACRAMENT of the altar: visiting it, p. 588, p. 719

SACRISTAN, particular admonitions, p. 685

SADNESS, or melancholy, a fault that should be avoided, p. 227, p. 712

SANCTITY: see Perfection

SCRUPLES: What are real scruples and how they are hurtful, p. 545

— obedience is the remedy, p. 548, p. 550, p. 713

— two privileges of a scrupulous soul, p. 558

SICKNESS, patience and resignation, p. 273, p. 395, p. 430, p. 661

— Charity towards the sick, p. 373, p. 678, p. 687

SILENCE, its advantages, p. 467

SIN: we can and should avoid all venial sins that are plainly voluntary, p. 99

— danger to which venial sin exposes us, p. 101

— above all as regards the religious, p. 107, p. 111

— light faults in inferiors may be grave faults in Superiors, p. 108

— gravity of mortal sin in a religious, p. 116

— Means to be used against faults of frailty, p. 121

— against deliberate though not habitual venial sins, p. 123

— deliberate and habitual, p. 123

— Two things are required that a sin be mortal, p. 557

— practical doubt, p. 558

SINGULARITY, to be avoided, p. 236

SLEEP: mortification as to taking sleep, p. 246

— We must take the necessary sleep, p. 246, p. 711

SMELL, sense of, should be mortified, p. 244

SOLITUDE: love of solitude, p. 480

— solitude of the spirit, p. 486

— solitude of the heart, p. 487

— In solitude we must avoid idleness, p. 490

— Solitude or retirement is a means of preserving purity, p. 30

SPOUSE of Jesus Christ: a virgin consecrated to God becomes the spouse of Jesus Christ, p. 19

— his cherished and privileged spouse, p. 26, p. 644

— she should be wholly his, p. 33, p. 61, p. 603, p. 641, p. 662

— she should be zealous for his glory, p. 370

— she is happier than people in the world, p. 21

— She is the special object of attack of the devil, p. 409

— Means of loving Jesus Christ with our whole heart, p. 652

STATE, religious, its excellence, p. 26, p. 39

— advantages that it has according to St. Bernard, p. 41

— The one that is called to the religious state is called to save her soul by becoming a saint, p. 107

— What should a religious do if she has entered the convent against her will, p. 714

SUPERIORS, obedience due to them, p. 160

— Light faults in the inferiors may be grave faults in the Superiors, p. 108

— They should suspect evil in order to prevent it, p. 295, p. 352

— Particular account to be rendered by them to God if they impede the spiritual progress of a soul, p. 283

— Particular admonitions, p. 668

SUSPICIONS contrary to charity, p. 351

TEMPTATIONS, how the devil tempts and leads away pious persons, p. 114, p. 293

— Temptations of Eve, p. 201

— God permits certain temptations to keep us from pride, p. 302, p. 409

— to make us practise virtue and acquire merit, p. 410

— Patience in temptations, p. 408

— Means to resist them, p. 412, p. 539

TEPIDITY, how dangerous it is especially in a religious, p. 102, p. 111

— means to rid one’s self of it, p. 121

TONGUE: evil caused by speaking too much, p. 468

— when should the religious speak, p. 474

— rules for speaking as we should, p. 477

— Detraction, p. 355

TOUCH, mortification of the touch, p. 244

Turn, the attendant at the turn or portress, p. 685

VICAR, particular admonitions, p. 682

VIRGINITY: virgins consecrating their purity to God become like the angels, p. 17

— and become the spouses of Jesus Christ, p. 18

— and his cherished and privileged spouses, p. 26

— they are happier than married women, even in this life, p. 21

— means of preserving virginal purity, p. 28

VOCATION to the religious state, see State, religious

Vows, see Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience

— Graces attached to the vows, p. 56

— The renewal of the vows, p. 462, p. 657, p. 723

WILL, self-will, necessity of being detached from it, p. 142

— merit of the sacrifice of one’s own will, p. 154, p. 421

WINE, hurtful to the soul, p. 235

WORK, of the hands, its utility, p. 492

— we must avoid excess, p. 493