In this year, Father Ignatius lost two great friends by death, Dr. Gentili and the Rev. Wm. Richmond. He had several conversations with the former, who was then giving his last mission in Dublin, and assisted on his return to England, at the death-bed of Mr. Richmond. He used to relate how this worthy man became a Catholic, as an instance of the ways of God in conversion. When Richmond was a boy, he went to see an uncle of his, who was a priest. One day he saw candles lit in the church in clear daylight. On entering, to satisfy himself that nothing was wrong, he saw his uncle issuing from the sacristy, in the most fantastic garb he ever beheld. He ran out of the church in a fright, and scarcely came near his uncle for three days. He did sum up courage enough to approach at length, and the end was that he became a priest himself, and outshone his uncle.
During the visit Father Ignatius paid to Ireland, according to promise, in the November of this year, he preached in several places on the conversion of England. He went to Maynooth, and addressed the junior students at night prayer and the seniors at morning prayer, on the same subject. He remains nearly a month in Ireland this time. He meets a few secular people who are not so kind and generous in listening to him as nuns and students. One day he begged of a gentleman, who immediately began to grope in his pocket for a coin which he should consider worthy of offering. Whilst the search was going on, Father Ignatius ventured to ask prayers for the conversion of England. "England!" said the gentleman; "I pray for England! Not I." And he turned off with a refusal, and left his petitioner to find another benefactor.
When he returned to England, he preached everywhere, to priests, nuns, and people; he wrote and spoke continually for prayers for England. The only change in his system since the former crusade was, that the prayer he asked for was defined. It was only one Hail Mary daily. This prayer he was especially fond of using; he said it for every person and everything. The antiphon of the Church, "Rejoice, Virgin Mary, thou alone hast destroyed all heresies throughout the world," was continually in his heart. The devotion of the people of Ireland to our Blessed Lady brought this out; and it was remarked by himself and others, that when once he had put the great object of his endeavours under the protection of Mary, he never cooled or slackened, but always progressed with blessings.
The last day of this year was spent as all such days of his life, since he turned thoroughly to God's service, in being awake and in prayer at midnight.
CHAPTER III.
A Peculiar Mission.
Father Ignatius had an idea in his mind for a number of years, and saw no practical way in which it might be realized. He looked forward, with a pleasing anticipation, to the prospect of going about from parish to parish on a kind of itinerary mission. The thing was unusual in our day, and he saw no plea by which it could be justified to others, or he should have gone on it long before. He proposed it at last to his Superiors, and the circumstances of his position wonderfully favoured its prosecution.
Voluntary poverty was raised to a virtue by the example and teaching of our Divine Lord, and poverty must always have a counterpart. To be poor is to be dependent, and want is ordained for the sanctification of plenty. When our Divine Master said that it was difficult for the rich man to be saved, He subjoined that with God all things are possible. The miseries of the poor are the channels through which riches can flow into Heaven, and make friends to their possessors of the mammon of iniquity.
In the dispensation of Providence, the Church watches over the interests of all her children, and whilst she proclaims the severity of the Gospel maxims, she provides for their observance. She must preach poverty of spirit, from the text of the sermon on the Mount, and she manages to make kings who are richer than David live after God's own heart. The beautiful harmony between rank and lowliness, authority and submission, prosperity and adversity, has long ago been arranged by the practice of the ages of faith, and by the Pontifical constitutions which impress the seal of the Fisherman upon the usages of Catholicity.