Friday, July 4.—Went to breakfast with Miss Young, and had a long talk with l'Abbé Carron, formerly secretary to the archbishop. He was very polite and cordial, and offered us every thing in his power. From him we obtained an account of the day's occupations in the Séminaire de S. Sulpice, which I took down from his mouth as follows, incorporating with it some further information given me by M. Galais, professor of canon law therein:—
- Hebrew; two courses.
- Moral Theology; a great course. Young men admitted who have already studied the elementary course—about forty or fifty.
- Canon Law; a special course.
- From Easter to the vacation they are instructed in the duties of a pastor in great detail.
- Private study of the Holy Scriptures by each half an hour a day.
- At three o'clock on Sundays, at S. Sulpice, the young men exercise themselves in catechising, except from Easter to the vacation.
- Before the first communion there is catechising at S. Sulpice for two months thrice a-week, (not by the pupils).
OBSERVATIONS.
There is much sickness: (the building has not gardens or sufficient space for recreation attached to it).
Not time enough for study.
The vacation is from Aug. 15. to Oct. 1.
The cassock is always worn.
They confess themselves every week, ordinarily in the morning during the meditation. They choose their own confessor among the masters, who are at present twelve, but the number is not fixed. As to communicating, they are free; but are exhorted to do it often. Often is all the Sundays and festivals. Some communicate besides two, three, four, five, times a week, especially as the time of their ordination draws near. The priests every day. After the communion twenty minutes "action de grâces." On entering the seminary a general confession of the whole past life is made. At the commencement of each year, after the vacation, in October, a confession of the year is made. At the beginning of each month there is a retreat for one day, ordinarily the first Sunday. Direction is twice a month. It is intercourse between each young man and his director for the purpose of making known his inward state. There is a general retreat after the vacation for eight days; in this no visits allowed; no letters received; no going out into the city. There are recreations, but the rest of the day is consecrated to prayer, to confession, and to sermons. Each has his own rule (règlement particulier), which he draws up in concert with his confessor.