161

4

ST. ANGELUS THE CARMELITE.

cily, was also in Rome at this time, having come thither Es way from Jerusalem.

Being one day in the church of St. John Lateran, he I met the two holy patriarchs, Dominic and Francis, the latter, filled with the spirit of prophecy, said aloud is companion: "Behold Angelus of Jerusalem, a man lic in very truth, who is soon to become a martyr of s Christ!" and prostrating on the ground with deep lity he devoutly kissed the feet of the blessed Angelus. they all mutually embraced one another, and going together out of the church they met a leper of noble who recommending himself to their prayers was ently cured. It is added that the three saints spent the inder of that day and the following night in each other's pany, spending the whole time in prayer and Divine urses. St. Angelus is likewise said to have preached in Lateran in the presence of the two founders, predicting future greatness and the extension of their Orders.1

The authenticity of this narrative is questioned by the Bollandists, hough related with many additional particulars in the Life of gelus, it is assigned by the Carmelite authorities to a later date. Franciscan writers also place the meeting of Dominic and Francis following year, when both were again present in Rome for the conion of their respective Orders, but the Dominican authorities are lly agreed in giving it as occurring during this visit.

1

CHAPTER XIII.

CONFIRMATION OF THE ORDER.

1216, 1217.

THE Council of Lateran broke up at the end of November, 1215, and soon afterwards Dominic, in company with the Bishop of Toulouse, set out to return to France. On their road thither they stopped at several cities of northern Italy, specially Siena, where they were received with great honour, and according to the Chronicle of Nanno Donati, overtures were made to the saint by the magistrates of the city, who desired that he should establish some of his disciples among them. This was at the time impossible, and the holy Father was anxious to lose no time in rejoining his brethren at Toulouse. During his absence their numbers had increased from six to sixteen, and the mutual joy of their meeting can be well imagined. The saint explained to them the result of his petition to the Holy See, and the necessity which now

THE RU

ay on them to make ch
pointed a meeting a
Pille, where the bro
ho took care of the
her, in the month
sembling in the little
ayer and invocation
hoose the Rule of St.
under himself had live
fa Canon Regular, and
heir residence at Toul.
Ser purpose by its ve
apable of nearly any
tects of their Institut
Dominic fulfilled the ob

Pope, while at the sam
Constitutions of his own t
laid down by St. Augu
He was not the first w
If we compare tl
St. Norbert, who had p
shall find a very s
Norbert's Rule was a
ons. In its design he
the more ancient form
In as his object active n
(souls. His work was

e all the provinces of F
aculties from Pope Gelas
herever he might think
was to be found existing
are called to fill a differ
Religious Orders, we mus
vine vocation, not the
ce; and those vocation
ety of ways, which hum
planned or executed; they
and animals in nature,

on them to make choice of a Rule. For this purpose he pointed a meeting of all the brethren, to be held at ouille, where the brothers William de Claret and Noel, o took care of the nuns, were already awaiting them. ither, in the month of April, they all repaired, and embling in the little chapel of our Lady, after earnest yer and invocation of the Holy Spirit, they agreed to pose the Rule of St. Augustine, under which the holy nder himself had lived ever since he had worn the habit a Canon Regular, and which they had all observed during ir residence at Toulouse. It was the better fitted for Er purpose by its very simplicity, which rendered it able of nearly any development which the peculiar ects of their Institute might require. In choosing it, ninic fulfilled the obligation imposed on him by the e, while at the same time he was left free to add stitutions of his own to the general principles of religious aid down by St. Augustine.

He was not the first who had made a similar use of this e. If we compare the plan of St. Dominic with that t. Norbert, who had preceded him by nearly a century, shall find a very striking similarity between them. Norbert's Rule was a reformation of that of the Regular ons. In its design he departed from the ordinary line he more ancient forms of monasticism, and set before as his object active missionary labours for the salvation ouls. His work was preaching. He himself preached all the provinces of France and Flanders, and obtained ties from Pope Gelasius II. authorizing him to preach rever he might think proper. But whatever similarity to be found existing between the two Institutes, they called to fill a different place in the Church of God. ious Orders, we must never forget, are the result of ne vocation, not the mere creations of human intellie; and those vocations they accomplish in an infinite ty of ways, which human intelligence could never have ned or executed; they are like the varieties of plants animals in nature, whose mingled similarities and

THE

the regulation of suc
the teaching of others;
undertakings, instead
should be provided f
spirit and discipline.
lation, apostolic labour
theological science,
ught to unite and to

is Order.
We must now, proce
ethren who joined w
ld at Prouille, and wh
fm-stones of the Orde
it's beloved compani
mer prior of Castres,
ith enjoyed the peculi
ad were afterwards cha
things. The two brethr
ad Noel, a native of
sing at the latter pla
the nuns. The first of

te Albigenses in the time
T employed to superinte
pany. After wearing
irtwenty years, he left th
ng, it is said, dissatisfie
which by that time had
is, he even tried to us
aduce them to follow his e
together without success.
te, except that he was o
ad that he was unhappily
a journey to Limoux.
Suero Gomez was a Po
de royal Court to join the

igenses. He was one
ce of the fourteen E
sted in bringing them to

e regulation of such schools as they might open for e teaching of others; so that all their active and apostolic dertakings, instead of being departures from the Rule, ould be provided for in it, and partake of its own rit and discipline. We may therefore consider contemtion, apostolic labour for souls, and the especial cultivation theological science, as the three objects which Dominic aght to unite and to provide for in the Constitutions of Order.

We must now, proceed to give a brief account of the thren who joined with the saint in the deliberations dat Prouille, and who must be regarded as the founda-stones of the Order. Of Bertrand of Garrigua, the t's beloved companion, and Matthew of France, the ner prior of Castres, something has been said already; h enjoyed the peculiar confidence of the holy founder, were afterwards charged by him with important underngs. The two brethren, William de Claret, of Pamiers, Noel, a native of Prouille, have also been named as ding at the latter place, where they had the direction he nuns. The first of these had been a missioner among Albigenses in the time of Diego of Azevedo, by whom he employed to superintend the temporal affairs of the little pany. After wearing the habit of the Friars Preachers wenty years, he left the Order and joined the Cistercians, g, it is said, dissatisfied with the law of absolute poverty, h by that time had been enjoined. Not content with he even tried to use his influence with the nuns to ce them to follow his example, an attempt which proved ether without success. Of Brother Noel we know but , except that he was one of the saint's first companions, that he was unhappily drowned in the river Blan, when journey to Limoux.

uero Gomez was a Portuguese of noble birth, who left oyal Court to join the army of De Montfort against the enses. He was one of those who witnessed the delice of the fourteen English pilgrims, and who, having ed in bringing them to shore, shortly afterwards passed