of God. The world values nothing, esteems nothing, but riches, power, wealth, and what it is pleased to call greatness and magnificence; these it makes use of in every undertaking: but God most frequently chooses the weak things of this world to overcome the strong, and the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. The Life of St. Juliana presents us with another example of this mode of God's dealing with His creatures. When He had determined to establish in His Church a Feast in honour of the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, He did not choose any prince or potentate to be the first to declare His Will, but made choice of a poor, humble, obscure, almost unknown nun, to manifest His designs. Yes, it was to the Blessed Juliana that God first revealed His designs, relative to the institution in Christ's Church of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Her life and actions have been written by various Latin and other authors. The present is an attempt, although a very poor and imperfect one, to present her Life to English readers. Poor as it is, however, I believe that it has at least the merit of being the first Life ever published in English of the Saint, to whom, under God, we owe the Institution of that Feast of triumph, that Feast which gladdens all Catholic hearts, the Feast of Corpus Christi. The facts connected with the life of St. Juliana, which are related in this small history of her actions, have been taken from most authentic sources, and nothing has been here related of her, which has not already been many times asserted by authors whose veracity no one can call in question. May God in His mercy grant that this little book may enkindle in the hearts of all its readers devotion to this sweet Saint, who had such a tender and affectionate devotion to the Sacrament of Love, the Eucharist. Above all, may He grant them the grace to imitate her in this devotion. If it should have this effect, I beg all who read it to pray most fervently and earnestly for the conversion of our beloved country, so that by their fervent prayers they may obtain from the Bountiful Giver of all good things that, once again, even in England, (which has been so long wrapt in the darkness of heresy,) Jesus may be loved, blessed, praised, and adored by all in the Sacrament of His Love. Moreover, I also beg, that they will not forget the author in their prayers before the tabernacle where Jesus dwells. BROTHER AMBROSE BRADBURY. |