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 an   aged    monk    remained    in    solitude,    renounced    the world, and  remained  in  his  retreat.

7. Lastly,  you  must  not  speak  of  things  of  the  world; such as  marriages,  feasts,  comedies,  or  of  splendid  dresses: you must  not  speak  of  eating,  nor  praise  or  censure  the dishes that  are  brought  to  table. St. Francis  de  Sales used to  say  that  "  well-behaved  persons  never  think of  the  table  but  when  they  sit  at  it." When religious hear unseemly  discourses,  they  should,  like  St.  Aloysius, propose some  useful  question,  or  take  occasion  from what is  said  to  introduce  some  pious  subject  of  conversation. To be  able  to  converse  with  his  companions on spiritual  subjects  during  recreation,  he  was  accustomed to  spend,  each  day,  half  an  hour  in  reading  the life of  a  saint,  or  some  other  book  of  devotion. When among the  juniors,  he  was  the  first  to  introduce  a  religious subject. When with  priests,  or  with  his  seniors, he proposed  a  case  of  conscience,  as  if  for  his  own  information, and  thus  succeeded  in  making  the  conversation turn  upon  holy  things. In a  short  time  his  companions knew  that  he  did  not  relish  any  but  pious  conversation, and  therefore  they  sought  on  every  occasion to gratify  his  wishes. When they  happened  to  be  discoursing on  any  other  subject,  when  he  came  among them, they  would  immediately  begin  to  speak  of  God. Every one  is  inclined  to  speak  continually  of  what  he tenderly  loves. St. Ignatius  of  Loyola  appeared  not  to know  how  to  speak  of  anything  but  God,  and  was  therefore called  the  "Father  who  speaks  always  of  God."

My Jesus,  pardon  me,  for  Thy  mercy's  sake,  the  numberless faults which  I  have  committed  for  want  of  sufficient  modesty, and of  which  I  now  repent  with  my  whole  heart. All my  defects have  arisen  from  my  little  love  of  Thee. I acknowledge that I  do  not  deserve  mercy;  but  Thy  wounds  and  Thy  death encourage and  oblige  me  to  hope. O my  God! how often  have