Blessed Eucharist, Notices of the Press

NOTICES OF THE PRESS, ETC.

FATHER MICHAEL MÜLLER, CSSR

We have received the following recommendation of this work from the
Most Rev. Archbishop of Baltimore—

We have read with much pleasure and with great edification this valuable work composed bv one of our Redemptorist Fathers in Baltimore. We have found the matter solid, well digested, and instructive, and the style simple, earnest, and full of unction. The examples are, in general, appropriately selected as illustrations of the text ; and many of them are very edifying and even touching. These are, of course, to be received, according to the author’s timely protest in the beginning, with the wise reserve expressly ordered by the Church in regard to such matters, in the well-known Bull of Urban VIII.; but, with this necessary precaution, such legends are profitable unto edification, as the way of teaching by example is much more compendious, as well as much more impressive, than that by word or writing. It is refreshing to find in this cold utilitarian age a work issued from the press so full of Catholic life and so glowing with the fire of Catholic love. Believing that its extensive circulation and diligent perusal will be promotive of piety, and will be useful to all classes both within and without the Church, we earnestly recommend the work to the faithful people under cur charge.

Martin John Spalding,
Archbishop of Baltimore.
Baltimore, Feast of St. Francis de Sales, 1868.

FATHER MULLER’S LATE WORK — “THE BLESSED EUCHARIST”—We are pleased to find that Father Muller’s recent excellent work” The Bleated Eucharist cur Greatest Treasure,” has already attracted the liveliest interest on the part of the Press and Clergy. It was but one week ago that this edifying and beautiful treatise was issued from the press of Messrs. Pustet & Co. In the last impression of the Mirror we noticed the work and during the short time which has intervened, “The Blessed Eucharist” has elicited the most favorable and complimentary notices. We herewith insert one or two of the letters which the Rev. author has already received, and a communication which the Editor of the Volkes-Zeitung has also received in commendation of this truly devotional work.

Letter from Bishop Luers.
Fort Wayne, Jan. 23, 1868.

Rev. and Dear Sir,— The “Blessed Eucharist,” of which you have kindly sent me a copy, is truly a charming work. It should be in every Catholic family.

Yours truly in Christ,
J. H. Luers, Bishop of Fort Wayne.

Letter from Father 0′ C allaghan.
Georgetown College, 17th January.

Rev and Dear Father, – Let me thank you for the precious volume you had the kindness to send me. I have not yet finished reading it, but what I nave read pleases me very much. Many fruits of devotion will I am sure, come from the blessed seed you have sown there. To make our Lord known m the Sacrament of His Love, is the most efficacious means surely making souls live His life.

Be assured, my dear Father, that you have my remembrance at the holy altar and in my daily petitions for all blessings, but especially for a blessing on the book you have given us.

Your humble servant and friend
Joseph O’Uallaghan, S, J.

Letter to the Editor of the Volks-Zeitung from a Jesuit Father.

All devout worshippers of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament will hail with delight the publication of this book. Every zealous priest who has been in the ministry among American Catholics and observed their lukewarmness in regard to attending at Mass and visiting the Blessed Sacrament, must have felt a strong desire to see a work like the present, published in the English language; it breathes the same fresh vitality and fervent piety.

The Rev. author, conversant with the religious condition of our country and the spiritual wants of the English-speaking Catholics has fully comprehended his task of making the treatise on the important dogma of the Eucharist both attractive and edifying to them. Let the argumentation be short, concise, logical and illustrated with well authenticated facts, and the desirable inference be made spontaneously. The pious reader will rejoice to find among the examples related the most striking ones of our own times; such as that of Mrs. Mattingly, the burning of the Ursuline Convent of Charlestown, Mass.; that of Rev. Father Urbanck, which happened in 1847, that which occurred in Metz, 1865, and many others which have taken place in our own times, of which the press took notice at the time they occurred, the remembrance of which, however, has been lost by the people. This work may therefore, be styled also a kind of memorandum of the latest wonders of the Lord. But on this subject a special work ought to be written, sush as the Jesuits composed in the last century.

The work is not controversial, but its aim is the practical application of the dogma of which it treats. It contains 18 chapters:

Contents. — Chapter 1 : The Doctrine of the Real Presence. Ch. 2 : On the Reverence due to Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Ch. 3 : On the Love of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Ch. 4 : On Visiting Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Ch. 5 : On the Great Desire of Jesus Christ to enter into our Hearts in Holy Communion. Ch. 6 : On Preparation for Communion. Ch. 7 : On Thanksgiving after Communion. Ch. 8 : On the Effects of Holy Communion. Ch. 9 : The Excuses of those who do not Communicate Frequently. Ch. 10 : On Unworthy Communion. Ch. 11 : On Spiritual Communion. Ch. 12 : Considerations on the Virtues that Jesus Christ Teaches us in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Ch. 13 : The Most Holy Festival of Corpus Christi and its Origin. Ch. 14: Additional Examples Relating to the Real Presence. Ch. 15 : The Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Ch. 16 : On the Ceremonies of Mass. Ch. 17: An Exhortation to hear Mass Devoutly. Ch. 18: Examples Relating to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

“The type is clear and neat; the paper is of the best quality, and the shape of the book like that of Martin of Cochem’s ‘Explanation of the Mass.’ The book in general is got up in such a manner as to reflect credit upon Messrs. Kelly & Piet. It would be desirable to use several of the chapters presented in pamphlet form like ‘ Rev. Father Furniss’ Tracts,’ for the use of the Missionary priest. One familiar with the present religious movement in our country must hail this book as a work of Divine Providence. The reign of our holy Father, Pope Pius IX., has been styled ‘ Crux de Cruce/ i. e., Cross upon Cross, but will soon appear among our erring brethren, seeking after truth, the reign called ‘ Lumende Ccelo,’ i.e., Light from Heaven. God grant that this book may be one of the means to bring about those happy times in our country.”

In conclusion we recommend this work as one of the best that could be selected for the purpose of distribution of premiums in Parochial schools, Academies, etc.

From the Freeman’s Journal.

With unwonted delight we have read a volume just issued by Messrs. Pustet & Co., New York, entitled: “The Blessed Eucharist, cur Greatest Treasure.” By the Very Rev. Michael Muller, C. S. S. R., Rector of the Redemptorist House of St. Alphonsus, Baltimore. On taking up this treatise, all our prepossessions were against us. We thought: “Why try to say more or better, than has been said on it? Is there not enough written? Is not the multiplication of devotional books a kind of spiritual dissipation? What child of St. Alphonsus can write on the Blessed Sacrament better than St. Alphonsus has written?”

But the first page of the Preface humiliated us. On it we read: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Adorable Sacrament, is such an abundant fountain that, the more it flows the fuller it becomes; and the fuller it becomes the more it flows; which signifies that the most Holy Eucharist is so great and so sublime a mystery, that the more we say of it, the more remains to be said!”

It is even so. St. Alphonsus, being dead, as to the body, in this world, still speaks. This treatise, by a son of the Order he founded, reads as if he were yet alive, and, having crossed the ocean, had written this treatise to stir up devotion in America.

In saying this much, we do not think we exaggerate. Whoever has found a special attraction in the simple and direct fervor — the straight-forward earnestness mingled with a thorough knowledge of the world — in St. Alphonsus’ writings, will delight in this volume of Father Muller’s. There is the same spirit — the same lively faith. But it is written in America, not in Italy. There is a careful suggestion of doctrinal instruction, and of anticipations to certain objections, that, in Italy, in the last century, when St. Alphonsus wrote, would have been out of place. Among us, it is salutary.

But, besides this, the volume has nothing of the cold and dry system that makes religion, among us, so often, a thing of duty more than of love. It does not stand, wrangling and disputing, at the door of the Church. It takes the arm of the poor wanderer, leads him up to the Altar-rails, and bids him kneel and ask for what he needs.

It is not for us to tell how beautiful this volume is. To appreciate it, it must be read as a book of devotion — into which the experience of the Missionary priest has taught him to incorporate minute spiritual instructions.

There is one feature in this volume, on which we wish, however, to remark. Father Muller has introduced, freely, the recital of prodigies and miracles. He has taken special pains to point out that these do not, in any one instance, demand belief, as a Divine revelation. They rest on human faith. In an age such as this, when even the daily papers report, so often, exhibitions of events preternatural — events that show how powers that cannot be human are at work — in a time when Judges of our highest courts, and men in the most prominent ranks of political life, are in the habit of consulting ” spiritual mediums,” by “table-tippings,” and other diabolical incantations, it is, in our opinion, an uncharitable hiding of the truth not to bring forth, against these works of darkness, the full force of the spiritual doctrine and power of the Catholic Church. In his “Preface,” Father Muller has explained this, in the following terms: — “I have thought it expedient for the edification of pious souls to introduce into it after the manner of the Holy Fathers, both some revelations made to certain saints and several miraculous facts concerning this mystery. I know there are some persons who, boasting of being free from prejudices, take great credit to themselves for believing no miracles but those recorded in the Holy Scriptures, esteeming all others as tales and fables for foolish women. But it will be well to remember here a remark of the learned St. Alphontus, who says, ‘that the bad are as ready to deride miracles as the good are to believe them; adding that it is a weakness to give credit to all things, so, on the other hand, to reject miracles which come to us attested by grave and pious men, either savors of infidelity which supposes them impossible to God, or of presumption, which refuses belief to such a class of authors. We give credit to a Tacitus, a Seutonius, and can we deny it without presumption to Christian authors of learning and protiity. There is less risk in believing and receiving what is related with some probability by honest persons and not rejected by the learned, and which serves for the edification of our neighbor, than in rejecting it with a disdainful and presumptuous spirit.’ (Glories of Mary.) Hence Pope Benedict XIV. (De Canoni. Sanct.) says: ‘Though an assent of Catholic faith be not due to them, they deserve a human assent according to the rules of prudence by which they are probably and piously credible.’ “

That we have not unduly estimated this admirable volume, we have before us the opinions of very high authorities. The venerable and learned Bishop of Milwaukee writes of it, as follows: —

Milwaukee, Jan. 18th, 1868.

Very Rev. and Dear Father, — I thank you cordially for the work “Blessed Eucharist.” The work is well calculated to instruct, strengthen and warm both the mind and heart of the pious reader. May Heaven thus bless the labors devoted by our author to the truth and praises of the most holy mystery of the Eucharist.

With gratitude and affection, very dear sir, yours truly devoted,

✠ John M. Henni, Bp. of Milw.

The Bishop of Fort Wayne is not less earnest in its commendation. Several learned Jesuit Fathers highly commend it. Various pious persons of both sexes, among the laity, well versed in ascetic literature, have expressed their thanks for this new work. It is invested, in regular form, as we wish all books on religious matters would be, with the regular “Imprimatur” of the Ordinary. But Archbishop Spalding did not content himself with this. He wrote a most earnest commendation of the work, which appears in the printed volume.

From the Catholic World.

This work is written in plain and unaffected style to promote the noblest, best, and most useful of objects, the devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. Catholics are taught and believe this great mystery of love; but many, though they believe, do not seem to realize sufficiently what it is they believe. They have not thought much upon it. They bavc not penetrated its depths. Their knowledge is superficial, and their devotion consequently cold. And this, for many reasons, is particularly the case in this country. Here we have immense congregations and few priests, and they loaded down with the building of churches, and a variety of work which has been already done in ether countries. The people often are either out of reach of the church, or struggling for the means of living, and, therefore, have grown careless, and failed to receive the instruction which they require. Hence there is need, and great need, of all the means of instruction which can be brought to bear, and good books on the grand doctrines of religion are calculated to do an incalculable amount of good. This book of Father Muller’s is intended to supply much needed instruction on the Blessed Sacrament, and we hope k will receive an extensive circulation. In reading it are reminded of the Visits to the Blessed Sanament by Saint Alphonsus, which have been so acceptable and useful throughout the whole church, and we do not doubt many souls will derive great edification and pleasure from its perusal.

THE BLESSED EUCHARIST OUR GREATEST TREASURE. By Michael Muller
Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Father Miiller has placed Catholics under lasting obligations by giving them so desirable and so edifying a work as his treatise on the Holy Eucharist. He truly tells us, that, although so much has been written on the subject, yet that it is an exhaustless theme. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Adorable Sacrament, is such an abundant fountain, that the more it flows the fuller it becomes, and the fuller it is the more it flows, which signifies that the most Holy Eucharist is so great and so sublime a mystery that the more we say of it the more remains to be said.” The work is evidently intended for Catholics, yet should it fall into the hands of unbelievers, they will find in the first chapter arguments and authorities in favor of the doctrine of the Real Presence so powerfully presented as to prepare them to reap the advantages of what follows. Wherever the author examines doctrine, be it of the Blessed Eucharist, the Mass, or any other point, what he says of them is rather explanatory than controversial. We do not know that we could select any one chapter in preference to another, in pointing out the merits of the book, yet for ourselves we can say that perhaps we were more forcibly struck with that “On Unworthy Communions.” The style is simple and seductive, so that it is hard to put away the book when once it has been taken in hand. The mechanical part of the work is highly creditable to the enterprising publishers. — Catholic Mirror, Jan. 25, 1868.

From the New York Tablet, Feb. 1, 1868.
The Blessed Eucharist our Greatest Treasure. By Michael Muller C. SS. R., Priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer

Many books on the Blessed Sacrament are already in existence; some of them have long been popular among?* the faithful, but this work of Father Mullers is not exactly like any of them. It’s less poetical than Faber’s book on the same subject, but it is more intelligible to the general reader, probably on that very account. In it we find, together with all the motives that tend to draw our souls towards the Adorable Sacrament of Love, a glowing record of miracles, reflations, and wondrous graces obtained through faith in, and love of, Our dear Lord in His own Divine Sacrament. It is a charming book for faithful, pious Catholics — one that cannot fail to animate their faith still more, and increase the fervor of their piety.

The book is published with the approbation of the Most Rev. Archbishop Spalding.

The Blessed Eucharist our Greatest Treasure. By Michael Muller, C. SS. R. — “In the midst of you standeth One whom you know not — the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.” John i. 26, 27, pp. 360, 12mo. New York: Pustet & Co. 1868. A fine accession is this to the ascetic department of American literature. It is just the book one will enjoy in quiet and slow perusal, in a silent and devout church, before the holy Tabernacle. Its perusal draws one’s heart nearer and nearer to that Centre of Divine Love — the heart of Jesus in His Sacrament. Dilectus meus mihi, et ego Illi! Oh! for a little more devotion among our people towards the Blessed Sacrament ! how much we of foreign Catholic lands feel the want of it! how much we instinctively deplore the loneliness of our churches in the evening hours, the absence of lovers, the solitude to which our Saviour is condemned (to use the word of the best writer on the Devotion to the Sacred Heart) in the Sacrament of His Love! A pious and devout perusal of Father Muller’s work will aid to kindle in the heart of our people a warm devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, truly our Greatest Treasure, the key of which is in our own possesion, as Blessed Alacoque says. — Boston Pilot.

From the Freeman’s Journal.

FATHER MULLER’S BEAUTIFUL BOOK ON THE EUCHARIST

In the following letter, which we clip from the Catholic Mirror, we think we recognize the pen of a distinguished lady, a convert to the Holy Faith, as well as a woman conversant with the literary and political world.

Harrisburg, Pa., 1868.

Messrs. Editors,— If you have room in your columns, permit me through them, to say a word or two about Father Miiller’s book, “The Blessed Eucharist.” But how shall I begin? To say it is great, good, or grand, is not enough. The nearest I can come to expressing what I feel about it, is to say, next to receiving the Blessed Eucharist, is the perusal of this inestimable book. I wish to say to every reader of the Mirror, buy the book. No matter how great a sinner you are, the hope of speedy relief is pointed out to you here ; no matter how weak and discouraged you are, the way to strengthen is shown you; no matter how dear the privilege is to you of receiving the Blessed Sacrament, it will become doubly dear after reading this book. To the rich I would say, buy two copies and give one to your poor brother ; his prayers and blessings will well repay you for the trifling expenditure. To the ladies, I would say, spare yourself a bit of ribbon and buy the book. To the gentlemen, a few less cigars or drinks, and buy the book. Every single page of it is worth the price of the volume. Could dear Father Muller have heard the prayers and seen the tears of a poor old lady who is crippled and cannot go to church, when it was being read to her this morning, he would be rewarded as I know he wishes to be. To one and all I say, buy the book.

CECFLIA.