PREFACE.
In perusing these pages, it will be well to make and to bear in mind a distinction between the manner and the matter of the work. The manner, such as it is, belongs to the author, but, on the other hand, little or no attempt has been made at originality in doctrine or thought. In the seminary it was much insisted on that every priest, and more especially every young priest, should have continually beside him some suitable means wherewith to occupy his spare time. Accordingly, the study and the adaptation of that most excellent work the " Conciones Sacrae " of Cardinal Bellarmin, S.J., have been found in this instance a very pleasant and a very profitable employment. The first design was to translate the sermons verbatim, but, both on account of their extreme diffuseness and because, as originally written, they do not constitute a complete course for the year, that idea proved impracticable. From a study of the work as a whole, therefore, and out of the resulting mass of matter, a sermon for each
