Twelve Years a Roman Catholic Priest; Or, the Autobiography of the REV. V. P. Mayerhoffer. Containing an Account of His Career as Military Chaplain, Monk of the Order of St. Francis, and Clergyman of the Church of England (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861 Excerpt: ...St. Stephen of Hungary, and before the Reformation, St. George of England, St. Andrew of Scotland, and St. Patrick of Ireland. Next, they subdivide the employment of the saints in these, and other countries, giving them charge of the different trades, and professions of the people. St. Nicholas and St. Christopher have the oversight of the seamen, St. Catharine is over the scholars, St. Augustine takes care of the divines, St. Luke of the painters, St. Eustachius of the hunters, St. Crispin of the shoemakers, St. Magdalene and St. Afra have the charge of those unhappy women who have fallen from the paths of virtue. Some are even put to the most vile and degrading services: for instance, St. Anthony has the charge of the swine, St. Pelagius of the cows, St. Eulogius the horses, St. Vandeline and St. Gallas take care of the sheep and geese. What mean ideas the poor deluded papists must have of heaven, when they can suppose the saints would leave it for such degrading employments. This the Roman priests call a discreet variety, honourable to the church, and advantageous to her poor members. Thus one prays to St. Peter for the gift of submission, to St. Agnes for continency, to our Lady and St. Anne, for wealth, to St. Margaret for child-bearing, to St. Apollonia against the toothache, to St. Liberius against the stone and gravel, to St. Rochas against the plague, to St. Petronella against the ague, and to every saint for the help that is in his way. Bachelors must not go to St. Peter, because he was a married man, nor married men to St. John, because he was a bachelor, but let every one go to a saint of his own sort, a widow to a widow saint, a soldier to a military saint, for it is the humour of the Romish saints to favour their own companions. Can this be ca...