Louise Margaret Claret de la Touche - The Love and Service of God, Infinite Love

The
LOVE AND SERVICE
OF GOD,
INFINITE LOVE

containing

A Message From Our Divine Lord For The Clergy Of The World

Translated from the original French

by

Fr. Patrick O'Connell, B.D.

Delegate of the Central Council of the Priests' Universal Union of the Friends of the Sacred Heart

Nihil Obstat:	Jacobus Browne Censor Deputatus
Imprimatur:		Jacobus Episcopus Fernensis die Ia Junii 1950

Originally published in 1950 by the Irish Members of the Priests' Universal Union of the Friends of the Sacred Heart and printed in the Republic of Ireland by John English & Co., Ltd., Wexford.

ISBN: 0-89555-310-4

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 86-51580

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.TANBooks.com

1987

Dedicated by the Translator and his Brother to the memory of their dear Parents

DECLARATION

In giving these pages to our venerated confreres in the Priesthood and to the public, we have no intention of pronouncing on the mystic communications which they contain; we conform ourselves to the established discipline and declare that we submit filially and entirely to the judgment of our Holy Mother, the Church.

"I will not now call you servants. I have called you friends." (JOHN XV.)

DAL VATICANO.

SEGRETARIA DE STATO,

DI SUA SANTITA,

4th January, 1950.

HIS EXCELLENCY, THE MOST REV. PAUL ROSTANGO,
BISHOP OF IVREA.

YOUR EXCELLENCY,

The August Pontiff (Pius XII) has graciously accepted the copy of the book entitled The Love and Service of God-Infinite Love presented to Him by the Central Council of the Work of Infinite Love (the Priests' Universal Union and its Branches) of which you are the President. In this act of homage He has seen a clear proof of filial piety towards Himself and of active zeal for the spreading of ideas and sentiments which are, and which will be still more, a cause of spiritual revival and a leaven for the spiritual life.

His Holiness rejoices at the new light which this volume throws on the Work of Infinite Love and at the enthusiasm which it will arouse, as this work responds to the urgent needs of the present time. The thoughts expressed in this volume go to the very foundation of the spiritual life; they will aid the thoughtful in purifying their hearts, in becoming recollected and in ascending towards the heights of sanctity.

The Holy Father, pleased with the act of homage and, wishing that this volume may hasten the reign of Evangelical justice and be a source of holy joy, blesses Your Excellency, the Institute of Bethany of the Sacred Heart and the Associations attached to it.

I thank Your Excellency for the copy which you have so kindly presented to myself and kissing your sacred ring with profound respect, profess myself to be

Your Excellency's

Most Devoted Servant,

J. B. MONTINI

FOREWORD

As explained in the volume just published, Mother Louise Margaret, under obedience to her Director, noted down all the communications which she received from Our Divine Lord and, during her visit to Rome, submitted them, as well as all her other writings, to the Congregation of the Council. Part of these she had already put in order and published under the title The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood, a further portion also arranged by her, was published after her death under the title The Book of Infinite Love. The remainder of her writings, with the exception of the conference which, as Rev. Mother, she delivered to the Sisters were published in the order in which she wrote them, in three volumes under the title In the Service of Jesus-Priest. The portion of these three volumes which have reference to her life and work form the subject-matter of the volume just published (The Life and Work of Mother Louise Margaret). The remainder of her writings contained in these three volumes, as well as her conferences to the Sisters, published now for the first time, have been arranged in order of subject-matter, translated into Italian and published this year. The Sisters of Bethany of the Sacred Heart kindly sent us the Italian manuscript as soon as it was prepared in order to make it possible for us to publish an English version during the Holy Year. As we had already made a translation of the three volumes of In the Service of Jesus-Priest from the original French, it was only a question of rearranging it according to the order of Italian manuscript and adding the conferences to the Sisters.

In the foreword to The Sacred Heart and the Priesthood we mentioned that, for the full understanding of this book, the three volumes of In the Service of Jesus-Priest should be read. All the information contained in these three volumes, and some additional, is now available in the two new volumes.

When the Italian edition of this present volume was published at the beginning of this year, His Holiness Pope Pius XII hastened to send His approbation and Apostolic Blessing in a letter written by Cardinal Montini which we have given above.

It can only remain for us to thank Almighty God for enabling us to bring this work to a successful conclusion, and the many friends who kindly read the manuscripts before going to press.

PATRICK O'CONNELL

3rd March, 1950

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE LOVE AND SERVICE OF GODINFINITE LOVE

CONCLUSION.

LETTER

from

HIS EXCELLENCY, THE MOST REV. PAUL ROSTAGNO, BISHOP OF IVREA

"I am come to cast fire on the earth. And what will I, but that it will be enkindled."

The book which we joyfully present to the public is a humble attempt to satisfy this desire of Our Lord by making known to the world the immensity of the love of God, in order that by this knowledge, men may be urged on to make a generous return of love for love.

It is appearing at a most opportune time: at a time when, in the words of the present Holy Father, "the world is presenting to our eyes the sad spectacle of her dissensions and her contradictions and of the gravest sins of impiety and hatred against God." These things demand a greater return for love and more generous reparation from those who have remained faithful.

But there is another reason why the appearance of this volume is opportune. The collection of extracts from the writings of Mother Louise Margaret, of which it is composed, is indeed intended for the general body of the faithful, but it contains a message which is directed specially to the clergy. There could be nothing more seasonable than this message of love to the clergy of the present day, for at this very time, the Vicar of Christ Himself, the bishops and priests of the world are made the targets of the venemous attacks and the persecution of the powers of evil.

To-day, the world is thirsty for love, though perhaps not fully conscious of the factbut for a love which will fully satisfy the immense desires of its people, who have been created for the Infinite. The world has need of God-Love. It wishes to see in Him a Father Who inclines mercifully towards its miseries, and Who is ready to pardon its transgressions. And God Himself appears willing to respond with benign complacency to its expectations by multiplying His loving invitations. The object of the book which we present is to convey one of these loving invitations.