20 Life of The 



that he was master of them, placed him at once in 

 the Seminary, which he entered on the 8th day of 

 September. He chose this day as the one on which 

 to commence his preparation for the ecclesiastical 

 state, because it was a festival of her whom in his 

 childhood he had chosen as his patroness. 



So thorough had been his course of mathematical 

 and classical studies, and so completely was he 

 master of these branches, that he was at once placed 

 in charge of the classes of Greek and Latin and 

 Algebra; and in the second year of his residence at 

 Mt. St. Mary's, he was appointed Professor of the 

 Greek and Latin languages. 



As a proof of his piety, of his humility, and of his 

 veneration for the mysteries of his holy faith at this 

 period of his life, it may not be improper to mention, 

 that when appointed sacristan, one year after having 

 entered the seminary, he prepared himself for his 

 duties by approaching the holy sacraments of 

 penance and the Eucharist, and he went on his bare 

 knees from the door of the church to the sanctuary, 

 so unworthy did he consider himself. It was with 

 fear and trembling that he placed his hand upon the 

 chalice which contained the consecrated blood of 

 Jesus Christ. Familiarity in his long ministry did 

 not diminish one iota of this his early respect and 

 veneration ; and often has he warned those whom it 

 was his happiness to have exalted to the holy 

 ministry of the altar, that they should beware and 

 keep over themselves a constant watch, lest famil- 

 iarity might cause them to forget for one moment a 



