Life of St. Francis Solanus

Reverend Alban Butler thus writes of St. Francis Solanus, whose life is given in the following pages: "An extraordinary humility, contempt of himself, of worldly vanity and applause, self-denial, obedience, meekness, patience, love of silence, recollection and prayer. both mental and vocal, formed his character. " "His whole life," says Alvarez de Paz, "may be regarded as a holy, uninterrupted course of zealous action; yet it was at the same time a constant and most fervent prayer, abounding in heavenly lights and consolations." The assertion of these two writers will be fully demonstrated in the life of the great Saint and Apostle of Peru. We will endeavor to show, imperfectly though it may be, that Solanus was specially chosen by divine Providence, who watched over, and directed him, so that he entered the great field of labor in the New World. We shall also see how faithfully our Saint cooperated with the favors and graces so abundantly showered upon him from above, thereby reaping an abundant harvest for the honor of God and for the salvation of souls. We should learn from this to have unbounded confidence in God, and to correspond faithfully with the graces bestowed. We shall in this book follow St. Francis from his birth to his death, seeing, as in a picture, his virtues, miracles and mission in the Church. The author will consider himself amply rewarded for the labor bestowed upon this work, if the wonders of God, as revealed in, and through his Saints, shall be more widely spread; and if the clergy, both secular and regular, especially those who labor in the missionary field, are incited to persevere faithfully in their glorious work, considering the hardships endured by the first missionaries in the New Wor1d.