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But Thy Love and Thy Grace
Father Finn's beautiful little tale can be read in an hour or so, but it conveys a lesson which ought to be of longer duration. The interest of the story is chiefly theological, turning, as it does, on the refining and ennobling effects of frequent confession and communion on the soul; yet it is so simply put that any child can understand it.
Regina O'Connell is a poor factory girl whose earnings support herself and her bedridden sister. She is simplicity itself—one of those rare beings whom unselfishness and genuine humility make heroines in the true sense of the word. She is a weekly communicant, and is trying her best to keep to the narrow path, but she cannot yet say from her heart the beautiful prayer of St. Ignatius:—" Take, O Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will." She is tried, sorely tried. At times the pathos is almost unendurable, but she learns her lesson at last. "Give me but Thy love and Thy grace," she whispered, "for these are sufficient for me." "And she received His love and His grace, and in the receiving her heart throbbed with a bliss seldom known upon earth, for His love and His grace were indeed sufficient."
The book is not devoid of humourous touches. Father McNichols' catalogue of his penitents and Regina's poor attempts at grandeur are amusing, while the description of the bazaar and of the raffle for the diamond ring are bright and vivid. (Summary from the New Ireland Review, Vol 17. 1902)
Regina O'Connell is a poor factory girl whose earnings support herself and her bedridden sister. She is simplicity itself—one of those rare beings whom unselfishness and genuine humility make heroines in the true sense of the word. She is a weekly communicant, and is trying her best to keep to the narrow path, but she cannot yet say from her heart the beautiful prayer of St. Ignatius:—" Take, O Lord, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my whole will." She is tried, sorely tried. At times the pathos is almost unendurable, but she learns her lesson at last. "Give me but Thy love and Thy grace," she whispered, "for these are sufficient for me." "And she received His love and His grace, and in the receiving her heart throbbed with a bliss seldom known upon earth, for His love and His grace were indeed sufficient."
The book is not devoid of humourous touches. Father McNichols' catalogue of his penitents and Regina's poor attempts at grandeur are amusing, while the description of the bazaar and of the raffle for the diamond ring are bright and vivid. (Summary from the New Ireland Review, Vol 17. 1902)
138 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1901
About the author
Francis J. Finn
75 books10 followersFather Francis J. Finn, S.J. was born to Irish immigrant parents at St. Louis, Missouri in 1859.
As a boy, Francis was deeply impressed with Cardinal Wiseman’s famous novel of the early Christian martyrs, Fabiola. After that, religion really began to mean something to him. Eleven-year-old Francis was a voracious reader; he read the works of Charles Dickens, devouring Nicholas Nickleby and The Pickwick Papers. From his First Communion at age 12, Francis began to desire to become a Jesuit priest; but then his fervor cooled, his grades dropped, and his vocation might have been lost except for Fr. Charles Coppens. Fr. Coppens urged Francis to apply himself to his Latin, to improve it by using an all-Latin prayerbook, and to read good Catholic books. Fr. Finn credited the saving of his vocation to this advice and to his membership in the Sodality of Our Lady.
After graduating from St. Louis University, he became a Jesuit and was ordained a priest in 1893. He had already begun writing his debut novel Tom Playfair prior to this, as he was assigned to St. Mary s College in Kansas and dealt with unruly boys on a daily basis. He went on to write twenty-seven other books, and his novels for children were very successful. The books contain fun stories, likeable characters and themes that remain current in today's world. Each story conveys an important moral precept. He was much loved by young people, and thousands of them gathered to honor his death in 1928.
As a boy, Francis was deeply impressed with Cardinal Wiseman’s famous novel of the early Christian martyrs, Fabiola. After that, religion really began to mean something to him. Eleven-year-old Francis was a voracious reader; he read the works of Charles Dickens, devouring Nicholas Nickleby and The Pickwick Papers. From his First Communion at age 12, Francis began to desire to become a Jesuit priest; but then his fervor cooled, his grades dropped, and his vocation might have been lost except for Fr. Charles Coppens. Fr. Coppens urged Francis to apply himself to his Latin, to improve it by using an all-Latin prayerbook, and to read good Catholic books. Fr. Finn credited the saving of his vocation to this advice and to his membership in the Sodality of Our Lady.
After graduating from St. Louis University, he became a Jesuit and was ordained a priest in 1893. He had already begun writing his debut novel Tom Playfair prior to this, as he was assigned to St. Mary s College in Kansas and dealt with unruly boys on a daily basis. He went on to write twenty-seven other books, and his novels for children were very successful. The books contain fun stories, likeable characters and themes that remain current in today's world. Each story conveys an important moral precept. He was much loved by young people, and thousands of them gathered to honor his death in 1928.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 8, 2015
Such a wonderful story full of emotion and struggle as Regina deals with flesh and faith walking the narrow way in the middle of such emotional battles.
May 22, 2017
"Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my whole will, whatever I have and possess. Thou hast given me these things, O Lord: to Thee, O Lord, do I return them. Receive them, dispose of them wholly according to the extent of Thy will. Give me but Thy love and thy grace, for these are sufficient for me."
Offering of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Offering of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews