God has laid great
power in my hand, and I will use it so long as it is mine."
Thus speaking, the pope left the garden, and hastened up to his study.
"Signor Galiandro," said he, to his private secretary, "did you not
speak to me to-day of several petitions received, in which people begged
for dispensations from monk and cloister vows?"
Signor Galiandro smilingly rummaged among a mass of papers that covered
the pope's writing-table.
"In the last four weeks some fifty such petitions have been received.
Since your holiness has released several monks and nuns from their vows,
all these pious brides of Christ and these consecrated priests seem
to have tired of their cloister life, and long to be out in the world
again."
"Whoever does not freely and willingly remain in the house of the Lord,
we will not retain them," said Ganganelli. "Compelled service of the
Lord is no service, and the prayer of the lips without the concurrence
of the heart is null! Give me all these petitions that I may grant them!
The love of the world is awakened in these monks and nuns, and we will
give back to the world what belongs to the world. With their resisting
and struggling hearts they will make but bad priests and nuns; perhaps
it will be better for them to become founders of families.
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