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Preface by the Old Italian Translator
Unto all Readers Beloved in Jesus Christ,
Although in the Holy Gospel our most loving Lord hath plentifully shown unto us the means and the way whereby we may attain unto the perfection of Christian life, yet hath His consoling spirit (giver of all comforting and spiritual grace) nevertheless not ceased, nor ever will cease, to reveal unto us continually by means of His most worthy instruments — the which are saints and devout persons — divers ways and conditions of finding the most perfect and consummate union possible unto wayfarers in this life. And although by the facility of printing there hath been put forth an infinite number of books, so many that they do obscure the sun of justice upon earth (seeing that there are more evil books than good), because by reason of their perverse judgment and voluptuous desires men do delight more in imagining and in hearkening unto hurtful things rather than unto wholesome ones, and because through the world's abuses evil men are more favoured than are good men, yet cannot malice overcome wisdom, neither can the many overcome the few.
For this reason, also, hath God elected the weak to confound the strong, and thus in our own times hath He inspired many women of exalted spirit, and they did lead most holy and exemplary lives, walking upon the short and straight road. Amongst these is the Blessed Angela of Foligno, who, although a woman (and therefore of the weaker sex), did, nevertheless, by means of her humble, patient and steadfast despising of the things of this world and by her chosen and beloved poverty, overcome all the strong and powerful of her time. Unto whomsoever shall truly read and prudently consider them, her conversion, penitence, temptation, and doctrine (as set forth in this book), will be of exceeding profit for walking in the way and service of God, until he attaineth unto the happiness of glory. This book hath already been printed in Latin, divided into three treatises, namely — of penitence, of visions, and of doctrine. But because it was neither elegant nor learned in that language, it was neither read by scholars nor understood by the simple, and for this reason hath it been deemed well to translate it into the vulgar tongue, that it may be universally understood and be profitable unto a greater number of persons.
The writer hath not sought to put it into elegant language, nor yet into the Tuscan or the courtly tongue, but only to render it intelligible. Wherefore each one is exhorted to read it solely for his profit and for the good of his soul, which he will the more obtain the more he doth carefully read and digest, and put into practice that which he hath read and digested. For it is not the readers, but the doers, of good works who attain unto grace. And although it is to be believed that the writers of that time put down everything in the order in which it pleased God to recall it unto the memory of the Blessed Angela, yet hath it seemed more convenient in this translation into the vulgar tongue to put the treatise of doctrine into the second place, the which in Latin is given the third place, and to put here as third treatise that of the visions and consolations, which in Latin hath the second place.
This hath been done because these consolations and visions are things most high, and it hath seemed right to leave them unto the last to be read by those who are more perfected and instructed, and first to set down her teaching (which is likewise that of Jesus Christ), as being more universally profitable, and especially unto beginners. The treatise of doctrine is further divided into several chapters, which was not done previously, in order that it may be more easy and less wearisome unto the reader, because certain of the chapters were exceeding long. Each one is now prayed and exhorted that (for his own good) he weary not of reading this most excellent book, wherein he will find pointed out that straight highroad (the road of poverty, of pain, and of contempt), whereby it is easy to find God, and from which none can excuse themselves as they might do from the contemplation of the incomprehensible Trinity. And it will be unto him a joy to hear and know of those sufferings and other ills which Christ and the saints did willingly endure for our sakes, piously praying God that He will open the treasures of His mercy unto all. Amen.
Unto all Readers Beloved in Jesus Christ,
Although in the Holy Gospel our most loving Lord hath plentifully shown unto us the means and the way whereby we may attain unto the perfection of Christian life, yet hath His consoling spirit (giver of all comforting and spiritual grace) nevertheless not ceased, nor ever will cease, to reveal unto us continually by means of His most worthy instruments — the which are saints and devout persons — divers ways and conditions of finding the most perfect and consummate union possible unto wayfarers in this life. And although by the facility of printing there hath been put forth an infinite number of books, so many that they do obscure the sun of justice upon earth (seeing that there are more evil books than good), because by reason of their perverse judgment and voluptuous desires men do delight more in imagining and in hearkening unto hurtful things rather than unto wholesome ones, and because through the world's abuses evil men are more favoured than are good men, yet cannot malice overcome wisdom, neither can the many overcome the few.
For this reason, also, hath God elected the weak to confound the strong, and thus in our own times hath He inspired many women of exalted spirit, and they did lead most holy and exemplary lives, walking upon the short and straight road. Amongst these is the Blessed Angela of Foligno, who, although a woman (and therefore of the weaker sex), did, nevertheless, by means of her humble, patient and steadfast despising of the things of this world and by her chosen and beloved poverty, overcome all the strong and powerful of her time. Unto whomsoever shall truly read and prudently consider them, her conversion, penitence, temptation, and doctrine (as set forth in this book), will be of exceeding profit for walking in the way and service of God, until he attaineth unto the happiness of glory. This book hath already been printed in Latin, divided into three treatises, namely — of penitence, of visions, and of doctrine. But because it was neither elegant nor learned in that language, it was neither read by scholars nor understood by the simple, and for this reason hath it been deemed well to translate it into the vulgar tongue, that it may be universally understood and be profitable unto a greater number of persons.
The writer hath not sought to put it into elegant language, nor yet into the Tuscan or the courtly tongue, but only to render it intelligible. Wherefore each one is exhorted to read it solely for his profit and for the good of his soul, which he will the more obtain the more he doth carefully read and digest, and put into practice that which he hath read and digested. For it is not the readers, but the doers, of good works who attain unto grace. And although it is to be believed that the writers of that time put down everything in the order in which it pleased God to recall it unto the memory of the Blessed Angela, yet hath it seemed more convenient in this translation into the vulgar tongue to put the treatise of doctrine into the second place, the which in Latin is given the third place, and to put here as third treatise that of the visions and consolations, which in Latin hath the second place.
This hath been done because these consolations and visions are things most high, and it hath seemed right to leave them unto the last to be read by those who are more perfected and instructed, and first to set down her teaching (which is likewise that of Jesus Christ), as being more universally profitable, and especially unto beginners. The treatise of doctrine is further divided into several chapters, which was not done previously, in order that it may be more easy and less wearisome unto the reader, because certain of the chapters were exceeding long. Each one is now prayed and exhorted that (for his own good) he weary not of reading this most excellent book, wherein he will find pointed out that straight highroad (the road of poverty, of pain, and of contempt), whereby it is easy to find God, and from which none can excuse themselves as they might do from the contemplation of the incomprehensible Trinity. And it will be unto him a joy to hear and know of those sufferings and other ills which Christ and the saints did willingly endure for our sakes, piously praying God that He will open the treasures of His mercy unto all. Amen.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre