Handsome, clever, wealthy, St. Andrew was very popular at the law school in Naples. After he was admitted to the bar, he practiced in the Church courts. Once in pleading a case he told a lie. Almost immediately after he came upon these words: “The mouth that lieth killeth the soul.” He gave up his law business and entered the Theatine Order.

  He entered manfully and cheerily upon the harder life, and set to work to better himself therein. He was a wonderful instance of self-control, long suffering, lowliness, and hatred of self. –First Nocturn: Fifth Lesson.

  Man looketh on the face, but God seeth the heart. –Imitation: Book II.

  Ideal: This was a lawyer who left the profession because he was lured into telling a lie one time in pleading a case. If a man with the education and the virtue of Andrew Avellino finds a lie so undesirable a thing, there must be more to it than merely a passing habit that “everybody permits himself once in a while.”

  Today: Do you ever tell little white lies? There is very much of the coward in a liar. Lying has very dreadful consequences, and usually very disagreeable associates. With lying and after it comes stealing, unfairness, cheating, etc., until a man becomes either so ashamed of himself that he has not the courage to start over, or so hardened that he has no desire to do better.

Slogan: Oh, what a tangled web we weave,

              When first we practice to deceive!

~A Character Calendar
Sister Mary Fidelis, Sister Mary Charitas
Imprimatur 1931