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Friar Herbert Thurston - The Physical Phenomenon of Mysticism

Among Angiolo's friends was a certain Father Castelli, then General of the Servites, and on one occasion, after paying him a visit, the good Carmelite remarked as he took his leave:

"Father General, what will you give me for my poor? "

The other answered that he had nothing he could give him.

"No," said Father Angiolo, "l only want a few biscuits and sweets for my poor sick people."

"You should have them very willingly," said the other, "if I had any, but I have none."

 To which Father Angiolo rejoined, "Well, I will try this cupboard; I know I shall find something." Thereupon opening a cupboard in the wall where Father General's Socius used to put napkins and other table utensils, he discovered some scraps of bread (tozzi di pane) which all together did not amount to the volume of a small loaf (pagnotta) and a half, or two at the utmost, and these he stowed away in his left sleeve. Then the General, and Father Master Maggini who was also present, remarked smilingly:

"You haven't got much loot after all, Father Angiolo."

When they had talked awhile, he set off home, and the General and Father Maggini decided to accompany him. The three had got as far as the Torre de' Conti, when Father Angiolo began giving alms to various persons of both sexes, big and little, who begged from him, distributing the scraps of bread which he had taken from the General's room, but without breaking them up in any way. He continued to do this all the way to S. Pietro in Vincoli; at which Father Maggini was so astounded that he turned to him and said:

"Good gracious! Have you a basketful of bread in your sleeve? You have been giving alms to all the beggars in the city with the bread you got from Father General."

Father Angiolo made no answer, but the General, who had watched that happened, made a sign to his companion to hold his tongue.