St. Clement Hofbauer (1751-1820), the Redemptorist priest who was given the title of "Apostle of Vienna" by Pope St. Pius X, was called upon once to aid a dying man who had completely lost his faith. For twenty-two years the man had not been to confession. Several priests had already visited him, but none of them had made any impression on him. His relatives, as a last recourse, asked Fr. Clement Hofbauer to come.

The first thing Clement did was quietly recite the rosary on behalf of the unhappy man. On entering the sick room, he said to the man, "Any one who is going on a long journey must provide himself with money for his journey - and you are going to enter upon the journey into eternity. Take the holy sacraments with you on your way, like a sensible man."

But the sick man answered angrily, "Leave me in peace!" Fr. Hofbauer said no more at the time, but remained in the sick room and continued to recite the rosary. Again he tried to move the dying man to repentance, but all his efforts were in vain.

The hardened man at last ordered Fr. Hofbauer to get out of the room. "No, I shall not go away," Clement gravely replied, "for I perceive that your end is approaching fast. I have often stood by the deathbed of persons who have died happily and holy. Now I shall for once witness the death of a reprobate, a lost soul."

The dying man was alarmed by this kind of talk. Hearing the truth of his situation put so plainly forced him to confront the reality. Through the Rosaries and persevering prayers of Clement to Our Lady, together with his severe warning of true charity, the man fully realized for the first time the danger that he was in. He was in danger of losing his soul. Immediately, he begged the priest's pardon.

"As far as I go," Fr. Hofbauer said, "all is forgiven. Now make your peace with God." The sinner made his confession - the first one in over twenty years, and died with every sign of sincere repentance.