,illustration3 ,,sister ,,catherine     
,,labour1    ,the ,daughter of ,charity1
 favored with the ,vision of the        
,miraculous  ,medal in #ahcj4 ,died     
,december #ca1 #ahgf4                   
,,the                                   
,,miraculous ,,medal                    
,,its                    ,origin1       
,history1 ,circulation1 ,results4       
,,by ,m4 ,,aladel1 ,c4,m4               
,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,french1     
,,by ,p4,s41                   ,graduate
 of ,st4 ,joseph's1 ,emmitsburg1 ,md4   
,,illustrated4                          
,,philadelphia3                         
,h4,l4 ,,kilner  ,,co41                 
,,publishers4                           
,,copyright1 #ahhj1 ,,by ,,john ,b4     
,,piet4                                 
,,dedication4                           
,,to                      ,,the ,,most  
,,compassionate ,,virgin ,,mary1        
,,mother ,,of ,,god1 ,,conceived        
,,without ,,sin4    ,oh ,mary1 conceived
 without sin1 ,virgin incomparable1     

august ,mother of  ,jesus1 thou who hast
 adopted us for thy children1 and who   
hast given us  so many proofs of thy    
maternal tenderness1 deign to accept    
this little  book1 feeble token of our  
gratitude and love6    ,oh6 may it be   
instrumental in attracting and attaching
 inviolably to  thee1 the hearts of all 
who read it6    ,o ,mary1 conceived     
without sin1 pray for us who have       
recourse to thee6                       
,,author',s ,,declaration4      ,in     
conformity with the decree of ,pope     
,urban ,,viii1 we declare that  the     
terms miracle1 revelation1 apparition   
and other expressions of a  similar     
nature here employed1 have1 in our      
intention1 no other than a  purely      
historical value1 and that we submit    
unreservedly the entire  contents of    
this book to the judgment of the        
,apostolic ,see4                        
,,preface ,,of ,,the ,,american         
,,publisher4      ,since the hour when  
the ,beloved ,disciple took the ,blessed

 ,virgin to  his own1 the followers of  
her ,divine ,son have always cherished a
  reverential affection for her above   
all other creatures4 ,they have         
regarded her as the ideal of all that is
 true and pure and sweet and  noble in  
the ,christian life1 and they have      
honored her as the most  favored of     
mortals1 the greatest of saints1 the    
masterpiece of the  ,almighty4 ,the     
peculiar veneration paid to her by the  
,apostles1 was  caught up by the first  
,christians1 who regarded her with awe  
because  of her great dignity2 and when 
she died1 her memory was held in        
benediction4 ,but death could not sever 
her from those who1 in the  person of   
,st4 ,john1 had been given to her for   
her children4 ,she still  lived for the 
,church4 ,from the time when the        
faithful took refuge  in the ,catacombs 
to the fifth century1 when the ,council 
of ,ephesus  solemnly sanctioned the    
homage paid to her as the ,mother of    
,god1 her  intercession was often       

invoked2 and from that day1 devotion    
towards her  has increased until our own
 age1 when the nations of the earth     
unite to  proclaim her ,blessed4        
,often has ,mary given signal proofs of 
the pleasure she takes in the  devotion 
of her clients and of the power she     
possesses to grant their  petitions4    
,graces asked through her mediation have
 been suddenly  obtained2 wonders in the
 way of cures and conversions have been 
wrought  at her shrines2 disasters have 
been averted2 plagues have been made  to
 cease2 and1 to crown all her favors1   
apparitions have occurred1 in  which she
 has shown herself1 radiant with the    
lustre of ,heaven1 to  her loyal        
servants2 and1 in some instances1 she   
has left something  like the scapular1  
the ,miraculous ,medal and the fount in 
the grotto of  ,lourdes1 as memorials of
 her visit4    ,these manifestations of 
her maternal solicitude have of late    
been more  frequent1 more renowned1 and 
more efficacious than ever4 ,as the end 

draws near and the dangers increase1 her
 anxiety for the sanctification  of her 
own bursts its bonds and urges her to   
find new ways to the  hearts of men4    
,among the most recent of these         
demonstrations1 the  ,miraculous ,medal 
is one of the most remarkable4 ,how it  
originated1  how rapidly and widely it  
has circulated1 and how gloriously it   
has  fulfilled its mission1 are told in 
this book4 ,a more interesting and      
edifying history could not easily have  
been written4 ,to all children of       
,mary1 in ,america as elsewhere1 it will
 be welcome1 and for them this  edition 
has been prepared by                    
,,the ,,publisher4        ,may #d1      
#ahhj4                                  
,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,french ,,edition 
,illustration    ,the eighth and last   
edition of ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,the   
,,miraculous  ,,medal1 extending up to  
the year #ahdb1 has for a long time been
  out of print4 ,more than once efforts 
have been made to have a new  edition   

published1 but until now they have      
failed4 ,the recent death  of the       
,sister who was favored with the        
,blessed ,virgin's confidence1  has     
again excited a general desire for the  
work2 for many persons are  eager to    
learn the origin of the medal1 and      
others hope to get the full  particulars
 of it4 ,for these reasons1 the present 
edition has been  undertaken4           
,believing that it would gratify our    
readers1 we have placed at the          
beginning of the book a biographical    
sketch of the privileged ,sister1       
,catherine ,labour1 and to it we have   
added some notes concerning ,m4         
,aladel1 her ,director1 who was the     
author of the previous editions4        
,these editions of the ,history         
presented but a very condensed account  
of the apparition of the ,blessed       
,virgin in #ahcj2 for serious reasons   
induced ,m4 ,aladel to suppress many    
things4 ,he feared especially to        
attract attention to the humble daughter

 who had transmitted ,heaven's  orders1 
and who1 it was best1 should remain     
unknown to the end of her  life4        
,now1 these fears are no longer an      
obstacle1 and we are permitted to       
publish1 for the edification of the     
faithful1 all that the ,sister          
revealed1 at least1 all that we still   
possess of these communications4  ,at   
the time of the last edition1 ,m4       
,aladel could understand but            
imperfectly the import of the vision of 
the medal1 but certain events  of       
subsequent occurrence1 have placed this 
important revelation in a  clearer      
light1 and fully established its        
connection with the past and  the       
future4 ,we have endeavored to show the 
designs of ,providence1 by  proving that
 the apparition of #ahcj was not an     
isolated fact2 that  it marked the end  
of a disastrous period for the ,church  
and society2  that it was the beginning 
of a new era1 an era of mercy and hope2 
that  it was a preparation for the      

definition of the ,immaculate           
,conception  as a dogma of faith2 in    
fine1 that it was the first of a series 
of  supernatural manifestations1 which  
have greatly increased devotion to  the 
,blessed ,virgin1 insomuch1 that our age
 may justly be styled the age  of ,mary4
    ,we have judged it advisable to omit
 quite a number of miraculous           
occurrences related in the preceding    
editions1 and substitute for them       
others not less authentic1 but more     
recent1 thus demonstrating that  the    
medal is as efficacious in our days1 as 
it was at the time of its  origin4      
,we ask those who may hereafter obtain  
similar favors1 to send an  account of  
them1 together with satisfactory        
vouchers of their  authenticity1 to the 
,superior-,general of the ,daughters of 
,charity1 rue  du ,bac1 #adj1 or to the 
,director of the ,daughters of ,charity1
 rue de  ,sevres1 #ie1 ,paris4          
,,contents4                             
,,page      ,,dedication1               

iii      ,,the ,,author',s              
,,declaration1                          
v      ,,preface1                       
vii        ,,chapter ,i4                
,sister ,catherine1 ,daughter of        
,charity--,her ,birth--,early           
,life--,vocation--,entrance into the    
,community--,apparition of        the   
,blessed ,virgin--,the ,medal--,sister  
,catherine is sent to        d',enghien 
,hospital--,her humble1 hidden          
,life--,her ,death4                     
#a        ,,chapter ,,ii4               
,mary's ,agency in the ,church--,this   
,agency always manifest1 seems        to
 have disappeared during the ,eighteenth
 and at the beginning        of the     
,nineteenth ,century--,mary reappears in
 #ahcj--,motives and        ,importance 
of this ,apparition--,the ,immaculate   
,conception4                            
#db      ,,chapter ,,iii4               
,apparitions of the ,blessed ,virgin to 
,sister ,catherine--,first              
,apparition3 ,an ,angel ,conducts the   

,sister to the ,chapel--,mary           
,converses with ,her--,second           
,apparition3 ,mary standing upon        
a ,globe1 her hands emitting ,rays of   
,light1 symbolic of        ,grace--,mary
 orders a ,medal to be ,struck--,third  
,apparition3 ,mary        ,repeats the  
,order4                                 
#ea        ,,chapter ,,iv4          ,the
 ,medal ,appears--,the ,welcome it      
,receives--,canonical                   
,investigation ordered by ,mgr4 de      
,qulen--,wonderful ,circulation         
of the ,medal4                          
#fg        ,,chapter ,v4                
,development of the ,devotion to the    
,immaculate ,conception--,mgr4        de
 ,qulen's ,circular4                    
#gi        ,,chapter ,,vi4              
,extraordinary ,graces obtained by means
 of the ,miraculous                     
,medal--,graces obtained from #ahcb to  
#ahce--;,during the year #ahce1         
in ,france1 ,switzerland1 ,savoy1       
,turkey--,from #ahcf to #ahch1 in       

,france1 ,italy1 ,holland1 c4--,notre   
,dame des ,victoires--,from        #ahch
 to #ahdb1 in ,greece1 ,america1 ,china1
 c4--,from #ahdc to        #ahgg1 in    
,france1 ,germany1 ,italy1 ,america4    
#id        ,,chapter ,,vii4             
,progress of the ,devotion to ,mary     
crowned by the ,definition of        the
 ,immaculate ,conception--,our ,lady of 
,la ,salette--,the ,children        of  
,mary--,the ,definition of the          
,immaculate ,conception4                
#bfa        ,,chapter ,,viii4           
,the ,miraculous ,medal and the         
,war--,the ,war in the ,east--,the      
,italian ,war--,the ,united             
,states--,war between ,prussia and      
,austria--,souvenirs of the ,commune4   
#bhi        ,,chapter ,,ix4             
,recent ,manifestations of the ,blessed 
,virgin in the ,church--,our            
,lady of ,lourdes--,our ,lady of        
,pontmain1 c4--,conclusion4             
,table of ,engravings of the ,miraculous
 ,medal                                 

,,page        ,portrait of ,sister      
,catherine ,labour1 the ,daughter of    
,charity      favored with the ,vision  
of the ,miraculous ,medal in #ahcj4     
,frontispiece        ,first ,apparition 
of the ,blessed ,virgin to ,sister      
,catherine      ,labour1 ,daughter of   
,charity1 during the night of ,july     
#ahth1      #ahcj4 ,after a picture     
painted according to ,sister            
,catherine's      directions4 ,summoned 
by her ,guardian ,angel1 under the form 
of a      child1 emitting rays of light1
 ,sister ,catherine arises1 follows     
him to the ,chapel1 which she finds     
brilliantly illuminated2 she            
afterwards sees the ,blessed ,virgin    
seated in the sanctuary4 ,the           
picture represents ,sister ,catherine at
 the ,blessed ,virgin's      feet1 her  
hands on the ,blessed ,virgin's knees3  
,my child1      says the ,blessed       
,virgin1 the times are very disastrous1 
great      troubles are about to descend
 upon ,france2 the throne will      be  

upset1 the entire world will be in      
confusion by reason of      miseries of 
every description4                      
#ec        ,second ,apparition of the   
,blessed ,virgin to ,sister ,catherine  
,labour1 ,november #agth1 #ahcj1 first  
picture4 ,about half-past      five in  
the evening1 whilst ,sister ,catharine  
is taking her      meditation1 the      
,blessed ,virgin again appears4 ,she    
stands upon a      hemisphere1 and holds
 in her hand a globe which she offers to
      our ,lord4 ,suddenly her fingers  
are filled with most dazzling      rings
 and precious stones4 ,this globe1 says 
the ,blessed      ,virgin1 represents   
the whole world and particularly        
,france4      ,she adds that the rays   
escaping from her hands are symbols of  
the graces she bestows upon those who   
ask for them4                           
#ei        ,same ,apparition1 second    
picture4 ,then1 relates ,sister         
,catherine1 there formed around the     
,blessed ,virgin a somewhat      oval   

picture1 upon which appeared in golden  
letters these      words3 ',o ,mary6    
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have      recourse to thee6' and a voice
 said3 ',have a medal struck upon       
this model2 those who wear it           
indulgenced will receive great          
graces1 especially if they wear it on   
the neck2 abundant graces      will be  
bestowed upon those who have            
confidence4' ,at that      instant1 the 
picture being turned1 ,sister ,catherine
 sees on the      reverse1 the letter   
,m1 surmounted by a cross1 and beneath  
this      the sacred ,hearts of ,jesus  
and ,mary4                              
#fj        ,medal struck by order of    
,mgr4 de ,qulen4                        
#gh        ,apparition of the           
,miraculous ,medal to ,m4 ,ratisbonne4  
#bje        ,representation of the      
,miraculous ,medal1 modelled in         
accordance      with the description    
given by ,sister ,catherine ,labour4    
#bgb1 #bgc          ,illustration       

,,sister ,,catherine1        ,,daughter 
,,of ,,charity4        ,,her            
,,birth--,,early                        
,,life--,,vocation--,,entrance ,,into   
,,the      ,,community--,,apparition    
,,of ,,the ,,virgin--,,the              
,,medal--,,sister ,,catherine      ,,is 
,,placed ,,at ,,the ,,hospital          
,d',,enghien--,,her ,,humble1 ,,hidden  
,,life--,,her      ,,death4      ,it is 
an extensively credited assumption1 that
 those who are favored  with            
supernatural communications should have 
something extraordinary  in their person
 and mode of life4 ,one easily invests  
them with an  ideal of perfection1      
which1 in some measure1 sets them apart 
from  the majority of mankind4 ,but if1 
at any time1 an occasion occurs of      
proving that such an assumption is      
erroneous1 if we discover in these      
divine confidants weaknesses or only    
infirmities1 we are astonished  and     
tempted to be scandalized4 ,among the   
,christians who knew ,st4 ,paul  only by

 reputation1 some were disappointed on a
 closer acquaintance2  they said his    
appearance was too unprepossessing and  
his language too  unrefined for an      
apostle4 ,were not the ,jews scandalized
 that ,our ,lord  ate and drank like    
others1 that ,his parents were poor1    
that ,he came  from ,nazareth1 and that 
,he conversed with sinners8 ,so true is 
it1 that  we are always disposed to     
judge by appearances4    ,not so with   
,god4 ,he sees the depths of our hearts1
 and often what  appears contemptible in
 the eyes of the world1 is great in     
,his4  ,simplicity and purity ,he prizes
 especially4 ,exterior qualities1 gifts 
of intellect1 birth and education1 are  
of little value to ,him1 and when  ,he  
has an important mission to confide1 it 
is ordinarily to persons not  possessing
 these qualifications4 ,thus1 does ,he  
display ,his wisdom and  power1 in using
 what is weak1 to accomplish great      
results4 ,sometimes1  ,he chooses for   
,his instruments subjects that are even 

imperfect1  permitting them to commit   
faults in order to keep them in all     
humility1  and convince them that the   
favors they receive are not accorded    
their  own merits1 but are the gift of  
,god's pure bounty4    ,these           
observations naturally prelude ,sister  
,catherine's biography2 they  explain in
 advance the difficulties which might   
arise in the mind of  the reader at the 
contrast between a life so simple and   
ordinary and  the graces showered upon  
her4           99       99       99     
99       99    ,sister ,catherine 7,zo  
,labour7 was born ,may #b1 #ahjf1 in a  
little  village of the ,cte-d',or       
,mountains1 called ,fain-les-,moutiers1 
of the  parish of                       
,moutiers-,saint-,jean4 ,this last      
place1 particularly dear  to ,st4       
,vincent1 was not far from the cradle of
 ,st4 ,bernard1 that  great servant of  
,mary1 nor from the spot where ,st4     
,chantal passed a  part of her life1 as 
if in the soil as well as the blood     

there was a  predisposition to certain  
qualities or hereditary virtues4    ,her
 parents1 sincere ,christians1 were held
 in esteem4 ,they cultivated  their     
farm1 and enjoyed that competency which 
arises from rural labor  joined to      
simplicity of life4 ,god had blessed    
their union with a  numerous family1    
seven sons and three daughters4    ,at  
an early age1 the sons left the paternal
 roof2 little ,zo1 with  her sisters1   
remained under the mother's eye1 but    
this mother1 ,god  took from ,zo1 ere   
she had completed her eighth year4      
,already capable  of feeling the extent 
of this sacrifice1 it seemed to her as  
if the  ,blessed ,virgin wished to be   
her only ,mother4    ,an aunt1 living at
 ,rmy1 took ,zo and the youngest sister 
to live with  her2 but the father1 a    
pious man1 who in his youth had even    
thought of  embracing the ecclesiastical
 state1 preferred having the children   
under  his own eye1 and at the end of   
two years they were brought home4       

,another motive1 also1 impelled him to  
act thus4 ,the eldest sister  thought   
seriously of leaving her family to enter
 the ,community of  ,daughters of       
,charity1 and the poor father could not 
bear the idea of  confiding his house to
 mercenary hands4 ,and thus1 at an age  
when other  children think only of their
 sports1 ,zo was inured to hard work4   
,at the age of twelve1 with a pure and  
fervent heart1 she made her ,first      
,communion in the church of             
,moutiers-,saint-,jean4 ,henceforth1 her
 only  desire was to be solely ,his who 
had just given ,himself to her for the  
first time4    ,very soon after1 the    
eldest sister left home to postulate at 
,langres2  and ,zo1 now little mistress 
of the house1 did the cooking1 with the 
assistance of a woman for the roughest  
work4 ,she carried the field  hands     
their meals1 and never shrank from any  
duty however laborious or  severe4      
,moutiers-,saint-,jean possesses an     
establishment of the ,sisters of ,st4   

,vincent de ,paul4 ,zo went to see them 
as often as her household duties        
permitted1 and the good                 
,sister-,servant1 who loved her much1   
encouraged  the child in her laborious  
life2 yet the latter never spoke to the 
,sister of her growing vocation1 but    
awaited1 with a secret impatience1      
until her sister 7two years her junior7 
would be able to take charge  of the    
house4 ,it was she to whom ,zo confided 
her dearest desires1 and  then commenced
 for the two that tender intimacy of    
life1 one of pure  labor and duty1 and  
whose only relaxations were attending   
the services  of the parish church4     
,the two young girls1 thinking          
themselves able to dispense with the    
servant1 dismissed her1 and now shared  
between them all the work4 ,zo1  who was
 very sedate and trustworthy1 watched   
over everything with  the utmost        
vigilance1 and took care of her sister  
with a mother's  tenderness4    ,one of 
her favorite occupations was the charge 

of the pigeon house1  which always      
contained from seven to eight hundred   
pigeons4 ,so  faithfully did she perform
 this duty1 that they all knew her1 and 
as  soon as she appeared they came      
flying around her in the shape of a     
crown4 ,it was1 says her sister1 a most 
charming spectacle--innocence           
attracting the birds1 which are its     
symbol4    ,in youth1 we see her1       
already modest in deportment1 serious in
  character1 pious and recollected in   
the parochial church which she          
regularly attended1 kneeling upon the   
cold stones even in winter4 ,and  this  
was not the only mortification she      
practiced2 to bodily fatigue1  she added
 from her tenderest youth that of       
fasting every ,wednesday  and ,saturday4
 ,it was for a long time without her    
father's knowledge2  at length1         
discovering his daughter's pious ruse1  
he endeavored to  dissuade her2 but all 
his reproaches were not able to overcome
 her love  of penance1 she believed it  

her duty to prefer the interior voice of
  ,god to that of her father4    ,in all
 this we clearly discern the character  
of the future ,sister1  with its virtues
 and defects4 ,on one side1 we see true 
simplicity1  unselfishness1 constant    
application to the most laborious duties
 under  the safeguard of innocence and  
fervor2 on the other1 a disposition     
accustomed to govern1 and which could   
not yield without an internal  struggle4
    ,during this life of rural toil1 she
 never lost sight of her vocation4      
,several times was her hand asked in    
marriage1 but she invariably  answered  
that1 long affianced to ,jesus her good 
,saviour1 she wished no  other spouse   
than ,him4 ,but had she yet made choice 
of the ,community she  would enter8 ,it 
is doubtful1 especially when we consider
 the following  event of her life1 which
 deeply impressed her1 and always       
remained  graven in the memory of her   
dear sister who related it4    ,being   
still in her father's house at          

,fain-les-,moutiers1 she had  a dream1  
which we may consider as an inspiration 
from ,god and a  preparation for her    
vocation4    ,it seemed to her that she 
was in the ,purgatorian chapel of the   
village church4 ,an aged priest of      
venerable appearance and remarkable     
countenance appeared in the chapel1 and 
began to vest himself for  ,mass2 she   
assisted at it1 deeply impressed with   
the presence of this  unknown priest4   
,at the end of ,mass1 he made her a sign
 to approach1 but  affrighted1 she drew 
back1 yet ever keeping her eyes fixed   
upon him4    ,leaving the church1 she   
went to visit a sick person in the      
village4  ,here1 she again finds herself
 with the aged priest1 who addresses her
  in these words3 ,my daughter1 it is   
well to nurse the sick2 you fly  from me
 now1 but one day you will be happy to  
come to me4 ,god has ,his  designs upon 
you1 do not forget it4 ,amazed and      
filled with fear1 the  young girl still 
flies his presence4 ,on leaving the     

house1 it seemed to  her that her feet  
scarcely touched the ground1 and just at
 the moment  of entering her home she   
awoke1 and recognized that what had     
passed was  only a dream4    ,she was   
now eighteen years old1 knowing scarcely
 how to read1 much less  write2 as she  
was doubtless aware that this would be  
an obstacle to her  admission into a    
,community1 she obtained her father's   
permission to  visit her sister-in-law1 
who kept a boarding school at ,chtillon1
 and  there receive a little            
instruction4 ,her father1 fearing to    
lose her1  reluctantly consented to her 
departure4    ,incessantly occupied with
 thoughts of the vision we have already 
related1 she spoke of it to the ,cur of 
,chtillon1 who said to her3 ,i  believe1
 my child1 that this old man is ,st4    
,vincent1 who calls you to  be a        
,daughter of ,charity4 ,her             
sister-in-law having taken her to see   
the ,sisters at ,chtillon1 she was      
astonished on entering their parlor  to 

behold a picture1 the perfect portrait  
of the priest who had said  to her in   
her dream3 ,my daughter1 you fly from me
 now1 but one day  you will be happy to 
come to me4 ,god has ,his designs upon  
you1 do not  forget it4 ,she immediately
 inquired the name of the original1 and 
when  told that it was ,st4 ,vincent1   
the mystery vanished2 she understood    
that  it was he who was to be her       
,father4    ,this circumstance was not  
of a nature to quench the ardor of her  
desires4 ,she remained but a short time 
with her sister-in-law4 ,the  humble    
country girl was ill at ease amidst the 
young ladies of the  school1 and she    
learned nothing4    ,it was at this time
 she became acquainted with ,sister     
,victoire ,sjole1  who was afterwards   
placed over the house at                
,moutiers-,saint-,jean4 ,though  young1 
already thoroughly devoted to ,god and  
,his poor1 ,sister ,victoire  divined   
the candor of this soul and its         
sufferings2 she immediately  begged her 

,sister-,servant to admit ,zo as a      
postulant without delay1  offering      
herself to bestow particular pains upon 
her1 instructing her  in whatever was   
indispensable for her as a ,daughter of 
,charity4    ,but ,zo could not yet     
profit by the interest good ,sister     
,victoire had  taken in her2 this       
happiness was to be dearly bought4      
,when she acquainted her father with her
 intentions1 the poor father's  heart   
rebelled2 he had already given his      
eldest daughter to ,st4  ,vincent's     
family1 and now1 to sacrifice her who   
for years had so  wisely directed his   
household1 seemed indeed beyond his     
strength4 ,he  considered a means of    
dissuading her from her plans1 and      
thought he  had found it by sending her 
to ,paris1 to one of his sons who kept a
  restaurant1 telling him to seek by    
various distractions to extinguish  in  
the sister's heart all idea of her      
vocation4 ,time of trial and  suffering 
for the young aspirant1 who1 far from   

losing the desire of  consecrating      
herself to ,god1 only sighed more       
ardently after the happy  day when she  
could quit the world4    ,she now       
thought of writing to her sister-in-law 
at ,chtillon1 and  interesting her in   
the matter4 ,the latter1 touched with   
this mark of  confidence1 had ,zo come  
to her1 and finally obtained the        
father's  consent4 ,zo became a         
postulant in the house of the ,sisters  
at  ,chtillon1 in the beginning of the  
year #ahcj4    ,zo ,labour was very     
happy to find1 at last1 the end of those
 severe  trials which had lasted almost 
two years4 ,the #bast of ,april1 #ahcj1 
she  reached that much desired haven1   
the ,seminary4#a        ,footnote #a3   
,st4 ,vincent desired that the sojourn  
which the      young ,sisters make at   
the ,mother ,house1 to be there imbued  
with1 and instructed in1 the spirit and 
duties of their      vocation1 should be
 called the ,seminary term2 he feared   
lest      the word novitiate1 applicable

 to religious ,orders1 might      cause 
the ,daughters of ,charity to be        
regarded as such4           99       99 
99       99       99    ,behold her1    
then1 in possession of all that had been
 the cherished  object of her desires   
and affections from earliest childhood6 
,her soul  could now dilate itself in   
prayer1 and in the joyful consciousness 
of  being entirely devoted to the       
service of its ,god4    ,during the     
whole of her ,seminary term1 she had the
 happiness of  having for ,director of  
her conscience ,m4 ,jean ,marie ,aladel1
 of  venerated memory1 a priest of      
eminent piety1 excellent judgment and   
great experience1 austere as a hermit1  
indefatigable in work1 a true  son of   
,st4 ,vincent de ,paul4 ,he was a       
prudent guide for her in the            
extraordinary ways whither ,god had     
called her4 ,he knew how to hold  her in
 check against the illusions of         
imagination1 and especially the         
seductions of pride at the same time1   

that he encouraged her to walk  in the  
paths of perfection by the practice of  
the most solid virtues4  ,m4 ,aladel did
 not lose sight of her1 even after she  
was sent to the  ,hospital d',enghien4  
,he thereby gained much for his own     
sanctification  and the mission confided
 to him4    ,informed by her of ,god's  
designs1 he devoted himself unreservedly
 to  the propagation of devotion to     
,mary ,immaculate1 and during the last  
years of his life1 to extend among the  
young girls educated by the  ,sisters of
 ,st4 ,vincent1 the association of      
,children of ,mary4 ,he died in  #ahfe1 
eleven years before his spiritual       
daughter4#b        ,footnote #b3 ,the   
,life of ,m4 ,aladel has been published2
 #a volume      in #abmo4 ,it can be    
procured in ,paris1 rue du ,bac1 #adj4  
,three days before the magnificent      
ceremony of the translation of ,st4     
,vincent de ,paul's relics to the chapel
 of ,st4 ,lazare1 a feast which  was the
 signal of renewed life for the         

,congregation of the ,mission1  ,sister 
,labour was favored with a prophetic    
vision4 ,the same ,god who  had called  
,vincent from the charge of his father's
 flocks to make him a  vessel of        
election1 was now going to confide to a 
poor country girl the  secrets of ,his  
mercy4 ,let us give the account of this 
first impression  in her own simple     
language4        ,it was ,wednesday     
before the translation of ,st4 ,vincent 
de      ,paul's relics4 ,happy and      
delighted at the idea of taking part    
in this grand celebration1 it seemed to 
me that ,i no longer      cared for     
anything on earth4        ,i begged ,st4
 ,vincent to give me whatever graces ,i 
needed1 also      to bestow the same    
upon his two families and all ,france4  
,it      appeared to me that ,france was
 in sore need of them4 ,in fine1      ,i
 prayed ,st4 ,vincent to teach me what  
,i ought to ask1 and also      that ,i  
might ask it with a lively faith4       
,she returned from ,st4 ,lazare's filled

 with the thought of her blessed        
,father1 and believed that she found him
 again at the ,community4  ,i had1 said 
she1 the consolation of seeing his heart
 above the  little shrine where his     
relics are exposed4 ,it appeared to me  
three  successive days in a different   
manner3 ,first1 of a pale1 clear color1 
and this denoted peace1 serenity1       
innocence and union4    ,afterwards1 ,i 
saw it the color of fire1 symbolic of   
the charity that  should be enkindled in
 hearts4 ,it seemed to me that charity  
was to be  reanimated and extended even 
to the extremities of the world4        
,lastly1 it appeared a very dark red1 a 
livid hue1 which plunged my  heart in   
sadness4 ,it filled me with fears ,i    
could scarcely overcome4 ,i  know not   
why1 nor how1 but this sadness seemed to
 be connected with a  change of         
government4    ,it was strange1 indeed1 
that ,sister ,labour1 at that time1     
should have  these political            
forebodings4    ,an interior voice said 

to her3 ,the heart of ,st4 ,vincent is  
profoundly  afflicted at the great      
misfortunes which will overwhelm        
,france4  ,the last day of the octave1  
she saw the same heart vermilion color1 
and the interior voice whispered3 ,the  
heart of ,st4 ,vincent is a  little     
consoled1 because he has obtained from  
,god 7through ,mary's  intercession7    
protection for his two families in the  
midst of these  disasters2 they shall   
not perish1 and ,god will use them to   
revive the  ,faith4    ,to ease her     
mind1 she related this vision to her    
confessor1 who told  her to think no    
more about it2 ,sister ,labour never    
dreamed of aught  but obeying1 and in no
 way did she ever reveal it to her      
companions4    ,we find this singular   
favor mentioned in a letter written by  
,sister  ,catherine1 in the year #ahef1 
at the command of ,m4 ,aladel4 ,the year
  she entered the ,seminary1 this worthy
 missionary was almost the only         
chaplain of the ,community4 ,the        

,congregation of the ,mission1 scarcely 
restored at this epoch1 counted at its  
,mother ,house but nine priests  in all1
 and at least half that number were in  
the ,seminary4 ,m4 tienne1  of venerated
 memory1 was ,procurator ,general1 and  
,m4 ,salhorgne1 ,superior  of ,st4      
,vincent's two families4 ,if the        
laborers were few1 the deficiency  was  
supplied by the devotedness of these    
few1 who multiplied themselves  for the 
service of the ,community4 ,the ,divine 
bounty has prepared for  their charity a
 beautiful recompense4    ,according to 
the notes which ,sister ,catherine wrote
 later in obedience  to ,m4 ,aladel1 the
 humble daughter during all her         
,seminary term enjoyed  the undisguised 
sight of ,him whose presence is         
concealed from our  senses in the       
,sacrament of ,his love4 ,except1 said  
she1 when ,i  doubted1 then ,i saw      
nothing1 because ,i wished to fathom the
 mystery1  fearing to be deceived4      
,our ,lord deigned to show ,himself to  

,his humble servant1 conformably to  the
 mysteries of the day1 and1 in connexion
 with this1 she mentions one            
circumstance relative to the change of  
government1 which could not have  been  
foreseen by human means4    ,on the     
,feast of the ,holy ,trinity1 says she1 
,our ,lord during ,holy  ,mass appeared 
to me in the ,most ,blessed ,sacrament  
as a king with the  cross upon ,his     
breast4 ,just at the ,gospel1 it seemed 
to me that the  cross and all ,his regal
 ornaments fell at ,his feet1 and ,he   
remained  thus despoiled4 ,it was then  
the gloomiest and saddest thoughts      
oppressed me1 for ,i understood from    
this that the king would be  stripped of
 his royal garb1 and great disasters    
would ensue4    ,when the humble        
daughter had these forebodings          
concerning the king1 he  was then       
apparently at the pinnacle of fortune4  
,the siege of ,algiers  was in progress1
 and everything predicted the happy     
success of his  arms4 ,during the early 

part of ,july1 this almost impregnable  
fortress  of the pirates fell into the  
power of ,france2 the whole kingdom     
rejoiced at the memorable victory1 and  
the churches resounded with  hymns of   
thanksgiving4    ,alas6 this triumph was
 to be quickly followed by a bloody     
revolution1  which would overthrow the  
throne and menace the altars4 ,that very
  month1 the clergy and religious       
communities of ,paris were seized with  
terror4 ,m4 ,aladel was greatly alarmed 
for the ,daughters of ,charity and  the 
,missionaries1 but ,sister ,labour never
 ceased to reassure him1  saying that   
the two communities had nothing to fear1
 they would not  perish4    ,one day she
 told him that a bishop had sought      
refuge at ,st4 ,lazare's1  that he could
 be received without hesitation1 and    
might remain there  in safety4 ,m4      
,aladel paid little attention to these  
predictions1  but returning sadly to his
 house1 he was accosted on entering by  
,m4  ,salhorgne1 who told him that ,mgr4

 ,frayssinous1 ,bishop of ,hermopolis1  
and ,minister of ,religious ,worship    
under ,charles ,x1 had just come1       
begging an asylum from the persecution  
that pursued him4    ,these revelations 
bore an impress of truth which it was   
difficult to  ignore2 so in feigning to 
mistrust them1 ,m4 ,aladel listened with
 the  deepest interest4 ,he began to    
persuade himself that the spirit of ,god
  inspired this young ,sister2 and after
 seeing the accomplishment of  several  
things she had foretold1 he now felt    
disposed to give credence  to other and 
more marvellous communications she had  
confided to him4    ,according to her   
testimony1 the ,most ,holy ,virgin had  
appeared to her1  these apparitions were
 repeated various times1 she had been   
charged to  acquaint her ,director with 
what she had seen and heard1 an         
important  mission had been confided to 
her1 that of having struck and          
circulated  a medal in honor of the     
,immaculate ,conception4    ,the third  

chapter of this volume gives a detailed 
account of these  visions1 just as they 
have been transmitted to us from the    
hand of the  ,sister herself4           
,notwithstanding the sensible assurances
 of the ,sister's veracity1 ,m4  ,aladel
 listened to these communications with  
mistrust1 as he tells us  himself1 in   
the canonical investigation prescribed  
in #ahcf by ,mgr4  de ,qulen2 he        
professed to consider them of little    
value1 as if they  had been the pious   
vagaries of a young girl's imagination4 
,he told  her to regard them in the same
 light1 and he even went so far as to   
humble her1 and reproach her with a want
 of submission4 ,the poor  ,sister1     
unable to convince him1 dared speak no  
more of the apparitions  of the ,blessed
 ,virgin2 she never mentioned the       
subject to him except  when she felt    
herself tormented and constrained to do 
so by an almost  irresistible desire4   
,such was the reason1 says ,m4 ,aladel1 
that she spoke to him  concerning the   

matter but three times1 although the    
visions were much  oftener repeated4    
,after thus relieving her heart1 she    
became perfectly  calm4 ,the            
investigation also shows us that ,sister
 ,catherine sought no  other confidant  
of her secrets than her confessor2 she  
never mentioned  them to her ,superior  
or any one else4 ,it was to ,m4 ,aladel 
,mary had  directed her1 to him only did
 she speak1 and she even exacted of him 
the promise that her name would never be
 mentioned4#c        ,footnote #c3      
,verbal process of the investigation    
made by order      of ,mgr4 de ,qulen in
 #ahcf1 upon the origin of the medal1   
,,ms4 p4      #aj4    ,after this       
pledge1 ,m4 ,aladel related the vision  
to ,m4 tienne and  others1 but without  
designating the ,sister's identity1     
directly or  indirectly4 ,we shall see  
later how ,providence always guarded her
 secret4    ,these celestial            
communications1 we may easily imagine1  
produced in the  soul of ,sister ,labour

 profound impressions1 which usually    
remained  even after she had finished   
her devotions1 and which rendered her in
  some degree oblivious of what was     
passing around her4 ,it is related  that
 after one of these apparitions she     
rises like the others at the  given     
signal1 leaves the chapel1 and takes her
 place in the refectory1  but remains so
 absorbed that she never thinks of      
touching the meal  apportioned her4     
,sister ,caillaud1 third ,directress1   
going her rounds1 says bluntly to  her3 
,ah6 ,sister ,labour1 are you still in  
an ecstasy8 ,this recalls  her to       
herself1 and the good ,directress1 who  
knows not how truly she  has spoken1    
suspects nothing4    ,meanwhile1 ,sister
 ,catherine approached the end of her   
,seminary term1  and in spite of her    
affirmations at once so artless and so  
exact1 her  ,director always refused to 
credit them4 ,she had the affliction of 
leaving the ,mother ,house without being
 able to obtain anything1 even a  hope4 

,it was because the affair was graver   
than she thought2 the supernatural      
origin of the favor he was directed to  
communicate to the public could  be     
contested1 and the prudent ,director saw
 that in such a matter he  could neither
 exact too many proofs1 nor take too    
many precautions4           99       99 
99       99       99    ,sister ,labour 
was clothed with the holy habit in the  
month of ,january1  #ahca1 and sent     
under the name of ,sister ,catherine to 
the ,hospital  d',enghien in the        
faubourg ,st4 ,antoine4 ,here she could 
continue her  communications with ,m4   
,aladel4 ,this good father did not lose 
sight of  her2 though apparently giving 
no credit to his penitent revelations1  
he was studying her carefully to        
convince himself whether or not these   
visions were the product of a weak1     
enthusiastic mind and excited           
imagination4 ,but the more he studied   
her1 the more confident he felt  that   
there was nothing of this in ,sister    

,labour4 ,the judgment formed  of her by
 the ,directresses of the ,seminary was1
 that she had a somewhat  reserved but  
calm1 positive character1 which ,m4     
,aladel qualified as  cold and even     
apathetic4    ,this last epithet1       
however1 was not applicable to ,sister  
,catherine1  in whom her companions1 on 
the contrary1 recognized a very         
impulsive  temperament4 ,but his opinion
 proves1 at least1 that there was no    
excessive imagination4 ,moreover1 she   
proved herself solidly grounded  in     
virtue1 whilst no one ever perceived    
anything extraordinary in her  demeanor1
 and especially in her devotions4       
,before going to her new destination1   
,sister ,labour passed some days in  one
 of the large establishments of ,paris4 
,wishing to examine the young  ,sister  
more leisurely1 ,m4 ,aladel made a      
pretext of visiting the ,sisters  at    
this house4 ,the account of these       
visions had already been circulated     
throughout the ,community1 and it was   

known that ,m4 ,aladel had received  the
 ,sisters' confidence2 hence1 as soon as
 he appeared1 the ,sisters  surrounded  
him1 and each one eagerly plied him with
 questions4 ,he had  his eye upon       
,sister ,catherine1 who1 without being  
disconcerted1 quietly  mingled her      
inquiries with the others4 ,the worthy  
missionary was  reassured1 understanding
 that the ,sister kept her secret4      
,the last time the ,blessed ,virgin     
appeared to ,sister ,labour in  the     
sanctuary of the ,mother ,house1 she    
said to her3 ,my daughter1  henceforth  
you will see me no more1 but you will   
hear my voice during  your meditations4 
,and1 indeed1 during the whole course of
 her life1  she had frequent            
communications of this kind4 ,they were 
no longer  sensible apparitions1 but    
mental visions1 that she well knew how  
to  distinguish from the illusions of   
imagination or the impressions of a     
pious fervor4    ,her mission had not   
been accomplished in regard to the      

medal4 ,some  months elapsed1 and the   
,immaculate ,virgin complained to       
,sister  ,catherine that her orders had 
not been executed4    ,but1 my good     
,mother1 replied ,sister ,catherine1 you
 see that he will  not believe me4 ,be  
calm1 was the answer2 a day will come   
when he  will do what ,i desire2 he is  
my servant1 and he would fear to        
displease  me4    ,these words were soon
 verified4    ,when the pious missionary
 received this communication1 he began  
to  reflect seriously4 ,if ,mary is     
displeased1 said he1 it is not with  the
 young ,sister1 whose position prevents 
her doing anything2 it must  be with me4
 ,this thought troubled him4#d ,a long  
time previous1 he  had related these    
visions to ,m4 tienne1 then ,procurator 
,general4 ,one  day1 at the beginning of
 the year #ahcb1 when they had gone     
together on  a visit to ,mgr4 de ,qulen1
 ,m4 ,aladel profited by the opportunity
 to  speak to the latter of these       
apparitions1 and especially of his own  

embarrassment1 since the ,blessed       
,virgin had complained to the ,sister of
  the delay in fulfilling her commands4 
,footnote #d3 ,verbal process of the    
investigation1 p4 #e4    ,mgr4 de ,qulen
 replied that1 seeing nothing in it at  
all contrary to  faith1 he had no       
objection to the medal being struck at  
once4 ,he even  asked them to send him  
some of the first4    ,the ravages of   
the cholera1 which had broken out       
meanwhile1 retarded  the execution of   
this design until ,june2 the #cjth of   
that month1 two  thousand medals were   
struck1 and ,m4 ,aladel hastened to send
 some of  them to the ,archbishop of    
,paris4    ,mgr4 de ,qulen wished to    
make an immediate trial of its efficacy2
 he  was very much troubled concerning  
the spiritual condition of the former   
,archbishop of ,mechlin1 ,mgr4 de       
,pradt1 now on the verge of death2 he   
desired his conversion so much the more 
earnestly1 as the death of this  prelate
 might be the occasion of scandal and   

grave disorders1 such as  have          
accompanied the interment of the        
constitutional bishop ,gregory4         
,providing himself with a medal1 he went
 to visit the sick man4 ,at  first he   
was refused admittance1 but very soon   
the dying man repents  of it1 and sends 
him an apology1 with a request to call  
again4 ,in this  interview1 he testifies
 to ,his ,grace a sincere repentance for
 his past  life1 retracts all his       
errors1 and after receiving the ,last   
,sacraments1  he dies that very night in
 the arms of the ,archbishop1 who1      
filled with  a holy joy1 eagerly imparts
 this consoling news to ,m4 ,aladel4    
,the worthy missionary sent a medal to  
,sister ,catherine1 who received  it    
with great devotion and respect1#e and  
said3 ,now it must be  disseminated4    
,this was easy to do among the          
,daughters of ,charity1 who  had all    
heard whispers of these apparitions2 the
 eagerness to receive  the medals was   
general1 they were distributed freely1  

and cures and  conversions multiplied   
themselves accordingly in all ranks of  
society1  so that very soon the medal   
received the appellation of miraculous4 
,footnote #e3 ,verbal process of the    
investigation4    ,a witness of these   
wonders1 the heart of ,father ,aladel   
dilated with  joy1 and he believed it   
his duty to publish a notice of the     
origin of  the medal1 and thus satisfy  
all the inquiries addressed him on the  
subject4 ,for the glory of ,god and     
,mary1 he added an account of all the   
consoling facts that had come to his    
knowledge4    ,what said ,sister        
,catherine in hearing of these wonderful
 occurrences8  ,less than any one2 she  
was astonished2 doubtless her joy was   
great1 but  it was confined within the  
silence of her heart4 ,occasionally she 
sent  some new message to ,m4 ,aladel1  
begging him to have an altar erected    
commemorative of the apparition1 and    
telling him that many graces and        
indulgences would be attached thereto1  

and fall most abundantly upon  himself  
and the ,community4    ,she urged him   
also to solicit particular spiritual    
favors1 assuring him  that he might ask 
freely1 for all his requests would be   
granted4    ,but this worthy priest1    
whose position in the ,community1 as we 
have  already said1 was that of simple  
chaplain1 prudently kept silence1       
holding himself in reserve until the    
favorable moment should arrive  for him 
to act4 ,some years after1 ,m4 tienne1  
his intimate friend1 was  elected       
,superior ,general1 and he was made     
assistant of the ,congregation  and     
,director of the ,daughters of ,charity2
 in concert1 they formed the  design of 
erecting to the ,immaculate ,mary an    
altar more in accordance  with her      
maternal bounty and the gratitude of her
 children4 ,providence  itself seemed to
 co-operate with the execution of their 
plan1 the  ,community receiving from the
 government just then a present of two  
magnificent blocks of white marble1 in  

recognition of the ,sisters'  services  
to the cholera patients and their       
orphans4 ,one was destined  for an      
altar1 the other for a statue of the    
,immaculate ,mary4    ,meanwhile1 the   
number of inmates at the ,mother ,house1
 the ,seminary  especially1 increased   
daily4 ,the new life infused into the   
,community  had awakened many vocations1
 and the centre of reunion had become   
inadequate in size to its purposes1 the 
chapel particularly was much  too small4
 ,in enlarging it1 the architect had a  
difficult problem to  resolve3 he must  
respect the sanctuary honored by ,mary's
 visit1 and  yet extend the enclosure4  
,he did so by adding side aisles1 on a  
lower  foundation1 surmounted with      
galleries4 ,if the edifice1 always too  
low  and small1 gained nothing in the   
way of art1 it has1 at least1 the       
advantage of preserving intact the exact
 spot where the ,most ,holy  ,virgin    
appeared4    ,the former altar was taken
 into the side chapel dedicated to ,st4 

,vincent1 and the holy founder was there
 represented holding that heart1        
burning with love of ,god and the poor1 
as it had appeared to ,sister           
,catherine in the vision4 ,a plaster    
statue of the ,immaculate ,conception   
occupied temporarily the place over the 
main altar1 destined for the  marble    
statue1 which for various causes was not
 solemnly inaugurated  till #ahef4      
,it was a day of great rejoicing for the
 ,mother ,house2 the statue was  not a  
cold1 mute representation2 444 it was an
 eloquent image of ,mary2  here had this
 merciful ,mother spoken and promised   
her graces2 daily  experience had       
confirmed these promises1 and the statue
 still awakens  in the hearts of those  
who come to pray at her feet1 the       
deepest and  tender emotions4 ,yes1     
,mary is indeed here4 ,she speaks to the
 hearts of  her children4 ,she makes    
them feel that she loves and protects   
them6    ,sister ,catherine said also to
 ,m4 ,aladel1 in the early period of her

  vocation3 ,the ,blessed ,virgin wishes
 you to found a ,congregation1 of  which
 you will be the ,superior4 ,it is a    
,sodality of ,children of ,mary2  the   
,blessed ,virgin will shower many graces
 upon it1 and indulgences  will be      
granted it4    ,the reader will see1 in 
the course of the volume1 how this work 
was  realized1 and how admirably        
,providence has extended the            
association4    ,she also told him that 
the month of ,may would be celebrated   
with much  magnificence1 and become     
universal in the ,church2 that the month
 of ,st4  ,joseph would likewise be kept
 with solemnity2 that devotion to this  
great ,saint would greatly increase1 as 
well as devotion to the ,sacred  ,heart 
of ,jesus4    ,so many miracles wrought 
everywhere and every day1 so many signal
  testimonies of ,mary's protection1    
made it an obligation on the            
,community1 and especially the ,seminary
 where they had originated1 to          
perpetuate so precious a souvenir4      

,two pictures were therefore ordered1   
one representing the vision of  the     
medal1 the other that of ,st4 ,vincent's
 heart4 ,the artist1 wishing  to depict 
the ,blessed ,virgin as accurately as   
possible1 consulted ,m4  ,aladel as to  
the color of the veil4----    ,the      
missionary's embarrassment was great2 he
 had forgotten this item1  but attaching
 more importance to the details than    
,sister ,catherine  thought1 he wrote to
 her1 and under the pretext of warning  
her against  the illusions of the demon1
 he asked her to describe again the     
,blessed  ,virgin's appearance in the   
vision of the medal4 ,sister ,catherine 
made this answer3 ,just now1 my ,father1
 it would be impossible for me  to      
recall all that ,i saw1 one detail alone
 remains1 it is1 that the  ,blessed     
,virgin's veil was the color of morning 
light4    ,this was just what ,m4       
,aladel wished to know1 and precisely   
the only  thing ,sister ,catherine could
 recollect4    ,these little incidents1 

regulated by ,providence1 were not lost2
 they  increased the confidence of the  
wise ,director4 ,when the pictures were 
placed in the ,seminary1 ,m4 ,aladel    
discreetly took measures to have        
,sister ,catherine come to see them1    
just at the very time he would  be there
 as if by chance4 ,another ,sister1     
accidentally meeting them  there1 has a 
suspicion of the truth1 and turning     
suddenly to the worthy  ,father1 she    
says3 ,this is certainly the ,sister who
 had the vision6  ,he is greatly        
embarrassed1 and sees no way of         
extricating himself from  the           
difficulty1 except by calling upon      
,sister ,catherine to answer4 ,she      
laughed1 saying3 ,you have guessed well1
 but with such simplicity that  the     
other ,sister said to the ,father3 ,oh6 
,i see plainly that it is not  she2 you 
would not have asked her to tell me4    
,during the course of her long life1    
,sister ,catherine was subjected to     
trials of this sort4    ,the details    

,mgr4 de ,qulen had received from ,m4   
,aladel concerning  the vision of the   
medal interested him deeply1 and he was 
anxious to  become acquainted with the  
favored ,sister4 ,m4 ,aladel replied    
that  the ,sister insisted upon         
remaining unknown4 ,as for that1 said   
,his  ,grace1 she can put on a veil and 
speak to me without being seen4 ,m4     
,aladel excused himself anew1 saying it 
was for him a secret of the             
confessional4    ,m4 ,ratisbonne1       
miraculously converted in #ahdb by the  
apparition of the  ,miraculous ,medal1  
also ardently desired to speak with the 
,sister first  favored by this celestial
 vision1 and he often but vainly        
entreated her  ,director's permission4  
,those around her frequently asked      
embarrassing questions1 or  expressed   
their suspicions4 ,when too closely     
pressed1 she found means  of making the 
curious feel their indiscretion1 so that
 it was not  repeated4 ,moreover1 her   
great simplicity ordinarily disconcerted

 her  interrogators4    ,on several     
occasions1 the ,blessed ,virgin seemed  
to aid her2 thus1 in  the investigation 
of #ahcf1 and in the deposition made to 
the ,promoter1  ,m4 ,aladel declared    
that he had vainly endeavored to        
persuade ,sister  ,catherine to be      
present1 he could not overcome her      
repugnance2 and  moreover1 they would   
interrogate her to no purpose1 she had  
forgotten  everything concerning the    
event4    ,the same thing happened one  
day1 it is said1 in the presence of ,m4 
tienne1 then ,superior ,general2 he     
could not succeed in making her  speak1 
she remembered nothing4 ,it is this     
which gave rise to the rumor  in the    
,community1 that the vision was         
completely effaced from the  memory of  
the ,sister who had been favored with   
it4    ,thanks to this opinion1 ,sister 
,catherine was enabled to remain long   
years truly concealed in her modest     
duties2 employed first in the  kitchen1 
then in the clothes-room2 afterwards1   

for nearly forty years1  she had charge 
of the old men's ward of the ,hospital  
d',enghien1  combining with this duty   
the care of the poultry yard4           
99       99       99       99       99  
,she loved these humble duties4         
,everything was kept in perfect order1  
and for her there was no greater        
happiness than that of being among  her 
poor4 ,at the end of her life1 she spoke
 of it as her chief  consolation4 ,i    
have always1 said she1 loved to stay at 
home2  whenever there was question of a 
walk1 ,i yielded my turn to others that 
,i might serve my poor4    ,and this was
 true4 ,one walk only was she unwilling 
to forego1 that  which led to the       
,community1 and she knew no other road  
but that to the  ,mother ,house4 ,when  
she could make this visit she never     
yielded her turn4    ,her attraction for
 silence and the hidden life always kept
 her in the  rear1 as the place most    
suitable for her1 and most favorable to 
the  spirit of recollection4 ,she ceded 

to none the lowest and most repulsive   
duties of her ward1 duties which she    
termed the pearls of a ,daughter  of    
,charity2 she moved calmly and quietly1 
avoiding precipitation1 and  when       
advanced in years1 the young ,sisters1  
her assistants1 often heard  from her   
lips these words3 ,ah6 my dear1 do not  
be so agitated1 be more  gentle4    ,she
 regarded as one of the most cherished  
souvenirs of her ,community  life1 that 
of her first ,sister-,servant1 a dear   
soul1 said she1 who  every year sent the
 first fruits of her garden to the      
indigent families  of the faubourg1 or  
to her old men4 ,the ,sisters were not  
allowed to  touch them until this had   
been done4    ,this aged ,superior was  
,sister ,savard1 who never supposed that
 ,sister  ,catherine was favored with   
especial graces1 and particularly with  
the  vision of the ,blessed ,virgin4    
,our humble daughter ,catherine         
respected and loved all the ,sisters    
under  whom she served1 and never did   

she utter a word against them2 she saw  
only their virtues and good qualities4  
,child of duty and labor1 but especially
 of humility1 says her last  ,superior1 
,sister ,catherine was not truly        
appreciated except by  those who studied
 her sufficiently to perceive the great 
simplicity1  uprightness1 and purity    
pervading her soul1 her mind1 her heart1
 her  whole person4    ,never arrogating
 to herself the slightest merit on      
account of the  singular favors with    
which the ,immaculate ,virgin had loaded
 her1 she  said1 one day towards the    
close of her life1 when ,providence     
permitted  a slight allusion to this    
subject3 ',i1 favored ,sister6 ,i have  
been  only an instrument2 it was not for
 myself the ,blessed ,virgin appeared   
to me4 ,i knew nothing1 not even how to 
write2 it was in the ,community  ,i     
learned all ,i know2 and because of my  
ignorance the ,blessed ,virgin  chose   
me1 that no one might doubt4    ,is not 
the conclusion inspired by the spirit of

 ,st4 ,vincent1 ,i have  been chosen1   
because being nothing1 no one could     
doubt that such great  things are the   
work of ,god4    ,sister ,catherine     
cared little for the esteem or contempt 
of others4  ,despite her rigid silence1 
there always hovered over her the       
suspicion  that it was she who had seen 
the ,blessed ,virgin2 no one dared tell 
her  so2 but in consequence of the      
suspicion1 she was more closely         
observed1  and more severely judged than
 any one else1 and if by chance her     
companions discovered in her some slight
 weakness of nature1 or even  the       
absence of some heroic virtue1 the      
thought was immediately rejected  that  
the ,blessed ,virgin had chosen so      
ordinary a person4    ,the testimony of 
one of her first companions confirms the
 impression  on this point1 an          
impression repeated a hundred fold4     
,this companion  writes to ,sister      
,dufs3 ,having passed six years with    
,sister  ,catherine1 and worked         

constantly with her one year1 it would  
seem  that ,i could cite a great number 
of details full of interest and         
edification2 but ,i am forced to confess
 that her life was so simple1  so       
uniform1 that ,i find nothing in it to  
remark4 ,notwithstanding the  whispered 
assurances that she was the ,sister so  
favored by the ,blessed  ,virgin1 ,i    
scarcely credited it1 so much was her   
life like that of  others4 ,sometimes1  
,i sought to enlighten myself indirectly
 on the  subject by questioning her as  
to the impression such extraordinary    
occurrences had produced in the         
,seminary1 hoping that her answers would
  betray her1 and thereby satisfy my    
curiosity1 but she replied with so  much
 simplicity that my hopes were always   
deceived4    ,it is true1 ,sister       
,catherine had nothing remarkable about 
her1 and yet  nothing common or trivial4
    ,her height was above the medium2   
her regular features bore the seal  of  
modesty2 and her clear blue eye was     

indicative of candor4 ,she was          
industrious1 simple1 and not the least  
mystical in her spiritual  exercises2   
she affected neither great virtues nor  
particular devotions1  well pleased to  
cherish them in the depths of her heart1
 and practice  them according to the    
rule with fidelity and exactness4       
,after her death1 some notes were found 
written by her own hand during  one of  
the annual retreats4 ,everything in them
 is simple1 solid1  practical1 and there
 is not one word of allusion to the     
extraordinary  graces she had received2 
even when addressing the ,blessed       
,virgin1  nothing recalls the           
familiarity with which ,mary had treated
 her4 ,here  are some extracts1 in which
 no changes have been made except those 
of  fault-spelling4        ,i will take 
,mary for my model at the commencement  
of all my      actions2 in everything1  
,i will consider if ,mary were engaged  
thus1 how and wherefore she would do    
this1 with what intention4      ,oh6 how

 beautiful and consoling is the name of 
,mary 444 ,mary6        ,resolution to  
offer myself to ,god without reserve1 to
 bear      every little contradiction in
 a spirit of humility and      penance1 
to beg in all my prayers that the will  
of ,god may be      accomplished in me4 
,o my ,god6 do with me as ,thou wilt6 ,o
 ,mary6      grant me your love1 without
 which ,i perish2 bestow upon me all    
the graces ,i need6 ,o ,immaculate      
,heart of ,mary6 obtain for me      the 
faith and love which attached you to the
 foot of the cross      of ,jesus       
,christ6        ,o sweet objects of my  
affections1 ,jesus and ,mary1 let me    
suffer for you1 let me die for you1 let 
me be all for you and      no longer    
anything for myself6        ,not to     
complain of the little contradictions ,i
 meet with among      the poor1 and to  
pray for those who cause me suffering4  
,o ,mary1      obtain for me this grace1
 through your virginal purity6          
,to employ my time well1 and not to     

spend one moment      unprofitably4 ,o  
,mary1 happy those who serve you and put
 their      confidence in you6        ,o
 ,mary1 ,mary1 ,mary1 pray1 pray1 pray  
for us1 poor sinners1 now      and at   
the hour of our death6 ,mary1 ,o ,mary6 
,in my temptations and times of         
spiritual dryness1 ,i will      always  
have recourse to ,mary1 who is purity   
itself4 ,o ,mary1      conceived without
 sin6----        ,o ,mary1 make me love 
you1 and it will not be difficult to    
imitate you6        ,humility1          
simplicity and charity are the          
foundation of our      holy vocation4 ,o
 ,mary1 make me understand these holy   
virtues6      ,st4 ,vincent1 pray1 pray 
for us6        ,o ,mary1 conceived      
without sin1 pray1 pray for us6 ,deign1 
,o      ,queen of ,angels and of men1 to
 cast a favorable eye upon the          
whole world 444 especially upon ,france 
444 and each person      in particular6 
,o ,mary1 inspire us what to ask of you 
for our      happiness6           99    

99       99       99       99    ,sister
 ,catherine lived forty-six years in a  
large establishment1 under  the         
direction of five successive ,superiors2
 she was brought in contact  with many  
companions of different dispositions and
 different degrees of  virtue1          
consequently the esteem in which she was
 held varied4 ,if they  sometimes gave  
her to understand that her mind was     
failing1 such things  troubled her      
little1 and she always quietly went her 
way1 receiving  kindness with grateful  
simplicity1 and ungracious words without
  flinching4    ,faithful to the rule   
with such uniform exactness1 that merit 
seems  to disappear before habit1 she   
never uttered a word against charity4   
,even when age had given her some       
privileges over her young companions1   
rarely did she allow herself to blame or
 advise them2 not1 at least1  unless    
they consulted her1 then she advised    
submission4 ,everything  is in that1    
said she1 without obedience1 ,community 

life is not  possible4 ,to the very end 
of her days1 her obedience to her       
,superior  was as perfect as when she   
left the ,seminary4    ,we must not1    
however1 suppose that ,sister ,catherine
 was of a yielding1  gentle temperament1
 to which obedience was natural2 no1 on 
the  contrary1 she had a strong will and
 quick temper4 ,thoroughly versed in    
household labors1 she performed her part
 with great care and assiduity1  and    
directed most scrupulously all that was 
entrusted to her charge4  ,her impulsive
 temper sometimes displayed itself in   
little sallies of  impatience1 the firm 
tone of her words revealing at times    
what virtue  ordinarily caused her to   
repress4 ,when the first heat was over1 
she  immediately repented of it and     
humbled herself4    ,it was often       
observed that this first movement of    
surprise1 just ready  to escape1 was    
held captive1 not by human respect1 but 
by a superior  will2 thus proving that  
her implicit obedience was due her      

fidelity to  grace4    ,understanding   
her nature1 we can now form an idea of  
what ,sister  ,catherine suffered from  
the opposition she experienced in       
realizing her  mission2 even though     
these contradictions1 especially after  
the medal  had been struck1 were more   
apparent than real on the part of her   
wise  ,director1 they were none the less
 painful to her4 ,might we not say that 
these trials constituted an interior    
martyrdom sustained by ,god and  known  
to him alone8    ,sister ,catherine1    
despite her strong constitution1 was not
 exempt from  physical suffering1 and   
her companions were sometimes astonished
 at the  simplicity with which she asked
 for little comforts that a mortified   
soul would have denied itself4 ,these   
slight defects formed a veil that       
obscured the sight of many1 and         
partially concealed the beauties of her 
soul4    ,apparently1 the very depths of
 this simple nature might be read at a  
glance1 and yet she faithfully guarded  

the secrets of ,god4 ,in her were  seen1
 by a singular contrast1 prudence and   
discretion allied to perfect            
simplicity4 ,thus1 whilst some found her
 a little too thoughtful of her  health1
 others observed that on all great      
feasts of the ,blessed ,virgin1         
particularly that of the ,immaculate    
,conception1 she was either sick  or    
suffering acute pain1 which trials the  
humble ,sister received as a  favor from
 her celestial ,mother4    ,the         
,superior of the ,hospital d',enghien   
relates that1 one year1 when  ,sister   
,catherine had gone with several of her 
companions to spend the  beautiful      
,feast of ,december #hth at the         
,community1 on getting into the  omnibus
 that evening she fell and broke her    
wrist4 ,she said not a word1  and no one
 perceived the accident4 ,some minutes  
after1 seeing that  she held her arm in 
her handkerchief1 ,sister ,dufs inquired
 what had  happened4 ,ah6 ,sister1 she  
quietly replied1 ,i am holding my       

bouquet2  every year the ,blessed       
,virgin sends me one of this sort4      
,detachment from the esteem and         
affection of creatures was still another
  trait characteristic of our dear      
,sister4 ,god sufficed her2 that ,god   
who had manifested ,himself to her in so
 wonderful a manner1 that  ,immaculate  
,virgin whose charms had ravished her   
heart1 were her sole  joy and delight4  
,the ,blessed ,virgin1 pointing to the  
sacred tabernacle  where her divine ,son
 reposes1 had said to her3 ,in all your 
trials1 my  daughter1 it is there you   
must seek consolation4 ,faithful to     
these  words of her good ,mother1       
,sister ,catherine in moments of trial  
sought  the chapel1 whence she soon     
returned to her occupations with renewed
  serenity of soul and countenance ever 
cheerful4 ,jesus and ,mary alone        
received the confidence of her          
sufferings and her fervor1 so that her  
virtues in a measure were concealed from
 creatures4    ,one of the ,sisters of  

the house says that1 having often       
observed her  closely to discover1 if   
possible1 some trace of her             
communications with  ,god1 she could    
find nothing especial except that during
 prayer she  did not cast down her eyes1
 but always kept them fixed upon the    
image  of ,mary4 ,she remarks1 also1    
that ,sister ,catherine never wept      
except  from great anguish of heart1 but
 many times she saw her shed tears in   
abundance on listening to some traits of
 protection or some conversion  obtained
 through the ,blessed ,virgin's         
intercession1 or1 as in #ahga1 at  the  
evils afflicting the ,church and        
,france4    ,solidly pious in the midst 
of companions apparently more so1 we see
  nothing indeed in our humble ,sister  
to distinguish her from others4  ,only  
one especial circumstance has been      
remarked1 the importance  she attached  
to the recitation of the chaplet4 ,let  
us hear what her  ,sister-,servant says 
on this point--    ,we were always      

struck1 writes ,sister ,dufs1 when      
saying the chaplet  in common1 with the 
grave and pious manner in which our dear
 companion  pronounced the words of the 
,angelical ,salutation4 ,and what       
convinced  us of the depth of her       
respect and devotion was the fact that  
she1  always so humble1 so reserved1    
could not refrain from censuring the    
indifference1 the want of attention1    
which too often accompanies the         
recitation of a prayer1 so beautiful and
 efficacious4    ,her love for the two  
families of ,st4 ,vincent1 far from     
diminishing with  age1 only incited her 
to employ continually in their behalf   
the sole  influence at her disposal1    
prayer2 regularly every week1 she       
offered a  ,communion to attract the    
benediction of ,heaven upon the         
,congregation of  the ,mission2 her     
prayers for her ,community were         
incessant4    ,sister ,catherine always 
retained the same duty at the ,hospital 
d',enghien2 with truly admirable        

solicitude1 she nursed the old men      
entrusted to her1 at the same time not  
neglecting the pigeon house1  which     
recalled the purest and sweetest joys of
 her childhood4 ,the young  girl of     
former days1 whom we have seen with her 
dear pigeons hovering  round her1 was   
now a poor ,sister1 quite aged1 but none
 the less  attentive to her little      
charge4    ,sister ,catherine was1 then1
 the soul of the little family in charge
 of  the hospital4 ,during these later  
years1 the number of our ,sisters had   
increased considerably1 and consequently
 the administration of the two  houses1 
d',enghien and ,reuilly1 being very     
difficult for one person1 an  assistant 
was sent me for the hospital4 ,if       
,sister ,catherine had not  for years   
been moulded to obedience and           
abnegation1 it would have been  hard to 
her quick1 impulsive nature1 to         
recognize the authority of a  companion 
so much younger than herself2 but far   
different were the  thoughts of this    

humble ,sister1 who always endeavored to
 abase herself4        ,she was the     
first to tender her perfect submission4 
',sister1'      said she1 'be at ease1  
it suffices that our ,superiors have    
spoken2 we will receive ,sister         
,anglique as one sent from ,god1        
and obey her as we do you4' ,her conduct
 justified her words4        ,although  
,sister ,catherine guarded rigorously   
the supernatural      communications she
 had received1 she occasionally         
expressed her      views to me on actual
 occurrences1 speaking then as if       
inspired      by ,god4        ,thus1 at 
the time of the ,commune1 she told me   
that ,i would      leave the house      
accompanied by a certain ,sister1 that  
,i would      return the #cast of ,may1 
and she assured me ,i need have no      
fears1 as the ,blessed ,virgin would    
take my place and guard the      house4 
,at the time1 ,i paid very little       
attention to the good      ,sister's    
words4        ,i left1 indeed1 and      

realized1 contrary to my plans1 and     
without a thought on the subject1 all   
that ,sister ,catherine      had        
predicted4 ,on my return from the       
,community1 ,may #cast1 ,i              
expressed my anxiety concerning the     
house1 which had been in      the hands 
of the ,communists1 and1 it was said1   
plundered4      ,sister ,catherine      
endeavored to reassure me1 repeating    
that the      ,blessed ,virgin had taken
 care of everything1 she was confident  
of it1 for the ,blessed ,virgin had     
promised her4        ,we found on our   
arrival that this ,mother of mercy had1 
indeed1      guarded and saved all1     
notwithstanding the long occupation of  
our dear house by a mob of furies1 whose
 ,satanic pleasure was      to destroy4 
,one circumstance in particular struck  
me most forcibly2 these      wretches   
had made useless efforts to overthrow   
the statue of      ,mary ,immaculate    
placed in the garden--it had withstood  
all      their sacrilegious attempts4   

,sister ,catherine hastened to place    
upon the head of our august      ,queen 
the crown she had taken with her in our 
exile1 telling      the ,blessed ,virgin
 she restored it in token of gratitude4 
,many times did ,sister ,catherine thus 
reveal her thoughts to      me with the 
simplicity of a child4 ,when her        
predictions were      not realized1 she 
would quietly say3 ',ah6 well1 ,sister1 
,i was      mistaken4 ,i believed what  
,i told you4 ,i am very glad the truth  
is known4'#f        ,footnote #f3       
,persons favored with supernatural      
communications      are not thereby     
preserved from error4 ,they may be      
deceived in      misunderstanding what  
they see or hear1 they may be duped by  
the illusions of the demon1 they may    
involuntarily mingle their      own     
ideas with those which come from ,god1  
and they may fail in      transmitting  
with accuracy what has been revealed to 
them4 ,we      must also remark that    
prophecies are frequently conditional1  

and their accomplishment depends upon   
the manner in which the      conditions 
are fulfilled2 so that1 when the ,church
 approves      these private            
revelations1 she does nothing more than 
declare      that1 after grave          
examination1 they may be published for  
the      edification of the faithful1   
and that the proofs given are           
sufficient to ensure belief4        ,to 
the ,sacred ,writers alone belongs the  
privilege of      infallibility in      
receiving and transmitting divine       
inspirations4        ,meanwhile1 time   
fled1 and our good ,sister often spoke  
of her      approaching end4 ,our       
venerated ,superiors began to feel      
anxious      about losing her1 and the  
,superior ,general one day sent for     
her to come to the ,community that he   
might receive from her own      lips    
certain communications which he         
considered very important4              
,sister ,catherine1 to whom this was    
wholly unexpected1 was      almost      

speechless with amazement4 ,on her      
return1 she expressed      to me her    
emotion1 and1 for the first time1 opened
 her heart      to me concerning that   
which she had formerly so much feared to
      reveal4        ,this repugnance   
had vanished2 seeing herself on the     
borders      of the tomb1 she felt      
constrained to make known the details   
which she thought buried with the       
venerated ,father ,aladel1      and she 
expressed great grief that devotion to  
the ,immaculate      ,conception was    
less lively and general than it had     
been4        ,these communications1     
moreover1 were for myself alone2 ,i     
did not impart them to the other        
,sisters4 ,it is true1 the      greater 
number were informed of this pious      
secret1 but they      never learned it  
from ,sister ,catherine herself4 ,all   
they could      observe in connexion    
with it was her ardent love for ,mary   
,immaculate and her zeal for the        
propagation of the ,miraculous          

,medal1 also that1 when she heard one of
 our ,sisters express      a desire to  
make the pilgrimage to ,lourdes or some 
other      privileged sanctuary of      
,mary1 she could not refrain from       
saying1 somewhat impetuously3 ',but why 
do you wish to go so      far8 ,have you
 not the ,community8 ,did not the       
,blessed ,virgin      appear there as   
well as at ,lourdes8' ,and a most       
extraordinary      fact is1 that1       
without having read any of the          
publications      concerning this       
miraculous grotto1 ,sister ,catherine   
was more      familiar with what had    
taken place there than many who had made
      the pilgrimage4 ,leaving these    
incidents aside1 never did she          
utter a word calculated to give the     
impression that she had      any part in
 the singular favors the ,blessed       
,virgin had lavished      upon our      
humble chapel at the ,mother ,house4    
,since opening her heart to me1 this    
good companion had become      very     

affectionate2 it was a rest for her1 a  
consolation to      find some one who   
understood her4 ,our worthy ,father     
,chevalier1      ,assistant of the      
,congregation of the ,mission1          
occasionally      visited her to receive
 her communications concerning the      
apparition4 ,one day1 he spoke to her of
 the new edition he was      preparing  
of the notice of the medal4 ',when ,m4  
,aladel's edition      of #ahdb         
appeared1' replied ,sister ,catherine1  
',i said to him1      truly1 that he    
would never publish another1 and that ,i
 would      never see another edition1  
because it would not be finished        
during my lifetime4' ',i shall catch you
 there1' replied ,m4      ,chevalier1   
who expected it to appear very soon4    
,but unforeseen      difficulties having
 retarded the publication1 he           
subsequently      recognized that the   
good ,sister had spoken rightly4        
,from the beginning of the year #ahgf1  
,sister ,catherine alluded      very    

frequently to her death2 on all our     
feast days1 she never      failed to    
say3 ',it is the last time ,i shall see 
this feast4'      ,and when we appeared 
not to credit her assertion1 she added3 
',i      shall certainly not see the    
year #ahgg4' ,we could not1 however1    
believe her end so near4 ,for some      
months she had been obliged      to keep
 her bed1 and relinquish that active    
life she had led so      many years4    
,her strength was gradually failing2 the
 asthma joined to some      affection of
 the heart undermined her constitution2 
she felt      that she was dying1 but it
 was without a fear1 we might say       
without emotion4 ,one day1 when speaking
 to her of her death3      ',you are not
 afraid1 then1' said ,i1 'dear ,sister  
,catherine4'      ',afraid6 ,sister6'   
she exclaimed2 'why should ,i be afraid8
 ,i am      going to our ,lord1 the     
,blessed ,virgin1 ,st4 ,vincent4'       
,and1 truly1 our dear companion had     
nothing to fear1 for her      death was 

as calm as her life4        ,several    
days previous1 one of our ,sisters was  
talking      familiarly with her1 when1 
without any allusion to the subject     
from the other1 our sick ,sister said3  
',i shall go to ,reuilly4'      ,this   
was the name given the ,house of        
,providence1 separated      from        
d',enghien ,hospital by a vast garden1  
and similar to it      in the nature of 
its works4 ',what6 to ,reuilly8'        
answered her      companion2 'you would 
not have the heart to do so1 you who    
love      so well your ,enghien1 that   
you have never left4' ',i tell you1 ,i  
shall go to ,reuilly4' ',but when8'     
',ah6 that is it6' said ,sister         
,catherine1 in a decided1 mysterious    
tone1 that disconcerted      her        
companion4 ,after a few moments1 she    
added3 ',there will be      no need of a
 hearse at my funeral4' ',oh6 what do   
you mean8'      replied the ,sister4    
',it will not be needed1' said the sick 
one1      emphatically4 ',but why not8' 

',they will put me in the chapel at     
,reuilly4' ,these words struck her      
companion1 who repeated the             
conversation to me4 ',keep that to      
yourself1' said ,i4        ,on the #cast
 of ,december1 she had several spells of
 weakness1      symptoms of her         
approaching end4 ,we then proposed to   
her the      last consolations of       
religion2 she gratefully consented1 and 
received the ,sacraments with           
indescribable peace and happiness2      
then1 at her request1 we recited the    
litany of the ,immaculate               
,conception4        ,being one day near 
her bed1 speaking to her of ,heaven and 
of the ,blessed ,virgin1 she expressed a
 desire to have during      her agony   
sixty-three children1 each invoking the 
,blessed      ,virgin by one of her     
titles in the litany of the ,immaculate 
,conception1 and especially these very  
consoling words3 ',terror      of       
demons1 pray for us4' ,it was observed  
that there were not      sixty-three    

invocations in the litany4 ',you will   
find them in      the office of the     
,immaculate ,conception1' said she4     
,measures      were taken to comply with
 her desires1 the invocations were      
written upon slips of paper and kept for
 the final hour1      but1 just at the  
time of her agony1 we could not collect 
the      children2 she then asked that  
the litany be recited1 and had us       
repeat three times the invocation which 
makes hell tremble4        ,our ,sisters
 were especially touched to hear her    
exclaim1 with      an accent of deep    
tenderness3 ',my dear ,community6 my    
dear      ,mother ,house6' ,so true is  
it1 that what we have loved most in     
life returns to us with renewed vigor at
 the hour of death6        ,some of her 
former companions and friends of the    
,house came      during the day to see  
her for a last time2 one of them1       
holding an office in the ,seminary1     
approaching her1 said      sadly3       
',sister ,catherine1 are you going to   

leave us without      telling me a word 
of the ,blessed ,virgin8' ,then the     
dying      ,sister leaned towards her1  
and whispered softly in her ear         
quite a while4 ',i ought not to speak1' 
said she2 'it is ,m4      ,chevalier who
 is commissioned to do that4' 444 ,she  
continued1      without interruption3   
',the ,blessed ,virgin has promised to  
grant especial graces every time one    
prays in the chapel1 but                
particularly an increase of purity1 that
 purity of mind1 heart1      will1 which
 is pure love4'        ,this good       
daughter1 animated with the true        
primitive spirit      of the ,community1
 was1 in uttering these last words1 the 
unconscious echo of the venerable       
,mother ,legras1 whose writings         
breathe the same thought4        ,a     
,sister-,servant1 who came to visit her1
 approaching the sick      ,sister1     
reminded her of the necessities of the  
,community and      of the ,seminary1   
and ended by saying3 ',dear ,sister     

,catherine1      when you get to        
,heaven1 do not forget all this1 attend 
to all      my commissions4' ,sister    
,catherine answered3 ',sister1 my will  
is      good1 but ,i have always been so
 stupid1 so dull1 ,i shall not      know
 how to explain myself1 for ,i am       
ignorant of the language      of        
,heaven4' ,upon which the other1        
delighted with so much      simplicity1 
was inspired to say3 ',oh6 my dear      
,sister ,catherine1      in ,heaven we  
do not speak as we do on earth2 the soul
 regards      ,god1 the good ,god       
regards the soul1 and all is            
understood--that      is the language of
 ,heaven4' ,our dear ,sister's          
countenance      became radiant at this1
 and she answered3 ',oh6 ,sister1 if it 
is      thus1 be tranquil1 all your     
commissions will be fulfilled4'         
,m4 ,chevalier came1 also1 that day to  
give her his blessing1      and he spoke
 to her on the same subject4 ,sister    
,catherine      answered him with       

faculties undimmed1 and said to him1    
among      other things3 ',the          
pilgrimages the ,sisters make are not   
favorable to piety4 ,the ,blessed       
,virgin did not tell me to go      so   
far to pray2 it is in the ,community    
chapel she wishes the      ,sisters to  
invoke her1 that is their true          
pilgrimage4'        ,the poor1 to whom  
she was so devoted1 likewise occupied   
her      thoughts4----        ,at four  
in the afternoon1 another attack of     
weakness collected      us all around   
our dear1 dying one1 but the supreme    
moment had      not yet come4 ,we       
surrounded her bed until evening4 ,at   
seven1      she seemed to sink into a   
slumber1 and without the least agony    
or the least sign of suffering1 she     
yielded her last sigh4      ,scarcely   
could we perceive that she had ceased to
 live4444      ,never have ,i seen a    
death so calm and gentle4        ,the   
deepest emotion now filled our hearts2  
we pondered the      celestial interview

 of our blessed companion with that good
 ,god      who had so often revealed    
,himself to her during her ,seminary    
life1 and that beautiful ,virgin1 whose 
charms can never be      depicted on    
earth4        ,it was not sorrow which  
pervaded our hearts2 not a tear was     
shed in these first moments2 we yielded 
to an indescribable      emotion2 we    
felt ourselves near a ,saint2 the veil  
of humility      under which she had    
lived so long concealed was now rent1   
that      we might see in her only the  
soul favored by ,heaven4        ,our    
,sisters disputed the happiness of      
passing the night beside      her       
venerated remains1 a magnetic attraction
 drawing them to      her4        ,to   
perpetuate the fact that she had        
received these favors      whilst still 
a ,seminary ,sister1 we thought of      
having her      photograph taken1 also1 
in the ,seminary habit2 it succeeded    
completely in both costumes4        ,we 
now carried her blessed remains into the

 chapel4 ,there      the ,immaculate    
,virgin watched over her2 lilies and    
roses      surrounded her virginal body1
 and her cherished device--',o          
,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray for  
us who have recourse to                 
thee'--surrounding this little          
sanctuary1 seemed the last echo      of 
her life4        ,then commenced the    
miracle of glorified humility2 this     
humble ,sister1 who in life had been    
scarcely noticed1 was      suddenly     
surrounded by persons of every age and  
condition1 who      considered it a very
 great happiness to come1 not to pray   
for      her1 but to recommend          
themselves to her blessed intercession4 
,as for us who were keeping watch around
 our dear relic1 we      could not bear 
to think of the moment which would take 
her      from us4 ,this house which had 
been protected by her presence      for 
forty-six years1 would it be deprived of
 her forever8 ,the      thought was     
heart-breaking2 it seemed as if we were 

about      to lose the protection of the
 ,immaculate ,virgin1 who would         
henceforth cease to hover over us4      
,on the other hand1 to keep our dear    
,sister with us appeared                
impossible4 ,our ,superiors being       
consulted1 permitted us to      take    
measures in accordance with our wishes4 
,we had a world of      difficulties to 
surmount4        ',pray1' said ,i to our
 ,sisters2 and they passed the night    
supplicating the ,immaculate ,mary to   
let our beloved companion      remain   
with us4        ,all night long1 ,i     
vainly tried to think of a suitable     
resting      place for her1 when        
suddenly1 at the sound of the four      
o'clock      bell1 ,i thought ,i heard  
these words3 ',the vault is under the   
chapel of ,reuilly4' ',true enough1'    
said ,i1 joyfully1 like a      person   
who suddenly sees the realization of a  
long deferred      hope4 ,i remembered  
now that1 during the construction of the
      chapel1 a vault had been made     

communicating with the children's       
refectory4 ,our worthy ,mother ,mazin   
had assigned to it no actual            
purpose1 saying we might have use for it
 hereafter4        ,there was no time to
 lose4 ,we were on the eve of her       
funeral1      and the authorization1 so 
difficult to obtain1 had not yet been   
solicited4        ,the vault was hastily
 prepared1 and the petition1 sustained  
by      influential persons1 succeeded  
as if by enchantment4        ,january   
#c;d1 the feast of ,st4 ,genevieve1 was 
the day appointed      for the interment
 of her1 whom we regarded as the        
tutelary      angel of our house4 ,but  
the word 'interment' is not appropriate 
here--'triumph' is the proper           
expression--for it was a      veritable 
triumph for our humble ,sister4         
,a deputation was sent from all the     
houses of our ,sisters1 that      had   
received timely notice1 and the little  
chapel was much too      small to       
accommodate the numbers that came4 ,mass

 over1 the      funeral cortege which   
was to accompany the body in procession 
from d',enghien ,hospital to the vault  
at ,reuilly was organized1      as      
follows3 ,the inmates of our industrial 
school1 ,children of      ,mary1 came   
first1 bearing their banner2 next to    
these1 all our      little orphans2     
then1 our young girls of the ,society   
7both      externs and those belonging  
to the house71 wearing the livery       
of the ,immaculate ,mary2 the           
parishioners1 and lastly1 our           
,sisters preceding the clergy4          
,this lengthy procession passed slowly  
through the long garden      walk1 and  
whilst the solemn chants of the         
,benedictus resounded      afar1 the    
modest coffin appeared in sight1 covered
 with lilies      and eglantines1       
emblems of purity and simplicity4       
,at the entrance of the vault1 the crowd
 stood aside1 and our      ,children of 
,mary greeted the arrival of the body by
 singing the      blessed invocation3   

',o ,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray  
for us      who have recourse to thee6' 
,it would be impossible to describe     
the effect of these funeral obsequies1  
of a nature so entirely      new4       
,to preserve our treasure1 it was       
necessary to wall up the                
subterranean entrance1 but we had an    
opening made communicating      with the
 chapel4        ,the poor1 whom ,sister 
,catherine had nursed1 lay a magnificent
      crown on the tomb of ,st4         
,vincent's humble daughter1 who1 in     
life1 sought only the lowliest paths1   
and who had supplicated      the        
,blessed ,virgin to keep her unknown and
 unsought4----    ,the life of dear     
,sister ,labour was the faithful        
realization of ,our  ,lord's words in   
the ,gospel3 ,i return ,thee thanks1    
,father1 that ,thou  hast concealed     
these things from the wise of this world
 and hast  revealed them to little ones4
 ,never were the gifts of ,god better   
concealed in a soul1 under the double   

mantle of humility and simplicity4      
,for forty-six years did she lead a life
 of obscurity and toil1 seeking  no     
other satisfaction than that of pleasing
 ,god2 she sanctified herself  in the   
lowliest paths by a faithful            
correspondence to grace1 and an  exact  
compliance with the practices of a      
,community life4 ,the favors she        
received from ,heaven never filled her  
heart with pride2 witness of the        
wonders daily wrought by the medal1 she 
never uttered a word that might  lead   
others to suspect how much more she knew
 about it than any one  else4    ,might 
we not say1 she had chosen for her motto
 these words of  ,kempis3  ,love to be  
unknown and accounted as nothing8 ,how  
faithfully these  traits portray the    
true daughter of the humble ,vincent de 
,paul6    ,what1 in ,heaven1 must be the
 glory of those whose earthly life was  
one of self-abasement8 ,do we not       
already perceive a faint radiance of    
this glory8 ,the obsequies of the humble

 servant of the poor resembled  a       
triumph2 by an almost unheard of        
exception1 her body remains in  the     
midst of her spiritual family2 her tomb 
is visited by persons of  every         
condition1 who1 with confidence1        
recommend themselves to her             
intercession1 and many of whom assure us
 that their petitions have  been        
granted4 ,in fine1 this biographical    
notice discloses what ,sister           
,catherine so carefully concealed1 and  
thus accomplishes ,our ,lord's  promise3
 ,he who humbleth himself1 shall be     
exalted4          ,,chapter ,,ii4       
,,mary',s ,,agency ,,in ,,the ,,church4 
,,this ,,agency1 ,,ever ,,manifest1     
,,seems ,,to ,,have ,,disappeared       
,,during ,,the      ,,eighteenth ,,and  
,,in ,,the ,,beginning ,,of ,,the       
,,nineteenth ,,century--,,mary          
,,appears ,,in #ahcj--,,motives ,,and   
,,importance ,,of ,,this                
,,apparition--,,the      ,,immaculate   
,,conception4      ,devotion to the most

 ,blessed ,virgin is as ancient as      
,christianity1  and we find traces of it
 from the very origin of the ,church1   
among  all nations who accepted the     
,gospel4 ,during the first ages1 it was 
concealed in the obscurity of the       
catacombs1 or veiled itself under       
symbolical forms to escape the          
profanation of infidels2 but when the   
era of peace succeeded that of bloody   
persecutions1 it reappeared  openly and 
in all the brilliancy of its ravishing  
beauty4 ,it developed  a wonderful      
growth1 especially in the fifth century1
 after the ,council  of ,ephesus had    
proclaimed the divine maternity of      
,mary1 thereby  sanctioning the         
exceptional homages rendered her above  
all the saints4    ,the image of the    
,virgin ,mother1 circulated throughout  
,christendom1  becomes the ornament of  
churches1 the protection of the         
fireside1 and  an object of devotion to 
the faithful4 ,it is at this epoch1     
especially1  we see everywhere gradually

 disappearing the last vestiges of      
paganism4  ,the ,immaculate ,virgin1 the
 ,mother of tenderness1 the ,queen of   
,angels1  the ,patroness of regenerated 
humanity1 supplants those vain idols1   
which for ages had fostered             
superstition1 with its train of vices   
and  errors4    ,every ,catholic admits 
that the ,church's veneration of ,mary  
rests upon  an inviolable               
foundation--both faith and reason unite 
in justifying it4  ,events have proved  
that ,god ,himself has authorized it1   
for it has often  pleased ,him to       
recompense the confidence and fidelity  
of her servants1  by sensible marks of  
,his power1 by extraordinary graces--in 
a word1  by true miracles4 ,by a        
disposition of ,his ,providence1 ,he has
 decreed  ,mary's intervention in the   
economy of the ,church and the          
sanctification  of souls1 as ,he did in 
the mysteries of the ,incarnation and   
,redemption4  ,her character of         
,mediatrix between ,heaven and earth    

obliges her to make  this agency felt1  
to display the power she has received in
 favor of  man4 ,these manifestations of
 the ,blessed ,virgin in the ,church1   
these  marvelous proofs of her          
solicitude for us1 form an interesting  
portion  of the history of ,catholicity4
 ,the liturgy is full of such souvenirs1
  and several feasts have been          
instituted to commemorate them4         
,christian  countries abound in         
traditions of this nature2 they are one 
of the  sources whence piety derives its
 nourishment4    ,the majority of       
pilgrim shrines owe their origin to some
 supernatural  intervention of the      
,blessed ,virgin4 ,sometimes she has    
manifested  herself under a visible     
form1 most frequently to a poor shepherd
  or peasant2 again1 she has wrought a  
miracle1 as the recovery of  a sick     
person1 the conversion of a hardened    
sinner1 or some other  prodigy          
betokening the power of a supernatural  
agency4 ,sometimes1 a  statue1 a        

picture1 apparently not fashioned by the
 hand of man1 is  accidentally          
discovered2 the neighboring population  
are touched1 their  faith is reanimated1
 and soon a shrine1 a chapel1 or even a 
splendid  basilica1 is erected to       
protect this gift of ,heaven1 this      
pledge of  ,mary's affection4           
,innumerable generations repair to the  
spot1 and new  favors1 new miracles1    
ineffable consolations1 ever attest the 
tutelary  guardianship of her1 whom     
humble1 confiding hearts have never     
invoked  in vain4 ,we might cite        
hundreds of names in support of these   
assertions4    ,the history of devotion 
to ,mary in ,catholic countries gives   
rise to  an observation worthy of       
remark1 that the faith of a country is  
in  proportion to its devotion to the   
,blessed ,virgin4 ,we can also add that1
  when ,god wishes to revive the ,faith 
among any people1 ,he commissions  ,mary
 to manifest there her goodness and     
power4           99       99       99   

99       99    ,every age has furnished 
the ,church with constantly increasing  
proofs of  ,mary's mediation2 there are 
epochs in which she seems to be so      
lavish  of her presence1 that we might  
say she lives familiarly among mankind1 
and that her delights are to converse   
with them4    ,again1 on the contrary1  
she appears to retire1 to hold herself  
aloof  from the world1 to give no more  
signs of her intervention4 ,we have a   
striking example of this in a somewhat  
recent age4 ,more than a century  do we 
find deprived of ,mary's sensible       
mediation2 history records in  all that 
period not one of these apparitions1 not
 a new pilgrim shrine  founded1 not a   
signal grace obtained through the       
intercession of the  ,mother of ,mercy4 
,if a few events of this kind took      
place1 they were at  least very rare1   
and have remained in obscurity4 ,this   
age1 forsaken by  the ,blessed ,virgin1 
was the eighteenth century1 to which we 
must add  the first thirty years of the 

nineteenth4    ,at this epoch1 when     
impious rationalism endeavored to efface
 all idea  of the supernatural1 when the
 most firmly established truths were    
attacked1 when among ,christians the    
standard of virtue was lowered and      
character was of slight esteem in any   
class or station of society1 we  might  
believe that ,mary1 fatigued with men's 
ingratitude1 had resolved  to leave them
 to their own devices1 and let them     
govern the world  according to their    
ideas of assumed wisdom4 ,she did1 in   
reality1 not  renounce her mission of   
,mediatrix in favor of the ,church1 she 
still  watched over her great adopted   
family1 she listened to the prayers  of 
her faithful servants1 but she remained 
invisible1 she no longer  displayed any 
of those marks of tenderness her        
maternal heart had  lavished upon them  
in the ages of faith4    ,we know the   
consequences of ,mary's abandoning the  
earth1 and how these  sages who wished  
to dispense with ,god governed society4 

,the history of  their reign is written 
in letters of fire1 of blood and of     
filth4    ,this revolutionary and       
impious naturalism was prolonged into   
the  nineteenth century2 it still exerts
 a deplorable influence at the  present 
day1 but it encounters opposition2 the  
supernatural order is  firmly asserted1 
the truths of ,faith are warmly         
defended1 the holy  ,church is respected
 and obeyed1 its august ,head is held in
 veneration  to the very extremities of 
the earth1 ,god's kingdom is still      
opposed1  but it numbers devoted        
subjects1 who1 if needful1 would shed   
their  blood in its defence4            
,indifference1 human respect1 jeering   
scepticism1  are gradually disappearing1
 leaving the ,church with only sincere  
friends or declared enemies4 ,it is a   
progress no one can ignore4    ,whence  
comes this change8 and what the date of 
so consoling a  resurrection8 ,beyond a 
doubt1 it owes its origin to ,god's     
infinite  bounty--but the instrument1   

can it be ignored or contemned8 ,is it  
not  the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary8 ,has   
not her mediation been visible for forty
  years8 ,yes2 it is ,mary who has      
wrought this astonishing transformation1
  and through the medal styled          
miraculous has this series of wonders   
been  inaugurated4    ,in #ahcj1 does   
,mary for the first time1 after an      
interval of a century  and a half1      
manifest her desire of a reconciliation 
with earth4    ,it is the first sign of 
pardon she accords man1 after her long  
silence4    ,it is the announcement of a
 new era which is about to commence4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,the apparition of ,november #bgth1 in  
the chapel of the ,mother ,house of  the
 ,daughters of ,charity1 ,paris1        
appears1 at first1 to be of little      
importance1 yet it was destined to have 
an immense bearing upon the  future and 
its consequences were to be             
incalculable4 ,like a stream  whose     
source is concealed at the foot of a    

mountain1 but which receives  as it     
advances numberless tributaries1 and    
finally becomes a majestic  river1      
fertilizing the provinces and kingdoms  
through which it flows2  so the vision  
of the medal has been the initiatory    
step in a religious  movement1 which1   
to-day1 extends throughout the world1   
sitting in  justice upon old errors1    
superannuated prejudices2 systems       
inimical to  truth1 and fully revealing 
the true ,church and true sanctity1     
rendering  to ,mary ,immaculate1 ,mother
 of ,god and ,mother of men1 such       
tributes of  veneration1 love and       
devotion1 as she has never received     
since the  preaching of the ,gospel4    
,the reader is already acquainted with  
,sister ,catherine1 the humble  daughter
 whom ,mary deigned to select for her   
confidante4 ,the following  chapter     
gives a detailed account of the         
apparitions4    ,we have said that this 
event was the dawn of a new era1 the    
signal  of renewed devotion to ,mary    

throughout the world4 ,it seemed as if  
this tender ,mother wished1 by lavishing
 extraordinary graces upon her          
children1 to make them forget the       
severity with which she had punished    
their offences4    ,a rapid glance at   
the development of devotion to ,mary1   
during half a  century1 will suffice to 
show the truth of this affirmation4     
,the medal1 scarcely struck1 is         
circulated by millions2 it immediately  
becomes the instrument of so many cures 
and conversions1 that it is  universally
 styled the ,miraculous ,medal1 a name  
which clung to it1  and which is        
justified by the constant working of new
 miracles1 as  the second part of this  
book will show4 ,but this medal was     
destined  not only to work miracles1 it 
had an object still higher1 it had a    
dogmatical signification1 it was to     
popularize the belief in the            
,immaculate ,conception of ,mary4    ,as
 far as is possible for us to penetrate 
the adorable designs of  ,providence1   

everything inclines us to believe that  
the ,immaculate  ,conception is one of  
those truths whose proclamation is      
interwoven  with the welfare of modern  
society1 and whose influence upon       
,catholicity is incalculable4 ,it is the
 complement of the ,blessed  ,virgin's  
glory2 even with the incomparable       
prerogative of her divine  maternity1   
her grandeur would still lack something1
 were she not  proclaimed free from     
original sin4 ,the germ contained in the
 ,holy  ,scriptures1 preserved by       
tradition1 taught by the ,fathers and   
holy  ,doctors1 supported by the ,roman 
pontiffs1 solemnized from the earliest  
ages in many churches1 adopted          
instinctively by the piety of the       
faithful1 and depicted under most       
graceful forms by brush and chisel of   
,christian artist1 this belief received1
 through the medal1 the seal of  a      
popular devotion4 ,the prayer revealed  
by the ,blessed ,virgin herself3  ,o    
,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray for  

us who have recourse to thee6  this     
prayer1 repeated incessantly by         
numberless mouths from infancy to  old  
age1 by poor and rich1 and in every     
quarter of the globe1 entered  as a     
formula into the practices of a         
,christian life1 and hastened1 we  might
 safely say1 the day when ,pius ,,ix was
 to declare the ,immaculate  ,conception
 an article of faith4           99      
99       99       99       99    ,the   
wonderful circulation of the medal1 and 
the miracles wrought by  means of it1   
would soon have made the chapel of the  
rue du ,bac a much  frequented pilgrim  
shrine1 as many who were indebted to    
,mary for  their cure or conversion     
wished to testify their gratitude by    
leaving  there ex-voto offerings4 ,but  
the ,superiors of the ,community deemed 
it inadvisable to allow this4 ,however1 
,divine ,providence1 wishing to         
maintain this pious impulse1 opened in  
the very centre of ,paris a  sanctuary1 
to receive what the chapel of the       

,daughters of ,charity had  refused4    
,the pastor of                          
,notre-,dame-des-,victoires1 ,m4        
,desgenettes1 who had  taken a lively   
interest in the apparition of #ahcj1 was
 inspired to  consecrate his parish to  
the holy and immaculate ,heart of ,mary4
 ,an  ,arch confraternity was           
established for the conversion of       
sinners2 the  success was as rapid as it
 was wonderful1 and soon the whole world
  resounded with accounts of the        
miracles accorded the associates'       
prayers4 ,to remind them that           
,notre-,dame-des-,victoires is allied   
with  the vision of the ,sister of ,st4 
,vincent de ,paul1 an article of their  
rule enjoins them to wear1 with respect 
and devotion1 the indulgenced  medal of 
the ,immaculate ,conception1 known as   
the ,miraculous ,medal1 and  they are   
advised to recite occasionally the      
prayer engraven upon that  medal3 ,o    
,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray for  
us who have recourse to  thee6    ,some 

years later1 in #ahdf1 the ,blessed     
,virgin manifests herself upon  the     
mountain at ,la ,salette to two little  
shepherd children1 charging  them to    
warn mankind of the necessity of doing  
penance in order to  avert the impending
 evils4    ,at ,lourdes1 in #aheh1 ,mary
 appears to a poor and ignorant young   
girl2  she tells her name1 calling      
herself by that which is most dear to   
her3 ,i am the ,immaculate ,conception1 
and she promises abundant  benedictions 
to all who come to pray in that favored 
place4    ,in #ahga1 she appears in the 
village of ,pontmain to some children2  
she comes to revive their drooping      
courage and restore hope to their       
fainting hearts4    ,it would take too  
long to enumerate these manifestations  
of ,mary  in various parts of           
,christendom--those images which seem   
animated2  those mysterious voices which
 warn1 which encourage the world2 those 
supernatural revelations to privileged  
souls--all1 we might say1  favors of a  

tender ,mother1 who pardons her guilty  
children1 and who  wishes by multiplied 
tokens of her love to make them         
oblivious of her  past severity4    ,to 
so many marks of the ,immaculate ,mary's
 tenderness1 the ,catholic  world has   
responded by an admirable outburst of   
filial piety2 each  year sees hundreds  
of thousands of pilgrims seeking her    
privileged  sanctuaries2 her ,feasts are
 celebrated with admirable splendor2    
devotion to her is clothed in every form
 capable of expressing  admiration1     
gratitude and tenderness4 ,who could    
enumerate the churches  and monuments   
everywhere erected in her honor1 the    
associations  established under her     
invocation1 the books composed in her   
praises8    ,but the homage which       
eclipses all others1 is the definition  
of the  dogma of the ,immaculate        
,conception in #ahed4 ,this definition1 
ardently  desired by the devout         
faithful1 enthusiastically welcomed by  
the whole  world1 was the grand thought 

of ,pius ,,ix after his elevation to the
  chair of ,st4 ,peter1 and it will be  
recorded in history as the crowning     
event of his ,pontificate1 already      
illustrious for so many other causes4   
,mary1 by this1 has received from her   
children all the glory it was  in their 
power to procure her2 her prerogatives  
appear in all their  lustre2 she is     
acknowledged as sovereign mistress of   
,heaven and earth2  she occupies in the 
economy of religion the true place      
,divine wisdom  has assigned her4 ,let  
us hope she will soon display to the    
world the  effects of her powerful      
protection1 that she will crush the     
infernal  serpent's head1 that she will 
calm the storms hell has unchained--in  
fine1 that she will assure the triumph  
of the ,church and the reign of  ,jesus 
,christ in justice and truth4           
,,chapter ,,iii4        ,,apparitions   
,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin           
,,to ,,sister ,,catherine4              
,,first ,,apparition3 ,,the ,,angel     

,,conducts ,,the ,,sister ,,to ,,the    
,,chapel2 ,,mary      ,,converses ,,with
 ,,her--,,second ,,apparition3 ,,mary   
,,upon ,a ,,globe1 ,,her ,,hands        
,,emitting ,,rays ,,of ,,light1         
,,symbolic ,,of ,,grace2 ,,mary ,,orders
 ,a ,,medal ,,to      ,,be              
,,struck--,,third ,,apparition3 ,,mary  
,,renews ,,the ,,command4      ,when    
,sister ,catherine was favored with     
these apparitions of the ,blessed       
,virgin she related by word of mouth to 
her ,director1 what she had seen  and   
heard1 and he1 though apparently        
attaching little importance to her      
communications1 carefully took note of  
them4 ,the ,sister never thought  of    
writing them1 she judged herself        
incapable of doing so1 and1  moreover1  
in her opinion1 it would have been      
contrary to humility4    ,in #ahef1 when
 events had confirmed the truth of her  
predictions1 ,m4  ,aladel told her to   
commit to writing all she could         
recollect of the  supernatural          

visitations of #ahcj4 ,she obeyed1      
despite her repugnance1  and sketched an
 account of her vision of ,st4          
,vincent's heart1 which we  have already
 read1 and that of the apparitions of   
the ,blessed ,virgin4    ,in obedience1 
she again wrote in #ahgf1 an account of 
these same  apparitions4    ,finally1   
another copy1 not dated1 was found among
 her papers after  death4    ,these     
three narrations accord perfectly in the
 main1 yet differ  sufficiently in      
detail to prove that one was not copied 
from the other4    ,to these            
manuscripts1 in which no change has been
 made1 except a  correction of faults in
 style and orthography1 are we indebted 
for the  following account of the       
apparitions4    ,it is to be regretted  
that ,m4 ,aladel's notes should have    
been almost  entirely destroyed2 no     
doubt they contained very interesting   
details1  but what portion of them      
remains1 is of little importance4       
,before quoting ,sister ,catherine's own

 narration1 we must remark1 that  the   
first vision1 having little reference to
 anything but the ,sister  herself and  
,st4 ,vincent's two ,communities1 ,m4   
,aladel did not deem it  advisable to   
have published2 also1 that although the 
account of the  vision of the medal in  
the first editions of the notice1 seems 
to  differ notably from that related by 
the ,sister1 we will see later how      
these discrepancies can be explained1   
and that in the main the two  versions  
are identical4    ,illustration3 ,,first
 ,,apparition ,,of ,,the ,,blessed      
,,virgin    ,to ,sister ,catherine      
,labour1 ,daughter of ,charity4 ,after a
 picture  painted from instructions     
given by ,sister ,catherine4 7,see the  
explanation at the list of engravings47 
,sister ,catherine1 already favored with
 celestial visions1 ardently  desired1  
with all the simplicity of her nature1  
to see the ,blessed  ,virgin4 ,to obtain
 this grace1 she invoked her good       
,angel1 ,st4 ,vincent1  and the ,blessed

 ,virgin herself4    ,on the #ahth of   
,july1 #ahcj1 eve of the ,feast of ,st4 
,vincent de ,paul1  the ,directress of  
the ,seminary gave an instruction on    
devotion to  the ,saints and the        
,blessed ,virgin2 this but inflamed our 
,sister's  pious desire4 ,fully imbued  
with the thought1 she retired for the   
night1 recommending herself to her      
blessed ,father1 ,st4 ,vincent1 and     
confidently believing that her prayers  
would be answered4    ,about half-past  
eleven o'clock1 she hears her name1     
,sister ,labour1  distinctly called     
three times2 suddenly awaking1 she opens
 her curtain  on the side whence the    
voice proceeds1 and what does she       
perceive8 ,a  little child of ravishing 
beauty1 four or five years of age1      
dressed  in white and enveloped in the  
radiant light beaming from his fair hair
  and noble person4 ,come1 said he1 in a
 melodious voice1 come to the  chapel1  
the ,blessed ,virgin awaits you4 ,but1  
thought ,sister ,catherine  7she slept  

in a large dormitory71 the others will  
hear me1 ,i shall be  discovered4 ,have 
no fears1 said the child1 answering her 
thought1 it  is half-past eleven1       
everybody is asleep1 ,i will accompany  
you4    ,at these words1 no longer able 
to resist the invitation of her amiable 
guide1 ,sister ,catherine dresses       
hastily and follows the child1 who      
walks always at her left1 illuming the  
places through which he passes2  and    
everywhere along their path1 to the     
,sister's great astonishment1  does she 
find the lamps lighted4 ,her surprise   
redoubles1 on seeing the  door open at  
the child's touch1 and on finding the   
altar resplendent  with lights1         
reminding her1 she said1 of the midnight
 ,mass4    ,the child conducts her into 
the sanctuary2 here she kneels1 whilst  
her  celestial guide remains standing a 
little behind at her left4    ,the      
moments of waiting seem long to ,sister 
,catherine2 at last1 about  midnight1   
the child says to her3 ,behold the      

,blessed ,virgin1 behold  her6 ,at that 
instant1 she distinctly hears on the    
right hand side of  the chapel1 a slight
 noise1 like the rustling of a silk     
robe2 a most  beautiful lady enters the 
sanctuary1 and takes her seat in the    
place  ordinarily occupied by the       
,director of the ,community1 on the left
 side  of the sanctuary4 ,the seat1 the 
attitude1 the costume 7a white robe of  
a golden tinge and a blue veil71        
strongly resemble the representation  of
 ,st4 ,anne in the picture adorning the 
sanctuary4 ,yet it is not  the same     
countenance1 and ,sister ,catherine is  
struggling interiorly  against doubt4   
,can this indeed be the ,blessed        
,virgin8 she asks herself4  ,suddenly1  
the little child1 assuming the voice of 
a man1 speaks aloud1  and in severe     
words asks her if the ,queen of ,heaven 
may not appear to a  poor mortal under  
whatever form she pleases4    ,her      
doubts all vanish1 and following only   
the impulses of her heart1  the ,sister 

throws herself at the ,blessed ,virgin's
 feet1 familiarly  placing her hands    
upon the ,blessed ,virgin's knees1 like 
a child beside  its mother4        ,at  
this moment1 said she1 ,i felt the      
sweetest emotion of      my life1 it    
would be impossible for me to express   
it4 ,the      ,blessed ,virgin told me  
how ,i must act in all my trials2 and   
pointing with her left hand to the foot 
of the altar1 she told      me it was   
there ,i must come and lay open my      
heart1 adding      that it was there ,i 
would receive all needful consolation4  
,then she also said to me3 ',my child1  
,i am going to charge you      with a   
mission2 you will suffer many trials on 
account of      it1 but you will        
surmount them1 knowing that you endure  
them      for the glory of the good     
,god4 ,you will be contradicted1 but    
you will be sustained by grace1 do not  
fear2 with simplicity      and          
confidence1 tell all that passes within 
you to him who      is charged with the 

care of your soul4 ,you will see certain
      things1 you will be inspired in   
your prayers1 give an account      to   
him4'        ,i then asked the ,blessed 
,virgin for an explanation of what she  
had already shown me4 ,she answered3    
',my child1 the times are      very     
disastrous1 great trials are about to   
come upon ,france1      the throne will 
be overturned1 the entire world will be 
in      confusion by reason of miseries 
of every kind4' 7,the ,blessed          
,virgin looked very sad in saying this47
 ',but come to the foot      of this    
altar1 here graces will be shed upon    
all--upon all who      ask for them with
 confidence and fervor4        ',at a   
certain time the danger will be great   
indeed1 it will      seem as if all were
 lost1 but do not fear1 ,i shall be with
 you2      you will acknowledge my      
visit1 the protection of ,god and that  
of ,st4 ,vincent upon the two           
,communities4 ,have confidence1 do      
not be discouraged1 you are in my       

especial keeping4        ',there will be
 victims in other ,communities4' 7,tears
 were      in the ,blessed ,virgin's    
eyes as she said this47 ',among the     
clergy of ,paris there will be victims1 
,mgr4 the ,archbishop      will die4'   
7,at these words her tears flowed anew47
 ',my child1      the cross will be     
despised1 it will be trampled under     
foot1      our ,lord's side will be     
opened anew1 the streets will flow      
with blood1 the entire world will be in 
tribulation4' 7,here      the ,blessed  
,virgin could no longer speak1 grief was
 depicted      in her countenance47 ,at 
these words ,sister ,catherine thought1 
when will this take place8 ,and an      
interior light distinctly      indicated
 to her in forty years4    ,another     
version1 also written by her own hand1  
says forty years1 then  ten1 after      
which1 peace4 ,in connexion with this   
,m4 ,aladel said to her3        ,will   
you and ,i see the accomplishment of all
 these things8      ,if we do not1      

others will1 replied the simple         
daughter4    ,the ,blessed ,virgin also 
entrusted her with several              
communications for  her ,director       
concerning the ,daughters of ,charity1  
and told her that  he would one day be  
clothed with the necessary authority for
 putting  them in execution4#g ,after   
this1 she said again3 ,but great        
troubles  will come1 the danger will be 
imminent1 yet do not fear1 ,st4 ,vincent
  will watch over you1 and the          
protection of ,god is always here in a  
particular manner4 7,the ,blessed       
,virgin still looked very sad47 ,i  will
 be with you myself1 ,i will always keep
 my eye upon you1 and ,i  will enrich   
you with many graces4 ,the ,sister adds3
 ,graces will be  bestowed1 particularly
 upon all who ask for them1 but they    
must pray1  they must pray4----         
,footnote #g3 ,m4 ,aladel was made      
,director of the ,community in          
#ahdf4        ,i could not tell1        
continues the ,sister1 how long ,i      

remained      with the ,blessed ,virgin2
 all ,i can say is that1 after talking  
with me a long time1 she disappeared    
like a shadow that      vanishes4    ,on
 arising from her knees1 ,sister        
,catherine perceived the child just     
where she had left him1 to throw herself
 at the ,blessed ,virgin's feet4  ,he   
said3 ,she has gone1 and1 all           
resplendent with light as before1 he    
stationed himself anew at her left hand1
 and conducted her back to the          
dormitory by the same paths as they had 
come4        ,i believe1 continues the  
narration1 that this child was my       
,guardian ,angel1 because ,i had        
fervently implored him to procure       
me the favor of seeing the ,blessed     
,virgin4444 ,returned to my      bed1 ,i
 heard the clock strike two1 and ,i went
 to sleep no more4           99       99
       99       99       99    ,what has
 just been recounted was only a part of 
,sister ,catherine's  mission1 or rather
 a preparation for a future mission to  

be given her  as a pledge of the        
,immaculate ,mary's tenderness for the  
human race4    ,in the month of         
,november of this same year1 #ahcj1     
,sister ,catherine  communicates to ,m4 
,aladel a new vision2 but it is no      
longer that of  an afflicted ,mother    
weeping over the evils menacing her     
children1 or  the martyrdom of her      
dearest friends4 ,this vision recalls   
the rainbow  appearing in a sky still   
black with storms1 or the star shining  
through  the tempest to inspire the     
mariner with confidence--it is the      
,virgin  ,queen1 bearing the promise of 
benediction1 salvation and peace4    ,m4
 ,aladel relates this to the ,promoter  
of the diocese1 and we find it  inserted
 in the verbal process of the           
investigation1 dated ,february #af1     
#ahcf1 as follows3        ,at half-past 
five in the evening1 whilst the ,sisters
 were in      the chapel taking their   
meditation1 the ,blessed ,virgin        
appeared      to a young ,sister as if  

in an oval picture2 she was standing on 
a globe1 only one-half of which was     
visible2 she was clothed      in a white
 robe and a mantle of shining blue1     
having her hands      covered1 as it    
were1 with diamonds1 whence emanated    
luminous      rays falling upon the     
earth1 but more abundantly upon one     
portion of it4        ,a voice seemed to
 say3 ',these rays are symbolic of the  
graces      ,mary obtains for men1 and  
the point upon which they fall most     
abundantly is ,france4' ,around the     
picture1 written in golden      letters1
 were these words3 ',o ,mary6 conceived 
without sin1      pray for us who have  
recourse to thee6' ,this prayer1 traced 
in      a semi-circle1 began at the     
,blessed ,virgin's right hand1 and1     
passing over her head1 terminated at her
 left hand4 ,the reverse      of the    
picture bore the letter ,m surmounted by
 a cross1 having      a bar at its base1
 and beneath the monogram of ,mary1 were
 the      hearts of ,jesus and ,mary1   

the first surrounded with a crown of    
thorns1 the other transpierced with a   
sword4 ,then she seemed      to hear    
these words3 ',a medal must be struck   
upon this model2      those who wear it 
indulgenced1 and repeat this prayer with
      devotion1 will be1 in an especial 
manner1 under the protection      of the
 ,mother of ,god4' ,at that instant1 the
 vision disappeared4    ,according to   
the testimony of ,sister ,catherine's   
,director1 this  apparition appeared    
several times in the course of a few    
months1 always  in the chapel of the    
,mother ,house of the ,daughters of     
,charity1 either  during ,mass or some  
of the religious exercises4 ,m4 ,aladel 
adds that he  was not certain as to     
their number1 but he knows they were    
repeated  thrice1 at least1 the ,sister 
having mentioned it three different     
times4    ,here is the account written  
by the ,sister's own hand3        ,the  
#bgth of ,november1 #ahcj1 which was a  
,saturday and eve of      the first     

,sunday in ,advent1 whilst making my    
meditation in      profound silence1 at 
half-past five in the evening1 ,i seemed
      to hear on the right hand side of 
the sanctuary something      like the   
rustling of a silk dress1 and1 glancing 
in that      direction1 ,i perceived the
 ,blessed ,virgin standing near ,st4    
,joseph's picture2 her height was       
medium1 and her countenance      so     
beautiful that it would be impossible   
for me to describe      it4 ,she was    
standing1 clothed in a robe the color of
 auroral      light1 the style that is  
usually called  la vierge--that is1     
high neck and plain sleeves4 ,her head  
was covered with a white      veil1     
which descended on each side to her     
feet4 ,her hair was      smooth on the  
forehead1 and above was a coif          
ornamented with a      little lace and  
fitting close to the head4 ,her face was
 only      partially covered1 and her   
feet rested upon a globe1 or rather     
a hemisphere 7at least1 ,i saw but half 

a globe74 ,her hands were      raised   
about as high as her waist1 and she held
 in a graceful      attitude another    
globe 7a figure of the universe74 ,her  
eyes      were lifted up to ,heaven1 and
 her countenance was radiant as      she
 offered the globe to ,our ,lord4       
,illustration3 ,,second ,,apparition    
,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin    ,to    
,sister ,catherine ,labour4 ,first      
picture4 7,see the explanation at  the  
list of engravings47        ,suddenly1  
her fingers were filled with rings#h and
 most      beautiful precious stones2   
the rays gleaming forth and             
reflected on all sides1 enveloped her in
 such dazzling light      that ,i could 
see neither her feet nor her robe4 ,the 
stones were      of different sizes1 and
 the rays emanating from them were more 
or less brilliant in proportion to the  
size4        ,footnote #h3 ,the rings   
were three on each finger2 the largest  
next to the hand1 then the medium size1 
then the smallest2 and      each ring   

was covered with precious stones of     
proportional      size2 the largest     
stones emitted the most brilliant rays1 
the      smallest the least brilliant4  
,i could not express what ,i felt1 nor  
what ,i learned1 in these      few      
moments4        ,whilst occupied        
contemplating this vision1 the ,blessed 
,virgin      cast her eyes upon me1 and 
a voice said in the depths of my        
heart3 ',the globe that you see         
represents the entire world1 and        
particularly ,france1 and each person in
 particular4'        ,i would not know  
how to express the beauty and brilliancy
 of      these rays4 ,and the ,blessed  
,virgin added3 ',behold the symbol      
of the graces ,i shed upon those who ask
 me for them1' thus      making me      
understand how generous she is to all   
who implore      her intercession4444   
,how many favors she grants to those who
      ask4 ,at this moment ,i was not   
myself1 ,i was in raptures6 ,there      
now formed around the ,blessed ,virgin a

 frame slightly oval1      upon which   
appeared1 in golden letters1 these      
words3 ',o ,mary6      conceived without
 sin1 pray for us who have recourse to  
thee6'        ,then ,i heard a voice    
which said3 ',have a medal struck upon  
this model1 persons who wear it         
indulgenced1 will receive great         
graces1 especially if they wear it      
around the neck2 graces will      be    
abundantly bestowed upon those who have 
confidence4'        ,suddenly1 says the 
,sister1 the picture seemed to turn1 and
      she saw the reverse1 such as has  
already been described in the           
previous account of the investigation4  
,sister ,catherine's notes do not       
mention the twelve stars surrounding    
the monogram of ,mary and the two       
hearts4 ,yet they are always            
represented on the medal4 ,it is morally
 certain that she communicated  this    
detail1 by word of mouth1 at the time   
she related the apparitions4    ,other  
notes in ,sister ,catherine's own       

hand-writing complete the  account4 ,she
 adds1 that some of these precious      
stones did not emit  rays1 and when she 
expressed her astonishment at this1 she 
was told  that they were a figure of the
 graces we neglect to ask of ,mary4 ,on 
a  hasty perusal1 our ,sister's account 
of the vision appears to differ  from   
,m4 ,aladel's4 ,we were struck with     
this1 and had to study these            
interesting and authentic documents     
attentively1 in order to decide  whether
 the visions differed essentially or    
were really the same4    ,illustration3 
,,second ,,apparition ,,of ,,the        
,,blessed ,,virgin    ,to ,sister       
,catherine ,labour4 ,second picture4    
7,see the explanation at  the list of   
engravings47    ,according to ,m4       
,aladel's testimony in the              
investigation1 the  apparitions relative
 to the medal were always similar1 and  
,sister  ,catherine1 before her death1  
confirmed this assertion4 ,as we have   
just  learned from our ,sister's own    

words1 the ,blessed ,virgin always      
appeared  with the terrestrial globe    
under her feet1 and at the same time in 
her  virginal hands1 pressing it and    
warming it1 as it were1 against her     
maternal heart1 and offering it to her  
,divine ,son in her quality of          
,advocate and ,mother1 with an ineffable
 expression of supplication and  love4  
,this is what the ,sister saw4 ,was it  
all8 ,no1 after the first act of        
sublime intercession1 after this most   
efficacious prayer of our divine        
,mediatrix1 her hands are suddenly      
filled with graces1 under the figure  of
 rings and precious stones1 which emit  
such brilliant rays that  all else is   
invisible1 ,mary is enveloped in them1  
and her hands are  bent beneath the     
weight of these treasures4 ,her eyes are
 cast upon  the humble ,sister whose    
ravished glances can scarcely support   
this  celestial effulgence4 ,at the same
 time1 an oval frame is formed around   
the vision1 and a voice directs the     

,sister to have a medal struck          
according to the medal presented4 ,the  
medal is a faithful reproduction  of    
this picture1 at the moment the         
symbolical part disappears in the       
sheaves of light4    ,sister ,catherine 
being asked if she still saw the globe  
in the  ,blessed ,virgin's hands1 when  
the luminous sheaves issued from them1  
answered no1 there remained nothing but 
the rays of light2 and that  when the   
,blessed ,virgin spoke of the globe1 she
 meant that under her  feet1 there being
 no longer any question of the first4   
,hence1 we may  conclude1 that ,sister  
,catherine's description of the         
apparition and  ,m4 ,aladel's agree     
perfectly4 ,the small globe which the   
,blessed ,virgin  holds in her hands1   
and the large one on which she stands1  
are both  inundated with the same       
dazzling rays1 or enriched with the same
  graces4 ,the august ,mary seems to    
indicate by the small globe merely a    
figure of the world1 imperfectly        

represented beneath her feet1 thus      
reminding us that she is the all        
merciful ,queen of the human race4      
,there is yet another variation in the  
description of the two  apparitions4 ,m4
 ,aladel1 in conformity with the popular
 belief1 that  white and blue combined  
constitute the ,blessed ,virgin's       
livery1  as emblems of purity1 celestial
 purity1 gives the mantle an azure      
tint4 ,sister ,catherine expresses the  
same idea several times in her  notes1  
saying3 ,white signifies innocence1 and 
blue is the livery of  ,mary4 ,however1 
the blue mantle is not mentioned in the 
notice of  the apparition1 ,sister      
,catherine speaks only of the robe and  
veil of  auroral light4    ,when        
questioned as to a more definite        
description of this color1 she  replied 
that it was a deep white1 tinted with   
the mild1 beautiful  radiance of dawn1#i
 thus wishing1 no doubt1 to give some   
idea of the  celestial hue of the robe  
and veil4 ,it is this hue that tortures 

the  artist1 for he feels his pencil    
powerless to depict the beauties of     
another sphere4        ,footnote #i3 ,we
 must remember that ,sister ,catherine's
 childhood      was passed in the       
country1 where she could admire the     
beauty      of that luminous tint which 
precedes the sun1 and colors the        
horizon at break of day with its        
increasing radiance4    ,we can         
understand from the above1 how ,m4      
,aladel could have mistaken  some       
details furnished by ,sister ,catherine1
 or have confounded the  apparition of  
the medal with the visions of ,july     
#ahth and #aith1 in  which the ,blessed 
,virgin's apparel was white and blue4   
,however1 the accessories of the mantle 
and its indescribable hue1 in no  wise  
affect the reality of the apparition4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,we recollect with what indifference1 we
 might say severity1 ,m4 ,aladel        
received his penitent's communications1 
bidding her give no heed  to them1 but  

dismiss them from her mind1 as          
altogether unworthy of  attention4 ,but 
,sister ,catherine's obedience1 attested
 by her ,director  himself1 could not   
efface the delightful remembrance of    
what she had  seen and heard2 to return 
to ,mary's feet was her greatest        
happiness2  the thought never left her1 
nor the firm conviction that she would  
see  this dear ,mother again4 ,and1     
indeed1 in the course of ,december1 she 
was favored with another vision1 similar
 to that of ,november #bgth1 and        
occurring at the same time1 during      
evening meditation4 ,but there was  a   
striking difference between this and the
 previous one1 the ,blessed  ,virgin1   
instead of stopping at ,st4 ,joseph's   
picture1 passed on1 and  rested above   
the tabernacle1 a little behind it1 and 
precisely in the  place the statue now  
occupies4 ,the ,blessed ,virgin appeared
 to be about  forty years of age1       
according to the ,sister's judgment4    
,the apparition  was1 as it were1 framed

 from the hands in the invocation3 ,o   
,mary6  conceived without sin1 pray for 
us who have recourse to thee6 traced  in
 golden letters4 ,the reverse presented 
the monogram of the ,blessed  ,virgin1  
surmounted by a cross1 and beneath were 
the divine hearts of  ,jesus and ,mary4 
,sister ,labour was again directed to   
have a medal  struck upon this model4   
,she terminates her account in these    
words3 ,to  tell you what ,i understood 
at the moment the ,blessed ,virgin      
offered the  globe to ,our ,lord1 would 
be impossible1 or what my feelings were 
whilst  gazing on her6 ,a voice in the  
depths of my heart said to me3 ',these  
rays are symbolic of the graces the     
,blessed ,virgin obtains for those  who 
ask for them4'    ,these few lines1     
according to her1 should be inscribed at
 the base of  the ,blessed ,virgin's    
statue4 ,on this occasion1 contrary to  
her usual  custom1 she could not refrain
 from an exclamation of joy at the      
thought  of the homages which would be  

rendered ,mary6 ,oh6 how delightful to  
hear it said3 ',mary is ,queen of the   
,universe1 and particularly of          
,france6' ,the children will proclaim   
it1 ',she is ,queen of each soul6'      
,when ,sister ,labour related the third 
apparition of the medal1 ,m4  ,aladel   
asked her if she had seen anything      
written on the reverse4 ,the  ,sister   
answered that she had not4 ,ah6 said the
 ,father1 ask the  ,blessed ,virgin what
 to put there4    ,the young ,sister    
obeyed2 and after having prayed a long  
time1 one day  during meditation1 she   
seemed to hear a voice saying3 ,the ,m  
and the  two hearts express enough4     
,none of these narrations mention the   
serpent1 yet it always figures in       
representations of the apparition1 and  
certainly in conformity with  ,sister   
,catherine's earliest revelations of the
 vision4 ,the following  shows why we   
are so positive of this fact4           
,towards the close of her life1 after a 
silence of forty-five years1 ,m4        

,aladel being no more1 this good        
daughter was interiorly constrained to  
confide to one of her ,superiors the    
communications she had received  from   
the ,blessed ,virgin1 that they might   
serve to reanimate devotion  and        
gratitude to ,mary4 ,having done this1  
her mind was relieved2 she  felt that   
now she could die in peace4    ,the     
,superior1 favored with her confidence1 
wishing to realize one of  her venerable
 companion's most cherished desires1    
proposes a statue  of ,mary ,immaculate1
 holding the globe4 ,on asking ,sister  
,catherine if  the serpent must be      
represented under the ,blessed ,virgin's
 feet1 she  answered3 ,yes2 there was a 
serpent of a greenish color1 with yellow
  spots4 ,she also remarked that the    
globe in the ,virgin's hands was        
surmounted by a little cross1 that her  
countenance was neither very  youthful  
nor very joyous1 but indicative of      
gravity mingled with  sorrow1 that the  
sorrowful expression vanished as her    

face became  irradiated with love1      
especially at the moment of her prayer4 
,our attempt at representing the vision 
was successful1 although the  tint of   
the robe and veil1 the celestial        
radiance of the face1 the  splendor of  
the rays1 must always remain an         
impossibility for art2  as the good     
,sister1 whilst declaring her           
satisfaction1 betrayed by  her tone of  
voice and expression the disappointment 
she felt at the  impotency of human     
skill to depict the beauty of the       
celestial original4    ,thirty-five     
years before1 ,m4 ,aladel had vainly    
attempted a  representation of the same 
apparition1 as we learn from a curious  
fragment1 a small design#aj representing
 the ,immaculate ,virgin holding  the   
globe1 etc41 as described by ,sister    
,catherine4 ,his note directing  the    
details is in exact conformity with the 
,sister's description1  except in one   
particular1 the blue mantle4 ,but little
 satisfied with  this attempt1 which    

gave but a confused idea of the         
apparition1 and  his own especial       
impression of it1 he relinquished the   
undertaking1 and  held to the known     
model4        ,footnote #aj3 ,the author
 of this design is ,m4 ,letaille1 editor
      of religious imagery4    ,we may  
say1 with truth1 that nothing can equal 
the beauty1 the grace1  the expression  
of tenderness depicted in the attitude  
of this ,virgin1  whose graciously      
downcast glances and hands1 filled with 
blessings1  proclaim her the ,mother1   
inviting her little child to cast itself
 into  her arms1 or earnestly entreating
 the prodigal son to confide in her     
merciful mediation4    ,this image of   
the ,immaculate ,mother1 universally    
admired and honored1  has a mute        
eloquence which never fails to touch the
 heart2 and1 truly1  may it ever be     
styled the miraculous ,virgin4 ,were we 
to cite only those  which have come to  
our knowledge1 a volume would be        
insufficient to  contain an account of  

all the wonderful conversions1 cures1   
marks of  protection1 wrought since the 
appearance of this vision to the present
  day4    ,the production of new models1
 representing the ,immaculate ,virgin in
 a  different attitude1 should never    
supplant this1 which is1 as it were1    
the type of all others2 nor weaken the  
devotion heretofore accorded it  by     
popular gratitude4          ,,chapter   
,,iv4        ,,propagation ,,of ,,the   
,,medal4        ,,its ,,wonderful       
,,circulation--,,canonical              
,,investigation ,,ordered ,,by ,,mgr4   
,,de ,,qu,,len4      ,we have already   
seen with what mistrust ,m4 ,aladel     
received ,sister  ,catherine's          
communications1 and how he hesitated to 
assume the mission  proposed to him4 ,at
 last1 after grave reflection1 after    
consultations  with enlightened persons1
 and upon the formal authorization of   
,mgr4  de ,qulen1 ,archbishop of ,paris1
 he decided to have the medal of the    
,immaculate ,conception struck4 ,this   

was in #ahcb4    ,when about to depict  
the details as related by the ,sister1  
many  difficulties presented themselves4
 ,in what attitude should the ,blessed  
,virgin be represented1 for in the      
apparition she had several8 ,should  a  
globe be in her hands8 ,again1 at one   
instant she was enveloped in  waves of  
light1 but this could not be gracefully 
reproduced in an  engraving4 ,after     
mature consideration1 it was decided to 
adopt the  already existing model of the
 ,immaculate ,virgin1 which represents  
her  with hands extended2 to this were  
added the luminous rays escaping from   
the rings on her fingers1 the           
terrestrial globe on which she stands1  
and the serpent she crushes under her   
feet4 ,around the oval were  inscribed  
these words3 ,o ,mary6 conceived without
 sin1 pray for us who  have recourse to 
thee6 ,the reverse bears the letter ,m1 
surmounted by a  cross1 and the ,sacred 
,hearts of ,jesus and ,mary below the   
,m1 the first  surrounded with a crown  

of thorns1 the second pierced by a      
sword4        ,as soon as the medal was 
struck1 says ,m4 ,aladel1 it was        
freely circulated1 especially among the 
,daughters of ,charity1      who1       
knowing something of its origin1 wore it
 with great      confidence4 ,shortly   
after1 they gave it to several sick     
persons1 six of whom experienced most   
beneficial results4 ,three      cures   
and three conversions were wrought1 some
 of them in      ,paris and some in the 
diocese of ,meaux1 all of a very sudden 
and unexpected nature4 ,and now there   
was heard everywhere      a great demand
 for the ,miraculous ,medal1 the medal  
which      heals--virtuous mothers of   
families giving it as a ,new-,year's    
present to their children1 who received 
it so gladly and wore      it with such 
respect that no one could doubt how     
their innocent      hearts prized it4   
,all the pious hastened to procure it as
 soon      as it was known to be within 
reach2 but the event it gives us        

most pleasure to record here1 and which 
edified us most in      these early days
 of the propagation of the medal1 is    
that1      in two cities of the         
province1 nearly all the young people   
united in wearing the medal as the      
safeguard of their youth4      ,four    
hundred silver medals were sent for1 to 
be indulged for      this purpose4 ,very
 soon entire parishes in various        
counties      solicited their pastors to
 get them medals1 and in ,paris an      
officer of high rank bought sixty for   
brother officers at their      request4 
,thus1 the medals of the ,immaculate    
,conception were circulated      in a   
truly wonderful manner1 in all the      
provinces and among      all classes2   
from every side we heard most consoling 
things2      priests filled with the    
spirit of ,god wrote to us that these   
medals reanimated piety in the cities as
 well as in the      country2 grand     
vicars1 enjoying the high esteem due    
their piety      and intellect1         

prelates1 even more distinguished1      
assured us      of their entire         
confidence in the medals1 which they    
regarded      as means sent by          
,providence to revive the faith so      
sensibly      enfeebled in our age2 that
 in reality they did awaken faith       
daily in many hearts apparently devoid  
of it1 that they      re-established    
peace and union in families divided by  
discord1      in fine1 that not one of  
all those wearing the medal but had     
experienced most salutary effects4      
,mgr4 de ,qulen himself 7whose great    
charity brought him      in contact with
 all classes7 told me several times1    
that      he had given the medal to     
numbers of sick persons of every        
condition in life1 and never had he     
failed to recognize the      blessed    
results4 ,very soon he publishes these  
in a circular of      ,december #aeth1  
#ahcf1 on the occasion of consecrating  
the parish      church of ,our ,lady of 
,loretto4 ,it is a fact we are jealous  

of confirming1 and the knowledge of     
which we desire should      reach even  
the most remote parts of the ,catholic  
world2 in our      diocese this devotion
 has become more deeply rooted with     
time2      the afflicted still affirm1  
increase and extend its marvelous       
progress2 signal favors1 graces of      
healing1 preservation and      salvation
 seem to multiply among us1 in          
proportion as we      implore the tender
 pity of ,mary conceived without sin4   
',we      exhort the faithful1' adds he 
in the beginning of the same            
circular1 'to wear the medal struck a   
few years ago in honor      of the      
,blessed ,virgin1' and to repeat        
frequently the prayer      inscribed    
around the image3 ',o ,mary6 conceived  
without sin1      pray for us who have  
recourse to thee6'        ,moreover1 in 
every part of ,france have we witnessed 
the      increasing eagerness of the    
faithful of all ages1 sexes      and    
conditions1 to procure the ,miraculous  

,medal4 ,careless      ,christians1     
hardened sinners1 ,protestants1 the     
impious and even      ,jews1 asked for  
it1 received it with pleasure and wore  
it with      religious veneration4      
,not only in ,france were we forced to  
admire the propagation      of the      
medal2 it spread rapidly and extensively
 throughout      ,switzerland1          
,piedmont1 ,italy1 ,spain1 ,belgium1    
,england1 ,america1      in the ,levant1
 and even ,china4 ,it is also said1 that
 at ,naples1      as soon as they heard 
of it1 the ,metropolitan ,chapter sent  
for some to one of our establishments in
 that city1 that the      king had      
silver medals struck for all the royal  
family and      court1 and a million of 
another medal1 which were distributed   
during the cholera--that the image is   
there venerated in nearly      every    
house1 and the picture in several       
churches4 ,at ,rome1 the      ,superior 
,generals of religious orders took pains
 to circulate      it1 and the          

,sovereign ,pontiff himself1 placed it  
at the foot of      his crucifix4 ,we   
also received a letter informing us that
 ,his      ,holiness gave it to several 
persons as a particular mark of his     
pontifical affection4        ,moreover1 
to estimate the propagation of this     
medal1 it      suffices to consult the  
registry of ,m4 ,vachette1 to whom was  
entrusted the striking of it4#aa ,this  
examen shows that1 from      ,june1     
#ahcb1 to the present time1 he has sold3
 #ast1 two millions      in silver or   
gold2 #b;d1 eighteen millions of a      
cheaper metal4      ,according to him1  
eleven other manufacturers in ,paris    
have      sold the same quantity2 at    
,lyons1 four others with whom he        
was acquainted1 at least double the     
number2 and in many other      cities1  
whether of ,france or foreign countries1
 the manufacture      and sales are     
incalculable4        ,footnote #aa3     
,quai des ,orfevres1 number #ed4 ,they  
are of      different sizes1 and the    

invocation is inscribed in several      
languages4    ,struck with this         
marvelous propagation1 and the universal
 anxiety  to learn the origin of the    
medal1 ,sister ,catherine's pious       
,director  published1 in #ahcd1 a short 
notice containing a brief narration of  
the  apparition1 and of the graces      
obtained by means of the medal4 ,this   
book sold rapidly1 and new editions had 
to be printed2 when the eighth  appeared
 in #ahdb1 the number of copies sold    
amounted to a hundred and  thirty       
thousand1 and each successive edition   
was increased by well  authenticated    
accounts of many new miraculous         
occurrences4           99       99      
99       99       99    ,in consequence 
of all this1 the venerable priest found 
himself engaged  in a vast and active   
correspondence1 which1 to the end of his
 days1  filled his heart with ineffable 
consolation1 at the thought of his  thus
 assisting in the accomplishment of the 
,immaculate ,mary's promises  throughout

 the universe4    ,among the            
communications he received in the course
 of the year #ahcf1  there was one which
 appeared to him the confirmation of    
,sister  ,catherine's vision4 ,he       
published it in the notice of the medal4
  ,it was the vision of a ,swiss        
religious1 already favored with many    
extraordinary graces4 ,we reproduce it  
here for the edification of the  reader3
        ,the #agth of ,august1 #ahce1   
the first day of her retreat1 this      
religious1 in an ecstasy after ,holy    
,communion1 sees ,our ,lord      seated 
upon a throne of glory1 and holding a   
sword in ,his hand4      ',where goest  
thou1 and what seekest thou8' ,he asked4
 ',o ,jesus6'      she answered1 ',i go 
to ,thee1 and it is ,thyself alone ,i   
seek6'      ',where dost thou seek ,me1 
in what and through whom8' ',lord1      
in myself ,i seek ,thee1 in ,thy holy   
will and through ,mary4'      ,here ,our
 ,lord disappeared1 and the religious1  
awaking from her      ecstasy1 was      

reflecting upon ,his words1 when there  
suddenly      appeared to her the       
,blessed ,virgin1 all lovely and        
resplendent4      ,she held in her hand 
a medal1 on which was engraven her image
      and the inscription3 ',o ,mary6   
conceived without sin1 pray for      us 
who have recourse to thee6' ,and sheaves
 of light gleamed      from her hands4  
',these rays1' said ,mary to her1 'are  
symbols      of the graces ,i obtain for
 men4' ,she then turned the medal1      
and the religious saw on the reverse the
 letter ,m surmounted      by a little  
cross1 beneath which were the ,sacred   
,hearts of      ,jesus and ,mary4 ',wear
 this medal1' said the ,queen of        
,heaven1      'and thou wilt enjoy my   
very especial protection2 take pains1   
also1 that all who are in any pressing  
necessity wear it1 that      efforts are
 made to procure it for them4444 ,be in 
readiness1      for ,i will put it upon 
thee myself1 on the ,feast of my beloved
      servant ,bernard2 to day1 ,i leave

 it in thy hands4' ,the ,blessed        
,virgin afterwards reproached her for   
misplacing the medal and      taking    
little pains to find it2 the religious  
acknowledged      indeed1 that she had  
received it in ,july1 and that having   
lost      it1 she really gave herself no
 anxiety1 considering it merely      an 
ordinary medal1 knowing neither its     
origin nor its effects      till this   
vision4 ,this is attested by the        
,superior of the      ,community4 ,the  
,blessed ,virgin kept her promise1 and  
on the #bjth      of the same month1 the
 ,feast of ,st4 ,bernard1 she placed on 
the      neck of the religious1 the     
medal she had already put in her        
hands1 recommending her to wear it      
respectfully1 to repeat the             
invocation frequently1 and to apply     
herself to the invitation      of the   
,immaculate ,mary's virtues4            
,during her retreat in ,august1 #ahcf1  
she sees the medal every      day1      
suspended1 as it were1 in the air4 ,at  

first1 it appeared      very high1      
shining a few moments like the sun1 then
 like gold2      again1 it seemed not so
 high and was apparently of silver2     
finally1 very near the earth1 and of a  
baser metal4 ,the      religious gazed  
in admiration1 though without           
comprehending the      meaning of this  
vision1 until ,vespers1 when it was     
explained      to her4 ,a sweet but     
unfamiliar voice asked her which of     
these      medals she preferred4 ,she   
answered1 the most brilliant1 and the   
same voice congratulating her on the    
choice she had made1 told      her1 that
 the brilliant medal shining like the   
sun1 was that of      faithful          
,christians1 who1 in wearing it1 honor  
,mary perfectly1      and contribute to 
her glory2 the gold medal1 that of pious
      persons who have a tender and     
filial devotion to ,mary1 but      who  
keeping it within their hearts1 advance 
but slightly this      divine ,mother's 
cause2 the silver medal1 that of all who

 wear      it with respect and devotion1
 but who sometimes lack constancy       
and generosity in imitating ,mary's     
virtues--finally1 that the      brass   
medal1 represented that of all1 who     
contenting themselves      with invoking
 ,mary1 take no pains to walk in her    
footsteps1 and      thus remain sadly   
attached to earth4 ,the same voice      
added1 that      there is1 however1 a   
very especial and peculiar union among  
these various persons1 marked1 we might 
say1 with the precious      seal of     
,mary ,immaculate2 they all necessarily 
aid one another      in a very          
particular manner by prayer1 so that    
with this      powerful assistance1 the 
third can elevate the last1 the second  
sustain the third1 and the first1 thus  
happily attract all the      others4    
,these details have been communicated to
 us1 from the abbey of      ,our ,lady  
of ,hermits at ,einsiedlen1 so renowned 
for the great      virtues of its       
fervent religious1 and the immense      

concourse of      pilgrims1 who repair  
hither from all parts of the world4     
99       99       99       99       99  
,up to this time1 the medal had received
 only the verbal approbation of  the    
,archbishop of ,paris2 a formal         
authorization was necessary to assure   
the faithful of its authenticity1 and to
 conform moreover to the laws  of the   
,church1 which exact a canonical        
judgment1 before permitting  the        
introduction of new images in the       
liturgical worship4 ,a juridical        
examination was consequently requested1 
in order to confirm the origin  of the  
medal4    ,mgr4 de ,qulen willingly     
complied1 and by his order an           
investigation  was begun ,february      
#afth1 #ahcf1 under the direction of ,m4
 ,quentin1 ,vicar  ,general1 ,promoter  
of the diocese2 it was prolonged into   
the month of  ,july1 and had not less   
than nineteen sittings4    ,we still    
possess the verbal process of this      
inquiry4 ,various witnesses  appeared1  

the principal of whom was ,sister       
,catherine's ,director1 ,m4  ,aladel4   
,in the course of the process1 the      
,promoter asked1 why ,god had chosen    
the ,daughters of ,charity for so rare a
 favor1 and not one of those  convents  
noted for the observance of an austere  
rule1 such as rigorous  fasts1          
mortifications1 etc4 ,for it was not in 
a contemplative order1  but in the      
,mother ,house of this modest           
institution so useful to  humanity1 in  
the chapel which for a long time        
contained the mortal  remains of ,st4   
,vincent1 the father of the poor1 that  
the apparition1  which was the model of 
the medal1 took place4    ,we believe   
the reason of this preference is to be  
found in the two  usages observed among 
the ,daughters of ,charity1 from the    
beginning of  their ,society2 the first1
 an act of consecration to the ,blessed 
,virgin  on the ,feast of the           
,immaculate ,conception2 the second1 the
 ending each  decade of the chaplet by  

the following profession of faith3 ,o   
,most  ,holy ,virgin6 ,i believe and    
confess thy ,holy and ,immaculate       
,conception1  pure and without spot6 ,o 
,most ,pure ,virgin6 by thy virginal    
purity1 by  thy ,immaculate ,conception 
and thy glorious quality of ,mother of  
,god1  obtain for me of thy dear ,son1  
humility1 charity1 great purity of      
heart1 body and soul1 holy perseverance 
in my dear vocation1 the gift  of       
prayer1 a good life and a happy death4  
,the proofs admitted in the inquiry to  
establish the authenticity of the       
vision of the medal1 are3        #ast4  
,the ,sister's character--she is a poor 
young country girl1      uneducated and 
without talent--of solid but simple     
piety1      good judgment1 and calm1    
sedate mind2 we perceive at once        
that everything about her excludes all  
suspicion of deceit or      illusion4   
,the better to preserve her incognito1  
she will not      allow her name to be  
mentioned1 and she even refused to      

appear      before the ,promoter of the 
investigation4        #b;d4 ,the wisdom 
of the ,sister's ,director1 who took all
 possible      precautions to guard     
against deception1 and who yielded to   
his      penitent's reiterated          
entreaties1 only from fear of           
displeasing      the ,blessed ,virgin1  
and by the advice of his ,superiors4    
#c;d4 ,the apparition in itself1        
contains nothing1 either in its         
character or object1 opposed to the     
teachings of the ,church1      but is1  
on the contrary1 conducive to           
edification4 ,being      several times  
renewed and always in the same manner1  
we may      conclude1 that the ,sister's
 imagination had nothing whatever to    
do with it4        #dth4 ,the wonderful 
circulation of the medal1 confirmed by  
the      testimony of the first         
engraver1 ,m4 ,vachette1 and the        
extensive      sales of copies of the   
notice1 reaching #aji1jjj in sixteen    
months1 as attested by the publisher1   

,m4 ,bailly1 must be      regarded as a 
confirmation of its supernatural origin4
        #eth4 ,the extraordinary graces 
obtained through the                    
instrumentality of the medal1 cures and 
conversions1 several      of which are  
legally attested by the deposition of   
reliable      witnesses1 who appeared   
before the ,promoter and signed the     
verbal process1 give a last proof to the
 fact it was sought to      establish1  
namely1 that the ,miraculous ,medal must
 be of divine      origin4 ,such is the 
formal conclusion1 in the report        
addressed      to the ,archbishop by the
 ,promoter1 at the end of the inquiry4  
,unfortunately1 the ecclesiastical      
authority did not pronounce judgment2   
we know not why the inquiry did not     
receive the sanction to which it        
apparently led4 ,the death of ,mgr4 de  
,qulen1 at the end of the year  #ahci1  
caused all proceedings to be abandoned4 
,everything remains still  in the domain
 of private devotions1 and the model of 

the ,immaculate  ,virgin1 with its      
symbolical attributes1 is not yet       
authorized as an  object of public      
veneration in the churches4    ,this    
deplorable omission is so much the more 
difficult to understand1  as1           
personally1 ,mgr4 de ,qulen took a      
serious interest in the  apparition of  
#ahcj1 the compass of which he          
comprehended4 ,it was he who  urged ,m4 
,aladel to have the medal struck2 he    
expressed a wish to have  some of the   
first2 he received them1 and experienced
 their efficacy4  ,before ordering the  
investigation1 he had summoned to him   
the ,mother  ,general of the ,daughters 
of ,charity1 together with the officers 
forming  her council1 and other ,sisters
 well versed in ,community affairs1 to  
learn from them what usages of the      
,community could have drawn down upon   
it such a favor as the ,blessed ,virgin 
had just bestowed4 ,not content  with   
possessing the ,miraculous ,medal1 the  
pious prelate had in his own  chamber a 

statue of the ,immaculate ,conception   
after the ,sister's model4  ,it was cast
 in bronze1 under his own eyes1 as he   
wished to assist at  the operation4     
,when1 in #ahci1 the solemn octave of   
the ,immaculate  ,conception was        
celebrated in the diocese of ,paris1 for
 the first time1  this statue1 on a     
throne surrounded with flowers1 was     
exposed to the  veneration of the       
faithful4 ,the #ast of ,january of this 
same year1 he  consecrated his diocese  
to ,mary ,immaculate4    ,in            
commemoration of this1 he had a picture 
painted1 which represents  him standing 
at the foot of ,mary's statue1 his eyes 
fixed upon her  with love and           
confidence4 ,the statue rests upon a    
globe which bears  these words3 ,virgo  
fidelis4 ,and the invocation1 ,regina1  
sine labe  concepta1 ora pro nobis1 is  
inscribed upon the picture4    ,on the  
,feast of the ,assumption1 he presented 
this picture to his  chapter1 that it   
might1 he said1 be a monument of his    

devotion and  that of the chapter of    
,paris to the ,immaculate ,conception of
 the ,mother  of ,god4#ab               
,footnote #ab3 ,life of ,mgr4 de ,qulen1
 by the ,baron ,henrion4    ,a medal1   
bearing date of ,january #a1 #ahci1     
reproduces this picture upon  one of its
 faces4 ,on the other is a vessel1      
tempest-tossed1 and a star  guiding it  
to the haven of peace4 ,these words of  
,st4 ,bernard1 ,respice  stellam1 voca  
,mariam1#ac explain the allegory4 ,the  
following lines  complete the           
explanation3    ,vana1 ,hyacinthe1      
furit2 ,stella maris auspice1 vincis4#ad
        ,footnote #ac3 ,look at the     
star1 invoke ,mary4        ,footnote    
#ad3 ,in vain1 ,hyacinthe 7de ,qulen7 is
 the tempest      unchained2 under the  
auspices of the ,star of the ,sea1 thou 
wilt      triumph over its fury4        
,illustration      ,,chapter ,v4        
,,development ,,of ,,the ,,devotion ,,to
 ,,the ,,immaculate ,,conception        
,,mgr4 ,,de ,,qu,,len',s ,,circular4    

,the principal end of the ,blessed      
,virgin's apparition to ,sister         
,catherine was to develop among the     
faithful1 devotion to the ,immaculate   
,conception2 and the medal was the      
instrument used to accomplish this4     
,its influence was so prompt and        
perceptible that1 in the year #ahcf1 the
  ,promoter charged with directing the  
canonical inquiry attributed to  it1 in 
a great measure1 the wonderful          
development of devotion to the  ,virgin 
,immaculate4 ,this pious impulse1 once  
firmly rooted1 continued to  increase   
throughout the world2 but1 according to 
the ordinary ways of  ,providence1      
whilst the effects struck the eyes of   
all1 the cause was  forgotten1 it was   
forgotten especially that ,god had      
chosen a modest  ,daughter of ,charity  
to revive in the ,church devotion to the
 ,blessed  ,virgin4 ,the medal was known
 everywhere1 it was worn by everyone1 it
  accomplished numberless prodigies1 but
 whence did it come8 ,this no  one      

thought of asking4 ,it is miraculous2   
that epithet includes its  name1 its    
origin1 its value1 and the humble       
,daughter who received it  from ,mary1  
to bestow upon mankind1 silently admires
 these astonishing  results1 and says1  
like her blessed ,father3 ,i am nothing 
in all this  but a vile instrument1 ,i  
cannot attribute to myself any of the   
glory  without committing an act of     
injustice4    ,the august ,virgin had   
said that the graces obtained for       
mankind through  her intercession would 
be particularly abundant in ,france4    
,events  have proved the reality of the 
promise4 ,it is in ,france1 especially1 
that the medal has been propagated1     
miracles multiplied1 and devotion  to   
the ,immaculate ,conception most rapidly
 developed2 it may be said1  with truth1
 that that country has1 indeed1 merited 
the title of ,mary's  kingdom4 ,as1     
among all the ,french dioceses1 ,paris  
was the one favored  with these         
apparitions of the ,blessed ,virgin1 so 

was ,paris the one  to inaugurate the   
religious movement4 ,faithful echo of   
the ,church's  ancient traditions       
concerning the ,immaculate ,conception1 
a prelate1  whose piety equaled his     
nobility of character1 and whose virtue 
received a new lustre from the fire of  
persecution1 ,mgr4 de ,qulen            
distinguished himself among all the     
bishops by his zeal in honoring the     
privilege so dear to ,mary4 ,a witness  
of the influence exerted by the  medal  
upon the sensibly increasing devotion of
 the faithful to ,mary  conceived       
without sin1 and struck with the already
 abundant fruits of  this devotion in   
the conversion of sinners1 the pious    
,archbishop was  filled with joy4       
,incited by a just hope of seeing the   
gifts of ,heaven  still more abundantly 
multiplied1 if devotion to ,mary were   
produced  under new forms1 he addressed 
a petition to the ,sovereign ,pontiff   
with  the view of obtaining from ,his   
,holiness3 #ast4 ,to celebrate solemnly1

 on  the second ,sunday of ,advent1 the 
,immaculate ,conception of ,mary1 that  
the devotion might be maintained and    
strengthened among the faithful2  #b;d4 
,to add to the preface1 ,et te in       
,immaculata ,conceptione2 #c;d4 ,a      
plenary indulgence1 in perpetuity1 for  
this same day4    ,our ,holy ,father1   
,pope ,gregory ,,xvi1 approved the      
,archbishop's petition1  and granted it 
by a rescript of ,december #g1 #ahch4   
,the privileges he had  just obtained1  
in honor of ,mary1 conceived without    
sin1 this venerable  prelate joyfully   
published the first of the following    
,january in a  solemn circular1 which   
clearly depicts his eminent piety4 ,we  
here  reproduce it for our readers'     
edification3        ,circular of the    
,archbishop of ,paris on the subject of 
the ,feast      of the ,immaculate      
,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin     
,mary1 ,mother of      ,god4            
,,hyacinthe ,,louis ,,de ,,qu,,len1 by  
the divine mercy and grace      of the  

,holy ,apostolic ,see1 ,archbishop of   
,paris1 etc4        ,to the clergy and  
faithful of our diocese1 health and     
benediction      in our ,lord ,jesus    
,christ4        ,we do not wish1 dearly 
beloved brethren1 to await the end of   
the      year which begins to-day1 and  
which we dare regard as one fruitful    
in all manner of spiritual blessings1   
ere announcing to you the new      favor
 we have just received from the ,holy   
,apostolic ,see1 so much      have we   
loved to persuade ourselves that the joy
 of your hearts      will equal our own1
 so confident are we that this favor is 
for us1      the presage of multiplied  
graces1 and that it becomes henceforth  
for our diocese an abundant source of   
sanctification and salvation4           
,let us hasten to proclaim this favor3  
it treats of devotion to our      august
 ,queen1 ,mother and ,mistress1 the     
,most ,holy and ,immaculate      ,virgin
 ,mary1 honored especially in the       
mystery of her most pure                

,conception4        ,mary was conceived 
without sin3 ,behold what the ,catholic 
,church1      what the infallible       
,church1 what the true and only ,church 
of ,jesus      ,christ authorizes us to 
teach1 without1 however1 declaring it an
      article of ,faith1#ae what she    
prevents us denying publicly1 what      
she instils into all the faithful1 when 
in her general council1      she        
declares1 she proclaims1 that in the    
decree treating of      original sin1   
her intention is not to include therein 
the ,blessed      and ,immaculate       
,virgin ,mary1 ,mother of ,god4#af      
,behold6 what the      ,sovereign       
,pontiffs permit us to say1 that always1
 and with a      view of nourishing the 
piety of ,mary's servants1 who invoke   
her      by recalling the first of her  
privileges1 that which approaches       
nearest the sanctity of ,god1 always do 
they deign to second      these prayers1
 and zealously open the treasure of     
indulgences of      which they are the  

supreme dispensers1 in favor of a       
devotion so      legitimate4            
,footnote #ae3 ,the ,immaculate         
,conception had not then been defined4  
7,note by translator47        ,footnote 
#af3 ,conc4 ,trid4 sess4 ,v4 ,decret4 de
 peccato originali4        ,mary was    
conceived without sin4 ,behold6 what the
 ,church of ,paris      glories in      
professing and maintaining2 what her    
,doctors hold it      an honor to teach 
and defend2 what her children are       
jealous of      preserving as one of    
their dearest possessions after the     
sacred      dogmas of faith2 what they  
do not hesitate to regard as an         
immediate consequence of their faith1   
not believing it possible      to       
separate in ,mary1 the title of         
,immaculate ,virgin from that of        
,virgin ,mother of ,god1 and not        
considering it possible to refuse the   
privilege of a ,conception without spot1
 to her who was to receive      and who 
indeed did receive1 that of the divine  

,maternity4 ,behold6      what respect  
and love for the ,word made ,flesh1     
inspire for the      chaste bosom the   
,most ,high sanctified1 because ,he was 
to descend      there1 and there clothe 
,himself with our nature1 there become  
man      by the operation of the ,holy  
,ghost4        ,mary was conceived      
without sin4 ,behold6 what for years1   
has been      repeated thousands and    
thousands of times1 not in this great   
city      or diocese only1 but in every 
part of ,france1 among strangers        
and in the most distant countries4      
,behold6 the cry of hope which          
suffering danger1 public or private     
necessities1 have wrung from      mouths
 accustomed to bless ,god1 and celebrate
 the praises of ,his      ,holy ,mother4
 ,behold6 what has been written1        
engraved1 religiously      deposed1     
wherever there were spiritual or        
temporal favors to be      asked1 graces
 of protection1 of healing or           
conversion2 at the      entrance of     

cities1 at the doors of dwellings1 on   
the breast of the      sick1 on the     
couch of the dying4 ,behold6 what in    
these later times      especially1 has  
taken such deep root in all ,christian  
hearts1 what      has received an       
extraordinary impulse1 what has been    
propagated in      so remarkable a      
manner1 what seems to justify moreover1 
7the fact      can no longer be         
disguised7 the numberless graces        
obtained through      the invocation of 
,mary conceived without sin4            
,mary was conceived without sin4        
,behold6 what the chaste generation     
has taken the pious custom of placing on
 its heart with the sign      of the    
cross as an impenetrable buckler against
 the inflamed darts      of ,satan1 and 
under which its innocence and virtue are
 shielded4      ,behold6 what inspires  
it1 fortifies it1 renders it invincible 
in      combats with the demon of       
darkness2 what makes it victorious over 
all the seductions of the world and the 

attacks of hell2 what      attracts1    
what leads it to follow ,mary in the    
path of angelic      perfection1 and    
makes it taste that celestial word which
 is not      given to all to understand2
 finally1 behold6 what everywhere and in
      all conditions1 fills with holy   
emulation1 souls truly pious2 what      
encourages them to walk with constancy  
in the ways of justice2 what            
communicates to them a just horror of   
sin and the highest esteem      for     
sanctifying grace1 of which the         
,immaculate ,virgin is for them      the
 faithful mirror and venerable          
sanctuary4        ,and behold1 also1 our
 very dear brethren1 what has urged1 and
      determined us to regard as a      
consolation1 a duty of our episcopate   
to second your piety in this regard1 at 
the same time1 that we      satisfy our 
devotion to this ,immaculate ,virgin1 to
 whom we are      indebted for many     
signal benefits4 ,we thought it not a   
rash zeal1      to supplicate our ,holy 

,father1 the ,pope1 to deign confide to 
us the      means of increasing devotion
 to ,mary ,immaculate in her            
,conception1      to render it easier   
and thus more popular4 ,the ,feast of   
the ,blessed      ,virgin's ,conception1
 being now in ,france only one of       
devotion1      we have feared that even 
if the memory of it were not gradually  
effaced1 it might become insensibly     
neglected1 and the fruits of            
sanctification and salvation diminished4
        ,the ,sovereign ,pontiff has    
deigned to accord our humble request4   
,the rescript we have received1 our very
 dear brethren1 sufficiently            
testifies how our petitions have been   
welcomed1 our prayers      answered1    
upon what foundation the regulations we 
are going to      prescribe rest1 and   
the advantages we have had reason to    
expect      from them4 ,we long1 yes1 we
 long1 from lively gratitude1 from      
tender love to ,mary1 to give vent to   
our transports and salute her           

solemnly by the title of ,immaculate in 
her ,conception that day1 for           
distant day it seems to our hearts1 when
 we will be permitted to      proclaim  
it joyfully before the assembled        
faithful1 and during the                
celebration of the holy mysteries4      
,o ,mary6 thou whom wisdom hast         
possessed in the beginning of thy       
ways1 cloud divinely fruitful1 always in
 light and never in shade1      new     
,eve1 who didst crush the infernal      
serpent's head2 courageous      ,judith1
 glory of ,jerusalem1 joy of ,israel1   
honor of thy people1      amiable       
,esther1 exempt from the common law     
which presses as a      yoke of anathema
 upon all the children of ,adam1 full of
 grace1      blessed among all women4 ,o
 ,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray for 
us who have recourse to thee6 ,by thy   
most ,holy ,virginity and thy           
,immaculate ,conception1 ,o most ,holy  
,virgin6 obtain for us purity of        
heart and body1 in the name of the      

,father1 and of the ,son1 and of        
the ,holy ,ghost4 ,amen6    ,but this   
does not satisfy the prelate's piety2 he
 also entreats the  ,sovereign ,pontiff 
that the belief in the ,immaculate      
,conception be  expressed in the        
litanies of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,the  
,holy ,father  grants this petition1 and
 permits the addition to the litany of  
the invocation3 ,regina sine labe       
concepta1 ora pro nobis4 ,then          
,monseigneur1 in a new circular of ,june
 #bdth1 orders that the ,sunday         
following its reception1 this invocation
 should be chanted three  times at      
,benediction1 and in future chanted or  
recited every time the  litany was      
chanted or recited1 adding that no      
prayer-book without this  invocation    
inserted in the litany would have his   
approbation4 ,the  prelate also exhorted
 all the clergy1 pastors and others1 to 
instill  into the faithful1 devotion to 
the ,immaculate ,conception1            
recommending  the use of the formula1   

,regina sine labe concepta1 ora pro     
nobis4    ,at last1 seeing the near     
approach of that epoch so dear and      
solemn1 he  could not refrain1 in spite 
of his extreme weakness and the violent 
sufferings of a mortal malady1 from     
giving vent to his feelings in  a third 
circular1 which displays at the same    
time his zeal for the  ,immaculate      
,virgin's honor and his indefatigable   
solicitude for the  welfare of his      
flock4    ,the feast and octave of the  
,immaculate ,conception1 announced and  
prepared with so much zeal by the pious 
,bishop1 were celebrated with           
extraordinary solemnity in all the      
churches throughout the diocese  of     
,paris1 and especially at ,notre ,dame4 
,it was one of the last  consolations   
this great prelate enjoyed upon earth4  
,he died the #cast  of ,december1       
crowning a life rich in virtues and     
sacrifices1 by an act  of filial homage 
to ,mary ,immaculate1 and a final       
testimony of tender  solicitude for the 

flock he was about to leave4 ,he loved  
this flock  during life1 and before     
dying1 he confides it to the            
inexhaustible  charity of the           
,immaculate ,heart of the ,mother of    
,jesus1 he conceals it  under the mantle
 of her purity1 that he may feel assured
 of the victory  over the enemies of its
 happiness4 ,he had consecrated his     
person1 his  diocese and all ,france to 
this ,virgin1 conceived without sin4    
,was it  not to her maternal protection 
the venerable prelate owed that generous
  submission1 that admirable            
tranquility1 that tender love and sweet 
serenity of the just1 when he was       
hovering on the brink of eternity8 ,he  
had placed all his confidence in thee1  
,o ,mary6 at that last moment1 he       
invoked thee as the ,star of the ,sea   
that was to guide him to ,heaven1  and  
it was under thy auspices his beautiful 
soul winged its flight to  the bosom of 
its ,god4               99       99     
99       99       99    ,in emulation of

 the example of the illustrious         
,archbishop of the  capital1 the other  
,archbishops and ,bishops of ,france    
petition the  ,holy ,see for the same   
privileges1 publishing them in their    
respective  dioceses by solemn          
circulars1 and proclaiming them a new   
source  of benediction for the people4  
,thus1 in the same year1 #ahci1 the     
,archbishops of ,toulouse and ,bourges1 
the ,bishops of ,montauban1 ,pamiers1   
,carcassonne1 ,frjus1 ,chlons1          
,saint-,flour and ,limoges2 in #ahdj1   
the  ,cardinal ,archbishop of ,rouen1   
the ,archbishop of ,lyons and ,besanon1 
the ,bishops of ,bayeux1 vreux1 ,sez1   
,coutance1 ,saint-,di1 ,la ,rochelle1   
,tulle1 ,ajaccio1 ,nantes and ,amiens2  
in #ahda1 the ,archbishop of ,bordeaux1 
the ,bishops of ,versailles1 of ,nmes   
and ,luon1 ,mende and ,prigueux4 ,we    
are fully persuaded1 and even assured1  
of the fact that a great number  of the 
dioceses in ,france requested and       
obtained the same privileges2  but we   

cite only those of which we ourselves   
have kept note4        ,what should be  
our transports of joy1 confidence1      
admiration and      gratitude1 at this  
universal tribute of honor and homage to
 the      ,virgin conceived without     
spot6 ,all earth unites with ,heaven in 
a concert of praise and thanksgiving1   
proclaiming that ,mary has      been    
conceived without sin2 all hearts vie   
with one another in      celebrating the
 signal favors1 the miraculous cures and
 conversions      ,god has deigned to   
accord those who invoke the ,blessed    
,virgin      under the title of         
,immaculate in her ,conception4         
7,circular of the      ,archbishop of   
,bourges47        ,this new lustre      
bestowed upon the devotion to ,mary     
conceived      without sin1 should      
console religion and raise our hopes4444
 ,oh6      in this desolated region1 how
 should we rejoice to see appear      in
 ,heaven1 if not an omen of the end of  
all combats1 at least      the pledge of

 new triumphs and new conquests6        
7,circular of the      ,archbishop of   
,digne47               99       99      
99       99       99        ,may this   
beautiful devotion1 be powerful in      
attracting the      benedictions of     
,heaven upon earth1 ever increase4 ,let 
us fervently      implore the           
,immaculate ,mother of ,god to enkindle 
it in all hearts1      to bless that    
,france whose protectrice she has so    
often proved      herself1 to preserve  
and augment therein faith and piety1 and
 to      make all the children of       
,france but one family1 united by the   
bonds      of religion and charity4 ,let
 us also implore the same grace for all 
countries1 all peoples4 ,let each one of
 us wear the precious sign      of her  
maternal tenderness1 this ,miraculous   
,medal1 which1 recalling      to our    
minds the first and most glorious of her
 privileges1 she      gives us as the   
pledge of all her favors4        ,oh6 if
 we knew the gift of our ,mother6 oh6 if

 we understood      the excess of her   
bounty6 ,does she not seem longing to   
give us      knowledge1 when she        
displays to us the abundance of her     
riches and      the prodigies of her    
liberality1 in those rays of grace she  
showers      upon us like a deluge of   
love and mercy8 ,does she not likewise  
unveil to us the mystery of her charity1
 in the image of her heart      united  
to that of the divine ,jesus8444 ,the   
same fire consumes them1      the same  
zeal devours them1 thirst for our       
salvation4 ,this union      of love and 
sacrifice is very clearly represented by
 the august      ,mary's initial joined 
to the sacred sign of the cross above   
the      two hearts1 as an authentic    
testimony1 of the co-operation of the   
,mother of the ,saviour in the salvation
 of the human race4        ,wear then1  
little children1 this cherished medal1  
this precious      souvenir of the best 
of mothers2 learn and love to say3 ,o   
,mary6      conceived without sin1 pray 

for us who have recourse to thee6       
,morning ,star1 she will delight to     
guide your first steps and to      keep 
you in the paths of innocence4 ,wear it1
 ,christian youth1      and amidst the  
numberless dangers lurking in your paths
 repeat      frequently3 ,o ,mary6      
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have      recourse to thee6 ,virgin most
 faithful1 she will preserve you        
from all peril4 ,wear it1 fathers and   
mothers2 say often3 ,o ,mary6           
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have recourse to thee6      ,and the    
,mother of ,jesus will shed upon you and
 your families the      most abundant   
benedictions4 ,wear it1 ye old and      
infirm2 say also3      ,o ,mary6        
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have recourse      to thee6 ,help of    
,christians1 she will aid you in        
sanctifying      your sufferings and the
 closing years of life4 ,wear it1 souls 
consecrated to ,god1 and never cease    
repeating3 ,o ,mary6 conceived          

without sin1 pray for us who have       
recourse to thee6 ,queen of             
,virgins1 she will implant in the garden
 of your heart those fruits      and    
flowers which constitute the delight of 
the ,spouse1 and which      will form   
your crown at the nuptials of the ,lamb4
 ,amidst the trials      and            
tribulations of life1 let us invoke     
,mary1 conceived without      sin1 and  
our tears will be dried1 our sufferings 
assuaged1 our      sorrows sweetened1   
for she dispenses the dew of all graces4
 ,in our      combats against the demon1
 the world and the flesh1 let us appeal 
to ,mary1 conceived without sin2        
,strength of combatants and ,crown      
of victors1 she will shield us against  
their most violent assaults      and    
assure us of the victory2 but oh6 when  
standing on the brink      of that      
moment which summons us before the      
,sovereign ,judge1 then      especially 
must we invoke ,mary1 conceived without 
sin1 and she      whom the ,church calls

 ,gate of ,heaven will herself receive  
our last      sigh and introduce our    
soul into the abode of glory and perfect
      happiness4        ,and you also1  
poor sinners1 though covered with the   
wounds of sin1      buried in the       
deepest abysses of passion1 the arm of  
an avenging      ,god lifted to descend 
upon your guilty head1 despair seizing  
your      soul1 raise your eyes to the  
,star of the ,sea2 you are not bereft   
of ,mary's compassion2 take the medal1  
cry from the depths of your      hearts1
 ,o ,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray  
for us who have      recourse to thee6  
,unfailing ,refuge of sinners1 her      
charitable hand      will apply to your 
cruel wounds a healing ointment2 she    
will rescue      you from the depths    
whence you have fallen1 she will turn   
aside      the formidable blows of      
,divine justice1 she will pour over your
      soul the balm of sweet hope1 she  
will guide you anew in the paths      of
 righteousness and conduct you even to  

the haven of a blessed      eternity4   
,would that all might taste this means  
of salvation6 the dismal      shades of 
voluntary death would soon cease to     
terrify our cities      and rural       
districts4 ,yes1 the short prayer1 ,o   
,mary6 conceived      without sin1 pray 
for us who have recourse to thee6 made  
with      faith1 would1 even amidst the 
violent agitation of a homicidal        
thought1 banish the tempter2 a simple   
glance at the medal of the              
,immaculate ,mary would dissipate       
despair4 ,no one commits suicide        
under the eyes of a mother1 said very   
truly1 ,his ,eminence1 the              
,cardinal ,archbishop of ,rouen4 ,and   
the same might be said of many          
other crimes of daily occurrence4       
,oh6 you whose souls are cruelly        
afflicted night and day1      virtuous  
wives1 who shed burning tears over the  
irreligion of a      tenderly-loved     
husband2 sorrowful mothers1 bitterly    
deploring the      wanderings of a child

 reared in the bosom of an eminently    
,christian      family1 but drawn into  
the vortex of bad example2 pious        
sisters1      praying fervently and     
incessantly for the conversion of a     
brother1      who once1 like yourselves1
 enjoyed the sweet consolations of      
religion2 ,christian children1 secretly 
bewailing the indifference      of a    
father who seems to have lost1 long     
since1 the precious gift      of ,faith1
 console yourselves2 a new hope is      
offered you1 and it      comes to you   
through the beneficent hands of ,mary2  
offer1 give the      image of this      
tender ,mother to the dear objects of   
your solicitude2      the thought of    
this precious medal or a glance at it1  
will banish      many a temptation1 for 
we may say with truth of the soul as    
well as      of the body1 no one commits
 suicide under the eyes of a mother4    
,if they refuse your offer do not       
despair2 ,mary will find her way to     
these hardened hearts1 and in spite of  

themselves1 she will take      them     
under her protection2 imitate the pious 
ruse of many others1      who in a like 
extremity1 have stealthily slipped the  
precious medal      under the pillow of 
the impenitent sick on the verge of     
death2      imitate those mothers1 those
 wives1 those ,christian daughters1 who 
carefully concealed in the clothing of  
that child1 that spouse1      that      
father1 the medal they had refused to   
wear1 do this1 and one      day they    
will appreciate the pledge of your piety
 and tenderness4      ,no1 no1 never    
does any one wear in vain1 the medal of 
her to whom      the ,church applies    
these words of ,scripture4 ,he who finds
 me1      will find life1 and will      
obtain salvation from the ,lord4#ag     
,footnote #ag3 ,prov4 viii4        ,but 
it is not enough to wear the medal as a 
mere pledge of the      ,immaculate     
,mary's love2 we must regard it also1 as
 an assistant in      reaching          
perfection4 ,this ,mother1 all amiable1 

proposes herself to      our imitation1 
she places herself1 in a measure1 before
 our eyes1      that seeing her so pure 
and perfect1 we may be attracted by her 
charms4 ,it is the image of her beauty  
and goodness she brings us      from    
,heaven4 ,it is a mirror in which we    
learn to know the ,sun of      ,justice1
 by the perfections with which he has   
enriched ,his divine      ,mother4444   
,it is on one side1 the picture of what 
we should be1 and      on the other1 an 
eloquent lesson of what we should       
practice4 ,the      shining purity of   
the ,immaculate ,mary1 reveals to us the
 beauty of      our soul1 created in the
 image of the thrice holy ,god1 and     
exciting      in us1 the love of that   
amiable virtue which makes us resemble  
the      angels1 it necessarily inspires
 us with the most vivid horror of       
evil1 and causes us to shun the         
slightest imperfections1 since they     
tarnish this divine resemblance4        
,and1 as though it were not enough to   

excite our fervor by the      sight of  
her ravishing beauty1 this faithful     
,virgin discovers to      us the means  
of preserving innocence or recovering   
it1 should we      have been so         
unfortunate as to lose it4 ,this is the 
lesson of the      symbolic figures     
engraven on the reverse of the medal3   
,nothing      shall be written on the   
reverse of the medal2 444 what is       
already      there says enough to the   
,christian soul4 ,the ,sacred ,heart of 
,jesus and ,mary placed beneath the     
cross tell us that purity is            
preserved or restored by love and union 
with our ,lord4444 ,love      covers a  
multitude of sins2 love is the bond of  
perfection1 the      consummation of all
 virtues4444 ,love assures fidelity4 ,it
 must      be stronger than death to    
make us die to the world1 to sin and    
ourselves1 that we may be attached      
inseparably to ,jesus crucified4        
,there is also another lesson to be     
learned--that taught by ,mary's         

holy name1 united to the sign of the    
cross4 ,it is placed above the      two 
hearts because true love leads to       
sacrifice2 it immolates1 it             
fastens1 it nails to the cross of ,jesus
 ,christ1 and this union of             
sufferings on earth is the pledge of a  
glorious and eternal union              
hereafter4        ,children of ,mary1   
respond to her loving tenderness2 be    
docile to      the salutary lessons of  
our divine ,mother1 gratefully          
acknowledge      this inappreciable     
testimony of her ingenious liberality4  
,go to      ,mary with the simplicity of
 a child1 who lovingly clings to her    
bountiful hand until he obtains the     
object of his desires4 ,amidst      all 
the storms of life1 let your eyes be    
fixed upon this ,star of      the ,sea4 
,invoke ,mary2 ever seek her amiable    
protection2 she will      never refuse  
to hear our petitions4 ,may her         
remembrance and love      reign always  
in our minds and hearts6 ,may we repeat 

incessantly      this sweet invocation3 
,o ,mary6 conceived without sin1 pray   
for      us who have recourse to thee6  
and when strength and speech have       
failed us may the ,miraculous ,medal be 
pressed to our dying lips1      and the 
last throb of our heart protest that we 
wish to die      murmuring3 ,o ,mary6   
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have      recourse to thee6             
,,chapter ,,vi4        ,,extraordinary  
,,graces        ,,obtained ,,through    
,,the ,,instrumentality ,,of ,,the      
,,miraculous ,,medal4        ,i4        
,graces ,obtained from #ahcb to #ahce4  
,bless the ,god of heaven1 said the     
angel to ,tobias and his son2 chant     
,his praises among all mankind for the  
blessings with which ,he has  loaded    
you1 for it is good to conceal the      
secret of the king1 but it is  glorious 
to reveal and publish the works of ,god4
 ,elenim sacramentum  regis abscondere  
bonum est2 opera autem ,dei revelare et 
confiteri  honorificum est4#ah ,blessed1

 then1 always and everywhere1 be the    
,god  of heaven and earth1 for the      
numberless benefits ,he has been pleased
 to  confer upon us through ,mary6 ,let 
us adore the mysterious destiny of  the 
,mother of the ,king of ,kings1 who1 by 
reason of this title1 truly  merits the 
name of ,queen1 says ,st4 ,athanasius2  
and let us rob neither  ,god nor ,mary  
of the honor and glory due them4 ,let us
 publish the  ,lord's works of power and
 goodness to man through the mediation  
of the  ,immaculate ,virgin1 whom ,he   
has established ,depositary and         
,dispensatrix  of the treasures of ,his 
mercy1 that mercy which embraces our    
corporal  infirmities as well as        
spiritual needs4        ,footnote #ah3  
,tob41 xii1 #g4    ,an account of the   
extraordinary graces obtained by means  
of the  ,immaculate ,conception ,medal  
will be for all ,christian souls a      
source of  precious benedictions4 ,at   
the view of these prodigies of mercy1   
these  marvelous cures and conversions1 

the reader will be led to thank ,god    
and glorify ,his ,holy ,mother2 those   
who have already loved ,mary will be    
incited to still greater love2 careless 
,christians1 those who are tried  by    
suffering1 those who have the misfortune
 to be in a state of sin1  will feel    
their confidence awakened1 and they will
 tenderly invoke her  whom the ,church  
so justly styles ,health of the weak1   
,refuge of sinners1  ,comforter of the  
afflicted4    ,experience proves this4  
,every one knows1 moreover1 that an     
example of  virtue or an event which    
clearly reveals ,god's agency1 acts much
 more  powerfully on the soul than a    
simple consideration of the subject or a
  series of arguments4 ,verba movent1   
exempla trahunt--words can move1        
example attract4    ,we also hope for   
something more from the publication of  
these  accounts--we hope by them to     
convince the faithful that ,mary's      
dearest  title is that of ,immaculate1  
and that she knows not how to refuse the

  petitions of those who1 with lively   
faith1 invoke her by this dearest       
title4 ,it is1 moreover1 the ,church of 
,rome which thus reveals1 as it  were1  
all the merciful tenderness of ,mary's  
,heart1 and presents us the  devotion to
 her spotless ,conception as the sure   
means of enriching  ourselves from the  
exhaustless treasures of that ,heart and
 according  to all our necessities4     
,sacra ,virgo ,maria 444 sentiant omnes 
tuam  juvamen quicumque celebrant tuam  
sanctam ,conceptionem2#ai and  surely   
this prayer of the ,mother of all       
churches--prayer which we  might readily
 style prophetic--has long since been   
answered4 ,we have  recently seen a     
compilation1 made in #affc by a ,jesuit 
father1 with  the approbation of the    
,ordinary1 containing an account of     
sixty-two  conversions or cures effected
 in different places by the invocation  
of ,mary conceived without sin1 and     
apparently nothing less than            
miraculous4 ,it is also a well known    

fact1 mentioned in the life of  ,b4     
,peter ,fourrier1 founder of the        
,congregation of ,notre ,dame1 that     
these simple words1 ,mary was conceived 
without sin1 worn with faith1  brought  
relief to a multitude of sick persons   
during an epidemic4 ,the  same means    
obtained not less visible protection at 
,nemours1 when that  city was in        
imminent danger of being sacked1 and    
also at ,paris in #ahcj4  ,but we       
confine ourselves to the graces obtained
 through the ,miraculous  ,medal4 ,our  
choice of examples will show that1 in   
bestowing especial  favors upon ,france1
 the ,immaculate ,mary gives no less    
striking proofs  of her protection in   
other countries where the medal is known
 and  piously worn4        ,footnote    
#ai3 ,offic4 ,concept4 ,b4,v4,m4,r4     
viii4    ,among the traits of protection
 obtained through the medal in the      
diocese of ,paris1 nine 7three          
conversions and six cures7 underwent a  
detailed examination1 and were          

pronounced veritable by the ,promoter in
  the investigation of #ahcf4 ,we       
mention them in this edition1 adding to 
each one's title the word--,attested4   
,quite a number of incidents printed in 
the edition of #ahdb we have  omitted   
here1 in order to insert 7without       
greatly increasing the size  of the     
volume7 more recent accounts equally    
reliable1 thus proving that  the medal  
is not less miraculous in our day than  
at the time of the  apparition4    ,the 
extraordinary graces of which it has    
been the instrument1 would  have formed 
an uninterrupted series from the year   
#ahcb till the  present1 if             
unfortunately1 neglecting to keep note  
of them1 an interval  of several years  
had not crept into the documents in our 
possession4    ,for the future1 please  
,god1 no such omission will occur1 and  
all the  authenticated accounts which   
come to our knowledge will be carefully 
registered for the glory of ,mary       
conceived without sin1 and the          

edification of her servants4            
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,soldier ,,at     
,,alen,,on--#ahcc4        ,the #adth of 
,april1 #ahcc1 there was brought to the 
hospital of      ,alenon 7,orne7 a sick 
soldier1 who came from the hospital of  
,vitr      7,ile-et-,vilaine74 ,his     
impiety there had greatly distressed the
      hospitable ladies of ,st4         
,augustin1 in charge of that            
establishment1      a circumstance      
communicated to us by persons who       
witnessed the      insulting manner in  
which he rewarded the kind attentions of
 their      unfailing charity4 ,arrived 
at the hospital ,alenon1 we soon saw    
what he was1 irreligious1 impious1 and  
brutally rude4 ,the chaplain            
hastened to visit him1 and condole with 
him on his sufferings2 and      as the  
opening of the ,jubilee very naturally  
paved the way for a      few words on   
that extraordinary grace1 he gently     
exhorted the sick      man to imitate   
the example of other soldiers who were  

preparing to      profit by it1 but his 
words were answered by insults4 ,the    
chaplain      did not insist1 and       
contented himself for several days with 
merely      visiting him1 and kindly    
sympathizing with his sufferings2 the   
sick      man scarcely replied1 and     
seemed much annoyed1 even at the visits4
        ,the ,daughters of ,charity in  
charge of this hospital1 met with no    
better treatment1 notwithstanding the   
kind attentions they lavished      on   
him4 ,his malady increased2 seeing that 
it was becoming very      necessary for 
him to receive the consolations of      
religion1 the      chaplain urged him   
again to make his peace with the good   
,god1 but      he was answered by       
blasphemies4 ,ah6 yes1 the good ,god1   
little ,he      cares for me4 ,in answer
 to this the abb made a few observations
      full of charity1 and the patient  
continued3 ,your good ,god does      not
 like the ,french2 you say ,he is good  
and ,he loves me2 if ,he      loved me1 

would he afflict me like this1 have ,i  
deserved it8      ,these outbursts of   
impiety only inflamed the charitable    
zeal of      the minister of a ,god who 
died for sinners1 and inspired him with 
forcible language1 to depict the justice
 and merciful goodness of      the      
,lord4 ,the sick man soon interrupted   
him by invectives3 ,you      worry me2  
let me alone2 go away from here2 ,i need
 neither you nor      your sermons1 and 
he turned over to avoid seeing the      
priest4      ,his treatment to the      
,sisters was no better2 and he continued
 to      utter the most horrible        
blasphemies against religion1 and those 
who reminded him of it2 he carried this 
to such a degree1 that      the other   
soldiers were indignant1 especially at  
his outrageous      behaviour1 after any
 one has spoken to him about his soul1  
or there      had been prayers or a     
little spiritual reading in the room--he
      appeared dissatisfied1 until he   
had vomited forth his stock of          

blasphemies and imprecations4 ,some days
 passed and nothing was      said to him
 on the subject of religion1 but every  
care for his      bodily comfort was    
redoubled2 no one now scarcely dared    
hope      for his return to ,god1 for   
his malady increased1 and likewise      
his impiety2 all contented themselves   
with praying for him1 and               
recommending him to the prayers of      
others4 ,the ,sister in charge of       
that ward1 having great confidence in   
the ,blessed ,virgin's promises      to 
all under the protection of the medal1  
felt urged interiorly      to hang one  
at the foot of his bed2 she yielded to  
the apparent      inspiration1 and1     
unknown to him1 the medal was there4 ,he
 still      showed no signs of          
relenting1 and even became indignant    
when some      of the other soldiers    
prepared themselves1 by confession1 to  
gain      the ,jubilee4 ,the medal had  
now been six days hanging at the foot of
      his bed1 and many and fervent were

 the prayers offered up to ,god      for
 this miserable creature's conversion1  
although nearly every one      despaired
 of it4 ,one day1 when all the          
convalescents of the ward      were     
assisting at ,benediction of the        
,blessed ,sacrament1 the ,sister        
approached his bed1 detached the medal  
and held it up before him4      ,look1  
said she1 at this medal1 it is          
miraculous2 ,i hung it to      your bed 
several days ago1 and thereby put you   
under the ,blessed      ,virgin's       
especial protection4 ,with her powerful 
assistance1 ,i      confidently hope for
 your conversion4 ,look at this good    
,mother1 she      is praying for you    
now4 ,he never raised his eyes1 but     
already was      grace working in his   
heart1 for he showed no signs of        
irritation      which had heretofore    
been the inevitable consequence of      
mentioning      religion4 ,profiting by 
this1 the ,sister spoke to him of ,god's
      mercy1 and begged him again to    

cast a glance at the medal she had      
just hung at the foot of his bed on the 
inner side4 ,after being      repeatedly
 urged1 he opened his eyes and looked   
towards it4 ,i do      not see your     
medal1 said he to the ,sister1 but ,i   
see the candle      which1 doubtless1   
you have just lit2 yes1 it is certainly 
a light4      ,it was five o'clock in   
the afternoon1 ,june #acth2 his bed was 
so      placed that it could not receive
 any reflection of the sun's rays1      
and the chaplain1 after examining the   
spot felt assured1 that at      no time 
could a reflection strike it in that    
direction4 ,you are      mistaken1 said 
she1 look at it carefully4 ,he repeated 
in the      most positive manner1 ,i see
 it distinctly1 it is certainly a       
light4 ,astonished beyond expression1   
but fearing her patient's      sight was
 affected1 the ,sister showed him other 
and more distant      objects2 these he 
distinguished perfectly1 and continued  
to see      this light for a quarter of 

an hour4 ,during this interval1 the     
,sister spoke to him of ,god2 suddenly1 
fear and love filled his      heart4 ,i 
do not wish to die as ,i am6 he         
exclaimed1 tell the      chaplain to    
come immediately and hear my confession4
 ,hearing one      of the other patients
 utter an oath1 oh6 make that miserable 
man      hush6 said he1 to the ,sister2 
oh6 ,i beg you to make him stop         
swearing4        ,i was still ignorant1 
says the chaplain1 of the origin and    
effects of this medal4 ,it was a very   
familiar object1 and ,i      regarded it
 as nothing more than an ordinary medal4
 ,when told      that the sick man      
wanted me1 ,i went joyfully1 and saw for
 myself      what a complete change had 
taken place in him4 ,congratulating     
and encouraging him1 without knowing the
 cause of this change1      ,i hastened 
to ask him if he wished me to hear his  
confession4      ,he replied in the     
affirmative1 and made it without delay2 
,i had      every opportunity of        

admiring his good will and the pleasure 
he      manifested at each repetition of
 my visit4 ,i endeavored to make him    
explain himself1 and asked if he had not
 acted from mere civility      or a     
desire to rid himself of the            
importunities by which he had      been 
so long beset4 ,no1 he answered1 ,i sent
 for you1 because      ,i wished        
seriously to make my confession and     
arise from my state      of sin4        
,henceforth he was no longer the same   
man2 he was now as      docile1 patient1
 gentle and edifying in all his words   
and ways1      as he had formerly been  
unmanageable1 brutal and scandalous4    
,he eagerly desired the ,last           
,sacraments1 which1 after proper        
preparation1 he received with lively    
faith4 ,his happiness seemed      beyond
 expression1 and though suffering       
intensely1 no one ever      heard the   
least sign of impatience escape his     
lips4 ,he continued      to give the    
most unequivocal signs of a true        

conversion2 peace and      resignation  
were depicted in his countenance1 and to
 his last sigh1      which he breathed  
,june #bgth1 #ahcc1 did he persevere    
most faithfully4    ,,note4--,these     
details are attested by ,m4 ,yver       
,bordeaux1 chaplain of the  ,hotel      
,dieu2 by the ,sisters of ,charity2 by a
 woman patient named ,bidon2  ,julien   
,prvel1 an infirmarian2 by ,jean        
,franois ,royer1 of the ,seventh        
,cuirassiers2 ,marie ,favry1            
infirmarian1 all eye witnesses1 besides 
a large number of other soldiers who    
left the city whilst we were            
investigating the matter4               
,,cure ,,of ,,mademoiselle ,,aurelie ,b4
 7,,paris7--#ahcc4 ,attested4    ,the   
account of this cure was sent us by the 
person herself in the month  of ,may1   
#ahcd4        ,the #c;d of ,november1   
#ahcc1 ,i was attacked by a typhoid     
fever1 for      which ,i was treated by 
a skillful physician and the ,sisters of
      ,charity1 who spared no pains for 

my recovery4 ,at the end of a month     
,i was able to take a little            
nourishment1 and ,i had the happiness   
of assisting at the ,holy ,mass and     
receiving ,holy ,communion on the       
,feast of the ,immaculate ,conception4  
,i was still very weak1 and      utterly
 incapable of any exertion4 ,in this    
state of exhaustion1 ,i      took a     
little chocolate4 ,the fever soon       
returned1 and continued      with daily 
increasing violence until ,christmas4   
,then the physician      said there was 
no longer any hope of my recovery4      
,another physician      was called in1  
who1 after an examination1 declared me  
consumptive      to the last degree1 but
 said they might try the effect of a few
      blisters4 ,those proved of no     
benefit4 ,the #bgth of ,december1 the   
physicians finding me extremely ill1    
informed the ,sisters that my      death
 was imminent4 ,moreover1 ,i had been   
cold for two days4 ,about      half-past
 six that day1 ,i received the last     

,sacraments1 and at nine      every one 
thought ,i would soon breathe my last4  
,suddenly1 one of      the good ,sisters
 around my couch thought of putting the 
medal on      me4 ,i kissed it          
continually with great confidence1 and  
began to      feel better4 ,my condition
 next morning was a matter of           
astonishment      to the physician1 and 
,i continued to improve so rapidly that1
      at the end of two days1 the fever 
had entirely disappeared4 ,my           
appetite was ravenous1 ,i soon resumed  
my occupations1 and ever      since have
 been in perfect health4 ,i doubt not1  
,monsieur1 that ,i      owe my recovery 
to ,mary1 my good ,mother1 my love for  
whom seems to      have increased2 my   
greatest happiness being to decorate her
 altars1      and my most earnest desire
 that of consecrating myself to ,god in 
a      ,community whose works have so   
touching a connexion with the sublime   
destiny of the ,mother of ,jesus2 it is 
under her protection ,i expect      the 

accomplishment of my designs4           
,yours very respectfully1               
,,aurelie ,b4    ,,note4--,the nine     
,sisters of the establishment have      
attested the truth  of these details1   
and one of the two physicians does not  
hesitate to  declare her recovery       
supernatural4    ,moreover1 this young  
person has ever since remained in       
perfect health4  ,her prayers are       
granted1 the ,immaculate ,mary has also 
obtained for her  the grace of being    
received into the ,community she wished 
to enter1  which is the reason we do not
 give her name4          ,,cure ,,of ,a 
,,religious                             
7,,paris7--#ahcd4--;,attested4    ,this 
fact is known to many2 however1 to      
prevent too great a number  of visitors1
 the ,superior requests us not to       
publish the name of the  ,community4    
,a young religious1 twenty-seven and    
a-half years old and eight years        
professed1 in an ,order especially      
consecrated to the ,blessed ,virgin     

7,paris71 had been kept in the infirmary
 by various maladies1 for the  space of 
five months4 ,at the very time she      
appeared convalescent1 an  accident of  
the gravest nature happened2 her left   
thigh bone became  disjointed and       
shrunken1 the limb was attacked by      
paralysis1 and the  sick religious lay  
upon her bed one month1 without         
experiencing the  slightest alleviation 
from human remedies4 ,two physicians and
 a surgeon  being consulted at various  
times1 pronounced the displacing of the 
bone  due an irritating humor2 but they 
could not check it1 even by means of    
cauterizing and issues1 so that after a 
long and painful treatment1  she        
remained a cripple4 ,she now had        
recourse to the ,blessed ,virgin as  a  
child to its good mother2 a religious of
 the house having brought  her one of   
those medals called miraculous1 which   
had been given her1  she received it    
gratefully1 applied it to the afflicted 
member and  commenced1 ,saturday1 ,march

 #ast1 #ahcd1 a novena to the ,blessed  
,virgin4  ,all human remedies seemed    
unavailing2 she lost her appetite and   
was  unable to sleep4 ,she was also     
racked with high fever2 however1 having 
snatched a little repose during the     
,wednesday night after beginning  the   
novena1 she was suddenly awakened by a  
very painful commotion1  which          
re-established the bones in their place2
 the leg which had been  shortened about
 six inches1 became lengthened almost   
even with the  other1 and recovered its 
usual strength4 ,on visiting her next   
morning1  the physicians were greatly   
astonished1 but gave orders that she    
should  not yet leave her bed4 ,on      
,sunday1 the last day of the novena1 the
 fact  of the cure was established      
beyond a doubt4 ,the religious arose    
quite  naturally1 and without any       
assistance1 ran to kiss the feet of     
,mary's  statue1 placed over the        
infirmary fire-place2 then1 dressed in  
her  habit1 and accompanied by the      

,mother ,infirmarian1 she descended     
about a  dozen steps to the chapel to   
adore the ,blessed ,sacrament1 after    
which  she repaired to the community    
room1 where the ,superior with her      
,mothers  and ,sisters were assembled1  
to give her the kiss of congratulation4 
,this touching scene was terminated by  
the recitation of the ,te ,deum1  and   
,sub ,tuum4 ,no trace of disease        
remained1 except a slight weakness  for 
a few days1 and as this was felt only in
 the sound limb1 it was  evidently the  
result of her having been six months in 
bed4    ,two of the physicians          
acknowledged1 with all the ,community1  
that it was  a supernatural favor4 ,one 
of them has even declared in a          
certificate  of ,may #dth1 #ahcd1 that  
without wishing to characterize a fact  
as  extraordinary1 he observes that in  
this circumstance there are3 #ast1      
spontaneous disjointing2 #b;d1          
spontaneous diminution1 three days      
convalescence1 and these last two are1  

to the extent of his knowledge1  without
 parallel in the records of surgery4    
,the religious has never had another    
attack of this infirmity4               
,,cure ,,of ,a ,,sick ,,person          
7,,ch,,lons ,,sur ,,marne7--#ahcd4      
,the ,abb ,bgin1 an eye-witness of this 
cure1 which took place at the  hospital 
,st4 ,maur1 where he is chaplain1 has   
prepared a verbal process  which        
attests3 #ast1 that the patient was     
really afflicted2 #b;d1 that she  was   
cured ,march #adth1 #ahcd2 #c;d1 that   
she declares no other means were        
employed than the medal and prayer4     
,this verbal process is signed by a     
hundred persons of the above-mentioned  
hospital4        ,madame ,c4,h41 a      
widow1 aged seventy1 a charity patient  
at the      hospital ,st4 ,maur1 was1 in
 consequence of a fall the #gth of      
,august1 #ahcc1 crippled to such a      
degree that it was with great           
difficulty she could walk1 even with the
 aid of a crutch1 and      sometimes the

 additional assistance of another       
person's arm2 she      could scarcely   
seat herself1 and to rise was still more
 of an      effort4 ,to ascend the      
stairs was almost impossible1 she could 
accomplish it only by grasping as she   
went along whatever lay      within     
reach4 ,she could not stoop or kneel2   
the left limb1 which      was the       
principal seat of her malady1 she       
dragged helplessly after      her1 not  
being able to bend it4        ,such was 
her sad condition at the beginning of   
,march1 #ahcd4      ,however1 she heard 
something that enkindled a ray of hope  
in her      heart4 ,some one had spoken 
to her the ,january previous of a medal 
said to be miraculous2 it bore on one   
side the image of ,mary      crushing   
the infernal serpent's head1 her hands  
full of graces      figured by rays of  
light proceeding from them1 and the     
invocation3      ',o ,mary6 conceived   
without sin1 pray for us who have       
recourse to      thee6' on the other1   

the ,sacred ,hearts of ,jesus and ,mary1
 with      the letter ,m surmounted by a
 cross4 ,she was also informed of the   
wonders it had wrought1 and her heart   
awoke to the consoling hope      of     
realizing some benefit from the medal   
which had been promised      her4 ,how  
she sighed for the happy moment when it 
would be in her      possession6 ,how   
long the time of waiting appeared6 ,at  
last1 her      desires were gratified2  
the #fth of ,march she received1 as if  
it were a present from ,heaven1 the long
 wished-for medal1 and      hastened1 by
 the reception of the ,sacrament of     
,penance1 to prepare      herself for   
the desired favor4 ,next day1 the first 
,wednesday in      the month1 she       
commenced by ,holy ,communion a novena  
to the ,sacred      ,hearts of ,jesus   
and ,mary4 ,twenty times1 day and night1
 did she      press to her lips the     
precious medal hung around her neck4    
,for      several days of the novena1   
our ,lord severely tried her faith      

anew4 ,her sufferings increased greatly1
 likewise her fervor and                
confidence1 and soon the most blessed   
results were the recompense      of this
 poor woman's prayers4        ,seven    
days of the novena had not elapsed ere  
she was relieved of      the sufferings 
that had so cruelly afflicted her for   
seven months4      ,i could not depict  
the astonishment and admiration of every
 one1      who saw on the morning of    
,march #adth this person so helpless    
the very evening before1 walk with all  
ease imaginable1 bend1      kneel1 go up
 and down high steps4 ,one spoke of it  
to another for      mutual edification1 
and1 in turn1 came to congratulate her  
on her      recovery1 and give thanks to
 ,god and ,mary4 ,the ,superior1 who had
      bestowed constant care upon the   
sick woman during her crippled          
state1 and had thus been a daily witness
 of her sufferings1      returned solemn
 thanks for this extraordinary grace1   
the whole      ,community chanting a ,te

 ,deum in their chapel4                 
,p4,s4--,i forgot to say that the widow 
has the free use of all her      limbs1 
and has never since had a return of her 
former infirmity4    ,the following is  
what ,monseigneur thought proper to     
append to the  verbal process1 an       
extract from which we have just read3   
,we certify  that credence can1 and     
ought to1 be placed in the testimony of 
the ,abb  ,bgin1 that of the ,sisters   
and so many other eye-witnesses who have
  spoken conscientiously and from no    
motive save that of zeal for the  truth4
         ,m4,s4,f4,v41 ,bishop of       
,chlons4        ,chlons1 ,may #cj1      
#ahcd4          ,,conversions ,,of ,m4  
,,de ,,castillon1 ,,captain ,,in ,,the  
#ba,,st ,,light ,,guards2      ,,and    
,,of ,a ,,woman--#ahcd4        ,extract 
from a letter of ,sister ,c4 7,herault7 
to ,m4,e43                              
,november #ac1 #ahcd4        ,it should 
be the duty of children to glorify their
 mother1 and      a very sweet one it is

 for me to acquaint you with two        
incidents      manifesting the boundless
 charity of ,mary conceived without sin4
        ,the first relates to a sick    
soldier in our house4 ,though we        
had already witnessed the efficacy of   
the medal1 in effecting      the        
conversion of several soldiers most     
obstinate in resisting      grace1 no   
conversion was so striking as this4 ,m4 
,frederick de      ,castillon1 aged     
thirty-five1 ,captain in the #bast      
,light ,guards1      entered the        
hospital1 ,april #bith1 in the last     
stage of consumption1      and attacked 
by paralysis of the left side4 ,we      
nursed him a long      time1 his        
condition grew alarmingly worse1 but how
 could we      mention religion to a    
young soldier who boasted of having     
none8      ,i kept myself always        
informed of his state1 and contented    
myself      7apparently7 with watching  
the progress of the disease4 ,several   
times ,i attempted to make him realize  

his danger1 but in vain4 ,one      day1 
when he was much worse1 and ,i had an   
opportunity of seeing      him alone1 ,i
 ventured to inquire if he were a       
,catholic4 ',yes1      ,sister1' he     
replied1 looking steadily at me4 ,i then
 asked him to      accept a medal1 to   
wear it1 and frequently invoke the      
,immaculate      ,mary1 telling him at  
the same time that1 if he did so with   
faith1      this good ,mother would     
obtain for him all the graces he needed1
 for      bearing his sufferings        
patiently and meritoriously4 ,he        
received it      gratefully1 but did not
 put it on4        ,but our confidence  
in the ,blessed ,virgin's influence over
 him      was not diminished1 especially
 when we saw him place the medal      on
 the side of his bed4 ,the ,sister in   
charge of that hall had      already    
slipped one in his pillow-case4 ,several
 days passed1 his      strength was     
gradually ebbing away1 and after many   
ineffectual      efforts to obtain his  

consent to see a priest1 ,i asked a     
clergyman      to visit him             
notwithstanding1 and ,i introduced him  
into the sick      man's presence just  
as some one came to tell me he could not
 live      through that night 7,october 
#aeth74 ,we found him extremely ill1    
but still inflexible4 ,after a few      
moments1 ,i withdrew1 and left      him 
alone with the charitable priest1 who   
could get nothing from      him but     
these despairing words3 ',leave me in   
peace1 to-morrow ,i      shall be dead1 
and all will be over6' ,of course1 there
 was nothing      else to be done but   
comply with his request1 and you can    
imagine      how painful it was4 ,we    
redoubled our petitions to the          
,immaculate      ,virgin1 and this good 
,mother soon wrought a change in the    
unfortunate man's heart4        ,next   
day1 he asked the physician to tell him 
candidly if his case      were hopeless1
 because he wished to arrange his       
affairs4 ,that same      evening1 as    

soon as the ,sister in charge of the    
hall entered1 he      said to her very  
gently and penitently3 ',oh6 how sorry  
,i am to have      treated the ,superior
 so badly1 and the good priest she      
brought      me6 ,present my apologies  
to them1 ,i beg you1 and ask them to    
come      again4' ,you know we delayed  
not a moment in going to see him4       
,next morning he began his new life1 and
 during the nine days ,m4               
,castillon still lived the chaplain     
visited him several times every         
day1 remaining two hours at a time4 ,one
 of his brother officers1      coming to
 see him just after his first           
confession3 ',if you had      been here 
a few minutes sooner1' said ,m4 de      
,castillon1 with an      utter disregard
 of human respect1 'you would have found
 me in good      company4 ,i was with   
the cur1 and ,i could not have been in  
better4'      ,he had the happiness of  
receiving the ,last ,sacraments with the
 most      admirable dispositions4 ,here

 are his dying words1 which he asked    
this gentleman to commit to writing3 ',i
 die in the religion of my      fathers1
 ,i love and revere it1 ,i humbly beg   
,god's pardon for not      always having
 practiced it publicly4' ,and he expired
 in the peace      of the ,lord1        
,october #bc;d4        ,i now relate the
 second conversion1 that of a woman who1
 for      eighteen years1 had been a    
public scandal1 living with a wretch who
      had abandoned wife and children   
for her4 ,to such wicked conduct1       
she added a more than ordinary degree of
 impiety1 boasting that      she        
believed neither in ,god nor hell1 and  
mocking at everything      religion held
 sacred4 ,although dangerously ill1 she 
declared that      never would she make 
a confession4 ,sister ,n41 seeing the   
rapid      progress of the disease and  
near approach of death1 had recourse    
to the ,blessed ,virgin2 she put a medal
 around the woman's neck1      and began
 a novena for her conversion1 relying   

upon the assistance      of her who1    
every day1 gives us continually         
increasing proofs      that she is our  
,mother and a most merciful one4 ,before
 the novena      was finished1 this poor
 creature1 yielding to grace1 made her  
confession1 and renounced forever the   
wretch who had been her      curse1     
manifesting as much sorrow for her past 
life1 and proving      herself as pious 
as she had heretofore been shamelessly  
impious4        ,the above facts1       
,monsieur1 ,i have thought it my duty to
 make known      to you1 for the        
edification of the faithful and the     
glory of ,mary4      ,may these examples
 of her power and bounty1 lead all      
sinners to      cast themselves into her
 arms6    ,,note4--,these two events are
 truly a confirmation of what ,st4      
,bernard  says1 that no one ever invokes
 ,mary in vain2 but what a misfortune   
for those who refuse her succor6 ,a very
 reliable individual once told  us1 that
 a sick person to whom a medal had been 

given1 and who began  to feel the       
effects of grace1 suddenly insisted upon
 having the medal  taken off1 saying3   
,it hurts me2 ,i can wear it no longer4 
,to quiet him  it was taken off1 and he 
soon expired without the slightest sign 
of  conversion4 ,the person relating    
this1 was an eye-witness2 it happened   
in the month of ,october1 #ahcd4        
,,conversion ,,and ,,cure ,,of ,,mme4   
,p,,ron ,,and ,,cure ,,of ,,her         
,,daughter4--,attested4    ,,note4--,it 
is ,mme4 ,pron herself who gives us all 
the details4 ,she lives  in ,paris1 rue 
des ,petites-curies1 ,no4 #bd4 ,we quote
 her own account1  written ,february    
#bfth1 #ahce1 from her dictation1 and in
 presence of the  ,sister who visited   
her in her sickness4        ,i was sick 
eight years1 and afflicted with very    
considerable      hemorrhages4 ,i       
suffered much and almost continually4 ,i
 was without      strength2 ,i took but 
little nourishment1 and that little     
increased      my malady1 which was     

gradually exhausting me4 ,i do not      
remember      to have had during these  
eight years1 more than eight entire days
      of relief from pain2 the rest of  
the time ,i passed on the bed1          
unable to perform the work necessary to 
aid my poor husband in      supporting  
the family4 ,i have even been confined  
to my bed as      long as eighteen      
months without intermission4 ,i         
consulted several      physicians1 who  
prescribed the remedies usual in such   
cases1 but      all to no purpose4 ,my  
husband1 not being able to afford such  
expense1 and seeing no hope of my       
recovery1 lost courage and was          
almost in despair4 ,some kind persons   
sought to cheer him3 ',you must      not
 be so low-spirited1 my poor            
,bourbonnais1 you must bear up under    
these trials and show your strength of  
character2 your wife is very      sick1 
but she will recover and your friends   
will not abandon you4'      ,as for     
myself1 seeing that medicines had no    

effect and cost us a      great deal of 
money1 ,i dispensed with doctors1 and   
was a long time      without seeing one1
 having resigned myself to a slow death4
        ,a neighbor who understood my   
position1 came one day to see me1       
and urged me not to give up thus1 but to
 have the physician again4      ,i      
opposed it1 because we had not the      
wherewith to remunerate him4      ,she  
then proposed to call in a ,sister of   
,charity4 ,i observed that      not     
being in want1 perhaps the ,sisters     
would refuse to come1 as it      might  
thus deprive of their services1 others  
more unfortunate than      myself4 ,this
 good lady insisted1 and ,i yielded4    
,next morning1 ,i received a visit from 
,sister ,marie 7of ,st4 ,vincent      de
 ,paul's parish71 who brought me some   
assistance1 encouraged me to            
support my sufferings1 and did her best 
to console me4 ,i can truly      say    
that happiness entered my house with    
this good ,sister4 ,she      soon sent a

 physician1 who1 after examining me and 
understanding      my case1 told her1 as
 ,i have since learned1 that it was a   
hopeless      one1 ,i had a very little 
while to live1 and ought to be sent to  
the hospital to spare my family the sad 
spectacle of my death4      ,hearing    
this1 ,sister ,marie believed it her    
duty to give my soul      especial      
attention4 ,i was not an enemy to       
religion1 but ,i was      not very      
practical2 ,i went sometimes to the     
parish functions1      when my          
sufferings and occupations permitted1   
but 7and ,i say it      to my shame7 ,i 
had not approached the ,sacraments for  
years4 ,when      the ,sister1 after    
several other questions1 asked me if ,i 
went to      confession1 blushing1 ,i   
said 'no4' ,she begged me to do so1 and 
,i replied3 ',when ,i am cured1 ,i      
will4' ,the good ,sister1 little        
satisfied with my evasive answer1 urged 
me again to see a priest4               
',sister1' said ,i1 ',i don't like to be

 persecuted with things of      this    
sort1 when ,i am cured ,i will go to    
confession4' ,i saw that      this      
answer grieved her1 but she never       
remitted her visits and kind            
attentions4 ,my malady increased4 ,one  
,saturday or ,sunday night1 at      the 
commencement of ,october1 #ahcd1 my     
whole body was cold1 and      vainly did
 my friends endeavor to restore a       
natural warmth1 the      chill of death 
seemed on me4 ,they spoke of reciting   
the prayers      for the dying2 ,i      
understood a part of what was said1 but 
myself      was speechless4 ,whilst ,i  
was so ill1 my husband told our eldest  
daughter to go to bed1 and he1 thinking 
me easier because ,i was      feebly    
breathing1 threw himself1 without       
undressing1 upon the bed      to snatch 
a little repose2 but1 getting up a few  
minutes later1 he      came to me1 put  
his hand on my face1 and was horrified  
to find it      covered with a cold     
sweat4 ,he thought me dead1 and called  

aloud3      ',euphemie1' 7this is our   
eldest daughter's name71 ',euphemie1    
alas6      thy mother is dead6'         
,euphemie arose and mingled her         
lamentations      with those of her     
father4 ,their cries awakened ,madame   
,pellev1 our      neighbor1 who came to 
console them4 ',ah6 madame1' said my    
husband1      on seeing her1 'my wife is
 dead6' ,having begged him to be        
resigned      to ,god's will1 this lady 
approached me1 and1 placing her hand    
upon      my heart3 ',no1' she          
exclaimed1 'she is not dead1 her heart  
still      beats4' ,they kindled a fire1
 and succeeded in restoring a little    
warmth to my body4        ,madame       
,pellev went betimes to inform ,sister  
,marie of all this1      and the latter 
hastened to tell the physician4 ',i am  
not at all      surprised1' he answered2
 'this lady has two incurable diseases4 
,besides these hemorrhages1 she is in   
the last stage of consumption1      as  
,i have already told you1 and if not    

dead before this1 she will      not live
 through the day4' ,my chest had1       
indeed1 been very weak for      some    
time1 and the physicians in consultation
 had all said ,i could      never be    
cured4        ,at two o'clock in the    
afternoon ,i received a visit from      
,sister      ,marie1 who found me not   
quite so ill2 ,i could speak4 ',do you  
love the ,blessed ,virgin very much8'   
said she4 ',yes1 ,sister1' ,i      had  
indeed always practiced some devotion in
 honor of this good      ,mother4 ',if  
you love her very much1 ,i can give you 
something to      cure you4' ',oh6 yes1 
,i shall soon be well4' ,i spoke of     
death1 for      ,i felt that it was     
near4 ,then she showed me a medal and   
said3      ',take this medal of the     
,blessed ,virgin1 who will cure you1 if 
you      have great confidence in her4' 
,the sight of the medal filled me       
with joy2 ,i took it and kissed it      
fervently1 for ,i truly longed to       
be cured4 ,the ,sister now recited aloud

 the little prayer which ,i      could  
not read1 and urged me to repeat it     
daily2 ,i promised to add      five     
,paters and five ,aves4 ,she then put   
the medal around my neck4      ,at that 
instant1 there passed through me a new1 
strange feeling1      a general         
revolution in my whole body1 a thrill   
through all my      members4 ,it was not
 a painful sensation1 on the contrary1  
,i began      to shed tears of joy4 ,i  
was not cured1 but ,i felt that ,i was  
going      to be cured1 and ,i          
experienced a confidence that came not  
from      myself4        ,sister ,marie 
left me in this state2 after her        
departure1 my      husband who had      
remained motionless at the foot of my   
bed said3      ',put all your confidence
 in the ,blessed ,virgin2 we are going  
to      make a novena for you4' ,towards
 evening ,i could raise myself up in    
bed1 which was very astonishing1        
considering my extreme exhaustion1      
but a few hours previous4 ,on ,tuesday  

,i requested some broth1      which was 
given me at last1 and a little while    
after ,i took some      soup4 ,my       
strength returned2 ,i felt that ,i was  
cured4 ,finally1 on      ,thursday1 ,i  
wished to go to church to thank the     
,blessed ,virgin4      ,this suggestion 
was opposed1 but ,i insisted and at     
length went4      ,whilst on the way and
 alone 7for ,i preferred going by       
myself71 ,i      met ,sister ,marie1 who
 did not recognize me2 ,i took her hand3
 ',oh6'      said she1 'it is really    
yourself6' ',yes1 ,sister1 it is ,i     
indeed2 ,i      am going to ,mass3 ,i am
 cured6' ',and what has cured you so    
quickly8'      ',the ,blessed ,virgin1  
and ,i am going to thank her4' ,the     
,sister was      lost in astonishment4  
,i recounted to her how it had all come 
about      in less than three days1 and 
,i kept on to church and heard ,mass4   
,since then1 ,i have had no return of my
 malady2 ,i enjoy good health2      ,i  
go about my duties1 performing a regular

 day's work1 and to the      ,miraculous
 ,medal am ,i indebted for it all4      
,not only ,madame ,pron's body but her  
soul1 did the ,blessed ,virgin  restore 
to health2 she soon chose a ,director   
and went to confession1  and she has    
continued to do so ever since2 her life 
is really very  edifying4 ,as she deeply
 regrets having lived so long estranged 
from  ,god1 her greatest happiness now  
is in frequently approaching the        
,sacraments2 two things awaken her      
tears1 the recollection of her past     
life1 and gratitude for her twofold     
recovery4    ,nor is this all2 the      
,blessed ,virgin seems to have chosen   
this family  for the purpose of         
displaying in it the wonders of her     
power4 ,madam  ,pron had a daughter aged
 sixteen1 who1 after her mother's       
recovery1  gave herself to ,god in an   
especial manner1 employing in exercises 
of  piety1 all her leisure moments1 and 
edifying her companions in the  parish  
confraternity1 whenever she could take  

part in their devotions  for she lived  
in another quarter4    ,the father also 
was deeply touched at the favors        
accorded his wife2 he  wears the medal1 
and he has experienced its blessed      
effects4    ,madame ,pron has still     
another daughter1 a little girl six     
years and  a-half old1 who had great    
difficulty in speaking1 or rather1 who  
did  not speak at all1 although she was 
not mute4 ,her utterance was so         
impeded1 that she scarcely ever finished
 a word1 thus disconcerting  the most   
patient4 ,it was so much the more       
deplorable1 as she was  quite a bright  
child4 ',what a pity she does not talk6'
 said everyone  who witnessed her       
infirmity4 ,when ,sister ,marie saw this
 little girl1  ',why do you not send her
 to school1' said she to the mother1    
'instead  of keeping her home all day8' 
',you hear how she talks1' answered  the
 mother1 who did not like to have her   
child's infirmity exposed4  ,however1   
she yielded to the ,sister's wishes1 and

 little ,hortense was  sent to the      
,sister's parish school4 ,her imperfect 
speech did not  improve1 it would       
sometimes take her five minutes to      
pronounce half  a word4 ,some days      
after1 ,sister ,marie1 who deeply pitied
 the child1  spoke to her mother of a   
novena for curing this defect4 ,cure    
,hortense1  ,sister6 it is impossible1  
it is a natural defect6 ,the ,sister1   
with  increasing anxiety insisted4 ,the 
novena was commenced on ,saturday2  it  
consisted in hearing ,mass every day1   
and reciting a few prayers  in honor of 
the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,the medal was    
hung around the little  girl's neck1 and
 she was to take part in all the        
exercises of the  novena4 ,for several  
days there was no change1 but ,thursday 
after the  ,mass of the ,blessed        
,sacrament1 ,hortense1 on leaving       
church1 could  speak as distinctly and  
with as much ease as any one4 ,those who
 first  heard her were struck with      
admiration1 the news soon spread1 and   

from  all sides came persons to see her2
 they questioned her1 and the child     
answered1 they scanned her to see if it 
were really the same1 and  recognizing  
her1 they returned1 saying3 ,this is    
certainly a great  miracle1 a sudden    
cure of a natural defect6    ,little    
,hortense1 showing her medal with       
delight1 would say to all who  knew and 
congratulated her3 ,the ,blessed ,virgin
 has cured me4    ,in thanksgiving for  
so great a benefit1 the child was       
consecrated  to ,mary on the #bast of   
,november1 ,feast of the ,presentation1 
in the  same chapel where the apparition
 of the medal took place1 and1 in       
commemoration of this great event of her
 life1 she was to wear only  blue and   
white until her ,first ,communion4      
,previous to this ceremony1  she made   
her confession1 with every evidence of  
understanding  thoroughly the importance
 of the act4 ,when asked if she loves   
the  ,blessed ,virgin1 ,oh6 yes1 she    
answers1 ,i love her with more than all 

my heart6 an expression invented1 it    
seems1 solely by the fulness of  her    
gratitude4 ,she prizes her brass medal  
so highly1 that she would  not exchange 
it for one of silver or gold1 and she   
wishes it put in the  tomb with her when
 she dies4 ,we hope1 ,hortense1 said her
 father not  long ago1 7he always finds 
a new pleasure in hearing her talk71 we 
hope1 when you die1 that you will leave 
us this medal as a souvenir of  yourself
 and a relic of the ,blessed ,virgin4   
,certainly1 papa1 if it  gives you so   
much pleasure1 but ,i promised the      
,blessed ,virgin1 the day  of my        
consecration1 that the medal should     
never leave me1 but should  even descend
 with me into the tomb when ,i died4    
,we publish these details1 with the     
cordial approbation of this family1     
fully imbued with ever increasing       
gratitude to ,mary ,immaculate4         
,these two accounts have been confirmed 
by nine other persons4                  
,,conversion ,,of ,,several ,,soldiers  

7,,hotel ,,des                          
,,invalides7--#ahcd4--;,attested4       
,,note4--,all these edifying details1   
which have already produced a most      
beneficial effect upon many young men1  
were given us and attested by  ,sisters 
,radier and ,pourrat1 who1 having charge
 of that ward1 were  witnesses of the   
facts1 and also instruments of divine   
mercy in  operating these prodigies4    
,we had in ,st4 ,vincent's ward1 number 
#bj1 royal hotel des      ,invalides1   
,paris1 a soldier who had been spitting 
blood about six      months1 and who1 it
 was thought1 would soon die of         
consumption4 ,he      was naturally     
polite and grateful for the attentions  
bestowed upon      him1 but he showed no
 signs of religion2 his morals were bad1
 and      it was a well-known fact that1
 for twenty years1 his life had been    
one of scandal4        ,it appeared1    
however1 that faith was not entirely    
extinguished in      his heart1 for     
another patient1 his neighbor1 being on 

the point      of death and refusing to 
see a priest1 this one entreated him to 
yield1 and was instrumental in bringing 
about his conversion4      ,alas6 his   
own turn soon came1 we saw him growing  
worse day by day1      he was wasting   
visibly1 and had not once mentioned     
receiving the      ,sacraments4 ,as he  
had urged his neighbor to prepare for   
death1 we      hoped he would make his  
own preparation1 without being reminded 
of it1 or1 at least1 that he would      
willingly comply with the      first    
suggestion4 ,on the contrary1 he        
absolutely resisted all our             
entreaties1 saying3 ',i am an honest    
man1 ,sister1 ,i have neither           
killed nor robbed4' ',even so1' we would
 answer1 'we all stand in      need of  
,god's mercy1 we are all sinners4' ',oh6
 ,sister1 just leave      me in peace1  
,i beg you4'        ,however1 he began  
to realize that he had been sinking for 
several      days1 and he said aloud3   
',there is no hope for me6' ,this       

thought      appeared to distress him4  
,one day 7it was ,wednesday1 the #bfth  
of      ,november71 the disease took    
such a sudden turn for the worse1 we    
feared he would not live through the    
day1 and1 being unable to      make any 
religious impression on him1 we warned  
the chaplain of      his condition and  
his resistance to all our entreaties4   
,the latter      went to see him4 ,our  
patient received him with great respect1
 but1      wishing to get rid of him    
adroitly1 said3 ',i am acquainted with  
the      cur4' ,a little while after1   
the cur visited him1 and conversed      
with him some time4 ,on leaving his     
bedside1 the venerable1 zealous         
pastor came to us and said3 ',your      
patient is very low1 and ,i have        
not succeeded in getting him to do      
anything for his soul2 indeed1      ,i  
did not urge him too much1 for fear he  
might say no1 and then      would not   
revoke it1 like so many others1 after   
once giving a      decided negative4'   

,the same day a lady of his acquaintance
 also came to see him1 and              
earnestly but vainly urged him to make  
his peace with ,god4 ,to get      rid of
 her importunity he said3 ',i know the  
cur2 he has already      been to see me1
 and will return this evening4' ,the cur
 returned      indeed1 according to     
promise2 the sick man1 on seeing him1   
jumped      out of bed to show that he  
was not so ill as to make confession a  
very pressing matter4 ,the cur1 a true  
,samaritan1 rendered him all      the   
little services imaginable1 helping him 
back to bed1 and even      offering to  
dress his blister2 he then spoke to him 
about his soul1      but without avail1 
for after an hour's conversation he came
 to us      and said3 ',i am deeply     
grieved1 for ,i have done my utmost1 but
 it      has had no effect upon him4'   
,we asked the cur if we must call him   
during the night1 in case the sick man  
grew worse4 ',i think1' said      he1   
'you had better not1 unless he asks for 

me4' ,a little later one      of us     
reminded him again of the chaplain1 who 
was passing1 but he      got enraged and
 began to swear1 so that we had to drop 
the subject1      despite our distress  
at the thought of his appearing so      
unprepared      before his ,god4 ,our   
grief was so much the greater in        
proportion to      his extreme danger1  
for the death rattle was already in his 
throat1      and it did not seem        
possible that he could survive the      
night4 ,it      was then my young       
companion said to me3 ',oh6 ,sister1    
perhaps our      sins1 as our holy ,st4 
,vincent says1 have been the cause of   
this      man's impenitence4' ,expecting
 nothing more from the patient1 ,sister 
,radier now turned all her hopes towards
 the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,during          
night prayers thoughts of the medal came
 into her mind1 and she      said to    
herself3 ',if we put the medal on him   
perhaps the ,blessed      ,virgin will  
obtain his conversion1' and she         

determined to make a      novena4 ,after
 prayers she said to her companion3     
',let us go see the      sick man and   
put a medal on him2 perhaps the ,blessed
 ,virgin will      grant our petitions4'
 ,she went immediately1 and found him up
 and      in a state of great agitation1
 and about to leave the room2 all       
the other patients saw it clearly1 and  
said that it was with the      intention
 of committing suicide4 ,the ,sister    
cautiously took away      his knife and 
whatever else might be used in this way1
 slipped      unperceived the medal     
between his two mattresses1 and returned
 to      us very sadly1 saying3 ',let us
 fervently invoke the ,blessed ,virgin1 
for ,i very much fear this poor man will
 kill himself during the      night4'   
,next day1 immediately after rising1 and
 even before seeing the      ,sister who
 had kept watch1 one of us hastened to  
visit our patient1      and not without 
most dire forebodings1 but1 to our      
astonishment1      his mind was calm and

 he seemed better4 ,on inquiring how he 
felt1      ',very well1 ,sister1' he    
answered1 ',i passed a good night1 ,i   
slept      well 7which ,i have not done 
for a long time71 and ,i am better in   
consequence4' ,as the ,sister retired1  
he called to her1 saying3      ',sister1
 ,i wish to make my confession1 oh6 send
 the cur to me6'      ',you wish to     
confess8' replied the ,sister1 'take    
care2 are you      going to do as you   
did all day yesterday1 do you really    
want him8'      ',yes1 ,sister1 upon my 
honor4' ',well1 since you wish him1 ,i  
will go      for him1 it will certainly 
be well for you to confess your sins1   
for it is said that your life has not   
always been edifying4' ,then1           
without the slightest human respect1 he 
began to mention his sins      aloud1   
and with great sentiments of            
compunction2 we could scarcely          
induce him to stop4 ,the cur came1 and  
he made his confession1      which      
lasted an hour4 ,afterwards1 one of us  

having come to see      him1 he         
exclaimed joyfully at our reproach3     
',oh6 ,sister1 how happy      ,i am1 ,i 
have been to confession1 ,i have        
received absolution1 and      the cur is
 to return this evening4 ,since my      
,first ,communion1 this      is the     
happiest day of my life6' ,he appeared  
deeply affected1 and      expressed a   
most ardent desire to receive the good  
,god4 ',do you      know what we did8'  
',what was it1 ,sister8' ',we put       
between your      mattresses a          
,miraculous ,medal of the ,blessed      
,virgin4' ',ah6 then1      that is why  
,i passed such a comfortable night2     
moreover1 ,i felt as      if there was  
something about me that wrought a       
wonderful change1      and ,i do not    
know why ,i did not search my bed2 ,i   
thought of doing      so4' ,the ,sister 
then produced the medal1 which he kissed
 with      respect and affection4 ',it  
is this1' he exclaimed1 'that gave me   
strength to brave human respect4 ,i must

 place it on my breast2 ,i      will    
give you a ribbon to attach it to my    
decoration1' 7he wore the      cross of 
honor47 ,the first ribbon offered being 
a little faded1      ',no1 ,sister1'    
said he1 'not that1 but this2 the       
,blessed ,virgin must      have a new   
ribbon4' ,the ,sister1 regarding his    
weak state1 placed      the medal in    
such a manner that it was somewhat      
concealed4 ',oh6 do      not hide it1   
,sister1' said he2 'put it beside my    
cross1 ,i shall not      blush to show  
it4'        ,in the afternoon the cur   
asked us how our patient was1 and he    
was not less edified than ourselves at  
the account we gave of his              
admirable dispositions4 ,preparations   
were made to give him the last          
,sacraments4 ,at the sight of the ,holy 
,viaticum1 he was so penetrated         
with emotion that he begged pardon aloud
 of ,god for all the sins      of his   
life in detail1 and it was with the     
utmost difficulty he      could be      

persuaded to lower his voice1 his heart 
being too full      to contain itself4  
,he passed the following night and the  
next day      in the same dispositions  
of faith1 regret and piety1 until       
,monday      morning1 ,december #ast1   
when he peacefully rendered his soul to 
,god1      and we have every confidence 
that it was received into the arms of   
,his mercy4        ,we relate what we   
saw and heard2 it took place in our     
ward1 which      numbers sixty patients1
 the majority of whom witnessed a part  
of      these details4                  
,,note4--,before burial1 the ,sister    
took the medal off his corpse1 and the  
patient in the next bed begged to have  
it1 so persuaded was he that it  had    
been the instrument of this touching    
conversion4    ,this consoling return to
 ,god was followed by several others not
 less  striking or less sincere1 and in 
that very institution1 by the same      
means--the medal4 ,quite lately two have
 taken place1 but the details  are so   

very much like the above that for this  
reason alone we refrain  from giving    
them4    ,all this has been confirmed by
 ,m4 ,ancelin1 cur of the ,invalides4   
,,cure ,,of ,m4 ,,fermin1 ,a            
,,priest--#ahcd4    ,this account was   
sent us by the ,superior ,general of    
,st4 ,sulpice1 who  was anxious that we 
should have it4 ,the venerable priest of
 this very  estimable ,community1 who   
was favored with this grace1 wrote the  
details  himself1 and they were attested
 by the ,superior and the ,director of  
the  grand ,seminary of ,rheims1 both of
 whom were witnesses4        ,to the    
glory of ,mary conceived without sin1   
,i1 ,jean ,baptiste      ,fermin1       
unworthy servant of the ,blessed        
,virgin1 and subject of ,m4      ,olier1
 have1 together with my ,superior and   
confrres1 thought it      my duty to    
transmit to our very honored ,father1 an
 account of the      special favor      
accorded me4        ,many persons knew  
what ,i suffered for six whole years1   

how ,i      was worn out with a nervous1
 worrying cough1 whose attacks were     
so frequent and so prolonged that one   
can scarcely imagine how ,i      ever   
survived them4 ,my physician himself    
told me that1 for the      first three  
years1 my life was in imminent danger1  
and if in the      last three ,i was    
less exposed to death at every step1 as 
it were1      the giving way of my      
stomach1 the weakness of my chest1 were 
such      that all my days were filled  
with bitterness1 and new crosses        
were laid upon me4 ,in this condition1  
what ecclesiastical fasts      could ,i 
keep8 ,four or five years ago1 the      
desire of complying1      in some       
degree1 with the precepts of the ,church
 led me to fast      the ,ember week    
before ,christmas1 and the prejudice to 
my health      was such that ,i was not 
permitted to fast again even for a day4 
,abstinence from meat became impossible1
 and for having attempted      this     
slight mortification1 how much ,i       

suffered in consequence1 even      in   
the very month of ,july1 #ahcd6 ,whilst 
my health was so impaired1      and ,i  
saw only a lingering end to my          
afflictions1 it pleased my              
,superiors to give me a year's rest4 ,i 
received with gratitude this            
additional evidence of their            
consideration for me1 and endeavored    
to co-operate with them in              
re-establishing my health1 of which they
      had been so thoughtful2 but1 in my
 condition1 the recuperative      powers
 of nature were of slight avail4 ,even  
amidst perfect      quiet and rest for  
four whole months1 ,i experienced but   
little      alleviation of my           
sufferings1 for though my chest became1 
at least1      apparently stronger1 my  
stomach grew weaker and more disordered1
      so that ,i was obliged to diet1   
which1 added to the dieting ,i had      
already practiced1 reduced me to such a 
state of exhaustion that ,i      could  
not foresee the consequences4        ,o1

 ,mary1 how deplorable was my condition 
when you cast upon      me a look of    
mercy6 ,the #aeth of ,november1 #ahcd1  
,i was sent a      medal1 struck in     
honor of the ,immaculate ,conception1   
and already      celebrated as the      
instrument of many miracles4 ,in        
receiving it1      ,i was penetrated1   
for the first time1 with a strong       
feeling      of confidence1 that this   
was the ,heaven-sent means by which ,i  
would reach the end of my afflictions2  
,i had not foreseen this      hope1     
still less had ,i excited it1 for ,i    
believe ,i can say1                     
conscientiously1 that ,i felt naturally 
disinclined to ask a favor      of which
 ,i deemed myself unworthy4 ,however1   
the feeling became so      strong that  
,i thought it my duty to consider it    
prayerfully next      morning2 and not  
to oppose so good an impulse1 ,i        
determined to      make a novena1 and ,i
 commenced it on the #afth4 ,from that  
moment my      confidence was boundless1

 and like a child who reasons no longer1
      but sees only what he feels sure  
of obtaining1 it sustained me           
amidst the new trials to which ,i was   
subjected2 for on the #aith1      and   
several days after1 my sufferings were  
redoubled1 affecting at      once both  
stomach and chest4 ,on the #bb;d ,i felt
 considerably better1      on the #bc;d 
,i believed myself strong enough to     
abandon a diet on      which ,i had     
subsisted a long time1 and on the #bdth 
,i wished to eat      just what was     
served the ,community2 that very morning
 ,i commenced1      like the hearty     
seminarians1 to take a little dry bread 
and wine1      and it agreed with me4   
,thus my desires were accomplished4 ,i  
had      implored the ,blessed ,virgin  
to give me health to live according     
to the rule1 and she had done so2 but a 
good ,mother like ,mary      would not  
leave her work imperfect1 and she chose 
the very day of      her ,conception to 
bestow upon me her crowning favors4 ,i  

was still      troubled with a slight   
indisposition of the stomach            
accompanying      digestion after       
dinner1 but it was not positive         
suffering1 and even      this remnant of
 my old infirmity disappeared entirely4 
,on the eve      of that ,feast my      
devotion to ,mary1 which had lost a     
little of its      first fervor1 was1   
when ,i least expected it1 excited anew1
 and ,i      felt urged to implore the  
consummation of a good work so happily  
begun4 ,i did so that evening1 and next 
morning at prayers1 at ,mass1      at my
 thanksgiving1 and it was in finishing  
this last exercise      before a statue 
of the ,blessed ,virgin1 after a most   
fervent prayer1      that ,i realized   
the recompense of my confidence--,i felt
 assured      that my petitions had been
 granted4 ,since then ,i have           
experienced      no indisposition worthy
 of attention4 ,i was able to fast the  
,ember      week before ,christmas and  
the eve of that great solemnity2 ,i sang

      the ten o'clock ,high ,mass the   
fourth ,sunday in ,advent2 ,i followed  
all the offices of the choir on those   
days the ,church consecrates      to the
 celebration of our ,divine ,master's   
birth1 and1 instead of      regretting  
these efforts1 ,i find in each one of   
them a new motive      for blessing the 
,lord and testifying my gratitude to our
 good      ,mother4                     
,j4,b4 ,,fermin4          ,though       
surpassing our hopes1 we have witnessed 
the speedy and      perfect recovery of 
,m4,j4 ,fermin1 which appears to be     
something      supernatural1 since he   
employed no other remedies than great   
devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin and a  
novena in her honor4                    
,,aubry1 ,,raigecourt ,,gournay4        
,,ii4        ,graces ,obtained during   
the ,year #ahce1 in ,france1            
,switzerland1      ,savoy and ,turkey4  
,,cure ,,of ,,mademoiselle ,,joubert4   
,,note4--,the account of this very      
striking cure was sent us by ,m4        

,poinsel1 ,vicar ,general of ,limoges1  
whom ,i took the liberty of asking  for 
it4                                     
,bishopric of ,limoges4        ,glory to
 ,god6 honor to ,mary6        ,the #ajth
 of ,february1 #ahcd1 ,mlle4 ,joubert1  
aged twenty-nine      years1 a person of
 solid piety1 was suddenly cured of a   
painful      and very serious infirmity4
 ,for more than a year1 she had carried 
her left arm in a sling1 by reason of an
 unaccountable disease      which       
extended from the shoulder to the hand1 
and was of such a      nature that the  
afflicted member seemed dead2 when      
necessary to      be handled1 it had to 
be done with extreme precaution1 and    
even      then the pain was so excessive
 that often the patient fell sick       
in consequence4 ,the disease was        
successively styled rheumatic      gout1
 inflammatory and gangrenous rheumatism2
 science employed in      combating it1 
baths1 shower baths1 poultices1         
liniments of all      sort1 vain        

remedies which only aggravated the evil 
and varied      the suffering4          
,sometimes amputation was spoken of3    
',would to      ,god1 ,mademoiselle1 you
 had but one arm6' said the physician1  
not concealing his anxiety and fears of 
her death1 as spring      approached1   
for the diseased arm was pale1 livid1   
and frightful to      behold4           
,the young lady1 a true ,christian1 was 
resigned to all2 by      meditations    
upon the cross1 she encouraged herself  
to suffer1      and1 perceiving the     
progress of the disease1 she thought    
only of      dying the precious death of
 the just4 ,a friend1 one day1 proposed 
to her that she should wear the medal   
with confidence1 and make a      novena 
to ,mary4 ,she acted upon the           
suggestion2 at the end of the           
novena1 on the usual day of her         
confession 7she was accustomed to       
confess weekly71 she approached the     
sacred tribunal1 and lo6 at the         
very instant when recollected1 contrite 

and humbled1 she received      the moral
 effect of the priest's benediction and 
holy words1 an      extraordinary       
physical change took place in the arm   
heretofore      judged incurable1 it    
suddenly became unloosed and free1 all  
suffering vanished6 ',i scarcely knew   
where ,i was1' said she1 'but      it   
seemed to me as if a cord that had been 
tightly drawn around my      arm was    
unwound1 ring after ring1 and ,i was    
cured6 ,my surprise1 my      joy1 were  
extreme and beyond all power of         
expression6'        ,on reaching home1  
she exclaimed3 ',a miracle6 light a     
taper1 light      two1 come1 come1 see  
the miracle6 ,i can move my arm1        
animation is      restored to it1 ,i am 
cured6' ,oh6 how great the joy of that  
family6      ,they surrounded the       
favored one1 they looked at1 they       
touched the      resuscitated member1   
they tested its powers in various ways1 
making      her lift divers objects and 
execute a variety of movements2 then1   

all the members of this truly ,christian
 family1 moved even to      tears1 fell 
on their knees1 and recited that hymn of
 thanksgiving1      the ,te ,deum4      
,since then1 7that is1 for more than a  
year71 her arm has been      perfectly  
well4 ,the physician himself was struck 
with this event1      which it would be 
difficult to attribute to concealed     
resources1      or the sudden agency of 
nature4 ,what is nature without the     
intervention and action of ,god8 ,he is 
sole ,master of nature1 life      and   
death are at ,his will4 ,it is not      
necessary1 then1 to reason so      much 
on the subject2 a little faith will     
easily make us recognize      here a    
special grace of ,god1 through the      
intercession of ,mary1 our      kind1   
sweet ,mother1 to whom we must ever     
repair1 invoking her with      love and 
confidence4        ,such is the simple  
and conscientious account of the event  
given      me1 the undersigned1 by the  
person herself1 in answer to my         

questions1 in the presence of an        
intelligent1 reliable individual        
who saw all1 having several times       
dressed the arm1 and who1 by      reason
 of her skill and long experience1 was  
well calculated to      judge of the    
danger4        ,in attestation of which1
 etc4                                   
,,poinsel1 ,vicar ,general4             
,february #ad1 #ahce4    ,these details 
are confirmed by two letters of ,madame 
and ,mademoiselle  ,joubert1 by the     
testimony of the ,superior of the       
,daughters of ,charity  of ,limoges1 and
 that of ,m4 ,dumonteil1 a lawyer and   
friend of the family4                   
,,conversions ,,and ,,cures ,,wrought   
,,in ,,switzerland4    ,letter from     
,sister ,boubat1 ,superioress of the    
,daughters of ,charity in  ,chesne3     
,february #ab1 #ahce4        ,i have not
 great miracles to recount to-day1 but  
the facts ,i give      are certainly    
very striking traits of protection4     
,however1 ,i shall      tell them just  

as they are1 and let you judge of them  
for yourself4      ,those of which ,i   
was not an eye-witness have been told me
 by very      reliable parties who were4
        #ast4 ,a woman who had been sick
 a long time1 and given up by the       
doctors1 received1 one evening1 the     
,miraculous ,medal1 and was             
restored to her usual health that night2
 feeling perfectly well1      she said  
to her husband next morning that she    
would get up and      prepare breakfast4
 ,he treated this as nonsense1 and when 
she really      did arise1 his          
astonishment was great1 and beyond all  
bounds when      he found that her      
health was fully restored4        #b;d4 
,in the same village1 a young mother had
 two children1 one six      the other   
eight years old4 ,the latter was        
attacked by a violent      malady1      
described to me as a convulsion1 and    
died in a few days4      ,the younger   
had a similar attack1 and seemed on the 
verge of death4      ,the poor mother   

was in the depths of grief1 when some   
one thought      of offering her a      
medal4 ,she received it as a treasure4  
,it was      evening2 she put it on the 
dying child1 who soon fell asleep1 and  
slept soundly the whole night4 ,in the  
morning he awoke perfectly      cured6  
,this good woman afterwards came to me  
to get medals for      herself and some 
others4 ,oh6 ,i wish you could have seen
 her as she      wept for joy whilst    
expressing to me1 with all simplicity1  
the      transports of her soul6 ,never 
will ,i forget it1 so deep was the      
impression it made upon me4        #c;d4
 ,a child five years old had been racked
 for several months by a      fever1    
which resisted all efforts to check it4 
,one day1 he was in      his            
grandmother's arms when the paroxysm    
began4 ,this woman1 full of      faith1 
applied the medal2 the child soon grew  
better1 and the fever      never        
troubled him again4        ,the         
attending physician was a relation2 on  

seeing him after this1      the child   
ran towards him1 exclaiming with all the
 animation and      artlessness of his  
age3 ',i am cured1 but it was not you   
who cured      me1 it was the medal4'   
,he repeats these words nearly every    
time he      sees the doctor4           
#dth4 ,a young man1 on his death-bed1   
filled all his friends with      serious
 apprehensions for his salvation4 ,after
 several vain efforts      of the most  
charitable zeal1 the cur induced him to 
accept a      medal1 and very soon the  
dying man expressed a wish to confess4  
,he      expired in the most edifying   
dispositions4        #eth4 ,three       
sinners obstinately refused to assist at
 the exercises      of a mission given  
in their parish1 and even sought to     
oppose it4      ,one of the missionaries
 persuaded them to accept a medal1 and  
as      soon as they had received it1 a 
great change was visible4 ,they      not
 only made the mission1 most devoutly1  
but became its zealous      advocates4  

,i get these details from a very        
venerable cur1 who gave them to      me 
himself4        #fth4 ,there came to me 
recently a woman from the neighboring   
mountainous district1 who said without  
any previous explanation3      ',you    
cured one of my daughters whom all the  
physicians had given      up2 ,i now    
wish you to give me the same thing4' ,i 
tried at once to      recollect what    
medicines ,i had prescribed1 and asked  
question after      question concerning 
the nature of the malady1 so as to know 
what      remedy ,i had dispensed4      
,after puzzling my brain to discover1   
she      told me it was a piece1 thus   
suddenly reminding me that ,i had given 
a medal to a young woman from that      
place1 who came to consult me      about
 her failing health4 ,to verify the     
fact1 ,i sent word for the      young   
woman to come to see me4        ,i pass 
over in silence a multitude of other    
events which1 without      being termed 
miracles1 are none the less real graces2

 and in my      eyes one most precious  
and great grace for us is1 that the     
,blessed      ,virgin deigns to make use
 of our poor little house to propagate  
devotion to her4 ,oh6 if you could see  
these good mountaineers      of every   
age and sex come with the greatest      
confidence and most      touching       
simplicity1 asking for na mdaillot--a   
medal4 ,it has      affected me deeply1 
and ,i cannot sufficiently express my   
gratitude      to our tender and        
,immaculate ,mother4        ,even       
,protestants have asked us for these    
medals1 and ,i am      assured it was   
with perfect sincerity4 ,the pastors in 
,savoy are      also very zealous in    
propagating this devotion to ,mary4     
,since      reading the notice1 they    
have mentioned it from the pulpit to    
their parishioners1 many of whom have1  
in consequence1 procured      the medal4
 ,likewise1 do we see young men about to
 enter the army      fortify themselves 
with it1 and persons undertaking a      

voyage      wearing it as their         
safeguard2 indeed1 every one has        
recourse to it      as the universal    
remedy for soul and body4      ,,cure   
,,of ,,sister ,,hyacinthe1 ,a           
,,religious ,,of ,,calvary4    ,it is   
the ,mother ,general of the ,community  
who has given us these  details4 ,her   
letter is dated ,february #gth1 #ahce4  
,i am overwhelmed with joy2 our poor    
patient is perfectly cured      by      
virtue of the ,miraculous ,medal4 ,i    
could say our patients1      for our    
prayers were offered both for the       
paralytic and that      young person    
whom ,i told you had been sick eleven   
months2      she was able to remain out 
of bed only a few hours each day2       
whenever she could go to ,mass1 and that
 was rarely1 she had to      be         
assisted1 and the support of an arm was 
necessary when she      approached the  
,holy ,table4 ,since ,thursday she walks
 alone and      eats without            
experiencing the slightest symptom of   

her former      infirmity1 except a     
little weakness4 ,i hope the ,lord will 
finish ,his work and restore her to     
perfect health2 but let us      speak of
 our dear ,sister4        ,the following
 is a copy of the account ,i wrote of   
this marvel      to our holy ,bishop day
 before yesterday1 after ,mass3         
',i acquaint ,your ,grace with an       
incident of ,god's great mercy1         
displayed to our ,community in the      
sudden cure of one of our      choir    
religious1 named ,hyacinthe1 aged       
forty-seven years4      ,this good      
,mother1 the #adth of last ,january1 had
 a stroke of      paralysis4 ,it did not
 affect her head1 but immediately fixed 
itself in the left side1 which became   
motionless and devoid      of feeling4  
,we hastened to summon the physician1   
who bled      her freely in the arm2    
next day we tried leeches1 medicines1   
a blister on the neck1 and three days   
after one upon the      paralyzed limb1 
but all of no avail4 ,the poor patient1 

as well      as ourselves1 must submit  
to the decrees of ,him who strikes      
and heals at will4 ,at the end of       
fifteen days ,i was inspired      with  
the thought of making a novena in honor 
of the ,immaculate      ,conception1 the
 medal of which1 called the miraculous1 
we all      wear4 ,on the fourth day of 
the novena1 as we were about to         
recite the prayers around her bed1 the  
good ,mother desired ,holy              
,communion4 ,she was taken to the choir 
by three persons2 after      receiving1 
the limb felt a little better1 and she  
could return      with the aid of two   
persons only4 ,her confidence in the    
,mother      of ,god increased daily2   
yesterday she asked permission to come  
down on the last day of the novena1 and 
this morning1 with the      assistance  
of a cane and some one to support her1  
she came down      and had the happiness
 of receiving ,holy ,communion4         
,immediately      after1 we finished the
 novena prayers1 just at the end of     

which      she was seized with a pain in
 the paralyzed arm1 followed by an      
icy chill and then a sensation of       
extreme heat4 ,she came to me      with 
both arms lifted1 exclaiming1 ,i am     
cured6 ,and perfectly      cured she    
was1 being able to walk and use her     
limbs as freely      as if she had never
 felt a symptom of paralysis4           
',to give you an idea of our joy and    
gratitude1 ,monseigneur1      would be  
impossible4 ,the patient fainted1 and ,i
 came very near      doing the same2 it 
was with difficulty ,i could continue   
our      prayers of thanksgiving1 so    
marvelous did it seem that the ,lord    
should have granted this favor to our   
,community1 under the      government of
 one of ,his most unworthy servants4'   
,i send you this copy1 which we had     
kept1 of the letter4        ,in the same
 letter ,i asked ,monseigneur's         
permission to have      a ,te ,deum     
chanted at the end of ,benediction4 ,his
 ,grace      hastened to send word that 

he not only permitted but ordered       
it1 which order was joyfully complied   
with4 ,the ,vicar ,general1      our    
,superior1 wrote1 asking me to defer our
 ,vespers half an      hour1 as he      
wished to assist at the ,te ,deum4      
,several other      ecclesiastics also  
came1 and saw our healed ones blessing  
,god4      ,since that day our good     
,mother ,hyacinthe follows the rules1   
complies with all her duties1 and has   
never felt the least      return of her 
malady4        ,this miracle created    
great excitement in our city2 the       
laborers who were working at the house  
having learned it on      the spot1     
immediately spread the news2 the evening
 previous1      they had seen our poor  
,sister dragging her limb1 a cane in    
hand1 and almost carried by two persons1
 and next morning they      beheld her  
perfectly cured6 ,these men1 who have   
seldom much      religion1 sang the     
praises of ,god's power1 and asked me to
      give them medals4 ,i gave a medal 

to each with great pleasure4            
,clergymen have come to learn the       
particulars of this event1 and      ,i  
let the miraculously cured herself      
recount the wonders of the      ,lord4  
,i must not omit informing you that the 
physician having vainly      exhausted  
all remedies1 had been nine days without
 seeing the      patient2 and the very  
eve of her recovery he told one of our  
boarders that the disease having settled
 itself he believed      our afflicted  
one might be able to walk1 but she could
 never      use her arm again4 ,on      
coming next day to visit his other      
patients1 he was surprised beyond       
expression when she appeared      before
 him perfectly cured4 ,wishing to get   
his candid opinion      on the subject1 
,i remarked that probably it was not    
real      paralysis1 but only a         
numbness4 ',it was a strongly marked    
case      of paralysis1' he answered1   
'and there is certainly something       
supernatural in her recovery4'          

,in thanksgiving we continue the novena 
prayers1 but preface      them with the 
,laudate4        ,make such use of this 
letter as you may deem advisable4 ,if   
you insert it in the notice1 you are at 
liberty to name our      city and house4
 ,oh6 how we long to spread abroad the  
knowledge      and love of ,god's power1
 signally displayed in answer to our    
invocation of the ,immaculate ,mother of
 ,his ,divine ,son4                     
,,sister ,,st4 ,,marie1                 
,superioress of ,calvary of ,orleans4   
,,cure ,,of ,,madame ,,lebon 7,,dijon74 
,,note4--,the venerable lady upon whom  
this cure was wrought  belongs to a     
highly honorable family of ,dijon1 and  
her personal  character is very well    
calculated to inspire the utmost        
confidence1  says ,l',ami de la         
,religion1 in its issue of ,april #agth1
 #ahce4  ,moreover1 the letter she      
wrote1 ,march #abth1 to one of her      
friends1 and  which she was anxious     
should be transmitted to us1 is         

accompanied by  the certificates of the 
pastors of ,st4 ,michael of ,dijon1 of  
,dampierre  and                         
,beaumont-sur-,vingeanne1 also of five  
members of the municipal  council1 and  
several other very reliable persons1    
some of them members  of her family2    
more than this1 it is followed by a     
detailed account  given by the medical  
attendant1 who had charge of her case   
for sixteen  years4        ,dijon1      
,march #ab1 #ahce4        ,madame and   
,dear ,friend3        ,you ask me the   
details of the miraculous manner in     
which it      has pleased ,god to       
restore me to health4 ,well6 it might be
      summed up in these few words3 ,i  
implored ,mary to obtain my             
recovery1 and she did obtain it         
instantly2 having said this1      you   
know all1 but you desire me to recall   
the circumstances of      my sickness   
and my experience subsequent to the     
cure4 ,i give      them as follows3     
,you doubtless remember that1 for more  

than twenty years1 ,i      could not    
walk1 in consequence of an abscess on   
the intestines1      which left me in   
such a state of sensibility that ever   
after a      walk of more than a hundred
 steps ,i was exposing myself to the    
most serious accidents4 ,neither are you
 ignorant of the fact      that1 nearly 
fifteen months ago1 by reason of        
influenza1 a      second abscess formed1
 and so increased the irritability that 
,i      hovered between life and death1 
and even when at my best ,i was         
scarcely able to drag myself from one   
room to another4 ,but you      have     
probably never heard that1 since the    
#ast of last ,december1      my         
condition was so critical that1 with    
great difficulty1 could      ,i remain  
out of bed three or four hours at a     
time1 which made      me1 as well as    
those around me1 think my end was near  
and ,i      would not survive the       
spring4        ,this was my condition1  
dear friend1 when some one mentioned    

to me the medal of the ,immaculate      
,virgin1 and urged me to get      it4 ,i
 was a long time deciding to do so1 for 
,i considered it      presumptuous to   
solicit the cure of an infirmity the    
physicians      had pronounced          
incurable4 ,at last1 having thought1 on 
the one      side1 that the more        
desperate the malady1 the greater ,god's
      glory should ,he deign to cure it2
 and1 on the other1 that ,he      had   
wrought the most wonderful miracles for 
those who were      least worthy1 ,i    
decided to mention it to my confessor4  
,i did      so1 and he encouraged me to 
make the novena4        ,the #b;d of    
,february1 ,feast of the ,purification1 
the first      day of the novena and one
 ever memorable for me1 ,i was taken    
to church in a carriage2 my daughter1   
sole confidante of my      intentions1  
assisted me to the ,blessed ,virgin's   
altar1 where1      after hearing ,mass  
as well as my infirmity would permit1 ,i
      received ,holy ,communion4        

,scarcely had ,i knelt to make an act   
of adoration1 when ,i was obliged to    
take my seat4 ,a ,sister of             
,charity1 whom ,i did not know was      
there1 for ,i had not hoped to          
receive the medal just yet1 put it on my
 neck4 ,immediately1      ,i got on my  
knees to beg the ,mother of the         
afflicted to      intercede with her    
divine ,son for the restoration of my   
health1      should ,he foresee that it 
would be conducive to ,god's glory and  
her honor1 to my salvation and the      
happiness of my husband and             
children4 ,scarcely had ,i pronounced a 
few words1 petitioning      our ,lord to
 graciously hear ,his holy ,mother's    
prayer1 ere ,mary      had interceded   
and ,god in ,his great mercy had        
hearkened2 ,i was      cured1 ,madame1  
entirely cured4444 ,i finished all the  
prayers      of thanksgiving after      
,communion and those of the novena on my
      knees1 and1 without experiencing  
the slightest inconvenience1      my    

malady had disappeared and ,i have never
 felt the slightest      symptom of it  
since4 ,i walked1 unassisted1 to the    
church door1      sent away the carriage
 and returned home on foot4        ,i   
have given you a detail of the facts1   
but to express the      feelings that   
filled my heart on re-entering my house 
would be      impossible2 my joy1 my    
astonishment1 were boundless2 ,i could  
hardly realize it myself4 ,cured in an  
instant6 ,the thought was               
overpowering6 ,it seemed as if ,i must  
be in a dream1 but my      husband's    
astonishment1 my mother's1 and that of  
the servants1      who1 seeing the great
 change wrought in me1 although they    
were      ignorant of the means1 could  
not forbear exclaiming3 ',but a         
miracle must have been worked upon you6'
 convinced me that ,i      was not      
asleep4        ,since that time ,i walk 
as well as any one2 scarcely was my     
novena finished ere ,i could go from one
 end of the city to the      other4 ,it 

has not been six weeks since my cure1   
and ,i have      already walked more    
than three miles at a time1 and could   
have      accomplished twice as much4   
,you see1 ,madame and dear friend1      
that the miracle is a most striking one4
        ,i now beg of you1 as well as   
all other pious souls1 to unite         
heartily with me in thanking ,god and   
,his august ,mother4                    
,your ever devoted                      
,,lis4 ,m4 ,,darbeaumont ,,lebon4       
,the physician's certificate ends thus3 
,whatever may have been the  cause of a 
cure1 heretofore regarded as impossible 
by all the doctors  who attended ,mme4  
,lebon1 it should be considered none the
 less certain  and positive1 for the    
evidence of the fact is indubitable4    
,wherefore1 ,i sign the present         
attestation1 which ,i declare sincere   
and  true4                              
,,fournier1 ,doctor4  ,dampierre1 ,march
 #ai1 #ahce4      ,,cures ,,wrought ,,at
 ,,smyrna ,,and ,,constantinople4       

,extract of a letter from ,m4 ,le ,leu1 
,lazarist missionary3                   
,constantinople1 ,march #af1 #ahce4     
,it has been a long time since ,i       
proposed writing you something          
about the medal4 ,in my eyes1 one of the
 greatest miracles it      has ever     
worked is the rapidity of its           
propagation and the      confidence it  
inspires4 ,by our demands upon you for  
medals1 you      may judge of their     
effect in this country4 ,we could       
dispose      of thousands and yet not   
satisfy the innumerable calls we        
have for them4 ,at ,smyrna1 it is the   
same4 ,we had occasion to      send a   
few into the interior of ,asia1 and the 
,blessed ,virgin      showed herself no 
less powerful or beneficent there than  
in      ,europe4 ,at ,angora1 an old man
 was deprived of the use of all      his
 limbs1 and had neither walked nor      
worked for years2 he      lived in      
frightful poverty1 and sighed for death1
 for he was      especially grieved at  

being so long a burden upon a family in 
indigent circumstances4 7,in this       
country there are numbers of            
,armenian families very devoted to the  
,blessed ,virgin1 and this      was one 
of them47 ,he had no sooner heard of the
 ,miraculous      ,medal1 than he       
solicited the happiness of obtaining and
 wearing      it4 ,in these countries   
the ,faith has retained its primitive   
simplicity2 this recipient of a medal   
does not content himself      with      
praying before it1 or hanging it around 
his neck1 but he      kisses it with    
profound respect and applies it to the  
affected      part2 the ,blessed ,virgin
 cannot resist such confidence1 and the 
good old man instantly recovers the use 
of his limbs--he now      works and     
supports himself4        ,here is       
another incident3 ,a young woman        
belonging to a      respectable and very
 pious family had1 for a long time1 been
      a prey to a disease1 the nature of
 which neither the ,french1      ,greek 

nor ,turkish physicians could           
understand4 ,its symptoms      were most
 violent pains in the side1 which       
prevented her      walking1 eating or   
sleeping1 and which sometimes           
disappeared1      only to return with   
renewed violence4 ,having heard of our  
medal1 this lady felt interiorly urged  
to employ it for her      recovery1 but 
believing herself unworthy of obtaining 
a direct      miracle1 she besought the 
,blessed ,virgin to enlighten the       
physician and make known to him the     
proper remedy4 ,thereupon1      she went
 to the country4 ,at the end of several 
days1 she was      astonished to see her
 physician1 who exclaimed as soon as he 
saw her3 ',madame1 good news6 ,i have   
found the remedy for your      disease4 
,i am sure of it2 in a few days you will
 be perfectly      well4 ,i do not know 
why it is1 but your case has constantly 
occupied my mind since your departure1  
and by a careful study      of it ,i    
have at last discovered the cause of the

 disease and      the manner of treating
 it4' ,the lady recognized at once that 
this knowledge came from above1 and she 
had not implored ,mary      in vain4    
,to-day she is in excellent health4 ,it 
was from the      mouth of her mother ,i
 received these details4 ',o ,monsieur1'
      exclaimed this good mother1 'how  
happy ,i am at my poor      daughter's  
recovery6 ,it is the ,blessed ,virgin   
who has restored      her to me4 ,if you
 could only get me a few more of these  
medals2      ,i am overwhelmed with     
requests for them4' ,the physician      
himself      published the details ,i   
have just given4 ,so persuaded is he of 
the efficacy of the medal that he calls 
it his final remedy1      and advises   
his patients to wear it whenever he is  
at a loss      concerning their malady4 
,and the ,blessed ,virgin has rewarded  
his faith2 for one of his own daughters1
 a most pious person1      but in       
miserable health1 has just experienced  
its beneficial      effects4        ,i  

could mention numberless other          
incidents1 as many      conversions as  
cures1 but one more will suffice for    
to-day4      ,not long ago the mother of
 a family had every symptom of an       
attack of apoplexy2 she had already lost
 consciousness1 when      her son1 a    
very pious young man1 who wore one of   
these medals1      took it off his neck 
and put it around hers4 ,he then ran for
 a      doctor and a priest4 ,on        
reaching the house they were all three  
astonished to find that she had quite   
recovered4 ,that evening      the son   
asked his mother for the medal1 and she 
returned it1      but a moment after was
 stricken with another attack4 ,the     
protection of the ,blessed ,virgin      
seemed to have been withdrawn      with 
this sign of her power4 ,he immediately 
put the medal on      her neck again1   
this time to remain1 and she has been   
well ever      since4        ,oh6 do not
 delay1 ,i beg you1 in sending us the   
medals we have      asked of you4       

,,conversion ,,and ,,cure ,,of ,,an     
,,old ,,man ,,at                        
,,castera-,,les-,,bains4                
,,note4--,these details are sent us and 
attested by ,m4 ,bellos1  clerk of      
registration at ,auch1 and by other very
 reliable persons4        ,in the early 
part of ,march1 #ahce1 an old man in the
 parish of      ,castera-les-,bains     
7,gers71 fell dangerously ill4 ,the     
venerable      parish priest1 ,m4       
,barre1 hastened to visit him1 hoping he
      might persuade the poor creature  
to cast himself into those      arms    
that were extended on the cross for all 
sinners4 ,our      patient1 who had not 
been to confession for long years1      
received him like an infidel as he was1 
refused all religious      assistance1  
and ended by saying3 ',m4 cur1 ,i would 
rather      lose my speech than comply  
with your wishes6' ,the charitable      
pastor retiring1 though very            
reluctantly1 now thought of the         
,miraculous ,medal he wore1 and1 taking 

it off1 gave it to one      of the      
household with instructions to put it in
 the patient's      bed2 advising1      
however1 in case the ruse were          
discovered1 no      allusion to the     
subject1 so as to spare the unhappy one 
all      occasion of invective against  
religion4 ,but1 oh6 marvelous      to   
relate6 a little while after1 the dying 
man awakens as if      from a profound  
slumber1 and earnestly begs that the cur
      be sent for to hear his           
confession4 ,at this news1 the good     
pastor flies to his lost sheep1 who     
receives him with every      expression 
of joy1 begs his pardon1 and asks to    
receive the      ,sacrament of ,penance4
 ,it would be superfluous for us to     
dwell      at length upon the sentiments
 and language of the charitable         
minister of religion4 ,he was so touched
 by his penitent's      dispositions1   
that he did not hesitate to take him the
 ,holy      ,viaticum next morning4     
,many of the faithful accompanied the   

,blessed ,sacrament to the sick man's   
chamber2 confessing again1      he      
abjured his errors before all the       
assistants1 and earnestly      entreated
 them to pardon the scandal his past    
conduct had      given them4 ,every one 
was affected to tears1 and it was in    
the midst of this universal emotion that
 he received the good      ,god1 with   
the deepest sentiments of humility and  
compunction1      and recommending      
himself to the prayers of all present4  
,in the      course of the following    
night1 fearing he might be carried      
off by a spell of weakness1 he requested
 ,extreme ,unction1 and      received it
 with the same evidences of faith and   
piety4 ,this      conversion was        
followed by his perfect recovery1 and   
the good      old man now blesses       
,divine ,providence1 which1 through     
,mary's      protection1 rescued him    
from the borders of a frightful abyss   
into which his infidelity would have    
plunged him forever4        ,the        

undersigned1 who got these details from 
the mouth of      the cur of ,castera1  
vouches for their authenticity4 ,he has 
neither added to nor taken from them in 
the slightest1 knowing      full well   
that the ,blessed ,virgin has no need of
 falsehoods      to prove her power and 
goodness4 ,it is1 then1 on his word of  
conscience he gives this fact1 which    
none of the inhabitants of      ,castera
 and the neighboring country would deny1
 even were he      incredulous4         
,,cure ,,of ,,rosalie ,,morvilliers1    
,,acknowledged ,,as ,,miraculous ,,by   
,,all ,,the  ,,parish4        ,hangest  
7,somme74        ,i have mentioned to   
you the cure wrought by the ,miraculous 
,medal upon a person aged fifty years2  
the fact is      incontestable4 ,rosalie
 ,morvilliers1 the recipient of this    
favor1 had never been free from         
suffering since her seventh      year2  
an affection of the nerves caused almost
 constant      palpitations of the heart
 and severe headaches1 which1 however1  

did not hinder her performing some      
slight work without      aggravating the
 malady4 ,but about five years ago1 she 
was      afflicted by an unmistakable   
attack of epilepsy1 which threw      her
 family into the greatest consternation4
 ,henceforth1 she was      obliged to   
keep her bed1 and saw no one but her    
most intimate      friends2 the very    
sight of a face that was not familiar   
was      sufficient to throw her into   
dreadful convulsions for several        
hours4 ,independent of any external     
cause1 these paroxysms      usually came
 on three times a day1 and so violent   
were they1      that it was with great  
difficulty she could be kept in her     
room2 she uttered most frightful cries1 
her features were      horribly         
distorted1 her mouth covered with foam1 
and1 indeed1      according to the      
testimony of those who usually witnessed
 the      attacks1 it was some time     
before she regained consciousness4      
,such was her condition when some one   

gave her a ,miraculous      ,medal4 ,she
 received it with the greatest          
confidence1 and      immediately applied
 it to that part of her head where the  
pain was most acute2 the pain           
disappeared immediately4 ,from      that
 moment she felt urged to make a novena 
in honor of the      ,immaculate        
,conception for the cure of her         
epilepsy4 ,but      diffidence in       
mentioning the matter to her director   
made her      defer the execution of    
this pious design six weeks4 ,at length1
      she yielded to her desires1 saying
 she felt fully persuaded      that this
 novena would ensure her recovery       
through the ,blessed      ,virgin's     
intercession1 and her confidence was not
 misplaced4      ,the cur immediately   
began the novena1 engaging in it the    
sodality of the ,holy ,family4 ,whilst  
at ,mass on the morning of      the last
 day1 the #agth of ,mary's month1 the   
patient was seized      with the most   
violent attack possible1 the worst she  

had ever      had1 although during the  
novena1 the paroxysms had increased     
in intensity4 ,suddenly it ceases4 ,a   
number of persons begin to      pray and
 recite the chaplet2 the patient1       
regarding them with      a smile1 gently
 falls asleep4 ,a few minutes after1 she
 opens      her eyes and exclaims3 ',i  
am cured6 ,i am cured6 ,the ,blessed    
,virgin has just cured me of epilepsy6  
,oh6 how good she is1 how      powerful6
 ,it seems to me as if there had just   
been a general      revolution          
throughout my body4 ,i feel confident1  
my friends1      that this disease has  
been banished from my system forever4'  
,it was very easy for the assistants to 
believe that some      extraordinary    
change had really been wrought in her1  
for her      countenance presented not  
the slightest vestige of the attack4    
,she now desired to communicate1 and oh6
 with what transports of      faith1    
gratitude and love she received the good
 ,god6        ,the noise of this cure   

soon reached the neighboring villages4  
,how beautiful yet1 ,monsieur1 is the   
simplicity of the faith in      these   
rural districts6 ,henceforth1 every one 
wished to wear the      medal4          
,this event took place on the #agth of  
,may1 at nine o'clock      in the       
morning4 ,since that time the patient   
has not felt the      slightest symptom 
of epilepsy4 ,she leaves her room1 walks
 about      the garden1 and receives    
visitors indiscriminately1 without      
experiencing any ill effects4 ,however1 
the ,blessed ,virgin      did not cure  
all her infirmities2 she still has the  
nervous      affection that existed     
before the epileptic attacks1 but ,i    
should observe that as the novena was   
made solely for the cure      of        
epilepsy1 the ,blessed ,virgin has      
obtained all that was asked      of her4
        ,this1 ,monsieur1 is the exact  
statement4 ,some1 no doubt1 would       
attribute the cure to natural causes2 as
 for ourselves1 we1      like the       

patient1 feel convinced that it was     
owing to ,mary's      powerful          
intercession4 ,the cur agrees with us1  
and so do all      who glory in the     
truths of religion4 ,honored1 then1 be  
the      power and goodness of ,mary    
conceived without sin6      ,,cure ,,of 
,a ,,daughter ,,of ,,charity ,,and      
,,another ,,person 7,,diocese ,,of      
,,moulins74    ,the following letter was
 sent by a gentleman of unquestionable  
veracity  to the ,journal du            
,bourbonnais1 and published in its issue
 of ,june #f1  #ahce3        ,monsieur3 
,we are all ,mary's children2 at the    
foot of her ,divine ,son's      cross   
did her maternal heart adopt us as her  
own4 ,all ages      have felt the       
salutary effects of her powerful        
protection2 our      fathers have       
admired them1 we ourselves admire them1 
and our      days are filled with       
marvels4 ,even recently has she         
appeared1      shedding torrents of     
grace upon a privileged kingdom1 and    

this      kingdom is ,france4 ,the      
vision is verified1 for the age which   
saw it has also witnessed the           
multiplication of countless             
miraculous cures and conversions4       
,and shall ,bourbonnais1 our dear       
country1 be excepted in the             
distribution of ,mary's favors8 ,oh6 no2
 it also shall have a      share in this
 harvest of glory4 ,the truly           
astonishing rapidity      with which the
 thousand ,miraculous ,medals brought to
 our city      have been disposed of is 
to me a sufficient guaranty of our      
hopes1 and it would keep one's pen in   
daily use to note the      wonderful    
traits of ,mary's protection4           
#ast4 ,sister ,chapin1 of ,st4 ,joseph's
 ,hospital1 was for more      than two  
years racked by pains and a fever that  
defied all      medical skill4          
,this angel of earth lamented her       
inability to fulfil the      duties of  
her noble vocation2 far from abating1   
her charity1      zeal and resignation  

seemed to increase with her gradually   
declining health1 which now excited our 
serious fears4 ,having      vainly      
exhausted all the resources of medicine1
 she turned her      back upon art and  
nature that she might address herself to
      faith alone4 ,full of confidence  
in the ,miraculous ,medal1 she          
began a novena to ,mary for the recovery
 of her health4 ,before      the novena 
was ended1 both pains and fever had     
disappeared1 and      henceforth1 she   
began a new existence1 her strength     
returned1      and she is happy to prove
 herself by deeds 7fulfilling with      
ease the most painful duties7 what her  
virtues have ever      proclaimed her1 a
 true daughter of ,st4 ,vincent de      
,paul4        #bnd4 ,yesterday1 again1  
was witnessed in our ,bourbonnais1      
another wonderful trait of ,mary's      
protection4 ,here are the      facts3   
,on ,monday1 ,june #ast1 at eight       
o'clock in the evening1      in the     
parish of ,montilly1 near the borders of

 ,allier and the      castle of         
,beau-,regard1 a woman was stricken with
 a violent      rush of blood to the    
head2 the lamentations and piercing     
cries      of the family attracted their
 neighbors4 ,two alarming crises        
succeeded2 they were followed by a      
third1 which was thought to      be     
mortal4 ,the patient1 after violently   
struggling against the      combined    
efforts of four men to restrain her1    
fell motionless      and apparently     
lifeless2 her limbs were stiff and      
chill1 her      face a livid blue1 her  
features distorted1 her eyes fixed1 her 
respiration insensible1 death seemed    
imminent4 ,this frightful      attack   
had lasted about half an hour1 when some
 one present      thought of the        
,miraculous ,medal2 she approaches the  
dying woman      and lays the medal upon
 her lips4 ,at that instant the latter  
arouses from her slumber1 she breathes1 
she clasps her hands      as if thanking
 the person who had restored her to life

 she      recognizes all around her1    
speaks to them and thanks them for      
their kind attentions4        ,the next 
morning1 ,tuesday1 it was not at the    
gates of death      she was to be found1
 but in the streets of ,moulins1 where  
,i saw      her myself and spoke to her4
        ,pardon me1 ,o divine ,mary1 if 
among a thousand striking      traits of
 your power and goodness1 ,i dwell upon 
some which      are comparatively       
slight1 it is only because of their     
recent      occurrence in our very      
midst4 ,happy shall ,i esteem myself to 
awaken among my brethren a passing      
tribute to ,faith1 that      living1    
salutary ,faith1 whose efficacy ,i have 
experienced1 and      whose truths ,i   
long to see planted and nourished in all
 hearts6        ,deign to accord1 etc4  
,we have learned that ,sister ,chapin's 
recovery is permanent4      ,,cure ,,of 
,,marie ,,lacroix 7,,diocese ,,of       
,,langres74    ,,note4--,it is ,m4      
,barillot1 ,vicar ,general1 who sends us

 this  account3                         
,bishopric of ,langres1 ,june #bj1      
#ahce4        ,monsieur3        ,m4     
,regnault1 cur of ,ormoy1 canton of     
,chateau-,villain1 in our      diocese1 
an excellent pastor and judicious       
priest1 writes me      the subjoined    
letter of the #aith inst43        ',a   
very extraordinary thing has just taken 
place in my      parish4 ,a young woman 
aged twenty went blind in consequence   
of a fall2 her hip was displaced1 and   
she lost all use of      her limbs1     
except the arms4 ,for three months she  
was at a      hospital of               
,bar-sur-,aube1 under treatment for     
these severe      afflictions1 but in   
vain4 ,at last1 judging her case        
hopeless1      the physicians sent her  
back to her parents at ,ormoy4 ,here1   
as at ,bar-sur-,aube1 she endured for   
three months incredible      sufferings1
 not even being able to turn herself in 
bed or      change her position in the  
slightest4 ,her recovery was now        

despaired of by all1 and lately the     
minister received a      petition 7with 
the accompanying certificates of the two
      physicians who had attended her at
 ,bar-sur-,aube7 asking her             
admission into the hospital of          
,quinze-,vingts4 ,meanwhile1      this  
young woman1 who had always appeared to 
me very pious      and submissive to    
,god's will1 having received a          
,miraculous      ,medal1 immediately    
begins a novena4 ,seven days elapse1 and
      her sufferings1 far from          
diminishing1 are intensified2 on the    
eighth she is bathed in a profuse       
perspiration1 after which she           
suddenly rises1 dresses herself1 and    
walks through the streets      to       
church1 to the great astonishment of all
 the people1 who1      seeing her1      
cannot restrain their tears4        ',i 
questioned her closely1 but did not     
express my opinion      on the subject4 
,i went to ,bar-sur-,aube to get        
additional      information2 the        

physician declares it astonishing1      
especially      when we consider her    
former hopeless condition4 ,the hospital
      ,sisters1 the curs of             
,bar-sur-,aube1 the patients1 all say it
 is      truly a miracle4 ,the people of
 ,ormoy and even of the vicinity1       
who come to see her1 wonder that ,i do  
not mention it from the      pulpit4 ,i 
beg of you to let me know how to act in 
the affair1      and also that you will 
speak to the ,bishop about it4'         
,the ,bishop has since sent word through
 me to the cur      of ,ormoy1 to       
publish this miraculous occurrence to   
his      parishioners2 he has also      
charged me with forwarding you a copy   
of the good cur's letter1 leaving to    
your discretion the use      you may    
make of it4                             
,i am1 etc41                            
,,barillot1 ,canon1 ,vicar ,general4    
,before printing this1 we wished to     
ascertain if the cure were  permanent1  
and the ,vicar ,general sent us the     

following response from  the cur of     
,ormoy3        ,the cure is permanent2  
for several months past the young       
woman has been with the ,ursulines of   
,la ,chapelle1 who consider      her    
physically able to share in the labors  
of the house2 her      condition having 
been attested by three doctors4 ,her    
sudden      recovery1 as above          
mentioned1 leads us to believe that it  
was      surely supernatural4 ,i was far
 from meriting this favor which      has
 been granted my poor parish4 ,i hope   
the ,blessed ,virgin will      finish   
her work4        ,november #c1 #ahce4   
,,cures ,,wrought ,,in ,,the ,,chablais 
,,district 7,,savoy74                   
,the ,borders of ,lake ,geneva1 ,june   
#ah1 #ahce4        ,monsieur3           
,the country purged of ,calvin's heresy 
by the labors of      ,geneva's holy    
bishop1 is not a stranger to the        
blessings      figured by the medal's   
mysterious rays4 ,this wonderful        
instrument of ,mary's liberality has    

been propagated with      astonishing   
rapidity1 though only a few months since
 we heard      of it in our midst4 ,i   
consider it a pious obligation to offer 
you a few small stones towards the      
construction of that temple      of     
glory now in process of erection1 to the
 honor of her1      who has lately      
proved herself more powerful and        
merciful on      earth than ever before4
 ,i am a young villager living amidst my
      family2 ,i do not announce        
miracles to you1 but merely recount     
facts just as ,i have seen or heard     
them4 ,i could have subjoined      a    
list of signatures1 but ,i did not judge
 it necessary1 the      docile1         
religious heart deeming them            
superfluous1 and the      skeptic1      
fraudulent1 like the facts4 ,on a       
perusal of the first      few phrases in
 each incident1 persons living in the   
vicinity      will recognize the        
individuals concerned1 and thereby be   
more      deeply impressed4        #ast4

 ,in the month of ,july1 #ahbd1 ,mlle4  
,c41 aged twenty-nine      years1 bade1 
as she thought1 a last adieu to her     
family2 she      and some other generous
 companions were going to one of the    
large cities in southern ,italy to      
consecrate themselves there      to the 
service of the sick and poor4 ,after a  
few months'      novitiate in a         
religious house devoted to works of this
 nature1      she was attacked by one of
 those debilitating1 wasting maladies   
that physicians are at a loss to define4
 ,attributing it to the      climate1   
the ,superiors1 after twenty-two months'
 ineffectual      treatment at the      
novitiate1 sent her to breathe her natal
      air4 ,but change of air proved    
vain also1 and the doctors at      last 
ceased their visits1 judging the        
re-establishment of      her health an  
impossibility4 ,about six years ago1 she
 had      improved sufficiently to walk 
a few steps beyond her chamber1      and
 even remain in the open air some       

minutes1 but amelioration      was      
illusory1 and since #ahcj she had not   
been able to leave      her couch of    
suffering except for a few instants4    
,many times      during these last five 
years was she apparently on the verge   
of death1 and that for several          
consecutive days1 always1      however1 
retaining her hearing and intellectual  
faculties1      since she could respond 
by signs to the priest who visited      
her4 ,it was he who gave me these       
particulars4 ,her condition      had    
become such that it was judged advisable
 to administer the      ,last           
,sacraments4 ,this house was now a      
school of edification1      where       
,christians might study the price of    
sufferings and the      heroism of      
patience4 ,finally1 about the end of    
last ,april1      this poor creature1 so
 tortured for the past eleven years1    
conceived a hope of relief through the  
,miraculous ,medal1      but1           
mistrusting the somewhat extraordinary  

impressions the      thought made upon  
her imagination1 it was only from       
obedience      she could be induced to  
commence a novena4 ,the sole exercises  
consisted of repeating1 three times a   
day1 the invocation3 ',o      ,mary6    
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have recourse to      thee6' ,on        
,wednesday1 ,april #bdth1 the second or 
third day of      the novena1 she felt  
an irresistible desire to arise4 ,it was
      yet very early in the morning2 a  
little child assisted her      to dress4
 ,finding that her limbs support her1   
she begins to      think it must be     
something miraculous1 and1 filled with  
joy1      she wishes to announce the    
news to her mother1 who is in an        
adjoining room4 ,arrived at the door1   
she is seized with fright1      and     
precipitately turns back2 but1 being    
reassured of her newly      restored    
strength by the facility with which she 
reaches her      own chamber1 she       
overcomes herself1 and1 retracing her   

steps1      seeks the embraces of her   
mother1 her sister and brother4         
,her unexpected appearance fills them   
with great emotion1 and      abundant   
tears attest the depths of their joy and
 gratitude4 ,a      clergyman1 who often
 visited this lady1 soon heard rumors of
      her recovery1 but gave no credit  
to them4 ,meeting her mother      on the
 street not long after1 she burst into  
tears at sight      of him1 and was     
unable to express the cause of her      
emotion4      ,suspecting it1 he went   
immediately to the house1 and saw for   
himself what a miracle had been wrought4
 ,with ,mlle4 ,c41 he      unites in    
blessing her powerful protectress1 the  
,immaculate      ,mary4        ,since   
that time1 ,april #bd1 to the present   
date1 ,june #ahth1      ,mlle4 ,c4 rises
 about seven o'clock1 hears ,mass on her
 knees1      employs herself in various 
duties during the day1 makes visits     
and walks of half an hour's or even an  
hour's duration1 and      continues     

well1 even her complexion begins to     
assume a healthy      tinge4 ,her legs  
are still a little swollen1 and she     
cannot yet      take much nourishment4  
,the sudden appearance of this person1  
whom every one had      known to be     
seriously afflicted for eleven years1   
created an      extraordinary sensation4
 ,all eyes were fixed upon her1 and many
      persons even followed her4 ,this  
took place in the capital of      the   
province4        #b;d4 ,in the month of 
,august1 #ahcc1 my sister1 at the sight 
of      a child who barely missed       
falling through an open trap door1      
was suddenly attacked by frightful      
nervous convulsions1 which              
henceforth returned daily1 and even as  
often as fifteen times      a day4 ,it  
was only at the end of two months that  
remedies1 and      a four weeks' strict 
hospital treatment1 succeeded in        
checking      them4 ,last year1 they    
manifested themselves again in the month
      of ,february1 but disappeared1    

leaving her a prey to great             
weakness1 and a fever that kept her in  
bed four weeks4        ,in the ,february
 of this year1 the nervous convulsions  
returned1 and with a frequency and force
 that were truly      alarming4 ,the    
patient wasted visibly1 the paroxysms   
were      renewed seven and ten times a 
day1 and were of a most frightful       
character2 the circulation of her blood 
seemed checked1 her      feet and hands 
were deathly chilled1 she jerked her    
head with      violence and             
precipitation1 an agitated cry escaped  
her breast2      the attack lasted from 
three to six minutes1 and left her      
completely exhausted4 ,the witnesses of 
this painful spectacle      were        
affected to tears4 ,she was taken to a  
skillful physician1      who after      
seeing her in one of these convulsions1 
pronounced      the case hopeless1      
saying1 'it baffled him1 he could not   
understand it4' ,however1 he prescribed 
remedies4 ,meanwhile1 the      first    

medals arrived in our midst4 ,on ,shrove
 ,tuesday1 my sister      had five      
attacks1 which she assured me were the  
worst she had      ever had4 ,next day1 
wearing the medal1 she began a novena1  
and      the two convulsions she had    
that day were the last2 never since     
has she felt the slightest symptom 7and 
that without employing      the         
prescribed remedies71 neither has she   
had a sign of the      fever1 which last
 year replaced the less violent         
convulsions4      ,this cure was wrought
 in an insensible1 but very efficacious 
manner1 the first day of a novena made  
through the medal4 ,my      sister      
immediately resumed the manifold duties 
of a laborious      household4 ,she     
attributes1 and we also1 her recovery to
 ,mary      alone4 ,thousands of times  
be love and glory to this good ,mother6 
#c;d4 ,in the ,chablais district1 on the
 frontiers of the canton      of        
,geneva1 lived a poor widow1 the mother 
of quite a large      family4 ,this good

 woman1 about sixty years old1 had a    
natural      predisposition to          
paralysis4 ,at the age of forty-eight1  
an      attack of this disease deprived 
her of the use of her left      arm4 ,at
 intervals since then1 she has had      
spells of illness      so serious and so
 protracted1 that at least a hundred    
times      she seemed on the verge of   
the tomb4 ,she never consulted a        
physician1 but animated with a lively1  
persevering faith1 she      employed    
only supernatural means4 ',god and the  
,saints are the      only good doctors1'
 she would say1 and ',god and the       
,saints'      rewarded her confidence4  
,she has recovered from these hopeless  
maladies in an extraordinary manner4 ,on
 the first of last      ,march1 her left
 foot lost the power of supporting her  
body      in walking1 doubtless owing to
 her natural predisposition to          
paralysis4 ,persons informed on the     
subject have given the      following   
description of the convulsive movements 

of this poor      woman's foot3         
suspended1 it preserved its natural     
position1 but      on putting it to the 
ground1 it immediately lost its balance2
      her body was bent1 her knee turned
 out1 the sole of her foot      exposed1
 and the left side of her foot was the  
foundation of      support for the left 
limb in walking4 ,she went thus to      
church1      distant about four minutes'
 walk2 but even in that short space     
of time1 the convulsive movements of the
 foot were sometimes      such that she 
was not able to keep her balance1 but   
fell to      the ground4 ,every one     
pitied her1 she was always calm and     
perfectly resigned4 ,her children had   
made for her an iron      brace which   
reached to the knee1 but after a trial1 
she was      obliged to discard it1 the 
remedy causing more suffering than      
the disease4 ,during the ,lenten season1
 some charitable persons      advised   
her to seek ,mary's assistance through  
the ,miraculous      ,medal4 ,the good  

widow did so1 and wore her medal with   
the      utmost confidence4 ,on ,holy   
,saturday1 she perceived that her       
foot had become steady2 the next day1   
,easter1 without any      remedies      
having been used1 it resumed its natural
 position1 and      since that time1    
though a little weaker than the right1  
not      once has it given way or       
turned4 ,she attributes her recovery to 
the ,blessed ,virgin1 whom she invoked  
by wearing the medal1 so      justly    
styled miraculous4        ,i could cite 
many other less striking cases2 one time
 it is a      hardy peasant who         
attributes to ,mary's intercession      
relief from      violent pains2 another 
time1 a little child1 who in a few days1
      is completely cured of a large    
tumor under its arm1 accompanied      by
 fever2 a mother who tells me how her   
daughter's ill health      is sensibly  
improved by the application of the      
medal2 or a      ,protestant girl1 who1 
after wearing it1 abjures heresy1 etc4  

,nearly all the children of our village 
wear the ,miraculous      ,medal around 
their neck1 they recite the invocation1 
they kiss      the precious image and   
give it to their little sisters and     
brothers in the cradle to kiss4         
,,iii4    ,graces obtained from #ahcf to
 #ahch in ,france1 ,italy1 ,holland1    
etc4      ,,conversion ,,and ,,cure ,,of
 ,m4 ,,gaetan 7,,boulogne74    ,this    
account was sent me by the cur of       
,boulogne1 ,february #h1 #ahcf4         
,in my parish1 a young man named ,gaetan
 ,u---1 aged twenty-seven      years1   
was leading a life of criminal intimacy 
with a woman4      ,several years after 
abandoning his mother and brother1 that 
he      might be under no restraint in  
his shameless course1 he was            
prostrated by a serious pulmonary       
attack4 ,m4 ,jean ,pulioli1 an          
excellent physician1 undertook the case2
 but the violence or      the disease   
overcame his skill1 and the patient     
7still in the      house of the bad     

character with whom he lived17 was      
reduced to      such a deplorable state 
of exhaustion1 that he could not move   
himself4 ,from the beginning of his     
sickness he had insisted      that he   
would not be worried by a priest4 ,but  
the disease      making very rapid      
progress1 the doctor believed it his    
duty to      warn a priest of his       
condition4 ,my chaplain went immediately
      to see him1 and earnestly         
entreated him to put an end to this     
scandalous state of affairs by marrying 
the woman1 but all in      vain4 ,i then
 paid him a visit1 and besides remarking
 in him      neither any intention of   
marrying her nor of separating from     
her1 ,i perceived from the excuses he   
gave1 that his soul was      enshrouded 
in impenetrable indifference4 ,having   
uselessly      exhausted all efforts to 
effect a change1 ,i concluded it would  
be better to leave him awhile to quiet  
and serious reflection1      and return 
later to know his decision4 ,i urged him

 to seek      the mediation of that     
refuge of sinners1 the ,blessed ,virgin1
      and slipping the ,miraculous      
,medal under his pillow1 ,i left4       
,there was no necessity for my returning
 to learn his decision1      he sent his
 mother for me1 with whom he had become 
reconciled      in the meantime2 after  
informing me of the very just reasons   
he had for not marrying the woman1 he   
asked me if ,i would      not request   
her to leave1 a commission ,i willingly 
accepted4      ,she consented1 and      
immediately abandoned the house4 ,the   
sick      man's peace and joy at this   
were indescribable2 when ,i showed      
him the medal1 he kissed it most        
fervently and impulsively1              
notwithstanding his state of exhaustion4
 ,then1 with every mark      of sincere 
repentance1 he confessed1 received the  
,holy ,viaticum      and ,extreme       
,unction1 for we expected each moment he
 would      breathe his last4 ,this     
occurred ,january #ai1 #ahcf4           

,interiorly1      he enjoyed unspeakable
 peace1 a favor he always attributed to 
the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,from this time he
 began to improve1 and      in a few    
days his health was completely          
re-established4 ,he      continues to   
persevere in his good resolutions1 and  
full of the      tenderest affection for
 his celestial ,benefactress1 he still  
reverently wears the medal ,i gave him1 
often kissing it with      truly filial 
love4        ,monsieur1 ,i was a witness
 of the above-mentioned fact2 ,i send   
it to you1 not only with the permission 
of the newly converted      and cured1  
but at his request1 and ,i hope that the
 knowledge      will redound to the     
honor and glory of the ,omnipotent ,god1
 who1      through the intercession of  
the ,blessed ,virgin1 has wrought       
this double miracle4        ,i subjoin  
the certificate of the physician who    
attests the      disease and its cure4  
,,cure ,,of ,a ,,judge ,,at ,,naples4   
,the judge of the civil tribunal of     

,naples1 ,m4 ,joseph ,cocchia1 seriously
  debilitated by a chronic disease of   
the bowels1 was afflicted with most     
violent pains1 accompanied by a         
spasmodic sensation that1 continually   
increasing1 banished sleep and appetite1
 and perceptibly diminished  his frame4 
,this was followed by a bilious gastric 
fever1 long and  obstinate1 of fifty    
days duration4 ,when freed from the     
fever1 the sick  man found himself in a 
frightful state of emaciation and       
exhaustion2  signs of inflammation in   
the bowels1 and such extreme irritation 
that  the least jolt induced fever1 made
 skillful physicians fear lest these    
were the symptoms of an incurable malady
 still more deplorable4 ,whilst  in this
 pitiable condition1 there reached the  
sick man's ears accounts  of the        
prodigies ,divine mercy had wrought in  
favor of those who wore  the medal2 he  
eagerly asked for one1 and received it  
with faith2  henceforth1 he had no      
longer any need of medical assistance1  

for he  recovered the strength and      
perfect health he now enjoys4           
,,cure ,,of ,f4,p4 ,,de ,,magistris4    
,m4,f4 ,paul de ,magistris1 aged seven  
years1 was attacked about the  middle of
 ,november1 #ahce1 by a bilious gastric 
fever1 which1 by reason  of accompanying
 circumstances1 threatened to shorten   
his life4 ,after  three weeks' illness1 
his nervous system was also attacked1   
and he  became a prey to a state of     
profound drowsiness that resulted in the
  loss of reason and speech4 ,his       
afflicted parents1 seeing the obstinacy 
of the disease1 notwithstanding all     
efforts of medical skill to the         
contrary1 considered the case hopeless1 
and their child lost to them4  ,on the  
evening of ,january #ith1 the cur       
administered ,extreme ,unction1         
believing1 as did all the assistants1   
that the little sufferer had but  a few 
hours to live4 ,a young person1 who came
 to the house1 having  mentioned the    
,miraculous ,medal brought from ,france 

by the priests of  the ,congregation of 
the ,mission1 it was immediately        
procured1 and1  with confidence in its  
healing powers1 applied to the child1   
whilst  all present knelt around his bed
 and recited the ,ave ,maris ,stella4   
,scarcely had they finished1 ere he was 
considered out of danger4 ,with  renewed
 confidence in the medal1 it was        
resolved to begin a novena  in honor of 
the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,during its       
progress1 the disease  diminished       
perceptibly1 and the child has now      
entirely recovered4 ,its  parents1 as   
well as other persons of credit and     
veracity1 among them  the attendant     
physician1 attest that1 having witnessed
 his deplorable  condition1 they feel   
convinced his recovery was a miracle1   
resulting  from the application of the  
medal4    ,february #bb1 #ahcf4         
,,cure ,,of ,a ,,dropsical ,,man        
7,,switzerland74                        
,soleure1 ,january #aith1 #ahcf4        
,baptiste1 a wood sawyer1 whom you knew 

during your sojourn      in this city1  
was confined to his bed two whole months
 by      an attack of the severest form 
of dropsy on the chest4 ,one      of our
 best physicians1 who attended him at   
the beginning      of his sickness1     
having told ,baptiste's wife that the   
case      was a hopeless one1 the family
 decided to consult another1      ,m4   
,gougelmann1 at ,attyswill1 a league    
from ,soleure4 ,after      seeing the   
patient1 he also gave the same opinion1 
and the      poor wife's distress was   
beyond expression4 ,a pious lady1       
witnessing her grief1 gave her a        
,miraculous ,medal4 ,the sick      man's
 arms1 legs1 and whole body were greatly
 swollen4 ,his      breath was short1   
and he had scarcely any power of motion2
 his      back1 and his elbows upon     
which he was obliged to lean1 were a    
mass of sores4 ,in this pitiable state1 
death might be expected      any moment4
 ,his confessor having come to visit    
him1 brought      the ,notice of the    

miracles wrought through the ,miraculous
      ,medal4 ,the sick man on receiving
 it began to read it aloud1      greatly
 to the astonishment of his wife and the
 priest1 who      were both witnesses   
that he had been almost past the power  
of speech but a few minutes before4 ,and
 he continued reading      thus until he
 had finished the little book 7it was   
one of the      first editions74 ,this  
was the evening of ,january #ai4 ,his   
wife1      overcome with fatigue1 fell  
asleep for a few moments1 his           
children were in an adjoining room      
expecting at any instant to      hear   
the sad news of their father's death4   
,he slept a little      towards three   
o'clock in the morning1 and on awaking  
found      himself so well that it was  
impossible to resist the desire of      
rising from his bed and throwing himself
 on his knees before a      crucifix1 in
 thanksgiving to ,our ,lord and ,his    
divine ,mother4      ,his wife awoke1   
and not seeing him in bed1 called to    

know where      he was4 ',i am well2 the
 ,blessed ,virgin has cured me1' was the
      answer of ,baptiste1 whom she     
perceived kneeling before the           
crucifix4 ,the children1 hearing the    
noise1 hastened to their      father's  
presence1 believing him about to breathe
 his last1      but judge of their      
surprise at finding him restored to     
health1      and his sores perfectly    
healed6 ,imagine1 if you can1 the joy   
of this poor family1 and the happy      
effects the news of this      wondrous  
cure produced upon the many who heard   
it4 ,baptiste has      had excellent    
health ever since4           99       99
       99       99       99    ,,cure   
,,of ,,fran,,ois ,,wenmakers1 ,,of      
,,bois-,,le-,,duc 7,,holland74    ,the  
,noord ,brabander1 a ,holland journal1  
printed at ,bois-le-,duc1  contains in  
number #fh the following account of an  
extraordinary cure1  which is attributed
 to the ,blessed ,virgin3               
,bois-le ,duc1 ,june #fth1 #ahcf4       

,the #beth of last ,april1 ,franois     
,wenmakers1 a young      apprentice1    
aged fourteen years1 fell from a height 
of      about sixteen feet4 ,an         
affection of the brain and an almost    
complete paralysis of the lungs1 larynx 
and oesophagus were      the result2 he 
was not in a condition to take any      
medicine      into his stomach1 or even 
to swallow the least liquid1 and he     
was deprived of consciousness4 ,one of  
the physicians1 feeling      worried at 
his fixed stare1 advised the            
administration of      ,extreme         
,unction2 and yet another1 the eve of   
his recovery1      declared him on the  
verge of death4 ,the sick man moreover1 
had become nearly blind the last few    
days4 ,on the #ast of ,may1             
advantage was taken of a lucid interval1
 to give him the ,holy      ,viaticum2  
and on the #dth of the same month1 he   
received ,extreme      ,unction from one
 of the chaplains of ,st4 ,jean4 ,his   
parents1 who      immediately after his 

fall1 had hung a medal of the           
,immaculate      ,conception around his 
neck1 seeing there was now no hope of   
his      recovery1 except in the divine 
goodness and the intercession      of   
the ,blessed ,virgin1 began1 on the     
#afth of ,may1 a novena in      honor of
 the ,mother of ,god4 ,three days after1
 about six o'clock      in the morning1 
the patient suddenly asked his mother if
 the      medal around his neck were    
blessed4 ,she answered yes1 regarding   
the question as the effect of delirium4 
,he immediately      kissed it1 and sat 
up for the first time since the fall1   
for      heretofore he had been         
stretched out helpless on the bed1 and1 
for some days past1 had been deprived of
 the use of his limbs4      ',something 
tells me1' he exclaimed1 'that ,i must  
get up1 that      ,i am cured6' ,the    
astonishment of those present may easily
 be      imagined4 ,the mother called   
his sisters1 who repaired to the        
room with an elder girl1 and they1      

seeing that he stoutly      persisted in
 declaring himself cured1 persuaded his 
mother to      let him rise4 ,he did    
indeed get up1 and pointing to a picture
      in the room1 representing the     
medal1 he said3 ',it is this good       
,mother who has cured me4' ,from that   
moment the boy's health was             
perfectly re-established1 and his       
intellectual faculties were             
brighter than ever4        ,reflections 
here are superfluous4 ,glory to ,god and
 her who      thus rewards the          
confidence of her servants6 ,the parents
 and      their child will ever remember
 the blessing they have received1       
and never cease to publish it6          
99       99       99       99       99  
,,cure ,,of ,,rosalie ,,ducas1 ,,of     
,,jauchelette 7,,belgium74    ,rosalie  
,ducas1 of ,jauchelette1 near ,jodoigne1
 aged four years and  a-half1 was1 on   
the #ith of ,november1 #ahce1 suddenly  
struck with total  blindness without the
 slightest premonitory symptoms2 there  

was no  disease1 no weakness1 she was in
 apparently perfect health4 ,not only   
was the least light1 but the least      
breath of air so painful1 that her  face
 had to be kept constantly covered with 
a cloth four doubled4 ,this  poor       
child's sufferings night and day1 were  
heart-rending6 ,at last the  mother     
herself was taken sick4 ,some pious     
individual procured her a  blessed medal
 of the ,immaculate ,conception4 ,she   
took it and commenced  a novena4        
,another medal was put on the child's   
neck1 the #aath of ,june1  #ahcf1 about 
six o'clock in the evening2 at midnight1
 the little one  ceased its moans1 on   
the fourth or fifth day of the novena1  
it opened  its eyes4 ,the mother and    
father redoubled their prayers to the   
,blessed  ,virgin1 and on the ninth day1
 towards evening1 the child recovered   
its  sight entirely1 to the great       
astonishment of the neighbors and all   
who  were witnesses of the occurrence4  
,the cur of ,jodoigne-la-,souveraine1   

who had given the medal1      has       
himself seen the child who lives not    
more than half a      league distant2 he
 positively asserts that it has         
perfectly      recovered its sight1 and 
that not the slightest vestige of the   
attack remains1 which fact is well      
known1 and contributes not a      little
 in exciting devotion to the ,immaculate
 ,mary4           99       99       99  
99       99    ,,conversion ,,of ,,the  
,,father ,,of ,a ,,family 7,,belgium74  
,there are still in existence here some 
families who1      persistently         
recognizing in the present clergy only a
 purely      civil power1 hold          
themselves utterly aloof1 live in a     
state of      schism1 and comply with   
none of the duties of religion4         
,one of these miserable creatures was   
afflicted with a virulent      cancer on
 the side of his face1 which for a long 
time had been      eating away the      
flesh4 ,the malady increasing1 ,i       
believed it my      duty to visit him   

and offer the consolations of my        
ministry4      ,i saw him several times1
 he was suffering greatly2 the          
oesophagus was exposed1 the right side  
of his emaciated face      presented    
only a deep sore1 the eye1 starting from
 its socket1      hung suspended over a 
terrible disfigured mouth2 his tongue   
caused him acute pain2 his condition was
 pitiable indeed1      especially as he 
seemed determined to die impenitent4 ,he
 was      a rough1 blunt man1 who wanted
 to hear nothing about priests      or  
,sacraments4 ,in vain was he reminded of
 our ,lord's bountiful      kindness and
 the rigors of ,his justice1 nothing    
touched      him2 to all expostulations 
his invariable reply was3 ',god's       
mercy is great1 ,i will confess to ,god1
 the ,blessed ,virgin1      to ,st4     
,barbara and the good ,saints4' ,he was 
the counterpart      of those men to    
whom ,jesus ,christ said3 ',in peccato  
vestro      moriemini--you shall die in 
your sin4'        ,his relations and    

numerous friends endeavored both by     
prayers      and entreaties to snatch   
him from perdition1 but on the other    
side visited daily and sustained by his 
old associates in      impiety1 he      
persisted in dying as he had lived1 in  
schism4        ,in the meantime1 ,i was 
obliged to be absent several days4 ,this
      period was for him one of ,divine 
mercy4 ,a lady of the parish      made a
 last attempt to recall him to ,god1 by 
bringing him one      of those medals of
 the ,immaculate ,conception called     
miraculous4      ,she sent it to him    
with the request to wear it and put all 
his      confidence in the ,blessed     
,virgin4 ,the sick man took the medal1  
kissed it respectfully1 and put it under
 his pillow4 ,in giving      it to him1 
his daughter had taken care to acquaint 
him with      its origin and advantages1
 at the same time urging him1 as        
usual1 to make his confession4 ',leave  
me in peace1' was the      wretched     
father's reply1 and she could say no    

more4 ,next day1      a neighboring cur 
was sent for to administer ,extreme     
,unction      to another person in the  
parish4 ,he came1 and forgetting1 as    
it were1 the one for whom he had been   
sent1 he thought only of      the       
cancerous patient4 ',i felt1' he        
afterwards told me1 'an                 
inexplicable and irresistible desire to 
visit him1 ,i could not      have       
returned without seeing him4' ,he asks  
some one to announce      his arrival to
 the sick man2 this person speaks to the
 latter1      and urges him to confess4 
',the cur of ,p4 is here1' she adds1    
'and would like to see you1 if you have 
no objection4' ',well1      yes1 let him
 come4' ,the cur went to him            
immediately2 at first      there was a  
slight air of resistance about the      
patient1 but it      vanished1 the hour 
of grace had come1 he confessed with    
every      indication of true           
repentance1 and received ,extreme       
,unction      with an indescribable     

peace and joy1 that never faltered      
during      the four remaining days of  
his life4 ,the ,holy ,viaticum could    
not be administered because he was not  
able to swallow4        ,at noon1 on the
 #ahth of last ,may1 the month          
consecrated to      ,mary1 he died1 aged
 seventy-eight4        ,except his      
former companions in irreligion1 this   
conversion      was a subject of        
rejoicing to the parish1 and doubtless  
it      will rejoice all the servants of
 ,mary who hear of it4 ,may this        
example1 among thousands1 inspire       
sinners with great confidence      in   
the ,blessed ,virgin1 propagate devotion
 to her1 and multiply      the medal    
styled miraculous6        ,i have       
thought it a duty to give these few     
details1 for the      purpose of making 
known the truly visible effects of the  
protection of the ,mother of ,god1 and  
the ever impenetrable      springs of   
grace in regard to man4        ,i have  
the honor to be1 ,monsieur1 with great  

esteem1 c4           99       99        
99       99       99    ,,cure ,,of     
,,mlle4 ,,antoinette ,,van ,,ertryck    
7,,bois-,,le-,,duc74        ,the        
protection of the ,blessed ,virgin1     
which for the last few      months has  
shown itself so powerful in a           
neighboring kingdom1      has also      
wrought wonders in ,bois-le-,duc4 ,mary 
has here likewise      given equal      
proofs of her maternal bounty when we   
have implored      her intercession4    
,mlle4 ,antoinette ,van ,ertryck1 aged  
twenty-five years1 was for      more    
than twenty months deprived of the use  
of her limbs2 they      were stiff and  
paralyzed1 almost without feeling1 and  
stretched      motionless on a sort of  
bench made for the express purpose4     
,medicine afforded no relief4 ,in this  
sad condition1 wearing      a blessed   
medal of the ,immaculate ,conception1   
she thought of      making a novena in  
honor of the ,feast1 to recover her     
health4      ,on the last day of the    

novena1 she made a fervent communion4   
,even after the departure of the priest1
 who came to administer      the        
,blessed ,sacrament1 there seemed no    
change for the better1      but she felt
 a shiver through all her body1 like the
 impression      often experienced from 
sudden cold4 ,just whilst finishing the 
last prayers1 however1 she seemed to    
hear an interior voice      saying to   
her3 ',you are cured4' ,on attempting to
 move1 she      found that her limbs had
 become flexible1 and she was able to   
walk4 ,the miracle was wrought on       
,saturday1 ,may #afth4 ,the next        
day1 ,sunday1 she went to church to     
return thanks for this      blessing to 
the common ,mother of all the faithful4 
,the people      of our city1 always    
distinguished for their veneration for  
the      ,blessed ,virgin1 and their    
confidence in her intercession are      
not wanting in gratitude1 and this new  
favor will but increase      their      
devotion to ,mary ,immaculate4          

,the duration of the malady1 the        
inutility of medical skill1      and her
 astonishing sudden cure are attested by
 the doctor4        ,a4 ,,bolsius1      
,m4,d4      ,,cure ,,of ,a ,,young      
,,girl ,,at ,,cracow1 ,,poland4         
,extract from a letter of the ,countess 
,lubinska3                              
,march #abth1 #ahcg4        ,i took into
 my service1 the #bjth of last          
,december1 a young      girl whose      
excellent qualities elicited my deepest 
interest4        ,after being with me   
some months1 she began to suffer most   
acute pains in the head2 the remedies we
 employed affording      no relief1 the 
attending physician advised her to keep 
her      bed1 and did not conceal from  
her his opinion that these pains        
proceeded from the humor flowing        
constantly from her ears1 and      which
 seeming to be upon the brain1          
threatened her life1 or at      all     
events1 her reason4        ,what        
confirmed this opinion was the fact that

 whenever she      walked rapidly or    
stooped1 she was forced by the pain to  
throw      her head back1 as she assured
 me various times during her            
sickness4 ,the continued suffering      
induced her1 at last1 to      follow the
 physician's advice1 and consent1 if    
necessary1 to      the operation of     
trepanning4 ,i shuddered at the very    
idea1 and      made her promise to      
ascertain if a delay of ten days would  
be      attended with any serious       
consequences4 ,upon a negative answer   
from the physician1 ,i stopped all      
medicines and determined      to try the
 efficacy of the ,miraculous ,medal4    
,this was on a      ,saturday1 and the  
very day observed by her as a strict    
fast1      in thanksgiving to the       
,blessed ,virgin for having miraculously
      cured her of a mortal typhus1     
after her mother had dedicated      her 
to ,mary4 ,her confidence in ,mary was  
great2 and as ,i did      not give her  
the medal for some hours after promising

 it1      she told one of her friends1  
as ,i have since learned1 that      her 
impatience to receive it was almost     
beyond bounds1 and      assured her that
 she would not have hesitated between it
 and      two thousand francs had she   
been allowed a choice1 and we      must 
remember that this girl was very poor4  
,to display more      clearly the       
miraculous nature of the cure1 ,god     
permitted her      sufferings to        
increase to such a degree that very day1
 that      notwithstanding her patience 
and resignation1 it seemed as      if   
she really could not endure them much   
longer4 ,knowing her      lively faith  
and confidence1 ,i deemed it unnecessary
 to enter      into a detailed account  
of the salutary effects of the medal2   
,i gave it to her2 she immediately made 
with it the sign of      the cross upon 
her poor head1 repeated the invocation  
and      fell asleep amidst excessive   
sufferings4 ,on awaking she was         
perfectly cured1 and has never since    

experienced the slightest      symptom  
of the disease4        ,filled with     
sentiments of the deepest humility and  
the      most lively gratitude1 the     
miraculously cured now wishes to        
consecrate herself to ,god in the       
religious life4        ,blessed a       
thousand times be ,god and the          
,immaculate ,mary1 and      may we ever 
appreciate such boundless mercy6        
,,conversion ,,of ,m4 ,,regnault1       
,,mayor ,,of ,,poitiers4--#ahcg    ,the 
following account was sent us by the abb
 of ,chazelle3                          
,poitiers1 ,june #abth1 #ahcg4          
,m4 ,regnault1 mayor of ,poitiers1 had  
exercised his functions      since the  
year #ahcj4 ,in some difficulties1      
occurring during his                    
administration1 with the bishop and     
several of the clergy1 he      had shown
 himself just and equitable4 ,his       
charity to the poor      was well known4
 ,but far different are these moral     
virtues1      which generally receive   

their recompense here below1 from the   
,christian virtues so seldom rewarded1  
except in a better world6      ,m4      
,regnault never appeared at church1     
except when his presence      as mayor  
was necessary4 ,a prey for some time to 
a grave malady1      he continued to    
exercise his functions as long as       
possible1      imposing upon himself for
 that purpose many sacrifices1 and      
displaying an admirable zeal2 but1      
vanquished by the disease1      he was  
at length forced to suspend his duties1 
and1 since the      #ast of last        
,january1 to resign altogether4 ,the cur
 of ,st4      ,hilaire1 having learned  
the alarming state of his parishioner's 
health1 hastened to visit him1 and offer
 the consolations of      his ministry1 
but in vain4 ,he repeated his visits4   
,he was      received into the house1   
but not taken to see the patient4 ,he   
now sent word to the latter that he was 
at his command1 and      would come     
immediately when sent for4 ,meanwhile1  

the disease      made such rapid        
progress that there was no longer any   
hope of      recovery4 ,several of his  
friends1 interested in his salvation1   
were grieved to see him so near death   
without the slightest      preparation  
for it4 ,one of them brought him a      
,miraculous ,medal1      and1 not being 
able to see him herself1 she asked a    
woman      about the house to give it to
 him for her4 ,the woman did so1        
and1 fearing he might reject it with    
contempt1 she begged him      to receive
 it for the donor's sake4 ,he took it1  
saying3 ',it is      a medal of the     
,blessed ,virgin2 ,i accept it          
respectfully1 ,god      is not to be    
trifled with4' ,and1 putting it under   
his pillow1      he sent a kind message 
of thanks to the lady who had given     
it4 ,some moments after1 he takes it    
out1 contemplates it1 and      kisses it
 respectfully4        ,having placed his
 temporal affairs in order1 he now      
expresses      a wish to do the same    

with his conscience1 and requests his   
attendants to send for the parish cur4  
,the latter hastens to      the sick    
man's bedside4 ',i have made you come in
 a hurry1'      says the patient1 ',i   
want to have a conversation with you4'  
,after this conversation1 he asks the   
cur to return next day1      as he      
wishes time to prepare himself for the  
grand action he      contemplates4 ',the
 step ,i am about to take1' he adds1 ',i
 do      with full knowledge and entire 
conviction4' ,the cur of ,st4           
,hilaire1 with whom1 as mayor1 he had   
just had a law-suit1      suggested that
 he make his confession to some other   
priest2 he      answered that he wished 
no one but his pastor4 ,next day1 the   
cur returned1 and as he addressed his   
penitent by the title of      ,m4 the   
,mayor3 ',do not call me that1' said ,m4
 ,regnault2 'you are      now my father1
 ,i am your son1 ,i beg you to address  
me thus4'      ,the cur paid him        
frequent visits1 and as the disease     

continued      to progress1 he suggested
 administering the ,holy ,viaticum and  
,extreme ,unction4 ',i have not been    
confirmed1' replied the      pious      
patient1 ',i ardently desire to receive 
,confirmation4'      ,the bishop was    
soon informed1 and1 readily forgetting  
all      subject of complaint1 and      
thanking ,god for this unexpected       
change1 the venerable prelate went at   
once to the sick man4      ,the happy   
dispositions of the latter touched him  
deeply1 and he      administered to him 
the ,sacrament of ,confirmation the very
 day      of his receiving ,extreme     
,unction and the ,holy ,viaticum4       
,it is impossible to give an idea of ,m4
 ,regnault's faith      and truly       
angelic fervor during this ceremony1 or 
the deep      impression made upon him  
at seeing ,monseigneur enter his        
chamber4 ,it was ,saturday1 ,january    
#bast1 the eve of ,septuagesima         
,sunday4 ,monseigneur addressed him in a
 few words full of      unction and     

charity1 and to inspire him with hope1  
reminded      him of the very touching  
parable of the next day's ,gospel1 the  
laborers in the ,father's vineyard1 who 
coming at the last hour      received   
the same recompense as those who had    
borne the heat      and burden of the   
day4 ,all the assistants were deeply    
affected      at this edifying          
spectacle1 and many were moved to tears4
      ,the bishop1 on leaving1 charged  
the cur to testify again to      ,m4    
,regnault how great consolation he had  
experienced at this      happy change1  
and how much he had been edified at his 
piety      during this touching but long
 ceremony4 ',as first magistrate      of
 the city1' he answered1 with a peaceful
 smile1 ',i ought to      set good      
example to those under my               
administration4' ,the cur      sought by
 repeated visits to sustain this        
new-born piety1      already tried most 
severely by the excruciating sufferings 
of      the malady1 sufferings which the

 patient bore with calmness      and    
resignation1 offering them to ,god in   
expiation of his past      offences4 ,to
 recompense his services to the city    
during his      administration1 the     
government bestowed upon him the cross  
of      honor4 ,the cur could not       
refrain from congratulating him4 ',i    
do not know1' was the modest answer1 ',i
 do not know what ,i      have done to  
merit it1' and when reminded of his     
services to      the city1 ',oh6 do not 
speak of them1' said he1 'such things   
might awaken self-love6' ,what immense  
progress virtue makes      in the soul  
in a very little while6 ,it was in these
 happy      dispositions he died1 the   
#b;d of the following ,february1 ,feast 
of the ,purification4 ,the whole city of
 ,poitiers1 we might say1      assisted 
at the funeral4 ,the bishop1 the        
authorities1 and      a host of other   
distinguished personages came to pay    
their      tribute of gratitude and     
admiration to his memory1 and the       

prefect congratulated the cur of ,st4   
,hilaire on so wonderful a              
conversion4      ,,mary',s ,,protection 
,,of ,a ,,little ,,child 7,,paris74     
,madame ,rmond1 living number #gj1 rue  
,mouffetard1 held at her chamber        
window1 on the second story1 one of her 
children1 aged twenty-two  months4      
,fainting suddenly1 she fell back into  
the room1 and the  child was            
precipitated upon the pavement below4   
,immediate death  might naturally have  
been expected as the inevitable         
consequence of  such a fall2 but no1    
wonderful to relate1 the child was not  
injured4  ,after reading the            
,archbishop's circular 7upon the        
occasion of the  consecration of the    
church of ,notre ,dame de ,lorette71 in 
which he  recommends all the faithful to
 wear the ,miraculous ,medal1 the pious 
parents had hastened to procure one and 
put it on their child4 ,the  ,immaculate
 ,mary did not fail to reward their     
piety4 ,on picking the poor  little     

creature up1 and examining it1 not even 
the slightest bruise was  discovered4   
,as the mother was a long time          
recovering from her swoon1 it  caused   
great anxiety1 and several physicians   
were called in to see her4  ,they also  
saw the child1 and declared its escape  
wonderful indeed4 ,but  by way of       
precaution1 they applied a few leeches  
to it1 and a poultice  to one knee which
 seemed to be the seat of some slight   
pain4 ,the child  had been eating an    
instant before this terrible fall1      
which1 strange  to say1 occasioned no   
vomiting1 and immediately after being   
picked up  it took all the little       
delicacies offered it4 ,every one       
declared this  occurrence a miracle1 and
 the innocent little creature itself    
seemed  to proclaim it1 by kissing the  
medal and pressing it to its lips1      
especially when the subject was         
mentioned1 as we ourselves witnessed    
when the father showed him to us the    
#beth of ,june1 #ahcg4        ,the      

mother recovered perfectly1 and she     
never ceases to thank      the          
,immaculate ,mary for the double        
protection she considers due      the   
medal4      ,,the ,,archconfraternity   
,,of ,,notre ,,dame ,,des ,,victoires4  
,scarcely six years since the apparition
 of #ahcj1 and already the  designs of  
,providence were realized2 the          
,miraculous ,medal had awakened         
devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin1 belief
 in the ,immaculate ,conception had     
penetrated all classes of society1 and  
the innumerable favors accorded  those  
who fervently recited the prayers       
revealed by ,mary1 had clearly  proved  
how she prizes this first of all her    
privileges4 ,but so far1 her  servants  
remained isolated1 having no bond of    
union1 no central point  where they     
could meet2 the majority of those who   
wore the medal as the  livery of the    
spotless ,virgin1 knew neither the      
place1 the mode1 nor  date of its       
origin4    ,god was now about to        

complete the work1 by giving to this    
devotion1 an  organization and fixed    
exercises which favored its development1
 and  increased the efficacy of prayer1 
by the power of association4    ,towards
 the end of the year #ahcf1 a man was   
raised up to execute the  divine plans2 
this man was ,m4 ,dufriche ,desgenettes1
 cur of ,notre ,dame  des ,victoires1   
,paris4 ,from #ahbj to #ahcb1 in charge 
of ,st4 ,francis  ,xavier's ,church1 he 
numbered among the religious            
establishments of his  parish1 the      
,mother ,house of the ,daughters of     
,charity1 where the ,blessed  ,virgin   
had appeared4 ,he was one of the most   
earnest in thanking ,god for  this      
grace1 and most eager to propagate the  
medal4 ,it was his desire  that the     
privileged chapel should become a       
pilgrim shrine1 but this  desire not    
being realized1 he was chosen by        
,providence to supply the  substitute4  
,let us quote his own words1 relating   
how he was led to found the             

,archconfraternity of the ,holy and     
,immaculate ,heart of ,mary4 ,there  was
 in ,paris1 a parish scarcely known even
 to many of the ,parisians4  ,it is     
situated in the centre of the city1     
between the ,palais ,royal  and the     
,bourse1 surrounded by theatres and     
places of dissipation1 a  quarter       
swallowed up in the vortex of cupidity  
and industry1 and the  most abandoned to
 every species of criminal indulgence4  
,its church1  dedicated to ,notre ,dame 
des ,victoires1 remained deserted even  
on the  most solemn festivities4444 ,no 
,sacraments were administered in this   
parish1 not even to the dying4444 ,if1  
by dint of novel persuasion1 the  cur   
obtained permission to visit a person   
dangerously ill1 it was not  only on    
condition of waiting until the patient's
 faculties were dimmed1  but also on    
another almost insuperable condition1   
that of presenting  himself in a secular
 habit4 ,what benefit were such visits8 
,they were  merely a useless torment to 

the dying4#bj        ,footnote #bj3     
,manual of the ,archconfraternity1      
edition of #ahec4      p4 #hd4    ,such 
was the parish confided to ,m4          
,desgenettes4 ,with the hope of         
recalling to ,god1 even a few strayed   
souls1 the poor cur1 for four  years1   
employed every means that the most      
active zeal could suggest1  but in vain4
 ,sad and grieved beyond measure1 he    
thought of quitting  this ungrateful    
post1 when a supernatural communication 
revived his  drooping courage4    ,on   
the #c;d of ,december1 ,feast of ,st4   
,francis ,xavier1 thoroughly  penetrated
 with the inutility of his ministry in  
this parish1 he  was saying ,mass at the
 ,blessed ,virgin's altar1 now the altar
 of the  ,archconfraternity4444 ,after  
the ,sanctus1 he distinctly heard these 
words pronounced in a very solemn       
manner3 ,consecrate thy parish to the   
most ,holy and ,immaculate ,heart of    
,mary4 ,they did not strike his ears1   
but seemed to proceed from an interior  

voice4 ,he immediately recovered  peace 
and liberty of spirit4 ,after finishing 
his thanksgiving1 fearing  to be the    
dupe of an illusion1 he endeavored to   
banish the thought of  what was         
apparently a supernatural communication1
 but the same interior  voice resounded 
again in the depths of his soul4        
,returned to his house1  he begins to   
compose the statutes of the association1
 with a view of  delivering himself from
 an importunate idea1 and scarcely does 
he take  his pen in hand1 ere he is     
fully enlightened on the subject1 and   
the  organization of the work costs him 
nothing but the manual labor of the     
writing4#ba        ,footnote #ba3       
,manual of the ,archconfraternity1 p4   
#g4    ,the statutes prepared1 are      
submitted to ,mgr4 de ,qulen who        
approves  them1 and the #afth of the    
same month1 an archiepiscopal ordinance 
erects canonically the ,association of  
the ,holy and ,immaculate ,heart  of    
,mary for the conversion of sinners4    

,the first meeting took place  on       
,sunday1 the #aath of ,december4 ,in    
announcing it at ,high ,mass1 the  pious
 pastor expected to see in the evening  
not more than fifty or  sixty persons at
 most4 ,judge of his astonishment on    
finding assembled  at the appointed     
hour1 a congregation of about five      
hundred1 a large  proportion of whom are
 men6 ,what had brought them8 ,the      
majority were  ignorant of the object of
 the meeting4 ,an instruction explaining
 the  motive and end of the exercises   
made a deep impression2 the ,benediction
  was chanted most fervently1 and there 
was a notable increase of fervor  during
 the ,litany of the ,blessed ,virgin1   
especially at the thrice  repeated      
invocation3 ,refugium peccatorum1 ora   
pro nobis4 ,the cause  was gained1 ,mary
 took possession of the parish of ,notre
 ,dame des  ,victoires4    ,the good cur
 still doubted2 to assure himself that  
the association was  truly the work of  
,god1 he demanded a sign1 the conversion

 of a great  sinner1 an old man on the  
borders of the tomb1 who had several    
times  refused to see him4 ,his prayer  
was granted1 the old man received him   
gladly1 and became sincerely converted4 
,it was not long before new  graces     
showered upon his parish increased ,m4  
,desgenette's confidence1  numberless   
sinners changed their lives1 indifferent
 ,christians became  practical and      
fervent1 the offices of the ,church were
 attended1 the  ,sacraments frequented1 
the apparently extinguished ,faith was  
relighted1  and this parish1 lately so  
scandalous1 soon became one of the most 
edifying in ,paris4    ,the             
,confraternity of the most ,holy and    
,immaculate ,heart of ,mary was  not to 
embrace one parish only4 ,god willed    
that it should extend  throughout       
,france1 and even the entire world4 ,m4 
,desgenettes1 who  understood this      
design1 addressed himself to the        
,sovereign ,pontiff1  and obtained1     
,april #bdth1 #ahch1 a brief1 erecting  

the association into  an                
,archconfraternity1 with the power of   
affiliating to itself other             
associations of the same kind throughout
 the ,church1 and granting them  a      
participation in the spiritual favors   
accorded it4 ,from this day1 the        
,archconfraternity developed            
wonderfully1 and became an inexhaustible
  source of graces4 ,the church of      
,notre ,dame des ,victoires was         
henceforth  numbered among the most     
celebrated sanctuaries in the world4 ,at
 all  hours may the faithful be seen    
around its altars in the attitude of    
prayer and recollection4 ,the re-unions 
which take place every ,sunday  present 
a touching spectacle1 a dense crowd     
composed of persons of  every condition1
 who1 after fervently chanting ,mary's  
praises1 listen  attentively to a long  
series of petitions received in the     
course of the  week from all quarters of
 the globe4    ,these present a picture 
of all the miseries1 all the sufferings1

 all  the corporal and spiritual        
necessities possible2 to which are added
  numberless acts of thanksgiving for   
benefits obtained through the           
associates' prayers4 ,these petitions   
are so multitudinous that they  cannot  
be announced except in a general manner 
and by categories2 they  actually       
amount1 each week1 to the number of     
twenty-five or thirty  thousand1 and1   
for the entire year1 form a total of a  
million and  a half4 ,at the time of its
 founder's death1 the ,archconfraternity
  numbered fifteen thousand affiliated  
confraternities in all quarters of  the 
globe1 and more than twenty million     
associates4 ,at the beginning of  this  
year1 #ahgh1 the affiliated             
confraternities amount to #ag1dgb4    ,a
 bulletin1 issued monthly1 gives an     
account of the progress of the          
,archconfraternity1 the exercises which 
take place at ,notre ,dame des          
,victoires1 the graces obtained1 etc4   
,the first nine numbers were  published 

by ,m4 ,desgenettes himself1 but at     
irregular intervals2 they  are full of  
interest and edification4    ,amidst the
 wonderful success of his work1 the     
venerable pastor1 far  from seeking any 
of the glory1 thought only of humbling  
himself2  regarding his share in it as  
naught but that of a simple instrument1 
he  confesses even his resistance to the
 inspirations of grace1 his doubts1  his
 incredulity2#bb he will not admit that 
he may be called the  founder of this   
work of mercy2 it is ,god who has done  
all1 it is the  ,immaculate ,heart of   
,mary1 that has opened to poor sinners a
 new source  of graces1 as for himself1 
he was not even the originator of the   
idea4        ,footnote #bb3 ,manual of  
the ,archconfraternity1 page #hf4       
,these sentiments reveal the soul of a  
saint2 the true servants of  ,god are   
always humble of heart1 and the good    
they accomplish is in  proportion to    
their self-abasement4    ,in his deep   
gratitude to ,god1 the pious cur never  

forgot the bond  attaching ,notre ,dame 
des ,victoires to the chapel of the     
,daughters of  ,charity2 he always loved
 this blessed sanctuary2 it was there   
,mary had  concealed the source of those
 vivifying waters which flowed through  
his parish2 it was there this ,mother of
 divine grace had promised  those       
benedictions which the                  
,archconfraternity reaped so abundantly4
  ,to preserve the remembrance of this  
mysterious relation1 he desired  that   
the medal of the association should be  
the ,miraculous ,medal4  ,henceforth1   
the influence of this medal became      
confounded with that  of the            
,archconfraternity1 the extraordinary   
graces attributed to the  former were   
often due the associates' prayers1 and  
reciprocally1 for  example1 the         
conversion of ,m4 ,ratisbonne4 ,in this 
case1 as in many  others1 two equally   
supernatural means united to obtain the 
same result4    ,it is related that ,m4 
,desgenettes1 seeing the ,daughters of  

,charity  frequently around the altar of
 the most ,holy ,heart of ,mary at      
,notre  ,dame des ,victoires1 would     
sometimes say to them3 ,my good         
,sisters1 ,i  am much pleased to see you
 in my dear church1 but know that your  
own  chapel is the true pilgrim shrine1 
it is there you have the ,blessed       
,virgin1 there she manifested herself to
 you4----    ,the ,miraculous ,medal1 as
 revealed to ,sister ,catherine1 bears  
on the  reverse the ,sacred ,hearts of  
,jesus and ,mary1 the first crowned with
  thorns1 the second pierced by a sword4
 ,these are symbols which all           
comprehend4 ,are they not1 at the same  
time1 a prophetic sign8    ,we are      
permitted to recognize here a           
foreshadowing of that devotion  which   
would be rendered by the                
,archconfraternity of ,notre ,dame des  
,victoires1 to the most ,holy and       
,immaculate ,heart of ,mary4    ,we may 
likewise see pre-figured1 that later    
development in our day1 of  devotion to 

the ,sacred ,heart of ,jesus1 a devotion
 born in ,france1 and  which the entire 
nation wishes to proclaim amidst pomp   
and grandeur1  by the construction of a 
splendid monument1 that from the heights
 of  ,montmartre1 shall overlook all    
,paris4    ,thus by a mysterious        
gradation1 the medal of the ,immaculate 
,conception  has conducted us to the    
,immaculate ,heart of ,mary1 and the    
,heart of the  ,mother has introduced us
 into the ,heart of the ,son1 the       
adorable ,heart  of ,jesus1 that ,heart 
which has so loved men1 and which saves 
nations as  well as individuals4        
,,iv4    ,graces ,obtained from #ahch to
 #ahdb1 in ,greece1 ,america1 ,china1   
etc4    ,,cure ,,wrought ,,in ,,santorin
 7,,greece7--#ahch4      ,letter of     
,m4,n41 ,priest of the ,mission1 in     
,santorin3        ,mme4 ,marie ,delenda1
 wife of ,m4 ,michel ,chigi1 son of the 
,vice-,consul from ,holland to          
,santorin1 for seven years had          
suffered most excruciating pains1       

inducing such a state of      nervous   
sensibility1 that she was unable to bear
 the least      excitement4 ,she had had
 several children1 but they all died    
before birth and receiving baptism4 ,the
 physicians consulted1      declared    
unanimously1 that her disease was       
incurable1 and that      none of her    
children would ever come into the world 
alive4      ,greatly distressed at such 
a sad prospect1 she had recourse to     
the ,miraculous ,medal1 and obtained    
from it what medical skill      was     
unable to effect2 her next child1 born  
not long after1 was      a fine1 live1  
healthy one4 ,her husband1 as pious as  
herself1      was transported with joy  
and gratitude4 ',behold6' said he to    
the attendant physician1 and conducting 
him to an image of the      ,immaculate 
,mary1 ',behold our ,protectrice1 our   
,liberatrix1 the      ,mother of our    
child6' ,the physician knelt1 said a    
prayer and      retired4 ,since then1   
the mother's health is good2 at least   

she      has had no relapse of her      
former apparently incurable disease1    
which recovery is sufficient to attest  
the protection of ,mary                 
,immaculate4 ,full of gratitude1 the two
 spouses have never      ceased to urge 
the erection of the altar and           
inauguration of      the image of ,mary 
,immaculate1 in fulfillment of their    
promise4        ,several other          
miraculous cures have also been wrought 
there      through the invocation of    
,mary ,immaculate4 ,i am assured of     
this2 four of them are well attested1   
and really marvelous4      ,the bishop1 
the clergy1 the people of ,santorin1 are
 all ready      to affirm my assertions1
 and not one of them but would be       
more likely to exaggerate than detract  
from my account4 ,when      ,monseigneur
 went to visit the ,chigi family after  
the birth      of their child1 he asked 
to see the image1 and looking at        
it1 said3 ',this is the second miracle  
wrought in ,santorin by      the        

,immaculate ,virgin4 ,the first is known
 to me through the      confessional1   
and consequently1 ,i cannot divulge it4'
        ,it was on the #bhth of ,may1   
the inauguration of the image of        
the ,immaculate ,conception took place4 
,monseigneur himself      officiated in 
the translation1 after the ,high ,mass  
and      procession terminating the     
,forty ,hour's ,devotion at the         
cathedral4 ,the image was placed upon an
 altar prepared for the      purpose1 in
 the court-yard of the donor's house4   
,from the altar      to the outer door1 
a very prettily decorated arched pathway
      was formed by means of drapery1   
and upon the threshold1 was a           
triumphal arch4 ,all the pavement1 not  
only in the court but      even to our  
church1 was covered with flowers and    
fragrant      grasses4 ,monseigneur1    
preceded by the clergy1 and followed by 
all the ,catholics and a number of      
,greek schismatics1 repaired      to the
 place where the image was exposed4     

,having incensed it1      he intoned the
 ,ave1 ,maris ,stella1 and the          
procession began      to move4 ,the     
clergy with the cross at their head     
commenced to      defile4 ,then came two
 young girls bearing each a banner of   
white silk1 whereon was depicted the    
spotless ,virgin1 these      were       
suspended diagonally at the entrance of 
the sanctuary4      ,next1 were two more
 young girls holding extended1 the front
 of      the altar representing the     
reverse of the medal1 and finally1      
the image borne by the donor and one of 
his nearest relatives4      ,monseigneur
 walked immediately after1 and behind   
him1 ,mme4      ,chigi holding her child
 in her arms and accompanied by her     
sister4 ,the people were not in the     
ranks of the procession1      but ranged
 along each side1 that they might       
readily see the      image and kiss it  
as it passed1 which they did with so    
much      eagerness and enthusiasm that 
there was considerable danger      of   

its meeting with an accident4 ,this1    
however we averted      by many         
precautions1 and at length reached the  
church4 ,at      the entrance1 another  
very beautiful triumphal arch had been  
erected1 surmounted by a large          
representation of the reverse      of   
the medal upon a floating banner1       
bearing the inscription3      ',ave1    
,maria ,immaculata4' ,the church door   
was decorated with      drapery1        
likewise the interior of the walls1     
which were also      hung with flowers1 
verdant crowns and garlands4 ,the image 
was      now placed upon a temporary    
throne1 which had been prepared         
until a more suitable one could be      
erected4 ,another ,high ,mass      was  
celebrated1 at the end of which the     
children chanted      alternately with  
the choir the ',te ,mariam laudamus1'   
this      being the first time it was   
ever heard in this country4 ,the        
other individuals ,i have already       
mentioned as having been cured          

through the ,immaculate ,mary's         
intercession1 made each one a           
votive offering to her image4 ,one gave 
a veil1 another a pretty      golden    
cross1 which decorated the ,blessed     
,virgin's bosom during      the         
ceremony2 a third proposed having a     
silver crown made in      fulfillment of
 her vow1 but she was advised to give   
something      else1 since several      
others in unison had already promised a 
most beautiful golden crown4      ,,cure
 ,,of ,,mlle4 ,,lise ,,bourgeois4       
,letter of the ,superior of the         
,daughters of ,charity1 in ,troyes3     
,troyes1 ,march #dth1 #ahdb4        ,in 
#ahch1 we had in our work-room a young  
woman1 named lise      ,bourgeois1 aged 
eighteen years1 who1 after great        
suffering1 was      attacked by an      
anchylosis in the knee4 ,for seven      
months and a      half she suffered     
excruciatingly1 and her malady had      
reached      the crisis4 ,her limb had  
shrunk up about two inches1 and she     

could not walk without the aid of a cane
 or some one's arm4 ,on      the #hth of
 ,april1 which was ,monday in ,holy     
,week1 one of our      young ,sisters   
told me that the ,notice contained an   
account of a      ,christian ,brother1  
whose foot on the point of being        
amputated1      was cured by the sole   
application of the ,miraculous ,medal1  
one night when his sufferings were      
greater than usual4 ,i now              
reproached myself for having allowed    
this poor child to be so      long      
afflicted1 without our once thinking of 
having recourse      to ,mary for her   
recovery2 and ascending to the          
work-room1 ,i      related to the       
children this account of the ,christian 
,brother1      and told the young woman 
to arouse her faith1 to put all her     
confidence in ,mary ,immaculate1 to     
apply the medal to her knee1      and   
commence a novena with her companions4  
,all ,tuesday night      her sufferings 
were great indeed1 she said it seemed as

 if      all her bones were dislocated4 
,nor was she able to obtain a           
moment's repose the next day4 ,there now
 issued from a little      hole which   
had formed in her knee1 a quantity of   
serous      matter4 ,the day following1 
she arose with much difficulty1      and
 was taken to the chapel where she heard
 ,holy ,mass4 ,at the      elevation1   
she placed her sound knee upon the      
bench1 saying      most fervently to the
 good ,god3 ',since ,thou art present1  
deign      to cure me1 that ,i may be   
entirely ,thine4' ,she immediately felt 
something like the touch of a hand1     
which replaced the bones in      their  
natural position1 and lengthened the    
shrunken limb2 but      she did not yet 
dare rest upon it1 for fear of injury4  
,at the      end of ,mass1 she knelt to 
receive the priest's benediction1 and   
in spite of herself1 she rested her     
weight upon the afflicted      knee4    
,she remained in the chapel with her    
companions to say her      prayers and  

thank the ,blessed ,virgin for the great
 favor just      obtained4 ,from that   
time she has never suffered the         
slightest      pain in the limb1 and it 
appears perfectly sound4        ,as soon
 as the children perceived that she was 
cured1 they      declared it a miracle1 
and all hearts were filled with the     
deepest emotion and gratitude4 lise now 
asked permission      to go to the      
cathedral to confession2 a request ,i   
granted      reluctantly1 although she  
assured me she was not suffering in     
the slightest1 yet she had not been out 
for seven months and      a-half1 and ,i
 could scarcely realize her recovery4   
,several      ,masses of thanksgiving   
were said in our chapel1 during the     
first of which we had the ,blessed      
,sacrament exposed1 and the      ,te    
,deum chanted4 ,the noise of this       
miracle soon spread      throughout the 
city1 and several persons came to see   
the healed      one4 ,she also requested
 permission to go to the house of one   

of her uncles1 who had a very impious   
neighbor1 that had been      informed of
 her miraculous recovery1 but who had   
also been told      that he need not    
believe until he had seen lise for      
himself4      ,he was perfectly         
convinced1 acknowledged it beyond       
denial1 and      said that in           
thanksgiving1 a ,te ,deum should be     
chanted in the      cathedral4        ,i
 forgot to say1 that our physician had  
seen this young woman      two months   
before her recovery and pronounced the  
disease      incurable4 ,i had also had 
her examined by a surgeon1 who          
ordered much blistering1 but without    
expecting a cure4    ,accompanying this 
letter are the signatures of seven      
,sisters of ,charity  and twenty-three  
other individuals1 witnesses of the     
miracle4           99       99       99 
99       99      ,a ,,trait ,,of        
,,protection4 7,,texas74    ,the        
following was sent us by ,mgr4 ,odin1   
,vicar ,apostolic of ,texas1 in a       

letter dated ,april #aath1 #ahda4       
,i had1 in the city of ,nacogdoches1 an 
opportunity of      witnessing how ,mary
 ,immaculate loves to grant the prayers 
of      those who put their trust in    
her4 ,a ,maryland lady1 on leaving      
her native ,state to settle in ,texas1  
had received a ,miraculous      ,medal2 
her confessor1 on giving it to her1     
exacting the      promise1 that she     
would never omit the daily recitation of
 the      little prayer1 ',o ,mary6     
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have recourse to thee6' and assuring her
 at the same time that      this good   
,mother would never allow her to die    
without the last      consolations of   
religion4 ,she faithfully complied with 
her      promise4 ,for four years she   
was confined to her bed1 and often1     
it was thought1 at the point of death1  
but her confidence in      ,mary1 always
 inspired her with the hope of receiving
 the last      ,sacraments ere leaving  
this world4 ,as soon as she heard of our

      arrival1 we were summoned to her  
bedside2 she received the ,holy         
,viaticum and ,extreme ,unction1 and    
expired a few days after1      filled   
with gratitude for her celestial        
,benefactress4      ,,cures ,,and       
,,incidents ,,of ,,protection4          
7,,china74    ,in a letter of ,july1    
#ahch1 ,mgr4 ,rameaux1 ,vicar ,apostolic
 of the  provinces of the ,kiang-,si and
 ,tch-,kiang1 in sending us the         
invocation  of the medal translated into
 ,chinese1 says1 that the ,chinese have 
a great devotion to this little prayer1 
and always follow the ,ave  ,maria by a 
recitation of it4 ,he also informed us1 
that ,mgr4 de  ,bzy1 ,vicar ,apostolic  
of the ,hou-,kouang1 and ,m4 ,perboyre1 
,missionary  ,apostolic1 would transmit 
to us several accounts of miraculous    
marks  of protection4 ,we received these
 accounts some months later1 and quote  
them as follows3        #ast4 ,in the   
province of the ,hou-,kouang1 a         
,christian had been      racked by a    

terrible fever for two months1          
accompanied by      constant delirium4  
,three physicians had attended him1 but 
in      vain4 ,finding himself on the   
verge of death1 he sent for me to       
administer the ,last ,sacraments4 ,i    
gave him the ,holy ,viaticum1      but  
deferred ,extreme ,unction1 seeing that 
my duties would      retain me in that  
locality some time longer4 ,i made him a
      present of the medal1 and advised 
a novena1 assuring him1 that      if it 
were for the benefit of his soul1 he    
would be restored to      health4 ,he   
began the novena2 on the seventh day1   
the fever left      him1 and on the     
eighth he had recovered his usual       
strength4      ,on the ninth day of the 
novena he came to see me1 and assured   
me that he was perfectly well4 ,i       
reminded him of thanking the            
,blessed ,virgin for so great a favor1  
and he promised to recite      with his 
friends the ,rosary in her honor4 ,but  
our ,christian1      pre-occupied with  

various affairs that his sickness had   
interrupted1 forgot the promise4 ,five  
days after1 he had a      relapse4 ,this
 made him conscious of his fault2 he    
approached      the ,sacraments again1  
and began another novena4 ,though he    
continued to grow worse from day to day1
 ,i still had great      hopes that the 
,immaculate ,mary would come to his     
assistance1      and ,i assured him of  
his recovery before the end of the      
novena4      ,my confidence was not     
deceived2 he recovered entirely1 to     
the great astonishment of all the       
,christians4 ,this time his             
gratitude was effectual1 and the fever  
did not return4        #b;d4 ,in        
,tien-,men1 a village of the same       
province1 the      ,christians1         
numbering about two hundred1 are        
distinguished      for their piety and a
 great devotion to the ,blessed ,virgin4
      ,for eight years1 successive      
inundations had reduced these           
,christians to extreme poverty2 but this

 year1 at the first      sign of an     
overflow1 they had recourse to ,mary    
,immaculate by      means of the medal1 
and soon the waters retired without     
doing      the slightest harm to the    
,christian territory1 whilst that of    
the pagans was devastated4 ,and our     
,christians now return most             
grateful thanks to their good ,mother   
for the abundant harvest      they have 
just gathered4        #c;d4 ,the        
following account was sent us by ,m4    
,perboyre1 in      a letter of ,august  
#ajth1 #ahci4 ,the reader will learn1   
with      interest1 that this is the    
same missionary who1 arrested a         
month after for his religion1 so        
generously confessed the ,faith      one
 whole year amidst the most frightful   
tortures1 and at last      consummated  
the sacrifice by his glorious martyrdom1
 ,september      #aath1 #ahdj4          
,whilst ,i was giving a mission to the  
,christians of the ,honan      province1
 ,november1 #ahcg1 they brought to me a 

young woman      who had been afflicted 
with mental aberration for about eight  
months1 telling me she was very anxious 
to confess1 and1 though      she was    
incapable of the ,sacrament1 they begged
 me not to      refuse her a consolation
 she appeared to desire so earnestly4   
,her sad condition of mind precluded all
 idea of her deriving      any benefit  
from the exercise of my ministry1 but ,i
 heard her      out of pure compassion4 
,in taking leave of her1 ,i placed her  
under the especial protection of the    
,blessed ,virgin--that is1      ,i gave 
her a medal of the ,immaculate          
,conception4 ,she did not      then     
understand the value of the holy remedy 
she received2      but1 from that       
moment1 she began to experience its     
beneficial      effects1 her shattered  
intellect improving so rapidly that1    
at the end of four or five days1 she was
 entirely changed4 ,to      a complete  
confusion of ideas1 to fears that kept  
her ever in      mortal agony1 and      

which1 ,i believe1 were the work of the 
demon1      succeeded good sense1 peace 
of mind and happiness4 ,she made her    
confession again1 and received ,holy    
,communion1 with the most      lively   
sentiments of joy and fervor4 ,this     
especial instance      of ,mary's       
generosity will doubtless surprise you  
little1 you      who know so well that  
the earth is filled with her mercy2 but 
your hearts will be excited anew to     
fervent thanksgiving for      this      
particular favor1 which is the principal
 reason of my      acquainting you with 
it4    #ast4 ,letter from a ,missionary 
of ,macao1 dated ,august #beth1 #ahda3  
,a widow who had but one son1 reared    
like herself in paganism1      saw him  
suddenly fall under the power of the    
demon2 his      paroxysms were so       
furious that all fled before him1 and he
 ran      through the fields uttering   
the most lamentable cries4 ,anyone      
that attempted to stop him was          
immediately seized and thrown to        

the ground4 ,his poor mother was in     
despair1 and almost dying      of grief1
 when ,divine ,providence deigned to    
cast upon her a      look of compassion4
 ,one day when he was unusually         
tormented1      the young man fled      
hither and thither like a vagabond1 not 
knowing where he went2 everyone tried to
 stop him1 but he      brutally repulsed
 all who lay hands on him4 ,the most    
merciful      ,god permitted a          
,christian to be among the number of    
those      who witnessed this spectacle4
 ,animated with a lively faith1      and
 touched at the unfortunate creature's  
sufferings1 the      ,christian told all
 who were pursuing the demoniac to      
desist1      that he unaided could      
arrest him1 that he would quiet him1 and
      restore him docile and gentle to  
his mother4 ,this language              
astonished the pagans1 but they did as  
requested1 although      thinking the   
,christian ran a great risk4 ,our good  
,christian      wore the ,miraculous    

,medal of the ,immaculate ,mary2 taking 
it      in his hands he approached the  
possessed1 and showing it to      him he
 commanded the demon to flee and leave  
the young man in      peace4 ,the demon 
obeyed instantly1 and the young man     
seeing      the medal in the            
,christian's hands1 humbly prostrated   
himself      before the miraculous      
image1 without knowing what it was4 ,the
      pagans1 watching from a distance1 
were greatly astonished4      ,the      
,christian now commanded the young man  
to rise and follow      him1 and still  
holding in his hand the medal1 which was
 as a      magnet attracting the young  
pagan1 he thus conducted him to      his
 mother4 ',mother1' he exclaimed1 to her
 great consolation1      as soon as he  
saw her1 ',do not weep any more1 ,i am  
freed from      the demon2 he left me as
 soon as he perceived this medal4'      
,imagine the poor mother's joy1 on      
hearing these words6 ,she was           
perplexed to know whether it was a dream

 or a reality6 ,the      ,christian     
reassured her1 and recounted all that   
had passed1      adding1 that her son   
would never be possessed again1 if she  
renounced her idols and became a        
,christian4 ,she promised               
sincerely1 and they immediately began to
 divest their altar      of its false   
gods4 ,then the ,christian1 feeling     
assured they      would be faithful when
 instructed in the truths of religion1  
withdrew1 laden with the thanks of both 
mother and son for the      inestimable 
service he had just rendered them4      
#b;d4 ,extract of a ,letter from ,m4    
,faivre1 ,priest of the ,mission in the 
,province of ,nankin1 ,may #fth1 #ahda3 
,the two great means ,god uses for the  
accomplishment of good      in this     
,mission are our ,lord's cross and the  
,immaculate      ,mary's protection4 ,as
 to the most powerful protection of     
,mary      conceived without sin1 we    
have experienced it so often1 and in    
so especial a manner1 both as regards   

ourselves and the welfare      of the   
,mission1 that it would be tedious to   
recount in detail1      even if ,i      
wished to do so1 all the favors we have 
received at      her maternal hands4    
,seeing the ,blessed ,virgin's clemency 
towards us and our      ,christians1 we 
have done all we could to honor her and 
advance      her honor among the        
,christians1 by seeking to inspire them 
with the most lively confidence in this 
good1 holy ,mother4      ,on the ,feast 
of the ,assumption1 #ahci1 we           
consecrated this      ,mission to her1  
and ever since it has been called       
,mary's      ,diocese4 ,we have given as
 a rule to our virgins especial         
devotion to the ,immaculate ,conception4
 ,we have established ,mary             
,immaculate patroness of the seminary   
,providence has created      in this    
,mission4 7,this seminary now numbers   
six scholars who      lead lives of     
regularity and edification1 and make    
rapid      progress in the study of     

,latin47 ,one of our virgins1 already   
advanced in age1 had been for several   
years confined to her      bed1 without 
the slightest hope of recovery1 the     
thirteen      physicians who had been   
successively consulted having declared  
her malady incurable4 ,seeing her end   
approach1 she asked for      the        
missionary1 that she might receive the  
,last ,sacraments4 ,he      came1 and   
administered the ,sacraments of the     
dying1 exhorting      her to accept     
death in a spirit of conformity to the  
will of      ,god4 ,she replied that she
 was fully resigned to ,his holy will1  
and had no hope of deriving any benefit 
from human means1 but      she felt     
convinced that if she could get a       
,miraculous ,medal1      her health     
would be restored4 ,the missionary1     
seeing so much      faith and           
confidence1 gave her the one he wore1   
having no other      convenient just    
then1 and recommended her to make a     
novena in      honor of the ,immaculate 

,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin4    
,all      the family joined her in      
making the novena1 and from the fifth   
day she was entirely cured4 ,the        
attending physician1 who was a          
pagan1 coming to see her at the end of  
the novena1 was utterly      surprised  
to find her so well1 and he eagerly     
inquired what      extraordinary remedy 
had been employed to effect such a      
change4      ,she replied that she had  
used no remedies1 but the ,lord of      
,heaven had restored her health4 ,the   
physician returned1 filled      with    
veneration for the ,lord of ,heaven1 who
 had displayed such      great power2   
and the virgin1 in expression of her    
gratitude to      the ,immaculate ,mary1
 her august ,benefactress1 donated three
      hundred piastres to repair a      
chapel dedicated to ,mary4              
,,conversion ,,of ,m4 ,,ratisbonne1 ,,an
 ,,israelite4                           
,rome1 #ahdb4    ,m4 ,alphonse          
,ratisbonne belonged to a ,jewish family

 of ,strasburg1  distinguished in the   
world as much for its social position as
 the  universal esteem in which it was  
held2 he himself was a member of  a     
society for the encouragement of labor1 
contributing thus to the  benefit of his
 unfortunate brethren4 ,towards the end 
of the year #ahda1  he became affianced 
to a young ,jewess1 who united in her   
person all  those qualities calculated  
to assure his happiness4 ,before        
entering  upon this new state of life1  
he decided to take a pleasure trip to   
the  ,east1 visiting on the way some of 
the most remarkable cities of ,italy4   
,there was nothing1 he thought1         
interesting to him in the ,eternal      
,city1  so from ,naples he would direct 
his course to ,palermo2 but ,divine     
mercy  called him1 though he did not    
recognize the voice2 he is constrained1 
as it were1 by a secret design of       
,heaven1 to change his determination1   
and visit ,rome4 ,it was in this centre 
of ,catholic unity that the ,god  of all

 patience and goodness awaited him1 it  
was here that grace was  to touch his   
heart4 ,but what were his dispositions8 
,thou1 ,o ,lord1  knowest them6444 ,his 
hatred of ,catholicity was very far from
 suggesting  a thought of his ever      
embracing it4 ,he felt for our holy and 
sublime  religion that violent animosity
 which could not contain itself1 which  
chafed at anything reminding him of     
,christianity1 and which had even  grown
 more rancorous since his brother ,m4   
,theodore ,ratisbonne's  abjuration of  
,judaism and reception of ,holy ,orders4
 ,he could not  pardon this desertion1  
and his implacable hatred increased with
 time4  ,but the innocent object of his 
aversion never ceased to supplicate     
,heaven to shed a ray of divine light   
upon the deluded brother1 who  loaded   
him with indignation and contempt4 ,made
 sub-,director of the                   
,archconfraternity of ,notre ,dame des  
,victoires1 he often implored the       
associates' prayers for this brother's  

conversion4    ,such were ,m4           
,ratisbonne's sentiments when he entered
 ,rome4 ,he had  scarcely arrived ere he
 thought of leaving2 everything he saw  
in the  ,holy ,city urged him to hasten 
from it1 everything excited him to      
declaim against what shocked and        
vilified his belief4444 ,he was not     
proof1 however1 against a species of    
emotion in visiting the church  of ,ara 
,coeli2 but it was an emotion which lost
 all its influence1  7if influence it   
could be said to have exerted upon this 
heart buried  in the shades of death17  
when he understood that it was the      
general  effect produced by the first   
sight of this remarkable monument4 ,so1 
far  from giving way to it1 he hastened1
 on the contrary1 to affirm that  it was
 not a ,catholic emotion1 but an        
impression purely religious4 ,in        
traversing the ,ghetto1 his hatred      
against ,christianity was still more    
inflamed at witnessing the misery and   
degradation of the ,jews2 as if  the    

chastisement of that deicidal people had
 been inflicted by the  children of the 
,church1 as if this people had not      
called down upon  itself the vengeance  
of innocent blood6    ,before leaving   
,rome1 ,m4 ,ratisbonne was to visit one 
of his childhood's  friends1 an old     
schoolmate with whom he had always kept 
up an intimacy1  although their         
religious belief was so widely at       
variance4 ,this friend  was ,m4 ,gustave
 de ,bussire1 a zealous ,protestant1 who
 several times had  endeavored to profit
 by their intimacy1 by persuading ,m4   
,ratisbonne  to embrace ,protestantism1 
but the latter was immovable1 and the   
two  friends1 after useless discussions1
 usually ended by a renewal of  their   
faith in two words1 expressing most     
emphatically how invincible  each deemed
 himself4 ,headstrong ,jew6 said one2   
,enraged ,protestant6  replied the      
other4 ,such was the result of these    
conversations1 which  never succeeded in
 shaking the opinion of either1 or      

dissipating any  of their deplorable    
errors4 ,this opposition of principles1 
however1  did not estrange their        
friendship4 ,m4 ,ratisbonne called to   
see ,m4  ,de ,bussire1 and was admitted 
by an ,italian servant4 ,he inquired    
for ,m4 ,gustave de ,bussire1 but this  
gentleman was absent1 and by a          
providential mistake the servant        
introduced him into the salon of ,m4    
,theodore ,bussire1 ,gustave's brother1 
whom ,m4 ,ratisbonne had seen but  once4
 ,it was too late to withdraw1 and      
though somewhat disconcerted  at the    
mistake1 he stopped to exchange a few   
words of courtesy with  his friend's    
brother4 ,m4 ,de ,bussire had had the   
happiness of abjuring  ,protestantism1  
and he was a zealous advocate of the    
,faith he had  so lately learned to     
prize4 ,he knew that ,m4 ,ratisbonne was
 a ,jew2  he received him with          
affectionate eagerness1 and the         
conversation  naturally turning upon the
 various places of interest in ,rome    

visited  by the young ,french traveler1 
it soon drifted into a religious        
discussion4 ,m4 ,ratisbonne did not     
disguise his real sentiments1 he        
expressed his animosity against         
,catholicity1 his inalterable attachment
  to ,judaism and to the baron ,de      
,bussire's solid arguments1 his only    
replies were the frigid politeness of   
silence1 a smile of pity1 or new        
protestations of fidelity to his sect1  
repeating that a ,jew he was born  and a
 ,jew he would die6    ,it was then that
 ,m4 ,de ,bussire1 not the least        
discouraged by ,m4  ,ratisbonne's       
emphatic language1 and impelled by a    
secret impulse  of grace1 thought of    
offering him the ,miraculous ,medal4    
,doubtless  this idea appears rash to   
many1 and many would have banished it as
 a  veritable folly1 but the simplicity 
of faith teaches us to discern  things  
by a very different light from that in  
which they are revealed  to the world4  
,filled with this holy fearlessness of  

the ,saints1 ,m4 ,de  ,bussire presents 
the young ,jew a medal of the           
,immaculate ,conception4  ,promise me1  
said he1 to always wear this little     
image1 ,i beg you not  to refuse me4 ,m4
 ,ratisbonne1 unable to conceal his     
astonishment at  so strange a           
proposition1 rejects it instantly with  
an expression of  indignation that would
 have disconcerted any other than his   
new friend4  ,but1 continues our fervent
 ,catholic undismayed1 ,i cannot        
understand  the cause of such a refusal1
 for1 according to your view of things1 
the  wearing of this object must be to  
you a matter of total indifference1     
whilst it would be a real consolation to
 me if you would condescend to  my      
request4 ,ah6 ,i will comply1 then1 if  
you attach so much importance  to it1   
replied the other with a hearty laugh2  
,i should not be sorry1  moreover1 to   
have an opportunity of convincing you   
that ,jews are not  so headstrong as    
they are represented4 ,besides1 it will 

give me an  interesting chapter to add  
to my notes and impressions of travel4  
,and  he continued to jest on the       
subject in a manner rather painful to   
the  ,christian hearts around him4      
,during this debate1 the good father of 
the family had told his two  little     
daughters 7interesting children1 whom an
 eminently religious  education had     
already imbued with sentiments of       
piety71 to put the  precious medal on a 
cord4 ,they did so1 and gave it to their
 father1  who hung it around the young  
,israelite's neck4 ,encouraged by this  
first success1 he wishes to go still    
farther4 ,he attempts nothing less  than
 binding ,m4 ,ratisbonne himself to ask 
the favor and protection of  ,mary1 of  
,mary whom he despises without knowing1 
,mary whose image he  receives most     
reluctantly6 ,m4 ,de ,bussire presents  
him a paper upon  which is written ,st4 
,bernard's powerful invocation1 the     
,memorare4444  ,this time1 the ,jew can 
still less dissimulate his displeasure1 

it seems  tried to the utmost2 but the  
baron feels himself actuated by a secret
  impulse1 that urges him to persevere  
in his solicitations1 and conquer4  ,he 
repeats his request1 and even goes so   
far when he presents the  prayer as to  
beg ,m4 ,ratisbonne to take a copy of it
 for him1 as he has  but one4 ,m4       
,ratisbonne1 convinced that resistance  
is useless1 rather  than repeat his     
refusal prefers acceding to the request1
 and thus  ridding himself of such      
vexatious importunity4 ,agreed1 said he1
 that  you take my copy and ,i keep     
yours4 ,and1 hastening to this          
indiscreet  zealot1 he retired1         
murmuring to himself3 ,i really wonder  
what he  would say if ,i were to insist 
upon his reciting the ,jewish prayers8  
,i must admit that ,i have1 indeed1 met 
a striking original6 ,it was  thus he   
left this house of benediction and      
salvation1 ignorant of the  treasure he 
bore with him1 the key of ,heaven that  
had been given him2  the image of the   

,mother of holy hope he wore upon his   
heart1 and whose  blessed effects he    
would so soon experience4           99  
99       99       99       99    ,m4 ,de
 ,bussire1 deeply grieved at the young  
,jew's levity1 united with  his family  
in conjuring the ,god of mercy to pardon
 the words of one who  knew not what he 
said2 and he recommended his dear       
children to lift  up their hands to the 
,refuge of ,sinners1 supplicating her to
 obtain  the gift of ,faith for this    
poor soul in the shades of darkness and 
error6444 ,o ,mary6 your tender love    
graciously welcomed these prayers of    
the innocent1 they penetrated your      
maternal heart1 and soon obtained  the  
object of their desires4 ,the zeal of   
this devout servant of the  ,queen of   
,heaven was not confined within the     
narrow limits of his own  family        
circle4444 ,going1 that evening1        
according to a pious custom in  ,rome1  
to keep watch before the ,blessed       
,sacrament with the prince ,b4  and some

 other friends1 he also engaged their   
prayers for the young  ,israelite's     
conversion4444 ,let us follow           
attentively all the details  preceding  
the ever memorable day which was to     
crown ,m4 ,de ,bussire's  pious efforts4
 ,let us not forget that a generous     
,christian1 elevated by  a lively faith 
above the vain prejudices of the world1 
and docile to  the secret inspirations  
of grace1 becomes the instrument of     
,providence  in procuring ,god's glory  
and the salvation of a soul4            
,meanwhile1 ,m4 ,ratisbonne was making  
arrangements to leave ,rome2 he  had    
already fixed upon the day of his       
departure1 and had come to say  good-bye
 to his friend and acquaint him with his
 intention of starting  the next        
evening4 ,going6 replied ,m4 ,de        
,bussire2 do not think of  it4 ,i want  
you to grant me just eight days longer2 
our conversation of  yesterday occupies 
my thoughts more than ever2 let me      
entreat you to  prolong your stay1 and  

let us go to the diligence office to    
countermand  your order4 ,it was in     
vain4 ,m4 ,ratisbonne declined1 saying  
he had  already decided to go1 and had  
no motive for deferring his departure4  
,under the pretext of a very imposing   
ceremony which was to take place  at    
,st4 ,peter's1 ,m4 ,de ,bussire forced1 
rather than persuaded him to  remain a  
few days longer4    ,we shall not here  
enter into a detailed account of what   
passed  between them from the moment ,m4
 ,de ,bussire's constancy gained the    
last triumph--that is1 from the #afth of
 ,january to the #bjth--inasmuch  as    
there was not the slightest sign of the 
happy change1 either in  the language or
 conduct of ,m4 ,ratisbonne1 towards the
 new friend  divine ,providence had     
given him1 in spite of himself4 ,he     
could not1  however1 avoid receiving    
this new friend's civilities1 or refuse 
to  be accompanied by him in visiting   
the various places of note in the       
,eternal ,city4 ,m4 ,de ,bussire1 full  

of hope against all human hope1  allowed
 no opportunity to escape of            
enlightening his young friend2 but  not 
one consoling response could he obtain1 
,m4 ,ratisbonne1 by jest and  raillery1 
always avoiding the arguments he would  
not take the trouble  to refute1 always 
ridiculing ,catholicity1 and thus       
afflicting the heart  of the servant of 
,jesus ,christ by responding coldly to  
the assiduity of  his zeal1 the serious 
nature of his propositions4 ,make your  
mind easy2  ,i will think of all this1  
but not at ,rome4 ,i am to spend two    
months  at ,malta2 it will serve to     
while away the time4 ,he was astonished 
at  the imperturbable tranquillity with 
which ,m4 ,de ,bussire persevered in    
trying to convince him2 he could not    
understand that union of serenity       
7which religion alone inspires7 with    
that ardent desire 7that he  doubtless  
attributed to obstinacy7 of leading him 
to a new belief1 for  which1 according  
to his own words1 he felt more aversion 

than ever4 ,to  him this tranquillity   
appeared incomprehensible4 ,m4 ,de      
,bussire did  not hesitate to express   
his belief in the triumph of his cause2 
for  instance1 in passing the ,scala    
,sancta with the young ,israelite1 as   
he pointed it out he bared his head     
respectfully and said aloud1 as  if in a
 voice of prophecy1 ,hail1 holy         
staircase6 here is a man who  one day   
will ascend your steps on his knees4    
,this was on the #aith4  ,m4            
,ratisbonne's only response was a       
disconcerting peal of laughter1  and the
 two friends separated again1 without   
the slightest religious  impression     
having been made upon the ,israelite1   
although1 unknown to  human ken1 he was 
on the eve of the brightest day of his  
life4    ,during this short interval1   
,m4 ,de ,bussire tasted the bitterness  
of  losing one of his dearest friends4  
,m4 ,de ,la ,ferronays died suddenly on 
the evening of the #agth1 leaving to his
 family and all who knew him  the sweet 

hope that he had bid adieu to this      
perishable life only to  enter upon the 
joys of a blissful immortal one4        
,doubtless this event  contributed to   
the young ,israelite's speedy           
conversion1 for whilst on  earth ,m4 ,de
 ,la ,ferronays had prayed for him1 and 
we have every reason  to believe that he
 soon became his advocate in heaven4 ,m4
 ,de ,bussire  had informed this dear   
friend of his hopes and the means       
employed for  gaining the young         
,israelite to ,jesus ,christ1 and he had
 received the  consoling answer3 ,do not
 be uneasy2 if you have succeeded in    
making  him say the ,memorare1 he is    
yours4 444 ,such was the admirable      
confidence of this fervent ,christian in
 the powerful protection of the  most   
compassionate ,virgin ,mary6    ,yet    
notwithstanding the bitterness of the   
sacrifice ,heaven had just  demanded of 
the ,baron ,de ,bussire1 he found it    
hard to part from this  young man whom  
he longed to conquer to the ,faith1 and 

the resignation  of his grief was a new 
prayer attracting the ,divine mercy4    
,immediately  after leaving him on the  
#aith1 he went to prostrate himself     
beside the  remains of his virtuous     
friend1 begging that friend's assistance
 from  the heights of heaven in         
obtaining what had been already         
recommended to  his prayers on earth4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,thursday1 #bjth4--,m4 ,ratisbonne's    
dispositions are not changed in the     
least2 he never raises his thoughts     
above terrestrial things1 the  religious
 discussions of the preceding days have 
not even fixed his  attention1 or       
apparently not excited in his soul the  
slightest anxiety4  ,as to his false    
belief1 he never dreams of taking one   
step towards a  knowledge of the truth2 
,m4 ,de ,bussire is not with him to     
continue the  conversation on religion1 
and he dismisses the subject from his   
mind4  ,leaving the caf1 he meets one of
 his fellow-boarders2 they discourse  of

 balls and other frivolous amusements in
 such a way as to convince  one that he 
was surely not engrossed with anything  
serious4 ,it was then  noon1 and two    
hours later the young ,jew had seen the 
light1 two hours  later he eagerly      
desired the grace of holy baptism1 two  
hours later he  believed in the         
,church6444 ,who is like to ,thee1 ,o my
 ,god8 ,who can thus1  in an instant1   
triumph over human reason1 and force it 
to render homage  to ,thy sovereign     
truth8444 ,ah6 it is ,thyself1 ,thyself 
alone1 ,lord1 it  is the prerogative of 
,thy mercy to work such prodigies6 ,let 
us return  to our ,israelite4    ,it is 
one o'clock2 ,m4 ,de ,bussire must      
repair to the church of  ,st4 ,andrew   
delle ,fratte to make some arrangements 
for the funeral  ceremonies of ,m4 ,de  
,la ,ferronays1 which take place on the 
morrow4 ,he  sets out1 and on the way   
happily meets ,m4 ,ratisbonne1 who joins
 him1  with the intention of taking one 
of their usual walks1 when ,m4 ,de      

,bussire had fulfilled the imperative   
duty that required his immediate        
attention4444 ,but the moment of grace  
has come4 ,they enter the church1  where
 various decorations already announce   
the morrow's ceremonies2  the ,israelite
 inquires the meaning of them1 and ,m4  
,de ,bussire1 having  replied that they 
were for the funeral obsequies of ,m4   
,de ,la ,ferronays1  the intimate friend
 he had just lost1 begs him to wait     
there an  instant1 whilst he goes into  
the house to execute a commission with  
one of the monks4 ,m4 ,ratisbonne then  
glances coolly around the church1       
seeming to say by his air of            
indifference1 that it is not worth his  
attention4 ,we must remark that he was  
then at the epistle side of  the altar4 
,m4 ,de ,bussire returns after an       
absence of about twelve  minutes1 and is
 surprised at not seeing his young      
companion4 ,could he  have grown weary  
of waiting in a place that inspired only
 repugnance  and disgust8444 ,he knew   

not1 and sought ,m4 ,ratisbonne4 ,what  
was his  astonishment at finding him on 
the left hand side of the church1       
kneeling1 and apparently wrapt in       
devotion6444 ,he could scarcely  believe
 his eyes1 and yet it was no mistake4444
 ,it was in the chapel  of the archangel
 ,st4 ,michael that the prince of       
darkness had just been  crushed4444 ,a  
great victory already rejoiced all      
,heaven4444 ,the young  ,jew was        
vanquished4    ,m4 ,de ,bussire         
approaches1 but he is not heard2 he     
touches his  friend1 but he cannot      
distract him2 he touches him again1 but 
still  no response2 he repeats it a     
third or fourth time1 and at last ,m4   
,ratisbonne turns to answer1 and his    
tearful countenance1 his utter          
inability to express what has passed1   
his hands clasped most fervently1       
partly reveal the heavenly secret4 ,oh6 
how ,m4 ,de ,la ,ferronays has  prayed  
for me6 he exclaims4 ,this is all he    
says4 ,never did ,m4 ,de  ,bussire enjoy

 a more consoling surprise4 ,the bandage
 of error blinding  the young ,israelite
 had fallen1 and ,m4 ,de ,bussire's     
heart was filled  with the most lively  
gratitude to ,god4444 ,he raises his    
young friend1  who was completely       
overcome by this celestial visitation2  
he takes  him and almost carries him out
 of the church4444 ,he is all eagerness 
to know the details4444 ,he asks ,m4    
,ratisbonne to reveal the mystery1  and 
begs him to say where he wishes to go4  
,lead me1 replies the new  ,paul1       
completely vanquished1 lead me where you
 will4444 ,after what  ,i have seen1 ,i 
obey4 444 ,and not being able to say    
more1 he draws  forth the unknown       
treasure he had been wearing upon his   
heart for four  days4 ,he takes the dear
 medal in his hands1 he covers it with  
kisses1  he waters it abundantly with   
tears of joy1 and amidst his sobs escape
  a few words expressive of his         
happiness1 but which a profound emotion 
almost prevents his articulating4 ,how  

good is ,god6 ,what a plentitude  of    
gifts6 ,what joy unknown6 ,ah6 how happy
 ,i am1 and how much to be  pitied are  
they who do not believe6 ,and continuing
 to shed torrents  of tears over the    
miseries of those whom ,faith has never 
enlightened1  he already feels the holy 
desire of seeing the kingdom of ,jesus  
,christ  extended throughout the world4 
,he can scarcely himself understand such
  a transformation1 and amidst the      
various feelings surging through his    
heart1 he interrupts his tears1 his     
exclamations and his silence1 to  ask   
,m4 ,de ,bussire if he does not think   
him crazy4444 ,then answering  his own  
question1 ,no1 he continues3 ,i am not  
crazy4444 ,i know well  what ,i think   
and what passes within me4444 ,i know   
that ,i am in my right  mind4444        
,moreover1 everybody knows that ,i am   
not crazy6 ,by degrees1  these first    
transports of emotion give place to a   
more composed frame  of mind2 he can at 
last express his new desires1 his new   

belief1 and  he asks to be conducted to 
the feet of a priest1 for he craves the 
grace of holy baptism4444 ,already      
favored with the most lively ,faith1  he
 aspires after the happiness of         
confessing his ,divine ,master in the   
midst of torments and recalling the     
sufferings of the martyrs he had  seen  
represented upon the walls of ,st4      
tienne le ,rond2 he wishes to  shed his 
blood in attestation of his ,faith as a 
disciple of ,jesus  ,christ4444         
,meanwhile1 he has told ,m4 ,de ,bussire
 nothing of the sudden  blow that       
vanquished him1 and he refuses to tell  
except in the presence  of ,god's       
minister2 for what he saw he ought not1 
he could not reveal  except on his      
knees4    ,father ,de ,villefort1 of the
 ,society of ,jesus1 is chosen to       
receive  the neophyte and hear this     
consoling secret1 which will reveal the 
excess of ,divine mercy towards the soul
 of the young ,israelite4 ,m4 ,de       
,bussire himself conducts him to the    

,reverend ,father1 who welcomes him     
tenderly4444 ,then1 in the presence of  
,m4 ,de ,bussire1 ,m4 ,ratisbonne  takes
 in his hand the medal1 the dear pledge 
of the ,immaculate ,mary's  protection1 
and again covers it with respectful     
kisses1 mingled with a  shower of tears4
 ,he endeavors to overcome his emotion1 
and exclaims in  a transport of joy3 ,i 
have seen her6 ,i have seen her6        
,conquering his  feelings1 he continues 
his narration1 interrupted from time to 
time by  the sighs of an overburdened   
heart4        ,i had been in the church 
but an instant1 when suddenly ,i was    
seized with an inexplicable fear4 ,i    
raised my eyes1 the whole      edifice  
had disappeared from my view1 one chapel
 alone had1      as it were1            
concentrated all the light1 and in the  
midst      of this effulgence there     
appeared standing upon the altar the    
,virgin ,mary1 grand1 brilliant1 full of
 majesty and sweetness1      such as she
 is represented upon the medal--an      

irresistible      force impelled me to  
her4 ,the ,virgin made me a sign with   
her      hand to kneel1 and she seemed  
to say3 ',it is well4' ,she did not     
speak to me1 but ,i understood all4     
,illustration3 ,,apparition ,,of ,,the  
,,miraculous ,,medal    ,to ,m4         
,ratisbonne1 ,january #bj1 #ahdb1 in the
 ,church of ,st4 ,andrew1  delle        
,fratte1 in ,rome4 ,she did not speak   
one word to me1 said ,m4  ,ratisbonne1  
but ,i understood it all4    ,he ceased1
 but this short account eloquently      
revealed the abundant  favors with which
 his soul had just been inundated4      
,reverend ,father ,de  ,villefort and   
the pious baron listened with a holy    
joy1 mingled with an  involuntary       
feeling of religious awe1 at thoughts of
 the infinite power  which had just     
triumphed by such a striking            
manifestation of mercy4444  ,the mystery
 was revealed1 but ,m4 ,ratisbonne1 now 
the disciple of the  most humble of     
,masters1 a ,god annihilated1 expressed 

a wish to have the  wonderful vision    
kept a profound secret2 he even         
earnestly entreated  that it should be1 
but ,father ,de ,villefort considered it
 wiser not  to yield to the neophyte's  
modesty1 ,god's glory1 the ,immaculate  
,mary's honor1 demanding that such a    
miracle should be proclaimed4 ,m4       
,ratisbonne's humility gave way to      
obedience4 ,in the brief narration  just
 quoted1 one thing especially had struck
 the ,reverend ,father1  ,she did not   
speak to me1 but ,i understood all6     
,what1 then1 had he  understood1 he who1
 having hitherto lived in the shades of 
darkness1  found himself in an instant  
instructed in heavenly knowledge8 ,what1
  then1 had he understood1 he who was   
suddenly recalled from the bosom of     
death which he loved1 to a new life     
which but a short time previous he  had 
solemnly declared he would ever ignore1 
'a ,jew he was born and a  ,jew he would
 die8' ,what had he understood1 he the  
young ,jew1 so lately  headstrong in his

 belief1 an avowed enemy of             
,catholicity1 but who now  humbly       
prostrates himself at the feet of our   
,lord's minister to retract  his words  
and renounce his own will1 for he       
declares that1 after what  he has seen1 
he obeys8444 ,what has he understood8   
,what has he seen8 ,he  has seen the    
,mother of divine grace1 the bright     
aurora of the ,sun of  ,justice2 he has 
understood the gift of ,god1 the eternal
 truth 444 the  unity of the ,church1   
its infallibility1 the sanctity of its  
morals1 the  sublimity of its mysteries1
 the grandeur and elevation of its      
hopes4444  ,he has understood ,heaven1  
and henceforth everything is changed for
  him1 everything is renewed within him1
 he is no longer the same4 ,his         
desires1 projects1 thoughts1 earthly    
affections1 where are they in the       
brilliancy of this celestial radiance8  
,vain prejudices of error1 where  are   
they8444 ,the ,immaculate ,mother of    
,jesus has rent asunder the band  that  

veiled the young ,israelite's eyes1 and 
the shades of error are  dissipated1 the
 blind man sees the light1 and his joy  
is inexpressible1  for he knew not till 
then the true gifts1 the blessings      
promised the  children of the true      
,church4           99       99       99 
99       99    ,m4 ,ratisbonne had      
heretofore been completely ignorant of  
the truths  of ,catholicity1 he         
acknowledges that he had never read even
 one book  calculated to enlighten him  
on the subject1 his hatred of           
,christianity  kept him aloof from all  
that might change his views in regard to
 it4  ,he blasphemed without examining  
the object of his blasphemy1 he judged  
without hearing1 he despised without    
investigating4444 ,and behold6  in spite
 of himself1 in an instant1 in defiance 
of all his past  protestations1 he      
bends1 he falls1 he is conquered6       
,rejoice1 ,o ,mary6 for the dew of grace
 has not descended upon an  ungrateful  
soil4444 ,no2 not in vain at your       

mysterious school has he  learned all   
this privileged soul of your love1 this 
heart that your  incomparable beauty1   
your ineffable bounty have vanquished   
for ,jesus  ,christ6    ,we see1 indeed1
 that1 from the moment his eyes are     
opened to the  light1 he adores the     
mysteries he formerly despised1 loves   
what he  hated1 venerates what he       
ridiculed1 and proves himself as humble 
and submissive to the ,church as the    
most fervent ,christian4 ,that  very    
day1 he goes to the basilica of ,st4    
,mary ,major1 in tribute of  gratitude  
to her who had just descended from      
,heaven1 to bring him the  gift of      
,faith1 and its attendant blessings2    
thence he repairs to ,st4  ,peter's1 to 
declare in that sanctuary dedicated to  
the ,prince of the  ,apostles1 his      
belief in the truths that ,peter taught4
 ,m4 ,de ,bussire1  who found a pious   
delight in offering to ,god this        
conquest of grace1  accompanied him on  
his holy pilgrimage1 and conversed      

intimately with  him1 they had but one  
heart and one soul4 ,a new ,paul1       
,ratisbonne1 in  what he experienced1 at
 the moment the ,blessed ,virgin gently 
forced  him to prostrate himself at her 
feet1 to receive the light of ,heaven1  
recognized the strength of ,him who     
vanquished ,his persecutors4444 ,the    
profound emotion1 the holy awe that     
filled the neophyte on entering  a      
church1 declared more fully the secrets 
that had been revealed to  him4444      
,penetrated with the liveliest faith for
 the great ,sacrament  of love1 he could
 not approach the altar1 he was         
overwhelmed at the  thought of the ,real
 ,presence of the ,god who resides in   
the ,most  ,holy ,sacrament4 ,he        
considered himself unworthy to appear in
 this  august ,presence1 as he was yet  
stained with original sin1 and ,m4 ,de  
,bussire relates1 that he took refuge in
 a chapel1 consecrated to the  ,blessed 
,virgin1 exclaiming3 ,i have no fears   
here1 for ,i feel myself  under the     

protection of a boundless mercy4 ,o     
,mary6 you opened your  maternal heart1 
and there he concealed himself1 knowing 
that divine  justice yields to mercy1   
when the guilty soul has found and      
invoked  with confidence the ,refuge of 
,sinners4444 ,so great was the fervent  
neophyte's happiness when in the temple 
of the ,lord1 that he was unable  to    
find words expressive of his happiness4 
,ah6 said he in a holy  transport1 how  
delightful it is to be here6 ,how great 
reason have  ,catholics to love their   
churches and to frequent them6 ,how     
zealous  they should be in ornamenting  
them6 ,how sweet to spend a lifetime in 
these holy places6 ,they are truly not  
of earth but of ,heaven6 ,ah6 are  we   
not confounded and abashed by the fervor
 of him who has just been  born into the
 truth6 ,what would he think of the     
coldness1 the levity1  the ingratitude  
of the majority of ,christians8444 ,let 
us acknowledge  it to our confusion2    
there is a ,host who dwells in our      

midst1 and  whom we know not2 we who eat
 at ,his table1 who feed upon ,his own  
flesh1 the ,bread descended from        
,heaven1 and behold6 a young ,israelite1
  instructed but a few hours in the     
wonders of ,god's love1 teaches us how  
we must conduct ourselves in the        
presence of this ,host1 and with what   
sentiments our hearts should then be    
filled4           99       99       99  
99       99    ,next day1 the news of   
this wonderful conversion had spread    
through  ,rome2 every one was anxious to
 learn something about it1 and collected
  with pious curiosity the various      
statements in circulation2 every one    
wished to see the newly converted and   
hear his account4444 ,general           
,chlabonski even went to ,m4 ,de        
,bussire's house4 ,so you have seen the 
image of the ,blessed ,virgin1 said he1 
accosting the neophyte4 ,the  image8    
answered the latter1 ah6 it was no      
image1 but herself ,i saw2  yes1 ,m4 her
 real self1 just as ,i see you now6 ,we 

must here remark that  to the ,church   
alone1 appertains the power of judging  
and qualifying  this vision2 but every  
one was impressed with the fact1 that   
mistake  or illusion seemed impossible1 
considering the young ,israelite's      
character1 education1 prejudices and    
horror for ,christianity2 moreover1  in 
this chapel there was neither statue1   
picture nor any representation  whatever
 of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,and we love  
to quote here the words of  a wise man1 
who1 referring to the event1 says1 that 
without one grain  of exaggeration1 just
 as it happened1 just as all ,rome      
narrates it1 the  unexpected fact1 the  
public fact of this conversion1         
considering all  the circumstances1     
would of itself be a miracle1 if a      
miracle had not  caused it4    ,m4      
,ratisbonne reluctantly gave the details
 of what he had seen4 ,when  questioned 
closely as to what took place at the    
moment he found himself  environed by   
this celestial effulgence1 he answers   

ingenuously that he  could not account  
for the involuntary impulse causing him 
to leave the  right hand side of the    
church for the chapel on the left1      
especially  as he was separated from it 
by the preparations for the morrow's    
ceremonies2 that1 when the ,queen of    
,heaven appeared before him in all  the 
glory and brilliancy of her immaculate  
purity1 he caught a glimpse  of her     
incomparable beauty1 but immediately    
realized the impossibility  of          
contemplating it1 that urged by the     
desire1 three times had he  endeavored  
to lift his eyes to the face of this    
,mother of mercy1 whose  sweet clemency 
had deigned to manifest herself to him1 
and three times1  in spite of himself1  
had his gaze been stayed at sight of the
 blessed  hands1 whence escaped a       
torrent of graces4 ,i could not1 he told
 us  himself after his arrival1 ,i could
 not express what ,i saw of mercy and   
liberality in ,mary's hands4 ,it was not
 only an effulgence of light1  it was   

not rays ,i distinguished1 words are    
inadequate to depict the  ineffable     
gifts filling our ,mother's hands1 and  
descending from them1  the bounty1      
mercy1 tenderness1 the celestial        
sweetness and riches1  flowing in       
torrents and inundating the souls she   
protects4    ,in the first moments of   
his conversion1 ,m4 ,ratisbonne gave    
vent to some  of those thoughts which   
strongly pre-occupied him1 those        
outpourings  of a fervent heart which   
happily1 are still preserved4 ,o my     
,god6  he exclaimed in a transport of   
astonishment and gratitude1 ,i1 who     
only half an hour before was            
blaspheming6 ,i1 who felt such violent  
hatred against the ,catholic            
religion6444 ,every one of my           
acquaintances  knew full well1 that to  
all human appearances1 it was impossible
 for  me ever to think of changing my   
religion4 ,my family was ,jewish1 my    
betrothed1 my uncle were ,jewish4 ,in   
embracing ,christianity1 ,i know that   

,i break away from all earthly hopes and
 interests4444 ,and yet ,i do  it       
willingly2 ,i renounce the passing      
happiness of a future which was         
promised me2 ,i do so without           
hesitation1 ,i act from conviction2 444 
for ,i am not crazy1 and have never     
been2 they well know it4444 ,who1  then1
 could refuse to believe me1 and believe
 in the truth8444 ,the most  powerful   
interests enchained me to my religion1  
and consequently all  should be         
convinced that a man who sacrifices     
everything to a profound  conviction    
must sacrifice to a celestial light1    
which has revealed  itself by           
incontrovertible evidence4 ,what ,i have
 affirmed is true4 ,i  know it1 ,i feel 
it2 and what could be my object in thus 
betraying the  truth and turning aside  
from religion by a sacrilegious lie8444 
,i have  not said too much2 my words    
must carry conviction4    ,the ,baron   
,de ,bussire had the consolation of     
entertaining at his own  home the new   

son ,heaven had given him2 the young    
,jew remained there  until the retreat  
preceding his baptism4 ,it was right and
 just1  indeed1 that this friend should 
gather the first bloom of a heart       
refreshed by the dew of grace1 that he  
should be the happy witness of  the     
wonders wrought in that soul4444 ,m4    
,ratisbonne himself had need  of a      
confidant1 some one that understood him 
thoroughly1 and to whom  he could       
communicate the emotions of his         
heart4444 ,it was in moments  of sweet  
intimacy1 when alone with his friend1   
that he could give  full vent to his    
feelings1 and1 in unison with him1      
admire the loving  designs of divine    
,providence1 and the means that had     
dissipated such  deplorable errors4 ,he 
bewailed the blindness in which he had  
lived6444  ,alas6 said he1 when my      
excellent brother embraced ,catholicity1
  and afterwards entered into the       
ecclesiastical state1 ,i1 of all his    
relatives1 was his most unrelenting     

persecutor4444 ,i could not forgive  his
 desertion of our religion--we were at  
variance1 at least2 ,i  detested him1   
though he had none but the kindest      
thoughts for me4444  ,however1 at the   
time of my betrothal1 ,i said to myself 
that ,i must be  reconciled to my       
brother1 and ,i wrote him a few cold    
lines1 to which  he replied by a letter 
full of charity and tenderness4444 ,one 
of my  little nephews died about        
eighteen months ago4 ,my good brother1  
having  learned that he was seriously   
ill1 asked as a personal favor that the 
child be baptized before its death1     
adding1 with great delicacy1 that  to us
 it would be a matter of indifference1  
whilst to himself it would  be a        
veritable happiness1 and he hoped we    
would not refuse4 ,i was  infuriated at 
such a request6    ,i hope1 oh6 yes1 ,i 
hope that my ,god will send me severe   
trials1 which  may redound to ,his honor
 and glory1 and convince all that ,i am 
actuated  by conscience4444 ,what       

generosity of heart6 ,what knowledge6   
,his eyes  are scarcely opened to the   
truths of ,catholicity1 ere he embraces 
them in their full extent4444 ,he knows 
already that the cross is the           
distinctive mark of the children of the 
,church1 of ,god's elect1 and  this     
cross which so many ,christians drag    
reluctantly after them1 he  greets1 he  
awaits1 he desires4444 ,moreover1 it had
 been shown to him in  a very mysterious
 manner2 for he relates that the night  
preceding his  conversion there was     
constantly before his eyes a large cross
 without  the ,christ1 that the sight   
really fatigued him1 although he        
considered  it of no importance4 ,i     
made1 said he1 incredible efforts to    
banish  this image1 but in vain4 ,it was
 only later1 when having1 by chance1    
seen the reverse of the ,miraculous     
,medal1 he recognized the exact sign    
which had struck him4    ,divine        
,providence1 looking with a loving eye  
upon this young convert1  directed his  

steps1 and in these early days of his   
conversion1 led  him to a venerable     
,father who was to give him very        
precious counsel1  upon the life of     
abnegation and perpetual sacrifice he   
had embraced4  ,this servant of the     
,lord1 immediately lay before him the   
importance  of the step he had taken1   
the trials awaiting him1 the temptation 
that  would most assuredly beset his    
path1 and without fearing to shake  his 
constancy1 he read him a few verses of  
the second chapter of  ,ecclesiasticus1 
upon the trials testing the virtue of   
the true servant  and friend of ,god4   
,with pleasure we quote here a part of  
this good  priest's instructions3       
,my son1 when thou comest to the service
 of ,god1 stand in      justice and in  
fear1 and prepare thy soul for          
temptation4      ,humble thy heart and  
endure2 incline thy ear1 and receive the
      words of understanding2 and make  
not haste in the time of      clouds4   
,wait on ,god with patience2 join       

thyself to ,god and      endure1 that   
thy life may be increased in the latter 
end4 ,take      all that shall be       
brought upon thee2 and in thy sorrow    
endure1      and in thy humiliation keep
 patience4 ,for gold and silver      are
 tried in the fire1 but acceptable men  
in the furnace of      humiliation4     
,believe ,god1 and ,he will recover     
thee2 and direct      thy way1 and trust
 in ,him4 ,keep ,his fear1 and grow old 
therein4    ,m4 ,ratisbonne listened in 
respectful silence to these words of    
life2 he  cherished the remembrance of  
them1 and the eve of his baptism1 he    
asked  the ,reverend ,father to put them
 in writing that he might meditate upon 
them the rest of his days4444 ,it was   
accomplished1 the joys of earth  were   
sacrificed to the glory of bearing the  
cross of ,jesus ,christ4444  ,he was    
initiated into heavenly secrets by      
reason of those favors the  ,immaculate 
,mary had conferred upon him4444 ,he    
already felt the strength  that ,god    

communicates to the soul1 resolved to   
share the sorrows of its  divine        
,master4    ,ten days elapsed between   
the happy moment of the young           
,israelite's  sudden comprehension of   
the truth1 and his baptism4 ,the ,mother
 of ,mercy  had brought him from        
,heaven1 the torch of ,faith2 in        
enlightening his  intelligence1 she had 
touched his heart2 he sighed after the  
happy day1  when the ,church would admit
 him among the number of her children1  
and  it was on the #cast of ,january1   
this tender ,mother opened to him all   
her treasures1 clothed him with         
innocence1 called down upon him the     
plenitude of the gifts of the ,spirit of
 love1 and invited him to the  banquet  
of ,angels that she might give him the  
,bread of life4    ,the ,gsu was the    
church selected for this solemn         
ceremony4 ,long before  the appointed   
hour1 it was filled with a devout1 eager
 multitude1 all  anxious to get as near 
as possible to the holy altar4 ,nothing 

disturbed  the beauty or serenity of the
 occasion1 no cloud dimmed the          
brightness  of this heavenly festival1  
which inundated truly ,christian hearts 
with  the purest joys4    ,m4           
,ratisbonne1 clothed in the white robe  
of the catechumen1 appeared  about      
half-past eight1 accompanied by the     
,reverend ,father ,villefort1  7whose   
consoling duty it had been to prepare   
the neophyte for this  beautiful day71  
and the ,baron ,de ,bussire1 his        
god-father4 ,they  conducted him into   
the chapel of ,st4 ,andrew1 where the   
touching  ceremony was to take place4   
,an object of the most profound         
curiosity1  the fervent neophyte1 wrapt 
in recollection1 awaited with angelic   
serenity1 the solemn moment4444 ,the    
pious ,romans gave vent to their        
feelings by words and gestures1 kissing 
their chaplets in an effusion  of       
grateful love for ,mary ,immaculate1 the
 cause of our joy4444 ,they  pointed out
 one to another the zealous baron1 whom 

divine ,providence  had chosen to give  
the ,miraculous ,medal to the young     
,israelite4 ,he is  a ,frenchman1 they  
repeated1 ,he is a ,frenchman6 ,blessed 
be ,god6    ,his ,eminence1 the         
,cardinal ,vicar1 was to receive ,m4    
,ratisbonne's  profession of ,faith4 ,he
 appeared at nine1 clothed in his       
pontifical  robes1 and commenced the    
prayers prescribed for the baptism of   
adults4    ,the prayers terminated1 ,his
 ,eminence went in procession with the  
clergy to the foot of the church2 the   
young ,israelite was conducted  to his  
presence4 ,what do you ask of the       
,church of ,god8 ,faith1  was the       
immediate answer4 ,what name do you     
wish8 ,mary1 said the  neophyte1 in a   
tone of tender gratitude2 ,mary1 who had
 opened to him  the path of salvation2  
,mary1 who was to conduct him into the  
new life2  ,mary1 who will one day      
introduce him into the ,city of the     
,saints1  whence she descended to lead  
him to the divine fold4444 ,then        

followed  his profession of ,faith1 his 
solemn promises4444 ,he believes all1   
he promises all1 he accepts all1 he     
wishes to be a ,christian1 he is        
already one at heart4444 ,his desires   
are gratified1 the vivifying  waters are
 poured upon his head1 the grace of holy
 baptism has invested  him with all the 
rights of his eternal heritage1 the     
spirit of darkness  is confounded4      
,behold the child of ,god1 the brother  
of ,jesus ,christ1  the new sanctuary of
 the ,spirit of love1 the favorite of   
the ,queen of  ,heaven1 the friend of   
,angels and the well-beloved son of     
,mother ,church6    ,it was on this     
occasion that the ,abb ,dupanloup1 who  
happened to be in  ,rome at the time1   
celebrated before an immense audience   
the infinite  mercies of ,god and the   
,immaculate ,mary's miraculous          
protection of a  child of ,france4 ,we  
cannot refrain from inserting here a few
 fragments  of the account printed at   
,rome4 ,it is well calculated to        

increase  devotion to ,mary3        ,how
 admirable are the thoughts and ways of 
divine ,providence1      and how        
deplorable the lot of those who neither 
comprehend nor      bless them4 ,for    
such1 the life of man is only a sad     
mystery1      his days a fatal series of
 events1 man himself a noble but        
miserable creature1 cast far from       
,heaven upon this land of      tears1 to
 live here in perpetual darkness1 to die
 in despair1      oblivious of a ,god   
who heeds neither his virtues nor his   
sorrows4444 ,but1 no2 ,lord1 ,thou art  
not forgetful of us1 and      life is   
not thus2 despite our infinite misery1  
thy ,providence      watches over us1 it
 is far above the heavens1 more         
boundless      than the sea--it is an   
abyss of power1 wisdom and love4----    
,thou hast made us for ,thyself1 ,lord1 
and our hearts are never      at rest   
until they repose in ,thee6 ,we feel an 
insatiable need1      which stirs the   
depths of our being1 which consumes us1 

and      when we yield to it1 we        
inevitably find ,thee6        ,i bless  
,thee especially1 ,i adore ,thee1 when  
from the depths of      ,thy eternity1  
,thou dost remember compassionately the 
lowliness      of our being1 the dust of
 which we are fashioned2 when from the  
heights of heaven1 ,thou dost cast a    
glance of pity and love      upon the   
most humble of ,thy children2 when1     
according to the      ,prophet's        
expression1 ',thou dost move heaven and 
earth1' and      work innumerable       
marvels to save those who are dear to   
,thee1 to      conquer one soul6        
,o1 you1 upon whom1 at this moment1 all 
eyes are bent with      inexpressible   
emotion1 with the tenderest love2 for it
 is ,god1      it is ,his mercy we love 
in you1 in you whose presence in this   
holy place inspires these thoughts1 tell
 us yourself what were      your        
thoughts and ways1 by what secret mercy 
the ,lord pursued      and reclaimed    
you8        ,for who are you8 ,what do  

you seek in this sanctuary8 ,what are   
these honors you seem to bear8 ,what is 
this white robe in which      ,i see you
 clothed8 ,tell us whence you came and  
whither you      were going8 ,what      
obstacle has suddenly changed your      
course8      ,for walking in the        
footsteps of ,abraham1 your ancestor1   
whose      blessed son you are this day1
 like him1 blindly obedient to      the 
voice of ,god1 not knowing whither your 
journey tends1 you      suddenly find   
yourself in the ,holy ,city4444 ,the    
,lord's work was      not yet           
accomplished2 but it is for you to      
describe to us the      rising of the   
,sun of truth and justice upon your     
soul1 for you      to picture its       
brilliant aurora4444 ,tell us why you   
enjoy1 like      ourselves1 perhaps more
 keenly than ourselves1 the good word1  
the virtues of the future and all our   
most blessed hopes4444      ,tell us1   
for we have the right to know1 why you  
enter into      possession of our goods 

as your heritage8 ,who has introduced   
you among us1 for yesterday we knew you 
not1 or rather we knew      you4444 ,oh6
 yes1 ,i shall tell all2 ,i know the joy
 that will      fill your heart at my   
revealing your miseries as well as the  
celestial mercies4----        ,you did  
not love the truth1 but the truth loved 
you4 ,to      the purest and most ardent
 efforts of a zeal that sought      to  
enlighten you1 did you oppose a         
disdainful smile1 an      indifferent   
silence1 a subtle response1 a haughty   
firmness1 and      sometimes blasphemous
 pleasantries4 ,o patient ,god6 ,o ,god1
 who      lovest us in spite of our     
miseries6 ,thy mercy has oftentimes     
a depth1 a sublimity1 a tenderness and1 
allow me to say it1 a      power and    
delicacy that are infinite6             
,suddenly a rumor is circulated         
throughout the ,holy ,city1 a      rumor
 that consoles all ,christian hearts1 he
 who blasphemed      yesterday1 who this
 morning even ridiculed the friends of  

,god1 has become a disciple of ,christ2 
celestial grace has      touched his    
lips1 he utters now only words of       
benediction      and sweetness1 the most
 vivid lights of the evangelical law    
seem to beam from his eyes2 we may say  
that a celestial      unction has taught
 him all things4 ,whence does he receive
 this      enlightenment of the eyes of 
the heart1 that heart which sees        
all1 which has understood all8 ,o ,god6 
,thou art good1 infinitely      good1   
and ,i love to repeat those sweet words1
 so lately on the      blessed lips of  
him1 whose memory is henceforth         
ineffaceably      impressed upon our    
hearts4 ,we wept over him a few days    
ago1      we still regret him1 but we   
have dried our tears4 ',yes1 ,thou      
art good1 and the children of men have  
truly called ,thee the      good ,god6' 
7,last words of ,m4 de ,la ,ferronays47 
,thou dost set      aside the laws of   
nature1 ,thou dost account nothing too  
much to      save ,thy children6 ,when  

,thou dost not come ,thyself1 ,thou dost
      send ,thy angels6444 ,o ,god6     
shall ,i here relate all8 ,i ought      
to enjoin reserve upon my speech4444    
,but who is she8 ,qu est      ista8 ,i  
cannot say the word1 and yet ,i cannot  
be silent4        ,hail ,mary6 ,you are 
full of grace2 ,ave1 gratia plena1 and  
from the plentitude of your maternal    
heart1 you love to bestow      your     
gifts upon us4 ,the ,lord is with you1  
,dominus tecum1      and it is through  
you ,he is pleased to descend to us6    
,and now      to praise you worthily1 ,i
 must borrow the images of ,heaven or   
speak the inflamed language of the      
prophets6 ,for1 ,o ,mary6 your      name
 is sweeter than the purest joys1 more  
delightful than the      most exquisite 
perfumes1 more charming than the harmony
 of      angels1 in corde jubilus2 more 
refreshing to the faithful      heart   
than honeycomb to the wearied traveler1 
mel in lingua2      more encouraging and
 cheering to the guilty but repentant   

heart      than the evening dew to the  
leaves parched and shriveled by      the
 mid-day sun1 ros in herba4 ,you are    
beautiful as the orb      of night1     
pulchra ut luna2 you1 who guide the     
bewildered      traveler2 you are       
brilliant as the aurora1 aurora         
consurgens2      fair and pure as the   
morning star1 stella matutina2 and it is
      you who precede the dawn of the   
,sun of ,justice in our hearts4         
,o ,mary6 ,i can never portray all your 
loveliness and grandeur1      and it is 
my joy to succumb beneath the weight of 
so much      glory6 ,but since ,i speak 
in the midst of your children1 your     
children who are my brothers1 ,i shall  
continue to proclaim      your praises  
from the depths of my heart's           
affection4444 ,at      your name1 ,o    
,mary1 ,heaven rejoices1 earth quivers  
with joy1      hell fumes with impotent 
rage4444 ,no1 there is no creature so   
sublime or so humble1 that invoking you1
 will perish4 ,those      august        

basilicas1 erected by the piety of      
mighty nations1      those golden       
characters1 those rich banners worked by
 royal      hands1 likewise the modest  
offerings of the sailor in your         
lowly chapels1 in the crevices of the   
rock1 on the shores of      the sea1 or 
even your humble picture which martyr's 
hands have      traced upon the         
catacombs1 all attest your power in     
appeasing      the tempests of divine   
wrath1 and attracting upon us heavenly  
benedictions4        ,o ,mary1 ,i have  
seen the most savage wilds of nature    
smile      at your name and blossom into
 beauty2 the pious inhabitants      of  
the deserts celebrate your glory1 the   
mountain echoes1      the torrent       
billows1 vie with one another in        
repeating your      praises4 ,i have    
seen great cities bring forth and       
cherish1      under the shadow of your  
name1 the purest and most noble         
virtues4 ,i have seen youth1 with       
generous impulse1 confident      ardor1 

and the inexpressible charm of virtue   
irradiating its      countenance1 prefer
 your name and the happiness of         
celebrating      your festivals to all  
the enchantments of the world and its   
most brilliant destinies6 ,i have seen  
old men1 after a godless      life of   
sixty or eighty years1 rise upon their  
couch of pain1      to remember at the  
sound of your name the ,god who had     
blessed      their early infancy2 you   
were to them as a pledge of security    
and of peaceful entrance into the       
,eternal ,city6 ,o ,mary1 who are       
you then8 ,qu est ista8 ,you are the    
,mother of our ,saviour1      and       
,jesus1 the fruit of your womb1 is the  
,god blessed from      all eternity4    
,you are our ,sister1 soror nostra es2  
though a      child of ,adam like       
ourselves1 you have not participated in 
our      sad heritage1 and our woes     
excite your deepest and most tender     
compassion4        ,o ,mary6 you are the
 masterpiece of the ,divine power6 ,you 

are      the most touching invention of 
,god's goodness6 ,i could not say       
more--you are the sweetest smile of ,his
 mercy6 ,o ,god1 give eyes      to those
 who have them not--eyes that they may  
see ,mary and      understand the       
beautiful light of her maternal glance2 
and to      those who have no heart give
 one1 that they may love ,mary2 for     
from ,mary to the ,word ,eternal1 to the
 ,beauty ever ancient and      ever new1
 to that uncreated ,light which         
strengthens the feeble      sight and   
appeases every desire of our souls1 from
 ,mary to      ,jesus1 from the ,mother 
to the ,son1 there is but a step6----   
,our dearly beloved brother--and ,i am  
happy to be the first      to call you  
thus--behold under what favorable       
auspices you      enter this new        
,jerusalem1 the tabernacle of the ,lord1
 'the      ,church of the living ,god1  
which is the pillar and ground of       
truth4 ,but before delivering your heart
 to these emotions of      joy1 there is

 one severe lesson it should learn this 
day2 and      since ,i am destined to be
 the first to announce to you the       
words of the ,gospel1 ,i shall conceal  
from you nothing of the      austerity  
it inculcates4 ',you have understood    
all1' you say2      but let me ask if   
you have understood the mystery of the  
cross4      ,ah6 be careful1 for it is  
the foundation of ,christianity4 ,i     
speak now not only of that blessed cross
 which you lovingly      adore1 because 
it places before your eyes ,jesus       
crucified in      expiation of your     
sins1 but borrowing the emphatic        
language of      an ancient apologist of
 our ,faith1 ,i shall say to you3 ',this
 is      no question of the cross that  
is sweet for you to adore1 but      of  
the cross to which you must soon        
submit4' ,ecce cruces jam      non      
adorand1 sed subeund4 ,behold what you  
must understand if      you are a       
,christian and what baptism must        
disclose to you6444      ,moreover1 in  

vain would ,i endeavor to dissimulate   
the truth1 by      saying that your     
future may reveal no crosses2 ,i see    
them in      store for you4 ,no doubt1  
we must venerate them afar off1 but     
it is infinitely better to bend beneath 
their weight when laid      upon us1 and
 courageously carry them4 ,i shall be   
mistaken1 if      the evangelic virtues 
are not increased and fortified in your 
soul by patience4 ,and blessed be ,god  
for it6 ,you have been      introduced  
into ,christianity through ,mary and the
 ,cross6444      ,it is an admirable    
mode of introduction6 ,and again ,i     
repeat1      blessed be ,god for it6    
,for ,i say to you1 ,he has given you   
ears to hear and a heart to feel this   
language6 ,son of the      ,catholic    
,church you will share your ,mother's   
destiny6 ,look      at ,rome1 ,rome     
where you have just been born into the  
,church2      her heritage here below1  
is always to combat and always to       
triumph4 ,moreover1 nothing astonishes  

her2 and after eighteen      centuries  
of combats and victories1 it is here1 in
 the centre      of ,catholic unity1 at 
the foot of the ,apostolic ,see1 that   
focus      whence daily emanate the most
 vivid and purest rays of ,faith1       
piercing the shades of paganism1 error  
and ,judaism1 that the      ,church has 
poured over your forehead the beneficent
 water of      celestial regeneration4  
,what do ,i say8 ,it is ,peter himself1 
the      ,moses of the new law1 worthily
 represented by the first ,vicar      of
 his august ,successor1 who has struck  
for you the mysterious      rock1 the   
immovable stone4 ,petra erat ,christus1 
whence gush      forth those waters     
springing up unto eternal life4         
,but ,i have said enough2 ,i retard your
 happiness4 ,heaven1 at      this       
moment1 regards you with love1 the earth
 blesses you      and ,jesus ,christ    
awaits you2 go forward then2 angels have
      commenced the feast1 and the      
friends of ,god continue it with        

you here below6 ,and even he who seems  
dead in our eyes1 and      whose heart  
is living in the hand of the ,lord6 you 
know him1      his supplications and    
prayers have been poured forth in your  
behalf2 the solemn moment has now       
arrived6 ,abraham1 ,isaac1      ,israel1
 the patriarchs and prophets from their 
heavenly abode      encourage you1 and  
,moses blesses you1 because the law in  
your      heart has developed into the  
,gospel2 mercy and truth sustain        
you1 justice and peace attend you1      
repentance and innocence      crown     
you4444 ,and finally1 it is ,mary who   
receives and protects      you6         
,o ,mary6 it is a necessity and a duty  
for us to repeat once      more this    
prayer1 this cherished prayer1 and ,i   
know that not      one of all the       
multitude here assembled1 but will      
fervently      repeat it with me3       
',remember1 ,o most pious ,virgin ,mary1
 that      no one ever had recourse to  
thy protection1 implored thy aid      or

 sought thy mediation1 without obtaining
 relief4 ,groaning      under the weight
 of our sins1 we come1 ,o ,virgin of    
virgins1 to      cast ourselves in thy  
arms1 and do most humbly supplicate     
thee4      ,o ,mother of the ,eternal   
,word1 to remember the just1 remember   
sinners1 remember those who know thee1  
and those who know thee      not2       
remember our woes and thy mercy4' ,i    
shall not say remember      this young  
man1 for he is thy child1 the sweet and 
glorious      conquest of thy love1 but 
,i shall say1 remember all those dear   
ones for whom he offers this day1 the   
first prayers of his      ,catholic     
heart2 restore them to him in time and  
eternity4----        ,and since ,i am a 
stranger here 7no1 let me recall my     
words1      no one is a stranger in     
,rome1 every ,catholic is a ,roman71 but
      since we were both born on the    
soil of ,france1 ,i think my            
prayers find an echo in the hearts of   
all who hear me1 when ,i      say3      

remember ,france1 she is still the home 
of noble virtues1      generous souls1  
heroic love4444 ,restore to the ,church 
in ,france      her pristine beauty4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,the ,holy ,sacrifice terminated the    
imposing ceremony4 ,our new ,christian1 
overwhelmed beneath the weight of so    
many favors1 had to be assisted  to the 
,holy ,table1 where he received the     
,bread of ,angels as the seal  of his   
celestial alliance4 ,inundated with     
happiness1 the tears gushed  from his   
eyes1 and after receiving1 it was       
necessary to assist him  to his         
place4444 ,a number of pious ,christians
 participated in the  divine banquet1 to
 which the ,church so tenderly invites  
all her happy  children1 and the        
admirable spectacle of a blessed union  
with their new  brother1 was another    
edifying episode of this memorable day4 
,the ,te ,deum which followed1 that most
 fervent hymn of gratitude1  arising    
from every heart and mingling with the  

sound of all the  bells1 was not less   
impressive4 ,i pray ,god1 wrote a       
witness of this  ceremony1 never to let 
the memory of what ,i experienced during
 these  three hours be effaced from my  
heart2 such an impression is1 beyond    
doubt1 one of the most precious graces a
 ,christian soul can ever  receive4     
,clothed with innocence1 enriched with  
the gifts of ,heaven1 admitted  to its  
joys1 buried in the sweet transports of 
gratitude and love1 ,m4  ,ratisbonne    
could not relinquish immediately his    
dear solitude4 ,he had  made one        
retreat1 as a preparation for the       
reception of these three  grand         
,sacraments1 and he was filled with     
ineffable consolation2 feeling  now the 
necessity1 the imperative duty of       
returning thanks to his  ,benefactor1 he
 wished to commence a second retreat1 so
 that afar from  the world1 he might be 
deaf to the confused noises of its      
frivolous  joys1 and amidst the silence 
of a sweet peace1 celebrate the ,lord's 

magnificence1 chant hymns of gratitude1 
taste in secret and at leisure  the     
gifts which had been imparted to him1   
and the new treasures he  possessed4    
,another grand consolation was in store 
for him4 ,he sighed after the  happy    
moment when he could prostrate himself  
at the feet of the  ,sovereign ,pontiff1
 and there testify his submission to and
 love for  that holy ,church who had    
just admitted him into the number of her
  cherished children4 ,an audience was  
granted him4 ,the two friends1 ,m4      
,ratisbonne and the ,baron de ,bussire1 
were conducted into the presence  of    
,his ,holiness by the reverend ,father  
,general of the ,society of ,jesus4     
,having bent the knee three times before
 the ,vicar of ,jesus ,christ1 they     
received in unison1 that holy and       
desirable benediction1 which many  pious
 ,christians esteem themselves happy in 
obtaining1 after long and  wearisome    
journeys4 ,they were welcomed with truly
 paternal tenderness  by the venerable  

,pontiff1 who conversed some time with  
them1 and loaded  them with tokens of   
his favor4 ,m4 ,ratisbonne knew not how 
to express  his admiration for the great
 simplicity1 humility and goodness of   
this  worthy ,successor of the ,prince  
of the ,apostles4 ,he was so exceedingly
  kind1 has ,m4 ,ratisbonne told me     
several times since1 as to take  us into
 his chamber1 where he showed me near   
his bed1 a magnificent  picture of my   
dear medal1 a picture for which he has  
the greatest  devotion4 ,i had procured 
quite a number of ,miraculous ,medals4  
,his  ,holiness cheerfully blessed them 
for me1 and these are the weapons ,i    
shall use in conquering souls for ,jesus
 ,christ and ,mary4    ,the ,holy       
,father crowns all his favors1 by       
presenting ,m4 ,ratisbonne  a crucifix1 
a precious souvenir which the young     
,christian will ever  cherish1 clinging 
to it in his combats and his sorrows1 as
 a weapon  that must assure him the     
victory over hell4 ,a new soldier of    

,jesus  ,christ1 he needs no other arms 
than the cross and ,mary ,immaculate1   
signal protectors that will guide him in
 the ways of justice1 and one  day1     
usher him into the light of eternal     
felicity4    ,shortly after his second  
retreat1 ,m4 ,ratisbonne made           
preparations for  his return to ,france1
 and bade adieu to the ,holy ,city1     
though not  without the sweet hope of   
again offering there his tribute of     
fervent  thanksgiving4 ,we have seen and
 conversed with him many times4 ,the    
first  emotions of a boundless and      
almost unparalled happiness are past1   
but the fruits remain2 daily does the   
precious gift of ,faith strike  deeper  
root into this soul regenerated by the  
waters of holy ,baptism2  and the divine
 life1 which was communicated to him on 
the day of his  baptism1 our new brother
 nourishes by the frequent reception of 
the  ,holy ,eucharist1 and a withdrawal 
from all worldly society2 for whilst    
awaiting the manifestations of the      

,lord's will in regard to his future1   
he feels the necessity of preserving1 in
 the secrecy of a peaceful and          
recollected life1 the treasures he has  
received4    ,m4 ,ratisbonne's          
conversion1 publicly styled a miracle1  
excited too much  interest and comment  
for the ,holy ,see to allow it to pass  
unnoticed4  ,the ,sovereign ,pontiff    
ordered a canonical examination         
according to the  rules of the ,church4 
,the ,cardinal ,vicar prescribed an     
investigation4  ,nine witnesses were    
examined2 all the circumstances weighed1
 and  after a favorable conclusion1 the 
most eminent ,cardinal ,patrizzi1       
pronounced and declared the #c;d of     
,june1 #ahdb1 that the instantaneous    
and perfect conversion of ,alphonse     
,marie ,ratisbonne1 from ,judaism to    
,catholicity1 was a true and            
incontrovertible miracle1 wrought by the
  most blessed and powerful ,god1       
through the intercession of the ,blessed
  ,virgin ,mary4 ,for the greater glory 

of ,god and the increase of devotion  to
 the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary1 ,his       
,eminence deigns to permit the account  
of this signal miracle1 not only to be  
printed and published but also          
authorized4--,a picture commemorative of
 the apparition of the ,blessed  ,virgin
 to ,m4 ,ratisbonne1 a representation of
 the ,virgin of the medal1  was placed  
in the chapel of ,st4 ,andrew's ,church1
 where the miracle had  taken place4    
,a few days after his return to ,france1
 ,m4 ,ratisbonne1 in token of  his      
gratitude1 and with the intention of    
obtaining his family's  conversion1 felt
 urged to erect a chapel under the      
invocation of ,mary  ,immaculate1 in the
 ,providence orphanage of the ,faubourg 
,st4 ,germain1  ,paris4 ,the laying of  
the corner stone took place ,may #ast1  
#ahdb1 and  the sanctuary was finished  
and dedicated ,may #ast1 #ahdd1 with    
great  solemnity1 in the presence of the
 founder of the house1 ,m4 ,desgenettes1
  cur of ,notre ,dame des ,victoires1   

the ,baron de ,bussire1 ,m4 tienne1     
,superior ,general of the ,priests of   
the ,mission and daughters of  ,charity1
 ,m4 ,eugne ,bor1 then a simple layman1 
but afterwards ,m4  tienne's immediate  
successor1 the abb de ,bonnechose1 later
 an  ,archbishop and ,cardinal1 and many
 other distinguished persons4    ,the   
pious convert often repaired to this    
sanctuary to mingle his  prayers with   
those of the ,daughters of ,charity and 
their dear orphans2  and many times has 
he also enjoyed the ineffable           
consolation of  celebrating the ,holy   
,sacrifice and thanking his celestial   
,benefactress1  before the beautiful    
picture of the ,immaculate ,conception  
placed above  the high altar1 as a      
souvenir of the miracle of ,st4 ,andrew 
delle  ,fratte1 for ,m4 ,ratisbonne is  
now a priest4 ,not content with leading 
a  pious life in the world1 he has      
renounced forever the joys and hopes  of
 time to embrace the ecclesiastical     
state1 which consecrated him            

unreservedly to ,god4 ,for several years
 past he has been associated with  his  
beloved brother ,theodore in the order  
of ,our ,lady of ,sion1 the  object of  
which congregation is the conversion of 
,israelites4      ,v4    ,graces        
,obtained from #ahdc to #ahgg1 in       
,france1 ,germany1 ,italy1 ,america4    
,,cure ,,of ,a ,,little ,,girl          
7,,paris7--#ahdc4    ,this account was  
sent us in the month of ,january1 #ahgg1
 by the very  person who was cured3     
,about the #aeth of ,december1 #ahdc1 a 
little girl1 ,znobie de      ,m41 just  
one year old1 was attacked1 at the same 
time1 by      water on the chest1 a     
disease of the bowels1 and cerebral     
congestion4 ,dr4 ,flandrin1 a friend of 
the family was called in                
immediately1 and gave the child every   
attention1 but his skill      was       
powerless1 and the family was plunged in
 the deepest grief4      ,the child's   
eldest sister alone cherished a faint   
hope in the      depths of her heart2   

she had intended consecrating herself to
      ,god in a religious state1 and had
 always regarded the birth      of this 
little one as a gift of ,providence1    
sent to take her      place in the      
family1 and console her afflicted       
parents4 ,god      will not1 she        
thought1 take back the child4 ,in her   
room was a      picture representing the
 apparition of the ,miraculous ,medal2  
she knelt before it1 begging the child's
 recovery1 and renewing      her        
promises of embracing a religious life  
should the petition      be granted4    
,this generous offering she kept a      
secret4 ,a little      while after1 the 
doctor came and declared the child's    
case      hopeless1 and moreover1 its   
recovery not desirable as it would      
remain imbecile1 paralyzed or blind4 ,he
 proposed1 however1 a      consultation 
with ,m4 ,blache1 physician of the      
,necker hospital1      who prescribed   
energetic treatment1 but said1 'this    
child      cannot live4'        ,the    

poor mother1 deeming it inadvisable to  
cause the little      creature          
unnecessary suffering1 gently laid it in
 the cradle1      saying with the faith 
and resignation seen in none but a      
,christian mother3 ',the ,lord gave it  
to me1 the ,lord wishes      to take it 
away1 may ,his holy will be             
accomplished6' ,in the      afternoon1  
one of the aunts came to accompany the  
elder sister      to church1 and whilst 
their prayers ascended to the ,most     
,high1 more for the mother than the     
child1 this mother obeys                
spontaneously a supernatural impulse1   
and taking the ,miraculous      ,medal  
as a last hope1 she applies it to the   
body of the child1      and repeats with
 confidence the invocation3 ',o ,mary6  
conceived      without sin1 pray for us 
who have recourse to thee6' ,the        
plaintive cries ceased1 and when ,m4    
,flandrin came that evening      to see 
if the little one were still alive1 he  
was greatly      surprised to perceive a

 faint improvement since morning1 the   
whole body covered with a gentle        
perspiration1 and the little            
paralyzed arm able to move in any       
direction4 ',but what a pity1'      said
 he1 'the child will be blind1' which   
indeed it seemed to      be already1 as 
a light passed several times before its 
eyes      produced no effect whatever4  
,the mother who had not yet mentioned   
her secret1 waited until      all had   
left the room1 then taking her dear     
medal1 she lay it      upon her infant's
 eyes and repeated the invocation4      
,after a      sound sleep of about      
twenty-four hours1 little ,znobie awoke1
      recognizing all around her1 and   
smiling upon all1 her sight was         
restored6        ,the child's father1   
penetrated with faith and piety1 said3  
',assuredly1 ,god alone has restored our
 child to us2 henceforth1      she shall
 be called ,marie1 that she may ever    
bear in mind      to whom she is        
indebted for life4' ,an attack of       

measles now      supervened and finished
 the work1 according to the doctor1 by  
absorbing the water on the brain1 and   
throwing out upon the      surface of   
the skin the heretofore internal malady4
 ,a small      gold cross1 having       
engraven upon it the memorable date of  
this      miraculous cure1 was hung     
around the neck of little ,marie1 who   
is now a ,daughter of ,st4 ,vincent de  
,paul4      ,,conversion ,,of ,a        
,,captain ,,in ,,the ,,austrian ,,army4 
,letter from the ,superioress of the    
,daughters of ,charity1 at the          
,hospital of ,gratz 7,austria71 #ahfj3  
,after the war in ,italy1 a ,polish     
regiment passed through ,gratz2      the
 captain1 attacked by a violent         
hemorrhage1 was obliged      to stop at 
the general hospital1 in charge of the  
,daughters      of ,charity4 ,their     
constant and unremitting attentions did 
not retard the progress of the disease1 
and his life was in      imminent       
danger4        ,full of consideration1  

gratitude and politeness for those      
who nursed him1 he nevertheless         
expressed great displeasure             
whenever they approached him on the     
subject of religion2 he      had        
requested to be spared the visits of the
 chaplain of the      regiment1 and as  
to the hospital chaplain1 he dared not  
present      himself4 ,it was necessary 
to keep the patient very quiet1 and     
avoid all worry1 for the least          
excitement might cause a mortal         
hemorrhage4        ,a ,sister1 who had  
been watching by his couch one night1   
left1      in mistake1 a little book    
containing an account of favors         
obtained through the ,blessed ,virgin's 
intercession4 ,the sick      man took   
the book and read a few pages2 another  
,sister coming      into his room1 he   
showed her a passage1 and said1 putting 
his      hand to his forehead with a    
significant gesture3 ,here1 ,sister1    
just read this nonsense2 as for myself1 
,i cannot understand      how any one   

can write such books--if ,i may dare1   
let me beg you      to take this away4  
,vain was every effort to reach his     
heart by pleasant      distractions1 by 
engaging his attention or his interest2 
he      was insensible to all4 ,a few   
days after the occurrence just          
mentioned1 a ,sister ventured to offer  
him a medal of the      ,blessed ,virgin
 suspended to a cord1 so that he might  
wear it      if he wished4 ,he was too  
polite to refuse the present1 but he    
let it remain just where the ,sister had
 put it4 ,his servant1      though a    
devout ,christian1 dared not speak to   
him of receiving      the ,sacraments1  
and1 although the patient expected to   
leave the      hospital soon1 it was    
very evident to all else that the fever 
was daily sapping his strength and      
rapidly conducting him to      the tomb4
 ,much grieved at his condition1 and    
especially his      impenitence1 the    
,sisters determined to make one last    
effort      to save this soul4 ,and what

 was it8 ,they wrote the ,blessed       
,virgin a note1 as follows3 ,grant that1
 by some means1 most      holy ,mother1 
he may accept your medal1 prepare him   
yourself to      receive the            
,sacraments1 and assist him at the hour 
of death4      ,o ,mary6 conceived      
without sin1 pardon our temerity1 we    
attach      this note to your statue1   
and leave it there till you deign to    
hear our prayers4        ,the chief     
physician of the hospital said1 one day1
 to the      ,sister on leaving this    
patient's room3 ,the captain will die   
without the ,sacraments1 he seems       
inflexible4 ,oh6 as to that1      she   
replied1 the ,blessed ,virgin will not  
fail to overcome his      obstinacy4    
,three or four days elapsed2 one morning
 the sick      man requested the ,sister
 to put the medal around his neck1      
which she did most joyfully4 ,in the    
afternoon1 he called her      again3    
,sister1 said he1 ,i beg you to send for
 the chaplain      of my regiment to    

hear my confession1 so that to-morrow ,i
 may      receive the ,holy ,eucharist  
and ,extreme ,unction4 ,the worthy      
priest was happy to answer the summons2 
he remained a long time      with the   
sick man1 and next morning1 after       
celebrating ,mass at      the altar of  
the ,immaculate ,conception1 he         
administered to him      the ,holy      
,viaticum and ,extreme ,unction4 ,we    
were all edified at      the dying man's
 piety4 ,he cherished his medal with    
religious      fidelity1 often asking   
for it and kissing it tenderly4 ,a few  
days after receiving the ,last          
,sacraments1 he rendered his      soul  
to ,god1 saved1 as we have every reason 
to hope1 by the      intercession of    
,mary conceived without sin4            
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,hardened         
,,sinner4    ,a letter from the         
,superioress of the ,daughters of       
,charity at ,issoudun1  #ahfb3          
,in the month of ,august1 #ahfb1 a young
 man aged twenty-nine1 and      who had 

been married several years1 was dying of
 consumption4      ,vainly did his      
friends endeavor to turn his thoughts to
      eternity2 every idea of religion  
seemed extinguished in his      heart1  
and he positively refused to see the    
priest4 ,a pious      acquaintance      
informed the ,sisters of his deplorable 
state2      one of them went immediately
 to see him4 ,she met with a cool       
reception1 but was not the least        
disconcerted1 and spoke to him      very
 kindly1 proposing to send him a        
physician1 and adding1      that she    
would supply all necessary medicines and
 nourishment4      ,i need neither      
doctors nor medicines1 was the reply1 ,i
 am      going to die1 and ,i ask only  
that you will let me die in      peace4 
,his poor wife1 who was present1 holding
 their little      child in her arms1   
said to him with tears3 ,accept         
,sister's      offer1 and perhaps you   
will recover1 but he made no answer2    
and the ,sister now turning to his wife1

 endeavored to console      her1 by     
promising to send the doctor and return 
soon herself4      ,the doctor came and 
met with no better reception4 ,in a few 
days      the ,sister presented herself 
again1 and was received as before1      
all her advances eliciting no response  
save a frigid silence2      but naught  
discouraged1 she returned day after day1
 though her      reception was always   
the same4 ,as the young man grew worse1 
the ,sister's prayers increased1 and she
 felt inspired to offer      him a medal
 of the ,immaculate ,conception1 still  
hoping that      the good ,god would    
lead back to the fold1 this poor strayed
      sheep4 ,i accept a medal6 he      
exclaimed vehemently1 and what      do  
you wish me to do with it8 ,it would    
suit my wife or child      well enough1 
but as for myself1 ,i want no medals6   
,the ,sister      withdrew from the     
contest for the time1 but not           
discouraged1      she returned to the   
charge next morning4 ,ah1 said she      

pleasantly1 you are going to take the   
medal to-day8 ,you know      what ,i    
told you yesterday1 he answered1        
besides1 ,sister1      ,i am afraid of  
becoming imbued with your sentiments    
should      ,i accept it1 for ,i        
perceive that you are much more unhappy 
than ,i care about being4 ,a ray of     
happiness illumined the      ,sister's  
countenance1 for she knew that he who   
fears is already      conquered4 ,after 
plying her with questions about         
religion1 he      concluded thus3 ,after
 all1 death will be a great relief to   
me2 ,i have twice made an unsuccessful  
attempt at committing      suicide4 ,i  
suffer so much that ,i desire nothing   
but to die as      soon possible4 ,next 
day1 the ,sister asked her ,superioress 
to      visit him and offer him the     
medal4 ,she did so1 and he not only     
accepted it1 but at last consented to   
see the priest4 ,when our      ,sister  
next saw him he was completely changed1 
and expressed      his joy at the       

priest's visit1 and his desire of seeing
 him      soon again4 ,sister1 said he1 
,i am too miserable1 ,i wish to      be 
like you4 ,the priest did not delay his 
second coming1 and      the poor1       
suffering creature1 having made his     
confession1 asked      for ,holy        
,communion1 which he had not received   
for many years1      but this favor was 
denied him1 his throat being so inflamed
      that he could swallow only a few  
drops of liquid4 ,his last days         
were sanctified by the most admirable   
resignation2 no one ever      heard him 
utter a complaint1 he asked for one     
thing only1 the      visits of the      
priest and ,sister1 which alone seemed  
to afford      him any consolation4 ,and
 on the ,feast of ,all ,saints1 evincing
      every mark of a sincere           
conversion1 he breathed his last4       
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,malefactor4    ,a
 ,letter from the ,superioress of the   
,daughters of ,charity1 at the          
,hospital of ,beuthen 7,prussian        

,poland7--#ahfe3        ,there was      
brought to our hospital1 a young man of 
notoriously      bad character4 ,he     
entered our doors blaspheming1 and as   
the      physician had told the ,sister 
that he had but a few days to      live1
 she essayed a few words of piety and   
consolation1 to turn      his attention 
to the state of his soul2 but he        
answered her by      maledictions4 ,at  
last1 one day she said to him1 ,my      
friend1      since you will not listen  
to me1 ,i will ask my ,superioress      
herself to come4 ,let her come1 was his 
reply1 if she were      to tell me to   
hang myself1 ,i would obey her1 but as  
for      confession1 she may talk about 
that as much as she pleases1      ,i    
shall never yield4 ,these words were    
followed by so many      blasphemies1   
that it was with a very heavy heart the 
poor      ,sister sought her            
,superioress4 ,have you given him a     
medal8      said the latter4 ,a medal6  
was the reply1 he would throw it        

away4 ,ah1 well1 we must put one under  
his pillow and trust to      prayer1 for
 it is useless to talk to him2 tell him 
only that ,i      say he is not worthy  
of going to confession1 and ,i forbid   
his      doing so4        ,as soon as   
the ,sister who was nursing him left the
 presence      of her ,superioress1 the 
latter threw herself upon her knees     
and began to repeat that beautiful      
prayer1 the ,remember4 ,in      a very  
few minutes the ,sister returned1 this  
time shedding      tears of joy4 ,ah1   
,sister1 said she1 he wishes to confess2
      as soon as ,i had put the medal   
under his pillow and recited      the   
,remember for him1 ,i delivered your    
message4 ,indeed6      said he1 rising  
from his seat1 ,well1 ,i would just like
 to see      the person that could      
prevent it2 tell your ,superioress that 
to-morrow morning at eight o'clock1 ,i  
am going to pay the cur      a visit4   
,the ,sisters felt a little troubled    
concerning a confession      apparently 

dictated by the spirit of contradiction1
 but their      fears were dissipated   
when the penitent returned bathed in    
tears4 ,he had just been to ,holy       
,communion2 asking the ,sisters'        
pardon for his past misconduct1 he      
begged them to implore the      ,blessed
 ,virgin to let him live eight days     
longer1 that he might      weep for his 
sins4 ,this favor was granted him1 and  
daily did he      bedew his pillow with 
tears4 ,at the end of the eight days he 
died1 blessing ,god1 and pressing the   
medal to his lips4      ,,conversion    
,,of ,,an ,,actress4    ,a letter from  
the ,superioress of the ,daughters of   
,charity1 at the  ,hospital of ,beuthen 
7,prussian ,poland71 #ahfe3        ,some
 years ago1 a young ,protestant woman1  
belonging to a troupe      of comedians1
 arrived in ,beuthen with her company4  
,the good ,god      permitted that she  
should find lodgings in a ,catholic     
family1      with whom she soon essayed 
a controversy4 ,mademoiselle1 said      

the master of the house1 it would be    
better for you to go see      the       
,sisters about these things2 the        
,blessed ,virgin has wrought            
wonders in their establishments1 ,i am  
sure you would return      fully        
enlightened on the subject you have been
 discussing4      ,the young girl       
laughed at such a proposition2 but a few
 days      after1 impelled by curiosity1
 she repaired to the hospital      and  
asked for the ,sister-,servant4 ,invite 
her in1 said the      latter1 who had   
already heard of the young actress2 no  
doubt1      the ,blessed ,virgin has    
something in store for her here4 ,after 
a few formalities of etiquette1 our     
visitor introduced the      subject of  
religion1 and attempted to enter into a 
controversy      with the ,sister4      
,alas6 ,mademoiselle1 replied the       
latter1 the      poor ,daughters of     
,charity have neither the time nor      
learning      necessary for a discussion
 of these subtle questions1 but they    

have other arms with which to vanquish  
you2 and1 smiling1 she      presented   
her disputant a little medal of the     
,blessed ,virgin4      ,promise me to   
wear this slight souvenir1 it will be a 
constant      reminder that we are      
praying for you4 ,she allowed the       
,sister      to put the medal on her    
neck1 and retired rather pleased with   
her visit4        ,from this day1 the   
,sisters at the hospital began to       
recommend      the young actress to     
,mary conceived without sin4 ,not many  
weeks after1 the cur said to the        
,sister-,servant3 ,do you      know1    
,sister1 that ,mademoiselle ,m41 who    
spent the most of      her time         
promenading with gentlemen and smoking  
cigars1 now      comes to me for        
religious instruction8 ,in a little     
while she      will make her abjuration4
 ,and1 indeed1 it was not very long     
before she repaired to the hospital4    
,sister1 said she to the                
,sister-,servant1 ,i am going to        

confession to-day1 and to-morrow      ,i
 make my ,first ,communion4 ,on my first
 visit here1 ,i was      enraged at you4
 ,i could have fought you1 and cast to  
the winds      this medal that ,i now   
kiss4 ,from the very moment you put it  
on      my neck1 an unaccountable change
 was wrought in me4 ,next day1      the 
church was filled with ,protestants and 
,jews1 all anxious      to witness a    
ceremony which had excited so much      
comment4 ,after      her reception into 
the ,church1 the young convert1 on the  
eve of      her departure1 paid another 
visit to the ,sister ,servant1 and      
the latter saw by her very countenance  
what great changes grace      had       
wrought in this soul4 ,well1 said the   
,sister1 just to try      her1 here is a
 silver medal to replace yours which has
 become      very black4 ,oh1 no1 was   
the earnest1 prompt reply1 as she       
tenderly pressed her own medal1 ,i would
 not exchange this for      any other in
 the world1 for it is since ,i began to 

wear it my      soul has awaked to a new
 life4        ,some years later1 the    
,sister received a letter dated from    
,rome1 it was from the young convert1   
who wrote to her as      follows3       
,sister1 ,providence has led me to      
,rome1 and it is no      longer ,mlle4  
,m4 you must address1 but ,sister       
,st4---- of the ,b4      convent4 ,your 
desires are accomplished2 ,i now belong 
entirely      to ,god1 as ,i once did to
 the world2 the ,blessed ,virgin        
vanquishes souls with other arms than   
those of controversy4    ,we must add1  
to the praise of the young actress1 that
 her moral  character was always        
irreproachable4    ,the ,superioress of 
the hospital at ,beuthen1 in narrating  
these facts1  adds3 ,i could mention1   
for the greater glory of ,god and honor 
of the  ,immaculate ,mary1 numberless   
incidents of this kind1 but lack of time
  and my weak eyes prevent my giving the
 details4 ,i will say1 however1  and    
that without the slightest exaggeration1

 that not a week passes  but the        
,blessed ,virgin bestows upon our       
patients at the hospital some  new proof
 of her maternal bounty4 ,the medal1 so 
dear to us1 is really  miraculous1 and  
the instrument by which we snatch from  
destruction  souls that have cost ,our  
,lord so much4 ,ah6 how numberless1 in  
this  unhappy land1 the snares of the   
enemy of our salvation to entrap souls2 
but to vanquish him1 ,i everywhere      
circulate the ,miraculous ,medal 7you   
know what numbers we get71 and my       
confidence in ,mary is never deceived4  
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,prominent ,,free 
,,mason4                                
,new ,orleans 7,united ,states71 #ahfe4 
,among the patients at the great        
,charity hospital1 ,new ,orleans1       
was a very prominent ,free ,mason4 ,his 
hatred of religion was      displayed in
 a thousand ways2 not only did he       
interdict the      ,sister who nursed   
him any allusion to his salvation1 but  
he even habitually repaid by harsh and  

injurious words her      kindness and   
attention to his physical sufferings4   
,if others      ventured to mention the 
subject of religion to him1 they were   
received with jeers and banters4        
,several times was he at      the point 
of death1 and yet1 sad to relate1 his   
dispositions      remained the same4 ,at
 last1 when the ,sister saw that he had 
but      a few hours to live1 she       
stealthily slipped a ,miraculous ,medal 
under his bolster1 and said interiorly  
to the ,blessed ,virgin3      ,my dear  
,mother1 you know ,i have spared no     
effort to touch this      poor man's    
heart1 but in vain2 now ,i abandon him  
to you1 it      is you who must save    
him2 ,i leave him entirely in your      
hands1      and shall try to divest     
myself of all anxiety concerning him4   
,that evening1 in making her rounds1 she
 glances at him and      learns from the
 infirmarian that ever since her 7the   
,sister's7      last visit1 he had been 
very calm and apparently absorbed in    

thought4 ,on inquiring of the patient   
himself how he felt1 she      was       
astonished at his polite answer1 but    
remembering that she      had entrusted 
him entirely to the ,blessed ,virgin's  
care1 she      did not venture a word   
about his soul1 and bidding him good    
night1 she left the room4        ,about 
nine o'clock1 he called the infirmarian1
 and asked for a      priest2 knowing   
his former bitterness1 the infirmarian  
thought      it a joke and treated it   
accordingly2 the patient repeated his   
request1 but with no better success4    
,then he began to weep      and cry     
aloud for a priest2 all the other       
patients were mute      with            
astonishment1 and the infirmarian unable
 to resist such      entreaties went for
 the chaplain and the ,sister4 ,the     
dying      man requested ,baptism1 which
 was administered immediately1 as       
well as ,extreme ,unction1 and before   
morning he had rendered      his account
 to the ,sovereign ,judge4 ,his body was

 interred with      ,masonic rites1 but 
his soul1 thanks to the powerful        
protection      of ,mary ,immaculate1   
had been carried by angels to the bosom 
of      its ,god4      ,,conversion ,,of
 ,a ,,sick ,,protestant4                
,new ,orleans 7,united ,states74        
,at the same hospital in ,new ,orleans1 
a ,sister for a long time      had      
vainly endeavored to convince a         
,protestant of the most      essential  
truths of religion1 that he might       
receive ,baptism1      but he was deaf  
to all her persuasions4 ,one day she    
showed him      a ,miraculous ,medal1   
and related its origin4 ,he appeared to 
listen somewhat attentively1 but when   
she offered it to him1      ,take it    
away1 said he1 in a tone of great       
contempt1 this      ,virgin is no more  
than any other woman4 ,i am going to    
leave      it on your table1 was the    
,sister's reply1 ,i am sure you will    
reflect on my words4 ,he said nothing1  
but to put it out of      sight1 placed 

his bible over it4 ,every day1 under the
 pretext      of arranging and dusting  
his room1 the ,sister assured herself   
that the medal was still there4 ,several
 days elapsed1 during      which the    
patient grew worse2 one night1 whilst   
lying awake      racked with suffering1 
he perceived a brilliant light around   
his bed1 though the rest of the room was
 enveloped in darkness4      ,greatly   
astonished1 he succeeded1 in spite of   
his weakness1 in      rising and turning
 up the gas1 to discover if possible1   
the      cause of this mysterious light4
 ,finding none1 he returned to      bed1
 and a few minutes after1 he perceived  
that the luminous      rays escaped from
 the medal4 ,he then took it in his     
hands1      and kept it there the       
remainder of the night4 ,as soon as the 
,sisters' rising bell rang 7which was   
four o'clock71 he called      the       
infirmarian1 and begged him to tell the 
,sister he desired      ,baptism4 ,the  
chaplain was immediately informed4      

,impossible6      he exclaimed1 for     
having had frequent conversations with  
the      sick man1 he was well aware of 
his sentiments1 and could      scarcely 
believe him in earnest4 ,nevertheless1  
he obeyed the      summons1 and finding 
the patient really disposed to profit by
      his ministry1 he administered the 
,last ,sacraments1 and shortly          
after receiving which the poor man died1
 blessing ,god and the      ,blessed    
,virgin for the graces bestowed upon    
him4      ,,conversion ,,of ,a          
,,protestant ,,girl4                    
,new ,orleans1 7,united ,states74       
,a poor young ,protestant girl1 brought 
to our hospital to be      treated for a
 grave malady1 had so great a horror of 
our holy      religion1 that at the very
 sight of a ,catholic near her1      she
 acted like one possessed4 ,the presence
 of a ,sister was      especially       
irritating1 and one day she even went so
 far as to      spit in the ,sister's   
face1 but the latter1 nothing dismayed1 

and ever hoping that the ,god of all    
mercy would change this      wolf into a
 lamb1 continued her kind attentions1   
the more      disrespectful her patient1
 the more gentle and considerate        
the ,sister4 ,the latter was at last    
inspired with the thought      of       
slipping a ,miraculous ,medal between   
the two mattresses2      she acted upon 
the inspiration1 and the following night
 the      ,immaculate ,mary's image     
became an instrument of salvation and   
happiness to a guilty soul4 ,pitching   
and tossing upon her bed      by reason 
of a high fever1 the patient1 in some   
unaccountable      manner1 found the    
medal1 and the ,sister's astonishment   
next      morning at seeing her clasping
 it in her hands1 and covering      it  
with kisses1 was second only to that she
 experienced on      perceiving the     
wonderful transformation grace had      
wrought in      this poor creature's    
soul4 ,a supernatural light had revealed
      to her the sad state of her       

conscience2 her criminal life           
filled her with horror1 and1 penetrated 
with regret for the      past1 she      
sighed only for holy ,baptism4 ,after   
the necessary      instruction1 she was 
baptized2 and1 during the remainder of  
her      sickness1 which was long and   
tedious1 her patience and fervor        
never faltered4 ,she persevered in these
 edifying sentiments1      until a happy
 death placed the seal upon the graces  
she had      received through the       
intercession of ,mary ,immaculate4      
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,protestant4      
,new ,orleans 7,united ,states74        
,a ,protestant gentleman had spent four 
years at the hospital1      sometimes in
 one hall1 sometimes another4 ,as his   
malady had      not been very serious1  
no one had considered it necessary to   
speak to him concerning his soul4       
,however1 when his condition      became
 more aggravated1 the ,sister1 after    
invoking the ,blessed      ,virgin's    
assistance1 told him the physician      

considered his case      dangerous1 and 
she thought he ought to receive         
,baptism1 without      which no one     
could be saved4 ,he listened            
attentively1 then      turning to her1  
said3 ,sister1 if ,i were to ask you to 
become      a ,protestant1 would you    
comply with my request8 ,no1 was        
the decided answer4 ,well1 then1 he     
continued1 rest assured      that it is 
just as useless for you to attempt      
persuading me to      become a          
,catholic4        ,in spite of this     
positive refusal1 she let no occasion   
pass      without enlightening him1 were
 it ever so little1 upon some      of   
the truths of religion4 ,one day1       
showing him a ,miraculous      ,medal1  
she told him he would confer a great    
favor on her by      reciting the little
 invocation3 ,o ,mary6 conceived without
      sin1 pray for us who have recourse
 to thee6 ,what1 ,sister6 a             
,catholic prayer6 that is impossible1 ,i
 cannot6 ,she said no      more1 but    

slipped the medal under his pillow1 and 
there it      remained untouched for    
several days1 during which time she     
redoubled her attentions to the physical
 necessities of the      poor patient1  
who gradually grew weaker4 ,at last1 one
 evening      she said to him3 ,well1   
,henry1 are you not going to do what ,i 
asked you8 ,yes1 ,sister1 ,i most       
earnestly desire to become a            
,catholic4 ,the chaplain was called     
immediately2 he had barely      time to 
administer ,baptism and ,extreme        
,unction1 ere the dying      man's      
regenerated soul was carried by angels  
to the abode of      the blessed4       
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,young            
,,methodist4                            
,st4 ,louis 7,united ,states71 #ahfe4   
,a young man1 a ,methodist1 arrived at  
the hospital in an      extremely weak  
condition4 ,the physician at once       
pronounced      his case hopeless1 and  
said he had but a few days to live4     
,consequently1 the ,sister's first care 

was for his soul4      ,questioning him1
 she soon learned that he believed      
neither in      the efficacy nor        
necessity of ,baptism1 and all her      
efforts      to induce him to receive   
this ,sacrament were unavailing4 ,he    
had no desire for any conversation on   
the subject1 and his      invariable    
reply to all her arguments was3 ,i      
believe in ,jesus1      that suffices2  
,i am sure of being saved4 ,the ,sister 
redoubled      her prayers1 for in them 
lay her only hope1 and time was         
precious4 ,a good priest visited him    
every day2 once1 after a      much      
longer visit than usual1 he told the    
,sister on leaving the      room it was 
impossible to do anything with that man1
 unless      ,god wrought a miracle in  
his favor1 and they must entreat ,him   
to do so4 ,the poor man persisted1      
indeed1 in refusing all      spiritual  
succor1 though receiving gratefully the 
attentions      bestowed upon his body4 
,his strength diminished day by day1    

and he calmly awaited death2 one thought
 alone disquieted      him1 that of     
never seeing his mother and dying afar  
from her4      ,perceiving himself on   
the brink of the grave1 he called one of
      his companions whom he begged to  
be with him at that fearful      moment1
 and write the particulars of it to his 
mother4 ,whilst      he made this       
request1 the ,sister slipped a          
,miraculous ,medal      under his       
pillow1 confidently believing that ,mary
 would not let      this soul entrusted 
to her perish2 yet he was already in his
      agony4 ,two ,sisters watched      
beside his bed till midnight1 when      
obliged to retire1 they left him in     
charge of an infirmarian      and the   
young man who had promised to be with   
him at the hour      of death4          
,apparently he had not more than half an
 hour to      live1 so next morning when
 the infirmarian came to meet the       
,sister1 she was prepared for news of   
the patient's death1 but      to her    

astonishment the infirmarian exclaimed3 
,come ,sister1      come see him1 he is 
restored to life6 ,he then told her that
      the patient1 to all appearances1  
had been dead an hour2 that      the    
friend and himself had rendered all the 
last duties to the      body1 having    
washed and dressed and prepared it for  
the grave2      then the young man went 
to bed1 and he alone remained with      
the corpse4 ,after watching near it some
 time1 he approached      to bandage the
 jaws1 but what was his fright whilst   
thus      engaged1 to see the dead man  
open his eyes6 ,the ,sister heard       
no more1 but eagerly hastened to the    
spot1 and found the man      still      
breathing4 ,with a great effort he said3
 ,oh6 what a      blessing that you have
 come6 ,in reply1 she exhorted him to   
receive ,baptism1 and told him that he  
was indebted to the      ,blessed       
,virgin for this prolongation of his    
life4 ,i wish to      be baptized1 said 
he1 and when the ,sister replied that   

the      priest would come1 ,oh6 that   
will be too late6 was his pitiful       
answer4 ,the other patients now joined  
their entreaties to his1      and the   
,sister1 after reciting aloud the acts  
of faith1 hope1      charity and        
contrition1 which the dying man         
endeavored to      repeat1 with hands   
clasped and eyes raised to ,heaven1     
baptized      him4 ,whilst the          
regenerating waters flowed upon his     
soul1      transports of love and       
thanksgiving escaped his lips4 ,half    
an hour later1 he closed his eyes1 never
 to open them here      below4 ,all that
 the infirmarian related of his first   
death1 was      confirmed in the most   
positive manner1 by the ,protestant     
friend      who had assisted in         
preparing him for the grave4            
,,conversion ,,of ,m4 ,f----            
,st4 ,louis1 7,united ,states74         
,a ,protestant named ,f---- was brought 
to our hospital in an      advanced     
stage of consumption4 ,he detested the  

,catholic      religion most heartily1  
and received the ,sisters' services     
with extreme repugnance4 ,his physical  
strength diminished      perceptibly1   
but his mind retained its energy and    
clearness4      ,by degrees1 the odor   
escaping from his decayed lungs1 became 
so intolerable that all abandoned him4  
,m4 ,burke1 a missionary      priest and
 the ,sisters1 being the only persons   
who had the      courage to go near him1
 and pay any attention to his comfort4  
,yet neither priest nor ,sister dare    
mention religion4 ,they      contented  
themselves with putting a ,miraculous   
,medal under      his pillow1 and       
invoking her1 who so often deigns to    
display      her power in favor of those
 who deny it4 ,she did not delay in     
granting their petition4 ,a few days    
later1 as the ,protestant      minister 
left the ward1 after making his usual   
distribution of      tracts1 the sick   
man said to the ,sister1 ,sister1 it is 
done2      ,i am converted4 ,ah1 said   

the latter interiorly1 our good         
,mother has accomplished her work4 ,and 
it was indeed true2 for      the patient
 requested a priest1 was instructed1 and
 in a few      days received the        
,sacraments of ,baptism1 the ,holy      
,viaticum and      ,extreme ,unction1   
with inexpressible fervor4 ,the very    
expression      of his countenance was  
changed2 the happiness that inundated   
his heart beaming from every feature4   
,ah6 said he1 my      sufferings are    
great1 but ,i feel that ,i am going to  
,heaven2      the truth has made me     
free4 ,in these happy dispositions1 he  
expired1 promising that in heaven he    
would pray for all who had      been    
instruments of his conversion4          
,,conversion ,,of ,,an ,,unbaptized     
,,patient4                              
,st4 ,louis1 7,united ,states74         
,a patient brought to the hospital in a 
hopeless condition1      openly         
manifested his hatred of ,catholicity4  
,yet1 as he was in      imminent danger 

of death1 the ,sister1 profiting by a   
moment in      which he seemed a little 
better disposed than usual1 ventured    
to ask him if he would be baptized2 he  
answered roughly1 ,no1      that he     
scarcely believed in baptism1 and not at
 all in      ,catholic baptism1 that in 
case of his recovery1 perhaps he        
would receive baptism by immersion1 and 
become a member of some      church1 but
 that would never be the ,catholic      
,church4 ,at any      rate1 added he1 ,i
 am not going to torment myself now     
about      such things4 ,the poor       
,sister having no other resource than   
the      ,blessed ,virgin1 and seeing   
that the young man approached his       
end1 stealthily slipped a medal under   
his pillow4 ,next morning      it was   
picked up by the infirmarian1 who1      
thinking the ,sister      had dropped it
 accidentally1 was about to return it1  
but the      patient opposed him2 the   
little image pleased his fancy1 and he  
wanted to keep it himself4 ,to quiet    

him1 the infirmarian was      obliged to
 ask ,sister if the patient might have  
it4 ,the request      was granted4      
,towards evening some one came to the   
,sister with a      message from the    
patient1 he wished to see her4 ,sister1 
said      he as soon as she approached1 
you have told me ,i could not be        
saved without ,baptism2 let me be       
baptized1 for ,i wish to be      saved4 
,filled with joy at this news1 she began
 to instruct and      prepare him for   
the ceremony4 ,it took place next       
morning1 and      during the course of  
the day1 this soul1 now the child of    
,god1      went to repose in the bosom  
of its celestial ,father1 to bless      
and thank ,him for all eternity for ,his
 mercies4      ,,conversion ,,of ,a     
,,young ,,girl4    ,buffalo 7,united    
,states74        ,a young ,protestant   
girl about twenty years of age came to  
the      hospital1 covered from head to 
foot with a disgusting itch1      which 
the physician pronounced incurable4 ,the

 ,sister who      dressed her sores1    
told her that the ,blessed ,virgin could
      obtain her recovery1 and would do 
so1 if she wore the medal and           
relied upon the ,blessed ,virgin's      
intercession4 ,the poor girl            
knowing her case was deemed hopeless by 
the physician1 answered      bluntly3 ,i
 do not believe in your ,blessed        
,virgin1 and ,i want      no medal4     
,very well1 replied the ,sister1 then   
you may keep      your sores4 ,a few    
days after she asked for a medal        
herself1      put it on her neck1       
received instruction and was baptized1  
and      in a short time she left the   
hospital perfectly cured1 greatly       
to the astonishment of the physicians1  
who had all pronounced      her malady  
incurable4      ,,conversion ,,of ,a    
,,sinner4                               
,hospital of ,gratz 7,austria74         
,an artist whose life had been far from 
edifying1 was an      inmate of our     
hospital4 ,one morning the ,sister was  

greatly      surprised at his expressing
 a desire to confess4 ,perceiving       
her astonishment1 he said3 ,this        
morning1 ,sister1 the chapel      door  
was slightly open1 and from my bed ,i   
could see the ,blessed      ,virgin's   
statue4 7,it was that of the ,immaculate
 ,conception47      ,it appealed so     
strongly to my heart1 that ,i have had  
no      peace since4 ,i must put my     
conscience in order4 ,he did go to      
confession1 not once1 but several times1
 and he often expressed      great      
regret for his past life4 ,ah6 he would 
say1 what a      life ,i have led1 and  
how sad the state of my soul when ,mary 
came to my aid4 ,when asked what he     
supposed had attracted      ,mary's     
compassion1 he answered3 ,i was merely  
looking at the      statue1 no thought  
of religion was in my mind2 when        
suddenly1      recollections of my past 
life filled me with fear1 and ,mary     
at the same time inspired me with a     
horror for sin4 ,in      this instance1 

repentance and reparation were the      
immediate      consequences of the      
,immaculate ,mary's merciful and        
maternal      glance4      ,,conversion 
,,of ,a ,,greek ,,schismatic4           
,hospital of ,gratz 7,austria47         
,a ,greek schismatic1 attacked by a     
mortal malady1 was brought to      the  
hospital4 ,he declared his intention of 
remaining attached      to the errors in
 which he had been educated1 and the    
,sisters1      seeing his determination1
 entrusted him to the ,blessed ,virgin1 
consecrating him to her by placing under
 his pillow a medal1      which for him 
proved truly miraculous4 ,one day1 a    
,franciscan      ,father visited the    
sick1 and the young man asked the       
,sister      to bring the good ,father  
to see him4 ,he conversed a long time   
with the latter1 but manifested no      
intention of becoming a      ,catholic4 
,meanwhile1 he grew worse1 and1 one day1
 when taken      with a hemorrhage1 he  
asked for this ,father1 because1 said   

he1 ,i wish to embrace the ,catholic    
religion4 ,the ,sister      was         
surprised1 for she had said nothing to  
persuade him1 but      the ,blessed     
,virgin had accomplished her work       
without earthly      assistance4 ,he    
confessed and made his abjuration2 he   
even      requested the ,reverend       
,father to announce1 in a loud voice1 to
      the other patients that he entered
 the ,church of his own free      will4 
,his attacks of vomiting made the priest
 hesitate to give      him the ,holy    
,viaticum1 but he insisted so strongly1 
and had so      ardent a desire to      
receive1 that the good ,god permitted   
these      spells of vomiting to become 
less frequent1 so that he could         
make his first and last ,communion at   
the same time1 which he      did with   
inexpressible fervor and consolation4   
,interrogated on      the subject of his
 conversion1 he answered3 ,for a long   
time ,i      felt that everything       
earthly was of little value1 and ,i     

sought      for the true and lasting4   
,during the delirium of his last        
moments1 he spoke continually of a white
 robe4 ,the grace of      ,baptism had  
clothed his soul in spotless raiment1   
and to ,mary's      intercession was he 
indebted for it4      ,,conversion ,,of 
,,an ,,apostate4                        
,austria1 #ahff4        ,in one of the  
prisons confided to the care of the     
,daughters of      ,charity1 was a young
 man belonging to a respectable         
,catholic      family1 whose shame and  
disgrace he had become4 ,after a short  
stay1 he fell sick1 and his condition   
necessitated removal      to the        
infirmary2 faithful to his principles of
 impiety1 he      absolutely refused all
 spiritual succor1 and whenever he saw  
one of the chaplains pass1 he either    
turned away his head or      concealed  
it under the bedclothes4 ,all the       
,sisters begged the      ,superioress to
 make one last effort for his soul4 ,she
 paid him      a visit1 and was received

 politely1 but to rid himself of her    
importunity1 he avowed himself a        
,protestant1 and related how      he    
came to forsake the ,faith1 after making
 the acquaintance      of several very  
bad characters1 his companions in crime 
and      his counselors in advising him 
to become a ,protestant4 ,the           
,sister asked him if he felt no remorse 
for such conduct1 but      he became    
enraged and exclaimed aloud3 ,i am a    
,protestant1 and      ,i wish to live   
and die a ,protestant6 ,seeing it       
impossible      to do anything with the 
miserable creature1 she interiorly      
recommended him to the ,refuge of       
,sinners1 and merely asked him      to  
accept the medal she offered1 to wear it
 and sometimes kiss      it4 ,he seemed 
quite pleased to get rid of her so      
easily1 and      placing all her        
confidence in ,mary1 she withdrew4      
,the poor man passed a sleepless night1 
our ,blessed ,mother      touched his   
heart1 and very early next morning he   

sent word      to the ,sister that he   
wanted a priest to receive his solemn   
profession of ,faith1 in reparation of  
his scandalous apostasy      and crimes4
 ,but his reputation was such that the  
prison      chaplain doubted his        
sincerity1 and would not go to him      
except      upon repeated solicitations 
of the ,superioress4 ,he was deeply     
affected at witnessing the change grace 
had wrought in this      soul1 and the  
consequent compunction with which the   
prodigal      confessed his sins4 ,the  
dying man then made a public abjuration 
of his errors1 and expired a few minutes
 after1 in the grace of      ,god and   
under the protecting smile of ,mary4    
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,soldier ,,at     
,,the ,,hospital ,,of ,,cava4           
,cava1 7,italy71 #ahff4        ,a young 
soldier suffering from disease of the   
chest1 was      brought to the ,military
 ,hospital of ,cava4 ,his first question
      was to ask if the ,sisters had    
charge of that hospital2 on             

receiving an affirmative answer1 he said
 to himself3 ,they will      bother me  
about going to confession1 so ,i shall  
call myself a      ,jew to get rid of   
them1 and ,jew he was designated on the 
card      of admission4 ,perceiving the 
serious nature of his malady1 the       
,sisters to whose especial care he had  
been confided1 visited      him as often
 as possible4 ,one of them offered him a
 medal      of the ,immaculate          
,conception2 regarding it with a smile  
of      pity1 he said3 ,i accept it1    
because it would not be polite      to  
refuse1 but believe me1 ,i consider it a
 mere plaything and      nothing more4  
,every time the chaplain visited the    
hall1 to speak a word of                
consolation to one and another1 the poor
 ,jew covered his head4      ,the       
,sister sometimes ventured a few words  
to him about the good      ,god1 but he 
would never reply1 and her approach was 
the signal      for his feigning sleep4 
,one evening when he appeared worse than

      usual1 two ,sisters went to see   
him just before they retired      for   
the night4 ,on hearing them approach1 he
 exclaimed3 ,o      ,sister1 a priest6  
,the chaplain was immediately summoned  
to his      bedside1 the poor dying man 
repeating all the while3 ,a priest6     
a priest6 ,as soon as the chaplain came1
 the patient made his      profession of
 ,faith in a very audible voice2 he then
 confessed1      and just as the priest1
 in administering ,extreme ,unction1 was
      anointing the ears1 the penitent  
rendered his soul to ,god1      leaving 
us the consoling hope that it had found 
mercy in its      ,maker's sight4       
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,wounded          
,,soldier4                              
,palermo 7,italy71 #ahff4        ,in    
#ahff1 at the ,military ,hospital of    
,palermo1 was a poor man      who had   
just undergone the amputation of his    
left arm4 ,his      impiety was so      
great1 that the ,sister felt constrained
 to      remove a large crucifix that   

had been placed near his bed1 for       
he covered it with invectives4 ,the     
miserable man's bodily      infirmities 
were as hopeless as his spiritual1 yet  
no one could      succeed in inducing   
him to give any attention to his soul1  
or      even to listen to a word about  
the good ,god4 ,what could be done      
in such an extremity8 ,the poor ,sister 
was in great distress1      when one day
 whilst dressing his wounds she was     
inspired to      slip a medal of the    
,immaculate ,conception between the     
bandages      around the stump of the   
amputated member4 ,next morning1 on     
witnessing the great change that had    
been wrought in her      patient's      
spiritual condition during the night1   
she was less      astonished than happy1
 for she had confidently relied upon the
      ,blessed ,virgin4 ,he asked for a 
priest1 who came immediately2      he   
confessed1 publicly repaired the        
scandals of his past life1      and     
received with piety the ,holy ,viaticum 

and ,extreme ,unction4      ,his few    
remaining days were spent in blessing   
that ,god who had      shown him such   
boundless mercy4 ,oh6 how good ,god is6 
did      he repeat incessantly to his   
companions1 ,i have committed           
manifold sins and ,he has pardoned me   
all6      ,,cure ,,of ,,an ,,austrian   
,,officer4                              
,hospital of ,gratz 7,austria71 #ahfg4  
,an officer in the garrison at ,gratz1  
suffered from a serious      wound in   
the right arm4 ,he was brought to the   
general hospital1      that he might be 
more conveniently under the especial    
treatment      of ,m4 ,rzehazeh1 a very 
eminent surgeon4 ,the latter exhausted  
all his skill1 but in vain1 and after a 
few weeks he saw the      necessity of  
amputation to save the officer's life4  
,learning      the doctor's decision1   
the patient was deeply grieved1 and     
his oppressed heart sought refuge in    
piety4 ,he who had never      spoken of 
,god1 who had accepted a proffered medal

 only from      courtesy1 now appeared  
to experience a genuine satisfaction    
when the ,sisters told him they would   
implore the ,blessed ,virgin      in his
 behalf4 ,during the few days           
immediately preceding the               
operation1 he felt inspired with a great
 confidence in his      medal1 and      
frequently repeated the invocation      
engraven upon it3      ,o ,mary6        
conceived without sin1 pray for us who  
have recourse      to thee6 ,the danger 
was now imminent1 and the amputation1   
which must not be delayed1 was to take  
place on the morrow4 ,one      of the   
,sisters1 perceiving that the young     
officer's confidence      expressed     
itself in continual prayer1 suggested   
that evening      that he lay the medal 
upon his afflicted arm1 and let it      
remain      all night1 a suggestion     
which was joyfully received4 ,next      
morning she hastened to ascertain her   
patient's condition1 and      get the   
medal4 ,he had spent a quiet night1 his 

sufferings being      less severe than  
usual2 and the ,sister1 whilst          
attributing his      improvement to the 
anodynes prescribed1 understood full    
well      that the precious medal had   
also been instrumental in procuring     
relief1 and that ,mary had looked       
compassionately upon him2      but she  
did not yet realize the full extent of  
the blessing4      ,the surgeon came a  
few hours after1 and whilst awaiting his
      assistants1 he carefully examined 
the wounded arm1 he touched      it1 he 
probed it1 and to his great             
astonishment1 perceived that            
amputation was not necessary4 ,the other
 doctors on arriving1      confirmed his
 opinion of this surprising change4 ,the
 officer      was mute with happiness1  
and not until he found himself alone    
with the chief surgeon did he impart to 
the latter1 as a      secret1 his       
opinion as to the cause of this         
wonderful change4      ,on leaving him1 
the surgeon 7notwithstanding the        

injunction      of secrecy71 could not  
refrain from saying to the ,sister3 ,i  
believe the ,sisters of ,charity have   
engaged the good ,god in      this case4
        ,the officer's arm was entirely 
healed2 a few weeks later he      left  
the hospital1 taking with him the       
precious medal as a      memento of     
gratitude and love for ,mary            
,immaculate4             99       99    
99       99       99      ,,conversion  
,,of ,m4 ,n---- ,,at ,,lima4    ,letter 
from a ,daughter of ,charity in ,lima   
7,peru71 #ahgf3        ,m4 ,n---- had   
been suffering a long time from         
hypertrophy of      the heart1 the      
physicians having vainly exhausted all  
the      resources of their skill1 were 
forced to tell the family that      he  
was beyond the power of human aid1 and  
should look to the      state of his    
soul1 sad news for this father of a     
family1 and a      man devoid of        
religion4 ,in vain did his relatives and
 friends1      with all possible        

delicacy1 endeavor to turn his thoughts 
to      religion and induce him to      
receive the ,sacraments2 he would       
hear nothing on the subject2 a priest1  
who was an intimate      friend of the  
family1 attempted to second their       
efforts1 but he      met with no better 
success2 the sick man became exasperated
 at      all allusions to religion1 he  
blasphemed everything relating to       
it1 sparing not even the ,blessed       
,virgin4        ,one day1 after         
listening to an account of the          
conversion of      ,m4----1 of ,lima1   
our patient's relatives expressed a     
desire      of having recourse to       
similar means for their dear one's      
conversion4 ,it is very simple1 said the
 person addressed1      you have only to
 ask ,sister ,n41 of ,st4 ,anne's       
,hospital for a      medal1 she got one 
for ,m4 ,pierre1 she will not refuse    
you4      ,one of his nephews           
immediately repaired to the hospital and
      returned with a medal4 ,a niece   

offered it to him2 ,mamma1      said    
she1 sends you this medal and begs that 
you will wear      it4 ,certainly1 was  
the reply1 ,i will wear it for her sake1
      but ,i want everybody to          
understand that ,i have no notion of    
confessing4        ,he spent a quiet    
night1 and was quite pleased next       
morning to      find himself somewhat   
better4 ,euloge1 said he1 to one of his 
nephews1 what preparation should a      
person make who intends      taking a   
long journey8 ,euloge1 who thought he   
certainly      must be in a dream to    
hear his uncle speak thus1 inquired     
to what journey he alluded4 ,ah6 was the
 answer1 ,i speak      of ,eternity4    
,the poor young man1 delighted at such a
 happy      change1 replied that the    
best preparation was to put one's       
conscience in order by making a good    
confession4 ,i will do so1      send me 
a priest1 said his uncle4 ,as soon as   
the clergyman      arrived and heard his
 confession1 he administered the ,holy  

,viaticum4 ,all the assistants were     
overcome with emotion when      they saw
 the sick man1 almost in his last agony1
 supported by      his children1 to     
receive on bended knee1 the ,god who had
 just      pardoned all the sins of his 
life4 ,a few moments after1 he          
blessed his children1 gave them his     
parting counsel1 and died      in       
sentiments of piety rivaling his past   
irreligion4 ,his family      was deeply 
grateful to ,mary ,immaculate for this  
token of her      favor4                
,,conversion ,,of ,,an ,,unbeliever4    
,letter from a ,sister of ,charity in   
,lima1 ,peru1 #ahgg3        ,an old lady
 whose youth had been pious1 having lost
 her ,faith      by reading bad books1  
had not frequented the ,sacraments for  
thirty-five years4 ,the ,sister with    
whom she lived was carried      to her  
grave1 after an illness of only five    
days1 and it was      natural to suppose
 that the ,christian death of one so    
dear      would have softened her heart2

 on the contrary1 it embittered      her
 the more1 and she vented her grief in  
blasphemies4 ,a      ,sister of ,charity
 witnessing this scandal1 and not being 
able      to soothe the poor creature1  
was inspired with the thought      of   
giving her a medal of the ,blessed      
,virgin2 the old lady      accepted1 and
 wore it for several days1 during which 
she      appeared greatly pre-occupied1 
and somewhat less confident in      her 
scepticism2 but having yielded to a     
diabolical suggestion1      that urged  
her to lay the medal aside1 doubtless   
because grace      tormented her        
conscience with keen remorse whilst the 
medal      was on her person1 she fell  
back into an habitual hardness      and 
melancholy that she styled peace4 ,the  
,sister perceived      this1 and        
inquired if she still wore the medal2 on
 receiving      a negative answer1 our  
good ,sister represented the danger     
to which her soul was exposed without   
it1 and the old lady      promised to   

put it on again4 ,many prayers were     
offered up      for her1 and at the end 
of fifteen days1 the ,sister1 who was   
greatly interested in this poor woman's 
soul1 paid her another      visit2      
perceiving no change in her sentiments1 
she inquired      immediately if the    
medal had been resumed4 ,the poor woman1
 who      was very uncouth1 dared not   
speak1 but made a sign with her         
head which revealed all4 ,what have you 
done with it1 and where      is it8     
asked the ,sister4 ,the old lady replied
 that it was in      her wardrobe1 and  
she had made several ineffectual efforts
 to      put it on again4 ,the ,sister  
understands that this miserable         
soul is under some diabolical influence1
 holding her aloof from      aught      
calculated to reclaim her to ,god2 she  
feels that now      is the moment for   
prompt action1 and in a tone of         
severity1      says3 ,very well1 since  
you will not wear the medal1 ,i abandon 
you entirely4 ,these words produced the 

desired effect2 the      old lady ran to
 the wardrobe1 and taking up the medal1 
put it      around her neck this time to
 remain4 ,soon experiencing the         
sweet and powerful influence of ,mary   
,immaculate1 so justly      called the  
,gate of ,heaven1 in a few days she     
assisted at the      ,holy ,sacrifice   
and listened to the instruction1 and    
from that      time was entirely        
changed2 she confessed and made her     
,easter      ,communion1 and the deepest
 compunction and gratitude are now      
the abiding sentiments of her heart4    
,she wished to remain      at the church
 door1 feeling herself unworthy to      
penetrate      further into the sacred  
edifice1 and it was with the greatest   
difficulty her friends could prevail    
upon her to accept a place      nearer  
the altar4 ,she never ceases to thank   
,god and ,mary2 and      she told the   
,sister that1 from the moment the medal 
was on her      neck1 she knew neither  
peace nor rest till she had returned to 

her duties1 so great are the power and  
love of that ,virgin who      is the    
sovereign ,terror of demons4            
,,conversion ,,of ,a ,,scandalous       
,,sinner4                               
,moirans1 #ahgg4    ,the ,superioress of
 the ,sisters of ,charity at ,moirans1  
relates as  follows a very consoling    
conversion1 redounding to the glory of  
,mary  ,immaculate3        ,the most    
important manufacturer of our village1  
who employed      from four to five     
hundred men and women1 has just died1   
and      contrary to all expectations1  
his death was penitent and              
consoling4 ,he had been impious and     
immoral1 and the profligate             
characters in his workshops were a curse
 to the surrounding      country4 ,his  
rudeness was such1 that everybody       
trembled before      him4 ,his wife and 
two daughters1 pious ,christians1       
silently      bewailed his misconduct2  
and as for myself1 ,i had barely        
sufficient acquaintance with him to     

render justifiable my      calling upon 
him in any urgent need4        ,one     
morning ,i received a message in great  
haste2 this person      was very sick   
and wished to see me4 ,i went at once1  
but the      disease was of so serious a
 character and its progress so          
rapid1 that ,i saw the poor man on the  
verge of the grave ere      ,i could    
find a means of turning his thoughts to 
eternity4      ,i had told his wife and 
daughters to give him a medal of        
the ,immaculate ,conception1 but he     
refused to accept it1 and      we were  
reduced to the necessity of stealthily  
putting it      under his pillow4 ,on   
the third day1 as ,i was about to leave1
      after rendering him all the care  
and attention in my power1      he      
wished1 in the effusion of his          
gratitude1 to shake hands      with me4 
,i profited by the opportunity to tell  
him how much      pleasure he could give
 me by consenting to receive the cur1   
who had just come to see him4 ,he made a

 sign in the affirmative      and with a
 smile that very rarely parted his lips4
 ,we went      out of the room1 leaving 
him alone with the priest1 whom he      
had welcomed cordially4 ,in half an hour
 the latter returned      blessing ,god1
 for the sick man had made his          
confession4 ,he      now consented to   
wear the medal1 and that evening he     
received      ,extreme ,unction1 but not
 the ,holy ,viaticum1 as he had spells  
of suffocation4 ,i asked his wife to let
 his employees see him1      that they  
might be edified at their patron's      
conduct4 ,the      request was granted1 
but not many came1 as the workshops were
      closed at this hour2 those who did
 come1 prayed a few minutes      beside 
him4 ,next morning his family was       
greatly rejoiced at his      apparent   
physical improvement1 but their hopes   
were deceived1      and very soon his   
last agony began4 ,he was recommended to
      the prayers of the parish2 the    
whole village manifested a      touching

 interest in his condition1 and his     
employees all came      to see him4 ,the
 throng around the dying man was renewed
 every      quarter of an hour1 and we  
recited the ,chaplet aloud1 a most      
appropriate devotion for this occasion1 
the last moments of      one whom the   
,blessed ,virgin had snatched from      
eternal misery4      ,amidst this       
concert of praises to ,mary1 he expired4
 ,the      ,christian ,brothers1 to whom
 he had been very hostile1 willingly    
aided us in rendering to him the last   
duties of religion4          ,,chapter  
,,vii4    ,,progress ,,of ,,the         
,,devotion ,,to ,,mary                  
,,crowned ,,by ,,the ,,definition ,,of  
,,the ,,immaculate ,,conception4--,i4   
,,our      ,,lady ,,of ,,la             
,,salette4--,,ii4 ,,the ,,children ,,of 
,,mary4--,,iii4 ,,the ,,definition      
,,of ,,the ,,immaculate ,,conception4   
,i4--,our ,lady of ,la ,salette4--#ahdf4
      ,in her first manifestation to    
,sister ,catherine1 ,july #ai1 #ahcj1   

the  ,immaculate ,virgin announced the  
disasters which threatened ,france2     
grief was depicted upon her countenance1
 tears stifled her voice1 she  earnestly
 recommended prayer to appease the wrath
 of ,god4    ,sixteen years later1 this 
,mother of mercy1 appearing to two      
little  shepherd children upon one of   
the summits of the ,alps1 repeated1 in a
  most solemn manner1 the same warnings 
and the same counsels4 ,the first       
apparition remains in obscurity1 but a  
knowledge of the second has  been spread
 throughout the world1 and with most    
consoling results4 ,the  miracle of ,la 
,salette has greatly increased devotion 
to the ,blessed  ,virgin1 and given     
,christians a clearer idea of the       
important duties  of penance and prayer1
 which1 in reality1 are the embodiment  
of all  practical piety4    ,we quote   
the best authenticated account of ,la   
,salette1 that of the ,abb  ,rousselot1 
who himself received it from the mouths 
of the children4        ,two peasant    

children1 ,mlanie ,mathieu1 aged        
fourteen years1      and ,maximin       
,giraud1 aged eleven1 both simple and   
ignorant1 as      might naturally be    
expected of their age and condition1    
were      together upon the mountain of 
,la ,salette1 which overlooks a         
village where they were at service under
 different masters4      ,their         
acquaintance was very slight1 their     
first meeting having      been only the 
day before the occurrence we are about  
to relate4      ,when the ,angelus      
announced the hour of noon1 they went to
      soak their hard bread in the water
 of a spring4 ,after this      rural    
repast1 they descended a little farther1
 and laying down      their crooks      
beside another spring1 then dry1 they   
seated      themselves a slight distance
 apart1 upon a few stones which had     
been piled up there1 and went to sleep4 
,it was ,saturday1 ,september #aith1    
#ahdf1 and eve of the day on      which 
fell the ,feast of ,our ,lady's ,seven  

,dolors4        ',after taking the cows 
to water1 and eating our lunch1' says   
,maximin1 'we went to sleep beside a    
stream1 and very near a      spring     
which was dry4 ,mlanie awoke first1 and 
aroused me to      hunt our cows4 ,we   
crossed the stream1 and going in an     
opposite      direction1 saw our cows   
lying down on the other side1 and not   
very far off4'        ',i came down     
first1' says ,mlanie2 'when ,i was      
within five or      six steps of the    
stream1 ,i perceived a light like that  
of the      sun1 but even more brilliant
 and not the color of sunlight1      and
 ,i said to ,maximin3 ,come quick to see
 the bright light down      here4'      
',where is it8' inquired ,maximin1      
coming towards me4 ',i      pointed with
 my finger in the direction of the      
spring1 and he      stood still when he 
saw it4 ,then the light seemed to open1 
and in the midst of it appeared a ,lady1
 she was seated1 and      her head      
resting upon her hands4' ',we were both 

frightened1'      continues ,maximin1   
'and ,mlanie1 with an exclamation of    
terror1      let fall her crook4' ',keep
 your crook1' said ,i1 'as for me1      
,i am going to keep mine4 ,if it does   
anything to us1 ,i will      give it a  
blow with my crook4' ,and the ,lady     
arose4 ,she crossed      her arms1 and  
said to us3 ',come to me1 my children1  
do not be      afraid4 ,i am here to    
tell you something very important4' ,all
      our fears vanished1 we went       
towards her and crossed the stream1     
and the ,lady advancing a few steps1 we 
met at the place where      ,mlanie and 
,i had fallen asleep4 ,the ,lady was    
between us1 and      she wept all the   
time she was talking4 ',i saw her tears 
flow1'      adds ,mlanie4        ',if my
 people1' said she1 'do not humble      
themselves1 ,i shall      be forced to  
let them feel the weight of my ,son's   
uplifted arm4      ,i have stayed it    
heretofore1 but it now presses so       
heavily that      ,i can scarcely       

support it much longer4 ,and all the    
while ,i am      suffering thus for you1
 ,i must pray without ceasing if ,i wish
      to prevent your abandonment by my 
,son4 ,and1 moreover1 you do      not   
appreciate it4'        ',in vain will   
you pray1 in vain will you strive1 never
 can you      recompense what ,i have   
undergone for you4 ,i have given you six
      days of the week wherein to work1 
the seventh ,i reserved for      myself1
 and even that is denied me6 ,it is this
 which weighs      down my ,son's arm4' 
',even those who drive carts must curse1
 and mingle my ,son's      name with    
their oaths4'        ',these are the two
 things that weigh down my ,son's arm4' 
',if the harvest fails1 it is for no    
other reason than your      sins4 ,i    
tried last year to make you see this in 
the failure of      the potato crop4    
,you took no account of it4 ,on the     
contrary1      when you found the       
potatoes rotted1 you swore and mingled  
my      ,son's name with your           

maledictions4 ,the potatoes will        
continue      to rot1 at ,christmas     
there will be none4'        ,i did not  
know what this meant1 said ,mlanie1 for 
in our      part of the country we do   
not call them potatoes4 ,i asked        
,maximin what they were1 and the ,lady  
said to me3        ',ah6 my children1   
you do not understand me1 ,i will use   
other      language4'        ,the       
,blessed ,virgin now repeated the       
preceding in patois1 and      the       
remainder of her discourse was also in  
patois4 ,we give      the translation as
 follows3        ',if you have wheat1 it
 must not be sown1 the animals will     
devour what you sow2 and should any     
remain1 it will yield      naught but   
dust when threshed4'        ',there will
 be a great famine4 ,before the famine  
comes1 little      children under seven 
years of age1 will be seized with fright
      and die in the arms of those who  
are holding them4 ,some will do         
penance by reason of the famine4 ,even  

the nuts will fail and      the grapes  
rot4'        ,after these words1 the    
beautiful ,lady continued to speak aloud
      to ,maximin4 ,though seeing the   
motion of her lips1 ,mlanie hears       
nothing4 ,maximin receives a secret in  
,french4 ,then the ,blessed      ,virgin
 addresses herself to the little girl1  
and ,maximin ceases      to hear her    
voice4 ,she likewise confides to ,mlanie
 a secret      in ,french1 but a more   
lengthy secret it appears than that     
entrusted to ,maximin4 ,continuing her  
discourse in patois1 and      so as to  
be heard by both1 she adds3 ',if they   
turn aside from      their evil ways1   
the very rocks and stones will be       
changed into      heaps of grain1 and   
potatoes will be found scattered over   
the      fields4'        ,the ,queen of 
,heaven then addressed herself more     
directly to      the children4          
',do you say your prayers with devotion1
 my children8'        ',oh1 no1         
,madame1' they both answered1 'we say   

them with very      little devotion4'   
,our divine ,mother continued3 ',ah6 my 
children1 you must say      them        
fervently evening and morning4 ,when you
 have not the time1      and cannot do  
better1 say an ,our ,father and a ,hail 
,mary2      and when you have the time  
you must say more4        ',no one goes 
to ,mass1 except a few aged women2 all  
the rest in      summer spend ,sunday   
working1 and in winter1 when at a loss  
for      something to do1 they go to    
,mass only to ridicule religion2 and    
during ,lent they frequent the shambles 
as if they were dogs4'        ,after a  
few more words1 reminding ,maximin that 
he had already      seen the failure of 
the grain1 the august ,queen finished in
      ,french as follows3 ',ah6 my      
children1 tell this to all my           
people4' ,and before leaving them1 she  
repeated the command4        ,the two   
children add3 ',then she ascended about 
fifteen steps1      to the place where  
we had gone to look after our cows4 ,her

 feet      barely touched the surface of
 the verdure1 which did not even        
bend beneath her1 she glided over the   
surface as if suspended      in the air1
 and impelled by some invisible power4  
,we followed      her1 ,mlanie a little 
ahead1 and ,i two or three steps from   
the      ,lady's side4 ,the beautiful   
,lady was now gently elevated to        
about the height of a yard1' said the   
children4 ',she remained      thus      
suspended in the air for a moment4 ,she 
glances up to      ,heaven and then at  
the earth1 her head disappears from our 
view1 next her arms1 and lastly her     
feet4 ,she seemed to melt      away4    
,there remained a brilliant light that  
gleamed upon my      hands1 and the     
flowers at her feet1 but that was all4' 
,at the first words of his son's        
narration1 ,maximin's      father began 
to laugh1 but very soon recognizing the 
marks      of incontestable sincerity1  
he hastened to comply with      his     
,christian duties1 so long neglected4   

,the neighboring      inhabitants       
followed his example1 there were no more
      blasphemies1 no more profanation  
of ,sunday1 the whole country      was  
soon transformed1 even maternally4 ,like
 those of ,jonas to      ,nineveh1 the  
prophetic warnings of the divine        
,messenger were      conditional4 ,they 
were fulfilled in general1 as can still 
be      remembered4#bc        ,footnote 
#bc3 ,several details of this account   
have been derived      from ,illustrious
 ,pilgrim ,shrines4    ,the apparition  
of ,la ,salette1 as is the case with all
 extraordinary  events1 was variously   
appreciated even among ,catholics1 some 
receiving  the account with enthusiastic
 confidence1 others strongly contesting 
the reality4 ,but for a long time doubts
 have ceased1 ,providence having1  by   
numberless miracles1 confirmed the faith
 of those who believed2  and the        
mountain sanctified by ,mary's presence1
 has never ceased to  be visited by     
pilgrims from the most distant          

countries4 ,mgr4 ,de  ,bruillard1       
,bishop of ,grenoble1 anxious to prevent
 illusion on so  important a question1  
nominated a commission composed of most 
competent  persons1 to examine and pass 
judgment upon this apparition4 ,the     
result  being in the affirmative4 ,his  
,grace1 in a circular of ,september     
#aith1  #ahea1 declared as follows3     
,we assert that the apparition of the   
,blessed ,virgin to two      little     
peasants1 the #aith of ,september1      
#ahdf1 upon one of the      peaks of the
 ,alps1 situated in the parish of ,la   
,salette1 of      the archpresbytery of 
,corps1 bears every mark of truth1 and  
that the faithful are confirmed in      
believing it indubitable and            
certain4        ,wherefore1 to testify  
our lively gratitude to ,god and the    
glorious ,virgin ,mary1 we authorize the
 devotion to ,our ,lady of      ,la     
,salette4    ,the circular1 before      
publication1 was submitted to the ,holy 
,see1 whose  approval it received1 and  

,mgr4 ,de ,bruillard's two successors   
have  always endorsed his appreciation  
of the apparition4    ,consequently1    
this devotion is invested with every    
guarantee of  authenticity that the     
severest criticism could exact4    ,a   
church of the ,byzantine style and      
graceful appearance is erected  upon the
 holy mountain1 near where the          
apparition took place4 ,the  identical  
spot remains uncovered1 and the grass   
still grows upon the  soil hallowed by  
,mary's sacred footsteps2 a series of   
crosses1 fourteen  in number1 to which  
are attached the indulgences of the via 
crucis1  indicate the path she took4    
,the spring1 formerly intermittent1 has 
been inexhaustible since the apparition1
 and its waters have worked  miracles4  
,near the church1 a convent has been    
built to accommodate the  numberless    
pilgrims1 who daily resort hither in the
 favorable season4  ,numerous chapels1  
dedicated to ,our ,lady of ,la ,salette1
 are scattered  throughout ,christendom1

 and abundant graces repay the faith of 
those  who in these sacred shrines      
invoke her intercession4             99 
99       99       99       99           
,,ii4--,the ,children of ,mary4--#ahdg4 
,rome1 the guardian of our ,faith and   
,catholic traditions1 has given         
municipal privileges to the ,children of
 ,mary1 in consecrating to them  a      
chapel in one of her most celebrated    
churches1 ,st4 ,agnes ,beyond the       
,walls4 ,the ,italian sodalities are all
 inscribed there1 and represented  by a 
group of the children of ,mary          
surrounding this young ,saint1 who  in  
the third century was martyred for her  
virginity4 ,they seem to say  to her1   
,agnes1 you are our eldest ,sister1 the 
well beloved of ,jesus  ,christ and ,his
 ,mother4    ,this place of honor1 this 
representation proclaims most           
eloquently1  that the ,children of ,mary
 form in the ,church1 a family as       
ancient as  ,catholicity itself4        
,nearly nineteen centuries ago1 ,jesus1 

our ,redeemer1 was in the agony  of     
death upon the tree of the cross1 which 
his love had chosen as the  instrument  
of our redemption2 seeing1 says the     
,evangelist1 that all  was consummated  
for our salvation1 ,he wished to place  
the seal upon  ,his work1 by making ,his
 last will and testament4    ,looking   
first at ,mary1 ,his ,mother1 and then  
at ,john1 the beloved  disciple1 he made
 ,john a ,child of ,mary in these       
memorable words3 ,ecce  ,mater tua1 ecce
 filius tuus3 ,behold thy ,mother1      
behold thy son4    ,such is the origin  
of the ,children of ,mary4 ,we believe  
with the holy  ,church1 that the eternal
 ,word1 after becoming incarnate to     
render men  redeemed with ,his blood1   
the ,children of ,his heavenly ,father1 
gave them  also1 at the hour of ,his    
death1 ,his own ,mother to be theirs4   
,we know  likewise1 that among the      
children of every family1 there is      
always one  most tenderly attached to   
the mother1 for instance1 ,jacob and    

,rebecca2  ,john and ,mary4    ,even so1
 in the bosom of the great family of    
,catholicity1 do we find in  all ages1  
souls jealous of rendering to ,mary the 
most intimate filial  devotion1         
selecting her in an especial manner1 for
 their model and  protectress4    ,such 
are the religious orders particularly   
devoted to her service1  also1 the      
confraternities established for the same
 purpose in many  parishes4 ,the        
,society of ,jesus1 which was founded in
 the sixteenth  century1 laboring       
zealously to extend the glory of ,god   
among the youth  under its charge1 found
 no means so effectual in forming hearts
 to  virtue and piety1 as that of       
placing them under ,mary's protection2  
and  the celebrated ,association of the 
,prima ,primaria1 canonically erected   
by ,pope ,gregory ,,xiii1 in #aehd1     
became the parent stem of all the       
congregations1 subsequently found in    
honor of the ,mother of ,god4    ,it was
 reserved for our age1 to give full     

development to this fruitful  devotion1 
by popularizing and thus making it a    
powerful means of  salvation4 ,in       
placing themselves under the patronage  
of the ,immaculate  ,conception1 the    
,children of ,mary cannot fail to obtain
 from their  divine ,mother the most    
abundant and precious benedictions4     
,in #ahcj1 the ,immaculate ,virgin had  
uttered a prophecy which resounded      
incessantly in the heart of the         
missionary1 to whom was confided the    
account of the apparitions of the medal4
 ,the ,blessed ,virgin wishes  you to   
found a congregation1 of which you will 
be the ,superior1 a  confraternity of   
,children of ,mary2 the ,blessed ,virgin
 will bestow many  graces upon it as    
well as upon yourself1 indulgences will 
be granted  it4 ,the month of ,mary will
 be celebrated with great solemnity2    
,mary  loves these festivals2 she will  
requite their observance with abundant  
graces4    ,but why this command and    
this prediction of the ,queen of ,heaven

 to her  servant1 in regard to something
 which was not all new8    ,sodalities  
of the ,children of ,mary already       
existed among the numberless  youths    
educated by the ,fathers of the ,society
 of ,jesus4 ,and following  their       
example1 the ,ladies of the ,sacred     
,heart had formed similar  associations 
among their scholars1 and in #ahcb1 had 
even established  them for ladies in the
 world1 under the invocation of the     
,immaculate  ,conception4 ,it would seem
 then that a new work was superfluous4  
,it is true1 ,associations of the       
,children of ,mary already existed and  
accomplished much good1 but they were   
confined to a few isolated  places1 and 
recruited from a chosen class1 they were
 not popular2  and ,mary designed as    
elements of the future work1 that       
multitude of  young girls in the        
ordinary walks of life1 surrounded by   
all the  trials1 exposed to all the     
dangers of the world1 who to-day form   
her  blessed family1 whose innocence she

 guards1 whose modest virtues she       
encourages1 and from whom she receives  
in exchange1 a tribute of love1  praises
 and a visible service acceptable to her
 heart4 ,let us speak  a word concerning
 its establishment4 ,when the apostolic 
heart of ,m4  ,aladel received ,sister  
,catherine's consoling predictions1 he  
did not  fully comprehend how he1 a     
simple missionary1 should accomplish the
  designs of the ,queen of ,heaven4     
,whilst quietly awaiting the propitious 
hour and means foreseen by  ,providence1
 he seized every opportunity of speaking
 to the children and  young people of   
,mary's bounty and the happiness of     
belonging to her4  ,his simplicity and  
animation1 when discoursing upon this   
his favorite  theme1 attracted all      
hearts2 his listeners hung entranced    
upon the good  father's words2 and the  
unction of grace sustaining the ardor he
 had  enkindled1 the associations were  
formed by way of trial1 in the houses   
of the ,daughters of ,charity1 where ,m4

 ,aladel had officiated4    ,such were  
those of the ,providence ,orphanage in  
,paris1 of the ,house of  ,charity of   
,st4 ,mdard1 of the ,madeleine2 also1   
those of ,st4 ,flour1  ,mainsat1        
,aurillae1 established from #ahcf to    
#ahdf4 ,the young girls1 who  were      
externs1 very soon rivaled the inmates  
of the establishments in  obtaining     
similar favors2 several new associations
 were begun in the  year #ahdf1 those of
 ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul1 ,st4 ,roch1    
,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,louis1  in ,paris1 and
 others in ,toulouse1 ,bruguire1 etc41  
in the province4    ,whilst in ,rome in 
#ahdg1 ,m4 tienne1 ,superior ,general of
 the ,priests  of the ,mission and      
,daughters of ,charity1 obtained from   
the ,sovereign  ,pontiff a rescript     
dated ,june #bjth1 empowering him and   
his successors  to establish among the  
scholars attending the schools of the   
,daughters  of ,charity a pious         
confraternity1 under the title of the   
,immaculate  ,conception of the ,most   

,blessed ,virgin1 with all the          
indulgences  accorded the ,congregation 
of the holy ,virgin established at ,rome
 for  the scholars of the ,society of   
,jesus4    ,three years later1 the      
,sovereign ,pontiff extended a similar  
favor to  the youths educated by the    
,priests of the ,mission2 also1 to the  
little  boys in charge of the ,daughters
 of ,charity4    ,illustration3 ,the    
,miraculous ,medal adopted as the       
,livery of the  ,children of ,mary4     
,from this time1 #ahdg1 thanks to the   
benediction of ,pius ,,ix1 the          
,sodality of the ,children of ,mary1    
spread rapidly in all quarters of  the  
globe1 wherever the ,daughters of       
,charity were established4 ,a  manual   
containing the rules of the             
,association1 its privileges and        
obligations1 was compiled by ,m4        
,aladel1 the ,director of the work4 ,the
  livery naturally adopted by the       
,children of ,mary was the ,miraculous  
,medal1 suspended from a blue ribbon4   

,the new ,association from its very     
origin gave a wonderful impulse to      
youthful piety2 humble girls1 earning   
their daily bread1 practiced the  most  
heroic virtues1 under the influence of a
 desire to become faithful  ,children of
 ,mary2 and1 sustained by the same      
spirit1 the poorest  courageously       
resisted temptation1 and complied with  
those duties so  little esteemed at the 
present day--filial devotion and        
self-denial4    ,illustration3 ,the     
,miraculous ,medal adopted as the       
,livery of the  ,children of ,mary4     
,to these precious fruits are also      
joined some beautiful flowers of        
devotion2 how eagerly the ,children of  
,mary repair to re-unions of the        
,association1 especially on all their   
,mother's feasts1 chanting her  praises 
and exciting one another to fervent     
piety4    ,but the death of these young 
girls is still more admirable than their
  life2 many of them stricken down in   
the very bloom of youth1 fortified  with

 their medal and ribbon as with a       
precious talisman1 smile at death  and  
defy hell4    ,thirty years have passed 
since the grain of mustard seed was     
confided  to the earth1 and it has now  
become an immense tree1 whose branches  
overshadow the most distant countries4  
,europe numbers nearly a thousand  of   
these ,sodalities1 about six hundred    
being composed of externs1 or  mixed    
associates4 ,they amount1 in other      
portions of the world to nearly  two    
hundred4 ,this displays the visible     
effects of the benediction of  ,st4     
,peter's ,successor2 the promises made  
in #ahcj were not realized  until they  
had received the approbation of the     
,vicar of ,jesus ,christ1  ,pius ,,ix1  
whose name will always be dear to the   
,children of ,mary4    ,the             
,associations vary in number from ten to
 three hundred sodalists1  which gives  
us an average of eighty thousand young  
girls1 courageously  holding themselves 
aloof from satan's snares and pomps1 and

 leading a  life of purity and piety    
amidst the seductions of a corrupt      
world4    ,surely this must be a miracle
 of ,god's right hand and ,mary's       
bounty6    ,we have thought it would not
 be uninteresting to the readers1 to    
give  the statistics for the end of the 
year #ahgg1 of the ,sodalities of the   
,children of ,mary1 established in the  
houses of the ,daughters of ,charity    
throughout the world4          ,,list   
,,of ,,the ,,sodalities ,,of ,,children 
,,of ,,mary4                            
,,sodalities4                           
,internal4 ,external   ,,summary4       
and                                     
,mixed4    ,france           #bhg       
#dea     ,internal ,sodalities   #bhg   
,external and ,mixed    #dea            
,europe4      7,exclusive of ,france47  
,belgium           #aa          #ad     
,switzerland        #a           #g     
,italy             #ee          #fd     
,spain             #ag          #be     
,portugal          44           #a      

,internal ,sodalities   #ajj    ,great  
,britain      #b          #ac           
,external and ,mixed    #aec    ,poland 
#h           #i        ,prussia         
44           #e        ,austria         
#d          #aa        ,greece          
44           #a        ,turkey          
#b           #c          ,asia4         
,turkey             #b           #g     
,internal ,sodalities     #b    ,persia 
44           #b     ,external and ,mixed
     #aj    ,china             44       
#a          ,africa4      ,egypt        
#c           #b     ,internal           
,sodalities     #f    ,algeria          
#c          #ag     ,external and ,mixed
     #bj    ,canary ,isles      44      
#a          ,america4      ,united      
,states     #aa          #dd            
,guatemala          #d           #c     
,brazil            #aa           #i     
,internal ,sodalities    #ed    ,peru   
#i           #f     ,external and ,mixed
     #ha    ,la ,plata           #a     
#f        ,chili              #c        

#a        ,cuba               #e        
#d        ,mexico             #i        
#g        ,ecuador            #a        
#a          ,oceanica4      ,philippine 
,isles   #a           #f     ,internal  
,sodalities     #a                      
,external and ,mixed      #f            
---         ---                         
----    ,total            #dej          
#gba      ,total               #a1aga   
,,iii4--,definition of the ,immaculate  
,conception4    ,we have observed       
several times in the course of this     
work1 that the  principal end of the    
apparition of #ahcj1 was to popularize  
belief  in the ,immaculate ,conception4 
,the facts we have related1 prove most  
conclusively that1 thanks to the        
,miraculous ,medal1 this object has been
  fully attained4    ,as a preparation  
for the accomplishment of this great    
design1  ,providence placed in ,st4     
,peter's chair1 a ,pontiff animated with
 the  most filial tenderness for ,mary1 
and inspired him from the beginning  of 

his pontificate1 with the desire of     
glorifying the most holy ,mother  of    
,god1 by proclaiming the ,immaculate    
,conception an article of ,faith4  ,and 
this hope1 this desire1 had ,pius ,,ix1 
in the ninth year of his  reign1 the    
happiness of realizing amidst the       
universal applause of the  ,catholic    
world4    ,we quote below from ,m4      
,villefranche's beautiful ,history of   
,pius ,,ix1 the  account of this        
memorable event3        ,by an          
,encyclical dated from ,gata1 ,pius ,,ix
 had interrogated      the ,episcopacy  
of the ,universal ,church1 on the       
subject of the      belief in the       
,immaculate ,conception4 ,the answers   
received were      six hundred and three
 in number4 ,five hundred and forty-six 
,bishops earnestly entreated the        
doctrinal definition1 a few             
hesitated1 though only as to whether it 
were an opportune      moment or not for
 the decision1 for the sentiment of the 
,catholic world was in unison as regards

 the belief itself4        ,to assist at
 this solemnity1 ,pius ,,ix summoned to 
his presence1      all the ,bishops who 
could repair to ,rome4 ,they came five  
hundred and ninety-two in number1 and   
from all quarters of      the globe     
except ,russia1 where they were held in 
check by      the suspicious despotism  
of the ,emperor ,nicholas4 ,these       
prelates put the finishing touch to the 
work of the commission      charged with
 preparing the ,bull2 but at the very   
moment of      making the final pause in
 its rendition1 it was asked if the     
,bishops assisted there as judges1 to   
pronounce the definition                
simultaneously with the ,successor of   
,st4 ,peter1 and if their      presence 
must be mentioned as judges1 or1 if the 
supreme      judgment should not be     
attributed to the word of the ,sovereign
      ,pontiff alone4 ,the debate       
terminated suddenly1 as if by the       
inspiration of the ,holy ,spirit4 ',it  
was the last sitting1' says      ,mgr4  

,audisio1 an eye-witness2 'the hour of  
noon had just been      sounded1 every  
knee was bent to recite the ,angelus4   
,then each      one resumed his place1  
and scarcely had a word been spoken1    
when there arose a universal acclamation
 to the ,holy ,father1      a cry of    
eternal adherence to the ,primacy of ,st
 ,peter's ,see1      and the debate was 
ended3' ',petre1 doce nos2 confirma     
fratres      tuos6 7,peter1 teach us2   
confirm thy brethren67' ,and the        
instruction these pastors asked of the  
supreme ,pastor was the      definition 
of the ,immaculate ,conception4         
,the #hth of ,december1 #ahed1 was the  
grand day1 the triumphal      day1      
which1 according to the beautiful words 
of ,mgr4      ,dupanloup's circular1    
'crowns the hopes of past ages1 blesses 
the present age1 evokes the gratitude of
 future generations1      and leaves an 
imperishable memory2 the day that       
witnessed      the first definition of  
,faith1 which was not preceded by       

dissension and followed by heresy4' ,all
 ,rome rejoiced4 ,immense               
multitudes1 representing every tongue   
and nation on the globe1      thronged  
the approaches to the vast ,basilica of 
,st4 ,peter's1      far too small to    
accommodate all who came4 ,soon1 the    
,bishops      were seen forming into the
 line of march1 ranged according to     
their seniority1 and followed by the    
,cardinals4 ,the ,sovereign             
,pontiff1 amidst the most brilliant     
surroundings1 appeared      last1 whilst
 the chant of the ,litany of the        
,saints1 wafted to      ,heaven1 invited
 the celestial court to unite with the  
,church      militant in honoring the   
,queen of ,angels and men4 ,seated upon 
his throne1 ,pius ,,ix received the     
obeisance of the ,cardinals and         
,bishops1 after which the ,pontifical   
,mass began4        ,when the ,gospel   
had been chanted in ,greek and ,latin1  
,cardinal      ,macchi1 ,dean of the    
,sacred ,college1 accompanied by the    

,dean of      the ,archbishops1 and the 
,dean of the ,bishops present1 with an  
,archbishop of the ,greek rite and one  
of the ,armenian1 presented             
themselves at the foot of the throne1   
and supplicated the      ,holy ,father1 
in the name of the universal ,church1 to
 raise      his ,apostolic voice and    
pronounce the dogmatic decree of the    
,immaculate ,conception4 ,the ,pope     
replied that he willingly      granted  
this prayer1 but ere doing so he would  
invoke once more      the assistance of 
the ,holy ,spirit ,and1 now1 every voice
 united      in the solemn strains of   
the ,veni ,creator4 ,when the chant had 
ceased1 the ,pope arose1 and in that    
grave1 sonorous1 majestic      voice1 to
 whose profound charm millions of the   
faithful have      borne testimony1     
commenced reading the ,bull4        ,he 
established3 first1 the theological     
motives for belief in      ,mary's      
privilege2 then he adduced the ancient  
and universal      traditions both of   

the ,east and ,west the testimony of    
religious      orders and schools of    
theology1 of the holy ,fathers and      
the ,councils1 and finally1 the         
pontifical records1 ancient      as well
 as modern4 ,his countenance1 as he     
pronounced the      words inscribed upon
 these pious and magnificent documents1 
betrayed his emotion4 ,several times he 
was so overcome that      for a few     
moments it was impossible for him to    
proceed4 ',and      consequently1' he   
adds1 'after having offered unceasingly 
in      humility and fasting1 our own   
prayers and the public prayers      of  
the ,church to ,god the ,father through 
,his ,son1 that ,he would      deign to 
direct and confirm our thoughts by the  
inspiration of      the ,holy ,spirit1  
after having implored the assistance of 
all      the celestial court1 444 in    
honor of the holy and indivisible       
,trinity1 for the glory of the ,virgin  
,mother of ,god1 for the      exaltation
 of the ,catholic ,faith and the        

increase of the      ,christian         
religion1 by the authority of ,our      
,saviour1 ,jesus      ,christ1 the      
blessed ,apostles1 ,peter and ,paul1 and
 our own4'----          ,here his voice 
was stifled with emotion1 and he paused 
an      instant to wipe away the tears4 
,the assistants1 deeply affected      as
 well as himself1 but mute with respect 
and admiration1      awaited in profound
 silence the continuation4 ,in a clear1 
strong voice1 slightly elevated by      
enthusiasm1 he proceeded3        ',we   
declare1 profess1 and define1 that the  
doctrine affirming      that the        
,blessed ,virgin ,mary was preserved and
 exempt from      all stain of original 
sin1 from the first instant of her      
conception1 in view of the merits of    
,jesus ,christ1 ,saviour of      men1 is
 a doctrine revealed by ,god1 and for   
this reason1 all      the faithful must 
believe it with firm and unwavering     
faith4      ,wherefore1 if any one      
should have the presumption1 which      

,god forbid1 to allow a belief contrary 
to what we have just      defined1 let  
him know that he wrecks his faith and   
separates      himself from the unity of
 the ,church4'        ,the ,cardinal    
,dean1 prostrating himself a second time
 at the      feet of the ,pontiff1      
supplicated him to publish the          
,apostolic      letters containing the  
definition2 the ,promoter of the ,faith1
      accompanied by the ,apostolic     
,prothonotary also presented            
themselves1 to beg that a verbal process
 of the decree be      prepared4 ,and   
now the cannon of the castle of ,st4    
,angelo and      all the bells of the   
,eternal ,city1 announced the           
glorification      of the ,immaculate   
,virgin6        ,in the evening1 ,rome1 
enwreathed in illuminations1 and crowned
      with inscriptions and             
transparencies1 resounded with joyous   
music1 and was imitated at that very    
time by thousands of      cities and    
villages all over the face of the globe4

 ,if we were      to compile an account 
of the pious manifestations relating to 
this event1 it would fill1 not volumes1 
but libraries4 ,the      ,bishops'      
responses to the ,pope before the       
definition were      printed in nine    
volumes2 the ,bull itself1 translated   
under      the care of a learned ,french
 ,sulpitian into every tongue and       
idiom of the universe1 filled about ten 
volumes2 the pastoral      instructions1
 publishing and explaining the ,bull1   
and the      articles on the subject in 
religious journals1 would certainly     
require several hundred1 especially if  
we add thereto the      poems1 scraps of
 eloquence1 and descriptions of the     
monuments      and ftes4 ,we should not 
omit mention here of the spontaneous    
and incomparable periodical             
illuminations at ,lyons1 each time      
the course of the year brings round the 
memorable #hth of      ,december4       
,pius ,,ix knew that the ,catholic      
movement leading to the definition of   

the ,immaculate ,conception had         
originated in ,france1 and he was happy 
to  see the ,french people              
enthusiastically welcome the ,pontifical
 decree  of ,december #hth1 and         
celebrate with unparalleled magnificence
 ,mary's  glorious privilege4           
,henceforth1 the love he bore that      
country was  firmly rooted in his heart1
 and her misfortunes had but increased  
his  tenderness and compassion4 ,it     
consoles us to insert here the prayer to
  the ,blessed ,virgin which he         
composed1 and recited daily to obtain   
for  her the protection of the ,queen of
 ,heaven3        ,o ,mary6 conceived    
without sin1 look down upon ,france1    
pray for      ,france1 save ,france6    
,the greater her guilt1 the more need of
      your intercession4 ,only a word to
 ,jesus reposing in your arms1      and 
,france is saved4        ,o ,jesus6     
obedient to ,mary1 save ,france6        
,illustration      ,,chapter ,,viii4    
,,the ,,miraculous ,,medal ,,and ,,the  

,,war4      ,the wars which have taken  
place since the year #ahed1 the epoch of
 the  definition of the ,immaculate     
,conception1 have presented a spectacle 
to  which the world was unaccustomed4   
,not only were priests called upon  to  
administer to the spiritual necessities 
of the soldiers in camps  and           
ambulances1 but ,sisters also were      
charged with the care of the  sick and  
wounded4 ,the priest's cassock and the  
robe of the religious1  became almost as
 familiar to the eye as the military    
costume itself6  ,sisters of ,charity   
accompanied the armies in the wars of   
the ,east1 in  #ahed2 in ,italy1 in     
#ahei2 in the ,united ,states1 in #ahfa2
 in ,mexico1 in  #ahfd2 in ,austria and 
,prussia1 in #ahff2 in ,france and      
,germany1 in #ahgj2  and we find them   
ministering to the ,russian army and    
also the ,turkish  ambulance in #ahgg4  
,for them no enemies existed2 the camps 
of both  belligerents claimed their     
attention1 they were equally devoted to 

all  who needed their ministry of       
charity4    ,during the hardships and   
dangers of war1 chaplains and ,sisters  
could  not fail to invoke the ,blessed  
,virgin1 and the ,miraculous ,medal     
naturally became the sign of the        
soldier's devotion and the pledge  of   
our merciful ,mother's protection1      
against the moral and physical  dangers 
war brings in its train4 ,the medal was 
profusely distributed2  it was accepted 
and worn with confidence2 even          
,protestants and  ,schismatics asking   
eagerly for it2 officers as well as     
private soldiers  attaching it to their 
uniforms when they set out for the      
combat2 the  sick employed it to obtain 
recovery1 or at least1 an alleviation of
  their sufferings2 the dying kissed it 
with love2 many attributed to it  their 
preservation in battle1 and a still     
greater number were indebted  to it for 
their eternal salvation4    ,in proof of
 the above1 we shall present some facts1
 selected from the  thousands related in

 the correspondence of the missionaries 
and ,sisters  who followed the several  
armies4      ,,war ,,in ,,the ,,east1   
,,from #ahed to #ahef4        ,on the   
,feast of the ,assumption1 we shall have
 at ,varna1 a      beautiful religious  
ceremony1 at which the whole army will  
assist4 ,i have brought from            
,constantinople a banner of the         
,blessed ,virgin2 this we will set up1  
and confidently invoking      ,mary1 we 
know she will obtain the cessation of   
the cholera1 and      success of our    
arms4#bd        ,footnote #bd3 ,letter  
of ,mr4 ,bor1 ,aug4 #ac1 #ahed4         
,the inmates of our hospital of ,pra1 at
 ,constantinople1 number      about     
twelve hundred1 including sixty         
officers4 ,these gentlemen      receive 
the ,miraculous ,medal with joy and     
gratitude4 ,endeavor      to find some  
good souls who will send us a large     
supply of      these pious objects4#be  
,footnote #be3 ,letter of a ,sister1    
,september #bi4           99       99   

99       99       99        ,the three  
patients whose confessions ,i heard were
 poor      ,irish4 ,they manifested     
great resignation in their sufferings2  
all three asked for1 and gratefully     
received a medal of the      ,immaculate
 ,conception4 ,an ,english officer 7a   
,catholic71 who      wore with pious    
confidence the medal of ,mary1 told me  
that      several of his colleagues1    
though ,protestants1 had accepted the   
medal and preserved it respectfully1 and
 that the cholera and      balls of the 
,russians had1 so far1 spared them4#bf  
,footnote #bf3 ,letter of ,mr4 ,bor1    
,october #be4           99       99     
99       99       99        ,even amidst
 the turmoil of war1 and in spite of the
 multitude      of sick and wounded1 the
 ,catholics of ,constantinople          
celebrated      solemnly the definition 
of the dogma of the ,immaculate         
,conception4 ,mr4 ,bor wrote as follows1
 ,march #bb;d1 #ahce3 ',the      triduum
 of thanksgiving for the declaration and

 promulgation      of the dogma of the  
,immaculate ,conception was fixed for   
the      ,feast of ,saint ,joseph4 ,we  
have endeavored to unite1 in the        
expression of our joy1 with that of the 
faithful throughout the      ,catholic  
world1 and to imitate1 to the best of   
our ability1      those magnificent and 
most consoling manifestations that have 
taken place in ,france1 who in this has 
shown a true love for      the ,mother  
of ,god1 a love already repaid by a new 
development      of national strength   
and vigor4 ,the zeal and skill of our   
dear      ,sisters in charge of the     
adjoining establishment have greatly    
contributed to the splendor of the      
feast4 ,the good taste      and         
experience of one of them suggested to  
her the idea of      substituting for   
the large picture over the main altar a 
figure      of the ,immaculate          
,conception2 the ,blessed ,virgin was   
crowned      with golden stars1 her     
dress and drapery were rich and radiant 

in a glory of gauze1 the whole framed in
 lilies4 ,the head1      borrowed from  
the portrait of a ,circassian lady1 and 
the golden      crescent under her feet1
 were happy indications1 both in color  
and emblem1 of the events transpiring   
around us4 ,a ,catholic      ,armenian  
lady lent a set of diamonds1 which      
flashed back the      myriad flames of  
tapers and candles contained in         
candelabras1      hidden in the         
abundance of lilies4 ,this illumination1
      improvised by our pupils in       
imitation of those they knew would      
take place throughout ,france1 was      
indeed an honor to their      taste and 
piety4'           99       99       99  
99       99        ,we sometimes meet   
with sick persons1 who1 through human   
respect1 ignorance1 or indifference1 are
 prevented from      receiving the      
succors of religion4 ,we give them a    
medal of      the ,immaculate           
,conception1 and the ,blessed ,virgin   
charges      herself with their         

conversion4 ,nearly always1 without any 
other inducement1 and1 as it were1 of   
themselves1 they ask for      the priest
 and prepare to receive the ,sacraments1
 manifesting      the most lively sorrow
 for having offended ,god and abused    
,his      benefits4 ,i could cite       
examples by thousands4        ,numbers  
of soldiers wear the ,miraculous ,medal1
 the scapular1 a      reliquary1 a      
cross1 or sometimes not one but all of  
these1 and      those who do not possess
 these articles are happy to receive    
them4 ,in a word1 the army is1 in a     
great measure1 ,catholic1 and      knows
 how to pray4        ,a soldier wounded 
in both legs at the battle of ,alma1    
received      for more than two months1 
the unremitting attention of the        
physicians and ,sisters though without  
experiencing any relief4      ,having   
despaired of saving his life otherwise1 
the surgeons      decided upon          
amputation4 ,they began by the limb     
which was most      shattered4 ,next day

 the patient was in a hopeless          
condition2      there was no question of
 further amputation4 ,recourse was      
then had to supernatural remedies2 a    
novena was made to the      ,immaculate 
,mary1 and in a few days the patient    
showed signs of      improvement4 ,he is
 now cured1 and his piety and good      
example      are the admiration of his  
comrades4#bg        ,footnote #bg3      
,report of ,mr4 ,doumerq1 #ahee4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,a patient who was brought in yesterday1
 refused to go to      confession4 ,i   
placed under his pillow a medal of the  
,blessed      ,virgin1 and left him     
quiet1 continuing to give him assiduous 
care4 ,this morning he called me1 and in
 a resolute tone1      inquired if      
people here died like dogs4 ',i am a    
,christian1 and      ,i wish to         
confess4' ',yesterday ,i proposed       
confession1' said      ,i1 'but you     
objected1 and even sent the priest      
away4' ',it is      true1' he replied2  

'but ,i am sorry for having done so2 ,i 
wish      now to see him as soon as     
possible4' ,since his confession      he
 is completely changed2 and calmly      
awaits the approach of      death4#bh   
,footnote #bh3 ,letter of a ,sister1    
#ahee4           99       99       99   
99       99        ,among the ,russian  
prisoners brought to ,constantinople    
after      the battle of ,tchernaa1 many
 wore the medal of the ,immaculate      
,conception4 ,by this ,i understood at  
once that they were      ,catholics and 
,poles4#bi        ,footnote #bi3 ,letter
 of ,mr4 ,bor1 ,august #be1 #ahee4      
,a young lieutenant in the eighty-fifth 
regiment1 had been      wounded in the  
skull1 and when brought to the hospital1
 his      throat was gangrened1 and he  
could scarcely speak4 ,a secret         
sympathy attracted us towards each      
other1 and he accepted      gratefully  
the services ,i rendered him4 ,as he was
 evidently      sinking1 ,i spoke to him
 of the ,blessed ,virgin1 and alluded to

      the medal he wore around his neck4
 ,he smiled1 and replied by             
pressing my hand4 ,when his confession  
7during which he regained      his voice
 and strength7 was finished1 he said3   
',monsieur abb1      ,i have a favor to 
ask of you4' ',what is it1 my friend8   
tell      me2 ,i am anxious to gratify  
you4' ',be so kind1' said he1 'as       
to inform ,father ,bor that ,i am here1 
and am very ill4' ,these      words     
pierced my heart2 however1 ,i was able  
to answer him3      ',father ,bor is he 
who now speaks to you4' ,raising his    
eyes      moistened with tears1 and1    
again pressing my hand1 he added3       
',i am the brother-in-law of your dear  
friend1 ,mr4 ,taconet1 and      also    
brother of the captain of zouaves1 whom 
you assisted a      year ago at ,varna4'
 ,i then recognized in him ,mr4         
,ferdinand      ,lefaivre2 he had been  
recommended to me by a pressing letter  
from ,mr4 ,taconet1 but this letter     
reached me only after my      young     

friend's death4 ,mr4 ,taconet wrote     
that1 on the eleventh      of ,may1 the 
lieutenant with his family had heard    
,mass at the      church of ,notre ,dame
 des ,victoires1 and that he did not    
doubt      but the ,blessed ,virgin     
would watch over a life so precious4    
,his hope was not misplaced1 for the    
,blessed ,virgin called him      to     
herself1 fortified with the ,sacraments1
 on the day of her      triumph4#cj     
,footnote #cj3 ,letter of ,august #be1  
#ahee4        ,while we were invoking   
our ,immaculate ,mother1 on the eve of a
      combat1 in which one of our young 
soldiers was to take part for      the  
first 7and perhaps last7 time1 he arose 
and went to ,mary's      altar2 kneeling
 an instant1 he arose again1 and hung   
around      the statue's neck a silver  
heart1 in which were inscribed his      
name and the names of his parents4 ,i   
feel1 as ,st ,vincent has      forcibly 
expressed it1 that he did not perform   
this act of      devotion without       

tearful eyes and a sobbing heart4#ca    
,footnote #ca3 ,letter of ,sister       
,m----1 #ahee4           99       99    
99       99       99        ,a serious  
fire had broken out in the city of      
,salonica4 ,the      flames soon        
appeared opposite the ,sisters' house1  
the buildings      on the other side of 
the street1 a few yards distant1 being  
seized and devoured by the fire1 which  
the wind continued to      fan into     
activity4 ,already the ,sisters' roof   
and that of the      adjoining house    
were covered with dense smoke4 ,i cast  
therein      several ,miraculous        
,medals4 ,there was no prospect of human
      succor1 as the rumor of there     
being powder in the vicinity had        
caused every one to seek safety in      
flight4 ,i also retired1      deeming it
 useless to expose myself longer2 and   
besides1 ,i was      obliged to go to   
the assistance of a poor man1 who1      
partially      intoxicated1 persisted in
 remaining near the fire4 ,i returned   

shortly after1 expecting to see our     
houses in flames2 ,i doubted      not   
but they would be wholly consumed4 ,as  
,i approached1 a      young man stopped 
me on the way1 and said3 ',your property
      is saved1 sir2 the ,sisters' house
 is not even in danger4'      ,only on  
reaching the scene could ,i be convinced
 that he had      spoken truly4 ,it     
would be impossible to express my       
emotion at      the sight4 ,i sent to   
inform our dear ,sisters of the fact and
      they could scarcely credit this   
marvellous preservation4 ,it            
suffices to add1 that all ,salonica is  
unanimous in pronouncing      it a      
miracle4#cb        ,footnote #cb3       
,letter of ,mr4 ,turroque1 ,july #af1   
#ahef4           99       99       99   
99       99        ,in an ambulance     
crowded with ,russians was a young      
,pole1      severely wounded and        
suffering intolerable pain2 he earnestly
      invoked the sweet and merciful    
,virgin ,mary4 ,by his side lay      a  

,russian ,protestant1 wounded also1 and 
attacked by violent      dysentery4 ,so 
offensive was the odor from his disease1
 that      both patients and nurses     
complained4 ,he appeared utterly        
indifferent to everything concerning    
religion4 ,he took no      notice of the
 ,sister as she passed and repassed2 he 
never      even deigned to look at her4 
,the young ,pole1 on the contrary1      
called her frequently1 and gratefully   
received her care and      consolations4
 ,one evening our young ,catholic was   
suffering more      than usual2 the pain
 drew tears from his eyes2 his groans   
and      cries were incessant4 ,he      
called the ,sister and begged her to    
help him1 saying his patience was       
exhausted2 he was in despair2      his  
sufferings were excruciating4 ,the      
,polish ,sister1 consoling      and     
encouraging him1 bade him have          
confidence1 and gave him      a medal to
 apply to the wounded limb4 ,the young  
man followed      her suggestion2 and   

laying his hand on the medal to keep it 
in      place1 he soon fell asleep4 ,our
 ,protestant appeared unconscious       
of what was going on1 yet he had seen   
and examined all4 ,some      days after1
 he called our ,polish ,sister to him1  
7she was the      only one who could    
understand him7 and said3 ',sister1     
please      give me what you gave this  
young man that did him so much          
good1 for ,i suffer greatly6' ',my      
friend1 she replied1 ,i desire          
nothing better than to relieve you also2
 but you lack what      effected his    
cure1 faith and confidence4 ,you        
,protestants deny      the power of the 
,blessed ,virgin2 you do not acknowledge
 her as      your ,queen1 your          
,advocate1 your ,mother4 ,so what can ,i
 do8 ,it      was a medal of ,mary that 
so speedily relieved your neighbor1     
the young ,pole4' ',give me one also1   
,sister1' he answered2 ',i      believe 
all that you tell me2 you do good to    
every one1 why      should you deceive  

me8' ',but1' said the ,sister1 'have you
      confidence in ,mary1 the ,mother  
of ,god8 ,do you believe in her         
mercy and her power8' ',i believe all   
that you believe1 ,sister1      since   
,mary hears the prayers of the          
unfortunate1 and brings      relief to  
the suffering1 she cannot deceive us6'  
,the ,sister1      much consoled at     
hearing these words1 gave him a medal1  
and      our admirable talisman effected
 in his soul most gratifying            
results4 ,he asked to receive           
instruction from a priest1 and          
after some days employed in studying the
 holy doctrines of      the ,church1 and
 in assiduous prayer to ,mary he abjured
 his      errors4 ,as he had been       
separated from the other patients1 on   
account of the unpleasant odor we have  
mentioned1 he was at      full liberty  
to act as he wished4 ,after his baptism1
 and the      reception of the holy     
,eucharist1 being unable to restrain    
his transports1 he exclaimed3 ',oh6 how 

happy ,i am6 ,my heart      has never   
known such joy6 ,i am content to die1   
and ,i do not      regret having been   
struck on the battlefield6 ,to my wound 
do      ,i owe my salvation4 ,oh6 how we
 poor ,protestants are deceived6        
,by what lies are we led astray6 ,how   
good ,god is to rescue me      from     
error6 ,may the sweet and holy ,virgin  
be known and loved      always and      
everywhere6' ,and in these beautiful    
dispositions1 he      expired4#cc       
,footnote #cc3 ,letter of ,sister       
,m----1 ,july #i1 #aheg4        ,a      
sergeant advanced in years had been     
suffering for three      months from a  
severe dysentery2 one morning the       
,sister who was      visiting the sick  
found him in tears4 ',ah6 my brave      
soldier1'      said she1 'what is the   
meaning of all this grief8' ',o         
,sister1'      he exclaimed1 'lend me   
patience1 for mine is exhausted4 ,i am  
in despair2 ,i can endure my sufferings 
no longer2 ,i feel that      ,i am going

 to die1 and just at the time ,i was to 
receive a      pension--at the very     
moment ,i hoped to return to my country 
with honor and see my family once more4 
,must ,i die afar from      home and    
leave my bones in a strange land8'      
,groans were      mingled with his      
words1 and his gestures had all the     
violence      of despair4 ,the ,sister  
who relates the fact says3 ',my heart   
ached at witnessing the grief of this   
brave man1 with his white      hairs and
 numerous scars4 ,however1 as my tears  
would not have      dried his1 ,i tried 
to rouse his courage by other means1 and
 ,i      promised him a perfect cure if 
he would unite in prayer with      our  
little family at the hospital4 ,giving  
him a ,miraculous      ,medal1 ,i       
recommended him to ,god and ,mary with  
my whole heart4      ,we made a novena  
to the ,immaculate ,virgin1 and ere its 
termination our sergeant was entirely   
cured4#cd        ,footnote #cd3 ,letter 
of ,sister ,m----1 ,july #i1 #aheg4     

99       99       99       99       99  
,every evening our soldiers assembled   
around the ,sisters in      charge and  
sang pious canticles2 they even composed
 music and      words suited to the     
occasion4 ,these they intoned1 uniting  
their deep1 sonorous voices with the    
,sisters'4 ,in unison and      harmony  
of mind as of voice1 they repeated in   
chorus the sacred      names of ,jesus  
and ,mary as a rallying cry of hope1    
confidence      and triumph--a chant of 
love1 a united echo of heaven and       
country4 ,then their hearts thrilled    
with joy inexpressible1      and they   
were filled with pride and happiness at 
the thought      of belonging to that   
,france who imparts to her children the 
heroism of courage and the virtue of the
 perfect ,christian4      ,during the   
month of ,may our military concerts were
 multiplied2      all were rivals in    
zeal4 ,the altars were adorned with     
admirable      piety and taste1         
notwithstanding our extreme poverty4    

,entire      trees were felled to assist
 in concealing the dilapidated state    
of the barracks1 which had been         
converted into chapels4 ,had      our   
soldiers been free to do so1 they would 
have despoiled the      gardens of the  
,turks to adorn the sanctuary of the    
,queen of      ,heaven4        ,in the  
ambulances of ,pra some of the most     
zealous soldiers1      both officers and
 privates1 wished to present ,mary a    
solemn      homage of their devotedness 
and gratitude4 ,they chose a heart      
as the symbol of their sentiments4 ,all 
the balls extracted      from their     
wounds were collected to compose the    
offering4 ,but      a soldier suddenly  
exclaimed with enthusiasm3 ',comrades1  
what      are we doing8 ,shall we offer 
the ,blessed ,virgin a schismatical     
heart8 ,all these balls are ,russians6' 
',true1' replied another1      'these   
balls are ,russian2 we must have ,french
 balls4 ,let us ask      the ,russians  
for those we sent them4' ',stay1' said a

 third1      'you have forgotten that   
these ,russian balls are stained with   
our blood6' ',well1 then1 let us use    
them1' suggested a fourth1      'the    
,french balls will form the centre4'    
,they went immediately      to ask the  
,russians for the ,french balls4 ,these 
were willingly      given4 ,the heart   
was prepared2 their names inscribed on  
it with      the designation of the     
regiment1 and the offering was presented
      to ,mary amid the most lively     
acclamations and transports of joy      
and gratitude4#ce        ,footnote #ce3 
,letter of ,sister ,m41 ,july #i1 #aheg4
      ,,italian ,,war1 #ahei4    ,letter
 of ,sister ,coste3                     
,gata1 ,december #ahth1 #ahfj4          
,during the siege of ,gata1 the ,sisters
 of ,charity willingly      remained in 
the city1 to assist the sick and wounded
      ,neapolitans4 ,they felt that     
there was no greater security           
against the dangers to which they were  
exposed1 than that of      recommending 

themselves and their abode to the       
protection      of the ,blessed ,virgin1
 by means of the ,miraculous ,medal4    
,their ,superioress1 ,sister ,coste1    
wrote ,december #ahth1 #ahfj3           
,frequently the cannon roars in our     
ears2 bombs whiz around us1      but    
divine ,providence is our shield4 ,the  
first night of our      sleeping at the 
palace1 we were saluted by the          
,piedmontese1 who      sent us a        
multitude of bombs2 one of them burst   
just outside      our room1 and you     
might have supposed a thunderbolt had   
fallen4      ,yet1 the precious medal of
 our ,immaculate ,mother1 which we      
had placed at all the doors and windows1
 shielded us from the      danger4 ,a   
large piece of iron detached itself from
 the bomb      above mentioned1 and     
remains in the wall1 a visible testimony
      of ,mary's protection4 ,this      
circumstance reanimated our             
confidence1 and we hesitate not to pass 
through the streets1                    

notwithstanding the whizzing of         
projectiles4      ,,united ,,states4    
,extracts of letters written by ,sisters
 of ,charity during the ,war of         
,secession1 from #ahfa to #ahfe3        
,military ,hospital 7,house of ,refuge71
                                        
,st4 ,louis1 ,missouri4         ,many of
 our poor soldiers scarcely knew of the 
existence of      ,god1 and had never   
even heard baptism mentioned4 ,but1 when
      the ,sisters explained to them the
 necessity of this ,sacrament1      and 
the goodness of ,god1 who1 by means of  
it1 cleanses us from      the original  
stain1 and adopts us as ,his children1  
they were      filled with the deepest  
emotion1 and often shed tears4 ,on one  
occasion1 a patient said3 ',sister1 do  
not leave me2 tell me      more about   
that good ,god whom ,i ought to love4   
,how is it that      ,i have lived so   
long and have never heard ,him spoken of
 as you      have just done8 ,what must 
,i do to become a child of ,god8 ',you  

must1' replied the ,sister1 'believe and
 be baptized4' ',well1      baptize me1'
 was his answer4 ,the ,sister persuaded 
him to await      the arrival of ,father
 ,burke1 who would be there next        
morning4      ,the patient consented    
reluctantly4 ',ah6' said he1 'it is very
      long to wait1 and ,i am so weak2  
if ,i die unbaptized1 ,i shall      not 
go to ,heaven4' ,to relieve his anxiety1
 the ,sister promised      to watch near
 him and administer baptism1 should she 
perceive      any unfavorable change in 
his condition4 ',now1' said he1 ',i am  
satisfied2 ,i rely on you to open for me
 the gates of ,heaven2      it is       
through your intervention ,i must       
enter4' ,he spent a      quiet night4   
,next morning1 ,father ,burke admitted  
him into the      ,catholic ,church1 by 
the ,sacrament of ,baptism1 which he    
received      with admirable piety4 ,a  
crucifix was presented him2 grasping it 
eagerly1 he kissed it1 saying as he did 
so3 ',o my ,god6 ,i did      not know   

,thee or love ,thee before coming to    
this hospital6'      ,then1 turning to  
the ,sister1 he said3 ',sister1 ,i have 
forgotten      the prayer you taught    
me2' and he repeated after her several  
times1 ',my ,father1 into ,thy hands ,i 
commend my spirit1 sweet      ,jesus1   
receive my soul4' ,he died pronouncing  
these words4        ,the precise number 
of baptisms cannot be ascertained2 there
      were probably seven hundred during
 the two or three years of      our     
residence in the hospital4 ,five hundred
 ,catholics who      had led careless or
 sinful lives returned sincerely to ,god
      and resumed the practice of their 
religious duties4 ,a great      number  
of these had received no other          
,sacrament than that of      ,baptism1  
and they made their first ,communion at 
the hospital4      ,the majority of the 
newly baptized died2 the others on      
leaving      asked for medals and       
catechisms1 saying they desired to      
instruct themselves and their families4 

99       99       99       99       99  
,a soldier named ,nichols fell          
dangerously ill1 and in a few      days 
was reduced to the last extremity4      
,vainly did we strive      to touch his 
heart and awaken him to a sense of      
religion4      ,his sufferings were     
terrible2 both day and night was he     
denied repose1 and he could scarcely    
remain a moment in the      same        
position4 ,his condition was most       
pitiful4 ,many of his      companions1  
knowing that he had never been baptized1
 and having      perceived the          
beneficial effects of baptism upon      
others1 begged      the ,sisters to     
propose to him the reception of this    
,sacrament1      thinking it might be a 
comfort to him1 and not being aware of  
the many efforts that had already been  
made to induce him to      believe in   
its necessity and efficacy4 ,however1 we
 redoubled      our efforts1 and placed 
a ,miraculous ,medal under his pillow4  
,his comrades regarded his sufferings as

 a visible chastisement      of his     
impiety4 ,we could not induce him to    
pronounce the name      of ,god1 but he 
implored the physician1 in the most     
heart      rending accents1 not to let  
him die4 ,four days passed without      
the least change1 when one of his       
companions1 who appeared      the most  
deeply interested in his welfare1 said  
to him1 with      eyes filled with      
tears1 how much he regretted to see him 
die      thus1 utterly bereft of a hope 
for the future4 ,the other      soldiers
 had engaged this man to acquaint the   
patient with his      danger1 and       
persuade him to make his peace with     
,god1 for they      saw that human      
respect alone prevented his showing any 
signs      of repentance4 ,this last    
effort of charity was crowned with      
success2 he called for the ,sister1 and 
when she came1 said to      her3        
',sister1 ,i am ready to do all you     
wish4' ,after instructing      him in   
what was necessary for salvation1 and   

feeling convinced      of the sincerity 
of his dispositions1 she asked him by   
whom      he wished to be baptized4 ',by
 any one you please1' was his           
answer4 ,but1 to be sure that he did not
 desire a ,protestant      minister1 she
 said3 ',shall ,i send for the priest   
who attends      this ward8' ',yes1' he 
replied1 'it is he ,i wish to baptize   
me4' ,the priest was sent for without   
delay1 and we had the      inexpressible
 consolation of seeing this poor sinner 
admitted      into the number of the    
children of ,god by the very person who1
      a few days previous1 had been an  
object of his raillery4 ,he      became 
perfectly calm1 and expired shortly     
after1 invoking the      holy name of   
,jesus4           99       99       99  
99       99        ,among the patients  
was a poor young man named ,william     
,hudson1      who for a long time       
refused to receive baptism4 ,the        
,sisters1      however1 nowise          
discouraged1 explained to him the       

,sacrament      of ,baptism1 and        
instructed him in the mysteries of our  
holy      religion1 and the ,sister1    
under whose immediate charge he         
was1 hung a medal around his neck4      
,finally1 he asked to speak      to good
 ,father ,burke2 was baptized1 and      
expired in the most      edifying       
dispositions1 pronouncing the holy name 
of ,mary4      ,several others followed 
his example1 and made their peace with  
,god before death4           99       99
       99       99       99        ,mr4 
,huls1 a man of thirty-five1 though     
convinced of the      necessity of      
baptism1 postponed the reception of it  
from day      to day4 ,knowing that he  
had but little attraction for our holy  
religion1 ,i forbore to mention the     
subject too frequently4                 
,nevertheless1 seeing that death was    
rapidly approaching1 ,i      placed a   
medal under his pillow and begged the   
,blessed ,virgin      to take charge of 
his salvation4 ,the next day1 just as ,i

 was      turning away after giving him 
a drink1 he called me and said3         
',sister1 what ought ,i to do to prepare
 for the next world8' ,i      told him  
that it was necessary to repent of his  
sins1 because      sin is the greatest  
of evils1 and it had caused the         
sufferings      and death of our ,lord  
,jesus ,christ2 that ,god's goodness and
      mercy towards sinners are         
infinite1 and that ,he is always ready  
to pardon us1 even at the last moment1  
if we sincerely return      to ,him4 ,i 
urged him to cast himself with          
confidence into the      arms of this   
merciful ,father1 who earnestly desired 
to open      for him the gates of the   
,eternal ,city1 and ,i added that it was
      absolutely necessary to be        
baptized4 ,he assured me that he        
believed all ,i had said to him2 he then
 repeated with fervor      the acts of  
faith1 hope1 charity1 contrition1 and   
resignation      to the will of ,god4   
,seeing that he was entering into his   

agony1      ,i baptized him2 the        
,sacraments appeared to revive his      
strength4      ,he began to pray1 and   
made such beautiful aspirations of      
love and gratitude to ,god1 that one    
might have said his good      angel     
inspired them1 particularly the act of  
contrition4 ,i      remained with him to
 the last1 praying for him1 when he had 
not      strength to do so himself2 if  
,i paused a moment through fear of      
fatiguing him3 ',go on ,sister1' he     
would say in dying accents1      ',i can
 still pray4'           99       99     
99       99       99        ,another    
soldier1 ,william ,barrett1 scarcely    
twenty years of      age1 was almost in 
a dying condition when brought to the   
hospital4 ,after doing all ,i could for 
the relief of his poor      body1 ,i    
inquired very cautiously as to the state
 of his soul4      ,alas6 it was        
deplorable2 not that he had committed   
great      crimes1 but that he was      
entirely ignorant of everything         

relating to his salvation4 ,he had never
 said a prayer1 and he      hardly knew 
of the existence of a ,god4 ,my first   
conversation      with him on the       
subject of religion1 was not altogether 
pleasing to him1 for he did not         
understand it2 but when ,i      had     
briefly explained the principal articles
 of ,faith1 he      listened very       
attentively1 and begged me to tell him  
something      more4 ,when ,i told him  
that our ,lord had loved us so much as  
to become man and die on a cross for our
 salvation1 he could      not restrain  
his tears3 ',oh6' said he1 'why did no  
one ever      tell me that8 ,oh6 if ,i  
had only known it sooner6 ,how could ,i 
have lived so long without knowing and  
loving my ,god6' ,i now      prepared   
him to receive the ,sacrament of        
,baptism1 and tried      to make him    
sensible of ,god's great mercy1 in      
bringing him to      the hospital1 that 
he might die a holy death4 ,he          
understood      this and much more1 for 

grace had spoken to this poor heart1    
so truly penetrated with sorrow for sin4
 ',i wish to love ,god1'      said he1  
'but ,i am such a miserable creature6 ,i
 would like to      pray1 but ,i do not 
know how4 ,sister1 pray for me1 please4'
 ,i      promised to do so1 and offering
 him a medal of the ,blessed            
,virgin1 ,i told him that by wearing it1
 he would secure the      intercession  
of the ,mother of ,god1 who is ever     
powerful with      her divine ,son4 ,he 
gladly accepted the medal1 put it around
      his neck1 and repeated1 not only  
the aspiration1 ,o ,mary6      conceived
 without sin1 pray for us who have      
recourse to thee1      but other        
prayers1 to obtain the grace of a happy 
death4 ,he      then asked me when ,i   
would have him carried to the river1 for
      he was under the impression that  
he could not be baptized      without   
being immersed4 ,i explained to him the 
manner in      which the ,catholic      
,church administers this ,sacrament1 and

 the      dispositions necessary for    
receiving it4 ,listening eagerly to     
every word ,i uttered1 ',pray with me1  
,sister1' said he1 'come      nearer1   
that ,i may hear you better1 for ,i do  
not know how to      pray4' ,he repeated
 with great fervor all the prayers ,i   
recited1      and thought only of       
preparing himself for his baptism which 
was to take place on the following day4 
,from that time he      wished to       
converse with the ,sisters only4 ,if his
 companions or      the attendants came 
to him1 he answered them in a few words1
      evidently showing that he desired 
to be alone with his ,god4 ,one      of 
the officers asked him1 if he wished any
 one to write to his      family4 ',do  
not speak to me of my family now1' said 
he1 'the      ,sisters have written to  
my parents4 ,i wish for nothing but to  
pray and to be baptized4' ,and the words
 ever on his lips1 were      these3 ',o 
,god1 have mercy on me1 a sinner4'      
,towards evening he      became so weak1

 that ,i thought it best to remain with 
him4 ,at      three o'clock in the      
morning1 fearing that he was in his     
agony1      ,i administered the         
,sacrament of ,regeneration2 he lived   
till      seven o'clock4 ,the fervor    
with which he united in the prayers     
was truely edifying2 even when scarcely 
able to speak1 he tried      to express 
his gratitude to ,god for ,his goodness 
and mercy to      him4 ,he was most     
anxious to quit this world1 that he     
might go      to that ,father1 who had  
admitted him into the number of ,his    
children1 and whom he so earnestly      
desired to see and know4           99   
99       99       99       99        ,a 
soldier1 advanced in age1 told me one   
day1 that in his      country the       
prejudices of the people were so strong 
against our      ,faith1 that they would
 refuse hospitality to a traveler did   
they know him to be a ,catholic2 as to  
himself1 he had never      met with a   
,catholic previous to his coming to the 

hospital2      but what he had seen here
 7nothing comparable to which had he    
ever witnessed among ,protestants71 was 
sufficient to convince      him of the  
truth of ,catholicity2 that he had      
belonged to the      ,presbyterian      
,church1 but he would remain in it no   
longer1 and      desired to be          
instructed in our holy religion4 ,i gave
 him      a catechism and some other    
books1 which he read with great         
attention4 ,perceiving that his end     
approached1 he asked for a      priest  
and was baptized4 ',if it were the will 
of ,god1' said he1      speaking of his 
property1 which was considerable1 ',i   
should      like to live a little longer
 and enjoy my fortune2 but if the       
,lord wills otherwise1 ,i am ready to   
leave all4' ,he was ever      repeating 
these words3 ',not as ,i will1 ,o ,lord1
 but as ,thou      wilt4' ,from the     
moment of his baptism1 he applied       
himself      most diligently to a       
profitable disposition of the remainder 

of life1 that he might prepare for his  
journey to eternity4      ,at times1    
when he felt a little stronger1 he      
studied the      catechism2 and when he 
could no longer hold a book1 he prayed  
and meditated in silence4 ,one day as ,i
 was giving him a drink1      he showed 
me his medal4 ',ah6' said he1 tears of  
gratitude      streaming down his       
cheeks1 'behold6 my ,mother4 ,i kiss her
      every hour6' ,he prayed           
constantly1 even when he could neither  
eat1 drink1 nor sleep4 ,once when he was
 extremely weak1 the      attendants    
having changed his position1 he fainted1
 and rallied      only with great       
difficulty4 ,on perceiving that ,i was  
trying to      restore him3 ',ah6       
,sister1' said he1 'why did you not let 
me      go8' ,he also remarked to the   
attendants1 that he feared the          
,sister would prolong his life for a    
month1 but his fears were      not      
realized2 in a few days he slept the    
sleep of the just4           99       99

       99       99       99        ,one 
of the soldiers1 who had been a long    
time in the hospital1      having fallen
 very ill1 ,i tried to persuade him to  
make his      peace with ,god1 before   
going to meet that ,god as his ,judge4  
,my      efforts met with little        
success2 he did not admit the necessity 
of baptism1 and he was not in the least 
concerned about his      salvation4 ,but
 he accepted a medal1 and without being 
aware of      it1 he swallowed some     
drops of holy water4 ,then ,i           
recommended      him very earnestly to  
the ,blessed ,virgin1 and in a few days 
after he asked to be instructed1 and was
 baptized4 ,we could not      give him  
greater pleasure than to pray beside    
him4 ,he received      ,extreme ,unction
 with deep and sincere devotion1 and    
expired in      the most happy          
dispositions4           99       99     
99       99       99        ,in the     
hospital was a soldier named ,sanders1  
who1 though not      very ill1 was      

unable to join his regiment4 ,he had no 
idea of      religion4 ,i remarked that 
he observed us very closely1 as if      
examining our conduct2 nothing escaped  
him4 ,before leaving1 he      came to   
bid me good-by and thank me for the care
 ,i had bestowed      upon him4 ,i was  
somewhat surprised1 as ,i had had no    
occasion of      serving him2 but1      
seeing he was so well disposed1 ,i      
profited by      the opportunity to     
offer him a medal and a book explaining 
the      ,catholic ,faith4 ,he accepted 
them with gratitude1 and returned       
to his regiment4 ,a year later1 he came 
again to the hospital1      hastening to
 inform me of his conversion1 and       
seeking a priest1      by whom he was   
gladly instructed and received into the 
fold      of the ,holy ,church4 ',i owe 
my conversion1' said he1 'to the        
intercession of the ,immaculate ,mary   
and your prayers1 and it      has been  
my happy lot to bring other souls to    
,god4' ,this was1      indeed1 the case2

 employed in a military hospital1 where 
he was      the only ,catholic1 by his  
zeal and solicitude he instructed       
many poor sick1 called a priest1 had    
them baptized1 and enjoyed      the     
consolation of procuring eternal        
happiness for a large      number of his
 fellow-soldiers4           99       99 
99       99       99        ,in #ahfb1 a
 ,sister of the hospital at ,new        
,orleans gave a medal      to one of the
 attendants on the point of setting out 
for the      army1 and she advised him  
to keep it always about him4 ,some      
time after1 he returned1 having received
 a slight wound on      the head4 ,on   
seeing the ,sister1 he exclaimed3       
',sister1 here      is the medal you    
gave me2 it has saved my life6 ,just in 
the      midst of battle1 the string by 
which the medal hung around my      neck
 broke1 and whilst the cannons were     
roaring around us1 ,i      attached it  
to a button of my uniform2 all my       
companions fell1      and ,i escaped    

with this slight contusion4'            
99       99       99       99       99  
,military ,hospital of ,philadelphia4   
,a soldier was brought to the hospital  
grievously wounded4 ,a      few         
questions which the ,sister put to him  
on the subject of      religion revealed
 the fact1 that not only was he not     
baptized1      but also most ignorant of
 the truths essential to salvation4     
,the ,sister then began to instruct him1
 and with all requisite      prudence1  
gave him to understand that the         
physicians despaired      of his        
recovery4 ,from this moment he listened 
with the deepest      interest to       
explanations of the catechism2 and1 one 
day1 when      ,sister had spoken to him
 of the necessity of that ,sacrament    
which renders us children of ,god and   
heirs of heaven1 he joined      his     
hands and said in the most beseeching   
tone3 ',oh6 do not let      me die      
without baptism6' ,the ,sister then     
asked him from what      minister he    

desired to receive this ,sacrament and  
he replied3      ',from yours2 from him 
who says ,mass in the ,sister's         
,chapel4'      ,before the close of the 
day1 ,father ,mac,grane had satisfied   
the sick man's pious desire1 and the new
 ,christian1 filled      with joy1      
incessantly repeated acts of love and   
gratitude4 ,the      physician1 making  
his evening visit1 found him so ill1    
that      he directed the attendant to  
watch him all night1 saying he          
might die at any moment4 ,before        
retiring1 the ,sister gave him a        
medal of the ,blessed ,virgin1 and      
briefly narrating to him how      this  
tender ,mother had often wrought        
miraculous cures by means      of her   
blessed image2 she encouraged the dying 
man to address      himself to ,mary    
with entire confidence4        ,next    
morning she was surprised to find him   
better2 but he      was much troubled   
about 'his piece1' which he could not   
find2      he feared it had been taken  

away4 ,the ,sister soon found and       
restored it to him2 receiving it most   
joyfully1 he asked for a      string and
 placed the medal over his wound4 ,when 
the physician      came1 which was soon 
after1 he was no less surprised than the
      ,sister at perceiving the change  
in his patient's condition4      ,the   
patient1 7,duken by name71 continued to 
improve1 and in a      few weeks he     
could walk with the aid of crutches4    
,his first      visit was to the chapel2
 from that day1 whenever we had ,mass1  
he rose at five o'clock in order to     
assist at it2 and so eager      was he  
for ,father ,mac,grane's instructions1  
that the intervening      time from one 
,sunday to another seemed to him very   
long4 ,he      attributed his cure to   
the ,blessed ,virgin1 and it was indeed 
most remarkable2 for he was out of the  
physician's hands long      before many 
other soldiers of the same ward whose   
wounds were      less dangerous1 and who
 had received the same attentions1 were 

able to leave their beds4 ,he asked for 
a furlough that he might      visit his 
wife1 whom he was very anxious to see a 
member of the      true ,church1 but    
'knowing her prejudice against          
,catholics1 he      dared hope for such 
a happiness4' ,it was1 nevertheless1    
granted      him2 she consented to be   
baptized with her children1 and ,duken  
returned to the hospital1 blessing ,god 
and the holy ,virgin for      the       
wonderful graces bestowed on his family4
        ,our ,sisters of the ,south1    
like those of the ,north1 were      in  
great demand wherever sufferings and    
miseries claimed      relief1 and they  
responded to the call with a holy       
courage and      eagerness4        ,in  
these divers localities was the         
,miraculous ,medal the      instrument  
,god frequently employed in delivering  
souls from      the yoke of ,satan4 ,how
 often have we seen ,mary's image       
kissed respectfully by lips which had   
formerly uttered only      blasphemies  

against the ,mother of ,god6 ,every one 
asked for      a medal2 some1 no doubt1 
urged by curiosity or the desire      of
 possessing a souvenir of the ,sisters1 
as they themselves      acknowledged2   
but1 even so1 they could not carry upon 
their person this sweet image1 without  
growing better and      experiencing the
 effects of ,mary's protection4 ,in     
nearly every      case1 what rendered   
the triumph of grace still more         
remarkable      was the fact of its     
acting upon men who were not only       
ignorant1      but fanatical1 hating the
 name of ,catholic1 and excited to      
fury at the sight of a priest4 ,a       
,sister relates that she      ventured1 
one day1 to ask a soldier1 who was in   
the threshold      of eternity1 if he   
had been baptized4 ',no1' was the reply1
 in      a voice of thunder2 'no1 and ,i
 have no wish to be plunged in          
water just now4 ,let me alone6'         
',recommending him to ,mary1' says the  
,sister1 ',i left him4      ,towards    

evening1 ,i heard a noise in the ward in
 the direction      of his bed1 and the 
attendant came in haste to say that the 
patient had sent for me4' ',ah6' said   
the latter1 in a tone      very         
different from that of his morning's    
speech2 ',i am dying1      baptize me1  
,i beg of you4' ',giving him briefly the
 necessary      instruction1 ,i         
administered the holy rite1 and a few   
hours      later he peacefully expired4'
        ,rarely did these poor soldiers 
complain of their fate2 though      but 
little accustomed to the rigors of      
military life1 they bore      them with 
admirable patience4 ,however1 there was 
one exception      to the general rule1 
that of an old soldier1 who murmured    
continually and accused ,god of         
afflicting him unjustly4      ,arguments
 were worse than useless1 they served   
but to aggravate      the evil4 ,failing
 in this means to bring him to a better 
state      of mind1 ,i offered him a    
medal of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,by      

degrees1 his complaints ceased1 his     
countenance became composed      and    
serene1 and ,i had the consolation of   
seeing him expire in      the most      
edifying dispositions4      ,,the ,,war 
,,between ,,prussia ,,and ,,austria1    
#ahff4    ,letter of ,mr4 ,stroever1    
,priest of the ,mission1 ,july #ast1    
#ahfg3        ,the wounded arrive in    
great numbers1 and all our houses are   
filled4 ,every one wishes to have a     
medal2 ,i inquired of one1      who had 
begged for a medal at any price1 if he  
were a ,catholic4      ',no1' was the   
answer2 ',i am a ,protestant but ,i     
would like to      have it as a souvenir
 of yourself2' and he received it most  
gratefully4        ,we observe a certain
 degree of piety among the soldiers1    
and the sick are most eager to receive  
the ,sacraments4 ,the      ,protestants 
show a remarkable inclination to        
,catholicity4 ,not      only the private
 soldiers1 but even persons of          
distinction1      wishing to have       

medals1 scapulars or a crucifix4 ,they  
take no      measures to conceal these  
objects of devotion1 and no one seems   
surprised at seeing them on their       
persons4      ,,reminiscences ,,of ,,the
 ,,commune1 ,,paris1 #ahga4    ,notes of
 a ,sister of the ,hospital d',enghien3 
,during the siege1 we had placed        
,miraculous ,medals over all the        
doors and windows of the house4 ,as one 
of our ,sisters expressed      the      
intention of concealing them1 ,sister   
,catherine exclaimed3      ',no1 no2    
they must be seen2 put them in the      
middle of the      principal entrance4' 
,during the few days immediately        
preceding our departure from      the   
house1 the federal national guards said 
to one another3      ',let us go and ask
 the venerable ,sister ,catherine for   
medals2      she has given some to our  
comrades who have shown them to us1     
we would like to have them too4' ',but  
you1 poor creatures1'      replied a    
,sister1 'you have no faith1 no         

religion1 what good      will the medal 
do you4' ',very true1 ,sister1' said    
they1 'we      have not much faith1 but 
we believe in the medal2 it has         
protected others1 it will also protect  
us1 and when we go to      battle1 it   
will help us to die as brave soldiers4' 
,good ,sister      ,catherine gave      
medals to all who presented themselves1 
and      many1 who belonged to the      
enemy1 sent their comrades to procure   
them4        ,after the army had entered
 ,paris1 thirty of the wounded          
insurgents1 before being brought to     
trial1 were sent to the      ,hospital  
d',enghien to be nursed by the ,sisters4
 ,the house      was already transformed
 into an ambulance1 and we were         
obliged to take one of the dormitories  
of the orphans for the                  
newly-arrived patients4 ,the appearance 
of these men were so      frightful1    
that ,sister ,eugenie who had been      
appointed to attend      them1 had not  
the courage for the first two days to   

make any      suggestions to them       
concerning religion2 but finally1       
feeling      that she must comply with  
her duty1 and urged by the advice of    
a companion1 she went to ,sister        
,catherine and asked for medals      for
 the insurgents4 ,sister gave them      
cheerfully1 and encouraged      her to  
use this powerful means of inspiring    
these unfortunate      men with         
,christian sentiments4 ,animated by this
 thought1 ,sister      ,eugenie repaired
 to the ward1 and much affected1        
proposed      to say evening prayers4   
',yes1 ,sister1' answered some among    
them4 ,trembling1 she began2 but at the 
,creed1 overcome by      excitement and 
terror1 she wept like a child1 and was  
obliged      to pause4 ,when she        
recovered her voice1 it was not to      
continue      the prayers1 but to tell  
the prisoners how much she felt at the  
thought that on the morrow1 they would  
be judged and perhaps      condemned2   
then making them a brief exhortation1   

inspired by      the circumstances1 she 
offered to give each one a medal of the 
,blessed ,virgin1 begging them to retain
 it about their person1      happen what
 might4 ,the proposition was accepted   
immediately1      but ,sister ,eugenie  
was too frightened to give the medal    
into      their hands2 in the middle of 
the night1 when all seemed to be        
asleep1 she quietly placed a medal under
 each one's pillow4      ,how great was 
her joy next morning1 to see all these  
poor      insurgents with the medal     
around their neck4        ,the          
,superioress came into the hall where   
the men were      collected and asked if
 they wished a priest to come and hear  
their confessions4 ,all consented with  
unequivocal signs of      gratitude4 ,a 
good priest1 one of the hostages of the 
,commune1      came and heard their     
confession4 ,on leaving them he seemed  
much consoled1 and said he had every    
reason to hope for their      salvation4
 ,the unfortunate men left the house at 

seven o'clock1      and were conducted  
to ,versailles2 they were calm and      
resigned1      and when about to leave1 
showed the ,sisters the medal they      
wore4 ,doubtless1 ,god accepted the     
sacrifice of their life in              
atonement for their faults4             
,illustration      ,,chapter ,,ix4      
,recent ,apparitions of the ,blessed    
,virgin    ,,in ,,france1 ,,italy ,,and 
,,germany4    ,,the ,,confidence ,,with 
,,which ,,these ,,apparitions ,,should  
,,inspire ,,us4      ,the definition of 
the dogma of the ,immaculate            
,conception1 has1 in our  age1 brought  
to its climax1 devotion to the ,blessed 
,virgin4 ,divine  ,providence employed  
twenty-four years in preparing the world
 for this  great event2 we have seen in 
the preceding chapters1 how much the    
apparition of #ahcj1 contributed        
thereto1 and how powerful the influence 
of the ,miraculous ,medal in propagating
 this devotion4 ,since this time a      
second period of twenty-four years has  

elapsed1 during which devotion  to the  
,immaculate ,mary has shone as a radiant
 star in the firmament  of the ,church1 
spreading everywhere the light of truth 
and the warmth  of true piety2 and1 by a
 gentle yet efficacious impulse1        
producing  unanimity of mind and heart  
in the great ,catholic family4    ,since
 the definition1 as well as before it1  
,france continues to be the  privileged 
country of ,mary2 nowhere else are      
miracles so numerous1 or  graces so     
abundant4 ,whence arises this glorious  
prerogative8 ,so far as  we are         
permitted to penetrate the secrets of   
,god1 it appears to us1 to  our         
understanding3 ,france who has wrought  
so much evil by disseminating           
philosophical and revolutionary         
doctrines1 is to repair the past by     
propagating truth1 and ,mary desires to 
prepare her for this mission4  ,everyone
 knows1 moreover1 that the ,french      
character possesses a force  of         
expansion and a power of energy that    

render the ,french eminently  qualified 
to maintain the interests of truth and  
justice4 ,then1 again1  is not ,france  
the eldest daughter of the ,church1     
since she was baptized  in the person of
 ,clovis1 the first of the ,most        
,christian ,kings2 and in  virtue of    
this title1 is it not her duty to devote
 herself under the  patronage of her    
,mother in heaven to the defence of her 
,mother on earth8    ,be the motives of 
,mary's predilection for the ,french    
nation what they  may1 the fact is      
incontrovertible4 ,nevertheless1 the    
,blessed ,virgin has  not forgotten     
other ,catholic countries2 they also    
have had their share  in the singular   
favors she has so generously dispensed  
in our days4      ,,our ,,lady ,,of     
,,lourdes4--#aheh4    ,four years after 
the definition of the ,immaculate       
,conception1 ,mary  vouchsafed to       
manifest herself anew to the world1 and 
this time1 as if  in token of her       
gratitude1 she took the glorious name   

the ,church had  just decreed her3 ,i am
 the ,immaculate ,conception4 ,it was in
 ,france  that the vision of the medal  
took place1 preparatory to the act of   
,december #hth1 #ahed2 it was also in   
,france1 at ,lourdes1 in the diocese  of
 ,tarbes1 at the base of the ,pyrenees1 
that ,mary came in person1 to  testify  
and proclaim that privilege which she   
prized above all others4  ,in #ahcj1 she
 choose a young1 unlettered ,sister for 
her confidant2 in  #ahdf1 she addressed 
herself to two poor peasant children2 in
 #aheh1 she  also selects one in the    
humblest ranks of life as the depository
 of her  merciful designs4              
,bernadette ,soubirous1 born at ,lourdes
 in #ahdd1 of poor parents1 was  a young
 girl of weak and delicate health2 she  
could neither read nor  write2 she knew 
no prayers but her ,chaplet1 and she    
could speak only  the patois of the     
country4 ,on ,february #aath1 #aheh1    
says she1 my  parents were in great     
perplexity for want of wood to cook the 

dinner4 ,i  put on my hood1 and offered 
to go with my younger sister ,marie and 
our  friend1 the little ,jeanne ,abadie1
 to pick up some dead branches4 ,the    
three children repaired to the bank of  
the ,gave1 opposite the grotto  of      
,masabielle2 in which were collected the
 sand and branches of trees  drifted    
there by the current4 ,but to reach the 
grotto1 it was necessary  to wade       
through the shallow bed of the river4   
,marie and ,jeanne took off  their shoes
 without hesitation2 ,bernadette delayed
 and feared to cross1  as she was       
suffering from a cold4 ,whilst thus     
deliberating1 she was  astonished by a  
rushing of wind1 instantly repeated1    
though the trees  near the river were   
motionless4 ,one vine only was slightly 
agitated1  an eglantine1 which grew in  
the upper part of this natural grotto4  
,this niche and the wild rose within    
reflected a most extraordinary          
brilliancy2 a ,lady of admirable beauty 
appeared in the niche1 her feet  resting

 on the eglantine1 her arms gracefully  
bent1 and her hands  joined2 with a     
sweet smile1 she saluted the child4     
,bernadette's first  emotion was one of 
fear2 she instinctively grasped her     
chaplet1 as if  seeking defence in it1  
and she tried to raise her hand to make 
the sign  of the cross1 but her arm fell
 powerless and her terror increased4    
,the  ,lady also had a ,chaplet         
suspended from her left wrist2 taking it
 in  her right hand1 she made a very    
distinct sign of the cross1 and passed  
between her fingers the beads 7white as 
drops of milk72 but her lips  did not   
move4 ,she smiled upon the shepherdess1 
who1 reassured from  this moment1       
recovered the use of her arm1 made the  
sign of the cross  and recited the      
,chaplet4 ,the little ,bernadette       
remained on her knees  nearly an hour1  
in ecstacy4 ,at length1 the ,lady made  
her a sign to  approach1 but ,bernadette
 did not move4 ,then the ,lady1         
extending her  hand1 smiled1 and1 bowing

 as if bidding farewell1 disappeared4   
,returned  to herself1 ,bernadette      
thought of rejoining her companions1    
who1 having  seen nothing1 were at a    
loss to understand her conduct4 ,she    
entered  the water1 which she found1 to 
her surprise1 of a gentle warmth4 ,on   
reaching home1 she imparted the secret  
to her sister1 and then to her  mother1 
who did not credit it4    ,however1 the 
child being tormented by an earnest     
desire to behold the  apparition again1 
her parents granted permission for her  
return to the  grotto with several      
companions2 the same manifestation took 
place and  the same ecstacy4 ,on        
,thursday1 ,february #ahth1 she again   
repaired to the  grotto2 the apparition 
was visible for the third time1 and the 
,lady  requested ,bernadette to come    
there daily for a fortnight4 ,bernadette
  promised4 ,and ,i1 replied the ,lady1 
promise to render you happy not  in this
 world1 but the next4    ,on the        
succeeding days1 the young girl went to 

the grotto1 accompanied  by her parents 
and an ever increasing crowd4 ,none of  
them saw or  heard anything4 ,the       
transfiguration of the countenance of   
,bernadette  announced the presence of a
 supernatural being1 who urged the child
 to  pray for sinners4    ,on the sixth 
day of the fortnight1 the august ,lady  
revealed to  ,bernadette three secrets1 
forbidding her to communicate them to   
any  one4 ,she taught her a prayer1 and 
charged her with a message4 ,you will   
go1 said she1 and tell the priest that a
 chapel must be built here1  and that   
the people must come here in procession4
    ,bernadette communicated this order 
to the cur1 but he hesitated to  believe
 the child1 and told her to ask the     
,lady for a sign which might  confirm   
her words1 for example1 to make the wild
 rose which winter has  divested of its 
leaves1 break forth into blossom1 then  
the month of  ,february4    ,the        
,blessed ,virgin did not judge proper to
 grant the miracle1 but she  tried      

,bernadette's obedience1 by commanding  
her to kiss the ground  on several      
occasions1 and to climb the rock on her 
knees1 praying  meantime for sinners4   
,one day she enjoined upon her to go and
 drink at  the fountain of the grotto1  
to wash therein1 and to eat of a certain
  herb which grew in that place4        
,bernadette saw no fountain1 and no one 
had ever heard of one in the grotto1 yet
 on a sign from the ,lady1 the  docile  
child dug the earth with her fingers1   
and discovered a muddy  water which1    
notwithstanding her repugnance1 she used
 as commanded4    ,at the end of several
 days1 the little thread of muddy water 
had become  a limpid and abundant       
spring1 and what was still more         
marvelous1 it  wrought innumerable      
prodigies4 ,on ,february #bfth1 by the  
use of this  water1 a man who had gone  
blind twenty years previous1 by the     
explosion  of a mine1 recovered his     
sight1 and on the last day of the       
fortnight1 a  child dying1 or as was    

supposed1 dead1 regained life and health
 in the  waters of this fountain4    ,we
 will not dwell here upon the           
persecutions directed against           
,bernadette by the magistrates1 or upon 
the vexations besetting the  pilgrims   
who flocked hither from all parts of the
 world4 ,every one has  read these      
details in the work of ,m4 ,lasserre1   
who so ably depicts the  dignity and    
firmness displayed in the affair by the 
parish priest1 ,m4  ,peyramale4    ,the 
apparition of ,march #beth1 has a       
special significance4 ,bernadette1  on  
several occasions1 inquired the ,lady's 
name4 ,at this question1 the  vision1 on
 the day mentioned1 unclasped her hands1
 the chaplet of  golden chain and       
alabaster grains sliding on to her arm4 
,she opened her  arms and directed them 
towards the earth1 as if to indicate    
that her  virginal hands were filled    
with benedictions for the human race2   
then  raising them towards the celestial
 country1 whence descended on this  day 

the divine messenger of the             
,annunciation1 she clasped them with    
fervor1 and looking towards heaven with 
an indescribable expression  of         
gratitude1 she pronounced these words3  
,i am the ,immaculate  ,conception4     
,having said this1 she disappeared1 and 
the child found  herself and the        
multitude in presence of a bare rock4   
,the ,immaculate ,virgin appeared to    
,bernadette twice again2 on ,easter     
,monday1 ,april #eth1 and ,july #afth1  
the ,feast of our ,lady of ,mount       
,carmel4    ,the following #bhth of     
,july1 the ,bishop of ,tarbes named a   
commission of  inquiry1 composed of     
ecclesiastics1 physicians and learned   
men4 ,july  #ahth1 #ahfb1 he published a
 decree concerning the events that had  
taken  place at ,lourdes2 it was couched
 in the following words3        ,we     
judge that the ,immaculate ,mother of   
,god did really appear      to          
,bernadette ,soubirous1 ,feb4 #aath1    
#aheh1 and on succeeding      days to   

the number of eighteen times in the     
grotto of      ,masabielle1 near the    
city of ,lourdes2 that this apparition  
bears all the characteristics of truth1 
and that the faithful      may rely upon
 its reality4    ,mary had petitioned   
that a chapel be built upon the spot4   
,the first  stone was laid in the month 
of ,october1 #ahfb1 the piety of        
pilgrims  furnishing the necessary funds
 for the erection of the edifice1 and on
  the #bast of ,may1 #ahfh1 the ,holy   
,mass was celebrated there for the first
  time1 in the crypt which was to bear  
the new sanctuary4 ,the connection      
existing between the apparitions of     
#aheh and #ahcj is indicated by two     
painted windows in the sanctuary1 one of
 which represents ,bernadette's  vision1
 the other that of ,sister ,catherine4  
,the pilgrimage to ,lourdes has assumed 
vast proportions2 thanks to the         
railroads1 the pilgrims each year number
 hundreds of thousands1 coming  from    
every quarter of the globe1 and         

countless miracles recompense the  faith
 of those who seek in this sanctuary the
 merciful power of the  ,immaculate     
,mary4    ,the grotto of ,lourdes1      
reproduced in a thousand places1 has    
become one  of the most popular objects 
of devotion4    ,as to ,bernadette1 the 
interest and veneration attached to her 
have not  in the least affected her     
candor and simplicity4 ,she has retired 
to the  convent of ,sisters             
,hospitallers of ,nevers1 and nothing   
distinguishes  her from the most humble 
of her companions4      ,,our ,,lady    
,,of ,,pontmain 7,,diocese ,,of         
,,laval74--#ahga4        ,france1 having
 been invaded by the ,prussians1 was    
conquered2      ,paris was besieged and 
suffered the horrors of famine1         
aggravated by the rigors of an extremely
 cold winter4 ,it      was at this      
period the ,blessed ,virgin vouchsafed  
to appear1      bringing words of hope  
and consolation to the people of her    
predilection4 ,the place favored with   

this apparition was the      little town
 of ,pontmain1 situated about four      
leagues from      ,fougres1 on the      
confines of the dioceses of ,laval and  
,rennes4      ,it was ,monday1 ,january 
#agth1 #ahga1 about six o'clock in the  
evening2 ,eugne ,barbedette1 a child    
aged twelve years1 looking      from the
 door of the barn where he was occupied 
with his father      and younger        
brother1 ,joseph1 aged ten years1       
perceived in the      air1 a little     
above and behind the house of the family
 of      ,guidecoq1 which was opposite  
him1 a tall and beautiful ,lady1        
who smiled upon him4 ,he called his     
brother1 his father1 and      a woman of
 the village who was talking to him at  
the moment4      ,but his brother was   
the only one except himself who saw the 
vision1 and both gave exactly the same  
description of this      wonderful      
being4 ,the ,lady was clothed in a      
wide-sleeved blue      robe1 embroidered
 with golden stars4 ,her dress descended

 to      the shoes1 which were also     
blue1 fastened with a clasp of          
gold-colored ribbon4 ,she wore a black  
veil1 covering a portion      of her    
forehead and falling behind her         
shoulders to the girdle4      ,upon her 
head was a golden circle like a diadem1 
and with no      ornament but a red line
 passing through the middle4 ,her face  
was delicate1 very white1 and of        
incomparable beauty4        ,in a little
 while1 quite a crowd had collected     
around the      barn-door2 ,madame      
,barbedette1 the ,sisters in charge of  
the      parish school1 the venerable   
cur1 and more than sixty other          
persons1 but of all these1 only two     
shared the happiness of the             
,barbedette children4 ,these two were   
also children1 boarders      at the     
convent4 ,frances ,richer1 aged eleven  
years1 and ,jane      ,mary ,leboss1    
aged nine and a half4 ,the other        
spectators were      witnesses only of  
the joy and happiness of the four       

privileged      ones1 but all were      
convinced that it was truly the ,blessed
      ,virgin who had appeared4         
,the ,blessed ,virgin's attitude was at 
first1 that seen in the      ,miraculous
 ,medal4 ,after the parish priest       
arrived1 a circle of      blue was      
formed around the apparition1 and a     
small red cross      like that worn by  
pilgrims1 appeared on the ,blessed      
,virgin's      heart4 ,all began to     
pray4 ,suddenly the vision was enlarged1
      and outside the blue circle1      
appeared a long white strip or          
band1 on which the children saw letters 
successively traced      and forming    
those words3 ',but pray1 my children4   
,god will1 in      a short time hear    
you4 ,my ,son allows himself to be      
touched by      your supplications4'    
,then1 raising her hands1 as if in      
unison      with the singing of the     
canticle1 ',mother of hope1' there      
appeared in them a red crucifix at the  
top of which was the      inscription3  

,jesus ,christ4        ,this prodigy was
 visible for three hours4 ,after        
juridical      information1 ,mgr4       
,wicart1 ,bishop of ,laval1 confirmed by
 a      solemn judgment1 the reality of 
the apparition4        ,on the #agth of 
,january1 #ahgb1 the first anniversary  
of the      event1 a beautiful statue   
representing the apparition1 was        
solemnly set up1 in presence of more    
than eight thousand      pilgrims1 and a
 magnificent church is now in course of 
erection      on the spot4        ,the  
,holy ,see has authorized the clergy of 
the diocese of ,laval      to recite the
 ,office and celebrate the ,mass of the 
,immaculate      ,conception1 every     
year1 on the #agth of ,january2 and by  
,papal      brief1 an archconfraternity1
 under the title of ,our ,lady of       
,hope1 has been instituted in the parish
 of ,pontmain4#cf        ,footnote #cf3 
,extract of a relation approved by the  
,bishop of      ,laval4           99    
99       99       99       99    ,we    

could enumerate many other apparitions  
of the ,blessed ,virgin in  ,france1    
but1 not having been approved1 by       
ecclesiastical authority1 we  dare not  
give them as authentic4 ,we shall       
mention only the apparitions  with which
 ,miss ,estelle ,faguette was favored   
with at ,pellevoisin1 in  the diocese of
 ,bourges4 ,the instantaneous cure of   
this lady1 afflicted  by a malady judged
 incurable1 may be regarded as evidence 
of the truth  of the account4 ,moreover1
 the ,archbishop of ,bourges appears to 
have  considered it reliable1 as he has 
authorized the erection of a chapel  in 
memory of the event4 ,on the #adth of   
,february1 #ahgf1 the ,blessed  ,virgin 
appeared to ,miss ,faguette1 and the    
vision was repeated fifteen  times in   
the space of ten months4 ,mary's        
attitude was similar to that            
represented on the ,miraculous ,medal1  
except that the rays proceeding  from   
her hands were replaced by drops of dew1
 symbols of grace4 ,a  scapular of the  

,sacred ,heart of ,jesus was on her     
breast4    ,mary expressed her love for 
,france1 but complained of her          
admonitions  being disregarded4 ,she    
recommended fervent prayer1 by the      
fulfillment  of which duty we may       
confidently rely upon ,god's mercy4     
,what have ,i not done for ,france8 said
 she4 ,how many      warnings have ,i   
not given6 ,yet1 this unhappy land      
refuses to      listen4 ,i can no longer
 restrain my ,son's wrath4 ,france will 
suffer4 ,have courage and confidence4 ,i
 come especially for the      conversion
 of sinners4 ,you must pray2 ,i set you 
the example4      ,my ,son's heart has  
so great love for my heart that ,he     
cannot      refuse my petitions4 ,you   
must all pray1 and have confidence6     
,showing the scapular1 she said3 ,i love
 this devotion4           99       99   
99       99       99    ,who has not    
heard of the wonderful manifestations of
 the ,blessed ,virgin  in ,italy of late
 years8 ,how many thousands of persons1 

moved by piety  or curiosity1 have      
visited the ,madonnas of ,rimini1 of    
,san ,ginesio1  of ,vicovaro1 of        
,prosessi1 etc41 and have witnessed the 
movement of  the eyes1 the change of    
color1 and other miraculous signs       
certainly  attributable to none but a   
supernatural power4 ,it does not appear1
  however1 that ,mary has1 in this      
country1 presented herself in person1   
though here she receives the most       
sincere and abundant tributes of        
affection4 ,doubtless1 she considers any
 stimulus to the faith of its  people   
unnecessary4 ,and besides1 may we not   
say that she has fixed her  abode in    
,italy1 since her own house1 the house  
of ,nazareth1 wherein the  mystery of   
the ,incarnation was accomplished1 and  
where dwelt the ,holy  ,family1 has been
 transported thither by the hands of    
angels8           99       99       99  
99       99    ,whilst the ,prussian    
government is persecuting the ,church1  
the ,blessed  ,virgin vouchsafed to     

appear in the two most ,catholic        
provinces of her  kingdom1 and in two   
opposite frontiers1 near the banks of   
the ,rhine  and in the ,grand ,duchy of 
,posen4 ,does she not seem to say to the
 good  people of these localities1 that 
they must have confidence and that  ,god
 will conquer their enemies8 ,we must   
remark that on both of these  occasions1
 ,mary announces herself as the ,virgin 
conceived without  sin4    ,we give an  
abridged account of these two           
apparitions1 which we have  every reason
 to consider supernatural4 ,the second  
vision had been  formally approved by   
the ,bishop of ,ermeland4    ,on the    
#crd of ,july1 #ahgf1 at ,marpingen1 an 
inconsiderable village of  the district 
of ,trves 7,rhenish ,prussia71 the      
,blessed ,virgin appeared  to three     
little girls1 in a pine forest about the
 hour of the evening4  ,the three       
children were each about eight years of 
age1 and belonged  to families of poor1 
honest farmers residing in the village4 

,they  perceived a bright light1 and in 
the midst of it a beautiful ,lady       
seated1 holding a child in her right    
arm4 ,the ,lady and child were clad  in 
white1 the ,lady crowned with red roses1
 and in her clasped hands1 a  little    
cross4    ,the vision was renewed       
several times4 ,to the childrens'       
questions as  to her name1 she answered2
 ,i am she who was conceived without    
sin2  and when asked what she desired1  
the reply was3 ,that you pray with      
fervor1 and that you commit no sin4     
,several sick persons were cured by     
touching the place which the children   
pointed out as that occupied by  the    
,blessed ,virgin4 ,these facts are      
incontestable2 but they have not  yet   
been examined by ecclesiastical         
authority4#cg        ,footnote #cg3     
,extract from ,catholic ,annals4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,in the village of ,grietzwald1 in      
,varmia1 one of the ancient provinces   
of ,poland annexed to ,prussia1 four    

young girls1 poor and of great          
innocence1 were favored on various      
occasions for two months1 beginning     
,june #bgth1 #ahgg1 with apparitions of 
the ,blessed ,virgin1 who appeared      
sometimes alone1 sometimes carrying the 
,child ,jesus1 holding in his  hands a  
globe surmounted by a cross4 ,both      
,mother and ,child were clothed  in     
white4    ,to the children's question3  
,who are you8 the apparition answered1  
on  one occasion3 ,i am the ,blessed    
,virgin ,mary1 conceived without sin2   
and another time1 ,i am the ,immaculate 
,conception4    ,in the first           
apparition1 our ,lady's countenance was 
sad1 and she even  shed tears2          
afterwards1 it betokened joy4 ,she asked
 that a chapel be  erected and a statue 
of the ,immaculate ,conception placed   
therein4 ,at  each apparition she       
blessed the crowd1 which was always     
numerous2 she  blessed also a spring1   
which has since then furnished an       
abundant  supply of water1 effecting    

miraculous cures4 ,she recommended the  
recitation of the ,rosary1 and exhorted 
all to fervent prayer1 and  confidence  
in the midst of the trials which were to
 come4#ch        ,footnote #ch3 ,letters
 from ,poland4           99       99    
99       99       99    ,these recent   
apparitions of the ,blessed ,virgin have
 founded new  pilgrimages1 the faithful 
flocking to the favored spots in honor  
of the  ,mother of ,god1 and ask for the
 graces which she bestows with a truly  
royal liberality4 ,at the same time her 
ancient sanctuaries1 far from  being    
neglected1 have only become more        
endeared to piety1 many having  been    
reconstructed with magnificence1 or at  
least most handsomely  embellished2 it  
suffices to mention ,fourvires1         
,notre-,dame-de-la-,garde1  ,rocamadour1
 ,boulogne-sur-mer1 ,liesse and         
,buglose4    ,the coronation of the most
 celebrated statues of the ,blessed     
,virgin1  in the name and by the        
munificence of ,pius ,,ix1 was the      

occasion of  imposing solemnities1 and  
also a means of infusing into the       
devotion of  the people greater vigor   
and fervor4    ,the exercises of the    
,month of ,mary have extended to the    
most humble  villages1 and there is     
scarcely a parish without its           
confraternity in  honor of the ,blessed 
,virgin4    ,science1 eloquence1 poetry1
 music1 sculpture1 painting and         
architecture  have rivalled one another 
in celebrating the glory of the ,virgin 
,mother4    ,what may we deduce from    
this wonderful increase of devotion to  
the  ,immaculate ,mary8    ,the         
impression naturally produced is that of
 confidence4 ,a society  which pays such
 homage to ,mary1 cannot perish4 ,if1 as
 ,st ,bernard says1  it is unheard of   
that any one has been forsaken who had  
recourse to  her intercession1 how were 
it possible that the fervent prayers of 
an  entire people should fail to touch  
her heart8 ,no1 the future is not       
without hope2 the mediation of ,mary    

will save us4    ,the venerable         
,grignion of ,montfort1 in his ,treatise
 on true devotion  to the ,blessed      
,virgin has written these lines3 ,it is 
by the ,blessed  ,virgin ,mary1 ,jesus  
,christ came into the world2 it is also 
by her1  that he is to reign in the     
world4 ,if then1 as is certain1 the     
reign  of ,jesus ,christ will come1 so  
likewise is it certain that this reign  
will be a necessary consequence of the  
knowledge and reign of the  ,blessed    
,virgin4 ,mary1 by the operation of the 
,holy ,ghost1 produced that  most       
stupendous of all creations1 a          
,man-,god1 and she will produce by  the 
power of this same ,holy ,spirit1 the   
greatest prodigies in these  latter     
times4 ,it is through ,mary the         
salvation of the world began1 it  is    
through ,mary the salvation of the world
 is to be consummated4 ,mary  will      
display still greater mercy1 power and  
grace in these days4 ,mercy1  to bring  
back poor sinners2 power1 against the   

enemies of ,god2 grace1  to sustain and 
animate the valiant soldiers and        
faithful servants of  ,jesus ,christ1   
combating for ,his interests4 ,ah6 when 
will arrive the  day that establishes   
,mary mistress and sovereign of hearts1 
to subject  them to the empire of       
,jesus8444 ,then will great and         
wonderful things be  accomplished4444   
,when will this joyful epoch come1 this 
,age of ,mary1  in which souls absorbed 
in the abyss of the interior of ,mary1  
will  become living copies of the       
sublime1 original1 loving and glorifying
  ,jesus ,christ8    ,father de         
,montfort adds1 in addressing our       
,saviour3 ,ut adveniat regnum  tuum1    
adveniat regnum ,mari6 ,may the reign of
 ,mary come that they  reign1 ,o ,jesus1
 may come6    ,is not this the ,age of  
,mary8 ,was there ever in the ,church1 a
 period  in which ,mary was1 if we may  
thus express it1 so lavish of favors as 
in these1 our days8 ,was there ever a   
period in which she has appeared  so    

frequently and familiarly1 in which she 
has given to the world1  admonitions so 
grave and maternal2 in which she has    
worked so many  miracles2 and poured out
 graces so abundantly8 ,the reader of   
this  volume will answer unhesitatingly1
 that no period of history offers       
anything comparable to what we have     
witnessed in our own days4    ,it is    
true1 that the day of triumph announced 
by the venerated  ,montfort1 appears far
 distant2 one might say that the kingdom
 of ,god on  earth is more compromised  
than ever4 ,the wicked make unexampled  
efforts  to demolish the social edifice2
 they are numerous1 powerful1 and       
possessed of incalculable resources4    
,but for the ,church1 when all seems    
lost1 then is her triumph at hand4 ,god 
sometimes permits the malice of  men to 
exceed all bounds1 that ,his power may  
be the more manifest when  the moment of
 their defeat arrives4    ,all the      
united efforts of the ,church's enemies 
in the course of ages1  all their       

errors1 hatred and violence directed    
against her1 the ,spouse  of ,christ1   
are now concentrated in what is termed  
the ,revolution--that  is1              
anti-,christianity reduced to a system  
and propagated throughout the  world1 it
 is ,satan usurping the place of ,jesus 
,christ4    ,but ,he who has conquered  
the world1 and put to flight the prince 
of the  world1 will not permit ,himself 
to be dethroned4 ,he will reign1 and    
even  now1 before our eyes1 is ,his     
kingdom being prepared1 by the mediation
  of the ,immaculate ,mary1 of whom the 
promise was made that she should  crush 
the serpent's head1 and to whom alone   
belongs the privilege of  destroying all
 heresies arising upon earth4           
,,the ,,end4          ,transcriber's    
,note3 ,the book included a decorative  
image at the  beginning of each chapter4
    ,the labels for these have been     
removed in the text version of  this    
book    ,the oe ligature has been       
expanded4 ,there were many printer's    

errors in  this publication1 which have 
been corrected4        ,page #be        
,extraordinay is now extraordinary4     
,page #aab physican is now physician4   
,page #aeh ,physycian is now for        
physician4      ,page #beh ,prepartion  
is now preparation4      ,page #bff     
,tranformed is now transformed4         
,inconsistent use of accents has        
resulted in #b words being  amended4    
,chalons is now ,chlons1 and ,eugene is 
now ,eugne4