Life of Sister Mary St. Peter_JANVIER - the Catholic Kingdom!

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LIFEOFCARMELITE OF TOURSWritten lay Herself.ARRANGED AND COMPLETED WITH THE AID OF HER LETTERS AND THE ANNALS OF HER MONASTERYBY M.L ABBfi JANVIER,Director of the Priests of the Holy Face.WITH THE APPROBATION OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS.TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCREVISED EDITION.1884HOLY

ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the Officeof the Librarian of Congress at Washington, inthe year 1883.Private Use Only

PEEFACE.The life which we are now about to offerthe public, will undoubtedly be acknowledgedone of the most remarkable that has appeared in our century. A poor, simple seamto bestress chosen as the mediator between theanger of a justly offended Grod and the sins ofa guilty, ungrateful people the :heavenlyambassadress to one of the mighty courts ofthe world the recipient of the most astonish:ing revelations and all this in our : days! Is itpossible that visions, ecstasies and revelationsare the lot of mortals of the nineteenth century ? Do these not rather belong to the daysof the prophets, of the apostles ? Sit NomenDomini benedictum !May the Name of the Lordbe blessed ! His arm is not shortened, nor hisholy spirit mute in our day more than intimes gone by. The life of this generousspouse of Christ is only one of the many proofsthat his Church is now, as it ever has been,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

IVPREFACE.:holy holy in her doctrine, holy in her ministers and holy in her children.In obedience to her superiors, Sister MarySt. Peter writes her own life, the charm ofwhich lies in its childlike simplicity. Herhumility and her obedience shine forth in everyline, producing the most wonderful fruits ofgenerosity and zeal for the salvation of souls.To establishWhat a heroic mission was hers !Eeparation in the Church to vindicate the;honor due to the most Holy Name of G-od.And with what admirable generosity, untiringzeal and devotedness without reserve, has shenot delivered herself to the Spirit of the MostHigh, to be a docile instrument in his handfor the glory of his Name, and the consolationof his Holy Face !It is to you, children of Erin, whom theiron heart of the usurper has driven from yourgreen hills and fertile valleys, to you who havebraved the perils of the deep, the dreary exilein the midst of a strange people, to you who,,in the midst of trials and dangers, of difficulties and hardships whose name iswho have gloriously surmounted every oblegion, youstacle and have succeeded in planting thefaith from ocean to ocean, from the ice-boundshores of the Canadas, to the zephyr-fannedPrivate Use Only

PREFACE.Yplains of Mexico, it is to you to uphold theglory of the Name of the Most High to teach;your children to honor this most Holy Name,to perform all things in the name of God, thehallowed expression of your ancestors : In theName of God. It is to you, the Irish Americanpeople, worthy children of a St. Patrick and aSt. Bridget, to youis this little book affectionately dedicated. May its perusal producefruit a hundred fold to the glory of the mostHoly Name of God !May 1, 1884.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

CONTENTS.CHAPTER I.PAGEOUR LITTLE BRETON 1Birth Early years First steps in virtue Her attraction for prayer First Communion Death ofher mother Her temptations Her pious amusements Learns a trade Admitted to a confraternity in honor of Blessed Virgin Aridities andtrials Change of confessor Makes a retreat.CHAPTER II.HER VOCATION 19Gratitude to the Blessed Virgin First thoughts ofquitting the world Her new director His opinion of his little penitent His counsels Her piouspractices of devotion Trials and rebuffs Hercharity manifested toward a poor family Her influence over them First account of the extraordinary operations of grace in her soul Her lovefor humiliations and sufferings Humiliations ordained by her confessor Consolations which sheexperienced Devotion to Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament To the Sacred Heart Miraculouscure.CHAPTER III.THE TRIAL 35Influence exercised over her companions Theirentertainments Illness of her sister Fears of herfather that she was about to leave him Embarass-Private Use Only

"CONTENTS.VIIments Second marriage of her father Visit toMeaux Permission from her confe&sor to enterthere Disappointment Recourse to St. Martin-Vision Avidity for prayer Charity toward theindigent sick Illness of her confessor Pilgrimage to Notre-Dame de la Peiniere Her confessordesires to send her to the Hospitaliers at EennesTrials Promise of Our Lord that she would be aCarmelite Poverty of her father a seeming obstacle Her adieus.CHAPTER IV.THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS 58Her departure Reception by the community Firsttrials in religious life History of the monasteryof Tours First Superiors Difficulties of thefoundation Fidelity of the sisters to their religious engagements during the revolution of 1789-Driven from their convent Sufferings of thereligious Prisons Return to their conventuallife Miraculous picture of the Blessed Virgin-Other sacred objects, in their possession.CHAPTER V.HER NOVITIATE 78Early endeavors to attain the spirit of her rulesfirst vision relative to Reparation Act of abandonment demanded by the Lord Objections ofthe mother prioress Summary of life of MotherMary of Incarnation Early life Call to religion Her character Devotion of Sr. Mary St.Peter to the Holy Infancy Consecration to theHoly Family The Ass of the Infant Jesus"Month of the Infant Jesus The devil tries tosmother her.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"VIIICONTENTS.CHAPTER VI.HER PROFESSION 96Her three demands at Chapter Her professionAct of Consecration Method of keeping in unionwith God Her spirit of mortification Her interview with an extraordinary confessor Approves her method of meditation Appointedportress Her prayers for Spain Our Lord againdemands the Act of Perfect AbandonmentChange of monasteries Troubles of the Superior Supernatural aid Vision of Our LordAttachment to sensible devotion.CHAPTER VII.THE GOLDEN DAGGER 123Communications on the Work of Reparation Extraordinary storm Reflections of the sister OurLord s first complaints of the sin of BlasphemyThe Golden Dagger Consoling promises Surpriseof the Prioress at the account of this vision Herdevotion to the Holy Name of God Her exercisein Reparation Her Superior refuses to recognizethese new devotions Submission of the sisterHer interior sufferings Finding of printed leaflet on Reparation Joy of Sister St. Peter M.Dupont distributes Forty Days Prayer among theCommunities Rigor of her Superiors diminishing Malady of the mother prioress Novenamade by the community for her recovery Cure.CHAPTER VIII.THE REPARATION 141"Confessors of the house The sister defines her visions The Lord demands the birth of the devotion at Carmel New communications The HolyName of God The sister offers a little billet tothe Blessed Virgin Our Lady of Good HelpPrivate Use Only

""And"CONTENTS.IXEeit of a novice Divine vengeance Blasphemydemoralizing modern society France the centre ofthis corroding evil The Association at HomePrayers of Reparation.CHAPTER IX.THE ASSOCIATION 167Interview with the Superior The sister obtainspermission to make her Act of abandonment tothe Infant Jesus She asks to have the ReparatoryPrayers printed Is refused Her letter to theprioress Her motto He was subject tothem Method of meditation given her by OurLord The Association Great desire of the sister for the establishment of Reparation.CHAPTER X.THE ARCHBISHOP 188Necessity of examining the revelations Character ofMgr. Morlot High esteem for M. Dupont Incident at the archbishopric The communications subjected to the decision of the prelateHis pastoral The Association of Notre Dame dela Riche The Lord encourages her to sufferThe carmelites leave their old monastery Gracesobtained by the Reparatory prayers.CHAPTER XI.THE LITTLE GOSPEL 207Death of the Duke of Orleans The Saviour desiresthe sister to relieve this soul Three years after, isassured of his beatitude Proof of this circumstance Mgr. Morlot s consoling letter to QueenAmelia Similar circumstance narrated in the lifeof a religious of the Visitation Our portress isbesieged by visitors The Little Gospel M.Dupont defrays the expenses Great favors obtained by the Little Gospel.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

XCONTENTS.CHAPTER XII.THEHOLY FACE 231The Lord encourages his servant to ask for an interview with the archbishop Visit of the archbishop to the sister His counsels EncouragementHer joy and consolation The archbishop approves the prayers New trials and temptationsVision of St. Veronica Our Lord first speaks ofhis Holy Face Consoling promises Establishesrelation between the Holy Face and the SacredHeart.CHAPTER XIII.VERONICA AND THE GOOD THIEF 250Another vision The piece of coin Great favors accorded through the intercession of St. VeronicaSecond vision Consoling promises in favor ofthose devoted to his Holy Face Third visionInfluence exercised by the Holy Face on St.Peter Prayer to the Holy Family Sign of ReparationOur Lord reproaches her for her neglectin praying for blasphemy Threats of divinejustice Our Lord thanks her Superior for her zealin promoting his work Appointed shepherdess byOur Lord to watch over souls Offers the exampleof Veronica and the Good Thief Magnificentpromises to those who devote themselves to Reparation He commands her to write his promises.CHAPTER XIV.LA SALETTE 269M. Dupout Intimacy with the Carmelites SisterSt. Peter asks him for a book treating on theBlessed Sacrament Esteem of the archbishop forM. Dupont The mother prioress relates the sisters vision in which she prophesies the apparitionof the Blessed Virgin (September, 1846) La Sa-Private Use Only

"""*CONTENTS.XIlette, October 22nd Reasons given by the mothersuperior why this communication is not foundin the sister s writings Joy and thanksgiving ofSr. St. Peter.CHAPTER XV.THE SINS OF FRANCE 283Interior sufferings The Lord warns her of his angerbecause of the profanation of the Sunday Inundation of the Loire Offers herself as a victim toavert the calamities which threaten FranceDemands theestablishment of the Work of Reparation Information of these revelations sent tothe archbishop Our Lord holds her responsiblefor all the sins of France Shows her the multitude daily falling into hell Invests her with allthe treasures of his Passion to ransom souls Hercharity toward the agonizing.GHAPTER XVI.THE OBSTACLES 300"Abridgment of facts addressed to the archbishopApprobation The litanies composed by the sisterauthorized M. Dupont distributes these Abridgments The Lord complains of the want of loveof the faithful Their neglect in visiting theBlessed Sacrament She points out the relationThe estabbetween the face and the name of a manlishment of the Reparation predicted The sistersaddened at the sight of the many difficultiesThe Abridgment of Facts noised abroad Disquietude of the archbishop Prohibits any furthermovement in the matter Submission of M. Dupont and the Community Chastisements announced She receives another command from theLord to write to the archbishop Opposition ofthe superior Sufferings of the sister.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

XIICONTENTS.CHAPTER XVILTHE COMMUNISTS 318Secret societies Their destructive principles TheLord bids her combat them with his cross Sheis afraid she has sinned in using imprecationsagainst them Her interior dispositions The"Work of Reparation, the salvation of France Sheasks other graces of Our Lord The Reparation tobe given to the world through the intercession ofMary He comparesit to a mine of gold Demands the Work The sister remits the work intothe hands of the Blessed Virgin Our Lady ofthe Holy Name of God.CHAPTER XVIII.THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY 336M. Lebrumont-Julien visits the Carmelites His interview with the Bishop of Langres ReparationCanonical erection of the Confraternity Pius IX.constitutes it an arch- confraternity Congregationestablished by Mile. Dubouche Her visionPicture of the Holy Face Renounces the worldFather Marie Augustin (Herman) Nightly adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.CHAPTER XIX.THE DIVINE MATERNITY 348Nature of the sister s communications explained bythe teaching of theologians St. Theresa Herdevotion to the Holy Infancy Hidden mystery-Jesus, infant in the arms of his Mother Scripturalreferences Confirms her singular revelations bythe writings of the saints Her exercices of devotion to the Infant Jesus Revelations of the samenature granted to a religious of Beaune Mary atthe foot of the cross becoming the Mother of allmen Legatee of the merits of Redemption.Private Use Only

"CONTENTS.XIIICHAPTEE XX.INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY 379Grief of the sister over the sterility of the church ofTours Prediction of new calamities Notice forwarded to the archbishop The Church menaced Her prayers for the Pope Eevolution atParis The Lord threatens her with a rigorousaccount of the graces received Begs a sign thatthe archbishop may be convinced Our Lordcommands her again to declare all her revelationsto the archbishop He sends his secretary Account of the interview Consolation from OurLord Ecce Homo.CHAPTEE XXI.HER VIRTUES 402Simplicity of her life Her appearance Her education Natural qualities of mind Good judgmentGayety Her concentration of mind Her charity Her devotion to the Blessed SacramentTo the Blessed Virgin Her humility Spirit ofsacrifice Perfect obedience Detachment EecollectionHer love for mortification The"Drum Testimony of one of the sisters.CHAPTEE XXII.HER ILLNESS AND DEATH 421Foretells her death Her strength commencing tofail Her days shortened by her continual application to the things of God She falls illOpinionof physiciaDs Eetires to the infirmary Her edifying resignation The remembrance of her intimate communications with the Lord withdrawnHer cruel sufferings Her Patience Confidencein God Annointed Asks pardon of the Community Gratitude toward her superior Her agonyAssaults of the devil Last benediction of the.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

XIVCONTENTS.archbishop Her last words Sit Nomen Dominibenedictum.HER BURIALCHAPTER XXIII.HER WORK^General opinion of her sanctity among the Carmelites One sister convinced after an extraordinarydream The great number who flocked to venerateher last remains Extraordinary cure The archbishop Sorrow of M. Dupont Pilgrimage to hergrave Her last remains transferred to CarmelMission of M. Dupont Origin of the pictureof the Holy Face Miracles wrought by the oilburning before the Holy Face at M. Dupont shouse His death House transformed into a public chapel The formation of the Order of Regulars of the Holy Face Rapid extension of theReparation.Sit Nomen Domini benedictum !Private Use Only

PROTEST OF THE TRANSLATOR.In obedience to the decrees of UrbainYIII.,of holy memory, we protest that we do notintend to attribute any other than purelyhuman authority to all the miracles, revelations, graces and incidents contained in thisbook, neither to the titles holy or blessed applied to the servants ofG-odnot yet canonized,except in cases where these have been confirmed by the Holy Roman Catholic Churchand by the Holy Apostolic See ; therefore, totheir judgment we submit all that is writtenin this book.The proceeds of the sale of this book are destined for a charitablepurpose.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""You""""PROMISESMade by Our Lord Jesus ChristSr. Mary St.those \vho honor his mostHoly Face.Peter in favor ofBy my Holy Face you will work marvels."will obtain from my Holy Face the salvationof a multitude of sinners.""If you could comprehend how agreeable the sightof my Holy Face is to my Heavenly Father !According to the care you take to repair my countenance disfigured by blasphemy, so shall I be animatedin the same degree to transform your soul which hasbeen disfigured by sin ; I will imprint thereon my ownimage, and I will render it as beautiful as when it cameforth from the baptismal font."Myadorable Face is the seal of the Divinity, havingthe power to imprint itself on the souls of those whoapply it to their persons."As in an earthly kingdom, the subjects can procureall they desire by being provided with a piece of moneystamped with the effigy of the monarch, so also shallyou be able to obtain all that you desire in the kingdomof heaven, on presenting the impress of my sacredhumanity, which ismyHoly Face."toPrivate Use Only

"LIIFIEOFSISTER MARY ST. PETER.CHAPTER I.OUU LITTLEBRETON.1weep over my sins."( Words of the Sister when but a child. )IT is to Catholic Brittany, that ground sofruitful in virtuous and heroic characters, thatwe are indebted for Sister Mary of St. Peter.She was born at Rennes, in 1816, of worthyand honest parents of whom but little is known.Her father, whose name was Peter Eluere,was a locksmith by trade, and married Frances Portier, a lady worthy by her piety ofsuch a h-usband, who, as we shall see, was a*Christian of the old school.Some years aftertheir marriageried off by death. Being thus left a widowerwith twelve children, Peter Eluere had to.this virtuous woman was carMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"2 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.endure many privations and sufferings, and tolabor assiduously to be able to bring up hischildren, and provide for them in their sickness which, for the most part, was long andfatal ;for he beheld them all, one after theother consigned to the tomb, with the exception of one son and one daughter, who survivedhim. His glory before Grod and man was tohave given to Carmel and to the Church thechild of benediction, whose life we have undertaken to narrate.When Sister Mary St. Peter had becomea religious, she was obliged by obedience towrite her own life, even the most minutedetails of the early years of her childhood.We shall make an extensive use of her lettersand other writings during the course of ourmuch as possible thenarrative, preserving assimple and unassuming style so natural to her.She thus enters upon the task set beforeher.Notwithstanding the great repugnance Iexperience in writing of matters concerning*myself, I will not hesitate to submit to theorders of obedience. I shall perform what Ihave beencommanded with the assistance ofthe child Jesus, into whose revered little handI have placed my pen, entreating him to write-an account of the precious graces which hehas accorded me, and my malice in so oftenoffending Him, that thereby Grod the Fathermay be glorified for having by his almightypower produced such abundant fruit for thePrivate Use Only

"OUR LITTLE BRETON. 3glory of his Holy Name,^ from such sterileground covered with the brambles and thornsof sin and imperfection. At the feet of thechild Jesus in the manger,I now commencemy narrative, in obedience to you, reverendMother."!I was born on the 4th of October 1816, aday rendered memorable by the death of ourholy Mother, St. Theresa it was also the feast;of St. Francis of Assissium, whose name mymother bore. I was baptized in the churchof St. Grermain, at Rennes, receiving for patronsSt. Peter and St. Francis of Assisium. Mypoor, dear mother received on this, her birthday, a sad bouquet, in presenting to the worlda little girl who was to cause her so manyanxieties, and such solicitude, by her ill healthand her wilfulness. She confided me to thecare of a nurse, who was a most excellent person. But about a month after my birth, anaccident occurred, which would have causedmy death, had it not been for the special protection of G-od. My nurse, having gone outfor a moment, left me in my cradle. One ofher little girls took me in her arms and carried me to the fireplace to keep me warm;but I fell from her hold into the fire : I havealways retained the marks of this accident* She alluded to the work of reparation for blasphemies with whichour Lord, himself, inspired her, and which really contributed to theglory of his Holy Name.t The Mother Prioress of the Carmelite MonasteryJ of Tours,Mary of the Incarnation, of whom we shall speak farther on.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""From"LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.even to this day. My mother, much grievedat the occurrence, dismissed this woman fromher service/I will now jrive CJan account of one of thefirst acts of malice which I can remember.When I had grown a little older, some onetold me ofthe accident, which had happenedold nurseto me. To my surprise, my goodcame one day to see me. I received her coldly,with much remarking1 asperity: You havealready "burned one of my cheeks, have youcome to-day to disfigure the other?" At fouryears of age. 1 was attacked with scarlet fever,which brought me to death s door. My parentshave often told me that I had been in greatdanger for nineteen days, having been unableto take nourishment of any kind, save a smallglass of cider. The very recollection of thisoftenmade my father laugh, when speakingof my illness, during which, a beverage socontrary to my condition, should have beenthe means of preserving my life."the moment my reason commencedto develope itself, my virtuous parents gaveme the advantage of a pious education but I;was naturally very disagreeable and obstinate.My pious mother took me often to church withher, but here I was thoughtless and giddy,and kept turning my head in every directionto see what was going on around me. Aftermanifesting such a want of reverence anddecorum in the House of Grod, and failing infidelity to my mother s counsels, I was severelyPrivate Use Only

OUJ1 LITTLE BRETON. -Jpunished on my return home. When Iwas a little over six years of age, I wastaken to confession to accuse myself of all myfaults. I was so jealous of mylittle sisterthat my parents were obliged to separate usand send her away for some time. Besidesthese exterior defects, which rendered me sodisagreeable to others, my heart was filled withpride and self-love. On one occasion my mothersaid to me in the presence of my father, forthe purpose of mortifying me :Surely, this isnot our little girl, if so, she must have beentransformed by her nurse it is; impossiblethat our child could be as perverse as thislittle one. Such reflections coming from thelips of my mother, were not very flattering.But I soon gained quite a victory over mypride. Every day a poor, blind, old man, shabbily dressed, passed our door. On approaching*the corner of the street he required the assistance of some kindly hand to conduct him tothe right path. My kind-hearted parentsfrequently requested me to render him thisnecessary assistance but I;was so excessivelyproud, and manifested so much repugnancethat they did not insist. Finally, one day Idetermined to overcome my pride. I ran fromthe house and took the poor old man gentlyby the hand, and led him to the right path.It seemed to me then that I had performed amost heroic act. AVhenever I was reprehendedI did notformy misbehavior by my parents,rebel against their authority for I perceivedMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""6 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.that it was for my benefit they corrected me,and my wayward heart was touched at timesby the voice of God, which reproached me formy ingratitude."Ireceived particular instructions concerning the ever Blessed Virgin most wonderful;examples of her protection and power wererelated to me;my.heart was touched, and Icommenced to pray fervently to this goodmother, and T soon became better. Ibeganto love prayer and no longer received admonitions on my return home from High Mass andthe other religious services of the Church, forI had become more sedate. When any thingrepugnant to my inclinations occurred, I offeredit to Grod, saying, My G-od, I offer Thee thisin expiation of my sins.Let us for an instant interrupt this artlessand insert two incidents which wenarrative,have learned from another source. Thesetrifling imperfections which she consideredas serious faults, were nothing more than theresult of that forgetfulness common to childhood, yet which, at so tender an age, had impressed her with the most lively horror. Several times, her eldest sister found her alone,weeping bitterly. When asked the cause ofher tears, the dear little one replied, I amweeping over my She feared even thesins."slightest appearance of sin to such an extent,that at eight years of age, having had somescruples with regard to a book which had beenlent her, she repaired to the parish priestPrivate Use Only

""OUR LITTLE BRETON. 7before ever opening it, to ask his opinionregarding its perusal when she learned that;the book would do her no injury, yet, that itwas only a frivolous story from the reading ofwhich nothing profitable could be gleaned,she returned it to the owner immediately,without even having read the first page.My good parents," said she, sent me tocatechism with the other little children of theparish. I enjoyed the instructions greatly,and my conduct soon becoming more edifying,flattery succeeded the reproaches which 1 hadbeen in the habit of receiving. On one occasion, a lady said to my mother in my presence :Madam, your little girl conducts herself inchurch like a person of forty years of age !But I think that these flattering remarks onlyincreased my pride and self-love. I commencedabout this time to practice the devotion of theHoly Way of the Cross. The reflections on thesufferings of our Divine Lord affected my heartin a very sensible manner, for I felt that mysins had been the cause of his sufferings, andfull of contrition, I said : Oh !my Saviour,didst thou not perceive during thy dolorousPassion that one dayI would be converted andwould belong entirely to Thee ? I kissed theground, and humbled myself to the earth ateach station. When I returned home, it oftenhappened that myface was all covered withdust, and our Lord permitted that this act ofdevotion should draw upon me a humiliation,for whenever my sister was displeased with meMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"The"my8 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER,she would taunt me with the appellation:dirty nose, which frequently put my feeblevirtue to a severe test."grace of Grod was attracting mestrongly, yet, I was inconstant in the practiceof virtue, alternately rising and Ifalling.know" not how it happened, but I rememberhaving heard of a sort of prayer called mental,which was much more agreeable to Grod thanvocal prayer. I had an ardent desire to prayin this manner, and I said to myself: I shallrecite no more words in saying my prayers;for the future I shall pray mentally. But whenI finished my prayers according to my newniethod, I as seized with doubts and wr scruplesfor not having said my morning and eveningprayers as had been my custom. Our Lord,beholding my desire, inspired me to contemplate his sufferings caused by my sins andinfidelities, over which I wept sincerely andHe ; permitted, a little later, that I should heara sermon treating entirely of meditation. Iheart to receivethis beautiful instruction, for I was so anxiousopened both my ears and myto learn how to make so delightful a prayer."This attraction for prayer in a child of suchtender years, prognosticated the winders w r hichwould result. When the favored child hadattained the age of ten and a half years, sheprepared herself for her first Communion, bymaking a good general confession.uBy the mercy of Grod," said she, heartwas truly touched by grace. I received withPrivate Use Only

"OUI1 LITTLE BRETON. !great devotion this Divine Saviour whom Ihad so often offended in my childhood, and Ioffered myself entirely to Him On the sameday I received the sacrament of Confirmation,and was invested with the scapular, therebyplacing myself under the protection of mytender mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, towhom I owed my conversion. My confessor,observing that I was entirely changed, permitted me to receive holy communion againduring the course of the ensuing year. He wassurprised at the marvelous change whichgrace had operated in my soul, and did nothesitate to tell me so ;but after saying manyhe commenced tofine things on the subject,ridicule and humble me. As I was not veryhumble, I would have much preferred not tohave received these flatteries and thus to haveavoided the humiliations which followed.Our Lord, who watched over me, sent me atthis time spiritual trials, well adapted tohumble and purify my soul."The devil, seeing that his prey had escapedhim, made a last effort to regain an entranceinto my soul. Having been driven from his holdhe went, as the GJ-ospel relates, to seek sevenother spirits more wicked than^himself,to aid him to regain his prey. Then I wasattacked by a thousand :temptations my mindwas enveloped in darkness, my soul tormentedwith scruples, and I believed that I was committing sin every moment : I had not aminute s peace. If I listened to a sermon theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""Our10 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.demon whispered imprecations and blasphemies in my ear, and my mind was harassedwith evil thoughts.I was then but twelveyears old. The sins of my past life returnedto my memory with redoubled force it seemed;that I had never confessed them. Confessionappeared to be something impossible for I lostmyself in lengthy examinations, and neverbelieved myself sufficiently prepared. Whenmy turn came, I entered the confessional withmy soul filled with doubts, sorrow and anxiety;I no longer found any consolation in my prayers, for I feared I recited them without theproper dispositions, and Irepeatedly commenced over and over again the same prayer.This repetition was as absurd as it wasfatiguing. My confessor did all in his powerto console me but; being so young, and havinghad no experience in this kind of temptation,I did not make him sufficiently acquaintedwith the nature and extent of my sufferings ;during this time of trial our Heavenly Fatherwas only purifying my soul. I was then farfrom entertaining notions of pride and selflove."Lord afflicted me in a most sensiblemanner, by depriving me of my good mother,whom I loved most dearly. When she expired,I recalled to my mind that St. Theresa was buttwelve years of age when she lost her mother,and like this great saint, I also implored theBlessed Virgin Mary to become a mother to me,and to fill the place of my own dear motherPrivate Use Only

OUR LITTLE BRETON. 11who had been just taken from me. Our BlessedLady, indeed, heard my prayer, for I havealways experienced, in a very special manner,the effects of her maternal protection."I continued to attend the catechism classfor several years. The priest in charge of theSunday School, was a very competent andworthy person. He is now a most zealousBishop.^ I believe he saw- clearly the sad condition of my soul, but as he was not my confessor, he could not give me the consolation ofwhich I stood so much in need. However, itwas he who taught me the method of makingmental prayer by the sermon to which I havealready made reference, and later on he rendered me greatservice.""Thefete-day of the Catechism class wasapproaching. Three little girls had been chosento recite a piece in the form of a dialogue. Iwas one of the number each one received her;role to memorize. My two companions were todiscuss with me on the pleasures of the world,which they were to laud highly, whilstI was to represent their vanity and nothingness. At the termination of the piece one ofthe two concluded by saying, that my discoursehad convinced her that I had made a vow ofpoverty, and that perhaps I would become aCarmelite. May our Lord be blessed for I !reallyreceived this vocation some time later : the* Mgr. de la Hailaudiere, who became Bishop of Vincermesin America. He afterwards returned to Rennes.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

12 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETEIf.other two remained in the world and weremarried.""Filially, it pleased G-od to deliver me inthe following manner from the torture of mymental sufferings. A pious young companion ofmine, aware of my spiritual condition, had thecharity to speak of it to my confessor, who wasalso hers. One dayI entered the confessionalafter her, but feeling that I was not sufficientlyprepared, I arose to retire. What was myastonishment, when I heard my confessor openthe door of the confessional and order me toreturn immediately, and commence my confession without delay. I excused myself saying,that I was not sufficiently prepared, that I hadnot finished my examination of conscience, andthat I felt no contrition for my sins but he:would not listen to IDy reasoning. I submittedto obedience, made my confession and receivedabsolution;my confessor then said to me :Mychild, be assured that this confession has beenone of the best of your life. He then expresslyforbade me to recite my prayers over and overagain and he gave me a rule to follow re;spectingthe scruples which tormented me soterribly. Our Blessed Lord granted me thegrace to submit to the counsels of my director,and the devil was overcome by obedience.All my disquietudes vanished like smoke, anda holy peace returned to my wearyapproaching our Divine Lord in the sacramentof his love with a humble confidence and aheart. Thenholy peace of mind, I soon experienced itsPrivate Use Only

OU 11 LITTLE BRETON. 13marvelous effects ;my soul was inundatedwith consolation. 1 also received many graceswhile assisting at the holy Sacrifice of theMass. When the moment of consecrationapproached it was with difficultyI could conceal my transports of joy from the observationof those present. I kept myself in the DivinePresence continually, and my union with Grodwas uninterrupted."As she lived at home with her father, herbrothers and sisters, Perrine, (feminine forPeter, her baptismal name,) cheerfully joined inall their amusements. Having assisted at Massand the other offices of the Church on Sundays,they assembled in a party and walked to thecountry. On these occasions they took withthem some little refreshments, and each one diverted himself as he thought proper. Our littlePerrine knew well how to pass these hours ofpleasant recreation piously, and to the edification of all. We have learned these particularsfrom one of her cousins of the same age,Jennie Benoit, who generally formed one of thenumber on these little fetes. Having arrivedat the place where they proposed passing theremainder of the day, Perrine would drawher cousin aside and then they would entertain themselves, conversing on the BlessedVirgin and on the benefits bestowed on themby their heavenly Mother.The education of our little Breton wasexceedingly limited, she having had but twoyears regular attendance at school reading,:More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""14 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.writing, grammar, and arithmetic, such, atthat period, was all the instruction considerednecessary for persons in her sphere of life.The daughter of the mechanic Eluere, althoughnaturally gifted, received no further educational advantages than those afforded by thetimes to persons in her position.Two of her paternal aunts kept a dressmaking establishment of considerable importance,and to them our little Perrine was confided tolearn the business.My good aunt," said she, placed me in acorner near her where I worked as if I were ina little cell, separated from the other youngpersons employed in the establishment. I wasnot disturbed by them, nor they by me, forthey never for a moment perceived the operations of divine grace which were going on inmy soul. Nothing could divert me from theintimate conversations which I held with ourDivine Lord. I often made spiritual communions, which so enkindled in my soul the fireof divine love, that in the midst of my occupations I was so transported from this earth, thatat times it became difficult to control myself.Our Divine Lord granted me the favor of beingadmitted into the Congregation of our BlessedLady, of which one of my good aunts was thedirectress."This Association had been established bysome holy missionaries in 1817, to maintainand preserve piety and the practice of Christianvirtue among the youth of the city.At thatPrivate Use Only

""OUR LITTLE BRETON. 15time the association numbered several hundredmembers, it continued to flourish for many years:and was the means of doing much good at Rennes;it still exists, though not so nourishing.The ordinary reunions take place in the sameisolated little chapel where but very recentlyan ima^e o of the Holv Face was installed withigreat devotion and solemnity in honor of theformer member whose lifewe are now narrating.After the ordinary period of probation,"said she,Iwas received as a member by thecouncil, and made my act of consecration. Oh !what a day of consolation ! The ceremony recalled to me my first communion. I was, as on thatday, attired in white, with a lighted candlein my hand, and kneeling before the directorand another ecclesiastic, and in the presenceof over five hundred of my new sisters, Irenewed my baptismal vows, and Ipromisedfaithfully to observe the rules of the association. I then consecrated myself to the mostBlessed Virgin, my good mother. This association had been established for the working-theclasses, who were bound to itby;110 vowrules and regulations were well adapted to preserve a religious spirit and the love of piety inthe hearts of the young;every two weeks thedirector gave an excellent and instructive discourse to the members."The Divine Master, havinglittle servant with the spiritual milk of consolation for a sufficiently long period, nownourished his>More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""16 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.wished to strengthen her soul by more solidand substantial food, that she might be fortifiedto pass, as she herself expressed it, fromThabor to Calvary."Consolation gave way to aridity and spiritual barrenness, this condition seemed strangeto me. AVhat ! to feel that I was 110 longer lovingand serving God !Being ignorant of the waysof grace, Iimagined that by force of application, I could again taste the ineffable delightsof those transports of love with which I hadbeen favored but these vain efforts;onlywearied me and made me sick. I spoke of thestate of my soul to my confessor, who did notseem to be at all moved by what I related tohim. He only said that by degrees I wouldagain enjoy the same consolations. I continuedin the same state of aridity, and in my ingratitude to my heavenly benefactor, I relaxed inthe path of perfection my weary, miserable;heart turned to creatures for consolation. Ihad no peace of mind, and although my faultswere not grievous yet they were injurious tomy soul, for our blessed Lord demanded ofme a greater degree of generosity."In this painful state of mental suffering shetook a step which might have compromisedher \vhole future. Imagining that her confessorseemed indifferent to her faults, Perrine, docileand confiding as she had ever been, asked permissionof her virtuous father to consultanother confessor. Being a discreet person, hedoubted the prudence of assenting to hisPrivate Use Only

""OUR LITTLE BRETON. 1 7daughter s request, and before so doing-, consulted the same priest whom she wished toleave. This was the cure of the parish forwhom he entertained the greatest esteem.Perrine s father represented to him that perhapsshe might feel better under the direction ofanother confessor, who w r as then held in greatrepute by the pious. The good cure readilyg*ave his consent to the desired change but;our little penitent soon had cause to repent ofher inconstancy.said she, I received the mostAlthough,"excellent counsels from my new director, yetIbecame no better. At the age of seventeenthe vain attractions of the world began to enticeme, and growing lukewarm in the service ofGod, I soon gave myself up to the foolish vanities of the world. But what was most disastrous of all at this time, was my neglect ofto the soul in vanprayer, a means so necessaryquishing her passions, and in strengthening heragainst the attacks of the Evil One."Alter the death of my mother, the care ofthe house devolved upon my eldest sisterand proud / was not always disposed tosubmit to her authority, and was thus, oftenthe cause of much trouble and disseiition. Myconscience often reproached me for my infidelities : I recalled to mind the happy days of mychildhood when, faithful to the Grod of mercyand love, I was filled with ineffable delights ;Ilonged to return to Him, but my soul was, asit were, enchained by my evil propensities ;More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

18 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.finally I had recourse to Her who is neverinvoked in vain, to Mary, my tender mother,to whom I had consecrated myself forever."The feast of the Purification was approaching, and I prepared myself by a iiovena. Ipassed this beautiful day in great devotion,offering a taper to be burned before thealtar of the Blessed Virgin. The chains, bywhich I had been so long bound, were severed,and my heart was entirely changed. Someinvisible power seemed to impel me to returnto my old confessor. As soon as I beheld himI exclaimed, Oh !my good father, virtue fledfrom my soul when I left your direction. Iimplore you to number me once more amongyour many penitents. He received me as didthe father of the Prodigal son, with greatcharity. Soon after this, I made a retreat ofeight days in a religious house where therewere missionaries preaching. It was there thatdivine mercy awaited me. Ihad most earnestlybesought the Blessed Virgin to obtain a happyresult to my retreat, and my prayers wereheard. The grace of Grod, together with the instructions of the good missionaries produced themost salutary effects in my soul. I made ageneral confession, and beholdingall my sinsand the infinite mercy of Grod which I had solong despised, and contemplating the woundsof my crucifix, I felt my heart penetrated withcontrition, my eyes shed torrents of tears, andI promised for the future an inviolable fidelityto God."Private Use Only

"""Ah"CHAPTER II.HER VOCATION.!my child, your passionshave been only wounded, theymust be immolated."( Words of her Confessor.}Our little Perrine had just completed herseventeenth year: her retreat entirely converted her,"as she herself said. She alwaysattributed this great grace to the most BlessedYirgin, the mother of Jesus, and from thatmoment united to her past sentiments of filialaffection for this tender Mother, a lifelong debtof gratitude.I became devoted to the Blessed Yirgin,"said she, in a most particular manner I;admired with what mercy this divine Motherwithdrew me from the verge of the abysswhither my infidelities were leading me;my confidence in her daily increased and Ifelt inspired to beg her to obtain for me thegrace of becoming a religious. My goodMother heard my prayer, for I soon felt thedesire of abandoning the world grow strongerin mysoul. But what was I to do ? I wasafraid to mention the subject to my confessor.One day, when my sufferings were extreme,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

20 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETEU.and the grace of Clod was strongly agitatingme 011 the subject of my vocation, I hastenedto the altar of my cherished Mother, our BlessedLady, and deposited in her maternal heart allmy fears and anxieties. The Blessed Virginsoon soothed my troubled heart and deliveredme from my disquietude.There was in thischapel, opposite her beautiful silver statue, theconfessional of one of her zealous servants, thevicar, of whom I have already spoken, whohad given me the part of a religious in thecatechism conference at which I was asked ifI would like to be a Carmelite. I was kneelingbefore the statue of our Blessed Mother, supplicating her to assist me in my interiorcombat, when Isuddenly perceived that thisgood priest was about to enter his confessional,and it seemed that he made me a sign to enter.I comiot account for how it happened, as Ihad never spoken to him of the concerns of mysoul, and behold, much to my astonishment,he told me all that was passing in my interior,:saying You want to be a religious, my child,but to obtain the object of your dssire, youimagine there is a mountain in your way. AmI not right? Delighted with having sounexpectedly found a consoler who understoodme perfectly, I spoke to him very frankly ofmy spiritual affairs. He examined me minutelyand declared that I had a good vocation. Muchencouraged by his counsels, I went to find myconfessor to whom I had not dared broach thesubject of my vocation."Private Use Only

11 KU VOCATION. 21"When I made known to him myentering the religious state, he replied:desire ofYoursentiments accord perfectly with mine, for Ihave always thought that you would be areligious/ This assurance from my confessorfilled me with joy. Some days after this, headvised me to defer my departure until spring ;but, alas ! in the meantime, I had to passthrough the hands of another spiritual fatherwho was not so quick to decide religious vocations. For five years he labored incessantly atthe destruction of the inward wall of mypride and self-love,with the hammer of mortification, before he considered me worthy ofinhabiting the solitude of Carmel."The new director, of whom she now speaks,never sent aspirants to religion until they hadgiven ample proof to hope that once enteredthe convent, they would never return 10 theworld again. From accidental causes, Perrinewas led to place herself under the direction ofthis wise and prudent confessor.The parish priest, her former director,threatened with loss of sight, was obliged togo to Paris for medical treatment, and knowing that his spiritual child required thedirection of a skillful and experienced guide,he recommended her to this holy and venerable ecclesiastic, who at the time renderedvaluable services to the various religiouscommunities of the diocese. He was a manof great enlightenment in the ways ofgrace, and was gifted with peculiar tact in theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""22 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.discernment of religious vocations ;he wasso widely known that mothers dreaded to seetheir daughters going to consult him. Thisskilful director was 1 abbe Panager who, atthe time of his death, was pastor of SaintEtienne at Rennes. We have his opinion ofour young Perrine, too significant in its brevityto be passed unnoticed :I have only known her from the time shechose me as her director, and this simplybecause she wished to become a religious. Hermotive prompted me to receive her kindly, andI immediately undertook to aid her. I alwaysfound her very exact, and very docile undermy direction. I lent her books, and from timeto time gave her some particular advice. Sheedified me very much, and I decided proposingher as a candidate to the Carmelites."Perriue, accordingly, presentedherself tothis man of G-od, informing him of her desireto become a carmelite. He received herwith great charity and encouraged her to persevere in her holy purpose, but was notwilling to accept the responsibility of becoming her director without mature reflection.His counsel produced such an effect on ourlittleaspirant that after the return of her previous confessor she entreated 1 abbe Panagerto continue her direction, but he still insistedon having more time for consideration. Finally rhe said to her: My child, I will undertakeyour direction for the honor and glory of G-od,and for the salvation of your soul."Private Use Only

"""HER VOCATION. 23These words," said the sister, "inspired mewith great confidence in this holy man s direction. His first wish was to fathom the depthsof my soul, and for this purpose he directedme to give him a written account of the mannerin which our Lord had conducted me in thepast, and also desired to be informed of mypresent disposition. I wrote a small notice ofthese matters and remitted it to him then he;bade me make a rule of life. After some timeI requested him to interest himself in referenceto my admission to the convent. Ah !mychild, said he, your passions have been onlywounded, they must be immolated. I hadsuch an ardent desire of becoming a carmelitethat I would have passed through fire andwater, were it necessary, to accomplish mybearing this end in view, I commencedobject ;with renewed fervor to labor at my perfection."The co ansels and exhortations of her confessormade a great impression on her mind, and shetook great care not to forget shall quote from the sister s own artless narrative.them". WeHis first care was to caution me against thefoolish weaknesses but too common to devotees.My child, said he, do not go about consulting different directors. If you wish me to bereally your spiritual father, you must be reallymy child : be simple then, as a child ;it is hereyou must avow your failings, your doubts andtemptations, but make no such disclosuresMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"24 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.elsewhere for it would avail you nothing. Neverspeak of your confessor, nor of the penancesimposed on you;go straight to God in the spiritof faith ;make no uneasy researches in yoursoul for these are but fuel for Purgatory.Study to know yourself and to know God the;more you will know him, the more you willlove him be ;always cheerful and gay be not;like those sad and pensive beings who seem tobear the yoke of the Lord as if it were a heavyburden. Oh !my child, what a beautiful paththe Lord has chosen for !you Consider thereward that awaits you if you prove faithful !Prepare yourself for the great designs God hasin view over you."Such is a glimpse of the wise counselswhich I received from this good father. By thegrace of God they became fruitful in my soul.He lent me books which treated of prayer,interior life, and also the Lives of the Saints.All these spiritual aids fortified me, andstrengthened my desire of embracing the religious life. But when I expressed my earnestwish to leave the world, he would calmlyreply My child, the habit does not make the:nun. I saw by this answer that I had stillto labor atmy perfection. Iprayed continuallyto the Blessed Virgin, my dear protectress, toconduct me as a c arm elite into the housewhere she was most loved. I also prayedfervently to the glorious St. Joseph, begginghim to obtain for me the precious gift of prayer.To obtain this grace, and all the others of whichPrivate Use Only

"HER VOCATION. 25I stood in need, especially that of becoming areligious, I performed a little pilgrimage in hishonor. On Wednesdays,I ate nothing but drybread formy breakfast, and on Saturdays.I didthe same in honor of our Blessed Lady.I hada great devotion to the :Holy Family Jesus,Mary and Joseph were constantly in my mind.Most Holy Family! I would say to them, if Ihad the happiness of living when you wereon this earth I would most surely have gonein quest of you, in whatsoever place you wereto be found, that Imight have had the honorof serving you as your little domestic.My director lent me the life of St. Theresa.When I read the promise which our Lord madeher at the foundation of her first convent, St.Joseph of Avila, that He would dwell therein,the Holy Virgin and St. Joseph guarding thedoors, one on either side, oh ! how excessivewas my joy I no longer doubted that I would!solicit an entrance to Carmel, the abode of theHoly Family.I tormented my confessor fromthat moment, begging him to interest himselfin my behalf : but to trv me still longer he/J2^aveme evasive answers, such as these : I shallsee : God s time has not yet come. Once hesaid to me : Do you suppose, my child, that Iwould suffer you to enter a convent hastily,before your vocation has been well tried, andleave it directly as do so many young persons ?No, my child, when I send you, you will be wellprepared.This was asore trial for our young aspirant.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""26 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.In the meantime, Divine Providence furnishedher with an occasion of gratifying, at leastin part, her ardent desire. An indigent familycame to dwell in the neighborhood of herlather s house. This poor family consistedof three members : the father, a laboringman, the mother who was blind, and -alittle son aged about four or five years.They were so very unfortunate, especiallyduring the winter when the husband hadno work, that their miserable little hutreally bore the appearance of the stable ofBethlehem. They were found without fire ora morsel of bread. I could not permit to passsuch a precious opportunity of honoring theHoly Family in the persons of these poor people, and I did not rest one moment until Ihad rendered their situation more comfortable,By the grace of God I entertained a greatveneration and affection for them, and lavishedon them all the care which their indigencedemanded. At that time, just previous tomy admission as a carmelite, my limited meansdid not permit me to supplyall their necessities :but the Holy Family, whom I served intheir persons, rendered me so eloquent inpleading their cause among my acquaintancesthat nothing was ever refused me."All my happiness consisted in visitingand instructing them in their religious duties,from which they had been estranged, no doubt rby their extreme poverty. I persuaded themto go to confession and; Iengaged the husbandPrivate Use Only

"HER VOCATION. 27to make a retreat of eight days in a housedestined for that purpose. If I loved thisfamily they reciprocated my affection, and Isoon perceived the influence I had acquiredover them. When dissentions arose betweenthem, from time to time, I would be called onto settle the difficulty and restore peace."The Holy Family did not allow their littleservant to go unrewarded. Perrine daily progressed in virtue. She was permitted by herdirector to make the vow of chastity which sherenewed on all the feasts of the Blessed Virgin.With the view of preparing herself for thereligious life, she endeavored to practice thehigher virtues of mortification, humility,obedience and the love of prayer. She alsoexercised a charitable zeal towards her youngcompanions, assisting them in their spiritualadvancement.Let us listen to her own account of her piouspractices of demotion. I have always hada special attraction for prayer, and believingthat I could not be a child of prayer withoutat the same time having a great love for mortification, I labored courageously to acquirethis latter virtue, and also to destroy all myevil propensities. The better to succeed in mypurpose, I took note of my daily failures andof the number of my acts of mortification. Ikept by my side two little ribbons, on whichwere strung small beads such as are usedfor chaplets one end served to note;myfailures, the other, the number of my littleMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""28 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.sacrifices, or virtuous actions performed duringthe day. This cord of mortification was composed of fifteen beads in honor of the fifteenmysteries of the Holy Rosary and I believe;that, at night, I often had the blessing ofoffering the entire chaplet completed to ourBlessed Lady. Ipracticed the mortification ofthe eyes;whenever anything pleasant oragreeable was presented to my view, I wouldturn my head away and would not look at it."Wh^n I would be just on the point of sayingsomethingO agreeable O or witty, I would remain<silent. I made my general and particularexamination with the view of overcoming mypredominant passion, pride. But our BlessedLord himself soon sent me the necessaryassistance to vanquish my enemy."Almighty God, who never permits himselfto be outdone in generosity, beholding thiscandid and faithful soul thus placing herselfunreservedly at his disposal, was pleased toinstruct and enlighten her himself.Many times." said she, in the course of my.life, I have experienced .the extraordinaryoperations of grace in my soul, during which, ifImay thus express it, our Lord showed me aglimpse of the celestial favors with which hewould one day enrich my soul. I had thehappiness of receiving holy communionthree times a week besides Sundays.Itwas at this divine banquet that our BlessedLord united himself intimately to my soul.My director had commanded me to informPrivate Use Only

!><>HER VOCATION.him of allthat passed in my soul, and I, therefore, rendered him a strict account of thesesupernatural operations with the simplicityof a child, at which he did not seem to beastonished. My child, said he, does not yoursoul belong to Grod ? Then, permit thisDivine Master, to do as he will in his ownhouse. These interior communications of ourLord. oF which I was so unworthy, continued.Then 1 be^an to commit them toC3writing; O forthe purpose oF submitting- them to the guideof my soul. was sure 1 by this means not tofall into illusion. He never made any referenceto these communications in my presence :thispleased me very much, for such divine favorscovered me with confusion. On one occasionwhen 1 had presented to him one of theseoccurred to me that if I had read towritings, ithim, myself, the account of these testimoniesof affection \\liich our divine Lord had givenme, that it would be a great mortification, Iadmitted this to my confessor ;and I w r as, indeed, obliged to do excessive violence to myselfto read my letters to him. But our DivineLord in his mercy made use of this as a meansof counterbalancing his extraordinary favors,lest they might produce in my soul triegermsof vanii y and self-love. One day, after havingreceived holy communion, Iperceived in mysoul something like a wall hich shookwrviolently, threatening me with destruction.At the same time I heard a voice telling me notto fear, that it would serve to crush out myMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"30 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.self-love. I comprehended afterwards thatthis was a kind warning of a 1long series ofhumiliations and mortifications, a path so painful to nature, and through which our DivineLord caused me to walk shortlyafter."As we can do nothing of ourselves, it wasnecessary that the Divine Master himself shouldproduce in my soul a great love for sufferingand humiliation, in order to destroy my pridecompletely, for it was a great obstacle to myperfect union with Him. This would alsocause the violet of humility to spring forthin my soul, hereby inviting Jesus to dwellin my heart. I prayed most fervently toobtain the love of humiliations, and informed my director of my ardent desire ofsuffering, entreating him not to spare me.Eeverend father, said I, do not heedthe cries of nature, but immolate my pride.He was slow to act and waited also on thisoccasion to see, no doubt, ifmy desire wereonly the offspring of a passing fervor so commonamong young persons. At length, he said tome one day:My child, I am convinced thatour Lord wills you to attain perfection bysome other than the ordinary way. Gro, then,before the Most Adorable Sacrament, and consider before Grod what you can do to humbleyourself; choose what you judge to be themost perfect in the way of humiliations, andthen return and inform me of your decision.From that hour commenced what she playfully termed, her "journey through the path ofPrivate Use Only

"When""humiliationsHER VOCATION. 31which were never wanting;for each time that she went to see her director,he purposely tried to mortify her as muchas possible. One day, for example, he brusquelyshowed her the door. Another time, Sunday,.she was seen walking through the streetscarrying an old tattered umbrella notwithstanding that the sun was shining very brilliantly and this for no other purpose than to;attract public attention and ridicule. Onanother occasion, she took to the dressmaker aparcel containing material for a dress. Shehad scarcely unfolded the wrapping paper,when a general burst of laughter and merrimentat her expense, ensued for;nothing moreabsurd or ridiculous could have been selectedfor a dress. All these things had been permitted by her director as practices of humility.I went to my director," said she, toreturn the books he lent me, or to ask forothers, he had always the charity to offer mea good dish of humiliations ;yet, he neveranticipated grace. I was obliged to implorehim to continue the kind service he w r asrendering me. Well, he would say, whatdoes our Lord desire of you to-day? Haveyou nothing to ask me ? As I was naturallyvery simple and childlike, and that our Lordgave me the grace to walk in this way, a multitude of things came to my mind, the greaterpart being utterly impracticable ;but merelymentioning them to him, and asking his per-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""When"Ah32 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.mission to perform them, was a most humiliating mortification. When he noticed that itgave me pain to speak undisguisedly he wouldreprehend me quietly but sweetly. Be simpleas a little child, he would say. See with whatsimplicity a little child repeats all that passesin its mind without thinking- of examiningwhat it has to say He would then permit!all that was reasonable ;and as for that whichwas unnecessary he appeared equally willing,until he perceived that I had so far conqueredmy pride as to consent to perform even the mostdifficult things, when he would interdict them."One of the great secrets of this manner ofdirection arose from the confessor sknowledgeof the sincerity of his penitent, who artlesslyrelated to him that which she believed wouldmortify her the most, yet choosing nothing ofherself. She would say. to him at times :!father, how much it costs me to act thus."My child," he would reply,"if it costs youto be humiliated, believe me,it costs me asmuch to be obliged to humiliate you, buthave courage."I had crushed my pride under myfeet, our Lord inundated my soul with heavenly consolations : these were necessary tome, for without the most powerful assistanceof Grod I never could have acted in this way.When I was inspired to practise some act ofmortification, I felt such a powerful impulseof grace urging me on, that it AA oulcl havebeen impossible for me not to have performedPrivate Use Only

"Ah"saidthis mortification, IHER VOCATION. 33had such a fear of becoming unfaithful to grace. Come, said I, toencourage myself, one act of heroism andthe victory will be mine. I can accomplish allthings in Him who strengthens me !I feltconvinced that grace demanded this fidelityfrom me and; notwithstanding all the bitterness and repugnance I experienced, I continued to implore my director to nourish mysoul with the wholesome bread of mortification, so distasteful to nature. He sent meseveral times to visit two very discreet and piousyoung ladies with whom he had previouslymade his arrangements, and there I foundthe means of triumphing over my pride andOn one occasion, when Ipractising humility.was on a visit to these young ladies, one of thesisters complained that a person had addressedsome very humiliating remarks to her. Oh !said I, you are very fortunate to be able tofind humiliations already prepared others are;obliged to seek for them.During this time of trial our little Perrinedrew all her fortitude from Jesus in the mostBlessed Sacrament.!"she, "whatconsolation I found in visiting this goodSaviour, particularly during the middle of theday, when he is most forgotten; I then pouredforth my soul in his divine presence." Once,as she was praying in the chapel of the Visitation, prostrate before the altar, one of herfriends perceiving her, was very careful not todisturb her or make her aw r are of her presence.2More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

34 LIFE OF SISTER, MARY ST. PETER.She found Perrine kneeling with clasped hands,her head turned upward and her eyes fixed asif on some invisible being with whom sheseemed to be in communion.Perrine often addressed herself to the SacredHeart of Jesus. "I often made acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart, to whom I have agreat devotion. I conjured the most SacredHeart of Jesus to break the chains which stillbound me to the world that Imight take mytoward Carmel. I went afterwards andflightcast myself at the feet of the most Holy Virgin,in the same chapel where I had already received so many graces for my vocation and;animated with ardent love, I poured forth myheart in her maternal bosom as would a littlechild. I importuned her unceasingly, saying,Behold, my good Mother, my companions areall married. When wilt thou give me Him forwhom my heart sighs? I wish for none otherthan thy beloved Son for my heavenly spouse.At the conclusion of this petition we find thefollowing note :"Thisgood mother obtained my relief froma :malady for nine days I besought her tocure me, promising to have some massessaid in her honor ;and in thanksgiving forhaving granted my request, I had fifteenmasses said in honor of the mysteries of themost holy rosary."Private Use Only

""You"OHAPTEE III.THE TRIAL.will be a Carmelite.( Words of Our Lord.)Previous to her entering the noviciate ofCarmel, Perrine, retained in the world byher confessor, was destined by divine Providence to fill the office of little directress, orrather to be a pious little apostle among heryoung companions. Let us permit her to explain herself on this subject.I continued to work with my pious aunts,who employed many young girls in their service. These latter, observing that by the graceof Grod, I practised virtue, and that Ialways looked cheerful and happy as my director had commanded, placed great confidence in me, and frequently consulted me intheir little embarrassments of conscience andon their practices of piety. I taught them themethod of mental prayer, and assisted them toadvance in virtue : miserable sinner that Iwas, I had received grace in abundance fromGrod and it was but just that I should be charitable to others. One of these young personsmade such rapid progress in virtue, that sheMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

36 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.very soon surpassed her little directress andentered the religious state before I did. Weconversed about our Divine Lord, the BlessedVirgin, and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph,and also on the practice of virtue. Observingthat they thus consulted me, who stood so muchin need of counsel myself, I was afraid that Iwas acting contrary to humility and I sought theadvice of my confessor. He told me to continue,that the piety of these young girls wouldsupply my deficiency this opinion tranquilized:me and I continued to aid them as before. Butduring all my intercourse with them I neverrevealed what was passing in my own soul ;I kept my secret to myself. I had no difficultyin teaching them the method of mental prayer,as Imyself performed this exercise with thegreatest ease, for the presence of my DivineSaviour was so familiar, that I seemed tobehold Him dwelling in my heart."AYe know from the testimony of others, thatin order to give greater facility for audienceto her young friends, our little directress prepared a small room in her father s house, towhich they had private and easy access.Here she received these pious young personsfor a pleasant little "chat" as she termed it,dissimulating under this popular expressionthe role of confidence assigned her.Those who desired could converse without restraint of their spiritual necessities. She taughtthem how to meditate, to examine themselvesinteriorly, and how to walk resolutely in thePrivate Use Only

"""THE TRIAL. 37path of virtue, thus, to be prepared to meetall the possible dangers which might menacetheir innocence in the midst of the world inwhich they were destined to live.One of my companions was aiHicted witha very extraordinary malady. The remediesprescribed by the physician giving her no relief, I had an intimate conviction that if shehad recourse to the most Blessed Virgin, herdistemper would be cured and I; advised herto wear a miraculous medal. We made a novenatogether, at the conclusion of which she wasentirely cured. The graces which we thus received from our heavenly protectress inflamedus with a tender love for her. Iprayed herto break the chains which heldunceasinglyme captive, and I frequently offered tapers tobe burned before her altar. I prepared myself for the celebration of her feasts by 110-venas ;and presented little crowns, bouquetsof flowers, and other decorations for her altars.best to touch her materIn fine, I tried mynal heart, that she might give me her divineSon for my heavenly spouse. So many offerings, though unworthy of being presented tothe august Queen of heaven, were not regarded by her with indifference, for she soonremoved one of my greatest difficulties, that ofleaving my father."As we have seen, Perrine lost her motherwhen only twelve years old. After the deathof my mother," said she, my good father hadno other desire but to serve God and his neigh-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""38 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.bor. He worked peacefully at his trade oflocksmith, without any idea of ever marryingagain his life was modeled on that of St.;Joseph. Every morning he assisted at the holysacrifice of the mass, and at the benediction ofthe most Blessed Sacrament in the evening,when possible ; notwithstanding his hardwork he always observed the abstinences andfasts of the Church, and regularly approachedthe sacraments with the most edifying faithand piety. He was often visited with greattribulations which he bore with christian-likefortitude and patience."His eldest son. Prosper, had left home andgone to America with Monseigneur de la Hailandiere,to whom he was much attached. Hesettled at Vincennes in the United States, wherehe resumed his trade of locksmith, attendingpunctually to his business affairs, and givingthere as well as when at home, the edifyingexample of a virtuous and Christian life.But let us return to Perrine :My eldestsister, said she, who attended to the household duties, was attacked with a long illness *and about the same time my father had conceived the idea that I was thinking of leavinghim to embrace the religious state. This filledhim with alarm and anxiety, for he did not wishto confide his house to the care of a servant. Inhis perplexity he made me the confident of histroubles hoping thereby to deter me from leaving him. I spoke to him rather ambiguouslyof my vocation, as Imyself did not knowPrivate Use Only

""THE TRIAL. 39when my confessor would permit me to enterthe Carmelites, for he still continued his evasive answers and gave me very little hope,notwithstanding my earnest desire to quit theworld. In the meantime, my dear father waspreparing for the ;emergency he spoke of histroubles to the parish priest, his confessor this;worthy pastor, held him in the highest esteem, for he often said that he was the bestof his parishoners. Already aware of myintention of becoming a carmelite, he advisedmy father to get married. My good parentwas naturally of a very cold and retiring disposition, and as can be easily imagined, wasnot a little embarrassed in the execution of thisproject but his kind friend, the priest, as;sured him that he would undertake to find asuitable companion and at; last, through theintercession of the Blessed Virgin, he wasmarried to a most excellent woman whom wekindly welcomed to our home, and my fatherwas happy.The sister concludes this artless narrativeby enumerating the many other obstacles tobe surmounted in the pursuit of her vocation.Ithought I had at last reached theterm of my sufferings and disappointments,and that the doors of Carmel were about to beopened to receive me. One of my aunts withwhom I worked, decided to go to Mans to assistat the benediction of the new carmelite monastery, and at the same time to visit one of thean old friend of hers whom she lovedreligious,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"40 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.very dearly she told me that Imight accom;pany her. This good news filled me with joy,and I hastened to my confessor, entreating himto allow me to take advantage of this excellentopportunity to accomplish my long cherisheddesire. He consented, and gave me a letter forthe reverend mother prioress, telling me that Icould enter the monastery of Mans if shewas willing to receive me he then; gave mehis benediction, and I set out immediately withmyaunt. We arrived on the eve of the ceremony at the monastery where we were mostkindly received by the carmelites : the nextdayI assisted at the benediction of a new refectory and a new cemetery. On the same daya postulant received the holyhabit."The cloister being thrown open for theoccasion, we visited the interior of the convent.I entered the community room and there beheldthose dear sisters, many ofwhom were from myown native province ;nothing could havegiven me more pleasure than this visit. Inthe afternoon, I had the honor of speaking privately to the very reverend mother prioresswhom toI had presented my confessor s letterthe evening previous. I expressed my greatdesire of becoming a carmelite. She told methat she had received positive orders from hisLordship the Bishop to admit no more subjects,as the house was then too small, every cellbeing occupied. Although disheartened bythis information, I consulted her respectingmy vocation, and spoke to her of my inwardPrivate Use Only

"dispositions.THE TRIAL. 41She evidently saw that, notwithstanding my tmworthiiiess,Our Lord had chosenme to be a child of Carmel, and kindly gaveme some information on the rules of the order,expressing her regret at not being able toadmit me nor could she make;any applicationin my behalf, as Monseigneur was at the timeabsent 011 a journey. She spoke very highly ofthe monastery of Orleans from which she hadcome to found the house at Mans, and promised to apply there for my admission."Our disappointed little postulant was thusobliged to return home and resume her ordinaryduties. She entreated her confessor to makeapplication for her entrance among the carmelitesof Orleans or those of Blois ; however, hedid not seem to be very sanguine about thematter.I was so importunate in my request thathe must have been annoyed with me his;evasive answers were most discouraging. Weshall see to that ;or Grod s time has not yetcome. One dayI went to a chapel dedicatedto St. Martin. It being his feast, his relicswere exposed for the veneration of the faithful ;I kissed them with great devotion, and alsoreceived holy communion in honor of thisgreat saint of whom, at the time, I knew nothing not even in what part of France he had;exercised his holy;ministry but that was oflittle consequence to me then, overwhelmed asI was with grief and desolation. I addressed tohim this simple and fervent :prayer holyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""42 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETER.Saint Martin, look down upon me in my sorrow.I desire to consecrate myself to Grod, but thereis no one to take any interest in me or pleadmy cause. holy Saint, I feel convincedthat ifyou were now on this earth your heartwould be touched at my distress and youwould aid me to obtain the object of all mydesires. I implored him to receive me in his diocese if there were any religious in it. St. Martinheard my prayer,. for I am confident that it wasthrough his intercession, I became a carm eliteat Tours. I had neither desired nor asked myconfessor to enter the house of Tours, for I didnot know that there was a carm elite monasteryin the city until I had been received there."In the meantime Our Lord was preparingher for the life of sacrifice which she was aboutto embrace, and for this end, had already bestowed upon her supernatural graces of thehighest order.One day after holy communion," said she,I had a vision : Our Lord concentrated all thepowers of my soul in his Divine Heart, and Iseemed to behold therein a number of personsbound together by a golden chain, each, seemingly, bearing a cross. These were, withoutdoubt, religious souls, for I recognized amongthe number, one of my friends who hadembraced the religious life. It seemed that I,too, was enchained with them and I besought Our Lord to give me also a cross. Heled me to understand that I must submitto his divin e will for the present and awaitPrivate Use Only

THE TRIAL. 43with resignation the accomplishment of hisdesigns over me; insinuating that this wassufficient to bear for the present. But, saidHe, when you shall have entered religion, Ishall give you another cross to carry. Thispromise remained so much engraved on mymind, that falling sick after I had enteredCarmel as a postulant, Ithought to myself :Perhaps this is the cross which Our Lordpromised me. But poor simpleton that I was !this was but a straw to carry in comparisonto the cross which my good Master hadin reserve for me after my profession. I am nowconvinced that the Work of Reparation withwhich the Lord charged me later, was the crossthen predicted, for I found it in the SacredHeart of Jesus. It was from that fountain ofdivine love that he spoke to me for the firsttime of this work which was to cost me soand tears."many sighsThenceforth she had a very ardent affection for the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. "Thisdevotion was my chief delight and I earnest:ly engaged my companions to love and honorthe divine Heart of my Saviour. My sister wasvery ill at the time, and I advised her to havea novena of masses offered in reparation forthe outrages commited against the SacredHeart of Jesus in the sacrament of his love,with the intention of obtaining her restoration,if it were the divine will. She consented, andthe masses were said in the chapel of the Visitation ;for it was to a sister of this OrderMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""44 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER,that our Divine Lord made known the devotionto his Sacred Heart. The principal altar ofthe chapel was dedicated to the Sacred Heartof Jesns. I assisted at these masses, duringwhich I received the most extraordinary graces,a written account of which I gave to mydirector. I cannot recall them now as mymind was so penetrated with the ineffablelove of Our Lord manifested to me in hisdivine Heart that I have only a confused ideaof these heavenly favors, for it seemed that mysoul was entirely lost in Grod. However, I amcertain of one thing: that Our Lord showedme a cross, telling me it was on this he crucified his spouses. I think I must have beenfrightened, for soon after he added thesewords : Be consoled my daughter;you willnot be as inhumanly crucified as I was, thenails shall pierce though my flesh beforetouching yours. Doubtless, He wished bythese words to assure me that He being thefirst to experience all the tortures and ignominies of the cross, the faithful disciples whofollowed in his footsteps would now find allits bitterness changed to delight.For some time Our Lord inspired her witha certain kind of prayer which she describesas delightful," but he soon gave her to understand that thisinspiration w r ould be withdrawn :and, in fact, shortly after she fellinto a state of mental aridity."Our Lord," saidshe, caused me to pass from Thabor to Calvary, according to his own good pleasure andPrivate Use Only

"THE TRIAL. 45the necessities of my soul but as I was now;more enlightened in the ways of God thanduring the period of rny spiritual infancy, Ipassed through these interior trials withoutany detriment to rriy soul."One grace which she esteemed far aboveall these extraordinary favors, was that ofbeing able to alleviate the necessities of theindigent sick. "The Lord, writes she,"endowed me with a love for giving alms I had;a small private fund which my dear fatherallowed me to dispose of as I thought proper.I would sometimes make a little offering toOur Lord, and then again to his holy Mother,in the persons of the poor and afflicted. Ayoung woman came to dwell in our neighborhood, wrho soon after her marriage, hadfallen ill of a long and painful malady whichproved fatal the charitable mission of pre:paring her for death fell to my lot. I placeda picture of the Blessed Virgin near her bed,that this good mother might come to assist her in her last moments. I was then quiteyoung and had seldom confronted death. Thepoor, afflicted creature whom I encouraged byconsoling words, desired that I should remainalways at her side. She sent for me one nightto inquire if she were soon going to die I re:plied that in all probability Our Lord ould wrsoon call her to himself she w r as then reduced;to the last extremity. I do not remember distinctly but I think it was that same nightthat she was suddenly seized with terror atMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"THE TRIAL. 47becoming a carmelite, often conversed with meon this subject. On one occasion, during dinner, he made me laugh heartly at his anxietiesconcerning my future bed at the convent.He had, no doubt, heard of some of the foolishnotions entertained by people of the world regarding the austerities practised by the Carmelites ;he said, not without evincing greatconcern, If the sheets are nailed to the fourcorners of the bed, how will you ever get intoa bed thus arranged? Oh ! said I, that is theleast of my anxieties."I was not content merely with praying toour holy mother St. Theresa, I read her life andmade a list of her confessors, and of theholy persons who had assisted her in establishing the reform. Iarranged them in alitany without examining whether they hadbeen canonized or not. St. John of the Cross"was the first on the list ;and I added thenames of the saints to whom I had a specialdevotion, hoping that with the aid of thesepowerful advocates the doors of Carmel mightat length be opened to me. At past theywere not regardless of this simple act of confidence, for it was on the eve of the feast ofAll-Saints that I was admitted to that happy-asylum, the object of all my desires."Another trial was still in reserve for her. Herdirector fell ill, and was unable to hear herconfession. Observing that she made no progress towards the attainment of her object,and being reluctant to importune her confessor,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""48 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.she made a last effort to interest in her behalfthe ever Blessed Virgin.I was inspired,"said she. to undertake ain honor of Notre Dame de lapilgrimagePeiniere, from whom I had already obtainedmany favors. This chapel was in the parish ofSt. Didier, six leagues from *Rennes. As I waswell acquainted with its zealous pastor,and had also a friend residing there, I easilyobtained permission to perform my pilgrimage.Full of confidence I set out with the intentionof asking our Blessed Lady for the recovery ofmy confessor as a visible proof of my vocation ;praying her at the same time to sever the manychains which held me captive in the world.Ah, said I, lam like a bird in a cage. Icannot find the smallest opening from which tomake my escape. There was a good priesttravelling in the same car with me, with whomI conversed during the journey. I spoke tohim of the Blessed Virgin, and observing that itpleased him, I related manylittle incidents inher honor I also; spoke to him about the Arch-Confraternity of the Sacred Heart of Mary. Thisconversation afforded me much pleasure for Iloved to honor and glorify the Blessed Virginas much as I could. At length we arrived atSt. Didier, and I directed my steps toward thechurch. There I offered my devotions, and OurLord condescended to speak to me concerningmy vocation."To render what I am about to narratemore explicit, I must state that one of myPrivate Use Only

"Oh"reasons for fearing ITHE TRIAL. 49would not be received bythe Carmelites was, that my father was poorand could not give me more than six hundredfrancs ($100) on my entrance. I had asked assistance of a rich priest of my acquaintance, but heonly expressed his regret at his inability to aidme in consequence of having recently metwith considerable losses. Perhaps, I waswanting in confidence in. the Providence ofGrod. The communication which I had receivedfrom Our Lord, and to which I have previouslyhinted, filled me with consolation. I thinkthat this time also He showed me a cross:saying Is not a vocation of higher worththan gold? Thus giving me to understand thatif in his infinite mercy he granted me the firstgrace, he could as easily provide the second,which was of minor importance. He then said :Pray to my mother, and you shall obtain yourrequest.Full of faith and hope, Perrine continuedher pilgrimage. This miraculous statue wasin a very spacious chapel, which had beenbuilt a quarter of a league from the parishchurch. She cheerfully gave her little offering towards the completion of the chapel,and performed her visits for nine consecutivedays, reciting the first part of the rosarygoing to the church, the second part in thechapel at the feet of the Blessed Virgin, andthe third, on her return.! how fervently I implored my BlessedMother to take an interest in my vocation IMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"50 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.What sweetness and consolation I tasted whilst.at the feet of the consoler of the afflicted! Shedid not remain deaf to my entreaties, for Ireceived from her divine Son the most wonderful graces during my iiovena. For the honorof the most Holy Virgin, I sincerely regretnot having preserved a written account ofall those graces. I remember, however, that OurLord commanded that I should be permitted tofollow his will without more delay. I madean exact statement of all that had passed inmy soul, and carried this important letter to themost Blessed Virgin, begging her to bless itand to touch the heart of him to whom I shouldremit it.my good Mother, said I withchildlike simplicity, I do not wish to spendthis winter in sewing, I only desire to.be occupied in praising your divine Son, and I therefore remit into your hands my scissors, needles,thimble etc., etc. Thus saying, she depositedthe contents of her work-basket at the feet ofthe Blessed Virgin.On her return to Rennes she found herdirector in better health, and presented himher letter, which produced a great impressionon him. However, he tried to conceal it, butthe effects were soon apparent, for he set towork in earnest to obtain her admission amongthe Carmelites ;yet, in seeming opposition to.her wishes, he proposed to her to enter amongthe religious Hospitalieres of Reiines. I feelno attraction for them," said she, ".yetI wouldprefer to enter among the Hospitalieres ratherPrivate Use Only

""THE TRIAL. 51than to remain in the world. How embarrassing!..I knew of no other carmelite convent than thatof Mans, and there I could not be received. I didnot know that there was a convent at Toursand one at Morlaix. I went to my little oratoryand said to St. Theresa and to St. John of the!Cross, of whom I had a :picture Alasdo not want to receive me then among youryousisters !She thought that the question of her portionmight prove the greatest difficulty. Sheresolved to go and see the venerable priest whohad directed her for two years and a half, andto whom she had been more than once a subjectof edification. He w^as.then in his seventyseventh year, yet he had lost none of his faculties and fulfilled the duties of his ministrywith as much activity as a young priest.I met him one day in the city he seemed;desirous of knowing if I really wished to be asister, but as I had 110 intention of unfolding my plans in the middle of the street, I deferred my answer for a more suitable place ;and as he possessed much of this world sgoodsI proposed interesting his charity in my behalf. With this object in view I called to visithim one afternoon. It was here that Our Lordawaited me, to crown the long series of trialsand humiliations to which I had been subjected. Through respect for this venerable servant of G-od, I knelt at his feet to speak on thesubject of my vocation but; ignoring howwell the soil of my poor soul had been ploughed.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""52 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.and cultivated during the past five years, hedesired to test my virtue in a very unexpectedand mortifying manner. He took out his breviary and commenced to read without appearing to notice me, or to listen to what ] wassaying after a few moments he arose quite;abruptly and ordered me to leave. I respectedthe will of Grod manifested by his minister, andwas not long awaiting my recompense. Thistrial was about the last I had to undergoduring the remainder of my stay in the world.The worthy priest, agreeably to my desire hadthe goodness to present me a small sum ofmoney.But eight days, had elapsed since myreturn from my pilgrimage, and as I havesaid, the last time I saw my director he seemedquite decided to send me to the Hospitalieres.I was in painful anxiety, for I had such adesire to dwell in the desert of Carmel ! Thespirit of retirement, silence and prayer, hadsuch an attraction for me, and in the order ofthe Hospitalieres I would be obliged to takecare of the sick, and what was still more repugnant, to prepare, for burial the bodies of thedead, of which 1 stood in mortal terror. OurLord, in his goodness, relieved me from thisembarrassment. He had promised to hear methrough the intercession of his Blessed Mother,and he kept his word. The ninth day aftermy pilgrimage he revealed himself to me afterholy communion, and with infinite condescension said the following words :Private Use OnlyMychild, I

"The"THE TRIAL. 53love you too much to permit that you shouldYouany longer be a prey to the^se perplexities !shall not be a Hospitaliere. This isonly a trialto which you are being subjected. Even nowmatters are being arranged for your reception.You will be a Carmelite. This last sentencewas repeated several times : You will be aCarmelite ;and I think Our Lord added, aCarmelite of Tours. But I knew nothing ofTours, not even that the Carmelites had beenestablished there. I feared that this was butan illusion, for I felt persuaded that mydirector thought no more of sending me toCarmel. What shall I do, said I to myself! Imust write down this communication and take itto him according to my custom ;but I was notparticularly desirous of presenting this note :Oh ! the infinite goodness of God ! what wasconfessor said tomy astonishment when myme :My child, you have been received amongthe Carmelites of Tours. What. delightfulnews ! What happiness I enjoyed that day !What grateful thanksgivingI offered to ourBlessed Lord and to his most Holy Mother forhaving so promptly heard the supplicationsand entreaties which I had addressed to themduring my pilgrimage !letter which I had placed at the feetof our Lady de la Peiniere and afterwards remitted to my director, had been the principal instrament in the accomplishment of thelong cherished wish of my heart. My confessor had written to the mother prioress ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"54 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.\Tours applying for my admission. This good,charitable mother immediately replied, thatshe would receive me with pleasure. But howwas all this accomplished ? Why had Our Lordmade known so manifestly that it was hisdivine will I should enter at Tours, sixtyleagues from my native place, whilst therewere carmelites at Nantes and at Morlaix somuch nearer home ? I asked my confessor if hehad held any communication with the carmelites of Tours. He informed me that once, whenpassing through Tours, he had had the idea ofvisiting the carmelites, but that he had notgone and consequently was -not acquaintedwith them. The reverend mother prioress hadstill less to do in bringing about this result,for she was greatly astonished that a priest ofwhom she knew little more than his namewould apply to her for the admission of a postulant. What then was the solution of thismystery ? Ah ! I see it all. St. Martin had notforgotten the prayers offered in his chapel onthe day of his feast, when I confided to himmy sorrows and besought him toprocure myentrance to one of the houses of his diocese."Here again is another remarkable circumstance connected with this affair : Thereverend mother prioress of Tours had fixedthe time of my entrance for the feast of All-Saints a :long delay for my ardent disposition, leaving two months still to be passed inthe world. Nevertheless, this day was notappointed by mere chance, for I left BrittanyPrivate Use Only

""on the veryTHE TRIAL. 55feast of St. Martin,who evidentlywished to prove that it was he who was myliberator."There remained still another question to besolved, my entrance-fee. But that was soon disposed of. As I have before stated, my father wasa mechanic attending regularly to his business ;but G-od often sent him severe trials. He hadto meet the heavy expenses of the prolongedillness of my eldest sister who was still feeble.My brother had failed in business and it cost twothousand francs to re-establish him, towardswhich my good aunts contributed as much asthey could. After all these outlays it was foundimpossible to give me more than six hundredfrancs, but Our Lord had given me to understandthat he who had bestowed the vocation couldalso provide the dowry.""The Blessed Virgin, with a generosity equalto her power, compensated me for the alms Ihad offered for the construction of her newchapel, and a young lady named Mary withwhom my director had made me practise the"virtue of mortification, as a preparation for herentrance to a religious congregation, promisedto contribute the balance."What remained for me to do after suchspecial graces from the most Blessed Vir!gin Our Lord had well said : Addressyourself to my mother, it is through her youshall be heard : remarkable words, of which Ihave always preserved a lasting souvenir.There still remained the fulfilment of a sacredMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"56 LIFE OF SISTER MAHY ST. PETEH.duty towards the Blessed :Virgin Mary that ofoffering her a grateful and earnest act oflove. I solicited the permission to returnto her holy chapel to offer her thanks for allthe benefits granted me. I then bade farewellto my protectress, recommending to her thenew state I was going to embrace, in which Iwould IDC attached to her divine Son by thesweetest ties of love. In the simplicity of myheart I again asked her for that dear Son as myheavenly spouse she, at length, consented to;give him, notwithstanding rny unworthiiiess ;my heart had now no other love and nothingmore to desire, save the arrival of the happyday of our spiritual nuptials."On her return, as if to celebrate in advancewhat she termed her nuptials, the manyrelatives of the future carmelite assembledaround her for the last time, and celebrated inher honor a modest little fete, touching demonstration of affection worthy of the Christiansentiments which animated the father of theyoung aspirant and her virtuous relatives.Each felt the regret natural at parting, but allunited in praying for her perseverance, for theybeheld therein a happiness for Perrine and ablessing for themselves. Their wishes werefulfilled far beyond their most sanguine expectations.For myself I most ardently desired the approach of the day of my departure. We wereawaiting the arrival of a religious, travelling inthe direction of Tourraiiie, to whose care I wasPrivate Use Only

THE TRIAL,to be confided for the journey but as she did;not make her appearance, and as I was burningwith the desire to set out, my father decided toleave his business for some days that he mightpresent me himself to the Lord. I bade adieuto my home and friends with much joy,although I loved them very tenderly, yet, I hadsuch a longing to go and serve the Holy Familyat Carmel that my natural feelings of sorrowat such a separation were easily stifled. Iwent also to bid adieu to him who haddirected me in my vocation. He vouched formy perseverance. But fearing that the wayin which the Lord would conduct me mightnot be in harmony with the community life, hesaid, My child, endeavor to follow the common way when a; religious is conducted inan extraordinary manner she isobliged todemand an extraordinary confessor, which isnot always convenient in a community. Thenas if in a spirit of prophecy, he added : Doquickly that which you have to do hasten to;sanctify yourself for your course will not belong. After some other counsels he gave mehis last blessing and I departed."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""CHAPTEE IV.THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS.There I found the child Jesusand the Holy Family."(Words of our postulant.)Accompanied by my father,town of Rennes on the feast ofmy dear patron,St. Martin of Tours, the llth of November,1839, and travelled towards Tourraine, myfuture home. I reached Tours on the 13th,and proceeded immediately to the conventwhere I arrived at 5 o clock in the afternoon.What rendered this event remarkable to mewas, that it was St. Martin who presented meto all the saints of Carmel, for on the nextI left theday their feast was to be celebrated. I feltassured that these good saints would not refuseme admission on the day of their feast, for Ihad prayed fervently, entreating them to admitme into their company;they could not havegiven me a better or more striking proof ofmy perseverance than that of havingme receivedon such a day."Our little Breton postulant seemed to havehad no curiosity to visit the city. That," saidshe, is of little importance to me. HavingPrivate Use Only

"THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 59quitted the travelling coach, my father conducted me to the Carmelites he ;gave me hisbenediction and said with great emotion, whileembracing me for the last time : The will ofGod alone, my child, gives me courage to makethis sacrifice. Poor lather !May Grod rewardyour admirable resignation to His decrees ! . .Yery soon the doors were thrown open andfather remitted me to the care of thismynew family who presented themselves to receiveme. If at that moment I offered to G-od thesacrifice of a fond father,he gave me in returna most excellent mother, who was to render meinestimable services. This was the reverendmother Mary of the Incarnation, prioress andat the same time mistress of novices. When inthe world, Our Lord one day gave me tounderstand that the mother whom he destinedfor me would have a special grace to conductme in his ways;and, in fact, the promise wasverified as soon as our reverend mother understood my interior dispositions. This knowledgecame to her by degrees, and according as Grodjudged it proper for his glory and the salvation of my soul."After I had embraced my new sisters, thereverend mother conducted me to the altar ofthe Most Blessed Vjrgin Mary, my heavenlymother, to thank her for my admission into theholy house of Carmel, and to place myselfunder her special protection. The hour ofrecreation soon drew nigh: I was invited tosing and I did not wait to be importuned, forMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Oh""""was"60 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.I had sung the same hymn many times whileawaiting the* happy day of my entrance intoCarmel. It was as follows :Oh ! Bless d be God ! I ve found that peaceFor which I ve sighed so long ;For Him my love shall never cease,He ll ever be my song.There were fifteen stanzas which Isangwith such cheerfulness that no one thought ofinterrupting me."The new postulant seemed inclined to continue, when suddenly the reverend motherprioress, who had been absent, entered therecreation room. Finding one disposed to sing,the others to listen, and all apparently enjoying themselves, she considered it a splendidoccasion to test the postulant. "Well,"saidshe, you have been in a hurry to display yourlittle talent." A dead silence ensued. Aftera few seconds, the mother prioress, turningtoward the little singer, said "See if you:can entertain us with something better "!! reverend mother," replied she, I havesung you the very best thing I know." Such washer simple reply. Not a shadow of disappointment or embarrassment could be observed onher countenance.It was very evident that byvirtue as well as by natural disposition, Perrinewas not of a melancholy turn of mind.This frank gaiety,"said she,already aproof of my vocation for Carmel for our;holymother, St. Theresa, would not allow sad ormelancholy subjects to remain among herPrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 61daughters ; of this I was fully aware. Thefollowing- day, I attended the Divine Office,during which I had a very ridiculous temptation, and as it was the only one I rememberhaving had against my vocation, I shall relateit.Observing the officiant, the chantress, thechorists and other sisters going to the middleof the choir, make a genuflexion, say somethingin Latin, then return for others to take theirplace, I was alarmed at the number andvariety of these ceremonies. I thought I wouldneverhave intelligence enough to know howto do so many things, nor to perceive whenmy turn would come to do likewise. I concluded that perhaps it would be much moreexpedient for me to take mylittle bundle andreturn to Brittany. But how could I get home !I had only forty francs in my purse ;surelythat would not meet the expenses of so long ajourney. I had forgotten that I had given eventhis to the good mother prioress. However, Iconsoled myself by saying have :patience andwe shall see what will happen. I was conducted to the confessional : further dismay.I perceived a small slab of iron painted white,pierced with little round holes, and placed inthe wall according to the carmelite custom.They told me that I should speak through thisgrating to the confessor Patience :again, mysoul, and we shall soon see how all thesethings will terminate ! From the chapel I wasconducted to the noviciate. Tiiere I found the childJesus and the Holy Family, the cherished objectsMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"62 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.of my affection. From this moment the HolyFamily, for whom I had quitted the world andentered Carmel where I knew they were specially honored, smoothed away all my difficulties and I found all things easy and agreeable.I was so much at home that it already seemedseveral years since my arrival. Then I understood by my own experience that there isvocation, not only for an order, but also vocation for a particular House of that order, as Ihad no attraction for any other convent on;the contrary, from the moment I entered thatof Tours I felt that I was where G-od wishedme to be."Let us for a few brief moments interruptthese interesting details to make acquaintancewith the house into which Perrine was ledby Divine Providence.The monastery of Tours isby no means theleast considerable among the many which thedaughters of St. Theresa have established inFrance. We behold in its foundation a visibleproof of St. Martin s protection of his episcopal city.Divine love had already formed a bond ofunion between the carmelite Reformer andthe Thaumaturgus of the Grauls, which herbiographer has not neglected to mention. Thevirgin of Avila writes :To-day is the feast ofSt. Martin to whom I have a special devotion,for I have frequently received extraordinarygraces from Our Lord during this octave."It was, as we have seen, on the feast of thisPrivate Use Only

THE CAEMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 6holy bishop that Perrine had received markedassistance in the pursuit of her vocation it;was also during the celebration of that samefeast that she found, not far from the tomb ofthe glorious apostle, the asylum wherein herperfection was to be accomplished. Is it notan indication of the watchful care of Providence to have enriched the city of St. Martinwith a community so thoroughly imbued withthe Theresian spirit ? It will be our agreeableduty to trace, summarily, the origin of themonastery and its principal historical phasesdown to the time of the admission of sisterSt. Peter.The monastery of Tours was established in1608. Four years previous, that of Paris wasfounded by cardinal de Berulle, madame Acarieand Blessed Mary of the Incarnation. Thelatter was related to M. de Fontaines-Marans,seigneur de Rouziers, in the vicinity of Tours,whose favorite daughter had entered amongthe Carmelites of Paris, but because of illhealthshe was obliged to return home. Toindemnify this beloved child who stillsighedfor the peaceful solitudes of Carmel, M. de Rouziersproposed founding a monastery at Tourswith the hope that she would be received asbenefactress, thus enabling her to satisfy herpious desire, and at the same time remain nearthe paternal mansion. It was rnadame Acariein person who negotiated for this foundationwith the pious nobleman. Cardinal de Berulleappointed mother Ann of St. Bartholomew,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"64 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.prioress of the projected monastery, and nominated seven sisters to accompany her. This wasthe devoted friend of St. Theresa who expiredin her arms. She had come from Spain withseveral other sisters, accompanied by cardinal de Berulle. The annals of the monastery have preserved the following account ofthe foundation: "We left Paris on the 5th ofMay and arrived here on the 9th. The journeywas tedious and painful ;but St. Theresa1appeared and consoled her faithful friend.She seemed to walk by her side on a pathstrewn with thorns, exhorting her to continueher arduous undertaking in the followingwords : !CourageI shall assist you. Fromthe moment of their arrival, the sisters tookpossession of the house prepared for them, andthe Blessed Sacrament was deposited in thechapel the Sunday within the octave of theAscension, the 18th of May."On the same day, mother Ann of St. Bartholomew recommended the new monastery toOur Lord during her communion, supplicatinghim to bestow his graces on the little flockof missionaries present, and on allthose who,in the future, would present themselves toserve Him. My adorable Master assured me,said she, that he would grant my request ;and from that moment to the present time 1have witnessed the marvelous accomplishment of his promise.At this period the population of Tours included a great number of heretics, descendantsPrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 65of the Huguenots who, in the preceding age,had been the cause of the most frightful civilwars. When they learned that a number of nunswere coming to reside in their city, and wereeven crossing the Loire, they exclaimed:"May they go to the bottom of the river beforereaching the shore !"However, their impiousdesires were not realized. The grace of G-odsoon triumphed and changed these hostilefeelings. The nearest neighbor of the Carmelites cited them before the law because of astray hen, but he was so filled with admirationat the sight of their exquisite charity, that hesoon abjured heresy. This incident was muchcommented upon by the sectarians, who utteredall sorts of invectives against the Carmelites;one of them saying: "These Theresiaiis are capable of making Catholics of us despite ourselves." . . .They would have had still greaterreason to fear had they known how manyprayers and penances were daily offered fortheir conversion in the interior of the cloister.The new monastery had already attainedsuch a reputation of sanctity that persons of thehighest rank came from far and near to solicitthe privilege of taking the holy habit.Fromthe first year of the foundation, there were asmany as twenty postulants at a time. Amongthose whom the venerable mother Ann of St.Bartholomew admitted to profession, we arepleased to find the name of one of the daughtersof a Breton gentleman, Mile. Querlingue, in religion Mary of St. Elias ;another young lady fromMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com3

"66 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Rennes, Mile, de la Riviere, in religion John ofSt. Joseph, who was afterwards sent to theas itmonastery of Morlaix. These two being,were, the firstamong the most precious fruitsof sanctity which catholic Brittany was oneday to produce.The holiness of the first professed wasmirrored in the disciples formed by them. Wehave a proof of this in the fact that from amongthose who founded the monastery of Toursfour were chosen to spread the Reform of St.Theresa so; capable were they deemed of implanting the true spirit. Many others wereafterward taken from this monastery for thesame purpose. But to return to our subject:Mother Ann of St. Bartholomew was specially favored by G-od. These are her words :The Divine Majesty bestowed on me manygraces, though I had no confessor with whomI could easily communicate, for our directorunderstood no Spanish, nor I the French, yet Iconfessed as best I could, and our superiorscame to visit us once a year. Our Lord suppliedthis deficiency by the consolations which hesent, for he now bestowed on me the gracesof which I had been deprived at other times.These strengthened me in the practice of virtue and penance formany days together. Itseemed that sufferings redoubled my strengthand without reflecting on it, I felt myselfclosely united to God, and so to say, clothedwith the spirit of St. Paul, which caused me toexclaim with him : What shall separate mePrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TdtJRS.6tfrom the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ ! Iwas, as it were, environed with the love of mySaviour : if he had not sustained me by hisalmighty power and strengthened my naturefavors with which I wasagainst the manyoverwhelmed, I never could have been able tobear them. I repeated with the great Apostle:I wish to be an anathema and to die for mybrethren and my Lord Jesus Christ. And as ithappens that on such occasions, the soullovingly immolates herself without reserve,Our Lord once said to me : It is the glory ofthe Just -to do my will, adding words so fullof tenderness that I was as if beside myselfwith divine love."In all the difficulties of this foundation, sheapplied for aid to St. Theresa, who appeared toher several times. Not to lose sight of herholy friend she wore a small picture of her.When quitting the monastery of Tours, motherAnn of St. Bartholomew left her mantle as didthe prophet Elias to his disciple; doubtlessher spirit likewise ;for the religious of thismonastery have ever been distinguished forthe most sublime virtues, particularly for aninviolable fidelity to obedience, and for theA^igilance with which they preserved in all itspurity the true spirit of their holy mother, St.Theresa of Jesus. They were not uiifrequentlycalled upon to found or govern other houses ofthe order, upon which they drew down celestialbenedictions. We refer in particular to a sisterfrom Quatrebarbes, in religion mother Eliza-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""68 #IFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.beth of the Holy Trinity, prioresstery of Beaume, who died in the odor of sanctity.Others in 16 It founded the monastery ofof Riom, at Auvergne; again others, that of1ST antes, in 1618, of Senz in 1625, and that ofAngers in 1626.The year 1616 was memorable for the erection of thechnrch belonging to the monastery.The first stone was laid on Holy TuesdayMarch 29th by the Queen, Mary de Medicis,when returning from Midi after theof her son Louis XIII. with Ann ofof the monasmarriageAustria.The edifice was blessed on Friday, the 3rd ofMay 1619, and dedicated to the Maternity ofthe most Blessed Virgin. The solemn consecration took place during the priority ofMother Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament,spiritual daughter of Blessed Mary of the Incarnation. The monastery then changed itsprimitive title Notre Dame des of" Anges tothat of The Incarnation or, the Holy Motherof G-od," for it is mentioned in the ancient documents under these two appellations. Atpresent itbears the latter title.It is related that at the time of the canonization of St. Philip de Neri, M. Odoir, a goodpriest well known in the Order, came to Tours.The mother prioress requested him to offer theholy sacrifice of the mass, to obtain throughthe intercession of St. Philip, the restorationof two of the sisters who were ill. On retiringfrom the altar after having offered the HolySacrifice the saintly priest said to the prioress:Private Use Only

"THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 69Reverend mother, one of yoursisters is restored to health," (which was really the case) ;he added: "Thereligious of your communityto Grod, for whilst I was adare1very pleasingministering to them the holy communion,Our Lord seemed so desirous of reposing intheir hearts that the Sacred Host departedfrom my fingers with great eagerness."The Carmelites of Tours have always beenremarkable for their great devotion to theSacred Heart of Jesus. One day during prayer,the prioress beheld Our Lord, who showed herhis adorable Heart w^herein. were lovinglyclosed all the sisters of the community.When Jansenism sought to devastate Franceby effacing the true spirit of Christianity fromthe hearts of the faithful, the Carmelites ofTours preserved intact the purity of the fcith,and accepted with entire submission all thedecrees of the Holy See. On several occasions,the religious of this monastery were chosen bytheir superiors either to defend or to establishsound doctrine in other convents, in which themembers had insensibly become imbued withthe spirit of heresy. The strict adherenceof the prioresses to the decisions of the HolyChurch was even manifested in the writings ofthis period ;every circular addressed to thedifferent houses of the Order invariably terminated as follows: "We remain true daughtersof the Church, submissive, by the grace of God,to allher decrees."When the revolution of It 8 9 burst forth, theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.comin

>70LIFE""""OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.number of professed was nineteen, every oneproving herself worthy of her holy vocation.One day several of the municipal counsellors,under the title of commissioners, presentedthemselves at the parlor, forced open the doorand entered the interior of the cloister to propose to the sisters what they termed, TheOath of :Liberty all peremptorily refused totake the oath, declaring that they had offeredto Grod their vows, from which no human powercould dispense them; that they knew of noliberty more glorious than the practice of theirmonastic duties.In a few days the officers returned. Impressed with the idea that obedience to thesuperior was the cause of the previous failureof their efforts, they proposed a re-election, atwhich they themselves would preside, exacting that all the religious of the house, even thelay sisters and novices, should have a voicein the election. Imagine the astonishment 4ofthe officers when they found that the samesuperiors were unanimously chosen. Wehave been fooled !they exclaimed. Findingthat these means proved ineffectual, they hadresort to another expedient: that of speakingprivately to each religious. They made everyeffort to spread disunion and trouble amongthe members of the community. But all theirendeavors only served to cement more closelythe bonds of faith and charity which existedamong those good sisters.It was not long before they were driven fromPrivate Use Only

"THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS.7ltheir monastery and forced to seek a shelteramong their friends, who received them withfear and sorrow. Soon, however, they werearrested and thrown into prison. We cannotgive an adequate idea of what they enduredduring their cruel imprisonment, One of thesisters, blind and aged eighty-seven, too feebleto walk, was left for four hours in an opencourt-yard w r here she was exposed to all theseverity of the season she contracted inflam;mation of the lungs and died eight days after,deprived of all assistance, but consoling herself with the thought that she gave her lifefor the love of her heavenly Spouse.The other sisters were several times transferred to the different prisons of the city. Oneday, they received the announcement that theywere to be taken out the ; poor nuns thoughtthey were to be brought to the place of execution ;joy was manifested in their countenancesfor death had long been the object of theirdesire. On the way, they learned that theywere only journeying to another prison.The populace had been bribed to utter allmanner of abusive language against these holysisters while they were traversing the public thoroughfares. One of these saintly soulsregretted that day to her last moment exclaim:ing Alas ! must I die in bed after havinglost such an occasion of !"martyrdom Language cannot depict the terrible sufferingsthey endured during these eighteen months ofimprisonment. The bare boards were fre-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

72 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.quently their only bed, and their food wascoarse and loathsome the; fidelity with whichthey kept their rules of abstinence, in the midstof their excessive sufferings, filled to overflowing their cup of bitterness for; notwithstanding all their privations, they constantlypractised their rule of abstinence. At length,the prison doors were thrown open and theywere permitted to go forth. They dispersedamong devoted friends, and awaited patientlythe hour of re-union.Nevertheless, they lived in all possible regularity, under the most exact obedience,religiously united to their Superior, who remained in office until after their re-establishment. Every Saturday she sent to each oneonwhatever was necessary for the week;Sundays they assembled for their religious exercises, held the chapter, and askedtheir permissions, as if they had been in theconvent. They possessed nothing in particular, but guarded their vow of poverty asstrictly as if in the cloister.After the storm had subsided in the year1798, they were enabled to resume their former manner of life. Then it was a source ofconsolation to them to reflect that during thislong period of sufferings, their regular observances had never for one moment been interrupted, not even during the sad days of theirimprisonment. Their first habitation was amiserable little house, where they were obligedto support themseh es by the labor of theirPrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE ^MONASTERYOF TOURS. 73hands, but Providence soon came to their aid.A benefactress gave them the necessary moneyto purchase an old institution of which theytook possession in 1805.*They then resumed anew the practice of theirholy customs, but were not able to observethe strict enclosure. It was only in 1822, afterthey had returned to their old convent, endeared to them by so many titles, that AlmightyG-od accorded them this consolation. Theyfound a part of the buildings destroyed, yetthere still remained a portion of the old housew r hich had been consecrated by the sojourn ofthe venerable Ann of St. Bartholomew and herfirst daughters. The church was in a dilapidatedcondition, in consequence of having been usedas a ware-house during the six years of trouble ;the main-altar, however, had not been disturbed, nor the large painting of the mysteryof the Incarnation, under whose invocation theCarmelite Monastery of Tours had been placed.The Blessed Virgin seemed to havo takenupon herself the duty of watching over andpreserving the edifice consecrated to her,which the following fact, cited literally fromthe annals of the monastery, will prove.The proprietor of our house was earnestlysolicited to sell the church for a theatre, forwhich, from its favorable position, it was welladapted. On the eve of the day on which* The ancient House of Refuge situated in the parishof NotreDame la Riche, which was afterward given up to its original destination.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

4 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the sale was to take place, one of the commissioners went to the church to conclude somebusiness arrangements. What was his astonishment to see two little streams of waterissuing- from the !painting He approached,and saw that these tiny rivulets came from theeyes of the Blessed Virgin. Astonished at themarvelous occurrence, he examined the picture very minutely, to ascertain if this proceeded from any natural cause, but coulddiscover nothing. The painting was at anelevation of thirty feet from the floor, and wassuspended on a wall three feet thick, on whichnot the slightest appearance of moisture couldbe perceived. This man, who professed noreligion, was so impressed by the event, that heran in alarm to relate what he had seen to theproprietor, saying with great earnestness : Ifyou sell that church for a theatre, you andyour family will be lost forever, for I have justseen the Virgin Mary weeping there. Weknow not if the proprietor attached any importance to this extraordinary fact : the church,however, from one cause or another, was notsold. The commissioner, in his fright, hastenedto the abode of our Mothers to report whathad taken place ;several of whom went tothe spot and bore testimony to the fact."This miraculous picture is still to be seenover the main-altar in the church of the mpiiastery.The Carmelites also possess anothervery interesting historical picture worthy ofveneration ;a beautiful image of Our Lord, thePrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOURS. 75original of which, it is said, is preserved atGrencs, and isregarded by pious tradition as thetrue portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ whichhe, himself, sent to king Abgare. * A smallnumber of copies of the picture have beentaken, and are to be seen in Spain. M. G-authier,a gentleman from Angers, brought one on hisreturn from Spain with Cardinal de Berulle,where they had gone to solicit the Carmelites to establish a house of their Order inFrance. This picture, he kept in his possessionfor years, but finally gaveit to a friend ;atpresent, it is in the possession of the Carmelites of Tours. It is painted on wood the;countenance of Our Lord is life-size andexquisitely beautiful ;the view of it inspiresthe beholder with admiration and love, so delicate are the delineations, and so vivid is theharmony of the coloring. Need we be surprisedthat from among all other religious houses,Our Lord should have chosen this particularmonastery to rejoice in the possession of suchan incomparable treasure ! Forit was here* St. John Damascene relates this fact in the following manner.(De Orth. fide, lib. IV, cap. XVII. Orat. de virginibus.t Abgare,king of Odessa in Syria, sent a painter to our Lord Jesus Christ totake his portrait. The painter could rot succeed in consequence ofthe great brilliancy, or effulgence of glory which emanated from theaugust countenance of the Lord. But the Saviour placed on hisdivine face a pi^ce of linen which immediately took the impressionot his sacred countenance ;our Lord then sent this linen to Abgareto satisfy his pious curiosity.Fleury, in his Ecclesiastical History, Vol. XII. p. 49, narratesthe same circumstance more at length. He quotes all the authorswho have mentioned the fact ; he, himself, seems not to have theslightest doubt of its authenticity.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

*76 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER,that he first manifested the mystery of hisdolorous Face, and chose this spot as the cradleof the devotion of Reparation.The Carmelites of Tours preserve manyother objects of inestimable value to them.Among others, a celebrated relic of St. Theresa,a large particle of the bone of her right wrist,with the authentic documents signed by theArchbishop of G-renada, by the Discalced Carmelite Monks, and by other dignitaries of theprovince of St. Ange, in Upper Andalusia. Thisprecious relic was brought from the frontiersof Spain by a royal courier, and sent to theCarmelites. Another treasure, with which theyare enriched, is the mantle left them, as wehave already mentioned, by the venerable Annof St. Bartholomew. And still another equallytreasured, the pall used at the profession ofMother Magdalen of St. Joseph, the daughterof the noble founder, of whom we have alreadyspoken. It is under this same pall that, at present, the sisters prostrate themselves on the dayof their profession.Lastly, they have the happiness of possessing a piece of the veil of themost Blessed Virgin, sent them in 1835 by theCarmelites of Chartres.At the time of the admission of Sr. M. St.Peter, only seventeen years had elapsed sincethe return of the Carmelites to their monastery.They faithfully guarded these precious souvenirs of the great example of virtue whichtheir ancient Mothers had left them. Some ofthese venerable religious are still living andPrivate Use Only

THE CARMELITE MONASTERY OF TOUES.sustain the primitive spirit of the monastery.The rules are observed in their full vigor.Mother Mary of the Incarnation, a soulwell-tried in every virtue and of whomwe shall speak later, gave to the entire community an impulse as energetic as it was salutary.It was under the direction of this worthy Superioress, that our little Perrine was immediatelyplaced. For such a school, the young postulantwas already well prepared, by her worthy andable director, to mount by rapid strides tothe highest summit of religious perfection.Let us hasten to return to her artless narrative, in which she herself will relate her firstexperiencesin cloistered life.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""My"CHAPTER V.HER NOVICIATE.Ilooked upon myself as the littleservant of the Holy Family."( Words of the Sister.)to St..The, life of a carmelite, accordingTheresa, should be one of special devotednessto the glory of Grod and the service of theChurch by prayer and penance. The illustrious Reformer repeated continually to herspiritual children :daughters, we havenot come to Carmel to repose or to enjoy ourselves, but to labor, to suffer and to savesouls."From the moment of her arrival, our littleBreton postulant felt that she should be thoroughly imbued with this spirit. "The Grod ofmercy,"said she, manifested the designs hehad in view in calling O me to the religious Ostate ;designs well suited to give me an exalted idea of the sublime vocation I hadembraced. The object of all the previouscommunications with which Our Lord hadhitherto favored me, was the saiictification ofmy own soul. I labored exclusively for my-Private Use Only

"deignedHER NOVICIATE. 9self, as I was only charged with the care ofmy own perfection. But when Grod calledme to Carmel, where I was to devote myselfthe necessities of the Churchsolely to his glory,and the salvation of souls, he to.teach me to nature of the devotedness, thespirit of sacrifice and the zeal for the salvation of others, sublime virtues of which, as yet,I knew nothing. On this subject 1 receivedthe following communication, which I havealways regarded as the foundation-stone of theWork of Reparation: for before speaking to meopenly of this great work, Our Lord waiteduntil I had obtained my superior s consent tomake the act of perfect abandonment whichhe required of me. This communication remains engraved on my heart, but as I did notmake a written account of it, I can only narrate from memory what transpired."One day, after I had received holy communion, Our Lord, accompanied by an angel,condescended to manifest himself to my soul.He showed me the multitudes that weremdaily falling into hell, and then expressed hiswish that I should offer myself without reserve to his good pleasure; moreover, that Ishould abandon to him all the merits Imightacquire in my new career, for the accomplishment of his designs. He promised methat he would take care of my interests, that hewould cause me to participate in all hismerits, and would himself,my soul. The angel (elsewherebe the director ofshe statesMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

80 LIFE OF SISTER, MARY ST. PETER.that itwas the archangel Raphael), urged meto consent to this magnanimous proposal. Itseemed to me that he envied rny happiness, forbeing purely spiritual he could neither suffernor merit. .This celestial spirit assured methat if I consented to Our Lord s request, theangels would surround my death-bed and defend me against the assaults of the devil.""How Ilonged to make this act then andthere ! I was almost on the point of offeringthe sacrifice to the Lord; but either becausemy Divine Master had advised me differently,or that I was afraid to stray from the path ofobedience, I did not comply with his wish,thinking that I ought to have the permissionof our reverend superioress. To obtain this,I briefly transcribed the communicationand presented it to her, as I had beenaccustomed to do with my confessor. Ourgood Mother, not aware of the manner inwhich Our Lord conducted me, did not givemuch credit to what her little postulantrelated, but she wisely said :My child, thisabandonment which you desire to make, is noordinary act, therefore, as I have yet no authority over you I cannot counsel you, and formuch greater reason, cannot permit you tomake it. As I had a very great love forobedience, I submitted respectfully to theopinion of our reverend mother ;yet her decision grieved me. I returned to Our Lord andsaid, Behold, my sweet Saviour, obedienceprevents me from complying with thy demand ;Private Use Only

""HER NOVICIATE. 81but thou dost behold the inmost recesses ofmy heart, and therefore, knowest.that I haveoffered thee all that I can give. Our Lord,for the moment, seemed satisfied with mygood will ; nevertheless, he inspired meseveral times to reiterate the same demand.It was only after I had obtained the permission of my superiors that he fully communicated to me the Work of Reparation. Ourprudent mother, perceiving from this that Ireceived extraordinary favors, took steps toascertain the nature of the spirit which conducted me she forbade me to;pay any attention to these supernatural operations. Then Ino longer heard any interior words, and OurLord seemed to submit himself with me, insome manner, to holy obedience."This superior, to whom Our Lord, for themoment, was thus submissive, was MotherMary of the Incarnation had he not; appointed her his immediate representative tothis vessel of election, to the chosen soul whomhe proposed to make an instrument of !mercyIt is important that we should make theacquaintance of this venerable mother immediately, as she plays a conspicuous part in thecommunications of Sister St. Peter,The venerable mother Mary of the Incarnation was a Breton. She was born at Palmbceuf,under the Directoire on the 9th of January1785. At that time, the law required childrento be taken before the Municipal officers tohave their names inscribed on the civil register.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Oh"82 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.This child was presented, bearing her mother s name, Marie Angelique. The municipalofficers, all Revolutionists, were averse to sucha pious Christian name, and gave her oneof their own choice, directing that she shouldbe called Virtue. Thus it was that Divine Providence made use of the wicked to give acharacteristic appellation to this child of benediction from the moment of her entrance intothe world. All the innocence and strength ofcharacter comprised in the beautiful name,Virtue, was fully exemplified in her future life.At her birth she could only receive the sacramentofBaptism informally, because of the per-.secution ;a few years later, all the attendantceremonies were administered. She appreciated so well the grace of regeneration, that onhearing a person speak of infidel lands, sheclaimed :! how I pity the poorchildren of those countries who have not asI have had, the happiness of being baptized!Angelique early became inured to sufferings,her parents having met with reverses of everydescription. Once her mother was congratulated for having a child of such promise, mature beyond her years, but she was heard toreply : "Alas she has so often seen me weep ! !"This worthy lady, left a widow after theRevolution., removed to Tours. Her littledaughter, though so young, gave early evidence that she understood the happiness ofknowing and loving Grod. She had most celestial inspirations, and seemed naturally aversePrivate Use Only

""HER NOVICIATE. 83to all the pleasures of the world ;Grod wasnot long in manifesting to her his designs.At the age of thirteen or fourteen, passing beforethe devastated church of the Carmelites, she feltinwardly moved to enter. Kneeling on thesteps leading to the sanctuary, she gazed intently on the painting of our Blessed Ladywhich hung on the wall at considerable height,in front of the grating which separated thechoir of the religious from the church. Shethen thought to herself: How happy shouldI be, if one day I were admitted among thosewho have dwelt within these venerable walls !"Immediately she heard a voice "reply Per:severe, and thou shalt taste this happiness."At this moment she was seized with a presentiment of sorrow a ;crushing weight seemedto have fallen on her soul, and she fell prostrate on the pavement, shedding an abundanceof tears : her sobs and sighs were re-echoedby the deserted building. Terrified, the poorchild ran to a friend to relate what had happened the latter said earnestly ; :My child,I have long foreseen that you will one day bea religious."The world was not long to retain this innocent dove, who at the age of seventeen flew tothe bosom of Carmel. After the Revolutionarystorm had swept by, the Carmelites foundshelter in an old monastery purchased withthe fruit of their toils and self-denials. MarieAngelique, renouncing the tender care of anaffectionate mother, presented herself to shareMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

84 LIFE OF SISTEE MAEY ST. PETEE.that poverty which was the portion of thedaughters of St. Theresa, who soon discovered the treasure they had acquired andlost 110 time to enhance its value ;they submitted her to the most rigorous trials of obediencein order to destroy her self-will completely.Their efforts were not fruitless, for when stilla young professed, she was called upon as Mistress oi Novices, to form others to religiousperfection.The many sacrifices and privations which thecommunity had suffered during those years ofdistress, had prematurely ruined her health, andbrought on a long and painful illness to whichshe finally succumbed. Nothing could induceher to deviate from her usual routine of labor,prayer and penance. Appointed treasurer,she managed the modest finances of the housewith such prudence and ability, that the monastery was soon relieved from the extremeindigence into which it had been plunged byspoliation.Elected prioress in 1834, she made someimportant improvements in the old monastery,which had been restored to them in 1822. Itwas in this place that she had received thefirst call of grace. When obliged by threats ofmunicipal expropriation to leave this venerableasylum, the task of constructing a new monastery devolved upon her. She succeeded marvelouslyin her enterprise, with the assistanceof St. Theresa. Her charity was inexhaustible :from the depths of her solitude she extendedPrivate Use Only

""""HER NOVICIATE.Soboth spiritual and temporal aid to all the wantsmade known to her by Divine Providence.We find that she was instrumental in there-establishment of the Carmelite friars inFrance, by the charity rendered two Spanishreligious who had been brought prisoners toTours She procured their release, and provided for all their necessities until they wereable to rejoin the reverend Father Dominic andother exiled priests who were to found a newmonastery. A person of superior mind, sheelicited the admiration of all those with whomshe had any intercourse ;it was said, ^VYhata pity such a remarkable woman is shut up ina cloister !The venerable Mothers who had received her,considering her as the chain destined to linktogether ancient and modern times had, as sheoften remarked, bequeathed to her the custodyof the sacred traditions of the order on the perilof her She soul" accepted it on those terms andunder those conditions. To insure their preservation, she gathered together with piousTours and the other monasteriesrespect fromof France, the rules, religious regulations, andall the customs pertaining to monastic discipline. From these she compiled, The Carmelite s Treasure" a most precious work, welladapted to preserve the traditions of the Orderin France.As superior, Mother Mary of the Incarnationknew admirably how to combine firmnesswith gentleness. Althoughitpained her toMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

86 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.reprehend or chastise others, yet she never foran instant hesitated when the necessity of theoccasion demanded, or the dictates of herconscience deemed it expedient. Her livelyfaith and experienced judgment were alwaysguided by the rules of Christian prudence andby the most scrupulous discretion. One of herspecial gifts was the discernment of spirits.Obedience was the infallible mark by whichshe judged between the operations of graceand those of nature; this, in her opinion, wasthe touchstone of real virtue. When necessary,she administered humiliations in good doses,and manifested an apparent indifference for thecommunications confided lier.Such was the course pursued by this prudent Mother in regard to the young Bretonaspirant committed to her care. To discoverthe spirit by which she was influenced, thereverend mother adopted the method pursuedby Perrine s former confessor, and directedher to give a written account of all that concerned her celestial cornmunications. Whenever her spiritual daughter presented herselfwith her paper, the Mother would take itquietly, lay it aside and continue her occupation, intimating thereby that she would attendto it W heii time permitted, after she haddisposed of all other matters.The special devotion of our young postulant,was a tender love of the holy Infancy of Jesus.Let us not deprive her of the pleasure ofdescribing the manner in which she wasPrivate Use Only

"HER NOVICIATE8tattracted by grace, previous to her reception ofthe holy habit."When but an infant in Carmelite life,Our Lord gave me a special attraction to themystery of his holy Infancy,and made knownwhat he desired of me. The following exercise,consisting of a special devotion for every dayof the month, was traced out in my mind I;practised this exercise with great consolationand with much, profit. I looked upon myselfas the little servant of the Holy Family, andoffered to serve them. I longed to bear theirlivery in being clothed with the habit of theCarmelites, beseeching our reverend mother togrant me this inestimable favor, notwithstanding my great unworthiiiess. Accordingly, Ireceived the holy habit on the 21st of May,1840, during the lovely month dedicated to her,through whose intercession I had obtained thegrace of being called to the religious life. Onthat memorable.day of benediction, I consecratedmyself anew to the Holy Family in a mostparticular manner. The followingis the formulawhich I wrote and placed on my heart duringthe :ceremonyJesus, Mary and !Joseph Most holy andadmirable family, Ibeg of you to receive meto-day as your little servant this is the most;ardent desire of my heart. I beseech you to hearmy prayer, for I am firmly resolved to be forever faithful ;and though I cannot immolatemyself by the vows of religion, nevertheless, Ibeg of you to receive my desire of fulfillingMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

88 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.them, and to grant me the grace to accomplishthem as perfectly as if contracted. mostHoly Infant Jesus ! G-rant that Imay be assubmissive to the Holy G-host and to my superiors as you were to the most Holy Yirgin andto St. Joseph. And thou, Mary, conceivedwithout sin, obtain for me that Imay nevertarnish the brilliancy of the angelic virtue ofpurity. O blessed patriarch St. Joseph, thouwho hast practised holy poverty in so eminenta degree of perfection, and who hast sacrificedInfant Jesus and the mostthyself for the HolyBlessed Yirgin, his mother, obtain by thy example and thy powerful influence with Grod, thatImay love and practise holy poverty to mylast breath, that Imay make it a duty and apleasure to sacrifice myself for my sisters.most !Holy Family grant that I may glory inbeing your humble servant. Deign to receiveme on this happy day, and give me in proof ofyour acceptance of rny offering, the grace ofacquitting myself worthily of the divine office,that Imay recite it with respectful attentionand loving fervor ;grant that I may be as vigilant at matins as if I were in Heaven, enraptured by the grandeur ofGod and the splendorof his glory.Amen.""After this consecration, I regarded myselfas the little domestic of the Holy Family, andin all my occupations I had the intention ofserving them at Nazareth. I had but onemore ambition, that of being the little Ass ofthe Infant Jesus. If the royal prophet DavidPrivate Use Only

"HER NOVICIATE. 89looked upon himself as a beast of burdenbefore the Lord, with how mucji more propriety could I not designate myself the Ass ofthe Infant Jesus ? Reflecting, that the Son ofG-od reduced himself to such poverty for ourlove, that he was necessitated on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, to send his disciples to borrow so humble an animal, sayingon his part, that the Master had need oi it/I exclaimed :My good Saviour, now that thouart in Heaven, I desire thou shouldst havean ass on earth, entirely at thy disposal, whomthou mayst lead about at pleasure, whereverthou wilt ;accept me, I beg of thee. As wellas I can remember, I as most desirous ofwrknowing if Our Lord accepted my offering,and I believe I even prayed to the HolyFamily w r ith that intention. Afterward, Iproceeded to my appointment in the followingmanner."Our reverend Mothers were then ontheir retreat ;during this time, the postulantsand novices took their recreation in the novitiate. One evening, as w r e were all assembledbefore a picture of the Holy Family at thehour of recreation, I proposed to my companions to make a sheepfold for the HolyFamily in such a manner, that each wouldbe consecrated to them according to the office,or title drawn by lot ;the proposition wasunanimously accepted. It.was decided thatone of us should be the ass of the InfantJesus, another the ox, another the sheep, andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"90 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. JPETER.so on. The convention was held, the billetsdrawn, and to my great joy, I was chosen byProvidence to be the Ass of. the Infant Jesus. Iinquired into the characteristics of the ass, forI wanted to avoid its defects. A postulant,who possessed one in the world, gave me allthe necessary information. We could not havepassed a more pleasant recreation. My billetwas couched in the following terms : TheAss of the Holy Infant is stubborn, he is idle ;he will walk only in by-ways, but he hasresolved to correct these defects. His officeshall be, to keep the Infant Jesus warm, tocarry him on his journeys and in a word, to;render to the Holy Family all the little services in its power.I was enchanted with my new title ;butI thought there was stillsomething more toobtain before I could validly assume the dutiesof my ofHce. This was the approval of ourreverend mother, whom Iprayed to have thekindness to sign my billet for said; I, our dearMother represents Our Lord if I can obtain;her signature it will be a certain proof thatthe Divine Infant accepts me as his littleass. Our reverend mother was very muchamused with our simplicity. I have no objection, said she, to sign yourlittle billets/She became a child with her children, practising the saying of St. Paul, making herselfall to all, to gain all and we thus obtained;her signature. I was quite serious in thusoffering myself to the Infant Jesus ; I regardedPrivate Use Only

;HER NOVICIATE. 91it as a little contract by which I could comply with the request of Our Lord, made somedays after my entrance into religion, that ofgiving myself entirely to Him together withall that I co.uld do for the accomplishment ofhis designs for I feltmyself continually;urged to make the act of abandonment. Thepermission of my superiors, only, was wanting.When our reverend mother signed my billet,Ihoped that I could make my little sacrificeto the Holy Infant. However, to be more certain, I spoke to our reverend mother and askedher if she would be willing to give up herlittle Ass entirely to the Infant Jesus, that hemight do with her as he wished. She replied :1No, my child ;tell Him that I only lend her,I cannot yet give her up entirely.There were many other painful refusals instore for me a; perfect abandonment to Grodfor the accomplishment of his designs mighthave entailed results which I could not thenforesee, being so little initiated in the waysof the Lord. Our wise and prudent motherwished first to exercise this poor and miserable instrument in the virtue of obedience andin the renunciation of self-will. I offeredmyself to the Lord as a loaned Ass, throughthe hands of Mary and Joseph. This little act ofsimplicity was, I believe, very pleasing to theDivine Infant, for he began to direct me a-IIew in his ways this;was in fulfilment of apromise he had made after my entrance intoCarmel. I regarded my soul as the poor stableMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

92 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.of Bethlehem;and considering the Holy InfantJesus reposing in my heart, I adored him inunion with the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph,and I offered to be his little domestic. I washis little Ass in prayer, stimulating myself tokeep him warm by the ardor of my love ;hislittle domestic in action, by performing for theHoly Family all the duties imposed on me,imagining myself to be in the house of NazarethThe Divine Infant inspired me to honor himeach day of the month by a special devotion."AVe give here an extract :MONTH OFTHE HOLY INFANT JESUS.On the 15th of the month, she celebratedthe Espousals of the Holy Virgin with St.Joseph, engaging herself to labor for them astheir little servant.The 16th, was consecrated to the mysteryof the Incarnation. On the nine followingdays, she honored the Holy Infant in the wombof his Virgin Mother then she; accompaniedthe Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph to Bethlehem.On the 25th, she celebrated the birth of theDivine Infant.On the 26th, she united her homage to thatof the shepherds.On the 27th, she adored him in hiscircumcision, when he was named Jesus.On the 28th, she honored him in unionwith the Magi.On the 29th, in his presentationTemple.Private Use Onlyin the

HER NOVICIATE. 93On the 30th, in his flight to Egypt.The first seven days of the following monthwere consecrated to the Infant Jesus in hisexile ;then she honored his first steps, hisfirst words, his first actions, his purity andhis simplicity.On the 8th, she celebrated the return of theHoly Family to Nazareth.On the 9th, she contemplated Jesus commencing to work with St. Joseph.On the 10th, she honored the obediencewhich the Divine Infant rendered his parents.On the llth, his affection for his BlessedMother and for the faithful Guardian of hisholy infancy.The 12th, she consecrated to the HolyChild in his twelfth year, going to Jerusalemwith the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph tocelebrate the Passover and to manifest his love.On the 18th, she adored him in the midstof the Doctors of the Law, defending the rightsof his Father.On the 24th, she rendered her homage to othe Holy Child, found in the Temple by Maryand Joseph, returning in their company toNazareth, where he was subject to them.This completed the month of the Holy Infancy the following ; day, the 15th, she recommenced. The thought of the Divine Infant,in union with whom she performed all heractions, rendered every occupation easy andagreeable, and thus the time passed imperceptibly.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""94 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.But,saidsheSatan, pride itself, wasjealous when he saw me honor the humiliation of the Word Incarnate. One day, whenI had performed an action which undoubtedly, was very displeasing to him, he endeavored to be revenged as follows : That night,after retiring, and just as I was falling asleep,I felt on my head something like a great, uglybeast which seemed to be trying to smotherme :immediately I had a presentiment thatit was the devil, he was pressing my head.I cried out to the Blessed Virgin to come tomy rescue. On hearing this sacred name hetook to flight, I then offered a prayer of thanksgiving, after which, if I remember rightly, Ibegan to sing these words, so terrible to theinfernal spirits: ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST,ET HAEITAVIT IN NOBis ! This took placeduring the grand silence thoughI did not:really see the devil, yet from the extraordinary sensation experienced in my soul, Iunderstood that it proceeded from more thanan ordinary dream. Satan, undoubtedly, wanted to smother the Ass of the Divine Infant,but the Blessed Yirgiii came to her assistance."This devotion of Sr. St. Peter to the HolyInfancy, was cherished by her to her last breath.Though by the call of divine grace, she wasto accompany Our Lord in the most dolorousscenes of his Passion, yet she was incessantlydrawn back to this firstconsoling mystery ofhis life, the sweet and innocent impress ofwhich her viginal soul always retained.Private Use Only

HER NOVICIATE. 95To maintain herself always in contemplationof the Divine Infant, she ornamented two littlestatues, one of which she called her little king,and the other, her poor king both; being appropriately decorated to represent the character which her ingenious devotion gave to eachone. She carried one or the other constantlywith her : and on her death-bed we shall seehow her pious and grateful charity easilyfound the means of gaining graces from herlittleKings for the benefactors of her monastery.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""*^4^c<C- 8, jCHAPTER VI.H E IIPROFESSION.My child, it is not enough tosacrifice one thing to God ;all"must be immolated to him.(The Mother Prioress. )Sister Mary St. Peter s noviciate was fastdrawing to a close. The mere thought of thehappy day on which our fervent and generousnovice would consecrate herself to God by thesacred vows of religion, caused her to exultwith impatient joy. She hastened to manifest her eagerness to be admitted to her holyprofession, and frequently entreated her superior to grant her this favor.At last, said the sister, she ceded to mypressing solicitations, notwithstanding my lackof virtue and capacity, and decided to take thenecessary steps toward my admission. Beingtold that I would be obliged to present myselfthree times at the chapter before being admitted, I had the inspiration to perform a littleexercise of piety each time I presented myself,in order to obtain for my celestial spouse,Jesus, the sole object ofmy desires. I addressedPrivate Use Only

"HER PROFESSION. 97myself to the three persons who have had.special claims upon him to the; EternalFather, the Blessed Virgin and -St. Joseph.three demands forIn this way, I made myprofession with great devotion, and gainedhim for whom I had longed unceasingly. Notwithstanding my unworthiness, the communityhad the charity to admit me to my profession,and I celebrated my spiritual nuptials withJesus. L Abbe Panager, cure of St. Etienne,who had been my former director, came topreach at the ceremony. He took for his text :Beatam me dicent omnes generationes:(All nationsshall call me Blessed): lie pictured the beautyof the state I had embraced, repeating continually, Blessed art thou ! How true ! WasI not blessed !My vocation irrevocably decided,and all my desires !accomplished I was supremely happy.Our humble novice passes rather lightlyover this important circumstance. We cansupply some interesting particulars of theperiod which elapsed between the time of heradmission by the community and the day ofthe solemn ceremony these facts;have beentaken from the annals of the monastery. Theinterval of several weeks was passed by Sr.St. Peter in fervent and careful preparation forthe all-important day. She made a retreat often days with so much fervor and recollection,that she had not once raised her eyes, so absorbed was she in God. The day on which shepronounced her vows, the mother prioress, on4More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"98 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.leavdng the room in which Sr. St. Peter hadbeen congratulated by the community, perceived a young novice very sad and pensive ;turning towards the newly professed the Mothersaid :Peter, go and console John ! Sr. St.Peter ran to embrace her companion, promising her that her turn would soon come. In fact,the latter was professed a few months later,notwithstanding the many forebodings to thecontrary She never forgot the impressionmade on her on that occasion. In embracingSr. St. Peter it seemed to her that she hadapproached an angel. Sister St. Peter s profession took place on the 8th of June 1841,date worthy of record. On such an importantoccasion, the sister was not without havinggiven her Divine Spouse a new proof of herlove. The followingis her act ofCONSECRATION.my God !deign to accept the sacrificewhich I offer Thee in union with Jesus my Saviour, immolated for man. I offer thee throughhim and in union with him the entire abandonment of myself, the sacrifice of my life. Iremit my soul to thy all-merciful hands. Tothee Jesus, my beloved Spouse, I offer myentire being on the altar of thy Divine Heart,by the hands of the most Holy Virgin and ofSt. Joseph through them I deposit my vows,;begging them to be the witnesses and theguardians thereof. Deign, cherished Familyto accept the entire consecration which I makePrivate Use Only

"""HER PROFESSION. 99-of myself to. your service I also offer ;myselfto thee on this day, in union with our holyMother St. Theresa, and our Father St. Johnof the Cross, for the accomplishment of thydesigns over my soul. Look upon me as thine.I pray thee to guard my holy vows; accomplish them in m^ by thy all-powerful grace.Jesus, my adorable Spouse, I am so poor, somiserable, so inconstant in virtue !"In union with the Hearts of Mary and.Joseph, I make my professsoii and promise,Poverty. Chastity and Obedience to Grod, to ourLord Jesus, and to the most blessed Yirgin Mary,under the authority of our lawful Superiors,according to the primitive Rule of the Order ofMount Carmel of the Reform of St. Theresawithout mitigation, and this to the hour ofdeath. Divine Infant unitemy!my sacrificeto thine.When presented in the Temple, thou didstsacrifice thyself for my redemption:to-day1 offer myself to redeem sinners. Mary!my tender Mother, and you my good FatherSt. Joseph, who presented two doves to theHigh Priest for the redemption of the InfantJesus, deign, I beseech you, to offer to the Eternal Father, my body and my soul, to redeemthis Divine Infant from the hands of sinnersand to heal his wounds. Impress on me,I implore you, his divine resemblance rather;grant that it may not be 1 who live, but thouJesus, who livest and reignest in me ! OJesus, Mary and Joseph! with what ardor andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""100 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.joy would I not have gone to offer myself toserve yon, if I had had the happiness of livingwhen you were on this earth ! With the samesentiments of love, I wish to serve this hotycommunity as though it were you who dweltin this house. I beseech you to accept all mylabors, all that I have belongs entirely to you.Deign to regard me henceforth as your littleservant, and dispose of me as you will. Amen."SR. MARY ST. PETER OF THE HOLY FAMILY.June 8th, 1841.(Unworthy Carmelite.)The sister, on entering the monastery,had taken the name of Mary, patroness of allthe Carmelites, and that of St. Peter, her baptismal name thus;was she doubly placedunder the protection of the Prince of theApostles. On the day of her profession, shewished to become more particularly allied tothe Holy Family for this reason she added;to her other titles, as we have seen, that of theHoly Family,"which she lovingly cherishedand by which she was known.But to continue with her narrative :Beingthus entirely consecrated to Jesus as his littledomestic, I was soon inspired by him to guardhis flock in the pasture of his divine Infancy ;and I arranged the plan of a little exercise inhonor of the twelve mysteries of the firsttwelve years of his life ;which I called thePrivate Use Only

""of""HER PROFESSION. 101Twelve Tribes of Israel",which thefollowing is an extract "In honor of his first year, I offered him,through the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph,our Holy Father the Pope, and all the hierarchy of the Church militant, under the protection of Sts. Peter and Paul.The second year, I offered for the souls ofall religious, under the protection of St. Johnand the holy Apostles.The third year, for kings under thetion of holy king David and the Magi.The fourth year, for the unfortunate freemasons, under the protection of the holy Martyrs.The fifth year, for allprotection of St. John the Baptist.comedians, under theThe sixth year, for infidel nations, under theprotection of the nine choirs of angels.The seventh year, for heretics and schismatics, under the protection of St. Ann.The eighth year, for the Jews, under theprotection of St. Ann and St. Joachim.The ninth year, for unbelievers, under theprotection of the holy Prophets.The tenth year, for all obdurate sinners,under the protection of the holy Confessors.The eleventh year, for tepid souls, underthe protection of the holy AVomen.Finally, the twelth year, for the souls of theJust, under the protection of our holy MotherSt. Teresa, and all the holy Virgins.Such is what she termed the Sheepfold ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""102 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the Infant Jesus," most touching and admirableoccupation of zeal and charity for the Churchand the salvation of souls. Our Lord hadinspired her with this devotion after her profession. According to her opinion, nothingcould be better suited to the humble functionchosen by her with so much love.Myadorable Saviour," said she,"soon assumed suchpower over me, notwithstanding my uiiworthiness,that I could truly say he had becomethe director and master of my soul."In this divine school, th sister, docile andfaithful disciple, made rapid progress in theof her mindcontemplative life. The activityattracted her to the perpetual contemplationof the mysteries of the life of Our Lord. Takingfor her starting-point the Holy Infancy ofJesus, she passed successively over the scenesof his hidden life, his dolorous life and hisglorious life from his Incarnation to his;triumphant Ascension. She distributed thehours of the day in such manner, that eachrecalled to her mind someparticular circumstance in the life of Our Lord, to whom sheunited herself by faith and loving contemplation. She had such an attraction for .this exercise that sh performed without any apparenteffort, what to others, might seem tedious andcomplicated. We can form some conception ofthis from the concise report she drew up, inobedience to the mother prioress.At eight o clock in the evening,I offermyself to the most holy Virgin and St. Joseph,Private Use Only

""HER PROFESSION. 103as their little domestic, to guard their sheepin the pastures of the Infant Jesus, that ishis mysteries and his sacred wounds and I;adore the mystery of the Incarnation untilnine o clock, when matins are sung then I;celebrate the birth of the Infant Jesus ;I unitemyself to the angels, to the shepherds, andthe Magi who adored him in the manger.During the first nocturn, I adore his eternalbirth in the bosom of his Father, and hisdivine life ;during the second nocturn, Iadore his birth in the stable of Bethlehemand his mortal life ;at the third nocturn, Iadore his sacramental birth in the HolyEucharist, and his spiritual birth in ourhearts."At each of the nine psalms, Iunite myselfto the nine choirs of angels."At the Te Deum, I adore the Infant Jesusmanifesting himself to the Jewish people inthe persons of the Shepherds."During the psalms of lauds, I adore theHoly Infant circumcised and receiving thename, Jesus ; afterward, I adore him withthe Magi, as Grod, King and Man. This is mymental occupation duringmatins."She thus, perhaps without being aware ofit, adopted a method the most approved byliturgists and masters of the spiritual life,that of being united in spirit to Our Lord inthe mysteries of his sacred life during the psalmody and recitation of the office.Matins is the last choir-exercise of the dayMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""10 I LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.after which thefor the Carmelites, shortlyreligions take the necessary repose. Sister M.to the DivineSt. Peter continued her homageInfant. Having retired to my cell,saidshe, "lam occupied until eleven, with thesheepfold and the sheep of the Holy InfantJesus, beseeching that amiable Saviour to pourhis benedictions on them, and to apply tothem his sacred merits. After this, I retireto rest in union with the Holy Infant reposingin the manger. In the morning, as soon as Ihear the reveil, I arise and adore the EternalFather saying to him, with the Infant Jesus :Behold me, my Father, I have come to do*thy will. Then I repair to the choir forprayer, in union with the Blessed Virgin andSt. Joseph conducting the Infant Jesus to theTemple. During my prayer, I oifer myselfwith him to his Heavenly Father I renew;the holy vows of my profession and give myself to this Divine Saviour. Afterward, I offerhim to his Eternal Father for the salvation of his sheep. Meditation being finished,we go with the Holy Family to Nazareth ;soon the bell summons us to the Little Hours,and we depart for Egypt. During the twelvepsalms of these Hours, I adore the twelveyears of the Holy Infancy and honor his;jsojourn in Egypt, his return to Nazareth, andhis stay in the Temple of Jerusalem, where hewas found in the midst of the Doctors."After the holy sacrifice of the mass, thehour for work arrives, then Icontemplate OurPrivate Use Only

"""HER PROFESSION. 105Lord during his hidden and laborious life. Ateleven o clock, I adore Jesus baptised by St.John : after noon till one o clock, I remain withhim in the desert ;from one to two, I followhim in his public life. At two o clock vespers commence : then I adore his triumphantentry into the city of Jerusalem, and I go tothe choir in union with our Divine Saviour ;during the office I keep myself in spirit at hisfeet, honoring the sentiments of his adorableHeart during the last week he passed with hisdisciples, and the excess of his love, whichurged him to institute the sacrament of theHoly Eucharist."Afterward, we arrive at the Grardeii ofOlives, and there I remain during the rest ofthe afternoon I follow Our Lord;through thedifferent stages O of his Passion in union withthe Blessed Virgin. At five o clock the bellcalls us to meditation." According to thespirit of the Carmelite rules, the evening meditation is one of the most importantexercises of the day this will; sufficientlyexplain the niimber and variety of interioracts performed by Sr. St. Peter during hermeditation.At this moment," said she, I adoreJesus crucified, and I remain either at thefoot of the cross or in the Sacred Heart. Ibegin by an examination of conscience, and afterhumbling myself for my faults, I offer myselfentirely to Our Lord, renewing my holy vows,in union with his sacrifice. After havingMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

106 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.thus given myself to him, it seems that hegives himself reciprocally to me with all hismerits : heto participateunites my soul to his, causing mein the honor which he rendershis Father as Yictim. Then I lose sight of myself to be occupied with my heavenly Spouse,for the glory of Grod and the salvation of souls.I find in the Heart of Our Lord all the mysteriesof his most holy life, his merits, and all hissheep. I offer each mysteryto the EternalFather for such and such a portion of thesheepfold of the Infant Jesus. After which, Ipresent to thi Divine Father the four quartersof the globe, which I have placed in the fourwounds of the feet and the hands of mySaviour : the twelve flocks of the HolyFamily occupy the fold of the Sacred Heart.To these I also join the souls in purgatory, having placed them in the other wounds of thisadorable body. Then I offer this augustVictim to the Eternal Father by the hands ofthe Blessed Virgin, as a sacrifice of expiationand of thanksgiving for all the perfections ofthe most Holy Trinity. Finally, I adore thelast sigh of Jesus on the cross. Such is themethod which Our Lord has given me topursue during the evening meditation."This method of prayer was particularly adapted to her disposition, and notwithstandingthe seeming multiplicity of acts, we mustconcede that it is most simple, natural andpractical. Habit, and the attraction of gracerendered it easy and delightful to her. ShePrivate Use Only

""HER PROFESSION.never lost sight of Our Lord the meditation;ended, she still continued her perfect unionwith him. During the remainder of theday, I occupy myself till complin with Jesusreposing in the sepulchre then I adore him;rising from the tomb, and I contemplate himin his ascension to Heaven."This is, in general, the order of my dailyexercises. But to faciliate the action of theDivine Master in my soul, I must practise atotal renouncement of all that could flatter thesenses : no reflections on self unless to humblemyself. Grod alone, his will and his glory :such is my maxim. These words, And he wassubject to them, and again, I have not cometo be served, but to serve, are always in mymind. Our Lord gave me a thorough conviction of my utter incapacity to do anythinggood, and also of my abject misery. The ChildJesus led his little Ass by the bridle of hisholy grace, I had but to renounce myself, andobey."We need not be surprised at this interiorself "renunciation" or at the "humility"withwhich the good sister seems to be penetrated ;it was but the fruit of her continual application to the mysteries of the life of the Saviour.The mother prioress, to whom these detailswere related in confidence, kept a constantwatch over her, and became convincedthat she was actuated by the impulse of divinegrace. Nevertheless, to assure herself of thespirit which animated her, she spared her noMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""108 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETEE.humiliation but mortified her on all occasions,and at every instant opposed her wishes in a;word, she endeavored to make her pursue amore ordinary course.I made every effort to obey,"said the piousreligious, but to no purpose for I would;soon find myself in the same path. Ourmother permitted me to speak to a holy priest,well enlightened in the interior life. Shesaid :My child, explain to him how youmake your meditation and in what manneryou are conducted by Grod. I availed myselfof this occasion with thankfulness, and laidbare my interior to this good priest. Havingthoroughly examined all. he said :My childcontinue your course without fear, let G-odconduct you as he wills, for you have established the foundation of your spiritual life ona solid basis, mortification. Tell your reverendmother that I am satisfied;I will speak toher myself also Ifter this, our prudentmother permitted me to abandon myself fullyto the spirit of G-od ;but she wisely counselled me to be faithful to grace, and not toremain inactive after the cessation of thedivine operations in my soul. As I had 110employment to distract my mind from thepresence of Grod, the entire day was passed inan uninterrupted prayer, if I can thus express myself. My work was no hinderanceto my continual union with Our Lord. Havingthus no opportunity to practise virtue, I hadnot much merit;but our reverend mother,Private Use Only

""HER PROFESSION. 109who continually watched over the spiritual advancement of my soul, soon gave me anofficemost fruitful in distractions, that of portress.My love of silence and prayer found nosympathy with my new office, but I regarded the command of our mother as anorder from Heaven, and joyfully submitted,thinking that on that day, the feast of the Incarnation, the Infant Jesus had given me anevident proof that he had chosen me to behis little domestic, and that he would emall theploy me in this office to performerrands of the house. I then renewed theconsecration of myself to the Divine Infant."It may be well to observe here, that theoffice of portress, according to the rule of theCarmelites, and as it was imposed on SisterSt. Peter, is exercised exclusively within theInterior of the cloister ;she who is appointedthereto, receives all the commissions and messages from without, and transmits the same tothose within the cloister. For this reason, itmust not be confused with that of the Sister Touriereswho are in direct communication withthe world, and whose obligations and dutiesare essentially different from the cloisteredhas its momentsreligious. The office of portressof fatigue. She who so willingly designatedherself, the little Ass of the Infant Jesus,was obliged more than once, to ask for relieffrom her Divine Master, through her superior.Besides the fatigue incidental to this employment, general business and preoccupation ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"110 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.mind, are the particular lot of those appointedportress. This was exactly what the motherprioress had in view in appointing SisterSt. Peter, foreseeing that it would effectually cross the good sister in her habits ofprayer and recollection and; indeed, it wasa perpetual source of penance and self-renunciation : she practised all the austerities prescribed by the rules, even adding others voluntarily yet always maintaining herself within;the limits of discretion. Her entire life, bothinteriorly and exteriorly, was in reality onecontinued mortification, severing her completely from all the pleasures of the senses.She had asked for a statue of the Infant Jesusand in a short time received it. She relatesthe fact with her usual simplicity:I often desired to have, a little statue ofthe Infant Jesus, to render my homage to himduring the day but I hesitated to ask our;reverend mother for it. One day,it seemed thatthe Divine Infant urged me to insist on havingone I;obeyed the inspiration, and my petition was granted. I now had the Holy Infantwith me in the parlor, and I was supremelyhappyI;offered him allmy little labors anddemanded souls as a recompense. ThisDivine Infant gave me, insuch profusion, allthe graces I needed to fulfilmy employment,that it was not injurious tomy spiritual application, nor did it prevent my union with Grodwhen at prayer. All day long I labored for thesalvation of the sheep of the Holy InfantPrivate Use Only

HER PROFESSION. Ill.Jesus, and at prayer, he repaid me a hundredfold. By times during the day, he visitedmy soul with a powerful impulse of his grace.I would leave my work for a. brief moment,when I felt his approach, that I might hearkento him the more attentively but; thinkingthat I should have permissionI asked ourreverend mother. As she never neglected anyopportunity of exercising my virtue, she forbade me notice these interior operations.I only permit you, when your mind is disturbed, to pause an instant to recollect your-.self. "With the grace of God, I followedminutelyher wise counsels."In 1843, Our Lord engaged her, in a special manner, to pray for Spain, which was thenin a state of revolution. This Catholic country,the birth-place of St. Theresa and the cradle ofthe Eeform of the Carmelites, would naturallyhave engrossed the attention of Sister St. Peter,and it was not surprising that she often remembered it before Grodat a period when the Spanish nuns and clergy were being persecutedand sent into exile."I have* never," said she,"feltmy soul soclosely united to Grod as during that time.My Divine Master operated in me somethingwhich I can -neither understand nor explain.It seemed that I heard him asking grace fromhis heavenly Father for that kingdom, and sourgently that I was astonished. He obliged meo beg mercy in his name but I feel that I;More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"112 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.am unequal to the task of explaining this mystery of his love, therefore I abandon it."G-od communicated himself freely to thisgenerous professed. She felt more and moreurged to make the act of entire abandonmentwith which she had been inspired after heradmission to Carmel ;but her Superiors alwaysrefused to grant the permission. However, thisyear, 1843, she unexpectedly had an occasion torenew her demand. The Carmelites wereobliged to quit their old monastery and searchfor a site on which to build anew. The circumstances attendant on this change are intimatelyconnected with the life of Mother Mary of theIncarnation, and consequently with that ofSister St. Peter. The following facts, relativeto this event, are taken from the annals of themonastery.For some time past, our house had been anobstacle to the various improvements plannedby the city moreover, our neighbors new;buildings overlooked our premises from whichresulted serious inconveniences as to regularity,not to speak of the unhealthfulnessabout broughtby such a state of things. Nevertheless,we would not have thought of making anychange, for we could not bear the idea of abandoning the cradle of our religious life, hallowedby the virtues of our first Mothers, saintlyground which we had recovered at the cost ofso much labor and sacrifice. But when leastexpected, unforeseen circumstances hastenedthe time of the dreaded change ; several persons,.Private Use Only

"HER PROFESSION. 113desirous of purchasing the house, made someveryadvantageous offers the inconveniences;we experienced increased daily the; plans ofthe city officials were about to be put into execution, and we were compelled to decide on ourdeparture. Before taking other measures, wehad to procure the ground whereon to build.After much research, Divine Providencp directed our Superiors to a place which seemed spereserved for us. It was situated in aciallynear thetranquil and solitary part of the city,archbishopric there were no surrounding;buildings, the air was pure, and in a word, thespot seemed specially chosen for our mannerof life. We soon made the purchase dependingon the treasury of our Heavenly Father, forwe had not even half the capital necessary forsuch an undertaking."The first alms we received for this purposemerits a special mention. It came from a poorbut virtuous old man. who touched with compassion at the sight of our destitution, gaveall he had, as we afterward learned. His offering resembled the widow s mite, and was mostpleasing to Grod, for it became a source of benediction. But to keep us perfectly detatchedfrom earthly things, Our Lord permitted thatassistance should be rendered us only in accordance with our necessities, and at the verymoment when all hope was lost, frequently bymeans unforeseen. Once in a moment of extreme distress, we appealed to St. Yves, theintercessor of the poor, and we received assist-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"*""""114 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.ance truly extraordinary. He inspired a ladyof noble birth, whose modesty forbids us revealher name, to give us a special mark of herbenevolence, though but little acquainted withour community, thus winning for herself ourlasting gratitude, besides the title and privileges of a benefactress."From the outset, this undertaking was asource of much anxiety to the reverend motherprioress, Mary of the Incarnation, as we canreadily understand. Quite naturally she recommended the matter to Sister St. Peter, andenjoined her to pray to the Infant Jesus to finda suitable spot for a habitation for his spouses.With this intention, Iprayed to the DivineInfant said the sister, and asked of himthe land, but I believe I heard him reply:Give me the land of your soul ! I understoodperfectly what he meant. He, also, had a building to raise for the glory of his Father, andhad long chosen the sandy ground of my soulfor the accomplishment of his design notwith;standing my unworthiness, he had ordainedthat so miserable a creature should be themeans of adding greater eclat to his glory."After prime, she went to the office of themother prioress, who spoke of her anxiety inreference to the great enterprise with whichshe had been charged. Our good mother,"said the sister, "had need of a little relaxationof mind: I commenced to talk and soon madeher laugh heartily: Reverend mother, said I,when a man wants some money and has none.Private Use Only

":HER PROFESSION. .115he sells his ass ;ifyou will sell me to the Infant Jesus, I am sure He will give you somemoney to build the house. Our reverendmother smiled -at my singular proposition but; I :persisted, saying Mother, I am not worthmuch, but as the Holy Infant wants me andeven asks for me, he will surely purchase me.Delighted with the thought of being sold forOur Lord, who permitted himself to be soldby Judas, for love of me, I then added :Mother, how much will yousell me for ?Our reverend mother perceived by my air ofsincerity and by the great desire I manifested inmaking such a request, that Our Lord hadperhaps some design in view ;she seemed tocondescend, and replied:Well, my child,you can say to the Infant Jesus that if Iwere rich, I would give you to him, but as Iam very poor and in need of money to buildhis holy house, I am obliged to sell you ask;him then to purchase you. This reply gaveme great pleasure ;I addressed myself to theHoly Infant and imparted to him the commission of our reverend mother : Ibesought himas a favor to purchase me, that I might then beat his disposal.One night, while I was praying fervently,,offering him the love of the shepherds, theMagi and the saints who had seen and adoredhim, I wove a little crown in honor of thetwelve years of his most Holy Infancy. I thoughtthis littlehomage was most pleasing to him,for I believe I saw him in the interior of myMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

116 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.soul, and he gave me to understand thesewords Tell :your mother prioress that ifshe write to such a person, she will assistto build the house. Oh ! what good news ! Behold already a proof that the Holy Infant wishedto purchase his little Ass. I went to our goodmother to give her the message of Our Lord.The person in question lived 180 leagues fromTours; I was slightly acquainted with her,but our Rev. Mother had never heard of her.However, she wished to ascertain the truth ofthis communication, and wrote to the ladywithout giving any of these particulars. Thereply was slow in coming and I began to feara little;but the Divine Infant again assuredme. At last, a letter came from the lady, inwhich was enclosed an order for five hundredfrancs. That was the first donation our motherprioress received ;it was a guarantee ofwhat our Divine Saviour would do in thefuture.My heart was filled with joy at thearrival of the letter, and I said five hundredLaudates to the Holy Infant in thanksgiving.I asked our Rev. Mother if that sum were notmore that sufficient to buy an ass, and if she yetconsented to deliver me to the Divine Infantwho had sent her this amount. But she stillwished to try my patience, and to discover thespirit which moved me;she explained thatshe required more money for the constructionof the house of Our Lord before granting thedesired consent."The good sister then redoubled her fervorPrivate Use Only

""HERPROFESSION.as much for the glory of Him who had claimedher, as for the assistance of her mother prioress,whom she saw in such pressing necessity.One of her practices was to say the beautifulinvitatory for the feast of the Holy Name ofJesus Mirabile Nomen Jesus;quod est super omnenomen ; venite adoremus. (The name of Jesus isadmirable above all names come let us;adore).She repeated this thousands of times, engagingthe other sisters to repeat it also, in order toform a series of invocations which she likenedto bank-notes on Divine Providence ;her confidence never failed to have its reward.One day, during her prayer, she foundherself as if in the middle of a building.Our Lord gave me to understand that it wasa great and meritorious thing to erect a dwelling for him He said that our Mother would;have many difficulties to encounter in herundertaking, but that he would furnish thestones. He also directed me to tell her not tobe troubled ;that if the monastery w^ere constructed according to the rule of St. Theresa,he would pay all, for. she would receiveassistance from divers sources. But, added he,if the house be not built according to thisrule, pay for it as best you can.I found my commission a little embarrassing, but I overcame my repugnance in order toaccomplish the will of Our Lord. When I hadcommunicated to our reverend mother what hehad given me to understand, she told me thatshe had not been able to rest the night pre-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"118 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.vious, in consequence of the uneasiness causedby the plan proposed by the architect, whichwas not at all in accordance with the usualmode of building. She procured another inperfect conformity with the customs of St. Theresa ;Our Lord was satisfied and was ready tofulfilhis promise."The stones which the sister had to furnishwere, as she understood later, the prayers inreparation for the blasphemies and outragescommitted against the glory of the Holy Nameof Grod. These prayers drew down the greatestbenedictions on the house. The work of Reparation would soon be made known to her.One day the pious virgin was speaking to herprioress of the abundant graces she had received before entering religion the;Rev.Mother replied that probably she had beenunfaithful to Grod, since his favors were nowwithdrawn. "Offer an honorable amende" saidshe, "in reparation for your faults and praythat he may restore your soul to the same condition in which it was when he communicatedhimself to you so abundantly."shall "Iobey you, my mother, wrote thesister, "and I shall pray Our Lord, in yourname to pardon me. soul was at the timeMygreatly agitated, prayer was, a task, my imagination was like a furious courser, beyondcontrol ;but the Divine Master in his bountyheard the prayer offered him through obedience. The next day, on awakening, I heardan interior voice say: Return to the housePrivate Use Only

"A""HER PROFESSION. 119of thy Father, ivhich is no other than myHeart. These words produced a great calmin my soul. Having goneto prayer, Iunited myself to Our Lord in the most BlessedSacrament, and I heard him say:Applyyourself to honor my Sacred Heart and that ofmy Mother, do not separate them;pray to themfor yourself and for sinners, then I shall forgetyour past ingratitude, and I shall give youmore graces than ever before, because you arenow more united to me by your vows.doubt presented itself, whether it wasreally Our Lord who spoke, but he gave methis assurance : It is I, Jesus, present in themost Blessed Sacrament, who speak. Thereare several ways in which I communicatemyself to souls. Do you not perceive howtranquil and how united you are to me now ;whilst for the past few days you were as agitated as the sea during a storm ? My child, doas I have directed you, and you shall soon experience the salutary effects.Afterward," writes the sister,me understand that I should not be attached tosensible devotion, and he gave me grace to seehow we are often carried away by interiorhe madeemotions, thinking we are most pleasing tohim. Then, as he directed, I endeavored tohonor these adorable Hearts, both interiorlyand exteriorly, by embroidering scapulars ofthe Sacred Heart, and Iprayed for the salvation of those who would wear them. Then Iadded : I do not seek sensible favors ; pro-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""120 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.vided them art glorified and that souls are saved,,this is all I ask."The sister continued :With this intentionI offered my will to the Father, my memory tothe Son, and my understanding to the HolyGhost. I placed myself entirely in the handsof God, and I felt convinced that he wouldpurify my soul by interior sufferings. ThenI was plunged in an ocean of bitterness anddesolation, I was lost in darkness and tormented by temptations: but that which causedme the most suffering, was my desire of lovingand glorifying Our Lord. My soul was hungering for God, it seemed that all I did was of noavail, for I felt myself to be nothingness, sinand misery."I had a great longing for a book to solaceme, and I asked one from our Eev. Mother.Notwithstanding her usual kindness, she refused, saying: My daughter, it is not sufficient to sacrifice one thing only to God, allmust be immolated to him. On another occasion, when suffering still more keenly, I desiredto speak to her of my mental distress ;butG-od inspired her to act in concert with him, tomake mo walk in the path of death to self;she, always so full of compassion, would notpermit me this time to relieve my wearyheart, but forbade me speak of my interiorpains, even tomy confessor, before a fortnight.With the grace of God, I submitted with agood will to this trial.""The devil of blasphemy caused me noPrivate Use Only

HER PROFESSION. 121small amount of suffering, but I keptstrongly attached to the cross during thetemptation, not daring to say God : !come to my assistance, I offered my suffering to Our Lord for the salvation of souls andfor the accomplishment of his 1designs. saidone- :day my Grod, I am now well awareof my nothingness and !my misery Meaningthereby to :say It is enough, my G-od I!shall now know how to discern thy gifts, andshall never attribute them to myself. I see thatI am nothing but a poor and miserablesinner."Finally, she felt urged to have recourse to her hoLy mother, St. Teresa, inwhose honor she commenced a noveiia ;thenine days had not passed ere her sufferings hadaltogether disappeared. The Lord now resumed with his servant the course of his extraordinary communications which had beentotally interrupted for more than two years.But it was necessary that she shouldreturn to the House ofh?r Father, that is to say,to the Heart of Jesus, where as gold in thefurnace, her soul would be purified by thefire of suffering O and love. The Devotion of theHoly Face emanates from that of the SacredHeart, the one is the complement of the other.In the order of the designs of the DivineMaster, his faithful disciple was to be conducted to the intimate recesses of his mostamiable Heart, before being initiated in theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

122 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.mystery of Reparation by means of his dolorousFace." (*)M.(*) Dupont, establishing a comparison between therevelations of Blessed Margaret Mary and those of Sr. St. Petersaid : "If the Heart of Jesus is the emblem of love, his adorableFace is that of the sufferings endured for our salvation." (Life ofMr. Dupont, vol. II,) On this subject a distinguished memberof the Society of Jesus, Rev. L. P. Gros, has written the following, which furnishes matter for pious reflection : The heart isthe symbol of love the face is the; living miiror of the heart ;the face reveals what the heart contains, namely, love, sorrow withthe other sentiments of the soul. For this reason the Church doesnot regard with a favorable eye the images of the Sacred Heart ofJesus, if the heart be isolated from the face it is the;face whichauthorizes us to :say behold such a one ! "When I have before m^ theface and the heart of Jesus, I have before me Jesus entire, his souland its sentiments. Thus Jesus manifested himself to Blessed Margaret Mary, the face of Jesus in this vision, certainly was the light,the life, the word of the heart ;that Face of Jesus, at Parray-le-Monial,was a dolorous face, a Holy Face. Behold tlie heart which has somuch loved mankind. ... and tJiey offer me nothing but ingratitude ! Surely it was not jy that Avas then expressed on the FaceofJesus !"Private Use Only

"TheCHAPTER VII.THE GOLDEN DAGGER.earth is steeped in crime !The Holy Name of the Lord is biasphemedthe ; very Sunday itselfis :profaned these fill the measureof iniquity. In no age has crimebeen so malignant. My Name. . .is every where blasphemed even;"by the little children !(Words of Our Lord to the Sister.)Four years7 had scarcely elapsed since the little seamstress of liennes had bid adieu to theworld, to enter among the Carmelites of Tours,whither she had been conducted by her father.Clothed with the holy habit, and after two yearsprofessed, she generously and unreservedlyfollowed the interior attraction of grace, thusdisposing herself to second its every design,which till now had remained absolutely hidden from her view. Divine grace suffers neitherdelay nor hesitation in the soul destined totaste the sweetness of its consolations. Likethe supreme wisdom of the Most High fromwhom it emanates, it pursues its course withuntiring vigor and prudence, performing allthings with order, weight and measure. ThusMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

124 LIEE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.did divine grace act in the soul of Sister St.Peter. By alternate hours of consolation andof desolation she was slowly prepared for itssecret operations. The hour is fast approaching, in which the object of these various movements of grace will be made manifest to her ;the communications which will be vouchsafedher, will indicate, in a precise and circumstantial manner, the designs of the Most Highover this chosen soul. Her Divine Spouse,will firstcontinuing his mysterious colloquies,reveal that which is most offensive andmost painful to his Divine Heart, and whichin consequence, provokes his just indignation.Then, after having made known the urgentnecessity of a reparation particularly adaptedto the crime to be expiated, he suggests to hera iormula of prayer to console his SacredHeart and to appease his anger. In short, theyear will not have passed until, to the greatconsternation of the sister, he, himself, willhave designated by name the guilty nationwhich has drawn upon itself the vengeanceof the Almighty. The communications whichour carmelite received on this subject referto the first part of her mission, on which shehas written a series of letters, to the originalof which we shall adhere as nearly as possible.These are prefaced by the following declaration :Before commencing this narrative, I declare in all truth and simplicity, that the gloryof G-od alone, and the accomplishment of hismost holy will, have urged me to make knownPrivate Use Only

"THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 125that which, I believe, Our Lord in his mercyhas communicated to me in reference to thework of Reparation for blasphemy. I shall copythe letters which I have addressed to our veryRev. Mother Prioress, adding- to them whatever may be necessary to make them moreclearly understood as also the remarks which;I have since made, or anything else relative tothe subject which I can now recall to mind. Ideclare, that the reason why I make these corrections is, that I usually write hurriedly, because ofmy duties as portress I state as brief;ly as possible that which the Lord has operatedin me. Our Eev. Mother, herself, has not always sufficient time to listen to a detailed account of these things at the moment of theiroccurrence. But as I suffer mentally until Ihave related to my Superior what has passed,I took the resolution to make note of all after;which my sufferings cease."After this little preamble, I shall write onin simplicity under the guidance of the starof obedience. I declare again that if the merest untruth could obtain the establishmentof this work, I would never consent to it, forGod is truth itself, and I am firmly convincedthat he will defend his cause, for he hassworn it."In the first letter, the sister gives severaldetails w^hich we have mentioned inthe preceedingchapter. We are now about to narratethe interesting communication which is thesubjectof her second.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""126 LIEE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.It took place on the 26th of August, 1843,the day after the celebration of the feast ofSt. Louis, who is specially honored as the protector of France, the defender of the RomanChurch, and the avenger of the Divine Majestyoutraged by blasphemy.This date is not without its signification,which shall be noticed further on. A violentstorm had suddenly burst forth from the fieryheavens and fell in torrents over the city ofTours.Never," said the carmelite virgin, have Irealised the justice of an irritated Grod as at thatmoment. Prostrate in an agony of fear beforethe Lord, I unceasingly offered Jesus Christto his heavenly Father for the necessities ofour holy mother the Church : one of our sisters experienced the same emotions as I." According to the doctrine of the Apostles, thephenomena of nature are the visible signs ofthings invisible and supernatural. The terriblerolling of the thunder and the gleaming of thelightning seemed to be the menacing threatsof the Most High. The flashes of lightning were as arrows, ready to destroy the enemies of the Lord. At five o clock, she commenced her evening prayer;placing herself inspirit at the foot of the cross, (according to hercustom, as we have seen), she lovingly askedof Our Lord the came of his wrath. Her Divine Master, wishing to try her, changed hisusual manner, and said : I have lent ear toyour sighs, and have seen your desire to glorifyPrivate Use Only

""""THE GOLDEN DAGGER.me;who am the Author of allyet, all this proceeds not from you,it is Iholy desires.The sister continues : Then he unfolded hisHeart to me, concentrating therein the powersof my soul, and addressed me thus :MyName iseverywhere blasphemed, even littlechildren blasphemeit. And he made meunderstand how that dreadful sin pierced andwounded his Heart, aye, more than all othercrimes. By blasphemy, the sinner outrageshim to his face, attacks him openly, and pronounces upon himself his own judgment andcondemnation. Blasphemy is an empoisoneddagger, wounding his Divine Heart continually he told me that he would give me a golden;dagger with which to wound him delightfully,and heal the poisonous wounds caused bysin."The followingis the prayer which OurLord dictated to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness,for the reparation of blasphemyagainst his Holy Name : he offered it to me asa golden dagger, assuring me that every timeI said it, I would wound his Heart most lovingly."THE GOLDEN DAGGER.May the most holy, the most sacred, themost adorable, the most unknown and themost inexpressible Name of G-od be adored,praised, blessed, loved and glorified, in heaven,on earth and in hell, byall creatures formedMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""128 LIFE OE SISTER MARY ST. PETER.by his sacred hand, and by the loving Heart ofour Lord Jesus Christ in the most Blessed Sacrament of the altar. Amen. rThe sister here suddenly interrupts herinteresting narrative to explain an expressioncontained in this prayer.;As I was not a little astonished when OurLord said and in hell, he had the goodness tomake me understand that his justice was thereglorified. I beg to remark, that he did not onlymean the place where the wicked are punished,but also purgatory, where he is loved and glorified by the suffering souls.The word hell isnot merely applied to the place where thedamned are confined, for our faith teaches usthat the Saviour descended into hell or Limbo,where the souls of the just were detaineduntil his Coming and does not our; holymother the Church pray her divine Spouse todeliver the souls of her children from the gatesof hell ? A porta inferi erue, Domine, animaseorum."(Office of the Dead.)To these explanations may be added, thatSt. Paul, in one of his epistles, made use of thesame expression in an analogical sense,:sayingAt the name of Jesus, every knee shall bendin heaven, on earth and in hell."She continues : Our Lord, having given methis golden dagger, added : Beware how youappreciate this favor, for I shall demand anaccount of it. At that moment, I seemed tobehold flowing from the Sacred Heart of Jesus,wounded by this golden dagger, torrentsPrivate Use Only

""""THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 129of grace for the conversion of sinners, whichsight gave me confidence to ask :My Lord,do you then hold me responsible for blasphemers ? This question shall have its answerlater ;for the present, the divine Master saidnothing more. That which he had just communicated was sufficiently decisive, and deserving the most serious reflection. Aware ofmy weakness," said she, "andfearing the demon,Iprayed the Blessed Virgin to be pleased toguard that which her Divine Son had just confided to me.She did not fail to take instant note of thisimportant communication, and according toher custom, delivered it to the mother prioressas soon as written. The latter received it without appearing to attach much importance toits contents. But after the sister had retired,and the mother prioress had carefully perusedit, a new avenue of thought was opened toher, and for the first time she began to suspectthe gravity of the communications receivedby her spiritual daughter, and foresaw the responsibility which would devolve both on herand on her community. For not only was theprayer in honor of the Holy Name of Grod to berepeated by the person to whom it had beenrevealed, but it was to be communicated andspread among the faithful.As we can readilv understand, this was asubject for reflection to a superior as prudentas Mother Mary of the Incarnation.This communication" said the sister, has5More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"130 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.wrought a change in my soul, for I am constantly occupied in glorifying the most HolyName of G-od. Our Lord inspired me to addto the golden dagger, some other prayer, to berepeated every hour of the day he graciously;accepted this exercise, desiring that it be promulgated. My Divine Saviour made me participate in his desire of beholding the name ofhis Father glorified he exhorted me to \praiseand bless that adorable Name, in imitation ofthe angels who are perpetually singing, Sanctus,Sanctus, Sanctus ;that thus I would accomplishhis desire, that of honoring his Sacred Heartand the holy Heart of his Mother. He likewisemade me understand that this would notprevent me from honoring him in his sacredmysteries, that during his life, his Sacred Hearthad suffered from blasphemy."At the end, sheadded : I understand, moreover, that the moreacceptable a thingis to G-od, the more odiousdoes Satan try to render it, in order to disgustthe soul ;but if she be faithful, notwithstandingher repugnance, she will acquire great merit.Our Divine Saviour gave me these instructionsto help me resist the assaults which the devilwas meditating against me, because of thiswork. His aim is its annihilation, as Our Lordmade known to me, but his efforts will befruitless."The little exercise of reparation spoken ofby the sister, and revealed to her on the feastof St. Michael, commenced with the Magnificat,followed by twenty-four verses, the first ofPrivate Use Only

"Come""which we subjoin:THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 131In union with theiSacred Heart of Jesus, come let us worshipthe adorable Name of Grod, which is above allnames. ... In union with the holy Heart ofMary, come let us adore this Name ... Inunion with the glorious St. Joseph come letus adore" . . . The last invitation is thusterminated :let us adore the exaltedName of Grod which is above all names, andlet us prostrate ourselves before him let us;weep in the presence of the Lord who hasmade us, for he is the Lord our Grod, we arehis people and the sheep whom he conductsto his pastures."Though these prayers contained nothingbut what was in conformity with the spirit ofthe Church, yet the mother prioress wouldnot at first allow Sr. Mary St. Peter to recitethem, but retained the formula which had beenremitted her.In the meantime, she took proper care toplace bounds to the impetuosity of a zeal whichastonished her, and which., in her opinion,might have been the effect of self-love.But,".said the good sister, "as I was persuaded thatmy superiors did nothing but by the specialpermission of Grod, I submitted to their orders,and did all in my power to obey. Our Lord,made a gap in the wall of obedience (if I canexpress myself thus) which I had opposed tohim;through this he came into my heart toconverse about his work, or rather he drew meto himself."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""132 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETEE.One day, when speaking to our E/ev.Mother, I told her that when at prayer I foundmyself entirely occupied in repairing theoutrages committed against Grod by blasphemers. She reprimanded me severely, andforbade me to continue ;ordering me toapply my mind to meditate simply on my lastend, or on any other similar subject. Shereproached me for presuming to make reparation for others, whilst perhaps I, myself, hadblasphemed Grod in my heart. Would younot do better, said she, to meditate on thesewords which may be addressed to you some:day Go, ye cursed into everlasting fire ?With a grieved heart the poor sister retiredfrom her superior. Seeing that our reverendmother appeared to be so dissatisfied with me,I went to tellmy sufferings to Our Lord,for it troubled me not a little to be obliged tochange my method of prayer and to resist theattractions which he gave me. I was tormented with the fear of disobeying but I;did the best I could to follow the method ofmeditation indicated by our mother superior,and I then rendered an account to her. Whenshe told me that I had fulfilled her desires,my soul became tranquil. One day, Our Lordmade me understand that it was more necessary for me to obey my superiors than tocredit what I believed to have heard from theLord himself. With the assistance of grace, Ihave always been submissive to the least wishof my superiors."Private Use Only

""""THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 133Nevertheless, the humble virgin was aprey to great mental sufferings. She obtainedno consolation from any one, neither from herwho, in theirconfessors nor her superiors,wisdom," said she, proposed to try me, toascertain if it were really the work of Grod.It was then I felt the weightof that crosswhich, even before my coming to Carmel,Our Lord had promised to give me in religion." In fact, she now commenced reallyto carry the cross, and we shall see thatshe was never released from it until herlast sigh. Let us now attend to her, asshe reveals the manner in which she conducted herself towards her superiors: WhenOur Lord communicated anything to me onthe subject of his work, I dared not speak ofit to our good mother, but I took note of itand left the writing in her office, very gladwhen she was not there. On ODe occasion,among others, I was all in a tremble beforethe Blessed Sacrament, holding in my handa little letter which I presented to Our Lordbefore going to remit it. Sometimes the workof Reparation was a burning fire within me.I felt the necessity of speaking to some onewho would take an interest in it, but I couldnot obtain the permission."At length, however, Our Lord sent me agreat consolation I was one day kneeling be:fore our reverend "tomother, speaking her ofthe sufferings occasioned by the work withwhich I was charged our ;good mother said :More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""134 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.What can I do for you, my child ? Nothing,at all, you must bring forth this work byyour own sufferings. As she was speaking,there fell from a book which she held in herhand, a little leaflet on which was printed anhonorable amende to the- most Holy Name ofto the French naGod, followed by an appealtion, to appease the anger of God, irritated by blasphemy. This had a striking resemblance tothe communications which I had received,and which at that time appeared to be a merechimera of my own. Our reverend mother waslost in astonishment. She had never beforeseen this paper, 110 one in the house knewanything about it the book which contained it;had not been taken from the library perhapsfor twenty years ; andit was in my presencethat this incident occurred ! I was in an ecstasyof joy, nor could I disabuse myself of the ideathat Heaven commenced to speak in myfavor.The writing in question had been publishedin 1819, by 1 Abbe Soyer, then vicar generalof Poitiers, who became bishop of Lucan. Tothe first title of Appeal to the People of France,there was added a second, Reparation, inspiredto appease the Anger of God. Therein it wasstated openly that blasphemy drew downthe anger of G-od on France to avert; which,prayers and supplications, similar to thoseproposed by Sr. Mary St Peter, were specified. In her surprise, continues the latter,our good mother said, smilingly, Well,Private Use Only

""""""sister, if ITHE GOLDEN DAGGER. 135did not know you,I would thinkI amyou were a sorceress. I replied Mother, :confident that the holy Angels have broughtthis to light for I remembered having invoked;them before going to our Mother s office ;undoubtedly it was they who caused this bookto be taken from the library at the proper moment.The mother prioress sought further information on the subject, and wrote to 1 AbbeSoyer for an explanation. The prelate replied that it was he who had published theAppeal, at the solicitation of a carmelite, ofPoitiers, named Sister Adelaide, a soul of predilection, with whom the Lord had held themost intimate communications. That admirable carmelite," said he, "was the most mortified, the most humble, and the most saintly soulI have ever met. It would greatly contribute tothe edification of the members of your orderif her life were written. Mother Adelaide diedon 31st of July, of the same year, 1843;and justtwenty-six days after her death, Sr. St. Peter,religious of the same order, w r as inspired todemand the work of Reparation for blasphemy ;as though Grod had awaited the death of oneprophet before raising up another. Uno deficienteliaud deficitalter. \*foAnother remarkable coincidence happenedon the same day, the 26th of August. A piousgentleman had distributed among several ofthe communities of Tours, a prayer in honorof the Holy Name of Grod, to obtain throughMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"136 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the intercession of St. Louis, king of France,the dispersion of the enemies of that divineName. This prayer had been recited beforethe feast of St. Louis, and what was moreadmirable still in the dispensations of DivineProvidence, was that the prayers had been circulated among all the religious houses of thecity, as was afterward learned, the Carmelitesalone being forgotten. On the very next day, theLord communicated to the most unworthy ofhis servants, the fruit of the prayers of theseholy souls.The very pious gentlemen in question, is noother than M. Dupont, the holy man of Tours.He was on the most friendly terms with theCarmelites, and this occurrence, as may besupposed, only the more strongly cemented thebonds of friendship existing between them.For years he had burned with an ardent zealfor the reparation of blasphemy, and as a natural consequence, with a great devotion to St.Louis, king of France. This fervent Christian,as the sister relates, had received with greatjoy the formula of prayers called the Quaranof St. Louis, which had come to Tours bypost, 110 one knew from whence, in the earlypart of July, 1843. Madam Deshayes, religiousof the Sacred Heart, considered as one of thefoundresses of the Institution, was the first toreceive thirty copies she ;gave one to M. Dupont who lost no time in having more printed.The prayer was in honor of the Holy Nameof G-od, and in reparation for blasphemy. OnPrivate Use Only

"From""THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 137the copy distributed among the faithful, therewas the following :the 16th of July to the 25th of August, inclusively, the faithful are called upon tounite in prayer for the necessities of the Churchand State. May thy Name, Lord . . . ! be knownand blessed, in all times, and in all "places !This prayer had been recited during the fortydays prescribed, in all the communities of thecity.But what was most astonishing, wasthat notwithstanding the intimacy existingbetween M. Dupont and the Carmelites, (besides the circumstance that the Quarantineseems to have been put under the protectionof our Lady of Mount Carmel), the motherprioress and her daughters, as the sister remarked, had not the slighest knowledge ofthe event. The day after the feast of St. Louis,26th of August, immediately after the last dayof the Quarantine, the pious sister receivedthe divine communication, of which we havespoken. We cannot but be forcibly struckwith the coincidence, as well as with the affmtyexisting between the words of the quarantine :May tlty Name be known, blessed, andthose of the Grolden Dagger inspired to Sr.St. Peter, the same day:May the holy Name ofGod be forever praised and blessedM. Dupont, especially, attached so much themore importance to this, as he was then preoccupied with the idea of reparation for blasphemy. He naturally concluded that theprayers, offered in 1843 by a great number ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""138 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETER.holysouls, had been heard. If faith doesnot oblige us,"said he, it at least allows usto believe that God has heard our prayers,according to his :promise Where several areunited in my Name, there am I in the midst. Itwas only one year after the revelations made tothe venerable sister, that we were informed ofthe very mysterious coincidence existing between the prayers of the quarantine and theinvocation dictated her by Our Lord. It seemedas though Heaven had heard the supplicationof earth, and planted the seeds of Separation,and bloswhich would ere long spring forthFrom the general aspect, it seems as if thisyear was predestined by Divine Providencefor the work of Reparation. It was on the 8thof August, 1843, that the Pope, Gregory xvi.,promulgated a brief for the erection of a piousconfraternity under the patronage of St. Louis,king of France, for the Reparation of blasphemy against the Holy Name of God. "We findthat at the same epoch, a Jesuit labored forsome time in vairi in a small country villageof the diocese of Nantes, whose inhabitantswere strangely addicted to blasphemy. Butafter his bishop had approved of an association in reparation for blasphemy, to which anindulgence of forty days was attached, heobtained the most salutary and abundant fruits.These events had the effect of causing thesuperiors of Sr. M. of St. Peter, to relax somewhat in their severity toward her.Private Use Only

"""THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 139I was permitted to occupy myself withthe work of Grod according to the inspirationsgiven me. When our Rev. Mother returnedto me the prayers of Reparation, I was carriedaway with joy, and every dayI recited themwith renewed devotion. My good Mastergave me to understand that they were mostagreeable to him. Soon after, he told me thatI must request my superiors to have themprinted a new source of trouble for; me, forour wise and prudent Mother, seeing that OurLord continued to follow up his work, desiringas she did to see it established upon a solidfoundation, continued to try me, in orderto ascertain if it were truly Grod who guidedme."One day she told me that I seemed likeanother Peter Michel. This man was a visionfalserevelations ;he had come to see our Rev.Mother, but she discovered the imposition at thefirst glance. Eventually, he was tried, convictary, who had deceived multitudes by hised as an impostor and condemned to severalyears imprisonment. I knew not what to thinkof my communications on beholding myselfplaced on a par with this individual. OurLord reassured me, however, by these words :1As long as you continue humble and obedi-are under no illuent, rest assured that yousion.Shortly after these events had taken place,our Rev. Mother became veryill. Though shehad often crossed me both for the good of myMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"140 LIFE OE SISTER MARY ST. PETER.soul and to be convinced whether it was Grod whowas guiding me, yet,I loved her very tenderlyand placed unbounded confidence in her. Oneday during my meditation (itwas on the eveof the feast of St. Michael) Our Lord made meunderstand that I had pleased his Divine Heartwith my little Eeparation that these;prayerscaused him to forget my past ingratitude and;that if the Community wished to obtain therestoration of our Rev. Mother, that she mightbe able to discharge her duties with less suffering, they should make a novena before theBlessed Sacrament, in reparation for blasphemy against the Holy Name of G-od, and also thatthey should say the prayers of the little exercise with which he had inspired me that it;was but just, children should aid their mother,and that if the sisters gave this satisfaction tohis Sacred Heart, he would lavish gracesupon the community."I could not refuse to impart this communication for Our Lord, who added, as if to induce me to comply with his request Oh : !if you could understand all I have done foryou, and what graces I have lavished on yoursoul, you would be filled with astonishment onbeholding the Creator thus abasing himself tohis creature ! Then I said, My Lord, I willagain do your bidding for after; all, I run 110risk, I shall only be covered with humilations.I placed myself under the protection of theBlessed Virgin, and I communicated my mission to ourEev. Mother, whose sufferings werePrivate Use Only

"THE GOLDEN DAGGER. 141most violent. She consented to make the 110-vena ;but in order that the sisters should notknow it was I who composed the prayers, ourconfessor had the kindness to copy them ;theyRelieved the new devotion came from him."For myself, I have never regretted my unlimited obedience to Our Lord, who is neveroutdone in generosity. On that same day, thefeast of St. Michael, the Divine Master declaredit his will that our mother should begin topromulgate these prayers of Reparation. Asshe was in a state of debility and suffering,Our Lord granted me as a token of my mission,the restoration of her health. He assured methere was nothing in this devotion contraryto the spirit of the Church, which hasbeen establishd to glorify the Holy Name ofG-od. I promised him if he cured our mother, that she would not neglect his work.Then when she recovered I said :My Lord,I shall deliver your messages again, whenand to whom you wish. My Heavenly Spouse,faithful to his word, restored to health ourbeloved unvalid, who was soon able to fulfilthe important duties of her "charge.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

CHAPTEE VIII.THE REPARATION."You have offered yourself tome for the accomplishment of mydesigns this offering has wonmy ; heart."(Words of Our Lord.)The mother prioress, who wished to testthese first revelations, placed the young professed in direct communication with a man ofG-od, well versed in spiritual matters, the Rev.Father Yieillecases, religious of Picpus, andDirector of the grand seminary of Tours. Nowthat the communications were becoming of amore serious nature, that they tended to apractical end, and were destined to be madeknown to the world, her Superior felt the necessity of having a thorough understandingwith the sister s confessor. Only those deemedindispensable in carrying out the designs ofG-od, were told of these supernatural operations.By the designs of Providence, two priests ofthe diocese became successively her directors,and thus were cognizant of the ever varyingphases of her life, with its interior illuminations.Private Use Only

THE REPARATION. 143These were Father Aileron, Dean of the parishofOur Lady la Eiche, and the Abbe Salmon. Theformer had been the superior of the Carmelitesfor twenty-four years ; it was he who receivedour little Breton on her arrival ;and whenthe community were obliged to remove toanother locality, he took a very active partin their temporal concerns ;he chose the site,supervised the work, and in fine, seemed to beindispensable to these good sisters, who areso much indebted to his foresight and prudence.He died in 1862, venerated and esteemed by:all the clergy, who beheld in him a modelpriest. His parishioners admired and lovedhim as the true type of the Grood Shepherd.Pious, charitable and zealous, of remarkableself-abnegation, and perfect disinterestedness,he displayed in the exercise of his holy ministry, as much delicacy of conscience as rigorous exactitude. He possessed a straightforward mind, solid judgment and good common sense ;these admirable qualities combinedto make him an able and discreet director. Hew r as prudent in deliberation, giving no decision until after mature reflection. Simple,modest and timid by nature, although firm inhis resolutions once formed, he had but littlerelish for the extraordinary: both in his private conduct and for the guidance of others hepreferred the ordinary way. With such dispositions, it will not be surprising that he paidvery little attention to the spiritual communi-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""144 LIFE OF SISTEE MAEY ST. PETEE.cations received by Sr. Mary St. Peter ;hewould even laugh at them by times, when conversing with her and the mother superiorBut by degrees, and after close observation,he recognized the divine origin of her revelations. He was, indeed, so fully convincedof this fact, that he was the first in the diocesewho requested permission to establish in hisparish the work of Reparation, demanded bythe pious carmelite, and was deeply grievedwhen the permission was refused.This excellent priest professed a sincere admiration for M. Dupont, with whom he hadfrequent intercourse, as the latter was theprime-mover in all the works of charity set onfoot in the parish. When the Little Sistersof the Poor were establised at Tours, itwas inconcert with Father Aileron that the piousfounder made his negociations, and selected asite in the parish of Notre Dame la Riche. Thisgood priest died on the 16th of August, the dayafter the feast of the Assumption. In his lasttestament he willed and bequeathedto NotreDame the fruits of his savings. His charityhad rendered him so very popular that themunicipality, wishing to show their highappreciation of his merits, gave his name toone of the streets in the parish de la Riche.He has, likewise, the honor of having achieved,almost at his own expense, the handsome architectural alterations which render the churchof this parish one of the most interesting religious edifices -of the city.Private Use Only

""THE REPARATION..145Rev.Father Aileron was an intimate friendof Father Salmon, his curate at his first parishSt. Pierre des Corps, as likewise at Notre Damela Riche. The latter was appointed confessorto the Carmelites in 1839, which office seemedin harmony with his austere and pious modeof life. He embraced this occupation withardor, and fulfilled its duties with the mostrigorous punctuality for twelve years. He wasthe constant confessor of Sr. St. Peter, and forsix years (1844 to 1850) was resident chaplainof the community. He was endowed withqualities eminently sacerdotal. A man of prayer,a lover of the interior life, serious and reserved,yet, withal learned and laborious he was an;excellent and impressive preacher, though of astyle rather antiquated. M. Dupont held himin the greatest esteem, and consulted him freelyon questions of theology and holy scripture.It was this reverend father who advised himto publish the pamphlet on the Associationagainst Blasphemy, approved by Mgr. Morlot.Father Salmon possessed a taste for study,and practised all the regularity of a religious,,constantly employing every moment with themost scrupulous economy. He was the firstamong the priests of Tours to adopt the RomanBreviary, even before the archiepiscopal command, with the sole motive of being moreuseful to the Carmelites, who have alwaysrecited the Roman Breviary. He never dissimulated the joy which he savored at leisure inthe recitation of his office, which drew forth theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""146 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.remark from Father Aileron : His breviaryand his Carmelites ! with these, this good abbotso avaricious of his time, would willinglypass his !days In fact, his love for Carmel andthe Church was boundless. His zeal in thesacred tribunal was indefatigable, but unfortunately he was of a timorous conscience, sometimes amounting to scrupulosity, which causedhim to suspect the influence of the devil in thesimplest circumstances.An incurable deafness rendered his ministrypainful and fatiguing, increased his indecisionand confirmed his doubts. He distrusted thecommunications made to Sr. Mary of St. Peter ;they seemed to him to be the mere effect ofimagination, and at times, his scrupulous mindcaused him to fear a snare of the devil. But,by degrees, he recognized by unequivocal.signs, the action of G-od in this pure and humble soul ; and from the moment he becameconvinced, he rendered her every assistance inhis power, defending her cause on every occasion. To his sincere regret he was obliged toresign his position as chaplain of the Carmelit*s,011 account of an attack of apoplexy. *He retired to the orphanage, of which he was.abenefactor, (having donated their house) ;Iierehe resided for some time with his intimate(*) In 1848, shortly after the death of Sister Mary St. Peter,Mgr. Morlot, in consideration of the virtues and eminent servicesTendered the diocese by this worthy chaplain, appointed himhonorary Canon of the Archbishopric.Private Use Only

THE REPARATION.14Tfriend the Abbe Yerdier. His days were peacefully ended at Langeais, in the midst of his virtuous and pious relatives.These were the two grave and virtuouspriests with whom the mother prioress heldconsultations from time to time, in order tobe guided in her opinion concerning themanifestations made known to her by herspiritual daughter. Here was a question whichinvolved not only opinion, but also action ;and the responsibility became more evidentnow that she perceived the work was to become public.The heavenly communications of the sisterwere frequent. Our Lord either concentratedall the powers of her soul in his Sacred Heart,as she herself expressed it, or seemed to comehimself to reside in her heart, and there revealhis intentions. In both manners, a perfectunion seems to have taken place ;the will ofthe Lord, his sentiments, his desire to glorifyhis Father, to repair the outrages offeredthe Divine Majesty .and to save sinners, allthese became identical with the aspirationsof the soul he penetrated so profoundly.The state of union to which the sister waselevated, without even the knowledge of itherself, was not very easily explained in the^language of mortals. Poor little Breton seamstress, illiterate as we have seen, without anyof the resources that study furnishes to mystical writers, when in compliance with obedience she took up the pen to expose her su-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""148 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.pel-natural revelations, words failed her, or elsewere inadequate to depict what she beheldspiritually. This embarassmeiit became morepalpable the day on which her celestial communications had, as their immediate object, notthe sweet and winning mysteries of the HolyChildhood, but the austere and complicatedwork of the Reparation, for Blasphemy. In asort of preamble, the pious carmelite plaintively bewails her incapacity, and the great difficulty she finds in giving utterance to thethings she had seen, heard or understood. Sheimplores indulgence, begging the reader topay no attention to the style, but to penetratethe sense and the spirit of what she is writing,fully convinced that the Holy Grhost willenlighten her superiors to discern what hasproceeded from him, light and truth itself,from that which may have originated withher, who is but ignorance and nothingness.Moreover, as regards the interviews onthis subject, which took place several times,she invariably declared that these communications were not"visions," neitherwere they apparitions that the truths;shown her, were not exhibited under anexternal form, nor did she physically hearwhat she was commissioned to relate. Allthis took place in the superior part of her soul."We must then suppose that she had beenalready raised to a high degree of union withG-od, who had favored her with communications the most sublime, and at the samePrivate Use Only

"""THE REPARATION. 149time, the most independent of the senses.This observation is not without importance,later we shall have occasion to refer to itFor the present, far from being repulsed by.the uncouth style of our humble carmelite,tet us in silent admiration, behold with whatreadiness and astonishing clearness she pronounces herself upon those matters over whichthe most learned theologian would hesitatebefore giving a decision. The following isa further proof.On the 3rd of November, the first Friday ofthe month, on which the Blessed Sacramentwas exposed, and on which, in fulfilment of avow made by the mother superior, two religious of the house should receive holy communion for the accomplishment of the designsof the Sacred Heart, the Divine Saviour haddesired that it be the Community who"should make him known," and who shouldspread the devotion of the Reparation. "Since,"said he, the Community desires the accomplishment of the designs of my Heart, and prays for thisintention, it is but just that it should have the honorof giving birth to this Devotion""Then," says the sister, something extraordinary took place. My soul in the Heartof Jesus was as in a burning furnace ;it seemed to me that it had quitted thismiserable body of clay for a moment, inorder to unite itself with Grod ;my soul wasdelightfully lost, annihilated in Jesus, andI felt that he was its firstbeginning andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

150 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.its most happy end. I could no longeract, I could only say interiorly, My God,how admirable are thy operations Thou art!not so mysterious a G-od as is supposed. Iwould have willingly added, Lord it isgoodto be here ! Let us build three temples, toretain here the three powers of my soul incaptivity. This is what happened duringmass :having had the happiness to receiveholy communion, I took the liberty of saying to him :Behold, my Lord, now that Iam so intimately united with thee, if thouwouldst be pleased to repeat what thou didstsay to me at the beginning of the holy sacrifice of the mass ! But I felt that it was nothis wish at that moment then;Igave myselfup to what he was operating in me by thisannihilation of which I have spoken. Afterthe lapse of a few moments, he seemed to declare that he had remained silent to make meunderstand that it was not in my power tohear his interior voice when I would. Aftergiving me this brief lesson, he continued :;My daughter, you have offended me more,you have wounded my Heart more deeplythan all the other sisters, because you have setan obstacle tomy designs over your soul.Therefore, now you should try to surpass all theothers by your love and zeal for the interests ofmy glory. It is not to afflictyou that I tellyou of your sins ;have confidence for I willforget them all. There are two reasons why Ichoose you to make manifest my designs :Private Use Onlyfirst,

""THE REPARATION. 151because you are the most unworthy; second,because you have offered yourself to me forthe accomplishment of these designs by this:offering you have won my Heart. Be humbleand simple ;make known your imperfectionsand your defects;for this acknowledgmentwill redound to my glory.[ Shortly after this communication, the mission of the carmelite was clearly revealed.She writes as follows to her superior:My Divine Master told me to ask if youwould wrench the sword from his hand for;a spouse possesses unlimited influence over herSpouse. It is his desire that the sisters of thecommunity should make anovena in Reparationfor blasphemy. If he choose this spot to givefree vent to his plaintive sighs, it is becausehe expects more consolation from us than fromothers. I seemed to read in his Heart that hehad a burning desire for this work, that itmight invoke his mercy on mankind. Themanner in which the community was calledupon to promulgate this work, was to getthe prayers, composed for this object, printed.The request of Our Lord was an urgent one.He commanded that the community shoulddefray the expense of the printing, in orderto bestow on it his choicest blessings, andreturn a hundred-fold. "I can no longer support this heavy burden. I deposit it with confidence into your hands, Rev. Mother, and Ivery humbly beg you to examine this affairbefore God; for I believe that he desires youMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

152 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.to render him this service.For my part, nowthat I have performed my duty by deliveringyou this message of Our Lord, my soul isunladen of its burden." The fulfilment ofthis request implied many serious difficultiesboth as regards the public on one side, andthe legitimate authority on the other. Thenecessity for a more thorough examination ofthe spirit which directed her daughter, prevented the mother prioress from taking anysteps to obtain the necessary authorization."Our Eev. Mother," said the Sister, "havingobserved too much anxiety in me, and toogreat a desire to propagatethe devotion of thereparation due to the Holy Name of Grod,showed me the the enormity of my pride inasking to have these prayers printed and circulated, there being somany other beautifulprayers composed by the Holy Fathers of theChurch. She forbade me think on this subjectand ;even had the goodness to impose a penanceon me. During this very charitable correctionand also during a second which I shortly afterreceived at chapter, my stubborn nature hadbeen so thoroughly broken in, that thanks be toGrod who had mercy on his unworthy servant, all the compliments in the world couldnot have produced the interior joy which Iexperienced after these humiliations. I. endeavored to adopt the sentiments which ourEev. Mother proposed to me. I humbled myself before Grod, and sacrified to him my desireof asking for the establishment of this devo-Private Use Only

""""THE REPARATION. 153lion, and promised to think 110 more of it, inorder to become veryobedient."She observes, however, that she was notforbidden to practise interior acts of reparation ;these she believed it her duty to perform.Our Lord, said she, desired me to compassionate the sorrows of his Heart for if this;Divine Master were capable of sadness or ofsuffering, he would be saddened even untodeath at the sight of the torpid state of manwho, far from uniting himself to him, thereby to render glory and honor to his heavenly Father, is continually blaspheming hisHoly Name, in union with Lucifer and his accomplices. How much it would please himif the faithful children of the Church wouldlovingly unite themselves with him in theHolySacrament of the altar, and with the holy angelsto love and bless the Name of his heavenlyFather ! It is with these intentions that Ioffer my devotions in honor of the Holy Nameof G-od, in union with the Heart of Jesus, theangels and saints, finding in such holy company, an adequate supplement for my unworthiiiess.I depose my prayers in the SacredHeart, by the hands of Mary and Joseph, begging our adorable Saviour to multiply them amillion times, with the same power withwhich he multiplied the loaves in the desert."Her cherished devotions once commenced,the good sister knew not where to stop."Withthe same object in view," said she, Our Lordinspired me to form a crown or chaplet com-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

154 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETER.posed of prayers in reparation. One day, ^during the holy sacrifice of the mass, my DivineMaster gently drew me within the recesses ofhis Heart and it seemed that he; presentedme this chaplet, which appeared to be of thepurest gold, inlaid with precious stones. Butthinking myself most unworthy of possessingsuch a great treasure and fearing to be assailed by robbers, that is to say, by the deviland his agents, Ibegged the Blessed Virginto guard the beautiful chap]et in her mostamiable Heart, and I asked Our Lord to grantsome indulgences to it. I think this crownisvery agreeable to him, but most odious toSatan. I am no believer in dreams, but sincethe time my mind has been so much occupiedwith the devotion to the Holy Name of Grod,and that I have prayed for the conversion ofblasphemers, I have twice dreamed that I sawthe demons under the form of wild beastsready to devour me but I saved ;myself frombeing torn to pieces by invoking the name ofOur Lord, and the Blessed Virgin. Perhapsthe novena of reparation made by the Community had robbed them of their prey. Oneday, during meditation, my good Masterwarned me of the rage of Satan because of thisdevotion, and at the same time gave me tounderstand these words : Igive you my Nameto be your light in darkness and your strengthin battle. Satan will make use of every meansin his power to annihilate this work from thevery outset : butthe most Holy Name of GodPrivate Use Only

""""*THE REPARATION. 155will triumph and the angels will gain thevictory.There was, within the enclosure of the convent, a statue of our Lady of Perpetual Help,greatly venerated by the religious of the monastery. Our young carmelite, anxious aboutthe future of this work on which she had beenforbidden to think, felt urged to confide hertroubles to the Mother of Perpetual Help. Iwrote," said she, a short letter, which I placedin the hands of the Blessed Virgin;my soulbecame tranquil, and I tried to be very obedientto our Eev. Mother.""What was the origin of this Lady of Perpetual Help,"invoked so efficaciously by Sr.Mary St. Peter? Perhaps our reader would bedesirous to know something of its history. Topious curiosity we shall quote text-.satisfy hisually from the annals of the Carmelites."In1692, a statue of the Blessed Virgin wassolemnly blessed. This statue may almost beconsidered miraculous, and is invoked by thesisters under the title of "OurLady of Perpetual Help.".The following was the immediatecause of its dedication. From time immemorial,perhaps since the foundation of our monasteryat Tours, there was consigned to the attic, ablock of stone representing the Assumption ofthe Blessed Virgin, together with the cloudson which she was borne. This block was soheavy that several men could barely lift it it;was in such a dilapidated condition that thesubject was almost entirelyobliterated."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"156 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER."Ayoung lady, having an ardent desire toconsecrate herself to Grod among the Carmelites, applied and obtained her admission. Aftersome time she experienced such difficulty inreading the breviary, that it was decided tosend he* away as incapable of complying withone of the principal duties of a carmelite, thatof psalmody of the choir. The poor, disconsolate novice begged the mother superior totake into consideration her good will, assuringher that the Blessed Virgin who had obtainedher admission would likewise teach her how toread the Office. On hearing this, the mothersuperior told her smilingly, (perhaps to put anend to her urgent entreaties to remain) thatin proof of the sincerity of her desire, sheshould go and fetch the large stone from thegarret. The novice set out immediately, full offaith and hope."What was the astonishmentof the entire community on beholding herreturn with the enormous statue ! Therewas no longer room to doubt either the willof God, or the vocation of the young novice,who soon learned to read the Latin perfectly,and as a mark of gratitude begged that themoney intended to pay for her habit on the dayof her profession, be employed in repairingthe statue of her benefactress ;and as for herself,that she would willingly wear the habitsalready worn by the other sisters ;her wishwas gratified. The statue was cut from theblock of stone, carefully repaired, blessed withgreat solemnity and installed in the ante-choir,Private Use Only

"""He""THE REPARATION.Saturday, the 13th of April, 1692. It wassaved from total destruction by one of thesisters during the revolution, and oil the returnof our Mothers to the monastery, was placedin itspresent sanctuary."Allow us to add by way of comment, thatOur Lady of Perpetual Help is now in therecreation-room. It was here that Sr. Mary ofSt. Peter went, as we have remarked, to prayso piously.The mother prioress had not yet consentedto the act of perfect abandonment, solicitedby her generous daughter, who in consequence, could only entertain :the desire of it."But this desire was most ardent, because shebelieved it conformable to what Our Lord demanded of her for the accomplishment of hisdesigns. urged me to offer him the donation of myself. The first time that he askedit of me, was a few days after I entered religion. His designs at that time were unknown,but they were revealed to my soul during thecommunications which he made on the subjectof the work of Reparation for Blasphemy ;and I felt interiorly inspired to offer to Grod thesacrifice of my entire person, and of all themerits Imight be able to acquire in the holyhouse where I had the happiness to dwell."On the 21st of November, feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at therenovation of vows, which isannually made011 this day by the religious of the community, she had written an act of donationMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"158 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.which, she had presented to her superior forapprobation, but without success. On the 24thof the same month, feast of St. John of theCross, all the time during mass, she was mentally occupied in considering the guilt andwickedness of the world. I offered my holycommunion in reparation for the outrages committed against the majesty of Grod. This is myhabitual practice since the time that Our Lordurged me to repair the blasphemies utteredagainst the Holy Name of Grod. I experiencegreat consolation in thinking that Jesus, him-.self, comes into my soul to offer there reparation,which can only be worthily made through hisDivine Heart. For this reason when I receivehim in the holy communion, I give myselfentirely to him, I annihilate myself in hisSacred Heart then he; performs in me the office-of mediatoi between Grod and man. But atthis communion, on the feast of our father, St.John of the Cross, as soon as Jesus had enteredmy soul, he took possession of all its powers,and caused me to hear these words : I haveas yet revealed but a part of the designs of myHeart;to-day, I desire to show them to you intheir fullest extent. The earth is covered withcrime ! The sins against the three first commandments have provoked the wrath of myFather the;Holy Name of God blasphemed, andthe profanation of the Lord s Day fill to overflowingthe measure of iniquity ; this sin has mountedeven to the throne of the Most High, and has.aroused his wrath, which will burst forth overPrivate Use Only

THE REPARATION. 159mankind in an impetuous torrent, if his justicebe not appeased in no other time has;iniquityreached such a degree. I most ardently desirethe formation of a society well approved andproperly organized, to honor the Name of myFather. Your superior is right in remaininginactive until this work can be established on asolid and permanent foundation, for otherwise,my designs would not be accomplished."This is, as near as possible, the commissionwhich I have been told to deliver to my superiors. I experienced the greatest repugnance inaccepting it, for I have never heard that anassociation had been established in the Churchfor the object which Our Lord mentioned tome. Then I said to him :my Grod ! if I weresure that it is thou who art speaking, I wouldhave 110 difficulty in declaring these things tomy superiors. He answered : It is not yourprovince to examine this matter but theirs.Have I not frequently communicated myselfto your soul in the same manner as at present ? Beware,, my child, for if from yourwant of simplicity, you would place an obyou would render yourstacle to my designs,self responsible for the salvation of a multitudeof souls. If, on the contrary, you are faithful,these very souls will be an ornament in yourcrown. Our Lord gave me hereby to understand that he wished by this work of Reparation to show mercy to sinners. In conclusionhe said : To whom should I address myself ifMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""160 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.not to a carmelite, whose profession it is to glorify my Name unceasingly.This, Rev. Mother, although imperfectlydetailed, is what I think I have heard fromour Lord, for my soul was totally lost in Grodand I was seized with terror. I was inspired,at the same time with the words once repeated to Abraham, that if but ten just were foundamong the guilty, Grod would spare all and;it seemed to me that his justice would be appeased, and that he would show mercy to theguilty, if he could find devoted souls to saythe prayers in reparation for blasphemy."When terminating this narrative, our Car"This is the substance of whatmelite added :Our Lord has given me tounderstand. I veryhumbly declare, Rev. Mother, that with thegrace of Grod, I have spoken in all the simplicity of my soul. I have informed you of thecommissions of my Divine Master as his littleservant, and I leave all these things to yourjudgment, and to the wisdom of our ecclesiastical superior as for; me, my mission isfulfilled. The Holy Grhost, who directs superiors, will enlighten you to discern if it werehe who has dictated to me all that I have justwritten. I shall submit my judgment to thatof my superiors in this matter."Thirteen days after this event, on the eve ofthe Immaculate Conception, the Lord, in hiscommunications to his faithful spouse, reverted to the same subject, and this time the guilty nation is designated.soul is stillPrivate Use OnlyMy

THE BEPARATION. 161trembling with fear at the thought of whatOur Lord declared to me during this morn-Ing s meditation. He deputed me to relate it all to my superiors without fear ofhaving been deceived, I shall do so in all simplicity. Our Lord having recollected thepowers of my soul in his Divine Heart, manifested his anger against France saying, that hehad sworn in his wrath to be revenged, if reparation were not made to his heavenlyFather for all the blasphemy of which she isguilty. He declared to me that he could nolonger dwell in this sinful France, which likea viper gnaws away at the bowels of hismercy. He suffers patiently all the affrontsagainst himself, but the outrages committedagainst his Divine Father provoke his justindignation. France has suckled the breasts ofmercy even unto blood, for this reason shallmercy cede to "justice."At these w^ords, I was so terrified that Icried out :My Lord and my Grod permit!me to ask you, if this reparation which youdemand, be offered you, will you pardonFrance once more ? And he replied: I shallpardon her, but remember, only once more. Asthis sin of blasphemy is publicly committedeverywhere in the kingdom of France, the reparation must likewise be made thoughout thenation in every village and in every hamlet ;woe to those who do not make reparation!"In conclusion, the sister observes, that her.mind was not at all preoccupi ed with these6More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""162 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.thoughts after the revelation had passed that;she interiorly felt Jesus uniting her to hisHeart, that it was there he made himself heard.I submit all this to your wisdom, Rev. Mother,I am but a helpless child who has no otherconsolation than to refer all things to herMother."Sister Mary St. Peter left the choir in a condition difficult to be described :(this weknow from the testimony of another sister.).She was pale as death, covered with tears andbearing an expression of sorrow that waslong discernible these outward; signs werealways visible whenever she received anyrevelations of this nature ;she appeared asif crushed under the weight of divineWe wrath.must explain this "terror" and thissorrowful expression of countenance of thepious virgin of Carmel. Poor France ! whomthe Saviour points out as the nation themost guilty. Complaining of her blasphemy,he likens her unto a "viper" gnawing atthe bowels of his mercy he threatens to;withdraw from amidst her children, if theydo not hasten to repair by voluntary expiation the odious sin committed with so muchimpunity. She has suckled unto blood, thebreasts of ;mercy justice is ready to fall down,upon her head. What French heart could listento such menaces without emotion ! Could hearsuch severe and solemn threats unmoved !The reproaches of the Saviour were, alas !but too well merited, for her guilt is glar-Private Use Only

"THE REPARATION. 163ingiy palpable. From every rank of societyblasphemy issues forth with frightful impetuosity, attacking the G-odhead openly, and wounding him as if with a poisoned arrow. To the vileblasphemy of the common people is added thedoctrinal blasphemy of the free-thinker. Fromthe streets and thoroughfares of the city, itlias succeeded in gaining entrance to thepublic-room, to the schools, even to the familyfire-side ;it enthrones itself in our theatres, in-our club-rooms ;it parades itself unblushinglybefore the public it is to be heard in;ordinaryconversation ;it forces its way into our books, ourpamphlets, our newspapers, and in short, intothe multitudinous collection of periodicalswith which our literary market isdailyinundated. It disguises itself under everypossible form to suit every taste, but by preference adopting the tone of jest and pleasantry,o natural to the French character ;itprovokesthe ;mocking laugh by turns it can be philosophical or common-place, yet is always influential on the multitude. It attacks, firstof all, the dignitaries of the Church, thosemost worthy of respect and the most elevated,then dogmatic teachings, aye, the very existence of Christianity itself; yet more, it hesitates not to attack God himself, to deny hisnature, his rights, nay, his very existence.This it is that fills the measure of iniquityto overflowing," and cries to heaven for vengeance.France, among all other nations,is namedMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

164 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.as the most guilty, because she is the onemost favored by heaven, the Beloved ofChrist, and the Eldest Daughter of the Church.Blasphemy impedes her(from fulfilling theprovidential role assigned her ;she places atthe service of the impious of all other nations,the influence and ascendency which herwonderful resources and the natural genius ofher people place at her disposal. Through thespirit of revolution of which she has becomethe centre and the most active agent inEurope, and the practical atheism which sheprofesses both in her government and in herlaws, she plays the part of a universal proselytizeras baneful to the individual as to societyat large. Need we be astonished that she inparticular has been threatened with thewrath of God !Fortunately,she has inheaven, among theangels and saints, many powerful intercessors ;the glorious archangel, St. Micheal, for instance, but especially St. Louis, the greatestand wisest of her kings.At the very time that Our Lord was communicating his mysteries to the virgin ofCarmel. the influence of this saint was makitself felt. It was under the invocation ofingSt. Louis, that the first cry for pardon for theblasphemer had been directed to the throne ofthe Most Highit;was immediately after hisfeast, at the conclusion of the forty daysprayer in his honor, that the corner-stone of the"Work of Reparation had been laid. RomePrivate Use Only

"-THE REPARATION. 165herself, through the voice of her sovereignpontiff, seemed to have allotted her an adequate support, and an encouragement to fosterthe efforts already made for her salvation.Let us be all attention while this littleSister, explains these coincidences.At this period, Our Lord desired to comfortmy afflicted soul by a great consolation. Ilearned that there was established at Rome anassociation in reparation for blasphemy. ^VYhatwas my admiration and my gratitude when Ibeheld on a printed leaf-let, a clause to thefollowing effect that by a brief dated August8, 1843, the Sovereign Pontiff permitted theestablishment of pious confraternities ! Whatgood tidings I no longer doubted that the!work with which I had been entrusted was thework of Grod. What filled me with the mostadmiration was this remarkable coincidence :on the 8th of August 1843. the SovereignPontiff issued a brief at Rome, and on the 26thof August, the same year, Our Lord manifestedto a poor, miserable little carmelite novice*in France, this great work of Reparation forBlasphemy, which he wished my poor countryto use as a shield against the fury of his justindignation."She added :"Many pioussouls then commenced to recite the reparatory prayers ;pamphletsof the association were distrib-*Professed Novice, because among the Carmelites, the sistersremain in the novitiate for several years after their profession.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

166 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.uted, and there was even question of establishing this society in France." We shall soonsee that the sister will receive promises ofpardon, and will perceive indications of hope.The guilty nation will not be chastised as itof St.deserves, for it has been the kingdomLouis and is still the kingdom of !Maryspecial source of mercy is opened unto her.APrivate Use Only

"CHAPTEE IX.THE ASSOCIATION."He permitted rae to behold theAssociation under the figure of animmense army of valiant soldiers,hastening to join him their Chief,to defend his Father s glory."( Words oj the Sister. )Sr. Mary St. Peter felt strongly urged tomake a perfect oblation of herself to Grod for theaccomplishment of his designs. Preventedby her superiors from offering this act, thegood sister, in all simplicity of soul, thoughtshe could comply with the urgent demands ofher Divine Master, by a little surreptitiousmeans, which she herself, with her usualcandor, reveals to us.It was the feast of the Annunciation, onwhich the Church celebrates the Incarnationof the Son of Grod, patronal feast of Carmel atTours.I felt an increased devotion to the holyInfant Jesus, and in union with one of thesisters, who also had the same attraction, weformed the design of consecrating ourselvesin a special manner to the Divine Child on this,the day of his Incarnation, to render him moreMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

168 LIFE OE SISTER MARY ST. PETER.honor and glory. It was I who was to writethe act of consecration ;I composed it as conformable as possible to the act of perfectabandonment which Our Lord seemed todemand so imperiously. I could not do thiswithout permission, but I was afraid to ask itfor I dreaded a refusal. I did not seek theneeded permission myself, but induced thesister to ask our Key. Mother for both, hopingthus to. make in secret, the long desired actof oblation to Jesus. The permission wasgranted. I was overjoyed, thinking that I hadat last gained my object. But the holy Childis not a lover of fraud ;he received my act asa simple consecration, as our Rev. Mother hadintended in granting the permission. Therefore, he directed me to solicit the authorization of my superiors, that I mightoffer thisact of abandonment with their full consent.I went to accuse myself of the fault I hadcommitted, and repeated to our reverend motherwhat our Divine Lord had given me to unde r-stand. She consulted our worthy ecclesiastical superior, and I obtained their mutualconsent."Let us add : this favor was not granted herimmediately an extreme delicacy of con;science had urged her to declare the triflingcircumstance narrated above as a grievousfault, of which her superiors took advantageto try her the more it;being only after theexpiration of nine months that she obtainedwhat she desired.Private Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION. 169Before giving the details of this event,the pious sister makes an observation. Shesays : "There is something singularly strangein this express desire of our Divine Lord, thatI should offer him an entire abandonment ofmyself for the accomplishment of his designs.Is he not the Sovereign Master of all creatures ?Is he not free to do with them as he pleases ?to make use of their persons, their very livesin the manner he wills ? Again, to think thathe insisted upon having the full consent ofmy superiors before taking complete possession ofmy soul ! But it was for this reason : thatthey, themselves, were to have a large sharein the work which my Divine Master proposedto erect on such a questionable foundation. Iwas nothing in their hands but a uselessinstrument, which they were to employ in thework of G-od ;and as they were to experiencemany contradictions on account of this work,he, in a manner, respected their free-will."She continues : I made this act on Christmas, 1843. On the eve, before matins, Iplaced it in the hands of the Blessed Virgin,beseeching her to offer it to Jesus, born at midnight in the stable of Bethlehem."Act of perfect abandonment to the most Holy ChildJesus, according to the full extent of his desires,for the accomplishment of his designs, and for theglory of the Holy Name ofGod.""0 most holy and most amiable InfantJesus !behold, the much desired day hasMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.come at last,on which, without fear of failingin the obedience due to my superiors, I can,with full liberty, offer myself entirely and unreservedly to thee, according to thy goodpleasure and the boundless extent of thy powerover my soul, for the accomplishment ofthy designs."I am, indeed, most unworthy, butDivineInfant, since thou hast desired it, deign, Ibeseech thee, to purify thy victim by the tearsshed during thy holy childhood and by thy mostprecious blood. Prostrate at thy feet, beforethy humble manger, on this night renderedforever memorable by thy most holy birth, Ioffer myself fully and entirely to thee, mydivine Spouse, by the blessed hands of Maryand Joseph, upon the burning altar of thySacred Heart, under the protection of theangels and saints. I offer thee a perfect andentire oblation of myself for the accomplishment of thy designs, and for the glory of theHoly Name of G-od."divine Child ! thou who didst say to thyHoly Mother when she found thee in thetemple of Jerusalem :Why hast thou soughtme ? Didst thou not know I must be about myFather s business ? I beseech thee to receiveme on this day as one of thy disciples , grantthat henceforth the one thought of my lifemay be to serve thy Eternal Father and toglorify his Holy Name.most holy Child ! I renounce to-day allthat I have and all that I am, and I give my-Private Use Only

"""THE ASSOCIATION.self to all that thou art. Do with me whatthou pleasest, for the accomplishment of thydesigns. I beseech thee, take sovereign possession of that which is thine. divineInfant ! for the love of thee, I divest myself ofall things now and forever. Deign, I implorethee, in thy great mercy to clothe me withthy sacred merits perfumed with the preciousodor of thy virtues, that on the day of judgment, I may receive a welcome from thyheavenly Father. Amen.I call upon our blessed father, Peter deBerulle, apostle of the Word Incarnate, andupon all the angels and saints of heaven, towitness this contract which I have just madewith the Infant Jesus."SISTER MARY OF ST. PETEROF THE HOLY FAMILY.(Unworthy Carmelite.)been made with OurThis contract havingLord, I looked upon myself as belonging entirely to him and; notwithstanding my unworthiness,he continued to construct in my soulhis edifice, to the glory of the Holy Name ofG-od. At the same time, he urged me to solicitmy superiors to have the prayers of Reparationprinted and propagated. But when I presentedmy supplications to our Eev. Mother, she chidedme severely for my presumption, saying thatit would be much better to recite the beautifulformula of prayers written by the holy Fathersof the Church, that;I was self-willed andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""172 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.obstinate to continue thinking of this work ofReparation. After she had said this to me, I hadthe idea of presentingall my disappointmentsas so much moneyto the Blessed Virgin wherewith to pay for the printing of the prayerswhich her Divine Son wished to have propagated over the whole world. In the meantime,G-od was granting numerous graces to thesisters of our community who recited theprayers either for themselves or for theirparents. As they were entirely ignorantwhence originated these prayers, they spokefreelyto me about them. One sister said :Really, you can obtain from Grod all that youdesire by making this novena of Reparation.There was at the time, a sister very ill, whofelt inspired to promise Our Lord that she wouldmake this novena ;on the third day she wasperfectly restored, and came to impart her joyto me. These were great consolations, for beholding that Grod thus granted so many remarkable graces, I was confirmed in my opinion,that by the grace of Grod, the spiritual communications which I received, regarding thiswork, were not illusions. One day after communion, my Divine Master himself, wishing toconsole me, said these words, which havesince been verified :My daughter, theseprayers of Reparation shall be printed, andthey shall be distributed.Our worthy and charitable superiors, whowere seriously examining the action of Grod inmy soul, commanded me to give them anPrivate Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION.account of my interior, in order to ascertainif it were truly Grod who led me. The followingrequest."is what I wrote in obedience to theirReverend and very honored mother ;withthe assistance of the Infant Jesus and mygood angel, I will now set about accomplishing your command, and state in writing themanner in which I make my mental prayer.It is a difficult task, but obedience and thegrace of Grod, will render all things easy. Bythis time, very reverend mother, you are accustomed to my poor language; what youparticularly desire is not well-turned phrases,but a simple statement of my interior dispositions at the present moment.""Firstly, I have no merit in my mentalprayer, for it is a second nature and a gift which,notwithstanding my unworthiness, I receivedfrom Grod from my childhood. As a remotepreparation for this exercise, I try not to losesight of the presence of Grod, and during theday I keep him company in the interior of mysoul. Having left to my Divine Saviour thecare of my parents and of all that relates tomyself personally, I think of him alone, considering myself as the little servant of the HolyFamily. Consequently, in all that I do duringthe day, in my office as portress, I act as if Iwere in the holy house of Nazareth. Iimagine that a servant has three duties to fulfil :to accompany his master whither he goeth, toexecute his orders and to guard his flocks inMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.their proper pastures in a; word, to worksolely for the interests of his master and according to his will. This is what I try to do,with the grace of God. My interior occupation is to accompany Our Lord, through themysteries of his life, to unite myself to him,and to offer him my homage. When Iexecute his orders, I think of these words ofthe Grospel: And he was subject to them. Everytime the bell summons me to duty, I offermyself .in sacrifice to the Eternal Father, onthe altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,begging him to unite me to his Divine Son,that itmight be Jesus alone that acts in me."When I have no preoccupying duty to perform,!entertain myself with him, I take his sheej)to graze in his pastures, by this I mean inhis sacred mysteries, the merits of whichconstitute the food and the nourishment of oursouls. Ipray for the pastors of the Church,for the conversion of sinners, and I try to keepmy mind from allabsorbing thoughts. Iunite all my actions to those of my DivineSaviour. Thus, exterior occupations very rarelydisturb my soul,they only cause it to desire moreardently the repose and tranquillity of mentalprayer and when the time appointed for;this exercise draws near, oh! then Our Lordcompensates me for all the little sacrifices of"the day.I commence my meditation by an examination of conscience, after which I humblemyself at the feet of Jesus for all my infidel-Private Use Only

;salvation"As"""THE ASSOCIATION.ities to him, beseeching Mm to pardon meand to purify my soul. Then I entertain myselfquite naturally and simply with myamiable Saviour, as would a child. Once, OurLord gave me the following method of prayer,I do not know whether by words or by illumination :Prepare your soul by recollection ;Purify it by contrition ;Then fill it with. God.it is perfectly useless to continue pouring water Into a vase once filled, so is it asuseless to crowd the soul with reflectionswhen one alone is sufficient to fill it.Sometimes I am interiorly urged to makemy mental prayer in union with Our Lordoffering himself to the Father for his gloryand for the salvation of souls. Then I perceivemyself entirely recollected in the Sacred Heartof Jesus, where I find ample food for reflection. Beholding that I am entirely divestedof self and clothed with the Lord Jesus, I canapproach his Divine Father with more facility,and being enriched with his sacred merits, Ido not fear to demand extraordinary gracesfor our holy Mother the Church and for theof souls. Frequentlymethod of prayer which isI follow thisnot wholly supernatural, all the powers of my soul being merelyunited in the Sacred Heart of Jesus ;atthese times our Lord acts in me and I in him ;distractions are very rare because my imagination is tranfixed, captive there. But whenMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.I am thus with him, and he wills to communicate something new concerning the Work ofReparation, a second operation takes placein my soul I feel that I am;incapable of longeracting, for it seems as if my mind wereentirely annihilated to cede place to thatof Jesus ;it is then that my soul is capable ofdistinguishing his intimate conversation. Themore perfect is this annihilation of all the faculties, so much the more happy is my soul,absorbed as it is in G-od.In this state the soul finds herself in himwithout knowing how she has entered therein ;the attraction of grace predominates, seizingand possessing all her powers, elevating herabove herself and absorbing her entirely inG-od! Oh! what delicious moments! Favorentirely gratuitous I experience this perfect!contemplation but rarely, for I am totallyunworthyof such extraordinary graces. Imake my customary mental prayer in the SacredHeart of Jesus ;there he teaches me his will,reveals his desires of laboring for the gloryof his Father and for the salvation of souls ;this is my most pleasing occupation. It isimpossible for me to meditate for any lengthof time together, firstly, because I have not thestrength, and again, because this attraction,coming from the Heart of Jesus, draws my soultoward him, and I find myself captivated,confined inthis divine sanctuary, like a littlechild in the womb of its mother. Then my~will and all the affections of my heart performPrivate Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION.all, and my poor mind finds itself relieved ofall labor. It is Our Lord himself who hascalled me to this degree of mental prayer. Atthe beginning,I dared not follow this attraction for fear of not doing right by abandoningtheordinary method but Our;Lord, wishingthat I should follow his method, placed beforemy mind this :comparison If a kingme invitedto his table, would it not be absurd to takemy dinner with me, instead of partaking of theviands set before me on the prince s table towhich I had been invited ?Having consulted others in this point, I was told not tofear following the method inspired by theHoly G-host, that this was the best way ofmeditating of which I have made the happy;experience, finding the viands of the SacredHeart of Jesus much more exquisite than thosewhich I could possibly prepare myself."The signal for the termination of this delicious repast is sometimes given before I havehad the time to offer sufficient thanks to mybenefactor. Then I briefly express my gratitude, and take the resolution not to lose sightof him who has had the charity to treat me somagnificently, notwithstanding my unworthiness.Nevertheless I am not without experiencing pain from time to time, for drynessand interior suffering are sometimes verynecessary for my soul ;in these times I acceptwhatever nourishment the Lord thinks properto giveWe me."have not been willing to retrench anyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

178 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.of this interesting and confidential letter,written with such childish simplicity we;here behold, a humble, confiding soul, elevatingherself by degrees to the most sublime heightsof the contemplative life. At the school of theSacred Heart and instructed by the HolyGrhost, the sister proves to be a faithful imitator of St. Gertrude, and a worthy daughter ofSt. Theresa. "What admirable and astonishingprogress she has made in the unitive life !Enraptured with her subject, her style becomessublime ;our illiterate little carmelite, en-Tiches her ordinary simplicity of expressionwith the most ingenious comparisons, and attimes with conceptions, not unworthy thepen of our best ascetic writers. Her superiorshad no longer room for doubt ;it was plain thatgrace had taken entire possession of this holysoul, to mould itaccording to its designs, tomake of it a privileged instrument in the greatwork so necessary to France and to the Church.The Divine Master was not slow in extendingher spiritual vision, revealing in a more definite manner his intentions in her regard.Not only was an ordinary association ofReparation necessary, but an arch-confraternitysimilar to that of Notre Dame des Victoires,having a centre toward which all the subconfraternitiesof the same work establishedin France, would converge as the rays of a diskto its centre.Let us attend to what Sr. Mary of St. Peterstates concerning what was manifested to herPrivate Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION.on this subject, February 2nd, 1844. "Forseveral weeks past, I have experienced nothing"extraordinary as regards the work of Reparation ;yet Our Lord keeps me in union withhim to glorify his Father, to repair thethat his Nameoutrages offered him and to praymay be sanctified. But to-day, feast of thePresentation of Jesus in the Temple, it wasmy turn to receive the holy communion ofvow."The sister has already mentioned this "Vow."Mother Mary of the Incarnation had made avow for the necessities of the monastery whena change of locality was in question. Theterms of this vow were, that for the space ofone year, two of the religious in turn according to rank, would pray every day for the accomplishment of the designs of the Sacred".Heart, in order to draw down a special benediction on the community."It was my turn, to communicate," continuesthe sister, and my good Master desired, notwithstanding my unworthiness, to manifesthimself to my soul. Previous to the lastoccasion on which he addressed me, he wasfull of wrath against France, and I listened tohis words with trembling and fear, and weptbitterly. But to-day, I was inundated witkjoy, when he made known the pleasure experienced by his Divine Heart at the sight of thezeal and good-will manifested by his childrentoward the growing association. As his-Holy Mother had adopted the arch-confra-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""180 LIFE OF SISTEK MARY ST. PETEE.ternity for the conversion of sinners, so hadhe taken under his protection that of theReparation these two associations were to;act in concert, the latter, to repair the outragescommitted against Grod, the former to obtainpardon for these outrages, the one throughJesus, the other through Mary. But Our Lordgave me to understand that the associationwhich he wished to establish in France hadtwo objects in view :first, the Eeparatioii ofblasphemy uttered against Grod ; second, thesanctification of his Holy Name on the Lord sDay;consequently, the extirpation of blasphemvand the prohibition of manual laboron Sunday. Blasphemy and the violation ofthe Lord sDay are the principal sins whichprovoke the anger of Grod against France."To the rules and regulations prescribedby the association at Home, there are othersadded to the one established in France ;forinstance, that the members should perform nomaniial labor, nor allow others to labor, andto contribute with all their might to theprevention of all kinds of manual labor onthe days prohibited. Our Lord desires first,that this association be placed under the patronage of St. Martin, St. Louis and St. Michael ; second, that each member recite daily aPater, Ave, and Grloria Patri, followed by theact of praise which he gave me under thetitle of The Golden Arrow," with an invocation to the holy patrons ;but on Sundays andHolydays they should recite all the prayersPrivate Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION. 181of Reparation, in expiation for the outragescommitted against God on these holy daysand to obtain mercy for the guilty. I beheldthis association under the figure of an armyof valiant soldiers, hastening to join theirChief, to defend the glory of his Father. Hewished that their name should correspond tothe nobility of their undertaking, and for thisreason, that they should bear the title of, Defenders of the Holy Name of G-od. He also gaveme to understand that each member shouldwear a badge in the form of a cross, bearingon one side Sit nomen Domini benedictum, andon the other Vade retro, Satana. That hewould give to this heavenly device a secretvirtue to combat against the demon of blasphemy that ;every time a member heard ablasphemy uttered, he should repeat the wordswritten on this cross, and in this manner towage war against Satan, thus glorifyingGrod."Our Lord manifested to me, that the devilwould make use of every means in his powerto crush this work from the beginning.I felt asthough I could shed even the last drop of myblood for so holy an association. Our Lordtold me also that he had said nothing to mefor a long time, because it was not necessary ;that he did nothing undesignedly, but thatit was expedient to give me this informationattention to the differenceexisting between the Association of France andto-day. He called mythat of Rome, on account of the violation of theLord sDay. Oh ! if we could know withMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"182 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.what joy hemlocks upon this infant association,,we would hasten to satisfy the long cheriseddesire of his Heart, by enrolling ourselvesunder the standard of this glorious militia, ofwhich he is the commander-in-chief, to fightwith the arms of his cross against the enemiesofthe Holy Name of Grod, and to submit themto his sway by rallying them under his standard."The Roman association, to which the sisterhere alludes, is that established by a decreeof Gregory XVI. on the 8th of August, 1843.The headquarters of this association was atRome, under the invocation of Peter Caravita yand was placed under the protection of St.Louis, king of France. Each member proposedto himself never to utter a blasphemy or animprecation. Those invested with authority,should try to encourage their dependents toavoid this odious sin. If they cannot preventits commission, they must, at least, offer anaspiration of praise, such as, May God bepraised! May his Holy Name be Blessed! Theyshould recite daily"Pater and Ave for theconversion of blasphemers. His Holiness hasgranted many spiritual favors, notably aplenary indulgence once a month, on any dayat option, provided the ordinary conditions befulfilled ;and at the hour of death, anotherplenary indulgence on the invocation of theHoly Name of Jesus ;many other special indulgences are also attached thereto.An association for the Reparation of bias-Private Use Only

THE ASSOCIATION. 183phemy was not a new institution in theChurch thus we see that Sr.; Mary St. Peterwas greatly consoled on learning of the existence of a similar association at Rome, and shethatwith good reason inferred from this fact,the communications, made to her on thesubject, were of divine origin. Yet, as it wasa question of repairing and extirpating thisevil, peculiar to our times, which was propagating itself with alarming rapidity, reparation for blasphemy, the only object proposedby the association of Rome, was not sufficientfor that of France, where it was necessary toadd reparation for the profanation of Sunday.It must be remarked that in the non-observanceof the Lord sDay, the sister beheld an outragecommitted against the sovereignty of God, andan injury done to the sanctification of hisHoly Name, a crime in her eyes identical withthat of :blasphemy in fact, when the day isno longer sanctified by the suspension of labor,the Holy Name of the Lord is not adored,blessed, known or glorified as it should be.From the ignorance and contempt of whichHe is thus the object, results a social evil, somuch the more pernicious and fatal to societyat large and to individuals in particular,as itdaily tends to become more general and moreprevalent. On this point also, does Francehold the first rank among culpable nations,for by her people, the precept of sanctifying the Sunday, is most daringly and unblushinglycontemned. Protestant nations, Moham-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"184 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.medans, and even the Jews, officially recognize one day of public prayer ; but in France,neither the state nor the laws ordain a day ofprayer and repose from labor, grave subjectof astonishment and scandal to the great number of foreigners who throng her cities. These,the members oftherefore, are the reasons whyan association for reparation established inFrance, should pledge themselves not to laboron the days prohibited, and to be zealous inrestricting others from performing servilework on these days. Moreover, it was justthat the proposed association should be placedunder the patronage of St. Michael, St. Martinand St. Louis. Blasphemy and the violationof the Lord sDay are sins which attack Goddirectly, in violation of the first three commandments, they confer no benefit on man, butare sadly prejudicial alike to his temporal andspiritual happiness. They are diabolical incharacter, the unhappy traiigressor labors notfor himself but for the devil, who not onlydegrades, but enslaves his victim.It was therefore but just that the formerenemy of Lucifer, St. Michael, the acknowledged champion of the Eldest Daughter of theChurch," as he was likewise of the ancientpeople of G-od, should be the first patron ofa work whose watchword was Vade retro,Satana. We also know that St. Martin wasone of the adversaries of the demon, drivinghim from G-aul with the remnants of idolatry,and from this has he become an apostle ofPrivate Use Only

"THE ASSOCIATION. 185charity and zeal, one of the glories of Christianity and the special protector of France.The Association at Rome, being placed underthe auspices of St. Louis, because of the just.severity which he exercised toward blasphemers, it was but natural in France, where,unhappily, the traditions of his piety havebeen forgotten, that his protection should beinvoked for an institution whose object is, toobtain by prayer and the rigorous observanceof the divine commandments, that which thisgreat king had already won by the solidityof his virtues and the wisdom of his laws.Some weeks afterward, the sister refers tothe same subject, February 26, 1844.U 0urLord," writes she to the Mother Superior,desires most ardently that the work ofReparation be established, as he has given meto understand. I seemed to hear my Divine Jesusfrom the recesses of the tabernacle address usthese words :ye, my friends and my faithful children ! behold if there be any sorrowlike unto my sorrow !My Divine Father andmy cherished spouse, the Holy Church, aredespised, outraged by my enemies. Will noone rise up to revenge me by defending themagainst those enemies ? I can no longer remainin the midst of an ungrateful people: beholdthe torrents of tears that flow from my eyes !Can I find no one to dry them, by makingreparation of honor to the glory of my Father,begging of him the conversion of the guilty ?Such are the sentiments, reverend mother, withMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

186 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.which Grod fills my soul, causing it to experience this interior pain which the Heart ofJesus glorified can no longer suffer. If a kingor even an ambassador be despised or set atnaught by a foreign nation, his countrymen flyto arms, the honor of the king must be avenged ; troops are levied and the death of thousands is counted for naught. And yet, the mostholy and terrible Name of the Grod of armies,of the King of kings is despised and blasphemed his ;holy Day profaned by an infinitenumber of sinners, and no one is concerned,no one thinks of avenging him ! But behold ! OurLord Jesus Christ, the ambassador from thekingdom of heaven, demands reparation ofhonor for his Divine Father, or proclaims waragainst us, for he has threatened France withhis wrath. Shall we hesitate in our choice ?"After perusing these soul-stirring apostrophes, these burning ejaculations, we are overawed and we ask, what would have becomeof France, if the desire, communicated to theservant of Grod, had been publicly manifestedand immediately fulfilled ? Would the entireworld have witnessed the misfortunes withwhich we have since been deluged? Wouldwe have had to fear the evils which still menace us to-day?The sister, in terminating, begs that thearchbishop of Tours be informed of all thathas taken place since the feast of St. Louis,concerning the work of Separation."Wouldyou please permit me," she writesPrivate Use Only

THE ASSOCIATION.18tto the mother prioress,"if our reverend ecclesiastical superior consent, to address the archbishop,for I have such an ardent desire toinform him of these things! I most humblybeg of you to grant me this permission.Then I shall have performed all that lies inmy power toward the accomplishment of thework which has been revealed to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness ;but 1 shallwrite to his Grace, only when I feel my soulunder the influence of the Holy Grhost, for Idesire to make no use of my own convictions, being incapable of anything good ;shall beseech him to guide my pen."In another statement she says:I"Our Lordhas given me such interior pain because ofmy desire to see his work established, that Ihave been unable to take any nourishmentwhatever. I can bear this burden no longerwithout falling under its weight, for thisreason, I feel strongly urged to deposeit at thefeet of the archbishop."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"OurCHAPTER X.THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS.Lord revealed to me thathe charged me with the care ofFrance ;that he would sendice as his ambassadress to makea treaty of peace."(Words of the Sister.)Nothing of what we now know concerning Sister Mary of St. Peter, had yet passedbeyond the walls of the cloister as we have;heretofore remarked, only the ecclesiasticalsuperior, the sister s confessor and a few veryintimate friends, had been informed by themother prioress of all that had occurred ;noteven the archbishop had as yet received anyinformation. The grave nature of the lastrevelation to the cloistered virgin, and herpressing solicitation to have the matter broughtbefore the archbishop made itobligatory onthe Rev. Mother to inform his Grace of allthat had transpired.The archbishop of Tours, Mgr. Morlot,been transferred from Orleans to the archbishhadopric of St. Martin some two years previously. This prelate was a man of extreme deli-Private Use Only

THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS.cacy of conscience and of exemplary regularity.The highest dignities were successivelyconferred on him, such for instance as thehonor of the Roman purple with which he wasclothed in 1854 ;and also with the title ofArchbishop of Paris, to which dignity he waselevated in 1856 ;these honors served to increase rather than diminish his detachmentfrom the transient honors and pleasures of thisearth, and of which we have more than oneadmirable proof. His life, prematurely shortened by the incessant labors of his episcopalcharge, was finally crowned by a most edifyingdeath. At Tours as at Paris he has left numerous traces of his episcopal life of forty years.His affable and courteous manner and. hiscordial benevolence have rendered his nameillustrious. He had a particular venerationfor the Carmelites ;it was with pleasure thatin 1846 he assisted at the installation of thesereligious in their new monastery, and consecrated their chapel with the greatest solemnity.At the time of the disastrous inundation,which happened shortly afterward, he hastened to offer them the hospitality of his ownpalace, thus enabling them to continue in peacetheir religious exercises.Prudence in a very remarkable degree washis characteristic virtue. Unhappily this natural propensity, fostered by his advancing years,his experimental knowlege of mankind, andby the critical circumstances through whichhe had passed, amounted at times to an almostMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

.sellers,190 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.excessive reserve occasioned by timidity,which others, less circumspect, did not hesitate to attribute to apathy, or weakness ofcharacter. His caution and timidity were notunfrequently an obstacle to the progress of theaffairs under his jurisdiction, yet he was rightmindedand good-intentioned but when a;point of any difficulty arose he allowed himself to be swayed by the opinion of his counwhowere often the cause of turninghim from a decision prompted by his naturalgood sense. His administration had morethan once suffered from this course of actionfrom his conductof which we may judge in regard to Sr. Mary St. Peter, and consequently toward Mr. Dupoiit, *forwhom, neA^ertheless,the pious prelate professed the highest esteem, of which we have given elsewheresome notable instances.The holy man of Tours was the first tobewail in secret the excessive prudence ofthe archbishop and; although he, himself, suffered many a stern refusal, yet,he never foran instant was wanting in the deference andperfect submission due his authority or to hisperson. Prayer was his weapon against therigorous decisions of his G-race. One day aquestion arose touching the revelations ofSister St. Peter, when the pious laymanreceived another refusal, very mortifying tohis ardent zeal. On leaving the archbishopriche met an ecclesiastic, one of his friends, towhom he confided his disappointment. BothPrivate Use Only

"THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 191r~: _OTI"were walking on the solitary part of theRuedes Ursulines alongside of the high fencewhich surrounded the episcopal domains.Drawing near the carmelite convent, M.Dupont suddenly stood still, and taking a,medal of St. Benedict from his pocket said :Come, we must have recourse to extraordinarymeans, and after having devoutly made thesign of the cross on the medal, he threw it overthe walls into the garden, saying: Ascendesuperius, (Let us seek aid from on high.)The answer was not long in coming. Thatsame evening M. Dupont full of joy, went tohis friend, the priest, and informed him thatMgr. Morlot himself had sent for him, andwith the utmost urbanity had granted theobject of his request.Indeed, the worthy archbishop esteemed hisvirtuous parishoiier. How many times hadhe not sent him pressing invitations to dineat his palace, but the humble pilgrim ofRue St. Etienne," as he styled himself, alwaysdeclined as politely as possible. One day,however, in deference to his aged mother,who urged the impropriety of so manyrefusals, he accepted the invitation ;arrivedwith the other guests in the dining-room heobserved that there was one place wanting attable in order to accommodate the numberabout to dine ;one of the servants, in mistake, had just then removed the chair, whichdid not fail being observed by the attentiveeye of our guest, who stooped down and whis-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

192 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.pered in the archbishop s ear : "Yousee Monseigneur,that I ought not dine with the great ;there is no chair for me."Mgr. Morlot wasquite disconcerted at the mishap, and whilegiving orders to his domestic to prepare aplace, M. Dupont had already reached thebottom of the stairs, and was out of sightbefore a messenger could overtake him.A short time after the death of Sister St. Peter,when there was question of the nocturnaladoration, and still later, when the society of.St. Martin for the clothing of the poor wasestablished, the venerable archbishop manifested his eagerness to second M. Dupont inall his views. We have before us a sketch ofthe rules and regulations arranged by the veryhand of the prelate, together with expressionsof approbation for the zealous and charitablefounder of these two holy works.These details do not appear superfluous inorder that our readers may understand the character of the prelate with whom Sr. Mary St.Peter will soon find herself in direct communication. It had already been decided upon byFather Aileron, ecclesiastical superior of theCarmelites, and Mother Mary of the Incarnation,that a minute account of all that had transpiredfrom August 25th, should be presented to thearchbishop. Mgr. Morlot, with his characteristicreserve, was not willing to give his opinion ina matter so grave and of such vital importance,without mature deliberation. He ordainedthat the various writings and statementsPrivate Use Only

"THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 193which had been drawn up by the sister bebrought him, and of these he, himself, tookcognizance. He could not failbeing impressedwith the evidence of sincerity which pervadedevery page, and approved of the conduct ofher superiors toward her, encouraging them tocontinue as heretofore. With regard to thecommunications themselves, he was so muchimpressed, that he did not hesitate to let itappear in his pastoral for the ensuing Lent of1844, from which we extract the following,relative to the profanation of the Lord s :Day"Have the work-shops been closed? Hasmanual labor been suspended on the Lord sDay ? Show me the street or the throughfareof the city in which the noise of commercehas for one instant been interrupted!Everywhere the same clamor resounds, the sameagitation, the same commotion sways the multitude as on week days. The children of menpursue theft avocations with the same ardoras on the days assigned to labor. Here webehold them erecting stupendous edificeswhich the hand of G-od refuses to bless; there,exposing the produce of their industry, pursuing their speculations, their negotiations,their insatiable craving for wealth, for power,for honor." ,Look at our villages, pass on to our hamlets,what do we behold ? The forgetfuluess of G-odwhich necessarily follows in the train of profanation, and the countless other disorders,none the less deplorable. Yet the most diabol-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"194 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.ical of all these outrages committed againstthe majesty of G-od, is the shameful desecrationof the Sundays and holydays one part of the:day is consecrated to business the; other, topleasure forbidden labor being always fol;lowed by disorderly pleasure. Servile occupationis succeeded by intemperance and immorality."Still enumerating the consequences of thisprofanation, the prelate continues : On theone hand, we behold open revolts and scandalous outrages committed against the divinity of G-od on the; other, lukewarmness, nay~more, total indifference in the fulfilment ofduty. These provoke the wrath of the MostHigh, whose justice, though patient and longsuffering,is, nevertheless, inevitable ; whosevengeance, though tardy, is certain for Grod;has no need to punish day by day His; poweris eternal and not to be confounded w^ith thejustice of man, intimidated by the numberof the guilty, and which, beholding the multitude to be punished, lets the sword fall powerless from its hand. It is not thus whenG-od wishes to punish, it is not the number ofthe guilty which arrests his hand, he thencounts but the just, and when these havedisappeared from the face of the earth, hisarm falls mercilessly."The venerable archbishop was not satisfiedwith this appeal, addressed officially to hisflock. On the 15th of March, he authorized inhis diocese the association already founded atNotre-Dame de la Eiche for the Reparation ofPrivate Use Only

"""THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 195Blasphemy. The pastor, Father Aileron, in establishing this society in his parish, had availedhimself of the power conceded by the Pontifical brief of August 8th, 1843 (of which mention has already been made).Permission had been granted to the sister,at her own request, to write to the archbishop.I had, said she, the honor of writingto his Lordship ;my worthy superiors hadalready informed him of all that the DivineMaster had made known to me regarding theWork of Reparation. Then the pious prelatehad the little circulars printed which had beenpreviously published at Nantes. He addedhis own approbation on the *L5th of March,1844, recommending the Association to the.attention of the clergy of his diocese, and expressing the desire that they would encouragethe faithful to repair the outrages committedagainst the sovereign majesty of Glod. Agreat number of these circulars were distributed, but there was no association establishedaccording to the demand of Our Lord ;it.seemed that the hour had not yet come. Letus adore in silence the hidden designs of theMost High."These last words indicate the dispositionin which the sister had received the decision of the archbishop ; although grieved thatthe Association of Reparation was not officiallyestablished in the diocese, yet she was consoledby the encouragement of the prelate, and .byMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"196 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the approbation which he had given to hercommunications. She hoped that the timewas not far distant, when he would placehimself at the head of a movement, which shebelieved so necessary for the salvation ofFrance. Nevertheless, when she perceivedthat he took such a neutral stand, she deplored it deeply, and attributed the cause toher own sins ;for she suffered "inseeing theMajesty of the Most High outraged withimpunity, and her countrymen, hastening totheir own destruction." In her distress, thehumble virgin turned to her heavenly Spousewho had confided this noble mission to her,of which she had so faithfully acquitted^ herself. Then the Saviour gave her to understandthat during the interval, it was in her ownsoul he desired to make reparation of this;she thus gives an account to the motherprioress :Permit me to relate in all simplicity, whathas passed to-day within my soul, after holycommunion. Our Lord inspired me to presentmyself before him in the name of France, toreceive him in the kingdom of my heart, andto offer him my communion in a spirit of reparation for the crimes of which our nation isguilty. After having received this divine King,I prayed most earnestly for France then he;communicated himself to my soul, telling methat he charged me with the salvation of France,and constituted me his ambassadress to treatof peace with him also that I should remain;Private Use Only

"THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 197humbly prostrate before him in the mostBlessed Sacrament of the altar, praying forPrance and for the establishment of the WorkThen he counselled me toof the Separation.reflect well on the obligations of the office heimposed upon me for when an ambassador;withdraws from a kingdom,it is received as asign of war. Our Lord gave me to understandthat I must not voluntarily withdraw fromhis presence in the most Blessed Sacrament,but that I should remain there in spirit in thename of France. Then I answered :My Lord,I have given myself entirely to thee for thefulfilment of thy intentions, do with me whatthou wilt . And I prostrated myself, adoringthe designs of Grod who makes use of what ismost miserable and despised to perform hisworks : I accepted the charge which he imposed on me, praying him to render me fit toaccomplish his designs over me, and to fulfilthem himself in me."I have applied myself for several days toadore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Onquitting the choir to resume my occupations,I leave my heart at the feet of my good Saviour, and in whatsoever part of the houseI am engaged, I try to keep in his divinepresence. This is the nature of the spiritualexercise which he demands of me at present ;he wishes me to remain there at his feet, praying in the name of France."The Divine Master lent a favorable ear tothe humble prayers of his servant ;he re-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"You"Then""198 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.vealed to her the heinousness and enormity ofthe sin of blasphemy.It seems as if OurLord said to me : You cannot comprehend theabomination of this sin : if my justice werenot restrained by my mercy, the guilty wouldbe destroyed in an instant ;even inanimatebeings would feelmy vengeance, but I havean eternity in which to punish the wicked,"he made me understand the excellence of this AYork of Reparation how far it;surpassed all others, and how pleasingit wasto GJ-od, to the angels, the saints and to ourholy mother the Church. Oh ! would thatwe could understand the glory we could obtain by repeating these words : MIRABILENOMEN DEI.is the Name of(AdmirableGrod) in a spirit of reparation for !"blasphemyA short while after, she wrote the following :are aware that Our Lord, some timeago, directed me to pray for France, tellingme to guard the sheep, of whom he was theShepherd that he chose me on this; day tobe his little shepherdess, giving me his mysteries and his most holylife for my domain ;that I could draw forth grace from his divinewounds for his sheep. In fine, that he gavehimself to me as a mine of gold wherewithto pay the debt which France owes to hisdivine justice, permitting me to draw on thetreasury of his Sacred Heart. Then Our Lordgave me to understand, that I must be carefulnot to act as did the unfaithful servant of theGrospel, who made no use of his talent ;thatPrivate Use Only

"1"THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 199he would demand of me a rigorous account, andthat I would find no difficulty in drawing fromthe mine of gold, which he himself had acquired by his labors and sufferings. I believethat he desired to find some one who wouldbecome a mediator between himself and France,in order that he might extend to it his mercy."During this interval, the sister had had muchto endure, for God did not spare her interior;sufferings were to prepare her to accomplishhis work : her mind was at times overspreadwith darkness, and in the face of her arduousmission she was confronted with the experience of her own weakness and incapacity."This work," said she, (June 6, 1844)"is inme as a burning fire which causes me to suffermore or less,according to the good pleasure ofGod. During prayer I never cease begging ofthe Lord to spare France, to establish in allher cities the AYork of Reparation, and to raiseup apostolic laborers to preach this work.Thou dost behold, my sweet Jesus, how poorand miserable I am; I implore thee to, give allthat I am now suffering to some soul morethan I who will render thee morecourageousadequate service.Once, however, Our Lord caused her to feelhis presence for nearly two hours. During thisdelicious repose, IthoughtI heard his sweetvoice say to me :Courage and confidence, mychild !Courage and confidence !Engravethese words on your heart. Oh ! ifyou onlyknew the advantage you derive in supportingMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"200 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER,.these sufferings, you would thank me for sending them to you! I have come to visit youbut not to remain with you in a sensible manner. You will partake of my chalice, but beconsoled ; although you behold me not, still Ishall not be far from you, for I will hold thechalice while you drink therefrom. After thistrial, I shall send you consolations ;you havejustly merited these sufferings by your infidelity however, it is not in anger, but in mercy;that I send you such trials. I then took theto ask him if the crown which I madelibertyin honor of his Name and of his holy mysteriesAll thatwas agreeable to him. He replied:is done to glorify me is most agreeable. Hecounselled me to practise this exercise when Iwould be incapable of mental prayer."A new aspect of things comes over thelife of Sr. MarySt. Peter. The Carmeliteshad just quitted the venerable and cherishedmonastery which had been the cradle of theirfoundation. The followingis the account weread in their annals in regard to this subject.Toward the end of the year 1843, our oldmonastery was sold, the purchasers havingpaid a reasonable price, with the expressclause, that for the space of twenty years thechapel, (ofwhich only the walls were left),should not be used for any other than itsprimitive purpose. After the conclusion of thenegotiations, the moment came to put our handto the work, and commence anew. The planof a monastery was made, which was as muchPrivate Use Only

THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 201as possible in conformity with the rules andcustoms of our order. Particular attention waspaid to the arrangement of all the regular placesof the house, in order to facilitate the practiceof our holy observances. Our Eev. Mother Maryof the Incarnation, then superior, as well asour worthy ecclesiastical superior, toiled atthis work with unremitting zeal and devotedness.Grod plainly showed that he had chosenthem for this work, by the abundant benedictions he bestowed on their labors."As we have said, a convenient site on theRue des Ursuliiies, back of the archbishopric,had been bought. Mgr. Morlot solemnlyblessed the corner-stone in the month of September, 1844. While awaiting the completion of the edifice, the Carmelites were obligedto remove to a small dwellhig-house which hadneither gratings nor cloisters.*Although beautiful in appearance and finelysituated, it was small and inconvenient for religious, the absence of gratings being one of thegreatest annoyances. In such cases, every Carmelite carried the grating with her, if wemay be allowed the expression a thick black:veil enveloped her from head to foot, scarcelypermitting her to breathe or to move. Such* This house, situated on La Place Gregoire, back of the cathedraland opposite the Grand Seminary,is at present in the possession ofCanon Allegret, who entertains the greatest respect for the memoryof Sr. St. Peter, and for the former habitation of the Carmelites ;hehas fitted up a little oratory with a picture of the Holy Face in thesame room which had served as their chapel.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

202 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.was the habitual condition of Sr. St. Peterduring those two years, when as portress ofthe interior, she was obliged to communicatedirectly with persons from without, and totransmit the messages to those within. Letus listen to the naive complaints to which shegiyes vent."The time had come when Our Lord hadprepared a great trial for me, for I was obligedto quit the dear convent where I pronouncedmy vows, and where I had been overwhelmedwith graces by his merciful liberality. Ifound myself in a secular house having nograting, and I still held the office of portresswhich kept me in continual contact withseculars. Condemned to stay for nearly twoyears in this parlor, and observing that a greatnumber of persons were always coming, someto solicit prayers for the sick, others for theconversion of those dear to them some; againto be consoled in their pains and sufferings,while others were drawn thither by merecuriosity ; this novel situation threw me intoextreme affliction. Fearing to lose the spirit ofretirement and recollection, for which I hadsuch an attraction, I said to :myself Alas!Lord here !can I ever hear the voice of myI went to our Mother and manifested to herthis repugnance, which I experienced for myposition. I would have been only too happyhad she changed my office, or at least,if she had given me a companion to share myduties with me, yet,notwithstanding her greatPrivate Use Only

""MyTHE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 203charity, she judged itand unaided."better to leave me aloneTo avoid the frequent visits of seculars, Isaid politely to all who presented themselves,that the mission of a Carmelite was to holdintercourse with Grod in silence and retreatand but little with man that ;they mightexpose their sorrows to other religious, andseek consolation from those not living, as we,in seclusion ;that we would pray for their intentions ;all my reasoning was of no avail. Icannot help laughing even now, when I. thinkof one good women who insisted on bringing her daughter to see me, in order, as shesaid, that Imight give her some advice abouther approaching marriage as I declined to;comply with her request, she was obliged togo and consult some one else, better postedthan I on such matters."good Master allowed me to suffer fromthis extreme repugnance for my new positionfor some time : but one day, he had thegoodness to come and console me in the inmostrecesses of my soul. He told me that I shouldnot grieve thus at having an office whichbrought one in such constant communicationwith;my neighbor that I should receive thesepeople with the same spirit of charity withwhich he welcomed all those who approachedhim when passing through the towns andcities of Judea ; promising me that this officewould not be injurious to my soul, and that hewould draw much glory therefrom."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"204 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.months passed, during which the comSixmunications, in reference to the Reparation,remained as if suspended, and the sister wasconducted by a path of aridity, darkness andtemptation. She seemed ready to fall underthis weight when Grod favored her anew."He made me understand that the intelligence of man cannot conceive the heinousnessof the affronts offered Grod by the sin of blasplemy.^This crime pierces his Sacred Heart,and covers him with wounds like anotherLazarus. He pointed out the compassionate dogswho consoled poor Lazarus by licking hiswounds, and invited me to render him a similar service, employing my tongue everyday to glorify the Holy Name of Grod despisedand blasphemed by sinners. I never stoppedto consider whether this exercise would giveme interior consolation or not ;it was sufficient to think that I soothed his divinewounds and gave him some relief. It seemedthat he also said : Do all in your power tohave this Work established ;with my merits that you mayI shall enrich youobtain it from*0n this subject St. Alphonsus de Liguori says : "Blasphemy,so widespread in our days, is an abomination to the Lord. It is themost deadly of all sins ;and is ordinarily unpardonable, for it is acrime of the highest magnitude that can be committed against theDivinity a crime which attacks God; openly and directly a crime;therefore which God rarely pardons." (Tauney s life of St AlphonsusV. IV. ch. XV.] In his last years speakiug of France, he says:Blasphemyis the cause of maledictions on the earth. UnfortunateFrance ! how I pity thee and thy millions of poor, innocent victims"who will be involved ittthy disgrace Ibid., c. xxiv.!Private Use Only

""THE ARCHBISHOP OF TOURS. 205my Father. Ask in ray Name and it shall begranted you.Here terminates the first account of thesister, relative to the Reparation in general ;she concludes with the following declaration :"It is in the Sacred Heart of Jesus that Ihave found this Work it is also in this Divine;Heart, burning with zeal for the glory of hisFather, that I remit itthrough the hands of themost Holy Virgin and of the glorious patriarchSt. Joseph, under the protection of the angelsand saints, in expiation to the divine mercyto make use of so vilewho has deignedan instrument. I declare that it is I, Sr. M. of.St. Peter of the Holy Family, unworthy Carmelite, who have received these revelationsregarding the Reparation for Blasphemy, andwho have written them, in obedience to theorders of my superiors, for the greater glory ofG-od, and also for the tranquility of my conscience. I tremble at the sight of the missionA multitude ofimposed on me by the Lord.souls will be saved if his designs be accomplished. I also declare that I have spokenwith all truth and sincerity.At this time a circumstance took placewhich the sister herself relates. A priestwho had heard something of this Work, cameone day to beg me to pray for two graces :one for himself, the other for one of his confreres. The question at stake was the salvationof a soul, and also the shielding of the reputation of two persons in whom they were greatlyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"206 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.interested. This priest said to the saintly religious : I believe in the "Workowith which theLord has charged you but in proof of your;mission, beg for these two graces. If you obtainthem, I promise that my confrere in the ministry and myself will devote ourselves to propagate this Work. I accepted his proposal,telling him that I would undertake themission confided to me in the name of obedience ;for when I ask any special grace, fromGrod in the name of obedience, I obtain it morereadily. He consented and took his leave. Iwent immediately before the Blessed Sacrament to pray my good Saviour to defend hiscause for the glory of his Name, and to grantthe two priests the favors which they desired, assuring him that they would become,,as they had promised, zealous defenders of hisName after;which I made use of all the littleeloquence I possessed to touch his DivineHeart, commencing whh a novena. Our Lordgave the proof required to make known thetruth of his Work : the priest who had spoken tome, received the grace he so much desired, onthe evening of that same ;day the secondalso received his request a little later. He toldme that the Lord had heard his prayers beyondhis most sanguine expectations, and that theunfortunate affair inquestion, had eventuallyturned to the glory of Grod and to the happiness of those who had, at first, been so muchgrieved.Private Use Only

CHAPTER XLTHE LITTLE GOSPEL."When Jesus received his Name,Satan was vanquished and disarmed."After the negative decision of Mgr. Morlot,there was a short respite in the revelationsmade to Sr. Mary of St. Peter, regarding theOur Lord, during thisWork of Separation.interval, was pleased to console his servant byholy meditations on the mysteries of his Passion and of his Holy Name or ; by animatingher zeal for the deliverance of certain soulsdetained in purgatory. One of these seemedio have awakened her sympathy in a specialmanner. We shall quote the sister s accountof what passed on this subjectit will enable;us to judge of the holy ardor which promptedher to assist those among the departed who.seemed to be most in need of help.A most frightful and unprovided deathhad recently terrified the people of France.The Duke of Orleans, eldest son and heir presumptive of Louis Philip, was one day drivingthrough Paris, when his horse took fright andbecame unmanageable, the Duke imprudent-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"when"One208 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.by precipitated himself from the carriage, andwas almost instantaneously killed by the violence of the fall. The news spread through thecountry like a flash, and eyen reached theCarmelites of Tours. Everywhere it had produced the greatest commotion, the more so, asthe Duke, a few years previous and to thegreat scandal of the catholic world, had marrieda protestaiit princess, notwithstanding the admonitions of the Archbishop of Paris. Hissudden death was regarded as a well-meritedchastisement from G-od.Sunday morning," writes the Sister,I was making my ordinary meditation,the thought of the Duke of Orleans crossedmy mind I had been;vaguely apprised of hisdeath, but had forgotten to pray for thepoor prince after his decease. During the office of the Little Hours, Isuddenly becameconscious that his soul was suffering in purgatory, and in great need of assistance. Itseemed to me that the nearer I approached theDivine Heart of Jesus, the more my emotionincreased ;tears so choked my utterance, thatI could with difficulty recite the office. I feltgreat sympathy for this suffering soul, whomthe Lord desired to rescue from the flames, andI offered the holy communion for him;the LordJesus also inspired me to offer his infinitemerits to his heavenly Father. During mythanksgiving after holy communion, it seemedthat our souls met in the Lord. I then said tohim : Poor princ- ,what remains to you nowPrivate Use Only

""""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 209of the grandeur and riches of this world ! Howpleased yon are to-day to have the benefit ofthe communion of a poor carmelite Remem!ber me when you enter the kingdom ofHeaven !Our Lord engaged me to pray for him withmore than ordinary charity, and with greaterardor than that which I felt in praying for myrelatives. He suggested to me to offer, withthis intention, all that he had suffered whencrowned with thorns and derided as a mockking, during his Passion. I spent the rest ofthe morning in prayer for the prince, beforea picture of our Saviour crowned with thorns."Three times a day I recited, at the foot ofthe altar,six Pater and Aves, and Grloria Patris,in order to gain the numerous indulgences attached to these prayers for the souls in purgatory."The next day, Monday,I was again urgedto receive holy communion with the same intention. The suffering soul seemed, as itwere, chained to my soul ;I carried iteverywhere with me, all the mortifications whichI performed were offered for its relief."On the 20th of March, the sister writes asfollow r s to the mother prioress:The fortnightis now terminating, duringwhich you have permitted me to offer myselfto Grod for the soul in whom I am so deeplyinterested, and to abandon myself to the divinepleasure, to suffer all he would judge properin order to obtain its deliverance. Permit me,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"210 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Rev. Mother, to give you an account of all thathas passed in my soul from the 26th of February until the 19th of March."I shall simply say that I have been to thispoor prince, like the mother of a sick child,whose tenderness and anxiety keep her constantly on the alert in search of some newremedy to restore him to health. Night andday have I sought to relieve him at; length,I begged my guardian angel to allow me norest until the dear soul would be happy inheaven. I believe that he has charitablyheard my prayer, for I felt continually urgedon to offer all I did for him. All my communions, except one which I was obliged tooffer for one of our departed sisters, all thatI have done, has been performed for therelease of this soul. The holy sacrifice of themass, the stations of the cross, and all themortifications which I have been permittedto :perform I have had the consolation ofoffering all to Grod for him. I have suffered butlittle physically, you have beheld my faceswollen, it is true, but this was comparativelynothing;my greatest pain was to have had nomore to suffer ;the sweet union and interiorpeace I had been enjoying, has been followedby dryness and temptation ;for he has hiddenhimself from my sight, and permitted that Ishould feelmy unworthiiiess. Yet, if theDivine Master has afflicted me with one hand,he has sustained me with the other, and hasgiven me the courage to say to him :Private Use OnlyMy

"THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 211Grod, that this poor soul may possess andglorifythee the more speedily, I accept allthese suffering s ; provided I offend thee not,,my Lord this all I desire.;"The feast of our father St. Joseph, wasapproachingI prepared myself by a novena,;supplicating him to obtain of Grod, the speedydeliverance of this poor soul, promising atthe same time, to continue the penances whichwere permitted me. On the eve of the feast,my ardor was inflamed anew. I was suffering very keenly from the intensity of mydesires. In the refectory, I felt more inclinedto weep than to take my meals. soul wasMyin great affliction, but from supernaturalmotives, for I had never known this prince.If I ever felt the privation which my vow ofpoverty imposed on me, Oh ! it was at thismoment ! "Were I still possessed of any means,I would most certainly have had requiemmasses said for this poor soul but a con;soling thought came to my mind. I said to:myselfI have renounced all things for myheavenly Spouse, consequently he has givenhimself entirely to me; therefore what ishis, is mine. Then, full of confidence, I offeredto the Eternal Father all the treasures of hisDivine Son, as a supplement for my poverty,,and I formed the intention of offering for thesoul of this poor prince all the masses celebrated throughout the world."Then Our Blessed Lord gave me to understand that there was yet one more act ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""212 LIFE OF SISTEE MAEY ST. PETER.charity I could perform for him, to offer theholy communion I was about to receive, therebygaining the indulgence applicable to the soulsin purgatory. I consented, but not without alittle reluctance, for I had counted on this greatfeast to think a little of my own private necessities, and to apply to my soul the fruit of thisindulgence but since the Lord had ordained;it otherwise, I submitted to his holy will. Ihave still continued to intercede for the princewith all the powers of my soul, and all theaffections of my heart.""Sincethis day, reverend mother,I have nolonger experienced any anxiety, I feel entirelyfree from responsibility, and say nothing forhim now except the Laudate."I believe that my little services, united tothe fervent prayers of our sisters, have procured his relief. It was undoubtly throughthe intercession of the most Blessed Virginthat he obtained his salvation, and throughthe powerful aid of our father St. Joseph thathe gained his entrance into Heaven ;for Ithink, and am even convinced, that he musthave been delivered from purgatory on thefeast of this great saint. However, of this myDivine Lord has given me no certaintyI;adore his designs without any wish to penetrate them, for I am most unworthy."The prince, as is well known, came to anuntimely end by a very terrible accident;he may have made a sincere act of contritionPrivate Use Only

"""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 213which saved him from eternal death. Themercy of God surpasseth all his works !"Three years later, the sister received theassurance that this soul, the object of so manyfervent prayers, had indeed obtained its deliverance.On the 26th of April, 1846, she writes :After holy communion, our Lord Jesus saidto me : Allow yourself to be guided by theimpulse of grace. I obeyed, and my DivineSaviour commenced his operation. But howshall I speak of what I beheld ! infinitegoodness of my Grod ! assist me, that thoumayst be more loved, more known and blessed!on earth ! Look said he suddenly to me,Behold him for whom you have prayed! Ibring him to you to thank you for what youhave done. Behold the excess of my mercy inhis !regard Had I allowed him to dwelllonger on the earth, he would, in his ambition,have encircled his brow with a temporalcrown and; now, in Heaven, I bestow on hima crown of glory.By an intellectual view, I beheld this soulstanding by the side of Jesus. Ah ! said I tohim, It is Jesus, not I, whom you mustthank ;as for me, I am mere nothingness: itis his merits that I have offered to G-od for you.The soul then said to me : It is to the BlessedVirgin I owe my salvation, for when I wasbrought before the tribunal of G-od, I wascovered with the infinite merits of JesusChrist ;and it isthrough the intercession ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"214 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.St. Joseph that I have been delivered frompurgatory. Oh ! most fortunate soul ! Iexclaimed, f Pray for France and pray forme and in a; transport of gratitude to theinfinite mercy of Grod, I repeated Fortunate:for me let us prostrate ourselvessoul, pray;in .prayer at the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ ;pray that I may obtain the grace to fulfil myobligations to him. Our Lord said Now,:he will pray for :you and I kept repeating, pray for me ! But interrupting myself,I asked : How shall I invoke you henceforth ?He answered : I am called Ferdinand, call meFerdinand; Ferdinand is my name. It seemedto me that he thus repeated his name severaltimes as a proof of the truth of what I beheld,for I was not aware that this was his name.He added : I now reign with Jesus Christ ;I am crowned in Heaven. I said to him : Iknow the mercy of Grod is unbounded, still Idared notinto glory.hope that you had already enteredBut I understood that this was onlypermitted by an extraordinary grace from.All that I saw, heard and understood ofthe excess of the divine charity toward this*A thought full of consolation naturally suggests itself to themind of the most casual, after the perusal of this incident : In themost unfortunate accidents which appear to be a chastisement ofthe divine justice inflicted alike on the individual and on the family, there frequently is a mysterious and hidden action of sanctifying grace in favor of the individual, which is never suspected bythe bereaved relatives, and which proves the infinite goodness ofGod toward the sinner, and proclaims the wisdom of His divineProvidence.Private Use Only

"THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 215my emosoul, threw me into an ecstacy of joy;tion vented itself in tears and sobs. But at thisdelicious moment, the parlor-bell rang, and asit was obedience that called me, I left ourLord Jesus to go and fulfil the duties of myoffice. Wishing to test the truth of whfcit Ihad just experienced, I asked a sister whom Imet, the name of the prince in question. Sheanswered : His name was Ferdinand. Heraanswer impressed me deeply, for I saw in itproof of the truth. This operation of Grodin my soul was the strongest I have everexperienced." An account of the extraordinary event was placed in the hands of Mgr.Morlot, who beheld therein a communicationso manifestly supernatural, that he thought ithis duty to write to the pious mother of the deceased, Queen Amelia, who was very uneasyover the eternal fate of her son. As can bereadily conceived, the letter was a consolingbalm to the heart of the distressed lady.This extraordinary fact, so minutely madeknown to our Carmelite of Tours, is not without precedent, or analogy in history. A similar instance is related of the deliverance of asoul from purgatory, by the prayers and sufferings of one of the first daughters of theVisitation, Sister M. Denise de Martignat. Thecircumstances are detailed in the life of thisreligious, by Mother de Chaugy. Our Lordone day lead the sister to the borders of purgatory, and pointed out to her the soul of a greatprince whose death had occasioned much regret,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""216 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.and the shedding of many tears he was a;most powerful prince when on this earth, andnow, more destitute than could be imagined,for during his life he had not amassed manygood works, which alone constitute the wealthof fternity."Our Lord said to her :My daughter, youhave already offered many prayers for the salvation of this soul: now behold him, and continue to pray."This prince was killed in a duel. But," explained the sister, by a master-stroke of divinemercy, he received the grace to make a sincereact of contrition for his sins at the last moment,and instead of being cast into hell, which hehad but too justly merited, he was condemnedfor a great number of years to the purifyingflames of purgatory." Sr. Denise de St. Martignatoffered herself as a victim to expiate thesins of this poor soul, and to relieve him of aportion of his debt. From that moment, shewas afflicted by the most peculiar maladiesand excruciating sufferings. Several times,the soul of the deceased appeared to her, thanking her and encouraging her to continue and vsuffer still more for him. Shortly before herdeath, the servant of G-od received the announcement that the soul of the prince wasgreatly relieved but;less happy than Maryof St. Peter, she did not know the precisemoment of his final deliverance.Another saintly practice served as a stimulus to the zeal, ever active and ingenious,Private Use Only

""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 21*7which animated Sister St. Peter for the salvation of souls. The Carmelites were still living in the house on Le Place St. G-regoire, (ofwhich we had already spoken), while awaitingthe completion of their monastery. Sr. Mary ofSt. Peter, portress for the interior, was perpetually besieged by visitors who were desirousof receiving consolation or advice. She wouldfain have excused herself from these piousimportunities, in order to preserve the spirit ofrecollection."Thesegood people,said she,felt thatthe little Breton nun, simple as they themselves, understood and sympathized withthem in all their troubles and afflictions,seeking to encourage them to resignation bythe solacing w r ords of religion;they returnedto their homes happy and contented, but sooncame back to the convent with their neighbors.Notwithstanding the charity I felt for them,I nevertheless excused myself as much aspossible from receiving them, in order not tofail in the spirit of silence, so necessary for acarmelite. Our Lord, beholding my desire,gave me the means of gratifying these peopleand also of comforting them in their maladies,by inspiring me with the pious practice ofwearing the Grospel of the Circumcision/Behold in what manner I arranged this practice in conformity with what had been communicated to me on the subject.""The devil uses every means in his power tosnatch from Our Lord the inheritance won byMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"218 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.his holy cross and he is; incessantly seekingto rob this Good Shepherd of the sheep purchased at so great a price. To prevent thisravenous wolf from approaching the sheepfold,Jesus desired, as he made me understand, thatI should proclaim to all, that his sheep weremarked with his Holy Name, and carried aboutthem the Gospel announcing to all nations thatthe Word Incarnate was named Jesus.Myamiable Saviour made me understand thedepth of virtue contained in that sacred name,the very mention of which puts the devil toflight.Those who will have recourse to thisact of piety will receive great graces. Hetold me, also, to place below this Gospel, thewords recalling the victory which he hadgained over Satan in assuming, through lovefor us, the name of Jesus. This little devotionwas, first of all, approved of by my superiors ;their charity permitting the Gospd of the Circumcision to be printed, and a picture of the InfantJesus to be engraved on the same leaf, withthe initials of his adorable name. The leafwas then folded and enclosed in a small covering of woolen material on which was embroidered a cross with the Sacred Heart ;itwas to be worn as a medal around the neck.It also received the approbation of the YicarGeneral, as being in conformity with the spiritof the Church for we see from;history that the.first Christians had the habit of wearing theholy Gospels."Our Lord told me that these pious littlePrivate Use Only

""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 219objects of devotion should not be sold, but thatthey should be distributed in his name, inorder that every one might be able to procureone easily. That he asked this alms from thecommunity for his glory, for which he wouldrichly compensate us, and that he, himself,would transact the business of the house. Ourworthy superiors gave me permission to complywith the desire of the Divine Infant ;soon acountless multitude were enrolled. They worethe gospel with great devotion, and the InfantJesus was not slow in granting them manyspecial graces.I was continually occupied in distributingthese little gospels, but althoughI was veryassiduous in the work, I could not meet thedemand of all who desired them. Our goodsisters then kindly offered to help me. I wascharmed with this new commerce which redounded to the glory of the Holy Infant. Imade a very pretty little gospel for him, whichI placed round the neck of his littlestatue. AsI have said, he told me that these little objectsof devotion were not to be sold, but as manywealthy persons wished to purchase them,I placed a small purse in the hand of mylittleking with the following inscriptionthereon :If you wish, give to Jesus ; it will enable us topurchase infantile clothing- for him."The Divine Child rewarded the good peoplea hundredfold for their alms, with the graceswhich he granted them. Quite a considerableMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

220 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.amount was thus amassed in his little purse,with w^hich our reverend mother purchasedclothing for Jesus. By this I wish it to beunderstood, corporals which are linens iisedin the service of the holy sacrifice of the mass.The sisters of the community, by the directionof our reverend mother, prepared these corporals, which were presented to the Holy Infant with grand ceremony on the feast ofCorpus Christi, and afterward distributedamong the poor parishes of the diocese. Wealso made a trousseau for a poor infant, inthe Infantwhom we pictured the poverty ofJesus at his birth."The good sister informs us. furthermore, thatOur Lord asked as an alms that these prayersbe distributed as soon as possible at the end;of the prayers, he desired should be written :"When Jesus received his name, Satan wasvanquished and disarmed. He permitted meto behold the amount of glory which accruedin theseto him by celebrating his victorywords, which make the demons gnash theirteeth with rage. He promised that he wouldbless all who would wear this gospel, andwould defend them against the attacks of thedevil."The Lord afterward informed her, that asthis grace had been drawn from his heart,that the engraving of the Sacred Heart, together with the instruments of his Passion,should be stamped on the little covering containing this gospel, which would answer thePrivate Use Only

THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 221same purpose as a seal on a reliquary, which,guarantees the authenticity of the relic. Inhonor of the five letters which form the nameef Jesus, and in virtue of his five wounds, hepromised to grant five special graceswho would practise this devotion.to all1st. To preserve them from death bylightning.2nd. To protect them against the snaresand the malice of the devil.3rd. To deliver them from a sudden andunprovided death.4th. To assist them to advance with faciltyin the path of virtue.5th. That he would give them the graceof final perseverance."As this last favor appeared excessive tothepious carmelite, the following words of holyscripture occurred to her mind, and reassuredher: "Whoever will invoke the name of theLord shall be saved."(Eom. X. 13.)These little gospels required no other blessing than that given to the palms used onPalm Sunday, in commemoration of the triumphant entry of Our Lord into the city ofJerusalem."Whilst I was seeking,"she writes, "themeans of covering these little expenses, (hereshe is referring to the first gospels which shehad made) my Divine Master directed me toaddress myself to his servant, M. Dupont, andto say to him, that the Infant Jesus requestedof him this work of charity as the tithe of allMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

222 LIFE OE SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the benefits he had bestowed upon him for;this work was most agreeable to him. I thensaid to my Divine Saviour If :you wouldonly promise me some recompense for him, orat least some grace for his family To which!kOur Lord replied: His love for me is sopure that he will perform this service without offering him any inducement. For hisdisinterested love and devotion, I will recompense him magnificently in Heaven as for;you, you must do this little commission forme, because you are mylittle servant. Donot fear to ask in my Name and; you willhave the same merit as ifyou performed theentire work yourself.We can imagine with what eagerness M.Dupont responded to this request. In this, aswell as in the works of piety and charitywhich gave him a certain eclat in the city ofTours, he proved worthy of the eulogy whichthe Lord w^as pleased to bestow on his generouslove, and was well deserving the interestwhich the good sister manifested toward himand his family. We read in his life, that thisfervent layman, with all the candor and simplicity of his ardent faith, aided the virgin ofOarmel to pursue her cherished devotions, especially those in reference to the Infant Jesus.Eefore the little gospels had been printed, he,himself, copied them, and assisted to distributethem among the faithful ;esteeming himselfwell repaid by the prayers which the sisterpromised for his daughter Henrietta, who atPrivate Use Only

""""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 223*the time was preparing to receive hfcr firstcommunion.On the feast of the most Holy Trinity, theLord encouraged his servant anew to propagate this pious practice.Behold, as near as possible," said she,"thatwhich our Lord Jesus made me understand.My child, be not afflicted because thework of your little gospels allows you no timeto enjoy my presence, it is much better tosacrificethese consolations, that Imay not beoffended, for already has it been the meansof preventing the commission of enormouscrimes.Addressing herself to the mother prioress,the sister adds : Our Lord again informedreceived for theseme that with the moneylittlegospels, you might have fifty masses celebrated for his greater glory, and for the salvation of souls;and that afterward, if sufficientwould be received, to pay the expenses of a newedition of the prayers of Eeparation that I;should thereby recognize that there is 110 illusion on my part, but that it is my DivineSaviour himself who has communicated withmy soul."You are aware," continues she, that Ithought no more of asking for the reprinting ofthese prayers, because the archbishop thinksthey cannot be easily understood ;and to-day,Our Lord desires them for religious, that theymay invoke his mercy on France, and appeasehis justice, so that the wicked may be con-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"224 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.founded. I abandon these things to your better judgment, reverend mother, all that I seekis, that the holy will of Grod be accomplished."1The most wonderful graces were not wanting to sanction this devotion so simple, and atthe same time, so ancient in the Church. Thefollowing are some of the wonderful factswhich Sister Mary St. Peter herself had takencare to note down. TVe shall narrate them inher own words :At the time of the enlistment of soldiers,several of the young men of the city, urged onby the solicitude of their mothers who fearedto lose in them their stay and the support oftheir old age, came to me in their sorrow toseek my prayers. I advised them to wear thelittle gospel, and they were not, in consequence, called upon to enlist in the army.These scapulars also wrought conversions,Among others, that of a young person who wasa continual source of sorrow to her parents,owing to her violent bursts of passion but she;was induced to wear a little gospel this alone;was sufficient to vanquish the demon, towhose influence she had so long yielded she;soon asked pardon of her parents and wentto confession. A hardened sinner, reducedto the last extremities, obstinately refused toreceive the sacraments : his venerable pastor,saddened oilbeholding this sheep of his flockabout to become the prey of the infernal wolf,had recourse to the little gospel, one of whichPrivate Use Only

""THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 225he placed at the foot of the sick man s bed, thelatter was immediately touched, asked for thepriest and died a good Christian."Another, who for many years had abandoned the practice of his religious duties, wasinspired to wear the little gospel, and to recite the prayer attached thereto : from thatmoment, he felt urged by a powerful impulseof grace, soliciting him unceasingly to returnto G-od. For several months he resisted thecall, but finally, yielding to the power of theHoly Name of Jesus, he threw himself at thefeet of a confessor ;his perfect conversion filledwith joy those who had for so many yearsgrieved over his past conduct."Many persons have experienced the marvelous effects of this salutary devotion duringtheir maladies or corporal infirmities. A littlegirl had been suffering from a terrible fever,which had reduced her to the last extremity ;all were expecting the angel of death, whenher uncle tied around her neck the littlegospel they recited the prayers during nine;days and the child was perfectly restored. Forseven years, a lady had suffered from an ulcerin her throat which, at times, prevented herfrom taking her proper nourishment, she haddifficulty even in swallowing the holy communion ;many different remedies had beengiven her, but all to no purpose. Having puton the little gospel, she was cured so promptly, that those who took care of her were greatly astonished, until she made known to them8More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"A""226 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the holy remedyrestoration."to which she owed hergreat number of women in childbirthhave been miraculously delivered byjthislittlegospel upon these especially it hasj operated;the most extraordinaryeffects.""Alittle girl, to whom we gave a gospel ofthe Holy Name of Jesus, fell and was seriouslyinjured. When she was picked up, she wasunable to make any movement her discon;solate parents feared that her limbs werebroken, and wished to send for the doctorimmediately, but the child cried out : "No, no,,don tgo for the doctor, but give me my littlerelic, the good Jesus can heal me ! The littlegospel was put round her neck, and she immediatelvceased crying and fell into a profound sleep. On awaking, she was so completely cured that she did not feel the slightesteffect of her fall. Thus was the faith of thischild recompensed all who;believe like hershall not hope in vain."Many missionaries carried this gospel ofthe Holy Name of Jesus to foreign lands I;shall give, in conclusion an account of theconversion of a greatsinner.""On the 26th of December, 1845, a personweeping bitterly, came to recommend to ourprayers a man reduced to the last extremity.There is no use speaking to him of the sacraments, said she, for he is furious. We gave hera little gospel to be placed round the neck ofthe sick man, with the -prayers to be recitedPrivate Use Only

THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 227in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus. This ladyfull of faith and zeal, having learned thatsome men were going to sit up all night withhim, begged them to try and put the littlegospel round his neck, and to recite the prayersattached thereto. They acquiesced, and were sosuccessful in their mission that the obstinateinvalid was suddenly changed, and appearingmore calm, they proposed sending for thepriest. He assented, much to their surprise,and after his confession, received the HolyYiaticum, and died in the best disposition.Satan, furious on beholding the escape of hisprey, in revenge turned all his rage againstme. Grod alone knows what I endured at themoment of the death of this man; during twohours, I was surrounded by a legion of demons,I was as if possessed. I seemed to hear theirhorrible voices soliciting me by their mostseductive language never have I had a sim;ilar combat to sustain, but the Divine Spouseof my soul fortified me by his power and his;grace rendered me victorious. I ran and threwmyself at the feet of our reverend mother whowas terrified at the pallor of my countenance.I discovered to her the agony of my poor heartand she had the charity to console me;whenshe gave me her benediction, I was immediately relieved and passed the rest of the nightin peace."These prodigies have continued even in ourdays. We shall only cite one more example,which happened at Tours quite recently. AMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"228 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.foreigner had long neglected his religiousduties, and had even shown very little respectfor our holy religion during his public career.He was finally attacked by a mortal malady,and those interested in his salvation beheldhim with sorrow, refusing to listen to all theadvances made on this subject. Finally, a lady,who had for a considerable time conversedwith him without making any impression,adroitly slipped under his chin a little gospel,and prepared to depart. She had not gonefrom the door of the sick-room before the invalid called her back saying:However, I donot wish to appear before God without havingset in order my accounts with him send for;a priest, ifyou please."From that moment hewas entirely changed, and thought only of hissalvation, and of the best means of repairinglost time by a sincere and public repentance.It was in this manner that our Divine Lordsustained his servant, by giving her the occasion of making a trial, and so to say, a preparatory test of that which was to be more largelyaccomplished by means of the great Workof Reparation. By the Little G-ospel, he glorified his name, the blessed Name of Jesus ;healed the sick, he brought back sinners to thetrue fold.By the Work of Reparation he willglorify the Name of his Father, this Holy Nameof the Eternal Grod, outraged by blasphemers.He will cure the sick, save the sinner, andconvert France, that nation formerly the gloryof Christian Europe, now gangrened even toPrivate Use Onlyhe

THE LITTLE GOSPEL. 229the heart with godlessness and impiety. Butmercy shall be extended to her, a child of thecloister shall point out the path of salvation,and France shall once more be reinstated in allher glorious privileges. Such is the object ofthe noble mission confided to the humbledaughter of Carmel.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""CHAPTER XII.THEHOLY FACE.I seek another Veronica to sootheand adore my Holy Face, which has sofew worshippers!( Words of Our Lord.)The spiritual delight which Mary of St.Peter received from the meditation on the HolyName of Jesus, consoled her somewhat for thedelay made in the propagation of the Work ofReparation. Our Lord had made no allusionto the subject from the 19th of November, 1844.But on the 17th. of June, 1845, the DivineMaster once more referred to this theme sodear to his Sacred Heart, and encouraged hisservant to have an interview with the archbishop. Nothing less than a command fromsuch a source, could have compelled thishumble and timid maiden to place herself indirect communication with a Prince of theChurch;for she was now to entreat him mostearnestly in the name of G-od, to establish thisWork a serious ;undertaking in his eyes fromwhich he always seemed to recoil.She writes : "I then suffered an interiormartyrdom which Grod alone knows ;I couldPrivate Use Only

""THE HOLY FACE. 231take no nourishment ;existence was a burden.My heavenly Spouse told me not to fearspeaking to Monseigneur that he himself,;would accompany me and suggest what Ishould say. My divine Saviour kept his promise ;for I spoke to this worthy prelate withthe simplicity of a child, conversing with therespect due to his dignity without being overawed."The archbishop consented to paya visit tothe sister, whom he already held in great esteem, because of her rare virtue. When shecame into his presence, she fell on her kneesand kissed his feet ;she then imploredhim tofinish the Work which he had so hapof the Holy Name ofto him the manner in whichpily begun for the gloryG-od, explainingthe Lord urged her to further his designs. Theprelate replied My child,*! desire with all:my heart, to establish this Work, and to giveit all the publicityit merits ;but this is anundertaking of some difficulty you cannot see;all the obstacles.If at present there is so muchdifficulty in obliging the people to performtheir obligations of precept, what would besaid of me if I were to propose practices of pietyhitherto unheard of ? Would not the wickedbe excited to blaspheme G-od more than ever ?Commend our present embarassments to dod,and pray fervently for me ask for new; lights ;if the Lord deign to enlighten you further,you must make it known to me. He added,as if to tranquillize her with regard to herMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""232 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.interior dispositions My child, that which:you experience bears not the impress of anillusion ; no, sister, quite the -contrary I;recognize therein the hidden workings of Grod.A\ r e have made inquiries, and have ascertainedthat many persons have had the same inspiration as you on the subject of this Work ofReparation, which now exists in Italy, andthere is a movement in its favor in many dioceses of France. It is my desire that pioussouls embrace this devotion, but that you into God as aparticular, should offer yourselfVictim. Offer your penances and all your worksas a sacrifice of Reparation for the Church andfor France ;unite yourself to our Lord JesusChrist in the most Blessed Sacrament of thealtar, to render through him honor, praise andglory to the three divine persons of the adorable Trinity endeavor to ;stay the arm of theAlmighty, that it may not fall heavily upon us.Address yourself to the Sacred Heart of Mary,and offer to the Eternal Father, through thehands of this august Mother, the most Precious Blood of her Divine Son, his sufferingsand all his merits ;and I hope we shall thusappease the anger of the Almighty.The archbishop continued his conversationwith the sister, exhorting her particularly toglorify Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament ofthe altar.Every Thursday, said he, makean honorable amend to Grod :Friday, recitethe Litany of the Passion, and on Saturday,that of the Blessed .Virgin When Our LordPrivate Use Only

"""""THE HOLY FACE. 233inspires you, my child, you mayrecite theprayers of Reparation but I prefer you to:recite more ordinary prayers. The pious sister then told him, that sometimes she feared herown imagination interfered with the operationof Grod ;but the prelate reassured her again,:saying Since you do not tenaciously cling toyour own opinion, and that you remainwithin the limits prescribed by obedience,abandoning these things to the judgment ofyour superiors, you should remain perfectlyat ease." In conclusion, he said : I findall that you haye related to me very excellent ;beg the Lord to send me the light of the HolyGrhost ;and do all things for the glory ofGod.These counsels were as a healing balmpoured over my soul ;theyfilled me with consolation, for my confessor had declined givingan opinion on what had transpired in my soulregarding the "Work of Reparation, saying thatarchbishop had received from the HolyGhost the power of pronouncing judgment,and that I should submit to his decision. ThenI was more than ever convinced of the divinewill, and although Monseigneur had not givenme much hope that he would establish thiswork, as he foresaw many grave difficulties, yet,this did not prevent me frorn hoping that allobstacles would be removed when the timeappointed by the decrees of Divine Providence would arrive. The following are myreasons for this conclusion : If the communi-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"234 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.cations, which I have received from God inregard to the Reparation, are not illusions, ashe who has received the grace from on Highto judge, has declared, then this work willmost assuredly be established, for .the word ofG-od is all-powerful on the if, contrary, Mon-;seigneur had declared that they were illusions,I would have abandoned the Work entirely, forby the grace of God, I have always had moreconfidence in the decisions of my superiors,than in the interior communications which Ibelieved to have received from God in the; I might be deceived, but faith can neverlatter,be deceived, for our Divine Master has said ofsuperiors : Hewho heareth you, heareth me;therefore, we cannot errin obeyingour superiors.These words of the Gospel have always struckme forcibly;they are engraved on my heart ;and in the practice of them, I have receivedwonderful graces with the assistance of thosewho have had the direction of my soul. Thesesolid reflections give us a wonderful insight ofthe soul of our humble and obedient carmelite,and will corroborate the opinion of the venerable archbishop concerning her revelations. Noone is ignorant of the fact that in matters ofrevelation or heavenly communications, thetouch-stone ishumility and a perfect submission of judgment to the decisions of thoseappointed by the Church as her immediaterepresentatives.Some time after, Mgr. Morlot consented togive his approbation to the prayers of E-epara-Private Use Only

"""""THE HOLY FACE.,235tion, and after having indicated the correctionswhich he deemed necessary, granted the permission to have them printed. "But,"continued she, "this was not immediately done. OurLord gave me to understand that if the prayersalone were printed without a notice on theobject of the work to be established, it wouldnot be sufficient, because the faithful should beinformed of the designs of his will, in order toawaken their interest in the Work, and to induce them to recite the prayers and then; weshall see them adopted by a multitude ofpious souls who will recite the prayers ofReparation with the same avidity as the beesseek the flowers of .the field. He made me alsounderstand that these piayers would obtaingreat graces for the conversion of sinners."She then speaks of the work on blasphemy,entitled theAssociation of Prayers,"composed iby Abbe Salmon The author adds afew reflections on the profanation of the daysconsecrated to Grod ;then followed the prayersof Reparation. There was also subjoined theLittle Office of the Holy Name of God," whichhad been compiled with the aid of two venerable canons, friends of the Carmelites. Theexpenses of publication were defrayed mostlyby the contributions of M. Dupont.Monseignor, continued the sister, approved of this little work which soon met withgreat success and in a short;time, more than25,000 copies of the prayers of Reparation hadbeen distributed. From the different cities ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

236 .LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.France application came to Tours, forauthority to propagate this devotion for the glory ofthe Holy Name of G-od, and the prayers wererecited everywhere with great devotion. Inreference to this subject, Our Lord told me thatthis new harmony appeased his anger but;that he wished an Association established according to the manner indicated"In conformity with the exhortations of thearchbishop, she began to importune the Lordto deign to grant her new light on the establishment of his "Work. But it pleased theDivine Master to lead her once more in thepath of trial. She could no longer think ofanything but her sins she believed herself;to be but the phantom of a carmelite, farremoved from what she should be in reality,and that her sins were the cause of this Workremaining incomplete."With a heart ladenwith sorrow, she besought Our Lord to chooseanother instrument more worthy than she forthe accomplishment of his designs. Then, regarding herself as very culpable before Grod,she made a review 7 of conscience with herconfessor, and took the resolution to lead, inthe future, a life more in conformity with theknowledge she had received of her ownmisery and nothingness. This was only thebeginning of a new series of struggles andinterior combats. She was assailed by athousand temptations, to which was added theprivation of all sensible consolation ;it seemedthat her soul was not even in the state ofPrivate Use Only

"THE HOLY FACE. 23*7:sanctifyiug grace ; she was reduced to a stateof agony, experiencing disgust and bitternessin the very devotions which formerly hadbeen so cherished. She scarcely dared receiveholy communion.One day, when she was hesitating toreceive holy communion without havingpreviously exposed her sad condition to her.superior, the following happy thought presented itself to her mind : that this Breadof the strong would give her courage. Whileawaiting the mass to begin, with new faithshe took her crucifix, and recollecting thatOur Lord had told her that the praise contained in the * G-olden Arrow would woundhis Heart in a most delicious manner, she pronounced the formula ten times in succession,then resolved to present herself at the holyTable and receive the Blessed Eucharist in reparation for the blasphemies uttered againstthe Divine Majesty of Grod. Nothing more wasneeded to touch the heart of the Divine Spouse.He tenderly drew to himself this soul who,in spite of her desolation, had come to uniteherself to him, in order to indemnify hisheavenly Father for the outrages offered him."Oh! How good is God," exclaimed thesister. "How great is his !mercy After havingreceived this Grod of love in holy communion,I said to him with faith :heavenly Physician ! I remit my soul into thy hands and;immediately my adorable Saviour made meexperience the effect of my prayer, drawingMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""238 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.me to himself alone that I might forget allmy sorrows. He told me it was his express will that I should persevere in the exercises of Reparation in spiteof all the effortsof the devil who was trying to fill me withdisgust and repugnance, because he wishedto annihilate this Work, Were it in his power."The Masters of the spiritual life have remarked that the Word Made Flesh, in his intimate relations with souls of election, hasunexpected and sudden times of visitation,causing them in one moment to pass from tearsto joy, from temptation to peace, from themost obscure darkness to the most brilliantlight. Mary of St. Peter experienced this in th&present case ;as if to compensate her forthe painful state which she has just described, Our Lord favored her with one ofhis most consoling and most fruitful communications. The Work of Reparation through theHoly Face was suddenly revealed to her. Shewas transported in spirit to the road leadingto Calvary. There," said she, Our Lord gaveme to behold in a most vivid manner, thepious Veronica, who, with her veil, wiped hisadorable Face covered with spittle, dust, sweatand blood. My divine Saviour gave me to understand that the wicked by their blasphemyrenew all the outrages once offered to his divine Face these ;blasphemies, poured forthagainst the Divinity, like the vile spittle ofthe Jews, disfigure the Face of Our Lord,who offered himself as a victim for sinners.Private Use Only

THE HOLY FACE. 239Then he told me that I must imitate the zealof the pious Veronica who so courageouslypassed through the crowd of rough soldiers to-offer him some relief, and whom he gave me formy protectress and model.By endeavoring tooffer reparation for blasphemy, we renderChrist the same service as this heroic woman,.and he looks upon those who act thus, with thesame complaisancy as if they had performedthis act during his Passion. I observed thatOur Lord had much love for this holy woman.^For this reason he said that he desired to seeher particularly honored in our monastery, andhe invited me to ask any grace that we wished,in the name of the service rendered him byVeronica."It was the first time Our Lord spoke to hisfaithful servant of his Holy Face, and thathe proposed tha example of this noble Jewess,of whom tradition preserves an immortalsouvenir. The statement is clear and succinct.The marvelous economy of the Reparation forBlasphemy is here presented entire in its germ.We shall behold it bud forth and blossom inihe succeeding revelations.After relating the preceding facts, our carmeliteadds:"The effects of this communication in my,soul were so marvelous, that I could not butadmire the power and condescension of OurLord. Before receiving this communication, Iwas in an abyss of sorrow ;and after havingpartaken of this Bread of Life, I was as ifMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"240 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.resuscitated from death, and my soul wasdilated with joy I went to seek our reverend;mother to inform her of what the DivineMaster had just communicated to me concerning his Holy Face, in regard to the Work ofReparation. I said to her: Reverend Mother,Our Lord promised to grant any grace askedfor through the intercession of the piousVeronica. What shall I ask for you ? I feltinteriorly urged to propose this question toour reverend mother, for Our Lord assuredme that I would be heard ;and I thought thatif he granted the favor proposed, it would be aproof of the truth of the last communicationI believed to have received. Our mother:replied If Grod desire that we should soothehis Divine Face, and if he be disposed to grantus a grace in consideration of the services ofthe pious Veronica, the favor which I desire3^011 to ask is, that he would have the goodness to veil the faces of his spouses, who willbe exposed to the eyes of seculars, if the groundadjoining our garden be sold to strangers ;therefore, intercede with him to obtain it for us ;if he grant you this grace, your superiors willhave a visible proof of the spirit which conductsyou.The mother superior, Mary of the Incarnation, was at that time occupied with the construction of the new monastery on the Rue desUrsulines. On one side of the enclosure, therewas a piece of ground which commanded aview of the Carmelites garden, a great incon-Private Use Only

""THE HOLY FACE. 241venience, as can easily be understood for cloistered religious, who by their rule, should besheltered from the curiosity of the world. Withthe gayety and apparent indifference withwhich she generally spoke to her spiritualdaughter, the reverend mother held the aboveconversation to which we have just listened.The sister obeyed the order of the prioress andbegan a novena in honor of the Holy Face ;but said she naively: Thou knowest well,my Divine Lord, that I only desire this groundfor thy sake and for the glory of thy HolyName."Before obtaining possession of the ground,there seemed to be insurmountable obstacles tobe overcome ;for this reason, the sister becameimportunate in her entreaties to the Lord,knowing that its acquisition would be a visible sign of her mission we shall notice in;what manner this grace was granted.For the present, let us listen to her describing the manner in which she rendered homageto the Holy Face, from the time she received thefirst communication. I experience a specialprotection from the pious Veronica, and I amcontinually occupied in the adoration of theaugust and most Holy Face of Our Saviour.I feel that my soul is in the hands of Grod,.like an instrument of which he makes use athis own good pleasure. I felt urged duringthose days, to expose to Jesus that which ourworthy archbishop had suggested to me concerning the work of Reparation for Blasphemy,.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"242"""LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.when I had the privilege of speaking to him.Yesterday, after holy communion, I conjuredOur Lord to deign to give me more light onthis subject, saying to him : Thou kiiowest,my Lord and Saviour, that it is for Monsei-:gneur I make this request, and in virtue ofholy obedience. But my Divine Saviour didnot judge it necessary to answer me. He onlyconcentrated the powers of my soul most profoundly in the contemplation of his adorableFace."On the 27th of October, from the moment.she entered the choir for the morning meditation, the Lord communicated himself to her.anew, according to his ordinary custom, andas if in answer to the prayer addressed tohim in the name of the archbishop, he exposedhis designs on the Work of Reparation.It is at the present moment, reverend moth;saider," she, that I stand in need of the light ofthe Holy Grhost to direct my pen, for I knownot how to write that which I have seen andheard. I shall relate it as carefully as possible."Our Lord, having concentrated the powersof my soul in his Divine Heart, applied me tothe contemplation of his adorable Face;made me understand by internal rays of light,that this holy and august Face, offered to ushefor our adoration, is the mirror of the ineffableperfections comprised in the most Holy Name"of God.It is impossible for me to express this intellectual view, unless in the words of thePrivate Use Only

"ManTHE HOLY FACE. 24Apostle St. Paul, Grod is the head of hisChrist.* (Cor. XL 3.) "Which words I have sinceread ;they struck me most forcibly, for I re~cognized in this thought what had been communicated to me supernaturally."*May there not be, in effect, a mysterious sense applicable tothe devotion of the Holy Face in these words of the Apostle :Caput Christi Deus ? (God is the head of his Christ.) May we notinfer that the word, Caput, (head), signifies not only the authorityGod possesses over Jesus Christ considered as man, but that thehead of the Saviour, taken in its literal signification, expresses in aparticular manner the figure of the Divine Majesty?What favors this interpretation, is the unity of idea contained inthe passages in which these words are found, and the conclusion*drawn by the Apostle. Jesus Christ is the head of mankind, as man.is the head of woman, and as God is the head of Jesus Christ. If itwere here only a question of the power which God possesses over thehumanity of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ over man, and man overwoman, it would suffice to conclude, that woman ought to be submissive to man, man to Jesus Christ, even as Our Lord himself issubmissive to his Father.But St. Paul goes still further. He desires that man should respect Jesus Christ, his chief, his head, by uncovering his head whenatprayer That woman should veil her head when praying, forman . is her chief. We observe here an idea of dignity attached tothe word chief, or head, taken in its literal or physical sense dignity:of man as head of woman; dignity of Jesus Christ, the chief ofmankind, dignity and majesty of God in the august head of JesusChrist.Still better, we may infer the dignity of the adorable head of ourLord from one oi the following passages in which St. Paul says:should not cover his head, being the image and glory ofGod."True, the sacred text simply says, that man is the image andthe glory of God, without particularly mentioning the head ;butaccording to this, why forbid him to cover his head, if not because this image and glory reside principally in the head ?Now, ifthe head of man be worthy of so much dignity, with how much morereason should we not consider the august head of Jesus Christ asthe picture and the emblem of the Divine Majesty, and his HolyFace as the image and the glory of God ?The above is found at the end of Sr. St. Peter s writings. Itreveals to us an extended horizon of information and light on thedevotion to the most Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and is itsown commendationMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""244 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.I understood that as the Sacred Heart ofJesus is the visible object offered to our admiration to represent his immense love in themost Blessed Sacrament ofthe altar, likewise, inthe Work of Reparation, the Face of Our Lordis the sensible object offered for the adorationof the associates, to repair the outrages of blasphemers who attack the Divinity, of which itis the figure, the mirror and the image. Invirtue of this adorable Face, offered to the Eternal Father, we can appease his anger and obtain the conversion of blasphemers. Theco-relation existing between the devotion tothe Sacred Heart and that of the Holy Face,could not have been better expressed. TheHoly Face is a picture of the Divinity outragedby the opprobrium, of blasphemers, as theSacred Heart is a picture of the immense loveof Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.The sister was also favored with anotherlight. Our Lord said she, showed me thatthe Church, his Spouse, is his mystical body,and that religion is the face of this body then;he showed me this face as the butt of all thescoffs coming from the enemies of his HolyName;and I saw that blasphemers and sectarians renew in this holy face, all the opprobriumof the Passion. I beheld, also, by this divinelight, that the wicked, in uttering profanewords and in blaspheming the Holy Name ofGod, spat in the Divine Face of Our Lord andcovered it with filth ;that all the blows aimedat the Church and "atEeligion by sectarians,Private Use Only

THE HOLY FACE. 245Were the renewal of the numberless buffets"which our Divine Lord received in his HolyPace, and that these unfortunate wretches drewforth perspiration in drops of blood from hisDivine Face, by thus maliciously destroyinghis works."The word religion, employed here to signifythe face of the mystic body of Jesus Christ, iseasily explained. We may understand it tomean the doctrine of Jesus Christ, whichteaches us what we are obliged to believe andpractise, and the worship which we mustrender to Grod. Eeligion, in this sense of theword, is the face of the Church, because herdoctrine renders visible the features by whichwe recognize her even as we distinguish andrecognize a person by the features of hiscountenance. This face of the Church is, atthe same time, the Face of Jesus Christ ;forthe Church can have but one head, which isJesus Christ ,and consequently but one facewhich is likewise that of Jesus. Finally, ina mystic sense, it can be said that the doctrineof Jesus Christ, that is the Christian religion,is as much his face as that of the Church, because it isby this doctrine that we recognizehim as he ishimself. Therefore the expressioninspired to the sister, justifies itself, and wecan but admire the nicety and depth of theword.Nothing, therefore, could be more conformable to the spirit of Reparation which Our Lordproposes to himself. In our days, more thanMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

246 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.ever before, the face of his mystic body, theChurch, is the butt of all the outrages of hisenemies. Sectarians vomit forth their blasphemies into his face, as so much ignoble filth ;they launch at her a thousand injurious invectives, even falsehoods which recall to mind thebuffets received by the Saviour during hisPassion ;thus do they seek to destroy hislabors ;and after the lapse of centuries sincethe time he passed in the world, doing good,they exult in their endeavors to overthrowwhat he has established, and to counteract theto man. Thisfruits of the salvation broughtface of the Church, also, stands in need ofbeing consoled and comforted, and we are notsurprised that Christ has repeated to his servant, the request already made in favor of hisSpouse, placed like him on the road to Calvary."Then, at this sight,"she continued, "ourLord Jesus Christ said to me : I seek for moreVeronicas to console and adore my DivineFace, which has but few worshippers. Hemade me understand anew, that all those whodevoted themselves to this work of Eeparation,would perform the same office as Veronica.After which he addressed to me the followingconsoling words I :give you my Holy Faceas a recompense for all the services you haverendered me for the past two years;you havedone but little, it is true, but your heart hasconceived great designs ; therefore, I give you.this Face in presence of my Eternal Father,in virtue of the Holy Ghost, and in sight ofPrivate Use Only

"""myTHE HOLY FACE. 24*7the angels and saints I ; present you this giftby the hands of my Holy Mother, and of St.Yeronica, who will teach you how to honorit. Our Lord continued :By this Face, youwill perform prodigies.She understood that this precious gift wasnot for herself alone, but that it was to becomethe distinctive symbol of the projected work.For,"said she, Divine Master manifested his desire to see his Holy Face offered asthe appropriate object of devotion to his children, the members of the Association of Reparationfor Blasphemy, and he seemed to inviteme to reveal his adorable Face under thisaspect."She undoubtly felt, at the same time,the excellence of the grace accorded her byOur Lord. It was, he told me, the greatestgrace he could have given me after that of thesacraments, and for which he had preparedand cultivated the soil of my soul by theinterior trials which I had suffered a shorttime previously. I also learned that he deputed St. Louis, king of France, protector ofthis "Work of Reparation, because of his zealfor the glory of the Name of Grod;and lor protectress, he designated the pious Yeronica, ingratitude for the services rendered him on theroad to Calvary.""Afterhaving favored me with these remarkable revelations regarding the Reparation forblasphemy, he added : Those who do not nowrecognize in this, my work, close their eyes,"and will not see.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Toward"248 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the conclusion, I felt a little uneasiness with regard to the veracity of this revelation, because of its length but Our Lord;assured me, saying that he had many meansat his disposal by which to manifest himselfto souls, that he accommodated himself to myfeebleness, and that I had already experiencedthat he had communicated himself to me before in this sweet and peaceful manner. Hewas as a tender Father giving me his ordersand informing me of his desires ;but for thispurpose, it was necessary that my soul shouldnot be disturbed by passion of any kind,neither of joy or pain, which might cause agitation and impede his communications. Whenby his pure bounty, he condescended to makehimself understood, all passed so sweetly andimpressed me in such a manner, that I couldonly apply myself to that which my DivineMaster, ID the excess of his bounty, was pleasedto communicate."He had promised after my admission intoreligion, that if I would make him a perfect actof self-abandonment, with all my merits, forthe accomplishment of his designs, that hehimself would conduct my soul in his ways.I can here testify, to the glory of this amiableShepherd, that he conducts me step by stepas one of his sheep, notwithstanding my unworthiness;he leads me at will, to graze nowin one pasture, then in another ;sometimes indelicious valleys, again in sandy deserts, according to the necessity of the spiritual healthPrivate Use Only

"THE HOLY FACE. 249of his poor little sheep. I have thoughtitmight not be nseless to make known in afew words this conduct of our Lord in myregard, that the communications, which I believe I have received from my Divine Master,may the more easily be credited. May hisHoly Name be blessed for having taken somuch care of a miserable sinner !More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Two""CHAPTEE XIII.VEKONICA AND THE GOOD THIEF.persons have renderedinvaluable service to our DivineLord during his Passion : Veronica on the road to Calvary, inoffering her veil to wipe and soothehis Adorable Face ;the Good Thiefon the cross, acknowledging anddefending his Divinity.(Words of the Sister.)Two days after the feast of the apostles,.Simon and Jude, the heavenly Master continned,during the evening meditation, to instruct Sr.Mary St. Peter on the new subjectwhich had been presented to her contemplation."Our Lord," said she,deigned toabasehimself, and hold converse with my ungratefuland sinful soul. That which he revealed tome will, I think, reverend mother, give youmuch pleasure to learn. It was with difficultyI could persuade myself that he had grantedme such a great favor as that of presentingme with the gift of his Holy Face. Therefore,I besought him to give me a visible proofof the invisible grace which I believe I hadreceived from his divine mercyit wa&;that he commu-perhaps in proof of itsrealityPrivate Use Only

""VERONICA AND THE GOOD THIEF. 251nicated to me what Ifa.Havingtaken for the subjectam now about to relate."of my meditation, the treason of Judas, I reflected withsorrow on the enormity of the outrage offeredto the Sacred Face of Our Lord by a kiss soperfidious ; and it seemed to me that the Divine Master invited me to kiss the likeness ofhis Holy Face with love, in a spirit of reparation. After having offered .several acts ofpraise, I felt that Our Lord was attracting meto himself ; Iobeyed this secret action of grace,and my amiable Saviour deigned to give mesome instructions on the excellence of thegift he had bestowed on me, in presenting mehis adorable Face ;and he again had the goodness to accommodate himself graciously to theweakness of my intellect by a simple compar:ison, saying As in an earthly kingdom wecan procure all that we desire by having coinstamped with the image of the king, so alsowith the precious gift of my humanity, whichis my adorable Face, you will obtain in thekingdom of heaven, all that your heart candesire.These divine lights or heavenly illuminations, which, for want of capacily, I amforced to express by means of such feebleterms in trying to have them thoroughly understood threw me into an ecstacy of joy, andI experienced something interiorly which itisimpossible to describe. I besought my DivineMaster to instruct me and to render what Ibeheld a little more intelligible to my poorMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""""""252 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.comprehension, for the powers of my son!were as if paralyzed."The idea of the piece of coin filled thesister with joy and confidence. Naturallyenough her thoughts reverted to the groundcontiguous to the monastery garden whichcommanded a view of the interior of the house ;the same lot of land which the mother prioresshad told her to ask of Our Lord. It seemedto me, said she, that I was to purchase itby offering this Holy Face, and our LordJesus informed me that before the expirationof another year, we would be in possession ofthe ground desired of this he assured me and;added, that I must not be anxious how itwould come about.In reality, the affair which seemed to bedespaired of, was quite suddenly broughtbefore our notice. The proprietor, who hithertocould not be induced to sell, came voluntarilyto offer his land on the most favorable conditions ;the contract was concluded, andstrange to relate, a few days after having*affixed his signature thereto, he died very un*expectedly."Though afflicted at the sudden death of thisgood baron, the sister, nevertheless, offeredthanks to Grod for the benefit obtained. This* This proprietor was the Baron de Nom, a most worthy personand a practical Christian. Father Aileron, who was his counsellorand confessor, had not been able to obtain any concession. Aftersome days he himself decided to sell the land, and the contract wasdrawn up three days before his death which, naturally, he could nothave foreseen.Private Use Only

""VERONICA AND THE GOOD THIEF. 253favor filled me with consternation, for Iregarded it as a tangible proof of the gift Ihad received, that of the Holy Face and I;tremble at the thought of the account whichGrod will demand of me, if I know not howto improve this divine talent for his glory andthe salvation of souls.At the termination of these communicationswhich unveil to Christian piety so vast andso luminous a horizon, Sister St. Peter had aninterior vision on the same subject, October80th, which sublime conceptions she expressedin the following terms :Remember, mysoul, the instruction which thy celestial Spousehas given thee to-day on his adorable Face ! Eememberthat this divine Chief represents theFather who is from all eternity, that themouth of this Holy Face is a figure of theDivine Word, engendered by the Father, andthat the eyes of this mysterious Face representthe reciprocal love of the Father and the Son ;for these eyes have but one and the same light,the same knowlege, producing the same love,which is the Holy G-host. In his beautifulsilken hair contemplate the infinitude of theadorable perfections of the most Holy Trinity ;in this majestic head, the most precious portion of the sacred humanity of thy Saviour,contemplate the image of the unity of Grod.This, then, is the adorable and mysteriousFace of the Saviour, which blasphemers havethe temerity to cover with opprobrium thus:they renew the sufferings of his Passion, byMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"254 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.attacking the divinityof which it is theimage."A number of special communications, rapidly succeeding each other, will develop andexplain these consoling truths. Our Lord, tomanifest the propriety of the choice he madeof his Holy Face, as the principal object ofthese reparatory adorations, declared to Maryof St. Peter that he gave her this Sacred Facethat she might comfort and soothe him by herhomage and the odor of her praises, then headds :According to the diligence you willmanifest in repairing my image disfigured byblasphemers, so will I have the same care inrepairing your soul which has been disfiguredby sin. I will imprint thereon my image, andI will render it as beautiful as when it cameforth from the baptismal font. Abandon yourself, then, to my good pleasure, and be disposedto suffer everything necessary to restore thisimage to its pristine beauty. Be not troubledif you experience sadness and darkness, forthese have the same effect as the sombre huesin a picture which only throw out the morebrilliant. There are those who possess the artof restoring health to the body, but theCreator alone has the power of restoring thebeauty of the soul. I have given you theknowledge of this Work of Reparation, I haveshown you its excellence, and now I promiseyou the recompense. Oh could !you but behold the beauty of my face But ! your eyesare yet too weak."Private Use Only

"On""VERONICA AND THE GOOD THIEF. 255the 6th of November, she received anew communication on the subject of the HolyFace in regard to the Work of the Reparation.The Saviour makes use of the soul of his servant as a channel through which to reach thesouls of men redeemed by his Precious Blood.He declared to her that he wished to make herunderstand the virtue of his adorable Face, inorder to restore the image of God in the soulswho have effaced itbysin. "He made meobserve the power which this Holy Face exercised over his unfaithful apostle, St. Peter,rendering him penitent by one glance. Jesuscast upon him one look, and Peter wept bitterly. By an illumination from on High, I perceived that this adorable Face is, as it were,the seal of the Divinity, having the power toimpress itself on the souls of those who applyto themselves this image of God it is this;sight which causes me to salute the Holy Face,in these words :"I salute thee, I adore and I love thee, Omost amiable Face of my Jesus, my well-beloved ! most adorable seal of the Divinity! Igive myself to thee with all the strength andpower of my soul, and I very humbly beseechthee to renew in us the image of God."Very reverend mother, if these communications have come from heaven, this work isverily the Work of the Reparation ;for manis invited to repair the outrages committedagainst God, and by a return of love, Godpromises to repair his image in man s soul inMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""256 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETEE.virtue of his adorable Face. What a mysteryof love ! Let us then relieve and soothe thisaugust Face of our Lord, disfigured by numberless blasphemies, and our Divine Masterwill efface from our souls the filth and hideousnessof sin. This is what Our Lord hasimparted to me it seems that in thus discov;ering to us the virtue and power of his HolyFace, he has grand designs of mercy over thesouls of mankind."We have in this precious gift an infalliblemeans of appeasing the wrath of Grod ther eFather, irritated against blasphemers w ;shall beg him to cast a glance at the Face ofhis Divine Son, and the thunderbolts of justicewill fall harmlessly from his hands. Grod,our protector, look upon us and cast thine eyeson the Face of thy Christ !Our humble carmelite sets a just appreciation on the means offered man to stay thearrows of divine justice. From the beginningnewof the year following, the Lord gave herand confirmed her in the mission oflights,mercy which he had already confided to her.On the 5th of January, 1846, she wrote :Our Lord gave me to understand that theground which we haA e bought from hisheavenly Father by the offering of his HolyFace, is a figure of the patrimony for theliving we are to purchase for a multitudeof souls, with the mystic document of thisadorable Face. Then the divine Pastor presented me a flock of sheep, telling me that hePrivate Use Only

THE HOLY FACE. 25tappointedme their :shepherdess he made meunderstand that these poor sheep had beenMtten by the serpent, and were poisoned withthe venom of blasphemy that I must lead them;to graze on the .pastures in the realms of hisdivine mysteries, that there they might behealed, and that I should place them in theadorable wounds of his sacred body, marking them with the sacred effigy of his HolyFace. He foretold that I would undergomuch suffering, because this flock of blasphemers was in a special manner under theof the Prince of Darkness. The Lordguidancegive me to understand, that Lucifer willinglyabandoned to his subordinates the chargeof the other troops of sinners, as for instance,the lewd, the intemperate, the avaricious, butthe blasphemers, he kept as his favoriteflock. It is he, continued the Saviour, whohas caused youto have somuch repugnancefor this Work of Reparation, but fear not !St. Michael and the holy angels will protect;you with my cross which I give you foryour shepherd s crook, you will become aterror to Hell. He made me understandthat he had withdrawn me from the worldand called me to inhabit his holy house, inorder to accomplish this mission. And as Iexpressed a certain anxiety, regarding thetruth of the communication I had just received,being always afraid of an illusion, he said tome : Be tranquil. Satan has too great a horror ofthe cross to make use of it in his operations.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""258 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.In one of my meditations, the date ofwhich I have forgotten, our Divine Lord chidedme for my negligence in not praying forblasphemers, and showed me how I had givenoccasion to the evil spirit to tempt me todoubt of his itmercy seemed that he said :;Did I not give you an example to pray forblasphemers when I was suspended on thecross ? He likewise declared to me that hehad wonderful designs of mercy on this classof sinners, that he wished to make use of meas an instrument for the accomplishment ofhis work. He made me understand thatthis reparatory work embraced not only reparation for blasphemy properly so called, butfor all manner of invectives uttered againstthe Church; however, it is specially appliedto blasphemy against the Name of Grod.Thus is verified what we have previouslystated of that kind of blasphemy professing tobe doctrinal, which attacks religion and theChurch. This is the real, the direct object ofthe "Work of Reparation for all the invectives;hurled against the Church or religious worship,are at the same time an outrage offered theName of Grod thrice holy. The year 1846 hadset in, and nothing in the exterior course ofevents gave any indication whatever that thedesires of the sister were soon to be put intoexecution. On the 23rd of January, she received a communication which she relates inthese words : I can no longer restrain mytears at the thought of what Jesus has justPrivate Use Only

""THE HOLY FACE. 259told me after communion;words of this meek Saviour :behold the terriblelThe aspect ofFrance has become hideous in the eyes of myFather, provoking his justice offer him there;fore the Face of his Son, in whom he hasplaced all his complaisance, in order to drawdown upon France his forgiveness, else shewill be severely punished. There lies her salvation, that is, in the Face of the* Saviour.Behold, added he, the wonderful proof ofmy goodness towards France Yet she !repaysme with ingratitude!Affrighted, the pious sister added : "Is itreally thou, my Lord, who communicates thisto me?" Our Lord replied: "Would youhave been able to procure it yourself in yourlast communion ? I have purposely left youin profound darkness for eight days, to makeyou discern that now it is my operation whichyou experience." Docile and convinced, sheimmediately began to say this prayer whichshe repeated continually: Eternal Father,we offer thee the adorable Face of this thywell-beloved Son, for the honor and glory ofthy Holy Name and for the salvation ofFrance."My poor heart," said she,"is wounded bya sword of sorrow. Our Lord directed myattention anew to the contemplation of his sacred head crowned with thorns, and to hisadorable Face outraged by the enemies of G-odand of the Church. Once more I heard hissorrowful plaints, and my aimable SaviourMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"260 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.told me, that in our community he sought forsouls to repair the outrages inflicted on him,and to heal his wounds by applying to themthe wine of compassion and the oil of charity.He informed me that if the members of thecommunity devoted themselves to this exerciseof reparation, he would bestow upon them akiss of love which would be a pledge of theeternal union; new and consoling promise,most worthy of this gracious and mercifulSaviour. Such a favor responds most admirably to the desire of every Christian soul andto the aspirations of mankind in general, expressed by the Spouse in the Canticle whenshe asks of the divine "Word to come forthby the Incarnation from the bosom of hisFather, in order that she might listen to hisvoice, behold his countenance and be admittedto the kiss of peace from his sacred lips.(Cant. L., I. IY.; I.), while awaiting to contemplate him face to face in the splendors of hisglory."After this touching elucidation, she continues : It seems to me, reverend mother,that Our Lord bids me thank you for whatyou have already done for him in this "Workof Reparation for Blasphemy, and if possible,to prevail upon you to continue. I had somedifficulty in resolving, to speak of these things,for I feared an illusion ;and I told him,that notwithstanding my desire to see himglorified, I never would have uttered a singleword which was simply an effectPrivate Use Onlyof my own

"OhTHE HOLY FACE. 261imagination but he urged me to plead his;cause that he might be relieved from his cruelsufferings. For nearly two hours I was consciousof the presence of this divine Saviour in mysoul. My Lord, said I to him, deign tochoose a more worthy instrument, a Teresaor another G-ertrude !Mysighs and tears"afforded some relief to my poor, sad heart !day was a one of bitter, but happy suffering, for it seemed that Jesus made me understand that the willingness with which Ishared all his pains, was a source of muchconsolation to him.!my good Mother, I beg of you inmercy for the love and consolation of OurLord, send to our houses these prayers ofreparation which are so agreeable to him. Ihave said them twice during the course ofthe day, begging our Divine Lord to receivethem as the precious perfume which MaryMagdalen poured over his sacred head on theeve of his Passion.""Behold, as near as possible, reverendmother, what has passed in my soul for five;weeks my divine Master has operated nothingextraordinary. I have been continually occupied in offering reparation for blasphemy, andin sighing for the birth of this Work, butalways in great peace of mind. I have beenalso occupied in guiding and caring for theflock which has been committed to my care ;every day I take them to graze in the divinepastures of the mysteries of the life and PassionMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""""262 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.of the Grood Shepherd, who has given hislife for his sheep that not one might perish."We here understand what she means bythese "divine pastures where she leads theflock committed to her care ;they are themysteries of the life and Passion of Our Lord,as enumerated by St. Dominic in the devotionof the holy rosary : the joyful, the sorrowful,and the glorious mysteries. By them ourSaviour has merited for us the graces whichnourish and givelife to our souls ;the fruitsof which are found in the sacraments of theChurch, especially those of penance and theHoly Eucharist, two fruitful sources, whereinthe sinner can find the means of purifyingand nourishing himself according to his necessities.The pious carmelite had been chosen to bethe Shepherdess of these heavenly pastures ;certainly not that she was to preach thesemysteries or administer the sacraments,"which are functions appertaining exclusivelyto the priesthood. But the mission assigned toher was, as her seraphic Mother St. Theresateaches in her rule, to aid apostolic laborers byprayer, contemplation and by the exercises ofthe interior life, thus to obtain the light andunction necessary for the ministers of theChurch to bring sinners back to Jesus, and toclothe them with his merits, that they mightfind in these mysteries the grace necessaryto sanctify, nourish and save their souls.This mission of charity was, four days after,Private Use Only

""My"THE HOLY FACE. 263more fully explained by Christ himself. Heinformed her that two persons had renderedhim special service during his Passion, thefirst of whom he had already spoken, thepious Veronica, who served his sacred humanity by offering him wherewith to soothe hisadorable countenance on his way to Cal;vary the second, the Good Thief, whofrom his cross as from a pulpit, undertook todefend his cause and proclaim his divinity,even at the very moment he was being blasphemed by the other thief and by the Jews.Our Lord gave me to understand that boththe one and the other are the two modelsgiven to the Work of Reparation, Veronica, themodel for those of her sex who are not appointed to defend his cause by their eloquence,but to soothe his Holy Face in reparation forthe blasphemy of sinners, by prayer, praiseand adoration ;the Grood Thief, as the modelfor his ministers, who in the Work of Rep arationshould defend him publicly.amiable Master caused me to noticethe magnificent recompense which he bestowed 011 these two persons, the one in leavingher his divine portrait, the other in assigninghim a place in his heavenly kingdom, as atestimony of the esteem he had for the servicesthey rendered him. Then he promised me thatthose who, in reparation for blasphemy, woulddefend his cause by prayers, words, or writings,would be defended by him before his HeavenlyFather and that he would make them partak-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""264 LIFE OF SISTER- MARY ST. PETER.ers of his kingdom.It seemed to me that hetold me to promise in his Name, to those ofhis ministers who would preach this work, tohis spouses who would endeavor to sootheand honor his Holy Face in reparation for theblasphemy of sinners, that at the hour of death,he would purify their souls by effacing thestains of sin, and would restoreprimitive beauty."to them theirMethought also that he said : Write downthese promises, they will make more impression on the minds of men than all I havehitherto said to you concerning this "Work,because of the promise of eternal life, whichalthough not the purest motive, is at least, notunworthy of consideration, since I have givenmy life that sinners may obtain the kingdomof heaven.He added, ifyou keep these thingssecret, through fear, you will be guilty of injustice to mankind. My Divine Master spoketo me thus because I hesitated to believe thiscommunication, for I am always afraid of beingdeceived."This is, reverend mother, a precise accountof what has passed in my soul. The communications which I have just received havegreatly disturbed me, I am filled with interiorsorrow, and I suffer from a devouring fire I;tremble and humble myself before G-od, adoring"his divine operations in a miserable atom.If the reader be astonished at the importantposition assigned the Good Thief in the "Workof Reparation, let him recall what is writtenPrivate Use Only

"THE HOLY FACE. 265in the Grospel, that "whilst the Grood Thief washanging on the cross, there came from all partsthose who blasphemed: And the people stood,beholding, and the rulers with them deridinghim saying: He saved others, let him savehimself, if he be Christ, the elect of Grod. Andone of these robbers blasphemed him saying:If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Thesewords of the wicked thief contain a positiveblasphemy, for they are equivalent to saying :If thou dost not descend from thy gibbet, andtake us with thee, thou art not the Christ asthou dost profess ;thou dost prove thyself animpostor by thy very powerlessiiess. Whatmore cruel injury could be offered to the Sonof Grod ! But the other answering, rebuked him,saying:Neither dost thou fear G-od, seeingthou art under the same condemnation, and weindeed justly, for we receive the due reward ofour deeds, but this man hath done no evil."Behold a true type of zeal and of courageouscharity This fervent convert could not suffer!that his companion in disgrace, at the verymoment of appearing before his SovereignJudge, should be so far lost to the fear of Grod,as to join with those who blasphemed theMessiah, as if the kingdom of Christ was to beextinct at his death ;he reproached him forhis perversity and audacity and full of;faith,humility and contrition, confessed his sins andaccepted with resignation the chastisementdue their enormity. From his gallows, he renders public testimony to the innocence andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""266 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.holiness of Jesus.He endeavors to silence Msblasphemers, and he proclaims his greatness atthe very moment that all wre anathematizinghim. The cross of the Lord was in his eyesneither a scandal nor a folly,but the wisdomand virtue of G-od ;in this patient, meek Onecrowned with thorns, he adores the SovereignLord and the King of kings. Casting a respectful and suppliant glance toward this dolorousFace bruised and bleeding, he says, Lord remember me when thou shalt come into theykingdom." So heartfelt a prayer deserved animmediate response. The divine Face of Jesusdirected toward him a glance, full of compassion, and in these ineffable words assured thismodel reparator of the immediate vision ofhis Face glorified. Yerily, I say unto thee,this day, thou shalt be with me in Paradise."The eulogy given -to the Grood Thief by theholy Fathers and Doctors of the Church isinexhaustible. St. John Chrysostom, considering his faith, extols it above that of Abraham,of Moses and of Isaiah.haveThese," said he,beheld Christ seated on the throne of his magnificence, surrounded with glory, and theybelieved ;whereas the G-ood Thief beholds himin agony on an infamous gibbet, yet he adoreshim as if he beheld him in the realms of hisglory he beholds him upon the cross, and he;prays him as if he beheld him seated on theclouds of heaven he beholds him as a criminal;condemned to death and yet he invokes him as"a God.Private Use Only

THE HOLY FACE. 26 7According to the same Doctor, he becameon the spot an evangelist and a prophet. Hepreaches Christ crucified, and he proclaims theeternity of his reign.Tradition recognizes him under the name ofDysmas. The Roman martyrology places himamong the ranks of the holy martyrs on the25th of March, and the Breviary, in the feastsproper to particular places, indicating hisfeast as of double rite on the 24th of April.The prayer of his office contains a significantpassage ; the Church asks of Grod, who is everpowerfuland full of mercy, and who justifiesthe wicked, to move us to repentance by themerciful regards of his only Son who convertedthe Grood Thief, and to grant us the same eternalglory. A more worthy model could not havebeen offered to the zealous worshippers andpropagators of the reparation.As for Veronica, her life, although notwritten in the Grospel, is- sufficientlyknown welland authenticated by tradition. Theheroic deed to which Sr. St. Peter makes allusion, is the sixth station in the of the"WayHoly Cross. Her veil is at Rome in the basilica of St. Peter, of the Yatican ;from timeimmemorial it has always been considered asone of the most precious relicsof the Passionof Our Lord and has been the object of thegreatest veneration. Since the time of thecommunications made to the Carmelite ofTours, and thanks to the zeal of M. Dupont,the authentic copy of this venerable image inMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

268 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.France and in the Catholic world, is the objectof special devotion, and is the exterior symbolof reparation for blasphemy.The pions Veronica, herself, is the patronessand protectress of the work. Her heroic example would, most naturally, be offered as amodel to all generous souls who devote themselves to reparation.Private Use Only

"MyCHAPTEE XIY.LA SALETTE.Blessed Mother lias warnedmankind of my wrath in her desireto"appease it.(Words of Our Lord.)The revelations received by Sister Mary St.Peter on the worship of the Holy Face, ashave already been detailed, seem to announcea%econd phase in the history of her communications. These taken together, have a.characteristicunity, and their object will nowbecome more definite. Henceforth it will beeasy to follow up the regular course pursuedby Our Lord, and to comprehend the natureof the communications made to his humbleservant.She was early imbued with his divine spirit,and by degrees the *necessity of reparationbecame more apparent to her. In order to bemore fully convinced of its absolute necessity,he leaves her for some time to her own reflections ;then he gives her special instructions and indicates the worship of the HolyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""270 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Face as the means of accomplishing this reparation, developing the appropriateness of thisdevotion with as much clearness as depth.The sister had not as yet fathomed the secretdispensations of the Most High, and could notimagine by what means the Work of Reparation was to be accomplished but divine;Providence was preparing the way. There wasone to whom we have already referred severaltimes, who was to become the principal auxiliary of the virgin of the cloister. This mostworthy instrument in the hands of G-od, wasM. Dupont, a resident of Tours for over tenyears his reputation for sanctity was such,;that he was everywhere spoken of in the city.He had gradually contracted a pious andintimate friendship with the daughters of St.Theresa, more particularly with Sister St. Peter.During the year that Henrietta, his favoritechild, was preparing to make her first communion, her virtuous father took every care toprepare her worthily for so holy an action.He commended her to the prayers of the piouscarmelite, who wrote him a letter on thissubject, June 4th, 1844, which merits a recordhere, at least in part.I accept with pleasure,"said she theproposition of daily crffering the touchingprayer to the Holy Infant Jesus which youhave sent us, that he may prepare this youngheart to receive him with the most perfectdispositions. I am not worthy of communicating directly with the Infant Jesus, but I willPrivate Use Only

""""LA SALETTE.beseech. Mary and Joseph to offer my prayer,and to present your dear little daughter to theHoly Child, that the day of her first communion may be the day of her espousals with him."Permit me, dear sir, to beg a favor of you,in the name of the child Jesus that :you wouldplease offer him three wax tapers, to be burnedin honor of the Holy Family that you may toobtain the accomplishment of your desires for;the Child Jesus takes a special pleasure in illuminations ;he has granted a great grace to Sr.Margaret of the Blessed Sacrament, afterhaving performed this simple and innocentpractice of devotion. Our good and reverendmother has often given us the means of offering him this pleasure, but at present I amvery poor, and have no candles to offer him.Henrietta s father was not slow in fulfillingthis pious request of the sister, which wasconformable to his own ideas. Weperfectlyshall cite another letter, dated July 26th, 1845,when the carmelite virgin wrote to this holyman requesting him to lend her a pious booktreating on the Holy Eucharist :Our reverend mother begs you to procureme a book entitled, Triumph ofJ&us in the MostBlessed Sacrament. She does not know wherethe one belonging to us has been put, for wehave not seen it since our removal, and ashave no fervor I want to procure this bookwhatever itmay cost, for I hope to find wherewith to enkindle in my soul the love of Jesusin the most Blessed Sacrament.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Yours272 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Mgr. Morlot was not ignorant of the relationsexisting between the pious layman and theCarmelites ;when in the month of March,1844, he had authorized the publication of theprayers of Reparation, M. Dupont, with hisconsent became the zealous propagator. Inthe month of October following, Monseigneurwrote to him, enclosing a letter which he hadjust received on this "Isubject; take the liberty of addressing this letter to M. Dupont,begging him to answer it for me. I alsoenclose two copies lately received from Rome,which makes me desirous of a new edition ofthe prayers for the association, under the patronage of St. Louis, to which should be addeda notice on indulgences more to the purposethan the presentone."most humbly and devotedly in OurLord,t F. N.-A. B. OF TOURS."This intimate and confidential friendshipwith the Carmelites on the one hand and withthe venerable archbishop on the other, at oncerevealed the important part assigned M. Dupont in this work Providence was;planningthe delicate mission which he was soon tofulfil.But we have come to the year 1846;afterwhat we have related in the preceding chapter, a long silence of six months ensued, thatis from March 23rd to October 4th ; nothingmore was revealed concerning the work ofPrivate Use Only

""""""LA SALETTE.2^73Eeparation and the devotion to the Holy Face.Divine Providence seemed to be leaving timefor reflection to these holy souls, to preparethem for the efficacious grace which Francewas about to receive. In fact, nothing lessthan a miracle was about to be performed, toenlighten and move all Catholic hearts to repentance.We here refer to the apparation of theBlessed Virgin at La Salette, on the 19th ofSeptember, 1846. Between this ever memorable event and the communications of Sr. St.Peter there exists a marvelous affinity, which,we must not fail to observe. The authorityof Mr. Dupont in such a matter, is ofthe greatest importance the account in;detail which we have in his own words willserve to guide us. Before opening the subject,the pious narrator certified to the "truth" ofhis narrative, in which ! states he, according to my poor conception, we may behold aprophetic announcement of the glorious eventw T hich took place at La Salette."In1846, toward the beginning of the monthof September, on the eve of departure for St.Servan, in Brittany, I went to receive the commissions of the reverend mother, who hadsome relatives at St. Malo.I was obliged to write a long list, so numerous were the commissions given me, and inthe meantime, we entertained ourselves on thedivine mission of Sister St. Peter."I shall relate to you what she has justMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""274 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.told me, said the reverend mother, and as Ihad a "pencil in hand I wrote as follows : OurLord addressing himself to the sister said :My Mother has spoken to men of my displeasure she desires to disarm;my justice and shehas shown me her maternal heart, saying:my Divine Son, behold this heart whichhas so loved thee ! Let me shower benedictions on my other children ! After which shedescended to the earth. Have confidence inher. I placed these lines in my prayer-book,and thought no more about them. "Was I notin the presence of a mysterious language, inwhich the past was confounded with the pres"ent and the future !Reflecting on these things, I came to theconclusion that I was not mistaken in my conviction that the sister was the favored confident of Jesus Christ. This conviction was confirmed when on the 22nd of October, of the-same year, I received a copy of the first letterof M. le Cure de Corps, respecting the apparition of the Blessed Virgin at La Salette, whichtook place on the 19th of September. Thiswas the fulfilment of the prediction made inthe first part of September to Sister M. St. Peter.I made a copy of the note I had taken at thecarmelite monastery, and hastened to remit itto the Cure de Corps, who replied without delay.From the outset, I believed in the heavenlymission of the sister ; to-day, if I ca,n so express myself, I believe double-fold.M. Dupont concludes with an observationPrivate Use Only

"""LA SALETTE. 2t5-explaining why this communication is not tobe found among the sister s letters, which atthe same time throws more light on the method of direction pursued by the mother prioress with regard to her spiritual daughter.I made it a rule, said he, never tocommit to paper anything related to me concerning the communications of this sister. Butit is evident in the case just related, that Iacted on a happy inspiration, as the fact ofwhich I had taken note, was not to be foundamong the collection of her revelations. Regarding this omission the mother prioress saidto me I :always require the sister to writewhat she has to relate to me, but it is probablethat in the circumstance referred to, I listenedto her account, and through forgetfulness, Imay have departed from my ordinary customto which I adhered merely to keep the sisterhumble, I generally say My child, in obedi:ence, go and write what you wish to tell me,I have no time to listen to you now. Itmaybe that in the course of five years, I haveseveral times forgotten to tell her to writewhat she desired to say, especially when thecommunication was short and repeated withher usual volubility, in which case she wouldhave been very careful not to have had resortto her pen.This explanation, so natural, is very simpleand seemingly quite sufficient . M. Dupontconcludes, that the servant of God had, someweeks previously, announced the apparition:More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""2^76 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.of La Salette, and the merciful intervention ofMary in favor of France.He adds : Is it not most astonishing to behold our august Mother, confiding to two poorlittle children the sorrows of her maternalheart ! Was it not sufficient that she had beensprinkled with the blood of her Divine Son onCalvary Is it possible that an impious gener!ation shall recall to her mind the frightfulscenes perpetrated in the streets of Jerusalemby their !blasphemous language What wouldhave become of us, ifMary had no longerpower to arrest the arm of Jesus !Nevertheless, M. Dupont and is"rejoices,fullof hope in consideration of this mark of thelove of our heavenly Mother. The beautifulcrown which she took in her hands beforespeaking to her people, announces that thesucceeding revelations will be truly glorious.The most holy and Immaculate Mother ofJesus would surely not have accepted thismission if her poor children of earth wouldhave received it to plunge themselves moreand more into crime, and to draw upon themselves more terrible scourges of divine justice.For this reason I have much hope for the fu"ture of France.The account of this miraculous apparition,communicated by M. Dupont to the Carmelitesof Tours, created a sensation among them, ascan be easily imagined. The mother prioresslooked upon this event as a wonderful andstriking proof of the celebrity which was onePrivate Use Only

"LA SALETTE.day to be given to the Work of Reparationclaimed by Sister St. Peter in the Name of Grod.The mission confided to the little shepherdsof the mountain was evidently identical withthat of the cloistered virgin of Carmel.Another circumstance made known afterward to M. Dupont, and not unworthy ournotice, is that longbefore these events tookplace, the pious sister had herself ardentlysolicited the intervention of the Blessed Virgin. Let her relate the fact herself : Monseigneurwould not take any decided step toforward this work his; prudence preventinghim taking the initiative. I saw quite plainlythat there was neither hope nor consolationfor me but in prayer, and the intercession ofMary, our most powerful advocate and I re;cited the rosary every day to obtain grace forFrance, and also the establishment of the Reparation in all the cities of the kingdom. Allmy prayers, all my communions, all my aspirations and all my thoughts were offered forthe establishment of this work, so dear to myheart. I desired, if it were possible, to proclaim it all over France, by making known tomy countrymen the misfortunes which menaced them. Oh !howI suffer in being theonly confident in a matter of such importance,and which I am obliged to keep secret withinthe walls of the cloister ! Oh most Holy!Virgin I implore you to come to some pioussoul in the -world, and make her a partaker ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""278 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETEB.that which has been communicated tome inreference to France !We all know in what a striking mannerthe Blessed Virgin heard this prayer. Maryagain showed that she is the Refuge of Sinners ;she interposed herself as an afflictedand loving mother, between the wrath of Godand guilty France. She presented herself toher Divine Son whom she had nurtured in hishours of infancy, and begged of him to extendhis mercy to these, her other children ;andthat mankind might not be in ignorance ofher intervention, she descended to the earth.With her own feet has she tread our soil, andhas chosen the most humble messengers, whohave since become so celebrated, Maximinand Melanie. two poor peasants of that partof the Alps, called La Salette."Throughtheir infantine mouths, the Blessed Virgin hasrebuked her people, as she lovingly stylesFrance, her cherished kingdom, reproachingthem for their impiety, so openly manifestedby their contempt of the commandments ofG-od, notably by blasphemy and the profanation of the Sunday.If my people will not submit," said she,"I shall be forced to let fall the avengingarm of my Son He is so ; justly irritated thatI can with difficulty restrain his anger. Oh !if you knew how much I suffer for n!youAnd the tears streamed from her eyes the;image of the crucifix was on her heart the;Private Use Only

"OhLA SALETTE. 279instruments of the Passion, the hammer andthe nails on either side, lay on her breast. *The two shepherds related what theyhad heard and seen ; they underwent crossquestioningand contradiction, but theirmessage become known, and gave to theChristian world an impulse which has notsince ceased. In vain have the powers ofearth endeavoured to place obstacles in theway of the apparition becoming known, theybut confirmed the testimony of the children ;Catholic France recognized her crime andt>f*A strange fact, relative to La Salette, and bearing everyevidence of truth, dated November 25th, 1846, only five weeksafter the apparition of the Blessed Virgin, has just been madeknown to us. In this manuscript we read of a curious incident,which we do not find mentioned in any of the writings of the period, and whiqh is interesting to us, as binding together the twodevotions of La Salette and the Holy Faee. A lieutenant, leadingthe recruits to Corse, passed through the village of Corps. Hedesired to see this child Maxiniin, who was brought, to the hotelwhere he was stopping. After having heard the child s story ofthe apparition, the officer asked him to sell a piece of the stoneupon which the Blessed Virgin had rested.!no, sir,"saidthe little child, I will give you a pieceof it, but I could never sellit." So saying, the child give the officer a fragment of the stonewhich he broke in halves. What was his astonishment on beholding on the stone a representation of the Face of our Lord JesusChrist crowned with thorns. He traced a copy of this miraculoushead, and gave the sketch to the mother of the child, after havingaffixed his signature, as did also another officer, who had witnessedthe occurrence. The precious stone itself, he kept in his possession and would nev^r consent to part with it. The narrator hasdrawn on his letter, a picture of this head ;it is a simple sketchin outlines, with no shading, and a very good likeness of the Sacred head of Our Lord, crowned with thorns. Without attachingto this event more importance than necessary, we may, however,remark that at this time there was nowhere question of the devotion to the Holy Face, except in the writings and communicationsSister Mary St. Peter.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""280 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETEE.feared the chastisement ;she has entered on thepath of reparation.Our seraphic little Sr. St. Peter intones &hymn of gratitude and joy on this occasion :I render thee thanks, divine Mother ! forhaving given me these two little shepherds assounding trumpets, to cause the mountains tore-echo in the ears of France, that which wasmade known to me in solitude. The voicesof my two little associates were soon heardall over the earth, and their announcementsproduced a great impression on mankind. Thestriking relationship between their communication and those which I have received, leadsmy superiors to think that it might be usefulto give information of the fact for the gloryof Grod and the advancement of his work.Our Lord in the Grospel has said : Blessedbe thou, Father, because thou hast concealed these things from the great and wise ofthis world and hast revealed them to littleones/It seems to me that these words can be applied to the poor little instruments of whichG-od has made use for the establishment ofthe Reparation in the Church. my Grod, howincomprehensible are !thy ways Who wouldnot be astonished on beholding the instruments which our Lord Jesus and his mostHoly Mother have made use of in bringingforth this work !They have chosen from eartha helpless trio most ignorant and despicable,in whose souls He has worked wonders ofPrivate Use Only

LA SALETTE. 281.grace, in order to render them capable ofacting in concert for the accomplishment ofthe designs of the most adorable Trinity andfor the glory of his Holy Name. The first isa little shepherdess, who consecrated herselfto the Child Jesus to watch over his sheepfrom the mountain heights of Carmel ;theothers are two little shepherds who tendedtheir flocks on the mountains of La Salette,These three little beings are commissioned toannounce pardon and mercy,if the people"return to God by penance.The three messengers labored together atthe same work, each one performing his partaccording to his profession the little; shepherdess of Carmel ischarged to pray, to writeand to maintain silence in her solitude ;thelittle shepherds of La Salette, on the contrary,to proclaim their mission from the summit oftheir mountains, to appear in public beforethe multitude who would come to listen toSoon the entire nation wastheir predictions.aware .of the crimes, for which Heaven reproached the land, which enkindled the divinewrath against them :they are in. consternation and demand what is to be done to disarmthe vengeance of an offended Grod.Be consoled, O France ! the shepherdess ofCarmel knows the secret ! Gro and visit her.Like the shepherds of La Salette, she will sayto :you Grod is provoked against his peoplebecause of blasphemy and the violation of theSunday. Over four years she has heard theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"282 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.growling storm in the distance, threatening tadescend in torrents over France : but your fateis in your own hands. Offer reparation for yourcrimes and you will obtain mercy;you willthen behold "the milk and honey," flowingforth from the Mountain of Grod."Mary i sthis mysterious Mountain, who by the excellence of her virtues is raised above the angelsand saints.However, let not our confidence be presumptuous. Let us pray earnestly, and weep overour sins ;for a time will come, not far off inthe future, when France will be shaken evento her very foundations. Then shall she tremble, but she shall not be overwhelmed if theWork of Reparation appear before the eyes ofthe Lord in every city of the kingdom those;now marked out to be reduced to ashes willbe but slightly injured."Private Use Only

"CHAPTER XY.THE SINS OF FRANCE."Ifyou but knew how agreeable thesight of my Face is to myFather ! !"!(Words of Our Lord.)A fortnight after the Yirgin of the apparition at La Salette had threatened France withthe divine wrath, Sister Mary St. Peter, whoin the solitude of Carmel was still ignorant ofthis important occurence, wrote (October,1846) to the mother prioress :Permit me to give you an account of thesad presentiments I experienced this morningafter a communication which I received during the holy communion. You are aware, reverend mother, that for several months I haveexperienced nothing extraordinary. Our Lord,during this time of trial, has deigned topurify my soul by great interior sufferings, hehas withdrawn his presence from me. But today, as soon as I received holy communion,my Divine Master gave me to understand thathe desired me to remain at his feet. I obeyed,and then he caused me to hear these sad andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""284 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.dreadful words :My justice is arousedbecause of the profanation of the holy day ofthe Lord. I seek a victim ! To which I answered :Lord, thou knowst that my superiorshave given me the permission to abandon myself entirely into thy divine hands do with;me what thou wilt. But what am I, O Lord ?Is it really thou who hast thus spoken to mysoul ? He replied: You will not be long indoubt.From*that moment, it seemed to me thatOur Lord, accepted the act of abandonmentwhich I had made him, and I perceived thathe was going to take possession of my entirebeing, in order that he, himself, would insome manner, suffer in me to appease hisjustice then he commanded me to receive;holy communion every Sunday,first as anhonorable amend in reparation for all theservile work performed on this sacred day ;second, to appease his justice ready to strikemankind, and to ask for the conversion ofsinners ; third, to obtain a respite from allmanual labor on the Lord s day. Then it seemedto me that Our Lord invited me to offer his HolyFace to his heavenly Father, in order to drawdown mercy.""This is, as nearly as possible, reverendmother, what has taken place in my soul. Letus hasten to appease the wrath of our Grod, forI feel that his justice isready to strike us, thearm of the Lord is raised ! I abandon these thingsto your good judgment ; but I pray you,Private Use Only

"Oh"THE SINS OF FRANCE. 285reverend mother, to observe one thing whichaffects me sensibly, and is the reason why Idesire more and more ardently to see the establishment of the "Work of Reparation that:the communications which I have been receiving these three years, tend always to thesame end ;my divine Master has alway complained of these two things, the profanation ofthe Lord s Day, and the blasphemy of the mostHoly Name of God."! how much I desire the establishmentof this work which Our Lord has so oftendemanded of me, for it will appease the wrathof G-od, and ward off the chastisements withwhich w r e are menaced."Jesus had promised the sister that she wouldnot long remain in doubt whether it werereally he who announced the chastisementswhich the justice of G-od was preparing. Ofthis she was soon convinced by the inundation of the Loire, which threatened Tours withimminent peril, and caused the most frightfulravages, such as had not been witnessed forcenturies. All the world was in consternation,and recognized therein the all-powerful handof Him, w r ho disposes of the elements atwill, and whom none can resist."We should acknowledge," observes thepious carmelite, that Tours has been savedby a miracle. But alas !they are ignorant ofthe principal cause of this terrible disaster,the profanation of the Sunday."M. Dupont, in his letters, also speaks of thisMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""286 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.destructive calamity, and attributes it tothe same cause. He therein beholds the fulfilment of the menaces made by the Virgin ofLa Salette. These dear, little children," saidhe, have prophesied but too well, when theyannounced that we were on the eve of experiencing great calamities, if we did, not returnto Grod. Famine was already making itselffelt among the poorer classes who had notsufficient means to purchase bread at the enormous price to which it had been risen. Publicmen. are in consternation, fearing a revolution ;in fact, there has been sufficient said toarouse the people and to fill them with thedesire for blood and pillage. How often havethey not been told that death is the end of alland that riches will render manthings,supremely happy."The Lord made known to his servant that hisjustice was, in reality, preparing chastisementsfor mankind. We shall soon behold, not only theelements as the instruments of the divinewrath, but the malice of man in open rebellion againstitself."Some days after, another communication onthe subject took place. In her report to the mother prioress, Mary of St. Peter exclaims : "Oh!ifyou could perceive all that my heart isundergoing at this moment ! I cannot containmyself any longer. I weep, but my tearsare tears of gratitude and love because ofthe words of mercy and peace which this amiable Saviour has made me understand. sweetPrivate Use Only

""""THE SINS OF FRANCE. 28tJesus ! thou couldst not behold us sufferingfrom the chastisements of divine justice without being touched more than we, ourselves, atthe sight of the punishments we have so justlymerited"by our sins !She then relates that Jesus Christ informedher that the torrents of divine justice were notyet entirely exhausted toward France. I haveseen, said she, other chastisements preparedto satiate divine justice. At this sight I criedout : sweet Jesus ! if I could quaff thecup to the dregs that my brethren might bespared Jesus replied that he accepted my good!will, but that I was not equal to the task, thathe alone was able to drain it to the last bitterdrops."The Saviour, beholding my sorrow, mademe a sign to enter his Divine Heart in his in;finite mercy, he gave it to me as a sacred vaseworthy of being presented to the Eternal Father, wherein to receive his just anger which,as I understood, would be changed into thewine of his mercy by passing through thisvase. But the rights of his justice can not becompromised ;and if Imay thus express myself, he desires to make an alliance betweenhis justice and his mercy, and for this purpose,he asks for the establishment of the Reparationin honor of his Holy Name, for he would disarm the anger of his Father, if he could offerhim a Reparatory Work. Is it not the leastwe might do, sweet Jesus to !repair by ourprayers, by our sighs and by our adorations,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""288 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the enormous crimes of which we are guiltyagainst the majesty of Grod ! The following,reverend mother, is the prayer with whichOur Lord has been pleased to inspire me, andwhich I would wish to repeat unceasingly."Eternal Father, behold the Divine Heart ofJesus, which I now offer thee, wherein to receive the wine of thy justice that it may bechanged for us into the wine of mercy."He gave me to understand that each timeI made this offering, a drop of the wine ofdivine anger would fall into the Sacred Heartof Jesus, and there would be transformed intomercy.I beg of you, my good mother, to prevail on our sisters to make this offering frequently, for alas ! what am I, but a miserableatom, incapable of arresting the "anger of Grod !Mgr. Morlot had requested that informationbe sent him of all that would be manifestedto the sister. Therefore, the mother prioresshastened to transmit the report which we havejust read. On the same day, October 25, 1846,the prelate returned the following answer :cation.I thank you for this interesting communiThere is no doubt but that the calamities, we have just witnessed, are the chatisementsof our sins and infidelities, and of themanycrimes which inundate the earth. Maythis chosen soul use all her effortsto stay thetorrent of evil. Let all who fear the Lord redouble their zeal and fervor !Pray for me thatImay have grace to accomplish my duty onthis point.Private Use Only

"""THE SINS OF FRANCE. 289Be assured, reverend mother, of my mostdevoted consideration in the Lord,t F. N., ARCHBISHOP of Tours.In the communications which follow, itseems as if the Son of G-od were particularlyoccupied with France. He exhorted his littlespouse to suffer and to pray, saying: am"Icharged with all the sins of the world, but Idesire that you will be responsible for those ofFrance." He then encouraged her, adding: "Iill suffer in you, in order to appease the wrathw Tof my Father, and I will cede to you all mymerits that you may acquit yourself of yourassumed debts."The faithful child of Carmel hastened to comply with the wishes of the Lord. I beheldmyself covered with crimes, and I asked pardon for them with the same confusion as if Ihad committed them myself."Another day,insisting on the special mission which he hadconfided to his servant, he spoke to her withthe authority becoming the Sovereign Masterof kings and of nations, who assigns to each aparticular role as well in the spiritual orderof grace, as in temporal and civil matters. Itwas with difficulty she persuaded herself thatG-od would make use of so vile an instrumentto perform such a grand mission. But OurLord consoled her saying: In the order ofmy providence, I appoint a certain king togovern such a country can I not then in the;10More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"290 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.order of grace assign a special portion to thecare of a particular individual to look after itseternal interests ? I have chosen you to carefor France. Pray for her immolate : yourself for her I ; give you again the chief andmost important member of my sacred personto offer to my Father in order to appease hisdivine justice. Oh! ifyou knew how efficacious, how full of virtue is my divine Face !..I have taken upon my head the sins of mankind, that my members might be spared.Therefore, offer my Face to my Father, for it isthe sole means of him."appeasing He adds :desire this Work of Eeparation, rest assured"Ithat it shall be established, but the fruit hasnot yet reached maturity."The generous carmelite followed the counselof her superiors, and abandoned herself to herDivine Master, ready to do what would be mostpleasing to him. "Then,"said she, "OurLord charged me anew with France, and Ianswered I :accept this charge most willingly,my adorable Master, but permit me to makeone condition that :you will be the sovereignRuler, for if your heavenly Father beholdsyou seated on the throne of France, most assuredly, he will stayhis hand."I receive Our Lord in each of my communions in the name of the entire Frenchnation, and I offer him my heart to serve ashis throne ;then I salute and adore him asSovereign King, supplicating him not toabandon a nation which has been so gener-Private Use Only

"THE SINS OF FRANCE. 291in contributing to make histo idolatrous lands."Whenever I suffer, I prayName knownJesus to suffer inme, in order to appease his Father, and I alsobeseech him to perform in me all my actions ;thus I unite myself to him and suffer in unionwith him, in awaiting the moment appointedfor the Work of Reparation. Sit Nomen Dominibenedictum."From the mission consigned to the carmelitevirgin, we perceive that the salvation ofFrance is intimately linked with the Work ofReparation. Consequently, Our Lord hastensto offer the same exterior sign of salvation toboth, and the same efficacious means, namely,the worship of his adorable Face. This is thesubject of one of the sister s letters, datedNovember 22nd, of the same year.I have received," said she,"a new communication on the subject of the HolyFace ofour Lord, notwithstanding my unworthiness ;the following is the substance of what myDivineMaster has given me to understand. Mydaughter, I appoint you to-day as my agent,and I again remit my Holy Face into your hands,to offer itunceasingly to my Father for thesalvation of France. Turn to good account thisdivine talent and it will enable youto transactall the business of my house. By this HolyFace, you will obtain the salvation of a multitude of sinners : in consideration of this offering, nothing will be refused you. If you knewMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""292 LIFE OF SISTER MAKY ST. PETER.how agreeable the sightof my Face is to myHeavenly Father !We can understand the joy sheexperiencedwhen she exclaimed in a transport of delight :"These favors redouble my zeal for the salvationof our country, and urge me to resort to themeans which Our Lord has placed at my disto offer without cessation to the Eternalposal,Father the adorable Face of his divine Sonfor the salvation of France, and also to obtainthe establishment of the "Work of Reparation."These three were never separated in herthoughts, the Reparation,France and the Holy Face.the salvation ofI am occupied with all these," said she,"accordingto the inspiration of grace."We perceived that her heavenly Spouse wasmost bountiful in dispensing his lights andinstructions to this virgin of the cloister.She writes to the mother prioress on the 21stof December :"How shall I express, reverend mother, allthat has passed in my soul during the fifteendays that Our Lord poured torrents of graces,the most precious, on me a miserable sinner !Poor little worm that I am, I cannot find language to convey an idea of those heavenlygifts nevertheless, I shall communicate to you;all I can of what Jesus gave me to understand."me :This divine Director of mysoul said toMy daughter, be more pliable under myoperations, and more simple, for I wish to nour-Private Use Only

THE SINS OF FRANCE. 293ish you myself with the milk of my consolations. The uneasy reflections you make on self,the fear you have of illusion, impede me fromfully accomplishing my designs oyer you.When I had acknowledged my fault, he assumed a greater power over me and revealedmany admirable secrets of his infinite mercy.He called my attention to his justice and manifested his wrath as a great ocean, but at thesame time, he commanded me to resist theimpetuous torrent of his anger in union withhis Divine Heart, that itmight be lost in theabyss of his mercy.""Another day, he presented to my view themultitude of souls who are daily falling intohell, and invited me in the most touchingmanner to fly to the rescue of these poor sinners. He made me comprehend the real obligation of the Christian towards these unfortunate,blindcreatures,who precipitate themselvesinto the eternal abyss whose eyes would have;been opened if charitable souls had intercededin their behalf. He said that if he would demand of the rich an account of the temporalgoods confided them for the succor of the poor,reason would he notwith how much moredemand of a carmelite, and of all religious souls,have madea rigorous account of the use theyof the treasures of their celestial Spouse in succoring unfortunate sinners ! Then my amiableSaviour, opening to me the immense treasurescomposed of the infinite merits of his life andPassion, added :My daughter, I give you myMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""On"294 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Face and my Heart, I give you my preciousBlood and my Sacred Wounds;draw fromthis treasury and scatter blessings around !Purchase without money, my Blood is theprice of souls. Oh ! what a sorrow it is formy Heart to see that the remedies which havecost me so much suffering are so wantonly despised Demand of my Father as many souls!as I have shed drops of blood in my Passion !Again, on another day, he presented mehis holy cross saying, that he had broughtforth his children upon this bed of sorrow ;making me understand that it was by thecross borne for his love, that I would obtaineternal life for the agonizing, for whose resurrection to the life of grace he was soardent. Oh ! what a longing desire I beheld inthe Heart of Jesus for the salvation of sinners !What light I received from him on the efficacyof offering prayers in their behalf! But whatshall I say of the sight Our Lord gave me ofhis Wounds and of his Blood ! Ah!let us pressthese Divine Wounds by our ardent prayersand this Precious Blood will flow abundantlyover poor sinners !"another occasion, Jesus placed mysoul at the gate of eternity, or ratherat the gate of the end of the road calledTime, in order to aid agonizing sinnersto prepare themselves for this last important!journey Oh ! when we reflect that the justice of G-od isalways ready to pronounce sentence on the guilty, and that we can pleadPrivate Use Only

"And"THE SINS OF FRANCE. 295their cause and appease this Sovereign Judge,with what zeal should we not fly to therescue of those who may be condemned toeternal death and who, perhaps, have still onemore hour in which divine mercy, if implored,would touch their hearts ! Oh ! how I feel impelled to pray for these poor souls !now, reverend mother, with yourpermission, I shall speak of a wall of protectionwhich Our Lord gave me to behold ;amysterious wall protecting France againstthe arrows of divine justice. Oh ! withhow much gratitude to the excessive mercyof G-od, have I not been filled on beholdingthis vision ! He gave me to understand thatthis wall which reached up to heaven, wasthe exercise which I practised every day,joined, no doubt, to the prayers and meritsoffered to Grod by so many holy souls for thesalvation of France. This exercise consistsin presenting the Face of Jesus a hundredtimes to his Father, in honor of all the mysteries of the life and death of this divineSaviour, and in offering him the merits ofeach of these mysteries for the salvation ofFrance. He told me that he gave me thisvision to encourage me to persevere in myundertaking."The critical situation of the a^onizincr O O hadvisibly affected the servant of G-od she was;brought back some time after to this samespiritual work of mercy, and was placed anewMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""296 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.between what sheand Eternity."termed theGrates of TimeOn the 10th of January, 184Y, she writes :For three weeks Our Lord has released mesomewhat from the important occupationpertaining to the salvation of France, that Imight apply myself solely and uninterruptedlyto the service of tho poor agonizing. I accompany the most Blessed Virgin as her littleservant on her visits to these travellers fromtime to eternity. Jesus made known to methat he gave me to his august Motherto fulfil this mission. Oh ! what a glorious occupation, on which I have nevermuch reflected ;but the moment hascome, when I must work with more ardorthan ever for the salvation of souls. It seemedthat Our Lord announced to me that I hadonly three years more to live. I am nowthirty years of age ^. I shall endeavor during the three years to come to try to imitateOur Lord more closely, for at this age he wasuntiring in his efforts to bring back the lostsheep to the true fold."These words give me new strength andlight If you but knew the gift of G-od : ! He enlightened me on their signification, and I commenced to penetrate the wonders of this pre-* Sr. St. Peter died in her 32ud year, 17 mouths after this revelation, being then but 31 years, 9 months of age. There ishere a slight contradiction easily explained by observing that shesays seems to me which allows a certain latitude in reckon"iting the years. A little later she announced the precise date ofher death.Private Use Only

THE SINS OF FEANCE. 29 *7cious Grift of the Father. Oh ! what could I notobtain for myself and for my brethren if Iknew how to make use of his infinite meritsunknown to the majority of men !I sanctifymyself for them, Jesus has said to his Father.Let us then offer to this Divine Father, for thesalvation of souls, all that our Redeemer hassuffered for us, and we shall thereby enrich ourextreme indigence. blindness of men ! whorun with ardor after the treasures of earthwhich together cannot purchase one singlesoul. The Grift of Grod is unknown, despised ;this vast treasure of Christians with which wecan buy millions of souls by presenting the infinite merits of Jesus at the bank of the Divine!MajestyIt seems to me that we should neverpresent ourselves in presence of the EternalFather without having some of the merits ofhis Son in our hands to oblige him, in a manner, to accomplish the admirable promise of OurLord :Verily, I say into you, whatsoeveryou ask of the Father in my Name shall begranted you. If we have no virtue of ourselves to offer Grod, let us present those ofJesus, our Saviour, who has sanctified himselffor us. Let us offer his meekness, his patience,his humility, his poverty, his fasts, his vigils,and his zeal for the glory of his Father, andthe salvation of souls ! Let us offer his divineand effacious prayers. He has prayed during hismortal life ;the Grospel relates that he retiredat night to pray,he prayed to heaven,he presented his wounds to his Father,and he prays con-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""298 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.tinually for us in the most Blessed Sacramentof the altar ! Oh ineffable !mystery A Grod!Saviour praying for his creatures ! Let usunite our prayers to those of the Word Incarnate, and they shall be heard ;let us againoffer to the eternal Father the Divine Heart ofJesus, his adorable Face and his sacredWounds;let us offer his tears and his blood,let us offer his journeys, his labors, his wordsand his silence, all he has suffered in eachof the mysteries of his holy life in; fine, letus always have our eyes fixed on this Grift ofGod." 1Let us, if we are able, enumerate all thegoods we possess in this treasure unknown tothe world and we shall soon become rich ourselves and shall enrich poor sinners because;we can offer the humilitv of Jesus for the conversion of the proud his poverty for the avarious;; his mortifications for the sensual ;hiszeal to glorify his Father, for the blasphemers,and all the accusations he has suffered at thehands of the Jews, especially that of violatingthe Sabaoth for the conversion of those whoreally violate the Lord sDay."Gift of God, so long unknown, thoushalt henceforth be my only treasure ! Howmany new riches do I not daily discover inthee !"We cannot help admiring these aspirationsof love and these transports of zeal which gushforth from the pure heart of this admirablesister. It was not without reason that shePrivate Use Only

THE SINS OF FRANCE. 299concludes in these terms :"You see, reverendmother, that if Our Lord has often charged mewith the salvation of souls, he has taught mehow to save them."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"CHAPTEE XYI.THE OBSTACLES.I am not known, I am not loved rmy very commandments are despised."(Words of Our Lord.)Three years had already elapsed since thetime Mary of St. Peter had urged, in the Nameof Grod, the establishment of the "Work of Reparation, and had declared that the exteriorsymbol of the Work should be the sorrowfulFace of Christ. In her ardent love, she composed the litanies, canticles and other prayersin honor of the Holy Face of Our Lord. Aftera long period of trial and contradiction, hersuperiors, more and more convinced that hercommunications were from Grod, made an effort to push forward the project, but no onedared take the initiative step. However, itwas decided to make a collection of these divine communications under the title, AnAbridgment of Facts relative to the Establishmentof the Work of Reparation for Blasphemy. Thesewere to be sent to some of the carmelite monasteries and to a few pious souls. As soonPrivate Use Only

""THE OBSTACLES. 301as completed, they were submitted, inmanuscript, for the approbation of the archbishop,who returned them to the mother prioresswith the following letter :Reverend Mother, I fully approve of thepropositions presented to me in reference tothe inspirations respecting the Work of Reparation, believing as I do, that it is not only ameritorious but a most necessary work. Theproject of uniting Reparation for blasphemywith that for the profanation of the holydays,is entirely satisfactory : it Has always seemedto me that the primitive object, Reparation forBlasphemy, was inadequate to meet the necessities of the times. I find the manuscriptall that could be desired."In the same letter, the venerable prelategave his consent for the publication of thelittle book entitled, Association against Blasphemy. He also granted a special authorizationof the beautiful and pious litanies of the HolyFace, inspired to Sister Mary St. Peter, andpermitted them to be published and distributed among the faithful. With regard to theAbridgment of Facts," the superiors, throughmotives of prudence and discretion, had butfifty copies printed and given to the publicanonymously.M. Dupont distributed several among hisintimate friends. The mother prioress, on herpart, forwarded some to the various houses ofher order with which she had any direct communication, particularly to the Carmelites ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""Our""302 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Kouen, and those of Rue d Enfer, at Paris.The good sister, aware of what was being donerejoicedexceedingly, believing her desireswere now about to be accomplished and|hermission fulfilled ;but in this the humble virginwas deceived. I hoped,"said she, thatOur Lord had granted my desires, and that Iwould have nothing more to write ;but he hascommunicated to me certain things which hewished to be made known, and consequently Isubmit to his good pleasure. Fiat voluntas tua"The communication here mentioned wasimportant, as we shall see, for it united twobeautiful and holy devotions, each equallycherished by the sister, and essentially necessary to the "Work of Eeparation.Let us see how the .daughter of Carmel explains this necessity :amiable and divine Saviour," said she,permitted me to hear his lamentations overhis love, unknown in the most holy SacramentHe most happily united my heartof the altar.and my mind at his feet, that I might remainwith him in his abandonment, adoring hismost Holy Face, concealed under the sacramental veils. Yerily, it is through this augustsacrament, that Jesus our Saviour wishes tocommunicate to souls the virtue of his mostHoly Face. He has again promised me to imprint his divine features on the souls of thosewho honor him.In presenting anew to the sister the mystery of his Holy Face, Our Lord enlightenedPrivate Use Only

""The"The""THE OBSTACLES. 303her by"aconception which, as she expressed it,disclosed a "beautiful horizon" on Reparationfor Blasphemy, by manifesting the affinityexisting between his most Holy Name and hisOur Lord," said she,most Holy Face.the aid of a comparison as simple as just,bypermitted me to comprehend how the wicked bytheir blasphemy attack his adorable Face, andhow the faithful glorifyitby the homage ofName and his person."praise rendered hismerit of an individual lies in hischaracter, but the glory of his reputation restson his name."Holy Name of G-od expresses the Divinity, and contains all the perfections of theCreator ;it follows, therefore, that the blasphemersof this Sacred Name insult Goddirectly. Let us recall the words of Jesus :1 am in my Father and my Father in me."(St. John.) Jesus became man by the Incarnation ;it is he who has suffered in his adorableFace all the outrages committed by the blasphemers of the Name of his Father. Our Lordhas manifested to me, that there issomethingmysterious on the face of an honorable man,who has suffered contumely his name and;his face are particularly allied. Observe a manhis name and bydistinguished by his merits,in the presence of his enemies ;these raise notthe hand against him, but overwhelm himwith injurious epithets, instead of the honorable titles which are his due, scoffing at himand mockinghim."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

304 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETER."Again,notice the expression of his face,that all the derisivewould you not supposelanguage of his enemies was imprinted thereon,causing him to suffer a martyrdom ? Beholdthat countenance covered with shame and confusion ;he could support the most cruel pains,the most excruciating tortures without flinching; but the loss of his reputation, of his goodname, this is unsupportable, he can no longercontrol his emotions, which are soon depictedon his countenance. Such is a feeble portraitof the Divine Face of Our Lord, contemned byblasphemers.""Now let us represent to ourselves thisman once more, but in the presence of hisfriends, who being apprised of the insults hehas received, eagerly present themselves tosympathize with him, offering the respect dueto the greatness of his name. Shall we notthen read in his countenance the consolationwhich these sympathies afford him ? His browagain bespeaks peace, and his features becomeradiant with joy; happiness beams, from hiseyes, and the smile of gladness is on his lips ;.loving friends have soothed that face outragedby enemies ; opprobrium is forgotten, peace andhappiness reign supreme. We can see in thisfeeble image, that which the friends of Jesusperform in the Work of Keparation. The glorywhich they render his Name encircles his augustbrow, and is portrayed on his most Holy Face inthe adorable Sacrament of the altar. Reverendmother, this comparison which Our Lord hasPrivate Use Only

THE OBSTACLES. 305I nowgiven me, has greatly enlightened me.see clearly that blasphemers insult the Face ofOur Lord, and that reparators rejoice and gloit. rify I hare never before had occasion tomake this remark, that the face of man is theseat on which is enthroned either glory or ignominy. Therefore, I shall apply my self anewto honor the Name and the most Holy Face ofJesus, who has so touchingly invited me torender him this service."Notwithstanding the importance attachedto these new favors by her superiors, the sister was still kept in her arduous office ofportress. In the month of February, 1847, afew days, after the encouragements given bythe archbishop, she felt extremely fatigued.Perceiving that her strength was failing she,with entire simplicity, asked for a sister toaid her in her office. The mother prioresstold her that she could not spare any one atthe moment, and added that perhaps a littleindolence and self-love had prompted her toask for assistance ;she directed her to pray forthe restoration of her health, so that after twoweeks she might be able to assist at all theregular exercises of the community.Let us lend an attentive ear while sheis relating to her superioress, what she experiencedafter this mortifying refusal : "I receivedyour order, reverend mother, with respect, yetI confess that in my weakness, I was muchpained, because I did not find in you, reverend mother, your ordinary tenderness and;More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""306 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the devil commenced to tempt me to murmur."Happily, I ran to expose my sorrow toOur Lord and while shedding many tears, Itold him that this office of portress was acontinual martyrdom, because it kept meaway from him. Having explained to mygood Master, all that was a cause of pain inthis employment, I added :However, mydear Lord, Ionly desire that which willrender thee the most glory, and save thegreater number of souls. Thou didst not descend from the cross, neither shall I, frommine ! And I then and there begged formy recovery in virtue of holy obedience."TJae next day, at holy communion, myDivine Lord said :My daughter,is not solitude your delight? During. the first years ofyour religious life, when you were withoutany office, were you not supremely happy ?Oh !yes, my Lord, I replied. Know then,my child, thai a religious should be a livingcrucifix. If you had not these sufferings,how would you be able to serve the souls Ihave placed under your care ? As a proofthat I desire you to remain in this office, andalso that you may know it is I myself, throughthe mouth of your superior, who have refusedyou assistance, I command that you be instantly restored to health. Be consoled, mychild, I will give you immortal souls as thereward of your labors.The Lord had not finished speaking, whenall at once the loud ringing of the parlorPrivate Use Onlybell

""""Ah"THE OBSTACLES.called the virtuous portress to duty. Thiswas the signal for sacrifice.!my Jesus,"said she, the bell calls me, I shall return tomy post once more in the name of obedience."In fact, the favor asked had been obtained;her health was perfectly restored and she wasable to keep her rule to the letter. In anothercommunication, Our Lord said to her : I wishyou to honor my servitude, for I did not comeon earth to be served, but to serve." Thenhe added : In a time of famine, when breadisvery dear, would not a father deserve thereproaches of his family, if instead of supporting them, he neglected to labor and was thusthe cause of their sufferings ? Well, thenmy child, this isyour own portrait. Youhave children to support I have told you;that you must earn bread for them;they needevery morsel you can give them do not ex;pose yourself to the risk of being accused, onthe day of judgment, of having neglectedthem.On another occasion, he gave her this instruction on the duties of her office" : Mydaughter, you complain that you cannot leada solitary life, because of your occupations ;but do you not know, it is the soul that mustbe in solitude ? The soul that controls herpassions, by the continual immolation of selfwillto the virtue of obedience, is truly a soulin solitude, for she participates in some manner, in the solitude of G-od by a life of conformity to his holy will. On the contrary, aMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""308 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.soul, although in the silence of retirement,is not in solitude when the tumult of herpassions agitates and troubles her, and whenshe delights in her own will ; remember, mychild, that the nourishment of all the passionsis self-will." These are the instructionswhich Our Lord has had the goodness to giveme. Henceforth, I desire to have no otherwill than his ;I will be portress all my life, ifit be pleasing to G-od and to my superiors.And in fact, she was portress until her lastillness.These children given her to nourish, werethe sinners whose salvation was confidedto her. The Divine Master invited her frequently to this work of charity. "During the pasttwo weeks," said she, (March 2nd,)"Our Lordhas kept me in retreat.He has not communicated with my soul in any extraordinary manner ;I have been solely occupied in renovatingmy inmost heart,and in humbling myself at thesight of my many infidelities. Having madeyesterday the confession of all my faults, Iapproached holy communion this morningwith the firm resolution of being more faithfulto Grod. Like the prodigal, I humbled myself,repeating, I have sinned. Then, as I was aboutto annihilate myself in the presence of themajesty of Grod, considering him surroundedwith glory, he pronounced these words : Ah !my child ! rather consider me covered withthe wounds inflicted by sinners. At that instantit seemed to me that I beheld him in a mostPrivate Use Only

THE OBSTACLES. 301)sorrowful state, and he said :My daughter,approach and lend thine ear.My DivineSaviour then permitted me to hear these heartrending lamentations : I am not known, I amnot loved ;my very commandments are despised. And he added the following words whichmade me tremble :Sinners, as clouds of dustborne on the wind, are whirled from thisworld and precipitated into hell. Have pity onyour brethren and pray for them. Staunch theblood flowing from my wounds by. the ardorof your love, and fear not.your heart to me by aspirations,When you elevateI receive itin my hands, and I shall guard it safely. Afterthis, I understood that he was pleased with mylittle retreat and he added : If you havediscovered in yourself so many defects, afterhaving meditated on holy subjects, considerthe unfortunate multitude who never reflect onthe great truths of religion!Therefore, mychild, it is* your dutyto labor for them even asa mother who cannot take nourishment unlessher children partake likewise.This letter is concluded in these terms :"This is what Our Lord has communicated tome. Oh ! what sorrow I experience when Ithink of th.e eternal loss of so many souls !How ardentlyI desire to become a ferventcarmelite, to ransom numbers for G-od ! Assistme I beg of you, reverend mother ; spare neitherself-will. It were full timemy pride nor mythat I should entirely immolate my perversenature to clothe it with our Lord Jesus Christ."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"He""310 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Thus it was that the Divine Master drewthe attention of his servant to the one greatobject, the universal Reparation operated byhis coming in this world, and by his deathon the cross, that is, the salvation of souls.Hesent me to labor, now in one field, then inanother,according to his own good pleasure. Forfifteen days he has placed me in the retirementof retreat, forbidding me to withdraw until hewould call me. During this time he showedme the amount of tare in my own soul, and Isincerely confessed my Our Lord wasfaults."preparing her daily for the special work, theestablishment of which had been previouslyannounced to her. The project appeared to bedormant ;there was no question of it, even atTours, after the distribution of the notices ofwhich we have spoken. But at the beginningof March in 1847: "Behold!" exclaimed thesister, the voice of the Lord has resoundedin my ear, calling me and giving me anewthe mission of the Work of Reparation forBlasphemy. This is the third time he hascalled me to this work."assured me a short time ago, that itwould be established, which has given me somuch confidence, that if I saw the World andhell united to crush it, I would still hope inHim whose arm is all-powerful. From theoutset, Jesus declared to me that he wouldpermit the devil to counteract his designs, inorder that the confidence of his servants mightbe proven. To-day, he said :Rejoice, myPrivate Use Only

THE OBSTACLES. 311daughter, the hour approaches, for the birth ofthe most beautiful work that has yet appearedon the face of the earth. Offer my divineHeart to my Father that you may obtain it thesooner.Our Lord here means the work in reparation for blasphemy, to be offered through themerits of his dolorous Face. The redemptionpurchased for mankind by Jesus Christ onthe Cross, isby excellence, the noblest and themost sublime manifestation of the wisdom andof the love of G-od. The mind of man can conceive nothing more astonishing than this actof the Word becoming incarnate in a Virgin swomb, and dying the ignominious death ofthe cross, for the salvation of sinners. Assuredly, then, this is the noblest work thathas ever been accomplished on earth, andis continually renewed in the Church overevery part of the globe from the morningwatch even unto night. But since the con-.summation of this great sacrifice of the cross,generations have succeeded each other, newpeoples have arisen ;in our time, the spirit ofevil, armed with pride and sensuality, has inflicted on society two wounds of such magnitude as have hitherto been unknown; deeprootedimpiety and absolute incredulity, theseare the two loathsome wounds of modernmost sacred.society, which corrode all that isTo combat this strange and satanicalscourge and to expiate the abominationswhich result, the Word Incarnate, ourMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""He"and312 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.only Mediator, and the Sovereign Reparatorof degenerate society, offers us his HolyFace, this portion of his sacred humanity inwhich are reflected, both the thoughts of hismind and the affections of his Heart, andwhich give him an appearance like untoother men and in which he has suffered;the greater part of the ignominies of his Passion. He demands, therefore, a new workwhose object is to repair these crimes of modern society. The Reparation isintimatelyallied to the great Work of the Eedemption,and is in reality the most noble and the mostnecessary work for our times.As the sister w T as continually worrying overthe many obstacles, Our Lord said to her :You are now beholding the morning twilightof a beautiful ;"day he engaged her toabandon herself anew into his hands, to suffer both interiorly and exteriorly allthe trialsthat he would be pleased to send her.made me understand," said she, "thatI was in his hands, as a feeble instrumentwhich he used at pleasure. This is very true,for I cannot labor at this work but by a special grace, when he pleases and as he pleases.I feel convinced that I have received thisgrace in my soul, therefore, with the assistance of the Lord who directs me, I will donothing from my own inclination. Sit NomenDomini benedictum !However, the "Abridgment of Facts, whichhad been sent to some of the carmelite monas-Private Use Only

""THE OBSTACLES. 313teries, and to some intimate friends in the cityof Tours, had produced their fruit;an ardentdesire of seeing the Eeparation established.It was the little grain of mustard seed sownin good ground, which increased and produced fruit a hundred fold. Yet, notwithstanding all the precautions which had beentaken in the distribution of these prayers ofreparation, the subject was soon noised abroadand came to the ears of Moiiseigneur from various sources ;he became alarmed in consequence of the political aspect of affairs, andwrote a hasty letter to the mother prioress,telling her they had gone too far, and hadexceeded his intentions. In. a word, he imposed absolute silence both on the Carmelitesand on M. Dupoiit on the subject of Reparation. All submitted immediately, the command of the archbishop being received as ifit were from Grod himself, and the distributionof the Notices was discontinued. But the firstimpulse in the right direction had been givenin conformity to the will of Grod. Two greatforthWorks of Reparation would soon springinto life ;of these we shall soon have occasionto speak the work of Langres and that of:Mile. Dubouche. Despite this uproar, the Instrument of Grod remained in obscurity, asher name had not been revealed, save to M.Dupont and a very few intimate friends.Within the monastery itself, the secret wasinviolably guarded. The religious, secretaryto the mother prioress, was the only personMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

314 LIFE OF SISTEK MARY ST. PETER.who had any cognizance of what was goingon. This sister was Mary Teresa of St. Josephwho succeeded Mother Mary of the Incarnationas prioress. She was an intimate friend ofMary St. Peter both ;having entered the cloister about the same time and made a part oftheir novitiate together. The extraordinarygraces bestowed on the latter could not longescape the discerning eye of this friend, everat her side. When Sr. Mary Teresa was toldof all that was transpiring, she was filled withastonishment ;her esteem for her companionwas boundless, and she rendered her manyservices which were acknowledged by an affectionate gratitude. In the designs of DivineProvidence, it was this very sister who was towithdraw from their obscurity the manuscriptcontaining the celestial communications of herold companion, the precious treasure whichhad been sealed from observation for thirtyyears.The injuiictious of the archbishop put astop to any further action in the matter,on the part of the Carmelites. Nevertheless,in the interior of the monastery, the humble confident of Jesus continued to be the recipient of new favors. Rendering account ofthe sadness she experienced, the servant ofG-od writes, March 14th :"To-day, after holycommunion, our Lord Jesus revealed to me thatthe evils which had been inflicted on us, wereonly the forebodings of what his justice waspreparing, if we appeased not his anger. AndPrivate Use Only

""THE OBSTACLES. 315he showed me the sins of blasphemy, and theprofanation of the Lord sDay under the formof two engines by which the guilty drew downupon themselves the waters of his vengeance,exposing themselves to be submerged if thisWork of Reparation given in his mercy as ameans of salvation, were not established. Afterward he said that the sectarians called Communists had only made an attempt to blindfold us. Oh ! said-secret and diabolical machinations !could comprehend theirhe, if you knew theirIf youanti-christian princiciplesThey are only waiting a favorable!moment to set France in flames, therefore beearnest in your supplications for the Work of.Reparation Ask him who possesses authorityto establish that it, mercy may be obtained.*But my Divine Master, I replied : mysuperiors have already requestedits establishment. That is not sufficient, replied Our Lord,*you are the instrument whom I have chosento accomplish this work, and you must demand it in my Name.The pious carmelite, having thus beentwice ordered by the Lord to write to the archbishop, consulted the mother prioress to knowif she should comply the latter dissuaded her;under the pretext that she ought not importune Monseigneur in the midst of his manyoccupations. After holy communion thismorning, said the sister, (March 19th),"I informed my Lord Jesus of the counsel I hadreceived, not to write to the archbishop. MyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"316 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Divine Master answered me very nearly asfollows :My daughter, the virtue of obedience isvery dear to me. Be submissive,that all may recognize the spirit which guidesyou. I desire, however, that these communications which I give you,your first superior. I repliedbe transmitted taas follows :.My Divine Master, permit me to ask you,with the simplicity of a child, what you desireme to say to Monseigneur when I ask for theestablishment of the Work of Reparation, foryou know he has already labored for it ? Heanswered : If this work is not built on asolid foundation, it can never be permanent ;if it has not a special approval,it will onlylanguish, and finally perish. But if approvedof by a Brief, the Reparation will soon establish itself in all the cities of France and it is;proper that he who has been the first to puthis hand to the work should complete it."As I seemed to fear being deceived ifI demanded this work in his Name, he mademe observe that I had not espoused the cause ofreparation until he had inspired me, and that Ishould remain perfectly tranquil. He theninformed me that he w 7 ould explain his actionin my regard by the example of a bow and arrowsaying, it was a just image of my soul that;he aimed his bow and arrow in whateverdirection he wished, for the accomplishmentof his designs. He added ;When I created youI proposed that it should be through youriiistramentality that the Work of ReparationPrivate Use Only

"FromTHE OBSTACLES.be given to mankind. Therefore, be consoled ;when this work shall be accomplished, I willleave you no longer on earth, and my mercywill compensate yon for all your labor.The admirable and courageous soul exclaimsduring an interview with the mother prioress :"Permit me, reverend mother, to beg the assistance of your prayers, for I stand so much inneed of them; I bring forth this work by prayersand sufferings.anew with the Work, he said :When Our Lord charged mePray unceasingly for its establishment, and offeryourself entirely to me, read?/ to suffer in body andsoul, all that I shall think necessary for the accomplishment of my designs.I have been on thethat moment,cross, but I dare not complain, I who have somany times asserted that I would give eventhe last drop of my blood for the accomplishment of his designs in this Work of Reparation !Oh ! how unworthyI am to suffer for so noblea cause, the glory of G-od and the salvationof souls ! I confess to you, reverend mother,that I have often had the weakness to weepand lament, but I implored Our Lord to payno attention to my poor nature."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

CHAPTER XVII.THE COMMUNISTS."Shelter France under the mysteryof thy Face, and have mercy onher for the glory of thy Name."(Words of the Sister.}Secret societies, the scourge of the Frenchpeople and the sworn enemy of the Churchof Grod, had long been plotting their destructivemachinations. The entire world has been moreor less poisoned by the pernicious influence ofboth political and religious se,ts, diametricallyopposed to all law and order. France, unhappily, has been the centre, and the most activeagent in the formation and encouragement ofthese diabolical institutions. It is from hermidst, Paris especially, that the revolutionaryand anti-social spirit has spread all over Europe,assuming different names at different epochsto suit the caprice of the moment at one time;styling themselves Socialists, then Liberals,and again Nihilists.Toward the end of the reign of Louis Philip rat the period to which the life and communications of Sr. Mary St. Peter now lead us, theyPrivate Use Only

"THE COMMUNISTS. 319bore the appellation of Communists. Theseby degrees had usurped the entire control ofthe press. They numbered among their party,illustrious writers, men distingushed in theschools of philosophy, and among the literati ofthe day, not a feAV of whom had endeavored toput their dangerous chimeras into execution.This sect, by its secret manoeuverings, hadrapidly increased. Silently and skillfully hadthey laid their subterranean mines ; the moment for explosion was near at hand, those en*trusted with their countrys welfare seemedtotally unconscious of the danger. France wasasleep in the very mouth of a volcano. But thewatchful child of Carmel, with an attentiveeye to the wants of her country and the salvation of souls, raised the cry of alarm from thedepth of her solitude and while pointing outthe danger to the sacred sentinels, indicatedthe means of averting the catastrophe. Thecommunications which she received on .thissubject form a series in themselves, with whichthe following extracts will make the readersufficiently acquainted. On the 29th Marchshe writes :God has imposed on me a new mission, atwhich I would be disturbed were I of anyconsequence, but as I am nothing but a feebleinstrument in his all-powerful hand, I am notalarmed. He has commanded me to cross swordswith the Communists^who, as he told me, werethe sworn enemies of the Church, and of hisChrist.He gave me to understand that the great-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"320 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.er number of these renegades were born in thebosom of the Church,of whom they now declarethemselves the most bitter enemies. Thenhe added : I have already made known to youthat I hold you in my hands as an arrow, nowI will shoot forth my arrow upon my enemies. Tocombat them, I give you the arms of my Passion, my Cross, of which they are the enemies,as also all the other instruments of my sufferings. Wage war against them with the simplicity of a child but with the courage of a valiantwarrior. For this mission be signed with theblessing of the Father, and of the Son and ofthe Holy G-host.Then I besought the Blessed Yirgin, shewho is compared to the Tower of David witha thousand bucklers, to take charge of thesearms which I had just received. Our Lordgave me more information on this subject, butit is too difficult to explain. I exclaimed:Prepare me for the combat, Lord ! and instruct me how to use these holyreplied The arms of my :death, but mine restore life.arms. Heenemies inflictI frequently recited the following prayer :Eternal Father, to oppose thy enemies, I offerthee the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, andall the instruments of his holy Passion, thatthou mayst counteract them by divisions anddiscord;well-beloved Son hath said:for thyEvery kingdom divided against itself shallperish.It is now that our little sister has enteredPrivate Use Only

""THE COMMUNISTS. 321the arena ;her arms are the cross and the instruments of the Passion. With these she resiststhe attacks of the enemies of God. To encourage her in this mystic combat, the Saviourreveals to her the designs of the Sectarians, andtheir anti-christian principles.On Holy Thursday, April the first, he said :The soldier who knows the object of the warin which he isengaged, aware of the insultoffered his prince, arms himself fearlessly toavenge the affront. Well, my daughter,it isthe Communists who have dragged me frommy tabernacles, profaned and despoiled mysanctuaries, and have even dared to raisetheir hands against the annointed of the Lord,but their designs shall be frustrated. Havethey not committed the crime of Judas ! Havethey not sold me for silver ! This knowledgeshould not remain sterile in your soul, for Igive it you to help you in the combat. Beactuated with a spirit of simplicity, for ifyou reason too much, you will not be a fitinstrument in my hands. Think rather of theglory which the heavenly court will renderme for having made use of so worthless a creature in so noble a cause !"Observe,if you please, reverend mother,thatOur Lord made me understand this yesterday ;and to-day, Holy Thursday, a most memorableday, for it was on this day that he institutedthe ineffable sacrament of the altar in whichlie is exposed to the outrages and the profanations of his enemies, I wish to make again an11More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"322 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.honorable amend tomy Divine Saviour in thesacrament of his love, in reparation for thesesacrilegious outrages, which he so forcibly recalled to my mind and which, alas ! I had toosoon forgotten."Some days after she writes :I have entered the arena to combat theenemies of G-od ;my soul has recovered itscalmness since I have received the banner ofobedience, if I can thus express myself. I amsecure under this standard, and I no longerJesus gives me grace andfear the evil spirit.courage to remain firm at my post ;to-dayafter holy communion, he encouraged me to thecombat and pledged himself to give me a crossof honor, which would open Heaven to me, ifI were faithful. He also assured me that hewould give me the gold of charity: I understood that he meant by this, tribulations whichhe in his mercy reserved for me, and that hewould grant me the grace to suffer with patience and love. May his Holy Name beblessed ! But reverend mother, I have someremorse after having combatted the enemies ofG-od with all my strength, during these threedays. I shall explain myself:I am afraid thatI have made use of imprecations against theenemy, although I am certain that the holyking David has done likewise, as we mayperceive from his :psalms yet I am in doubtwhether it be permissible for me to do the same.But I have said all that Our Lord seemed toinspire, if it be wrong,Private Use OnlyI shall do so no more."

"""THE COMMUNISTS. 323I begin by placing my soul in the handsof Grod, then I ask him to bend his bow and toshoot forth his arrows on his enemies that Imaycombat against them with his cross and withthe instruments of his Passion in virtue of theholy Name of Grod. On this point arises my uneasiness with regard to the imprecations, for Ihave repeated the same words a hundred times,.but I had no evil intention. These Communists are so malicious and vindictive that Iwished to destroy their vices and I pray that virtue may triumph where vice has reigned. I said :Let God arise, let his enemies be dispersed, and.let all those who hate him be scattered beforehis Face !May the Name of Grod thrice holyupset all their schemes !May the Sacred Nameof the living Grod bring disunion and dissentionin their designs May the terrible Name of!Grod wipe out their iniquity!I also repeat many other invectives, andthem thus I add I desire not:.having foughtthe death of the sinner but that he be convertedand Kve. Father, forgive them for they knownot what they do. I perform this exercise withgreat facility and without any disturbance ofmind for I allow myself to be conducted bygrace."Itmay be of interest to know the state ofher interior during this period of generouslabor for the salvation of souls, and the spiritual welfare of France ;we shall most certainlyfind that she has rendered an account to hersuperior. We quote the following :More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"324 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.The way by which Our Lord now conducts me is most -painful to nature, formyDivine Saviour continually exacts from me themost absolute interior mortification. I rarelyexperience any spiritual joy for the communications which I receive, are more of a nature tocause much suffering, as they unveil to myview the justice of an angry Grod, and theeternal loss of so many immortal souls, asw r ell as the sight of France on the verge of theabyss. This Work of Reparation, I have nowborne for nearly four years, and GTod aloneknows how much suffering it has caused me,he himself being the author. Alas ! It has notyet appeared upon the earth,and yet terriblecalamities are menacing us. my Grod arise,!and defend the cause which is thine as wellas ours. Shelter France under the mystery ofthy Face, and show her mercy for the glory ofthy Name ! I most firmly believe that the future of France depends on this work. It ismyalways shown to me as the means of salvationwhich Grod, in his infinite mercy, has designedfor her. I would shed even the last drop ofblood to obtain its establishment, for then,the anger of the Lord would be appeased, anda multitude of souls would be saved. Suchare the sentiments with which he inspires me,and which I make known to you, reverendmother, to unburden my conscience. I declarethat none other than Grod has given me thisidea, and that I was perfectly ignorant of theestablishment of a similar association at Rome,Private Use Only

"THE COMMUNISTS. 325which. I did not know until long afterwards,and only by a special permission of Providence.I also declare that I have never been influencedby any one in demanding its establishment,but on the contrary, and thanks be to Grod, Ihave had the good fortune to receive from myworthy and prudent superiors, nothing butreprimands and humiliations because of thiswork. I likewise declare, that the unity ofidea prevailing among these successive communications is due solely to Grod; and not tome, for I make a short note of each communication that I receive and present it to ourreverend mother, then I feel relieved and thinkno more of it, except to pray God to accomplishdesignsI dare not converse about them;with our mother superior for I am coveredwith confusion when I speak of these heavenly communications. When Our Lord first confided this mission to me, I begged of him thefollowing graces which he has had the mercyto grant :first, that of never entertaining sentiments of vanity because of the communications with which he favored me and; second,that of not being known as the instrument ofthe divine mercy."Our Lord, himself, who conducts my soul inthis way, convinces me of my misery and myutter nothingness, so that it would be impossible for me not to be covered with confusionat the sight of the extraordinary graces whichI receive from his divine hand, notwithstandTo my worthying my repeated ingratitude.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

-"326 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER..superiors, I leave the care of establishing thiswork as for; me, my mission is to tell themall Our Lord says to me, to submit to theirdecision and to pray for the accomplishmentof his designs for the glory of his Name. Forthis object, I have copied the letters containingthese revelations. Sit Nomen Domini benedictum"Shortly after, she adds : The object of thiswork is twofold :Reparation for blasphemy,and Reparation for the profanation of theLord sDay by manual labor, consequently itembraces not only reparation for the outragescommitted against Grod, but likewise the sanctificatioiiof his Holy Name. Here it will,perhaps, be asked if the devotion to the HolyFace should form a feature in the work ? Ianswer, yes for it is its most precious ornament;and the source of its riches.Our Lord, himself,has given his most Holy Face to the associates,in order that this divine Face which is, so tosay, outraged and despised anew by the blasphemy of sinners, as he himself complains,that this Holy Face be respected, honored andrevered in a most particular manner. In thesecond place, Our Lord makes us a present ofhis most Holy Face, that we may therebybe all-powerful before the throne of G-od, bymeans of the offering which we would thus beable to make of this most august and sacredFace, the sight of which is so agreeable thatit will infallibly appease his anger, and drawdown his infinite mercy upon poor sinners.When the Eternal Father beholds the FacePrivate Use Only

""THE COMMUNISTS. 32 1of his well-beloved Son, bruised and coveredwith, ignominy, when he looks upon, this SacredHead crowned with thorns, emblem of the sinsof mankind which Jesus has taken upon hisdivine head to save his members (as he oneday told me) this sight moves the very bowelsof his mercy. Let us try to profit by such aprecious gift, and beg of our Divine Saviourto conceal us in the secret of his Holy Face,during the wicked days of calamity about .tobefall us. God ! our Protector ! Look uponus, and cast thine eyes on the Face of thy"Christ !Grod did not break off his communicationswith the humble carmelite on the principalobject of her mission. The divine Master,from time to time, suggested new motives ofencouragement.One day, May 5th, 1841, when she was asking him for the establishment of the Reparation, he replied that he would grant thisgrace through the intercession of the BlessedVirgin.Our Lord," said she, informed me thathe had placed allthings in her hand, andthat she would obtain the Brief from the Sovereign Pontiff. This "Work of Reparation isso necessary for France and fraught with somuch glory for God, that he desires his HolyMother to have the honor of givingit to thiskingdom, as a new pledge of mercy. Let usthen have recourse to the most Blessed Virginwho is the treasurer of the graces of Grod.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""328 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Let us continually recall to her mind thatFrance has been consecrated to her, consequently, that itbelongs to her. Let us redoubleour zeal for this work and let us not be disheartened. Our Lord has given me boundlessconfidence.Sit Nomen Domini benedictum"On the feast of Pentecost, May 23rd, whilebefore the most Blessed Sacrament, the sisterasked what more had she to do, and manifested her willingness to make any sacrifice,even to shed the last drop of her blood, wereit necessary, for the establishment of the Reparation.Our Lord gave me to understand," shewrites, that his sole desire was to possessmy heart and my will ;that the more I wouldlove him, the more graceI would obtain forthe accomplishment of his designs. Soon thisDivine Saviour took possession of all thepowers of my soul, favoringit with a mostadmirable perception of the beauty and excellence of this reparatory. work which Ibeheld as a mine of gold. Our Lord told methat itrequired much patience and care towork this mine, for it was only by dint ofhard labor that we could obtain the gold.also said : Oh!Heif the world could onlybehold the immense, treasure to be reaped bythose who work my mine, I would not bewithout laborers. Make known this communication. Then my good Saviour, to consoleme, showed me that the work performed inthis mine for four years, had not been withoutPrivate Use Only

""THE COMMUNISTS. 329fruit ;and I saw that indeed the numerousprayers already distributed, for instance, thelittle Manual and the other prayers relativediscovered in thisto the work, were like goldprecious mine, and Our Lord addressed methese consoling words, regarding the reparatoryprayers This new harmony has:charmed my ears, delighted the angels, andappeased my wrath, but I shall not repeatagain what I have said before ;I want the Workfinished:This encouragement has filled my heartwith joy, while the tears covered my face, butthey were tears of joy then I answered:;My sweet Saviour, if I say you are no longerangry, I am afraid that your cause will beinjured and the zeal of those who are as yetnot very much interested, will be cooled.Our Lord answered : Oh !my daughter,what have you just said ! the contrary to whatyou imagine will happen that soul must;have verylittle love who would not be moreinflamed with ardor to perfect a thing soagreeable to me that it subdues my wrath.Then he gave me wonderful light on the sublimity of this Association and the preferencewith which he esteems it more than all othersestablished in the Church, because of its object, to make reparation for all the outragesoffered against the Divinity by blasphemy andby the profanation of the Sunday. He compared the first to the common wine used atthe wedding of Cana, and the latter, to theMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""330 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.miraculous wine served at the end of thesupper. I told him that there were manyobstacles to his designs but he consoled me;and assured me that all this opposition wouldonly make it shine forth with a more resplendent glory, and that I should tell ourmother prioress to continue to labor in its causewhen she found a favorable occasion he ;gaveme to understand that itrequired prayer,"ardent desires and suffering.Behold, as nearly as possible, reverendmother, what has transpired in my soul. Inconclusion, my Divine Saviour said : It is tomy holy Mother that you are indebted for thecommunication you have just received she;has obtained it. Live Jesus and Mary forever !"The day following the sister wrote : Theletter which , I remitted to you yesterdayabout the grace which I received from. OurLord concerning the work by excellence consecrated to the glory of his Name, does notsatisfy me, for I still feel urged to speak ;the effects of this communication are so great,and have fortified my soul to such a degree,that earth and hell armed together against thework (if such a thing were possible) could notdiminish my confidence. If God be with us, whoshall be against us ? When the moment appointed by Grod will have come, all thingswill yield to his sovereign power. Oh ! Howexcellent is this work ! How sublime ! Whatimmense benefits are reserved for the defendWould thaters of the Holy Name of Ood !Private Use Only

""THE COMMUNISTS. 331I could publish to the entire world all thetruths my soul has learned on this memorableday of Pentecost by means of this celestiallight which it is not given to mortals to express !"Whyhave I not the eloquence of a St. Bernard that Imight win all men to enroll themselves in this holy crusade ! In the early agesof the Church, the Lord raised up an army ofcourageous soldiers to combat the enemiesof the Holy Land and his faithful ser;vant St. Bernard preached this holy Crusadewith marvelous success : but in our times,the same Lord demands courageous soldiers lodefend his Holy Name, blasphemed and despised by his enemies. Alas ! Shall he not findone ! It is not necessary to go to foreign landsand arm oneself with breastplate and buckler,nor to endanger one s life. In our sacred militiathe cross of Jesus Christ will be our arms, bothoffensive and defensive with which to attack,and to defend ourselves against these enemies ;and his sacred Name, full of virtue and power,will be our buckler of defence."But to succeed in this pious undertaking, wemust address ourselves to the glorious VirginMary with a boundless confidence. Beg herto place herself at the head of this holy army,she the Greneral of the armies of the Lord,more terrible than an army set in array It is!this amiable Mother who has obtained for me,notwithstanding my unworthiness. the unheard of favor which I received yesterdayMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""332 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.from her dear Son. May she be forever blessed !Being at the feet of this august Mother,I felt inspired these two days, to invokeher under the title of Our Lady of the HolyName of Grod. Then I composed a crown ofseventy-two invocations, to honor the precious years of her holylife. At the end of eachdecade, I recalled to her these words whichshe pronounced in her divine canticle :Quiafecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomenejus. (He who ismighty hath done great thingsunto me, and Holy is his Name). After thesewords, I added : most holy and mostworthy Mother of Grod ! most powerful advocate of Christians.! I place the cause of theHoly Name of Grod into thy hands. I believethis little prayer touched the tender and compassionate heart of my Blessed Mother, forwhile offering it, I felt convinced that she accepted it."!holy Virgin said I, deign to receivethis new title for thou art really Our Lady ofthe Holy Name of* Grod, since thou art theDaughter of the Father, the Mother of the Sonand the Spouse of the Holy Grhost, and thatthou dost thyself proclaim that he has doneunto thee and that his Name isgreat things!holy Yerily, Blessed !Virgin Mary thou artthe honor and glory of the Holy Name of God,for thou art the masterpiece of his hand, ofhim who has operated such wonders in thee.Therefore, I style thee, Our Lady of the HolyName of Grod. Thus, reverend mother, I sayPrivate Use Only

""RemarkTHE COMMUNISTS. 333all that I can think of, to the most Blessed Virginin order to win her favor for the Work of Reparation, if I can thus express myself, respectfullyreminding- her, that she, more than all others,is obliged to work for the honor and glory ofHim who has favored her more than all hisother creatures, and that I doubt not she willobtain for us the establishment of this work,which Our Lord has compared to the deliciousbanquet at the wedding of Cana. Let us remember that it was the most Blessed Virginwho obtained from her Son this miraculouswine. In the meantime, I humbly beg youto invite all who have at heart the establishment of this work, to salute with me thisHoly Virgin under the title of Our Lady ofthe Holy Name ofGod"As a sort ofon the glory of themost Blessed Virgin,"the pious sister adds:Our Lord made me approach his mostHoly Mother, to receive from her blessedhands the grace w hich r I had been solicitingfor such a length of time for the glory of theHoly Name of G-od. I placed myself withall confidence in the heart of this Mother ofMercy, begging her to be my advocate in thecause of G-od, earnestly recommending to herthis great object, during the beautiful monthentirely consecrated to her. I did not invokeher in vain ;she beheld the tears of her littleservant, she listened to her sighs and entreatiesand soon inspired her servant, the Bishopde Langres, who heard the project spoken of,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"334 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.to take the most lively interest in it.His zeal*for the Holy Name of G-od urged him on toestablish the Association. The rules wereformed, June 28, 184^7, on the vigil of the feastof the most holy Apostles, Sts. Peter and Paul ;and what is quite remarkable, was that it wassolemnly and canonically erected into an Association on the 16th of July, feast of Our Ladyof Mount Carmel."powerful hands of !Maryit isyou whohave performed all, men have been but yourinstruments. I thank you a million times IMayst thou be forever blessed ! Let us admireanother trait of Divine Providence and of themercy of Mary;Mgr. the Bishop of Langresbrought the plan of this Work in Reparationfor Blasphemy and the violation of the Sundaybefore the Sovereign Pontiff, to obtain a Briefwhich would enrich this Association with theblessings and the indulgences of the HolyChurch. Our Holy Father signed this Brief onthe 2nh of July, 184^7, and a second the 30th,erecting the Association for Reparation into anArch-confraternity. I look upon the Churchwith admiration bringing forth this work during those three *days of sorrow. I behold themercy of Grod, superabound where sin hathabounded. Be forever blessed, O my Grod ! Allthis has not occurred by hazard ;thy Providencehas conducted and directed all for the glory ofthy Holy Name and for the salvation of* Allusion is here made to three days of July.Private Use Only

THE COMMUNISTS. 335France. Protect this work, which is thine,and defend it against its enemies. Propagateit in this kingdom consecrated to the gloriousYirgin Mary."We have not wished either to interrupt orabridge this pious and simple narrative of thesister, relative to a fact which has so happilycrowned all her desires. There remains to usto relate some of the details connected withthe principal circumstances of the formation of.thesesocieties.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""CHAPTEE XVIII.THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY.Sit Nomen Domini bene-dictum fMay the Name of the Lord be blessed T[Arch-confraternity for Reparation. ]The confraternity for Reparation sprang up, asit were, miraculously by the sole will of Grod,without the intervention of man. In our briefaccount of its establishment, we shall followexactly the notes furnished us by the carmeliteannals, likewise those of M. Dupont.One of the Abridgment of Facts fellinto the hands of a fervent Christian of Eouen,M. le Brument-Jeulin, a man like M. Dupont,renowned for his zeal and for his many worksof charity. It was through one of his friends,Rev. P. Veilcazes, former director of the GrrandSeminary of Tours, and at the time of whichwe are speaking, superior of the G-rarid Seminary and of the Carmelites of Rouen, that hefirst heard of the said Abridgment ;shortlyafter, being obliged to undertake a journey toParis on business, he went as far as Tours onpurpose to ascertain the truth and importanceof these Facts." From what he there learnedPrivate Use Only

THE ARCH-CONFEATEENITY. 33*7he did not hesitate tobecome the courier, andso to say, the travelling agent of the Reparation,resolving to plead its cause whenever Providence would give him the occasion, whichwas not far distant, as the designs of G-od werenearing their fulfilment.On his return from Paris, M. le Brument metat the hotel were he was stopping, M.1 abbe Favrel, vicar general of Langres. Duringa short interview, the latter informed him thatBishop Parisis was staying at the same hotel,and invited him to visit this illustrious prelate,which he did the same day. During the courseof the conversation, the pious gentleman spokeof his journey through Tourraine, and relatedwhat he had heard of M. Dupont relative to thework of Reparation, which he warmly advocated. The Bishop of Langres was forciblyimpressed by what he had just heard and toldthe pious gentleman that for some time he hadbeen very desirous of establishing in hisdiocese a confraternity to meet the need ofreparation.On his return home, the Bishop of Langreswrote to the Archbishop of Tours on thissubject the latter, who did not deem it advis;able to take any steps of himself toward theestablishment of a confraternity, through fearof giving any ostensible proof of his belief in therevelations of Sister Mary St. Peter, allowedthe bishop of Langres to take the initiative,which he could do the more plausibly, as Langres was his own native city. After havingMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"338 LIRE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.received the prelate smandate, dated June 28, 1847. vigil of the feastof the holy apostles, Peter and Paul, estabreply, Mgr. Parisis, by alished in the parish church of St. Dizier,a Confraternity in Reparation for Blasphemy and forthe Profanation of the Sunday under the protection of St. Martin. He sent M. 1 abbe Marche,pastor of the parish, as his deputy to Itome tosolicit the title of Arch-confraternity for theassociation, and also that it be enriched withspecial indulgences. Pius IX., then but twoyears raised to the pontifical chair of St. Peter,received this petition with enthusiasm, andexclaimed :The E/eparation is a work destinedto save society,"which words have becomethe watchword of the zealous associates. TheHoly Father granted the desired indulgences,and by a brief dated July 30, 1847, raised theE/eparatory Association of St. Dizier to thedignity of an Arch-confraternity, desiringthat his own name be inscribed the first onthe register: an inestimable privilege and asource of benedictions for the new work.Thus were realized the wishes of our dearsister conformably to the inspiration she hadreceived from heaven.Before going to Rome, the parish priest ofSt. Dizier, by order of the Bishop of Langres,kept up a regular correspondence with theCarmelites of Tours relative to the work ofreparation. The rule for the Confraternity waslong a subject of discussion between them at;last by their joint efforts, the society wasPrivate Use Only

THE ARCH- CONFRATERNITY.33 &moulded into form ;and though not comprising all the minutiae dictated by Sister M.St. Peter, yet Reparation was the prime object,all the rules and regulations of the association verging to this one point. The saidassociation was consecrated to the adorableTrinity and to the Holy Name of Jesus, andplaced under the patronage of St. Michael, St.Louis and St. Martin, protector of France. Across bearing on one side these words, SitNomen Domini benedictum and on the otherVade retro, Satana, was its insignia ; as alsoa medal, bearing on one side a triangle withrays, symbolical of the adorable Trinity, and onthe other, the Holy Face of Jesus. The wordsof the inscription were to be repeated by themembers every time they heard a blasphemy,or that they witnessed the profanation of anyof the feasts of obligation.Being a confraternity, it had the privilegeof aggregating to itself all other associationsformed for this object, and adopting the rules,to which an express clause had been added,reserving to bishops the power of modifyingthis rule according to the necessities of theirrespective dioceses, provided that the fundamental points be not interfered with.The object pursued by Sister Mary St. Peterwas thus attained; but it w^as ever a subject ofregret to her that this association had not beenestablished at Tours, that a minor church in asmall city of a distant parish, would have thisglorious privilege of being the headquarters ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

340 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.a work destined to spread all over France.Another source of regret, then as now, is thatperfect silence has been maintained in theepiscopal decrees relative to the devotion tothe Holy Face of our Lord Jesus Christ, specified by the sister as the visible object of Reparation.this must be attributed to theNecessarily,ignorance of those at Langres with respect tothe special lights on this point accorded to thehumble virgin of Carmel ;and perhaps, also,to the apparent necessity of not seeming to actin virtue of a revelation not yet sanctioned bythe authority of the Church.However, as a substitute, the Ecce Homo wasengraved on one side of the cross, and theLitanies of the Holy Face, composed by SisterMary St. Peter were inserted in the Manual ofthe Arch-confraternity. Evidently, there wasmuch more to be done, to fulfil the desires ofOur Lord, according to the revelations of theCarmelite of Tours ;but w^e must bear in mindthat the devotion to the Holy Face of Our Lord,had not then the eclat it has to-day. The sisterseemed satisfied with what was achieved ;it was also a great subject of joy to M. Dupoiit,who for many years had been so actively occupied in seeking the glory -of the Holy Name ofG-od by Reparation for blasphemy.The Arch-confraternity of Reparation is perfectly adequate to the necessities of our times ;and because it was so manifestly desired byGod, it has spread with marvelous rapidityPrivate Use Only

"TheTHE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY. 341from city to city. From the veryfirst momentof its existence, Reparation for blasphemy andfor the profanation of the Sunday, until thenconcealed in the hearts of a few saintly souls,"became the object of general attention ;entireparishes were inscribed under its banner andthe faithful from all parts of the globe solicited the honor of membership. Itmay be said,that the project communicated to the carmelite,and by her to the entire Church, has beenthe fountain-head of the manifold works ofreparation since established in France.One of these deserves a particular notice,for it contains both Reparation and the devotion to the Holy Face the :Eeparatory Congregation with perpetual adoration, foundedat Paris by Mile. Dubouche, in religion SisterMary Teresa.This pious lady, a .distinguished artist, (portrait painter) and at the same time a person ofuncommon strength of mind, and of high moralworth, heard of the Abridgment of Facts whenon a visit to Mother Isabella of St. Paul,prioress of the Carmelites at Rue d Enfer. Shewas struck by what she read in this little notice, and was full of admiration for the beautiful litanies of the Holy Face which she hadjust received, and commenced to recite themwith great devotion.night followingsaid M.(Friday)," Dupont,"Our Lord appeared to her in the same suffering conditionas during his Passion. The next morningMile. Dubouche, full of holy ardor, undertookMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"342 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.to reproduce on canvas the disfigured andbleeding Face of Our Lord which she had beheld in her vision. She was inspired to workat this painting only on Fridays and on herknees : for four successive Fridays she toiledat this labor of love, and at the expiration ofthe fourth week a picture was produced suchas would be creditable to our best artists. Mile.Dubouche, laden with her precious burdenhardly finished, set out for Tours, and presentedherself unexpectedly at the carmelite monastery rwhere she found souls ready to appreciateand understand her noble heart, for Our Lordhad previously said to Sister MarySt. Peter :I will give you my Face and every time thatyou present it to my Father, my mouth willopen to plead your cause." Mile. Debouche wasreceived in the parlor by the mother prioressassisted by her secretary Sister Teresa of St. Joseph and in ; presence of Sr. St. Peter, at the timeportress, Mile. Dubouche opened the box containing the picture set in a black frame with agold star in each corner. Sister St. Peter wascalled upon by the lady to know if the picture corresponded to what she had seen she;humbly replied that the Face of Our Lord hadnever been shown her in a sensible manner,but that the picture was a good expression ofthe idea she had conceived of the sufferingcountenance of our Divine Lord.To give tbe Community the pleasure andopportunity of beholding it, the picture wasplaced on the novitiate altar, and whilst thePrivate Use Only

"THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY. 343sisters were piously contemplating it, SisterMary St. Peter approached and regardeditwith such an expression of sorrow and love,that many of the sisters remained profoundlyimpressed thereat.M. Dupont desired to behold this wonderfulpicture, and to gratify his wish, the pious artist had itbrought to his house, and presentedit to him herself. She very willingly gave thepermission to have it copied, of which favor hewas not slow in taking advantage the first;hasty but faithful copy was given to the Carmelites. It is preserved with great care inthe chapter-room, above the spot where ourgood Sister St. Peter now reposes. Mile.Dubouche, herself, recopied the picture severaltimes ;one of these copies is now in the chapelof St. Ursula at Tours.From this time forth, as we would naturally suppose, friendly relations sprang upbetween this lady and the Carmelites nor was;she forgotten when the circulars announcingthe death of Sister St. Peter were sent to thefriends of the community. At the moment thedeath letter arrived, Mile. Dubouche wasseriously ill; after reading the notice shesuddenly conceived the idea that she oughtto make a novena in union with the deardeceased, promisingif restored to health thatin thanksgiving she would go on a pilgrimageto her tomb. Only ten days had elapsed,when full of joy and gratitude, she went tofulfil her vow. On her return from the cem-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""344 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.etery," says M. Dupont, I heard her exclaimwith enthusiasm : I was sick, given up by thephysicians, but through the powerful intercession of this venerable servant of Grod, I amnow perfectly restored to health.On her return to Paris, Mile. Dubouche putinto execution the project with which she hadbeen inspired. On the 6th of August, just onemonth after the death of Sister Mary St. Peter,she retired from the world, and together witha few chosen souls founded the Congregationof Reparation with the perpetual adoration ofthe most Blessed Sacrament. At the end ofthree months, the young community, althoughbut few in number, commenced the nocturnaladoration once or twice a week, in the chapelof the Carmelites on Rue d Enfer. It was onone of these occasions of perpetual adorationthat the celebrated Hermann, a recent convertfrom Judaism, and later called Father MarieAugustin, conceived the idea of assemblingthe men together, that they might render theirnightly homage of adoration to Our Lord inthe most Blessed Sacrament of the altar.One afternoon, this pious neophyte, whofrequently visited the churches in which theBlessed Sacrament was exposed, entered thecarmelite chapel where he prostrated himselfin adoration before Our Lord, concealed underthe sacramental veils. There he knelt in prayer,heedless of the flight of time. It was in themonth of November, one of the sister tourieresgave the signal for departure a second was;Private Use Only

""""THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY. 345rung, yet Hermann, unconscious of the approachof night, made no movement; then, as if suddenly coming to himself he said to the sister :Yes,yes, I will go when those near the altarrise to depart." But they will hot leave hereto-night," replied the sister. This answer wasthe precious seed which fell from the hand ofthe sower on good ground. Our fervent convert, whom we shall soon call, the Angel ofthe Tabernacle, left the holy place and withall haste repaired to the house of Mgr.de laBouillerie, then Vicar G-eneral, to whom hesaid :Ihave just left a chapel where thereare ladies who will remain in adoration allnight before the Blessed Sacrament !"Mgr. dela Bouillerie, who had been one of the foundersof the Eeparatory Order of Mile. Dubouche,replied : "Well, what of that ? If you findthe men, we shall authorize you to imitatethese pious worshippers, whose lot at the feetof the Lord, you so much envy."The next day, with the assistance of thegood angels, Hermann awoke a responsiveecho in many holy souls ;he was soonenabled to count twenty fervent adorers, andbefore the end of the year, the men s nightl]adoration was organized at Notre Dame desYictoires.The first night of adoration was on December6th, 1848, at the very moment of the news ofthe departure of Pius IX. from Eome, fleeingfrom before the face of a revolution which hadchanged France to a republic, and had shakenMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

346 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the mighty thrones of Europe to their veryfoundations."Weperceive that the nightly adoration formen in France has always been characterizedby these two principal intentions ; first, for theexpiation of the outrages committed againstGod, second to obtain mercy for France. Wethus behold that the work of reparation bythe adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, whenstill in its cradle among a congregation ofpious women, gave rise to the nightly adoration by men, while both were but the offspring of the communications made to SisterMary St. Peter the; designs of the Divine Mastermanifested to his faithful servant, could nothave been better carried out than by unitingtogether the perpetual adoration of the BlessedSacrament and the devotion to the HolyWe Face.remember that in the year 1844 (Feb. 27th)Our Lord had nominated our little carmeliteof Tours as his ambassadress to France, and hadcommanded her to remain continually beforethe most Blessed Sacrament, at least in spirit,praying for France and for the establishmentof the work of .Reparation From that dayforth, she felt called upon in a most particularmanner by her Divine Master never to losesight of his Sacramental presence on our altars.At the beginning of 1847, when the co-relationship between the Divine Majesty blasphemedand the veneration of the Holy Face had beenmanifested to her in the extraordinary mannerwe have portrayed, Our Lord allowed her toPrivate Use Only

""THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY. 347hear his lamentations over his love unknown inthe most Blessed Sacrament, and then, as shesaid, he had happily united at his feet boththe heart and the mind of his servant, inorder that she might keep him company inhis abandonment, adoring his most Holy Faceconcealed under the eucharistic veirs.In founding this Reparatory Congregationwith perpetual adoration, Mile. Dubouche fulfilled to the letter the will of the Lord communicated to the sister. Mother Isabella of St.Paul, who rejoiced at the success to which sheherself had contributed, had no hesitation inattributing (after Grod) all the honor to the Carmelite of Tours. In one of her letters to Mile.Dubouche,-we find the following remark : "SisterMary St. Peter is certainly the foundress of thiswork, and I believe that from the highest heavensshe aids us with her powerful assistance, andfills with fervor and generosity those who arethe corner-stones of this edifice." M. Dupont,aware of the origin of all the works of reparation, did not hesitate to say that Mile. Dubouchewas inspired with the project of her congregation at the tomb of Sr. Mary St. Peter, during herpilgrimage of thanksgiving. After the foundation of the nightly adoration by men at Parishe, himself had nothing so much at heart as tohave a similar established at Tours (February,1849) as if it were the mission of this greatservant of Grod to see realized in a public andostensible manner, the most secret designscommunicated to the virgin of Carmel.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"MotherCHAPTER XIX.THE DIVINEMATERNITY.of God ! Rememberthou art my mother, and that Iam the little sister of the HolyInfant Jesus."(Words of the Sister.)The Work of Reparation is now canoiiicallyestablished : at last Sr. MarySt. Peter has attained the essential object of all her desires. OurLord will now spread out before her vision anew horizon, and cause her to behold aseries of communications so extraordinary andmysterious, that before exposing them to ourpious readers, we must point out their preciseimport and their nature. They form, in thehistory of her visions, a chain of revelationsin themselves, of the highest interest. Indeed,they could not be omitted from these pages,without leaving in the shade the most hopefuland the most consoling part of this greatwork of Reparation. The Lord granted themto the virgin of Carmel for two reasons, clearlydiscernible in her own account of these favors.One in particular seems to have been to recompense her here below for all the sacrificeswhich the accomplishment of her mission hadPrivate Use Only

THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 349entailed our ;good Master often acts in likemanner toward the souls who serve him withThe other motive, more general, relafidelity.tive to the work of Eeparation itself, was toprefigure the graces of mercy and salvationby which the realization of this worS was tobe followed. This future effusion, of grace,promised to the world, will be the result ofthe merits and of the intercession of the BlessedVirgin, the august Mother of Jesus, (at thesame time the Mother of Christians), a foretasteof which was given to the pious servant ofher Divine Son in causing her to participatein a spiritual and heavenly manner in the virginal food which he, himself, received in thearms of his Mother during his infancy.A favor so surprisingis not an exceptionnor a novelty in the history of the saints. Noone isignorant of the miracle which tookplace in favor of St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux.In a celebrated vision, the Queen ofHeaven, as a recompense for the many volumeshe had written with so much learning and pietyin her honor, caused to descend on his lipssome drops of heavenly milk. This prodigyhas not unfrequently occurred, it has evenbeen a favorite subject of study among*artists.According to the learned Baronius,(1028), St. Fulbert, bishop of Chartres, a devoted servant of Mary, was once favored witha similar privilege, when reduced to the lastextremity by illness. By virtue of the divinemilk which the Blessed Virgin made himMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

350 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.taste, lie instantly recovered his health, andwas at the same time blessed with the gift ofprophecy.No one will contest that the foundation onwhich these extraordinary details rest, is perfectly iii keeping with the teaching of faithand with the doctrine of the Church. Thedivine maternityis a dogma of the CatholicChurch, essentially connected with the Incarnation of the Word;in all agesit has furnished to ascetic writers and to the holy fathersthemselves, the most elevated and ravishingconsiderations upon the mystery of the Infancyof Jesus, and upon his first relations with hismost Holy Mother. Let us, for example,glance over the writings of St. Athanasius, ofSt. Augustine, of St. Bernard and of St. YincentFerrier ;these illustrious doctors extolthe maternity of Mary in most admirableterms of faith and piety, bearing the verysame signification which we observe in thePeter.writings of Sr. MaryWe St.must, likewise, not mistake the natureand the method of these divine operations inthis daughter of Carmel. We have alreadyaffirmed and here affirm anew, that nothinghas transpired in a visible or sensible manner.In explaining to the mother superior whatpassed, she has been obliged to employ expressions and images which strike the senses,while in reality all passed in a sphere purelyintellectual. It is well known that theologians distinguishthree kinds of divine corn-Private Use Only

"THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 351munications ;those which strike the sensesphysically, such as visions and other externalapparitions ; those which take place in theimagination with the aid of representationsand interior, invisible images; and thirdly,those which pass in the understanding, thesuperior part of the soul, without any imageswhatever, either visible or invisible. .Theselast, according to the masters of the spirituallife, are the most elevated and the most perfect. Now this is precisely the kind of communication with which Sister MaryW St. Peteras favored. Consequently, in all that shehas described so ingeniously, she has beheldnothing with her eyes, heard nothing withher ears, touched nothing sensibly, not evenin imagination, which has had no play whatsoever in her celestial communications. OurLord caused me to understand," such is herordinary expression she saw, heard, felt and;tasted, but as the pure spirits, by a meansintellectual and angelic, satisfactorily explainedby theology, but understood only by thechosen few who have had the experience ofthis most perfect mode of revelation.of St."We shall cite here the testimonyTheresa, so well versed in these matters ;thefollowing are her own expressions:"Thevision of the intellect is the most elevated,,the most sublime, and that to which the devilcan have the least access. We behold neitherwith the eyes of the body, nor with thoseof the soul, understood that the vision is notMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

352 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.imaginary.It is a light which, withoutstriking the senses, illuminates the understanding that the soul may enjoy so great aG-ood. Truth is there imprinted by a knowledge sovereignly clear, excluding all doubt,even producing a certainty more positive thanthat afforded by the testimony of the senses, foroftentimes in that which strikes the latter, itnot unfrequently happens that a doubt ariseswhether it be an illusion. In our caseitself atitmay happe iithat a doubt presentsthe first moment, but there is a firm conviction that this doubt is without any foundation.... The language is so heavenly that 110human effort could succeed in causingit tobe heard, if the Divine Master himself did notteach it us by experience. He places in thedepth of the soul what he wishes to makeknown to her, and while conversing with hermakes her attentive to all that he says, despite herself ;he forces her to hear him, andprevents her withdrawing her attention.She is then in the condition a person of excellent hearing to whom another, quite near,would speak so loudly, without allowing herto stop up her ears, that willing or not, shemust hear By this kind of conversation, theLord wills to give the soul a faint idea of whatpasses in Heaven h& initiates her to; speakwithout words, and this is the language of herheavenly home. That such language existed,I was in entire ignorance until it pleased theLord to give me evidence in an ecstasy."Private Use Only

"AndTHE DIVINE MATERNITY. 353"While iii this valley of tears, Godand the soul understand each other by thismeans, for he makes her comprehend all thathe wishes her to know and comprehend ;theyhave no need of any other art to express theirsecret thoughts. Even on earth, two personsof intelligence can express their mutual lovewithout making signs, only by looking ateach other. This is precisely what passes between God and the soul ;but it is not givento see in what manner they cast their eyesone on the other, nor the glance in whichthey read their mutual love..."^gain, Grod in this mannercauses the soul now to understand.somegreat truths, again some profound mysteries. *By means of this divine language,truth is infused in us in the same manner asan aliment which is incorporated in us without the trouble of masticating it, ignorant ofthe way it has become a part of our substance,but quite positive of the fact that it is in us.There is, however, this difference; here thenature of the aliment remains unknown tous, whilst as regards this infusion, I knowwhat is its substance, and that it comes fromG-od, but I know not how he has givenit tome, for I have not seen it, I cannot comprehend it." These are the expressions of theillustrious reformer of Carmel ;what she hasexperienced, what she has so admirably explained, has been worthily exemplified in oneof her saintly daughters, the Carmelite of12More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"354 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Tours. Illperusing what is about to follow, letus not lose sight of these preliminary reflections ~and instead of being scandalized, we shallrather be edified, and rejoice to behold suchprecious and rare favors accorded as a reward,for her fidelity and her generoussacrifices.Likewise, let us not forget that this goodsister had long been prepared for the receptionof these heavenly gifts by a precocious andtender devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and alsoby the particular attraction to the infancy ofthe Word Incarnate that we have remarkedfrom the first moments of her religious life.This sw reet mystery was, indeed, tjie principalcause of her rapid progress in religious perfection and the primary source of the wonderfullights lavished upon her.According to the method hitherto adopted,,we shall take her own simple and candid narration of the marvels of grace of which shewas the object. Her letters on the divine maternity of Mary are preceded by the following*preamble: woman of the "A G-ospel, speakingofour Divine Lord, cried out : Blessed is thewomb that bore thee and the paps that gavethee suck !According to the testimony ofthe holy fathers, this woman, full of faith andpiety, represents the Church she ; recognizedand confessed before the world both the divinity and the humanity of Christ, adoring in hima Man-God."The mystery of an Infant-Grod nourishedwith the sacred milk of the Virgin Mary, hisPrivate Use Only

""""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 355Holy Mother, is a hidden, unknown mystery,which the divine Infant Jesus discovers towhomever he wills. He has deigned, notwithstanding my unworthiness, to apply me to thecontemplation of this mystery for five mouths,by giving me lights and ineffable consolationsto rejoice and recreate my soul after the littlelabors and sufferings I have undergone inworking for the glory of his Name. Yes, mostamiable Infant Jesus, at the .birth of thy Workof Reparation, thou hast spread a grand banquet before my soul, in which she has tastedthe most delicious viands !My sins have merited nothing but therigors of thy justice but thy mercyis above;.allthy works, and the admirable familiaritywhich thou dost display toward some souls,of man.".surpasses the understandingIn speaking of a hidden and unknownmystery,"the sister undoubtedly does notwish to lead us to infer that she imagines itlias never been revealed to other than herself :but rather that it contains hidden and reservedlights, treasures above .the knowledge andcomprehension of the majority ; then, to theeyes of the worldling, it will always be ahidden mystery."In a first letter to themother prioress (June 24, 1847), the servant ofGrod writes thus on the subject:"It is with the greatest confusion that Ibehold myself obliged to say something ofthe favors which I have received from theDivine Jesus and his most holy Mother. I haveMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

356 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.long hesitated before undertaking to write thisletter, for I would much rather write my sins;however, I must co-operate with the will of theInfant Jesus, who wishes to engrave his innocence in me, and in all simplicity, I will narrate what has passed in myA soul."few days ago, the Infant Jesus stronglyapplied me to consider the honor and thehomage of perfect praise he rendered hisheavenly Father .during the period he wa&nourished with the virginal milk of his mostholy Mother he; gave me to understand thathe willed I should adore him in this humblecondition in union with the angels, in orderthat his mercy mightfill me with innocence.,purity and simplicity, and that I might collectthe precious graces which flow forth from,this ineffable mysterymy Divine Saviour ravished myof an Infant Grod. Then,soul to a mostsublime state, and in a high contemplation,I beheld this prodigy of love and humility. He,who is conceived eternally in the bosom ofthe Father, amidst the splendors of his glory,is nourished with t ne virginal milk of hi&Holy Mother ! The Holy Grhost has caused meto penetrate the depth of this mystery, whichuntil that moment I had never understood.O angelic spirits, you who are continuallyin adoration in his presence, tell me, which,think you, is the most charming, to see a virginholding her Creator and her Grod in her armsto nourish him with her virginal milk, or to>behold a God becoming a child, the Word re-Private Use Only

""THE DIVINE MATERNITY.35tduced to silence, the All-powerful envelopedwith swathing- bands in the lap of his VirginMother ! Ah ! Iimagine I hear you answer,that the humiliations of the Infant-G-od in thisprofound mystery, constitute the grandeur andthe glory of Mary, whose most august privilegewas to have been the mother and the nurse ofa Man-God."To-day, feast of the holy precursor, St.John the Baptist, joyful day of the happybirth of this friend of the Word Incarnate, theDivine Infant Jesus has prepared a feast for mysoul."I relate it with the greatest confusion, forsuch a favor were due only to a St. Bernardand not to a miserable sinner as I ;yet I amobliged to avow it in the simplicity of myheart ;it is not mere imagination, but a gracewhich I know not how to express, having nowords at my command fit for so sublime asubject. Oh ! ^vould that it were given me tomake known all the lights I have received ! . .The treasure I have found ! . . . TheInfant Jesus,if Imay thus express myself, from the virtuesof his holy infancy, has made up a bouquet withwhich he has adorned the chaste w r omb of hisMother ;these are the virtues of meekness, humility, innocence, purity and simplicity, whichthe brothers of Jesus, brought forth by Maryat the foot of the cross, ought to come andseek from their adopted Mother. Oh ! what agrand mystery I perceive Mary the nurse of!a Grod! but she is also the nurse of man !WhatMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""358 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.great things my soul has conceived here atthe feet of Mary during this high contemplation which has ravished my soul It took!.the entire hour of recreation for me to return.^little to myself.""This is but an abridgment of the operations of the Divine Saviour in an unworthy.sinner. He desires to embellish my soul withthe virtues of his Holy Infancy before I appear.at the tribunal of God. I must become alittle child, in order to enter the kingdom ofheaven for this;reason, whatever time remainsfor me to pass on this earth, must be con-.secrated to honor and imitate his infancy, inorder to receive itsdivine impress."These, reverend mother, are the dispositions of my soul, which is entirely concentrated, as you perceive, on the Infant God andhis Virgin Mother I; experienced a shower ofgraces falling gently on me. Nevertheless, I donot forget the Work of Reparation, for it isfrom the mouth of theInfant* Jesus that Godtruly receives perfect praise and glory."Let us notice here the relationship she establishes between the Reparation of theoutrages offered God by blasphemy, and themystery of the Infant Word." This comparison seems to have been suggested by thepassage from the psalms in which the prophetproclaims Out of the mouths of infants:and of sucklings thou hast perfected praisebecause of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy." (PS. vin.)Private Use Only

""""THE DIVINEMATERNITY.The first time that the pious earmelite wasdrawn by the Lord to contemplate his divineinfancy under this mysterious aspect, she wasmuch surprised, and sought to ascertain ifanyof the saints had treated of this subject in theirwritings.Already,"said she, had I consulted two*priests distinguished for their knowledge andpiety. I was told that the spirit of God wasacting in my soul, that I should follow theattraction of grace and correspond to it withfidelity, as G-od would draw forth his glorytherefrom;also that Iought to despise the deviland pay no heed to these extreme repugnanceswith which he filled me, seeking to withdrawme from a path apparently so extraordinary.I was assured that there was no danger forme, that I must continue my exercises in peace ;yet this did not entirely satisfy me rfor I stillsought to find the doctrine of same of thesaints in harmony with these communications,but I did not know where to look for such,and I implored our Divine Lord to grant myrequest. My simple little prayer was not invain, for I soon felt urged to ask our mother forthe life of Father d Argentan, which she gaveme. "What was my surprise and my gratitudeto God, when on turning over the pages, Ifound a conference on the Maternity of themost Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Word Incarnate !my admiration continued to augmentwhen in reading this conference,. I observedthe esteem in which the Fathers of the ChurchMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

360 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.have held this grand privilege of Mary.TThatI read was an echo repeating letter for letter,all that had been imprinted on my soul touching this mystery during the operations of theHoly Ghost. Oh ! with how much respect,with how much joyI kissed those sacred pageswhich Our Lord and his august Mother placedunder my eyes, to enlighten my mind and reassure me against all !disquietude Convincedthat this devotion was neither novel, nor visionary, since St. Augustin,St. Athanasius andSt. Bernard have spoken of it with so muchpiety and eloquence, I became established inperfect peace of mind, abandoning myself intothe hands of the Infant Jesus that he mightperform his most holy will in me."To explain this pious transport of our dearsister, it may be well to state that the spiritualbook of which she speaks was held in greatrepute, among those competent to judge, for itssolid theological and ascetic principles. Fatherd Argeiitan, one of the Capuchin Friars Minor,was one of the writers of the seventeenth century. the "With exception of a few trite expressions and certain eccentricities of his oratoricalstyle peculiar to himself, his works are notunworthy of the literary period in which heflourished. His conferences, on the greatness ofJesus and Mary, are well known and highlyappreciated in the monasteries of his order.The Carmelite of Tours, therefore, had goodreason to rely on the authority of such a writer ;she has even done more, we need not bePrivate Use Only

"""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 361astonished, for she is so imbued with the doctrine and even with the very words of the bookshe had in her hands, that she makes use of themost striking passages in her own narration,which she ingeniously avows.These thoughts of the holy Fathers havebeenso instructive to me, that I proposed making use of them in my own account, in orderthat those who read it afterward, may findit more intelligible. I shall write in a spirit ofobedience and charity, according to the lightw r hich the Lord deigns to bestow r upon me,,in reference to a work so entirely consecratedto the Incarnation of the Word, and to theDivine Maternity.I shall speak in all simplicity.The Lord has transformed me, causing meto become as a little child to perform in. meoperations which surpass my understanding.If you become not as little children, said heto his apostles, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. These Operations beganthe day of the feast of St. John the Baptist,June 25th.She writes :"Having received the holy Infant Jesus inmy heart in holy communion, andadoring him in the mystery of his birth, on whichI meditated to-day, I beheld in spirit the mostBlessed Virgin nursing her divine Infant ;suddenly I found myself confined in the heartof the Infant Jesus. He caused me to understand that I should remain there in silence, inorder not to disturb him by the acts I wishedto perform. Iobeyedhis command. SoonMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"The362 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.after, the Blessed Virgin turned from herDivine Son, to converse with me, if I canexpress it thus, in order to make me understand the designs of mercy which her DivineSon had formed over me."followingis what she said :My child,my Divine Son desires to contract a mostintimate union with you. Acknowledge thatyou are most unworthy of such a favor, for itis a prodigy of his love, for which he hascharged me to prepare you."Then she avowed her past infidelities, andwhilst asking pardon of Jesus, her soul wasinteriorly occupied with her extreme indigence, and the Blessed Virgin informed herthat her Divine Son had charged her to nourishthe humble sister with the spiritual milk ofgrace and virtue that she should ; beg forthese graces twice a day with the simplicityof a little child, a favor which would alwaysbe granted her, not in a sensible manner, butby the influence of grace lavished on her soul,-which would render her more worthystill tocontract an intimate union with the InfantJesus,"Then," said the sister, "the most BlessedVirgin gave me to understand that I should.honor her maternity by some practices ofpiety.me to composeI obeyed, and the Holy Grhost inspireda little exercise on the incomprehensible mystery of a God becoming manin the womb of a Virgin."This "little exercise" of the pious carmelitePrivate Use Only

"""""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 368was composed of invocations taken from theprayers and hymns of the Church, or else fromthe pious colloquies, with which the readingof Father d Argentan seemed to have inspired her. The followingis a small extract :Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ;.blessed art thou amongst women and blessedis the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, whom thouhast nourished with thy virginal rnilk forfifteen months.""Thanks be to thee, most Blessed VirginMary, for the immense love with which thouhast nursed the King of heaven ; mayst thymaternal tenderness ever be blessed.""Eternal Father, we offer thee the Word.Incarnate at the breast of his divine Mother,,rendering thee by this infantine action, a perfect act of praise in honor of thy Holy Name."most holy, and most worthy Mother ofG-od ! remember thou art my mother and that Iam the little sister of the Infant Jesus, nourishme with the spiritual milk of grace thy;most holy child has blessed thy maternal heartwith the charming virtues of his infancy,,and to-day he sends me to collect this heavenlydew which will fill my soul with the lovelygraces of purity, innocence and simplicity."favored Virgin, and most Blessed Mother Freceive, I implore thee, these fifteen salutations in honor of the fifteen months thou didsinurse the 8011 of God, born in the stable ofBethlehem."!divine, august Lady whatartMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""364 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.doing- Of my substance I am giving nour?"ishment to him who has given me life. Itwill be incorporated into his being, becoming the very blood in his veins, which willbe shed on the cross for the salvation of mankind."angels of heaven !of thisprodigy? You who have been commissionedto nourish creatures of this earth with thedelicious manna from heaven ! And this wasaccounted such a stupendous miracle ! Beholdthe Virgin Mother, your Queen, giving nourishment to Grod himself, her Creator, and yours!most precious milk of !Mary O Blooddivine of Jesus ! water the earth that it mayWhat think youbring forth legions of elect !"Shortly after, the sister was consoled to findin the life of a carmelite of Beauiie, venerableMarguerite of the Blessed Sacrament, devotedto the holy infancy, an analgous trait, similarto that which she herself had experienced. It isrelated of this venerable sister that Jesusrevealed to her he had been nursed for lif-.teen months by his Holy Mother, and that hedesired her to honor him for the same lengthof time, to adore him in this stage of his holyinfancy. At the termination of the fifteenmonths, the holy Child promised that he wouldgrant many graces to the soul who wouldhonor him thus, that she would be mostspecially assisted by the Blessed Virgin, hismother, and that in consideration of how lovingly she had nourished him with her preciousPrivate Use Only

"""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 365milk, he would grant whatever grace wouldbe desired through her intercession.Our carmelite of Tours says: It is no moredifficult to the holy Infant Jesus to make me aparticipator in the virtues of his infancy, than tohave communicated them to one of our sisterstwo hundred years ago for he is ;all-powerful.But what does astonish me, is that this sisterwas a saint, whilst I am but a miserable sinner,divested of either virtue or talents, a poorworm of earth meriting but hell-fire, yetwhom ofthe Infant Jesus wills to make use,because of;my abject miseryI have abandonedmyself to him entirely for the accomplishment-of his designs."The whole month of July was passed in thecontemplation and the enjoyment of the humble and sweet mystery which had just beenrevealed to her. On the first of August, sheAvrote another letter to the mother superior.Notwithstanding my repugnance to writeof the present dispositions of my soul, I \vill doso willingly, to practise the obedience and thesimplicity of the Infant Jesus whom I wish toimitate. I will speak to you with the simplicityof a little, child, in giving you an account ofwhat has passed in my soul from the feast of.St. John the Baptist until to-day,"Reverend mother, my soul has been allabsorbed in the contemplation- of the WordIncarnate in the arms of his HolyOh Mother.! what an ineffable !mystery My soul isMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""366 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER,ravished at the sight of such a prodigy. A.God, the child of a Virgin He who has!spoken by the prophets, who has given hislaw to man in the midst of thunder and!lightning He by whom all things have beenmade, the Word of God the Eternal Father !He, there in silence in the arms of his Mother,,in obedience to God his Father, offering himthe homage of his absolute power, by reducinghimself to the helpless condition of a littlebabe nursed with the milk which will soon bechanged into his most precious blood, and beshed for the salvation of the world !There is this Lamb of God, marked outfor sacrifice, helpless in the arms of his BlessedMother through the same obedience whichwill soon attach him to the cross. Oh ! whata !ravishing contemplation After havingconsidered this divine Infant, my heart turnedtoward his Blessed Mother. Oh ! what musthave been the sentiments which filled herheart in beholding God, her Creator, partakingof her substance !How much do I thank her"for her tender care of the future victim forour salvation !The sister then explains that to correspondJesus demanded ofto this ineffable mystery,her perfect innocence of heart and a completedetachment from creatures. I must now,"she writes, "imitate the virtues of his infancy.For having once been a little distracted, I lostsight of the presence of the Blessed Virginand the Infant Jesus for nearly a week, but IPrivate Use Only

"THE DIVINE MATERNITY.36 Yhumbled myself before God at the remembrance of my manifold miseries and he piercedmy heart with lively contrition I; wept bitterly over my past sins. Soon, like the fatherof the prodigal, he gave me the kiss of peaceand of reconciliation, communicating himselfto my soul in the most intimate manner. Thenhe made me understand the purity and theperfection which Iought to have before uniting myself to him, for he is my Grod, my all.""Afterward, he showed me the favorswhich he destined for me, if I were faithfulto follow the attraction of his grace. Thiscommunication has entirely changed the disposition of my soul. I found the Infant JesusMother.once more in the arms of his BlessedOUF Lord declared to me several times thathe wished me to adore him in this state,because but few souls are capable of this holyapplication which demands a great purity ofheart."The devil came to torment me, trying tomake me give up my devotions in honor ofihis ;mystery but when I had submitted myinquietude to the guide of my soul and hadput his counsels into practice, the Evil One.took to flight."The pious carmelite continued, therefore, tofollow this divine attraction. In contemplating the sweet object present to her interior vision she united herself to the angels, tothe Holy Innocents, offering to G-od the Father for the salvation of sinners, this LambMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""368 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.without blemish, in his condition of absolutedependence and helplessness. Jesus made hera child like himself, and gave her to receivefrom his Holy Mother a part of this spiritualfood the ;happy sister was inundated withdelights and filled with purity and innocence.My soul," said she, is lost in this ineffablemystery, I think of it day and night. Once,when I awoke at one o clock in the mornings.I felt the presence of the Blessed Virgin nearme she ;gave me to behold the treasuresof grace contained in her maternal heart, inviting me to draw forth graces from thissource with full liberty, u-rging me to sharethese riches with poor sinners. During holycommunion, on this same day, the Infant Jesus admonished me to pray for the impure* Ihave prepared and purified thy soul, he said,therefore, arise, go and seek souls for me that Imay reign over them.Then he operated something in me whichI cannot comprehend I; experienced aweight of sorrow, inexpressible.1 was as ifin fire, my senses were bound up as if by adivine power. I understood that the InfantJesus wished me to combat the demon ofpride and of impurity, with the virtues andthe graces of his holy Infancy. Live Jesus*and Mary.The sister makes the following reflection after the above letter, which is well worthy"being copied Perhaps some will be sur:prised after having seen me occupied for fourPrivate Use Only

"""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 369years in meditating the Holy Name of G-od,to behold me now so mnch absorbed in a mystery which may seem in the eyes of someChristians, to be the most insignificant, theleast worthy of attention in the life of oiirLord Jesus. I do not pretend to condemnthose who may hold this opinion, because lastyear I wonld, perhaps, have shared it withthem as I w#s without the lights whichthe Infant Jesus and his Mother have sincegranted me. But to-day it is not thus, I declare that this mystery, unknown and- uncomprehendedas it may be to the world, isnevertheless grand*, admirable, ineffable ;itsdepth and sublimity are only penetrated byth.e Infant Jesus and his most Holy Mother."May Grod grant that I may never imitatethe rebel angels, who after having contemplated the awful majesty and the perfections ofthe Divinity, refused to acknowledge the Wordmade Flesh, or to adore him in this state ofannihilation. Verily, divine Child, thou artas worthy of our profound adoration in thearms of thy Mother as seated at the righthand of the majesty of thy Father ; Tfyou artand hast even been the Eternal G-od !"Mary of St. Peter, as we see, would notthat Christians be scandalized after the perusal of her account of the action of G-od in herregard. During four years she had been occupied in redeeming the honor of his HolyName, and in appropriating the fruit of hismost sorrowful mysteries. And now, we be-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"370 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.hold her entirely lost in the contemplation ofa circumstance in his mortal life whichseemed to be the last and the least worthy ofconsideration.Is it that he has less love, lessgrace to offer his servant than formerly ? Isnot the susceptibility of man shocked at thethought of a Man Grod being nursed by a Yirgin? Is not this abasement unworthy of themajesty of Grod, and of the superiority of man?Moreover, what good can accrue to the soulfrom the assiduous contemplation of this mystery.? The sister will give a satisfactory replyto these objections.There are, in the economy of the Incarnation,mysterious secrets, treasures of wisdom concealed from view which the world despises orignores, but which for all, are none the lessnecessary for its instruction and salvation. Man,naturally independent and proud, cares not torecall to mind his origin, his ;nothingnesswillingly does he cast off all remembrance ofthe early necessities of his nature, desirousonly of contemplating himself in the full vigorof his manhood, when arrived at the age ofmaturity, he wills to recognize but his absolute independence, and his power over allother creatures. His pride, offspring of originalsin, finds a lesson and a sovereign remedy inthe humiliations and annihilations of the Sonof Grod who iu descending in our midst, willedto be born and brought forth in the world likehimself, with the same necessity for thefirst tender cares of a Mother. By this meansPrivate Use Only

"*"ThouTHE DIVINE MATERNITY. 37 1has he been pleased to instruct our proud hu"manity, and to correct our unfortunate spiritof independence.According to St. Paul, this is that whichthe wise and prudent of this world have notunderstood ;what even Christians themselvesdo not understand enough in our day. Thislikewise, was the rock on which the prideof the evil spirits was shipwrecked. According to the teachings of theologians, Luciferand his accomplices, in the hour of trial,placed in the presence of a God humiliatedand abased even to become the Son of a humbleVirgin, refused to offer him the adorationwhich is his due their revolt consummated; their reprobation. Eeflecting on these rebelliousspirits and on the infinite number of proudunbelievers who in their self-constituted grandeur of mind refuse to submit their feebleintelligence to the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, and the Divine Maternity,the daughter of Carmel exclaims in a holy andlaudable transport:art as w^orthyof our adoration in the arms of thy Mother asseated at the right hand of the Eternal Grod."The sister here imitates the language of theFathers and Doctors ;of St. Bernard, amongothers, who speaking of the Word Incarnate,"says The more vile and : despicable has hemade himself for my love, so much the morebeautiful and worthy of all glory has he become. The Church in the hymns of her* Quanto pro me vilior, tanto mihi carior.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"A"372 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.office publicly sings to her ministers and toher children :little milk has nourishedare sustained andhim by whom all creaturesnourished." And * ;again, glorious Mother,elevated above the highest heavens, he, bywhom thou hast been created, has become alittlechild, whom thou dost nourish with thymost pure and virginal milk !fThese, as we have seen, are the sum andsubstance of the thoughts which have filledthe heart of the Carmelite of Tours in herpious contemplations oftheAVord made Flesh.It was not only for the spiritual enjoymentof Sister Mary St. Peter alone, that she hadbeen admitted, a? we have seen, to the participation of the sweet and mysterious fruits ofthe infancy of the made "Word Flesh. In this,as in all the preceding communications, shehad with regard to the Church and immortalsouls, a higher and more general mission tofulfil. G-od the Father, irritated against theworld which blasphemed and outraged him,had menaced his people with his wrath his;justice had announced scourges and chastisements. But a Mother, full of mercy, the BlessedVirgin Mary, has interceded in favor of the* Et lacte inodieo pastus pst,Fej quetu nee ales esurit !t(Hymn for Lauds, Christmas.)gloriosa virgin urnSubliuiis inter sideraQui te creavit parvulumLactcnte imtris ubere.C Office of the Blessed Virgin at Lauds. )Private Use Only

""THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 373guilty she has bewailed the sins and wan;derings of her people. She has appeared at LaSalette, the tears flowed silently from hereyes, and covered her face ;her hands wer^concealed,for the moment had not yet come todistribute grace and mercy on sinful man.But a beginning of Separation takes place,she appears serene and compassionate, her eyesare raised to heaven, her hands are elevated tointercede and to bless : her maternal heart sendsforth a fruitful stream of grace, to which soulsmay come and draw forth pardon and life.This was the aspect, as novel as consoling,under which the mystery of the Divine Maternity was presented to the Virgin .of Carmel.I was," said she, in continual contemplation of the Infant Jesus in the arms of hisBlessed Mother, reposing on her maternalbreast. Then he gave me admirable instructions upon the Maternity of the BlessedVirgin toward men, whom he had given asher children on Mount Calvary at the foot ofthe cross."Mary, having been called by Grod to be theMother of Christians, received at the samemoment the charge of nourishing them andof training them to a spiritual life ;consequently, she must procure for them the milkof grace for their souls even as she has procured the natural milk for Jesus, her first-born.The following communication will developihis idea. The sister opens the subjectby excusing her incapacity. (August 13,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""Oh374 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.1847). She writes to the mother prioress:*Where shall I find words to express ideas soincomprehensible ? "With the aid of the InfantJesus I shall try to lisp forth a few wordswhich, although imperfectly uttered, will nevertheless give you some idea of the presentstate of soul."my Then she exclaims in herenthusiasm :! if I could only speak! IfI could only write ! Never until now have Iunderstood the value of the precious giftwhich Jesus dying has bequeathed us in theperson of his most august Mother !mysteryof love and clemency! At the very instant hewas bringing forth the human race, to a heavenly life .on the cross in the midst of themost excruciating tortures, he placed thesenew-born children in the arms of Mary, thetenderest of mothers, to nourish and bring upto eternal life. With this object in view, hehas filled her maternal breast with the milkof grace and mercy he has made his Divine;Mother legatee of the immense riches he hasacquired for us during his laborious life, andhis dolorous Passion, that she might becomethe admirable channel through which all hisinfinite merits would flow to the Holy Church,his spouse."How is it that Mary has been constitutedthelegatee,"of the riches of redemption ?This is precisely what Our Lord will explainto his servant. She writes : "I have againbeen enlightened on this :mystery the HolyGhost, from the most pure blood of Mary,Private Use Only

THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 375formed the adorable body of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This body was, therefore, of thesubstance of Mary; consequently, she possessed certain rights over it ;for this reason itwas deposited in her maternal arms after hisdeath My amiable Jesus caused me to understand that he wished to return to her allthat he had received to operate the redemption- of the world. She had nourished himwith her most pure milk ; Jesus, to thank her,remitted his blood, of which he made her thetreasurer. There she remained, standing at thefoot of the cross, in order to receive this precious deposit in the sacred vessel of her maternal heart. Mary had given to Jesus his mostadorable body, and Jesus, after his death,returned it to her covered with his gloriouswounds, that she might draw forth, from thesesacred fountains, eternal life for the newchildren confided to her watchful care at thevery last moment of his life. Verily, Jesusbelongs to Mary together with all his treasuresof grace, and Mary belongs to mankind, withall her tenderness. Oh ! how magnanimous isthis merciful Mother ! She stretches forthher maternal arms inviting us to come andrepose on her motherly heart, always open toreceive us, that she may lavish on us the mostheavenly favors."These communications, bestowed on thesister, were but a preparation for the receptionof a knowledge more precise and more intimate.The Infant Jesus and his Blessed Mother, will.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""376 LIFE OF SISTER, MARY ST. PETER.in turn, manifest themselves, to instruct thischild of Carmel. Jesus said :Man, while onthis earth, is in a state of infancy in heaven;alone will he be arrived at his perfect age ofmanhood, for this reason should he have continual recourse to his mother, as a little child."Our good Carmelite exclaims :Verily, Ibehold this truth clearly in the light of God :man should have continual recourse to themost Blessed Virgin, his Mother, if he wishesto arm^e at the perfect age of manhood in eternity. Behold the two grand mysteries of theMaternity of Mary, which the Infant Jesuswishes to teach me;Mary, Mother of Clod, andMary, Mother of man. For this reason it is, thathe keeps me in constant contemplation of himself as Infant in the arms of his Mother, beingnourished with her virginal milk, to teach meby his example to have recourse to her, that Imay be fed with the heavenly clew of hervirtues.The Blessed Virgin, likewise, revealed herself to the pious confident of Jesus. "She madeknown to me," said the sister, that as shehad chosen certain hallowed spots, wherein tobestow her favors in great profusion, so .wouldshe now make choice of my soul to lavish onit her boundless mercies. I was not longwaiting for the accomplishment of this promise for ;to-day after the holy communion, Ibeheld the Infant Jesus reposing in the armsof his Divine Mother. This great mysteryisa hidden treasure, buried in the field of thePrivate Use Only

"THE DIVINE MATERNITY. 37Church, which he discovers to whomsoeverhe wills. There have been souls appointedto honor him in the mysteries of his Passion, and who consequently, have been favoredwith the sacred stigmatas ;but for me, notwithstanding my uii worthiness, he has biddenme to bear the state of his infancy, and for thisfavor he has already prepared me himself. Today, he has condescended to unite me to himselfduring the holy communion, and to make mepenetrate even to his adorable heart, that Imight O draw the nearer to his Virgin. O Mother.He it is who has lead me to this source ofgrace and benedictions, bidding me drawforth the milk of divine mercy in the samespirit of charity with which he himself hadimbibed the virginal milk of his tendermother ;for he was nourished with thismilk for the salvation of mankind, and formankind had he shed it in such profusion onthe cross. Therefore, in imitation of his example, I ought to imbibe this mysterious liquorfrom the maternal bosom of Mary in the nameof all my brethren, to lavish it afterward overthe entire world as a heavenly dew, to refreshand purify the earth desolated by the fire ofconcupiscence, and filled with the debris of sinand corruption."Then the sister seemed to hear Our Lord"saying to her : I wish you to be very simpleand childlike, but that you have a large heart."She added : The followingis a short prayerwhich was inspired to me, by which I canMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""378 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.collect this mysterious liquor of mercy fromthe maternal heart of ":Marymost holy and most worthy Mother ofGrod ! send dow r n in life-giving showers^ themilk of grace and mercy upon all men, thychildren." The Blessed Virgin told her thatshe ought to be very grateful for this inestimable privilege granted by the bounty of herDivine Son. Closing this narrative the sistersays reverend mother :! how can I expresswhat I experienced during this operation ofgrace Oh ! ! how incomprehensible the favor ofbeholding oneself as a little child in the tenierarms of Mary, reposing on her maternal breast !This source of grace and mercyis inexhaustible.But, alas ! what am I, miserable and unworthyas I am, to be thus deputed to draw forth atthis fountain of mercy for the salvation of sinners I !prostrated myself on the ground, confessing before Grod my unworthiness for sucha mission ;but the Lord has ever chosen theweakest among his creatures to show forth hisipower and glory. Sit Nom n Domini benedictum"Private Use Only

"""was"CHAPTER XX.INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY."Your pilgrimage is di awing toa close !.... The end of the combatis nigh !..,. You will soon beholdmy Face in Heaven I"(Words of Our Lord.}The establishment of the arch-confraternityfor Reparation was a source of joy to Sister St.Peter.But," said she, 1 am not yet perfectly satisfied, because the Church of Tours,the inheritance of the great St. Martin, hasuntil now remained sterile. When shall thisseed which she has so long borne, springforth?"Another attempt was about to be made.On the llth of November, feast of St. Martin,the virgin of Carmel experienced an operationof grace which, as she said, a signal forcombat. After my soul had been inundatedwith ineffable graces for six months, Our Lordconfided anew to my care, the Work of Reparation. The following Sunday, November14th, day on which the feast of the Thaumaturguswas celebrated with great solemnity atTours, she was inspired to renew her supplications to the archbishop.Grod," sheMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"The"how380 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.exclaims,impenetrable are thy judgments ! Let us adore them in silence! Allour plans were futile, but I was not on thisaccount discouraged, for the most Blessed Virgin had given me the hope that a work sonecessary for the salvation of France wouldtake root and spread over the entire kingdom,and that she would bestow upon us innumerable graces. The child Jesus, on his part,promised me that if this devotion were established in accordance to his wishes, he wouldbestow upon France the kiss of peace andreconciliation. At another time, the mostHoly Virgin again recommended to my prayersthis new-born Confraternity, just approved bythe Church and enriched with precious favors.Our divine Mother seemed to be so full of joyat the birth of this association, that she demanded of Grod extraordinary graces forFrance."The future welfare of her beloved fatherland was always uppermost in the mind ofthe servant of Grod, and thus we behold herpraying for it unceasingly. On the 2nd ofDecember, Our Lord appeared to her all covered with wounds, saying these sad words :Jews crucified me on Friday, butChristians crucify me on !Sunday I implore youto solicit the establishment of the Reparationin this diocese of Tours, that my friends mayembalm my wounds by their expiatory prayersand obtain mercy for the guilty. My daughter, the heavens are overcast, the storm isPrivate Use Only

"INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 381threatening to burst forth, but I shall keep mypromise if my will be done. Speak withhumility, but at the same time with a holyShe made noliberty." delay in informingMgr. Morlot of this communication. He waswarned of the "storm" which was threatening, and apprised thrat the last hour foraction had come.If the sister was disheartened with herwant of success on one hand, she was ena vision so muchcouraged on the other bythe more pleasing as it was unexpected. Letus listen to her relating the cause of her joy:".Our holy Mother St. Teresa," said she, appeared to me this morning. She has beenappointed by Grod to combat the enemies ofthe Work of Reparation which the powers ofdarkness are trying to overthrow. She toldme that this holy work would be the honorof Carmel for it was truly in conformity withthe spirit of our holy vocation, whose soleobject is the glory of G-od and the relief ofthe necessities of the Church for this reason;she urged me to devote all my energies to thiswork, and to pray with untiring fervor.Then she recommended me to be scrupulouslyobedient, giving me to understand that Jesuswould work miracles for the soul obedient toher superiors, that she herself had alwayssubmitted the lights and communications, received from Heaven, to the decision of obedience. She showed me with what fidelityIought to acquit myself of all our religiousMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""382 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.observances, which are so agreeable to OurLord that the fulfillment of them alone issufficient to enrich the soul with merit. Infine, I understood that God gave to this worka most powerful protectress in the person ofour holy Foundress, and to me a most powerfulconsoler in my afflictions. From this moment,I felt united in a most particular manner toour holy Mother, so remarkable for her zealfor the glory of the Most High. It is she whowill succor me in my weakness, and help meto pursue my thorny path."The storm of which the Lord hadspoken, was threatening in the distance.About two months later, it was on the pointof bursting forth. The Divine Master had foretold itin unmistakable terms."During my evening meditation," said thesister, Our Lord intimated that he had something to communicate. I resisted severaltimes, for I feared an illusion. But at last,Jesus, having recollected all the powers ofmy soul in his Divine Heart, told me to recallto mind that L had given myself entirely tohim, to labor for the accomplishmentof hisdesigns for this reason he wished to confide;to me a new mission. Presently he warnedm^ of the terrible blow which was menacingus : The Church is threatened with a violent tempest ;pray, pray, pray ! * He repeated this several* It may be well to remark, that this prediction was fulfilledthat very year, 1848, in France and Italy, particularly in Koine,for the Holy Father was obliged to fly to Gaeta.Private Use Only

"MyINTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 383times on different occasions. It would beimpossible to express the touching- manner inwhich Our Lord said : !Pray, pray Hetaught me what prayer to say in order toshelter his Church in virtue of the most HolyName of G-od : it was the same prayer he hadoffered to his heavenly Father for his Apostlesand for the Church, before quitting the earth.My Father, keep in thy Name those whomthou hast given me. (St. John.) This prayeris more efficacious than any I could composeof myself and since he chose me in his mercyto render glory to the Holy Name of Grod, Ihave, in some manner, the right to ask gracein virtue of this Holy Name, the refuge of theChurch."adorable Saviour made me understandthat his justice was roused by the sins of theworld, but particularly by the crimes whichare an -outrage to the majesty of Grod. At thismoment, I beheld Our Lord in the most BlessedSacrament, and I saw that the prayers of thejust held captive the arms of divine justice.Our Lord recommended me to pray for theSovereign Pontiff. Lastly, I beheld whatseemed to me a thick black smoke risingtoward the heavens ;it did not, however,obscure the sun, and I was somewhat consoled. This smoke was the figure of enemies,and the sun symbolized the Church. Jesuscontinued : The effects you will experiencein your soul will make you understand thatit is I who have spoken. And soon my heartMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""-384 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.was transpierced with a sword of sorrow. Itheii^ commenced my mission of prayer, say:ing Holy Father, guard the Church ofJesus Christ in virtue of thy salutary Name,for this was the last will of thy Divine Son,his last desire. Remember the last lovingprayer he offered for our holy Mother theChurch, Holy Father, keep in thy Namethose whom thou hast given me while I was;with them I kept them in thy Name. MostHoly Name of Grod, refuge of the Church andof France, have pity on us and save us.Sunday, 20th of February, having offeredmy holy communion in reparation for. theoutrages committed against the Divine Majesty,I saw that all was over !Gruilty Francewas about to be chastised ;a celestial raycaused me to observe that the Lord has drawnhis bow, he isready to aim his arrows. Onbeholding him arming himself against sinnerswho so shamefully outrage him, I was penetrated w^ith a holy indignation, and enteringinto the designs of his justice, I cried out :Strike, Lord ! I panted for the glory of G-odto be avenged, for I saw that the blow w r ouldnot be mortal. Although I prayed the MostHigh to strike, that he might retrieve hisglory, yet I begged him to strike as a fatherand not as an angry judge. Let us adore thejustice of Grod and at the same time invokehis mercy. It is now more than four yearsthat the arm of the Lord has been raised inanger over our guilty heads ! . . .Private Use Only

"""""INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 385In fact, the hour for chastisement had come ;an unexpected revolution had broken out inParis, the effects of which were experiencedall over Europe.Louis Philip had been under the impressionthat a reign of nineteen years had secured hissceptre, but alas he was obliged to ! fly with.his family into exile. The Church, however,was not openly persecuted, at least in France,for she is still respected even in the midst ofthe greatest social disorders It will not beuntil later on that the secret emissaries of impiety, will try to tryaniiize over her by theirdiabolical intrigues.On the 2 6th of February, after having receivedholy communion, our carmelite was muchconsoled, the Lord having said these wordsrelative to the :CommunitylittleFear not,troop, thou art reposing under the salutarybanner of my Name. No evil shall befallthee, for all power is in my hand, and I willnot suffer thee to be wrested from my grasp.Verily,"cries out the pious virgin, theLord will recognize and protect all those whoinvoke his Holy Name it is an; all-powerfulrampart, shielding our house, for the membersare united by the bonds of charity."Our Lord gave me to understand that theclergy, likewise, will be spared ;troubles andvexations will doubtless arise, but the hierarchy will not be openly persecuted ;the blood-of priests will not be shed as in 93, becausehe has not as much reason to complain as in13More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Holy""386 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.those unfortunate times. I am confident thatthe Church of France will be protected in virtue of the Holy Name of God."Father, keep in thy Name those whomthou hast given me. This is the prayer whichwe must continually recite for the Holy Church,in union with our Lord Jesus Christ."Permit me, Rev. Mother, to tellyou thewords which Jesus said to me after holy communion on the 21st of November;they causedme to shed tears in abundance. He was at thetime speaking of the "Work of Reparation andsaid : When I shall shake the throne ofFrance to itsvery foundations, what, thinkyou, shall be her distress !"Withgood reason was I overwhelmedwith grief, for I saw that the terrible momentsof Grod s justice were drawing nigh. Alas !the hour has sounded, and in the twinkling ofan eye, he will execute what he has sworn. Iadore thee, justice of my Grod ;yet I invokethy mercy, Lord most high."The sister felt inspired to invoke mercywith renewed fervor. Listen to her supplicating cries "My soul is sorrowful even unto:death, and I feel the necessity of confiding m^rtroubles to you, reverend mother. When Iconsider the predictions which Our Lord hasmade, I :say Soon, too soon, shall theyfulfilled !My G-od have I not reason to ! fear,when I think I have been charged with sucha formidable mission ! when I recall these terrible words If :through your fault, my de-Private Use Onlyall be

"INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 38*7I will demandsigns are not accomplished,a rigid account of the loss of these souls atyour hands. Several years have now elapsed,since I made known that the Lord demandeda Reparatory Work, in order to stay the threatening arm of his Father for; Reparation wouldappear as the rain-bow in the heavens. Happily, the work has been founded and even nowsheds around its beneficent influence, but it isstill too feeble to arrest the arm of the MostHigh. Oh ! if this work were spread in theentire diocese, I would be without fear, forG-od is faithful to his promise. For some time,I have implored my good Master to give monseigneuran indisputable sign of my mission,so that he would do something to establishthe Reparation. I have set forth the presentdifficulties of his Lordship to Him who can doall things, and I have supplicated him to givesome proof of his will. Lord, I implore thee,send him a sign so marked and certain thatentire France, beholding, will recognize thiswork as thine. Grant this great sign I implorethee."Our Lord, seeing that I begged this favorsolely for the glory of his Name and for theaccomplishment of his will, heard my prayer.On the 13th of February,I had the vision ofwhich I have spoken. It was in confirmationof what I had announced to monseigneur inthe communication of December 2nd. My Divine Master at that time told me to inform hisLordship that the storm was threatening inthe distance, that it was time for action. OnMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"Our388 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the 13th of February,I saw that this stormwas about to burst forth, and I beheld a blackcloud rising from earth to heaven which didnot, however, obscure the sun (the Church)because the Church of France had then invoked the Holy Name of Grod, this Name, herrefuge during the tempest. The Lord told methat in consequence of this work, France wouldnot be humiliated as she deserved, but wouldbe only slightlychastised."Lord has done what he has promised ;yes, indeed, he has shielded his Church invirtue of his life-giving Name. Before strikingthe awful blow of his justice, he said :HolyFather, keep in thy Name those whom thouhast given me. Therefore have those who belonged to him been spared. Oh ! how I desireto make known this consoling truth to allbishops that the Holy Name of Grod is the:impregnable fortress of the Church of France IHow I would beg of them with all the earnestness of which I am capable, to propagate this"Work of !Reparation I have always said, andI still repeat, that Reparation alone can disarmthe justice of Grod and save France. Happyshall we be if we know how to use this plankof salvation."If unable to proclaim this truth to allbishops of the world, it would be expedientthat at least she should be allowed to make itknown to the prelate who, from the year inwhich she submitted her communications tohim, appeared convinced of the truth and ofPrivate Use Only

""INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 389the heavenly origin of her revelations. On the3rd of March she addressed the following letterto the mother prioress: At the conclusion ofmy thanksgiving, I hasten to write what OurLord has communicated to me during holycommunion. He positively commanded me tospeak to monseigneur, or to his secretary,telling me that I should boldly proclaim whathas been revealed to me during the past fourand a half years. My good Master assures methat he will place the proper words in mymouth. He added : I have again taken therod of justice in my hand, if my people wishto avoid it, let them put in its stead the Workof Reparation. For your part, be faithful tofulfil yourmission. How noble to be chosen tomanifest my will ! If you remain deaf to myvoice, you will expose yourself to the blows ofthis rod ;use all your efforts to withdraw itfrom my hand.Behold, as nearly as possible, reverendmother, that whic.li Jesus has communicatedto me. I must continue to recite this prayer inunion with him :Holy Father, keep in thy namethose whom thou hast given me !Accordingto what I have beheld, it is he who says thiswith me and I who sayit in him. Oh ! whattenderness he has for his Church ! It seemsthat he has no other thought but for her welfare ;he desires to save her, to shield her by theadorable Name of his Father. If the Churchof France could speak, she would implore theestablishment of the Work of Reparation. IMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""390 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.demand it in her name, for it is her only rampart against the assaults of her enemies."Reverend mother, in obedience to my Divine Master, I very humbly beg you to solicitthe favor of a visit from monseigneur. If hislordship be too occupied, beg him to sendhis secretary to record all that I feel it my dutyto reveal on this matter."The request was forwarded to Mgr. Morlot.and the object of the desired interview wasexplained to him. The prelate sent his secretary, 1 abbe Vincent, who held the followingconversation with Sr. Mary St. Peter w^e; shall give it literally, according to the accountwritten by herself.Reverend mother, I shall give you a shortextract of my pleadings with the archbishop ssecretary on the subject of the Work of Reparation. I assure you that Our Lord assistedme as he had promised for I was neither;troubled nor intimidated, and spoke with thegreatest facility.I will now relate, as nearlyas possible, what passed during the interview."The Secretary:Sister, I have come to tellyou from monseigneur, that he has presentedyour letters to the members of his council, andthat all, unanimously, have pronounced againstthe establishment of the work you demand.Monseigneur has seriously examined the matter before Grod, and finds itimpossible to takeany part in we it do not; recognize the validity of your mission.Sr. St. Peter : I do not pretend to impor-Private Use Only

"""INTERVIEW WITH THE SECEETAEY. 391tune Monseigneur, nor to uphold my ownopinion of the mission which I believe hasbeen imposed upon me by Our Lord for thesalvation of France. My intention was to fulfil my duty conscientiously."When I had thehonor of speaking to his Lordship about thecommunications which I have received fromGrod, he said to me at the time :My child, be"tranquil there is no illusion here for I discern;the finger of God. It was on the authority ofthose words, which I received as coming fromthe Holy Grhost himself, that I persevered inmy mission.:TheSecretary My good sister, monseigneur**told you this at the time, because he knew notto what lengths this affair would go ;but sincethen he has minutely examined all the particulars ;he has prayed: this cannot be."Sr. St. Peter :Yery well, reverend sir, thatis sufficient. All I desired was to have thedecision of his Lordship. My conscienceobliged me to do as I have done for the workof Reparation ; now I am in perfect peace.But allow me to tellyou that the reason whyI desired to speak to monseigneur, was in orderto discharge my duty. Since you are his representative, I shall depose my mission inyour hands, leaving the responsibility to theauthorities of the Church. They will answerfor it before God."The Secretary: But my good sister, theassociation of which you speak isalready established."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""""392 LIFE OF SISTER. MARY ST. PETER.Sr. St. Peter :It is true, but the Churchof Tours should have had the honor of beingthe mother of this association. Ibegged itfrom monseigneur but he did not deem it advisable to establish the work, and I submitted !What proves the Reparation to be really thework of God, is that without any concurrence611 my part it has been established."The Secretary: But there are many members here in Tours. And has not monseigneurapproved a little book of prayers on Reparation ?"Sr. St. Peter :Yes, very true, reverendfather, but there must be at Tours an association aggregated to the one at Langres. Thework has need of the patronage of the archbishop, all eyes are fixed on him because it isin his diocese that the idea was first conceived."The Secretary:Sister, I tellyou quitecandidly that this work established at Langresis not very prosperous,it has even been thesubject of comment in the daily papers."Sister Mary St. Peter : That is not veryastonishing, sir, for Our Lord has warned methat the work would be opposed by all thepowers of darkness. Have you not observedthat the devotion to the Sacred Heart metwith nearly the same opposition? And thatthere were many difficulties to be overcomebefore the feast of Corpus Christi was established ? The Lord has imposed similar missions on souls more worthy than I, it is true,Private Use Only

"INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 393but they also have suffered from unjust accusations and persecution."The Secretary:"All the works -of Godhave suffered from persecution, among others,the arch-confraternity of the Sacred Heart ofMary. This is a most admirable project embracing all good works, for its primary aim isthe conversion of sinners."Sister St. Peter : Our Lord was fully awareof its existence when he demanded anotherconfraternity for he made me understand that;the first was not sufficient ;because if wewish to obtain pardon from a person offended,it is but just that we offer reparation of honor.The Lord has given me to understand that itthe trangressions against the first commandisments that have aroused his wrath againstFrance. If these disorders cannot be preventedby the authority of the Church, or that of theState, they should at least be atoned for by asuitable reparation.":The Secretary:Very true, but there lies thedifficulty, my good sister. How are we to beassured that God exacts reparation ? You maybe deceivingus."Sister St. Peter u : That isvery possible,yet I hardly think that the imagination couldinvent anything like unto this, lasting for fiveyears, without the influence of any mortalbeing. My prudent superiors have not countenanced me in my ideas ;they have even forbidden me to think of the subject, yet they havenot wished to pass any judgment. Our fatherMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""""394 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.superior has always referred me to the decisionof the archbishop."The Secretary:Yery well, my good sister,be perfectly tranquil;you have done your dutyin making known these communications tothe archbishop. Now I say to you in his name,think of these things no more, cast them entirely from your mind."Sr. St. Peter :Monseigneur, doubtless, doesnot forbid me to ask of Grod the accomplishment of his designs ?The Secretary:No, but do not pray forthis work."Sr. St. Peter : Eeverend sir, Ipray you toassure monseigiieur of my obedience to hisorders."The sister was faithful to her promise. Afew days after, she writes :Our Lord has entirely divested me of thedesire of beholding the "Work of Reparationestablished in Tours. "Were but one word requisite for its erection, I would not pronounceit, and this through obedience to ecclesiasticalauthority which I shall always respect. Ihave been not a littlegrieved over these lastrefusals, but Our Lord consoled me, notwithstanding my unworthiness, for he gave me tounderstand that his work would take root andnourish, that it would remain firm in themidst of storms, and that if it were not plantedin one soil, it would thrive the better in another. This latter promise was fulfilled two daysafter, for we learned that the Eeparatioii hasPrivate Use Only

"HeINTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 395been established at Lyons,where it has beenpushed forward with greatzeal."As if to receive from his servant some compensation, the Divine Master applied her anew,with greater intensity than ever, to the contemplation of his Holy Face. There is 110 morepowerful means of appeasing the irritated justice of the Almighty, than to offer the mostHoly Face of him who has borne the thornsof our sins on his sacred head, which becameas a rock * under the blows of his divinejustice."has paid our debts, he is our security,this iswhy our most amiable Saviour has commanded me to remain unceasingly before thethrone of his Father, offering him this divineFace, the object of his complaisance. My tender Saviour gave me this consoling promise :Every timethat you present my Face to myFather, my mouth will demand mercy. Mygood Jesus promised me that he would havepity on France. Let us then be filled with confidence his ; all-powerful Name will be ourbuckler, and his adorable Face, our rampart.But he gave me to understand that he desiredto see the devotion to this adorable Face takeroot in the hearts of the faithful. good Jesus conceal !thy people in the secret recessesof thy Holy Face, that it may be to them atower of defence and an impregnable fortressagainst the attacks of thy enemies."* This word is applied to our Lord in Isaias "I have set my face:as a most hard rock."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""396 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.After communion, the Lord appeared tothesister as "EcceHomo." "He desired that Ishould contemplate his Holy Face. But soon,he drew my attention, in a very special manner to the reed which he held in his hand,this he presented to me as a sword with whichto fight the enemies of the Church, promising that they would smart from its blows. Healso gave me to understand that this feeblereed was the figure of my soul. Yerily, I amindeed but a weak little reed, yet in the handsof Jesus Christ, my Spouse, I shall become allpowerfulagainst his enemies, I shall say withfaith and confidence :Maythe malice of thedevil become powerless before the reed of Jesus Christ like ;young David, I shall beheadthe giant G-oliath in the name of the livingGrod with my javelin, I mean with the adorable Face of our Lord Jesus Christ."Nothing is more conformable to the holyscripture than this idea of the "rock," appliedto the Face of Christ. As we have seen, it isthe expression used by the prophet, Isaias ;and St. Paul says, that Christ is the rockby excellence. The Prince of the apostles,in one of his epistles, uses a similar figure,calling Our Lord the corner-stone." Hepredicts that this stone will crush to atomsthe enemies of G-od. Thus we behold howappropriately our simple littleher comparisons !Breton appliesThese, reverend mother, are the projectswith which the Lord fills my soul. EternalPrivate Use Only

"""""INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 397"Father, I offer thee the most HolyFace ofJesus. This is the mysterious coin of infinitevalue which alone is capable of dischargingour debt. I offer thee the most Holy Face ofJesus to appease thy anger remember that it:has been pierced with the thorns of our sins ;that it has become like to a rock under theblows of thy justice. Look upon these divinewounds of which I would be the voice to cryout incessantly:Mercy, mercy, O my G-od !mercy for poor sinners Another day, March!30, 1848, she proposed to receive holy communion to honor the most Holy Face of OurLord, to comfort him in the sufferings causedby his ghastly wounds She implored him toimprint this adorable Face upon her heart sodeeply that it would never be obliterated.Before communion," said she, a celestiallight dawned on my soul and I beheld that theFace of the mystical body of Jesus Christ is theholy Church, which is now covered withwounds by the wicked !Then, I was inspired to offer to Our Lordthe virginal milk of his Holy Mother as a precious and fragrant balm wherewith to healthe wounds of his most Holy Face ;my soulexperienced great joy in performing this actof simplicity and love."After communion, my divine Saviour, in hisinfinite goodness, was pleased to show me thatthis exercise was most agreeable to him andthat I should continue it. He told me that inreturn he desired I would taste the milk of hisMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""398 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETEE.divine consolations in order to alleviate mysufferings. Then I beheld Our Lord resplendent with glory and allmy senses were ravished with joy. Soon he caused me to hearthese sweet and consoling words : Your pilgrimage is drawing to a close ! The end of thecombat isapproaching You will soon see my!divine Face in heaven !At these words, I prostrated myself on theground, saying Lord, I merit only hell-fire.:But my good Master replied :The virtue of myHoly Face has restored the image of Grod inyour soul. Those that contemplate the woundsof my Face on earth, will one day behold theglory and majesty with which it is surroundedin heaven. I was then on Tha.bor, and likethe apostle St. Peter, I would willingly havecried out :Lord, it is good to be here let;us erect three temples for the three powers ofmy soul, that they may always enjoy this sweetrepose which surpasses all the pleasures ofearth. But our Divine Lord gave me to understand that his true spouse ought to preferthe heat of the combat to the repose of contemplation, that to defend his glory she neednot fear casting herself in the midst of thebattle. I told him that I would combat theenemies of his Church with the instrumentsof his Passion, and I perceived that my designwas agreeable to him.""This is the substance of what passed during this last communication I ;say the substance, because it would be impossible to find aPrivate Use Only

""INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 399literal conveyance for these interior words, stillless to describe what my soul experienced.How unworthy and despicableit is to fix ourheart on creatures ! Eternal Father, I offerthee the most Holy Face of Jesus to appeasethy anger. Look upon his wounds, beholdliis humiliations ! He is the only worthy reparation for our crimes ;He is the glory ofthy Holy Name ! Eternal Father, I offer theethe most Holy Face of Jesus to pay our debts !This is the coin of infinite value stamped withthe effigy of the King of kings."The next revelation is short, and bears thesame impress of simplicity, as do all theothers. With a feeling of piety and veneration which we doubt not will be shared byour readers, we shall transcribe it entire, asit i the last penned by this good sister."For several days,"said she, I have perceived myself preoccupied with the holy infancy of the Word Incarnate. You are aware,reverend mother, that my soul is vowed tothis mystery. Our Lord invites me from timeto time to contemplate the other mysteries ofhis holy life but the stable of Bethlehem;is,so to say, my refuge and my home."Our Lord gave me to understand last Sunday, that many pious souls devoted themselvesto the contemplation of the humiliations endured during his dolorous Passion, but thatfew thought of the annihilations of his HolyInfancy. He desires that I should contemplatethis phase of his life, with the intention ofMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

400,LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.fighting against the spirit of pride, of ambitionand of independence, being armed with thehumiliations, the poverty of his manger, andthe captivity of his swathing bands. I thinkthat the Eternal Father w T ould not be the lesspleased with the Face of the Infant Jesus inthe lowly manger, covered with tears onaccount of our sins, than with the Face ofChrist covered with blood and forsaken uponthe cross; for he is the august victim for oursins both in the manger and on the cross.Therefore, I offer this divine Infant to theEternal Father I ; place him between heavenand earth to appease the anger of the MostHigh. The Holy Grhost directed me anew tocontemplate Jesus reposing in the arms of hisHoly Mother, and toward the end of myprayer, the most Blessed Virgin deigned toappear to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness.She told me that she was the Queenof Carmel, that she would protect its housesduring the days of calamity, and that we shouldhave great confidence in her and in her Divine Son. She also told me that we shouldlabor with zeal to attain the end of our instifor the necessities of thetute, that is to prayChurch, and to offer violence to heaven forthe conversion of sinners. This tender Motherdesired me to say the hymn O Gloriosa Virginum,in honor of her divine maternity, as many timesas we have houses in France, promising methat she would bedew the flowers of Carmelwith her virginal milk, emblem of mercy."Private Use Only

"""Oh"INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY. 401She also told me that the more the armyof G-od would be augmented (here she meantthe defenders of his Holy Name) the more thearmy of Satan would be weakened (theenemies of the Church and of the State.)"reverend mothBehold, as near as possible,er, what has passed in my soul. Seventytwotimes I repeated the hymn indicated byMary, in honor of the years of her blessed life,and I prayed St. Joseph, our good father, andour holy mother St. Theresa to offer them tothe Queen of Carmel for the preservation andperfection of our dear monasteries of France."! Divine Mary, water the flowers ofCarmel with the mysterious milk of grace,that they may be strongly rooted in thisground of benediction and that they maynever be touched by the devil."In recommending the "flowers of Carmelto the "Divine Mary,"the dear sister was inspired with the purest sentiments of gratitudetowards a blessed ground where for nine yearsshe had been favored with numerous graces,and blessed with abundant benedictions.How could the Mother of the Infant Jesusrefuse to grant a prayer so worthy of her maternal heart !More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"CHAPTER XXI.HER VIRTUES.What gives me the greatestat the hour ofconsolation now,my death, is that I have always been obedient."(Words of the Sister.)It maynot be uninterestingto our readersto retrace our steps succinctly, in order to casta rapid glance at the virtues of Sister MarySt. Peter, and at the same time to sketch theoutline .of her religious life, before undertaking the account of her last illness and death."We shall thus cull whatever flowers may haveescaped our notice hitherto, besides thosewhich her good sisters, the Carmelites, havetreasured up in their religious esteem andaffection.Let us not expectto behold those of rare orbrilliant hue, such as may be found among theprecious fw of earth s immortal sons anddaughters. As we have already remarked,nothing could have been more simple thanthe life of this servant of G-od. We have been.assured by her superiors that it would havePrivate Use Only

"HER VIRTUES. 403taken an acute and attentive observer to detect the least sign of the marvels of grace withwhich she was favored by the Holy Grhost.The details we are about to narrate, may seemtrifling and common -place, yet theyare notwithout their due importance, for they willdisclose the hidden beauty of the saintly lifethat we have been admiring. Pious soulsof the cloister, even seculars, will here find aof imitation.subject of edification, well worthyWould that we could cause the rich treasurebequeathed us in Mary of St. Peter to be moreappreciated !"We must first say a word about her physiognomy, that mirror of the soul, the mysteryof which she has so eloquently developed inthe passage on the Holy Face of Our Lord.She calls herself a little Breton," althoughshe was about medium height. Her appearanceat first glance, was far from prepossessingbecause of the irregularity of her features ;her forehead was narrow, her eyes and nosesmall, and her mouth projecting, but thesedefects were amply compensated by a clear,fresh complexion, but more especially bya sweet and calm expression which bespokethe hidden beauty of her soul. Her glancewas modest and cautious her ; grave deportment announced a mind absorbed a"nd concentrated on the one theme, Grod and his glory.Her beautiful, clear voice, was of great assistance in the choir. Skilful and adept, she wasremarkable for her taste in needle-work, andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

404 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.for her assiduity in the performance of all herduties.Her literary education, as we have alreadyremarked, was very incomplete but unknown;to herself she possessed, besides harmony ofstyle and an almost poetic instinct, a great perspicuity in her conception of the sublime andsupernatural operations of which she was attimes obliged to treat. Figures abounded under her pen, and although many might havebeen revealed to her, yet we find them soplentiful, that we must conclude the greaternumber evidently resulted from her own natural ability.The same happened when she explainedthese marvels by word of mouth, yet-she knewhow to make use of them with as much simplicity as modesty. The only desire of herheart was to advance in the science of thesaints, the knowledge of Grod, desiring onlyto know, to love and to serve him.She was endowed with good judgment, anda candid mind easily open to conviction ;herimagination was fully under her control : hernatural inclinations, moderated and guidedby divine grace ; her passions were subduedand almost extinct, giving her slight causeof resistance. Her disposition, particularlyadapted for community life, was naturallysweet, gentle, amiable and gay. She was quickat repartee, but was never betrayed beyond thebounds of justice and charity;firm in heropinion, especially where there was questionPrivate Use Only

HER VIRTUES. 405of duty, yet she never maintained itwith contention or obstinacy.She possessed so much self-control that itrequired a penetrating eyeto detect the firstsallies of nature, for she knew how to restrainher emotions before they were betrayed exteriorly. She was naturally of a loving andsensitive disposition, although not demonstrative, possessed of much tact and perfect discretion. She usually spoke little, and thatlittle on Grod, never on self. She practisedthe most heroic virtues without affectation,avoiding all singularity.Sometimes she seemed concentrated in self,and this from various causes ; first, the influence of Grod who frequently held her captive ;then, perhaps through respector deference forthose with whom she was in conversation.She was at times a little absent-minded butthis might be attributed to her application tothe things of Grod. The virtue of simplicityanimated allher actions, and the rectitude ofher judgment gave her uncommon liberty ofmind, although to behold her, one would havejudged otherwise.She took so much pains to conceal her virtue that a just appreciation of her merit couldonly be acquired after a long and attentiveobservation. Possessing none of those brilliant qualities which naturally inspire esteemand preferment, her beauty was not exterior :Omnis gloria filia regis ab intus. It would bedifficult to state the particular virtue in whichMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

406 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Sister MarySt. Peter excelled. "Withoutenumerating all, we shall mention in preference those which have contributed to makeher a perfect religious and a saintly carmelite.She possessed the virtue of charity in aneminent degree, her tender and solid pietyinspiring her with most ardent and effectivelove for G-od. The glory of the Lord and thesalvation of souls were the only objects of herdesires, the sole end of her prayers and ofall her actions. This zeal for the glory ofGrod animated her during her entire life we;may even say that she was consumed by itfrom the moment, when in 1843, she perceivedby a supernatural vision, that divine wrathwas about to descend on mankind because ofthe heinous crimes committed against the threefirst commandments. Inspired by grace, sheoffered herself to Grod as a victim in order tosatisfy his justice.The eternal loss of immortal souls madesuch a lively impression on her sensitiveheart, that she could not contain her sorrowbut often gave vent to it in torrents of tears.Her heart became dilated in the love of Jesus ;she honored his sacred humanity in all itsmysteries, but those of his birth and of hishidden life possessed inconceivable charmsfor her. Her devotion to the Holy Infancyand to the Holy Family, manifested itself onall occasions. When she was portress, it wasa pleasure for her to open the doors for thecarpenters, who recalled to her mind the laborsPrivate Use Only

"HER VIRTUES. 407of Jesus and of St. Joseph. One day, awaggon, driven by an ass, entered the yard ;approaching this animal, the good sister commenced to caress it in remembrance of theservices rendered to Jesus and Mary by thehumble beast which transported them toEgypt.At Christmas time, she manifested her livelypiety in every conceivable manner with a;radiant countenance she contemplated the Infant Jesus in the manger, taking him in herarms, making illuminations round the crib andsinging pious hymns in her best voice."Sometimes, like David before the ark, shewould commence to dance and rejoice, inviting her companions of the novitiate to joinwith her; at which the Mother Prioress expressed her surprise, telling her to beware oflevity."Oh! no, mother," replied she, "Ido so as an honorable amend to the Infant Jesus for all forbidden dances of lukewarmChristians."Jesus in the Holy Eucharist was the objectof all her affections. In the choir, in presenceof the Blessed Sacrament, her countenance,her entire deportment would lead one to believe that, piercing the eucharistic veils, shereally beheld Jesus on the altar. Did she quitthe sanctuary, she left her heart at his feet ;in whatever part of the house she was employed, she would turn in this direction,transported with joy when she could perceivethe chapel windows. The holy place was herMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

408 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.repose she would willingly have passed;there her entire days and nights if she had a;few spare moments, her steps were immediately directed to the chapel on ; Sundaysand feasts, she made it her dwelling. There,absorbed in God, she seemed a stranger to allthat passed around her.When she spoke of the Holy Eucharist shelaid aside her habitual reserve and yielded tothe vehemence of her love. A hundred timesa day, and perhaps more frequently, she wentin spirit to offer him her homage. She assistedat the most holy sacrifice of the mass withthe utmost reverence and was more than onceobserved to shed torrents of tears ;it was especially at communion that her faith becamemanifest. She prepared herself on the evewith extraordinary fervor, inviting the BlessedVirgin and the holy angels to prepare adwelling place for the celestial Spouse whomshe expected to entertain, but when she possessed him, lost and absorbed, she forgot allelse, to enjoy his divine presence.Her ordinary dwelling-place was in theSacred Heart of Jesus it was from this fur;nace of love that she drew forth so manygraces for herself and for others. It was herplace of refuge in all her troubles, and to theSacred Heart in the most Blessed Sacramentshe had recourse in all her necessities. "Weare aware of her devotion to the most BlessedVirgin before her admission to the religiouslife ;her love for this divine Mother was everPrivate Use Only

HER VIRTUES. 409on the increase, especially since she beheldherself consecrated to her forever as a childof Carmel. In her fervor, she conceived manypions practices in her honor and spoke of herfrequently, endeavoring to enkindle in everyheart the devotion to our Blessed Lady, throughwhose intervention, she had received somanyinnumerable favors. Abundant light was givenher on the prerogatives of the Holy Mother ofGrod. She called St. Joseph her good father.The seraphic St. Theresa was also tenderlyloved by this fervent child of Carmel. "Wemight say as much for her love of her AngelG-uardian. One day, during her novitiate, shewas in the garret sorting clothes for the wash.Itsuddenly recurred to her mind, that at thedeath of her grandfather, whom she veneratedas a saint, she had preserved a lock of his hair,and not remembering what she had donewith it, she became uneasy and begged hergood angel to take care of this precious souvenir which she believed to have left at home.On turning round, she beheld at her side alock of white hair which she immediately recognized as being the missing treasureFor fear of making a mistake, she inquired ofthe sisters if any one could give her any information about the lock of hair she had found,but no one knew anything about it.She had attained a high degree of humility ;even in the world she had been well exercisedin the practice of this, the mother of all virtues.Her soul, nourished with the bread of humil-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""410 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.iations, found in it more delight than worldlings experience in praises and acclamations."We find that her superiors were ever lavish ofthe food for which she constantly hungered, andthis not only to second the designs of G-od and tosecure their fulfilment, but to preserve in hersoul the precious virtues with which she wa&enriched. Sincerely believing herself thelast and least in the community, the most unworthy, the most miserable sinner, she chastised herself for the smallest imperfections.She had arrived at such a degree of perfectionthat self-love and self-seekings found no placein her heart. She ingeniously avowed thatneither the graces with which she was sowonderfully favored, nor all the praises shecould possibly receive, would be able to excitein her the least sentiment of vanity. Thus, thegifts of Grod only served to humble her themore, and to disclose her weakness and unworthiness.Far from being vain of the favors accorded her, she trembled at the remembranceof the account which one day she would beobliged to give.Once, when still a novice, the mother prioress told her during recreation, to sing for theamusement of a newly arrived postulant, thesame hymn she had sung on her arrival :Let us bless the Lord, &c. She sang sosweetly and with so much feeling and piety,that her young companion was charmed. Atthe conclusion the mother prioress said : Well rSister St. Peter, how many vain thoughts havePrivate Use Only

"""HER, VIRTUES. 411you had while singing ?Mother," shereplied, her eyes modestly cast down, If Ihave had any, I chased them all away."Inthis answer she showed her true spirit of humility, avoiding to acknowledge piiblicly that.she had been exempt from all sentiments ofvanity, which would have been only too naturalon such an occasion.Her obedience was most perfect, without*delay or excuse she submitted with the sim;plicity of a child to all that was desired of her,imitating the example of the Infant Jesus atNazareth. She repeated without ceasing, thesewords of the G-ospel: He ivas subject to them,suggesting the same to her companions withso much gentleness, that the influence exercised on those around her, can scarcely beimagined. She made the holy virtue of obedience her food, and daily derived new strengthfrom its practice. Her opinions, her will, herinterior lights, all vanished the moment shewas aware of the intentions of her superiors.She had such a lively spirit of faith that shespoke to them as to Grod himself, receiving asfrom him all their commands and counsels.She used to "say : If my superiors were toorder a postulant or novice to take the direction of my conduct, I would submit to herfor the love of G-od without any difficulty."She blindly obeyed, not only her superiors, butalso the sisters with whom she was employed,regarding them all as her superiors, and makingit a duty to acquiesce in their least wish.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"412 LIFE OF SISTER MAEY ST. PETER.She was like an infant incapable of eitheraction or movement but by the will of thosewho conducted her. The obedience of thisdear sister was so perfect, that she was able,during her last illness to say : "That whichdeath isconsoles me now at the hour of mythat I have ever been obedient."the thoughtHer detachment was that of a true carmelite.She loved in Grod all those linked to herby the ties of kindred, of religion and of gratitude, but no unregulated affection ever foundany place in her heart. Her parents werevery dear to her and she prayedfor themalways, but beholding all things in Grod, sheleft in his hands the care of all that concernedthem, without allowing herself even a thoughton the subject.Her immolation to G-od was entire and without reserve, according to the counsel of thePsalmist :Forget thy people and thy father shouse, and the king will recognize thy beauty.""We find that she never spoke of those whomshe had left in the world, she was even observed to burn some letters before readingthem, for fear lest they might pre-occupy hermind. She was wont to say that one of thegreatest obstacles to religious perfection wasirregular affection for parents ; althoughit was an obligation to pray for them, yet weshould commit them to the care of an all-wiseProvidence, without being pre-occupied withtheir temporal affairs.Her spirit of recollection was so profoundPrivate Use Only

HER VIRTUES. 413that it was sufficient to behold her, to feel one sheart elevated toward God. So absorbed wasshe in Him that even after her profession, shewas ignorant of the particular places occupiedby the sisters in the choir and refectory, andoften listened with surprise to the account ofwhat had passed under her very eyes. Calm,silent and modest, one became aware of herpresence only by the edification of her wholebearing, and by the manner in which she accomplished the smallest actions. To belongentirely to her heavenly Spouse, she abstainedfrom all that could flatter the senses.If, on the one hand, she concealed fromcreatures the virtues she practised, her simplicity and obedience caused her to revealthem at the first question from authority.After each celestial communication, she waspale, trembling and covered with tears, moreespecially when G-od announced the misfortunes which threatened France. Calmly andsilently the tears flowed from her eyes. Sheappeared at these times absorbed in profound contemplation ;this lasted for entirehours at a time, without however deterringher from the performance of her obligations.Sometimes it was noticed that she bore theimpress of great sufferings ; she Deemed to beoccupied with some subject that entirelycaptivated her thoughts.Her union with G-od was almost continual ;she never lost sight of his divine presence,and according to her own expression, her soul,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""How"""414 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.closely united to Jesus, was a happy prisonerat his feet." But this life, to all appearancesso heavenly and sweet, was not exempt fromgreat trials and sufferings, which she borewith heroic fortitude ;the mother prioresswas convinced that these had contributed toshorten her days. Is it then astonishing thather prayers were sometimes miraculouslyheard?How admirable was her love of silence andregularity ! So vigilant and exact was she atall times that she might have been regardedas the living rule of the house ;at the firstsound of the bell, her work fell from herhands;she would not have made one movement which could have retarded her. It wassufficient for her companions to observe herattentively to know, love and practise alltheir duties. This dear sister possessed, inan eminent degree, the spirit of her seraphicmother St. Theresa, being gifted with thatsweet liberty of mind which distinguishes atrue carmelite ;to the interior virtues sheknew admirably how to unite the charms ofperfect charity and even at times the sallies ofwit.One day, a friend of the house, offered somecake ;Sister St. Peter, who was still portress,being extremely fatigued, received the present,and brought itimmediately to the mother:prioress, saying fortunate ! andadding with her usual simplicity: The Assis !hungry The good mother smiled, andPrivate Use Only

HER VIRTUES. 415gave a piece of the cake to the little portresswho ate itgayly, rendering thanks to Grod.During the recreations, she spoke but little,always preferring to listen ;yet she was everlively and amiable, taking part in all thatwas said and done, although obliged to offerextreme violence to herself to interrupt herinterior conversation with Grod. Her companions loved to pass the recreation with her,as they always drew some fruit from her conversation.Her reserve, when there was question ofcharity, was particularly remarkable ;she excused all, palliated the defects of others withas much tact as cordiality. She never refuseda service to others for she figured herself asserving Jesus and Mary in the persons of hersisters. We have noticed how she fulfilledthe office of first and second portress, evendischarging the duties of both for a considerable length of time. She was prudent, discrete and attentive, of easy access, affabletoward all and spreading round her the sweetodor of Jesus Christ. Her devotedness was ofgreat service to the house she; acquired theesteem and affection of all who had any intercourse with her. Although this office wasvery repugnant, yetit did not in the leastinterfere with her habitual recollection, norwith the tranquility of her soul, fruit of herpurity of heart. It was even amidst the mostfatiguing and annoying occupations that sheobtained from Our Lord the greatest graces.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""416 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Her soul, firm as rock through her unionwith our Lord Jesus Christ, was shelteredfrom all those disquietudes which agitate theheart and trouble the mind. She acted withoutprecipitation, how numerous soever her occupations. In general, she was so pleasant andjoyful in the midst of all the self-renunciationwhich she practised, that no one was aware ofthe violence she offered herself. The followingis an example. When the community removedto their new monastery,it was not completed,and the workmen being obliged to go in and outcontinually, gave grand occasion for patienceto our virtuous portress ;but her habitualserenity never deserted her. When her rulepermitted her to speak, she said laughingly,with her natural taste for poetry to thosewhom she :accompaniedNow since obedienceRules our actions,Let us go in diligenceTo conduct our masons.M. Lebroument, whom she called "the courier of the Infant Jesus,"and who in turn calledher his",godmother desired to have a pioussouvenir of our Carmelite after her death. Hewrote to the prioress who replied:Observing, by your letter, that you wishedto possess some little souvenir of your poorgodmother, I thought of an object which shemade under very singular circumstances ;andI was surprised, when without any intimationon my part, she, herself, begged me to keepPrivate Use Only

"""HER VIRTUES.the same object for youI confess you are her;only heir, for it is the sole article she askedme to dispose of. What then is your legacy ?It is a drum, but a drum resembling noneother than in its form, it is fashioned so ingeniously. The followingis its history. Whenthe poor sister fell ill, it happened to be at thevery time that the elections were taking place.I said to her somewhat in fun Since :you areno longer able to pray, you must be our spiritual drum, and when you hear the NationalGruard beating the call to order, you must invitethe angels to our succor. She accepted hernew mission and the next day presented mea little drum on which was drawn the ninechoirs of angels, the Holy Name of G-od, etc.She kept it beside her on her bed to call toour assistance all the heavenly hosts by striking this little drum with her fingers."Worldlings would laugh heartily at thistrait of childish piety, but you, sir, who arenot of the world, you, as I, will no doubt,behold in it the admirable simplicity of a soultransformed in the science of the manger andin the virtue of obedience. This drum is, therefore, destined for you. It will be a pleasingtoy, I think, for your little Charles we also;inclose some other little souvenirs for MadameLebroument."M. Lebroument, a man not of this world,far from giving this precious drum to hislittle boy, had it richly enshrined under aglass case, desiring that this object which he14More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"418 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.regarded as a relic,should never pass from hisfamily.To these details, which we have taken from,the private annals of the monastery, we shalladd the testimony of one of the religious."Tospeak of Sister Mary of St. Peter," saidshe, render homage to her "to virtue, is both aduty and a happiness. She entered religionseveral years after I did. At the time, althoughprofessed, I was still in the novitiate, whichgave me an opportunity of observing her closely,and consequently of admiring her greatly."Wealready perceived her to be a soul fully formedto all virtues ;those which I particularlyremarked were her humility, her recollection,and her obedience. She received the trials andthe humiliations to which she was subjectedwith, as much joy as gratitude, so much so,that we were all edified ;far from ever excusing herself, on the contrary, she was alwaysaccusing herself, ever seeking new occasion ofhumiliation."She was so recollected that she did notbehold what was passing before her very eyes.Until her profession, I had no other relationship with her than that of the novitiate ;butsoon after, I perceived her special devotion tothe holy Infancy of Jesus, toward which I alsoexperienced a great attraction ;this bound usclosely to each other, and gave me an occasionof becoming better acquainted with this beautiful soul. Her piety was so meek and lovingthat I was enchanted with her."Private Use Only

""HER VIRTUES. 419Our practices of devotion were always directed to honor the mystery of the Holy Infancy. The holy child Jesus was the subject<of our conversations., With what tendernessshe spoke of him ! How well she knew howto imitate the virtues of this Divine Child!For her rule of conduct, she had taken thesewords, He ivas subject to them, I am confidentthat she practised them with the greatest perfection."The office of portress, to which she was appointed a few years after her profession, gaveher a wide scope for the exercise of virtue ;Iwas a witness of her promptitude to obedienceand her perfect self-abnegation. At our removal, her occupations were redoubled, andalthough over-burdened, yet she never for aninstant lost her habitual recollection. She wasvery diligent, and edified all by her remarkablezeal and charity. Being at the time treasurer,I was often in embarassment to settle the bills,but when she perceived me depressed, or impatient, she would quietly repeat these words :And he was submissive to them, adding,Come, let us submit ourselves to the will of*the Holy Infant, we are his little servants.She had to bear sufferings and trials from allsides ;but she was ever meek, patient, andmurmur orresigned, and was never heard toto repine. Our dear sister was a great edification to me in all the corporal infirmities shehad to support. She was taken illnearly ayear before her death. I was then, infirma-More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

420 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.rian, I cannot describe the consolation I experienced when beside this pious invalid. Shenever refused any remedy how disgusting orbitter itmight be, content with all that wasdone for her, she seemed to forget her sufferings to be occupied solely with G-od. To sucha degree did she carry her spirit of submission,that she would not have taken one step outside the infirmary without my permission. Herrecollection seemed to be continual ;in a word,I seemed to behold an angel rather than a sufmortal. I was inconsolable when I ceased,feringto take care of her."This picture will be completed hyremark :one morethere was a conviction, almost amounting to a certainty among the Carmelites, thatthis pure soul had preserved intact her baptismal innocence ;she lived in the world asnot belonging to it, and from the moment ofher arrival in religion, she was never seencommit a single voluntary fault. This is theunanimous testimony of the entire community.Private Use Only

CHAPTER XXII.HER LASTILLNESS AND DEATH."I wish for nothing but my crucifix ;it ismy treasure, my strength, myconsolation."(flora s of the Sister.}Ill narrating an account of the last illness anddeath of Sister Mary St. Peter, we shall simplyreproduce the account written by order of thevenerable prioress of the Carmelites, MotherMary of the Incarnation. This faithful testimony of the sanctity of our holy religious, willbe received with respect by the pious reader,which will warrant its insertion in these pages."Our dear sister foresaw her approachingdissolution ;in several of her letters she plainlystated that Our Lord had made known to herthe time of her death;although not aware ofthe precise moment, yet she spoke of it as athing near at hand. However, she enjoyedvery good health, and we observed no indications that her career was to be so short. Shewas frequently subject to head-aches, and wenoticed that she suffered particularly on Fridays. From the moment she made an entireMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"422 LIFE OF SISTER MAKY ST. PETER.abandonment of herself to Grod for the accomplishment of his designs, she gradually pinedaway. The fire of divine love and her zeal forthe salvation of souls slowly consumed her ;the responsibility of the work which she boreas she said, with incredible pain, contributedstill more to immolate the victim but; verylittle of all this was apparent, as Sister St. Peter,ever exact and fervent, continued to fulfil theduties prescribed by the rule. In the summerof 1847, to the great joy of our dear sister, thework of reparation was canonically established.Discharged of the burden which renderedher existence so painful, her soul was inundated with delight ; happiness beamed from hereyes, her health seemed to improve, she evenbecame sufficiently strong to observe the fastof the ensuing lent but at the ;very momentwhen the Church celebrated the Passion ofOur Lord, a long martyrdom began for thisdear sister, whose life so full of merit, wasfast drawing to a close. On the 30th of March,Jesus announced that she was nearing the goal.From this moment she thought only of heaven ;she loved to converse on this subject; burningwords escaped her lips proving the ardorwhich consumed her.""The events which had just taken place inFrance^ had excited her to new zeal, and theappearance of the evils which she had announced and which now threatened her coun-* Revolution called, days of February.Private Use Only

""HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 423try, induced her to the performance of a mostheroic act of charity. On Good Friday, at threeo clock, she prostrated herself on the groundto adore Jesus Christ expiring. At that veryinstant she perceived that the enormous weightof divine anger was about to fall heavily uponmankind;immediately renewing her act ofperfect abandonment, she offered herself as avictim to ward off the dreadful blows of divinejustice."Our Lord seemed to have been waiting forthis last generous act, before immolating hiscourageous victim a cruel ;malady immediatelydeclared itself, which reduced her to the lastextremity. We hastened to lavish the mostassiduous care on our dear sister ;the doctorwas called and pronounced the disease mortal.Our dear invalid herself suspected the gravityof her condition, therefore, we could warn herof the imminent danger without fear ;therewas only one thing capable of causing herregret The sorrow of leaving you, and of:quitting this dear community forever ;but Ishall pray for you in heaven. I must sacrificemylife for the Work Grod has confided tome.Before leaving her cell for the last time,she begged a sister to go before the BlessedSacrament (not being able to do so herself) toask the blessing of Our Lord that she mightworthily all that it would please himto ordain. Arriving at the infirmary, shecast a glance around the apartment whichMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""When424 LIFE OF SISTEE MARY ST. PETER.seemed to *sayI shall never go :here. And in truth, this spot was to be thforth fromlast stage of her virtues and her sufferings.One of the sisters desired to bring some littleobjects of piety from her cell in order that shemight continue to enjoy them, but she refused:sayingIt is now that all must be sacrified."However, we had some faint hope the;desire of prolonging so holy a life urged us touse every means within the power of scienceto preserve it. The resources of art were unavailing in her case, so we had recourse to theBlessed Yirgin. Our dear sister on hearing ofthis, in her humility, said : I am of so littleuse and my health is so poor, why do youpray for my recovery ? I will never get better. As she was suffering much corporallysome one said to her :Beg Our Lord to relieve you somewhat. No, she replied, asregards sacrifice and sufferings I have neverasked anything in particular from Grod, neitherhave I ever refused anything.she took to bed never more to rise,she was deeply penetrated with the judgmentof G-od. Forgetful of the favors by which shehad been overwhelmed, she thought only ofher sins and of imploring pardon for them.This sentiment of humility in a soul of suchpurity is easily explained, if we considerthe light she had received on her ownShe was frequently beheld sheddingmisery.tears. On being asked the cause, she replied:Private Use Only

"Her""HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 425Mother, when I think of the judgment ofGod, i cannot but weep for my sins.disease was hasty consumption, butother complaints added to the intensity of hersuffering s, and made the most frightful ravages. A burning and continual fever devouredher ;her throat was ulcerated, and her tongueand mouth as if pierced with thorns, (we mustrecollect that Our Lord had told her she mustsuffer for blasphemers)."The nights flew byone after the otherwithout bringing her the slightest repose ;every position on her bed of agony becamea new source of torture ;she was thereforeobliged to keep the same posture for a lengthof time together, consequently large woundswere formed in her body, and her sufferingswere almost incredible."During the two months and a half thather illness lasted, she took no food, a liquidsubstance in small quantities, was all that shecould retain. Twice a day she took a littlemilk which she offered to the Blessed Yirginbefore drinking; this never caused her anypain. She became quite emaciated, her facealone retaining its natural hue her skin shriv;elled up as though she had passed throughfire. The frightful state to which she was nowreduced, seemed to indicate a speedy end. Herpatience was ever unflinching, her union withG-od uninterrupted, and her spirit of sacrificeas entire, as unreserved as ever. In the midstof her suffering, her docility, innocence andMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""""426 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.childlike simplicity appeared in every movement.To encourage her in these sentiments, wespoke to her of the Child Jesus and of all thegraces she had received through the mysteriesof his childhood. To which, she said : OurLord was then instructing me in the scienceof the Cross. Alas ! our poor sister had untilnow, but tasted of the bitter chalice which shewas to quaff even to the dregs. She wasanimated by the most tender confidence inG-od and an ardent desire for heaven at the;thought of her death, she was overcome withjoy. My hour has come ! she repeated, soonmy chains will be broken. When shall I beholdthee, celestial abode !When, my Grod, shallI see thee face to face ?If any one spoke to her of heaven, herwhole figure became animated : heaven !my home, my eternal dwelling-place thou!art the only object of my desires Ah ! ! whenshall I take my flight from this dreary earth !"These, and other beautiful passages from thecanticles, she frequently repeated. On beholding her one would have thought that a ray ofbeatitude had already penetrated her soul. Herbrow was serenely tranquil, and a pleasantsmile played about her lips, which onlyopened to murmur the name of Grod. Longwould we stand observing her, before sheraised her eyes, so absorbed was she in profound recollection."Atthe beginning of June, she was so muchPrivate Use Only

"On"HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 427worse that she, herself, asked for the last sacraments the ;danger was imminent and allhaste was made to comply with her request.She received the Holy Viaticum and theExtreme Unction with the greatest piety, andasked pardon of the community in the mosttouching manner. After the last rites hadbeen administered, several sisters remainedpraying beside the bed : her countenance wasradiant : she seemed to be in a sort of ecstasy,we could not behold without being penetratedwith devotion, and moved even to tears. Aftersome minutes had elapsed, we approached thebed and asked if she were not sleeping: Oh !no, she replied, I am entertaining myselfwith Our Lord. Are you then, very happy?Oh !yes, mother, I desire nothing more. I nowpossess my All !Friday, the 16th of June, she passedthrough a terrible crisis the community as:sembled in the infirmary to recite the prayersof the agonizing. The dear, sick sister, whowas in full possession of her faculties, unitedwith us by fervent aspirations, but she suffered most cruelly. Suddenly, she passedinto a supernatural state, the effects of whichwere very evident. When our sisters pronounced these words : Maria mater gratia, matermisericordia, she spontaneously raised her handsto heaven, as would a child perceiving itsmother. She remained a long time in thisposture, although, a few minutes before, herarms were so stiff and powerless that weMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"428 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETEE.could not succed in making her form thesign of the cross. Then, at two different timesshe extended her arms in the form of a cross,to die as a victim, and when a sister tried toprevent her, she exclaimed : Oh ! Let meremain thus, it is a dutyI must fulfil.She took alternately her crucifix and a littlestatue of the Infant Jesus, which she neverlet out of her sight, and covered them withkisses, pressing them to her heart. Thenholding up the Infant Jesus as high as possible, she solemnly but quietly pronouncedthese words: Eternal Father, I once moreoffer thee this adorable Infant, thy Divine Son,in expiation of my sins and those of all mankind, for the needs of our holy mother theChurch, for France, for the Reparation. Amiable Jesus, I remit this work into thy hands,for it I have lived, for it shall I die ! Thenshe placed the little statue on her head, say:ing Divine Infant, cover my guilty life withthe merits of thy precious blood : renewmysoul in innocence and grace clothe me with;thyrobe of purity, thy spirit of humility. Oh !come with me when I shall depart this life ;come, my Jesus, come, tarry no longer ! Mary,my tender Mother, come to claim my soul !She pronounced these and other ejaculationswith so much love, that it were vain attemptingto convey an adequate idea to the reader ; theywere like sparks of fire escaping from a furnace.She begged pardon of G-od for all her sins,then of the community, shedding torrents ofPrivate Use Only

":HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 429tears, thanking the sisters for all the care theyhad lavished upon her and :adding Oh !sisters, how happy, to die a Carmelite !my"Thenadressingus: Adieu, mother, said she,give me your blessing. I shall soon appearbefore Glod. I am so happy to die in yourarms. She testified her gratitude for the carewe had taken of her soul ;after which shesaid : The hour has arrived. Jesus, come !Shortly after, crossing her arms on her breast,she said : Father into thy hands, I commendmy spirit. She remained for some momentsrecollected, and then returned to her ordinarystate. During this touching scene, it wasevident that something extraordinary waspassing in her soul.""During her illness, Sister St. Peter receivedthe Blessed Sacrament as often our holy rulespermitted. She longed for this favor, finding inthe Eucharist all her strength, all her consolation. According to her custom, she preparedfor its reception from the eve, and as she wasdeprived of sleep, passed the entire night inamorous colloquies. Several of the sisters whowatched by her bedside during the night, assured us that that they have never passed thetime more profitably. Once, our pious sisterwas unable to contain her joy when it wasto comannounced to her that she was goingmunicate the next morning."To-morrow morning, my divine Spouse,full of tenderness, will come to strengthen my"weakness ! andfrom time to time she added :More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""430 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.*My well-beloved appears not yet:night, toolong, wilt thou last forever ! She then took thestatue of the Infant Jesus, and while embracing it, begged pardon for her faults, conjuringhim to purify the heart of his little servant ;then, as if offering him to the Eternal Father,she held it up high, and remained one full hourin this fatiguing position without making theleast movement."Another time, we hesitated in having theHoly Communion brought her for fear thather conscience might not be well at ease, forshe had passed a most miserable night andseemed much depressed: but Sister St. Peterhad not forgotten the promise made her. Inthe morning, from the moment she perceivedme, she said :Mother, I am waiting for myGrod : when will He come? Oh! how Ilongfor him ! How much need I have of Him !We were obliged to yield to her entreaties andhad the holy communion broughther."One day, after receiving the Holy Eucharist, a sister remarked an expression of sanctityon her face which struck her forcibly. Shecould not look at her for any length time because of the rays of glory which she beheldon her countenance. Our dear, sick sisterviaticum on the feastreceived anew, the holyof the most Holy Trinity, patronal feastof the arch-confraternity of Reparation. Shehad a great desire to die on that day, butJesus decided otherwise. Some time after, Iwent to the infirmary to see her. Mother/Private Use Only

""HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 431-said she, I shall remain a little longer onearth, for my soul is not yet purified ;butduring this time, I shall suffer most cruelly,for Our Lord has attached me to the cross, andI shall remain there until my last sigh. Griveme no more care, no more consolation, I mustnow suffer ;I desire to think of nothing buteternity."I wish to remain alone with Grod, for I canscarcely speak any more ; they think I sleep,but I am occupied solely with him. Soonshall I contemplate his adorable Face, soon Ishall be singing his praises for an entire eternity. Oh ! how fervently I shall then pray forthe Church, for France, for the !Reparation. . .But, said I to her, have you no fear of having*been in illusion, or have you no disquietudefor having followed your own ideas rather thanthose of Grod ? No, not at all, she replied ina grave and solemn manner. I might havebeen deceived, as I have always said, but Ican certify now, as I am soon to appear beforeGrod, that I have never acted of myself in thismatter. It has cost me dearly, but I have nevertaken one step but in obedience to the will ofGTod!In all that I have written by order of mysuperiors, I have always spoken in the sincerity of my soul. By the grace of Grod, I havenothing to reproach myself on this subject, andI am perfectly tranquil. Have you any hopefor the future of France ? I have the greatestconfidence ;the wicked will not succeed inMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""432 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.their evil designs, peace will be restored ;itis for this purpose that reparation has beenestablished. My course is run, as Our Lord hasdeclared to me, for the "Work of Reparation isestablished. It was for this Work that Godplaced me in the world, it is this "Work whichwill save France.G-od ! how good thou art ! How boundless is !thy mercy He wills not that his littleservant be separated from him after her death,and he purifies her entirely before admittingher to his presence. Never, never could I havebelieved that he would have given me thisgrace, if I had not heard it from his own lips.The holiness of G-od is so great that IthoughtI would have remained in purgatory until theend of the world. But now I must suffer, Imust fulfil the designs of Grod. Oh ! how trueit is that his justice has means of satisfyingitself far beyond the reach of our poor comprehension In ! . . . effect, this generous soulsoon entered on a new path of suffering."No, she used to say, nothing now butsuffering, let Grod act as he will. If anythingwere suggested, she would say: I shall takeit if given me, but I shall not ask for anything.Yet she yielded more through love for obedience, than to the necessities of nature, following the common path, taking whatever wasprescribed her. But henceforth, we could giveher no remedy or relief for her ills, on the contrary all that was prescribed seemed to add toher sufferings. Not a single complaint everPrivate Use Only

""HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 433passed her lips. Sometimes the excess of her sufferings would cause her to break out into plaintive sighs of resignation, as for instance My:Grod ! how I suffer ! ! have pity on me, aidme, abandon not thylittle servant. Thouknowest, Lord, I am thy victim, but Ibeg of thee to forget me not. How admirableare thy ways, O Grod ! Let us adore his holywill ! How long the time is ! How ardently Isigh for my well-beloved My sweet Jesus!art thou not going to let me die !Come, LordJesus, come, and tarry not !During her worsthours of agony, she said in a tone and mannerimpossible to portray How terrible is the:severity of divine justice My Grod thou art! !so rigorous What agonyI endure ! ! ! Oh !mydivine Spouse how bitter to me art thou whohast always been so sweet and !lovingIn order to sustain and encourage her during these moments of desolation, we recalledto her mind that she had offered herself toGrod for the accomplishment of his designs.Yes, she replied, and I do not repent of it ;desire all that thou dost desire, andmy Grod, Iif it were necessary, I would be willing tosuffer even to the end of the world. Beingasked where she suffered the most : In allparts of my body, I am undergoing a universal:martyrdom my bed is a purgatory where Iburn ! the fire consumes me, every instant seemsa century.I do not ask of Grod to abridgeor alleviatemy sufferings, but I call upon the hour of myMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""434 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.Oh! My sweet Jesus, when shalldeliverance.I be united to thee forever ! She also loved torepeat I die a daughter of the Church, and:of Carmel. During the most violent pains sheused to say in a suppliant tone which drewforth tears from those around : I implore youto demand patience for me, I can no longersuffer, speak to me of heaven, speak of Grod."She would seize her crucifix and kiss it unceasingly. I desire nothing but my crucifix, itismy treasure, my strength and my consolation ;I keep my eyes continually fixed uponhim, for he encourages me to suffer ;yes, myLord is crucified and I arn crucified withhim.She often asked us to offer her sufferingsin union w r ith those of Jesus, and when onceshe was desired to apply them for a particular11 do not know if I can, forintention, she said :I am entirely consecrated to the Reparation, Iam a victim, but, obedience will decide thequestion."In the meantime, the innocent soul, overwhom Satan seemed to be unable to gain anypower, was suddenly assailed bypowers of darkness ;it was necessary that herentire being should be offered as a holocaust,and that she should undergo all kinds of temptation. She said, It is but a part of my penance. During the last days of her life she wasa victim to all the malice of the devil, sheall thebelieved that there was one of these infernalspirits continually at her side, urging her toPrivate Use Only

""HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH. 436murmur and impatience, uttering blasphemiesin her ear, even suggesting thoughts of despair.She seemed to be extremely uneasy and wouldnot remain alone for an instant ;she hadrecourse to the Blessed Virgin but soon the;enemy redoubled all his fury against her.Oh ! exclaimed she, how I suffer !My G-od,I can resist no longer, have pity on me. Asa last resource she prayed to the holy InfantJesus, the tender object of her devotion, andshe placed on her neck the Little Grospelof the circumcision. The virtue of be HolyName of Jesus dispelled all the illusions of theenemy; the devouring fever, the terrible temptations all ceased at that instant, and shebecame most wonderfullycalm.""Toward the end of her illness she washonored by the visit of Mgr. Morlot : thevenerable archbishop was anxious to comeand see her to give her his benediction for thelast time a ; great consolation which the dearsister fully appreciated! She was also assistedby our ecclesiastical superior, and was mostearnest in testifying her joy and gratitude forthis privilege. A benefactress of the house,who as such, was privileged to enter thecloister, begged the mother superior one day toallow her to receive a last blessing from SisterMary St. Peter. This favor could not be grantedas the mere mention of it would have frightened the humility of our pious invalid. Howreached theever, she was admitted and soonsick bed. Sister Mary St. Peter was apparentlyMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"The436 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.sleeping, but she was in reality profoundlyabsorbed in Grod. After having regarded herfor some time without wishing to disturb her,the pious benefactress prepared to withdraw,when suddenly, the sister seized the littlestatue of the Infant Jesus, and without a word,made the sign of the cross over the venerablelady, thus giving the blessing which had beenvainly implored. The lady, beholding the spontaneous act, was deeplytouched."pure soul of our languishing victimhad recovered its peace and tranquillity, yether body was a continual prey to excruciatingsufferings which became more and more poignant as the time of her dissolution approached. On Friday, July 7th, her deathagony began, but she was in full possessionof all her mental faculties to the last. As itwas thought she would not survive the night,we recited the prayers and recommendationsfor the dying. This last night was passed byour dear sister in the most acute sufferings ;she frequently called for holy water, and keptunited to Grod by fervent aspirations. I remained at her side, for she seemed to feel greatconsolation when I was present, she even imHowplored me with tears not to leave her.ever, at dawn I withdrew for a few moments.During my absence, she wished to changeher position, and needed help ; (for many daysshe had been unable to make any movement)she was told I had recommended she shouldnot be moved, but that if her sufferings werePrivate Use Only

"comes,HER LAST ILLNESS AND DEATH.43^7too intense, they would presume my permission and try to change her posture. But she"Would not consent. No, no, said she, wemust obey to the last.She responded to all the prayers wesuggested, kissing her crucifix continually,pressing it to her heart repeating He is all:mine, and I am all his. What happiness!Ireturned to the bedside of Sister St. Peter and.she exclaimed :Mother, when ? I repliedWhen :the .Spouse is it not ? Sheand I conanswered by an affirmative sign,tinued :Soon, my child, in a very few moments. She appeared satisfied and composed.Recollecting that Our Lord had promised inone of her communications to re-establish inher soul the image of Grod at the hour of herdeath, she begged to renew her baptismal vows,and as a symbol of the grace which she desiredto receive, asked for some holy water, andmade the sign of the cross on her head saying:Child, I baptize thee in the name of the Father,and of the Son and of the Holy Grhost. Thenjoining her hands, she added : I renounce Satanwith all his works and pomps. I desire toto Jesus Christ forever. A few mobelongments before this, she seemed to undergo apainful combat, but after this little ceremony,her countenance beamed with peace and happiness one;would have said that she wasa child just after being baptized, or anangel about to wing its flight to the realmsabove. From this moment till her last sigh,More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

438 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.she never ceased praying ;the sweat of deathcovered her face, her body was already coldand stiff, yet her livid lips kept repeating :Jesus, Mary, Joseph. Come, Lord Jesus. SitNomen Domini benedictum ! These were thelast words we were able to distinguish, themovement of her lips continued, but in anunintelligible manner. Soon she heard nothing more, her eyes closed, and as if in a lastresemblance to her Divine Master, she uttereda cry and calmly expired, in the presence ofthe whole community."Private Use Only

""CHAPTEE XXIII.HER BURIALHER WORK.She will protect your house,the diocese and France."(Words ofMgr. Morlot.)Sr. Mary St. Peter died on Saturday, dayconsecrated to Mary, the 8th of July, nearmid-day : our dear sister had often begged ofthe Blessed Yirgin to present her soul to G-od,and we see that her request was granted. Fromthe moment the servant of Grod breathed forthher last sigh, the conviction of her beatitudefilled all hearts ;each felt more like prayingto her than for her ;each recalled her virtues,and loudly proclaimed that she was a saint."We must remember they were still ignorantof the rare favors and celestial communicationswhich the Lord had bestowed on her. In thecommunity she became the object of generalveneration ;the ambition of each was to havea particle of some thing belonging to her ; theytouched her with objects of piety: nor couldthey be separated from her precious remains.Her countenance bore a peaceful and happyexpression her; limbs, which during her illnessMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"440 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.were stiff from the excess of emaciation and suffering,becameflexible immediately after death.""There was one sister who did not share inthe general opinion of the sanctity of SisterMary St. Peter. She had never beheld hercommit any fault, it is true, but her life sosimple and ordinary, did not seem to her tomerit so much praise. Annoyedat the difference of opinion existing between herselfand the other religious, about a month beforethe death of the sister, she had earnestly addressed to Grod the following prayer:"MyGod, if Sr. Mary St. Peter be as holy as theysay, make it known to me, I beseech thee bygiving me some relief (this sister was ill) sothat I can join in the community exercises.""She was heard, and was able to followthe rule minutely, to the great surprise of all ;yet she was not convinced by this first proof.But at the death of the sister, she had a dreamwhich gave her subject for reflection. Itseemed to her as if she were with the othernuns, round the bed of the dying sister, whoexpired before her eyes. She saw her immediately resuscitated under the figure of a mostbeautiful child, who descending from the bedwent to embrace each of the sisters except herself, and disappeared out of sightforever."The day following at communion, she feltentirely changed. The life of her pious companion appeared in all its holiness, and shewas filled with regret for not having recognized the sanctity of her companion."Private Use Only

""HER BURIAL HER WORK. 441During the time our dear sister was laid outin the choir, a great number of seculars cameto pay their last respects to the dear departed.Many exclaimed : How like an angel! Oh !may she pray for us ! A considerable number of people attended her funeral."It was remarked during the solemn requiem service which lasted nearly an hour and ahalf, that the large candles placed at the cornersof the coffin, burned without being consumed.They remained burning brightly, althoughthere was such a strong draft in the chapel thatthe candles held by the sisters were quite wasted away. This was proved by a fifth candlewhich had not been used because it was shorter than the other four : the same differencewas found to exist between them when measured after the ceremony.""Heaven also gave signs in favor of thehumble carmelite ;several had recourse to herintercession and have assured us that they experienced in an extraordinary manner the effectsof her power with Grod. When the news of herdeath was spread abroad, the people came fromto ask for little souvenirs of the dearall partsdeparted *"It was noticed that little particlesof herclothing, exhaled a delicious fragrance whichdid not resemble any known perfume, it was*We were careful, when acceding to this pious desire, to remark that these things ought to be looked upon simply as souvenirs,and not as objects worthy of the veneration due to the relies of thesaints recognized as such by the Church. (Note to the CarmeliteCircular.)More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""442 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.a celestial odor penetrating even to the soul,,exciting the love of Grod and virtue."Both seculars and religious have attestedthe fact : one in particular assured us, that onopening a box which for some time had contained little pieces of her habit, a deliciousperfume was noticed, like the fragrance of abeautiful bouquet of flowers. A lady of Ingouville,in the diocese of Rouen, was taken illwith a violent fever, for which the doctorscould prescribe no remedy a piece of Sister;St. Peter s veil was forwarded her. Scarcelyhad it been applied than she felt an interiorprocess being performed within her whichlasted four hours. The dreaded crisis, the firstsymptoms of which had already been announced, was averted ;she passed a quietnight, and the next day was proclamed out ofdanger."To this pious narrative, literally transcribedfrom the carmelite annals, we shall add whatwehave gleaned from authentic documents. Mgr.Morlot, who as we have said, came to give hisblessing to the dying sister, having received information of her departure from this life, wrotein the following terms to the mother prioress:It is with the most lively sympathyI readof the death of this good sister, but we mustrejoice with her rather than weep over her.Let us hope that she will continue in heavenwhat she has so well begun on earth. She willprotect your house, the diocese and France !...Of this I am convinced ; to-morrow, I shallPrivate Use Only

"HER BURIAL HER WORK. 443offer for her and for your community the augustsacrifice of the mass."When thecircular, composed according tothe custom, after the death of Sister St. Peter,was forwarded to the prelate, he wrote : Ihave read the notice of the death of Sr. M. St.Peter with the deepest interest, and I doubtnot of the good impression it will produce inall the houses of your Order. I am confident,that this chosen soul, now in the possessionof eternal glory, will efficaciously plead ourcause before the Lord, after having prayedon this earth with so much faith, and practised here below the beautiful virtues whichof Christ."distinguish the true spousesSuch were the personal sentiments of thearchbishop of Tours and they were shared byall those who had any relationship with thepious carmelite ;but there was no one moreimpressed than M. Dupont. To him the day ofsuch a saintly death was a day of joy, the beginning of glory for the humble virgin, andfor her work of predilection. He had assistedwith a radiant countenance at her funeral obsequies, and as if in trumphaiit procession followed her mortal remains to the cemetery ofSaint*Jean des Corps, a place already hallowed in his eyes, as six months previous hehad deposited the last remains of his only anddearly beloved daughter, Henrietta.When hehThe old Cemetery, thus named from the bloody defeat sustained by the Normans in the ninth century, at the aspect of therelics of St. Martin.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"444 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.received the obituary notice from Carmel, heread it with transports of admiration. SitNomen Domini benedictum \ He wrote themother prioress: "I believe we are nearingthe realization of the wishes of the venerable sister, apostle of the Work of Reparation.It is impossible that the circular will not produce a great effect in the hearts of Christians whowill use all their efforts to demand grace andmercy. May G-od be blessed, and may his HolyName be forever glorified! M. Dupont desiredthat a number of copies be sent to hisfriends.From this time, one of his pious practices,was to go frequently to pray over the tombof this venerable sister, and keep it in perfect order. He directed his steps alternatelyto the tomb of his daughter and to that of thecarmelite, recommending to her all his affairs.Those who came from afar to confide to himtheir difficulties, he frequently sent to thecemetery of St. John to pray. On his way,thence one day, he said to a priest who accompanied him : "This is one of my secrets :that I address myself to this saintly soul whenI desire to receive any particular grace fromGrod." Under the impression thus given, thegrave of the carmelite received many visits.In order to perpetuate this kind of pilgrimage, and to testify his veneration for thememory of the deceased, he determined to buya more suitable burial-place. He took the necessary steps and bought in his name and at hisPrivate Use Only

""HEE BURIAL HER WORK. 445own expense, thirty lots, the deed of whichhe presented to the community on the 27th ofSeptember, 1854.But,"said he, God will yet do more to glorify his faithful servant. For a reason onlyknown to Him, the remains must be removedto Carmel." It was not long before this piousdesire was fulfilled. Three years later, immediately after the great inundation of the Loirfe in1856, the cemetery was transferred withoutthe city limits and M. Dupont took advantage of the circumstance to have the remainsof Sister St. Peter exhumed and restored to hermonastery. On the 13th of November, 1857, theanniversary of the day the sister had enteredreligion, he accompanied the inspector beforesunrise to open the tomb. A walnut coffinlined with zinc had been prepared. M. Dupont,with the utmost care and religious respect collected, and placed in it the hallowed remains,even the smallest particles of dust ;and to thegreat joy of the mother prioress and all thereligious, he obtained permission from competent authority to have the precious remainsdeposited in the interior of the monastery.They still repose in the chapter room, whichis at the right of the chapel on entering. Aslab near the holy water font bears this simpleinscription :HERE REPOSESSISTER MARY ST. PETER OF THE HOLY FAMILY,PROFESSED OF THIS MONASTERY,\VIIO DIED ON THE 8TH JULY, 1848,AGED 31 YEARS AND 9 MONTHS.CONCEAL HER, LORD IN THE SECRET OF THY FACE."More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

"""446 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.M. Dupont, who often came to hear mass inthe carmelite chapel, never entered withoutpausing a few moments at the spot, abovewhich the tomb of the revered sister had beendeposited, and in his simple faith, holding converse for an instant with the dear departed.A more intimate and fruitful union was stillto draw these two souls more closely together.In the designs of Grod, M. Dupout s missionwas to develop the work, revealed to Sister St.Peter as the means of salvation for France;the Work of Eeparation for blasphemy and forthe profanation of the Sunday, by the worshipof the Holy Face. More than any other, thepious layman had received more knowledgeof the wonderful favors granted to the virgin ofCarmel.He was already admirably prepared by thepiety of his life, to devote himself to Eeparation."What struck him most forcibly in therevelations of the sister, was the means, indicated by Our Lord to his servant, of repairing theoutrages committed against his adorable person ;namely, the devotion to his Holy Face. Completely enraptured with this idea, he labored topropagate this devotion without any premeditated object, solely for the glory of Grod and thesalvation of souls, wishing to be, as he said,the voice of the revelations of Sister MarySt. Peter. A circumstance, very simple in itself,soon gave a decisive character to his pious enthusiasm.Lent was drawing to a close. The motherPrivate Use Only

""HER BURIAL HER DEATH 44*7prioress, who was perfectly aware of M. Duponts opinion with regard to the devotion of theHoly Face, offered him a present of two picturesof the Holy Face, copies of Veronica s veil whichis preserved in the Vatican. These the prioresshad received from the Benedictines of Arras,with whom she had corresponded for severalyears on the subject of the "Work of Reparation.These holy pictures came from Rome and weresoon copied and spread among the faithful bythe zeal of the religious of Arras, who, from thetime of their establishment in 1816, had a livelydevotion to the Holy Face, inspired them bythe writings of St. Grertrude ;these religioustook a marked interest in the revelations ofthe carmelite of Tours. They possessed a certainnumber of pictures with the authentication. Atthe request of Mother Maryof the Incarnationthey sent her several copies, two of which shegave to M. Dupont, who framed one andhung itin his parlor. It was before this venerable image that he passed the last twenty-fiveyears of his life, thus becoming the apostle ofReparation. The most extraordinary cures,conversions miraculously brought about, peaceand harmony restored to families, in fact, sonumerous were the wonders performed throughthe prayers of this saintly man before theHoly Face that his house soon became thefavorite resort of pilgrims from far and near.M. Dupont looked upon these miraculousgraces as so many manifestations of the willof G-od ;this explains why he attached soMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""The"448 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.much importance to the certificates broughthim, which he preserved with the greatestcare, as a faithful guardian, in order to placethem in the hands of the ecclesiastical authority, when inquiries would be made relativeto the mission of Sister Mary St. Peter.Verily," says M. Dupont, ifthe communications of Sister St. Peter were acknowblow would beledged as revelations, what agiven to the infernal spirits!"prodigies, operated by the oil of thelamp burning before the Holy Face, will naturally draw the attention of the authoritiesof the Church to this subject, and she will becalled upon to give a decision relative to thewritings of the pious carmelite. "We find amongher revelations, the most consoling promisesmade to those devoted to the Holy Face. Sheproclaims in every letter that the Holy Faceought to be the external object of Reparation.What is the conclusion ?Every day we arehere witnesses of the remarkable cures whichhave taken place under our very eyes, curesso extraordinary that if we sought to establishthe facts they could be called .miraculous.Every day at least two or three are operatedhere before the Holy Face, after the application of the oil ;without mentioning the wonders wrought by the application of the oildemanded by the sick, too ill to be broughthither. These facts authorize us to believethat there is here a clear manifestation of thewill of Our Lord, to procure our salvation byPrivate Use Only

""HEE BURIAL HER WORK. 449the work which he himself, demanded fromSister Mary St. Peter."His joy was extreme when, on his deathbed, he learned that the archbishop of Tours,Mgr. Colet, had at last broken the seals, andthat the examination of her precious writings,so long condemned to secrecy, was confidedto the learned Benedictines of Salamanca, theworthy sons of his illustrious friend DomGrueranger. On hearing this news, his countenance became illuminated, he raised hiseyes to heaven and exclaimed : Nunc dimittisservum tuum, Domine.A weight seemed to have been raised fromhis heart ;shortly before he expired, on the18th of March, I8t6, turning his eyes towardthe cloister of the carmelites, where thanksto his zeal and devotediiess reposed the bodyof Sister Mary St. Peter, he exclaimed "How:brilliant is Carmel ! It glitters with rubies andemeralds.";He made no mention of the Holy Facein his will, saying to those around his bedside : Grod will provide for it." His confidencewas not unfounded. Grod had placed on thearchi episcopal throne of St. Martin, a mostworthy prelate, who, at the firstglance hadrecognized the providential mission of ourcarmelite, interpreted and followed up by M.Dupont. An archiepiscopal decree transformedthe private oratory of the holy man of Toursinto a public chapel. The venerable prelate himself presided at the ceremony of consecration, onMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com 15

"""450 LIFE OF SISTER MAKY ST. PETER.the 27th of June, feast of the Prince of theApostles, and patron of "this fervent religiouswho," said he, had inspired the Work ofReparation and the touching devotion, whichfor so many years, has been practised in thisAt the same time he established theholy spot."confraternity in Reparation forBlasphemyand the Profanation of the Sunday, affiliatedto that of St. Dizier ;but taking advantageof the clause giving full liberty to the directorto modify the minor rules, he gaveit adistinctive character, making it in realitya confraternity of the Holy Face properlyspeaking, which was, as we have seen, theprimitive object of Sister St. Peter. Finally,this most worthy successor of St. Martinfounded a society of regulars, under the title of"Priests of the Holy Face to attend to thenew chapel and look after all the necessitiesof the pilgrimage which had commenced evenduring the lifetime of M. Dupont.They live in community in the house ofM. Dupont, binding themselves to follow inhis steps under his protection, and to devotethemselves to all the reparatory works of theepoch. Thus the work of the pious Carmeliteand that of the Holy man of Tours," has beencanonically recognized and consolidated.The diocese of St. Martin thus recovered theglory of which it had been accidentally deprived, it re-entered into the right which belonged originally to it, that of being considered the hearth on which the sacred fire ofPrivate Use Only

""HER BURIAL HER WORK. 451Reparation was first enkindled. From thattime, the work, under the auspices and in thevery dwelling of M. Dupont, has received amarvelous development, and is to-day spreadingin other lands. The oratory of the Holy Facehas become in a few years the centre of prayersandtoward which turn all heartsexpiation,"from the different points of France, and we maysay, from the entire Church.The pious invocations composed by SisterMary St. Peter, and improperly called Litaniesof the Holy Face, have been authorized by anumber of bishops Pius IX. himself, without;giving them a liturgical approbation, hasblessed and enriched them with an indulgence ;they are at present translated into English,Spanish, Italian, and G-erman, to satisfy themany demands of the faithful. Confraternitiesof the Holy Face, similar to the one foundedat Tours by Mgr. Colet, are established inmany cities, notably at Versailles, Reims, Laval,Perpignan; and St. Brieuc. We even beholditpassing over to other lands, to Belgium, Holland and even to America.From all sides the people demand the HolyFace" this faithful copy of the veil of Veronica,identical to that venerated by M. Dupont. Itwould be impossible to calculate the numberof these sacred effigies, exposed for pious veneration in thousands of places, and nearlyalways having a lamp burning before them.They are to be found in private houses, in oratories, in asylums and in communities, in publicMore Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

""452 LIFE OF SISTER MARY ST. PETER.the Holy Face venerated in the hospitalchapels, in parishes and in cathedrals. Even inthe time of M. Dupont there were pictures ofof Vincennes,at the Visitation, of Paray-le-Monial,and at the Benedictines of Arras.In onr day, Notre-Dame de Paris, the cathedralof Pcrpignan, the Basilica of Lourdes and theprovisory chapel of the Sacred Heart at Montmartrealso contain a copy of this picture.The Priests of the Holy Face," undertake tohave them expedited from Rome, in order tofacilitate their propagation, or rather the propagation goes on of itself, so natural, so necessarydoes this idea of Reparation seem to the faithful.This Reparation is urgent, every Catholicheart feels its necessity pious souls greet it;with transports of joy. Now. if it be true thatFrance, Grod s privileged nation, the EldestDaughter of the Church, if it be true thatamong all peoples she is the most guilty, she istherefore the most deserving of punishment,for Much shall be required of him to whommuch has been given."If it be true that heremore than elsewhere, the profanation of theSunday is the acknowledged evil, that blasphemy is uiiblushiiigly tolerated, and that boththe one and the other engender more crime,produce more ruin and ravage society more thanany other evil, is it not then just that we shouldlook up to generous Christians (whose numberis infinite in our dear France) for the accomplishment and for the propagation of a work soPrivate Use Only

"HER BURIAL HER WORK. 453repeatedly besought by Sister Mary St. Peter inthe Name of the Lord ? And since the cradle ofthe Work has been providentially placed in thevery heart of the country, in this city of Tours,which has the happy privilege of possessingthe tomb of the great protector of the nation,together with the house in which the piousdevotee of the Holy Face died in the odorof sanctity, what more natural, what morejust than to make it the centre of our affections,of our prayers, of our hopes ? What morepatriotic, what more Catholic than to unitetogether to re-establish and to repair, even aswe behold impiety, aye infidelity itself, rallyits votaries to ravage, to destroy. *The work revealed to this noble religious,is, as she has remarked, a crying necessityand a pledge of Let us then have butmercy."one heart and one soul in uniting to appeasedivine justice, and we shall experience the effects of His mercy, which shall be the moregracious and abundant as our reparation shallhave been more prompt and fervent.FINIS.More Free Items at www.catholickingdom.com

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