Life of St John Vianney.pdf - the Catholic Kingdom!

""""""THE CURE OF AR&.Mother, forgive said the me,"child, throwing himselfinto her arms ;I did not mean to grieve you. I willnever go there any more."Another time, a neighbour, who was not particularlydevout, said to his father, I think yourlittle fellow takesme for the devil ;he does nothing but make the sign ofthe cross when I am present."His mother, fearing that, young as he was, he mightbe already beginning to affectsingularity and to wish toattract notice, remonstrated with him upon the subject.He listened with great docility, and replied: I did notknow our neighbour was looking at me ;but ought notwe to make the sign of the cross at the beginning and endof our prayers ?When the neighbours saw the extraordinary devotionand recollection with which the child assisted at Massthey would say to his parents, You must make yourlittle son a priest."But the time was at hand when thatmost intense desire of the mother s heart seemed destinedto bitter disappointment. The revolution, which sweptaway throne and altar, barred the way to the sanctuary.A day came when the little church of Dardilly openeditsdoors no more for holy Mass ;the bell no longer calledthe faithful to prayer every indication of Christian feel;ing was forbidden under the name of liberty. Jean Mariewas then only in his eighth year; but the seed had beensown too deeply in his heart to be scattered by the coldblast of infidelity which swept over his unhappy country ;the more deeply hidden, the more strongly was it rooted.As he beheld all the things which he loved and reveredfall around him, he gathered them up and stored them inhis heart.He was no longer to kneel beside his motherat the altar of God, and, like St. Mary Magdalene of