Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 5.1-3

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 5. The fifth sign of love: Having a tender and fervent love for her dear Son

 1   Consider all the flowers of Springtime, all the harvests gathered in Summer’s heat, all the fruits collected in the cool of Autumn and all the beautiful frosts in Winter : even when taken together, these cannot compare with the motives the adorable Jesus gives our hearts for loving Him. His excellence deserves the loving response of our hearts, His gracious descent to the level of His creatures gains their attention, the help He provides wins them over, His gentleness enraptures them, His love keeps them safe and, after all this, respect for the Mother of love causes them to take wings and soar to meet Him whom her soul cherishes. 

 2   His excellence deserves this since, consider what is Jesus other than the honour of earth and of heaven, the glory of Paradise, the cause of rejoicing for the pure Spirits, the Head of the Church, the first-born of the Elect, the terror of Demons and the great Conqueror of the universe? What else is He than the King of Majesty, the Judge of the living and the dead, the Sovereign Pontiff, the unique Mediator between God and men, the Lord whose name is Admirable, the Prince of Peace, the Angel of Great Counsel[1] and the Father of the world to come? The God-man awaited by the ages, whom the prophets foretold, whom the Angels announced, whom men received, whom the demons feared, whom all creatures have blessed? A God so united to man that He lost nothing of what He was; a man so united to God as to be elevated in a way beyond the power of words to describe. A God brought down into the midst of earthly things but without dishonour; a man raised up unto the throne of God but without prejudice to his dependence. A God humanized, without admixture of substance; a man divinized without confusion of nature. In short, a God-man of whom the nations are His inheritance, whose domain includes all the ends of the earth; and whose appanage includes all the perfections of nature, grace and glory. The holy Intelligences might put this in a better way but they would not say anything more excellent.    

Footnotes

[1]  Isaiah ix. 6. Septuagint. 

 3   If on account of His excellence Jesus merits all the love of our hearts, what will be the effect of the wonderful condescension that He showed towards us by uniting Himself to our human nature? 

It was then, says the pious St Bernard[1], that the precious unction of His divinity was poured liberally into the womb of the glorious Virgin, from whence its fragrance spread to the four corners of the earth, drawing the hearts of men to follow Him and to love Him.

As for the Blessed Spirits, writes the same Saint[2], they experience sufficient joy on high from the pleasing odour of this heavenly perfume even when enclosed in the bosom of the Eternal Father. 

Even before it was spread on earth, the Angels had penetrated into the bottomless depths of God’s incomprehensible judgments, being frequently employed in their implementation. The Archangels knew the secrets of uncreated Wisdom, of which they were the interpreters. The Virtues were sufficiently assured of the power of His Majesty concerning the alteration and overturning of the order of created nature, since He so frequently made use of them in this connection. The Powers provided peremptory proof of the Creator’s omnipotence. The Principalities had unquestionable evidence of His sovereignty over the Empires and the Nations of the earth. The Dominations had perceived and brought to fruition His caring and loving Providence in a thousand ways. The Thrones were in a position to judge the infinite Greatness of Him who was enthroned over them. The Cherubim were so perspicacious that they could penetrate the treasures of knowledge and truth hidden in the Word of the Eternal Father. The Seraphim understood that if they were on fire with love, this was only as a result of the fiery rays of His infinite charity. In short, all these glorious Spirits had powerful reasons for plunging themselves into love of the divine Word whom they contemplated face to face, without any veiling. Men, however, were not so spiritual, and they needed a sign or feature more tailored to their human nature before they could feel invited to offer Him their love. This was the miracle which God made known upon the earth when He gave us Jesus, the lover and the love of our hearts, more captivating than anything imaginable. After such an extreme act of condescension and such a close friendship as the one by which He willed to bind Himself to us, then he who does not love the Lord Jesus deserves to be struck by all the anathemas in the world and all the lightning bolts of Heaven, according to the words of St Paul[3].   

Footnotes

[1] Serm. 15 in Cant.

[2] Serm. 19.

[3] If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 4.1-2

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 4. The fourth sign of love: Having a deep affection for her sacred Heart 

 1   The Great Archbishop of Toledo[1] encourages us to go further, calling upon our hearts to love her as much as they can since our tongues and our minds are too weak for the praise which is her due. I can think of nothing more worthy of being added to what has been said so far than the beautiful and pleasing lesson that Our Lord Himself gave to St Mechtilde. He revealed to her the treasures of gentleness and grace hidden in two of the holiest hearts that have ever been and that can with good reason be called the two living sources of every grace and blessing. At the same time, He gave her advice on how to have recourse to them. 

The first is the fervent heart of Jesus Christ our King, the peerless Prince of love, which she learned to love and acclaim in a number of ways granting her a share in His most gentle colloquies. She profited so greatly from this practice that she said one day (in that straightforward manner which is common amongst holy souls) that if the graces she had received were all written down there would be enough to fill a sizeable volume.

The second is the heart of the Mother of love, the key to which she was granted along with the power to enter any time she wanted. She had been seeking a way of pleasing the Holy Virgin during Advent when the Spouse of beautiful souls appeared to her and taught her the most excellent way of showing love that a heart could conceive. Here is what He said to her: 

“Thou wilt hail the most sacred heart of my Mother with all its abundance of graces communicated to her from on high. Thou wilt hail her heart as the purest there hath ever been after mine own, for she was the first to raise the standard of virginity in the way she did. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most humble, for it was her humility that drew me down to earth from the bosom of my eternal Father. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most ardent, for never was there one like it in love for God and for neighbour. Thou wilt hail her heart for its unsurpassed devotion, since her sighs and tears have led to the salvation of men. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most comely in its wisdom, for she has taken to heart all she has learned from the actions of my childhood, my youth and my maturity. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most patient in suffering, for it was pierced with a thousand swords of sorrow during my most bitter passion. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most faithful, since she indeed was courageous enough to offer my life for the redemption of the world. Thou wilt hail her heart as the most caring, since the care she took of my newborn Church cannot be sufficiently valued or appreciated. Thou wilt hail her heart for soaring to the highest contemplation, since words cannot describe the favours she hath obtained for men through the power of her prayer. 

Footnotes

[1] S. Ildefonsus, Serm. 1.

 2   Who could have dreamt of finding this rich vein from which to mine true heavenly gold, so as to become rich in every sort of grace! The Royal Prophet spoke one day words of incredible sweetness. Whilst thinking about the countless favours that God had granted him, including those that He was making ready for the future, he was so touched in his heart that his overflowing affection suggested to him a completely new way of speaking : O Lord of hosts . . . thy servant hath found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee[1]. 

After encountering these loving, gentle words, this is how I thought to address my own soul: Shall we never find the heart to love a heart so lovable as that of the MOTHER OF GOD? Will ours always be lost among the choking thorns of worries about riches, among the debauching lures of sensual pleasure and the hollow delusions of vanity? Will it be forever tossed around on the ebbing and flowing of worldly preoccupations? Will it always be floundering in the cares and anxieties of this life? Will it continually be straying so far from itself and from true peace that it cannot be put back on course? How long will it let itself be distracted by these frivolities and these baubles for little children?  

Holy Mother of love, deep affection for thy heart would be my most devout wish, but how to come near thy heart without first being drawn by it? Prithee break asunder the ties which hold me fast; free me from myself and from all that prevents me coming to thee; for I wish to belong to thee and devote myself to thee, after God – with a firm trust that thou wilt give me the means. 

Footnotes

[1] Because thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying: I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee. 2 Kings (2 Samuel): vii. 27

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.9-11

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 9    A third fruit of this same sentiment is the desire to thank God on her behalf for all the favours He has granted her and for this purpose to make use of the voices of every creature, especially the Blessed Spirits. St Paul, great Master of Heavenly Wisdom, understood this perfectly when he asked for prayers on all sides from his spiritual children, that for this gift obtained for us, by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many in our behalf[1]. But just as the gifts obtained by the Holy Virgin are incomparably greater, so too she feels a great sense of obligation to those who join with her in blessing the infinite goodness of God. These prayers form the fragrant, heavenly smoke rising from the censers of the Saints in the Apocalypse of St John[2], bringing joy to the celestial inhabitants who see how the Prince they serve is so greatly honoured.

   

Footnotes

[1] 2 Cor. i. 11.

[2] And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel. Apoc. viii. 3-4.

 10   The final fruit is to share in her sorrows, since love would not be love if it did not recognise its interest in that of the person beloved; if it did not, in other words, share in the afflictions just as much as in the joys experienced by the beloved.   

The Queen of Heaven complained to St Bridget[1] about how few people there were who loved her with a really sincere love. One of the proofs she gave was the small number who felt in their hearts for her sufferings and who were touched to the quick when contemplating the memory of her terrible Martyrdom. 

Now if anyone wishes to understand the satisfaction derived by the Saviour of the world and His gentle Mother from seeing our heart softened with a holy compassion for the suffering they endured for us, it seems to me that nothing can demonstrate this better than what is written in the 6th book of the Revelations of St Bridget[2]. 

One day this Blessed widow was shedding copious tears whilst praying for a sick man who enjoyed worldly status but who was very backward when it came to the things of God. Her charitable prayers before the door of her merciful Redeemer were so successful that he instructed St Bridget to send her own Confessor to visit the poor man. The priest went not once but twice and found him still stubborn in his determination to die just as he was. She asked the Priest on behalf of God to return for a third time and remonstrate with him, telling him that Jesus Christ was ready to save him if only he would seek forgiveness.  

A wondrous thing then took place! The words of the Priest softened the man’s heart and immediately his eyes were transformed into two springs shedding tears of contrition. In a voice punctuated by sobbing, he admitted that he had never been to confession; that he had grown old in the service of the devil who had appeared to him on many occasions and to whom he had surrendered himself body and soul; and that up until this point in his life he had ceased to care about this and he had given up all hope of salvation. That same day, he accused himself on four separate occasions of the sins he had committed throughout his life and the following day he received the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, with movements of the heart that he had never experienced before. At the end of six days, filled now with courage and confidence, he departed this life for a better one. Shortly after this, the Saviour revealed to St Bridget that he had been led to Purgatory – not only as a result of the grace of contrition freely given – but especially on account of the compassion he had displayed each and every time he contemplated the sword of sorrow that pierced the heart of His Mother.  

Footnotes

[1] Lib. II Revel., c. 24.

[2] Chap. 97.

 11   Now if sentiments so weak as these and tainted by so many imperfections can be pleasing to the Saviour, what will be the case with those which spring from hearts which have been purified and which have received Heavenly favour?

 

Blessed Margaret of Cortona was a member of the third order of St Francis and was known as the Penitent. She asked Our Lord to allow her to share in the pains His Holy Mother experienced when she was at the foot of the Cross. The Saviour instructed her to go to the Church of St Francis where, at about 9:00 o’clock in the morning, she was so overcome by the violent feelings experienced by the Mother on account of the pain suffered by her Son that she was on the point of collapse and people ran over to help her. At the third hour, when the Saviour bowed His head and gave up the ghost, she too bowed her head and remained quite motionless until nightfall. As a result of the love she had displayed, she obtained remarkable graces from Our Lord, proving how true it is that Heaven is just as pleased when we find a place in our hearts to share the sufferings of the Mother as when contemplating those of her Son.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.6-8

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 6    A further fruit of this same sentiment is the pleasure that comes from meditating on her perfections and rejoicing at her great privileges and dignities. This is a second secret that the Blessed Saint Bridget learned from the Holy Virgin when she revealed to her how the practice had proved of value to her son Charles, who had recently died[1].  

When this young man was on his deathbed he was never abandoned by the MOTHER OF GOD who remained faithfully at his bedside, keeping his mind focussed and preventing human distractions from leading him astray from God’s good pleasure[2]. She also mitigated the sufferings afflicting him in his extremity, lest these bodily trials might cause his mind to wander and forget his duty. She supplied him with all the necessary assistance during this dangerous journey and as soon as the soul had left his body she took charge and accompanied him to the Judge so that she might present his case before the dread Tribunal. The old accuser of our brethren[3] made sure to follow her and he raised the grievances he had against the Holy Virgin in the following manner: 

“Most fair and equitable Judge, I know that with your Mother leading for the other side against me I am dealing with a formidable adversary, I nevertheless have such trust in your Justice that I am confident you would not deny it to your enemy, even if this were to mean going against your own Mother. The plaint I make before you is that she hath wronged me in two matters. Firstly, in that she utterly prevented me from having access to this soul during his final struggles, refusing me permission to tempt him in accordance with the general licence I have received from you to that effect. Secondly, despite my entitlement as a judicial officer of your Court to bring souls before you, she usurped my office in this case by bringing this soul in her own arms to present him to Your Majesty. For these two wrongs, most equitable judge, I seek satisfaction from you.”

The Saviour lookede towards His Mother and waited for her response. She immediately spoke in the following terms  

“Most reverend and righteous Son : even though Satan is the father of lies, I cannot dispute what he hath said ; but if I might speak to Thy clemency, I would aver that I was obliged to do what I did. This young man hath shown such a desire to honour me and to share my joy in the favours that I have received from Thee that he would prefer the joy he findeth in their contemplation to all the pleasures in the world; indeed he hath on several occasions offered to suffer everlasting punishment rather than contemplate the least reduction of my glory. Let Thou be the judge, my Son, as to whether I could do any less than offer him my help in this his our of need.” 

The Judge was satisfied with this response and drew the issue to a close in a few words: 

“All power is given to my Mother in this kingdom, and she doth not share the same status as others since she commandeth here as Queen. As Mother and Sovereign Lady she can for good reason, as in the case here, dispense with my laws. For he who hath rendered her so much honour deserves in justice to receive special help from her. Accordingly, the charges against her are dismissed.”

On hearing these words, the Mother made a low bow towards her Son and she then led Charles to Heaven. Satan was left raging in shame and confusion, thinking how to avenge himself for the loss of his prey which he had been on the point of carrying off on his horns.   

Footnotes

[1] Lib. VII Revelat., c. 13.

[2] Cf. That he might make known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure [beneplacitum], which he hath purposed in him. Ephesians i. 9.

[3] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night. Apoc. xii. 10.

 7   The story of Charles shows the benefits of a good education for there can be no doubt that this pious young man had learned this lesson from his dear mother who used to practise it herself with great care, as can be seen in Book II of her Revelations[1].

There we read how one day, lying prostrate before the glorious Virgin and transported in spiritual rapture, she addressed her as follows : 

“Eternal praise be to thee, O Mary, Mother of Jesus! And may this same Son of Mary be praised eternally for enabling me to share in the joy and happiness that thou didst feel at being His Mother most venerable. May I take for my witness Him who knoweth all the secrets of our hearts as I declare that I truly love Mary, daughter of Joachim incomparably more than the children of Ulpho and Bridget – namely my own children; and that I would prefer if Bridget, daughter of Birger, had never seen the light of day rather than for Mary, daughter of Joachim, never to have been what she became; in short, I declare that it would easier to be in the depths of hell itself rather than to learn that Mary, daughter of Joachim, was not the MOTHER OF GOD and the Queen of the universe.

The response of the Glorious Virgin to this loving declaration deserves to be given here. 

“My dearest daughter,” she said to her, “thou canst be quite certain that this Mary, daughter of Joachim, whom thou dost cherish so much, will be worth a thousand times more to Bridget daughter of Birger, than Bridget will be to herself; and that the same Mary will be a million times better as Mother to the children of Ulpho and Bridget than Bridget herself –even though she is a good mother.”

Footnotes

[1] Revel. Extravag., c. 43.

 8   Since we are on the subject of celebrating with the Holy Virgin the joys she experienced, I cannot omit to mention the unforgettable piety of the ancient people of Ephesus and the extraordinary devotion they showed towards the glorious Virgin. In 431 A.D., a general council was convoked in the city of Ephesus on the authority of Celestine I, then occupying the Chair of St Peter. St Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, presided over this noble assembly of some three hundred Bishops in his capacity as Papal Legate. The Council had been summoned mainly to consider the terrible case of Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, and the execrable blasphemies that he had been spreading against the Saviour and His Mother, whom he went so far as to mock in her title of MOTHER OF GOD. Providentially, the battle was to be waged in the Church of the most sacred Virgin whose honour was to be impugned by a sacrilegious heretic and courageously defended by the Fathers of Christian Piety. It was in the course of this clash that the heartfelt zeal of the devout people of Ephesus was clearly demonstrated as they sprang to defend the rights and privileges of the Queen of Heaven.

As soon as it was heard that the Prelates had started to gather, an incredible number of people – of both sexes, of all ages and all ranks and conditions – assembled before the doors of the Church, as though serving as a guard of honour for those who were to be defenders of the Virgin and a source of dread to her enemies. All were eager to learn as soon as possible what the outcome of this honourable gathering would be. The questions being discussed were of such moment that they occupied the venerable Fathers from the morning all the way to the evening. But the people awaiting the outcome of this conference showed themselves no less constant by remaining in place, displaying their zealous defence of the Virgin’s privileges. Those who had hastened to the Church on hearing of the disputation stayed there from the break of day until night fell and the doors of the church started to open, when everyone tried to push forward and be the first to learn what had been decided. At that point, St Cyril appeared in his capacity as Legate, as though at the head of the army of the Living God, bringing great joy to these good people concerning what the Council had determined. He declared that the triumphant Queen of Heaven and earth had been safeguarded in her rights and privileges, and especially in her glorious title of MOTHER OF GOD. He went on to state that the man who had launched this attack upon her had himself been stripped of every ecclesiastical dignity and had been exiled to a desert. 

At this point I can feel my hand starting to tremble and my pen is unable to describe the feelings of the people or their stirring cries and public acclamations.

The people of Ephesus, whilst they were labouring in the darkness of paganism, had shown themselves exceedingly devoted to their goddess Diana; but now in the clear light of day brought by Christianity, they displayed such affection towards the Holy Mother of God, Empress of the world, that it is impossible for me to provide a fitting account. For several days together, all you could see and hear were:

    • acts of thanksgiving and praise offered to the Saviour of the world for having upheld the case of His holy Mother; 

    • rejoicing and congratulations offered to the Blessed Virgin for having been confirmed in possession of her titles, especially that of MOTHER OF GOD; and 

    • prayers and blessings for the holy Prelates who had been so courageous in their public defence of the Church.

 

Amongst these displays, however, nothing was more revealing of grace than the honour that people showed to these same Prelates who were escorted by great crowds of torch-bearers back to their homes, demonstrating the sheer joy produced by the successful outcome of the Council. For some time, all that could be seen throughout the city of Ephesus were signs of rejoicing, fireworks in the public squares, happy throngs of people in the streets, and lanterns shining from the windows of houses. All that could be heard everywhere were chants of : Long live the Great, the Wondrous, the All-powerful MOTHER OF GOD! 

The account that I have just given was written from Ephesus by the same St Cyril to his dear Church in Alexandria, as may still be seen to this day in the 34th Epistle of St Cyril and in the Acts of the Council of Ephesus. In this way the glorious Virgin, honoured with the palms and laurels of victory, was triumphant on earth as in Heaven; whereas the wretched Nestorius, her enemy, made ready to go and end his days in the putrid Oasis[1], where he would see flesh falling from his body and notably the rotting of his sacrilegious tongue which had been the instrument of the many blasphemies he had uttered against the Saviour and His most holy Mother.

Footnotes

[1] Believed to be the Great Oasis of Hibis in Thebaid, Egypt.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.4-5

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 4    Blessed Herman was a member of the Order of St Dominic who died in the year 1245[1]. He was one of those whom Iwo (Bishop of Kraków), presented to Saint Dominic and who was later sent by the same Saint into Poland along with St Hyacinth his companion and nephew of the aforementioned Bishop. Herman experienced feelings of great tenderness each and every time he shared the Holy Virgin’s joys in his own heart.

He would bless the womb of the glorious Virgin, wherein all the greatness of Heaven had been compassed for the space of nine months. He would bless her heart most amiable, which had been a Sanctuary for all the principal mysteries of our faith. He would bless her chaste breasts which had given suck to the Father of nourishment for all. He would bless her holy hands which had so often wrapped in swaddling clothes Him who had crafted the universe. He would bless her sacred arms which had so frequently cradled Him who held the whole earth with His three fingers[2]. He would bless her holy bosom whereon He who offers rest for the Blessed had himself taken His repose. He would bless the heavenly mouth which had experienced the joy of kisses from the holy lips of the divine Word.

On pronouncing these blessings, sweet tears would well up in his eyes as he remembered the joys his dear Mother had experienced in these things. Next he would consider the interior state of the Virgin and the holiness that she had shown forth in these same mysteries. He would bless her unparalleled faith, her wondrous trust, her fervent charity, her deep humility, her immaculate purity, her incredible modesty, her superhuman strength and all her other virtues which he likened to a paradise of delights that the Holy Trinity had chosen for his spiritual delectation.

Every time he congratulated her with a blessing , he would add an Ave Maria and then conclude with the following words: Jesu suavissime, dignare me meam et tuam Matrem super omnes speciosam ore laudare, corde admirari, et imitatione subsequi, meaning : Most gentle Jesus, grant me the grace of praising with my lips, cherishing in my heart and imitating in my actions her who is Thy holy Mother and mine, the glory of all women.

It would not be possible to list all the favours the Holy Virgin granted him and the graces she obtained for him as a result of his heartfelt love and his deep sentiments of devotion.  

Through her prevenient graces he obtained so many consolations that he was scarcely able to manage them. One day he asked her to withdraw her kindly favours and replace them with an understanding of the mysteries hidden in Sacred Scriptures; he also asked her to  transform his heavy and stammering tongue so that he might be enabled to preach in a fitting manner on her great attributes and those of her beloved Son. She showed such generosity in the way she responded to these two requests that it would be far from easy to present all the fruits of the devout and eloquent sermons he started to give not only in Poland but in Germany, his place of birth.  

Footnotes

[1] Leander Albertus, in ejus Vita.

[2] Who hath poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth: Isaiah xl. 12.

 5   But why should we marvel that she would give a favourable welcome to the tender feelings of  souls as beautiful as these since she has so generously rewarded others who, in a certain sense, should not even enter into consideration?

Nearly twenty-two years ago she appeared to a Lutheran heretic called Martin Guttric, a native of Colmberg in Germany. Having foretold that she was to lead him to Heaven on Christmas Eve, she instructed him to reconcile himself with the Catholic Church and make himself ready for his journey by receiving the Holy Sacrament.  His immediate response was to summon Fr Frederic Fournier who was at that time preaching in Bamberg Cathedral and ask for his help in carrying out what the Virgin had requested of him. Fr Fournier was quite taken aback by the request and wanted to know what could have made the MOTHER OF GOD render him such an exceptional favour as this. He found out that Martin used to recite the Ave Maria seven times every morning, adding the following words each time : Pray for us. He would repeat this prayer every evening, saying that his aim was simply to remind the Queen of Angels of the feelings of honour and happiness she had experienced at the Incarnation of the divine Word.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 3.1-3

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 3. The third sign of love: rejoicing in her perfections and feeling her sorrows

 1    St Anselm attributed a wonderful blessing to the heartfelt love of the MOTHER OF GOD, saying that[1]: 

Anyone who has tasted the sweetness of this affection may assuredly hope to have a share in the merits of the Holy Virgin.

This is a blessing or privilege which in my judgement belongs to this third sign more than the others because it takes account of her joys and her sorrows.

Footnotes

[1] De Excellentia Virg., c. 4.

 2   The feeling is like a good tree producing good fruits, the first of which is to remind the Holy Virgin of the satisfaction she derived through the fulfilment of the mysteries of our salvation, recalling the great things God worked in her. This is a secret she shared one day with Saint Mechtilde[1]. When this holy woman said she wanted to offer something pleasing to her, the Mother of gentleness replied : 

“My dear daughter, help me to remember the joy my heart felt when the Son of God emerged from the heart of His Eternal Father, like a Spouse coming from His nuptial couch to enter my womb. Help me to remember also the joy that filled me when this same Spouse, being delivered from my chaste womb, became my Son, a source of sweetness and joy.”

Footnotes

[1] In ejus Vita.

 3   The Glorious Martyr St Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, had a practice of greeting the Holy Virgin seven times daily with the Ave Maria – as though sharing in the seven joys that she experienced while she was still here on earth, namely : the way her heart burst into flower as a result of the Annunciation, the Visitation of her cousin Elizabeth, The Nativity of the Divine Word, the Adoration of the Magi, the Finding of her Son, His glorious Resurrection and His triumphant Ascension. The Holy Virgin, desirous of showing her faithful servant the pleasure she derived from this devotion of his, appeared to him one day and said to him: 

“Thomas, my dear son, I have been wanting to come and tell thee that thy services are pleasing to me and how touched I have been by the way thou wouldst share in my joys. But why is it thou speakest only of the joys I experienced whilst I was living on earth? Dost thou not reckon those I currently experience in Heaven are incomparably greater? Anyone who doth remember these with honour will be sure to receive favours at the hour of his death, for I shall bring such a one the joy of consolation and escort him personally before my Son’s tribunal.”

St Thomas replied that he would willingly perform this duty since she was pleased to accept it, but that since he had insufficient knowledge of the joys that were hers in Heaven, it was not within his power to share them with her. The Holy Virgin replied:

“In order that thou mayest not suffer from ignorance of these joys, thou art to pray in the following manner:

‘I rejoice, most Holy Lady, that beneath the most Holy Trinity there is no simple creature which thou dost not surpass in glory. I rejoice that the garland of thine immaculate virginity surpasses that of all Orders, whether of Angels or of men. I rejoice that the glorious splendours radiating from thy heavenly face light up Holy Sion no more nor less than as a beautiful sun. I rejoice that all the citizens of Heaven recognise and honour thee as the most worthy MOTHER OF GOD. I rejoice at the power thou hast over all the wishes of thy beloved Son, who never turns thee away. I rejoice at the way thou art able to advance all thy faithful servants. I rejoice that thy glory increaseth and will continue to grow throughout the ages; and that the honour thou dost receive in the City of the Blessed will endure throughout eternity.’” 

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.

Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 4 : § 2.4-7

Chapter 4 : Love – a third feature of the gratitude we owe the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 2. The second sign of love: frequent interactions with her and always remembering her 

 4   Who would be able to describe the ardent feelings in the heart of the Jesuit Alphonsus Rodriguez when, transported with love for the most sacred Virgin, he said to her:

“My dear Mother, I love thee more than thou dost love me;” 

and the Mother of love replied to him :  

“My dear Alphonsus, thou art mistaken, for no one apart from my Son hath ever surpassed me in love. The love in thy heart is but a tiny spark compared to the furnace of love I have in my heart.”

What confidence on the one side and what generosity on the other! What confidence within his filial heart, erupting in cascades of love! What generosity within ther maternal heart which does not find such liberty of expression presumptuous! What gentleness and tenderness in these loving colloquies! Does this not bear out the observation made by St John Damascene[1], that :

he who makes his memory and his understanding a display case, or rather an oratory devoted to the glorious Virgin, enjoys indescribable peace and perfect contentment without intermission? 

What else was this good and faithful servant of the Virgin doing when (without mentioning the usual ways he would remember her as his dear Mother) he never failed to greet her each hour of the day with an Ave Maria and a Salve Regina, so that she would remember to ask her most dear Son to pray for him? All those who know what communication can offer will have to admit there are subtle things which can be truly savoured but not actually explained in words; and there may be associated benefits which deserve to be sought out with every possible care. If friendship may be likened to a paintbrush which can portray on our hearts the vices or the virtues of our friends, as well as their other feelings – then how will those who are devoted to the sacred Virgin not fail to gain from the interactions they have with her since she leaves on their souls the brushstrokes of her most excellent virtues and of her most divine qualities? 

Footnotes

[1] Orat. 1 Damasc. de B. Virg.

 5   A special word of mention is due to the saintly John Berchmans, one of the Angels in the Society of Jesus, since out of the many virtues which adorned his crown like so many precious gemstones, it was the tenderness of his affection for the most sacred Virgin and the way he kept her continually in mind that stand out above the others[1].

He was quite happy for people to know that he professed a singular devotion towards her not because he wanted to demonstrate his piety but so that he would be able to speak more freely about it in his various encounters with people. The evening before his death, he said to one of his brethren that the principal and most powerful means he had found for obtaining protection for himself had been his love and devotion towards the Holy Virgin whom he normally addressed in a manner full of trust and confidence as his good Mother. Here is an example of how he would speak (as recorded in his memoirs): 

“Dearest Mistress and Governess of my progress in virtue, in my health and in my studies ; sweet Virgin Mary, thou art truly my good Mother!”

In his personal conversation he would always seek an opportunity to speak about her and her eminent virtues. In the Roman College there was a small Chapel dedicated to Our Lady which he would visit so frequently that it recalls the story about St Bernardine and a similar image on one of the gates of the city of Siena, as I explained elsewhere[2]. Please listen now to the way he expressed his feelings of affection when talking of this glorious Princess.  

“If I love Mary, he said, I am assured of my salvation and of my final perseverance; apart from that, I shall also obtain from God all that I would wish and I shall in a sense be omnipotent.”

Footnotes

[1] Vitæ ipsius, part. II.

[2] Part III, ch. 4, § 2.

 6   In all the little things he wrote concerning his devotion, there is nothing which occurs so frequently as the references to faithful love and service of the Holy Virgin. 

He often used to say that we all need a safe refuge to which we may confidently have recourse in our necessities, especially in those which arrive quickly or take us by surprise; and that the best refuges are the wounds of Our Lord and the sacred mantle or the bosom of His holy Mother. He was asked one day which remedies he used when he found himself  in a state of distress or tribulation: 

“Here are the four remedies I use,” he replied: “prayer, keeping busy, patience and Mary's maternal embrace[1].” 

He prayed his rosary every day but with such concentration that often he would not notice people passing him or greeting him.  He had compiled texts from various authors praising the Holy Virgin And he made use of these but especially when he was meditating on her twelve principal virtues whilst saying the little chaplet which normally goes by the name of the Twelve Stars. He was in the habit of reciting nine times each day: Beata viscera Mariæ Virginis quæ portaverunt æterni Patris Filium[2], genuflecting each time he prayed these words in honour of the nine months that she bore the only begotten son of God in her sacred womb. 

Footnotes

[1] The French text refers to Mary’s bosom and her lap.

[2] Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, that bore the son of the everlasting Father.

 7   The most favourable time he had in the whole year for letting his heart go was when studies had finished and were followed by a period of recreation for those engaged in them.

The greater part of his day was taken up with reciting the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin and the Litany of Loreto; he would also engage in colloquies with her, or discuss her incomparable merits with other people – and these formed his main activities. If he came across people who were particularly devoted to Our Lady, his great pleasure was to invite them to enter the lists and see who could give her the greatest praises and the most honourable titles. On such occasions, what was there that he could not find to say? When the others had run out of ideas or had grown tired, he would continue with such extraordinary energy and with such a great abundance of ideas that he eventually ran out of time rather than material. He would go to sleep at night time like a good soldier of the Virgin with his rosary to hand; and towards the end of his life he would wear it around his neck. He would fast every Saturday and always add some extra mortification to the fast; this also happened to be the day he was born and the day when he entered the Society of Jesus. He had sworn a vow to defend and uphold forever her Immaculate Conception even should the Church forbear to pronounce on this question; and he also vowed that the first book he would write would be on this subject, saying that he already had the plan and that he had been carefully noting anything that could be of use written in the books of the Holy Fathers and other authors whom he studied. When he wanted to obtain something from Our Lady for himself or for another, he would write it down on a piece of paper along with some little vow that he undertook to discharge as soon as he could: for example, to recite the rosary in her honour or to say some other prayers. After this he would attach the paper to the image of the Virgin and he would then begin his prayer – which normally resulted in the granting of what he had requested. Finally, in order to avoid going into endless details of other devotions, I will conclude with the very words found written in some of the memoirs that he has left us:  

“I shall never be at rest until I have the tender love of my most gentle Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.”  

 8   Do you see, dear reader, how busy love is and how wondrous its ingenious ideas are? But if there is pleasure to be had simply from reading or hearing tales about them, there is much more to be had from actually developing them and experiencing them. 

How happy are those souls whom God has favoured by granting them a share in such holy and devout feelings! May they dwell for ever in the bosom of the Mother of fair love and there may they be sheltered from all the dread misfortunes by which our life is assailed in this valley of tears.

© Peter Bloor 2025 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.