Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 5 : § 4.5-11

Chapter 5 : The Fourth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

The Wondrous Care she takes of her children

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 care taken by the Holy Virgin to provide a home for her children and to help them lead a life conducive to their salvation

St Odo of Cluny

 5   St Odo, who founded the monastery of Cluny, had been chosen by the glorious Virgin to become a monk even before he emerged from his mother’s womb[1]. 

His father, who was called Abbon, included amongst his devotions a fervent prayer on Christmas Eve in thanksgiving for the incomparable mystery honoured by the Church on this day. On one such occasion, he felt an extraordinary impulsion to ask God for a son through the intercession of her to whom God the Father had given His own Son for the redemption of the world.  In return, he undertook to dedicate his son to the service of His Majesty. The Mother of fair Love agreed to present this request and it was immediately granted. When this holy child came of age to choose his vocation, she saw the blessed fulfilment of that which she had set in motion so auspiciously.

  

Footnotes

[1] In ejus vita apud Surium, 18 Novemb.

St Robert of Molesme

 6   St Robert, who founded the Cistercian Order and was its first Abbot, also had the privilege of being chosen by the Holy Virgin whilst still in his mother’s womb, bearing from that moment onwards the mark granted to her most faithful servants[1]. 

Whilst his own mother Ermengarde was still carrying him in her womb, our heavenly Mother appeared to her and, after placing a ring on her finger, she spoke the following words of love to her : 

“Dear Ermengarde, this is a token and a pledge for the marriage I am to contract with the son that thou bearest.” 

I have spoken about him earlier in this work[2].

Footnotes

[1] Cesarius, lib. I, c. 1.

[2] Part I, ch. 12, § 7.

Reginald of Orleans

 7   Reginald, Dean of Orleans, was a Doctor of great learning and merit. In the year 1220, he providentially found himself in Rome[1].

  

He had felt inspired to use the talent God had given him for the salvation of souls. One of his friends, a Cardinal, advised him to join St Dominic and his companions who had recently raised a new standard of evangelical perfection, wearing the habit of Canons Regular. Their aims and ambitions were similar to those that Reginald himself had in mind. He thereupon went to meet St Dominic and, after explaining his own ideas, he found himself welcomed with open arms. Now, God frequently makes use of afflictions when planning his greatest triumphs; in this case He made haste to implement His undertaking by permitting a severe illness to bring Reginald close to death. St Dominic, ever mindful of his plight, knew that he had in heaven a wonderful advocate and he addressed fervent prayers to the MOTHER OF GOD. The Holy Virgin, who had long ago chosen Reginald for her special service, came to visit him in his hour of need accompanied by St Catherine and St Cecilia. She anointed his eyes, his nostrils, his lips, his hands, the small of his back and his feet with heavenly oils. At the same time she uttered mysterious words referring to all the favours she was granting him. After this, she told him to arise and to don the new habit she had brought with her, telling him it was her wish that the Friars Preachers, her dear children, should henceforth take this for their habit. Her wish was promptly fulfilled.

Footnotes

[1] S. Antoninus, III p., tit. XXIII, c. 4, § 4.

St Thomas Aquinas

 8   I have always been of the opinion that the great St Thomas Aquinas, wondrous luminary of the Church, was one of the Virgin’s dearest children.  

He made this known one day whilst he was still in the cradle[1] because, when his nurse came to lift him up, he was holding a piece of paper so tightly in his hand that she could not get him to let go of it. The mother, who was also present, wanted to see what it was and after she had managed to prise it from his hand, she found that the piece of paper contained the words of the Ave Maria. It proved quite impossible to placate the baby until he was given back his piece of paper which he immediately put in his mouth and swallowed. This action gave everyone to understand that henceforth he was choosing the Holy Virgin for his Mother and that she wanted him for her son. 

Once he had come of age, she who had been keeping a maternal eye upon him urged him to join the Dominican Order and she supported him in his first trials. One of these happened when he was sent from Naples to Paris to begin his studies. His brothers ambushed him on the way and, after locking him in the castle of St John, they brought a woman of easy virtue to him who used all her charms and artifices in an attempt to seduce him. The Queen of Chastity, however, provided him with a means of defending himself which was so unexpected that the loose woman was quite taken aback and fled. Thomas took a red hot poker from the fire and, waving it in her face, forced her to the door of the bed chamber and made her leave in shame. Once he was on his own again, he made a cross on the wall with the poker, commending himself earnestly to God and his dear Mother who had come so quickly to his aid, commanding one of her Angels to gird his loins in preparation for combat. This proved so effective that for the rest of his life he was protected from any feelings contrary to chastity. He himself told this story to master Reginald, whom I mentioned a little earlier , and was quite open in acknowledging that it was thanks to this favour from the Queen of Heaven that he had been able to safeguard the flower of his virginity. 

Footnotes

[1] In ejus vita.

Tancred of Bologna

 9   Around the year 1230, the Holy Virgin brought a young courtier into the Dominican Order. His name was Tancred[1] and he was highly esteemed at the Court of the Emperor Frederick II.

This young man was aware of all the dangers to which he was exposed in the life he was leading, and knew that nearly every day he ran the risk of losing his soul. He decided to have recourse to the Queen of Heaven, imploring her to grant him the favour of showing him what sort of life would enable him to attain salvation. After repeating the same request several times, he received a visit from the glorious Virgin during the night and she spoke to him as follows whilst he was sleeping: 

“Tancred, thou hast been asking me to show thee a path that will lead to thy salvation; here is what thou must do : enter our Order.” 

At these words, Tancred awoke but he actually felt more perplexed than before because he did not know which Order the Virgin was referring to. Accordingly, redoubling his prayers, he eventually fell asleep once more, musing in his mind over what she had told him. After a little while, there came to him in a dream two brothers of the Dominican Order. The elder spoke to him as follows: 

“Thou hast asked God’s Holy Mother to intercede on thy behalf so that He might show thee a sure path to salvation. Thou art to arise forthwith and join us in our Order.”

He woke up and was making his way to Church to hear Holy Mass when he encountered the Prior of St Dominic of Bologna. He looked at him for a while and then he realised that it was the same man he had seen whilst asleep. He was overjoyed by this and told him everything that had happened in the dream. Very shortly afterwards, he received the Dominican habit and he brought great honour to the Order by his most holy life, proving to be a worthy servant of the Virgin.

Footnotes

[1] Baron., an. 1238.

Blessed Maurice of Hungary

 10   Maurice was by birth a natural descendant of the Kings of Hungary, but by choice and adoption he was the son of the Queen of Heaven who had her eye on him whilst he was still in his mother’s womb. Tancred’s mother had been pregnant for four months when she was suddenly taken by a fever so severe that she was expected to die. The Holy Virgin, however, came to her side and told her not to be afraid, saying that she would not die of this sickness and that she would have a son who would be no less commendable for his virtues than for his royal extraction. The Virgin went on to tell her that when she was ready to deliver, she should frequently repeat the following words: “I have the help of the MOTHER OF GOD, from whose blessed womb came forth the only begotten Son of the Father.” She also told her to say the Ave Maria frequently. The Holy Virgin had thus adopted Maurice early on as her child and, through her special favour, she granted him comportment and actions befitting his family and status. When he came of age, she inspired him to join the Order of Friars Preachers and he soon came to be highly reputed for his holiness. He died in the year 1336.

Blessed Silvestro da Marradi

 11   I must not forget to mention here blessed Sylvester da Marradi who was also a member of the Dominican order. He is remembered for a life of exemplary virtue right up to his death in the year 1517.

Whilst he was still a young student, he found himself completely alone following the death of his mother and his father. He was on the point of withdrawing from his studies which had begun so promisingly when, his courage returning, he set off for Florence to see if there was any way that he would be able to complete his studies there. As he was making his way to the city, the Holy Virgin (for whom he had always felt a great devotion), appeared at his side and kept him company until they reached Florence. On the journey she gave him much sound and wise advice about ordering his future life. Whilst fervently discussing these ideas, they finally entered the city when, after passing along several streets, the Holy Virgin disappeared and left him right in front of the door of the Monastery of St Dominic. At this point, reflecting on what had happened to him, he immediately realised that there was something extraordinary awaiting him inside. Accordingly, he knocked on the door and sought entry which, after a certain amount of insistence on his part, was finally granted him.

He had not been there for very long before, guided by a secret inspiration from Heaven, it became clear to him that it was here he would find what he had been looking for in Florence. Having successfully completed his studies in philosophy and theology, he became a great preacher. I use the word great, for in his preaching he joined the example of his remarkable virtues to the power of his great eloquence and the depth of his learning. Just as the Holy Virgin had guided him into this holy Order, so too it was she who accompanied him with her favours – even to the point of rendering him worthy of raising back to life someone who had died. Blessed Silvestro was hearing the confession of a young boy and explained in such a vivid manner the dreadful nature and consequences of his sins that the boy dropped dead with fear at his feet. The servant of God and of the Holy Virgin was so stricken by this that he immediately turned to his dear Mother, imploring her help in his is hour of need. When he had finished his prayer, an Angel appeared, having been sent by the MOTHER OF GOD. The Angel poured a heavenly liquid into the mouth of the young man and this not only brought him back to life but, what is more, filled him with such courage and determination to amend his ways in the future that he lived a saintly life from that moment onwards. The Angel also gave this divine liquid to Silvestro, restoring his strength and filling him with heartfelt affection towards the Blessed Mother.

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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.

© Peter Bloor