Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 4.6-8

Chapter 6 : The Fifth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is a true model of generosity towards 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 generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to the virtues

Chastity

 6   I would say the same concerning Chastity because it would just not be possible for her who is whiter than snow, purer than light and more unsullied than the sun, to have familiar dealings with unclean persons. Consider her children and you will see that they all have lilies in the hand, some of which are whiter than others: some are in the conjugal state, others in widowhood and others are in the virginal state ; some maintain continence in the midst of struggles and others enjoy the perfect peace of Chastity. All must sooner or later don her livery if they wish to be numbered amongst her servants. With regard to this, here is something altogether remarkable which occurred some thirty years ago in a French city. It involves a well known lawyer whom I met and knew whilst young and who recounted the following story in a conversation with the man from whom I was to hear it.

    

The lawyer was taken with love for a certain lady whom he had known for some time. His feelings were so strong that, notwithstanding the inclination he felt to lead a pious life and the continual graces from God knocking at the door of his heart, he was unable to control his desire for her. Finally the MOTHER OF GOD whom he used to call upon with confidence in the midst of his problems, intervened and broke the chains which had been holding him fast. Here is what happened. 

She caused him to feel a sickness in his soul, causing him to examine his conscience carefully. He went to see the Superior of a religious Order (whom he had helped in the past) in order to make a general confession. He had scarcely begun when it appeared to the confessor that the penitent had a problem with his heart, but the latter assured him that there was nothing to fear and it would soon pass. At that point he was having a vision of Our Lord at the foot of his bed, with his Virgin Mother standing on one side whilst on the other was the founder of the Order, whom he loved. The face of his Lord and Judge was severe and it seemed that He was on the point of pronouncing the decree of his condemnation when at that point the Virgin threw herself at His feet, speaking of the good feelings the penitent had and his firm determination to leave his life of sin.  

“Dost thou not see, dear Mother” the Saviour replied, “that these are his usual tricks? How many times hath he promised such things in the past and then when the danger hath passed, he returneth to his old ways ? He needeth to feel the power of my arm and the force of my justice, since my mercy hath been of no avail.”

At these words, the Mother of gentleness bowed her head low and replied as follows:

“It is true, most venerable Son, that he hath not merited thy pardon; but I humbly entreat thee to grant it once more on this occasion for I hope so to arrange his affairs that thou wilt be fully satisfied.”

With that, the figures disappeared from sight and the lawyer completed his confession with a contrition for his sins the like of which he had never experienced before. From that moment onwards, the Queen of Virgins so changed his heart and so filled it with the pleasing fragrance of Chastity that he was suddenly released from his previous temptations and was never afterwards troubled by thoughts offensive to Chastity.

 7   I could in fact produce hundreds of similar examples but that is not my aim here. Because, however this virtue is singularly proper to the Queen of Chastity, I cannot leave the subject without producing one or two more examples[1]. The first concerns blessed Conradin, a Dominican of remarkable virtue who died in the city of Brescia in Lombardy in the year 1486, whilst helping the victims of the plague. 

This great servant of God and of the Virgin was one day so troubled by a temptation against chastity that he found no way of overcoming it other than by casting down his enemy in such a way that he was obliged to lay down his arms. Accordingly he took up his discipline and scourged himself until he no longer had any strength left and the floor of his chamber was covered with blood from his shoulders. Whilst he was getting his breath back, the Mother of fair love appeared to him in the company of two other Virgins. She looked at him gently and then spoke to him as follows: 

“Conradin, my dear son, for a long time thou hast been providing me with proofs of the love that thou hast for me and of thy desire to preserve thy virginity. In this thou hast been most wonderfully pleasing to my Son and also to me. In order that thou mayest judge how pleased we have been, learn that I have come down from heaven to tell thee that thou hast only to ask one of us for anything and thou shalt obtain it immediately. Thou canst take that as being  beyond question and, to assure thee of the truth of what I am telling thee, do thou receive the gift of Chastity which my Son and I are giving thee today as a present.”

After saying this, she anointed his loins with a heavenly balm, at the same time pronouncing these words: 

“By the power of this holy oil, may thy loins be so strengthened that henceforth thou shalt never feel any impure motion of the flesh.”

The memory of this event is still fresh in the minds of many and the place where it occurred is particularly honoured by all the inhabitants of Brescia. 

Footnotes

[1] Leander., lib. V.

 8   Here is another beautiful flower from the same Dominican Order[1]: the virtuous Catherine of Racconigi:

When she was no more than five years old, she was favoured with a visit from the Holy Virgin and her venerable Son. The Queen of Heaven was wearing a beautiful, silver-coloured garment and in the middle was a ruby more dazzling than the sun. The aim of her visit being to encourage in Catherine a love of Chastity, she took a ring from her own finger and, giving it to her son (who also looked about five years old), she asked Him most humbly whether He would take Catherine for his spouse. 

“Most willingly, my dear Mother,” replied the little infant Jesus . 

At the same time, taking the girl by the hand, He placed the ring on her finger, saying: 

“Catherine, I do thee wed – in faith, hope and charity.”

God alone knows what this little girl’s love of Chastity must have been like to have inspired such an extraordinary favour. As soon as she attained the age of reason, she made a vow of virginity to God and to his my Holy Mother. That same night, Saint Catherine of Sienna appeared to her and told her that what she had done had been most pleasing to the Lord and His Mother. She died a holy death on the 14th of September in the year 1547. 

Footnotes

[1] Chronicon Ordinis.

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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