Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 13 : §2.26-29

Chapter 13 : The Twelfth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She safeguards her children at the hour of death and provides them with their passport to Heaven

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. How the Holy Virgin fortifies her children against their natural fear of death 

Blessed Dorothea von Montau

 26   Let us know move on from the Virgins we have been considering to a number of widows whose lives were characterised by extraordinary virtue. The first of these is Dorothea von Montau[1] who was a German born in Prussia and who died on the 11th of September in the year 1399[2]. 

This saintly soul displayed throughout her entire life an incredible devotion towards the glorious Virgin and one example of this was that from the age of seven onwards she used to fast every Saturday on bread and water, a practice she continued into her old age. The Mother of fair Love appeared to her one day and encouraged her to continue in the practice of virtue and Dorothea profited so greatly from this visit that henceforth she made wondrous progress in the spiritual life. Even though, for example, she lived in a country known for extremely cold weather, she never wore anything other than a simple dress with a small shawl. The warmth glowing within her heart, however, was such that she could frequently be seen perspiring even in the middle of winter. This same fire blazing within her also meant she did not suffer even during the hottest days of summer.

One day, on the feast of St Agatha, the Saviour came to visit her accompanied by His glorious Mother at a time when she was extremely ill with problems of her heart. By way of treatment, the Saviour took five extremely sharp arrows which he then placed in her heart, whilst He spoke to her as follows: “Dorothea, my dear daughter, it is my wish that just as I suffered for thee, so too thou art to endure suffering for me.” During her final illness, they came to pay her another visit and the Saviour honoured her by giving her Holy Communion with his own sacred and divine hands.  

Footnotes

[1] Groß Montau, formerly in Prussia, is now known as Mątowy Wielkie and is in Poland.

[2] Most authorities give her dates as 1347-94.

St Bridget

 27   Blessed St Bridget had been troubled for an entire year by a fever and pains in her stomach. She was visited by the Saviour of the world and His most holy Mother. 

The Saviour came expressly to bring an end to her troubles and to fulfil the promise he had made that she would die as a Religious and Mother Superior of the Monastery in Vadstena, which she had founded. He himself received her vows and clothed her invisibly with the habit which she had ordained was to be worn by her daughters in the Order. He told her that her body was to be taken from Rome to the Monastery in Vadstena. The previous day, which was the sixth[1] before her death, the Holy Virgin had visited her and had told her not to follow the advice of her physicians who were assuring her she was in no danger of death from this illness. She was not to put herself to the trouble of prolonging her life any longer with these medications for the body, forasmuch as her life would soon be ending and she would be able to enter into possession of a better life for all eternity.  

 

Footnotes

[1] Revel. Extravagant., c. 78.

Sister Mary of the Incarnation

 28   Mary of the Incarnation was a lay sister of Mount Carmel and Foundress of the Carmelites in France who died in Pontoise on the 18th of April in the year 1618. During her life she demonstrated such devotion to the glorious Virgin that it is not surprising that she should have received heavenly favours before death.

  

During her final illness, she asked for a painting of Our Lady to be placed at the foot of her bed and this proved for her a source of a thousand sweet consolations. She could frequently be seen with tears of devotion in her eyes as she gazed upon the image. The power of the heavenly thoughts and feelings showed on her own countenance which looked as though it were on fire and her eyes shone with a celestial brightness. When she was at the highest point in her ecstasies, she would speak so sublimely and effectively about the great qualities and splendours of this Divine Princess, that it was simple enough to know what the source of her inspiration was. In the midst of her extreme suffering, the mere sight of this image brought such joy into her heart that she pleaded earnestly with the Prioress at Pontoise that no sister should be allowed to die without being shown this image 

Prince Ferdinand of Portugal

 29   Amongst so many beautiful and holy souls, we must find a place for Ferdinand, Prince of Portugal, one of the finest jewels to adorn the holy Court. He died on the 5th day of June in the year 1443, showing throughout his life and also in his death that nothing was dearer to his heart than serving the Holy Virgin. 

He fasted on bread and water on every Saturday throughout the year and on all the vigils of the feasts of Our Lady. He also did this on the vigils of the solemnities of our Lord and of eleven Saints for whom he had a special devotion. 

Some time before dying, he saw a glorious Virgin seated on an elevated throne, surrounded by a great number of Saints and Blessed Spirits. St Michael the Archangel, for whom he had a special devotion, was foremost amongst them and he prostrated himself before the Holy Virgin, humbly pleading with her to free this servant of hers from the miseries of this life and to bring him into their company. Scarcely had he finished speaking than St John the Evangelist made the same prayer to her, adding that he was deserving of admission to the marriage of the Lamb[1] since the robe of his soul had never been soiled by any sin and that if he were to be left any longer amongst the evils of the world, he might well fall away from that state in which she had so carefully preserved him hitherto. The Holy Virgin could not refuse this just request that two of the greatest Princes in Heaven had made in favour of her child. At the same moment, she cast upon him a glance more than maternal and promised solemnly to all the company that Ferdinand would be with them before the end of the day. From that moment on, this Prince uniquely dear to God and worthy of admiration by all men did not cease to plead for help not only from the glorious Virgin but also from his other patron saints until finally he surrendered his spirit into the hands of her whom he had loved from the depths of his heart.  

Footnotes

[1] Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath prepared herself. And it is granted to her that she should clothe herself with fine linen, glittering and white. For the fine linen are the justifications of saints. Apoc. xix. 7-8.

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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 2025