Part IV : How to give thanks to the Mother of God : Chapter 3 : § 1.6-9

Chapter 3 : Trust in the Mother of God – a second feature of the gratitude we owe

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)

§ 1. The first sign of trust : not undertaking anything except with the Holy Mother’s help and guidance

Those with big decisions to make about their life 

 6   Those who have big decisions to make about their life address themselves to their Holy Mother but with a confidence altogether different from those men in ancient times who consulted the goddess who presided at crossroads and forks in the road. I have provided examples elsewhere when I was describing the wondrous care shown by the Virgin in bringing her children safely to their abode. These should be sufficient without the need for me to present others now but I will cite the case of Eliezer, Abraham’s chief steward who had been sent to find a wife for his young master Isaac[1]. He was eventually successful near the fountain of Nachor and those who find themselves troubled with the sort of anxiety he faced before meeting Rebecca could do worse than imitate his beautiful prayer. Let them only say with him in complete confidence : 

O Lord God of Heaven, come to my assistance and show mercy unto thy servant. Behold, I stand before the true fountain of sweetness and source of Heaven’s grace, the Mother of thine only begotten Son; I ask thee through her merits and the credit she has with thy Majesty that it will be please thee to show me the best way forward to promote thy glory and lead me to mine own salvation. I wait upon thine infinite goodness through the intercession of her to whom thou canst refuse nothing.  

Footnotes

[1] Gen. xxiv.

Those engaged in life’s daily battles

 7   Lovers of virtue enter the lists only after they have obtained the favour of the Queen of Virtues and it is by means of her help that they are given hope of winning the prize.

Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga S.J. came to the conclusion that without this assistance he found it impossible to grow in virtue ; but once fortified by her help he was filled with confidence when it came to achieving his goals especially with regard to humility since he had particularly set his sights on this and was determined to succeed at all costs. 

Contemplatives

 8   Contemplatives and those given over to prayer make a beeline for their holy Mother and apply themselves to obtaining her favour so that they will be permitted to enter into a colloquy with God.

St Bernard and St Anselm both used to give this advice and those who followed it, such as St Elzéar Count of Ariano and several others, never found the door of Heaven’s graces closed to them. 

Those who counsel others

 9   Those who wish to give sound advice to others make sure to consult first with Heaven’s Oracle, the Mother of uncreated Wisdom.

This was the practice of Blessed St Catherine of Sweden, daughter of St Bridget and a great imitator of her virtues.All manner of people would come to seek her wise advice and she invariably turned to the Holy Virgin with an Ave Maria, asking what response she would give. In response, she used to receive such an abundance of heavenly wisdom that through her good advice many people were saved from great dangers and delivered from terrible temptations.

One such was a young widow, the daughter of a Roman Lady of quality, who was being troubled by an unclean spirit every night. Not daring to breathe a word of her suffering to a living soul, she finally found the courage to share her problem with St Catherine, asking if she could give her any helpful advice. The Saint, having prayed to the glorious Virgin, advised the woman to observe an octave of prayer in the Church of Holy Cross; she was to go there with her mother, dressed simply and barefoot, reciting each day the Pater and Ave seven times before the Crucifix. The young lady, accompanied by her mother, carried out this advice to the letter. When the eighth day arrived, the devil appeared to her in the same way he had before but this time he was complaining and cursing Bridget’s daughter whose advice had meant that all his plans had been thwarted and the evil designs he had upon her had been frustrated.

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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