Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 4.3-5

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

Hope

 3   Hope is the sister-german of Faith and is a sure anchorage for the Christian, a support for the soul, alleviating life’s labours and advancing the happiness of the Blessed. This helps to explain why we call the Holy Virgin our hope[1] and why she has a wondrous ability to bring on this virtue within our souls. I will be dealing later[2] with the way she re-awakens hope in those who have almost lost it but here I want us to consider something greater. When she has taken entire possession of a soul, she plants therein a certain confidence which is so solid that nothing can shake it, and it becomes like a rock which holds firm against even the greatest problems that come crashing upon it. I will cite only one example, that of Joseph Anchieta, a fellow Jesuit considered as the Thaumaturgus or miracle-worker of our day[3].   

At one point he found himself in the middle of Brazil amongst the Tamoios, as fierce and savage people as ever lived, but he treated them as though he were amongst his best friends. Although these Indians felt a certain respect towards him, they could not hold back their natural savagery and told him that on a particular day he would be killed, roasted and eaten in accordance with their cruel custom. He replied to them with a remarkable confidence that this would not come to pass and that his hour had not yet come. Without troubling himself further, he set to composing a poem in Latin[4] (a language he understood very well) about the MOTHER OF GOD and indeed it was she who had given him this remarkable hope and confidence.   

Footnotes

[1] Spes nostra, (as in the Salve Regina of Hermannus Contractus)

[2] Chap. 11, § 2.

[3] An. 1553 in Vita ipsius.

[4] See extracts in The “Poem to the Virgin” (By Francisco de Assis Silveira) with references cited. 

Charity towards God

 4   There would be good reason to wonder if the holy Virgin did not have a particular inclination to set the hearts of her children on fire with true Charity. In fact, when I consider all those whom she has cherished most tenderly, I find them all in this respect most worthy children of the Mother of fair love. Amongst those whom I said earlier[1] were led into the Society of her Son, I mentioned Stanislaus Kostka and Father Sebastian Barradas. 

The first was a true child of the MOTHER OF GOD and he seemed to have a furnace of love in his breast. People frequently had to cover his chest with cloths that had been soaked in cold water so as to cool the ardour of his heart which might otherwise have consumed him until he was no more. 

The second felt himself so frequently on fire within that on more than one occasion they had to send for Thomas Rodriguez, a most excellent physician, to diagnose what was wrong with Fr Sebastian as he seemed on the point of expiring as a result of the way his heavenly feelings of love were undermining and taking away his strength. After the physician had taken his pulse and listened to his chest, he said: 

“Would to God that I were suffering from this complaint;  his condition results from the love of God, and our Galen has nothing to say about it.” 

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 5, § ult.

Charity towards neighbours

 5   Since Love of one’s neighbour is inseparable from love of God, it is no wonder to find the Virgin who takes such care in promoting and advancing the one should not at the same time also be keen to plant the other in men’s hearts. Rigord, Physician and Chronicler under Philip Augustus, recounts the following story of love towards one’s neighbour.  

Under the reign of this great Monarch, in the year of Our Lord 1183, the King of Aragon and Count Raymond of Saint-Gilles fell out and developed such a state of animosity towards each other that they could not even bear to hear talk of reconciliation. The whole world seemed to divide into two camps, each supporting one or the other party in this terrible quarrel. At this point, the Queen of Heaven intervened to make peace and appeared to a poor and simple man called Durand, a resident in the town of Puy. She entrusted him with the Commission of reconciling these two embittered parties, something which was greatly desired by all men of goodwill. In confirmation of her commission, she gave Durand a painted image of the Virgin holding her Son in her arms and surrounding the image were the following words : Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, grant us peace. This miracle spread quickly by word of mouth and reached the ears of the Bishop of Puy who promptly carried out a careful investigation of what had happened. He found Durand to be a straight forward man with notable strength of character and, using him as a mediator, he arranged a meeting between the two princes who had by chance both come to visit Notre-Dame-du-Puy. As soon as they heard the man of God speak, their hearts softened to such an extent that they became as gentle and meek as lambs, compared to the lions and tigers they had been previously. This miracle of a sudden change of heart was all that was required to discharge the commission that Durand had received from heaven. The example that it gave caused all the parties in the respective camps to make peace with one another. This in turn led to public rejoicing which was so extraordinary that, in order to preserve the memory in perpetuity they all put on white scapulars, on which could be seen an image replicating that which had been given to Durand.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 4.1-2

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

 1   Virtue possesses wonderful attributes but there is one amongst all the others particularly worthy of esteem and which was recognised by the Philosopher[1] when he said that virtue is a quality so chaste, so holy and so divine that it is not possible to make bad use of it, something which could not be said of any thing else in creation. From this it is easy to conclude that it is no wonder the Mother of Virtue should take pleasure in providing it for her children rather than other gifts which could lead to their ruin. I can see already this discussion would become very lengthy if I were to write all that can be said on such a beautiful subject. Accordingly, I shall run through a selection of the principal virtues so that readers will be able to use what I say when considering the other virtues.  

Footnotes

[1] Ethic., c. 2 et 3.

Faith : St Angela of Foligno & Fr Gonçalo da Silveira S.J.

 2   Let us begin with Faith which is the foundation of the Christian edifice and, as St John Chrysostom[1] calls it, the light of the soul, the gate of life and the foundation of eternal salvation.  Whatever the Holy Virgin has quietly infused into the hearts of countless persons is known to God alone but He has willed to reveal some of its fruits so as to invite us to have recourse to her in all our necessities. I do not wish to repeat here how St John the Evangelist, on the command of the Virgin, gave a wonderful lesson to St Gregory Thaumaturgus concerning the mystery of the most holy Trinity, which was later to be used by the Catholic Church for the benefit of souls. 

Blessed Angela of Foligno[2] revealed one day to her confessor that, through the mediation of the glorious Virgin, she had received a faith so lively and penetrating that it seemed to her from that moment onwards that what she had before was a faith which in comparison was dead and full of darkness. 

The conversion of the King of Monomotapa in Africa which took place in the year 1561 bears mentioning here. 

Fr Gonçalo da Silveira of the Society of Jesus, who later suffered martyrdom on account of his religion, had received a divine calling to visit this Prince and help him to convert. The extraordinary graces he received and the ultimate success of his mission are sufficient evidence of this. One day he was saying Mass, having placed on the altar a fine picture of the Holy Virgin which he had brought with him from Europe. Some members of the court saw the picture and were overwhelmed by the majestic countenance of the Virgin. They went straight to the King and told him that Fr Gonçalo had brought with him a Lady of incomparable beauty. As a result of what they said, he felt a great desire to see this Lady. Father Gonçalo was delighted at this opportunity and went to see the King in his Palace, taking with him the image of the Virgin which he had covered with a beautiful veil of silk. In order to increase the King’s desire to see her, he explained that this was the image of the MOTHER OF GOD and the Queen of Heaven, to whom all the Kings and Emperors on earth owe obedience. With that, he produced the image and removed the silk veil whereupon the King found her countenance so divine that he made a profound reverence before her and earnestly entreated Father Gonçalo to make a gift of her image to him. The priest did so most willingly and, moreover, carried it himself to the King’s privy chamber where he installed an oratory to encourage the King in offering honour to her and in commending himself to her.

The Prince followed the priest’s advice and the glorious Virgin showed that she was pleased with his devotion by appearing to him on five consecutive nights, surrounded by light and radiating majestic sweetness while speaking to him in a language that he did not understand. On each of the following days, the King recounted his experiences to the Queen his mother and to some Portuguese who came to see him, adding that he was upset at being unable to understand the language spoken by the Princess. This provided a second opportunity for Father Gonçalo to lead the King further along the path towards conversion for he explained to him that this was a celestial and divine language to understand which he would have to embrace the Religion of the Lady’s Son, the unique Saviour of the world. He spoke these words in a manner so grave and so redolent of the power of the spirit of God that the King was most happy to follow the priest’s advice. In due course and after sufficient instruction, he was baptised along with his mother and more than three hundred of the chief lords in his kingdom – although it must be said that later he did not show an appropriate response to the favours he had received from Heaven.

Footnotes

[1] In Symbolum.

[2] Cap. 17 Vitæ ipsius.

[3] Monomotapa : A southeast African territory between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, in what is now Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 3.4-6

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)

§ 3. The generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to the good of the soul and especially with regard to the mind and knowledge

Rupert, Abbot of Deutz

 4   The same thing happened to Rupert[1], Abbot of Deutz[2] in Germany. 

This pious and holy man cherished a great desire to understand the Sacred Scriptures as he had little knowledge of them and found them difficult to take in. He took courage, however, from his love for the Queen of Heaven and the graces she had bestowed upon him. Accordingly, in the hope of obtaining something through her intercession, he prayed so earnestly to her that in the end she granted his wishes and one day, while he was was praying to her in earnest, she said to him : 

“I have granted thy prayers and authorised thy requests. The secrets of Sacred Scripture have been opened up for thee in a way which is today most rare. Thou must nevertheless take great care this free gift does not inflate thee with pride and work diligently to acquire this knowledge and understanding, otherwise thou wilt render thyself unworthy of the favour I am granting thee.”

She added certain other things but the humility of this holy Abbot held him back from sharing the details with others. Suffice it to say that from that he applied himself with such passion to the study of heavenly knowledge that he remained greatly attached to it right up until his death. In order to have the time and freedom to do this, he detached himself from the temporal cares and concerns of the Abbey. As far as the progress that he made is concerned, his published work provides sufficient evidence without any need for me to provide examples here.

Footnotes

[1] Trithemius, lib. II de Viris illustribus Ordinis S. Benedicti, c. 109.

[2] Rupertus Tuitiensis.

Blessed Philip Benizi

 5   To these great servants of the Virgin I should like to mention two more whose lives and dealings with others were altogether celestial and whose devotion towards the Queen of Heaven was quite extraordinary. The first is Blessed Philip Benizi[1], founder of the Order of Servites and known as the Apostle of the most sacred Virgin.   

This remarkable man (whose vocation to the Religious life I have already mentioned[2]) became a lay brother, joining the first Fathers of the Order whom the Holy Virgin had gathered on Monte Senario, near Florence. But she who had chosen him to broadcast her praises far and wide, and who had given him the grace of infused knowledge, was quick to take him out of the shadows and obscurity so that she could place him on a lamp stand, so to speak, where he could be a bright source of light for the whole Church. This came to pass as follows. One day whilst on a journey that he had a happy encounter with two Dominican Fathers who proceeded to ask him certain questions which he handled very skilfully. Little by little they led the conversation into some of the deepest and most difficult questions of theology. But he answered their points with such facility and clarity that they concluded by calling him a true fountain of divine learning. He for his part threw himself at their feet and asked them to swear they would never speak of this to anyone. They felt they could never consent to this but, on the contrary, as soon as they arrived in Siena they went straight to see the Servites of the Virgin who were trying to establish a community in that city, and they made known to them that they had a hidden treasure in their midst. At that point, he was ordained a Priest by the express command of the Pope and afterwards installed as Apostle of the Virgin and General of his Order which he proceeded to govern and expand so successfully that in the judgement of all he deserved to be the father and the founder.

Footnotes

[1] Ex Chronico Servorum B. Virg. a Michaëli Servita.

[2] Ch. 5, § 4.

St Sylvester of Monte Fano

 6   The second is blessed St Sylvester who was also the founder of the Order[1] which bears his name[2]. Sylvester had received a number of different favours from the Blessed Virgin and he strove to show his gratitude in every way he could think of that would be gratifying to her. For her part, the MOTHER OF GOD continued to add grace upon grace and took pleasure in multiplying the benefits she bestowed upon him. One night as he was conversing in prayer with his gentle Mother, he was suddenly led in the spirit to the little stable where the great King of the universe had been born long ago. Shortly afterwards, he was taken to a truly beautiful Church and set before the high altar where the Blessed Virgin herself appeared to him in dazzling light and asked him if he was ready to receive the body of her beloved Son. He replied that his heart was prepared to do anything she might ask of him and that she would find acceptable. His holy Mother then administered the most Holy Sacrament to him with her own blessed hands and, as she gave him the precious Host containing all the treasures of the knowledge and wisdom of God, she communicated to him at the same time a heavenly enlightenment so powerful that he acquired a knowledge and comprehension of the Sacred Scriptures so complete that he understood even the most obscure and difficult texts therein. 

Footnotes

[1] The Sylvestrines, who were were founded by St. Sylvester Gozzolini on Monte Fano near Fabriano in 1231.

[2] Ex ejus vita ab Andrea Jacobi Fabrinensi ejus Ordinis Abbate Generali [this is a reference to the Venerable Andrea di Giacomo of Fabriano (d.1326), fourth General of the Sylvestrines].

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 3.1-3

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)

§ 3. The generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to the good of the soul and especially with regard to the mind and knowledge

 1   It is true that writers who recount histories of miracles worked by the MOTHER OF GOD have for the most part concentrated on the physical wonders of change obtained through her intercession. I am not in the least surprised by this when we take into account the way men seem to focus mostly upon their bodily needs. If only the eyes of the soul, however, could see as clearly as the eyes of the body, or if interior, spiritual graces were as easy to see as exterior favours, there would be enough material to fill volumes much bigger than those that have been written concerning physical healing and favours. The Holy Mother values the soul infinitely more highly than the body and consequently she takes more delight in a man’s spiritual enrichment than in conferring physical benefits. Indeed, the latter are a means of bringing men to know and love her so that they may gain access thereby to higher and more exquisite favours. For anyone who wants to investigate this subject in greater depth, there is more than enough material to fill whole volumes with examples of spiritual benefits which she has conferred on those who are devoted to her. My aim in this work, however, is not to do that but simply to highlight a selection which may serve as an introduction for those who wish to study the matter further. We should remember that the Holy Virgin has a store filled with these benefits and this is always open to her friends – who only have to approach her in humility and love.

The power of the mind

 2   Let us start with the mind, a faculty proper to man which raises him above other creatures for in this he naturally surpasses the animals. We could with good reason call it the soul of the soul itself, since without this faculty the soul is like a knife without a blade, a dagger without a point, fire without flame, a body without movement, a household without a master, or a ship without a helmsman. It is what discovered and produced the arts and the sciences, what brought into the world so many wonders and prodigies, what brings credit to men and which for this reason is so highly esteemed amongst them. The Queen of Angels would give an even greater share of this to her children if it were not a two-edged sword with which a person can just as easily injure himself as use it for his own benefit. This does not, however, stop her from conferring the benefits of this fine attribute in cases where she thinks people will be able to profit therefrom, not only for their own good but for the glory of God.   

Amongst other examples in our own century we have the remarkable case of Father Jean Gontery whose fame has spread throughout the whole of France As well as beyond. He is now eminently qualified but I heard from his own lips that when he first joined the Society of Jesus he was somewhat ponderous and slow on the uptake. One day he felt an extraordinary impulsion to have recourse to the MOTHER OF GOD, and he prayed that she would sharpen his mental faculties if she thought this would enable him to use his mind For her Son’s glory and for her own. He continued with these prayers for some time and then began to notice that his mind was developing from one day to the next. There are few people in France today unaware of just how far his prayers were answered.  

Henri Delson was a Coadjutor in the Society and passed on from this life in Saint-Omer in Flanders on the eve of All Saints in 1615. At first people had found that he was so slow and ponderous that nothing seemed to stick in his mind. He would himself frequently complain that his memory was like a sieve and scarcely able to retain any spiritual teaching. Finally, whilst he was pouring out his heart one day in the presence of the glorious Virgin, offering her his body and soul and promising to be her servant forever, he felt a shaft of light pierce and enlighten his mind. The truth of this was attested by the fact that everyone was astonished to see him thenceforth able to repeat whole lessons word for word. He made such progress in such a short period of time that soon there was no theologian, however deep his learning might be, who could not learn something from him – such was his mastery of spiritual and holy subjects.

  

Knowledge : Albertus Magnus and Hermannus Contractus

 3   Knowledge is the ornament of the mind just as the mind is the glory of the soul and a fine mind without knowledge may be compared to a man who can only use one of his hands. It is nevertheless something which is capable of doing as much harm as good. This makes the Mother of knowledge careful in the way she distributes it for fear that she may be putting a dangerous weapon into the hands of her dear children. She is, however, willing to share this treasure when she sees her children disposed to make good use of it. For the majority of them, she pours knowledge into their minds in a way which is almost imperceptible and they are not really aware of what has happened. Sometimes, she imparts an extraordinary blessing to the study and hard work that people have put into acquiring knowledge. There are other occasions, however, that she does all this in such a visible manner that there can be no doubting that this knowledge amounts to a present that she has given. I have written earlier[1] about the favour she showed to Albertus Magnus. Here is another account which concerns the favour she bestowed upon the pious Hermann from the famous Veringen nobility.

From a very early age Hermann suffered from an extreme physical disability[2] which caused his body to be almost bent double – which is why he was nicknamed Contractus. He joined the Order of St Benedict in the Monastery of St Gall around 600 years ago. There he was advised that his physical infirmity would have a significant impact upon his religious life and spiritual exercises. This inspired him to approach the MOTHER OF GOD (in whom he had complete and tender trust) and he prayed to her continually that he might be freed from his condition so that he could then serve her dear Son and herself with greater propriety and with spiritual joy. Our Lady appeared to him whilst he was earnestly praying to her and offered him a choice either of being freed from his physical disability or of receiving knowledge as a pure gift. At the same time she opened his mind enabling him to make a rational choice which is what he did, preferring this precious gift for his soul to the healing of his body. No sooner had he expressed his wishes than he experienced a sudden change. Apart from his physical affliction, he had also suffered from certain impediments to his mental faculties but now he found his mind had become more powerful and retentive, so that as he applied himself diligently to study, he acquired such a perfect knowledge of Sacred Scripture, of philosophy, of astronomy, of music, of poetry and of the Latin, Greek and Arabic languages (Arabic was required for scholars to be able to understand the Arab philosophers who were the most famous in his day), that he became a veritable fountain of knowledge and a wonder of his age[3].

Footnotes

[1] Chap. 4, § 2.

[2] Trithemius, de Viris illustribus Ordinis S. Benedicti, lib. II, c. 84.

[3] Today is the Feast of the Assumption and readers of this blog may be as fascinated as I was to note that he is credited with two beautiful Marian hymns: the Alma Redemptoris Mater and the Salve Regina. “Yes, whenever you say the last prayer of your rosary, remember that it was composed by the little man who could not walk, the lover of music who could not sing.” For more on his achievements, see God Makes No Mistakes (Anthony Esolen, 2021).

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 2.6-7

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)

§ 2. The generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to good fortune and bodily good 

She obtains Baptism and life for them

 6   Perhaps you will tell me it serves little purpose obtaining these children if they do not receive baptism and life. You must not believe that the MOTHER OF GOD would ever refuse such favours when requested by those who place their trust in her. Eustathius was a most learned writer and worthy of credence when he recounts in his life of Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople, that: 

This great servant of God was dismissed from his position towards the end of the rule of the Emperor Justinian, around the year 564. He made his way to Amasia, capital of Pontus in Asia. His fame soon spread far and wide and a certain man called Androgius was moved to seek him out, along with his wife. They asked him to pray to God that the infant she was carrying would be borne alive and would not be like the others who had all died shortly after delivery. The Saint anointed both of them with a miraculous oil which had come from the Holy Cross and with another that had come from the image of our Lady of Sozopolis (which has been mentioned earlier). He ordered them to call their first son Peter and their second John, promising they both would survive in accordance with the wishes they had expressed. This came to pass exactly as the Saint had foretold.  

What I am now going to relate is even more remarkable and I learned it from Justus Lipsius, someone whom even the heretics would not dare to suspect of lying. He took everything that he wrote very seriously, giving precise details.   

In the year 1428, he says[1], it came to pass in a village called Saint-Hilaire, not far from Cambrai, that a woman called Firmine, wife of Stephen Morel, was delivered of a stillborn infant. She was greatly distressed by this for he had not received Holy Baptism. Despite her anxious feelings, she still felt a quiet confidence that Notre-Dame-de-Hault, whose church she was in the habit of visiting every year, would be able to help her in her affliction. After a fortnight had passed, she told her parents to go into the garden where her stillborn baby had been buried, telling them she had a firm hope that he would be found alive. Eventually, just to keep her happy, they went into the garden and they found a little baby with rosy cheeks and just one scratch where the earth had pressed against the  skin. They carried the baby into the neighbouring village called Vertenguel and took him to the priest. He saw the baby’s nose was bleeding and also saw him open his eyes and his mouth several times. Accordingly, he baptised the little infant in the sight of more than seventy witnesses. The baby went on to live for another five hours and then peacefully departed this world.

Footnotes

[1] In D. II Virg. Hallensi.

She helps them recover and preserve their health 

 7   Perhaps you are seeking health? Truth to tell, this is indeed essential for the majority of our actions and I am well aware that the ancients always gave it pride of place amongst those things which constitute our bodily good. The MOTHER OF GOD holds our health in the palm of her hand and I shall give only one example of this, but it is remarkable in all the circumstances.  

James, Margrave of Baden[1], was a German Prince and a Lutheran who converted to the Catholic faith. He was once wounded in the arm by a musket ball in the course of a tumult in the city of Cologne. Being in imminent danger of death, he swore a vow that if he were to recover, he would personally take a beautiful present to Our Lady of Loreto. As soon as he had said these words, he began to improve and the wound was healed, but he had lost the use of his arm. This first favour he had received gave him cause to hope for a second and he felt a secret confidence within his soul that she who had begun the work of healing would not leave it incomplete. Encouraged by this powerful feeling, he made his way to Loreto to fulfil his vow and to offer his thanks to the MOTHER OF GOD. He made a rich donation to the Holy Chapel and actually spent two whole days there in thanksgiving. On Christmas night (which was the third day after his arrival), he went back to his lodgings and shortly after midnight he saw in a dream the Queen of Heaven clad in white. She urged him not to lose heart and then taking him by the arm which had been injured she healed it so that it was just like his other, good arm. At that point, he awoke and he started moving his arm, stretching it out and doing various things with it until finally he decided it was completely healed. He could scarcely wait for the following day to dawn so that he could show this miracle that had been worked in his person and make his way to Our Lady Loreto to offer thanksgiving. This miracle has been duly attested and is kept in the archives of the Holy Chapel. 

Not content with what he had done by way of thanksgiving, he determined to go and share the wonderful news with his Holiness Pope Gregory XIII, a man of remarkable merit, who received him with a fulsome welcome. He then returned to his own country where it became apparent to all that he had received even greater favour in his soul than in his body. This was because he started to perform miracles for the conversion of his subjects. At this point, however, he met his death – not without a well-founded suspicion that the enemies of God’s glory had to taken steps to hasten his end.

At this point, if I were able to guess your questions then I would have sought to provide you with answers. Whilst you are thinking about this, we shall now move on to consider the most important of the graces that she routinely distributes to her children. 

Footnotes

[1] Turselinus, lib. V Lauret., c. 6.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 2.1-5

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)

§ 2. The generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to good fortune and bodily good 

How the Holy Virgin influences the good fortune of her children 

 1   Dear children of the Virgin, now is the time to spring into action and make known the desires of your heart; for I seem to see your beloved Mother holding the golden key which can open up the treasury of God’s generosity. Every manner of good can be found therein and she is inviting you to ask her for something. All you have to do is let her know what your wishes are.

 2   Are you seeking status and material possessions?  She will readily be able to say to you what her Son once said[1] to an overly indulgent mother focused on the ambitions of her sons : You know not what you ask. The great Apostle, moreover, would give you the following advice[2]: They that will become rich, fall into temptation, and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition. She could not agree to grant you such things at such a price and I am sure that you would not want to go down this path. Nevertheless, if such things would truly serve you on the path to your end, be in no doubt that she would grant them. Theodorus the Abbot[3] gives proof of this truth in the following account. 

During the time he was Abbot in the Monastery of Our Lady there was a shortage of wheat in the days leading up to Palm Sunday when crowds were expected to arrive from the surrounding villages. He ordered the monk in charge of the granary to place what little flour was left in the Monastery on the altar of the Holy Virgin. Once this had been done he began to pray, asking Our Lord through the intercession of His Holy Mother to supply them with what they needed to live and to meet the needs of those led by their devotion to come to the monastery. After this, something strange happened for on the very next day some thirty ships arrived from Cyprus, laden with enough flour to last many months. Everyone had very good reason to bless the Lord and the Holy Virgin for this miracle.  

St Gregory of Tours relates[4] that there was a Monastery in Jerusalem dedicated to the MOTHER OF GOD : 

This Monastery had been richly endowed to meet the needs of poor pilgrims. This notwithstanding, the day came when as a result of various factors the Monastery was reduced to such an extremity that not only did the monks no longer have the wherewithal to meet the needs of visitors, but they themselves were facing hunger. They went to see the Abbot and asked him to seek out a solution for the famine which faced them or to allow them to leave the Monastery to find provisions. The Abbot reassured them, saying that she who had given to a famished world the pure grain of celestial wheat would never allow wheat to be wanting in her own house. He then led them into the Church and they passed the night in prayer. In the morning, they went to the granary and found it was so full of wheat that they could scarcely open the door to gain access.  

On another occasion when they found themselves once more in dire want of resources, the sacristan went into the Church to prepare the altar as normal, and he found that it was covered with gold and silver. This was to teach this dear Mother’s children never to be wanting in their trust that she will meet their needs.  

I might well add here the experience of those in our Society who laid the first foundations of the house we have in Loreto. This was dedicated to the service of the glorious Virgin and people would flock from all the surrounding regions to offer their devotions in this holy chapel. On more than one occasion, the founders experienced[5] the helping hand of the Queen of Angels, whether in the multiplication of provisions which had been running out, or in the relief coming out of the blue for the extreme need in which they frequently found themselves.

Footnotes

[1] Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.  And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Matt. xx. 21-22.

[2] 1 Tim. vi. 9.

[3] Gregorius Presbyt., in the life he wrote of his Master Theodorus. 

[4] Lib. de Gloria Martyrum, c. 11.

[5] Histor. Societ., t. II, lib. VII, § 34, an. 1557, etc.

How she helps her children achieve true honours

 3   Are you seeking advancement to lofty positions and honours? I am afraid to say that she takes no pleasure in such requests. Saint John Chrysostom says that it is most difficult not to be dazzled by the temptation of honours and greatness; in fact people need a superhuman almost angelic virtue to reject the honours on offer. Do not, however, think I am avoiding the issue; on the contrary, I promise you that if they will truly lead to your greater good and you will be able to make use of them in a proper fashion, then she will place you on the throne of honour and glory. I ask readers to show a little patience until we come to the next Chapter where I hope to answer your questions and show how she has indeed awarded sceptres and crowns to her children but only when she has judged it appropriate to do so.

Footnotes

[1] Homil. 44 ad populum Antioch.

 4   Are you seeking a successful conclusion for your undertakings and projects? You would do well to remember what happened to the Emperor Heraclius and to Theodore his brother. 

The latter enjoyed the favour and support of the MOTHER OF GOD[1] and in 625 he attacked a Persian army commanded by Shahin, a senior general of King Khosrau. These hand-picked troops, numbering some 50,000 men, were esteemed so highly by the King that he called them Chrysoloras, the Golden Host. Such was the Holy Virgin’s support for Theodore, however, that Heaven came to his aid with a violent hailstorm that rained down upon the Persians. Theodore’s men were not affected and they won a glorious victory.   

The victory of Heraclius, however, which occurred in the following year was even more memorable because it brought great relief and joy to the whole of Christendom when the pious Emperor successfully recovered the Holy Cross which had been held captive by the barbarians. 

It had seemed at one stage that everything was going against him, for he had already been warring against the Persians for seven years; and his Turkish allies, who had fought alongside him in Persia, had slowly been deserting him. He decided his best recourse was to pray for help from the MOTHER OF GOD and he then assembled his soldiers and spoke to them in the following manner:

“Dear brothers-in-arms, you do not need me to tell you how everyone has been deserting us and that now we have on our side only God and his Holy Mother. Let us be of good heart, however, for we can have have no doubt that with Heaven’s help we shall see a happy conclusion.”

The outcome of the battle confirmed his prediction for he lost only fifty of his own men, whereas the whole Persian Army was put to flight. Heraclius had a personal encounter with general Rhazates, whom the Persian King had substituted for Shahin, and he slew him on the field of battle. Such was the confidence of this valiant prince in the MOTHER OF GOD that, having been proclaimed Emperor in Africa, he suddenly undertook a voyage to Constantinople. Amongst his fleet were several elite ships which bore aloft beautiful images of the Holy Virgin whom he had taken as his Protectress for the project. 

Footnotes

[1] Paulus Diaconus, lib. XVIII Histor., et Theophanes, in Annal. Græcorum, ann. 10 Heraclii, et eodem anno Cedrenus, Baronius, etc.

She gives children 

 5   Are you seeking children? That most wise and virtuous lady Anna, Mother of St Stephen the Younger, shows by her example to whom you should address your prayers. 

Anna had already been married for some years without providing a son for her husband. One day she felt an extraordinary impulsion to go and present her prayers and requests to the Mother of all sweetness. She went into the Church of Blachernae near Constantinople to ask the Holy Virgin to grant her a son, and in return she would dedicate him to her service. Eventually, she fell asleep and shortly after seemed to see a Lady of extraordinary majesty who tapped her gently with her foot saying: 

“Arise, the son thou hast desired has been given thee.”

After the birth of her son, she did not forget to return with her husband to the same place where she had received the promise, so that she might offer to the Virgin the baby boy she had obtained through her intercession. Events were to show how pleasing her offering was, for once the boy had come of age he joined a religious order and fought so courageously for the honour of holy icons that he gained a Martyr’s Crown. 

I cannot pass over in silence the most pious Queen Blanche, mother of the wonderful Saint Louis, for it was through the merits of the Holy Virgin that she obtained this most marvellous of Kings, this sacred jewel of Heaven? 

The whole of France was afflicted[1] because their Queen, already married for several years to King Louis VIII, had so far been unable to produce a son and heir for him. She herself felt greatly saddened and in the midst of her anxious thoughts she addressed herself to St Dominic. It was said of him that he had never failed to obtain anything that he had asked for from the glorious Virgin, and so she asked him to obtain a son for her. The Saint promised her that if she would take the trouble to help promote devotion to the Rosary, which he had recently instituted at Heaven’s Command, she would see the fulfilment of her desires. No sooner said than done, for as she was working to make this holy devotion more widely known, God for His part fulfilled the promise of His servant and made her the mother of one of the greatest Kings ever to have reigned. 

I should include at this point a similar favour no less remarkable which was granted from Heaven in our own days, when

 

we have seen the foremost Queen on Earth, after the offering of his Kingdom to the Queen of Heaven made by her great King her spouse, offer her son the Dauphin – the hope of France – on the altar of this same Princess of the Angels. We have witnessed her public profession in the Cathedral of Paris and in another Chapel which is dedicated to the Holy Mother, that she had obtained this child after twenty-two years of her prayers, waiting for Heaven’s reply. I shall leave it to historians to bring to light the wondrous details that the passage of time will certainly reveal when the opportunity arises of telling the story in full[2]. 

If we pass now from our own France over to Spain, we should note that the great Ildephonsus was also a son obtained as a result of prayers[3] and he came into the world through the intercession of her whom he was to honour so greatly throughout his life. The same is true of Blessed Charles the son of St Bridget.  

Whilst this saintly woman[4] was in her confinement and suffering extraordinary labour pains, there appeared at her side a Lady clad in white whose demeanour and comportment were altogether divine. She caressed Bridget gently with her hand and this brought her so much relief that very soon she was happily delivered of her new baby boy. 

Footnotes

[1] Ferdinandus Castellanus, in Chronico Ordinis Prædicatorum, part. I, lib. I, c. 7.

[2] Addendum by Translator: In 1637, King Louis XIII of France consecrated his person and his Kingdom to Mary, and with the Queen, Anne of Austria, he multiplied prayers and pilgrimages to obtain the heir they had awaited for 22 years. The Mother of God responded by appearing to Brother Fiacre, a religious from the church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires in Paris. Mary asked for three novenas: one to Our Lady of Graces in Cotignac (Provence), another to Our Lady of Paris, and a last one to Our Lady of Victories. The apparition was recognized as authentic and the Virgin Mary’s message conveyed to the Queen. Brother Fiacre finished the three novenas on December 5. Exactly nine months later to the day, Louis XIV was born. The heir received the baptismal name of “Louis Dieudonné” (God-given). As soon as the Queen was certain of her pregnancy, Louis XIII published an official edict on February 10, 1638, which solemnly consecrated France to Mary. See, e.g., 1) The Birth of Louis XIV, by the Rector of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Victories; and 2) The Church of Our Lady of Graces in Cotignac. 

[3] Mariana, lib. VI de Rebus Hispan., c.10.

[4] In ejus vita apud Surium, 23 Julii ; Vide Hist. D. Virg. Monteserrati, mirac. 82.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 6 : § 1.1-2

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)

The philosopher Plato at various points in his Dialogues portrays Love as a destitute figure barefoot and in rags, indicating (in my opinion) someone who has given away everything, keeping nothing back for himself. It is indeed true that love and parsimony are two things which do not sit easily together. God Himself reveals His love towards men by making gifts to them, and the greater His love the more magnificent He is in His gifts. Now, because the Holy Virgin is closer than any other simple creature to this divine generosity, we have every reason to suppose that, when it comes to her children, she is second in her largesse only to God Himself. That is the subject we are going to explore in the following Chapter.

 

Footnotes

[1] In Vita P. Baltazaris Alvarez.

§ 1. The Holy Virgin is a true model of generosity towards her children

 1   God once spoke a word to his servant Moses which was no less true than it was great when he promised to show him all good[1]. In showing Himself, He revealed that good which contains all others, which is the idea of them all and in which even nothingness, according to the great Saint Dionysius[2], desires to be something. He revealed that which alone is capable not only of satisfying the human heart but also of pleasing God. He revealed the fountain from which all good flows and the end which is to be his who holds onto God’s goodness. Can I dare at this point to bring forward the bold proposition of the pious Idiota[3] who says almost as much about the MOTHER OF GOD?  

Whoever has found Mary, he says, has found all good.

I have no doubt that was said with an awareness of the very great difference between God and the Holy Virgin. Although every sort of good is found in both of them, nevertheless the good is in God as in its source and in the Virgin like a stream flowing therefrom. God possesses goodness in Himself and by Himself ; but the Virgin’s good comes from Him. When God distributes out of His largesse, He is taking what is His own; the Virgin is giving only that which she has received from God. That aside, however, it is nevertheless true that whoever has found the MOTHER OF GOD will have found all good. 

In French historywe read how King Charles IX presented a lady with a golden ring on which the following words were engraved: Whoever hath me, hath need of nothing. Correctly understood, this motto belongs to God alone, and after God, to her who is able to enrich her children and to give them everything their heart could desire. If the wise man was able to say in truth[4] that whoever acquires a faithful friend has found a treasure, then how much more true is this of her whose good grace is worth more than the friendship of everyone in the world other than God Himself. How good it is to hear the words spoken long ago in Egypt when the Pharaoh’s response to all those who came to him asking for something was to direct them to his Viceroy, telling them: Go to Joseph[5]. Joseph for his part wrote to his venerable father and to his brothers: Come to me and I will share with you all the goods of Egypt[6]. 

It is however much more pleasing to hear how the Saviour responds to the Holy Virgin’s children who are seeking some grace : Go to my Mother, go to my Mother; and how the Virgin calls to them as best she can: Come to me, come to me, for I am to share with you all the favours of Heaven! I have already shown in Part II[7] of this work how the Saviour never communicates any sort of grace to men which does not pass through the hands of Mary; consider, therefore, how this applies even more in the case of those whom she cherishes so tenderly and for whose sake she mainly uses all the influence which she has.      

 

Footnotes

[1] I will shew thee all good. Exod. xxxiii. 19.

[2] Lib. de Divinis Nominibus, c. 4.

[3] In Proœm. Contempl. de B. Virg.: Inventa Maria invenitir omne bonum.

[4] A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found him, hath found a treasure. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach)  vi. 14

[5] Gen. xli. 55.

[6] Gen. xlv.

[7] Ch. 10.

 2   In order to clarify this point further, it may be noted that the Philosopher (basing himself as he says[1] on the general consensus of venerable antiquity), teaches that everything that merits the name of good can be related to three orders. The first of these includes the good which is outside ourselves, which we commonly call good fortune. Examples of this good include wealth, honours, great achievements, nobility, children, friends, success in business and such like. The second order  relates to our bodily good and includes things such as health, a sound constitution, strength, a long life and so on. The third order relates to the good of the soul, and examples of this would be a good nature, an alert mind, sound judgement, aptitude, knowledge, the virtues and all the gifts of grace and glory. 

This being the case, I now turn to you, devout children of the Holy Virgin, and I invite you to give free rein to your wishes, not holding back on what you desire to achieve. I am telling you not only with confidence but also with assurance that there is nothing that you can ask for from your dear Mother that you will not obtain, provided only that it is for your greater good. You must realise too that you will never exhaust the riches of her generosity but, on the contrary, the more you take the more there there is still to be taken. From this I leave it to you to judge whether you are not extremely blessed indeed to find yourself in this position. I believe that you do in fact recognise this very keenly but I think you would appreciate a sight of the proofs of the proposition that I am making. In this, I am most happy to oblige.

Footnotes

[1] Lib. I Ethic., c. 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