Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 12 : § 2.1-2

Chapter 12 : The Eleventh Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Sanctuary and Refuge of sinners

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 Mother of God is the true City of Refuge for sinners

 1   The Holy Spirit displays a wondrous capacity for representing a single idea in different ways, making use of various symbols and prefigurations. There is one which seems to show forth more clearly and openly than any other what we have just been considering about the safety and reassurance sinners find near the MOTHER OF GOD. It is the idea of Cities of Refuge which may be found mentioned in Chapter 35 of Numbers, Chapter 4 of Deuteronomy and Chapter 20 of Joshua. Concerning these, God decreed that after the children of Israel entered into the Promised Land, the Levites (who had been assigned a particular role dedicated to the service of His Majesty), would have their own special portion when it came to the allocation and sharing of the conquered cities. Of those which fell to them by lot, six were earmarked as sanctuaries for those who had committed the crime of involuntary homicide: three beyond the Jordan and three in the land of Chanaan. Apart from various allegorical and moral interpretations given to these cities of refuge by the Holy Doctors, especially by St Ambrose[1], St John Damascene pointed out a sublime mystery incorporating a most particular design on the part of God for them : namely, they were to serve as a model prefiguring the Mother of Goodness, whom in this connection[2] he calls the true City of Refuge, a title echoed by the Church universal[3]. We should note, however, that just as shadows give way to light and truth prevails over prefigurations, so it is clear to see that the MOTHER OF GOD is immeasurably superior to the ancient models which foreshadowed her.   

Footnotes

[1] Lib. de Fug. seculi., c. 2.

[2] Orat. 2 de Dormitione B. Virg.

[3] In the Litanies, she is said to be Civitas refugii (Refugium Peccatorum in the Litany of Loreto). Cf: urbs refugii, from Nones in the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception. 

 2   In the first place, we cannot say that these cities were built expressly for the safety of these men accused of involuntary homicide. In the case of the Holy Virgin, however, we know that when God first conceived the idea of her, from that very moment he intended her to become the Sanctuary and Refuge of sinners. We covered this in Chapter 1 of Part II and it is also evident from her titles of Mediatrix and Advocate which throw great light upon this truth. This aside, however, we have the explicit testimony of St Anselm in various places. 

In Chapter 1 of his book on the Excellence of the Virgin he says : I know well that she was made MOTHER OF GOD more for sinners than for the just[1]; for her most blessed son told us that he came not to call the just but sinners to penance[2]; And the Apostle St Paul declares that his master came into this world to save sinners of whom he was the chief[3].

In the last chapter of his book, he speaks to the MOTHER OF GOD in the following manner: 

May it please thee to remember, most holy Virgin, that thy Son was not born of thee so that He might cause the ruin of sinners, but so that he might save them. What reason wouldst thou have to refuse them thine aid since it was out of consideration for them that thou hast been elevated above all creatures? Taking into account the fact that thy happiness and thy glory cannot now be changed, can anyone be found who would imagine that thou wouldst take so little trouble over what concerneth us? Perhaps this thought might persuade some minds if it were the case that thou wast made MOTHER OF GOD for thyself alone; but this conclusion would be ill-founded, seeing that thou wast raised to this dignity for the good of all thy children and for their advancement.  

This is reflected in an ancient sequence[4] which the Church sings[5]: 

Couldst thou in truth be horrified 

Refusing bluntly to defend

Those souls whose state of sinful pride 

Did cause thee heav’nwards to ascend 

Enjoying there thine august role 

Of which a supernatural feature

Helped thee to save each fallen soul

Thus giving hope to every creature

And showing how the pow’r Divine

Perfection wrought none more than thine?

When from the heights of exaltation

Thou seest suff’ring like no other

Remember ‘twas our tribulation.

That caused thee to be chosen Mother

Of God the Father of Our Lord;

Now this thou dost aye understand

That sinners’ prayers can’t be ignored

(As God Himself forsooth had planned)

Thy love for them and all thy care

Doth Mother make beyond compare.

Footnotes

[1] Scio illam magis propter peccatores, quam propter justos factam esse Dei Matrem.

[2] And Jesus answering, said to them :.. I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance. Luke v. 31-31.

[3] A faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. 1 Tim. i. 15.

[4] Sequence: The French text uses the word prose which also exists in English as an alternative name, once common in England, for the sequence: a composition in rhythmical prose or rhyming, accentual verse, recited or sung on festival days before the Gospel at Mass, and on certain other occasions.

[5] Peccatores non exhorres, sine quibus numquam fores tanto digna Filio : “Thou dost not abhor sinners, without whom thou wouldst never have been worthy of such a Son.” Crasset. Vér. Dév. p. 1, tr. 1, q. 10.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 12 : § 1.3-4

Chapter 12 : The Eleventh Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Sanctuary and Refuge of sinners

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 MOTHER OF GOD is the true refuge of sinners 

 3   If sin transforms a rational man into an unreasoning brute then, far from shunning him, the glorious Virgin will give him a most gracious welcome. I should like to refer here to an incident involving Blessed St Gertrude recounted in the book of her Revelations[1]. 

One day the Saviour showed her several little animals of different kinds which had gathered under the great mantle of the Holy Mother, just as if they had found there a place where they would be safe. She was stroking them affectionately in the way people do with their little pet dogs. By this image the Saviour meant to show Gertrude the deep affection His gentle Mother has towards sinners, whom she welcomes with heartfelt warmth, taking them under her protection until with all their heart and soul they are reconciled with His divine Majesty.    

If sin casts a man into dense clouds of Cimmerian[2] darkness, then the Holy Virgin will dissipate them, bringing joy once more into his heart with her beautiful radiance. Pope St Innocent III writes wonderfully on this idea, making use of the threefold imagery in the Canticle of love where the Holy Spouse is called radiant as the morning rising, fair as the moon, and bright as the sun[3].  

The moon, writes the Saint, gives us light during the night; the dawn between night and day; and the sun during the daytime. Night signifies the state of sin, dawn that of penitence, and day that of grace. Accordingly, whoever finds himself in the dark night of sin, let him gaze upon the moon and pray to Mary, so that from her he may receive a ray of holy compunction; for who has ever invoked her help in the night of sin and been left unaided? Let him who is awakened from his sin with true repentance gaze upon the beautiful dawn, and let him call for Mary’s help so that he can receive from her the courage to make proper satisfaction. Let him who through her mediation has received the grace of justification hold her in ceaseless contemplation like the beautiful star of the day; it is she who keeps him in this longed-for state belonging to the children of light.      

If sin is like a mortal wound in the soul, or one which inclines it to lose the life of grace, then the hand of the MOTHER OF GOD brings health and healing. This is what she actually said one day to blessed St Bridget : 

No matter how great and loathsome a man’s sins may be, I am always ready to welcome him if he hath recourse to me in good heart and with a true desire to amend his life. I do not so much consider the enormity of his sins as I do his sincere willingness to abandon his sinful ways. Provided he hath a revulsion for his condition then no matter how vile and disfigured this may be, I am always ready to take charge of him, cleansing and healing his wounds, and restoring his health to him. This is why I am called and in truth why I am the Mother of Mercy. 

Footnotes

[1] Lib. IV, c. 49.

[2] Cimmerian: One of a people fabled by the ancients to live in perpetual darkness. 1871 There the people dwell, Of the Cimmerians, in eternal cloud and darkness. W. C. Bryant, translation of Homer, Odyssey vol. I. xi. 267.

[3] Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array? Cant. vi. 9. 

 4   To sum up: if sin is like a divorce which separates and breaks the unity of the soul with God, then it belongs to the Mother of Goodness to restore peace and return the soul into the good graces of the heavenly Spouse. 

When writing about this, blessed Peter Damien says that the Holy Virgin was prefigured by the Sulamitess who was invited no less than four times to return[1]; so too, our Holy Mother is invited by the penitent sinner to return to this world after being called to Heaven where she was crowned and recognised as sovereign Lady and Queen of all her Son’s domains. 

“Our people do not envy thee this happiness, most holy Virgin!” exclaims the poor soul and indeed, why would he since thy glory is his and the credit that thou doth acquire with God is the greatest blessing that he could ever hope for? We pray, however that thou wilt not forget thy dear children whom thou leavest engulfed in a thousand miseries; please bring a little joy to their hearts by favouring them frequently with thy gaze.

Firstly, do thou return to them in nature, for being united as thou art with divine nature it is not reasonable for thou to forget those who are in this valley of tears, exposed to so many sorts of trials and tribulations. In the end, thou art ours by nature and reason requireth that we should be more abundantly than others the beneficiaries of the sweet blessings of thy loving heart. 

Secondly, do thou return in power, because He that is mighty hath done great things to thee[2]. For is there anything in the world that can be refused to thee, to thee who had the power to rescue Theophilus[3] from the abyss of perdition into which he had plunged himself? Thou didst  save him from the claws of Satan, this poor wretch who with his own hand and his own blood had denied Him who had been conceived in thee; and thou wast able to restore to him a lively hope of his salvation. What is there then that thou couldst not do if thou chose to come to our help? And how could He deny thee this power who did Himself receive our nature from thee?  

Thirdly, Do thou return in love and affection since in thee and through thee thy most dear Son doth cherish us with sovereign love. 

Finally, do thou return in excellence, since thou hast been raised and elevated in such an excellent manner over all the works of God. The treasures of His great mercy are in thy hands and in truth why wouldst thou leave sinners unaided, thou who seekest only an opportunity to help the needy and to shower on them the blessings that thou hast received for them – especially since thy glory is in no wise diminished when sinners obtain forgiveness and by means of justifying grace are given possession of that glory which awaiteth them; on the contrary, thy glory groweth anew to the extent that God receiveth more honour and holy Sion is filled up with His Elect? 

Thus does this great Cardinal and devout servant of the Virgin call upon the Mother of Mercy, acknowledging her every virtue and her sense of maternal duty; he urges her by all that is most dear to her on earth as in Heaven to show herself favourable to the prayers of sinners, helping them to return to God – even though she does not in fact need to be asked, since she values and loves their good and their salvation incomparably more than they do themselves. She never ceases, however, to take pleasure at hearing the prayers and petitions that are made to her on their behalf, for these are so many testimonies of their determination to break away from sin entirely. Accordingly, since she is so pleased to see us frequently at her door seeking to hand in our requests, we should never hesitate to have recourse to her at any hour of the day and at any opportunity – for such is her wish and such is the will of God who gave her as Mediatrix and Sanctuary for poor sinners. 

Footnotes

[1] Return, return, O Sulamitess: return, return that we may behold thee. Canticles (Solomon) vi.12.

[2] Luke i. 49.

[3] St Theophilus the Penitent (d. 538) also known as Theophilus of Cilicia or Theophilus of Adana.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 12 : § 1.1-2

Chapter 12 : The Eleventh Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Sanctuary and Refuge of sinners

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)

Just as for serious illnesses we can find excellent physicians, so too for the extreme misery of sin great mercies are available. The Queen of Heaven is the Mother of Mercy just as sin is the worst of all men’s miseries. How could she make use of her time with greater profit to men than in preventing them from falling into sin and delivering those who have so fallen? Herein we find the triumph of mercy and proof of what the Mother of fair love is for her children. Let us now consider the evidence of this truth and I am confident that readers will find our discussion of great interest and benefit.  

§ 1. The MOTHER OF GOD is the true refuge of sinners 

 1   Let not the sinner say along with wretched Cain[1] that God has banished him from His presence, that He does not wish to set eyes on him ever again and anyone finding him can kill him; for God has made available a Mother of Mercy to receive the sinner with open arms and she wants to save him – provided he has not determined in his heart to suffer the loss of his own soul[2]. Let me say to the sinner at the outset on God’s behalf that he only needs a firm determination to refuse to consent to his downfall and he should not be frightened away by the nature or number of his sins. 

If sin is a crime of lèse-majesté against the divine King of Kings, then the MOTHER OF GOD offers a sanctuary for sinners. Her sanctuary is, however, quite different from the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, from the tomb of Theseus in Athens, or the altar of Jupiter the Saviour[3] in Ithaca – indeed, it is quite different from all the temples, tombs and altars in the world, howsoever celebrated they might have been. Listen to the words of the great St Ephrem in the prayer he composed by way of praising the Holy Virgin[4]:   

Hail thou sanctuary and refuge of sinners; Hail thou propitiatory[5] for the afflicted. 

If sin is the ugliness and confusion paralysing a soul so that it cannot bring itself to look up and appear before its Creator – then the MOTHER OF GOD is the Mediatrix bringing the message of reconciliation. St Ephrem reveals this idea when he writes in the same place as follows[6]:  

Hail thou sweet hope of my soul, infallible source of salvation for all Christians; Hail thou who comest with help for sinners and those in need before God.  

If sin is a breach made by the enemies of our happiness in order to capture the soul and take it under their control, then the MOTHER OF GOD is like a defensive wall preventing their attack and thwarting any attempt to seize control if they have managed to gain entry. Here once more are the words of St Ephrem[7]: 

Hail thou defensive wall protecting the faithful; and hail thou Sanctuary for those who wish to be saved.  

Footnotes

[1] Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from thy face, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one, therefore, that findeth me, shall kill me. Gen. iv. 14.

[2] Matt. xvi. 26; Mark viii. 36.

[3] Jupiter Soter / Zeus the Saviour: a title found, for example, in Plutarch’s Life of Demosthenes at 27.8. 

[4] Ave asilum peccatorum, et hospitium ; ave propitiatorium laborantium.

[5] The covering of the Ark of the Covenant : Exod. xxv 17–20, where propitiatorium is sometimes translated as mercy-seat: see e.g., KJV & RSV-CE.

[6] Ave animæ spes bona, aut Christianorum omnium firma salus ; ave peccatorum et auxilio indi-gentium apud Deum adjutrix.

[7] Ave vallum fidelium, et mundi.

 2   If sin is a perilous leap where the sinner falls into the greatest danger, the Holy Virgin is the heavenly rod held out to save us and bring us back. St Peter Damian[1] was altogether inspired to perceive this when he was commenting on the words of the Royal Prophet[2]: Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.   

All the hope and consolation of sinners may be found in a rod, which is the Virgin, and the staff which is nothing other than the Cross of the Saviour. 

If sin has produced the desperation of a soul set on fire with the just vengeance of God, then the Holy Virgin is the water that heaven rains down for us to extinguish this fire. This is the thought underlying the following words of the same St Peter Damian, Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, in the first Sermon that he wrote for the Nativity of the Virgin.  

Who out of men or Angels can comprehend how thou, Holy Mother, art able to placate the wrath of the sovereign Judge when, His face inflamed with Justice, He pronounceth His fiery sentence which will reduce us to ashes?   

According to the words of the devout Arnold of Chartres[3], if sin is the shipwreck of the soul then the Queen of Heaven

is the port offering a safe haven for the soul as it clings to the plank of penitence and the remains of the shattered vessel – meaning the firm hope of obtaining pardon through her intercession. 

If sin is like a thorn which pierces the heart causing it to bleed, then provided that the flower of remorse blossoms in this soul, then the rainbow (which according to the interpretation of the Holy Archbishop of Florence[4] is none other than the Mother of Mercy) will reach down and infuse it with a fragrance causing joy to the Angels and the whole of the heavenly court. This idea[5] is based upon a remark made by Pliny the Naturalist concerning the rainbow. He wrote that: 

“There goes a common speech that every plant over which the rainbow is seen bent will cast the same scent that the Aspalathus[6] doth: but if it chance that the rainbow settle over Aspalathus, then it will yield a sweet savour incomparable, and such as cannot be expressed[7]”.

In the same way we can say that the MOTHER OF GOD, who is the wonder of Heaven and earth, casts her scent over all the souls upon whom she deigns to gaze, but that the sweetness of the celestial fragrance with which she bathes sinners has something altogether sublime, causing wonderment amongst men and Angels alike. 

If sin is like an iron weight dragging the heart and the desires of the sinner down to earthly things, then the MOTHER OF GOD is like a sacred magnet which draws the sinner back up, restoring him to where he was before his fall. This is what the Holy Mother explained one day to blessed St Bridget.

Footnotes

[1] Serm. de Assumpt.

[2] Psal. XXII. 4. 

[3] Tract. de Laudib. Deip.

[4] S. Antonin., p. IV, tit. XV, c. 44.

[5] Plin., lib. II, c. 24.

[6] “a white thornie shrub it is, of the bignesse of a small tree, and beareth a floure resembling a rose.” See 7.

[7] The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland, Doctor of Physicke, 1634.

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 11 : § 2.1-3

Chapter 11 : The Tenth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Consolation of the Afflicted

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 Holy Virgin is Help of the hopeless 

 1   It sometimes happens that we have a physical illness or injury which at first seems nothing but if neglected it can get worse and lead to big problems. The same can happen to our souls. Being pricked with a thorn or a needle, for example, can lead to an infection of the wound, complications with the humours[1], an inflammation, an abscess and finally the stage where gangrene sets in, leading to death unless drastic surgery is performed. Another example is what we can see almost daily when what looks like a wisp of steam or smoke rises into the sky and then joins with others in mid air blocking out the sunlight from the earth; or even developing into a storm with thunderbolts and flashes of lightning, threatening to bring everything crashing down; just as though God had given the enemy secret permission to become involved and, as frequently happens, the results can be tragic and even fatal. This gives us an idea of what can happen when a person’s heart is betrayed and overcome by dark feelings of doubt and fear. At the beginning there is nothing much, but little by little the understanding is clouded, the will is overcome, reason is eclipsed, all the soul’s feelings are disrupted and the dark feelings take over everything. This creates perfect conditions for the Prince of darkness to exploit, creating such spiritual confusion and disruption that a person can find himself in extreme distress and sometimes on the edge of despair. What hope can there be of providing help to this poor soul, closely besieged by the evil one who seems to have blocked off every escape route? Someone all powerful is needed to come to the rescue and raise the enemy’s siege. This is where the Mother of mercy comes into the picture, and according to the saintly Cosmas of Jerusalem[2] she has all the power of God Himself at her disposal. Without her intervention, I see no hope of deliverance; but once she lends a helping hand, there is nothing whatsoever to fear, for she is never closer to her children then when all seems to be lost. She cherishes them in their extreme necessity and, when they no longer have power to help themselves, she takes them into her arms, giving them strength and fortitude. People truly come to understand her worth when they find themselves in great need of help and then they learn just how faithfully she has remembered even the least little services they rendered to her.  

Footnotes

[1] In ancient and medieval physiology and medicine: any of four fluids of the body (blood, phlegm, choler, and so-called melancholy or black bile) believed to determine, by their relative proportions and conditions, the state of health and the temperament of a person or animal.

[2] Hymno 6.

 2   Some forty years ago[1], a young man experienced this in the Spanish province of Toledo.

He was just a poor shepherd with a heart singularly devoted to the MOTHER OF GOD whom he wished to serve and honour to the best of his ability. In particular, he had consecrated his chastity to her as being the best gift that he could offer her. The enemy of all that is good found this intolerable and launched such fierce attacks against him that he was almost at his wits’ end. His mind seemed to be plagued by improper thoughts and horrific images whilst his body too experienced dreadful torments. Faced with these extraordinary trials and struggles, he felt his only recourse was to prostrate himself before the Holy Virgin whom he had chosen for his Mother.  Since he had placed all his trust in her after God himself, he implored her not to allow one of her own to fall into the predatory hands of the enemy. Satan was furious to see how a simple shepherd could have so much trust and virtue. When he noticed how he was persevering in this prayer, he redoubled his attacks so insistently that finally the shepherd’s heart was filled with distress and sorrow.  

This provided a first opportunity for the enemy who, with all the cunning of a fox, appeared at the shepherd’s side in disguise. He proceeded to ask in a seemingly discreet manner the cause of the sadness he could see on the young man’s face. After a short conversation, he finally bared his heart and explained the cause of his distress. In his assumed role of friendly confidant, Satan reassured him that there was no reason to be so troubled since God pays no heed to our private thoughts and the feelings we have in our hearts, provided they are not translated into sinful actions. Far from finding any relief in this and similar conversations, the young man noticed his troubles grew steadily worse as each day passed. On the one hand, his poor heart was so distraught that he was at a loss as to how he could regain peace of mind; and on the other, his mind faced a series of assaults by terrible fantasies, each one of which threatened to overwhelm him. The one thing, however, that made him feel truly ensnared and beyond any hope of consolation was that he felt entirely to blame for having consented to the evil promptings of the enemy. Whilst he was in this pitiful state, the tempter returned to the attack, but this time he presented himself under a different aspect: for with his deep-set eyes, his pale and drawn countenance and his sober demeanour, he would have been taken for a man of considerable experience, worn out by long years of patient study. The shepherd then took part in what he thought was a wise and measured conversation. He was so upset that he scarcely knew what he was saying or doing when he innocently revealed the pain he had been suffering. The tempter had a grave and severe look on his face when he replied that the young man was in a very bad way and beyond any hope of obtaining pardon for his sin. 

“But what can have been meant,” asked the young man, “when I heard it preached so frequently that there is forgiveness for every sin?”

“You had better believe what I’m saying,” replied the Devil, “since just as I have no wish to deceive you, so too you must be in no doubt that the long years I have lived and the books I have studied have given me sufficient knowledge of the truth in this matter. I cannot conceal from you that God has indeed given us a remedy to repair this sort of fault and to return to his good graces, but I did not want to tell you about it at first forasmuch as it is hard and may be beyond your power. Nevertheless, since you want to know, I can tell you that the remedy is martyrdom.”

To the extent that this old liar had lift a glimmer of hope that he might be healed, the shepherd was most anxious to learn more and therefore he asked what sort of martyrdom he was talking about. 

“I shall keep nothing from you,” replied the devil. “This sin can be expiated only by offering your own life; but it is true that you have a choice between three kinds of death: you can hang yourself in one of these trees, or you can die by fire, or you can drown yourself in the nearby lake.”

The conversation finished shortly after this and the devil took leave of the young man, leaving him more afflicted in the spirit than ever before. For on the one hand, he feared lest this might be an illusion and the gentle remedy of salvific penitence, which he had so often practised, came back into his thoughts. On the other hand, he felt he would never be able to bear the shame he would face for confessing such a dreadful sin. Death seemed a harsh solution to him but his fear of being confounded terrified him still more and held the greatest sway over him. In the end, he resolved to choose death by fire as being the simplest option. He collected a bundle of dry wood and began to build his pyre. To what extremity will a troubled spirit not be reduced, especially when hounded remorselessly by an enemy? When everything was ready, he set fire to the wood and walked right into the middle of the flames; but the Mother of mercy had no wish to see someone who had shown her such heartfelt love and service perish in this manner. Without allowing herself to be seen, she extinguished the flames. From his position in the middle of the pyre, this made the shepherd's spirits sank in despair, and he became angry with himself about the wood he had chosen. He tried to light it again but the Holy Mother extinguished it once more. He was so impatient to meet his death in order to be delivered from the distress pressing upon him that he determined to try a third time. On this occasion, the fire took hold more easily but at this point the Mother of gentleness, whom he scarcely knew now, appeared to him as a venerable Lady robed in white and she drew him out of the midst of the flames by main force. 

 When this happened, the young man felt in two minds : on the one hand, it seemed that Heaven did not wish to consent to his death; but on the other, he could not rid himself of the thoughts the evil one had placed in his head. Troubled at heart and weary in body, he sought rest by sitting on a tree trunk, his gaze still fixed upon the pyre. Whilst she was deep in thought, his advisor returned and asked him why he looked so desperate. The young man replied that he had tried the option of death by fire but that his plan had not succeeded. 

“It would seem, said the evil one, that God’s will is not that you should purge your sins through fire but rather that they should be washed away with water. Can you see the lake that I mentioned earlier? There you will assuredly be able to wash away all the sins on your soul.”

There was nothing so difficult that this poor man would not attempt in order to be rid of the sin he believed he had committed. In order to free himself from the sorrow that overwhelmed him, he hastened towards the lake, thinking that he could not arrive there too soon. Just as he was about to go into the water, however, he remembered that he had not yet paid his daily tribute to the MOTHER OF GOD. Accordingly, he knelt down and recited his rosary most devoutly, imploring her to help him in his necessities. When he had finished his prayer, he took off his smock and placed it next to his shoes at the water’s edge. He then plunged into the water and swam to the deepest and most dangerous part of the lake to hasten his drowning. There, he even opened his mouth, in an attempt to bring about his watery death as quickly as possible.

Dear Mother of gentleness, the time hath come for thee to intervene – it’s now or never. Thou must show this poor young man that he has not served thee in vain!

 

Here she comes now, running, and I can see her walking on the waters and arriving just in time to prevent his death. She grabs him by his shirt and takes him back to the shore. After giving him some words of encouragement and sound advice, she departs, leaving him utterly astonished at her kind-hearted action. He is now filled with hope of obtaining pardon for his sins which he is to wash away with tears of contrition in the sacrament of penance. He now realises such tears are more efficacious and pleasing to God than the watery bleakness to which his despair had taken him.  

Footnotes

[1] Franciscus Bencius, in Annalibus ; In Historia Montisserati, mirac. 116 et 255.

 3   No matter how widely and effectively the mercies  of the MOTHER OF GOD may be broadcast; even if the four corners of the universe were to resound with the wonders of her goodness; even if the whole world were to be employed in preaching the greatness of her generosity and the love which she has for those who honour and serve her – even all this would not do her justice. We would have to exhaust all the waters of the ocean and number the grains of sand on every shore to have some idea of the nature and extent of the tender love for us shown by the MOTHER OF GOD. 

To Him be glory for ever; and for the love of Him, honour be to her whom He hath pleased to make so great; and may we ourselves be granted the confidence to have recourse to her in all our necessities!    

[End of Chapter 11]

 

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 11 : § 1.5-6

Chapter 11 : The Tenth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Consolation of the Afflicted

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 MOTHER OF GOD  is the Consolation of the afflicted 

 5   Only a few years ago[1] in the city of Mexico there was a poor woman whose husband had been absent for twelve years but none of her relatives and neighbours showed any compassion or gave her any help whatsoever. The Devil took advantage of this opportunity to tempt her with sins against chastity but she had determined rather to die in poverty than to sin against her Creator. 

One evening after she had gone to bed, her feeling of loneliness and the darkness of the night caused her sorrow and distress to return. As she was unable to sleep, she arose from her bed to seek solace by looking up to the heavens where she had placed her hopes, but the night was so dark that she found no consolation there. Feeling heavy at heart, she lay down on her bed once more and began speaking to the MOTHER OF GOD about something she had heard in a sermon the previous day.  

“Most holy Virgin,” she began, “thou who reachest out to those who seek thy help, wilt thou leave me alone unaided? I have heard it said – and I do believe it – that thou hast incomparably more affection and tenderness for thy children than any other mother has for her own. Now, I hold it as certain that if she who delivered me into the world could see me in this pitiful state she would have compassion on me and would never leave me without help; all the more reason, therefore, for me to hope thy maternal heart might comfort me in my hour of need. If thou shouldst abandon me, what is to become of me and to whom shall I have recourse if thou dost reject me?” 

After she had spoken these words, she looked towards the door where she saw a light coming into the room, just as if day were dawning. She was surprised that daybreak had come so soon and while she was thinking about this she heard a voice which called her by name. It seemed to penetrate so deeply into her soul that she felt all her sadness and distress melt away. This sudden change increased her sense of wonderment and then the same voice that had called to her spoke again saying: 

“My dear child , be of good heart, I shall never abandon thee. The state in which thou dost presently find thyself will soon pass and will be followed by one of calm and contentment. I will indeed show thee how the loving care of all the mothers in the world is as nothing compared to that which I have for thee.”

 After this, the light slowly began to fade and the woman’s curiosity made her get out of bed to see where the voice had come from. In the surrounding darkness, she saw a light which was slowly dying away before disappearing in the sky. From that moment onwards, the sadness and dejection she had felt in her heart were replaced with a joy which was quite extraordinary and altogether heavenly. She would later say that now she had heard the voice of the MOTHER OF GOD, all that remained was for her to see her holy face – whensoever she might deign to reveal it to her.

Footnotes

[1] Franciscus Bencius, in Annalibus.

 6   The following account comes from the life[1] of Blessed Godric, an English hermit who lived in the time of St Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury.  

Whilst he was at prayer one day in front of the altar of the Holy Virgin, he saw two Ladies of outstanding beauty on each side of the altar looking at each other without saying a word and occasionally casting a glance towards him. He could not take his eyes off them but he remained motionless, occasionally bowing his head towards them. Finally they approached him and the more majestic of the two, who had been on the right hand side of the altar, asked him if he recognised them.   

“Dear Lady,” replied the Saint, “this would be known only to those who have the honour of learning this from thine own lips, since I am quite certain your faces are not those of mortal creatures such as us.”

“I am the MOTHER OF GOD,” was the Holy Virgin’s response, “and this is Mary Magdalene, the faithful Disciple of my Son.”

At these words, the Saint prostrated himself at the feet of the Queen of Heaven and said to her: 

“Most Holy Lady, my wish is to devote myself to thee and I pray that thou wilt take me under thy holy protection.”

Our gentle Mother and St Mary Magdalene then tenderly placed their hands upon his head and at the same moment the chapel was suffused with a heavenly fragrance. The Virgin Mother then filled Godric with joy by singing a beautiful and holy canticle which she instructed him to remember so that he might obtain comfort in his tribulations and fortify himself against any temptations the old enemy might use against him. She promised him that whenever he sang these words she would immediately hasten unto his aid. Here are the words of this canticle:

[Translator’s note: the following uses the metre and rhyming scheme of the French original, seeking to reflect the language and imagery.]

Most holy Maid, ’tis true: we could not love thee more,

For thy perfections all

(But after Our dear Lord’s, whom we perforce adore)

Do hold our hearts in thrall. 

The Lord who hath on high His dwelling place divine 

With Father sempiternal,

Hath chosen here below for human dwelling thine

Own womb, blest and maternal.

Forsooth He recognised amid thy glorious features

Thy pure virginity,

How perfectly ‘twould serve amidst all other creatures

His own humanity.

He’s called a Nazarene[2], which myst’ry like no others

Doth thee with joy empower;

For he will show that thou, amongst all fragrant mothers,

Art chosen as the Flower.

Oh Holy Flow’r thou who the Fruit of Life produced:

Help make all sinners savour

Thy saving grace when they are near to death reduced

Then rescued by thy favour.

Do thou rule in my heart as o’er thine own domain,

To Jesus’ law so loyal;

Thy subject I shall be, and thou shalt reign o’er me,

Thy Son being Sovereign royal.

Pray that my soul by thee so blest to have been captured,

May taste in sweet delight

Celestial joys with thee, eternally enraptured

In Heaven’s highest height.

Though conscious of the hopes that make my heart to soar

I limit my request:

For seeing thee with God is all I seek, no more:

With this may I be blest.

Footnotes

[1] Guillelm. Neubrig., de Rebus Angelorum, lib. II, c. 20.

[2] And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene. Matt. ii. 23. The etymology of Nazara is neser, which means "a shoot". The Vulgate renders this word by flos, "flower", in the Prophecy of Isaias (xi.1). St. Jerome (Epist., xlvi, "Ad Marcellam") gives the same interpretation to the name of the town. See Nazareth in the Catholic Encyclopedia and the Fillion Bible commentary on Matt. ii. 23.gg

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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

Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 11 : § 1.3-4

Chapter 11 : The Tenth Star or Splendour of the Crown of Goodness of the MOTHER OF GOD

She is the Consolation of the Afflicted

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 MOTHER OF GOD  is the Consolation of the afflicted 

 3   This is also the state in which we come to appreciate that the Mother of goodness is truly our Mother and where she makes us feel the gentle and loving effects of her mercy. A sufficient proof of this truth is the authentic voice of Holy Church which confers on her the lofty title of Consolatrix afflictorum – Comforter of the afflicted. All the Holy Fathers concur in this, including some of the most highly qualified amongst her devout servants. 

“Dear Comforter, the Lord bless thee and keep thee,” says St Ephrem[1], Deacon in the Church of Edessa in Syria. “Thou dost soothe our pains, dissipate our troubles and lighten our burdens.”

“Most chaste, bountiful and merciful Lady,” says St Germanus (Patriarch of Constantinople[2]). “Thou art the only solace of Christians, bringer of joy to the afflicted and refuge of sinners; prithee do not leave us orphans and cut off from help. For whither shall we go and to whom shall we have recourse if thou dost abandon us? What will become of us, oh thou who art the life and guiding light of faithful souls? Just as when a person breathes we know that a soul doth still vivify his body, so too is it the case that when thy holy name is on our lips we shall always have both an infallible sign and a firm belief that we may rejoice in thy help everywhere, everywhen and in every way.”   

The pious writer who uses the pen-name Idiota[3] declares that:  

out of all names of the Saints, there is none that bringeth joy to the afflicted and encouragement to those who are weak and exhausted like the name of Mary. 

Might we not fancy that he is speaking here of the beautiful light which comes at break of day and brings consolation to poor sick people, or perhaps of some lighthouse suddenly coming into sight just at the point when a worried sailor no longer knows which bearing to follow? And who can be in any doubt that the Virgin even in this life did not partake of the wondrous attributes of her beloved Son, of whom St Bridget[4] writes that: 

Those suffering from oppression and sadness in their hearts and minds would encourage each other to go and see the Son of Mary, the mere sight of whom would bring joy and peace back into their troubled souls ? 

Now if the splendour of her angelic countenance already had the power to dissipate the darksome clouds of sadness even in this valley of tears – what will it be like now that she is more dazzling than a thousand suns, being as one transformed in the Sun of eternal light, the principle and origin of all rejoicing in the world? We can go further and say that if she responds with a particular care even for strangers who have recourse to her, then how much more must she have for those of her household – her own dear children; and who can be any doubt that, just like the valiant woman in Proverbs[5], she will provide them with the clothes they need for winter and summer, meaning that she will take just as much care to help them in times of hardship and adversity as she will to prevent them from being corrupted by the fatal attractions of human consolations? 

Footnotes

[1] Serm. de Laudibus Virg.

[2] In Adoratione Zonæ Deip.

[3] Contempl. de B. Virg., c. 5.

[4] Revel., lib. IV, c. 70.

[5] The valiant woman … shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. Prov. xxxi. 10 & 21.

 4   In order to have a better idea of the maternal love she shows towards her children, picture a mother whose only son is seriously ill. You will note that she does not change her clothes by day or by night and permits herself no rest, for she will not allow her son to be served by anyone other than herself. She makes sure that she prepares all his food and drink, that she feeds him personally, that she keeps watch over him, gets him up, makes his bed and puts him to bed, and she is not free to leave off these tasks even for a little while. She answers the door to prevent his being disturbed; she ensures that he is not troubled by noise; she brings order to everything and finds nothing too demanding or difficult. If you take away from this image the trouble and inner turmoil – since the MOTHER OF GOD has no part in these – we have a rough idea of her maternal tenderness towards poor, afflicted souls. I say rough, for it is quite different from what she does in favour of her children who are suffering from some spiritual affliction. This would be beyond our conception and much less could a pen put it into words. 

It involves the miraculous care she takes to close off entry points for our invisible enemies lest they succeed in exploiting a dangerous time when we would be more susceptible to their evil influences. It involves the miraculous power she uses to shield us from their seething rage of their attacks. It involves the miraculous love and affection with which she ensures her children are strengthened and consoled with every sort of spiritual nourishment. She brings back to life precious holy things which had been dead and buried deep in their memory; she enlightens their understanding; she strengthens their will, restoring its full vigour. She reins in the imagination, keeping it within proper bounds; she restrains the disordered movements of the passions, keeping them subject to reason; she banishes objects of temptation which might breach the soul’s defences; little by little, she restores the taste and appetite for spiritual and divine things; she moderates the inclination to be tempted by things sensual and base; almost imperceptibly, she heals spiritual torpor and heaviness; with gentle stirrings of joy she uplifts the soul; most importantly, she infuses it with a firm confidence that she will never abandon it and that, no matter how terribly the storm may rage, the soul will never be allowed to founder; this confidence moves the soul to accept everything from the hand of God and from His dear Mother who causes the soul to accept all the ordinances from Heaven, making it as strong and firm as a rock in the midst of surging waves and turbulence.

If only those who have experienced this happy state and their help provided by the Queen of goodness could share their thoughts and feelings with us!  If only our eyes could see into the mystery of what happens inside these beautiful souls, what wonders of grace we would see streaming down to them from her hands! If only we had knowledge of all those whom she had comforted in their afflictions and the wondrous means she employed to do this, what sublime reasons we would have to honour her and to love her! 

I shall confine myself to providing two examples one of recent memory and the other from the past.

 

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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