Part III : The Crown of Goodness : Chapter 7 : § 2.8-10

Chapter 7 : The Sixth 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 Gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards the great Nations

Spain

 8   Spain was not spared trials and tribulations there too they experienced that one small service offered up to the Queen of Heaven would be rewarded generously. 

She gave proof of this in the year 1212[1] when Mahomet, King of the Saracens and sworn enemy of the Christian name, burst into the Kingdom of Granada with a massive army, planning to wipe out all those who offered homage to the Cross. King Alfonso VIII (nicknamed the Noble), having been granted ample indulgences from Pope Innocent III, formed an alliance with the Kings of Aragon and Navarre before setting out for the town of Baeza in Granada. He was guided by a peasant along remote and difficult paths and people later said the peasant must have been an Angel because he was never seen after he had once led them to safety. On the 16th of July he gave battle against the enemy but only after the Catholic soldiers had been armed with the Christian weapons of the Holy Sacraments and Holy Mass had been said in the presence of the whole army.  At the head of the Christian ranks was the Cross and in the middle of the Royal standard was an image of the MOTHER OF GOD holding her Son in her arms, the mere sight of which was enough to bring joy to the combatants and to fill their hearts with courage. It was difficult to say which way the battle would swing for at the beginning the Catholics were forced to retreat. Eventually, however, the Holy Virgin  inspired them with such courage and cast such a terrible dread into the enemy camp that they left 200,000 Moors slain on the battlefield whereas only some 25 to 30 Christians were killed. King Alfonso himself sent an account of this battle to Pope Innocent and Rodrigo Jimenez (Archbishop of Toledo, who was in the very heart of the battle) wrote a history. In this he describes how his Crucifer had plunged into the ranks of the Saracens holding aloft the Sign of our salvation which remained, however, unscathed – even though the pole and the Crucifer ended up bristling with arrows.

 

Footnotes

[1] Præter citandos auctores referunt Mariana, lib. XI de Rebus Hispan., c. 23 ; Ribadeneira, in Vi-ta Sanctorum, 16 Julii, etc.

England

 9   In the days when England was known as Mary’s Dowry, what would the English not do to honour the MOTHER OF GOD, Heaven’s beloved Daughter who nursed their saints? And what reward would they not receive for such great services? Thomas Walsingham[1], the English historian, describes how with her own hand the Holy Mother made a present to St Thomas (Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of England) of the holy Ampulla used during Coronations for the anointing of English Kings. Even were this to be a solitary example, would it not in itself be wondrous evidence of her gratitude to her English children? We must not omit to mention what Henry of Huntingdon wrote in the second volume of his history of England :

On the very day of her Nativity, the Holy Virgin delivered the city of London from the Danes who had been keeping it under siege in the third year of the reign of Ethelred. This victory caused the subsequent kings of England to follow thereafter the holy custom of marching into battle under the image of the Virgin, confident of being always victorious through her under whose auspices they fought.

Footnotes

[1] In Hist. Anglorum in Henrico IV.

 10   I could say as much about Germany, Poland, Portugal, and several other states – as when I showed in Part I[1] of this work the wonderful desire found in such places to serve the MOTHER OF GOD. I fear, however, that the reader might be wearied by accounts describing events which are often similar to each other and which have been preserved by those who have diligently researched thee details in each of these countries. Suffice it to say that there has never been found anyone moved by love to honour the Holy Virgin who is not liberally rewarded for his service and to whom it has not been made clear that he has lost nothing from anything done for love of her. 

Footnotes

[1] Ch. 12.

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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 7 : § 2.3-7

Chapter 7 : The Sixth 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 Gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards the great Nations

Italy

 3   Italy had fallen into a wretched state when the glorious Virgin made known that she had not forgotten the services she had received from this country.  

The Arians had been laying waste to the country for more than sixty years, notably Theodoric and Totila, Kings of the Goths. Theodoric had inflicted great misery everywhere: he had brought about the death of Pope John I through starvation; he had tyrannically arrogated to himself the installation of Roman Pontiffs; and he had hastened the death of several noteworthy persons, such as Symmachus and Severinus Boethius, who were far above the average in their gifts they enjoyed. Totila was spreading death and carnage everywhere when the Mother of mercy, filled with pity as she gazed upon the country, caused the Arians to be cast out by means of Narses, her faithful servant.

According to a Evagrius[1], Nicephorus[2], Paul the Deacon[3] and several other reputable authorities, the Holy Mother had a close rapport with one of the Emperor Justinian’s generals. She would often appear to him when he had asked for her help in his battles, herself giving the signal when the fighting should begin. One of the best examples of the remarkable care she showed took place in the year 553. The general had attacked King Totila in Tuscany and after surrounding his army he destroyed it completely as a fighting force. After this victory, Italy began to breathe once more the fresh air of the freedom she had been missing for so long.

 

Footnotes

[1] Lib. IV, c. 26. 

[2] Lib. VII Hist., c. 13.

[3] Lib. de Gestis Longobardorum, c. 3.

France

 4   I do not know if France had ever been in greater danger than during the time of Charles the VII, known as the Victorious[1]. This Prince was the lawful claimant to the throne of France after the death of his father Charles VI. He found, however, that the King of England had already claimed the throne and that the majority of French, along with the Queen his mother and the Duke of Burgundy (the most powerful Princes of the blood Royal) had been conspiring with the English against him and were opposed to him taking possession of his crown. The King’s father had before dying not only taken away his hope of succeeding to his Estates, but had moreover banished him from his kingdom through a decree issued by the Chamber of Peers (sitting as a tribunal). The English King had established his presence in Paris and in all the French provinces up to the river Loire. The young Prince, with the support of a small number of French nobles and gentlemen, had withdrawn to Bourges and from there he was trying to retain those provinces beyond the Loire whose loyalty was still in doubt because of the presence nearby of the English. These mockingly referred to Charles as the King of Bourges. Did Heaven ever send its help more fittingly to a kingdom in trouble than in the case of poor France which was on the verge of having to learn English?  On this occasion divine Providence did indeed come to the rescue of France, and she who was commander-in-chief of the heavenly armies showed clearly how she supported the fleur-de-lis and how she had not forgotten all the services she had received daily from this Kingdom.   

The means she chose to ensure the young King would retain his crown by putting his enemies to flight had more to do with the laws of divine wisdom than with any merely human prudence. It pertains to God alone (and to those in whom His spirit works) to choose the weak things of the world to confound the strong[2], and in this case divine wisdom made use of a young village girl only 18 or 19 years old, giving her weapons and placing her at the head of an army of true and faithful Frenchmen. I am speaking of the valiant Joan of Arc (who has come to be known as the Maid of Orleans) who was born in the parish of Saint-Rémy between Domrémy and Vancouleurs. 

Footnotes

[1] Gaguinus, in Carolo VII ; Æneas Sylvius Europæ, c. 43 ; S. Anton., III p., c. 9, etc.

[2] 1 Cor. i. 27.

 5   When I say that all this came about thanks to a favour granted by the MOTHER OF GOD, I am not speaking from memory and neither am I attributing to her the glory of something in which she played no part.

I am quite aware that before this warrior Maid received from Heaven the command to equip herself with the armour and arms of a man and to go and present herself to the King, she had already received a revelation that Charlemagne and St Louis were praying to God for her and for the deliverance of Orleans. I am not dismissing the well-founded belief dear to French hearts that St Michael the Archangel, to whom Joan had a strong devotion, was the one who explained to her the glorious mission she was being called to carry out. It is for this reason that he has been regarded as a special protector of France and indeed there is a strong probability, as some have said, that it was in recognition of this signal favour that Louis XI, the son of Charles, instituted the order of St Michael some years later, namely in the year 1469. I would ask readers to remember, however, that this girl from a very tender age had been nursed and cared for by the Holy Virgin who had made her all that she was to become. Anyone not finding her in her father’s house or tending to her sheep, would be sure to find her praying to God and the Holy Virgin in a little Chapel not far from Vancouleurs called Notre-Dame de Bermont. It was here that Joan shared the tenderest feelings of her heart with the MOTHER OF GOD and where she in turn received from the peerless Virgin graces and favours altogether out of the ordinary. As it was in this same little Chapel that Joan received her commission from Heaven, there is no reason to suppose that it was anyone other than the Virgin of Virgins (whose shrine this is) who chose this Maid and who sent holy Michael the Archangel to announce her message to Joan.  

 6   I would also ask readers to consider carefully the words written by a fine poet who produced a work on the wars with the English in seven volumes. In the sixth volume, here is how he presents the words of St Michael the Archangel to the Shepherdess[1]: 

That fairest lily who in truth is earth’s delight

And Heaven’s dearest love – she doth abhor the sight

When Venus and her son do temptingly allure 

Poor souls whom she so chaste would keep all free and pure;

That Mother of the Lord, resplendent in His sight,

Hath sent me down to thee from Heaven’s highest height

That her command to thee forsooth I might convey;

Hear now the Queen’s own words which thou art to obey:

Thy spindle set aside, take up a warrior’s arms,

For they will help to save our France from foreign harms;

In shining armour clad, ‘tis time thy sword to wield

For now our Royal Charles must thou protect and shield. 

God’s will (and Mary’s too) is thou a war shalt wage

Delivering the French from foreign pride and rage,

Preserving from their hands thy nation’s Royal Crown

And winning for our Queen both love and great renown.

Footnotes

[1] The French text presents a verse translation of a Latin original by Humbert de Montmoret which may be found at Histoire de Jeanne d’Arc (1612) under Hubertus Momoretana. (Guerres des Anglais). My translation seeks to mirror the French verse in imagery, metre and rhyming scheme.

 7   Finally, readers may like to consider why the French troops would be marching under a banner showing the image of the Saviour of the world holding a white lily in his hand, with the words Jesus and Mary on either side. Was this not to show how, after Jesus (to whom all the Empires and Kingdoms on earth belong), the glorious Virgin, commander-in-chief of God’s armies and special protectress of France, had the better part in this campaign?   

It was accordingly under these favourable auspices that Joan, this valiant warrior Maid, was led in 1429 by Sir Robert de Vaudicourt (Lord of Vancouleurs) into the presence of Charles VII who was then at Chinon. After various enquiries concerning her commission and her virginity, the King ordered her to be given arms and allocated a horse. She asked him for a sword which was in the Church of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois buried behind the altar with the remains of a certain knight (whose name is not recorded), which no one knew was there. The King despatched emissaries who found there was indeed a sword there, marked with three crosses (although others say with three fleurs-de-lis) and covered in rust. The sword was presented to the Maid and, as she was looking at it, the rust fell away – to the great astonishment of the King on all those present. The Maid returned the sword to its sheath on her belt and made use of it throughout the course of the war. The King then provided her with all the troops he could muster and she set off straight for Orleans which was being besieged by the English. She forced a passage through their lines and gave refreshment and encouragement to those being besieged before finally forcing the English to pull back, abandoning all their siege towers (which numbered some sixty). They were compelled to undergo the shame of lifting their siege, after being beaten in various skirmishes where they lost a fair number of their courageous soldiers and captains.  

The news of the victory won on this day brought heart back to the King and all good Frenchmen. As a result nobles flocked to join the colours with fresh troops who soon made up a large and powerful army. The English were astonished at what had happened and, fearing this might be the first sign of a forced retreat from France, did everything within their power to defend their position. The Maid, however, having asked for the King’s permission to to press home the advantage gained from their victories, succeeded in restoring to his realm the greater number of cities and towns in Champagne and Picardy. She urged him to have himself crowned in Reims and when the ceremony duly took place it was she who insisted on holding the French standard. 

Sometime after this, Charles, increasingly blessed by more and more graces and favours from Heaven, was welcomed into his dear city of Paris. This was where in 1431 Henry, King of England, had been crowned King of France in the Church of Notre-Dame. After that, having won back from the English Guyenne, Normandy and the other Provinces that they had been occupying, the French pressed them so forcefully that they were sent back across the Channel to mind their business in England as before the start of their foreign adventure. In this we can see how by the hands of the glorious Virgin, France was delivered from the importunate ambitions of their neighbours and Charles was restored to the peaceful possession of his Estates.

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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 7 : § 2.1-2

Chapter 7 : The Sixth 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 Gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD towards the great Nations

Christendom

 1   Great states have a certain august quality difficult to describe, numbering amongst their people individuals who are able to draw down the goodness of God upon all. Consider, for example, the city of Nineveh where men had become so wicked in their ways that God had almost decided to destroy it but he stayed his hand, having found enough innocent souls to save it[1]. The operation of Divine Justice is frequently restrained in this way and the Mother of goodness asks for no more than some faithful servant who will serve as a bastion to protect others so that, through his agency alone, God will forgive many sinners. From this I conclude that, just as the dear children of the Queen of Heaven are infinitely obliged to their dear Mother, in the same way the world is greatly indebted to them, since out of consideration for them she grants so many favours to the world and turns away so many evils from those who deserve nothing less.        

I shall begin with that glorious day at Lepanto, one of the most striking interventions by Heaven in a long time, when the MOTHER OF GOD granted a remarkable favour to her children. On this day, she helped not just one Kingdom or one particular Province, but the whole of Christendom, showing her acknowledgement and gratitude for the services of a great many of her children who were everywhere begging for her help. This included the great Pope St Pius V who was never in any doubt that she was in command of God’s armies for this battle and who for this reason consecrated this day to her under the name of Our Lady of Victory.       

If there were ever a reason for her to look favourably upon her children it would be when this Holy Shepherd of the Church, apart from praying most earnestly himself, ordered  devotions to be offered throughout the whole of Europe. The Holy Chapel of Loreto was filled with supplicants and the Captains of the Christian fleets all came to offer up their prayers to the Virgin, patroness of this Church. Most notable amongst their number was Don John of Austria, commander-in-chief, who had sworn to God that if His Majesty granted them victory through the merits and intercession of the most glorious Virgin, he would  go to the Chapel of Loreto in an act of thanksgiving. The Christian slaves in the Turkish galleys understood as well as anyone else that they could not hope to be freed by any human means if the Christian fleet were not successful in this battle. I should not forget to mention that throughout the heat of the battle there were processions of people praying the rosary everywhere. The 7th of October in the year 1571, the date of this bloody battle, fell on the first Sunday of the month. Since the Battle of Actium under Augustus, the Mediterranean Sea had never seen a battle on such a scale and for a long time the Christian people had never been more impatient for the success of any battle more than this one. Selim, the son of Suleiman, had already defeated the Venetians on the Island of Cyprus and now, inflated with pride after his conquests and filled with the hatred he and his people felt towards Christians, he was coming to fall upon them with a powerful army, aiming for nothing less than the Empire of the Universe. Ranged against him the Pope had allied his forces to those of Philip, King of Spain, and the Venetians. The Christians were ready to give a good account of themselves despite their inferiority in numbers. Our forces, however, would rely mainly upon the assistance of the MOTHER OF GOD – for whom it is as easy to gain a victory with small numbers as it is with many. Their hopes were not to be disappointed for her help was so powerful and effective that, in a battle which lasted from 6:00 o’clock in the morning until evening, we captured eighty Turkish galleys and sank ninety, thirty thousand Turks were killed, ten thousand were made prisoner and nearly as many Christian galley slaves were liberated. We also captured one hundred and sixteen pieces of heavy artillery and one hundred fifty culverins[2]. 

This was an intervention truly worthy of the Queen of Heaven’s goodness, and one which deserves a few more words by way of conclusion. 

Before moving on, I should say something here about the fidelity with which Don John of Austria kept the promise that he had made to God, since the story is most edifying and bears retelling. High affairs of state had kept him so busy that he was unable to fulfil his duty to the Holy Virgin before the year 1576, but as soon as he had a moment of respite he did not fail to make good use of it. It was in the depths of winter and the weather had been particularly bad, not only because of flooding but also because of ice that covered the roads and made the rivers and streams extremely dangerous. If he had chosen to listen to the calls made upon him by public and personal matters, it is most certain he would never have left Naples (where he was at the time). He turned a deaf ear to all these, however, and nothing in the world could stop him from fulfilling what he had promised. Having caught sight of the Holy Chapel some distance ahead, he took off his hat and, despite the wind and the driving rain, nothing could make him put it on again until he had set foot in the town. This gives us a clue as to how much his heart was ablaze with love and gratitude to the Holy Virgin. When once he entered the Holy Chapel, he felt this devotion burning anew within his breast. He went to Confession and received Holy Communion with such piety that it could be seen on his face and in his eyes. He later made a gift of a large sum of money to the Church in Loreto  and called upon all the Lords in his entourage to do the same. In this way, he gave an example to Christian Princes showing them to whom they should have recourse in their most important affairs and how they should show their gratitude for the favours they receive from Heaven.

 

Footnotes

[1] Jonas (Jonah) iv. 

[2] culverin (from Lat. coluber, a serpent or snake): a large cannon, very long in proportion to its bore.

 2   I have shown elsewhere[1] how Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany and several other States had a remarkable devotion to the Holy Virgin, being most keen to honour and serve her. Reason requires me to provide proof now of her gratitude to them and the favours she granted them on numerous occasions. To do this worthily would require the writing of whole books but I pray that the fair-minded reader will accept this goes far beyond the scope of my work and that he will be content for me to say a brief word about each favour in succession.

Footnotes

[1] Part I, ch. 12.

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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 7 : § 1.1-2

Chapter 7 : The Sixth 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)

Just as there is no heart in God’s creation comparable to that of the Mother of fair love, in the same way there is nothing like her Goodness. She occupies herself unceasingly in sharing the treasures of her beloved Son’s graces and favours ; and she is never happier than when she is distributing these with both hands. We may call one of these hands Generosity and the other Gratitude. Having spoken of the first of these, let us now say a word about the second.

§ 1. The Gratitude of the MOTHER OF GOD in general 

 1   Perhaps the first reaction of some will be to take issue with this word Gratitude, citing the words of St Paul[1]: Who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him?[2] I would agree that it is going too far to speak of repayment and acquittance when it comes to the Queen of Heaven, just it would be improper to speak in terms of indebtedness resulting from claims of right or moral duty. Perhaps it would be best to focus on the idea of respect and to speak only of grace and favour. Even if we were to spend the whole of our life in continual acts of service, could we dare to entertain the idea that we had discharged even the least of the duties that we have towards her? That being the case, how can we possibly speak of Gratitude without showing extreme ignorance of who and what we are? May it please God that I take nothing away from the glory of the Holy Virgin : but since God, who is the first source of all the good we enjoy, has Himself granted us the favour of promising to reward even the least of our actions, and indeed to accept certain of them as works of supererogation – why would we not believe the same about the Mother of goodness, and why would we have any doubts about her heartfelt affection when it comes to this? If we are going to be strict about this, then simply by reason of creation not only are we indebted in our own persons to His divine Majesty, but also in our lives and in all that has come from us throughout all the ages; and no one can deny that we are, for a thousand other reasons, indebted to Him for all that we are capable of doing, for all that we have and for all that we are. Despite all this, His generosity is so great that He stoops to take an interest in any little offering we make to Him, not as something we acquired from Him but as something He has given us the right to call our own. He promises us His love, at the price of giving us Himself, from which it follows that the good things we offer Him are His own, as are any services we do for Him. These are the wondrous effects of God’s infinite love which makes Him show His favour to us in so many ways; they are exemplary and imitable acts of goodness which can only proceed from an infinitely loving heart. 

Footnotes

[1] Rom. xi. 35.

[2] The Fillion Bible commentary states of et retribuetur ei / and retribution shall be made him (Douay-Rheims 1582) : “The sacred writer is imagining the impossible, that a man has made a gift to God and receives in return a recompense.”

 2   We find in the heart of the glorious Virgin clear signs of the way she participates in this divine spirit. Whilst her faithful servants can truthfully say that she has always favoured them with her prevenient graces, that they have never taken a single step without being accompanied by her favours, that her acts of generosity follow them everywhere and that consequently they remain forever indebted to her whatever they do – it is nevertheless wonderful to behold how she feels obliged to them by even the least services they offer unto her. Her kindly heart allows her no rest until she has given them proof of the pleasure she has found in their offerings and until she has shown her gratitude to them. The pious Archbishop of Crete, St Andrew of Jerusalem, expresses this very well in the following words[1]: 

The most Holy Virgin, he says, is extremely generous in the ways she shows her enormous gratitude for even the smallest offerings that we make to her. Her heart is so generous that, with the exception of God Himself, no one has ever surpassed her in beneficence. For every single gift she receives, she returns a hundredfold, and for a hundred, ten thousandfold. When it comes to generosity and gratitude, no one can out do her.

Examples will demonstrate this more clearly than any words of mine and these are not difficult to find. 

Footnotes

[1] Orat. 2 de Dormitione sanctiss. Deiparæ.

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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 : § 5.1

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)

§ 5. Advice to those whom the Holy Virgin honours with her generosity 

 1   The Queen of Heaven has a most keen desire that the graces and gifts passing through her hands should be put to good use by those receiving them. She cannot, however, allow the misuse or abuse of the graces she obtains for them and in such cases either she will withdraw her support or she will make them pay for the ill usage. 

The following account provides a memorable example and it concerns one Udo who was once Archbishop of Magdeburg. He felt unhappy about his mental abilities and for this reason he had recourse to the MOTHER OF GOD, offering fervent prayers to her in Magdeburg’s Metropolitan Church dedicated to St Maurice. The Virgin, who always lends a favourable ear to those seeking her help, caused Udo to fall into a gentle slumber.  She then revealed to him that not only would she make him a gift of the knowledge that he had sought so earnestly but she would, moreover, entrust to his care and faithful charge the Church of St Maurice, one of the most eminent within her royal domain. If he were to govern for love of her in a fitting manner, she would not fail to reward him well; but, failing this, he would incur the death of his body and his soul. As soon as Udo awoke from his slumber, he was astonished at the mental change that had taken place within him and he found it difficult to believe that he was the same man he was before. 

Upon the death of the incumbent Archbishop of Magdeburg, Udo was chosen by common consent to replace him. After his elevation to this throne of honour, he seemed to spread everywhere the most sweet odour of his virtues. Eventually, however, he ruined everything through his bad behaviour, for he began to steal from Churches and to profane living Temples, namely certain Virgins who had consecrated themselves to the Religious life in service of God. He was with a certain Abbess one night when he heard a voice in his ears, telling him: 

“Udo, Udo, enough of this. Thou hast already gone too far. Heaven is not amused by this misconduct.”     

The same happened to him on the following two nights for, even though he felt slightly touched in his heart, he did not put an an end to his debauched ways. His new vice had seized hold of him and was leading him onto more and more evils. Eventually, three months after Udo had received the message from heaven which should have been sufficient to restore wisdom to him, a canon named Frederick  was praying in the Church of St Maurice when he saw a vision : the Saviour seated on a Royal Throne attended by Angels, with the Holy Virgin and St Maurice next to Him. In front of the throne was the wretched Udo, dragged there like an indicted criminal to give an account for his actions. St Maurice began by bowing reverently to the Saviour of the world and His Holy Mother. Then, gazing sternly at Udo, he proceeded to list and prove the numerous crimes he had committed, leaving the defendant lost for words and unable to answer. He accused him of having been a ravenous wolf instead of serving as a shepherd to his flock ; of having stolen Church property and profaned numerous things most holy; of having scorned the advice of the Holy Virgin; in short, of having abused God’s patience in a thousand different ways. The defendant had no reply to any of this and the Judge accordingly sentenced him to death – by being beheaded on the spot. Before the sentence was carried out, God ordered the Angel entrusted with the execution to humble the convicted man by administering several blows to the nape of his neck. At each blow, a consecrated Host was seen to emerge which a second Angel received into a silver chalice. Once this ceremony had been completed, the Holy Virgin took all these Hosts and, after reverently washing them, she placed the chalice on the altar where it was found the following morning. Udo’s head was found in front of the altar steps, separate from the rest of his body. The white marble floor was stained by his blood and these stains can still be seen to this day. From this date onwards, the ceremony for consecrating new Archbishops has always taken place on this spot, as a warning for them to do their duty. The events just described all took place in the year 985 during the reign of the Emperor Otto III.     

We see from this how it pleases God to keep the minds of men in check, and also how His gifts deserve to be received with gratitude and used in a respectful manner. Those who receive a greater share in them will be held to a stricter account. They should realise that these gifts come with corresponding duties and the only way to retain and increase them is to make proper use of them.

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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 : § 4.9-12

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

Purity in heart

 9   If purity of the body can be considered as a great favour, then purity in heart is certainly no less.

 

Brother Transon was a most devout member of the Order of the Seraphic St Francis and he is recorded as dying in the year 1596[1]. He obtained purity in heart from the MOTHER OF GOD in the following manner. He had frequently asked her to grant him this favour through the sufferings of her beloved Son and also through the merits of his own sufferings, which he accepted most willingly. She finally appeared to him one day whilst he was deeply absorbed in his thoughts. The Franciscan thought that this might be an illusion and made ready to flee, but the Holy Virgin stopped him, saying: 

“Why dost thou call to me, only to run away from me?”

Reassured by her words, he threw himself on the ground and asked her in astonishment: 

“But wherefore dost thou do me this singular favour?”

The Mother of fair love raised him to his feet and, placing her hand over his heart, she said: 

“Here is that purity in heart which thou hast so greatly desired.”

Footnotes

[1] Chronicon, p. IV, lib. X.

The Discernment of spirits

 10   The Discernment of spirits is a gift of God so precious that it is impossible to esteem it too highly, especially among those who are called to guide souls or who receive extraordinary graces from God.  

Blessed Angela, who died in Foligno in the Italian Duchy of Spolato in 1309, is someone who may be counted amongst their number, as is attested by her life. One day the Saviour appeared to her and told her that, amongst several other favours that His most holy Mother had obtained for her, one of the principal ones was that she would never be deceived by any of the visions or images that she might see, no matter how impressive they might seem. For this reason, the old enemy would never have any power over her.

Constancy

 11   Constancy and Steadfastness in difficult and arduous things is a virtue so necessary that without it we cannot complete any undertaking for the glory of God. The Holy Virgin grants it to those who request it in the same way she does with the other virtues. Here is one example : 

Around forty years ago[1], a young girl from Berne, whose parents were Catholic, was approached by Musculus[2], a Protestant minister notorious for his perverse views and pernicious writings. He tried to persuade her to leave the Roman Catholic Church and to abandon her superstitious custom, as he called it, of saying the rosary every Saturday in honour of the MOTHER OF GOD – but she would have none of it. Now heresy is hell-begotten (as I have shown elsewhere[3]) and is frequently linked to the devil himself.  One day while she was reciting her rosary, she felt so troubled that, fearing lest something bad was going to happen to her, she determined to go to Freiburg and speak with one of the Jesuit priests to seek help and advice from him. The enemy of all that is good appeared to her three times while she was on her journey, attacking her through trickery and through violence for, apart from his deceitful arguments, he caused her to fall from her horse to the ground  three times. The courage that the MOTHER OF GOD granted her, however, was greater than all of Satan’s efforts. Despite his anger and rage, she reached Freiburg successfully and later returned to her home filled with peace and trust in God and His Holy Mother. 

Footnotes

[1] Boecius, in Annalibus Collegii Friburgensis.

[2] Andreas Meusel (1514 – 1581) : a German Lutheran.

[3] Part II, ch. 10, § 5.

Penitence

 12   I would need much more time that than I can expend here even were I to simply run through all the other virtues. I feel, however, that I cannot omit to mention the virtue of Penitence which she granted to so many sinners and, although the number of these must be almost infinite, I am going to produce only one example.

 

During that time when St Dominic[1] was filling the whole of Italy with the odour of his sanctity and the fruit of his preaching, he happened to be heard by a second Thaïs[2]. This was a young lady in Florence called Benedicta whose charms were drawing countless souls into the snares of Satan. She had all the necessary attributes to serve as his instrument and it was quite tragic to see the damage that she was doing to young men. Nevertheless, as nothing is impossible to Grace, the words of this man of God touched her heart so powerfully that she could not stop herself from kneeling at his feet and asking to make her confession. The Saint, whose heart felt a strong impulsion to bring about the conversion of such persons, told her that she should begin forthwith. In the course of discharging his sacramental duty, he inflamed her heart with a fire that was spiritual and divine, making her burst into tears. At the end, seeing how well-disposed she was, he spoke to her about all the things she needed to do to turn aside from the evil ways she had been following. He commended her to the Mother of goodness, encouraging her to have frequent recourse to the Blessed Virgin. 

How incomprehensible are God’s judgments, and how unsearchable his ways[3], for He permitted the enemy who had for so long possessed her soul to take possession of her body shortly after her conversion. St Dominic, who had been keeping her particularly in his thoughts, delivered her from this towards the end of the year and equipped her with all she needed to defend herself against Satan, for the evil one would attack her again in a way more dangerous than ever. Having been forced to abandon her body, he launched a spiritual attack against her through her weakest point and soon he had made her worse than she was before. It is possible that someone other than St Dominic would have considered it a waste of effort trying to help people such as her, but he knew from experience the power of God’s grace and he returned to the fray once more against the devil. As soon as the young lady saw him, she immediately threw herself at his feet, overcome with shame and confusion. St Dominic reassured her and restored her confidence, giving her the sacred names of Jesus and Mary as a protective shield. The effect of this was that each and every time that she pronounced these names the enemy would be significantly weakened. God finally brought an end to the inconstancy of her spirit and its bad habits in the following manner. 

He gave her a vision of her particular judgement where she was arraigned as a criminal. The Judge was seated on His throne, the Holy Virgin at His side, St Dominic was at the feet of the Mother of mercy, whilst nearby were her Prosecutors, pressing their charges to the utmost of their ability. She saw how all the sins of her past life had been written in a great book and how numerous men had, through her fault, suffered eternal damnation. There were many others whom she had led into serious sin or who had been offended by her bad example. As a result of this, she almost fell into total despair, for she could be heard uttering dreadful and fearful cries. 

“Woe is me,” she cried, “but woe at the same time to my father and mother who took more care of my body than of my soul; woe to those who first abused my compliance, and who cast me into this fearful labyrinth where I now find myself confined.”

As she was overwhelmed by these terrible feelings of regret and dismay, she seemed to notice St Dominic continually calling upon her to take courage and to pray to the Mother of mercy so as to obtain through her advocacy some adjournment which would enable her to show her penitence. At this point she threw herself on the ground, protesting to the Holy Virgin that she was not worthy even of one glance from her – much less of hoping to receive her favourable support. Nevertheless, she implored her help if only out of consideration for her servant Dominic. Her request was granted on the spot and, before she arose from the floor, she saw that everything that had been previously written about her in the great book had been erased. Then the Judge told her that she should recognise just how obliged she was to His most holy Mother, and that henceforth she was to fill the pages of this book with actions worthy of eternal life. She should make a firm purpose of amendment to avoid each and every occasion of sin, becoming a true model of virtue. 

This shows how powerful the Queen of Heaven’s favour is for those who, place all their trust in her.   

Footnotes

[1] Alanus a Rupe, lib. de Rosario.

[2] Thaïs : 1) a famous hetaira (concubine/courtesan) of Alexander the Great; 2) St Thais: a fourth century Egyptian woman who became a public sinner before receiving the graces of penitence and conversion.

[3] Rom. xi. 33.

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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 : § 4.6-8

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

She is a true model of generosity towards her children

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré’s Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac (Poggi, 2020)

§ 4. The generosity of the MOTHER OF GOD towards her children when it comes to the virtues

Chastity

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

    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

[1] Leander., lib. V.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

[1] Chronicon Ordinis.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

© Peter Bloor