The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 44.

Louise Lateau, Belgium
Behold another admirable servant of Jesus crucified, living at the present time in Belgium. Louise is the youngest of three daughters of very poor and humble, but pious Catholic parents. She was born January 30th, 1850, in the small village of Bois d'Haine, diocese of Tournay, in Belgium. Her father died soon after her birth, and her mother a few months ago. She lives with her two sisters, Rosina and Adeline. Louise is a child of Providence. In her earliest infancy she was three or four times miraculously preserved from imminent danger of death. In the year 1866, when sixteen years of age, she already showed herself a heroine of charity, in attending her afflicted neighbors, stricken down with the terrible plague of cholera, and abandoned by their nearest relations, giving burial with her own hands to those who succumbed to the disease, carrying the corpses upon her weak shoulders to the public cemetery. In the same year she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis. During the month of April, 1868, Louise had a very severe attack of illness, when her death was every moment expected, but, according to her prediction, she recovered suddenly early in the morning, and was able to go to the parish church to receive Holy Communion. She was incipiently stigmatized on the 24th of the same month, after an apparition from our Infant Savior. The stigmata became complete in a few months. On the 20th of September of the same year, being the third Sunday of the month and Feast of the Seven Dolors of our Blessed Lady, Louise received the Crown of Thorns. From the beginning of her stigmatization, and of the impression of the Crown of Thorns, Louise suffers a repetition of these stigmatic pains every Friday during the year, the wounds bleeding profusely. After the long agony mentioned below, our Lord appeared to his brave servant, impressed upon her shoulders the wound caused to him by the weight of the cross, enriched her soul with new lights and gifts, among which is the gift of prophecy. Hence Palma Maria's predictions begin to be verified. During her ecstasies on Friday she accompanies in spirit our Lord through the different stages of his Passion. In the ecstatic state Louise is perfectly insensible to any sound, and does not feel in the least any wound inflicted upon her body. When placed by visitors in her hands she can immediately distinguish any devotional article, as, for instance, relics of saints, crosses, medals, rosaries, which have been duly blessed and indulgenced, from those that have not. She also recognizes instantly the hands of priests, whilst she takes no notice of those of any lay person. The loudest noise does not affect her, but she can hear the least whisper of any pious prayer. Her confessors or ecclesiastical superiors can recall her instantly from her most profound ecstasy, but she does not hear the loudest call of any other person, not even her mother or sisters. Louise is often visited in spirit during her ecstatic sufferings by Palma Maria d'Oria, who prophesies that she will work great miracles, when Belgium shall be in serious political convulsions and dangers. Hence we may hope that her precious life will be preserved by God for some years to come. Different accounts having appeared in the English and American Catholic periodicals, we refer our readers to them, and to Les Stigmatizees, first volume, for further information upon this subject. The following extract will be found interesting:

THE AGONY OF LOUISE LATEAU
"We are enabled," says the Journal de Bruxelles, to publish some correct information concerning the stigmatized girl of Bois d'Haine. We have it from an eye-witness who within the last few days visited the humble abode of Louise, and who has given us the result of his observations as follows:

"On the afternoon of the 3rd of February, 1876, I knocked at the door of the cabin which now, more than ever, appeared to me like the sanctuary of some reparatory suffering.
Everything within was peaceful. A look of pain overspread the faces of Rosina and of her sister Adeline, who, for the last month, have been the victims of poignant sorrow, caused by their sympathy for the excessive sufferings of Louise. The subject of our conversation was suggested by these very sufferings. We spoke, but in a low tone, of all that had taken place in this abode for the last month; "Louise is so gentle and so resigned in her sufferings," Rosina said to me.

"I now went into the room where this holy girl has been agonizing for more than a month. Louise was stretched upon a bed that was remarkably clean; her face, a little pale at this moment, stood out from the white pillow like a virginal apparition. Though bearing traces of pain, it still retained its wonted sweetness and resignation. Her eyes, which were almost closed, opened only at intervals, when answering such questions as were put to her. There was no atmosphere of sickness in the little room; the air was as pure as in other parts of the House. Louise does not, as far as I could see, even during her most violent crises, have the slightest perspiration, nor that clamminess of the skin incident to prolonged sickness. Although confined to her bed for a month, in the same position, she does not feel any pain nor stiffness in that portion of her body stretched upon her poor straw mattress.

"The Doctor, who at this moment came in to see her, confirmed my observations; he found her pulse weak, quick, but regular. "There is no symptom of sickness in Louise," said he, "medicine fails to find a remedy applicable under circumstances like these."

"Louise constantly displays all the dolors of the Passion of the Savior of the world, from the agony in the Garden of Olives, to the crucifixion on the summit of Mt. Calvary. Her sufferings are only interrupted every morning during the presence of the Blessed Eucharist.
"On the following day, at 6:15 A.M., I accompanied the priest who had been authorized to give Communion to Louise.

"On our arrival in the room the stigmatized one appeared to be the victim of the most intense sufferings; these gradually subsided. Although the presence of the Blessed Sacrament had diminished the intensity of her pain, her difficult breathing could be distinctly noticed.
"Louise received her Communion with pious eagerness, and without opening her eyes, she consumed the Sacred Host.

"Immediately, and without a shadow of transition, it worked in her a complete transformation. Her suffering disappeared in the twinkling of an eye. The pale countenance of Louise brightened up with celestial rays and seemed overspread by a divine beauty. Everything was calm and motionless in that virginal body, which had become the tabernacle of the living God in the Eucharist. Not a wrinkle on her transfigured countenance, nor upon her lips closed in ecstasy. Even her chest was motionless; it seemed as if her heart had ceased to beat and that life was suspending its laws, through respect for the real presence of Jesus Christ.

"The eye could see in Louise at this moment only the mysterious quiet of death, but under this deceptive exterior one felt that a fullness of supernatural life was coursing, and that from the heart, as from a spring, it flowed into every part of this sainted girl's body. "How beautiful!" repeatedly exclaimed Rev. Father C, who, with tears in his eyes, was contemplating with me this magnificent spectacle. And indeed, I do not think it possible, on earth, to witness a more wonderful scene.

"We fell upon our knees to adore Jesus Christ, whose presence was so visibly made manifest to us, and we recited the prayer, "O good and most sweet Jesus." During the recitation of this prayer Louise opened her lips as if joining in with us; this was the only motion we could detect in her for more than ten minutes during which we were at her side."

ANOTHER ACCOUNT, DATED MAY
There I was, when meeting a dear bosom friend of my sacerdotal youth, resolved at once to go to Bois d'Haine and see Louise. We started from Paris on the eve of Ascension Day, and arrived at Manage the same day, towards 3 o'clock P. M. There we inquired for the road leading to Bois d'Haine, which is about one mile and a half from Manage. After a walk of about three-quarters of a mile, on a good pleasant road, planted all along with fine trees, and undulating through fine harvests, we arrived at a small cottage, lying close to the main road, and we were told by a passer-by that it was Louise Lateau's dwelling. Who can imagine our emotions and joy at the mere sight of that dear little house in which we were to witness such great wonders! Not daring then to call in before being introduced, we contented ourselves with happily looking at the form and appearance of that fortunate dwelling. It is a brick house, having about twenty-four feet front, and eighteen feet depth, and ten of height. Its walls are very slightly painted a yellowish stone color, and the roof is covered with red shining tiles. There are in front, two windows, protected by an iron railing, and also by green shutters, which were then open. At an equal interval between is the door, also painted green. Exactly above the door is an enclosed opening, to go to the garret. This little cottage is divided into five little rooms; and it is only a few years since, that the two back rooms were added to the building for, previously, the house was scarcely ten feet deep. After we had gazed with some love on that humble, but neat cottage the scene of so many wonders from Almighty God, we pursued our course towards the church of the village, not without emotion, and as
if we had already been struck by something supernatural. Soon we arrived at Bois d'Haine, and after a visit to Our Lord to ask success for the object which had brought us there, we called at the parsonage, and introduced ourselves to the Reverend Pastor of the place.

Monsieur le Cure is a fine looking gentleman, of about fifty years of age, and bears on his face much sympathy and kindness, though he is very sober in words. Father Niels is his name. We could not resist his pressing invitation, and thus made ourselves at home at the parsonage. As I stayed four days at Bois d'Haine, I had fully the time of witnessing and investigating many things concerning Louise. O! happy moments, which I shall never forget!

LOUISE LATEAU IN THE MORNING AT THE TIME OF COMMUNION
Up to last January, Louise could attend to her daily work, and thus could go to church every morning, to receive Holy Communion. The only day of the week she was unable to do so was Friday. But on the three first days of January she was excruciated with such sufferings that it was thought that her last moments had arrived. In fact she was anointed on the 2nd of January, and her saintly soul was thought to have fled away from her virginal crucified body. Many times during those three days did her weeping sisters call her, but it was in vain; she had all the symptoms of death. But as soon as Father Niels called her: "Louise!" immediately, as by enchantment, she seemed to awaken from an ecstasy. She would soon fall again into the same forlorn position, and would be called back again by the priest's voice and, command. It was a kind of ecstasy different from her other ecstasies. Nobody can imagine what she suffered during those three days, either in her body or in her soul. Besides the excruciating sufferings of the stigmata, she felt then all the dolors of the agony of our Savior in the Garden of Olives, and had also what Father Seraphine, who is one of the examiners appointed by the Bishop of Tournay, calls "the deadly sufferings," that is to say, she felt all the sufferings which are previous to death, and had all the symptoms of a last agony. This explains why, at that time, several papers published Louise's death. Nevertheless, those intense sufferings abated afterwards, though on Good Friday it was also thought that she would die. But if Louise's sufferings abated, she has been unable to do any work ever since; and she is almost always confined to her bed, except a few hours of the day, during which her sisters help her to sit on a poor old family chair. Being thus unable to go to church, she receives every morning Holy Communion in her room. I have twice had the inestimable privilege of personally bringing to her our Lord, and once of being present at that great moment. The spectacle is always exactly the same, every morning, either before or after Communion. The only detail which is special to Friday is the bleeding of the stigmata. So, to have it complete, I will describe the scene of Friday. It is generally at six o'clock that the Holy Communion is carried to Louise. It is a walk of three-quarters of a mile. Oftentimes high personages, in order to have a chance of penetrating into Louise's room, are happy to carry the bell or the flambeau, or to escort the Blessed Sacrament: and there would be large crowds following the priest, if they could be admitted, which is not possible, as the room is exceedingly small. As soon as the priest arrives at the house, it is assured that the sufferings of the angelic maiden begin to abate in order to cease entirely when the Host is put on her tongue. Louise's room is quite small, and is perhaps not more than nine feet square. She lies on a small iron bedstead, and rests on her back. Her eyes are shut, and remain so during the whole ceremony. Her face at that hour is generally pale, but her cheeks are full. She seems to be the victim of very acute sufferings, causing on her face continual oscillations or vibrations. Her lips are half open, and she seems to be out of breath. Is that suffering caused by her mystical sufferings, or by her unspeakable eagerness to receive her Divine Spouse? It may be caused by both. As usual the Confiteor is recited; then the priest recites the Misereatur and Indulgentiam, she extends her tongue, which she advances far down on her lips, and as soon as the Host is laid on it, she quickly draws it back. I have been struck with the rapidity every time. Then her lips close up; you do not perceive any longer any oscillation or vibration on her face. She becomes as motionless as a marble figure. The colors of lily, which before were visible on her face, are united to rosy hues. Her eyes remain always perfectly shut. You cannot perceive any breathing, and you have to look very closely to notice a slight, slow heaving of her chest. A few seconds after Communion, I noticed once on her closed lips the last vibration of a murmured prayer. Her whole countenance seems to breathe her soul, and seems to be transfigured. I have never seen so beautiful a face. All of us were so struck with respect and wonder, that we remained many minutes on our knees uniting our weak adorations to the burning adorations of that loving, enraptured maiden. Her ecstasy is so perfect that her body is completely insensible to any piercing, however painful it might be.

Physicians, appointed to verify this fact, have repeatedly pierced her with sharp instruments in the most sensitive parts; but there was not the least contraction or oscillation in her body. During her daily morning ecstasy, Louise does not see any vision; but her soul is united to our Lord by the most intimate fusion; and she is enraptured with so many delights, that it is a beginning of the heavenly bliss, and she is rather in heaven than on earth. On her forehead there was only one large drop of blood, ready to flow. I must notice, that since last January her forehead has bled perfectly only three or four times. But previously, every Friday there was around her head, a crown of blood, two fingers wide. The blood begins generally to ooze from her stigmata at midnight, and sometimes at the time of Communion it was very difficult to lay the Host on her tongue, as the blood was trickling from all directions of the head, and there was danger that the Host might be sullied with blood before being received. The blood ran down in such abundance, that it flowed around her neck like a crimson collar. After a few minutes of silent prayer, we all rose up to leave that fortunate room. Towards the direction of her hands, the napkin which was put around her neck as a communion-cloth, was stained with fresh blood. Having previously asked from Monsieur Le Curd the permission of examining Louise's hands, I drew close to her and took off the napkin; I found some folded linen lying on her hands in order that the blood should not go over her dress and her little couch. These linens were entirely sullied and damp with blood. I also took them off, and, O my God! what a spectacle! It seemed that Louise was bathing in her blood: so great was the abundance of blood, either fresh or coagulated on her hands. Her fingers were connected together, and the palms of her hands rested flat on her chest. A beautiful crimson blood was oozing from her stigmata or piercings of both hands. These piercings are exactly in the middle of the hands, between the third and fourth fingers. After we had all contemplated with an unspeakable emotion that touching scene, I replaced the napkin, in order that Louise's sisters should not be aware of our curiosity; and, not without some regret we went out, after having addressed afew words of encouragement to Rosine and Adeline, sisters of Louise. This ecstasy of the morning lasts about half an hour. Then, suddenly Louise comes back to herself, and for several minutes does not feel the least pains of her previous sufferings. She recites then the prayer, "En ego, O bone Jesu, etc." Then her pains come back by degrees. During the forenoon, except on Friday, her sisters help her to rise, and to sit on a chair at the foot of her bedstead, and close to the wall. Thus she remains also a part of the afternoon, and sometimes the whole night.

THEODORE
A gentleman of the Germania, describing a visit he paid, on Good Friday, to Bois d'Haine, writes the following, concerning Louise Lateau:

"I have often seen the stigmatized lose a great deal of blood, but never as I did to-day. The blood, which literally gushed out of her hands, was absorbed by a quantity of large white pieces of cloth that were lying on her bed. The blood-stains showing themselves on her cap and the garment thrown over her shoulders, indicated that the head also and the right shoulder were bleeding much. Her eyes were not quite closed, and seemed to be fixed on the wall. From her continual sighs, the violent shaking of her hands, and the exclamation, 'Mon Dieu,' which escaped her from time to time, it was evident that the sufferer had to bear immense pain. In the afternoon, towards two o'clock, I went in again, soon after the ecstatic state had set in. I found myself in the company of the Belgian Minister of Justice, a doctor of Brussels, the director of the Seminary for Foreign Missions in Paris, a professor of Tourcoing, in France, and several French and Belgian noblemen. A German who was dressed in every respect like alayman brought his hand close to Louise. Immediately a bright smile became visible on her face. "What's that?" whispered several. 'Monsieur est pretre,' said the cure. 'Ah, voila!' The same priest gave the doctor a picture which was not blessed. It was held up to her, but she did not smile. Then the priest took it back, blessed it, and returned it to the doctor, who held it near Louise. Her face was at once lighted up with a strikingly bright smile, which lasted as long as the picture remained near her. With regard to visitors, the writer says that very few laymen are admitted, and that ladies are not allowed to enter the house at all. Only last week the Grand Duchess of Toscana and the Duchess of Aremberg, who begged hard to see Louise Lateau, had to return home, without having their wish gratified. On the other hand, Count Perponcher, German Ambassador in Bruxelles, got permission to visit her. It is now thought that she is really approaching her death."

The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father part 43.

THE THREE WONDERS OF EUROPE AND

AMERICA

Palma Maria, Louise Lateau, Sister Esperance of Jesus

Louise Lateau

God, in His infinite wisdom and goodness, keeps bright beacons of brilliant sanctity in different parts of the earth for the edification of mankind. They are raised on the light-house of the Church to indicate the true harbor of safe refuge to minds in the darkness of error, agitated in the stormy sea of doubt. All these favorites of Heaven, all without a single exception, are sincere, devout, and eminently virtuous members of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. During the nineteen centuries of Christianity, Catholic history records by thousands, we might say by millions, eminent saints and servants of God who have been endowed with supernatural gifts, and with the power of working miracles; whilst not a single one can be satisfactorily indicated outside the pale of the Catholic Church. The fact is that Protestantism and infidelity, despairing of seeing a miracle which is not a direct condemnation of their apostasy and impiety, boldly deny the existence, and even the possibility of miraculous events. They charge Catholics as guilty of imposture or credulity, when they speak of existing miracles. For our justification we are satisfied to appeal to God and to facts.

The growing materialism, wickedness and impiety of the present century have an extreme need of bright examples of living virtue, to rebuke vice, to correct error, and practically to demonstrate the reality of Catholic dogmas and doctrines to a perverse and infidel generation. Our calumniators exert all their skill and strength, their lungs and pen, to represent our Church as corrupt and corrupting, and this divine Spouse of Christ, conscious of her truth and holiness, with calm dignity, practically confutes their malicious or insane charges by multiplying before the eyes of mankind living models of Christian virtues and heroes of sanctity. The presence of such brilliant examples of holiness, illustrated by miracles, is a triumphant confutation and divine condemnation of schism, heresy, infidelity and vice. It is a solemn rebuke and warning to crowned tyrants and to earthly governments that harass and persecute the holy Spouse of Jesus Christ, the only mother of saints upon earth and in heaven. These living saints, with the eloquent voice of miracles, never cease exhorting sinners to speedy repentance, and animate and strengthen the attachment of true Catholics to their holy faith. So many eminent servants of God, decorated with the stigmata of the Passion, and crowned with the thorns of our Savior, distributed by him like heavenly sentinels at the most important points of his Church, are a sure presage of speedy victory and triumph for Catholicity, and a certain warning of inevitable and fast-approaching defeat to the enemies of our holy religion. In this firm hope and confident expectation, we proceed to give a brief notice, of the three living wonders announced at the head of this chapter.

The first is Palma Maria Addolorata Matarrelli, of Oria, Kingdom of Naples. The second is Louise Lateau, of Bois-d'Haine, Belgium. The third is Sister Esperance of Jesus, of Ottawa, Canada. We begin with the first and most wonderful: Palma Maria, of Oria, Italy.

 Palma Maria Addolorata Matarrelli

Palma Maria Addolorata Matarrelli was born on Thursday in Holy Week, March 31st, 1825, in the episcopal city of Oria, province of Lecce, Apulia, Kingdom of Naples. The name of Palma is rather singular among Catholics, who at baptism should receive the name of a saint recognized by the Church. Her second name, however, fully satisfies the requirements of religion. Moreover, the name of Palma, meaning Palm, was evidently given to this privileged child in a Providential manner; for it signifies victory and triumph after a fierce combat. It seems that God has chosen Palma Maria as an effective living instrument for obtaining great victories over Satan and his infernal legions in human shape, fighting against his holy Church. By her extraordinary mode of life, by her severe penances, continual prayers, by her heavenly lights, prophecies and miracles, this wonderful woman has already contributed much to the edification of the faithful, and will, we hope, accelerate the fast-approaching universal and lasting triumph of our most holy religion.

Palma Maria seems to possess the marks described by the Apostle for her grand mission. St. Paul says: "See your vocation, brethren, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he might confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that He might confound the strong; and the mean things of the world, and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen, and things that are not, that He might destroy the things that are; that no flesh should glory in His sight." (1 Cor. 1:26) This is a masterly portrait of our Palma. Daughter of a poor shepherd, she was married to an humble shepherd. Totally illiterate, she knows not how to write or read a single letter of the alphabet. This fact should not be overlooked by those who attach more importance than necessary to the material education of children, especially girls of the poorer class. Knowledge of our holy religion is by far more essential and useful. At twenty-eight years of age Palma Maria was left an orphan and a widow. Her father and husband died, and her three infant daughters were taken home by their Heavenly Father. Extremely poor, weak and suffering, absolutely unable to work, she, with her aged mother, entirely depends on the charity of a Christian family. A pious gentleman, Federico Mazzella, by urgent request induced Palma, with her mother, to make their residence in his hospitable house, where his virtuous daughter, Antonietta, is day and night entirely devoted to her father's guests. That house will be very likely changed into a future sanctuary, and the name of this charitable family will be forever associated with that of one of the most remarkable servants of God in this century.

Palma Maria is apparently a living miracle. During the last twelve years she has never swallowed a morsel of food. Her only nourishment is the Bread of Life. By the Bishop's permission, a large room contiguous to her humble apartment has been transformed into a private chapel, whither every morning Palma is carried, seated upon a chair of suffering, to assist at Mass, and to receive from the hands of the priest the Holy Communion in company with the pious Antonietta, her visible guardian angel. After Holy Communion Palma Maria is ravished into an ecstasy of grateful love. for about fifteen minutes. Brought again to her room, she is ordinarily visited three or four times everyday, and also during the night, by our Lord, by some angel or saint, from whom she visibly receives again the Eucharistic Sacrament. Thus, by a singular privilege, as far as we know, never granted before, this extraordinary woman receives Holy Communion several times daily. Her prudent and saintly spiritual director, Father Francis della Pace, and other ecclesiastical superiors, at first objected to these unusually frequent Communions. But our Lord manifested to Palma Maria that he had two objects in these frequent and visible Communions to her. The first was to rebuke the growing infidelity and the skepticism of the age, the coldness and indifference of Christians, and to stimulate a more lively devotion towards the Holy Eucharist among well-disposed Catholics. His second object was to communicate the needed strength and courage to herself, who had to endure a continual martyrdom of the most intense sufferings for his honor and glory, for the welfare of the Church, for the conversion of sinners and infidels, and for the salvation of souls. Palma has since been permitted to communicate as often as her Divine Spouse judges best for her spiritual welfare. In reality, she has need of these extraordinary helps. Her sufferings are beyond description, and above human comprehension. To deliver souls from purgatory she often endures in their behalf, the pains to which they are condemned by the justice of God. She occasionally suffers the sensible torments of hell to obtain the conversion of some great sinners in imminent danger of being eternally lost. She has the stigmata of the five wounds, which, however, at her earnest request, our Lord has made to disappear, being visible and bleeding only during the Fridays in Lent.

Sister Esperance of Jesus

But from the Crown of Thorns blood flows frequently in great quantities. This blood, falling in drops upon, or being wiped off with any cloth, leaves upon it the impression of crosses, of various instruments of our Lord's Passion, or other sacred emblems. The same and more wonderful impressions are occasionally produced upon her ordinary clothes, or upon other articles, as white handkerchiefs, which have been applied to her body and chest. In writing this sketch we have before our eyes these wonderful impressions, which have been photographed. They represent more than fifty different figures or signs. The principal and more striking of these are Calvaries, crosses, nails, hammers, pincers, crowns of thorns, scourges, monstrances with Hosts, hearts in large numbers and of different dimensions, some figures of our Lady of Seven Dolors, frequently the number seven in Arabic figures, often figures of roses, long rods with branches ending with thirteen stars, rods branching out with seven lines, the same with two lines, a cross of thin green branches; the cross of La Salette, with hammer and pincers; a longer branch, with twelve stars on each side, ending with another on the top of it. The letter "L" is seen very frequently, and some other emblems, the meanings of which are fully understood by Palma Maria. She explains them to her directors only, who write her words down for future reference. We venture to give the following explanation:

Naturally speaking, there is a mutual relation between the mind and sense, the soul and body. The mind draws its ideas from the senses, and the strong affections of the soul react upon the body. When these mental affections or emotions are very intense they seem to pervade the entire frame of our being, and to infuse a mysterious fluid in our very blood, from which, on some peculiar conditions, emblems will be produced, indicating the state or disposition of the soul.

We can understand even better this explanation on supernatural grounds. Divine grace, principally intended for the soul, acts also on the body. This is particularly the fact with some of the seven Sacraments. Moreover, for our final glorification and admission into heaven, not only the soul, but also the body, must undergo some process of preparation, and sanctification. This is one of the motives why self-denial, mortification and penance are so often and so strongly recommended to us in the Bible and in Christianity. Lastly, as our Lord in his glorified body retains the bright stigmata of the five wounds, and the glorious impression of the Crown of Thorns, so the bodies of the elect will be adorned, with glorious emblems, representing the virtuous labors they have performed, the privations, sufferings, pains and tortures they have endured for God's sake, and in God's service. Now, a Christian soul raised to a very high degree of perfection is very near her final state of glorification, and consequently very conformable to the image of her glorified Head, our risen Savior. But if our Blessed Lord left the marks of his sufferings upon his glorified body, and the bodies of the elect will be adorned with heavenly emblems in reward of their physical labors and sufferings, we have no great difficulty in believing the fact of the miraculous emblems produced on different articles of dress that come in contact with the body or blood of Palma Maria d'Oria. If these emblems are miraculous, they are consequently the effects of Divine interposition.

We do not hereby pretend to forestall the supreme judgment of the Holy See; we merely express our humble opinion. We are inclined to believe and to hope that the emblems we have enumerated are intended by God for our instruction and edification. He may wish to make us understand what is the habitual state of the soul of Palma Maria. Her mind and heart seem thoroughly penetrated with the grand and affecting mystery of our Lord's sacred Passion. Like St. Paul, Palma Maria glories in nothing but in the Cross of Christ. Her whole being, like a sponge, appears penetrated and saturated, as it were, with the Passion of her Divine Spouse. Oh! what wonder that this living sponge of Christ, when slightly pressed, gives impressions of the emblems of the Passion. Being continually on Calvary, steadily at the foot of the cross, her looks fixed on Jesus crucified, and her heart and body crucified with him, what wonder if Palma Maria leaves on what she touches the impressions of Calvaries, crosses, scourges, hammers, nails and crowns of thorns? She has been for years steeped in them, she is impregnated with them in mind and heart, in soul and body. With St. Paul, she can truly say:

"I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus in my body." We say the same in relation to the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Palma has passed not only hours daily and nightly before our sacramental Lord; but this wonderful mystery of love is, we may say, the subject of her continual meditation, and the object of her most ardent aspirations and seraphic love. How ardently must she love our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, to deserve from him, as we are informed, the singular privilege, never known to have been granted before to any living saint, of receiving him several times daily? Again, how must these frequent Communions, if really from God, make her seraphic ardor of devotion blaze forth into immense flames of love. This heavenly fire in fact becomes so intense, not only in her soul, but also in her body, that the cold water she is forced to drink to cool her, and which, burning interiorly, she cannot retain more than a few minutes in her stomach, comes out of her mouth literally boiling and steaming; and her inside dress is singed and burned as if her body were a red-hot iron. When we consider, these facts, we may be surprised, but we should not be incredulous about the figures of Hosts, remonstrances and other emblems impressed on her clothes. In explanation of these figures, we are of opinion that the number seven is intended to express her ardent devotion to the seven dolors of our Blessed Lady. The thirteen stars may signify her great veneration for the Apostles. The letter "L" means labor, suffering. The roses may be taken as the emblems of her burning charity, and of the odor of her sanctity. The cross of La Salette is a miraculous confirmation of the reality of that apparition. Moreover, a certain mysterious liquid, like honey, occasionally issues from her mouth, which, by order of her spiritual director, being collected and enclosed in bottles of clear glass, is gradually transformed into large Hosts, like those used by the celebrant at Mass.

These prodigies can be witnessed at Oria, and Dr. A. Imbert Gourbeyere solemnly testifies having seen these as well as other astonishing wonders. Twice he saw her miraculous Communions and the wonderful Host on her extended tongue. He witnessed her ecstasies, the bleeding of the Crown of Thorns; he perceived the smell of her burning clothes, he saw them burned and covered with emblems. He had them photographed, and brought with him to France some handkerchiefs miraculously emblematized. Palma Maria is supernaturally bi-located, or transported to distant and different nations, to assist some privileged souls either in their severe sufferings or at the point of death. She often assists at the ecstasies and sufferings of Louise Lateau in Belguim. She is acquainted with living servants of God and other eminent Catholics living in different parts of the world. She speaks of a little girl living at present in Paris, near the great Convent of the Sisters of Charity, who is destined to become a famous saint, whom she calls Rita. She is stated to be in frequent spiritual communication with the celebrated seer, Melanie de La Salette, now called Sister Mary of the Cross, who lives at Castellamare, not far from Naples. She mentions a holy person living in Jerusalem, called Pasqualina, who has been stigmatized. Palma Maria seems to have the spirit of prophecy, by having foretold events before their realization, and this on several different occasions. She speaks of trials in store for the Pope, for Rome, and for the Church in general. She has announced impending massacres of priests and religious persons, especially in the kingdom of Naples, as also the three days' darkness, and other terrible calamities, which will be speedily followed by brilliant victories and the universal triumph of the Catholic Church. These biographical details we have compiled from the French work of Dr. A. Imbert Gourbeyere, mentioned several times in the preceding chapters. Since our compilation. We have heard that Palma Maria, on account of these truly extraordinary phenomena, is kept under a cloud. But we are personally inclined to believe that this is only a temporary, though very severe trial, permitted by God for the final purification of her soul, and for a great increase of merit for eternity.