"Prayer is the only channel through which all God's great favors and graces may flow into the soul; 
if this channel be once closed I know not what other way He can communicate them.
~~~Life of St. Teresa, Ch, viii

"To advance in the way of perfection it does not suffice to say many weak prayers; our principal care should be to acquire solid virtues."
                                  ~Book of the Foundations, CH. xxxvi.

 


The greater number of men still say to God: Lord we will not serve Thee; we would rather be slaves of the devil, and condemned to Hell, than be Thy servants. Alas! The greatest number, my Jesus – we may say nearly all – not only do not love Thee, but offend Thee and despise Thee. How many countries there are in which there are scarcely any Catholics, and all the rest either infidels or heretics! And all of them are certainly on the way to being lost.

Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori, Doctor of the Church

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

From “The St. Andrew Daily Missal” (1937)

    It is in the basilica of St. Peter, dedicated to one of the chief

witnesses of our Lord’s ascension, that this mystery which marks the end

of our  Lord’s earthly life, is “this day” (Collect) kept.

    In the forty days which followed His resurrection, our Redeemer laid

the foundations of His Church to which He was going to send the Holy Ghost.

    All the Master’s teachings are summed up in the Epistle and Gospel

for today. Then He left this earth and the Introit, Collect, Epistle,

Alleluia, Gospel, Offertory, Secret, Preface and Communion celebrate His

glorious ascension into Heaven, where the souls He had freed from Limbo

escort Him (Alleluia), and enter in His train into the heavenly kingdom,

where they share more fully in His Divinity.

    The ascension sets before us the duty of raising our hearts to God. So,

in the Collect, we are led to ask that we may dwell with Christ in spirit

in the heavenly realms, where we are called one day to dwell in our risen

bodies.

    During the octave the Credo is said: “I believe in one Lord Jesus

Christ, the only-begotten Son of God… Who ascended into heaven…  He

sitteth at the right hand of the Father”  The Gloria speaks in the same

sense: “O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son…  Who sittest at the

right hand of the Father, have mercy upon  us.” In the Proper Preface

which is said until Pentecost, we  give thanks to God because His Son, the

risen Christ, “after His resurrection appeared and showed Himself to all

His disciples; and while they beheld Him, was lifted up into heaven”. In

the same way, during the whole octave, a Proper Communicantes of the feast

is said, in which the Church reminds us  that she is keeping the day on

which the only-begotten  Son of God set at the right hand of His glory the

substance of our frail human nature, in which He had united Himself in the

mystery of the Incarnation.

    We are reminded daily in the liturgy at the Offertory  Suscipe Sancta

Trinitas, and in the Canon Unde et memores, that at our Lord’s command

the Holy Sacrifice is being offered in memory of the “blessed passion of

the same Christ Thy Son our Lord,” and also His resurrection from hell

and His glorious ascension into heaven.

    The truth is that man is saved only by the mysteries of the passion and

resurrection untied with that of the ascension. “Through Thy death and

burial, through Thy holy resurrection, through Thy admirable ascension,

deliver us, O Lord” (Litany of the Saints).

    Let us offer the divine Sacrifice to God in memory of the glorious

ascension of His Son (Suscipe, Unde et memores); while we nourish within

our souls an  ardent desire for heaven, that “delivered from present

dangers,” we may “attain to eternal life” (Secret).

    Every  parish priest celebrates Mass for the people of his parish.

 

"He who truly loves his neighbor and cannot efficaciously

assist him should strive at least to relieve and help him by his prayers."

         ~~Book of the Foundations, Ch. v.

We should follow no other path but that of Jesus Christ, even though we be at the pinnacle of contemplation; for we walk with safety in this road.  The Lord is the source of all blessings, He will instruct us if we study His life, it is the best model we can propose to ourselves. 

                                ~Life of St. Teresa, Ch. xxi

 


True Charity asks us that we take painful offices upon ourselves,

and relieve our neighbor of them when occasion offers.

                                       ~ Interior Castle, Ch. v.

Saint Bernardine of Siena

Saint Bernardine of Siena
(Saint Bernardin de Sienne)
Feast Day - May 20

St Antoninus, archbishop of Florence, begins the biography of Saint Bernardine of Siena with the words, "The grace of God, Our Savior, has appeared in His servant Bernardine, who shone like a bright star in a dark night, and with the heavenly brilliance of his virtue and doctrine frightened away the darkness."
The great saint, Saint Bernardine of Siena, descended from the old knightly family of the Albizeschi of Siena, and was born on September 8, 1380, in the town of Massa, a dependency of Siena, where his father was governor. 

When Saint Bernardine of Siena was only 7 years old, he had lost both his parents, but he was reared in the fear of God by devout relatives. He evinced a great love for the poor, with whom, as a little boy, he gladly shared his food. He attended divine services with the most edifying devotion, and listened to sermons with such attention that he could repeat them to his companions.

Saint Bernardine of Siena loved purity above all the virtues. While he attended the secondary school in Siena, he could not hear an unbecoming word without blushing for shame, so that those who spoken it themselves blushed. When any indecent conversation was going on among his companions, they stopped as soon as they saw him coming. "Be still," they said, "Bernardine is coming." 

While the holy youth was otherwise very meek, he was friendly to all, he could nevertheless grow extremely angry if decency was violated. A prominent citizen once purposely told him something indecent in the open market place. Bernardine gave him a resounding slap in the face, and amid the laughter of the bystanders the disgraced citizen had to withdraw. 

With his great love for purity, Bernardine united a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin, whom he used to call his beloved. Out of devotion to her he daily visited an image of Mary just outside the town of Siena; he prayed there especially to learn his vocation. The Mother of Grace, who had protected him in the world, now led him to the sanctuary of the convent. 

In the quiet little convent of St Mary Colombaio, which St Francis himself had founded, Saint Bernardine of Siena received the holy habit on the feast of the Nativity of Mary in the year 1402. On the same feast in the following year, he made his profession, and after he was ordained and appointed to preach, he also gave his first sermon on the feast of Mary's nativity. 

Saint Bernardine of Siena was a close personal friend of Saint John of Capistrano, who instructed him in theology, and also Saint James of the Marsh. Since Saint Bernardine's voice was very weak and hoarse, however, he seemed ill-fitted for the office of a preacher. Yet here, too, his beloved Mother helped him. At her intercession his voice suddenly became so powerful and melodious that he became one of the most distinguished missionaries.

Now he journeyed all over Italy in order to announce to the people the virtues and vices, and the reward of the former and punishment of the latter. In many places such depravity existed that he found it necessary to preach sermons which he himself called sermons for heathens. The effects, however, were so astounding that Pope Pius II compared him with the Apostle of the Gentiles and called him a second Paul. After he had shaken their truths, he poured into them the soothing oil of the sweet name of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, and preached on Mary, the Mother of Mercy.
His blessed ministry induced many towns to seek him as their bishop. Siena, Ferrara, and Urbino petitioned in turn for this privilege, and the pope offered Bernardine the Episcopal dignity. But with unchanging humility, he declined every time. He remained among his religious brethren whom he encouraged in religious perfection.

Rich in merits and virtue he died at Aquila on May 20, 1444. The body of St Bernardine was solemnly exhibited for twenty-six days after his death. On the twenty-fourth day a copious amount of blood issued from his nose, as was observed by all and recorded by no less a personage than St John Capistrano. 

Pope Nicholas V canonized St Bernardine of Siena 6 years after his death, whereupon the citizens of Aquila built to his honor a beautiful church with a magnificent marble tomb.

*from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm.

 

                             Against the Reformers

A CHURCH which is not one in its doctrine and faith can never be the True Church.  Hence, because truth must be one, of all the different churches, only one can be the true one, and outside of that Church there is no salvation.   Now, in order to determine which is this one true Church, it is necessary to examine which is the Church first founded by Jesus Christ, for when this is ascertained, it must be confessed that this one alone is the true Church which, having once been the true Church must always have been the true Church and must forever be the true Church.  For to this first Church has been made the promise of the Savior that the gates of Hell would never be able to overturn it [Matt 16:18].  In the entire history of religion, we find that the Roman Catholic Church alone was the first Church, and that the other false and heretical churches afterwards departed and separated from her.  This is the Church which was propagated by the Apostles and afterwards governed by pastors whom the Apostles themselves appointed to rule over her.  This character can be found only in the Roman Church, whose pastors descend securely by an uninterrupted and legitimate succession from the Apostles of the world [Matt 28:20].  The innovators themselves do not deny that the Roman Church was the first which Jesus Christ founded.  However, they say that it was the true Church until the fifth century, or until it fell away, because it had been corrupted by the Catholics.  But how could that Church fall which St. Paul calls the "pillar and ground of truth" [1 Timothy 3:15]?  No, the Church has not failed.  The truth is, that all the false churches, which have separated from the Roman Church, have fallen away and erred.   To convince all heretical sects of their error, there is no way more certain and safe than to show that our Catholic Church has been the first one founded by Jesus Christ.  For, this being established, it is proved beyond all doubt that ours is the only true Church and that all the others which have left it and separated are certainly in error.  But, pressed by this argument, the innovators have invented an answer.  They say that the visible Church has failed, but not the invisible Church.  But these doctrines are diametrically opposed to the Gospel.   The innovators have been challenged several times to produce a text of Sacred Scripture which would prove the existence of the invisible church they invented, and we are unable to obtain any such text from them.  How could they adduce such a text when, addressing His Apostles whom He left as the propagators of His Church, Jesus said: "You cannot be hidden" [Matt 5:14].   Thus He has declared that the Church cannot help but be visible to everyone.  The Church has been at all times, and will forever be, necessarily visible, so that each person may always be able to learn from his pastor the true doctrine regarding the dogmas of faith, to receive the Sacraments, to be directed in the way of salvation, and to be enlightened and corrected should he ever fall into error.   For, were the Church in any time hidden and invisible, to whom would men have recourse in order to learn what they are to believe and to do?  It was necessary that the Church and her pastors be obvious and visible, principally in order that there might be an infallible judge, to resolve all doubts, and to whose decision everyone should necessarily submit.  Otherwise, there would be no sure rule of faith by which Christians could know the true dogmas of faith and the true precepts of morality, and among the faithful there would be endless disputes and controversies.  "And Christ gave some apostles, and others pastors and doctors, that henceforth we be no more children tossed to-and-fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine" [Eph 4:11-14].   But what faith can we learn from these false teachers when, in consequence of separating from the Church, they have no rule of faith.  How often Calvin changed his opinions!  And, during his life, Luther was constantly contradicting himself: on the single article of the Eucharist, he fell into thirty-three contradictions!  A single contradiction is enough to show that they did not have the Spirit of God.  "He cannot deny Himself" [2 Timothy 2:13].  In a word, take away the authority of the Church, and neither Divine Revelation nor natural reason itself is of any use, for each of them may be interpreted by every individual according to his own caprice.  Do they not see that from this accursed liberty of conscience has arisen the immense variety of heretical and atheistic sects?  I repeat: if you take away obedience to the Church, there is no error which will not be embraced.   St Alphonsus Mary De Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Doctor of the Church

 

They will have the two-edged sword of the word of God in their mouths and the blood-stained standard of the Cross on their shoulders. They will carry the crucifix in their right hand and the rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart. The simplicity and self-sacrifice of Jesus will be reflected in their whole behavior.”  

-Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, speaking of the great Saints of the end times

 

“There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot solve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”  -Sister Lucia, of the seers of Fatima


15 Promises from our Blessed Mother to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan to all those who would pray the Holy Rosary1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish. It will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God. It will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice. He shall not perish by an unprovided death. If he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have, during their life and at their death, the light of God and the plentitude of His graces. At the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

 



“There is another related in the Chronicles of St. Dominic. Near Carcassonne, where St. Dominic was preaching the Rosary, there was an unfortunate heretic who was possessed by a multitude of devils. These evil spirits to their confusion were compelled at the command of our Lady to confess many great and consoling truths concerning devotion to her. They did this so clearly and forcibly that, however weak our devotion to our Lady may be, we cannot read this authentic story containing such an unwilling tribute paid by the devils to devotion to our Lady without shedding tears of joy.”

  -Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary

 

“If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins ‘you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.’ Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if– and mark well what I say– if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.” 

 -Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the first Fatima apparition. Look at the innocence and modesty of these three children and how the Blessed Mother chose them to give her very important message.   Her message was very simple - prayer and penance.  Even 100 years later, this message is the same.  Pray your rosary daily and do penance for the conversion of sinners!



"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you."

 

 

"I have noticed that all those who have true devotion to St.Joseph and render him special honor, are very much advanced in virtue for he takes great care of souls who recommend themselves to him; and I have never asked him anything which he did not obtain for me." 

--Life of St. Teresa, Ch. vi. 

If we secretly feel a desire to appear greater or better than others, we must at once repress it."

--Way of Perfection, Ch. xxii

 

Humble rusticity is more pleasing to God than a proud civilty and politeness."

--Way of Perfection, Ch. xxii

"We must not neglect a good inspiration through fear of difficulty; for the greater the difficulty, the greater the reward, if we have generously surmounted the first." 

--Life of St. Teresa, Change. iv 

 

 

 

"Let us watch that we may never be separated from our Divine Shepherd, and that we may never lose sight of Him; for the sheep who keep near Him are treated best and are safest.  He it is who defends and guards them against the wolves and other beasts of prey."
~~ Meditations on the Our Father.

True and spiritual love causes all the saints to walk in one and the same way, as St. Monica's love obtained from God that St. Augustine should go with her to heaven by the one rule and in the one path."
--Way of perfection, Ch. vii.

 

 

Those who are nearer to Jesus Christ and more beloved by Him are usually the most afflicted and persecuted.
                   ~Interior Castle, Ch.iv

Some years ago, a young man was unhappily led astray into the paths of

Jewish infidelity.  While still in the flower of youth, his heart was

filled with dreams of glory to be attained as a distinguished musician. 

One evening he was asked to play the organ in one of the principal churches

in Paris; there in that church God awaited him, and prepared for him, not a

triumph of his self-love, but a humiliation a thousand times more glorious.

Already the roof of the sacred edifice re-echoed the sound of the solemn

chants, and the melodious tones of the organ had filled all hearts with

recollection and prayer; every head was bowed and the God of the Eucharist

had blessed His children prostrate in lowly adoration.  The unbelieving

musician, alone, dared to raise his haughty brow before that God despised

by his forefathers, but in vain.  A mysterious and invisible hand bowed his

head and humbled him to the ground.  A miracle of grace was effected; the

young man was conquered; he knelt down a Jew; he rose up a Catholic.  His

heart wounded by the Real Presence in the Sacred Host, he left the church;

soon the waters of Baptism were poured upon him, and exchanging his

fashionable attire for the coarse serge of a monk, he bade an eternal

farewell to the pleasures of the world.  A living example of the power of

the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, he went from city to

city, and from village to village, proclaiming the love of God, repeating

again and again: "The days of grief are departed.  I have found peace of

heart since I have tasted the delights of the tabernacle of the Lord."  If

you would know the name of this privileged soul, ask it at the cloister of

Mount Carmel, and they will tell you it was Father Augustine of the Most

Blessed Sacrament.  If one single visit to the God of the Eucharist

transformed an obstinate Jew into a good Catholic, what may we not hope to

obtain by devout visits to the Blessed Sacrament?

PRAYER: O my Jesus, I adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, as my Lord and my

God, as my Redeemer and Savior.

Charity is precious,-that charity which strongly impels us to help our neighbor, and which is willing to endure a thousand deaths that our neighbor may advance in virtue.
                    ~~Way of Perfection, Ch. vi

Here is an excerpt from an old Seraph magazine.  I believe this is our beloved Bishop Louis answering this question. 



Q. I find web sites on the Internet that present themselves as `Catholic.' Then, as I read what they have to say, I begin to wonder who they are. What is an "independent" priest? I thought all priests were under a bishop. If this is true, how can a priest be "independent"? What is he "independent" from?
P.O., Kansas City, KA

A. An "independent" is someone who does not depend upon another. In the case of a priest, there is no such thing in the Roman Catholic Church. At least, there is no such thing according to the Laws of the Roman Catholic Church.
The same is true of the laity. There are no "independent" laymen in the Catholic Church because by virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism, a person is incorporated into the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, which is the Church. A person becomes a part of the whole and as no part can function without being united to the whole, logically, no individual can exist "independently" of that whole.
Pope Pius XII explains this very well in his masterful Encyclical Letter "Mystici Corporis". The Pope uses the Scriptural analogy of the human body as applied by St. Paul.
Those who say they are "independent" and, consequently, not submissive to a legitimate authority in the Roman Catholic Church are simply not members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope Pius XII quotes from St. Augustine to illustrate the difference between someone who is in the Church and someone who is out of the Church: "As long as a member still forms part of the body there is no reason to despair of its cure; once it has been cut off, it can be neither cured nor healed." (Augustine, Epistle, 157, 3, 22, 1: Migne, P.L. 33, 686).
Why and how such persons call themselves `Roman Catholic' while not being united to the body of the Church is impossible to explain intelligently.
Perhaps this impossibility lies in the fact that it is not a question of intelligence so much as a classic example of obstinacy of the will?
The Seraph has been repeating over and over the essential need for every Roman Catholic, priest or layman, to be united with the legitimate authority of the Church. The reason for this is not any kind of personal gain or ambition. It is nothing more than the right order established by Jesus Christ, the Invisible Head of the Church.
It is all very bizarre. Whatever the apparent justification for such an attitude may be, it is not a valid one. What this all does is prove that the craziest things are done in the name of religion.
Take for example those who publicly profess to be under John-Paul II as the legitimate Pope. Yet, it does not take much to see that these people are not submissive to the local bishop placed in the diocese where they reside. They act independently of their local bishop; they even disrespectfully criticize their bishop in the local newspapers. How such people can be considered as `loyal,' `obedient' `Catholics' defies comprehension.
Whether priest or layman, these people will have nothing to do with their local bishop nor with the local clergy nor with the local people who attend the services of the local clergy; who obey their local bishop and are in communion with all the others who do likewise. These "independents" have nothing to do with either the clergy or the people whom they still must consider as `Roman Catholics.' They must do this if only because the clergy and people with whom they will not associate are in close union with John-Paul II as their legitimate Pope.
Imagine this, if you can: these "independent" clergy and laity are "independent" of the bishops, priests and laity whom they consider `Roman Catholic.' They call them `Novus Ordo Catholics' and will have nothing to do with them.
But, John-Paul II has everything to do with them! And, they say that John-Paul II is their Pope as well as the Pope of those others.
Never in the entire history of the Roman Catholic Church has anyone ever seen such a mass of contradiction.
What is even more upsetting to anyone who thinks rightly, is that these half-Catholics and half-Protestants throw themselves into what they think is "Catholic Action." They publish newsletters; they create web sites; they promote devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary; they excoriate the clergy whom their Pope esteems for their on-going demolition of the Church. They do all this _ and more; yet, they do not have the foggiest idea of how unlike true Catholics they really are.
They unite among themselves (always "independent" of any legitimate Church authority, of course) to "defend" the Latin Tridentine Mass. They "defend" whatever part of Catholicism suits their immediate need and marketing ability. They think they are `Roman Catholics' because they hold to the Latin Tridentine Mass.
Unfortunately, they are a greater obstacle to conversion to the Roman Catholic Church than the most crass heretic in the Church of John-Paul II.
Even hell has some kind of order. But these "independents" _ whoever they may be must have a special place in hell where anarchy is tolerated. Although, frankly speaking, it is highly doubtful that even Satan would allow the kind of anarchy these "independent" Catholics enjoy and mutually promote.
The only thing a Catholic can do is pray for these souls and stay away from them before their arrogance spreads like the flu.

In true peace the soul is so  united to the will of God that there is no division between God and the soul for their will is one."
                                            ~~Conception of the Divine Will, ch.iii

 


On the 17th of December, 1899, the fast mail on the way from Bordeaux

to Paris met with a collision. In the mail car was Gabriel Gargam, a

30-year-old post office express clerk. At the time of the wreck the train

was going at the speed of fifty miles an hour.  By the crash Gargam was

thrown fifty-two feet.  He was terribly bruised and broken and paralyzed

from the waist down.  He was barely alive when lifted onto a stretcher.

Taken to a hospital, his existence for some time was a living death.  After

eight months he had wasted away to a mere skeleton, weighing but

seventy-eight pounds, although normally a big man.  His feet became

gangrenous.  He could take no solid food and was obliged to take

nourishment by a tube.  Only once in twenty-four hours could he be fed even

that way. 

Gargam's condition was pitiable in the extreme.  He could not help himself

even in the most trifling needs.  Two trained nurses were needed day and

night to assist him.  Previous to the accident, Gargam had not been to

church for fifteen years.  His aunt, who was a nun of the Order of the

Sacred Heart, begged him to go to Lourdes.  He refused.  She continued her

appeals to him to place himself in the hands of Our Lady of Lourdes.  He

was deaf to all her prayers.  After continuous pleading of his mother he

consented to go to Lourdes.  It was now two years since the accident, and

not for a moment had he left his bed all that time.  He was carried on a

stretcher to the train.  The exertion caused him to faint, and for a full

hour he was unconscious.  They were on the point of abandoning the

pilgrimage, as it looked as if he would die on the way, but the mother

insisted, and the journey was made.

Arrived at Lourdes, he was carried to the miraculous pool and tenderly

placed in its waters -- no effect.  Rather a bad effect resulted, for the

exertion threw him into a swoon and he lay apparently dead.  On the way

back they saw the procession of the Blessed Sacrament approaching.  They

stood aside to let it pass, having placed a cloth over the face of the man

whom they supposed to be dead.

As the priest passed carrying the Sacred Host, he pronounced Benediction

over the sorrowful group around the covered body.  Soon there was a

movement from under the covering.  To the amazement of the bystanders, the

body raised itself to a sitting posture.  While the family were looking

dumbfounded and the spectators gazed in amazement, Gargam said in a full,

strong voice that he wanted to get up.  He got up and stood erect, walked a

few paces and said that he was cured.  The multitude looked in wonder, and

then fell on their knees and thanked God for this new sign of His power at

the shrine of His Blessed Mother.  For two years hardly any food had passed

his lips but now he sat down to the table and ate a hearty meal. 

On August 20th, 1901, sixty prominent doctors examined Gargam.  Without

stating the nature of the cure, they pronounced him entirely cured.

Gargam, out of gratitude to God in the Holy Eucharist and His Blessed

Mother, consecrated himself to the service of the invalids at Lourdes.

Fifteen years after his miraculous cure he was still engaged in his

strenuous and devoted work.  He was for years a living, visible testimony

of the supernatural.[*] 

PRAYER: May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised,

adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the

tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time.