The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-14
Extraordinary Escape From Death.
AND VISIBLE PROTECTION OF THE BLESSED
VIRGIN MARY.

The Portland (oregcn) Catholic Sentinel
says:
The following miraculous occurrenc e has
been communicated to the Sisters of the
Holy Names in this city by their brethren
in Key West, Florida, and, by permission
of his Grace, Archbishop Blanchet, we
publish the same:
KEY WEST, FLA, July q, 1879.
Most Dear Sisters The 10th of July, the
feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel and Holy
Scapular, was for us q memorable day-one
never; no, never to be forgotten.
About eight O'Clock A. n. a broad phalanx Of
black and storm-laden clouds shrouded the
Heavens in perfect darkness. The air was
bushed into an ominous silence, and all nature
seemed to await the threatening warfare of
the elements The tempest burst forth with
terrific fury. The thunder pealed and crashed,
the lightning blazed AZ it leaped from Heaven
to earth, and the rain fell in torrents.
One of the Sisters while attempting to shut
u window, was knocked down by the powerful
charged atmosphere. / ran to her assistance
hut a fash of lightning accompanied by hiss
ing sound, struck my right ear, producing an
effect similar to that of paralysis. Hearing At
tho same moment, something fall in ad-
joining apartment, entered aud found Sister
81. Theophile lying on the tloor, apparently
my beaes T the
| iu and, with some difficulty, raised her and
placed her on q bed.
| All dear Sisters, never had we witnessed so
| fIiehtful spectacle Her face was black and
and blue her eSe-lashes of livd purple I;
her eyes upturned; foamng at the mouth,
while most intollerable odor filled the room.
Having no one in the house to send, n kind
neighbour whom we had summoned to our as
sistance, vcntured out to procure n physician
and priest.
Our first impulse had been prayer, which we
continued with renewed fcrvor. prolonged,
Curgling sound indicated tb at life was not OK
tinct in our dear Sister In removing her habit
we noticed on her neck a red line, deeply aud
y marked and which q blended do
to the scapular which she wore, aud no fnrth
or. At this sight we united in returning thanks
TO our Blessed Lady for so manifest d pTotec
ton. Full of confidence, we laid scapulal
upon our Sisters head, and, behold, instnnia
neously the hideous color of her face disap
peared, and her couutenance assumed "a rdiu'
raj expression.
Tao physician st last arrived, and, aftcI
some time, succeeded in restoring our dear
Sister To consciousness. Bat she was - u sub
icct at spells to violent couvulsions, which a
last disappearad. Hence we hope Of her re
covory. Useless to lay how great was oul
, anxiety il was beyond expression. The gooC
physc. an, n nen-Catbolic, was astonished and
+ Btupcfed at This most extraordinary escape
Cpder the influence of his amazcmenr, Et
walked to and fro about the room, and wat
heard repeatedly saying: "Wonderful! won
deriul indeed! How is it that She could es
capeY That stroke was sufficient TO XII! ter
persons"
. ing our Sister passed through the floor, split
ting il. 4 pcIure-frame that CHANGED to oh
struct its passage, was burnt black and The
glass covered with brownish powder; and
, this, after having struck our dear Sister Thco
phile, without burning her or her garment
No doubt 1t with appear to you, dear Sisters
/ ! as il does TO u.s. that tie sudden disappearance
of the hideous color from the face of our Sis
, ter assuming natural expression on tho ap
plication of the scapulsr upon her head, a.
well as the action of the Lightning on the pic
ture-frame, carne subsequently,, 60 as to prove
, that the previous extraordinary escape from
being Euftocatcd to dearh and from beng Sc
vcreiy burnt, was but the effect of the rnirac
uloue protection OF the Blessed Virgin Mary
in confederation OF the Jiessed sclpuidr or holy
habit she wore in her honor.
Join, then, with me, dear Sisters, in order "a
| bicss and praise the Mother Of God-our holy
Mother. teo-for her visible protection on that
memorable occasion; and TO give thanks to
God for 90 WendeTful and extraordinary pre-
| servatiop.
The members of entire family. on " bo'n
this extraordinary PreSerVSsiOn Ptodaeed the