The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-21
STAR ANn CATHOLIC MESSENGER SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 81 1873
Paray-Le-Monial.

Paray-Le-Monial.
The following is from the pen of q distin'
guished French clergyman:
Paray-le Monial 10 q pretty little town,
exceedingly clean and pleasant looking: |!
The beauty of its luxurlant scenery ana
the pleasant manners OF its lnhaoltants
greatly increase it's charm, but its chiet
glory is doubtless tho famous Convent OF
the Visitation, where transpired 80 many
celestial scenes. Let the reader follow me
| for a brief space and Will con0nc1 MIN
through the holy house.
Let us first enter the church. 1t is the
| same now as in the days OF Blessed Mar
garet Mary. Before US is the high alsar on
| which Our Lord is constantly exposed
Sacramento Wafer, and whence He so fire.
quently showed Himself to His faithful
| servant. The walls are the same that be-
held His glory when he pronounced these
words " Behold the heart which has loved
men SO much" To the right is the grating
which separates the choir Of the nuns it is
the same through the bars Of which the
divine rays penetrated to the Blessed Mar
garrett Mary when in ecstasy. Inc great
painting in the choir representa- one of
these marvellous apparitions OF Our Lord.
Under the magnificent marble 'a'tar rests
the body Of the great servant of Cod. Her
bones are there, but the hands and feet are
of wax. She wears her religious costume.
One hand presses to her breast a golden
heart, the other holds a lily. Her couch
is of silver brocade, aud the whole shrine is
enclosed in a case of silver gilt studded
with precious stones. The altar opens
from behind, so that tho pilgrim can the
easier see the sacred remains OF the great
. nun. 1t ia impossible to behold them IN
>, moved for these are the relics OF one who
; in life was deemed holy enough to converse
!; freely with her Maker. 1t seems to me
that the full holiness of this great woman's
: soul has never yet been understood. The
;, walls and the ceiling Of the chapel are cev-
:, hlue with gold stars studded over them
the payements are of marble. and that of
= the sanctuary is SO elaborate that it resem-
, bles o fine carpet, all made OF marble and
= rare stones. Sixteen solid silver lamps
# burn perpetually before the shrine Of
lamps is from Belgium, another is for the
,f conversion of England, and third il
!, ignited for the eventual triumph OF the
Z Church. These lamps are ornamented
- shed around is like that of fire and reminds
"a the devout of that burning Heart Of Jesus
20 which has been so often visibly seen upol
Ia this altar blazing with love.
At "On Septem Der S, 1872. penetrated int
~ the choir and into the house. The mum
=. have preserved all az it was in the time o
= the Blessed Margaret. They built, ct th'
"a request of their great saint, In 1855,
a. chapel in the garden, dedicated to tn
T. Sacred Heart of Jesus. It's large and YER!
ts handsome. Margaret Mary was presen
a oo when it was dedicated. So great was be
70 ioy that che fell into an ecstasy whic
,, :, lasted three hours. L had the consolatio
- of celebrating Mass here in her honor i
bs presence of the whole community.
a. Between the chapel and the monastery
~ garet greatly loved, because the window
n. of the church gaze upon it. "ooe days.
~, SAYS she, "while I was walking in thi
~ courtyard, the Sacred Heart appeared
IT, me, more brilliant than q Gun, surrounde
~. with countless cherubims, who say
UT L'amour tIiomPhe; ramour jouis,
us These blessed spirits invited me to sin
'ur with them and praise this Adorable Hear
lily They wrote, at the same time, that mai
ow velous rule of laws for the association
'ay the Sacred Heart in golden letters of il
tai effaceable love-" marble tablet mari
;he the spot of the apparitiou of this angel
it'll scene. In the garden is statue OF VI
ow Lord, pointing to the Sacred Heart, an
ay before Him kneels the Blessed Margar
nd Mary. This group marks the spot whe
pc, an apparition of Our saviour TO btess1
IN Margaret took place, and stands In II
IN midst of nut bushes. Every walk, evel
up fountain and flower bed of this lovely o
the garden is full memorials of this great saln
in We entered the choir, where SD often st
ed. beheld Jesus and Mary; we knelt al
rs prayed for France before her shrine. A
no. how the soul is santitied and exalted
" 2 such spot as this Oh, people OF Il
our world, come to the shrine of Margaret Mar
er- and pray here for France and for the 80
nd, feriDg Church !
to
ler A New COMBINATION OF CAPITAL
liz correspondent of the New York Times cay
am can organization is now being formed
led Englandl of nv far the most gigantic cha