Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-29
LOUISA LATEAU.
An Extraordinary story from Beigiu

An Extraordinary story from Belgium.
Father Maiunke, Roman Catholic
priest and editor of the Germania, an
ultramontane organ III Prussia, has
written the following extraordinary
story about a girl named Louisa La
tea1t, who lives in the little village of
Bots d'Haine, in Belgium. Louisa La
teau, Father Maiunke claims, is one of
those persons who every Friday exhibit
on their persons wounds similar to those
inflicted upon our Saviour at his cruel
fxion. Father Maiunke tells his story
with all the simplicity of an ardent be-
physical phenomena. He says:
'sIn Louisa Lateaus case the bleed
ing begins at midnight of the Thursday
and ends at midnight of the Friday.
First the forehead bleeds, as though
the pointed thorns of the crown were
sticking into the skin; the blood runs
out from under the hair, bubbles up in
little rills, and streams down the cheeks
towards the point of the nose; then the
hands, the side and the feet begin to
bleed, above and below.
He then continues:
'sLouisaroceivest the Holy Communion
daily it is her only nourishment, for
she has not for the last two years eaten
or drunk anything else. If she does
not communicate, she becomes wearied
to death in consequence Of which it is
permitted to her to enjoy the Body OF
the Lord even on Good Friday. Every
morning at 6 o'clock she visits the
church, which is a good long way of );
only on Fridays she does not do SO, the
holy Wegsehruag' being brought to
her on those days. This was done last
Friday by the highly-worthy Bishop in
person; and [ officiated. We found
everything prepared as though for an
ordinary patient suffering from a grave
Louisa was kneeling before the table.
all streaming with blood. She took the
holy communion with passionate desire,
almost greedily. At 2 o'clock P. NJ :,
she fell into an ecstasy. The Lord
Bishop went to her little time before
to see if perhaps she would pass the ap-
pointed time in conversation. But no.
Exactly at o'clock she became silent,
her eyes glazed. The priest of the
place declared that Louisa beheld sew
eral sorts of apparitions during her &C.
stacy First she sees God in His glory :;
then the suferings of Christ, especially
the last stages of the same. At little
before 3 o'clock Louisa falls down;
at she spreads out her hands. What
is very remarkable in these spasms
is that although the spirit is transfer
red to other regions, it lives also for
the immediate surroundings of the
body. For instance, when a cOnse-
Grated object OF article is brought near
Louisa it produces a soft smile upon
her countenance. She also smiles
when prayer is going on, At particu-
lar moments Eve are fourteen in al,
and the priests were praying the brew
ary) as for instance, at the Gloria
Patri, at the words, 'Misericordia' and
'Misericors, she smiled in quite pc
culiar and remarkable manner, whether
the prayer was read in French, German
or Hebrew. In her ecstacy she under
stood all languages. She could per-
fectly distinguish between consecrated
and unconsecrated articles. Professor
Lefebre convinced us that she was ex-
empted from all the laws Of the natu-
raj world-order, by throwing his sharp
pointed penknife at her outstretched
hand. The had did not shrink, nor
did any blood appear on the place
where it had been pierced through.
The speaker reminded those present
that the we'll known Bernadette. of
LoUrdes, had held taper in her hand.
that its flames had played about her
fingers and not in the least damaged
them-a fact insisted IN by thousands.
When, during prayer, the names of
Jesus and Mary were mentioned,
Louisa raised the upper part of her
body from the ground; but this raising
was all Of a piece, not by degrees, as
usually happens; she foated upwards
all at once. AS the Lord Bishop spoke
the words, % my Jesus, [ fall on my
knee she twisted herself round SO
hastily, and fell on her knee before the
Bishop, that both I and the Lord
Bishop were quite startled, for I was
afraid she was going to throw herself
episcopal cross got into the way of her
hands, and she took hold Of it. AS soon
as prayers were over she fell down
again-that is to say. she did not fall
down, for if she had she must have hurt
herself on the bricks, but she foated
down. There is no fitting descriptive
word IN our language for the appear
ance other downfall. Next morning at
six, Lousia was again in church, al
though she had lost SO much blood on
Friday; her feet were again enabled to
carry her. [ visited her again. As I
came in I found her busy sewing with
her sisters she offered me chair and
was considerably reserved Her face
was somewhat pale, as though eniight
ened. l told her [ was a priest from
Germany, where the Church has to suf-
fer SO much Just now; that she should
pray for the Catholics in Germany and
for me-; would also be mindful of
her during the holy sacrifice of mass.
She said, 'Je oous renercje, Mon
sieur.'" Father Majunke concludes ::
cit pleases God to reveal his Being
through such manifestations, and to
know that he does not forget US; and
exactly at such moments as those in
II ~