, 1875-05-01
LOUISE lATEAU.
- Broad Challenge to alY the World fr0k
The hOnsan Catholics

From the New York World
The public has from the earliest days of
the phenomenon been fully advised of the
case of Louise Lateau, the well-known Bel
gian girl, who is said TO exhibit in her person
the famous stigInas of the passion of Christ
which St. Francis of Assist and fifty other
Roman Catholic saints or religions people
have borne. New facts are developed almost
every year, and none, SO far, discredit this
remarkable phenomenon, which, whether it
: be miracle or fraud, has puzzled the most
4, Ell. iuent scientists of Europe. New interest
ha., NV been given to the matter by the in
ritat,, n ~ challenge of ROman Catholics to
DIR. Virci, ow TO make critical investigation
of the case. and all Europe is ringing with
the discussiou who Sc sound is heard amid
the din of :. Vatic. .nlsm and Bismarckian
protests a living nj. -acle, living monu-
ment 10 the uassiou of I'M t, bearing bleed
ing marks of his crown e horns and evil
denoes of his nail-pierced hands INA iee'' IS
surely al object for inquiry, for sc, III oI ioi
faith. Judging from its STANDPOINT ulu as
suming that it has not allowed itse~f 70 DC
deceived in its desire to advance the int, 're SlS
of the Roman Catholic Church, the NV
York CATHOLIC Reg;eso has appropriately chosen
the season of Lent and of Holy Week to
make public new contribution to history Of
the famous Belgian gir,
THE STIGMaS.
Louise Lateau, of Bois d'Hame, says the
CGthoiic Rfrieor, is young woman of ire
proachable life. Her biographer gave her
history which undoubtedly shows her TO be
woman of great Christian heroism and char
ity. which she notably and usefully displayed
in the terrible cholera and epidemic Of 1866
in Belgium When the sons OF family de-
serted their dead and dying parents, she was
daughter, nurse and undertaken to the vic
tins. From a supposed fatal illness she was
;niraeulously (it Is elaimedj restored to life
On Friday, April p, 1868, "stigma " ap-
peared in her left side, from which blood
poured freely. On the following Friday
similar stigmas Or marks appeared on the
right and left foot. On May SJh they ap-
peared on the palms and backs of the hands.
! Up to this the priest, N. lAbbe Niels, whom
| she had consulted, discouraged her consider
ing the matter important, and recommended
| her 70 say nothing about it, but now that the
wounds copld no longer be concealed, he ad-
! risrd her TO oOnsnlt the yillage doctor. With
ont avail! The Bishop Of Tournay and
! the Archbishop of Maliues were botk inform
ed of the matter After maintaining an atti-
, tude of reserve for suIne ume-fOr, IL shOnld
&s<&i3> aaaa a2z, 22e}a2qauz,>1S 2a,,sgs saZsiH0l
<tS & xxeiSs.{e ,ya1 age The Catholics Qz,elates
) Of the locality in which II occurs-they or
dered medical and theological commissions of
inquiry. These commissions sat for nearly
one YEAR and six mcnths. In that time more
than one hundred physicians examined her,
and on some Fridays as many as fourteen
doctors have been present together. Catho-
lies declare that what they saw on these occa-
s;ens has led to the conversion OF many nom
Catholic doctors. These stigmaS vary IN
form. They are sometimes crucIform, some
times longitudinal, sometimes triangular
They begin TO show themselves in blisters,
anpearing thus on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
On FRIDAYS these burst, and without any
rupture of the true skin, the blood pours ont
II may be interesting 30 mention that she
usually loses during this suffering nine
ounces of blOud Later on in her history she
received marks Of the crown OF thorss, and
on her shoulder there Is such stigma as
would be made by carrying the cross.