The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-14
THAT BRING GLAD TIDINGs OF GOOD THlNGsl"


The features of the patient were frigntfully
distorted; the pulse only gave forty beats to
the minute. With sentiments of lively faith
and profound humility, the last Sacramento
were received by the suffsrer-her calmness
and resignation were complete For several
hours she fingered on in the same condition.
"'Twill be for this evening"" said she to me,
"'Twill be at sunset"
An excellent and devout lady, q great friend
of my mothers, came to bid the last farewell,
and to imprint "a parting kiss upon o hand,
already clammy with the chill of approaching
death. Let rs have recourse to our Lady of
Lourdes" exclaimed she abruptly, with pious
enthusiasm. Eagerly did we all accede to the
proposal. By happy coincidence, the last
book which had occupied the common leisure
moments Of my mother and myself during the
vacations, happened to be exactly that besuti-
full and attaching work of Mr.. Henry Lssserre
on the prodigy of Lourdes.
Towards two o'clock in the afternoon, our
kind friend brought us vial, containing q
small quantity of the miraculous water. Upon
the compress of ice water which cooled the
head ofFmy dying mother, few drops are
slowly poured (; at the isame moment, make
the solemn promise that, if the Mother of God
restored our dear mother to health, and to our
hearts, 1 would go to Lourdes, and in the
Sanctuary itself, offer up mass of thanks
giving.
The water had penetrated the compress, and
touched the burning brow. few minutes
after, my mother falls into quiet, peaceful
slumber, which lasts till the fall of evening.
The sun sinks beneath the horizon, my mother
yet lives. "Well 1T will be doubtless for to-
morrow morning." murmurs she, "paroxysms
of this nature occur almost al ways at sunset,
or at sunrise" The sun ushers in the new
day,-no change for the worse is perceptible
Thus it continues that evening. the next day,
and the day following still. Hour by hour
the danger receded, so that within ten or
twelve days the invalid entered into full con-
valescence.
Solid, practical Christian as he was, the
physician, with no less astonishment than joy,
followed the progress of so unexpected cure.
Without wishing to mraculize this fact graft
tude oompels me to look upon it in the light of
q celestial favor, due to the loving assistan ce
of our Lady of Lourdes.
With heart OVERLOOKING with thankful
love, have accomplished my VOW. In that
blessed grotto, still perfumed with the e1-
quiste odor of Mary's presence have had
the happiness of presenting my dutiful homage
to the comforter of the afflicted.
1t was impossible to tear myself away with
out leaving in token of my gratitude, some
little er roto Il promised our Lady that 1
would, in book of popular form, within the
roach of every hand and of every purse, re-
sumo the story of the wonders which Divine
mercy has vouchsafed to operate on that
ssnctifed spot.
This little volume is that labor of my love-
humbly at thy feet do lay it, o Lady of the
grotto and to you, kind reader, do prefer
it, as a miniature memorial of that never
firing love for the children of her sorrow, that
lives and burns in the pure heart of our I'm
N aculate Mother.
4 WORD on PILGRIMGGEs AND sANCTUARIEs. |
Scattered throughout the Christian world |
ire found certain privileged spots, where gra-
,ious outpourings of heavenly mercy take
place with greater prediction they are
FAMED sanctuaries: places enjoying in spe-
,ial manner the reveaings of heavenly prodi-
yality. Another title frequently conferred
lPon them is, pilgrimages, centres towards
which converge masses of pious Chr istians, at
racted thither by the expectancy of obtaining
more easily within those sacred precincts the
bjects of their devout prisons.
Pilgrimages are, in truth, fountain heads
ay, rather volcanoes of grace. A mountain
rom whose summit burst forth ebullitious of
hat mysterious ere which burns und yiBg in
be bowels of the earth. is called volcano.
his FIRE of inexplicabIe violence, by its own
Inherent force, opens for itself, here and there 1
d the crust of the glObo, passages through
7hich it communicates With the outer world. !
he upheaving of the circumjscent soil-the {
mission of volumes of vspor, moro or less {
e-ss,-:Ls Ps=iSG;ca, recurrence o. stats Of