The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-06
THEY FLOCK TO THE SHRINE
The Afflicted Go TO St. Anne's in Hope
Is-~ Of Relief.

KALAMAZOO. MICH. August 4-This
is the season of the year when faithful
Catholics from all parts Of the country
flock 10 the neighborhood OF Quebes. there
to do reverence al the shrine OF 81. Anne
Beaupre, and. perchance TO be rid Of
their bodily ailments. During the present
week several excursions have gone from
northern Michigan points. and 1t is alto
gether probable that hundreds Of pill
grims have gone from other sections Of
the State.
4 most interesting account OF a trip 10
this sacred Shrine IS given by Rev. Frank
A. O'BriCn. pastor OF ST. Augustine
church. of this city. and dean Of the
diocese Of Detroit. Father OBrlen has
made several pilgrimages to the shrine
of s.. Anne. and he tells the followiEs
very interesting story Of his journey and
experiences:
L have been 10 the shrine Of s.. Anne
on two different occasions 1 was with
a company from Deroit. and it is quite a
journey from that city requiring tive
days constant travel. During the trip
prayers were offered at stated intervals
"St. Anne, you will remember was the
mother of the Blessed Virgin. Her bones
were brought by Lazarus in olden days
TO the Apt. near Marseiles. France. IN
the days OF Charlemagne very large
church was erected I'm her honor over her
remains, ana wonders were worked there
and great love for St. Anne instilled I'm
the hearts of the people. I'm 1920 some
French voyagers sailed up the gulf Of
st. Lawrence and came to a rough place
on the coast, where they were shipwreck-
ed. They then and there took a vow that
If they reached land they would erect
shrine TO St. Anne. This vow was sacred
~ kept, and at a little place twenty-onc
miles below Quebec a little log cabin
was erected in Petit cap. This was the
beginning and wonders were worked
from that rude chapel. The church which
now stands there Is the fifth TO be erect
ed. The third which is OF stone, also
stands and contains pictures OF miracles
which were wrought IN the seventeenth
century.
while / was at ST. Annes six or seven
other companies of pilgrims were also
there, including one from New York. one
from Wisconsin, three from neighbOrng
Canadian towns and one from the Red
river country IN Manitoba Many OF the
pilgrims were sick. lame or blind. Such
received the sacrament and were blessed
with pieces of the bones OF ST. Anne.
Among the worshippers was a young LADY
who resided at Redford near Detroit.
who dropped her crutches al the commun-
ion table. She used a cane for a few
days thereafter. but when "A proper shoe
was made for her even that was unnec-
essary. Another case that came under my
personal observation was that OF a little
boy who lived in Sixth avenue. Deroit.
who also abandoned his crutch at the
shrine. A young man whose home is al
Amherstburg had a spinal trouble which
drew his head down onto his breast. i
saw him raise his head and hold IL erect.
when cures We're made" continued
Father O'Brien. chose who had been
SUFFERING for years and were thus re-
lieyed were astonished and exclaimed.
Praise be 10 ST. Anne" or God be Prais
edr / talked with a man from Wisconsin
who had been blind from birth. While a
sermon was being preached | saw him
cured and went over ana talked with
him. A bill was held up before him. He
was asked what II was and replied that
is was money. 4 hat was shown him and
he said IL was something for the head
/ also saw a man carried helpless into
the church on a mattress and soon there
after saw him walk out cured.
Il was at the shrine a day at one time
and about a day and half at another
The people at Beaupre are very kind TO
the sick and are possessed Of great
deal Of faith. At either side OF the door
Of the church on the interior is rack
containing an assortment OF churches
canes. bandanges and trusses which have
been left there by persons who have no
further use for them. l saw a woman
whom they said was afflicted with can
Ger of the breast, and she was cured
while / was there.
THE shrine stands in the center of the
church, where there is also a statue O.
ST. Anne. On the day OF my arrival three
crutches lay near il. and on my second
visit the number had greatly increased.
This shrine has been in existence since
1855, Jaw ana handed vsstnnent which
was embroidered by the neither OF touis
XIV, Queen Anne OF Austria. This old
church stands near the foot OF a hill,
and the old one is still there, standing
behind It whala at the shrins saw a