The Blessings of Mary Taken from A GARLAND FOR OUR LADY Irish Ursulines, 1920 with IMPRIMATUR Our Lady Consoles a Dying Religious  The Franciscan Chronicles relate the following: A young nobleman named Adolphus had renounced his principality in order to embrace the poverty of the Order of St. Francis. He was remarkable for many virtues, but especially for a great and tender devotion to Our Blessed Lady. When in his agony, he was seized with fear of the judgment of God, before Whom he was soon to appear. At this moment the Mother of Mercy came to visit him with a band of the blessed, and reassured him with these consoling words: "Why dost thou fear death, my child, having been always so devoted to my service? Be of good courage. My Son Whom thou hast served with such great fervour after having sacrificed for Him all that thou didst possess in this world, will give thee the recompense merited by thy fidelity." Words which filled him with consolation and joy, in which state he gave up his soul to God. How many examples of this kind could we not quote! The Cure of a Child at Lourdes Lucie Renauld was cured at Lourdes at the age of fourteen, at the time of a French National Pilgrimage. She had been stricken with paralysis in her infancy, in consequence of which the growth of her left leg was stopped. To remedy this defect, Lucie, when four years old, wore a boot with a high heel. As she grew taller the height of the heel was gradually increased until it was about two inches. She was able to walk with the aid of a crutch, and at the age of eleven was placed in apprenticeship to a flower manufacturer. As years went by one thought took possession of her mind -----that if she went to Lourdes she would surely be cured. She could scarcely hope, however, to see her desire realised, for her father's hostility to religious practices in general, and to those of Lourdes in particular, was not easy to overcome. Finally, by some innocent little wiles she managed, without displeasing her father, to be admitted to the National Pilgrimage. While taking her fourth bath in the piscina she felt a movement in her shortened limb, and in an instant that member extended to the length of the other. In her bare feet the overjoyed child walked round the piscina. When a pair of ordinary shoes had been procured, she ran about as if she had always done so. The wonder, joy and gratitude of her relatives and friends when she returned home may be imagined. HOME-------------------------------MARY'S INDEX www.catholictradition.org/Mary/blessings12.htm