The Blessings of Mary Taken from A GARLAND FOR OUR LADY Irish Ursulines, 1920 with IMPRIMATUR An Edifying Story of the Rosary A priest was called to a sick person, who lived at number twenty-eight of a certain street, but by mistake he went to number eighteen. He only found closed doors on the first story, so he mounted to the second, where a child showed him to a room in which lay a sick person. There he found a poor woman, by whose bed a man of perhaps some fifty years of age was sitting. The priest kindly asked him how his wife was. "That does not concern you," he answered gruffly. "What are you doing here, and who sent for you? "Someone called me to a sick person, but perhaps I have made a mistake in the number of the house. In any case, I believe I can be of use here also, for it is undoubtedly God's will that I should come to your wife."   "Yes, indeed," whispered the woman in a dying voice, "Almighty God has led you here, and I will willingly make my confession." "That you shall not!" called out her husband. "For ten years no priest has put his foot in the house, so leave us in peace, sir, and do not trouble yourself about our affairs." "My friend," answered the priest, "your wife's soul does not belong to you. So I will hear her confession and do my duty; please leave us alone for a time." The man continued to grumble, but at length he went out. Then the woman showed the priest a Rosary, hanging near her, and said: "Look, Father, this Rosary must have saved me. For ten years I have turned my back on God and religion, for fear of my husband, but every day I have faithfully said a decade of the Rosary." Thereupon the dying woman prepared herself by a contrite confession, for her departure out of this world, and died soon after. Say the Rosary Not very long ago, a gentleman who was very much esteemed in the eyes of the world, but unfortunately quite alienated from the practice of religion, was in the company of several ecclesiastics on the occasion of a grand festival. In the course of conversation he let slip this avowal: "I would willingly believe in the true Faith, but it is quite impossible for me to attain to it." One of the priests present, who was sitting near, whispered in his ear: "You have no faith? Then say the Rosary!" The conversation continued without any further mention of this subject. Three years afterwards, this same priest received a letter, which ran as follows: "You will perhaps still remember that about three years ago, I was in the company with some priests, of whom you were amongst the number. I then expressed my regret that I could not BELIEVE, whereupon you advised me to say the Rosary. Those words which seemed so strange at first, remained in my memory, always ringing in my ear, with a singular fascination. By degrees they touched my heart, and at length they became sweet and lovable to me. I began to say the Rosary, and today I BELIEVE. I am now happy, and joyfully fulfill my religious duties." Such was the result of only a few words dropped, as it were, casually, into the ears of a stranger, and points to the efficacy of persevering prayer above arguments or exhortations. Say one prayer, however small; KEEP UP one practice, however little, in honor of Mary, and whatever your want may be, it will surely be fulfilled. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FOR THIS GRAPHIC SET. HOME-------------------------------MARY'S INDEX www.catholictradition.org/Mary/blessings14.htm