The Green Scapular and Its Favors
by  REV. FATHER MARIE EDOUARD MOTT, C.M.
Imprimatur, 1961


PREFACE
PART ONE: Biography of Sister Justine Bisqueyburu
PART TWO: The Revelations
PART THREE: The Favors Associated with the Green Scapular
PART FOUR: Brief Description of the Scapular and Where to Acquire One
Eternal Consecration Prayer

PREFACE

The work that appears today on the Green Scapular, with its origin and the countless favors of which it is the instrument, has been in demand for a long time.

It is true, its marvelous effects were well known, but its origin remained shrouded in an almost impenetrable mystery, upon which, however, people were most anxious to be enlightened.

One can easily understand why this mystery might have prevailed during the life time of the happy seer of whom God chose to make use for the transmission of this pledge of salvation, namely Sister Justine Bisqueyburu, Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

Now her death having occurred on September 23, 1903, the reasons for keeping the secret no longer exist, and we may at last satisfy the pious curiosity of the faithful.

I should have wished to do so sooner, had I not been deterred by insurmountable obstacles. As these obstacles have now disappeared, I am happy to set to work and share with my readers the precious information which for a long time has been in my possession.

At first I intended not to sign my name to this work and most gladly would I have remained in obscurity. But, after revolving the first impulse in my mind, it seemed to me that since I am acting as a witness it would be wiser to reveal myself, considering that an anonymous declaration has not, as a rule, much value.

From the year 1870 on, being then a very young priest, I was put in touch with Sister Bisqueyburu by the Most Honored Father Etienne, our Superior General, who, the year following authorized me in a still more explicit manner to receive the depositions of the Sister, who then was Superioress of the Hotel-Dieu of Carcassonne. This authorization, bearing the date of June 24, 1871, was thus worded: "I beg Sister Bisqueyburu to say and confide to Father Mott, Priest of the Mission and Director of the Seminary of Oran (Algeria), all that had happened to her and all she knows concerning the Green Scapular."

In order to receive these depositions, I  undertook, in 1872, the journey to Carcassonne; but I must confess that, in spite of that authorization so explicit and bearing almost the character of a command, I could not draw much out of the exceedingly humble seer. She shrouded herself in an almost absolute silence, as she felt the utmost repugnance to speak of these matters, giving as a pretext that since 1840 (epoch of the first apparitions), she had forgotten everything and, for the time being, had no other concern but to fulfill the obligations of her state the best she could.

To these reasons must be added, it seems to me, the difficulty which a Superior of fifty-four years of age must have found to open herself in such a matter to so young a priest, scarcely twenty-six years old, and who, after all, was to her but a stranger.

Fortunately Carcassonne is not far from Narbonne, where the hospital was in charge of Sister Buchepot, former Directress of the Seminary (mistress of novices) of Sister Bisqueyburu, and who had received all her communications.
Hence it was to her I then applied and she gave me the information I could wish for. She even lent me letters which Sister Bisqueyburu had written to her at the time of the apparitions, together with the correspondence carried on with her director, Father Aladel, who likewise had been the director of St. Catherine Laboure, the seer of the Miraculous Medal.

Later on, I was able to procure a few autographs of Father Aladel concerning this affair, as well as other precious and perfectly authentic documents, which were a great help to me.

The following is the plan of this little work:

 I deemed it useful to begin, in part first, by introducing to my readers Sister Justine Bisqueyburu.

For the items of this biographical sketch, I am indebted to several of her former companions who wrote them out for me. Having for long years lived side by side with her, they are true eyewitnesses of her saintly life, and most trustworthy witnesses they are too.

In part second is found the account of the apparitions to which the Green Scapular owes its origin, the manner of using it, its efficacy and the approbations of which it has been the object.

Finally, part third tells of some of the countless wonderful cures, but especially of the conversions of which the scapular has been, and continues to be the instrument.

May our Lord make use of these pages to glorify more and more the Immaculate Heart of His Holy Mother, whose badge the Green Scapular is. May He inspire those who shall read them with an ever increasing confidence in the goodness and power of this Holy Heart, Refuge of Sinners; and, thanks to His most efficacious intervention, may He see return to His fold great flocks of strayed sheep who one day in Heaven shall forever praise His Divine mercies: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo (Ps. LXXXVIII, 2).

Fr. Marie Edouard Mott

Your Web Master has added the fourth part for the benefit of those who are learning about this sacramental for the first time.




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