  BL. DINA BELANGER: THE DARK NIGHT OF SOUL  ADAPTED FROM VISIONARIES, MYSTICS AND STIGMATISTS, Bob and Penny Lord Blessed Dina was a Quebec nun [Religious of Jésus-Marie] who died at the age of 32 in 1929. She was beatified in 1993. Her Feast Day is September 4. She was drawn to an intense life of prayer from an early age. At the age of 13 she consecrated her whole life to Jesus through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Dina wrote: "Would that I might consecrate all souls to [Mary]. It is she who leads us to Jesus; it is she whom we must allow to live in us in order that Christ may substitute Himself in place of our nothingness. How similar were the sentiments of St. Faustina, my Mother and my Lady, I offer You my soul, my body, my life and my death, and all that will follow it. I place everything in Your hands." She began experiencing inner locutions the year after she received her First Holy Communion. The first was on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1908. She endured the "Dark Night of the Soul" as a girl also. This spiritual combat was a terrifying battle for her. She describes it thusly: "It was the rage of Satan who was bent on assailing me by multiplied assaults, wiles and stratagems. Jesus showered upon me thousands of graces to keep me entirely His during these terrific struggles. The devil was determined to conquer and what means he did not invent to attain his ends! ...I felt unutterable agonies and passed through moments of profound darkness, of excruciating trial." She countered these assaults with fervent, continual prayer, reading spiritual works and attendance at Holy Mass, although it was at Holy Mass the devil's attack was most vigorous. Jesus was her consolation and His visits to her were worth the price she paid for them. She said, in speaking of Our Lord: "I asked Him one day, not to let me be deceived by the devil. He explained how I could always recognize the difference between His Divine Voice and that of the tempter who so loves to play the role of imitator and deceiver. The Savior makes Himself heard only in hours of deep recollection, peace and silence. His Voice is soft, so soft that in the soul all must be hushed,' it is a melodious voice, while that of the devil is noisy, abrupt and discordant, and his words are uttered in the midst of agitation and tumult." Forward takes you next sequential page of this series.  E-Mail HOME--------------------------THE SAINTS www.catholictradition.org/Tradition/silence5.htm |