Turin, Italy-----1453

THE PAMPHLET called "The Holy Miracles of the Blessed Sacrament," was published in Paris in 1853, giving an account of the "Corpus Christi Chapel at Turin."

In the year 1453 civil war had broken out between the Savoyards and the Piedmontese on the boundary between France and Italy. In their fury the revolutionarys wrought the complete devastation of the little town of Exelles on Piedmont, not even sparing the church with its sacred treasures. One of the revolutionaries forced open the Tabernacle and claimed as his special booty the silver ciborium containing a consecrated Host. Together with the rest of the plunder, he placed it on a mule. Having succeeded in passing without a mishap through several cities on his way homeward, he at length reached Turin, the capital of Piedmont. As he passed St. Sylvester's church his mule began to balk, and in spite of all his prodding and whipping, the animal would not stir from the spot. Suddenly the trappings lossened, the bundle containing the plunder opened, and lo, the ciborium, surrounded by Heavenly brilliancy, rose in the air, to the amazement of the bystanders!

Great crowds came to witness the strange phenomenon, among others a certain Father Cicione, who immediately informed the Bishop, Ludovico Racagnons, who, with some of the clergy, came to the place. Seeing the Host, which had now released Itself from the ciborium, which is a like a covered chalice of gold, in which the Hosts are kept in the Tabernacle. The Bishop fell to his knees and adored his God. Gradually the sacred vessel lowered Itself whilst the Host remained suspended in the air. Then the Bishop sent for a chalice, which he raised on high, and the Sacred Species soon rested in the holy cup. A procession being formed, the miraculous Host was brought, amid prayers and hymns, to the cathedral, where It was venerated by the faithful.

PRAYER

O HOLY of Holies, Who sanctifieth all things, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee! I adore Thee! May all Thy creatures bless Thee! May Thy Angels and Saints bless Thee! May I bless Thee as they do during my whole life! May everything within me and without adore Thee, O my salvation, my light and my love! May my eyes bless Thee, Thou Who hast created and formed them to contemplate the beauty of Thy countenance! O my comfort and my joy, may my ears bless Thee, Thou Who hast created and disposed them to hear the harmony of Thy voice. O sole object of my praises and my canticles, let my tongue bless and glorify Thee, Thou Who hast created it, and destined it to proclaim Thy wonders. O my life and my happiness, let my sinful soul bless Thee, Thou hast created it, and destined it to enjoy Thee for all eternity!

-----St. Anselm

ACT OF CONTRITION

O MY GOD I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, because Thou art infinitely good and infinitely worthy of all my love, and because sin displeases Thee. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to never more offend Thee by sin.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

MY JESUS, I  believe that Thou art present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to receive Thee into my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee Sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace Thee as if Thou wert already come, and unite myself wholly to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.

ANIMA CHRISTI

SOUL OF CHRIST, be my sanctification;
Body of Christ, be my salvation;
Blood of Christ, fill all my veins;
Water of Christ's side, wash out my stains;
Passion of Christ, my comfort be;
O good Jesus, listen to me;
In Thy Wounds, I fain would hide;
Ne'er to be parted from Thy side;
Guard me should the foe assail me;
Call me when my life shall fail me;
Bid me come to Thee above,
With Thy Saints to sing Thy love,
World without end. Amen.

ASPIRATIONS

WHO shall declare the power of the Lord? Who shall set forth all the wonders of His works?

O how great is the debt of gratitude and love I owe Thee, O my Jesus.

DURING the Reign of Terror in 1794, the prisoners of the Commune, in Paris, in the dungeons of Mazas, were preparing to make the sacrifice of their lives to God. They ceased not to repeat again and again: "Come, Lord Jesus." And the answer was: "Yes, behold I come quickly." Suddenly the doors opened, the captives did not leave, but Jesus entered. A courageous woman, whose twofold character of American and Protestant enabled her to visit the prisoners without exciting suspicion, brought to the confessors of Christ a little box containing several consecrated Hosts, which a priest had given to her secretly, begging her not to fail in placing it in the hands of the captives. The prisoners were filled with joy and consolation "I am no longer alone," wrote one of them; "I have Our Lord as my guest in my little cell; I feel as I did on the day of my First Communion, and I shed tears of joy. O my God! how good Thou art! how true is that mercy of Thy Scared Heart!"

On the 24th of May, the hour sounded for leaving earth for Heaven; fortified with the Holy Viaticum and Jesus in their hearts, the saintly prisoners went forth to yield up their lives onto the hands of God. A volley was heard, then one or two single shots; all was over, the victims were no longer victims but Martyrs, their grateful prayers were not offered in vain; the Protestant lady who had brought them the Sacred Hosts received in return, from the Heart of Jesus, the gift of the True Faith. She was then a Catholic, a happy woman who found a Heavenly treasure in the midst of a horror which destroyed so much! On her return to America, she was able to proclaim the gratitude of the French Martyrs and the generosity of the Heart of Jesus.

MAY the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time! Amen.