"To the glory of Mary conceived without sin, I, Jean Baptiste Fermin, unworthy servant of the Blessed Virgin, and subject of M. Olier, have, together with my Superior and confrères, thought it my duty to transmit to our very honored Father, an account of the special favor accorded me.
"Many persons knew what I suffered for six whole years, how I was worn out with a nervous, worrying cough, whose attacks were so frequent and so prolonged that one can scarcely imagine how I ever survived them. My physician himself told me that, for the first three years, my life was in imminent danger, and if in the last three I was less exposed to death at every step, as it were, the giving way of my stomach, the weakness of my chest, were such that all my days were filled with bitterness, and new crosses were laid upon me. In this condition, what ecclesiastical fasts could I keep? Four or five years ago, the desire of complying, in some degree, with the precepts of the Church led me to fast the Ember week before Christmas, and the prejudice to my health was such that I was not permitted to fast again even for a day. Abstinence from meat became impossible, and for having attempted this slight mortification, how much I suffered in consequence, even in the very month of July, 1834! Whilst my health was so impaired, and I saw only a lingering end to my afflictions, it pleased my Superiors to give me a year's rest. I received with gratitude this additional evidence of their consideration for me, and endeavored to co-operate with them in re-establishing my health, of which they had been so thoughtful; but, in my condition, the recuperative powers of nature were of slight avail. Even amidst perfect quiet and rest for four whole months, I experienced but little alleviation of my sufferings, for though my chest became, at least, apparently stronger, my stomach grew weaker and more disordered, so that I was obliged to diet, which, added to the dieting I had already practiced, reduced me to such a state of exhaustion that I could not foresee the consequences.
"O, Mary, how deplorable was my condition when you cast upon me a look of mercy! The 15th of November, 1834, I was sent a medal, struck in honor of the Immaculate Conception, and already celebrated as the instrument of many miracles. In receiving it, I was penetrated, for the first time, with a strong feeling of confidence, that this was the Heaven-sent means by which I would reach the end of my afflictions; I had not foreseen this hope, still less had I excited it, for I believe I can say, conscientiously, that I felt naturally disinclined to ask a favor of which I deemed myself unworthy. However, the feeling became so strong that I thought it my duty to consider it prayerfully next morning; and not to oppose so good an impulse, I determined to make a novena, and I commenced it on the 16th. From that moment my confidence was boundless, and like a child who reasons no longer, but sees only what he feels sure of obtaining, it sustained me amidst the new trials to which I was subjected; for on the 19th, and several days after, my sufferings were redoubled, affecting at once both stomach and chest. On the 22d I felt considerably better, on the 23d I believed myself strong enough to abandon a diet on which I had subsisted a long time, and on the 24th I wished to eat just what was served the Community; that very morning I commenced, like the hearty seminarians, to take a little dry bread and wine, and it agreed with me. Thus my desires were accomplished. I had implored the Blessed Virgin to give me health to live according to the rule, and she had done so; but a good Mother like Mary would not leave her work imperfect, and she chose the very day of her Conception to bestow upon me her crowning favors. I was still troubled with a slight indisposition of the stomach accompanying digestion after dinner, but it was not positive suffering, and even this remnant of my old infirmity disappeared entirely. On the eve of that Feast my devotion to Mary, which had lost a little of its first fervor, was, when I least expected it, excited anew, and I felt urged to implore the consummation of a good work so happily begun. I did so that evening, and next morning at prayers, at Mass, at my thanksgiving, and it was in finishing this last exercise before a statue of the Blessed Virgin, after a most fervent prayer, that I realized the recompense of my confidence—I felt assured that my petitions had been granted. Since then I have experienced no indisposition worthy of attention. I was able to fast the Ember week before Christmas and the eve of that great solemnity; I sang the ten o'clock High Mass the fourth Sunday in Advent; I followed all the offices of the choir on those days the Church consecrates to the celebration of our Divine Master's birth, and, instead of regretting these efforts, I find in each one of them a new motive for blessing the Lord and testifying my gratitude to our good Mother.
J.B. FERMIN."
"Though surpassing our hopes, we have witnessed the speedy and perfect recovery of M.J. Fermin, which appears to be something supernatural, since he employed no other remedies than great devotion to the Blessed Virgin and a novena in her honor.
"AUBRY, RAIGECOURT GOURNAY."
II.
Graces Obtained during the Year 1835, in France, Switzerland, Savoy and Turkey.
CURE OF MADEMOISELLE JOUBERT.
Note.—The account of this very striking cure was sent us by M. Poinsel, Vicar General of Limoges, whom I took the liberty of asking for it.
"Bishopric of Limoges.
"Glory to God! honor to Mary!
"The 10th of February, 1834, Mlle. Joubert, aged twenty-nine years, a person of solid piety, was suddenly cured of a painful and very serious infirmity. For more than a year, she had carried her left arm in a sling, by reason of an unaccountable disease which extended from the shoulder to the hand, and was of such a nature that the afflicted member seemed dead; when necessary to be handled, it had to be done with extreme precaution, and even then the pain was so excessive that often the patient fell sick in consequence. The disease was successively styled rheumatic gout, inflammatory and gangrenous rheumatism; science employed in combating it, baths, shower baths, poultices, liniments of all sort, vain remedies which only aggravated the evil and varied the suffering. Sometimes amputation was spoken of: 'Would to God, Mademoiselle, you had but one arm!' said the physician, not concealing his anxiety and fears of her death, as spring approached, for the diseased arm was pale, livid, and frightful to behold.
"The young lady, a true Christian, was resigned to all; by meditations upon the cross, she encouraged herself to suffer, and, perceiving the progress of the disease, she thought only of dying the precious death of the just. A friend, one day, proposed to her that she should wear the medal with confidence, and make a novena to Mary. She acted upon the suggestion; at the end of the novena, on the usual day of her confession (she was accustomed to confess weekly), she approached the sacred tribunal, and lo! at the very instant when recollected, contrite and humbled, she received the moral effect of the priest's benediction and holy words, an extraordinary physical change took place in the arm heretofore judged incurable, it suddenly became unloosed and free, all suffering vanished! 'I scarcely knew where I was,' said she, 'but it seemed to me as if a cord that had been tightly drawn around my arm was unwound, ring after ring, and I was cured! My surprise, my joy, were extreme and beyond all power of expression!'
"On reaching home, she exclaimed: 'A miracle! light a taper, light two, come, come, see the miracle! I can move my arm, animation is restored to it, I am cured!' Oh! how great the joy of that family! They surrounded the favored one, they looked at, they touched the resuscitated member, they tested its powers in various ways, making her lift divers objects and execute a variety of movements; then, all the members of this truly Christian family, moved even to tears, fell on their knees, and recited that hymn of thanksgiving, the Te Deum.
"Since then, (that is, for more than a year), her arm has been perfectly well. The physician himself was struck with this event, which it would be difficult to attribute to concealed resources, or the sudden agency of nature. What is nature without the intervention and action of God? He is sole Master of nature, life and death are at His will. It is not necessary, then, to reason so much on the subject; a little faith will easily make us recognize here a special grace of God, through the intercession of Mary, our kind, sweet Mother, to whom we must ever repair, invoking her with love and confidence.
"Such is the simple and conscientious account of the event given me, the undersigned, by the person herself, in answer to my questions, in the presence of an intelligent, reliable individual who saw all, having several times dressed the arm, and who, by reason of her skill and long experience, was well calculated to judge of the danger.
"In attestation of which, etc.
"POINSEL, Vicar General.
"February 14, 1835."
These details are confirmed by two letters of Madame and Mademoiselle Joubert, by the testimony of the Superior of the Daughters of Charity of Limoges, and that of M. Dumonteil, a lawyer and friend of the family.