V.
Graces Obtained from 1843 to 1877, in France, Germany, Italy, America.
CURE OF A LITTLE GIRL (PARIS)—1843.
This account was sent us in the month of January, 1877, by the very person who was cured:
"About the 15th of December, 1843, a little girl, Zénobie de M., just one year old, was attacked, at the same time, by water on the chest, a disease of the bowels, and cerebral congestion. Dr. Flandrin, a friend of the family was called in immediately, and gave the child every attention, but his skill was powerless, and the family was plunged in the deepest grief. The child's eldest sister alone cherished a faint hope in the depths of her heart; she had intended consecrating herself to God in a religious state, and had always regarded the birth of this little one as a gift of Providence, sent to take her place in the family, and console her afflicted parents. God will not, she thought, take back the child. In her room was a picture representing the apparition of the Miraculous Medal; she knelt before it, begging the child's recovery, and renewing her promises of embracing a religious life should the petition be granted. This generous offering she kept a secret. A little while after, the doctor came and declared the child's case hopeless, and moreover, its recovery not desirable as it would remain imbecile, paralyzed or blind. He proposed, however, a consultation with M. Blache, physician of the Necker hospital, who prescribed energetic treatment, but said, 'this child cannot live.'
The poor mother, deeming it inadvisable to cause the little creature unnecessary suffering, gently laid it in the cradle, saying with the faith and resignation seen in none but a Christian mother: 'The Lord gave it to me, the Lord wishes to take it away, may His holy will be accomplished!' In the afternoon, one of the aunts came to accompany the elder sister to church, and whilst their prayers ascended to the Most High, more for the mother than the child, this mother obeys spontaneously a supernatural impulse, and taking the Miraculous Medal as a last hope, she applies it to the body of the child, and repeats with confidence the invocation: 'O Mary! conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!' The plaintive cries ceased, and when M. Flandrin came that evening to see if the little one were still alive, he was greatly surprised to perceive a faint improvement since morning, the whole body covered with a gentle perspiration, and the little paralyzed arm able to move in any direction. 'But what a pity,' said he, 'the child will be blind,' which indeed it seemed to be already, as a light passed several times before its eyes produced no effect whatever.
"The mother who had not yet mentioned her secret, waited until all had left the room, then taking her dear medal, she lay it upon her infant's eyes and repeated the invocation. After a sound sleep of about twenty-four hours, little Zénobie awoke, recognizing all around her, and smiling upon all, her sight was restored!
"The child's father, penetrated with faith and piety, said: 'Assuredly, God alone has restored our child to us; henceforth, she shall be called Marie, that she may ever bear in mind to whom she is indebted for life.' An attack of measles now supervened and finished the work, according to the doctor, by absorbing the water on the brain, and throwing out upon the surface of the skin the heretofore internal malady. A small gold cross, having engraven upon it the memorable date of this miraculous cure, was hung around the neck of little Marie, who is now a Daughter of St. Vincent de Paul."
CONVERSION OF A CAPTAIN IN THE AUSTRIAN ARMY.
Letter from the Superioress of the Daughters of Charity, at the Hospital of Gratz (Austria), 1860:
After the war in Italy, a Polish regiment passed through Gratz; the captain, attacked by a violent hemorrhage, was obliged to stop at the general hospital, in charge of the Daughters of Charity. Their constant and unremitting attentions did not retard the progress of the disease, and his life was in imminent danger.
Full of consideration, gratitude and politeness for those who nursed him, he nevertheless expressed great displeasure whenever they approached him on the subject of religion; he had requested to be spared the visits of the chaplain of the regiment, and as to the hospital chaplain, he dared not present himself. It was necessary to keep the patient very quiet, and avoid all worry, for the least excitement might cause a mortal hemorrhage.
A Sister, who had been watching by his couch one night, left, in mistake, a little book containing an account of favors obtained through the Blessed Virgin's intercession. The sick man took the book and read a few pages; another Sister coming into his room, he showed her a passage, and said, putting his hand to his forehead with a significant gesture: "Here, Sister, just read this nonsense; as for myself, I cannot understand how any one can write such books—if I may dare, let me beg you to take this away."
Vain was every effort to reach his heart by pleasant distractions, by engaging his attention or his interest; he was insensible to all. A few days after the occurrence just mentioned, a Sister ventured to offer him a medal of the Blessed Virgin suspended to a cord, so that he might wear it if he wished. He was too polite to refuse the present, but he let it remain just where the Sister had put it. His servant, though a devout Christian, dared not speak to him of receiving the Sacraments, and, although the patient expected to leave the hospital soon, it was very evident to all else that the fever was daily sapping his strength and rapidly conducting him to the tomb. Much grieved at his condition, and especially his impenitence, the Sisters determined to make one last effort to save this soul. And what was it? They wrote the Blessed Virgin a note, as follows: "Grant that, by some means, most holy Mother, he may accept your medal, prepare him yourself to receive the Sacraments, and assist him at the hour of death. O Mary! conceived without sin, pardon our temerity, we attach this note to your statue, and leave it there till you deign to hear our prayers."
The chief physician of the hospital said, one day, to the Sister on leaving this patient's room: "The captain will die without the Sacraments, he seems inflexible." "Oh! as to that," she replied, "the Blessed Virgin will not fail to overcome his obstinacy." Three or four days elapsed; one morning the sick man requested the Sister to put the medal around his neck, which she did most joyfully. In the afternoon, he called her again: "Sister," said he, "I beg you to send for the chaplain of my regiment to hear my confession, so that to-morrow I may receive the Holy Eucharist and Extreme Unction." The worthy priest was happy to answer the summons; he remained a long time with the sick man, and next morning, after celebrating Mass at the altar of the Immaculate Conception, he administered to him the Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction. We were all edified at the dying man's piety. He cherished his medal with religious fidelity, often asking for it and kissing it tenderly. A few days after receiving the Last Sacraments, he rendered his soul to God, saved, as we have every reason to hope, by the intercession of Mary conceived without sin.