Tuesday, February 23, 2010

There Appeared To Her Father Jean de Brébeuf, A Blessed Martyr

We have also learned, on good authority, that besides Mother Marie - Catherine du St. Augustin's saintly practice of all the virtues, which she had acquired in an eminent degree from her very infancy,
Heaven was allied with her — for often there appeared to her many saints of Paradise, the Angels, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and Jesus Christ himself, to strengthen, counsel, and protect her, and fight on her side. Above ail, there appeared to her Father Jean de Brébeuf, (pictured) a blessed Martyr of the Iroquois in the country of the Hurons: he had been given her from Heaven as her Director, but in entire subordination to her ordinary Director. This Celestial director appeared to her very often; and often, without appearing to her, made himself so present to her that she was conscious of him and received impressions from him, with as much efficacy and certainty as a blind man, when near the fire, is sure that the fire warms him, and that he is not far from it.
She often received assurance of her salvation from various Saints, from the Blessed Virgin, and even from Jesus Christ. At different times, too, — in order to give her courage in the sufferings offered her from Heaven, which waited for her acquiescence, — the place that was prepared for her in Heaven was shown to her, ever brighter in light and glory as she drew nearer to her death, and the end of her conflicts. Once she was transported to Hell, whether in body or in spirit she could not say.
There she saw three abysses, differing so widely in the cruelty of the torments, and the rage both of the damned and of the Demons against them, that the first abyss seemed to her almost as nothing in comparison with the second, and the second as nothing compared with the third, when she saw them one after the other — although, at the sight that she had of the first, she did not think there could be more terrible sufferings. The place also was shown her that would have been her hell for all eternity, had she not been faithful to the grace of God.
Often souls from Purgatory appeared to her in their sufferings, asking her assistance, even some of those who had died in France, before the news of their death had reached this country — the Ships, which come from France only in the Spring, having not yet arrived. Often too she would see those Souls, upon leaving Purgatory, come to thank her for her Charity.

Circular Letter on the death of the Reverend, Mother Catherine de saint Augustin, Hospital Mother of Quebec, deceased May 8, 1668. (here) From the Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents.

.

No comments: