December 21, 2024

catholic vlog

“I Was in Hell: My Illumination of Conscience!” Testimony of Fabienne Guerrero

Mother & Refuge053 mins

Based on the testimony of “I Was in Hell: My Illumination of Conscience“ Fabienne’s testimony is powerful. It shows the boundless sadness that takes hold of a life lived apart from God. But even more, it reveals the spiritual source of this ill-being that only an experience of Divine Mercy and Love allows us to know. What surge of light and sweetness penetrates one’s soul when it lets itself be touched by mercy and enters the life of the sacraments! We should never forget the sadness of our contemporaries who live far from God. A Christian can think with a certain levity that those who give in to their disordered passions or build their life upon uncertain and obscure beliefs can be happy. The truth is quite different. They carry within themselves a profound sadness, and in the flow of their life, they are prey to the power of the evil spirits that manipulate their freedom. The joy they display comes from their survival instinct. It is artificial but does not reveal itself as such until light enters their heart. Nothing is more powerful than the testimony of somebody who entered into the light after having known such darkness. A single gaze upon the Sacred Heart (this painting where Jesus points to the wound of His Heart, from which rays burst out) and the life of Fabienne, thirsting for love and chained to her passions, takes a flip. Jesus leads her to the source of liberation and healing that are the sacraments of Confession and of the Eucharist. Oh, if we could listen to this testimony! We could understand what liberations and illuminations the Sacrament of Reconciliation brings about. As a priest, I saw hundreds of lives turn from darkness to light in one single confession. That does not exclude that you need time to progressively consent to not returning to the slavery of sin that reactivates our links to the evil spirits. Those who share in the ill-being of Fabienne’s previous life will discover here the hidden face of many practices that they deemed innocent. It is not necessarily, the practices in themselves that are bad but, being deprived of a real relationship with God, they are built into a false religion. There are many gates through which the evil spirits take possession of the soul, and thus mistrust progressively ties it up by removing its freedom. We must always have mistrust of practices which we do not clearly know what is manifested through them. We rightfully label them as occult practices, in the sense that they serve as a cover. In reality, behind these “covers”, are spirits with evil intentions, hiding and working. Impersonal forces do not exist. God is a Person – light, sweetness, and tenderness. He has a face. Every face that hides itself is suspected of putting on a suspicious grin. We can only invite people who will read these lines to mistrust any relation with the spirits, hiding behind the facade of religious practice. What is actually hidden behind the spirits or the dead that speak through the voice of mediums? What mediation do these so-called mediums practice? The testimony of Fabienne expresses that to us. Often, behind these false manifestations of the dead that speak to the living, there are hidden evil spirits. In the long or short term, these “consultations” bring out that which Fabienne expressed very well for having lived it out: an evil being which carries with it an unbearable confusion for the soul. These evil spirits weave links that progressively limit freedom. This testimony reaches each one of us by showing the hidden face not only of our sins, but also of these troubling practices that invade our society and substitute themselves for the true religion. They promise the abatement of the ill-being that gnaws at our heart, wounded and thirsting for love, but they immerse us into an indefinable ill-being. The more we seek to free ourselves, the more we feel bound and prey to sadness. When the Mercy of Jesus entered the heart of Fabienne, she, in fact, discovered the flip side of the decor. First of all, she acknowledged her own responsibility – very important and very present in this testimony – and then the role of the evil spirits that sought to take her freedom and creep into her soul so as to possess her nearly totally. She became conscious of the ignorance in which she found herself and began to taste true freedom, the light that enlightens the heart and especially the infinite tenderness of God. In the great love of Jesus,−Father Jean Eudes Doctor of Theology My Illumination of Conscience— The peace of Jesus be with you! Beloved brothers and sisters, I come to witness today that Christ brought me back to life! My parents had me baptized a few days after my birth. I followed all the catechism classes, and I made my First Communion. My mother, a holy woman, taught me to pray every night. However, after my First Communion, I no longer attended the Catholic Church until 1996, when Jesus came to save me. I was 32 years old. I will tell you a bit about the life that I led all those years, far from Jesus. Searching for Love As soon as I turned 15, my life took a reversal. I began to smoke, frequented filthy bars, participated in card readings, practiced numerology, and wrote to astrologers. When I finished my studies in school, I spent all the weekends in discotheques, smoking hashish and drinking alcohol. I wore miniskirts and designer clothes. Without guilty feelings, I frolicked with the men I met. I was searching for Love with a capital L. Satan kept me bound and prevented me from turning towards the love of Christ. He blinded me with what men could give me: pleasure of the flesh, money, wellbeing, and the world. I was under his hellish bindings. I needed somebody to take much care of me….

Read More

An ancient Irish litany to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mother & Refuge25 mins

It is likely that this litany was used at the monastery of Clonsast around the year 725 and was later translated into Latin. Here below is an English translation of the original Irish from the 8th century. O GREAT Mary, [pray for us]Mary, greatest of Marys,Most great of women,Queen of the angels,Mistress of the heavens,Woman full and replete with the grace of the Holy Spirit,Blessed and most blessed,Mother of eternal glory,Mother of the heavenly and earthly Church,Mother of love and indulgence,Mother of the golden light,Honor of the sky,Harbinger of peace.Gate of heaven,Golden casket, Couch of love and mercy,Temple of the Divinity,Beauty of virgins,Mistress of the tribes,Fountain of the gardens,Cleansing of sins,Washing of souls,Mother of orphans,Breast of the infants,Refuge of the wretched,Star of the sea,Handmaid of God,Mother of Christ,Abode of the Godhead,Graceful as the dove,Serene like the moon,Resplendent like the sun,Destruction of Eve s disgrace,Regeneration of life,Perfection of women,Chief of the virgins,Garden enclosed,Fountain sealed,Mother of God, Perpetual Virgin,Holy Virgin,Prudent Virgin,Serene Virgin,Chaste Virgin,Temple of the Living God,Throne of the Eternal King,Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit,Virgin of the root of Jesse,Cedar of Mount Lebanon,Cypress of Mount Sion,Crimson rose in the land of Jacob,Fruitful like the olive,Blooming like the palm,Glorious son-bearer,Light of Nazareth,Glory of Jerusalem,Beauty of the world,Noblest born of the Christian people,Queen of life,Ladder of Heaven, Hear the petition of the poor; spurn not the wounds and the groans of the miserable. Let our devotion and our sighs be carried through thee to the presence of the Creator, for we are not ourselves worthy of being heard because of our evil deserts. O powerful Mistress of heaven and earth, wipe out our trespasses and our sins. Destroy our wickedness and depravity. Raise the fallen, the debilitated, and the fettered. Loose the condemned. Repair through thyself the transgressions of our immorality and our vices. Bestow upon us through thyself the blossoms and ornaments of good actions and virtues. Appease for us the Judge by thy prayers and thy supplications. Allow us not, for mercy s sake, to be carried off from thee among the spoils of our enemies. Allow not our souls to be condemned, but take us to thyself for ever under thy protection. We, moreover, beseech and pray thee, holy Mary, to obtain, through thy potent supplication, before thy only Son, that is, Jesus Christ, the son of the living God, that God may defend us from all straits and temptations. Obtain also for us from the God of Creation the forgiveness and remission of all our sinsand trespasses, and that we may receive from Him further, through thy intercession, the everlasting habitation of the heavenly kingdom, through all eternity, in the presence of the saints and the saintly virgins of the world; which may we deserve, may we enjoy, for ever and ever. Amen.

Read More

3PM HOUR OF MERCY PRAYER

Mother & Refuge014 mins

3PM HOUR OF MERCY PRAYER   V: You expired Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world.  All: O Fountain of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.  V: O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, All: I trust in You. V: Mary, Mother of Mercy and our Mother, All: Pray for us. V: Saint Faustina and Saint John Paul II All: Pray for us. (3x)   — ACT OF ENTRUSTMENT OF THE DESTINY OF THE WORLD — All: O God, merciful Father, Who has revealed Your love in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and has poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. We entrust to You today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman. Bend down to us sinners, heal our weaknesses, conquer all evil, and grant that all the inhabitants of the earth may experience Your mercy. May they always find the source of hope in You, the Triune God. Eternal Father, for the sake of the sorrowful Passion, and the Resurrection of Your Son, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen. (Saint John Paul II entrusted the destiny of the world to the Divine Mercy on August 17, 2002 in Kraków Łagiewniki) — PRAYER FOR THE GRACE TO BE MERCIFUL TO OTHERS — (Diary 163) V: O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy. All: I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor. V: Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue. All: Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings. V: Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all. All: Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.  V: Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor. All: Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me. V: You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy — if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer — if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. All: O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things. Amen. — PRAYER FOR PRIESTS — All: O Jesus, I pray for your faithful and fervent priests; for your unfaithful and tepid priests; for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for your tempted priests; for your lonely and desolate priests; for your young priests; for your dying priests; for the souls of your priests in Purgatory. But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me: the priest who baptized me; the priests who’ve absolved me from my sins; the priests at whose Masses I’ve assisted and who’ve given me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion; the priests who’ve taught and instructed me; all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way. O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart, and bless them abundantly in time and eternity. Amen   — LITANY — Lord, have mercy on us; Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us; Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us: Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us; Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord, Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord, Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us. I fly to Your mercy, Compassionate God, Who alone are good. Although my misery is great and my offenses are many, I trust in Your mercy because You are the God of Mercy, and it has never been heard of in all ages, nor do heaven or earth remember, that a soul trusting in Your mercy has been disappointed. (Diary 247) With complete trust, let us bring our prayers before the Lord. Let’s take a moment of silence and offer…

Read More

 LIVE 10 HOUR HOLY THURSDAY PREMIERE!

Mother & Refuge01 mins

We are excited to be sharing the full video version of The 24 Hours of the Passion by Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta.  This will be aired on Holy Thursday beginning at 8am EST to 6pm EST. Please join us in this powerful Holy Week meditation of the sorrowful Passion of Our Lord, as it was experienced by Him and Our Lady on an hour by hour basis.  https://youtu.be/vpO15C5Pyjg

Read More

Luz de Maria Releases Free Prayerbook for Holy Week | Download here

Mother & Refuge12 mins

Brothers and sisters, I have asked the Holy Spirit that, by His Mercy—although I amunworthy of such great attributes— that He and Our Blessed Mother may guide me at all times to be able to offer our beloved Lord thesedays of prayer and meditation, in union with His Most Holy Heart, contemplating His Sorrowful Passion and meditating on each sacrifice ofHis and of Our Mother. And asking that everything we contemplate leave a mark in our hearts, in our being and in our journey, not only during this Holy Week, but that it marks the beginning of a total and definitive change for the restof our life. We all have a “before” and an “after”. May these pages help us in this “after” of our life, in which we recognize the Lord as “My Lord and Savior.” Your sister in the Lord: Luz de María  DOWNLOAD BELOW Powered By EmbedPress Powered By EmbedPress

Read More

ST.RAFQA | THE LEBANESE MARONITE NUN

Mother & Refuge014 mins

1- RAFQA in Himlaya (1832 – 1859) She is like the lily of HimlayaGrown as a bud in the land of JrabtaAnd will grow thanks to the sky 1. The idea of Saint Rafqa’s basilica Saint Rafqa was born in Himlaya, one of the villages of Northern Metn near Bikfaya, on June 29, 1832. She was the only child of Saber El-Choboq Al Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel.On July 7, 1832, she was baptized and named Boutroussieh. Her parents taught her to love God and pray daily. At the age of seven, she suffered her first great loss with the death of her mother. In 1843, her father experienced financial difficulties and sent her to work as a domestic servant for four years in Damascus in the house of Assaad Al-Badawi, of the Lebanese Nationality. Rafqa became a beautiful, pleasant, humorous young woman, pure and tender with a serene voice. In 1847, she came back home to find that her father had remarried. His new wife wanted Rafqa to marry her brother. A conflict developed when her aunt tried also to arrange a marriage between her son and Rafqa. Rafqa asked God to help her and clear her thoughts. Thus, her decision, to devote her life to Jesus Christ and to become a nun was her greatest joy. 2- RAFQA in the Congregation of the Mariamettes (1859 – 1871) At that time, Rafqa felt drawn to the religious life and asked God to help her achieve her desire. She decided to go to the convent of Our Lady of Deliverance in Bikfaya. There, she joined the Mariamette Order, founded by Father Joseph Gemayel. When she entered the convent church, she felt deep joy and happiness. One look at the icon of Our Lady of Deliverance was enough to confirm God’s voice who told her to enter the religious life: “You will become a nun”. The Mother Superior accepted Rafqa with no questions asked. Rafqa entered the convent, and refused to go back home with her father and his wife, when they came to discourage her from becoming a nun. Following her postulate, Rafqa wore the congregation’s robe of novice on the feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 1861. A year later and at the same date, she pronounced her temporary vows. She was sent to the seminary in Ghazir to take charge of the kitchen services. Among the seminarians were Elias Howayek, who became a Patriarch, and Boutros El- Zoghbi, who became an Archbishop. Rafqa studied in her free time Arabic, calligraphy and arithmetic and also helped aspiring girls to join her congregation. In 1860, Rafqa was sent to Deir El Qamar to teach catechism. There, she witnessed the bloody clashes that occurred in Lebanon during that period. On one occasion, she risked her own life by hiding a child under her robe and saving him from death. After a year in Deir El Qamar, Rafqa returned to Ghazir. In 1863, she was sent to teach in a school of her congregation in Byblos. One year later, she was transferred to the village of Maad. There, with another nun, she spent seven years establishing a new school for girls, this was made possible through the generosity of Mr. Antoun Issa. 3- RAFQA in the Lebanese Maronite Order: In the Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito (1871 – 1897). While living in Maad and following a crisis in her congregation, Rafqa asked God to guide her to the right decision. Entering at St. George Church, to pray for help, she heard the Lord’s voice telling her: “You will remain a nun.” In that same night, she saw in her dreams St. George, St. Simon the Stylite and St. Anthony the Great, the Father of monasticism. St. Anthony the Great told her: “Join the Lebanese Maronite Order.” Her trip from Maad to the Maronite Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito was facilitated by the generosity of Mr. Antoun Issa. She was immediately admitted in the Order. She wore the novice robe on July 12, 1871, and pronounced her solemn vows on August 25, 1872 and chose the name “Sister Rafqa,” after her mother. She spent 26 years in the monastery of St. Simon and was a role model to the other nuns in her observation of the rules and her devotion to prayer and silence. Her life was full of sacrifice and austerity. On the first Sunday of October 1885, she entered the monastery’s church and began to pray asking Jesus to permit her to experience some of the sufferings He endured during His Passion. Her prayer was immediately granted: Unbearable pain began in her head and moved to her eyes. Her Superior insisted that she undergoes a medical treatment. After all local attempts to cure her had failed, she was sent to Beirut for treatment. Passing by St. John-Marcus Church in Byblos, her companions learned that an American doctor was in the area. So, they took her to him. He ordered an immediate surgery for her right eye. St. Rafqa refused anesthesia. In the course of the surgery, the doctor uprooted by mistake her eye which fell on the floor. Rafqa did not complain and told him: “For Christ’s Passion, God bless your hands and may God pay you back.” Within a short time, the disease struck the left eye. For the next 12 years she continued to experience intense pain in her head. As always, she remained patient and uncomplaining, praying in joy for the gift of sharing in Jesus’ suffering. In Saint Joseph Monastery Al Dahr in Jrabta, Batroun (1897 – 1914).. At Saint Simon’s monastery, lived sister Ursula Doumit who suffered from arthritis. Her doctors advised her to live near the coast. Sister Ursula’s brother, Fr. Ignatius Doumit decided to found a monastery for nuns in Jrabta in the district of Batroun. Fr. John Basbous, donated the land for the project. On November 3, 1897, six nuns, led by Mother Ursula Doumit, were…

Read More

 ‘St. Joseph’s bread’| The recipe

Mother & Refuge03 mins

In honor of St. Joseph, a prudent and just man, the book offers the following recipe for a sweet bread for four people: St. Joseph’s Bread Serves 4 Cooking time: 1 hour Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (110 degrees Fahrenheit) 2 packages active dry yeast 6 cups bread flour, divided 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons melted butter, at room temperature 5 large eggs, divided 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon anise seeds 2 tablespoons sesame seeds   Directions: 1. Combine lukewarm milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir together and rest for 10 minutes until yeast blooms. 2. Add melted butter, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour and beat with the regular paddle attachment of the mixer for about 2 minutes. 3. Add 4 of the eggs, the anise seeds, and 1 more cup of flour and beat for 2 more minutes. 4. Switch out the regular paddle attachment on the mixer for the dough hook and add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough starts to tighten up. (Depending on the size of the eggs, you may not need all the flour.) Continue to knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. 5. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with a cloth towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. 6. Punch the dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces. 7. Roll each piece of dough into the shape of a thick noodle, about 1/2- to 1-inch thick and 20-22 inches long. Braid the dough together loosely and tuck the ends of the braids under the dough. Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 9. Combine the water and the remaining egg to make an egg wash, and use it to brush the loaf. 10. Generously sprinkle the top of the dough with sesame seeds. 11. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 12. Transfer dough to a wire rack and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArAiNPETdGA

Read More

What Happened at Venerable Fulton J. Sheen’s Last Day?

Mother & Refuge06 mins

‘I want to see the Lord. I have spent hours before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. … [N]ow I want to see Him face-to-face.’   God lavished many gifts upon Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen, including a brilliant mind, a remarkable memory, a magnificent voice, and enviable oratorical skills. He transcended the parish and the diocese. He was, as Thomas Reeves stated in the title of his masterful biography, “America’s Bishop.” Archbishop Sheen made is easy for Catholics to be openly proud of their faith and others to want to imitate it. The Italian phrase comes to mind: Natura il fence, poi rupee lo stampo (“Nature made him and then broke the mold”). Would there ever be another Bishop Sheen? The Jesuit magazine America called him “the greatest evangelist in the history of the United States.” Another journalist remarked, “No Catholic bishop has burst upon the world with such power as Sheen wields since long before the Protestant Reformation.” Despite his gifts and immense popularity, Archbishop Sheen always deflected praise. “I am only a porter who opens the door,” he said. “It is the Lord who walks in and does the carpentry and the masonry and the rebuilding on the inside.” He dismissed publicity, stating that it was “as artificial as rouge on the cheek. Doing the job is the important thing, even if you’re a street cleaner.” Sheen frequently spoke of his death, much to the consternation of his friends. “It is not that I do not love life; I do,” he would assure them. “It is just that I want to see the Lord. I have spent hours before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. I have spoken to Him in prayer, and about Him to everyone who would listen, and now I want to see Him face-to-face.” In his chapel was a painting of Christ on the cross, done by Dr. Simon Stertzer, a cardiologist whom Archbishop Sheen credits with saving his life. In the painting, there is a concentration on Christ’s eyes that shows both pity and love. For the archbishop, the crucifix is not just something that happened but is something that continues to happen by everyone who commits a sin. The second year after his open-heart surgery, Bishop Sheen was confined to his bed for many months due to overwork. During that time, he instructed four converts and validated two marriages. As he quipped, “The horizontal apostolate may sometimes be just as effective as the vertical.”   Overwork was the story of his life. His typical working day was 19 hours. In 1946 alone he was writing between 150 and 200 letters a day. In the early 1950s, his television show was generating between 15,000 and 25,000 letters per day. He answered as many as his working schedule allowed. His demanding schedule, however, was his way of responding in gratitude for the gifts God bestowed on him. But “the greatest gift of all,” he confesses in his autobiography, “may be His summons to the Cross, where I found His continuing disclosure.” On the morning of Dec. 9, a young couple was with Archbishop Sheen at Mass and listened as he practiced part of a Christmas homily he was to deliver at midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That same day he wrote a letter to a certain Ann O’Connor, thanking her for a blanket she sent. “My heart must be elastic,” he wrote, “otherwise it would break in gratitude for you friendship and gifts during the year.” Read more…

Read More

Photos | Incorrupt hand of St Theresa of Avila

Mother & Refuge02 mins

Catholic tradition has long venerated the remains of saints. Don’t confuse veneration, which is honoring a saint; with worship, which is given to God alone. After the death of a particularly saintly person, the physical remains and personal effects are preserved (relics). The vessel which holds such relics is called a reliquary. The ornate metal encasement which contains the hand (relic) of St. Teresa of Avila is a reliquary. When this particular reliquary is rotated, palm side towards the viewer, it is possible to see her actual hand through some of the transparent areas. In the palm you see the mark of the wounds of Christ, referred to as stigmata. When St. Teresa of Avila died the sisters in her convent buried her, hoping to preserve her within their order. Nine months later, when her coffin was opened, her body was found to be incorruptible (intact and undecayed). Before it was re-interred, her hand was removed. That is the source of the relic referred to in this story. Relatively recently, 1939-1976, following the end of the Spanish Civil War, this relic of St Teresa was removed from the convent by General Franco, a devout Catholic. Rumor is he kept it in his sleeping quarters while he was ruler of Spain. It is said, that at the time of his death, he had it beside him on his pillow. After his death in 1976, the Discalced Carmelites of Ronda requested and were granted the return of the relic.

Read More

Vatican confirms miracle for new Canadian saint

Mother & Refuge03 mins

On Wednesday, January 24, the Vatican Dicastery of the Causes of Saints officially approved a second miracle that was attributed to the intercession of Bl. Marie-Léonie Paradis. The miracle involved the medically unexplained recovery of a baby girl on November 9, 1986. The baby was born without any signs of life, but after her family prayed for the intercession of Bl. Marie-Léonie, the child began to move and is now a healthy woman. The confirmation of this miracle paves the way for her canonization, after which she will be called a “saint.” Previously she was beatified by St. John Paul II on September 11, 1984, at Jarry Park in Montreal. Who is Bl. Marie-Léonie Paradis? Born to a poor family in 1840 in Quebec, Alodie-Virginie Paradis was drawn to the religious life at an early age. By 13 she joined the Congregation of the Marianites of the Holy Cross and flourished in the convent, taking the name Marie-Léonie. She was known as a great teacher and was sent in 1862 to St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage in New York. Marie remained at her new assignment for several years, until the United States branch of the congregation split and moved to Notre Dame, Indiana. There she taught at St. Mary Academy for a few years, but was then invited back to Canada to help at the College of St. Joseph in Memramcook, New Brunswick. Marie traveled back to Canada and soon enough her joyful example of religious life attracted women who wanted to work with her in a new religious congregation. The Bishop of Montreal heard of Marie and encouraged her to found a new congregation of religious who would aid priests and religious. With the bishop’s support, she established the Little Sisters of the Holy Family on May 31, 1880.  Read more…

Read More