Posted on 12/24/2007 7:27:50 AM PST by stfassisi
Lourdes
By Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Just at the turn of the century, there was a woman married in Paris, just a good, ordinary Catholic girl, to an atheist doctor, Dr. Felix Leseur. He attempted to break down the faith of his wife and she reacted and began studying her faith. In 1905, she was taken ill and tossed on a bed of constant pain until August 1914. When she was dying, she said to her husband, "Felix, when I am dead, you will become a Catholic and a Dominican priest."
"Elizabeth, you know my sentiments. I've sworn hatred of God, I shall live in the hatred and I shall die in it."
She repeated her words and passed away. She died in her husband's arms at the early age of 47.
Rummaging through her papers, Felix found her will. She wrote:
"In 1905, I asked almighty God to send me sufficient sufferings to purchase your soul. On the day that I die, the price will have been paid. Greater love than this no woman has than she who lay down her life for her husband."
Dr. Leseur, the atheist, dismissed her will as the fancies of a pious woman. He decided to write a book against Lourdes. He went down to Lourdes to write against Our Lady.
However, as he looked up into the face of the statue of Mary, he received the great gift of faith. So total, so complete was it, that he never had to go through the process of juxtaposition and say, "how will I answer this or that difficulty?"
He saw it all. At once.
The then reigning pontiff was Benedict XV. Then came World War I. Hearing of the conversion of Dr. Leseur, Pope Benedict XV sent for him. Dr. Leseur went in the company of Fr. Jon Vinnea, orator of Notre Dame. Dr. Leseur recounted his conversion and said that he wanted to become a Dominican priest. Holy Father said, "I forbid you. You must remain in the world and repair the harm which you have done."
The Holy Father then talked to Fr. Vinnea and then again to Dr. Leseur and said:
"I revoke my decision. Whatever Fr. Vinnea tells you to do, you may do."
In the year 1924, during Lent, I, Fulton J. Sheen, made my retreat in the Dominican monastery in Belgium. Four times each day, and 45 minutes in length, I made my retreat under the spiritual guidance of Father Felix Leseur of the Order of Preachers, Catholic Dominican priest, who told me this story. [12]
Nota Bene: The cause of Elisabeth Leseur's canonization is proceeding in Rome. Fr. Leseur died a priest in 1950
She was an instrument of God’s grace. Because of her great faith and the suffering she endured for another her husband was not lost to the vanity of atheism. To Christ all glory and honor.
Was he "an avowed" or "professed" when they got married? Serious question.
As to the general question, I don't know the "rules" for mixed marriages. I do know that if he hadn't allowed her to marry him, another group would be complaining about the dictatorial Catholic Church and the way those child-molesting clergyman try to run every life but their own.
In my former life I did a lot of pre-marital "work-ups". I hated most of them. The couple didn't want to be there, they sure didn't think that an aged (like, maybe 35 year old) minister could POSSIBLY understand the depths of their love, blah, blah, blah.
But despite appearances, I think reasonable people generally only intervene when things are just terrible. I only refused to do one wedding. Within two weeks of the wedding the bride was asking me how to get an annulment - after she got married by some other person. I told her that against advice and knowing what she was doing she had made a life-long commitment and that the burden was on her to show why it was invalid. She was not amused, to say the very least.
"Since you abhor superstition and espouse such liberal views," he asks Alphonse, "would you consider submitting to a simple test?" "What test?" "To wear something I'm going to give you. It's a medal of the Holy Virgin. It appears quite ridiculous to you, no doubt. But as for me, I attach great importance to it."Just another way the Panagia says, "Do whatever he tells you ...."
Anybody want to know why I try always to have a spare Miraculous medal to give away?
(Note to self: Get more medals.)
A blessed Feast of the Nativity of our Lord to all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sorry if I missed anyone...you are all included in my wish.
GOOD GRIEF!! She help to save a soul.
You wrote:
“GOOD GRIEF!! She help to save a soul.”
Maybe Conservative Mind doesn’t think that’s a worthy cause.
;)
oops! forgot to ping you aboiyt above post.
Sorry. Merry Christmas!
Using your logic Christ shouldn’t have knocked Saul off of his horse.
So I guess we could say that CM is right, to an extent. Mind you most people who get hitched are immature one way or another, the age for getting hitched preceding the age for being wise by several decades, as a rule ...
Anyway, all's well that ends well, and it sounds like this one ended gloriously well!
....And the same to you Dear Brother
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