My Review of: "Fifty-Seven Saints for Boys and Girls"

 

Excellent book for the young ones

I give it FIVE STARS   *****

~ ~ ~ Where to get it on Amazon - click here.

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If you are trying to find a decent biography of the saints for your children, even those in the early teens, and by decent I mean not 'fluffy' or over cutesy to where your children's intelligence is dumbed down, this edition is fantastic. Yes, it is written in an 'easy' style for children and young adults to enjoy and understand, but at the same time well done to where even I enjoyed it when in my later teens. Even now I kinda enjoy flipping through it! This kid in me still loves this.

Not only is there a decent biography of each saint told in a story style, but at the end of each chapter there is a recommended virtue or spiritual exercise that can easily be put into practice and therefore help youngsters learn how to imitate the saints, which is why we read books about them in the first place. For instance, I'll quote the recommend spiritual practice from the end of the chapter on St. Peter:

“One of the most beautiful qualities St. Peter had was his willingness to admit he was wrong and to accept corrections well. If we imitate him in this we will acquire the virtue of humility.”

There are also about 60 brown illustrations in a water colour style, but not cartoony in a 'silly' fashion. They are tastefully executed in the style of the late 1950s or 1960s as this book was first printed in 1963 according to the imprint page.

Below is the Table of Contents – you can see there is a good selection of saints featured:

Table of Contents:

St. Michael the Archangel – Prince of the Heavenly Hosts

St. Anne – Mother of Our Lady

St. Joseph – Patron of the Universal Church

St. Peter - Prince of the Apostles,

St. Paul - Apostle of the Gentiles

St. Thecla – Valiant Virgin

St. Cecilia – Martyr with a Singing Heart

St. Tarcisius - First Martyr of the Holy Eucharist

St. Sebastian – Patron of Soldiers

St. Lucy – The Shining Light

St. Agnes – Lamb of Jesus

St. Helen – Seeker of the Cross

St. Martin of Tours – Soldier of Christ

St. Monica – Model of Perseverance

St. Patrick – Apostle of Ireland

St. Brigid – Mary of the Gael

St. Benedict – Patriarch of Western Monks

St. Kevin – Kevin of the Angels

St. Columban – Missionary Monk

St. Dymphna – Patron of the Emotionally Disturbed

St. Margaret of Scotland – Patroness of Learning

St. Francis of Assisi – Herald of the Great King

St. Clare – Patroness of Television

St. Anthony – Wonder Worker of Padua

St. Elizabeth of Hungary – Queen Who Sped to Heaven

St. Peregrine – Patron of the Cancer-Stricken

St. Gertrude – Herald of Divine Love

St. Catherine of Sienna – Ambassador of God

St. Frances of Rome – Friend of the Poor

St. Rita of Cascia – Patron of the Desperate

St. Joan of Arc – Warrior Maid

St. Francis Xavier - Apostle of the Indies

St. Philip Neri – Saint of the Joyous Heart

St. Benedict – the Holy Moor

St. Stanislaus Kostka – Angelic Novice

St. Camillus de Lellis – Patron of the Sick

St. Aloysius Gonzaga – Patron of Youth

St. Jane Francis de Chantal – Model of Fortitude

St. Germaine – Shepherdess of the Pibrac

St. Rose of Lima – Flower of the Andes

St. Martin de Porres – Everyone's Brother

St. John Berchmans – Patron of Altar Boys

St. Isaac Jogues – North American Martyr

Katherine Tekakwitha – Lily of the Mohawks

St. Margaret Mary – Apostle of the Sacred Heart

St. John Baptiste de la Salle – Patron of Teachers

St. Elizabeth Seton – American-Born Saint

St. Joseph Cottolengo – Model of Faith

St. Bartholomea Capitanio – Lily of Lovere

St. John Bosco – Friend of Youth

St. Dominic Savio – the Teenage Saint

St. Bernadette of Lourdes – Petitioner for Penance

St. Frances X. Cabrini – First U.S. Citizen Saint

St. Therese of Lisieux – Patroness of the Missions

St. Gemma Galgani – Example of Eucharistic Life

St. Mary Goretti – Martyr for Purity

Alphabetical Index

This book definitely gets a thumbs up.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS - Past Blog Posts

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St. Patrick's Well – Clonmel Ireland, Co. Tipperary

Ireland's mystic Catholic history is steeped in the tradition of holy wells dotted throughout the island.

It is said that rather than negatively pointing out to the pagan Druid Celts what they were doing wrong by declaring certain spots sacred in their nature-worship, the early missionaries like St. Patrick realised encouragement is the key and told the people that yes, they were correct about the idea of holy wells and thereby dedicated them to the service of Christ, converting them into Christan baptismal fonts.

Outside Clonmel Co. Tipperary on the Cahir road near Marlfield you will find such a holy well.  It possibly one of the largest holy wells in Ireland, and it is said that it once was a  Druid site turned into a baptismal font by St. Patrick.


 However I've also heard of one story St. Patrick met St. Declan of Ardmore here, the Apostle of the Deise people, ie. the Ardmore / Waterford region.  Those who are not familiar with all of the ancient Catholic history of Ireland often presume St. Patrick was the first missionary, but there were others who came before him or just around the same time, St. Declan was one of those bishops. 

As he was travelling from Rome to Ireland, St. Declan met St. Patrick in Italy who was not yet made a bishop.  Then it appears when St. Patrick was travelling through the south of Ireland preaching and winning many converts to the faith, St. Declan met him again at St. Patrick's well, perhaps to converse on the matter of apostolic jurisdiction since Ardmore / Waterford was in St. Declan's area.    Apparently, there are little to no records or traditions passed down regarding St. Patrick evangelising in Waterford, so it appears he respected St. Declan's authority there as agreed, and it seems St. Declan granted to St. Patrick he could have this one well where he preached to and baptised the people.

It's quite possible it was also here at St. Patrick's Well where the two saints agreed to later meet at the Rock of Cashel, the seat of King Aengus of Munster, to formally finalise the matter.  St. Ailbe was also there at Cashel, another missionary bishop who had also arrived before St. Patrick to spread the Gospel.   Tradition states the three saints came to an agreement of archdiocese boundaries at Cashel with the King as witness.  St. Declan remained in the Waterford / Admore region, while St. Patrick was granted a few church in the Munster area, he agreed to return to the northern Kingdom of Ulster, his archdiocesean seat becoming Armagh where is buried.  (For St. Patrick's dramatic encounter with King Aengus of Cashel, click here.)

Apparently, the church at St. Patrick's Well at Clonmel was granted the grace of becoming a Plenary Indulgenced site by Pope John V in 1619. (Source: Pilgrimage in Medieval Ireland).  The Pope  declared all pilgrims visiting the church there on the feast of Pentecost or on the feast day of St Patrick, provided they went to confession and communion, would receive a plenary indulgence. (If you want to know what a plenary indulgence is, read my blog post, Remember Remember the Dead in November).

The well is reached by descending a small limestone cliff into a dell via some wide but steep steps, and it is a lovely, peaceful spot to visit.

 Some of the early photos I have discovered thanks to 'Medieval Pilgrimage in Ireland' are truly stunning in a time-capsule sort of way, showing what it looked like in the last turn of the century c. the 1900s.  

It still looked kind of 'druidy'  didn't it!  Sadly, that old tree with its roots wrapped around the well is no longer there. 

 

(Above: photo: Robert French (1841-1917) in The Lawrence Photograph Collection National Library of Ireland http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000333667

Below:   the original landscape of St Patrick’s well. Taken by Robert French (1841-1917) in The Lawrence Photograph Collection National Library of Ireland http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000339062) 

 

The old Celtic cross in the left foreground dates from circa the 6th century. It is still there.

Also, it is amazing the amount of water that still bubbles with some considerable force out of the spring straight from the ground. I remember the good old days when they used to play the Irish national anthem on the TV station RTE1 before it signed off for the night, the gushing stream from the well was one of the patriotic images shown.

The site was modernised in the late 50s early 60s I believe, the water now collects into a nearby pool which surrounds the cross.

The Cistercians came to the area in 1147 AD and moved on to Inishlounaght at Marlfield where they prospered for 400 years. The abbey there was founded by Donal O’Brien the King of Munster and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. St. Patrick's Well was apparently also under their care, that is until Cromwell's arrival when their monastery in Inishlounaght was dissolved in the 16th century. Cromwell divided the monestary lands up between his friends. The abbey no longer exists but its site is located at the First Fruits Church of Ireland on the banks of the River Suir in Marlfield. 

The present remains of the church you see dates from circa the 15th century and is from the period before when the Cistercians were custodians.  Inside you can see the "White Altar" tomb and fragments of an earlier Cistercian Romanesque Church. To the right of the East window the large carved coat of arms of the White family can be viewed. Nicholas White died in August 1622. Today St. Patrick's Well is part of the present day parish of St. Mary's of the Assumption, Irishtown, Clonmel.

Cures continued to happen out there for quite some time.  My Irish mother from Clonmel remembers the days when there used to be crutches, wheelchairs and other similar things left hanging on the church as votive offerings of thanksgiving.  They're gone now, and one wonders what has happened to the the faith in Ireland, we don't hear of cures happening at the site any more.

Also, she remembers the days when there were truly holy processions to the well on St. Patrick's Day after High Mass and the whole town got involved, everyone marching out with bands playing and banners flying to pay respect to the national saint.  

Alas, I didn't get to see that either when we moved there: processions are gone in this modern Vatican II age, at least there were Masses in the churches, but no procession, only a secular booze up parade in town with a few reflective souls venturing out to see the well.

A sad state of affairs, however, we can be comforted with the prophecy that just when the flame of the Faith appears to be snuffed out in Ireland, it will one day flare up from the north and blaze throughout the land in a miraculous age of renewal. 

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If you liked this St. Patrick's Day post, you may like my past St. Patrick's Day / Irish posts: 

(*)  St. Patrick and His Blessed Crozier 

(*) Martyrdom by Passion (and a Brain-Ball): an Irish Legend

(*) When St. Patrick Impaled a Convert 

(*) O'Leary the Leering Leprechaun (a sort-of St. Patrick's Day post)

(*) St. Patrick's Purgatory

(*)  The Shamrock Purist - (How to spot the real one from the sham Shams!)

(*) Poor but Blessed - an Irish Memory 

(*) ALL PAST BLOG POSTS: Table of Contents

If you like my blog, you'll LOVE my books! Check them out! (Click here)

The Feast Day of an Angelic Champion

September 29 is the feast day held in honour St. Michael, the Confessor of God's Infinite Divinity, and the Champion of Heaven and the Church.

I cannot let this time pass without another blog post in his honour, and he has never failed to answer one of my prayers!

As Tradition states, he received his name right after the creation of the angels when Lucifer rebelled against the Creator and declared himself to be like unto God. While the rebellious seraph-turned-devil was busy stirring up rebels for his cause, an Archangel came forward from the lower choirs, he was not even a seraph like Lucifer, or a blazing cherub. “Who is like unto God?” became his battle cry as he mustered the loyal angels. Together they drove out Lucifer renamed Satan and all the other evil rebels from Heaven.

As a reward, God raised up Michael - “Who is Like unto God”- and made him Prince over all the Angels, and as we know from Scripture and Tradition he is one of the Seven that stand before the Throne of the Almighty.

Tradition also holds that one of St. Michael's duties is to lead the souls of the recently departed to their Particular Judgement before God, and he has also been given the task of weighing every good and evil deed in the Eternal Scales to see if that soul is fit for Heaven or Hell. He himself confirmed this to the approved mystic Marie-Julie Jahenny (1850-1941) in addition to revelations about his other roles in Heaven: he also conducts the Angelic choirs and the angelic symphonies, so in fact, he is the Angel of Music when you think about it. He also revealed some other interesting details, Heaven has books and Rosaries!

You can find out more about that interesting apparition, click here: Conversation with St. Michael, Prince of the Angels

In another revelation to Marie-Julie Jahenny, he declared that after God, the power granted to him is very great, and that if we knew the extent of this power, we would not be slack in offering our prayers to him and asking for protection. (Hint hint!) No wonder! The demons never sleep, and we need all the protection we can get.

He also revealed to Marie-Julie other fantastic revelations about the future of France and the Church, which will affect the whole world: he will be there to protect the Great Catholic Monarch when he arrives to restore the absolute monarchy, and with his flaming sword will root out everything the Freemasons had tried to accomplish in their efforts to destroy both Church and monarchies, also warning of the chastisements that will take place before then as a warning. You can find more here: Revelations of St. Michael to Marie-Julie Jahenny.

There are some interesting theories about St. Michael being the Angel of Peace of Fatima, Portugal. After living in Portugal for many years now, I've discovered by talking to the locals that St. Michael was always traditionally venerated as the Guardian Angel of the country. One story I've heard is the miraculous apparition of the “red sword and wing” in the sky during the medieval period as the Christian soldiers were driving the Muslims out of the country, which led to the founding of “St. Michael's Order of the Wing” by the King of the time.

I've tried looking up details online, but nothing is appearing in English on this, however, since this comes from the mouth of monarchists whom I've met who belong to this chivalric Order, I'm going to assume it's true, eventhough I can't seem to find any dates connected with this apparition of the great red angelic wing and sword in the sky. This may have happened when the knights helped to retake the town of Santarém from the Moors on May 8, 1147. From a source I found it says a feast of St. Michael fell on this day, but sadly, no mention of any apparition! However, you will find St. Michael represented in many churches holding a shield with the emblem of Portugal, and of interest, the Red Wing is featured on the emblems of the revived order currently under the leadership of Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza, pretender to the throne of Portugal.

 

Left: Cross of the Order of St. Michael of the Wing.

Right: Grand Cross of the Order


Notice the red wing in the emblems.

I cannot help but note this story of the Order's founding also has an interesting connection to the later visions of Fatima. Sr. Lucia says that in one of the visions she saw the Holy Father leading people to a great rugged cross through a destroyed city and a field of war with soldiers shooting and killing many in the procession. Overhead an angel appeared holding out his flaming sword ready to strike the earth, the flames of which were stopped by Our Lady's splendour, he then cried out “Penance! Penance! Penance!”, obviously a warning before the world is struck with great chastisements and wars, which seems very close to the warnings St. Michael gives to Marie-Julie Jahenny, who was shown his flaming sword:

“I see that the battle will begin between Saint Michael and Hell, between good and evil.... Mary Immaculate watches over us, what have we to fear?” (Ecstasy date September 29, 1877).

There is an interesting story that has circulated stating that on the day the Angel of Peace gave the three children of Fatima Holy Communion, a consecrated Host and chalice went missing in a church while a festa was happening, (either the church was dedicated to St. Michael, or, the festa at the church that day was held in his honour, perhaps both! Forgive me for being fuzzy on the details). However, the chalice was later returned, but the Host was still missing. Some see this as confirmation St. Michael indeed is the Angel of Peace of Fatima.

(Site of the Apparition of the Angel of Peace where

 he brought the children Holy Communion in Aljustrel, Fatima, Portugal.)

Of course, there is another fascinating modern-day apparition of St. Michael, which allegedly happened during the Korean War, the story of which was spread after a letter written by a young Marine named Michael (of all things) to his mother in 1950 caught the attention of a Navy Chaplain, Fr. Walter Muddy, who tracked down the marine and verified the details of the letter, including the battle fought, etc. The chaplain then publicly read the letter aloud in 1951 before a crowd of 5,000 Marines at the Navla base in San Diego, California. Since then the letter has been published and spread like wildfire ever since:

Dear Mom,

I wouldn't dare write this letter to anyone but you because no one else would believe it. Maybe even you will find it hard but I have got to tell somebody.

First off, I am in a hospital. Now don't worry, ya hear me, don't worry. I was wounded but I am okay you understand. Okay. The doctor says that I will be up and around in a month. But that is not what I want to tell you.

Remember when I joined the Marines last year; remember when I left, how you told me to say a prayer to St. Michael every day. You really didn't have to tell me that. Ever since I can remember you always told me to pray to St. Michael the Archangel. You even named me after him. Well I always have.

When I got to Korea, I prayed even harder. Remember the prayer that you taught me?

"Michael, Michael of the morning fresh crop of Heaven adorning," you know the rest of it.

(Note: it is believed this is the prayer said by the Marine):

Michael, Michael of the morning,
Fresh chord of Heaven adorning,
Keep me safe today,
And in time of temptation
Drive the devil away. Amen.

“Well I said it everyday. Sometimes when I was marching or sometimes resting. But always before I went to sleep. I even got some of the other fellas to say it.

Well, one day I was with an advance detail way up over the front lines. We were scouting for the Commies. I was plodding along in the bitter cold, my breath was like cigar smoke.

I thought I knew every guy in the patrol, when along side of me comes another Marine I never met before. He was bigger than any other Marine I'd ever seen. He must have been 6' 4" and built in proportion. It gave me a feeling of security to have such a body near.

Anyway, there we were trudging along. The rest of the patrol spread out. Just to start a conversation I said, "Cold ain't it." And then I laughed. Here I was with a good chance of getting killed any minute and I am talking about the weather.

My companion seemed to understand. I heard him laugh softly. I looked at him,

"I have never seen you before, I thought I knew every man in the outfit."

"I just joined at the last minute", he replied. "The name is Michael." 

 

"Is that so," I said surprised. "That is my name too."

"I know," he said and then went on, "Michael, Michael of the morning . . ."

I was too amazed to say anything for a minute. How did he know my name, and a prayer that you had taught me? Then I smiled to myself, every guy in the outfit knew about me. Hadn't I taught the prayer to anybody who would listen. Why now and then, they even referred to me as St. Michael.

Neither of us spoke for a time and then he broke the silence. "We are going to have some trouble up ahead."

He must have been in fine physical shape or he was breathing so lightly I couldn't see his breath. Mine poured out in great clouds. There was no smile on his face now. Trouble ahead, I thought to myself, well with the Commies all around us, that is no great revelation.

Snow began to fall in great thick globs. In a brief moment the whole countryside was blotted out. And I was marching in a white fog of wet sticky particles. My companion disappeared.

"Michael, " I shouted in sudden alarm.

I felt his hand on my arm, his voice was rich and strong, "This will stop shortly."

His prophecy proved to be correct. In a few minutes the snow stopped as abruptly as it had begun. The sun was a hard shining disc. I looked back for the rest of the patrol, there was no one in sight. We lost them in that heavy fall of snow. I looked ahead as we came over a little rise.

Mom, my heart stopped. There were seven of them. Seven Commies in their padded pants and jackets and their funny hats. Only there wasn't anything funny about them now. Seven rifles were aimed at us.

"Down Michael, " I screamed and hit the frozen earth.

I heard those rifles fire almost as one. I heard the bullets. There was Michael still standing. 

 

Mom, those guys couldn't have missed, not at that range. I expected to see him literally blown to bits.

But there he stood, making no effort to fire himself. He was paralyzed with fear. It happens sometimes, Mom, even to the bravest. He was like a bird fascinated by a snake.

At least, that was what I thought then. I jumped up to pull him down and that was when I got mine. I felt a sudden flame in my chest. I often wondered what it felt like to be hit, now I know.

I remember feeling strong arms about me, arms that laid me ever so gently on a pillow of snow. I opened my eyes, for one last look. I was dying. Maybe I was even dead, I remember thinking well, this is not so bad.

Maybe I was looking into the sun. Maybe I was in shock. But it seemed I saw Michael standing erect again only this time his face was shining with a terrible splendor.

As I say, maybe it was the sun in my eyes, but he seemed to change as I watched him. He grew bigger, his arms stretched out wide, maybe it was the snow falling again, but there was a brightness around him like the wings of an Angel. In his hand was a sword. A sword that flashed with a million lights.

Well, that is the last thing I remember until the rest of the fellas came up and found me. I do not know how much time had passed. Now and then I had but a moment's rest from the pain and fever. I remember telling them of the enemy just ahead.

"Where is Michael," I asked.

I saw them look at one another. "Where's who?" asked one. "Michael, Michael that big Marine I was walking with just before the snow squall hit us."

"Kid," said the sergeant, "You weren't walking with anyone. I had my eyes on you the whole time. You were getting too far out. I was just going to call you in when you disappeared in the snow."

He looked at me, curiously. "How did you do it kid?"

"How'd I do what?" I asked half angry despite my wound. "This marine named Michael and I were just . . ."

"Son, " said the sergeant kindly, "I picked this outfit myself and there just ain't another Michael in it. You are the only Mike in it."

He paused for a minute, "Just how did you do it kid? We heard shots. There hasn't been a shot fired from your rifle. And there isn't a bit of lead in them seven bodies over the hill there."

I didn't say anything, what could I say. I could only look open-mouthed with amazement. It was then the sergeant spoke again, "Kid," he said gently, "everyone of those seven Commies was killed by a sword stroke."

That is all I can tell you Mom. As I say, it may have been the sun in my eyes, it may have been the cold or the pain. But that is what happened.

Love, Michael”

Look how this young man was rewarded for honouring his name-saint each day and praying for protection!

Again, as St. Michael said to Marie-Julie Jahenny September 29, 1877: "After God, I am your protector and your support. Have recourse to me. If you knew my power, you would be more eager to address your prayers to me each day."

Of course, I could not end this blog without including one of my favourite poems written in his honour by G.K. Chesterton and fist published in 1929. It is a brilliant tribute to Heaven's Champion, the opining lines of which are reminiscent of the prayer that saved the young Marine:

Michael of the Morning,
Michael of the Army of the Lord,
Stiffen thou the hand upon the still sword, Michael,
Folded and shut upon the sheathed sword, Michael,
Under the fullness of the white robes falling,
Gird us with the secret of the sword.

When the world cracked because of a sneer in Heaven,
Leaving out for all time a scar upon the sky,
Thou didst rise up against the Horror in the highest,
Dragging down the highest that looked down on the Most High:
Rending from the seventh heaven the hell of exaltation
Down the seven heavens till the dark seas burn:
Thou that in thunder threwest down the Dragon
Knowest in what silence the Serpent can return.

Down through the universe the vast night falling
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Morning!)
Far down the universe the deep calms calling
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Sword!)
Bid us not forget in the baths of all forgetfulness,
In the sigh long drawn from the frenzy and the fretfulness
In the huge holy sempiternal silence
In the beginning was the Word.

When from the deeps of dying God astounded
Angels and devils who do all but die
Seeing Him fallen where thou couldst not follow,
Seeing Him mounted where thou couldst not fly,
Hand on the hilt, thou hast halted all thy legions
Waiting the Tetelestai and the acclaim,
Swords that salute Him dead and everlasting
God beyond God and greater than His Name.

Round us and over us the cold thoughts creeping
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the battle-cry!)
Round us and under us the thronged world sleeping
(Michael, Michael: Michael of the Charge!)
Guard us the Word; the trysting and the trusting
Edge upon the honour and the blade unrusting
Fine as the hair and tauter than the harpstring
Ready as when it rang upon the targe.

He that giveth peace unto us; not as the world giveth:
He that giveth law unto us; not as the scribes:
Shall he be softened for the softening of the cities
Patient in usury; delicate in bribes?
They that come to quiet us, saying the sword is broken,
Break man with famine, fetter them with gold,
Sell them as sheep; and He shall know the selling
For He was more than murdered. He was sold.

Michael, Michael: Michael of the Mustering,
Michael of the marching on the mountains of the Lord,
Marshal the world and purge of rot and riot
Rule through the world till all the world be quiet:
Only establish when the world is broken
What is unbroken is the Word.

To Love the Promised Great Monarch – A Sign of Predestination

For centuries several saints and mystics of the Catholic church have foretold that the world would enter a period of darkness, evil would abound, and that the practise of the true Faith would be eclipsed when an extravagant anti-church would arise had supplant for a time all the ancient traditions of the Catholic church as they were once practised.

However they also foretold this period of darkness would be put to flight by the arrival of a Great Catholic Monarch together with an Angelic Pontiff who would arrive amidst wars and tribulations to restore Christendom and establish an Age of Peace that would last for about 30 to 40 years. The Great Monarch will be crowned the Last Holy Roman Emperor and restore the downtrodden monarchies of Europe, republics will be wiped out. Heresies would disappear, mass conversions will take place, all Christians would be untied in the One True Church led by the Angelic Pontiff. It will be the greatest period the Catholic Church will experience before the final persecutions of the Antichrist followed by the Second Coming of Christ.  (Image: Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire.)

In fact, a few mystics have revealed that this plan of restoring the earth is so pleasing to God, that one could determine whether or not a person was in complete union with God's Will, and therefore a predestined soul, or a reprobate determined to follow Satan's path on how they accepted this plan or laughed it to scorn.

St. Francis of Paola the Wonder Worker (1416-1507) was adamant on this subject:

"I know that unbelieving and reprobate persons will scoff at my letters and will reject them (his prophecies of the Great Monarch) ; but they will be received by those Catholic souls who aspire to the possession of heaven. These letters shall infuse such sweetness of divine love in their hearts that they will be delighted in perusing them often and in taking copies of them because such is the will of the Most High. In these letters it will be found out who belongs to Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ and who does not, who is a predestinate or a reprobate. Much will this be known through the holy sign of the living God. He shall be a Saint of God who will take it, love it, and wear it.”

Below is St. Paola's lenghty letter to the Lord of Monalto:

“From your Lordship (i.e., addressing Simeon de Limena, Lord of Monalto) shall be born

the great leader of the holy militia of the Holy Spirit shall overcome the world, and shall possess the

earth so completely that no king or lord shall be able to exist, except that he belongs to the sacred

host of the Holy Ghost. These devout men shall wear on their breasts, and much more within their hearts, the sign of the living God, namely, the Cross. (…)

The first members of this holy order shall be natives of the city where iniquity, vice and sin abound. However, they shall be converted from evil to good; from rebels against God they shall become most fervent and most faithful in His divine service. That city shall be cherished by God and by the Great Monarch, the elect and the beloved of the Most High Lord. For the sake of that place all holy souls who have done penance in it shall pray in the sight of God for that city and its inhabitants. When the time shall come of the immense and most right justice of the Holy Spirit, His Divine Majesty wills that such city become converted to God, and that many of its citizens follow the great prince of the holy army. The first person that will openly wear the sign of the living God shall belong to that city, because he will through a letter be commanded by a holy hermit to have it impressed upon his heart and to wear it externally on his breast. (…)

That man will begin to meditate on the secrets of God, about the long visitation which the Holy Spirit will make and the dominion that he will exercise over the world through the holy militia. O! happy man, who shall receive from the Most High the greatest privileges! He will interpret the hidden secrets of the Holy Ghost, and he shall often excite the admiration of men by his revealed knowledge of the internal secrets of their hearts. Rejoice, my Lord, because that Prince above other princes, and King over other kings, will hold you in the greatest veneration, and after having been crowned with three most admirable crowns, will exalt that city, will declare it free, and the seat of the Empire, and it shall become one of the first cities in the world. (…)

 You and your consort desire to have children: you shall have them.  (Addressed to Lord Monalto) Your holy offspring shall be admired upon earth. Among your descendants there will be one who shall be like the sun amidst the stars; He shall be a first-born son; in his childhood he will be like a saint; in his youth, a great sinner; then he will be converted entirely to God and will do great penance; his sins will be forgiven him, and he will become a great saint. (…)

He shall be a great captain and prince of holy men, who shall be called "the holy Cross-bearers of Jesus Christ," with whom he shall destroy the Mahometan (Muslim) sect and the rest of the infidels. He shall annihilate all the heresies and tyrannies of the world. He shall reform the Church of God by means of his followers, who shall be the best men upon earth in holiness, in arms, in science, and in every virtue, because such is the will of the Most High. They shall obtain the dominion of the whole world, both temporal and spiritual, and they shall support the Church of God until the end of time. (…)

God almighty shall exalt a very poor man of the blood of Emperor Constantine, son of St. Helena, and of the seed of Pepin, (i.e, A French King) who shall on his breast wear a red Cross. Through the power of the Most High he shall confound the tyrants, the heretics, and infidels. He will gather a grand army, and the angels shall fight for them; they shall kill all God's enemies. (…)

From the beginning of the world, after the creation of man, and to the end of human generations, there have been and there shall be seen wonderful events upon the earth. Four hundred years shall not pass when his Divine Majesty shall visit the world with a new religious order much needed, which shall effect more good among men than all other religious institutions combined. This religious order shall be the last and the best in the Church; it shall proceed with arms, with prayer, and with hospitality. Woe to tyrants, to heretics, and to infidels, to whom no pity shall be shown, because such is the will of the most high! An infinite number of wicked men shall perish through the hands of the Cross-bearers, the true servants of Jesus Christ. They shall act like good husbandmen when they extirpate noxious weeds and prickly thistles from the wheat field. Those holy servants of God shall purify the earth with the deaths of innumerable wicked men. The head and captain of these holy servants of God shall be one of your posterity and he shall be the great reformer of the Church of God. (…)

 

 How spiritually blind are those persons who, having no thought about things of God, fix their end in earthly objects. Wretched men! by far worse than the very beasts which are guided by their sense, because they cannot reason, they become brutalized. Hence they shall ever be in confusion. Let, therefore, the princes of this world be prepared for the greatest scourges to fall upon them. But from whom? First from heretics and infidels, then from the holy and most faithful Cross-bearers elected by the Most High, who, not succeeding in converting the heretics with science, shall have to make vigorous use of their arms. Many cities and villages shall be in ruins, with the deaths of an innumerable quantity of bad and good men. The infidels also shall fight against Christians and heretics, sacking, destroying, and killing the largest portion of Christians. Lastly, the army, styled "of the Church," namely, the holy Cross-bearers, shall move, not against Christians or Christianity, but against those infidels in pagan countries, and they shall conquer all those kingdoms with the death of a very great number of infidels. After this they shall turn their victorious arms against bad Christians, and destroy all the rebels against Jesus Christ. These holy Cross-bearers shall reign and dominate holily over the world until the end of time... But when shall this take place? When crosses with the stigmas shall be seen, and the crucifix shall be carried as the standard. (…)

  The time is coming when His Divine Majesty will visit the world with a new religious order of holy Cross Bearers, who will carry a crucifix, or the image of our crucified Lord, lifted up on the principal standard in view of all. This standard will be admired by all good Catholics; but at the beginning it will be derided by bad Christians and by infidels. Their sneers shall, however, be changed into mourning when they shall witness the wonderful victories achieved through it against tyrants, heretics, and infidels. Many wicked men and obstinate rebels against God shall perish; their souls will be plunged into Hell. The punishment shall fall upon all those transgressors of the Divine

commandments who with new and false doctrines will attempt to corrupt mankind and turn men

against the ministers of God’s worship. The same chastisement is due for all obstinate sinners, but

not to those who sin through weakness because these being converted doing penance and amending the conduct of their life shall find the divine mercy of the Most High full of kindness towards them. O holy Cross Bearers of the Most High Lord, how very pleasing you will be to the great God much more than the children of Israel! God will through your instrumentality work more wonderful prodigies than he has ever done before with any nation. You shall destroy the sect of Mahomet (Islam) and all infidels of every kind and and of every sect. You shall put an end to all the heresies of the world by extinguishing all tyrants. You will remove every cause of complaint by establishing a universal peace which shall last until the end of time. You will work the sanctification of mankind. O Holy Men: People blessed of the Most Holy Trinity! Your victorious founder shall triumph over the world, the flesh and the Devil. (…)

One of your posterity shall achieve greater deeds and work greater wonders than your lordship (your Lordship: Simeon de Limena, Lord of Monalto). That man (the leader of the Crucifers) will be a great sinner in his youth, but like St. Paul he will be drawn and converted to God. He shall be the founder of a new religious order different from all the others. He shall divide it into three classes, namely: (1) Military knights, (2) Solitary priests, (3) most pious hospitalliers. This shall be the last religious order of the Church, and it will do more good for our holy religion than all other religious institutes. By force of arms he shall take possession of a great kingdom. He shall destroy the sect of Mahomet, extirpate all tyrants and heresies. He shall bring the world to a holy mode of life. There will be one fold and one shepherd. He shall reign until the end of time. On the whole, in the whole earth there shall be only twelve kings, one emperor, one pope. Rich gentlemen shall be few, but all saints. (…)

 May Jesus Christ be praised and blessed for He has vouched to grant to me a poor unworthy sinner the spirit of prophecy not in an obscure way as to His other servants, but has enabled me to write and to speak in a most clear manner. I know that unbelieving and reprobate persons will scoff at my letters and will reject them; but they will be received by those catholic souls who aspire to the possession of heaven. These letters shall infuse such sweetness of divine love in their hearts that they will be delighted in perusing them often and in taking copies of them because such is the will of the Most High. In these letters it will be found out who belongs to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ and who does not, who is a predestinate or a reprobate. Much better will this be known through the holy sign of the living God. He shall be a saint of God who will take it, love it and wear it.” (Rev R. Gerald. Culleton, The Prophets and Our Times, Tan books and Publishers, 1941. pp. 157-162)

Some doubt the authenticity of the letter, however, the prophecies attributed to St. Paola align completely with the prophecies of Marie-Julie Jahenny, a stigmatist and prophetic mystic approved by her local bishop in 1875. (Image right, Marie-Julie Jahenny)

She foretold that the Great Monarch, Henri V, Henry of the Cross, the one then called the 'Miracle Child', would deliver France in the midst of wars. He would enter France under the Sign of the Cross with his armies, it would be the Sign of Victory. Throughout the kingdom the famous phrase given to Emperor Constantine would be proclaimed once again: "In hoc signo vinces" A great Sanctuary to the Cross will be established at La Fraudais exactly where her cottage stands, which will be visited by the King. He will give thanks to God there for all her prophecies that have foretold his reign, which sounds very similar to St. Paola's predictions of the Militant Red Cross Cruciferi order that will be founded by the Great Monarch. (Image left: Emperor Constantine and the Vision of the Cross.)

Most important, she had a telling version about this sign of predestination in accepting God's plan of restoring the monarchy through the Great Monarch.

During an ecstasy dated December 26, 1877, Marie-Julie Jahenny saw that Satan hated God's plan to restore the monarchy of France through the promised Great Monarch. Satan admitted in so many words that the Great Monarch would put an end to much of his evil on earth for he raged at Marie-Julie, "It is necessary to crush the lily!”

The 'lily' represents the fleur de lis of France, the symbol of the French monarchy, and is also referred to a symbol of the Great Monarch in many of her visions. (Image: Royal Coat of Arms of the Fleur de Lis, from a ceilling at Versailles).

However, Marie-Julie Jahenny was not afraid of the demon's threats against the Great Monarch but rejoiced in that she was not like the Evil One, exclaiming: "Satan does not love the King. Ah! I am not like him (Satan) because I love him! (The Great Monarch.)”

Therefore, those who refuse to be like Satan will love the Great Monarch and will rejoice in the restoration of the monarchical regime.

In fact, April 20, 1874, Heaven warned Marie-Julie that democracy was from Hell itself:

“The Blessed Virgin told me we have to pray much to deflect the evils that must fall upon France. It will unfortunately atone for two centuries of political and social system of atheism, two centuries of a non-Christian régime. Democracy is indeed the Luciferian régime par excellence. The sole régime of a divine origin never comes from below, but only from above. Without making a pun, let us say in its very name, recognizes that it is the devil that guides demo-cracy: the devil is the master.” (Image: France under the Masonic Eye of democracy after the Revolution).

Marie-Julie then announced the return of the white flag, the fleur de ly. That is, the Royal Standard of the Kings of France. The fleur de lys was the royal symbol, and also a symbol of purity. (Image left: the Royal Standard of the French Kings. White Flag with Fleur de Lis)

Of interest, allegedly the Holy Souls of Purgatory also gave a similar message to the mystic Maria Simma of Austria. They told her democracy was not a God-given right. (Get Us Out of Here! An Interview with Maria Simma by Nicky Eltz.)

Sr. Marie Lataste (1822-1847) a mystic in France was told by Our Lord that His royal friendship lies on France:

 Our Lord: "The first king, the first sovereign, of France is I Myself. I am the Lord of all peoples, nations, kingdoms, empires, dominions; but I am specially the Master of France. I give her prosperity, greatness, power, above all other nations, when she is faithful in hearkening to My voice. I raise her princes above all other princes of the earth when they are faithful in hearkening to My voice. I have chosen France, to give her to My Church as her daughter of predilection. (...)    Well, My daughter, I say it to the honour and the glory of your country, for ages France defended and protected My Church ; she was My instrument, full of life, the visible and indestructible bulwark which I gave to My Church to protect her against her enemies. From the height of Heaven I protected her, herself, her kings, and their subjects"

Our Lord continues, saying  France refused God's choice for a king and picked evil rulers of her own choosing.  However, Our Lord promised that what has been rejected will one day be accepted again - an indication that Christ will restore the abosolute monarchy in France and that it will fulfill its mission -- to defend the Church.  (See Sr. Marie Lataste's revelations about France, click here.)

No wonder Satan hates 'The Lilly', the Great Monarch of France!

As requested by Heaven through Marie-Julie Jahenny, please pray for the coming of the Great Monarch and the restoration of the throne of France.  As we can see, the Church and the True Faith cannot be restored without them and the promised Angelic Pontiff.

Find out more: 

The Great Catholic Monarch and 'Angelic' Pontiff Prophecies: A general timeline of what we can expect and includes the prophecies of the saints, mystics, doctors of the Church, approved apparitions and generally accepted sources.  I'm also finding out which prophecies are fake.  (Blog is a work in progress, check back for new updates.)

"We Are Warned: The Prophecies of Marie-Julie Jahenny": Free e-book. Contains all the Great Monarch prophecies of the other mystics in addition to Marie-Julie Jahenny's visions.

“Marie-Julie of the Crucifix: Stigmatist and Prophet”: Free e-book, a concise version. Also explores the identity of the 'Miracle Child', Henri V of the Cross, the Great Monarch.

“Lord of the Rings: Apocalyptic Prophecies”, Free e-book: explores how JRR Tolkien may have been influenced by these prophecies. Also includes sections why modern democracy is abhorrent to God, and why the French monarchy is important.

"Marie-Julie Jahenny: Prophecies for Our Times--a Blog"  - you can also read her propheches here. (Texts can be explored through searchable tags, also some posts contain history and background info not found in the book "We Are Warned".  Ths too is a work in progress, so check back for updates.)