Sister Mary of St. Peter: Part 3
Longing to return to God but feeling her soul “chained down by its passions”, Perrine turned to the Virgin Mary, her “tender Mother”. She made a novena before the feast of the Purification, then “went before her altar and burned a candle and soon I felt my heart entirely changed.” One of her first decisions afterwards was to return to her original confessor for spiritual direction.
Then she made an eight-day retreat, began to understand how she had been refusing to cooperate with grace, vowed her loyalty to God, and was re-admitted to frequent Communion.
She became devoted to Mary, “realizing with what mercy this divine Mother had retrieved me from the abyss”, and asked Mary to obtain for her “the grace of a religious vocation”.
Shortly thereafter Perrine “began to experience a great longing to leave the world.”
[The Golden Arrow. The Autobiography and Revelations of Sister Mary of St. Peter (1816-1848) on Devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus, edited by Dorothy Scallan; translated by Father Emeric B. Scallan, S.T.B.]
There are loaves and fish, here.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
This sort of post is one where we need say little but instead contemplate much. Thanks Gabrielle for introdduction.
November 19th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Yes, and one can’t help thinking such a post may help jog or toggle another’s vocation. It is a seed for many hearts.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:59 amYes, I wanted to talk about the Holy Face Devotion, but not without giving a little background about Sr. Mary of St. Peter first, because as we know from many saints and religious (from St. Faustina’s diary, for example), our Catholic devotions don’t just come out of a vacuum, do they. And neither do vocations, eh, C?
So I’m just journalling a bit here; I wanted to for myself anyway, so I might as well post it!
November 20th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Hope you get over the flu soon. That’s no fun. I enjoyed this post, by the way.
November 20th, 2009 at 9:14 pmYou’ve all done such a great job in offering reflections on our faith. Most especially I appreciate the hard work and the ends you all go to, to study and prepare such well thought out and meaningful posts. The Pope, just a few days ago spoke again on the importance of the presence of Catholics on the web. It certainly has given me a sense of belonging to the Universal Church, the Mystical Body of Christ.
Ann, I’ve been stopping by occasionally after a breakdown (my pc, not me, lol!) and have been enjoying your poems very much. I hope you’re well. You, C and Gab have been my guiding lights these years, really. I love you guys…as well as all those who gather here at the Haven.
November 21st, 2009 at 3:46 amPia, you know we’re pushovers for soft and gooey.
As for the waves of love, I’ve certainly been thinking about you lots, but not without niggling worries; I’m so glad to see you out and about a bit; it eases my mind. I think we’ve all helped sustain each other over the last few years, as well as helped to spread knowledge amongst each other in so many areas. And thank you for that extra important detail about your recent breakdown. 
November 21st, 2009 at 4:50 pmI would send you these current cherries, Gab, as they are very good for the flu, but they’d not make it intact. Criminy, it’s not the H1N1 is it? Either way, you need prayers.
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
C, I thank you for virtual chocolate, fruit and real prayers! I think it’s the regular flu, though there’s lots of the other around town as well… feeling a little better, but don’t know if I’ll be able to go to work tomorrow or not. Am sleeping lots, though not so much at night, when I should be!
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:34 pm