The most documented incident in which money was miraculously provided which was wit- nessed and documented by the nuns at the Discalced Carmelite convent in the town of Gallipoli, Italy, as well as declarations given by the bishop of the diocese was credited to ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS AND OF THE HOLY FACE. The account is given in a book entitled, Soeur Thérèse of Lisieux, The Little Flower of Jesus and of the Holy Face, which was published in 1912. Here we find the Autobiography that was edited by Thérèse's sister, Mother Agnes of Jesus. Also included are many other chapters regarding the life of the future Saint and a chapter recounting the Shower of Roses which are the early favors provided through St. Thérèse's intercession.
Beginning of a miracle
It is told that the convent at Gallipoli had been suffering for three years from an insufficient supply of money with which to pay their debts. An adequate supply of food was also lacking, so much so that at times a visit to the chapel substituted for the nuns' dinner. Several months before the miracle, the life of Soeur Thérèse had been read in the community, and now the prioress decided to make a special appeal for three days to the Trinity through the intercession of the Little Flower of Jesus. The triduum ended on January 16, 1910. On that day Soeur Thérèse kept her promise of "doing good upon earth" and of "coming down." The astounding facts of this miracle are given in letters written by Mother Mary Carmela, prioress of the Carmel of Gallipoli, to Mother Agnes of Jesus (the future Saint's sister), who was then the prioress of the Carmel of Lisieux. The first letter from the convent of Gallipoli was dated February 25, 1910 and reads as follows:
Dear Reverend Mother, I send you the account of the miracle wrought on our behalf. But a long document signed by the whole community, by a commission of priests and by the bishop himself, has been forwarded to Rome. On the night of the 16th of January, 1910, I was in great suffering, and was also worried about certain grave difficulties. Three o'clock had struck, and, almost worn out, I raised myself somewhat in the bed in order to breathe more easily. Then I fell asleep, and in a dream, it would seem to me, I felt a hand touch me, draw the bed clothes about my face, and cover me up tenderly. I thought one of the sisters had come in to perform this act of charity.
Without opening her eyes, Mother Mary Carmela gently protested that the movement of air might be harmful, since she was then covered in perspiration, but a sweet voice she had never heard before replied
"No. It is a good act that I am doing. Listen! The Good God makes use of the inhabitants of Heaven, as well as those of earth, in order to assist His servants. Here are 500 francs with which you will pay the debt of your community." Taking them from her hand, I answered that the debt amounted to only 300 francs. "Well," she replied, "the rest will be over and above. But as you may not keep this money in your cell, come with me."
Since the night was bitterly cold and she was bathed in perspiration, Mother Mary Carmela wondered how she could follow the apparition. She continues,
The heavenly apparition, however, divined my thoughts, adding with a smile: "Bilocation will help us." Suddenly I found myself outside my cell, in the company of a young Carmelite nun, whose veil and robes shone with a brightness from Paradise that served to light up our way. She led me downstairs to the turn-room or parlour, and made me open a wooden box wherein was enclosed the bill which had to be paid. There she deposited the 500 francs. I looked at her lovingly, and threw myself at her feet crying out: "O my holy Mother!" But she raised me up and, caressing me affectionately, replied: "No, I am not our holy Mother St. Teresa of Jesus. I am the servant of God, Soeur Thérèse of Lisieux. Today in Heaven and on earth, we keep the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.'
Then the angelic sister, putting her hand on my veil as if to adjust it, gave me a sisterly embrace and slowly withdrew. "Wait," I called to her, "you might mistake your way." "No, No" she answered with a heavenly lowing it." smile, "My way is sure, and I am not mistaken in following it."
The next morning, despite her exhaustion, Mother Mary Carmela went to the choir and received Holy Communion. The two sacristans, however, recognized her weakened condition and insisted on calling for the doctor. To prevent this, Mother Mary Carmela told them that she was deeply moved by the impression of a dream, and in all simplicity told them her story. The letter continues,
Both of them urged me to examine the box. Finally, as they insisted, I did as they desired. I went to the parlor, opened the box, and ….. there I found in reality the miraculous sum of 500 francs! The rest, dear Mother, I leave to your own imagination. Overwhelmed by such goodness we are one and all praying that our great protectress, little Soeur Thérèse, may be beatified.
Signed:
Sr. Mary Carmela of the Heart of Jesus.
The Miracle Repeats..
Seven months later Mother Mary Carmela at Gallipoli was obliged to write once more to the convent at Lisieux with details of other miracles. The letter was dated September, 1910 and reads as follows:
It costs me very much to confide to you what the dear little Soeur Thérèse has done for us since the month of February. But I can no longer resist your prayers, or my little Saint who obliges me to make manifest the prodigies which God has wrought through her.
At the end of the month of January, in spite of the care with which the sisters who have charge of the income and expenditure kept their books, we found a surplus of 25 lire. This we were unable to explain unless on the supposition that Soeur Thérèse had slipped it into our cash box. The bishop therefore desired me to place apart from the money of the community, the two bank notes that still remained of the ten which Heaven had sent. At the end of February, March and April the same strange thing happened, but the amount varied. In the month of May I saw my little Thérèse again. She spoke to me at first upon spiritual matters, and then she added: "To prove to you that it was indeed I who brought you the surplus of money that has been noticed in the settling of your accounts, you will find in the cash box a bank note of 50 francs. . . . With God, to say is to do."
Following this appearance of Thérèse, Mother Mary Carmela hesitated to inspect the cash box, but when two of the sisters came a few days later and asked to see the bank notes out of devotion, the box was opened. Mother Mary Carmela writes,
Mother, what shall I say? You may understand our emotion. Instead of two notes, there were
three. In the month of June we found 50 lire in the usual way. During the night between the 15th and the 16th of July (the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel), I saw my beloved Thérèse once more; she promised to bring me before long 100 lire. Then she wished me a happy feast and offered me a bank note of 5 lire. As I did not dare accept it, she placed it at the foot of the little statue of the Sacred Heart in our cell, and shortly after, which the bell had rung, I found the note where I had seen her put it.
During a visit to the convent several days later, the bishop mentioned that he had lost a bank note of 100 lire and expressed the hope that Soeur Thérèse would bring it to the sisters. Mother Mary Carmela continues:
It came on the 6th of August, the eve of the feast of St. Cajetan, whose name the bishop bears. Again I saw my dearly loved Thérèse. In her hand she held a bank note of 100 lire, and she said: "The power of God takes away or gives with the same ease in matters temporal as in matters spiritual." Having found the note of 100 lire in the box, I hastened to send it to the bishop with the good wishes of the community. He, however, returned it to us. Since then she has brought us no more money, for our distress has become known through these marvels, and alms have been sent to our Carmel.
On the eve of the exhumation of Thérèse's remains, September 5, Mother Mary Carmela saw her once more.
After having spoken to me, as she always did, of the spiritual welfare of the community, she announced that they would find only her bones in the grave. Next, she made me understand something of the prodigies she will accomplish in the future. Count it for certain, my dear Mother, that her blessed remains will work great miracles and will be as mighty weapons against the devil. Soeur Thérèse appeared to me generally at dawn and when I was engaged in prayer. Her countenance was radiant and extremely beautiful; her garments glittered with a light as of transparent silver; her words had the sweetness of a heavenly melody. She revealed to me the great, though hidden, crosses she bore so heroically upon earth. Little Thérèse has indeed suffered deeply. What more shall I say? It is enough, my dear Mother, that you know we feel near us the spirit of your angelic child. All the sisters affirm, with ten-der affection, that, besides the temporal favours granted to the community, each one has been the recipient of very great and personal graces.
Signed: Mother Mary Carmela.
The reader will remember the Saint's words to her novices during her lifetime:
Have faith in all I have told you about the confidence we should have in God; have faith in the way I have taught you of going to Him through self-abandonment and love. I shall come back and shall tell you whether I faithfully. am mistaken, or if my way is sure. Until then, follow it faithfully.
Miracle repeats again..
One year after the first apparition at Gallipoli, the Little Flower returned with another miracle, this one prompted by Bishop Giannattasio of Nardo, near Gallipoli. The bishop was unaware of that particular lesson given to the novices by Soeur Thérèse, and he regretted that the words to Mother Carmela had not been explained: "My way is a sure one." Troubled by this idea, Bishop Giannattasio decided to celebrate the anniversary of the first apparition by presenting the Carmelite convent with a bank note of 500 lire which someone had given him. He enclosed the bank note in an envelope together with his visiting card, on which he wrote: "IN MEMORIAM! My Way is a sure one; I am not mistaken. Sr. Thérèse of the Child Jesus to Sr. Mary Carmela, Gallipoli, January 16, 1910. Pray for me daily that God may have mercy on me." The bishop inserted this envelope into a larger one, which he carefully sealed. On the envelope he wrote: "To be placed in the cash box, and to be opened by Mother Prioress on January 16, 1911."
We return to the account given in the book, Soeur Thérèse:
It was a simple act of devotion by which he intended to obtain the blessing of the Servant of God on himself and his diocese. No miracle was asked. His Lordship knew that several of the community were anxious to have their poverty-stricken chapel decorated. Three hundred lire were needed for this, and Mother Carmela had opposed the project, but she had finally consented to a novena to the Little Flower. His Lordship intended to give them a pleasant surprise. He forwarded his envel
ope about the end of December, and on January 16 he himself arrived at the Carmel for the purpose of giving a retreat. He was informed that his letter was still in the cash box. Mother Carmela now took it out and was told to open it, the bishop watching her narrowly as she did so. She passed her finger under the upper flap, thus leaving the seal intact, then handed him the envelope with the remark: "My Lord, take what belongs to you." His Lordship found, to his amazement, that, in addition to the smaller envelope he had placed inside, there were four bank notes, two of 100 lire and two of 50 lire. His own note of 500 lire lay still untouched in the inner envelope. "The money is yours, my Lord," said the Mother Prioress, "but please count it. If there are 300 lire, might it not be the sum which the community has been so confidently asking from Soeur Thérèse?"
Mother Mary Carmela called for the sisters to assemble so that the bishop could present them with the bank note. But before they arrived, the bishop exchanged one of the notes that emitted a per fume of roses for another of the same value. He then examined the seal of the envelope, which was unbroken.
Mother Mary Carmela confessed to the bishop that she had noticed some days previously that the envelope had increased in bulk and thought their heavenly benefactress had heard the prayers of the sisters. The bishop replied that he
saw a higher purpose in the miracle-the confirmation, namely of the Saint's remark: "My way is a sure one." He then showed the astonished Prioress the contents of the inner envelope, the note of 500 lire and his visiting card with its inscription. Sometime after, Msgr. Muller of Gallipoli held a strict canonical investigation into the whole matter, the result of which was to place beyond question the intervention of the Little Flower of Jesus.
The above account is drawn from the Articles for the Cause of Beatification, second edition, July, 1911.
The preceding was carefully considered by a distinguished Jesuit who presided over the first tribunal considering the Cause of Beatification. After having emphatically attributed the whole affair to diabolical intervention, the priest was converted by the over whelming evidence and became an ardent apostle of Sister Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face.
One may wonder where St. Thérèse obtained the bank notes, since currency is not used in Heaven. One author quotes a bank employee as saying that,
There are a good many bank notes issued that never come back. They are lost, and thus become res nullius, no man's property. Some are so effectively hidden away by misers that they are never found by their heirs; others are dropped and blown away by the wind; others are burned when houses catch fire; others go down with foundering ships. The lost notes give a supply exceeding all demands that miracles will ever make.
(Taken from the Book 'MYSTERIES, MARVELS, MIRACLES in the lives of the Saints.')
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