_Punishment of the Profaners of a Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin._
The holy Hermitage of Voiron did not escape the profanations of the
heretics. They invaded it with arms in their hands, as if they were
going to besiege a fortress; they ill-treated and expelled the Monks,
took away the sacred vessels, the papers, documents, indulgences,
etc., committed horrible sacrileges, and at last set fire to the place
and entirely destroyed it, and rolled the remaining stones down the
mountain.
This atrocious impiety was not left unpunished, for soon afterwards
all who had taken part in the destruction of the hermitage perished
miserably. It is remarkable, however, that in spite of all the
devastation effected by these impious men, they could not gain their
principal object, which was to carry off the statue of the Most Holy
Virgin, which was preserved miraculously.
John Burgnard, a native of Chablais, who had embraced the heresy of
the Bernese, and was the leader of these profaners, had no sooner
reached the hermitage, than he mounted the Altar to carry away the
statue of the Most Blessed Virgin. He threw a rope round its neck, and
descending from the Altar was walking out of the Church, dragging the
statue after him, and uttering at the same time these words: 'Come
along with me, come along with me, little black woman' (the face of
the statue was black); 'if you are as powerful as the Papists say, let
me now have a proof of it. Why do you allow yourself to be thus
shamefully dragged on the ground? Why do you not defend yourself?' He
had no sooner uttered these blasphemies than the statue became
immovable. The wretched man, finding that he was unable to drag it
further, turned his head round to see what was hindering him, and by a
second miracle his head remained turned in that direction, so that he
could never again place it in its right position; and, moreover, he
became crippled in an arm and a shoulder. Being obliged to leave the
statue, he left the spot with great difficulty, and bore the
chastisement of his impiety throughout his life, giving an undeniable
proof of the sovereign power of the Queen of Heaven. But more terrible
is the fact that he persevered in heresy, and died in despair in the
presence of many of the parishioners of Bons. Amongst these were
Michael Novello and Claude Ippolito Cortager, who gave testimony of
this fact on oath A.D. 1629.
His Highness Duke Charles Emmanuel, when at Tortona during the time
that St. Francis of Sales was converting the people of Chablais,
verified the fact we have related, and ordered the secretary of the
Town Corporation to register it, that the miracle might be transmitted
to posterity. (See 'Life of St. Francis of Sales,' by Augustus de
Sales.)
_Prayer._--Holy Virgin! when you presented your Divine Son to the
Eternal Father, you became dear to all the Heavenly Court. O present
also our hearts, that, fortified by grace, we may never fall into
mortal sin!
Most humble Virgin! when you placed the adorable Jesus in the arms of
the aged Simeon, you filled his soul with, heavenly sweetness. O place
our hearts in the hands of God, that He may fill them with His Divine
Spirit! Most diligent Virgin, you co-operated in the redemption of the
world, when you redeemed your Son Jesus with two turtle-doves; be
pleased to redeem our hearts from the slavery of sin, that they may be
always pure and holy before God. Most clement Virgin! when you heard
from the lips of the holy Simeon the prophetic announcement of all
your dolours, you submitted yourself quickly and perfectly to the Will
of God. O help us to support always with patience and resignation all
the tribulations of life!
Most merciful Virgin! bymeans of your Divine Son you illuminated the
Prophetess Anna with supernatural light, so that she magnified the
mercies of God and acknowledged and proclaimed Jesus as the Saviour of
the world. O fill us with heavenly grace, that in the abundance of joy
we may be able to reap the precious fruits of Redemption. Amen.
_Ejaculation._--O Mary! watch over me.
_Practice._--Take every possible care to-day not to commit any sin,
however venial it may seem.