I love the way Fulton Sheen told little stories to illustrate his points. It reminds me of Jesus. He had a great love for Our Lady. I see his cause is going forward in Rome for Beatification. As Jesus said, 'By their fruit you shall know them!' I don't believe a soul can have fruits of effect on others in their Apostolate without the Holy Spirit burning within. Fulton Sheen bore great fruits of conversion in others and in himself. Here he is talking about Our Blessed Lady, whom you can see he loved greatly: ]]
At the end of Fulton Sheens four talks you may notice he mentioned {now}Blessed Elizabeth Leseur a good wife, whose story you can read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Leseur He also mentions the story of a young atheist girl whom he met at Lourdes and converted through God's grace. I will just mention a couple of strange things that happened to me connected with my journey down south and which you might be interested in. The night before I went I had a very vivid dream about the 'Three Days of Darkness'. I dreamt I was in a bed room with very large windows and was looking out when the darkness occured. I watched the skies darken to a dull threatening gray, then there was much cursing and shouting in the streets and in the city. I knew as I heard them they were the voice of demons and they had come for souls. Then the cursing was heard in the house and I felt the demons, very strong all around me' I sung a hymn to Our Lady to defend myself, one I had never heard before. This kept the demons at bay {if you had heard my awful singing you wouldn't be surprised Anyway I 'woke up' from the dream and I found the very same thing round my own bed, so I started singing again this time a hymn to Jesus, the same thing keeping the poor demons at bay and then I did really wake up and gave my bedroom a good shake of Holy salt and water. But when I got down south I was struck by the fact that the ladies were saying the rosary as I entered the room. The chances of this happening as conicidence must be a million to one. As Fulton Sheen says sometimes you have a real feeling of grace working. When I had had the dream the night before I had a feeling, 'Well Satan is angry, this must be connected to my journey..something good is going to happen wait and see... So , after the rosary I was sitting at table and there a was a newspaper opened to the story of Saint John Vianney, the Cure of Ars. It said that the devil always gave him trouble when he was going to land a big fish. In other words a big sinner. While a was there a gentleman was staying from New Jersey in the USA and I met and talked to him. I have a feeling my very short visit is connected to this guy in some ways, so I have begun praying for him. In God, everything for a reason and a reason for everything, no matter how silly and pointless, even a 500 mile journey in the rain, rain, rain........... To top it all off the first thing I heard 'by accident' was Fulton Sheen telling these wonderful stories, which just seem so apt.... :wink:
I think it was a hymn to Our Lady, Deanna, to do with The Immaculate Conception, I don't think it has been written yet, at least down here, but the words, 'Mary' were used continually and her many tittles...
A thread in God's tapestry! Elizabeth's is an inspiring story, indeed! And I don't doubt for a second that this trip will bear lasting fruit. One day you will experience your Particular Judgment, Padraig. You will know then, if not sooner, what God accomplished through this journey. I'll hold you up in prayer this week especially, as it seems JoeJerk is aiming to disturb your spiritual equilibrium. Thanks for all you share! Safe in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary!
