THE TWO SAINTS OF SILENCE IN
THE SCHOOL OF MARY
There are two wonderful persons of great sanctity who
lived in social and cultural differences parts of the world, in twodifferent
centuries, in twodifferent congregations with a lot of similarity in life,
devotion and sanctity: St Catherine Laboure and St EuphrasiaElavathungal.
Saint Catherine Laboure was born in France in 1802.
She lost her beloved mother at the age of nine. On that painful occasion
catching hold of the statue of Mother Mary,Catherinesaid to her,“Mary, you be
my mother now onwards”. She joined the Company of the Daughters of Charity of
StVincentde Paul in 1830. She was favoured by the three apparitions of Mother
of God in 1830 and wasmade amissionary to make the miraculous Medalknown in the
world. She was also told not to reveal about this apparitions to anyone but to
her confessor. For forty six long years she served the poor in the same
community atReullyin France. Her soul flew to heaven on 28th
Novembe1876. Only on that day the sisters who lived with her and the people who
received copious blessings through the Miraculous Medal came to know that it
was to this silent servant of the poorthat Mother Mary had appeared in 1830.She
was canonized in 1946 by Pope Pius XII in 1946 who presented her to the world
as “The Saint of Silence”.
St Euphrasia was born in 1877 – a year after the death
of St Catherine – in Kattur, a small village inKerala. She was favoured by the
vision of Mary, Queen of Angels at the age of nine. She joined the Congregation
of Mother of Carmel (CMC).She was a mysticwho received many spiritual blessings,visits
and apparitions of Jesus, Mary and St Joseph. This “praying mother” died on 29th
August 1952. As I went through the lives of these saints whose lives attracted
me to a great deal,I could find a lot of similarities in their lives.
Mary, You Are My Only Mother
At the age of nine Catherine lost her beloved Mother.
. On that painful occasion, she climbed on a stool in the houseand by catching
hold of the statue of Mother Mary she said to her“Mamma, Mary, You be my mother
from now onwards”. Euprasia received apparition of Mary Queen of Angels at the
age of nine. From the age of nine onwards these two Saints had great love
towards Mother Mary .and Mary too had so specialalove for them as an
affectionate Mother. On 18th July 1830, July 18t
Catherine was welcomed by a little boy to the Chapel of the Daughters of Charity
at Rue du bacin Paris. There she saw Our Ladycoming from the side of the statue
of St Joseph in white robe with blue vain eth the sound of pure silks. Her
dress was dazzling white. Mother Mary sat on the chair of the Father Director
near the altar. Catherine was told by the little boy (her guardian angel) “here
is the BlessedVirgin Mary”. Catherine with an embarrassment and hesitation went
to the Blessed Motherandknelt down beside her by keeping her hand on her lap.
Mother Mary spoke to her more than two hours about many things. She predicted
about the forth coming war and dethroning of the king. She said that “I love
these Communities (the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of
Charity). Keep the rules, live a faithful life”. She also spoke about “the
church and the problems that undergo in France. She ended the conversations
with these words, “Come to the foot of this altar there graces will bepoured
upon all those who ask… God’s protection will be with you always”. In the same
year, on 27thNovember, during
the evening Meditation, Catherine had a vision of Our Lady in an oval shape,
crowned with 12 starsand rayslashing from her hands. She stood on a globe. And
the other side was seen the letter “M”, a cross and below that the Sacred
hearts of Jesus and Mary surrounded with 12 stars.Catherine was told to strikea
medalaccording to the descriptions which she saw in her vision. Around the
picture was an inscription “OMary conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to you”. Catherine was instructedonly to revealthese things to herc
confessor in confession.
COME
TO THE FOOT OF THE ALTER
It was a holy invitation from the heavenly Mother.
Mary who said in the wedding feast at Cana, “Do what He tells you” (Jn2: 4). the
same Mother repeats these words to us her children by her words to St
Catherine. Now she lead her children to her Son that is to the Sanctuary were us
in the miracle happens around the clock. That is wine becomes the blood of
Christ. Both saints were able to find all consolations from Jesus their beloved
spouse. They went to Him with all their joys and sorrows, placed before Him the
needs of the poor, ofthe parishioners, of families, of their congregations… and
of the Church. They moved around withrecitingRosaries in their hands. hey
prayed rosary and other prayers through out their lives by kneeling ; Catherine
till her 74 years, StEuphrsia till her 78 years without bothering their
illness, pain due to arthritis.
DEVOTION TO THE
HOLY EUCHARIST
Both of them had great devotion of the Eucharistic
Lord. St Catherine could seetheface of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist all throughout
her seminary life. Once, during the Holy Mass while the priest was reading the
Gospel Catherine saw him as Christ the King.
St Euprasia had the mysticalmarriage with Jesus. And he wore a ring in
her finger. Euphrasia had special loveand thevision of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. Many timesshe experienced the very presence of Him. Always St Euprasia was the Fist one t reach in the Chapel, even
in her old age. She went around as a moving “tabernacle”. Latter 20 to Bishop
Menachery reflects the sadness ofEuphrasia whenever she could not
participate in the Holy Mass and those occasions she could receive Jesus in desire in the
Spirit. She wastruly a Eucharistic Soul.
Sts
Euphrasiaand Catherine could encounter the Lord in the Eucharis, in the Sisters
and in the poor. And the intimacy with Christ helped them to be one with Him
and to experience Him in others.
Both
the saints responded faithfully to the invitation of the Blessed Mother to“come
to the Foot of altar”.
OWNERS
OF COMPASSIONATEHEARTS
Sts
Catherine and Euphrasiahad heartsfull of compassion that moved with love
whenever they met the poor. Both lived for forty years in the same communities–
St.Catherine in Reully and Euphrasia in Ollurrespectively. These long years did
not burdenthem but always they converted theminto moments of blessings. These
two saints ledvery simpleaustereandhumble lives
by trusting in God.
A
LIFE OF HOLINESS
One
of the most attractivethings in their lives was their sanctity.They became holy, not because
of the apparitions they received but because of the holy and hidden life they
led. St Catherine kept the secret of the apparition for forty six long years;
till her death. Even when the Holy Father Pope PiusIX wishedto know the sister
who received the apparitions she did not reveal it and kept the instruction of
Mary by confiding it only to her confessor Fr Aladel CM. StEuphrasia too
received the apparitions and revealed them only to Bishop Menachery of Trissur
diocese .
Another
wonderful secretis that when Pope Pius declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception
on 8th December 1854, Catherine whisperedto the sister close to her,
“Our Lady had told me about it earlier”. And in 1942, when Pope Pius XII
consecrated the world to the ImmaculateHeart of Mary, Mother Euprasia told to
the sister close to her, “ My Mother had told me this earlier”. Such is the
close inner link between these two Saints who wished to live a hidden life of Holiness.During the life
time itself these these two saints spread the sweet fragrance of thir holiness
to all who are around them. And after their death to till today they pour out
copius of blessings around the world in silence and in hidden smile of love.
“Silence is a lamp that
burn before the Tabernacle” these words of Mother Justa DC is seen in and
through the lives of these Holy Nuns. Yes these Saints- Catherine Laboue and
Euphrasia were true lights of holiness that burned before the Lord. And their
lives shine before us as Beacons of Holiness with silent smile...
They invite us to
become lights of prayer, love, silence and holiness. These words of our Lady
hearken our minds too “Come to the foot of the altar: there graces will poured
on us...” Let us go The Lord awaits us..!
Sr Soniya Kalappurackal
DC
Bibliography
1.Daivadasi Euphresia,
San Jose
2.Mother Euphresia-
Letters, Sr CleopatraCMC
Carmel International
Publications, 2013
3. The Life of
Catherine Laboure, Rene laurentin, translated by Paul in Wood, Mill Hill, London. 1983
Thanks for this beautiful article..
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