A Wicked Woman Converted by a Sermon on the Rosary

Father Bovio (Es. E. Mir. p. 1, es. 2) relates that there was a wicked woman, named, Ellen, who entered a church, and by chance heard a sermon on the Rosary.  On leaving the church she purchased a set of beads, but wore them concealed, as she did not wish it to be known that she had them.  She began to recite them, and though she did so without devotion, our most Blessed Lady poured such sweetness and consolation into her soul during the whole time, that she could not cease repeating the Hail Marys.  At last she was filled with such a horror for her wicked life, that she could no longer find repose, and was obliged to go to confession.  She accomplished this duty with such contrition that the priest was filled with astonishment.  After her confession, she went to the foot of an altar of the most Blessed Virgin, and there, as a thanksgiving to her advocate, said the Rosary.  The divine mother then addressed her from the image in the following words: "Ellen, thou has already too much offended God and me; from this moment change your life, and I will bestow a large share of my graces upon thee."  The poor sinner, in the deepest confusion, replied: "Ah! most Holy Virgin, it is true that hitherto I have been a wicked sinner; but thou canst do all, help me; on my part I abandon myself to thee, and will spend the remainder of my life in doing penance for my sins."  With the assistance of Mary, she distributed all her goods among the poor, and began a life of rigorous mortification.  She was tormented with dreadful temptations, but constantly recommended herself to the Mother of God, and thus was always victorious.  She was favored with many extraordinary graces, with visions, revelations, and even the gift of prophecy.  Finally, before her death, which was announced to her by Mary some days before it took place, the most Blessed Virgin came herself, with her divine Son, to visit her; and when she expired, her soul was seen flying towards heaven in the form of a beautiful dove.

(Saint Alphonsus Liguori; THE GLORIES OF MARY; Tr. Grimm; Brooklyn; 1931;Pt.I, Ch.2)

The Rosary on the Scaffold.

Some years ago, in a town of Alsace, a young

criminal,  barely  twenty-two  years  of age,  was

condemned to death.  A large crowd stood around

the place of execution, while an intense silence

reigned   Before his death, the criminal besought

the priest who accompanied him, to be pleased to

fulfil a request for  him.    The  unfortunate  youth

then drew a Rosary from his pocket, saying in a

low voice to the priest:  "My mother gave me

this on the day of my First Communion as a

little souvenir.    In my boyhood, she said it with

me daily, implanting a thousand good lessons m

my heart.  Later, I had to leave her, and went

into a world full of dangers and temptations.   I

gave myself up to every kind of evil, and at last

committed the dreadful crime for which I am

condemned to death.  For a long time I remained

in prison, resolving never to be converted, until

one day, I came across this Rosary, at the sight

of which, all my dear mother's teaching recurred

to my memory.   For many, many years I had

not said the Rosary, but I began it then, and

scarcely had I done so, when tears came to my

eyes at the thought of all the grief and sorrow I

had caused my good mother by my wicked life.

Take it to her, Father, and tell her of my

repentance and tears, and also tell her I was

brought back to God before my death."

Eliodatus

During a war between the Spaniards and the

Saracens, in the kingdom of Granada, Eliodatus,

the son of a Turkish captain, was taken prisoner,

and sold at Compostella.  He had scarcely reached

his twentieth year, when this disaster befell him,

making him repine under his misfortunes all the

more grievously, as from being the son of a noble-

man, he had become the poorest of slaves.  His

prospects, which seemed to open so gloriously,

were now all blighted, and, to crown his other

miseries, the wounds which he had received whilst

fighting, emitted such noxious odours, that no one

would remain near him.  Satan took advantage

of his unfortunate state, and tormented him with

visions of hell open to receive him; the unhappy

youth, knowing no one to succour him, called

upon the Prince of Darkness to come to his aid,

and,  his  condition  becoming  more  and  more

miserable, he sought means to take away his life,

but, fortunately  for  his salvation, his  weakness

prevented  him from  carrying  out  his  design.

St.  Dominic heard of his sad state, and, moved

with his burning zeal for souls, set out on  a

journey to Compostella.   Here he found the sick

man, and after lovingly saluting him and winning

his confidence, he said: "Do you wish to be well

again?   If so,  be  baptised,  and  become  a

Christian."   "By no  means,"  answered the  dis-

tressed youth.  "Never will I be unfaithful to the

principles and doctrines of my parents."   After

this decided refusal, the Saint continued:  "Well,

if  you  will  not  be  a  Christian,  nevertheless,  if

you desire to be soon restored to health, I will,

out of compassion, teach you two consoling little

songs, which possess a wonderful power, provided

you repeat them a hundred and fifty times daily."

"I  will  willingly  do  that,"   said  Eliodatus,  " if there

is nothing contained in them against my religion."

"These little songs," said St. Dominic, "are in

no wise contrary to the law of God.  They cannot

possibly harm you."   " If there is nothing about

the Christian's God, i.e., of Jesus Christ and His

Mother Mary, then I pray you teach me them."

"The Mussulman believes," replied the Saint,

"that Christ was at least a great Prophet, and

His Mother a very holy woman ; you also certainly

hold that both have much power with God, and,

I am sure you will agree, that my little songs

possess,  even  for heathens  and  Jews,  a  very

wonderful and health-giving unction."

Being won by the sweetness and tender manner

of the Saint, the poor prisoner put aside his

prejudices, and allowed himself to be taught the

"Our Father" and the "Hail Mary." He did his best

to repeat them and to commit them to memory,

but he was so weak that he seemed quite unable

to retain anything.   At last, tired out by his

endeavours, he fell asleep.  Meanwhile the Saint

besought God to give grace and strength to this

poor soul, who needed it so much, and as he

prayed, Eliodatus  awoke, and  to his joy  and

astonishment, repeated the Pater and Ave, without

any hesitation.   St. Dominic then gave him a

few more instructions as to the manner of saying

them, and left him.

The prisoner at once began to say his first

Rosary, and his heart was thereby filled with

such  consolation,  that  he  imagined  he  must

already be tasting the joys of paradise.   The

next day he sang his little songs with greater

confidence, and  was  rewarded  by  a  wonderful

increase of bodily strength.   Continuing thus to

pray daily, he at length resolved to ask for

baptism.  On the sixth day, when he had finished

saying his Rosary, he beheld a marvellous vision;

he saw the Divine Judge seated upon His throne,

and heard Him pronounce the sentence of dam-

nation against himself; suddenly, however, a lady

of surpassing beauty threw herself at our Lord's

feet,   imploring   mercy   for  him.    And,   being

questioned as to what good he had ever done,

his loving pleader  answered:  "During  the last

week he has daily said my Rosary with great

devotion."   Upon this, the sentence was immedi-

ately revoked.   Overjoyed, the youth returned to

himself, and found that he was completely cured.

His one wish now was to receive holy Baptism,

and, in consideration of the supernatural favour

bestowed upon him by Mary, it was not long

deferred.   Shortly after becoming a Christian his

liberty was  restored  to  him, and  he  dedicated

the remainder of his life to the service of his

Benefactress, and to the promotion of her Rosary.

When, in course of time, he came into possession

of his vast estate, he disposed of its revenues,

under the direction of St. Dominic, in founding

Hospitals, Alms-Houses, and other similar works

of charity, and after a most edifying life, he died

the "death of the Saints," towards the middle of

the XIII. century.

St. Vincent Ferrer and a Death-bed Conversion

The pious author of the book entitled " The

Secret of obtaining Graces," relates how on one

occasion, St. Vincent Ferrer went to visit a dying

man, for whose salvation he much feared, and the

following conversation took place:  " Why," said

the Saint, "do you insist on plunging yourself for

ever into hell, when Jesus Christ your Redeemer

longs to save you?" "I shall be damned in spite

of Jesus  Christ," exclaimed  the unhappy man.

" Say rather," replied the Saint, " that you will be

saved in spite of yourself."  Then  St. Vincent

invited  the  by-standers  to  join  with  him  in

saying the Rosary, and no sooner was it finished,

than the poor sinner begged to make his peace

with  God, and, having confessed his sins, with

many tears, died in the best dispositions.