MODERN JOAN D' ARC.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14287, 2 May 1917, Page 4

MODERN JOAN D' ARC.

PILGRIMS FLOCK TO^ SEE ' HER. CHOLET, via Paris, March 30. I have jiistihiade a visit to the! farm of Claire Ferchaud, the twenty-one-year-old peasant girl and modern Joan of Aye, who is said to have seen a vision of the supernatural (writes Fred B; Putney). Residents iii the Surrounding country have great, faith . ; m the" youthful prophetess. -,• - . ' :-.'- y-'.,.' .' -The home, of the ..young" woman Pf thp ;scene-of pilgrimages that rival those of- Lonrdcs. Many of the visitors are soldiers on furlough. At the foot of p; small- -altar m the home, near a. statue '■ of ' the Blessed Virgin, there is a large basket filled with photographs, • Thirty thousand of them are reported to have beetji . deposited m this small temple by soldacrs' seeking .heavenly . ponsolatior from the "Child' of the Rinfallieres," as the/young, woman is known. ; Rinfallieres is the. name of the farm on which the girl was born. It is m 'Vendee at Puy St. Bonnet, twelve kilqmeters from" Cholet. In this country of miracles, everywhere , can be seen Calvaries such as exist m Catholic countries. To reach , s the home of "The Saviour of France-," one must take a real pilgrimage over high rugged cliffs ancrocky roads. The shrine isi on the summit; of a high hill amidst nature and near the heavens. '.. ! , HEARS VOICES. On entering Rinfallieres, Madam Jear Ferchaud, -the young .girl's mother, waf busy making linen cqiffes -such as an worri m .the country districts of France Pious images hung on the walls of the modest home. , Apparently .ignorant o' all, -that has made her daughter famous the smother,, said : "It is really true tha-! Claire has, visions .and,, that. ...she,, hear: voices..- .1 see o 4 -' hear nothing, m, this plage. What then can I say?.. All d) know is that' since the- report,? have beer circulated about.-my' daughter's vision mj quietude has been disturbed by a largi crowd of visitors, many of whom art more curious than pilgrims." And Madame ; Ferchaud really hot' the , appearance of being annoyed. "L it . continues," she said,- "I shall hav< tl>ei farm condemned, by the town col lector." And 1 : Madame Ferchaud left me '.to go and care for her; cattle. .' .The ,dopr- of the small chapel when the young jgirl .was . entrenphed bears .;, sign \yiitteji m. the uncertain hand , o\ Claire Ferchaud and .containing a mis take m spelling. It requests person; entering to; close the -door. - .Texts,, con Rceived .by -her j are. m curious contrast -with this badly written sign., ■■ A-visito? who read them. ; told ,me that they wen .written clearly and firmly m the jiighes' doctrines., -*''... ..'. ' DISPLAYS SIMPLICITY. , .. I the modern Joan of Ar, with the..den»ite' knowledge that, the' be.*., informed; Catholics, maintain the cl»v«r;v resqrve aibout her ,woi-k. She dif.pla.ye' a simplicity tl\a.t was at ,thc §ame tim< charming, audi disconcerting. .. A "I can tell you nothing of my .visions/ • she .said, "except that they come to m< J

after I have besought heaven for -something to send the gallant;' French ;troops on to victory: 1-can only repeat what I h.av^ several tim<*-s., \yrit'ien,. land..tHat..is, : ' that it is a little 'pretentiousto say thai . It is I Avho shall save France? As a matter pf fact, it is neither 1 1 nor any-human heaps that can do-this. .. . •.,! "You may tell those who ask information about me that. I know nothing of the ;future of France. :AL.ask^them .to pray for me rather, than display- a piii-iosity that is not pleasant." Commenting on the \ young woman's dsions, th© vicar-general.'df Peiteres said ,0 me : ' 'With regard to ■ the reality of the ;mission whiciPQaire Ferchau-d has received, we do npt kno>Y much at the oresent time. I am able to say that religious authority has. intervened to the fullest extent of its power m order to Consider the facts which .have been subnitted. An episcopal commission lias, '*>een named to take note of the writing 1 of .the young woman; This .commission J "las not yet (reached its ..decision." . I \Vhile the discussion is going on, n; poptilar imagination ha% attributed many '• remarkable, things:to the modei'n Joan of Arc. One countryman is convinced that ';he recent French success - was /foreseen f'ly.tbe prophets', and that when General y'jiaiity -.resigned: it wtis>s,bjfcaM»e ,he re-■.-.''used tt) confide the- conimaiids ou the j.varipus fronts to the young Woman. ;;.. Claire, is much • chagrined at tlie failure j*')f some persons to .accept-the, obvious Ijfferences m her handwriting. Notwitli- „ '/••-Landing thi»y.,thePact is'.tbat Rinfali'^ei'es js see,Hig, real' pilgrimages, ,aiid a H iiov/eWon't whose piety can not ,be clue's- , biojiod. •, • . „ . ; . „-./. ■