A PILGRIMAGE TO LOUISE LATEAU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 431, 15 July 1881, Page 11

A PILGRIMAGE TO LOUISE LATEAU.

The little door of Louise is always kept shut, if one knocks her sister (Rosine or Adaline) answers, but if the visitor is not accompanied by a priest she quietly shuts it again without speakinsr a, word. From an early hour we were awake, fearful lest we might oversleep ourselves. At a quarter to five thft silence of the village was broken by the clatter of sabots, announcing: a man who went from house to hou<e calling the inmates from their slumbers. Soon the church hell tolicii, and we entered the church, wiiure M. Niel.-, tbc cure, had already be<:un Mass. Seven nuns knelt on the chairs nearest the altar, several ladies and peasant women, with a tichu worn three-corner-wise over the bonnet or cap, which is their usual headdress here, and several men formed the congregation. After the Mass a young priest robei in white surplice, Benediction scarf and stole, mounted the altar steps, and, preceded by three men carrying wands, lighted lamps, and with the tingling of a little bell, headed a procession down the church, which was formed by M. Niels intoning the Miserere and other prayers, two nuns of different orders walking after him, then the women, following two and two. I cannot tell how touched I felt at this little procession in the fresh morning air, the birds singing by us, the sun glancing on every opening leaf and bud, and the familiar words of prayer breathing out a more solemn meaning as we traversed the field-path, with no covering over our bared heads but the blue vault of Heaven. As we passed each house its portal opened and women on their knees stretched out their hands in silent adoration. The railroad traversed, we found ourselves in Lonise's little rude garden ; her door was wide open, and, still in procession, we filed through the tidy, spotless kitchen, through the room of the two sisters (the only near relations left now of Louise), and in which two " machines a coudre" stood. We had only barely time to cast a reverential look at these latter, as being so often employed by Louise in working for her daily bread, even when the blood flowed from both hands and feet pierced by the stigmas, when we found ourselves in the tiny room of the favoured of Heaven. It is at the back of the house, lighted by one little window ; it barely allows fifteen to enter, and is remarkable f>r nothing but its beautifnl cleanliness and its poverty, its sole adornment being many holy prints hung round the walls. Further descriptions of it, I could not give, as when once I saw Louise, my eyes never left her face. She was lying on an iron bed facing the door. I pressed up till I knelt by her side, the young priest who was to give her the holy Communion standing at the little table where two candles burned. She lay as if dying, the only movement visible being a gentle panting which came from her half- opened lips, whilst her eyes were firmly closed. She seemed to be perfectly unconscious of all around her, till the priest softly said " Ecce Agnus Dei," when the pallor left her face ; her mouth opened gently, and without any effort of swallowing she received the Sacred Bread. Never did I see such a heavenly look of rapture on face before ; a light shone on it ; the panting ceased and Louise lay as if dead, or, as it were, lost in God. M. le Cure then recited prayers in which we all joined " for the restoration of the faith in Belgium," for the conversion of sinners, and for special intentions of some present. Then standing up he took away the Communion cloth that lay under the chin of Louise, and had up to this hidden her hands from view. It discovered the hands of Louise, as well as the clean linen that they had been enveloped in, covered with blood. I can only speak of my own feelings when I saw the poor worn hands of Louise pierced with two holes through and through, and with blood welling from them. They were clasped together, the holes on the out bide beiug plainly visible, the flesh a little raised on the back as if the nail had pierced first the palms. M. le Cure allowed all to kiss those marks, and even to place our medals and holy pictures on them, which we reverently did, staining those objects with the blood that was oozing sluwl / from the wounds. M. le Cure assured me Louise was in an extasy from the moment she received Holy Cummumon. fche generally remains so all Friday till three o'clock, the blood flows generally from midnight the night before, but unequally so from the wounds— it had not begun to flow from her head whilst we were there. These wounds are very painful, but she suffers most from her shoulder. We all left with Monsieur le Cuie, deeply moved and edified, by our visit to one whom God has so favoured, and has also so strongly marked by suffering. Leaving the little house, a religious advanced with me to a corner of the kitchen where, early as the hour was, the sister of Louise was busy at her needle ; she smiled at us, but did not cease from her work, which was one of the simple camisoles the peasants about wear. On leaving I tried to take her baud, but she smilingly refused. We then passed out, and in procession turned into the church, when the yeucg priest, a stranger, said Mass. Then all was over. We visited the cure, who was very kind and simple in his manner to us, pressing us to dine with him, and giving us photos of Louise's little house. She has never consented to have her portrait taken. He told us williugly many details of her life, and we were able to purchase a sketch from him. He reserves the sale of it and pictures of her house, as he is fearful of people making an unjust traffic of them. After getting his blessing we again visited the church, and passing slowly by the little cottage of Louise, we found ourselves once more at Gare dv Manage, and were soon after in Bruxelles' gay streets and brilliant promenades. I will now conclude the account of my little pilgrimage, already too long, by giving an account of her personal appearance. She is now a little more than thirty years old, " a little below the medium heierht," (I quote from the description given of her by Doctor Lefebre, who has attended her for more than tix years) ; she has an oval face, with little colour, a very fine and clear skin ; her hair is fair (this is written in 18f 9, 6iuce then her hair has darkened very much) ; blue eyes, soft and clear, and a small mouth and very beautiful teeth ; her face, though by no means beautiful, is intelligent and pleasing ; she is very intelligent, but is by no means brilliant, as she possesses no imagination. To speak most exactly of her, she

is a young person remarkable for good sense and uprightness, joined to a modest simplicity. She reads with difficulty and writes a little, her education being confined to the five months' schooling she received when preparing for her first Holy Communion. With a constitution strong enough she works at the roughest labour of the house, washes, bakes, and digs in the garden. To her mother, sisters, strangers, and friends of her childhood, she never speaks of the celestial graces she is favoured with ; only when obedience to her Bishop or ecclesiastical superior demands it of her, does she open the secrets of her soul. — Catltolm Times.