CONVERTED BY THE 'HAIL MARY.'

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 11 May 1899, Page 10

CONVERTED BY THE 'HAIL MARY.'

The Paris cor respon pent of the Liverpool Catholic Tunes gives this iuteresting information concerning Father Tuckwell, an English priest who is now labouring successfully in France :

At six years of age, a little Protestant boy amid Protestant surroundings, he was charmed by the recitation of the ' Hail Mary.' Being told by hi 3 mother that it was superstitious and being forbidden by her to say it, he came across the angel's salutation in St. Luke and showed it to her. At thirteen he ■was equally charmed by the 'Magnificat,' which he came acroos accidentally in the New Testament. On one occasion about thia time he ventured to point out to &onie f ull-growu Protet>tauts their inconsistency in the matter of devotion to Our Lady, since they believed in the Bible and would not practise what it taught on this subject. For this he drew upon himself a sound reprimand from his mother in the presence of company. When he was of an age to act independently he embraced the Catholic religion. His great wish then was to convert his sister. She one day, pointing to her children said : ' You know how I love them ! Well, I would rather see them dead than Catholics !' A stroke of heaven intervened. The two children were struck down with croup and their death was imminent. The Catholic brother said: 'Let us say the "Hail Mary" together. I entreat you to say it with me.' Conquered by her anguish and with the maternal instinct fully aroused, the Protestant sister knelt down and humbly joined in the prayer. It was a fervent prayer. The children recovered and their mother's conversion followed. Father Tuckwell and his sister can both say that they were converted by the ' Hail Mary.'