Search
SERMONS ON OUR LADY · Our Lady of the Snow 1617 1:6Francis de SalesIt is told that there was in the city of Rome a nobleman named John who, since he had no children, desired to consecrate all his wealth to the Divine Majesty, but in honor of Our Lady. His wife was in total agreement. Since they did not know what would be most pleasing to Him, they began to pray. That night they were both told in a dream to go to the Esquiline Hill and to have a church built there in honor of the Blessed Virgin Our Lady, erecting it on the spot they would find covered with snow. Certainly, a very great miracle in the month of August and in the city of Rome, where the heat is so excessive! This very happy John went to tell his revelation to the Pope and he found that the latter had received the same sign. After comparing the three revelations, they visited the place, found the spot, and then had the church built there. It is still there today and is called St. Mary Major.Autobiography 8:11The Autobiography of St. IgnatiusOnce Ignatius left Rome for Monte Cassino, to give the Exercises to Doctor Ortiz, and spent forty days there. One day, at a certain hour, in a vision, he saw Hozes entering heaven. In this vision he shed abundant tears of consolation. He saw this so clearly that if he were to say the contrary, it would seem to him as if he were telling a lie. He brought with him from Monte Cassino Francis Strada. After his return to Rome, he labored for the help of souls, and gave the Exercises to two different persons, one of whom dwelt near the Sixtine Bridge, the other near the Church of St. Mary Major. Soon the people began to persecute Ignatius and his companions. Michael was the first of all to be troublesome and to speak wickedly of Ignatius, and had him summoned before the governor for trial. Ignatius showed the governor a letter written by the same Michael, in which he commended Ignatius very highly. The governor examined Michael, and the result was that he was exiled from Rome. After him followed Mindarra and Berrera, who said that Ignatius and his companions were fugitives from Spain, Paris, and Venice. Finally, however, in the presence of the governor and ambassador then at Rome, both acknowledged that they had nothing which they could say against them with regard to their doctrines or their lives. The ambassador ordered this lawsuit to be abandoned. Ignatius objected, saying that he wished the sentence to be made clear and public. This did not please the ambassador and the governor, nor even those who had previously taken sides with Ignatius. A few months afterward the Roman Pontiff returned. While he was at Tusculum Ignatius was admitted to an audience with the Holy Father, and having given some of his reasons, he obtained what he wished. The Pope ordered sentence to be passed, and it was given in favor of Ignatius and his companions.