Celebrating the life of St Anne ~ Week 7

I hope many ladies can join with me every Tuesday in celebrating the life and cult of St Anne throughout the history of the Church leading up to her feastday on the 26th of July. This is a nine week posting of a beautiful article published in the Catholic newspaper called, Catholic ~ The Voice of Catholic Orthodoxy the article itself is is an exerpt from a book by Rev Fr Myles V Ronan CC, MRIA 1927.

Edit 2011: I have since discovered that the wonderful newspaper that this St Anne article has come from, is put out by the Transalpine Redemptorists on the island of Papa Stronsay in Scotland. I now have their blog linked at the top of my lefthand sidebar, you can order this newspaper/magazine from their site.

Today is week seven, here are the previous six postings:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5
Week 6

During these nine weeks I am also giving away a St Anne gift for each posting (either a St Anne chaplet, rosary or necklace of heirloom quality.) To enter the draw, read the day's posting and answer the question taken from the St Anne story. Then email me the answer with your name and email address written beside it, if the name and email address is not there, I cannot add you to the draw. I will draw out and announce the winner the following Tuesday and release the photo of the next gift and question and on it goes! Feel free to enter each week's draw.

I ask just one special favour, if you could offer an Ave in honour of St An ne for my sister Carmen who would dearly love to be blessed with a child after nine years of infertility, many grateful thanks.

And so we continue on from last week.....

Whilst the villagers of Keranna came to see for themselves the statue found during the night, Nicolazic and Lezulit went to the presbytery to show the Rector the silver pieces, which he had not yet seen, and relate to him what had taken place in the field before witnesses. Lezulit confirmed what Nicolazic related.

The Rector was as incredulous as ever and called Nicolazic an impostor. Poor Nicolazic went out with his companion and said not a word. The two peasants took the road to Auray to interview the lord of the land, Mr de Kerloguen, who was moved to sympathy for them. He advised them to see the Capuchin Fathers, but the latter were still opposed to the building of the chaplet on the Bocenno field.

Above: The relic of the finger of St Anne preserved at the shrine.

Returning homewards, the two peasants wished first to inspect the statue more at leisure. There they found a large crowd, and in the midst two priests, Dom Yves Richard, belonging to the village; and Dom Mazur, Chaplain of the fleet then in a neighbouring harbour. Two Capuchins were also there by chance. The statue was the object of their curiosity, and as it had been just cleaned and washed, one could see the folds of the robe, and what was more astonishing, the colours white and blue. It measured three feet in height and was made of very hard wood. The two peasants placed it standing on the mound and went home.

The next day was Sunday, and the crowd that gathered around the statue was larger than ever. Nicolazic went with a neighbour towards the Bocenno field, when suddenly they heard a cry of "fire" behind them. Looking around, they saw his barn in flames. Inspite of all they could do, the building was burned in the twinkling of an eye. Some said it was a punishment from Heaven; others that it was a fresh miracle. Though even the walls were burned, yet two stacks of corn, towards which the wind blew the flames, remained absolutely untouched. Besides this, all the other things within the barn and in the midst of the intense fire remained intact.

The people were divided in their opinions as to the meaning of the extraordinary occurrence, but Nicolazic all at once guessed the reason of this fire brought about by Heaven. The barn was quite new, and in building it, his father had used for the walls the stone of the ancient chapel. God does not wish things that had been consecrated to His worship to be devoted to profane use.

On Monday evening an extraordinary light filled the Bocenno field and made a halo over the miraculous statue. Many persons, as well as Nicolazic, were witnesses of this and heard a sound as of a crowd marching and entering the field. There was indeed no crowd, but it was a forewarning.

The next day the same noise was heard in the same place, but this time it was a reality. The pilgrims came in crowds, even from distant places. It would seem that only by Divine inspiration could the news of the recent wonders have reached places so far removed from Keranna. Some of the pilgrims even said that they had set out from their homes the very day the statue had been discovered, namely, fully two days previously. And they did not come as mere sight-seers, but they prayed and made offerings. Money was thrown down at the foot of the statue, but one of the villagers went to fetch a stool and a tin plate for the offerings.

Above: The altar and shrine of St Anne d'Auray.

The news of the demonstration spread abroad, but when the Rector heard about it he became very indignant and sent the Curate to put an end to the scandal. When the latter came to the Bocenno field, he went straight to the staute and threw it into the ditch. Then, turning to the stool, he overturned it with a kick, along with the plate and money.

He denounced Nicolazic for causing this commotion, bade the pilgrims go home, and threatened those of the village with excommunication. This violent outburst produced a strong feeling of opposition among the people of the parish. As for Nicolazic, he said nothing, but quietly gathered the offerings: they were the nucleus of the fund for the future chapel. The following days, greater numbers of pilgrims thronged to the spot, and they went on increasing.

An inquiry into the occurrences at the Bocenno was ordered by the Bishop to take place in the presbytery at Pluneret on Wednesday, 12 March, and Nicolazic was ordered to attend. It was presided over by a representative of the Bishop in presence of the Rector, the Curate, and Dom Yves Richard. To all the questions put to him, Nicolazic answered clearly and collectedly. The statement was signed by all present and sent to the Bishop, with an account of the attitude of the Rector, the Curate and the people, and with the further statement that the pilgrims were still coming.

Touched by the answers given by Nicolazic, the Bishop wished to interview and interrogate him.

To be continued next week...

Last week's question was: Why could two of the peasant men, called upon by Nicholazic to follow the torch, not see it? The answer: They were not in a state of grace.

Servant2theKing was the first name out of the hat with the correct answer ~ congratulations! Email me with your address Servant, and I'll post the St Anne chaplet you see above to you!

(I am very sorry not to have replied individually to you all this week past, our computer kept crashing, thank you once again for your ongoing prayers for my sister.)

For all those ladies who entered last week's draw, feel free to answer this week's draw, answering the new question below.

Here is an image of this week's St Anne chaplet:

To have a chance to win this week's heirloom quality St Anne chaplet made from gemstones, swarovski crystals and a solid bronze vintage reproduction St Anne d'Auray medal answer the following question:

Q: What was in Nicolazic's barn, that had come originally from an ancient shrine to St Anne, that caused it to be burnt to the ground and yet leave the contents to be miraculously untouched?

Email me the answer with your name and email address written next to the answer. Come back next Tuesday to see if you have won!