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Here Begin the Consolations and Visions Which She Did Have of the Sacrament of the Altar
The first vision was, that upon one occasion whilst Mass was being said, and as I was striving to think with devotion of the humility of God and of His supreme goodness (in that it pleased Him to come unto us in the Sacrament of the Altar), I was exalted in spirit and obtained a new and clear understanding of how God cometh in the aforesaid Sacrament.
Firstly, it was told me that, by virtue of His divine power, the body of Christ could be upon every altar, a thing not to be comprehended in this present life. And although much is said in the Scriptures of that power, those who read do nevertheless understand but little of it. "But those who feel something of Me," said God, "do understand more of it; nevertheless, neither the former nor the latter do fully understand, but the time cometh when ye shall understand."
After this I was enlightened and did comprehend in a manner clearer than had been shown me either before or afterwards, how God cometh in this Sacrament. I beheld how Christ cometh together with a most beauteous company, at whose beauty I marvelled greatly. And desiring to know who they were, it was told me that they were the thrones. That company was most bright, and was an exceeding numerous multitude; so that if I had not known that God doeth all things with measure, I should have deemed it to be without number or measure, but innumerable; for it could not be measured either in length or breadth, but was ineffable.
Second Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Being in the church of Foligno at the Feast of the Angels in September, I desired to communicate, and I prayed unto the holy angels, especially unto Saint Michael and the seraphim, saying:
"Oh ye ministering angels, who have received power and office from God that ye may administer Him unto others by showing forth His knowledge and love, I do beseech you that ye present Him unto me such as the Father of Mercies did give Him unto men, such as He desireth that I should receive and worship Him — that is to say, as one poor, suffering, despised, wounded, bleeding, crucified, and dead upon the Cross."
Then did the angels reply unto me with infinite graciousness and sweetness:
"Oh thou who art pleasing unto God, behold, He hath been administered unto thee and is present with thee, and moreover, it is given unto thee to administer and present Him unto the others."
And verily, I did then have Him present with me, and I did of a certainty behold Him with mine eyes in that Sacrament in the manner as I had prayed — that is to say, poor, suffering, bleeding, crucified, and dead upon the Cross. At the sight of such a grievous vision I did then feel a pain so exceeding sharp that methought mine heart would burst. On the other hand, however, I was filled with joy and gladness because of the presence of the angels, and if I had not myself beheld them, I should never have believed that angels were so pleasing, or that they could have filled the soul with so much joy.
Now whilst the Mass was being said, there was a priest who was celebrating near unto the time of the Communion. And as he was taking the Body of Christ and breaking the Host, I heard a voice weeping and saying, "Alas, many are there who break Me in pieces and who do even draw blood from My back!" I did therefore think that the priest was not in a state meet for receiving the Body of Christ, and I prayed, saying, "Grant that he may not be such a one," and instantly it was answered me, "He shall not be thus eternally."
Third Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time I was in church hearing Mass, and about the time of the elevation of the Body of Christ (when the congregation kneeleth down to adore it), I was uplifted in spirit, and the Blessed Virgin appeared unto me in a vision and said:
"Oh my daughter, sweet unto my Son and unto me, my Son is now come unto thee and thou hast received His blessing."
Then did she make me to understand that after the consecration of the Host, her Son was upon the altar, as though she were telling me some new thing with great joy. And these words gave me such pleasure and delight that I neither think nor believe that there be any person who could possibly relate it. For the Blessed Virgin told this unto me with great humility, and with a new feeling and the utmost sweetness. Wherefore I marvelled how that I had been able to remain standing, so great was my joy.
Then she spake again and said — "Forasmuch as thou hast received the blessing of my Son, it is meet that I should come unto thee and give thee mine likewise." Then did she bless me, saying, "Be thou blessed of my Son and of me, and strive thou with all diligence and earnestness to love Him to the utmost of thy power; for thou art greatly beloved and shalt attain unto that which is infinite."
Then was my joy greater than before, and it was yet more increased at the elevation of the Body of Christ. Yet I beheld nothing in the Body of Christ as I had hitherto beheld it, but I felt Christ verily within my soul.
Thus came I to know by this that there is nothing which so filleth the soul with the burning fire and delight of love as having Christ within. For this is the fire of sweetest love, and when it burneth in the soul, then know I that God is verily there likewise, because none other can produce this effect. Then do all my members feel as though they were loosened and disjointed, and when they are thus loosened they do make a noise. This do I feel chiefly during the elevation of the Body of Christ, and especially in my hands, which become disjointed and fall apart.
Fourth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time, when I came to communicate, a heavenly voice spake unto me and said — "Oh beloved, in thee is all good, and thou goest to receive all good."
Whereupon I began to think, "If all good is in thee, wherefore goest thou to receive it?" Unto this came an answer immediately, "Although all good is in thee, it will not be effaced by that which thou art now going to receive." And as I drew nigh unto the Communion, the voice spake again and said, "Now is the Son of God upon the altar, according both unto His divinity and His humanity, and with Him is a multitude of angels."
And forasmuch as I desired greatly to behold Him with the angels, God was then shown unto me. I saw Him not in any form whatsoever, but I beheld plenitude and beauty — that is to say, I beheld all goodness. And it was told unto me, "Beloved, thus shalt thou stand before Him in the life eternal," and the comfort my soul derived therefrom cannot be described.
When I communicate, the Host swelleth in my mouth for a little time after I have received it, and it hath a taste neither of bread nor of meat such as we do eat, but it hath quite another taste which resembleth nothing in the world. Moreover, the Host is not hard as heretofore, and doth not go down my throat in little pieces, but it goeth down whole, and it is so sweet that I would willingly hold it in my mouth for a great while if I had not heard it said that man should swallow it instantly. Thus it goeth whole down my throat, with that taste of an unknown meat, and — saving that it is the custom — there is no need to drink anything after it in order to swallow it more easily. And as it goeth down my throat it produceth in me a great feeling of pleasure, which is apparent outwardly in the body, for it maketh me so to tremble that scarcely can I hold the cup.
Now, when I do make the sign of the Cross and place my hand upon mine head, saying, "In the name of the Father," I feel nothing new. But when I place my hand upon my heart, saying, "and of the Son," I do instantly feel such love and consolation that methinketh I have found Him there.
This would I not have related or caused to be written down like the other things had I not been advised thereunto.
Fifth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
During a certain time of sickness I greatly desired to communicate at the Feast of the Angels, and forasmuch as there was no person to bring me the most holy Body of Christ, I began to grieve exceedingly.
Then, in the midst of my grief and desire for Communion, behold, I began to reflect upon that same Feast of the Angels, upon their praise-giving, and how they do praise the Lord continually; and I reflected upon the office of the angels, which is to praise God, to serve Him and minister unto Him. And behold, I was then suddenly exalted, and I saw before me a great multitude of angels; and they led me unto an altar and said unto me, "This is the altar of the blessed angels." And upon the altar did they show unto my soul Him whom the angels praise, that is to say, they showed Him who is all praise; and they said —
"In Him who is now upon the altar is the true perfection and complement of the most worthy sacrifice which thou seekest. Wherefore prepare thyself worthily to receive Him, for He hath espoused thee with the ring of His love and the marriage hath already been celebrated, but now wilt thou see a new way of accomplishing the marriage."
I cannot describe the great joy which I had of this, for my soul felt it all in very truth, seeing that it was more full of meaning than can be related in words. Hereby was it also signified unto me that I should presently depart out of this world, because this thing happened at the beginning of my last illness.
Sixth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time I beheld Christ in the consecrated Host as a Child. He appeared certainly to be a child of twelve years of age, very lordly, as though He held the sceptre and the dominion. He appeared to hold something in His hand as an emblem of lordship, but I know not what, and although I saw it with my bodily eyes I cannot say what it was that He held in His hand. When I beheld Him I did not kneel down like the others, so great was my delight at beholding Him, but I was much displeased and grieved because the priest replaced the Host too soon upon the altar.
Verily, His beauty and adornment cannot be described, and so great was my joy at the sight of Him that I do think it will never fade, and there was such certainty with it that I do in no way doubt of the truth thereof. And finally, my delight in that vision was so great that I asked no help of Him and spake neither good nor evil, for I was so absorbed in the delight of that beauty that I knew not what to say.
Seventh Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time whilst Mass was being celebrated I was uplifted in spirit, and I did question the Lord, saying —
"Behold, Lord, Thou art in this Sacrament of the Altar, but tell me where are Thy faithful ones?"
Then opened He mine understanding and made answer, "Where I am, there are My faithful ones with Me."
Then I perceived that it was so, and I comprehended clearly that in every place where He was, there should I be also. But this being is not the being within God, but the being which is outside of Him. And it is He alone who is in every place and comprehendeth all things.
I have many times seen the Body of Christ in divers forms in this Blessed Sacrament. For sometimes I have seen the throat of Christ more splendid and beauteous than the sun, and by that beauty was it certified unto me that God Himself was here, seeing that it was incomparably greater than the sun both in beauty and quantity, wherefore doth it greatly grieve me that I cannot make it manifest. Sometimes I have seen two eyes of great splendour, and so large that I beheld nothing of the Host save the edge thereof.
At the sight of both these things was I refreshed with so much joy that I cannot compare the one with the other, because both are so great that I do think I shall never lose them.
The first vision was, that upon one occasion whilst Mass was being said, and as I was striving to think with devotion of the humility of God and of His supreme goodness (in that it pleased Him to come unto us in the Sacrament of the Altar), I was exalted in spirit and obtained a new and clear understanding of how God cometh in the aforesaid Sacrament.
Firstly, it was told me that, by virtue of His divine power, the body of Christ could be upon every altar, a thing not to be comprehended in this present life. And although much is said in the Scriptures of that power, those who read do nevertheless understand but little of it. "But those who feel something of Me," said God, "do understand more of it; nevertheless, neither the former nor the latter do fully understand, but the time cometh when ye shall understand."
After this I was enlightened and did comprehend in a manner clearer than had been shown me either before or afterwards, how God cometh in this Sacrament. I beheld how Christ cometh together with a most beauteous company, at whose beauty I marvelled greatly. And desiring to know who they were, it was told me that they were the thrones. That company was most bright, and was an exceeding numerous multitude; so that if I had not known that God doeth all things with measure, I should have deemed it to be without number or measure, but innumerable; for it could not be measured either in length or breadth, but was ineffable.
Second Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Being in the church of Foligno at the Feast of the Angels in September, I desired to communicate, and I prayed unto the holy angels, especially unto Saint Michael and the seraphim, saying:
"Oh ye ministering angels, who have received power and office from God that ye may administer Him unto others by showing forth His knowledge and love, I do beseech you that ye present Him unto me such as the Father of Mercies did give Him unto men, such as He desireth that I should receive and worship Him — that is to say, as one poor, suffering, despised, wounded, bleeding, crucified, and dead upon the Cross."
Then did the angels reply unto me with infinite graciousness and sweetness:
"Oh thou who art pleasing unto God, behold, He hath been administered unto thee and is present with thee, and moreover, it is given unto thee to administer and present Him unto the others."
And verily, I did then have Him present with me, and I did of a certainty behold Him with mine eyes in that Sacrament in the manner as I had prayed — that is to say, poor, suffering, bleeding, crucified, and dead upon the Cross. At the sight of such a grievous vision I did then feel a pain so exceeding sharp that methought mine heart would burst. On the other hand, however, I was filled with joy and gladness because of the presence of the angels, and if I had not myself beheld them, I should never have believed that angels were so pleasing, or that they could have filled the soul with so much joy.
Now whilst the Mass was being said, there was a priest who was celebrating near unto the time of the Communion. And as he was taking the Body of Christ and breaking the Host, I heard a voice weeping and saying, "Alas, many are there who break Me in pieces and who do even draw blood from My back!" I did therefore think that the priest was not in a state meet for receiving the Body of Christ, and I prayed, saying, "Grant that he may not be such a one," and instantly it was answered me, "He shall not be thus eternally."
Third Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time I was in church hearing Mass, and about the time of the elevation of the Body of Christ (when the congregation kneeleth down to adore it), I was uplifted in spirit, and the Blessed Virgin appeared unto me in a vision and said:
"Oh my daughter, sweet unto my Son and unto me, my Son is now come unto thee and thou hast received His blessing."
Then did she make me to understand that after the consecration of the Host, her Son was upon the altar, as though she were telling me some new thing with great joy. And these words gave me such pleasure and delight that I neither think nor believe that there be any person who could possibly relate it. For the Blessed Virgin told this unto me with great humility, and with a new feeling and the utmost sweetness. Wherefore I marvelled how that I had been able to remain standing, so great was my joy.
Then she spake again and said — "Forasmuch as thou hast received the blessing of my Son, it is meet that I should come unto thee and give thee mine likewise." Then did she bless me, saying, "Be thou blessed of my Son and of me, and strive thou with all diligence and earnestness to love Him to the utmost of thy power; for thou art greatly beloved and shalt attain unto that which is infinite."
Then was my joy greater than before, and it was yet more increased at the elevation of the Body of Christ. Yet I beheld nothing in the Body of Christ as I had hitherto beheld it, but I felt Christ verily within my soul.
Thus came I to know by this that there is nothing which so filleth the soul with the burning fire and delight of love as having Christ within. For this is the fire of sweetest love, and when it burneth in the soul, then know I that God is verily there likewise, because none other can produce this effect. Then do all my members feel as though they were loosened and disjointed, and when they are thus loosened they do make a noise. This do I feel chiefly during the elevation of the Body of Christ, and especially in my hands, which become disjointed and fall apart.
Fourth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time, when I came to communicate, a heavenly voice spake unto me and said — "Oh beloved, in thee is all good, and thou goest to receive all good."
Whereupon I began to think, "If all good is in thee, wherefore goest thou to receive it?" Unto this came an answer immediately, "Although all good is in thee, it will not be effaced by that which thou art now going to receive." And as I drew nigh unto the Communion, the voice spake again and said, "Now is the Son of God upon the altar, according both unto His divinity and His humanity, and with Him is a multitude of angels."
And forasmuch as I desired greatly to behold Him with the angels, God was then shown unto me. I saw Him not in any form whatsoever, but I beheld plenitude and beauty — that is to say, I beheld all goodness. And it was told unto me, "Beloved, thus shalt thou stand before Him in the life eternal," and the comfort my soul derived therefrom cannot be described.
When I communicate, the Host swelleth in my mouth for a little time after I have received it, and it hath a taste neither of bread nor of meat such as we do eat, but it hath quite another taste which resembleth nothing in the world. Moreover, the Host is not hard as heretofore, and doth not go down my throat in little pieces, but it goeth down whole, and it is so sweet that I would willingly hold it in my mouth for a great while if I had not heard it said that man should swallow it instantly. Thus it goeth whole down my throat, with that taste of an unknown meat, and — saving that it is the custom — there is no need to drink anything after it in order to swallow it more easily. And as it goeth down my throat it produceth in me a great feeling of pleasure, which is apparent outwardly in the body, for it maketh me so to tremble that scarcely can I hold the cup.
Now, when I do make the sign of the Cross and place my hand upon mine head, saying, "In the name of the Father," I feel nothing new. But when I place my hand upon my heart, saying, "and of the Son," I do instantly feel such love and consolation that methinketh I have found Him there.
This would I not have related or caused to be written down like the other things had I not been advised thereunto.
Fifth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
During a certain time of sickness I greatly desired to communicate at the Feast of the Angels, and forasmuch as there was no person to bring me the most holy Body of Christ, I began to grieve exceedingly.
Then, in the midst of my grief and desire for Communion, behold, I began to reflect upon that same Feast of the Angels, upon their praise-giving, and how they do praise the Lord continually; and I reflected upon the office of the angels, which is to praise God, to serve Him and minister unto Him. And behold, I was then suddenly exalted, and I saw before me a great multitude of angels; and they led me unto an altar and said unto me, "This is the altar of the blessed angels." And upon the altar did they show unto my soul Him whom the angels praise, that is to say, they showed Him who is all praise; and they said —
"In Him who is now upon the altar is the true perfection and complement of the most worthy sacrifice which thou seekest. Wherefore prepare thyself worthily to receive Him, for He hath espoused thee with the ring of His love and the marriage hath already been celebrated, but now wilt thou see a new way of accomplishing the marriage."
I cannot describe the great joy which I had of this, for my soul felt it all in very truth, seeing that it was more full of meaning than can be related in words. Hereby was it also signified unto me that I should presently depart out of this world, because this thing happened at the beginning of my last illness.
Sixth Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time I beheld Christ in the consecrated Host as a Child. He appeared certainly to be a child of twelve years of age, very lordly, as though He held the sceptre and the dominion. He appeared to hold something in His hand as an emblem of lordship, but I know not what, and although I saw it with my bodily eyes I cannot say what it was that He held in His hand. When I beheld Him I did not kneel down like the others, so great was my delight at beholding Him, but I was much displeased and grieved because the priest replaced the Host too soon upon the altar.
Verily, His beauty and adornment cannot be described, and so great was my joy at the sight of Him that I do think it will never fade, and there was such certainty with it that I do in no way doubt of the truth thereof. And finally, my delight in that vision was so great that I asked no help of Him and spake neither good nor evil, for I was so absorbed in the delight of that beauty that I knew not what to say.
Seventh Vision of the Sacrament of the Altar
Another time whilst Mass was being celebrated I was uplifted in spirit, and I did question the Lord, saying —
"Behold, Lord, Thou art in this Sacrament of the Altar, but tell me where are Thy faithful ones?"
Then opened He mine understanding and made answer, "Where I am, there are My faithful ones with Me."
Then I perceived that it was so, and I comprehended clearly that in every place where He was, there should I be also. But this being is not the being within God, but the being which is outside of Him. And it is He alone who is in every place and comprehendeth all things.
I have many times seen the Body of Christ in divers forms in this Blessed Sacrament. For sometimes I have seen the throat of Christ more splendid and beauteous than the sun, and by that beauty was it certified unto me that God Himself was here, seeing that it was incomparably greater than the sun both in beauty and quantity, wherefore doth it greatly grieve me that I cannot make it manifest. Sometimes I have seen two eyes of great splendour, and so large that I beheld nothing of the Host save the edge thereof.
At the sight of both these things was I refreshed with so much joy that I cannot compare the one with the other, because both are so great that I do think I shall never lose them.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre