>-~ HAIL MARY & A PROTESTANT ~ > >Fr. Tuckwell + A little 6-year old Protestant boy had often heard his >Catholic companions reciting the prayer "Hail Mary." He liked it so much >that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. One day he >said to his mother,"Look, Mummy, what a beautiful prayer," + "Never again >say it," answered the mother. "It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics >who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like >any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything >that we are bound to do and have to do." + >From that day on the little boy >discontinued his daily "Hail Mary" and gave himself more time to reading >the Bible instead. One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the >passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the >little boy ran to his mother and said: + "Mummy, I have found the Hail Mary >in the Bible which says: "Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, >blessed art thou amongst women." Why do you call it a superstitious >prayer?" + On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. >Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle, the Magnificat, in >which Mary foretold that "all generations shall call me blessed." + He said >no more about it to his mother but started to recite the "Hail Mary" every >day as before. He felt pleasure in addressing those charming words to the >Mother of Jesus, our Savior. When he was fourteen, he one day heard a >discussion on Our Lady among the members of his family. Every one said that >Mary was a common woman like any other woman. The boy, after listening to >their erroneous reasoning, could not bear it any longer, and full of >indignation, he interrupted them, saying: + "Mary is not like any other >children of Adam, stained with sin. No! The Angel called her full of grace >and blessed amongst women. Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ and >consequently Mother of God. There is no higher dignity to which a creature >can be raised. The Gospel says that the generations will proclaim her >blessed and you are trying to despise her and look down on her. Your spirit >is not the spirit of the Gospel or of the Bible which you proclaim to be >the foundation of the Christian religion." + So deep was the impression >which the boy's talk had made that his mother many times cried out >sorrowfully: "Oh my God! I fear that this son of mine will one day join the >Catholic religion, the religion of Popes!" And indeed, not very long >afterwards, having made a serious study of both Protestantism and >Catholicism, the boy found the latter to be the only true religion and >embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles. + Some time after >his conversion, he met his married sister who rebuked him and said >indignantly: "You little know how much I love my children. Should any one >of them desire to become a Catholic, I would sooner pierce his heart with a >dagger than allow him to embrace the religion of the Popes!" Her anger and >temper were as furious as those of St. Paul before his conversion. However, >she would change her ways, just as St. Paul did on his way to Damascus. It >so happened that one of her sons fell dangerously ill and the doctors gave >up hope of recovery. Her brother then approached her and spoke to her >affectionately, saying: + "My dear sister, you naturally wish to have your >child cured. Very well, then, do what I ask you to do. Follow me, let us >pray one 'Hail Mary' and promise God that, if your son recovers his health, >you would seriously study the Catholic doctrine, and should you come to the >conclusion that Catholicism is the only true religion, you would embrace it >no matter what the sacrifices may be." + His sister was somewhat reluctant >at the beginning, but as she wished for her son's recovery, she accepted >her brother's proposal and recited the "Hail Mary" together with him. The >next day her son was completely cured. The mother fulfilled her promise and >she studied the Catholic doctrine. After long preparation she received >Baptism together with her whole family, thanking her brother for being an >apostle to her. + The story was related during a sermon given by the Rev. >Fr. Tuckwell. + "Brethren," he went on and said, "the boy who became a >Catholic and converted his sister to Catholicism dedicated his whole life >to the service of God. He is the priest who is speaking to you now! What I >am I owe to Our Lady. You, too, my dear brethren, be entirely dedicated >also to Our Lady and never let a day pass without saying the beautiful >prayer, 'Hail Mary', and say your Rosary. Ask her to enlighten the minds of >Protestants who are separated from the true Church of Christ founded on the >Rock (Peter) and against whom the gates of hell shall never prevail." > >"She is the mother of my soul. Her heart and mine are one."
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