On Wednesday is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a great celebration for me! On this day, the Holy Virgin granted me so many great graces (1)…
I will never forget the day of December 8, 1860, when I asked our Mother in heaven to grant me a little Pauline, but I cannot help but smile when I remember that I was just like a little girl asking her mother for a doll (2)…
This year I will go again to the Virgin Mary, early in the morning, I want to be the very first there, I will offer her a candle as usual, but I will not be asking for more children (3). I will pray that those given to me become saints, so that I can follow them, but that they may be much better than I am!
(Zélie Martin /1831–1877/, letter from December 5, 1875)
(1): The feast was probably experienced much more intensely than today – the dogma was solemnly proclaimed in 1854; in 1858, the Virgin Mary spoke this name during the apparition at Lourdes: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
(2): The request was immediately granted – Pauline was born on September 7, 1861.
(3): Zélie had already gone through nine births, the youngest, Thérèse, was two years old.
