Journal in France in 1845 and 1848 with Letters from Italy in 1847: Of Things and Persons Concerning the Church and EducationAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
Journal in France in 1845 and 1848 with Letters from Italy in 1847: Of Things and Persons Concerning the Church and Education
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
France -- Church history -- 19th century; Italy -- Church history -- 19th century
intentions in this extraordinary appearance which we have witnessed,
but if He who does all things to bring back our erring race to Himself
destines her merely to be a living representation of the sufferings of
the Son of God (and to serve no higher purpose than that for which we
should erect a crucifix), men of faith will not fail to derive benefit
to their souls, amidst their thanks for a token of the divine
goodness, in contemplating this memento of our Lord's Passion, while
it may serve in some cases, we may hope, to warn the scornful that a
day will come when they will in like manner have to "look on Him whom
they pierced."
I have not yet spoken to you of the Estatica, whom we saw yesterday;
and though I cannot say that her case may not be equally interesting,
yet as its details are taken more from credit, I have the less to say
from personal investigation.
Maria Mörl is the daughter of a nobleman of Caldaro, whose fervour in
devotion has gradually grown to ecstasis, and an entire abstraction
from the world, and constant continuance in what the spiritual writers
call the "unitive" life: the ecstasis continues from four to five
hours at a time, and only ceases from bodily weakness, or at the
command of her confessor. She converses with her spiritual directors
and superiors alone, rarely eats, her only sustenance being
occasionally a morsel of bread and a few grapes. She has been in this
state for years, and lives in and upon incessant acts of devotion. She
is kept very close and retired in a Franciscan convent, and none are
allowed to see her without a letter from the bishop. We found her as
she had been described to us, wrapt in the most complete ecstasis, and
certainly, as a representation of a devotional figure, nothing could
be more striking or more beautiful; but as, from the very nature
of the case, her ecstasis must cease by communication with the visible
world, it was to us nothing more than a spectacle. I have room,
however, for no more, and must have already wearied you with this
epistola Tridentina, at the length of which I am ashamed. We have just
been to the bishop, who has been most courteous and obliging, and
given us several facts connected with the above mentioned. This place
is a most comely city; the hills of Tyrol stand about it, ὥσει
θέατρον, with snowy peaks beyond them, and the Adige comes rolling
from the mountains an "exulting and abounding river." I cannot help
thinking what delightful "constitutionals" the dons of 1545 must have
had after their hot work in the council. Excuse prolixity, and
Believe me ever yours,
JOHN H. WYNNE.
Hotel Europa, Trent, August 1. 1847.
MY DEAR ----.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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