The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Religion
The Other World; or, Glimpses of the Supernatural (Vol. 1 of 2): Being Facts, Records, and Traditions Relating to Dreams, Omens, Miraculous Occurrences, Apparitions, Wraiths, Warnings, Second-sight, Witchcraft, Necromancy, etc.
Spiritualism; Supernatural
“Anne de Cléry, the subject of the extraordinary cure about to be
recorded, was at school in the Convent of the Sacred Heart, at Metz, in
the year 1855. She was then thirteen years of age, and her health and
spirits good. Previously she had lived two years in Africa, where her
father still resides,[65] and occupies the post of Notary-General to the
Imperial Court at Algiers. Madame de Cléry’s health having suffered from
the climate, she returned to Metz with her two daughters, the youngest of
whom--Anne--was very uneasy about her mother’s health, and prayed
fervently for her recovery, offering herself to suffer the pains of
sickness in her stead. Anne’s illness, which was of a very distressing
nature, commenced in the Holy Week of 1856, and continued steadily to
increase, in spite of the prescriptions of the first physicians at Metz,
Aix in Savoy, and Paris. Remedies of every possible kind--some of them of
a terribly severe character--were tried, but without the smallest result,
except to increase the sufferings of the poor patient. The Paris
physician, at length (in the year 1857), pronounced her case to be
incurable. He says: ‘Mdlle. Anne is labouring under the disease known by
the name of “muscular and atrophical paralysis.” I very much apprehend
that no remedies can touch the disease.’ The sufferings of the poor girl
were continuous and severe. Her limbs were deprived of power and strength;
they shrank and contracted, and the muscles under each knee produced a
sort of knot which no power on earth could untie. She would be, as far as
man could foresee, a cripple as long as she lived. Anne de Cléry was,
however, resigned to the Will of God, and supported her heavy trial by a
deep piety and constant prayer. At times her faith suggested the
possibility of a miraculous cure; but she scarcely hoped or wished for
such a wonderful favour. She had a particular devotion to the Blessed
Sacrament; and every week the priest brought her the Holy Communion, which
was her greatest support and consolation. She employed her time, when
able, though in the recumbent position, and unable to lift her head, in
embroidering altar-cloths, and making artificial flowers for the adornment
of the sanctuary. It was while thus preparing for the devotion known as
‘the Forty Hours’ Adoration’ in the parochial church of S. Martin at Metz,
in the year 1865, that the thought sometimes crossed her mind that she
might be cured by the Blessed Sacrament. But she was slow to encourage an
idea which might be an illusion, and deprive her of her resignation and
peace of mind. The devotion above mentioned was to take place on the 12th,
13th, and 14th of June. On the first two days it was impossible to carry
her to the church (whither she had not been taken for a long while), her
pains were so severe; but on the third day, with the greatest difficulty,
and at the cost of much suffering, after having received Communion, she
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