It is written of Divine Providence, not words of St. John apply so well: “My only does it arrange the means, but dear children, we have come to the it reaches the goal. Gentleness is last hour. You have been told that remarkable in the former and the anti-Christ is neigh, or there are strength of character in the latter. a great number of anti-Christs in the St. received from Jesus world. This is why we affirm that the Christ in the heights of Heaven, her last hour has tolled. Preserve your mission. It seems the King of Kings doctrine, my children, which was to Whom all power is given from the taught to you from the beginning. It Father, distinguished her in the midst will keep you constantly united with of the assembly of by a the Father and the Son. The anti- particular satisfaction and preferential Christs will conspire with such malice, love. “Go, I have chosen you and audacity and slander that, not only in wish to place you in the fields the cities but even in the hamlets, his of My Church like a new sowing, reign will infest you with a disgusting destined to make It productive. poison and impious vomit. False You will bring to Me the fruits prophets will spring up, God’s laws which My Hand prepares for you; will fall to scorn, souls will be gorged may your firmness augment for with silver and gold, sanctuaries will Me, your savor.” be profaned. Fathers and mothers

Ah, Christ Our Savior, wishes to use will be insulted by their children, the glorious St. Philomena to console marriages torn asunder, and incest will stain all classes. us, to instruct us and to encourage us. She will be our Anchor of Hope Divine Wisdom cries out: “Have in this Age of Darkness. We need her Faith! It is I Who permit these in these unhappy times to which the fearful winds and storms. Have

Confidence! It is I Who permit the Philomena. Pope Gregory XVI waited tides to rise. I will come at the three years to follow the movement moment you need Me. If I must of devotion to St. Philomena and to move the heavens and the earth be certain of the miracles reported. to make you triumph over your enemies, I will do it! Whoever It was Pope Gregory XVI who gave exalts himself will be humbled, the Living Rosary its blessed Patroness, but he who humbles himself will “Now all the Living Rosary is under enter into My glory.” In falling the protection of St. Philomena! Pray under the tyrant’s sword, Philomena to St. Philomena, whatever you was victorious. She received an ask of her, she will obtain for you.” immortal crown and was placed upon a throne in eternity. Her reign will have no end!

Peace be to you, Philomena!

Pauline-Marie Jaricot was born at Lyon on July 22, 1799, to a profoundly religious family of silk merchants. Her life was spent at the feet of Our Lady of Fourviere. Her entire life was given completely to God and to Holy Mother the Church through the glory of the Cross. We know her universally as the foundress of the Propagation of Pope Gregory XVI passed away in the Faith, but she was so much more 1846 and Pius IX, his successor, who than that. Pauline founded many other had been cured by St. Philomena of works for the Church, remarkable for the condition of epilepsy, was able to their diversity and copiously fertile ascend the throne of St. Peter. He propagation. At heart, Pauline was did not forget his “little ” and a contemplative, a very great one it was at the altar of St. Philomena, indeed! Her union with God was the he promised to resist iniquity until source and secret of her influence his death. Pope Pius IX proclaimed upon souls. St. Philomena secondary Patroness

The greatest miracle of St. Philomena of the kingdom of Naples. On July 6, took place before the Holy Father’s 1853, the Office and Mass composed eyes. , sick and very according to liturgical regulations near death, visited him before her was accepted. One would never be able journey to Mugnano. Immediately to say the decisions of the Holy See upon her return from Mugnano, concerning devotion to St. Philomena she visited him again and was the had been ill-advised. Pope Pius IX picture of health. was the Pope to proclaim the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception! As a While Pauline remained present in last act of homage, the Holy Father Rome for over a year, the Office, Mass sent His chalice to Mugnano as a sign Common and Fourth Lesson proper of gratitude and to grace the resting to a double minor rite were given to place of his heavenly benefactress. It

was Pope Pius the IX who placed all After visiting the house of Venerable of the Children of Mary under the Pauline Jaricot, the holy Curè of Ars patronage of St. Philomena. On the took St. Philomena for his own. property of Pauline Jaricot in France, Pauline gave him a relic of the dear today, is a beautiful chapel entirely saint which he housed in a special dedicated to St. Philomena. Not only chapel at Ars built in her honor. She do pilgrims visit this chapel but the was his little saint and did everything bishop offers Holy Mass there once a for him. He, in turn, sent everyone to month. her altar, that she might give them light, hope and joy. The healing of In 1878, Pope Leo XIII mounted the bodies at Ars seemed to be reserved pontifical throne which he was to to the Little Saint. occupy for 25 years. Leo willingly approved of the red and white cord in honor of the virgin and martyr, and he embellished this devotion with rich indulgences. He granted the title and privilege of Archconfraternity to St. Philomena’s devotion.

Pope Saint Pius X, elected in 1903 had a great desire to beatify the Curé of Ars whose name is closely bound to the glory and name of St. Philomena. On August 8, Pius X participated in the festivities of St. Philomena by sending a gold ring to the reigning Princess of Mugnano. He was so saddened to hear what was being written about her at that time. How It was behind St. Philomena’s glory can such writings be possible! Horacio that St. Jean-Marie Vianney hid his Marucchi denied her very existence. own. For 18 hours a day in the summer spoke at length on this th time and eleven during the colder Wonder-Worker of the 20 Century months, the Curé was bound to his stating: “... to discredit the present Confessional as to Calvary. All of the writings concerning St. Philomena penitents having seen and heard the as not being permanent, stable, Curé, left with the seeds of salvation valid and effective, necessary of planted in their souls. Certainly, it obedience, and in full effect for all was the wonders of conversion that eternity, proceeds from an element most often occurred in Our Lady’s that is null and void and without chapel at Ars. St. Jean Marie Vianney merit or authority.” St. Pius X had the gift of reading souls. He knew what was in their hearts and could St. Peter Julian Eymard, personal tell them - when, where and how their friend and confidant of Ven. Pauline lives had been led and what must be Jaricot, was cured of a grave infirmity done to obtain peace from God. by St. Philomena and was then able to Father Vianney’s strength had been go forward amidst persecution and sustained beyond human provision. setbacks to found the noble order of His scant sleep at night, diet of cold the Adoration Fathers of the Most moldy potatoes and the many Blessed Sacrament. penances he imposed on himself, had

left him no more than an “armful of the name of his dear protectress bones covered with skin.” Moreover, several times and believe that Saint he was no stranger to illness: he Philomena appeared to him.” had abdominal pains and constant headaches, and to these miseries In return for so many benefits, were added other painful infirmities. known and unknown, the Curé of The devil gave him no rest. Even so, Ars showed every mark of gratitude he remained smiling, active, always to his “Beloved”. The Roman Breviary exhausted, but ever ready to labor declares, “He inspired souls with for souls. One day, however, he was a tender piety toward the blessed forced to stop. It was around May of Philomena.” He cherished a plan to 1843. All alone in a crushing ministry, have a splendid built in her with the number of pilgrims flocking honor, but only death prevented him to Ars ever increasing, doing his best from fulfilling this plan. In his last days to “make his corpse gallop,” he was with trembling hand, amid the tears unable to go on. Bedridden despite and sobs of all, he wrote these lines: himself, he was soon at death’s door and began his preparation for death. “I will pray to God for those Four doctors were in attendance who help me build a beautiful church to Saint Philomena.” of him “watching him die.” His confessor was called in to administer (Jean MB Vianney, Curé d'Ars the Last Sacrament. April 2, 1859)

After receiving Extreme Unction, he After reading his life, writings, and made a vow to Saint Philomena. He the miracles that took place at Ars, promised to have always a large no one can deny that he alone, Jean- candle burning in her honor and to Marie-Baptiste Vianney, had done as have 100 Masses offered in her honor. much, if not more, for the glory of The first Mass was offered at once St. Philomena than all others com- by Father Dubouis, the pastor of bined. During his life, he honored Fareins, in the chapel at Ars. Jean her constantly and loved her deeply, Pertinand, who was with the dying and she him. Without leaving his poor, Curé, as the Mass was being offered, obscure church, he had made the related, “The Mass was scarcely over young virgin of the catacombs known when he exclaimed, ‘My friend, a and loved all over the world. Far more great change has come over me. than this, he himself had become a I am healed!’ I heard him murmur living, tangible proof of the existence

and sanctity of the child saint. Who It is written in the declaration of would ever dare to pretend that a of St. Jean-Marie Vianney miracle-worker, a sage, a Saint like that he should be imitated in all his the Curé of Ars, who is now declared spirituality. How could one follow the of all Priests in the this directive without including a world, lived an illusion!!! That a man tender devotion to the Saint, whom who read the secrets of hearts would he loved and honored in a singular not have discovered this error, this way throughout the long years he falsehood, in his own heart? He lived as a holocaust for souls? proved himself to be a man of total truthfulness and heroic in the virtue of prudence. Would such a man, believing in purely imaginary visions himself, have engaged millions of souls to pray to a virgin-martyr unworthy of the name?

“The great argument in

favor of devotion to Saint Philomena is Curé of

Ars.” (St. Pius X)

“ Powerful Saint Philomena, ‘Guardian O Angel’ of the Living Rosary Association, obtain for us the gifts of the Holy Ghost in order that we may be given the light to

know the Will of God, the science of loving Him, the wisdom of discerning what pleases and displeases Him, the fear of saddening Him, and the strength to

obey Him.” Venerable Pauline Jaricot, Foundress of the Living Rosary.