I was reading up on the new Beata ,Sister Miriam from New Jersey in the USA. One key charism the sister had was that her mystical life was so hidden, no one suspected the great graces she received. Even her own family thought she was simply a , 'Good girl' But three lovely stories of her life stand out for me. She walking in the convent garden on her own and a bit lonely when she asked St Therese, the Little Flower to join her and St Therese actually came down from heaven and walked with her. She also had a vision of the Blessed Virgin through the convent window. Finally after she died they found the marks of a raised crown of thorns on her head. She must have been in agony. There is no doubt she a great saint, but only a handful of folks suspected.
Beautiful....right Padraig....I am going to visit her grave here in NJ and say a prayer for my son....maybe we can get a miracle for his depression
Unfortunately, I was traveling for my job, but many people in my prayer group went to the beatification in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark and said it was absolutely magnificent to learn about Sister Miriam's life. Sometimes we think of saints as this very holy people from way back and they at least to me can become almost mythical - you almost forget they were human like us with sins and faults , but they overcome them by God's grace. And we are lucky now to have someone like Sister Miriam from the recent past - to me you can relate and she is now on her way to formal sainthood. The Cathedral just a week later was the site of the Funeral Mass for Fr. Benedict Groeschel a priest who I personally think is a saint.
went to visit her grave today.....and her exhumed body in the crypt now in St Elizabeth Chapel....a miracle story....hundreds of little crosses in a cemetery and I mean hundreds.....finally found her grave when I asked her to help me find her.....almost within a minute. Knelt at her grave and begged for graces for my son. Drove to the chapel and it was closed. It was 5pm on Sunday. I saw a little nun with a cane getting out of her car and I went up to her and asked if she was a Sister of Charity....she said yes. I asked where I could pray to Blessed Miriam Therese and she said the chapel was closed. I said I had driven an hour to see her and I felt very disappointed. She said "well, come on, she wants me to bring you in to see her" so she walked very slowly into the convent and we followed. She gave us a private tour of the beautiful chapel and the crypt area. She told me to leave an intention which I did but I begged for my son's depression to lift. I begged Bl Miriam Theresa to please intercede on his behalf....I don't recognize him anymore and he lives back home again..... It was a real beautiful day....and meant to be. On the way out, I asked the nun what her name was. She said, Sr Gabrielle. I said, Sister Gabrielle, you have been my angel today. She said, no dear, Blessed Miriam Theresa wanted you to come in today....I am just doing her will.....We all kissed her goodbye. Me and my 3 friends celebrated our good fortune at a local Ice Cream Parlor and said "God is soooooo good to us"......
