Tea at Trianon: Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Monday, June 18, 2007

Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Don Marco recommends making this powerful novena. Let's pray it for the Christians in Iraq.

In dangers, in hardships, in every doubt,
think of Mary, call out to Mary.
Keep her in your mouth, keep her in your heart.
Follow the example of her life
and you will obtain the favour of her prayer.

~St. Bernard
Share

4 comments:

Marguerite said...: I will gladly joins my prayer to yours. Thank you for this excellent blog and the time you take to create it.; June 19, 2007 at 3:44:00 PM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Thank YOU. And what a lovely blog you have!; June 19, 2007 at 3:55:00 PM EDT
Anonymous said...: Dear Elena
My mother and I are travelling to Lourdes from Australia and we were very excited when we came across your blog on Lourdes. We thoroughly enjoyed your blog. Can you please recommend a place to stay in Lourdes between Aug 14-17 for two mature women who speaks no french.

Regards,
Sela and Ema
Sydney Australia; June 27, 2007 at 2:34:00 AM EDT
elena maria vidal said...: Dear Sela and Ema,

I would highly recommend the Astoria hotel. It is run by Irish people. Also, there is the Saint-Saveur, which is very nice and right near the grotto. The St Francois d'Assise is nice, too. Even in the French hotels, most of the people speak some English. But the Astoria is at the top of my list.

Have a blessed trip and my Our Lady protect you on your way!

Thank you for your kind words!; June 27, 2007 at 8:28:00 AM EDT