Tea at Trianon: Saint Josephine Bakhita

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

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Saint Josephine Bakhita

http://vultus.stblogs.org/Josephine%20Bakhita3.JPG.jpg

Today is the memorial of Saint Josephine Bakhita (1869-1947). She was kidnapped as a child from her home in Sudan by slave-traders and sold to various families. She suffered unspeakable abuse and torture. Finally, a Catholic family "bought" her and she was able to make it to Italy where she became a Christian and a nun. She was remarkable for many things, especially for her spirit of forgiveness and lack of bitterness. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Don Marco has a beautiful meditation with rare photos of this saint to offer us today. Share

3 comments:

Lucy said...: Oh this is a wonderful post, Elena, and very dear to me and my family..Sister Bakhita actually taught my mother at 'Le Connoziane' in the city of Schio, in Vicenza- Italy. My mom, sho is 81, has vivid memories of how kind and gentle this sweet nun was...she will never forget her and, we as children, were told endless stories about those days. Thank you, Elena;-); February 8, 2009 at 11:01:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: That is amazing! Thank you for sharing your mother's experience, Lucy!; February 8, 2009 at 1:00:00 PM EST
Ann Murray said...: The Lord works in mysterious ways. This is a great post, Elena, and not only that but Lucy's family connection has made me realise just how contemporary some of the lives of the saints are. Fr Mark's post is beautiful and the photos speak for themselves.; February 8, 2009 at 4:59:00 PM EST