A story for every day...
The spiritual crown of the rosary
A young novice of the Order of St. Francis was about to take the religious habit. When he was in the world, he always had the pious habit of weaving a crown of flowers every day, which he then placed on the forehead of a statue of the Blessed Virgin. Unable to continue this devotional practice in his convent, he was almost resolved to leave the religious habit. But while he was thinking about this, Mary appeared to him and ordered him to replace the crown of flowers with the spiritual crown of the Rosary.
The Rosary is like the breviary of all the servants of the Blessed Virgin. It is the only book for the blind and the poor. It is the book of the Christian mother who cradles her child while greeting the divine Mother who is in heaven. It is the most convenient book for the pilgrim; it is the book of the old man whose eye is insensibly closed to the things of this world; it is the book of the sick, better than any other it calms and puts to sleep their sufferings.
The Rosary is for pure souls the book of the night which defends them from deceitful dreams and the snares of the devil. All the Saints, the men most commendable for their knowledge and their virtues, have been faithful to this pious practice, so dear to Mary.
(Father Huguet)
