A story for every day...

For more than thirty years, a modest proletarian had won the confidence of his masters and the benevolence of the many workers in the factory of Messrs. Montgolfier, in the diocese of Viviers. The fear of his parents kept him in the error of Protestantism, although he felt inclined to openly recognize the Catholic Church as the true Church of Jesus Christ.

Finally, grace triumphed over his mind and heart. He went to one of his respectable mistresses, Madame Saint-Étienne Montgolfier, and said to her, “Here I am, frankly decided to become a Catholic.” This lady, as learned as she was prudent, after having testified to him the joy she felt in doing so, reminded him of some of the principal articles of the faith which the devil had made the Protestants reject; she told him, finally, that the Catholics honor the most Blessed Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ, that they pray to Her, that they claim Her protection from God. “Ah, yes, Madame,” he replied with an accent of conviction that is difficult to convey, “the Protestants have the misfortune not to treat the Blessed Virgin as they should; but I honor Her, and for a year I have had great confidence in Her. I had always heard that Mary was the Refuge of the unfortunate, the Comforter of the afflicted. I began to pray to Her, with all the ardor of which I was capable, so that She would obtain for me the healing of my eyes, which for a long time had caused me much suffering, and which nothing had been able to relieve; I was soon completely healed, and since then I invoke Her every day. I soon became completely cured, and since then I have been invoking her every day. I have no trouble believing what you tell me about her. It is undoubtedly to Her that I owe the happiness of becoming a Catholic…”

We can well assure that any unbeliever who will heartily address a prayer to Mary will soon be converted.