The Life Of The Blessed Mary Ann Of Jesus, de Paredes y Flores: An American Virgin Called The Lily Of Quito

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Preface

To an age so corrupt and vitiated as the present, so fascinated with the pleasures, the delights and ease of the present life, and on that account an enemy of the cross of Christ and Christian penance, the life of the Blessed Mary Ann of Jesus de Paredes, lately raised tc the honours of the altar by the Sovereign Pontiff Pius IX., cannot be an acceptable or an agreeable offering.

Born of a noble family and enriched with all those qualities and prerogatives which young ladies of the world so highly prize, and which they are so fond of displaying, she began from her tender years to entertain a contempt of herself, and to despise whatever the world loves and embraces ; afterwards to mortify her passions and macerate her innocent flesh, making use of a thousand strategems and ingenious inventions in her penitential course. If the facts, which are recorded, had not been juridically deposed in the different processes by a great number of eye-witnesses and persons who could be relied upon, we should scarcely be able to

persuade ourselves that a little girl 0/ a few

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PREFACE.

years, of a delicate constitution, and living in the midst of the world, would have had the courage to undergo such an enormous amount of rigid austerities, the recital of which alone makes the blood creep and shudder in our veins. And what still more increases the wonder is that she had done nothing which deserved chastisement, having carried her virginal purity unspotted, and her baptismal innocence untarnished to the grave. To say much in a few words, she was the counterpart of St. Aloysius de Gonzaga, whose virtues she copied and whose example she imitated, but whom she surpassed in the rigour of her extraordinary penances, dying also like him in the flower of her age, in her twentysixth year.

The world, engrossed with the things of the earth, far from admiring and extolling such virtue, abominates and despises it, or at least regards it as obsolete and antiquated, and unsuited to the carnal refinement of the age. Many also even of the professed followers of Christ will stare when they view such perfection and become disheartened, and despairing of ever reaching such an eminence, they will remain in their tepidity without advancing a step.

PREFACE.

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God, however, has his own ends in view in proposing to ns these sublime and heroic examples of sanctity. In the first place he wishes to make us see the power of his grace, which not only renders possible but easy and agreeable whatever is contrary to the weakness of nature. In the second place he intends to rouse the sinner, to call him to penance, and conduct him to the observance of the divine precepts, setting before him certain privileged souls, enabled by him to suffer great things, even beyond what is needful and what he himself commands. Finally, he gives vigour and alacrity to fervent Christians, in order that they may emulate the generous sacrifices of his dearer and more faithful servants, if not entirely at least partially.

Such I hope will be the fruit which the welldisposed faithful will reap from the perusal of this life. And what gives me confidence is the lively instances of many to have a second edition : the first, which was issued on the occasion of the solemn beatification, having been almost entirely exhausted. Thanks to God, I know that it ha.^ been read with admiration and pleasure, and that in several souls it has produced the salutary effects, of a change of life, and an increase in viii

PREFACE.

fervour. This is a sign that faith is not entirely extinct in the hearts of Christians, and that the actions of the just, although arduous and sublime, are strong inducements to virtue.

It was my intention to have re-published the same history which had been distributed at the time of the beatification, and written with no ordinary simplicity and elegance by the pious priest D. Giovanni del Castiglio, after having put it, however, in somewhat better order, and curtailed the frequent repetition, which must have been tiresome to the reader. But when I had set about the work and made some progress, I found that in place of digesting it into a better order, I had composed almost a new work. Wherefore I no longer closely followed the above writer, but sought to add several facts which I had read in the process, that had been omitted by the other, and which were well worthy of being knowu.

Whatever may have been my success in this I labour, I shall consider myself as sufficiently rewarded, and shall be perfectly satisfied, if it redound in any measure to the glory of the Blessed Mary Ann of Jesus, and to the spiritual advantage of souls.

Contents

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Dedication 3

Chapter I

Resemblance between the sanctity of St. Rose of Lima and the Blessed Mary Ann of Jesus. Wonderful things that took place before and after the birth of Mary Ann. Extraordinary examples of abstinence and charity given in her childhood - - - 12

Chapter II

Her first fervour in devotion and piety. She is miraculously preserved from many dangers which threatened her life. Most extraordinary artifices to afflict and torture her innocent body - - - - 27

Chapter III

The solitary and penitential life which she led in the villa and in the city. Attempts twice to fly from home to go and convert the infidels, and to live in solitude, and is prevented by Almighty God in wonderful ways 43

Chapter IV

She is not yet eight years of age and is admitted to holy communion, for which she prepares herself with

freat fervour, and derives abundant fruit from it. he consecrates herself to God by the three simple vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Gives herself up entirely to the direction of her confessor, and suffers contradictions and opposition on account of her daily communion - - - -58

Chapter V

Several times the Blessed Mary Ann is on the very point of entering a monastery to become a Religious, but is always prevented by Almighty God from executing her resolution ; finally by a special light from heaven she determines to lead a solitary life in her own home. She detaches herself from z

CONTENTS.

every thing, and takes leave of her relatives. Her prophecies, and a remarkable occurrence that happened to her niece D. Sebastiana - - - - 73

Chapter VI

The rigid course of life which the Blessed Mary Ann commenced to lead in her retirement. The order and distribution of her actions. The inventions and strange contrivances to torment her body, and the horrible manner in which she treated it. The ardent desire she had of shedding her blood for the love of Jesus Christ ; it is rewarded by Almighty God with wonderful prodigies - - - - 91

Chapter VII

The extraordinary rigour practised by the Blessed Mary Ann in the short sleep which she took during the night. Description of her ordinary and extraordinary beds. Her wonderful abstinence from every kind of food, prolonged from eight to fifteen days in succession, and rendered more painful by an heroic exercise of anortification • - - 113

Chapter VIII

The Blessed Mary Ann, after being reduced to the last degree of attenuation by the rigour of her fasts, is instantaneously restored to her usual appearance and strength, which miraculously continues to her death. Proofs of her being supported for many years on daily communion alone. Her tender devotion to the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar 133

Chapter IX

The solitary life of the Blessed Mary Ann in her domestic retreat. Her interiour mortification and perfect mastery over her passions. How perfectly she observed the vows of poverty and obedience, even in things difficult and repugnant to nature - 145

Chapter X

The great love of the Blessed Mary Ann towards God. Her ardent desire to suffer, and the incredible de-

CONTENTS. Xi light she experienced in sufferings. Her innocence of life, and the angelic purity of her manners, which she preserved unspotted to her death. Wonderful effects of the same 163

Chapter XI

The high degree of prayer to which the Blessed Mary Ann was raised by Almighty God. The continual but vain assaults of the devil to divert her from it. The heroic resignation and patience she displayed in time of aridity and desolation of spirit. God provides her with an experienced director who consoles her - 181

Chapter XII

The love and devotion of the Blessed Mary Ann for the most august Trinity, for the mysteries of the life of Christ, for the most Holy Virgin and her patron Saints. 196

Chapter XIII

The zeal of the Blessed Mary Ann for the salvation of souls. Her stratagems to bring back to a better life those who had gone astray. Remarkable conversion of a noble Indian lady. Her charity to relieve the temporal wants of her neighbour confirmed by Almighty God with miracles - - - 205

Chapter XIV

Supernatura gifts imparted to the Blessed Mary Ann by Almighty God. She sees hidden and distant things, and predicts the future. She miraculously heals many persons of mortal distempers, and re calls a dead woman to life 220

Chapter XV

The invincible patience and perfect resignation of the the Blessed Mary Ann in her long and painful infirmities. Her heroic fortitude in mortifying her thirst rewarded by Almighty God with miracles. - 234

CONTENTS.

Chapter XVI

The great desire which the Blessed Mary Ann had of death. She offers herself to God as a victim for the preservation of her fellow-citizens, and falls grievously sick. Receives with the most tender affection the last sacraments, and expires in the arms of Jesus and Mary, who descend from heaven to receive her soul, whose glory is revealed to Brother Ferdinando della Croce 242

Chapter XVII

The universal commotion of the city at the report of Mary Ann's death. A lily miraculously .springs from her blood, whence she acquires the title of Lily of Quito. Great crowds of people at the translation of her body and her funeral obsequies. Prodigies which took place before and after tt - - 258

Two miracles approved of by the Sacred Congregation of Rites before the beatification of the servant of God - 291