Happy New Year

Glory to God on high! Peace on earth to men of good will!

St. Luke has a very special place in the New Testament.  Author of the third gospel, he also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. And in this he was unique. But this second book, which shows the infant church to take its first steps under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is of utmost importance. It is such that it allows us to glimpse the context of the communities to whom St. Paul and others direct their letters or even a bit of context of theApocalypse.
According to St. Luke, at the time of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, the angels sing, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will!"

But it goes to a concrete social space, pastoral, where there is a crib, which is a manger. Since the shepherds were not just regular people in the synagogues and religious acts they were unpopular people. But how could they be regular to such acts if they roamed the arid lands of Judea in search of pastures? Yet the word of the angels values their goodwill.

Each evangelist has his own traits and theological perspective. Something similar happens, for example, with the popes, the bishops, the parish priests, etc..Let's try to penetrate a little bit in that of St. Luke.
If the nativity tells the coming of the Saviour, the cross speaks of achievement, the end of his work. And how do we see Jesus at that moment?

Between two thieves or criminals, condemned by human justice.
We can sing: Glory to God who is worthy to be at the side of sinners! From the beginning to the end of his life among men. He came not to condemn but to save them.

I understand that the case told the good thief - how there may be a good thief? - is likely to cause us real scandal. Human justice sentenced him to death and his few words of goodwill, open the doors of Paradise. Without Purgatory.
But the man did not have to compensate the victims of his thefts, his violence?
How good this injustice - indeed apparent injustice - of God!

One gets the idea that God Himself takes charge of repairing the injured. But the thief is going, "today", to Paradise.

St. Luke is the evangelist of the parable of the Prodigal Son. And therein is a identically scandalous situation. The other son was angry, and we in our human justice, tend to agree with him. Then the errant son, who squanders the assets "with women of bad life”, marches and junketing, is worth of a big welcome party and for the orderly, dedicated brother, there is nothing?
In the writings of Blessed Alexandrina, Jesus comes to tell her something like this: I've wanted to go to my knees next to each man and ask him to love Me!  Alexandrina also reacts and thinks that as well. But it is more or less what is in the Gospel. Jesus came looking for the man and if he has a gesture of acceptance, if he takes a step in the right direction, Jesus wants to give him everything.

Glory to God on high!

Peace on earth to men of good will!

Sometimes people say that every day of the year should be Christmas. I think not: there's a day for Christmas, another for Easter, another to Pentecost, etc. To say that every day should be Christmas can mean emptying the historic character of the Incarnation of the Word of God. Getting a date from the year to speak of brotherhood, love, like a little demanding, but without Jesus, has little of Christmas.

In the Credo there is an expression that says, "And He suffered under Pontius Pilate". To someone it may seem that the name of Pilate receives there an undue consecration. Would not it be better to forget it, a bad person as he was?

No, the sentence says the historic nature of death and consequently the life of Jesus. Jesus is not a mythical entity, a mist on the fringes of real adventure of man. No, He shared with us our time, our temptations, our problems of hunger, cold, our suffering. And he came to give them a sense that we could not suspect.

Peace on earth to men of good will! Glory to God on high!

A surprising colloquy between Jesus and Blessed Alexandrina

— Come to me, my daughter, crazed with pain and love. It is pain that saves souls, it is the intensity of love for me.

If the world knew this life of love, the oneness of Jesus with the virgin soul, with the soul who He chooses for his spouse!

But it does not know and because it does not know, it slanders it, despise it, hounds it down.

O my beautiful dove, you are mother and spouse, a mother who does not cease to be a virgin; you are the mother of sinners: they are sons of your pain, children of your blood which you shed drop by drop, children of your love.

My daughter, in Heaven you will often hear many sinners calling you from earth, addressing you by the sweet name of mother. Those that you free from the clutches of the devil will praise you and know they were freed by you, and given leave to approach my Divine Heart.

Enormous love, blissful pain that led you to merit from Jesus such high and honorable titles!

— My Jesus, my Jesus, I am ashamed and confused! If I could hide all this! It is only for yourself and for me! It baffles me to hear this and see my misery!

— You know already that I need your misery in which to hide my greatness and omnipotence.

Write everything, write, my daughter. If what say you stayed hidden, it would be of no value to the world.

Mother of sinners, new redemptrix, save them, save them! You are the new redemptrix chosen by Christ.

There has never been nor will again be in the world suffering like yours. There has never been nor will be again a victim immolated in this way, because there was never such a need as now, the world has never sinned to this extent.

Nineteenth centuries have passed since I came to the world and now I have brought the new redemptrix, chosen by Me to remind the world what Christ suffered, what pain is, what love is and His desire for souls.

You're the new redemptrix come save them, you're the new redemptrix who fires the love of Jesus in humankind, the new redemptrix who will be spoken of as long as the world exists.

My daughter, there is a book which is written with blood and pain, golden letters, lyrics and precious stones, all divine sciences! Courage, beloved, be not afraid of storms nor the sound of the thunder which brings with it clouds that spill graces, love and manna from heaven.

Fill yourself, my daughter; it is love and manna in which you live. Fill yourself in order to give to souls.

— Thank you, my Jesus!

Sentiments of the Soul 1-12-1944, Friday

Works on Bld Alexandrina by the Signoriles

The Signoriles were an Italian couple, Mathematics and Physics teachers at the Liceo Beccaria, in Milan, who made an intensive study of Bld Alexandrina. They collaborated with Fr Umberto Pasquale at the time of the Diocesan Informative Process, wich took place in Braga between 1967 and 1973, translating the five thick volumes of Sentiments of the Soul.

Professor Chiaffredo, born 9^th October 1913 in Stroppo, in the province of Cuneo, died on 13^th October 1999. But his wife, Professor Eugénie Signorile, born 9^th September 1914 in Milan, still publishes books on Alexandrina.

Neither of them knew Alexandrina during her lifetime.

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Works published by the Signoriles with authorship attributed to Alexandrina:

Figlia del dolore, madre di amore. Quasi una autobiografia, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 1993 (768 pages).

Mio Signore, mio Dio! Come pregava Alexandrina, Mimep-Docete, Milan, 1992 (A Portuguese translation was published with the title Vida Interior da Beata Alexandrina, Apostolado da Oração, Braga, 2004, with authorship attributed to Eugénie and Chiaffredo Signorile).

Maria, mia Madre. Come Alexandrina sente la Madonna, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 1987.

Anima pura, cuore di fuoco, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 1990 (widely illustrated; it has been translated into English and Portuguese, but not published).

Venite (richiami di Gesù), Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 1991.

Sofferenza amata, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 1999.

Ho sete di voi, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 2004.

Solo per Amore!, Mimep-Docete, Pessano (MI), 2006 (this book, conceived as an autobiography, is already translated into Portuguese, French and English – it was recently published in French by Alex-Diffusion; it is a highly thought of work).

Zampilli Incandescenti, Mimep-Docete, Milan, 2007.

L’Amor che Muove il Sole e l’altere Stelle, Mimep-Docete, Milan, 2008.

Quei due Cuori, Gamba Edizioni, 2010.

Il Sorriso nella Croce, Gamba Edizioni, 2010.

Works published with authorship attributed the C.E. Signorile:

Croce e sorriso, Associazione “Sotto il manto di Maria Regina della Pace”, Gorgonzola (MI), 2002 (there is Portuguese translation with the heading Sorrindo à dor, Cavaleiro da Imaculada, Oporto, 2001, with authorship attributed to Alexandrina Maria da Costa).

Sulle ali del dolore, Gamba Edizioni, Gorgonzola (MI), 2004.

Alexandrina, voglio imparare da te, Gamba Edizioni, Gorgonzola (MI), 2004 (this work, conceived as a vade-mecum for Alexandrina’s friends, is translated into Portuguese; in the Monthly Page of the Official Website it is also translated into Spanish, English, French and still, in part, in German and Slovene).

Work published in collaboration with Giulio Giacometti and Piero Sessa:

La Gloria dell'Uomo dei Dolori nel sorriso di Alexandrina, Edizioni Segno, Tavagnacco (UD), 2005.

Pictures:

The Signoriles (above).

Felicina Sesto’s watercolour in the beautiful booklet Anima pura cuore di fuoco (below).

Merry Christmas

With this postcard created by Alphonse Rocha, we wish to all visitors a Merry Christmas.

Il Sorriso nella Croce: The Smile from the Cross.

After the initial pages, which include the Aims that we translated (see below), the new booklet by D. Eugenia Signorile,  Il Sorriso nella Croce (103 pages), is developed in ten chapters which describe the main stages of the life of Alexandrina da Costa in the autobiographical style of Solo per Amore! It ends with a brief epilogue.

It serves as a companion volume to a second improved edition of Croce e Sorriso, and is as attractive visually.

The aims of the book are attributed to a Blessed Alexandrina Group, which D. Eugenia runs.

Aims.
The knowledge of Blessed Alexandrina is spreading rapidly to the ends of the earth and amazes all in the great wonders wrought by God's grace and by the strength of the love of this great mystic.

The Group presents here a short biography that wants to highlight Alexandrina in her mission of soul-victim, a member of the mystical body of Jesus who continues the work of redemption (Paul, Col I, 24).

The object is to make the reader ponder the role of the soul-victim.

It is true that not every reader will be asked to offer himself as a victim soul!
But we are anxious that, in meditating on these pages, souls feel encouraged to capitalize on their own misfortunes by offering them in union with the love of Jesus for the salvation of souls.

On the role of a victim soul, Jesus said to Alexandrina:

"I, to save sinners, choose souls, put the cross on their shoulders and subject myself to help them carry it.

Happy the soul who understands the value of suffering! " L (10-1-35)

And to another mystical soul, who prefers to remain anonymous, He addressed with the following plea.

"MY PLEA FOR URGENT LOVE"

"To save the world

I need consecrated souls

who will be true co-redeeming spouses.

I do not have enough of them, I need them;

give me these souls.

Belong to the number of these souls!

My heart awaits you,

my heart begs you!

But know this well:

I, the crucified Spouse, espouse by crucifixion.

A spouse with a true heart serves her Spouse

loving everything that He loves.

Therefore souls consecrated to Me

should be lost in Me, and allow themselves to be consumed by Me and for Me.
They must have, as I have, a burning thirst for the salvation of souls

and the glory of my Father;

to love the cross

and redemptive suffering.

Don’t you want to belong to this number?

Can I demonstrate greater love

than asking it of you?

For you've you I have made Myself a victim:

be you, too, Hosts wholly consecrated! "[1]

Why this insistence on the request for victim-souls? Let us hear what Pius XII said:
‘This is a tremendous mystery, certainly, and about which we can never think enough: the salvation of a large number (of souls)  depends on the prayers and voluntary mortifications, by members of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ set apart for this purpose!”

Also meditate on the fact that Our Lady of Fatima urged the three shepherd children to suffer for sinners. And with what commitment those small but great saints welcomed the invitation!

Fr Pinho, in his biography On the Calvary of Balasar says that Alexandrina, born in an era of reparation, is one of those souls who willingly offer themselves as victims of reparation and atonement.

Since then, the situation has continued to deteriorate: in 1940 Alexandrina humbled herself to write to the head of government (Salazar) and the Patriarch Cardinal (D. Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira) asking for legislation to control dress and conduct codes on beaches.

And today? There is no need to go to the beach to see so much immorality!
If we want to be truly Christians, not only in name, we must feel the impulse to love our brothers who live a life of perdition, and offer our sufferings in everyday life in a spirit of atonement and redemption, following the path that Jesus has chosen for us, which rarely is the one of victim soul.

Our commitment must be to love.

Jesus says, "My cross is sweet, if taken up for my love" L (l0-1-35); also, it follows, for love of ones brethren. And He added: "To the soul that loves Jesus passionately, Calvary is Tabor." S (27-4-51)

On arriving at the end of her Calvary, Alexandrina said: "To bear the pain you need to embed yourself in love." S (26-8-55)

This is what has compelled us to illustrate the figure of Blessed Alexandrina in this volume, highlighting her smile in the midst of so much pain.

The Group

September 14, 2010

Exaltation of the Cross
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Note - The letters L and S are the letters to “Letters to Father Mariano” Pinho and to “Sentiments of the Soul”.
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[1] Monier-Vinard, Cum Clamore Valido, Genoa, Marietti, 1954.

Il Sorriso nella Croce

We just got a new booklet on Blessed Alexandrina, prepared by Eugenia Signorile. It's called Il Sorriso nella Croce, "The Smile on the Cross" and is subtitled "Breve biografia di un'anima vittima", "Short biography of a victim-soul."

It looks like a small version of For Love Alone! In time we will post here some further information about it.

Christmas’ quatrains

By Bld Alexandrina

Sing joyfully, my soul,

The Infant God is being born! 

It is to give Heaven to you

That He became so tiny. 

My heart beats wings,

Flying to the crib where he lies: 

To give Jesus all,

To serve and to love Him. 

The fire that devours me,

I inherited it from my Jesus. 

It began in the crib

And it took Him to the Cross. 

I am hungry for Jesus;

I run to the crib

To eat of His virtues: 

Only they keep me alive.

............... 1951

Fr José da Silva Tavares or José da Sacra Família

A priest of Póvoa de Varzim in England

José da Silva Tavares or José da Sacra Família (Argivai, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, 14-02-1788 — Brentwood, Essex, England, 14-09-1858) was a Portuguese Catholic priest. He taught in the University of Coimbra, when he was an Augustinian friar, and later, because of the liberal revolution, went into exile in France, Germany and England. Meanwhile, he left his order and became a secular priest. In France he founded and directed a college – Colégio Português e Brasileiro, in Fontaine-aux-Roses, Paris – and later he went to England. There, he first (1848) opened a modest school in Stratford Green, near London, and later, as a missionary, in Witham, Essex, worked enthusiastically to build a small temple, which still exists, and developed a fraternal dialogue with influential Protestants of the region.

Some years later, he went to Germany and he returned to England in 1853, to the Catholic community of St Helen, Brentwood. There he died in 1858 and was buried in the parish cemetery near the church. Cardinal Wiseman attended his funeral.

An article of the Cathedral Parish of Saint Mary and Saint Helen website mentions another Portuguese priest, Emanuele Dios dos Santos (probably Manuel dos Santos) who played an important role in Brentwood in the difficult times of the first half of the nineteenth century, but this article doesn't mention Fr José da Silva Tavares.

Because he was born in the same Portuguese municipality of Blessed Alexandrina and because for many years the devotion to this Beata is remarkable in England, we thought that it was good to put this information here.

Two books in French on Blessed Alexandrina

In the first half of this week Alex-Diffusion put up for sale two recently published books in French: Seulement par amour!, by Eugénia Signorile, and La spiritualité d'Alexandrina, by Paulette Leblanc.

Gary Bevans

To those who don’t know the “very gifted man” who is Deacon Gary Bevans, the father of Bernadette and Emily Bevans (he played in the DVD), we suggest to connect to these two links: first (biographical information), two (site on the English Martyrs Church).

Mary’s Dowry Productions made a DVD about the ceiling in the church which Deacon Gary painted, that can be got on their website.

Mary’s Dowry Productions - launch of the Blessed Alexandrina DVD (1)

......................................... By Kevin Rowles

On Saturday 4^th December 2010 – a First Saturday of Our Lady – Mary’s Dowry Productions launched their new DVD on Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa.   A review of the DVD has already been published here.   

The event took place at ‘The Barn’, which is the Parish Hall of the Catholic Church of the English Martyrs at Goring-on-Sea, Worthing, in West Sussex.  Bad weather, including rain and snow, was affecting much of the country, but despite this, people still came to support this unique occasion.  The hall is next to the Church of the English Martyrs, which is well-known in the United Kingdom for having an awe-inspiring reproduction of the Sistine Chapel on its ceiling, which was painted by permanent Deacon Gary Bevans, who is the father of Bernadette and Emily Jane Bevans, who run Mary’s Dowry Productions. 

The Bevans sisters ran the day as a double event.  It started at 2pm as a traditional Christmas Fayre, with food and various stalls and features.   The Bevans sisters had an impressive stall for the Mary’s Dowry Production DVD’s, CD’s, books and devotional items.  The new Blessed Alexandrina DVD was on sale and was a source of great interest.

Pictures (from top to bottom):

1. The ceiling of the Church of the English Martyrs, by Deacon Gary Bevans.
2. The Mary’s Dowry Productions stall
3. Bernadette and Emily Jane Bevans with copies of their Blessed Alexandrina DVD

Mary’s Dowry Productions - launch of the Blessed Alexandrina DVD (2)

Some of the stallholders dressed in period costume, reflecting the main thrust of Mary’s Dowry Productions’ work, which is the promotion of our historical Saints and Martyrs, and there was even a costume re-enactment, by friends of the Bevans’ family, of the arrest of the martyred Jesuit priest St Edmund Campion! 

The Bevans sisters kindly invited myself and Richard Sheridan to represent the Alexandrina Society, and we had a stall where my booklet on Blessed Alexandrina ‘A Living Miracle of the Eucharist’, was on sale. 

We also gave away leaflets and information on Blessed Alexandrina and the Alexandrina Society, and literature and devotional items that were kindly donated by the Universal Living Rosary Association.  We brought along the first-class relic of Blessed Alexandrina, and people were pleased to see the relic and venerate it.  Also, José Ferreira of Portugal kindly donated some Blessed Alexandrina relic cards from Balasar, which were given out, and these were very popular.

Some members of the Heralds of the Gospel, an International Association of Pontifical Right, which was approved by the Holy See in 2001, came to see the Blessed Alexandrina DVD in the evening.  Their apostolate ties in very closely with that of Blessed Alexandrina – intensely Eucharistic and Marian.  It was great to see them there, supporting this event.

Pictures:
Kevin at the Blessed Alexandrina stall with the 1^st-class relic
The Heralds of the Gospel at the Blessed Alexandrina stall

Mary’s Dowry Productions - launch of the Blessed Alexandrina DVD (3)

After the Christmas Fayre, the second half of the event started around 7.30pm with a selection of excerpts from various Mary’s Dowry Production films, followed by the first public showing of the Blessed Alexandrina DVD.

Agnes Lee, who played Blessed Alexandrina in the film was among those in the audience.  The Blessed Alexandrina DVD was very well received.  One woman religious who was present described it as ‘moving and important’ and bought a copy of the DVD to show others. 

Another couple came along, and it transpires they had been at Alexandrina’s beatification in Rome in 2004.  They said:- “We had not gone to Rome for the Beatification.  In fact we did not know until the day before that there would be a Beatification on the Sunday - it was just an added bonus to our visit.  There were six Beatifications on the day and I am sorry to say we were not familiar with any of the individuals.  I can remember on our return home reading in the Catholic papers the following week about the beatifications in Rome and this was the first time we learnt anything about the people concerned.  We always felt very privileged to have attended a beatification and although we kept the book as a memento we had forgotten the names of the individuals involved.  It wasn't until the end of the film last night, when the narration confirmed the date of the beatification, that we made the connection that we must have been present at Alexandrina's Beatification”. 

It seems Blessed Alexandrina didn’t want them to forget her!

Others were commenting that the DVD was very moving and the best Mary’s Dowry Production film to date.

Sincere congratulations and thanks to the Bevans family and their helpers for giving us all a memorable and very enjoyable day.   Blessed Alexandrina, pray for us all!

For further information:

·        Mary’s Dowry Productions website.

·        Buy the Blessed Alexandrina DVD here.

·        Mary’s Dowry Productions blog here.

·        Blessed Alexandrina – ‘A Living Miracle of the Eucharist’ booklet by Kevin Rowles, available here.

·        For details of where to purchase in Ireland and the UK, please e-mail alexandrina2@btinternet.com

·        Heralds of the Gospel in England & Wales blog here.

Pictures:
The Mary’s Dowry Productions stall
The audience watching the showing of the DVD’s

News

Despite the bad weather (snow!), the Bl. Alexandrina DVD was launched yesterday.  It was a lovely day. 

We will receive a full report with pictures this week, along with the two leaflets that were given out at the event, one made by Kevin Rowles and one made by the Bevans sisters.

See also here information about the interview of Bernadette and Emily to the BBC.

In this link you can find some information about our collaborator Leo Madigan, who won a price in the Hay Short Story Competition.

(“Leo Madigan will read his two winning stories, 'Beyond the Dreams of Avarice' and 'The Will of Quintus Kirkwood', and be presented with his prize.”)

Here can be found some biographical information on the author of the book   Alexandrina Maria da Costa.

Short news

Is being launched a new campaign of digitizing Blessed Alexandrina’s writings.
The Alex-Diffusion will put soon on sale three books in French.
It is already next Saturday that will be launched the DVD of Mary's Dowry Productions.

Gresufes

Connect to this link and read about the hamlet where Alexandrina was born;  see the pictures as well.

A premonitory dream

Alexandrina, like other saints, had a premonitory dream that allowed her to have an intuition of the road she must cover on earth, to reach her final goal. It was sometime during 1916-1918; she describes it in her Autobiography:  

I went up to the Paradise by means of a little staircase that was so narrow that there was barely room on the treads for my toes. It was with a lot of difficulty and time that I arrived there, because I did not have anything to clutch on to. On the way, I saw some souls on the side of the stairs, giving me comfort without actually speaking to me.

Once I had reached the top, I saw at the centre, on a throne, Our Lord and, at his side, His Holy Mother. All Heaven was full of blessed souls.

After contemplating all this, I had to return to earth, which I did not want to do.

I climbed down with much difficulty and found myself on earth, and everything had disappeared.

The beauty, the refinement and the heroism of Alexandrina’s virtue

Being frequently questioned about Alexandrina, I use to affirm: 

"In my already not short sacerdotal life I treated closely much people, of all categories, but I never found anyone (even religious and priests) so spiritually and humanly perfect, under all aspects, as Alexandrina. Never".

Remembering the frequent contacts that I had with that exceptional soul, illuminating them with the ascetic knowledge that the spiritual readings of my sacerdotal life daily supply to me, I do not reach to discover in her the smallest shade of imperfection. 

More for the opposite, I discover each time better the beauty, the refinement and the heroism of Alexandrina’s virtue. 

I admire every day more and more the wonderful action of God’s grace in that soul. 

If I had to point out the virtue where she more distinguished herself, I would not can to make it, because she did not have one that shone more than the others:  she was excellent in all, in a perfect harmony. 

Even in those that had been more visibly proved: e.g., in the obedience to the ecclesiastical Authority and her directors; in the patience so rudely tested by the illness, or by people who visited her in troublesome way; in the charity with the next one, over all with those who caused her most serious dislikes. 

Her truly giant personality was propped up by a spirit of very convict and evident humility that arose from her lips and more still of her interior attitudes, as easily can be deduced of the intent reading of her daily writings:  by a total indifference of her will, always anxious in searching and fulfilling the will of God with the total resignation of her desires and personal wishes. 

She was a truly and in a whole way consecrated creature to her God, in immolation’s spirit, to repair the offences that continuously are directed him, and to save souls to him, all the souls. Such consecration can’t be explained without an eminent degree of love of God:  insatiable, burning, overwhelming love. 

This love would not be better defined than applying to it the adjective “seraphic”, in the most complete sense of the word. 

Only in the life of the great lovers of God recognized by the Authority of the Church can be found a similar kind of love. 

Even more than the facts, that could cause impression, had been these solid and exceptional virtues that had bound me to Alexandrina:  it was on them that I occupied and I worried taking, in the due time, her defence at the cost of many sorrows. 

It was equally the same reason that took me to demand that she dictated her Feelings of Soul, without which we would ignore her spiritual wealth in its closest aspects and, therefore, most precious. 

Turin (Italy), 2nd July, 1965. 

In fide (in faith). 

Fr Humberto M. Pasquale, S. D. B

(Typewritten document of Balasar Archive)

You will experience how good Jesus is, how good, how good!

The following story was told by Father Umberto in his Cristo Gesù in Alexandrina and in his interview transcribed in O que dizem de Alexandrina (What people say about Alexandrina). We gathered information from the two sources.

In 1956, a nun of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians was in her bed, unwilling to accept her situation of immobility and severe pain.  One day, Alexandrina, whom she did not know, appeared in her cell.  Sitting beside the bed, she had an interesting conversation with Alexandrina for about ten minutes, who asked her to sacrifice herself for the world, which is in need of victims.

Before bidding farewell, her hands on the irons of the bed and with very sweet and smiling eyes, Alexandrina, calling her by name, said to her:

- Courage! You will experience how good Jesus is, how good, how good! 

Then she disappeared.

From that moment the life of the poor patient changed.

“YOU'RE THE QUEEN OF SINNERS"

 ................................................................................. By Fr Umberto Pasquale

This is the title Jesus gave to Alexandrina on the first Saturday of December 1944: “You're queen of the sinners; you’re queen of the world, chosen by Jesus and by Mary!” (8-12-1944). 

"When you're in Heaven, you shall be given the title of 'Little Shepherd of Jesus' " - as He promised on 10 November that year.

This affirmation of the Lord leads me to submit the details of a fact which is briefly narrated in the biography of the Servant of God (Alexandrina, pages 198-199).

It took place in the parish of Penedono, in the Diocese of Lamego (about 100 km from Balasar). In the biography I didn’t mention people's names, because the event was recent.

The parish priest, for several years, had frequently preached in vain, striving to draw his people to a more Christian life. The parish, numbering several thousand souls, only managed to draw a few dozen people to church during the Easter season.

In 1945 I was invited to preach for a few days at the end of Lent.

Because it would be hard work, and because of the situation in this parish, I decided not to respond to the invitation.

I spoke about it to Alexandrina.

'Go – she told me - go, I will go with Your Reverence!’

I accepted and arrived at Penedono. I said to the priest that Alexandrina was praying and suffering for our intentions.

The church was filling up more and more every day. But my invitation to confession was not accepted by anyone. Not even after my sermon at the cemetery, where I spoke of death, the deceased loved ones and their appeal from the afterlife, where there is a complete view of eternal truths.

The pastor was overwhelmed ... and decided to leave the parish.

It was then, at his house, I told him one night, strongly:

- Do you know why your parishioners do not convert? ... It is because of your lack of faith!

The next day, the Wednesday of Passion week, as I was very tired and having already lost my voice, the pastor did not want me to preach any more.

I opposed this ... and reaching the pulpit, called out to Alexandrina (she was still alive at this time). My voice came back. At one point in the sermon, I ordered the sexton to remove the cloth that covered the statue of Our Lady of Fatima and told him to light the altar candles.

Then I invited all the children to gather around Our Lady, and loudly ask for the conversion of the older people who filled the church.

I noticed that many people began to cry.

The next morning, before Mass, I was in the confessional, and the faithful were already in the church and waiting. Soon, the little hand of a child opened the curtain of the confessional, while with the other hand he held a woman's shawl.

- Father, confess my mother ... She did not want to, but I asked her to confess and become a friend of Jesus.

She was the first person to be confessed. That day, the penultimate one of the mission, the parish had an irresistible wave of grace. It was necessary to call for more priests, because the confessions were very many.

After the procession with the image of Jesus Crucified (it was Good Friday) and after the last sermon, the 'black sheep' of the parish appeared in the sacristy with more men and said to me:

- It's also the time of grace for me ... For further humiliation, I will confess to the pastor (who was present). I apologize for the scandal that I have given. At three o'clock in the afternoon, in commemoration of Jesus' death, I will be here.

Saying this, he began to cry like a child.

This fact made such an impression that a stubborn group of men wanted to confess that afternoon.

The next day, at four thirty in the morning, I boarded the bus to return to Mogofores (the village where Fr Umberto lived). In the dark of the night, a man came racing after the bus loudly calling for me, "Father Umberto! Father Umberto!"

I went down and found myself in the arms of the "black sheep":

- I came to thank Your Reverence the peace and joy you have brought to my soul!

I don't remember what I said ... because the bus was to leave and I had to board it hastily.

But the merit of these miracles of grace was from Alexandrina, as is stated in this letter from the pastor of Penedono addressed to me:

"After complete recovery from fatigue due to the work of the past two weeks, I feel obliged to give thanks for the shower of graces that with such abundance, her prayers and her sacrifices have made to rain down in this parish, through the words of Fr Umberto. Souls who were many years away from the Sacraments flocked in large numbers to wash in the waters of Penance and to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. It was a real triumph of divine mercy! Unable to contain my joy, I thank you for what you have done for these poor souls ..."

Picture: Castle of Penedono.