Two lovely stories on Blessed Alexandrina

A man released from drug addiction

Grace obtained through the intercession of Blessed Alexandrina.

Celle Ligure, 07/26/78

I had received as an employee a young man who was addicted to drugs, but animated by good will to get rid of the habit.

For two months, I realized that he continued to use drugs, so that he seemed beyond the point of recovery. I prayed for him. I held him very dear because he was a very young man, and because many wept on seeing him in this state.
One day, in the evening, knowing that he was about injecting heroin again, I turned in despair to the aid of Alexandrina. The next morning, I saw him coming towards me all serene. He fell into my arms sobbing that, without knowing how, had thrown away the syringe and the powder he had already prepared, and that thereafter he wanted to remain free of them.

Since then several months have passed and the boy is almost healed. The pastor, who had always supported me in this case, asked me, “How did you do it?”
“I had learned of a saint, Alexandrina Maria da Costa, and I entrusted this boy to her. It was she who saved him. I find no other explanation, because this is a great miracle.

Savona, Italy.  

M. P. Testa

The bull calf that knelt before Blessed Alexandrina

Fr Umberto tells:

When Alexandrina was alive, the family sold doctor Dr. Manuel Augusto Dias de Azevedo - a name we venerate - a bull calf to help subsidize the cost of their house in which, as we know, there were many difficulties. Alexandrina had not seen the herd since the death of her uncle. On the day of the sale she showed a desire to see the young bull before it left.

To accede to her wish they decided to take the animal into the patient’s room, but realized that precautions must be taken that it would not upset the bed and injure the patient.

So those present surrounded the bed to protect Alexandrina.

But what was the astonishment of all when the animal appeared and, once inside, went down on his knees in total calm and serenity!

“It seemed to have been taught,” the witnesses said.

After a good while Alexandria thanked the cowhand and said, “Now you can take it away.”

The bull stood up in all meekness and left.

And Fr Humberto, accustomed to the demands of historical criticism, authenticated the report, made ​​in August 1978, with the names of the witnesses:
Luciano Domingues de Azevedo, Jose Pereira da Silva Costa, Ana Domingues de Azevedo, Deolinda D. Azevedo, D. Joaquina Azevedo, Rita Domingues de Azevedo.

This detail is uplifting and inspiring and reminds us of that other renowned mystic, immortal in the history of the Church and Italy, the stigmatized S. Francis of Assisi.

Gabriel Bosco in Bulletin of Grace July-December 1978

You are my star

- I was born in the manger of your heart, my daughter. It is the Spouse who comes to His beloved, it is the King who comes to His queen.

I am the King of Heaven and earth. How good it is for me to be here, O queen of love!

The crib you give me is not rough like Bethlehem, is soft with your virtues. In your crib I do not feel the rigors of cold, I warmed up and burn with the purest love.

You are my star, the star that guides the world as it once guided the Magi on the road to Bethlehem.

Say, my daughter, to all who care for you, to those who are dear to you, who love and surround you that I give them an abundance of my graces, the fullness of my Divine Love, a place reserved in my Heart with the divine promise of Heaven.

I did not see the Child Jesus, but as he told me I was alongside a large palm tree and angels, hundreds or thousands of angels, many of them with their instruments, came down from above and surrounded me. It was delightful the haste with which they descended. Among them was a large staircase; numerous golden rays came down to me from all the steps. They were like arrows to pierce my chest. And Jesus told me:

- It's your virtues, they are rays of divine love. Receive, they are your life.

Sentiments of the Soul, Christmas 1944

Francis of Assisi - a new DVD Docudrama

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Original Catholic Films and Music

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West Sussex

BN13 3WT

United Kingdom

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New issue of the Bulletin of Graces

A double number, nos. 18/19, of the journal “Boletim de Graças” (Bulletin of Graces) has been released.

It begins with a long editorial by the director, Fr Manuel Neiva, under the title "Living of the Eucharist," which accompanies an article of similar length by Mons. Manuel Ferreira Araújo on the "Sacred Heart of Jesus." In both cases, the authors highlight the evangelical dimension of Blessed Alexandrina’s life. Msgr. Manuel Ferreira Araújo has also written a “Short biography of Alexandrina of Balasar ", which is mainly a chronology.

Fr Dario Pedroso writes again about Alexandrina’s first spiritual director, on page 3. The centre pages, 4 and 5, begin with the "Feast of the seventh anniversary of the beatification of Alexandrina" and afterwards develop the themes "Young Spaniards win the contest of ideas for the shrine in honor of Blessed Alexandrina", "News from Foundation Alexandrina" and "The Daughters of the Poverty of the Blessed Sacrament leave Balasar."

Through the "News from the Foundation Alexandrina of Balasar", we learn that a team of volunteers was created to host pilgrims, and they are using a printed pamphlet, "in several languages, with itinerary, and a short explanation of these places, which are very important to know Blessed Alexandrina".  A building will soon be acquired and adapted for the headquarters of the Foundation and a Center for Spirituality.  The Foundation acquired a site near the churchyard for the purpose of building a Parish Center, etc.

On the penultimate page, the Canon Fernando Silva writes about "The month of May in Balasar".  This is about the experience of May by Alexandrina, and the last page is a long list of "Graces Received". A brief note in page 3 on "Pilgrimages" says that many messages, letters, requests of prayer cards or books from abroad are received, for example, from Ghana, South Africa, England, Spain, France, Brazil, etc. and that groups of pilgrims came to Balasar from Portugal, Ireland, England, Italy, USA, Canada, France and the Lebanon.