While the history of Pellevoisin has been writing itself in facts over the world, Estelle Faguette has been living a quiet, exemplary life, and proving the truth of those words which she gives as having been delivered to her in one of the Apparitions: "I chose the weak and the lowly ones for my glory."
Integrity of life and purpose have characterized her from the beginning. Simplicity - intelligent simplicity - is stamped upon her humble person. While remaining in her sphere and in retirement, she has, during the last twenty-six years, come in contact with the public; she has been questioned and cross-questioned by it; she has been probed by ecclesiastics of note. In her replies, no discordant note has been detected; in her attitude, no weak point.
In the January of 1900, we see Estelle in the Eternal City, and at the feet of the Holy Father. She had been led thither by the Duchesse d'Estissac, representing a branch of the de la Rochefoucauld family, and by Mgr. Touchet, Bishop of Orleans. His Holiness had said just before: "Let Estelle come in." Estelle had entered, and all other persons had withdrawn. The Father of the Faithful and the voyante of Pellevoisin were alone. We have heard from Estelle's own lips the account of what followed. The fact that was to follow concerning the Scapular will best tell the result of the interview.
Leo XIII called the lowly woman at his feet "Figlia Stella." He bent forward to listen to her communications. His attitude was one of the most paternal benevolence. The conversation turning upon France, he said: "Now, tell me about France."
"Holy Father," replied Estelle, "the Blessed Virgin said that France would have to suffer."
"Yes," echoed the Pontiff, "France will have to suffer."
He then questioned Estelle on the subject of the Apparitions, and accepted a Scapular of the Sacred Heart, which, kneeling, she offered him.
"And what, Figlia Stella, do you wish me to do concerning your Scapular?" he asked, after a few moments.
"To approve it and give it your blessing, most Holy Father," was the reply. The petitioner then ventured to make a request, to the effect that His Holiness would deign to convey in a written form to the Rev. Jean Baptiste Leminus, O.M.I., then Superior of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, certain instructions and encouragement concerning this scapular, in order that the same might spread over the world from the national basilica as from a great radiating centre.
"Does this good religious often come to Rome?" asked His Holiness, in reference to the Rev. J. B. Lemius.
"Yes, most Holy Father," was Estelle's reply.
After a few moments, Leo XIII said: "Let him write, and I will sign." The Sovereign Pontiff continued:
"Figlia Stella, speak to me of the Blessed Virgin." And afterwards: "You must pray to her for me, Figlia Stella; you must pray that my life may be spared for the good of the Church."
The Rev. Joseph Lemius, O.M.I., Procurator General of the Oblate Congregation at Rome, informed of what had taken place between Estelle Faguette and Leo XIII, saw further into the affair at once. The idea occurred to him of trying to obtain the canonical approbation of the Scapular in question, and he lost no time in conferring on the subject with Cardinal Mazzella, Prefect of the Congregation of Rites.
The Cardinal, thus appealed to, at first held out little hope of a request to such an effect being acceded to. He promised, however, to lay the matter before the Pope.
A few days afterwards, Estelle had another, and farewell, audience with the Sovereign Pontiff, at which the Bishop of Orleans and the Duchesse d'Estissac were present. In the course of this interview, the Holy Father, looking at the voyante of Pellevoisin and smiling, said: "Figlia Stella, I have not forgotten your Scapular. I will speak about it to-morrow."
When, according to Cardinal Mazzella's promise, the question of the canonical approbation of the scapular of the Sacred Heart, as presented to him by Estelle, was submitted to his Holiness, the Pope granted his approval. The Congregation of Rites examined the said Scapular, and approved of it in a decree dated April 4, 1900.
By a decree of the same Congregation dated May 19, 1900, the rights concerning the scapular were conferred on the Superior General of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, with the power of delegating these rights, not only to priests of his own Congregation, but to all others who might apply for them.
In this same Roman decree, the Superior of the Chaplains of Paray-le-Monial, the Superior of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre, and the Rector of the Church of the Pace in Rome, are made sharers with the Oblate Congregation in the privileges conferred.
We turn from the Civilta Catholica to an official notice published by the Oblate Congregation, in their Petites Annales, in 1900, and translated from their Libretto. This notice, after giving the history of the quasi-scapular of the Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque, mentions 1876 as the date of the scapular of the Sacred Heart, properly so called, coming into existence. Then, in a footnote, we read: "Allusion is here made to the Scapular of Our Lady of Pellevoisin, approved July 28th, 1877, by Mgr. de la Tour d Auvergne, and at the present day in use among the faithful: it is the scapular which, in the year 1900 was presented to the Sovereign Pontiff, and which the Congregation of Rites examined and approved, having made, how ever, concerning it, two slight modifications. One of these is that the liturgical words, "Mater Misericordiae" are substituted for "Je suis toute misericordieuse," and "J'aime cette devotion."
Reproduced from Public Domain Material.
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