No Greater Delight - Fr. Nathaniel Dreyer

Celebrations In Savoy, France, Our Lady of Pignerol or Pigneralo (Notre-Dame de Piedmont): the shrine was built in 1098 in honor of Our Lady’s Assumption, many years before the actual proclamation of the dogma. [1] The morning of November 15th, 1800, on Nabeul Beach in Tunis: the finding of the wooden statue by Nicola Moretto, a slave, that would be venerated as Our Lady of the Slave (Madonna dell...

Celebrations In Lamego, Portgual, Our Lady of the Grotto: the chapel of Our Lady of the Grotto is found carved into the rock, at a place where an image of Our Lady had been found. [1] In 1935, Montevago, Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, The Madonna of Grace (Madonna della Grazie): the canonical crowning of a painting of the Madonna with Child. In Bologna, Italy, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: thi...

Celebrations In Montrichard, France, Our Lady of Nanteuil (Notre-Dame de-Nanteuil): in this church is a fountain said to have healing powers, since the waters were blessed by Saint Martin of Tours who then used them to baptize converts. [1] Dedication of the Abbey of Bec (the abbey’s complete name is Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec ) [2] In 1695, in Santa Rosa, Ambato, Tungurahua, Ecuador, Our Lady of th...

Celebrations In 1863, in Turin, Italy, Our Lady of the Tower Secret (Nostra Signora del Segreto della Torretta): this shrine was built, one cent at a time (starting with eight cents) by Saint John Bosco. Why the name “Tower Secret”? “The curious thing about Don Bosco’s shrine to Our Lady, and the one that should cause us thought, is the story of the right-hand tower. There is a large central dome,...

Celebrations In 1546, Our Lady of the Portuguese (Nossa Senhora do português): Our Lady appeared on the city walls in the East Indies during a siege; her appearance so frightened the enemies that they packed up their things and fled. [1] In 1990, at the Shrine of Blanca Estrella del Mar (White Star of the Sea) Olón, Santa Elena, Ecuador: a statute of Our Lady, Mystical Rose, was said to shed tears...

Celebrations In Viana do Castelo, Portugal, Our Lady of Last Agony: when a sudden storm would swell on the seas and threaten to bash the fishermen’s boats against the cliffs, the wives and families of the fisherman in Viana do Castelo would invoke Our Lady’s protection. [1] In 1552, a miraculous cure through the intercession of Our Lady of Loreto: a Turkish officer was convinced by one of his Chri...

Celebrations In Madrid, Spain, Our Lady of Almudena: there are numerous traditions regarding the origins of this statue. Some say that it was brought by a certain Calocerus, a disciple of Saint James the Greater, around the year 38. Others say that Nicodemus of Jesus’ burial fame carved it, others that Saint Luke painted it, and still others that Saint James himself brought it from Jerusalem. In a...

Celebrations Our Lady of Belle Fontaine (Notre-Dame de Bellefontaine): in the 1600’s a hunter was seriously wounded. He begged Our Lady’s help to save his life and, dipping his hand into the water at the fountain, he pulled it out completely restored. In gratitude, he gifted a statue of our Lady. In 1620, the Battle of White Mountain, and devotion to Our Lady of Victory: according to legend, Fr. D...

Celebrations ·      In Dijon, France, Our Lady of the Pond: [1] ·      In the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica in Bogotá, Colombia, Nuestra Señora del Topo [1] Orsini – Barthe – Hahn, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary , 553.

Celebrations In Lyons, France, Our Lady of Valfleurie (or Valfleury) (Notre Dame de Valfleury) [1] : the statue of Our Lady dates back to the 9th century, and was solemnly crowned on May 31st, 1860. The story is told that around Christmas around the year 800, a shepherd leading his flock saw a bush in full bloom with flowers. As he spread its branches, he beheld, in the middle of the bush, a statu...

Celebrations Our Lady of Damietta (Egypt): the church was made from a mosque that had been captured in 1219. However, in 1221 the city was retaken by the Muslims. In 1249, King Saint Louis IX returned and re-captured the church, which they held until 1259. When the Sultan heard that Louis IX intended to return and capture the church yet again, he ordered it razed to the ground. [1] Meditation: Aga...

Celebrations In Milan, Italy, Our Lady of Port Louis (Santa Maria alla Porta Luigi): it is unclear what this feast refers to. [1] In 1696, in Pócs, Hungary, the Könnyezo Szuzanya (the Weeping Virgin) began weeping. The image was known to produce healings, and hence it was moved to St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna upon the emperor’s command.   Meditation: Speaking again of the scapular, it seems t...

Celebrations Our Lady of Rennes (Notre Dame de Rennes) in Britanny (France): Tradition holds that in 1357, during the Hundred Years War, the English planned to destroy the city with a mine. However, candles within the church were miraculously lit, and the church bells rang themselves. When the townspeople rushed into the Church, they saw the statue of Our Lady with her arms outstretched, indicatin...

Celebrations In Abbeville, France, the celebration of Our Lady of Emminont: the shrine is known for many miracles and pilgrimages, although it is hard to ascertain the origins of the devotion. On the commemoration of the All the Faithful Departed, some people also recall Mary in her scapular promise, and hence remember in a special way Our Lady of Mount Carmel. For those of you who are unfamiliar...

Celebrations “Feast of All Saints, instituted in honour of Our Lady and all the saints, at Rome, by Pope Boniface IV about the year 608, and, since, in all churches of Christendom, by Pope Gregory IV, about the year 829.” [1] Pope Pius XII added the invocation “Queen of All Saints” to the Litany of the Saints after being released from prison on May 24, 1814. [2] Likewise, in Ancona, Italy (the cap...

Celebrations Our Lady of the Miracle of St. Fort, in Chartres, France: “In the year 1116, a chorister having fallen into the well of Saint Fort, which is in the church of Chartres, was saved by Our Lady.” [1] Why the place is called Saint Fort is unclear: some seem to think it refers to the place’s ancient name, Locus Fortis, while others attribute it to the name of the first bishop of the place,...