THE MIRACULOUS IN IRELAND.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2072, 14 October 1880, Page 3

THE MIRACULOUS IN IRELAND.

A Limerick paper gives the following account of the miraculous appearance at the church of Mount St. Yincent, in the western suburbs of the city, which will prove a formidable rival to Knock :—“ On the western side of the building is a large and finely-con-coiyed figure of the Blessed Virgin carved in Caen stone, and underneath is a window which gives light to an oratory of our Blessed Lady, situate in that part of the convent. This statue is 30ft from the earth, and in front of it are the playground and an open field extending to the boundary wall, the land thus enclosed being quite level, and including about one acre or more extent. To the north of the convent gardens is a belt of houses which skirt the wall five or six hundred yards away, and which enclose the grounds in that direction. We have given these particulars that the facts wo are about to relate should be better understood, and to show, too, that what was noon could not be produced by accidental [or by artificial means such as ‘‘magic lanterns,” or such like apparatus. It will be remembered that on Sunday, August 15tb, the feast of our Blessed Lady, the weather in this locality was magnificently fine, yet the thunder pealed with crashing sound and the lightning flashed with startling vividness. On the evening of the day the orphans left tne convent to play in the grounds in front of the new buildings, and they were told not to be alarmed by the thunder, but to pray to Our Lady of Succour should they bo frightened. With whole faith of Our Lady’s protection with which the little ones like their elders are possessed, they passed into the grounds and proceeded in their innocent amusements in the usual manner. Soon after the thunder rolled along the sky and the children at once piously offered up their prayers for safety to the Blessed Virgin. Then they raised their voices and sang the touching hymn, ‘ Look down, Mother Mary,’ and while the beautiful music of their young fresh voices was ascending, one of the children suddenly called out, “ Oh, look there !” and instantly the eyes of 200 others, her companions, were turned towards the belt of trees to the north of the convent, and in the air above them the figure of the Blessed Virgin was beheld by all attired in a white robe, with a blue sash around her waist. The infant Saviour was borne on her right arm, and a rosary depended from her left. She seemed to rest on a white cloud, upheld by two angels who carried in their disengaged hands branches of some description covered with foliage. The children were spellbound, and involuntarily offered prayers to the Blessed Virgin. After they had gazed on the vision for about ten minutes some of them ran to the convent to acquaint the nuns, but before the good ladies had arrived at the spot the Divine Apparition had gone, the Virgin disappearing in the heavens. The children were found in a pale, terrified, trembling state, but all tallied in their accounts of what was seen, even to the description of the rosary, which they stated was large and white, and the beads of which were far asunder from each other. More startling still was it to find that children distant from them in another part of the premises had also seen the vision. There was no wavering and no contradiction among them. Several were from thirteen to fourteen years of age, and it was impossible not to be convinced of their truthfulness. So much for Sunday evening; but on the next day the manifestation was still more decisive. While the children were again at play one of their number called out to look at the Blessed Virgin, and instantly almost fainted. All eyes were directed towards the statue on the top of the building, and above it in the air the children saw the immaculate Mother vested altogether in white, her hands raised as it in the attitude of invoking or expressing a blessing or prayer, her eyes cast down, and a silvery light surrounding the beatific figure. Some of the children again hastened to the convent to communicate what they saw, and one of the nuns who arrived first on the spot beheld the Virgin also. The children were unanimous in their description of the strange apparition, and the little one who first saw the vision was absolutely rigid from the astonishment. The other members of the holy community did not see the miraculous spectacle, but they saw as the sun set globes of light, some white, some a beautiful azure, more a brilliant red and other hues, come floating through the air from the direction of the orb setting in the west over and around the convent, and in some cases apparently passing through the windows. The next night the vision of our Blessed Lady was not seen, but the events at the convent were sufficiently wonderful to justify further record. We have already stated that the reports throughout the city as to heavenly visions led to great excitement, and numbers of men and others clambered on the walls facing the new buildings, while hundreds made their way into the field by the same route, and lay anxiously watching in the direction of the statue. The form of the Blessed Virgin was not beheld, but a porter in the institution, while passing in front of the new building, saw a flood of light rise from the direction of the entrance under the oratory, and ascending, envelope the statue in brilliant radiance. He ran towards the men lying in the field, to ask if they had seen it, when he saw them gazing towards the building, having also witnessed the ascent of the light. We are impressed ourselves by the reports brought to us from various sources, including several of the eyewitnesses, and we feel convinced of the truthfulness of those to whom we have spoken.”