I was somewhat embarrassed to kneel Once there was in Constantinople, during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid, a remarkable bishop whose great age, beautiful white beard, and striking appearance impressed those who approached him. A former officer in the Italian army, he entered late in the orders. He came from a family who used to recite the Rosary every evening at the foot of the Blessed Virgin. After graduating from his military school as a second lieutenant, he came back to his family to celebrate his promotion, and was warmly welcomed. On the evening of that memorable day, a little scene happened that he likes to recall: My mother asked me if I still recited my Rosary. Pulling it out of my pocket, I told her I prayed it often, especially on Sundays. Then the time came to recite it as a family. Everyone knelt down, but I stood a little behind everyone. I admit I was a little ashamed to kneel. My mother suddenly turned around and got up; she came to me and without a word slapped me across the face. The following days, I was the first on my knees in the middle of my family. This story was told by Bishop Bonetti himself, a great prelate and faithful servant of Our Lady. Told by Brother Albert Pfleger In Fioretti de la Vierge Marie, Ephèse Diffusion
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 20:46:47 +0000