This story brought tears to my eyes but joy to my soul http://tonusperegrinus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/anecdotal-memory.html
My 12 yr. old daughter's religion lesson today was reading this to me while I cooked dinner. We then had a lengthy conversation about God's love for us...I love homeschooling!
It reminded me of this girl here: Who offered up her life for Christian Unity ; God accepted her sacrifice and she died not long afterwards. 'I saw in front of me a big cross…, I thought that my sacrifice was nothing in comparison to His. I offered myself entirely and I do not withdraw the given word.' Blessed Gabriella Gabriella was a young Sardinian peasant girl who became a Trappist nun in a very obscure Trappist Convent. She knew nothing about Ecumenism but a travelling French priest visited her convent and suggested God wanted someone to offer up their lives for Church unity. She did so, with the permission of her Superior and Spiritual Director and God accepted her sacrifice. Interestingly her bible showed she had read fervently the last few chapter of St John: John 17:21 >> New International Version (©1984) that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
After her death to the great surprise of the Abbess and the other nuns people from all over the world started turning up from all religions on the doorstep of the convent and this house in the middle of nowhere became a world ecumenical centre. However the powers that be at the Vatican (who at the same time were driving poor Padre Pio nuts) were furious. Two Monsignori from Rome came down from Rome with emergency orders to hijack the poor old Abbess. In the middle of the night, without even being given the time to get out of her night clothes or pack a bag they drove her to a secret location in Switzerland. The Abbess didn't get back ot her convent till years later dying of cancer Rome let her back home. When asked how she felt about things the dying Abbess said , quoting the psalm: Psalm 126:5 BBE Bible in Basic English Those who put in seed with weeping will get in the grain with cries of joy.
