Her Vocation

Our little Perrine had just completed her seventeenth year; her retreat “entirely converted her,” as she herself said. She always attributed this great grace to the most Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Jesus, and from that moment united to her past sentiments of filial affection for this tender Mother, a lifelong debt of gratitude.

“I became devoted to the Blessed Virgin,” said she, “in a most particular manner. I admired with what mercy this Divine Mother withdrew me from the verge of the abyss whither my infidelities were leading me; my confidence in her daily increased and I felt inspired to beg her to obtain for me the grace of becoming a religious. My good Mother heard my prayer, for I soon felt the desire of abandoning the world grow stronger in my soul. But what was I to do? I was afraid to mention the subject to my confessor. One day, when my sufferings were extreme, and the grace of God was strongly agitating me on the subject of my vocation, I hastened to the altar of my cherished Mother, our Blessed Lady, and deposited in her maternal heart all my fears and anxieties. The Blessed Virgin soon soothed my troubled heart and delivered me from my disquietude.”

…

During this time of trial our little Perrine drew all her fortitude from Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament. “Ah!” said she, “what consolation I found in visiting this good Saviour, particularly during the middle of the day, when He is most forgotten; I then poured forth my soul in His Divine Presence.” Once, as she was praying in the chapel of the Visitation, prostrate before the altar, one of her friends perceiving her, was very careful not to disturb her or make her aware of her presence.

She found Perrine kneeling with clasped hands, her head turned upward and her eyes fixed as if on some invisible being with whom she seemed to be in communion. Perrine often addressed herself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “I often made acts of reparation to the Sacred Heart, to whom I have a great devotion. I conjured the most Sacred Heart of Jesus to break the chains which still bound me to the world that I might take my flight toward Carmel. I went afterwards and cast myself at the feet of the most Holy Virgin, in the same chapel where I had already received so many graces for my vocation, and animated with ardent love, I poured forth my heart in her maternal bosom as would a little child. I importuned her unceasingly, saying, ‘Behold, my good Mother, my companions are all married. When wilt thou give me Him for whom my heart sighs? I wish for none other than thy beloved Son for my heavenly spouse.’ ” At the conclusion of this petition we find the following note: “This good Mother obtained my relief from a malady. For nine days I besought her to cure me, promising to have some Masses said in her honour; and in thanksgiving for having granted my request, I had fifteen Masses said in honour of the mysteries of the most holy rosary.”

Excerpt taken from: The Holy Face and the Work of Reparation, by Sr Marie de St Pierre, & Abbè P. Janvier (ed.), (1884), reprinted in 2026 by A.D. Press.