Flora Cantábrica

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Therese of the child Jesus

Pranzini, my first son

I heard about a great criminal who had just been sentenced to death for some horrible crimes (78). Everything suggested that he would die unrepentant. I wanted to avoid falling into hell at all costs (79), and to achieve this I used every conceivable means.

Knowing that I could do nothing by myself, I offered [46rº] to God all the infinite merits (80) of Our Lord and the treasures of the Holy Church; and finally, I asked Celina to order a Mass for my intentions, not daring to order it myself for fear of being forced to confess that it was because of Pranzini, the great criminal.

I didn’t want to tell Celina either, but he asked me such tender and pressing questions that I ended up trusting him with my secret. Far from making fun of me, she asked me to let her help me convert my sinner. I accepted, grateful, because I would have liked all creatures to join me in imploring grace for the guilty

In the bottom of my heart I was sure that our wishes would be heard. But to encourage me to continue praying for sinners, I told God that I was completely sure that I would forgive the poor unfortunate Pranzini, and that I would believe it even if he did not confess or show any sign of repentance, I had so much confidence in the infinite mercy of Jesus; but that, simply for my consolation, he asked for only «a sign» of repentance …

My prayer was heard to the letter. Despite the fact that Papa had forbidden us to read newspapers, I did not believe I was disobeying him by reading the passages that spoke of Pranzini. The day after his execution, the newspaper «La Croix» fell into my hands. I hurriedly opened it, and what did I see…? Tears betrayed my emotion and I had to hide … Pranzini had not confessed, he had climbed the scaffold, and was about to put his head in the gloomy hole, when suddenly, touched by a sudden inspiration, he turned, took the crucifix   that the priest presented him and he kissed her sacred wounds three times…! Then his soul flew to receive the merciful sentence (81) of the One who said that there will be more joy in heaven for a single sinner who is converted than for the ninety-nine righteous who do not need to be converted …

I had obtained «the sign» requested, and this sign was the faithful reproduction of the [46vº] graces that Jesus had granted me to incline me to pray for sinners