Sister Marie Catherine Putigny, VHM
Visitandine of Metz
Part 1
The outstanding uniqueness of this lay Sister of the Metz, France Visitation Monastery was her devotion to the Sacred Humanity of Jesus.
“One day, whilst she was praying in the tribune, she thought that she perceived a shadow on the opposite wall, thrown apparently from a person at her side. She took no notice of it, but went on with her prayer. After some time, she arose and, to her utter amazement, beheld standing near her the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ. From that moment, His presence was as inseparable from her as the shadow from the substance.
When speaking of this favor,she said : ” I often see the Sacred Humanity in a kind of semi-obscurity, as one sees a beloved friend sometimes,rather in a general view than in detail. At times, He appears to be surrounded by a soft light, which facilitates my contemplation of His Adorable Face, which always bears the same features, although the expression changes according to the different scenes of His life unfolded to my gaze. His bearing, His gestures, His step, all breathe incomparable dignity and nobility. O what majesty !”
When she glanced at pictures or statues of Our Lord, she often exclaimed: “Ah! that is not You,my good Jesus. How can they represent You in such away, You who are so beautiful?”
A friend of our convent had made us a present of a very handsome statue of the Sacred Heart, and we were expressing to her our admiration of the Divine Countenance, whose look seemed to rest lovingly upon all. Sister Marie-Catherine kept a modest silence. At last, being pressed to say what she thought about it, she said: “ The expression is a little like Him,” then covering her face with her hand, as if to shut out every other sight, she said : ” But it is not Jesus. O it is very different from Him !”
This view of Our Lord was never absent from her night or day. At times, fearful of illusions, she made strenuous efforts to divert her mind from the Divine Presence, but in vain. Our Lord, seeing her sufferings, deigned to reassure her of the reality of a favor too exceptional not to alarm her humility. ” It is I, fear not,” He said. The words fell upon her like a ray of light, and filled her soul with certitude that no power could shake.
Walking always with her Saviour, speaking and acting uninterruptedly in the ineffable light of His holy presence, her highly privileged soul appeared to enjoy in anticipation a beam of the light of glory, and its reflection illumined her whole life. We may readily conceive the exquisite delicacy of conscience arising from such a grace. A simple look at Jesus showed her, as in a mirror of infinite sanctity, whatever in her own conduct could displease that Divine Master. The slightest imperfection in thought, word,or action, was shown her, and the most trivial frailties, of humanity appeared in this light as so many stains on a white garment.
We do not pretend to say that Sister Marie-Catherine was without faults. Like every child of Adam, she bore in the depths of her being tendencies opposed to the law of the spirit. Human passions made themselves felt, but they never obscured her reason. In the presence of the Divine Model ever before her eyes, they quickly disappeared. Such exhalations of human infirmity could not be exposed to the rays of Divine Justice without melting away, like morning mists, under their beneficent influence.
Under the direct and permanent action of such a grace,Sister Marie-Catherine blindly followed its impulse. The way she had to tread, the trials she had to meet, were now but secondary considerations to her. Having, in the fullest acceptation of the word, abandoned herself into the hands of God, knowing, too, that the gift of her own will is the most glorious homage that the creature can render to the Creator, she was happy in surrendering herself even with a sort of temerity to the unknown designs of His love. So perfectly did she do this that she could find no words to express it. It was the absolute possession of her entire being by the Holy Spirit.
The whole attention of her mind was now given to discern the will of God, and the whole bent of her inclination was to follow it. Time, place, circumstances had no effect upon her first determination. In the midst of bitter trials, we could hear her say to God with heavenly calmness: “Dost Thou think to contradict me, my God?Ah ! well, it is just the contrary. Thy will is all that I love in this world. To know it and to accomplish it,form my only happiness.” To succeed or to fail, to see obstacles multiplying along her path, or to follow with a glance the sweet hand of Providence smoothing them away, to find herself overwhelmed by labor, to be in joy or sorrow, to be esteemed, or to taste in silence the inconstancy of the creature, all was accepted as soon as faith discovered to her the seal of the Beloved.Almighty God does not ordinarily grant such favors as a recompense. They generally enter into His divine plan as a sort of initiation to a more exalted vocation and, at the same time, as an efficacious means of perfection.”
Source:Life of Marie-Catherine Putigny, lay Sister of the Visitation Convent at Metz
http://archive.org/stream/lifeofmariecat00unknuoft/lifeofmariecat00unknuoft_djvu.txt