Saint Philomena, Powerful With God

as revealed to Mother Mary Louisa of Jesus*
(courtesy of the Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena)

Saint Philomena does not desire honor for herself, but seeks only to give glory to God in whatever way she can draw souls to Him. In a purported revelation to Mother Mary Louisa of Jesus, when the nun was kneeling in front of the altar in the church and thinking how much Saint Philomena had suffered, the little martyr said to her in the depths of her soul: "Meditate on the Passion of the Redeemer and compassionate Him who alone suffered intensely. I only suffered a little because Jesus Christ had suffered for us."
Saint Philomena does not desire honor for herself, but seeks only to give glory to God in whatever way she can draw souls to Him

The nun on another occasion asked the saint in prayer to thank God for a grace she had obtained through her intercession. Philomena promised to do so, and added that Mother Mary Louisa should in turn recite the Gloria Patri three times in thanksgiving to the Blessed Trinity for the graces given to her during the time of her martyrdom, by which the Lord made Himself her strong shield and caused her to be rapt in ecstasy for three hours so that she did not know what torments the tyrants sought to inflict upon her until the clamor of the people brought her back to her senses and she was forthwith beheaded.

When Mother Mary Louisa of Jesus asked St. Philomena to teach her some devotion that would be acceptable to her, she heard an interior voice saying: "Recite the Creed three times: once for the perseverance ce of the just, once for the conversion of sinners, and a third time for the return of heretics and infidels to the Faith." Another time St. Philomena told Mother Mary Louisa that she had been preserved from death in the midst of tortures because she was not satisfied in offering up one single life, but desired to have a thousand lives to offer to her Spouse, and He had now given her as much glory as if she had really done so.
"We realize", said Philomena, "that we are before God as so many vases of honor, some larger, some smaller. The vases of our souls dilate according to the desire to love God that we had when we were on earth."

St. Philomena also explained the wonderful power of her intercession when asked what was the difference between the essential glory of the saints and their accidental glory. "We realize", said Philomena, "that we are before God as so many vases of honor, some larger, some smaller. The vases of our souls dilate according to the desire to love God that we had when we were on earth. As soon as we are brought into the presence of God, each vase is filled to the brim with knowledge and love of Him. This plenitude is what is called essential glory, and this, through all eternity, cannot be enlarged or diminished. God Himself can put in the hearts of the faithful to pray to Him through His saints; and then graces descend from Him like limpid water, falling on our vases. But being already full, they cannot contain it, wherefore the water splashes from them and falls down on the earth and on you who are pilgrims. This glory is called accidental, and can increase or diminish. But in either case we lose nothing. Always we give glory to God."

Our Lady replied: "To Philomena nothing is refused."

One night, Mother Mary Louisa had a vision in which she saw Our Lady and St. Philomena. The "dear little saint" confided her to the protection of the Mother of God saying: "Stand firm beneath the protection of Mary." Again, she saw Saint Philomena laying her crown before Mary's throne saying: "Lady of Heaven, I am come to ask grace." Whereupon she solicited more than thirty graces for different persons. Our Lady replied: "To Philomena nothing is refused." St. Gabriel wrote down the concessions with a golden pen. Then the saint turned to Mother Mary Louisa and asked: "Have you seen how this was done? I asked the graces from Mary, and through Mary they were granted to me."

* These revelations have received the Imprimatur of the Holy Office, which means simply that the Church has pronounced them free from anything contrary to the Faith. It does not pronounce further.


Back to St. Philomena.
Back to Home Page....