St. Ignatius ^aUr. 
 
 
 
 .A#, 
 
 MOUSE LIBRARY 
 
 \ 
 

4 - 
 
 BY A FATHER 
 OF THE 
 
 SOCIETY OF JESUS. 
 
 SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 
 PUBLISHED BV 
 
 I THE LEAGUE OF THE SACRED HEART, ST. XAVIER CHURCH, 
 I CINCINNATI, O, 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 + 
 
 1 009 . 
 
(0batat. 
 
 : R. J. MEYER, S.J., 
 
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 I Praepos. Prov. 
 
 June 21, 1908. 
 
 3mprimat«r. 
 
 HENRICUS MOELLER, 
 
 July 1, 1908. 
 
 Archiep. Cincinnaten. 
 
Introduction. 
 
 i 
 
 TN THE first two editions of this booklet, 
 nearly all the examples of the favors 
 received by those who used St. Ignatius 
 Holy Water, were taken from foreign coun¬ 
 tries and from the remote past. It may 
 perhaps increase our confidence in the 
 powerful intercession of St. Ignatius to 
 know that not only in the distant past and 
 in far off lands, but even at the present 
 time, in our own country, and in our midst, 
 wonderful instances of the efficacy of this 
 holy water are to be met with. Hence 
 one of the objects of the two following 
 editions was to encourage the confidence 
 of the clients of St. Ignatius by presenting 
 to them some of the more recent cures 
 effected in our own country. In this 
 
edition an entirely new series of favors is 
 given, different from those narrated before. 
 These favors are so varied that no attempt 
 will be made to classify them, and hence 
 we shall merelv record them, in so far as 
 
 V 
 
 is possible, in chronological order. 
 
 It is hoped that these few pages may con¬ 
 tribute, at least in some small degree, to the 
 honor and glory of St. Ignatius of Loyola, 
 and increase devotion to this great Saint. 
 May all those who, in a spirit of faith, 
 make use of St. Ignatius Holy Water, ex¬ 
 perience the effects of his powerful inter¬ 
 cession. May they receive all temporal 
 as well as spiritual favors, as a reward 
 of their confidence in the power of St. 
 Ignatius, before the throne of God. 
 
 St. Xavier Church, Cincinnati, O., 
 January 1, 1909. 
 
IgngtiOs 
 
 ' i 'HE ACTS of the canonization of St. Ignatius 
 recognize more than two hundred miracles 
 wrought through his mediation. These marvels 
 have continued without interruption even to our 
 own days. Among the many practices of devotion 
 to which God has deigned to attach what might 
 seem miraculous favors, the most universally known 
 is the use of St. Ignatius Holy Water. Almighty 
 God has visibly approved of this pious practice, by 
 granting the desires of persons who have availed 
 themselves of this means with faith and confidence. 
 The very prayers used, with the approbation of the 
 Church, in the blessing of this water are enough to 
 convince us of its efficacy. For the priest, whilst 
 dipping a relic or medal of the Saint into the water, 
 prays, in the name of the Church that God may 
 grant to this holy water the virtue of healing both 
 body and soul, and of driving away all evils from 
 our dwellings. 
 
 5 
 
THE NOVENA TO ST. IGNATIUS. 
 
 Persons wishing to make use of this holy water 
 are exhorted 
 
 (1) To make a novena to St. Ignatius, reciting 
 some prayers daily, and drinking a little of the 
 water, morning and evening, or putting some drops 
 on the parts of the body affected. 
 
 (2) They should approach the Sacraments dur¬ 
 ing the novena, or at least promise to do so as soon 
 as they obtain the favor they ask. 
 
 This, however, must be borne in mind: 
 
 (a) That those who have confidence will soon 
 experience the great power of St. Ignatius with God; 
 and the greater this confidence, the sooner they will 
 obtain their request. 
 
 6 
 
(6) If at the end of a novena, the favor is not 
 obtained, let them not lose confidence. Ordinarily, 
 God does not grant His favors at once, but He often 
 delays in order to prevent us from falling into a 
 blind self-suflBciency. Our Lord has said: “Ask 
 and you shall receive;” but He has not said “im¬ 
 mediately”. Some persons have obtained the cure 
 they sought only after several novenas. 
 
 Prayers for the Novena. 
 
 The following prayers may be recited during the 
 novena: 
 
 Three times the Our Father, Hail Mary, and 
 Glory be to the Father, etc., night and morning. (To 
 these may be added the Litany of the Holy Name 
 of Jesus, or the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, once 
 a day, according to one’s devotion.) 
 
 V. Pray for us, O Holy Father, St. Ignatius. 
 
 R. That we may be made worthy of the prom¬ 
 ises of Christ. 
 
 Let Us Pray. 
 
 O God, who, for the increase of the greater 
 glory of Thy Holy Name, hast been pleased by 
 Blessed Ignatius, to strengthen the Church militant, 
 with new help, grant that aided by his prayers, dur- 
 
 7 
 
ing our warfare on earth, we may so imitate his 
 virtues, as to be happily crowned with him in heaven. 
 Through our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. Amen. 
 
 Let tls Pray. 
 
 O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, 
 who, imparting to the bodies of the sick Thy gra¬ 
 cious blessing, dost guard Thy creature by Thy mani¬ 
 fold tenderness, graciously assist us to invoke Thy 
 Holy Name; that, by the intercession of Thy Con¬ 
 fessor, St. Ignatius, Thy servants, freed from sick¬ 
 ness and blessed with health, may be raised up by 
 Thy right hand, strengthened by Thy help, guarded 
 by Thy protection, and restored to Thy Holy 
 Church with every blessing. Through our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, etc. Amen. 
 
 Let Us Pray. 
 
 O Thou, who dost vouchsafe Thy blessing to this 
 holy water, that it may be a salutary remedy to the 
 human race, grant by the intercession of Blessed 
 Ignatius, whose relic or medal has been immersed 
 in it, that whoever partakes of it may receive health 
 of body and protection of soul. Through Christ 
 our Lord. Amen. 
 
THE POWERFUL INTERCESSION OF 
 ST. IGNATIUS. 
 
 TN ORDER that the faithful may be better con- 
 
 vinced of its efficacy, we shall relate a few of the^^ 
 many favors received through the use of this holy 
 water. 
 
 “Father Fiter,” says the Woodstock Letters 
 (1890), “in his interesting little account written in 
 Spanish, classifies the miracles and favors obtained 
 through the use of St. Ignatius Holy Water, giving a 
 special chapter to each class. The miracles and 
 favors are wonderfully varied. (1) In certain 
 parts of Switzerland, for instance, the holy water is 
 used effectually in imminent danger from fire. 
 (2) In Spain miraculous recoveries of women in 
 labor are recorded without number. (3) In Italy 
 and France it is used as a powerful remedy against 
 violent temptations.” 
 
 We could cite a great number of instances, but 
 shall content ourselves with relating but a few of 
 them. These facts, as far as one can judge of 
 heavenly favors, without anticipating the judgment 
 of the Church, seem to us very apt to excite the con¬ 
 fidence of the faithful and increase their devotion 
 towards a Saint whose intercession appears so power¬ 
 ful with God. 
 
 9 
 
SOME FAVORS OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE 
 OF ST. IGNATIUS HOLY WATER IN 
 RECENT YEARS. 
 
 f^ATHER Thos. D. M,, S.J., was the witness of a 
 ^ remarkable cure of one of the students of Spring 
 Hill College, Mobile, Ala., in 1902. He says that 
 typhoid fever tried them very severely that year. 
 A young lad named Voorhies, from Louisiana, was 
 attacked. It was a dreadful case, and the doctors 
 gave him up, considering his condition hopeless. 
 His friends began a novena to St. Ignatius, placed a 
 medal of the Saint on the sufferer, and dropped 
 some St. Ignatius Holy Water into all the medicine 
 he took, when lo! the boy was saved. Astonished 
 at the unexpected cure of their boy, when all natural 
 help seemed useless, the father and mother vowed 
 lasting gratitude to St. Ignatius of Loyola, through 
 whose intercession their son was restored to them. 
 
 ^ i 'HE little child of Mrs. J. A. D., of the Gesu 
 parish, Milwaukee, had suffered from eye 
 trouble from its birth, August, 1903. Tears gath¬ 
 ering under the lid caused inflammation and the 
 formation of matter which hardened on the lid, thus 
 causing a very serious condition of the eye. Al¬ 
 though following faithfully the directions of two 
 physicians as to the treatment of the eye, it became 
 alarmingly worse. On August 29th, the child was 
 
 10 
 
taken to an oculist, who said that the tear duct was 
 closed, that inflammation had set in and that the 
 bone was diseased, so that absolutely nothing could 
 be done but have an immediate operation. Sep¬ 
 tember 1st, the child was taken to a Jesuit Father, 
 who prayed over it, applied some St. Ignatius Holy 
 Water, and advdsed a novena to the Saint. On the 
 following first Friday, October 7th, the mother in 
 great joy took the child, now completely cured, to 
 show the Father the result of the prayers and no¬ 
 vena. 
 
 About two years and a half after the cure, one of 
 the Fathers was requested to make inquiries as to 
 its permanence. He replied that he found the cure 
 perfect and permanent, without any trace of pre- 
 \nous trouble, or any indication of its return. The 
 mother of the child adds that she had a similar 
 exi>erience wdth another child, four years before, 
 for both of which she expresses her thanks and 
 grateful appreciation of the favor received through 
 the intercession of St. Ignatius. 
 
 O EV. J. B. H., S.J., of the Sacred Heart Church, 
 Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., relates the case of a 
 young man who went to the hospital in the \\inter 
 of 1903, with a very badly lacerated finger. Blood 
 poisoning had already set in, so that it was in a very 
 bad condition. The surgeon said that there was 
 only one thing to do, and that quickly—amputate it. 
 
 11 
 
Sister St. Blaise, who was just then reading the life of 
 St. Ignatius, thought that such a great Saint might 
 find another way, and so she bathed the man’s 
 finger in St. Ignatius Holy Water. Shortly after, 
 he went away with four solid fingers and a thumb 
 on each hand. 
 
 ^ I ''HE account of the following cure is taken from 
 The Madonna. The statement is given, says 
 the editor, just as it is in the original document, with¬ 
 out endeavoring to establish any claim of a super¬ 
 natural character, beyond saying that the facts al¬ 
 leged are, as far as we are aware, absolutely correct. 
 We have thought it better, out of regard for persons 
 concerned, to suppress the names and addresses. 
 The account, given in her own words, was written 
 on May 4, 1904, by an Irish religious of the Order 
 of Mercy: For fourteen years I suffered from a 
 diseased bone in my head, for which I was constantly 
 treated by eminent surgeons without getting any 
 permanent relief—never for more than a month at a 
 time. The disease spread gradually, and my 
 suffering increased until it became indescribable. 
 I put myself into the hands of a specialist who treated 
 me for two years with a particular interest in my case, 
 which he said was a peculiar one, but still without 
 relief, or any hope of a cure. Ultimately he told me 
 that the only remedy left was to remove all the bones 
 of one side of my face, including a considerable por- 
 
 12 
 
tion of the orbit, and involving the loss of the nose 
 and one eye. At this stage I was told by a Jesuit 
 Father to give up all medical treatment, leave my¬ 
 self in the hands of St. Ignatius, and use the water 
 blessed in his honor. I did so, and I have now been 
 more than three years without any other remedy, and 
 have never during that time suffered from my head 
 or been unable for my work. The specialist men¬ 
 tioned above declared my cure to be marvelous. I 
 attribute it entirely to the intercession of St. 
 Ignatius. 
 
 A BOUT June 4, 1904, Mrs. McC., of Woodward 
 ^ ^ avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, was suffering from 
 tumor. The doctor ordered her to get ready for an 
 operation, if she valued her life. She said she would 
 almost rather die, for she was so broken down that 
 she could not stand the strain. She asked Father 
 B. J. H., S.J., of the Sacred Heart Church, to do 
 something for her. lie told her that St. Ignatius 
 would cure her, and gave her some of the holy water. 
 A few days afterwards she was sent to the hospital 
 and lodged in the same room where Sister St. 
 Maurice was cured of the same disease three years 
 before through the intercession of St. Ignatius. 
 The Father reminded her of the fact and gave her 
 his own medal of St. Ignatius to wear during a 
 novena to the Saint. There was no operation. 
 Two months later she told the Father that she did 
 
 13 
 
not know how to express her thanks sufficiently to 
 St. Ignatius for the splendid health she enjoyed ever 
 since. 
 
 A MISSIONARY writing from Honduras, August 
 30, 1904, says that a lady told him shortly be¬ 
 fore that she had applied in vain every remedy she 
 could obtain to cure her eyes of a disease which has 
 left many others blind. Finally she used St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water with prayer and confidence 
 and was cured. 
 
 FEATHER B. C., S.J., writing from St. Ignatius 
 ^ Church, San Francisco, August 31, 1904, men¬ 
 tions a very remarkable case which happened shortly 
 before: A little boy was entirely crippled. His 
 parents having tried in vain all the remedies they 
 could, out in the country where they lived, brought 
 the little boy to San Francisco to consult some of the 
 best physicians. As they first called on one of the 
 Fathers of St. Ignatius Church to learn the name of 
 some prominent physician, he recommended the use 
 of St. Ignatius Holy Water. They started at once 
 to use it, and in a few days the child got so much 
 better that they took him back home to finish the 
 novena. A few days after, the mother sent a letter to 
 the Father, stating that the child was well. Her 
 heart was overflowing with gratitude to St. Ignatius, 
 
 14 
 
and she expressed a hope to be able some time to 
 testify her gratitude in a substantial manner. 
 
 T TNDER date of August 31, 1904, Father B. C., 
 ^ S.J., of St. Ignatius Church, San Francisco, 
 writes: “About four years ago, as I was going out 
 one day, I met at the door a gentleman who spends 
 much time each day in our church, and I asked him 
 how he was. ‘I am not well at all,’ he said. ‘I 
 have no ambition.’ The poor man had intermit¬ 
 tent fever and ague, and after walking a few blocks 
 he became exhausted and had to lie down. He took 
 a great amount of quinine, but in vain. I advised 
 him to make a novena to St. Ignatius and to use the 
 holy water. He did not know anything about it, so 
 I explained what it was. He agreed to begin at 
 once. I met him soon after, and asked him how 
 he was. ‘First rate. Father,’ he said. ‘From the 
 moment I took the first dose of that holy water I 
 have been an entirely new man; I never felt better 
 in all my life; St. Ignatius is a great Saint,’ etc. 
 I met him again and again since, and he had always 
 the same answer. Before writing to you I saw him 
 again, the other day, and he assured me once more 
 that from the time he took St. Ignatius Holy Water, 
 he has been in the enjoyment of the best of health 
 and that he still feels well. His name is Lawrence 
 K., a member of our sodality.’’ 
 
 15 
 
O EV. Jas. K., S.J., of Gonzaga College, Spokane, 
 Washington, relates the following case: “One 
 night in August, 1904, we received at the College 
 an urgent sick call. A young lady was very ill, 
 though I did not consider it necessary to administer 
 the last Sacraments at once. The next morning, I 
 brought her Holy Communion and left her some 
 St. Ignatius Holy Water, telling her to take a few 
 teaspoonfuls every time her trouble occurred. 
 Though previous to this she had been unable to take 
 or retain any nourishment, after taking some of the 
 holy water, she was able to retain nourishment and 
 began at once to get better. Since taking the holy 
 water (which she always mixed with the medicine) 
 her trouble has disappeared. Her case baffled the 
 physicians for a time, so she attributed her cure to the 
 use of St. Ignatius Holy Water.” 
 
 r^ROM the Sacred Heart Church, Sault Ste. 
 
 Marie, August 15, 1904, a Jesuit Father, 
 writes: “On September 29, 1903, I was called in 
 haste to attend Mrs. E. A. B., who was thought to 
 be in imminent danger of death. The doctor was 
 called for, but failed to come, so I gave her some St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water, assuring her that it would help 
 her. The next day she was sitting up in bed and the 
 third day she was doing her work. About two 
 months ago, her husband called to tell me that she 
 has been well ever since. Mrs. B. herself came to 
 
 16 
 
see me some time ago and said she almost doubts at 
 times if she is the same Mrs. B. of some years ago, 
 as, instead of spending most of her time on a sick¬ 
 bed, she now does all her own work and that too for 
 a very large family. Last night she was in church 
 till 10 p.m., kneeling before the altar for a long 
 time, as only a strong healthy person could do.” 
 
 O E\^ N. C., S.J., writing September 20, 1904, 
 from Gonzaga College, Spokane, Washington, 
 
 says: 
 
 (1) Havdng the spiritual care of our boarders, 
 1 often visit the sick in the infirmary. I exhort them 
 to use St. Ignatius Holy Water with prayer and con¬ 
 fidence, and find in general that they are very much 
 helped and comforted in their sufferings. About 
 four years ago, one of our large boys was afflicted 
 with inflammatory rheumatism. The doctor de¬ 
 clared that he would not be able to get out of bed for 
 months. We started a novena, using St. Ignatius 
 Holy Water, and before the end of the novena, he 
 was able to be put in a cab and then to travel without 
 inconvenience from Spokane to Portland, Oregon. 
 All recognized it as a wonderful cure. 
 
 (2) Three years ago, another large boy had very 
 sore eyes, so that he could not read or study. He 
 made a novena, using the St. Ignatius Holy Water, 
 and at the end of it, returned to his studies. 
 
 (3) I, myself, about a year ago, suffered very 
 
 17 
 
much from pains in the stomach. It seemed that no 
 remedy could help me. I took some St. Ignatius 
 Holy Water, and I was at once greatly relieved. 
 
 IVyJRS. J. W. N., of Butte, Mont., writing August 
 15, 1905, gives the following instance of the 
 intercession of St. Ignatius: My two little boys, 
 one aged five years and another aged three, had 
 swollen throats all last winter; we did everything 
 for them possible, but nothing seemed to help them, 
 and the oldest boy’s chin broke out in a running sore. 
 As two of your Fathers, Rev. J. R. R. and Rev. J. J. 
 D., were giving a mission in our church, I took the 
 little boys to see Father R. He gave me some St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water, together with a leaflet of pray¬ 
 ers to make a novena. I commenced at once, and 
 I promised two Masses in honor of St. Ignatius. 
 Both boys got better and have not been troubled 
 since. I gave them the water to drink twice a day, 
 and applied some externally. I promised the mis¬ 
 sionary Father and Sb Ignatius also, to write you 
 when they were cured. 
 
 Several months later, the grateful mother wrote 
 to say that both boys are well, that they do not suffer 
 any more, and seem to be in perfect health. 
 
 TOURING a mission, given in Cincinnati, in the 
 fall of 1905, a wonderful cure was effected 
 through the intercession of St. Ignatius. Mrs. H. H., 
 
 18 
 
the mother of a family, had been suffering for two 
 years from an open sore in the leg, which the family 
 doctor declared, after continued treatment, could 
 not be cured. She spoke to one of the missionaries 
 about it, who advised her to apply externally some 
 St. Ignatius Holy Water, and to make a no vena. 
 She began the novena, and to the surprise and de¬ 
 light of her family and friends was perfectly cured 
 the third day of the novena. She is now entirely 
 free from any pain, and there is now no longer any 
 trace of the former trouble. 
 
 ^ I 'HE following wonderful cure of a religious, 
 through the intercession of St. Ignatius and the 
 frequent use of the holy water, is thus described by 
 herself: 
 
 “In the year 1905, my eyes troubled me very 
 much. On the 6th of September of the same year, 
 I went to an eminent oculist in Chicago and had 
 them tested. Two weeks later I got glasses. On 
 the 20th and 25th of the same month, I had two 
 operations performed on the left eye, as it was not 
 straight; but both proved unsuccessful. During 
 this time, I was a postulant in the community, and as 
 I was unable to attend to my duties, I became more 
 and more discouraged and finally thought it best, 
 with the consent of my Superior, to go home for 
 awhile. I went home December 22, 1905. 
 
 “On February 8, 1906, 1 had an operation per- 
 
 19 
 
formed on the right eye, which proved to be more 
 unsuccessful than the preceding ones. During the 
 three months which followed, my eyes seemed to be¬ 
 come worse, till finally I became so discouraged that 
 I thought I would lose my sight entirely. I was 
 completely worn out on account of loss of sleep, 
 caused by the excessive pain. As a consequence, I 
 lost my appetite and became very thin. 
 
 “At last, I was advised by one of the religious and 
 by our Reverend Chaplain to pray to St. Ignatius 
 and use the holy water, in a spirit of faith. This I 
 did, bathing the eyes three times a day, during three 
 novenas, and at once my eyes began to grow strong. 
 I improved rapidly and now I am as well as any 
 religious in the house. This great impediment re¬ 
 moved, I received the religious habit and am now 
 as happy as any one can be.” A friend writes 
 January 10, 1909, that she is still well. 
 
 CHILD of Mr. and Mrs. H. E., of Cincinnati, 
 
 born on Christmas, 1905, was unable to open 
 its eyes for three weeks after its birth, and then was 
 found to be totally blind. The parents consulted the 
 best oculists, but in vain. A friend of the family 
 brought them some St. Ignatius Holy Water, and 
 asked them to apply it to the child’s eyes. They 
 did so. When the friend called again, he was told 
 that the child’s eyes were getting better. Follow¬ 
 ing his advice, they continued to apply the holy 
 water, and within a month, the child could see per- 
 
 20 
 
fectly. This happened two years ago, and at pres¬ 
 ent writing, January, 1908, its eyesight is perfect, 
 as all their neighbors and friends can testify. 
 
 \ /IRS. I. A. B., of Detroit, Mich., was in the early 
 ^ ^ part of January, 1906, severely scalded on the 
 right side of her body from shoulder to foot, her arm 
 and shoulder receiving the severest burns. The ver¬ 
 dict of two of Detroit’s best surgeons was that she 
 would permanently lose the use of her arm and that 
 the great wound would not heal without grafting of 
 skin. 
 
 During her illness she was visited by two Jesuit 
 Fathers, Rev. II. A. S. and Rev. S. R., to whom she 
 expressed her great confidence in St. Ignatius, and 
 received from them some St. Ignatius Holy Water. 
 In spite of the protests of her nurse, she mixed some 
 of it, unsterilized as it was, with the antiseptic dress¬ 
 ing of her wounds, and freely using the holy water, 
 olfered most fervent prayers to the Saint. 
 
 One night, when she had fallen asleep in a state 
 of unusual despondency, she awmke and uncon¬ 
 sciously blessed herself with the hand which had for 
 weeks lain helpless even to a finger. From that time 
 pus ceased to flow from the wound, which ulti¬ 
 mately healed completely without the grafting pre¬ 
 dicted by the physicians. 
 
 In August, Mrs. B. not only took a vacation trip 
 which her physician had predicted would be im- 
 
 21 
 
possible, but during it several times exercised the 
 arm, which had threatened to keep her home, in 
 managing the oars of their boat for a casting party of 
 two. No one who knew her a year ago would, to see 
 her now, suspect that she had in the meantime under¬ 
 gone a five month’s siege of terrible suffering. She 
 has the utmost confidence in St. Ignatius Holy Water 
 and wishes all who suffer to learn from what the 
 Saint has done for her to have the greatest confidence 
 likewise in his great power before the throne of God. 
 
 An inquiry regarding the case, made in June, 
 1908, elicited the response that she never suffered 
 any relapse and bore no trace of the accident except 
 the scars. 
 
 TN THE beginning of the year 1906, Mrs. Mar- 
 garet R., of Mankato, Minn., suffered so severely 
 from kidney trouble and from weakness of the nerves 
 that she had to give up work entirely. For nearly a 
 year the doctor gave her medicines but without avail. 
 Then a friend advised her to use St. Ignatius Holy 
 Water and to make a no vena to the Saint, in which 
 the rest of the family joined. She then gave up all 
 medicines with a firm confidence that St. Ignatius 
 would help her. After a few weeks she was entirely 
 well and is now in a condition to do all her work. 
 She is firmly convinced that it was only through the 
 intercession of St. Ignatius that she was cured. 
 
 22 
 
\/f RS. ROSE W., also of Mankato, Minn., bears 
 ^ testimony to the following: I was sick for a 
 good while and had to consult a doctor, although 
 his medicines were of no avail. After a lengthy 
 examination he recognized my condition and said 
 that 1 had a tumor and that nothing but an operation 
 could cure me. To this I could not make up my 
 mind. From that time on I began to take St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water. I then began different devo¬ 
 tions in honor of this great Saint, and I am now, 
 thanks to St. Ignatius, entirely well again. 
 
 A • PERSON writing to The Messenger of the 
 Sacred Heart, from Madison, O., in May, 1906, 
 says: “A few weeks ago I was afflicted with a felon 
 on my left index finger. Fearing a repetition of the 
 same trouble which I had experienced with four 
 other fingers before, I commenced a novena to St. 
 Ignatius, using the holy water, in hopes that it 
 would relieve me without causing me any serious 
 trouble or expense. As a result, I am now happy 
 and ready to acknowledge that the cure of my finger 
 is assured, judging from all appearances at the 
 present writing.” 
 
 A LADY in Chicago attributes her restoration to 
 ^ health to the intercession of St. Ignatius and the 
 use of the holy water. 
 
 Ten or eleven years ago her health began to fail, 
 
 23 
 
and about eight years ago a growth appeared which 
 was pronounced a fibroid tumor. The best sur¬ 
 geons in the city were consulted but they seemed un¬ 
 willing to operate on account of the danger to life. 
 The tumor grew to an enormous size and reached 
 within a few inches of the heart and diaphragm. 
 
 In April, 1906, she had an unusually severe at¬ 
 tack of sickness and was prepared for death. The 
 attending physician had little hope for her recovery 
 and said she could live a few months at the most. 
 She rallied, hov/ever, and began to use St. Ignatius 
 water perseveringly, from May to October, once or 
 twice a day and prayers were said to St. Ignatius 
 every day. Finally God sent her a physician who 
 gave her hope. He encouraged an operation, which 
 was at last performed on October 29, 1906, Every 
 one thought it would be a case of certain death, owing 
 to the emaciated, weak condition of the patient, the 
 size of the tumor and the adverse opinion of the 
 other doctors. But the operation was so successful 
 and the recovery was so rapid, as to be considered 
 marvelous. 
 
 Though the tumor was a solid fibroid weighing 
 nearly fifty pounds the patient experienced no anaes¬ 
 thetic nausea, no collapse, pain or unpleasant symp¬ 
 toms of any kind. Her recovery was rapid; she is 
 regaining strength every day and becoming able to 
 resume duty. 
 
 Though great credit is due to the wonderful 
 
 24 
 
courage and skill of the surgeon of St. Mary of 
 Nazareth Hospital, yet tTie lady feels she ought to 
 thank St. Ignatius for his gracious condescension to 
 her prayers. 
 
 A friend of the patient, writing February 2, 1907, 
 says that what seems most wonderful was the fact 
 that no adhesions were formed, but as soon as the 
 incision was made, the tumor came out without 
 causing suffering then or since. In July, 1908, 
 the lady said she felt so well that she could never 
 know there had been trouble at any time. 
 
 \yf ISS C. T., of Hamilton, O., suffered for ten or 
 twelve years from a skin eruption on her face. 
 It was not only very disagreeable in appearance, but 
 was besides extremely painful. She tried several 
 doctors, and used every kind of massage she knew of, 
 but all seemed to afford no relief. In July, 1906, 
 she began to use St. Ignatius Holy Water. She 
 made a novena, but continued the prayers daily, 
 even after the novena. During the whole time while 
 she and her friends continued the prayers, she ap¬ 
 plied the holy water several times each day, always 
 hoping she would be cured by the intercession of St. 
 Ignatius. Her confidence and perseverance were 
 amply rewarded, for she was completely cured in a 
 month, and is now (Octol)er, 1907,) free from all 
 trouble. 
 
M rs. M. G., of Cincinnati, writes on January 31, 
 1908: *‘ln the month of May, 1906, my 
 daughter, Martha, was taken suddenly ill. The 
 family physician was called in and pronounced the 
 disease diphtheria. I immediately began to use St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water, giving the child a teaspoonful 
 to drink and making the sign of the cross with the 
 water on the throat. Each time, I said three Our 
 Fathers and Hail Marys, promising to have a Mass 
 offered in honor of the Saint at the end of the week. 
 In three days the child was well and around as 
 usual, and has never had a spell of throat trouble 
 since, which is nearly two years ago.” 
 
 RELIGIOUS, teaching in one of the Catholic 
 
 ^ schools of Cincinnati, was afflicted with an 
 acute attack of appendicitis, about two years ago. 
 An immediate operation was deemed absolutely ne¬ 
 cessary, but the doctor feared it would be fatal, on 
 account of a severe fever which set in. With a great 
 spirit of faith, and with confidence in St. Ignatius, 
 she began to use the holy water, praying fervently 
 every day, assisted by the continued prayers of the 
 Sisters of her community. On September 2, 1906, 
 the doctor found her improved sufficiently to endure 
 the operation, which was most successful, and in 
 ten days she was entirely well. She has ever since 
 been in perfect health, and has been performing her 
 duties regularly up to the present time. She feels 
 
 26 
 
most grateful to St. Ignatius to whose powerful in¬ 
 tercession she attributes her speedy and unexpected 
 cure. 
 
 TV yf RS. C. D., of Covington, Ky., says, under date 
 of July 12, 1907, that for some time she had 
 a sore knee, which troubled her so much for three 
 or four weeks, as to make it diflSicult for her to 
 kneel down. She began to make the sign of the 
 cross on it, w'ith the holy water, meanwhile praying, 
 and on the third night was free from all pain and 
 annoyance. About two years ago, she began to 
 use St. Ignatius Holy Water on account of an 
 affliction in the family, and ever since then, in thanks¬ 
 giving, has continued to say daily in honor of the 
 Saint, three times, the Our Father, Hail Mary, and 
 Glory be to the Father. 
 
 ' I 'HE accounts of the following cures, obtained 
 through the intercession of St. Ignatius, were 
 received from Dayton, Ohio, January 1, 1908: 
 
 (1) A lady, who suffered much with sore eyes a 
 few years ago, felt the old attack coming on again 
 last October. She at once got some St. Ignatius 
 Holy Water and began to use it, at the same time 
 making the novena. Her physician told her that the 
 case would be much more critical this winter than it 
 was before and that she should prepare to suffer. 
 She, however, trusted in St. Ignatius and her trust 
 
 27 
 
was not misplaced. Her eyes were completely 
 cured before the close of the novena. She had 
 many Masses said in thanksgiving; and besides, 
 bought herself a beautiful little statue of St. Ignatius 
 and gave it a place of honor in her home. 
 
 (2) On January 1, 1907, a pupil of the Sisters 
 of Notre Dame, Dayton, Ohio, was cured, by using 
 St. Ignatius Holy Water. The young lady had been 
 ill for three months and the cause of her illness was 
 not known and could not be discovered by her phy¬ 
 sicians. Her throat became ulcerated and she 
 could not swallow even liquid food. The physicians 
 gave her up and stated that unless she could take 
 nourishment she must die. Her mother, in great 
 sorrow, went to tell one of the Sisters. The Sister at 
 once thought of St. Ignatius and gave her some St. 
 Ignatius Holy Water and a little book that would 
 instruct her how to make the novena. On Christ¬ 
 mas day they commenced the no vena and on New 
 Year’s day, the sick girl asked for some beef tea. 
 It was prepared for her at once and for the first 
 time in nearly four months she swallowed food with 
 ease. Her recovery was rapid. She is now per¬ 
 fectly well. The physicians pronounced the cure 
 supernatural. A beautiful statue of St. Ignatius 
 commemorates the event and testifies to the gratitude 
 of both mother and child. 
 
 28 
 
(3) Another lady, though not cured, was spared 
 long enough to see her financial affairs all settled 
 and an arrangement, agreeable to all her children, 
 made, so that after her death there would be no 
 trouble among her heirs. 
 
 I 'HE following account was sent by a priest in 
 Detroit, Michigan, March 8, 1908: 
 
 “Knowing the interest you take in the propaga¬ 
 tion of the devotion to St. Ignatius, you will be 
 pleased, 1 am sure, to hear of the following favor 
 recently obtained through his intercession. 
 
 “M rs. M. McD., of this city, suffered from yellow 
 jaundice in its worst form. Her sister, Mrs. M. R., 
 (from whom I received these particulars,) gave her 
 some St. Ignatius Holy Water on Sunday, February 
 23d. At the same time a novena was begun for the 
 recovery of the patient. Twenty minutes after she 
 had taken the holy water the sick lady was able to 
 rise and walk the floor—a thing which she had not 
 been able to do for ten days. Two days later, 
 February 25th, she had so far recovered that she 
 ventured to go down town shopping. The doctor 
 was greatly surprised at the sudden recovery of his 
 patient, esj>ecially since only a few days before he had 
 made the prediction that it would take a long time 
 to cure the disorder. The mother of the sick lady 
 had well nigh given up all hope of recovery. Mrs. 
 
 29 
 
McD. continues to be strong and well. Others 
 speak of the wonderful favors obtained by means of 
 St. Ignatius Holy Water in similar cases.” 
 
 HANKS are returned for the cure of a pupil of 
 
 one of the convent schools of Dayton, O. She 
 was suffering from an ulcerated gum. St. Ignatius 
 Holy Water was used, and a novena made, and the 
 trouble disappeared. 
 
 A CANADIAN priest. Chaplain of the Hospital 
 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., vouches for the fol¬ 
 lowing facts which happened several years ago: 
 Mrs. Edw. O’C. was in great danger from a severe 
 hemorrhage caused by a rupture in the nose, from 
 heavy lifting. The first bleeding lasted two hours, 
 before the doctor could stop it; a second took place ^ 
 the same day, and lasted as long. The doctor 
 said he would not answer for a third. After some 
 effort, however, he managed to form a clot, with 
 drugs and cotton batting. The danger would be 
 in removing the clot. This he delayed a day longer 
 than at first intended, for, though the best doctor 
 and surgeon in the city, and head of the hospital 
 staff, he was nervous in the extreme, and prepared 
 the family for the worst. But they had St. Ignatius 
 on their side and his medal on the patient, who had 
 used the holy water freely. The doctor removed 
 the clot as one brushes off an insect; and, wonder- 
 
 30 
 
ful to relate, the cotton was as white as the driven 
 snow, after four days’ service on a wound. St. 
 Ignatius had cured her. 
 
 PRIEST in Canada says that he has met cases: 
 
 ^ ^ (1) in which eczema was cured after bathing 
 
 the face with the holy water and saying some prayers. 
 
 (2) In another case, a child subject to nervous 
 attacks, fits and convulsions was cured. 
 
 (3) He has found that the sick who use it get 
 rest and peaceful nights. 
 
 (4) That it is helpful in accident cases. 
 
 (5) That dying persons seem to receive an in¬ 
 crease of faith, and that the priest is greatly aided 
 in administering the Sacraments. 
 
 (6) There are also many instances on record 
 where women in child-birth have experienced the 
 beneficial effects of this holy w'ater, when used with 
 fervent prayer, and child-like confidence in the in¬ 
 tercession of St. Ignatius. 
 
 Conclusion. 
 
 E TRUST that those who read this book- 
 
 T T let will have a greater confidence in 
 the wonderful effects of this holy water, 
 and that they will j)ropagate its use amongst 
 the sick and the suffering. After hearing the 
 
 31 
 
wonders wrought in times past through its use, 
 one might think that this holy water has lost 
 something of its efficacy of former days; but 
 God’s power is not lessened, nor is the solicitude 
 of St. Ignatius for the afflicted less loving now 
 than of old. When our times become matter of 
 history, we hope that equally wonderful things 
 will be said and written of this devotion. Let 
 us at least do our part in making it known, and 
 in making St. Ignatius more loved and honored, 
 all to the greater glory of God. 
 
 
 St. Ignatius Holy Water can be obtained at 
 any Jesuit Church, or from any Father of the 
 Society of Jesus, free of charge. 
 
 32 
 

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