MIRACULOUS COMMUNIONS

© 2006, Istituto San Clemente I Papa e Martire / The Real Presence Association, Inc.

Blessed Thomas of Cori (1655-1729) at age 22, enteredthe Franciscan Order of FriarsMinor, at the monastery of theMost Holy Trinity in Orvieto,Italy. In his apostolate, he wasdistinguished by his exemplarypractice of the Christian virtues.Several times during Mass, he had various apparitions of the Child Jesus.

ne day, Saint Lucia Filippini was makingher way to Pitigliano, near Grosseto, to

supervise a school for craftsmen which she hadfounded. First, however, she stopped at thechurch of the Franciscan Fathers to attend HolyMass. So great was Lucia’s desire to receive Jesusin the Eucharist that the Lord wished to rewardher with a miracle. When the priest was breaking the large Host in half to place a smallfragment in the chalice, this very part escapedhis hand and flew into the air, radiating light,and came to rest on the tongue of the futuresaint. Today, the shrine where the miracle tookplace is under the care of the devout FilipiniSisters.

Blessed Emilia Bicchieri was thefoundress of the DominicanThird Order Regular and alwaysnurtured a great love for theBlessed Sacrament. One day,while she was taking care of a fellow Sister who was very sick,she lost track of the time and soarrived at the end of the HolyMass, thus missing HolyCommunion. At that point, shebegan to express her regret to theLord for not having been able toreceive Him, and suddenly anAngel miraculously appeared toher and gave her Communion.

Saint Maria Francesca of theFive Wounds, in the last yearsof her life, was prevented fromparticipating at Holy Massbecause of a severe illness thatleft her bed-ridden. There weremany episodes in which someof the priests, especially FatherBianchi, saw a piece of theconsecrated large Host and asmall amount of the consecrat-ed wine disappear during theirMass; it was the saint’sGuardian Angel who broughther Communion.

lessed Imelda Lambertini, from childhood,already showed a great love for the

Eucharistic Jesus but the chaplain reminded herthat she could only receive Communion when sheturned 14. Nevertheless on May 12, 1333(Ascension Vigil), she went to Mass and presentedherself to receive Holy Communion. The priestignored her completely but the Lord wished togrant the desire of little Imelda. A Host radiatinglight rose up in flight, and stopped in front ofImelda. After she received the Body of Christ, herpure white soul flew straight up to heaven.Blessed Imelda is Patroness of First Communions.

aint Juliana Falconieri was always mostdevoted to the Holy Eucharist. In the last

days of life, a stomach ailment which had afflict-ed her for a long time, as it became more acute,prevented her from receiving Communion.Before her death in 1341, she asked that a conse-crated Host be placed on her chest, and as sherecited a prayer, the Host disappeared and left aviolet mark, as if it had been branded there. Shewas beatified in 1678 and canonized in 1737.

In earlier times, eight years oldwas too young an age to receivethe Eucharist, but St. GerardMagella could not resign himselfto the fact and would weep withsuch desolation that Heaven itselfwas moved to pity. One night,Saint Michael approached him,placed a white Host on his tonguelike the one the priest had refusedto give him, and vanished fromsight. The following morning,happy and triumphant, Gerardadmitted candidly: “The priestrefused me Holy Communion,but last night St. Michael theArchangel brought it to me."

Saint Bonaventure receivingCommunion from the hand of an Angel, The Hieron Museum

Saint Bernard exorcising a woman with the BlessedSacrament, The Hieron Museum

Saint Secondo, before dying, recei-ving Holy Communion brought by a dove, The Hieron Museum One of the miraculous Communions of Saint Jerome

Blessed James of Montieri (Giacomo da Montieri), lived for long periodsof time being nourished only by the Eucharist. Jesus Himself gave himHoly Communion on various occasions. An early 16th-century painterdepicted the miracle in a well-proportioned picture in which Jesus canbe seen giving Holy Communion to Blessed James.

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