Blessed Francis Martin Fernandez, O.P. de Posadas

Excerpt: The Most Holy Virgin appeared to him one night in a dream, holding several rosaries in her hand, and sweetly invited him to select one of them: no doubt to reward him for his faithfulness in reciting the rosary, and to encourage him more and more to love that beautiful devotion. His angel guardian made himself visible to him frequently under the form of a beautiful child, clothed in the habit of Saint Dominic. Francis knew that his mother had vowed that he should enter the Order of that holy saint, and he desired nothing more than to do so. But his father having died, his mother remarried. Her second husband was a man of strange character, and would not hear of it. Instead of allowing him to learn Latin, he apprenticed him to a workman, who treated him with great cruelty; but Francis put his trust in God, and bore all this ill-treatment meekly. Other misfortunes soon fell upon him. The devil seeing the patient youth become holier and holier, began to persecute him, hoping to wear out his endurance, and to entice him into some sin. Under the form of a black-a-moor he appeared to him, and tried to snatch the rosary from his neck, where he always carried it. The holy youth held it with one hand, while he made the saving sign of the cross with the other saying to the devil: "Look at the cross! "And the arch-fiend immediately took flight. Having thus learnt how formidable the Rosary is to the devil, he always carried two with him: one round his neck and the other in his pocket. The devil, not being able to harm his soul, revenged himself upon his body by striking and maltreating him; God permitting this to test his patience and humility. Some persons having noticed how Francis was tormented, fearing that he might be possessed, took him to be examined by a learned priest, who after he had questioned him said: "Tell his parents that he ought to be set to study, that he may become a religious, and then all this will cease." His mother was only too willing that he should do so, but his stepfather refused to receive him at home. One of the Dominican Fathers of Saint Paul's monastery came to his aid and offered him a part of his own cell. He gladly accepted this offer, and began to study Latin grammar with the children, although he was 17 years of age, rejoicing in the contempt heaped upon him on account of his ignorance. He soon surpassed them, and showed that he was possessed of great aptitude for study, and endowed with natural quickness of mind. His mother, having become a widow a second time, he returned to his home. He cherished his mother, served her with such tender love that she often said to her friends: "My son is a saint; he bathes my feet, he makes my bed, obeys me in all things, and gives me every mark of love." How different his conduct from that of young men of our time! They accept every service from their parents, but give nothing in return. In his old age he once said: "If God is so merciful to me it is on account of the good will with which I always obeyed my mother." And when he was nominated Bishop several times he said: "I attribute these marks of honor to God alone, who wishes perhaps to reward me for the ardent desire I always had to honor my mother.