The beautiful Lady dressed in white hid him from his persecutors

During the French Revolution (1789), state officials hunted down Catholic priests. One day one of these so-called “refractory” priests, named Father Chaminade (1), was about to be arrested for refusing to sign the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. The priest managed to escape the state agents and ran for his life. Seeing the house of friends, he quickly entered it. The family was gathered around the fireplace. He took a seat next to a child and joined in the conversation. But policemen were close behind him and entered the house too. They had seen the priest come in and knew he was inside, but, curiously, they could not find him anywhere. They searched all the rooms, passing by him several times. Finally, they concluded that he was no longer there. As soon as they had left, the family crowded around the priest: "Reverend Father! How did they fail to see you? You were right here, in plain sight and within their reach!"

Then the young child who was sitting next to the “refractory” priest—one of those precious innocents whom God sometimes allows to see the invisible—told them the reason: "They couldn’t see Father Chaminade because the beautiful Lady in white who came in at the same time as he did, was standing in front of him the whole time to hide him!"

The police had not seen the "Lady" (they probably did not deserve this grace!) who made the one she was protecting invisible!

Thanks to his many disguises and infinite precautions, thanks above all to the protection of the Immaculate Virgin, Father Chaminade escaped death more than once. He was not able however to avoid exile.

(1) Blessed William Joseph Chaminade (1761-1850), “refractory” priest (during the French Revolution, this was the name given to those who refused to take the oath of loyalty to the state and remained faithful to Rome).

Geneviève Veuillot, writer

Excerpt from his book Le bon Père Chaminade (Good Father Chaminade)

Collection of Marian Stories, 1981