From the official page for the proposed Alexandrina Eucharistic Sanctuary at Balasar, Portugal. Prayer for the Canonisation of Blessed Alexandrina. “ O Jesus, who rejoice in simple and humble hearts, so often forgotten and despised, exalt, with the grace of canonization, Blessed Alexandrina, who always wanted to live hidden from the world and away from its greatness. Listen to the supplications that, through her, we direct to You. Particularly grant us the grace we desire, if it is for Your honor, the glorification of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the salvation of sinners, for which Your most devoted daughter was so generously immolated. ” Braga, April 14, 2005, Fr. Manuel Moreiras da Costa Santos D. Jorge da Costa Ortiga , Archbishop Primate of Braga
"The story of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa is one of the most extraordinary Eucharistic miracles recorded in modern Church history. She was born on March 30, 1904, in a small village in Balasar, into a poor but deeply Catholic family. As a young girl, Alexandrina loved prayer, especially devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and to the Virgin Mary. But when she was 14 years old, a tragic event changed her life forever. To escape three men who tried to assault her, she jumped from a window in her home to protect her purity. The fall severely damaged her spine. At first she could still move a little, but over time her condition worsened until she became completely paralyzed and bedridden. By the age of 21, Alexandrina was totally unable to move. For the rest of her life she would remain in bed, suffering constant and intense pain. Yet instead of falling into despair, she offered her suffering to Jesus for the conversion of sinners and for peace in the world. She would often say that her mission was to be “a victim soul” united with Christ’s Passion. From 1938 to 1942, she experienced mystical visions of the Passion of Christ every Friday, reliving the sufferings of Jesus in her own body. Witnesses testified that during these moments she would mystically participate in Christ’s agony. Then something even more astonishing happened. On October 13, 1942, Alexandrina stopped taking all food and drink completely. From that day forward, she lived only on the Holy Eucharist, receiving Holy Communion daily, for more than 13 years until her death on October 13, 1955. Doctors and Church authorities closely observed her. In 1943, she was admitted to the hospital in Foz do Douro for strict medical supervision for about 40 days. During this time, she was constantly monitored to determine whether she was secretly eating or drinking. According to the medical reports, she consumed nothing and yet continued to live, without signs of dehydration or malnutrition that would normally lead to death. Throughout these years, she promoted deep devotion to the Eucharist and called people to repentance, prayer, and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She repeatedly offered her suffering for the consecration of the world to Mary. She died on October 13, 1955, the anniversary of the final apparition at Fátima, something she had prayed to live to see. After a long investigation into her life and virtues, she was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 25, 2004. Blessed Alexandrina’s life remains a powerful testimony to the Catholic belief that the Holy Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood of Christ, spiritual nourishment capable of sustaining not just the soul, but in extraordinary cases, even the body by God’s grace." Blessed Alexandrina da Costa, Pray for us.
https://www.deepertruthcatholics.co...-1904-1955-blessed-alexandrina-maria-da-costa From the article linked above: "After 10 long years of paralysis which she had offered as Eucharistic reparation for the conversion of sinners, on July 30, 1935, Jesus appeared to her saying: “I have put you in the world so that you may draw life only from Me, to bear witness to the world how precious the Eucharist is. [...]"
just a thought, but maybe several end-times prophecies made centuries ago, were cancelled because of this? many prophecies are conditional upon people's behaviour ,whether they do or not improving ,after all.
I mentioned Blessed Alexandrina to a friend last night and he had never heard about her, even though he's a very devout Catholic and aware of many other Saints and Blesseds. I was looking on Kindle to see if Francis Johnston's biography of Alexandrina is still available, thankfully it is. This was the first book I read, in the 80s, about her extraordinary life as a Victim Soul. I noticed there was another book about Alexandrina which I hadn't seen before before. When I looked further, I found it was published on 2nd March this year, which is my birthday and also happened to be the first day of my retirement. I took these as 'good signs' and decided to buy it. I've only read the Introduction and first chapter so far but it seems good, though only 70 pages long. Also happy to see that there is a continuing interest in her wonderful life story. For some reason she has been in my thoughts recently. Perhaps she will have a role in the future if the nature of the Eucharist is being downplayed as some kind of concession to Ecumenism and Unity. Blessed Alexandrina’s life and her being sustained by the Eucharist alone, for the last thirteen years of her life, would seem to be a strong refutation of any such move to make the Eucharist merely a 'symbol' of Our Lord's Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. From an earlier post above: On July 30, 1935, Jesus appeared to her saying: “I have put you in the world so that you may draw life only from Me, to bear witness to the world how precious the Eucharist is. [...]" New book on Blessed Alexandrina da Costa.
This thread was started by our dear Caroline, who left us for the next world a couple of years back. So in this way and I’m sure in other ways she’s still with us. The good tree keeps bearing good fruits. Father of all, we pray to you for our dearest Caroline Ann, and for all those whom we love but see no longer. Grant to them eternal rest. Let light perpetual shine upon them. May her soul and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Prayers for the soul of Caroline. I was just checking, Alexandrina's house is three hours from here on the road to Fatima. I might call in the next time I am passing.
There is also a short book (80 pages) on Blessed Alexandrina by New Zealand born author Leo Madigan. He also wrote many other books, including several about the events of Fatima, where he moved to and spent the last years of his life. He died in 2015, at the age of 75.
Leo Madigan also wrote 'Exquisite Miniature' about Little Nellie Organ, the young Irish Mystic who died in 1908, aged 4. It was her story which inspired Pope Pius X to lower the age at which children could receive their First Holy Communion.
I must admit physical suffering, pain scares me. I am something of a coward as regards it. To not only accept suffering but to actually embrace it as a blessing seems nearly incredible to me. But God makes the Cross to fit the shoulder as we say in Ireland. But I really admire such souls, the foremost of whom of the Mother of Sorrows.
Amen. I thought the same thing when I saw her name on the thread. It still shocks me that she went so quickly.
From Caroline's first post on this thread...more relevant than ever. "The sublime vision of Our Lord which Alexandrina had reputedly seen on 6 September 1934 marked the beginning of a series of revelations in which Jesus reportedly instructed the seer step by step in the sorrows of his life and Passion. She had repeated revelations on the eternal loss of many souls and the crimes of peoples and nations blinded by sin. To a world plunging down the broad road to perdition, Our Lord seemed to be crying out in anguish: "Implore pardon . . . do what you preach! I am very much offended.... What dreadful criminals populate Hell! I warned Sodom and Gomorrah, but it had no effect. Unhappy ones . . . the same punishment will be meted out to you." Blessed Alexandrina, pray for us.
