Benedictine Booklets, 15^ each

Devotion to the Most Holy Trinity

What Is God?

Devotion to the Holy Spirit

Little Devotions to the Holy Infant Jesus

Devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague

The Holy Eucharist, Our All

God with Us

Eucharistic Miracles

Eucharistic Heart-talks with Jesus

My Daily Visit
God Himself, Our Sacrifice

My Daily Companion at Mass
Communicate Frequently and Devoutly

Novena of Holy Communions

Communion Devotions in Union with Mary

The Way of the Cross
From Olivet to Calvary

Devotion to the Precious Blood

Devotion to the Holy Face

True Veneration of the Sacred Heart

Enthronement and Night Adoration

Six Discourses on the Enthronement

Come, Let Us Adore

All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus
The Guard of Honor and the Holy Hour

From Earth to Heaven

More Precious than Diamonds

Prayer, the Great Means of Grace

Indulgenced Prayers and Aspirations

(Continued on inside back cover)

Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration

Clyde, Missouri



Little Peter

ooo<x><>o<><><><>o<x>oo<>o<x>oo<><x><><><k^

“That in all things God may be glorified.’ ’

Holy Rule of St. Benedict

Nihil Obstat: Gulielmus J. Blacet, J.C.L.

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur ^ Joannes P. Cody, S.T.D.
Administrator Apostolicus et Ordinarius

Sancti Josephi

April 10, 1956

1st Edition, July, 1956 All rights reserved

25,000

Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration

Clyde, Missouri

ooooooo



come

eaven

(Mark 10:14)



Little Peter

T
HE little Peter of our story is not an

imaginary person. Not so many years

ago you could have seen him running

along the beach at St. Malo in the north-

western part of France where he lived,

swimming and fishing and doing all the

things boys like to do when they are about

six or seven. On sunny afternoons when

the brilliant-winged butterflies and dragon-

flies drifted about the meadows, Peter

loved to chase after them, caring not at all

that he often ruined his clothes among the

thorn-bushes and rocks. Later, he would

take his fishing-net and run down to the

beach. There at ebb-tide when rocks and

cliffs lay unconcealed, Peter went fishing,

like his great namesake, the Apostle. Bare-

foot he jumped into the water in search of

crawfish, who scurried away at his ap-

proach, looking for shelter in the seaweed

of the dark pools. Laughing, Peter went

after them, and soon one struggling little

victim after another was tossed into the

basket strapped to his back.

But, of course, life is not all made up

3



of summer holidays, and when it was time

for school, Peter took his books under his

arm and went off to do a little struggling

himself with the mysteries of reading and

writing, often asking his much-loved Guar-

dian Angel to help him.

First Holy Communion

When Peter was seven years old, a

mission was held in the parish church

shortly after the feast of the Purification.

Because the missionary wanted many

prayers said in order to obtain the con-

version of sinners, it was decided to give

some of the children who were ready their

first Holy Communion. So it was that

Peter received Our Lord for the first time.

Every morning from that time he went to

the altar-rail and Jesus came to him, filling

his heart with a joy Peter could not find

words to tell even his mother. In his own

little way, then, Peter also preached a kind

of mission. Of course, he did not wear a

surplice or stole like the priest, but his

daily going to the altar spoke louder than

the most beautiful sermon. His small

friends, seeing his devotion to the Blessed

Sacrament, chose Peter as the secretary of



their First Communion League. As secre-

tary he wrote many letters to the mission-

ary, letters which tell the story of his life

better than we could. Believing that his

letters will help many boys and girls of

Peter’s age to be more fervent and devoted

in their love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacra-

ment, we give them here, with a few cor-

rections in spelling, punctuation, etc.

Letters to the Missionary

April, 1912

Dear Father:

This is Peter writing to tell you that he

has remembered you every day since the

mission. After you had gone the older

children told me that they went with you

to the station. Oh, I would have liked to

go, too, but since I am only seven years

old, no one told me you were going, and,

winter or summer, Mother puts me to bed

at eight o’clock!

Monday was the last day of vacation,

and now my teacher tells me that he is

better pleased with me. He says I have

learned to work harder. I have to, be-

cause I am going to Holy Communion every

morning. But even so, I do not always

5



know my lessons and still make mistakes

in spelling. But I am going to try to do

better and be more careful so that you will

see I am improving and trying to be a

good member of the League.

Dear Father, Our Lord will bless me if

I love Him very much, won’t He? I love

Jesus with all my heart and tell Him so

every day. Since you left, there was one

day I did not receive Holy Communion,

but, please forgive me, as it was not my

fault. I went to church early enough, but

they were having a funeral Mass and no

one paid any attention to me.

My older brother Jack is now in the

first section of the League, too. I got him

to join and I am very glad of it, for I

know the Child Jesus is happy when many

children go to Holy Communion every day.

I am not quite so bad at home as I used

to be. But sometimes Daddy is angry with

me because I often get up from table with-

out permission and because I quarrel with

Odette, my little sister. They were going

to spank me, but they didn’t do it and I

hope they won’t!

Your little secretary,

Peter D’Airelle

6



April, 1912

Dear Father:

I am very glad to write and tell you that

I always love our dear Lord and His holy

Mother Mary. But I don’t know if they

love me, too, for I still have many faults.

Mother wants me to tell you that I am not

always obedient when they tell me to let

Odette alone and not to quarrel with her.

Once we even beat each other a little when

we were fighting, but I will never do this

again, I promise, dear Father. Also, I am

as lazy as a dormouse and I often make a

long face when I have to study my gram-

mar. I sometimes contradict the teacher

and am always stubborn when they try to

make me eat soup or fish. These are all

my faults, but I will keep trying to do bet-

ter as fast as I can. Then the Child Jesus

will be pleased when He sees me coming

to Communion every morning.

I have learned the morning offering by

heart. I say it as soon as I wake up so

that the whole day may be spent for the

Sacred Heart and for the poor souls. At

Mass I say the beads: the first decade for

the Apostleship of Prayer, the second for

the Pope, the third for my father; the

7



fourth for my mother, and the fifth for

Jack, Odette and myself. After each mys-

tery I say the little prayer mother taught

me: “Little Child Jesus, make me good and

obedient and guard and bless my father,

mother, Jack, Odette and all of us.”

Peter

P.S. Every day more children ask to join

our League. I have all their names in

my book. Ten go to Holy Communion

daily; eight, twice a week; and thirty,

every Sunday.

The Small Missionary

May, 1912

Dear Father:

Grandmother was vexed with me be-

cause I go to Holy Communion daily and

she does not do so, although she is much

older than I. She said to me: “You are

not good enough.” I answered her as you

taught us: “Granny dear, I don’t go to

Holy Communion because I am already

good, but I go to be able to be better and

I promise you to make real efforts to be

good.” Now she lets me alone.

In the morning I get up all by myself.

Jack helps me put on my shoes. Then we

8



go to Mass. We don’t make any noise on

the way downstairs so that Daddy doesn’t

wake up. I always ask Daddy to go to

Holy Communion at Easter, but he never

will and he never says any prayers. But

each morning I ask Our Lord to convert

him. When I am all by myself I often cry

because I don’t want to go to heaven with-

out Daddy. Because you told us once that

everyone who does not receive Our Lord

at Easter time commits a mortal sin and is

a scandal to others. I told this to Daddy,

but he ordered me to hold my tongue.

Dear Father, please pray for him.

With much love,

Peter

June, 1912

Dear Father:

Today at dinner, Daddy said: “Jesus

Christ is not God; He is only a man as we

are.” I cried then and said: “Oh, no, no!

He is God! The missionary said so.”

Jack said it, too. Then Odette jumped up

from her chair, crying: “He is God! He

is God! The missionary said so!” Dear

Father, please pray very much for my

Daddy and tell me some books that he may

9



read in order to believe again. You told

us often not only to preach by good ex-

ample to our parents but also to pray for

them and make sacrifices for them. So

every night I say the Rosary and after each

decade I add:
4i

Dear Child Jesus, please

convert Daddy and make him believe in

You again.
5

5

When I get some candy or

cookies I save half for the poor people and

ask them to pray for him too.

Your little Peter.

July, 1912

Dear Father:

Good news! Mamma now goes to

Holy Communion every day, with me. She

used to go only on Sundays, so I asked

her : “Mamma, why don
5

t you go every day

to convert Daddy?
55

She hugged me, but

did not answer. The next day she started

to go daily with Jack and me. This makes

me so happy—surely Daddy will be con-
verted now!

Peter

August, 1912

Dear Father:

Vacation time is here. It seemed so

long in coming! W7e went to the seashore.

10



We caught crawfish. I caught three hun-

dred, and Jack four hundred. Odette broiled

them and we had a picnic on the rocks.

Going home, we met a little rag-picker. He

was no taller than Daddy’s boots, and

he was dragging a big sack of paper which

was certainly heavier than he. It was cold,

then, and raining, but the poor little boy

was barefoot. As he went from one box

to another looking for papers, three big

bullies threw themselves on him and tried

to empty his sack. The poor little fellow

began to cry and ran away. They ran

after him, throwing stones at him. But

now I threw myself on the biggest of the

three and showed him all Daddy has taught

me about boxing. When he had enough, he

ran away with his friends. Then I asked

the little boy: “What’s your name?”—
“Andy.” “Where do you live?”— “Near
the bridge.” “Where are your shoes?” —

*

“I have none.” “Come with me, Mother

will give you a pair.”
—

“I have no mother.”

“My mother will give you some.” I brought

him home and Mamma gave him my old

pair of shoes. Then I asked: “Have you

any marbles?”— “No.” “Then I’ll give
you some of mine.” I filled his pockets

11



with marbles. Then he was happy and ran

off, hungrily eating a piece of bread and

butter.

Oh. I was so glad! You told us once

that all we do for the poor, we really do

to the Child Jesus. So I jumped for joy

and called Mamma and shouted: “Hurrah!

I gave half my marbles and a piece of

bread and my old shoes to the Child Jesus!

Daddy will be converted!”

But now I will tell you a secret. One

month after the mission when I went up to

Holy Communion I remembered your ser-

mon about sin and the little martyr who

wanted to die rather than commit a mortal

sin. Then I asked the Child Jesus to let

me die also rather than commit a mortal

sin. It seemed to me that Jesus liked my

prayer and now every night after the Ro-

sary for Daddy, I say: “My Jesus, please

let me die rather than commit a mortal

sin.” Is this all right?

Peter

Happy Near Jesus

October, 1912

Dear Father:

School has begun again. Today in my

12



Geography lesson I memorized the tribu-

taries of the Garonne River.

Now for a few secrets. Father, I like

to be alone in Church with Jesus and

speak to Him. Sometimes He answers me

;

sometimes He doesn’t. I always ask Him

to convert Daddy. When I have to go,

I say: “Little Child Jesus, I would like

to stay longer with You, but I have to

study my lessons. I will not forget You,

though. I will do my homework for You,

as Father said that we are praying when

we are working for You.”

During recess at school I try to slip

into chapel to say hello to Jesus, and when

we go for a walk I keep on the lookout for

a church to do the same. At night I turn

toward the church and say to Him: “Good

night, Jesus! How beautiful it must be in

heaven when we are always with You.

but where will my Daddy be?” Please

pray for him.

Your Peter

Sacrifices for Conversion

November, 1912

Dear Father:

I am so sorry that Our Lord has not

13



yet converted Daddy. I ask Him for it

every morning at Mass, at Communion,

when I say the Rosary, everywhere. But

yesterday I thought that three things are

necessary to convert souls
:

prayers, preach-

ing and suffering. I have prayed a lot

and even preached, but I haven’t suffered

for Daddy yet. So I asked Jesus to let me

suffer and make up for Daddy’s faults and

blasphemies so that he may be converted.

He is always telling Mamma that Jesus

Christ is not God, that the priests invented

religion and many other awful things. He

read the books you sent him but he says

they don’t prove anything and that he will

never go to confession and there isn’t any

hell. It makes us all feel so sad and

Mamma cries very often.

Peter

December, 1912

Dear Father:

Last Sunday after Holy Communion

I seemed to hear Jesus calling to me and

saying: “Little Peter, would you like to die

to convert your father?” I said quickly:

“Oh, yes”. . . “But you will have to suffer

very much.” “All right, if You help me,

14



I’ll be glad to do it.” Now I am ready to

die. But perhaps I was wrong in accept-

ing without your permission, Father?

Daddy has to go to another garrison, so we

shall be leaving here before the month is

over.

Peter

“To Give Jesus Joy”

February, 1913

Dear Father:

We left our old garrison and are now

at the new one, and I am awfully sorry.

For this place is not like the other one.

There is no Communion League here and

none of the children go to Holy Com-

munion daily. Even the most pious ones

go only once a month. After we had been

here only a week, the priest called Mamma

and me into the sacristy one morning af-

ter Mass. * I was a little frightened. He

looked at me for a moment and then said

to Mamma: “Madam, people here are

very much surprised at the way you act.

They do not object to your going to Holy

Communion every morning, but that you

make your child do so, too, is beyond them.

Do you really think your son understands

15



what he is doing?” Mamma answered:

“I think he does, Father. Besides, it was

not I who made him go, but he is the one

who has led me to receive Communion

each day.” “How old is your child?”

“He is eight years old, Father.” “And

why do you want to receive Holy Com-

munion every day, Peter?” “To please

Jesus and the Holy Father.” “So?” “And

also to convert Daddy.” For a long time

the priest said nothing at all, then he

smiled: “Well, Peter, continue to receive

Our Lord daily. When the Holy Father

urges children to do so, it would be very

wrong for me to prevent you.” We went

home very happy!
Peter

P.S. We got an invitation from the Gen-

eral’s wife. Tomorrow we are going to her

place to tea. So Mamma is getting me a

little soldier’s uniform.

March, 1913

Dear Father:

I am a little sick today as I caught cold

on the way home from the General’s tea.

So Mamma is helping me write to you.

Many officers and their wives were at the

General’s house, and all these ladies at-

16



tacked Mamma because she lets me go to

Holy Communion every day. The Gen-

eral’s wife started it. She said: “Madame

D’Airelle, I cannot understand how a good

Catholic like you can do such a thing! To

let an eight-year-old child receive Holy

Communion daily—surely this is turning
things upside down! We were taught that

a Christian’s first duty is reverence for the

Blessed Sacrament. I have four children

myself, and not one of them shall receive

Communion before they are at least eleven.

Then they will know what they are doing.”

Then the Major’s wife joined in: “Such a

late breakfast after Mass is not good for

children’s health. I have my children

served their breakfast in bed, before they

get up.” “Moveover,” added a fat lady

with a big white feather in her hat, “they

are already giving up these innovations.

Many are complaining that First Holy

Communion is no longer as solemn as it

used to be.”

While the ladies were all talking at

once, I looked at Mamma. She was flushed

and very near crying. So was I. But when

they had finished, Mamma answered them

calmly: “I cannot answer all your difficult

17



ties; I leave that to the priests and theo-

logians. My only theology is obedience.

Our Holy Father the Pope wants children

to receive Holy Communion as soon as

they reach the age of reason. He makes it

our duty to allow them to go as often as

possible after that. I obey him and do not

worry about the rest. It is not my business

to be criticizing the Pope and asking rea-

sons from the Church.”

“Bravo, Madame D’Airelle!” cried the

General, who had just joined us. “That

is the way I myself understand the Church

and our Faith. If we want to discuss and

criticize everything, we might just as well

leave the Church—then we may believe
and say whatever we like!” Then he

turned to me: “You, little Peter, come here

and give these good ladies a lesson in

catechism.” “Now, who commands the

Church?” “The Pope.” “Exactly, my

small friend. You see, ladies, this is the

answer to all your objections. Where would

we end if from now on every simple soldier

could discuss my orders and teach me tac-

tics? And yet, I am not infallible as the

Pope is, nor do I have, as he does, the spe-

cial assistance of the Holy Spirit. Little

18



Peter, you are a fine fellow; come and

shake hands!” We shook hands very heart-

ily and later in the hall when the officers

were putting on their cloaks, I heard the

General say to Daddy: “Captain, I con-

gratulate you! You have a fine little son

—one who will never shame you.” Daddy
pressed my hand when we got outside; he

was very pleased. And that night I said

half my Rosary for the General because he

was so good to me.

With much love,

Peter

Holy Communion at Any Cost

March, 1913

Dear Father:

Trouble has started again. Those ladies

came to our house last Thursday and at-

tacked Mamma with all their strength on

account of my daily receiving Our Lord.

This time there was no one to defend us.

So, when they had gone, Daddy was very

angry with Mamma and said : “This is too

much; we are making laughing-stocks of

ourselves. Will all these devotions never

end?” Mamma began to cry. Then I told

Daddy what I had read in my little book:

19



“Daddy, why do you want me to eat every

day?” “Because you would die if you

didn't have sufficient nourishment.” “Then,

don't you see, Daddy, I want to feed my

soul every day, too; that is why I go to

Holy Communion.” He did not answer

and left the room without kissing me good-

night. Mamma is so sad. She came up-

stairs with me and said: “You see, Peter,

everybody is against us and no one encour-

ages us. Perhaps we had better do like

the rest.” “But Mamma, then we would

not be obeying Our Lord!” “That is true,

Peter, but if we keep on this way, they will

talk against us more and more and Daddy

won’t like it—he will be very angry with
us.” “Mamma, I have an idea. We could

do this : on Sunday, go to our parish

church and the other days to the rest of the

churches. Then no one would know we

are going to Holy Communion every day.

I can get up a little earlier and dress a

little faster when we have farther to go.”

Mamma hugged me and smiled: “You are

right, my Peter! We will do this from

now on. Ask your guardian angel to help

us.”

Since that day I have been getting up

20



fifteen minutes earlier every morning and

we go to a different church each day. It

is awfully hard for little ones to come to

Jesus, Father. Every one tries to keep them

away from Him.

Your Peter

For His Father

March, 1913

Dear Father:

This time I can write you only a few

lines in pencil from my bed. Mamma has

gone to Mass with Jack and Odette. I can-

not go to Holy Communion today, and

sometimes I am afraid I shall not be able

to receive Our Lord again.

I am all alone in my little blue room.

After Communion last Friday it seemed to

me that Jesus was saying again: “Little

Peter, would you like to die to convert

Daddy?” “Oh! yes, yes!” I cried. Then

I asked Our Lord to let me suffer very

much for Daddy’s sins. After school that

afternoon, I vomited blood. The next day

and the day after I did it again. The doc-

tor came. When he had left, Mamma kissed

me and cried. Then she told Jack to begin

a novena with her for my recovery. But

21



I do not want to get better. I want to die

in order to see Jesus and convert Daddy.

I am suffering a good deal, but I do it

gladly to convert the sinners, as Our Lord

did. Please pray for me when I am dead.

May we meet again in heaven.

Your little Peter

March, 1913

Dear Father:

It’s me again. But I can’t write any

more. Jack is writing this letter for me.

I shall soon be with Jesus. It will not last

very long and I am so happy ! When I am

alone I sing the mission song: “Towards

heaven, towards heaven, one day I shall be

there.” I have great pains in my chest,

but I am happy, happier than ever before.

The pastor of our parish came to see

me. He asked me if it was true that I went

to different churches every day to receive

Holy Communion, as he had been told. I

said: “Yes.” “And why did you do it,

little Peter?” “To give joy to Jesus and

the Holy Father and to convert Daddy.

Yes, and for this I’ve asked Jesus to let me

die.” Then the priest wept and said noth-

ing more before he left. I did not dare to

22



ask him to bring me Holy Communion;

but I asked the Child Jesus to tell him this

for me.

Peter

April, 1913

Dear Father:

It seems to me that I am getting better.

I could write with a pencil, but Jack will

not let me, so he is writing this for me.

The parish priest came again the next day.

I thought he would be angry with me, but

he took my hand and said: “Peter, wouldn’t

you like to receive Our Lord every morn-

ing?” “Oh, yes, Father!” “Well then, I

will bring Him to you, myself, every day.

We will start tomorrow. Pray for me, little

Peter!”

Next day he came very early. Mamma

put flowers everywhere. Jack and Odette

knelt down and prayed; they had burning

candles in their hands. Daddy was there,

too; he was deeply moved and it seemed

to me that even he was praying. Father

prepared me for Holy Communion. He

said the prayers with me; then he helped

me to thank Our Lord. When he said

:

“Let us pray for our parents,” I looked at

23



Daddy. He had his handkerchief to his

face. In the afternoon Father came again.

He asked me: “Peter, what can I do so

that all the children will go to Holy Com-

munion more often, like you?” “Father,

found a Communion League like the one

where I used to live.” “I shall start right

away. Pray for me. Tomorrow I will

bring Our Lord to you again.” Mamma

said: “Father, do not put yourself to so

much trouble; your assistant is young and

he could do it quite easily.“ “No, no Ma-

dam. I have to give the good example. I

want everyone to know that I wish to nour-

ish the souls of our little children just as

Christ did and as the Holy Father desires

that they be nourished. Yes, I understand

now the special love of Our Lord for the

little ones.” He kissed my forehead, then

he went away.

Peter

Peter’s Last Letter

April, 1913

Dear Father:

The Child Jesus wants to give me every-

thing before I die. Our Parish Priest has

started the Communion League here and

24



he said that Odette, who is only five years

old, may make her first Holy Communion

on Holy Thursday. Now only Daddy is

left. I asked him to pray with me and he

did. He said the Rosary with me, and the

“Remember, 0 most gracious Virgin

Mary.” Perhaps I won’t be here any more

when he is converted. But I shall see it

from heaven. I will offer this sacrifice to

Our Lord.

This will probably be my last letter to

you. I cannot sleep any more and I cough

all night long. May we meet again in

heaven.

Your little Peter

P.S. When I am in heaven I will pray

for you and the Communion League.

Letter from Peter’s Father

Easter Sunday

Reverend Father:

I wish to inform you of our great sor-

row. Our little angel, our Peter, is no

more. He endured a real martyrdom, and

suffered as only saints can suffer, without

a single complaint, without a sign of im-

patience. Father brought him Holy Com-

munion every morning. This hour for

25



which he waited during the long, sleepless

night, was heaven for him. When he heard

the step of the priest, his face became like

that of an angel and his eyes seemed to

reflect something of heaven’s splendor.

The after-effect of receiving Our Lord

lasted the entire day. When I came to his

room he prayed the Rosary or sang the

songs you had taught them at the mission.

If I told him to rest for a while, he would

say: “Daddy, when I talk to Our Lord, I

am resting.” I asked him: “What do you

speak to Our Lord about?” “About you!”

On the morning of his last day on earth,

his mother told him we were beginning a

novena for his recovery, but he cried out:
%

*0h, no Mamma! You must not try to

make me get better. I want to die to con-

vert Daddy!”

He died the morning of Holy Thursday.

Odette had just returned from making her

first Holy Communion. Peter embraced

her for a long moment, then he prepared

to receive his last Communion. Father

came with Holy Viaticum. Peter knelt on

his bed, folded his hands, his whole face

shining with joy. He asked my pardon for

his disobedience. I wanted to say: “My

26



poor child, I should rather ask your par-

don!” But I could not speak because of

the tears which choked me. His mother,

Jack and little Odette were all weeping.

Father was also in tears. Peter alone was

serene and consoled us all.

The agony began. Meanwhile the bells

of the town rang for Mass. For a moment

it seemed to me that Peter wished to speak

to me. I bent over him and he whispered

:

“May we meet in heaven, Daddy. . . this is

for you.” Then he breathed his last, press-

ing the mission-rosary between his thin

little fingers. The moment after his death,

Peter’s face became radiant. It was as if

a heavenly light transfigured it. A sweet

smile rested on his lips. An inexpressible

peace hovered over the little body, worn

out and purified by sufferings. I believed

that something of the Divine light was

shining through this little angel, of whose

presence I was not worthy.

I, who had not prayed for twenty years,

who had been an unbeliever for twenty

years (at least I thought I did not believe),

I fell upon my knees beside his deathbed.

I was praying, weeping, sobbing, not for

his sake, but for my own. I asked God and

27



our angel-child to pardon me the lazy cow-

ardice in which I had spent my life. How

utterly ashamed, how little. I felt before

my son who was so great. I felt unworthy

to embrace him, I, who was a sinner, a

reprobate. The thought of staying beside

him all the night long with my unclean

soul was utterly unbearable. I think I felt

something of the awful shame the damned

must feel in the presence of the Almighty

at the Last Judgment. Finally I rushed

away to find a priest and confess all the

sins of my life. Only then did I feel less

unworthy to be near my child.

He slept there in his First Communion

suit, amid white lilies. I knelt beside his

body, asking him to obtain God's blessing

and protection for me. On Holy Saturday

we took the little coffin to the cemetery.
J

It was more a triumphant procession than

a funeral, as the bells were ringing out to

announce the Resurrection. All the chil-

dren of the parish were present in their

First Communion clothes. I was weeping,

but for joy, not sorrow—a new, deep, com-
forting joy.

In the churchyard the little ones, girls

in their white dresses, boys with their white

28



arm bands, arranged themselves around

the grave. When the first shovel of earth

was thrown upon the coffin, the parish

priest began to speak: “My dear children,

I am too deeply moved to preach a long

sermon. Instead, let us say a prayer of

thanksgiving to God that He did such great

things in the soul of our little friend. God’s

grace does not always wait for age to lead

chosen souls to holiness. Daily Holy Com-

munion made a hero and an apostle of our

little Peter. May he be an apostle for all

of us now in heaven. May he pray for us

and for me, your pastor, that we may bet-

ter understand our Divine Savior’s desire

in the Blessed Sacrament to guard you and

make you good and holy by daily Holy

Communion.”

Please pray, Reverend Father, especially

for me, that I may be less unworthy of him

to whom I gave earthly life, but who ob-

tained for me the life of my soul.

Captain D’Airelle

In Peter’s Footsteps

May, 1913

Reverend Father:

It is Peter’s father again, taking his

29



place in writing to you. I cannot use the

word “departed” when speaking of him,

for never have I felt him closer to me than

now. On Easter Sunday after Holy Com-

munion, the first one of my new life, in

this life which he won for me by his death,

it was as if I heard a voice within my soul,

a distinct voice—Peter’s voice: “Now you
must take my place at the Communion rail

every morning.” At first I did not want

to listen to that voice; it cut me to the

heart, yet filled me with joy at the same

time. “Yes, dear Daddy, it is your work

now to complete your conversion which I

bought at such a price.” For several days

this call was repeated, becoming especially

urgent in the early morning hours when

Peter used to go to Holy Communion. Fi-

nally I gave in. From now on, I, the elev-

enth-hour laborer, will daily go to the

Communion rail and fill the vacant place as

well as I can. This resolution has brought

great peace to my soul. I have only one

wish—to follow Peter from afar, to climb
slowly up after him on the royal way of

self-denial which he travelled so quickly.

I failed to be his teacher, but now I will

become his pupil.

30



Today when I took my morning walk

I saw a beautiful white lily in the garden.

I stopped to admire the lovely petals which

had opened over night. At the foot of this

lily, near the earth, a tiny pansy peeped up.

I would like to be this humble pansy under

the protection of our angel-child and so

close to him.

Please pray, dear Father, for my poor

soul.

Captain D'Airelle

-HCH-

Little Peter is gone. He lies asleep there

on the high hill which looks down on the

sea. Above his grave is a cross of red gran-

ite to which a rose-bush clings, bursting

into bloom every spring and covering the

cross with white roses. On the tombstone

is carved a chalice with a radiant host and

graven round it: “Suffer the little children

to come to Me and forbid them not; for of

such is the kingdom of heaven!” Above

the tombstone, according to the custom of

France, there is a small bowl that holds

the rain water for the little blue swallows

which build their nests in the cypresses and

31



gather there on the hot summer days to

refresh themselves with the cool water.

Little Peter now asks our Father in

Heaven to remember the little ones on

earth. A plea like this comes from his

loving heart: “0 Father, You who give the

swallows the water they need in the sum-

mer heat, who gather grain into Your

storehouses for the hungry birds. . . do not

let Your own little ones die of hunger!

lour little ones who cry to \ou for their

souls' food, lou know how to clothe the

lilies in a glory of white and to freshen

their lovely petals daily with the morning

dew. . . Keep the splendor of innocence in

the souls of children by the Divine glory

contained in the Daily Bread of souls. Give

them fathers and mothers who will see that

they receive this Bread of Life daily. Send

them good priests who are zealous in dis-

tributing It. 0 Master of the world, listen

to the cry of the little ones and hear them

crying for Bread; let it not be said again:

There was no one to give it to them!’
”

This is what little Peter begs of Our

Lord in heaven. And all the Guardian

Angels of the little children answer in one

voice: "Let it be so, Lord! Amen!”

32



Benedictine Booklets, IS# each

(Continued from inside front cover)

Rays of Catholic Truth

Do You Know the Church?

How to Find the True Church

Fountains of Salvation

Confession, the Sacrament of Mercy and Peace

Confession, Its Fruitful Practice

United in Christ (On Matrimony)

Through Death to Life (Extreme Unction)

Sacramentals

Assist the Souls in Purgatory

Devotion to Mary

Under Mary’s Mantle

To Jesus through Mary

Devotion to the Mother of Sorrows

Mary s Seven Sorrows

The Rosary, My Treasure
Heart of Our Mother and Queen

The Mysteries of Mary

’Neath St. Michael’s Shield

Our Heavenly Companions

Go to Joseph

Devotions to St. Joseph

St. Jude Thaddeus, the Great Helper in Great

Need & St. Rita, Advocate of the Impossible

St. Benedict, the Beloved of God

St. Anthony, the Wonder-Worker

St. Nicholas de Flue

(Continued on back cover)

Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration

Clyde, Missouri



Benedictine Booklets, 15( each

(Continued from inside back cover)

Good St. Anne

In the Footsteps of Saint Scholastica

St. Gertrude the Great

St. Therese of the Child Jesus

St. Philomena, Pray for Us

Why Not Make Your Home Ideal?
Magnificence of the Love of God

The Goodness of Our Savior

Conformity to the Will of God

Pathways to Peace

Words of Consolation for the Sick & Afflicted

All Ye Who Mourn

Miscellaneous

Message of the Sacred Heart, 10#

Pius X, Pope of the Eucharist, 10#

Life of Saint Euphrasia Pelletier, 10#

Little Peter, 10#

Gems from the Liturgy for the Feasts of Our

Lord (Part I & II), each booklet, 20#

Heart-talks with the Man of Sorrows, 20#

Daily Companion for Oblates, 20#

Liturgical Novenas for All the Feasts of the

Blessed Virgin Mary, 25#

The Treasures of the Mass, 50#

Sister Mary Fortunata Viti, O.S.B., $1.00

Reduction for quantities. Postage extra.

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Clyde, Missouri