Anne de Guigné, life, faith and quotes
Anne de Guigné is a model of holiness for all of us, young and old. She is often given as an example to children preparing for their First Communion. This little girl with a strong character invites us to change our hearts and to have a pure heart , as Father de Grandmaison wrote in a prayer:
"Holy Mary, Mother of God,
keep for me the heart of a child,
pure and transparent as a spring. [...] "
Since 1990, the Church has venerated her, and we can ask for her intercession or even for a miracle that will allow her beatification.
Biography of Anne de Guigné
Her early years
Anne de Guigné was born on April 25, 1911 at the Château d'Annecy le Vieux. She was the eldest of four children. Her parents came from the French nobility and were very Christian. Their little girl, nicknamed Nénette, soon revealed her strong character and quick temper. She didn't make life easy for her brother, and her mother sometimes despaired of her daughter's temper. A relative even said: "I pity her mother when she's twenty..." But a turning point was to radically change the heart of the little blond girl, then aged 4.
The First World War
In 1915, the First World War raged and Anne de Guigné's father was called to the front. This ordeal shook little Anne to the core, especially when she saw her wounded father returning home. She became very attentive to him.
Later, Madame de Guigné told her children that their father has died at the front. This sudden death changed Anne's heart forever. Gentleness and attentiveness to others were to become her greatest qualities.
Mademoiselle Basset, a schoolteacher, came to look after the de Guigné children at home, and she would later testify to little Anne's kindness.
The ordeal of illness
But in December 1921, Anne returned from a walk at their vacation home in Cannes, suffering from severe headaches. The doctor diagnosed meningitis. A long road of suffering began. Bedridden most of the time, she prayed and she entrusted numerous prayer intentions to Jesus because many people around her recommended themselves to her prayers. There was a lull in her illness at Christmas time, and she was able to enjoy this last Christmas with her brother and two sisters. For the occasion, they recited a poem for their mother. But illness took over again, and Anne de Guigné confided all her suffering to Jesus.
At dawn on January 14, 1922, Anne asked her nun: "Sister, may I go to the angels?" After the nun's reply, the little girl breathed her last.
Anne de Guigné left a great void in her entourage, yet many people testify to the graces they received through her. In 1932, the Bishop of Annecy opened the diocesan phase of the beatification process. But once in Rome, the case posed a number of difficulties. Indeed, the Church had not yet been confronted with the beatification of non-martyr children. So we had to wait until 1990 for the answer to these questions. On March 3 1990, Pope John Paul II declared Anne de Guigné's virtues heroic. making her a venerable, the first step towards beatification.
Anne de Guigné, friend of Jesus
From the day of her "conversion", Anne became a great friend of Jesus, and had only one desire: to receive him in the Eucharist. She prepared very seriously for her First Communion. From that moment on, Anne felt very close to Jesus, and she radiated it, as some of those around her exclaimed: "You can see the Good Lord in her eyes! "
Following the example of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, she prayed for the conversion of Louis, an old man from Annecy who was dying.
Words spoken by Anne de Guigné
Written words
- "My little Jesus, I love you and to please you I resolve to obey you always." (Note placed on the altar at her First Communion).
- "I want my heart to be as pure as a lily for Jesus."
- "We can suffer well for Jesus since Jesus suffered for us."
Oral words
- "We have many joys on earth, but they don't last; the one that lasts is having made a sacrifice."
- "I can understand suffering and sorrow, but why torment ourselves, since God is there?"
Ask for Anne de Guigné's intercession
This is a prayer to ask for the beatification of little Anne. It can be recited nine days in a row.
"The weak in the world is what God has chosen to confound the strong. (1 Cor 1:27
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
)
Thank you, Jesus, for giving us Anne de Guigné! When we see her, we think of the Child of the Gospel whom you gave as an example to your disciples. A little teacher of children, conquering through her purity and goodness, she also leads adults along the path of holiness. So that she may soon be declared blessed and be able to radiate your Love even more, deign to grant us through her intercession the grace for N... Thank you, Jesus."
Imprimatur : Nice March 31, 2011
Louis Sankalé, Bishop of Nice
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