Consolata Betrone,
Saluzzo, Cuneo, Italy 1903 -1946
Status: Cause for
Beatification Opened February 8, 1995 by Archbishop Card. Giovanni Saldarini
Episcopal Remarks: - N/A
Corroboration by Other Seers:
Biographical Information: Pierina Betrone was born on April 6,
1903, at Piedmont, Italy. One year
after Pierina's birth her family moved to Turin. At the age of thirteen, while making her thanksgiving
after Holy Communion, she heard an
inner voice ask her, "Do you wish to be entirely Mine?" Without a hesitation Pierina replied,
"Yes, Jesus!" She thought to belong entirely to Jesus meant to become
a nun. So she believed she had a
religious vocation. However, she did not
become a nun for ten more years until she was accepted into the Capuchin convent of Turin. After ten more
years she was transferred to a convent
at Moriondo. At the age of 43, in the year 1946, Sister Mary Consolata (her religious name) died a
holy death. Sr. Consolata read The Story of a Soul by St. Therese of
Lisieux. In this book St. Therese
talked about a weaker soul than herself
upon whom God would work even greater marvels. Sr. Consolata saw herself as this weaker soul. On November 27,
1935, Jesus confirmed what she had
suspected when He said, "Well, I have found that still weaker soul who has abandoned herself with
complete faith to My infinite mercy: it
is you, Consolata." Sr. Consolata had a great desire to love Jesus. Our
Lord taught her a way to grow in the
fulfillment of His Commandments to love God
with all one's heart, soul, mind and strength and to love one's neighbor as oneself. It is called the
"Littlest Way." It involves
praying unceasingly the following prayer: Jesus, Mary, I love You, Save Souls. This short prayer encompasses
both Commandments, loving God and
souls. Here is how Sr. Consolata tells us
to do it: When you go to bed in the
evening ask your Guardian Angel to love Jesus for you while you are sleeping and to inspire you to
awaken praying the prayer. Continue
repeating this prayer all day long. Entrust all your worries and cares to Jesus. He promised that if we love Him in
this way He will take care of
everything. When we are engaged in some
activity that occupies our mind Jesus promises that this prayer of love will continue. Also, this does not mean
one has to give up all other forms of
prayer. The only obstacles to unceasingly praying this prayer are three: useless thoughts, useless talk and
outside interests. The goal is to love
Jesus in all activities and people we
meet throughout the day. This little prayer will help us to do this. Sr.
Consolata tells us this one little task will involve a generous and constant effort. She cautions
us not to become discouraged. After
practicing it for some years Sr. Consolata could say that she was distracted from Jesus for only two hours in a
whole month! For those not able to give
themselves so completely Sister says to
them, "Avail yourselves of my act of love in the measure in which it is possible for you." Our Lord
told Sr. Consolata that millions would
follow her example all over the world - even men! One does not have to be young
in age to start. The first one to follow
the Littlest Way was Giovanna Compaire at the age of 85. This woman found this method very liberating to her
spirit and died a holy death. Let us begin this unceasing act of love for
Jesus today. One doesn't have to be a
saint to do it. Jesus told Sister, "Though they be sinners, [they] will welcome it and will follow you in the
simple way of trust and love." So let us love Jesus during all those
moments throughout the day when our
mind is not occupied by saying, "Jesus, Mary, I love You, Save Souls!" 1
References
1. Taken from Monks
of Adoration Act of Unceasing Love For Jesus by Brother John Raymond,
August 30, 1992 (http://www.monksofadoration.org/15.html)