a secret worth telling

The following letter was written by my Grand Aunt Margaret Mahon and has been preserved by the family for nearly ninety years. In religion Margaret Mahon took the name Sister Mary Anthony and worked for much of her life at an orphanage in England. The letter which was written to another Grand Aunt, has not been published before today.

Saint Dominic's Priory, West Grinstead, Horsham, Sussex, England. 6th Oct 1919.

My dearest Sister.
Yesterday being Rosary Sunday we had Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from after the Second Mass until Benediction in the Evening. We had the Blessing of and distribution of Roses also. I am sending you some of these Roses which I hope will bring a great blessing with them for each of you. I am going to tell you a great secret. On Saturday evening at 8.30 - I went into the Playground - where there were a number of boys assembled and a few of the Sisters, looking in the direction of the place where the Blessed Virgin was said to have appeared several times. I only ran outside to get a key as I could not get up to the Dormitory - where my twenty four little Cherubs were asleep - as I put them to bed at six o'clock each evening. Well I said to a Sister who was near me, let us recite the Rosary - and she said will you say it? I said Yes, but let one of the boys who have seen our Blessed Lady say the Our Fathers and Hail Marys, So we started it - kneeling in the Playground, when we reached the third mystery the Blessed Virgin made herself visible surrounded by a light which did not dazzle the eyes, but only Sent a thrill through the few who saw her. There was a Sister quite close to me. So I whispered - look at the Blessed Virgin - She is coming nearer and nearer. She said, I can't see her, but the boy who was saying the Our Fathers etc said Yes Sister Anthony I can see her and look she is bowing her head towards us. We continued the Rosary but I was trembling like an aspen leaf - not with fear - but with a great joy - which I can't express. The boy who helps me with the Babies was in bed in the Babies' Dormitory when I went up - so I woke him and asked him - if he had said his Rosary, he said Oh Yes! Oh Yes Sister and he burst out crying - and said - I will try to be very good always. I really saw the Blessed Virgin with my own eyes! I did! I did! I did! Needless to say I believed him - as the same thing was true in my own case. Only four Sisters saw her - Although there were several in the Playground. Then when we were saying the Hail Holy Queen - when we came to the words turn then most gracious Advocate thine eyes of mercy towards us! our Blessed Mother bowed her head in the direction - where we were Kneeling and gradually disappeared, leaving a Star of Gold in the middle of a fir tree where she seemed to come from at first. Fr Smith is busy this morning cutting down the tree, so we do not know now, if she will be visible again. I am not supposed to tell you but I am doing so for your comfort, as I offered you all my dearly loved ones to the Blessed Virgin. This is not imagination as I am very Sceptical and I do not easily give credance to such Visions, etc. but I am cured (from) forever now - and I shall not consider anything impossible. I am always praying for you, and since I have had charge of the Babies - it is nothing but Rosary, Rosary, Rosary, and the youngsters simply love it. Please do not mention this vision to Fr Smith if you write as he might be very displeased with me for mentioning it, but I am sure it will make you happy, as it has filled me with Heavenly-Joy. I do not mind dying at any moment. It is lovely to think of the beauty of Heaven's Queen. What must an eternity with Mary be when a glimpse Can give such joy as this is! Pray for me! How good good God is, and how much we should try (and how hard - also)- to love him more and more each day. I brought you to the Exposition and all at House on Sunday. Please give my kindest love to all. You may tell Lizzie and Marion this - but it must not be published as Fr Smith wants it kept quiet. We want the B Virgin to work a miracle here. DV. This is a very privileged spot, - and Holy ground here - watered with the Blood of Martyrs. You will hear the history from Fr Smith's own lips when you come! Did Michael tell you that he invited you over here soon. I hope to hear.




(The following lines are written in the margins of the first page of the letter.)
Early in the evening of Saturday 4th a Sister said to me - come out and see where the B Virgin is supposed to appear. I said Oh no! We must not be presumptuous - She only comes to innocent children. We shall see her in Heaven PG. Little did I dream she would privilege me with a glimpse of her loveliness. Fr Smith came to see me last night about it - but do not even pretend I told you this secret. I know it will make you happy. Love to you and a

(The following lines are written in the margins of the second page of the letter.)
Dearest Sister you can give my Father this letter and Thomas and anyone in Vmt House because I will always tell you everything. I love you all very very much & the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. The above is true with regard to Michael, Marion and Lizzie - Is Pat still with you.

(The following lines are written in the margin of the third page of the letter.)
I feel terribly happy - and nothing seems worth troubling about but the one thing necessary. I am sure I can trust you with this secret can't I? Remember me to Pat too. When is he coming back? He must take a couple of you back with me. With fondest love to Father + all. These Roses often work wonderful cures. They were Blessed with the B. Sacrament too.
Good news from you in Autour. (Autour is an approximation of an illegible word.)
Excuse scribbling in haste.
Yours sister in haste,
With much Love, Sister M Anthony.

Notes:
DV = Deo volente, God willing;
PG = Please God;
Vmt House = Valleymount House, the Mahon family home and shop which is still owned by a cousin of my father's today.