In 430 AD, Pope St. Boniface sent St. Germain, one of the greatest Bishops of Gaul, and St. Lupus, Bishop of Troyes to Great Britain to combat the Pelagian heresy. On their journey, they stopped in the French village of Nanterre.
Without considering the need to rest or eat, they immediately entered the Church to pray for God's assistance for their mission. Inspired with divine understanding, St. Germain chose a young girl of seven from the crowd and asked to speak with her. He asked her "...will you consecrate yourself to Christ in purity without stain as His spouse?"
This she did with great resolution and grew in holiness and virtue to become the great St. Genevieve who saved Paris from the attack of one of the most horrible barbarians hordes in history.
For this reason, St. Genevieve is the patroness of Paris. Her virtues were known throughout the East and the West. Even St. Simon Stylites in Asia Minor, a hermit, knew about her deeds and praised her.
St. Genevieve’s story is remarkable from several angles. First, without modern means of communication news travelled with incredible speed.
Obviously today, physical distance can be traversed more quickly. But what about spiritual distance? Modern man is light years away from Heaven and the things of Heaven. He uses every excuse to deny supernatural truths.
Consider the miracles of Lourdes, Rue du Bac, La Salette, Fatima.
And the Miraculous International Image of Our Lady of Fatima wept human tears in 1972 in New Orleans. Has man converted?
In those days, many saints lived to bring a holiness to the people. Today, true sanctity is very difficult to find.
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