| Dina Belanger Received the Stigmata | | | | she would go into ecstasy on that particular date. |
| On January 22, 1927, Dina was given the gift of the | | | | She may have even had an out-of-body experience. |
| Stigmata of Jesus, the Five Wounds in her hands, | | | | Her autobiography doesn't specify. |
| feet, and side. She described it in breathtaking | | | | But a time was to come when the Lord told her He |
| description: | | | | was taking her Home, and He did. In the Spring of |
| "On the 22nd of January, a Saturday and the Feast | | | | 1926, she began to show signs of pulmonary |
| of Our Lady of Fourvière, we had the closing | | | | Tuberculosis, which was a very life-threatening and |
| ceremony of the Forty Hours Adoration. During my | | | | debilitating disease. She suffered greatly until it |
| mediation before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, I | | | | became full-blown. It would lead to an early death for |
| suddenly felt myself enveloped in profound peace. I | | | | our little Saint. She managed to hang on until she |
| was already conscious of the presence of my Divine | | | | made her final vows on August 15, 1928. But after |
| Master, but this was something more than the | | | | that, she was preparing for the road Home. She had |
| ordinary union of Thursdays and Fridays. In fact, Our | | | | always desired Heaven. She was promised Heaven |
| Lord was granting me a great favor: the Stigmata of | | | | by her Lover, Our Lord Jesus. Now it was time to go |
| His Sacred Wounds. From His Divine Heart flames | | | | Home. On April 30, 1929, her birthday, she was |
| radiated on the feet, hands and heart of my | | | | moved into the isolation ward for Tuberculosis |
| annihilated being. The Blessed Virgin applied these | | | | patients. While it was a more pleasant and a brighter |
| flames to my hands and feet, and Jesus imprinted on | | | | atmosphere, it was the place from which few ever |
| them the Stigmata of love of His Sacred Wounds. He | | | | come back. She was on her way. |
| was granting one of my most cherished desires, but | | | | Actually, from what we can gather from her |
| He astonished me by granting it at this moment | | | | autobiography, she was more in Heaven than on |
| when I was not expecting it and in this manner which | | | | earth towards the end of her life. She was just |
| I could never have imagined." | | | | shackled to her body, but her soul had already been |
| As with most genuine Stigmatists, Dina begged Our | | | | lifted to the summit. She had soared to the High |
| Lord Jesus not to let her Stigmata show. She didn't | | | | Places, and it would not be fair to bring her back to |
| want anyone to know that she had been given this | | | | earth. She had sacrificed herself for the Divine |
| special gift. And the Lord answered her prayer. Padre | | | | Wishes of her Master, and He was now going to |
| Pio begged for his Stigmata to remain invisible, and | | | | reward her. But "le capudile", the devil, was not about |
| for a time, the Lord gave him this gift. But when the | | | | to let her go peacefully. He kept pulling her back to |
| Lord felt it necessary for the Stigmata to be visible | | | | earth with doubts, trying to break her faith and her |
| for all the world to see, Padre Pio said yes to all that | | | | relationship with Jesus. Dina fought valiantly, but could |
| it entailed. | | | | only succeed through the saving efforts of her God |
| [Let us say something at this point, which is really | | | | Who was by her side to the very end. |
| important. We've been given a great gift here, in | | | | In the early days of September, 1929, she had been |
| having the autobiography of a Mystic and Stigmatist. | | | | given the last Sacraments of the Church. She called |
| We get to know what is going on inside of her, what | | | | the Mother Superior over to her, reporting to the |
| she's thinking, what she's feeling, what her focus is | | | | end all that had been told to her. Dina said to her, |
| throughout her life. She wanted to be a nothing, | | | | "Mother, I heard voices saying to me and repeating |
| hidden in a corner, just adoring her Lord. She wanted | | | | fifteen times, `Blessed, Blessed.'" On September 4, |
| no attention, no publicity. Hopefully by now, you've | | | | 1929, at three in the afternoon, she took her last |
| read about Sts. Martin de Porres and Rose of Lima. | | | | breath. She looked at the two Superiors on either |
| They didn't want to be in the public eye. It was | | | | side of her bed. She smiled such an angelic smile to |
| thrust upon them. They wanted to be | | | | them that it was imprinted on their hearts for the |
| contemplatives. Dina was the same. To have had the | | | | rest of their lives. When she died, she looked very |
| visible Stigmata, would have been asking for a cross | | | | much like the Little Flower of Jesus, St. |
| which would have been very heavy for her to carry. | | | | Thérèse of Lisieux, sitting up with her |
| The publicity and notoriety that comes with a gift like | | | | head back on the pillow. |
| the Stigmata would have been completely contrary | | | | We want to share with you an excerpt from Dina's |
| to how she wanted to adore her Lord.] | | | | diary, regarding the Eucharist. |
| Throughout her life, Jesus told Dina that she was | | | | "If souls but understood the Treasure they possess |
| going to die at a given date, and she did not die. | | | | in the Divine Eucharist, it would be necessary to |
| When questioned by her Superiors, rather than make | | | | encircle the Tabernacles with the strongest of |
| an excuse, she would say, "I made a mistake." That | | | | ramparts for, in the delirium of a devouring and holy |
| wasn't so. Jesus would never lie to her. He can't lie | | | | hunger, they would press forward themselves to |
| and still be God. She did not understand what He | | | | feed on the Bread of Angels; the churches would |
| meant. He was telling her she would be dying to | | | | overflow with adorers consumed with love for the |
| herself, things she was hanging onto. When He would | | | | Divine Prisoner, no less by night than by day. |
| say "Next August 15, you will be with me in Heaven," | | | | |