Saint Philomena and Mystical France
“Hail, O holy Saint Philomena, whom I acknowledge after Mary as my advocate with the Divine Spouse.” ~ Prayer to St. Philomena, Fr. Paul O’Sullivan, Saint Philomena the Wonder Worker.
St. Philomena is extraordinarily powerful in heaven. The late 3rd-early 4th century martyr, a Greek Princess, suffered the cruelest tortures at the hands of Diocletian. She refused his offer of marriage to protect her vow of virginity made to Our Lord. The instruments of her persecution are notorious. The emperor had her scourged, thrown into the Tiber with an anchor tied to her, shot with flaming arrows, and after those attempts to kill her miraculously failed, beheaded her. Buried in the catacombs and only discovered in the early 19th century, Philomena astonished the world with miracles after she emerged. These miracles continue in the present age. Her popularity grows by the day. God revealed her from the sublime heights of heaven to restore the true faith among the people of God and to convert sinners. She is the patron saint of lost causes, among others.
We first came across St. Philomena around the year 2010. Curiously, a website devoted to St. Joan of Arc featured Philomena. A mysterious bond existed between the two martyred saints. After researching her, my wife and I joined her Living Rosary Association and began a devotion to her.
One day, reading Fr. Paul O’Sullivan’s book referenced above; I discovered that St. Philomena had a National Shrine in the tiny rural Wisconsin town of Briggsville, only three hours from our home. Soon, we visited the shrine regularly.
St. Philomena was my constant companion and patroness during my years of developing The Dove and Rose devotion to St. Joan of Arc and St. Thérèse, Mystical France, and The House of New Bethany. She was a mysterious and powerful force behind my devotional writing. I never understood her connection to Mystical France; I just knew it existed. She was central to the kingdom, only I did not know how. Her connection to the holy French saint John Vianney and blessed Pauline Jaricot, whose healing through the intercession of St. Philomena was instrumental in Philomena’s recognition as a saint, resonated with France. However, I could sense there was more.
One day while visiting the shrine, we were praying before the Eucharist near her statue. For a brief time, the sense of Mary Magdalene’s mystical France imbued the spiritual atmosphere. Just as people often report the scent of roses when praying to St. Thérèse, I could sense Magdalene’s Mystical France in the air at the shrine. It left me wondering if her shrine was the home of the kingdom itself. Or Philomena’s shrine was the mission home to mystical France in America. There was no way to discern it. I still prefer the latter interpretation, but only God and the saints know. The one thing I am sure of is that Magdalene’s Mystical France has Philomena’s approval, and she welcomes it for her own mission of restoring the faith and converting sinners.
Recently, we made our way to Philomena’s relics and shrine in Mugnano, Italy. This was nine days after visiting the tomb of Mary Magdalene in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, France and Magdalene’s Grotto, just south of the tomb.
Soon after returning home, miracles of grace abounded. The Holy Spirit inspired my wife and me to commit to daily mass, first Friday and first Saturday devotions, and monthly confession. Our daily devotional life to these two saints increased. We both felt an increased yearning for true repentance, contrition, and love for Our Lord and Our Lady. St. Mary Magdalene and St. Philomena drew us to their shrines in France and Italy for a reason. We see it as just the beginning of a new adventure in grace.
St. Philomena’s power in heaven is enormous. I agree with many writers throughout the two centuries since her discovery that she is, “after Mary,” our advocate with the Divine Spouse. Philomena is so intricately, and mysteriously, bound up in Mystical France and The House of New Bethany, that I consider the kingdom to be hers as our liaison with the Blessed Virgin Mary. She refused an earthly empire out of faithfulness to Jesus Christ and to protect her purity. In our love for Philomena, we offer her our kingdom. Based on my experience at her shrine in Briggsville, I believe she already accepted it.
