THE LITTLE ARAB

Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified, OCD

'The Little Arab'

1846-1878

Memorial - August 25th

Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified was born of the Baouardy family, Catholics of the Greek Melchite Rite, at Abellin in Galilee in 1846. In 1867 she entered the Discalced Carmelites in France and was sent with the founding group to the Carmel of Mangalore in India where, in 1870, she made her profession. She returned to France in 1872. In 1875 she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began planning for another in Nazareth. Noted for her supernatural gifts, especially for humility, for her devotion to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church and the Pope, she died at Bethlehem in 1878.

Prayer

God, Father of mercy and all consolation,

you raised Blessed Mary, the humble daughter of the Holy Land,

to contemplation of the mysteries of your Son

and made her witness to the love and joy of the Holy Spirit.

Grant us, through her intercession,

so to share in the sufferings of Christ

that we may rejoice in the revelation of your glory.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Above text taken from Carmelite Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours published by Instititum Carmelitanum, 1993.

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Community, OCDS - Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, Hudson, NH