The love and mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary are endless, of course through the goodness of Almighty God, who is the source of all grace.

Today, I visited the Grotta Della Madonna Della Tre Fontane (The Grott of Our Lady of the Three Fountains). This is such a beautiful and simple place. I visited here at the recommendation of St. Emanuella who I posted about yesterday.

There was a man by the name of Bruno Cornacchiola. Bruno was raised Catholic, but like many of our contemporaries, he left the faith. And, not only did he leave the Catholic Church, but he grew an intense hatred for it and the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he often attacked and blasphemed.

Bruno pledged that he would do everything in his power to destroy the Catholic Church. He also made a vow to kill Pope Pius XII. Bruno was violent to his wife and children because they practiced the Catholic faith. He demanded that his wife leave the Church and become a Protestant and eventually an Adventist minister.

On a beautiful day, 12 April 1947, Bruno took his children to at little park across from the Trappist Monastery at Tre Fontane. Children loved to go there, since their parents would often purchase chocolate made by the Trappists. (I can attest to the goodness of the chocolate. Could have eaten the whole store!)

During their visit to the park, one of the children lost the ball they were playing with. The children began to search in the woods and when they came upon the grotto, they saw a beautiful woman and kept repeating the words: “Beautiful woman.” In fear that his children would be garment, Bruno went to see what was taking place and to remove them. However, without all his strength, Bruno could not move his children from the spots where they knelt. Suddenly, the Virgin Mary appeared to and spoke to Bruno.

Like St. Paul, the scales fell from the eyes of Bruno and his life was change forever. He was directed by Our Lady to seek the guidance of a priest (she promised that it would be confirmed by a sign) and she wanted him to meet with the Pope. Bruno and his family converted back to the Catholic Church. On 9 December 1949, just 2 – 1/2 years later, Bruno was able to talk with Pope Pius XII and ask his forgiveness. Bruno was used by Our Lady to confirm the Holy Father’s desire to proclaim the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary giving the Pope Our Lady’s message: “My body could not decay and did not decay, I was taken to heaven by my Son and His angels’.”

If you get to Rome, be sure you don’t miss this holy sanctuary!