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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Person offering God their life for another	Rosa	Thursday, January 6, 2005
Question: I was just reading the story of Bl. Laura Vicuna (http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=513 if you'd like to see it). It says that she was distressed by her mother wandering away from God so she offered God her life for her mother. Soon after, the weather took a turn for the worse, she became ill, and died. Then the story reads, "Although her mother took her home to Quilquihue where the climate was [m]ore pleasant and helpful, there was no improvement in her health. Laura knew she would not recover. God had accepted her offering - her self-immolation." It struck me as odd that God would take Laura's life to save her mother like that. I'm not one to question God though, He knows best... perhaps it was the only way to get the mother to change her ways. But anyway. I'm pretty sure www.catholic.org is a good source of Catholic information but... I still find this story weird. Is this story true? If so, could you please shed some light on it for me - God accepting Laura's life to save her mother.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Rosa: That is the story of Blessed Laura Vicuna. But we must remember that Laura offering her own life for her mother to come back to God is NOT the norm. This is an extraordinary and rare event. There have been many people who have offered their lives for a loved-one to have God say "no" to their request. God said "yes" to Laura, but that "yes" was in the fullness of God's Providence, Will, and Purpose for both Laura and her mother. We must also remember that Laura's offering was a true offering of her heart and not merely an emotional concern for her mother. In addition Laura had already given herself totally to God; to offer her life was thus a natural thing for her to do. Few of us have really given ourselves totally to God. In any event, God will always answer our prayers according to what is best for us in the fullness of His Providence, Will, and Purpose. God bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Person offering God their life for another

Rosa

Thursday, January 6, 2005

Question:

I was just reading the story of Bl. Laura Vicuna (http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=513 if you'd like to see it). It says that she was distressed by her mother wandering away from God so she offered God her life for her mother.

Soon after, the weather took a turn for the worse, she became ill, and died. Then the story reads, "Although her mother took her home to Quilquihue where the climate was [m]ore pleasant and helpful, there was no improvement in her health. Laura knew she would not recover. God had accepted her offering - her self-immolation."

It struck me as odd that God would take Laura's life to save her mother like that. I'm not one to question God though, He knows best... perhaps it was the only way to get the mother to change her ways. But anyway. I'm pretty sure www.catholic.org is a good source of Catholic information but... I still find this story weird.

Is this story true? If so, could you please shed some light on it for me - God accepting Laura's life to save her mother.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Rosa:

That is the story of Blessed Laura Vicuna.

But we must remember that Laura offering her own life for her mother to come back to God is NOT the norm. This is an extraordinary and rare event.

There have been many people who have offered their lives for a loved-one to have God say "no" to their request. God said "yes" to Laura, but that "yes" was in the fullness of God's Providence, Will, and Purpose for both Laura and her mother.

We must also remember that Laura's offering was a true offering of her heart and not merely an emotional concern for her mother. In addition Laura had already given herself totally to God; to offer her life was thus a natural thing for her to do. Few of us have really given ourselves totally to God.

In any event, God will always answer our prayers according to what is best for us in the fullness of His Providence, Will, and Purpose.

God bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum