THE CHILDREN DF BEAURAING No fraud

Ste,-In his recent review of the English translation of Jean HeIld's Miracles, Alcuin remarks with some effect that the author has been merciless with the "children of Beauraing." Indeed calumny is always merciless, just as a half-truth can be more harmful than a lie.
Alcuin has been induced to believe that M. Lebesque has made a full enquiry into the phenomena of Beauraing and, to that extent. misled; an awkward dilemma for any reviewer whose good faith has gained for him an enviable reputation.
As long ago as December 28, 1949, La Croix of Paris printed an official Declaration by the Bishop of Namur, in whose diocese Beauraing stands, with reference to Jean Hell's then recent publication. "Using the powers which the Holy See has granted Us in this precise case," the Bishop wrote, "the Diocesan Authority of Namur has given judgment on the Cause of the Apparitions of Beauraing . . . that one could with all serenity and prudence affirm that the Queen of Heaven had appeared to the Children of Beauraing."
In this Declaration the Bishop wrote that it was his duty, especially with regard to Jean HMI's work, to
protest against such a fantastic exposition, to the extent of parody. which the author gave about the events at Beauraing. The Bishop added, moreover, that this was the more regrettable because the author had set out to do the work of a historian and seemed to want to convey the impression that the ecclesiastical authority had adopted an attitude of opposition as well.
As nearly four years have elapsed since this Declaration was made, one wonders why this merciless author
has made no kind of reference to it in the subsequent editions of his work. There have in fact been a
number of Acts by the Holy See in favour of Beauraing. Not least there was the public appearance and participation in official ceremonies there, of the Apostolic Nuncio which must betoken more than acquiescence on the part of the Holy See, If Jean Nene is correct, and the "children" are guilty of fraud, then how grave is the charge which, directly or indirectly, he levels not only against the present Bishop, but also against the whole Canonical Commission of Enquiry. This body, with access to facts far fuller than any of those alleged by HeIle, found absolutely in favour too. A Decree from the Vatican (Holy Office) dated December 7, 1942, granted the Bishop authority to proceed toward Canonical recognition, which was given formally by Decree dated February 19, 1943, On July 17, 1947, Pope Pius XII authorised the Bishop to make it known that the Sovereign Pontiff had given his heartfelt blessing in the cause of the Beauraing Pilgrimage. Still further. a Decree of the Bishop. dated July 2, 1949. gives judgment that the cures of "Mademoiselle Van Lacr and of Madame Acar-Group are miraculous and that in view of the circumstances in which the cures had been achieved, they must be attributed to the especial intervention of God, through the intercession of Our Lady of Beauraing." Finally, in May, 1949, there appeared Notre-Dame de Beauraing by Chanoine A. Monin, D.C.L., professor of Louvain and president of the Canonical Commission. on the facts of Beauraing, the whole substance of which was readily available to Jeatti Hell& But he would seem to have ignored all of this. And there lies the rubwhich has misted Alcuin to such extent-the book in question is not a full enquiry, still less an impartial one.
In defence of the "children," may I add that I personally know that several of the statements made against them, and their characters, to he, in the Bishop's own words, "al/out jusqu' a la parodie." In fact an expression still stronger might have been used.
H. Martin Gillett.
Beaura ing,
Castel Sainte-Marie.