Now it was left for Dina to inform her parents of her decision to enter the convent, and to prepare them for the coming separation. It was heartrending for Monsieur and Madame Belanger, but they accepted with true Christian resignation: 'Since it is God's Will, we are ready to embrace it!' As the time grew closer, they multiplied their attentions to her. It was not to dissuade her from her decision; on the contrary, they fully accepted it. In June, 1921, they gave her a last gift: a trip to Niagara Falls. She loved it-the trip made her raise her heart and mind to God in thanksgiving for the beauties of His creation.
Finally, August 11, 1921 came. She left her home in Lower Quebec City forever. Her father and her mother accompanied her to Sillery. They gave back to God the child they received from Him. (After Dina entered the convent, her parents moved to Sillery to be closer to her. They remained in Sillery until their deaths in 1951-Madame Belanger-and 1952-Monsieur Belanger).
ENTRY INTO SILLERY CONVENT-THE POSTULANCY (1921)
The day Dina entered Sillery Convent, August 11, 1921, was a day of sacrifice both for her and her parents. As stated at the end of Part 5, the Belanger couple, who were profoundly Christian, willingly gave their daughter to the service of God in the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
Dina says that on her entrance day, 'her soul was filled with darkness and repugnance, yet she had scarcely crossed the threshold when an inward force made her say, 'THIS IS HOME'. These words were not inspired by any 'natural' feeling-she 'felt' nothing, groping her way in darkness of spirit.
In the evening, she received her postulant's 'mantilla' (headdress), which she accepted with great piety. Next day she attended a Clothing ceremony and a Profession, but her dryness persisted-she was, she said, 'indifferent as a rock'. The only thing that touched her was the kiss of peace that was given by each member of the community to the newly professed and the new novices.
Before she entered, she felt that convent life 'presented one continual series of struggles against natural inclinations and tastes, and this had delighted me.. But the devil was waiting.' He whispered to her, 'Do you think you can live here to the end of your days? Are you going to submit yourself to all these burdensome regulations?' It was a terrible conflict. She watched the other nuns, and was filled with admiration at seeing their happiness and their recollection; and thinking of their virtue, she said, 'Surely each one of them is a great Saint.' Then the devil showed her an abyss between their perfection and her own piety. She fought this temptation with Our Lord's help, saying, 'Why can I not imitate them? They are frail creatures like myself, and Jesus will help me as He helps them.' Then the devil made use of another weapon.
Almost all of the spiritual exercises were done in common, and Dina would be obliged to pray aloud and use set formulas for prayer instead of being able to speak to Our Lord intimately. She says in response, 'What a deceitful trick! Religious life is the state of prayer: everywhere, at the religious exercises, at work, or at rest, Jesus and the soul are one.' Prayer in common eventually became a consolation to her, and the union of holy souls filled her with confidence.
Blessed Dina Belanger -Mother Ste-Cecile de Rome
Blessed Dina Belanger -Mystic & Stigmatic (1897-1929) [Mère Marie Ste-Cecile de Rome]
-OUR LORD'S 'LITTLE OWNSELF' AND 'THE LITTLE FLOWER OF CANADA"
By: Barb Finnegan
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD
Blessed Dina Belanger was born in Quebec City, Canada, on April 30, 1897 (five months to the day before the death of St. Therese of Lisieux). She was the daughter of Octave Belanger, an auditor and accountant by profession, and his wife Seraphia Matte. She was baptized the same day in the Church of St-Roch in the Lower Town of Quebec, receiving the names Margaret-Mary Dina (the latter in honor of her paternal grandmother). She was an only child. A brother, Joseph-Simeon-Gustave, was born seventeen months after her, but lived only three months. Dina inherited from her family, in addition to their Norman French roots and deep Catholic Faith, a strong will and a love of order and precision (her father's side) and a pious, reserved and unselfish character (her mother's side).
Before she was born, her mother prayed earnestly each day at the Elevation of the Mass, that her unborn child, whether boy or girl, might be a holy religious, and she offered all her sufferings for the salvation of that soul. She lost no time in educating Dina once she was born. When Dina was six months old, her mother would take her tiny hand in hers and make with it the Sign of the Cross. And very soon the baby learned to do it when she was placed in her cradle for the night.
As she grew older she would say her prayers leaning against her father's knee, her head bowed and her hands joined. She loved the 'Angelus' prayer, and whenever she heard the bell ring while playing outside she would run upstairs in time to say 'Amen', which was all the Latin she knew!
Madame Belanger took her to church at an early age, not only to Mass, but also to sermons, novenas, and meetings of the 'Ladies of the Holy Family'. But as most four-year-olds can be in church, Dina got easily bored by the sermons. So one day she brought with her a tiny stoneware doll named 'Valeda' to church and began to play with it during the sermon.
'Put that away', her mother said....and she did. Five minutes later, the doll made its appearance again. This time her mother confiscated it and put it in her purse. Once home, Dina was reprimanded for her unseemly behavior. Before going to church again, her mother hid 'Valeda' in the house so Dina couldn't find it. Not hidden enough! Dina searched while out of her mother's sight, found it, stuck it in her pocket, and after her mother was ready to leave the house, walked with her to church. Then, at the sermon, 'voila!', there was 'Valeda' again! This time, her mother gave her a good 'talkin' to' when they got home: "We don't bring playthings to church-you'll have plenty of time to play when you come home'. This time the reproof had effect, and Dina was 'cured' of bringing toys to church!
DINA'S CHILDHOOD
Dina was a mischievous child, and she also had quite a temper. Once when she was four, she refused to obey her mother. The second time, she flew into a passion and began a temper tantrum, kicking, screaming and jumping up and down. Her father, seeing this, rose from the table, took her by the hand, and said very calmly,
"Come on, let me help you to scream and dance-that way we can get this done sooner." And he did the exact same thing that Dina did! Mortified by her father's imitation of the tantrum, Dina stopped, having no inclination to continue. The lesson took hold, and there were no more temper tantrums from Dina.
Both parents spent time with her. When her father came in from work in the evening, he would take Dina in his arms, kiss and fondle her. He spent hours playing with her and answering her numerous 'Whys?'. His greatest joy was to spring little surprises on her: a walk, a trip, some small present.
Her mother, being very charitable, would take Dina with her on her errands of mercy to the poor. Both parents rendered all sorts of services to the poor and needy, whether they were relatives or complete strangers. They were discreet in their charity; often they would say, 'Do not put down my name', or, 'This is for you, but do not say anything about it'.
The Belanger couple encouraged Dina to share with other children. They often made presents of sweets, fruit and other treats. They accustomed Dina to share with other what she enjoyed, and to lend her toys willingly. Dina took great care of her belongings, and put everything back in its place once playtime was over. After some fifteen year or more, she was able to give away, in perfect condition, her fragile playthings.
Her parents taught her her catechism, and she was able to read before going to school at age six. There were a number of relatives who were in religious Orders, and often Dina would go with her mother to visit them. She says in her 'Autobiography':
'There I observed everything, spoke little, but kept things in my mind. I often pretended not to understand what was being said, particularly when the remark concerned me. 'Perhaps she will be a nun too'. Even though the question was put to me directly, I never vouchsafed to give the information that I wished to give for the Heart of Jesus, for I heard His call from my tender youth.'
When she made her First Confession, her mother prepared her carefully, then told her to go to whichever priest in the parish she felt most at ease with, while stressing at the same time, 'we must see God and not the priest.'
Dina gave the devil a peculiar nickname, a word she made up herself, showing her contempt for him: 'LE CAPIDULE'. [probably a French-Canadian 'slang word']
She had a dream when she was five: she saw the Child Jesus at the foot of her bed. He stretched out His arms to her and asked with a smile, 'What would you like?' She exclaimed, 'Oh! Will you give me Your picture?' It was close to Christmas; and when she returned from Midnight Mass, she found near her bed a Nativity set made of colored cardboard. On the bed of straw was the Infant Jesus, looking up beseechingly and stretching out His arms, just as in her dream! On seeing this, Dina cried out, 'I knew He would send me His picture!'
EDUCATION - QUEBEC CITY (1907-1913)
At the age of six, Dina entered the convent school of St-Roch , in the 'Lower Town' of Quebec City. This school was run by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame, founded by St. Marguerite Bourgeoys of Montreal.
One day, before the start of school, Madame Belanger found Dina telling off the calendar days with her finger. 'What are you doing?' her mother asked. Dina replied, 'I want to know how many days remain before I go to the convent.' 'Why?' persisted her mother, 'Are you anxious to begin?" 'Oh no,' said Dina, 'I'm afraid of being lonely.' 'All the better,' retorted Madame Belanger, 'you will find school quite to your liking.'
Her mother's 'prophecy' was fulfilled to the letter, as Dina states in her 'Autobiography'; she took a deep interest in school and took to her studies with a passion.
She was very punctual in her school attendance-she never made illness, fatigue, family outings, or journeys out of town excuses for missing-or 'skipping'-school. She had a few friends among her classmates. Usually it was her mother who extended invitations to the Belanger home, because Dina by nature was reserved and fond of solitude. She was taught to be discreet in personal matters both at home and at school-she was never allowed to talk in class or elsewhere of what took place at home, and never to mention anything but praiseworthy actions of her schoolmates, and always with strict regard for the truth.
Of a timid and sensitive disposition, the least thing caused Dina to burst into tears. She was ambitious-in the good sense-and aimed at being the head of the class. If she lost it, she redoubled her efforts. It was natural for her to obey her teachers, even in insignificant matters. She never took advantage of exceptions; for example, she had naturally curly hair, which allowed her to tie it back with a ribbon. But she conformed to the rules and braided her hair instead.
One day her teacher asked Dina if she knew her patron saint. 'No', Dina said, 'do I have one?' 'I think so,' Sister answered, 'I'm going to look it up.' The only one who had that name was the daughter of the Biblical patriarch Jacob, in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. There was no 'Saint Dina' on the calendar of the Church, either. So Dina said to herself, 'Very well! Then I shall be a saint, and be a patroness to those who will, in the future, be called by my name.' She calls this her 'first ideal.'
When she was seven, she followed the retreat given to the students. She says, 'Our Blessed Lord drew me to Himself in a sensible manner. On the third day, I felt an overpowering love for Jesus. I was so eager to see Him and possess Him that I besought Him to admit me that very night, to His Paradise. This desire haunted me persistently. During the night, I was surprised to discover that my request had not been heeded.'
Our Lord taught Dina to accept gladly the little annoyances and discomforts of life as well the 'klutzy' accidents [my word] that can happen. On Holy Thursday, it was the custom to visit the Altars of Repose, in imitation of visiting the seven churches in Rome. If the weather was nice-this was done in the daytime before the 1950s-Easter hats and dresses made their appearance among the ladies and girls. On this particular Holy Thursday in 1920s Quebec, the melting snow made the streets very muddy and slippery (it was the days before asphalt paving), and Dina was wearing a pretty new outfit. Suddenly, she slipped and fell into a puddle of slush! She was a sorry sight in her wet, dirty, and dripping clothes! Again, did she act the 'drama queen'? No, she didn't-she was glad, she said, 'because it was God's Will. At the foot of the stairs leading to the house, I knelt down and thanked God, then bending over, kissed the ground.'
At school, each student was given her weekly marks for conduct and application in studies. Since Dina was six, she always received perfect reports. But one day she got only 'good', instead of the usual 'very good' because she 'lingered unduly in taking my rank'. She begged her teacher to be allowed to 'buy back' her good mark, but in vain. The mark stayed on the report card, and still more in Dina's memory. During the rest of her schooldays no other 'bad mark' ever appeared on her report cards.
When she was twelve, she left St-Roch convent school and continued her studies at Notre-Dame de Jacques-Cartier convent, a school recently opened in her parish and also conducted by the Congregation of Notre-Dame de Montreal. It was closer to her house than St-Roch. She continued to have success in her studies, both in the classroom and at the piano. She referred all her successes to God.
At age thirteen, she was admitted to the Sodality of Our Lady at Jacques-Cartier, and took as her personal motto 'DEATH RATHER THAN DEFILEMENT'. This was her 'ideal' until she entered the Novitiate at Sillery Convent. At about the same time, she consecrated herself to Our Lady by means of the 'True Devotion' of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort (at this time only a 'Blessed'). This consecration brought her great joy and peace.
When she was fourteen, at the end of her second year at Jacques-Cartier school, she asked her parents to let her go to boarding school. It would mean separation, but they didn't hesitate to yield to her request, knowing that it would be good for her character development. The school was Bellevue Convent, again another school under the direction of the Congregation of Notre-Dame.
During the summer, her desire for religious life increased. She had a serious conversation with Father Philemon Cloutier, her spiritual director, on August 15, 1911. She felt a deep loathing for the world, and kept repeating, 'Vanity of vanities, all things are vanity.' But she was still very young, and he decided it would be better for her to remain in the world longer with her parents.
She entered Bellevue convent in the fall of 1911. And she became VERY homesick! The first Sunday after her arrival, she cried all day! During Mass, she sobbed and choked, and did the same when she saw her parents in the guest parlor that afternoon. Monsieur Belanger, touched by her tears, offered to take her home. 'No thank you,' she said, 'I shall get used to it'. She continues, 'For fourteen consecutive nights, and then for several weeks, I gave vent to my grief by fits of uncontrollable weeping. Then, finally, my will grew stronger and I was comforted.'
Her fellow students were kind to her but she found it trying to live with so many people. She remarked to her mother once, 'Mamma, it is not easy to live with other people, is it?' She was used to being alone in her own room. But being in boarding school drew her out of her solitude. She strove to be friendly with her classmates.
On the First Friday of October, 1911, as Dina went with the other girls to visit the Blessed Sacrament, she was prompted to make a private consecration of her virginity to Our Lord, 'wholly and for all time, and I added,' she says, 'insofar as this promise was pleasing to Him.'
She didn't like holidays or any prolonged recreation. She had to make at times violent efforts to take part in noisy games, to the extent of feeling great physical weakness.
Her teachers testified in later years about her practicing self-denial in order to live in a group. She was given projects which forced her to take part in recreations, in entertaining activities. On the other hand, she great timidity and reserve, but was-according to one teacher-pleasant, an exceptionable student, and kind towards her companions. And one of her classmates called her 'the divine Dina'.
As at St-Roch and Jacques-Cartier, Dina excelled in her studies at Bellevue. Yet she had to appear in public at concerts and competitions, with parents and friends present in the audience. The praises she received at these events cost her tremendously. She says, 'Jesus endowed me with these sentiments of reluctance for honors to keep me humble and lowly and to develop my will power, while He multiplied occasions for me to do violence to myself and conquer my natural shyness.'
She didn't read much for recreation during her time at Bellevue; her free moments were usually spent in study. She read only two books: a library book of a 'Biblical romance (the 'only novel' she ever read), and through the generosity of a classmate, the 'Story of a Soul', the Autobiography of [then Blessed] Therese of Lisieux. She loved reading the latter!
At age eight, she began taking piano lessons from a private teacher, who regularly came to the Belanger home for four years. She plunged into this activity 'with great zest, though always in moderation, on account of my health.'
FIRST COMMUNION & CONFIRMATION
In her time, children didn't receive their First Communion before ten years old-this was around the time of the decree 'Quo Primum' of Pope St. Pius X, which advocated frequent Communion and lowering the age for children to receive First Communion at the 'age of reason' (usually seven years old). Dina was already nine, tall for her age (a 'growth spurt', perhaps?), and was very well versed in her Catechism to receive at an earlier age. Her mother went with her to the parish rectory and begged the pastor to be allowed to receive before her tenth birthday. The priest refused permission; saying it was contrary to established order. Later on, in her testimony before her daughter's beatification tribunal, Madame Belanger stated that Dina was deeply hurt by the refusal. She was disappointed, but decided to prepare for it more ardently.
She received her First Communion the next year, on May 2, 1907, two days after her tenth birthday. During her retreat to prepare for it, she heard it that 'a fervent First Communion was a sure passport to Heaven, and a lukewarm one a ticket to Hell'. Since she wanted to, in her words, 'take the train to Paradise', she prepared for her confession with the utmost care. She accused herself of many faults, but she was certain she had not lost her Baptismal innocence. She expressed an intense gratitude to Our Lord and Our Lady for this favor. The sentiments she expressed on that day are strikingly similar to those of St. Therese of Lisieux on her First Communion day.
The same day as her First Communion, Dina was Confirmed (a custom in her day, perhaps), and was invested in the scapulars. She spent happy hours celebrating the day with her parents and other family members in her home later that day. A humorous incident happened to Dina later in the evening that made her realize the emptiness of earthly things: she had changed from wearing the simple white dress she had on for the First Communion Mass to a more elaborate one of white silk and lace. By some 'klutzy'-or 'awkward' as she calls it-movement, she tore the fancy dress! Yet she had no feelings of regret for doing it....no 'drama queen' here! Instead, she was glad to slip away to her room, away from the noise of conversation, to dwell on WHOM she received: Our Lord Himself!
In the days after her First Communion, Dina grew more recollected at prayer, not moving unnecessarily, or taking her eyes from her prayerbook. She had a very tender conscience. At. this period, she fell prey to the trial of scruples-again, very similar to St. Therese. But, unlike St. Therese, she had a wise and holy priest, Father Philemon Cloutier, to help and direct her in this trial. She found peace of mind and soul in obedience to his counsels.
DINA HEARS THE VOICE OF JESUS FOR THE FIRST TIME
On March 25, 1908, which was Holy Thursday that year, Dina heard the 'voice' of Jesus for the first time. She says, 'During my act of thanksgiving after Communion, Our Lord spoke to my soul by means of a new light. This was the first time I heard His voice so well; interiorly, of course, a soft melodious voice which overwhelmed me with happiness.'
It was during her two years at Bellevue that she paid her first visit to the Convent of the Religious of Jesus and Mary in Sillery. While she and her classmates were being shown through the boarding school, a group of postulants passed by in the corridor, edifying Dina by their happy, yet recollected demeanor. She enjoyed her visit, and the friendliness of the nuns and the students. Little did she know that in just a few years' time she would be a member of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary!
She still thought of entering the Congregation of Notre-Dame. In May 1913, she and the other members of the graduating class-seven in all-went with one of their teachers to the Mother House of the Congregation of Notre-Dame in Montreal. They attended a Clothing and Profession Ceremony. The trip gave the girls an opportunity to study their future vocation after having had a retreat for that same purpose. They were welcomed cordially by the Sisters, but the ceremony left Dina cold and unresponsive. She says, 'My pious dispositions seem to have fled, but I paid no need to this and my decision to enter this Community in the near future was confirmed.'
Her boarding school days were now over. Some of her teachers suggested she return the next year in view of following more advanced studies at their College in Montreal. Her parents decided against it; they missed Dina very much during her two years away, and they weren't very keen on having her go to a faraway city like Montreal (remember, this was the early part of the 20th century). And at the same time, they thought that the 'ordinary' course of studies was sufficient for Dina to follow whatever walk of life she might choose.
Dina was grateful for the experience at Bellevue-for the work and sacrifices of her teachers she was particularly thankful.
LIFE BEFORE HEADING TO NEW YORK CITY (1913-1916)
Dina spent three years at home with her parents after graduating from Bellevue Convent. She was obliged to have some social contacts outside of home-she says she found them 'a burden'. Her mother did allow her some freedom of movement, however; she trusted her daughter. But Our Lord saw that her desires were centered on Him alone-He knew her heart.
She drew up a rule of life for herself: morning and evening prayers, daily Mass and Communion, Rosary; at least ten minutes of meditation in the morning, and weekly confession. She also included her duties towards her neighbor and herself. In addition, she examined her conscience each night.
She wanted to add a day's retreat every month, and the recitation of the 'Little Office of the Blessed Virgin' at least once a week. But she stopped short of doing these things because she didn't want to appear singular; it was better that she looked like any other good and pious young girl of her day. She was naturally reserved, and disclosed what God was doing in her soul to no one but her spiritual director, Father Philemon Cloutier; but even to him she was unable to confide everything to him. She says, 'I see now that Jesus willed it thus. He, my Master, was teaching me, enlightening me, shaping and moulding me according to His Will.'
Our Lord did continue to enlighten her, usually after Holy Communion, at her visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or at meditation. Yet there were times when dryness and distractions were her lot. When that happened, she says, she 'deplored my misery at the feet of my Good Master and offered Him my abjection.'
She read very little-her director kept urging her, 'read, read'-but she felt she couldn't find in books the spiritual food she longed for. Our Lord supplied it for her!
Seven months after leaving boarding school, Dina asked her parents, her spiritual director, and her pastor for permission to enter the Notre-Dame novitiate. She was sixteen years old. The two priests thought it would be wiser to put this off until a later date. Her father testified after Dina's death: 'This refusal seemed to hurt her, that was evident.' Her mother went further: 'She cried. But she submitted herself, especially after she heard her pastor's advice.' The pastor, Msgr. Omer Cloutier, said that she should not enter before she was twenty-three or twenty-four. She remained in peace in spite of this decision.
And she remained in the world for the time being. She was 'in the world, but not of the world'. It was a torment for her to dress in fine clothes and wear 'superfluous' ( as she called it) Jєωelry-but she wore these things to please her parents. Thoughts of vanity were far from her mind. She says, 'I often thought how sad it was that, in the world, one felt obliged to waste such precious time embellishing this miserable body, so soon to become the prey of the tomb. How sad it was to spend so much money when so many poor people were cold and hungry, when religious institutions, missions, lacked financial resources, and because of that, would too often see their efforts being paralyzed.'
Social gatherings? She continues, 'I was grateful to be invited; I was sensitive to the friendship or the courtesy of the people I knew. But I would refuse on the slightest pretext. If I accepted, I experienced a certain distaste.'
She does admit, though, that she enjoyed many happy times in smaller, more intimate hours with friends and relatives.
So she was not what one would call 'worldly'. Thanks to her mother's careful training, Dina presented herself as a perfect young lady 'in the world', even if her heart belonged to 'God alone'. And so she would refuse the offer of a human love, no matter how pure and beautiful it might be.
During this time, Dina became involved in her parish. She joined the 'Tabernacle Society', where she, her mother, and other ladies would help make or embroider Church vestments. The meetings would begin with a short spiritual reading which Dina would find helpful.
She also became a member of the 'Apostleship of Prayer', which spread devotion to the Sacred Heart. She helped to distribute the monthly prayer leaflets. Her mother was also a member. In addition, she continued to help her mother in visiting the sick and the poor, something that was done since her early childhood.
When the First World War began in 1914, the seventeen-year-old Dina offered herself to Our Lord 'in a spirit of reparation and love in order to give Him some consolation and save souls.' She was especially distressed 'at the moral evil threatening the world.' And a little later, she offered herself as a 'victim of Divine love.'
Her piano studies continued. She received a 'Superior Class' certificate, a 'Laureate', and lastly a 'Teacher's Diploma'. She took lessons from a Quebec musician, Monsieur Arthur Bernier, who was organist at her parish, Notre-Dame de Jacques-Cartier, from 1914 to 1917. M. Bernier was also a friend of the pastor, Monsignor Omer Cloutier, a humanist and a friend of the arts, particularly of music. The priest greatly appreciated Dina's musical talents.
She says, 'Toward the end of the year 1915, the matter of having me study piano in a conservatory abroad began to be serious. New York was the designated city, and the house of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, 'Our Lady of Peace', the ideal place to live.' Her parents were at first concerned, especially her mother. (Dina tried to reassure her, saying, 'Oh, Mamma, I could have flirted here, going to and fro on messages, nothing would have been easier.') They examined the advantages and the pitfalls. Msgr. Cloutier strongly advised them in favor of the plan. She wouldn't be going alone-she would have two other girls from Quebec as companions, and she would be staying in a residence run by nuns. So her parents consented, and gave her the present of two years' study (eight months each year) in New York.
What was her opinion of herself as a musician? She had a certain measure of success; but the applause she received only tended to convince her of her incapacity. She did admit that God had endowed her with a certain talent, 'but I aimed at so sublime, so unattainable an ideal that I know I did not merit so much praise. I accepted it, as a proof of the indulgent good nature of my friends. I felt myself utterly deviod of talent. Lack of sureness, a defective memory, a nervous touch were some of the defects I clearly perceived. Every false note I struck went straight to my heart and I would exclaim: 'That is an example of what I can do!' My self-centered soul, hiding its ardent emotions, let my icy fingers race over the keyboard without awakening harmonies, vibrant chords. I had not the knack of accompaniment, still less the living breath of improvisation.' She often put the question to Our Lord, 'Why so much study?' She had so little talent, she though. She frequently invoked the help of St. Cecilia, the patroness of music and musicians!
Once she was given the joy of, as she calls it, 'a slight failure'. [an understatement if ever there was one!] In a crowded hall, she closed a literary and musical program by playing the future national anthem 'O Canada' (written by fellow Quebecois Calixa Lavallee). Instead of repeating the last line ('O Canada, we stand on guard for thee'), she only played it once! [one can only imagine the silence that fell in the hall!] EVERYONE NOTICED IT! She says, 'I was very grateful to God for that small humiliation. It was something better to offer Him then the beautiful bouquets with which I had been presented.'
NEW YORK CITY (1916-1918)
Dina left Quebec City in October 1916 with her father and her two companions. He wanted to know where she was staying and how far she would have to travel to the Conservatory. The two Quebecois girls who accompanied them, Bernadette Letourneau and Aline Marquis, were also going to study at the same school as Dina. Dina knew Bernadette more than she did Aline. The Belanger and Letourneau families were from the same parish in Quebec (Notre-Dame de Jacques-Cartier) and knew each other from participation in parish activities. The two girls also studied together for a short time. Aline met Dina in musical circles.
'Our Lady of Peace', run by the Religious of Jesus and Mary, was founded in 1902 on West 14th Street in New York to provide a safe place for girls and women coming to the big city to study or work. It was comfortable, up-to-date and attractive. Nine stories high (therefore not a 'skyscraper'), it had a roof garden with a view of New York harbor. There was a chapel on the ground floor, and the Sisters took care of the residents' needs and served their meals in the dining room. There was a social life for those who cared for it, and other religious services outside of daily Mass.
When the girls arrived, it was found that there were only two rooms avaiable-a single room and a double room. Dina always slept alone, except for her two years at boarding school, and was fond of solitude. Her father suggested that Dina offer Aline the single room, and she and Bernadette would take the double room. Later on, when other rooms were free, they could each have a single room.
But it was providential that Dina and Bernadette roomed together. They became close friends-almost like siblings. They shared the bond of being alone together in a foreign country, as well as all the joys, the loneliness of being away from home and family in Quebec....as well as their frequent fits of laughter! And in the end, both entered on the same day the Congregation of Jesus and Mary in Sillery, and made their First Profession side by side! Bernadette outlived Dina by many years, dying in 1977 at the age of 77 years. She is buried in the Community cemetery at Sillery Convent. Aline also became a nun, entering the Congregation of Notre-Dame in Montreal.
When her father left New York, felt the pains of homesickness. To halt those feelings, she immediately got down to work at her studies at the Conservatory! There she had speak in English, study in English, and understand in English! (one of her professors said to her at her first lesson, 'I did speak French a long time ago, but I have forgotten it') She says, 'It was comical sometimes, particularly in the first few days. Happily, pianos sound the same in all lands although the names of the notes follow linguistic caprices.' She learned English as a second language while in school in Quebec, but among her parents and friends she always spoke French.
She loved her teachers-one of them was Walter Damrosch, a well-known musician and composer of the day. He and the other members of the Conservatory faculty took great interest in all their students.
Dina wrote 280 cards and letters to her parents during her two years in New York. They were filled with affection, vitality, enthusiasm, and cheerfulness. She would tell of experiences such 'New York' things as riding the subway, and going shopping at Macy's-she was fascinated by the escalators she saw there!
She made a reference to World War I, then raging at the time, in something of a tongue-in-cheek way: 'Good morning, dear parents. You may sleep in peace, knowing that if the Germans come here I shall not wait to meet them. As the United States and Canada are allies, communications remain open. As we [her two companions and herself] are young girls it will not be supposed that we are deserting the country to avoid having to join the army. I am not at all worried.'
She and her two companions would play innocent tricks on each other and laugh uproariously in the process. For example: one evening Bernadette heard loud peals of laughter coming from Aline's room. She ran to see what happening, and found Dina and Aline helpless with laughter. Dina had seated herself on Aline's bed with an open umbrella over her head, waiting for Aline's arrival. When Aline came in and turned on the light, she let out a shriek of terror! And of course, all three laughed till the tears came!
Dina told her parents in one of her letters from New York, 'How we laugh! If the Americans form their opinion of French-Canadians in general from the specimens they have at 14th Street (the address of 'Our Lady of Peace'), they will have to grant to that race the virtue of gaiety cultivated to the superlative degree.'
There were opportunities for leisure time for Dina and her companions outside of the Conservatory; but she was extremely prudent with regards to the concerts and other cultural events that were available. She saw performances at Carnegie Hall by famous artists such as the Polish piano virtuoso Ignace-Jan Paderewski and the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. She went to the movies once or twice, according to Bernadette Letourneau's later testimony. They went to a French play once. And Dina's reaction on coming out of the theater after seeing the play? 'I am so happy to be out of there!' Anytime she went out-to concerts, movies or plays-if she had any doubts as to the moral content, she always sought advice from well-informed people before attending, usually from priests.
Dina kept to the same prayer schedule that she had at home, only now she indulged in longer meditations. She appreciated the fact that she was staying in a convent, with a chapel where Mass was said daily and other liturgical ceremonies took place. Yet she also went to Mass in at least two New York churches according to her letters: the Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier, and an unnamed 'Church of the Assumptionists'. In the chapel of 'Our Lady of Peace', she spent many an evening, close to Our Lord in the Tabernacle.
During her two years in New York, she went home to Quebec for the Christmas holidays. The joy of reuniting with her parents equalled their sorrow when she left. Once, in the spring, they came to visit her in New York. And in her second year, her father came alone and unannounced, to spring a surprise on her. Dina was probably referring to this latter visit when she wrote to her mother, 'At seven-thirty I had an interview with Mr. Belanger. Do you happen to know that gentleman?'
The temper that she had displayed as a four-year-old was not dead yet. One day, the Sister in charge of 'Our Lady of Peace' made a curt remark about the 'dry and nervous way' Dina played the piano in the 'social room'. The nun also said that it 'annoyed those around her'. Taken by surprise at this, Dina arose from the piano bench and went straight to her room. Bernadette, seeing her as she burst in, noticed how pale her friend looked and asked what was wrong. Half an hour later, Dina was crying. She says, 'Why? Because my nature would fain to give vent to anger and my will refused the slightest complaint. My judgment admitted that the person was right, the remark was fair. My pride was wounded and it cost me a mighty struggle to keep them in abeyance. Grace triumphed, however, and peace settled down in the assurance that I had not given my dear Master [Our Lord] any pain.'
Dina passed all her courses at the Conservatory. Bernadette did, too-'a graduate pianist as well as organist', as Dina wrote in a letter to her parents. It's presumed that Aline passed hers as well. They left 'Our Lady of Peace' filled with gratitude for the kind hospitality of the Sisters of Jesus and Mary. One of the nuns gave her a medal of the Sacred Heart, with the injunction to wear it always. Dina took the simple request as a literal command and put it around her neck. She wore it till her own Profession as a Religious of Jesus and Mary. But at the time of her departure from New York, she had not the remotest thought of entering the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
As a graduation gift, her father made her a present of a piano: a 'Knabe Baby Grand'. It was picked out in a piano store in New York while Dina was still in the city. The piano arrived in her home in Quebec on July 2, 1918. She was in the countryside at the time it was delivered. She came home the following day, eager to try out the new instrument. 'I had hardly entered the house,' she says, 'I was alone, when I was inspired to restrain this natural urge. I knelt down and prayed with fervor, asking the blessing of God and His Blessed Mother on this piano....the time it took to whisper these prayers allowed me to feel the sting of mortification dart through my whole being. Then I became, as it were, insensible, and I felt I could give myself the satisfaction of trying my new instrument, for my joy had been sanctified and blessed.'
This piano is now in the 'rebuilt' Convent of Jesus and Mary in Sillery.
LIFE IN THE WORLD BEFORE ENTERING RELIGIOUS LIFE (1918-1921)
In June 1918 Dina finished her two years' course at the Conservatory and returned to Quebec. These years were spent with her parents, living the ordinary life of a young Catholic girl in the world. That was what 'the world' saw.
She experienced the 'dark night of the soul', where she entered spiritual aridity and dryness. This started while she was still in New York. Spiritual exercises became occasions for distractions and struggle. But she was still faithful in doing, and even increasing them. She gave twenty, then thirty minutes for daily meditation-she had no permission to extend it any longer. There was ten minutes of spiritual reading,-often from 'The Imitation of Christ' (again, another 'connection' with St. Therese of Lisieux). Daily Rosary or the 'Little Office of the Blessed Virgin', or at least 'part' of the latter. She made frequent use of short ejaculatory prayers. She made the Stations of the Cross, and a daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament. To get all of these things in during the day, she curtailed her hours of sleep.
At times, the 'voice' of Our Lord, which she had 'heard' since she was eleven, made itself heard within her soul. He brought before her, through the 'eyes' of her imagination, images that were new to her. She was always afraid that these came from the devil and not from God. 'Yet,' she says, 'I was fully convinced that the teachings were those of my Master; whatever treats of obedience, humility and self-denial can come from no other source.' She noticed that Jesus spoke to her soul only when she was perfectly calm. If she was not, He would soothe her and inspire her with sentiments of humility and contrition for her faults; then she was able to understand His mysterious language.
One day, she asked Him not to let her be deceived by the devil. She says, 'He explained how I could always recognize the difference between His divine voice and that of the tempter who so loves to play the role of imitator and deceiver. The Savior makes Himself heard only in hours of deep recollection, peace and silence. His voice is soft, so soft that in the soul all must be hushed; it is a melodious voice; while that of the devil is noisy, abrupt and discordant and his words are uttered in the midst of agitation and tumult.' She uses a French-sounding word, 'brusquerie' !
In addition, Jesus gave her for guide and light the 'Host' and the 'Star'--the 'Host' was Himself, and the 'Star' His Own Blessed Mother. he showed her a path bordered with thorns, which He wanted her to walk in, after He first walked in it. She says, 'At the outset, the trials were not numerous [symbolized by the thorns]; but as I advanced they increased in numbers, in order to be faithful, I was not to allow myself to be dismayed by any suffering. The path was narrow and grew narrower as it became more and more infested with thorns. The latter were to become so thick and tall as to nearly choke up the route. I had to push them aside as I advanced. What matter the scratches when one's destination is Heaven!'
The Host and the Star, representing Jesus and Mary, remained as a beacon constantly over her path. At the end of the road, at the summit of a mountain, there was a gate, the gate of Heaven, In a few short years Jesus and Mary would open this gate to Dina, and fill her soul with delight!
All this took place in her imagination. but the 'picture' was clear and distinct. She saw them more clearly than she would have with the eyes of the body. When she wrote this in her 'Autobiography', she no longer felt the 'thorns' of trial, for 'love has blunted them and destroyed them.'
For clarification's sake, Dina explained the expressions she used to describe her mystical experiences ('I saw', 'Jesus spoke to me' , etc.)--'They signify that I saw in my imagination; Jesus spoke to me with that interior voice that every soul hears in moments of profound recollection when favored with divine consolations.'
Around this time Our Lord disclosed to Dina that He had a 'mission' to entrust to her. She says, 'He exhorted me to pray fervently and pointed out the necessity of serious preparation, but did not reveal what this task would consist. I understood nonetheless that the salvation of a great number [of souls] would depend on my generosity and fidelity.' He also taught her (again by using an image) the great value of grace, and how each grace received is like a link in a chain--unfaithfulness to grace snaps a link and breaks the chain.
Dina felt a tremendous responsibility-by her own fault she could compromise her 'mission'! She was conscious of her nothingness (a trait common with many mystics). She relied on His love and His goodness. Our Lord said to her, 'I wish to make use of you because you are nothing; I wish to prove My power by your weakness.'
Our Lord instilled into Dina a great desire for contempt and humiliation. She made this prayer every morning: 'My God, grant me the grace of being scorned and humiliated as much as You desire me to be, and may all who despise and humiliate me be in no way blameworthy. If You desire that I should taste no more joys on earth, I am willing to forego them.' When she made this offering, Dina thought she was renouncing every earthly joy; but as soon as her soul desired nothing 'but sacrifice', she was filled with happiness. She says, 'Such is the secret of Divine love.'
It was usually in church and on Friday that Our Lord enlightened Dina; especially during Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (like St Gemma Galgani) , but there were other times too. One First Friday, as she prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, she seemed to see a great multitude of souls rushing to their eternal damnation. She was made to see that she should console Our Lord in His great grief, and pray for the conversion of their poor souls (like Sister Josefa Menendez).
Her thirst for martyrdom increased, and with it an intense thirst for self-denial. Under obedience, Dina relates some of these mortifications: never showing preference for any kind of food, taking what she liked least; turning her eyes away when passing by a confectionary shop (VERY prevalent in French-speaking Canada!); not drinking when thirsty; sleeping on a hard pillow; not crossing her feet at the ankles; accepting candy when offered but not touching it when alone. Are these childish? On the surface, maybe-but the scoffers and skeptics out there try for a single day what is most perfect in everyday circuмstances, and how much strength of will it requires to endure what some spiritual writers call 'a martyrdom of pinpricks'!
While all this 'interior' life was going on, Dina became a Third Order Dominican. After a year of probation, she made her profession, and took the name of St. Catherine of Siena. This name was granted her only after she said that her birthday was on the Feastday of St. Catherine (April 30 on the 'Traditional' Roman Calendar-now April 29 on the Modern Roman Calendar).
She often invoked the help of St. Joan of Arc (then newly canonized when Dina wrote her 'Autobiography'). St. Joan was very popular in the Quebec of her day, and she asked for the help of the 'Maid of Orleans' to be faithful to her 'mission'.
Dina continued her courses in harmony, through a correspondence course with the New York Conservatory. She still did 'regular' practicing on the piano, this time without lessons. It was here that she got the idea of taking Jesus as her Professor. She says, 'I carefully prepared my pieces for a certain day. It seemed to me that at the appointed hour He was there, ready to give me my lesson. At other times, I felt His presence with me, too, but not exactly in the same manner. Before playing in public, I always invoked Jesus, Our Lady, the Angels and the Saints to listen to my pieces. I paid more attention at such times, if possible, than when before a visible audience. After playing each piece, I listened interiorly and received the criticism and judgment of my divine Teacher. When I was practicing, I pretended that I was in the presence of the Angels and thus I raised the worldly them of my pieces to a higher plane.'
She gave many recitals at this time. Before each one, Jesus would ask of Dina the sacrifice of her success and inspired with a real sense of failure. She submitted to His wishes and begged of Him the grace of not simply making a 'little' mistake that would pass unnoticed by everyone, but the humiliation of complete failure!
Yet she wondered-and indeed she asked this question to Our Lord-'What can be the object of my musical studies?' He answered, 'Your music will protect your vocation, but you will do good particularly by your writings.' She was surprised at this! Jesus continued, 'Yes, in the convent, you will devote yourself to literary work.' She was mystified by this; but it was fulfilled in the writing and publication of her 'Autobiography'.
Her desire for religious life grew by the summer of 1920. She wanted to enter the Novitiate after boarding school in 1913, but her parents and her spiritual director Father Philemon Cloutier asked her to wait. Now she was twenty-four, and it was time to make up her mind. She no longer felt attracted to the Congregation of Notre-Dame de Montreal. Personally, she was attracted to the contemplative life. In August 1929, she spent a week with the Nursing Sisters at the Hotel-Dieu Hospital, where she attended a Clothing ceremony. She loved it-the grille of the enclosure appealed to her; but on the other hand, her studies were proof that God wished her to enter a teaching Order. Her choices narrowed down to three: the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, the Ursulines, and the Society of the Sacred Heart. She preferred the Ursulines for the cloister, which they still had at that time. She went to the Monastery in Upper Quebec City to seek information, where she was kindly received. Still she hesitated. She sought her answer from Our Lord in prayer, to know His Will. Then He said to her, 'I want you in the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.' [or 'Jesus-Marie', as it's familiarly known in French]. She replied, 'Whatever You like, my Good Master. You know I have little attraction to teaching, but I want to obey Your call and go where it may please You.' His reply is significant: 'You will not teach long.'
On September 4, 1920, Dina's confessor, to whom she had spoken, told her she might leave the world in six months, or a year at most, and a week later it was decided that she should apply to the Convent of Jesus and Mary at Sillery, a suburb of Quebec. She went with Bernadette Letourneau, her New York companion, to meet their future Novice Mistress, Mother St. Elizabeth. After meeting and speaking with the two young ladies, Mother went straight to the chapel to thank Jesus and Mary for these two promising additions to the Novitiate! As a matter of fact, when she was made Novice Mistress in November 1920, Mother St. Elizabeth asked Our Lord that she might have 'a Saint' among her Novices....little did she know that 'Saint' would soon be among them in the person of Dina Belanger!
Now it was left for Dina to inform her parents of her decision to enter the convent, and to prepare them for the coming separation. It was heartrending for Monsieur and Madame Belanger, but they accepted with true Christian resignation: 'Since it is God's Will, we are ready to embrace it!' As the time grew closer, they multiplied their attentions to her. It was not to dissuade her from her decision; on the contrary, they fully accepted it. In June, 1921, they gave her a last gift: a trip to Niagara Falls. She loved it-the trip made her raise her heart and mind to God in thanksgiving for the beauties of His creation.
Finally, August 11, 1921 came. She left her home in Lower Quebec City forever. Her father and her mother accompanied her to Sillery. They gave back to God the child they received from Him. (After Dina entered the convent, her parents moved to Sillery to be closer to her. They remained in Sillery until their deaths in 1951-Madame Belanger-and 1952-Monsieur Belanger).
ENTRY INTO SILLERY CONVENT-THE POSTULANCY (1921)
The day Dina entered Sillery Convent, August 11, 1921, was a day of sacrifice both for her and her parents. As stated at the end of Part 5, the Belanger couple, who were profoundly Christian, willingly gave their daughter to the service of God in the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
Dina says that on her entrance day, 'her soul was filled with darkness and repugnance, yet she had scarcely crossed the threshold when an inward force made her say, 'THIS IS HOME'. These words were not inspired by any 'natural' feeling-she 'felt' nothing, groping her way in darkness of spirit.
In the evening, she received her postulant's 'mantilla' (headdress), which she accepted with great piety. Next day she attended a Clothing ceremony and a Profession, but her dryness persisted-she was, she said, 'indifferent as a rock'. The only thing that touched her was the kiss of peace that was given by each member of the community to the newly professed and the new novices.
Before she entered, she felt that convent life 'presented one continual series of struggles against natural inclinations and tastes, and this had delighted me.. But the devil was waiting.' He whispered to her, 'Do you think you can live here to the end of your days? Are you going to submit yourself to all these burdensome regulations?' It was a terrible conflict. She watched the other nuns, and was filled with admiration at seeing their happiness and their recollection; and thinking of their virtue, she said, 'Surely each one of them is a great Saint.' Then the devil showed her an abyss between their perfection and her own piety. She fought this temptation with Our Lord's help, saying, 'Why can I not imitate them? They are frail creatures like myself, and Jesus will help me as He helps them.' Then the devil made use of another weapon.
Almost all of the spiritual exercises were done in common, and Dina would be obliged to pray aloud and use set formulas for prayer instead of being able to speak to Our Lord intimately. She says in response, 'What a deceitful trick! Religious life is the state of prayer: everywhere, at the religious exercises, at work, or at rest, Jesus and the soul are one.' Prayer in common eventually became a consolation to her, and the union of holy souls filled her with confidence.
But homesickness persisted. She spent sleepless nights struggling with temptation; but she protested to Our Lord over and over again that she would remain faithful to her vocation (very similar to Sister Josefa Menendez at the beginning of her religious life). During the day, there were distractions to keep her mind off her loneliness. One day she had very discreet witnesses. Passing by the chicken yard, she cried out impulsively, 'You dear creatures, you are in your own home, make the most of it!'
Sometimes when out walking on the grounds by herself, she would feel a strong impulse to go home just as she was, without hat or coat, or escaping at night through a window. She knew instinctively that these were the devil's temptations, and she held onto her vocation just as she did to her eternal salvation. To have to return to her home would have been a cruel trial; but as it happened during her boarding school years, her homesickness lasted several weeks and caused her to cry very much.
She received the grace to practice perfectly the recommendations that were made. One of her fellow Sisters [probably her Novice Mistress, Mother St. Elizabeth] states, 'In one of our first conversations [after her entrance] she spoke of her practices of devotion. I made her clear to her that on entering a religious Order, the act of self-donation replaced all private practices and it was better to follow the spiritual exercises of the Rule and the customs of the Congregation. She accepted my point of view and endeavored to conform her conduct.' So when 'interior silence' was mentioned, Dina made a complete 'truce with the past'-she severed all ties to her memories of her life in the world. She was even prepared to give up her cherished music and never play another note, if that was God's Will!
Postulants did not join the Novitiate during the first three or four weeks, but they were sometimes invited to spend recreation with the novices. Dina was edified by their charity, their cheerfulness, and their constant smile. She says, "I soon learned the secret of the soul that has surrendered itself to Jesus and now radiates the beauty and goodness of the Beloved. In observing each novice, the encouraging thought I already mentioned recurred to my mind: 'What others have done, cannot I do?' " A sign hanging in the Novitiate impressed her greatly and seemed to be addressed to her personally: 'If you begin, begin perfectly'.
The retreat she made before entering the Novitiate gave her much light and consolation-her worries vanished and she rejoiced over everything. The meditation that struck her most was on 'fidelity to little things'. She says, 'I was imbued with the thought that I should never be able to practice abnegation [another word for 'sacrifice'] in important things if I did not generously accept small sacrifices.'
She received two graces in this retreat. First, she seemed to begin a 'new life'. She plunged her past life into the Precious Blood of Jesus and drove it from her mind. The break with her former life was so complete that she felt as if she had died and had been reborn.
A FAVOR FROM THE LORD
Blessed Dina Belanger -Mother Ste-Cecile de Rome
Blessed Dina Belanger -Mystic & Stigmatic (1897-1929) [Mère Marie Ste-Cecile de Rome]
-OUR LORD'S 'LITTLE OWNSELF' AND 'THE LITTLE FLOWER OF CANADA"
By: Barb Finnegan
BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD
Blessed Dina Belanger was born in Quebec City, Canada, on April 30, 1897 (five months to the day before the death of St. Therese of Lisieux). She was the daughter of Octave Belanger, an auditor and accountant by profession, and his wife Seraphia Matte. She was baptized the same day in the Church of St-Roch in the Lower Town of Quebec, receiving the names Margaret-Mary Dina (the latter in honor of her paternal grandmother). She was an only child. A brother, Joseph-Simeon-Gustave, was born seventeen months after her, but lived only three months. Dina inherited from her family, in addition to their Norman French roots and deep Catholic Faith, a strong will and a love of order and precision (her father's side) and a pious, reserved and unselfish character (her mother's side).
Before she was born, her mother prayed earnestly each day at the Elevation of the Mass, that her unborn child, whether boy or girl, might be a holy religious, and she offered all her sufferings for the salvation of that soul. She lost no time in educating Dina once she was born. When Dina was six months old, her mother would take her tiny hand in hers and make with it the Sign of the Cross. And very soon the baby learned to do it when she was placed in her cradle for the night.
As she grew older she would say her prayers leaning against her father's knee, her head bowed and her hands joined. She loved the 'Angelus' prayer, and whenever she heard the bell ring while playing outside she would run upstairs in time to say 'Amen', which was all the Latin she knew!
Madame Belanger took her to church at an early age, not only to Mass, but also to sermons, novenas, and meetings of the 'Ladies of the Holy Family'. But as most four-year-olds can be in church, Dina got easily bored by the sermons. So one day she brought with her a tiny stoneware doll named 'Valeda' to church and began to play with it during the sermon.
'Put that away', her mother said....and she did. Five minutes later, the doll made its appearance again. This time her mother confiscated it and put it in her purse. Once home, Dina was reprimanded for her unseemly behavior. Before going to church again, her mother hid 'Valeda' in the house so Dina couldn't find it. Not hidden enough! Dina searched while out of her mother's sight, found it, stuck it in her pocket, and after her mother was ready to leave the house, walked with her to church. Then, at the sermon, 'voila!', there was 'Valeda' again! This time, her mother gave her a good 'talkin' to' when they got home: "We don't bring playthings to church-you'll have plenty of time to play when you come home'. This time the reproof had effect, and Dina was 'cured' of bringing toys to church!
DINA'S CHILDHOOD
Dina was a mischievous child, and she also had quite a temper. Once when she was four, she refused to obey her mother. The second time, she flew into a passion and began a temper tantrum, kicking, screaming and jumping up and down. Her father, seeing this, rose from the table, took her by the hand, and said very calmly,
"Come on, let me help you to scream and dance-that way we can get this done sooner." And he did the exact same thing that Dina did! Mortified by her father's imitation of the tantrum, Dina stopped, having no inclination to continue. The lesson took hold, and there were no more temper tantrums from Dina.
Both parents spent time with her. When her father came in from work in the evening, he would take Dina in his arms, kiss and fondle her. He spent hours playing with her and answering her numerous 'Whys?'. His greatest joy was to spring little surprises on her: a walk, a trip, some small present.
Her mother, being very charitable, would take Dina with her on her errands of mercy to the poor. Both parents rendered all sorts of services to the poor and needy, whether they were relatives or complete strangers. They were discreet in their charity; often they would say, 'Do not put down my name', or, 'This is for you, but do not say anything about it'.
The Belanger couple encouraged Dina to share with other children. They often made presents of sweets, fruit and other treats. They accustomed Dina to share with other what she enjoyed, and to lend her toys willingly. Dina took great care of her belongings, and put everything back in its place once playtime was over. After some fifteen year or more, she was able to give away, in perfect condition, her fragile playthings.
Her parents taught her her catechism, and she was able to read before going to school at age six. There were a number of relatives who were in religious Orders, and often Dina wo
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