At the turn of the 19th century, a certain priest by the name of Fr. Weninger had an unexpected conversation with a French officer who, though married to a Catholic woman, was a Protestant. To Fr. Weninger’s surprise, the man suddenly broke off into a very personal testimony to Our Lady.

"What I like most about Catholics is that they honour Mary with so much veneration, esteem, and devotion. I myself am a Protestant," he added, "but I am delighted to hear my wife and my children say so often ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.’ Let me tell you what once happened to me in Paris.

"During the great Revolution of 1848, General Bignau rode up to my house in great haste, and said, ‘Come, my friend, hasten to the barricades!’

"I instantly made my will, embraced my wife and children, mounted my horse, and galloped forward to oppose the rebels. It was a terrible moment. I have been in many battles, but the most terrible of them can bear no comparison to that street fight. When the bullets and cannonballs of the rebels were whistling past me like hail in a storm, I thought of the prayers that were being said for me at that moment by my dear wife and little ones, and in the roar and the din of the fight I, also, said within my heart ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Mary, pray for me!’ "

The officer paused in his story, his eyes cast down, lost in the memory of that frightening day. When he looked up again at Fr. Weninger, he said with a smile, "I did not receive even the slightest wound."