GERMAINE COUSIN: A SAINT FOR OUR TIME

Germaine Cousin was a 16th century shepherdess who lived in Pibrac, France, from 1579 to 1601. Born with a lame right hand, and the disease scrofula (a non-tuberculous infection of the lymph nodes of the neck), she projected quite an unsightly appearance. She was the only child of Laurent Cousin and Marie Laroche, farmers and sheep herders who lived in the country side, about 1.5 miles north-west of Pibrac. Around the time that Germaine was 5 years old, the plague suddenly took her dear mother, Marie. Soon after, her father remarried, and so it was from that time, that her new stepmother (Armande de Rajols) began to physically and mentally abuse her. So intense was her hatred of little Germaine, that she forced her to watch the sheep near the wolf-infested La Bouconne forest, hoping the wolves would kill her. Miraculously, she was protected by God, but underwent, nevertheless, regular severe beatings by her stepmother. Though persecuted and ridiculed because of her piety, unsightly physical appearance, and her unfathomable trust in Jesus, she grew in holiness.  Isolated, cold and lonely, she embraced a life of prayer, penance and alms giving; she assisted the poor and hungry even though she was malnourished. She offered up her suffering, mystically joining her Lord on the most Holy Cross. It was while the abuses were taking place, that frequent miraculous wonders also surrounded Germaine. People from the village witnessed her, on several occasions, parting the turbulent spring waters of the Courbet, which she had to cross to get to mass in the morning. 

On another occasion, when Germaine had filled her apron with surplus bread from her daily piteous rations, so that she may feed the poor, her stepmother pursued her into town, hoping to expose her to the townspeople as a fraud who steals bread from the household pantry. She eventually caught up with her, in the public square, at which point she forced her to reveal what she was carrying in her apron. The stepmother was hoping to finally expose Germaine as the thief and miscreant she really was. To everyone's astonishment, when Germaine opened her apron, summer flowers came flowing out, and this despite being right in the middle of winter. Everyone was amazed and began to see Germaine in a different light. The stepmother, however, was unmoved, and  continued to persecute the young girl until her death.

Germaine died not long after, alone in the barn where she had been forced to live for 17 years. Mysterious lights enveloped the barn the night she died. Two monks, who were traveling from Toulouse, noticed the light from far off. Approaching cautiously, they witnessed virgins and angels descending upon the barn in large numbers, and taking a soul, robed in a virgin's gown, up to heaven. It was only at Germaine's death bed, that the stepmother had wept bitterly for her mistreatment of the girl; she eventually repented. It did not take long, however, for Germaine to be long forgotten.

In 1644, some 43 years following her death, the body of a noble woman was being interred in front of the sanctuary, when a workman accidently exhumed Germaine's incorrupt body from under the flagstone floor. Her body looked and smelled as fresh as the day she passed away. News spread like wild fire through the town, and so many believed in the sanctity of the young virgin who had been found. Her body was exposed in the church in the hopes of eliciting religious fervor. However, a prominent lady, Madame de Beauregard, complained to the parish priest about the disgusting exhibit of a corpse near her pew. She threatened to no longer give alms to the Church if her body continued to be exposed. The priest complied with her request and removed the casket. Not long after, Madame de Beauregard was stricken with a fatal disease; her husband, distressed by his wife's condition, pleaded for her life before the tabernacle of the Church, requesting that Germaine intercede. Moments later, Germaine appeared in spirit to Madame de Beauregard, and healed her instantly of her ailment.

Yet, despite the apparent signs of sanctity and several attempts at initiating the cause of her canonization, she wasn't beatified until May 7th 1854, or 210 years later. Her canonization had to wait until June 29th, 1867. This saint had been forgotten, neglected, and unloved throughout most of her life, and so, even after her death, it seemed as though the Lord purposely kept her well hidden. Most Catholics have never heard of her, and that includes religious and priests. In our rather complex and fast-paced world, Germaine's simplicity, charity and piety just don't seem to fit in anywhere.

We have now brought up entire generations of entitled young people who see themselves as deserving and central to the universe's purpose. They are the first to complain if things don't go their way. In recent news, is it not surprising to learn about a woman stabbing her fiance over the wedding color scheme (view article). We are witnessing the consequences of a narcissistic culture that pleasure seeks without any kind of moral compass to guide them and their conscience. These are the kids that were brought up on the idea that parents needed to build the "self-esteem" of children; we made an entire generation incapable of seeing their own darkness. These are the kids that can do no harm, and that are gifted in some remarkable and unique way. How else can you explain why a mother in her thirties would be sucker punched while walking with her daughter on the street (see article). No apparent reason was reported.  How about the knockout game that surfaced this year, in the New York area, as a rather sick and deprived form of entertainment for young people. The goal of the game is to try to knockout some unsuspecting pedestrian with one blow (view here).

It is imperative that we begin, once again, to talk to our children about living virtuous lives of self-effacement and not self-empowerment. It is pressing that we get our children to buy into the idea of looking to live simpler lives that are rooted in love, penance, alms giving and prayer. This is why the life of Saint Germaine needs to be told. Our children need to hear that the Lord Jesus is drawn to those who are small, hidden, and pure. This is a story that is filled with incredible phenomenon, that most would be unable to believe. Yet, the events surrounding her life have been clearly documented, and can be regarded as a reliable historical record of her most remarkable life.

A new book about the life of saint Germaine was just released in April 2017 by Andrew St-James. This historical novel truly captures this most inspiring story. GERMAINE: REQUIEM OF A SOUL/The True Story of Cinderella will shock you and stir your soul to its very depths. We have been trying to bring the beautiful story of Germaine Cousin to the big screen for over 8 years. So much planning is needed, but the Lord is counseling us slowly as we complete the script and begin looking for financial support. He appears to want a small budget; small and simple just like Germaine. $150,000 will be sufficient to complete the 2 hour motion picture. If there are souls out there who are drawn to this story, please view the short we did about Saint Germaine's life.
View GERMAINE: Requiem of a Soul . Help us to spread her story
We make the money needed to fund this project through the sales of products we have already produced. Our organization does not want donations, but rather your joyful assistance in spreading the story about the life of saints like Germaine.

We also completed a 16 minute short about the Mystical Revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. This clip can be used for the catechizing the young people and old alike. It clearly describes all of Jesus' promises to those who venerate and honor His most Sacred Heart. View the TRAILER: MYSTICAL REVELATIONS OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS