Devotion to Mary, Effective Remedy against Impurity

“A well-known incident is related by Father Paul Segneri in his book “Christian Instructed.” A Roman youth of evil habits and laden with sins, went to confession to Father Niccolas Zuccbi. The confessor received him kindly, compassionated his misery, and told him that devotion to the blessed Lady would free him from his accursed vices. He therefore imposed it upon him as penance, that until the time of his next confession, every morning and evening, on rising and going to bed, he should recite a “Hail Mary” to the Virgin; making an offering to her of his eyes, hands, and his whole body, praying her to keep him as her own; and that he should kiss the ground three times.

The young man practiced this penance, and at first with very little improvement; but the priest continued to exhort him, encouraging him to trust in the patronage of Mary.

In the meantime, the penitent left home with some other companions, and travelled over the world. Having returned to Rome, he went again to seek his confessor, who to his great joy and surprise, found him entirely changed, and free from his former impurities.

“Father,” said the youth, “the blessed Virgin, for that little devotion which you taught me, has obtained for me this grace.” But the wonder did not cease here. The same confessor related this fact from the pulpit. An officer, who, for several years, had kept up an illicit intercourse with a certain woman, heard it, and proposed also himself to practice the same devotion, in order to free himself from that horrible tie which held him a slave of the devil (which intention is necessary for all such sinners, that the Virgin may aid them): and he also quitted his bad practice and changed his life.

But what followed? At the end of six months, foolishly and too confidently trusting in his strength, he wished, one day, to go and find that woman, to see if she had also changed her way of life. But on approaching the door of her house, where he was in manifest danger of falling again into sin, he felt himself thrust hack by an invisible force, and soon found himself distant from the house the whole length of the street, and before his own door; he was then enlightened to see clearly that Mary had thus rescued him from his destruction.

Thus we perceive how solicitous is our good mother, not only to take us away from sin, if we for that end commend ourselves to her, but also to protect us from the danger of falling into it again."

Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, The Glories of Mary, Part II, Discourse IV.