WHAT ARE THESE WOUNDS?

Here we have a biography of a saint who is little enough known even to Catholics, St. Lutgarde of Aywieres, the Cistercian Mystic. Her saint's day is observed only in two Belgiam dioceses and by her own Cistercian order. Mrton, however, gives to St. Lutgarde wider significance by pointing out that she was the forerunner of St. Margaret Mary and the institution of the Feast of the Sacred Heart. This claim is based upon her mystical vision of the pierced Heart of the Saviour wherein there was an exchange of hearts with im. The story of St. Lutgarde as related by Merton abounds in mystical visions, stacies, stigmata and miracles. All of this Merton relates uncritically. He must indeed lead a busy life in his Trappist monastery, for here is still another book from his pea. This is not likely to become a best-seller as were The Seven Storey Mountain and The aters of Siloe. For Catholic readers interested in hagiography; although the name of Merton may elicit the interest of a wider group.