Sister Adele reminded bishop he was responsible for souls

Bp Joseph Melcher

As one discovers when studying the stories of those canonized and beatified by the Church, lives blessed by an extraordinary amount of holy intercession are often lives bearing much suffering, tests and trials…circumstances which not only strengthen those receiving such intercession emotionally, but also spiritually. Sister Adele’s life proved to follow that course of courage and struggle.

Once the story of the apparition was out, and pilgrimages and religious celebrations began to take place, avaricious and pleasure-seeking individuals took the opportunity to exploit the crowds who came to the Chapel. A variety of vendors set up business outside the Chapel grounds, over which Adele had no control, serving only to sully the solemnity of the feast of the Assumption and the Church. Such dealings threw a bad light on Adele and fueled the opposition of some of the clergy who believed her story a myth. Those who noted these irregularities pointed them out to the first Bishop of Green Bay, Joseph Melcher. Despite the lack of clear information and a complete understanding of the matter, Bishop Melcher placed an interdict on the Chapel. Sister Adele was refused the Sacraments and threatened with excommunication should she continue to tell her story of the apparition.

On one occasion, when Adele attended Sunday Mass with the children at a church a mile west of the Chapel, Adele found the pews closed against her. Adele heard Mass kneeling in the aisle.

Later, Bishop Melcher reconsidered and decided to visit the Chapel, accompanied by two physicians to test Sister Adele’s sanity. However, after protests by the vendors around the Chapel, the Bishop changed his mind on the visit, and commanded Sister Adele to close the school and the Chapel, and bring him the keys to both. After accomplishing the safe return home of her students, and after buying an acre of land near the Chapel to build a home to continue her commissioned duty to Our Lady, Sister Adele obeyed the Bishop’s command, reminding him that he would be responsible for the souls lost due to the lack of proper religious instruction. Impressed by her sincerity and zeal[to say the least!], the Bishop returned the keys to Sister Adele in order to continue her mission.

Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help