一月一日是天主之母節。聖母十分關顧世上兒女的靈魂的健康，所以她不時顯現，帶給我們屬靈重要的訊息。

一八五九年，在卓龐Champion向亞德萊.碧詩Adele Brise的顯現，被青灣Green Bay主教達味.酈勤David Ricken在較早前（十二月八日）確認其真實性，是首宗（目前是唯一一宗）被教會確認在美國本土聖母的顯現。

神視者

亞德萊.碧詩在一八三一年一月三十日，出生於比利時，一八五五年隨父母搬遷到美國。一八五九年十月初，聖母第一次顯現給亞德萊，但並沒有說話。十月九日，亞德萊和兩位女子到聖堂，她途中見到聖母；彌撒後，亞德萊在歸家途中，聖母再次顯現，亞德萊依照神父的指示向她問道：「因天主之名，請妳告訴我妳是誰，妳想我為妳做些什麼呢？」聖母答道：「我是天堂之后。我常為罪人的悔改祈禱，我也想你這樣做。今晨你領了聖體，非常好，但你要更勤領聖體！你要辦個總告解，為罪人悔改而領聖體。假如他們不悔改和做補贖，我聖子便需要懲罰他們。」

其中一位女人問亞德萊：「亞德萊，你見到誰？」另一位友人流出淚水來說：「為什麼我們不能像你一樣看到她呢？」聖母卻慈愛地望著她們，說：「看不到而信的，是有福的。」然後轉向亞德萊道：「當你的同伴們在我聖子葡萄園忙碌時，為何你卻在此閒著？」亞德萊泣道：「主母，我還可多作些什麼呢？」聖母答說：「在這遼闊的地區，召集兒童們，教授他們為得救恩所應該認識的道理。」

「教授他們要理、如何劃十字聖號、如何善領聖事。這是我要你做的。去罷！不用害怕，我會幫助你。」

亞德萊果然照辦，逐家逐戶教授兒童要理，有時更要步行五十哩之遙。一八九六年七月五日，亞德萊溘然長逝。

徵兆

顯現之處是恩寵之地。在確認顯現的法令中，酈勤主教指出：「長久以來，口傳及文件的記載都敘述了不少在『善助之母』朝聖地，因聖母的轉求，祈禱被應允的事蹟—-包括悔改皈依和身疾痊癒。」

「很多病癒的事蹟藉着留下來的腋杖和感謝物而得到紀念。直到今日，因『善助之母』的轉禱，求病癒的祈禱仍被應允。」

一八七一年十月八日，一場大火燒毀大範圍的地方，但修院、學校、小聖堂，和交托了給聖母的五畝土地，絲毫無損！此後，有更多的朝聖者來到，而自始每年的聖母升天瞻禮（八月十五日），當地主教都與信眾隆重慶祝。

聖母在一八五九年啟示的訊息，仍適用至今。今天的俗世，忽視及違反信德的言論和事物，屢見不鮮，為罪人祈禱和要理教授，對人靈的得救，更形重要。

January 1 was the Solemnity of Mother of God. Our Lady cares about the spiritual wellbeing of her children. At times Our Lady appears to remind us of things that are important for our salvation.

Champion, Wis., is the first and only site in the United States of an approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On Dec. 8 Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay officially approved the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1859 under the title Our Lady of Good Help to Adele Brise at Robinsonville (now known as Champion).

The visionary

Adele Brise was born Jan. 30, 1831, in Belgium. She moved to America with her parents in 1855.

In early October 1859 Adele saw Our Lady for the first time. Our Lady said nothing. On Oct. 9 Adele was on her way to church with two women. She saw Our Lady again. After Mass, on their way back, Our Lady appeared again, and Adele asked, “In God’s name, who are you and what do you want of me?”

Our Lady replied, “I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. You received Holy Communion this morning and that is well. But you must do more. Make a general confession and offer Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”

One of the women asked, “Adele, who is it?” Another woman started to weep and said, “Oh why can’t we see her as you do?”

Our Lady, however, looked kindly at them and said, “Blessed are they that believe without seeing.”

Our Lady said to Adele, “What are you doing here in idleness while your companions are working in the vineyard of my Son?” Adele wept and said, “What more can I do, dear Lady?” She replied, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.”

“Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing. I will help you.”

Adele dedicated herself to teaching catechism to children. She taught catechism from house to house, and would travel as much as 50 miles on foot. Adele died on July 5, 1896.

Signs

The site of the apparitions is a place of grace. In the decree of approval for the apparitions, Bishop Ricken pointed out, “A long tradition of oral and some documented sources recounting answered prayers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help include conversions and many physical healings attributed to the Blessed Mother’s intercession.

“Many physical healings are memorialized by the multitude of crutches and other mementos of thanksgiving for answered prayers left at the shrine. Prayers for physical healing are answered even to this day through the intercession of Our Lady of Good Help.”

On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Peshtigo Fire destroyed all the surrounding area except the convent, school, chapel, and the five acres of land entrusted to Our Lady. After the fire, pilgrimages increased, and an annual celebration with the local bishop Aug. 15 (the feast of the Assumption) began.

The message of Our Lady given in 1859 is still relevant today. In our world today there is widespread indifference and ignorance on matters of faith. Prayers for the conversion of sinners and catechetical instruction are very important for the salvation of souls.