ives a description of the state of
persons with stigmas, which in many ways is applicable to Anne
Catherine. Colomba Schanolt, who died at Bamberg in 1787, Magdalen
Lorger, who died at Hadamar in 1806, both Dominicanesses, and Rose
Serra, a Capuchiness at Ozieri in Sardinia, who received the stigmas in
1801, are those of our own times of whom we know the most. Josephine
Kumi, of the Convent of Wesen, near Lake Wallenstadt in Switzerland,
who was still living in 1815, also belonged to this class of persons,
but we are not entirely certain whether she had the stigmas. 3

Anne Catherine being, as we have said, no longer able to walk or
rise from her bed, soon became unable also to eat. Before long she
could take nothing but a little wine and water, and finally only pure
water; sometimes, but very rarely, she managed to swallow the juice of
a cherry or a plum, but she immediately vomited any solid food, taken
in ever so small a quantity. This inability to take food, or rather
this faculty of living for a great length of time upon nothing but
water, we are assured by learned doctors is not quite unexampled in the
history of the sick.

Theologians will be perfectly aware that here are many instances of
contemplative ascetics, and particularly of persons frequently in a
state of ecstasy and who have received the stigmas, remaining long
without taking any other food than the Blessed Sacrament; for instance,
St. Nicholas of Flue, St. Liduvina of Schiedam, St. Catherine of
Sienna, St. Angela of Foligno, and St. Louise de l'Ascension. All the
phenomena exhibited in the person of Anne Catherine remained concealed
even from those who had the most intercourse with her, until the 25th
February 1812, when they were discovered accidentally by one of her old
convent companions. By the end of March, the whole town talked of them.
On the 23rd of March, the physician of the neighbourhood forced her to
undergo an examination. Contrary to his expectation, he was convinced
of the truth, drew up an official report of what he had seen, became
her doctor and her friend, and remained such to her death. On the 28th
of March, commissioners were appointed to examine into her case by the
spiritual authorities of Munster. The consequence of this was that Anne
Catherine was henceforth looked upon kindly by her superiors, and
acquired the friendship of the late Dean Overberg, who from that time
paid her every year a visit of several days' duration, and