Sr. Mary Dominic - Little Nellie of Holy God: Illustrations by the beloved Sister John Vianney (with Supplemental Reading: Confession: Its Fruitful Practice)

With ecclesiastical approval.

Copyright 1961 by The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Retypeset and republished by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc. in 2006, with many minor adjustments to text and illustrations. These editorial changes copyright 2006 by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc.

ISBN 0-89555-834-3

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
2006

Dedicated to
Mother M. Francis Xavier,
who told me about
Little Nellie of Holy God.

N ELLIE ORGAN was born on August 24, 1903, in Ireland. Her father was a soldier, and her mother lived with him in a military barracks. Just a few days after Nellie was born, she was baptized. Through that Baptism, little Nellie Organ became a child of God.

Nellies mother often brought her down to the seashore. She sat on the golden sand to make big sand castles for Nellie. There she talked to her about God and told her all sorts of wonderful things about Him. Nellie learned to say the Rosary with her mother.

When only two, Nellie would toddle off to Mass with her soldier-father. All along the way she prattled about Holy God . That was the only way she ever spoke of God. Nobody knows where she learned to call Him that.

One day, Nellies mother became ill. A babysitter took care of Nellie. She dropped the baby, but she did not tell anyone. Nellies hip and back were twisted out of joint. As the little arms and legs grew, the trouble became painful, but Nellie did not know how to tell anyone.

When Nellie was three years old, the Angels came for Mrs. Organ and took her up to Heaven.

Nellie was glad that her Mama was in Heaven with Holy God and Blessed Mother Mary and the Angels, but she was lonesome too. Nellies back hurt her, but she could not explain this, so she just cried.

A Good Shepherd Home was close to the barracks. Private Organ went there to visit one day. He thought that Nellie and her sister would be happy with the Good Shepherd Sisters. The Sisters wanted to take good care of Nellie because she did not have any mother. Nellie was happy at the Good Shepherd and she called all the Sisters Mothers.

The Sisters learned that Nellie had a bad temper. When she got angry, she would stomp her little feet and fire would seem to flash from her big, dark eyes. Like every child, she had to try every day to make up for her faults.

Sometimes Nellie was a naughty little girl. One time she kept five or six girls late for supper. But afterward she was sorry and she made an Act of Contrition. She said, Holy God, I am very sorry for keeping the girls late for supper. Please forgive me and make me a good child and bless me and my Mothers.

Nellie could not walk well. The Sisters bought her special slippers with rose-colored socks. Nellie was very fond of her pretty shoes and socks.

One day Nellie stopped before a statue of the Holy Infant. Jesus, she said, if You give me Your ball, I will give You my little shoes.

Oh, Nellie, said her nurse, you cannot have that.

He can give it to me if He likes, Nellie replied, and she was right. But Jesus did not give her His little ball. He gave her suffering instead.

One day her nurse took Nellie along to make the Stations of the Cross. Nellie could not understand why Holy God let Himself be nailed to the Cross. She asked, But why does He let them do that? He could stop them if He liked.

The nurse told her that Jesus wanted to suffer and die for our sins. Nellie burst into tears, crying over and over, Poor Holy God! Oh, poor Holy God.

One day Nellie swallowed some red and yellow beads. They stuck in her throat. The doctor came to take them out. Then he gave Nellie a check-up. He said that Nellie was getting very sick, just like her mother, and that she could not live for even one more year.

The Bishop gave Nellie Confirmation.

Nellie said, I am now the little soldier of Holy God. She stopped being a crybaby, and she tried never to lose her temper again.

Nellie longed for Holy God. She wanted to receive Him in Holy Communion. But in those days, children could not receive Jesus until they were twelve years old, and Nellie was only four. She used to lie quietly in her little bed, whispering over and over to herself, Oh, I am longing for Holy God! I wonder when He will come. I would like to have Him in my heart.

Mother, she whispered to her nurse one morning, when you get Holy God in the chapel, will you come back and kiss me? Then you can go back to the chapel again.

One day the Blessed Sacrament was exposed on the altar. The nurse carried Nellie down to the chapel. It was the first time she had ever seen the monstrance. With her eyes glued on it, she whispered: There He is! There is Holy God now! From then on, Nellie always knew when there was Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Holy God is not locked up today, she would say. Take me down. I want to talk to Him. Nobody knew how she knew.

Baby Jesus knew that Nellie was tired of lying in a little bed alone all day long, so He used to do kind deeds for her. One day He gave her a flower. Another time He danced for her. Occasionally He visited and talked to her.