People need only to come to Mademoiselle Jaricot and she gave financial help as well as spiritual encouragement and wise counsel.

Pauline's dream was to help the working class; to establish a community of workers, a model Christian town; where men and women could be paid a living wage, the children would be educated, the sick and the aged cared for. Naturally it would take a great deal of money to finance so great a project. Pauline was careful to seek council concerning this project, not wishing it to be a vain or unholy idea. After explaining it to Abbey Vianney, he remarked, "Child, it's wonderful! Just wonderful! Don't allow anything to keep you from it's accomplishment. Don't worry about money. Remember what we have been able to do at Ars because we trusted in the Heavenly Father." For more than two years Pauline prayed and sought advice on the undertaking. Presently, she had an idea for financing. She would institute a 'Bank of Heaven', an association of 15 wealthy people who would donate $20,000.00 to form the initial capital fund of $350,000.00. This capital was given to a man who was to make the transaction for Pauline. Instead, he stole the money and used it for his own personal needs. Pauline's lawyers said, "You are an innocent victim of fraud. " Pauline was reduced to begging in order to raise funds to repay those generous donors who invested in the "Bank of Heaven'".

She was advised to ask 'pennies' from the Propagation which she had founded, to help absorb the burden of her debts. This she did, only after exhausting every other means of raising the money. She even went begging. The Association obstinately refused to give her recognition as the foundress and thus relieved themselves of any moral obligation to assist her. Pope Pius IX sent them a written note saying that as the foundress of this good work, they should help her. Pauline under obedience, wrote, "--There will never be another foundress of this good work, but she whom the Good Lord deigned to use, without regard for her unworthiness.""Yes, good Sirs, I am not merely an associate, but the true foundress of this work. I truly conceived its plan," wrote Pauline. Recognition and financial assistance denied!

"An infamous betrayal was to rob her of her fortune. Besides the bitter pain off seeing a work perish that she dearly loved, and all the anguish produced by destruction, this disaster brought upon her head touching and cruel difficulties which resulted by her being assailed by creditors, tribunals, journeys on foot, rebuffs, blame, calumny, and even scorn. In a word, all that is capable of wearing down even the. most valiant of hearts. God permitted this, undoubtedly, so that she who had lived for Him and for the salvation of her brothers, would in her last days, follow Jesus Christ, who died for those who condemned Him. And that by her faith, her confidence, her spiritual vigor, her gentleness, her serene acceptance of all these crosses, she would show herself to be His true Disciple."

Rome, June 13, 1888
Pope Leo XIII

And this is where the story ends. Destitute and alone, Pauline was refused help from The Propagation of the Faith, who in turn directed even her Living Rosary family to abandon her in her hour of need. In poor health and aged, Pauline walked miles and miles, but there were only refusals. Madalene Sofie Barat, a close friend of Pauline, comforted Marie at this time saying, "In all my seventy years. I have never met anyone to equal your Mother Pauline. Such clarity and resignation! Child I do think we have a real saint living with us."

In her sorrow, Pauline again went to visit the saintly Abbey Vianney. His words to her were full of wisdom. "Through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, the Good God frequently grants one of the greatest gifts in heaven's treasury- an understanding of the WAY OF THE CROSS; a love of trials and sufferings.

In her sorrow, Pauline again went to visit the saintly Abbey Vianney. His words to her were full of wisdom. "Through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, the Good God frequently grants one of the greatest gifts in heaven's treasury- an understanding of the WAY OF THE CROSS; a love of trials and sufferings. My sister, to try to get from under the cross is to be crushed by it's weight, but to suffer it lovingly is to suffer no longer." Father De Montfort's book, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, was a precious manuscript of which people were becoming aware. Pauline was becoming more and more absorbed spiritually in True Devotion. "Mary, my Mother, I am all yours, "she was often heard to whisper when she was not aware that she was being overheard. People were calling Pauline the patron saint of failures. The thought of dying in debt was always her greatest cross. Death was preferable to this.

The women at her bedside drew near and their eyes widened in astonishment. In the light of the single oil lamp burning in the sick room, Pauline's face was radiant! "Why, she is beautiful!" they exclaimed! "And how young she looks! Maria Dubuois smiled, "The saints are always beautiful and young!"

In this state of poverty and apparent failure, Pauline breathed forth her last words in this vale of tears, "Mary, O my Mother, I AM thine." The women at her bedside drew near and their eyes widened in astonishment. In the light of the single oil lamp burning in the sick room, Pauline's face was radiant! "Why, she is beautiful!" they exclaimed! "And how young she looks! Maria Dubuois smiled, "The saints are always beautiful and young!"

Such a woman is Pauline! As we, the children of her Living Rosary, enkindle the fire of this great apostleship of prayer, of which she is the mother and foundress, let us not allow the world to forget to whom they owe an eternal debt. Do not allow history to repeat itself. We have done nothing but to revive The Living Rosary Association of Venerable Pauline Jaricot and enkindle its fire over the face of the entire earth, She, it was, who's coal was the source of our inferno!