From The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori, a continuation of the chapter named Various Examples Appertaining to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary:
84. A young woman in the Papal States, who was very devout towards Mary, met in a certain place a chief of banditti. Fearing some outrage, she implored him, for love of the most holy Virgin, not to molest her. "Do not fear," he answered, "for you have prayed me in the name of the mother of God; and I only ask you to recommend me to her." And, in fact, he accompanied her himself along the road to a place of safety. The following night Mary appeared in a dream to the bandit, and thanking him for the act he had performed for love of her, told him she would remember it, and would one day reward him. The robber, at length, was arrested, and condemned to death; but behold, the night previous to his execution, the blessed Virgin visited him again in a dream, and first asked him: "Do you know who I am?" He answered, "It seems to me I have seen you before." "I am the Virgin Mary," she continued, "who have come to reward you for what you have done for me. You will die to-morrow, but you will die with so much contrition that you will come at once to paradise." The convict awoke, and felt such contrition for his sins that he began to weep bitterly, all the while giving thanks aloud to our blessed Lady. He sent immediately for a confessor, to whom he made his confession with many tears, relating the vision he had seen, and begged him to make public this grace that had been bestowed on him by Mary. He went joyfully to execution, after which, as it is related, his countenance was so peaceful and happy, that all who saw him believed that the promise of the divine mother was fulfilled.
85. The blessed Joachim Piccolomini, who had a very great devotion to Mary, even from childhood, used to visit three times a day an image of the sorrowful mother, which was in a neighboring church, and abstained from all food on Saturday in her honor. Moreover, he rose at midnight to meditate upon her dolors. But let us see how Mary rewarded him. At first she appeared to him when he was young, and directed him to enter into religion in the order of her Servants, which he did. Towards the close of his life, she again appeared to him, with two crowns in her hand : one of rubies, as the reward of the compassion he had cherished for her sorrows; and the other of pearls, as the reward of his chastity which he had consecrated to her. Finally, at death she appeared to him again, when he asked of her the favor to die on the day on which Jesus Christ died, and the most holy Virgin consoled him by telling him : "Make ready now, for tomorrow (Friday) you will die suddenly, as you desire, and to-morrow you shall be with me in paradise ." And thus it happened, for while they were chanting in the church the passion according to St. John, at the words : There stood near the cross of Jesus his mother : "Stabat juxta crucem Jesu mater ejus," he was attacked with the faintness of death ; at the words And bowing his head he gave up the ghost :" this blessed one also gave up his spirit to God ; and at the same moment the church was filled with a great splendor, and a most sweet fragrance.
86. Father Alphonso Salmerone, of the Society of Jesus, being a most devout servant of the blessed Virgin, died saying : "To paradise, to paradise; blessed be the hour that I have served Mary! Blessed the sermons, the toils, the thoughts that I have had for thee, oh my Lady! To paradise."
Keep the Faith!
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