First apparition, October 8, 1859: Adele was going to the mill about six miles from Champion with a sack of wheat on her head. When Adele got close to the place, she saw a lady in white standing between two trees. She was beautiful, gorgeous, blue eyes, white dress with graceful folds, a yellow stripe around her waist. She had a crown of stars around her head. Her long hair was blond and wavy. Adele was scared and stood still. The vision faded slowly and left a white cloud behind her. Adele returned home and did not see anything else.
Second apparition, October 9, 1859: The following Sunday, Adele went to Mass with her sister Isabel and her friend Vander Niessen. In the same place, near the trees, the same lady appeared again and stood still. The other two women saw nothing and the beautiful lady disappeared. They thought she might be a poor soul in Purgatory who needed prayers. After Mass, Adele confessed and told Father William Verhoef about the beautiful lady. He commanded her not to fear and to ask the lady in the name of God who she was and what she wanted from her.
Third apparition, October 9, 1859: Adele returned to the place and saw again the lady dressed in white. Adele fell to her knees and asked:
- In God’s name, who are you and what do you want of me?
- 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.
Adele said to them:
- Kneel you, the Lady is the Queen of Heaven.
Our Blessed Lady looked kindly at them and said:
- Blessed are they that believe without seeing. What are you doing here in idleness while your companions are working in the vineyard of my Son?
- What more can I do, dear Lady?
- Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.
- But how shall I teach them who know so little myself?
- 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.
- But how shall I teach them who know so little myself?
- 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.
And Our Lady disappeared.
Sister Adèle devoted her entire life to the mission that Our Lady gave her and spread the message everywhere. A testemuha wrote about her: “With patience and ardor without fail, she persevered in her mission, going from house to house, and helping without being asked to do any work that could be done in the house and also asking only for permission to give catechism lessons to the children.” She died in fame of sanctity on July 5, 1896.
