The devout grandfather prayed hard that God would save the situation. He did, and in a very unexpected way. The day for departure arrived. The family, accompanied by the family doctor, set out for seaport when they were to sail for England. Little Edward hadn't been feeling too well. That's why the doctor came along; in fact, as the train trip progressed so did Edward's stomach-ache. So much so, that by the time they reached the dock he was seriously ill. Then ensued a dramatic scene. The grandfather pleaded with the parents to entrust their child to his care. The distraught father and mother were torn between love for the child, whom they wished to take with them, and fear that Edward would not survive the long voyage. When the doctor finally told them that the trip might mean the death of the boy, they gave in. Handing the sick child to the grandfather, they made him promise he would send Edward to England with friends or relatives at the first opportunity. The grandfather, secretly elated at this turn of events, assured the parents that this would be done.
But somehow, he never could find anyone trustworthy enough to bring the child to England! This problem lasted for a number of years. In the meantime the grandfather would take Edward to church with him each morning. Years later Father Mateo liked to say that he began going to daily Mass even as a baby. In any case, there was no doubt that the early religious formation of the future missionary was deep and solid.
The Sacred Hearts Fathers
At length the parents returned to Peru and in 1884 moved to Valparaiso, Chile. Edward was sent to the school conducted by the Fathers of the Sacred Hearts, the Sacred Hearts College. Here he was to find his vocation.
It is marvelous to see how our Lord goes about the accomplishment of His will in regard to certain souls whom He has selected to be His instruments. We have just seen how a stomach-ache kept Edward Crawley-Boevey in South America and within the folds of the Catholic Church. Years before, something else had
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