Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Today, We Celebrate the "Awesome Solemnity and Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal".

Saint Catherine Laboure is often associated with this devotion as Saint Catherine Laboure received a number of visions from Our Lady in the 1830's as regards this Medal.

Saint Catherine Laboure was a "Sister of Charity".

Saint Catherine Laboure pray for us.

Here is some interesting information.

From http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/miraculous-medal.htm

"The Miraculous Medal is a physical manifestation of the gift of grace that perpetually exudes from Our Lady and it, too, is a Sacramental, a most miraculous one. It was originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, but because so many miracles were reported by those wearing it that it became known as the Miraculous Medal. Often the Medal is presented to Catholics who are making their first holy Communion, receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation and given at Baptisms.

The Blessed Virgin Mary declared that those who wear it around their necks will be given wondrous graces, among them, not sinking into a life of iniquity or becoming more pure".

"THE STORY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL"

This is a very brief version. To obtain the beautiful booklet, MARY'S MIRACULOUS MEDAL, with lovely images, especially good for children to peruse, go HERE. This booklet also has the conversion story of Ratisbonne and the perpetual Novena. The above image is not part of the booklet, but there are many in it and all as lovely, including the cover.

In 1830, one of the apparitions sanctioned by Holy Mother Church occurred in the chapel of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, the Rue de Bac, Paris. There were three visions given to Saint Catherine Laboure who, at the time of the first one, was a novice in the order. We have images of her on Pages 3 and 4 of this presentation.

She was awakened at 11:30 PM on the eve of the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, by a "shining child" who led her to the chapel where she saw Our Lady, who spoke to her for two hours about the difficult task that lay ahead. Four months later, on November 27 Catherine had the second vision wherein she saw a three-dimensional scene of the Blessed Virgin standing on a white globe with dazzling rays of light streaming from her fingers and she heard a voice say:

"These are the symbols of grace I shed upon those who ask for them." A frame formed around the Mother of God and within it was written in gold letters, O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

The voice then told her to have a medal struck after this model. Then the vision turned and on the reverse side was a large M with a bar through it and a cross over it. Beneath this M were the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, one crowned with thorns and the other pierced by a sword.

This second vision occurred periodically until 1831. Because she wanted to remain unknown, Catherine told them only to her confessor. Msgr. Aladel, who received permission from the Archbishop of Paris to have the medal struck. The first 1500 were issued in June of 1832, and almost at once there were reported healings, conversions and miraculous events. The Saint could not be convinced to appear at any of the canonical hearings, but eventually the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary was sanctioned on the overwhelming evidence of the miracles obtained by those wearing the medal. Saint Catherine Laboure only revealed herself as the visionary eight months before her death, in 1876. Like St. Therese of Lisieux, this came as a surprise to the other nuns as they considered her quite ordinary. She was canonized in 1947 by Ven. Pope Pius XII. Her Feast is November 27 as is the Feast of the Miraculous Medal, although in some places it is celebrated on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception because of its relation to it.

We have related that this medal is the impetus to conversion for those who wear it or have it in their possession.

Check out more at: http://www.catholictradition.org/Mary/miraculous-medal.htm

I have also come across some other awesome links with regard to "Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal".

Check them out.

"The Official and Beautiful Web Site of "The Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, France at Rue Du Bac".

http://www.chapellenotredamedelamedaillemiraculeuse.com/EN/a.asp

"St. Catherine Labouré and the Miraculous Medal"

By Rev. Robert J. Billett, C.M.F.

The Virgin Mary inaugurates the Marian Era

http://www.marys-touch.com/Saints/medal/medal.htm

"An Awesome Homily on Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal"

“The Miraculous Medal and The Immaculate Conception”

http://www.frtommylane.com/homilies/years_abc/immaculate_conception2.htm