9th October Miraculous Medal of Mary

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary when she appeared to a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris. On July 18, 1830, Sister Catherine Laboure was awakened by a young child standing at the end of her bed calling for her to come, “The Blessed Virgin is waiting for you” he said. Sister Catherine followed the boy to the Chapel where she knelt at the altar rail and waited. She heard the rustling of material before she saw the Blessed Mother come and sit in the priest’s chair. Sister Catherine ran to her and, resting her hands on the knees of Mary, listened for hours as she was instructed about how to act in times of trials that she would soon encounter.

She predicted the terrible Revolution of 1830 in France and the Franco-Prussian War of 1860. She told Sister Catherine of a special mission that God had for her and the contradictions she would face. She asked Sister Catherine to tell no one of her visit except her confessor Father Aladel. On November 27, 1830, while in the chapel in meditation with other sisters, Sister Catherine again heard the rustling of material and the Blessed Virgin appeared standing on a globe and holding a smaller globe on top of a cross she seemed to offer to God. When the globe disappeared Mary lifted her hands that were covered with jewels. From some of the jewels, rays of light shown which she said were symbols of the graces that would be given to all who asked for them. The jewels that had no rays were symbols of unclaimed graces. An oval frame outlined the figure bearing in gold letters the words “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” When the frame revolved, on the back the letter M was surmounted by a cross with a crossbar underneath; and beneath that, the Sacred Heart of Jesus surrounded by a crown of thorns and the Sacred Heart of Mary pierced by a sword. She asked Catherine to have a medal made after the model and to spread devotion to the medal around the world.

Stories of cures and conversions made the medals popular and resulted in them being called “miraculous.” To spread the devotion, Father Aladel formed confraternities of the Children of Mary which did indeed spread all over the world. A statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal was placed over the main altar in the chapel where Mary appeared to Sister Catherine.

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