La Médaille Miraculeuse.
The Miraculous Medal.
Illustration: FACEBOOK RICHARD HAWKER
The following Text is from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia.
The Miraculous Medal (French: Médaille Miraculeuse), also known as The Medal of Our Lady Of Graces, is a Medal, the design of which was originated by Saint Catherine Labouré following her Apparitions of The Blessed Virgin Mary in Rue du Bac, Paris, France, and made by a Goldsmith, Adrien Vachette.
According to the Teaching of The Catholic Church, the use of Sacramentals, such as this Medal, prepare people to receive Grace and dispose them to co-operate with it.
Catherine Labouré stated that, on 19 July 1830, The Eve of The Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, she woke up after hearing the voice of one child calling her to the Chapel, where she heard The Virgin Mary say to her: “God wishes to charge you with a mission. You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the Grace to do what is necessary. Tell your Spiritual Director all that passes within you. Times are evil in France and in the World.”
On 27 November 1830, Catherine reported that The Blessed Mother returned during evening Meditations. She displayed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe. She wore many rings, set with gems, that shone rays of light over the globe.
Around the margin of the frame, appeared the words: “Ô, Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous” (“O, Mary, conceived without sin, Pray for us who have recourse to thee”). As Catherine watched, the frame seemed to rotate, showing a circle of twelve stars, a large letter M surmounted by a Cross, and the stylised Sacred Heart of Jesus Crowned with Thorns and Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a Sword.
Asked why some of the gems did not shed light, Mary reportedly replied: “Those are the Graces for which people forget to ask.” Sister Catherine then heard The Virgin Mary ask her to take these images to her Father Confessor, telling him that they should be put on Medallions, and saying: “All who wear them will receive great Graces.”
Sister Catherine did so, and after two years of investigation and observation of Catherine's ordinary daily behaviour, the Priest took the information to his Archbishop without revealing Catherine's identity. The request was approved and Medallions were designed and produced through a Goldsmith, Adrien Vachette.
The Chapel, in which Saint Catherine experienced her Visions, is located at The Mother House of The Daughters of Charity in Rue du Bac, Paris. The incorrupt bodies of Saint Catherine Labouré and Saint Louise de Marillac, a Co-Founder of The Congregation Of The Daughters Of Charity Of Saint Vincent De Paul, are interred in the Chapel, which continues to receive daily visits from Catholic Pilgrims, today.
Pope John Paul II used a slight variation of the reverse image as his Coat-of-Arms, The Marian Cross, a plain Cross with an M underneath the Right-Hand Bar (which signified The Blessed Virgin at The Foot of The Cross when Jesus was being Crucified).
The following Text is from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal.
Our Lady Of The Miraculous Medal.
Feast Day 27 November
(in The Diocese of Brooklyn, New York).
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
IN THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
Our Blessed Lady, appearing in the year 1832 to Catherine Labouré, a Sister of Charity, showed her the pattern of Medal now universally known as “The Miraculous Medal”, because of the many wonders which it has pleased Almighty God to work by its means in His Church.
Among these is the marvellous Conversion, in Rome, in 1842, of the Jew, Alphonse Ratisbonne.
Mass: Erit quasi signum.
The Nicene Creed: Is said or sung.
The following Text is from Wikipedia.
Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, N.D.S., (May 1, 1814, Strasbourg, Alsace, France - May 6, 1884, Ein Karem, Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire) was a French Jew who Converted to Catholicism and became a Jesuit Catholic Priest and Missionary.
Greater-Double.
White Vestments.
IN THE DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.
Our Blessed Lady, appearing in the year 1832 to Catherine Labouré, a Sister of Charity, showed her the pattern of Medal now universally known as “The Miraculous Medal”, because of the many wonders which it has pleased Almighty God to work by its means in His Church.
Among these is the marvellous Conversion, in Rome, in 1842, of the Jew, Alphonse Ratisbonne.
Mass: Erit quasi signum.
The Nicene Creed: Is said or sung.
English: Fr. Ratisbonne in 1865.
Français: Cdv du Père Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne.
Date: 1865.
Source: Cdv ancienne.
Author: Unknown.
(Wikimedia Commons)
The following Text is from Wikipedia.
Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, N.D.S., (May 1, 1814, Strasbourg, Alsace, France - May 6, 1884, Ein Karem, Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire) was a French Jew who Converted to Catholicism and became a Jesuit Catholic Priest and Missionary.
He later was a Co-Founder of The Congregation Of Our Lady of Sion, a Religious Congregation dedicated to the Conversion of Jews to The Catholic Faith.
Outstanding summary, thank you Zephyrinus. According to one biography by the Vincentians on S. Catherine Laboure, it was her confessor who diligently worked on her behalf, especially when the saint told him one day after some months that “..Our Lady is very displeased with the delay in obtaining the requested medal.” At this point he approached the Archbishop, Hyacinth Louis de Quelen, who was still unconvinced by the saint’s vision and message, but whom however was intrigued and found arresting the details on the reverse of the medal of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart. Based on these, he ordered the medals to be struck: and within a very short time over 100,000 were ordered by intense public demand. The effect was overwhelming: miracles, conversions, changes of life for throngs of Catholics. it was initially known as the medal of Our Lady of Grace, but soon due to the miraculous effects, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It is said that, other than the crucifix and the Rosary, it is the most widespread Catholic sacramental. -Note by Dante P
ReplyDeleteA marvellous contribution, Dante P, to this Article. Many thanks, indeed. The lesson to be learned, of course, is that, when Our Lady wishes for something to be done, let's do it. Quickly. Our Lady of The Miraculous Medal. Ora Pro Nobis.
DeleteThank you in turn, Zephyrinus: I should have mentioned the confessor’s name, Fr. Jean-Marie Aladel, who listened attentively to the young nun, and grew to realize “something big” was at work here: and we should also commend him for his courage to approach the Archbishop of Paris on his own volition. Not an easy task. -Note by Dante P.
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