Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and Saint Catherine Labouré

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Catherine Labouré. In 1830, on the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent, Sister Catherine and her community were gathered in the chapel for afternoon prayers. Suddenly, Our Lady appeared to Catherine and entrusted her with the mission of making and distributing the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now known as the Miraculous Medal.

At first Mary appeared standing on a globe and dressed in white having with a long white veil which fell to her feet. The Virgin held in her hands, at the height of her shoulders, a golden ball which she seemed to be offering to God as she raised her eyes to heaven. Her fingers were covered with rings whose precious jewels sparkled brilliantly and showered down innumerable rays of light on the globe beneath her feet, almost obscuring the view of her feet. Mary lowered her eyes and looked directly at Catherine. Mary said nothing, but Catherine heard this message, 

"The ball which you see represents the world, especially France, and each person in particular. These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The jewels which give no rays symbolize the graces that are not given because they are not asked for." 

Then the apparition changed. Our Lady appeared with a white dress, a blue mantle, and a white veil which draped back over her shoulders. She was still standing on the globe, and had one foot on the head of a serpent which lay at her feet. The 1830 was marked on the globe. The Virgin had her arms and hands pointed downwards, and a cascade of rays was falling down from both hands onto the globe. An oval frame formed around the Blessed Virgin, and written around within it, in letters of gold, was the beautiful prayer, 

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

Then the vision revolved to show the reverse side of the medal. Catherine saw a Cross with a bar at its feet with which was intertwined an "M" and beneath the "M" were the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, both surmounted by flames of love, one having a crown of thorns, and the other pierced with a sword. Encircling all of this were twelve stars around the oval frame. 

Sister Catherine died on December 31, 1876. In 1895, the cause for sainthood was introduced in Rome and she was beatified on May 28, 1933. When her body was exhumed, after fifty-seven years of burial, it was found to be completely incorrupt and supple. She was canonized a Saint on July 27, 1947.

Saint Catherine Labouré, pray for us!  

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us and for all the intentions we receive through this prayer ministry!