OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
November 27 (Feast day)
In 1830, during the apparitions in the chapel on Rue du Bac in Paris, the Holy Virgin presented the Miraculous Medal to Saint Catherine Labouré: “Those who wear it, blessed, around their neck will receive great graces. The graces will be abundant for those who wear it with confidence.” Catherine explained the entire series of apparitions to her confessor, and she worked through him to carry out Mary’s instructions. She also took a vow of silence, sharing only the instructions of the Blessed Mother with her confessor. She did not reveal that she received the Medal until soon before her death 46 years later.
With approval of the Church, the first Medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris. Almost immediately the blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her Medal. The devotion spread like wildfire. Marvels of grace and health, peace and prosperity, followed in its wake. Before long people were calling it the “Miraculous” Medal. However, no one else was told who the recipient of the visions was. Even the Mother Superior at Saint Catherine’s convent did not know that the miraculous visions were occurring within her own convent walls. In 1836, a canonical inquiry undertaken at Paris declared the apparitions to be genuine.
St. Catherine further wrote about her visions of Our Blessed Mother, in one entry saying:
"Oh, how beautiful it will be to hear it said: Mary is Queen of the universe. That will be a time of peace, joy and happiness which will be long... She will be borne like a banner and will make a tour of the world.” The Virgin foretold that this time would come only after “the entire world will be in sadness... Afterwards, peace.”
"The whole world will be overwhelmed by misfortunes of all kinds... All will seem lost, but I shall be with you,” the Holy Virgin promised Saint Catherine, who repeated this prophecy till the end of her life. The rays coming from Our Lady’s hands symbolize the graces she obtains for everyone who prays to her with confidence.
Prayer:
IMMACULATE VIRGIN MARY, mother of our Lord Jesus and our mother, we have confidence in your powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested often through the Miraculous Medal. We your loving and trustful children, ask you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena if they will be for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word, and deed may tend to his greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the queen of angels and of men. AMEN.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to thee,
and for those who do not have recourse to thee,
especially the enemies of the Church
and those recommended to thee,
Amen.
