Apart from the Rosary, the Brown Scapular of the Carmelite Order, the Black Cincture of Our Lady of Consolation, and the White Scapular of Our Lady of Mercy, one of the most popular Marian sacramental in the Catholic Church is the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, more popularly known as the “Miraculous Medal”. The devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal played a significant role in the history of the Church that helped shape the current landscape of Marian devotion in the world.
Now as we celebrate the 190th anniversary of the revelation of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure, a sister of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, let us now have a look back on the history and the development of the devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and how it influenced the history of the Church and also in our country’s culture.
A tribulation in France
To understand the context of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, we should look at what was happening in France during that time. The effects of the French Revolution and Napoleonic rule are still seen and felt in the French society with continuous political tensions that will still be felt during the apparitions of Lourdes in 1858. France also faced the heresy of Jansenism, a controversial religious movement in the 17th and 18th centuries that arose out of the theological problem of reconciling divine grace and human freedom. Jansenism appeared chiefly in France, the Low Countries, and Italy. In France, it became connected with the struggle against the papacy by proponents of Gallicanism—a political theory advocating the restriction of the papal power—and with opposition to monarchical absolutism. From these circumstances, we can see the backdrop of the apparitions of Our Lady in Rue de Bac to a humble novice that would challenge these circumstances and would help shape Church history.
The Humble novice
Catherine Labouré (born Zoe Laboure) was born on May 2, 1806, in the Burgundy region of France to Pierre Labouré, a farmer, and Madeleine Louise Gontard, the 9th of 11 living children. Zoe’s mother died on October 9, 1815, when she was nine years old. It is said that after her mother’s funeral, Labouré picked up a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and kissed it saying, “Now you will be my mother.”
Zoe was observed to be extremely devout, of a somewhat romantic nature, given to visions and intuitive insights. As a young woman, she became a member of St. Vincent de Paul’s Daughters of Charity, after a dream about him that encourage her to follow the call to religious life. In January of 1830, Zoe Laboure became a postulant in the hospice of the Daughters of Charity at Catillon-sur-Seine and took the name, Catherine. Three months later, she was again in Paris, this time to enter the Seminary at the Mother House of the Daughters of Charity.
Shortly after she entered her new home, God was pleased to grant her several extraordinary visions. On three consecutive days, she beheld the heart of Saint Vincent above the reliquary in which his relics were exposed, each time under a different aspect. At other times, she beheld our divine Lord in front of the Blessed Sacrament; this would occur especially during Mass when he would appear as he was described in the liturgy of the day.
The first phase of the apparition
The apparitions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal began during her novitiate year. On July 18, 1830, Catherine was awakened at about 11:30 p.m. by her guardian angel who led her to the chapel, where she was surprised to find all the candles lit as if it was Midnight Mass. But the chapel was empty. Suddenly, Catherine saw the Blessed Mother appear there. “I sprang forward with one leap to her side – kneeling on the altar steps with my hands resting on the knees of the Blessed Virgin. There I spent the sweetest moment in my life.”
Our Lady appeared and talked with her for hours, telling her that she would have to undertake a difficult task. Mary told Catherine that God had a special job for her to do, and also warned of a great time of upheaval that would occur in France and beyond.
“My child,” said the Blessed Virgin, “times are very bad. Calamities are going to fall upon France. The whole world will be in upheaval due to all sorts of troubles. The good God wishes to give you a mission. Later I shall let you know what it is. You will have much to suffer. But do not be afraid. The times are evil, and misfortunes are about to overwhelm France. The throne will be destroyed and the whole world convulsed by all sorts of calamities. But come to the foot of this altar. Here graces will be poured out on all who ask for them, great or small. My eyes are always watching you, I shall grant you many graces. Special graces will be given to all who ask for them, but people must pray.”
A difficult mission was announced as well as a request for the establishment of a Confraternity of the Children of Mary. Father Aladel would accomplish this request on February 2, 1840.
The second phase of the apparition
A few months later, on November 27, 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared again to Sister Catherine in their chapel. This time, the Blessed Virgin holds a globe in her hands and says: “This globe which you see in the world, France in particular and for every person living in it. I am praying for it and for everyone in the world. The rays which shed on the globe from my hands are the graces that I bestow on all those who ask for them. But there are no rays that come from some of the gems because those are the graces which God wishes to bestow on them but they forget to ask.”
Afterward, she outstretched her hands, with shafts of light streaming from her hands emanating from jewels on the rings adorning her fingers, “These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them,” Our Lady told Catherine. “The gems from which rays do not fall are the graces for which souls forget to ask.” (Some of the jewels on Our Lady’s rings were not shining.)
The revelation of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure
She was surrounded by 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!”] The image turned around, and on the reverse side appeared “a capital M with a cross above it and two hearts, one thorn-crowned (the Sacred Heart of Jesus) and one pierced with a sword (the Immaculate Heart of Mary) beneath. Catherine heard a voice asking her: “Have a Medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear it around the neck. Graces will abound for persons who wear it with confidence.” Thus the design for Miraculous Medal was revealed.
The Meaning of the design of the Miraculous Medal
The medal is thus by far the only ecclesiastically approved medal that was designed by the Blessed Mother herself which she revealed on her second apparition to St. Catherine Laboure.
The front of the medal depicts The Blessed Virgin Mary standing on a globe, with the head of a serpent beneath her feet. The reference to Mary conceived without sin supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary—not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, and refers to Mary’s sinlessness, “full of grace” and “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28). Circling the oval-shaped medal is the signature, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Rays shoot out from Mary’s hands, which she told Catherine, “symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them.”
On the reverse, twelve stars surround a large “M,” from which a cross arises. This design shows Jesus’ Cross of Redemption. Interleaving the M and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus, which also implied her role as Mediatrix Below the “M,” the medal depicts two flaming hearts. The left heart, circled with thorns, represents the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The right heart, pierced by a sword, symbolizes the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Some Catholics ascribe another meaning to the 12 stars, from the Book of Revelation 12:1 “A great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.” The flaming hearts of Jesus and Mary symbolizes the burning love Jesus and Mary have for all people.
The iconography of the Blessed Virgin Mary as seen in the design of the Miraculous Medal would later create an impact on the contemporary iconography of the Blessed Virgin Mary along with the association of the title as Our Lady of Grace. It is interesting to note that from the moment of the approval of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, along with those in Lourdes and Fatima and its accompanying devotions, their iconographies became popular due to intense propagation of the devotion connected to these apparitions and also the mass production of their images which made it accessible to the masses worldwide. It can also be noted that the depictions of the Virgin from these apparitions created a shift in contemporary Marian iconography which is evolved through the centuries.
The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on the depiction of the Miraculous Medal would later be associated with the title of “Our Lady of Grace”. The basis of the association to this title comes from the Virgin herself when she explained to St. Catherine Laboure the meaning of the rays of light coming from her hands: “The rays that you see are the graces which I bestow upon those who asked for them. The stones (she was wearing rings according to the accounts of St. Catherine) emitting no rays symbolize graces that they forget to ask for. Graces will be bestowed, but they must pray, they must pray.” Our Lady presented herself as the Mediatrix of All Graces. Such a title must be seen in relation to her motherhood of Jesus Christ and to the faithful. Since she gave the world the only Mediator we rightly can call and consider her as our Mediatrix.
The propagation
The medals were produced in 1831 with the help of her confessor, Rev. Fr. Jean Marie Aladel, The medal was then formally known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception due to the iconography that was presented to the medal and the prayer that surrounds the medal. Two pious associations were founded for the spread of the devotion to the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal: The Children of Mary and the Association of the Miraculous Medal.
The Children of Mary (The Association of the Children of Mary Immaculate) was founded by Fr. Aladel upon the request of the Virgin herself, as revealed by St. Catherine. At first, was limited to only the orphans and students cared for by the Sisters of Charity in 1840 then later opened to all parishes and institutions worldwide, with the approval of Pope Pius IX in 1847 and in 1850. The Association of the Miraculous Medal was established to cater to all the faithful with the only requirement of membership is wearing the Miraculous Medal, blessed by the priest and should be worn on the breast suspended from the neck and it was approved by Pope St. Pius X in 1909
The Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Mother would also inspire St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Franciscan Conventual friar, to found the Militia Immaculata in 1917. The members are encouraged a total consecration to the Immaculate Virgin Mary as means of spiritual renewal for all individuals and society, as well as the Church. Members wear the Miraculous Medal as an outward sign of their consecration. The Medal also played a prominent place in the Legion of Mary, founded by Servant of God Frank Duff in 1921. In the Legion’s Handbook and in Frank Duff’s book ‘Virgo Praedicanda’ he stated that seeing that the Medal has a significant role in the Legion apostolate throughout the world not just distribute the Medal, but also to communicate its message and explain the role of the sacramental in the life of the Church. It is also interesting to note that the image of the Legion of Mary is that of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and the Vexilia shows the Miraculous Medal as well.
Miracles
Soon after the distribution of medals throughout France and later other parts of the world, numerous miracles were reported that are connected to the Miraculous Medal from unexplained cures, the expulsion of evil spirits, and conversions.
One of the earliest known miracles of the Miraculous Medal was the end of a terrible cholera epidemic in 1832. At that time, the medals were being produced while the epidemic was killing 20,000 in Parish. In June 1832, the Daughters of Charity began distributing the medals, especially to infected people who filled the hospitals and those who wore them were immediately cured. The faithful also experienced special protection from the epidemic and the healing from emotional distress. The people of Paris began to call it the “Miraculous Medal”. Soon after, more miraculous cures were also reported through the years because of the Miraculous Medal.
One of the most astounding miracles of the Miraculous Medal is the conversion of unbelievers, from Monseigneur Dominique de Pradt, former chaplain of Napoleon Bonaparte and supporter; Alphonse Ratisbonne, a Jewish atheist who was graced by a vision of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal that led to his conversion in 1842; Claude Newmann and James Hughs in 1844 who also received visions of the Virgin before their execution as punishment for their crimes among others. The missionary efforts of the Vincentian family to pagan foreign lands also helped the spread of the Medal that won many souls to God some leading to their martyrdom.
Official Church recognition
In 1836, The Archbishop of Paris initiated an official canonical inquiry into the alleged visions. Sister Catherine refused to appear, wishing her identity to be kept a secret. Fr. Aladel pleaded to be allowed to keep her name anonymous. The tribunal, basing its opinion on the stability of her confessor and Catherine’s character, decided to favor the authenticity of the visions by Archbishop Hyacinthe-Louis de Quélen of Paris.
The miracles and popularity of the Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception helped hasten the dogmatization of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pope Pius IX in 1854. Interestingly, a few years after the defining the dogma, in 1858, the Blessed Mother appeared once again in France, this time in Lourdes to St. Bernadette Soubirous where she gave the stamp of approval of this act of the Church by identifying herself as “I am the Immaculate Conception.”. It is also reported that St. Bernadette was wearing the Miraculous Medal herself and when the Virgin finally gave her identity, as per the insistence of the visionary, she stated that she placed her rosary on her arm, she outstretched her arms downwards like that of the Miraculous Medal, then raised her arms and later moved in a prayer position and looked upwards and revealed her identity.
Life after the apparitions
Sister Catherine continued to live her life as a religious and performed her duties for 46 more years of her Order. Although she continued to spread the devotion to the Miraculous Medal of Our Lady, she never once revealed to anybody, except to her confessor, the apparitions until Fr. Aladel died in 1865 that leaving no one knew the whole events of Rue de Bac. Sensing that the end of her life was drawing near, in 1876, Sister Catherine asked Our Lady for permission to share her story to her superior from her identity as the visionary and encouraged the carving of the “Virgin of the Globe” statue.
Sister Catherine died on December 31, 1876. Her mortal remains lie incorrupt that can be venerated at the site of the apparition to this day. St. Catherine Laboure was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1933 and was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1947. Her feast day is celebrated every November 28, the day after the Liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. (In the Traditional Calendar, it is celebrated every December 31).
The Rite of Blessing and Imposition of the Miraculous Medal
Priest: +. Our help is in the name of the Lord
R. Who made heaven and earth +.
Priest: The Lord be with you
R. And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us pray.
Almighty and merciful God, Who by the many appearances on earth of the Immaculate Virgin Mary were pleased to work miracles again and again for the salvation of souls; kindly pour out Your blessing + on this medal, so that all who devoutly wear it and reverence it may experience the patronage of Mary Immaculate and obtain mercy from You; through Christ our Lord. AMEN.
[Priest sprinkles Miraculous Medal(s) with Holy Water, then presents it to person(s) saying:]
Take this holy medal; wear it with faith, and handle it with due devotion, so that the holy and Immaculate Queen of Heaven may protect and defend you. And as she is ever ready to renew her wondrous acts of kindness, may she obtain for you in her mercy whatever you humbly ask of God, so that both in life and in death you may rest happily in her motherly embrace. AMEN.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Our Father, . . .
Priest:+. And lead us not into temptation
R. But deliver us from evil +.
Priest: Queen conceived without Original Sin
R. Pray for us who have recourse to thee +.
Priest: O, Lord, hear my prayer
R. And let my cry come unto thee +.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Who willed that Your Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived without sin, should become illustrious through countless miracles; grant that we who ever seek her patronage may finally possess everlasting joys. We ask this of You, Who lives and reigns forever and ever, Amen.
The devotion today
The devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal continues to develop and grow over the years. Memberships to the Associations of the Medal continue to increase. The legacy of the devotion to the Lady of the Medal is still evidently seen as what Professor Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. stated in his lecture: “We can say that the Miraculous Medal was the first major step toward the ‘re-Marianization’ of the nineteenth century, preparing the great movement of souls that would culminate with the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Because of its important role in Church history, this devotion retains all its relevance for Catholics today. In view of these past graces and consolations, it should be cultivated with great fervor.”
The Miraculous Medal is an important sacramental and the promises attached to it by Our Lady are just as necessary and efficacious today as they were in the 19th century. She asked us to wear it with confidence and our saints wish us to hand out Miraculous medals to those they come into contact with, safe in the knowledge that Our Lady will impart copious graces to them. We should remember her message that we should not be afraid to ask for the necessary graces for our salvation, including the Holy Mass that we often forget and she is always there to help us in need.
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you!
References:
de Oliveira, Plinio Corrêa, “Why the Miraculous Medal Is So Important to Catholics”, Tradition, Family and Property, 2010. Retrieved from https://www.tfp.org/why-the-miraculous-medal-is-so-important-to-catholics/ on November 25, 2020.
Englebert, Omer. “Catherine Laboure and the modern apparitions of Our Lady.” New York: Kennedy, 1959.
“Jansenism”, Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jansenism on November 10, 2020
“The Miraculous Medal”, Kolbe Publications, Militae Immaculatae Traditional Observance, 2016.
Nicole Vray, “Une autre regard sur Marie: Histoire et religion” Lyon: Editions Olivétan, 2008.
Raas, Berhard, SVD, “Popular Devotions Making Popular Religious Practices More Potent Vehicles of Spiritual Growth”, Logos Publications, Manila, 2014.
Smith, Jeremiah J., “Saint Maximilian Kolbe: Knight of the Immaculata”, 2008.
“The Official Handbook of the Legion of Mary”, Concilium Legionis Mariae. Dublin, Ireland, 2005.
Little Treasures of Faith 