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Catherine Labourè
The Miraculous Medal
On November 27, 1830 at RUE DU BAC, France, the Blessed Virgin appears to a young novice of the Sisters of St. Vincent Dè Paoli, Sister Catherine Labourè.
Catherine Labouré lived between 1806 and 1876. She joined the Society of the Daughters of Charity, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul.
Catherine did not reveal to anyone that she was the seer until the end of her life. She was canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII.
The Medal for excellence
La Madonna le chiede di far coniare una medaglia, come la visione che le appare dinnanzi e le dice:
"Fa coniare una medaglia su questo modello, le persone che la porteranno al collo con fiducia, riceveranno grandi grazie!"
Our Lady asks her to strike a medal, showing the vision that she is seeing and tells her:
"Have a medal struck according to this model; the persons who will wear it with confidence, will receive many graces!"
The medal of the Immaculate, struck in 1832, was called by the people Miraculous Medal for excellence, because of the great number of spiritual and material graces granted by intercession of Mary.
Many Saints have promoted its diffusion; of them Saint Maximian Kolbe has turned it into emblem of his Army of the Immaculate.
The devotion is very easy: you just need to wear it with faith and to invoke the Protection of the Virgin many times a day with the ejaculation:
"Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us applying to you"
This apparition has been approved by the Church and Sister Catherine Labuorè after a life spent in helping the poor of the hostel of Enghien, in Paris, was canonised by Pope Pius XII in 1947.
The incorrupt body of Saint Catherine Labourè lies in the urn of the chapel in RUE DU BAC where Our Lady appeared to her.
The truth of faith expressed by the words written on the miraculous medal: "Mary conceived without sin..." anticipated the solemn definition of the Church made by Pius IX on 8th December1854, then confirmed by Our Lady in Lourdes in 1858 with the words said to Bernadette in Her apparition on 25th March: "I am the Immaculate Conception".
In order to obtain the Grace
- Immaculate Virgin of the Miraculous Medal, who, pity for our miseries, came down from Heaven to show us what attention you have for our pains and how much You endeavour to avoid us the punishments of God and to obtain His graces for us, help us in our present need and grant us the graces we are asking you.
Hail Mary. Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us applying to You. (3 times) - Immaculate Virgin, who gave us your Medal, as remedy to many spiritual and corporal evils afflicting us, as defence of the souls, medicine of the bodies and comfort of all the wretch, we clasp it on our heart grateful and by it we ask you to answer our prayer.
Hail Mary. Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us applying to You. (3 times). - Immaculate Virgin, who have promised great graces to all people devout to your Medal, if they invoked You with the ejaculation which You taught, we apply to You fully confidence in your word and we ask you, for your Immaculate Conception, for the grace we need.
Ave Maria. O Maria concepita senza peccato, prega per noi che ricorriamo a Te.
Hail Mary. Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us applying to You. (3 times)
Perpetual Novena
Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God and our Mother, with the greatest confidence in Your powerful intercession, which you have shown many times by means of your Medal, we humbly beg You to be eager to obtain for us the graces we are asking for with this Novena.
(Make your requests)
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, who appeared to S. Catherine Labouré as Mediatrix of the entire world and in particularly of every soul, we put in your hands and entrust to your heart our prayers. Deign to handle to your Divine Son and to meet them, if they are complying with the Divine Will and useful to our souls. And, after raising your begging hands to God, lower them on us and wrap us with the beams of your graces illuminating our minds, purifying our hearts, so that driven by You one day we will reach the blessed eternity. Amen.
Final prayer
Remember, very pious Virgin Mary, that nobody has ever heard that someone has applied to your sponsorship, begged Your aid, asked for your protection and he has been denied. Animated by this confidence, I apply myself to You Mother, Virgin of the Virgins, I come to you and sorry I prostrate myself before You. Do not reject my call, Mother of the Word, but pay attention benignly and fulfil my request. Amen.