The Miraculous Medal

The Miraculous Medal

Saint Catherine Labouré

Saint Catherine Labouré was born on May 2, 1806. At an early age she entered the community of the Daughters of Charity, in Paris, France. Saint Catherine was greatly blessed to be granted the Blessing of The Most Holy Presence of Our Lady on three occasions in 1830

On July 18, the first Blessing was given in the Motherhouse of the community. Saint Catherine saw a lady seated on the right side of the sanctuary. When Saint Catherine approached her, the Heavenly visitor told her how to act in time of trial and pointed to the altar as the source of all consolation. Promising to entrust Saint Catherine with a mission which would cause her great suffering, the lady also predicted the anticlerical revolt which occurred at Paris in 1870. On November 27, the lady showed Saint Catherine the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now universally known as the "Miraculous Medal." She commissioned Saint Catherine to have one made, and to spread devotion to this medal. At that time, only her spiritual director, Father Aladel, knew of the blessings. Forty-five years later, Saint Catherine spoke fully of these graces to one of her superiors

Saint Catherine Labouré died on December 31, 1876, and was Canonized on July 27, 1947

Her feast day is November 28

MIRACULOUS MEDAL AND MEDJUGORJE

"The following happened on Monday 27 November 1989. The meeting was only for the prayer group, at Blue cross at 10pm. This message was given to Marija, who was standing in for Ivan. Our Lady came joyful and she said:

"These days, I want you to pray in a special way for the salvation of souls. Today is the Feast day of the Miraculous Medal, and I desire that you pray, in a special way, for the salvation of those people who are carrying the Miraculous Medal. I ask you to spread the devotion and the carrying of this Medal, that more souls may be saved, and that you pray in a special way."

THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL AND THE LADY OF ALL NATIONS

The connection between the Miraculous Medal and The Lady of All Nations is apparent. The former is the beginning of the Marian Age, the latter is its fulfillment. It has come full circle

The Image of the Miraculous Medal

The Miraculous Medal was given to us by Our Lady when She Blessed Saint Catherine Laboure at the rue du Bac, in Paris, France on November 27, 1830. If you look closely at the medal, you will observe the three concepts of who Our Lady is: Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate

On the front of the Miraculous Medal you see Our Lady as Mediatrix, with the rays of grace streaming from the jewels on Her fingers. Here we understand that Our Blessed Mother, as Mediatrix and as Spouse of the Holy Spirit, shares the graces of God with us, Her children. Likewise, the Lady of All Nations stands as Mediatrix with open arms distributing graces upon Her children. Above Her head on the Miraculous Medal, in the form of an arch, we see the prayer for Her Advocacy: "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee"

This points to Our Lady's role as Advocate. Similarly, the invocation to the Holy Spirit given to us by the Lady of All Nations ends with a prayer for Advocacy: "May the Lady of All Nations...be our Advocate"

On the reverse side of the Miraculous Medal, you see Her heart pierced with a sword, parallel to Her Son's heart crowned with thorns. This reminds us of how She, who was conceived without sin, co-operated most perfectly in suffering at the foot of the Cross and continued to suffer after the death of Her Son as Coredemptrix. On the painted image of the Lady of All Nations, Her hands are clearly pierced with the wounds of Her Son, Lord Jesus Christ. Again this demonstrates Her role as Coredemptrix.

"Mark well, what this means...For I stand as The Lady before The Cross of My Son" (April 15, 1951)

We can understand from the Miraculous Medal of 1830 what is meant when She said of Her image as "The Lady of All Nations" one hundred and twenty years later, on April 1,1951, that She stands "an oblation before the Cross!" As Saint Catherine Laboure said, "The 'M' surmounted by the Cross and the two hearts say it all!" At Amsterdam, the Lady of All Nations declared: "I have crushed the snake with My foot"; on the Miraculous Medal, Our Lady stands on the globe with Her foot crushing the head of the serpent (cf. Gen 3:15)! The Miraculous Medal portrays the roles of Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate

Our Lord said to Ida Peerdeman at the rue du Bac on May 31,1969:

"What began here [at the rue du Bac] will be continued by The Lady of All Nations"

On May 31, 1956 The Lady of All Nations appeared to Miss Ida Peerdeman "depicting the way in which [She] shall come." The seer saw this in sculpture and thought: "This representation in sculpture is not correct." For it was not "the present picture" of The Lady of All Nations. On December 8, 1975 during Mass Ida again has a vision of Our Lady but this time she says: "From the sky I saw coming down the image of the Lady holding a Cross and an orb in Her hands. I saw no sheep. This image was hovering around that church. Then, suddenly, the image stopped beside the church, and I saw the whole flock of sheep come trotting along" (cf Jn 10:3,4,14-16). (This refers to the world conversion as "one, great Community;" the universal Church - the Catholic Church! cf. Gn 12:2-3; Lk 1:45-55.)

May 31, 1976: "Kneeling down I suddenly saw 'the Glorified Lady' with twelve stars around Her head and wearing a crown (cf. Rev.12:1) It was magnificent and impressive"

Saint Catherine attached special significance to the date of May 31. On one occasion Saint Catherine knew she would return to her convent on May 31: "I told you, my good Mother, that I should return to crown you on the thirty-first of May!" Did not the Lady of All Nations say on May 31, 1954:

"On this date The Lady of All Nations will receive Her title of 'Lady of All Nations' "