Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal: First Apparition
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
Each Marian feast day honor's Mary's role in salvation history one way or another. This post honorsHer intercession by means of a sacramental (blessings or blessed items) that She has given the Church. Today’s commemoration is just a devotional anniversary of Mary’s first visit to the visionary to whom She would later reveal the miraculous medal of the Immaculate Conception. The feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is November 27th. To honor today’s anniversary The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal is holding a fundraising event.
Mary’s First Apparition to St. Catherine (July 18th)
St. Catherine Labouré and the Miraculous Medal
By Rev. Robert J. Billett, C.M.F.
The Virgin Mary inaugurates the Marian Era
The night of July 18, 1830 was a night that changed the history of the world. It was the night that the Blessed Virgin Mary ushered in the modern Marian era. It had been almost 300 years since the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531. This night in 1830 Our Lady’s apparition began a series of Marian apparitions, manifestations and ecclesial events that were to succeed one another down to our own day. We can very well see why Pope Paul VI declared, "Our era may well be called the Marian Era." (The Great Sign, #6, p.11; May 13, 1967)
That night in 1830 was a blessed night. The Holy Mother of God began her plans with a twenty four year old novice in the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity, on the Rue due Bac in Paris. That novice, whom we now know as St. Catherine Labouré, was sleeping in her curtained bed in the dormitory with the other novices. She was awakened by her Guardian Angel, who called her softly several times. She awoke to see her Angel as an extremely beautiful child about five years old, whose vesture was dazzlingly bright. The Angel said, "Come to chapel; the Blessed Virgin is waiting for you."
In following the Angel to the Chapel, Catherine was surprised to find that all the lights were lit as if it were for Midnight Mass on Christmas. She was led toward the sanctuary and knelt by the chair that the Director used when giving conferences to the Sisters. Suddenly she heard the rustle of silk and saw a most beautiful Lady walking toward her. The Lady was dressed in an ivory-colored dress with a blue mantle and a white veil covering her head and draping down over her shoulders. She sat down on the Director’s chair next to Catherine. The Angel told Catherine, "This is the Blessed Virgin." Catherine leaned her hands on the Lady’s lap and looked into her Mother’s eyes.
The Lady spoke, "My child, the good God wishes to entrust to you a mission." She told Catherine that she would have to endure trials in carrying out the mission, but she would have consolation in knowing that she was working for the glory of God. The Lord would be with her and would guide her. "Have confidence. Do not be afraid," The mission would be revealed at a later time.
The Blessed Virgin told Catherine that she loved the Vincentian Communities and promised to protect them, but she complained, urging that there should be stricter observance of the Rules, more fervor in praying, especially the Rosary, and less worldliness in their lives.
The Lady continued, "The times are evil. Sorrows will come upon France; the throne will be overthrown. The Cross will be thrown down and trampled. The Archbishop will be stripped of his clothes. Blood will flow in the streets. The side of Our Lord will be pierced anew. The whole world will be afflicted with tribulations." The Virgin appeared sad and could hardly speak as she said this. But as if giving a remedy, she pointed toward the foot of the altar and said, "Come to the foot of the altar. Here graces will be shed on all who ask for them. Graces will be shed especially on those who ask for them."
Our Lady specified other sorrows and tribulations that were to come: There will be victims in other Religious Communities and among the clergy. The Archbishop of Paris will be killed. The whole world will be in sadness. And she gave Catherine to understand that some of these things would take place soon, and others in forty years.
Our Lady’s predictions came true. The following week, on July 27, 1830, a revolution broke out in Paris. The King, Charles X, was dethroned. The mobs desecrated churches, destroyed statues and threw down crucifixes and trampled them. Bishops and Priests were imprisoned, beaten and killed. Archbishop Hyacinth de Quelen of Paris had to flee into hiding twice to save his life.
In another revolution, that of 1848, King Louis Philippe was dethroned and went into exile. Archbishop Affre of Paris was shot while trying to plead for peace at the barricades.
Then forty years later, in September of 1870, yet another French Monarch was toppled, Emperor Louis Napoleon III, through the Franco-Prussian War. Six months later a revolution broke out in Paris. It lasted only two months; but before it was over, the sorrows and tribulations that had been predicted by Our Lady would be a matter of history. Many churches in Paris were desecrated, including the venerable church of Our Lady of Victories. Sacred things were publicly profaned. Even the graves and bodies of the dead were not spared. Many priests, both Diocesan and Religious were arrested; and finally thirty of them were executed, including Archbishop Darboy. True to the promise of the Blessed Virgin, the Vincentian Communities were saved, although the Sisters went through some very frightful moments.
After having revealed these events to Catherine in 1830, the Blessed Virgin spoke to her about many other things which were for Catherine alone. Then Our Lady disappeared. The Angel, after having led Catherine back to the dormitory, also disappeared, just as the clock struck two in the morning. The groundwork for Catherine’s mission was now laid.
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