The Apparitions at Rue de Bac.
Feast of the Miraculous Medal.
The 27 of November marks the date when in 1830, St. Catherine Laboure experienced the vision of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and was shown the Miraculous Medal.
A brief history:
On 27 November, Catherine again saw Mary in the chapel, during community meditation. She was dressed in white, standing on a globe and holding a golden ball, with rings on her fingers flashing with light. An inner voice told her that the ball represented the whole world and that the rays coming from Mary’s fingers represented graces for individuals.
The golden ball then vanished as this apparition changed to represent Mary with her arms outstretched, inside an oval frame with golden lettering: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Again, an interior voice spoke, telling her to have a medal struck on this model. It would be a source of great graces and should be worn around the neck.
Then she was shown the reverse of the medal, consisting of a large “M” surmounted by a bar and cross, with two hearts, representing the hearts of Jesus and Mary, all encircled by twelve stars. Again Fr Aladel was reluctant to act, but once the medal was struck and distributed, it rapidly earned the title of the “Miraculous” medal.
A canonical inquiry was initiated by Archbishop de Quelen and this concluded that Catherine was of good character, that the apparitions she had reported were to be accepted, and that the Miraculous Medal was supernaturally inspired and responsible for genuine miracles. - The Miraculous Medal
November 27th, 2007 at 5:21 am
“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.”
I love the part where Catherine placed her hands in Our Lady’s lap and looked into her eyes. The eyes that Chesterton describes as pools of an infinite depth, that mirrored the eyes of the Christ child. (paraphrase)
Catherine never told anyone of her mystical experiences except her confessor and died as a normal working sister of her order—amazing.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Susan - St. Catherine’s conduct and Our Lady’s intimacy has always been the most impressive aspect of this apparition for me. I love the Immaculate Conception and have such gratitude for Our Lady’s medal.
December 5th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
I just returned from a trip to Paris and our hotel was a few minutes walk from the Miraculous Medal Chapel. You want an amazing experience, go to this chapel and kneel at the alter. It is the most beautiful chapel I have ever seen. The experience was an incredible one.