Produced by Michael Gray (Diocese of San Jose)




  The Manifestation of
  the Miraculous Medal

  ---

  A Brief Account of Its History and of the Establishment of the
Association



  _O Mary Conceived Without Sin_
  _Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to Thee_



  ---

  Published by
  THE ASSOCIATION OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
  St. Mary's Seminary, Perryville, Mo.



    IMPRIMI POTEST
(Die 18, Junii 1918)
         THOMAS FINNEY, C. M.
         _Visitator Prov. Occidentalis._

     NIHIL OBSTAT
S. Ludovici, die 20 Junii 1918.
          F. G. HOLWECK,
                _Censor Theol_.

     IMPRIMATUR
S. Ludovici, die 21 Junii 1918.
          JOANNES JOSEPHUS,
          _Archiepiscopus S. Ludovici._


His Grace, the Most Reverend Archbishop of St. Louis, in a letter to
the Director, has heartily approved of the establishment of the
Association of the Miraculous Medal at St. Mary's Seminary,
Perryville, Mo.



MISSOURIAN PRINTING & STY CO., CAPE GIRARDEAU



  THE ASSOCIATION
  OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
  IN HONOR OF
  THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

---

The object of this Association is to spread and to increase devotion
to Mary under the title of her Immaculate Conception; and one of the
most efficacious means for the accomplishment of this aim is the
Medal known as Miraculous.

A brief account of the supernatural origin of this medal and of the
statutes of the Association will prove of interest and help to all
devout clients of our Blessed Mother.

  SISTER CATHERINE

The weak and lowly does God choose to confound the strong and
worldly-wise, and so in His inscrutable designs, when He would reveal
to the Church the marvelous blessings of the Miraculous Medal, He
chose for this great mission an humble Daughter of Charity. She was
Zoe Laboure, called in community life Sister Catherine. This saintly
child of God was born on May 2, 1806, at Fain-les-Moutiers, a village
of the Cote-d'Or, in France.

Zoe had not reached her eighth year when death took her pious mother,
and henceforth this peasant child felt that Mary, the Consoler of the
Afflicted, would be her only Mother.

From the time of her First Communion at the age of twelve years, she
felt an abiding desire to give herself unreservedly to her Divine
Master. The choice of her vocation was decided in a remarkable
manner. When she was eighteen a venerable priest appeared to her in a
dream, and told her that one day she would be happy to come to him
and that God had great designs on her. Sometime after she saw a
picture of this holy priest, and, on inquiring, she learned he was
none other than St. Vincent de Paul. After many trials and sufferings
she finally succeeded in overcoming all obstacles to her vocation,
and in the beginning of the year 1830 she entered as postulant the
house of the Sisters of Charity at Chatillon. Her soul was happy in
the thought that He who watches over our ways had brought her through
storm and trouble to the calm and peace of the religious life.

On April 21, 1830, she entered the Seminary of the Daughters of
Charity. During her novitiate she received many supernatural favors--
the most remarkable of which was the Manifestation of the Miraculous
Medal.

In the month of January, 1831, Sister Catherine received the holy
habit of a Daughter of Charity; and she was then sent to the hospital
of Enghien in the faubourg Saint Antoine of Paris. For forty-six
years she labored there in the most humble duties, ever faithful to
the rules and leading a life hidden with Christ in God. She always
manifested a great love for the poor and a wonderful devotion to our
Blessed Mother. On December 31, 1876, the final summons came, and she
passed from the shadows of earth to the eternal realities and joys of
her Heavenly Home.

Sister Catherine was declared Venerable by Pius X on December 11,
1907.

[Note to the electronic edition: Sister Catherine was declared a
Saint by Pius XII on July 27, 1947.]

  THE MANIFESTATION OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

  _The First Apparition_

Sister Catherine in the simplicity of her heart had an ardent desire
to see the Blessed Virgin, and she prayed earnestly that she might
obtain this favor. The first apparition was vouchsafed her in the
chapel of the Mother House of the Sisters in Paris on July 18, 1830.
Our Blessed Mother appeared to her coming from the right side of the
altar and seating herself on the left side of the sanctuary in the
place usually occupied by the Director of the Sisters. Our Lady told
Sister Catherine that she would be charged with a mission, that she
would have many trials in fulfilling it, but that the thought of
God's glory would enable her to overcome all difficulties. The
Blessed Virgin foretold the evil events that would come on France,
and that the whole world would be in sorrow. "But come," said our
Holy Mother, "to the foot of this altar. There graces will be
showered on you and on all those who shall ask for them, rich or
poor."

  [Illustration: The First Apparition]

  First Apparition of Mary Immaculate to Sister Catherine Laboure
  July 18, 1830. Eve of the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul.

  _The Second Apparition._

The second apparition of our Immaculate Mother to Sister Catherine
took place towards the end of November in the same year. We give the
narration in her own words:

"The 27th of November, 1830, which was a Saturday and eve of the
first Sunday in Advent, whilst making my meditation in profound
silence, at half-past five in the evening, I seemed to hear on the
right hand side of the sanctuary something like the rustling of a
silk dress, and glancing in that direction, I perceived the Blessed
Virgin standing near St. Joseph's picture; her height was medium, and
her countenance so beautiful that it would be impossible for me to
describe it. She was standing, clothed in a robe the color of auroral
light, with high neck and plain sleeves. Her head was covered with a
white veil, which descended on each side to her feet. Her hair was
smooth on the forehead, and above was a coif ornamented with a little
lace and fitting close to her head. Her face was only partially
covered, and her feet rested upon a globe, or rather a hemisphere (at
least, I saw but half a globe). Her hands were raised about as high
as her waist, and she held in a graceful attitude another globe (a
figure of the universe). Her eyes were lifted up to Heaven, and her
countenance was radiant as she offered the globe to our Lord."

Then Sister Catherine tells us of the rings of precious stones that
covered the fingers of our Blessed Mother. From these stones darted
forth the brightest rays--symbols of the graces which Mary Immaculate
bestows on all who ask for them. "There now formed around the Blessed
Virgin," continues Sister Catherine, "a frame slightly oval, upon
which appeared in golden letters these words: 'O Mary, conceived
without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.'

"Then I heard a voice which said: 'Have a medal struck from this
model; persons who wear it indulgenced will receive great graces,
especially if they wear it around the neck; graces will be abundantly
bestowed upon those who have confidence.' Suddenly the picture seemed
to turn..." The reverse of the picture bore the letter M
surmounted by a cross, having a bar at its base and beneath the
monogram of Mary were the hearts of Jesus and Mary, the first
surrounded with a crown of thorns, the other transpierced with a
sword.

  [Illustration: The Second Apparition]
  Second Apparition
  November 27th, 1830.

  _The Third Apparition._

Father Aladel, C. M., her director, treated these relations of Sister
Catherine with coldness and severity, and he even forbade her to
believe in them. She made every effort to obey, but nothing could
efface the consoling memory of these visitations. In December she
again had an apparition of our Blessed Mother, the same as that of
November 27, except that in this third manifestation the Blessed
Virgin did not remain near the picture of St. Joseph, but passed
before it and stood to the rear of the Tabernacle, a little above it.
Again Sister Catherine was told to have a medal struck according to
this model.

  [Illustration: The Third Apparition.]
  Third Apparition.
  Manifestation of the Miraculous Medal to Sister Catherine.

  THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

Sister Catherine was most anxious to carry out the command of her
heavenly Visitant, but she met with many difficulties, because her
prudent director feared to be precipitate, and he wished to take
every precaution in so important a matter. Finally, with the approval
of Mgr. de Quelen, Archbishop of Paris, the first medals were struck
on June 30, 1832. When it came to details of the medal, difficulty
arose as to how our Blessed Mother should be represented, as she had
not always appeared in the same attitude. After serious deliberation
it was decided to adopt the existing model of Mary Immaculate with
her hands extended.

The medal soon spread throughout France, and then throughout the
world by reason of the miraculous cures both of soul and body that
were wrought through it. In Paris and Lyons nearly eighty million of
these medals had been struck by 1879.

At the request of the Superior General of the Congregation of the
Mission and of the Daughters of Charity, Leo XIII granted to the two
Communities a feast with special Mass and Office in honor of Mary
Immaculate under the title of the Miraculous Medal. This feast is
yearly celebrated on November 27.

  CONVERSION OF ALPHONSE RATISBONNE

One of the most noteworthy conversions brought about by means of the
medal was that of Alphonse Ratisbonne a staunch believer in Judaism
and much opposed to the Catholic church. On his way to the East he
visited Rome, where he became acquainted with Baron deBussiere,
himself a convert to the faith. The latter used every argument to
bring Ratisbonne to the true faith, but his efforts were in vain.

He succeeded however in getting Ratisbonne to wear a medal, which the
latter accepted reluctantly enough. A few days later they happened to
enter the church of S. Andrea delle Frate, and while deBussiere paid
a short visit to the nearby monastery Ratisbonne was left alone to
look about the church. Suddenly he was seized with an indescribable
emotion, and raising his eyes to the chapel of St. Michael where the
light seemed to be concentrated, there in the midst of the light the
Blessed Virgin appeared full of majesty and sweetness--just as she is
represented on the medal. At the same time an irresistible force drew
him towards her. She made a sign with her hand that he should kneel,
and seemed to say to him, "All is well." In that instant he
understood all, and rose a changed man. He had entered the church a
devotee of Judaism he left it an humble follower of Him who came to
save the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This apparition took
place on January 20, 1842. Several years later Ratisbonne became a
priest and devoted his life to the conversion of his former
compatriots in Palestine.

  THE ASSOCIATION OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

The center of this Association is established at the Mother-House of
the Daughters of Charity, Paris.

In the Acta Apostolicae Sedis the following statutes were approved
July 8, 1909, by Pius X.

  STATUTES

  _Article 1_

The Association of the Holy Medal in Honor of the Immaculate
Conception has been established as a living and perpetual memorial of
the apparition of Mary Immaculate, which took place (at the Chapel of
the Daughters of Charity, Rue du Bac, Paris) in the year 1830, the
feast of which is celebrated on November 27. At this apparition the
Blessed Virgin herself clearly indicated the design of the
commemorative medal that was to be struck. The medal spread and
wrought wonders, and thus received from the faithful the title
"Miraculous."

  _Article 2_

The end or aim of the Association is to render due honor to Mary
Immaculate, first by sanctifying ourselves, and second by
contributing to the sanctification of our neighbor by means of the
Miraculous Medal. The medal is an efficacious symbol of this double
sanctification, by virtue of the promises attached to it by Mary
herself.

  _Article 3_

The Association canonically erected in each diocese is governed,
according to its own laws and usages, by diocesan directors,
appointed by their respective bishops, but under the authority of one
director general.

  _Article 4_

By virtue of a rescript of His Holiness Pius X (June 3, 1905), the
same privileges and indulgences granted to the Association of the
Scapular of the Immaculate Conception (blue scapular) have been
extended to the Association of the Holy Medal of the Immaculate
Conception (Miraculous Medal).

    _Article 5_

All the faithful of both sexes may become members of this Association
and sharers in its privileges. The only condition is that they wear
the medal suspended from the neck on the breast, when the medal has
been blessed and imposed by a priest delegated to do so according to
the rite approved by Leo XIII (April 19, 1895).

  _Article 6_

The principal feast of the Association is November 27,--Feast of the
Apparition of the Immaculate Virgin of the Miraculous Medal.

  _Article 7_

The associates incur no new obligation. They are recommended to
repeat frequently the invocation inscribed on the medal: "O Mary
conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

The Director General of the Association is the Superior General of
the Congregation of the Mission and of the Daughters of Charity.

According to article 4 of the Statutes, the Indulgences and
Privileges of the Association of the Scapular of the Immaculate
Conception (blue scapular) have been extended to the Association of
the Miraculous Medal by a Rescript of Our Holy Father, Pius X, June
3, 1905.

The following is a summary of these Indulgences and Privileges:

  _Plenary Indulgences_

1. On the day of reception.
2. A member elevated to the priesthood on the day of his first Mass.
3. At the hour of death.
4. During exercises of retreat, once a year.
5. On the first Sunday of each month.
6. All the Saturdays of Lent.
7. On Passion Sunday and on following Friday.
8. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week.
9. On the feast of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension and
Pentecost.
10. On feast of Immaculate Conception, Nativity, Purification,
Annunciation and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
11. On the principal Theatine feasts; St. Cajetan, August 7;
Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14; St. Andrew Avelino,
November 10; St. Joseph, March 19; Blessed Joseph Mary Thomas, March
24; Finding of the Holy Cross, May 3: Blessed Paul Buralis
(Theatine), June 17; St. John the Baptist, June 24; St. Peter and St.
Paul, June 29; Last Sunday of July; Our Lady of Angels of
Portiuncula, August 2; St. Augustine, August 28; St. Michael the
Archangel, September 29; Guardian Angels, October 2; St. Teresa,
October 15; All Saints, November 1; and Blessed John Maronius
(Theatine), December 13.

12. On several other days of the year: on first and last days of
Christmas novena; once a year during the Forty Hours; on April 12,
Canonization of St. Cajetan; once a year on a day appointed by the
Director General.

13. The indulgences of the Roman Stations on days specified in Roman
Missal on condition that one visit a church containing an altar of
Our Blessed Mother and pray for the ordinary intentions. (If the
Theatines have a church in the place, that church is to be visited.--
Pius IX, December 3, 1847).

14. The indulgences of the seven Roman Basilicas twice a month
(conditions same as last above).

15. Twice a month the indulgences granted those who visit the Holy
Land and the Holy Sepulcher (conditions as in 13).

16. All the indulgences granted those who visit the seven Roman
Basilicas, the Portiuncula Indulgence and the Jerusalem and
Compostella indulgences, on condition that one recite six Our
Fathers, six Hail Marys and six Glorias in honor of the adorable
Trinity and of the Immaculate Mother of God, to obtain the exaltation
of the Church, the extirpation of heresies and peace and union among
Christian princes. By a decree of the Congregation of Indulgences
(March 31, 1859), the indulgences of the seven Roman Basilicas, of
the Portiuncula, of Jerusalem and of St. James of Compostella may be
gained every time (toties quoties) that a member of the Association
of the Miraculous Medal recites six Our Fathers, six Hail Marys and
six Glorias, anywhere, without adding any other prayers and even
without receiving the Sacraments (the state of grace, of course,
supposed). All these indulgences are applicable to the souls in
Purgatory. This decree of the Congregation was confirmed by Pius IX.
April 14, 1856.

  _Partial Indulgences._

1. Sixty years for those who make half an hour's meditation.

2. Twenty years for visiting the sick, aiding them spiritually or
corporally, or (if the visit be impossible) for reciting for the
intention of the sick five Our Fathers, five Hail Marys and five
Glorias.

3. Twenty years may be gained on the feasts of Our Lord, and on the
feasts of the Saints of the Augustinian, Dominican, Carmelite,
Trinitarian and Servite Orders.

4. Seven years and seven quarantines on the minor feasts of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. And when one goes to confession and Communion,
when one accompanies the Viaticum, when one recites seven Our
Fathers, seven Hail Marys and seven Glorias for the sick who received
holy Communion. The same indulgences is gained on all the feasts to
which a plenary indulgence is attached by a visit to a church
containing an altar dedicated to our blessed Mother. Confession and
Communion are not prescribed for this indulgence. The same, for the
recitation of the "Hail, Holy Queen," at vespers, when one prays for
the needs of the Church. The same, daily from Septuagesima to Palm
Sunday on condition that one receive Holy Communion and recite seven
Our Fathers, seven Hail Marys and seven Glorias for the needs of the
Church. The same on the feasts of the Invention and Exaltation of the
Holy Cross, if an alms be given. The same on three Fridays of each
month by receiving Holy Communion. The same on the nine days of
novena before Christmas. The same on every Monday, if one visit the
Blessed Sacrament.

5. Five years and five quarantines daily, if a visit be made to any
church and five Our Fathers, five Hail Marys and five Glorias be
said. An indulgence of three hundred days daily during the Octave of
Pentecost, two hundred days each time that one is present at a
sermon, sixty days for each pious work, fifty days for piously
invoking the holy names of Jesus and Mary, or when one recites an Our
Father, a Hail Mary and a Gloria in any church for the living and the
dead.

6. Mass said at any altar for a deceased person who had been rightly
enrolled in and wore the Miraculous Medal enjoys the spiritual
advantage of a Mass said at a privileged altar.

(Vide Rescripta Authentica S. Cong. Ind., p. 574-579.)

  THE ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED IN THE WESTERN PROVINCE OF THE
VINCENTIANS

As may be seen from the Statutes, the object of the Association is
the personal sanctification of its members and the sanctification of
the neighbor by means of the medal. In order to cooperate in this
holy and noble work, the Vincentians, or the Priests of the
Congregation of the Mission, with the approval of the Most Reverend
Archbishop of St. Louis, have established this Association at their
Central House in the Western Province.

The only condition necessary to become a member of the Association is
"to wear the medal suspended from the neck, on the breast. The medal
must be blessed and imposed by a priest delegated to do so according
to the rite approved by Leo XIII." This faculty will be granted to
any priest for the asking. Application should be made to the Reverend
Visitor, or the Reverend Director of the Association, St. Mary's
Seminary, Perryville, Mo. In the Eastern Province of the United
States, address Reverend Visitor, or Reverend Director of the
Association, St. Vincent's Seminary, Germantown, Pa.

  _UNION OF MASSES_

In connection with the Association we have established a Union of
Masses. Three monthly Novenas of Masses are offered for all members
belonging to the Union of Masses, one in our Seminary Church at
Perryville, Mo., the second in St. Vincent's Church, Chicago, and the
third in the Chapel of the Apparition at Paris. The names of deceased
relatives and friends may be enrolled as members for the Union of
Masses.

This booklet together with the miraculous medal, will be sent to each
living member.

The offering for membership is twenty-five cents a year. This
offering goes to defray the expenses of the Association, and whatever
remains over and above the expenses is devoted to pious and
charitable purposes.

The Novena of Masses offered at Perryville each month is as follows:

  January: Espousal of Mary, 15th to 23rd.
  February: Our Lady of Lourdes, 3rd to 11th;
  March: Annunciation of Mary, 17th to 25th;
  April: Mother of Good Counsel, 18th to 26th;
  May: Help of Christians, 16th to 24th;
  June: Mother of Divine Grace, 12th to 20th;
  July: Visitation of Mary, 2nd to 10th;
  August: Assumption of Mary, 7th to 15th;
  September: Seven Dolors of Mary, 7th to 15th;
  October: Rosary of Mary, 7th to 15th;
  November: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 19th to 27th;
  December: Immaculate Conception of Mary, 8th to 16th.

Persons may also enter their names as life members or perpetual
members.

A life member shares during life, and a perpetual member not only
during life but also after death in the monthly novena of Masses said
in perpetuity in the chapel of the Miraculous Medal. Whole families
may be enrolled in perpetuity in the Association.

They also share in the other special Novenas of the Association
whenever these Novenas are offered for its members.

  PROMOTERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Since the chief aim of the Association is devotion to our Immaculate
Mother, we urge all members to strive to spread this devotion among
their friends and acquaintances; in other words, to become Promoters
of the Association. They should endeavor to form bands of twelve,
symbolic of the twelve stars on the Miraculous Medal. Any member
maybe a Promoter, and the same Promoter may form many bands of
members. Promoters will receive suitable premiums, and will
participate in three special Novenas of Masses offered each year. One
in the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal, at Perryville, Missouri, the
other in the Mother House of Paris where the Blessed Virgin appeared
to Sister Catherine. The third Novena is offered up in the Church of
St. Andrea in Rome, on the altar where our Blessed Lady appeared to
and converted Alphonse Ratisbonne, a prejudiced Jew.

In all matters connected with our Association address:

   The Reverend Director,
        St. Mary's Seminary,
            Perryville, Mo.

  DEVOTION TO MARY IMMACULATE

We would urge our members to have a constant and ever-increasing
devotion to our Blessed Mother. No new obligation is contracted by
members, but they are requested to say frequently the invocation
inscribed on the medal: "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us
who have recourse to thee." We would also be pleased to receive from
members an account of the special favors and graces they may receive
through Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, for such statements tend to
make her powerful intercession better known and to spread devotion to
her.

You are well aware that your great work in life, the one thing
necessary is your personal sanctification. The one thing we need in
life is greater love for Jesus. Day by day our life moves on towards
eternity, and day by day we feel that we must be busy about life's
supreme work, its greatest good,--the growing like unto Jesus. Who is
to assist us in our task, in our daily efforts? Mary, our Mother. She
is the "Gate of Heaven," the "Morning Star" of our life. No one has
ever called upon her and been left unaided.

In joy and sorrow, in peace and trouble, in life's unceasing
struggle, when temptations gather and the burden grows heavy, call
upon Mary Immaculate, and you will find peace and rest to your soul.
Strive to bring others to know her. Tell them of her beauty and her
glory, of the marvelous sanctity wherewith God has clothed her. To
know her is to love her; and they that find her shall find life and
shall have salvation from the Lord.

She is the protectress and guide of youth, the help and strength of
advancing years, and the consolation and sweetness of old age.

Through Mary we shall find Jesus, and to find Jesus is life's hope
fulfilled,--the completion of our joy, the crown and palm of victory.