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The Miraculous Medal

by Filed Under: 11 November, 11 November Saints, Marian, Miraculous Medal 2 Comments

On November 27, 1830, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Catherine Labouré, a young Sister of Charity in Paris at the rue du Bac. At that time, she was a novice from the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. Sister Labouré had three apparitions of Our Lady at Rue de Bac 140 in Paris. During the second apparition, Immaculata instructed Catherine to mint and distribute the Miraculous Medal after the pattern revealed.

The Vision of the Miraculous Medal

Prayer in English: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to Thee.

Prayer in Latin: O Maria, sine labe concepta, ora pro nobis, qui ad Te recurrimus.

In this brief prayer we find the truth of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and Mary’s intercessory power with God for us who ask for her aid.

“All those who wear it, will receive great graces especially if they wear it around the neck. Those who repeat this prayer with devotion will be in a special way under the protection of the Mother of God. Graces will be abundantly bestowed upon those who have confidence.”

Our Lady during Second Apparition to St. Catherine Labouré (November 27, 1830)
St Catherine Labouré

RESOURCES:

miraculous medal coloring page

OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL 
(1830) – White
Nov. 27

The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the young Sister Catherine Laboure while she was at prayer with the Sisters in a chapel in Paris. Our Lady appeared in an oval frame, standing on a globe of the world. She was dressed in a white robe with a blue cloak edged with silver, having as it were diamonds in Her hands from which fell streams of golden rays upon the earth. A voice was heard saying: “These rays are the graces that Mary obtains for men.” Then golden words formed around the oval: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!” The oval picture then turned around, and on the reverse side the Sister saw the letter M, with a cross above it, having a crosspiece at its base, and below the letter the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the former surrounded by a crown of thorns, and the latter pierced with a sword. Then the voice said: “A medal must be struck on this pattern; the persons who shall carry it with indulgences attached to it, and shall offer the above prayer, shall enjoy a very special protection from the Mother of God.”


The medal was struck and spread all over the world, and immediately the most wonderful conversions and cures attested to its miraculous efficacy. Devout Catholics everywhere attest to its wonder-working power!


INTROIT Ex 13:9

It shall be a sign in thy hand, and as a memorial before thine eyes, and that the law of the Lord be always in thy mouth.Ps. 104. O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon His name; tell forth His deeds among the nations.Glory be . . .


COLLECT

O Lord Jesus Christ, who wast pleased that the most Blessed Virgin Mary Thy Mother, immaculate from her first conception, should shine resplendent with miracles beyond number; grant, that, ever imploring her patronage, we may attain the joys of everlasting life; Who livest and reignest . . .


LESSON Apoc. 12:1-16

And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And being with child, she cried travailing in birth: and was in pain to be delivered. And there was seen another sign in heaven. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and on his heads seven diadems. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered: that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her son was taken up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, that there they should feed her, a thousand two hundred sixty days. And there was a great battle in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels. And they prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven. And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world. And he was cast unto the earth: and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the testimony: and they loved not their lives unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man child. And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the desert, unto her place, where she is nourished for a time and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth, after the woman, water, as it were a river: that he might cause her to be carried away by the river. And the earth helped the woman: and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.


GRADUAL Ps. 104

Remember the marvelous works which He hath done; His wonders, and the judgment of His mouth. He placed in them the words of His signs, and of His wonders in the land.


Alleluia, alleluia. Ps. 18

His going forth is from the end of heaven; nor is there any that can hide from His heat. Alleluia.


GOSPEL John 2:1-11

At that time there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: “They have no wine.” And Jesus saith to her: “Woman, what is that to me and to thee? My hour is not yet come.” His mother saith to the waiters: “Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.” Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus saith to them: “Draw out now and carry to the chief steward of the feast.” And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water: the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, And saith to him: “Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.


OFFERTORY ANTIPHON John 19

Jesus said to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.


SECRET

Moved by the petition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in answer to whose prayers Jesus Christ Thy Son worked His first miracle, enable us, Lord God, to minister the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of this Thy Son with pure hearts, and thus be counted worthy of Thy eternal banquet. Through the same our Lord . . .


COMMUNION ANTIPHON Eccl. 36

Renew Thy signs, and work new miracles; glorify Thine hand and Thy right arm; hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare Thy wondrous works.


POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord God almighty, who givest us all things through the Immaculate Mother of Thy Son, enable us by the aid of this mighty Mother to escape the dangers of this time and come to life everlasting. Through the same . . .

St. Catherine Laboure ~ Humility

by Filed Under: Humility, Immaculate Conception, Little Flowers, Marian, Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure

Our Lady of Miraculous MedalO Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

In this brief prayer we find the truth of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and Mary’s intercessory power with God for us who ask for her aid.

+++La Vierge de la rue du Bac

‘Lord, here I am, give me what You will.’  If He gives me something, I am very pleased and I thank Him. If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him because I do not deserve anything.  And then again, I tell Him all that passes through my mind; I recount my pains and my joys and … I listen.  If you listen to Him, He will speak to you also, because with the good God it is necessary to speak and to listen.  He will always speak to you if you go to Him simply and sincerely.

St Catherine Labouré

+++   LaboureCathe

This month’s Little Flowers meeting was on St. Catherine Laboure and Humility.  There were 29 girls in attendance.  I had initially planned to have the girls attend Mass with their family instead of as a group, due to the Rorate Mass*.  We ended up having a nice turn out for 9am Mass.

*The “Rorate Mass,” so called because it begins with the words “Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum…” (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One…), is a votive Mass offered within the season of Advent in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Celebrated by candlelight, and traditionally held before dawn.

The girls eagerly recapped last month’s saint, St. Cecilia.

stcatherinelaboure

We discussed the life of St. Catherine Laboure and focused on her humility and visions of Mary.  I gathered my info from the resources listed below.

Born in Fain-les-Moutiers on 2nd May, 1806, in the year 1830 Catherine became a seminary Sister with the Sisters of Charity (Rue du Bac); there she witnessed, a few months later, visions of Our Blessed Lady in the Chapel.
She later moved to Reuilly for a period of 46 years, helping the poor and elderly people. There, you may pray before her heart.

We used stations again to further instruct the girls.

MiraculousMedal

Station 1

Miraculous Medal story and coloring.

Did you know that the Miraculous Medal was first called? – Medal of the Immaculate Conception

Station 2

Craft – Miraculous Medal Ornament

Station 3

Outdoor social time and play

Station 4

St. Catherine Laboure Coloring Page and binder update (refer to handouts for complete links).

Father visited the girls and spoke about the purpose of Advent and true meaning of Christmas.  He instructed all the girls to put less focus on gift giving/receiving and more focus on giving gifts to Jesus.  Helping the poor-those in need, was an example of a gift for Jesus.  He gave the girls their usual blessing before departing.

St. Catherine Laboure, Ora Pro Nobis

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HANDOUTS:image

miraculous medal coloring page

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Miraculous Medal

image

The Meaning of the Front Side of the Miraculous Medal

Mary is standing upon a globe, crushing the head of a serpent beneath her foot. She stands upon the globe, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent to proclaim Satan and all his followers are helpless before her (Gn 3:15). The year of 1830 on the Miraculous Medal is the year the Blessed Mother gave the design of the Miraculous Medal to Saint Catherine Labouré. The reference to Mary conceived without sin supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary—not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, and referring to Mary’s sinlessness, “full of grace” and “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28)—that was proclaimed 24 years later in 1854.

The Meaning of the Back Side of the Miraculous Medal

On the reverse side of the Medal we see a Cross, the symbol of Christ’s Redeeming Sacrifice on Mount Calvary for the salvation of the world.

The twelve stars can refer to the Apostles, who represent the entire Church as it surrounds Mary. They also recall the vision of Saint John, writer of the Book of Revelation (12:1), in which “a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.” The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church. The two hearts represent the love of Jesus and Mary for us. (See also Lk 2:35).

1st Apparition of the Miraculous Medal

1st Apparition of the Miraculous Medal

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Become Humble Like Mary

Saint Catherine, you kept secret the wonderful
grace of having seen the Blessed Virgin. Pray for me
when I put myself before others.
O Mary, Mother of God and Our Mother, you who
dislikes pride, bathe me with your humility.

Becoming Like Mary – Seven Daily Prayers

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RESOURCES:

humility craft page

RESOURCES FOR KIDS

family prayerHard work produced much happiness in the Labouré family household ; the day finished with family prayer.

CRAFT:

miraculous medal ornament joy

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catherinelaboure

Prayer of Saint Catherine Laboure

Whenever I go to the chapel,
I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him
“Lord, I am here.
Tell me what you would have me do.”

If He gives me some task, I am content and I thank Him.  If He gives me nothing, I still thank Him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that.  And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart.  I tell Him about my pains and my joys, and then I listen.  If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen.  God always speaks to you when you approach Him plainly and simply.   ~ Catherine Labouré

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The Entire Miraculous Medal Story, told by Rev. Carl L. Pieber, C.M. from Madeline Stewart

miraculous_medal3

Marian Ornament

by Filed Under: Christmas, Crafts, Humility, Little Flowers, Marian, Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure

miraculous medal ornament joy   
This ornament was made for our last Little Flowers meeting.  It is in honor of Mary, the Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Laboure and humility.
Supplies:
  1. Tacky Glue (it’s thick and will not run)
  2. Ornament Ball (we used plastic balls found at the Dollar Spot at target)
  3. Scissors
  4. Glitter
  5. Pencil
  7. Tape
  8. Sharpie (for free hand transfer)
  9. Ornament hook
  10. Ribbon
Directions:
prep glue JOY
Prep: 
  1. slightly cut the top of the glue tip.  do not expose the hole.
  2. stick a pin through the tip to create a small hole/opening for the glue.
this step will ensure that the glue will not come out too quickly or create blobs.
 transfer joy
  • tape transfer image, face down to ornament
  • rub pencil on back of transfer
  • trace over the transferred imaged to give you a more defined image
-OR-
free hand joy
  • freehand the image onto the ornament using a Sharpie
mm ornament joy

  • trace the transfer image with glue
  • generously cover the glue image with glitter (we used rolled painters tape to secure the ornament and prevent rolling while the girls glittered their ornament)
  • tap the ornament until all the excess glitter is removed
    let dry.  insert ornament hook.  embellish the ornament with a coordinating ribbon. 
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    Back Side of the Miraculous Medal (Ornament)
    The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church.
    “Now it must be given to the whole world and to every person.” ~ Blessed Mother

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