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That Wondrous Miraculous Medal

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:00:57 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

In this time of somewhat gloomy thoughts, let us recall the words of St. Paul: Whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Phil.4:8) And there are few things more lovely, more gracious, more just, more excellent and more pure to consider than the mysteries of Our Blessed Lady. Here is an encore meditation on the wondrous Miraculous Medal.

Daily Miraculous Medal Prayer of St. Maximilian Kolbe:

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you,

and for all who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of the Church

and those recommended to you.

Explanation of the Miraculous Medal:

On the one side, 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.

On the reverse side of the medal there are twelve stars that encircle a large “M” from which arises a cross. Below are two hearts with flames arising from them. One heart is encircled in thorns and the other is pierced by a sword. 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).

HOW THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL CAME TO BE:

Summary:

St. Catherine Laboure, A sister in France in 1830, was given the grace to have Mary visit with her 3 times. The second time, St. Catherine saw her standing on a globe with rays of light streaming from her hands. Around Mary were the words: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.” Mary told St. Catherine to have a medal made that looked exactly like that.

St. Catherine did what Mary told her. The medals were called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. As soon as people started wearing the medals, miracles were happening. People started calling them the Miraculous Medal.

Chapel of the Miraculous Medal at the Rue du Bac in Paris

And from the Association of the Miraculous Medal is more detail of the apparitions

to St. Catherine Laboure:

The Medal of the Immaculate Conception – popularly known as the Miraculous Medal – was designed by the Blessed Virgin herself! No wonder, then that it wins such extraordinary graces for those who wear it and pray for Mary’s intercession and help.

The First Apparition:

The story begins on the night of July 18-19, 1830. A child (perhaps her guardian angel) awakened Sister (now Saint) Catherine Labouré, a novice in the community of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, and summoned her to the chapel. There she met with the Virgin Mary and spoke with her for several hours. During the conversation Mary said to her, “My child, I am going to give you a mission.”

The Second Apparition:

Mary gave her this mission in a vision during evening meditation on November 27, 1830. She saw Mary standing on what seemed to be half a globe and holding a golden globe in her hands as if offering it to heaven. On the globe was the word “France,” and our Lady explained that the globe represented the whole world, but especially France. The times were difficult in France then, especially for the poor who were unemployed and often refugees from the many wars of the time. France was first to experience many of those troubles which ultimately reached many other parts of the world and are even present today. Streaming from rings Mary’s fingers as she held the globe were many rays of light. Mary explained that the rays symbolize the graces she obtains for those who ask for them. However, some of the gems on the rings were dark, and Mary explained that the rays and graces were available but did not come because no one had asked for them.

The Third Apparition and the Miraculous Medal:

The vision then changed to show our Lady standing on a globe with her arms now outstretched and with the dazzling rays of light still streaming from her fingers. Framing the figure was an inscription: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Then Mary spoke to Catherine: “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.” Catherine explained the entire series of apparitions to her confessor, and she worked through him to carry out Mary’s instructions. She did not reveal that she received the Medal until soon before her death 47 years later.

(for more information and a free medal contact the Association of the MIraculous Medal at http://www.amm.org/medal.htm )

And to place intentions at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Paris see http://www.chapellenotredamedelamedaillemiraculeuse.com/EN/H3.asp

And for a 4 minute video on “St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal” see http://www.airmaria.com/?p=100

The Conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne by the Miraculous Medal:

On January 6, 1842. Alphonse, a young Jewish banker, has just arrived in Rome. The scion of Strasbourg’s most important Jewish family, he is a man of the world: wealthy, refined, sophisticated, agnostic (a former atheist)…a friend of the Rothschilds, entirely at ease in the salons of the nobility. He is fiercely anti-Catholic: As he himself puts it, the very name of the Jesuits provokes him to fury.

A friend gets him to submit to a bet of sorts, calling it a test. Since he claims to be immune to all things of religion, would he consent to wearing a medal of the Holy Virgin and praying a simple prayer called the Memorare? Alphonse reluctantly agrees, finding the whole thing most distasteful.

While sightseeing with his friend some time later, they stop at a church. The friend has some business to attend so Alphonse decides instead to come inside to see the church interior.

Alphonse is alone. Suddenly a large black dog bounds menacingly in front of him. But then, in the next moment, the dog disappears. In fact, everything disappears, as if a veil has been drawn over the church interior. A brilliant light blazes from a side chapel, the Chapel of the Archangels. It’s as if all light has been concentrated at that one spot.

And in the center of the light, Alphonse sees her. She is standing on the altar: “tall, brilliant, full of sweetness and majesty.” She is so blindingly beautiful that, after one glance at her face, he casts down his eyes. Repeatedly he tries to raise his eyes again, to behold that beautiful face. But he cannot. He can’t raise his eyes past the level of her hands, which are outstretched, with light streaming from her fingers — just as in the image on the Miraculous Medal.

But her hands are very expressive. To Alphonse, they speak of “all the tenderness of the Divine Pity.” With one hand, she gestures to him to approach. He does so, on his knees. After he has advanced a few paces, she gestures again, as if to signify: “Enough–that’s good!”

Then, as he gazes on the light streaming from her fingers, he receives the gift of Infused Knowledge. Faster than thought, he understands all: his own profound sinfulness (especially the enormity of Original Sin); God’s infinite love and mercy toward poor sinners, revealed in the Incarnation and Crucifixion; the beauty and truth of Catholicism; the reality of Christ’s Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

A Jewish agnostic reared in a skeptical milieu, he has never even heard the term “Original Sin”; now he instantly knows what it is, more profoundly than if he’d been studying the subject for years.

The entire experience takes mere moments.

The friend returns and he spots the young man: slumped, kneeling, with his head against the altar rail in the Chapel of the Archangels. He is sobbing, murmuring between sobs, “How happy I am! How good God is! How unbelievers are to be pitied!”

Alphonse Ratisbonne converted to the Roman Catholic Faith and would become a priest working for the salvation of souls, especially the Jewish people, for the rest of his life.

Altar at San Andrea della Frate where Alphonse Ratisbonne saw

Our Lady; this was also the altar of the first Mass

of St. Maximilian Kolbe

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Nov 27 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: M. Medal / Thanksgiving

apostolate — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:30:17 +0000

Homily #081127 ( 12min) Play – The Medal of the Immaculate Conception is known today as the Miraculous Medal, due to numerous miracles. Thanking God for the blessings bestowed on our country. Thanking our Lord for the gift of the One True Faith.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Love without Limits

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:00:54 +0000

Ave Maria Mediations

“Pray that my love will be without limits.”

–Saint Maximilian Kolbe in his last letter to his mother.

St. Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) Priest and Martyr

Patron of the Franciscans of the Immaculate

St. Maximilian wrote: To bring about the purpose of the M.I. (Militia Immaculatae) as soon as possible, to conquer for the Immaculate the entire world and every single soul that now lives or will live till the end of the world, and through her to win them for the Sacred Heart of Jesus! In addition, we are to be watchful lest anyone remove the Immaculate’s standard from a soul; but rather to deepen constantly in souls their love for the Immaculate, to tighten the bond of love between them and her, so that they may become one with her, so that she herself may live and love and act in them and through them. Just as she belongs to Jesus and to God, so every soul will belong to Jesus and to God through her and in her in a much more perfect manner than would be possible by not going through her or without her, if, indeed, that were possible. Then souls will love the Sacred Heart of Jesus as they have never loved him up to now, because like her they will plunge more deeply than ever into the mysteries of love: the cross and the Eucharist. The love of God will be enkindled in the world through her, will set it on fire, and there will take place the “assumption” of souls through love.

When will all this happen, that is, the divinization of the whole world in her and through her? There is one primary and essential condition: that those whose duty it is to labor [in Cities of the Immaculate] should themselves give the example. To understand this spirit they themselves must be impregnated with it. To become instruments of the Immaculate so that she herself may be the one who acts, they must consecrate themselves to her with no restrictions. They themselves first of all must belong to her and live out their unlimited consecration to her, draw the bonds of love uniting them to her more tightly, become one with her so that she may act through them and in their souls. This is the essential condition. She will act through them only in the degree to which they belong to her. Therefore nothing can remain that comes from themselves. They must belong to her limitlessly.

If they do not offer a well-founded hope that they desire to aim constantly for this goal, they cannot make their profession at Niepokalanow. This is why the Statutes of the M.I. are obligatory beyond the Rule and the Constitutions. These must be studied in depth and made part of their lives. This is the essential content of the spiritual preparation to be given to the workers. Under this aspect a deeper understanding of the Rule and the Constitutions is also necessary, so as to reinforce as fully as possible one’s total consecration to the Immaculate: our will through holy obedience, our body through chastity, our convenience through poverty. Everything is for the purpose of becoming an instrument in her hands in as perfect a manner as possible.

No fixed formula exists. The better one understands this unlimited characteristic, the better it would be.

The second condition is to wear the Miraculous Medal. This is an “integral” condition, something complementary (not essential). We wear it because the Immaculate recommended this and has promised her protection to those who do so. We sorely need that protection. Experience shows that when the devil wants to lead someone astray, the first thing he does is to make him look for some pretext to lay aside the Miraculous Medal. How powerful is the Immaculate’s protection!

This is therefore an important condition, an “integral” one, even if not “essential” If it should happen, because of individual circumstances, that there were no more Miraculous Medals, the MI would not cease to exist; the medal is an external sign of our total consecration to her.

By these conditions (the first of which is essential), we unite ourselves to her, we become her instruments, we belong to her and become one with her. The act of consecration of the MI. explains these ideas. The means are those which she herself wishes to be used. During the apparition of the Miraculous Medal, she dictated an ejaculatory prayer, so this is our prayer and in it we include all men. She gave us the Miraculous Medal, so this is our weapon with which to strike hearts. In addition, any other means, provided it is licit, can be used, anything that zeal and prudence suggest-in a word, whatever love commands us, a love without limits-whatever this beloved Mother of ours, Mother of the whole world and of each and every soul wishes to do by our instrumentality.

All inventions should first of all be at her service and then promote other purposes: art, literature, the theater, the cinema, publications, journalism, radio, etc., etc. But before everything else we ourselves must be hers, even to the complete annihilation of our ego, to a personal holocaust, total, unreserved, without limits (“penance, penance, penance”). So then everything is given [to her]: soul, body, all the faculties of the soul and the powers of the body, talent, energy, knowledge, etc…everything! Everything: the past, the present and future, life, death, eternity…in a word, everything without even the slightest, tiniest reservation. 0 Immaculate Mother, glory to you for all ages!

Novena Prayer to St. Maximilian Kolbe

(pray for 9 consecutive days)

O St. Maximilian Kolbe, faithful follower of St. Francis of Assisi, inflamed by the love of God, you dedicated your life to the practice of virtue and to works of charity. Look kindly upon us who devoutly confide the following petitions to your intercession: (here mention your specific requests).

Having consecrated yourself to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, you founded the Militia of the Immaculata (MI) Movement so that the Blessed Virgin might lead countless souls to holiness by inspiring them to do good, avoid evil, and spread the Kingdom of God. Obtain for us, through her, the grace of drawing many souls to Christ.

In your close conformity to Our Divine Savior, you reached such an intense degree of charity that you offered your life to save that of a fellow prisoner. Implore God that we, inflamed by such ardent charity, may, through our faith and good works, witness Christ’s Love for the world and thus merit to join you in the blessed vision of God. Amen.

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Dec 08 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: The Immaculate Conception

apostolate — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 13:12:08 +0000

AUDIO ONLY Homily #091208 ( 12min) – Moses, who spoke to God face to face, sinned, the great patriarch Abraham sinned, the king, warrior, musician and poet David committed adultery, and murder, only one is without sin…
Audio (MP3)

Ave Maria! Mass readings

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Nov 27 – Homily – Fr Joachim: Full Medal Miracles

apostolate — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:11:14 +0000

Homily #121127b ( 10min) Play – Fr. Joachim gives the homily on the feast of the Miraculous Medal (celebrated as a feast by the FIs). He focuses on how the medal came to be through the apparitions of Our Lady experienced by St. Catherine Laboure, giving a full description of this medal, its relation to the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and the doctrine of the Co-redemption and how it became associated by name with miracles. Let us give thanks for such a channel of grace. See our video of this apparition.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Feast – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 12:11, 5-6, 14-17
Resp: psa 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Gsp: joh 2:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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Nov 27 – Homily – Fr George: She Gives Graces through the Miraculous Medal

apostolate — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:25:05 +0000

Homily #121127 ( 11min) Play– Fr. George explains how Our Lady, deeply concerned about Her children, gave us the Miraculous Medal (video) and offers many graces, for if we ask She will give.

Ave Maria!
Mass: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Feast – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 12:11, 5-6, 14-17
Resp: psa 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Gsp: joh 2:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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FiNews: Stained Glass of The Miraculous Medal

apostolate — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:02:02 +0000

This was the final touch to the “Tower of David” here at “Mother of the Redeemer Retreat” in Bloomington, Indiana. This window was made an hour north of here in Indianapolis.

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Sep 05 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Bl. Mother Teresa and the Miraculous Medal

Griswold Friars — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:57:43 +0000

Homily #130905 ( 04min) Play – As we celebrate the memorial of her passing, we look to Blessed Mother Teresa‘s example of always seeing Christ in the poor and trying to alleviate their sufferings. Mother had a great devotion to Our Lady and she and her sisters were great promoters of the Miraculous Medal, always giving them away and often suggesting the prayer, “Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.”
Ave Maria!
Mass: Thursday 22nd Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: col 1:9-14
Resp: psa 98:2-3, 3-4, 5-6
Gsp: luk 5:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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Nov 27 – Homily – Fr Maximilian: 183 Years of the Miraculous Medal

apostolate — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:35:16 +0000

Homily #131127n ( 09min) Play – Fr. Maximilian takes advantage of the 183rd anniversary of Our Lady giving the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Labouré, and tells us about this important sacramental, and especially how to live it.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Feast – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 12:11, 5-6, 14-17
Resp: psa 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Gsp: joh 2:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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Nov 27 – Homily – Fr Joachim: Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception

apostolate — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:48:59 +0000

Homily #131127b ( 09min) Play – Today is the memorial of the Miraculous Medal Fr. Joachim explains the background of this devotion, the apparitions of Our Lady to St. Catherine Laboure. Listen as Father relates this to the Marian Dogmas like the Immaculate Conception and the many miracles that have been associated with it.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Feast – Form: OF
Readings:
1st: rev 12:11, 5-6, 14-17
Resp: psa 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Gsp: joh 2:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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