(Image used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)
November 28 is the feast day of St. Catherine Laboure. St Catherine Labouré was born on the 2nd of May 1806 at Fain les-Moutiers, a picturesque village of Burgundy, France. In 1830, during her novitiate with the Daughters of Charity in Paris, she received a number of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin, who confided to her the mission of having the Miraculous Medal made. For the next 46 years Catherine told no one except her confessor about the apparitions.

Catherine died on December 31, 1876. When her body was exhumed 57 years later, in connection with her cause for canonization, it was found to be in perfect condition. Her body can still be seen today in the Chapel of the Daughters of Charity Mother House. Catherine Laboure was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947.

The image seen here shows Catherine kneeling in front of Blessed Mother during one of the apparitions. It will be on display in the Provincial Archives through December 31 as part of our exhibit, “Oh Mary Conceived Without Sin”

“When I go to the Chapel I place myself before the good God and I say to Him: ‘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.” — Catherine Laboure

(Image used with permission of the Daughters of Charity Provincial Archives)
November 27 marks the first of three special feast days for the Company of the Daughters of Charity: the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. From July to November 1830, Catherine Laboure, then a Seminary Sister (novice) of the Daughters of Charity, was visited several times by Our Lady at the Mother House of the Daughters of Charity in Paris. During the apparition of November 27, 1830, Catherine saw Our Lady standing on a globe, with rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands. 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.” The vision then turned to show the reverse of the Medal: the letter M surmounted by a cross with a bar at its base; below this monogram, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword.

With approval of the Catholic Church, the first medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris. The medal quickly became a popular devotion, popularly known as the “Miraculous Medal” because of the many graces and blessings that were connected with the wearing of the medal.

The painting seen here, showing the reverse of the medal, will be on display in the Provincial Archives through December 31, as part of our exhibit: “Oh Mary Conceived Without Sin”.

November 28 is the feast of Catherine Laboure. Catherine will be the subject of our November 28 post.