On the feast day of St. Catherine Laboure, a religious of the Daughters of Charity who received apparitions from Our Lady in 1830 at their motherhouse in Paris, we recall the “Miraculous Medal,” also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, the design of which was originated by St. Catherine from the apparitions of Our Lady to her. It is called the Miraculous Medal because of many special favors and graces received by those who wear it with faith and devotion. The goldsmith Adrien Vachette made the medal on instructions from St. Catherine.
The medal shows Our Lady as she appeared to St. Catherine on 27 November 1830, inside and oval frame, standing upon a globe. She wore rings set with gems, which radiated light from her hands. At the margin of the oval frame are the words, “0 Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” The year
1830 is inscribed at the bottom of the frame.
At the back side of the medal there is a circle with twelve stars, a large letter M surmounted by a cross, and images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced by a sword.
St. Catherine was instructed to bring these images to her confessor and to have the medallion made, saying, “All who wear them will receive great graces.”
The chapel where Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine is at the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in Paris. The incorrupt bodies of St. Catherine and of St. Louise de Marillac, co-founder of the Daughters of Charity, are in the chapel
We pray to our Mother with great confidence, “Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.