Story of Saint Catherine Labouré
Catherine was born in the Burgundy region of France to Pierre Labouré, a farmer, and Louise Madeleine Gontard, the ninth of 11 children. Catherine's mother died on October 9, 1815, when Catherine was just nine years old. It is said that after her mother's funeral, Catherine picked up a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and kissed it saying, "Now you will be my mother."
Her father's sister suggested that she care for his two youngest children, Catherine and Tonine. After he agreed, the sisters moved to their aunt's house at Saint-Rémy, a village nine kilometers from their home.
On January 25, 1818, Catherine made her first holy communion. One day she had a dream in which a priest said to her:” My daughter, you may flee me know, but one day you will come to me. Do not forget that God has plans for you.” Sometime later, while visiting a hospital of the Daughters of Charity at Chatillon-sur-Seine, she noticed a priest’s picture on the wall. She asked a sister who he might be, and was told: “Our Holy Founder Saint Vincent de Paul.” This was the same priest Catherine had seen in the dream. Catherine knew she was in the right place.
On 21 April 1830, Catherine entered the novitiate of the Daughters of Charity, taking the name ‘Catherine’. On the eve of the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, July 19, the Sister Superior spoke to the novices about the virtues of their holy Founder and gave each of the novices a of cloth from the holy Founder’s surplice. Because of her extreme love, Catherine split her piece down the middle, swallowing half and placing the rest in her prayer book. She earnestly prayed to Saint Vincent that she might with her own eyes see the Mother of God.
First appearance of the Blessed Virgin: 19 July 1830 Chapel Rue Du Bac 140 in Paris
It is 11.30 pm, Sister Catherine (24 years old) wakes up as she hears her name called three times. She opens the curtains of her cell and sees her Guardian Angel in the form of a 5 year old child. He says,” Follow me to the chapel, where the Virgin Mary awaits you”. Catherine hastily dresses herself and follows him to the chapel. The chapel is lit as for midnight mass, but she can’t see the Blessed Virgin. She then kneels and prays. After half an hour her guardian angel says “there is the Blessed Virgin Mary”. Catherine hears a rustle like that of silk and to the left of St. Joseph she sees the Blessed Virgin Mary descend and sit herself on the chair of the Priest. Within a moment she is on her knees in front of the Blessed Virgin. With her hands confidently folded on Mary’s knees. This is the beginning of a two hour long conversation. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells her that God will charge her a mission. In the process she will experience many difficulties. The Blessed Virgin already speaks of bad times ahead. The whole world will be plunged into confusion through all sorts of incidents. The Cross will be treated with contempt, it will be cast to earth. The side of our Lord will be pierced again. The Blessed Virgin says this with a very sorrowful look on her face. Encouragingly though, she adds: “but come to the foot of this altar and here graces will be bestowed upon all, who ask with confidence and fervor. They will be given to the rich and to the poor”.
Second appearance of the Blessed Virgin: 27 November 1830 Chapel Rue Du Bac in Paris
It is 5.30pm, and the Sisters are in the chapel for the hour of Meditation. Suddenly Catherine hears, to her right, the same rustle as before; it is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She stops to the left near the painting of St. Joseph. This whole apparition is conducted in scenes and sign-language. The Blessed Virgin ‘standing in space’. She was dressed in white, standing on a globe and holding a golden ball, with rings on her fingers flashing with lights. An inner voice told her that the ball represented the whole world and that the rays coming from Mary’s fingers represented graces for individuals. Then a second phase: The golden ball then vanished as this apparition changed to represent Mary with her arms outstretched inside an oval frame with golden lettering: O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Mary gave her this instruction: “have a medal struck on this model. All those who carry this medal will receive grace in abundance, especially if they wear the medal around their neck and say this prayer confidently, they will receive special protection from the Mother of God and abundant graces”.
Then it is although the whole scene turns around and Catherine can see the back of the medal. In the center is the letter M, from where a cross ascends with at its base a cross-beam which passes through the letter M and below this the two hearts of Jesus and Mary, one crowned with thorns the other pierced by the sword of sorrow. The whole is surrounded with a crown of 12 stars recalling the vision of St. John in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation. Catherine hears:” the M with the Cross and the two hearts say enough”.
During the next year the apparition occurred five times and each time with the same instructions: “have a medal struck on this model, and all those who wear it will receive great graces, especially when worn around the neck”.
Sister Catherine endured many humiliations, but she persevered. It took two years before her confessor, Father Aladel, a Vicentian priest, had a medal struck. The request was approved and the design of the medallions was commissioned through French goldsmith Adrien Vachette. The original name of the medal is that of ‘Holy Mary’s Immaculate Conception’,
only after 7 years was the name changed to the ‘Miraculous Medal’. Because of the many answered prayers, the conversions and the cures, some 10 million medals were sold during the first 5 years. The short prayer: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee”, has since been prayed innumerable times by believers, so that the entire Christianity became familiar with Mary’s ‘Immaculate Conception’.
It was Pope Pius IX who made it a rule of faith. This was received with great joy by the entire church.
Four years later, Mary came as though to confirm this, when She said to Bernadette at Lourdes: I am the Immaculate Conception.
Summary story of Holy mary's Immaculate conception:
On 27/11/1830 Mary gave a Medal to Catherine.Formed around her,written,"O MARY CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN,pray for us who have recourse to you"Then MARY told'HAVE A MEDAL MADE ACCORDING TO THIS MODEL,EVERY ONE WHO WEARS IT AROUND THEIR NECK WILL RECEIVE GREAT GRACES.FOR THOSE WHO WEAR WITH CONFIDENCE THERE WILL BE ABUNDANT GRACES!"By1842 more than 100million medals distributed. Due to profusion of healing & conversions,MEDAL named 'MIRACULIOUS'. 2/2/1849 Pope Pius9 commence study"IMMACULATE CONCEPTION" & dogma established on 8/12/1854.
Within4 yrs,on 25/3/1858 Mary confirmed her name"I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION" to 14year il literal Bernedette. A lady cannot have such a name!She repeated what she had heard to the priest!.
Uncorrupt bodies of st catherine+ st bernedeth
Both Catherine & Bernadette uncorrupt bodies U can see in France!.
Why so many years (1854) has taken catholic church to establish the Immaculate conception of Mary.
8/12/1854,dogma of Immaculate Conception was defined by pope Pius IX. Why did it took so long? In the course of history of church, this had been the object of some disagreement. Sources of these are 2 fold.1st was universility of original sin taught with such vigor by St Paul in his letters& universility of Redemption in which it seemed impossible to exempt one sole creature,even if she was mother of God. Council of trent shed light on this 1st point when it declared that it did not intend"to include Blessed & immaculate Virgin Mary in decree relative to original sin" with regard to 2 point,church introduced distinction between Redemption of victims of original sin and antecedent "Preservation" accorded to Virgin Mary in view of future Redemption. Despite these reservations this,feast spread gradually throughout church!
How about our members of other christian denominations!
Orthodox were departed from the main stream by 1054 AD, while protestants departed in 1517 and anglicans dparted in 1530. All our departed betherens were deprived of the main dogma's established by the catholic church with regard to holy mary.
Christianity teach us how to achieve a PECEFUL mind(without Anger/laziness& without judging others) then to have a worryless mind(without worry's by handing over such to Holy Mary and saints) then to have a happy mind(removing other 5 vices-Pride,lust,envy,glutonny and avarice). Finally it gives a method of converting your talents to energy to be given for the benefit of the society for the glory of God. Final achievement of the purpose of creation.
In this process, to maintain a worryless mind is having major differences among christian denominations!. At cana God in His wisdom shows us the need to invite Holy mary to our life, for her to intercede with Him, for our happiness. One cannot argue IS IT NECESSARY?, because it is clearly indicated in the john Gospel chapter2. It is similar argument that JUdaism reject christianity, since they feel Messiah cannot come in a normal way. Unfortuneatly except catholics all other christian denomination has develop very far into the reality of involvement of Holy mary and saints, in resolving our fears,worries,sufferings and disagreements.
The un corrupted bodies of St catherine and St bernedeth, gives a clear evidence for living humans, the value of Holy mary and saints, in resolving our worries!.
http://weeklycatholicreflection.blogspot.com
Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
Or for more details about Mary
http://holymaryreflection.blogspot.com
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