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Saint Catherine Laboure
We find our Angel and a future Saint in Paris, one of the most sophisticated cities in the world. Hidden away on a side street, sandwiched in between two annexes of a giant department store, is the chapel where it all began. From the street, all that can be seen is the address, 140 Rue du Bac, and a little plaque showing the front and back of the Miraculous Medal. It's hardly noticeable to the bustling shoppers trying to avoid the cars that race down the street at breakneck speed.
A little sign reads La Chapelle de Medaille Miracleuse (Chapel of the Miraculous Medal). As you open the door and step into the courtyard, the contrast is incredible. Outside is a jungle of humanity, embracing the world and all its trappings. Inside, a peace and serenity embrace you, blanket you. You find yourself drawn to the end of the courtyard, where it all began, 150 years ago.
The area around Boulevard St. Germain looked much different in 1830, when Zoe Catherine Laboure‚ entered the mother house of the Sisters of Charity. Paris was in an uproar at the time. It had just come through one of the most devastating times in the history of France, the French Revolution. During this plague on humanity, the Church was one of the main targets for persecution. Churches were desecrated; sacrileges committed on their altars. Priests and nuns were tortured, and exiled from the country at best, or killed at worst. The Revolution fell, as it had to, because it was satanic. But the attitude of the government towards the Church remained.
The Revolution was followed by the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. While he reopened the Churches, he also attacked the Church. He battled with Rome, was excommunicated, and placed the Pope under arrest. After Bonaparte's reign ended in 1815, hell broke loose again in Paris; the Church had to go underground, once more. By the year 1830, a new revolution was in the making.
We know Our Dear Lady was upset about how her priests and nuns, as well as the laity were being treated. She searched the earth for a suitable soul, an innocent, pure vessel, who would be worthy and willing to be filled. Mary has never been known to back down from a battle, so why not begin her strategy for the salvation of France in the steaming streets of the city which had been her greatest supporter, but had become her greatest enemy? Paris was no match for Mary.
At the beginning of 1830, Zoe Catherine Laboure‚ entered the convent of the Sisters of Charity at 140 Rue du Bac. Three days after she got there, the body of their Founder, St. Vincent De Paul, which had been hidden during the French Revolution, was returned to Paris, in solemn procession, and installed a block away at the Monastery on the Rue De Sevres.
July 18, 1830 the Sisters were getting ready for tomorrow, the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul. They had been making preparations for weeks. Catherine had worked hard during the day with the Sisters, to insure that the chapel and the convent would be spotlessly clean for the feast.
On the night of July 18, Zoe Catherine Laboure‚ was in a deep well deserved sleep. She heard her name called. She awoke to the sound of a young child. "Come to the Chapel. The Blessed Virgin is waiting for you."
Catherine's first response, half out of shock, and half out of drowsiness was, "But how can I go across the dormitory? I will be heard."
The child replied, "It's half-past eleven. Everyone is asleep. Come, I am waiting for you."
As she rushed to get dressed, and catch up with the child, she became aware that he was an Angel, most likely her Guardian Angel. Had he said, the Blessed Virgin was waiting for her? She was sure she was dreaming, as she floated down the hall towards the chapel. All the lights were brightly lit. She couldn't believe that none of the other nuns had awakened.
She entered the chapel. It was all aglow, candles burning throughout the little church. She looked around the room. She was alone, except for the child. He led her to the foot of the altar, where she knelt. She prayed. She waited. All that had happened was registering in her brain. Was she really waiting for the Blessed Virgin? The little Angel had said that. Or had he? She looked towards him. His eyes were on the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle.
She heard a rustling sound, like someone walking in a silk dress. She turned in the direction of the sound. The Angel said, "Here is the Blessed Virgin."
Catherine's heart pounded furiously. From out of nowhere, the most beautiful Lady she had ever seen, appeared before her. Catherine caught her breath. She knew without asking, that this was the Mother of God. The Lady sat in the director's chair, reserved for the priest during Mass. A wave of emotion swept over Catherine. She had to be close to Our Lady. She fell to her knees at the foot of the altar, and embraced the knees of the exquisite visitor from Heaven.
Mary sat with Catherine for what seemed like an eternity. She gave her private secrets, many of which were revealed towards the end of Catherine's life, and others which have never been made known. Our Lady said to her,
"Our dear Lord loves you very much. He wishes to give you a mission. It will be the cause of much suffering to you, but you will overcome it, knowing that what you do is for the glory of God. You will be contradicted, but you will have the grace to bear it. Don't be afraid. You will see certain things. You must report them. You will be given the words through prayer. The times are evil. Misfortunes will fall upon France. The king will be overthrown. The entire world will be overcome by evils of all kinds, but.....
But come to the foot of this altar. Here, great graces will be poured upon all those who ask for them with confidence and fervor. They will be bestowed upon the great and the small."
This was the most unusual and intimate apparition of Our Lady's that we have ever researched. She allowed this young girl to sit at her feet, and put her hands in the lap that had held the Baby Jesus. Mary poured her heart out to this young girl. While talking about some of the outrages which were in store for France and the Church, Mary held back tears, but finally broke down and cried.
As quickly as the Lady had come, she faded away. Catherine was alone in the chapel, except for the young child. He accompanied her back to her dormitory. When she returned to her bed, the child faded away also, just as Our Lady had.
Some of Mary's predictions to Catherine began to occur within a week of the apparition. Riots broke out in the city. However, Our Lady kept her promise to protect the spiritual children of St. Vincent de Paul. No harm came to St. Catherine or the sisters of the Rue du Bac. A new king took the throne, King Louis Philippe. Paris quieted down, and Catherine continued with her novitiate.
Our Lady appeared to Catherine again on Saturday, November 27, 1830. She spoke to the heart of the young postulant. "Have a Medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear it around the neck. Graces will abound for persons who wear it with confidence."
This visit by Our Heavenly Mother set into motion a series of events which were felt immediately around the world to this day. There were many messages given the people of God. The most important was The Immaculate Conception (Mary Conceived without Sin).
There was a great need for the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary to enter into the consciousness of the people. A radical heresy, another lie of the devil, Pantheism, had taken hold of most of Europe. Pantheism claims that man is on a level with God, equal to Him. God is not a Being, but is manifested in all the forces of the universe. Originally, only the intelligentsia understood the heresy. But by 1830, it had sifted down to the common man. Does this sound familiar?
Mary began her crusade for renewal of devotion to her Immaculate Conception on the Rue du Bac in Paris. She came to a little postulant with an important message. She used, as she so often has, in her other apparitions, an Angel to pave the way.
For More Information about the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal click here
For more information about Miraculous Medals click here
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