Today we celebrate the first appearance of the Blessed Mother at the beginning of the End Times, when she made herself manifest to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris, France in 1830. The actual name of the medal that Our Lady instructed the most humble Sister Catherine to tell the Church to make is The Medal of the Immaculate Conception.
The story of the apparitions to St. Catherine is marvelous and full of wonder. Her Guardian Angel appeared to her first of all, (angels most often presage the appearance of the Mother of God and Our Blessed Lord) in the middle of the night. He appeared as a child and took her by the hand into the chapel of the convent. There she said all the candles were lit as if for Christmas Midnight Mass. The entire convent remained asleep. Soon she heard the rustling of silk and looked over at the priest’s chair. The Blessed Mother was sitting there and told her to come to her. St. Catherine knelt down and placed her hands in those of the Mother of God and the first apparition started with a conversation. Please educate yourself by reading more about this magnificent apparition. Remember that many claim to see Our Lady and Our Lord, but Holy Mother Church has proclaimed only certain apparitions as true; She takes many years to pass final judgement on the few that are real.
St. Catherine kept her secret to her death. When the pope found out who it was he said: “Imagine a woman keeping this secret; and a nun, at that!” Many theologians believe that these visions mark the beginning of the End Times and that Our Blessed Mother appeared here as she is described in the Book of Revelation: “And I saw a great sign in heaven- a Woman clothed with the sun! And the moon was under her feet, and upon her head, a crown of twelve stars!” There is so much richness in the beginning of the Marian Age and so much to study.
The medal’s design is from heaven and was dictated to Saint Catherine by Our Lady herself. So many miracles occurred with the wearing of the medal that it became known as miraculous. I have had the great privilege of offering Holy Mass at the shrine and of praying at and touching the actual chair that Our Blessed Lady sat in. I love this apparition. The more you read and study of the Blessed Mother, the more you will love her and the closer you will become to Jesus Christ.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
May the dear Blessed Mother keep you safe and may you have a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday.
