Canada, March for Life, May 14, 2015

New Evangelizatiohn Summit 2015 - Photos by Pat and Maureen

 

 
 

For News Coverage check the links below

From the BC Catholic

New Evangelization Summit reaches 3,000

Deborah Gyapong - April 29, 2015

http://bcc.rcav.org/canadian/5052-new-evangelization-summit-reaches-3000

 

Catholic Sun, April 29, 2015

 by  Pat Shea

Two Day New Evangelization Summit Inspires Catholics

Run With Life: Gestational abortion laws are moral and logical

Run With Life: Gestational abortion laws are moral and logical: Alliance for Life Ontario has responded to the gestational legislation approach to abortion.

I am concerned with this statement. Many pro-life people do support a gestational approach, an approach that is clearly not intrinsically immoral, as Archbishop Miller has already stated, and confirmed by Cardinal Collins, and Priests for Life Canada. Yet AFLO continues to say there is something morally wrong with this approach.

Run With Life: Bishops said we must protect the unborn child to t...

Run With Life: Bishops said we must protect the unborn child to t...: I have just read the Bishop's statement that CLC refers to in this entry . CLC states in their statement that the Bishops said this:...

Run With Life: CLC says that spiritual leaders not well formed on...

Run With Life: CLC says that spiritual leaders not well formed on...: CLC issued this official statement today:  Campaign Life Coalition and Gestation Legislation Notice this statement, which I don't agre...

Run With Life: Gestational abortion laws are not immoral

Run With Life: Gestational abortion laws are not immoral: This week I came across a joint statement by Campaign Life Coalition and Alliance for Life Ontario. It was titled "WHY THE CASE FOR GE...

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: A Christmas Poem

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: A Christmas Poem: 'Twas the night after Christmas by Barbara Maloney McAdorey 'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the town Traf...

Run With Life: Meet your MPP and ask why abortions services are e...

Run With Life: Meet your MPP and ask why abortions services are e...: I met with my MPP Madeleine Meilleur this week, about the recent changes to FIPPA to exclude abortion services. I had already written to her...

Gospel and Homily - Deacon Will Read - Thanksgiving 2013

Life Chain - Oct. 6, 2013 - Corner of Montreal Rd. and St. Laurent Blvd.

Life Chain , October 6, 2013 - Montreal Road and St. Laurent Blvd.

Peace Prayer by John Foley S.J. - Saint Louis Jesuits- with lyrics

Catherine de Hueck Doherty - A Bridge Between East and West - Fr. Bob Wild

Lecture at Saint Paul's University, 223 Main Street, Ottawa, Ontario
Thursday September 26th, 7:30 p.m. Amphitheatre
Sheptytsky Institute http://www.sheptytskyinstit.
Presented by Fr. Robert Wild  http://fatherbobwild.org/
of Madonna House, Combermere, http://www.madonnahouse.org/
Catherine's Life http://www.catherinedoherty...
Restoration Newspaper http://www.madonnahouse.org/restoration/
Madonna House Publications http://www.madonnahouse.org/publications/store/

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: Maloney Mountain - dedicated to the Maloneys then ...

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: Maloney Mountain - dedicated to the Maloneys then ...: Here are Maureen's videos she took of our trip to Mt. St. Patrick and up Maloney Mountain to our family's homestead. This is at th...

Pope Francis invites everyone TO PRAY FOR PEACE IN SYRIA

Pope Francis invites everyone TO PRAY FOR PEACE IN SYRIA 

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/09/01/pope:_angelus_appeal_for_peace_(full_text)/en1-724673.

 

On Sunday, the Pope declared in his Angelus teaching that Saturday Sept. 7 would be an day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria. The prayer rally will take place in St. Peter’s Square from 7 p.m. to midnight, on the vigil of the birth of Mary, the Queen of Peace. “Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love,” the Pope asked people around the world. “She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children!”

 This Saturday, September 7, the faithful are invited to join the Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Archbishop of Ottawa in prayer at St. Patrick’s Basilica, 281 Nepean Street, Ottawa, beginning at 1 pm with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary and other devo...tions. Confessors will also be available from 3:30 pm on. This special period of prayer will conclude with Benediction and be followed by Eucharist, to be presided by the Archbishop, beginning at 4:30 pm.

Last Sunday, Pope Francis requested that the faithful fast and pray for peace in Syria this Saturday, September 7, uniting ourselves with him as he prays from 7 to 11 pm (Rome time) in St. Peter’s Square.

Archbishop Prendergast is inviting the faithful to join him this Saturday, September 7th, in a day of fasting and prayer at home, in churches and oratories, and especially at St. Patrick’s Basilica for special intercessions for Syria.

The faithful are also asked to give generously during a special collection at all Masses this weekend for those suffering in Syria or seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.

AT: ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD, Saturday, September 7, 2013

Fr. Yves announced after Mass this morning that he would have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 3:00 p.m. followed by Adoration here at Annunciation of the Lord this Saturday, September 7th. This time of prayer for Syria will conclude with Benediction just before the 5:00 p.m. Mass to increase the opportunity for us to participate in this prayer endeavour.

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: Our trip to Ireland - the circle is almost closed

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: Our trip to Ireland - the circle is almost closed: This week I travelled to Mt. St. Patrick where my Canadian roots began after John Maloney's immigration from Ireland. It is west of Re...

Homily - Vanity of Vanities

 

 Father Terry Donahue 's Homily last Sunday



Run With Life: Press Release

Run With Life: Press Release: For Immediate Release Blogger Takes Ontario Government to Court over Suppression of Information OTTAWA , July 18, 2013– “In January 2012,...

 

Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration

Homily of Father Terry Donahue C.C on the Feast of Corpus Christi
http://www.youtube.com/embed/5QHbpZjkFq0?feature=player_detailpage"

 

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/06/02/catholics_prepare_for_worldwide_eucharistic_adoration/en1-697682
Catholics around the world prepared to join Pope Francis today for an unprecedented, worldwide hour of prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament during celebrations for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

From 5-6 pm Rome time, cathedrals and churches throughout the world will be hosting Eucharistic Adoration, led by the Holy Father in Saint Peter’s Basilica.

This year’s Corpus Christi celebrations are tied in to the Year of Faith with the theme “One Lord, one faith.”

Here at the Annunciation of the Lord Parish in Ottawa, numerous  parishioners attended the holy hour which began after the 10:00 Am mass and  ended with Benediction at noon

Father Yves Marchildon C.C. Homily on Trinity Sunday, 2013

Father spoke of  The Spirit of Truth and relativism 

There is  no true peace without truth . There cannot  be true peace if everyone is his own criterion, if everyone can always claim exclusively his own rights. without at the same time caring for the good of others .of everyone on the basis of the nature that  unites every human being on this earth.

And when we are dealing with individuals in charity and in kindness and respect for the other person we should still propose that these morals are true for them even if they don't want to accept them. It is true for them and it is true for the good of humanity . Most of us don't realize just how badly our culture is affected by relativism the spiritual poverty .

To repeat those word from Pope Francis
" In an age sceptical of truth, we believe not only that truth exists but that it is found through faith in Jesus Christ the Incarnate Son of God. The Holy Spirit brings us to Jesus. he guides the whole church into the fullness of truth"

National March for Life in Ottawa - May 9, 2013

 

 

from Cardinal Collins homily

 

" We need to think clearly . We reflect upon how we best can be faithful in proclaiming the Gospel of Life. It's not enough simply to proclaim the Gospel of Life. . That's necessary but it's not sufficient. We need to do it faithfully and effectively: look to ways we can creatively help those people who cannot see the value of human life from conception 'til natural death. How can we help people see the truth? 

 

We have to look at ways for example that we can find: In the bills of parliament, that we can limit abortion....more that's good....and then more that's better.....then even more, that's better.....We may not be able to do it all at once now, but it is far better to limit it, limit it, limit it, persistently, rather than say unless we can do it totally now, like that, we won't do it at all: we'll wait 'til we can do it perfectly .

 

God expects of us that we will think it through, not for our sake but for the sake of the people we serve."

 

For the video of Cardinal Collins' homily click here

   

For more videos click here
 

Run With Life: Will Motion allow MPs to speak out on abortion?

Run With Life: Will Motion allow MPs to speak out on abortion?: So we now know that Justin Trudeau is putting forward his own motion to : "open up Parliament and allow all MPs to speak freely on beh...

Pope Francis: Where Calumny is, There is the Devil

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/pope-francis-calumny-is-of-the-devil?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register#When:2013-04-15%2019:54:01#ixzz2QjyZWdus

For the third time in as many weeks, Pope Francis has warned not to speak ill of others, and again mentioned the devil in another striking homily this morning in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Martha residence.
Calumny, he said, is worse than sin and is the direct expression of Satan. "We are all sinners; all of us. We all commit sins. But calumny is something else. It is of course a sin, too, but it is something more,” he said, according to a Vatican Radio report.
“Calumny aims to destroy the work of God, and calumny comes from a very evil thing: it is born of hatred. And hate is the work of Satan. Calumny destroys the work of God in people, in their souls. Calumny uses lies to get ahead.” Be in no doubt, he said: “Where there is calumny, there is Satan himself."Read more:

Run With Life: The Gosnell case: why aren't we talking about it?

Run With Life: The Gosnell case: why aren't we talking about it?: Brian Lilley lamented that there hasn't been much media overage on the Gosnell story, himself included. I haven't blogged about i...

Hike for Life 2013

Hike for Life 2013

Saturday, April 27th, 2013
Begin/End: St. Patrick's Basilica Basement
281 Nepean St., Ottawa
Route: 5km course along the scenic Rideau Canal
Registration: 8:00am – 10:00am
Official kick-off: 9:00 am

Pro-live movement underestimated by Conservatives

Pro-live movement underestimated by Conservatives

Run With Life: Gestational Legislation: a morally sound strategy

Run With Life: Gestational Legislation: a morally sound strategy: In the most recent issue of the Guelph and Area Right to Life newsletter, there is an (unsigned) front page article on gestational legislat...

Lenten Mission; Annunciation of the Lord Parish: March 3 - 5 from 7:30 tp 9:00 PM

Parish Lenten Mission; Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Ottawa, ON, Canada
March 3 - 5  from 7:30 tp 9:00 PM
 
During this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI has called for the whole Church to have an encounter with Christ. Encounter Jesus, our Eucharistic Lord, who strengthens and transforms us as we offer our lives to Him. Through a rediscovery of the gift of faith the Lord wants to grant each one of us renewed joy and enthusiasm for communicating the faith to others.
Schedule 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.,
Sunday -  Reasons to Believe:  Why it is reasonable to believe in Jesus
Monday -  Offering your life to God:  the Eucharist as Sacrifice
Tuesday -  Drawing new life from Jesus: the Eucharist as a Sacred Banquet
                   Followed by Adoration...
 
Speaker
 Fr. Terry Donahue, CC is the Director of Lay Formation and Chaplain to the Lay Associates for the Companions of the Cross. Ordained to the priesthood in 2000, Fr. Terry has since taught 15 lay formation courses on topics in apologetics, spirituality, Ignatian discernment and evangelization. He also teaches high school Religion at Maryvale Academy, an independent Catholic school in Ottawa. He is also a presenter on the Food for Life television program and the weekly Reasons to Believe program on Radio Maria. Fr. Terry has a strong background in science and technology, having received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and having worked for five years as a computer graphics programmer.
Below is the link to Father Terry's Sunday homily from the parish website
Encountering Jesus through the Eucharist

 

 

 

First Evening

Session 1 - Sunday March 3, 2013, 7:30 - 9:00 -

Reasons to Believe: Why it is reasonable to believe in Jesus

Session 1- Questions and Answers

 Session 1 - Praise and Worship

Second Evening
Choir leads the hymn
 Only This I Want by Dan Schutte

Choir leads the hymn
No Greater Love by Michael Joncas

Session 2 - Monday March 4th 2013. 7:30 - 9:00PM

Conclusion of Second session and closing Hymn
Lord You Have Come to the Seashore

Third Evening
Third Session Monday March 5, 2013

Song led by the choir
I Surrender it all to Jesus

Song led by the choir
All who are Thirsty

 

Ottawa's Archbishop on the Pope's resignation

Thank You Pope Benedict

Walter Ciszek, SJ: A Jesuit On The Frontiers

Bishop Fred Henry endorses WeNeedALaw campaign!

Bishop Fred Henry endorses campaign!

Bishop Frederick Henry of the Catholic Diocese of Calgary has joined Archbishop J. Michael Miller in endorsing the WeNeedaLAW.ca campaign.

Campaign director, Mike Schouten received this statement from Bishop Henry:

"Since the 1988 ruling in Regina v. Morgentaler, Canada has had no abortion law. Canadian history has shown that we make the law (or seek justice) in our image and likeness where there is no external standard, and worse still, the rationale for having an abortion multiplies. This is intolerable. It is time for everyone to support the campaign and goals of WeNeedaLAW.ca.”

“We are grateful to Bishop Henry for his support. He clearly understands that if we are to effect change in Canada we need to do so incrementally,” said Schouten.

“The goal of WeNeedaLAW.ca is to restrict abortion to the greatest extent possible, and it is very encouraging that Bishop Henry believes we can be successful in limiting the harm of abortion by implementing gestational laws,” continued Schouten.

Bishop Frederick Henry is the third high level Roman Catholic official to endorse the political strategy of WeNeedaLAW.ca. Last August, Archbishop J. Michael Miller of the Vancouver Archdiocese issued a statement outlining reasons as to why Roman Catholics could support gestational legislation. Archbishop Miller’s statement was affirmed by Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto a week later.

“On behalf of the WeNeedaLAW.ca campaign, I thank these religious leaders for their understanding of prudential politics and their passion for the protection of the lives of pre-born children in our country,” concluded Schouten.

Run With Life: Who can be against justice?

Run With Life: Who can be against justice?: The pro-abortions are at it again. Tomorrow they will "celebrate" 25 years of "Reproductive Justice". That's the day that the Morgentaler...

Prayer to the Apostle Paul

Yesterday was the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul our most Zealous apostle . I found this prayer which I like Prayer to the Apostle Paul Glorious St. Paul, Most zealous Apostle, Martyr for the love of Christ, Give us a deep faith, A steadfast hope, A burning love for our Lord; So that we can proclaim with you, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Help us to become apostles Serving the Church with a pure heart, Witnesses to her truth and beauty Amidst the darkness of our days. With you we praise God our Father: “To Him be the glory, in the Church and in Christ, now and forever.” Amen.

ARCHBISHOP AQUILA: 40 Years of the Culture of Death

ARCHBISHOP AQUILA: 40 Years of the Culture of Death

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I went to college in 1968 with the idea of becoming a doctor, like my father. College campuses in the late ‘60’s and throughout the 70’s were places of turmoil. I didn’t practice my faith much in the first three years of college and I certainly never imagined that the Lord would one day make me a bishop.
I spent my first three years of college working as a hospital orderly and assisting in the emergency room, at a university student health center and in a hospital in California during summer break.
When I began the job, I hadn’t thought much about human suffering, or about human dignity.
But during my employment in hospitals, something changed. At that time, some states had approved abortion laws that I wasn’t even aware of. Because of those laws, when I was in college I witnessed the results of two abortions.
The first was in a surgical unit. I walked into an outer room and in the sink, unattended, was the body of small unborn child who had been aborted. I remember being stunned. I remember thinking that I had to baptize that child.
To continue click here

Diaconal Ordination of Carl L Reid January 12 2013

See the Archbishop's blog at link below
http://archbishopterry.blogspot.ca/2013/01/diaconal-ordination-of-carl-l-reid.html

Carl Reid's diaconate and priestly ordination

Here is a late notice for those who may not know about Carl Reid's diaconate and priestly ordination

( He is the former Anglican Church Bishop who has come home to the Catholic Church recently with his entire congregation).

If possible come and support this humble man by attending the following:

1) his diaconate TOMORROW morning, January 12th at 10 am at Saint Patrick's Basilica on Kent Street; and
2) his ordination to the priesthood on January 26th at 10 am at Notre Dame.

Remembering Brother André - Catholic Focus

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: New Faith Based blog from Patricia Maloney

Ultimately faith is the only key to the universe: The title of this blog is a quote from Thomas Mert...: The title of this blog is a quote from Thomas Merton from his book New Seeds of Contemplation .  I will post my faith based entries here ...

Christmas 2012 - Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Ottawa Ontario

Christmas Eve Mass, Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Ottawa,  ( highlights)

 

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Father Jerry's Homily 

 

 

Catherine Doherty's Christmas in Harlem from her book Donkey Bells

Hymne a Notre Dame de Guadalupe - Isabelle O'Connor

\

Saint Juan Diego Pray for Us

Today's feast anticipates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Wednesday,.

St. Juan Diego was born in 1474 in Cuauhtitlan, located 20 kilometers north of Mexico City.

On December 9, 1531, a native Mexican named Juan Diego rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to daily Mass in what is now Mexico City. Juan lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and laborer. That morning, as Juan passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow.

A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill. There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site. She said, "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site, so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defense, for I am your most devoted mother . . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and suffering.

The bishop was kind but skeptical. He asked Juan to bring proof of the Lady's identity. Before Juan could go back to the Lady, he found out his uncle was dying. Hurrying to get a priest, Juan missed his meeting with the Lady. The Lady, however, met him on his path and told him that his uncle had been cured.

She then told Juan to climb to the top of the hill where they first met. Juan was shocked to find flowers growing in the frozen soil. He gathered them in his cloak and took them at once to the bishop

Juan told the bishop what had happened and opened his cloak. The flowers that fell to the ground were Castilian roses (which were not grown in Mexico). But the bishop's eyes were on the glowing image of the Lady imprinted inside Juan's cloak.

Soon after, a church was built on the site where our Lady appeared, and thousands converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared the patroness of the Americas.

Juan Diego deeply loved the Holy Eucharist, and by special permission of the Bishop he received Holy Communion three times a week, a highly unusual occurrence in those times

He died on May 30, 1548, at the age of 74

Pope John Paul II praised Juan Diego for his simple faith nourished by catechesis and pictured him (who said to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “I am a nobody, I am a small rope, a tiny ladder, the tail end, a leaf”) as a model of humility for all of us

 

Pope John Paul II's homily during Juan Diego's canonization

I thank you, Father ... that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was your gracious will" (Mt 11:25-26).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
These words of Jesus in today's Gospel are a special invitation to us to praise and thank God for the gift of the first indigenous Saint of the American Continent.

With deep joy I have come on pilgrimage to this Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Marian heart of Mexico and of America, to proclaim the holiness of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, the simple, humble Indian who contemplated the sweet and serene face of Our Lady of Tepeyac, so dear to the people of Mexico....
Today I address a very affectionate greeting to the many indigenous people who have come from the different regions of the country, representing the various ethnic groups and cultures which make up the rich, multifaceted Mexican reality. The Pope expresses his closeness to them, his deep respect and admiration, and receives them fraternally in the Lord's name.

What was Juan Diego like? Why did God look upon him? The Book of Sirach, as we have heard, teaches us that God alone "is mighty; he is glorified by the humble" (cf. Sir 3:20). Saint Paul's words, also proclaimed at this celebration, shed light on the divine way of bringing about salvation: "God chose what is low and despised in the world ... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:28,29).
It is moving to read the accounts of Guadalupe, sensitively written and steeped in tenderness. In them the Virgin Mary, the handmaid "who glorified the Lord" (Lk 1:46), reveals herself to Juan Diego as the Mother of the true God. As a sign, she gives him precious roses, and as he shows them to the Bishop, he discovers the blessed image of Our Lady imprinted on his tilma.

"The Guadalupe Event," as the Mexican Episcopate has pointed out, "meant the beginning of evangelization with a vitality that surpassed all expectations. Christ's message, through his Mother, took up the central elements of the indigenous culture, purified them and gave them the definitive sense of salvation" (14 May 2002, No. 8).

Consequently Guadalupe and Juan Diego have a deep ecclesial and missionary meaning and are a model of perfectly inculturated evangelization.

"The Lord looks down from heaven, he sees all the sons of men" (Ps 33:13), we recited with the Psalmist, once again confessing our faith in God, who makes no distinctions of race or culture.

In accepting the Christian message without forgoing his indigenous identity, Juan Diego discovered the profound truth of the new humanity, in which all are called to be children of God. Thus he facilitated the fruitful meeting of two worlds and became the catalyst for the new Mexican identity, closely united to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose mestizo face expresses her spiritual motherhood which embraces all Mexicans.
This is why the witness of his life must continue to be the inspiration for the building up of the Mexican nation, encouraging brotherhood among all its children and ever helping to reconcile Mexico with its origins, values, and traditions.

The noble task of building a better Mexico, with greater justice and solidarity, demands the cooperation of all. In particular, it is necessary today to support the indigenous peoples in their legitimate aspirations, respecting and defending the authentic values of each ethnic group. Mexico needs its indigenous peoples and these peoples need Mexico!

Beloved bothers and sisters of every ethnic background of Mexico and America, today, in praising the Indian Juan Diego, I want to express to all of you the closeness of the Church and the Pope, embracing you with love and encouraging you to overcome with hope the difficult times you are going through.
At this decisive moment in Mexico's history, having already crossed the threshold of the new millennium, I entrust to the powerful intercession of Saint Juan Diego the joys and hopes, the fears and anxieties of the beloved Mexican people, whom I carry in my heart.

Blessed Juan Diego, a good, Christian Indian, whom simple people have always considered a saint! We ask you to accompany the Church on her pilgrimage in Mexico, so that she may be more evangelizing and more missionary each day. Encourage the Bishops, support the priests, inspire new and holy vocations, help all those who give their lives to the cause of Christ and the spread of his Kingdom.

Happy Juan Diego, true and faithful man! We entrust to you our lay brothers and sisters so that, feeling the call to holiness, they may imbue every area of social life with the spirit of the Gospel. Bless families, strengthen spouses in their marriage, sustain the efforts of parents to give their children a Christian upbringing. Look with favor upon the pain of those who are suffering in body or in spirit, on those afflicted by poverty, loneliness, marginalization, or ignorance. May all people, civic leaders and ordinary citizens, always act in accordance with the demands of justice and with respect for the dignity of each person, so that in this way peace may be reinforced.

Beloved Juan Diego, "the talking eagle"! Show us the way that leads to the "Dark Virgin" of Tepeyac, that she may receive us in the depths of her heart, for she is the loving, compassionate Mother who guides us to the true God. Amen

History of the Miraculous Medal

Miraculous Medal

from the book: 33 Days to Morning Glory

by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC pg. 2169,170

 

Like the scapular, the miraculous medal is a sacramental. It originated from an apparition of Mary to St. Catherine Laboure, a French nun, living in Paris. The specific apparition that has to do with the miraculous medal occurred on November 27^th, 1830.

In that vision of November 27, St. Catherine saw Mary standing on a half-globe, with a serpent crushed beneath her feet and her hands bejewelled with rings, holding a small golden globe with a cross on it.  Bright light shone from some of the jewels on her fingers.  Suddenly, the small golden globe disappeared from Mary’s hands, and she opened her arms outward. The light from the jewels extended out from her hands and a semi-circle frame with an inscription in gold: “O,Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

The vision seemed to rotate and on the reverse side.  Catherine saw the letter “M” with a cross on it and surrounded by twelve stars. The cross stood on a horizontal bar. Under the “M” were two hearts engulfed in flames, one encircled in thorns, and one pierced by a sword.

Mary then told Catherine, “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around their neck.”

Mary explained the meaning of the medal to Catherine as follows.  Mary is Queen of heaven and earth. She crushes Satan  who is helpless before her, under her foot.   ( see Gen. 3:15 ). Her arms are open and the many rays of light are graces she obtains for those who request them. The dark jewels, the ones that are not full of light, represent the graces that are available but that people don’t receive because they don’t ask for them.

The inscription, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee,” refers to Mary’s Immaculate Conception, which means that from the first moment of her conception, she was free from all stain of original sin.

On the back of the medal, the twelve stars which surround Mary, represent the twelve Apostles, who represent the whole Church. The “M” is for Mary and the cross is the Cross of Christ, the symbol of our redemption. The horizontal bar represents the earth. The placement of the cross and the bar on, and in the letter “M” shows Mary’s participation in the Cross of Christ and in our world. The two hearts are those of Jesus and Mary burning with love for us all.

With the Church’s approval, the first “Medals of the Immaculate Conception” were made in 1832, and almost immediately reports of miraculous cures began to spring up so much so that the medal became known as the “miraculous medal”

Since the time of the apparitions, millions of medals have been distributed around the world, especially by people like Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It’s reported that her Missionaries of Charity currently distribute 1.8 million medals per year.

The miraculous medal received liturgical approbation ( special recognition and approval for public prayer) at the direction of Aloisi Cardinal Masella, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, in 1895. It’s one of only three sacramentals in the Church to be so liturgically honored, sharing this distinction with the rosary and the brown scapular.

Far from being a good luck charm or superstition, powerful conversions have taken place through Mary’s intercession and the use of the miraculous medal.

One of the most famous conversions happened to Alphonse Ratisbonne, a Jewish atheist, on January 20, 1842. He despised the Church and the Catholic faith, especially since his older brother Theodor converted to Catholicism and became a Catholic priest. On a dare from a Catholic friend, Baron de Bussieres Ratisbonne began to wear the miraculous medal and to recite the Memorare prayer to prove the fruitlessness of what he thought were just the ridiculous superstitions of the Catholic religion.

On January 20^th,  Ratisbonne accompanied Baron de Bussiers into a church, what is now the Basilica of St. Andres delle Fratte in Rome, where the Baron had some business to attend to. When the Baron returned to him, he found Ratisbonne weeping and kissing his medal saying, “I saw her! I saw her!”