The calendar year ends not only with the feast of Saint Sylvester but also with the discreet and radiant example of Saint Catherine Labouré, the French nun who could have imagined anything except that she would be the instrument chosen by God to spread throughout the world one of the most important and beloved Marian devotions, that of the Miraculous Medal.
The simple life of a child
If anything is known about the Miraculous Medal, even simply from having seen it at least once, given its widespread distribution around the world, perhaps less is known about the woman whom Heaven chose to give it to the world.
Zoe, her baptismal name, is born in Fain-lès-Moutiers, France, on May 2, 1806. She comes from a farming family that is financially comfortable and blessed with eleven children.
At home, she experiences a faith that is simple yet profound. As was customary at the time for girls, she does not attend school; in fact, she learns to read and write only later.
When she is only 9 years old, her mother dies, and the pain of that loss leads her to develop a tender devotion to the Virgin Mary.
Hidden and anonymous
Her life unfolds simply, and her heart feels increasingly drawn to God. She discovers that her love for the Lord is so deep that she desires to give herself entirely to him in religious life. For this reason, she turns down many marriage proposals.
Her father does not accept her choice and hopes to dissuade her by keeping her busy with something else; in fact, he first sends her to work with her brother in a restaurant in Paris and then to Châtillon-sur-Seine with a sister-in-law.
But despite her father's naïve attempts to keep her away from her dream, Catherine follows her own path; she moves into a residence run by the Daughters of Charity, now known as the Vincentians, and when her father finally gives her the long-awaited consent, on April 21, 1830, she enters the seminary on Rue du Bac in Paris.
The Silent Miracle of a Great Mission
Catherine began her journey in religious life with great expectations, profound joy, and immense gratitude. She was a simple young woman who lived out her time and vocation without seeking attention. She “fought” to follow her heart, but always did so with the respect and perseverance of one who knows she is not alone.
Within what might have seemed like the vocation of an ordinary girl, the Lord entered with an unimaginable plan of special favor.
Just a few months after entering the convent, she began to be blessed with numerous visions of Jesus and Mary.
The Miraculous Medal
It was during one of these wondrous visions that the Blessed Virgin gave her a specific request: to make known and spread what we now know as the Miraculous Medal, a true treasure of grace. It was the same Mother of God who showed Catherine the design of the Medal, with the phrase that has since become famous: «O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you». Since that distant 1830, the Medal has never ceased to be an instrument of conversion and healing.
At the end of this year, let us allow Saint Catherine Labouré to challenge us. Through her life and her open heart, she was able to embrace a project as great as it was mysterious. Though she was not seeking attention or visibility, she was chosen to carry an important message. Her example can teach us that what matters is not great undertakings, but faithfulness in the ordinary moments of life. It is there, in what may appear to be a simple routine, that the Lord is able to make miracles of grace bloom.
And in your life, if you look back, what wonders have taken place in the everyday moments of this past year?
