| 1806 - 1876
 Save for the events of 1830, the life of this peasant woman, who
became a Sister of Charity at the age of twenty-four, contains little or no biographical
incident worthy of chronicling. She was born in 1806, the daughter of a small-holder, and
entered the Sisters of Charity in 1830 at Chatillon-sur-Seine; after a few months she was
sent to the motherhouse in the rue du Bac in Paris. It was there that she underwent the
great experience of her life-a series of visions in which our Lady is said to have shown
her the form of a medal which should be struck in honor of the Immaculate Conception.
Catherine told no one save her confessor and, convinced of her sincerity, he obtained the
arch bishop's sanction for the striking of the medal. This has come to be called the
'Miraculous Medal' and is known throughout the Catholic world; 'miraculous,' say some,
owing to the circumstances of its origin; 'miraculous,' say others, owing to the
extraordinary graces obtained through invoking our Lady in the terms of its inscription
revealed to Catherine Laboure. 'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to you!'
For upwards of forty years Catherine spoke to no one
save her confessor of her experience: she enjoined silence on him, and, when the medal was
world famous, her part in the whole affair remained unknown until shortly before her
death. She was sent from the rue du Bac after a year there to the convent at
Enghien-Reuilly on the outskirts of Paris where she looked after the poultry and acted as
doorkeeper. There she died in 1876. She was canonized in 1947.
This appearance of our Lady to a Sister of Charity at
the beginning of the nineteenth century is notable on two counts: it was the first in a
series that occurred in France during the nineteenth century-La Salette, Lourdes, Pontmain
are the most famous-and it is particularly remarkable for the conduct of the person
concerned. Her self-effacement and humility, her seeking of holiness in a very ordinary
humdrum life, all show her to have been a woman whose character and virtues were of an
outstandingly high order.
Feast Day: November 28th
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