Dedication To Holy Mother, Mary

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us.

"Let the faithful remember that true devotion consists neither in sterile or transitory affection, nor in a certain vain credulity, but proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God, and are moved to a filial love toward our Mother and to the imitation of Her virtues..."
Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth insistant supplications to the Mother of God and Mother of men that She, who aided in the beginnings of the Church by Her prayers, may now, exalted as She is above all the angels and saints, intercede before Her Son in the fellowship of all the saints, until all families of people, whether they are honored with the title of Christian or wheather they still do not know the Savior, may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into one people of God, for the glory of the most Holy and undivided Trinity.

The Miraculous Medal
Memorare
The association of the Miraculous Medal
Novena Prayer
An Act of Consecration to Mary



Memorare

Remember, O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your assistance, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins, Our Mother; to you we come; before you we kneel sinful and sorrowful.O Mother of the word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear and answer them. Amen.



The Miraculous Medal

The Medal of the Immaculate Conception,commonly called the Miraculous Medal,was manifested to a spiritual daughter of St. Vincent de Paul,Sister (now Saint) Catherine Laboure'. This took place in the chapel of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity,140 rue du Bac,Paris,France.
Sister Catherine, during her novitiate days, received extraordinary favors from God,such as visions of the heart of St. Vincent and manifestations of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.In 1830 she was blessed with the apparition of Mary Immaculate to which we owe the Miraculous Medal.
Here in St. Catheirne's own words, is a description of the apparition of Our Lady on November 27, 1830, which makes it plain that the Medal originated with the Mother of God herself.

Her feet rested on a white globe... I saw rings on her fingers... Each ring was set with gems...The larger gems emitted greater rays and the smaller gems, smaller rays...I could not express...what I saw, the beauty and the brillance of the dazzling rays."They are the symbols of the graces I shed upon those who ask for them," (a voice said)...A frame...formed around the Blessed Virgin.Within it was written in letters of gold:'O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.'...Then the voice said:'Have a medal struck after this model.All who wear it will receive great graces; They should wear it around the neck...At this instant the tableau seemed to turn, and I beheld the reverse of the medal:A large M surmounted by a bar and a cross; beneath the M were the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the one crowned with thorns, the other pierced with a sword."


The front of the Medal represents Mary standing on the earth, her foot crushing the head of a serpent, and her hands outstretched to all who ask her assistance.The prayer encircling her contains one of her most precious titles:"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."The rays of light from her hands symbolize the graces which she is only too eager to bestow upon those who wear her Medal and pray to her.
When St. Catherine related the vision to her confessor, he asked her wheather she had seen any writing on the back of the Medal.She answered that she had seen none at all."Ah!" said the good priest, "ask the Blessed Virgin what to put there."The Sister obeyed and prayed to Mary a long time for this information.One day during meditation she seemed to hear a voice saying:"The M and the two hearts express enough."
The Medal was made according to Our Lady's design.It was freely circulated and in a short time was worn by millions.In its wake followed wonders innumerable.Health was restored, sickness banished; bad habits broken, special graces given; dangers averted, blessings bestowed-until the little Medal of the Immaculate Conception became known by the name it bears today, the Miraculous Medal.


The Association of the Miraculous Medal

Mary's wish, expressed in the vision, is that all her children wear her Medal.To fulfill this wish, St. Pius X established the Association of the Miraculous Medal.Its purpose is "to render due honor to Mary Immaculate, first by sanctifying ourselves, and second by contributing to the sanctification of ourneighbor by the means of this Medal."To promote this Association and to encourage people to become members, the following indulgences have been attached to wearing this Medal:Those invested in the Medal by a priest may gain a Plenary Indulgence (under the usual conditions of Confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the intention of the Pope) on these days:The day of investing; the anniversary of the establishment of the Association, July 8; and these feasts--Mary the Queen, August 22; St Vincent de Paul, September 27; Manifestation of the Medal, Novemner 27; St. Catherine Laboure', November 28.
These indulgences are applicable to the Souls in Purgatory.To share in these indulgences a person must fulfill two conditions: 1) be invested in the Medal by a priest according to the official rite; 2) wear the Medal hanging from the neck on the brest.
The members of the Association incur no obligations, but are urged to repeat often the prayer on the Medal, "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."


The Central Association of
the Miraculous Medal

The "Central Association" was started in 1915 to spread devotion to Mary Immaculate through her Miraculous Medal.Its secondary purposes are to help young men to become priests, and to assist the poor.

Benefits of Membership

A member shares in 2,500 Masses offered every year for our members and, in addition, is remembered in all the Masses offered each year by our Vincentian priests.Anyone, living or dead, may be enrolled as a member.The membership fee is only 25 cents a year.

Extra Benefits for Promoters

Anyone can become a promoter of the "Central Association" by enrolling eight or more members, living or dead, and sending the anual membership fees.

A Promoter shares in 3,000 special Masses each year, and is also remembered in all the Masses offered every year by our Vincentian priests.
In addition to these wonderful spiritual benefits, Promoters receive the special Promoter's Miraculous Medal and our quarterly Magazine, "The Miraculous Medal."

For further information write:
The Central Association of The Miraculous Medal
475 E. Chelten Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa. 19144-5785



THE DIVINE PRAISES