Summary

Catherine Laboure, a novitiate in the order of the Sisters of Charity, received various visions of St. Vincent and of Jesus present in the Eucharist before experiencing two apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the first vision, July 18 1830, Catherine is told of the impending travails of France and of an unspecified future mission. Several months later she received a message detailing the designs for a medal, later known as the Miraculous Medal, now reproduced over a billion times and distributed around the world. The apparition was investigated in 1836 and later approved. Catherine worked for 46 more years in hospices of her Order until her death in 1876. Her body lies incorrupt at the site of the apparition to this day. She was canonized by the Church in 1947.

May 2, 1806

Catherine Laboure is born at Fain-les-Moûtiers (near Dijon), Côte d'Or, France. She was baptized Zoë Labouré, daughter of a yeoman farmer.

1815

Catherine's mother dies. Her elder sister, Louisa, joins the Sisters of Charity.

1824

Catherine attends finishing school in Paris despite feeling a call to the religious life.

Jan 1830

Admitted to the Sisters of Charity at Châtillon-sur-Seine

April 1830

Sent to the Novitiate; After her postulancy, she went to a convent in the rue du Bac, Paris. She arrived several days before the translation of relics of Saint Vincent from Notre Dame to the Lazarist Church in rue de Sèvres. Starts to see visions of St. Vincent de Paul and Jesus.

July 18, 1830

First Apparition of Mary. She was awakened about 11:30 p.m. on July 18 by a "shining child," who led her to the chapel. Our Lady appeared and talked with her for hours, telling her that she would have to undertake a difficult task.

Nov 30, 1830

Second Apparition of Mary. Mary appeared in the same chapel in the form of a picture, standing on a globe, with shafts of light streaming from her hands, surrounded by the words "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!" The picture turned around, and on the reverse side appeared a capital M with a cross above it and two hearts, one thorn-crowned and one pierced with a sword, beneath. Catherine heard a voice asking her to have a medal struck, promising that all who wore the medal would receive great graces.Thus the design for Miraculous Medal revealed

May 1831

Catherine confided in her confessor, Father Aladel, and he, convinced of her sincerity, persuaded Archbishop de Quélen of Paris to give permission for a medal to be struck.

1832

After her year of extraordinary grace, Catherine was sent to the convent Enghien-Reuilly on the outskirts of Paris. There Catherine served as portress until her death, engaging in menial tasks such as looking after the poultry and overseeing the aged living in the Hospice d'Enghien.

June 1832

The first 1,500 of the millions of medals to be made-now known to Catholics as the 'Miraculous Medal'-were struck.

1832 &1833

50 thousand medals given out

1836

The archbishop initiated an official canonical inquiry into the alleged visions. Catherine refused to appear, wishing her identity to be kept a secret. Fr. Aladel pleaded to be allowed to keep her name anonymous. The tribunal, basing its opinion on the stability of her confessor and Catherine's character, decided to favor the authenticity of the visions.

Approved as authentic by Archbishop de Quelen of Paris.

1842

The popularity of the medal grew, especially after the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne in 1842. Alphonse was an Alsatian Jew who, having been persuaded to wear the medal received a vision of Our Lady  in the church of Sant'Andrea delle Frate at Rome, became a priest, and founded the religious congregation known as the Fathers and Sisters of Zion.

1876

Not until a few months before her death did she speak to anyone about the visions except her confessor; Catherine reveals her identity as the visionary and encourages construction of “Virgin of the Globe” statue. She confided in her superior, Sister Dufé.

Dec 31, 1876

Catherine dies. Her incorrupt body remains in the convent chapel at the rue du Bac, where miracles were reported at her tomb.

1933

Catherine is Beatified

1947

Catherine is Canonized

Description of the Virgin

"The Virgin was standing. She was of medium height, and clothed in all white. Her dress was of the whiteness of dawn, made in the style called a la Vierge, that is, high neck and plain sleeves. A white veil covered her head and and fell on either side of her feet. Under the veil her hair, in coils, was bound with a fillet ornamented with lace, about three centimeters in height or of two fingers' breadth, without pleats, and resting lightly on the hair. Her face was sufficiently exposed, indeed exposed very well, and so beautiful that it seems to me impossible to express her ravishing beauty."