By Sarah Losardo
Zoe Laboure (later known as Catherine) was born on May 2, 1806, the ninth of ten children born to Pierre and Madeleine Labouré. When Zoe was about nine years old, her mother died, leaving her responsible for running the house, as her older sister was already a member of the Sisters of Charity. Zoe had a vision of a priest suggesting she care for the sick, and she wished to follow her sister’s path but first was a waitress at her uncle’s cafe in Paris. It was in Paris that she discovered the identity of the priest in her vision – St. Vincent De Paul, the founder of the Sisters of Charity. In January 1830, Zoe finally joined the Sisters of Charity in Paris, taking the name Catherine. The same year, first in July and again in November, Sister Catherine was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary, who entrusted to her a medallion to be given to the world – on it, Mary stood, framed by the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” On the back of the medal were the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary, along with a cross and the letter M. Our Lady promised great graces to those who wore the medal, which is now called the Miraculous Medal. After two years, Catherine’s priest brought the medal to the Archbishop, who ordered 2,000 medals to be made. These were very quickly distributed and more were ordered and distributed, the words engraved in many languages. In time, a chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.
Sister Catherine spent the last 46 years of her life nursing the sick before her death at the age of 70 on December 31, 1876. Her cause for canonization (sainthood) was soon put forward, and she was beatified by Pope Pius XI on May 28, 1933 – soon after her body was discovered to be incorrupt. St. Catherine was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947. To this day, Miraculous Medals continue to be made and distributed in great numbers, bringing great graces and even miracles; Mother Teresa of Calcutta attributed many miracles to the Miraculous Medal.
May we, like Catherine, remain humble in our successes and open to the graces that God provides for us.
Sources:
LogoSophia Magazine 