The Miraculous Medal: Its Origin, History, Circulation, ResultsAladel, Jean-Marie
Religion
The Miraculous Medal: Its Origin, History, Circulation, Results
Aladel, Jean-Marie
Labouré, Catherine, Saint, 1806-1876; Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint; Miraculous Medal
Meanwhile, Sister Catherine approached the end of her Seminary term,
and in spite of her affirmations at once so artless and so exact, her
Director always refused to credit them. She had the affliction of
leaving the Mother House without being able to obtain anything, even a
hope.
It was because the affair was graver than she thought; the supernatural
origin of the favor he was directed to communicate to the public could
be contested, and the prudent Director saw that in such a matter he
could neither exact too many proofs, nor take too many precautions.
* * * * *
Sister Labouré was clothed with the holy habit in the month of January,
1831, and sent under the name of Sister Catherine to the Hospital
d'Enghien in the faubourg St. Antoine. Here she could continue her
communications with M. Aladel. This good father did not lose sight of
her; though apparently giving no credit to his penitent revelations,
he was studying her carefully to convince himself whether or not these
visions were the product of a weak, enthusiastic mind and excited
imagination. But the more he studied her, the more confident he felt
that there was nothing of this in Sister Labouré. The judgment formed
of her by the Directresses of the Seminary was, that she had a somewhat
reserved but calm, positive character, which M. Aladel qualified as
cold and even apathetic.
This last epithet, however, was not applicable to Sister Catherine,
in whom her companions, on the contrary, recognized a very impulsive
temperament. But his opinion proves, at least, that there was no
excessive imagination. Moreover, she proved herself solidly grounded
in virtue, whilst no one ever perceived anything extraordinary in her
demeanor, and especially in her devotions.
Before going to her new destination, Sister Labouré passed some days in
one of the large establishments of Paris. Wishing to examine the young
Sister more leisurely, M. Aladel made a pretext of visiting the Sisters
at this house. The account of these visions had already been circulated
throughout the Community, and it was known that M. Aladel had received
the Sisters' confidence; hence, as soon as he appeared, the Sisters
surrounded him, and each one eagerly plied him with questions. He had
his eye upon Sister Catherine, who, without being disconcerted, quietly
mingled her inquiries with the others. The worthy missionary was
reassured, understanding that the Sister kept her secret.
The last time the Blessed Virgin appeared to Sister Labouré in
the sanctuary of the Mother House, she said to her: "My daughter,
henceforth you will see me no more, but you will hear my voice during
your meditations." And, indeed, during the whole course of her life,
she had frequent communications of this kind. They were no longer
sensible apparitions, but mental visions, that she well knew how to
distinguish from the illusions of imagination or the impressions of a
pious fervor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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