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
Sisters have written to my parents. I wish for nothing but to
pray and to be baptized.' And the words ever on his lips, were
these: 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Towards evening he
became so weak, that I thought it best to remain with him. At
three o'clock in the morning, fearing that he was in his agony,
I administered the Sacrament of Regeneration; he lived till
seven o'clock. The fervor with which he united in the prayers
was truely edifying; even when scarcely able to speak, he tried
to express his gratitude to God for His goodness and mercy to
him. He was most anxious to quit this world, that he might go
to that Father, who had admitted him into the number of His
children, and whom he so earnestly desired to see and know."
* * * * *
"A soldier, advanced in age, told me one day, that in his
country the prejudices of the people were so strong against our
Faith, that they would refuse hospitality to a traveler did
they know him to be a Catholic; as to himself, he had never
met with a Catholic previous to his coming to the hospital;
but what he had seen here (nothing comparable to which had he
ever witnessed among Protestants), was sufficient to convince
him of the truth of Catholicity; that he had belonged to the
Presbyterian Church, but he would remain in it no longer, and
desired to be instructed in our holy religion. I gave him
a catechism and some other books, which he read with great
attention. Perceiving that his end approached, he asked for a
priest and was baptized. 'If it were the will of God,' said he,
speaking of his property, which was considerable, 'I should
like to live a little longer and enjoy my fortune; but if the
Lord wills otherwise, I am ready to leave all.' He was ever
repeating these words: 'Not as I will, O Lord, but as Thou
wilt.' From the moment of his baptism, he applied himself
most diligently to a profitable disposition of the remainder
of life, that he might prepare for his journey to eternity.
At times, when he felt a little stronger, he studied the
catechism; and when he could no longer hold a book, he prayed
and meditated in silence. One day as I was giving him a drink,
he showed me his medal. 'Ah!' said he, tears of gratitude
streaming down his cheeks, 'behold! my Mother. I kiss her
every hour!' He prayed constantly, even when he could neither
eat, drink, nor sleep. Once when he was extremely weak, the
attendants having changed his position, he fainted, and rallied
only with great difficulty. On perceiving that I was trying to
restore him: 'Ah! Sister,' said he, 'why did you not let me
go?' He also remarked to the attendants, that he feared the
Sister would prolong his life for a month, but his fears were
not realized; in a few days he slept the sleep of the just.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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