Youth and religious life
Born on 2 May 1806 in Fain-les-Moutiers, France, to wealthy peasants, Catherine was forced at an early age to take over the household after the death of her mother. Determined to embrace religious life despite her father's initial opposition, Catherine entered the seminary in Rue du Bac in Paris on 21 April 1830, at the age of twenty-four. During her novitiate she had frequent visions of the Lord and the Virgin, just as Paris was solemnly celebrating the translation of the relics of St. Vincent de Paul. During those days, the young novice had visions of the heart of St. Vincent above a small reliquary in the nuns' chapel in rue du Bac for three consecutive days.
During the course of the novitiate, Catherine had other significant visions, but the most remarkable were the apparitions of the Immaculate Conception.
Our Lady's apparitions
During the night of 18 July 1830, while France was in fear of a new revolution, Catherine was awoken by the sound of an angelic voice calling her from a chapel: there, she experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary, who appeared to her surrounded by a golden light. A further apparition took place on 27 November of the same year: during this vision, Our Lady encouraged Catherine to forge a medal that would bring great graces to those who wore it with faith. The Miraculous Medal, with the image of Our Lady on one side and the M of Mary on the other, surrounded by the words ‘O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you’ would see an incredible spread and become known for the many miracles and conversions that followed it. Following the visions, Catherine shared the experience with her confessor, who initially did not believe the story. However, the spread of the Medal, later called ‘miraculous’ by the people because of the wonders it worked and the increasing number of miracles associated with it, led to its acceptance and the creation of the medal itself in 1832.
Catherine then continued to live a life of modesty and service as a member of the Daughters of Charity, dedicating herself to the relief of the poor and the sick. Over the years, her spiritual experience and her role in spreading the Miraculous Medal have made her name a symbol of faith and devotion for millions of Catholics worldwide.
Death and canonisation
She died on 31 December 1876, but her spiritual legacy lives on through the work of the Company of the Daughters of Charity and through the continuous distribution of the Miraculous Medal, which continues to bring comfort and hope to those who turn to Our Lady with trust and sincere devotion. She was beatified by Pius XI on 28th May 1933 and canonised by Pius XII on 27th July 1947: her relics rest in the chapel where she had her apparitions. The liturgical feast day for Vincentian Families is 28 November.
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