Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

[jmm08]

A few weeks ago, I noticed I had a few vacation days to burn or lose (can only carry over 40 hours). So I figured I’ll take off my Birthday and then what else.

I looked at my Catholic Calendar and it identified November 27th as “Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal”. I like going to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception – and they have a really nice chapel with a very large alter for Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. But I hadn’t checked their web site to see if anything was planned. So I chose to take today off and go. And I even prayed a novena (An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal) the previous nine days to help prepare for my pilgrimage. I don’t think it was a mistake to go. I had a good time.

If anyone can explain the prayer – An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – I’d appreciate it. I think I get the idea but I also figure it is a bit over my head.

Surprise, surprise. Probably because of the recent Thanksgiving holiday and perhaps because of the upcoming December 8th feast day, the place was really quiet and there were fewer people there than I’d ever seen.

I got there in time for the 7:30 Mass. And after that I went upstairs to the chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. And was the only one in the chapel. Since I was a little sleepy from getting up before 5 AM and nobody was around I laid down on a bench and soon fell asleep. Whoever was practicing on the great organ was really playing very nice. I hope I’m forgiven for falling asleep – Mary’s house almost feels like a second home to me and I’m very comfortable in the place. I was dressed up in a suit today, so nobody was going to think I was a bum. But even so, the guards there generally treat those known to be religious with great courtesy. After awhile a guard came by just to make sure I was OK and they didn’t mind.

If you ever go to the National Shrine on a weekday – a must-do thing is to catch the saying of the Rosary before the 12:10 PM Mass in the Crypt Church. So when it was 11:30 I made my way over there. The readings were good today and so was the homily.

Afterwards I had lunch and went back to the chapel for a little while. Again praying the prayer “An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal” once or twice again I just sat. Isn’t it nice that you can just sit in an attitude of adoration or prayer without really having to work terribly hard? I enjoy that part about being Catholic. Eucharistic Adoration for example. Just being yourself and enjoying being with Jesus. Some people probably would rather go fishing on their vacation and sleep by a river bank. Me – I don’t mind going to the National Shrine sometimes. And if I’m on vacation maybe I act like it a little.

I checked some sources – there really is a holiday today.
Catholic Encyclopedia:

On 23 July, 1894, Pope Leo XIII, after a careful examination of all the facts by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, instituted a feast, with a special Office and Mass, of the Manifestation of the Immaculate Virgin under the title of the Miraculous Medal, to be celebrated yearly on 27 November by the Priests of the Congregation of the Mission, under the rite of a double of the second class.

See tldm.org/News2/immaculate.htm
“In 1846, eight years before Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the Sixth Council of Baltimore formally chose the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived without sin as the Patroness of the United States.”
I’d like to hear if you know of anyone who did remember this day. Or if you can contribute to understanding of “An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal” or if you have anything more to add about the Miraculous Medal. I wear one.

Thanks.

jmm08

 

[jmm08]

To be fair, there were at least two other people who stopped by to pray in the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in the afternoon. And I wasn’t there the whole day so maybe there were others too.

There was some construction-like activity going on in the National Shrine today – along with some janitorial cleaning. But not as much construction as last year when they were putting up the new mosaics.

Msgr. Rossi is doing a very good job of managing the Shrine. And there are many great things happening there – and that is obvious to anyone who reviews their schedule.

jmm08

 

[fin]

I have a copy of the Act of Consecration. This is one of my favorite titles of Our Lady. The consecration is to remind us of our duties to her and to invoke her protection, esp. from committing sin.
By the way, the link you posted, tldm.org - those apparitions have been condemned.

 

[jmm08]

By the way, the link you posted, tldm.org - those apparitions have been condemned.

Thanks. I merely googled to find verbiage (regarding the US being dedicated to the Immaculate Conception). I didn’t look very carefully and frankly I am easily duped. Looking again, that web site is more than a bit on the wild side.

Sorry.

A better web reference is

ewtn.com/library/HOMELIBR/LANDMARY.HTM

…The consecration is to remind us of our duties to her…

I wish I knew more about the details – “a constant reminder of our duties towards thee”.

jmm08

 

[fin]

That’s okay.

I wear a Miraculous Medal too. From what I remember, when I was getting interested in my Catholic faith, I started wearing the Medal. So this is something really special to me.

 

[puzzleannie]

this medal and the prayer is the feature of our Parish Advent project and mini-retreats this year, they will be blessed at all Masses Sunday and worn throughout Advent (and hopefully after) and the prayers publicly said after our Advent daily rosary.