Saint Benedict's Medal (wrong inscription)

[nenabunena]

I’m new here and I hope this is the right forum.

I’m a lapsed Catholic (?) but I went to Catholic schools for 20 years (Nursery-College, University was the only non-Catholic school I went to). Anyway, I’ve recently been drawn to the rosary due to personal reasons and with everything happening with the Church, IDK why it took this scandal to shake me up.

But I found a St. Benedict Medal with a crucifix that was given to me in College (St. Benedict’s College/Benedictine Abbey/San Beda Alabang - they keep changing their name, don’t ask me why).

The front has LATIN INSCRIPTION: forming a cross:

•   C

•   S

N D S M D

•  M

•   I

But upon checking Wikipedia, the I should actually be an L: (I can’t post a pic of the medal here)

The inscription, is meant to ward off physical and spiritual dangers/evil - “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux! (May the holy cross be my light!)” and “Non [Nunquam?] Draco Sit Mihi Dux! (May the dragon never be my overlord!)”.

So since the I on the medal should actually be an L, does this mean that the medal according to Catholic tradition is worthless? I was thinking of having it blessed and wearing it myself or give it to my father since he has a terminal illness. But if the lettering is wrong, I fear, it is useless.

I don’t know how a Benedictine school can make such a mistake on an engraved medal that symbolizes their order though.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Here are my thoughts:

1. If indeed they used an I instead of an L, and the letter didn’t just wear down so the L looks like an I, then it was most likely some mistake made by whoever did the casting, and not by the school. It may even be that the medals were “factory seconds” so the school got a good price on them and then was able to give them away to the students.
2. The lowercase letter “L” looks like an “I”, so if you wished to read it that way, the inscription would still be technically correct.
3. Even if you don’t wish to read the “I” as a lowercase “L”, then the error is very small (may not have been noticed by the medal manufacturer and/or the person buying and giving out the medals). We would call that “de minimis” and say that the medal is not significantly different from other St. Benedict medals.
4. Medals, including the St. Benedict Medal, are not lucky charms or magic amulets, but rather a commemoration of St. Benedict. It is Jesus who protects the devout medal wearer, and St. Benedict prays for the medal wearer as well. It is not important that the lettering be exactly right. Jesus is still going to protect you even if the medal contains a manufacturing defect, as long as your intent is to grow in holiness and reject Satan and sin, rather than “I gotta wear my lucky medal or I won’t be safe”.
5. The origin of the St. Benedict medal is not clear. It is not a sacramental propagated by the Church with particular requirements. Nor is its origin reported to be from an apparition like the Miraculous Medal (which St. Catherine Laboure said was designed by Mary herself) and some others. So there doesn’t seem to be any compelling reason why a medal with one letter incorrect should not be used.
6. The fact that it has this little defect makes it interesting and special. You may have a medal like no other!

I would get it blessed and wear it or gift it. Jesus and St. Benedict would be fine with that. And Jesus would certainly protect you or the person you gift it to, if you wear it with devotion, or even if you don’t wear it but just have devotion in your heart.

 

[nenabunena]

 

[nenabunena]

Thanks for the lengthy reply. The I is an uppercase I so it wasn’t worn down. I understand it isn’t a lucky charm, I don’t believe in lucky charms but I came upon it and with everything going on right now and from wiki, I figured it was quite a coincidence.

I want to give it to my father if he wants it, if not, I will wear it. But after having it blessed, I might as well ask the priest as well about it. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut!