Fr. Joseph I. Dirvin - Saint Catherine Laboure: of the Miraculous Medal

Saint Catherine
Labour

of the Miraculous
Medal

Joseph I. Dirvin, C. M.

Imprimi Potest
Slvester A. Taggart, C.M.
Visitator Provinciae Orientalis

Nihil Obstat
Martinus S. Rushford, Ph.D.
Censor Librorum

Imprimatur
Bryan Josephus McEntegart, D.D., LL.D.
Episcopus Bruklyniensis
Bruklyni
Die ii iunii, 1958

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

Copyright 1958 by Farrar, Straus & Cudahy, Inc.

Interior pictures used with the permission of the Vincentian Fathers and the Daughters of Charity. All rights of reproduction strictly reserved.

Cover design by Lauren A. Rupar.

Cover image from the Church of the Sacred Heart, Lourdes, France by Br Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 84-50466

ISBN: 978-0-89555-242-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
www.TANBooks.com
1984

To the Promoters and Members of The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, who follow in the footsteps of Catherine Labour by their devotion to the Miraculous Medal and their dedication to its diffusion throughout the world.

Anyone wishing to report favors received through the Miraculous Medal may write to the

Central Association of the Miraculous Medal 475 E. Chelten Avenue Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144

Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Catherine Labour during the night of July 18-19, 1830. St. Catherine threw herself at Our Ladys knee and rested her hands on Marys lap. Many years later St. Catherine stated that this was the sweetest moment of her life.

Contents

Foreword

THE PUBLISHERS say that this life of St. Catherine Labour by Father Dirvin will be the definitive biography of St. Catherine. Like many other people, I suppose, I have never been quite certain of the meaning of this word as it is applied to a biography. So I asked the publishers what they mean when they say that Father Dirvin's book is definitive. Here is their explanation.

This book is the full and authoritative story on the life and works of St. Catherine, the Daughter of Charity to whom the Miraculous Medal was manifested by the Blessed Virgin in Paris in 1830. It contains much material never published before, since Father Dirvin had access to archives and places never before opened to a biographer or a historian. These were not only in Paris, but also in Rome and in the village of Fain-les-moutiers, where Catherine was born and spent her childhood. Every statement of fact has been fully authenticated; where evidence on any point is not fully conclusive, this is clearly indicated. In this book you will read everything significant that is recorded anywhere about St. Catherine and her life's work.

How Father Dirvin was able to obtain so much previously unpublished material can easily be understood by those who know of the long and close association of the Vincentian Fathers with the Miraculous Medal. For those who may not know, a brief explanation should suffice.

St. Vincent de Paul founded two Communities: 1) the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Fathers) and 2) the Daughters of Charity, sometimes called the Sisters of Charity. At the time Mary manifested the design of the Medal of her Immaculate Conception, Catherine Labour was a novice in the Paris motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity. When the first Medals were cast two years later, it was only natural that they should be distributed by the spiritual sons and daughters of St. Vincentfirst in France, and then throughout the world.

The first organized effort to spread devotion to Mary through her Medal was made in the United States, in 1915, by the Vincentian Fathers of Germantown, Philadelphia. Prompted by a desire to show our appreciation for a wonderful favor received through the Medal, the superiors of our Community decided to establish an association to promote devotion to Mary Immaculate. This was the beginning of The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal. For eleven years prior to his transfer to St. John's University, Brooklyn, Father Dirvin was on the office staff of the "Central Association" and was associate editor of our magazine, The Miraculous Medal.

I hope that all this talk about definitive editions and scholarly research will not mislead anyone into thinking that Father Dirvin's book is a dry compilation of facts. Far from it! Here is a narrative that brings Catherine Labour to vivid lifeas a child; as the little housekeeper in a motherless household; as a girl seeking her vocation; as the young novice chosen by Mary to give her Medal of grace to the world; as the humble Sister who insisted on remaining anonymous almost to the end. This is a book you will find very hard to lay aside until you have read the final sentence on the last page.

Rev. JOSEPH A. SKELLY, C.M., Director

The Central Association of the Miraculous Medal

Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa.

Feast of the Assumption, 1958

Acknowledgments

The author of any book is indebted to many people. It is impossible for him to thank them all publicly, but certain ones, whom he leaned upon heavily, cannot be passed over. My biggest debt of gratitude is to Father Joseph A. Skelly, C.M., who believed in the book from the first and was prodigal in giving me access to original sources. I am grateful to my confreres, who helped me by their encouragement, advice, and knowledge, especially to our Most Honored Father, William M. Slattery, Superior General of the Vincentian Fathers and the Sisters of Charity, and to Fathers William J. Casey, John J. Munday, and Joseph J. Symes. I am grateful also to my religious Sisters, especially Sister Mary Basil, Assistant General of the Sisters of Charity, and the Sisters Custodians of the Archives at Rue du Bac. Nor can I forget the kindness of M. l'Abb Rochet, cur of the parish in which St. Catherine lived, and of Mme. Labour-Gontard LeGrange, of Nuits St. Georges in Burgundy, a great grandniece of the saint. Special thanks are due Prof. William A. McBrien, of the Department of English of St. John's University, New York, for not counting the cost of time and labor in his careful and critical reading of the manuscript.

I

"Now You Will Be My Mother"

T HE EVENING ANGELUS was ringing over Burgundy. The mild May breeze caught the sound from a hundred belfries and blew it across the mellowing fields and ripening vineyards. Workers in the fields stopped turning the ancient earth and straightened to bless themselves and pray. In the villages, housewives paused in their preparation of the evening meal. Even the children stood silent in the cobblestoned streets where they were at play. Everyone and everything was still, while the sweet bells told once more of the meeting of Gabriel and Mary.