HASTINGS (SNR/CNA) – St. Michael School in Hastings celebrated the investiture of the Miraculous Medal of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sept. 6 at the school's daily Mass.
The Mass was celebrated in St. Michael Church in Hastings.
Father Thomas Brouillette, chief administrative officer of Hastings Catholic Schools, led the formal investiture blessing of medals and prayers for the K-5 students as well as some staff members and parents. Father Jeremy Hazuka, pastor of St. Michael Parish, assisted Father Brouillette in placing the Miraculous Medals over the participants’ heads, as they came forward individually.
The Miraculous Medal is a sacramental inspired by the Marian apparition in Paris in 1830 to St. Catherine Labouré, a member of the Daughters of Charity. The Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine as the Immaculate Conception, standing on a globe with light streaming from her hands and crushing a serpent underfoot.
“A voice said to me, ‘Have a medal struck after this model. All who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck,’” she recalled.
One side of the Miraculous Medal features a cross with the letter “M” underneath it, surrounded by 12 stars, and the images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The other side has an image of Mary as she appeared to Labouré, surrounded by the words “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.”
It took two years before Catherine was able to convince her spiritual director to have the medal created, but eventually, he listened to her and 2,000 medals were made. Their dispersal was so rapid and effective that it was said to be miraculous itself.
Marg Noecker, fourth-grade teacher at St. Michael School, explained that the medal was originally called the Immaculate Conception medal.
“However, because of the enormous number of miracles that happened shortly after the medals were distributed around the world, it became known as the Miraculous Medal,” she said.
She pointed out that the medal played an important role in the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX December 8, 1854; the "conceived without sin" message helped promote the idea.
St. Catherine died in Paris on December 31, 1876 and was canonized in 1947 by Pope Pius XII. Her incorrupt body lies in the crypt of the order's convent.
Noecker worked with the fourth-graders as they prepared medals for the ceremony, putting them on chains. She said all the students were very touched by receiving their medals.
“After the ceremony, many children wanted to take extra medals to their parents and older siblings,” she said. “Fortunately, we had an excess of medals on chains, so the children were allowed to take what they needed home to their families.”
The mission of Hastings Catholic Schools is to be a school community "where students encounter Christ, grow in knowledge, and become Christian witnesses."
This mission is achieved by promoting excellence in education, spirituality, academics, and extracurricular activities—for the whole person, nourishing the gifts uniquely given to each by God.
