The Children of Mary Society at St. John the Evangelist Parish

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Come children  … your Mother is calling …

The next meeting time will be posted in the parish bulletin and will be held in St. Mary’s Meeting Room from 8:30 to 11:00 AM for all children ages 8 to 13 years old! Fun activities, movies, snacks provided – free of charge!  Just let Claire Harvey (251-9992) know five days ahead so there will be enough materials.

Our Mission Statement: To help instill a greater love of Mary as the mother of our Lord and therefore the mother of us all. To bring children to a greater knowledge of Mary and of her continuing works through her Son. To assist sinners to repent and live lives in the grace of our Lord that we may do His work on earth and eventually live in Heaven with Him for eternity.

Goals:

• To teach children about the Apparitions of Mary
• To teach children about special devotions to Mary
• To teach children prayers to Mary
• To teach children about God’s unending mercy

Methodology:

• Meet on the 1st Saturday after Mass in St. Mary’s basement from 8:30 – 11:00 AM
• Children in grades 3 through 8 (ages 8 through 13)
• There will be a theme for each month pertaining to an apparition or Liturgical season. Each meeting we will: show a movie, sing a song about Mary, do a craft or activity pertaining to the theme, and have a snack and pray.
• Rewards (physical): Each child will be given a Miraculous Medal Othere rewards and prizes will be given for participation.

For further details, questions, to register children, contact Mrs. Claire Harvey at 647-1555.

History

On July 18, 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared for the first time to Catherine Laboure (1806 – 1876) in the convent of the Daughters of Charity (founded by St. Vincent de Paul, 200 years earlier) in Paris, France. Our Lady asked that a medal be made and worn around the neck. Abundant graces will be given to those who wear the blessed medal with confidence and repeat the prayer on it. Especially graces that most people forget to ask for; the grace to love God as she did, the grace to get through trials, to love all men as brothers and to wish them all well, to understand and appreciate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Our Lady showed Sister Laboure what the front and back of the medal was to look like. The pose of Our Lady with her hands extended down became know as Our Lady of Grace because she explained that she wanted to hand out more graces from God. Miracles started happening, as people began to wear the medal and pray the simple prayer on it, “Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” The medal soon came to be know as the Miraculous Medal.

In 1836 Mary requested that Sister Laboure start a society for children. Young children were to wear the medal day and night. “They were to meet regularly to say the Rosary, the Litany of Loreto, the Memorare and other prayers in honer of the Blessed Virgin. There were to be processions and various devotions, especially in May. To train the little ones to have a great and trusting love for the Blessed Virgin. That way, they’ll grow up to think of her as their best friend.