Several branches of the Vincentian Family trace their origin to the apparitions of the Virgin to Catherine Laboure: the Vincentian Marian Youth Association, the Miraculous Medal Association and other groups that have arisen from these branches.

Frederic Ozanam (1813-1853) died on the feast of Mary’s birth and during his life had great devotion to the blessed Mother. He carried the Miraculous Medal with him and was concerned about publicizing the conversion of Ratisbonne, a conversion that occurred through the mediation of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Frederic also established the feast of the Immaculate Conception as the feast of the Conferences of the Vincent de Paul Society.

We could say that the history of the Vincentian Family cannot be fully understood without this influence and relationship to the Immaculate Virgin of the Miraculous Medal.

The Constitutions of the Daughters of Charity and the Congregation of the Mission, the Statutes of the Vincentian Marian Youth Association and the Miraculous Medal Association, as well as the practices of the other groups, … all of these point out to us the value of the experience of Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal and its significance for the Marian spirituality of the Vincentian Family.

Against this backdrop and beginning of the month of May this week’s topic for the Saturday Study Hall series exploring the riches of the Vincentian Encyclopedia offers the study by Fr. Corpus Delgado, CM  “Marian Spirituality and the Vincentian Charism”

Scan these links to sections of the article and read one section as part of your Marian devotion for May.

• 1 Inspiring sources of Marian spirituality in the Vincentian charism
  • 1.1 The life of Mary
  • 1.2 The faith of the Church
  • 1.3 The experience of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac
    • 1.3.1 The experience of Vincent de Paul
    • 1.3.2 The experience of Louise de Marillac
      • 1.3.2.1 The great dignity of Mary
      • 1.3.2.2 The Virgin Mary, Immaculate, conceived without sin
      • 1.3.2.3 Mary, the ideal for life
      • 1.3.2.4 Devotion to the Virgin Mary
      • 1.3.2.5 Mary, the only Mother of the Company
  • 1.4 The experience of the Vincentian Family from the perspective of the appearances to Saint Catherine Laboure
• 2 The lay Vincentian associations give form to a life-giving Marian spirituality
  • 2.1 Love of Mary
  • 2.2 To live like Mary
  • 2.3 To celebrate the mystery of Christ with Mary
• 3 Footnotes