American Pilgrimage: National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal ( Perryville, Missouri)

Some of the best locations for pilgrimages can come in the unlikeliest of places. Tucked away just north of the bootheel in rural southeastern Missouri, is the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It is found in Perryville, MO, the county seat of Perry County, a town with a total population of just 8,440. The nearest City to Perryville is St. Louis, over 80 miles away. The area is about as rural as you can get, and from Indiana at least there is no good way to get there. I was constantly switching county roads on the way down, one of which was as much dirt road as paved. Always fun to drive on, especially at night. Driving alone, it felt like I was in the opening scene of movie about UFO abductions. Fortunately, I made it to my hotel last week without any close encounters along the way. 

So, how does such a rural county in the Bible belt get a National Marian Shrine? Well, unlike most of the other surrounding counties, Perry County is an isolated outpost of Roman Catholicism. Catholics making up 60% of the county’s religious population. The area was originally settled by English Roman Catholics who had fled to the New World from England to avoid religious discrimination, having originally settled in Maryland (the colony founded by Lord Baltimore). In 1818, settlers wrote the bishop and offered land, labor, and materials in return for the construction of a church and seminary, the latter being needed to train priests so the citizens could regularly receive the sacraments. The bishop sent a small band of Vincentian Priests and brothers to do the construction. Originally a small log cabin Church was built but was quickly outgrown. Thus, in 1827 construction began on the present Church which was called “St Mary of the Barren’s Church (see below).

The name "Barrens" comes from the fact that this word is an English word for grasslands. An area more commonly referred to here in the US by the French word "prairie."

Before sharing highlights of the Church and the beautiful garden and grotto area which has a trail through it designed in the shape of a rosary, a brief background on the fascinating story of “Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal” is in order.

HISTORY OF OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

 On 18 July 1830, then Sister Catherine Laboure was living in a Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul convent in Paris, when one night she claimed to have been awakened by a young child who appeared at her bedside. The child called for her to follow, saying “The Blessed Virgin Mary is waiting for you.” Sr. Catherine got up and followed the child to the Chapel altar, and after a time spent kneeling at the altar rail, the Blessed Mother appeared. As told to her priest confessor Fr. Aladel afterward, Sr. Catherine says Mary revealed certain calamities that were to occur in the future and gave her instructions on how to act in the times of trial ahead. In addition, Sr. Catherine stated Mary expressed to her that she had an important mission for her which would be revealed on a future date. Mary also instructed her to share this information with no one other than her confessor.

On  27 Nov. 1830, Sr. Catherine experienced another and final apparition at the altar. She said Mary appeared to her standing on a globe with a snake underneath it (Note- see Genesis Ch. 3 and Revelations Ch.12 for the Biblical roots of the symbolism), and Mary holding a cross with a smaller globe on top of it. Sr. Catherine attested that the small globe quickly disappeared but then she noticed Mary’s hands being lifted which had jewels on them, some of which shined rays of light, while others did not. Mary explained that the rays symbolized graces given by God and the jewels with no rays symbolized unclaimed graces offered by God. During this apparition, Mary's appearance was outlined in an oval frame with writing inscribed over her that read: “Oh Mary conceived without Sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” 

Later, the frame revolved, revealing on the back the letter M surmounted by a cross with a crossbar underneath; and beneath that, the Sacred Heart of Jesus surrounded by a crown of thorns, and the Sacred Heart of Mary pierced by a sword. After this was revealed, Sr. Catherine stated Mary told her to have a medal made in this design and have it spread among the faithful to wear, as it would provide them with special graces.

Fr. Aladel was informed of this immediately but observed Sr. Catherine for 2 years before relaying this incident to the archbishop and requesting production of the medals. He did not even reveal her identity to the archbishop. Long story short, the Medals were made and became a huge success, even without Sr. Catherine’s identity being revealed. Sr. Catherine labored in the convent for 40 years in anonymity, only revealing her connection to the Medal shortly before her death in 1876. In 1933 her body was examined and found to be incorrupt, which is understood by the Catholic Church to be a sign of Sainthood. She was canonized a saint in 1947 and her incorrupt remains are still visible today.

Many miracles were attributed to the medals leading them to be called “The Miraculous Medal.” Accounts of some of the most well-known miracles can be found here:

https://www.americaneedsfatima.org/Miracles/documented-miracles-attributed-to-the-miraculous-medal.html

 

Of all the miracles attributed in part to the medal, my favorite is the medal’s role in the conversion of an anti-Catholic Orthodox Jew named Alphonse Ratisbonne, who hated Catholicism, especially due to his brother’s conversion. Then, through an odd sequence of events in which he happened to be in possession of the Miraculous Medal, something miraculous happened, that you can read about here:

 https://www.americaneedsfatima.org/Conversions/the-conversion-of-alphonse-ratisbonne.html

VISITING THE CHURCH

On my visit last Friday, I encountered a wonderful tour guide named Robbie who is a walking encyclopedia of the Church and Shrine area generally. He explained the historical development of the Church, which includes within it the actual chapel dedicated as a shrine to the Miraculous Medal. The connection to the medal comes from the fact that the founders of the Church and Seminary were Vincentians, as was Sr. Catherine, a Roman Catholic society established by St. Vincent de Paul. This altar was dedicated in 1930:   

As far as the Church itself, St. Mary of the Barren's served as a Church for the people of Perryville from 1830 until 1965, when a new parish church was built. As the builders of the Church were Vincentians, the Church was modeled after their Motherhouse Church in Rome, and built to 1/3rd of it's scale. Yours truly, the Catholic Legal Beagle is standing in front of the Main Altar depicting the Assumption of Mary below: 

Inside the Church their are eight side chapels with beautiful artwork that primarily serves as a "Whose Who" of the Vincentian Family of priests, brothers, sisters and laity.  I have included a few examples and link to a virtual tour below: 

Anyone interested in a virtual tour of the Church or the Rosary Walk can check out the link below: 

https://www.amm.org/MarysShrine/Virtual%20Tour%20of%20the%20Shrine.aspx 

Now let's leave the Church and hit the Rosary Walking Trail! 

HERE IS THE MAP:

 

 

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After passing through the entrance, you begin your 1/2 mile walk on the rosary shaped path by heading right, where you encounter two separate shrines dedicated to the two apparitions of Mary given to Sr. Catherine Laboure. Going sequentially, the first apparition shows Sr. Catherine at the Altar of the Church, the second shrine depicts Mary as she appeared her at the final apparition:

After this, you proceed on to a log cabin which served as the original sacristy and behind it is a cemetery where the Vincentians buried their clergy who served here for the first 150 years: 

From there the walk takes you to the Grotto, which has at the centerpiece another depiction of Mary as she appeared at the 2nd apparition. From there you go on to see a different statue of Mary, this one placed on top of a mound of dirt built up by the Vincentian priests and brothers for placing a statue of Mary back in the 1850s. Really cool to think about how that mound of dirt has been there since before the Civil War (I am unsure if the present statue is the original).  

The final stop along the tour is a Marian Meditation Circle which has statues replicating some of the most well known Marian apparitions.

  

CLOSING THOUGHTS 

The National Shrine to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is a great place to go for an outdoor rosary and to experience the beauty of God's creation. What I loved most about this place is that though the purpose of the shrine is thoroughly Catholic, seeking to help draw people to God through devotion to Mary and appreciation of the Miraculous Medal, it welcomes people of all faiths and encourages non-Catholics to also be given the Medal. This is due to the Blessed Mother giving an instruction to Sr. Catherine that the Medal should be given to everyone who seeks one, as we are all God's children. A point beautifully illustrated in this painting found inside the Church: 

Finally anyone interested in learning more about the Shrine or paying a visit can learn more here: 

https://www.amm.org/ 

 

FINIS