Category: What’s New?

Los católicos crecimos con la certeza de que la Virgen María está siempre con nosotros: en la cocina de mamá, en la imagen junto al rosario, en el santuario de nuestro pueblo y en nuestras oraciones cuando más la necesitamos. Hoy, cuando hay tanta necesidad, quiero invitarle a volver a ese refugio seguro que es el corazón de María a través de una celebración.

En la Asociación de la Medalla Milagrosa queremos celebrar con amor y devoción el cumpleaños de nuestra Madre del Cielo, el 8 de septiembre. Será una ocasión especial para darle gracias, entregarle nuestras penas y refugiarnos en su corazón maternal.

Aquí puede enviarnos sus peticiones  para ponerlas en oración durante la Misa de Cumpleaños de la Virgen, el 8 de septiembre.

También puede encender una veladora  por sus intenciones como símbolo de su esperanza y confianza en la Madre de Dios.

Una madre siempre atesora los regalos que sus hijos pequeños preparan con sus manos. Un dibujo con garabatos, una frase escrita con esfuerzo. Estos regalos valen por su perfección, sino por el amor con el que fueron creados. Así también nuestra Madre del Cielo recibe con ternura lo que le brindamos de corazón.

Para esta celebración de esperanza y gozo, crearemos y presentaremos a Nuestra Señora un regalo hecho con mucho amor.

Crearemos una Vela de Cumpleaños para la Virgen, hecha con trocitos de cera que los miembros de la Asociación nos envían de todo el país.

Cualquier ofrenda que pueda compartir, si es su voluntad y tiene los medios, ayudará a la Asociación a continuar su misión de promover la devoción a la Virgen y a su Medalla Milagrosa, especialmente entre los más necesitados.

¡Cuánta necesidad hay en el mundo! Pero también cuánta fe hay en nuestro pueblo. En la Asociación oraremos por usted y su familia todos los días.

Que su luz guíe nuestros pasos y nos acerque siempre más a su Hijo, Jesús

Siempre con la Virgen María,

Rev. Prudencio Rodríguez de Yurre, C.M.
Director Espiritual

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Greetings from the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal!

Our bookmarks are beautiful reminders of Mary’s promised graces to her earthly children. The Association of the Miraculous Medal continues to tell the world about the special mission Our Blessed Mother gave to Saint Catherine Labouré back in 1830 – how the young novice was to create and share the “medal of the Immaculate Conception.” The effect this medal has had on the world is incalculable.

Mary promised that graces and favors from God awaited all who would wear the medal in faith. As early wearers began reporting remarkable blessings, people began calling the medal “miraculous.”

Those who wear the Miraculous Medal today also testify that Mary is keeping her promise!

Doug, from Arizona, is one of them. He wrote AMM recently:

Six years ago, I was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, usually considered fatal. My case is the first one known in my home city of a million people. I began receiving chemo. My oncologist would gently remind me there was no cure. I have worn the Miraculous Medal every day since my original diagnosis, and pray for Mary’s intercession every day. Recently, medical tests and an MRI detected no trace of the disease – no active cancer. My oncologist was jumping for joy. There is no medical explanation for my results. However, I know that forces beyond medicine are at work. It is nothing less than a miracle that my cancer is officially in remission. Of course, I continue to wear the medal and pray for Mary’s continuing help.

Have you considered ways to share Mary’s story and her promise with your family, friends, or even strangers? 

It can be as easy as simply telling them the story of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. You can wear your own Miraculous Medal, share its meaning when someone occasionally asks you about it, and give  the medal away free, which AMM is happy to send you free by return mail. You may also order and share one of our bookmarks to spread the prayer Mary wants the world to know!

Supporting Our Lady’s Association with a charitable gift is another way you can help us to share her promise. Donations help AMM reach hundreds of thousands each year with the good news that limitless blessings await those who turn in faith to Our Blessed Mother. Gifts enable us to send out more than two million free medals each year, along with hundreds of thousands of spiritual greeting cards and other devotional items intended to bring all souls closer to Jesus.

Today, I invite you to join fellow members who are making a gift this month.

With so many people seeking a sign of God’s love for them, your donation of any size can bring hope and meaning to someone’s life.

Whether or not you contribute now, please return any intentions you’d like placed near Mary’s Altar here at the National Shrine. My fellow Vincentians, along with myself, AMM members, and our staff, will offer their prayerful support.

Requesting a Votive Light to burn inside the Shrine Church is another visible way to place yourself in prayer before Jesus and Mary.

May we thank Our Lord daily for the gift of his most Holy Mother as our Mother. And let us never hesitate to take Mary up on her promise to obtain for us a limitless share of heaven’s favors.

Thank you for your love and support for the Association of the Miraculous Medal. May God bless your efforts to serve him, and may he draw you ever closer to himself through Mary Immaculate.

Sincerely in Jesus and Our Lady,

P.S. You may request free, blessed Miraculous Medals and “Story of the Medal” cards. Or, order through AMM’s online gift shop at www.amm.org. You may also phone in your request for medals or for prayers. Reach us at 1-800-264-MARY (6279), Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., CT.

Cada 15 de agosto celebramos con alegría la Fiesta de la Asunción de la Virgen María. Este misterio glorioso nos recuerda que el cielo no está lejos, ni está cerrado, sino que está abierto, y en su umbral hay una Madre que nos espera con ternura. Ella no se olvida de nosotros.

Sé que actualmente vivimos tiempos muy difíciles. Muchos de nuestros hermanos enfrentan incertidumbre, miedos, enfermedades o dificultades económicas, entre otras situaciones. Pero María no nos deja solos. Más bien, nos invita a mirar hacia arriba, hacia el cielo donde hay esperanza. A no quedarnos atrapados en las sombras del miedo, sino a confiar en Dios.

Por eso quiero invitarle con cariño a que nos acompañe a celebrar la Novena de misas de la Asunción de María, del 6 al 15 de agosto. Acérquese a María y ponga en sus manos sus intenciones, preocupaciones y esperanzas.

Envíeme sus intenciones de oración y los nombres de seres queridos que desea poner en las manos de María. Nosotros las colocaremos ante el altar de la Virgen, y oraremos por sus intenciones durante cada misa de la novena, en especial durante la Fiesta de la Asunción, el 15 de agosto.

También puede encender una veladora  por sus intenciones a la Virgen como símbolo de fe y esperanza en la intercesión de Nuestra Señora.  

Cualquier ofrenda que pueda compartir en este momento, será recibida de corazón. Gracias a su generosidad, podemos llevar la esperanza y el consuelo de la Virgen María y su Medalla Milagrosa a las personas que más las necesitan.  

Gracias de corazón, por celebrar con nosotros esta bella devoción. Gracias por darnos el privilegio de orar por usted y su familia. Recuerde que María camina con usted, y que nunca se alejará, sobre todo en los momentos más difíciles. En su corazón caben nuestras esperanzas y nuestras penas. Encomiende a su familia a ella.

Espero tener el privilegio de recibir sus intenciones  de oración para la Novena de la Asunción de la Virgen. Mientras tanto, rogaré a María, Puerta del Cielo, para que le dé fortaleza y esperanza, y la certeza de que nunca estamos solos.

Siempre con la Virgen María,

Rev. Prudencio Rodríguez de Yurre, C.M.
Director Espiritual

P.D. La Novena de la Asunción se celebrará del 6 al 15 de agosto. Por favor envíeme sus intenciones antes del 6 de agosto  para ponerlas ante la Virgen durante su novena.

P.P.D. También quiero compartirle este bello testimonio de un miembro de nuestra familia espiritual. Nunca me canso de leer estas historias que me llenan de esperanza. Espero que a usted también le inspire.

Estimado Padre:
            Gracias por sus oraciones. Mi esposo tenía un cáncer terminal, pero en este momento está muy bien. Le habían dado 6 meses de vida, y estaba que no se paraba de la cama. Yo lo alimentaba a puro líquido porque no podía ni comer. Eso es un milagro. Quiero contarles que tuvo un sueño con Jesús, que lo llevó a un cerro donde había una iglesia y cuando entraron, mi esposo estaba sobre una alfombra y a los pies de Jesús. Y Jesús lo tenía abrazado y le dijo “No hay nada ni nadie que pueda curarte mejor que yo, lucha por tu vida”. Y de ahí en adelante se puso de pie y comenzamos a luchar juntos y en este momento está muy bien. Gracias por sus oraciones. Los amamos. No me lo suelten, por favor,  porque “la unión hace la fuerza”. Dios y nuestra Madrecita Santísima los mantengan en sus brazos.

Every day, God permits us numerous opportunities to become spiritually stronger. Yes, we might prefer if the Lord would simply wave a magical wand and fortify us with no effort on our part. But Christians know better.

There is no spiritual triumph without a battle, no perfect love on earth without suffering, and no Easter without Good Friday.

I often call the Scapular our armor, the Miraculous Medal our shield, and the Rosary our most powerful weapon.

Here at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, we are working hard to equip faith-filled souls with the tools they need for the ultimate triumph over evil so they may achieve full and eternal union with God in heaven. Helping people like you “suit up for salvation,” the tools we’re offering are both spiritual and temporal.

The spiritual help is our Association’s daily, prayerful remembrance of the needs shared with us by members and friends week after week. Temporal aid includes our distributing more than two million blessed Miraculous Medals every year and sending out other Church-approved, blessed sacramentals from the National Shrine.

Today, I invite you to allow the Association of the Miraculous Medal to stand with you in the warfare against evil. Here are two easy ways you can accept:

• Send me the names of the loved ones you wish to have remembered.  The request for prayer may be for the return of their well-being of body, mind, or spirit. On Wednesday, September 3, at 12:10 p.m., CT, we will offer a Mass Remembering your loved ones and their needs, lifting them up to Jesus through Mary during the Prayers of the Faithful. These same intentions will rest near Mary’s Shrine Altar throughout the month of September.

• For the suggested offering of $29, you may request the Suit Up for Salvation Spiritual Gift Set (W155) containing a brown scapular, the Martyrs Red Crystal Bead Rosary (made in Italy), and a Miraculous Medal – all blessed here at the Shrine.

While the rosary and scapular have been around for 500-800 years, the Miraculous Medal was given to the world much more recently. It was in 1830 when Our Lady appeared to Sister Catherine Labouré, a novice in Paris, France, giving her the design of the medal and the mission to share it with the world.

To those who wore the Miraculous Medal with faith and confidence, Mary assured the young Daughter of Charity, great graces and blessings would flow from God.

Sending the names of your loved ones for remembrance is a sign of your trust in Our Blessed Mother’s promised intercession. Your prayers are a powerful weapon in the face of physical or spiritual suffering, temptation, doubt, and more.

When you return the names of your loved ones for remembrance, you may also request a Votive Light to burn at the Shrine. This sign of your faith is but another way to lift your loved ones in prayer to Jesus through Mary.

Any offering you include will help us spread devotion to Our Lady. It will also support the formation and ministries of the Vincentian priests and brothers founded by Saint Vincent de Paul.

Going up against the devil, Christians’ victory depends on both an ironclad defense and a fail-safe offense.

Thank you for allowing the Association of the Miraculous Medal to serve as your spiritual fortress to help obtain the healing, protection, defense, and salvation of your body and soul and that of all those close to you! May God bless all your efforts to serve him and draw you ever closer to himself.

Faithfully yours in Jesus and Mary,

 

Last year, a member of AMM thanked us for sending her Back to School greeting cards like these.

She explained …”My sister teaches children with special needs. I gave her one of the cards, which she posted on the bulletin board in her classroom. The students could see it was very special to my sister. The card became special to them, too.”

A bulletin board. It’s where teachers put on display the most important things they believe their students need to learn. Many of us would agree –– there are few lessons today’s youngsters need to understand better than that God loves them, and Our Blessed Mother is with them at every moment to guide and care for them.

Yes, one simple greeting card can teach this timeless truth in a quiet and beautiful way that even the smallest child can understand!

That is why I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to order and present the back to school cards to an educator, family, or individual student close to your heart. Each greeting offers your recipients a remembrance in the daily Mass and prayers offered at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal from September through May.

Send me their names, which we’ll place near Mary’s Shrine Altar. You may also burn a Votive Light for your recipients as an expression of your prayerful desire that they experience a fulfilling academic year ahead. 

If you’d like to browse AMM’s selection of medals and rosaries that make great back to school gifts, go online to amm.org/store. You may also order religious gifts by phone.

The 3/4” tall, pewter Miraculous Medal (M080) is our most popular back to school gift item. Its lobster-claw clasp keeps it securely attached to a backpack, purse, keychain, or zipper. Request one or more for a suggested donation of $13 each.

You give a gift of priceless value in asking Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, to watch over those you love along their educational pathway this school year.

Thank you for your devotion to Mary’s mission carried out here at the Association of the Miraculous Medal. May God continue to bless your efforts to serve him, and may he draw you ever closer to himself.

Sincerely in Jesus and Mary,

P.S. You may also request free, blessed Miraculous Medals and “Story of the Medal” cards (I086) to share with school children, educators, and family members. Or, call us at 1-800-264-MARY (6279), Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., CT. Any gift offering you add will be gratefully appreciated and used to continue the mission of Our Lady’s Association.

Here’s the impact your offering can make this back to school season:

Recently, an AMM member in Canada wrote … Dear Father, I have been giving Miraculous Medals to children in two classrooms in each of our schools. I received reports from the teachers that once the children began wearing this sacramental, their anxiety and stress levels went down. The children are happier, and discipline problems have diminished. I am so grateful that I have been able to obtain the medals from AMM and that Our Lady is interceding for these children.