A long time friend of our Lady’s Association, Mrs. Marie Tedesco, was born in a small town in New Jersey, the granddaughter of Italian immigrants.

 

Marie has always been impressed with the courage it must have taken her grandparents to leave their mother country and travel across a vast ocean to a strange land.  Marie’s grandmother always told her that their faith in our Lord had instilled this great courage in them.

 

A Loving Family

Marie says, that looking back now, she realizes that her family lived in a poor neighborhood, but as children, they were never aware that they were poor.  She and her brother knew from an early age that they were blessed with love of family.

 

Her First Miraculous Medal

Marie received her first Miraculous Medal for her 13th birthday.  Marie talks about the influence the medal had on her life—“For my 13th birthday, I received a tiny gold medallion, with an image of our Lady.  I had a jeweler attach the medal to a wristwatch, which I had also received at the same time.  I was struck with the image and with the inscription on the medal, O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

 

Learning About Saint Catherine Labouré

“It was some years later, when I received a mailing from the Association of the Miraculous Medal and read about Saint Catherine Labouré, that I realized that this was the very same medal I had worn on my watch for so many years.  The message in the mailing was a powerful one.

 

“Saint Catherine Labouré dedicated herself to following our Lady’s will to have a medal struck as our Lady had requested.  I am awed that so humble a person could accomplish what our Lady willed.  Our Lady surely blessed Saint Catherine Labouré and was with Saint Catherine throughout the experience.

“I now carry a very simple medal on my person whenever I leave my home.  It is the medal which I received many years ago from our Lady’s Association of the Miraculous Medal.

 

Many Blessings

“Over the years, we have received blessings in so many ways.  One of these blessings is that I have a great faith which has helped me through the terrible tragedies which have occurred.  My husband passed away in 1988, and since then, my parents and my brother have passed on.  In the summer of 2008, a heart attack took the life of my son.  I take solace in our Lord and in our Lady’s Association of the Miraculous Medal.

 

“Since that time, I have always felt such peacefulness, strongly believing that our Lady does intercede for us, to her Son.  We must pray the novena prayer and dedicate ourselves to our Lord and to our Lady’s Association.”

 

Our Lady has blessed Marie and her family with many graces.  She wanted to share her experiences with you to thank the Blessed Mother and to spread devotion to our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.