Several years later Ratisbonne became a priest and devoted his life to the conversion of his former compatriots in Palestine.

THE ASSOCIATION OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

The center of this Association is established at the Mother-House of the Daughters of Charity, Paris.

In the Acta Apostolicae Sedis the following statutes were approved July 8, 1909, by Pius X.

STATUTES

Article 1

The Association of the Holy Medal in Honor of the Immaculate Conception has been established as a living and perpetual memorial of the apparition of Mary Immaculate, which took place (at the Chapel of the Daughters of Charity, Rue du Bac, Paris) in the year 1830, the feast of which is celebrated on November 27. At this apparition the Blessed Virgin herself clearly indicated the design of the commemorative medal that was to be struck. The medal spread and wrought wonders, and thus received from the faithful the title "Miraculous."

Article 2

The end or aim of the Association is to render due honor to Mary Immaculate, first by sanctifying ourselves, and second by contributing to the sanctification of our neighbor by means of the Miraculous Medal. The medal is an efficacious symbol of this double sanctification, by virtue of the promises attached to it by Mary herself.

Article 3

The Association canonically erected in each diocese is governed, according to its own laws and usages, by diocesan directors, appointed by their respective bishops, but under the authority of one director general.

Article 4

By virtue of a rescript of His Holiness Pius X (June 3, 1905), the same privileges and indulgences granted to the Association of the Scapular of the Immaculate Conception (blue scapular) have been extended to the Association of the Holy Medal of the Immaculate Conception (Miraculous Medal).

Article 5

All the faithful of both sexes may become members of this Association and sharers in its privileges. The only condition is that they wear the medal suspended from the neck on the breast, when the medal has been blessed and imposed by a priest delegated to do so according to the rite approved by Leo XIII (April 19, 1895).

Article 6

The principal feast of the Association is November 27,—Feast of the Apparition of the Immaculate Virgin of the Miraculous Medal.

Article 7

The associates incur no new obligation. They are recommended to repeat frequently the invocation inscribed on the medal: "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

The Director General of the Association is the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and of the Daughters of Charity.

According to article 4 of the Statutes, the Indulgences and Privileges of the Association of the Scapular of the Immaculate Conception (blue scapular) have been extended to the Association of the Miraculous Medal by a Rescript of Our Holy Father, Pius X, June 3, 1905.

The following is a summary of these Indulgences and Privileges:

Plenary Indulgences

1. On the day of reception.

2. A member elevated to the priesthood on the day of his first Mass.

3. At the hour of death.

4. During exercises of retreat, once a year.

5. On the first Sunday of each month.

6. All the Saturdays of Lent.

7. On Passion Sunday and on following Friday.

8. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of Holy Week.

9. On the feast of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost.

10. On feast of Immaculate Conception, Nativity, Purification, Annunciation and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

11. On the principal Theatine feasts; St. Cajetan, August 7; Exaltation of the Holy Cross, September 14; St. Andrew Avelino, November 10; St. Joseph, March 19; Blessed Joseph Mary Thomas, March 24; Finding of the Holy Cross, May 3: Blessed Paul Buralis (Theatine), June 17; St. John the