The Pews Now Point to the Left

Short Summary: Alphonse Ratisbonne, initially opposed to the Church, had a miraculous conversion after a vision of the Virgin Mary, leading to his baptism and eventual ordination as a Jesuit priest.

Details

Location: Rome, Italy

Year: 1842

Prayer: The "Miraculous Medal" was revealed to St. Catherine in a vision. Later she would refer to that night as “the sweetest moment of my life.” She was shown the following prayer (which is inscribed on the medal): O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Verse: Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. -Rom 8:26-27

Full Story

Alphonse Ratisbonne was born into a wealthy Jewish family. When he was young, his older brother Theodor converted and became a Catholic priest. Out of resentment, he developed a hatred for the Church. During a visit to Rome, Ratisbonne encountered another Catholic convert (interestingly also named Theodore), whom he befriended during conversations on travel advice. This new friend, a baron, was overly zealous in his attempt to also convert Ratisbonne into the faith. The baron gave him a dare, to repeat every morning the Memorare prayer to the Virgin Mary, and to wear a medal with her image (known as the Miraculous Medal). He eventually consented, saying, "If it does me no good, at least it will do me no harm." In secret, the baron also recruited other friends to pray for Ratisbonne's conversion. This included the seriously ill Count Laferronays, who subsequently died while praying for this intention. The baron was on his way to make the funeral arrangements when he ran into Ratisbonne. He invited him into the great Basilica of St. Andrea delle Fratte while he attended to matters. Suddenly, Ratisbonne witnessed a blinding light, and fell to his knees at the sight of an incredibly beautiful lady. As he described, "In the presence of the Most Blessed Virgin, even though she did not speak a word to me, I understood the frightful situation I was in, my sins and the beauty of the Catholic faith.” After a period of intense sobbing, he asked the baron if he could go to confession, and become baptized as soon as possible. His wish was granted 11 days later. Being in the heart of Rome, the Vatican performed a four-month investigation into the event. Based on his intense conversion and the surrounding testimonies, the situation was declared miraculous. Alphonse Ratisbonne was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1947. To this day, the pews in the Basilica face to the left, towards the location where the apparition occurred.

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