On this special occasion, the National Advisor of the Association of the Miraculous Medal, Fr. Rok Žlender CM, celebrated a solemn Holy Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Tabor, Ljubljana. During the Mass, gratitude was offered to God for all the graces received through the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin.
In his homily, Fr. Rok emphasized the importance of trust in Mary’s intercession and encouraged the members to continue spreading the mission of the Association through prayer and the distribution of the Miraculous Medal. A lot has happened over these 25 years. Many Miraculous Medals have been distributed, the well-known invocation “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!” has been repeated countless times, many prayers have been offered to the Immaculate, and many of them have been answered through her intercession before our Lord.
The Association has deep roots – it originates from the apparitions of the Virgin Mary to St. Catherine Labouré in Paris in 1830, during which Mary instructed her to have a medal made bearing her image. This medal became known as the Miraculous Medal, as many people reported graces and healings after wearing it.
The universal Catholic Church officially recognized the Association in 1909. In Slovenia, it existed until World War II, after which its activity ceased. It was revived in the Jubilee Year 2000 thanks to the dedicated efforts of Fr. Franc Rataj CM and Sr. Rozalija Laznik DC. Today, the Association connects around 2,300 members around the country who gather in prayer groups, participate in annual meetings, regularly pray the Perpetual Novena in honor of the Immaculate Virgin, and spread her message by sharing medals.
In addition to spiritual connection, the Association also enables participation in apostolic activities, pilgrimages (such as the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes in August), and communal prayers via the internet. The main message of the 25th anniversary was a call to continue, with trust and dedication, spreading Mary’s message and supporting one another in the journey of faith. Fr. Rok expressed his gratitude to the members of the National Council of the Association: in addition to Sr. Rozalija Laznik, these include Zdenko Petrovič (President), Barbara Brajer, Alojzija Urigel, Slavka Janša and Emina Mulalić.
The jubilee celebration also featured a reflection by Dr. Andrej Lažeta, a priest and renowned expert on the Church’s teaching about the Immaculate Virgin. In his address, he offered a deep theological presentation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and explained how to understand it in contemporary times. If we want Mary to be active in our lives, he said, we must once again give her a place of honor – in our hearts, in our homes and in our daily walk with Christ.
When we reflect on the Immaculate Virgin, we cannot avoid the question of what her Immaculateness truly means. It does not refer to her virgin birth of Jesus, but to the fact that she was preserved from original sin from the very moment of her conception. Mary was, from the first instant of her existence, completely pure and full of grace – not by her own merit, but by God’s will and in view of the merits of Jesus’ redemption. This truth was affirmed by the Church throughout the centuries and was solemnly declared as a dogma in December 1854. The Immaculate Virgin is not only a model of perfection but also a helper on the journey of Christian life – not just an ideal, but also a living support whom we can call upon and trust. Dr. Lažeta especially highlighted Mary’s role in the plan of salvation and the importance of her example for believers. He encouraged those present to internalize Mary’s humility and faith in their daily lives.
A joyful gathering with refreshments followed the spiritual celebration. On display was a precious banner in honor of the Immaculate Virgin with the Miraculous Medal from 1935, bearing witness to the long history of Marian devotion in Slovenia. A commemorative holy card was also issued for the occasion. These external signs are reminders that devotion to the Immaculate has deep roots in our homeland and that a new generation of members is continuing this rich heritage with the same zeal.
Text and photos: Tatjana Bogdan Sečnik