From Totus Tuus page today: "In January 1842, 27-year-old Alphonse Ratisbonne, a wealthy French Jewish banker and outspoken skeptic, arrived in Rome. He strongly opposed Catholicism, especially after his own brother converted and became a priest. Full of worldly ambitions and engaged to his niece, he was on a pleasure trip when he met Baron Théodore de Bussières, a fervent Catholic. To humor the Baron, Alphonse agreed to wear a Miraculous Medal and recite the Memorare prayer daily. What he didn’t know was that many devout souls, including a dying Count who offered his own life, were praying intensely for his conversion. On January 20, while waiting alone in the Church of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte, the church suddenly flooded with brilliant light. Alphonse saw a majestic vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary, exactly as she appears on the Miraculous Medal. Without speaking a word, her loving gesture invited him to kneel. In that instant, all his skepticism, pride, and hatred melted away. Grace overwhelmed him. When the Baron returned, he found Alphonse in tears, clutching the medal and repeating, “I saw her! I saw her!” Just eleven days later, on January 31, Alphonse was baptized in the Church of the Gesù, taking the name Marie-Alphonse. The Holy See officially declared the event a miracle. He gave up his fortune, broke his engagement, entered the priesthood, and co-founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion. He later moved to Jerusalem, where he built convents, schools, and orphanages to bring the Gospel to the Jewish people. A man who entered the church to mock the Faith left completely transformed. “God’s ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8). ------------ This powerful story reminds us that no heart is too hardened for Our Lady’s intercession. Have you ever witnessed a sudden, life-changing conversion?"
Yes, it's a wonderful story. I bought a video about the Miraculous Medal in the early 90s and it was included on thst. I also like the fact that Saint Maximilian Kolbe said his first Mass in the Church where this amazing conversion took place. If I ever get to Rome again, I'll try to visit the Church of Sant' Andrea della Frate.
