Pope Francis at La Colonna della Immacolata

Immaculate Virgin,

175 years ago, not far from here,

in the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte,

you touched the heart of Alphonse Ratisbonne, who at that moment,

from being an atheist and enemy of the Church,

became a Christian.You revealed yourself to him 

as a Mother of grace and mercy.

Grant that we too, especially in times of trial and temptation,

may fix our gaze on your open hands,

hands that allow the Lord's graces to fall upon the earth.

Help us to rid ourselves of all pride and arrogance,

and to recognize ourselves for what we really are:

small and poor sinners, but always your children.

- Prayer of P. Francis

'We want to thank you for the constant care ...'

Every year the Pope visits the La Colonna della Immacolata, this year Pope Francis followed tradition, with great devotion.  He stopped to lay a bouquet before the icon Salus populi Romani before the ceremony at Piazza di Spagna, and before returning to the Vatican, he visited Sant’Andrea delle Fratte.  I wish I could have been with him.  S. Andrea delle Fratte is a miraculous place - it was for me the very first church where I attended Mass when I first arrived in Rome, at the altar of the Immaculate Conception.  The Immaculate Conception ...

Visit to Basilica of Mary Major 

On his way to Piazza di Spagna this year, Pope Francis also stopped to visit the Basilica of St Mary Major where he laid a floral wreath below the icon of Salus Populi Romani, depicting Our Lady and the Christ Child. This is the same image the Pope always prays at both before and after his apostolic journeys abroad.

Alphonse Ratisbonne 

Before returning to the Vatican later in the afternoon, Pope Francis paid a private visit to the Rome Basilica of Sant’Andrea delle Fratte. 

It was here, 175 years ago, that a French Jew by the name of Alphonse Ratisbonne, experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary. At that moment, in the words of the Pope, “from being an atheist and enemy of the Church, he became a Christian”. 

Even more so, following his conversion, Alphonse became a Jesuit priest and missionary and ended up cofounding his own religious Congregation dedicated to Our Lady of Sion. - VR

So many years ago when I first entered the chapel at S. Andrea it was evening and just getting dark, the chapel was dark except for the image of the Immaculata - it was brightly lit.  So bright it seemed like a vision to me and I fell to my knees.  Then Mass began.  This was before I knew anything about Ratisbonne.

Pope Francis at Piazza di Spagna

The conversion of Ratisbonne.

It is a wonderful story, and is pretty much responsible for the great popularity of the Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception.

Alphonse Ratisbonne was the son and heir of a wealthy, aristocratic family of Jewish bankers in Strasbourg, France. When Alphonse was still a child his older brother, Theodor, converted to the Catholic faith and became a priest. The family reacted with hostility and horror. Alphonse resolved never to communicate again with his older brother, and developed a violent antipathy to the Catholic faith and to all things Catholic. Although Alphonse was entirely atheist in his beliefs, and non-practicing as a Jew, he felt a great love and loyalty for his fellow Jews, and devoted much of his effort and wealth to better their social condition. At the time of his conversion, Alphonse was 27 years old, and engaged to marry his uncle's beautiful daughter and to take his place as a partner in his uncle's bank. During his engagement Ratisbonne noticed a subtle change in his religious feelings; he wrote ... - finish reading here.

Conversion of Ratisbonne.