The True Tale of an Ardent Atheist, a Demonic Dog and the Miraculous Medal

Alphonse Ratisbonne's vision of Mary

In 1842, a deeply anti-Catholic atheist named Alphonse Ratisbonne was given a Miraculous Medal in Rome by a friend who challenged him to wear it and say the Memorare prayer. Little did the 28 year old man know that his life was about to be forever changed.

Alphonse grew up wealthy in a nominally (non-practicing) Jewish home. He became a banker and had no time for religious nonsense or supernatural fairy tales. Above all he had little patience for people of faith especially those Catholics. You see his own brother, Theodore became one of them. Even worse, he became a priest! Alphonse seethed with resentment towards his brother for what he considered a deep betrayal. 

He explained in his own words, “When my brother became a Catholic, and a priest, I persecuted him with a more unrelenting fury than any other member of my family. We were completely sundered; I hated him with a virulent hatred, though he had fully pardoned me.”

Alphonse remained a person of the world drinking in all of its false delights. But his heart grew restless. He became dissatisfied with the possessions, the pleasure and the extravagance. He decided to settle down and was betrothed to his niece who was 12 years younger than him. Because of her young age the wedding was postponed.

During this time of waiting Alphonse decided to travel to cure his boredom. While traveling rather aimlessly from Naples to Malta he took the wrong boat and found himself in Rome, It was there in that holy place where all roads lead that unbeknownst to him God’s plan for his life would be determined through a series of fateful steps.

While in Rome he mysteriously crossed paths with an old friend. This chance encounter with Gustave led to another fateful meeting at the same house with a man named Baron Theodore de Bussieres. As it happens Theodore, a recent convert to Catholicism and very fervent in his new found faith, knew Ratisbonne’s priest-brother.

Alphonse appreciated the Baron's wit and came to see that they were intellectually equal. They both enjoyed deep philosophical discussions. In quick order, they reached the topic of Catholicism. The discussion became a heated debate. The debate led to a wager.

Theodore challenged Alphonse: “Have you the courage to submit yourself to a very simple and innocent test? Only to wear a little something I will give you; look, it is a medal of the Blessed Virgin. It seems very ridiculous, does it not? But, I assure you, I attach great value and efficacy to this little medal. [Also] you must say every night and morning the Memorare, a very short and very efficacious prayer which to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Alphonse laughed out loud not even trying to hide his urge toward mockery. He was so sure that nothing would happen that he happily accepted the challenge.

A few weeks later, after his daily recitation of the prayer and the medal still around his neck he traveled into the city. While in the heart of Rome with Theodore exploring the many Catholic churches and sites he entered the Church of Saint Andrea. As the baron met with the monks in the office to plan a funeral,  Alphonse felt called to enter the church alone and began to explore. 

Alphonse recalled, “The Church of St Andrea seemed to me small, poor and forgotten. I felt as though I were alone in it. There were no works of art to draw my attention. I walked about aimlessly without seeing anything to arouse a thought. I can recall only that a black dog sprang into my path bounding to fro and impeding my progress but soon he was gone then the church itself seemed to disappear and I saw nothing at all all or should I say that I saw one thing alone. How can I speak of this human words cannot even try to convey what is beyond expression…” 

Alphonse Ratisbonne had a vision of the Virgin Mary appearing in the exact way she is depicted on the medal, leading to an immediate conversion. He revealed later that he was given instantaneous knowledge about the Catholic Faith especially the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Not only did he know it was true but it all made sense to him. 

He left the church in tears, clutching his Miraculous Medal and repeatedly put it to his lips to kiss the image of his newly found mother.  

The strange vision of the angry black dog, baring its fangs and impeding his path could be thought of as a spiritual battle between the devil and Our Lady over the soul of Alphonse. The dog was trying to get Alphonse to run away in fear and remain an atheist. Alphonse froze but was given a burst of courage and the coming apparition of Mary caused the demonic dog to simply vanish. The demons flee in terror at the presence of Mary. 

Several days later the Jewish banker was received into the Catholic Church with Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. After returning to Paris his still atheist and worldly niece was shocked and rejected him and his new religion. Ratisbonne took the name Marie-Alphonse in honor of Mary and then entered the Jesuits and was ordained a priest. He went on to found a separate religious order, The Congregation of Our Lady of Sion, dedicated to evangelization of his fellow Jews.  He said, “I recognized that the will of God in my Conversion and in my vocation to the priesthood obviously destined me to work for the salvation of Israel”.  He lived out the rest of his life in the Holy Land with his fellow Catholics determined to spread the love of Jesus to his fellow Jews.