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 that. 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.
From Totus Tuus page: "Tim Staples was once a fiery Protestant minister — raised Southern Baptist, “saved” at age 10, and later became a Youth Minister in the Assemblies of God while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. He admired preachers like Billy Graham and was strongly anti-Catholic. Determined to destroy Catholic arguments, Tim began an intense study of the Bible, Church history, and Catholic teachings after a fellow Marine challenged him. He attended Jimmy Swaggart Bible College fully expecting to prove Catholicism wrong. But something unexpected happened. The more he studied, the more he discovered the biblical and historical truth of the Catholic Faith. In 1988, during the Marian Year declared by Pope St. John Paul II, Tim Staples was received into the Catholic Church. He later attributed his conversion in large part to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today, Tim is one of the most respected Catholic apologists in the world, serving as Director of Apologetics and Evangelization at Catholic Answers. He now uses the same passion and biblical knowledge he once used against the Church to defend her with clarity and charity. A powerful reminder that when we sincerely seek the truth with an open heart, God leads us home. Have you ever had your beliefs challenged in a way that ultimately brought you closer to God? Or do you know someone whose conversion story inspired you?"
I listen to many, many personal stories of conversion these days ,especially from Protestant Pastors. They are wonderful to listen to. But one thing is often lacking in these accounts is the working of grace in their souls. True there is an intellectual component in all this. But at bottom it is a work of grace. People are being converted because grace is extended to them. The reason why grace is being extended is that other people are praying and making sacrifice for them. This does not always come across in the personal accounts.
