On July 18, 1830, the eve of the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, whom she loved so much, and whose heart she had seen overflowing with love, St. Catherine prayed to him, so that her desire to see the Blessed Virgin be heard at last. At 11 p.m. that night she heard her name called. A mysterious child is at the foot of her bed and asks her to get up “The Blessed Virgin is waiting for you,” he said. St. Catherine dressed and followed the child radiating rays of light wherever he went.
Having arrived in the chapel, St. Catherine stopped near the chair, used by the priest in the sanctuary. She then heard a sound similar to the swish of a silk dress. “Look, here is the Blessed Virgin,” said her small guide. She showed reluctance to believe. But the child repeated in a stronger tone of voice. “Here is the Blessed Virgin.” Catherine hurried to the knees of the Blessed Virgin who was sitting on a chair. “I then bounded to the steps of the altar, knelt and let my hands rest on the knees of the Blessed Virgin. There I spent the most pleasant time of my life. It would be impossible for me to describe what I experienced. The Blessed Virgin told me how I should conduct myself with regard to my confessor and many other things.” Catherine received a mission, a request to have a Confraternity of the children of Mary established. Father Aladel would accomplish this request on February 2, 1840.