Dear Parishioners:
On Tuesday of this week we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This Feast celebrates the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette on February 11, 1858 in Lourdes, France. Today Lourdes is a pilgrimage site known for its miraculous healing of the sick and suffering.
On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later in 1858, a lady appeared to the young Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin.”
During the questioning of the young Bernadette, she gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” . She wore a white robe and veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot and a rosary was in her hand.
Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on February 11th became worldwide in 1907.
In the years after the apparitions, Bernadette devoted her own life to prayer and the care of the sick, as a Sister of Charity of Nevers. She was never very healthy herself and she died of tuberculosis while she was still quite young. It may seem surprising that Bernadette never took the opportunity to return to Lourdes seeking a cure for her illness. I think she realized that she had already been healed. Through her encounter with Mary the Mother of Jesus, her whole life had been changed.
She died in the Sainte Croix (Holy Cross) Infirmary of the Convent of Saint-Gildard at the age of 35 on April 16, 1879, while praying the holy rosary. Even on her deathbed Bernadette suffered severe pain. Her last words were, "Blessed Mary, Mother of God, pray for me. A poor sinner, a poor sinner." She was canonized a Saint of the Church in 1933. Saint Bernadette is the patroness of illness, people ridiculed for their piety, poverty, shepherds, shepherdesses, and Lourdes, France
There still may be people who doubt the apparitions of Lourdes. Perhaps the best that can be said to them are the words that introduce the 1943 film The Song of Bernadette: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.”
In 1993, St. Pope John Paul II instituted The World Day of the Sick. This day of prayer and remembrance of the sick is celebrated annually on February 11th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In his message for the 2020 World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis states: “Jesus’ words, ‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Mt 11:28) point to the mysterious path of grace that is revealed to the simple and gives new strength to those who are weary and tired. These words of Christ express the solidarity of the Son of Man with all those who are hurt and afflicted. How many people suffer in both body and soul! Jesus urges everyone to draw near to him and he promises them comfort and repose.”
Join us on Tuesday for Mass at 7:30am as we celebrate World Day of the Sick and turn to Our Lady of Lourdes for her powerful intercession on behalf of the sick and suffering. The beautiful statue of Our Lady of Lourdes that is in our candle room will be displayed and we will pray for the sick, ill, infirm and homebound of our parish. If you cannot make it to the Mass, please stop by Church on Tuesday to pray for the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes for the sick.
Remember it’s cold and flu season so please wash your hands and say your prayers because Jesus and germs are everywhere! Be well. Do Good! God Bless.