Lourdes

Having grown up going to Catholic school, I had fuzzy memories of the story of St. Bernadette told by animated cartoons. Something about Mary appearing to children, and a rosary, healing...or was that Fatima? Totally ignorant but joyfully enthusiastic nonetheless, I visited Lourdes at the start of a long summer pilgrimage. After only about an hour in that shrine, my eyes were moist as I turned to my friend Kelsey and said, "I think this must be a small piece of what heaven is like".

What was it about Lourdes that made me feel that way? Was it the way the weak were prioritized and honored as they were lead to the baths or in front of the processions? The continual masses and rosaries that could be heard at every hour and in every language? The natural beauty? Or perhaps the deep sense of peace, joy, and hope in the presence of our loving and compassionate mother? I had never really gotten to know our Holy Mother, but walking through the grotto where she appeared to a peasant girl nearly 150 years ago, the realness of what took place there cut through the fog of those children's cartoons from so long ago, which had been about equivalent to Greek myths in my mind.

It wasn't until I was in Lourdes that I finally got the story straight, but luckily, you can visit Lourdes prepared with a little knowledge.

The Story of Lourdes

On February 11th in 1858, Bernadette was a 14-year-old peasant girl from a faithful Catholic family in Lourdes, France. She, her friend, and her sister were collecting firewood near a grotto outside the town. Suddenly Bernadette noticed "a small young lady" standing in a niche in the grotto. Her sister and friend said they saw nothing, however, so Bernadette asked that they tell no one about it. However, her sister was unable to keep the secret from their mother, who believed both girls were lying and forbade Bernadette to return to the grotto. However, on February 14th, Bernadette convinced her mother to let her go back. There, she saw the lady for the second time, and threw holy water on her in case she was an evil spirit. The lady only smiled and bowed her head.

Bernadette continued to visit the grotto and see the lady amidst scoffing from the townspeople, discouragement and interrogations from the local priest, accusations of insanity, and beatings from her parents. The lady finally spoke in the third appearance, in which she very politely asked Bernadette to return for 15 days. Each time, more and more people accompanied the girl to witness her interactions with her vision.

During the 9th appearance, on the 25th of February, the lady asked Bernadette to drink from the spring. Seeing no spring, Bernadetter turned to drink from the river behind her, but the lady told her to search for it under a rock she was pointing to. There was only a little muddy puddle, so Bernadette began to dig with her hands. Slowly the water became clear and Bernadette was able to drink it. Reportedly, the next day, the spring began to flow, and this is the famous healing Lourdes water that people come to drink and bathe in from all over. The lady also asked Bernadette to eat grass by the spring.

During the 13th appearance on the 2nd of March, the lady asked Bernadette to tell the priests to build a chapel in that spot. Being understandably skeptical of visions, they told her they would only consider the matter if the lady would tell Bernadette her name. When Bernadette asked, the lady would only smile, until the 16th apparition. At this time, Bernadette said, "She stopped smiling. With her arms down, she raised her eyes to heaven and then, folding her hands over her breast she said, 'I am the Immaculate Conception.'" Amazingly, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception had been defined only four years previous, and there was very little chance that an uneducated girl like Bernadette would have known of it.

The lady appeared a total of 18 times, and after four years of investigation, the Catholic Church declared that the lady was the Virgin Mary and allowed pilgrimages and devotions to her.

Do the waters actually heal people?

There have been 69 verified miracles, or healings that occurred after a visit to the baths that cannot be explained by scientists. You can read a lot about how miracles are verified here.

Does the Church require believers to believe in the apparitions at Lourdes?

Nope! It's a matter of personal devotion, and the general rule is, if it helps you in your faith, keep a devotion; if it doesn't, don't worry.

So where is Lourdes?

In the south of France, almost on the border with Spain.

And we're going there?

Yes; we will be having our orientation in Nay July 4-8, which is in the countryside near the town of Lourdes. We even get to do a walking pilgrimage from there to the grotto!

So there is your Lourdes briefing! Learn your Hail Mary in French (they reallyyyy like rosaries there) and ask our Mother to pray that the Lord prepare your heart to meet her there!