a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

In 1647, in Saint-Etienne, France—located at the foot of the Alps in the vale of Laus, a young peasant girl was born into poverty. Benoite Rencurel, a humble girl chosen as a visionary and pupil to Our Blessed Mother-- Our Lady of Laus-- grew up in a small town that was nestled in the green valleys of Dauphine. While the family was poor, they were rich in spirit, and Benoite’s mother taught her to pray the Rosary at a young age—an activity which she undertook faithfully every day. When Benoite was approximately seven years old, her father died, which forced Benoite to leave school and take two jobs shepherding the sheep of nearby farmers to help her mother pay the household bills. It was in the fields, with her sheep, that Benoite would meet the Mother of God and undertake her holy mission.
In May of 1664, when Benoite was seventeen, she was praying the Rosary in the fields when Saint Maurice appeared to her, in the guise of an old and venerable man. He directed her to move her flocks to another pasture, further up the mountain, toward the town of Laus, saying "Go to the valley above Saint-Étienne. That is where you will see the Mother of God." Benoite answered, "But Sir, She is in Heaven. How can I see Her there?" Saint Maurice assured her, "Yes, She is in Heaven, and on earth too when She wants." The following morning, Benoite hurried to the area he described, and upon reaching it, discovered a small grotto. There, she was graced by the appearance of a radiantly beautiful lady leading a child by the hand. Benoite, despite having been told by Saint Maurice that it was Our Blessed Mother, did not realize who she was. Instead, she was content-- overjoyed—to sit in her presence. By the reports of her family and neighbors, Benoite’s face changed overnight, overcome with serenity and grace, which she freely distributed to others with a cheerful humility and simplicity.

The Blessed Virgin continued to appear to Benoite for approximately 4 months without revealing her name or speaking. In her own time, when Benoite was ready for his mission, Our Holy Mother began to teach her, preparing her for her mission. She instructed Benoite on how to say the Litany of Loreto, encouraging her to teach it to her friends and recite it nightly in the town chapel. She also revealed to Benoite that she had been given a powerful gift by the Lord, that of exhortation—Benoite was given the charism of reading hearts. This gift, however, was accompanied by the heavy burden of correcting souls and disclosing the sad condition of souls to those who possessed them.

Now, word of the apparitions had begun to spread, and following the witness of Benoite’s employer who had converted after overhearing the conversation of the Blessed Virgin and Benoite, local church authorities intervened. They instructed Benoite—an unschooled, uncultured shepherdess—to inquire as to the identity of the beautiful lady. Benoite begrudgingly did as she was instructed, asking Mary at her next visit, "My good Lady, I and all the people in this place are hard put to know who You are. Might You not be the Mother of our good God? Please be so kind as to tell me, and we will build a chapel here to honor You." Our Blessed Mother replied with a gentle smile that there was no need to build anything on that site as she had chosen a more pleasant spot. Then she added, "I am Mary, the Mother of Jesus. You will not see me here any more, nor for some time." After a month’s time, during which Benoite fell ill due to her sorrow of separation from the Blessed Mother, she again was graced with an appearance. Mary, Mother of God, informed her: "From now on, you will see Me only in the chapel that is in Laus," and she showed her the path that went up and over the hill toward Laus-- a small village that Benoite had heard about but never visited.

In the village of Laus, a small chapel—little more than a hut with a straw roof—had been built by the farmers, for those occasions in which they couldn’t make the journey to church. It was in this tiny chapel—a new stable of Bethlehem—that Benoite found the Blessed Virgin, surrounded by a most intoxicating and beautiful heavenly scent. The Blessed Mother instructed Benoite, “Soon nothing will be lacking here-----neither vestments nor altar linens nor candles. I want a large church built on this spot, along with a building for a few resident priests. The church will be built in honor of my dear Son and Myself. Here many sinners will be converted. I will appear to you often here."

But Benoite was troubled. She had already been questioned by church authorities, who did not believe her account of the visions, and despite her limited education, knew that this request would not be met eagerly. "Build a church?" she exclaimed. "There's no money for that here!"

"Do not worry,” Mary gently answered. “When the time comes to build, you will find all you need, and it will not be long. The pennies of the poor will provide for everything. Nothing will be lacking." And so it was to be. During the long winter of 1664, Benoite made the four kilometer trek to the little chapel, wrapped in little more than a wool shawl. During this time, Our Blessed Mother encouraged her to give up her shepherding job to focus more fully on her mission. She also stated, consistent with all of Our Heavenly Mother’s appearances, “Pray continuously for sinners.”

In 1665, the Blessed Virgin told Benoite, “I asked My Son for Laus for the conversion of sinners, and He has granted it to Me." While church authorities allowed the celebration of Mass in the tiny chapel, they made no definitive pronouncement regarding the veracity of the apparitions.

Following a visit by the Vicar General, during which he threatened to close the chapel, and demanded a miracle, a local woman who had been crippled since birth was miraculously healed. Based upon this miracle, the Vicar General assigned permanent priests and authorized construction of the church, declaring, "There is something extraordinary occurring in that chapel. Yes, the hand of God is there!" Over the next four years, a large church was miraculously built, mostly by volunteers. All who worked on the building reported being surrounded by the ‘scent of heaven’—sometimes so powerful that it would spill from the building and envelop the surrounding countryside. It was the perfume of the holy. At that time, Benoite took the veil as a Dominican Tertiary, known thereafter as Sister Benoite.

As for the sweet perfume of heaven, Sister Benoite breathed in these fragrances from their source. The manuscripts of Laus report, "Every time the Blessed Virgin honored her with Her visit, people smelled a heavenly fragrance that pervaded the entire church. Sometimes the shepherd girl's clothing was deeply permeated with the heavenly scent for up to eight days; these supernatural fragrances were so sweet and delightful that they lifted up the soul and surpassed all other fragrances on earth." Whenever Benoite returned from being with her good Mother, her face would seem to be ablaze, like that of Moses coming down from Sinai; she would kneel, recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, and then for the rest of the day she would be unable to eat.

In 1665, the Blessed Virgin instructed Sister Benoite that those pilgrims traveling to the church in hopes of healing need only to apply some oil from the sanctuary lamp to their affected limbs and be cured. A great number of miraculous physical and mental cures were recorded, and continue to be today.

For fifty-four years, the Blessed Virgin continued to appear to Benoite in the church at Laus, at least once each month. For her part, Benoite continued to spend each day in prayer, suffering, and exhortation. She, according to the mission given to her by her Holy Mother, kept watch over the priests, encouraging them in their confessions, exhorting their sins when necessary, and praying for the conversion of sinners. Benoite stated that she could see the state of a person’s soul “all at once” like “looking in a mirror.” She would lead those not in a state of grace away from the alter rail at Holy Eucharist, gently encouraging their conversion and purification. All of this was done with profound humility, stating, "The Mother of God commands me to do it in such a mild manner that I don't believe She absolutely wants it. And when I fail, my good Mother corrects me without getting angry. So because of the shame I feel on admonishing others, I often wait for a second command, and then I obey."

Sister Benoite prayed before the Crucifix every day. Kneeling down, she would gaze at our Savior on His Cross, and her heart would melt with love and compassion at the thought of all He has done for the salvation of men. To reward her, she witnessed Him crucified, bleeding and in agony, with the wounds in His hands, feet and side, and red gashes from the scourging covering His Body. The Crucifix, itself, bled.

Overcome with sadness, Benoite exclaimed, "Oh, my Jesus, if You remain like this another instant, I will die!" The sight of His sufferings caused her such great distress that one day her Guardian Angel came to assure her, saying, "Do not be troubled, my Sister. Although our Divine Master has appeared to you in this condition, He is not suffering anything; it is solely to show you what He suffered out of love for the human race."

After that, Christ Himself spoke to Benoite, stating, "My daughter, I am showing Myself to you in this condition so that you may participate in the sorrows of My Passion." For fifteen years, every week, she experienced the pain and wounds of a mystical crucifixion after that moment until her ecstasies attracted so much attention she prayed they stop, saying, “"May my sufferings be even more cruel if such is God's good pleasure, but let them be less visible!" The Blessed Virgin appeared to her and said, "You will no longer have the Friday sufferings, but you will have many others."

Throughout her life, Benoite followed the instructions of the Blessed Virgin without exception. She was persecuted and criticized first by men, and later tormented by demons and the Devil. Throughout all, she clung to her Good Mother, stating, "I would rather die a thousand times forsaken by Mary, than forsake Her for a single moment!" Before her death, her guardian angel, who appeared throughout her life to pray with her and open the door to the church for her, stated, “The Laus devotion is the work of God which neither man nor the devil can destroy. It will continue until the end of the world, flourishing more and more and bearing great fruit everywhere."

Sister Benoite, having predicted the time of her death, passed away peacefully on December 28, 1718, dying in the odor of sanctity. She was declared Venerable in 1871 and beatified in 1984. During exhumation of her body, her skeleton was found to be miraculously preserved, and her habit like new. It is said that a workman inadvertently dropped a stone on her skeleton, which miraculously bled.

As with other moments in history when Our Blessed Mother has graced humanity with a message, she picked the most humble and lowly of servants to deliver that message and undertake her mission on earth. Through the guidance and tireless obedience of Sister Benoite, a grand basilica has been built in Laus, and countless sinners called to Christ. The Blessed Mother’s constant guidance and instruction of Benoite—the most uneducated of servants—reminds us that Mary is never far from us, praying for us and interceding for us. She encourages the Church in times of difficulty, and lights the way in times of darkness. She is our maternal caregiver throughout our lives. We are reminded that as a people we are never alone, guided by Our Heavenly Father, Our Blessed Mother, Our Savior, and the Holy Spirit.

The Blessed Mother again encourages us to hold to our faith, find joy in our suffering in this world (for our reward will be greater in the next), and to pray for sinners.



Queen of Laus, kind and loving Mother, hear our pious pleas. Your son always hears your prayers, and you always hear your children.

O pure Virgin, ceaselessly watch over our hearts from heaven. Let no dirt tarnish the heavenly whiteness.

Be our support in virtue, all-powerful Virgin, and guide our feeble steps. If we fall, Compassionate Mother, kindly embrace us in your arms.

Give us shelter under your wings when the storms burst with fury, spare us from cruel agony, and may the sinner repent with true remorse.

Leave us not at our last hour, but let us sleep in peace at your maternal breast. And once awakening, drawing back the veil, we will see you in the splendor of heaven.

Our Lady of Laus, Refuge of sinners, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Amen.

Today, April 29, we celebrate the feast day of a truly holy woman, Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), virgin, mystic, and Doctor of the Church. A individual must fulfill three requirements to be deemed a Doctor of the Church: 1) holiness that is truly outstanding, even among saints; 2) depth of doctrinal insight; and 3) an extensive body of writings which the church can recommend as an expression of the authentic and life-giving Catholic Tradition. The life of Saint Catherine of Siena easily meets these criteria.


Saint Catherine was born the 23rd child of a poor wool dyer in Northern Italy. She was marked by the sign of holiness from a young age, clearly experiencing visions by the age of six in which she saw both her neighbors and their guardian angels simultaneously. That same year, at age 6, she was observed to fall into a religious ecstasy while reporting a vision of Christ, dressed as the pope, and the apostles. In her vision, Christ blessed her, anointing her with her earthly mission. As she aged, her intelligence and beauty grew, along with her piety. As she approached marrying age, her mother encouraged her to look for a spouse, but Catherine instead cut off her hair (to make herself less attractive) and committed herself to a life of prayer and meditation, consecrated a virgin bride of Christ. While her mother was distraught, her father encouraged her, setting aside a room of the family’s small home for Catherine to use in pursuit of her spiritual endeavors.

At age sixteen, Catherine took the habit of the Dominican Tertiaries (Third Order of Saint Dominic), where she continued to have ecstatic visions of Christ, Our Blessed Mother, and the saints. During these visions, she engaged in familiar conversations with Christ over three years, and underwent the mystical experience of “mystical espousal” to Christ.

Despite her lack of formal education, the writings of Saint Catherine are regarded as treasures of the Church, and her mind one of the most brilliant theological minds throughout the ages. She was a prolific writer, the most famous of her works being The Dialogue, which she dictated while experiencing her ecstatic visions and conversations with Christ. In this work, she expounds on the mysteries of the Church, the Creed, the sinfulness of man, and the divine mercy of the Lord.

Saint Catherine experienced visions of both heaven and hell while on earth. She worked tirelessly, through letters (over 400!) and counsel to church and world leaders—including Pope Gregory XI and various kings and queens of the time. Her goal was church reform, inspired by her visions of Christ, and her call to public service. Saint Catherine devoted her free time to the poor and ill, and the conversion of sinners. Five years prior to her death, Catherine was graced with the stigmata, although she kept this a secret due to her humility. Saint Catherine is said to have eaten very little during her life, with the exception of Holy Eucharist each day. She bore continuous stomach ailment and discomfort without complaint, uniting her suffering to that of Christ. Saint Catherine engaged in severe forms of mortification, wearing a metal shirt which cut into her hips, beating herself with a chain for her own sins (and those of others), sleeping on a wooden bench, and oftentimes refusing to speak. For Catherine, the greater her suffering, the greater the triumph of heaven!

During her lifetime, the Church experienced great turmoil, which Catherine sought to reconcile. She offered herself and her life as a victim for the Church in it’s agony. Saint Catherine died when she was only 33, and upon exhumation of her body over 100 years later, was found to be incorrupt. Her head and thumb, miraculously smuggled out of Rome during time of persecution (upon examination by guards, the bag in which her head was hidden was observed to be filled with rose petals, but upon moving past the guards, the roses disappeared and the holy face of Saint Catherine returned), were returned to Siena, where they remain incorrupt in the Basilica of San Domenico. Numerous miracles have been recorded through her intercession.

The life and inspiration of Saint Catherine of Siena can best be found in her words, preserved in over 400 letters written in her hand, numerous prayers, as well as in The Dialogue. Selected quotations are presented below. The words of Saint Catherine remind us of our faith, of our weakness and sinfulness, and of the unending love and mercy of the Lord. In her words, everything we do should begin in love—love for our neighbors, love for our Lord, love for ourselves. The Lord does nothing without love in mind, and Saint Catherine reminds us that neither should we!




Selected Writings of Saint Catherine of Siena

“So take a lesson from the true father and shepherd. For you see that now is the time to give your life for the little sheep who have left the flock. You must seek and win them back by using patience and war–by war I mean by raising the standard of the sweet blazing cross and setting out against the unbelievers. so you must sleep no longer, but wake up and raise that standard courageously. I am confident that by God’s measureless goodness you will win back the unbelievers and [at the same time] correct the wrongdoing of Christians, because everyone will come running to the fragrance of the cross, even those who have rebelled against you most.”

“No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue nor merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."

"If not for my sins, the world would be a better place."

“You know that the devil is not cast out by the devil, but by virtue.”

"There is no perfect virtue-none that bears fruit- unless it is exercised by means of our neighbor."

“Charity is the sweet and holy bond which links the soul with its Creator: it binds God with man and man with God.”

“Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love.”

“Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.”

“And let the truth be your delight; let it always be in your mouth, and proclaim it when it is needed. Proclaim it lovingly and to everyone, especially those whom you love with a special love---but with a certain congeniality, putting the shortcomings of the other person on your own shoulders. If in the past you haven't done it as sensitively as you should, let's do better in the future.”

“I long to see you a productive tree planted in fertile soil and laden with sweet mellow fruit. For a tree uprooted from the soil (I mean the soil of true self-knowledge) would dry up and bear no fruit.”

“We lack nothing but virtue and hunger for the salvation of souls---but there is a remedy for this, father: that we do away with loving ourselves or anyone or anything else apart from God. Let us concentrate no longer on friends or relatives or on our own material needs, but only on virtue and the promotion of spiritual matters. For the only reason you are wanting for material things is your abandonment of concern for the spiritual.”

“Learn from the Master of truth, who preached virtue only after he had practiced it.... To this wonderful school, then, my children!... Open your ears, I tell you, to hear his teaching --- and it is this: voluntary poverty; patience in the face of injury; returning good to those who do us evil; being little, humble, oppressed and forsaken in the world; with ridicule, torment, wrongs, insults, detraction, gossip, difficulties, and harassment from the world.... No more indifference, then! No more sleeping in unawareness! No, with bold and blazing heart stretch your sweet loving desires to go and give honor to God and your best efforts to your neighbors, never losing sight of your objective, Christ crucified.”

"Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity- the fire of love of God and neighbor- it will work wonders."

"Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind."

"Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."

"Strange that so much suffering is caused because of the misunderstandings of God's true nature. God's heart is more gentle than the Virgin's first kiss upon the Christ. And God's forgiveness to all, to any thought or act, is more certain than our own being."

“When then, eternal Father, did you create this creature of yours?…You show me that you made us for one reason only: in your light you saw yourself compelled by the fire of your love to give us being in spite of the evil we would commit against you, eternal Father. It was fire, then, that compelled you. Oh, unutterable love, even though you saw all the evils your creatures would commit against your infinite goodness, you acted as if you did not see and set your eye on the beauty of your creature, with whom you had fallen in love like one drunk and crazy with love…You are the fire, nothing but a fire of love, crazy over what you have made.”

“My Lord, turn the eye of your mercy on your people and on your mystic body, holy Church. How much greater would be your glory if you would pardon so many and give them the light of knowledge! For then they would surely all praise you, when they see that your infinite goodness has saved them from deadly sin and eternal damnation. How much greater this than to have praise only from my wretched self....


So I beg you, divine eternal love, to take your revenge on me, and be merciful to your people. I will not leave your presence till I see that you have been merciful to them.”


Prayers Composed by Saint Catherine of Siena

Holy Spirit, come into my heart, by your power I journey to You, God, and grant me charity with fear. Protect me, o Christ, from every evil thought, warm me with Your sweet love, so that each burden seems light to me. My holy Father and my sweet Lord, help me always in all my endeavors, Christ love, Christ love. Amen.

Precious Blood,
Ocean of Divine Mercy:
Flow upon us!
Precious Blood,
Most pure Offering:
Procure us every Grace!
Precious Blood,
Hope and Refuge of sinners:
Atone for us!
Precious Blood,
Delight of holy souls:
Draw us! Amen.

We continue our re-publishing of previous posts chronicling the miraculous unfolding of events that took place at Lourdes in 1858. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!



On March 4, 1858, Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette for the fifteenth time, marking the end of the original promise Bernadette made to return to the grotto every day for a fortnight. Throughout the first fifteen visitations, the Blessed Virgin brought a message of prayer, penance, poverty, and participation to all people, through the most unlikely of messengers, Bernadette Soubirous. Through these posts, we continue our journey with Saint Bernadette as we encounter Our Blessed Mother through her eyes, memories, and words. The first fourteen visitations occurred in February and March 1858 (February 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, and March 1, 2, and 3). Our Lady of Lourdes implored us all, saying, “Penance, Penance, Penance. Pray to God for sinners.” Our Blessed Mother further invited Bernadette to drink and bathe in the muddy water of the grotto, after which a clear flowing spring came forth where none had existed before. Our Lady of Lourdes commanded, “Go drink in the spring and wash yourself there,” something that faithful pilgrims continue to do each day. (For personal reflections on my experience at Lourdes, see here, here, and here).


Bernadette’s local priest, Father Payramale, had instructed Bernadette to inquire as to the name of the lady appearing to her in the grotto. He had grown impatient with Bernadette’s tale of the visitations, especially after she recounted that aquero had requested that the people come to the grotto in procession, and that a small chapel be built. Upon request, the beautiful lady smiled at Bernadette, but did not reveal her name. Father Payramale insisted that a miracle be performed to authenticate the visions, specifically that the lady make a wild rosebush bloom in the midst of winter.

Bernadette returned to the grotto on March 4, the last day of the fortnight she had promised to aquero, and was surprised to find a crowd of 7,000 people waiting to see what would happen. As she knelt in the grotto praying her Rosary, lit blessed candle burning in her hand, the Blessed Mother appeared. Bernadette finished her Rosary, kissed the ground as penance for sinner, drank and washed in the spring, and only then dared asked the beautiful lady for her name. Again, the Blessed Mother simply smiled in return, a lovely, peaceful smile. Bernadette requested that the rosebush be made to bloom, receiving a similar smile. And then the lady disappeared, without a miracle, without a great sign, without the proof requested by Father Payramale.

Bernadette left the grotto, returning home. The crowd dispersed as well, disappointed and angry that there had been no confirmation of the apparitions. And by all accounts, life returned somewhat to normal for the now-14 year old Bernadette. Having fulfilled her promise to aquero, she reported not feeling the urge and longing to return to the grotto. Instead, she focused her attention on preparing for her First Communion, struggling to learn the Catechism. Father Payramale, believing that her childish foolishness was behind her, gratefully instructed her.

It would not be until the 25th of March, on the feast of the Annunciation, that Bernadette would be drawn back to the grotto. On that day, Our Blessed Mother revealed her true identity to Bernadette, removing any doubt of the miraculous occurrences at Lourdes.



With you, Bernadette

With you, Bernadette, we will go to our rendez-vous at Massabielle to contemplate Mary “full of grace,” and to hear her say to us, “Do what He tell you!”
With you, Bernadette, we will reply, “I promise to do so.”


With you, Bernadette, we wish to hear again the call to penance, take the road to conversion, and live in evangelical poverty.
With you, Bernadette, we wish to live in humility.
Saint Bernadette, teach us the way of penance.


With you, Bernadette, “crushed like a grain of wheat” we will take up our cross.
We unite our hearts to Jesus’ Passion as we say, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, poor sinners.”
Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Saint Bernadette, pray for us!

(Father Michel Baute, Chaplin, Our Lady of Lourdes)

We continue our re-publishing of previous posts chronicling the miraculous unfolding of events that took place at Lourdes in 1858. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!



March 3 marks the anniversary of the fourteenth apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes to Bernadette Soubirous. In 1858, Our Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette at the grotto in Lourdes eighteen times, each time bringing a message of prayer, penance, poverty, and participation. Through these posts, we continue our journey with Saint Bernadette as we encounter Our Blessed Mother through her eyes, memories, and words. The first thirteen visitations occurred in February and March 1858 (February 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, and March 1 and 2). The Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes, communicated the message of Lourdes to all mankind, through Saint Bernadette. She implored us, saying, “Penance, Penance, Penance. Pray to God for sinners.” Our Blessed Mother further invited Bernadette to drink and bathe in the muddy water of the grotto, after which a clear flowing spring came forth where none had existed before. Our Lady of Lourdes commanded, “Go drink in the spring and wash yourself there,” something that faithful pilgrims continue to do each day. (For personal reflections on my experience at Lourdes, see here, here, and here).


Following the thirteenth apparition, during which the Blessed Virgin requested that the people come to the grotto at Massabielle in a procession, as well as a small chapel be built, Bernadette had bravely approached her local priest, Father Peyramale, and conveyed the request. He had not believed her tale, and had insisted that she ask the beautiful lady, when next she appeared, what her name was. Bernadette had agreed to this task, and returned to the grotto on the morning of March 3, 1858. As was now common, a large crowd of people followed her, numbering more than 2,000. However, despite praying the Rosary and kneeling in the grotto, the beautiful lady did not appear.

Bernadette returned home, but later that evening felt the strong urge drawing her back to the grotto. She returned and was graced by the appearance of the Blessed Virgin. Afters she finished praying the Rosary and her acts of penance, Bernadette asked aquero her name. In her own words: “The next day when I arrived at the Grotto, after having recited the Rosary, I told her that Monsieur le Cure would like to know her name, but she only smiled. When I went back to town, I went to see Monsieur le Cure and I told him that I had done what he had asked me to do, but that her only response was a smile. He said that she was making fun of me and I would do well not to go back again; however, I could not keep myself from going back. I returned for fifteen days, and each time I asked her who she was, which always made her smile.”

Father Payramale, somewhat irritated by Bernadette’s inability to get the lady to reveal her name asked for a further sign. He insisted that this lady make the wild rosebush in the grotto bloom, despite it being the height of winter. He told Bernadette that without this miraculous sign, there would be no procession and no chapel.

Bernadette would return the next day, March 4, the final day of the original 15-day promise she made to aquero. She would be accompanied by more that 7,000 people, the news of the apparitions having spread even further. Despite the number of people present, few believed her story. Bernadette withstood this doubt with confidence and grace beyond her years, gifts bestowed upon her by the Lord.


O Brilliant star of purity,

Mary Immaculate,
Our Lady of Lourdes,
glorious assumption,
triumphant in your coronation,
show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God.

Virgin Mary,
Queen and Mother,
be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.


Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

We continue our re-publishing of previous posts chronicling the miraculous unfolding of events that took place at Lourdes in 1858. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!



In 1858, Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at the grotto in Lourdes eighteen times, each time bringing a message of prayer, penance, poverty, and participation. Through these posts, we continue our journey with Saint Bernadette as we encounter Our Blessed Mother through her eyes, memories, and words. The first twelve visitations occurred in February (February 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, and March 1). The Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes, communicated the message of Lourdes to all mankind, through Saint Bernadette. She implored us, saying, “Penance, Penance, Penance. Pray to God for sinners.” Our Blessed Mother further invited Bernadette to drink and bathe in the muddy water of the grotto, after which a clear flowing spring came forth where none had existed before. Our Lady of Lourdes commanded, “Go drink in the spring and wash yourself there,” something that faithful pilgrims continue to do each day. (For personal reflections on my experience at Lourdes, see here, here, and here).


During the eight to twelfth visitations, Our Blessed Mother had repeated her instructions to pray for sinners, and to offer acts of penance to God for their salvation. During these times, Bernadette engaged in bizarre behaviors, at least in the opinion of the curious onlookers who now numbered close to 2,000 each day. Bernadette’s actions, kneeling, moving on her knees, kissing the ground in penance for sinners, eating bitter grasses, and washing and drinking the spring water were reflective and representative of the Passion of Our Lord, made manifest through the message of Lourdes.

Prior to the thirteenth apparition, on March 2, the local church had remained at a distance, although a priest was present for the first time the day before. Also, following the twelfth apparition, the first miraculous cure of a local woman’s arm paralysis occurred after she plunged her arm into the spring at Massabielle.

On March 2, Bernadette, accompanied by her aunts, returned to the grotto, now having to force her way through the crowds. As was her custom, she knelt with a lit blessed candle, prayed the Rosary, and engaged in acts of penance for sinners. The Blessed Mother appeared and gave Bernadette two commands. First, Bernadette was to go to the local priests and tell them that people should come to the grotto in procession. Second, the beautiful lady requested that a small chapel be built on the site.

Bernadette thanked Our Blessed Mother, and with her aunts accompanying her, went to the local priest to relay the request. Bernadette was quite frightened, more so than when she spoke with the police, but nonetheless presented herself to Father Peyramale (whom she called “Monsieur le Cure”). Upon telling him that the beautiful lady had requested the people come in procession to the grotto, Father Peyramale inquired as to the lady’s name (as Bernadette continued to refer to her as aquero.) Bernadette did not claim to know her name. Father Peyramale, doubting the truth of the story based upon Bernadette’s level of education and failure to yet make her First Holy Communion, sent her away. She returned several hours later, undeterred, to mention that aquero had also requested a chapel be built. He demanded that the next time she saw the beautiful lady that she ask her name.

In Saint Bernadette’s own words: “I went to see Monsieur le Cure to tell him that the Lady had asked me to go tell the priests to have a chapel built at the Grotto and that people should come there in procession. He looked at me for a moment and then he said to me in a rather stern tone: ‘Who is this Lady?’ I answered that I did not know. Then he instructed me to ask her name and to come back and tell him.”

Bernadette agreed to do as the priest requested, and returned home knowing that she had promised to go to the grotto every day for fifteen days, and that in two days, those fifteen days would be over. But the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes, would appear five more times to Saint Bernadette over the coming months.

“I shall spend every moment loving. One who loves does not notice her trials; or perhaps more accurately, she is able to love them… Why must we suffer? Because here below pure Love cannot exist with suffering. O Jesus, Jesus, I no longer feel my cross when I think of yours.”
(from the Private Notes of Saint Bernadette)

We continue our re-publishing of previous posts chronicling the miraculous unfolding of events that took place at Lourdes in 1858. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!



In 1858, Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at the grotto in Lourdes eighteen times, each time bringing a message of prayer, penance, poverty, and participation. Through these posts, we continue our journey with Saint Bernadette as we encounter Our Blessed Mother through her eyes, memories, and words. The first eleven visitations occurred in February (February 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25,  27, and 28), while the twelfth occurred on the first day of March. The Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes, communicated the message of Lourdes to all mankind, through Saint Bernadette. She implored us, saying, “Penance, Penance, Penance. Pray to God for sinners.” Our Blessed Mother further invited Bernadette to drink and bathe in the muddy water of the grotto, after which a clear flowing spring came forth where none had existed before. Our Lady of Lourdes commanded, “Go drink in the spring and wash yourself there,” something that faithful pilgrims continue to do each day. (For personal reflections on my experience at Lourdes, see here, here, and here).


During the eleventh visitation, Our Blessed Mother had repeated her instructions to pray for sinners, and to offer acts of penance to God for their salvation. During the twelfth visitation, however, the Blessed Virgin again remained silent, smiling her gentle smile, and praying the Rosary along with Bernadette. At this point, well over one thousand people were following Bernadette to the grotto at Massabielle, word having spread across the country of the miraculous appearances. Of course, only Bernadette could see the Blessed Mother, and many of the onlookers were disappointed. What they did notice, however, was the ecstatic gaze of Bernadette, the joy and peace displayed on her face, and the zeal she exhibited in penance for sinners—drinking and washing in the pure spring which had sprung forth beneath the alcove in the rock where the beautiful lady appeared.

The local church authorities had previously made no comment on the occurrences in Lourdes, even when Bernadette informed the local nuns. But on this day, a priest was among the crows of 1500, observing Bernadette’s behavior. And soon, given the request made by Our Lady the following day, the Church would be moved to action.

That night, following the dispersal of the crowds, the first miraculous healing attributed to the spring at the grotto occurred. Catherine Latapie, a friend of the Soubirous family from Lourdes, went to the Grotto. She had lost the movement in her arm and hand, and with faith in the Lord, she plunged her dislocated arm into the water of the spring. Immediately, she regained the movement in her hand and arm! This was the first of over 60 miraculous cures attributed to Our Lady of Lourdes, the most recent occurring in 2005.


Saint Bernadette, your faith has grown the Church—the Church which is your family and your religious community.
Bravely, you went to tell the priests to hold a procession and build a chapel.
Once your mission was accomplished, you retreated in silence and humility.
Like Mary, in this day of Pentecost and then silence, Inspire in me, O Saint Bernadette, the same love of the Church. Support me in my prayers.

Lord, you give everyone a place in your Church. Let me answer my vocation with the same simplicity and the same generosity as Bernadette. Amen.

We continue our re-publishing of previous posts chronicling the miraculous unfolding of events that took place at Lourdes in 1858. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!


On Sunday, February 28, 1858, Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at the grotto in Lourdes for the eleventh time. Beginning on February 11, The Blessed Virgin had been appearing to Bernadette Soubirous, each time bringing a message of prayer, penance, poverty, and participation. Through these posts, we continue our journey with Saint Bernadette as we encounter Our Blessed Mother through her eyes, memories, and words. During the previous nine visitations (February 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, and 27) the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes, communicated the message of Lourdes to all mankind, through Saint Bernadette. She implored us, saying, “Penance, Penance, Penance. Pray to God for sinners.” Our Blessed Mother further invited Bernadette to drink and bathe in the muddy water of the grotto, after which a clear flowing spring came forth where none had existed before. Our Lady of Lourdes commanded, “Go drink in the spring and wash yourself there,” something that faithful pilgrims continue to do each day. (For personal reflections on my experience at Lourdes, see here and here).


During the tenth visitation, the Blessed Mother appeared again to Bernadette, but remained quiet. Bernadette was relieved, as Our Lady of Lourdes had not appeared the day before, and she had been afraid that somehow she had offended the beautiful lady. While Bernadette had been graced with a visitation, aquero had remained silent, smiled at Bernadette’s acts of penance, and prayed the Rosary with her.

During the eleventh visitation, Our Blessed Mother repeated her instructions to pray for sinners, and to offer acts of penance to God for their salvation. As typical, Bernadette carried a lighted blessed candle with her, knelt in prayer before a crowd nearing 1,000 curious onlookers, and repeated her seemingly bizarre (to those observing) acts of penance. The spring, which had only appeared days before, continued to flow strong and pure and clear.

Our Blessed Mother would appear to Bernadette seven more times at the grotto at Massabielle, each time more and more people accompanying Bernadette, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beautiful lady she referred to. Given the crowds, the local priests and religious would soon be forced to get involved, whereas previously they had observed hoping to have the apparitions discredited. Our Lady would also soon make a request of the community, one which would ensure continued devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes, and continued propagation of the message of Lourdes.


Saint Bernadette, you always enjoyed serving others.
In February 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared to you when you were gathering wood.
Among your sisters, you have learned to treat the sick and those in need.
Later, in Nevers, you were an excellent nurse, offering an attentive and intelligent charity.


Saint Bernadette, Like Mary, who saw the family’s needs in Cana, inspire in me the same generosity and the same faith that you see in Christ.


Lord, you have given us brothers and sisters to love. We pray that our eyes, our hands, and our hearts are open to all those that you put in our way. Amen.