The 100th Anniversary of the Apparition at Fatima and, while we are on Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine, the Fatima apparition merely continue's Our Heavenly Mother's message to all of us.  This anniversary comes on the heels of the Year of Mercy.  As always, God's timing is perfect!  Who's to say that last year was a spiritual preparation for this year's celebration?



With that in mind, we would like to share with you one story that occurred during the Year of Mercy, illustrating Our Heavenly Mother's love in our lives.

Two women from southern Ohio telephoned that they were looking for our Shrine, but could not find it.  Their GPS was not getting them in the right direction.  So we stayed with them on the phone, guiding them to our parking lot.  

Once they arrived, they could not find the chapel.  Still on the phone, we asked them what they saw.  All they could see was the wall between the lot and the driveway.  All they had to do was get out of their car and walk to the building with the cross on it.  They still just kept seeing the wall.  

We told them to "look up";  just look up from the bottom of the wall and look beyond.  Just as we were about to go out and help them, they said that they were going to ask a man who has just walked by.  Well, we guess that they made it because there was no further phone call.

That evening at dinner, that story was the topic of conversation.  It seems that all of us knew some part of the story.  The two women were at the Justice Center downtown visiting a relative who had been arrested.  They did not have much means or friends so they felt helpless and defeated.  Somehow, someone mentioned the Shrine to them.  They came to pray for help.

How they got to the Shrine is a miracle.  Someone telling them to "look up"; look beyond the wall was a message.  Their prayers were answered.

Another person guiding them to the chapel was the gentle love of Jesus and His Mother.  We don't know what happened to the family, but we do know that God showed them mercy through Mary.  They came to Mary's home, Mom's home, to receive the love and comfort only a Mother can give.  

We also need to "look up" and not be mired in defeat.  We look up to God's gentle guidance and the signs that He gives us along the way.  

Come and join us for the Lourdes Novena, February 3rd through 11th.  The Rosary will be at 7:00pm followed by Mass and the Novena prayer.  

In addition, on February 3rd, the Feast of St. Blaise, there will be blessing of throats. 

Confessions will be heard on February 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 10th from 6:30pm to 7:00pm.  

Bring your petitions or mail them.  We will place the petitions at the feet of Our Lady of Lourdes.  It's Our Heavenly Mother's maternal love that will bring our prayers to Her Son.