The Closing Ceremonies

There are all kinds of closing ceremonies.  We recently witnessed another closing ceremony to the Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.  There are closing ceremonies for galas, special events, conferences, and yes, even debates and elections. A closing ceremony not only marks an end but also the beginning. For the Summer Olympics not only did it mark the end, it highlighted the beginning of the next Summer Olympics in 4 years in Japan.  


For the Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity and the Catholic Community, the closing ceremony marks the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  On October 30, 2016, the Ceremony Closing the Holy Doors for the Jubilee Year of Mercy will occur at the 9:30am Mass in the Grotto.

If you have not had a chance to walk through the Holy Doors, there is one more month to do so at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. After fulfilling the obligations for the Indulgence and walking through the Holy Doors, it will begin a walk of faith for you. For more information about the Holy Doors, go here.  

Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity!

Bernadette's Example to Us

The Story of Our Lady of Lourdes is such a beautiful one, not only because Mary appeared to St. Bernadette, but also because of Bernadette's example to all of us!

Did you know that Mary told Bernadette three secrets?  She was faithful and kept her promise to Our Lady.  Everyone tried to guess what the secrets were, but all Bernadette would say was that the secrets were for her alone.

The message of the apparition were to pray for sinners, do penance, and to enable the people to come to Jesus in procession.  We do this every time we approach Jesus in the Eucharist.  The question remains, though, can we be as devout and faithful as Bernadette?  Can we give our lives to do what Jesus and Mary ask us to do?  Are we "Catholic" only on Sunday?  Bernadette gave everything to God.  After a child made their First Communion, if they were poor, they were expected to find work.  They were not able to pay for further education.  When Bernadette was asked what she wanted to do, her reply was that she wished to be a nun.  People thought she might change her mind, but Bernadette was firm in her decision.

9th and 10th Apparitions

The 9th Apparition is perhaps the most famous because at this apparition, we were all given a remedy for our infirmities: the water.

It was nearly dawn when Bernadette was called to the Grotto and there were many people present. All these people could see was Bernadette looking under the rocks, going to the River Gave, and finally drinking the dirty, muddy water found under a rock at the Grotto and eating the weeds.  To those that observed this, Bernadette had lost her head.  To those without faith, she was a live comedy show, maybe what we today would call a reality show.  It wasn't until the next two Apparitions that things would become a little clearer.

People did not notice, as they laughed and doubted, Bernadette's behavior, the water was becoming clearer and flowing stronger.  The following day was the 10th Apparition.


At the 10th Apparition, we see Bernadette drink and wash a bit in the water.  We also see her on her knees kissing the ground and going up to the Grotto on her knees.  Bernadette tells us that the "beautiful lady" asked her to make this sacrifice for the sinners in the world.

Something very special is happening at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine in Euclid as well.
In this Year of Mercy, Bishop Lennon has asked us to be one of the sites of the Holy Door in the Cleveland Diocese.  The other site is St. John's Cathedral.

Once again, Mary's Shrine becomes a site of great mercy and forgiveness.  For anyone who walks through the Holy Door, says an Our Father and Hail Mary for the intentions of the Holy Father, and goes to Mass and Confession a week before or a week after walking through the Holy Door, will receive a spiritual plenary indulgence.  This means that any time to be spent in Purgatory is lessened either for you, for a deceased person, a person you are praying for, or the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Talk to your Parishes about making a Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine!  Experience the outpouring of Mercy!

December 2015 - Our Lady of Lourdes story - 5

Happy Thanksgiving!  Happy Advent!  Merry Christmas!

Continuing the story ...

Mary appeared to Bernadette 18 times. 
On the 3rd apparition, Bernadette was accompanied by two women of the village.  When Bernadette saw the "beautiful lady", she began to say the Rosary as did the two women.  it was at this apparition that Mary asked Bernadette to come to the Grotto for 15 days.  Mary told Bernadette at this time she should come and not expect any favor of this world.  Mary said, "I did not come to make you happy here on earth, but in Heaven."

While they were praying, one of the women who was with her withdrew a bit.  She carried an internal weight and felt unworthy to be there.  When she asked if she should remain, Bernadette told her that the "beautiful lady" smiled at her and that there was no reason why she should not come.

The ladies wanted to know who this apparition was so they brought with them an inkwell and pen.  When Bernadette presented this to the Lady, she simply said, "It is not necessary." 

This beautiful story continues, but isn't it a bit like ours?  How many times do we approach Jesus and his Mother and think we are not worthy?  Just imagine in your heart, Mary smiling at you and saying there is no reason why you should not come.

As we approach Jesus' birth at Christmas, we should be there with him and the other adorers in the manger.

November 2015 - Our Lady of Lourdes story - 4

We pick up our Lourdes story with the beginning of apparitions. 

News spread like wildfire ... the entire town heard that Bernadette had seen a "beautiful lady" at the garbage dump called Massabielle.  Some people thought Bernadette was making it all up for attention.  Why would a "beautiful lady" appear to an uneducated peasant girl with a questionable family reputation in a garbage dump?

 

Stop for a moment.  Identify that moment in your life when what seemed signed, sealed, and delivered was turned totally upside down.  Did any good come of that experience?  In hindsight, was the change in the situation even better than what you were expecting?  If we cooperate with God, he will always send us what is better for us even if at first it seems to be the worst thing possible. 

 

That is what the apparitions were for Bernadette and her family.  It turned everything upside down.  Bernadette's experience was not that much different than ours is today.  We might not have an apparition, but we face the same problems.  

 

Her aunts convinced Mrs. Soubirous to allow Bernadette to go to the next apparitions.  They accompanied Bernadette to the Grotto, protecting her from the crowd hemming her in.  All of a sudden, everyone wanted to touch Bernadette, a little poor girl, and to give her items to give the "beautiful lady".

 

 

We invite you to come into the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine and visit the "beautiful lady."