Our Lady of Fatima, continued

How is your apparition IQ?

Of course, you know that Mary appeared to Bernadette on February 11, 1858 and this is the 100th anniversary of the apparition at Fatima, which occurred May 13, 1917. 

There have been many more apparitions of Mary throughout the ages.  Mary says more in her apparitions than she did in the Bible. 

While at the foot of the cross, Jesus shared His Mother with us.  She then, became our Mother.  She takes up her mantle and comes to us. This is more so now than in Jesus' time.  We know those visits as her apparitions.  It all makes sense because in all her apparitions, Mary asks us to go to her Son and listen to Him.  As in the Bible, she was listening to her Son.  She always points to Him.

Did you know that on April 1870, Julia Harms saw the Blessed Virgin Mary at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine?  She was the wife of the owner of the Harms Farm, as the Shrine was known before it was sold to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in 1920. 

We invite you to continue listening to our Lord, as Mary requests. 
Come and share in the 3 days of prayer to St. Ann and St. Joachim, Jesus' grandparents, on July 24, 25, and 26.  We will pray the Rosary at 7:00pm each night, followed by Mass.

In August, the Novena for the Assumption will take place at the Shrine from August 7th through August 15th.  Come join us in prayer.

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.

October 2015 - Our Lady of Lourdes story - 3

We left our story with Bernadette promising to visit the "beautiful lady" again.  In her mind, Bernadette was just going to visit the Lady without telling anyone.  But her sister, Toinette, noticed that Bernadette was different.  She said that Bernadette had a glow about her.

Bernadette did tell her story to Toinette and her friend that was with them, but they had to promise not to tell anyone, especially her mother, Louise.  This was to be kept a secret.  Well, anytime you tell someone a secret, it is no longer a secret, and the first thing that Toinette did was to tell their mother.  No only that, but their friend told her mother as well.  Before you knew it, the whole town heard about the "beautiful lady" in the Grotto. 

Mrs. Soubirous (Louise) did not know that the whole town already knew so she had Bernadette promise that she would not go into the Grotto.  They would just keep it to their family.  Her reason for this was that her husband had just been let out of jail for stealing a sack of flour, well, that was the accusation.  No one would hire Mr. Soubirous so they lost their reputation and their house.  They ended up living in a jail cell that was too bad for prisoners.  The family of six ended up paying rent for a one room abandoned jail.  They became "that kind of family." 

Do you know people that are "that kind" of people, so we stay away from them?  Mrs. Soubirous wanted to stay "under the radar" so that the family could get on with their lives.  Did you ever want to do that too ... just get on with life? 

If it got out that Bernadette said that she saw this lady, there was no way the family could stay anonymous. 

September 2015 - Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine story - 2

We pick up our story when Bernadette, her sister, and a friend were looking for firewood.  Bernadette waded across the river and was astounded to see a "beautiful lady" in the Grotto. 

Her first reaction was fear, so she reached into her pocket to find her rosary. 
What is our first reaction to a fearful situation? 

Bernadette said she could not move.  That it wasn't until the beautiful lady began praying on her rosary that she, Bernadette, could take out her rosary and say it with her.

So the First Encounter with the beautiful lady was in prayer.
What is our first encounter with the Lord and his Mother?  Isn't the definition of prayer 'conversation' with God? 

After they finished, the Lady asked Bernadette if she would be so kind and come back to the Grotto again.  Bernadette tells us that the Lady was kind and that she wanted to come back so as not to hurt the Lady's feelings. 

Imagine that!  Bernadette's intention was to come back and not to tell anyone.  How can we learn from Bernadette's behavior and attitude?