Our Lady of Lourdes

The Story of Lourdes

On 11^th February 1858, Mary appeared to fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France.                                                                                                                      Bernadette was collecting firewood with her sister and a friend.  As she was sickly, she lagged behind.  In a grotto, she saw a beautiful lady dressed in white with a blue sash.          The lady had a rosary and prayed it with her. Eighteen more times the lady appeared to Bernadette. She told her to do penance and to pray for sinners.                                                  She identified herself as the Immaculate Conception and told Bernadette to instruct the priest to have a chapel built on the site and to hold processions there.

One day Mary had Bernadette dig a hole in the soil.  A spring gushed forth that produced healing waters.        

World Day for the Sick

World Day for the Sick is on 11^th February

What does Mary’s message mean for us today?

Mary said to Bernadette,

‘Go and drink at the spring and wash there.’

Many people who are sick bathe in the water from the spring and pray to Mary for healing.  Mary listens to the prayers of each person.  She gives them the courage they need and makes their hearts happy.

Mary’s final message to Bernadette was,

‘Go and tell everyone here in procession. Tell the priests to build a Church here.’

A large Church was built on the rock above the Grotto.                                                                  It is called the Rosary Basilica.                                                                                                        Many people walk to the Church in the Blessed Sacrament procession, singing songs to Mary and praying to Jesus for the blessing of the sick.

People make pilgrimages to Lourdes today and are healed spiritually or physically.

On Friday 10^th February, we celebrated the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Patron of our school.

There were two opportunities for each class to participate in for Prayer and Liturgy, which are as follows:

1. Whole School Mass
2. Meeting with Prayer Partners to watch/say child- led Rosary

The children (in prayer partners) visited our grotto of Mary, continuing to develop our prayer environment, both inside and outside. Prayer Partner classes joined together in procession as in Lourdes. They made a pilgrimage to the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes.

OLOL Day