She revealed to her:

“I am the Immaculate Conception”.

       Only a few years before in 1854, the Holy Father, Pius IX, had declared  as dogma of the Faith that the Blessed Virgin Mary had been conceived without the stain of original sin. This declaration of the Blessed Mother to Bernadette has deeply and profoundly moved many souls over the years, including St. Maximilian Kolbe, Polish Franciscan Friar, who had a special devotion to Mary Immaculate. He was especially affected by the fact that Our Lady did not say that she was immaculately conceived but declared: “I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.” This is her name and suggests the profound mystery of the work of the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary’s soul.

In addition, Bernadette was told by Mary to begin digging in the ground; she obediently did so, to the townspeople's scorn. Water immediately began flowing from the spot where Bernadette dug - a tiny stream that, since, has grown to the size of a small river. Thousands of healings have been reported as the result of bathing in, or drinking, this miraculous water. Miracles still flow from the miraculous waters of Lourdes — but many more of the miracles occur during the blessing of the sick with the Most Holy Eucharist in the monstrance. This phenomenon underscores a profound truth of the spiritual life: Mary leads her children to her Divine Son, especially to His Eucharistic Heart.

    The message of Our Lady of Lourdes is about the healing Mercy of God. But Lourdes is also about the need for prayer and penance. Millions of pilgrims venture every year to Lourdes. Some are miraculously healed. Many more are not healed of their affliction but receive the great and precious grace of lovingly embracing and carrying the cross Our Lord has given them.

The year of 2008 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Apparitions at Lourdes.        The Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic See, His Eminence Cardinal Stafford, made a public announcement about a Plenary Indulgence, editing this special decree:

 

“PAENITENTIARIA APOSTOLICA DECRETUM”:

       On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the manifestation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes, a plenary indulgence is awarded daily to the faithful who, from December 8, 2007, to December 8, 2008, visit, piously, and according to established conditions, the Grotto of Massabielle, and, from February 2-11 2008, to those who visit, in any temple, oratory, grotto, or decorous place, the blessed image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes solemnly exposed to public veneration.

       So that growing fruits of renewed holiness derive from this pious memory, the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI has determined to widely grant the gift of plenary indulgence, in the manner explained below:

       All and every single faithful, truly repented, and duly purified through the sacrament of Confession, and

restored with Holy Communion, and also devoutly raising their prayers according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, shall daily profit a plenary indulgence, also applicable, as suffrage, to the souls of the faithful in Purgatory:

A. - if, from the 8th of the month of December 2007 to the entire 8th day of the same month of the next year of 2008, devoutly visit, preferably in the proposed order: 1. - the parish baptistery used for the baptism of Bernadette; 2.- the house called "cachot" of the Soubirous family; 3.- the Grotto of Massabielle; 4.- the chapel of the hospice, where Bernadette made her First Communion, and, at every time, remain for a certain amount of time in pious meditation, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, and the Profession of Faith ;

B. -if, from February 2, 2008, on the Presentation of the Lord,  up to the complete day of February 11, 2008, in the liturgical memory of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes and the 150th anniversary of the Apparition, devoutly visit, in any temple, oratory, grotto, or decorous place, the blessed image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, solemnly exposed to public veneration, and take part before the same image in a pious exercise of Marian devotion, or at least remain for a certain amount of time in pious meditation, concluding with the Lord's Prayer, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and a Marian invocation.

C. - The aged, the infirm, and all those who, for legitimate reason, cannot leave their house, may also achieve, in their own house or there where the impediment retains them, the plenary indulgence, if, in the days of February 2-11, 2008, with the rejection of every sin and the intention of fulfilling, as soon as possible, the three conditions, spiritually accomplish, with desire of heart a visit (to the aforementioned places), recite the aforementioned prayers and offer the infirmities and discomforts of their lives faithfully to God through Mary.

 

 

INDULGENCES AND

PURGATORY

       A plenary indulgence offers full pardon of the temporal punishment (suffering in this life or the next) due to sins already forgiven in confession.

       Purgatory is a kind of spiritual waiting room - for people who do not go directly to paradise or hell after death - to purify souls of residual sin before they enter heaven.

 

HOW WILL WE  CELEBRATE the 150th  ANNIVERSARY OF THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY  IN OUR PARISH?

       One family of our parish donated money to build an outdoor shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes (grotto