Lourdes News

APRIL 2015

THE SPRING IN THE GROTTO AS YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN ITThe new illumination of the spring will be unveiled on 10 May. It is not without a certain degree of emotion that one approaches such a place… We must not forget: it was the Virgin Mary herself who indicated this precise spot to Bernadette Soubirous on 25 February 1858. Bernadette scraped away the soil with her hands and uncovered this spring, until then buried under layers of mud.

www.projetgrottecoeurdelourdes.com © Sanctuaire de Lourdes/Vincent

Since the very first official pilgrim-age, organized in 1864 by the neigh-boring parish of Loubajac, the great adventure of organizing pilgrimag-es has continued unabated. There are now over 550 from all over the world. They begin in response to a need, and are developed either by a diocese, by a religious congrega-tion, or sometimes by an associa-tion. This year again, this momen-tum will enable tens of thousands of people to come and renew their faith at the Grotto, and meditate on the theme proposed by the Sanctu-ary: "Lourdes, the joy of Mission." On 10 February 2015, at the air-

port of Tarbes Lourdes Pyrénées, during the Preparation Days for the pilgrimage season, Father Hora-cio Brito, Rector of the Sanctuary, declared: “We strive to prepare the pilgrimage season in the best possible way, both logistically and spiritually” (Our photo, from left to right: Bertrand Bilger, Director General of the airport; Christophe Gomez, Coordinator for the day ; Claude Gaits, Regional Counse-lor of the Midi-Pyrénées; Pierre Forgues, President of the Joint As-sociation Pyrenia ; Josette Bour-deu, Mayor of Lourdes, and Father Horacio Brito).

ALL INVITED. The stage play, Vivons-le, accord-ing to a theatrical and musical adaptation of the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 1 to 9), from Pentecost to Paul's conversion, will be presented on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 April, at 3.00 pm and 8:30 pm in Saint Bernadette’s Church. This presentation is meant to be, above all, a testimony of faith. www.vivonsle.org All pilgrims are invited. One price: 5e

This is the number of downloads of the official application of the Sanctuary, a year after its launch.

14,000 NUMBER OF THE MONTH

60th anniversary of the Cité Saint-PierreSince 1 February, the anniversary of its founder Mgr Jean Rodhain, the Lourdes branch of the Secours Catholique has entered its Jubilee year. Several im-portant events have been planned to mark this 60th anniversary, in particular the pilgrimage of La Saint-Laurent from 6 to 11 August, and the Convention of voluntary workers from 7 to 12 December. The Cité will also host several French national gatherings such as that of the Mission Ouvrière in May, or that of the Action Catholique for women in September. Contact: + 33 (0)5 62 42 71 11www.citesaintpierre.net

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DIARY Information Forum - +33 (0)5 62 42 20 08saccueil@lourdes-france.com

1st April, Wednesday of Holy Week2 April, Holy Thursday3 April, Good Friday4 April, Holy Saturday

5 April, Easter Sunday9.30 am: International Mass, in the UndergroundBasilica of Saint Pius X.5.00 pm: Eucharistic Procession, Adoration,and Benediction of the Sick.9.00pm : Marian Torchlight Procession.

From 12 April to 10 MayThe multimedia Rosary. An unforgettable experience... Free. Every day 10am-12 noon / 2pm-4.30pm / 8pm-8.45pm (Meeting Tent, on the prairie).

25 April Cité Saint-PierreA day on the spirituality of missionaries centered on the charisma of the Missionaries Servants of the Poor in third world countries. www.msptm.com

7 APRIL 1858 The silent 17th Apparition is marked by the miracle of the candle. Its flame touched Bernadette’s hand for half an hour, without burning her.

www.lourdes-france.org - Free

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The Journal of the Sanctuary – No.9 - April 2015

2015 under the sign of joy and mission

© Sanctuaire de Lourdes/Vincent

Moment 1: The GrottoTestimony of a volunteer "I had never taken the time to stop at

Lourdes. At the Grotto I suddenly felt very moved. I cried through-out the whole week of my stay: about my life up to then that had been somewhat wasted, about the time lost by not coming here earlier. I also cried with happiness, because I rediscovered my faith! Since that event, I come to Lourdes twice every year to make myself useful as a volunteer. Lourdes has become my little piece of heaven".

Accessible day and night, 24h / 24, the Grotto is the supreme goal. Its rock is black and the sun never penetrates its interior directly. It is the light of the Virgin Mary, during the apparitions in particular, that brought light to it. When walking through the Grotto, or stopping in front of it, each person relates to it in whatever way he or she can. It is a place of prayer, a place of trust and peace, a place of respect and unity in the silence; the Grotto is also a place where everyone can quietly meditate. In the words of the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Mgr Nicolas Brouwet, Guardian of the Grotto, it must remain a place of grace "where everyone can be touched by the unconditional love of Jesus Christ."

Moment 2: The Reconciliation chapelTestimony of a Chaplain “One day, a youngster came to the Chap-

el of Reconciliation. He had never been to confession. He was afraid! He came anyway, wondering what had brought him here. I greeted him in the name of God. At the end of his meeting with the Lord, he sobbed with emotion, stammering: "Why have I not come sooner?" His life had suddenly changed. On my way back from the chapel, I also cry sometimes, saying: Thank you, Lord ...”

Lourdes is conducive to taking stock of one’s life. It is a place of prayer, humility and healing, where we can identify the wrong that we did, see ourselves as sinners, and receive God's forgiveness. To reach the Grotto and perhaps without paying attention, one inevitably walks past the Chapel of Reconciliation, open 7 / 7. In four of the eighteen Apparitions, the Virgin Mary said to Berna-dette: "Penance, Penance, Penance!”. To confess, that is, to re-ceive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, is a practical and spiritual way to respond personally to the call of Our Lady.

Moment 3: The BathsTestimony of a pilgrim “We must not hesitate to slip into the reju-

venating bath of grace! We must surrender to the mystery of love. This is the message that I perceived when voluntarily undergoing this experience of the Baths”.

On 25 February 1858, The Virgin Mary said to Bernadette: “Go and drink at the spring and wash yourself there”. Every year, several hundreds of thousands of people accomplish the gesture of being bathed in the water from the spring, which fills the Baths of the Sanctuary. They often experience the Baths as a step to-wards confession. The access to the Baths is free. You need not bring any special bathing clothes: what is necessary to preserve intimacy is provided.

Moment 4: The ProcessionsTestimony of Pope Benedict XVI, in Lourdes “As night falls, Jesus

says to us: “keep your lamps burning” (Lk 12:35); the lamp of faith, the lamp of prayer, the lamp of hope and love! This act of walking through the night, carrying the light, speaks powerfully to the depths of our souls, touches our heart and says much more than any other word uttered or heard. This gesture itself summarizes our condition as Christians on a journey: we need light, and at the same time are called to be light”.

To this day two daily processions have contributed to the fame of Lourdes; the Eucharistic Procession (from 5.00pm to 6.00pm) and the Marian Torchlight Procession (from 9.00pm to 10.00pm). The Torchlight Procession, at nightfall, is the most popular. Pil-grims gather around their banners. Tourists can freely mingle with the crowds. Each holds a candle in his hand surrounded by a cardboard collar on which he can read the words of the traditional hymn: the Ave Maria of Lourdes. During the proces-sion, the Rosary is said. In the peace of the evening, each one prays for the intentions dearest to him. Prayer brings together this crowd of all nations, peoples and languages, in union with the Virgin Mary.

Moment 5: The RosaryTestimony of a Priest “When we no longer know how to pray, we

still know how to take a rosary in our hand. And even when we can no longer say a single word, we can still keep this rosary in our hand. The prayer of the poor, the prayer of the smallest, is still a model of prayer. "

The Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in the Grotto, in 1858, a rosary in her hand. Bernadette herself had one, and she held it in her hand at the time of the Apparitions. The Rosary was the only prayer she knew. The meditation of three Rosaries is organised daily by the Sanctuary. Everyone, of course, can participate. Two are recited from the Grotto: at 3.30pm, in French, broadcast live on TV Lourdes, KTO and Christian radio stations; at 6.00pm, in Italian, on TV Lourdes and TV 2000. The meditation of the third rosary takes place in the evening from 9.00pm, during the Marian Torchlight Procession. A rosary, especially made in the Holy Land for the Sanctuary of Lourdes, is on sale at the Grotto Bookshop.

Moment 6 : The International MassTestimony of a mother “There is much I could tell you about all

the small graces we have experienced here as a family. What is certain is that, in Lourdes, we have met other enthusiastic fam-ilies. We all belong to one big family: the family of the Church!”

You have to experience the Basilica of Saint Pius X when it is empty and during a celebration such as the International Mass at 9:30 am every Wednesday and Sunday (broadcast live, via TV Lourdes, on www.lourdes-france.org). Because of its shape and its enormous dimensions, the Basilica enables everyone to realise they are part of a community of faith, hope, and charity: in a word, to be a member of one and the same Family.

You are just visiting Lourdes or you are a regular pilgrim. Here are a few ideas for activities to boost your morale.

These moments that you will never forget

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Publication Director: Thierry Castillo • Managing Editors: Mathias Terrier and Father Horacio Brito • Contributors to this edition: Martine Korpal, Joël Luzenko, Laurent Jar-neau and the Chaplains of Lourdes • Graphics and layout: Caroline Tillié, Freddy Mengelle • Distribution: Christian Sassus, Jean-Claude Barthe and Jean-Marc Tertacap • Translation: Barry and Nicole Griffin • With the participa-tion of: Benjamin Foussier, Claudie Lautel, David Torchala • Print run: Conseil Imprime – 65000 Tarbes • Lourdes News – 1 av. Mgr Théas 65108 Lourdes cedex • For all cor-respondance: Service communication – Tel. + (33) (0)5 62 42 78 01 – Email: communication@lourdes-france.com • ISSN: 2273-4783 • Registration of copyright: at publica-tion date •

PARKINSON’S SUFFERERS IN LOURDES from 20 to 25 AprilFor the eleventh pilgrimage to Lourdes for people affected by Parkinson's disease, the pilgrims with their chaplain, Father Marie Bernard, will deepen their understanding of the theme "The joy of mission", pro-posed by the Sanctuary, in particular during a lecture by the Rector, Father Horacio Brito. They attend all the important celebrations that everyone expects in the Marian city: the Mass at the Grotto, in the Under-ground Basilica of Saint Pius X, the Processions, the Anointing of the Sick, the Way of the Cross ... but also with time for friendly encounters and mutual help, the very foundation of their association, enabling them to maintain this link throughout the year. Contact: Marc Audras Tel. +33 (0)6.84.64.23.13

PRAYER INTENTIONS OF POPE FRANCISUniversal – The respect of creation. That people may learn to respect creationand care for it as a gift of God.Evangelization – For persecuted Christians. That persecuted Christians may feelthe consoling presence of the Risen Lord and the solidarity of all the Church.

Bernadette said...Easter monday 7 april 1879

“When I read the Passion, I am

moved more than when someone

explains it to me”(Logia of Bernadette

Volume II, N 576)

1st AprilIT LEGA SACERDOTALE MARIANA 4 AprilUK HCPT6 AprilES SANTANDER7 AprilIT OFTAL IT UNITALSI 10 April FR ANGOULEME 11 AprilFR QUIMPERFR TOULOUSE USA LOURDES VOLONTEERS NORTH USA FR FRAT. HOSPIT. N-D DES TABLES 12 April FR MONTFORTAIN 13 April FR SAINT-BRIEUC FR NÎMES FR CLERMONT-FERRAND FR LE PUY-EN-VELAY FR LYONFR METZ 14 AprilFR LAVAL FR ANGERS 15 AprilFR CAHORS16 AprilIT LEGA SACERDOTALE MARIANA 18 AprilES OVIEDO FR CRETEIL 19 April FR NANTES IT UNITALSI 20 AprilFR PELERINAGE PARKINSONIENS FR RENNES FR PONTOISE FR EVRY-CORBEIL-ESSONNES FR LUÇONFR VOIR ENSEMBLE (blind and sight-impaired) FR ANNECY21 AprilIT OFTAL FR MENDE 23 AprilIT UNITALSI 24 April AT WIEN DE STUTTGART-ROTTENBURG CH SUISSE ALEMANIQUE & RHETO 25 April FR CHÂLONS-EN-CHAMPAGNE ES LEON FR TULLE FR LILLE PRINTEMPS FR LILLE CH'TI PELE26 April IT ASSO.VOL. SILOE-FROSINONE IT LA PICCOLA FAMIGLIA ONLUS FR VERSAILLES FR AIX ET ARLES 27 AprilIT UNITALSI FR PARIS ABIIF FR TOURS IT UNITALSI FR LIMOGES 28 April IT BOZEN-BRIXEN 29 April NL VNB

THEY ARE IN LOURDES APRIL 2015

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For nearly 60 years, H.C.P.T. has enabled thousands of disabled children, mainly from the UK and Ireland, to ex-perience a week of joy, just as the theme of the Sanctuary invites them to do this year: "The joy of mission". As also in the words of Saint Paul to the Philippians: "Rejoice in the Lord always” (Ph 4: 4), and those of Bernadette Soubirous: "In Lourdes, the Grotto was my Heaven”.

HCPT PILGRIMAGE from 4 to 12 April

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Mgr Nicolas Brouwet, Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, during his visit to the EWTN studios, in the United States, in 2013.

There is an ocean between North America and the South of France, and yet more than 10,000 Ameri-can pilgrims do not hesitate to cross the Atlantic each year to come to the Grotto of Lourdes. Whether valid or disabled, whether they come alone or accompanied by the US national pilgrim-age, by the Order of Malta or the unique United States Hospitality of the Lourdes Volunteers, the Americans bring to their prayer the very special fervour of their great devotion to the Virgin Mary. Their great attachment to the French Marian city also appears in more than a thou-sand places of worship that have been named after Our

Lady of Lourdes. Anoth-er sign of the enthusiasm of American Catholics: the Catholic television EWTN (Eternal Word Television

Network) retransmits a med-itated Rosary in English, given by a Chaplain of Lourdes, from the Grotto every Sunday.

Beyond bordersLourdes on American television

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