Catholic Fire

The feast of Our Lady of  Lourdes, which we celebrate today, February 11 has always had a special place in my heart -- not only because of my French family background and living in a small French village (located in the heart of the USA), but because as a child, I related on a personal level to Bernadette. Like her, I was initially a slow learner in school. My health was poor and I was a little behind my peers in the primary grades because I missed so much school and also because I was nearsighted and needed glasses. (However, it didn't take me long to catch up and even excel in my studies after I got my glasses.) Everyday after school, I visited Bernadette and Our Lady at the Lourdes shrine behind our church and prayed there, often imagining what it would be like to have been St. Bernadette. To this very day, I continue to be fascinated by the simple obedience, humility, and holiness of this great saint. February 11 marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 18...

On February 11, 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in a cave at Massabielle near Lourdes, France. By July 16, she had appeared 18 times and proclaimed that she was the Immaculate Conception.  In 1862, the Church confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907. Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. The water of Lourdes is readily available to all pilgrims, and Church authorities have documented over 60 miraculous cures as well as conversions to the faith because of these miracles. Our Lady of Lourdes is the patroness of sick people and bodily ills. Novena Dates February 2-10, Feast Day February 11 Opening Prayer (To be prayed each day at the beginning of the novena of by itself for a shorter version of the novena) Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to manifest your shining with life, sweetness and beauty, in the Gro...

The feast of Our Lady of  Lourdes, which we celebrate on February 11, has always had a special place in my heart -- not only because of my French family background and living in a small French village (located in the heart of the USA), but because as a child, I related on a personal level to Bernadette. Like her, I was initially a slow learner in school. My health was poor and I was a little behind my peers in the primary grades because I missed so much school and also because I was nearsighted and needed glasses. (However, it didn't take me long to catch up and even excel in my studies after I got my glasses.) Everyday after school, I visited Bernadette and Our Lady at the Lourdes shrine behind our church and prayed there, often imagining what it would be like to have been St. Bernadette. To this very day, I continue to be fascinated by the simple obedience, humility, and holiness of this great saint. February 11 marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858 ...

Prayer Be blessed, O most pure Virgin, for having vouchsafed to manifest your shining with life, sweetness and beauty, in the Grotto of Lourdes, saying to the child, St. Bernadette: "I am the Immaculate Conception." A thousand times we congratulate you upon your Immaculate Conception. And now, O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy, Health of the sick, Refuge of sinners, Comforter of the afflicted, you know our wants, our troubles, our sufferings deign to cast upon us a look of mercy. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors, and already many have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and physical. We come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain for us, O loving Mother, the granting of our request.   (state your request)  Through gratitude for your favors, we will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that we may one...

The feast of Our Lady of  Lourdes, which we celebrate on February 11, has always had a special place in my heart -- not only because of my French family background and living in a small French village (located in the heart of the USA), but because as a child, I related on a personal level to Bernadette. Like her, I was initially a slow learner in school. My health was poor and I was a little behind my peers in the primary grades because I missed so much school and also because I was nearsighted and needed glasses. (However, it didn't take me long to catch up and even excel in my studies.) Everyday after school, I visited Bernadette and Our Lady at the Lourdes shrine behind our church and prayed there, often imagining what it would be like to have been St. Bernadette. To this very day, I continue to be fascinated by the simple obedience, humility, and holiness of this great saint. Today marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858 to St. Bernadette Soubirous. ...

This prayer was said during the Holy Father's  August 15, 2004 visit to Lourdes, France.  The Pope asked her among other things to "be our guide along the paths of the world." Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman, Blessed by the Most High! Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era, We join in your song of praise, to celebrate the Lord’s mercy, to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and the full liberation of humanity. Hail Mary, lowly handmaid of the Lord, Glorious Mother of Christ! Faithful Virgin, holy dwelling-place of the Word, Teach us to persevere in listening to the Word, and to be docile to the voice of the Spirit, attentive to his promptings in the depths of our conscience and to his manifestations in the events of history. Hail Mary, Woman of sorrows, Mother of the living! Virgin spouse beneath the Cross, the new Eve, Be our guide along the paths of the world. Teach us to experience and to spread the love of Christ, to stand with you before the innumerable crosses ...

O ever-Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, health of the sick, refuge of sinners, comforter of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; look with mercy on me. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors; and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with complete confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. (mention your petition) Through gratitude for your favors, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues, that I may one day share your glory. Amen.

The novena to Our Lady of Lourdes begins today, February 2 and ends on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.  You can find it here.

As my regular readers know, today is a special day for me, as it marks the 16th anniversary of my Marian consecration. Today is the feast of  Our Lady of of Lourdes -- the anniversary of the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858 to St. Bernadette Soubirous. Between February 11 and July 16, 1858, the Blessed Mother appeared to a poor, uneducated, sickly fourteen-year-old Marie Bernade (St. Bernadette) 18 times in the hollow of the rock at Lourdes, called “de Massabielle”. On March 25, the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 1858, she said to the little shepherdess who was only fourteen years of age: "I am the Immaculate Conception." Because the dogma of the Immaculate Conception had been officially proclaimed less than four years earlier, and Bernadette could not have even known of its existence, when Bernadette repeated the words, it gave credibility to her apparitions. It was confirmation from heaven that the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was in...

February 10, 2013. (Romereports.com) Italian journalist Vittorio Messori is widely known for tackling current issues within the Catholic Church. Previously, he has published two books about John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger. Now, he is focusing his attention on the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes. He believes the authenticity of the message, lies in the credibility of Bernadette's testimony, since she says she saw the apparition directly. It's also the topic of his latest book Bernadette non ci ha ingannati, or Bernadette Does Not Deceive. VITTORIO MESSORI Journalist and Writer “History can show that the apparitions of Lourders are authentic. And when we have a faith crisis, which also happens to me, naturally, when we have doubts, when we have problems, then we can seize that which is true, and that is Lourdes.” Messori says the message of Lourdes can help many people reconcile with their Catholic faith, because her apparitions appear to strengthen the Pope's...

Today marks the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1858 to fourteen-year-old Marie Bernade (St. Bernadette) Soubirous. Between February 11 and July 16, 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared eighteen times, and showed herself to St. Bernadette in the hollow of the rock at Lourdes. On March 25 she said to the little shepherdess who was only fourteen years of age: "I am the Immaculate Conception." Since then Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and many cures and conversions have taken place. The message of Lourdes is a call to personal conversion, prayer, and charity. The Apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes Pope John Paul II's Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes Official Site of Lourdes Place Your Petition at the Grotto of Lourdes World Day of the Sick The World Day of the Sick is celebrated every year on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This year the Holy Father requests Christian Communities to help the family of sick children. The Holy Father's Mes...

Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman, Blessed by the Most High! Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era, We join in your song of praise, to celebrate the Lord’s mercy, to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom and the full liberation of humanity. Hail Mary, lowly handmaid of the Lord, Glorious Mother of Christ! Faithful Virgin, holy dwelling-place of the Word, Teach us to persevere in listening to the Word, and to be docile to the voice of the Spirit, attentive to his promptings in the depths of our conscience and to his manifestations in the events of history. Hail Mary, Woman of sorrows, Mother of the living! Virgin spouse beneath the Cross, the new Eve, Be our guide along the paths of the world. Teach us to experience and to spread the love of Christ, to stand with you before the innumerable crosses on which your Son is still crucified. Hail Mary, woman of faith, First of the disciples! Virgin Mother of the Church, help us always to account for the hope that is in us, with trust in human goodness...