THE TABLET
Feb. 9, 2008

Return to Lourdes

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

On Monday, Feb. 11, we will mark the 150th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes to Bernadette Soubirous in the French Pyrenees town of Lourdes.  The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, principally because of apparent healing properties of the waters of the spring that appeared during the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a poor, illiterate 14-year-old girl. The first apparition occurred on Feb. 11, 1858, the last on July 16 in the same year.  There were 18 apparitions in all. 

Many times during the apparitions Bernadette fell into ecstasy.  When asked what she saw, she said it was a beautiful lady, lovelier than she had ever seen.  She was clothed in white, the sash was blue, she had a rosary in her hand and she spoke to Bernadette and said “I am the Immaculate Conception.”  Interestingly enough, Our Lady spoke in the local French dialect.  Only four years earlier, in 1854, had the declaration of the Immaculate Conception been made by the Holy Father.  Bernadette was unschooled and certainly unfamiliar with the term, but Mary appeared to Bernadette and gave her the message that she might propagate the understanding that Mary was conceived without sin.

Bernadette’s task was not an easy one, as she had to convince the local ecclesiastical authorities that her visions were real. She endured the skepticism that is the usual response to any vision or visionary.  She certainly was an unlikely source to communicate such an important message to the world.  She was a poor, illiterate shepherdess and yet it was in 1913 that Mary appeared to three more illiterate shepherd children at Fatima to communicate a very simple message.  The Scriptures tell us that God uses the humble to confound the proud.  These humble messengers of God, spoken to by Our Lady, still communicate to us a powerful message regarding God’s love for His children that is shown to them through the maternal love of Mary.

To commemorate the 150th anniversary, our Diocese is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Lourdes to take place just after our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, completes his apostolic journey to the United States in April.  We will depart April 21 and return April 28.  It may still be possible for you to join us on this pilgrimage.  If you wish further information, contact Father Gerard Sauer at (718) 965-7313 or by e-mail at pilgrimages@rcdob.org. 

I have a great desire to return to Lourdes. I have been there several times; the first was in 1958 on the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to Bernadette.  I was only 14 at the time, on a Scout pilgrimage to Lourdes organized by my home diocese.  A very saintly priest, Father Thomas Smith, organized the pilgrimage that took over 30 boys and leaders to Lourdes and also to Rome.  It certainly was a turning point in my life.  I already had some idea of a vocation to the priesthood, but this certainly seemed to make it even more of a reality.  I remember going into the baths, being immersed three times, as if it were a new baptism, and reaffirming the promises of baptism.  It was a powerful experience. 

I have asked our Diocesan Catholic Scouting Committee to accompany us on this pilgrimage.  We hope to have ten Scouts and leaders accompany us; perhaps some of these Scouts will discover a priestly or religious vocation.  In July, I will travel to Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day with the hope that we can encourage some of the hundred or so young people who are also going from our Diocese to consider a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. 

During the Holy Father’s upcoming visit to New York this year there will be a youth rally at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie where over 20,000 young people will convene to greet and listen to the words of the Holy Father.  Young people need to be challenged and they also need to see how the faith is shared by many others.  Large gatherings, pilgrimages and any event that brings together people of like minds are important.  Young people today love rock festivals and they flock to hear their favorite entertainers.  There is something about large groups that makes us understand what is beyond us.

Bernadette went on to become a religious Sister but died at age 35.  One of the miraculous things surrounding her death was that her body remained incorrupt as a special privilege.  The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception teaches us that Mary, from the first moment of her Conception, was free from sin.  Sin is what brings about death and the corruption of our human bodies.  Freedom from sin preserves us from eternal death.  The message of Lourdes is a comforting one, one that brings us spiritual and physical healing which is so needed in our world today.

Even if you cannot accompany the Diocese on this pilgrimage, engage in what we might call a virtual pilgrimage, especially during the days that we are away.  The rosary will be recited on the Prayer Channel (Channel 30 on Cablevision and Channel 97 on Time Warner Cable) during that week.  Please try to join me for one recitation that might be part of this special pilgrimage, allowing us to join together with the powerful prayer of petition that the rosary is.

Every pilgrimage is an exercise in “putting out into the deep” because we are never sure where we will find ourselves after we have visited a holy site, how transformed we might be, and how much closer we will be to understanding God’s will for us.  Pray with me during this time and especially on Mary’s feast on Monday.

              “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”