February 11, 2019: APPARITION OF MARY IMMACULATE, AT LOURDES
February 11, 2019: APPARITION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY IMMACULATE (AT LOURDES).
Rank: Greater Double.
“And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple... And a great sign appeared in heaven:
A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And I John saw the holy city the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
(Apoc, xi. 19; xii. 1; xxi. 2)
Prayer (Collect).
O God, by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, You prepared a worthy dwelling place for Your Son; we humbly beseech You, that, celebrating the Apparition of this same Blessed Virgin, we may obtain health of soul and body. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come: My dove
in the clifts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.”
(Cant,
ii. 13, 14)
In the fourth year after the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the blessed Virgin vouchsafed to appear on several occasions to a poor but pious and innocent child named Bernadette, in a rocky cavern overlooking the grotto of Massabielle on the banks of the Gave near the town of Lourdes in the diocese of Tarbes in France. She showed herself as a young and gracious figure, robed in white, with a white veil and blue girdle, and golden roses on her bare feet. At the first apparition on February 11, 1858, she taught the child to make the sign of the cross correctly and devoutly, and, taking a chaplet from her own arm, encouraged her by example to say her rosary. This was repeated at subsequent apparitions. On the second day, Bernadette, who feared an illusion of the devil, in all simplicity cast holy water at the apparition, who smiled more graciously than before. At the third apparition Bernadette was invited to repeat her visits to the grotto for fifteen days, during which the blessed Virgin conversed with her, exhorted her to pray for sinners, kiss the ground and do penance, and finally commanded her to tell the priests that a chapel was to be built in the place and processions held. She was also bidden drink and wash in the water, and a spring, until then invisible, gushed out of the ground. On the feast of the Annunciation, the child earnestly begged the Lady who had so often visited her, to reveal her name, and the blessed Virgin, joining her hands and raising her eyes to heaven, said:
“I am the Immaculate Conception”
Rumours of favours received at the holy grotto spread rapidly, and the crowds of devout visitors increased daily, so that the Bishop of Tarbes, who had been impressed by the candour of Bernadette, found it advisable to hold a judicial enquiry into the facts. In the course of the fourth year he gave sentence, recognizing the supernatural character of the apparition, and permitting devotions to our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception to be held in the grotto. A chapel was soon built, and since then every year has witnessed innumerable pilgrimages from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and all parts of Europe and America [Note: This Church is currently under the control of the unlawful Vatican II sect's, “puppet government in Rome.” Use extreme caution. -The Webmaster]. The name of Our Lady of Lourdes has become famous all over the world, and cures are obtained everywhere by use of the water.
Click here, to read the details of the Apparition of Mary Immaculate at Lourdes.
“Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it.”
(Ps, lxiv. 10)
Taken from: Saint Joseph Daily Missal, Imprimatur 1957.
Mary Immaculate, pray for us.