150th Anniversary
On the 11th February 1858 Our Lady visited Bernadette Soubirous in the small French town of Lourdes. The timing of this was very significant. France was recovering from the overthrow of an older order. The new promises made by the French Revolution and new technological discoveries were sweeping people away in their wake. In the middle of this time, which can be seen as a formative time for our modern society, God did something extraordinary.
Bernadette was a very ordinary young girl, even considered a bit simple by those around her, yet one day she was given a great privilege. Our Lady appeared to her and told her that she (Mary) was the “Immaculate Conception”. This title had been formally given to Mary by the Church just four years earlier meaning that Mary is, and always was, free from original sin. As the Immaculate Conception, Mary is able to be the Mother of God and the means through which Jesus brings his healing to us. Lourdes has therefore become a great centre of pilgrimage and healing.
To mark this special anniversary there are two events taking place in the parish. The first runs from the 2nd to 11th of February and involves receiving the plenary indulgence. To participate in this one must simply pray before the image of Our Lady, or better still at the grotto, for the Pope’s intentions and go to communion and confession within the week. The second event is our screening of the 1940’s film ‘The Song of Bernadette’ in the annexe next Saturday night. Both of these, in their different ways could serve to draw us deeper into an appreciation of this miraculous event.
Bernadette was a very ordinary young girl, even considered a bit simple by those around her, yet one day she was given a great privilege. Our Lady appeared to her and told her that she (Mary) was the “Immaculate Conception”. This title had been formally given to Mary by the Church just four years earlier meaning that Mary is, and always was, free from original sin. As the Immaculate Conception, Mary is able to be the Mother of God and the means through which Jesus brings his healing to us. Lourdes has therefore become a great centre of pilgrimage and healing.
To mark this special anniversary there are two events taking place in the parish. The first runs from the 2nd to 11th of February and involves receiving the plenary indulgence. To participate in this one must simply pray before the image of Our Lady, or better still at the grotto, for the Pope’s intentions and go to communion and confession within the week. The second event is our screening of the 1940’s film ‘The Song of Bernadette’ in the annexe next Saturday night. Both of these, in their different ways could serve to draw us deeper into an appreciation of this miraculous event.
posted by Sinead Reekie at 10:14 am