February 11

Our Lady of Lourdes

It was on February 11, 1858, that a beautiful lady first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes, France. Bernadette was a sickly girl. Her family was so poor they lived in a cellar that had once been a jail. Even though she was fourteen, Bernadette still could not read or write. She never could remember her catechism lessons, but she was a good girl. She loved God very much. Although her memory was poor, Bernadette kept trying hard to learn all she could about God. She was pure and obedient, too.

The beautiful lady Bernadette saw wore a white dress and a light blue sash. A white veil covered her head and fell over her shoulders to the ground. On her feet were two lovely golden roses. Her hands were joined and a rosary hung from her right arm. Its chain and cross shone like gold. The lovely lady encouraged Bernadette to say the Rosary. She appeared eighteen times to St. Bernadette. She asked her to tell the people to pray, to do penance, and to recite the Rosary for sinners.

During the last apparition, Bernadette asked the beautiful lady who she was. The lady replied, "I am the Immaculate Conception." She was Mary, the Mother of God.

A large Church called a basilica was built where Bernadette saw Our Lady. Although the apparitions took place over a hundred years ago, miracles still happen there. Many people are cured of sicknesses. Crippled people walk again. Blind people see again. Lonely, broken people find hope again. There, where she once appeared to St. Bernadette, Our Lady still shows her love for us.

Rent the video Song of Bernadette and watch it as a class or family.  

February 11

World Day of Prayer for the Sick

Archbishop Sheen once commented on how much wasted suffering there was in the world: individuals who do not know that they can unite their sufferings to those of Christ so that they can become effective for the redemption of the world.  

Activities:

Park outside a hospital and say a prayer, or a rosary, for the sick people there.  

Get in the habit of saying a prayer when you hear an ambulance.  

Visit a nursing home today and arrange to pray with the individuals who live there.

Bring a card or a meal to the family of a sick person and say a prayer with them.

Make cards for the people who live in a nursing home or children in a hospital.

Image caption:   Silver engraving public domain picture  showing city of Lourdes

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:From_Notre_Dame_de_Lourdes,_Lourdes,_Pyrenees,_France-LCCN2001698643.tif