On February 11th, the Catholic Church celebrates Our Lady of Lourdes. In 1858, on that day in Lourdes, France, Our Blessed Mother appeared to young Bernadette Soubirous for the first time. After a miraculous spring was revealed, as a sign of authenticity, the Lady in the grotto told Bernadette she was the Immaculate Conception.
Lourdes continues to be a vibrant place of pilgrimage where miraculous healings still occur today. To help you get to know Our Lady better under this title, below are 7 ways Catholics can celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes:
1. Ask Jesus to Introduce You to His Mother
During His earthly life, Jesus put Himself under the authority of Mary and Joseph and was obedient to them. Hanging on the Cross Jesus still thought about His mother and directed John, the apostle, to take her into His home. In this act Jesus essentially gave His mother to all humanity. If you don’t know Mary well, ask Jesus to introduce you to her.
2. Get to Know Our Lady of Lourdes
Consider learning about Our Lady of Lourdes. The Song of Bernadette is a classic book and movie, and the film, Bernadette, starring Sydney Penny, is also excellent.
3. Pray to Our Lady of Lourdes, Asking for Her Intercession
There are several prayers to Our Lady of Lourdes. First, there is a particularly lovely prayer that sums up the Lourdes story is inscribed at a chapel at the National Basilica in Washington, D.C.
Second, you only need a few minutes to pray a chaplet to Our Lady of Lourdes. Begin with the Apostles Creed. Next, pray an Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Repeat twice for a total of 3 times. Conclude with the following prayer:
Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Healer of the Sick,
Refuge of Sinners, Consoler of the Afflicted, you know my wants
my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy.
When you appeared in the Grotto of Lourdes you made it a
privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and
where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities,
both spiritual and corporal.
I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your
maternal intercession. My loving Mother, ensure my request.
I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your
company and bless you in eternity. Amen.
Finally, pray the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes leading up to the feast day, or any time during the year out of love for Our Lady.
4. Study Mary as the Immaculate Conception
Mary revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception. This is a dogma you can read about in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 491. You can also refer to our post 4 Things You Need to Know About the Immaculate Conception.
5. Remember Your Baptism
The miraculous spring at Lourdes continues, by God’s good pleasure, to be a source of healing for pilgrims. Bless yourself, your family, and even guests with holy water in remembrance of your own baptisms. Consider purchasing a holy water font to hang by the entrance to your home, and celebrate the anniversary of family members’ baptisms.
6. Visit a Grotto
You may not be able to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes, but you may be within traveling distance of a Marian grotto in your diocese. Lourdes is a popular devotional place and many dioceses have at least one replica. If you can’t find one locally, consider purchasing a small statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, gather some rocks, and build your own.
7. Study the Ongoing Miracles of Lourdes
Healings still occur today. Although venerating saints and believing in private revelations and apparitions is not required by the Church, stories of saints, Our Lady, and healings can be edifying in our troubled world.
You can find a list of approved Lourdes miracles at The Miracle Hunter website. In addition, you can hear of a recent healing on our newest show, A Catholic Take. You can listen on demand to our host, Joe McClane, who was joined on 1/31/23 by Fr. John Hallowell to discuss his miraculous healing at Lourdes.
As Lent approaches, keeping Our Lady of Lourdes close to our hearts can help see Jesus through a new lens. We invite you to listen at thestationofthecross.com, on our iCatholicRadio app or on your local Catholic radio station.
