Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School - Loughlinite Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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The Holy Sacrifice is offered in the Grotto. The first centenary of the apparitions at Lourdes in 1858 has world-wide signihcance. It is a mighty attesta- tion to the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. The apparitions were not of a purely private and individual character, but became highly important events emphasizing and confirming the solemn proclamation by Pope Pius IX of the dogma of the Immaculate Con- ception of Mary a short four years previously. Thus, they have initiated and exerted an unforeseen influence on the whole religious life, at least of Catholics, over the whole world during the past one hundred years. They have also reached into the life of many non- Catholics. The promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the year 1854 by Pope Pius IX caused a storm of excitement, opposition, violent protests and a veritable literary warfare from the ranks of non- Catholics and infidels against the Church and Mary. This storm had not yet subsided when the exciting reports of the miraculous events in the hidden-away town in the French Pyrenees reached the outer world. On February 11, 1858, fourteen-year-old Bernadette Soubirous left her one-room hovel in search for fuel. Bernadette, her younger sister Toinette, and a neighbor's child walked over to Massabielle, the old rock. Asthmatic Bernadette, at first hesitant to join her companions in wading across the river, finally de- cided to accompany them. She was about to remove her stockings when she heard a rushing wind. Perplexed, she looked about, saw nothing. Then she turned toward the grotto and noticed one of the bushes moving. From the interior of the grotto came a golden cloud and, in Bernadette's words, A Lady, young and beautiful, exceedingly beautiful, the like of whom I had not seen before, appeared. Bernadette took her rosary into her hands and prayed with the Lady. When the recitation of the rosary was finished, the Lady returned to the interior of the rock and the golden cloud disappeared with her. From this day when Our Lady favored the French girl until the end of the apparitions, Bernadette be- came the center of controversy, the -target of accusa- tions, and a world-renowned Hgure. One week later the Lady appeared and spoke for the first time. She told Bernadette to come to Massa- bielle for the next two weeks. The following day Berna- dette's aunt, her mother, and many others accompanied her to the grotto. The child had scarcely begun to say the rosary when the Lady appeared. Bernadette's face -became transfigured. By this time, the story of the apparitions had spread throughout the countryside. When Bernadette reached the grotto on Sunday, she found that a large crowd was already gathered. They even climbed the rock of Massabielle itself. Bernadette seemed not to see the crowd as she knelt on the large smooth stone that was always saved for her. She gazed in rapture at the niche which seemed empty to the other people. Sometimes she smiled, and

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---- 1-1' sometimes her eyes filled with tears. She and the Lady talked together and prayed together, but the people could hear nothing. Some of the things that the Lady told Bernadette during her visits were for her ears alone and were never repeated. Many people asked Bernadette what the lady looked like. She would reply, The Lady has the appearance of a young girl of sixteen or seventeen. She is dressed in a white robe, girdled at the waist with a blue ribbon which flows down all along her robe. She wears upon her head a veil which is also whiteg this veil gives just a glimpse of her hair and then falls down at the back below her waist. Her feet are bare but covered by the last folds of her robe except at the point where a yellow rose shines upon each of them. She holds on her right arm a rosary of white beads with a chain of gold shining like the two roses on her feet. Four or Eve hundred persons were on hand for the eighth apparition on Wfednesday, February 24. Berna- dette wept bitterly and advanced on her knees to the place where the wild bush was hanging. Then she turned to the people and said, Penitence! Penitence! Penitence ! During the ninth apparition the Lady said to Berna- dette, Go, drink and wash in the spring. After walk- ing to the left corner of the excavations, she resolutely bent down and began to scratch the earth. The little cavity which she hollowed out became full of muddy water. After having waited a moment, all the spectators followed the phases of this strange scene with a painful feeling and a sort of stupor. Those who had believed in the girl were disappointed and bewildered. Most of them went home in silence. The disappointment of Bernadette's followers was not to last for long. Water began trickling from the little cavity which the girl had scooped out. The trickle grew larger and larger. Almost immediately miraculous cures were said to have taken place by applying the water. The enthusiasm of Bernadette's followers became greater than ever. On March 2, the Lady asked Bernadette to tell the priests that she wished a chapel built at Massabielle and that she wished processions to come there. This taxed Bernadette's courage to the utmost. She was afraid of the Abbe Peyramale, who was her pastor and also the Dean of Lourdes. The Abbe had maintained an aloof attitude during the entire proceedings at the grotto and had ordered the priests under his jurisdiction to do likewise. Now he found himself face to face with the girl who was creating all the excitement. He looked at her sternly, as the 'girl in a trembling voice repeated the Lady's request. The Abbe, however, stated that he did not have the money. The people of the region continued to visit the grotto, and they kept candles burning all the time. They bathed in the water of the spring and they began collecting money with which to build a church. The civil officials were angry because they thought the entire world was laughing at them. March 25 was the Feast of the Annunciation. On the eve of that day, Bernadette felt a call to the grotto. She went at dawn.