BERNADETTE RECOUNTS HER APPARITIONS

Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions. Doucet Publications - Lourdes.

Much has been said and written about the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette in Lourdes. However, the most original, genuine, and realistic account of the apparitions were recounted by Bernadette herself. Characterized by its simplicity, clarity, vividness, and spontaneity, the way Bernadette recounted her apparitions was as straightforward and spontaneous as she has always been. The book, Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions, is the most authentic evidence of the apparitions in Lourdes as it provides a very thorough, complete and detailed description of the apparitions in Bernadette's own words. The narratives are preceded with a description of the life of Bernadette so as to enable the readers to develop a deeper insight into the life of the saint. Through this book, readers would be able to understand the meaning of poverty, suffering and humiliation characterized by the life of this poor shepherd girl. This book also consists of reproductions of the autographed manuscripts about the apparitions as well as photos of the main protagonists related to the events in Lourdes at the time of the apparitions and photos of the Sanctuary of Lourdes. It is one of my favorite souvenirs from Lourdes.

Who Was Bernadette?

Bernadette was the eldest daughter of Francois Soubirous, a miller, and his wife, Louise Casterot. Born at Boly Mill on 7 January 1844, she was baptized at the parish church of St. Peter on 9 January. Her godmother was her aunt, Bernarde Casterot and her godfather was Jean Vedere. When she was 10 months old, her mother could not breastfeed her due to an accident with a candle which burnt her breast and she was sent to Bartres to be fostered by Marie Lagues, her wet nurse. Bernadette returned to Boly Mill when she was 26 months old. At the age of 11, she contracted cholera when the plague broke out in Lourdes and continued to suffer from asthma all her life. When she was 13, her father was reduced to poverty and the family had to take shelter in the Cachot, a damp. filthy, and unhealthy former prison cell. She was sent to Bartres once again to work as a farm girl so that her family would have one less mouth to feed. However, hardship, homesickness, and loneliness made her persuade her parents to let her return to Lourdes and she was finally reunited with her family in the Cachot on 21 January 1858. On 11 February 1858, Bernadette went to Massabielle to collect bones and firewood with her sister, Antoinette, and their friend, Jeanne Abadie. That was the day she saw the Virgin Mary for the first time. From 11 February 1858 to 16 July 1858, Our Lady appeared to her 18 times and these apparitions changed her life forever. For a more detailed account of Bernadette's life, please read Bartrès and Bernadette, The Cachot, The Passion of Bernadette, and The Message of Lourdes.

Bernadette has recounted the apparitions in Lourdes many times before the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and in response to the numerous questions from family members, friends, priests, and pilgrims as everyone was eager to know what happened at the grotto. In this article, I would like share the letter that she has written to Abbe Charles Bouin giving him an account of what happened at the grotto of Lourdes.


Bernadette's Letter to Charles Bouin

In her LETTER TO ABBE CHARLES BOUIN, Bernadette gave him an account of her apparitions and of the events at the grotto. Who was Charles Bouin and why did Bernadette write to him? Charles Bouin grew up in a protestant family but was converted and ordained a priest on 21 December 1863. He went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes in 1864 and there he met Bernadette. Deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary, he asked Bernadette to write to him and give him an account of the apparitions. Below is the letter which she wrote to him on 22 August 1864.


"I went to the grotto for the first time to collect firewood with two girls. When we reached the mill, I asked them if they would like to see where the water from the mill flowed into the river. They agreed. We walked along the channel and arrived in front of the grotto. My companions waded across the water but  I remained by myself on the other side.

I asked them to throw some stones into the water so that I could cross without having to take off my shoes but they told me to do as they had done if I wanted to cross over to the other side.

At that instant, I went a little further down and tried to cross over but failed to so. I went back to the front of the grotto.

I started to take off my shoes and had just taken off one shoe when I heard the sound of a gust of wind. When I turned towards the meadow, I became aware that the trees were not moving. I started to take off the other shoe and then heard the same sound again.

I raised my head towards the grotto and saw a lady dressed in white She was wearing a white dress, a blue belt with a white veil over her head and a yellow rose on each foot.

I thought that it was an illusion and rubbed my eyes. I looked at the grotto again and again and continued to see the same lady. I then put my hand into my pocket and took out my rosary.

I tried to make the sign of the cross but I could not do so because I could not raise my hand to my forehead. Although I was very frightened, I did not run away.

The Lady made the sign of the cross. I also tried to make the sign of the cross and this time, I succeeded. After I made the sign of the cross, calmness descended upon me and I said the rosary with the lady before me.

She beckoned me to approach her with her finger but I did not dare to do so and remained in the same place.

After reciting the rosary, I asked my companions whether they saw anything. They said that they did not. I asked them again, but they answered in the negative. I told them not to say nothing to anyone about it. "So you've seen something," they said to me.

I didn't want to tell them what happened but they pressured me so much that I gave in and told them everything on the condition that they would not reveal it to anybody. They promised me not to tell anyone; but no sooner had they arrived home, than they lost no time in talking about the lady dressed in white that I had seen.

That was what happened when I went to the grotto for the first time. It was Thursday, 11 February 1858.

The next Sunday I went there for a second time together with several other people. Some of them told me to bring paper and ink and ask the lady, should she ever appear again, to put whatever she wanted to say in writing.

Upon reaching that place, I started to recite the rosary. At the end of the first ten Hail Marys, the lady appeared and I asked her to put in writing anything she wanted to say to me. She smiled and said that it was not necessary to put what she wanted to say to me in writing. She asked me if I would be so kind as to return to the grotto for the next fifteen days.

I promised her that I would do so.

She wanted me to see the priests and tell them to build a chapel there and asked me to drink at the spring and wash myself, and to pray for sinners. She said this to me a few times.

She also told me that she promised me happiness not in this world but in the other.

I  asked her repeatedly who she was and she replied with a smile. I saw her on fifteen consecutive days, except a Monday and a Friday.

At the end of the fifteen days, she said that she was the Immaculate Conception. She had blue eyes."


Lourdes, 22 August 1864                                                                             

Bernadette Soubirous


Bernadette has recounted her apparitions many times to different people. Her accounts may not be exactly the same each time but in their entirety they are still the best and most reliable evidence of the apparitions in Lourdes. For further reading about Bernadette's original accounts of the apparitions, you can refer to the book entitled Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions, an indispensable record of the apparitions that every pilgrim would love to have.



Reference:
Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions. Doucet Publications - Lourdes.

THE WONDERS OF LOURDES: 150 MIRACULOUS STORIES

The Wonders of Lourdes: 150 Miraculous Stories

"The Wonders of Lourdes" is one of my favourite books. It is one of the most beautiful souvenirs that I brought home with me from Lourdes, France. It tells 150 true stories of the Shrine of Lourdes from the first apparition of Our Lady to Bernadette up to the present day. Twenty-two contributing writers have contributed to the publication of this book to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions to Bernadette and the first Papal visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Lourdes in September 2008. Working with the bishops of France and having complete access to the Shrines of Notre-Dame de Lourdes' archives, the writers have written vivid descriptions of the history and traditions of the Shrine as well as the personal experiences of those who have worked or visited there. Most of all, they have clearly proven that Lourdes is a place of physical and spiritual healing, a special place of prayer, conversion, and grace where faith is fortified, hope is restored, and the message and love of Jesus is shared. These are the wonders of Lourdes. With an introduction by Most Reverend Jacques Perrier, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, and Pierre-Marie Dumont, the creator of Magnificat, this book is a unique and marvelous collection of the continuing wonders of Lourdes. In this article, I would like to share the first ten miracles of Lourdes - the first five miracles occurred while the apparitions were still taking place.

Catherine Latapie had fallen from a tree and dislocated her right arm and injured her hand 2 years ago. Although the doctor could heal her arm, two fingers on her hand were paralyzed. For a poor peasant woman who had to make a living with her hands, such a disability was a great obstacle to her. However, she did not give up hope and it was this hope that brought her to the Grotto of Massabielle on 1 Mac 1858, during the 12th apparition. Heavily pregnant and bringing two small children with her, she had walked more than 4 miles from her home in Loubajac. Fifteen hundred people were present at the ecstasy that day. After Bernadette's vision had ended, Catherine Latapie dragged her children to the spring with her and bathed her hand in the miraculous water - her hand was healed instantly. Her contractions started soon after the healing and she had to hurry home as fast as her legs could carry her to give birth to her fourth child who became a priest. That was the first miracle of Lourdes. (Catherine Latapie was born in 1820 and lived in Loubajac, near Lourdes)

Louis Bouriette has been blinded in his right eye by a stone splinter more than 20 years ago following an explosion while he was working in the quarry in 1839. His brother was killed in the explosion. On 25 February 1858, he fetched some water from the spring and washed his eye a few times with the miraculous water while praying to Our Lady. His full vision was immediately restored and he regained his eyesight completely. Feeling excited, he rushed to Dr. Dozous' office to proclaim his miraculous healing (Louis Bouriette was botn in 1804 and lived in Lourdes).

Blaisette Cazenave was suffering from chronic infection of the conjunctivae and eyelids with bilateral ectropion for 3 years and was completely blind. Even though her condition was declared incurable, she decided to imitate what Bernadette did at the Grotto during the ninth apparition - she drank spring water and washed her face in it. When she bathed her eyes with the spring water for the second time, her vision was completely restored and her eyes returned to normal again - there were no more pain and inflammation (Blaisette Cazenave was born in 1808 and lived in Lourdes).

Henri Busquet was only 16 when he was healed by the miraculous spring water. He has been suffering from a neck abscess, purulent adenitis at the base of the neck, for 15 months. He wanted to make a trip to Lourdes but his parents did not allow him to make that trip. He turned to his neighbor for help. When his neighbor brought him some of the miraculous spring water from Lourdes, he prayed with his family around him. After applying the spring water, he discovered that the infection was completely gone (Henri Busquet was born in 1842 and lived in Nay, France).

At the beginning of July 1858, Justin Bouhort was suffering from chronic post-infective malnutrition with retarded motor development and was dying from tuberculosis at the age of 2. Doctors had already given up hope on him. Taking the half-dead child in her arms, his mother, Croisine, rushed to the Grotto. On arrival, she went straight to the basin recently dug by quarrymen to gather water from the spring uncovered by Bernadette and dunk her moribund child in the icy cold water. The crowd thought that she was going to kill her child and screamed at her. She held her child in the basin for a very long time and then lifted him out and carried him home. He was still breathing when they reached home and slept peacefully that night. In the days which followed, he regained his strength and started to walk - it seemed that he was recovering quickly and was bursting with health. He lived to a ripe old age and died at the age of 79. On 8 December 1933, he attended Bernadette's canonization in Rome (Justin Bouhort was born in 1856 and lived in Lourdes).

Madeleine Rizan has been suffering from paralysis on the left side of her body for 24 years following an attack of cholera. Doctors have given up hope on her and refused to treat her. She received Extreme Unction in September 1858 as death seemed to be imminent. When her daughter brought her some spring water from the Grotto in Lourdes, she took a few sips and applied it on her face and body. All of a sudden, her illness disappeared and she was alive again. She led a normal life until her death 11 years later in 1869 without having any relapse (Madeleine Rizan was born in 1800 and lived in Nay, France).

Marie Moreau was 16 years old when she was suffering from inflammatory lesions especially in her right eye which resulted in severe visual impairment. Her father went to Lourdes to get some spring water for her in the hope for a miraculous healing. On 8 November 1858, after prayers with her family, the young lady soaked a bandage in the spring water and tied it over her eyes. When she removed the bandage the following morning, she found that her eyesight was completely restored (Marie Moreau was born in 1841 and lived in Tartas, France). 

Pierre de Rudder's leg was crushed by a falling tree and he sustained an open fracture in his left leg. His doctors recommended amputation but he refused and there was nothing else that they could do for him. In the morning of 7 April 1875, he set off from his home in Jabbeke, Belgium, to visit the Shrine of Oostacker, a replica of the Massabielle Grotto near Ghent, Belgium. There, he prayed to Our Lady to restore his honor and dignity and for the grace to be able to make a living as he did not want to depend on charity. He got up almost immediately and walked around the grotto. He returned home in the evening without any abnormalities in the leg and had since got back to work and resumed his normal lifestyle. That was the first miraculous cure which took place without any use of spring water from the Grotto (Pierre de Rudder was born in 1822 and lived in Belgium)..

Joachime Dehant, a 29-year-old Belgium woman who has been suffering from a large and deep gangrenous ulcer on her right leg, arrived in Lourdes on 12 September 1878. She was in a bad state of health and foul smelling pus was oozing out from the incurable wound. The next day, she went to the baths. Within hours after two immersions into the miraculous healing waters, her wound was suddenly and completely healed and her leg was normal again. She lived to enjoy excellent health for another 30 years (Joachime Dehant was born in 1849 and lived in Belgium).

For six years, Elisa Seisson has been suffering from cardiac hypertrophy with edema of both legs. Her disease was considered incurable as she did not respond to treatment. In August 1882, at the age of 27, she went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. She went to the baths on the first day and after the immersion, she found that the edema on her legs had disappeared. After a peaceful night's sleep, she woke up the next morning feeling completely healed. She continued to live a healthy life the next 30 years (Elisa Seisson was born in 1855 and lived in Rognonas, France).

These were the first ten miracles of Lourdes, five of them took place while the apparitions were still going on. Following the apparitions, many miracles have occurred but to date only 67 miracles have been approved by the Catholic Church even though there are more than 8000 miracles attributed to the Lourdes Shirne since 1858. You can read about these 67 miracles @ LOURDES: MIRACLES AND THE MIRACULOUSLY HEALED. To read more about Lourdes, please click here. There is a complete list of my articles about Lourdes on this page.

Reference:

The Wonders of Lourdes: 150 Miraculous Stories. Magnificat.

INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT INGRATITUDE, LET'S EXPECT IT

On his journey to Jerusalem he passed along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. Keeping their distance, they raised their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he responded, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." On their way there, they were cured. One of them, realizing that he had been cured, came back praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself on his face at the feet of Jesus and spoke his praises. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus took the occasion to say, "Were not all ten made whole? Where are the other nine? Was there no one to return and give thanks to God except this foreigner?" He said to the man, "Stand up and go your way; your faith has been your salvation" (Luke 17:11-19).

Many years ago, there was a young woman whose job was to sell Toto at the Toto booth near my house. She was paid very little for this job. Everyone in that area called her "Toto girl". At night, she helped her sister to sell ladies' handbags at China Town (Petaling Street). She got married at 16 and by the time she was in her mid-twenties she already had two daughters who were of school-going age. Her husband was a taxi driver and his income was barely enough to support his family. To make matters worse, her mother-in-law was giving her a tough time and often scolded her in front of the neighbours. My grandmother, who loved to buy Toto, got to know of her plight and related it to my mother. My mother really sympathized with her situation and asked this Toto girl to show her whatever certs she had. After looking at her certs, my mother said that she could qualify to become a temporary teacher in one of the chinese primary schools. My mother then got her a teaching job. She worked for one year as a temporary teacher but was kicked out the following year because of her bad attitude. She was the kind of woman who did not like to greet her neighbors and could  have done the same thing at school - that was probably why she was kicked out of the school. My mother got her another teaching job in another chinese primary school. After teaching for two years, she qualified to go for training and became a permanent teacher. (During those days, there was a lack of chinese school teachers and those who taught for two years would be trained to become permanent teachers.) So after becoming a permanent teacher, did this 'Toto Girl' ever say "thank you" to my mother? No, she didn't. She pretended that she didn't know my mother at all. Whenever she met my mother, she would just walk past without even looking at my mother as though my mother was a complete stranger to her. Because of her steady income, her husband and mother-in-law dared not bully her anymore. On the contrary, she was the one who bullied them! If not because of my mother, what would she become? Did she ever ask herself this question? My mother used to tell me how rude and ungrateful she was and I kept wondering how could someone be so rude and ungrateful to the person who changed her life. Is this human nature?

Now, after so many years, I am doing what my mom used to do ie to recruit temporary teachers for my school. I know very well that there are many jobless graduates out there and it is not easy for them to get a job especially those with a poor command of English. Whenever there are vacancies in my school, I would try my best to help these jobless graduates to become temporary teachers in my school. Last year, I brought this jobless graduate from Johor to my school as a temporary teacher. It wasn't easy to arrange an interview for her with the officer in the Education Department at Jalan Duta. On the day of her interview, we were having some kind of ceremony in the hall and I had to go up to the office so many times to call her and a middle-aged guy (another jobless graduate whom I have recommended as temporary teacher for my school) to see how the situation was. Finally, I had to drag my headmaster with me to confirm with the officer that these were the temporary teachers that our school sent for the interview and that our school needed them badly. The guy didn't get this job because he was overaged but she was lucky enough to get it. When she first started teaching, she was penniless and often complained that she had no money. She even wanted to borrow money from the school. She was really desperate for money and at that moment of her life this job was her only way out. Now, after teaching for a few months, she has made enough money to buy beautiful clothes for herself (graduate temporary teachers are quite well-paid). Did she ever say "thank you" to me for getting her this job at the moment when she was penniless and needed a job badly? She pretends that she doesn't know me just like what the Toto girl did to my mom many years ago! Whenever she sees me, she would just walk past without looking at me as though I am a complete stranger to her. And I dare not talk to her. Why? Because even simple friendly questions like "How much is the bus fare from Kuala Lumpur to Johor?" and "Do you have a diploma?" could make her lose her temper. I am glad that not all the temporary teachers that I brought to my school are like her. There are some very nice and helpful ones. Actually, it doesn't matter to me whether they know how to be grateful or not. I only hope that they don't treat me like a stranger. What do I get from helping these jobless graduates? Nothing. Why am I helping them? Well, I would like to share one of the parables that Jesus told. Here it goes:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels of heaven, he will sit upon his royal throne, and all the nations would be assembled before him. Then he will separate them into two groups, as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The sheep he will place on his right hand, the goats on his left. The king will say to those on his right: 'Come. You have my Father's blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me. Then the just will ask him: 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you drink? When did we welcome you away from home or clothe you in your nakedness? When did we visit you when you were ill or in prison? The king will answer them: 'I assure you, as often as you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me.' (Matthew 25:31-40)

Let us serve the world as Our Lord did. Let us stop thinking about gratitude or ingratitude but give for the inner joy of giving. Do not make the human and distressing mistake of expecting gratitude. Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. This is human nature. That's life! Below is an excerpt about ingratitude from Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" that I would like to share tonight. It is very meaningfully written and I suppose my readers would like to read it too. Here it goes:

If you saved a man's life, would you expect him to be grateful? You might - but Samuel Leibowitz, who was a famous criminal lawyer before he became a judge, saved seventy-eight men from going to the electric chair! How many of these men, do you suppose, stopped to thank Samuel Leibowitz, or ever took the trouble to send him a Christmas card? How many? Guess ... That's right - none.

Christ helped ten lepers in one afternoon - but how many of those lepers even stopped to thank Him? Only one. Look it up in Saint Luke. When Christ turned around to His disciples and asked, "Where are the other nine?" they had all run away. Disappeared without thanks!

And when it comes to money matters! Well, that is even more hopeless. Charles Schwab told me that he had once saved a bank cashier who had speculated in the stock market with funds belonging to the bank. Schwab put up the money to save this man from going to the penitentiary. Was the cashier grateful? Oh yes, for a little while. Then he turned against Schwab and reviled him and denounced him - the very man who had kept him out of jail!

If you gave one of your relatives a million dollars, would you expect him to be grateful? Andrew Carnegie did just that. But if Andrew Carnegie had come back from the grave a little while later, he would have been shocked to find this relative cursing him! Why? Because Old Andy had left 365 million to public charities - and had "cut him off with one measly million," as he put it.

I knew a man in Chicago who had cause to complain of the ingratitude of his stepsons. He slaved in a box factory, seldom earning more than forty dollars a week. He married a widow, and she persuaded him to borrow money and send her two grown sons to college. Out of his salary of forty dollars a week, he had to pay for food, rent, fuel, clothes, and also for the payments on his notes. He did this for four years, working like a coolie, and never complaining. Did he get any thanks? No; his wife took it all for granted - and so did her sons.They never imagined that they owed their stepfather anything - not even thanks!

That's how it goes. Human nature has always been human nature - and it probably won't change in your lifetime. So why not accept it? Why not be as realistic about it as was old Marcus Aurelius, one of the wisest men who ever ruled the Roman Empire. He wrote in his diary one day: "I am going to meet people today who talk too much - people who are selfish, egotistical, ungrateful. But I won't be surprised or disturbed, for I couldn't imagine a world without such people."

That makes sense, doesn't it? If you and I go around grumbling about ingratitude, who is to blame? Is it human nature - or is it our ignorance of human nature? Let's not expect gratitude. Then, if we get some occasionally, it will come as a delighful surprise. If we don't get it, we won't be disturbed.

It is natural for people to forget to be grateful; so if we go around expecting gratitude, we are headed straight for a lot of heartaches. Instead of worrying about ingratitude, let's expect it. Let's remember that Jesus healed ten lepers in one day - and only one thanked Him. Why should we expect more gratitude than Jesus got? Let's remember that the only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude, but to give for the joy of giving. Thanks for reading. You can click here to view the contents page of this blog.

THE VALUE OF SUFFERING

The marble monument of the Salus Infirmorum (Salvation of the Sick) by French Sculptor, Jules Dechin, and donated by the Diocese of Cambrai in 1912. Photo taken on my way to The Esplanade.

Since the first miraculous healing of Catherine Latapie on 1 March 1858, there have been many miracle cures associated with Lourdes. To date, 6784 unexplained healings have been recorded but only 67 have been approved by the Catholic Church. Every year, about 70,000 sick and disabled pilgrims travel to Lourdes in the hope that they would be miraculously healed. They can be seen everywhere - along the road and at every corner of the town, in the sanctuary area as well as the tourist destinations around Lourdes. There are always long queues of them at the Grotto, waiting at the baths and in processions. In a way, it may also be true to say that their sufferings actually enrich the sanctuary spiritually as their presence makes us think and reflect on our own lives and feel thankful for being healthy. Perhaps, for the first time in their lives, the healthy pilgrims would learn to appreciate their good health and feel thankful to God for what they have. Perhaps, for the first time in their lives, they would realize that the cross they are carrying is not the heaviest after all. As for the sick or handicapped pilgrims, many would return home with renewed strength because they have learnt how to endure their sufferings bravely. Therefore, even though they may not be able to find the miracles that they are looking for, they are healed spiritually in this place of grace. The photo below was taken during a procession in Lourdes. Never have I seen so many sick and handicapped people in my life. As I was reflecting on my own life that day, I said to myself, "I have nothing else to ask for."

The Sick in Lourdes

The first words that the Blessed Virgin Mary said to Bernadette were, "I do not promise you happiness in this world but the next." The meaning of these words can be found in the Bible, "Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny his very self, take up his cross each day, and follow in my steps. Whoever would save his life would lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24). These words clearly describe Bernadette's Calvary, a journey of poverty, sickness, pain, misunderstanding and humiliation.

The message of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette was a simple one - poverty, prayer and penance are the keys that would open the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven. Like Jesus, Bernadette was born into a poor family, suffered severe physical pain, and died. Bernadette accepted her destitute conditions and sufferings because that was God's will. Living in a material world, she has chosen poverty, altruism and charity as her way of life. At the Grotto of Massabielle, Bernadette experienced real prayer - a prayer of offering which involved her entire life - her joys and sufferings, her health and illnesses, her serenity and solitude. She did not focus on repetitions of personal requests because she knew that the miraculous healings in Lourdes were not meant for her. She was only a privileged witness to the apparitions and faithful messenger of God. Bernadette was sick most of the time and had received the Extreme Uction three times by the time she was 29 but she had never prayed for a miraculous healing. Although she was suffering from tuberculosis of the knee with cavities on the bone, she struggled to live with the severe pain bravely and cheerfully till the end.

To define the Sanctuary of Lourdes as a "place of miracles" or a "pilgrimage center" is to undermine its real significance. Lourdes is not merely a place of miracles or pilgrimage site - it is a holy place which helps us to understand what the glorification of suffering means. Its purpose is not to help us get rid of our cross but to make us understand its meaning and carry it with great fortitude. Every pilgrim, especially those who are sick or handicapped, should remember what Bernadette said in her final moments of life, "I am happier in my bed of pain than any queen on her throne. To obey is to love, suffering in silence for Christ is love. To love sincerely is to offer everything to God." Although healing is important, knowing how to bear our sufferings gracefully is even more important! In this place of grace, the Virgin Mary reminds us that true wealth is of the heart and true happiness can only be found within. These can be acquired through one's honesty, responsibility, virtue, and goodness of heart by placing God in the center of our lives. 

Today, many sick and handicapped pilgrims travel to Lourdes as an act of faith in the hope that this pilgrimage will bring them hope and emotional strength. But of course, a miracle could be waiting for them and it could happen anytime.

You may also like to read THE PASSION OF BERNADETTE, THE CACHOT, THE MESSAGE OF LOURDES and THE WONDERS OF LOURDES: 150 MIRACULOUS STORIES. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

References:

1.  Lourdes. Doucet Publications.

2.  Discover Lourdes. MSM.

3.  Lourdes & Bernadette. Publisher "il Calamo".

4.  The New American Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers.

TESTIMONY OF FATHER UMBERTO LONCAR

Our Lady of Medjugorje

Medugorje, which means a village between two hills, Krizevac and Podbrdo, became known to the world when six young visionaries reported supernatural appearances of the Virgin Mary. These apparitions began on 24 June 1981 and Medjugorje has since become a place of pilgrimage, hope, and conversion for the faithful. These apparitions continue to this day. Millions of pilgrims visit Medjugorje every year and today Medjugorje has become the third most important pilgrimage site in Europe. In this article, I would like to share the testimony of Father Umberto Loncar because he is a trustworthy and credible witness who actually saw Our Lady with his own eyes.

The Testimony of Father Umberto Loncar

On 2 & 3 August, 1981, during Our Lady's apparition to the visionaries at around 6.20 to 6.40 p.m., many pilgrims in Medjugorje saw the sun getting dimmer, surrounded by an orange-red glowing ring, casting its rays on the parish church. This was followed by bright circles of various colors rotating around the sun. News of this supernatural phenomenon spread far and wide and soon became the talk of the village.

On 2 August 1981, which was a Sunday, I did not notice anything unusual as it has never occurred to me that the miracle of the sun could happen here. I must admit that I did not even take a brief or hurried look at the sun or the sky that day.

On Monday, 3 August 18981, after being informed about what happened on Sunday, I made it a point to look at the sun and the sky, and this time, I witnessed the miracle of the sun right in front of my eyes. The sky to the north of the church was traversed by an arc of dark globes, moving from east to west. I tried to dismiss this unusual phenomenon assuming that it was caused by weather and / or temperature anomalies. Or could it be that I was seeing things that weren't really there? In other words, I said to myself, there was nothing supernatural about this phenomenon..

However, on 4 August 1981, which as a Tuesady, I had what I should say a "special vision." That day, I purposely stayed at home and did not go to Medjugorje. When I left the house at 6:oo p.m., I covered my face with my hand and looked at the sun with its fading light between my fingers. A light wind was blowing in that pleasant summer evening. After looking at the sun, I quickly looked away towards the direction of Medjugorje, because I did not want to damage my eyes from staring at the sun. I did not see any "dark globes" but at exactly 6:20 p.m., I saw a huge red and violet cloud over Cerno. The cloud, which was exceptionally large, was moving in my direction at tremendous speed. It then hovered over Mount Krizevac for one or two minutes, moved eastward, and seemed to have sunk into the earth. As the hills and trees were blocking my view, I could not see what happened. I ran to the upper floor of the rectory so that I could have a better view. After the cloud has disappeared from my sight, I descended to the terrace between the rectory and the church. Exactly at 6:40 p.m., I saw a red and violet figure of a beautful woman rising from the hill of Crnica. The red and violet figure faded in intensity as she was ascending into the sky and then disappeared. The last thing I saw was a brilliant white veil dangling from her feet and swinging in the air.

My vision of the lady ascending into the sky lasted for about 30 seconds. I had no doubt that this was indeed a supernatural phenomenon. It has clearly proven that the events in Medjugorje originated from God. After much thought, I came to the following conclusions:

1. On Tuesday evening, the sky was clear and cloudless. There was not a single cloud in the sky - it was like the cloud suddenly appeared over Cerno.

2. I could see distinctly, plainly, and unmistakably that the Mary-like figure that appeared in the sky was a very beautiful woman and I had no doubt She was Our Lady.

3. The veil that was dangling under her feet was whiter than the whitest snow.

4. It was obvious that the figure was that of a high-born woman.

5. What I saw was not merely a coincidence or an illusion. At the time I saw what I described above, Our Lady was actually appearing to the visionaries in a garden in Bijakovici.

I therefore conclude that I have witnessed a miraculous sign from God - Our Heavenly Mother whom the visionaries could see and talk with.

Father Umberto Loncar: A Short Biography

Fr. Umberto Loncar is a well-respected Franciscan priest in the Province of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was born in Posusje on 6 June 1922, where he attended primary school. In 1940, he joined the Franciscans after having completed his theological studies in Zagreb. He was ordained a priest on 6 June 1949, on his 27th birthday. Following that, he served in the military for one year, after which he was assigned to Mostar and then to Konjic as associate pastor. He served as a pastor in Cerin, in the municipality of Citluk, from 1959 to 1964. In 1964, he was assigned to Humac, in the municipality of Ljubuski, where he became the guardian of the monastery from 1967 until he was assigned to Posuski Gradac in 1970. In 1978, he was assigned to Gradnici, in the municipality of Citluk. He returned to Cerin in 1988 and has remained there until now. 

You may also like to read SUPERNATURAL EVENTS IN MEDJUGORJE, THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY AT MEDJUGORJE and TESTIMONY OF FATHER LUKA SUSAC. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

The Apparitions of Our Lady at Medjugorje by Father Svetozar Kraljevic.

IN MEDJUGORJE I FOUND THE MEANING OF EXISTENCE

Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Last year was a beautiful year for me. So was the year before last. And of course the year 2007 would always remain one of the most memorable years in my life because that was the year I went to Medjugorje. I am not trying to say that I wasn't happy before I went to Medjugorje. My life has always been a comfortable one and I have been enjoying myself all these years. However, I would not deny the fact that I was feeling a bit lost. But I found my map in Medjugorje and my life had since become more meaningful and purposeful. And I am sure that those who have been to Medjugorje would agree with me that life would never be the same again after our pilgrimage to Medjugorje.

When I came back from Medjugorje, my views about life changed. I am now a different person and I am also looking at life from a different perspective. I have found the true meaning of existence at last. Life in Medjugorje was peaceful, quiet and calm and for the first time in my life I was able to restore my mind and think clearly what I wanted in life, how I wanted to live my life, and how to get my life on the right path. And of course thinking and reflecting alone wasn't enough without guidance from above. That was why I chose Medjugorje. Why Medjugorje? Because I knew that God would help me to find myself, my life, and my future in this holy place. Now that I have set myself on the right path, I live to love myself and make myself happy in each and every second of my life. I do not expect other people to make me happy because the only person who can make me happy is myself. Life is a journey, make the best of it. My goal is to make myself better every day, to serve God, and be the perfect bride of Christ. My prayer life has also greatly improved. I pray for hours every day now, something I seldom did before my pilgrimage to Medjugorje. Saying the Croatian rosary is really interesting as it makes me feel different and this is also one of the reasons why I love to pray so much now. And I always feel better after saying my prayers.

Before I went to Medjugorje, I had a boyfriend. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in town - handsome, rich and well-educated. Somehow, I have never considered myself lucky for having such a "diamond bachelor" boyfriend because I couldn't help feeling that it wasn't possible for him to be faithful to me. It was an inevitable fact that all the girls in town would willingly die for him and although he kept saying that he could be faithful, I just couldn't trust him. As I was wondering what to do with him, Medjugorje came into my life and I was glad that I discovered my answer in Medjugorje. After I came back from Medjugorje, I found that I have completely lost interest in him. In other words, I had no more feelings for him and I just couldn't be bothered what he was doing or what was happening to him. I wasn't even interested to talk to him or see him again. He was like a complete stranger to me. I didn't know why I had a sudden change of heart but I considered this a great blessing. Have I ever felt sad about letting him go?  NO. I couldn't help feeling that I was actually doing myself a great favour. I was relief and felt at peace with myself and with the world. Why? Because I would never end up being a broken-hearted divorcee and / or single-mother. Because I would never give anyone the chance to ruin my life. How did I know that he would ruin my life? Through my sixth sense. Sometimes we have to trust our instincts. Listening to our intuition can help us avoid disasters. 

Many woman do not consider divorce to be a serious issue since life goes on and they can always remarry no matter how many times they have divorced. But I don't like the idea of a man coming into my life for a short while, mess it up, defile it, and leave without remorse. I would rather offer myself as a pure and chaste virgin to the Lord. Wow! Being single is simply wonderful. I have all the time in the world for My Lord now and I enjoy saying the French rosary followed by the Croatian rosary every night. My mind is serene and peaceful. I have become the happiest person in the world as there is no need to worry about anyone or anything. I don't live for a man. I only live for myself and for the Lord. This is my victory.

Now that I have found the right direction in life, I have so many plans for the future and so much to do that I really don't know what to do first. I want to be actively involved in church activities. I want to pray for hours each day. I want to write many, many articles for this blog. I have to teach my teenage students. I have to write my Ph.D. thesis. Well, maybe this is what really gives meaning to life. Most of all, these things cannot destroy me. Father Slavko Barbaric has a Ph.D. Pope Benedict XVI has a Ph.D. To be perfect like them, I must get a Ph.D. too. After getting my Ph.D, I will dedicate all my time to do God's work. And there are lots of things that I am going to do for My Lord.

Those who do not understand the real meaning and purpose of life are always busy seeking men because marriage, husband, and children are their everything. If they can find what they want, they are very happy but when they continue to fail again and again in their relationships, they become very desperate and unhappy. As the saying goes, women are most dangerous to themselves when they are desperate to be loved (Vanessa PA Evelyn). In the process of seeking men, they may end up losing everything and destroying themselves. I really feel sorry for my spinster friends when they keep telling me how desperate they are in trying to find a man. Some of them do not mind being a second wife or secret mistress. A former colleague of mine used to say that she would marry any guy who would take her as his wife. She has a few houses and is always busy collecting rent. But she is really desperate. Once, I told her about a very irritating family friend and I thought she would agree that someone like him would never be able to get a wife. What is so wrong with this guy? Well, he doesn't like to work and is terribly stingy. To save money, he always takes his meals at his younger sister's house and anyone in their right senses can see that he is actually looking for a wife who doesn't mind supporting him. Guess what my former colleague said? She asked me to introduce this guy to her.

When I told a former classmate of mine about this lazy, useless, and stingy guy, she too asked me to introduce him to her. She is rich herself and she doesn't mind supporting him. Perhaps, she is really desperate after her live-in boyfriend of eight years left her recently. Then, there is this friend of mine who keeps saying that she's afraid that she would die alone in the house without anyone knowing about it. She is sad that she isn't married and has no children. She always says that she is very lonely. Even after spending hours watching television each day, she has a lot of time to spare and she doesn't know what to do with her spare time.

I feel sad for my spinster friends because they don't know how to live and what to live for. Is a man really that important to a woman that she cannot live without him? As for me, I don't have the time to feel lonely and think about dying alone in the house. Why worry when the Lord will take care of me? I have no fear of the future. Frankly speaking, even if I have a boyfriend now, I'll have no time for him. I don't even know what I am going to do with him. My advice for spinsters is: Do not despair if you cannot find a man. Do you know that life is more fun without him? You can do what you want, spend all your money on yourself, and have lots of time for yourself as there is no need to wash and cook like a maid after a hard day's work. You don't have to suffer in silence because there is no one to hurt you. And most of all, you can keep your youthful looks and beautiful figure because you don't have to make babies and work multiple jobs to support the family. Too much stress can damage your health and speed up aging. You don't have to worry about not having enough sleep because you can sleep the whole day if you want during holidays and weekends! If you were a wife and mother, you have to wake up at 5.00 a.m. to prepare breakfast for your family and do all the housework. I used to sympathize with my mom when I saw her doing that and I am thankful that I can sleep until 12 noon during the school holidays. What a good life! I am thankful that I don't have to be a wife and mother.

Think of our priests and nuns who willingly give up love and marriage to serve the Lord. These are the people who have found the real meaning and purpose of life. Well, you don't have to become a nun or a priest to if you don't like to but you can still serve the Lord wholeheartedly even as ordinary members of the Church. Do not sit and mourn just because you can't find a man in your life. Remember, there are lots of things that you can do for yourself and for this world. Live for yourself and not for a man who may hurt you or destroy your life.

Divorce is extremely common nowadays and not many people can escape from it. However, it can be very destructive to a woman because it takes away her everything. What are the destructive things that a man can do to a woman? After getting married and giving birth to a few kids, a woman will lose her youthful looks and slim figure. When her husband leaves her for another woman, she becomes a single-mother and instead of pampering herself each day, she has to toil and moil for her children. The pain and aftermath of divorce can turn her into a bitter, depressed, and pitiful woman. When her children grow up, get married and leave her, she will still end up being alone after all that she has suffered. But is it worth all her sufferings? I will not waste time on these things. I will never make a fool of myself for a man's love. I will rather spend my whole life pampering myself and be a spoilt child!

I promised to consecrate my virginity to the Lord on Mount Krizevac and I have never regretted doing so. In fact I feel so proud of myself because my life had since found its meaning and purpose. What about this New Year? Would it be as meaningful and purposeful as the previous years? I know that I will love this New Year too as much as I love the previous years. This is going to be another beautiful year for me because I know how to love myself and give myself the best of everything. And I am getting better each day because I want to be the perfect bride of Christ. 

Thanks for reading. To those who are still seeking the meaning and purpose of life, I hope that this article helps. You may also like to read Will your husband divorce you and marry his lover? and Is Marriage Really Necessary and Important in Today's World? To view the content page of this blog, please click here.