this week's feasts
Our Lady of Lourdes
This Tuesday, Feb. 11, is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. On Feb. 11, 1858, Bernadette Soubirous went with her sisters to collect wood. Her sisters crossed the river that was next to town, but because of health issues, Bernadette was not able to do so. She stayed on the other side, at the base of a mountain. There was a grotto, an indentation in the mountain, and above was a crag of rock projecting outward.
While Bernadette waited for her sisters, she saw a beautiful woman dressed in white, with a blue girdle and a yellow rose on each foot, standing on the crag of rock.
The young girl tried to make the Sign of the Cross because her hands were trembling so much. The woman smiled at her and invited her to pray the rosary with her.
Bernadette continued to go to the grotto. Others joined her, but they could not see or hear the lady. On one day, the woman, who had identified herself as the Blessed Mother, told her to dig in the ground below the crag of rock. She did, and water began to bubble up from below. She then washed her face in the muddy water.
After the apparition, many came forward and began to bathe in these waters. Seven certified miraculous healings took place in the first few days. Since then, there have been many people who have testified to healings that happened to them after washing in the waters. Long lines of people are present every day in Lourdes to wash in the waters of Lourdes.
At one of the apparitions, Mary said, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception had recently been declared, but a simple young girl from Lourdes would not have known about that. And although the doctrine that Mary had been immaculately conceived had been declared, it had never been used as a title of Mary.
Lourdes continues to be the most visited pilgrimage site in Europe (Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most visited site in the world), with thousands of pilgrims arriving every day.
While Bernadette waited for her sisters, she saw a beautiful woman dressed in white, with a blue girdle and a yellow rose on each foot, standing on the crag of rock.
The young girl tried to make the Sign of the Cross because her hands were trembling so much. The woman smiled at her and invited her to pray the rosary with her.
Bernadette continued to go to the grotto. Others joined her, but they could not see or hear the lady. On one day, the woman, who had identified herself as the Blessed Mother, told her to dig in the ground below the crag of rock. She did, and water began to bubble up from below. She then washed her face in the muddy water.
After the apparition, many came forward and began to bathe in these waters. Seven certified miraculous healings took place in the first few days. Since then, there have been many people who have testified to healings that happened to them after washing in the waters. Long lines of people are present every day in Lourdes to wash in the waters of Lourdes.
At one of the apparitions, Mary said, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception had recently been declared, but a simple young girl from Lourdes would not have known about that. And although the doctrine that Mary had been immaculately conceived had been declared, it had never been used as a title of Mary.
Lourdes continues to be the most visited pilgrimage site in Europe (Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most visited site in the world), with thousands of pilgrims arriving every day.
St. Scholastica
This Monday, Feb. 10, is the Feast of St. Scholastica. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict. After he founded his Benedictine brotherhood, she came to him and wished to live a similar life to that which he was living. Together they began the Benedictine community of women. We at Mother of God have been blessed to know some of the Sisters of St. Benedict as they ministered here, including Sr. Dorothy and Sr. Kathleen. The Benedictine Order also served at St. Benedict Church here in Covington, for many years.
Sts. Cyril and Methodius
Cyril and Methodius were brothers born in Thessalonica. Later becoming priests, they were sent to the Slavic populations of Eastern Europe and were very successful in bringing the Gospel there. They created a Slavik alphabet, which assisted in their missionary work and in other endeavors.
Pope John Paul II, the first Slavic Pope, declared them to be the co-patron saints of Europe, with St. Benedict of Nursia.
Pope John Paul II, the first Slavic Pope, declared them to be the co-patron saints of Europe, with St. Benedict of Nursia.