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The Journal of the Sanctuary - #20 - Free

www.lourdes-france.org

Lourdes News

MAY 2016

On Sunday 29 May the Catholic Church will solemnly celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in every host consecrated by a priest during Mass. This host is the object of special worship during Bene-diction of the Blessed Sacrament, which includes Exposition, Adoration and Blessing. Pilgrims in Lourdes can experience this on a daily basis by partici-pating in the Eucharistic Procession at 5.00 pm (our photo), during which a priest carries a large consecrated host (the Blessed Sacrament). The proces-sion is followed by a period of adoration and finally a blessing with the host, in particular of the sick people present, in the Underground Basilica of St. Pius X. As a pilgrim to Lourdes in 2008 Pope Benedict XVI knelt in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in the Prairie of the Sanctuary. Yes, in Lourdes it is really Jesus who gathers us together.

DIARY For times of other Masses in English,please enquire at the Information Centre. Tel. +33 (0)5 62 42 20 08

MASS IN ENGLISH at 9.00 am every dayin the Chapel of Sts. Cosmas and Damian.

ROSARY IN ENGLISH at 2.30 pm at the Grotto every Wednesday (broadcast live on EWTN)

EVERY DAYROSARY 3.30 pm Grotto (in French) 6.00 pm Grotto (in Italian) EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION5.00 pm from the Procession esplanade on the Prairie to the Basilica of Saint Pius XTORCHLIGHT PROCESSION9.00 pm From the Grotto to the Rosary esplanade

JUBILEE OF MERCYAsk for the pilgrim’s Passport (Credencial).

Available at the Information Centre.Follow the Jubilee path: pass through the Door of Mercy, go to Confession, go to Mass, and pray for the Pope...Have your Passport stamped at the Information Centre before you leave.

Thursday 5 May THE ASCENSIONOn the Feast of the Ascension, forty days after Easter Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, and ten days after Pentecost, the Church celebrates the ascension of Christ to his Father: the body of Jesus ascends into heaven. Sunday 15 May PENTECOSTPentecost, fifty days after Easter, celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus. The Holy Spirit filled the Apostles. For Christians it’s an incredible dis-covery of new strength, the strength of the Spirit of God given in overabundance. Sunday 22 May TRINITYOn the first Sunday after Pentecost, Christians cel-ebrate the oneness of God and the mystery of God's love. One God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is the doctrine which summarises the mys-tery of God, so near and yet so far, a doctrine which Jesus the Son showed us through His life and teaching. Sunday 29 May CORPUS CHRISTIThe Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (2nd Sunday after Pentecost) was instituted in the Mid-dle Ages to celebrate the presence of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Tuesday 31 May VISITATION The Visitation is the visit of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after she agreed to give birth to Jesus. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth, herself pregnant with John the Baptist even though she was unable to have a child, recognised Mary as “the mother of my Lord”. This is when Mary proclaimed her Magnificat.

The International Military Pilgrimage (PMI) originated in Lourdes in 1958, the Jubilee year of the 100th anniversary of the Apparitions. This year’s theme is ‘His door is always open’, a reference to the passage in the Gospel where Jesus tells the story of an in-finitely good father who leaves his door permanently open in the hope that his son, one day, would return. Thousands of participants are expected from some forty countries this year. They will not want to miss the opportunity to enter through another door, the Door of Mercy, erected in front of the Breton Cross inside the domain. Presided over by Mgr Luc Ravel, Bishop of the French Army Diocese, the PMI enables military personnel to experience this amazing event of coming together in prayer for peace in the world. Some highlights of the PMI: Saturday 21 May – Festival of military music (in the town), from 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm. – The Marian torchlight pro-cession (in the Sanctuary) from 9.00 pm to 10.00 pm.

Lourdes, a Jubilee for all!For childrenOn Saturday 4th June 2016 the Sanctu-ary of Lourdes invites all children making their First Communion this year to take part in a special day of sharing, prayer, and friendship. We shall ask for Berna-dette’s guidance whilst we celebrate the anniversary of her own First Commun-ion on 3rd June 1858. Enrolment and information from the Youth and Family serviceTel: + 33 (0)5 62 42 78 38sjeunes@lourdes-france.com

For priestsLourdes is a meeting place of the universal Church, a place of gathering for priests worldwide. An international conference is organised especially for them, on 4th and 5th July 2016 - two days to reflect on the source of their ministry. Enrolment and information from the Communication Service: Tel: + 33 (0)5 62 42 78 01info.evenement@lourdes-france.com

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The 58th International Military Pilgrimage

www.lourdes-france.org

Lord Jesus Christ,

you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and

have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face

and we will be saved.

Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved

by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness

only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and

assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed

to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman:

“If you knew the gift of God!”

You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who

manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the

Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.

You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness

in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and

error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved,

and forgiven by God.

Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so

that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and

that your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to

the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore

sight to the blind.

We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary,

Mother of Mercy, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy

Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen. Pope FRANCIS

Jubilee of Mercy8 December 2015 - 13 November 2016

Our Lady of Lourdes, Mother of Mercy

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On the occasion of my pilgrimage,

I ask you to pray for:

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Prayer IntentionsPrayer of the Jubilee

Your intentions will be entrusted to the Chaplains of the

Sanctuary and to Religious Communities in Lourdes, and

then placed in the Grotto.

GB

THIS YEAR IN LOURDES225 EUCHARISTIC PROCESSIONS

INCLUDING ON 29 MAY...

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The pilgrimage to Lourdes is often an opportunity to rediscover the path to the confessional and the forgiveness of God. In Lourdes, the Virgin Mary addresses this request to Bernadette: "Penance, penance, penance" (8th apparition, 24th February 1858). This simple word, sometimes misunderstood, can be frightening. Yet penance is not about going on a guilt-trip. It is a free act, imbued with humility and simplicity, aimed at replacing ‘the fundamental basics’ at the heart of our lives and returning to Christ, the source of all goodness. This is what we experience in the sacrament of penance - Confession - also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The confessional is not a courtroomFrom a human point of view the admission of one’s sins can be a difficult experience, as it requires a lot of humility. It also demands great trust in the priest. The confessional is not a courtroom, as one of the confessors in Lourdes testifies, “Coming up from the Chapel of Reconciliation after several hours hearing confessions, I sometimes shed tears and say ‘Thank you Lord’”.

Your questions:Why confess your sins to a priest? This is, of course, difficult for everyone. It is a spiritual exercise of humility which encompasses several benefits - to confess one’s sins is already penance in itself. The priest gives you advice, clarification, and encouragement, to help you progress in the love of Christ.

Some sins are more difficult to confess than others… It’s true. The more truthful the confession is, the more fruit it bears. Revealing our most wretched side is also a form of courage. Confession is the opportunity to remember that“God’s mercy is always greater than man’s misery”.

I have not been to confession for a very long time, how can I remember all my sins? It is important to confess all your sins in truth. Howev-er no one can remember everything. This is where the priest can intervene and help you recognise your failings.Let yourself be guided: this is also a sign of trust. And pray to the Holy Spirit.

What if the priest cannot give me absolution? In this case, the priest can give you a blessing. He can also be a wise counsellor and help you on your way to reconciliation.

Preparing for, receiving and welcoming God’s forgiveness PREPARING: To prepare ourselves for confession, the Church advises us to examine our conscience. This never implies self-judgment because Christian life is all about our relationship with God and others. It is an exercise in dis-cernment which enables us to call to mind our sins, but above all to open our hearts to true contrition, which is a sincere regret for sins committed.RECEIVING: Confession in itself is fairly simple in its for-mat. It is a dialogue with a priest in private under the seal of secrecy. The penitent acknowledges his sins, receives ab-solution and the priest concludes by giving him a penance in reparation for his sins, often in the form of a prayer or a good deed. WELCOMING: The priest may give some spiritual advice or suggest a new resolution to help the penitent welcome God’s forgiveness and progress in his faith.

Daringto confess

I revise my catechism:☛ Confession is one of the 7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church. By‘Sacrament’ we understand the means by which the faithful, through the intermediary of a priest, may re-ceive God’s Grace which helps each person on his or her path to holiness.

☛ During Confession the priest gives absolution for sins, but it is God who forgives them through the priest. The priest is an instrument of the forgiveness that God grants to the person who wishes to repent.

☛ What is a sin? It is a refusal of God and His love. The‘ex-amination of conscience’ can be the opportunity for a per-sonal awareness of this refusal (see below).

“I went to confession in Lourdes. I will never forget the comforting words of the Priest. Since then, I go from grace to grace”. Annie via

Interior view of the Chapel of Reconciliation in the Sanctuary.

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PRAYER INTENTIONS OF POPE FRANCISUniversal: Respect for Women. That in every country of the world, women may be honoured and respected, and that their essential contribution to society may be highly esteemed.Evangelisation: Holy Rosary. That families, communities, and groups may pray the Holy Rosary for evangelisation and peace.

Father Klaus Holzamer, 63, a priest from the diocese of Mainz in Germany, is the new Chaplain coordinator for German-speaking pilgrims. Before his appointment to Lourdes he exercised his priestly ministry in Zambia for twelve years where he reopened an abandoned mis-sion in the bush with other priests. Back in Germany, he worked in a parish for sixteen years. He then returned to South Africa and Indonesia. During this present jubilee year of Mercy he wants to be close to the pilgrims and bid them all welcome to Lourdes! He wants to fulfill his mission by helping them to unders-tand Lourdes from within and by rediscovering the in-ner source of the love of God: “Just as Bernadette scratched away the soil which prevented the water from flowing, the pilgrim should eliminate that which is su-perfluous in his life, all that which drowns his faith on a daily basis. In this way he will find the path to inner healing”. He also gives the following advice: “stop at the Grotto at the end of the day to re-enact the meeting between Ber-nadette and the Blessed Virgin”. He encourages everyone to participate in the Torchlight Procession “which is a time of inner prayer during which, like the disciples, we can reignite our faith and become beacons for others”.

From the ChaplainsRediscovering your inner source

Children, ambassadors of peace

A few weeks ago, 114 children from Syria were touring France, on the initiative of the ‘Associa-tion SOS Chrétiens d'Orient’. They were giving a series of concerts with their choir known as ‘Cœur-Joie’, founded by a priest from Damas, Father Elias Zalahoui. They gave a performance in

the Rosary Basilica in Lourdes. This was a moving evening performance as their singing became a prayer for peace in Syria and the whole world. The children were lodged in the Accueil Marie Saint-Frai. They also became pilgrims and discovered the Grotto of the Apparitions (our photo).

Watch the complete video report of their visit on the Sanctuary of Lourdes’ YouTube channel.

2 MayIT UNITALSI/Romana Laziale – Emiliano RomagnolaNL VNBDE INNSBRUCK BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜROIT BREVIVET3 MayFR SAINT-DENISFR FRANCISCAINSPL POZNAN4 MayFR MARSEILLEFR ARMENIENS DE FRANCEIE CARMELITE JWTIT BREVIVET5 MayDE WIEN-MARIANISCHES LOURDESKOMITEEPL MISSION CATHOLIQUE POLONAISE EN FRANCEFR CHORISTES GREGORIENSAL MISSIONI CAT. ALBANESEDE PADERBORN-VIATORFR FOI ET LUMIEREDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜROFR MONTAUBANHR MISSION CATHOLIQUE CROATEIT UNITALSI SICILIAFR PERPIGNANDE LIMBURG6 MayIT OPERA ROMANA PELLEGRINAGGIIT ODP TORINOFR AUTUNIT OSPITALITA TRIDENTINA TRENTOUK ACROSS NATIONALIT BREVIVETIT ORGANIZZAZIONE POMPEIANA PELLEGRINAGGI7 MayIE JWT-Padraig Doyle Group ClondalkinNL VNB9 MayFR POITIERSFR CHAMBERYBE MONTFORTDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜRODE PADERBORN-VIATORCH SUISSE ROMANDEIT BREVIVETIT ODP TORINOIT UNITALSI LOMBARDA E TRIVENETA10 MayFR VANNESUK TANGNEY TOURS – CHALDEAN11 MayIT BREVIVET

DE BOZEN-BRIXENIE JWT12 MayDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜROIT OPERA ROMANA PELLEGRINAGGIIT ODP TORINODE PADERBORN-VIATORIE JWTIT UNITALSI CAMPANANL VNBIE ARMAGHDE ROTTENBURG/STUTTGARTES MADRID13 MayBE MONTFORTDE ORBIS/ST GALLIT BREVIVETUK ACROSS BRISTOLES SAN SEBASTIANIT ODP TORINODE KÖLN14 MayDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜROES LA CORUNAPT AUMÔNERIE PORTUGAISE16 MayIT UNITALSI SICILIA ORIENTALE E CALABRIADE FREIBOURGIT BREVIVETDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜRODE KINDERZUG STUTTGARTDE ORBIS-ST GALLIE JWTIT DUOMO VIAGGIIT ECUMENIA PELLEGRINAGGI-CATANIA17 MayFR BESANÇON-BELFORT-MONTBELIARDIE FERNSIE DROMORENL VNBIT BREVIVETFR TOURS18 MayDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜROIT BREVIVETIT DUOMO VIAGGI19 MayDE BAYERISCHES PILGERBÜRODE KÖLNIT ECUMENIA PELLEGRINAGGI-MILITAREIT BREVIVETIT EUNTES PELLEGRINAGGIDE ORBIS-ST GALL20 MayINT INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PILGRIMAGEUK ACROSS MILITARY

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THEY ARE IN LOURDES MAY 2016

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THE SCHOOL OF LIFE AND SERVICE For 18-30 year olds“The school of life and service”: a name that says it all! This is a school where one learns to live in community. Here one discovers the joy of serving others. During the summer, four sessions of two weeks are offered: sjeunes@lourdes-france.comFind us on facebook.com/ecoledevieetdeservice

LOURDESThe Diary of Grace #3

Download on www.lourdes-france.org

“I wantedto have a child”I live in the Congo. I was originally a Muslim. I experienced a mira-cle which I am happy to share with you. After the birth of my son, I could not give birth again. I so much wanted a second child. After several medical examinations, I was told there was nothing to prevent me conceiving again. After another miscarriage in 2005 when I was on holidays in Paris, I spon-taneously de-cided to go to Lourdes. I knew nothing about this town. I took a train ticket for Lourdes and I left with my 9 year old son. I left Paris at night and arrived in Lourdes at about 5.00 am. The town was still asleep at this early hour. I found a ho-tel near the station, and wait-ed for the town to awaken. I wanted to go to the Grotto. I didn’t even know how to get there. In the end I found it.At the Grotto, as I was a Muslim, I did not know how to pray the rosa-ry. However I believed in the Virgin Mary. I sat down and contemplated Mary. I prayed: “Lord, you enabled me to make this long journey

and now that I am here, may your will and nothing but your will be done”. I stayed at the Grotto practically all morning. Then I went to the Baths and the taps before tak-ing my train back to Par-is. On my return to the Con-go, some time afterwards, I didn’t feel well. I consulted my doctor who told me that I was expecting a baby. I couldn’t believe my ears. After nine

years! This was wonderful news. I thanked the Lord through the intercession of the Virgin Mary. The preg-nancy was diffi-cult, but I always felt the protec-tion of Mother Mary. I started to learn how to say the rosary. The doctor had already told me

that it would be a girl. She was born on 21 April 2006. The following summer, I took her to Lourdes in thanksgiving. Since then, every time I am in France, I do my best to go to Lourdes. This was the start of my conversion. Today, I am baptised and I receive Com-munion. I am very happy and very grateful to the Virgin Mary for her presence in my home. Thank you Mother Mary.

When she was on holidays

in Paris, after another

miscarriage, she spontaneously

decided to go to Lourdes.

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“If we had faith we would see the Good God in everything” Bernadette Soubirous, Logia, volume II, N 12

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He no longer believed in anything, he leaves with a light heartDamien. “I no longer be-lieved in happiness. At the Baths, I was deeply moved by the kindness of the hospitaliers who helped me. I no longer believed in myself and in the confessional I received

the certainty that Someone bigger than me loved me just as I am and believed in me. I no longer believed in any-one, but before leaving Lourdes a stranger spontaneously helped me to find the crypt where I

wanted to go and pray. His spon-taneity in helping me moved me deeply. In short, I left Lourdes with a light heart. In the space of a few hours in this place, I felt deeply loved”.

"Let us not remain sedentary but let us get up"

Every day in Lourdes pilgrims go to the Chapel of Reconciliation for Confession. In his homily of 4 March 2016 Pope Francis speaks of Confession as a source of grace which heals the hearts. Here are some extracts:

Sin impoverishes and isolates us. It is a blindness of the spir-

it which prevents us from seeing what is most important, from fix-ing our gaze on the love that gives us life. This blindness leads us little by little to dwell on what is superficial, until we are indiffer-ent to others and to what is good. How many temptations have the power to cloud the heart’s vision and to render it short-sighted!

When we only look to ourselves, we become blind, lifeless and self-centred, devoid of joy and freedom. (…)

But Jesus is passing by; he is passing by, and he halts. Our hearts race, because we realise that the Light is gazing upon us, that kindly Light which invites us to come out of our dark blind-ness. Jesus’ closeness to us makes us see that, when we are far from him, there is something important missing from our lives. His pres-ence makes us feel in need of sal-vation, and this begins the heal-ing of our heart. Then, when our

desire to be healed becomes more courageous, it leads to prayer, to crying out fervently and persis-tently for help, as did Bartimaeus, “Jesus, Son of David, have mer-cy on me!” (…)

Like Bartimaeus, let us cast off our cloak and rise to our feet. Let us not remain sedentary but let us get up and find our spiritual worth again, our dignity as loved sons and daughters who stand before the Lord so that we can be seen by him, forgiven and recreated. (…)

The conclusion of the Gospel story is significant. Bartimaeus “immediately received his sight and followed him along the road”. When we draw near to Jesus, we too see once more the light which enables us to look to the future with confidence. We find anew the strength and the courage to set out on the way.

Pope Francis

Priests and bishops go to Confession, and so does the Pope: the proof is in this picture. D

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Publication Director: Thierry Castillo • Managing Editors: Mathias Terrier and Father André Cabes • Contributors to this edition: Martine Korpal, Joël Luzenko, Laurent Jarneau and the Chaplains of Lourdes • Graphics and layout: Caroline Tillié, Freddy Mengelle • Distribution: Christian Sassus, Jean-Claude Barthe and Jean-Marc Tertacap • Translation: Nicole & Barry Griffin • With the participation of: Benjamin Foussier, Claudie Lautel, David Torchala • Print run: BCR Imprimeur – 32200 Gimont • Lourdes News – 1 av. Mgr Théas 65108 Lourdes cedex • For all correspondance: Service communication Tel. + (33) (0)5 62 42 78 01 – Email: communication@lourdes-france.com • ISSN: 2273-4783 • Registration of copyright: at publication date •

Have you received a grace connected with Lourdes? Share your testimony by writing to the Editor: Lourdes, le journal des grâces – 1, avenue Mgr Théas 65108 Lourdes Cedex - France temoignage@lourdes-france.com

Janine’s testimony

facebook/ndlourdesYour reactionsMarie-Thérèse I listened to this very beautiful testimony and I wept with joy for this lady who was brave enough to share her story. I also wept because I also love Lourdes, and the last time I went there, it was to ask for help for my little boy who was undergoing chemotherapy. I still weep because I would very much like to return. Thank you to Our Father and Mother in Heaven for all these graces. Amen.

Antoinette Beautiful video and poignant testimony.

Aurélie Her testimony touched me. I have tears in my eyes.

Dany Janine, your faith in Christ and the Virgin Mary has saved you. May God protect you!

Monique A very beautiful testimony. I had two answers during my pilgrimage. I thank the Virgin Mary for my experience.

Sébastien Thank you. I also received an interior grace at the Grotto.

Aurore True, the water in the Baths is cold but so pleasant at the same time.

Simone Thank you for this testimony. As Janine said,"You must come here to understand”. I shall return.

Fabien She almost makes me want to go there ! Thank you for this beautiful testimony. Ah! l’Amour... toujours!

See Janine’s video again

Testimony from South IndiaClara. I'm Clara from South India, sha-ring this testimony on the Feast of our Lady of Lourdes celebrated in our Parish on 13 February 2016. My newborn grandson was suffering from severe breathing problems, hernia, retraction of the lungs etc. All this started on 10 January. His hernia opera-tion was done on the morning of Jan 10th after which he turned blue for some time and stopped breathing. CPR was carried out. I prayed to Mother Mary loudly crying and crying, and then the monitor flashed his heart beat, What a Mi-racle that was! He was put in the ICU from that time and did not open his eyes for 4 days. I sent so many petitions to the Grotto

of Lourdes to pray for my little grandson. He was in the Hospital ICU for 36 days from Jan 10th, no family members were allowed to see him except the Mother, he was fully in tubes all over his body, on a ventilator, with oxygen mask, etc. All this came to an end on Feb 14th when he was discharged. I prayed to Our Lady of Lourdes. Here in India we have a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, it is in Perambur, Chennai, South India. We had grand celebrations, I prayed with great faith and the miracle happened the very next day, and my little grandson was discharged on 14th. Thank you Mother Mary for this Miracle, I will praise you throughout my life. Ave Maria.

She is no longer afraidChantal. I came to Lourdes in Janua-ry for five days. I had not been here for thirty years but deep down I felt a call to return. I am under treatment for severe depression. I went to the Baths but broke down in tears. The assistant in the Baths told me to go to the taps and wash my hands and my face like Bernadette. Then, touching the rock at the Grotto, I asked Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes to lift the burden from my shoulders. I felt liberated, as if a weight had been removed. Since I returned home I have been able to take decisions that frightened me before. I thank Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Berna-dette. I am anxious to return. You may use my testimony if it can help others. I also prayed for those who asked me and for peace in the world. Amen.

Listen to their testimonies on our YouTube channel youtube:/LourdesWebTV