It was on February 11, 1858, that the Blessed Mother first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous, a young girl of Lourdes, France. Bernadette was a sickly, little girl, whose family was so poor they lived in a cellar that had once been a jail. Even though she was fourteen years old, Bernadette could not read or write. She never could remember her catechism lessons, but she was a good girl who loved God very much. And even if her memory was bad, she kept trying hard to learn all she could about God. She was pure and obedient, too. It was to this young girl that our Blessed Mother appeared. The beautiful Lady Bernadette saw wore a white dress with a light blue sash. A white veil covered her head and fell over her shoulders to the ground. On her feet were two lovely golden roses. Her hands were joined and a Rosary hung from her right arm. Its chain and cross shone like gold. The lovely Lady encouraged Bernadette to say the Rosary.
The Blessed Mother appeared eighteen times to St. Bernadette and told her to tell the people to pray, to do penance and often to recite the Rosary for sinners. During the last apparition, Bernadette asked the beautiful Lady who she was. The Lady replied, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
At Lourdes, miracles take place. Many people are cured of sicknesses. Crippled people walk again. Blind people see again. There, where she once appeared to St. Bernadette, Our Lady still shows her love for us.
Let us try to say the Rosary to our Blessed Mother every day. Through this prayer, we receive al the graces we need for ourselves and for those we love.
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