Lourdes Jubilee Walk-Fourth Landmark: The Hospice

Bernadette stayed at the hospice with the Sisters of Charity of Nevers from 1860 until 1866.

The Hospice was for Bernadette a shelter from the crowds who continually sought her out to perform healing and blessings. Having Bernadette live at the Hospice gave her family much needed peace from the crowds who were constantly knocking at their door.

Bernadette received first holy communion in the chapel of the hospice on June 3, 1858. This took place between the 17th apparition on April 7 and the last apparition on July 16, the feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel. What an overwhelming grace for her to be prepared to receive this great sacrament by Our Lady!

The Eucharist becomes the center of Bernadette's life, she states:" To make the Way of the Cross, to attend Holy Mass, to receive Holy Communion, these are my great devotions."

At the Grotto in Lourdes, there is a beautiful altar chiseled from rock that looks as if it were hewn from the Grotto itself. It is here that pilgrims gather to attend mass and receive Holy Communion. The Eucharist is central to Lourdes. Many healings take place during the blessing of the sick at benediction after the Eucharistic procession. Masses are said in various chapels in various languages throughout the sanctuary. The adoration tent and adoration chapel are constantly filled with pilgrims praying before our Eucharistic Lord.

The adoration chapel in Lourdes is pictured at left. The tabernacle resembles the column of fire that led the chosen people in the wilderness to the promise land.

"Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people."(Exodus 13:22)

The Eucharist plays a central role in the life of a Carmelite. We are called each day(if possible) to attend mass and receive the Eucharist. We are called to pray for 1/2 hour each day in an atmosphere of silence. We are called to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. We are called to spiritual reading each day. We are called to honor Our Lady by some particular devotion. However, it is the Eucharist that is the source and summit of our life as the Church so aptly describes this most Blessed Sacrament.

In his encyclical on the Eucharist, John Paul II states:

If the Eucharist is a mystery of faith which so greatly transcends our understanding as to call for sheer abandonment to the word of God, then there can be no one like Mary to act as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition. In repeating what Christ did at the last Supper in obedience to his command: "Do this in Memory of me!" (Luke 22:19) we also accept Mary's invitation to obey him without hesitation: "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2:5)

From the OCDS Rule:

The liturgical life, as a perennial participation in the Paschal Mystery, nourishes the Secular Carmelite in his daily pledge to follow Christ crucified and risen, toward an ever more perfect union with God, by making the pains and joys of his life an offering of praise and glory to God.

His liturgical life will express itself chiefly in the Eucharistic Sacrifice and in the recitation of the Church's Divine Office. He will, as far as possible, assist at Mass daily.

As Mary is central to Lourdes and to bringing us to her son in the Eucharist, even more so, is she central to the life of a Christian and in particular to us Carmelites. Let us stay close to our mother Mary so that we may hear his voice and do whatever He tells us.

Peace be with you!

Peace be with you!Rosemarie, ocds