PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES

Photo: R. Massaro (C)2017 Spirit Singing-Lourdes, France

OUR LADY OF LOURDES

FEAST DAY: FEBRUARY 11

LOURDES LIVE WEBCAM

Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

O HOLY VIRGIN, in the midst of your days of glory, do not forget the sorrows of this earth. Cast a merciful glance upon those who are suffering, struggling against difficulties, with their lips constantly pressed against life's bitter cup.

Have pity on those who love each other and are separated.

Have pity on our rebellious hearts.

Have pity on our weak faith.

Have pity on those we love.

Have pity on those who weep, on those who pray, on those who fear. Grant hope and peace to all. Amen.

Prayer to St. Bernadette

Bernadette, you have long sought the Lord where he called.
You asked. You listened. You trusted.
You were sure the Lord would guide you.
You surrendered yourself completely in the hands of God.

Bernadette, you intensely desired the Eucharist.
You loved to adore the Blessed Sacrament,
You united your life in the offering of that of
Christ on the altar.

Dear St. Bernadette, strengthen our trust in the Holy Virgin whom you have had the good fortune to see here on earth. Like you, we place ourselves under her protection in order to keep our hearts ever pure.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
St. Bernadette, pray for us!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

FEAST DAYS OF OUR LADY

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Photo: R. Massaro Lourdes, France

(Please enjoy this most requested post on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Our Lady reveals herself to St. Bernadette:  

" I Am the Immaculate Conception"

Lourdes-Live Webcam

It has been written that St. Bernadette desired to be a Carmelite nun but because of her poor health was not able to enter the Order. She eventually entered the Sisters of Charity at Nevers, France.

During the apparitions at Lourdes, very few words were spoken between St. Bernadette and Our Lady. Bernadette seemed to be a natural contemplative, she was quiet and reflective, she had an open heart and listened-ready to do the will of God. 

At the first apparition on Feb. 11, 1858, Bernadette heard the call of Our Lady, not only in the physical sign of Our Lady's impending appearance by the wind shaking the the trees, but in her heart. Bernadette described that she felt a "call" to go to the Grotto. It was an interior spiritual prompting of the Holy Spirit that attracted her to the Grotto to meet Our Lady in the later apparitions. Bernadette had to be a person of prayer to be attentive to this "call" and to respond to it.

Bernadette's meeting with Our Lady of Lourdes reflects the experience of the Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel. The holy Prophet encountered God in a soft whispering sound that spoke directly to his heart. For Bernadette, the Grotto becomes the mountain where she meets God through Our Lady, where she learns to pray, where she is given the gift of contemplation.

The 18th and final apparition of Our Lady to Bernadette took place on July 16, the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Our Lady remained silent during the final meeting with Bernadette. They looked at each other with love. This holy exchange is a beautiful example of perfect contemplation, where love needs no words.

As Carmelites, the main point of our rule is allegiance to Jesus Christ, and an offshoot of that main point is to imitate the Virgin Mary who pondered the Word in her heart. We can see in the life of St. Bernadette how Mary led her to contemplation.

Let's start at the beginning: In the first apparition, Mary shows herself to Bernadette, smiles at her but remains silent.

Do you remember your first encounter with Christ? The moment he first called you to intimate friendship with him? How difficult was it to pray from the heart for the first time?

Second Apparition: Bernadette throws holy water at the apparition. People tell her it could be the devil.

After the invitation from Christ, we begin to doubt that we are worthy to be loved by Him. We ask ourselves, "Is this from God?" Family members and friends wonder what is going on with us!

Third Apparition: Our Lady asks Bernadette, "Would you do me the kindness of coming here for fifteen days?" "I do not promise you happiness in this life but in the other."

Our Lady asks us to remain faithful in prayer, faithful to our commitment as Carmelites to seek the face of God in prayer on behalf of the Church. We must die to ourselves and experience joy in God alone. Worldly things no longer attract us.

Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Apparitions: Bernadette and Our Lady deepen their friendship. They pray together and even laugh together.

In the life of Carmel, our prayer life becomes deeper when we trust in the Lord as little children. We run to him and tell him everything; the joys and sorrows of our life. He is there to cry and laugh with us.

Eighth Apparition through the Twelfth: Our Lady with an air of sadness repeats: "penance, penance, penance." "Pray to God for sinners. " She asks Bernadette to kiss the ground for sinners...to eat the grass for sinners.

Now that our relationship with our Beloved has grown stronger he asks us to suffer with him, to take up our cross after him. The life of a Carmelite is a penitential one. Sometimes as Secular Carmelites we forget this aspect of our rule. We may adhere to the required prayer and spiritual reading, but do we really desire to mortify ourselves for the love of Christ?

Our Rules states:
The Secular Carmelite highly esteems the invitation of the Lord to deny himself and willingly to take up his cross daily and follow Him; he will, therefore, gladly mortify himself in union with the sacrifice of Christ, remembering, too, our Holy Mother Teresa's remark that "prayer cannot be accompanied by self-indulgence."

The Secular Carmelite will be especially faithful to the Church's penitential discipline. He will also, in accordance with the promptings of grace, and as far as circumstances will allow, make use of other means of mortification, particularly on those days and at those seasons that have a distinctive penitential character.

The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Apparitions: Our Lady asks Bernadette to "go tell the priests that people should come here in procession and that a chapel should be built here."

Bernadette is sent on mission. We, too, as Carmelites, through our individual and community apostolates, share in the missionary life of the Church. Whatever that may be, making rosaries, helping the poor and the sick, teaching others about our Catholic faith-we must step outside of ourselves, for our vocation is not just for our personal sanctification. Our gifts are given to us to benefit the entire Church.

Sixteenth Apparition: Feast of the Annunciation. Our Lady reveals her name: "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Bernadette has been faithful to Our Lady's request, to her commitment to meet our Lady for fifteen days. She is rewarded.

Bernadette reminds me of the apostle John at the foot of the Cross in which Our Lord entrusts Mary, his mother, to his home. Now, Bernadette, stands before Our Lady at the Grotto on behalf of the Church ready and eager to hear her beautiful name: Immaculate Conception!


Seventeenth Apparition: Miracle of the candle. Bernadette experiences spiritual ecstasy.

Our Lady has led Bernadette on a spiritual pilgrimage, the road of deep prayer. Now the little pilgrim, Bernadette, experiences God with her whole being, she experiences spiritual ecstasy. She has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

In their writings, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa explain in great detail about deep mystical experience in prayer. We know that this type of gift is just that-pure gift, infused by God. As St. Teresa says, it cannot be produced by one's own effort. St. Bernadette experienced deep prayer through the help and guidance of Our Lady. Let us imitate the humble virgin, Bernadette, and let Our Lady lead us safely up the mountain, to perfect contemplation, to union with Christ. 

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

COME IN PROCESSION

Our Lady Lourdes, France
Photo: R. Massaro (C) 2013 Spirit Singing

Procession in Lourdes, France
Photo: R. Massaro (C) 2013 SpiritSinging

These words of Our Lady to St. Bernadette took place during the 13th apparition at Lourdes on March 2, 1858. Our Lady told Bernadette, "Go and tell the priests that people should come here in procession."  It is very interesting and telling that the message should come through a priest.  The priest speaks on behalf of the Church.  The people of Lourdes have indeed taken Our Lady's request to heart.  Processions have taken place each day at Lourdes from the very beginning.

Blessing of the Sick-Lourdes, France

Photo: R. Massaro (C) 2013 Spirit Singing

Aside from the Masses at Lourdes, there are two processions that take place each day at the shrine. The first is the afternoon procession of the Blessed Sacrament. Pilgrims process from the Esplanade to the underground Basilica of St. Pius X where the blessing of the sick and benediction takes place.  It is said that more healings take place at the blessing of the sick than through the waters of Lourdes.

Benediction at Lourdes, France

Photo: R.Massaro (C)2013 SpiritSinging

The second procession each day is the evening candlelight procession. Pilgrims gather at the Grotto or the Crowned Virgin statue in the Esplanade to participate in the procession. The procession winds around the shrine as the Rosary is prayed in 5 languages. The procession ends in front of the Rosary Basilica, where the evening hymn to Mary, the Salve Regina is chanted, then all the priests gathered in front of the basilica offer their blessing to the pilgrims.  Pilgrims offer each other a sign of peace and then depart for the evening.

Evening Procession, Lourdes France

Photo: R.Massaro (C) 2013 SpiritSinging

We may not have an opportunity to participate in a procession at Lourdes. But we do have the opportunity to participate in five processions during each Mass that we attend. Did you say five? Yes.









The Opening Procession-The priest, deacon and servers process from the back of the church to the altar of sacrifice. Together we sing a hymn of praise.

The Gospel Procession-The priest or deacon processes with the Gospel to the ambo and proclaims the Word of God.

The Offertory Procession-The people present to the priest the offerings: bread and wine.

The Communion Procession-The people come forward to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Recessional-We depart in joy and thanksgiving after having shared in the Eucharist.

Let us ask ourselves how we conduct ourselves at Mass, especially during the "processions."  Do we participate in the opening hymn?  Do we have a heart that is ready to be open to the Gospel message, or are we distracted. Perhaps, later, having no idea what Gospel passage was read. Do we offer ourselves and all that we possess during the Offertory? Do we approach the Holy Eucharist in a spirit of humble reverence?  Are we grateful for having received the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, or is it business as usual, perhaps even leaving right after communion?

Soon we will be celebrating Corpus Christ.  Let us renew our love and devotion for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.  Let us be grateful that we are able to go in procession to receive him each day if we choose.  Although Our Lady asks us to "Come in Procession" Our Lord, too, desires us to come..."Come to me, all  you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. (Matthew 11:29)"  What better procession? What better pilgrimage-making our way to the Lord!

Let us pray for each other.

Mass at the Grotto-Lourdes, France

Photo: R. Massaro (c) 2013 Spirit Singing

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Saturday of Our Lady

Photo:R.Massaro

Prayer of St. Bernadette:

Photo:R.Massaro

O Mary, O Mother of Sorrows!
At the foot of the Cross you received the title of our Mother. I am the child of your sorrows, the child of Calvary. O Mary, my tender Mother, behold your child at the end of her resources. Have pity on me. Obtain that I shall one day be in heaven with you.

You, who saw and felt the utter desolation of your dear Son, assist me during my desolation. I come to place the anguish of my heart in your heart and to draw from it strength and courage.

May I remain like you at the foot of the Cross, if such be the pleasure of your divine Son! May I begin here below, my soul united to your soul to glorify the Lord by this perpetual homage of a perfect submission.


YOUR CROSS
By St. Francis de Sales

Photo:R.Massaro

The everlasting God has in his wisdom foreseen from eternity the Cross that he now presents to you as a gift  from his inmost heart. This Cross he now sends you he has considered with his all-knowing eyes, understood with his divine mind, tested with his wise justice, warmed with his loving arms and weighed with his own hands to see that it be not an inch too large and not an ounce too heavy for you.  He has blessed it with his Holy Name, anointed it with his graces, perfumed it with his consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all merciful love of God.



HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF GOD





Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit-Ninth Hymn of Virtue: Modesty

The twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity.

Ninth Hymn of Virtue: Modesty

Continuing the series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit we come to the ninth gift: Modesty. When discussing modesty, the first image that comes to mind is one dressing modestly. Again, we must take a deeper look into this gift of grace.

In this particular gift, the Spirit imparts to the soul a gift that allows the person to be modest in external actions, and of course, this would flow into the physical aspect of the person to include modest dress.

Reading the lives of the Saints, we learn that they were humble people who did not want to draw attention to themselves. They lived the Gospel message of ...”Be on guard against performing religious acts for people to see...”(Matthew 6:1). We have to be careful how we conduct ourselves in church. Do we perform religious actions that would draw attention to ourselves and steal the glory and worship due to Our Lord at Mass?

We also have to be careful not to judge people who do draw attention to themselves in church. Only God knows their heart and the purity of their intention. As St. Pio of Pietrelcina used to say when people kept coming to him, “I don't want my reward now!” This was a reflection of the gospel passage where Jesus spoke of the Pharisees who perform these acts so that they will be noticed. “...they are already repaid...” (Matthew 6:2).

St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila) and St. John of the Cross were mortified when they were found in ecstasy by their sisters and brothers. In their teaching on prayer, they exhort us to follow the Lord's command of “When you pray, go to your room, close your door..."(Matthew 6:6).

St. Bernadette is another example of modesty and humility. Learning of the plans people were making to keep her body in Lourdes after her death-she was firmly against it. She said she did not want to take away from Our Lady's presence there and gave instruction to have her body remain in the convent cemetery. Today, one can view her beautifully incorrupt body in the monastery chapel in Nevers, France.

We can ask ourselves :

*Are we modest in our speech or do we brag and draw attention to ourself and our achievements.

*Are we modest in dress, or do we dress suggestively, or otherwise, to get the attention of others.

*Are we modest in our external actions, especially in church? Or do we perform great religious gestures to get the attention of others?

*When given a compliment, do we accept it humbly knowing that all gifts come from God and give him the credit? Or do we discuss how hard we worked to achieve a certain goal?

Let us imitate the Saints in their spiritual modesty. The Saints who went to great lengths to divert attention from themselves even when their holiness of life caused others to flock to them.

Let us ask Our Lady of Sorrows, who stood humbly, in silence, at the foot of the cross, to help us be humble and modest in our actions and dress and to give all honor and glory to God.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds 

Three Words of Wisdom

BREAD OF LIFE

Photo: R. Massaro St. Agnes Church Orrville, Ohio

Today, April 16, has traditionally been the feast day of St. Bernadette. Although, St. Bernadette is not on the Roman calendar this year, I still like to celebrate her feast day since she is my patron saint through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

St. Bernadette was the child of a miller.  Most of us have seen the famous movie, The Song of Bernadette, in which the Soubirous family suffered agonizing poverty because her father lost his job as a miller.  The symbolism of wheat and of bread, always played an important role in the life of St. Bernadette.  When asked which brought her more happiness, seeing the Blessed Virgin or receiving Holy Communion, she had to struggle to answer, finally saying, "they both brought me great happiness."

St. Bernadette suffered from debilitating asthma, and later in life she suffered a cancerous tumor on the knee, which was cruelly painful. She offered up her suffering for the conversion of poor sinners.

When St. Bernadette was dying, the Bread of Life symbolism came into play as she meditated on being "ground like wheat" under the miller's stone.  Here is a prayer she wrote about "bread."

PRAYER OF A POOR BEGGAR TO JESUS
 Written by St. Bernadette

O Jesus, give me, I beg you, the bread of humility,
the bread of obedience,
the bread of charity,
the bread of strength to break my will and to mold it in yours,
the bread of interior mortification,
the bread of detachment from creatures,
the bread of patience to bear the sufferings my heart endures.
O Jesus, you want me to be crucified, fiat.
the bread of strength to suffer as I ought,
the bread of seeing you alone in all things and at all times,
Jesus, Mary, the Cross, I want no other friends but these.

We can see the heart of a Carmelite in St. Bernadette. It has been written that she would have liked to enter Carmel, but her health prevented it.  As Secular Carmelites, we can see her desire for mortification and detachment, necessary virtues for union with God. St. Bernadette had no other desire than union with Jesus through Mary. Although she was privileged to see the Blessed Virgin, she had to travel the same narrow road that all Christians are called to travel. It is a dying to self and our egos and having a heart on fire with the love of God. 

Dying to ourselves and being faithful to our promises of chastity, poverty, and obedience is not easy, no, it can be very difficult at times, but God will give us the grace to persevere. Saints like Bernadette show us the way-Jesus, the Bread of Life, is the Way the Truth and the Life!

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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Tabernacle of the Week

The Hospice at Lourdes, France

Site of St. Bernadette's

First Holy Communion

O God protector and friend of the humble, who has raised up your servant Bernadette by the apparitions and conversations with the Immaculate Virgin Mary, so order our lives we implore, that by the simple path of faith we may merit at arriving at the enjoyment of your heavenly vision. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Mary, my good Mother, make me prove my love for Jesus, like you, by accepting everything that it pleases Him to send me. 

 St. Bernadette

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

_____________________

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

On March 25, 1858, during the night, Bernadette felt she was being "called" again. At five in the morning she went to the grotto. Three times she asked the Lady her name Please, Mademoiselle, would you be so kind as to tell me who you are?" But all she received in reply was a smile. She tried again: this time Aquero clasped her hands together and, lifting her eyes heavenwards, said in patois, "Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou" ( I am the Immaculate Conception). Bernadette went directly to see Fr. Peyramale. "Aquero said, "I am the Immaculate Conception!"
(From Lourdes, Apparitions/Messages/Pilgrimage)

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Peace be with you!
Rosemarie
______________________

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

Lourdes Jubilee Walk-Third Landmark: The Grotto

Arise, my love, my fair one,and come; my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the wall, show me your face...(Sg.2;10-14)

The Grotto is a place of pilgrimage to about 5 million people each year. People of all faiths visit this holy shrine nestled in the Pyrenees mountains. There are numerous beautiful signs, sights, and sounds at Lourdes, however, it is the Grotto that mainly attracts the pilgrim. It is holy ground.

We know that rock is a symbol for Christ and his Church. It was to a little one, Bernadette , that Our Lady revealed herself in the heart of the rock to the Church. Mary asks us to listen to her humble messenger and follow her example of prayer, penance, and prayer for the conversion of sinners. Bernadette is like a type of Moses who goes up to the mountain and contemplates the face of God. Now, like Moses, she is sent to relay the message to the people.

"Penance, Penance, Penance."

"This Grotto has become the seat of an astonishing school of prayer, where Mary teaches everyone how to contemplate the face of Christ with intense love..." John Paul II, Aug. 14, 2004, Lourdes

Carmel is our spiritual school, where, with the help of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the Carmelite Saints we seek the face of God in prayer on behalf of the Church. In this school of Carmel we are called to imitate the Virgin Mary. We are called to imitate her holy recollection, her silence, her pondering the Word in her heart. We are called mainly to be faithful to the charism of the Order: Contemplative prayer.

"The Carmelite School of spirituality begins with the conviction that all are called to the perfect union of love with God; that imitation of Mary, the great woman of faith and spiritual union with Christ, is our model in following Christ, and the belief that by making mental prayer and practicing self-denial the central focus of our lives, we are on the surest way to God." Michael Griffin, OCD, Commentary on the Rule of Life

While we may not travel to Lourdes on pilgrimage, we are on a spiritual pilgrimage having responded to the call of Our Lady to ascend Mt. Carmel. Let us fortify ourselves with heavenly food for the journey: The Eucharist. May the Word of God reside in our heart and shed light on our path, as we cling to the rock: Christ Our Lord.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Lourdes Jubilee Walk-Second Landmark: The Cachot

"The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord!"

This refrain from the familiar Catholic Hymn reminds one immediately of St. Bernadette's family situation at the time of the apparitions. One cannot but be moved when reading about or actually visiting this site where Bernadette and her family were forced to live: an abandoned jail, the Cachot.

We see in life people who are poverty-stricken from birth, those who end up poor by an number of circumstances and those who choose poverty for the sake of the Gospel.

Jesus himself said, "The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Those of us who choose to follow Jesus in living the Evangelical Counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience come across a real challenge in today's materialistic society. We must keep our eyes on heaven and not on the passing things of this world. Our prayer life will keep our hearts focused on the Lord. He is our true treasure. "Remember, where your treasure is, there your heart is also." (Mt 6:21)

From OCDS rule:

Since poverty of spirit is the first Beatitude or blessing of the Sermon on the Mount, it is not surprising that the Lay Carmelite is at once reminded that he or she "should have a particular esteem for the Beatitude of poverty. ..Poverty always brings with it simplicity of life,and this will enable us to go directly to God in love and to bring His love to others.

A quote from Fr. Maurice Zundel:

"To be perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect, means to have the soul of the poor and to make real the first Beatitude where the perfect joy is the joy of the gift of self...God , who is only Love, cannot possess anything, God who is the opposite to narcissism, ownership, only reaches us, and can only reach us through Love."


Bernadette displayed this "soul of the poor" when she stated, "I love the poor. I want to remain poor." And about money, "It burns me!"


St. Teresa of Jesus exhorted her nuns to have full trust that the Lord would provide for their needs. If we truly follow the Gospel command of "seek first the kingdom of God", we will surely rise to the heights of Mt. Carmel-Christ Our Lord.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Lourdes Jubilee Walk-Four Landmarks in Bernadette's Footsteps. First Landmark: The Baptismal Font

The pilgrims of Lourdes are gaining a plenary indulgence this year by participating in the Jubilee Walk." The Jubilee Walk consists of Four landmarks associated with St. Bernadette.

Today I will focus on the first landmark: The Baptismal Font.

Bernadette was born on Jan. 7, 1844 and was baptized two days later on Jan. 9 in the parish church of Lourdes.

The pilgrims making the Jubilee Walk do not just visit each site and recall the life of Bernadette. This walk is an exercise of faith. On this first stop at the baptismal font we recall our own baptism and renew our promises. We ask the Holy Spirit to descend upon us once again and help us to lead a virtuous life.

"People in the world do not possess the Holy Spirit, or if they do, they only possess him temporarily. He does not dwell in them: the noise of the world drives him away." These words of wisdom from the Cure of Ars certainly describe our society today, where there are so many distractions and no sense of sin, and no goal of heaven.

Our Lady of Lourdes came as a witness to the "other world" as she called it. This is the world where Mary promised Bernadette she would be happy.

This hidden, "other world" sheds light on the interior life of the Carmelite. We make promises to live the Beatitudes, a life that sheds light on that hidden "other world" of the kingdom. If we are truly living the Carmelite life, people will see our light shine and hopefully be inspired to give Glory to the Father.

Our Lady's habit, the scapular that we wear, is a reminder of our baptismal garment, in which we "put on Christ." As Carmelites we need Our Lady's help and protection to keep our baptismal garment unstained and so enter the kingdom with a holy wedding garment fit to appear before the bridegroom.

"Why did Our Lady choose the feast of Mt. Carmel to end her apparitions? Because it is in Carmel that we best learn how to leave behind our poor heads plunged in the contradictions and the illusions of the "world," to enter into the silence and the night of the heart,where the devil cannot see us, as St. John of the Cross explains so well."

(Lourdes Magazine,October 2007)

The pilgrims of Lourdes line up at "the baths" in imitation of Bernadette who obeyed Our Lady's call to"go and wash." The pilgrims plunge themselves into the cold water after having recited a Hail Mary. This washing is a sign and symbol of our baptism as well. We are made clean to begin to live the spiritual life in Christ.

Mary is a sort of John the Baptist here at Lourdes. She cries out, "Repent." "Go and wash."

Let us heed Our Lady's Call; The silent and heartfelt call of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to make ready the way of the Lord.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds

St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Dec. 8, 2007 through Dec. 8,2008

150 Anniversary of the Apparitions at Lourdes

It has been written that St. Bernadette desired to be a Carmelite nun, but because of her poor health was not able to enter the Order. She eventually entered the Sisters of Charity at Nevers, France.

The 18th and final apparition of Our Lady to Bernadette took place on July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Our Lady remained silent during the final meeting with Bernadette. They looked at each other with love. This holy exchange is a perfect example of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel as our role model of perfect contemplation.

As Carmelites, the main point of our rule is allegiance to Jesus Christ, and an offshoot of that main point is to imitate the Virgin Mary who pondered the Word in her heart. We can see in the life of St. Bernadette how Mary led her to contemplation.

Let start at the beginning: In the first apparition Mary shows herself to Bernadette, smiles at her, but remains silent.

Do you remember your first encounter with Christ? The moment he first called you to intimate friendship with him? How difficult was it to pray from the heart for the first time?

Second Apparition: Bernadette throws holy water at the apparition. People tell her it could be the devil.

After the invitation from Christ, we begin to doubt that we are worthy to be loved by Him. We ask ourselves, "Is this from God?" Family members and friends wonder what is going on with us!

Third Apparition: Our Lady asks Bernadette, "Would you do me the favour of coming here for fifteen day?" "I do not promise to make you happy in this life but in the other."

Our Lady asks us to remain faithful in prayer, faithful to our commitment as Carmelites to seek the face of God in prayer on behalf of the Church. We must die to ourselves and the world. We begin to mortify ourselves and experience joy in God alone. Worldly things no longer attract us.

Fourth, Fifth, Sixth & Seventh Apparitions: Bernadette and Our Lady deepen their friendship They pray together and even laugh together.

In the life of Carmel, our prayer life becomes deeper when we trust in the Lord as little children. We run to him and tell him everything; the joys and sorrows of our life. He is there to cry and laugh with us.

Eighth apparition through the Twelfth: Our Lady with an air of sadness repeats: "Penance, penance, penance." "Pray to God for sinners." She asks Bernadette to kiss the ground for sinners...to eat the grass for sinners.

Now that our relationship with our Beloved has grown stronger, he asks us to suffer with him, to take up our cross after him. The life of a Carmelite is a penitential one. Sometimes as lay Carmelites, we forget this aspect of our rule. We may adhere to the required prayer and spiritual reading, but do we really desire to mortify ourselves for the love of Christ?

Our rule states:

The Secular Carmelite highly esteems the invitation of the Lord to deny himself and willingly to take up his cross daily and follow Him; he will therefore gladly mortify himself in union with the sacrifice of Christ, remembering too Our Holy Mother Teresa's remark that "prayer cannot be accompanied by self-indulgence"

The Secular Carmelite will be especially faithful to the Church's penitential discipline. He will also, in accordance with the promptings of grace, and as far as circumstances will allow,make use of other means of mortification, particularly on those days and at those seasons that have a distinctive penitential character.

The thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Apparitions: Our Lady asks Bernadette to "go tell the priests that people should come here in procession and that a chapel should be built here."

Bernadette is sent on mission. Our Carmelite vocation calls us, too, to evangelize by our way of life and our witness of prayer on behalf of the Church. We are also called to have a particular apostolate in which to share in the missionary life of the Church. Whatever that may be, making rosaries, helping the poor and the sick, teaching our Catholic faith-we must step outside of ourselves, for our vocation is not just between me and God.

Sixteenth Apparition: Feast of the Annunciation. Our Lady reveals her name: "I am the Immaculate Conception."

Bernadette has been faithful to Our Lady's request, to her commitment to meet our Lady for fifteen days. She is rewarded.

Bernadette reminds me of the apostle John at the foot of the Cross in which Our Lord entrusts her to his home. Now Bernadette stands before Our Lady on behalf of the Church ready and eager to hear her beautiful name: Immaculate Conception!

Seventeenth Apparition: Miracle of the candle. Bernadette in ecstasy.

Our Lady has led Bernadette on the road of deep prayer. Now she experiences God with her whole being. She has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.

St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa explain in detail about deep mystical experience in prayer. We know that this type of gift is just that-pure gift, infused by God. As St. Teresa says, it cannot be produced by one's own effort.

St. Bernadette experienced Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Our Lady of Silent Prayer at the Grotto in Lourdes. Let us pray for each other that we imitate the humble virgin Bernadette and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel , to be open and available to listen to the Word of God, proclaim it to the world, and meditate on it in our hearts day and night.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, ocds