MARY MOTHER OF JESUS, MOTHER OF GOD Part Seven: VIIb Apparitions and Messages of Mary “Blessed are those who have not seen but believed.” (John 20:29)

APPARITIONS OF MARY OUR LADY OF LOURDES, France (1858) Four to six million pilgrims visit the shrine each year from around the world and it is estimated that more than 200 million pilgrims have come to Lourdes since 1860.

Lourdes, France (1858) Title: Our Lady of Lourdes; The Immaculate Conception Investigated: On January 18,1862, Bishop Laurence, the Bishop of Tarbes, gave the solemn declaration: “We are inspired by the Commission comprising wise, holy, learned and experienced priests who questioned the child, studied the facts, examined everything and weighed all the evidence. We have also called on science, and we remain convinced that the Apparitions are supernatural and divine, and that by consequence, what Bernadette saw was the Most Blessed Virgin.” First Apparition: Grotto of Masabielle, Thursday, February 11, 1858, the lady in white first appears about midday, no speaking. Approved: Pope Pius IX authorized the local bishop to permit the veneration of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes in Last Apparition: July 16, 1858, Friday, 8 pm on Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Bernadette sees Our Lady “more beautiful than ever” from the far bank of the Gave River. Visionary: Bernadette Soubirous Number of Apparitions: Eighteen Miracles & Signs: The well of water, countless miracle healings, incorrupt body of Bernadette.

Messages of Our Lady of Lourdes On February 18th, she was told by the Lady to return to the Grotto over a period of two weeks. The Lady said: I promise to make you happy not in this world but in the next. On February 24th, for her eight apparition, the Lady said, “Penitence,” then, “Would you pray to God for the conversion of sinners?” Not until the 16th apparition, on March 25th, did she say, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” (defined 1856) On July 16th, since the authorities had fenced off the Grotto, Bernadette slipped away to the meadow on the far bank of the Gave for an eighteenth and final meeting with her Lady. “Never had I seen her looking so beautifu,”, she said. She gave Bernadette a message for all: “Pray and do penance for the conversion of the world.”

Saint Bernadette Soubirous Born: January 7th, 1844 Died: 1879 Canonized:1933

The message of Lourdes: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Over the years, more than 7,000 pilgrims have claimed to have been healed after bathing in or drinking Lourdes water. The church has officially deemed 67 cures “miraculous.”

APPARITIONS OF MARY OUR LADY OF PONTMAIN, France (1871) Joseph (10) and Eugene (12) Barbadette, Jeane-Marie Lebosse and Françoise Richer

Pontmain, France (1871) Title: Our Lady of Pontmain; Our Lady of Prayer Investigated: First Apparition: January 17, 1871 Approved: Approved by the Bishop in February, 1872 Last Apparition: January 17, 1871 Visionaries: Joseph (10) and Eugene (12) Barbadette, Jeane-Marie Lebosse and Françoise Richer Number of Apparitions: One Miracles & Signs: At 5:30 on the night of the apparition, the Prussian army halted its advance through France when the Prussian commander, General Schmidt, saw the Lady in the sky. A peace treaty between France and Prussia was signed eleven days later. And all the soldiers from Pontmain returned home, unharmed. Our Lady's apparition at Pontmain and the ensuing reaction of the people, remain a constant reminder of the power of prayer, specifically in preserving us from disaster and war. This message seems as imperative now, in the 21st Century, as it did 135 years ago.

Summary: Joseph Barbadette became a priest, a member of the Congregation of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, while his brother Eùgene became a secular priest. He was assisted by Françoise Richer, one of the girls who had seen Mary, as his housekeeper, with the other, Jeanne-Marie Lebossé, becoming a nun. A large basilica was built at Pontmain and consecrated in 1900.

In 1871, as the Franco-Prussian War raged on and thousands of French people were losing their lives, a 12-year-old named Eugene Barbedette saw the image of a lady in the sky wearing a black veil, blue robe decorated with golden stars and a crown of gold. Eugene's brother, Joseph, saw the image next and then 2 more children. Adults who came to check on the commotion could see nothing. When the parish priest arrived, the children reported that a red cross began to appear on the Virgin's dress. The priest led the rosary and when they finished, the Lady unrolled a large white banner. Giving a message of prayer and hope, the scroll said, “Pray, my children, God will answer you in a short while. My Son will let himself be moved.” The people of Pontmain rejoiced; but suddenly a large blood-red crucifix appeared in front of the Virgin with the words “Jesus Christ” written above it. The Lady became sad. After awhile the blood-red crucifix disappeared and the Virgin stretched out her arms to the children and smiled. Although Only 4 children were blessed to see her, the town was overflowing with joy. The appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary was a sign of peace to Pontmain and France. The following day the villagers learned that foreign troops had retreated believing that “A Madonna is guarding the country and forbidding us to advance”. The Barbedette brothers later became priests. Our Lady of Prayer is now honored throughout the world.

Message of Our Lady of Pontmain The image of the Virgin began to grow and, as Marian devotions were recited, messages began to appear in the sky, and a scroll unrolled beneath her feet. It read, “But pray, my children. God will soon answer you. My son allows himself to be moved.” The woman smiled the entire time; then a large red crucifix appeared before her. A white veil began to rise and the crucifix vanished. The apparition then disappeared.

APPARITIONS OF MARY OUR LADY OF KNOCK, Ireland (1879)

Knock, Ireland (1879 ) Title: Our Lady of Knock; Our Lady of Silence Investigated: In 1879, Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. John MacHale, appointed an investigative commission to study the phenomenon. No findings were published. First Apparition: Thursday, August 21, 1879 Approved: In 1936, Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Gilmartin, institutes a new investigative commission which returned with a positive verdict. September 30, 1979, Pope John Paul II visited the shrine for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions. Over 450,000 people came to Knock on that day. Last Apparition: August 21, Visionaries: Mary McLoughlin (45) and Mary Beirne (29); also there were 15 official eye- witnesses (three men, six women, two teenage boys and a girl, and two children) to the heavenly display. Number of Apparitions: The single vision lasted about two hours. Miracles & Signs: Over three hundred miraculous cures have been reported there, including the cure of two blind men shortly after the apparition.

Summary: The composition and pose of the statues indicate a greater purpose and looking at the apparition as a whole it would appear that the purpose of this apparition is to put before us the four positive and unchanging essentials for living a Christian life: (1) St. Joseph, the personification of humility, with his head bowed and his hands joined facing the other figures representing humility or faith and trust in God, (2) Our Lady, looking towards heaven with her hands raised in a gesture of supplication representing prayer, (3) St John, described as making a point from the book in his left hand with his right hand raised with the index and middle finger extended representing Scripture and the law, (4) the lamb on the altar, obviously representing the lamb of God or the sacrifice of the Mass.

APPARITIONS OF MARY OUR LADY OF FATIMA, Portugal (1917) Lucia Santos (9) and cousins, Jacinta (8) and Francisco (7) Marto,

Fatima, Portugal (1917) Title: Our Lady of Fatima; Our Lady of the Rosary Investigated: 1919 First Apparition: May 13, 1917 Approved: October 13, 1930 Last Apparition: October 13, 1917 Visionaries: Lucia dos Santos (9), Jacinta Marto (8), Francisco Marto (7) Number of Apparitions: 6 Miracles & Signs: Dancing Sun, Healings, Conversion of Russia, Incorruptible body of Jacinta. Summary: While tending sheep, Lucia de Santos and her two cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto, reported six apparitions of Mary, who identified herself as “Our Lady of the Rosary.” Mary urged prayer of the rosary, penance for the conversion of sinners and consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart.

The Three Secrets On July 13, the Virgin is said to have revealed the Three Secrets of Fatima to the children. The secrets consist of prophecies about the future and have been the focus of much interest ever since. The secrets were not written down until 1941, when Lucia was asked to compose memoirs about Fatima and her cousins so their canonization proceedings could begin. The first secret described a horrific vision of Hell. The second secret foretold the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II and called for the “Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Many believe Pope John Paul II fulfilled this request in 1984 by giving a blessing over the world, including Russia, shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union. There is some confusion as to whether Sister Lúcia believed this fulfilled the request of Mary.

The Vatican kept the third secret under wraps until Easter despite Lucia's declaration that it could be released to the public after The officially released text of the third secret was unspecific in nature, leaving it open to various interpretations. The secret speaks of a pope being killed by soldiers at the foot of a cross on top of a mountain, along with many other bishops and priests. The Church's interpretation is that this predicts the May 13, 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Ağca in Saint Peter's Square. John Paul himself credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life, saying he saw her intervening to deflect the gunman's arm and he maintained consciousness on the ride to the hospital by keeping his mind focused on her.

End of Mary the Series, Her Apparitions, Part VIIb Go to Mary the Series, Her Apparitions, Part VIIc