Good morning Year 6!
Lourdes is in the south of France. It is an important place of pilgrimage for sick people. It all began when a poor young girl called Bernadette Soubirous, had a vision of Our Lady.
Our Lady appeared to Bernadette 18 times, standing on a rock above a dirty old grotto (cave), where pigs used to shelter. At first people thought Bernadette was mad, but she persisted and did as Our Lady asked her. Often, she would pray the Rosary as she gazed at the figure. She did not know it was Our Lady at first. During the thirteenth time Our Lady appeared, she told Bernadette: “Go, tell the priests to come here in procession and build a chapel here.”
Another time, Our Lady told Bernadette to drink at the spring. There was no spring there, but Bernadette scrapped at the earth with her bare hands and, after a few tries, clear, clean water appeared. Later on, other people heard about it and a girl called Catherine, who had a paralysed arm, came and touched the rock and her arm was healed. After that, many people began to visit the grotto and eventually a number of churches were built to accommodate the pilgrims who came to pray.
Today 6 million people come to Lourdes every year from all over the world. Very many sick people come, some wanting a physical cure, but above all, a spiritual healing and to return and face life with an inner peace.
There are five special signs at Lourdes:
1. The water: many people who go to Lourdes bathe in special baths in the water from the spring.
2. The rock of the grotto: pilgrims like to touch the rock of the grotto where Our Lady stood.
3. Light: at night, there is a candlelight procession and all day there are candles burning in front of the grotto, reminding people of the light of Christ.
4. The crowds are huge, coming from every race and nation, young and old, sick and healthy. Lourdes is a true experience of the Church, a gathering together of all the scattered children of God.
5. The sick are given a special blessing every afternoon. It gives them comfort and their helpers also gain from the experience of being with the sick and serving them as Christ cared for the sick when he was on earth.
HCPT – The Pilgrimage Trust is an organisation which enables those who may need help, especially children and adults with disabilities, learning difficulties and social and emotional needs, to experience a pilgrimage to Lourdes. Every year they organise trips to Lourdes for over 7000 people.
Do you know anyone who has been to Lourdes? Why did they go, how did it change them, and what kind of healing did it bring them?
Think about the following questions and try to discuss them with an adult at home:
What do you think of the way Bernadette acted ?
Why do you think people go to Lourdes?
Would you like to go and why?
What do you think you might do in Lourdes?
Which of the five signs appeals to you most and why?
Today’s task: Research some information about Lourdes and design a poster for a school or parish trip to Lourdes and explain why it would be good to go, what the experience would be like and how it might shape your life.
Please send any work via Homework Uploader for the attention of Miss Carruthers.
Enjoy!
Mrs Avdiu xx
printer-friendly version: Wednesday RE blog Y6
Click here to see Sergio’s work about Lourdes: Lourdes-Sergio
Click here for Anahi’s poster: Anahi Lourdes poster
Good morning Miss Carruthers,
I do not know anybody who has been to Lourdes but I think all the people go there when they are such for a mental healing. Ready to meet God in heaven.
I think Bernadette acted this way for she couldn’t believe Mary was standing in front of her .Then she became persuaded to do what Mary asked her and now because of her there are many churches there and people getting helped every day.
I think they go to Lourdes to do pilgrimages and get mentally ready to go to heaven if they are really ill.
I think you will probably pray a lot and it will be a time were you just rest in peace near God and just remember his heart is full of love.
I think the grotto is the most fascinating symbol because I can’t believed our mother Mary stood on it and that you can still touch it.
Really thoughtful answers Jade, you’ve clearly thought carefully about Lourdes and what it means to people. I agree, It must be such a wonderful opportunity to rest in God’s peace.
A brilliant poster Javier 🙂 You’ve found out lots of facts about Lourdes and presented them nicely!
Hello Everyone again,
I just face timed my grandmother who times me that she actually did go to Lourdes to pray an touch the grotto.She was not actually ill but still did it to get closer to God.My mum’s uncle also goes there every year to help those who are sick.His job is to look after one specific person who Is sick and takes him/her to meet to the grotto or to the baths.He also brought back a flask of Lourdes water from the spring for my grandmother to keep.
Oh wow Jade! That is so interesting that members of your family have been to Lourdes. I wonder how they felt when they were there.
I think Bernadette acted this way because she did not know that Our Lady was talking to her. It must have been strange for other people to understand Bernadette because they did not hear or see Our Lady and must have thought she was ill or mad. Bernadette must have not understood what was being asked of her but she still persisted.
They come to Lourdes to see the site of Bernadette’s vision and to be healed by its supposedly miraculous waters.
I think they go to get closer to God and to feel Gods power. I would go to get closer to god.
Isn’t so amazing that she did persevere even though she may not have full understood the importance of what was happening!
Hello miss,this sounds like a very interesting task and I can not wait to get started on research ,I will ask my family members if they have been and tell you on my next comment where I will give the facts.
I can’t wait to hear what you find out 🙂
Here are my facts
1)Lourdes was originally a small unremarkable market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
2)At that time the most prominent feature was the fortified castle which rises up from the centre of the town on a rock.
3)Following the claims that there were apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858, Lourdes has developed into a major place of Christian pilgrimage.
Great facts Ariella. Have you had a think about the questions Mrs Avdiu has put in the blog?
Done!
Well done Laetitia! Great answers 🙂
Good afternoon Miss, these are my answers:
I think Bernadette Soubirous acted the way she did because she believed in God and Heaven, and wanted to help Mary, and she also knew that it was the right thing to do.
I think people go to Lourdes to see where Mary stood, and rest with god and pray for the best. Also, if someone is very sick, they might touch the stone that Mary stood on, so they can prepare to go to Heaven.
I would like to go, to witness were Mary stood, and pray for forgiveness and health, and to pray for everyone’s life.
I think that if I went to Lourdes, I might go to mass there a lot, and pray near where Mary stood, and I might go to a chapel and hear the story.
I think that the crowds is the most important because it shows that many people believe in God, and worship Him as their Father, and give their lives to Him.
Really thoughtful Gabriel, well done 🙂