The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-09-23 00:00:00

THE APPARITION AT LOURDES.

The Times cf Monday (18%) published the following
letter :

------ •
Sir, —On my arrival here I had the opportunity of read-
ing a leading article oaths Senctuary of Lourdes, which
appeared in The Times of the 2nd inst. Being on the
spot I have endeavoured to seek a reply to acme of the
questions raised by the article. It is computed that in
the week j cat ended some 20,000 pilgrims have been here.
They came in organized bands, under the direction of
committees, composed of priests and laymen, from
Belgium, Angonleaae, Perpignan, Nimes, Sancerre,
St. Clar, Dijon, Marseilles, and the districts about
Lourdes. The variety of persons and of localities
whence they came, as well as the facilities one had of
mixing freely and intimately with the crowd, enables
one to pass a fair judgment on the general run of the
pilgrims who visit the Grotto of Lourdes. As there
was much in your leafing article to wound and offend
Catholics, I trust you will allow me, after being an
eye-witnees of the events of the past week, to take
exception to the statements made by the article.
1. The apparition at Lourdes has not, as is asserted,
"a claim upon the faith of the whole Catholic world."
A man may be an excellent Catholic, and yet believe
neither in the apparition nor in the miracles stated to
• occur. It is held by all Catholics that miraculous
power is manifested in the Church, and that vidoes
do occur; but the belief in a single vision or miracle
rests upon the evidence to beadduced in its favour. To
this, Lourdes is no exception. With one of the writers
who has carefully examined and written on the claims
of this Sanctuary, each believer may say, " Credidi
quia vidi, propter quod locutus sum."
2. It is impoesible to take part in the exercises of
the pilgrims without being immediately struck by
their honest conviction of the truth of the apparition,
by their fervent devotion, and by their earnest wish to
worship God in very truth. At considerable sacrifice
of time, money, and comfort do they undertake the
pious journey. After a night spent in a crowded rail-
way carriage, they are to be seen, not having broken
their fast, hurrying to the altar to receive Holy Com-
munion. As late as eleven o'clock have many to wait
before touching a morsel of food. Throughout the day
the Basilica and the Grotto are crowded by these pil-
grims, persevering in fervent prayer.
3. Among the townspeople I have male the most
careful iequiry concerning their belief in the appari-
tion. Saldiers, workmen, shopkeepers, railway officials,
servants, and priests have, with rare exceptions ex-
pressed a firm conviction of the truth of the Zion.
They indignantly deny the truth of the words, in the
leading article, the p/ople of Lourdes, it is well
known, make no seeret of their belief that the whole
thing is an imposture ; " and they invite you to came
on any 15th of August—the day whereon they go in
procession to the Grotto—and judge of their belief.
4. As to the miraculous cures which are effected, I
would refer your readers to the calm, judicicus work
"La Grotte de Lourdes," written by Dr. Doz ours, an
eminent resident practitioner, inspector of epidemic
diseases for the district, and medical assistant of the
Court of Justice. He prefaces a number of detailed
cases of miraculous cure, which he says he has studied
with great care and perseverance, with these words
"I declare that these cures effected at the Sanctuary of
Lourdes by means of the water of the fountain
have established their supernatural character in
the eyes of men of good faith. I ought to confess
that without these cures, my mind, little prone
to listen to miraculous explanations of any kind,
would have had great difficulty in accepting even
this fact (the apparition), remarkable as it
is from so many points of view. But the cures of
which I have been El) often ocular witness have given
to rs,ty mind a light whlch does not permit are to
Ignore the importance of the visits of Bernadette to
the grotto and the reality of the apparitions with
which she was favoured." The testimony of a die-
tinguished medical man, who has carefully watched
from the beginning Bernadette and the miraculous
cures at the grotto is at least worthy of respectful con-
sideration. _ _ _

I may add that the vast number of those who come
to the Grotto do so to repent of their sins, to increase
their piety, to pray for the regeneration of their
country, to profess publicly their belief in the Son of
God, and his Immaculate Mother. Many come to be
cured of bodily ailments, and, on the testimony of eye-
witnesses, several return home freed from their sick-
ness. To upbraid, with non-belief, as does your
article, those who use also the waters of the Pyrenees,
is as reasonable as to charge with unbelief the magis-
trates who inflict punishment on the Peculiar People
for neglecting to have medical aid.
5. Health obliged me to pass the Winters of 1860 to
1867 at Pau. This gave me the opportunity of making
a most minute inquiry into the apparition at Lourdes,
After frequent and lengthened examinations of Berna-
dette, and of some of the miracles effected, I am con-
vincerl that if facts are to be received on human
testimony, then has the apparitim at Lourdes every
claim to be received as an undeniable fact. It is, how-
ever, no part of Catholic faith, and may be accepted or
rejected by any Catholic without the least praise or
condemnation.

Apologizing for tre3pasEing to such a length on your
space, I um, Sir, your obedient servant, T. J. CAPEL.
Lourdes, Sept. 1L