The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-13
lContinued.l
XIV.

1 At an early day the venerable Mgr Laurence,
then Bishop of Tarbes, was informed by the
pastor OF Lourdes of the remarkable occur
rences, of which the grotto of Massabielle had
been, and continued to be, the theatre. The pre-
late followed the course of events with the
closest attention. Ga the 18th of July, 1858, he
formed q Commission, composed of learned and
prudent eccesiastics, of physicians and of men
ofscienoe, highly respected both for their know
ledge and erudtion, aud for the uprightnsss of
their character.
Mgr. Laurence deferred his Il osl decision for
long time the delay even seemed protraoted
beyond due limits This was according to the
designs of Providence. The pilgrimage should
be founded of itself, by supernatural attraction,
and without the concurrence of any human
power. nay, the most divine authority on
earth, that of the Church, should not be
I allowed to throw it's weight into the balance
i'm favor of the pilgrimage. The Blessed Virgin,
and She alone, should be the author and the
life of this match1ess work: at first by her ap
partitions to Berpadetre, and afterwards by the
repeated miraculous effasions of mercy and
benignity with which She pleased to visit
the fame of the shrine throughout the
length and breadth of France.
Consequently, the decision of the prudent
Bishop had no influence in the establishment:
] of the pilgrimage of Our Lady of Lourdes: all
the glory was its own. When the Bishop
spoke the pilgrimage was already founded it
shone in its full splendor. The decree pro-
mulgated by ecclesiastical authority served
&only to approve and confirm what already
existed. Before publishing his decisions Mgr.
n T.onr richa Tor zion pa,r ol1tA
IA person. At a solemn sitting of the tribunal
sef inquiry, Bsrnadette was introduced and re-
quired to go through her marvellous recital in
detail. She obsyed. She after W ards answered
ell the questions addressed to her, and they
were many. This was to be the Anal inter-
srogatory, and conscience imposed upon the
scommittee the obligation of dispelling every
doubt, of solving every difficulty, of clearing
mp every obscurity, ere they put the last touch
80 the great act which they had in preparation.
"A BerAadette, in her recital, came to the ap-
partition of the twenty. fifth of March. When
ehe reproduced the attitude and the gesture of
She Lady" at the moment of saying, 81 am
the Immaculate Conception" two big tears
were seen to roll down the austere countenance
of the aged Bishop. After the sitting he OBJ
served with great emotion to one of the men,
bers of the Commission, "Did you notice that
child 7" He did not seek to conceal the pro.
found impression made upon him by the
spectacle which he had witnessed.
Finally, full light was thrown on the sub
ject. All possible objections had been con-
scentiously discussed and fully solved. Faith,
sane reason and science had declared them
selves satisfied. On the eighteenth of January,
1852, almost four years after the first apparition,
the Bishop issued a decree containing his
decision on the Appsritons of the Grotto.
a The tenor Of the decree was as follows:
AFTER having consulted our venerable
bretheren, the Dignitaries, Canons and Chapter
Of our Cathedral church, the Holy Name of God |
being invoked;
q "Guding ourselves by the rules wisely laid |
down by Benedict XIV, for discernment of |
true and false apparitions;
s. Regard had for the favorable report which |
nas been submitted to US by the committee
appointed to Investigate the reality of the ap-
sritions, and all facts relating thereunto;
Regard had for the written testimony of
pAysicians, whom we have consulted with |
respect to the numerous cures that have re-. |
suited from the usage of the water Of the |
grotto;
Considering, frstly, that tie fact of the
.Apparition looked at either with regard to the
young girl who has related it, or to the extra
ordinary effects which have resulted therefrom,
can be accounted for only by the intervention
of q supernatural cause;
Considering, in the second place, that this
can only be a divine cause since the elects
produced have been either visible signs of
grace Gas the conversion of sinners), or q dero-
CATION from the laws of nature (such "a
miraculous cures), and therefore eau be Sat-
Cributed only to the Author of Grace and the
Master.of Nature;
Considering finally, that our conviction is
strengthened by the immense and spontaneous
Concourse of pilgrims to the grotto, which has
not ceased since the first apparition, and
which hss for object either the asking of favors
or Thanksgiving for favors already sttained
To satisfy the legitimate impatience of our
venerable Chapter, of the clergy and of the
laity of our diocese, and of SO many devout