The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-13
Mgr. Laurence added that he submitted this

ceSe One deVotlon TO our Lady OF Lourdes anC
to use his own words. that we may fulfil tn,
wish of the Blessed Virgin, repeatedly ex
pressed during the period of the apparitious
we propose to erect sanctuary on that poF
tion of the ground everything the grotto, whict
has become the property of the Bishop of Tar
bes." To effect this purpose, the pious Bishor
appealed to the generosity of all the faithful
who had at heart the glory of the Immaculate
| Conception.
Some years after the sovereign pontiff, with
out expressing formal judgment on the ga
cred Appsritons, gave an indirect appreciation
| to the sentence of the Bishop. 10 magnificent
Brief, dated the Ath of September, 1865, and
transmitted to the Historian of our Lady OF
Lourdes, the Pope congratulated him on the
success with which che had proved and solidly
main tanned the recent APART ton Of the most
merciful Mother of God and this in such q
manner that the wicked opposition of men to
the manifestation of divine mercy only serves to
set off in brighter colors, the luminous eridence
Of the fact" Upon the rock of Msssabielle, may
be henceforth engraven, over the signature of
Plus TX, these words which the spirit of God
dictated to his heart "The Apparition of she
Immaculate Conception in the grotto of
| The call of the venerable Bishop was heart
lily responded to. A grand plan was adopted
for the church it was in the gothic style; it
would cost millions the difficulties that lay
in the way of it's execution appeared iusur.
mountable. Mgr. Laurence followed the I'm
pulse of his faith alone his sole preocGu pa on
was to procure the glory of the immaculate
Conception. The work was inaugursted in the
|, -
the twenty first ofMay, 1865, the holy sacrifice
was offered for the first time in the crypt, over
which the new shrine was to rise
Anterior to this latter date grand solemn
ity had taken place. The glories of Our Lady
of Lourdes had been celebrated with pomp,
the desire formerly manifested by the lips
of Bernadette had been realizsd 81 tcish that
professions be made to the spot" The ceremony
that once, more drew thousands around the
hallowed place, the benediction and inau
guration of the Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes
1t was to be placed within the grotto, in the
oval.formed excavation, in the very niche
where the Blessed Virgin had deigned to man.
ifest her presence many times. On the
4th of April, 1864. six years after the marvel.
lous apparitiops, Mgr. Laurence, surrounded
by his priests, in presence of an immense as
semblage of faithful, solemnly blessed the
marble statue, which the faith aud talent of o
Lyonuese artist had endeavored to render as
closely alike as possible to tho original.
This statue represents the Blessed Virgin at
the moment that She said to Bern8dette, 81 am
the Immaculate Conception" The precise indica-
tons of Bernadette guided the hand of the
sculptor, who reproduces, with as little diver
gence as possible, the truthfulness of the form,
and the minuteness of the details. But, how
powerless is the skill of man, when divine
realities are to be delineated with mere mate
rial elements. When Bernadette beheld the
beautiful statue, she exclaimed, "Ah that is
very beautiful, but that is not the Lady.
Heaven and earth are not more unlike"
On the day that the solemn Inauguration of
the crypt took place, Bernadette had the
pleasure of witnessing in person the triumph
Of her Imaculate Benefactress. Lourdes was
decked in festal robes, Joy and jubilation W IL
coined the happy dawn throughout the diocese
The religious recollection Of this day still lives
in the hearts of the devout population.
The ground adjacent to the grotto has be-
come diocesan property it has been exclu-
sively oonsecr lated to the requirements of the
pilgrimage. The soil of the grotto has been
cleared of all membranes the miraculous
water, which issues from it's source to the left,
is now received into q reservoir of white mar
BILE, whence it escapes to the torrent In the
Erotto itself~no essential change has been
made it presents the same rude aspect that
it wore at the period of the spparitious The
crypt and tho church are seated on the summit
Of the Massabielle rocks, rising in beautiful
towards heaven, as magnificent
,oronet, browning the brow of Mary's shrine.
The steeple scars away to an elevation of three
hundred feet above the grotto.
The needs, created by the establishment of
The pilgrimage, have prompted the foundation
If a special house of missionaries. The priests
attached to this service receive professions,
pilgrims, hear confessions, adminis-
;er Holy Communion and distribute the word
If God among the countless multitudes that !
come to lay their homage at the feet of Our |
Lady of Lourdes.
ITO be Continued