The Irish standard., 1906-02-24
THE APP 4 PARITIoN|
Which Took Place 1T Lourdes,
February II, 1858.

| FeorQefy Al, 1858.
Antraele in Every wayworthy
Of the Name.
On the eleventh of February, 1858;
the world was rotating on it's axis at
the same rate of speed which it has
had since the hand Of the Almighty
gave it its first twirl in space, says
the Gesu of Philadelphia; the mill
lions of men and women peopling it's
surface were, as usual, busted about
their personal concerns, little reckon
ing what was occurring beyond the
horizon of their individual lives. In
Paris, especially. only days railroad
ride from the scene of the momentous
event we approach, had human grand
eur reached apparently its topmost
notch. The second Empire was at its
meridian of splendor, and the third
Napoleon was revelling in the intoxi-
cation of the power which made him
the arbiter of the destinies of Europe
The CLINT of the coming glory from
the fields of Solfernio and Magenta
was already gliding the points of the
bayonets of the French army. AS yet
the humiliation and the sorrow of Sc
dan and the exile and obscurity Of
hit l>S.
of the future.
At this very time, in an obscure viii
lage in the foothills of the Pyrenees,
was Transporting an event which was
to stir the world in deeper depths than
those reached by Napoleapic power.
A simple peasant child, fourteen
had been sent by her mother with her
sister and another companion to gather
for the Fireplace pieces of wood that
had floated down the little river Gave
and were wont to drift into the shore
just under the Grotto of Massabielle.
To reach the spot it was necessary to
which was then almost empty of water,
because of the repairs going on at the
mill. Bernadette's two companions
had dotted their wooden clogs and
crossed the little stream. Bernadette,
who was rather delicate and wore
stockings. waited behind to take them
off. She was leaning against rock
to do so, when she heard a sound as
of rushing wind. She looked up at
the trees, but to her surprise their
branches We're not moved by it. She
then turned towards the Grotto and
noticed that magnificent wild-rose
tree or brier, which was rooted in a
niche in the rock and the branches of
which hung down to the ground, was
being gently shaken. All of a sudden,
around the niche an oval ring of bril-
liant golden light appeared and within
the niche she saw standing a lady of
unspeakable beauty. This lady was
dressed in pure white, with light-blue
girdle; a white veil covered her head,
and OH her arm was hanging rosary
with u cross of gold.
In that moment was revealed, not
to the believing only, but to the unbe-
lieving world, as well, the Immaculate
Queen of Heaven under the new title
and in a guise then unfamiliar, but
now familiar and dear to every lover
of Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes.
Skeptics there were, of course, to
question Bernadette:s story. but time,
which tries all things, has tried the
truth of her story, and every succeed
ing year has rooted more deeply in the
minds Of Catholics all over the world
that it was Our Lady herself who in
her condescending love deigned to ap-
pear to the poor peasant girl of
Lourdes.
The very promise made to BerTa-
dette by Our Lady sets the seal of
truth upon the child's story. ION my
part" said the Immaculate Queen, II
promise to make you happy, not in
this world, but in the next" Strange
promise, that no girl of fourteen would
have invented! Promise, too, strangely
fulfilled since Bernadette's life was
not what the world would call a happy
one.
Bernadette's work is over, and she
has gone to behold forever, face to
face, the dazzling beauty Of the Queen
of Heaven, who deigned to manifest
herself to her by the flowing waters
of the Gave.
To suppose, as do many ill-versed
in the ways of God, that the purpose
of the Almighty in permitting the APP
partition of His Mother on the rock Of
Massabielle was to open up at Lourdes
sanitarium of water-cure for the
bodily ailments OF mankind, is to miss
the very raison d. etere of the shrine
of Our Lady at Lourdes. To know the
true purpose of God in the manifesto
ton Of His power there made. one has
but to witness, the outpouring Of faith.
piety and devotion of this holy spot to
be, seen and heard. especially when
some organized pilgrimage is assem-
bled before the Grotto. Only one who
has heard the Magnificent sunp nv