By Pat Murphy 

 

I have a fascination with reading old newspapers - often they are more interesting than the present ones! I recently came across an article from the Times dated Friday 21 May 1858: 

 

- “A girl named Savy in the Haute Pyrenees gave out at the beginning of the year that the Virgin had several times appeared to her in a grotto near the town.” 

 

It continues in a rather disbelieving manner, concluding that “the persons who pretend to see visions shall be sent to the hospital in Tarbes and be subjected to medical treatment, and that those who spread absurd tales of heavenly visitation shall be prosecuted for propagating false news.”  

 

Oh dear oh dear. I wonder what that journalist would write now. There was a slightly more accepting report a little later in June of the same year. The journalist had travelled to Lourdes and had spoken to Bernadette, her aunt, the police and Father Peyramale. However, the grotto was said to be barricaded from people entering. It was an offence to enter the area and drink the water, with a heavy fine incurred for breaking the rules. 

 

Just think of the millions of pilgrim’s visiting the shrine of Lourdes year-on-year since 1858. The many miraculous cures, the healing waters. Lourdes has been a continued place of pilgrimage from the early days. A place not only of pilgrimage but spiritual, physical and mental healing. If only the Times journalists could have seen into the future, how their eyes would have been opened.  

 

Let us all continue in this jubilee year on our own personal pilgrimage, whether it’s a walking pilgrimage within our own deaneries, a visit to a Holy place, or joining a jubilee year pilgrimage to Lourdes or Rome. Maybe your pilgrimage of prayer is from your own armchair – but we join together in prayer and unity. Here in Liverpool, not only have we welcomed our new Pope Leo XIV, but also our new Archbishop John Sherrington, who will join those of us who are able to travel to Lourdes later this month.  

 

Your petitions and prayers will travel with us on that pilgrimage. Our Lady of Lourdes pray for us. St Bernadette pray for us. Pat Murphy will continue her Pilgrimage Jottings from Rome in September.