The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a poor teenage girl named Bernadette Soubirous on February 11, 1858.
Between February 11th and July 16th, she appeared eighteen times in the grotto of Massabielle near Lourdes, France.
Several years ago, I was reading about the events in Lourdes and discovered these words from the Blessed Mother to Bernadette:
“I do not promise you happiness in this world, but in the next.”
When I read those words, they pierced my soul.
From that moment on, I’ve felt a strong connection to St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes.
Even though I never seriously considered going to Lourdes, something changed recently.
