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In honor of the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Lourdes this Friday we continue to bring you a special three-part series on the events that transpired there with the second installment today and the third and final one on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes - February 11th which is also World Day of Prayer for the Sick. In addition, we continue with the special Lourdes Novena with Day seven at Nine Day Novena of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette that will run through tomorrow. We will resume our regular rotation of the 2000 YEAR VOYAGE ON THE BARQUE OF PETER next Wednesday, February 16th. For the second installment, see LOURDES
Since Toinette and Jeanne had been spreading the story, by Sunday a group of young girls concocted a plan to draw Bernadette back to the grotto. As the girls drew closer to the grotto, all felt an exceitement welling up inside them. This time Bernadette moved faster, more agily than all the rest, even the youngest of the girls. All she could think about was the Lady whose smile filled her with such peace. They knelt, these girls, to say the Rosary. During the second decade Bernadette exclaimed to them: "There she is!" One of the girls with Bernadette handed her a bottle of holy water. Bernadette kept sprinkling the holy water. Bernadette kept sprinkling the holy water in the direction of the beautiful lady, whose smile only grew more beautiful, more entrancing with each motion. By now the others with Bernadette noticed that their friend was in a definite trance-like state. They made noise, they tried to get her attention, even to cause a minor rock slide in the vicinity of the grotto. Nothing would make Bernadette bludge. This frightened the girls who ran for help. Then went to get Nicolau, the man who operated the nearby mill. It took all of Nicolau's strength to lift this slip of a child, and while carrying her back to the mill at Savy he placed his hands over her eyes, trying to get her to bend her head. But she would only raise her head again and reopen her eyes with a smile. To say the least, Bernadette's mother was angry.
The following Monday was even worse. School presented plenty of opportunity for humiliation of little Bernadette. Forced to recount the incidents at the grotto, or at the very least to acknowledge that what the others were saying was true, one of the sisters slapped her and shouted that if she returned to that place, she'd be locked up. But on Thursday, February 18th things began looking up a bit for Bernadette. Two women came to the Soubirous door. Madame Milhet, a wealthy woman, and her seamstress Antoinette Peyret. They announced they would accompany Bernadette back to the grotto after morning Mass. Once on her way, Bernadette again sped along as if nothing impeded her. It took the ladies much longer to pick their way carefully to the grotto. There they found Bernadette already on her knees in prayer. "There she is!" Bernadette told them. The women say nothing, but could not help but notice Bernadette's eyes were riveted upon the niche in the grotto. These women were well-intentioned. They had planned to have Bernadette have the lovely Lady write down her name on a piece of paper they'd provided, along with a pen they had brought. Dutifully, Bernadette extended these earthly instruments to Our Lady, who seemed to come closer, although nothing appeared on the paper.
"It is not necessary," came the Heavenly reply, which to Bernadette's ears was soft and musical, without any earthly description.
Then the Lady made a request of her own. "Would you have the graciousness to come here for fifteen days?" she asked of Bernadette who instantly agreed, filled with peace, love and warmth. The lovely Lady went on: "I do not promise to make you happy in this world, but in the next." Even though the two women had nothing concretely written on the paper, they had noticed the startling changes in Bernadette and began to wonder if it truly was the Virgin Mary who appeared in the grotto.
On the following Friday, Saturday and Sunday Bernadette saw Our Lady in the niche of the grotto, but these were silent apparitions. But it was sufficient for Bernadette. For from these apparitions she received such peace. On Sunday, February 21st, Bernadette, without any warning, was literally collared by the Police Commissioner Jacomet. Like a criminal, a rag-doll, she was hauled across the street to the commissioner's house for interrogation. Over and over she was questioned by well-educated men. Yet Bernadette remained cool, unflustered and related the significant details to them. Bernadette did not name the Lady as the Virgin Mary, even though many in the village of Lourdes were saying so. She referred to her simply as "Aquero" which means "That One." Finally, Jacomet released her, only to have Bernadette return home to receive severe threats from Francois, her father.
On Monday, February 22 Bernadette obediently asked permission of her parents to return to the grotto. Knowing the state of mind of Jacomet, both Louise and Francois refused. Bernadette suffered dreadfully, knowing she had promised the beautiful Lady, but knowing she dare not disobey her own parents. Yet by afternoon the supernatural pull toward the grotto overwhelmed her. She went...but no vision occurred. She wept bitterly and went to confession that evening, only to find consolation from Father Pomian who told her that the people had no right to stop her. The next afternoon at five-thirty Bernadette was on her way to the grotto. She was at peace interiorly about this whole affair. But there were already spectators there, among them notable doctors, lawyers and Jean-Baptiste Estrade, the excise tax officer.
Bernadette again had a vision, but another silent one. But the following day, Wednesday, February 24, brought something new. The Lady spoke again to Bernadette. She said: "Penitence. Pray to God for the conversion of sinners." And then she asked Bernadette to kiss the ground as a gesture of penance for others. February 25, Thursday, saw a repeat of this gesture of penitence. Then Bernadette began moving while on her knees, as if being directed by someone no one else could see, much less hear. Finally, Bernadette reached the spot where she was meant to be. With hundreds of townspeople looking on, the frail Soubirous girl began to dig with her hands. She scraped up the muddy muck that stuck to her hands and fingers. As she put her hands to her mouth to drink it, the crowd could not help but murmur in shock and amazement.
Only Bernadette heard the Lady say: "Go and drink at the fount and wash yourself." Many in the crowd of spectators were convinced now that Bernadette was crazy. After "drinking" the mud, Bernadette began to eat bits of a plant called dorine. This was just too much for many in the crowd. The Soubirous girl was indeed mad! But again, Bernadette was obedient to the Heavenly Visitor who told her: "You will eat of that plant which is there." All this she did, Bernadette was to relate later, was "for sinners." If Bernadette had found the mud and plants hard to eat, the townspeople had an even harder time accepting her actions on behalf of "sinners." She was again forbidden to go to the grotto, this time the ban coming from the police commissioner. But it was Bernadette's aunt, Bernarde, who convinced her to go.
Where Bernadette had dug with her hands in the mud and drank it, there now was a trickle of water bubbling up, and a small pool of water had formed. By the time Bernadette arrived, over 600 people were there, waiting for the young "visionary." But there was no apparition. Bernadette was demoralized, wondering what she had done to offend the lovely Lady. But on Saturday, February 27, the Lady was back. The next day, Sunday, saw an enormous crowd of 1200 people sandwiched into the space near the grotto. Seeing only the practical ramification of too many people in a narrow spot where there was a deep drop into the Gave River below, the police grabbed Bernadette again and hauled her away for questioning. Bernadette was strong. She resisted their threats, stating she would return to the grotto until the following Thursday as she had promised.
On Monday, March 1, the sunlight dawned on hundreds of eager faces who waited at the grotto. Among the people was Catherine Latapie, a mother of two small children. Catherine was expecting her third arrival at any time. Nearly two years previously she had fallen and broken her arm. The fall and broken arm left her with two fingers of her right hand paralyzed. All saw Bernadette sink into a state of ecstasy. After Bernadette had withdrawn, Catherine quietly went to the spring and there she plunged her right hand into the waters. At once a warmth flowed through her entire arm, giving her a sense of peace. When she withdrew her arm, her fingers, which had been doubled up, were completely straightened.
The excitement Catherine felt brought on labor pains. She immediately appealed to the Virgin she believed had given her a healing. And the prayer was answered. Hours later, four miles back to the village of Loubajac, she gave birth to a boy, who would go on to become a priest! Catherine was the first of millions who would be healed in the miraculous, healing waters of Lourdes.
On Tuesday March 2, over 1600 people were present at the apparition. All remained in reverent silence while Bernadette conversed with the Lady, until the young visionary rose from her knees and turned to face the people. "Go and tell the priests that people must come here in procession and that a chapel [must] be built here." Bernadette went straight to the parish priest, who was in a delicate position. He, himself, believed that Bernadette was privileged to see the Mother of God. But the Church had made no pronouncement, and he knew well that the sentiment among the authorities was that Bernadette was given to flights of fancy, to put it mildly. His frustration caused him to storm at Bernadette. Undaunted, though hurt by his anger, Bernadette heard his request that she ask the Lady to identify herself. Bernadette promised to do so. Thus on Wednesday March 3, the Lady came again to the grotto. Bernadette obediently put the question to the Lady, "who only smiled." Thursday came - the last day of the fortnight of visits which Bernadette had promised the Lady she would keep and again Bernadette asked for a sign for the priest to believe. But once again the Lady was not inclined to grant the request, and only smiled.
Now disappointment was rampant in Lourdes. But there were those whose faith would not yield to popular demand, and they persisted that the young Soubirous girl had seen the Virgin Mary. Thus, on the Feast of Annunciation, March 25, 1858, Bernadette awoke with a strong pull to return to the grotto. When she returned this time Our Lady would impart something so profound to an ignorant girl who had no true concept of what she was told that it peaked the interest of the hierarchy and swung the pendulum of believers.
Today Dr. Frank Joseph gives the reader background on the remarkable photo of young Samuel's tiny fist clutching for life to the good doctor's finger during a unique procedure where the womb is lifted out to make the proper corrections for the life of the child. He recounts the controversy this photo caused with pro-aborts who realize that his picture proves without a shadow of a doubt that life begins at conception, not birth! For today's column, Reaching out for life!, see Pro-Life Prescriptions: LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!
It should be seen by the WHOLE WORLD.
It happened when Dr. Joseph P. Bruner, director of fetal diagnosis and treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center was performing a cutting edge procedure on a 21 week old fetus. Bruner and Samuel's parents hope the surgery will alleviate the effects of spina bifida, a disabling birth defect in one or two of every 1,000 babies born. During the procedure, surgeons remove the uterus from the mother, drain the amniotic fluid, perform surgery on the tiny fetus, then put the uterus back inside the mother. The procedure took about an hour.
There are no words to describe this incredible photo. If this doesn't set the abortion industry and the PCKU (pro-choice to kill the unborn) back on its ears, then Heaven help us.
The defenders of a woman's right to have an abortion, if she so chooses, would have you believe that Samuel is nothing but a non-sentient blob of tissue. Never, again will the abortion clinics, be able to tell these lies to women who are about to have their unborn babies killed. It was almost as if Samuel was shaking the finger of the hand of the man, who was trying to save his life -- to thank him for his compassion and effort.
With all that open space, instead of grabbing for air, Samuel's hand, actually grabbed the surgeons finger. In my book, this precious 21 week old creation of God is more sentient than those who advocate the proposition, that women should have the right to condemn their babies to death, if it would make their lives easier.
Would you believe that our president, Clinton, twice, vetoed the ban on partial-birth abortions and is about to veto it again? The ban would have prevented doctors from killing babies, Samuel's age and even older, while they're being born. And let's not forget the Senators, who agreed with Clinton. Even if they don't believe in God, you'd think they would want it banned, just out of a sense of common decency.
For a description of the procedure of a partial-birth abortion and what you should know about abortions -- read my articles on these subjects on my web page.
Clinton and the liberal Democratic Senators, who voted Not to ban this barbaric procedure, say they would ban it -- if there was an exception that it could be done to preserve the HEALTH of the mother. There WAS an exception, that it could be done to save the LIFE of the mother, but this was not enough for Clinton and the rest of the liberals.
What do you think Clinton is saying today with the knowledge that Samuel was born a healthy baby a few months ago? Samuel was blessed that he had a loving mother and father, or he wouldn't be with us today. He would have been killed because he was not perfect. It's a pity that it's the luck of the draw, that determines, if we live or die, when it should be in the hands of God.
To include a health exception is ludicrous and if inserted, would be the same as having NO ban at all. Doctors can easily get around it with no problem. Women's health could mean just about anything. They can even say, "doctor if I have this baby, it will make me nervous," or they can say, "It makes me ill to just think about this pregnancy."
Clinton and the pro-abortion Senators know a health clause would make the ban useless. NOT one baby's life, who is destined for death by this cruel procedure will be saved. They want to make sure, that if a woman changes her mind late in her pregnancy and wants to kill her unborn baby -- that it would be a "legal killing." This is sick. Thus they have satisfied the pro-aborts who got them elected. Maybe one of these days they'll satisfy GOD and not satan.
Before you contact me -- I know, there were three Republican Senators, who voted along with thirty-one Democratic Senators, to allow this gruesome procedure to continue. But as a whole, it would appear that satan has chosen The Democratic Party to do his dirty work. If anyone has another explanation for the disparity of the two parties, concerning the sanctity of human life and the reverence to God -- I beg you, please let me know.
It's the same old story. Thanks to Satan's easy access to the minds of the liberal Democrats, we got the abominable Roe Vs Wade decision. Prior to that, they took prayers out of the public schools. These two decisions have given satan a smile from ear to ear and have brought our country to the brink of hell.
The declining moral values of the Democratic party, is the reason I became a Republican, years ago. I could see the handwriting on the wall. I will NOT be in a party that sees nothing wrong, if a woman wants to kill her unborn baby.
A party which sees nothing wrong with taking prayers out of the public schools and replacing them with condoms. If children don't learn right from wrong and the wages of sin at home -- that's just too bad -- has to be their mindset.
A party which doesn't think, that Clinton, using the Oval office for a motel for his adulterous affairs with a young intern on numerous occasions and obstructing justice and lying under oath are not impeachable offenses, ignoring The Federalist Papers written by Alexander Hamilton -- Impeachable offenses are injuries done immediately to the society itself. Why can't Democrats understand that moral degeneracy IS INJURIOUS to a society?
A party whose leading candidate for the presidency, Al Gore, called Clinton one of the greatest presidents, our country has ever had. Apparently a country's moral degeneracy does not bother Gore. This same man, Gore, who says that when he's not sure what to do, he asks himself, "what would Jesus Christ do?" I do think that Jesus Christ would consider someone's morals, in judging them. What else is there? Has Gore, conveniently forgotten: "For what will profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul."
A party which sees nothing wrong with trashing organized religions with terms like the "religious right," "the far religious right," "the fanatic religious right."
There's no more important issue that faces our country, than the issue of the, "killing of unborn babies," a.k.a. abortions. Not balancing the budget, not health care, not foreign aid, not school waivers, not lowering taxes, not trade issues, not building up our national defense -- you name it. They're all a distant second to the killing of unborn babies, God's most precious creations.
It's very simple -- your vote will determine, what kind of people you want to represent you, in Congress and in the White House and what kind of a country, you want for your children and grandchildren. Our once Godly country, is sinking fast. Satan is having a field day and we had better start waking up to that fact.
Clinton and the liberal Democratic Senators, ignored the views of the medical profession because they had to pay back the people who got them elected. The lives of babies about to be born, means nothing to them. What matters are votes.
You can bet that the liberal press will try to suppress this picture, the same as they continually try to suppress the fact that abortions increase the risk of breast cancer. Why, its already begun. Matt Drudge who has a show on the Fox network, was prevented from showing the picture, by Fox News President, Alger Ailes. Drudge said, "the thought that I was going to misrepresent the picture as an abortion, is junk." Drudge walked off the show.
The "Brass" at Fox were so worried that the picture would be a setback to abortion on demand, that they prevented one of the most newsworthy pictures and stories in the history of mankind from being shown to the American people. To withhold this picture and the story behind it, from the public is a tragedy and against everything that brave Americans died for - freedom of the press and freedom of speech. But, they WILL show elephant feces and pictures of vaginas and anuses on a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary and call it art and say that it is protected under our constitution. Trashing Christians is OK, but, giving hope to many people is bad.
The fact that this new surgery, could save the lives of babies, was of no consequence to them. The fact that women may see this picture and be enlightened that there is a choice, other than death, if their unborn baby is not perfect, was also ignored by Fox.
One would think that the media would WANT to publish this picture, simply for the fact that it may save the lives of unborn babies and give mothers HOPE that all is not lost if her baby is not completely normal. That there are new procedures for intrauterine surgeries. IT'S A BREAKTHROUGH IN MEDICINE.
Tonight, check your newspapers and listen to the news, and see if they give you any news that's more newsworthy than the picture of baby Samuel's hand reaching out of the womb to clutch the finger of his surgeon.
Let's face it and call it for what it was -- An attempt by Fox to propagate the PCKU agenda. To show the picture, would be a big blow to the liberals and the multimillion dollar abortion industry. It reminds me of a statement by Clinton, who said, he is against abortions, but a woman should have that choice. He also said that he wants fewer abortions done. The very first time he gets his wish, he vetoes the ban on PBA.
The people at Fox did a great disservice to the American people, just to satisfy their liberal agenda at the expense of human lives.
This picture has absolutely nothing to do with abortions, as the "brass" at Fox have stated -- which was the reason for their squelching of the picture. THE PICTURE HAS TO DO WITH PRESERVING LIFE. But in today's society that's a no, no. Just when you think, it can't get worse -- then Fox comes along and assures us that it can and is.
I urge you all, to contact your Senators, who voted Not to ban this gruesome procedure, especially you, who reside in their state. The mail of constituents will be read and you will get an answer by regular mail -- but you must include your name and street address. When you write to other Senators -- your mail will also be read, but your only response will be an automated pre-formed response, stating that your mail will be read and noted. It is important to contact all the Senators who voted to NOT ban PBA, by mail AND by phone and let them know your feelings.
Visit my web page at Abortions - the Truth to see the born picture of beautiful Samuel, one of God's most precious creations and a letter written by his parents. Also, on my web site -- there is a much larger picture of Samuel reaching out of the womb -- a must see.
God bless,
NOTE: We respectfully recognize and accept the final authority regarding apparitions, locutions and prophecies presently being reported around the world rests with the Holy See of Rome and the Magisterium of Holy Mother Church to whose judjment we humbly and obediently submit.
"Dear children! I call you, little children, to pray without ceasing. If you pray, you
are closer to God and He will lead you on the way of peace and salvation. That is why I call you today to give
peace to others. Only in God is there true peace. Open your hearts and become those who give a gift of peace
and others will discover peace in you and through you and in this way you will witness God's peace and love
which He gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call."