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THE APPARITION OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES

GREATER DOUBLE / WHITE

During the year 1858 our Blessed Lady appeared eighteen times from February 11 to July 16 to Bernadette Soubirous, the fourteen-year-old daughter of a destitute day laborer of Lourdes in France. Through this humble child, the Mother of God announced to the world her sublime title of the Immaculate Conception and a special message of penance and love.

Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the national patron of the Church in the United States of America, and so we should develop a special interest in helping to fill the treasury of graces that our compassionate Mother distributes so freely for the conversion of sinners to God.

INTROIT Apoc. 21:2
I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king.
V. Glory Be . . .

COLLECT

O God, You prepared a fitting dwelling place for Your Son by preserving the Blessed Virgin immaculate at the moment of her conception. Grant health of mind and body to all of us who celebrate the feast of Blessed Mary's apparition today. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

EPISTLE Apoc. 11:19; 12:1, 10 And the temple of God was opened in heaven: and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices and an earthquake and great hail. And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying: Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night.

GRADUAL Cant. 2:12, 10, 14 The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning has come, the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
V. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come: my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall.

TRACT Judith 15:10; Cant. 4:7 You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you are the honor of our people.
V. You are all fair, O Mary, and there is no stain of original sin in you.
V. Truly happy are you, O holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of praise, for with your virgin heel you have crushed the head of the serpent.

GOSPEL Luke 1:26-31 At that time, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Luke 1:28
Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.

SECRET

O Lord, we offer You this sacrifice of praise through the merits of the glorious and immaculate Virgin. May it please You and win for us the health of body and mind we seek. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON
You have visited the earth and watered it; You have greatly enriched it.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, You have nourished us with the Food of Heaven. May Your immaculate Mother now strengthen us with her own power and help us to reach our everlasting home; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .