Our Blessed Lady of Lourdes: a faithful narrative of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the Rocks of Massabielle, near Lourdes, in the year 1858

CONTENTS. CHAPTER FIRST. Bernadette Soubirous — Goes with two other girls to the Rocks of Massabielle — The First Apparition in the Niche of the Rock — Her Mother's Disbelief and Prohibition 1 CHAPTER SECOND. The Second Apparition — Different Opinions upon it — Disbelief of Bernadette's Parents — The Third Apparition — Promise required of Bernadette, and Promise made to her 9 CHAPTER THIRD. Increasing Crowds at the Grotto — General Character of the Apparitions — The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth — Bernadette is taken to the Police Office, but confounds the Magistrate by her Answers — Her Father insists upon her release, and obtains it 17 CHAPTER FOURTH. Bernadette is forbidden to go to the Grotto, sent to School, and very ill-treated — At noon she feels impelled to go to the Grotto, but sees no Apparition that day — Her Parents, in the Evening, give her full liberty to go — The next Morning she sees the Apparition the Seventh time — It tells her a Secret for Herself, and gives her a Message to the Priests — She is very roughly treated by the Parish Priest, who refuses to believe her 27 CHAPTER FIFTH. The Eighth Apparition — Bernadette's Report of it to the Parish Priest — People crowd to see and hear her — She and her parents refuse all offers of money — The Ninth Apparition — The Miraculous Fountain — Cures by the Water from it 87 CHAPTER SIXTH. Fourteenth Apparition — Bernadette carries a second message to the Parish Priest — He informs the Bishop of all that has occurred — Fifteenth Apparition — Sixteenth — Seventeenth on March 25th 50 CHAPTER SEVENTH. Eighteenth Apparition — Bernadette's hands miraculously preserved from burning — Offerings in the Grotto — Shrewd Answers of Bernadette — Her humility and simplicity — Fresh opposition and persecution attempted against her — The Parish Priest resolutely protects her — The Grotto despoiled — Indignation of the people 53 CHAPTER EIGHTH. People still flock to the Grotto — Bernadette makes her First Communion — She is subjected to fresh trials — The Grotto boarded up, and all access to it forbidden — Some persons of distinction, and many others, still visit it — The Nineteenth and last Apparition — The Emperor orders free access to the Grotto — The Barriers removed — The Bishop appoints a Commission of Enquiry 68 CHAPTER NINTH. The Bishop defers the meeting of the Commission — They meet at length, and examine Bernadette, the Grotto, and the wonderful cures, going from place to place for several months — The Bishop lets three years pass, and then orders a Second Enquiry — Names and cases of persons cured — The Bishop issues his Pastoral, on the Truth of the Apparitions — Authorises Devotion to our B. Lady of Lourdes, and exhorts the faithful to contribute to the building of a Church on the Rock — The Grounds levelled and planted — Bernadette's occasional visits to the Grotto 78 CHAPTER TENTH. Grand Procession to bless a Statue for the Niche — Dlness of Bernadette, and of the Parish Priest — The Church on the Rocks begun — Pilgrimages and Cures continued — Account of the Parents and Sister of Bernadette, and of herself — She makes her Religious Profession at Nevers — Her subsequent holy life and character — Hymn to our B. Lady of Lourdes 88 Print version record