Our Connection to Lourdes

We are proud to say America’s connection to Lourdes goes back a long way. Today we have almost 1,000 parishes, schools, hospitals and associations throughout our country bearing the names Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Bernadette and Immaculate Conception. Many Americans know of Lourdes, many carry the name Bernadette, and almost all Catholics know of the Immaculate Conception.

For this we thank the missionaries of various orders who brought us the message of Lourdes in the early 1900’s. They brought with vitality the story of Bernadette and made Our Lady come alive in the recounting of her Apparitions.

Today, the details of the message and the story may have faded. This is the reason we hope to bring it back with renewed vigor and focus. We reconnect ourselves to Lourdes, to the Grotto and to the whole world through preparations for the Jubilee Year 2008.