Lourdes
What is Lourdes?
- Lourdes is a small town in southwestern France when in 1858, a 14-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous saw the Virgin Mary appeared to her multiple times at a grotto near the river Gave. That grotto—called the Grotto of Massabielle—has since become one of the biggest Catholic pilgrimage sites on the planet.
Every year, millions of people come here to pray, take part in candlelight processions, and sometimes bathe in the spring water that flows from the grotto, which is believed by many to have miraculous qualities.
There’s even a dedicated medical bureau that investigates these healings.
Why Lourdes is so special to me
It was after a difficult year in nursing school that one of my professors at Franciscan University of Steubenville put the idea of volunteering as a student nurse in Lourdes, France.
I had never heard anything about Lourdes, France previous to this but I knew in my heart that I was put on this earth to serve the sickest of the sick and the poorest of the poor- I just didn’t think God would call me to France to do it!
I traveled with the North American Lourdes Volunteers to Lourdes, France as a medical missionary, completely unaware that my outlook on life was about to change.
The idea of Lourdes, when presented to me, seemed impossible (especially financially) and so I thought there would be a VERY slim chance of me getting to go but I trusted that Our Lady called me for a reason and so I started a GoFundMe and waited.
In less than 24 hours, I had all of the money raised that I needed to be able to book the LAST plane ticket to be a missionary in Lourdes.
I had never traveled internationally at this point in my life and I spoke some french but not enough to my liking. It didn’t matter though- I was going to Lourdes to serve others.
I served for 10 days, 24/7, as a medical missionary for critically sick north American residents who were given the opportunity to take a trip to Lourdes with their family members but required specialty medical care.
It was an incredible gift to be able to serve and witness the many miracles that occurred during those 10 days. Including my own internal healing, which launched me into a great passion for my nursing career and finding the root cause of illnesses.
I left there feeling like I had left a part of me- but I knew that someday I would return.
It wasn’t very long before God called me back to Lourdes. Although, this time, I was 6 months pregnant and newly married! ( I had been previously set on becoming a nun so I was shocked)
I still served as a medical missionary but during the trip, my pregnancy got the best of me and I ended up in a wheelchair for the remainder of the trip. It was a painful period of time where I had to learn to slow down, and allow others to serve ME instead of always giving myself to others.
The ability to receive someone else serving you is a lot more difficult than it sounds. (Especially as a nurse…)
Do you Feel Called?
- If you have ever been intrigued by Lourdes- I suggest you take a trip there. The history and beauty of Lourdes are incredible, but the transformation that many encounter when visiting is what lasts a lifetime.
They are always in need of medical missionaries in Lourdes (and general missionaries too!).
Lourdes, to me, is a piece of heaven on earth. There is truly something different about this place in France that I cannot formulate a description for. There are things that you will experience there that are unlike anything else in the world.
If you have questions about Lourdes- please feel free to contact me!
I travel with North American Lourdes Volunteers on their Special Needs Pilgrimages but they have pilgrimages year round!