Ten years old already!
In the year 2026, the Family of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its revival. The family has been revitalised and has grown over these past ten years, whilst remaining faithful to a history that has been rooted in the Sanctuary of Lourdes for over 150 years; for the Family of Our Lady of Lourdes is, in fact, much younger than its history. It is the successor to the Archconfraternity of the Immaculate Conception, canonically established at the Sanctuary on 8th December 1872. On 22nd August 2016, on the feast of Mary, Queen of Heaven, this organisation.
Ten years on, we are therefore invited to give thanks for what we have experienced, but also to look to the future.
A Mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated by the Rector of the Sanctuary, Fr Michel Daubanes, at the Grotto at 11.00 am. It will be broadcast live on Lourdes+ and on YouTube.
It will be an opportunity to give thanks for the ten years of progress made, for all those who have helped the Family of Our Lady of Lourdes to flourish and grow, and for all those who, to this day, keep the mission of Lourdes in their prayers.
Renewing the grace of Baptism
Being a member of this Family means, first and foremost, renewing the grace of one’s baptism with Mary’s help and allowing oneself to be touched by the grace of the encounter between Mary and Bernadette. It also means choosing to embody this grace in one’s daily life and to carry the mission of Lourdes in one’s prayers. The blue scapular of Mary and Bernadette, presented to new members, is a visible sign of this.
During this celebration, new members will receive the scapular, a sign of their entry into this great Family. Their presence honours its history – a family that welcomes, grows and looks to the future.
An anniversary in the presence of Mary and Bernadette
The Mass celebrated at the Grotto will take on a very special significance with the presence of the relics of Saint Bernadette and their imminent departure for the United States, where they will be visiting over the course of an entire year from 18th September 2026.
This trip reminds us of a fundamental aspect of the vocation of the Our Lady of Lourdes Family: to take Lourdes beyond Lourdes.
From the Grotto, the message entrusted to Bernadette continues to reach men and women throughout the world. The Family of Our Lady of Lourdes seeks specifically to be a link between those who, in different places, have a deep attachment to Lourdes and Saint Bernadette, and those who wish to keep the Sanctuary’s mission in their prayers.
Bernadette sets out today to meet the world. The Family of Our Lady of Lourdes is called to set out with her.
That is why the departure of the relics for the United States, in this anniversary year, takes on a special significance. As we celebrate the anniversary of the Family of Our Lady, this mission is entrusted to us as a renewal of our commitment: to make Lourdes known, to pass on its message, to help people discover the grace of the encounter between Mary and Bernadette, and to bear witness to the way in which Lourdes continues to transform hearts.
Ten years after its return, the Family of Our Lady of Lourdes is therefore not merely looking back on the journey it has made. It is being sent forth on a new mission.
From 1872 to 2016, from 2016 to 2026, and now as we look to the future, the same mission continues: to bring the grace of Lourdes to life and share it with the world.
At the Grotto, in the presence of Mary and Bernadette, let us give thanks for these past ten years. And, together with Bernadette, let us set out into the world.
