Famille Notre Dame de Lourdes

Together with the Hospitalité Notre Dame de Lourdes, the Sanctuary is home to the Famille Notre Dame de Lourdes.

The "Famille" is an Archconfraternity that traces its foundation to December 8, 1872. The Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes sees the Famille as part of the mission entrusted by Mary to Bernadette at Lourdes, so that the Church may show herself ever more as an oasis of mercy, offering wounded bodies and hearts the wellspring of healing and forgiveness.

As part of the Famille we will join ourselves to this mission of mercy through our daily prayers and devotions and will join spiritually in pilgrimage to Lourdes with the worldwide Famille Notre Dame de Lourdes each year during the octave of the Assumption of Mary.

As members of the Famille we are granted a plenary indulgence on the anniversary of our affiliation as well as on December 8th, February 11th and 18th, March 25th, and August 15th and 22nd, subject to the ordinary conditions determined by the Church. These indulgences may be applied to either ourselves or the souls in Purgatory.

The Famille Notre de Lourdes, then, is the spiritual arm of the Sanctuary for blessing the sick and suffering while the Hospitalité is the service arm of blessing.

The members of the Confraternity will have at heart to:

  • Make the Sign of the Cross well and pray all or part of the Rosary each day, especially on Marian Feasts and on the anniversary of the Apparitions at the Grotto, by saying every day their “Act of Trust in Mary”;
  • Kiss the ground, like Bernadette during the Apparitions, offering each day gestures of penitence and living in joyful humility.
  • Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a month, if possible, and the Eucharist each Sunday, loving to worship Jesus in the Sacred Host.
  • Participate in a group at the service of the Church, proclaim the Good News and pray for the intentions of the Pope.
  • Work to transform this world by the grace of the Gospel.

We meet the 11th of each month at 7:00 pm in the School Library

All are invited to enroll! if you wish to be part of the Famille Notre Dame de Lourdes please email María Rincón at godguidesus2014@gmail.com