Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of America, Part II

The Blessed Mother proclaimed to Bernadette in l858 "I am the Immaculate Conception." The Blessed Mother proclaimed to Sr. Neuzil in 1956 "I am Our Lady of America."

The Blessed Mother asked Bernadette to come to the grotto every day for two weeks. She told Bernadette that if she did as she was asked, that she could not promise Bernadette happiness in this life, but she would promise it in the next. Sr. Neuzil was promised, that if we did as Our Lady asked, there would be miracles granted greater than those at Lourdes or Fatima...net necessarily physical miracles, but spiritual.

Young Bernadette, the messenger of the Immaculate, followed the Blessed Mother's wishes and visited the grotto daily. Sr. Neuzil also followed the Blessed Mother's wishes and wrote the messages down and obediently told her Bishop of Our Lady's requests.

At one of the apparitions, Our Lady told Bernadette to scratch at the muddy earth and to drink and wash from an invisible stream of water. Later the stream became visible to all. It was discovered to have miraculous healing powers that would attract hundreds of millions of people from around the world. Our Lady told Sr. Neuzil to have statues and medals made...the springs were in place and already being used for healing.

Our Blessed Mother told Bernadette that she came primarily to tell the world of her Son's message of repentance and prayer for the conversion of humanity. Our Lady told Sr. Neuzil that the hour was growing late.

Has Her miraculous plea as Our Lady of Lourdes been so needed as in our own times? Are we at an urgent crossroad where She has needed to echo and expand Her messages as Our Lady of America?

That first year of 1858, three miraculous cures took place. The reputation of Lourdes as a place of healing grew rapidly. There have been numerous healings reported at Sylvan Springs although none have been determined to be "miraculous" yet except by some close family members and dumb-founded personal physicians.

As with all miracles performed by Jesus, He did so not to show His power but to convince mankind that God exists.

Six million pilgrims come to Lourdes each year. The multitudes come from around the world - the sick, the poor, the downtrodden, the psychologically confused, the spiritually wrought, and the never-ending handicapped. The same types of people make their way to Sylvan Springs each year and the numbers grow. Sylvan Springs has a lot of catching-up to do to match the numbers being attracted by Lourdes at this time.

The grace one receives on a pilgrimage to Lourdes varies from person to person. Some people come for physical healings and instead they receive the needed grace to bear the Cross God has given them (spiritual healings). The same types of things have been reported by visitors to Sylvan Springs on this forum and in private.

The addicted come for release from demons and find the resolve, with God's grace, to miraculously abandon their vices ("have you folks met Harold & Irene yet?").

Some people come following Mary's call for an increase of faith; they return home renewed spiritually and sometimes, not-so-surprisingly, physically well.

The fallen away come to Lourdes for proof of the existence of God and their prayers are answered through the gift of the Sacrament of Confession and repentance. Someday this may be the blessing bestowed upon Sylvan Springs once again.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said: "At Lourdes, each afternoon, in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament, the bishop or priest, carrying the monstrance, walks among the sick, blessing them. It is then that the cures and the miracles of grace usually take place. Mary brings her children to her divine Son and it is he who works the miracles." ("Bring me my children, bring me all of my children." This was the request reportedly made of the current property owner by Our Lady in 2001).

There are said to be thousands more physical healings every year that have never been officially documented at these places; however, those with eyes to see have clearly seen these healings.

It is said that the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen would never visit Europe without making a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Lourdes. Archbishop Sheen said often, "If you are devoted to Our Lady, you will never lose your soul." He was also a regular visitor to the Springs in Rome City, staying for several days to sit and visit with the guests and priests on retreat.

The Immaculate Virgin knows the secret ways by which grace operates in souls and the silent work of the supernatural in this world.

The spiritual proportions of Lourdes are better measured today, compelling the world's wealthy, famous, poorest and lowly alike to drink and bathe in the miraculous springs. Is this the same calling She has made for Her site in Rome City? If so, can it handle the anticipated traffic?

Good Question.

Is There Enough Water?

The Lourdes spring is estimated to produce 30,000 gallons of water each day after 150 years. Sylvan Springs produces a little over 70,000 gallons each day and has been doing so for centuries.

Studies have shown that the Lourdes water is pure and contains chlorides of soda, lime and magnesia, bicarbonates of lime and magnesia, silicates of lime and aluminium, oxide of iron, sulphate of soda, phosphate, and organic matter. Otherwise, it is believed by modern scientists to contain no therapeutic ingredients. The Sylvan Springs water is actually more pure although it has many of the same, but fewer, very minute trace elements found at Lourdes. Sylvan Springs water is also not believed to contain any therapeutic ingredients as would be confirmed by modern scientific standards.

Is There Enough Land?




The entire Lourdes shrine sits on 51 hectares (126 acres). Sylvan Springs is over 50% larger at 80 hectares (almost 200 acres).