Prière Introductive
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
O ever-Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted, thou knowest my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; deign to cast upon me a look of mercy. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, thou wast pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence thou dispensest thy favours, and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence, to implore thy maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the granting of my requests. I will endeavour to imitate thy virtues, that I may one day share thy glory, and bless thee in eternity. Amen.
(State your intentions here…)
Jour 1 : First Day: The Humility of Saint Bernadette
Méditation
Let us consider how the Blessed Virgin, Queen of Heaven and Earth, chose for her confidante a poor and lowly child, unknown to the world. Bernadette Soubirous possessed none of the world’s goods; her family lived in the direst poverty, and she herself was simple and unlettered. Yet, it was to her that the Immaculate Virgin revealed herself. This choice shows us God’s predilection for the humble. He resists the proud and gives His grace to the lowly of heart. Let us examine our own hearts. Are we attached to the honours and riches of this world? Do we despise those who are poor or simple? Let us learn from Lourdes that the surest path to Heaven is the path of humility.
Prière du jour
O Blessed Lady of Lourdes, who didst deign to appear to a humble and poor child, grant me the grace to love poverty and humility. Help me to detach my heart from the vanities of this world, that I may be found worthy of the promises of thy Son. Teach me to see Christ in the poor and the forgotten, and to serve them with a generous heart. Amen.
Jour 2 : Second Day: The Sign of the Cross
Méditation
At the first apparition, the beautiful Lady did not speak. Instead, she made the Sign of the Cross with a reverence and majesty that deeply impressed Bernadette. The young saint learned from the Virgin herself how this sacred sign ought to be made. It is not a mere gesture, but a profound prayer, a summary of our entire Faith. It recalls the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the Passion of our Lord. How often do we make this sign hastily, without devotion or thought? Let us resolve to imitate the Queen of Heaven, and to make the Sign of the Cross with faith, reverence, and love, thereby arming ourselves against the snares of the enemy.
Prière du jour
O Immaculate Virgin, who with such devotion didst trace the Sign of our Redemption, teach me to honour this sacred symbol of my faith. May I never be ashamed of the Cross of Christ. Grant that by making this holy sign with reverence, I may put to flight the powers of darkness, sanctify my actions, and draw down upon my soul the blessings of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.
Jour 3 : Third Day: Prayer and Penance for Sinners
Méditation
The message of Lourdes is one of urgent call to conversion. “Penance! Penance! Penance!” the Lady cried. “Pray to God for the conversion of sinners.” She asked Bernadette to kiss the ground as an act of penance for them. This message is not for Bernadette alone, but for all of us. We are all sinners, and we are all called to repent. We are also called to make reparation for the sins of others. The heart of our Mother is grieved by the offences committed against her Divine Son. Let us offer our prayers, our works, and our sufferings in a spirit of penance, for the conversion of poor sinners and in reparation for the outrages against God.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Refuge of Sinners, who didst weep over the sins of the world, obtain for me a true sorrow for my own faults. Instill in my heart a burning zeal for the salvation of souls. I offer thee the small sacrifices of this day, and I unite them to the sufferings of thy Divine Son, for the conversion of all poor sinners who are on the road to perdition. Move their hearts, O tender Mother, and lead them back to the arms of God. Amen.
Jour 4 : Fourth Day: The Miraculous Spring
Méditation
The Lady commanded Bernadette: “Go, drink at the spring and wash yourself in it.” There was no spring to be seen, only mud. Yet, in obedience, Bernadette scraped the earth with her hands, and a small trickle of water appeared. This humble source grew into the great spring of Lourdes, from which countless souls have received healing for body and soul. This water is a symbol of the grace of Baptism, which cleanses us from original sin. It is a figure of the Sacraments, especially Penance and the Holy Eucharist, through which God continually pours forth His mercy and healing upon us. Let us approach these fountains of grace with the same simple faith as the pilgrims who flock to Lourdes.
Prière du jour
O Our Lady of Lourdes, who didst bring forth from the rock a spring of healing water, I beseech thee to cleanse my soul. Wash away my sins in the Sacrament of Confession, and nourish me with the Living Water which is thy Son in the Holy Eucharist. Grant healing, if it be God’s will, to all who are sick in body, but grant especially the healing of soul to all who are sick with sin. Amen.
Jour 5 : Fifth Day: The Holy Rosary
Méditation
During the apparitions, the Blessed Virgin held in her hands a Rosary of white beads. As Bernadette prayed her own Rosary, the Lady’s lips moved for the Our Father and the Glory Be, and she passed the beads through her fingers, though she remained silent during the Hail Marys, listening with heavenly delight to the praise of her little servant. This shows how pleasing the Rosary is to our Heavenly Mother. It is the Gospel in miniature, a meditation on the life, death, and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a powerful weapon against evil and a source of innumerable graces. Let us resolve to pray the Rosary every day with devotion and attention, as Bernadette did at the feet of Mary.
Prière du jour
O Queen of the Holy Rosary, who didst hold this chain of prayer in thy blessed hands at Lourdes, enkindle in my heart a great love for this holy devotion. Grant that, as I recite its sacred mysteries, I may contemplate the virtues of thy Son and thyself. May the Rosary be my comfort in trial, my strength in temptation, and my pledge of eternal salvation. Amen.
Jour 6 : Sixth Day: ‘I am the Immaculate Conception’
Méditation
After many requests from the parish priest, Bernadette finally asked the Lady her name. On the Feast of the Annunciation, the Lady joined her hands, raised her eyes to Heaven, and said in the local dialect, “Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou” – “I am the Immaculate Conception.” This was the heavenly confirmation of the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX only four years earlier. Our Lady was, from the very first moment of her existence, preserved from all stain of original sin, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ. This sublime privilege makes her the perfect model of purity and holiness. Let us rejoice in this great truth and strive to imitate her purity of heart.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Immaculate Conception, purest of creatures, I rejoice in thy singular privilege. I thank the Most Holy Trinity for having preserved thee from every stain of sin. O Virgin most pure, obtain for me the grace to guard my heart and my senses, to flee from all occasions of sin, and to live a life of holiness. May my last words on earth be to invoke thy sweet name, O Immaculate Conception. Amen.
Jour 7 : Seventh Day: The Call for a Chapel and Processions
Méditation
The Blessed Virgin gave Bernadette a mission: “Go and tell the priests that people are to come here in procession and that a chapel should be built here.” This command shows that Mary desires public honour to be paid to God in this holy place. She does not wish for the graces of Lourdes to remain a private devotion, but to be a beacon for the whole Church. The processions, with the Blessed Sacrament and the singing of hymns, are a powerful public witness to our faith. The great basilicas built at Lourdes fulfill her request. This call is also for us: to build a chapel in our hearts, a worthy dwelling place for her Son, and to bear witness to our faith openly and without fear in the procession of our daily lives.
Prière du jour
O Lady of Lourdes, who didst ask for a sanctuary to be built in thy honour, help me to make my soul a living temple for thy Son. Grant that I may never be ashamed to profess my faith in public. Give me the courage to join in the processions of the Church on earth, so that I may one day join the triumphant procession of the saints in Heaven, singing thy praises for all eternity. Amen.
Jour 8 : Eighth Day: Health of the Sick
Méditation
From the beginning, Lourdes has been a place of extraordinary physical and spiritual healing. The sick, the lame, the blind, and the afflicted come from all corners of the earth, seeking relief from their sufferings. Many are cured, often instantaneously and miraculously, as a testament to God’s power and Mary’s compassionate intercession. Yet, many are not cured physically. The greater miracle of Lourdes is often the grace of conversion, of patience in suffering, and of joyful acceptance of God’s will. To suffer with Christ is a great grace. Let us pray for all the sick, that they may either be healed according to God’s will, or be given the strength to unite their sufferings to the Passion of our Lord for the salvation of souls.
Prière du jour
O Mary, Health of the Sick and Comforter of the Afflicted, look with compassion upon all who suffer in body or in soul. I commend to thy loving care all the sick, especially those for whom I now pray. Obtain for them patience in their trials and resignation to God’s holy will. If it be for their spiritual good, grant them a cure for their ailments. Strengthen their faith, increase their hope, and fill them with the love of God. Amen.
Jour 9 : Ninth Day: Perseverance and Trust
Méditation
Saint Bernadette’s life after the apparitions was not easy. She was questioned, doubted, and mocked. She suffered from poor health and lived a hidden life of prayer and sacrifice as a religious sister. She did not return to the Grotto. Her mission was complete. She lived the message of Lourdes—prayer and penance—to the very end. Her life teaches us the importance of perseverance. The graces received during this novena are not meant to be fleeting consolations. They are meant to strengthen us for the journey of our daily life, with all its trials and duties. Let us ask Our Lady of Lourdes for the grace of final perseverance, to remain faithful to her Son until death, so that we may share in the glory she promised to Bernadette.
Prière du jour
O Our Lady of Lourdes, who didst promise Saint Bernadette happiness not in this world but in the next, grant me the grace of final perseverance. Help me to remain faithful to the promises of my Baptism. In all the trials and temptations of life, be my refuge and my strength. At the hour of my death, be at my side, O loving Mother, and present me to thy Divine Son, that I may praise and bless thee with Him for all eternity. Amen.
Prière Conclusive
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.
Recite one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Contexte Historique
Neuvaine structurée en 9 jours.