Register Summary

Pope John Paul II met with pilgrims who gathered in the courtyard of his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo for his general audience on Aug. 11.

He spoke to them about his upcoming pilgrimage to Lourdes on Aug. 14-15. It will be the Holy Father's 104th apostolic trip and his first visit to Lourdes since 1983.

Pope John Paul II expressed his gratitude to the Lord for the opportunity to return to Lourdes, especially in light of the fact that this year marks the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. His visit also coincides with the feast of the Assumption.

As the Holy Father pointed out, these two Marian mysteries “constitute the beginning and the end of Mary's life here on earth and are joined together in the eternal presence of God, who called her to share in a most unique way in our Lord Jesus Christ's saving work of redemption.”

Mary's message at Lourdes was one of prayer and penance, Pope John Paul II said, which “are the way through which Christ's victory can be affirmed in every single person and within society.”

Yet men and women today have at time lost any concept of sin. “We need to ask for an inner awakening, so that we will be open to fully rediscovering the sanctity of God's law and its ensuing moral commitments.”

Pope John Paul II invited the faithful to accompany him spiritually throughout his pilgrimage.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Next Saturday and Sunday, I will be making an apostolic pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Lourdes. I will have the joy of celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in that blessed place.

The reason for my pilgrimage is the 150^th anniversary of the dogma of Mary's Immaculate Conception, which was defined by Blessed Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854. Four years later, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. Bernadette in the grotto at Massabielle, where, in her own words, she presented herself as the “Immaculate Conception.” Therefore, I consider it a special gift of God's providence to be able to return to Lourdes at a time when this truth of faith shines forth.

Two Marian Mysteries

Through a single act of praise to God and to the Blessed Virgin, I will embrace two great Marian mysteries of faith: the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption into heaven in body and soul. Indeed, they constitute the beginning and the end of Mary's life here on earth and are joined together in the eternal presence of God, who called her to share in a most unique way in our Lord Jesus Christ's saving work of redemption.

There will be three public events during my pilgrimage: the recitation of the holy rosary on Saturday afternoon, the traditional candlelight procession on Saturday evening, and, lastly, the solemn Eucharistic celebration on Sunday morning. Moreover, I will have the opportunity to spend time in silent prayer in front of the grotto when I arrive at the shrine and before I leave.

The Message of Lourdes

At every moment, I will carry within my heart the thanksgiving and the petitions of the entire Church, and, I might add, of the entire world, which can find peace and salvation only in God.

What, then, is the message that the Lord spoke to all mankind through the Blessed Virgin at Lourdes? In brief, it can be summarized with a well-known quote from Sacred Scripture: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man's conversion, that he may live” (Ezechiel 33:11). When Mary spoke to Bernadette, she reminded her of this basic message from the Gospel: prayer and penance are the way through which Christ's victory can be affirmed in every single person and within society.

However, in order to change the way we act, we need to listen to the voice of our conscience, where God has placed an awareness of good and evil. Nevertheless, modern man appears at times to have lost this concept of sin. We need to ask for an inner awakening on his behalf, so that we will be open to fully rediscovering the sanctity of God's law and its ensuing moral commitments.

With these intentions in my heart, I am about to leave for the Blessed Virgin Mary's shrine at Lourdes. I ask all of you to accompany me spiritually, so that this pilgrimage of the Successor of Peter may be fruitful for all God's people.

(Register translation)