Grace of Lourdes Found at Annual Novena

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated the seventh annual Lourdes Novena for healing; beginning on the feast of St. Blaise, Feb. 3, with the blessing of the throats and ending Feb. 11 on the feast of the Cathedral’s namesake, Our Lady of Lourdes. The novena brings many people to the parish to pray for the healing of all forms of illness: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual.

Throughout the week, participants heard sermons on healing, the battle of good and evil, the holy rosary, breaking the shackles of addiction, the Eucharist, the saving power of the cross, the sacrament of the sick, and St. Peregrine, patron of cancer patients. 

A highlight of the novena was the visit of Cardinal William Levada, who for many years served as one of Pope Benedict's senior advisors and prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. Before his time at the Vatican, Cardinal Levada was archbishop of San Francisco, and prior to that, archbishop of Portland.  Cardinal Levada celebrated the 11 a.m. Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Cathedral celebrates the feast of its patroness as a Solemnity, the highest rank of feast days, as it is the titular feast of the Cathedral. 

Cardinal Levada preached on the World Day of the Sick, which the Church celebrates on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Recounting stories of St. Damien of Molokai and Archbishop Fulton Sheen working with lepers, he made the point that, “when we treat others as untouchable we become untouchable ourselves.”

Cardinal William Levada concluded the novena that evening, preaching on the sacrament of the anointing of the sick; many — young and old — came forward to receive this sacrament from Cardinal Levada, Bishop Daly, or one of the many other priests present. 

Father Kyle Ratuiste, the Cathedral’s parochial vicar, shared his impressions of the novena, saying, “I found it to be a beautiful, moving, and humbling time of prayer. It was very honest about the reality of suffering many people experience. I was especially touched by the reading of novena intentions each night — it made the crosses that many bear silently so much more real for me. At the same time, the novena was charged with hope. It was inspiring to see so many gathered in prayer and faith for nine straight days (including a Super Bowl Sunday)!” 

Hundreds of people from throughout the diocese attended the Lourdes Novena for Healing. The following are just a few of their comments and reflections. 
 

Soon after the novena I returned to my eye specialist for treatment of my worsening macular degeneration. At the time I was receiving chemo shots in each eye every six to eight weeks.  The doctor tested my eyes by putting dye in my veins and taking pictures of my eyes. After a couple of hours he returned and said, "I don't know why, but your eyes are better.  I won't have to give you the eye shots this time." And then he said, "This just doesn't happen." I told him about the novena and he replied, "I'll take this as Jesus did it, as there is no other explanation."
 

The novena nights helped me in ways I didn’t think possible. 

Thank you so much for an amazing spiritual experience! My soul is so much happier and filled with God’s Spirit!