Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day & World Day of the Sick 2023

“We’ve been doing this forever.” This is the response from Our Lady of Lourdes’ Parish Office when asked about the anointings of the Sacrament of the Sick and the nine-day Novena, leading up to the parish’s Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated February 11, 2023.

“In the Sacrament of the Sick, the person who is ill or suffering is anointed. Anointing with oil is intended to strengthen the sick person. The person may be strengthened to face the illness or surgery. The person might also be strengthened to face death. Anointing is also often a healing act, and, once again, that can mean healing of body, mind or spirit” 

The popularity of the time is highlighted by the support and lineup of various members of the clergy who honour the day and celebrate Mass as the Feast Day approaches. Scan the QR code for homily highlights.

This longstanding tradition of the parish connects intimately with the healing reputation of the church as it houses an almost exact replica of the Lourdes grotto, known globally for its apparition of the Virgin Mary to a 14-year-old French girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous. Just as the original Lourdes in France celebrates miraculous healings, so too does the grotto in Our Lady of Lourdes, Maraval.

“It heals all – including tabancas!”

The Our Lady of Lourdes parish representatives and the Catholic News team all roar with laughter. It is an authentic moment of Catholics of different ages and stages coming together in a shared challenge faced by many but with a unique and distinctly Roman Catholic “cure all” – the Virgin Mary. The veneration of the Blessed Mother is a uniquely Catholic experience, but one particularly cherished by this parish community.

The Sacrament of the Sick and nine-day novena celebrated annually and leading up to Our Lady of Lourdes’ Feast Day is the journeying together that Pope Francis speaks to in his 31st World Day of the Sick message.

Celebrated simultaneously, the two dates intermingle effortlessly as the parish opens its doors to the most vulnerable within the community and lives Pope Francis’ message to “take care of him” and show compassion to all those with whom we are journeying during the synodal process.

A special thanks to Fr Ronald Mendes CSSp and the parish community of Our Lady of Lourdes and join us as we celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick and Our Lady of Lourdes Feast Day Mass with chief celebrant Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon, livestreamed to Trinity TV on Saturday, February 11 5.30 p.m. and available from CatholicTT Facebook and YouTube.