A Story of Heart and Hope from a Hermit Sister

In October 2025, another sister hermit and I were invited to travel to Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes. I never in my entire life expected that I would one day go to Lourdes. It was truly a gift from God.

I will try to keep this brief, though I could speak about it endlessly. My time there was truly a touch of heaven on earth. From the very moment our bus pulled into Lourdes, my heart, body, and soul were filled with a love, peace, and joy unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life. It was the kind of love that comes only from Jesus Himself—the love we hear about in the Gospel. At Lourdes, it is real, and it is alive.

Every part of the experience was beautiful and joyful, especially meeting my brothers and sisters from all over the world. The unity, faith, and kindness among everyone there was truly amazing.

I recalled a very vivid dream more than 10 years ago as I was sitting and talking with the Lord waiting for my bath. It was a dream where I was at the ocean and there was a piece of wood with a railing and people jumping into the waters. The Lord was sitting in the boat. I saw and said, “Look, Jesus is here. Lord you are here.” I reached for the hand of Jesus and his hand came off in the dream. I then said, “Lord, are you leaving?” And the Lord said he will be back. Then, my mother got into the waters. And then I said, “Lord, who is going in the waters next.” He said, “You are.” I never understood what this dream meant and then it hit me as I was sitting on the benches waiting in faith looking at all of the faces.

My greatest personal experience was in the waters. I live with a partial disability and normally rely on a rollator because my balance is not good. I was escorted to the steps that lead into the baths. After praying to our Blessed Mother before the statue above, I began to descend the steps. To my amazement, I walked down completely on my own—as if I were eighteen years old again. I had no balance problems at all.

I entered the waters, prayed, and was told to sit down. I did not even know where I was sitting, but I did so in faith. When I finished and stood up, I walked back up the steps by myself with no help from anyone. The volunteers then helped me return to dress, and I realized that through the entire experience I had remained completely dry.

But something even deeper had happened within me. I came out of those waters changed.

Since returning home to the United States, many people have told me that I seem different—more peaceful, calmer, and filled with love. They say they no longer see the anxiety that once troubled me. I truly feel a deeper love for everyone—my friends, my family, and the whole world.

I have been a consecrated hermit sister in my diocese for many years; on August 15 it will be 35 years. This pilgrimage was a beautiful and unexpected gift given to me through our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Lourdes. It is something that can only truly be understood by going there and experiencing it personally.

Everything was amazing—holy, holy, holy indeed.

If I were ever given the opportunity to return, of course I would ask permission and hope that it would be God’s will. But even if I never go again, I can truly say this: I have taken Lourdes home with me. My whole world feels different now.

I thank God, and I thank Our Lady of Lourdes. I also thank the wonderful North American volunteers who traveled with us and served with such love.

If it is God’s holy will, I would recommend that everyone visit Lourdes at least once in their life. I truly believe it gives us a small taste of what life will be like when the Lord heals all of us completely.

There is so much more I could share—it would take an entire book to tell it all. My hope is simply that the joy, love, and peace I experienced may touch your hearts as well. Lourdes is truly a sign of hope for the world, because it shows us how the world should be—and one day will be.

I send my love and prayers to all of you.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. Amen.

I also want to share that from the moment the bus entered the grounds of Lourdes, I felt the presence of our most Blessed Mother. I could not stop crying—but they were tears of joy. It was something impossible to fully explain. I knew that Our Lady was with me in a special way, and with all of us there.

Everything was beautiful—the people, the land, the liturgy. Everything was holy.

Thank you, and may God bless you all.

~Sister Catherine Rose, October 2025 pilgrim