Jacqueline Aubry, aged 12, her sister Jeanette, aged 7, and their cousin, Nicole Robin, aged 10, stopped at the church of Saint Gilles to pray.
While praying the rosary at the altar, Jacqueline suddenly saw a beautiful Lady before her, all in white, with hands joined in prayer and a rosary over her right arm. To the left was an angel holding a lily, eyes fixed in contemplation of the Lady.
They ran out to tell others, first running into two schoolmates who came back into the Church with them. The youngest, 8 year old Laura Croizon, was able to see the apparition but her older sister, 13-year old Sergine, was not able to see anything.
Laura cried out that she could see a beautiful lady and an angel but Sergine, though, saw nothing, and the others had to describe the scene for her.[1]
Dec 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, The Annunciation is reenacted before young girls between the ages of 7 years and twelve along who the angel was Gabriel.
After the apparitions were over, that night on the evening news peace had unexplainably returned to France. In the words of a policeman from Paris anticipating violence he was powerless to prevent said, “France has no idea that she was saved by the prayers of the these four children.”
The parish priest did not believe the girls and the school principal mocked them. Only after the miraculous healing of one of the visionary’s poor eyesight did they believe. The priest, converted with this miracle, notified the archbishop who sent him to the next apparition.
One of the visionaries learned to pray, not from her own nonpracticing Catholic parents but from an elderly neighbor lady.
Marian apparitions disparate actions of priest, believe o not. Champion priest immediately believed, build chapel. In this case priest and school mistress disbelief.
Waffling in Church. France did have Lourdes, a real presence.
Actions & Messages:
The angel gives Mary a lily, purity
JPII states, “the Virgin Mary holds up the witness of a purity that illumines the conscience and leads to a greater love for creatures and for the Lord.” The less a virtue is valued, the more the Lord calls for it.
1986 TV show no respect for purity. John the Beloved enamored of his purity. Purity merited for John custody of the Lord’s mother. Presence in someone holy.
The first message from L’ile Bouchard is a reference to St. Catherine Laboure 117 years prior in Paris.
The children saw a rectangular block of rock decorated with 5 pink roses with the inscription below, “O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to you.” (1830)
The next day, Tuesday, December 9, at one o’clock, all four girls assembled in the church, and so the general pattern for the week’s events was set. They knelt by the Virgin’s altar and began to pray Hail Marys, when suddenly a shining golden sphere, about three feet across, came out of the wall and unfolded itself as a rectangular curtain of silvery light, on which the rocky grotto stood out in relief. The angel was kneeling on the other side, while the words on the rocks had changed. Now they read: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”[2]
I am your heavenly Mother. Tell the little children to pray for France, for her need is great.
The Lady then bent down and kissed the girls’ hands. The hands felt warm, and a luminous oval light was left on their hands.
On the chest of the beautiful lady the word Magnificat appeared.
Pray for France, which in these days is in great danger.
I have not come to perform miracles, but to tell you to pray for France. However tomorrow, you will see clearly, and you won’t need glasses anymore.
The Mother of God promised something greater than cures and miracles, Happiness in families.
Above all pray much for sinners. Pray and make sacrifices.
Before I go, I will send a bright ray of sunlight. Very bright, parishioners closed their yes, felt very warm
The visionaries had a light shimmer on them in a multitude of colors resembling a diamond.
Reminiscent of Fatima.
[1] https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/france/llle-bouchard-france-apparitions-lady-prayer/ accessed May 15, 2023
[2] https://thewandererpress.com/catholic/news/featured-today/reconnecting-with-mary-the-apparitions-at-lile-bouchard/