The date of the official opening and blessing of the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes coincided with the official launching of the programme and preparation for Jubilee Year 2000, for both the parishes of BDC Stampin, and Holy Trinity Church, Kenyalang.
It was almost 7.00 pm, August 14, 1996 … the scheduled time for the opening ceremony. But the grotto was missing it’s most important feature … Mother Mary!
Her arrival had been delayed. The brand new truck commissioned to transport Our Lady’s statue directly from the airport tarmac had strangely broken down. Nonetheless, the replacement lorry ferrying the beautiful marble statue for the grotto, miraculously arrived at the gates of Blessed Sacrament Parish right on time … at 7.00 pm!
As the story that has been re-told hundreds of times goes, ‘there was a strong gush of wind when the crate encasing Mother Mary was off – loaded from the lorry and opened.’ Later, some of the congregation saw beams of bright lights during Mass.
Another story is that of a few ‘flower girls’ pointing upwards and overheard exclaiming ‘birds’. Cherubims, perhaps?
There are more phenomenal stories … especially that of the foreign worker who came, built the grotto, but disappeared after the completion of the grotto without being paid for his services. This spooked stories that he could have been ‘St Joseph the worker’.
There are many stories of prayers being answered after praying to our Blessed Mother to intercede for Her Son. It is said that where Mother Mary is, there also will be Her Son, Jesus.
Fr Lawrence Chua has celebrated countless Healing Masses at this grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. We invite you to come and experience Mother Mary’s love at this beautiful shrine consecrated to Her by her children.
Experience the peace, serenity and tranquillity in quiet times, praying before Our Blessed Virgin Mary.
