Catholics Insulted by Depiction of Key Shrine Lourdes
French Catholics were insulted by an historically inaccurate article published in the French weekly, Le Point, on the 155th Anniversary of the pilgrimage site, Lourdes.
For the anniversary of the apparition of Lourdes the French weekly Le Point published an article that classified Lourdes as the best commercial venture run by the Roman Catholic Church. The article begins with a brief summary of the history of Lourdes and of how Bernadette Sobíros came to be at the Grotto the day of the miracle. Wanting to give a comical turn to the story, Le Point placed modern day characters alongside historical ones. It has Jacques Chirac sitting next to Bernadette in school and exclaiming “C’est abracadabrantesque!” (“It is hocus pocus!”) when the mother superior of the local school enquires of Bernadette if her charades (“ Carnavalades”) are over. As the story continues to develop Le Point explains that Lourdes was declared a miracle after receiving only four votes in favour from France’s bishops, so desperate were the clergy for profit-making. After this was done Bernadette became a national celebrity, a basicilica was erected, and the priests began to enjoy the profits of the Lourdes coffer. This is followed by a comment on the pilgrims amongst whom the publication places Frances current politicians. Le point mentions president Hollande to be aksing at the Grotto to be delivered from Valerie, Giscard asks for Diana to be brought back to life, and so on. French Catholics feel insulted and hurt due to their close allegiance to Lourdes.Sources: Le Point:
http://www.lepoint.fr/c-est-arrive-aujourd-hui/11-fevrier-1858-marie-fait-une-sale-blague-a-bernadette-soubirous-dans-une-grotte-de-lourdes-11-02-2013-1626057_494.php http://www.christianophobie.fr/breves/lhebdomadaire-le-point-insulte-les-catholiques