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| MARY’S |
by John O’Connell
On the evening of November 29, 1932 in the small Belgium town of Beauraing, Albert and Fernande Voisin and Andree and Gilberte Degeimbre approached the convent door to call for Gilberte Voisin as they did every night. Albert ran ahead of the girls and rang the door to the convent. As he waited for a sister to come to the door, he turned around and looked toward the street and the railroad bridge.
“Look! The Virgin, dressed in white, is walking above the bridge!” he cried out. The girls did not believe him but when they turned around they saw the figure of a beautiful Lady in white walking above the bridge and the grotto by the convent with clouds covering her feet. The sister who came to door could not see the Blessed Virgin Mary, but Gilberte Voisin did.
This was the first of thirty-three apparitions of Our Lady to the children of Beauraing between November 29, 1932 and January 3, 1933. At first, neither their parents, nor the Mother Superior of the convent, nor most of the townsfolk believed their story. The pastor of the parish kept a prudent reserve. However, the five children always maintained the veracity of their story of the Virgin’s appearances.
From December 1, when the Virgin made her second appearance of that evening to the three oldest of the children, she always appeared under a large arched branch of the hawthorn tree in the grotto to the children. As soon as the Virgin would appear to the children, they would fall simultaneously with a thud to their knees, reciting Hail Marys in a loud, piercing, high-pitched voice—only stopping when the Virgin would speak to them.
Word got out and spread throughout Beauraing and then Belgium, and beyond. At first a small crowd gathered at the hawthorn tree in the grotto to pray the Rosary with children. But by January 3, 1933, a huge throng of over 30,000 came to the grotto for the Virgin’s last apparition to the children.
Our Lady of Beauraing wore a white dress and veil, a crown, and, after people began to say the Most Holy Rosary at the grotto, she carried a rosary. It was not until Thursday, December 29 that Mary revealed her Heart of Gold to Fernande. Later the Virgin would reveal her Golden Heart to the other children.
Though she appeared numerous times to the children, Our Lady was reticent.
The Virgin told the children to always be good. Our Lady also instructed that a chapel should be built. Mary identified herself: “I am the Immaculate Virgin.” She indicated that pilgrimages were to be made to Beauraing.
Our Lady said “Yes” to the question: would she give proof that she was the Immaculate Virgin. She said, “Pray. Pray very much” and “Pray always.”
On the last day the Virgin appeared to the young seers, she said farewell and had a secret for each of them. Not one of the secrets has been or probably will ever be revealed.
To Gilberte Voisin she declared: “I will convert sinners. Good-bye.”
To Andree she said: “I am the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven. Pray always. Good-bye.”
To Fernande: “Do you love my Son?” (“Yes,” replied Fernande.)
“Do you love me?” (“Yes,” she said again.)
“Then sacrifice yourself for me. Good-bye.”
The message of Beauraing is one of prayer (especially the Rosary), living an upright Christian life, sacrifice, and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Miracles have occurred at Beauraing—both physical healings and more importantly miraculous conversions.
“Our Lady of Beauraing, convert sinners—You have promised us.”
John O’Connell is the Editor of The Catholic Faith magazine.
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