Posted on 03/28/2007 12:06:28 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
ALBURQUERQUE (CNA): The Shrine of St. Bernadette in Albuquerque is distributing holy water from Lourdes as a way to spread spirituality—but it had to get through U.S. customs first.
The shrine received 14 10-gallon jugs of water from a natural spring in France, which was blessed by the Virgin Mary in 1858, after she appeared to peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous.
U.S. customs held the jugs of water when they arrived at International Sunport in January. "They wanted to know its value," Dan Paulos, the shrine’s finance manager, told the Albuquerque Tribune.
On one hand, the water has no monetary value since it was considered a gift from the Shrine of Lourdes in France. The church paid only the $3,200 shipping cost for the 10-gallon jugs.
But on the other hand, Fr. Tom Zotter, rector of St. Bernadette's told the newspaper: “Its value is infinite.”
Fr. Zotter explained Catholicism's connection to physical things, like water. Catholicism is a tangible religion, which is why Catholics will feel connections to relics and statues. It is also why Catholics feel deep and personal connections with saints, seeing them as once-human messengers who can act as intermediaries to God, he said.
The shrine in the Northeast Heights is one of three official distributors of Lourdes water in the U.S. In 2005, it was recognized as an official distributor of Lourdes Water in the Southwest United States. St. Bernadette's this week is hosting Fr. Raymond Zambelli, rector of the Shrine of Lourdes in France, which serves as a pilgrimage site for an estimated six million Catholics per year.
While this might seem to be a great money-making venture, Fr. Zotter says this is not the goal. The shrine is making the water available at the church in roughly 3 ounce containers for $1 apiece. They'll send it anywhere else in the country, too, for the cost of shipping.
"We're trying to spread spirituality through the water. That's our goal,” the priest told the newspaper.
They hope to make enough money to afford get their next shipment of water from overseas.
How can this be? Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus died 2000 years ago? Please explain! Thanks!
3 ounce containers for $1 apiece
14 10-gallon jugs
128 ounces in a gallon
That works out to just under $6000 ($5973.33) upon which duty should be paid.
What was so difficult about that.
About two months ago, I posted a graphic of a liter-sized bottle of Lourdes water offered by a Catholic mail-order company. The post's here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1748533/posts?page=9228#9228
I went to check on it this morning (I wanted to re-use the graphic here) - the company and website are gone - and the URL (http://www.lourdes-water.org/) is now redirected to TBN.com!?!....
Also in New Mexico, north of Santa Fe, is Chimayo which is called "the Lourdes of America" but rather than holy water they have holy dirt.
I've been getting mine for years from here: http://www.lourdescenter.org/
They send you a newsletter (I think it's monthly), too.
And holy Chiles and Holy anything that grows in the dirt. And crutches and lots of pilgrims...It was a fun 21st wedding anniversary trip.
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