One hundred fifty years ago the Blessed Mother appeared 18 times over a period of six months to young Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France, a spot marked today by miraculous cures of the sick and visits by several million pilgrims each year.

It is estimated that eight million people will visit the famed grotto in this sesquicentennial jubilee year. Among them will be San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer.

"I am looking forward to my own first visit to Lourdes in May of this year, accompanying the Knights of Malta as they guide and assist their sick brothers and sisters in Christ in their visit to the shrine of Our Lady," the Archbishop said. "Even if San Francisco Catholics cannot visit the shrine in person for this year's feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we can visit these designated shrines and churches in our own Archdiocese and pray in unity with Catholics throughout the world, taking advantage of this spiritual opportunity the Holy Father has offered us on the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette Soubirous."

In deference to the jubilee, Pope Benedict XVI has approved a plenary indulgence for Catholics who "take part in any public or private devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes," according to Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican Court dealing with indulgences and matters of conscience. An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment due for sins committed. A plenary indulgence is the remission of all punishment.

Cardinal Stafford said the indulgence may be applied to the souls of the faithful in purgatory. The plenary indulgence may be gained daily - that is more than once - during the appointed time.

Time constraints and details for receiving the indulgence are as follows:
Pilgrims visiting the Massabielle grotto where Mary appeared to St. Bernadette can receive the indulgence during the Lourdes Jubilee Year which runs Dec. 8, 2007, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, through Dec. 8, 2008.

Pilgrims who visit any public sanctuary, shrine or other worthy place dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes may invoke the indulgence locally between Feb. 2 and Feb. 11, 2008. Feb. 11 is the day of the first apparition as well as the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Feb. 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

Those who make the pilgrimage to Lourdes must visit the following sites, preferably in this order: the parish where Bernadette was baptized, the Soubirous family home, the Massabielle grotto, the chapel where St. Bernadette received her first Eucharist. At each location the faithful should end their meditation by praying the Lord's Prayer, the creed and the special jubilee prayer or a prayer to Mary.

Those visiting a local holy place dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes from Feb. 2 - 11 also should pray the Lord's Prayer, the creed and the special jubilee prayer or a prayer to Mary.

Catholics who cannot visit Lourdes or join a communal service to Our Lady of Lourdes because of illness or other serious reason can still earn the indulgence "in their own home or wherever they are," during those dates, Cardinal Stafford said.

In addition to the visits noted above, one must also meet the normal requirements set by the Church for all plenary indulgences, which include going to confession within a reasonable period of time, receiving the Eucharist and praying for the intentions of the pope, all in a spirit of total detachment from the attraction of sin.

Local sites

Designated shrines and churches in the Archdiocese of San Francisco that may be visited in conjunction with the 150th anniversary year of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lourdes, France and the Vatican approved plenary indulgence include:

San Francisco
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
1715 Oakdale Ave. at Hawes and Innes St.
( 415 ) 285 - 3377
Outdoor grotto is accessible 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Immaculate Conception Chapel
3255 Folsom St.
( 415 ) 834 - 1762
Statue inside church accessible 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. every day.

Notre Dame des Victoires Church
566 Bush St.
( 415 ) 397 - 0113
Statue inside church accessible 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. every day.

St. Ignatius Church
650 Parker Ave at Fulton
( 415 ) 422 - 2188
Outdoor grotto on East side of church on USF campus available anytime.

St. Anne's Home
300 Lake St.
( 415 ) 751 - 6510
Outdoor grotto accessible daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. from Feb. 2 - Feb. 11. Faithful are also invited to candle light rosary and procession Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

San Mateo County
St. Raymond Church
1100 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park
( 650 ) 323 - 1755
Grotto on church grounds accessible 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. every day.

St. Matthew Church
One Notre Dame Way, San Mateo
( 650 ) 344 - 7622
Painted image inside church available 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily. Lourdes Grotto on church grounds accessible 24 hours a day. St. Matthew Parish is also celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes Feb. 1 - 3 with devotions, talks and prayer. Call the parish for more information.

Marin County
St. Hilary Church, 761 Hilary Drive, Tiburon
( 415 ) 435 - 1122

Eucharistic Adoration Chapel
Feb 2 and 9, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Feb 3 and 10, 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Feb. 4 through 7, 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Feb. 8, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Feb. 11, 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m.