The pope intervened at the sanctuary of Lourdes so that there was no more business

ROME.- More faith and miracles and less
business. This is what the Marian Shrine of Lourdes needs and that is precisely why

Pope

decided yesterday to appoint a "delegate" for the care of the pilgrims, that is to say a virtual interveneur who arranges things.

Aim of millions of pilgrims from around the world and famous not only for their appearances, but also for the hundreds of stalls selling everything: holy water, crucifixes, rosaries, stamps, candles, paintings, books, clothes, and so on. – the sanctuary of Lourdes, one of the largest in the world, was placed under the direct direction of Bishop Antoine Hérouard, Auxiliary Bishop of Lille.

"Pope Francis wishes to emphasize spiritual primacy over the temptation to overemphasize the commercial and financial aspects, and the promotion of ever more traditional popular devotion in sanctuaries," Andrea said. Tonrielli, director of the Vatican media editorial, in an article in
Vatican News.

Tornielli pointed out that the pope's decision is in line with that
It had already been taken in 2017 for the Marian Shrine of Medjugorje. "The

dad Francisco

He is particularly concerned with the care of pilgrims and wants the centers of Marian devotion to become "more and more a place of prayer and Christian witness that meets the needs of the people of God," he said. This is what the Pope wrote in a letter with which he made public yesterday the appointment of "the Interventor" in Lourdes.

The papal letter was read in the small center of the Pyrenees, site of one of the most popular Marian apparitions in history, in front of the chaplains and administrative officials of the sanctuary. And this was made public by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, which Francisco confided to him two years ago to improve the pastoral care of the sanctuaries. The owner Fisichella of recent months has been sent to the shrine as a "special envoy". "After the checks" made by Fisichella, the Pope wrote: "I want to understand what other forms the Sanctuary of Lourdes can adopt, in addition to the many already existing, to become more and more a place of prayer and Christian witness to the needs of the people of God.

Tornielli emphasized that Bishop Hérouard's mandate would be temporary and non-permanent and limited to the sanctuary, while the diocese of Tarbes and Lourdes would remain in the hands of Bishop Nicolas Jean René Brouwet.

According to the Italian media, the problems of Lourdes began after the terrorist attacks in Paris in late 2015 and the economic crisis, factors that have significantly reduced the flow of pilgrims, including many patients, from 5 million to 3 people. Yes Well, it's still an impressive figure, the sanctuary, which employs 330 people and costs about 30 million euros, has a deficit of 2.8 million. This meant that, three years ago, Bishop Brouwet had entrusted Guillaume de Vulpian, a former Renault manager, with the task of recovering the accounts. Browet has managed to reduce expenses, but also to increase profits, with an increase in the various activities of the sanctuary, marketing and various gadgets.

Something that, obviously, did not please the pope, who wants that in the sanctuaries, there is more faith and miracles and less
business.