15 Ways to Celebrate Our Lady of Banneux's Day

Did you know that between January 15 and March 2, 1933, Our lady appeared to a young girl named Mariette Beco in Banneux, Belgium and said, "I come to relieve suffering," and "Believe in me and I will believe in you"?

I did not know any of this until I participated in a Marian Apparition peg doll exchange and read up on the Virgin or the Poor.  Since, then, I have been waiting for Our Lady of Banneux's feast day on January 15 to introduce this apparition to my children.

To do so, I am planning a simple "Celebri-tea" and some lesson activities, which I am sharing about here in case you'd like to borrow any ideas.

A Simple Celebri-Tea

When we celebrate faith through food, we typically set our table with special decorations, eat something connected to the "celebrity" we are celebrating, and enjoy related a read together or activity.  So, for Our Lady of Banneux's feast day, we'll:

1. Decorate with Blue, White, and a Marian Statue

Since Our Lady's traditional colors are blue and white and Belgium is famous for lace, I will place our table will be covered with a white lace tablecloth. We will also put out blue and white candles and, of course, our peg dolls of Our Lady of Banneux & Mariette Beco.

If you do not have a statue of Our Lady of Banneaux, you could use any Marian statue or simply print an image of Our Lady of the Poor out.




2. Enjoy Belgian-Inspired Food and Drink

It would make sense to have Belgian hot chocolate and Liege waffles for our tea or to enjoy another authentic and popular food from Belgium. 

However, since I am slowly moving myself to a wholly plant-based diet with little no added SOS (salt-oil-sugar), I am going to try making 2-Ingredient Waffles or Oatmeal waffles instead.

I will serve the waffles with mint tea as well as chocolate-mint green smoothies, which I will make in our Magic Bullet by grinding one tablespoon of flax seeds, then adding 1/2 cup of spinach, one tablespoon dried mint leaves and one cup of water.  After blending these together, I will add a medjool date, blending again until the mixture is smooth. Then, finally, I will add a banana and one tablespoon of cocoa powder.

3. Include Water

On January 18, 1933, the Virgin appeared a second time to Mariette and led her from her house to a spring which she said would bring healing to all nations.  Thus, it would be appropriate to either include Holy Water among the decorations or to put a pitcher of water on on the table as a beverage alternative.

Likewise, connections could be made to Baptism, the Baptism of the Lord (also celebrated this month), and verses of the Bible about the Living Water.

4. Pray for the Intercession of Our Lady

Before eating, of course, we will pray Grace.  We will also pray:

Prayer of the International Union of Prayer

Mary Virgin of the Poor,

You lead us to Jesus, source of grace, and you come to alleviate our suffering.

We implore you with confidence:
Help us follow your Son with generosity, and to belong to Him unreservedly.

Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit Who guides and sanctify us.

Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday more, so that our life will glorify the Father and contribute to the salvation of our Brothers.

This prayer and other can be found on the Banneux Notre Dame site.

{Some links which follow may be affiliate links.}

5. Read about Our Lady of Banneux

Source: Amazon

We will read our copy of the Our Lady of Banneux Coloring Book.  If you do not have this book, you could read about Our Lady of the Poor and the apparitions online, although these sources are not in storybook form.

Lesson Ideas Inspired by Our Lady of Banneux

I am also planning gentle lessons connected to Our Lady of Banneux by doing some of the following

6. Draw Our Lady of Banneux

Using the description which follows from Our Lady on The Miracle Hunter, children can create their own drawn or painted images of Mary.

The Virgin was enveloped in a "great oval light" and wore a long white gown with a sash of "unforgettable blue" and a white, transparent veil covering her head and shoulders. Her right foot was visible and "crowned with a golden rose" between the toes. She had a rosary on her right arm with diamond-like beads and a golden chain and cross. She stood on a cloud with her head and shoulders bent slightly to the left.

7. Practice Writing

Our Lady of Banneux is quoted as saying the following things.  Any of these short statements could be used for copywork or studied dictation:

• "This stream is reserved for me, Good evening."
• "Push your hands into the water."
• "I am the Virgin of the poor. "
• "This spring is reserved for all the nations - to relieve the sick."
• "I shall pray for you. Au Revoir."
• "I come to relieve suffering."
• "Believe in me, I will believe in you. Pray much. Au Revoir."
• "My dear child, pray much. Au Revoir."
• "I am the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God, Pray much. Adieu."

8. Place the Apparition on a Map

Children can locate Belgium on both a map and a globe.  Then, the following excerpt can be read from Pierced Hearts, and children can draw a picture-map to go along with it.

Belgium is a small country in northern Europe between France and Germany. Banneux Notre-Dame is a poor farm village built around its church. It doesn't appear on maps. It is dependent on the people of Louveigne and is 25 km from Liege, the capital of the province. The town is found in a small plateau in the Belgian Ardennes at an altitude of 325 m. It is surrounded by beautiful valleys of Ambleve, Vesdre, and Hoëgne. On the highway between Louveigne and Pepinster, a kilometer from the church, the small Beco house can be found on the left with a small garden in the front. The area is humid and swampy, which is why it is called "La Fagne", which means 'mud'. On the other side of the highway, the great Eifel forests begin.

9. Discuss the Time Period of the Apparition(and Learn Fun Food Facts Related to Belgium)

Our Lady of Banneux appeared in 1933.  What was happening in the world at that time? What had happened previously and what was about to happen?  

Discuss this, and, if you have a Book of Centuries or Timeline Notebook, put the Apparition into it.

Also, consider that Our Lady appeared at Fatima during World War I and then, appeared at Banneux several years before World War II. A Fatima, she requested people pray the Rosary for peace in the world ad emphasized  devotion to her Immaculate Heart.  At Banneux, she spoke of healing. 

For fun, perhaps discuss the history of waffles, particularly Belgian waffles and/or if french fries really come from France.  You might even virtually explore the Fries Museum and make some homemade fries.

10. Distinguish Nuances in Language

Note that Our Lady said:

• "I shall pray for you. Au Revoir."
• "Believe in me, I will believe in you. Pray much. Au Revoir."
• "My dear child, pray much. Au Revoir."
• "I am the Mother of the Saviour, Mother of God, Pray much. Adieu."

Discuss the difference in the meaning of the French words Au Revoir and Adieu. Basically Adieu is not used much in today's vernacular, but is used when you are leaving someone for a long time and are unsure when you might see her or him again, and Au Revoir is used when you leave someone that you might probably see again and soon.

Also related to language (and history) is the fact that Belgium has three official languages: Dutch (spoken in the north), French (spoken in the south), and German (spoken in the east).  Many people also speak English.  It could be fun to look up words in these different languages and to compare them.

11. Review or Learn Catechism

Mariette's family was Catholic, but did not practice their faith diligently.  In fact, before seeing the apparition of Mary, Mariette had stopped practicing her catechism. 

After seeing Our Lady of Banneux, however, Mariette returned to Catechism class.  Now might be a good time to review or learn more of the Catechism.

12.  Focus on Virtues

At Banneux, calling herself the "Virgin of the Poor", Our Lady promised to intercede for the poor, the sick, and the suffering. Undoubtedly, God wants to use us to do similarly.  Reflect, What might we do today to help someone who is poor, sick, or suffering?  Then, do it!

13. Pray for Conversion

As explained at Pierced Hearts:

After the first apparition, (Mariette) converted. Her father, who had been a powerful force of apathy and rebellion against the Church, experienced a change of heart. Not even in Lourdes, Fatima, or Beauraing did such conversions happen so quickly. The parents of Bernadette Soubirous and Lucia dos Santos did not accept the apparitions until long after they had ended. Nevertheless, here in Banneux, the power of Our Lady was felt and obeyed immediately.

Now might be a good time to pray for deeper conversion of ourselves and those around us, as well as for the whole world.

14. Solve Math Problems

The timelines of Banneux on Our Lady's Promise and The Miracle Hunter could be used for oral or written word problems.

15.  Listen to I am the Virgin of the Poor - the Story of Our Lady of Banneux

If you have an hour to spare, you can listen to an audio of I am the Virgin of the Poor - the Story of Our Lady of Banneux.  (I hope to do this during a quiet handiwork time or at bedtime.)

I hope you found some inspiration in the ideas here and that your enjoy your Our Lady of Banneux day.

If you have other ideas or know of great for celebrating this day, please share them with me in a comment or on our Facebook page.  Thanks!

Our Lady of Banneux, pray for us.