The Lourdes grotto in Marialaan was formerly part of St. Anne, a former convent with a boarding school for girls. It also served as an educational institution for girls to follow lessons in primary, domestic, and extended elementary education. Furthermore, it was a training college to train girls as primary school teachers.
Sint-Anna is managed by Franciscan Sisters, who also use a convent next to the school buildings to carry out other duties. The functions of convent, boarding school and education are a thing of the past, and the entire, sprawling complex has been given other purposes. The sisters' buildings have been demolished or altered. What remains is the Lourdes Grotto and the large cemetery of the deceased sisters, which lies to the left of Franciscuslaan.
In 2023, the Sisters moved to the Congregation of the Sisters Franciscanesses of Mariadal in Roosendaal.
The Lourdes grotto was built around 1900 and stood in the garden of St. Anne; it is now located in a residential area, behind a tennis complex and swimming pool. The statue of Mary is in a niche at a height of about 2 metres. The grotto is enclosed by a fence and no candles are burning there. The effigy of visionary Bernadette Soubirous is missing. There is a bench by the grotto to give visitors an opportunity to rest, to view the grotto while seated, to pray there, or to be with their thoughts of Mary.
To visit the Lourdes Grotto, when you are at the Market, go into Ste. Bernaertsstraat, turn left into Franciscuslaan after the cemetery and then emerge into Marialaan. The grotto is located on a bend opposite number 21.
Address: Marialaan, Oudenbosch
~~~
