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On May 30, 1999 (exactly 64 years after the first blessing), the new grotto was ready to be blessed.

Implementing this plan would cost nearly half a million guilders, assuming everything would be outsourced. This amount could not be raised. At the end of 1997, an entrepreneur took the initiative to rebuild the grotto with volunteers. A working group began motivating volunteers to participate in the grotto reconstruction in order to reduce costs. Over 60 volunteers participated, each providing their expertise free of charge. Companies in various sectors also pledged to contribute their resources free of charge. It was February 1998 when the first work actually began on the reconstruction of the Lourdes grotto. First, the ruins of the original grotto were completely cleared. Construction began in accordance with the professional plan, with the aim of creating a grotto that would last longer than the first grotto. Over 7,000 volunteer hours were dedicated to the project.

On May 30, 1935, the grotto was blessed. The structure was approximately 10 meters high and 25 meters wide, constructed of rebar covered with a thin layer of concrete. The entire structure, including its inventory, was as faithful a replica as possible of the Lourdes grotto. In the early 1990s, there were repeated calls from the community to do something with the dilapidated grotto. In 1991, the parish council made the decision in principle to rebuild the Lourdes grotto. Professional plans were drawn up, and a bank account was opened. A model was created, which served as a model for the design and served as a basis for various discussions and activities. After several contractors had submitted plans and ideas, no one was willing to guarantee the construction. However, the final plan (1997) seemed sound and was fully developed. A budget was drawn up for this.

It all began in a grotto in Lourdes, in the south of France. There, in 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared eighteen times to the simple peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous. This marked the beginning of the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes, which would later evolve. On August 15, 1932, the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes was founded in Ginderdoor, later called Mariahout, in the municipality of Lieshout. With the great dedication of the residents of the new village, under the leadership of Father Jacques van Eijndhoven, a church was built quickly during that time of crisis. The church was completed on July 10, 1933, and consecrated by Bishop Diepen. Father van Eijndhoven, a devotee of Mary, had promised Mary upon his appointment as pastor of Mariahout that he would build a Lourdes grotto there as soon as possible (after the church was completed). “A church dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes also has a Lourdes grotto,” wrote the pastor.

From early November 1944, the villages on Langstraat lay directly behind the front line formed by the Bergsche Maas River. Due to persistent German bombardment, some residents of Kaatsheuvel made a drastic decision. Peat excavation in the 17th and 18th centuries created a large amount of drifting sand around the Loonse and Moerse agricultural areas, threatening agriculture in the area. The farmers planted oak walls to keep the drifting sand off their land, and successfully so. In these drifting dunes, a family from Tilburg built a cellar in 1943 for, among other things, the storage of (smuggled) products. This cellar, built of Tilburg stone, was given a different purpose at the end of 1944, as an air raid shelter for various families from Kaatsheuvel and elsewhere. The families originally lived on Marktstraat in Kaatsheuvel, but due to persistent German bombardment from across the Maas River, they decided to seek safer shelter. Sometimes as many as twenty people would shelter there at a time. The cellar is furnished with straw beds and a small stove. During the day, the children go to school, their parents to work, and everyone returns in the evening. From the stories of a woman who used this space for extended periods as a young girl, we know it must have been a perilous undertaking at times. The bitterly cold winter of 1944-1945 didn't help matters, and it was truly grueling at times. The shelter is exceptionally sturdy; it's made entirely of stone, with vaults and iron beams. The entrance is designed so that you can't shoot directly inside: it has a bend and a steel door. Furthermore, it's built into a dune and therefore difficult to spot. Historical and archaeological research shows that there are several such shelters in the Netherlands. What's unique about this one is that it's still in its original state.

Beautiful place for a break and reflection.

Beautiful place for a break and reflection

The Lourdes Grotto was built in 1934, with permission from Bishop Diepen. The statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is housed in the grotto, is 1.80m tall and stands 4.50m above ground level. The grotto was consecrated on May 30, 1935, and attracted thousands of pilgrims. The polyphonic hymns were played through loudspeakers. The Lourdes Grotto in Mariahout was built in 1936-1937 by Father Van Eindhoven. By the end of the twentieth century, the grotto had fallen into serious disrepair. In 1998, it was completely rebuilt. Many volunteers from Mariahout contributed to the project. On May 30, 1999, the grotto was blessed again. Many people come to pray and light a candle. Especially in 2008, when the pilgrimage site of Lourdes celebrated its 150th anniversary. Moreover, the parish also celebrated its 75th anniversary that year. (Source: https://www.landvandepeel.nl/nl/locaties/3681105334/lourdesgrot-mariahout-laarbeek)