Bernadette Soubirous was born on January 7, 1844 near
Lourdes in France. Her parents were very
poor. By the age
of five, Bernadette already had many household duties
and shared in the care of her younger brothers and
sisters.
When Bernadette was fourteen, she was collecting wood
near the Gave River when she noticed a cave filled with
golden light. This was the first of
eighteen visions that Bernadette would have of Our Lady,
who eventually identified herself as the "Immaculate
Conception".
During the one of the visions, Bernadette was instructed
by the Blessed Mother to dig and a spring of water
started to flow. Water still flows from
this spring today and many healings have been
reported.
Bernadette became a nun of the Sisters of Charity of
Nevers. Her short
life was filled with much suffering due to tuberculosis,
asthma and other ailments. Bernadette humbly
accepted her suffering and once said, "When one
is a bride of Jesus Christ, in any physical or mental
pain one must say only 'yes, my God." Without any "ifs
or buts'. Bernadette died on
April 16, 1879 at the age of thirty-six.
Today, Lourdes remains a site of pilgrimage. Each year more than
three million people visit Lourdes to learn more about
Bernadette's life, the message she received from Our
Lady, and to meet other pilgrims who help them in their
quest for God. As another famous saint
(Augustine) once said, "Our hearts are restless,
until they rest in thee".
Saint Bernadette's Feast Day is April 16th.
