St. Bernadette Soubirous Medal & Our Lady of Lourdes

Almost everyone in the Christian world knows that the Blessed Virgin appeared several times to little St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France, in 1858 (Our Lady of Lourdes). The detailed story of the apparitions has been told often and well. There is no need to repeat that story here. Instead lets learn more about the incredible life of St. Bernadette and the reason why many Catholic wear a St. Bernadette Soubirous Medal or pray with a St. Bernadette Soubirous Rosary

Biography of St. Bernadette Soubirous

St. Bernadette Soubirous, also known as Bernadette of Lourdes, was a French peasant girl who is best known for her visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858 in the town of Lourdes, France. She was born in 1844 in Lourdes, the first of nine children of Francois and Louise Soubirous. Her parents were poor and she received little formal education.

In February 1858, while gathering firewood with her sister and a friend, Bernadette had a vision of a beautiful lady in a grotto near the town of Lourdes. The lady, whom Bernadette believed to be the Virgin Mary, appeared to her a total of 18 times, always in the same grotto, and always appearing the same way. The Virgin Mary communicated to her a message of penance and prayer and the need to build a chapel in the grotto.

Bernadette’s visions attracted a great deal of attention, both from the local population and from the Church authorities. Many people flocked to the grotto, hoping to witness a vision for themselves or to be cured of their illnesses. Bernadette, meanwhile, was interrogated by the local authorities and the Church, who were skeptical of her visions.

Despite the skepticism, Bernadette’s visions had a profound effect on the people of Lourdes and on the Catholic Church. The grotto where she had her visions became a major pilgrimage site, and the Church officially recognized the visions as credible in 1862. People began to report miraculous cures at the site, which soon led to the construction of a chapel, and later a full-fledged basilica.

In 1866, Bernadette entered the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, a religious congregation, where she lived in simplicity, humility and religious devotion. She received no special privileges or honors as a result of her visions and lived as an ordinary Sister. She died at the age of 35 in 1879 and was buried in the convent cemetery.

During her lifetime, Bernadette was often doubted and even criticized for her visions, but after her death, her reputation for holiness grew, many miracles were attributed to her intercession, and her cause for canonization was opened. In 1933, Pope Pius XI declared her a saint, and she is now venerated by the Catholic Church as the patron saint of ill people and Lourdes.

St. Bernadette’s visions and the resulting pilgrimage site at Lourdes have had a profound impact on the Catholic Church and on the people of Lourdes. Lourdes is now one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world, and the visions and miracles reported there continue to be an important part of Catholic devotion. Bernadette’s simple and humble life continues to inspire many people, and her devotion to the Virgin Mary is an example to many Catholics.<br><h3>The Life of St. Bernadette<h3>

Life of St. Bernadette

Saint Bernadette was the eldest child of François and Louise Soubirous who ran a mill in Lourdes. She was born January 7, 1844, and the next day she was baptized Marie Bernarde, after St. Bernard, the famous doctor of the Church who was known for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin. The family always referred to her by the pet name Bernadette, the name by which the world knows her today.

 

The mill which the Soubirous managed had once been prosperous and should have kept the family in good circumstances. But François and Louise proved to be poor managers and the profits fell to nothing. In 1845 they could no longer pay the rent for the mill, and they were evicted. Both father and mother worked at any kind of an odd job in an effort to support the family, but jobs were few and paid little. Time after time they were forced out on the street because they could not pay their rent. In 1856 a cousin, Andre Sajoux, allowed them to live rent free in a miserable little room which had once been a cell of the city jail. There were four children by this time. Bernadette was twelve and a half.

A Small Peasant Girl

Bernadette was a round-faced, bright-eyed, ebony haired girl. When she was seven she developed the asthma which was to plague her the rest of her life. She suffered in the cholera epidemic of 1854 and this apparently stunted her growth. She never grew taller than four feet seven inches. As if the family had not been sufficiently afflicted, François was arrested on suspicion of stealing two bags of flour. He spent seven days in jail while awaiting trial. The case was dismissed for lack of evidence, but the stigma remained. The Soubirous now knew bitter disgrace as well as grinding poverty.

 

In September, 1857, Marie Lagues Araveant asked that Bernadette be allowed to come and stay with her at Bartes. Bernadette would help Marie with the children, and in return she would be sent to school and would be taught her catechism. Louise readily agreed to this; it would get Bernadette away from the miserable home in Lourdes, and the girl would secure some of the education she had missed.

 

But at Bartes, Bernadette worked all day long and was never sent to school. After several hours of housework she went out and watched the sheep until nightfall. Marie did try to teach Bernadette some cate chism in the evenings. But Bernadette was tired after such a long day of work, and the catechism was in French, while Bernadette spoke a patois that was more Spanish than French. (The Blessed Virgin would speak to Bernadette in this patois.) Sometimes Marie would throw down the catechism and box the girl’s ears. “You are too stupid to learn anything,” she would say. Bernadette bore all this with quiet resignation.

 

In January, 1858, Bernadette was allowed to return home. She was fourteen and looked twelve. She could neither read nor write, and she knew practically no catechism. She had not received her First Communion.

Apparitions of the Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette

This was the girl whom the Blessed Virgin selected from all the people on earth for a very special mission. The apparitions began on February 11, 1858. Bernadette had gone with her sister and a friend to gather wood with which to heat their cold room. The other girls had run ahead of Bernadette. When she reached a little millstream at the point where it emptied into the river, she stooped to remove her stockings so she could wade in the water. She heard the sound of wind and looked up, but only saw the trees moving. She began to remove her stockings again, and once more she heard the sound.

 

Frightened, she stood straight up. She looked in the direction of the large rock on the other side of the millstream “I saw at one of the openings of the rock a bush,” Bernadette said later, “one only, moving as if it were very windy. Almost at the same time there came out of the interior of the grotto a golden colored cloud, and soon after a Lady, young and beautiful, exceedingly beautiful, the like of whom I had never seen, came to the entrance of the opening above the bush.

 

She looked at me immediately, smiled at me, and signaled me to advance, as if she had been my mother. All fear had left me, but I seemed to know no longer where I was. I rubbed my eyes, I shut them, I opened them, but the Lady was still there continuing to smile at me and making me understand that I was not mistaken. Without thinking of what I was doing, I took my rosary into my hands and went to my knees. The Lady made a sign of approval with her head and took into her hands a rosary which hung on her right arm.

 

When I attempted to begin the Rosary and tried to lift my hand to my head, my arm remained paralyzed, and it was only after the Lady had signed herself that I could do the same. The Lady let me pray all alone; she passed the beads of her rosary through her fingers, but she said nothing. Only at the end of each decade did she say the ‘Gloria’ with me. When the recitation of the Rosary was finished, the Lady returned to the interior of the rock, and the golden cloud dis appeared with her.” That was the beginning.

St. Bernadette is Faced with Challenges

The Lady kept appearing to Bernadette until she had appeared eighteen times in all. Large crowds accompanied the girl to the grotto. They could not see the Lady, but they could see Bernadette in ecstasy, and they were sure that she was seeing something. They referred to Bernadette as the saint” and tried to touch her. They even tried to get her to bless them and she would exclaim: “I cannot bless. I am not a priest. The local officials were afraid of the crowds that Bernadette was drawing and they did not for a minute believe that apparitions were taking place in “this enlightened nineteenth century.”

 

They badgered Bernadette and to cross her up in her testimony, but her story remained conistent. They threatened to arrest the family, and this frightened Francois who had already spent a week in jail. He forbade his daughter to go to the grotto and she obeyed, until one day an unseen force made her go. Her parents took this as a sign and did not interfere again. The Lady told Bernadette some things that were for the girl’s cars alone. She asked for prayers and penance. She revealed a spring through which many marvelous cures have been worked. And she identified herself by saying: “I am the Immaculate Conception.” This was just a little more than three years after Pope Pius IX had promulgated the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. On July 16 the Lady smiled a tender farewell and Bernadette did not see her again.

 

“I do not promise to make you happy in this life but in the other,” the Blessed Virgin told Bernadette in one of the early apparitions. The girl’s life had not been happy before the apparitions; it was even less happy afterward. Pilgrims came to Lourdes in large numbers, and all tried to see Bernadette. She felt that she was constantly on display “like some kind of animal.” Largely to get her away from the crowds, her pastor,

St. Bernadette and the Sisters of Charity

Father Peyramale, advised that she go to live with the Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction. She did so in January, 1860, when she was sixteen years old. She helped in the kitchen, the workroom, and the infirmary This change did not bring about the desired privacy. No matter what she was doing the bell would ring and she would be called to the parlor to tell the story of the apparitions. She went through this so often that sometimes her eyes would fill with tears at the thought of going through the ordeal again. But she would brush away the tears and greet the visitors graciously. She took lessons in French and was soon able to talk without the aid of an interpreter. The interviews fatigued Bernadette and aggravated her already bad health.

 

One day, in 1862, her condition became so poor that she was given the Last Sacraments. Later, she recovered to the where she could go about her tasks again. Later that month Bishop Forecast of Nevers, where the mother house of the Sisters was located, came for a visit. He came to find Bernadette grating carrots. That evening he sent for her and asked her what she intended to do with herself. He told her that could not remain with the Sisters forever because she was not a Sister. and I cannot do anything.”

 

“I don’t think I should be a Sister,” she said. “I have no dowry

 

“You need not worry about the dowry, and I think you under estimate your talents. You are good at something.”

 

“Good for what?”

 

“This morning I saw you grating carrots.” With this encouragement, Bernadette asked to be admitted to the novitiate. Her entrance was put off two years because of her bad health. She was to leave for the mother house at Nevers on July 4, 1866. She paid a last visit to the grotto crying: “O Mother, my Mother, how can I leave you?” She stopped for a few minutes at the new mill the family had acquired. The family gathered in silence. Bernadette hugged and kissed them all, and then rushed to the wait ing carriage.

St. Bernadette Faces the Challenges of Her Continuing Fame

All the first day at the mother house, Bernadette wept from home sickness. Later, she always went out of her way to comfort girls who were entering the convent. On July 27, 1866, Bernadette put on the habit of the Sisters of Charity and took the name Sister Marie Bernarde, her baptism name, Soon after this, the Mother Superior called together the entire convent and had Bernadette tell the story of the apparitions. Then, the Mother Superior said that the apparitions must never be referred to again. This pleased Bernadette, but streams of distinguished visitors kept coming to the door.

 

Mother Superior could not refuse them permission to see Bernadette, and so the ordeal went on. The other Sisters may not have referred to the apparitions, but they did not forget them. They regarded Bernadette as a saint. Every scrap that fell from her scissors was picked up and treasured. When her hair was cut, the hair that fell to the floor was picked up and Sisters tried to touch her robe and kiss her veil when she passed. They tried to walk next to her when she was coming down the stairs. They even prayed to get sick so they would be under her care in the infirmary. All of this did not escape Bernadette’s notice and was a very great trial to her.

 

The Mother Superior and her assistant, who was also the novice mistress, saw all the adulation and were sure that it must be going to Bernadette’s head. They decided that she needed humbling and they humbled her at every opportunity. One of the other young nuns recalled saying to herself: “What a mercy I am not Sister Marie Bernarde.” Bernadette herself never complained. “The novice mid tress knows what she is about,” Bernadette said. “I do have lots of pride.”

St. Bernadette Makes Her Profession

In the latter part of October, 1866, Bernadette seemed at the point of death. She received the Last Sacraments again. Bishop Forecast came to the convent and admitted her to the vows of the Congregation. That same year, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, her mother died. Bernadette had not seen her mother since that last day at the mill.

 

On October 30, 1867, Bernadette made her profession again with the other Sisters of the novitiate. The young nuns were given letters assigning them to various houses of the Community. But there was no letter for Bernadette. Bishop Forecast asked the reason for this. The novice mistress answered: “It has not been possible to assign her an obedience. She is good for nothing.” When the bishop called Bernadette, she said: “That is just what I told you at Lourdes, your Excellency, and you answered that it would not make any difference.”

 

“If you like, your Excellency,” Mother Superior broke in, “we “If can keep her out of charity and employ her in the infirmary. As she is almost always sick, it will be just the place for her. She can begin by keeping it clean, and if we are able to teach her, perhaps she will be able to make up cough mixtures later on.”

 

Bernadette admitted, sometime later, that this public humiliation was very bitter to her. But at the time she did not allow her feelings to show.

 

St. Bernadette Final Prayer

Her health became worse as the years went on. Her asthma was worse, and a large tumor formed on her knee. The pain was almost unendurable. But she wrote in her notebook that her interior sufferings were even worse than her physical sufferings. During Holy Week, 1878, her suffering became more intense than ever. Easter brought no relief. Tuesday night she sank into a half stupor from which she roused at times to cry, “Begone, Satan!”

 

In the morning, she could no longer breathe while lying down. She was placed in a chair, and she clutched a crucifix to her heart.

 

The Sisters knelt around her and recited the prayers for the dying. After a time she raised herself in her chair and asked for water. Her lips were moistened. She made the Sign of the Cross. Then she sank back. It was about three o’clock in the afternoon, April 16, 1879. As she bowed her head and died her last words were: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me – a poor sinner, a poor sinner.” On December 8, 1933, the poor little peasant girl of Lourdes was inscribed on the Church’s great roll of saints.

 

OTHER SAINTS OF THE SAME NAME:

• St. Bernard of Clairvaux, 1090-1153 Rich man who became a poor devoted to our Lady and renowned for the almost irresistible power of his preaching. Feast Day: August 20. monk
• St. Bernard of Parma, died 1133. Abbot, cardinal, remarkable for reforming zeal and for defense of the authority of the pope. Feast Day: December 4.
• St. Bernardino of Siena, 1380-1444 Franciscan priest, zealous in giving missions in Italy, noted for his spirit of penance and for devotion to care of the sick. Feast Day: May 20.

Popular St. Bernadette Soubirous Items

A St. Bernadette Soubirous medal or a St. Bernadette Soubirous rosary is a perfect gift to give to a young woman who has chosen St. Bernadette as their confirmation name. As the patron saint of shepards, wearing a St. Bernadette medal daily is a perpetual prayer for Saint Bernadette to intercede on behalf of the wearer. As saints are united closer to God, their prayers are more efficacious, and enriches your own prayer.

Additionally, a Saint Bernadette medal pendant is a reminder to emulate the example of the holy saint in your daily life and to answer the calls of the Blessed Mother. What a beautiful testament of faith to share with the world, or to keep discretely tucked under your clothes. During the challenging moments of your day, reflect upon the holy life of St. Bernadette and pray for their intercession and protection.

Our St. Bernadette medal pendant is proudly made of the highest quality metals right here in the United States. The hand pressed image depicts a young Saint Bernadette kneeling before a vision of the Blessed Mother with a rosary outstretched in her hands. Surrounding hte image are the words “St. Bernadette Pray for Us”

Prayers to St. Bernadette Soubirous

Prayer of Petition to Saint Bernadette

Dear Saint Bernadette, you were chosen by Almighty God as a channel of His graces and blessings, and through your humble obedience to the requests of Our Blessed Mother Mary, you gained for us the miraculous waters of Spiritual and physical healing.

We now implore you to listen to our pleading prayers that we may be healed of our Spiritual and physical imperfections.

St Bernadette, place our petition in the hands of our Holy Mother Mary, so that she may place them at the feet of her beloved Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and He may look on us with mercy and compassion:

(Share your request…)

Help us, O Dear Saint Bernadette to follow your example, so that irrespective of our own pain and suffering we may always be mindful of the needs of others, especially those whose sufferings are greater than ours.

As we await the Mercy of God, remind us to offer up our pain and suffering for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins and blasphemies of mankind.

Pray Saint Bernadette, that like you, we may always be obedient to the will of our Heavenly Father, and that through our prayers and humility we may bring consolation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary who have been so grievously wounded by our sins.

Holy Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, pray for us. Amen.

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Prayer of Intercession when wearing a St. Bernadette Medal

Saint Bernadette,

through your intercession,
give me the grace of praying in the occasions of sin.

Grant me a holy recollection,
the grace of being aware of Mary’s holy presence,
and the virtue of silence.

Grant me from God the holy virtue of spiritual and bodily purity;

as well as purity of conscience through humble, frequent,
and sincere confession, for the greater glory of God.

Obtain for me a heroic faith along with a loving-filled confidence in the
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

God our Father,

you give joy to the world by the resurrection of your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the prayers of His Mother, the Virgin Mary,
bring us to the happiness of eternal life.

We ask this through Saint Bernadette
and with the intercession of the Twin Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Amen.

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Prayer while putting on a Saint Bernadette Soubirous Medal and Necklace

St. Bernadette, little shepherdess of Lourdes

favoured with eighteen apparitions
of the Immaculate Virgin Mary
and with the privilege of lovingly conversing with her,

now that you are eternally enjoying the entrancing beauty
do not forsake me your devoted client,
who am still in the valley of tears.

Intercede for me that I too,
may walk the simple paths of faith.

Help me to imitate your example,
at our heavenly Queens request,
by saying the Rosary daily
and by doing penance for sinners.

Teach me to imitate your wonderful devotedness to God,
and Our Lady the Immaculate Conception,
so that like you,
I may be blessed with the grace of lasting faithfulness
and enjoy the happiness in heaven of the eternal vision of
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Prayer for Healing

Dear St. Bernadette,
You experienced many trials and hardships in your life, but your faith in God remained unwavering. I ask for your intercession for physical and emotional healing. Please pray for me that I may receive the strength and courage to endure my difficulties with grace and hope.
May I always trust in God’s love and mercy, and may I always remember that He is always by my side. Amen.

Prayer for Strength and Courage

Dear St. Bernadette,
You were a young girl who received a vision of the Virgin Mary and had the courage to share it with others despite the doubts and ridicule of those around you. I ask for your guidance and strength as I face challenges in my own life.
Help me to remain faithful to my beliefs and to never compromise my principles in the face of opposition. May I always have the courage to speak the truth and to stand up for what is right. Amen.

Prayer for Compassion and Mercy

Dear St. Bernadette,
You were a woman of deep compassion and mercy, always reaching out to those in need. I ask for your intercession as I strive to live a life of kindness and generosity.
Help me to see the dignity and worth in all people, and to treat others with the same love and compassion that you showed. May I always seek to serve those in need and to bring comfort to the suffering. Amen.

St. Bernadette Soubirous: The Patron Saint of Lourdes and Illness

St. Bernadette Soubirous, born in Lourdes, France in 1844, is a revered figure in the Catholic Church and is widely recognized as the patron saint of Lourdes and illness. St. Bernadette is known for her Marian apparitions, in which the Virgin Mary appeared to her at the Grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes. These apparitions, which occurred between February and July 1858, drew thousands of people to the site and helped to establish Lourdes as one of the world’s most famous pilgrimage destinations.

St. Bernadette’s devotion to the Virgin Mary and her unwavering faith in the face of persecution and suffering inspired many people to turn to her as a model of piety and devotion. Her experiences at Lourdes also helped to raise awareness of the importance of physical and spiritual healing, and she is now widely recognized as the patron saint of illness.

In recognition of her profound impact on the Catholic Church and the world at large, St. Bernadette was canonized as a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1933. Her feast day is celebrated on April 16th, and it is customary for Catholics to make a pilgrimage to Lourdes in her honor, where they may participate in Mass, attend the Rosary, or bathe in the waters of the Grotto, which are believed to have healing powers.

In conclusion, St. Bernadette Soubirous is the patron saint of Lourdes and illness because of her devotion to the Virgin Mary, her unwavering faith in the face of adversity, and her role in the establishment of Lourdes as a major pilgrimage destination and center of spiritual healing. She remains an inspiration to all who seek to embody the ideals of piety, devotion, and faith in their lives.

Reflection on the feast day of St. Bernadette

The feast day of St. Bernadette is April 16th.

St. Bernadette was a young girl from Lourdes, France who, in 1858, had 18 visions of the Virgin Mary. These visions led to the creation of the Marian shrine at Lourdes, which has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world. Bernadette’s humility, faith, and willingness to share her experiences with others despite ridicule and disbelief serve as an inspiration to all of us.

As we celebrate the feast day of St. Bernadette, we are reminded of the power of faith in the face of adversity. Despite the skepticism and ridicule she faced, Bernadette remained steadfast in her belief in the visions she had experienced. Her unwavering faith serves as a reminder to us that we too can have the strength to remain faithful in the face of challenges and doubt.

The apparitions of the Virgin Mary that Bernadette experienced also remind us of the importance of devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary serves as a model of faith, humility and obedience, and her apparitions at Lourdes have drawn millions of people to the site in search of healing and spiritual nourishment.

In addition, the story of St. Bernadette teaches us about the power of humility. Despite the attention she received because of the visions, Bernadette lived a simple and humble life. She did not seek fame or fortune but instead dedicated herself to serving others. Let us strive to follow her example and put the needs of others before our own desires.

Finally, St. Bernadette is a powerful reminder of the importance of spreading the message of faith. Bernadette shared her experiences with others, despite the doubts and ridicule she faced. In doing so, she helped to spread the message of faith to millions of people around the world, and her story continues to inspire and guide us today. On the feast day of St. Bernadette, let us be reminded of the power of faith, devotion, humility and sharing the message of faith to inspire and guide others.

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Saints Similar to St. Bernadette

You may also be interested in reading the Biography of St. Bernadine of Sienna and the Biography of St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Bernadette, St. Bernadine of Sienna, and St. Therese of Lisieux are all known for their deep spirituality and devotion. St. Bernadette is renowned for her visions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes. St. Bernadine of Sienna was a Franciscan preacher and saint. St. Therese of Lisieux is celebrated for her “Little Way” of holiness. Next up: Biography of St. Bernadine of Sienna

 

Also check out our handmade St. Bernadette Medal and St. Bernadette Rosary and St. Bernadette Rosary Bracelet.