February 18

ST. BERNADETTE

St. Bernadette was born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844. Her

parents were very poor. Bernadette was frail and often sick.

On Thursday, February 11, 1859, Bernadette was sent with her younger

sister and a friend to gather firewood. A beautiful lady appeared to her

above a rosebush in the grotto of Massabielle. The lady was dressed in

blue and white. She smiled at Bernadette. The she made the sign of the

cross with a rosary of ivory and gold. Bernadette fell on her knees. She

took out her own rosary and began to say it.

The beautiful lady was God's Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She

appeared to Bernadette seventeen times and spoke with her. She told

Bernadette that she should pray for sinners and do penance. The Lady also

told her to have a chapel built there in her honor.

Many people did not believe Bernadette when she spoke of her vision.

She had to suffer very much. But one day Our Lady told Bernadette to dig

in the mud. As she did, a spring of water began to flow. The next day it

continued to grow larger and larger. Many miracles happened when people

began to use this water.

When Bernadette was older, she became a sister. She was always very

humble. More than anything else, she desired not to be praised. She did

not want to receive special treatment just because she had actually seen

the Blessed Virgin. Although her own health was poor, she helped care for

the sick and elderly sisters. She died in 1879 at the age of thirty-six.

Her last words were: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me, a poor

sinner." She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI on December 8, 1933.

We can become close to Mary as Bernadette was by reciting the Rosary

every day. We could offer the Rosary for many intentions, especially for

the conversion of people who are caught in sin and addictions.