St. Bernadette Soubirous was born in 1844. She was the oldest of nine children born to an extremely impoverished miller and his wife. Three of her siblings died in childhood.
To support the family, Bernadette worked instead of going to school. Her early years were also marked by illness. She had cholera as a toddler and developed severe asthma, which persisted throughout her life.
Bernadette was known as a virtuous child, but because she needed to work, she was not a good student, which delayed her reception of her first Holy Communion.
On February 11, 1858, Mary appeared to Bernadette for the first time. She would appear to Bernadette 18 times. These apparitions would later be approved as the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Bernadette suffered greatly because of the apparitions. Many in town ridiculed her and accused her of mental illness. Crowds would seek Bernadette out, even trying to cut off pieces of her clothing. Additionally, the anti-Catholic civil authorities tried to threaten Bernadette into retracting her statements.
Eventually, a local religious order took Bernadette in for her protection and education. A few years later, Bernadette entered the Sisters of Charity.
In the convent, Bernadette lived a humble, hidden life. Her superiors mistreated her, and her weak health prevented her from being an active part of convent life.
Despite her suffering, Bernadette’s fellow sisters admired her for her humility and her servant heart. She did not lord her visions of Mary over others and saw herself as a great sinner.
Bernadette was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis, and she died of this illness on April 16, 1879, at the young age of 35.
Lessons from St. Bernadette Soubirous
Courage in the Face of Trials
Bernadette showed immense courage in the face of the suffering resulting from the apparitions of Our Lady. She remained steadfast, and her courage allowed the world to receive the message of Our Lady of Lourdes.
In the midst of her suffering, Bernadette relied on Our Lady’s promise that she would not be happy in this world, but in the next, and she relied on Mary’s intercession. She teaches us to do the same in the face of our own suffering.
A Servant’s Heart
Bernadette faced poverty, sickness, and mistreatment throughout her life, but she remained humble and sacrificial. She sought to serve others even in the midst of her suffering.
Researchers have found that service to others helps us to be resilient in the face of trauma. Bernadette’s service helped her be resilient, and it can help us as well.
May St. Bernadette Soubirous intercede for us to trust in Mary’s intercession and to seek to serve those who suffer, so that, like her, we may be resilient in the face of suffering.