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St. BernadetteSAINT OF THE MONTH
Age level: All ages
Recommended time: 10 minutes
What you need: St. Bernadette (page 115 in the students' activity
book), markers and/or crayons
ActivityRead aloud the story of this month’s saint to your students. You may also
want to show them the full page saint image. While you are reading or
sometime the next day, have them complete the coloring page on page 117 in the students' activity book.
Biography of St. Bernadette
BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS was born in
France, the eldest of nine children. Her
family was poor, and had to live in a single
basementroomthatusedtobeajail.Ever
since she was little, Bernadette suffered
from bad health and severe asthma, a
disease that affects the lungs and makes
itdifficulttobreathe.Becausesheoften
had to stay home sick, Bernadette could
barely read and write.
On February 11, 1858, when she was 14,
Bernadette went to gather wood on the
bank of a river near a natural grotto or cave.
As she was taking off her shoes to cross a
stream, she heard a rustling like the wind.
The trees and the river were completely
still. Only the bushes near the grotto were
moving. There she saw, in a niche above
the trees, a Lady of about her height.
The Lady was very beautiful, all
dressed in white, with a blue girdle about
her waist, and a long rosary hanging over
her arm. She gestured for Bernadette to
pray, and together they prayed the Rosary.
Bernadette continued to visit the
grotto, and large crowds of people
came to watch her, even though they
could not see the Lady. They made fun
of Bernadette and thought she was
crazy. During one of her visits, the Lady
instructed Bernadette to drink from a
spring near the grotto. Bernadette could
findnothingbutmuddywaterandhadto
scratch at the dirt in order to drink. The
crowds laughed at Bernadette’s muddy
face,butwereamazedtofindthatlater
in the day the water had turned into a
clear spring of water that ran into the
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS
river.Peopleflockedtothespring.Aman
who had been blind for 20 years washed
his eyes with the water and was healed!
Another lady brought her sick child to
the spring, and he also was healed. Many,
many miracles happened at the spring.
The Lady appeared to Bernadette
a total of 18 times and requested that
a chapel be built near the grotto. When
Bernadette asked the Lady who she was,
the Lady responded, “I am the Immaculate
Conception,” revealing that she was the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
In1866,Bernadettejoinedthesisters
of Notre-Dame de Nevers and took care
of thesickpeople in the infirmary.She
became sick herself, but never went to
the spring for healing. Bernadette saw her
suffering as something she could offer up
to God.
Bernadette died at 35 years of age and
is a great example of patient suffering.
Today a great shrine to the Blessed Virgin
Mary is built above the spring she found.
The water was channeled into a place
where people can bathe in it and receive
healing. Many people from all over the
world travel to this shrine every day to be
healed.
Bernadette Soubirous was canonized
in 1933 and is the patron saint of the sick.
Her feast day is on April 16.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITy
Praying with St. Bernadette
Age level: All ages
Recommended Time: 15 minutes
What you need: Praying with St. Bernadette (page 118 in the students'
activity book)
Explain that praying for the sick is always good. The World Day of the Sick is
a special day when we are called to pray for everyone suffering with illnesses.
Pope St. John Paul II chose for this day February 11, the feast of Our Lady of
Lourdes, who appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. He explained that this day
should be “a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one’s suffering for
the good of the Church, and of reminding us to see in our sick brother and
sister the face of Christ.” Follow the directions on Praying with St. Bernadette (page 118 in the students' activity book) to pray a litany for the sick and
suffering people you know, as well as those who care for them.
THE SACRAMENTS, MARCH
St. Bernadette
SAINT OF THE MONTH
© SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS
February 11 ~ Our Lady of LourdesSt. bernadette