Monday, April 16, 2012

Hail, Bernadette, Virgin and Visionary.

 Reliquary containing body of St. Bernadette, Nevers, France

Today is the feast of St. Bernadette Soubirous (1844 AD - 1879 AD), the daughter of an unemployed miller and a laundress, to whom was granted a series of celebrated visions of "The Immaculate Conception."   These led to the establishment of the popular shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, where many healing miracles have occurred.  

St. Bernadette's unassuming candor concerning her visions reminds me of another humble French visionary, St. Joan of Arc.  When asked whether, in view of her visions and the subsequent cures, she considered herself to have performed a miracle, St. Bernadette replied, "I don’t think I’ve cured anyone whatsoever, and besides I haven’t done anything for that reason.”

Fr. Dwight Longenecker has a striking and somewhat eerie anecdote concerning St. Bernadette here.

St. Bernadette Soubirous pray for us.

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