Born in Lourdes, France in 1844, Bernadette Soubirous was the daughter of Francois, a miller who had fallen on hard times, and Louise. Together, they had nine children and Bernadette was the oldest. 

Bernadette suffered from asthma and, as a result, missed school quite often, which left her struggling with her studies but she was dedicated to her family and to her faith. 

On the morning of February 11, 1858, she and her sister Marie, along with a friend, went to gather firewood when they came to a stream near the grotto of Massabielle. 

While Marie and the other girl crossed the stream immediately, Bernadette looked for a place she could cross without getting her stockings wet. Left behind, she felt a rushing wind and noticed a wild rose, unaffected by the wind. 

Then, in a brilliant light, she saw what she described as a “Beautiful Lady.” 

Bernadette returned after Sunday mass and then again on February 18th, when she was told by the beautiful woman to visit every day for the next two weeks. 

With each visit, Bernadette would say the rosary and fall into a trance. 

This Beautiful Lady identified herself only as Aquerio – that which I am. 

As Bernadette continued to visit, increasingly large crowds would gather. The town was quite divided about what Bernadette claimed to be seeing and the family came under intense scrutiny with many questioning Bernadette’s sanity. 

On February 25th, she was told to “drink from the stream”. But, there was no stream. 

This caused her great ridicule until the next day when water began flowing there. 

Almost immediately miraculous cures came from the waters in this new stream. 

During the 16th vision, Bernadette again asked the Beautiful Lady for her name. She smiled and said: 

“I am the Immaculate Conception.” 

After a four-year investigation, the apparitions in Lourdes were approved in 1862 by Pope Pius IX. It was this Pontiff, who just eight years earlier, had first proclaimed the Dogma of The Immaculate Conception. 

Bernadette was proclaimed a Saint in 1933. Countless miracles from the Beautiful Lady,Our Lady of Lourdes, continue to this day.

In 1943, a wonderful movie, Song of Bernadette, was made. 

The actress portraying St. Bernadette, Jennifer Jones, won an Academy Award. 

Our Lady of Lourdes, please pray for us.