Bernadette lived in a very poor house in Lourdes, France, with her parents, two brothers, and a sister. (It used to be a jail!)

One day Bernadette was out with her sister and a friend to gather wood for the fire. Bernadette, who suffered from asthma and was often sick, did not cross over the stream to gather wood on the other side with her sister and friend. While they were gone, Bernadette heard a noise over near a cave-like area, and she went to investigate. There, Bernadette saw a lovely lady dressed in white who had a blue sash around her waist and a rose on each foot. She was beautiful!

Bernadette prayed the rosary with this lady before she disappeared. The lady asked her to come back again. The lady appeared to Bernadette a total of eighteen times. Bernadette was teased and laughed at; many believed that she was either imagining the appearances of Our Lady or making it up.

When a spring miraculously appeared after one of the visions, many who doubted her began to believe. Those who bathed in the spring were often cured of serious sickness or disability. Eventually, the lady identified herself: “I am the Immaculate Conception,” she told Bernadette. It was then that people realized for sure that it was Mary, the mother of God, appearing to Bernadette.

Saint Berndette, Pray for us

Activities to do at home:

Say or write your own prayer to Saint Bernadette.

Say or write a prayer those in need. This could be for people who are sick, poor or homeless.

Raise money for a charity who supports those in need.