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