Born into a humble family which fell into extreme poverty, Saint Bernadette of Lourdes was only fourteen when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her for the first of eighteen visits near Lourdes, in southern France. A woman of faith, purity, and innocence, Saint Bernadette maintained a state of childlike innocence throughout her short life and believed that God is Love and that he never stops calling us from our sin. Although Bernadette endured the painful disease of tuberculosis of the bone, she served a faithful life as a Sister of Notre Dame until her death in 1879. Enjoy your time with Saint Bernadette of Lourdes and be prepared to be surprised as you journey with one of the most engaging spiritual figures of our time.
