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Saint Bernadette Of Lourdes
The beautiful stories in this world are what life is about otherwise there would be no purpose. Indeed, but a myriad of entities that come and go. Even in this age whereby the euphemism of democracy is greatly prejudiced in favour of low minds whilst superior minds receive contempt wholly because quantity has all practical rights over quality, thinking people still yearn and seek the meaning of their existence. Almost all accounts of a spiritual life can be easily dismissed as mere superstition and very often this is correct, but there are stories that are almost assuredly true and this is one. And if this is true so too is your faith in another life ...Bernadette Soubirous was born just outside Lourdes, Southern France, on January 7, 1844 at the Boly Mill; her parents being millers. For the first 10 years of her life they made a fair income and she referred to the place as "the mill of happiness," however, later events -- chiefly kindly business principles -- would reduce her family to poverty and starvation. It was during this miserable period that on the morning of February 11, 1858, when she was aged 14, she saw in a grotto whilst out gathering firewood a vision of a lady. There followed a series of 18 apparitions occuring intermittently until July 16 during which time the town became largely convinced that she was telling the truth. Indeed, she was rigorously interrogated several times by the town's authorities. And there were creditable witnesses present. On one occasion a doctor saw the candle Bernadette was holding burn down and the flame envelope her hand for 15 minutes without any burning or pain! The crowds on each successive occasion when she returned to the grotto quickly grew and would become enormous. It was at the 9th vision she was told by her vision to drink from a nearby spring but none was apparent, so she dug with her hands and miraculously a spring began to gush! The parish priest, a brusque and practical man, was decidely sceptical about her vision and wanted to know the lady's name. Then the most astounding thing happened. On the 16th occurence of the vision and after repeated requests by Bernadette for her identity the lady said " I am the immaculate conception." She spoke these words in Occitan*, a rare language now but then used by the local people and Bernadette. With these words fresh in her mind she ran to the priest saying them over and over to herself because she did not know their meaning or signifcance. The priest was profoundly amazed and began to believe her since ( at that time ) this theological expression was only known as a reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary by a limited number of learned people. Pope Pius IX had declared this a truth of the Catholic Faith only four years previously. Bernadette was illiterate and almost totally ignorant of the Catholic dogmas. She, herself, could not possibly know this. Then many people who had formerly suffered serious ill health were inexplicably cured after drinking or bathing in the water from the spring. In light of all these apparently supernatural phenomena, there followed almost fours years of the most thorough examination by the Catholic Church to establish the absolute truth and on January 18,1862 its verdict announced that this must be a genuine act of God! Bernadette first became interested in entering a convent in 1860 and in the years which followed contemplated this idea many times. The main obstacle was her ill health, especialy asthma, that had always been with her since a child. On account of her fame she received many offers from convents seeking her as a postulant but in the end she chose the convent at Nevers which did not do so. She began her postulancy there in February, 1865. But it was not until July 4, 1866 that she finally departed taking a train to Nevers. There she was given the name Sister Marie-Bernarde and was soon to express home sickness. In the years which followed both her parents died and she was often close to death herself from her declining health. When well enough she worked at her task of being a nursing assistant in the hospice. However, on December 11, 1878 she was finally confined to her bed. Bernadette Soubirous died in much pain on April 16, 1879, aged just 35. On Septemberr 22, 1909, because of her Beatification ( the process of officiallly being declared blessed in heaven and a saint ) her body was exhumed. Those present were deeply astonished: her body had not decomposed and she appeared almost as if she still lived! After two further exhumations whereby she was still found to be miraculously preserved, she was Beatified by Pope Pius IX on June 14, 1925. On July 18, 1925 her face and hands were covered with a very thin film of wax to gently hide some discolouration believed to have been caused by her body being exposed to the air at her previous exhumations and placed in a shrine. Then on August 3, 1925, the shrine was transfered to the chapel of the Convent of Saint-Gildard. Today, she can be seen there. It is now known as Espace Bernadette Soubirous - Nevers. Her Canonisation occurred on December 8, 1933. Bernadette Soubirous Bernadette kneeling at the grotto. A small staute of the Virgin Mary had by then been placed at the exact position of her vision. Circa 1860 Saint Bernadette as she appears today in her shrine at Espace Bernadette Soubirous - Nevers. The miraculous state of her preservation seems very much an act of God. The full story and further information can be assessed from this link. http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=423&id_rubrique=423 * If you possess an interest in knowing more about the language spoken by Bernadette please use the following links. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/occitan.htm
A Silent Cry
Some years ago a true Christian minister whilst going about his duties in an Indian province constantly came across orphaned children begging or starving in the streets. Many just died. He decided he must try to give at least some of them food, shelter and a rudimentary education. This deeply touching story still continues now. Please, please read the full wonderful account about this from the link below and then give happiness ... and life to these children and people by making a donation -- the amount does not matter -- on their website. They have nought but ... faith in YOU and God. The Grace Children's Orphanage Website http://www.freewebs.com/graceorphanage/ View Their Video