Day 224 -- Saint Bernadette of Lourdes

"The more I am crucified, the more I rejoice."

Today we honor the feast day of an incorruptable saints: Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. She was born on January 7, 1844 in Lourdes, France. She was the oldest of six children and grew up very poor. She worked as a servant from ages 12 to 14 and then a shepherdess. Around the time of receiving her First Holy Communion on February 11, 1858, she received a vision of the Blessed Mother and there are many writing from Saint Bernadette (one is the quote above). She received 17 more visions over the next five months and was led to a spring of healing waters. She moved into a house with the Sisters of Nevers in Lourdes and she worked, lived, and learned to read and write. She Sisters cared for the sick and when Bernadette was 22 they admitted her into their order. She was often sick and mistreated by her superiors. She died on April 16, 1879 with a prayer for Mary's aid. Her body is incorrupt and it is covered in wax and is on display in Nevers. Since Mary appeared to Saint Bernadette, more than 200 million people have visited the shrine of Lourdes. She was canonized on December 8, 1933 by Pope Pius XI. Her name means "brave as a bear." She is the patron against sickness, poverty, shepherds, people who are ridiculed because of their piety, and Lourdes, France.

You can listen to the Lourdes Hymn, Immaculate Mary here.

"Nothing is anything more to me; everything is nothing to me, but Jesus: neither things nor persons, neither ideas nor emotions, neither honor nor sufferings. Jesus is for me honor, delight, heart and soul."