The story of Bernadette

Bernadette Soubirous was born 7th January 1844 and baptised 2 days later at the parish church in Lourdes on her parent’s first wedding anniversary. Her father Francois and mother Louise were tenants of a local flour mill - the Boly Mill - which had been worked by Louise’s family for more than 50 years. In 1841 Claire Casterot (Louise’s mother) became a widow. She had five young children to support including four girls and she needed to find an eligible bachelor for the eldest of them to ensure the succession of the mill. Francois, a local miller, was invited to court Bernarde, the eldest daughter. However, it wasn’t Bernarde that took his eye but her younger sister Louise. Although against the local custom Francois was not to be persuaded to change his mind and it was to be Louise or no-one as this was to be a marriage of love and not convenience. Bernarde was to become godmother to their first born, baptised Marie-Bernarde but known thereafter as Bernadette meaning ‘Little Bernarde’ reinforced by Bernadette’s incredibly small, even meek stature.

Shortly after Bernadette was born, her mother suffered a terrible burn and was unable to feed her new baby. For this reason Bernadette was entrusted to the care of Marie Lagues in the village of Bartrès about 4 km from Lourdes. Marie Lagues was paid a small sum each month to be Bernadette’s wet nurse until she was aged two, when she returned to live in the mill with her family. The next 8 years were spent very happily in the Boly Mill in a loving environment.

Unfortunately Francois was not very business minded. The mill machinery was old and the mill stream was erratic. Soon the payment of rent fell into arrears and when Bernadette was aged 10 the Soubirous family were evicted. Moving from place to place they eventually found shelter in the Cachot - the former town jail described by an observer as a ‘foul and dreary hovel’. Bernadette went once more to live with her former foster-mother in Bartrès where she was employed to help out in the home, around the farm and to tend the sheep.

Bernadette was devout in her faith and wanted above all else to take her First Holy Communion. As an uneducated, illiterate 13 year old Bernadette struggled to learn her catechism taught by her foster mother which was recited in the unfamiliar french language as she herself only spoke the local ‘Bigourdan’ dialect. It was therefore decided that she would have a better chance if she returned to Lourdes, albeit to the cachot, where she could be enrolled in the free school and attend catechism class. Her First Holy Communion was at last in sight.

On 11th February 1858 Bernadette, with her sister and a friend, went to collect firewood from Massabielle and it was on this day that she first saw ‘A Beautiful Lady’. This was the first of 18 Apparitions. It was during the 16th Apparition that the beautiful lady revealed herself to be the Blessed Virgin with the words spoken in the local dialect ‘Que Soy Era Immaculada Conceptiou’ - I am the Immaculate Conception.

Bernadette left Lourdes in 1866 at the age of 22 to join the Sisters of Charity at the Convent of St. Gildard in Nevers. She did this because she did not want to be treated like a celebrity, she preferred people came to Lourdes to pray at the grotto, do penance, help the sick and take part in the processions. Whilst in the convent Bernadette spent most of her time in the infirmary, either caring for the sick or as a patient there herself. She died in 1879 at the age of 35 after a life which had involved much physical suffering. During the canonisation process her body was exhumed three times and deemed to be incorrupt. St Bernadette was canonised in 1933. Her body now lies in a glass coffin in the Chapel at Nevers.


	Bernadette Soubirous was born 7th January 1844 and baptised 2 days later at the parish church in Lourdes on her parent’s first wedding anniversary. Her father Francois and mother Louise were tenants of a local flour mill - the Boly Mill - which had been worked by Louise’s family for more than 50 years. In 1841 Claire Casterot (Louise’s mother) became a widow. She had five young children to support including four girls and she needed to find an eligible bachelor for the eldest of them to ensure the succession of the mill. Francois, a local miller, was invited to court Bernarde, the eldest daughter. However, it wasn’t Bernarde that took his eye but her younger sister Louise. Although against the local custom Francois was not to be persuaded to change his mind and it was to be Louise or no-one as this was to be a marriage of love and not convenience. Bernarde was to become godmother to their first born, baptised Marie-Bernarde but known thereafter as Bernadette meaning ‘Little Bernarde’ reinforced by Bernadette’s incredibly small, even meek stature. Shortly after Bernadette was born, her mother suffered a terrible burn and was unable to feed her new baby. For this reason Bernadette was entrusted to the care of Marie Lagues in the village of Bartrès about 4 km from Lourdes. Marie Lagues was paid a small sum each month to be Bernadette’s wet nurse until she was aged two, when she returned to live in the mill with her family. The next 8 years were spent very happily in the Boly Mill in a loving environment. Unfortunately Francois was not very business minded. The mill machinery was old and the mill stream was erratic. Soon the payment of rent fell into arrears and when Bernadette was aged 10 the Soubirous family were evicted. Moving from place to place they eventually found shelter in the Cachot - the former town jail described by an observer as a ‘foul and dreary hovel’. Bernadette went once more to live with her former foster-mother in Bartrès where she was employed to help out in the home, around the farm and to tend the sheep. Bernadette was devout in her faith and wanted above all else to take her First Holy Communion. As an uneducated, illiterate 13 year old Bernadette struggled to learn her catechism taught by her foster mother which was recited in the unfamiliar french language as she herself only spoke the local ‘Bigourdan’ dialect. It was therefore decided that she would have a better chance if she returned to Lourdes, albeit to the cachot, where she could be enrolled in the free school and attend catechism class. Her First Holy Communion was at last in sight. On 11th February 1858 Bernadette, with her sister and a friend, went to collect firewood from Massabielle and it was on this day that she first saw ‘A Beautiful Lady’. This was the first of 18 Apparitions. It was during the 16th Apparition that the beautiful lady revealed herself to be the Blessed Virgin with the words spoken in the local dialect ‘Que Soy Era Immaculada Conceptiou’ - I am the Immaculate Conception. Bernadette left Lourdes in 1866 at the age of 22 to join the Sisters of Charity at the Convent of St. Gildard in Nevers. She did this because she did not want to be treated like a celebrity, she preferred people came to Lourdes to pray at the grotto, do penance, help the sick and take part in the processions. Whilst in the convent Bernadette spent most of her time in the infirmary, either caring for the sick or as a patient there herself. She died in 1879 at the age of 35 after a life which had involved much physical suffering. During the canonisation process her body was exhumed three times and deemed to be incorrupt. St Bernadette was canonised in 1933. Her body now lies in a glass coffin in the Chapel at Nevers.