St Bernadette

Bernadette was the oldest of 6 children and her family did not have very much money. One day when she was 15 years old, her father sent her out to gather firewood. All of a sudden the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette; she was dressed in white and holding a yellow rosary in her hand. This was the 1st of 18 times that Mary appeared to Bernadette. During one of these times, Mary asked her to have a chapel built in her honor in the place where she appeared. On another day, she asked Bernadette to wash herself in the spring of water. Since Bernadette could not see any water, she began to dig in the mud and from that place a spring of water began to flow. At first, the spring was very small but it grew bigger and bigger and it still flows with water today! Many people who have visited Lourdes have sat in the spring and have been healed from many illnesses. When she grew up, Bernadette became a nun and helped many sick and elderly people. She died when she was 36 years old. Her body never decayed, it is still as beautiful as the day that she died, which was a very long time ago. Since her body never decayed she is called an incorruptible.