By Luke Luedy

A Vision

Bernadette Soubirous, a 13-year-old girl, her sister Toinette, and their neighbor Jeanne had been searching for firewood at a riverbank in Lourdes. As the three girls were passing by a grotto nearby, the Grotto of Massabielle, Bernadette heard gusts of wind, yet no foliage had moved.

According to Catholic News Agency, Bernadette witnessed a beautiful woman. The figure wore “a pure white robe with a blue sash, a veil over her head.” Yellow roses were at the woman’s feet, and she clutched a rosary in her hands.

Bernadette, confused by the vision, remained silent. After the figure vanished, Bernadette relayed the incident to Toinette and Jeanne.

When they returned home, Bernadette intended to keep quiet about the apparition, but her sister told their parents. Their mother then gave the two corporal punishment as a result

Bernadette, however, was not deterred. Three days later, on a Sunday, she returned to the grotto. She brought with her holy water, and poured it on the ground, in order to gauge if the apparition was a evil spirit or not. To this, Mary only smiled and bowed.

Later, on Feb. 18, at the grotto, Mary asked Bernadette to return to the grotto every day for two weeks. The apparition, in addition, said to Bernadette, “I promise to make you happy, not in this world, but the next.” This is according to Newman Ministry, an online website dedicated to bolstering the Christian faith of students across the nation.

By this point, the town of Lourdes had become aware of Bernadette’s visits to the Grotto, and disproved of it. They believed that Bernadette was mentally unwell, and encouraged the local police to bar the riverbank. Bernadette’s parents forbade her from visiting the grotto.

A Miracle

Bernadette, still, did not falter, and continued to visit Mary. Perhaps one of the most significant of Bernadette’s visions occurred on Feb. 25. Once again according to Catholic News Agency, Mary spoke to the child. The apparition told her to “drink from the fountain and bathe in it.”

This perplexed the young girl. There was the nearby river, but the water was dirty and muddy, unsuitable. As she contemplated the figure’s words, Bernadette noticed that the ground around her was damp. Bernadette began digging into the soft earth and discovered a stream of water. The water was noticeably cleaner than that of the nearby river.

As the days passed, the stream became increasingly cleaner. Residents of Lourdes began drinking the water, along with distributing it to medical patients.

To the town’s shock, the patients were healing remarkably fast, with seemingly no scientific explanation. While some of the miracles brought about by the water were confirmed to be untrue, at least seven had no rational justifications

The small town of Lourdes was quickly spiraling into something much bigger. The French government, again according to Newman Ministry, prohibited citizens from visiting the grotto, and gave out heavy fines to those who disobeyed.

Undaunted, Bernadette did not stop visiting the grotto, and did so under the blanket of night.

Another important vision, the 16th one, occurred on March 25. During the visit, the apparition revealed herself to be the Virgin Mary, telling Bernadette, “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Coincidentally, March 25 is also the typical date for a Catholic feast, the Feast of Annunciation. The solemnity commemorates Mary being told by the archangel Gabriel that she would be the mother to Jesus Christ

The final time Bernadette visited Mary was on July 16. Bernadette, during this visit, noted Mary’s particular beauty that night.

Years later, Bernadette became a nun at the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, at the age of 22. On April 16, 1879, she died at the age of 36, due to tuberculous. Her final words were, “Blessed Mary, Mother of God, pray for me.”

Decades later, on Dec. 8, 1933, Bernadette was canonized as a saint. She is the patron saint of poverty, illness, Lourdes, and people ridiculed for their faith in God.

A Pledge

It is an unfortunate fact that no matter what one believes in, there will always be someone who is against it.

With the current state of the world, division and strife are commonplace. People are seen as less as individuals and more as parts of whatever group they associate with.

Our roots, our upbringings, our beliefs, are what make us who we are, and we should hold that part of us with pride.

Luke Luedy

Yet despite this, no matter what kind of person we are, it is key to never forget our roots. That though the world may roll its eyes and exude apathy for our beliefs, we must never bend, never break. Our roots, our upbringings, our beliefs, are what make us who we are, and we should hold that part of us with pride.

The miracle that Bernadette Soubirous witnessed teaches a valuable lesson. One may feel that everyone in the world is against them, that they are completely alone. But one must also never forget that they can achieve true happiness not by giving in, but by standing tall.