Feb. 11, 2013 - ST. BERNADETTE

Today, February 11, 2013, is the Feast of our Lady of Lourdes whose apparition in 1858 to a poor, unschooled 14-year old peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous, made history in the Catholic world. A number of books, magazines and articles including cinematographic materials are readily available about the eighteen times, our Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette at the Grotto of Massabielle.

Many people know of her life through the film, "The Song of Bernadette." Suffice it to say, she was a sickly child and suffered from asthma most of her life. Her family was so poor that at the time of the apparitions, she lived at the "Le Cachot," a one-room dwelling which used to be a prison. Despite their destitute situation, Bernadette and her family refused any donation or help in whatever form the community and visitors/pilgrims offered. The constant persecution of police authorities and people wanting to have an "audience" with the seer, affirmed her desire to be a nun. She entered the Community of the Sisters of Charity and stayed at their motherhouse in Nevers, France in Saint Gildard Convent for nine years until her death at the age of thirty-five on April 16, 1879.

From the History of Our Lady's Apparitions in Lourdes, France, we gather some information:

1st  Apparition - Thurs, February 11, 1858
8th        "         - Wed, February 24, 1858 
       Our Lady asks, "Pray for the conversion of
       sinners. Repentance! Repentance!"
          
9th  Apparition - Thurs, February 25, 1858
       Our Lady instructs Bernadette to wash herself and drink at the fountain. Looking about she finds no water, but at the direction of our Lady, Bernadette digs at the foot of the grotto and soon a small trickle of muddy water appears, she drinks and washes her face. By next day, an abundant spring of clear, fresh water appeared and which flows until today.

13th Apparition - Tues, March 2, 1858
        Our Lady confides instructions to Bernadette to have a chapel built at the spot which was relayed to parish priest. Priest asks for the Lady's name.

15th Apparition - Thurs, March 25, 1858             
                           (Feast of the Annunciation)
        Our Lady revealed her name, " I am the Immaculate Conception." Four years earlier, Pope Pius XI, declared the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception: that of all human beings that have ever lived, the Blessed Virgin was conceived without the stain of Original Sin.

18th Apparition - Fri, July 16, 1858
                 (Feast of our Lady of Mount Carmel)
Barred from the grotto by a fence erected by the authorities, Bernadette approaches from across the river and sees/talks with our Lady for the last time.

St. Bernadette is one of the "incorruptibles" in the communion of saints venerated in the Catholic Church.
Incorruptibles are saints whose bodies defied the natural laws of decomposition. This exclusive privilege is given to them after several verifiable exhumations which cover many years in the presence of church, medical and civil authorities.

In 1909, thirty years after her death, the body of St. Bernadette was first exhumed and found totally "incorrupt" although her rosary had oxidized.

On April 3, 1919, the second exhumation of the remains of St. Bernadette was made in the presence of the usual authorities. It was again found to show no sign of decomposition.

In 1925, the third exhumation of the body of St. Bernadette found it "incorrupt." Hence, it was placed  on a gold and silver reliquary where it presently lay at the Saint Gildard Convent in Nevers, France.

I have visited Nevers several times and the serene look of unfathomable peace on her face has always warmed my heart and made me wonder if such a state of "sans soucci" (without care) is ever possible in this present world. Also, what has captivated and even "puzzled" me through all these years were her hands which look as if they have just been manicured- cuticles pushed back and finger nails neatly filed. I have seen the hands of other declared "incorruptibles" as St. Vincent de Paul, St. Catherine Laboure, St. Jean Marie Vianney and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. All their hands appear like normal working hands that have been laid to rest.....until...

In September, 2009, my sister Beth, sister-in-law Nieves, cousin Tina, my "balae" Lily and her daughter-in -law, Edda, our friends, Pat and Violet and I went to Rome. Having been to the Eternal City before, our main purpose was to see the "incorrupt" body of St. Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo located in the southern part of Italy. The remains of St. Padre Pio was exhumed for the first time after forty years and was found to be "perfectly preserved" (language used by media). The Church allowed the public to view his well-preserved remains for one year after which it would again be buried until the second exhumation.

After a long wait in line to enter the chapel, we saw St. Padre Pio in the way he looked in pictures taken when he was alive, complete with beard and all. A guard kept order in the line and was vigilant in keeping it moving. Wanting to spend more time with Padre Pio, I boldly went direct to a vacant chair in the exclusive reserved area for dignitaries/special guests near the bier. I had a good "close-up" view and do you know what caught my attention? His hands! They looked as if they have just been manicured - cuticle pushed back and smooth edges. Even newspaper reports carried the "just-been-manicured" look of his hands, I learned later. I remembered St. Bernadette's hands! Also, I recalled,  that in one of my visits to St. Catherine Laboure (she was the one to whom our Lady appeared to give instructions for the Miraculous Medal in 140 rue de Bac in Paris), red streaks of blood had flowed and dried between her fingers though in previous visits there were none. 

Now, my thoughts often revert to the hands of the "incorruptibles" specially of St. Bernadette and St. Padre Pio. There must be something the Lord would like to convey about the hands - our hands. Could it be that He wants to call our attention to the corporal works of mercy, for which we are all called to do as children of God? And that these acts of mercy - feed the hungry, clothe the naked, rest for the weary, etc are made possible through our hands? What do you think?