In November 1844, Louise burned herself and no longer able to feed Bernadette who had to be sent to a foster mother outside Lourdes in the village of Bartrès. Bernadette stayed there for about 18 months. The separation was not just painful; it was also expensive (5 francs per month). In April 1845, the first sorrow hit the Soubirous in the form of the death of their second child, Jean at the age of 2 months.
Then things began to go badly in the mill. François was a good man and was never in a hurry about being paid, especially by is poorer customers.

New events takes place in 1850 when the health of Bernadette worsens: she suffered from asthma as well as with her stomach and spleen. Then, the father of Bernadette injured in his left eye when it was struck by a chip that flew off while repairing a mill stone.
In 1854, when Bernadette was 10, the family had to move. Bernadette was forced to leave her "mill of happiness"

Furniture was transported to the Laborde house and her father starts to seek precarious work to provide food for his four children. From being a miller, François Soubirous becomes a manual worker. Louise also began working: housework, washing and agricultural work.

During the autumn of 1855, cholera struck Lourdes. Bernadette was not spared. Her delicate health since the age of six became worse and the asthma would always be with her.

The Time of Reflection

The first discovery of religion for Bernadette was in contemplation. She knew the Carmelite convent in Bagnères. In 1860-61 she spoke to her cousin about an order dedicated to St. Bernard. She wished to go there because they practised vigils, fasting, discipline, mortification… but Bernadette's health was an obstacle as well as her poverty because you to be requested to join.

In 1863, the Sisters at the Hospice began to look after the sick. This was a decisive experience. What she really appreciated about the Sisters of Nevers was their discretion towards her compared with other congregations that sought her. Later she said "I'm going to Nevers because they did not try to attract me". On 27th September 1863, Bernadette has an interesting conversation with Bishop Forcade of Nevers. During the following months, Bernadette developed her intentions on this new base.
On 4th April 1864, after Mass in the Hospice, Bernadette sought out the Mother superior, Sister Alexandrine Roques, and told her: "Now I know, dear Mother, where I must become a sister (…). With you, dear Mother."
From 4th October to 19th November 1864, Bernadette left on holidays without a reply to her request of previous 4th April. In Nevers, the Superior, Mother Josephine Imbert, hesitated. She was uneasy about the difficulties that the famous visionary would cause for the religious house that accepted her. Mother Marie-Therese Vauzou, the Mistress of Novices, was in favour. The bishop supported the request.
When she returned to on 19th November she received the good news that the response was favourable.
Her postulancy could begin. Bernadette delayed it from the beginning of December 1864 to the end of January 1865. Her convalescence was further set back by the death of her young brother Justin.

Bernadette began her postulancy in February 1865 and in April 1866 she requested to enter the Novitiate.

On 28th April 1866, she announced her departure. But Bishop Laurence wanted her present at the opening of the Crypt. Bernadette attended the celebration and took part in the first official procession in response to the request of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bernadette underwent the attention of the curious and finally, Bishop Laurence allowed her to depart.

On 3rd July 1866, the whole family were together for a final meal in the Lacadé Mill

Bernadette as seen by her contemporaries

Here is what contemporaries said about Bernadette:

1.) Marie Laguës, foster-mother of Bernadette.

• "As a baby, Bernadette was already very loveable, the neighbours loved to see her and to hold her in their arms."
• "You could not stop loving her enough, she was sweet and loveable."
• "Bernadette, in spite of the tiredness which was caused by her shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing, always appeared happy and cheerful. She never gave us any trouble, she took what she was given, and appeared happy. We loved her very much as well." (1857)

Portrait of Marie Laguës

2.) Bernarde Castérot, aunt and godmother of Bernadette.

• "Bernadette was always good natured, she was very docile; when scolded, she never retaliated."

3.) Abbé Pène, Curate, or Assistant Priest, of the Parish of Lourdes in 1858.

• Bernadette was small for her age, puny, slightly asthmatic, her face was round but regular, beautiful eyes. Her slim size would allow her to pass for a young girl about two or three years younger than she really was."
• " everything about Bernadette radiated naïvety, simplicity, goodness."

4.) Jean Barbet, teacher.

"Bernadette has difficulty to retain the Catechism word by word, because she cannot study, she does not know how to read, but she puts a lot of care into the appropriate meaning of the explanations. Besides, she is very attentive, above all very pious and modest

Her Time in Religious Life

From 4th to 7th July 1866 she travelled to Nevers. This was the first and last time that Bernadette took a train and left the Pyrenees.
After telling the story of the Apparitions Bernadette removes her bonnet and puts on the cape of a postulant. In this way she makes it clear that she had come there to "hide herself"
Bernadette was home sick. She would say, "This is the greatest sacrifice of my life". She overcame this uprooting with courage as well as humour. She also undertook this new stage without any looking back: "My mission in Lourdes is ended." "Lourdes is not heaven.

“Together with 42 other postulants, she took the religious habit on 29th July 1866, three weeks after her arrival. She was given the name Sister Marie-Bernarde.

In September 1866, her asthma became worse. In October 1866, her condition was deteriorating. Doctor Robert Saint-Cyr, the doctor to the community, said that she would not last the night. Mother Marie-Therese decided that Bernadette should make her profession "in danger of death". She survived the night.

In December 1866, she learned of the death of her mother at the age of 41.

On 2nd February 1867, Bernadette recovered and returned to the novitiate and she made her profession in the hands of Bishop Forcade on 30th October 1867. She committed herself to living a life of poverty, chastity obedience and charity. Each professed received a crucifix, a copy of the Constitutions and a letter of obedience and her work in the religious house. Bernadette was assigned to the mother-house as a nursing assistant.

In 1869, her health problems returned.

In March 1871, she learned of the death of her father.

From 1875 to 1878, her illness progressed. In this condition she made her final vows.

On 11th December 1878, she was finally confined to bed in the white chapel as she referred to her bed with its white curtains and she died on 16th April 1879. On 30th May 1879, her coffin was placed in the tomb of the Oratory of St. Joseph.

Other important dates:

• 1907: The opening of the process for Beatification completed in 1909.
• 1909: 22 September, the first exhumation of the body of Bernadette. The body is found completely intact.
• 1913: 13 August, Pope Pius X allows the introduction of the Cause for Beatification.
• 1919: 3 April: 2nd exhumation to identify the body.
• 1923: 18 November, Pius XI declares the heroic virtues of Bernadette.
• 1925: 18 April, 3rd exhumation. The body is still intact. 14th June, the Beatification of Bernadette, by Pope Pius XI in St. Peter's Rome. 18 July, the body of Bernadette is places in a shrine, her face and hands are covered with a light film of wax. 3rd August the shrine is transferred from the Novitiate to the Chapel of the Convent of Saint-Gildard.
• 1933: 8 December, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Bernadette is canonised by Pope Pius XI.
• 1958: The Centenary of the Apparitions in Lourdes. 4½ million pilgrims visit Lourdes.
• 1979: The Centenary of the death of St. Bernadette.

The Body of Bernadette

She died in great pain on 16th April 1879. She was buried in the convent garden. But 30 years after her death, the cause of the Beatification of Bernadette required that her body be exhumed.
When it was exhumed in September 1090, April 1919 and again in April 1925 it was found intact. Since 3rd August 1925 the body of Bernadette is preserved in a shrine in the chapel of what was known as the Convent of St. Gildard of Nevers. It is now known as "Espace Bernadette Soubirous – Nevers".

The body of Bernadette is, according to doctors, "mummified". Only a few relics have been removed. A very thin film of wax has been laid on her face and hands and moulded directly onto her features.

Coming to reflect before the body of Bernadette, the pilgrim sees, to-day, the face that 18 times looked on the Virgin Mary, the hands that, at the request of the Blessed Virgin, had scraped the ground and allowed the spring to flow at the back of the Grotto, the lips that related the words of the Immaculate Virgin and the Message of Lourdes.

The Beatification of Bernadette

On 2nd June 1925, in the Consistory Hall, Pope Pius XI declared that Bernadette could be declared Blessed.
On the morning of Sunday 14th. June, the feast of the Sacred Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, was vibrating with joy and glittering with light. Under the vaulted ceilings and the golden domes, a huge crowd was assembled around Mother Marie-Thérèse Bordenave, Superior General of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, and a large number of her Sisters.
After the text of the Beatification had been read, applause broke out everywhere; this was followed by the singing of the 'Te Deum' while the bells of St. Peter's rang out. At the same time a picture of Bernadette was unveiled showing the visionary of Lourdes being carried by the angels towards the Immaculate Virgin Mary standing there with outstretched arms. From that moment, Bernadette, proclaimed "Blessed", would have her own liturgical feast and her own office, wherever Rome allowed it. Her relics could be publicly displayed and venerated.
Kneeling in the Sanctuary, Pope Pius XI recollected himself. Someone walked towards him, as he ended his prayer - the youngest brother of Bernadette, Pierre Soubirous, came to offer to the Head of the Church a relic of his Blessed Godmother.
On the following 3rd. August, the remains of Bernadette were laid in the Sanctuary of the Chapel of Convent of St. Gildard at Nevers (France)


The Canonisation of Bernadette

On 8th. December 1933, Pope Pius XI solemnly reads the declaration of the Canonization of Bernadette:
"To the honour of the most Holy and Undivided Trinity, for the glory of the Catholic Faith, and the increase in the Christian Faith, by the authority of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and our own, after a lengthy deliberation calling often on divine help, the advice of our brother Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, the Patriarchs, the Archbishops and bishops, we declare and define Saint, the Blessed Marie-Bernard Soubirous, and we inscribe her in the Litany of the Saints, stating that her memory be piously celebrated in the Universal Church on 16th. April each year, the day of her heavenly birth. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Sprit. "

At the end of the Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Pius XI, the crowd spontaneously intoned the singing of the "Ave Maria" of Lourdes as it is sung in the Sanctuary of Lourdes