A Holy Life: St. Bernadette of Lourdes

by Patricia A. McEachern

While the story of the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes in 1858 are well known, relatively few people are familiar with the saint's own spiritual insights and profound holiness.  For the first time in English,  this book presents a wide selection of St. Bernadette's thoughts, advice, sayings, and prayers through the touching words of her spiritual diary, notes, and letters to friends and family. After receiving the visions of Our Lady at the grotto in Lourdes, Bernadette eventually became a religious sister as a member of the Sisters of Charity. She lived a life of simplicity, charity, suffering and deep holiness, dying at the age of 35. When she was canonized a saint, her body was found to be incorrupt. In these beautiful writings of St. Bernadette, we learn the secrets of her holiness and happiness. Though she suffered greatly throughout her life, the heroic response of this humble, self-effacing nun transformed excruciating suffering into spiritual fruitfulness. Her letters and writings serve as a model for others passing through their own trials. Her writings reveal and intimate and profound love for God and neighbor. Anyone pursuing a deeper spiritual life will appreciate knowing Bernadette as she truly was, and the inspiring spiritual works of wisdom she offers to us all.

Genres: Catholic, Biography, Spirituality, Religion, Christian, Faith, Historical

200 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2005

Reviews

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, brief, book with all of Bernadette's writings (journals/letters) and minor explanatory notes.

The only problem with this one is that the author jumps back and forth in time in her explanatory paragraphs, so that you get the impression that so and so died in one year, but you find out later as you progress chronologically through Bernadette's letters that said person didn't die until some years later. Thus, there's room for a bit of confusion. Still, it's a wonderful little book to get you acquainted with the visionary of Lourdes.

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception pray for us!

[Susannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love this book. It's tough to find a great bio of a great saint that delves into their spiritual life. Especially when you have a well-beloved saint like St. Bernadette, most of the books out there are about the apparitions, which is all fine and good. But I'm always on the hunt for a peek under the hood of how these graced individuals toil day in and day out with their spiritual struggles, so that easily distracted poor souls like me can hope to persevere in cooperating with God's grace. I never tire of reading about the mundane and boring stretched out into years of the hidden quiet life of the saints. I guess I need to be reminded often that that's where God thrives in true humility.

It blows my mind how even Bernadette's own family didn't correspond with her. The saint would beg and plead for news and responses from the family, while she sacrificed incessantly from the sick ward in the cloister. It helps me remember that sometimes the person you undervalue are the shining beacons in God's estimation.

I'm chalking this title as another book I'll need to read each decade to hope to go deeper into her heart!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernadette, at the time of her visions at Lourdes, was illiterate. She learned to read and write a few years later, and the writings she left amount to drafts of letters and the kinds of things a saint would jot down on cocktail napkins, if ever a saint was stuck in a bar. This was a fascinating read, especially the second Chapter, which is a "tiny anthology" of a slim notebook Bernadette kept. Some of the passages are not original (and often misquoted in interesting ways) and others are her own ruminations and saintly yearnings. She is obsessed with the crucified Christ and desires for him to make her his mystical bride. She believes that the more she suffers, the more Christ will love her. There are many amazing poetic quotes here. Before I read this, I assumed that Bernadette was like the Amelie of saints, kind of simpleminded and wide-eyed and cutesy. But I see now that I was blinded by Jennifer Jones from the 1943 movie and the actual Bernadette was a much dourer beast.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

St. Bernadette's journal and letters...books like this always make me feel like something's lacking. I want to here what the people who wrote to her said as well, but they're not saints so they don't make it in the book...

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

St. Bernadette has been one of my favorite saints since I was a little girl. I have read quite a few book about her, including (twice) The Song of Bernadette. I have been to Lourdes twice. This book, which includes letters written by Bernadette after she enters the convent at Nevers, and they all touched my heart. She was a simple, humble peasant girl, and cared so much for her family. I loved reading her words. St. Bernadette, pray for us!

[Janet Noonan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it 4 stars because it has the words of St Bernadette but this is not a book you will read cover to cover. It’s more of a few pages at a time to reflect on and draw you into a closer relationship with both Mary and Bernadette

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have heard St. Bernadette's name countless times, I did not know much about the saint. This book was a wonderful delve in to her life. Grateful for the collection of all her letters to learn more about her.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was EXCELLENT. I love reading any book about Saint Bernadette as I chose her for my Confirmation name and saint.

[LindaL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched.

[Catherine Corman · Rating 5 out of 5]

may I soar at last, may I take flight

-St. Bernadette

[John Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, inspirational read. I went on a saint kick for awhile, reading the works of or about saints. St. Bernadette of Lourdes is perhaps my favorite.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

So inspiring! Her sweet personality and thirst for living a holy
life really comes through in her writings.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, clear and an example of how to live. The author does a nice job of arranging and providing insights into the writings of St. Bernadette.

[Augustine Kobayashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only if there are fewer typos....

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is composed of actual letters written by St. Bernadette, interspersed with events surrounding the saint by the author. Love reading the very human side of a saint.

[Yuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I WAS LOOKING FOR THIS BOOK TOO...
I'M SO GLAD TO FOUND IT HERE....^_^

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Stunning simplicity!