Bernadette and Veronica on Pilgrimage to Lourdes, France

(Pic at the top taken in 1999, the one at the bottom one year after her death - courtesy of Les Soeurs des Nevers, France)

I don't think I need to explain who St. Bernadette Soubirous was (1844-1879). Her life is known to almost every soul in the world. We all have heard about the miracles that happened in Lourdes, events that were too difficult or completely impossible to explain both by the scientific world and the Vatican. Not even so-called spontaneous recoveries were possible in some of these cases. But, really, who would care what doctors or priests or even the Pope had to say about this, when you all of a sudden discovered that your cancer was gone, that you could walk, that your speech came back, that you could see with retina's so destroyed that it never would be possible to use them ever again....and all of a sudden you saw the statue of St. Bernadette as clear as normal in that beautiful chapel, lit by 1000's of candles....

And really, wouldn't St. Bernadette listen to the prayers of her name-child accompanied by the girl whose name goes all the way back to Jesus' crucifixion, the woman who cleaned the face of the Lord on his difficult road to our Salvation?

Let's all pray and ask St. Bernadette to do what She thinks is best for Bernadette. And my daughter, your mother couldn't have chosen a better companion on this emotional and yes even joyful road to Lourdes, thank you for that gesture....Sebastiaan and me are with the 2 of you in our hearts and thoughts...