Wisdom and Wonder · Week 3 · Grades 6–8
Guided Notes: St. Bernadette Soubirous
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
St. Bernadette Soubirous
At the bottom of the ladder
Bernadette Soubirous was born on January 7, 1844, in blank 1, a town in the Pyrenees mountains of France. Her father was a miller who lost his mill. The family ended up in a single damp room that had been the town jail.
Bernadette had severe asthma. She spoke the local dialect rather than standard blank 2. At 14 she could not read or write and had not yet made her First Communion.
In the eyes of her town, she had no money, no schooling and no blank 3.
Bernadette’s life
Write what happened in each year.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1844 | Write your answer |
| 1854 | Write your answer |
| 1858 | Write your answer |
| 1862 | Write your answer |
| 1866 | Write your answer |
| 1879 | Write your answer |
| 1933 | Write your answer |
Check the facts
Why were many people in Lourdes slow to believe Bernadette? Circle one.
- A She was poor, sickly and had no schooling
- B She had been caught lying many times
- C She refused to answer any questions
- D She was a stranger new to the town
Why is that the right answer?
Under pressure
On February 11, blank 4, while gathering firewood, Bernadette saw a Lady in white at the grotto of Massabielle. The Lady asked her to return. Crowds grew into the thousands, though only Bernadette saw her.
The police blank 5 questioned Bernadette and tried to catch her in a mistake. Her parish priest, Father Peyramale, was doubtful too. He told her to ask the Lady’s name.
On March blank 6 the Lady answered, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Bernadette did not understand the words. She repeated them all the way to the priest so she would not forget.
Why it mattered
Why did the Lady’s name make Father Peyramale take Bernadette seriously? Circle one.
- A It was a name he had told her to say
- B It was written on the wall of the grotto
- C It was a teaching she was unlikely to know
- D It matched a dream he had the night before
Why is that the right answer?
Witness or performer?
Bernadette reported what she saw and refused gifts and attention. Sort each action: is it honest witness, or chasing attention? Check one box for each.
| Item | Honest witness | Chasing attention |
|---|---|---|
| Telling a story the same way no matter who is listening | ||
| Exaggerating a post so more people will share it | ||
| Turning down a reward for doing the right thing | ||
| Filming someone’s bad moment to get views | ||
| Admitting which parts you do not understand | ||
| Deleting a true post because it got few likes | ||
| Editing a clip so it seems to show something it does not | ||
| Sharing good news without making it about yourself |
Choosing to be hidden
Visitors came to stare at Bernadette and ask the same blank 7 again and again. She did not enjoy the attention.
In 1866 she left Lourdes for good and joined the Sisters of Charity at blank 8. There she worked in the infirmary, caring for sick sisters, and in the sacristy, preparing the chapel for Mass.
Her own health was poor for years. She died on April 16, 1879, at age 35. She never went back to see the great church built at the blank 9.
Think it through
What did Bernadette do once the apparitions were approved and she was famous? Circle one.
- A She led pilgrims around the grotto
- B She wrote books about her visions
- C She raised money for her family
- D She entered a convent far from Lourdes
Why is that the right answer?
Virtues Bernadette lived
For each virtue, write how the saint lived it.
| Virtue | How the saint lived it |
|---|---|
| Honesty | Write your answer |
| Humility | Write your answer |
| Prayerfulness | Write your answer |
Talk it over
Bernadette told the truth to people who doubted her, and she did not need them to applaud. Online, people often shape what they say to get a reaction. How can you tell when you are sharing the truth and when you are performing for attention?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “I can tell I am performing when ...”“Bernadette’s choice to refuse gifts shows ...”“One way to stay honest online is ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
Lord Jesus, you chose a poor girl to carry a message of prayer.
Give us honest words and quiet hearts.
Mary, our mother, pray for us.
St. Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Bernadette had no status and no schooling, and her honest witness still reaches millions of people. Her feast day is April 16.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
How could the example of St. Bernadette Soubirous shape the way I live, online and offline?
Challenge: This week, tell one true thing that is hard to say, and keep ten minutes a day free of screens for prayer.