St. Bernadette, Patron Saint of Illness and Poverty
St. Bernadette was a poor French child who had the great privilege of seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary appeared to Bernadette in the grotto of Massabielle sixteen times, beginning in 1858. Following the apparitions, Bernadette became a nun. However, she suffered extremely poor health, and died fairly young. Today, Lourdes, France is one of the most popular Catholic pilgrimage sites due to the Marian apparitions.
