15 Days of Prayer With Saint Bernadette of Lourdes (Paperback)

~ Francois Vayne (Author)
Key Phrases: Holy Spirit, Saint Joseph, Immaculate Conception (more...)

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Product Description

15 Days of Prayer Collection Now distributed by New City Press, this popular series is perfect for those looking for an introduction to a particular spiritual guide, those searching for gift ideas and those who merely wish to know more about the person and his or her spirituality. Additional volume planned in 2 to 3 months intervals. Each volume contains A brief biography of the saint or spiritual leader introduced in that volume A guide to creating a format for prayer and retreat 15 meditation sessions with focus points and reflection guides This volume, 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, will lead you, over fifteen prayer periods based on Marys visits to Bernadette, to a place of prayer where a stronger relationship with God is possible. Follow the footsteps of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. Born into a humble family which fell into extreme poverty, Saint Bernadette of Lourdes was only fourteen when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to her for the first of eighteen visits near Lourdes, in southern France. A woman of faith, purity and innocence, Saint Bernadette maintained a state of childlike innocence throughout her short life and believed that God is Love and that he never stops calling us from our sin. Pray for the sinners. An obedient and humble girl, Bernadette was asked by Mary to pray for the sinners. She heeded the Blessed Virgins words and lived a life of humility and sacrifice. Although Bernadette endured the painful disease of tuberculosis of the bone, she served a faithful life as a Sister of Notre Dame until her death in 1879. Throngs of spiritual pilgrims still visit her incorrupt body and seek her powerful assistance in heaven. Enjoy your time with Saint Bernadette of Lourdes and be prepared to be surprised as you journey with one of the most engaging spiritual figures of our time.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: New City Press; 1 edition (March 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764804936
• ISBN-13: 978-0764804939
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,224,028 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bernadette as a model for prayer, March 27, 2009

By	Carol Blank (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Bernadette of Lourdes (Paperback)

Author Francois Vayne combines Bernadette's words and actions with her own reflections and prayers in this new entry in the "15 Days of Prayer with..." series. Vayne reports that while writing the book she realized that she was dwelling in "an abyss of poverty" because she did not know how to pray. Throughout she reflects on her journey into prayer and addresses frequent prayers to Bernadette and to Our Lady of Lourdes. This aspect of Vayne's work is extremely valuable for those who struggle with prayer in the modern world.

When writing of Bernadette's sorrow over the absence of apparitions on Mondays and Fridays, Vayne reminds us that the Lord doesn't always appear when we await him, yet "Christ is closer to us than ever in these moments of seeming absence." The "empty" days, she writes, give us an opportunity to show faithfulness. After describing an apparition in which Mary called for penitence, Vayne asks a series of questions of herself on the subject. She observes that "penitence is not so much deprivation as it is movement of love which is always renewing itself." The story of Mary's final appearance to Bernadette describes unfavorable conditions. Vayne writes of obstacles that threaten her relationship with God, "But I learn how to pray in all conditions, in the subway and on the bus, for example, by contemplating on the faces which become like living icons to me."

These personal practices related to the story of Lourdes make 15 Days of Prayer with Saint Bernadette an excellent resource. Each chapter begins with a focus statement and ends with reflection questions especially useful in a small group setting.