ST. BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS

St. Bernadette Soubirous, was a simple peasent girl, nothing extraordinary about her.  To her our Blessed Mother appears, with the message to "pray and do penance".  It's a bit ironic to me that her feast day falls a day after the ruling by a Wisconsin Judge that ends the custom of a "National Day of Prayer."  Started in the 1950's and set as the first Thursday in May in the late 1980's.  The judge is very clear to state that there is nothing wrong with people gathering prayer, the problem comes in the government sponsoring it. Many of the original settlers of this country came fleeing religious persecution.  People wanted the freedom to practice any religion they desired.  Prayer is not a 'national event' but a personal one that takes place between the individual and God.  St. Bernadette did not say that Mary's message was for the nation, rather for individual, perhaps it is time for us to look at positive things we can do to change society, instead of finding fault in others.