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On January 18th, 1862, after four years of investigation, Msgr. Laurence published the pastoral letter giving official recognition of the apparitions and declaring the seven healings that had occurred between March and November to be miraculous. But Bernadette's health was failing. On April 28th, she was so ill that she was given the Extreme Unction but, happily, she made a speedy recovery. On April 4th, 1864, she was too ill to attend Lourdes' first great procession, when Msgr. Laurence blessed the statue in the Grotto. That same day, she decided to join the Sisters of Nevers. In April 1866, she was accepted as a novice. On May 21st, she attended the inauguration of the Crypt. |
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| She arrived at Saint Gildard's Convent in Nevers, on Saturday, July 7th, 1866. On Sunday afternoon, the Mother Superior had her tell the whole community about the apparitions "once and for all". Her story told for the last time, Bernadette entered into silence and began her training. On July 29th, she donned her nun's habit and was given her new name - Sister Marie-Bernard. She took her vows a first time, at death's door, on October 25th, 1866, and renewed them, in better health, on October 30th, 1867. In 1873, she took to her bed and received the Extreme Unction for the third time. Then, recovering once again, she returned to nursing. Soon, however, ill health began to get the better of her. In 1875, she was admitted to the infirmary as a terminally ill patient. |
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| On March 28th, 1879, her condition worsened. Offered the Extreme Unction, she refused. A short period of remission ensued but, on Wednesday, April 16th, her spirit slipped away and Bernadette died. Beatified in 1925, she was eventually canonised by Pope Pius XI in 1933. |
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