Visiting with a Saint

 by Rev. Kerry Chinn

The year was 1999 and I was traveling to Europe with the late Ron Roth, his assistant Paul Funfsinn plus around 30 Celebrating Life Ministry members. This was a special journey, we were traveling to various sacred sites within Italy, the Czech Republic and France to visit various saints; like Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Claire of Assisi, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Saint Bernadette Soubirous and other lesser known spiritual figures. I was not raised Catholic, so while I had heard of many of these saints in actuality I knew very little about them or the lives they had lead.

We arrived in the town of Nevers in Central France, located about 150 miles south of Paris. In this quaint town our plan was to visit the Chapel of Saint Gidard at the Sisters of Charity where Ron was given permission to hold a special healing service, and where we could then visit the 120 year old body of Saint Bernadette. Like a few other saints she has what is called an incorruptible body, one that hardly decays (she looks so real, as if simply sleeping). I was to later learn that people came from around the world to visit and be in her presence as we were doing that day.

We gathered in a small room where Ron presided over a healing service. Once he was done I went to sit by myself on a nearby bench, and while on that bench Saint Bernadette began to talk to me. Telepathically. Her manner of speech was calm and natural. It had none of the overtones one might think of when conversing with a saint, the need to be formal and pious. Rather, it was like talking to a good friend, in this case a friend I did not know but one who certainly knew me. At first I did not know how to address her so I called her Saint Bernadette, because I had never talked to a saint before. But she politely corrected me and said “no, no” as if that was too lofty of a title. She said to simply call her “Sister,” and so I did.

What I remember of our conversation was her humility and deep desire to help in any way possible. She had no demands, nothing I had to do or say to be granted her favor. She was entirely accepting of me as I was and she only wanted to help, to be of assistance with anything I asked for. In this her love was unconditional and because of this it was very powerful. I could feel the essence of Love pour forth from her Spirit, a Love we don’t often experience here on earth. But within her presence, it was natural, abundant and it felt so very, very good.

Later that day I was speaking to a few other members of Ron’s traveling group and to my amazement several of them said that Sister Bernadette had come and spoken to them too! Looking back on it now of course it makes sense that a saint can speak to multiple people at the same time, but back then it came as a bit of a surprise. The Light of her presence had shared a gift with many of us in that small town. To this day I keep a medallion of “Sister” Bernadette, and I often call upon her to help heal and give favor to the clients I work with, as well as my friends and family. Having the first-hand experience of having spoken directly to her, I know she would be more than willing to do the same for you.

Note: Saint Bernadette, or Sister, was born an uneducated peasant girl. As a child she had a vision of the Mother Mary and was told to drink the ground water near a town called Lourdes. When she did the water became clear and abundant, with inherent healing properties. Since that time over 170 years ago millions of pilgrims world over have come to visit Lourdes and to partake in the healing waters offered there. Many have received miraculous healings, which continue to this day.