Saint Bernadette relic
The Father Peyton Center
Official Regional Host Site in the New England area
Convenient Location | FREE Parking
Who is Bernadette ?
In the early 1850s, shortly before the apparitions, Lourdes was a modest town with a population of 4,135; a passageway for travelers on their way to the surrounding spa towns.
Marie Bernarde Soubirous (Bernadette) was born on January 7 of 1844. Her family lived a very simple life working at the Boly Mill, East of the town, for decades. Her parents endured several financial hardships due to competition from new steam-powered technology and to illness and death in the family.
Unable to pay the rent, her parents were forced to leave the Boly Mill. Bernadette was 10 years old. Their life of poverty continued to worsen and, three years later, they had to move into the Cachot, the punishment cell of a disused prison; a filthy hole that a cousin lent them out of kindness.
In order to help her family make ends meet Bernadette looked after her siblings while her parents worked. She also collected wood and scrap iron to sell in the market and helped in her aunt’s tavern.
A few months into living in the Cachot life for the Soubirous family was made even more difficult. Bernadette’s father, François Soubirous, was accused of stealing from the bakery. He was arrested, imprisoned and then released a week later due to lack of evidence. Reduced from master-miller to day laborer, Bernadette’s father sent her to work as a farm-girl in the nearby village of Bartrès in the care of family friend Marie Lagües as to make “one less mouth to feed”.
On the farm Bernadette minded the sheep and did the household chores during the day. In the evening Marie Lagües tried to teach her the catechism. Bernadette, who spoke only the local dialect, simply could not remember the answers she had to make in French. More often than not these lessons ended in shouting and tears.
After less than a year at the farm, Bernadette convinced her father to allow her to return to Lourdes. On January 21st of 1858 she began attending the paupers’ class at the hospice run by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers.
Embrace the Faith
Saints are above all witnesses of Faith.
Kissing or touching a reliquary is not magic, but a gesture of attachment to that Faith. It is an act of belonging to the people of God. We put ourselves in the footsteps of that Saint, a seeker of God who has given an example that inspires us to follow his or her spiritual journey.
Relics are “remains” of someone who truly existed. We are not simply in front of a symbol or an image, but in front of a reminder that from the day of our baptism, we Christians have become a temple of the Holy Spirit, inhabited by God.
The veneration of a relic is not a question of attaching undue importance to the physical material, but to what it represents. The worship of saints must be subordinate to their prayer and their example, so that they intercede with God on our behalf.
Moreover, the reliquary is in no way a monstrance or a tabernacle and it is not placed on, but next to or near the altar, so that it becomes unambiguous that the saint we venerate is a relay of our prayer to the Father.
Join us! St. Bernadette Relic National Pilgrimage
Tuesday, November 3 & Wednesday, November 4, 2026
The Father Peyton Center
Official Regional Host Site in the New England area
Convenient Location | FREE Parking
November 3, 2026 — Daytime Schedule
10:00 am
Relic Arrival at The Father Peyton Center, Relic Veneration
4:30 pm
Transfer of Relic to St. Joseph Chapel and Praying of the Holy Rosary
November 3, 2026 — Evening Schedule
5:00 pm
Holy Mass with Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha, Bishop of Fall River
St. Joseph Chapel, 500 Washington St., N. Easton, MA — just next door
6:00 pm
Public Relic Veneration • Lourdes Water Blessing • Anointing of the Sick
St. Joseph Chapel, 500 Washington St., N. Easton, MA — just next door
7:00 pm
Candlelight Relic Procession to Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
Please bring your umbrella if rain is in the forecast.
St. Bernadette Relic returns to the Father Peyton Center; evening veneration concludes.
November 4, 2026 — Daytime Schedule
10:00 am
Doors Open at The Father Peyton Center, Relic Veneration
1:00 pm
Relic Departure
Location & Parking
The Father Peyton Center
518 Washington Street, North Easton, MA
Parking: Free, convenient parking behind The Father Peyton Center.
Registration is NOT necessary.
Early arrival highly recommended for the evening of Tuesday, November 3rd.
Space will be limited.
Questions?
Contact Amy: mission@hcfm.org
508-238-4095
FAQs
LOCATION: Where is The Father Peyton Center located?
- The Father Peyton Center’s address is 518 Washington Street, N. Easton, MA.
- We are situated on 8 rural acres of beautiful land, nestled between My Brother’s Keeper and Stonehill College. Our property is easy to reach, with convenient parking.
PARKING: Where do we park when we arrive, and is the property handicap accessible?
- Parking at The Peyton Center is free and convenient. The large parking lot is in the back of the Center. Parking Attendants will direct you upon arrival.
DROP-IN EVENT: If I can only come to a certain part of the program, is that ok?
- Yes, come for whatever part of the event that fits your schedule.
- We ask that you please still register for the event and present your ticket upon entry.
DONATION: Is it expected/required to offer a donation if I attend?
- No, it is not expected or required to offer a donation. We seek to make our events affordable for families and all guests. We are blessed to welcome you as our guests.
- If you are inclined to offer a donation of any amount, it is always warmly welcome.
RESTROOMS: Are there restrooms readily available?
- Yes, we have conventional restrooms inside the Peyton Center. Additionally, there will be porta-potties available outside.
WHAT ABOUT RAIN? If it rains, will this event still happen?
- Yes, this event is a “rain-or-shine event.” We’ve got this!
- Parking will remain at The Father Peyton Center.
Who is Venerable Patrick Peyton?
Father Peyton is known to many of us as a beloved figure: he was a remarkable evangelist, a champion for families, a warrior for prayer, a tireless devotee of Our Blessed Mother, and most importantly, a faithful priest of Jesus Christ whose entire life was a hymn of praise to the Lord. Father Peyton devoted his life to promoting the dignity of families and the power of prayer, never ceasing to remind the world that “The family that prays together stays together” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace.” He famously said, “God gave me the fire in 1942,” that is, the fire to proclaim anew the gospel to families. Today, this fire is still burning brightly – and spreading throughout the world – through the work of Holy Cross Family Ministries. With 29 ministry centers in 18 countries, Holy Cross Family Ministries has brought the mission of Venerable Patrick Peyton into the 21st century.
The Father Peyton Center
The Father Peyton Center, set on 8 acres of beautiful land, welcomes you and your family to learn more about Father Peyton in the Museum of Prayer and set aside time to be spiritually recharged. You’re invited to honor this giant of our Faith, pray the Rosary on our peaceful Rosary Path, offer your prayers at the Lourdes Grotto, and pray at the tomb side of Venerable Patrick Peyton, right here at the Peyton Center.
