Testimonies

My professional work is in the field of culture, so for the first time I found myself behind a mixing table and a computer to project pictures, start up videos and music as well as managing the lighting. I was in the dark facilitating an encounter between Bernadette and the people present.
In the dark …at the service of… connected to Bernadette.
Every evening that wonderful phrase projected on to the screen moved me deeply. The grace of Nevers, to see is an art and in this area Bernadette is an artist. In Nevers, Bernadette teaches me to see, to see my town as a place where God is at work, where the spirit moves within and outside churches. Among Christians and others, where the human adventure is possible, on our feet to build a better world!

Denis

Encounter with Saint Bernadette

It is true to say that we knew Saint Bernadette…from a distance, as neighbours, when we came to see the Sisters at Espace Bernadette. Then almost by chance it was suggested to us that we might like to work with other volunteers, speaking a text, the voice… in view of a presentation of “Letters to Saint Bernadette”. Ladies’ voices only were preferred to highlight the voice of one lady, that of Saint Bernadette..

Christine : “I set out for an adventure…a rich experience enabled me to discover Bernadette’s faith. A Saint it was obvious but also mischievous, humble and above all overflowing with the love of God.
Transformed into a reader for an hour, it was every time, a veritable meditation for me, “a time of prayer”, in my very busy life!”

Gilles : “Love without limit” was the message I got every time I looked after the technical side – lighting and video, for the “Letters of Bernadette”. Every evening from my discreet post I was aware of the unity that had developed between the Reader – a different one every time – the people in the room (of every age and situation), and Bernadette whose messages are still so relevant today. I have to admit that from time to time a phrase, a testimony or a piece of music made me close my eyes and pray. Happiness! We were happy to share in finding out about Saint Bernadette, something new every evening. We thanked Sylvia and Philip the directors for their skill in putting across the message of Saint Bernadette so accurately and lovingly.
Christine and Gilles

An exchange between a reader and an artistic director of the presentation

Denise
I read twice and each time there was a very good reaction from the audience. I found that reading in reality was very different from the rehearsals. I was keenly aware of the audience and I read with the desire and in such a way that they would hear and feel something from what was said.

Reading was very different from “the walk in the footsteps of Bernadette… To read it seems to me is to be at the service of the text, to make sure that it is heard and felt, while remaining in the background in the accompaniment of “the walk” was different, something of my own experience was perceptible…..

Sylvie
Yes, what you had to say about the reading is right and I found it moving. In any case I saw it like that too and I am delighted that from the first reading you appreciated the particular situation of the reader in relation to the text and their responsibility as a carrier. In a spiritual context I would have said that the responsibility is enriched by this particular dimension of spirituality and I had to admit that prayer helped me a lot in my work. This was the dimension that I found and liked in “the letters to Bernadette” in relation to other plays that I have done.