MERIDEN, CT (02-11-2026) – On this date two years ago, Sister Bernadette Agustin entered novitiate and received her religious name commemorating St. Bernadette of Soubirous. Today, Sister Bernadette professed first vows during the Community Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. A young girl of 14 years, living in the village of Lourdes, France, Saint Bernadette received the gift of an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary on this date in 1858. The Blessed Virgin appeared to the youth seventeen more times. The place of the apparitions, Lourdes, has become an international shrine of prayer and healing. Our Lady of Lourdes affirmed the dogma of her Immaculate Conception during one of the apparitions.
With a prayerful and enthusiastic spirit, Sister Bernadette began the next step in religious formation with the profession of vows for three years. Mother Miriam Seiferman, FSE, Mother General, received the vows and confirmed Sister Bernadette’s readiness for this step. The Mass was celebrated by the Reverend Christopher Tiano, pastor of St. Paul VI parish, Hamden. Father Tiano blessed the medal of the Community and the new cincture of three knots presented to Sister by Mother Barbara Johnson, FSE, Vicar General. After receiving blessings from Mother Miriam, Mother Barbara, Mother Shaun Vergauwen FSE, co-foundress, and Father Tiano, the Community sang the blessing of St. Francis for the newly professed Sister.
Sister Bernadette has been serving Catholic students at the campus ministry of Quinnipiac University the past year. The university is within Father Tiano’s parish.
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