Does anyone like "The Song of Bernadette" (the novel)?

[RPRPsych]

I stumbled upon this book in my usual upside-down fashion: my family watched the movie, then my mother wanted a copy of the book, and then I mooched it off her and read it avidly.

I’d put it at the back of my mind until I stumbled upon an article (no, I’m not linking it here; there’s enough mean-spiritedness and pride in the world already) insinuating that a good Catholic parent shouldn’t give it to his children to read, because the author, Franz Werfel, never converted from Judaism to Christianity. (I suppose St. Paul was being a bad spiritual father, quoting all those Greek poets. ) That brought it back to my memory.

Anyway: I loved the book, and thought it was vastly superior to the movie. Any fellow fans? Anyone ready to offer an apologia pro Franz Werfel? All thoughts are welcome.

 

[Dorothy]

I remember reading it when I was a teenager, and I liked it very much. I also remember thinking that the author, Franz Werfel, did a very nice thing by promising to write about Bernadette if he got out okay from a certain situation. He was aware that something very spiritual was happening at Lourdes.

I don’t remember the situation, a war I believe?

I thought it was very nice of him to keep his promise and write a book about it. We don’t know why he did not convert, perhaps he wasn’t given the gift of faith for the Church.

 

[EthelG]

I do have that book, and love it. :yup: While I haven’t seen the article you mentioned (and even tried “Googling” it just now), whoever wrote it apparently doesn’t have all the facts about F. Werfel.

The only thing “wrong” (if one could call it that) with both the novel and the movie is there was some dramatic license—based at least in part on stories told to Mr. Werfel by people living in Lourdes, where he and his wife had sought shelter from the Nazis. But then, many stories of the saints were filled with legends, which only sometimes gelled with the actual truth. Also, the film,“The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima” (1952)—though a beautiful movie, in fact— had quite a lot of drama (and in some moments, outright fiction) itself. Yet, as with Werfel’s novel on St. Bernadette, ***the most important details and truths were laid out.

---

(Incidentally, I have that movie about Fatima and the actual stories to thank for my love for the Catholic Faith…and my eventual conversion to it nearly 25 years ago!! :extrahappy: So obviously that movie did some good. )

The best apologetics I could give are these articles here, which only seem to put both the author and the book in a positive light.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_Bernadette_%28novel%29

ignatiusinsight.com/features2006/fwerfel_prefacesofb_dec06.asp

catholicism.org/more-facts-on-conversion-of-franz-werfel-author-of-song-of-bernadette.html

As for its suitability for children, it is admittedly heavy reading, and might be better recommended for early teens and up.

Anyway, hope this helps! God Bless U!

 

[7_Sorrows]

I remember reading it when I was a teenager, and I liked it very much. I also remember thinking that the author, Franz Werfel, did a very nice thing by promising to write about Bernadette if he got out okay from a certain situation. He was aware that something very spiritual was happening at Lourdes.

I don’t remember the situation, a war I believe?

I thought it was very nice of him to keep his promise and write a book about it. We don’t know why he did not convert, perhaps he wasn’t given the gift of faith for the Church.

those are my feelings about the author too. he made a promise and kept it and he must have been affected spiritually.

 

[RPRPsych]

Thanks a lot for all your replies! I feel much the same way about the book. As for a little poetic license, there’s nothing wrong with it as long as the main facts aren’t tampered with. (And yes, it isn’t a book for younger children. )

God bless you all, too.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I haven’t finished it yet. I will have to restart it since I started it last year.

 

[Kay_Cee]

I got a hardback copy years ago on eBay, but it seems to have disappeared somewhere in the house. I should probably go looking for it.