ame ▁C emetery , ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁south ▁end . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁dioc ese ▁announced ▁that ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁de ▁L our des ▁parish ▁would ▁be ▁mer ging ▁with ▁nearby ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception ▁parish , ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁combined ▁parish ▁renamed ▁Saint ▁Bern ad ette ▁Par ish . ▁ ▁This ▁name ▁gives ▁a ▁connection ▁to ▁both ▁par ishes ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁Saint ▁Bern ad ette ▁who ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁witness ed ▁the ▁appar ition ▁of ▁the ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception ▁( the ▁Virgin ▁Mary ) ▁at ▁L our des , ▁France . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁de ▁L our des ▁parish ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁July , ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁and ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁appar itions ▁of ▁the ▁B less ed ▁Virgin ▁Mary ▁at ▁L our des , ▁France . ▁The ▁first ▁past or ▁of ▁the ▁parish ▁was ▁Rev . ▁Pierre ▁Jean - B apt iste ▁Bed ard , ▁from ▁Montreal . ▁The ▁new ▁parish ▁included ▁about ▁ 2 5 0 ▁French - Can ad ian ▁families ▁and ▁about ▁ 4 0 ▁Irish ▁families , ▁who ▁settled ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁newly ▁established ▁cot ton ▁mill s ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁east ▁end ▁of ▁Fall ▁River . ▁The ▁church ▁has ▁been ▁through ▁three ▁buildings ▁in ▁its ▁ 1 4 4 ▁year ▁history . ▁ ▁The ▁First ▁Church ▁ 1 8 7 4 - 1 8 9 3 ▁ ▁The ▁Par ish