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Lourdes Blog
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The Long Journey Home

Quickly: we all got up early on Tuesday anddheaded to the airport in Lourdes for what turned into an eight hour party and prayer meeting. And I mean both in the best ways. It was a great time to share our experiences and pray the Rosary together. A few may have gotten a minute or two of sleep.

And then we were home. No more ‘Aves’ or processions. No more uniforms or name-tags. The end of the Pilgrimage is always a shock – but it is true goal of any pilgrimage.

Sure we ‘go on pilgrimage’ to a shrine, but being in the shrine is not the end-point. The end-point is the moment we open the front door of home. All the graces and promises made in a holy place have a singular purpose of living life outside of the holy place. In other words, a place of pilgrimage is really a rest stop on a far more enduring path. In a highly mobile society, we often forget this because every Catholic makes (or should) a weekly pilgrimage to what the Church calls “the source and summit” of the Christian life. Like Lourdes, we take all our needs, hopes, contritions, and thanksgiving to the Sunday Mass and offering them, we receive the grace to keep going.

A pilgrimage like ours in Lourdes was an intense experience of what should be the norm. The care and charity of the Members of Malta is an incarnation of the communion we hold as members of the Body of Christ. The fervor of our Grotto Prayer is a focus of the continuous chorus of praise offered each day by the Faithful. The refreshment of the waters is a highlighted parallel of those little Holy Water stoops at the entrance to our local parish. Yes, Lourdes is unique, but not isolated.

So the one summery point I can make is this: the Pilgrimage has not ended. I discovered that personally since my first experience of Massabielle. It is hard for me to hear the chirping of birds without thinking of the Grotto. Just a personal expression and impression, I know, by every pilgrim comes away with a grace. This is one of many that because of the opportunities given me by the Order of Malta, I have taken on my own personal journey. Yours will be there and as real.

Despite my meager efforts here, I hope this blog has allowed you to reflect on this wonderful event. I hope, in particular, that the Malades in Spirit found a comfort and a grace in their union with those who made the physical trip to Lourdes. We have all sung the ‘Ave’ on a pilgrimage that continues.

As St. Augustine wrote:

Sing, but keep going. What do I mean by keep going? Keep on making progress. This progress must be in virtue; for there are some, the Apostle warns, whose only progress is in vice. If you make progress, you will be continuing your journey, but be sure that your progress is in virtue, true faith, and right living. Sing then — but keep going.

(St. Augustine: Sermo 256, I.2.3.: PL 38, 1191-1193)

Closing Festivities

Thank God He does not keep His promises like I do! A million apologies for the inconsistency of this blog.

When I was coming to the end of College, I participated in the festivities of ‘Senior Week’ which remain some of my fondest and happiest of memories. It was an attempt to sum up (in the usual activities of college students) the years past. It was emotional and powerful.

Our last night in Lourdes was something more. Yes, we honored and thanked those who worked so hard on this and the other pilgrimages and did so gladly. Yes, we crammed into the dining room of the D’Estaing because that would be the final moment we were physically in the same situation. But I believe there was something profound in our common reflection that was imbued with the Spirit of God.

I would not dare to attempt to list the specifics in some attempt to recreate it. I don’t think that is advisable or possible because, as the Oracle said to Neo, “what is given is given for you and you alone.” What we heard and perceived was the power of faith in two very different pilgrims who found a common grace in the Presence of God. We heard and sang songs drenched with the nearness of the One who inspired them. We left to begin the next - not the last – stage.

Going back to the hotel on the quiet street by River Gave, I noticed the town had emptied a bit as the weekenders from all over Europe went back to whatever they do. And in that damp coolness, we were following as if we were still holding our candles in procession raised as we sang the ‘Ave.’

It was a good night.

The Evening Draws Near

I guess you can tell that this has been a busy pilgrimage. Again, I apologize for not updating this blog as often as I would have like to.

Yesterday concluded with the Eucharistic Procession and the blessing of malades. It is interesting to note that it is here where most of the miracles of Lourdes have taken place. So once again, Mary points to her Son.

Today (Monday) is the last full day of the Pilgrimage. We began with a Mass in the Upper Basilica – and this was a beautiful morning. Bishop Smith of Trenton, New Jersey hit a home run with his homily of what Christ, the Good Shepherd, means and how we are led to eternal life by Him. At this Mass we also celebrated the First Communion of one of our pilgrims, Alexa.

After Mass, we broke into different groups to pray the stations of the Cross. I met with three of our children in the hotel lounge and may the ‘spiritual walk’ of the cross with them. After lunch we broke again into reflection groups and then took the free time to go to the Grotto, shopping or packing.

In a little while we will have our last dinner and then have closing festivities. I’m not sure what they are exactly, but I know from experience they will be good.

The Lord's Day in Lourdes

Sorry if the silence led you to think nothing was going on here in Lourdes!

Today is Sunday and it is beautiful. The sun is brilliants but not roasting. Last night I mentioned it was a night out for the care givers among us. The evening began with a meeting of members of the Order of Malta at an address by the Grand Master. First-timers were given a pilgrimage medal that will start to collect the little crosses of future pilgrimages.

Being a pastoral-care type, I checked on the care-givers enjoying themselves in an undisclosed location.

This morning began with the Internal Mass at the gigantic Pius X basilica. Cardinal O’Malley of Boston was the celebrant of this multi-lingual Mass of around 20,000 people.

It is always amazing to be among that many people praying and singing. After Mass (and it is a long one), I went with the children to grab a McDonald’s picnic and see the fort overlooking the town.

I am heading over to the Eucharistic procession now and hope to get some time (yeah, right!) to reflect with you more than a ‘pray-by-pray’ account of our pilgrimage.

Again, all of you are in our prayers here.

At the Grotto…

One of the highlights of any pilgrimage here is to have Mass in the Grotto itself. Today we were fortunate to be in the place Mary appeared and celebrated Mass with Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston.

It has been a cool yet sunny day that is a welcomed relief from the rain and drizzle thus far. Immediately after Mass, I placed the petitions entrusted to me at the Grotto. I also have made – as many others have as well – a special intention for the Malades in Spirit who are very much with us in prayer.

The Grand Master of the Order of Malta then distributed pilgrim medals to the three Associations from the USA.

And in the emerging sunshine, we continued one of the great traditions of Lourdes – the group photo.

So the pilgrimage is going very well and this afternoon is a time for reflection groups and ‘Caregivers Night Out.”

Catch you later.