Lourdes Blog
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Past pilgrimages are archived there as well.

We are not in Lourdes. As opposed to that holy Place, the sun is shining, the weather is warm, and air is not filled with the bells ringing the Ave Maria.

Yesterday, I wrote I would reflect on the last evening we shared as well as the plane ride home and a few reflections on the pilgrimage itself. Here it goes.

The final evening, emceed by Dan FitzPatrick, was the last opportunity we had to gather as an entire pilgrimage. There are three elements to this evening.

The first was the recognition of the 25 years the Order of Malta has sponsored this wonderful work. What began with a handful of people has now become more than 400, a chartered plane, and a significant pillar in the vocation of the members of the Order. We recognized some of the early founders of this pilgrimage, in particular, Anne Peabody and Sissy Ix.

We were then treated to a performance by the children of the pilgrimage which always gets the room going. The intensity and the compassion of all concerned was clearly felt in these last moments.

And like Mariano Rivera (sorry Boston Malta), the evening closes with the hard-hitting and moving testimonies of two malades. They each witnessed to the grace of the Christian charity incarnated over these past few days. To be honest, no award or public recognition would ever compare to these accolades. Members of the Order of Malta shine brightest at this point.

The evening ended with the usual rush to bed and last-minute packing.

In the early morning hours, we efficiently loaded the buses and headed to the airport. Would you believe people were using the "S" word even in the month of May? That's right folks, snow was in the forecast. The cold and dark drizzle still could not dampen the gratitude we all felt for this graced opportunity.

That attitude would prove helpful. The ride home was not smooth. There was a second screening check because of the heightened security risk resulting from the failed attempt in New York City in Times Square. We were delayed almost 2 hours and a few of us were getting nervous. I guess we were feeling echoes of nine years ago. Thankfully, we took off and landed safely at Newark Airport. And even with the delay in getting our baggage, we were still in a good mood. When the bags finally arrived on the conveyor belt, our group burst into applause. Something tells me that doesn't happen too often there!

So we stepped into the warm sunlight of a declining day on the East Coast. Those with connecting flights ran for them and we hope they made them. The rest of us piled into whatever conveyance and headed home. After discerning God's will for me to have pizza with bacon, I fell asleep in the chair I am still sitting in.

-- -- --

So what to make of my seventh journey to the Grotto?

I guess what impresses me even after these few hours since it's inclusion is the grace of God working in the lives people who are searching for it.

Yes, first and foremost are those with conditions that have obviously brought them to those healing and refreshing waters. But grace is not limited to those fortunate few. It flows equally to those heroes who care for them on a regular basis. It extends the Knights and Dames of the Order are so steadfastly committed to this work of charity. The volunteers, clergy, and Auxiliary do not come away empty either.

But what is this grace?

St. Thomas Aquinas expressed the theology very well said, "Grace builds upon nature." We start then, with the natural and from there begin to see the supernatural. The grace of God speaks to the condition of the human person. This can be physical, medical, emotional, psychological, or any other aspect of the living human being.

One does not have to look far in their own life - or in anyone else's - to discover an opportunity for grace. Going to Lourdes can be for a specific reason known to ourselves and even other people. But the mystery of it is God working because He knows what needs be done. One of the pilgrims referred to this grace as "unfolding." That's a perfect description. It's not always easy to see a miracle when we can only still see our need for one. It's not exactly clear that God is standing by us when we only look backwards.

So perhaps the grace of this pilgrimage is always that little reminder whispered in our darkness that we are not alone, that we are not unnoticed.

I am sure for myself and my fellow pilgrims that whenever we sing the "Ave Maria" or hear the trickling of a stream or catch a whiff of roses, we will go back to the Grotto. And there, as we are, we find Mary smiling and reminding us that God, her Son, has never and will never fail to notice us.

Thank you for your prayers and know that you remain in ours.

God bless.

The last day is always a strange one. The end is truly near. We begin with Mass in the upper basilica that was built soon after the apparitions gained traction throughout the Catholic World. Ohm yeah, and Mary herself asked that it be built. The interior walls are covered in votos, silver thanksgiving medallions in the shape of what was healed. It’s a bit crowded but we manage.

At the end of Mass we honored several members who harked so hard with some of the Malta relief efforts in Haiti. These efforts had been on place long before the earthquake and were amazingly stepped up after.

We also gave crosses to the children Malades who are such a lovely part of this 25th annual pilgrimage. It was a pleasure to be able to work a little with them and especially their parents.

We emerged from the Church into the nasty, cold rain we were getting used to. After a Westchester shot from the roof of the Rosary Basilica, a few of the kids joined me in the salon (aka, the bar) at the D’Espangne for the Stations of the Cross.. A children’s version is not like the Mel Gibson production. Instead, there are opportunities for application that can get interesting. For example, the 11th Station – Jesus is nailed to the Cross – has a rather vivid parallel with needles and IVs.

After a final Lunch, we had our last reflection group – mine was with the parents. It amazes me how heroic they are in the most ordinarily difficult moments and obligations they take on.

And being good Americans, we all went shopping. It feels really really nice to assist the world economy. And I did!

Around 8:30 pm, we had the closing gathering. I am going to wait on describing it because it really is the beginning of the end of the pilgrimage. I’d rather include it in a final entry. Also the turbulence on this plane is making me woozy.

But when all will be said and done, it has been a great Pilgrimage.

Not. We were tempted early in the morning to think the clouds might clear. The threat of sunshine did not materialize. It is chilly and wet.

No matter, it is still Sunday even without the sun. And being so, the day started off with the Sunday Mass at the St. Pius X Basilica. This place is so big you could park a couple of 747s with room to spare. It was dedicated by John XXIII in the late 50s before he became pope. It is a massive space that has one purpose: get a lot of people around the central altar. I've been told it seats 35,000 to 40,000 with thousands more standing. This is the annual pilgrimage week for the Order of Malta from all over the world. The celebrant was the Cardinal-Protector from Rome. Seven languages were used including Latin and we were mesmerized once again by a solo during Communion sung by a member of the Order from Lebanon.

For those who slavishly followed (ha ha) my Lenten series on the book of Revelation, you know what I mean when I say it was exactly like heaven.

This afternoon is the Eucharistic procession and the blessing of the Sick. This is where so many of the miracles of Lourdes take place. Keep praying for us and know we are praying for you.

I know I haven't posted anything in the past day. I'm very happy to say it I have a very good reason. The pilgrimage is going exceptionally well. The weather is not. Oh well, that is not in our hands anyway.

Since I last posted, I can say the pilgrimage is in full swing. People are getting used to the schedule, the moving around (with military precision), and the simple pleasure of being together. Each pilgrim has a small black book containing the schedule of events for each day. There are usually, aside from meals, three main events either in the hotels or at one of the sites in the sanctuary. Aside from these, there are many optional events In arelated to the order of Malta, the sanctuary, or the Pilgrims themselves. In between these are often where the grace of the pilgrimage happens.

You can see it in the evening. Small groups head out for pizza or something. People sit around hotel lobbies or cafés. Some go off by themselves and pray.

Saturday is always “caregivers night out.” On past pilgrimages, this has often been referred to as a real miracle of Lourdes. Caregivers are the heroic and generous human beings who have accepted the vocation of caring for a loved one. And yet, so many rarely experienced time for themselves. Members of the Order take charge and give the caregiver the evening off. It's wonderful to see, later in the evening, these incredibly decent people relaxed and having a good time.

Last night, I had the privilege of going out to dinner with two of our young pilgrims. John and Christian are wonderful young man each facing a condition that has brought them here. With the help of Chris, a in I Malta auxiliary, we went out for pizza and later for ice cream.

One aspect of Lourdes is the apparent contradiction between the religious nature of the shrine and the party atmosphere of the towns surrounding it. I strongly disagree that this is a contradiction. As one commentator said, "Lourdes is a place to live, not a place to die." The conviviality is an extension of the spirituality. Sure, some take it too far but that's just human nature. And yes, some of the "commercialization" and just plain tacky aspects are little over the top. But the center and focus remains the human person. God reveals himself to human beings, not stones.

As the evening came to a close, the smiling and tired Pilgrims headed back to sleep for another day.

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker – May Day. It is cold and rainy. For those who thought this may have been a trip to the Riviera, they have been sorely disappointed. We’re here for another reason.

This morning we were in the place that brought us here. We had Mass at 8:30 in the Grotto celebrated by the Archbishop of San Francisco. He reminded us that Jesus was known as the son of a workman. He noted that while most religions in history have emphasized the distinction between God and man, in the Christian faith that distinction is transcended by the Incarnation.

I appreciated that even more as we celebrated the Eucharist in a cold and rainy cave. Lourdes is a silent but unmistakable witness to the Incarnation. The Divine is infused particularly in the material of the place and in the people of all conditions who come here.

To those who gave or sent petitions – they have been placed in the Grotto and are officially out of my hands!

Off to Lunch with more to follow.

Is everyone tired?

Excellent!

I'll be honest with you. This has been aa very difficult homily to write because it the subject matter is personal. However, as difficult as it is, this is the reason we are here. 

If you permit me, let me give you a little background. On February 11, 1995, at 9:08 AM, in the middle of the "Holy, Holy,", I presented with the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis. For those of you may not know, February 11 is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

As one member of the Order of Malta pointed out to me so wisely, there was a "sacred synchronicity" in that. She was correct. Lourdes has felt like home from the first moment when as a malade, I was wheeled into the Opening Mass.

And isn’t Lourdes all about healing the malade?

It's a good idea to use the word malade to describe the conditions that brings so many of us here to the Grotto. They can be chronic or acute, by accident or by nature, but they still remain as our difficulties, challenges, or whatever term we choose to use. 

But they have one thing in common. They are all forms of suffering.

When we hear the word "suffering" we hear the word “drama.” The truth is that the conditions we face ourselves - or help each other to face - are real. Suffering is a part of life. It’s not about the drama but it is our story.

And that story is as old as humanity itself from the Garden of Eden to today. It is a dark and difficult thing to face the things that threaten and confine us. The anger and fear are completely normal. We wonder how this happened and why things are this way. We look to a perfect God and ask if He is noticing our imperfections.

The answer has been given. From the starry heights of heavenly glory, He walked into our darkness. He took on our humanity and went into our garden. In Gethsemane, He experienced what we live through each day. And without Holy Thursday, there would be no Good Friday and no Easter Sunday.

So where’s healing in all this? What’s the benefit of a divine empathy without some divine action?

This where it gets real. Images of compassion are attempts to speak of a love beyond words. This Sacrament of Anointing is a true grace that continues the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. It is a sacrament of healing because it strengthens us to do the one thing that makes us whole again. It conveys the grace to accept the will of God.

We have a problem with this. When religion starts talking about the ‘will of God’, we often hear a command to just be quiet and deal with it because there’s nothing we can do about it anyway. Well, Jesus was anything but silent in that Garden. He was very clear that this was something He did not want to go through. His – our – humanity was struggling to find a way out. His prayer was repeated over and over because almost everything in Him was rejecting what He was facing.

Sound familiar?

And in a way we cannot understand, He prays “Thy will be done.” In this shadow of weakness we see a hint of divinity. In His saddest hour, He finds strength. The angels of mercy minister to Him even as His friends desert Him.


Does God’s comfort eliminate what we have? No, it consecrates who we are. It never lies and says a bad situation is good thing. Anyone who says suffering is good is a heretic.

And the eternal God walks straight into the heart of this human condition. His grace shines in the ruins and rubble. He is, after the victor over death itself.

Sure, it may sound like an escape clause defending religion against a failed spectacle of a miraculous healing. It’s not, trust me. The gift of faith, strengthened in this Anointing, is the discovery that even in the most difficult and apparently hopeless situations, God is real. It's not something you can order people to believe. It's too difficult for that. It is something we can only discover assisted by grace.

Let me leave you with one such discovery. A reporter was in lower Manhattan on 9/11 and amid the debris and sadness of that day, she found herself in a church. She had been on a journey of faith for the better part of her life rejecting what she was raised in and searching for something new. She said she found herself that day in a church looking at a crucifix -- one of the old ones with all the drama. She no longer saw only the pain and agony. As she looked at this image of suffering itself, she heard a different message. She saw in that cross God Himself saying to her -- and maybe to all of humanity -- that "I know, I've been there. I still am."

The message today from Gethsemane, from lower Manhattan, from this Sacrament is the same. May the healing strength of this Anointing be the strength to find that in each person and every reason that brought us to Lourdes.

The birds were singing this morning. And very loudly. I know, because I heard them when they woke me up. We all had a wonderful sleep last night being so tired from yesterday's traveling and opening activities.

It's a bit chilly here with a misty drizzle and gray skies. But it is not uncomfortable -- certainly better than stifling heat or constant downpour. And there is no better way to begin the day then with breakfast. For those of you who have been here before, you know how good the coffee is. The croissants are fluffy and it really is a delightful meal.

Most of the pilgrims attended a morning of recollection I heard went very well. I was with the children's group as we follow the footsteps of St. Bernadette. It's a daunting trek. After an initial meeting of introductions, we lined up and prepared to go up to the Church of the Sacred Heart. And by up, I mean up. The charioteers pulled and pushed the children to the hilltop. The traffic was heavy at times but the drivers were very courteous and respectful.

We gathered around the baptismal font where St. Bernadette began her life in Christ so long ago. I led the children and the other Pilgrims in a renewal of their baptismal vows and sprinkled them with holy water from the font.

Our next stop was the cachot, the former prison cell that was her home at the time of the first apparition. We all crowded into the tiny room and reflected on the family situation at the time. Bernadette's family had fallen on hard times. Her father lost his job (a familiar situation even today given the economy) and they were forced into poverty. We prayed for the grace to understand the difficult situations so many families today find themselves in.

We stopped next at the house she was born in. The mill was clearly a better circumstance than what later would befall her family.

Our final stop was the goal of the pilgrimage itself. We headed down the hill and entered the sanctuary through the Saint Michael gate.

Outside of the grotto, we paused for a few minutes to take in the scene. I blessed rosary beads for the children and in silence, we entered the grotto. There is such peace in that place. The two dominant sounds are the birds chirping in the water gurgling. In the back of the cave you can see the original spot where Bernadette uncovered this spring that has brought us here.

Everyone is now at lunch and I am recharging my scooter. Something tells me I may also engage in some "horizontal meditation" for a half hour or so.

Perhaps you have noticed something. I have not put up any photos on this blog. The simple reason is that I have not even taken my camera out of its bag. I promise, I will. Failing that, I'm sure I can grab a few from my fellow pilgrims' cameras.

This afternoon there will be an opportunity for the Malades to take a bath in the waters from that spring. We then have Mass with the anointing of the sick. I have the privilege of preaching at this and will post the homily. This evening, we will be in the candlelight procession which is such a beautiful part of the experience here in Lourdes.

So that's all for now. Everyone is well and we will continue to keep you in our prayers as we know we are in yours.

Folks, to be honest, my right leg was in bad shape on the way over and I didn’t sleep a wink. Suffice it to say I am shot.

We arrived to a hot and humid day here in Lourdes. Everything was as ready and well run as it always is. I took a 2 hour sleep and headed down to the opening Mass at the Holy Rosary Basilica celebrated by an Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco. Unlike last year, I was awake for the whole of it!

A quick splash at the Springs and a decade at the Grotto preceded dinner and now off to sleep.

More when I’m conscious!

Everyone is well and tired

Weds 28 April

After the morning clouds dissipated, the pilgrims arrived at Newark Airport. The familiar white Cross surrounded in scarlet was visible on the signs, uniforms and smiles of the gathering crowd. Malta was clearly in place.

I saw a few travelers passing through with slightly curious glances. I imagined them thinking this was obviously a religious group (I mean there were a Roman collars in the mix) but they seemed kind of normal.

But what impressed me (as it always has) is how genuinely happy we were to see each other. The malades and ‘newbies’ were drawn into that welcome with hesitation. Even a total heathen would have to admit the welcoming and family atmosphere in what a usually efficient and even annoying place.

It is a visible hospitality. The smiles and hugs and handshakes are offered with a bottle water. For first-times to Lourdes with the Order of Malta, this will be the first of many, many more. Yes, there will be medical reasons for this hydration given the altitude and actives of the coming days. But remember the words of Christ who promised the rewards of heaven itself to this who offer this basic libation. That is the ultimate goal of every welcome…to know the all-embracing welcome into the Kingdom.

So we’re off….

Order of Malta
Lourdes Pilgrimage 2010

Packing

I have to admit, I am getting very good at this. No longer do I pack too much and I try and get everything in neat little packing bags. Thank you, L.L. Bean. 

As I prepare for this pilgrimage, I take out the name-tag, medals, and I think of past pilgrimages.. This is my fourth in three years. I think of my first impressions arriving at the Sanctuary. I think of the people who were with me - most of whom will be there but sadly, some will not.

But most of all I think of the new experiences that my fellow pilgrims and I will have. I am confident that lives will be change.

But this is more than simply a new place for people or a new experience among so many others to be discovered. Grace is at work there. The difficulties (and even opposition) to getting there gives witness to what God is able to do. 

The pilgrimage does not begin at the Sanctuary or even at the airport. It begins with the decision to go. It forms a community yet unseen but nonetheless very real. It is this reality, infused with hope, that makes this pilgrimage such a unique experience and a true blessing.

I hope to be honest in this blog and hope I will not have any computer glitches. My plan is to update it at least once and hopefully twice a day. I will also be posting Twitter updates once I am over there and will provide the address for it further on.

Please remember to keep all of us in your prayers and be sure that you are in ours. If anybody needs send the petition, please do so by e-mail and I will include it at the Grotto. My email is frdunn@mac.com.

To all my fellow pilgrims who I am sure I've already bookmarked this page for their family and friends (Ha ha ha), it is with great joy and full of hopeful anticipation that we say once again...

"See you at the airport."