Theme: Lourdes, A Door to Faith in the Year of Faith
May 24 - 26, 2013
This year's pilgrimage found Flint and me traveling to Lourdes a few days earlier to work with the advance team of North American Volunteers where we immersed ourselves in service to our dear Veterans and Wounded Warriors. The charism of North American Volunteers is 'family.' How awesome that spirit of family is!!! I remain amazed by the graces that flowed during the time.
Once again, we were inspired by the faith, competence, talent and service of the students who volunteered from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.
Once again, we were inspired by the faith, competence, talent and service of the students who volunteered from Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.
Part of the dining room crew
Our responsibility: set up, serve 100+, clean up
French ladies prepare the meals so we get a taste
of how the French enjoy their meals course by course.
LOTS of delicious bread!
The PBS crew arrived first to begin filming the pilgrims
as they exited the buses. Very nice group creating a series about
Sacred Journeys that includes Lourdes.
(Watch for it around May, 2014, or buy the dvd boxed set.)
Best-selling author and narrator of the series,
Bruce Feiler, arrived a few days later.
Volunteers greet pilgrims with cheerful songs...think Sister Act....
before taking them to their assigned rooms.
Rain doesn't keep pilgrims inside.
Hospitality volunteers provide Lourdes water along the way.
Mass in the Grotto with volunteers
protecting our pilgrims.
Father Mike, a wonderful young Army priest,
celebrating Mass in the Grotto. I loved the way his
long arms stretched so high with the Host. Another
young priest, Father Anselmo, held the Sacred Body
much longer than any priest I had ever seen. Beautiful!
A statue of Our Lady stands in the niche where she appeared to
Bernadette. Mother Mary welcomes pilgrims with open arms to bring them
to her son who suffered for us all.
Flint's responsibility was to get everyone from one point to another.
Even by the end of the week, several people in our pilgrim family
did not realize that we were married as we stayed in
separate rooms due to responsibilities.
Our home away from home was the Accueil Notre-Dame, a hospital.
He met me at the nurse's station before 0700 every day with coffee.
And, we had a 'date' occasionally. After one apparently stressful
outing, he took me by the hand and said, "We're going to Confession!"
Moving along...
In town
Beginning of the Candlelight Procession
Our pilgrims and their families included Catholics, Protestants and some
without any belief. Our family included several priests, deacons,
and chaplains, including Chaplain D.,
a female Presbyterian minister serving in the Army.
Groups stayed up all hours discussing aspects of faith.
Mae, one of the Franciscan University students, lived in
Sicily several years ago. Although we didn't know her family, we
know many of the same people. She asked if we knew Dario as he
was her piano teacher. Since Dario was a pilgrim with the Italian group, it worked
out to be a wonderful surprise for them to see each other again.
Knights of Columbus
lead the way at the American Welcome Mass.
Archbishop Broglio
Patriotic table setting
The French Army sent the pompoms and the
flags - one side with the North American Volunteers
logo; the other side with their symbol. A special
bond has developed over the years with the two groups.
A Jelly Belly moment
Father Ron
With Gary and Rich
(Please note my shirt since I am a Lady of a Knight.)
Our involvement with North American Volunteers
began with the 2010 PMI when the Knights of Columbus
in Germany recruited volunteers. We continued
to travel on the Catania Charter flight with Oby Whan
in 2011 and 2012 running back and forth from our hotel in town
between meals, Flint pushing
our Wheeled Warriors, and I assisting as needed.
I believe these two ladies with Marianne and me are
the first people I've ever met from Madagascar.
These two young French soldiers helped us serve
several meals. Couldn't have anything to do with these
cute, wonderful girls, could it?
We followed the French into the procession....
Ike didn't miss a procession or a Mass.
Sunday: International Mass - Basilica of St. Pius X
A short introduction prior to Mass:
Princess Caroline attended with her troops from Monaco.
Since Sunday was The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity,
there was a brief account of St. Patrick using the shamrock to
explain the Trinity
plus a series of pictures of military using their fingers to depict
three in one.
Just happened to meet the Swiss Guard marching up the street
One of my favorite views
Don Giovanni who always accompanies the Catania group.
Some discussion as to whether this dear child was
Flint's grandson!!!
Celebration of Andy's birthday
Andy's mother looks on. One of his
sisters volunteered, too.
Creative use of table decorations
Flint's roommate, Juan, MC'd the talent show.
The children started with
"The ABC Song."
I want Angela's book when it is published. She
took a sentence from it, and expanded it into a poem.
Beautifully touching and deserving of the standing ovation.
Other talents: singing, including the "Star Spangled Banner"
sung beautifully by one of the docs, guitar,
jokes, dramatic reading, and a story told by Father Ron.
The farewells were bittersweet. So thrilled to have made the acquaintance and friendship of
such wonderful people who continue to need prayers and healing. To know that prayers are being answered and that healing has begun and is continuing. To be with those willing to sacrifice their lives for our freedom. To share laughter and tears. To see what a difference one person who answers God's call can make. To be in a place of such peace and tranquility. To be stunned by how quickly the time has passed. To carry in my heart the kindness and gentleness of some who hurt the most. To serve with such a dedicated group of volunteers who serve with the love of Christ in their hearts.
And, as Marlene mentioned in her closing remarks, all that matters in the end will be the salvation of our souls.
I picture those bodies with visible and invisible wounds being made perfect in our heavenly Father where we will continue in the loving spirit of this PMI throughout eternity!
St. Bernadette, Pray for us!!!
Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us!!!
St. Joan of Arc, Pray for us!!!
After the pilgrims departed, our packing and cleaning of the Accueil completed, we took more time to reflect on the wonders and graces that had been bestowed during this week, shopped, and spent some last moments in the Grotto.
Flint, along with Scott, our friend who lives in Germany, departed by train for the Toulouse airport as soon as the pilgrims left the Accueil. Flint realized that his wallet was gone- possibly having disappeared on the bus between the train and the airport. That's when he called me. We didn't panic; we talked about what he would need to replace. Another call fifteen or so minutes later: going with his gut feeling, he met the bus that makes the trips back and forth to the airport. His wallet was there. Money gone, but everything else was intact. Thank goodness, he had Scott to loan him some 'walking around money,' and no hassle of replacing cards and my school picture dating back to the year we married.
