Updated Monday, February 17, 2020
Dear Friends and Family,
Bonjour from Lourdes!
Although we are technically at the end of the third day of our trip, today was the first full day of activity on our pilgrimage, as it took a while to arrive in our first destination of Lourdes. This town, situated along the edge of the Pyrenees Mountains in southern France, has become a major site for Catholic pilgrims because of St. Bernadette, a girl who, at the age of 13, encountered an apparition of our Blessed Mother eighteen times. We have been able to visit all of the major sites revolving around the life of Bernadette, including her childhood home and The Grotto, which is the place where she saw the apparitions of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
We were able to start our day with a breathtaking sunrise Mass at the grotto, celebrated by our own Fr. Ricci, and featuring a stunning communion hymn by the boys. Later on in the morning, the Young Men’s Chorus performed their first recital at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, one of the three Basilicas in Lourdes. From there, our pilgrims were able to explore the town independently. Many of them chose to explore the fortress-turned-museum that sits high atop the town. Some took the opportunity to avail themselves of the water flowing from the brook in Lourdes, which is said to have miraculous healing powers. Several of our travelers also took part in a beautiful Stations of the Cross in the hills to the side of the basilicas. This evening, we concluded our busy day with an incredibly moving candlelight rosary at the Grotto, celebrated with pilgrims from all over the world. It was a truly blessed and spiritual day.
We have created a folder that contains several pictures and videos from our travels. We’ll continue to update it as we continue our week. Click here to view the gallery!
Tomorrow, we fly back up to Paris to continue our pilgrimage in Northern France. Please continue to pray for us as we continue this spiritual journey, and know that we are carrying you all with us in our hearts!
Au revoir!