Lourdes

I just spent the past two days immersing myself I to the activities at the Shrine to Our Lady at Lourdes.  There is much to see, do and experience here.  I stayed at the Petit Couvenr, just west of the sanctuary.  Had a chance to go to confession.   Prayed at the grotto for those who asked me to pray for them. Time at mass (in polish), adoration and praying g the rosary with about 10,000 people in 15 different languages.

The Couvent

If I had to sum up the experience here it would be in 3 ideas.

The Certainty of Witness

The need to pray for and care for the sick

The universality of the catholic church 

Bernadette encountered the Blessed Mother in a series of visions at a young age.  She shared what she experiences and the. Desired to fade into the background.  As a result the Shrine at Lourdes flourished.  She moved I t to care of the sisters from Nevers and later became a nun caring for the sick.  She died at the age of 35 of tuberculosis.  72 known medical miracles have been credited to Lourdes and over 7000 cases are under consideration.   In all of this Bernadette said that she did not need to convince others but simply to share her experience.

The Grotto at Lourdes

The need to pray for and care for the sick.

I ran into many groups here on pilgrimage.  From a diocese, or parish etc.  From all over the world. Australia, Sri Lanka, Italy,  Kenya, Croatia, Philippines,  and many other places.  Each group had 10 or 20 or 50 people i. Wheel chairs, that they cared for and brought to the baths and the liturgical.  The first proclamation of the gospel was christ healing the sick.  It is good to see t he desire to include the sick in the life of the church as a primary focus 

The Universality of the Catholic Church

Last night I went to the candlelight procession where we prayed the rosary with about 10,000 Catholics from all over the world.

Every 3 or 4 prayers and we switched to another language, yet all one faith.   We had mass here each day in english, French, spanning,Italian, dutch, polish, philippino etc. There were pepple here from all walks of lode.  Rich and poor, black, brown, and white.   Everyone had a sicere faith and tjat is the point of ourunity.  What a great site to witness

Peace

Paul