Pastoral visit..of
sorts.
On the 3rd June 2011 Sr Catherine-Marie OFC and I had the enormous and
wondrous pleasure to welcome Br. jack and Fr. Nick to our little part of
France.
They came to us via Jerusalem for a short stop at the most blessed shrine
of our Lady of Lourdes.
They arrived at Lourdes railway station from Paris and as is the
“custom” here in France their train arrived over an hour late pulling into the
station a little after 12:30 in the morning, as they say here in France “ce-la
vie” (such is life). An additional hour later we arrived at our home where
they were welcomed by the third member of our family our beautiful Irish setter
Tiffany, who immediately fell in love with both of them, bless.
The following morning we spent ages chatting and getting to know more about
each other over a traditional French breakfast of Croissants, home made jam,(by
St.Catherine-Marie) variety of meat slices and copious cups of tea, before we
had the honour of Br Jack celebrating holy mass in our small home chapel,
and for me the most wonderful event of the whole weekend my been received as a
postulant for Holy Orders, and been able to begin my journey towards priesthood
with Br Jack as my guide.
We then headed towards Lourdes where we spent some time visiting the
various chapels and Basilica’s as well as the grotto where St. Bernadette was
visited by the Virgin Mary, this is the part that Sr Catherine-Marie and I enjoy
the most ,as it is something we do during the summer season, we take pilgrim
groups around the holy sites and give them a flavour of what it was like
at the time of St Bernadette.
We then escorted our visitors to their convent guest house for the
evening.
The next morning Br Jack and Fr Nick attended the international mass in the
underground Basilica a mass not to be missed as the basilica holds up to 25,000
people seated not counting those who stand, Sr Catherine-Marie and I then met up
with our two intrepid travelers for a lovely French lunch. After lunch we
again went exploring and visited the house where St Bernadette was born, we also
visited the cachot where the family lived at the time of the visitations of Mary
and we then spent the remainder of the afternoon avoiding the rain showers
although its always a good excuse for a cup of tea in a cafe. The afternoon was
rounded off nicely with a participation in the Blessed Sacrament
Procession before spending a final visit around the sanctuaries of Lourdes. Br
Jack and Fr Nick then returning to their convent guest house for the final time,
saying goodbye is always so very difficult at the best of times but even harder
to do when those who are leaving are so very special, but we know that God will
bring them back to Lourdes one day, Sooner rather than later.
One final post script since Br Jack’s return to Hawaii we have had the
wonderful news that Sr Catherine-Marie OFC has also been accepted as a postulant
for Holy Orders studying towards the permanent Diaconate. Praise
God.
Sr Catherine-Marie OFC & Br William-Francis OFC