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Sunday night I scrambled to find my ticket. It was in its place but I didn't recognize it among other documents.
Monday, I met with about 13 people at church and we took a bus to Chicago to catch our plane to France. We met other that met us in Chicago so the group is about 30. My room mate, Mee (pronounced May) ShoHoo, met us there. I sat next to a young man on the plane that seemed to be studying some advanced physics. In front of me sat a Jewish father and son who were returning to Israel from a Bar Mitzvah in Kentucky. Across the isle was a French family and the man was reading a book about Marx and socialism. I overheard the stewardess tell a man in the back that she had to write him up and he'll be escorted off the plane but that's all I heard.
When we got off the plane we were met by a bus that took us to see
http://architecturerevived.blogspot.fr/2010/05/church-of-st-joan-of-arc-rouen-france.html
Afterward we settled in our hotel in Honfluer. This is the port in which Samuel Champlain, the founder of Quebec, sailed from. We had dinner at a nearby restaurant that seemed to specialize in fresh seafood. I was able to remember how to ask for a glass of red wine and was complimented on that line. Then went to my comfortable bed and slept real well.
Tuesday morning we had Mass in our hotel lobby. Saint of the day was Saint Hedwig who married Henry Duke of Selicia. She dresses in religious’ habit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_of_Silesia
Evening dinner we had with our bus driver Jon-Mark. His English was not that good but between pointing and other little common words, we got along. He had scallops or something. They had baby craps on the inside of the shells. Now that is fresh.
Wednesday we went to see the basilica at Lisieux . Her story is on YOUTUBE (subtitled in English). We had Mass in the lower chapel of the basilica. Fr John had prepared a reading for the day but realized from the sanctuary that he could use the readings for St Therese every day at the basilica. He spoke of the "Saint of the Day" St. Ignatius Loyola.
The decor was eye candy dedicated to St Therese. In her short life, she had reflections known as the "Little Way" that everything you do is for the love of God. Father mentioned the "two spoonfuls" rule that his mother had for trying everything on the dinner plate was similar to St Therese's concept of the "Little Way". Here are some of her writings: http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/writings/
After that we toured the home she and her sisters grew up at Buissonets.
I explained to my son that he had been baptized in a church named St Theresa the Little Flower in Rapid City. A very interesting tie.
This is the video I took at St Theresa, The Little Flower of Lisieux
Then we got to visit the Carmelite chapel where her remains were kept in a chaple. The gift shop had a special secret cake that was made by the cloister nuns. Yum!
We toured Omaha beach and the bunkers. The ground was left intact with bomb craters. I went inside the bunkers and could see the burnt wood ceilings. Then we went to the National Cemetery in Normandy. We arrived in time for the 5PM retreat. He invited 6 veterans to assist folding the flag and Fr John and I started the tip of the tri-fold flag followed by other veterans and then retrieved by the staff.
This famous 15th-century cathedral is the largest surviving wooden church in France. I figured that since the church had been built out of the hulls of two ships, and the fact that the church was named Catherine, and that Catherine was the love interest of Capt Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, that maybe the church was built from a pirate ship! This is the video that I recorded from the homily:
Then we took the bus to catch the high speed train from Paris to Lourdes. We arrived late so we had dinner in the Hotel Astoria Vatican while our bags were put in our room. I was on the 5th floor. There was a big gold couch in the lobby which inspired a recreation of the pose I had at Blarney Castle.
The next morning we had Mass in the grotto where Bernadette saw the apparitions. That's when it started to rain gradually harder and harder. I figure that if I could kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland that I could kiss the rock of the grotto where the Immaculate Conception appeared to Bernadette. If you haven't seen the old movie, "Song of Bernadette", it is complete on YOUTUBE. After Mass we had our group photo taken. We the photo taken in shelter of one of the altar areas to keep out of the rain. It was a sunny background with our Lady of Guadalupe. Everyone was smiling nicely. I sat on the chair in the chapel reserved for the celebrant. Afterward, since we had the chain down, a few slipped in. Since he was a priest he promised to return the chain after his photos were taken too. While in the Basilica of the Holy Rosary, Mee and I saw a man writing names on the walls with a marker with his wife and two children watching. That was a disgusting thing to do. I pointed the wall out to a caretaker (he was just finishing cleaning up after a sick boy), who saw the graffiti and shook his head. I had lunch of French onion soup and a crepe at the Joan of Arc restaurant over the Lourdes River.
Afterwards, Mee and I met up with other members from our pilgrimage at the Bath. Cleansed inside and out. Air dried. But, who cares when your clothes are wet from the rain? The volunteer women who assisted us with modesty and prayer intention during the immersion were very respectful. I told her I was an American and she spoke English well. She held a shroud around me as I undressed, not a towel. She instructed me to pray and meditate on my indulgences and prayers while waiting for another woman behind the curtain. She told me to focus on the Immaculate Conception and that was easy with the statue in font of the pool. As I waited, I heard the shocked scream of the woman behind the curtain during her bath. When it came to my turn, they asked me to sit (so they could give me a controlled back dunk to the neck) but I choose to squat to my high waist and that was enough for me. I said enough and AMEN. After I got out, she assisted me by holding the shroud for privacy and took my clothes off the hook. She practically tried to help dress me and attempted to assist me with my shoes. That reminded me of the washing of the feet by Jesus to his disciples.
I did a little bit of shopping and got some bottles to take back some of the miraculous water but the road was blockaded to the faucets. I didn't realize until I got back that it was not because of any closing time but that the river was rising near the grotto and it was closed for safety. In fact I never did get any water by my own hands but brought back some from the shop.
I really wanted to go on the evening candlelight procession but I had enough rain for one day. Besides, there's always tomorrow evening. That didn't happen either.
The second day in Lourdes we went to see the house she lived and later the family was evicted and lived in a place known as Cachot. It was a jail. Afterward we were on our own for lunch. My roommate, and Dan and Anita Bedell and I decided our plans to see the fort since some could not do all the walking. We had lunch at a cafe. I asked in my broken French for some French food. We had soup, duck, fries, and a cake for dessert. We had a waiter with a great sense of humor with our language barriers and he spoke English. After that we went to château fort de Lourdes which is a historic castle located in Lourdes in the Hautes-
They've declared this the worst flood of Lourdes in 30 years. The news is applauding the rescue of a nun and others. Here are pictures of the flood: http://news.sky.com/story/1000488/lourdes-flooding-forces-pilgrims-to-flee. We had mass in the upper Basilica side chapel. This is the video of the sermon:
10/22/12 Monday was very busy, we had Mass at the Daughters of Charity convent at Ru Du Bac where our Blessed Lady appeared to St Catherine Laboure and presented the Miraculous Medal. I met a cloister nun in the gift shop who explained her order (though a woman on our tour group that spoke French) and gave me a card. She gave permission to take a picture (see photo in Flickr). Then we got to see Notre Dame and the Treasurery. Walked around the cathedral and had a little time so went down the steps to the Sien river walk. There, Mee and I snapped photos of three young men that did a jump in the river. After they got out, they put on some strange fufu like outfits. Then the river police came and pulled them over.
After lunch, a few of us able bodied folks went to Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Construction began in 1875 and was finished in 1914. It was consecrated after the end of World War I in 1919. I took the cable car up the long stairs on the hill side but walked down on the return. There were two street mimes, one Spanish and one was a silver man. After some pushing by the group and a few coins in the cup, I got to dance with the
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| Silver Mime at Sacre Coeur France.
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Tuesday I went to see Chartes Cathedral in a mideavel town. Chartres Cathedral has housed the tunic of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia, since 876. The relic was said to have been given to the cathedral by Charlemagne. The Romanesque basilica has a massive crypt where we had mass. We had been given a private tour of the Basilica by the British guide, Malcolm Miller, so I had to pick up his book in the gift shop. Then we had a ride on the Petit Train tour of the medieval village. It was so fascinating to see architecture that has survived fire and the wars.
In the evening, there was an optional show at the famous Paris Lido. I would say it was a combination of Circ De Sole, Lady Gaga, Vegas, Dancing With the Stars, a Lipisan Stallion all rolled into one packed show. We were told it was classy so we should dress up. A bottle of Champaign was part of the ticket although some opted for less to drink. Someone had some pretty strong perfume that affected my sinuses that had been building. That sure was a long day and I didn't sleep well.
Wednesday we were on our own so a few of us took the metro train to see the Versailles Palace. I was so congested that I couldn't talk with my sore throut. I didn't want that to spoil the sightseeing. Father Alan was a victim of a pick pocket and lost his American money and a credit card while on the Metro.
Here I am at the golden gates at Versailles.
Coming back, I learned that my Metro ticket was not the round trip ticket that I thought it was. Communication error and I had to buy another. I was so congested that I wanted to dose off on the train but couldn't for fear of missing my exit. I skipped Mass at St Rita (funny that this church was right across from the Moulin Rouge) and I took a nap before dinner. As a matter of fact, I was awoke by a call from our guide to see If I would be to dinner. I knew I needed some nourishment since I hadn't eaten since breakfast. We had some fried calamari and steak with french fries and yogurt (plain) drizzled with a berry-like syrup.
We did ride through the tunnel that Dianna was killed. There is no memorial as the French did not want it.
Our plane take off was delayed because of pre-flight check error on the flaps. Seems it was a simple computer restart that fixed the problem. At Chicago, we went our separate ways and the 12 of us that left from Chatham arrived about 8:30 PM on Thursday to rain. My suitcase ended up to be lightweight but a one and only trip. Its side was ripped and trash day took it the next day.
With all the hustle and bustle in my life, I told Sharon at Golden Frontier to take care of everything and I'll do my part financially and show up on time. I had not been well prepared for all the history that France had. So many saints amazed me on this trip too. Our ancestors put their money toward royalty both in Heaven and on Earth. I learned a lot.
Next year ~ Pilgrimage to Germany
With all the hustle and bustle in my life, I told Sharon at Golden Frontier to take care of everything and I'll do my part financially and show up on time. I had not been well prepared for all the history that France had. So many saints amazed me on this trip too. Our ancestors put their money toward royalty both in Heaven and on Earth. I learned a lot.
Next year ~ Pilgrimage to Germany
