Lourdes

Feb 11, 2020

For today’s feast of Our Lady of Lourdes here’s a re-post of a reflection I wrote a few years ago.

I have been thinking a bit about pilgrimages in recent weeks.

Pilgrimages to significant holy places were once an essential part of the life of the Christian. In the early Christian centuries every Christian was encouraged (and even expected) to journey to Jerusalem. A few centuries later when Holy Land pilgrimages were impossible because of the Muslim occupation, (7th century to 11th century), pilgrimages began to many other holy places where saints had lived and died and where people had experienced signs of the presence and power of God. Many Christian communities and Orders still encourage members to make pilgrimages to places that are at the heart of their charism and their mission.

A pilgrimage orients the pilgrim towards Christ. Life lived as a pilgrimage is a life lived in orientation to and relationship with Jesus Christ.

After my ordination to the priesthood my first appointment was as assistant priest to the parish of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. I remember some parishioners returning from a three month journey to Europe and one night over a large group dinner I asked them to tell us about a highlight of their trip. The first to answer was Milne and he told us that without a doubt his highlight was his visit to the French pilgrimage town of Lourdes.

Twenty years later I was the chaplain for a Christchurch parish pilgrimage, to Italy and France. When we reached Lourdes I understood why the place was so significant for Milne and for the millions of pilgrims who visit this sanctuary of healing every year.

While the apparition of the Blessed Virgin to the young woman Bernadette Soubirous 150 years ago was an extraordinary event of grace, now the grace of the Spirit of God continues to move powerfully in an environment of openness to divine action in human weakness and struggle.

An unexpected highlight for me was an early morning Mass at the grotto: I expected to concelebrate the Mass when I arrived with a group of parishioners, but the half dozen priests in the sacristy were hesitant when the sacristan asked who would like to be the main celebrant and so I stepped forward. (see picture above). This moment remains one of the many moments of great grace in the years since I entered the seminary on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, 11 February.

Picture below: The International Mass. I’m a bit harder to spot here.

3 Comments

  1. They were wonderful days Ray. I am still savouring some great moments!

    Reply
  2. Thank you, John. This reminds me that pilgrimage is food for faith. It can be physical pilgrimage as to Lourdes or the Holy Land. or the inner movements of prayer, Always, it is about movement and spiritual growth. This also remind me to watch for lack of movement. in faith. The stream that doesn’t flow can become stagnant.

    Reply
  3. We visited Lourdes in 2005 and it was truly a time of blessing. I couldn’t believe how quiet it was even with the many hundreds of people there. It is wonderful to be present in the midst of a crowd but to feel that you belong.
    Thank you for the memories Fr John.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

Ascension

Ascension

Most people think of the Ascension of Jesus as being a ‘departure’ moment. Jesus was here and now he is gone. We imagine Jesus going up into the clouds and the disciples waving farewell from below.
This is an unhelpful image.
It is essential that we understand what does happen and what does not happen in the Ascension event.
It would be easy to wrongly think that in his ministry showed us how to build the city of God on earth, and now he has gone and the mission is left to us.

touching the sacred

touching the sacred

A few years ago I was on Rēkohu Chatham Islands for what has become one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most sacred days, the ANZAC day of remembrance in gratitude for those who gave their lives, their health, their youth, their service that we may live in peace.
The art above was produced by one of the students at the local Te One school.

every which way

every which way

A good number of Food For Faith readers have discovered one of the more recent FFF initiatives, the weekly Homily Studio.
The recording of this half-hour podcast is one of the highlights of my week.

in the room

in the room

Today’s reflection marks the end of the FFF Lent-to-Easter daily email posts. Thank you for your company on this journey.  While these daily posts (for those who have signed up for the Lent / Advent reflections at this link) will take a break until Advent, those who have signed up to receive every post or regular posts at this link.  You might take a moment now to visit this page now to check your email preferences.

During retreat this week I found myself pondering just how difficult it is to accept that God, in Jesus, is really with me today.

disciplined discipleship

disciplined discipleship

As I write I’m nearing the end of retreat days with a group of fifty priests from across the USA.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago the diversity and youth of the group is remarkable with the majority being aged under 40 and a good number ordained for fewer than five years.