Come Holy Spirit!

Thirty-two years ago today, May 18 (It was actually Ascension Thursday),  I was Confirmed in Holy Innocents' Church in Brooklyn.  On this Pentecost eve, I am very mindful of those who will be confirmed at Incarnation tonight during the Pentecost Vigil and throughout the Church Universal this weekend.  What a gift; the presence of God within us.

Statue and stained glass window of St. Vincent de Paul in Dax Cathedral.

As I visit the place from which  Saint Vincent de Paul gets his name, I am fully aware of the power of the Spirit in an individual life as well as in the life of the world.  Dax and Saint Paul les Dax are twin cities in the Aquitaine on either side of the Ardour River.  Vincent was a young student here when he accepted God's call.

It was first founded by the Romans to secure the trading route on the river.  Today Dax is a university and sports city with a popular rugby club and even a bull fighting arena!  It also is a favorite spa location as people from France, Europe and the Middle East come in droves to it's many spa Hotels.  (I stayed at a budget hotel on the other side of the river!)

Statue of a bull and fighter in front of the "Arena" of Dax. 

It was a great opportunity and I had some rare good weather to stroll along the river walkways.  Perhaps it was a foreshadowing of the Spirit to come!



Happy Birthday, Church!   Happy Pentecost!

Leaving Lourdes

Statue of St. Bernadette at one of the bridges over the Gave de Pau.
Fresh flowers are provided to the entire Sanctuary
April through October by the generosity of an Italian society.

After almost three weeks, I left Lourdes yesterday.  It was bittersweet.  I feel privileged to has had the time here for myself and the hundreds (over a a thousand) penitents I saw in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I meet some wonderful and inspiring people.  The individual penitents inspired me for my own confession before I left.  God is Good!  The priestly fraternity was an added bonus that I was not expecting.  I also was surprised by the resilience of the faith of the people of France who came in droves to the sanctuary.

I know I will return to Lourdes.  Certainly with parish groups.  But I do hope to return again for another extended period to assist the English-speakers who will flock here in the future.

Here are Cardinal Dolan's thoughts as he returned from Lourdes last week.  I couldn't agree with him more.  I exhorted the people at my last Mass i the Sanctuary to take a little bit of Lourdes with you.  Not the water or the rosaries but the spirit of Mary and Bernadette.

View of the Major Basilicas from across the Gave de Pau River.
In the background are the Pyrenees and Spain.

Next is a stop over at St. Paul les Dax.  The birthplace of St. Vincent (de Paul) and to Bayonne the last of the pilgrim stop-overs before beginning the third phase of my sabbatical:  the Camino Frances.

Happy Mothers' Day from Lourdes

      Statue of Our Lady in the Grotto of the Apparition.

As I woke up this morning I must admit that I am a little "Incarnation Sick."  Mothers' Day is one of those days that I especially love being a priest.  I love being pastor at Incarnation.  Maybe because my own mother died way too soon.  Maybe because I just hold the vocation of a mother so high in esteem, but it has just been a day of grace through the years.

An added grace since I have been at Incarnation is the annual Blessing of Mothers at each of the weekend Masses and the gift of a flower to each of our mothers by the Family Life Committee.  We are never the best at acknowledging those who are closest to us, and very few if any are closer to us than our mothers.

Incarnation also welcomes this weekend the Little Sisters of the Poor.   Perhaps like our own mothers they give of themselves to love and serve those in need.  This time, not children but, the elderly so that they may receive the best care in the twilight of their lives.  I hope that generosity of the faithful of Incarnation will show our dedication to the wonderful work of the sisters on the other side of Queens village.

While I am very much "Incarnation Sick" I could not think of a better place to be and in fact worked it into my sabbatical schedule that I be in Lourdes this day.  If I can't be with the mothers of Incarnation then I want to be with the Mother of God; our Mother, My Mother.  My time in the Sanctuary this day has been precious from the sun rising over the mountains to the celebrations of the Sacraments.

Candlelight Procession when the Order of Malta was at the Sanctuary.

Remember the words of Jesus to Mary and John from the Cross:   "Woman, behold your son.  . . .   Behold your mother." Few word have been more powerful in the Christian Tradition.  That's why Lourdes is packed this weekend.  Or better yet, that's why Mary through the teenaged Bernadette spoke to all of us in 1858.

Statue of the Crowned Virgin on the Esplanade of the Sanctuary.

REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.



Happy Mothers' Day!

Maison des Chapelains

I mentioned previously that I would post about where I am living in Lourdes.  The Maison des Chapelains  (Chaplains' House) is located to the left of the upper Basilica of the Immaculate Conception further up the hill.  It houses the offices and full-time chaplains who take care the the visiting pilgrims to Lourdes.  Remembering that Masses and services are conducted in six languages here at the Sanctuary, there is a good collection of priests: about 18.  The largest number are French-speaking priests followed by Italians, Spanish, English, German and Dutch.  There is also an auxiliary residence for the priest-confessors who minister in Lourdes for a spell, usually two weeks to a month.

For around a century now, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate have been entrusted with the pastoral care of the majority of the Lourdes' Pilgrims.   They were invited to serve at the shrine because of their being dedicated to Mary Immaculate and of course when the "Lady" who appeared to St. Bernadette back in 1858 finally gave her name she said "I am the Immaculate Conception."  There are currently two English-speaking Oblates who minister to the English-speaking pilgrims and at times pilgrims whose mother tongue is not represented at the shrine.  Father Brian is from Ireland and Father Paul is from South Africa.

To assist in the celebration of Mass and hearing confessions priests like myself come from throughout the world.  At present there are about forty to fifty priests here.  Some are retired, others come during their vacation, still others like me while on sabbatical or between assignments.  So the number of priests at the Maison swells particularly from June through September during high season.  Lourdes still receives close to five million pilgrims each year.  The number of priests is most noticed and impressive at the main midday meal.  Here each collection of priests of a language group sit together to share fraternity and discuss any needed facets of ministry within a particular language group.  It can get quite boisterous.  Particularly on Sundays and feasts as the meal is a bit longer and more festive.

Fathers Vincent O' Grady, Angelo Philips, Brian de Burca and Paul Horrocks
in the refectory of the Maison before Sunday Dinner.

Since I have been here.  In addition to spending time with Fathers Brian and Paul, the two Oblates assigned here.  I have worked with an Irish Oblate working in Birmingham, England; an Indian priest who teaches at a seminary in Rome; a retired Holy Ghost Father who will be 81 on my birthday in July (We have been out twice to a very authentic Italian restaurant for supper); a Nigerian priest who is studying philosophy in Belgium and a retired pastor from the diocese of Leeds in Great Britain.  They have been inspiring for me.  And we have also shared our zeal for offering the sacrament of God's forgiveness hour upon hour; day after day.

Statue of St. John Vianney - Patron of Parish Priests

Right outside of the Reconciliation Chapel is an outdoor shrine to Saint John Vianney - patron of parish priests and my own Confirmation patron.  It's very appropriately placed since this holy priest stationed in the south-east French countryside spent tremendous amounts of time hearing confessions.  What I find equally moving is the groups of people gathered there praying specifically for priests.  Only early in the morning does the statue not have a gathering before it.

St. John Vianney's outdoor shrine under a canopy.
The medal stands in the foreground are to lean against while praying.

Liberation Day!

Wednesday, May 8 the French celebrated Liberation Day.  It was the day when the allied forces (mainly of the United States, Great Britain and Canada) finally drove out the occupying Nazi forces in 1945.  While most of the soldiers of that era are dying off in the States because the war was fought here it is still remembered quite vividly by some and quite visibly in the geography and history of France.

There was a full festive meal in the Maison where I live.  I was the only representative of the allied forces.  There is a Canadian priest here from Montreal but he was out for lunch.  I did get a few people say "Thank You" which was quite moving.  The meal was splendid and the drinks and special hors d'oeuvres before didn't hurt either!

But there is another Liberation that occurs daily at Lourdes:  the Liberation from sin.  Close to a thousand people each day go to confession in various languages receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It is powerful and I am privileged to be an instrument of God's Grace here.  The relief and joy is all too often visible on the faces and in the demeanor of the penitents who spurred on by the spirit of the Sanctuary come seeking the forgiveness of sins.

Happy Liberation Day!  Get to confession.  I went the other day and it cant be beat!

The Invasion of Lourdes

The Grotto of Lourdes.  The statue marks where Our Lady appeared to Bernadette.

It began about midday on Wednesday, May 1,  a European Union Holiday.  In the midst of the many families and pilgrims coming to the Sanctuary on May Day, I began to notice the growing numbers of men and women dressed in blue and red with the distinctive cross on their shoulders or over their breasts.   They came from every continent and their numbers began to swell as the days passed.  Lourdes was being invaded by the Knights and Dames of Malta.   The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta as they are officially known were having their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes.  By the time Mass was celebrated on Sunday by Cardinal Paolo Sardi, the Cardinal Patronus of the Order, there were close to 10, 000 members of the order, their families or guests present in the Sanctuary.  (That is in addition to other pilgrims). It was simply amazing.

The blue and red uniforms beginning to fill the esplanade.

"Malta," as we referred to them, was everywhere.  Filling the streets and various chapels as the many national or regional groups met.  They also filled the reconciliation chapels for every language group as the days of pilgrimage progressed.  What impressed me most about their visit is how they took care of the sick and elderly.  "Malta" brings with them sick and elderly members of their order but also the needy from their parishes and communities.  With tremendous care and concern and a military precision everyone is included in all the processions, services and liturgies.  It is a sight to behold.

The afternoon Eucharistic Procession and blessing of the sick had to start a half hour early on Friday so great were the numbers of participants.  And the torchlight procession on Saturday night was the largest in my time here so far.  I thought there was added beauty when about fifteen minutes into the rosary the power in the Sanctuary failed leaving candles as the only light as the night sky arrived.  I was sad I didn't have my camera.  Unfortunately, I was not able to join them for their Sunday Mass (I had Mass for the English-Speaking community at the same time).  but I caught the procession from the underground basilica to the Grotto.  It was as impressive as it seemed never-ending.  Cardinal George from Chicago and our own Cardinal Dolan were among the thirty of forty bishops present.

The Sunday Mass Procession making its way to the Grotto.

I actually ran into Cardinal Dolan by accident and was able to chat with him a bit before I had to go to say my Mass.  As I mentioned in another post I always begin my day by stopping by the Grotto for prayer.  Sunday morning (a stunningly beautiful day) was no different.  So I went down and while saying my prayers I looked up and first saw Father Cruz (the cardinal's secretary) and then Cardinal Dolan.  Like myself they were just praying seated in the rear section of the Grotto.  I don't think anyone knew it was him besides myself.  It's actually very appropriate because here at Lourdes the sick are the ones who always get the best seats; the sick are the ones who are right up front.

Father Cruz and Cardinal Dolan praying Morning Prayer before the Grotto. 

By Monday afternoon the "Malta" Invaders began withdrawing from Lourdes.  They sacked the Sanctuary carrying off with them grace and blessing.  They left a tremendous example of Christian Life in the modern era.

Life at Lourdes

Sanctuary of the chapel of Ss. Cosmas & Damien

Many people have been wondering what I an doing at the Sanctuary of Lourdes.  The sanctuary has six official languages in which sacraments and prayers are celebrated:  French, Italian, Spanish, English, German and Dutch (Flemish).  I have volunteered to assist the English-speaking pilgrims.  My work is largely with those individuals, families and groups of English-speakers who did not come on formal pilgrimages with their own priest.  There is also a rotating group of volunteers to the shrine who come from English-speaking countries.  They come to Lourdes to assist daily the pilgrims and sick who arrive at the sanctuary in the thousands each day. The morning Mass celebrated in the Chapel of Ss. Cosmas and Damian (Two early Roman Martyrs who were brothers in addition to being physicians) is of a varying sized crowd between 50 and 150 or so.  In fact a good portion of them are from the Philippines.

The other major work I have is celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation with the hundreds who come for Confession each day.  There are at least two or three English-speaking priests hearing confessions each day.

The Reconciliation Chapel before penitents arrive. 

These confessions are not your run of the mill confessions from an ordinary Saturday afternoon.  The sanctuary and the nature of the place have made for some intense and fruitful experiences for those who come seeking healing.  I must admit the emotions and yearnings of the penitents has been far more intense and taxing than I had anticipated.  Nevertheless, I feel that later on in life I will look back at these days and recall them as some of the most beneficial and useful of my priestly ministry.


Daily Schedule

6AM - Rise

6:40AM - Morning Prayers

7AM - Breakfast (Bowl of cafe au lait)

7:30-7:45AM - Visit the Grotto

8AM - Holy Hour

9AM - Mass for the English-speaking pilgrims

10-11:15AM - Hear Confessions

12:30PM - Dinner (Main Meal)

2-6PM - Hear Confessions

7:30PM - Supper

9PM - Candlelight Procession

10:30PM - Night Prayers

11PM - Bed