Full Update: Ten days in France

1 April 2011- 10 April 2011

France 10-day

The classic photo with the Tour Eiffel.

Me in front of the Louvre

Day 1: Paris. Last night we left Gaming after our classes ended and headed for Paris (stops included Salzburg and Münich). We (Regina, Katie, Julie, Jeanine, Marianne, and I) had tons of fun, especially in the 6 person compartment. Our overnight train was from Münich to Paris and three of us were in two compartments, but it worked out. It’s super nice when you can sleep on two benches. We also ran into Helen and Matt. Fortunately, we located Helen’s Eurrail for her on the train. So, we set off to explore Paris—the one place that I’ve always wanted to visit.

Hanging out by the Seine River
and the Tour Eiffel.

Sacre Coeur during the daytime. Doesn't it
look like the Taj Mahal?

The unsuspecting tourist... I mean.. Regina will
never forget that today is "Poisson d'avril"...

 And, today was April Fools Day—always a fun day, but… we were in France… And the French call it Poisson d’avril. So, me being a somewhat expert on this, had some fun putting some fish on my friends’ backs without them knowing.

We began with Mass at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in French (the bodies of Stes. Louise de Meriac and Catherine Labouré are there) andthen walked down the street to see St. Vincent de Paul. When we went in someone was playing organ in the background and we were able to go right up in front of his tomb by climbing the stairs behind the altar. After praying there for a bit, we stopped in an épicerie and bought some delicious bread for lunch.

Notre Dame: here we were able to
venerate the Crown of Thorns.

The Shrine of the Miraculous Medal

Then we went to the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe for some pictures. Then we went to Notre Dame at 3pm for the Veneration of the Crown of Thorns. The line was long to get in and to venerate—it took 1 hour 40 minutes for us to be finished. But it was a good prayer time and we kissed the Crown of Thorns (which was in a glass/plastic box holder). Then we ran into Joe and Joey and went to a café and had crêpes for dinner. Our server sadly could not understand my French, but the rest of the time, when I needed to use it, they could understand me, and I could understand them.

Paris at sunset, outside the Louvre

Then we went to the Louvre and saw the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and some French paintings, some of which were very familiar to me from classes I’ve been in.

Then we made our way to Sacre Coeur to stay with the sisters. And they had beds for us and our roommates were all Franciscan women—yay! We had our holy hour at 11 pm which was in the gorgeous main part of the Basilica—the monstrance was probably 6 feet high!

The view of the Basilica
area from the entrance.

Ste. Bernadette watching the sheep.

Day 2: The train to Lourdes. Today we took our train to Lourdes and got our reservations. On the train through the beautiful French countryside, we were discussing our philosophy paper. When we got off the train, we started to find our way, but there were no street names so we stopped at a hotel to ask for directions (in French!), which was very helpful, and again we asked when we got closer to the Basilica.

We are staying in the Maison (House of) St. Pierre et St. Paul—it’s a gorgeous building that used to be a seminary. After settling down, we went to Mass at the original shrine built at the request of Our Lady. After a delicious dinner in the cafeteria, we stopped at the Grotto on our way back taking the path that Ste. Bernadette did. So that we don’t have to walk on the narrow road, the Bishop allows us to walk on his property to get back the Maison. He has two horses that he keeps so the lawn stays mowed. We named them Jean-Claude (the white one) and Philippe (the brown one).

Regina petting Jean-Claude,
the Bishop's "lawn mower".

North American Lourdes Volunteers
all set to serve!

Day 3: Today we began our day with a French breakfast of bread and jam before we headed for Mass at the side chapel of Ste. Anne’s in the main chapel. Then we went on a brief tour and had some free time. Julie and I went shopping in the town in the souvenir shops. Then we had lunch and our orientation meeting before we went to register.

There are a total of four of us in one room at the Maison (Jeanine, Regina, Kimmie, and me) and we (as well as Sr. Carrie Ann) were asked to serve in the Acceuil Nôtre Dame which is where the sick pilgrims stay. There, we do the dishes in the cafeteria area. I really enjoy being able to interact with the people this way—plus I’m able to use my French since the group on my floor are from Nevers. Maria-Luz was the lady who registered us and she spoke Spanish and French, so Pam (one of the ladies in charge of the North American Lourdes Volunteers) was able to translate most of it for us until she had to leave but Kimmie speaks Spanish and I speak French, so it worked.

The Crowned Virgin statue. Legend
says that if you pray three Hail
Mary's at this statue, you will
come back to Lourdes.

That evening Kimmie and I served in the Maison, after which we went to dinner, we went into town, looked at the Basilicas, and participated in the Rosary procession. Back at the Maison, we received our nurse outfits.

Day 4: Today we had our first formation meeting with George from Malta and Michael from England in which we learned about the pastoral theme for the year: Praying the Our Father with Ste. Bernadette. Then we received a short tour of the area to see her museum, birthplace, home, site of the old parish church, and hospital where she volunteered and received her First Communion.

We said a French Rosary at the Grotto and had our meeting for the Accueil with Nöel, who only speaks French. So I had to translate the entire 45 minute meeting into English. Fortunately, there were some people who could help me. It took a lot of discipline and was really difficult towards the end.

The Underground Basilica. Not the most
beautiful church in the world, but it
holds a lot of people and it's cool,
which is nice on a hot day.

For serving tonight, Jeanine and I served with Vèronique (French and English) as well as two Spanish ladies, Maria and Ignathia. It is quite wonderful to be able to use my French and try to use some Spanish as well! On our way back, we ran into Regina, whom I joined for choir practice for the Rosary procession. It was super neat seeing it from that perspective.

Day 5: Today we had a tour of the Sanctuaries for formation followed by group photos. We served at lunchtime and also went to the adoration chapel for some time. With Soeur Chantal, we learned how to move people in wheelchairs and stretchers. Before it was time to serve again, Jeanine, Regina, and I hung out by the river. Our Mass today was at the Maison des Chapelains, where all the chaplains stay.

Kimmie, Regina, Sr. Carrie Ann, Jeanine,
and me (the Acceuil volunteers) in front of
"Catholic Disney land".
Can't you just see the fireworks?

Day 6: This morning, we were fortunate enough to serve in the piscines. My Madame was Dutch and spoke many, many languages. Then we went directly to the acceuil to serve for lunch. Then we went to the bookstore to look around, hung out around the river again, and played Pooh Sticks before the French Rosary. Then I went to Confession and Regina joined me for the Eucharistic procession. Sr. Carrie Ann now has an Italian fan club. Tonight was Pam’s Engagement which took place during a Mass. It was such a beautiful event.

Day 7: Today after service, we did the Stations of the Cross on the big hill which are gold-colored and life size. Afterwards, we were fortunate enough to meet Bernadette’s great-great-great nephew, Vincent, who is deaf. At the Eucharistic procession, Jeanine and I were honored to help carry the banner. After that we played one round of Pooh Sticks before we headed back to the Acceuil. For dinner, we were treated with delicious Italian pizza. Tonight at the procession, I made the mistake of starting to lead one of the English Hail Mary’s in French… That is a mistake only I could make!

Me and Casey on the roof of the Acceuil,
overlooking the basilicas.

Day 8: Today we had our stagiaire feedback session followed by Mass in the Grotto. At service for lunch today we had to say goodbye to everyone. We spent some time in the chapel, and this afternoon we went to help the men at the train station, which reminded me of the World Wars in which you have the soldiers over here with a few nurses over there. We helped wheel wheelchairs and walk people to the trains and then we just walked up and down the platform telling all the Italians “ciao” andd trying to talk to them. It was so great to interact with them all! Then we had cheese and bread at our other meeting just for the North American Lourdes Volunteers. Then we had dinner, packed, and went to the train station for our overnight train to Nevers.

Grotto in Nevers

The Grotto in Lourdes. We were
able to go there every day.

Day 9: This morning we arrived in Nevers and saw the incorrupt body of Ste. Bernadette. Before that, however, in the Grotto just outside we met up with the Italians we helped send out by train yesterday! Then we spent some prayer time with Ste. Bernadette, followed by a trip to the gift store and museum. We had Mass in French with an African-French pilgrimage. The French was a bit difficult to understand, but thankfully we had missals.

Then we had really yummy kebabs on our way back to the train station. We had layovers in Dijon-Ville and Lausanne, Switzerland. We also saw Lake Geneva at sunset and talked to some Swiss people on the train in French. And we also ran into a huge group of Franciscan students that left Lourdes in the morning. It was really nice to have a couchette/cabin for the night that was just us.

Our  40 minute layover in Switzerland.

Lake Geneva in Switzerland at sunset.

Day 10: Back to Gaming. The next morning, our layover in Scheibbs was more than an hour, so Julie and I did a Rosary and read some homework by the river/creek. Then we had a bus back to Gaming.