Typical Lourdes

Lourdes is full of LGBTs, I mean, of course, Libyans, Germans, Belgians and Tanzanians.

And still the nationality count goes up. It is, in reality, a microcosm of the Catholic world.

This is brought home more keenly by the fact that Latin Masses are as rare as pork pies in a mosque - Ooh! Am I allowed to say that?

We have been unfortunate (in missing the ICKSP Pilgrimage and Cardinal Burke by one day) but fortunate in having an EF Mass courtesy of the Order or Malta for the past five days.

It strikes me that traditional groups should leave their EF Mass schedules at the Domain information office....keep hammering it home that there ARE Latin Masses in Lourdes.

Also, a small poster on the Domain pilgrimage information board (totally out of date) would be helpful (and a few left in nearby cafes while you're at it).

We are very good at hiding our light under a bushel!

So here are some pictorial views of la belle Lourdes!

 

Waiting for Mewlier Fortis

Just follow the instructions

Dedicated to members of The Confraternity of the Holy Cross, Menevia

A happy pilgrim...nationality unknown...ahem


 

 

 

Lourdes water......and grass

Our Lady's gold crown was donated by the people of Ireland
(Biretta tip to EFPastoremeritus2)
 

Saturday was our first full day in Lourdes and we made several visits to the Grotto and to the information office to enquire about Mass in Latin.

We were met with a rather patronising smile and told that there was only one EF Mass in Lourdes each week and that was at 9am in the Upper Basilica.
Surely,  we said, there must be more than one Mass per week.

A very firm "Non" was the response.

Leaving the Domain intent upon finding a coffee we bumped into our good friend, Julian Chadwick, Knight of the Order of Malta and ex Chairman of the Latin Mass Society.

Knight of the Order of Malta, Fra Julian Chadwick

Julian was sitting with Fr Ronald Creighton Jobe Cong. Orat., and announced that there was a Mass about to be celebrated in the Sacred Heart Chapel of a nearby hotel.

So much for patronising smiles and firm "Nons".

Fr CJ left immediately to prepare for the Mass while we chatted with Julian.

Lourdes is full of members of the Order of Malta and he explained that the USA had chartered three jumbo jets and Britain two, flying in many hundreds of sick and infirm.

So, on our very first day we were able to attend Mass and, afterwards, return to the Domain where we drank the water and I, much to the concern of Madame Toile de Lin, ate the grass.

You see, Our Lady instructed Bernadette to drink the water and eat the grass, acts which brought down great scorn upon her head from the sceptical locals.

So I feel that it is only right to follow suit...although I believe that Mme TdL is secretly planning to use this action on my part to have me detained under the Mental Health Act when we return to the UK.


PLEASE NOTE:
 Due to the uncertainties of internet connections here in Lourdes, I am not always able to respond to comments, my apologies.