At Fatima, Lourdes and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, my seminary days of chant paid off. At each place, when the “Salve Regina” was chanted, I could sing with gusto. It felt so good and so right!
Archive | September, 2012
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raising their candles in salute
26 Sep
Following the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes and the sick are the rest of us, raising our candles high at the singing of the “Glory be to the Father,” and for the frequent and moving singing of “Ave, ave, ave Maris,” each time getting louder and louder, it seems, as the procession moves on. Verses of the Lourdes hymn are sung in different languages, as people of all languages join in the common Latin, “Ave.” Want to hear it, go my YouTube channel’ MilfordAndrewPastor.”
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the malades
26 Sep
First in the procession at Lourdes are the malades: the sick. We bring our own dis-ease, of course, but the main reason for the prayer and the procession is for the sick. In the rosary we pray for “all those tormented by life.”
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first the Virgin
26 Sep
In the evening candlelight procession, immediately following the crucifix flanked by lighted candles is the statue of “Our Lady of Lourdes.”
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will it make it home safely?
26 Sep
While filling the plastic jug with Lourdes water, it is easy to question the assurance of the shopkeeper that, of course, it will be just fine stories in your checked baggage.
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women don’t usually cry for themselves
26 Sep
This sculpture of station number 8 was striking: one mother holding up her infant to Jesus, another holding on to her child beside her while she herself is weeping. Women don’t often cry for themselves, but for their children, yes, often they cry, and they weep.
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quite a trek
26 Sep
We prayed the stations at Lourdes. It was not a walk in the park, but up a challenging hill. Get over it, right? Jesus’ way of the cross was no walk in the park. Always I am anxious to see how any set of Stations portrays #5: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross. That is what we are call to do: pick up their cross, put it on our back and help them carry it. I never see or pray the 5th station without thinking of my friends – our friends – in Beit Jala (Bethlehem) who are at station #12: the Crucifixion.
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healing water and healing prayers
26 Sep
While filling bottoms with Lourdes water, I thought of letting the water of Lourdes to flow over the rosary of my mother.
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a prolongation of your prayers
26 Sep
When I was preparing to leave Lourdes I lit a candle for all of you and for all of your intentions. The candle itself does not pray; it cannot pray. But it is a sign that prayer for you and your intentions continues. May we continue to pray for each other, and for the needs of all, especially those most in need and for those who have no one to pray for them.
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see it and hear it
26 Sep
In the grotto at Lourdes water can be seen flowing from the same spring from which Bernadette drank, and from which we can still drink the waters of Lourdes, or as rolls off our lips more naturally, Lourdes water. If you would like to “hear” the water, go to my YouTube channel: MilfordAndrewPastor. The waters are supposed to have healing powers. “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
With Open Doors 