The Sun continues to drench Lourdes in a wonderful dry heat . The place is illuminated and shining. And so are the pilgrims.
This crowd is clearly glad that we are getting more work and less “formation.” It has been spotty at best and is the result of either legal or insurance reasons. As Americans, we are used to this type of thing. A good idea becomes pro forma to satisfy some obligation. Sorry, I’m just ranting here. But I am not the only one. Oh well, we are not here except for a higher reason.
The kids are working hard at the Baths and the trains. They are getting along with out any problems.. Okay, maybe that was jumping the gun on that last issue! No, I will stick with this for now.
Because of this new system (with the kinks not yet worked out), only one group was with us at the beginning of Mass this evening. The rest of them came in at the gospel.
The good news, aside from the Gospel itself, was that we were invited to be a part of a first. There was going to be an international gathering of volunteer groups here as a part of a program call “Games Without Borders.They signed up for a variety of silly competitions that will be held later this evening after the Rosary Procession. The details of the events may have been sketchy, but the enthusiasm preparing for them was not.
I headed over there at the Foyer (next to the chapel where we have the Anointing of Sick Mss during the May pilgrimage) after the procession. The enthusiasm of the gathered groups was off the charts. Unfortunately, the well-lit patio attracted what could only be callrd a European version of the “Amityville Horror.” The patio is on a bend of the Gave and I have never seen so many flies. In my early escape, I believe I consumed several. I retreated to the relative safety of the back deck and found great comfort in the prosciutto the Italian pilgrims had brought with them. To be honest, tbe prosciutto was worth the flies. After the additional comfort of a solitary milkshake, I came back to the hotel and I’m waiting for the Pilgrims and the results to return.
But just to give you an idea of things, take a look at this…
