Swine Flu

The sign on the entrance to our Pre-Theology dorm wing, after the College Seminarians started getting Swine Flu:

Winter Pilgrimage to Ireland

I'll be going on pilgrimage to Ireland from December 28-January 15.  Does anyone have any suggestions for Catholic sites to visit?  So far I am planning to visit friends in Dublin, County Derry, and County Kerry.  I also plan to visit Donegal, Galway, and the shrine in Knock.

NC Latin Mass Updates

The weekly TLM in the Camp Lejeune chapel continues to go very well:

Fr. Parkerson continues the monthly TLM at St. Mary's Shrine in Wilmington:

Fr. Parkerson celebrating Mass in Dunn, NC for All Souls Day:

40 Hours Devotion Begins at Saint Charles

Tomorrow, the seminary begins the traditional "40 Hours Devotion."  Although abandoned in many dioceses, it is still done in many religious orders and in a few dioceses to this day.

The Forty Hours Devotion is a special forty-hour period of continuous prayer made before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition.  As Pope Pius XII taught in Mediator Dei, "This practice of adoration has a valid and firm foundation." 

The number forty has always signified a sacred period of time: the rains during the time of Noah lasted 40 days and nights; the Jews wandered through the desert for 40 years, and our Lord fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning His public ministry. The 40 Hours Devotion remembers that traditional "forty-hour period" from our Lord's burial until the resurrection.  During the Middle Ages, the Blessed Sacrament was transferred to the repository, "the Easter Sepulcher," for this period of time to signify our Lord's time in the tomb.

The Forty Hours Devotion begins with a Solemn Mass of Exposition, which concludes with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Blessed Sacrament remains on the altar in a monstrance, and during the next 40 hours the faithful gather for personal or public prayer in adoration of our Lord.  At the seminary, all classes and obligations are cancelled, and we have a schedule so that three seminarians are in the chapel at all times.  The Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the tabernacle for the daily Mass, and then returned for exposition after Mass.  

At the end of the devotions, the Mass of Deposition is offered, again concluding with a procession, benediction and final reposition of the Blessed Sacrament. 

While the Forty Hours Devotion nurtures the love of the faithful for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, three special dimensions have also surrounded this devotion: the protection from evil and temptation, reparation for our own sins and for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, and deliverance from political, material, or spiritual calamities.  The faithful implore our Lord to pour forth His abundant graces for themselves, their neighbors, their own personal needs, and for those of the world. 

A Friendly Wager

(This is not made up)

"Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, and Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, have placed a friendly wager on the outcome of the 2009 World Series.

These two long-time friends spoke on Tuesday evening to settle the terms of the bet. If the Phillies win, Archbishop Dolan will ship a dozen bagels to the City of Brotherly Love; if the Yankees prevail, Cardinal Rigali will send a box of Tastykakes to the Big Apple.

Archbishop Dolan said, “Cardinal Rigali is one of my closest and dearest friends; for several years he even served as my Archbishop so I feel a particular loyalty to him. I know he has exquisite taste in most matters. I just wish he had better taste in baseball teams.”

Cardinal Rigali said, “I have great esteem for Archbishop Dolan. He is a gifted spiritual leader who has been a true friend for many years. That is why I am so sorry he will be disappointed when the Phillies successfully defend their World Championship. We have the cream cheese ready for the bagels that I know will be arriving shortly after the Repeat in the City of Brotherly and Sisterly love.”

Vocation Director Visit

We were blessed to have our vocation director, Fr. Ned Shlesinger, visit us on October 24.  This photo of Father with the Pre-Theology seminarians was taken in front of Saint Martin's chapel after Holy Mass:

Msgr. Jean Laffitte Named a Bishop

I received very good news today that my friend Msgr. Jean Laffitte has been named a bishop by Pope Benedict XVI.  Please remember him in your prayers as he prepares for his episcopal consecration.

Formerly the Vice President of the Pontifical Academy For Life in Rome, he is now the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family and will be titular bishop of Entrevaux.

Msgr. Laffitte and I in Rome, 2008:

In the Pyrenean Mountains (France) in 2009:

Great News for "Traditional Anglicans"

From Damian Thompson:

Pope Benedict XVI has created an entirely new Church structure for disaffected Anglicans that will [bring them into union with Rome].

The Pope is now offering Anglicans worldwide “corporate reunion” on terms that will delight Anglo-Catholics.  In theory, they can have their own parishes and bishops – and they will be free of liturgical interference by liberal Catholic bishops who are unsympathetic to their conservative stance.

Both Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Dr. Rowan Williams are surprised by this dramatic move. Cardinal Levada, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was in Lambeth Palace only yesterday to spell out to Dr Williams what it means. This decision has, in effect, been taken over their heads – though there is no suggestion that Archbishop Nichols does not fully support this historic move.

....

With one announcement, the Pope has given conservative Anglicans a protected route to union with Rome.

Thousands of Anglicans who reject women bishops and priests and liberal teaching on homosexuality are certain to avail themselves of this provision. Within a few years, there will probably be “Anglican ethos” Catholic parishes in England and Wales (and one wonders how many conservative cradle Catholics will gratefully start attending Mass there).

This is a decision of supreme boldness and generosity by Pope Benedict XVI, comparable to his liberation of the Traditional Latin Mass. The implications of this announcement will take a long time to sink in, but I suspect that this will be a day of rejoicing for conservative Anglo-Catholics and their Roman Catholic friends all over the world.

Update on my nephew, Paul

Paul doesn't like his car seat:

His first words: "Dominus Vobiscum":

New Vocations Website for the Diocese of Raleigh, NC

The Raleigh Vocations office has launched its new website: http://www.raleighvocations.org/  

It contains a blog, calendar of events, and great resources for helping one to discern his vocation.  Check it often for updates!

Baby Paul's Priestly Vocation

It seems that my new nephew is already demonstrating the proper way to hold his fingers together while elevating the chalice at Holy Mass.  He must have a vocation to the priesthood:

Great News For the Diocese of Raleigh, NC

Great news in the Wilmington, NC area - another Mass in the Extraordinary Form!  Fr. Aidan Logan (a Trappist monk/Navy chaplain) is a very holy priest, and was the Catholic chaplain at the Naval Academy during my last two years there (2005-2006).  He and I became good friends, and I ran into him in the Charlotte, NC airport before my pilgrimage to Lourdes last Summer.  He is one of the very patient priests (along with Fr. Parkerson) who "set me straight" towards the seminary while I was in college.

Here is Fr. Aidan in action.  I hope many Catholics in that area of NC can take advantage of this weekly Mass:

Here is the notice from the Diocese of Raleigh's website:

The Forma Extraordinaria of the Mass will be celebrated every Sunday at the Catholic Chapel at Camp Lejeune beginning October 4.  Father Aidan Logan, one of the Catholic Chaplains on the Marine Base will be the celebrant.  At this time the Mass will be at 12:30 PM.

The Catholic Chapel is located in the St. Francis Xavier Building 17.  To get on the base, a temporary pass is needed and can be obtained by stopping at the Visitor’s Center.  A valid driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance are needed to receive a pass.
At present, five churches in the Diocese of Raleigh have scheduled regular celebrations of the Forma Extraordinaria:

Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh at 4:30 PM, fourth Sunday of every month.

Sacred Heart Church in Dunn at 12:00 PM every Sunday.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rocky Mount at 6:00 PM every Sunday.

Saint Mary Church in Wilmington at 7:00 PM, the last Sunday of every month.  

Saint Bernadette Church in Fuquay-Varina at 9:00 AM every Tuesday.

Feast of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Today is the Feast of Saint Thérèse  of Lisieux.  Her feast day in the 1962 calendar is two days later, October 3rd.  Here at the seminary, we celebrate a "Triduum" of Saint Thérèse  from October 1-3, concluding with a barbeque in the St. Thérèse courtyard.

Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zelie, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. She was brought up in a model Catholic home. While still a child she felt the attraction of the cloister, and at fifteen obtained permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. 

For the next nine years she lived a very ordinary religious life. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties with perfect fidelity, having a childlike confidence in God's providence and merciful love. She also had a great love of the Church and a zeal for the conversion of souls. She prayed especially for priests. She died at the age of 24, and was canonized in 1925. She has never ceased to fulfill her promise: "I will pass my heaven in doing good on earth." Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.

While at the convent, she composed a very beautiful poem to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The poem "flows" better in French, but the English translation is still very beautiful:

Oh! I would like to sing, Mary, why I love you,
Why your sweet name thrills my heart,
And why the thought of your supreme greatness
Could not bring fear to my soul.
If I gazed upon you in your sublime glory,
Surpassing the splendor of all blessed,
I could not believe that I am your child
O Mary, before you I would lower my eyes!

If a child is to cherish his mother,
She has to cry with him and share his sorrows,
O my dearest Mother, on this foreign shore
How many tears you shed to draw me to you!...
In pondering your life in the holy Gospels,
I dare look at you and come near you.
It's not difficult for me to believe I'm your child,
For I see you human and suffering like me...

When an angel from Heaven bids you be the Mother
Of God who is to reign for all eternity,
I see you prefer, O Mary, what a mystery!
The ineffable treasure of virginity.
O Immaculate Virgin, I understand how your soul
Is dearer to the Lord than his heavenly dwelling.
I understand how your soul, Humble and Sweet Valley,
Can contain Jesus, the Ocean of Love!...

My First Nephew

The newest member of the Church Militant, Paul Gerard Johnson, was born on September 24, 2009.  He will be baptized in November according to the 1962 Rituale Romanum.  He is my first nephew.

The father (my brother) reports that Paul often holds his canonical digits (thumbs and forefingers) together, so he is obviously destined to become a Catholic priest!  Please pray for him and his family!

New Diocese of Raleigh Seminarian Poster

This year's theme is St. John Vianney for the "Year For Priests" named by Pope Benedict XVI:

Seminary Photos

Classes are off to a good start at St. Charles.  Our rooms are pretty simple, with a bed, desk, and dresser:

My relics of Fr. Price, St. Maria Goretti, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Gabriel Possenti, and St. Paul of the Cross:

A long corridor leads to the Saint Martin Chapel - the "lower side" chapel for College and Pre-Theology seminarians:

Saint Martin Chapel's high altar:

...and frescoed dome:

Behind the sanctuary is a series of side altars:

The Marian side altar in the main part of the chapel:

Monastic-style choir stalls so that the seminarians face each other in two choirs for common prayer:

Part of the seminary grounds:

The front of the chapel and bell tower:

Silent Retreat

Please pray for the seminarians at St. Charles as we begin our 4-day silent retreat:

"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more." - St. Ignatius Loyola

On Monday, August 31, His Eminence Cardinal Justin Rigali visited the seminary to declare Saint John Vianney the 4th secondary patron of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. He declared:

His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, on the 19th day of June 2009, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, opened the Year of the Priest, during which we commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Saint John Mary Vianney. During this Year of the Priest, the Holy Father will name the Curé d’Ars as the patron of all priests.

In this Year of the Priest then, I, Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, proclaim:

Whereas, Saint John Vianney continues to be an inspiring example for seminarians to grow in holiness, and;

Whereas Saint John Vianney serves as a model of priestly zeal for the teaching of God’s Word and the celebration of the Sacraments, and;

Whereas Saint John Vianney is a timeless herald of the victory of God’s mercy in the struggle to overcome temptation and evil, and;

Whereas Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary has a long standing devotion to Saint John Vianney, the Curé d’Ars and patron of parish priests, and;

Whereas Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary wishes to emphasize the intercessory role of this heavenly patron in the formation of future priests, and;

Whereas Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary has a tradition of secondary patrons that include Saint Joseph, Saint Patrick and Saint Thomas Aquinas;

Therefore, on this 31st day of August, in the Year of Our Lord 2009, I declare Saint John Mary Vianney as a secondary patron of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

2009-2010 Seminarians of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

Cardinal Rigali visited yesterday to receive the faculty's oath of fidelity to the Magisterium, and we took our annual seminary photo:

2009-2010 Seminarians for the Diocese of Raleigh

MRI Results and Off to Seminary

The MRI today showed that my brain tumor is the same size as it was 2 months ago - Deo Gratias.

I leave this weekend for St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, so I may not be able to post for quite some time.  Please keep all of the Diocese of Raleigh seminarians in your prayers as we begin the new academic year:

Saint Vincent de Paul

After visiting the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Paris two weeks ago, I stumbled into the church of Saint Vincent de Paul, which is just around the corner.

Vincent De Paul was born in Landes, Gascony, France, to a peasant family.  He was ordained in 1600, remaining in Toulouse until he went to Marseille for an inheritance.  In 1605, on his way back from Marseille, he was taken captive by Turkish pirates, who brought him to Tunis and sold him into slavery.   After converting his owner to Christianity, Vincent de Paul was freed in 1607.

After returning to France, De Paul went to Rome to continue studying until 1609, when he was sent back to France on a mission to Henry IV of France.   In 1622, he was appointed chaplain to the galleys, and in this capacity he gave missions for the galley-slaves.  He founded the Congregation of the Mission, and with Louise de Marillac he founded the Daughters of Charity. He also fought against the Jansenist heresy.

In 1705, the Superior-General of the Lazarists requested that the process of his canonization might be instituted.  On 13 August 1729, Vincent was declared Blessed by Pope Benedict XIII. He was canonized nearly eight years later by Pope Clement XII. 

St. Vincent's body was exhumed in 1712, 53 years after his death. The written account of an eye witness states that "...the eyes and nose alone showed some decay." However, when the body was exhumed again during the canonization in 1737 it was then discovered to have decomposed due to an underground flood. His bones have been encased in a waxen figure which is displayed in a glass reliquary in the chapel of the headquarters of the Vincentian fathers in Paris.  His heart is still incorrupt, and is displayed in a reliquary in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity in Paris.

Saint Vincent's body above the high altar:

A beautiful painting in the same church.  Saint Vincent offering Holy Mass, with the Angels and Saint present, as they are at every Mass:

Zito Wedding

Please keep Mark and Jiza Zito in your prayers, as they were married today in the Our Lady of Victory chapel on the Norfolk Naval Base.  I have been friends with them both for many years, so it was a joy to share this day with them.

The chapel set up for the Solemn High Mass:

The newlywed couple:

Miraculous Medal Shrine in Paris

The chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal:

Saint Catherine Labouré (May 2, 1806 – December 31, 1876) was a sister of the Daughters of Charity and a Marian visionary who relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the Miraculous Medal worn by millions of Catholics today.

Saint Catherine stated that on the night of July 18, 1830 she woke up after hearing the voice of a child calling her to the chapel, where she heard the Virgin Mary say to her, "God wishes to charge you with a mission.  You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the grace to do what is necessary.  Tell your spiritual director all that passes within you.  Times are evil in France and in the world."

On November 27, 1830, Saint Catherine reported that the Blessed Mother returned during evening meditations.  She displayed herself inside an oval frame, standing upon a globe, wearing many rings of different colours, most of which shone rays of light over the globe. Around the margin of the frame appeared the words "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." As Catherine watched, the frame seemed to rotate, showing a circle of twelve stars, a large letter M surmounted by a cross, and the stylized Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary underneath.  Asked why some of her rings did not shed light, Mary reportedly replied "Those are the graces for which people forget to ask." Catherine then heard Mary ask her to take these images to her father confessor, telling him that they should be put on medallions. "All who wear them will receive great graces."

Saint Catherine did so, and after two years' worth of investigation and observation of Catherine's normal daily behavior, the priest took the information to his archbishop without revealing Catherine's identity. The request was approved and medallions began to be produced.  

The walls outside of the chapel are lined with stones thanking Mary for answered prayers:

"Thank you, Mary, for my healing and the conversion of my son."

Inside of the chapel - the location of the apparitions:

The body of Saint Catherine Labouré:

Dinner With Henri, his dad, and Amelie

Besides kindly loaning me his extra apartment in the 16th Arrondissement of Paris, Henri invited me to his new apartment for dinner on the Feast of the Transfiguration.  Amélie joined us, as well as Henri's father from the French-colonized island (and overseas French département) of Réunion.

Henri is remodeling his apartment to give it a more Ancien Régime/Versailles look: 

King Louis XV:

For the Feast Day, he prepared a nice meal of pork chops and champignons (mushrooms) de Paris:

A Day in Paris

I arrived in Paris on Monday night, but didn't get around to seeing much the next day.  My friend Henri (of Paris TLM choirmaster fame) loaned me his extra apartment in the 16th Arrondissement (western edge) of Paris.  It is a very nice place!

Today I saw a few places in Paris, and tomorrow I hope to visit Versailles (Vive l'ancien regime)!

I left the apartment and went past the Arc de Triomphe:

Then to Montmartre, the highest point in Paris:

And home to Sacre Coeur basilica:

A jazz band in the streets:

Next I went to Pere Lachaise cemetery, where some of the most beautiful tombs have been constructed:

I was surprised to find the tombs of Frederic Chopin....

And Jim Morrison:

Remember Death!

"Blessed are those who die in the Lord"

Last Video from Lourdes

Whenever pilgrims come to Lourdes in a large group, they are usually invited to lead a few prayers in their native languages.  During the last Rosary Procession, I took a short video of the Hail Mary sung in Sri Lanka's Tamil language:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZsgo3qcAlM

Afterwards, a drink with my friend Fr. Sean Riley from the Diocese of Liverpool, England:

Institute of the Good Shepherd

More photos from the Mass at Sacred Heart in Dunn celebrated by Fr. Beaugrand, IBP.  Sacred Heart's pastor, Father Parkerson, served as Assistant Priest:

Ahh, yes - a traditional French priest preaching in front of a statue of Saint Louis:

First blessings:

Off to Paris

I leave Lourdes this morning to spend a few days in Paris before returning to the US on the 7th.  My friend Henri (of French royalty during l'ancien regime!) is loaning me his "extra" apartment for a few days.

Please pray for safe travel!

Miracles in Lourdes

Pilgrims have been visiting Lourdes every day for 150 years.  It is estimated that 6 million pilgrims visit Lourdes every year.  That is 50,000 a day, yet there have been only 66 verified "miraculous cures" here.  If one is motivated by statistics, coming to Lourdes to be miraculously cured in a physical sense is probably a waste of time.

But people still come, sometimes over and over again, knowing that their chances of being physically cured are quite slim.

Just last week I was invited to dinner with the Lourdes "Board of Doctors" which verifies alleged miraculous cures in Lourdes.  The last approved miraculous cure was in the 1980's, but the board continues to examine alleged healings.  In fact, they are present every afternoon when the sick are given a special blessing by a bishop holding the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance.  One of the doctors explained that they stand behind the bishop during this blessing to show that "it is God who heals, we are just His earthly instruments."

I've been thinking a lot during my trip here, and one point keeps coming to mind as I dodge the thousands of wheelchairs every day.  What is the "true spirit" of Lourdes - is it physical healing, or something even greater?  Many people treat Lourdes water like a magic potion.  They drink the water, touch the grotto, take their pictures, and then leave for the next tourist site in France.  They miss the real message.

So, have only 66 miracles come from here?  During the past 4 weeks, I have come to know many of the priests who serve as confessors.  Of course they can not break the seal of confession or give me specifics, but they are always touched by their service as confessors.  People come to Lourdes and their hearts are softened - they change their ways and return to the Church.  Often times, atheists and agnostics come here because they feel a "pull," and their hearts are softened as they come to know Christ.  Our Lady softens their hearts.  

These miracles which happen every day can not be counted, quantified, or measured, but I would argue that they are the most amazing and miraculous.  God is omnipotent and can do anything.  God can cure cancer with a "snap of His fingers."  In one instant, God can take away any ailment, illness, or malady.  However, God has given us free will - he allows us to choose whether or not to open our hearts to His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.  

Every day here in Lourdes, hearts are softened.  By their own free will, many people are inspired to repent and change their lives.  Is this not the true spirit of Lourdes?  The Blessed Virgin asked Saint Bernadette (and all of us) to do penance for sinners.  By living in Lourdes, one can see the fruits of these acts of penance every day.

Even if miraculous physical healings are rare, let us continue to pray for the sick who draw strength from this holy shrine.  One sees hearts change every day as the sick and suffering draw supernatural strength to live out their lives with faith and hope.  I count myself among the sick who are inspired by Saint Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes, but I am certainly not suffering as much as most who come here.  A quick walk around the sanctuary is humbling, and makes one very thankful for what he still has.

England Visits Lourdes

The Archdioceses of Liverpool and Westminster visited Lourdes this past week.  I had the chance to get to know both Archbishops, and they were delightful.  Archbishop Patrick Kelly is the Archbishop of Liverpool:

He and I spoke for a while, then he invited me to return the next day so that he could give me the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.  Here he is leading the Rosary Procession the next day:

One of the highlights of my trip was meeting His Grace, Archbishop Vincent Nichols - Archbishop (soon to be Cardinal) of Westminster in England.  He is responsible for over 500,000 Catholics in his diocese, but he showed so much concern for me after finding out about my illness.  He mentioned that he had a seminarian who died of cancer in his last diocese.

While we were speaking, he focused on me as if no one else existed in the world, despite the many people who wished to speak with him.

The next day, he came up to me after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament to ask for my address so that he could "stay in touch" and send me a book he would like me to read.  It was very easy to see Christ beaming from him and to see his zeal for souls.  Please keep this holy shepherd in your prayers.  He certainly has mine every day, which he asked me to promise him:

Archbishop Nichols leading the prayers at the Rosary Procession:

Institute of the Good Shepherd Visits Diocese of Raleigh

Father Hugues Beaugrand, IBP recently visited the Diocese of Raleigh following his ordination to the Priesthood in France on July 4.

He offered Mass at many parishes, including a Missa Cantata at Sacred Heart in Dunn.  Please keep him in your prayers as he begins his priestly ministry!

Fr. Beaugrand (2nd from right), with Fr. Parkerson, pastor of Sacred Heart in Dunn

Pray For Adam

Every day I spend in Lourdes is filled with miracles.  Last night I met a wonderful 9 year old boy from Pennsylvania - Adam Recke.  He and his dad are on pilgrimage in Lourdes, and I met them after the daily Rosary Procession.  Adam has a very rare disease called Niemann-Pick Type C.  This rare and terminal disease affects very few individuals - there are approximately 500 cases worldwide.

His condition is a neuro-degenerative disease, so for the past two years he has had to undergo constant physical therapy to keep his balance and be able to function.

His dad keeps a blog about his son.  Please keep him in your prayers - these touching stories emerge from Lourdes all of the time.

Goodbye to the Scottish

The Diocese of Dunkeld, Scotland has been in Lourdes on pilgrimage for the past week.  It was a lot of fun to have them here, as they brought their parish youth groups to help the sick.  The day before they left, they invited me to their diocesan party at a local restaurant.  

It was amazing to experience the Scottish culture - it is quite normal for the youth to go to a pub with their parents and their priest to relax and sing folk songs.  Their parish priest decided to bring out the bagpipes...

...and play a jig or two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKaAHPybhck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT2s6v59-Ak

Latin Mass

This morning's Mass in the Immaculate Conception Basilica was quite "extraordinary."

Father Benoit Paul-Joseph, FSSP (current TLM chaplain) with Fr. George Byers, C.P.M. (former TLM chaplain).  Father Paul-Joseph drives from the FSSP parish in Tarbes every Sunday to offer Mass in Lourdes.  Afterwards, he rushes back to Tarbes to offer two more Masses:

Wales Visits Lourdes

The Archdiocese of Cardiff in Wales is on pilgrimage in Lourdes.  

The diocese was first established as the apostolic vicariate of Wales in 1840, and elevated to the parent Diocese of Newport and Menevia in 1850 by Pope Pius IX . In 1895, the diocese was renamed the Diocese of Newport. Finally in 1916, the diocese became the Archdiocese of Cardiff.

Tonight at the Rosary Procession, I served as MC for Archbishop Peter Smith as he led the prayers of the procession.  Before the procession he asked why I was in Lourdes, and when I told him about my condition, he took my hands and promised to pray for me every day.

Please keep the Diocese of Cardiff in your prayers during their pilgrimage!

The Polish Left :(

The Polish seminarians left today, which makes me very sad!  Not only were they completely orthodox, but they were so nice and a lot of fun.  They invited me to visit Poland in December, so I hope I will be able to take them up on the offer!

Adam loves to sport the "half tabby cat," as you can see:

Thankfully, they did leave us with a traditional Polish folk song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTvnJshWGPU

Great Liturgical Items....

....which belonged to Saint Michael Garicoits.  I saw them at the church in Betharram, France.

I especially love this one:

A beautiful cope:

St. Garicoits' chalice:

Altar missal from the 1800's.  It was about three feet tall:

This cope has over 470 Saints on it, each one of them labeled on their halo:

One of Saint John Vianney's shoes:

Help McKenzie Armstrong Become a Nun!

I have known Miss Armstrong for six years.  She plans to enter the Franciscans of the Immaculate on August 15th, The Feast of the Assumption, but her college debt continues to stand in the way.  She has started a fundraising blog (http://fortheimmaculate.blogspot.com) where she is seeking prayers and donations so that she can begin her journey towards becoming a consecrated "Spouse of Christ."

From her blog:

I have been discerning my vocation since before I was Catholic and, since converting in 2003, my desire to devote myself more closely to Jesus and to serve Him more fully has only grown and has become impossible to ignore... I had desired to enter the Carmelites immediately after high school, but was told that I was too young and that I had converted too recently. Instead, the Carmelites instructed me to attend college first and to continue to pray and grow closer to God during the intervening time. Therefore, I entered Belmont Abbey College in 2004 and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in English and Biology.

...My devotion to St. Francis quickly grew and I knew that if I was to enter religious life, it must be as a Franciscan. However, I could not find a Franciscan community that I felt any attraction to whatsoever during college, until I learned of the Franciscans of the Immaculate.

As the Franciscans do not accept money, do not have a steady source of income, and do not allow anyone to enter with any debt whatsoever, I must rely on the generosity of others if I hope to enter anytime within the next five or more years. I am confident that Our Lady will let me give Her the gift of entering on the Feast of Her Assumption, August 15.

Let's keep her in our prayers and help her find support!

"Montagnes Pyrenees, Vous Etes Mes Amours!"

A few days ago, I visited the nearby town of Betharram with my friend Msgr. Jean Laffitte. He works in Rome as the vice president of the Pontifical Academy For Life (they published the wonderful bioethics document that Pope Benedict gave to President Obama during their first meeting). Msgr. Laffitte is a native of the French Pyrenees, so he was very kind to spend a day showing me some of the region while he is home on vacation.

There is a beautiful 18th Century church where one can find the incorrupt body of Saint Michael Garicoits - the founder of the Society of Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram. I'll make a later post with those photos.

For now, a few photos of my favorite place in the world - the French Pyrenees:

Msgr. Laffitte and I before beginning our excursion:

We reached 5,000 feet:

It is completely quiet and peaceful, except for the bells around the necks of the grazing sheep....

.....and bulls:

Another Organ Concert in Saint Pius X Basilica

I am always impressed with the daily concerts given in the Underground Basilica.  Does anyone know the name of this piece?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxn5KMelBuc

Part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygwoFuQMp7c

Stations of the Cross in Lourdes

One of my duties in Lourdes is to lead the Stations of the Cross.  They are life-sized and wind up a tall mountain.  It takes about 1 hour to complete, but they are magnificent:

Rosary Basilica Mosaics

The Rosary Basilica is adorned with beautiful mosaics depicting the mysteries of the Rosary.  Here are some of my favorites:

Mischievous Saint Bernadette

I don't mean to "demean" Saint Bernadette's character - she is a canonized Saint - but we must realize that she was an ordinary person who achieved great holiness through her suffering at the convent.  We must recognize that in her youth, she was quite the "character"!

I studied the archives at her convent, and also the archives here in Lourdes.  I found a few stories which show her mischievous character, but these episodes show that she was a normal young girl who strived for radical holiness by entering the convent.

In 1861, at the age of 15, Bernadette had already moved in with the Sisters of Charity at the Hospice in Lourdes.  They taught her the Catechism and prepared her for her first Holy Communion, and they also taught her French (before then, she only spoke the local dialect - Bijourdan).  

It was forbidden to go into the hospice garden, but there was a large patch of strawberries there.  Bernadette got an idea while talking to her friend: "I will drop my sabot [wooden shoe] out of the window into the garden.  You'll have to go fetch it, of course, and bring back some strawberries!"

When one of the Sisters in the hospice suggested that Saint Bernadette spend more time in meditation, she responded "Ah well, I don't know how to meditate!"

In that time, tobacco snuff was prescribed for asthma, from which Bernadette suffered.  She had a habit of offering it to her classmates as a joke.  Once there was laughter in class at the hospice, and the nun asked "What's going on back there?"  Bernadette responded: "It's me, Sister.  I offered a pinch of snuff to my classmates!"

St. Bernadette was a character, but that can only bring us closer to her.  Whenever I pray to her, I often "dare" her, with a smile on my face, to grant my request.  I am sure that she laughs with me.

She is a Saint, but she was not always perfect.  When she entered the convent, she strived to do penance for her past and for radical holiness.  It was her patient suffering in the convent which made her a Saint, and we must never forget that!

Saint Bernadette, pray for us!

The Organ in the Saint Pius X Underground Basilica

A short clip of the magnificent organ in the Saint Pius X Underground Basilica.  This clip was taken immediately following the daily Eucharistic Procession:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRExMaEZ7_o

Prayer Petitions Submitted

I compiled all of the prayer petitions I was asked to bring on this pilgrimage, and they were submitted to the petition box in the Lourdes grotto last night.  Please know of my continued prayers for everyone!  I snapped a quick photo of the petitions being submitted:

Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for Us!

Royalty in Lourdes

Princes of the Church show up every day in Lourdes.  This Cardinal came on pilgrimage from England and led the Rosary Procession:

A Sunday in Lourdes

A beautiful Sunday morning in the Pyrenee mountains:

The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception prepared for the 9:15 am Traditional Latin Mass.  This is the Basilica that was built over the grotto, at the request of the Blessed Mother:

After serving Mass, I had a cup of coffee with "The Thomist of Lourdes" - a former Theology professor who now lives in Lourdes.

A visit to the statue of Our Lady, Help of the Sick:

The procession of the sick follows, with a special blessing for all pilgrims who are seeking healing:

The procession is quite humbling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjS7zv2Xm8I

Seminarian Antonio returned to Colombia today - please pray for his safe travel!

Thoughts on Saint Bernadette

It is very easy to kneel at the grotto in Lourdes, look up at the statue of the Immaculate Conception, and completely forget about Saint Bernadette.  This is exactly what Saint Bernadette would have wanted.  She hated the attention she received after the apparitions so much that she left Lourdes to enter the convent in Nevers.  She did miss her grotto - her "heaven on earth" - but she never returned.

We must remember that Saint Bernadette was not canonized because she saw the Blessed Virgin - she became a Saint through her daily life in the convent by bearing her many sufferings with patience and faith.  Her main work was in the infirmary as a nurse.  Due to asthma, cholera, and tuberculosis of the bone, she eventually became a frequent patient.  She spent so much time in the infirmary due to physical ailments that she once joked: "Perhaps it is my vocation to suffer!" 

Saint Bernadette has always been my favorite Saint, ever since watching the film The Song of Bernadette as a child.  While it is a wonderful film and a beautiful presentation of the story of Lourdes, it often misrepresents the true character of Saint Bernadette.

Saint Bernadette, while pious and innocent, had the reputation of sometimes being a brat in her youth.  Always quick with a "smart" remark, she was not the quiet, unassuming girl that many believed her to be.  When she was being questioned about the apparitions, the Commissioner of Lourdes spilled ink from his ink well, and Bernadette chuckled at him.  

In a later interrogation, Bernadette remained silent when the Commissioner asked her "In what tongue did the lady speak?"  He continued: "You do know what a tongue is, don't you?"  "Yes, of course," Bernadette responded, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Bernadette was poor, sickly, malnourished, and one of the lowest members of Lourdes' society.  Of all the people in the world, the Blessed Virgin chose to appear to Bernadette in the grotto of Massabielle - a dumping area for garbage and a grazing area for animals in that time.  Our Lady's message was very simple: "Penance, penance, penance for sinners!"

Bernadette took this message to heart, entered the convent to do penance for sinners, and became a Saint after a painful death 13 years later at the age of 35.  "I can not promise you happiness in this life," the Blessed Virgin told Bernadette at the Lourdes grotto, "only in the next."  This life will eventually pass, with all its pains, sufferings, disappointments, and tears.   Through her suffering, Bernadette became a beautiful example of how we should keep our eyes on "the next life," no matter what disappointments and sufferings we have in this one.  

The world will pass and disappear, but our souls will not.  By remaining faithful to the Catholic Church and by patiently bearing our sufferings, we can hope to attain the same eternal happiness that was promised to Bernadette.  May she intercede for us and guide us on the path to everlasting life as we all undergo our own unique trials.

The nightly Flos Carmeli for Saint Bernadette:

A Typical Day Working in Lourdes

Our daily schedule is quite full, but so far it has been very enjoyable.  When I wake up, I usually look out the window to a cloudy and rainy day:

Morning prayer is at 7:45.  All of the seminarians pray together in the house chapel, alternating between Latin, English, French, Spanish, and Italian.  Holy Mass follows at 9:00 am.  At 10:30, we meet at the Crowned Virgin statue to prepare to lead pilgrims in the Stations of the Cross.  The life-sized stations wind up a mountain and take about one hour to complete.

Our sign to let the English speaking pilgrims know where to meet:

Lunch is at noon, and at 2:30 pm we meet at the Crowned Virgin statue once again to lead pilgrims through Lourdes on "The Way of Bernadette."  The tour shows the grotto, the Soubirous house, the Lourdes parish church, and the house where Saint Bernadette was born:

At 4:15, we meet in the Saint Pius X basilica to help organize the daily Eucharistic procession.  As announcements and Gospel readings are done in many languages, we must ensure that enough people are there to cover the readings.  The procession lasts from 5-6 pm, and we remain in the basilica to sing in the choir.  Here, we sing the Laudate Dominum as the Blessed Sacrament procession ends in the Basilica:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_CWqQyinf0

Evening prayer is at 7pm, followed by dinner.  At 8:30 pm, we gather at the shrine to help organize the Rosary procession which lasts from 9-10 pm.  As usual, thousands of pilgrims flock to the shrine every night for the candlelight procession:

After I pick a Flos Carmeli....

And give it to Saint Bernadette....

I return to the house for night prayer, and to sleep in preparation to start again tomorrow!

Please be assured of my prayers from Lourdes!