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:
6 comments:
I'd never seen this story before:
http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-story.html
The short life of a devout, Catholic, young girl from Seattle has brought many Catholics across the United States back to the Church. Her holy and loving example, as well as her battle with cancer, has drawn others to convert to Catholicism and has inspired the creation of an organization to reach out to families with a loved one facing a chronic illness.
(No need to publish this; made me think of you - keeping you in prayer...)
Thank you Philip for giving us an insight into the caring nature of our new Archbishop of Westminster.
Also in Lourdes this week were pilgrims from the diocese of Arundel and Brighton in Southern England.
I understand you will soon be returning home and I am sorry not to have had the opportunity of meeting you as my visit to Lourdes starts next Friday. I trust your visit has been full of wonderful memories and I am sure many other pilgrims will have benefited from having met you there. May God bless you Philip and a safe journey back to the States.
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, our auxiliary bishop also treats people he's speaking with like they're the only people in the world. That's so wonderful.
I was going to go to Lourdes next week, but my studies got in the way. I hope you'll meet my soon-to-be-Sisters, though - if you see two English speaking Dominicans running around with a young adult group, please tell them Anna says hi and misses them :)
Keep livin it up Phillip, it is very cool to see what you are up to. God Bless You and those you come in contact with!
I am delighted to hear this about Archbishop Nichols - we are so happy to have him! He speaks out against the many crimes against our most vulnerable members of society and our Church. Here in London, and England, we are in desperate need of a very strong leader.
Philip, there is a book about the young seminarian of the Archdiocese of Birmingham who had cancer - 'Tears at Night, Joy at Dawn'. I would be happy to send you a copy (if you do not already have it). Remembering you in my prayers and Masses.
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