Our first day in Lourdes.

Yesterday morning we had to wake at 3am to be ready for our flights.  Looking somewhat like sleep-deprived zombies, we boarded the bus to Rome airport, and caught the plane to Brussels, in Belgium, then to Tolouse in France. 

At the airport we met our lovely tour escort Margarita, who is from Madrid and speaks Spanish, French, English and a bit of Italian.  She told us lots of interesting things about France as we travelled through the beautiful countryside.

We arrived in Lourdes in the afternoon, to beautiful sunshine and great crowds of people everywhere.  This town is very busy!  Everywhere you go there are shops selling religious souvenirs of every description including, of course, lots of bottles in different shapes and sizes for pilgrims to collect the holy water of Lourdes.  As you walk along the street there are people from all over the world proudly wearing the colours of their country or pilgrimage group, and many sick pilgrims and their carers who have come to Lourdes with the hope of receiving healing. 

My group and I spent some time down near the church to reflect on our journey so far; talking about how being here in Europe amongst so many of the important places of our faith and so many other pilgrims, both young and old, has turned the stories we heard as children in to something more real and more alive.  We also reflected on the challenges we have faced, and how a pilgrim deals with these things becomes a part of our journey of faith and discovery. 

In the evening, we joined the candlelit procession around the grotto.  There were more than one thousand pilgrims gathered together to pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary, in many different languages.  The sight of so many candles lifted together in prayer and so many voices singing is hard to describe.  I felt like I was a part of something very sacred and very special. 

To the people at home - we think of you and pray for you every day.  Being here in such a wonderful place of prayer makes me feel very close to you.  I would like to say a special hello to my wonderful students in Grade Four at St. Brigid's Catholic School - I miss you and pray for you every day, and I appreciate your thoughts and prayers more than you can know. 

From Amelia Daun
Moonah-Lutana Parish and St. Brigid's Catholic School, New Norfolk.