Day 5 - Lisieux, Normandy and Ponte Du Hoc

This morning we departed our Paris hotel to begin our journey through the rest of France.  Once we got outside of the area surrounding Paris, we began to see the beautiful French countryside.  We saw rolling hills, farmlands, and orchards.  Our first stop was in Lisieux, a small town that first gained attention about 100 years ago as the home of St. Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.  In St. Therese, we see another holy person who lived a very simple life and loved the Lord more than anything.  At the age of 4 years old, her mother died, leaving a husband and five daughters.  Shortly after, St. Therese and her family moved to Lesieux, where she would remain the rest of her life.  As a young child Therese had a fervor for the Lord and wanted to serve Him in most impactful way she could.  At the age of 15, she petitioned the Bishop to allow her to enter the convent a year early.  She spent the remaining nine years of her life, writing poems, short stories, essays and what would later become an account of her love for the Lord, entitled Story of a Soul.  Therese's impact, however was not truly realized until after her death, when scores of people began to read about and hear her great themes of spirituality, confidence, and abandonment to God's merciful love.  St. Therese was affectionately called Little Therese because of her childlike love of the Lord.  We celebrated Mass in the beautiful Basilica of Sainte Therese de Lisieux and were blessed to be joined by Joseph and Mary Francois, parents of IHM Parishioner Marianne Francois.  Also in Lisieux, we visited the Carmel (or Monestary) where Therese and several of her sisters were Carmelite Sisters.

Our last two stops of the day were at and around the American National Cemetery in Normandy and Ponte du Hoc, the place where American Rangers scaled the cliffs to provide cover for the landing at Omaha Beach and Utah Beach.  Our group placed a wreath at the Cemetery Monument, followed by the National Anthem and Taps.  There was overwhelming emotion and tears of gratitude from all who witnessed this.  Our young French guide recounted that their parents and grandparents tell them about the German occupation of Normandy and how American troops saved them so many years ago.  Her voice wavering, she told us they knew the sacrifice of the over 9000 Americans buried in this faraway land and the sacrifice of those waiting for them at home.  

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Day 4 - Chartes Cathedral, St. Denis, and Miraculous Medal Chapel

This morning we got an extra early start to get through the commuting traffic on our way to Chartes, about 50 miles southwest of Paris.  Today we celebrate the birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Mary's parents, Joachim and Anna, longed for a child.  Anna prayed to the Lord and in response, God sent an angel to tell her that she would conceive.  When Mary was born, they rejoiced and vowed to make their daughter a gift unto the Lord.  As St. John Paul the Great  said of Mary, her birth becomes, "the purest dawn of our Redemption," as her life brought forth the coming of our Savior.  The whole world received the gift of salvation when Mary said, "Amen" to God's will.

Our first stop in Chartes was at the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Chartes (Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartes).  The first of several cathedrals was built on this site in the 4th century.  Subsequent cathedrals have been built over time as they were destroyed by fire or war.  The present cathedral was built between 1194 and 1230 and dedicated to Notre Dame (Our Lady) in 1260.  80% of the beautiful stain glass windows are original to the 12th and 13th century and show biblical scenes such as the life of Jesus and Mary, the Last Judgment, and the Second Coming of the Lord.  In the Mary Chapel, a relic of Mary's veil is displayed.  We celebrated Mass in the Crypt and contemplated the salvation that all of us--the whole world--gained when Mary answered "Yes" to God's will.

Our next stop was back in Paris at Basilique Cathedrale de St-Denis (Saint Denis Basilica Cathedral)--where a large collection of church relics is housed.  It's built over the original tomb of Saint Denis, the first Bishop of Paris, who was martyred around 250AD.

Our last stop was to the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Medaille Miraculeuse (Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal).  The chapel features a beautiful fresco depicting the night of July 18-19, 1830 when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Sister Catherine LABOURE.  Four months later, in the silence of prayer, Sister LABOURE sees the Virgin Mary, her eyes raised to heaven, presenting to God the globe of the world, surmounted by a small cross and representing the entire world and each one of us.  At Mary's direction, the Miraculous medal was created and devotion to Her Immaculate Conception has increased.

As we travel from chapel to chapel and learn about each of these saints who lived extraordinary ordinary lives, we see one of these amongst ourselves.  We are blessed to have Phil Leahy joining us on this pilgrimage.  Phil has devoted over 20 years of his life to praying for the end of abortion and lives these prayers as he ministers to mothers contemplating abortions and assists them with all their needs, including cars and child care, to keep and care for their unborn children.  In assisting Phil, IHM Parish has provided over 50 of these automobiles for these young mothers.  His prayer and direct help to these mothers has saved over 1000 babies.  This "living saint" led us as we recited the Rosary and the Divine Mercy chaplet on our journey today.  Please keep Phil and all his good deeds in your prayers.

Day 3 - Sainte Chapelle and Sacre-Coeur Basilica

After a much-needed night of sleep and rejuvenation, we departed our hotel to begin our day.  Our hotel is set along the River Seine in La Defense--the commercial center of Paris, and dotted by several high-rise office buildings and hotels.  We wound our way to the city center down the Avenue Charles De Gualle and passed by the Arc de Triumphe, Place de Concorde and other famous sites.  Along the way, the Eifel Tower loomed in the background.  Driving downtown, we got another sense of old as most of these buildings date to mid-evil times and Paris itself became the capital of France during the 500's.  

Our first stop this morning was the Sainte Chapelle.  The Chapelle itself is early gothic style built in 6 years, from 1242-1248.  Walking into the Chapelle (chapel), we learned it has housed several Holy Relics from the Passion of Christ from 1239 on.  The relics include the crown of thorns, at least two fragments of the true cross, a fragment of one of the nails holding Jesus to the cross, and the sponge used to wet His lips as He was crucified.  King Louis IX purchased these and other Holy Relics from the emperors of Constantinople, who had owned them since the 4th century.  The remaining relics  are now kept in the treasury of the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris and are displayed every first Friday of the month and every Friday during Lent.  The Chapelle contained two levels.  Entering the lower chapel, which was the place of worship for the palace staff, we were greeted by a statue of the Virgin Mary, the sanctuary's patron saint, at the portal.  In the chapel itself is a 13th-century fresco depicting the Annunciation and the walls are decorated with 12 medallions thought to be the apostles.  The columns were decorated alternately with the fleur-de-lys and castle, symbols of France and royalty, respectively.  The upper chapel, reserved for the King and his close family and friends, contained the reliquary, or great shrine, that contained the 22 relics from the Passion of Christ.  The stained glass windows on this level depicted the story of mankind from Genesis through the Passion of Christ.

Next we headed to the Monmartre (Mount of Martyrs) section of Paris where we traveled up the hill to the Sacre-Coeur Basilica.  The basilica was constructed between 1875 and 1914 and was consecrated in 1919 and dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The basilica was built at the highest point in Paris as a monument to peace and reconciliation and a return to the church and Christianity.  There is a beautiful mosaic above the altar that depicts Christ in Majesty and the Sacred  Heart worshiped by the Virgin Mary, Joan Arc, and St. Michael the Archangel.  Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has continued uninterrupted in the Basilica since 1885.  In today's gospel, from  Luke, Jesus tells the disciples about blessings and our rewards in heaven.  In his sermon, Father John compared this gospel to Jesus' greatest sermon--The Sermon on the Mount and how both of these sermons tell us how to live our life.  He focused on mercy and our call to merciful to each other--we have to give mercy to get mercy.  As Shakespeare said in the Merchant of Venice, "The quality of mercy is not strained.  It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.  It is twice blest.  It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."  We pray that we give mercy to all those we come in contact with and that mercy will be ours in Heaven. 

Day 2 - Our France journey begins in Paris

Most of the group arrived in Paris today--tired, but thankful for arriving safe and sound.  We were introduced to our guide, Gerard, a kind-hearted Frenchman who charmed us with his quick wit and impressed us with his knowledge of French history.  We all met up near the famous Louvre on Rue de Rivoli and grabbed a quick bite to eat for lunch.  Next we departed in the bus and toured many parts of the city, including sights from the time of emperors Napolean I and III.  After seeing several sights and making one stop at Hotel Sully gardens, we made our way to the  Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris.  Ground breaking for this midevil cathedral was  in 1163 and in 2013, celebrated its 850th anniversary.  We celebrated Mass in the Pieta Chapel, located in the Sanctuary just behind the main altar of the cathedral.  It is so named because of the replica of Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture above the altar.  This sculpture, depicting the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion, shows all of us the special love between a Mother and her Son.  And it is this special love that calls us to honor Our Lady and ask her to intercede for us to her Son.  And so, as Father John Carney stated at the beginning of Mass, it is fitting that we start our journey with Our Lady at Notre Dame Cathedral and as we journey through France, our love and reverence may continue to grow.  We look forward to growing in faith over the next 14 days.  Our prayers are for all of you following along this journey with us.

September 5, 2016: Day 1 - Depart to Paris!

Our journey begins as we depart the USA for our flight to Paris, France!