Overwhelmed by the waters of Lourdes
17/08/2011
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| The grotto. |
Friday 12 August - Lourdes
By Lisa Garland, Catholic Youth Parramatta
Today was my favourite day.
We went to the grotto during the day this time for a guided tour.
For once, I already knew what the tour guide was talking about. After our guided tour we had daily Mass at St Anne’s chapel.
The next part of our tour was so intriguing. We were taken to visit St Bernadette’s home.
Once again, I’d read about it in the book about her life and seen photos as it was when she there.
Her home, the Bolly Mill, had pretty much the same structure it had back then. I couldn’t believe I was standing where the Soubirous family lived.
We then went to the old jail where St Bernadette’s father was held prisoner and bought lunch on the run so we could head back down to the Grotto to bath in the healing waters.
Experiencing the healing
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| ...the waters of Lourdes. |
Bathing in the waters has got to be the most overwhelming experience of this pilgrimage so far.
The guys went to wait in their line (which is always shorter) and us girls sat in our line playing cards to pass the time. The closer we got to the front, the more nervous we became, so much so that we needed to go to the bathroom. We were taken into change rooms with about six girls in it. There, we undressed behind a robe the volunteers held around us. We lined up in front of a curtain which concealed the bath and volunteers who helped and prayed over you.
I was next in line and I was so scared, I don’t know why, I was really excited at first but then I just got nervous. The lady pulled me over to the other side of the curtain where the bath was. Lifting my arms, they quickly removed the robe and wrapped me in a cold, wet cotton sheet. With a volunteer on each arm, I walked down the two steps into 10 degrees Celsius water, continued walking to the end of the bath to kiss the statue of Mary before being laid back into the water up to my neck then pulled straight out.
It was so overwhelming that it took all the strength I had not to breakdown into tears. I really wish I could have brought my mum here, to give her the opportunity to experience this healing.
The candlelight procession took place again but this time I stood at the top balcony level of the Sanctuary and had a birds eye view of all the pilgrims holding their candles, it looked sooooooo cool, then I could see some of our fellow pilgrims getting front seats.
I always knew Lourdes would be my favourite part of the pilgrimage and I’d one day like to go back.
Posted by web at 10:48 AM