On the Way: A Pilgrim's Journal from Lourdes

Part Two: Peace That Only God Can Give

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” ~2 Corinthians 5:17

Confession • The Baths • Rain • Holy Mass • Interior healing

"God's peace flows from a life rightly ordered around Him."

Our second day in Lourdes began with an unexpected conversation.

While waiting in line for Confession, I met a woman named Raine who was also making pilgrimage with her bishop. Having visited Lourdes many times, she shared what continually draws her back.

"Peace," she said.

Not simply the absence of difficulty, but the peace that only God can give.

That simple conversation stayed with me throughout the day.

Lourdes has a unique way of placing God at the center of everything. Whether pilgrims come to Confession, pray the Rosary at the Grotto, visit the healing baths, or adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, every encounter points back to Him.

During Confession, I experienced that peace personally.

As I confessed my sins, the priest reminded me to give thanks to God, even in the midst of my failures, because God's mercy is always greater than my weakness. Watching him quietly fold his hands in prayer while patiently listening reminded me of the fatherly love Christ pours out through His priests.

When he offered absolution, I experienced a quiet joy and a deeper trust that God truly was at work within me.

For my penance, he invited me to meditate on the Holy Family's flight into Egypt.

That meditation reminded me that following Christ has never meant living a trouble-free life.

Instead, true peace comes from allowing God to remain at the center of every circumstance.

Our hearts were created for Him alone.

Throughout this pilgrimage I have been reminded that the sacraments are privileged encounters with Christ. While God's grace is never limited, He continually pours Himself out through these visible signs of His invisible love.

Following Confession, I made my way to the baths.

Many pilgrims come seeking healing, but I entered primarily to give thanks; to remember my Baptism and renew my desire to belong completely to Christ.

Before entering, hundreds of pilgrims gathered at the Grotto to pray the Rosary. Their prayers echoed through the sanctuary as we reflected on Christ's Passion.

When my turn came, a priest and volunteer gently lowered me into the cool spring waters.

The experience was profoundly humbling.

Waiting behind pilgrims who carried crosses far heavier than my own reminded me that every person comes to Lourdes carrying something.

Some seek physical healing.

Others seek healing of the heart.

All seek Jesus.

As I emerged from the water, I felt renewed, not because of the water itself, but because of the grace God had already begun pouring into my soul throughout the day.

Earlier that morning, I had quietly asked the saints to intercede for relief from the intense summer heat.

Within minutes of leaving the baths, rain began to fall.

"Thank You, Jesus."

The refreshing rain became a small, but beautiful reminder that God hears even our simplest prayers.

Later that evening, Bishop Daly celebrated Mass for the English-speaking pilgrims. In his homily, he reminded us that God's call always begins with His love and His desire for our good.

The witness of faithful priests, bishops, and pilgrims throughout the day strengthened my own desire to serve Christ.

Experiences like these remind me why I continue to pursue the priesthood.

God willing, one day I hope to bring pilgrims from the Diocese of Spokane to Lourdes, just as Bishop Daly has brought me.

Reflections By Seminarian Mitchell Carey

St. Francis de Sales Seminary