On the Way: A Pilgrim's Journal from Lourdes

Part Three: Walking in Bernadette's Footsteps
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.~ John 6:35

Footsteps • The Eucharistic Procession • Jesus the Healer

"History does not repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme."

One of the unexpected gifts of pilgrimage is discovering that the saints are no longer simply names in a history book. Their lives become real.

Today we hiked through the countryside surrounding Lourdes, retracing the paths St. Bernadette once walked as a young girl while tending sheep after the apparitions and before entering religious life. Standing where she stood and walking the roads she knew makes her witness feel remarkably close.

But today's greatest lesson was not simply about Bernadette.  It was about Jesus.

One of the beautiful truths pilgrims quickly discover in Lourdes is that every grace, every miracle, and every healing ultimately comes from Christ Himself. While many people know Lourdes because of the healing waters, the Church reminds us that Christ is the true source of healing, and nowhere is His presence more tangible than in the Eucharist.

Every afternoon at 5:00 p.m., pilgrims gather for one of the most moving moments in Lourdes; the Eucharistic Procession and Blessing of the Sick.

On July 11, Bishop Daly, our seminarians, and I joined thousands of pilgrims inside the Basilica of St. Pius X. A priest processed through the basilica carrying a magnificent monstrance resembling the rays of the sun. At its center was the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus Christ truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

Watching thousands of people quietly pray as Christ passed among them was unlike anything I have experienced before.

It also brought to mind one remarkable story….

Reflections By Seminarian Mitchell Carey

St. Francis de Sales Seminary