Day 3

At 7:30 in the AM we were hunting down a place to have breakfast, we stopped at one place that advertised breakfast but didn't serve any (?), and the lady working there was sooooo RUDE!!! So we kept on walking and stumbled across an Irish Pub, so we ate there. The 3 of us had scrambled eggs and bacon.

Next we were on our way to 9:00 Mass, and since we had lots of time we shopped. Well, we looked, no buying took place until the morning we left. The shops were really nice quality so it wasn't easy decide what we wanted. Mass was interesting, and the Hymn at the end was awful. I'm not really used to a Novus Ordo Mass, so it's always a little strange for me. At the end of Mass they let us know about a movie that would be playing that morning on St. Bernadette and where we could find the information center.

Our next stop was the information center which really wasn't a whole lot of help, then we made our way to the movie. The movie turned out to be about miracles, it was interesting but the movie could have been cut in half. We were then told where to find the St. Bernadette movie. The movie wasn't very long but it gave just enough information about her life.

Next was the getting in line to see the Grotto and of course we were in the wrong line. Once we were in the correct line it wasn't too long before we were able to walk through it. The rock is smooth from all the hands that have touched it for so many years, and the spring (which didn't exist until Mary appeared to Bernadette and told her to dig for it) was rushing, crystal-clear, from which everyone collects their Holy Water. It was a wonderful experience. As you walk out of the Grotto you come across a large section of candles, and we each lit one for our special intentions. It was the first time I've ever lit a candle, but it wasn't my last.

Lunch was next on our minds, so we were on the look out. Sharon and I had Lasagna and Paul had steak and fries. I know, I know, we should be trying as many french dishes as possible, well Lourdes is not the place for that. They have many tourist all year and they cater to all of them. You'll find an Italian Restaurant or an Irish Pub before you find a traditional French Restaurant.

Then we took a nap.

After nap time, we hurried to the train station, just to clear up some things about our tickets. It's a good thing we did though, on our way back we noticed a blue line on the sidewalk and realized if we followed the line it was like following the footsteps of St. Bernadette. The footsteps led us to her Parish Church, which is actually a new church (the other one burned down) which has the original Baptismal font. We would have gone inside if it weren't for the funeral taking place. It's bad enough we crashed a funeral in Rome, I had no desire to do it again. Next we saw the front of the house where her father was born, followed by the Mill where St. Bernadette was born and I believe she lived there until she was about 10. We continued to follow the footsteps which led us to the Miraculous Medal Museum, it was tiny, mainly a shop, with few historical items. The footsteps then took us to the Cachot (dungeon) where St. Bernadette and her family had to live when they lost the Mill. It's extremely small.

The next item on our list was the St. Bernadette Museum, it took forever to find the place. The museum had personal items, stories, and much more.

We started back towards the Grotto and toured the Crypt, the Immaculate Conception Basilica, and the Rosary Basilica. I love all of the time, detail, and love that went into these old Churches, I can't imagine anyone being able to day dream or lose sight of what they're there for.

Now we were on the hunt for the entrance to the trail of the Stations of the Cross, it wasn't easy to find, and once we did find it, and we came to the first station we realized we were going the WRONG WAY!!! The first station was actually the last. Well, this was not ideal, but our feet/legs/bodies were in so much pain already (mine was anyhow) we decided to keep on going, and we got some strange/dirty looks along the way.

After that we had dinner, and participated in another Rosary Procession.

Then it was time for bed.

Day 2

We woke up bright and early for Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, it was gorgeous. I wish I had pictures. After Mass walked back to the Hotel to have breakfast, the we made our way to the Louvre Museum. It was amazing getting to see the Mona Lisa as well as the other paintings (I don't know what the others are called), I took lots of photos as we walked through.

After our tour of the Louvre, we headed back to the hotel, checked out, and ran frantically to the train station, and we barely caught our train to Lourdes. I think the train ride took about 5 hours, it was very comfortable.

By the time we arrived in Lourdes, found our Hotel, and checked in it was a little after 8:00 PM, so we started making our way towards the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for the Rosary Procession. It was beautiful, the prayer's were said in almost every language imaginable, all of the people held candles and walked together. They have it everyday rain or shine. Once it was over we started back for the Hotel and stopped at almost every souvenir shop along the way. Oh, and of course we stopped for some glace.


The Louvre


The Louvre Museum

The Rosary Procession

Day 1

When we first arrived in Paris in was around 10:30 AM, and we we're exhausted. We took a taxi to the hotel, and then we decided to take a tour on a double decker bus. Before we went looking for a bus we went looking for food, we found a place near the Eiffel Tower that had great looking sandwiches so we stopped there. We had lunch on a park bench near the Eiffel Tower, it was perfect. The weather was nice, the sandwiches were the best we had on the whole trip, and we were in Paris, what's not perfect about that?

After lunch we went looking for the tour bus, we sat on the top for a better view. We drove by the Louvre, the Opera House, Notre-Dame, and Les Invalides. What I saw of it was beautiful, I was so cold & tired that I kept nodding off (I wasn't the only one), as a result (and the fact that I forgot to change the batteries in my camera) I only took a handful of pictures that day.

Once we were ready to get off the bus we went out to dinner, I had Onion Soup and Duck, I can't remember what Paul and Sharon had as a main course, I know Paul had Onion Soup and Sharon had a salad that had Avocados on it. I guess I should have taken better notes. We were extremely tired after dinner but it wasn't quite late enough to go to bed, so we went searching for glace (ice cream), once we were finished with that it was time for bed.


View from our room


From the sandwich shop

From the park



The Louvre (sorry there isn't more, my camera died just after taking this)

Lifesaver

Why Vote Pro-Life

It is right that you always be mindful of the Glorious Virgin Mary, the blessed Mother of Jesus. You should daily commend yourself to her merits and prayers and should turn to her in all your needs, just as a child that falls and hurts itself to its dear mother.

~Thomas `a Kempis

The Church of Oprah

"Be like your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

~Matthew 5:45

"In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin."



~Sir. 7:36.

"Tepidity vanishes and the heart is inflamed with love when I say: Hail, Mary! Devotion grows, compunction is born, hope intensifies, and consolation is increased when I say: Hail, Mary! The soul is renewed and the inclination to do good is strengthened when I say: Hail, Mary!"

~Tomas `a Kempis

Whoo-hoo!!!

As of today we are on our way to France, and I am soo excited! I will be keeping notes on our trip so that I can share them with you when we return. I have scheduled some of my favorite quotes (and other stuff too) to post while I am away. I can't wait to tell you all about the trip. See you soon!!!

Rita's Chili Recipe - Yep, I came up with it myself!!

1 lbs Ground Turkey
1 Onion
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped (2 if you're not a garlic freak like me)
1 15oz Can of Tomato Sauce
2 table spoons Chipotle Sauce
1 15oz Can of Corn
1/2 cup of Peas
1/2 Green Bell Pepper, diced
Seasoning Salt
Pepper
Marjoram
Thyme

* I don't have measurements for the seasonings, I just kinda throw it in.

Cook the meat in the skillet/pot, then add in everything everything else, in whatever order feels right to you. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The Good Morning God Prayer

Good Morning God!

You are ushering in another day,

untouched and freshly new.

So here I am to ask you, God,

if You'll renew me too.

Forgive the many errors that I made yesterday

and let me try again dear God

to walk closer in Your way.

But Lord, I am well aware,

I can't make it on my own.

So take my hand and hold it tight,

for I cannot walk alone. Amen.

"He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them; and said to them: Recieve ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgivin them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."

~John 20:21-23

"I REGRET MY ABORTION."-Dawn Cousineau

Harlem Voter's

Trust me, it's worth listening to!

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

~St. Therese

Biden on Obama

Prayer of the Holy Family

Dear Lord, bless our family. Be so kind as to give us the unity, peace, and mutual love that You found in Your own family in the little town of Nazareth.

Saint Joseph, bless the head of our family. Obtain for him the strength, the wisdom, and the prudence he needs to support and direct those under his care.

Mother Mary, bless the mother of our family. Help her to be pure and kind, gentle and self-sacrificing. For the more she resembles you, the better will our family be.

Lord Jesus, bless the children of our family. Help them to be obedient and devoted to their parents. Make them more and more like You. Let them grow, as You did, in wisdom and age and grace before God and man.

Holy Family of Nazareth, make our family and home more and more like Yours, until we are all one family, happy and at peace in our true home with You. Amen.

Why does God ask us to pray?

Prayer shows our trust and faith in God. He does not need our prayers, but we do. They are a source of grace. So in His infinite love for us, God wants us to receive this grace that we can only get by a voluntary act of will, a free choice to make the effort to show our belief in God through prayer. Frequent prayer will strengthen our faith and trust and lead us to heaven, and that is God's goal.

http://www.meaning-of-life.info/

Examination Of Conscience

How to make a good examination of conscience:

One who goes to Confession frequently need not spend too much time in examining his conscience, wearying his mind to no purpose and giving scrupulosity a chance to gain a foothold. The examination should be calm, but earnest.

The first step is earnest prayer to the Holy Ghost to ask for light and grace to know and detest one's sins. The examination should bring to mind the time of the last good Confession and whether or not the penance was performed. It should cover one's sins of thought, word, deed, desire, and omission:

1) Against the Commandments of God,
2) Against the Precepts, or Laws, of the Church,
3) With regard to the Seven Capital Sins,
4) Regarding neglect of the duties of one's state of life, and
5) Concerning the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy omitted.

Those who examine their conscience every night and go to Confession will readily remember any mortal sins that have been committed. But for such that go to Confession rarely and are addicted to sinful habits, or have made a number of unworthy Confessions, more than a passing glance at their conscience is needed. Such persons ought to begin their self-examination a few days before going to Confession, remembering that this Confession may perhaps decide the fate of their soul for eternity.

~Confession It's Fruitful Practice

Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics

The 5 Non-Negotiable Issues

1) Abortion

2) Euthanasia

3) Embryonic Stem Cell Research

4) Human Cloning

5) Homosexual "Marriage"

Please make sure you are well informed by Election Day! Click here to order your copy (and maybe one for a friend too) of the Voter's Guide for Serious Catholics.

Father Barron on Bill Maher's "Religulous"

"Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven."

~Matthew 18:18

A Gift From My Sweetie!

I like to have a cup o' tea once in a while, and now I have something very pretty to drink from. Paul felt that I should have something other than a coffee mug to use, and I'm so glad that he felt that way. I can't wait to use it.
Thank You Sweetie!!!