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Greetings from Lourdes!
The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven [is above all]. John 3:31
We started the first full day of events with breakfast at our hotels and morning prayers, led by Rev. Msgr. Robert Dempsey, ChM and Rev. Msgr. Frank Caldwell, ChM. The morning prayer was standing room only. This daily opportunity to begin our day in prayer together makes fighting the jet lag all the more worth it.
All pilgrims split up for team meetings after lunch, where we met our teammates for the next week and learned about what the pilgrimage will entail. Team captains excitedly distributed team color swag like candy, bracelets, and travel cups. We then departed, for the first time as teams, to St. Joseph’s Chapel for a Spiritual Orientation led by Rev. Msgr. Robert Ritchie, GCChC, Pilgrimage Spiritual Director. When asked what they took away from Msgr. Ritchie's talk, a malade and caregiver stated, "Take home a little bit of Lourdes. What happens in Lourdes doesn't stay in Lourdes. It comes home with you."
Our final spiritual event of the day was the Tri-Association Opening Mass in the beautiful Rosary Basilica, where we celebrated Mass with members of the Federal and Western Associations. Mass was celebrated by the Western Association's Most Reverend Bishop Jaime Soto. After Mass, we met back at the hotels for a reception and dinner to wrap up our first full day of activities in Lourdes. It was another beautifully sunny evening spent in the company of our fellow pilgrims.
Don't forget to check out our photo gallery every day for daily uploads. You can also click here to watch a livestream of the Grotto.
Until tomorrow...
Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for Us!
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