After a night long flight across the Atlantic, our not-so-little band landed in Paris, France. We made it through the harrowing experience that is international customs and met our fantastic tour guide Vanessa to begin our journey. The journey that began in the outskirts of modern Paris, took us deep into the winding streets of a nineteenth century Paris of stone townhouses and gated gardens and winding alleys. Down one of these alleys, we found a hidden gem of Paris and a landmark for Catholics across the world--the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous medal at Chapelle rue de Back. There, our very own Fr. Ray celebrated mass for our group as well as dozens of other pilgrims visiting the Chapelle. Following mass, each of us venerated the incorruptible body of St. Catherine Laboure, the nun to whom Mary revealed the Miraculous Medal and the special role it would have in the turning of so many lives towards Christ. Following this experience, we travelled to meet with a wonderful representative of the Paris Foreign Missions to view and venerate the remains of brave martyrs who died spreading and preserving the Catholic faith in Asia. Next, a short walk to the Shrine of St. Vincent De Paul, where we experienced not only an ornate chapel that lifted our minds and spirits to God but also received the gift of praying before the bones of the great saint, himself. After a drive through the winding streets of Paris, passing the Eiffel Tower and the Victory Arch as well as many other impressive, beautiful relics of France's history, we arrived at the Sacre-Cœur. This Basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, reigns over the city of Paris from a height we only reached by way of a lift. Once inside this marvelous building, we were struck with awe, not only at the sheer size of the place, but at the mosaic depicting Christ offering his sacred heart to the saints and to us, his children. Most of all, we had some quiet moments in perpetual adoration before descending back into the sprawling web of Paris below and continued our journey. The evening brought us to the little town of Lisieux, where we will stay the night before meeting a special friend tomorrow, one whose little way ignited a fire in the church in our own hearts.
Our driver Mel and our guide Vanessa!
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