Lourdes and Languages

Our wakeup call this morning was at 6 a.m., which came as a "rude awakening" to many of the new members of the choir. First on our itinerary was the International Mass in the underground basilica in Lourdes. We were just one of many participating choirs from around the world. Well, "choirs" might be an overstatement. Although “the black machine” arrived forty five members strong with almost as many in our traveling entourage, the average "choir" is composed of just four or five pilgrims from various countries.

Rehearsal went better than I had expected. On our previous trip, CCVA experienced a few ... shall we say "difficulties" with the Lourdes music director. Perhaps we were too young. Older adults form the overwhelming majority of the other choirs, and many are men and women religious. Perhaps our group had been too imposing or just maybe we were victimized by that old "ugly American" syndrome.

On this visit, the music director remembered us from 2005. We were well received and Mrs. Campbell and I were thrilled with our success!

If I hadn’t been there before, I would have thought it impossible for the enormous basilica to be filled with pilgrims, but the choir watched in awe as the church slowly began to fill. It was heart-breaking to see so much sickness in one place, but it also served as an inspirational reminder of the power of our Catholic faith. Just as important - a reminder of why the Mass is so often described as the "source and summit" of our faith.

Each time we travel in Europe, CCVA celebrates the Mass, and I always love experiencing its universality. No matter what country we’re in, no matter if we understand the language or not, it's comforting to follow the form of the Mass and know exactly what is happening.

The Lourdes International Mass made that reality even more clear. Before the Mass began, there was a procession of pilgrimage groups who asked to be seated in advance. They were truly from every corner of the globe, and the Mass was said in just as many languages. We listened to the readings of the day in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and many other languages. It was absolutely remarkable to see and hear.

Just as universal as the Mass is the universality of music. Even without being able to speak the same languages as the people singing with us, it felt as though we were connected, sharing smiles and nods of encouragement. The constant turning of pages to find which Mass part we were currently singing was a little chaotic, but we were well prepared and left feeling that we had helped to create a prayerful atmosphere for such a unique Mass.

Changing out of our dresses and tuxedos, we were ready to walk down to the grotto, where Mary had repeatedly appeared to Saint Bernadette. Though this was my second visit, it's still difficult to describe the feeling of being in such a sacred space. As I prayed and collected water to bring home, I thought of my family and the miracles for which we had and continue to pray. I suddenly felt a rush of solidarity with the pilgrims at Lourdes, one that I didn’t fully experience my first time there. Although I cannot pretend to understand their pain, I understand the fervor of their hopes and prayers. The realization was overwhelming.

After lunch, we were given a more comprehensive tour of Lourdes. The group was given time to walk through the Lourdes cathedral where we would be singing that evening. I am always so impressed with churches that are primarily decorated with mosaics. I can’t imagine the planning and execution that must be required to practice such a complex art form, but the hard work certainly paid off.

The interior of the cathedral was spectacular. After, we walked to Saint Bernadette’s house, the tiny two-room building that she and her family lived in during their time of poverty. Then, we went up to the fortress of Lourdes, where we were treated to a beautiful view of the entire town.

Many, many photo ops. are arranged by Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt. These get harder and harder for the group as the pace of the trip picks up and our collective patience with each other thins just a little. Remember .... these will be priceless to us in just a few months time.

That night after dinner, we participated as one of the choirs at the evening candlelight procession. The rehearsal process was much like the morning International Mass, but with more groups joining us to sing.

It was simply incredible to see the entire square in front of the cathedral fill with candle light and wheel chairs, and even more inspirational to see everyone praying the rosary and singing together. The sense of solidarity is overwhelming. This is what Catholicism is! And yet again, I am at a loss for words to describe this heatfelt emotion, so hard to contain. All I can do is hope and continue to pray that some of the pilgrims with whom we shared the evening will receive the miracles for which they pray and the healing they need.

So, how do you get to sleep after a day such as this? It doesn't take too long to recall that another early morning wake-up is in our future. Tomorrow will begin with a nine hour bus ride!