Page 33 - The Gonzaga Record 1988
P. 33
on which the pilgrims move in pro- All the students who went to
cession. The other two basilicae are Lourdes came back with a different
built at the base and along the side of outlook on life, a change probably
a hill, essentially one on top of the impossible to describe in words. An
other, beside the grotto itself, where American author asks the question:
Mary appeared to Bernadette. They 'But how can such courage be, and
date from the turn of the century. such faith in their own species? Very
Nearby is the Acceuil de Notre Dame, few things would teach such faith'.
the hospital where the invalids stay Lourdes did.
while in Lourdes. There are numerous
other smaller buildings and a wide Jonathan Newman (S.6A)
area of lightly wooded grassland, just
across the river which runs along near
the entrance to the Grotto. SIXTH YEAR RETREAT
The other part of Lourdes is the
quite large town which partly encircles On 14 and 15 October 1987 forty
the Grotto area. This development is members of Sixth Year took part in a
mainly due to the fame of the Grotto. retreat at Tabor House, Milltown.
It consists mostly of Hotels and shops Each day began at 9.00 a.m. and
selling various religious 'artefacts'. finished at 5.00 p.m.
(These shops illustrate a dazzling On arriving on the first morning we
display of what can be achieved by were brought into a small refectory
modern plastics moulding techniques.) and given tea and biscuits. When
The town is quite modern, though not everyone had arrived we were intro-
unpleasantly so. A river runs through duced to the people leading the retreat,
the centre of the town, and it is in the one priest and three lay people. We
genial surrounding of a couple of cafes were then divided up into two groups.
along the river that the brancardiers By way of introduction, each
relax after a long, but rewarding day. member of the group was invited to
In Lourdes you inevitably learn a lot say a little about themselves and their
about yourself and those who are sick. backgrounds. When this had been
One loses any inhibitions one may done we began the various exercises
have about talking to the sick which were to take up most of the two
immediately. These inhibitions are days.
often born out of a fear of saying Most people think of a retreat as
something that might upset an ill, being synonymous with prayer, an
perhaps fatally so, person. Almost all opinion which I held myself, but that
the invalids, once they se nse that wasn't the case. Most of the exercises
you've a genuine interest in them as were lessons in listening, communic-
ordinary people, were very willing, ating and trusting. One exercise
almost relieved, to talk frankly about involved each member of the group
their illnesses. This readiness is, at being blindfolded and led by another
first, quite startling. This illustrates the through the building. Another exercise
point that one of the main tasks of a involved falling backwards off a table
brancardier is simply to chat to the and relying on your peers to catch you.
patients. At 1.00 p.m. each day there was an
We also found that Lourdes is defin- hour's break for lunch. On resumption
itely not a sad place. It was often the in the afternoon there was a short, half
young seriously ill people that were the hour period of meditation in a small
most joyful and enjoyed the trip the prayer room which was very relaxing.
most, even though one could say that Just before we left on the second day,
they had the most right to be bitter. there was a mass during which a short
31
cession. The other two basilicae are Lourdes came back with a different
built at the base and along the side of outlook on life, a change probably
a hill, essentially one on top of the impossible to describe in words. An
other, beside the grotto itself, where American author asks the question:
Mary appeared to Bernadette. They 'But how can such courage be, and
date from the turn of the century. such faith in their own species? Very
Nearby is the Acceuil de Notre Dame, few things would teach such faith'.
the hospital where the invalids stay Lourdes did.
while in Lourdes. There are numerous
other smaller buildings and a wide Jonathan Newman (S.6A)
area of lightly wooded grassland, just
across the river which runs along near
the entrance to the Grotto. SIXTH YEAR RETREAT
The other part of Lourdes is the
quite large town which partly encircles On 14 and 15 October 1987 forty
the Grotto area. This development is members of Sixth Year took part in a
mainly due to the fame of the Grotto. retreat at Tabor House, Milltown.
It consists mostly of Hotels and shops Each day began at 9.00 a.m. and
selling various religious 'artefacts'. finished at 5.00 p.m.
(These shops illustrate a dazzling On arriving on the first morning we
display of what can be achieved by were brought into a small refectory
modern plastics moulding techniques.) and given tea and biscuits. When
The town is quite modern, though not everyone had arrived we were intro-
unpleasantly so. A river runs through duced to the people leading the retreat,
the centre of the town, and it is in the one priest and three lay people. We
genial surrounding of a couple of cafes were then divided up into two groups.
along the river that the brancardiers By way of introduction, each
relax after a long, but rewarding day. member of the group was invited to
In Lourdes you inevitably learn a lot say a little about themselves and their
about yourself and those who are sick. backgrounds. When this had been
One loses any inhibitions one may done we began the various exercises
have about talking to the sick which were to take up most of the two
immediately. These inhibitions are days.
often born out of a fear of saying Most people think of a retreat as
something that might upset an ill, being synonymous with prayer, an
perhaps fatally so, person. Almost all opinion which I held myself, but that
the invalids, once they se nse that wasn't the case. Most of the exercises
you've a genuine interest in them as were lessons in listening, communic-
ordinary people, were very willing, ating and trusting. One exercise
almost relieved, to talk frankly about involved each member of the group
their illnesses. This readiness is, at being blindfolded and led by another
first, quite startling. This illustrates the through the building. Another exercise
point that one of the main tasks of a involved falling backwards off a table
brancardier is simply to chat to the and relying on your peers to catch you.
patients. At 1.00 p.m. each day there was an
We also found that Lourdes is defin- hour's break for lunch. On resumption
itely not a sad place. It was often the in the afternoon there was a short, half
young seriously ill people that were the hour period of meditation in a small
most joyful and enjoyed the trip the prayer room which was very relaxing.
most, even though one could say that Just before we left on the second day,
they had the most right to be bitter. there was a mass during which a short
31
