In the south of France in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains lies the village of Lourdes, made famous by the apparitions of the Blessed Mother to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous.

Annually over six-million pilgrims make their way to Lourdes to experience the healing waters. Mike and I visited Lourdes for the first time about 15 years ago. Mike was on a personal mission to discover his roots in Ciriza, Spain. I wanted to visit Lourdes as well.

Ciriza, Spain

We arrived early in Pamplona and, as soon as we checked into the hotel, we inquired about hiring a private tour guide. It is never by coincidence how God arranges these encounters so this is how we first met our tour guide Maria (Tota). Tota lives in Pamplona, but she and her family own a home in the village of Ciriza, where Mike’s family originated!

Ciriza’s one main street leads directly to San Miguel Catholic Church.  On our way to visit the church we noticed stone tiles adorned with cherries (cerezas in Spanish) as part of the cobble stone street. I could not help but wonder if perhaps his last name was originally Cereza, and in times past morphed into Ciriza.

With Tota’s connections, we were privileged to have the sanctuary opened for us by her good friend.  The key to the San Miguel Church was ornately large; it had to be to match the humongous keyhole to open the medieval doors. As we passed through the oversized wooden doors, we were in awe of the simple, unscathed beauty of this tiny church.  We walked to the second level, breathed in the holiness. and prayed for our loved ones.  Visually scanning all my sight could take in, I imagined Mike’s grandfather being baptized in the  old stone baptismal font. Yes, Mike’s beautiful Catholic roots were being unveiled right before our eyes.

In the  village’s recreational room, casually hanging on the wall, is the Ciriza Coat of Arms, Mike took several photos with his camera,  but he accidentally deleted them. Cell phones were not yet equipped with cameras, so we used  hand-held cameras.

Pamplona

Once a year Pamplona host the San Fermin Festival, which features the Running of the Bulls. On the path of the Running of the Bulls is an icon of San Fermin permanently set in the old city walls. Mike’s father Miguel was an honest to goodness bullfighter.

San Fernin

Traditionally before the running starts,  participants ask the saint’s protection by touching his statue. San Fermin, who was the first bishop of Pamplona, is the patron saint of Pamplona and Navarre, Spain.

Mike’s father. Miguel, was a bullfighter who wanted his son to experience the sport.  As a young boy Mike would travel with his father to Spain to watch the popular bullfighting matches.

We ate wonderful paella and for several days strolled through Pamplona, where Ernest Hemingway wrote  his 1926 novel  “The Sun Also Rises.”

Lourdes, France

We took a World War II train to France. This train, which was wider than the more modern ones creaked at every turn. We passed through the Pyrenees Mountains, countless rivers, and the Bordeaux countryside, making whistle stops in Toulouse and other quaint villages. I was agitated with Mike because he purchased a straw hat in Madrid and insisted on wearing it the entire time. Mike is a baseball cap type of guy and this new fashion was driving me crazy. He finally took the hat off and placed it on the overhang of the train for safekeeping. He was sad to discover that he left his hat on the train, but I quietly thanked the Lord for His intervention. From the train we caught a taxi to our hotel in Lourdes.

Our  hotel was in the center of town. We were greeted by a friendly English woman who told us where to eat and where to purchase candles. Mike was looking around and seemed distracted. I asked, “What’s the matter with you?” With a forlorn look he answered, “This is where my mother wanted to come when she got sick.” So this trip was turning out to be a healing for Mike.

The Nightly Procession

As instructed by the English woman, we ate at Alexandra’s. The French meal did not disappoint; it was delicious. We hurried back to the hotel to purchase the candles. I was uncertain as to why we needed candles in the first place, so I asked the English lady, “What are we to do with these candles?” She threw her head back and with a sweet chuckle said, “Follow the crowd.”

It was about 9:oo p.m. when the crowd of people came from all areas of the village, walking down the hilly streets and into the main town square. To our amazement we came upon the most beautiful sight:  the Basilica, Our Lady of the Rosary. This Romanesque-style cathedral is one of the largest in the world; nothing compares to its beauty.

We were awkward tourists waiting for a signal when the French Police started yelling and pushing the crowd to start moving toward the town square. People in gurneys and wheelchairs joined the rest of the group. Almost as if  from heaven, everyone’s candles were lit in a few seconds. The procession started with the singing of Ave Maria. When the sound of the Blessed Mother’s name was heard, the candles were held up high simultaneously. It was a chilly October night that will always remain in my heart.

The Grotto

Mike, who  had put off surgery to repair a torn meniscus until we returned from the trip, was walking with a sturdy brace to support his injury. The following day was our visit to the Grotto. As we passed a city bench Mike instructed me to wait there for him if I got out first or vice versa. It took about an hour to finally reach the end of the Grotto line, but only a few minutes to get dunked in the holy waters of Lourdes. With volunteers helping you get undressed, every stitch of clothing is removed and you’re wrapped in a sheet. Two women are assigned to assist you into the sacred pool of water. In broken English you’re asked to say your prayers. I was a nervous wreck, but remembered my intentions were for my Mother, my sister Myra and brother George; all were experiencingserious health issues.

The water was ice cold, but something very unusual happened once I got out. With the aid of other volunteers we quickly dressed.  I was completely dry in just a few seconds, including my hair. The waters of Lourdes gave me a sense of spiritual cleansing with a feeling of total peace.

I passed the bench where Mike expected me to meet him and decided to go shopping for rosaries. By the time Mike finished I was filling an empty 32-ounce bottle with holy waters. He immediately announced, “You don’t expect to carry the water in my suitcase, do you?” “Nope! No problem, I’ll carry it!”

Mike’s Secret Miracle

We had been home three weeks when I accidentally discovered that Mike had experienced a miracle in Lourdes. He came home from golfing and asked for some of “that water.” I responded,”What water?” Mike said he wanted the water from Lourdes. I sharply said, “No! you did not help me carry it, and what do you need it for anyway?” He said he wanted to share it with his friend who had a bad knee. My godly response was, “I’m not wasting the water on your friends.” Then Mike shared with me that he had been completely healed of  the torn meniscus. This was how I found out! I reminded Mike that he had to give glory to God for his healing, then  handed him the water for his friend.

My Prayer

Lord, thank You for Mike’s healing. I pray for all who need a miracle, especially those who do not know how to pray. Lord teach them Your simple prayer: “Jesus I trust in You!” Amen.

The Lord has given me the grace to remain neutral when it comes to political views on my Blog.  If you truly follow God and believe in His word, your heart will lead you to a more conservative point of view. But when President Biden proclaimed Easter (the highest of The High Holy days of all Judeo-Christianity) as Transgender Visibility Day, was a clear message from the pit of hell. Please remember this proclamation when it’s time to cast your vote.

He Is Risen

Despite the fact that the Enemy would attempt to rob us of our Easter celebration by these atrocious, offensive words spoken by our president,  this will never change the fact that Our Lord gloriously rose from the dead!  Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, watching all the sinful behavior of the president and his ill-advised cabinet members while they make these disgraceful proclamations. So as much as I do not want to pray for our current president, I will pray for God’s will to be done in his life. Lord have mercy! I will say no more on this disgusting matter.

Mass

I attended Holy Saturday Mass and stayed to pray the second day of the Divine Mercy Novena (more on that later). As I was about to make  the great escape, Helen, the Divine Mercy leader, asked me to stay and help set up the flowers for Easter Sunday. It has been 40 days since flowers have adorned our sanctuary; the scent of the flowers filled that altar. We did our best to organize the white Easter lilies, pink hydrangeas and pink Kalanchoe lican flowers symmetrically. Despite our humble effort, someone with a better eye for floral design will most likely change them around.  We did our best.

The Miracle Of The Red Egg

As I research about religious holidays, in most cases it will always lead me to a  historical action of a saint. In this case it is Mary Magdalene. She was the  first person to see our Resurrected Christ. When she ran to tell the disciples about her encounter, they did not believe her. This did not hinder her faith because she had her own ministry of reaching out to others. She was, after all, a woman of wealth and that opened many doors for her, including a trip to meet Emperor Tiberius in Rome.

St. Mary Magdalen had much to share with the Emperor.  She denounced Pilot’s treatment of Jesus during His trial. More importantly she wanted to proclaim Our Lord’s Resurrection.

The Red Egg

According to tradition Mary Magdalene held out an egg and said to the Emperor, “Christ is Risen!” With this announcement the Emperor mocked her claim and, like the disciples of Jesus, he did not believe her. Right before his eyes the egg turned red!

St. Mary Magdalene showed  boldness before powerful men, and she understood her role as a woman in the times of Jesus. She spoke truth, and that is one of the most important roles we have when people of power do not believe. It is no surprise that she is called “Apostle of the Apostles.”

Why The Egg?

Another tradition is that Mary Magdalene brought a basket of boiled eggs with her to the tomb of Jesus on Easter morning. This may have been a meal for herself and her companions. While at the tomb she noticed that the eggs changed  to bright colors. some red. This may be the reason she presented the egg to the Emperor, expecting that Jesus would perform the same miracle.

The Easter Egg

Whether you choose to believe these traditions or not, the symbol of the Easter egg originated  from the Christians in Apostolic times. The Easter egg symbolizes “Christ’s Resurrection” and the rebirth of all mankind. It offers us hope in these troubled times.

Divine Mercy Novena

Since visiting the shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland, I’ve had a special devotion to St. Faustina. To add to this wonderful experience, Mike and I were in Rome and witnessed her canonization. Believe me when I say I had no idea that she would be canonized that day, but for the providence of God, we were there!

This novena is different from any others because Jesus dictated this prayer to St. Faustina. These are Our Lord’s words! I will be praying this novena for nine days, ending on Divine Mercy Sunday, which is the first Sunday after Easter.  Of course anyone can find this novena on the internet, but allow me to review the prayers.

Day One

On the first day of the novena we are to pray for all mankind, especially all sinners. I added several people who fit this description and prayed for them throughout the day.

Day Two

We are to pray for the souls of priests and religious. Those who have dedicated their lives in service to God are always in the line of fire from the Evil One. They need to be  constantly saturated in prayer .

Day Three

On this day we are to pray for all devout and faithful souls. I fall into this category but I also fall from the grace of God. Yes, we need prayer to stay on the right path and to win others by our example. Pray for me!

Day Four

On this day we are to pray for pagans and those who do not know God. We associate with these precious individuals who have not yet found their way. During this novena I will shed light for them to follow in the footsteps of Our Lord.

Day Five

On this day we are to pray for heretics and schismatics. A heretic is someone who does not want to conform or rejects the doctrines presented by the church. A schismatic is someone who causes division within the church. We are experiencing this within our Catholic church right now.

Day Six

On this day we are to pray for the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children.

Day Seven

We are to pray for the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy. We know who these special saints in the making are, they spend hours in a day in prayer. They are immersed in God and their gift is perpetual prayer.

Day Eight

On this day we are to pray for those who are in the prison of Purgatory. We pray for the repose of their souls. We do this because when you die,  you must be cleansed of all your transgressions before you enter the Pearly Gates.

Day Nine

On this day we pray for those who have become lukewarm.

I went to visit my nephew Mario in prison.

Preparing For The Visit

It all started in September while Mario was in Chuckawalla Prison in Blythe. I had to get the ball rolling by submitting an application to visit. Blythe is a three-and- a-half -hour drive from my home. I did not want to drive alone because by the time the visit would end, it would be nightfall. I prayed and asked Rong, another nephew, if he wanted to join me. Rong was so accommodating he agreed to take me. That meant that he needed to get government clearance as well.

I received a phone call from Mario informing me that he was being transferred to Norco. Norco is only one-half hour from where I live. Mario insisted that we wait until the transfer for the visit.

Visiting  Rules

Mario suggested that we not make an appointment,  that it would be easier if we showed up around 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. visit. This was our first time at this facility; since  we were not certain of the protocols we got in line. Of course it was the wrong line. By the time we figured out what to do we were one of the last ones in.

Miss Know-It-All

I suffer from know-it-all syndrome. Although I read through the dress regulations and was confident of what to wear, I got it wrong. As Rong and I sat, we witnessed a woman being turned away because she was wearing green. In a low voice I told Rong, “She has double green, her undershirt is green too!” Poor thing! She was sent back to a small building to change into proper attire that is provided by the facility .

When it was our turn, the officer looked at me and said, “You can only wear one bracelet. You need to take one off.” I did, and Rong had to lock it in his car. Then it was time for the second inspection, where they wave the wand and check the clear plastic bag we use to bring money.

I had a total of $54, twenty dollars in quarters and the rest in dollar bills, but I also had a five-dollar bill. An officer in a tightly wound-up bun looked at me sternly and said, “You can’t wear blue, you need to change!” I responded, “Change? I have no other clothes.” She pointed to the same building that the green sweater lady went to.

Poor Rong, I was holding up everything! We walked in and I explained that my stylish mock navy blue turtleneck was the wrong color. This lady looked at me and said  what I was wearing was an acceptable color. I did not have time for a tit for tat conversation, so I asked the lady for an appropriate top.

I was getting upset because we were holding up Mario as well. The lady brought out a dingy black t-shirt along with a gray one. I changed into the black one and walked back for the final inspection. Again, the same woman officer opened my plastic bag of money, found the five-dollar bill and said, “You can’t take five-dollar bills in!” So Rong had to make another run to the car to drop it off.

The Visit

Mario had mentioned that if weather permitted we could sit outside on some picnic tables. With only two options, Rong and I decided to sit outside. As I was handing my driver’s license along with personal information, I asked the lady officer if we could sit outside, but if  it got too cold, could we come inside? “No! Once you pick you stay for the entire visit.” Her authoritarian voice made me realize that this is not an ordinary visit.

The Food

While other inmates and their families were settling in, Rong and I noticed the various food choices. Rong, a novice visitor, had only brought $20 in quarters.

We were assigned table 47.  I brought $20 in quarters, and the rest in dollar bills.  Literally, I was Miss Money Bags with all the dollar bills and quarters totaling  a whopping $49. We were set.

I told Rong to purchase fried chicken. That took all his money! Remember the Snapple drink? You don’t see it  advertised or displayed on the shelves of grocery stores any longer. Not to worry because this was the main drink available to us. We ate fried chicken, munched on Doritos, and for dessert Mario had Hostess chocolate-covered donuts and cheese cake. It was a sweet picnic!

Mario 

Rong asked, “Can we hug him?” I was not sure either, because at some facilities that is not permitted.

We watched as other inmates arrived.  They were warmly greeted with loving arms, so we did the same. Mario stands over six-feet tall; he is handsome with a beautiful shade of brown skin to match the deep hue of brown in his eyes. I love how he sometimes covers his mouth when laughing.  It had been a while since our last visit, so we were all in a state of rejoicing,

The Bible Study

Yes, that was the plan! So when I went into the building to ask for a Bible, another inmate helped me find the “Good News Bible.” I asked for a piece of paper and pen to take notes. I  also asked, “Can I take the notes with me?” “Not really,” he answered. But what I heard was, “Yes, be careful.”

The Apostle Paul

We read from the Book of Acts the transition of Paul. Mario was familiar with this story and added that St. Paul was many times in prison, and how he wrote many of his epistles while in jail. We also read about how God used St. Paul until the very end of his life. The Holy Spirit encompassed our little area as we continued to discuss godly matters.

Mario’s Plan

Mario talked about the last time he was released and found a job at the Staples warehouse. He worked  for three weeks, but after a background check he was fired. Without work and no real direction he fell back into his old lifestyle.

With the piece of paper in hand, I told him that he needed a plan when he gets out. “Give me five things you want to accomplish when you get out.”

1. Praying that I should go to a transition home;
2. Enrolll in DUI classes (this has been on his record for over 15 years);
3. Get a driver’s license;
4. Find a job; and
5. Get off parole and live a normal, simple life.

I believe that this time Mario will accomplish these hurdles and that he will live a normal, simple life with a great story to tell.

Saying Good-bye

It’s never easy to leave, especially when the visiting hours were scheduled for a 3 o’clock departure. But because we are in a controlled environment, the call for us to exit was at 2 o’clock instead.

We could hear the tiny, loud voices of children saying, “We love you, Daddy! See you soon!”  As we waved our last good-bye to Mario, a few yards away we could see and hear the Little League baseball game that was taking place at the sports complex. It was a paradoxical experience.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray for Mario and all the other incarcerated individuals who need another chance in life. Lord, You created Mario for a purpose, and with dignity. Please help Mario accomplish his plan. Speak to him through Your Word, and, when he is discouraged, appear to him in his dreams. Amen.