There is no other place on this planet that offers me a greater experience of peace than the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes at the foot of the Pyrenes mountains in southern France. This peace of our Lord and our Blessed Mother calls me back time and time again! My most recent pilgrimage to this holy place was with the Federal Association of the Order of Malta (including parishioners of St. James – Marguerite Baxter, Charles and Carla Stappenbeck and two of their children). We brought with us a number of malades (people battling illness or those struggling because of physical malady). I was counted among the chaplains of the group – priests and bishops from the United States – to serve and minister to the malades, the volunteers, and the members of the Order. A pilgrimage of service and ministry was unlike the other times have been to Lourdes. I still encountered the peace and blessedness of our Lady and our Lord in amazing ways!
One particular encounter occurred at the Baths. I went in and washed in the water and drank some of the water while praying for particular intentions (including each of the parishioners of St. James). As I walked out of the Baths, I was greeted by 3 people who represented the Church to me: Bishop Stephen Lopes (a friend I have known for 25 years since my first year of seminary at the Pontifical North American College in Rome), Fr. Jerry Ragan (a fellow priest of the Diocese of Savannah – a brother), and Marguerite Baxter (a parishioner here at St. James). They surrounded me with the love of the Church, with the love of my bishop and brother priests of Savannah, and with your love, the love of the people the Lord has called me to serve. As you know, I am prone to tears and that encounter of the magnificent love of our Lord and our Lady through them nearly overwhelmed me! I would not be here without your love and support and that of my brother priests and the Church.
Another encounter of the great peace and love of Lourdes happened at a meeting of the malades. At the end of our session, I asked Abbot Placid Solari (the Abbot of Belmont Abbey whom I have known for 20 years) if I could speak. That moment was the first time I shared in a group of people struggling with illness, bad diagnosis, physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual pain. It was cathartic for me and, it turns out, very helpful for other malades in the group! What a blessing that the Lord was using me and my illness in such powerful ways! I have said frequently that this road the Lord has me walking down is for my own salvation and the salvation of others. It is drawing me and others much closer to God and deeper into His heart! For that I am so very thankful!
I lit a candle (a pretty big one in fact) for our parish – you, your families, and your intentions. You were with me every step of the way throughout this pilgrimage! May you be drawn ever closer to Almighty God through the maternal care of Our Lady of Lourdes!
St. James the Less, pray for us!
~ Fr. Daniel Firmin