Indien onze minister van defensie - zoals de krant beweert - met een "speciaal ingelegd vliegtuig van defensie" naar de internationale militaire bedevaart in Lourdes vertrokken is mét zijn familie, dan heeft hij een stommiteit begaan - en dat is niet zijn eerste - temeer omdat hij om budgettaire redenen eerder al de busreizen voor de jeugd naar de concentratiekampen uit de tweede wereldoorlog had afgelast. Ik ken mensen die de minister op hun handen dragen : ik hoor daar niet bij - de gedachte alleen al !
Maar dat die stommiteit onmiddellijk weer resulteert in aanvallen met een "agenda" stuit mij tegen de borst. Een kamerlid van een andere kleur, die terecht vraagt wat de uitstap kostte en of de minister die deontologisch verandwoord vond, voegt er aan toe : "Ik hoop alvast dat zijn privé-overtuiging geen impact zal hebben op het verdere beleid."
Zoals de militante vrijzinnigheid van de voorgaande minister op defensie ook geen impact gehad heeft op de grootschalige afbouw van de aalmoezeniersdienst zeker ?
Godsienst is een privé-overtuiging en blijkbaar een van de ergst mogelijke aandoeningen in onze "verdraagzame" multiculturele en politiek correcte maatschappij - toch als het om de rooms-katholieke variante gaat. Dat houdt blijkbaar nooit op.
Kleinzielige na-stamperij !
Showing posts with label Lourdes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lourdes. Show all posts
Lourdes again
The sanctuaries of Lourdes placed a short video commemorating the events of February 10 and 11 2008 on the web. Frankly, it doen't do justice the the event, but here it goes anyway :
http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=fr&id=164&id_rubrique=164.
http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ru&contexte=fr&id=164&id_rubrique=164.
February 11 2008 ...
... was the 150th anniversary of the first of eighteen apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. In the middle of winter, sixty to seventy thousand pilgrims assembled in Lourdes, France to commemorate this day and to give thanks. I was one of them. An unforgettable, deeply moving experience - one of the highlights of my life.
Lourdes indeed is a place where heaven touches earth, a fountain of faith, hope and love, and one of my favorite destinations. And don't you dare to talk about mass hysteria. The fact that Lourdes exists and that popular interest continues to grow while churches empty is a small miracle in itself. Five to six million pilgrims visit Lourdes every year.
The video shows the end of the procession of light at the eve of the anniversary (on February 10 2008). I was there too, thank God.
Progress
Apparently, today the presentation of the websites of Lourdes (see favorites under "I dig") has been changed.
There now appears to be an introductory page for the websites of Lourdes, sanctuaries and city combined. The old link brings one directly to the new page - a mic-mac of languages and subjects.
I can't say I appreciate the change very much. To the best of my knowledge, it has not been announced and there is no explanation.
So I'm going to wait and see ; maybe there is a problem somewhere.
I must be naïve, but I thought the French were very strict about the separation of church and state ?
Or is my PC running amok ?
There now appears to be an introductory page for the websites of Lourdes, sanctuaries and city combined. The old link brings one directly to the new page - a mic-mac of languages and subjects.
I can't say I appreciate the change very much. To the best of my knowledge, it has not been announced and there is no explanation.
So I'm going to wait and see ; maybe there is a problem somewhere.
I must be naïve, but I thought the French were very strict about the separation of church and state ?
Or is my PC running amok ?
Lourdes 2008
Tomorrow the year-long jubilee for the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes, France, begins.More info : http://www.lourdes2008.com/index_en.html.
Whenever I go to Lourdes - and I go there quite often - I am always surprised to see the masses of people coming to pray for a favor, to give thanks, or out of sheer curiosity. To me, over the years, it has become a home away from home.
The churches are empty(ing) ... but Lourdes remains a very popular place indeed.
France ...
I have participated in a splendid - and sometimes spectacular - ten day coach trip through God's own country, and my favorite one : France. The objective was double : a pilgrimage and tourism. The weather was nice to excellent.
Except for generous helpings of wine, we enjoyed a dry spell, ahum.
We started with a city tour of Paris. I have been in Paris on many occasions, but this trip has shown me more of the sights than on most of my previous trips combined (business trips, you know : go everywhere, see nothing). In the afternoon we visited the gardens of the castle at Fontainebleau, a splendid village hidden deep in its forest, and ended the day in Nevers where we saw the shrine of Ste Bernadette and enjoyed a stroll through the enchanting old city.
The next day, we missed the Puy de Dôme, no longer accessible for private coaches from July to September, and visited the magnificent basilica at Orcival, a miniscule village in the Mont Doré region.
Through the impressive volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central we traveled to Le Puy-en-Velay, a splendidly located city with its famous volcanic pinnacles crowned with a giant statue of the Virgin and various chapels. 
Through the Cevennes (over the desolate Causses to ravishing Ste Enemie located on the Gorges du Tarn ; to Florac, then over la Corniche to Anduze) we traveled to Nîmes for a nightly stroll and a visit to the Roman arena and the Maison Carrée. That day we were reminded of the fierce and bitter struggles and slaughter - la guerre des camisards - between protestants and catholics in that region, which to this day remains at least partially staunchly protestant.
The next day we saw Narbonne Plage, lunched in the beautiful (but fake because over-restored)medieval Carcassonne tourist trap (where we had a cassoulet, what else) and arrived in Lourdes, a place where heaven touches earth. I am a regular visitor to that enchanted spot and I see more and more people going there, either for religious reasons, or out of sheer curiosity. Once again there were thousands and thousands of pilgrims, especially for the daily processions.
During our stay in Lourdes, we made a splendid trip over the Col d'Aspin to the relatively unknown and spectacular region of the mountain lakes around Cap du Long, where the level of the lakes has drastically fallen over the last years. We had a moment of panic : we thought that our lunch had gone bad : the sandwich packages were swollen and some of the packed salads had exploded creating a mess in the lunch bags - but we had forgotten that we had climbed over two thousand meters in a couple of hours, hence the effect of lower air pressure on the sealed packages ... Our driver was a real artist : I wouldn't even think of driving my car over those hellishly difficult, very steep and narrow mountain roads, he did it at the wheel of a big tourist coach, with the occasional flock of sheep barring the passage.
We had the privilege of an early morning mass at the Lourdes grotto, and then made our way to Auch, where we saw the famous choir stalls in the cathedral. Trafic excepted, Auch still looks like the typical delapidated French city of 40 - 50 years ago.
On the road from Auch to Moissac we traveled through some of the most enchanting, gently undulating landscapes I have ever seen. Bucolic France at its very best. That night we stayed at Sarlat-la-Canéda where we visited the authentical medieval city center, which was crowded with people in a festive mood and illuminated by thousands of small candles, a fairy tale experience. By early morning, the thousands upon thousands of small candles had disappeared. A nice manifestation of the new France with its exemplary efficiency and cleanliness. The ony thing they still have to work on are dog drools in the streets ...
The next day we traveled to Oradour-sur-Glane, the second, but terrible, highlight of the trip. After that visit, a terrible reminder of what we are capable of, the atmosphere in the coach changed perceptibly. That evening we stayed at Loches, the city of beautiful Agnes Sorel, and featuring of the many royal residences of the Loire region. It has some beautiful vestiges of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but cannot compare with Sarlat, which is pure Middle Ages - Renaissance. We had the last Mass of our trip in the parc of our hotel with a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.
The last day we visited the castle and gardens of Chenonceaux, and, over the enormous plains of Ile de France, where the wheat had already been harvested , rejoined Orleans for lunch. Courtesy of the French gendarmerie, we had a 45 minutes delay close to Paris but avoided the périphérique by a big but faster loop to the south and east of Paris. Once again our driver demonstrated his intimate knowledge of this spaghetti of freeways around Paris. Halfway between Paris and the border, the rain started, but we could not have cared less.
Once more, I have been seduced and enchanted by the ever changing scenery of God's own country, most beautiful France. A magnificent journey, courtesy of KWB and KAV and its volunteers.
Except for generous helpings of wine, we enjoyed a dry spell, ahum.
We started with a city tour of Paris. I have been in Paris on many occasions, but this trip has shown me more of the sights than on most of my previous trips combined (business trips, you know : go everywhere, see nothing). In the afternoon we visited the gardens of the castle at Fontainebleau, a splendid village hidden deep in its forest, and ended the day in Nevers where we saw the shrine of Ste Bernadette and enjoyed a stroll through the enchanting old city.
The next day, we missed the Puy de Dôme, no longer accessible for private coaches from July to September, and visited the magnificent basilica at Orcival, a miniscule village in the Mont Doré region.
Through the impressive volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central we traveled to Le Puy-en-Velay, a splendidly located city with its famous volcanic pinnacles crowned with a giant statue of the Virgin and various chapels. Through the Cevennes (over the desolate Causses to ravishing Ste Enemie located on the Gorges du Tarn ; to Florac, then over la Corniche to Anduze) we traveled to Nîmes for a nightly stroll and a visit to the Roman arena and the Maison Carrée. That day we were reminded of the fierce and bitter struggles and slaughter - la guerre des camisards - between protestants and catholics in that region, which to this day remains at least partially staunchly protestant.The next day we saw Narbonne Plage, lunched in the beautiful (but fake because over-restored)medieval Carcassonne tourist trap (where we had a cassoulet, what else) and arrived in Lourdes, a place where heaven touches earth. I am a regular visitor to that enchanted spot and I see more and more people going there, either for religious reasons, or out of sheer curiosity. Once again there were thousands and thousands of pilgrims, especially for the daily processions.
During our stay in Lourdes, we made a splendid trip over the Col d'Aspin to the relatively unknown and spectacular region of the mountain lakes around Cap du Long, where the level of the lakes has drastically fallen over the last years. We had a moment of panic : we thought that our lunch had gone bad : the sandwich packages were swollen and some of the packed salads had exploded creating a mess in the lunch bags - but we had forgotten that we had climbed over two thousand meters in a couple of hours, hence the effect of lower air pressure on the sealed packages ... Our driver was a real artist : I wouldn't even think of driving my car over those hellishly difficult, very steep and narrow mountain roads, he did it at the wheel of a big tourist coach, with the occasional flock of sheep barring the passage.
We had the privilege of an early morning mass at the Lourdes grotto, and then made our way to Auch, where we saw the famous choir stalls in the cathedral. Trafic excepted, Auch still looks like the typical delapidated French city of 40 - 50 years ago.
On the road from Auch to Moissac we traveled through some of the most enchanting, gently undulating landscapes I have ever seen. Bucolic France at its very best. That night we stayed at Sarlat-la-Canéda where we visited the authentical medieval city center, which was crowded with people in a festive mood and illuminated by thousands of small candles, a fairy tale experience. By early morning, the thousands upon thousands of small candles had disappeared. A nice manifestation of the new France with its exemplary efficiency and cleanliness. The ony thing they still have to work on are dog drools in the streets ...
The next day we traveled to Oradour-sur-Glane, the second, but terrible, highlight of the trip. After that visit, a terrible reminder of what we are capable of, the atmosphere in the coach changed perceptibly. That evening we stayed at Loches, the city of beautiful Agnes Sorel, and featuring of the many royal residences of the Loire region. It has some beautiful vestiges of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but cannot compare with Sarlat, which is pure Middle Ages - Renaissance. We had the last Mass of our trip in the parc of our hotel with a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.The last day we visited the castle and gardens of Chenonceaux, and, over the enormous plains of Ile de France, where the wheat had already been harvested , rejoined Orleans for lunch. Courtesy of the French gendarmerie, we had a 45 minutes delay close to Paris but avoided the périphérique by a big but faster loop to the south and east of Paris. Once again our driver demonstrated his intimate knowledge of this spaghetti of freeways around Paris. Halfway between Paris and the border, the rain started, but we could not have cared less.
Once more, I have been seduced and enchanted by the ever changing scenery of God's own country, most beautiful France. A magnificent journey, courtesy of KWB and KAV and its volunteers.
Bedevaartsoorden
"Met 14 miljoen pelgrims per jaar blijft het Mexicaanse bedevaartsoord Guadeloupe, waar Maria al sinds de zestiende eeuw vereerd wordt, de populairste bedevaartplaats ter wereld. Guadeloupe gaat in de top drie de Sint-Pietersbasiliek in Rome en Lourdes vooraf. Dat blijkt uit de onlangs gepubliceerde lijst van populairste bedevaartplaatsen van ‘The Wall Street Journal’. Volgens de legende verscheen de Maagd Maria op 9 december 1531 aan de indiaan Juan Diego...."
Dit komt uit Kerknet van vandaag : http://www.kerknet.be/nieuws/index.html. Het is genoeg om me nog eens goed op te winden. Legende ???
Ofwel gelooft de rooms katholieke kerk dat Onze Lieve Vrouw werkelijk verschenen is te Guadeloupe, Lourdes, Fatima ... ofwel verwijst ze die verschijningen naar het rijk der fabelen en legenden - en ik ken meerdere priesters die dat doen - maar dan moet ze de ook de moed hebben om die bedevaartsoorden te sluiten en de miljarden die ze er elk jaar opraapt te laten liggen. Een beetje minder "political correctness" en een beetje meer moed zou geen kwaad kunnen. Persoonlijk weet ik wat ik aan Lourdes heb, en dat is geen legende !
Dit komt uit Kerknet van vandaag : http://www.kerknet.be/nieuws/index.html. Het is genoeg om me nog eens goed op te winden. Legende ???
Ofwel gelooft de rooms katholieke kerk dat Onze Lieve Vrouw werkelijk verschenen is te Guadeloupe, Lourdes, Fatima ... ofwel verwijst ze die verschijningen naar het rijk der fabelen en legenden - en ik ken meerdere priesters die dat doen - maar dan moet ze de ook de moed hebben om die bedevaartsoorden te sluiten en de miljarden die ze er elk jaar opraapt te laten liggen. Een beetje minder "political correctness" en een beetje meer moed zou geen kwaad kunnen. Persoonlijk weet ik wat ik aan Lourdes heb, en dat is geen legende !
150th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Lourdes
For a couple of years now, I have been a regular visitor the the Lourdes Shrine.
In February 2008 we celebrate the150th anniversary of the first apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous. And although Lourdes has more rooms that any other city in France, Paris excepted, it is hellishly difficult (no pun intended) to find a room for the dates of the first apparitions. Agencies have reserved blocs of rooms - whether they will be able to fill them remains to be seen - but frankly the situation looks grim for the pilgrim who eight months before the event has not yet booked a room. I found a room by a stroke of luck after an extensive search : single rooms are the most difficult to get indeed.
Over the years, the flow of people to roman catholic churches has fallen drastically to a mere trickle, but pelerinages to Lourdes hold their own and still are growing. Even when one admits that many visitors come to have a one time look at the "religious circus" in Lourdes, then to walk away in disbelief, there are millions every year who come for religious reasons and are deeply moved by their visit. No, faith is not dead yet, not by a long shot.
Ave Maria !
In February 2008 we celebrate the150th anniversary of the first apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous. And although Lourdes has more rooms that any other city in France, Paris excepted, it is hellishly difficult (no pun intended) to find a room for the dates of the first apparitions. Agencies have reserved blocs of rooms - whether they will be able to fill them remains to be seen - but frankly the situation looks grim for the pilgrim who eight months before the event has not yet booked a room. I found a room by a stroke of luck after an extensive search : single rooms are the most difficult to get indeed.
Over the years, the flow of people to roman catholic churches has fallen drastically to a mere trickle, but pelerinages to Lourdes hold their own and still are growing. Even when one admits that many visitors come to have a one time look at the "religious circus" in Lourdes, then to walk away in disbelief, there are millions every year who come for religious reasons and are deeply moved by their visit. No, faith is not dead yet, not by a long shot.
Ave Maria !
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