Refreshing Waters

I do not fear death, only waste and misuse of life. 

~ Alex Concepcion

Our correspondent today is Maddy Heupler:

After a late night praying at the grotto until 1:30 am, the group was to be completely checked out of their rooms, at the Jeanne D'Arc hotel in Lourdes, by 9 am. The maids began scouring the halls by 8:45 am, hustling the group of groggy-eyed pilgrims as they slouched around their quaint sleeping quarters. Breakfast at the hotel restaurant ended sharply at 9 am, and this was  unfortunate for us Ignatian scholars who woke up on the later side.  Some of us chose to walk down the street for some croissants and cafe instead. The more adventurous pilgrims forced themselves out of their plush white beds at the break of dawn to take part in the famous spiritual cleansing experience in the piscines or baths in the sanctuary in Lourdes.

People from all around the world visit Lourdes to be bathed in the holy spring water brought forth by the hand of St. Bernadette. Both spiritual and physical miracles have been recorded during this amazing process. Only a short 2 hour window from 9-11 am is open for this unique cleansing experience, which includes a complete submersion in the spring's holy water. As a result of this short time span, many people, such as Ignatian Scholars Alex Concepcion and Alison Dee, woke up at the break of dawn to reserve their spots.  The facility which holds the cleansing ritual is located next to the Grotto and has 3 different waiting lines: one for volunteers, one for handicapped and/or physically ill people, and one for all other pilgrims.  After waiting in line for several hours, pilgrims are called into a separate (male/female) changing room where they are required to strip to their underwear and wrap themselves in a towel. After doing so, they are asked what language they speak and are told to think of a prayer that is the most meaningful to them. When it is their turn, people are then beckoned into the bath area, where they are given privacy as they take off the remainder of their clothing and stand at the base of the bath facing the statue of Mary. At this point, the participants have a silent moment alone with Mary, after they are to make the sign of the cross and recite their prayer immediately before they are lowered into the shallow waters. Ignatian Scholar Alex Concepcion used the Serenity Prayer during his experience because, as he explains, it plays a significant role in his life and he plans to focus on this prayer in the future. When asked about the experience, Alex elaborates, "It's the kind of thing that you don't know how to put into words." When he was greeted at the hotel by the other students, his smile was beaming as he was hugged by his many supporters.

   
During the free time after breakfast, while some students were at the baths, others went down to the Grotto and prayed for those undergoing the spiritual experience. Shopping in Lourdes at the myriad of small shops was another popular activity during our final morning, and strutting along the hilly streets acted as an effective workout for all who chose to explore the town.  We all gathered back at the hotel at noon for a 3 course midday lunch at the hotel, the students were given about an hour and half at lunch to take care of any last minute souvenir shopping or final visits to the grotto.

At 2:30 pm the group then departed for their next destination, St.-Jean-de-la-Luz, a popular resort town in French Basque Country. When the two hour bus trip through the Pyrenees Mountains ended we had made our way to the Atlantic Ocean.  As the Ignatian scholars stepped out into the beaming sunlight and admired the bustling town full of beach-goers, shop-hoppers, and ice cream-eaters. The students were introduced to the beautiful little town then given some free time to either shop, eat, or go to the beach!

Many students, to escape from the blistering heat (it has been near 100 every day), ventured to the beach to dive into the refreshing waters. The sand was barely visible beneath the sea of beach bums, and it seemed as if everyone was trying to take advantage of the beautiful day by playing sand volleyball, laying out on towels, or swimming in the ocean. Several students sprinted through the sand and crowds of people and dove into the ocean, feeling instant relief from the sun's unrelenting rays. The stores in St.-Jean-de-la-Luz also caught the eyes of the Ignatian scholars, and many explored the various clothing, tourist, and food shops. After the brief couple of hours in the picturesque French Basque Country, the group said their final goodbyes to France and got on the bus to head to their next destination, Pamplona, Spain.
  
By 8pm, after 2 hours on the bus, the group had finally arrived at the hotel in Pamplona. The adjustment from French back to Spanish was challenging for the students, and it took some time to change the "Bonjour" and "Merci" into "Hola" and "Gracias." After having an hour to settle into our rooms, the group was served a scrumptious meal consisting of vegetables, potatoes, and duck, a meat that many had never before tried.  Some of the students have grown to love duck; even “vegetarians.” The students were then given the invigorating news that tomorrow would finally be a sleep-in day. The thought of getting a decent night of sleep sounded heavenly after our late night last night. With that news, the Ignatian scholars eagerly went to their rooms to enjoy a peaceful night of sleep after an adventurous day.