Historical Timeline

43 BC
Lyon was founded as a Roman colony by Munatius Plancus, a lieutenant of Caesar.

177 AD
48 Christians were martyred at Lyon during the persecution under Marcus Aurelius.

430
The cathedral of Notre Dame in Le Puy - one of Europe's oldest, most famous, and most beautiful pilgrimage shrines - was begun on Mt. Corneille.

6th century
Founding of the oldest church in Paris - L'Eglise Saint Germain Des Pres.

650
Beginning of Middle Ages
The Middle Ages of Western Europe are commonly dated from the 5th century division of the Roman Empire (into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire) and the barbarian invasions until the 16th century division of Christianity during the Protestant Reformation and the dispersal of Europeans worldwide in the start of the European overseas exploration. The adjective "medieval" refers to anything of or relating to the Middle Ages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages

800
Charlemagne was crowned emperor in Rome.

813
Supposed tomb of St. James discovered in Spain; prompting increasing numbers of pilgrims to journey to Santiago.

876
Chartres Cathedral receives a tunic that had belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary from Charlemagne, who received it as a gift during a crusade in Jerusalem.

950
First recorded pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella, by Bishop Godescalc from Le Puy.

962
Construction was begun on St. Michel, the church at the summit of the basalt volcanic obelisk in Le Puy.

1000s
Romanesque architecture flourished. Similar to Roman architecture based on similarities of forms and materials, Romanesque is characterized by a use of round or slightly pointed arches, barrel vaults, cruciform piers supporting vaults, and groin vaults. The great carved portals of 10th to 12th century church facades parallel the architectural novelty of the period—monumental stone sculpture seems to have been reborn in the Romanesque. Examples are found in every part of the European continent, which points out the relative mobility of medieval people. Merchants, nobles, knights, artisans, and peasants crossed Europe and the Mediterranean world for business, war, and religious pilgrimages, carrying their knowledge of what buildings in different places looked like.

1100s
Gothic architecture, which began in 12th century France, flourished in Europe during the high and late medieval period. It is particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches.

1145
Construction of the Chartres Cathedral was begun.

1163
Construction of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris began during the reign of Louis VII, and Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone.

1213
Pilgrimage of Francis of Assisi to Santiago de Compostela.

1220
Construction of the Chartres Cathedral was finished.

1221
Dominicans of Mère Agnès, who taught and served as sick nurses and housekeepers, were founded in LePuy.

1246
Construction of the Sainte Chapelle in Paris was begun, by Louis IX, who constructed it as a private chapel for the royal palace. The chapel was consecrated six years later in 1248.

1345
Construction of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris was completed roughly 200 years after it began.

1478
The Spanish Inquisition was set up by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Castile with the approval of Pope Sixtus IV. It aimed primarily at converts from Judaism and Islam (who were still residing in Spain after the end of the Moor control of Spain), who were suspected of either continuing to adhere to their old religion (often after having been converted under duress) or having fallen back into it, and later at Protestants. In Sicily and Southern Italy, which were under Spanish rule, it targeted Greek Orthodox Christians. It ended in 1834.

1491
Saint Ignatius of Loyola born. He was the principal founder and first Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) along with Saint Francis Xavier.

1506
Saint Francis Xavier born. He was a pioneering Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). The Roman Catholic Church considers him to have converted more people to Christianity than anyone else since St. Paul.

1517
The Protestant Reformation, a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic Church in Western Europe, began when Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the practice of indulgences to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg (Germany). The reformation ended in division and the establishment of new institutions. The four most important traditions to emerge directly from the reformation were the Lutheran tradition, the Reformed/Calvinist/Presbyterian tradition, the Anabaptist tradition, and the Anglican tradition. Subsequent protestant traditions generally trace their roots back to these initial four schools of the reformation. It also led to the Catholic or Counter Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church through a variety of new spiritual movements, reforms of religious communities, the founding of seminaries, the clarification of Catholic theology as well as structural changes in the institution of the Church.

1534
The Jesuits were founded by Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis Xavier. They organized their order along military lines, and strongly reflected the autocratic zeal of the period, characterized by careful selection, rigorous training, and iron discipline. They became preachers, confessors to monarchs and princes, and educators reminiscent of the humanist reformers, and their efforts are largely credited with stemming Protestantism in Poland, Bohemia, Hungary, southern Germany, France, and the Spanish Netherlands.

1545
The 18-year Council of Trent convened; it was a commission of cardinals tasked with institutional reform, to address contentious issues such as corrupt bishops and priests, indulgences, and other financial abuses. The Council clearly repudiated specific Protestant positions and upheld the basic structure of the Medieval Church, its sacramental system, religious orders, and doctrine. It rejected all compromise with the Protestants, restating basic tenets of Medieval Catholicism. The Council clearly upheld the dogma of salvation appropriated by faith and works. Transubstantiation, during which the consecrated bread and wine were held to become (substantially) the blood of Christ, was upheld, along with the Seven Sacraments. Other Catholic practices that drew the ire of liberal reformers within the Church, such as indulgences, pilgrimages, the veneration of saints and relics, and the veneration of the Virgin Mary were strongly reaffirmed as spiritually vital as well.

1550
End of Middle Ages

1552
Saint Francis Xavier died at 42.

1556
Saint Ignatius of Loyola died at 65.

1563
The Council of Trent ended.

1567
Francis de Sales was born in the Annecy region into a noble family, and after a crisis of religious faith as a young man, decided to become a priest against the wishes of his family.

1572
Jane Frances de Chantal was born. She founded the Sisters of the Visitation, which preceded the Sisters of St. Joseph in Annecy.

1580
Saint Vincent de Paul born at Pouy, Gascony, France. He is the one who conceived the idea of enlisting good young women for this service of the poor, and established the Daughters of Charity.

1600s
The Baroque style started around 1600 in Rome, and spread to most of Europe. In the arts, Baroque is both a period and the style that dominated it: The Baroque style used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, and music. The popularity of the "Baroque" was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church which had decided at the time of the Council of Trent that the arts should communicate religious themes in direct and emotional involvement.

1604
Jane Frances de Chantal meets Francis de Sales.

1610
Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal founded the women's Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary.

1618
The teaching Sisters of Notre-Dame, founded in LePuy.

1622
Ignatius Loyola and Francis Xavier canonized.

1624
The religious Sisters of St. Charles, teachers and nurses, founded by Just de Serres, Bishop of Le Puy.

1650
The Sisters of St. Joseph founded in LePuy.

1658
The Inspired Prophetic Letter, written by Jean-Pierre Medaille, was believed to have been sent to Sister Marguerite Burdier, one of the first founding women of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

1659
The contemplative religious of the Visitation of St. Mary were founded in LePuy.

1660
Saint Vincent de Paul died in Paris at 80.

1667
The Sisters of the Instruction of the Infant Jesus founded by the celebrated Sulpician Tronson, parish priest of St. Georges, and his penitent, Mlle Martel.

1673
The Sisters of the Cross, for hospital service and teaching, founded in LePuy.

1737
St. Vincent de Paul canonized.

1759
Mother Jeanne Fontbonne born.

1763
Cardinal Joseph Fesch, Archbishop of Lyons born in Corsica; uncle to Napoleon.

1767
Jane Frances de Chantal canonized.

1778
Jeanne Fontbonne entered a house of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

1789-1799
The French Revolution - This was a pivotal period in the history of European and Western civilization. During this time, republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the country's Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo a radical restructuring. While France would oscillate among republic, empire, and monarchy for 75 years after the First Republic fell to a coup d'état, the Revolution is widely seen as a major turning point in the history of Western democracy—from the age of absolutism and aristocracy, to the age of the citizenry as the dominant political force.

1794
Mother Jeanne Fontbonne scheduled to be executed on July 28; she was spared when Robespierre fell on July 27.

1799
End of the French Revolution.

1806
The birth of St. Catherine Laboure.

1807
The Sisters of St. Joseph regroup in Lyon under the leadership of Mother St. Jeanne Fontbonne.

1830
St. Catherine Laboure at the age of 24 had an apparition of Mary.

1834
The Spanish Inquisition ended 356 years after it began in 1478.

1836
Mother St. Jeanne Fontbonne sends a "little band" of SSJs to the United States.

1839
Death of Cardinal Fesch in Rome at 76.

1843
Mother Jeanne Fontbonne died at 84.

1868
Paul Claudell was one of the foremost French poets and playwrights in the early 1900s, and helped provide a new religious focus to the literature of his time. His writings are examples of the Roman Catholic revival in French literature and philosophy. He died in 1955.

1872
Construction begun on the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon.

1874
Construction begun on the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris.

1876
Sister Catherine Laboure died at the age of 70.

1880
The Sisters of St. Joseph come to Springfield, Massachusetts, 44 years after they came to the United States in 1836.

1896
Construction completed on the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon.

1914
Construction finished on the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris.

1914
The cafe Les Deux Magots became the intellectual centre of Paris, and place to "see and be seen."

1933
St. Katherine Laboure was beatified.

1977
The French Government decides to convert the Gare d'Orsay station to a museum, and it was opened by President François Mitterrand in 1986.

2006
Twelve pilgrims from Elms College visit sites in France which are relevant to the founders of the college, the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Reflection From Eileen Kirk

Reflection on our Journey:
I do believe that we met God in so many faces and places while in France…
Eileen Kirk

It is difficult to capture in words the experiences of our time in France while walking “in our founders’ footsteps.” The trip was absolutely incredible!

Having Sr. Eleanor Dooley as our group leader was such a blessing…To walk with her made the journey so much more meaningful for each of us. We were always enveloped by her gentle spirit, brilliant mind, masterful storytelling, sense of wonder and beauty, great humor, and ever-present kindness to all. Indeed, we are better people for having spent time with her.

There were so many graced moments on the trip. Many of us will never forget the time spent at Sainte Chapelle. In the afternoon, as we sat in the chapel marveling at the beauty surrounding us, Sr. Eleanor spoke of the history of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, of the courage of those first sisters in 1650 and then again in 1812, of how they selflessly set out to answer the needs of the day, and of how we are called to do the same today.

In the evening, we returned to Sainte Chapelle to hear a group of seven musicians give an amazing concert. There is something about being in a sacred and holy place and experiencing music played from the heart that makes one truly believe that goodness is being dispersed all around and that all is well for the time being…

The same night of the concert, several members of the group went back to Notre Dame de Paris for a special documentary on the history of the cathedral and its place and meaning in the lives of the people who live in France and of those who visit each day. The narrator echoed what many felt: “By the grace of God, you are here.” How grateful we were to be surrounded by such beauty and to feel the presence of God within us…

Our visit to Lyon included a visit to Mother St. John Fontbonne’s grave where prayers of thanksgiving were offered for the courage and faith of Mother Fontbonne in sending sisters to the United States. We also spent much time at the motherhouse of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Lyon where we were able to view Mother Fontbonne’s room and other memorials to her, as well as view pieces of artwork, memorabilia, and correspondence from Sisters of Saint Joseph around the world.

Perhaps the visit that was most profound for many was the time spent in Le Puy, the site of the original founding of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1650. Here we saw the original kitchen of the first sisters…We were “standing on holy ground” and one could sense the awe, reverence, and hope of all who were present. In a silent moment, all sorts of feelings rushed forth: gratitude for the first sisters who had tremendous faith and courage to go forth into Le Puy to live and work among those most in need; gratitude for the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Springfield and for all they continue to do to answer the needs of the day; prayers for the college, that in the spirit of the SSJ’s, we may always continue to work for a more just society; a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessing of being one of the “pilgrims” searching for what is right and good…

Everywhere we went, we were warmly greeted by Sisters of Saint Joseph, and one could clearly sense the common thread of gracious hospitality that is part of the charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. We have made friends in far-off places, and we know that part of what unites us is the answer to the call to “unite neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.”

In looking back at the time spent in France, and in scrolling through the many photos, we can’t believe that we accomplished so much in just over a week! We visited so many places of worship, places to where people still journey each day in hopes of bringing peace to oneself, to one’s family, community, or the world at large. At each stop, we would pause to light a candle and offer our prayers… for the college, for the Sisters of Saint Joseph, for those back home to whom we had made a promise for prayer, for special intentions, and for the gift and blessing of being on the trip.

I have a new appreciation of places of worship, for their bells have been calling to many over the years. During my time in France, I read a short book entitled A Good Life, by Robert Benson. In his book, Benson writes of church bells: “It is prayer that is as old as our faith itself, older even. And it is as new as the day in which it is offered. “The bells break in upon our cares to remind us that all things pass away,” wrote Thomas Merton once. “The bells say: we have spoken for centuries from the towers of great churches. We have spoken to the saints, your (ancestors) in their land. We call them, as we call you, to sanctity.” The bells are calling us all, and that echo we hear within is the sound of our longing to be with God.”

I do believe that we met God in so many faces and places while in France. We will carry our journey deep within us for years, for “our God has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” May we continue our journey here, sustained by the spirit and charism of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, to carry on the work begun by our ancestors, those first six sisters, and by Mother St. John Fontbonne.

Reflection On The End Of The Pilgrimage

Our pilgrimage did not end in Le Puy - it began there. We 12 have returned to the lives we left; we are the same, yet not the same.

We have learned more about our shared history, and have come to experience with greater insight the struggles and sacrifices of our founders. We have walked in their footsteps, and come to know their stories and be inspired by their faith.

The founding Sisters formed a community of women who would love and serve their “dear neighbor.” They worked in orphanages and schools; they took care of the poor and the sick. What began in that little village of LePuy, France, more than 350 years ago continues to be lived every day, by the Sisters of St. Joseph here in Springfield, and by congregations like them throughout the world.

Our pilgrimage has been, like all pilgrimages before ours, a questing, searching journey.
In the end, we have found what we were looking for: a deeper connection to our founding mothers, a deeper reverence for the struggles of Christians throughout the centuries, and a deeper faith in our God.

For this experience, and for our many blessings, I am thankful. I am forever changed.

Annie

Daily Log - 10.24.06

This is our last morning in lovely LePuy, and we spent the morning at the International Center of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

The center was conceived of in 2000 on the 350th anniversary of the order's founding - when representatives from all over the world met to discuss the charism of the sisters and how they might address the needs of today's world.

The center opened two years ago with contributions from SSJ congregations all over the world.

According to the Center's mission statement:

In this 21st century, recognizing the urgent need for understanding and respect among peoples, cultures and religions, for one another and for the planet, the Sisters of St. Joseph of the world have created Centre International St. Joseph. The mission of the Centre is to promote interaction, collaboration and communion among Sisters, Associates and lay partners in creating an earth community based on the values of right relationship with God, with others, and with the planet.

We were met by two sisters who are spending two years at the center: Sr. Sheila Holly of Philadelphia and Sr. Mary Diesbourg of Canada. They showed us around the building, which includes guest rooms for up to 14 visitors. They told us that they have had about 500 visitors in the past two years - sisters, associates and lay partners from around the world - to study, make retreats, or pilgrimages.

Asked if language is a problem during these visits, Sister Sheila said "No: heart speaks to heart, regardless of language."

When we were leaving, the two sisters sang us a good-bye song, standing arm in arm and waving white hankies.

http://www.centreinternationalssj.org

This afternoon it was travel, travel, travel. Our tour bus brought us back to Lyon (2 hours), we took the bullet train from there back to Paris (another 2 hours), and the tour bus picked us up at the station and brought us back to our hotel. We hardly know where we are anymore!

As an aside, we got a lovely note from our bus driver, Hakim, who has been with us for the past two days. He's from Lyon, and drove us to LePuy and then back to Lyon, and toured and ate with us in LePuy because he had never been there and was very interested in what we were doing. When he brought us back to Lyon, he gave Sr. Eleanor a post card on which he had written:

"Vous etes des anges, car la ou vent les anges il fait tourjours beau. Bon retour a vous tous et merci beaucoup de votre gentilesse et votre bonne humeur,"
which means, roughly:
"You are angels, and where angels go, the weather is always beautiful. A good trip back to all of you, and thank you very much for your niceness and your good humor."

In fact, Hakim was OUR angel; he took very good care of us and got us safely where we were going. And he did it always with patience and politeness. He was one of many angels that crossed our path on this amazing voyage.

When we got back to Paris, we regrouped and gathered together for one last time for a "Farewell to France" dinner. We virtually took over a small bistro near our hotel, and I'm sure they had never had 12 tired, hungry Americans in there at once before! We certainly kept the one waitress VERY busy!!!

We raised our glasses in salute to many things:
to Sr. Eleanor, whose gracious leadership was the key to our wonderful trip;
to Elms College, for recognizing the importance of this pilgrimage;
to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who for 350 years have embodied the spirit of God in the love of our neighbors;
and to France, which now holds so many magical memories for us all.

Annie

After dinner, Sr. Eleanor very much wanted us to walk down the Champs Elysess to celebrate the night before we leave Paris to return home. She wrote:

Tonight, we will conclude our time in France with a midnight walk along the Champs Elysees illuminated - a spectacular way to end our wonderful week. We know that the pulse of this wonderful ancient civilization will continue to touch us as it must have touched the early Sisters, must have touched Father Medaille, and must have touched Mother Fontbonne.

We have all been priviledged to come to France, and to absorb the greatness of history and culture here, and we look forward to returning home to our families and friends with the spirit and inspiration of our founders transforming our lives.

Daily Log - 10.23.06

The day has finally arrived!

Here we are, at the 'raison d'etre' of our trip: Le Puy en Velay.

Le Puy is the original birthplace in 1650 of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who founded Elms College. The source of the source.

The Sisters of St. Joseph, who were originally hospital and teaching sisters, were founded here by Jesuit John Peter Médaille, and were the first congregation placed under the patronage of St. Joseph. They were dedicated to serving the needy, orphans, prisoners, the sick and the destitute, and the community had rapid growth.

Our Arrival
Our bus driver Hakim brought us from Lyon to LePuy this morning, where we were met by Sr. Jacqueline, an SSJ from the Le Puy congregation. We spent all day with her: she was charming and funny and a joy to be with.

Immediately we headed off on a full day of exploring this amazing and beautiful ancient walled city.

Our first stop was merely steps from our hotel - the Saint-Laurent church. It was founded by the preaching brothers of Saint Dominique, following their patron's visit to Le Puy. The staid building was built in the 14th century, and since it was outside the city walls, it was often the first landmark seen by the many pilgrims arriving in Le Puy.

The church has had many "misfortunes," such as roof collapses, and pillaging by the Hugeunots, and splaying pillars(!), and so much of it has been repaired, rebuilt, or replaced. But parts are still original, such as the keystone in the choir, which depicts Saint Laurent carrying the grill on which he was to be martyred.

The walls of the nave are decorated with a series of paintings depicting the saints of the Dominican order, by Guy Francois. This early 17th century master worked in LePuy, and introduced an artistic style inspired by Caravaggio into France.

The stained glass windows are relatively small and modern and not as spectacular as the ones we have been seeing. I think after all that Gothic grandeur in Paris, Chartres and Lyon, this little church seemed pretty drab to most of us!

We were off immediately to the next location, as we have been all week. (There was to be NO down time in Sr. Eleanor's "boot camp"!)

The SSJ Motherhouse and Archives
We were off to the place that was most meaningful to us: the original mother house and archives of the SSJs, housed in what used to be the chapel of the Visitation sisters. It is right down the hill from the Cathedral.

We saw many touching things here. One of the most dramatic was a huge painting depicting the early sisters taking vows with Bishop de Maupas and Father Medaille, with St. Joseph looking down on them from heaven. There were also photos, and statues, and samples of historic writing.

In a glass case, there was a document signed in 1650 by the original six sisters: Francoise Eyraud, Clauda Chastel, Marguerite Burdier, Anna Chalayer, Anna Brun, and Anna Key. Sister Eleanor said a prayer to them, and gave thanks for starting the congregation with their common vision.

We all signed the guest book before we left, and noted the signatures of SSJs from all over the world who had preceeded us.

A few steps away was one of the most revered places in the SSJ history - the original kitchen where those first nuns basically lived when they first started out. It was rustic, and dark, and cold - made of large reddish blocks of stone. But there was a big stone fireplace, and we could imagine those sisters more than 350 years ago, huddled around the fire to keep warm, and making their famous lace by the light of the fire. Many of us felt their presence.

We left reluctantly, to start the long climb up the hill to the cathedral. It is an incredibly steep and long incline, and someone asked Sr. Jacqueline if there was an easier way to get to the top than to walk. "Of course," she said. "We shall walk very slowly."

The old town at the base of the cathedral is a web of small streets and shady passageways, and many of the houses have recesses holdling statues of the Virgin Mary or one of the saints.

The Cathedral
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Le Puy is one of Europe’s oldest, most famous, and most beautiful pilgrimage shrines. The original church on the site was completed in the year 430, and the current basilica is a composite construction dating from the fifth to twelfth centuries. While primarily an example of Romanesque architecture, the massive cathedral shows strong Byzantine and Arabic influences in both its construction and decoration.

Historically, the Cathedral and its predecessor, an early shrine on the summit of mountain, drew thousands of pilgrims. The original cathedral stands on the location of an ancient megalith, which was reputed to have curative powers though the Blessed Virgin Mary. Legend has it that a local noblewoman suffering from a malignant fever had a vision in which she was told by voices to go to the top of Mont Corneille and lie on a large rock dolmen. She was cured here, and had a vision in which Mary instructed her to tell the local Bishop to build a cathedral on the spot.

Bishop Vosy climbed the hill, and even though it was July, he found that it was covered in snow. A deer was walking in the snow, and its tracks around the hilltop outlined the foundations of the future church. The Bishop was apprised in a vision that the angels themselves had dedicated the future cathedral to them, whence the epithet "Angelic" given to the cathedral of Le Puy.

The great dolmen was left standing in the center of the Christian sanctuary, which was constructed around it; the "fever stone" was re-consecrated as the Throne of Mary. It became the focal point of the shrine to which all the fever sufferers in the province flocked, and with Chartres was the oldest Marian sanctuary in France.(The hymn Salve Regina was written here by Bishop Adhemar de Monteil.)

Today's Visit
The cathedral forms the highest point of the city, and we had seen it towering above everything from many vantage points in Le Puy.

The facade, striped in layers of white sandstone and black volcanic breccia, is reached by a flight of 60 huge steps, (though after the long and arduous climb to the top of the hill, it seemed more like 600!!!)

The striking colored stone is connected to remains of fortifications of the 13th century that separated the cathedral precincts from the rest of the city.

The cathedral front is awe-inspiring, and has huge beautiful Romanesque porches across the front. It has three or four levels of arched windows and doors, which look like they have been piled one on top of the other.

But just when we thought we had reached the top of the stairs and crossed through the first frontage, we realized that the steps continued!

But before we continued the climb to the entry door, we saw the famous 10th century cedar doors, which lead to two small chapels. They are carved with intricate biblical scenes and Cufic characters.

After conquering the remaing steps - some of us more slowly than others(!),we stepped inside the beautiful cathedral.

At one end is the Baroque high altar dating from 1729, with lots of gold and decorative elements. Above it, the famous "Black Virgin" is standing and holding near her waist a black- baby Jesus. She wears an elaborate golden filigree crown on her head, as does the baby Jesus. The statue is sometimes dressed in different robes according to the liturgy - from a red robe embroidered with eucharistic symbols of vine branches and wheat, or a white one embroidered in gold.

The Black Madonna
These medieval statues of Mary depict her with dark skin. There are 500 of them in Europe, and at least 180 in France. Some statues were originally light-skinned but have become darkened over time, but others have always been dark. They may symbolize her suffering.

Many of us sat in the front pews and said a prayer, as we did in all of the churches and cathedrals we visited. From this perspective it was really striking to see directly in front of the altar was a modern cubic altar made of onyx with bronze medalions.

In a side apse, there is a six-foot-long slab of black stone - part of the 'fever stone' that is according to tradition, the origin of the cathedral and the Marion worship here. Sr. Jacqueline told us that it is still reputed to have healing properties for those who stand on it, so several of us did so, and we said a prayer to Mary for our healing and that of our families and friends.

Organ
One of the most spectacular things in the cathedral is the huge magnificent pipe organ in the back at the end of the nave. It was installed at the end of the 17th century. It is placed one bay forward from the back wall, so that it can be seen from both sides.

Pilgrims
To this day, Catholic pilgrims starting their journey to Santiago de Compostela gather here to be blessed each morning. The cathedral has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1998, as part of the "Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France".

The Cloister
Behind the cathedral and through small twisting cobblestone streets is the nearby cloister. The four galleries of the cloister were constructed during the same era as the cathedral.

It is a sublime open air space, from which you can see the upper part of the cathedral, the nave, the cupola, and the bell tower. In the distance, you can see the giant statue of the virgin Mary.

The cloister is Romanesque art at its best, supported on monolithic columns with intricate iron gates. The double arches are gorgeous, made of red, ochre, white, and black diamond shapes and mosaics. It is said to be similar to the mosque in Cordoba, Spain, possibly inspired by pilgrimages to Compostella.

An elaborate frieze runs above the arcades, and includes such amazing carvings as a depiction of Eve struggling with an eagle, and a lion with the acanthus symbolizing victory over evil.

The columns' 150 capitals are of particular interest, and earns this cloister its fame as one of the most remarkable in the western Christian world. They include an angel stealing a soul from two demons, a monk and abbess fighting over a crook, two lions chained together, doves drinking from a chalice, and a race between two male and one female centaurs.

Buying Lace
The making of bobbin lace, the regional speciality, most likely was brought here from Spain or Italy. It had a huge place in the history of the SSJs as well as a huge impact on the economy of the city. In 1639, it was prohibited by the Toulouse Parliment, but Jesuit missionary Jean Francois Regis had the law overturned. He was canonized in 1737 and named the patron saint of lacemakers.

The lacemakers hold a pillow in their laps, which is basically a big pin cushion. The lace design being worked on is pinned to the pillow, and threads held on wooden bobbins are passed around the pins.

In a local shop, we were curious about interesting looking bottles of some kind of liguor. Sr. Jacqueline told us it is famous in this area, called "Verveine du Velay." Its secret recipe contains 32 local herbs, including lemon verbena, and it is known as a digestive liqueur. She warned us that it was bitter, but a couple of us were brave enough to buy small bottles to take home as souvenirs.

Dinner with Sr. Jacqueline

You can't go anywhere in Le Puy without seeing two narrow rock mountains, one topped with a church - St. Michel - and the other with a huge statue of the Virigin Mary. Both are illuminated at night, and are spectacular.

St. Michel
Saint Michael’s rock (Rocher Saint-Michel), topped with its 1,000-year-old Romanesque chapel, seems to erupt out of Le Puy-en-Velay, jutting up about 400 feet above the small town below. The church at the summit of the basalt volcanic obelisk was built starting in the year 962, and has always been accessed only by climbing the 268 steps spiraling around the rock. The chapel is an irregular shape, which closely follows the summit’s contours, and the steeple appears as a perfect continuation of the rock’s lines. It is a popular beginning point for French pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.

Statue of the Virgin Mary
Behind the cathedral, the huge iron Notre Dame de France (Our Lady of France) statue stands on top of Rocher Corneille. It is 23 meters high, and weighs 835 tons. It was erected in 1860, and a crowd of 120,000 pilgrims came to its inauguration.

The statue was cast in iron, made from 213 cannons donated by Napoleon. Our Lady holds the child Jesus in her arms, and wears a crown of stars. It is painted a brick red color to blend in with the city's red clay roofs.

Visitors can climb the mountain up 262 steps, and can climb up inside the statue to the level of the neck via a narrow spiral staircase. There is a hole through which you can look down on the cathedral and the surrounding town.

There is also a statue of St. Joseph which is almost as tall as our Lady of France, but it is much less noticable from the town center. It is actually in a suburb of town, and sits on top of a castle built on a volcanic column. It was built in 1911 of reinforced concrete, and depicts Joseph with Jesus as a child standing on a carpenter's bench.

Pilgrims to Le Puy
No French pilgrimage was more frequented in the Middle Ages than to LePuy. Famous personagaes who came here include:

• Charlemagne
• Theodulph, Bishop of Orleans
• Charles the Bald
• Philip Augustus
• Louis IX
• King of Aragon
• Philip the Bold
• Philip the Fair
• Charles VI
• Charles VII
• the mother of Blessed Joan of Arc
• Louis XI
• Charles VIII
• Francis I
• St. Mayeul
• St. Odilon
• St. Robert
• St. Hugh of Grenoble
• St. Anthony of Padua
• St. Dominic
• St. Vincent Ferrer
• St. John Francis Regis

Other Congregations
Because of its place of religious significance, several congregations of women religious in addition to the SSJs also originated in Le Puy:

• 1221 - Dominicans of Mère Agnès.
• 1618 - The teaching Sisters of Notre-Dame.
• 1624 - The religious of St. Charles.
• 1650 - Sisters of St. Joseph.
• 1659 - The Visitation of St. Mary.
• 1667 - The Instruction of the Infant Jesus.
• 1673 - The Sisters of the Cross.

Two important congregations of men also originated and had their motherhouse in the diocese of Le Puy:

• 1821 - The Brothers of the Sacred Heart, founded with the object of giving commercial instruction.
• 1850 - The Labourer Brothers, or Farmer Brothers, of St. John Francis Régis were founded by Jesuit Père de Bussy, and possess seven model farms for the education of poor children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Puy-en-Velay

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09185b.htm

Daily Log - 10.22.06

Bonjour encore!

We were on the move again today - heading off to the second spot that is directly related to the history of the SSJs - Annecy, in the Rhône-Alpes region of east central France on the shores of Lake Annecy, 22 miles south of Geneva. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annecy)

It is here that Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal founded the women's Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in 1610. The SSJs connection comes in 1833, when Mother Fontbonne sent sisters here from Lyon after the French Revolution, and they bought this property in 1855 as the number of Visitation nuns were dwindling.

We had the great honor and privilege of being hosted by a group of Sisters of St. Joseph from Annecy, who live and work in the original convent founded by the two saints. Sr. Leonie, president of the congregation, remarked on how connected to each other the SSJs were, no matter where in the world. "We all had the same great great grandmother in Lyon, Mother Fontbonne," she said.

We were also delighted to meet Sr. Eleana from Dublin, Sr. Genevieve from France, who gave us a tour of the convent, and two other young nuns from India. We were able to see rooms with the original ceilings from the first convent, and the garden where Saint Francis counseled the novices, and the building's beautiful original cloister.

Sister Eleanor marveled at the beauty of the windows to the sister's rooms as seen from the cloister space, with their simple shutters. "I wouldn't mind having one of these rooms," she said with a laugh.

The Sisters told us that there are now 508 SSJs in the Annecy congregation, many of whom work at missions throughout the world, and 30 who now live here in this convent. They are clearly very proud of the heritage of their home base here in Annecy and the two saints who founded it, and shared the story with us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Frances_de_Chantal
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintj22.htm
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1111
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_de_Sales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Visitation_of_Holy_Mary

Francis de Sales (1567-1622) was born in this region into a noble family, and after a crisis of religious faith as a young man, decided to become a priest against the wishes of his family. At that time, the way of holiness was only for monks and nuns — not for ordinary people. Francis changed all that by giving spiritual direction to lay people in letters that were compiled into his most famous book, "Introduction To The Devout Life," in 1608.

Jane Frances de Chantal (1572 - 1641), a young widow and mother of four children, was also from this area. After being widowed at the age of 28, she spent her time in prayer, and received a vision of the man who would become her spiritual director. She heard Francis de Sales preach in 1604, and recognized him as the man in her vision. She became a spiritual student and close friend of his, and the two carried on a correspondence for years.

In 1610, inspired by Francis' encouragement of holy service for laypeople, Jane founded the Order of the Visitation of Our Lady, designed for widows and laywomen who did not wish the full life of the religious orders. She oversaw the founding of 69 convents, and spent the rest of her days overseeing the Order, and acting as spiritual adviser to any who desired her wisdom. Visitationist nuns today live a contemplative life, work for women with poor health and widows, and sometimes run schools.

This is taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia, regarding the founding of the order:

Its aim was to receive, with a view to their spiritual advancement, young girls and even widows who had not the desire or strength to subject themselves to the austere ascetical practices in force in all the religious orders at that time. St. Francis de Sales was especially desirous of seeing the realization of his cherished method of attaining perfection, which consisted in always keeping one's will united to the Divine will, in taking so to speak one's soul, heart, and longings into one's hands and giving them into God's keeping, and in seeking always to do what is pleasing to Him. "I do always the things that please him" (John 8:29). The two holy founders saw their undertaking prosper. At the time of the death of St. Francis de Sales in 1622, the order already counted 13 houses; there were 86 when St. Jane Frances died; and 164 when she was canonized.

Our Sr. Eleanor pointed out that it is their legacy, this call "to be contemplative in action," that guides the SSJs. The charism of the Sisters has flourished in how we educate each of our students—"in an Ignatian-Salesian climate in which we strive for excellence tempered by gentleness, peace and joy."

Francis de Sales died in 1622 in Lyon, after giving a nun his last word of advice: "Humility." He was beatified in 1661 by Pope Alexander VII, who then canonized him in 1665.

Jane de Chantal died in 1641 at one of the convents she founded, the Visitation Convent in Moulins, and was buried in Annecy. She was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767.

In the center of town, we were able to visit the Basilique de la Visitation, built in the 20th century, which is home of the tomb of the two saints.

(Sr. Maureen Broughan and Sr. Eleanor told me that as a writer, I should know that Francis de Sales was patron saint of writers and journalists, because of the influential books he wrote, most notably "Introduction to the Devout Life," "Treatise on the Love of God," and many highly valued epistles of spiritual direction. I think I'll put a picture of him on my desk at work! For anyone who's interested, Jean de Chantal is patron saint of in-law problems…)

Treatise on the Love of God by Saint Francis de Sales
O love eternal, my soul needs and chooses you eternally!
Ah, come Holy Spirit, and inflame our hearts with your love!
To love — or to die!
To die — and to love!
To die to all other love in order to live in Jesus' love,
so that we may not die eternally;
but that we may live in your eternal love,
O Savior of our souls, we eternally sing, "Live, Jesus!
Jesus, I love!
Live, Jesus, whom I love!
Jesus, I love, Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever.
AMEN

This is a quote from a biography of Saint Jane de Chantal, describing her pious life after her husband died, and her vision of her future spiritual director, Francis de Sales:

Being now deprived of her husband, the Baroness de Chantal proposed to herself a new system of life, according to the rules laid down by Saint Paul and the Fathers for the sanctification of widows. The Saint gave all her costly dresses to be disposed of for the benefit of the poor; and she made a vow never in future to wear any but of the coarsest quality. She dismissed nearly all her servants, after having remunerated them amply for their services. Her fastings now became frequent and rigorous. A portion of her nights was consecrated to prayer. Totally secluded from the world, she divided her time between prayer, labor, the education of her children, and visiting the poor and sick.
She no longer paid any visits, nor received any, save such as charity and politeness would not allow her to decline. This love of solitude, far from being the result of excessive melancholy, sprang from a desire to be alone with God, to hold converse with him in prayer, to hear his voice in the perusal of holy books, and to be united to him in silence. Such, indeed, was her desire to be altogether with God that she would gladly have buried herself in a desert to escape the world. She avowed that she once entertained the notion of going to end her days in the Holy Land, and that she was withheld only by the fear of failing in an essential duty - the educating of her children, who were as yet very young.

Exalted by perfection, and desirous to live with God alone, our Saint now only needed a director to guide her in the way which she ought to pursue, and she never ceased imploring God to send her such a director. One day, as she was walking in the country, and praying, according to her custom, she saw, on the declivity of a neighboring hill, a man very much resembling Saint Francis de Sales, and dressed like him; in a word, just as she saw him subsequently at Dijon. At the same moment, she heard a voice saying: "There is the man beloved of Heaven, whom God destines to lead thee." The vision disappeared; but her heart, now filled with ineffable joy, no longer doubted that God had heard her.

Salesian Spirituality

This is taken from a brochure put out by the de Sales Spirituality Center. It points out the

as practiced first by the Sisters of the Visitation, the community of contemplative women established by de Sales. This vision continues today, lived by the SSJs:

What is Salesian Spirituality?
It is a way of living the Gospel as learned, lived and shared by St. Francis de Sales (1567 – 1622) and St. Jane de Chantal (1572 – 1641). Its first disciples were the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary, a community of contemplative women established by these two saints in 1610. Their vision continues today, lived by people of all walks, states and stages of life.

One cannot hope to adequately plumb the depths of this spirituality in a brief pamphlet. What follows are some of the more salient features of Salesian spirituality.

• God is love, and all creation is an outpouring of that love.
• All creation has been made for Christ, with Christ and through Christ.
• All creation should be treated with respect and care.
• Jesus is the model for all fully human living.
• You possess divine dignity and are thus worthy of profound respect.
• God has testified that you are good, worthy of divine love and mercy.
• Despite your weakness and sinfulness, God loves you so much that God sent his only son to become human.
• You are called to be holy, that is, to grow in union with God.
• Pursuing a holy life is called “devotion,” that is, doing what is both commanded and counseled by God promptly, actively and diligently.
• The pursuit of holiness must be practical. It must transform your attitudes, attributes and actions.
• Acknowledge your sins and failing, learn from them, but do not dwell on them.
• God gives you talents and abilities, gifts that should be discovered, developed and used for the good of others.
• Relationships are essential to living a fully human, that is, a holy life.
• Each moment of each day comes from the hand of a loving God and is graced for your salvation. The only time you have is each present moment. Don’t live in the past; don’t dwell on the future.
• Living each moment to the fullest with an eye to loving God must lead you to show compassion for others.
• The challenge of each moment is discerning God’s will, that is, the particular, unique way that God may be calling you to love God, yourself, and others. God’s will is frequently communicated through the events, circumstances and relationships in which you find yourself.
• God seldom requires you to perform great or extraordinary feats, but God always challenges you to perform everyday actions with extraordinary attention and enthusiasm.
• The “little virtues” of patience, humility, gentleness, simplicity, honesty and hospitality are powerful means for growing holy.
• All prayer and meditation must lead to action.
• The motivation with which you perform some action may be far more important and powerful than the action itself.
• Freedom is one of the most precious and powerful gifts that God gives you. You are to use that freedom to grow in conformity to God’s will.
• Intellectual learning, prayerful reflection, social interaction, work, play and all things creative should be valued as graced by God and viewed as means for growing into a fully human person
• Each new day is a new beginning, a new opportunity for growing in holiness.
• Let your passion be disciplined. Let your discipline be passionate.
• Keep things in perspective.
• Develop a sense of humor.

Welcome to Salesian spirituality! May it help you to become a holy, whole, human person. May it enable you to “Live Jesus,” to allow Jesus to live in you and to love through you.

Late in the afternoon, we left the convent and with great gratitude said good-bye to the Sisters of Annecy. Sr. Eleanor, who was clearly moved by their gracious welcome and touched by their spirit, said, "Good-bye - pray for us, and you'll be in our prayers. We'll never ever forget you. And who knows? Maybe I'll pop up here again someday."

None of us would be the least bit surprised if she does.

Before we got back on the bus to head back to Lyon, some of us took a one-hour boat cruise around the lake late in the afternoon. The scenery was magnificent, and it felt really good to sit down for a while!

Annie

Daily Log - 10.21.06

We are on the move!

The concept of the pilgrimage as a journey took on new meaning for us today, as we left Paris and traveled 244 miles to Lyon in east central France, and during the day we rode on a tour bus, the high speed train, subways, city buses, and a funicular… Talk about a journey!

We took the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse - which means "very fast train" - and it is! It travels at up to 200 miles per hour, and brought us the 244 miles from Paris to Lyon in under 2 hours!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGV
http://worldfacts.us/France-Lyon.htm

Lyon
Lyon is the second largest city in France, and is famous for many things: the Lumière brothers invented cinema here in 1895; it is the birthplace of many famous people, including writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and third century Roman emperor Caracalla; and it is the international headquarters of Interpol (!).

But it is much more important to our group on this journey because it is the city where the Sisters of St. Joseph were refounded after the French Revolution, and is the site of the convent and burial place of Mother Jeanne Fontbonne, second foundress and superior-general of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyons.

In Lyon, we were met by Sr. Marie du St. Esprit, an SSJ from Mexico and a member of the Lyons congregation. She was our guide to the city, including visits to the grave of Mother John Fontbonne, the SSJ Heritage Center, and the Basilique de Fourviere.

The Sisters of St. Joseph in Lyon
The Congregation of St. Joseph was founded in 1650 when six women in war-ravaged LePuy, France sought “something more” in their lives. These women worked among their neighbors—many of whom were desperately poor—caring for orphans, feeding the hungry, sheltering the abandoned, and nursing the sick. But during the French Revolution, the Congregation almost disappeared as many Sisters were forced to go into hiding or were imprisoned or executed for their religious beliefs. The Sisters regrouped in 1807 under the leadership of Mother St. Jeanne Fontbonne here in Lyons.

Mother Jeanne Fontbonne

There is a "Fontbonne Room" at Elms College, and many don't know the origin of the name. But here, it is ever-present. Mother Fontbonne is revered here, and her history clearly tells the story of why.

Jeanne Fontbonne entered a house of the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1778, which had just been established at Monistrol by Bishop de Gallard of Le Puy. The following year she received the habit, and soon gave evidence of unusual administrative powers. On her election six years later as superior of the community, Mother St. John, as she was now called, aided in the establishment of a hospital, and accomplished much good among the young girls of the town.

At the outbreak of the Revolution, she and her community followed Bishop de Gallard in refusing to sign the Oath of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, resulting in the persecution of the sisters. Forced to disperse her community, the superior remained at her post till she was dragged forth by the mob and the convent taken possession of in the name of the Commune. She returned to her father's home, but not long afterwards she was torn from this refuge, to be thrown into the prison of Saint-Didier, and scheduled to be beheaded at the guillotine. One day before that scheduled execution, she was freed after the fall of Robespierre.

Unable to regain possession of her convent at Monistrol, she returned to her father's house. Twelve years later (1807), Mother St. John was called to Saint-Etienne as head of a small community of young girls and members of dispersed congregations, who at the suggestion of Cardinal Fesch, Archbishop of Lyons, were now established as a house of the Sisters of St. Joseph. She restored the asylum at Monistrol, repurchased and reopened the former convent, and in 1812, the congregation was reborn.

In 1816 Mother St. John was appointed superior general of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and summoned to Lyons to found a general mother-house and novitiate, which she accomplished after many difficult years of labor. During the remainder of her life she was busied in perfecting the affiliation of the scattered houses of the congregation, and established over 200 new communities. An object of her special attention was the little band which she sent to the United States in 1836, and with which she kept in constant correspondence, making every sacrifice to provide them with the necessities.

http://www.sistersofstjoseph.com/history.html

Grave of Mother Jeanne Fontbonne
It was particularly touching to us to visit Mother Fontbonne's grave, located in an ancient cemetery filled with beautiful funerary statues and inscriptions of primitive Christianity in Lyon; the earliest dates from the year 334.

It is at the top of a terrifyingly long, winding hill, with many hairpin turns and cars lined on both sides of the impossibly narrow old streets. (Cars were not invented centuries ago when these streets were built.) The trip was punctuated with our gasps, and some of us had to put our hands over our eyes! How in the WORLD did that bus driver get us up there???!!!???!!!???

It was very moving to see the grave site of the brave woman who means so much to the SSJ community. On the gravestone is engraved "Reposent Reverend Mere Saint Jean nee Fontbonne, premiere superiere generale des Soeurs St. Joseph de Lyon.
Surrexerunt Filiae ejus et beatissimam praedicavorun eam (Please forgive me if I've misspelled this.) Sr. Eleanor translated this for us to mean: "Her daughters rose up an proclaimed her blessed."

Sr. Eleanor said a prayer of thanks to God for her, and Sr. Mary Quinn added special thoughts for the continuation of the work of the SSJs in Springfield in Mother Fontbonne's name.

As we were leaving, another woman approached the grave site, and we introduced ourselves. She was an SSJ from Ireland, Sr. Kitty Stafford of the London, Ontario congregation. It was truly a moment of shared reverence among Sisters from different countries, all of whom are descended in faith from this remarkable woman at whose graveside we stood.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06127b.htm

Roman Ruins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishopric_of_Lyon

After leaving the cemetery, we visited some Roman ruins in the center of town, including an amphitheater that reminded us of the Coliseum in Rome. Many of us were surprised at the Roman ruins we saw here, and their significance in Christian history. (OK, I have to brush up on my French and Roman history!)

Lyon was founded as a Roman colony in 43 BC by Munatius Plancus, a lieutenant of Caesar, and it was the second town of the Roman Empire after Rome. Its position on the natural highway from northern to south-eastern France made it a natural starting point of the principal Roman roads throughout Gaul, of which it was the capital.

The Romans built a theater, a forum, temples, shrines, baths, aqueducts and comfortable houses here. On the slopes of the Croix Rousse, the Amphitheatre des 3 Gaules became the political center, where every year representatives of 60 tribes from three provinces met. The Gauls adopted the pagan rites of their conquerors, and when they were exposed to Christianity from the east, there was harsh repression.

Christians here in Lyon were persecuted for their religious views under the reigns of the Roman emperors Marcus Aurelius and Septimus Severus. We learned that 48 Christians were martyred here at Lyon during the persecution of 177, including deacon Sanctus, bishop Pothin, and St. Blandine, who were fed to the lions in this amphitheater.

We heard the story of St. Blandine, who was a young slave girl, who with several others, was set upon by a pagan mob, arrested, tried and convicted of Christianity. After the other 47 prisoners were killed, she was thrown to the wild animals in the amphitheater, but they refused to eat her. (She was later burned at the stake and her ashes thrown in the Tiber River. What could be recovered of her remains is in the church of Saint-Leu, Amiens, France.)

It was sobering to see this well-preserved amphitheater here and know it was the site where many Christians were slaughtered for their beliefs.

We learned of a letter relating to this event addressed to the Christians of Asia and Phrygia in the name of the faithful of Vienne and Lyon, which is considered by Ernest Renan as "the baptismal certificate of Christianity in France." So much history…

Sisters of St. Joseph Heritage Center
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisters_of_Saint_Joseph_of_Medaille

Certainly a high point of the day was when Sr. Marie brought us to the convent of the SSJs, which contains a wonderful heritage center - a memorial to Mother Fontbonne and the SSJs.

It is filled with artifacts from Mother's life - her habit, her cross, her books and letters, even one of her teeth!

The Heritage center was recently designed and built by an artist, whose touches are everywhere. There is a lovely fountain inside the door - a small white vertical box, about the size of a small stove, that has layers of crosses on the top with water gently trickling in from the top and down over the layers. Sr. Marie told us that it represented the fact that Mother Fontbonne was the source, and the running water a representation of carrying on her mission.

Also inside the center there is a large glass case which holds gifts from SSJ congregations all over the world. We saw a touch from home! the SSJs of Springfield have sent something, which is displayed along with artifacts from congregations in places such as Kansas, Mississippi, and Boston. It showed a community that spread out over a very wide area, and certainly spoke to the SSJ mission - "Let All be One." We certainly felt that sense of unity here.

Cathédrale Saint Jean Baptiste de Lyons
In the center of old Lyon, we visited the Cathédrale Saint-Jean Baptiste, built starting in 1175 and named after John the Baptist. (Until the construction of the nearby Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière in the late 1800s, this was the pre-eminent cathedral in Lyon.)

With its severe Gothic façade, the Cathedrale dominates Vieux Lyon, France's largest Renaissance quarter. Completion of the building took over three centuries, so the façade is a showcase for a number of architectural styles - a striking amalgamation primarily of Romanesque and Gothic.

Having decided to reconstruct the ancient 4th-century Cathédrale St Etienne and St Jean-Baptiste on its original site, the Archbishop of Lyon had to modify plans and shift the site 20 meters away, due to the limited space of the former area. The present site was available, largely because of its instability, having once been part of the Saone river. Consequently, today the cathedral slants slightly to the south and has cracks in the transept and choir.

It is a site of much important French history. For example, in 1600, Henry IV married Marie de Medici in this Cathedrale Saint Jean, thus reconciling the dissension between Catholics and Protestants.

Collected by Cardinals Fesch and de Bonald during the 19th century, the cathedral's treasures include gold and silverware, liturgical vestments, tapestries and enamelware, with some objects dating back to the Byzantine period. It is also the site of a famed astronomical clock dating to the 14th century, which accomplishes the most amazing feats, from calculating all Feast Days to the year 2019 to the position of the stars over Lyon!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath%C3%A9drale_Saint-Jean-Baptiste_de_Lyon

Lyon sits between two hills, Fourviere, and La Croix-Rousse, and two rivers, the Rhone and the Saone. We spent a good deal of time on Fourviere hill.

Notre Dame de Fourviere
The Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière in Lyon was built between 1872 and 1896, and supplanted the older Cathédrale Saint-Jean as the city’s most important house of worship. It is certainly more beautiful to our eyes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Fourvi%C3%A8re

Perched atop the Fourviere hill, the basilica looms impressively over the city and may be seen from many vantage points. A jumble of forms and opulent flourishes, it has been criticized for being overly indulgent, but is still one of Lyon’s most unforgettable landmarks. Its unusual design draws from a variety of architectural influences. It features fine mosaics, superb stained glass, and a crypt dedicated to Saint-Joseph. This was of course of particular interest to our Sisters of St. Joseph!

We thought it was particularly gorgeous when we saw it later from the steps of the old Cathedrale at the bottom of the hill; All lit up, it looked like a fanciful dream castle floating above the old city.

We took a funicular to the top of the hill to attend Mass at the Basilica. The car travels 1414 feet up a hill with a 30% incline - that was an adventure!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funiculars_of_Lyon

We were impressed that so many people were taking the funiculars to go to Saturday afternoon Mass; there is nothing else to do at the top BUT go to the church. The funiculars carried car after car of people up the steep hill, and the church service was packed.

Inside the grand Cathedrale, the music of the pipe organ and the voices of the hundreds of worshipers echoed through the huge stone hall, and sounded like the music of angels. Well, at least until the priest lifted up HIS voice in song. He was completely tone deaf, but what he lacked in musical talent, he made up for in enthusiasm.

Our Infamous Sausage Caper…
Tonight, we ended our jam-packed exploration of Lyon with a walk through the beautiful cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon, which has been named a world heritage site by UNESCO, and which has an undeniable charm, with its boutiques and its many 'bouchons' (restaurants which specialise in Lyonaise cuisine).

And speaking of Lyonaise cuisine, this was where we partook in a dinner to remember!

Lyon has been called the world capital of gastronomy. Second only to Paris, Lyon boasts over 700 restaurants in and around the area; many of them feature such world-famous gastronomic delights as black truffle soup, roast pigeon in puff pastry with baby cabbage leaves and foie gras, red snapper served in a potato casing, and Bresse chicken cooked in a pig's bladder (!).

They are particularly famous for their saucisson - air-dried pork sausage, flavored with garlic and pepper and studded with chunks of pork fat. Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?!?

The travel company had arranged for us to have a "traditional" dinner in a small bistro right in the heart of the old city, and there was only one thing on our menu — sauccison!!

A couple members of our group were semi-vegetarians, so this option was NOT appetizing to them. There was much discussion as to whether they would be able to order an alternative. (In fact, they did get plates full of au gratin potatoes and vegetables - which they appreciated.) Other people in our group were hesitant at best.

But God bless Sr. Eleanor - always trying to make the best of every situation; she talked about how lucky we were to be able to sample such a famous regional specialty, and how she was sure it would be wonderful.

Then as we walked into the restaurant, she leaned over to me and said softly, "I hate sausage…" It was the ONLY negative thing I have EVER heard Sr. Eleanor say!!!! I looked at her with big eyes and said, "Sr. Eleanor, I can't believe you just said that!" and then we laughed uproariously.

Well, we went inside and the sausages were delivered to our table - and I think most everybody sat for a minute looking at them on our plates. They were pink, about 4 inches long, and thick like bratwurst. I think everyone at least TRIED them - when in Rome, right? But I have to say, being of Italian and German descent - both of which like sausage - I thought it was one of the best I have ever tasted. I may have been alone in that opinion, though - I saw a lot of uneaten sausage going back to the kitchen!!!

It was a really busy day, and we are tired.
Oh, and some of us are hungry… ;-)
Annie

Here is a reflection from one of our number, Kathy Riordan '67, who was a French teacher for more than 25 years before her recent retirement. She has led many groups of students on tours through France.

France Through Different Eyes - 38 Years Later
My first visit to France was in 1968 to finish my master's degree from Assumption, a most memorable experience. And now in 2006, 38 years later, another memorable experience.
It began with Sr. Eleanor's commentary as our bus approached Chartres. Her vast love of and knowledge about the Cathedral, its past and its contribution to church history, is so profound. We were well prepared for our guided visit directed by the reknowned Malcolm Miller. Such an experience!

This trip is truly a pilgrimage. Our visit to Notre Dame of Paris, Sainte Chapelle, la Chapelle de la Medaille Miraculeuse, Sacre Coeur. Very moving spiritual experiences!

And now we are off to Lyon and Le Puy to continue this spiritual pilgrimage.

Each one of my 10 trips to France has been unique. This 2006 experience is very special.

Daily Log - 10.20.06

Hello again!

Has it really only been four days since we arrived in Paris?! We can't believe it is only Friday, since we have seen and done so much, walked at least 500 miles (!), and have been so changed by our experiences.

La Chapelle de St. Catherine Laboure
Our journey this morning took us first to the Rue de Bac, where we visited an amazing church and shrine to St. Catherine Laboure, a Sister of Charity who in 1830 at the age of 24 had an apparition of Mary here. Her vision changed the history of the world, and ushered in the modern Marian era.

St. Catherine had a series of visions in which Our Lady is said to have shown her the form of a medal which should be struck in honor of the Immaculate Conception. This has come to be called the 'Miraculous Medal' and is known throughout the Catholic world; 'miraculous,' say some, owing to the circumstances of its origin; 'miraculous,' say others, owing to the extraordinary graces obtained through invoking Our Lady in the terms of its inscription revealed to St. Catherine:
"'O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you!"

(In an interesting local connection, Sr. Eleanor said that when she lived in Paris, Bishop Weldon used to celebrate Mass here in this chapel; the universal ritual that binds us no matter where we are.)

She told us that this is one of the most visited churches in Paris, and that everyone from the poorest citizens to the richest people in the city, from near and far, comes here to pray. In fact, we quickly saw that that was true, because shortly after we entered the church, a Mass began. Every seat in the church was filled, with people of every color, speaking many different languages, some elegantly dressed and others, street people.

Of course, the Mass was said in French (duh!), and it was interesting to hear the familiar cadences and timing, but not understand the words. It reminded me of when I was a kid (pre-Vatican II), when I didn't understand the words of the Latin Mass, but hearing them over and over, they became familiar and powerful in their repetition and symbolism.

In this church in Paris where I was a guest and a foreigner, I felt connected to these people here whose language I did not understand but whose worship was comforting in its familiarity. And when we exchanged the sign of peace, I had an overwhelming feeling of connectedness to those whose hands I shook, and to all the world's Catholics in the love of God, and yearning for peace.

After the Mass, many people went to the altar to pray to St. Catherine, whose perfectly-preserved body rests in a glass case just a few feet away. Sister Catherine died in 1876, and in 1895 her cause for Beatification was introduced in Rome. She was beatified in 1933, and canonized a Saint in 1947. When her body was exhumed 57 years after her burial, it was found to be completely intact.

http://www.marys-touch.com/Saints/medal/medal.htm

Jesuits chapel
We visited this chapel to recognize the importance of the Jesuits to the SSJs, as the founder of the congregation, Jean-Pierre Medaille, was a Jesuit missionary. His journeys took him through the towns and villages of Auvergne in central France where he met a number of widows and young women who desired to give their lives wholly to God but who were not called to the cloister.

To respond to the aspirations of these women, Father Medaille conceived and carried out a project which he modestly referred to as a little design. It was to be a new form of association of women, without cloister or distinctive dress, whose members would consecrate their lives to God, live together in small groups, and combine a life of prayer with an active ministry to the sick and the poor. The result: our beloved Sisters of St. Joseph.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuit

L'Eglise Saint Germain Des Pres
The third famous church on our day's agenda (!) was the oldest church in Paris - L'Eglise Saint Germain Des Pres, on the left bank of the Seine. It was founded in the 6th century by Merovigian King Childebert I, whose remains are here. But both church and abbey were several times destroyed, and the present church, in Romanesque style, dates from the early 11th century. As you might expect, inside it is very different from the many Gothic style churches of Paris. It is mostly in the Romanesque style, and seemed very plain after the magnificent Gothic masterpieces we have seen.

http://www.parisbestlodge.com/apartmentparissaintgermaineglise.html

The church was enlarged in 1163 by the Pope Alexander III, and it was perhaps the most famous parish in the country. During the French Revolution, a gunpowder fire resulted in the destruction of the church’s framework and a good deal of its treasures, including its celebrated library of theology.

Lunch at Les Deux Magots

At lunchtime, we made a pilgrimage of another type: across the courtyard of L'Eglise St. Germain de Pres to the most famous gathering place of writers, artists, and philosophers in Paris history - a café on the Left Bank called Les Deux Magots. Perhaps the most well-known café in Paris, it has been a hotspot with the cultural gliteratti for more than a century.

Around 1914, it became the place to "see and be seen," and it became the intellectual center of Paris. Every morning, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir would take their seats at "Les Deux Magots" and write for hours, sometimes stopping to talk to other regular customers like Ernest Hemingway!

Paul Eluard introduced Dora Maar to Picasso here; Françoise Giroud would have a coffee with Antoine Saint Exupery while Paul Morand would be deep in conversation with Jean Giraudoux.

It was also frequented by the likes of Verlaine, Rimbaud, Mallarme, Oscar Wilde, Guillaume Appolinaire, Gide, Guehenno, Malraux, Chamson, and on and on; they all met at Les Deux Magots and sipped tea or wine and had animated debates on important issues of the day.

So today, everyone with any interest in literature or art who visits Paris comes here to pay tribute. Not only that, but Les Deux Magots occupies a prime corner for people-watching along the Boulevard Saint-Germain, so it is a fun place to sit and eat or drink. We did both.

http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/index.php
http://www.foodmigration.com/reviews_essays/archives/000034.html
http://www.atkielski.com/inlink.php?/PhotoGallery/Paris/General/DeuxMagotsSmall.html

This cafe is in the sixth district of Paris, best known as the home of the Latin Quarter, the students’ district. It is a short distance to the Left Bank of the Seine - and one of our group asked how they determined which bank was the left bank. If you've ever wondered, the southern bank of the river is on the left in the direction of the river’s westward flow (does that make any sense at all?????)

Musee d'Orsay
We couldn't leave the area without visiting the museum with the most famous collection of French impressionist art in the world - the Musée d'Orsay on the left bank of the Seine. It holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography.

The Renoir, Rodin, and Monet fans among us were in heaven!

The exquisite museum building was originally a railway station, Gare d'Orsay. Sr. Eleanor pointed out the window that she went to every week when she lived in Paris in the 60s to buy her weekend train ticket! In 1977 the French Government decided to convert the station to a museum, and it was opened by President François Mitterrand in 1986.

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ORSAY/AccueilMO/HTML.NSF/c5ad27560274b3dfc125642800567d48/322da73321db3942c1256714004e756a?OpenDocument
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_d%27Orsay

Montmartre and Sacre Coeur

After dinner, the intrepids headed off to the famous streets of Montmarte, which are full of artists and restaurants, and which is the site of the beautiful Sacre Coeur Basilica.

Many immortal painters lived and worked in Paris during the late 19th century, and Montmartre and its counterpart on the Left Bank, Montparnasse, became the principal artistic centers of the city. Artists, sculptors and writers moved into the area because of its proximity to the center of Paris, and its cheap rents. Painters like Picasso, Modigliani, Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Toulouse Lautrec, and others lived and worked here.

Today, Montmartre remains alive with hordes of visitors who stroll along the narrow cobblestone streets of old Paris while taking in the historical and cultural atmosphere. Many tourists come here to see the famous Sacre Coeur Basilica at the top of the hill; it was what drew us here.

The church's famous white architecture dominates the city, and offers a wonderful view. Construction began in 1874, and was finished in 1914.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montmartre
http://vrm.vrway.com/issue20/VIRTUAL_TOUR_OF_PARIS_SACR_COEUR_BASILICA_SACRED_HEART.html

Sacré-Cœur is built of travertine stone, quarried in France, which constantly exudes calcite, so it bleaches with age to a chalky whiteness, thus making it more beautiful as time goes on, even with weathering and pollution. Lit up in the evening, it is striking, and it's onion domes reminded many of us of the Taj Mahal.

The basilica is believed to sit on the site where Saint Denis, the city’s patron, was beheaded in the 3rd century. Legend says that upon being slain, the bishop Denis picked up his severed head and carried it several miles to the north where the city of Saint Denis stands today. (The front portal of Notre Dame in Paris has a sculpture of St. Denis carrying his head in his hands - again, church architecture was the way of passing on the stories.)

Like many other Christian sites, Druids worshiped on this very spot and it was a site for early Christian churches. The St. Pierre de Montmartre, a 6th century Parisian church, still sits next to the Basilica.

Many saints have come to this hill (Saint Germain - Saint Clotilde - Saint Bernard - Saint Joan of Arc - Saint Vincent de Paul, …) and, of course, Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint François-Xavier who, with their companions, founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) here in 1534.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Loyola

A big Benedictine Abbey occupied the whole hill until the French Revolution, at which date the nuns there were guillotined and the Abbey destroyed. Again, it is sobering for us to comprehend the bravery and sacrifice of our predecessors, and their willingness to give their lives for their faith.

The interior is beautifully decorated with mosaics and a lovely figure of the Virgin and Child. It contains one of the world's largest mosaics, entitled Christ in Majesty, which depicts Christ with outstretched arms. It was as if He was welcoming us into one of His holy places.

The statues on the façade are the bronze equestrian statues of St. Joan of Arc and St. Louis, with a statue of Christ raising his hands in blessing.

The basilica's Ovoid Dome is the second-highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower. The nearby bell tower - at 276 feet - contains the “Savoyarde” - one of the world's heaviest bells at 19 tons. It can be heard for some distance. It was cast in Annecy in 1895.

Nous sont fatiqué. More tomorrow…

Annie

Daily Log - 10.19.06

Bonjour encore!

Our pilgrimage continues in Paris…

This morning we went to Notre Dame de Paris, one of the most famous Cathedrals in the world.

Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII (18 years after Chartres was begun), and was completed about 200 years later in about 1345.

Again, Sr. Eleanor enchanted us before we entered with her musings on Notre Dame, which she called the "Grand Lady" of Paris which belongs to the ages. She talked about how it had been a witness to so much amazing history, and how its construction represents decades of sacrifice for those who built it in the Middle Ages. But as she explained, in that era, that Cathedral gave the people the best sense of what Heaven might be like.

St. Bernard was criticized for having such an extravagance built when the people were so poor, but he felt that it spoke of the power of God and spread the gospel to the illiterate poor masses, and was therefore the right thing to do.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_de_Paris)

Sr. Eleanor talked about the distinctive architectural features here at Notre Dame which embody the Gothic style, which she called one of the richest, most imaginative in history and the greatest innovation in the history of architecture.

Notre Dame is famous for its gargoyles, and Sr. Eleanor told us that in the Middle Ages, they were much more than amusing figures. They represented demons, and all the frightening dimensions of the world, but are juxtaposed against the cathedral's famous rose window, which dwarfs them - the triumph of good over evil.

Notre Dame de Paris is located on the Ile de la cite - the birthplace of Paris, and she told us that all distances in France are measured from the Cathedral. Talk about central importance!

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ile_de_la_Cite).

Memorial to the Deportation of French Jews
After having filled our senses with the Gothic grandeur of Notre Dame, we walked a few blocks behind the Cathedral to visit the memorial to the deportation of 200,000 French Jews by the Nazis. Built in In 1976, the Memorial to the Deportation was created by sculptor Shelomo Selinger to commemorate the French Jews.

The memorial is built underground, with small passageways, dark spaces, and no view of the horizon or sense of freedom to mimic what it must have been like in the concentration camps. There are ashes of many victims interred here, and a long dark hallway with thousands of small lights representing the lives that were lost.

It moved many of us to tears. Sr. Eleanor told us that when she brought groups of students to Paris, many of them said this memorial touched them more than anything else. We understood why as we stood in silence and struggled to understand the horror.

Sainte Chapelle
This afternoon, we visited Sainte Chapelle, which is a magnificent chapel on the Ile de la Cité in the heart of Paris. It was the most amazing sight.

Sainte Chapelle is the world's best example of the rayonnant period of Gothic architecture. ("Rayonnant" - from the French word meaning "to radiate" - describes a small period in the French Gothic architectural style circa 1240-50. Gothic architecture is characterized by light, and Rayonnant takes this to the extreme with buildings being so transparent that they appear lace-like from the exterior, and allow the viewer to see through the walls at many different perspectives..)

The patron of Sainte Chapelle was the very devout Louis IX of France, who constructed it as a private chapel for the royal palace. The chapel was started in 1246 and consecrated six years later in 1248 - incredibly fast construction for a Chapel in the Middle Ages! Louis was evidently a tough task master, and a very good motivational speaker!!!

Louis needed suitable relics for HIS church, and he wanted important relics, befitting HIS importance! Christ's crown of thorns and a piece of the cross seemed like a good place to start (!) Unlike many devout aristocrats who swiped relics, the saintly Louis bought his precious relics of the Passion from the Latin emperor at Constantinople for the exorbitant sum of 135,000 livres. The entire chapel, by contrast, cost less than a third of that - 40,000 livres - to build.

We waited in line to enter for a full hour, some of us grumbling about waiting in line so long, and how our feet hurt! But Sr. Eleanor told us it would be worth the wait, and WOW! Was she ever right. (When is she NOT right????)

We climbed the tiny narrow winding steep stone steps, which were originally the service entrance. We arrived suddenly into the rear right-hand corner of the upper chapel, unprepared for the grandeur we were seeing after the humble entrance, and were rendered breathless.

We were enveloped in violet, blue, and red light - dazzled by the pure transparency and radiance of the windows which gleam on all sides. In the words of philosopher / theologist Jean de Jandun, who is credited with writing the first tourist guide to Paris in the 1300s, we were " ravished to the skies, being introduced into one of the most beautiful chambers of Paradise." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Jandun

In the Upper Chapel, Gothic architecture shows itself at its most sublime: light, color, and space join together in a conjunction of art and religion. Clearly, the architect, the sculptors and the painters lavished all their attention on the interior of the Upper Chapel, since this was to be the shrine of the most holy relics which were contained in a large, magnificently decorated reliquary kept in the apse.

The most stunning and visually beautiful aspects of the chapel, and considered the best thirteenth century glass work in the world, are its huge stained glass windows, which fill virtually all of the wall space. Supported by slender piers, the vaulted ceiling seems to float above these magnificent creations. Sainte-Chapelle owes its fame to them: 6,458 square feet of glass, of which two thirds are still original.

The lofty and elegant structure of the building seems to fade away, leaving only the windows in all their splendor. In these panes, the full biblical story of humanity is recounted in hundreds of scenes, from the Creation to redemption through Christ; Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges, Isaiah, the Tree of Jesse, Saint John the Baptist, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Tobias, Judith and Job, Esther, the Book of Kings, and the History of the Relics follow one to the next.

Each five-story window is divided into lancets of hundreds of panels, which must be read from left to right, working from the bottom up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/chapelle.html
http://www.linternaute.com/sortir/patrimoine/ile-de-france/paris/edifices-religieux/sainte-chapelle/1
http://www.cosylogis.com/en/paris-france/paris-historical-monuments-france/sainte_chapelle.htm

We sat on the benches facing the southern wall and watched the colors of the windows and the light they let in as they gradually changed with the passing minutes. A light and color kaleidoscope!

While we were admiring the windows, and pondering how significant they were since they were the only way to pass on the gospel stories, we couldn't help but thank Sr. Eleanor once again for having the wisdom to lead us to this sacred place.

We had discovered that there was to be a concert tonight right in the upper chapel, which has become somewhat of a home for some of the best classical music performances in Paris. We were excited to have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take in this event in such a sublime setting.

And so after a rest and a bite to eat, we returned to Sainte Chapelle in the evening and watched the Orchestre les Archets de Paris - 3 violins, a viola, a cello, a bass, and a harpsicord - play Vivaldi, Mozart, and Pachelbel in front of the magnificent altar. It was definitely heavenly music in a heavenly setting, and an experience none of us will ever forget.

We continue to thank God for blessing us with this unforgettable and life-changing experience.

More tomorrow…

Annie

Daily Log - 10.18.06

Bonjour!!!

Well, today we began our pilgrimage in earnest. Like millions of pilgrims before us over the past 1,000 years(!), we made our way the 50 miles from Paris to Chartres, to pray at - and marvel at - the Cathedral de Notre Dame there. Since the Middle Ages, Chartres has been a very important Marian pilgrimage center, and today the faithful still come from the world over to honor the Blessed Mother. And so it was for us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_cathedral

Our group leader, Sister Eleanor Dooley, continues to amaze and inspire us with her encyclopedic knowledge of the history of this region, and her ability to describe these places in a profoundly graceful way that expresses her love of God and touches our souls. (Oh, and the fact that at the age of 78, she keeps moving, like the Energizer bunny…)

As we approached Chartres on the bus, she began talking to us about the concept of pilgrimage, and how it signifies the pilgrim's journey to his or her center, and to God. In one breath, she described the 800-year-old labyrinth laid into the floor of the Chartres Cathedral, an 11-circuit "maze" walked by pilgrims - some on their knees - in a questing, searching journey with the hope of becoming closer to God. And in the next breath, she quoted T.S. Eliot speaking of "arriving at the place we start."

She went on to describe how author Paul Claudell converted to Catholicism in the late 1800s while standing in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, inspired by its majesty: "at that moment, I believed." (Paul Claudell (1868-1955) was one of the foremost French poets and playwrights in the early 1900s, and helped provide a new religious focus to the literature of his time. His writings are examples of the Roman Catholic revival in French literature and philosophy.)

Sr. Eleanor told us we would be awed when we first saw the Chartres Cathedral appear on the horizon, like a distant jeweled city. When you approach from a distance, she explained, it seems to hover in mid-air above waving fields of wheat. She quoted noted French poet Charles Peguy (1873-1914), who was taken by the sight, and wrote:

Tour de David voici votre tour Beauceronne.
C'est l'epi le plus dur qui soit jamais monte,
vers un ciel de clemence et de serenite,
et le plus beau fleuron dedans votre couronne.

My French is rusty at best and I wasn't totally sure what this meant, so I ran it through the internet translator, and here's what came out:

Turn of David here your from the beauce tower.
This is the epi more hard that never brought up,
towards a sky of clemence and of serenite,
and the most beautiful fleuron inside your crown.

Here's Sr. Eleanor's translation - into something that sounds more like ENGLISH(!):
Tower of David, here is your Beauceronne tower.
in the cradle of France, it is the most lasting thing
that has ever risen to a sky of mercy and peace,
and the most beautiful jewel in your crown.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_P%C3%A9guy

She was certainly right about the Cathedral's initial impact. We were in awe approaching the city, seeing the two massive spires looming in the distance, and we could only imagine the awe that the early pilgrims must have felt as they approached on foot. Seeing how the Cathedral dwarfed everything around it, it was easy to understand the huge importance of the Church to the people.

Considered one of the finest examples in all France of the "Gothic" style of architecture, the current cathedral was begun in 1145 and completed 75 years later in 1220.

It is unique in that its two spires are compeletly different — one, a 349-foot plain pyramid dating from the 1140s, and the other a 377-foot flamboyant spire built in the early 16th century on top of an older tower. The contrast is striking.

It was primarily a pilgrimage site since the 12th century, and masses of people walked or rode horses for days - or WEEKS - to arrive at the Cathedral to pray.

Many of the pilgrims came to Chartres to pray to Mary and see a famous relic housed there - "the cloak of the Virgin." According to legend, since 876 the Cathedral has housed a tunic that had belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia. The relic had supposedly been given to the Cathedral by Charlemagne, who received it as a gift during a crusade in Jerusalem.

We did get to see the relic - the cloak of the Virgin Mary. It is housed in a small chapel in the back of the Cathedral, encased in glass and mounted in a reliquary of gold and jewels. Many of us lit candles and sat in the chapel to pray to Our Lady.

And as if we were not blessed enough to be visiting such an incredible place, we had the opportunity to listen to a 75-minute lecture in the church from Malcolm Miller, the world's foremost authority on Chartres. He has studied the Cathedral for more than half a century, and knows it intimately.

Here's what writer Kathleen Lang had to say about one of Miller's lectures: "According to Mr. Miller, the 13th century Chartres Cathedral can be compared to a library. And like a library, we may visit and read many books, maybe even re-read some books, but we will never read all the books. Chartres is much the same. Its contents: architectural design, statues, and stained glass are each like books and their respective images their text. What is remarkable in this new millennium, said Miller, is that much of Chartres can still be "read." (http://www.artagogo.com/commentary/miller/miller.htm)

Indeed, Mr. Miller described some of the features of the Cathedral - mostly the remarkable stained glass windows and statuary - in such a way that we were all spellbound, and understood on a much deeper level the significance of what we were seeing.

He described how the superb early 13th century stained glass windows (the most complete collection of medieval stained glass in the world) were in fact like story books for illiterate people centuries ago. He "read" them to us, panel by panel, showing us how they told the stories of Jesus and Mary.

He led us outside to do the same with the medieval carvings on the facade, identifying those depicted in the sculptures. Some depict Christ's ascension into heaven, episodes from his life, the saints, the apostles, Christ in the lap of Mary, and other religious scenes. Sculptures of the Seven Liberal Arts appear in the right bay of the main portal, which represented the famous school in the Middle Ages at Chartres, and certainly resonate for those of us from a Catholic liberal arts college.

A very prim and distinguished British man, Mr. Miller had a vey dry sense of humor that often left us chuckling. At one point he was talking about the people who came to visit, and their ignorance about Christiany. He told the story of one man who, when Mr. Miller referred to Jesus as a Jewish man, said with great surprise, "Jesus was a Jew? When did he become a Christian?" Mr. Miller paused and said, "He was born again."

By the way, Sister Eleanor just happened to mention that she had brought Mr. Miller to speak at Elms College twice, many years ago, and that he offered her a permanent job in the Chartres Cathedral, interpreting Christianity for visitors of other religions …. She turned him down! She never ceases to amaze.

In the evening, after returning from Chartres, we managed to "squeeze in" (!) a two-hour visit to the Louvre. While it would take about 100 years to see everything in this amazing museum, this short time gave us a chance to see the three most famous pieces in the collection: the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. And as it was a special wish of Sr. Eleanor's that we see the painting of Saint Joseph by Georges de La Tour (go Sisters of St. Joseph!), we trudged through gallery after gallery (being mis-directed by several Louvre employees) until we finally found it in a far-flung gallery. It was a masterpiece that left us breathless, and was well worth the walk.

We all agreed, however, that what we wanted next were foot massages!

Here's a reflection from one of our group, Eileen Kirk, who is Elms' co-director of special programs and an associate of the SSJs:

Everywhere we go, I keep thinking how incredible everything is here in France! The brilliant minds that thought of a building design, the hands that constructed the building, the time it took to complete it, the passion and care with which it was done—all of it just takes your breath away!

Today we had the great fortune to participate in a tour at Chartres given by Malcolm Miller. He is brilliant! It is clear that he is the true scholar regarding Chartres! He was able to weave together the history of the world with the windows of Chartres. Amazing!

We continue to pray in thanksgiving for this opportunity….Many thanks to all back home for your loving support. We certainly feel your presence here.

Au revoir, mes amis.
Eileen

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to visiting many notable sights in Paris, including Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte Chapelle, and a memorial to the deportation of French Jews during WWII. — LOTS MORE WALKING!!!! We are all going to be in terrific shape when we come home, and Sr. Eleanor says she had darn well better lose a pound or two. AMEN!

Until tomorrow,

Annie