Colleen, this was absolutely beautiful! Here, as I am at late mid-life, with kids grown and currently discerning the Diaconate---I still have those stretches where faith is a test of endurance, as much as it is a test of Faithfulness and love of our Lord. Your wisdom gave me yet another reason to endure, even at the most intense testing points. I'm so grateful that you have a substack and are writing again. I used to love watching your Faith and Culture show on EWTN and have read all of your books. The Catholic world (and the broader world in general) really needs the wisdom and erudition of Coleen Carroll Campbell at this particular time. Please keep posting, and I will keep reading and sharing! God bless you, Dan Strutzel, Chicago
I heard a homily yesterday during a Children's Mass about hope. Our priest said that the main character of the Gospel reading with Noah and the dove, is the dove. The dove is hope, and it sometimes seems empty-handed in it's quest for the olive branch, but we still send it out. Thank you for this beautiful reflection on Lourdes. We, as a family, are traveling there this summer.
I am right there with you. Thank you so much for making time to write this post. There were some lines in here that were just what I needed to hear today. God bless you and your crew as you prepare for your wonderful trip in a few months! We are saving and planning a similar trip two summers from now to take all of our kids to Europe for a few weeks before my oldest graduates high school. :)
So beautiful and so relatable. Especially about the hope thing. I can't go into detail but suffice it to say there are many unresolved situations in my life that for all intents and purposes seem impossible - humanly speaking. But I know I need to hold onto hope and yes, persevere (that word actually was one I wrote in my journal while on retreat a few years back) in prayer. It sometimes even feels radical to hope - stubborn even. But I have to find the littlest scrap of it and hold on for dear life. (And also let go at the same time and surrender to God.) I also keep having to remind myself that God says His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. (And boy do I feel weak a lot of the time.)
Oh my. This really resonates. I have been pondering similar things....there is something so surreal about this phase of life. Still feeling young in a way, yet your body and those aging around you remind you that you are not. We lean in on Him with the help of the Blessed Mother, as they guide us through the beautiful moments in this life and the heartbreaking moments. We should not expect it to get easier, but we persevere in hope.
So glad to hear you are going back to the Grotto this year with your family.
I had colon cancer in 2011. I had always wanted to go to Lourdes and in 2018, I decided it was time to actually go. I found an Apostolate called Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality- North American Volunteers where I could go to Lourdes with their group but also go as part of their medical mission team (I am a retired PICU nurse now but was still a bedside nurse at that time). Their special-needs pilgrimages were in June and October, so I went in June when they take the really sick children. It was the most amazing and life-changing trip of my entire life. When I saw the picture you posted, I couldn’t wait to read your story and it was such a beautiful one as well.
Our entire Pilgrimage group stayed in the Accueil in the Grotto and I could see the Basilica outside of my window every morning when I awoke and every night before I went to sleep. Each day was more magnificent than the one before. The most moving experience was during the Eucharistic procession when the Medical Director of Lourdes asked our nurses to walk in the procession directly behind the canopy where the priest was carrying the huge gold monstrance with Our Lord inside. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him.
I would highly recommend that everyone go to Lourdes at least once. It WAS a miracle for you and your husband…..and now you are bringing those living miracles to the Grotto later this year to thank Our Lady and her Son and tell them how much you love them.
Colleen, this was absolutely beautiful! Here, as I am at late mid-life, with kids grown and currently discerning the Diaconate---I still have those stretches where faith is a test of endurance, as much as it is a test of Faithfulness and love of our Lord. Your wisdom gave me yet another reason to endure, even at the most intense testing points. I'm so grateful that you have a substack and are writing again. I used to love watching your Faith and Culture show on EWTN and have read all of your books. The Catholic world (and the broader world in general) really needs the wisdom and erudition of Coleen Carroll Campbell at this particular time. Please keep posting, and I will keep reading and sharing! God bless you, Dan Strutzel, Chicago
I heard a homily yesterday during a Children's Mass about hope. Our priest said that the main character of the Gospel reading with Noah and the dove, is the dove. The dove is hope, and it sometimes seems empty-handed in it's quest for the olive branch, but we still send it out. Thank you for this beautiful reflection on Lourdes. We, as a family, are traveling there this summer.
I am right there with you. Thank you so much for making time to write this post. There were some lines in here that were just what I needed to hear today. God bless you and your crew as you prepare for your wonderful trip in a few months! We are saving and planning a similar trip two summers from now to take all of our kids to Europe for a few weeks before my oldest graduates high school. :)
So beautiful and so relatable. Especially about the hope thing. I can't go into detail but suffice it to say there are many unresolved situations in my life that for all intents and purposes seem impossible - humanly speaking. But I know I need to hold onto hope and yes, persevere (that word actually was one I wrote in my journal while on retreat a few years back) in prayer. It sometimes even feels radical to hope - stubborn even. But I have to find the littlest scrap of it and hold on for dear life. (And also let go at the same time and surrender to God.) I also keep having to remind myself that God says His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness. (And boy do I feel weak a lot of the time.)
Oh my. This really resonates. I have been pondering similar things....there is something so surreal about this phase of life. Still feeling young in a way, yet your body and those aging around you remind you that you are not. We lean in on Him with the help of the Blessed Mother, as they guide us through the beautiful moments in this life and the heartbreaking moments. We should not expect it to get easier, but we persevere in hope.
So glad to hear you are going back to the Grotto this year with your family.
I had colon cancer in 2011. I had always wanted to go to Lourdes and in 2018, I decided it was time to actually go. I found an Apostolate called Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality- North American Volunteers where I could go to Lourdes with their group but also go as part of their medical mission team (I am a retired PICU nurse now but was still a bedside nurse at that time). Their special-needs pilgrimages were in June and October, so I went in June when they take the really sick children. It was the most amazing and life-changing trip of my entire life. When I saw the picture you posted, I couldn’t wait to read your story and it was such a beautiful one as well.
Our entire Pilgrimage group stayed in the Accueil in the Grotto and I could see the Basilica outside of my window every morning when I awoke and every night before I went to sleep. Each day was more magnificent than the one before. The most moving experience was during the Eucharistic procession when the Medical Director of Lourdes asked our nurses to walk in the procession directly behind the canopy where the priest was carrying the huge gold monstrance with Our Lord inside. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him.
I would highly recommend that everyone go to Lourdes at least once. It WAS a miracle for you and your husband…..and now you are bringing those living miracles to the Grotto later this year to thank Our Lady and her Son and tell them how much you love them.
My moms favorite prayer that I use too:
Trust in Him when dark days assail you,
Trust in Him when your faith is small.
Trust in Him when to simply trust Him is the hardest thing of all.
Thank you for this timely - marvelous and so true - article!...and may you all enjpy every moment in France, most especially Lourdes!!
Beautiful and what we needed to hear today
I'm also grateful to have come across this today, on the feast of St. Bernadette, even though you posted it months ago.
This was such a good read. Thank you for sharing your journey of hope 🙏 🤍