Bernard’s socks rock
August 30, 2008
The day threatened to be hot as we departed from home. We were warned that while not hopping on and off the bus as much as perhaps we had done, the journey was going to be a long one. The warning proved “spot on” and combined with increasing levels of stiffness from the previous days 6 km walk and the 35 degree Celsius temperature, the long journey was only broken by the interesting places we stopped at:
- the former monastery at Bourg
- Peter Channel’s parish church and museum
- the Church where Peter Channel said his first mass
- the Basilica at Ars.
Part of the day’s interest were the mixed messages. The Bourg monastery, is a magnificent structure but also a memorial to times long gone. The popular tourist spot is still unbelievably ornate, but now a shell, no altar, lectern and is even empty of pews. What were once monks rooms have now been taken over by artists selling their works. A massive building and a statue to the past.
By contrast, it was good to visit what seemed to be the live and vibrant parish church where St Peter Channel received his first communion and to be the first pilgrimage visitors of sisters who now have charge of the St Peter Channel museum. While their English was minimal, but they seemed buoyed by the new task ahead of them and we think they were pleased that we visited.
A Peter Channel story from the side. Unbeknown to some, Peter Channel left the seminary for a while, not long, because leaving the church one day he came across one of his former teachers, a sister, whom he opened up to. She asked him was he sure that his leaving was what Mary wanted and “told” him to get back in the church and pray. It was therefore a special moment to visit this Church and pray surrounded by the same statue of Mary and at the altar of his first Mass.
Our next stop, although perhaps not a Marist place, but in another sense a wonderful Marist place, was the visit to the Basilica at Ars. A wonderful church one with a “special” feel. Yet a place where the Cure was to hear so many confessions, had but one priest available for this ministry and for the time that we were in the Church, only one person approached him to go to confession, and he was one of our group. However as the priest couldn’t speak English, he was left writing his sermon, perhaps for tomorrow (Sunday).
I know we are showing our age, but the words of The Beatles song “Eleanor Rigby” and the figure of “Fr McKenzie, writing the words to a sermon that no one will hear,” came to mind of several of the Marist pilgrims.
That aside it was a privilege to visit this Basilica, the place of such a wonderful man, who ironically even in death is still drawing the crowds.
I know I’m returning to a theme already mentioned, namely that it was a long day, however as the day got hotter Bernard, not Bernd, decided to take off his socks and leave them in the bus while we spent an hour at the Basilica in Ars. Arriving back, we were greeted with a perfume, let’s say, other than the odor of sanctity. The Charity of Denis O’Brien said that once the bus gets going and the air circulates more, things will get better. A charitable perspective it might have been, but what we experienced was something way beyond what any air conditioning system could cope with, and as the waft of pungent sweaty sock repeatedly hit, sometimes with a small reprieve, we soon learned that we weren’t far away from the next “round.”
What could we do? Someone suggested finding a plastic bag to wrap them in, but not even a well experience traveller like Charlie could produce one from his bag of tricks. The question remained, and the answer? Nothing. We were caught, we knew it. The piety of the pilgrims shattered, our response was laughter, and we laughed and laughed, some even with tears on their cheeks.
They say that what goes on tour, stays on tour, and in one sense, we all say “Amen” to that.
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5 Responses to “Bernard’s socks rock”
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Hi Team. Very interesting site! Well done! cheers,
A faint whiff of the malodorous sox wafted thru my window while preparing for Class Mass at a girls’ college (theme “God does not make Junk!” )
The website, “Marist Places” has been the topic of talk among local SM’s. What a wonderful way to bring us together, reviving happy memories for fortunate pilgrims past and no doubt exciting interest in those yet to make the journey!
Congratulations and Thank You!
Amazing how funny a pilgrimage diary can be. Godd read! Thank you, John. Keep up that good spirit.
Bernd
Releived to see Bro. Bernado is with the group and not lost in transit.
If someone can send me a photo of the group I can use in the Newsletter it would be appreciated. Enjoy the pilgrimage.
Socks on a bus seems to compare quite favourably with a tuna canning factory at your front door. Greetings from Ovalau, Fiji and thanks for the site. Vinaka. Safe travelling. Gerard