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Following in the Footsteps of the Saints, Part 7: Lourdes!

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November 9-10, 2025 The view from our hotel room! Our final destination of this pilgrimage took us to southern France via the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV).  The 520-mile trip from Paris to Lourdes took only two hours rather than the eight or nine hours a bus or car would need to take (not counting additional time to stop and stretch your legs).  This “Fast Train” truly was fast, as it reached speeds of 200 mph on the straight stretches.  What a fantastic mode of transportation!  Not only was it speedy, but also astoundingly smooth and quiet.  On top of that, one car down from us was the café, offering not only delicious espressos but also tasty pastries, sandwiches and other selections of light snacks.  I’m definitely a fan of this mode of public transportation! All aboard! I have to say, when we were first considering going on this pilgrimage, it was seeing Lourdes on the itinerary that grabbed my attention.  My grandmother had been to Lourdes in the ...
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Following in the Footsteps of the Saints, Part 6: Sacré-Cœur, Sainte-Chapelle, and Seine River Cruise - Oh My!

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November 8, 2025 Our final day in Paris was filled with a perfect blend of spirituality, culture, cuisine, history and adventure!  Our day started out taking the cog rail up to the highest point in Paris – Montmartre (The Martyrs’ Mountain).  Montmartre’s name itself has quite the history.  Saint Denis (Bishop of Paris during the third century) and his two companions were very successful evangelists. Their success at converting agnostic worshipers to Christianity quickly got the attention of the pagan priests. This attention led to their arrest, torture and eventual martyrdom by the Romans around 250 AD.  Legend has it, following his beheading, St. Denis picked up his head and continued preaching the gospel until he collapsed and died several miles away.  Today, Saint Denis Basilica stands at the very spot Saint Denis died!   Looking up at  Sacré-Cœur Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart) Basilica sits on top of Montmartre.  Construction began in 187...
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Following in the Footsteps of the Saints, Part 5: Notre Dame and the The Louvre!

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November 7, 2025 As much as Dick and I travel, it just never gets old.  This trip is only reinforcing our addiction to adventure!  At the end of each day, I’d find myself thinking, “This day was THE BEST!”  But, when I reflected back on previous days, I wouldn’t know which day I’d choose as my favorite.  Anyway, this day was no exception.  It began with time on our own to explore Notre Dame Cathedral and then attending Mass.  Yes, once again, Fr. Chinna was our celebrant!  This time he was joined by one of the priests from Notre Dame Cathedral, along with two other celebrants.   I wonder how long in advance all of this was arranged.  One of the incredible things about this trip is how well-planned and coordinated everything has been.  Hallow and Corporate Travel teamed up with Fr. Chinna and made all of this seamlessly smooth, or at least it sure appeared that way.  It certainly was powerful to see our beloved priest at the ...
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