Departure Mass at the St. Joseph Chapel

One of the last gatherings as a group on the pilgrimage is the departure mass. The principal celebrant wad Bishop Soto of Sacramento. The mass was celebrated in the chapel of St. Joseph, tucked in a corner of one end of the Sanctuary of Lourdes. Msgr Otellini, Pastor of Nativity Church in Menlo Park, gave the homily. He talked about the miracles, our ability to accept or reject them and most importantly the way Lourdes changes how we see others and just as importantly, ourselves. This is an emotional mass..in the was 7 days, our maladies have experienced having their feet washed, the sacrament of anointing, the stations of the cross, processions at night and by day, private prayer, joyful celebrations and community with their caregivers and the members of the Order and bathing in the chilly waters of the Lourdes spring.. The emotions flowed freely in this mass. There is no mystery why we are here and no mystery what we all seek. The healing will come in God;s time an =d in God's manner. We who serve will pray both for our Maladies and that we will be as capable when it is our turn to accept the need to be served.