L'eglise Ste Bernadette - Rosaries, Washing of the Feet Reconciliation

At the Church of St. Bernadette within the Sanctuary of Lourdes we begin our day on Thursday morning. On this first day here in Lourdes, whether Malade, companion, volunteer or member of the Order, we turn our attention to several particular themes of our Lourdes journey; prayer, rosaries are blessed and distributed to the Malades and their companions, we will use them often during our pilgrimage; service, each caregiver, which includes all of us other than the Malades themselves, will have their hands blessed with Lourdes water, humility, each Malade has their feet washed by a Knight or Dame of the Order, this while the litany of the saints is chanted, and, healing, which begins with the sacrament of reconciliation. It is a very solemn liturgy. It is very centering. It is acknowledging to ourselves that we are in the presence of God, where we wish to remain.