An Afternoon Pilgrimage

A week or so ago, I decided to spend my afternoon at the Middle Ages Museum in Paris. It is a wonderful museum full of artifacts from the medieval times. One of the things that struck me was the massive exhibition on pèlerinage, the French word for pilgrimage.  The exhibit went through different aspects of medieval pilgrimages, such as their transportation, maps they used, and so on. At the end there was a display of what a pilgrimage looked like today. The display had guidebooks for Lourdes and moped helmets. After seeing the exhibit, I realized it was high time I followed in the footsteps of the medieval pilgrims and set out on my own journey of faith.

I decided to start by planning a few different pilgrimages of varying lengths to take during the semester. In just a few weeks, I am going to Le Mans for a day pilgrimage to take in the history of the Holy Cross order and to discover the shrine of Blessed Basil Moreau. Leading up to Easter, I have booked my ticket to spend Holy Week on a pilgrimage in Rome with Notre Dame Campus Ministry. In mid-April, when my mom comes to visit, we are taking a pilgrimage together to Lourdes. While I can’t wait to undertake all of these journeys, I realized that the city in which I am currently living also has some amazing religious sites as well. Why not start by taking an “afternoon pilgrimage” in Paris?

I decided on The Chapel of the Miraculous Medal as my destination. Located near St. Germain-de-Pres on the Left Bank, the entrance to this famous pilgrimage site is just a hole in the wall tucked under the massive department store Le Bon Marche. Inside and across the courtyard is the entrance to the chapel. The chapel itself is gorgeous, with bright blue tiles and a huge statue of Mary. Of course though, the history of this chapel is what’s really breathtaking.

In 1830, St. Catherine Labouré, a 24-year old novitiate to the Daughters of Charity, awoke to find a small child radiating light at the foot of her bed. “The Blessed Virgin is waiting for you,” the child said and led her to the chapel where Mary was sitting. St. Catherine had been praying that this might happen and was overjoyed. She sat and talked to Mary that night, receiving advice from her. Mary visited St. Catherine two more times after this, showing the young woman the design for a medal. This medal, now known as the Miraculous Medal, became famous for helping to cure cholera in Paris and is now carried throughout the world.

Upon entering the chapel, I was overwhelmed. All I could think was, “I am on holy ground.” The space of the church felt so sacred and so special and I realized that I had never before stood in the same room where Mary had been seen. I was so amazed that St. Catherine had been not that much older than myself. I spent a lot of time lost in prayer and reflection as I thought about the significance of this place. I also had the opportunity to stay for Stations of the Cross, which helped to make my pilgrimage part of a larger group experience than just my own. Before I left, I had the chance to buy a miraculous medal for myself as well as a postcard to send back to my catechism class.

When you are studying abroad, there is a huge pressure to travel everywhere and see everything. It is really great to have the opportunity to explore the world, but there is also something to be said about taking moments to understand the blessings and miracles that exist inside the city where you are staying. Spending an afternoon on a mini-pilgrimage is a great way to let your study abroad city guide your faith life and to connect with the faith of your new city. My advice is to really take time to understand the history behind the site you choose to visit and spend some time reflecting on that before you make your pilgrimage. Focus on how the story behind the pilgrimage site relates to where you are in your life now and your own faith journey. Also look through schedules so that you can find masses or prayer services to attend while you are making your mini-pilgrimage. Finally, I advise doing something to help continue to make your experience real to you- whether you take pictures, buy a prayer card, etc. - this will help bring yourself back to your experience. Studying abroad is all about the journey and finding God, not just in far away places, but in places nearby too.