April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
VISITING SHRINE
First trip to Lourdes for couple
This year, Jean and Louis Bonelli of Our Lady of Victory parish in Troy decided it was time to experience the famous shrine for themselves. They, their son and 35 others headed to France as volunteers and members of the shrine's hospitality team.
The shrine in southern France is the site where, in 1858, St. Bernadette Soubirous began to see apparitions of the Blessed Mother. Pilgrims have since journeyed there in the hope of experiencing miraculous cures; 68 such miracles have been officially recognized by the Church. Many Catholics go to Lourdes to assist the sick in accessing the shrine's baths, its healing waters.
Working it out
When the Bonellis went there, "I had a positive attitude going in," said Mr. Bonelli, "but I'm a businessman, so I didn't know if it was going to work for me. I thought I had a sense of it and what it would be like, but it was so much more profound."
The group, organized by Paul and Mary Ann Kehn of Sacred Heart parish in Troy, was made up of family and friends of the Kehns. The couple first traveled to Lourdes as pilgrims in 1990, when Mrs. Kehn was diagnosed with cancer.
Nine years ago, they began their service at the shrine through North American Lourdes Volunteers, based in Syracuse. For the past two years, however, the Kehns have organized the trip themselves, from scheduling flights and bus rides to handling the volunteers' applications and paperwork.
"It's very uplifting," said Mr. Kehn of the pilgrimages. "People say that Catholics have lost their faith today, but then you go to Lourdes and you see there's so much faith there. It touches your heart."
He told The Evangelist that, though many of the people he has traveled with have seen miraculous cures or encountered a pilgrim with a story of healing, most of the miracles at the shrine are the "conversions of heart" of those who visit.
"Those are the ones you don't hear about," he said.
Their group has doubled in those two years and the Kehns are eager to continue next year. This year, they were able to serve alongside their three daughters and grandchildren, with their granddaughter, Alexa, earning a medal for completing her fifth year of service.
"Grandpa," said one grandchild, "I can't wait to go back next year."
Men and women typically serve separately at the shrine. Men assist with the baths, Masses, Rosary and Eucharistic processions and helping pilgrims to and from the train station.
"Many of these people have had day-long journeys on those trains. There's no air conditioning, they're sick and they've never really traveled before," said Mr. Bonelli. "We're the first face they see and that could make all the difference. I just want to ensure they have the best experience that they can - as good as I have had."
For women, the two options are service in the Accueil Notre Dame and Marie St. Frai, which are houses for sick or injured pilgrims in need of care; or service in the "piscines," or the miraculous baths of Lourdes.
This year, Mr. Bonelli was able to take his first step into the Lourdes baths, and was able to share that experience with his son, Peter, who was assisting there that day.
"It renews your faith," he explained to The Evangelist. "There are thousands of young people there - all interacting with the sick, working 10-hour days and never once complaining. It renewed my faith in the youth."
No barriers
This year, the Troy group were the only American volunteers at the shrine, but were able to work with other volunteers from Ireland, Germany, France and Italy. Because most of the pilgrims they served were not English-speaking either, the group learned how to communicate mostly with their hands and smiles.
Mr. Bonelli recalled one Italian man whom he wheeled back to the train station at the end of his pilgrimage. He did not know the man had, at some point during his stay, lost his identification.
Mr. Bonelli had no idea who the man was, how to communicate with him, who he was with, where he was going or which train to put him on. But after some time, investigation and non-verbal communication, he finally found the train the man needed.
The man signaled Mr. Bonelli to come down to his level. "He hugged me and I heard him saying, 'Thank you,' in Italian. Here was a man suffering deeply, but he never got flustered or angry. He was just grateful. That moment stands out to me the most."
The Bonellis plan to return to Lourdes as soon as they can.[[In-content Ad]]
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