Lovely Summer Day at La Sainte-Bame

This morning started with my oversleeping. I knew the bells would wake me in time for morning prayer. But apparently the bells somehow do not reach this room. The only bell I heard was the bell that the sisters ring at the bottom of the stairs to announce 5 minutes before a meal. So I rushed out of bed and made it in time for the Petit Dejeuner. But it was still the start of a good day.

Another day of catechesis at the tables of the Sainte-Baume. Another nature-loving non-believer to ply me with all kinds of questions. These are people who never get to talk to a priest. So the 8:00am petit dejeuner turned into a session until 10:30. It left me just enough time to walk faster than I hoped to to reach the grotto in time for Mass. About five minutes away from the grotto, the bells rang call to worship. I arrived at the grotto just as the first reading began. One might say, "the 11:05 bus arrived". Need I say more, SJN folks?

After Mass I hiked back down the trail in time for lunch at the dining room. The afternoon was quiet. I took one of the little pamphlets that Frere Yves-Henri gave me at Fanjeaux for some afternoon reading. "St. Dominic's 9 ways of prayer."

There is a seminarian here from Paris. He is part of a missionary order that will send him to Southeast Asia after ordination for the rest of his life. His is a real gift. We had some interesting discussions at lunch and again at dinner this evening. I learned that he is returning to Paris by train at the same time I am driving to Paris. I invited him to join me in the drive, but he already has his "no-refund, no-exchange ticket" for the TGV. I can't blame him really. He will make tthe trip in 3 hours; I will make the trip in 8 hours.
I don't think my little Citroen C3 will do 350 KM/hour.

At dinner tonight there was a group of French pilgrims who are planning to hike to the grotto and then up to the crest of the cliffs tomorrow. It should be interesting since I really think I will be the youngest among them.

Anyway, I'm sure there will be photos of that jaunt.

Here a few before and after photos. Some taken in the winter when I first arrived here in January, and the after taken today.

January 18, 2011

June 22, 2011

January, 2011

June 2011

Here are a few more I took today.

The top of this ridge is where I will be tomorrow, Thursday, June 23.

You can barely make out the little sqaure building at the very edge of the cliff. This is the monastery built by the Cassianites in the 5th century. That is my destination tomorrow.

Well that's all for tonight.
I'm sure after the hike tomorrow there will be more photos.
Bonne nuit all!