MARY SAYS, "HAVE A SEAT "

I remember my first visit to Europe in 1973 to attend a United Nations Commision on Shipping Meeting hosted by UNCTAD in Geneva, Switzerland. Like everyone else who is about to see another part of the world, I was excited and to add to the excitement was the almost unbelievable honor of sitting in a world forum on behalf of my country of birth. But the surge of extreme joy and anticipation was the thought of visiting the Grotto of Lourdes, France, where our Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette. It was a dream I have had through all the years since I first heard the story from my own mother's lips as a child. My mother had a special devotion to our Blessed Lady. both from her readings and oral tradition, she knew many stories about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She told us about Nuestra Senora dela Porteria ( Our Lady of the Gate) the patron saint of her church in Daraga, Albay of the Bicol Region in the Philippines. She related interesting things about, Our Lady of the Abandoned, the patron saint of Sta. Ana, Manila where I was born and our place of residence for a long time. Having known that the venerated image came from Spain, I was eager to get a replica during my four visits there but to no avail. I think Mother Mary wants me to see Spain again!

Immediately after the conference, I was off from Geneva to Paris and on to the airport in Pau of Southern France. It was a rainy afternoon when I took a shuttle bus to Lourdes with only an Irish gentleman as co-passenger. In the flurry of preparations for the meeting, I failed to consider booking a hotel in Lourdes. Friends have assured me that it would not be a problem since there would hardly be any visitor at Lourdes by late November.