Day 2 Continued:

After reaching the Shrine property, we passed the home of the Bishop of Lourdes-Tarbes. Arrived at the priets' residence, picked up the keys to my room. Im on the 3rd floor, right NO elevator. Room #53. INside the room there is a bed, night table, small desk, one chair (which I rarely used since it was straight back and not comfortable, and a sectioned off area with a shower, and sink. Toilets at the end of the hall... ugh! The room was actually nice, very simple, but what else did I really need. Also, a great window (no screen) which looked out on a tree! (good for shade).
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Here is a pic of the building I roomed in. My room iis on the 3rd floor directly behind the the tree. You can't tell from this side of the building but my room is actually 3 flights up (did I say NO elevators????).

Dinner was at 7:30, walked to the dining area which was in a separate building.
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A closer view of the building which held the dining room, the Business office, and other rooms for priests who were ministering here (did I say no elevators!)

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Here is a view of the waiting area , just outside the dining room. We (the English speaking priests)would gather here before meals (lunch and dinner) and chat about how the day was going. We had a terrific time with each other.

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Two other views of the same room:

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And this is our dining room:

Each of the different language groups of priests had their own table for meals.
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Dinner was served at 7:30pm. For my first meal, dinner, we had: beef, potatoes, mixed vegetables, bread, lettuce leaves, water and wine. After dinner an espresso type coffee (nope no liquor inside).
At our dinner table there were 7 of us the first night, One of the priests, Father Michael from England was leaving in the morning. What a great guy, I would miss getting to know him. Others at our table were: Father Brian (Ireland) and Father Paul (South Africa)- (both were assigned here full time by their Order); Father Michael from England, Father Angelo from England, Father Michael from Nigeria and me (they called me "The American!").
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What an exceptional group. And what fun and serious love of Lourdes.
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After dinner, Father Michael, from Nigeria, offered to show me around: the Shrine, the building in which we celebrated Mass and the building where we would hear Confessions, etc etc. We spent a good while together.
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This is Father Michael:

Father Michael went on to his room, I walked to the Shrine where the 9:30pm Marian Processions was about to begin. This was so awesome it's difficult to explain the beauty, the joy and even the sadness of it all. During the procession, thousands participate and the Rosary is recited in about 6 different languages.
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OK, back to my room. I'm dead tired. It's Day 2, Tuesday night at 10:30pm and I have been up since Monday morning at 4:30am. It's time to sleep don't you think.
Night prayers.
Lights out.
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